Cerulean West: Time and Tide

Dawn

In 2003, beneath the broad, hopeful sky of Cerulean City, Kanto set its sights on a new frontier with the establishment of the Space Exploration Program, funded by enigmatic inventor Bill Sonezaki who chose the Cerulean Bay for the project due to love of the city and fond memories spent at his retreat on Route 25.

Dr. Hoshi, harnessing her tenure as the director of the Mossdeep Space Center, was appointed to spearhead the off-shore launch platform construction, a project destined to propel Kanto into the cosmic stage. “Charting the cosmos is imperative to understanding the rarest of Pokémon—it requires endless courage to venture into the unknown,” Dr. Hoshi explained in her featured Vermillion Daily article, aptly titled “The Ceruleading Edge” published in August 2003.

The chosen construction site was the Panocean Shelf, selected for its geotechnical merits—the bedrock hundreds of feet beneath the ocean surface provided a stable canvas for the grand architecture of space exploration. To elaborate, the Panocean Shelf’s inherent geological stability arises from its seismic resilience. This key feature made it the prime candidate for the immense structures that would soon grace its surface. Dr. Hoshi’s vision brought not only scientific acumen but also an innovative approach to construction, employing a dual-layer vibration dampening system designed to weather the vehemence of rocket launches. Composed of shock-absorbing alloys and a pioneering type of shock-dissipative concrete, this concoction was a product of collaborative efforts with the region’s Steelix-based mining corporations.

The platforms were further secured against the corrosive embrace of the sea with advanced anti-corrosion materials, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the facilities amidst harsh saltwater conditions. Not to be overlooked was the cutting-edge magnetic levitation transport system for moving the rockets—a feat made possible by Kanto’s Magnemite population, which generated the necessary magnetic fields. Meanwhile, in the darkened depths, teams of Lanturn illuminated the way, enabling human workers to navigate and construct in a challenging undersea environment.

Under the leadership of Misty, the renowned Cerulean City Gym Leader known for her mastery over Water Pokémon, the project’s underwater construction component sailed beyond expectations. With the assistance of her trusted Pokémon companions, Misty directed intricate submerged operations necessary for the stabilisation and assembly of the innovative ocean-based platforms. These platforms, pioneering a new approach to rocket launches, provided stability amidst the ocean’s ebb and flow, allowing for a launch sequence that capitalised on the earth’s rotational speed—a principle that lends itself favourably to the rocket’s initial thrust phase. The oceanic location presented both challenges and strategic advantages. The proximity to the equator mitigated fuel consumption, while the open seas offered a vast safety clearance zone. Such considerations were instrumental in carving the path for Cerulean’s mark on the space race.

Day

In the mid-2000s, Cerulean City experienced an unprecedented economic boom, an epoch of prosperity that would shape the city’s destiny for years to come. At the heart of this prosperity stood the local businesses, which thrived as the city became a bustling epicentre of scientific achievement. Shops reported record sales, from Poké Balls to high-tech gadgets, benefitting from the influx of professionals and tourists alike who were drawn to the city’s burgeoning space program.

Cerulean Gym, under the skilled leadership of Misty, saw a renaissance as well. Aspiring trainers flocked to the city not only to witness the technological marvels but also to challenge the Gym and its cadre of Water Pokémon experts. The fame of the Gym and its connection to the construction project cemented its status as an institution synonymous with excellence and innovation.

The city’s western front saw substantial growth as housing developments and commercial zones sprang up to accommodate the influx of workers and their families along with a new private airfield being built under the shadows of Mt. Moon by the reputable Vanowen family. However, not all growth was met without resistance. An ambitious proposal to demolish nearby mountainous terrain to further expand the city’s infrastructure was firmly denied by the Indigo Pokémon League, citing the need to protect the historic and ecological integrity of the Cerulean Cave—a natural wonder known to house rare and powerful Pokémon.

Amidst the urban and economic transformation, Cerulean City played a pivotal role in the construction of the Multi-League Earth Orbit Platform (MLEOPs), an ambitious collaborative project between the regions of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Unova. This consortium of international cooperation aimed to establish a low Earth orbit platform to facilitate research and communication.

The construction of MLEOPs, stretching from 2005 to 2011, was an intense period of technological innovation and space exploration. Rockets and satellites launched from Cerulean’s ocean bases were instrumental in contributing to the infrastructure, laying the foundation for what would become a symbol of interregional cooperation and achievement in the annals of space exploration.

Dusk

The year 2011 dawned with the promise of continued prosperity for Cerulean City. Its skies had become a familiar canvas for the streaks of rockets ascending into the vast unknown. However, the silence of a calm April morning was shattered by an unforeseen catastrophe—a disastrous explosion that would change Cerulean’s landscape forever.

Rumours and whispers filled the air as much as the smoke did on that day. Witnesses reported a final, serene moment before the engine of a routine cargo rocket, launched from the Panocean Shelf, roared into a ball of fire seconds after takeoff. The official investigation cited a critical engine failure, but the precise cause remained shrouded in enigma; with many theorising sabotage or corporate espionage. Despite exhaustive efforts, no evidence was found to implicate any group or individual, leaving the tragedy mired in a cloud of mystery.

The fireball fell from the sky, impacting into the fuelling station, igniting the stockpiled rocket fuel, the explosion spread across the linked launchpads while the surface of the ocean ignited with the spilling fuel. Firefighters were unable to combat the blaze as the day turned to night, with the fire growing ever higher, fuelled by some unknown source. 

The immediate aftermath of the explosion was catastrophic. The once-crystalline waters of Cerulean Bay took on the oil-slicked hues of pollution. Fragments of the seaside market lay strewn across the shore. Revenue and tourism haemorrhaged as word of the disaster spread. The entire eastern half of the city broke away from the landmass and plummeted into the churning, fouled waters. The Cerulean City Gym, Pokémart, Pokecenter and the verdant standards of the surrounding countryside lay in ruins, submerged beneath the waves of the explosively born Cerulean Cliffs. The region’s reputation as a technological and cultural titan waned, leading many to proclaim that the sun had set on Kanto’s advancements.

In the days that followed, geologists studied the event, finding that the shockwaves had triggered plate movements, revealing natural gas pockets previously nestled undisturbed beneath the ocean floor. This inadvertent release of gases and subsequent environmental hazards were felt for months. Professor Aubrey Humboldt, renowned geologist cum archaeologist, shared, “The seismic activity caused by the explosion had an unsettling effect on the sub-surface structures. We’re not just talking about immediate destruction, but the long-term destabilisation of the underlying geology.”

Dr Hoshi, who was present that terrible day, was unfortunately lost in the catastrophe. While the citizens of Cerulean bear no ill will towards her they do not revere her, nor mourn her death. Bill, as expected of a reclusive billionaire, refused to comment on the event and retreated once more into his private life. 

When we look upon Cerulean City today we see a city in despair. The eastern side, once a humming nucleus of activity, now rests in silent repose beneath the waves. There have been no governmental initiatives to reclaim the sunken dreams, no attempts to reconstruct what was lost, the dangers are just too high, the cost too prohibitive. 

As, perhaps, a silver lining this transformed environment has seen the emergence of new Pokémon species, drawn to the altered ecosystems resulting from the geographic upheaval. Trainers might encounter creatures never before seen on the surface, adapting to a changed world with unique abilities.

Cerulean West as a whole remains as a withered warning of humanity’s tendency to overextend. However, under the keen guidance of Sarabella Vanowen, a glimmer of hope remains, as the citizens of Cerulean West go about their days with the reserved dignity of those who have suffered greatly but have not yet given up.

Dawn Of A New Day

The click of my recorder punctuates the melodies of Cerulean West’s life that surround me—the chatter of traders, the laughter of children, and the gentle hum of the water fountain. Joining me on the central plaza bench is Aticcus Roga, a seasoned fisherman whose deep familiarity with the city is almost as vast as the ocean itself.

Cerulean, he reminisces, was once a gem shining bright in Kanto’s crown. “Youth in Cerulean City was something truly special. You could spend every day in the city’s main square and never see the same face twice. Trainers from every corner of the globe anchored their dreams at our docks, all for a chance to earn Misty’s badge and a look at the future of Kanto,” he says, his wistful tone painting pictures of brighter days. He pauses, the moment filled with the call of distant Wingull, minutes passing in near silence. His face tells me he is struggling with continuing his reminiscence; I am making ready to thank him for his time when he abruptly resumes his reverie, eyes shining with repressed emotions in the light of the setting sun. “And then,” his voice drops to a reverent hush, “we lost our grip on it. As if trying to hold onto smoke. So much slipped away in a moment—it makes you wonder what might have been if the tides had turned differently. A moment’s hesitation, or even a fraction of a second could have made all the difference.”

Looking out at the horizon, beyond the twisted and blackened metal spires that jut from the ocean like jagged teeth, I pose the question that neither of us wants to think too deeply upon. “Do you think Cerulean will ever bounce back from what it lost?” His smile is tired, lined with uncertainty. “Cathy, time and tide are untamed forces; we ride their waves as best as we can. For now, we hold on to the West—what’s left and what’s to come.”