Chapter 3
Selene's Grace
Dawn and Lucas had arrived in Oreburgh City in the dead of night and when they got to the pokémon center they ran into a problem. There was only one room left, and there was only one bed in that room.
Lucas proposed that Dawn stay in the bed, and that he slept on the floor. Dawn thought that this was hardly fair, but agreed anyways.
The room was rather small, so this made Dawn feel even worse. Lucas assured her that it was okay with him, and after both of them had gone to change into their pajamas they quickly fell asleep, but hardly received any sleep.
Around five-thirty in the morning some loud sirens started to play, and large machinery began to start up. Work down in the Oreburgh Mines was starting, and this caused Dawn and Lucas to wake up. "Wonderful, third day in a row that I have been awoken at an early hour and went to sleep late. This has got to be bad for my health," Dawn complained as she sat up in the bed.
"It could be worse," Lucas suggested as he sat up and began to stretch his arms a bit. "I mean we could have had to camp out in that cave."
"Eww, you couldn't pay me a million dollars to sleep in the Oreburgh Gate. That place was creepy!"
Lucas laughed a bit as he recalled the mass amount of Zubat –small blue bat-like pokémon– that seemed to be so attracted to Dawn while they were walking through the cave.
"It wasn't funny!" Dawn yelled before tossing a pillow at Lucas.
"Yes it was, and you know it!"
"It was funny when that one Zubat bit you because you had gotten to close to me." Dawn spoke with a grin.
"Now that hurt! I still have a mark from it!" Lucas replied as he threw the pillow back at Dawn.
Dawn giggled as the feathery pillow barely hit her and she watched as Lucas stood up and began to gather his things. Obviously, he didn't realize how Dawn was looking at him. She didn't even realize that she was staring at him.
This was the first time Dawn had stayed in the same room with a guy who didn't sleep with a shirt on. Just as Lucas was about to walk into the restroom to change, Dawn picked up the pillow again and threw it at him. The pillow landed against his back and then fell to the floor.
"Okay, this means war," Lucas stated as he turned around and proceeded to pick up the pillow.
They tossed the pillow back and forth before Dawn grew tired of the sport. "Okay, I'm tired of this. And you know what? We still didn't find a Budew!"
"You can use Turtwig if you would like," Lucas offered.
Dawn agreed to use Turtwig and after they both got finished with their showers and getting changed, they headed off to get breakfast then head for the Oreburgh Gym.
While the two were walking through town, Bidoof decided that he didn't want to stay in his poké ball. "Do any of you actually stay in your poké balls?" Dawn asked looking down at Bidoof.
"Bidoof bi, bi!" The little beaver called in a happy tone.
"Hey Dawn, if I remember correctly, Bidoof knows Grass Knot. That could be useful in your gym battle."
"Looks like you're going to battle Bidoof," Dawn stated as she bent down and patted Bidoof's head.
He made a little noise that sounded like he was cheering, but it didn't last too long.
A small gray and blue dinosaur-like pokémon with a snort tail, stubby arms, and blood red eyes had decided that it would be a good idea to ram into Bidoof.
"Cra-cray!" The pokémon called.
Bidoof sat up and his eyes were filled with angry tears. He dug his little claws into the ground, and this caused some shoots of grass to trip the dinosaur pokémon.
"Cranidos what are you doing?" The pokémon's trainer called from a few feet away.
The trainer was a young man; he looked to be eighteen in age; both his hair and eyes were a reddish-brown; his outfit identified that he worked in the mines; and the sight of Cranidos caused Lucas to realize that this was the gym leader.
"I beg your pardon –oh hello." He restated in a more suave tone towards Dawn.
"Uh...hi?"
"My name is Roark," He introduced as he held his hand out.
Dawn timidly shook his hand before introducing herself. "I'm Dawn."
"Dawn huh? Lovely name for a lovely girl."
Dawn blushed a bit and Lucas felt a hint of jealousy. "Thanks, I-I guess," she replied.
"So, Dawn, what brings you here to Oreburgh?"
"I'm going to challenge the gym," she told him.
"Really? Well in that case I'll let you know that the Gym Leader is me."
This took Dawn by surprise. She thought he was just some weirdo flirt, but instead he was the Gym Leader...and a weirdo flirt.
"Interesting, well me and my boyfriend Lucas will be heading to the gym shortly," Dawn said in a worried tone, praying Lucas would take the hint.
"I'll be looking forward to it. Gym opens in ten minutes, so you better hurry before another challenger shows up." Roark said, completely dismissing the boyfriend comment.
Dawn watched as he walked away with Cranidos and wore a confused expression.
"Idiot..." Lucas grumbled as he silently cursed at Roark. How dare he just randomly show up and begin to flirt with Dawn? He barely knew her!
"Earth to Lucas! We have a problem!" Dawn shouted.
"Bidoof!" Bidoof agreed as he went to stand by Dawn's feet.
"We do?" He asked.
"Yeah we do! Roark is a complete weirdo who wants to flirt with me, and I told him you were my boyfriend!" She shouted frantically.
"Okay, I'll agree with you on the fact that he is weird, but it's not like he really expects me to really act like a lovey-dovey boyfriend, does he?"
"But you've seen those TV show's and those movies where the girl is like 'yeah he's my boyfriend' 'yeah, we're getting married!' But what always happens? Somebody has the audacity to say 'really? Lets see a kiss!' What'll happen then huh?" Dawn asked, as her tone steadily increased.
"I don't think he's going to ask that." Lucas said, but how he wished he were wrong.
Of course, he would never force himself upon Dawn like that, but still, kissing Dawn would probably make his day just that much better. "What am I thinking?" Lucas thought. "She's very beautiful, that I won't deny, but how can I think like that?"
"Watch, he will." Dawn grumbled as she began to walk away with Bidoof. Lucas just stood there watching her leave, thinking about everything.
Then he realized that he should probably go with her since he was her 'boyfriend'.
"I was wondering when you would get here," Roark greeted as Dawn and Lucas entered the gym. The gym was very large. The battlefield was mostly rock with a few sprigs of grass in random patches. Large bleachers lined the side of the gym, indicating that Roark's gym was pretty busy at times.
"Dawn, this will be a two-on-two battle. Pick the pokémon you want to use and then have your friend sit on the sidelines if you would," Roark instructed as he began to walk to the other side of the gym.
Dawn quickly handed all her poké balls –excluding Bidoof's- to Lucas and then he gave her Turtwig's poké ball. "Be good to Turtwig," He joked before walking away. "Your Pokédex will be able to tell you what moves Turtwig knows!"
"Alright, let's go Turtwig!" Dawn called as she released Turtwig.
"Twig, twig!" he called.
"Turtwig huh? Well I'll start with Nosepass! Come on out!" Roark ordered.
A small rock pokémon appeared in a red flash, but Dawn could have sworn he just threw a rock onto the field. It looked like a jagged boulder, but a bright red nose was clear on the front with eyes that looked shut.
"Nosepass, huh?" Dawn mumbled as she brought out her Pokédex.
"Nosepass, the compass pokémon. When endangered, it may protect itself by raising its magnetism and drawing iron objects to its body." The Pokedex read in a robotic tone.
After giving Dawn a quick second to look at Turtwig's moveset, the referee began to call the match. "This will be a two-on-two battle between Gym Leader Roark and Trainer Dawn. The Gym Leader is not allowed any substitutions, but the trainer is free to switch pokémon if needed. Let the battle begin!"
"I'd be honored if you would go first Dawn," Roark invited, but the only reason he was doing this was to see what type of strategy Dawn would be using. Once he figured it out, this battle was as good as over. Then Dawn would have no other option then to come back for another challenge.
"Turtwig, use Seed Bomb!" Dawn ordered. The tiny grass turtle opened his mouth widely and then what looked like three glowing spheres flew from his mouth.
Roark knew that this move would be super-effective against his Nosepass, but like any good Gym Leader, he had something to counter. "Ice Punch!"
The fist of Nosepass began to ice over and then his arm seemed to detach from his body and sped towards the oncoming Seed Bombs. Once they made contact the seeds froze and just dropped to the ground.
Dawn suppressed an astonished gasp, and Turtwig looked upset that his attack didn't hit. "Nosepass!" The Pokemon called as his arm returned to its spot.
"You'll have to strategize better than that, Dawn, if you wish to win!" Roark said in a cocky tone.
Lucas was just about to say the same thing, when he realized that Chimchar had come out of his poké ball along with Stunky and Staravia.
"Chimchar! Chim, Chim!" Chimchar cheered as he did a little dance on the edge of the seat. Stunky let out a hiss of agreement with Chimchar and Staravia just seemed to be watching.
"Turtwig, get closer to Nosepass then use Razor Leaf!" Dawn ordered.
Turtwig did as he was told, but when he got to a certain point, Roark gave another order.
"Thunder Wave!"
Nosepass started to build a tiny ball of static and then he tossed it at Turtwig.
"Turtwig, Withdraw!" Dawn ordered, and as she did Turtwig stopped running and withdrew into his shell just in time for the small ball of static to hit him.
Small pulses of electricity danced around Turtwig's shell, then stopped so Turtwig popped out of his shell, completely unharmed.
Lucas smirked at Roark's confused expression. Obviously, he didn't know that Turtwig's shell was made of soil, and therefore electricity didn't bother him if he withdrew back into his shell.
"Now, use Razor Leaf!" After she had said this Turtwig began to lash his head back and forth while the little leaf on his head began to glow and release more leaves.
Nosepass's face was battered with the tiny leaves, but once Turtwig stopped Nosepass just stood there like nothing had happened.
"Passs," he mumbled. There was a hint of stress in his tone, but it wasn't enough to make Roark worry.
Chimchar and Stunky began to cheer even louder, and Stunky did a paw-stand and lashed her tail around like a pompom. Chimchar noticed this and decided to talk to Stunky about this.
"Ah!" He squeaked at her.
Stunky stopped cheering and looked over at Chimchar with a look that said, "What's up?"
He told her that if she stood on her hind paws, she would be able to see the battle and cheer at the same time. Stunky understood his point and gave it a try. At first, she seemed a little shaky, but she gained her balance and began to purr in delight as she clapped her claws together.
"Nosepass, use Ice Punch again!"
Before Turtwig had a chance to react, Nosepass hit him with his iced hand, and it even froze Turtwig partly. The left half of Turtwig was frozen to the ground, and only a bit of his head and legs were free to move.
"Turtwig!" Dawn shouted.
"Now, use Stealth Rock!" Roark ordered.
Nosepass began to glow a bit and then large boulders landed on the ground around the whole arena.
Lucas quickly realized the strategy he was using. It was completely obvious that he was intending to either freeze, or badly damage Turtwig to the point where he would have to be recalled or to where he would faint, then he would use Stealth Rock so the next pokémon that came into battle would be injured.
Turtwig was trying to thrash his way out of the ice, but he was having no luck. He gave Nosepass a defiant stare, and suddenly, a tiny seed came from the leaf on his head and it fired at Nosepass. The seed landed on Nosepass' nose and then sprouted roots. A red energy began to flow around Nosepass and Turtwig seemed to be getting healed.
This caused Nosepass to instantly faint. "Ah! Nosepass!" Roark yelled in dismay.
"Nosepass is unable to battle! This round goes to Turtwig!" the referee called.
"Way to go Turtwig!" Dawn cheered, but she was secretly wondering what move Turtwig had just used.
Lucas smiled at the victory of his Turtwig, but he knew that Turtwig wouldn't be able to handle much more.
"Okay, Nosepass return! Go, Cranidos!" Roark called as he replaced Nosepass with his Cranidos.
"Cray-nee!" Cranidos roared.
Turtwig's facial expression turned panicked and his eyes were bulging. "Twee!" His cried.
"Stay calm Turtwig!"
"So, Dawn. You think you can take down Cranidos like you did Nosepass?" Roark asked.
"Of course! With Turtwig and my other pokémon there's no way we can lose!" Dawn replied with confidence.
"That's right Dawn! Think positive and you can't lose!" Lucas silently cheered while he wore a smile.
Roark chuckled at her enthusiasm, but he knew that this battle was over. "Cranidos, use Flamethrower!"
Bright flames were released from the dinosaur's mouth and since Turtwig was mostly frozen he was unable to dodge. The ice around him melted, but since Turtwig was already weak from the previous battle, this was just too much.
After the flames stopped Turtwig fainted. "Oh no!" Dawn shouted as she ran over to Turtwig and picked him up. She tapped his poké ball on his head lightly and once he was recalled and she was back in her spot she called out Bidoof.
"Bi! Daah!" Bidoof called as the rocked that lined the clearing flew up in the air and rammed into him.
Stunky let out a call of dismay as she watched her friend get hit with the rocks.
Dust flew up into the air, causing everyone to be unable to see either pokémon. Dawn was worried that this single move was enough to cause Bidoof to faint. But eventually the dust cleared and Bidoof was standing there while wearing a confident smile.
"Alright Bidoof!"
"Focus Energy, Cranidos!" Roark called. A blue aura began to surround Cranidos and in a flash it disappeared, but Cranidos was looking even more ready for battle. "Now use Take Down!"
Cranidos began to run towards Bidoof, but the top of his head began to glow with a blue light. When he made contact with Bidoof it sent him flying.
"Well, well, well, it looks like Cranidos has finally learned Zen Headbutt. Not long till he evolves."
Dawn began to wonder what to do next. Cranidos had just learned a new, and powerful move, and to add on top of that, Bidoof was growing weaker by the second. There was only one option, "Grass Knot!"
Bidoof sat up and dug his claws into the ground, causing the sprigs of grass to shudder a bit, and then it made Cranidos trip. "Looks, like we'll have to put a stop to that." Roark mumbled. "Cranidos, burn all the grass with Flamethrower!" he ordered.
Cranidos started with freeing his feet from the grass, then he sat up and began to shoot blasts of fire at every patch of grass. Once they were all burned to a crisp, there was no move Bidoof could use that would affect Cranidos.
They were sitting ducks now.
"Zen Headbutt!"
"Bidoof Defense Curl!"
He wrapped himself into a tight ball just as Cranidos hit him, so it didn't do much damage. "Try again!" Roark ordered, and this time Bidoof had no time to use Defense Curl.
Roark ordered this a few more times, and by the time he was finished, Bidoof was hardly able to stand. "Bee..." he cried feebly.
"Bidoof!" Dawn shouted. Just as she was about to give up, Bidoof began to glow. His whole body was cloaked in a white light and he began to change shape.
He became taller and bulkier; he had a tan mark on his chest that looked like a bib; a 'mask' on his face; his tail became broader and his teeth were more pronounced.
"Bibarel!" He called in a sturdier tone.
"What?" Dawn asked as she again pulled out her Pokédex.
"Bibarel, the beaver pokémon. A river dammed by Bibarel will never overflow its banks, which is appreciated by people nearby."
Dawn also took notice that he had learned a new move.
"No matter, we'll just take him out like we almost did a few minutes ago! Cranidos, use Take Down!"
"Bibarel, dodge using Roll Out!"
Bibarel curled into a tight ball bud this time he moved out of the way by rolling up a boulder and jumping in the air. Cranidos tried to look up at Bibarel but to no avail, and Dawn noticed this.
"Bibarel, use Roll Out again to get in the air, then you know what to do from there!" She shouted, hoping that he understood what she wanted him to do.
"It's no use using Grass Knot since Cranidos burned all of the grass." Roark called.
Dawn waited till Bibarel was about to use Water Gun to reply. "Wasn't going to use that!" she shouted.
A small stream of water rushed from Bibarel's mouth and it hit Cranidos head on, causing him to faint.
Bibarel then landed on the ground and crossed his arms in a proud manner. Dawn hurried over to Bibarel and noticed that he was even taller than she was. The Pokédex stated in the info that they were usually close to three feet, not over five feet. But she gave him a big hug and Bidoof began to pad his tail up and down in the way a Poochyena would wag their tails.
"Way to go Dawn!" Lucas cheered.
Chimchar did mini flips in the air and Stunky was busy clapping. Staravia was still just watching curiously though.
"Well, I guess that's what I get for doubting your strength, and the strength of your pokémon." Roark congratulated Dawn as they stood outside of the gym. A large boulder pokémon with four arms was standing beside him and held a small case in his lower set of arms. "I hereby award your victory with the Coal Badge," he announced as his Graveler held up the case and inside was the Coal Badge.
Dawn picked it up and pined it on her scarf.
"The next gym is in Eterna City. The gym leader there is much stronger than I am." he warned. "You know, I have the feeling that our path's will cross once again, and I most certainly look forward to that day."
Lucas sighed and Dawn felt a strong feeling of unease as they began to walk away.
Roark watched as the two trainers left on their way to go through the Oreburgh Gait, and he smiled once more as they left his line of sight.
"So, are you sure that it's her?" He asked aloud to no one in particular.
That's when a tall girl with a fair shade of short green hair stepped out from beside the gym. "Positive," she answered as a slight breeze ruffled her coat that looked like the wings of a Xatu. "Roark, I fear for her. Something is going to happen, I can't say when, but something is going to happen. You remember what I told you yes? I need to know if there are any changes." She spoke, as her bright green eyes seemed to glow with the rising sun.
She pulled out two white poké ball that had a red line down the seal part.
She threw them on the ground and two pokémon came out. The first was a psychic pokémon known as Gardevoir. The pokémon's body was cloaked with an elegant looking white dress; she did have slender white legs, but it looked more like she was levitating; her hair and arms were a subtle green and there seemed to be a red 'horn' on her front.
The second pokémon was a condor-like pokémon with wings that looked like a tribal blanket; underneath his wings were designs that looked like eyes, and on the back of his head were long red feathers.
"Xatu, Gardevoir, is the future still the same, or has it changed?" the girl asked.
Xatu stared up at the sun and Gardevoir closed her eyes and seemed to be thinking about something. After a few silent –if you ignored the sounds of machinery- seconds both pokémon glanced back at their trainer.
"Gardevoir says that Xatu has stated something about the boy traveling with her. He says that he holds the power to change her destiny. The girl holds the power to become an extraordinary trainer, but if she chooses the wrong path, Sinnoh will collapse as we know it."
Roark seemed a little shocked, and even his Graveler wore a worried expression. "Well Selene, I guess we'll just have to keep an eye on her. Do any others know of this?" Roark asked timidly.
"Only two others for now. Elite Four member Lucian, and the trainer you call Champion. I can't recall her name at the moment, but she knows. They don't know who I'm talking about, but they know there is a trainer out there."
Roark gave her a worried expression. Knowing so much and being able to discuss it with so few people was really getting frustrating.
While Roark was talking with Selene, Dawn and Lucas were making their way through the Oreburgh Gate, and with Bibarel's help, they were making great time.
"Isn't it strange how large he is?" Dawn asked Lucas as Bibarel smashed another rock with his tail.
"Well you have to remember, pokémon are like people in some ways. No two are alike. Bibarel is really tall, and some humans are really tall you know. Staravia has an adamant nature. She has great strength, but once her mind is set on something, she will refuse to change her mind. Bibarel seems to have a careful nature. If you notice, he always acts careful when he's smashing the rocks. He doesn't want you to get hurt, but that's just a guess."
Dawn gave him a smile as they continued walking through the cave.
They arrived in Jubilife City around noon and when they did, they noticed Professor Rowan.
He was having a conversation with two weird looking people.
They seemed to be wearing space suites and their green hair was in a bowl cut.
Dawn began to giggle at their appearance. "Professor Rowan!" Lucas greeted.
"Ah, Lucas and Dawn. Impeccable timing!" He said returning the greeting.
"Now, now, now, now, now!" The first grunt started. "Professor Rowan why must you be so resistant? Just hand over you research papers and we won't have a problem!"
Professor Rowan turned to the two grunts and gave them 'the glare'. "Ah-hem! Quite you lot! Why must you be such a nuisance? Don't you know it is rude to interrupt others while they are talking? My goodness, you call yourselves adults, yet you dress like a foolish child!"
At first the grunts seemed to be intimidated by this old man's attitude, but when he said that they looked like foolish children that set them over the edge. "That's enough of that! Go Glameow! Show them who the foolish children are!" The grunt shouted. The other grunt followed his lead and sent out a Stunky.
"C'mon Dawn, we can take them." Lucas whispered. "Go Turtwig!"
"Go Chimchar!"
The two pokémon came out and gave a loud call of their names as they landed on the ground. "Chimchar, use Ember on Stunky!"
"Turtwig, use Seed Bomb on Glameow!"
The grunt's Stunky was easily knocked out, but the Glameow was proving to be a tough opponent.
"Dawn, what other moves does Chimchar know?"
"Let me check," she said as she pulled out her Pokédex. It read Scratch, Ember, Leer, and a move that Dawn didn't notice before. Double Kick.
She remembered Lucas talking to her about type advantages during their first trip through the Oreburgh Gate. Fighting was strong against Normal, and Glameow was a Normal Type. "Lure Glameow closer to Chimchar and then I'll show you what I have planned.
"Alright, Turtwig, Withdraw!"
Turtwig withdrew into his shell, and all of Glameow's instincts took over. Turtwig was in the shape of a ball. Oh, how this Glameow loved to mess with yarn balls
"Mrrrow!" She hissed as she raced towards Turtwig.
"Glameow what are you doing?" The grunt yelled.
"Falling into my trap! Chimchar, Double Kick!" Once Chimchar heard this command, he leaped up in the air, did a little twist then began to hit Glameow's flank rapidly.
"Tssssh! We will retreat this time! But mark my word, interfere with Team Galactic's plans ever again and you'll have to face someone far tougher than I!" The grunt yelled as he recalled his Glameow and began to run away with the other Grunt on his trail.
"Well done I say!" Professor Rowan congratulated.
"Thanks Professor!" Both trainers replied.
"Well I assume that you two will be heading to the pokémon center now? Those two deserve a rest after all of that, but I do have a question: You left Sandgem Town yesterday, and I suspect that you arrived here yesterday. What happened during that time span?"
"We arrived here around twelve thirty yesterday and left here a couple hours after that to go to Oreburgh City. It took the rest of the day, but we made it, and Dawn even challenged the gym there and snatched victory with the help of all of her pokémon. Namely Bibarel."
"Ah, so you have caught some pokémon?"
"Yeah, Dawn had Chimchar, Stunky, and a Bibarel. I have Turtwig and Staravia."
"Well done you two! I knew I made the right decision when I let you two raise these pokémon."
A few more words of praise were exchanged between everyone and afterwards Dawn and Lucas headed to the pokémon center so their pokémon could earn some well-deserved rest.