Trainers, which of the following is not true?

a) Scizor learns Metal Claw by level.
b) Skarmory learns Steel Wing by level.
c) Steelix learns Iron Tail by level.

"… …Ahem, we are Team Rocket! After three years of preparation, we have risen again from the ashes! Giovanni! Can you hear? We did it! Where is our boss? Is he listening?"

"Oh no… they have the Radio Tower!" Shadow panicked. It didn't sound like something that they should necessarily be worried about. At first.

"Whitney's in danger!" Ethan realised. Sending out Waver, he surfed to Goldenrod City in a hurry.


"What's keeping him? He said he'd be a moment…" Kris sighed. She and Jasmine were waiting for Ethan to come back from his private mission. Jasmine's Pokégear sounded, and they opened the device.

"… …Ahem, we are Team Rocket! After three years of preparation, we have risen again from the ashes! Giovanni! Can you hear? We did it! Where is our boss? Is he listening?"

"This is bad, this is bad!" Kris panicked.

"Of course it's bad. We have to get to the Radio Tower and nip this in the bud as soon as possible. If Giovanni gets here… the legendary heroine barely won against him. What hope do we have, if a psychic nearly lost to him?"

"…I did not think of that. Get your Skarmory!"

"Uh huh. Oh, and Kris… I want you to have this." Jasmine pulled out a spare Pokéball, and gave it to Kris. Kris sent out the Pokémon within.

"Hop on! We have a world to save!"

"Another Skarmory?"

"I'm a Steel trainer. And Skarmory is a Pokémon I wish for you to have. You don't have a Flying Pokémon already… it's a wise idea to have one on you."


Ethan barged into the Goldenrod Gym, to find Team Rocket surrounding Whitney. The Gym's trainers were tied up to one side, and Whitney was near to the same fate.

"Ethan. I can save your girlfriend. But I need to possess you."

Ethan looked at the Rocket Grunts and the Executives.

"Do it."

All of a sudden, Ethan felt a sharp sting along his spine. Biting his lip, he endured the pain.

This is for Whitney. This is for Whitney. This is for Whitney.

Ethan pulled off his cap, as his hair extended into villain-like spikes. His eyes glazed over, glowing sickly yellow. The rest of his body shone purple. In most people, Ethan's new look would appear unhealthy.

For Ethan, this was the best possible occurrence.

"Get. Away. From. The girl," Shadow!Ethan stated. They were truly fused.

"Ethan… no… Ethan, FIGHT BACK!" Whitney panicked. Ethan thought to comfort her.

There'll be plenty of time for that later.

Shadow!Ethan threw a solid punch. Five Grunts were knocked aside like ninepins. Sending a Shadow Ball in a fresh direction, ten more were thrown to the ground. The first Executive, Ariana, turned to Shadow!Ethan.

*THWACK*

Ariana sagged to the floor, her jaw out of whack. Proton picked her up, and ran from the Gym. Shadow!Ethan released his Pokémon, and Shadow removed his hand.

"Whitney… Whitney, are you OK?"

"I… I think so… But Ethan… Shadow had you… bad…"

"I understand, now, that possessing Ethan in the first place was wrong. However, I need a special process to leave. Girl… No, I should address you by your name. Whitney… I need you to take Ethan to the Ilex Shrine. We need the power of Celebi.


Kris and Jasmine entered the Radio Tower. They met a Rocket Grunt blocking the way, mumbling about an underground assignment.

"OK, Jasmine. Here's the plan. You go search the underground. I'll go find a Team Rocket disguise."

"If you say," Jasmine sighed, looking at the Goldenrod Gym.

"Whitney'll be fine. She curb-stomped a Sudowoodo. It's us we need to worry about."


Kris managed to find a place that offered the chance to take a picture of you in a Rocket uniform. Kris smiled, and snuck into the racks. She emerged, fully clothed in a Rocket outfit, and ready to storm the base.


Jasmine entered the underground, looking for what the Grunts were doing. Ominous footsteps echoed behind her, and she turned, panicking.

"Hello. You're that Gym Leader worried over a useless Pokémon?" the boy stated. He wasn't much older than Ethan.

"You? Who are you…?" Jasmine asked, terrified.

"I? Albert, of course!"

RIVAL ALBERT wants to battle!

RIVAL ALBERT sent out GOLBAT!

Go! MAGNETON!

"BZZT. PROCESSING… COMPLETE. GOLBAT. FINDING OPERATION… OPERATION FOUND. USE THUNDERBOLT." Magneton split into three parts, launching an electrical discharge that knocked out the Golbat.

RIVAL ALBERT sent out FERALIGATOR!

"ERROR. DOES NOT COMPUTE." Magneton repeated his previous attack, managing a double knockout.

"How about your own technique?" Albert bellowed.

RIVAL ALBERT sent out MAGNEMITE!

Go! STEELIX!

Steelix prepared an Earthquake, but there was no need. Magnemite was crushed underneath the giant. Albert switched to Haunter, who promptly took the intended Earthquake. Jasmine withdrew, to be safe in the cramped Underground.

RIVAL ALBERT sent out SNEASEL!

Go! SCIZOR!

"Why so serious?"

"…You wished harm on Amphy. Scizor, Metal Claw attack!"

"As you wish, my lady." Scizor stepped up, and sliced the Sneasel.

"Why? …You only one because my Pokémon were weak! There's nothing else to it. I'll get stronger Pokémon… I will! I don't give a Rattata about that darn Lance! I wasted a name on him!"

Jasmine was backing away, slowly. She scooted around the corridor, looking for what Team Rocket possessed.


"Here we are. The Ilex Shrine," Shadow stated simply. Ethan and Whitney were alone in the woods, at this shrine. Well, mostly…

"Oh, hey! Nice to meet you again, Ethan!" a girl called from behind the two. "Oh, and Whitney? It's been ages!"

"Hello. Just the girl I've been waiting for. Listen, could you sing the song to bring Celebi here?"

"Give me a challenge!" The girl stepped up to the Ilex Shrine, and began to hum. Her Pikachu leaped up, and sunk her ears into the tune.

Celebi appeared from above the shrine.

Cele… BI! Celebi! Cele lebi!

Spiralling around Ethan, a green light shone. From that, a green orb appeared, from which a purple, followed by a green poof emitted.

SHADOW disappeared from Ethan's heart!

Ethan looked about, dazed. Whitney threw her arms around him: Ethan was free at last.

"I hate to break up this cosy reunion…" Shadow the Gengar stated. "But we do have to save the Radio Tower, and by extension, the world?"

Whitney tilted her head. She felt what Gengar was saying. The two rushed up to the Tower as fast as possible.


"Welcome to your doom, little pests!" the man atop the tower stated. Ethan, Kris, Whitney and Jasmine were surrounded by the four Rocket Executives. Archer turned to them.

"Thought that, by splitting up, you could storm our defences that easily? Think again… you are about to face the four most powerful trainers in the world!"

"This isn't too bad… OK, Archer. I'll take you on!"

"You kidnapped me in my own Gym, Ariana! I'll make you pay!"

"Hey, Proton? Remember my little Chikorita? Remember how good it was against you? Want to see it again?"

"…I guess that leaves us two. Got anything that isn't Poison?"


ROCKET EXECUTIVE wants to battle!

ROCKET EXECUTIVE sent out HOUNDOUR!

Go! Bugbash!

Bugbash readied his fists. Launching a powerful punch, Houndour keeled instantly. Archer sent out his Houndoom, eager for the upper hand, but Bugbash made it easily with his other fist.

ROCKET EXECUTIVE sent out KOFFING!

Go! Whitney!

The Miltank swayed her udders. Koffing followed the jiggling almost hypnotically. Miltank then sat on the Koffing.

"No! Why! How! I was INVINCIBLE! Giovanni!" Archer cried out in annoyance.

"Urgh. You have done one good thing in my life. For that, I would let you go. But who's idea was it to bring harm to Whitney?"

"Uh… that was mine. I wanted that little chick to not threaten our operation." Biggest mistake of Archer's life. Ethan harnessed the rage he had felt from Shadow. Focusing the entire blow into his foot, he launched Archer out the window. Archer screamed as he fell to his death.

"Ah! Oh! Eeh! I blame me for that. But I'm not cleaning that up," Shadow stated. Ethan turned from the knockout, to see Whitney, Kris and Jasmine having all finished their fights. Whitney withdrew her Clefable, and walked up to Ethan.

"Sorry about… you know… the whole rampage thing…"

"Shadow's a bad influence on you… but… you did it for me…"

"Oh… I guess I did."

"Do you know what a girlfriend is?" Whitney asked, out of the blue.

"Oh… no, actually. I always thought it meant a friend who was a girl, but it doesn't feel like-" Ethan was cut off by Whitney. Whitney had pulled him in, and kissed him full on. Kris and Jasmine gasped. Whitney pulled away.

"That's what a girlfriend's for."

The correct answer is c) Steelix does not learn Iron Tail by level. It learns it by Technical Machine. Odd, considering that Steelix uses Iron Tail just by existing...