We walked into the Desert Resort after about a half hour of traveling from the outskirts of Lostlorn Forest. As soon as we walked out into the desert, we were almost blown off our feet by the heavy sandstorm.
"This isn't good for me!" Pepper shouted over the storm. "An Electric-type is weak against Ground-type Pokémon, as well as Ground-type moves and weather!"
I bent down and picked up the bare Wool Pokémon, then lifted up my back pack to keep the sand out of my eyes. I took a step forward and felt the heavy sand blowing around my feet, turning my white socks a dusty brown.
"Buttercream, we need your help!" I shouted. "I can't get past this sandstorm on my own! Can you use Water Gun to clear out the storm?"
Buttercream began to spin around in a circle, then used Water Gun, which made it rain.
"Good job, Buttercream," I congratulated.
"Water is so much better than sand..." Vinnie sighed.
After the rain subsided, the sandstorm came back. We all cried out, sand getting in our mouths and eyes, and Buttercream was blasted off her feet, then rolled down a sand hill.
"Rollaway Sundae!" she cried out.
"Vinnie, grab her using Vine Whip!" I commanded over the storm. The Grass Snake Pokémon lashed out his vines and grabbed Buttercream, but the sandstorm picked up, which blew Vinnie off his feet. Now both Pokémon were sent flying through the air.
"This sandstorm is a monster!" Pepper wailed. "We have to save them!"
I nodded, then jumped down the hill and slid towards Buttercream and Vinnie, who were now starting to fall to the ground. I jumped forward and caught them both before crashing into the unending sand below. I sat up to cough and spit out sand, then looked at the Pokémon. "Are you two okay?"
"Now we are," Vinnie said. He jumped up excitedly. "Let's do that again!"
"I think not," I murmured. I stood up and looked around, but saw nothing but sand. "I think we're lost!"
"Hey, where's Sunilio?" Buttercream suddenly exclaimed.
"He must have been blown away while Pepper and I were trying to catch you two!" I shouted, panicking. "Not only are we lost, but so is Sunil!"
"And we all saw how he reacted to being lost while we were in Lostlorn Forest yesterday!" Pepper added.
"I'm sinking!" Vinnie suddenly screamed. I looked and saw he was starting to sink into the sandy abyss, then looked down and saw I was sinking too, as well as Buttercream and Pepper.
"It's quicky-slicky quicksand!" Buttercream cried.
"Don't struggle!" I warned sharply. "It'll only make us sink quicker."
"Yeah, we're doomed, anyway," Pepper grunted sourly.
"Great dying attitude," Vinnie grunted.
Before I could retort, sand began to surround my neck, causing breaths to come quick and shallow. I held my breath and shut my eyes closed as I slowly became buried in sand.
After what seemed like forever of nothing but sand, making it impossible to see or breathe, the ground suddenly gave way. I fell, unable to do anything in reaction, and landed with a loud thump on the ground, knocking the air out of me. I had landed on something hard. Dumb rock...
I sat up slowly, holding my head and rubbing my shoulder, and sighed with relief when I saw Pepper and Buttercream recovering from the fall.
"Is everyone okay?" I asked.
"I'm good," Pepper muttered.
"Me, too," Buttercream added.
"Where's Vinnie?"
I felt the rock underneath me move and I got up quickly to see that the rock I had landed on was actually Vinnie's head. His face was buried under the sand and he struggled to resurface.
I grabbed him by the tail and pulled him up. He coughed and spat, gasping for air while trying to avoid sucking in mouthfuls of sand.
"I'm still alive, but just barely..." he groaned.
"Do you think Sunil's in here?" Pepper asked, looking down a tunnel with curiosity.
"Only one way to find out, I guess," I replied. Placing Vinnie down gently, I climbed to my feet and began down the tunnel, the pets following at my heels. I noticed the light starting to grow dimmer, but Pepper charged some electricity to the bulb on her tail, lighting the rest of the way.
"I hope Sunil's okay," Vinnie whispered. "He might have lost all his breath traveling down the quicksand. O-Or he could have been attacked by a Pokémon. Or... Or..."
"Or we could not think about it," Pepper interrupted sharply, just as worried about the lost Emanation Pokémon.
"But... I can't help thinking about it anyway..."
The Wool Pokémon began to raise her tail, aiming for the back of the Grass Snake Pokémon's head. "Well, how about I distract you with a good ol' fashioned-"
"Blythe!"
We all stopped as soon as we heard the echoing voice.
"Sunil?" Buttercream squeaked, then called out, "Sunil!"
"Blythe, Buttercream, Vinnie, Pepper!" The voice started getting closer.
"It is Sunil!" Vinnie exclaimed. He looked out, with the help of Pepper's light, and finally saw a Pokémon running towards them. Strangely, his eyes were closed, and his black appendages on the back of his head were levitating.
Letting out a bleat of delight, Pepper ran towards the Emanation Pokémon, and Sunil opened his eyes and the appendages fell back down.
"How did you get lost? You're not hurt, are you? This is so great! Why were you having your eyes closed? Are you nuts? What are you doing down here?" The Wool Pokémon started showering the lost Pokémon with questions.
"I was blown away as soon as the sandstorm kicked in," Sunil replied. "No, I am not hurt, I was down here looking for you four, and I had my eyes closed so I could find my way through the darkness with my aura."
"Aura?" Pepper echoed.
"Wait, Alder said something about how Riolu's evolved form, Lucario, can sense all kinds of things with aura," I recalled. "But I thought only Lucario could do that."
"Lucario can use more advanced aura," the Emanation Pokémon reminded. "I am not sure about other Riolu, but I can use some. Oh, and my appendages rise as I sense aura!" He closed his eyes and his appendages rose again, and a blue fiery-like light was seen in the palms of his forepaws.
"That's so awesome!" Vinnie exclaimed. "Can you sense anything?"
"No, I don't- wait!" Sunil tensed and got in a battle stance, his appendages quivering madly. He then quickly opened his eyes and shrouded himself in a white light, then used Quick Attack and sped past us, slamming into a large red crocodile-like Pokémon.
"Who's that?" Vinnie cried out.
"It's a Ground-type Pokémon!" Pepper wailed, hiding behind Buttercream.
I pulled my Pokédex to learn more about the large Pokémon before us.
"Krookodile, the Intimidation Pokémon, and the evolved form of Krokorok," it said. "Very violent Pokémon, they try to clamp down on anything that moves in front of their eyes."
"We're in trouble," I whimpered, looking up to see the violent Pokémon trying to clamp its monstrous jaws around the Emanation Pokémon.
"Sunil, use Force Palm!" I commanded quickly. I watched as Sunil placed his forepaw on Krookodile's torso, then blasted it with a powerful force, making it stumble back.
It shook its head violently, then lashed out at Sunil, its many sharp teeth turning pure white.
"It's using Crunch!" I gasped. "Sunil, use Quick Attack to dodge!"
Sunil ran under Krookodile with a Quick Attack, but the Intimidation Pokémon slammed its blunt tail down on the Emanation Pokémon. It lashed out with its large claws into the ground and used Mud-Slap, tossing Sunil into the wall like a limp rag-doll.
Crying out, Pepper ran over to Sunil, but jumped back when Krookodile lashed out another Mud-Slap. She then bolted back behind Buttercream when it began using Sand Tomb. Luckily, no one was caught in the attack.
"Buttercream, use Water Gun!" I commanded the Aqua Mouse Pokémon, then turned to Vinnie. "And you use Vine Whip!"
Both Pokémon used their move, and both attacks were super effective.
But Krookodile was stronger and it shook it off quickly. It snapped its jaws at Vinnie and Buttercream, intimidating them, making then both hide behind me. Pepper, having no one to hide behind, pressed herself as closely down to the sandy ground as she could.
My heart sank for all three of them. But Krookodile had to be driven away. "Looks like it's just you and me," I called out to Sunil. I gasped when he was still in the process of climbing to his feet.
Unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough. Krookodile slammed another Mud-Slap into the back of his head, sending him flying limply.
"Sunil!" I cried. "Please get up!"
I watched in terror as he struggled to stand, and I gasped when his foe lashed out another Mud-Slap. In a flash, the Emanation Pokémon got to his feet and jumped out of the way, then held out his paws to catch its Crunch, using Endure. Then, he jumped up and used a double Force Palm against Krookodile's chest, causing ripples of electricity down its entire body.
Having enough, Krookodile swiped one more Crunch attack at Sunil, missing, and dug its way back underground, disappearing.
"That was scary..." Buttercream whimpered.
"Sunil, are you okay?" Vinnie asked, peeking out from behind my legs.
I looked and saw the Emanation Pokémon was panting hard, kneeling down. "Just a little tired."
"Well, let's get to a Pokémon Center," I suggested. "We need to get you rested up."
"No, don't go yet!" Sunil barked quickly before we could escape the tunnel. "I need your help!"
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I forgot to tell you, but I found a very injured Pokémon at the end of this tunnel! It's a Ground-type Pokémon, but it's been paralyzed!"
"But Electric-type moves don't effect Ground-types," Pepper said.
"It was hit with a Force Palm. I'd recognize the injuries of such a move anywhere."
"Looks like we're going back in," I announced.
We followed Sunil further into the tunnel with the help of Pepper's light, and when we approached a dead end, we saw a small sandy-colored Pokémon lying on its belly, its face screwing up in pain, squeaking, whenever small jolts of electricity ran through its body.
"What Pokémon is it?" Vinnie asked.
In response, I pulled out my Pokédex for information on the Pokémon.
"Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon," it said. "It digs deep burrows to live in. When in danger, it rolls up its body to withstand attacks."
"I guess its rolled up body wasn't strong enough to withstand Force Palm," Vinnie guessed.
"Wow, I actually feel bad for it," Pepper sighed.
So do I. I knelt down to the Mouse Pokémon, my heart drooping when it cried out as another jolt of electricity, stronger than the last, ran through its body. I reached out my hand towards it just as it forced its eyes open, and it squeaked in alarm, rolling up in a ball.
"There it goes," Pepper grunted.
"Don't worry, sweetie," I spoke softly, trying to calm the injured Pokémon before me. "I'm not going to hurt you... Who could have done this to you?"
"My guess? Team Plasma-bo-Blasma," Buttercream said bleakly.
I sighed, unable to disagree with the Aqua Mouse Pokémon. I looked back at the injured Sandshrew, then gently touched its tensed back with my hand, and it quickly unrolled and pawed some sand into my face.
"That's Sand-Attack!" Vinnie gasped as Pepper leaped behind him and cowered.
I coughed and rubbed my face, sighing in relief when I found no sand got in my eyes, and looked back at Sandshrew. "I know you're just defending yourself, but I promise I won't hurt you." I reached out my hand again, but Sandshrew retaliated with a very weak scratch, which didn't fluster me in the least.
I reached away from the Mouse Pokémon's tiny slashing claws and placed a hand on its head. Strangely, it immediately calmed down and stopped slashing and struggling.
It stopped fighting. I slowly and gently rubbed Sandshrew's head, and I could tell it was starting to get drowsy, either out of relaxation or exhaustion. However, another jolt of its paralysis status made it squeak again.
"That dumb paralysis is still hurting him," Vinnie growled.
I picked up the Mouse Pokémon, who was too weak to fight if it wanted to at all, and I looked down at it, then gasped when I saw its sandy colors and gray eyes were replaced with orange and brown with green eyes.
"Russell!" I exclaimed loudly. The other pets gasped loudly.
"That scared Sandshrew is Russell?" Pepper bleated.
"Now we've really got to get him to a Pokémon Center!" Vinnie announced.
I nodded in agreement and followed Pepper's light out of the tunnel and back under the quicksand.
"How do we get out of here?" Vinnie asked.
"I found something," Sunil announced, his eyes closed and his appendages rising. He pointed to a wall and Buttercream used Water Gun on it, destroying the wall and revealing a staircase.
We all ran up the staircase and were immediately greeted with a strong sandstorm when we reached the top. I readied to climb into the never-ending sand, but Vinnie's vines quickly grabbed me and yanked me down just before a Flamethrower could hit me.
What was that? I looked out into the sandstorm and saw a Team Plasma Grunt with a small black hound-like Pokémon.
"Who's that?" I gasped. I pulled out my Pokédex.
"Houndour, the Dark Pokémon. It is smart enough to hunt in packs. It uses a variety of cries for communicating with others."
"Use Flamethrower again!" the Team Plasma Grunt commanded. Houndour opened up its mouth wide and out came a blast of fire.
"Buttercream, use Water Gun!" I commanded. Buttercream hopped in front of me and shot a jet of water out of her mouth.
The two moves intersected, but Flamethrower was victorious, for Houndour was at a higher level.
"Dodge, then use Rollout!" I shouted. Buttercream leaped to the side, then rolled up into a ball and slammed into the enemy Pokémon. The Dark Pokémon tried to get back up, but it was hit with another Rollout.
"Bubble!" I commanded, and Houndour was attacked with a flurry of bubbles. The bubbles gradually turned into large spheres of aquatic energy. I knew what it was. "That's BubbleBeam!"
Houndour was flung back by BubbleBeam, trying to get back up, then lashed out at Buttercream when the Grunt shouted, "Bite!"
Vinnie and Pepper jumped in between the two brawling Pokémon and released a ThunderShock and Vine Whip, knocking Houndour back.
"If you won't play by the rules, then I guess we'll have to play just as dirty!" the Grunt exclaimed angrily over the sandstorm. He threw out four more Pokéballs and out came four more Pokémon. I reached for my Pokédex to learn more about each of them.
"Woobat, the Bat Pokémon. The heart-shaped mark left on a body after a Woobat has been attached to it is said to bring good fortune."
"Sneasel, the Sharp Claw Pokémon. A smart and sneaky Pokémon, it makes its opponents flinch by suddenly showing the claws hidden in its paws."
"Poochyena, the Bite Pokémon. A Pokémon with a persistent nature, it chases its chosen prey until the prey becomes exhausted."
"Seviper, the Fang Snake Pokémon. Constant polishing makes the edge of the blade on its tail extremely sharp. It's Zangoose's archrival."
"Now who's being unfair?" Pepper snapped.
"Never mind that!" Vinnie shouted. "We've got to defeat the enemy!"
The Grass Snake Pokémon ran out towards the five enemy Pokémon, but Seviper quickly used Poison Tail on him, flinging him back. It towered over him, ready to use Poison Fang, but Sunil's Force Palm stopped it from landing its attack; the Emanation Pokémon was quickly tackled by Poochyena, and Pepper readied to help her friend, but Sneasel used Slash, tossing her back like a piece of limp prey. Buttercream used BubbleBeam, which was destroyed by Houndour's Flamethrower.
Poochyena used Tackle on Sunil, throwing him back to my feet. I knew he was already weak from fighting that Krookodile in the tunnels, and this just made him weaker.
Houndour, obviously furious, blasted a strong Flamethrower at Sunil, but I quickly picked him up and turned my back to the attack, protecting the Emanation Pokémon from further harm, and braced myself for an eternal burn.
But it never came.
I looked to see a Pokémon had used Protect to keep the fiery attack away from us.
"Russell, what are you doing?" I gasped. "You're weak!"
"That won't stop me from protecting my friends!" he replied confidently. I held back a surprised gasp when I learned I could understand the Mouse Pokémon.
The Flamethrower grew weaker after constant use and Houndour finally stopped, panting. Russell used this chance and rolled up into a ball, then slammed a Rollout into the Dark Pokémon, knocking it out. He crashed into the other enemy Pokémon, then unrolled and used Poison Sting, poisoning Sneasel and knocking out Poochyena.
Seviper lashed out to bite Russell, but Pepper and Vinnie slammed a double Tackle into its side, and Buttercream's BubbleBeam propelled the Fang Snake Pokémon into the air. As it fell, Vinnie released a new move, a vortex of leaves that trapped Seviper, cutting it with the razor sharp leaves, and flung it down onto the ground, knocking it out.
"That was Leaf Tornado!" I gasped.
Sneasel tried to get up, but Buttercream's Rollout quickly knocked it out.
Now there was Woobat to take care of. But it was knocked out easily when Russell's Fury Cutter and Pepper's ThunderShock took it out from the sky.
"You've got to be kidding me!" the Team Plasma Grunt exclaimed. He quickly retreated his Pokémon and ran off.
I sighed in relief, then looked down at the Pokémon and gasped when I saw they were barely able to stand on their feet anymore, so I withdrew my Pokémon into their Pokéballs for the first time, excluding first capture, and picked up Russell, who was fairly heavy, and I made my way to the Pokémon Center in Nimbasa City.
An hour later, Nurse Joy and her Audino came back with four Pokéballs and Russell.
"Your Pokémon are well rested and fully healed now," Nurse Joy said happily.
"They'll be just fine," Audino added.
"You can sleep here for tonight if you'd like," the nurse offered.
I knew I couldn't refuse that offer, and I was led into the guest room and started getting ready for bed. My Pokémon in their Pokéballs were released.
"That was a close call," Vinnie commented.
"We've had lots of close calls today," Pepper corrected.
"I know I speak for all of us when I say we couldn't thank you enough for helping us out with our battle against Team Plasma today, Russell," Sunil said warmly to his friend.
"And I thank you for rescuing me," the Mouse Pokémon replied. He looked up at me with regret sparkling in his green eyes. "Sorry I attacked you before, Blythe."
"It's okay," I replied. "At least everything's back to normal." For now.
"Now the only thing we have to deal with is defeating Elesa!" Pepper announced.
"Elesa?" Russell echoed.
"Elesa's the Electric Gym-a-dym Leader!" Buttercream answered.
"And we are going to win our fourth Gym Badge!" Sunil declared.
"Don't get too excited, everyone," I giggled. "We should rest up. We've a long day tomorrow, and a long battle."
"And you're gonna battle tomorrow," Vinnie said to Russell before drifting off to sleep. The Mouse Pokémon blinked in confusion.
"Wait, what?