CH 34: The Quarry
It was early in the morning on route 112 and Jason was walking with the others down the path together.
"We can't be too far from Mt. Chimney, which means we're close to Lavaridge town." Jason said.
"It will be faster if we cut through the old quarry." Finn said.
"A quarry? That's not going to be pleasant." Emelia said.
"Come on it could be worse." Autumn said.
"Alright why not." Emelia said.
"If we follow this road we'll be there in now time." Finn said.
"So who is the Lavaridge town gym leader anyway?" Jason asked.
"Her name is Flannery and she's a fire type gym leader." Autumn said.
"A fire type huh? Well Gyarados should be really helpful, and Charizard won't be weak. Still my dad always taught me you shouldn't just throw your strong type match ups at the weaker ones. "
"My dad has a similar philosophy." Autumn said.
"Once you have your badge from Lavaridge town, that will be four. Where will you head after that?" Emelia said.
"I think Petalburg city. Try another match with your Grandfather."
"I wonder if my little brother is still there?" Autumn asked.
The group continued further and further until they finally reached the edges of the quarry.
"Here we are the quarry." Finn said.
"Let's just get though it quickly, abandoned places like this always give me the creeps." Emelia said.
"Huh?" Autumn said as she looked around strangely and saw several pieces of equipment were still there and many parts were not completely mined.
"That's weird, this place looks like the miners left in a hurry."
"Why would they leave it like this?" Finn asked before the ground began to shake.
"What's happening?" Emilia asked before Jason felt the movement was consistent and moving directly towards them.
"That's no earthquake, we're about to be greeted." He said as holes burst out of the ground and dozens of small Aron as well as a few Lairon came out growling at them.
"What the?" Autumn asked before Finn quickly took out his camera.
"Amazing an entire herd!" He said as he snapped a few pictures.
The steel pokemon were growling at them as the group except Jason backed up.
"H'mm they appear to be defending their territory. Maybe we can reason with them." Jason said as he let Grovyle out of his pokeball.
"Grovyle."
"These Lairon and Aron think we're trying to take over their territory, see if you can persuade them that we only want to pass through."
"Vyle." He said nodding before he began speaking with the steel pokemon.
He sweat dropped as he turned back to Jason.
"Grovyle?"
"Huh?" Jason said.
"What did they say?" Autumn asked.
"According to Grovyle only their boss has that authority to let anyone through their territory."
"The boss?" Finn asked before the ground began to shake again.
Moments later they saw the ground open up as a massive Aggron climbed out of the earth and towered over the other steel pokemon.
"Guar!" The Aggron roared with shear aggression at the group.
Grovyle heard what he said, telling them to turn back and leave his territory.
"Vyle." Grovyle said as he stepped forward and tried to explain.
The Aggron responded by slamming his tail across Grovyle's face and hurled him back.
"Grovyle!" Jason shouted as he rushed over and helped his pokemon up.
The others saw the Aggron roar again and were frightened.
"Looks like we'll need to beat him if we want to pass." Jason said as Grovyle came up with a determined look.
"Vyle!" He said.
"Let's do this!" Jason said as Grovyle got in an aggressive stance.
The Aggron sprinted forward and tried to smash Grovyle with Iron tail.
"Dodge and use Bullet seed." Grovyle leapt up and over Aggron as he blasted him with a barrage of seeds.
This seemed to irritate the Aggron as he roared again charging at Grovyle with Iron head.
"Grovyle slide in low and use Leaf blade." Grovyle sprinted forward before sliding across the ground and under the Aggron's legs, slicing them with Leaf blade.
The Aggron grunted as Grovyle got back up.
He then looked furious as he charged at Grovyle as fast as he could possibly go.
"Grovyle dodge it!"
Grovyle tried to leap up but was hit with Iron head and hurled back.
"Grovyle!"
"He's in trouble." Emelia said.
"Come on Jason get him out of there." Autumn said.
As Grovyle struggled to get up the Aggron grinned and turned to his pack.
"Grauuuu!" He roared.
Moments later the Aron and Lairon began using rock slide towards the group.
"Oh no!" Finn shouted as they ducked and covered from the storm of falling rocks.
Jason saw Grovyle struggle to move with a rock flying down at him.
"Grovyle!" He sprinted forward and tackled Grovyle into the ground as a rock hit him instead.
"Jason!" Autumn shouted.
Jason grunted as he helped Grovyle get up.
"Run!" He shouted as he and Grovyle moved away as fast as they could.
Autumn noticed the rock had knocked off Jason's pokeball belt.
"Autumn come on!" Emelia shouted before Autumn sprinted forward and snatched the belt before joining the others.
When Aggron saw the group scramble away he growled.
"Grauuu!" He roared, ordering his men to pursue them.
Within minutes Jason and Grovyle were out of the Lairon and Arons' sights.
"How are you holding up Grovyle?" Jason asked as he saw Grovyle pant.
He came over and placed his hands on Grovyle before he took a deep breath and did his best to heal Grovyle's injuries.
Despite his own pain from the rock, he was doing his best to revitalize Grovyle.
"We've got a lot of pokemon out there who want to hurt us. We're going to need some help if we're going to fight them." Jason said as he reached for his pokeball belt.
"Wait a minute." He said as he realized it was gone.
Grovyle saw this as well and sweat dropped.
"Oh great, it looks like we're on our own."
Grovyle grunted as he got up and breathed deeply.
"Grovyle!"
"No Grovyle, we can't fight them. There's too many and we're both injured, it won't end well for us."
"Vyle!" Grovyle said trying to convince Jason otherwise.
"Grovyle part of being a guardian is also using stealth and not doing something foolish."
Grovyle took a deep breath and reluctantly nodded.
"Alright let's find a way out of this quarry and try to find the others."
Meanwhile Autumn and the others were trying to catch their breath after narrowly escaping the Lairon and Aron.
"I think we lost them." Finn said.
"Now what?" Emelia asked.
"We need to find Jason and get out of here." Autumn said.
"How? There's an army of those Aron and Lairon, then that Aggron." Finn said.
"We just have to be careful and calm." Autumn said.
"Uhh, tell them that." Emelia said as they saw ten Aron and four Lairon burrow out of the ground towards them.
"Oh boy." Finn said.
"Wait I remember this from my mom and dad's lessons. They're weak to water!" Autumn said as she reached for Gyarados's pokeball.
Finn let out his Marshtomp as Emelia let out her Marill.
"Water gun!" They shouted as their pokemon unleashed water into several of the Aron, forcing them back.
Gyarados came out as Autumn stood in front of him.
"Gyarados we need your help." She said as he looked around and saw Jason wasn't there.
He gave an uninterested look as the Lairon and Aron launched several rocks at them with rock slide.
"Look out!" Finn shouted as his Marshtomp and Marill did their best to avoid the attacks.
Two of the rocks hit Gyarados and his face turned rage with aggression.
He turned to face them as they gave nervous looks.
"Grauuu!" Gyarados roared as he unleashed a massive blast of water that hit the Lairon and Aron, hurling them back and against the side of the quarry with swirly eyes.
"Well that works too." Autumn said.
Elsewhere Jason and Grovyle were carefully freerunning across old machinery and rock formations over the ground.
Jason was using his aura vision to look for movement under the ground.
"Alright we're clear." Jason said as he and Grovyle kept freerunning across until they were past the area and carefully moved over the ridge.
They stopped to let Grovyle rest up a bit, his injuries from the fight with Aggron still wearing him down.
Jason was using his aura vision to synchronize with the quarry and try to find the group.
"Dam." He said with no luck.
He looked back at Grovyle who had gotten up and was standing over the edge at a pair of Lairon below him.
He looked like he was about to leap down.
"Grovyle stop." Jason said as he grabbed him.
Grovyle gave an anxious look as he wanted to leap down and fight them.
"Grovyle I know why you're doing this." Jason said as Grovyle turned to him.
"You don't like oppressors, like that Aggron and his pack. They control this quarry and you want to take them down for it."
Grovyle gave a nervous then slightly shameful look as Jason held his shoulders.
"Grovyle, you want to be a hero. I know that and I like that about you, but you've always had trouble knowing when to restrain yourself for your own safety."
Jason sat Grovyle down.
"Getting yourself into an impossible situation for yourself is doing no one any good. You may want to do good for others, but you also need to take care of yourself. Putting others first is a great quality, but if you've sacrificed yourself in doing so they'll be none one to help others."
Grovyle looked like he was in deep though as he looked down at the two Lairon then took a deep breath.
"Vyle." He said nodding.
"Good, now since you're clearly ready let's keep moving." The two got up and carefully freeran across next area avoiding the Aron and Lairon below them.
Meanwhile Autumn was leading the others through the quarry with Solrock and Lunatone using psychic to help clear rocks in their way.
"How much further?" Emelia asked.
"I don't know Emelia."
"Sorry, I just hate walking on rocks."
"Well that's what you get for wearing running shoes instead of hiking shoes, my feet are ready for this." Autumn said.
Finn's eyes widened when he saw what was ahead of them.
"Guys, stop talking." He said quietly as the others turned to see four Lairon and an Aggron that looked slightly smaller than the one they saw earlier fast asleep.
The three and their pokemon gave nervous looks.
"Now what?" Emelia whispered.
"Ok we just do our best to sneak past them." Autumn said as Solrock lowered himself so that she could climb onto him as he lifted her up.
Emelia did the same with Lunatone as Finn tried to nervously and carefully walk around them as quietly as he could.
Emelia watched with great fear as her boy friend traversed the dangerous ground.
"Ok easy there Finn." He said to himself before he reached thought he was in the clear.
"Whew." he said before he tripped over the tail of the Aggron.
The Aggron's eyes slowly opened as he turned and saw Finn lying in front of him.
Finn shook as he saw the massive steel pokemon growl and loom over him.
Before long the Lairon also woke up and all began growling at Finn.
"Uhh guys." He said nervously.
"Finn!" Emelia shouted before she and Lunatone quickly came down.
"Hypnosis!" She shouted as Lunatone's eyes glowed red and launched the psychic attack.
All five steel pokemon got drowsy and fell asleep.
"Whew." Finn said as he got up.
"Finn!" Emelia shouted as she ran over and hugged him.
"That was scary, you really saved me there." Finn said before he kissed her.
"Uh guys Jason?" Autumn said.
"Yes Autumn you'll do this with him some day." Emelia said.
Autumn's face turned red.
"No! We need to find him!"
Finn and Emelia sweat dropped.
"Right."
Meanwhile Jason and Grovyle were nearing the end of the quarry.
"Alright we're almost out of here. Hopefully the others are close too." Jason said as he and Grovyle prepared to free run out of the quarry.
"Ready?"
"Grovyle." he said nodding.
The two began free running across some rock formations when Jason heard something.
He turned back to see Autumn and others across from them near the exit.
"Jason!" Autumn shouted in excitement as she saw him.
Moments later the ground began to shift under them.
"Oh no." Jason said.
The rock formation Grovyle was on broke apart as the Alpha Aggron burst out below him.
"Grovyle!" Jason shouted as Aggron slammed his tail across Grovyle, hurling him across the ground.
"Oh no." Autumn said as they rushed over and joined Jason as he climbed down.
The other Lairon and Aron quickly came to watch as Aggron stood over Grovyle, who struggled to get up.
"Come on Grovyle , you can fight him."
"Vyle!" Grovyle shouted as he stood in a fighting stance.
"Bullet seed!"
Grovyle tried to back up and blast Aggron.
The Aggron used Iron defense and coated himself in metal before sprinting at Grovyle with the seeds bouncing off him harmlessly.
"Grovyle dodge and use Leaf blade." Jason shouted as Grovyle tried to leap up and over Aggron.
The Aggron realized this and hurled his claws around, slamming Grovyle into the ground before continuing to slash him.
"Grovyle!" Jason shouted as the others also watched with concern.
Jason could feel Grovyle's pain and fatigue as he continued to get hit, but then he felt something else.
The others saw the ground under Aggron grow brighter and Grovyle grow larger.
When the glowing stopped a large Sceptile was on the ground with a dragon like head, a more dragon shaped body, and dragon like arms, and tail.
"Did Grovyle just evolve!" Emelia shouted.
"Awesome!" Finn said snapping some pictures.
"Alright! Sceptile use Leaf blade!" Sceptile smiled as he leapt up and sliced across Aggron's arms, knocking them back.
"Slam!"
Sceptile hurled his massive tail through the air and across Aggron's face, making him stumble backwards.
"Leaf blade!"
Sceptile leapt up and sliced his claws across Aggron's face, knocking him onto his back.
Jason then saw an opportunity."
He took out a pokeball.
"Pokeball go!"
The pokeball hit Aggron and sent him inside.
Jason and the others watched as it shook and rattled before sparkling.
"Alright we did it Sceptile we got him!"
"Tile!" Sceptile said as he stood proudly in front of the Lairon and Aron who looked terrified at the defeat and capture of their alpha.
They all scurried away as Sceptile walked over to the group.
"Great job Sceptile, you evolved too."
"Tile." Sceptile said looking very proud of himself.
"He looks more dragon than grass now." Finn said as he took another picture.
"Well we're safe, Grovyle evolved, and you have a new Aggron. Things worked out good, now let's get out of here before something else happens." Emelia said.
The group made their way past the quarry as quickly as they could.
They found a pokemon center near the road and stopped there so Jason's pokemon could rest.
Jason was fast asleep in his room with Autumn on the bed across from him.
Circe and two other aura guardians were battling twenty Ottoman soldiers near the coastline of Hoenn.
Her Mega Sceptile, a Mega Swampert, and a Mega Blaziken were also fighting the Ottoman pokemon with their partners.
Circe cut down Ottoman after Ottoman before a Jannisary Captain came in front of her with his blades lowered.
"Guardian Bitch, you dare challenge me, I am a psychic master. A Jannisary captain, you could not possibly." He started before Circe unleashed a pulse of aura that hurled him into his back.
Circe sprinted forward and leapt into him, knocking him to the ground and assassinating him as she did so.
When she turned she saw the other guardians had cleared the shore of Ottomans.
"We're clear Circe."
"Well done." She said.
After the two guardians and their pokemon departed Circe traveled further inland where she met up with Cole.
"You're back!" He said as he came to her.
Circe gave a frustrated look as he came close.
"Circe is something wrong?".
"You missed another day of fighting."
"Well I." He said nervously.
"Cole from the day I met you and Blaziken, the two of you have refused to ever take part in combat. I know you have chosen to take other jobs in the brotherhood, but there have been times when I needed you and you refuse to ever see combat. Why is this? Why do you refuse to fight."
Cole gave a troubled look as his Blaziken sighed and nodded as he looked at his partner.
"Very well Circe." He said.
"When I was a boy growing up, my parents were killed before my eyes by Ottoman raiders. My life was saved by an aura guardian master named Armatos. He and his Swampert took me and Torchic in, he discovered my affinity with aura and raised me as his student."
Circe never knew that about Cole's past, he alluded to it before but never said it.
"Our entire childhood we dreamed of being guardians like our masters, protecting the innocent people of the world. People like my parents. I always told myself that I would do what I couldn't do when I was a boy. So the day finally came and we graduated from training and became aura guardians. We were so excited, our dreams would finally come true. That was until it happened?"
"What?" Circe could feel and see the pain in Cole as he spoke.
"Armatos and his Swampert joined us on our first assignment, we were protecting a small village from a group of Ottoman raiders. We came and fought them off, but we got too excited, Blaziken and I saw their leader and wanted to go after him. Leaving our masters against a hundred Ottomans alone."
Circe's eyes widened.
"We caught and killed the leader, but when we returned out masters were dead."
"Cole." She said as his eyes began to tear up.
"After that day, I could never allow myself to fight again. Not after what I did."
Circe put her hand on Cole's cheek.
"Cole, this isn't what your master would have wanted."
"I failed him, I don't deserve to be an aura guardian."
"Yes you do." Circe said before she kissed him.
Author's note
Jason's fifth pokemon is an Aggron, and Grovyle evolved
expect Jason to be at gym four in the next 2-3 chapters
Not too much more to say really,
So until next time, please review, comment, suggest, or ask (via pm).