A/N: Hmm...I happened upon a TV trope for my fanfic the other day. That's cool! However, I noticed an error on there. Someone incorrectly stated that May has Wattson's canon Electrike. That is not true. The Electrike is purely my creation, and Wattson even used an Electrike in his gym battle. If someone could remove that trope, it would be great. I'd do it myself, but I'm not a TV trope member.
Please enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon
Chapter 28: The Valley of Steel
The group was continuing on their way to Lavaridge Town. Just like the past week they had been traveling since leaving Mauville City and the Winstrate family, the path was so bland and boring. It was just an endless stretch of plains day in and day out. However, that was about to change. As May checked her Pokenav Plus, she could see they were finally reaching the Valley of Steel that the Winstrates had mentioned. Finally, there was something to break up the monotony.
"Hey, guys. We're only about a mile from the valley," May informed them.
"Awesome. I bet we can find some pretty powerful steel-type Pokemon to catch while we're there," Ash said.
"You bet. Still, we need to be cautious. The Winstrates did tell us that the Pokemon here are pretty territorial," Brock warned.
"I'm not worried! If they try to attack us, we can fend them off with our other Pokemon. We'll be fine," Ash assured them.
As May had told them, the group then could see a large formation of stalagmites and rocks in front of them. They knew that must be the Valley of Steel. It did look rather intimidating and seemed like the perfect spot for some training. Ash was sure this would pump him up for his eventual gym battle, and May could use the battling practice, as well.
As the group got closer to the valley, they could see someone else was already there. There was a boy who looked around ten looking through binoculars at the valley before him, and he had a Grovyle with him. He seemed pretty familiar, and upon closer inspection, they saw it was Sawyer. He was the boy who had started his journey the same time that Brendan and May had!
"Do you see anything, Grovyle?" Sawyer asked his Pokemon.
"Grovyle," the Grovyle responded with a shake of its head.
"Well, let's keep searching. I heard this place was chock-full of really strong steel Pokemon. Of course, we're after the strongest. Let's search over there," Sawyer suggested and put his binoculars away.
He then took a notebook out of his backpack and scribbled down some notes before he began to walk off to another part. As soon as he did, he noticed the group coming towards him. Sawyer smiled as he walked over to the group and bowed to them.
"Hey, everyone! It's been a while! How are you?" Sawyer greeted.
"Hi there, Sawyer! It has! How's your journey been so far?" Ash replied.
"It's been going great! I have two badges," Sawyer stated and proudly showed the Rustboro Gym badge and one that looked like a flame.
"I've got three," Ash said and showed his.
Sawyer's eyes practically lit up when he saw the three badges before he looked at Ash. It was clear the boy had a lot of respect for Ash, especially since he knew Ash won the Johto League.
"That's so awesome! You're amazing, Ash! I hope to be a trainer like you one day!" Sawyer exclaimed.
"Well, heh…yeah," Ash said nervously and scratched his head in embarrassment at the praise.
"Someone has a fan," May whispered to Serena.
Sawyer then turned his attention to Brock and bowed, "I don't think I've met you. I'm Sawyer. I just started my journey this year, and that's my Grovyle."
"Hiya, Sawyer. I'm Brock," Brock replied and shook the boy's hand.
"That's cool. So, you're starter Treecko evolved?" Ash figured as he, Serena, and May took out their national dexes.
"Grovyle, the Wood Gecko Pokémon and the evolved form of Treecko. Grovyle has powerful legs, which allow it to move quickly and jump with great power," the machines said.
"So, are you here to capture Pokemon, too?" Serena asked as they looked up from the dexes.
"I sure am! I heard there's a really powerful steel-type here, and I intend to catch it! I won't even lose to you, Ash!" Sawyer said with determination.
"Well, may the best trainer win," Ash said with a nod.
"Thanks, Ash. Speaking of trainers…I have a favor to ask," Sawyer said.
"Really? What's that?" Ash wondered.
"I'd really like to have a battle with you. If I can have a match with the Johto League winner, I'm sure I'll learn a lot," Sawyer requested.
Ash then thought back to when they saw Brendan in Slateport City. He had mentioned to them that he had ran into Sawyer, and they boy was determined to have a Pokemon match with Ash the next time they saw each other. Besides, Sawyer was quite an earnest boy who really wanted to use this opportunity to learn rather than simply beat Ash like Vito had. It would also give Ash some good training with his Hoenn Pokemon.
"Sure, Sawyer! I'd really like to have that battle. Let's do it before we head off into the Valley of Steel!" Ash replied.
"Great! Thanks a lot!" Sawyer said happily.
Ash and Sawyer stood on opposite sides of each other outside the Valley of Steel. Since Sawyer still had his Grovyle by his side, Ash figured that would be the Pokemon he would be using. He then had to figure out the one he would use. He didn't really want to use a Pokemon that had the advantage against Sawyer like Taillow. However, he didn't really want to use a Pokemon that would have a disadvantage, either, like Donphan or Corphish. That left one option.
"Go, Aron!" Ash called out.
Aron appeared from its pokeball with a huff. It was about time that black-haired maggot let it out for some fresh air. An army general it may be, even it can't stay cooped up for too long. Aron then looked around to see what Ash needed of it and discovered the Grovyle before it. So, it's opponent would be that thing, eh? Aron would be sure to make quick work of it.
"You're using Aron?" Serena questioned as she and the others watched from the side.
"Yeah. So?" Ash asked as he looked towards them.
Serena shrugged her shoulders. She supposed that was fine. No offense to Sawyer at all, but a less experienced trainer would be a better opponent for Aron than a gym leader like Wattson. It's just that Aron was quite the character. At least it seemed to listen to Ash in battle.
"Oh, cool! Aron are steel-types, too! Battling one now will really give me a taste of what I'll go up against in the Valley of Steel!" Sawyer said in excitement.
"Well, let's make it a good one then!" Ash stated.
"I'll act as the judge," Brock announced and raised his hands, "This will be a one on one match between Ash and Sawyer. There's no time limit! Are the trainers ready?"
"I am," Ash replied.
"Me, too!" Sawyer agreed.
"Then let the match begin!" Brock declared and lowered his hands.
"Use Leaf Blade, Grovyle!" Sawyer said.
"Counter it with Metal Claw!" Ash said.
The two Pokemon charged at each other. The leaves on Grovyle's arms glowed as it leaned forward to slam them into Aron's face. Aron was a bit slower but still raised the short claws at the end of its forelegs as they glowed, too. It then leaped into air at Grovyle, and the two Pokemon swung their arms at each other at the same time.
Grovyle then smashed one of the leaves into Aron. Aron jerked back from the attack but still managed to swipe at Grovyle. However, due to its short legs and smaller body, Aron was only able to slash Grovyle's arm with the attack. Grovyle used the momentum from the attack to twirl around and hit Aron with a second Leaf Blade. Aron was thrown backwards and unfortunately landed on its back. Aron was again struggling to right itself. Dang it all! This again?!
"Great, Grovyle! I knew all that studying on a Pokemon's weakness would come in handy. An Aron is completely helpless on its back!" Sawyer said happily.
"Grovyle!" his Grovyle agreed.
"Now use Bullet Seed!" Sawyer commanded.
"It's not over yet, Sawyer!" Ash said, "Use Iron Defense, Aron!"
Aron's body flashed as its skin and metal coating began to harden considerably. The Bullet Seed then struck Aron, but it didn't appear to be doing any real damage. If anything, the Bullet Seed was bouncing off Aron's body and falling harmlessly to the ground.
"Okay, Aron. I know we haven't worked up another good strategy yet to get you off your back, but I'll need you to try to push yourself back up with Metal Claw. You can do it," Ash told it.
Aron glared at Ash as it did so and began to strain to get itself up. Curse that black-haired brat! It didn't need encouragement to do anything! Still, if Aron had veins to show, they probably would've been bulging out as it pushed itself up. It finally gave another mighty heave and was back on its feet.
"Even though it's on its feet, we can still win. Use Agility, Grovyle," Sawyer said.
Grovyle then seemed to disappear as it began to move really fast on the battlefield. Being the somewhat slow Pokemon it was, Aron was completely unable to keep up with its movements. How dare that Pokemon keep out its line of sight!
"Use Leaf Blade!" Sawyer called out.
"Look out!" Ash shouted.
Before Aron could react, Grovyle appeared in front of it. Rather than slam its leaves into Aron's face like last time, the Grovyle instead bent over and flipped Aron into the air. Grovyle then leaped after it and then used the Leaf Blade to knock Aron back to the ground on its back.
However, Ash was prepared for this. Though he hadn't perfected a technique to get Aron off its back, he still had worked with it to prevent from falling on it especially when he saw it coming.
"Stab your Metal Claw into the ground!" Ash shouted.
Before it hit the ground, Aron twisted its body until its face was pointing downward. It then thrust both its forelegs outward and used its tiny claws to stab the grab and stop itself. Once it was stopped, Aron yanked its claws from the ground and stood proudly upright. Ash smiled, but he didn't relax for long. Grovyle was on its way back down from the sky to prepare at viscous Leaf Blade to make a nice sized Aron-shaped hole in the ground.
"Heads up! Use Iron Head!" Ash hollered.
Aron leaped into the air and crashed its hard head into Grovyle's stomach. The Grovyle gasped in pain as it fell to the ground and had the wind knocked out of it. While it was panting, Ash decided to go on the offensive.
"Use Mud Slap!" Ash yelled.
Aron landed in front of Grovyle and kicked up a glob of mud right into Grovyle's eyes. Grovyle gave a cry as it worked furiously to get the mud out.
Sawyer frowned. He hadn't thought of a good way for most of his Pokemon to get rid of anything impairing their vision. He certainly couldn't think of anything that his Grovyle could do. He would have to make notes of that later on.
"Now, use Double Edge!" Ash yelled.
Aron then lowered its head and began to charge at Grovyle. Grovyle could do nothing to know where Aron was coming from. It gave a clumsy swipe with its hand once it heard Aron coming but missed it by a long shot. Aron slammed right into Grovyle's legs, and the force caused Grovyle to trip and fall forward.
"Leaf Blade!" Sawyer shouted.
Grovyle managed to catch itself with by using stabbing its Leaf Blade into the ground not too unlike what Aron had did. Ash smiled that a young trainer like Sawyer was learning like that, but he still had a battle to win.
"Iron Head!" Ash hollered.
Grovyle managed to prop itself back on its feet, but Aron was already in the air. It crashed its head into Grovyle's stomach once more, and Grovyle gave a cry of pain as it fell backwards on the ground. It then groaned as it tried to get up, but ultimately fell back down and couldn't, completely exhausted. Brock then raised his hands.
"Grovyle is unable to battle! The winner is Ash!" he declared.
"Great job, Aron! Our first victory together!" Ash said and gave it a thumbs up.
Aron rolled its eyes. Of course it won! As a general, it wouldn't settle for anything less than a win! In fact, it could use some new recruits!
Aron scuttled over to the tired Grovyle and inspected it. Hmm…nice and limber, a decently challenging opponent…yes. It might do just fine. Sawyer's Grovyle eyed Aron warily as it wondered what on Earth the Pokemon was doing. Aron was about to make Grovyle do a physical exam, but Ash knew what was coming and hastily returned it. He didn't want Sawyer or his Grovyle have any weird thoughts about that Aron.
Meanwhile, Sawyer had hurried over to his Grovyle and helped it up to its feet. Grovyle smiled sadly as its trainer as Sawyer mimicked the look. Despite that, he still nodded his head.
"Great job, Grovyle. I know we worked as hard as we could, and we had fun. That's the most we could've asked for," Sawyer said.
Meanwhile, Ash walked over to Sawyer and outstretched his hand for the boy to take. Sawyer gave a wide smile and quickly accepted the handshake with a firm one of his own.
"Thank you for the battle, Ash. I learned a lot. I'll be sure to take notes later," Sawyer said.
"I enjoyed it, too, Sawyer. Sometimes, to win, you just have to think on your feet and cover your Pokemon's weaknesses like I did with Aron," Ash replied.
"Okay. Think on your feet and cover your Pokemon's weaknesses. Got it! I'll be sure to write that down!" Sawyer said enthusiastically.
"Heh. You don't really need to write that down," Ash stated with a slight chuckle.
"Oh, but I do! You'd be surprised how much something commits to my memory when I write it down!" Sawyer said.
Ash shrugged his shoulders. If that's what Sawyer thought was for the best and was the best way for him to learn, who was Ash to tell him different? The boy's passion was admirable so Ash could respect it.
Ash and Sawyer than noticed the others hurrying over to them. They thought they were going join in on the conversation, but they saw the others' eyes were averted elsewhere. Ash and Sawyer than noticed they were looking up at the sky, and they followed their gazes and gasped at what they saw.
There was a Skarmory and two Magnemite who were surrounding another Pokemon suspended in midair at the edge of the valley. The two Magnemite were using Thunderbolt on whatever the Pokemon was while the Skarmory hovered around to observe. It appeared to be in command of the two Magnemite.
Brock took out a pair of binoculars to get a closer a look and saw the Pokemon being attacked was a Torkoal. It was a red turtle-like Pokemon with with holes in the shell where lava could go through. The Torkoal was firing off several Flamethrowers as it tried to hit the attackers, but the two Magnemite were relentless and dodged every attack. The Skarmory glared disdainfully at the Torkoal and used a Swift attack which caused the Torkoal to cry out in pain.
The group didn't quite know what was going on, but this Torkoal was clearly getting bullied, and they weren't going to just stand and watch. Ash nodded his head to Pikachu, and the yellow rodent fired off a Thunderbolt at the two Magnemite. The electricity passed between the two Magnemite and the Skarmory. The two Magnemite saw the attack before they glared in the group's direction and redirected their Thunderbolt at the group.
This allowed Torkoal to be released from the attack, but it started falling to the ground. Pikachu leaped into the air and easily absorbed the electricity as Ash ran to catch the Torkoal while the others followed. As Ash got closer to Torkoal, he wasn't counting on the Skarmory to block his path and land right in front of him. Ash gave a cry of surprise as he fell on his behind, and Skarmory gave an angry caw as it prepared to attack.
Thankfully, Sawyer and May were not far behind. Knowing that steel-type Pokemon were weak against fire, Sawyer sent out his Slugma and May sent out her Torchic.
"Slugma, use Flame Burst!" Sawyer said.
"Use Fire Spin, Torchic!" May added.
The two fire-types launched their respective fire attacks at the Skarmory. The Skamory turned just in time to see the attacks strike it. The swirl of fire from Fire Spin began to swirl around it before Skarmory was blasted in the chest by the Flame Burst. Skarmory gave a cry of pain as it stumbled backwards and away from Ash.
The Skarmory then looked and saw the two fire-types ready to attack again while the other humans also had their hand on a pokeball, as well. Skarmory then turned and saw that Pikachu was holding up quite well against the two Magnemite. Knowing the situation wasn't worth it, Skarmory gave a commanding caw to the two Magnemite to let them know to retreat.
The Magnemite obeyed and relented from the attacks and flew away. Skarmory gave one last disdainful look to the humans and Pokemon before it took flight, as well. The Skarmory made sure to kick dust in Ash's face as it left. Ash coughed as the Skarmory rose higher and flew away, too. Serena knelt beside him to make sure he was okay as Ash glared at the retreating Pokemon.
"What was that all about?" Ash asked rhetorically before he remembered the Torkoal, "Oh! That's right!"
Ash crawled over to the Torkoal who was on its back struggling to get up not unlike how Aron was struggling. However, Torkoal was going to be a lot heavier to flip over than Aron. The entire group got down on their knees and counted down.
"Okay. One, two, three!" they chanted.
The group then gave a mighty heave as they flipped Torkoal over and panted a little. Even with all of them chipping in, Torkoal was still much heavier than they thought. Ash then smiled at the Torkoal.
"Hey, Torkoal. Are you okay?" Ash asked it.
The Torkoal then did something quite unexpected. It burst into tears of joy and let out a happy cry as what seemed to be a waterfall came from its eyes. It then unleashed a plume of black smoke from its nostrils which covered the entire group with soot. They stood there in shock as they watched the Torkoal continue to cry joyously.
"Well, I guess that means it's okay," Brock muttered after a cough.
"Y-yeah," May mumbled in agreement.
The group then heard a very distinct roar come from the depths of the valley.
"What was that?" Serena wondered.
They all looked around for the source as Torkoal stopped crying and got a serious look on its face. Ash was about to ask it what was up before Torkoal suddenly turned and ran away from the group much faster than one would expect for such a heavy Pokemon. They blinked in confusion for the time they registered that Torkoal had actually been able to move that fast, it was already gone. That was another unexpected thing about it.
"Umm…okay," Ash muttered.
"Do you think we should follow it?" Sawyer suggested.
"Yeah. I remember the Winstrates saying the Pokemon here are tough, and I want to know why Torkoal is here. That wasn't the direction out of the valley it was running to," Ash agreed.
"Before we go, can we wash off a little bit?" Serena asked as she gestured down to their extremely dirty clothes.
About ten minutes later, the group was able to clean off courtesy of Serena's Mudkip and Brock's Lotad. They were wet, but they would dry quickly enough thanks to the dry climate and warm weather. They then resumed their walk to head deeper into the valley. However, May was a little more apprehensive.
"Do we have to go deeper in? I mean…we saw how aggressive those steel Pokemon were. I like a good adventure, too, but…" she said.
"Of course. The whole purpose of us coming here was so we can catch some Pokemon. The fact that all the Pokemon here are so tough makes it a great place," Ash replied.
"I feel the same. I was studying up on this place and thought it would be a great stop on my way to Mauville City," Sawyer added.
"I get it. So, you're going in the opposite direction of us, huh?" Ash figured, "We're on our way to Lavaridge Town."
"I just came from there and Fallarbor Town," Sawyer stated, "After I left Rustboro City, and went north and headed into Meteor Falls. The climb was tough, but I made it through. It was so cool!"
"What was Meteor Falls like?" Serena asked curiously.
"It was a really big cave with a lot of mysterious Pokemon," Sawyer answered.
"Right. I read there's a village for the Draconid tribe of people there, but no one except them knows where it is," May added.
Ash, Serena, and Brock thought back to their time in Dragon's Den with Clair. She and her grandfather had mentioned to them the Draconid race and that only two known full-blooded members were left. All the others mixed in with other races of humans. Clair's grandfather told them that a member still lived in Meteor Falls, but was the village still there? If that were true, did more than just two members still exist, after all?
"Anyway, I ran into some people who trained dragon Pokemon there," Sawyer continued, "They didn't seem to be too impressed with my single badge at the time and told me I shouldn't be there as I wasn't strong enough. As a result, I left quickly, and I didn't get to explore the place as much as I wanted."
"That was rude," Serena said with a frown.
"It didn't bother me. I guess it just means I can go back when I'm stronger," Sawyer replied with a shrug.
That was one thing the group had to admire about Sawyer. He never seemed to get offended at anything and just used it as an opportunity to learn. He must've been a very studious boy when he was in school.
The group was then broken up from their conversation when Pikachu pointed to the sky with a loud cry. They looked up and glared when they saw two Magnemite coming towards them looking quite aggressive. Knowing that they were looking for a fight, May sent out her Torchic, and Sawyer sent out his Slugma again. They were quickly able to drive off the Magnemite with a few warning shots, but an explosion about half a mile in front of them drew their attention again.
The group hurried over to the site and ended up on the edge of a cliff. About twenty feet below them, they saw another group of Magnemite and even a Magneton there. A Skarmory was flying around them giving orders, and the group gasped when they saw a Torkoal was in the middle of it all getting zapped.
"Is that the same Torkoal from earlier?!" Ash cried, "We've got to help it!"
Seeing that the cliff side was a little slanted, Ash jumped forward and began to slide down the side of the cliff. Sawyer smiled and was next as he leaped forward. He was then followed by Serena, Brock, and May.
Ash landed below and took off running towards the group of Pokemon. The Magnemite and Magneton saw him coming and fired off their electrical attacks at him, but Pikachu leaped up and quickly absorbed the attacks. He then sent out his Donphan which would be perfect as it was immune to electricity.
"Use Rollout, Donphan!" Ash cried.
Donphan took off running and became like a bowling ball as Ash followed behind it. The steel-type Pokemon saw the heavy Pokemon coming and immediately flew out of the way from Torkoal. They then tried to fire their electricity at Donphan, but it was useless. Sawyer and May once again released their Slugma and Torchic, respectively. A few fire attacks later, and the Magnemite and Magneton were driven away. Skarmory squawked angrily at the group and flew down to attack Donphan.
"Use Fire Fang, Donphan!" Ash yelled.
Donphan braced itself and awaited the impact from Skamory. The Skarmory soon crashed into it with its sharp beak, but due to Donphan's tough hide, it wasn't too damaged. It then ignited its tusks and slammed them down on Skarmory's steel body. Skarmory gave an angry cry of pain as it backed away. It was the struck again by May's Torchic and Sawyer's Slugma, but Torkoal surprisingly stepped in front of them.
The Torkoal then unleashed a powerful Flamethrower from its mouth. The attack struck right in Skarmory's midsection, and it gave a cry of pain and surprise. The Skarmory then fell down in a heap as it panted in exhaustion.
"Wow! Look at the power of that Flamethrower!" Ash commented with a smile.
"Torkoal!" Torkoal said proudly.
"Hey, Ash! Why don't you try to capture it?" Brock suggested.
"Great idea!" Ash agreed and took out his pokeball, "Pokeball, go!"
The pokeball soared through the air as it headed towards Skarmory. The Skarmory screeched in defiance and used Drill Peck. Skarmory then slammed its drilling beak into the pokeball before it struck which shattered the pokeball into pieces. Skarmory then gave one last angry caw before it took flight and flew off.
"Man. It got away," Ash mumbled with a frown as he watched Skarmory get away. He then turned to Torkoal, "Still, thanks for helping us, Torkoal."
"Torkoal!" Torkoal cried and blew smoke from its nostrils before it gave a cough and fell over in exhaustion.
"Oh no! That Flamethrower must've taken up the rest of its strength!" Serena commented.
"It's needs medical attention. I have some Super Potions," Brock said as he knelt down next to it and took off his backpack.
He then laid out a towel and wrapped it next to Torkoal so it would have something a little more comfortable to lay on rather than the rocky ground. Brock then took out a Super Potion and sprayed it around Torkoal. The Torkoal gave a sigh of contentment as the potion helped ease its wounds.
"There. After a good rest, Torkoal should be just fine," Brock said.
Ash, Serena, and May then took that opportunity to look up Torkoal in their pokedex while Sawyer also used his.
"Torkoal, the coal Pokémon. Torkoal burns coal within its body to produce energy. As a defense, Torkoal is able to release smoke from its nostrils and its back to confuse enemies," the machines said.
"So, why was this Torkoal getting so hurt by the Magnemite and Skarmory? I thought it would be able to handle them since it's a fire-type," Sawyer wondered.
"Well, it was almost six against one. That would be unfair for anything," Brock explained.
"Yeah. I bet you can take any Pokemon when it's one on one. Can't you, Torkoal?" Ash asked it.
"Torkoal! Torkoal!" Torkoal said in excitement as it cried tears of joy and blew a plume of smoke in Ash's face.
"Well, at least it only got Ash that time," May said before she looked back at the Torkoal, "So, why does Torkoal even stick around here if it just gets attacked?"
"It's probably getting attacked for getting lost here. The steel-type Pokemon appear to be very territorial," Serena answered.
"Their power just makes me want them more," Ash stated as he stood up, "I didn't come to this valley to walk away empty-handed. I'm definitely going to have a new Pokemon by the time I leave here!"
"Me, too!" Sawyer agreed as he stood up with Ash, "I say we have a race to see who can catch a Pokemon the fastest!"
"Hah! You're on, Sawyer!" Ash said enthusiastically.
The group was then cut off by another loud roar that sounded throughout the valley. Torkoal looked up and gave a serious look in the direction of the noise while the group exchanged glances with each other.
"It's that same roar we heard earlier. What do you think that is?" May asked.
"I bet it's the leader of the all the steel Pokemon," Brock replied.
"So, it isn't that Skarmory?" Ash asked.
"Definitely not," Brock said.
The group then gasped when Torkoal jumped up and began sprinting away from the group in the direction of the noise. The group was about to call the Pokemon back as its wounds hadn't healed, but it was already gone. Worried for its safety, the group followed as fast as they could.
"You know, I noticed something as I was treating Torkoal. It looked like it was injured by something more than the Magnemite and Skarmory," he stated as they ran.
"So, do you think it was by whatever was making that roar?" Serena wondered.
"Probably so. If we follow Torkoal, we'll probably run into it, also," Brock answered.
"Do we actually want to do that?" May asked somewhat nervously, "I mean, I like adventure just as much as the next person, but…"
"Of course! That's while we're here. If I can capture the leader of the steel-types here, that would be an awesome addition to my team!" Ash interjected.
"And mine, too!" Sawyer added.
The group then spotted what looked like Torkoal in the distance and hurried over to it. They saw it was standing at the foot of a high cliff and seemed to be trying to find a way around it. Whatever Torkoal was wanting to see was clearly on the other side. Torkoal then saw the group and cried tears of joy at seeing them again.
"Hey there, Torkoal. Nice to see you, too!" Ash greeted, "What's up?"
Torkoal then stopped crying and pointed with its front foot forward. The group then looked around and could see no way to cross the canyon, and none of their Pokemon had attacks that would be stable enough to cross. The best they had were String Shots from Beautifly and Dustox, but that was too risky over a high cliff. Ash hung his head in defeat.
"Man. It looks like this is as far as we can go," he mumbled.
"I don't think that's such a bad thing!" May cried and pointed, "Look!"
The group then looked up and saw more than a dozen different steel-type Pokemon coming towards them. Magnemite, Magneton, and the Skarmory. The group then prepared to fight. It didn't matter how many of these things came at them. They would just keep fending them off until they were left alone for good. That was until they heard a rumbling as the ground began to shake.
"What is that?!" Serena cried in alarm as the ground exploded upwards in front of them.
A giant snake-like Pokemon made of steel burst up from the ground in a Sandstorm. The Sandstorm then went away as the Pokemon leered down at the group and the other Pokemon around it. May and Sawyer stared up in awe at the Pokemon as Ash, Serena, and Brock immediately knew what it was.
"A Steelix," Brock muttered, "I bet that's the Pokemon that's been making the roars we've been hearing."
"So, that thing's the leader?! It's huge!" May exclaimed.
The Steelix then seemed to smirk before it roared at the group. The group then prepared for battle as May and Sawyer sent out their Torchic and Slugma respectively. Serena sent out her Mawile. Brock sent out his Forretress, and Ash sent out his Corphish while Pikachu and Togetic jumped in the front. Surprisingly, Torkoal also took the front. If it was a fight, those Pokemon wanted, it was a fight they would get.
"Okay, guys. This is fixing to get rough. Are you ready?" Ash asked quietly and received confirmation from the others.
Steelix then gave a powerful roar as if telling the Pokemon to charge forward. The enemy Pokemon complied and seemed to dive bomb towards the group. At that, the group then gave their orders to their Pokemon as they attacked, too.
A couple of the Magnemite and Magneton came in first and shot out several Thunderbolts at the group. Pikachu was dashing around all over the place as it tried to absorb as much of the electricity as possible. Due to having a lot of battle experience, Pikachu was able to take a lot of electricity. These shocks were nothing compared to some of the other stuff it had been through.
Torchic then leaped into the air over Pikachu and began to use Fire Spin to surround the Magnemite and Magneton. The Pokemon stared angrily as they were covered in the flames, and then Sawyer's Slugma used Flamethrower to knock them out of the fight.
While that was going on, a few more Magnemite and Magneton had swarmed Brock's Forretress and Ash's Corphish. Seeing as Corphish was a water-type, Ash knew it was vulnerable so he was having it attack the Magnemite and Magneton from a distance while Forrestress took the front lines. Corphish was firing off several Bubblebeams to distract the other Pokemon while Forrestress was coming in fast with a Gyro Ball. It slammed into each of the opposing Pokemon which left them quite dazed. Corphish then leapt up and pounded a few with a Crabhammer attack which knocked them out.
Corphish then saw another Magneton coming towards it and clicked its pincers at the Pokemon as if to taunt it. That seemed to enrage the Magneton, and it fired off a Thunderbolt at Corphish. Corphish leaped to the side and smirked at the Magneton before it unleashed another Bubblebeam. However, that Magneton was merely meant to distract it as another one was coming up behind Corphish.
Mawile saw what was going on and leaped towards the Magneton with its giant mouth just before it had attacked. The opposing Magneton was startled by how large Mawile's mouth was and paused its attack as Mawile chomped down hard on it. Magneton wasn't so much damaged due to being made of steel as it was stunned. The commotion alerted Corphish to which it spun around and fired a Bubblebeam which drove Magneton away. Corphish then turned to a triumphant Mawile and managed a nod of its head to the steel Pokemon. Mawile then returned the nod with an enormous toothy grin from its oversized mouth. Corphish was quirky and tried to do things its own way, but even it couldn't deny that Mawile saved it just now.
Corphish also noticed the large, gaping mouth of Mawile and how it comparted to its own large pincers. That Mawile was pretty alright. They were going to get along just fine from now on.
Meanwhile, Torkoal and Ash were battling Steelix. Ash commanded Torkoal to use a Flamethrower which the Pokemon obliged. However, Steelix smirked and summoned a large Sandstorm which blew away the flames. It then gave a roar and dove towards Torkoal.
"Quick! Get out of the way, Torkoal!" Ash told it.
Torkoal gave a cry and managed to leap away. Ash was quite surprised that this Torkoal was able to move so fast despite its large shell. He was even more surprised at the height Torkoal had managed to gain in its jump. Steelix's face ended up crashing right into the ground where Torkoal was seconds before, and Torkoal landed on top of the Pokemon's head.
"Use Flamethrower, now!" Ash shouted.
Torkoal took a deep breath and launched the Flamethrower at point blank range on Steelix's head. Due to the close proximity, Steelix had no way to whip up a Sand Storm in time. Steelix gave a roar of pain as it tried to throw Torkoal off as it continued the attack.
Skarmory didn't like how this battle was turning out and gave an earsplitting screech and dive bombed at the nearest Pokemon it could see which happened to be Sawyer's Slugma. Slugma used Ember to try to drive away the Skarmory, but it used Drill Peck to fan away as many of the tiny balls of fire it could despite getting pelted with some of them. It then crashed into Slugma with a Drill Peck, and the Pokemon was knocked away against a rock.
"Slugma!" Sawyer cried in worry as he ran towards his Pokemon.
Before he could reach it, Skamory landed right in front of Sawyer and screeched at him. Sawyer gasped as he took a step back while the others gasped in worry, as well. All their Pokemon were busy battling the other Pokemon, though.
"Pikachu, go help Sawyer!" Ash shouted.
Pikachu diverted its attention away just long enough from another Magneton to fire a Thunderbolt at Skarmory. The Skarmory saw the attack coming and flew out of the way before it continued its attack on Sawyer. It then spun its drill and dove towards the boy for a Drill Peck.
"Look out, Sawyer!" Ash cried as everyone cried out a warning for the boy.
Sawyer gritted his teeth and shielded himself as best as he could for which he knew was about to be a very painful encounter. However, Slugma happened to wake up at that moment, and saw the danger its trainer was in. It gave a cry of worry for its trainer as it began to glow white.
The sudden bright light momentarily distracted the Skarmory as it turned to the glowing Slugma. Slugma began to grow slightly larger as a shell formed on its back. When it was done, Sawyer's Slugma had evolved into a Magcargo.
"That's so cool," Sawyer said in awe as his eyes sparkled.
The Skarmory screeched and turned back to Sawyer as it clearly wasn't impressed with Slugma's evolution. That proved to be a fatal error. Magcargo unleashed a Lava Plume from its shell, and the bits of fire rained down all over Skarmory. Skarmory screeched in pain as it tried to get away, but everywhere it went, it was getting pelted by the flames.
"That's awesome, Magcargo! Now, use Flamethrower!" Sawyer commanded.
Magcargo unleashed the raging stream of fire from its mouth which sped towards the injured Skarmory. Skarmory was struck right in its stomach and pushed backwards until it hit a boulder. Skarmory gave a moan of pain as it slumped down. Sawyer then glanced over at Ash and saw the raven-haired boy nod his head to let him know to go ahead. Sawyer smiled and took out a pokeball as he threw it towards Skarmory.
This time, Skarmory was too weak to fight back. The pokeball soared to the air and bounced off Skarmory before it opened and sucked the Pokemon in. The pokeball then wiggled a few times before it dinged to show the capture was successful. Sawyer gave a wide grin as he ran over and picked up the pokeball that contained his new Pokemon.
"Great job, Sawyer!" Ash congratulated.
However, one Pokemon that was not thrilled about this capture was Steelix. The Pokemon gave a mighty roar of rage as it did an extra hard jerk of its head and managed to throw off Torkoal. Torkoal sailed like a bullet towards the ground and landed with a loud crash that sent up lots of debris. Torkoal wasn't much harmed by hitting the ground, but one thing that was unfortunate was that it was now on its back. Torkoal grunted and strained as it tried to right itself upward.
"Oh, no! Torkoal!" Ash cried in worry as he ran to the Pokemon and tried to help push it upright, but it was too heavy, "Hrrgh! Help me, guys!"
The other humans broke away from commanding their Pokemon and hurried over to help Torkoal up again. Steelix grinned wickedly at this opportunity as it could take out the humans and the Torkoal. As soon as they got over to it, Steelix roared and dove towards all of them. The other Pokemon launched their attacks to try to help, but Steelix merely covered itself with a Sandstorm to block most of the attacks, and the others did too little damage to matter.
Ash gritted his teeth as he saw Steelix coming closer. He knew he would have enough time to get out of the way, but he didn't want to just abandon Torkoal, either. He wasn't sure what he should do. Torkoal had something to say about it, however. Torkoal took a deep breath and unleashed a massive burst of fire from its mouth.
Steelix went to cover itself with Sandstorm again. However, Torkoal was relentless and continued the Flamethrower, and this time, the attack was actually powerful enough to go through the sand, and Steelix was struck square in the face. Magcargo then joined in with a Flamethrower, and Torchic used Fire spin. Steelix was the completely engulfed in flames, and it roared in pain as the attacks continued to burn it. Ash was amazed that Torkoal was able to use such a powerful Flamethrower while stuck on its back. He could use that kind of power on his team.
When the attacks finally ended, Steelix was charred almost completely black. It coughed and collapsed into a large heap. The group then used that opportunity to heave Torkoal back into an upright position.
"You all did awesome," Ash praised the Pokemon before he rubbed Torkoal's shell, "You, too, Torkoal. In fact, there's something I want to ask you when we get out of the valley, but it can wait."
Upon seeing Steelix defeated and Skarmory captured, the Magnemite and Magneton shrank back a little bit as they weren't feeling so confident anymore. The group's Pokemon then went to stand protectively in front of their trainers with Torkoal standing at the front of them all. They then gave an intimidating glare to the remaining Pokemon. Despite feeling nervous, they still held their ground. The group couldn't understand why the Pokemon still didn't retreat. They had defeated the two strongest Pokemon in the valley. Were they that aggressive and territorial?
"Why don't they go away?" May asked.
"Well, as long as we have our Pokemon with us, I don't think there's too much they can do," Ash said.
It was then that the Steelix began to wake up. It groggily looked around before it was fully awake and stood erect to its full height. Rather than attack, Steelix instead leered down at the group. They couldn't help but think this was an odd behavior considering they defeated it.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Brock muttered.
"What do you mean?" Serena asked.
"That Steelix may not have been the leader of the Pokemon here, after all," Brock replied.
Before they group could ask what Brock meant, they heard a loud roar. They then whipped their heads around to the Steelix but found it was still leering at them. It wasn't the one that had been making the roars they were hearing earlier? If it wasn't Steelix, then what was it? They soon got their answer.
The ground exploded underneath the group which caused them and their Pokemon to fly off in different directions as a monstrous Pokemon came out of the ground. Bits of debris and dust followed the Pokemon. Ash went flying towards the edge and soon was about to topple off the cliff, but Torkoal managed to catch Ash with its mouth and pull him up. It was able to do so being so heavy. Ash panted as he looked at Torkoal and gave it a relieved smile.
"Thank you, Torkoal," Ash said.
"Toooooooor!" Torkoal cried as it bawled tears at managing to save a new friend.
"Oh, my gosh!" Serena shrieked once she saw the Pokemon.
Ash then turned in the direction where the Pokemon had entered, and he gasped himself once he managed to get a good look at the Pokemon now. It was a large, dinosaur-like Pokemon. It wasn't as big as Steelix but still much taller than anyone in the group. It was covered in armor made of rock and plates of steel. A powerful, armored tail extended from its body, and two sharp, metal spikes protruded from its steel-like helmet. By the way it was snarling at the group, they could tell this was not a friendly Pokemon. Once he was done gaping, Ash took out his pokedex to scan the Pokemon.
"Aggron, the Iron Armor Pokemon, and the evolved form of Lairon. This ferocious Pokemon's steel horns can destroy even the firmest of rock. It shows no mercy to anyone who disturbs its territory," the machines informed.
"Great, and that's what we're doing!" May cried.
"So, Aron will eventually end up like this," Ash mused. Aron may not have been an intimidating Pokemon, but an Aggron could certainly order around Pokemon like a general. This was a perfect example of that since it was clearly the real leader of the Valley of Steel.
"Hey, Ash! Wake up!" May screamed, "We have to do something!"
"Right!" Ash replied as he was snapped out of his thoughts.
The other steel Pokemon prepared to attack again, but Aggron held out one of its large arms to stop them. It then glared at the group before its eyes fixated on Torkoal. Torkoal understood the challenge before it gave a defiant look and stepped forward.
"I think it wants a one-on-one battle with Torkoal," Serena stated.
Aggron slowly nodded its head to confirm what Serena said. That Torkoal was the original offender of this valley which led all the other trespassers here. It would make sure to make this Torkoal paid dearly for that. Once Aggron defeated Torkoal, it would then proceed to defeat the humans and other Pokemon that dared enter its habitat.
"Alright. If it's a one on one fight you want, you'll get one," Ash told it and nodded to Torkoal, "We believe in you, Torkoal. You can do it."
"Torkoal!" Torkoal cried. This was the opponent it had been searching for and the reason it had come to the valley in the first place. There was no way it could lose now that it had come this far. Ash thought it was quite admirable that Torkoal kept enduring all the abuse from the other steel-Pokemon so it could face the leader of the valley and win back its pride as a fire Pokemon.
Aggron then roared to signal the start of the fight before it charged forward for a Take Down. Just before it hit, Torkoal jumped out of the way, but Aggron was quick to prepare an Iron Tail and slam it down on the ground which sent up more dust and debris which sprayed Torkoal in the face. Torkoal groaned in discomfort as the attack hit before Aggron crashed into it for a Take Down. Getting hit by that Pokemon was probably like getting hit by a tank.
"Torkoal, use Flamethrower!" Ash shouted.
Torkoal unleashed the stream of fire from its mouth, and the attack struck Aggron dead on. Aggron growled more in anger than from pain from the attack. Though it was a steel-type, it was also part-rock type which helped neutralize its weakness. Ash then grit his teeth as this wasn't a good sign.
Aggron then lunged forward for an Iron Head and struck Torkoal again. Torkoal was sent flying through the air where the back of its shell hit a rock and slumped forward. Thankfully, its hard shell was protecting it from most of the damage. Aggron then quickly burrowed into the ground for a Dig attack.
"Torkoal, hang in there! Aggron could pop out anywhere!" Ash warned.
The ground then began to shake underneath Torkoal's feet. Despite being faster than it looks, the surprise attack came too soon for Tokoal to dodge. Aggron exploded from the ground underneath Torkoal and made sure to the stab Torkoal with its metal horns on the way up. Torkoal gave a choking noise as the wind was knocked out of it from the horns hitting its softer underbelly. Torkoal then landed on the back of its shell again, this time choking as it tried to breathe.
"Torkoal!" Ash cried in worry.
Aggron gave a roar as it decided to finish this match quickly. It charged forward to Torkoal for a Double Edge attack. Ash gritted his teeth as he had these similar situations with his Aron landing on its back. This was the Pokemon's greatest weakness for heavy Pokemon like that. Torkoal had to have some kind of move that could help it out. His eyes then lit up.
"Use Rapid Spin!" Ash yelled.
Despite being on its back, Torkoal began to spin incredibly fast on its shell. The speed was beginning to pick up dust to shield it. Aggron momentarily stopped the attack to observe and because it couldn't see Torkoal well. That was the opening Ash needed.
"Flame Wheel!" Ash hollered.
Torkoal's spinning body then caught aflame as it shot up into the air and sped towards Aggron like a fire ball. Aggron roared in aggravation as it thrust its head out for an Iron Head. Both attacks struck their mark as there was a flash of energy from the power of the attacks. The match up then ended up in a draw as both Pokemon were knocked back. This time, Torkoal was able to land on its feet.
"Awesome job, Torkoal!" Ash praised, "Use Flamethrower!"
Torkoal unleashed the powerful flames from its mouth once again. Aggron was struck in its chest as it roared but instead charged forward for another Double Edge.
"Grrr…Flamethower isn't doing much good. I need something more powerful," Ash said to himself.
Serena had her national dex out as she was frantically searching for something that was more powerful to take out Aggron. These attacks simply weren't doing enough damage to defeat it. Her eyes then landed on something Torkoal could try. Not all Torkoal could learn this move naturally, but she figured they at least had to try. This Torkoal had already proved to be a powerful one of its kind so it was possible.
"Ash!" Serena called, "Try telling Torkoal to use Overheat!"
"Overheat?" Ash questioned, "Torkoal can learn that?"
"It might! At least try it!" Serena yelled back.
Ash suddenly remembered the attack and frowned. He had bad memories of that attack with Tabitha's Camerupt using the attack against his Treecko. It was completely unnecessary for it to use such an overpowered attack and only done to incinerate and spite Treecko. Even so, Ash knew a powerful attack like that would be just what they needed to cause some real damage to Aggron. He had to make his decision quick, though, as Aggron was approaching fast.
"Alright, Serena. I'll do it," Ash told her.
"Remember that Overheat really decreases in power each time you use it. You have to make the first shot really counts!" Serena reminded.
"We will!" Ash replied before he turned back, "Hold your ground, Torkoal. Don't attack until I say so! I'm trusting you to be able to use this attack!"
Torkoal nodded its head and crouched to prepare itself. Ash wasn't Torkoal's trainer, but the Pokemon felt like it could trust him. He had shown kindness and helped it so far, after all. It was going to do the same. Ash believed in it, and Torkoal wasn't going to betray that. Whatever attack Ash asked, Torkoal was going to do. Aggron continued to charge forward as it turned to the side to get ready to ram Torkoal with its shoulder. Seconds before Aggron made contact, Ash called it out.
"Use Overheat, Torkoal!" Ash hollered.
Torkoal took a deep breath and let loose the enormous flame attack. Aggron's eyes widened as it saw the attack coming towards it, and it was completely engulfed in flames. Aggron roared in pain as the attack continued to burn. The attack was so powerful that it was stopped dead in its tracks from the Double Edge. Aggron writhed around as it tried to find a way out of the fire, but the attack was so forceful and so widespread, it couldn't.
"Wow. Look at that power," Ash muttered in awe. The rest of the group and even the opposing steel-type Pokemon looked quite impressed from the attack.
Finally, the attack ended, and Aggron stood there in shock. It was shaking in pain from the incredibly strong attack it just experienced. It then gasped and fell to one knee and looked like it was doing everything it could to keep standing. It then glared and looked Torkoal straight in the eye as Torkoal glared back.
The group wasn't quite sure what to make of this exchange as the two Pokemon glared. Was Aggron going to continue fighting? If it did, they weren't sure how much more Torkoal would be able to take, either. Not to mention, it wouldn't be able to use Overheat again.
Finally, Aggron seemed to sigh as it gave a soft growl and bowed its head to Torkoal to signify its defeat. It then got up and gave a roar to the other steel-Pokemon behind it, and they all turned and began to leave. Aggron then turned to look one last time at Torkoal before it gave what almost could've been a smile before it turned to walk off, as well.
"Awesome! I think Torkoal was able to win the respect of the Pokemon here by beating Aggron!" Brock said.
"Really?!" May asked hopefully. "Does that mean they'll stop attacking us?"
"I think so. They look like they don't want to fight anymore," Brock responded as the steel Pokemon got further away and eventually disappeared from view.
"That's so cool! You were incredible, Torkoal!" Ash told it.
"Torkoal! Tor!" Torkoal cried in joy as it released a waterfall of tears and puffed more smoke from its nostrils.
"I guess that means it's saying thank you," Serena muttered as they were all covered with soot again.
"At least it's friendly," Sawyer said.
"Torkoal," Torkoal agreed as it gave a sheepish look to the group.
About thirty minutes later, the group had left the Valley of Steel. As expected, they weren't attacked by any Pokemon the rest of the time they were there. They had seen couple of other Pokemon, but they made no move to attack the group. Apparently, the Aggron had gotten word out to the rest of the valley's inhabitants to leave the group alone.
Now, that they were out, it was time to say goodbye. Sawyer was going to be continuing on his way to Mauville City, and the group was heading in the opposite direction to Lavaridge Town. Sawyer sighed before he smiled at the group.
"Well, it was really fun to hang out with you guys. I learned a lot! I'll be sure to write it down later!" Sawyer told them.
"Yeah. You handled yourself really well in that Valley of Steel. That takes a lot guts, Sawyer. I think you're on your way to be a great trainer!" Ash told him.
"Wow! Thanks! That means a lot coming from the winner of the Silver Conference!" Sawyer exclaimed.
"You just keep on battling hard, Sawyer, and I'm sure we'll meet again at the Hoenn League," Ash said as he held out his hand.
"You bet! I look forward to it!" Sawyer replied and firmly shook Ash's hand, "Wait until you see how strong I've become the next time you see me!"
"You'll have all eight badges!" Serena joined in with a wink.
"Hahahaha! Maybe!" Sawyer replied as he rubbed the back of his head and blushed before he looked at the pokeball that contained his newest teammate, "I'll work really hard with Skarmory. I'm sure we'll make a great team!"
"I know you will. Skarmory was definitely a powerful addition to your team," Brock agreed.
"Speaking of which," Sawyer remembered as he looked at Ash, "You and Torkoal battle really well together and helped each other out a lot. It's hard to believe you just met."
"Yeah. We do make a good team, don't we, Torkoal?" Ash asked as he looked down at the Pokemon.
"Torkoal," Torkoal agreed with a nod.
"That brings me back to what I wanted to ask you earlier," Ash said and knelt down, "It'd be really great if you traveled around with us and became a part of my team. I could really use a great fire-type like you. What do you say?"
Torkoal gave a cry of joy before it stood up on its hind legs and tackled Ash to the ground in happiness. Ash gave a groan once his behind hit the ground, but it was quickly replaced with a laugh when he realized Torkoal's answer.
"I guess that means a yes?" Ash figured.
"Torkoal!" Torkoal confirmed in the positive.
"I think Torkoal will fit right in our group, Ash," Serena said with a smile.
"Yeah. I can't wait to use you in real battles, Torkoal," Ash stated, "I think we'll have a quite a few victories!"
May then gave a stretch and looked towards the sun and saw it was getting towards the evening. They really needed to get a move on if they hoped to reach Lavaridge Town soon.
"You guys should reach Lavaridge Town in a few days," Sawyer informed them, "There isn't much on the way, though."
"That's okay," May replied, "The trip since we left Mauville City couldn't have been more exciting if we tried with the Winstrates we battled and the Valley of Steel. I think I'm good for a relaxing route the rest of the way there."
It was true. What was supposed to be a boring trip had turned out quite exciting for the group in more ways than one. Now, they were almost at Lavaridge Town where Ash would be able to compete for his fourth gym badge. With a new friend in Torkoal and a meeting with Sawyer, they couldn't wait to see all of what awaited them in Lavaridge Town. It might turn out to be more eventful for them than they thought just like the trip there was.
Hmm...Torkoal's victory ratio was pretty pathetic in the anime if I recall, and it was just pretty bad in general. I plan to rectify that. It won't win EVERY time of course, but it'll have just as many victories as Ash's other Pokemon.
The next chapter will be out in two weeks. I anticipate it to be another short one, but you never know with me! Until next time, have a good one!
Chapter 29: Hot Springs