Chapter 65:

Magnezoned Out

At long last, we had reached Sunyshore City, the sight of my final Gym challenge. Blue walkways were the main way to get around, going over all the buildings which were all solar powered by the black panels. I could see why it was called Sunyshore City; it needs to be sunny to be powered, which made me wonder why there was a power outage in the first place. The other main draws to the City included a giant rock that resembled a Munchlax and, the Lighthouse. It had a large red base at the bottom and then a red and white stripy pattern going up the concrete structure.


"We're finally here!" Lyra shouted. "Eugene, Lewis! Hurry up!"

We all walked along the large walkway. Despite being very diverse and going around the entire place, at no point did we feel lost. Well, that wasn't quite the case because Lyra had no idea where she was supposed to go.

"We can have a look around first" I told her. "You never said there was a hurry to meet your friend." At the same time, I knew they were desperate to find whoever this was. We couldn't get very good views of the ground from the walkway. We would need a higher view.

Lyra eyed the Lighthouse and pointed to it. "We can look from there."

She had a good point. Not only would it help to find their friend, but the views would be amazing!


"Vista Lighthouse" Ethan said upon arrival. "It's nowhere near as tall as Glitter Lighthouse in Olivine City, but I'm still impressed at this height."

Upon entering, we found we were in an elevator room. I pushed the top button out of the many on the panel next to the door and the elevator took us to the top floor.

At the top was the Observation Deck. It had a row of binoculars pointing out through a glass window with many people staring through. Already the view looked amazing, but I was yet to see a zoomed in image.

"The people look like Bug Types down there!" Lyra said looking out the window. "How will we ever find- oh right the binoculars."

I stared through and to my surprise saw a grand building. It was made of white marble and had 5 red steeples on the top. That was all I could make out because it was shrouded in a fog. Could that be…

"Erm… Lucas" Ethan said. "I think I've found who YOU would be looking for."

We saw a man with short blonde hair and a blue jacket working on wires in the side of the building. He had an Ambipom with him.

"Ambipom, pass it to me…" Ambipom went into the man's toolbox and gave him a wrench. He looked at it then gave it back. "I asked for 3/4 not 5/8s! Stay focused!" Ambipom went back into the toolbox and started fiddling about in it.

"Excuse me…" I asked.

"If you want a challenge you're not having one. You'll be a pushover I know it."

"You wouldn't happen to be Volkner would you?" Ethan asked angrily, responding to his rudeness.

Volker turned his head to us with a deadpan expression. "Yes, is that the answer you want? Look bud, if you want another power cut then you know what, leave me to my w-" Upon seeing me, he dropped his tool. "My goodness, it's you."

My face beamed, hoping that I would be an exception.

"Sorry. Still not winning me over." He promptly went back to his work.

"Now wait a second!" Lyra shouted. "What kind of Gym Leader do you think you are? Unless absolutely necessary, Gym Leaders can't turn down challengers. You will have your status revoked if you refuse to battle because you haven't been satisfied as of recent."

"So?" he asked. "I've had too many weaklings."

"The nerve of you!" Ethan said. "Okay then. As Champion of the Indigo Plateau, I command you to challenge Lucas to a Gym battle! You have no excuse now!"

However, Volkner was invested on the electronics.

"This is ridiculous." I said. "Come on guys, let's go report him to the League committee. This behaviour is unacceptable."


We went back down the Lighthouse, still taken aback by his rudeness. Outside, we were greeted to a many with fuzzy orange hair and a yellow shirt. With him was an Infernape.

"Let me guess, Volker turn you down?" he asked.

"Yep" I replied. "Were you turned down to?"

The man looked out to sea. "No. Because… he wasn't always like this. When we were kids and the best of friends, he would take on anything that came his way. Heck, he could be up against Red himself and he wouldn't be intimidated."

Ethan started getting giddy at the name Red as we asked the man more about Volkner.

"Oh, my name is Flint. Like I said, I'm a childhood friend of Volkner's. And I know who you are. You're Lucas, who took down Team Galactic. Your Ethan, the Indigo Champion and you… I have no idea."

"Lyra" she replied. "Maybe you could go talk to Vernon."

"Tried" he replied. "But he thinks that he hasn't been getting a good challenge recently, so he's been refusing to battle."

"Which is why we're reporting him" I said. I knew that it could be done at the PC's at the Pokémon Center, but you also needed official confirmation from someone like Nurse Joy or the Gym Guide. Let's just say if you have a Champion with you, something is wrong.

"I'll give him one more talk" Flint said. "Why not go down to the beach? There's someone in a white dress who was looking for you Ethan. I couldn't believe you were here at first, but might as well tell you now that I'm speaking to ya."

"We'll give Volkner one more chance" Ethan told Flint. "If he refuses again, then he's being reported. Turning down everyone is the worst thing a Gym Leader can do. Despicable."

Until then though, it was time to see who this friend was.


The sea in front of us was blue as ever on the white sandy beach. Even in the cold climate of the Sinnoh region, it still looked inviting.

"Ethan!" shouted a woman in her late 20s. She had a blue dress with white sleeves, long light brown hair and sandals.

"Jasmine!" Ethan yelled back. The two ran into each other's arms, though not in a romantic way because, well, she was a lot older than Ethan. "Long time no see!"

"You to!" she said as they finally loosened their grip.

"Lucas, this is Jasmine. She is the Gym Leader of Olivine City and my 6th challenge." Ethan went into his belongings and got out his Badge Case. In it were 8 shiny Badges, with Ethan pointing to the grey octagonal one. "She gave me the Mineral Badge."

I hadn't even introduced myself. I told her my name, but she seemed to know about me.

"You helped take down Team Galactic! I'm so proud of you!"

"So, how's Amphy?" Ethan promptly asked.

"She's doing well. Olivine has never been this well illuminated. Thanks again for helping it get better."

Speaking of lighthouses, I once again looked up at Vista Lighthouse. Sighing, I told Jasmine the story.

"Oh dear" she responded. "That's against the rules."

We then told her that we were reporting him to the Association. He would have to step down if he kept this up.

"It's just not fair! Fantina had a good reason, what the heck is this?" Angered, I looked out to sea again. In the distance, I could see a large waterfall.

"That's the Pokémon League above there" Jasmine replied. "Of course you can't get over it without Waterfall, and even then you need 8 Badges to use it outside battle."

Now I was getting stressed. What was I to do?

"I have an idea!" Jasmine said. "How about you battle me?"

"But, we're not in the Gym."

"Not an official battle, but just a fun one."

That sounded like a fun idea; battling a Gym Leader from another region would give me a good idea of what challenges are in other parts of the world.

"Jasmine uses Steel Types" Ethan said. "Be wary of that."

"Let's make it a Double Battle" I told her. "Only two Pokémon will be used."

"Then let's light up this match!" Jasmine yelled.

"I choose Empoleon and Toxicroak!" I yelled. I decided Empoleon due to it's Steel resistance and Toxicroak because of it's Super Effective Fighting Type moves. I could have used Mamoswine, but Earthquake would damage my other teammate. Drifblim was the exception, but it wouldn't do much use offensively.

"I choose Steelix and Magnezone!" shouted Jasmine. She sent out a Steelix as well as a floating grey Pokémon with a yellow antennae on its head and three magnets all around its body.


Magnezone

180

Electric/Steel Type

Magnet Area Pokémon

Region of origin: Sinnoh

3'11" (1.2 m)

396.8 lbs (180 kg)

A group tried to use scientific means to make Magnezone evolve, but their efforts ended in failure.

Magnemite -Lv 30- Magneton -Magnetic Field- Magnezone


"Toxicroak, Revenge!" Toxicroak punched Magnezone, but it didn't do much damage to it.

"Okay Magnezone, Discharge!" Magnezone started sending out lightning bolts everywhere. Empoleon was especially hurt by this move, but Steelix was just fine due to being Ground Type.

"Empoleon, use Surf!" The wave Empoleon created also hurt all the other Pokémon. Well, I say hurt. Toxicroak's Dry Skin healed it up. Steelix took a lot of damage from it.

"Steelix, Iron Tail!" Steelix whacked Toxicroak with it's large tail, almost finishing it.

"Another Revenge!" Toxicroak once again punched Magnezone, but this match wasn't going to be a winner for me.

"Magnezone, Discharge!" Magnezone once again sent out shock waves everywhere. Toxicroak and Empoleon were down.


I recalled both of my teammates. "Thanks for the match. Oh brother, I hope Volkner didn't see that. Now he will CERTAINLY think I'm a pushover."

"No I won't" a voiced from above us called.

On the giant walkway, Volkner was leaning over the edge, actually smiling rather than the bored, neutral expression from the Lighthouse.

"What do you want?" Jasmine shouted up grumpily. "I know what's been going on!"

"To change my mind" he said.

"He'll be down in a sec!" Flint also looked down at us. "Yeah, I talked him into one last chance!"


Volkner and Flint came down to the beach. We just stood there in silence, not forgiving Volkner for his rudeness.

"I watched your battle" Volkner said. "Whilst you did lose, I have to say."

I was waiting for the insult to come.

"I'm very impressed."

"Huh?" we all responded.

"You put up a good fight. Sometimes it's not about winning or losing, it's how you show your skills in combat. In your case Lucas, you're really impressive. I'm willing to give everything one last chance. If you beat me, then of course you will get the Beacon Badge." He went into his pocket and showed me a yellow circular Badge with spikes sticking out from two sides. Under it had a grey curved square.

"Thank you Volkner!" I said.

"But. If I win, I'm dropping my role as Gym Leader."

"Rubbish!" Lyra shouted. "You can't just drop out because you've been winning a lot! The Association won't allow that!"

"They will" Jasmine said. "A Gym Leader can step down whenever he or she wants."

"Then I'll need a day of training" I told everyone. "Tomorrow I'm gonna do some battling on Route 223. Even without this drama, I would still need it. This is my final Gym battle after all."

"Okay" Volkner said. "Two days, I will challenge you." He walked off the beach and up the stairs to the walkway.

Flint knelt down to me and put his hand on my shoulder. "Lucas. This is the big chance. You need to beat him. Not just for the Badge, not just for the use of Waterfall, but for the sake of Sunyshore City."

"Speaking of Waterfall…" Jasmine handed me a HM. "This HM includes it. Teach it to a Pokémon when you beat Volkner."

"When?" I asked. "Don't you mean if?"

"Oh I said when… because I know you'll beat him!" Jasmine told him. "Show him who's boss!"