- Chapter 5: Roark's Coal Badge -
Route 207.
Located at the foot of Mt. Coronet, this road is carved into the rugged, rocky terrain.
Putting the town map away, she determines how to approach her next task. This is a decent place to train. Razorleaf seems interested in it the most, stepping into the grass and sniffing around. Meanwhile, Batty hovers nearby.
Mia takes a quick look through her Pokédex. She has seen a fair amount of Pokémon so far, and they were all interesting to her so far.
Well, excluding the many Starly she encountered before.
She can only wonder how many more Pokémon she will meet. Tagging along with her so far are; Razorleaf the Turtwig, Batty the Zubat, and…
Oh. She never named her Psyduck. It was all because of the events that unfolded in Ravaged Path, and now it seems pointless to hold a silly little grudge. Mia wouldn't want anyone to hold a grudge against her, so why bother anymore?
It's an easy fix. However, thinking of a name that would stick isn't always so easy. Johanna gave Razorleaf his name, and Batty was given hers out of sheer laziness. This time around, Mia will give a name and make it count. So, with the help of her Pokédex, she inputs the name within a few seconds. A name that matches her type quite well.
Aqua the Psyduck. Not the most creative name but… it's better than 'Batty'.
Huh.
Now that she has finally relaxed, it sinks in on how far she has come.
There was no way she could have arrived here on her own. Johanna never had time to take them anywhere, since she had to keep an eye on other things. Dawn and Lucas were always too busy with their careers, but they would have liked to help. At least they sent money home.
She's starting to miss Twinleaf Town. However…
Reaching into her front pocket, she removes a thin wallet. Opening it, as expected, it lacks money. The money isn't what she is looking for. She sees her trainer card snug in a clear plastic window. That too, isn't what she is looking for.
She slips a finger inside one of the thin pockets, and she pulls out a single and small square sheet of paper. Looking at it, it's a worn-down photograph. It shows a smiling image of a dark-skinned man. Held in his arms are Mia and Will as toddlers. He doesn't seem to be struggling at all, and that alone is one of the few things she always admired about him.
"Daddy…"
There is nothing she misses more than her father. Ever since she and her brother were taken, they can only see him whenever they are allowed. That is how it feels, actually. She hates the limit. Whatever that ghost was that brought her here really wants her to stay. As much as she likes this world, she just wants to be with her father again.
This photograph she carries is a constant reminder on why she needs to push herself to keep going. If she doesn't find whatever 'The Insight' is, she might never meet that ghost again. She needs to see it and ask so many questions… ask it to keep her home...
…then again, she might be as speechless as she was when she first saw it.
But, she can't do this alone. Her eyes fall on her tiny brother. "Don't you go too far. We are supposed to be seeing each other soon."
At least she hopes.
Err-rrr!
Razorleaf's call pulls Mia from her thoughts. She turns to the Turtwig, who stands at the edge of the opposite end of the grass. He must have found something.
Tucking away the picture and putting the wallet away, she starts to move her way there with Batty close by. Her eyes are mainly on the grass, studying for any sudden movement. Wild Pokémon have the tendency to leap out, and she isn't sure what to expect from here. Maybe since she's near the mountains, there aren't any annoying Starly that would bother her.
Despite the grass being soft and lively, the gravel below her feet feels rough. Already, rich clay had stained her soles, which may take hours to wash off if she tried. She's officially a trainer now to the eyes of many.
Something shifts below her right foot, and she quickly steps back in time. Angry grey fists nearly swing at her ankles. She feels her heart skip a beat at this. "Whoa, whoa! What the heck is that?!"
Razorleaf immediately breaks into a run towards the attacker. He rams his body against it, but it only moved an inch. Razorleaf steps away, shaking his head, somewhat dazed. The rock rolls towards him and slams its fists to the ground for a boost. Razorleaf pulls himself together and now he sees what's coming, but he's late to react. His body is rammed by the rough body, and he is knocked to his back.
The creature slams his fists to the ground again, letting out a screech that sounds like it's mixed with the sound of gravel. How such a thing can make a sound only confuses Mia even more. Its sharp eyes stare at the Turtwig who is standing now.
"What the… a living rock?! Objects can be Pokémon, too?!" Mia thought the creatures can't get any weirder. She hardly remembers what she's seen on television long ago. Maybe there were a few but… trying to think back only leaves her on a blank page. So, she tries another method. "Who's that Pokémon?!"
(Sinnoh Number 031.
Geodude, the Rock Pokémon.
Its typing is: Rock and Ground. At rest, it looks just like a rock. Carelessly stepping on it will make it swing its fists angrily.)
Now it tells her.
The angry Geodude slams his fists down again, and the impact is strong enough to push him off the ground. His body rams against Razorleaf's head, and he lands, turning to face the stumbling Pokémon again.
"Maybe I'll catch this one!" Mia decides. Her Turtwig took a few hard hits, so she figures the best thing to do is to fix that. "Razorleaf! Absorb!"
Razorleaf stomps his foot on the ground to anchor himself. His beak opens wide, and he fires the green light. Geodude is struck, and green light is pulled from its body.
The wild Pokémon appears to be in an unbreakable bind during this process. Its swinging weakens more and more until the absorbing stops. The Geodude appears stunned, staring off into space. It rolls forward and lies on its face, motionless.
Mia cautiously steps closer, taking out an empty Pokéball from her bag. "Alright! Here goes!" She gives the capsule a good toss, careful with her aim. To her delight, it strikes the Geodude and bounces off.
It hits the ground and rolls away a few feet. Nothing else happens.
"What?" Mia wonders what went wrong. "I weakened a Pokémon this time. Why can't I catch it? Is it busted?"
Batty flies down to the Geodude. After observing the Pokémon for several seconds, she lands on its body and lets out a small screech.
It's unresponsive. Mia sighs, walking to the Pokéball and retrieving it. Tapping the top, it shrinks to its smaller size, and she drops it in her Pokéball pocket of her bookbag. "So it got knocked out. Looks like a Pokéball can't capture a fainted Pokémon. Why is that?"
She begins to turn to head back, but her feet kicks a small object that clatters on the gravel. Looking down, she sees a lone Pokéball. She already retrieved the one she tossed at Geodude, so where did this come from?
Picking it up, she waves it in front of the Pokédex. There doesn't seem to be anything inside. Maybe someone had dropped it.
Curious, she looks through the grass some more. Maybe there are more around than she thinks. Her fingers gently feel their way through the grass, and she feels a smooth surface. She peers down, seeing something buried in the dirt. Having dirt stuck in her nails is no big deal. The dirt isn't too hard to push aside as she works her way around the item. As soon as the dirt is spaced out enough, she pulls the object out. It sat there for who knows how long?
It's just another lone Pokéball. People seem to misplace their things all the time. Mia makes a mental note to check around more often. Pokéballs can't possibly be cheap, so finding two back-to-back saves a lot of money.
She rolls the capsule against her jeans, cleaning the dirt off. Giving it a quick blow, she squints her eyes to save them from being attacked by the grains. Once it is put away with the other, she stands.
A distant screech draws her attention towards the cliffside they stand nearby. A small blue body flies down from above, falling into the tall grass with a grunt. Mia steps away quickly, not wanting to be attacked by whatever it may be. However, seeing that it isn't moving, she realizes she won't have to worry.
Identifying the Pokémon isn't so difficult. She recognizes the yellow crest on its head. "It's a Machop. Where did it come from?"
The sound of grunting is heard from above now. They all look up, and a pair of Machop jump from above and land nearby. They completely ignore Mia and her Pokémon, more concerned for their friend. They come to the unconscious Machop's aid and pick it up by its arms. They quickly drag it away towards a small hole against the cliffside.
Razorleaf calls out to Mia. Batty flies backwards quickly. Something heavy is coming fast from the top of the cliff, and it's scaring them both. Mia takes several steps back, bracing herself for what the threat may be.
Whrrr-hrrrr!
That sound is bizarre to hear. Is it… whining? It sounds compressed, or violent. Whatever it is, it didn't sound welcoming. Mia doesn't want to engage with it, because the thought of an angry monster being able to scare off three…
Maybe she should run back to the city.
Gravel is kicked from above, raining near her feet. Mia takes another step back, and she hears the whining, which is much closer now. It's followed by a snort, and now Mia can see dancing blue flames approaching.
Standing at the edge of a cliff, the creature appears to be - without a doubt - a small horse. Perhaps it is a pony, in better terms. Its cream-colored body is illuminated by its glowing mane that is like a torch. The horse is on fire, but it's unharmed. It rises to its back legs, waving its front two with another whine.
Mia decides to use her Pokédex properly this time. Picking it up and opening it, it scans the distant creature. The slots shift down a great distance until the word "Ponyta" arrives at slot number 090. Its information is pulled up afterwards.
(Sinnoh Number 090.
Ponyta, the Fire Horse Pokémon.
Its typing is: Fire. As a newborn, it can barely stand. However, through galloping, its legs are made tougher and faster.)
It's strange. If Pokédex entries categorize some Pokémon by animals, why hasn't Mia ever seen any? They must exist somehow if people know them by name.
But that alone isn't the only thought that crosses her mind. She takes note of the image she is seeing on the screen.
"That's funny." Mia looks at the image closer now. The Ponyta displayed there has orange flames instead of the blue she sees now. "It looks different from the picture…" She looks back at the Ponyta that is back on four legs. It jumps, and Mia quickly makes the choice to distance herself even more.
The wild Ponyta lands on the grass, which somehow doesn't even catch on fire from the blazing mane. It steps forward, staring at Mia, studying her. Mia studies it back, trying to get an idea on what it may do. The Pokédex is let loose, and the trainer stares back at the Ponyta.
"It looks so cool…"
The wild Ponyta remains still, appearing more vibrant than it already is. Aside from its blue flames, its body seems to brighten alone. It's almost as if it's shining.
"I want it." She sends out her first order. "Razorleaf! Tackle!"
Razorleaf wastes no time. He rushes towards the Ponyta as he lowers his head. He attacks its legs, which rise up immediately as the Pokémon whines.
The wild Ponyta swings its front legs, throwing its head side to side. It slams its hooves down, against Razorleaf's head, and it violently stomps him into the ground.
"Ah! No-no!" The sight of Razorleaf being trampled is enough for Mia to take. She takes out his Pokéball and calls him back. Maybe having him fight a Ponyta was a bad idea. Thankfully, she has backup. She points a finger towards the Ponyta. "Batty! Supersonic!"
The Zubat soars forward, and her mouth opens wide as she releases a screech that constantly changes in pitch. She flies around the Ponyta while doing this, and the air ripples with each cry. The Ponyta has trouble keeping up with her, and eventually, it staggers around. Batty flies back, waiting for her next order.
The wild Ponyta shakes its head again before it charges. It blindly gallops past Batty and runs headfirst into the cliffside instead. It whines as its body bounced back. It turns around in circles, clearly panicked. Dirt and gravel is kicked loose into the air.
"Leech Life!"
Batty attacks the Ponyta with her fangs, puncturing them through its neck. The wild Pokémon tries to shake her off as she drains its energy. Batty doesn't stay very long, moving back quickly. The attack didn't seem to do much at all. It only made the Ponyta more aggressive.
And somehow, Batty didn't burn. She was pretty close to the mane.
The wild Ponyta gallops towards Batty, nearly losing its balance several times. It rams its body against hers, sending her flying several feet back. Batty crashes to the ground and rolls. Ponyta continues to buck and shake its head, leaning and stumbling in every direction. It seems to gain some balance after a short struggle, and it steps away before turning around and sprinting across the grass.
"What?!" Mia gawks at the sight of the Ponyta making a huge leap back up the cliffside. It makes it to the top and gallops away to the unknown. "Aw, no! It got away! Come on! I can't catch a single new Pokémon?!"
She nearly throws Batty's Pokéball to the ground due to her frustration, but she stops herself from letting go. Once again, she has failed to catch anything. Accepting this truly stings, but she has to remind herself that this is a learning process. There is no way she can capture every Pokémon she comes across at her current skill level.
Mia recalls Batty into her Pokéball, and she clips it in place with a sigh. She doesn't remain alone for long. A wild Machop seems annoyed by her presence, and it comes forward to attack. "I just got her back in…"
She growls.
"I'm going to get some iced tea after this…"
- 0000 -
The training session wasn't too bad. A few Machop and Geodude were taken down. Everyone had a chance for battle, though Aqua was mostly confused on what to do.
After a healing trip, and her promised cup of iced tea, going South gives Mia quite a sight to see. She never saw so many construction vehicles in one place. Taking a few steps down further to the site, she is carefully walking past the many workers that carry heavy loads or drag carts filled with coal. Lines of Machop follow them, carrying the massive boulders she saw before. The smell of clay and dirt is much stronger here. The sounds of running engines and machinery nearly drowns out her thoughts. All the activity around keeps her from rushing for the mine. Occasionally, she would have to stop walking and step aside to let busy workers and vehicles through.
Looking up, she is drawn to the blue conveyor belt that moves coal around. It seems to be like a massive train that stretches above everyone until it meets a distant building where it is collected. So where does it come from? Her eyes follow it until she looks straight ahead. She could mistake it as a cave if so many people didn't walk in or out. After walking a while longer, she spots the ground sign nearby.
Oreburgh Mine.
Beware of Busy Pokémon!
It looks huge. Maybe this is how the region gets all its material?
She takes a quick glance around to assure she is allowed inside. Seeing that no one is stopping her, she walks in.
It's bigger than she imagined. It seems the belts continue to travel above until they meet with a wall. Maybe there are people loading on the other side?
If she keeps stopping at every new sight, she won't make any progress. She pushes herself to keep moving. 'All I have to do is be an the lookout for a man wearing a red cap right? Easy as cake!'
The ground suddenly shakes beneath her feet, and she is forced to stop again as she waves her arms around. A scream tears through her throat as she feels the ground moving, and she falls back as it rises quickly. Her hands scramble for something to hold on to, and they wrap around a tall and flat-surfaced rock. She clings on for dear life as the world below her shrinks more and more. Trying to comprehend why the ground suddenly shot up is hard to do. She can hardly think as it dawns on her on just how high she is now.
Goodness. Why does she have to be up so high?!
If she were to fall, she is most likely to not see another day.
Already, the ground below appears to be rocking and spinning. It blurs and focuses, before blurring again. Mia shuts her eyes tight, holding her breath. She doesn't realize how hard she is gripping on the rock until she feels the rough edges dig into her skin. She would rather have ugly hands than to fall to her death.
RAAA-AAA-RAAA!
A sudden and loud roar makes her eyes open back up in an instant. Mia feels her foot slip, and she shrieks, quickly placing it back on a stable position. The roar carries through the mine, ranking itself as the loudest thing she has heard by far. The world around her turns quickly, and now Mia realizes she is in a deeper problem than she thought.
Looking at her hands, they are gripping the rock so tightly. It crosses her mind that it is yet to break off. She hesitates for several seconds, until she gathers a tiny bit of courage to look behind her. Seeing a stack of moving boulders below where she lies… it's not natural. They twist and turn like a snake.
She hears the roar again, and she gasps as the boulder she lies on suddenly makes a sharp turn, nearly flinging her body. Her eyes catch sight of a single but massive eyes. It blinks, and she nearly screams.
A gigantic snake made out of boulders?!
She's directly on its head!
Today is a terrible day.
How is she supposed to get down? She will have to somehow, her legs won't obey her. Her mind continues to race as they land on countless bad scenarios that mostly involve her falling off the creature. At this point, her whole body locks up.
She hates this.
She hopes it doesn't notice her.
"What the heck is this thing…?" Mia asks herself, wishing some miracle would pull her free. "What kind of Pokémon is this…?"
The Pokédex beeps in response.
Oh, no.
(Sinnoh Number 034.
Onix, the Rock Snake Pokémon.
Its typing is: Rock and Ground. It burrows through the ground at a speed of 50 mph while feeding on large boulders.)
So much for hoping. The Onix stops all movement, and Mia is forced to hold her breath. It seems to be taking a careful look around to search for the source of the noise. After a while, it begins to move again. Mia can breathe again.
The world suddenly shot back, and Mia feels her hands slip as she is flung off its head. Nothing is felt anywhere on her body, telling her that she is airborne. She shuts her eyes tight and braces for impact, and it comes immediately. The air is painfully pushed out her lungs as her back harshly hits a boulder. She rolls the rest of the way down until she hits the ground. Moving is almost impossible due to her body trying to gather itself together. Her mouth is wide open as she desperately tries to breathe, but her body seems to have forgotten how. It's like she's living a nightmare. This cannot be happening!
The Onix slowly turns around, and it locates her in an instant. It lunges forward, diving head-first for her.
With every ounce of effort, Mia pushes herself to roll out the way in the nick of time. The ground shakes, and the Onix's nose slams on the ground right next to her. The way it shakes underneath her tells her she would have been turned into a pancake in an instant.
The wild Pokémon rises, planning to attack again. Mia snags a Pokéball and drops it to the ground.
Summoned out is Aqua.
Talking is difficult to do if one can't breathe very well. Mia is fighting to get a word out, and thankfully, she is able to take in a huge gulp of air before weakly shouting; "Scratch…!"
Aqua jumps up and slashes her claws against the Onix's lower section. It's a direct hit, but… the Onix hardly budged. If anything, it didn't seem to hurt at all.
"Gah..." Why won't her body move as quickly as she would like? She is on her hands and knees, and it takes so long just to stand a foot up. Her body forgets how to breathe for a few seconds before air fills her lungs again. This feeling is the worst.
The wild Onix opens its mouth wide, and it releases a high-pitched screech that ripples and tears through the air. Mia is forced to cover her ears as it pierces through her eardrums. Aqua is suffering the worse, crying out as her hands dig into her head. Blue streaks of light shoots down from above Aqua.
Even after it stops, Mia's ears are still ringing. She looks forward, seeing the Onix moving quickly. Mia is too slow, but the Onix misses her small form and rams against the walls instead. The ground shakes from the heavy crash.
"Aqua!" Mia turns to her Psyduck, and she realizes she can't rely on it. The Pokémon is trembling, appearing too scared to move. "Darn it…!" She looks back at the Onix that turns to face her again. "Darn it!"
She calls the Psyduck back and begins to run. Never before was she so grateful for having working legs.
Behind her, the Onix's roars are close. She pushes herself to run faster, going down another flight of steps. She feels her weight pull her down as she misses one step. "Crap!"
She knew this would happen one day.
She tries to stable herself by pressing her hand against the wall, but all it does is save herself from tumbling all the way down the steps. Instead, she stops at the middle, covered with scratches and bruises. Throbbing pain is all over her arms and legs now.
"She told you to not run down any steps, you clumsy butt…!" Mia painfully scolds herself.
Hearing the heavy movement come closer, she pushes herself back to her feet. The pain is there, but there is no time to worry about it. Quickly, she makes the rest of the way down. She keeps running through a narrow hall, and she spots a worker with his Machop. She swings a single arm at them. "Watch out! Watch out!"
The worker is confused at first, until he sees the rampaging Onix. He jumps out the way, and the monster slides past.
The hall widens, and there is an opening. Her lungs are starting to burn, and her legs are aching. She can't run forever.
Why is this Onix constantly on her tail?!
Glancing back, she regrets doing so. The Onix is above her head, making another noise dive towards her. Her heart can't take all the leaps anymore. She feels like she might just die now.
"Rock Smash!"
The voice is powerful, coming from nowhere. Something huge sprints past Mia, - a darkgrey-bodied bipedal reptile with a massive blue skull - and it rams its glowing head against the Onix's. The impact pushes them both back. While the reptile appears unaffected by the recoil, the Onix groans and slithers back, rising and shaking its head.
The Onix didn't like that. It lunges for its new target.
"Rock Smash again!" the voice shouts once more. The Pokémon waits this time. Once the Onix is close enough, it jumps forward and rams the Onix's head again. The Onix moves back with a growl, and it swings its body, knocking the reptile off its feet and crashing to the ground. Surprisingly, the reptile pushes itself back up. It appears unharmed.
The Onix slowly rises again, appearing far more irritated than it was before. It pulls its head back now.
"Little girl! Move back! I have a handle on this!" The voice shouts again.
Little girl? She would try to correct that if things weren't so scary right now.
Mia turns around, seeing a man with a red hardhat! He's the very first trainer seen on the gym case! The rusty hair and glasses confirms it.
The Onix screeches once again, and the air ripples past them all. Mia can hardly take it, winching as she covers her ears. She'll lose her hearing at this rate.
The man - who has to be Roark - is unaffected by this, apparently. "That's all you got?! Rampardos! Finish it off with another one!"
The Pokémon is fast, sprinting and lunging forward. Its head strikes the Onix's mid section, causing the beast to fold forward. Its body gives in, and it crashes to the ground. The Onix doesn't move anymore, groaning in defeat.
The Pokémon Roark referred to as Rampardos turns to face its trainer. It slowly walks towards him, snorting a greeting towards Mia. She uses her Pokédex to identify it.
(Sinnoh Number 037.
Rampardos, the Head Butt Pokémon, and the evolved form of Cranidos.
Its typing is: Rock. If two were to smash their heads together, their foot-thick skulls would keep them from fainting.)
That sounds like a battle she would like to see.
Roark places a gloved hand on top of his Pokémon's head. "You did a wonderful job." He turns his attention to Mia, and he pauses, wearing a somewhat spooked expression. He is looking at her funny, which makes Mia feel uncomfortable.
"Um… are you okay, sir?" Mia asks.
"Oh." Roark shakes his head, placing his hand on the top of his helmet now. "Sorry. I'm fine. I just had a thought."
"A thought?"
"No need to worry. It's nothing you should think too much about," Roark says, now wearing a smile. "Rampardos is a cool Pokémon, isn't it? It is a prehistoric Pokémon that lived millions and millions of years ago! Imagine bringing it to life and having it by your side, battling with you and being your friend! What a dream to come true!"
"Whoa! You can actually revive them?! That's so cool!"
"I can see how excited you are kid. You should visit our museum sometime." He unclips a Pokéball from his belt, and he calls the Pokémon back inside. After clipping the Pokéball back in place, he turns his attention to Mia. "Changing subjects… The wild Pokémon here usually don't attack people. In fact, the only time they ever do is if someone were to provoke them. What did you do to draw an Onix here?"
Telling him that she accidently stepped on it sounds embarrassing enough. She only responds with a shrug. He… doesn't have to know, does he?
"Well, that doesn't matter. I'm sure you'll be careful now," Roark says, giving Mia some relief. "You look a little beaten up, but it's nothing too severe. Good thing I always bring a first-aid kit. Wait here. I'll be right back."
Mia doesn't have any plans to wander off anytime soon. She takes a quick look around, seeing the few workers that are approaching the Onix. Their Machop work together to grab and drag the Pokémon away. They must be relocating it to a safer area. Other workers resume their work, heading towards a large wall that holds an elevator. It opens to allow some people down.
It seems they get their material deep underground.
"What? Something went wrong with the Valley Windworks? You mean, the power plant?"
Roark's concerned voice draws Mia's attention back to Roak.
He has his first-aid kit, and he holds a phone against his ear. He is listening to the other line, and he grows disappointed. "How is it possible that it stopped working? The route is filled with turbines that move to the slightest gust!"
He pauses.
"Alright. Let's just focus on the effect this has. We are low on energy… so the conveyor belts aren't working. We have an alternative. Contact the Sunyshore City lines."
Roark pauses again. Whatever he hears isn't good, because he starts to shout now.
"What?! What do you mean there is a blackout there?! No one is going to fix it?! Volknor runs the place! He should be… oh." Roark's tone relaxes a bit, as if he expected this. "He's the one who caused it? Is… he really that bored?"
Roark glances at Mia, raising a finger towards her to signal her to wait. He speaks to the phone again. "No, no! We don't have time! The Fuego Ironworks needs our coal! We need machinery parts to be shipped off to Johto! The cargo ships can't wait forever!"
Another pause.
"He already called this morning! Who…? You know who I am referring to. I'm not going to say his na- okay, okay. It's Byron. Yes, him. If he finds out about this, he'll go through the roof!" Roark listens again, and his eyes widen. "No! Don't contact the Canalave City line! He'll answer! I need time to think of what to say to him!"
After another pause, he seems relieved.
"Yes. It does help me think. I'll do just that. Thank you for listening." Roark pockets his phone, and he turns to Mia. "Sorry about that."
"What's wrong?" Mia can't help but ask. She worries that the situation may affect her progress.
"Well, the Valley Windworks suddenly stopped making energy. I can't see how that's possible," Roark explains as he removes his hat to rub the top of his head. "Usually we'll turn to Sunyshore for an alternative but… the power is out there, too. I may have to contact the higher-ups to figure out what is happening…"
Mia can tell from the look on his face that this has a huge effect on things. He doesn't seem to want to talk to anyone.
"Since the mine work has to be put on hold, I guess we can have a fun battle," Roark says, placing his hat back on his head. "You came here to look for me, didn't you? I've stumbled across a few trainers personally sent off by Professor Rowan. You're the third one I've seen this week."
She didn't expect him to put the pieces together so quickly. Then again, it's obvious with the Pokédex and Pokéballs that are visible on her waist. What catches her attention is how he said she was the third person sent by the professor that he's seen. She knows the other person is her brother. Marlen certainly doesn't have one, so who else could it be?
She knows Sierra is on her way, but she couldn't possibly be this far already.
Roark opens his kit and takes out a few band-aids and alcohol wipes. "Patch yourself and your team up first. I'll meet with you in my gym. No need to worry too much about the power shutting down. We have enough to last a couple days if we conserve it right."
- 0000 -
After treating her Pokémon and herself, she mentally prepares herself for whatever she may see. Arriving at the gym entrance, she takes a deep breath. 'Here it is.'
The doors slide open once she takes a step forward.
The gym was made out of rock from the inside. The walls and the ground all have the same rough appearance.
The gym leader sits at the other side of the building, atop the highest platform. There are bleachers near Roark's area. It seems people come in to watch a match. There isn't anyone inside, most likely due to the power situation.
The idea of being watched isn't so great for her, anyway.
What stands out to her are a pair of stone statues standing near both sides of the door. Standing on the platform appears to be some sort of two-legged rhino-like beast. Standing a bit further is a brown-haired man with a pair of round glasses. The second he spots her, he greets her.
"Well! Hello there, champ-to-be! I am going to assume this is your first gym challenge, isn't it?"
"Uh… yeah…?" Mia replies.
"Well, that's wonderful! It's great to see new faces! I am your guide through this gym. As you might already know, Roark is a master of rock-type Pokémon! They are tough as tough can be, but they have a few weak points you should be aware of," the man explains. "If you have a water or grass-type on your team, you are on a good start since rock-types don't do well against them. However, if you brought a fire-type along… you might be in a bit of trouble. But! I believe you can win that gym badge, trainer!"
He points ahead.
"You can choose to take a long or short way to the gym leader. Whatever you choose is entirely up to you. At the end of the day, you will still find him, so there is nothing to worry about! I wish you the best of luck!"
"Thank you, sir," Mia says with a small smile. He seems quite excited that she is here. It makes her feel a little better about the chaos that occurred earlier.
She begins to walk, taking note of the rising ground on her left and right sides. It seems she could walk up there and take a bridge across, but it also seems like a waste of time. She can just walk straight. Her decision is noticed by a boy that stands just under the bridge. He steps in front of her, blocking the way. What's the deal?
The answer comes quickly as he unclips a Pokéball from his waste. "Avoiding the long way around? You will have to show me why you should make the cut!"
He sends out a Geodude, who is just as eager for a battle as its trainer.
Mia was never informed that there were trainers stationed inside the gym. She looks around for the workers she saw before, but they don't seem to be around.
Just as she reaches for a Pokéball, Roark stands and takes a few steps down the steps, waving a hand. "Jonathan, you are dismissed today."
"What?" The child turns around. "What happened?"
"I'll explain later." Roark turns to another boy that is stationed closer to him. "Darius, you too. Go home."
"Huh?" The other boy is just as lost, but he doesn't argue. "Okay… I guess I'll see you tomorrow.
As soon as the Geodude is called back, the pair of trainers leave the building. They really wanted to battle her.
The man that greeted Mia seems a bit confused about the leaving trainers. He looks at Roark, who quietly dismisses him as well. The man doesn't say anything about it. He takes his leave.
This gym feels abandoned now.
Mia resumes walking. Roark is waiting for her, watching her carefully. Just as she begins to climb the steps, Roark crosses his arms with a bit of pride.
"Allow me to properly introduce myself. Welcome! This is the Oreburgh Pokémon Gym! I'm Roark, the Gym Leader! I'm but one Trainer who decided to walk proudly with rock-type Pokémon! As the Gym Leader, I need to see your potential as a Trainer. And, I'll need to see the toughness of the Pokémon that battle with you!"
He pauses, and he sighs.
"Okay. Actually, let's talk about what's serious here. Scratch the generic introduction," Roark says as Mia comes closer. "We both know why the match has to be done. Once the power goes out, there's not much I can do. I can't leave my station in Oreburgh. If the higher-ups are too busy, they can't help investigate what's happening at the windworks. I might need your help."
"What? Why me?" Mia asks.
"I know you are a rookie, but the road to the windworks isn't so difficult. If the professor gave you a Pokédex, then he sees a great deal of potential in you."
He pauses, studying her for a few seconds. He appears genuinely worried now.
"Rock-types have great endurance, so it'll be pretty hard to knock 'em out. If you can defeat me, then I know you will be alright out there."
It's a bit strange. Is he worried about her well-being? Most people shrug off trainers and see them as independent. But Roark…
Maybe it's because he had to save her earlier.
Roark turns and presses a button behind him from the wall. The platform that the gym leader was on begins to shake, and Mia feels it under her feet. She nearly panics, but seeing Roark's calm expression tells her this is supposed to happen.
The platform begins to stretch, until it is the size of a basketball court. Behind the gym leader, the wall begins to open up, revealing a rectangular and large screen. It flickers on in seconds.
On the screen is a box, with a 'mugshot' of Roark's and Mia's heads. His is at the top right, hers at the bottom right. Beside that is a Pokeball marker that pulls up on the screen, informing how pokemon a person has. They both have three. There was even a text box. It read: "You are challenged by Leader Roark!"
Roark's expression becomes serious. "I don't want you to hold yourself back. Give me everything you've got, and so will I!"
"Alright… I will." Mia doesn't want to appear weak. What happened with the Onix was a terrible first impression. She decides to start off with who she is most comfortable with. Unclipping the first Pokéball, she tosses it to the battlefield. "Razorleaf!"
Razorleaf is summoned. He appears on the field, letting out a small chirp. After a quick look at his surroundings, he looks at his trainer.
Mia catches the capsule that falls back to her hand. The match has officially begun.
"A grass-type from the start," Roark says, impressed. "Seems you learned a few things about type advantages. But it takes more than that to win a battle! Especially one as difficult as this!" With a confident smile, and a strong arm, he throws his own Pokéball. "Geodude! Let's show them what you got!"
The pokéball opens, revealing the Geodude. It seems to be a common Pokémon to have here.
The first Pokéball on each side has a picture of the Pokemon's heads. HP bars stretch out next to them, and the chart is displayed below each one. It's just like the school board.
"As the challenger, you get the first call," Roark says.
Mia nods, and she sends her first order. "Razorleaf! Absorb!"
As the Turtwig opens its beak, Roark narrows his eyes. "Sinnohan isn't her first language after all." He swings his arm to the side. "Geodude! Rock Throw!"
The Geodude punches the ground, launching itself forward. It is struck with the energy-draining light, which brings it back down to the ground. The Geodude struggles and tries to break itself free, but it grows weaker until it falls flat on its back.
Beeeeeeeep.
"HUH?!" Mia and Roark said at the same time. They both turn to the monitor. The Geodude's bar is empty.
A critical-hit!
"That wasn't supposed to happen!" Mia begins to wonder if her Turtwig is overpowered.
"No. It's fine," Roark sighs as he recalls his Geodude. "Not the first time this happened. We can take a Karate Chop. Unfortunately for me, this gym doesn't do well against water or grass at all. Geodude isn't just a rock-type. He's part ground, which shares those two same weaknesses."
Why is he telling her this? Won't that give him a disadvantage? Then again, he could be giving her pointers since she is a rookie.
"Geodude is unable to battle. You win this round," Roark says. "I won't let you one-shot me like you just did! The match isn't over yet!" Swapping the capsules, he tosses another. "Onix! Let's go!"
The Pokéball bursts open, and pouring out as a long and expanding ribbon of light is a large and towering Pokémon. The light forms into an image and fades away in a shockwave, revealing the Onix. The board adjusts to this change.
"An Onix?!" Mia shouts as she takes a step back. The towering beast is already reminding her on why she has a few bandages on her in the first place.
"Don't feel intimidated. Unlike the one you encountered before, this Onix is tamed," Roark assures her. "The only thing you should worry about is your next move. I'll give you time to think carefully."
Mia doesn't want a repeat of what took place in the mine. She'll replay the same scenario, but with a different outcome.
"Razorleaf! Return!"
The Turtwig is called back, and she sends out another Pokémon. "Go! Aqua!"
The Psyduck comes out, and she is immediately frightened by what she sees. She quickly hides behind Mia's legs, clinging on to them tightly.
"I know you're scared," Mia says, looking back at the Psyduck. "I am, too. But look… this Onix is different. That one was trying to kill us."
Aqua buries her head against her leg now. Wrong choice of words.
She quickly corrects herself. "I-I mean, it was just angry we bothered it! It was wild, so we kinda disturbed him. But this Onix is a trained Onix. It just wants a friendly battle! Can you do that?"
Aqua steps away and looks at her. Mia gives her an assuring smile, and the Psyduck gains enough confidence to return to her spot in the battlefield.
Roark nods once, and he speaks up. "First call."
"Aqua! Scratch!" Mia shouts.
Aqua rushes towards the Onix, having her claws ready.
"Onix! Use Stealth Rock!" Roark shouts.
Onix rises its head, tilting it towards the ceiling. The gravel and dirt around the onix begins to rise, and it merges at several spots, forming what appears to be sharp rocks. They rotate around the Onix before flying over to Mia's side of the field. Nothing else happens.
"The heck is that…?" Mia slowly reaches out for one of the floating rocks. Tapping it lightly, it wobbles a bit before remaining still.
"You're getting sidetracked!"
Roark's voice takes Mia's attention back to the battlefield. She sees Aqua slashing at the Onix's body, but the Pokémon is unharmed.
"Onix! Rock Throw!"
The Onix raises its tail, and it swings it down towards Aqua.
"Watch out!" Mia shouts her warning, but it does no good. The heavy tail slams the Psyduck to the ground. As the tail lifts away, Aqua is twitching. Her hands tremble as they grab the sides of her head.
Seeing her suffer makes Mia wonder if she's even ready for this challenge. Glancing at the board, it has calculated how much more Aqua can endure. Her bar had fallen to yellow, a little under half.
"Focus. Don't let the stress get the best of you," Roark says as his Onix slithers back. "The moment the trainer is lost on what to do, so is the Pokémon. Take a second to think about your next move."
He's right. She can't let a simple screen intimidate her. Even if the situation seems bad now, it could turn around later. She can't shake the scared feeling, but she knows she has to keep moving. "Aqua! You have to stand up! Come on! You can do it!"
Aqua places her hands on the ground, and she pushes herself to her feet. Quickly, she slams her hands back against her head, shutting her eyes and winching. Her bill opens wide, and she unleashes a high-pressured stream of water that hits the Onix's midsection. The beast roars out in surprise, pulling its body back.
A beeping sound is heard from the board. Roark takes a look at it.
"Whoa! What was that?!" Mia quickly takes out her Pokédex, looking at the information. The new technique listed under Aqua's stats is the answer. "Water Gun? Wait… What? Water Gun?"
They have a name with the word 'gun' in it, but such a weapon doesn't even exist in this world. Maybe the people here have water gun fights…?
Doesn't matter. What does, is that what Aqua did was very effective. The Onix hisses and pulls its head back before shaking its entire body. It seems to be having trouble remaining upright. It's dizzy, so it can't possibly take another hit. The board calculated its condition, so the HP bar is near empty. There is just a tip of red left! How did it manage to hang on by a thread?
Roark seems a bit impressed. "Looks like you are trying to push me back. That's what I want to see! But how long can you keep up?" He turns to his Onix. "Onix! Use Bind!"
Mia won't allow whatever he has planned. "Aqua! Water Gun!"
Aqua fires the water again, but the Onix twists its body in a spiral. The water fires through the gap, missing the beast entirely. The Psyduck quickly moves back, but the Onix slithers around her tighter and tighter until it has her trapped in a constriction. Aqua is being squeezed now, and her cries fill the air. Her bar on the screen chips away slowly.
"H-hold on! I got you!" Mia aims the Pokéball towards her Psyduck. Aqua's body glows blue, but that's it. At first, she thinks she is doing it wrong somehow. After trying again, she gets the same result. Mia looks at the Pokéball, taking note on how the button is blinking red. "Huh?! What's going on?! Return!" She aims again. Aqua's body is trying to be pulled in, but it just can't happen for some reason. "What's wrong with it?! I chose the right ball!"
Roark observes her struggle a bit longer. He shakes his head and responds. "Whenever a Pokémon is being trapped like this, calling them back is impossible. You won't be able to save your Psyduck with its Pokéball. You will have to think of something else."
So, that's it then. What else can she do? Can a Pokémon battle in such a state?
"Focus, trainer," Roark tells her.
His right. She can't panic. She focuses on Aqua, sending her next order. "Water Gun! Hurry!"
For some time, Aqua struggles to do as much as move her head. The pain seems to be too much for her. The order she was given was probably not heard since she has not responded.
"Aqua?!"
Roark takes note of this. "Alright, Onix! Attack with Rock Throw!" he shouts.
Mia can only watch as the Onix uncoils itself enough to move freely. Its tail is wrapped around Aqua firmly, and it lifts her up high before slamming her to the ground. Dirt is kicked up upon impact. The Onix moves back, freeing the still Psyduck. A long beep from the board confirms her defeat.
A critical-hit!
"No…" Mia feels terrible. She allowed this to happen, did she?
"Psyduck is unable to battle." Roark crosses his arms. "But this match is far from over. Anything can happen."
Mia sighs. She aims the Pokéball towards Aqua again. Finally, the blue glow is followed by the Psyduck being pulled from the ground as a ribbon of light. It's absorbed through the button as it should. She swaps Pokéballs, and she tosses her next choice.
"Batty! Let's go!"
Summoned out now is her Zubat. It screeches and flies around Mia before getting into position for battle.
Roark shakes his head at this.
Before Mia could ask what the problem could be, the floating rocks suddenly start to rotate. They shoot from their position, flying towards Batty like a missle. "Whoa! No! Batty! Get away from there!"
Batty quickly moves from her spot, but the flying rocks are much faster. They strike her like bullets, and the Zubat screeches as she is knocked from the air. She hits the ground immediately.
The rocks return to their previous position. Batty is already harmed, and she didn't even do anything yet. It seems like a cheap tactic, but it's actually very clever. Mia can't even get mad. She should have expected this.
She's up against a gym leader, after all. Of course he would have tricks up his sleeve.
Still, this is terrible. If Batty could take a hit before, now she can't. Mia only has one shot.
"Batty! Super Sonic!"
Batty is back into flight, and she unleashes the pitch-changing screech. She flies around the Onix as she carries on the tactic. The beast shakes its head, appearing cross-eyed now.
"Onix! Don't let your confusion get the best of you! Hear my voice!" Roark shouts. "Rock Throw!"
The Onix blinks, appearing even more dizzy than it already was. It moves clumsily, sliding around the zipping Zubat. It turns its body while swinging its tail, batting Batty from the air. She hits the ground in an instant. Mia almost didn't see it.
The long beep is sounded. Now Mia feels her heart sink. Her side only has one highlighted Pokéball left. Roark still has two.
Mia graps a small portion of her hair, feeling it between her fingers as she takes that note in. This is a bad position. Even if Onix can he taken down with another hit from himself or Razorleaf, there's still one Pokémon waiting in the back.
It has to be Rampardos. She witnessed how well it can fight. It took down that rampaging Onix so easily. How will she tangle with a Pokémon with that kind of skill?
But Razorleaf… he has proven himself to not be a pushover. The only reason why he lost to Marlen's Piplup was because Mia allowed it to happen. She doesn't want to humiliate him again. After taking a deep breath, she recalls Batty and swaps Pokéballs. "I'm counting on you, Razorleaf!"
This isn't just about her.
Razorleaf is summoned out of his ball. The Turtwig crouches down, apparently knowing how high the stakes are.
The floating rocks begin to rotate again.
"What? It does this twice?!" Mia watches the rocks soar. Razorleaf begins to run, seeing that they are aiming for him. They catch up, striking him all over his body. He stiffens as he is struck, and it ends after a few seconds.
As the rocks reposition themselves, Mia decides to take her chance.
"Razorleaf! Absorb!"
"Onix!" Roark shouts. "Rock Throw!"
Razorleaf opens his beak, but the Onix makes a sharp turn and dives at the ground. The impact makes the rest of its body tilt over and fall. The Onix groans as it struggles to rise. Its eyes look in every direction as it tries to pin down the Turtwig.
It seems to have found him. It lunges forward again, twisting its body and attacking its own tail. It loses balance, falling head-first to the ground. With a loud groan, the rest of its body follows as an arch as it lands on its back. Its tail slams on the ground near the Turtwig.
A long beep is sounded. Roark can only chuckle at this.
"That's a new one. Never saw him attack his own tail before while lost in confusion. It seems the heavy blow against his head did it." Roark calls the Onix back into its Pokéball, and he swaps to his final one. It's finally gone.
"One more to go, and I know exactly who it is," Mia tells herself. She knows the Pokémon is fast. Trying to defeat it won't be an easy task.
Roark takes a long look at the Pokéball with a small smile. After a few seconds, he tosses it. "Cranidos! You're up next!"
Mia blinks. "Wait. What?"
The pokéball opened, and there stood the prehistoric Pokémon. But… it's like the younger version of what Mia saw in the cave. Its body is a light grey, and its back is blue, along with its hard skull. It opens its mouth and releases a small roar.
According to the Pokédex, it's listed right above Rampardos as Number 036, identified as Cranidos. Of course it is.
(Sinnoh Number 036.
Cranidos, the Head Butt Pokémon.
Its typing is: Rock. A lifelong jungle dweller from 100 million years ago, it would snap obstructing trees with head butts.)
Releasing the Pokédex, Mia looks at the opposing Pokémon again. This changes a few things. Why would he choose this?
"You were expecting my Rampardos?" Roark asks, somewhat amused by her confusion. "I wouldn't do that to you. He's my ace in battle, so he's a bit too much for you. Even so, I wouldn't underestimate Cranidos."
Mia feels like she can relax a bit. At the same time, she doesn't know what to expect from this Pokémon.
Roark narrows his eyes. "Do you think you can take this one down like you've done to the others?" he challenged. His Cranidos roars a challenge of its own.
"Razorleaf?" Mia looks at her Turtwig. They are at a bit of a disadvantage. The rocks from before bruised him up pretty good. He doesn't seem so worried, so she shouldn't be either.
"It's your call," Roark reminds her.
Mia looks at Roark for a quick second before turning her focus to the Cranidos. "Razorleaf! Absorb!"
"Cranidos!" Roark shouts. "Headbutt!"
Razorleaf opens his mouth wide. His opponent sprints forward, and the gap between them is closed quicker than he was prepared for. The Turtwig is met with a harsh skull slam inside his beak. His body is pushed back as his very jaw is pushed open further than normal. His cry is muffled, but the pained screeches are still well heard.
"It's so fast!" The ugly hit concerns Mia. Her Turtwig manages to pull free, stumbling back while shaking his head around. He is still determined to carry the order out, firing the energy-draining attack. It strikes the Cranidos, sapping away its energy within seconds.
Razorleaf manages to take back what he had lost. The heavy hit he took doesn't have him hurting like he was before.
The Cranidos is breathing hard. It kicks the ground before snorting.
"Absorb!" Mia shouts.
"Leer!" Roark changes things around.
The Cranidos lowers its head, and it sends an intimidating glare towards Razorleaf. The look alone is enough to have Razorleaf freeze up a bit, hesitating. Streaks of blue light shoot down around the Turtwig. The board releases a decreasing sound as new text appears.
Razorleaf's Defense fell slightly!
A blue arrow is next to "Defense" now. It doesn't look good.
It doesn't stop Razorleaf from unleashing his attack that successfully drains more energy from the Cranidos.
Now, the Cranidos is struggling to remain on its feet. The board notifies both trainers that it is close to passing out. Hearing the sound being on Roark's side gives Mia a burst of energy. She is so close! This battle wasn't so hard!
Roark doesn't appear concerned, though. The reason behind it is impossible to try to guess. He does seem confident, though. It's clear in his words. "No way! Not yet! We aren't giving up!"
All she needs is one more hit. At least one more, right? "Razorleaf!" she shouts. "Absorb! Go!"
Razorleaf quickly opens his beak again.
Roark clenched a fist as he bends his knees. He seems well into the battle now. "Headbutt! Go for it!"
His Cranidos begins to run, ignoring any pain it is feeling. Its speed is incredible.
"Razorleaf! Watch out!" Mia tries to warn him.
Once again, the warning came too late, and Razorleaf is rammed by the powerful skull. Mia can only cry out as he is sent flying from the brute of the force. He crashes to the ground and skids across it for a second. His eyes are shut tight as he squeaks quietly. Moving seems to be the most painful thing for him to do.
The low beeping sound spooks Mia a bit this time. It's only because it comes from two places, and one of them is from her hanging Pokédex. The led light is blinking red, which isn't what she wants to see.
From the screen, Razorleaf's HP is nearly gone. There is just a red corner left.
"Razorleaf…?" Mia hates seeing him like this. She knows he is trying his best. The last time he was in this much pain was because of a powerful peck to his head. This time, he seems to be going through worse. She has to push him somehow. "Come on! You can do it! Stand up! Stand up!"
Razorleaf squeaks again, planting his feet to the ground. His body trembles as he rises, and his eyes are yet to open.
"Use Absorb!"
Razorleaf doesn't move. In fact, he seems too stunned to move. Did the attack shock his body somehow? From the way he is behaving, and how he takes a step back while turning his head away…
He's flinching.
"Razorleaf?" Mia feels her stomach drop. He can't be too scared to move, is he? Did Roark know about this? That has to he why he was so calm about his Cranidos' condition.
"Never assume your victory too early!" Roark shouts as he points a single finger towards Razorleaf. "Cranidos! Headbutt, one more time!"
"No!" Mia gasps as the Cranidos begins to charge. "Razorleaf! Snap out of it! We can't lose like this! Come on! Come on!"
Razorleaf opens one eye, and he winches as he moves his feet. It took so much effort, but he jumps over to the side, falling on his back as the Cranidos sprints past.
Cranidos slows down and turns quickly, snorting. It had missed, and it appears a bit clumsy on its feet. It cries out a small roar, stomping the ground again.
"Nice dodge. Seems like he heard you," Roark comments. "But you can't pull that off twice!"
Mia knows that much. At this point, she isn't sure if she would win. It would take a miracle for Razorleaf to survive another direct attack. "Darn it…"
Suddenly, something seems different about Razorleaf's body. The very twig on the top of his head twitches before the two leaves glow a bright green. The leaves grow twice their size, and the rest of his body appears more vibrant with its colors. In fact, it has a faint green glow all across.
Razorleaf opens both eyes, and the black irises are swallowed by that very same light. He seems numb to the pain now, and he looks very determined.
This sight is alien, and quite terrifying.
"Wh-what's going on?! Razorleaf! Are you okay?!" Mia panics. She can't help it this time around. Already, a ton of bad scenarios are flooding her mind.
Roark is curious about this. "I would check the Pokédex if I were you. It seems you Turtwig is in a sudden-death mode."
"Sudden-death?" Mia recognizes the term being used for games. It must mean… he is about to unleash his final shot, right?
She checks the Pokédex once more.
Summary… the summary doesn't look too good. Just as the monitor displays, his HP is nearly gone. But what's new is how the ability section is highlighted now:
(Overgrow. Powers up Grass-type moves when in a pinch.)
"Overgrow?" Mia reads the name to herself. What catches her eye even more is a technique he didn't have before. Where did it come from?
This new technique… it would make her laugh if the situation wasn't so tense. But, it might just be what she needs. Absorb is a close-range attack so…
"Okay… let's try it." Mia is nervous about this, but she has to trust herself. She can't doubt this yet.
"So this is it! This final move will finish it!" Roark swings a single arm. "Cranidos! Use Pursuit!"
The Cranidos' eyes become focused, and it sprints forward, coming just as fast as it did times before.
"Razorleaf!" Mia shouts as she clenches her fists. "Use Razor Leaf!"
Razorleaf tilts his head back as he jumps to his hind legs. The leaves of his head glow brighter now. He swings his head with a arching motion, and a swarm of spinning razor-sharp leaves are fired. They don't seem possible to dodge from such a short distance.
Cranidos' eyes widen at the swarm flying towards it. It makes a turn, avoiding a good portion, but he is struck by the very edge of the storm.
Roark shields his face as the leaves slice across and pass his Pokémon's body. The few that don't land shoot past and nearly hit the gym leader. Somehow, they fly around him. His Cranidos on the other hand, takes a fall while roaring in great pain.
A long beep is sounded. Mia didn't think such a sound would feel so relieving to hear. At the same time, she is having a hard time believing that she somehow won. That's what happened, right? She won?
"W-what?" Roark is in a different state of disbelief. Both of his hands slam on the top of his hard hat. "That can't be! My buffed-up Pokémon!"
She really did win...
Roark sighs as he recalls his defeated Pokémon. He seems to get over his loss, because he gives Mia a small smile. "To think I would lose to a trainer who doesn't even have a single gym badge. My father will tease me for this. But it's alright. You did what I asked you to do. You have the strength, but you still have a lot to learn on how to use it."
"You… aren't mad, are you?" Mia asks.
"Mad? Of course not. There's no point in getting mad over a loss. A loss is a loss," Roark says. "I was just a bit surprised but how quickly you turned the tables. You had a bit of luck due to your Turtwig's ability. I don't think I'll forget this match."
Mia will have to give most of the credit to Razorleaf. His ability gave him the energy to stand tall on his feet again. She looks at him, amazed by the strength he pulled off. "Razorleaf, you…"
Her voice trails off. Something is off about him, and it's not because of his ability. It had worn off now.
Razorleaf is stiff. The dirt under his feet begins to shift before it rises and swirls around him. What exactly is going on?
"Razorleaf?! What's wrong?!" Mia grows concerned, especially after her Pokédex beeps again. This time, it's not for low hit points at all. It's a high and lower dingle, beeping twice.
Roark immediately identifies what this is. "Turtwig is evolving!"
What did he say?
The air spins around the Turtwig much faster, until it's like a vortex. A bright light shines from his body, and it pulses. It's impossible to see him through the light and the swirling air. The sound its creating sounds sparkly. It's raw power.
Another pulse is unleashed, followed by another, until the light bursts along with the wind, flying off as a shockwave. Razorleaf stands looking completely different.
Razorleaf grew bigger and taller, and two bushes sit on the shell of his back. The twig that was on his head is gone. He grew claws on his feet, three on each foot. His shell hardened even more, and it's just as yellow as his lower jaw. The shell extended, covering his head. A pair of yellow spikes had sprouted from the lower jaw of his beak.
Razorleaf takes a step back, rather clumsily. It will take time to get used to a new body. He snorts, perhaps impressed with his new look.
Mia immediately allows her Pokédex to give him a scan. Right below Turtwig, a new name, "Grotle" appears under slot Number 002. The information appears on screen as always.
(Sinnoh Number 002.
Grotle, the Grove Pokémon, and the evolved form of Turtwig.
Its typing is: Grass. It knows where pure water wells up. It carries fellow Pokémon there on its back.)
Razorleaf turns to Mia, opening his beak and letting out a short but loud huffing roar. The adorable chirping he could do before no longer exists.
After letting it soak in, Mia feels a new spark of excitement. "Awesome! You evolved, and you look so cool!" She rushes over to the Grotle, stopping as she realized he is half her height now. She places a single hand on the top of his head, and he nudges her lightly. She turns to Roark, seeing that he had turned back to his chair.
Roark pulls out a small, hand-sized bag from underneath. He turns around and walks to Mia as he pulls the string to loosen it open.
"What's that?" She asks.
Roark removes a shiny badge from the bag. With closer observation, it looks similar to a Pokéball. While the edges are silver, it's colored a dirt brown. A silver streak runs across the badge, excluding the middle. It outlines the hexagon shaped center that is also colored brown.
"Here it is, The Coal badge. Take it. This will tell anyone that you defeated me." Roark smiles. "You do have your trainer case, don't you?"
Mia almost missed that question due to her eyes being so absorbed on the shiny badge. "Oh! Y-yeah! I do!"
It is taken out from her bag. She looks at Roark's image for a second before opening the case. The badge perfectly fits in the slot shaped just like it. It's nice and snug inside.
Mia stares at the badge a bit longer. "So… this is really mine?"
Roark nods. "That's not all. Here are your other two rewards." He reaches into his massive pockets, and he pulls out a pair of square and thin plastic cases. They both hold a disc inside. One is a shade of brown, and the other appears a rusty red. The red disc is black in the center instead of a standard silver. "Here is the TM76 Stealth Rock, and the HM06 Rock Smash. They should help you along your way."
"Oh… that's a-"
"Hold on. Not done yet." Roark reaches inside his pocket again, and he pulls out a small stack of… cash? He unfolds it and places it in her hands as well. "You are going to need this prize money."
That term again. Mia had forgotten she earns money this way. It still sounds twisted, but the Pokémon don't have a problem with showing off their skills.
She carefully counts it, and the total nearly makes her choke.
"1,680?!" Mia looks at Roark as if he's insane. She was not prepared for this. "W-wait a minute! I can't just-"
"I have to give it to you. League rules," Roark says. "You can use that to buy you some potions or anything useful for your Pokémon. Or, you can treat yourself. Just don't blow it out in one day, okay? Potions aren't exactly cheap."
He's not the first to say that.
It's a bit hard to grasp. She earns all this just for beating him? It's a bit much, but she'll take it. "Thank you."
"No. Thank you. I can relax a little more knowing you aren't a big pushover as most rookies are you just need to work on staying calm during tense situations," Roak says. "I'll have to inform Gardenia that you are on the way, then. She will be excited to hear about you."
"Gardenia? Who's that?" Mia asks.
"She's the second gym leader listed in this region. She's more skilled than I am." Roark stops to think for a few seconds. He corrects himself with a small laugh. "Then again, she naturally has an advantage over me."
"Oh. So she must be this lady, then." Mia points at the brown-haired woman displayed next to Roark.
Roark nods. "Yep. That's her. She is stationed in Eterna City, which is pretty North from Jubilife. The road there won't be so easy, so I suggest you take a visit to the Pokémart.
"I was planning to go," Mia says.
"I'm sure you remember the problem this city is having right now, so Gardenia isn't a priority just yet," Roark reminds her. "On your way there, take a look at the Valley Windworks. See what is going on. Sinnoh can only conserve so much energy before we run out."
Roark seems lost now.
"I don't understand. How does the windworks stop producing clean energy when there are so many turbines there? How did Sunyshore City run out of power when it runs mostly on solar energy?"
"I… am not sure." Mia wishes she has an answer, but she knows nothing about how electricity is produced. She is familiar with solar energy, so for Roark to be confused about this whole thing is justified.
"Well, just be careful on your way there. You won't know what to expect. Hopefully it will solve itself before you get there. I hate to send you running an errand when it's not even my job."
"No! It's fine! I'll take a look!" Mia doesn't mind too much. If the situation doesn't solve itself, she would hate for Sinnoh to lose power for who knows how long.
"If only Gardenia wasn't so busy with her own tasks." Roark sighs. He walks past, most likely heading for the exit.
Mia returns Razorleaf back inside his Pokéball, and she follows the gym leader on the way out. As soon as they step out, it seems like every worker in town is restless.
"Looks like everyone's trying everything they can." Roark makes a quick note of the situation. "We are on a timeframe now."
"Mr. Roark!" A worker rushes to the gym leader with a phone in hand. "Canalave City has contacted us! They wish to speak with you!"
Roark's expression nearly turns pale. "Oh, no. He's going to give me an earful for sure… ah..."
Mia doesn't like the sound of that.
"Oh." Roark notices her staring. "Don't worry about me. You just go on. I have always trusted the professor's judgement, so go. Do your best out there."
Such nice words.
"I will." Mia nods.
"Mr. Roark?" The worker calls him again. "He's a bit impatient-"
"Just a moment," Roark says. He speaks carefully, looking well into Mia's eyes. "Here is something I want you to hear. Don't give up, no matter what happens. Keep fighting, even if things feel bleak. This world will throw a lot of obstacles at you. They will try to stop you from achieving your goal. Don't let that happen. Be careful out there, Mia."
His encouraging words hold a meaning. This is something he picked up while he was battling her. It must be.
"Mr-"
"I know. Hand it over." Roark takes the phone, and he answers immediately. "Yes. This is Roark- h-hey! Calm down! You don't have to yell! I am just as worried as you are! We are figuring this out as we speak!" He looks at Mia and waves a hand at her.
Time to go.
Mia waves back, and she carefully walks past as Roark continues his conversation. As soon as she is in front of the Pokémon Center, she stops walking at once.
"Wait a second… I never told him my name." She looks down the road where Roark stands. "How does he know my name?!"
To be Continued in Chapter 6!