Chapter 13:
Surfing the Web
Location: Castelia City
"Okay everyone," I said. I had Servine, Growlithe and Marill out of their Pokéballs to tell them; that was how big the occasion was. "Here we go. The battle for our third Badge. Now I've read the Journal. Burgh uses Whirlipede, Dwebble and Leavanny. So, I think Servine should go first, just to take the blows."
Servine was fine with it. It's not like we hadn't dealt with a Whirlipede already. I had to say, I was nervous. But I was also stronger. Azurill had evolved since my last Badge and Growlithe had learned a stronger Fire Type move that was Physical, which went better with Growlithe's strong Attack stat.
I also quickly stopped by the Passerby Analytics HQ and found the last Harlequin. I got a Rare Candy. Neat. On to the Gym!
Location: Castelia Gym
So, apparently Castelia Gym wasn't the honey filled paradise that I had learned about from the Journal. No. This time it was a giant web. There were also small pods made of webs with holes in large enough for me to fit in.
"How do I get up?" I asked Gym Guide Clyde.
"Well champ in the making," he said. "Just walk inside and it will take you up to different floors. Burgh uses Bug Types. Try burning them away with Fire Types. But Grass Types might just get eaten alive."
I walked over to one of the pods. I looked inside for about a second before some webs grabbed me. "Wah!" I said as I was sped up the web like some hyperactive elevator.
When I got to the top, I had to take a breath. I had to admit; it was quite fun. Just a bit surprising.
"Welcome!" said a Harlequin who was waiting outside the pod. "Having trouble with the webs? Well, let's see if you have trouble with these Bug Types!"
Rosa Vs. Harlequin Clarence
"Okay Growlithe, go!" I shouted.
"I choose Sewaddle!" replied Clarence.
"Flame Wheel!" I shouted as Growlithe rolled into Sewaddle covered in fire. It was down in one.
"Well, maybe it won't be so hard. Have fun web riding!"
I went through another entrance. Sure enough, a web grabbed me, and I zoomed to another part of the sticky tower. It was exhausting but exhilarating, like a rollercoaster.
"I need to be more careful," I said.
"Hello!" said another Harlequin. "Don't worry, it takes some getting used to!"
Rosa Vs. Harlequin Jack
"Okay Growlithe, go!" I shouted.
"I choose Combee!" Jack sent out a Pokémon that looked like three honeycombs stuck together. It was flying on its clear wings.
Combee (ミツハニー)
142
Bug/Flying Type
Tiny Bee Pokémon
1'00" (0.3 m)
12.1 (5.5 kg)
This Pokémon is a set of three. When they sleep, they gather up and form a giant hive of 100 Combee.
"Flame Wheel!" I shouted. It didn't knock out Combee in one because, unlike Sewaddle, it had a 2x weakness to Fire Type attacks rather than 4x.
"Use Gust!" Combee flapped its wings, making a gust of wind that blew back Growlithe a bit.
"Use Ember!" Growlithe fired a flame at Combee, finishing it.
"Okay then. Next, I choose Swadloon!" Jack shouted, sending out a yellow Pokémon that was wrapped in two big leaves.
Swadloon (クルマユ)
018
Bug/Grass Type
Leaf-Wrapped Pokémon
1'08" (0.5 m)
16.1 lbs (7.3 kg)
Preferring dark, damp places, it spends the entire day eating fallen leaves that lie around it.
Sewaddle -Lv 20- Swadloon
"Okay Growlithe, another Flame Wheel!" Growlithe did just that, rolling its flame covered body into Swadloon. Somehow, it survived! Well, maybe not somehow. Its Defense had increased since its Sewaddle evolution.
"Swadloon, Razor Leaf!" Swadloon fired sharp leaves at Growlithe. It was a Critical Hit.
"Finish with Flame Wheel!" Growlithe charged its flame-covered body into Swadloon, knocking it out.
"Oh ho, not bad! Okay, good luck with Burgh!"
With that one out the way, I sped across the Gym at breakneck speed. If Nimbasa City wasn't so close by, then Castelia Gym would make for the best theme park in this part of Unova.
I came across the next Harlequin. "Halfway there! I'm not going easy on you!"
Rosa Vs. Harlequin Gary
"Growlithe, go!" I shouted.
"I choose Sewaddle!" Gary replied.
"You know what to do. Flame Wheel!" Growlithe rolled into Sewaddle. The fire was too much for Sewaddle to handle; it was down.
"Strong Trainer. Go Combee!" Gary shouted sending out the yellow Bug Type.
"Flame Wheel!" I shouted as Growlithe attacked Combee with its fiery power.
"Gust it!" Combee flapped its wings and blew back Growlithe a bit.
"One more Flame Wheel!" Growlithe dealt a fiery finish to Combee.
"I like your strategy. Go Dwebble!" Great, it was a Rock Type.
Dwebble (イシズマイ)
115
Bug/Rock Type
Rock Inn Pokémon
1'00" (0.3 m)
32 lbs (14.5 kg)
When it finds a stone of a suitable size, it secretes a liquid from its mouth to open up and crawl into.
Growlithe was exhausted, but it fought on. In fact, it started surrounding itself with blue energy. "What's happening?" I asked it. Growlithe charged into Dwebble and did about half damage to it. "Wow, Reversal! A move that does more damage the less HP you have! Nice Growlithe! That'll help in a time of crisis!"
"Dwebble, Smack Down!" Dwebble fired a small rock at Growlithe, bringing it into the red.
"One more!" I shouted as Growlithe leapt into Dwebble. It was down.
"A new move at the last minute! You should be proud of yourself!"
I decided to give Growlithe a breather. Whilst it would certainly be my star, even stars needed a break. I promised that after we take down the last Trainer, we would stop by the Pokémon Center.
I zoomed up the web to the final platform before Burgh where one more Harlequin greeted me.
"Almost there! Show me your power!"
Rosa Vs. Harlequin Anders
"Go Dwebble!" Anders shouted.
"I choose Marill!" I replied. "Use Bubble Beam!" Marill fired a jet of bubbles at Dwebble. Thankfully, it didn't have Sturdy so it went down in one.
"Go Swadloon!" shouted Anders.
I know what I said, but Growlithe was best suited for Swadloon. So, I sent it out. "Flame Wheel!" Growlithe rolled into Growlithe. This time Swadloon was knocked out in one!
"I hope you give Burgh the most artistically pleasing battle!" said the Harlequin.
"After a quick heal up," I said.
Location: Castelia City Pokémon Center
I got to the Pokémon Center and was in for a surprise. Well, yes. That Medal Guy was still there. I know he gave me an explanation, but I still didn't really like him that much. No. I'm talking about Bianca!
"Hey!" I said.
"Rosa!" Bianca replied. "I hoped you'd have come this far! How's everything going?"
"Good," I said as I healed. "But I tell you what, the Castelia Gym isn't what I was expecting. I was expecting the honey puzzle, but now they have these webs."
Bianca nodded. "Can I see your team?"
"Sure!" I said. After I received my team back, I sent them all out. Growlithe and… "Marill?" I asked.
Marill was evolving! After the glowing had died down, it had long ears and a wavey white pattern on its belly.
Azumarill (マリルリ)
032
Water Type
Aqua Rabbit Pokémon
2'07" (0.8 m)
62.8 lbs (28.5 kg)
Its long ears are superb sensors. It can distinguish the movements of things in the water and tell what they are.
Azurill (B) -Happiness- Marill -Lv 18- Azumarill
"Alright!" I shouted. "We're even stronger now!"
Bianca smiled. "If it's fine with you, I'd like to meet you by the dock later. We can look at the sea. You're not in trouble, I just want to give you some advice."
That sounded fair. "I'll see you at 18:00. After I get the Insect Badge that is!"
Location: Castelia City Gym
After much web riding, I finally reached the top. The top floor was colourful with paint pots everywhere. There were paintings of Pokémon and locations around the world. In the middle of the room was Burgh.
"Welcome Rosa, and thanks again for your help with Team Plasma. They truly are despicable. But if you lose yourself in the world of art, you can block away the negativity of the world for just one piece of work. Battles are an art form in a way. You have your style, different strategies and hopefully a glorious finish. Will that be the case today? Let's find out!"
Rosa Vs. Gym Leader Burgh
"Servine, go!" I shouted.
"Go Swadloon!" Burgh replied.
"Wait… I thought you used Whirlipede. Never mind. Servine, Wrap!" Servine wrapped its body around Swadloon.
"Bug Bite!" Swadloon nibbled at Servine, dealing away damage so brutal that half of Servine's HP went away.
"Another Wrap!" Servine squeezed Swadloon again.
"One more Bug Bite!" Swadloon nibbled at Servine once more. The Super Effective hit took it down.
Well, I wasn't expecting that. "Growlithe, go!" I shouted. I knew this would at least work. "Use Flame Wheel!" Growlithe rolled into Swadloon covered in fire. Swadloon was down.
"Nice start to the painting. Okay Dwebble, go!" shouted Burgh.
"Thanks, Growlithe," I said. "Okay Azumarill, you're up!" I shouted. "Bubble Beam!" Azumarill fired a jet of bubbles at Dwebble. Thanks to Sturdy, Dwebble barely held on.
"Use Feint Attack!" Suddenly, Dwebble appeared behind Azumarill and attacked it.
"One final Bubble Beam!" Azumarill fired one last jet of bubbles at Dwebble. The Rock Type had the last of its health eroded away.
"Our piece of art is almost done. Go, Leavanny!" Out came Burgh's star Pokémon.
Leavanny (ハハコモリ)
019
Bug/Grass Type
Nurturing Pokémon
3'11" (1.2 m)
45.2 lbs (20.5 kg)
Upon finding a small Pokémon, it weaves clothing for it from leaves by using a sticky silk secreted from its mouth.
Sewaddle -Lv 20- Swadloon -Happiness- Leavanny
"Careful, this one's dangerous!" I told Azumarill.
"Razor Leaf!" Leavanny fired razor sharp leaves at Azumarill, but it missed!
"Bubble Beam!" I shouted as Azumarill fired a jet of bubbles at Leavanny. It barely did anything.
"Razor Leaf!" Leavanny fired the leaves once more, knocking out Azumarill.
"We can still do this. Go Growlithe!" I shouted.
"Leavanny, Aerial Ace!" Leavanny dove into Growlithe, taking away half its HP.
"Oh no. Well, we can do our best Growlithe! Flame Wheel!" Growlithe curled up, combusted and charged into Leavanny for lots of damage. Even better, Leavanny was burned!
"Leavanny, Aerial Ace!" Another Flying Type move, but this did half as much damage because of the burn.
"Let's win this Growlithe! FLAME WHEEL!" Growlithe rolled into Leavanny one last time. It fainted.
"And it is finished!" Burgh said. "You have beaten me! As proof, I give you the Insect Badge!" Burgh handed me the green Badge. "Pokémon traded up to Lv. 40 can obey you know to. Also, use this." Burgh gave me the TM for Struggle Bug. "It's a move that lowers Sp. Attack. Oh, and one more thing. A present for defeating Team Plasma yesterday. I whipped this up." Burgh gave me a painting of me and my team! Well, it had Marill but it only evolved today.
"Thanks!" I said. "Wow. I'll send this back to my hometown in Aspertia City for Mum to frame!"
Location: Castelia City
At 18:00, I waited for Bianca at the pier. I was looking at the Town Map, knowing that the next Gym was in Nimbasa City; Elesa's Gym.
"Hi Rosa!" Bianca arrived with Hugh, Burgh and Iris.
"Oh hey. What did you want then?" I asked.
"Rosa. I would like you to show Burgh the Journal. You can trust him."
Though reluctant at first, I handed it to Burgh.
"Is that?!" Iris shouted.
"Yes," I said. "This is the Journal that Hilbert wrote in to chronicle his journey."
Burgh had a flick through. "Hmm. Yes. This is exactly how I remember the Gym battle. Tell me, where did you find this?"
"It floated down from the sky," I said. "I've been using it as a guide to find Hilbert. In the excitement, I forgot to ask if you would know any whereabouts."
Burgh shook his head. "Sadly no, but I did promise the authorities that if I found any clues, I would report it. Except this of course. This is yours." He handed it back to me.
"I can't believe you have that!" Iris said. "And you think Team Plasma might have something to do with it?"
I looked over a few piers; the ship was gone. "That might have been it," I said sadly, realizing the potential opportunity I missed. "I will find Hilbert! Any help, I will take it."
"Got it!" Hugh said. "And hey, we both have three Badges now! And we can go onwards to our fourth!"
Burgh, Iris and Hugh walked different ways.
"Anyway," Bianca said. "Maybe you should not rely on the Journal so much. It's still a two year gap. But I also heard you've been using it as a guide."
"Yep!" I said. "The Gym and Burgh's team was weirdly different though. I was expecting him to use Whirlipede."
"Listen," Bianca said. "The Unova region has changed a lot in two years. You're using essentially an outdated map. Don't be shocked if things have changed since the journey I took with Hilbert and Mr. Cheren. Expect the unexpected. That's all I'll say." That's what she said before she walked off.
That was deep Bianca. But hey, the next Badge is mine! Looks like the next location is Nimbasa City. If Bianca is telling the truth, then maybe things are different. But that gets me excited!