Chapter 22:
Ground Em Up
Location: Driftveil City
"Huzzah!" said Hugh, showing his Badge Case. "The Quake Badge is mine!"
"Wow!" Rosa said. "I hope Clay doesn't do that thing with the pickaxe. I like having a nose, even after my experience in the Castelia Sewers."
"He's still doing that," Hugh said. "He's also really strong. But he's a Gym Leader; I expected that to."
I put my thumb up. "He'll be no match for me. And tomorrow, it's the PWT!"
Hugh laughed, wished me luck and told me he would do some training on Route 6 like I did yesterday. I told him that was fine and headed to the Gym.
Location: Driftveil City Gym
I walked into a single room with another entrance that lead downwards.
"Yo Champ in the making!" Clyde told me. "Welcome to the Driftveil City Gym, where Ground Type user Clay will be waiting for you at the depths of this very mine. Ground Types are weak to Water and Grass Type moves, but they may shake up Electric and Rock Types. Be wary. Also, you may borrow this." He gave me a yellow hat with a torch on the front. "It gets dark in the Gym. Please return it upon leaving."
I strapped the hat onto my head. "Thanks! I'll be careful!"
I walked through the other entrance and into a dark room with a conveyer belt rather than an elevator. I stepped on it, and it immediately started moving. It was easy to keep my balance though, and I'm glad it was. One wrong move and I would fall into the bottomless dark below.
I reached another platform where a Worker was waiting for me. I was caught in his helmet light. "Hey! I can see you! Let's battle!"
Rosa Vs. Worker Noel
"Okay Servine, go!" I shouted.
"I choose Baltoy!" Noel replied, sending out a brown Pokémon that looked like a spinning top.
Baltoy (ヤジロン)
169
Ground/Psychic Type
Clay Doll Pokémon
1'08" (0.5 m)
47.4 lbs (21.5 kg)
Discovered in ancient ruins, it moves by spinning around and forms a group when it finds others.
"Servine, you'll be the star of the show. Use Leaf Tornado!" Servine span round quickly and shot leaves at Baltoy. Super Effective hit!
"Ancient Power!" Baltoy fired glowing rocks at Servine. Thankfully it didn't do much.
"Now use Mega Drain!" Servine fired a beam at Baltoy, sapping away the rest of its health, as little as there was.
"I can now see your victory. Congratulations!"
With that Trainer out the way, I got the next conveyer belt to the right and rode along to the next platform. There were two ways to go; one north and one south. I turned on the light on my helmet and checked both ways. The north way had no Trainers and was a dead end. So, I went south.
I got to the south platform and found another Worker. "You better not be treating this place as a playground kid! Go to Nimbasa City if you want fun!"
Rosa Vs. Worker Tavarius
"Come out Azumarill!" I said.
"Go Drilbur!" replied Tavarius. "Use Rock Slide!" Drilbur made rocks fall from above onto Azumarill. Azumarill flinched to. "Now use Dig!" Drilbur went underground, despite the fact that we were battling on steel.
"Aqua Tail!" Nope, just missed.
"Fire!" Drilbur dug out from the steel and attacked Azumarill.
"One more Aqua Tail!" Azumarill's tail turned blue, then it whacked Drilbur with it. It didn't quite finish it off.
"Now use Slash!" Drilbur swiped at Azumarill, taking it down.
"That was surprising. Okay Minccino, take it on!" I shouted. Upon entering, Minccino fired hearts at Drilbur. Its Attack fell. "Hey, that's Charm! Great Minccino! That will help against Clay's Physical Pokémon!"
"Drilbur, Slash!" Drilbur slashed at Minccino, but it didn't do as much on Azumarill thanks to the stat reduction.
"Tail Slap!" Minccino hit Drilbur a couple of times with its tail and finished it off.
"Good strategy. Okay Sandile, you're up!" Out came the tan Pokémon. "Use Crunch!" Sandile leapt forward and sunk its jaws into Minccino.
"Minccino, Tail Slap!" Minccino slapped Sandile continuously with its tail, 5 times exactly.
"One more Crunch!" Sandile did just that; it bit down on Minccino once again, knocking it out.
"Strong. Okay Growlithe, go!" I was aware of the Type disadvantage, but it was a good idea I sent out Growlithe in particular. It fired a flame at Sandile which exploded upon impact. "Flame Burst! Alright Growlithe!"
"Another Crunch!" Sandile jumped over to Growlithe and bit down on it. Growlithe took a lot of damage.
"Finish with Fire Fang!" Growlithe sunk its hot jaws into Sandile. It was finished.
"Good one," said Tavarius. "Baltoy, come out!" He sent out his own Baltoy. "Use Ancient Power!" Baltoy fired glowing rocks at Growlithe. Unfortunately, it was a Critical Hit and almost dealt with Growlithe.
"Use Fire Fang!" Growlithe bit down on Baltoy. Thankfully, this one was a burn!
"Extrasensory!" Baltoy fired a multicoloured beam at Growlithe. Upon impact, Growlithe fainted.
"Good job," I told my fallen friend. "Okay Zorua, finish the fight!" I shouted. (It didn't have an Illusion because it was the last in my Party). "Faint Attack!" Zorua jumped behind Baltoy and hit it, dealing the final Super Effective blow.
"So you're not using it as a playground; you're here to beat Clay! Apologies kid!"
The rest of the Workers uses pretty much the same Pokémon, so I won't go over them. But I beat them all and after a Pokémon Center visit, I finally found Clay's platform.
"Welcome pardner, to the Driftveil Gym!" he said, doing that axe-nose thing that Hilbert warned me about. "Yer got through my mine with relative ease, which means yer worthy of taking me on. And right before your PWT battle to. Consider this a taster match; it's only the beginning!"
Rosa Vs. Gym Leader Clay
"You're up first Minccino!" I shouted.
"I choose Krokorok!" Clay replied.
Krokorok (ワルビル)
100
Ground/Dark Type
Desert Croc Pokémon
3'03" (1 m)
73.6 lbs (33.4 kg)
Protected by thin membranes, their eyes can see even in the dead of night. They live in groups of a few individuals.
Sandile -Lv 29- Krokorok
Upon coming out, Krokorok's Intimidate lowered Minccino's Attack.
"We can do that to! Minccino, give it a dose of your Charm!" Minccino fired hearts at Krokorok; its Attack fell more than Minccino's.
"Bulldoze!" Krokorok made the ground shake a bit. As well as taking damage, Minccino's Speed fell. Now Krokorok was faster. "Give it a Crunch!" Krokorok jumped at Minccino and bit down on it. Minccino barely survived. (Thank you Charm!)
"Now use Tail Slap!" Minccino slapped Krokorok in the face five times.
"One more Bulldoze!" Krokorok made the ground shake, and Minccino was finished.
"You set up what we needed. Okay Servine, go!" I shouted. "Use Leaf Tornado!" Out came Servine who fired swirling leaves at Krokorok. Krokorok didn't quite go down.
"Use Crunch!" Krokorok chomped down on Servine. Servine's Defense fell upon impact to.
"Use Mega Drain!" Servine drained away the little HP that Krokorok had left. Exhausted, Krokorok fell down. "Alright Servine!"
"Yer think I'm finished. Nope! Sandslash, come out!" Clay sent out the sharp-clawed Pokémon.
Sandslash (サンドパン)
114
Ground Type
Mouse Pokémon
3'03" (1 m)
65 lbs (29.5 kg)
The spikes on its body are made up of its hardened hide. It rolls up and attacks foes with its spikes.
Sandshrew -Lv 22- Sandslash
"We're not scared of this thing. Use Mega Drain!" Servine fired a beam at Sandslash that drained away some of it's health.
"Use Fury Cutter!" Sandslash ran over to Servine and swiped at it. It was a Bug Type move, but thankfully a weak one.
"Now give it a Leaf Tornado!" Servine attacked with its swirling leaves, but it missed.
"One more Fury Cutter!" Sandslash slashed at Servine once more. This time, Servine was finished.
"Servine!" I yelled. "Well, you did you best. Okay Azumarill, go!" I shouted. I was aware that I was using a Water Type and the match wasn't even finished yet, but Clay was really proving his worth.
"Crush Claw!" Sandslash jumped up and crushed Azumarill under its claw.
"You okay?" I asked Azumarill. Azumarill just about turned its head to give a reassuring nod. "Okay then. Give it an Aqua Tail!" Azumarill managed to turn over Sandslash to break free of the Crush Claw. Whilst it was vulnerable, Azumarill hit Sandslash with a super strong Aqua Tail. Sandslash was down. But there was no time for celebration; I had to go through Clay's strongest Pokémon.
"This is where it gets excited. Excadrill, go!"
Excadrill (ドリュウズ)
077
Ground/Steel Type
Subterrene Pokémon
2'04" (0.7 m)
89.1 lbs (40.4 kg
Forming a drill with its steel claws and head, it can bore through a steel plate, no mater how thick it is.
Drilbur -Lv 31- Excadrill
"Amazing. His strongest Pokémon," I said.
"Okay Excadrill, use Rock Slide!" Excadrill made rocks fall from above. They all fell onto Azumarill. To make matters worse, Azumarill flinched. It was open. "Now use Slash!" Excadrill slashed at Azumarill's face. Azumarill fainted.
"No!" I said. Excadrill meant business, more business than when Hilbert fought it. "No," I thought to myself. "If Hilbert can take out Excadrill with a Drilbur, then who's to say I can't take down this Excadrill with three of my Pokémon, two of which have a Steel Type advantage!"
"Well?" Clay said. "Who's next?"
"I know who!" I said. "Growlithe!" Out came my Fire Type.
"Yer funny!" Clay said. "A Fire Type? Daring Trainer I see. Excadrill, Rock Slide!" Excadrill made some more rocks fall onto Growlithe. Or was it?
"Nice try!" I said, as Zorua revealed its disguise. "You got tricked! Okay Zorua, Faint Attack!" Zorua attacked Excadrill from behind, but it wasn't very effective.
"Clever. Excadrill, Bulldoze!" Excadrill made the ground shake a bit, and Zorua was down.
"That was brave Zorua, thanks. Okay Trapinch, go!" I shouted.
"Metal Claw!" Excadrill, with its hands, scratched Trapinch.
"Bulldoze it!" Trapinch itself made a shockwave that hit Excadrill, falling its speed.
"Now use Slash!" Excadrill swiped Trapinch for a Critical Hit. Trapinch held on, albeit just about.
"Another Bulldoze!" Trapinch did just what I commanded; Excadrill's Speed was lowering.
"Bulldoze!" Excadrill used its own Bulldoze. That was the final move that Trapinch could take before fainting.
"My last Pokémon," I said. "It's a risk, but it has to work. Growlithe, go!" I shouted. "Don't worry Clay, this Growlithe is the real deal! Use Fire Fang!" Growlithe bit down on Excadrill with its flaming fangs. Excadrill was burned in the process.
"Rock Slide!" Excadrill made rocks fall from above, but thanks to the burn, Growlithe took the hit.
"Now finish with Flame Burst!" Growlithe fired a ball of fire at Excadrill. It was the final strike before Excadrill fell down and fainted.
"I must say!" Clay said. "Yer a risky one kiddo! But that was the best battle I had in a while. I haven't seen someone go out like this for at least two years. And going all out helped you win not just the battle, but the Plate Badge." From Clay's brown pocket, he handed me my 5th Badge. "This is proof of yer Driftveil victory. Congratulations. Pokémon traded to you up to Lv. 60 will also obey you. Finally, I give you this." He gave me TM80 for Bulldoze. "You know what it does; you used it well in this battle!" He brought his pickaxe up to my nose. "Good luck; the rest of Unova is waiting for you!"
Location: Driftveil City
"Well, it wasn't easy but I beat him!" I told Hugh. "Everyone played a role in that battle; that's how you know it was a big one."
"And that's just one challenge," Hugh told me. "We have the PWT to go yet! Of course, we will be participating."
"But," I asked. "Who are the other ones?"
"I'm one of them." From behind us, I came across one of the first big challenges of my journey.
"Mr. Cheren!" I said. "You're competing?"
"Of course!" he said. "I wanted to see how well you are doing. I see that you have got five Badges now! Unbelievable! I hope to battle at least one of you. I'm not sure who the other five participants are. Actually, wait. Some kid named Nate is joining, some Scientist and that's all I know. Life is full of surprises, and sometimes it's nice to not know what you're going up against."
From one challenge to another! Tomorrow I will help the opening of the PWT, and Cheren will be one of the competitors. But hey; I have five Badges now! How hard can it be?