Chapter 7

Way Down We Go

Dawn

The group woke up early to reach their next destination: Oreburgh City. It was east of Jubilife, with only a cave stopping them from making this a short trip and properly name as Oreburgh Gate. The group stopped short of Oreburgh Gate, to rest up from fighting trainers along Route 203 and heal up. Dawn also had the group halt for she happened to spot a special specimen along the way.

In the high noon sun, a blue and black feline stopped at the edge of the pond to quench her thirst. Unbeknownst to her, a hunter stalked her. The hunter was a teenage girl that somehow managed to worm her way behind a boulder with her young canine sticking close by.

"Shinx: the Flash Pokemon. All of its fur dazzles if dang-"

Dawn hastily closed the Pokedex, forgetting that it needed to recite the information in a loud voice that couldn't be turned off or even lowered. Did the Professor really need this device speak to her as if she was an illiterate toddler?

Shinx stopped sipping from the pond, and was now at full alert. She adopted a defensive stance, sparks of electricity crackled as it gathered in her fur. She was facing the talking rock and took notice of the white beanie poking out the top.

"Dammit...she noticed me," Dawn said, peeking out. Having been discovered, she decided it was time to act and jumped out of her hiding spot. "I've got you cornered! There's nowhere for you to hide. Get her Driscoll! Flame Wheel!"

Shinx's body shimmered before finally letting loose all the energy stored in her fur. The energy was released in the form of harmless yet bright light. The unprepared trainer couldn't cover her face in time as 7 million candela overloaded the light receptors in her eyes.

"Gah! My eyes!" she cried in pain.

-"Now, to get out!"- Shinx spun around to make her escape but a ball of fire struck her backside.

-"You can't get away from me that easy,"- Driscoll declared. He was safely behind the boulder when the Flash happened, saving his retinas from temporary blindness. He faithfully followed his trainer's orders by leaving her behind in pain to ram the unaware Shinx with a Flame Wheel.

Flopping across the ground, Shinx rolled on to her four feet. She reared her hind legs, and spun around so her backside was facing Driscoll. With all her might, she kicked the Growlithe with both hind legs glowing white.

Driscoll reeled back, taking both kicks to the muzzle. Like lightning, he snapped forward and chomped down on Shinx's star-shaped tail. He refused to let go as Shinx struggled to free herself from his grasp.

-"Maybe this will make you let go,"- she said, shocking Growlithe with electricity but he held on strong. -"Huh?"- in mid confusion a Pokeball struck her forehead, instantly zapping her and trapping her inside.

Recovering from the flash, Dawn managed to throw a Pokeball in the commotion. She picked it up once it stopped moving and clicked. "I caught...an electric Pokemon." She held the Pokeball triumphantly.

"Yo Dawn, are you okay? We heard you shouting," Barry appeared with Lucas close behind.

"I'm just fine I think, but I did manage to catch a third Pokemon that I can use on my team," she proudly showed off her freshly caught Shinx. "I saw it drinking water from the pond and knew I had to catch it."

"That's great since you need at least three Pokemon to equally match the gym leader. You should also have been working on perfecting the combo move I came up for Piplup ," Lucas urged her to train. They planned to challenge the gym and then head up north to reach Eterna City since it was faster than looping back through Jubilife City.

"I was working on it. I was thinking of a snappy, awesome name to call the new move," she answered back, "but this Shinx was just too good to pass up."

"Electric Pokemon aren't that great for this gym," Barry brought up. "That's why I caught this Budew. Can't always rely on Charon or Monty. Hmmm...I shall name this Budew...Rosey!"

"How original," she muttered, opening her Pokedex. Going through her Shinx's data, she studied the feline's move set. "Hey, it does know Double Kick. That should work against Roark's rock types."

"As long as Piplup masters this combo, I'm sure you'll be fine with whatever Pokemon you choose to support him," Lucas said, fiddling with his new Poketch. He was toggling through the different screens to finally get the digital clock. "We have time before the gym closes but we should still hustle over there before it gets dark."

Gathering their stuff and bags, the group entered the cave. Dawn's Piplup and Lucas's Turtwig made quick work of the Geodudes who dared challenged them. Barry had Chimchar dealt with any Zubat that flew at their faces, fangs bared. Working together they easily cleared the cave and exited the passageway.

The cave led straight into Oreburgh City. It was suppose to be a city that thrived on its rich coal mines but looked more like an open-pit mine that sprouted a town overnight. Valleys and the ridges of Mt. Coronet bordered the city, leaving almost no exits or entrances.

The teens walked down dirt paths that snaked between buildings and stores. After a quick pit stop at the Pokemon Center they found themselves at the domed building that looked out of placed in between the apartment buildings. The sign out in front confirmed that this building was Oreburgh Gym and that was all it took for Dawn to run into the facility.

The front lobby was empty except for a lone young woman sitting at the counter, pounding away at her keyboard. Pushing her long brown hair to the side, she straighten her bad posture as visitors arrived.

"Welcome, to Oreburgh Gym," she greeted with smile. Behind her were multiple monitors depicting videos of past trainers fighting the gym leader with cinematic shots and effects.

"I'm here to take on the gym leader," Dawn brashly said, slapping her trainer ID on to the counter. "As soon as possible!"

Taking Dawn's license, the receptionist entered the information into her system. "Let me pencil you in for a gym battle with Roark...how many badges do you currently have?" she questioned.

"I have no badges..."

"First time taking on the Sinnoh League?" she asked as if she already knew the answer.

Dawn nodded.

"Then you'll be fighting him with only using three Pokemon," the receptionist informed her, typing in the final details into the computer.

"Is he not going to use his full strength against me?"

"In order to make this challenge accessible to new trainers starting out, the Pokemon League have placed a system that has Gym Leaders adjust their strength according to how many badges a trainer has earned this season. You can still ask for full all out battle if you so desire but it won't be easy for beginners such as yourself," she suggested against it.

"Fine, I'll take his newbie challenge," she gave in. She didn't even have a full six team to take Roark fully head on.

"Great, I'll have you booked in for in two days after three o'clock!" she said.

"TWO DAYS!" Dawn yelped. "Why not today? I can't wait another day. There is not anyone one here." Dawn waved her arms around as to signify that there were no other trainers in the lobby.

"The gym had to close early today. The gym leader left early and is currently in the Oreburgh mines," she informed. "I apologize for the inconvenience but we have quite backlog of trainers wanting to fight him. The season is coming to an end and trainers who procrastinated are hurrying to challenge. Please return in two days. There are other places to visit in this city, like the Oreburgh Museum that has acquire technology to revive ancient Pokemon from fossils."

"Sign me up too for a battle with Roark!" Barry slammed his own card onto the counter. "I'm in the same situation as her."

"Great, I'll just scheduled you right after her," she went into her agenda on the computer.

Dawn marched out, annoyed by the sudden change of events. She took in a breath of fresh coal filled air to calm her nerves. Roman already got his first and is on his way towards a second... She figured what she had to do now.

"The museum seems like an interesting place to visit," Lucas suggested, being a man deeply invested in history.

"Hey, where are you going, Dawn?" They just noticed Dawn was heading straight to the southern part of the city where all the heavy equipment was being held at.

"We're going to find him! He's going to respond to our right to challenge him!" she proclaimed. Again, she ran ahead of the group, leading them into construction zone. They approached the gaping hole that led into the underground of Oreburgh.

"You trainers, stop!" A miner stationed at the entrance of the coal mine stopped them before they could enter. "You can't go in there," he sternly said, crossing his muscular arms. "Not without these safety helmets." He took out three yellow hard hats with a head lamp.

"You guys let outsiders run inside your mines with no restraints?" Lucas asked, securing his helmet over his beret.

"It's just like any regular old cave in Sinnoh. Trainers come here all the time to train and battle," the worker shrugged. "Even Roark, our city's gym leader, goes down there to train. I think I just saw him go down there today with someone with him."

"There has to be signs, right?" Barry worried about being lost in a coal mine.

"Don't worry," he assured the boy. "We have workers right now that can help you. It's well lit and signs are posted if you get lost. The only dangers are the wildlife and the occasional bored worker that will battle you." Having handed out the helmets, the miner went back to his station.

"See, he is still down there," Dawn said invigorated, strapping her helmet securely. "Another cave, another horde of Geodudes for Lucas and I to overpower."

Finally fitting the hat onto his tangled hair, Barry accepted the quest. "Spelunking does sound fun," he admitted, taking the first few steps into the mine. Lamps hung from the walls, illuminating the path clearly.

The trek down into the mines was surprisingly linear. Paths only branched off into dead ends but were readily pointed out by the working miners. They only gave out information after a battle, which Barry and Lucas handily took care off. The onslaught of wild Pokemon kept the trio busy and made the trek deeper in to the cave feel twice as long.

"These annoying Zubats are going to be the end of me," Lucas grumbled, using his last antidote on his poisoned Bidoof.

Dawn had a hand cupped to her ear, trying to make sense of the noises in the cave. "You guys hear that?"

They all strained their hearing to closely listen. Roars and shouts bounced off the walls, projecting what seem likes a battle. There were two distinct voices arguing with each other. The yelling stopped and a mighty roar filled the silence. The tunnel shook as if a giant explosion rocked the earth.

"Uhhh, this doesn't seem safe. We could get caught in a cave in," Lucas voiced his concerns.

"I'm sure we're are close. Come on, that must be Roark training ahead. Plus, we have hard hats so we're safe," she encouraged, running ahead of the group. A stalactite broke from the ceiling, nearly missing an oblivious Dawn who continued down the cave.

"You're always on your barren island digging your stupid holes to find fossils like a deranged Ruin Maniac. When you're not digging, your just training," a young male voice shouted frustrated.

"Hah, you should be taking that into consideration when you're slacking off here in the underground. Hell, you should be training harder since your gym is rated as the easiest in all of Sinnoh. I knew Riley should have taken the mantle as gym leader of this city instead of you," a gruff voice shot back, not willing to take the insult lying down.

"Fossils and battling is all that you care about. Why do you think mother left you?"

"Bastidon! Flash Cannon!"

"Rampardos, Zen Headbutt!"

Dawn ran around the corner and found herself in front of a giant slab of coal that was easily larger than her own house. The sides of the massive coal deposit showed signs of scrapes and chips from the workers slowly breaking it down. There were no workers present but two muscle toned men were fighting each other with their Pokemon.

The young man in a gray miner's outfit commanded a ferocious dinosaur-like Pokemon. The bipedal Prehistoric Pokemon lowered his blue domed head that was as shiny as his trainer's mining helmet. It appeared he was fighting a homeless man who waved his dirty shovel like a caveman while the miner held his well maintained pickaxe over his shoulder.

The middle age man had no concern for safety as his only protection was his ragged brown cloak draped around his broad shoulders. He simply wore a white tank top and dirty, ripped cargo pants with brown hiking boots. On his side was also a fossil Pokemon that was covered in metal plates. Balancing all that weight on four stubby legs, the Pokemon took the opponent's headbutt with his square shaped head that was encased in steel armor.

"Release it now, Bastidon!" the disheveled man bellowed, stabbing the earth with his shovel.

Bastidon's face shimmered and fired a blast of energy at point blank range. Rampardos reeled back, letting out a pained moan before fainting. The beast fell, and both men became silent.

"Tch. You still have much more training to do if this is the best you can muster," he said, rubbing his unkempt beard. He sounded neither pleased nor disappointed by the outcome. In fact, it looked like he was trying to hold back a pained expression. "I'll come back again...and you better be a more respected gym leader by then." he huffed, returning his prized Pokemon.

Lucas and Barry arrived just in time to see the ruin maniac returned his Pokemon and hop onto the conveyor belt that was used to carry the coal.

"Hey, that's an unsafe usage of conveyor belts! As Oreburgh Mine's safety supervisor, I can't allow you to ride the conveyors. Even if you are my dad," the young man called out to his immature father, directing his pickaxe at the man.

"These have been around before you were even born. I don't need upper management's permission to ride these!" he shouted back, disappearing into the upper levels of the mine.

"Dammit! He never listens." Giving up on chasing his old man, the miner brought out a Pokeball to recall his fallen comrade.

"That must be Roark," Barry stated, realizing the bespectacled man was the same one in the videos at the gym.

Plunging his pickaxe into a small boulder, Roark smashed the rock in anguish. Leaving the pickaxe embedded in the ground, he took off his helmet and ran a gloved hand through his burgundy hair. He looked up towards the stairs and saw the group entering the room. "I'm sorry that you have to see our little squabble. I'm Oreburgh Gym Leader Roark," he introduced, adopting an authoritative tone. He forced a smile and waved them to come closer.

"A lot of resentment for a small family quarrel," Dawn picked up on the bitter vibes from the two.

"We're at a difficult patch in our relationship," he admitted. "But enough about us, I'm sure you three came for something important. Is there trouble?"

"I came to challenge you to a gym battle!" she declared with a demanding finger pointed at his chest. "I'll fight you here and I won't be leaving until I get my badge."

Roark pulled his pickaxe from the stone with ease. "I'll gladly battle you here but my Rampardos is pretty badly beaten. The rest of the Pokemon on me are fairly young Pokemon that I use for trainers with few badges," he explained.

"That works since I'm a trainer with no badges!" she said as if it was a great accomplishment.

Roark didn't hold back his disappointed sigh. "Another trainer thinking I'll be easy fodder," he muttered under his breath and closed his eyes. "If you really want to.." he stopped, gazing at the ground with his eyes hidden behind his helmet. His face was dark but he still lifted it up to change to a warm expression. "Then I know where we can have our match close by. I have a makeshift battlefield that I use to train and let the workers use to hold Pokemon battles on their breaks." He beckoned them and led them into a tunnel smaller than the others.

Exiting the tunnel, Dawn was surprised to see a huge empty clearing. Crude chalk markings on the floor marked the battlefield, matching the size one would find in a gym. The terrain was rough with boulders and stalagmites poking out the ground like drills.

"It will be a three on three Pokemon battle. Battles ends once all three Pokemon faint or one forfeits," Roark stated the rules. He pulled a pin out of his front shirt pocket, and presented it to Dawn. "Defeat me, then I'll reward you with this." He took his spot marked out by a poorly drawn rectangle.

Having accepted her challenge, Dawn shot back an assuring smirk to her friends before taking her place opposite of Roark. Just remember what Lucas told you, she reminded herself as she prepared for her first serious match. Gym Leaders always give you the first move, and this guy uses Pokemon really weak to water. Piplup is perfect against him, especially if I keep the special combo in mind. She readied Quinn's Pokeball as she saw Roark do the same.

"Your fiery spirit will burn us a path! Go Quinn!" Dawn shouted at the top of her lungs, throwing the Pokeball forward.

-"You got it!"- Quinn proudly trilled, raising his flippers to do a pose just as Dawn told him to do. It was suppose to intimidate the foe, bolstering their advantage.

"Call the ocean waves to your side, Quinn!" she announced in a grandiose manner posing along with her blue penguin. It was an over-the-top introduction that she originally intended to use as her debut as a coordinator in her first contest, but it will have to suffice for her first gym match. Fame will surely come to those who act like they have already achieved it, at least Dawn believed.

Quinn puffed out his chest feeling an intense battle approaching. -A battle of epic proportions shall take place here,- Quinn psyched himself out.

A sudden eye twitch from Roark stirred him from his baffled state. "A Piplup as your starting Pokemon," he tried to pull himself together. "You believe just having a type-advantage is going to win the match for you?"

Dawn's eyes shifted from Piplup to the Geodude that Roark sent out. "It sure will help me win. That's why it's called a type advantage!"

"There is more to battling than simply type advantages and disadvantages! There are many factors to consider in every battle," Roark harshly criticized. He blinked in disbelief when he saw what rolled onto the field. "Did you…actually throw your Pokeball into the arena!?"

Dawn gave him a wide-eyed face, realizing her imprudent mistake. "I thought it would…" her words became a jumbled mess as she hung her head in shame.

"You thought it would what? Did you actually believe the Pokeball would have returned into your hand like a boomerang?" Roark finished her thought, resisting the urge to face palm himself into a coma. He rightfully sighed as Dawn crept onto the rugged field to retrieve her Pokeball.

"Let's continue!" Dawn rejuvenated from her blunder, raring to get the match started.

"Nothing more novice than actually throwing the Pokeball into the fray," Roark mumbled to himself. "And you really thought that you could take on my gym…? What am I saying? This a gym most frequented by beginners. They all show up with their water or grass type pokemon, expecting an easy win. I'll show you a strategy aimed at you youngsters naïve enough to believe that is the case when you enter my gym! Geodude, Stealth Rocks!"

Wait! Hold up! He didn't give me the first move as Lucas said a gym leader should! Dawn helplessly watched her opponent smash his hard fists into the ground, sending out five large, sharp rock spikes at her side of the field. The rocks completely missed the stationary Piplup and lodged themselves into the ground beside him.

Dawn couldn't comprehend the thought of a gym leader missing all of their shots, stunning her for a moment. "Piplup…let's stick with our plan. Attack Geodude with Bubble!"

"Defense Curl!" Roark contested.

Piplup gulped some air, puffing up his chest. He breathed out a barrage of colorful bubbles at his foe. Geodude curled up into a small ball that could easily be mistaken for a random rock in a dark cave.

"Now, for your hard work to come to fruition! Ice Bubble Barrage!"

"That's not even a real move," Roark barked, flabbergasted by a made-up move.

-"Let's see how much you like the cold,"- Piplup remarked, doing an unnecessary twirl. He brought his head forward to deliver a short blast of cold air. The chilly wind caught up with the stream of bubbles, instantly freezing them. The swift gust carried the baseball-size ice balls at breakneck speed straight into Geodude's defense stance. The frozen bubbles shattered like delicate glass, pounding into the Pokemon's sturdy defenses.

Geodude didn't utter a grunt or any pained sounds after being pelted by a super-effective. He held his position and increased his physical defenses. A light blue glow surrounded Geodude and abruptly dissipated

"Go for it now!" Roark clenched his fist then threw it out in an overdramatic manner. "Roll Out!"

"How did that not do any damage?" Dawn for a moment couldn't believe her eyes. She was sure it would be more effective than a normal Bubble attack but now she was wondering if freezing the bubbles actually lessen its effectiveness.

"Keep it together, Dawn!" Barry rooted from the sidelines. He was leaning over the boulders, practically almost over the edge and shouting his encouragement. Lucas was next to him with a sheepish smile and gave her a nod that inspired confidence.

Dawn reeled back from her shock and directed a finger at her starter. She never felt more as an amateur trainer by being thrown off her edge instead of trying to keep her head clear. She smiled, trying to instill more confidence into herself.

"Throw him off course! Icy Wind the ground in front of you!"

Quinn jumped straight up and breathed out a second gust of Icy Wind. He directed the gust right below him, freezing the ground in a matter of seconds. He landed on sturdy ground, feeling it tougher than before. He admired the light ice coating on the arena. A low hanging mist covered Piplup that didn't obscure his vision but contained the uncomfortable cold.

Piplup, being a bird comfortable with ice, slid past the rolling Geodude. His foe barreled right past him, unable to control his movements on slippery terrain. He gained even more speed from the slick floor to the point that stopping was impossible. He rolled straight into a rock, breaking it down as it stopped his movement.

"Get back up, Geodude. We can still turn this around," Roark called out to his Pokemon. "Magnitude with all you got!"

"Oh no you don't! Quinn, Bubble again!" Dawn wasn't giving the rock Pokemon a chance to act.

Quinn slid across the ice like an experience ice skater and breathed out more bubbles. Geodude recovered and struck the ground. He smashed his fists into the ground, dealing a powerful shockwave the shook the gym arena itself. The earthquake brought the cave to life as it violently shook, bringing down debris from the ceiling above. The quakes threw Piplup off balance, toppling the graceful Penguin into an unsightly face plant.

Dawn feared the ceiling was going to collapse on her but the shaking swiftly ended. "Are you trying to trap us here?" she shouted angered. She turned her worries to her fallen Pokemon, who weakly got back up.

-"I think I hurt my precious beak,"- Quinn murmured, holding his tiny beak with both flippers. His feathers were a mess, and dirt coated his body but he seemed not to badly hurt. He scanned the area but found no signs of Geodude. -" Where did he go? Did the helmet guy return him?"-

Dawn was just as confused as her starter. Geodude was nowhere to be found and she swore Roark didn't make a move to recall it. It came to her that the Geodude used the commotion to hide under the rubble. Loose rocks that fell from the ceiling littered the arena, making it nearly impossible to find him before he can attack again.

"Careful, Quinn. He's disguised as a rock. Just like when we were ambushed in the caves, this one is waiting for you to turn your back against it!" Dawn warned, inspecting every rock for movement.

"Rock Smash!"

Quinn spun around just in time to see a rock sprout arms that began to glow white. Clasping his hands together and brought them down onto Quinn's squishy head. Taking a blow strong enough to shatter rocks, Quinn staggered backwards.

"Hide again! Sandstorm to cover your movement!" Roark ordered.

"Water Gun! Spray him quick!" Dawn shouted, hoping to get through her disoriented Piplup.

Quinn tried to hose Geodude down but only managed to get a glancing blow. A sandstorm brewed without warning, only covering the center of the battlefield. Whirlwinds of sand hid both fighters from their respective trainers.

"A sandstorm?" Dawn dumbly said. "Quinn! Every rock is your enemy. Icy Wind to try and cover as much area you can!" She had to yell over the roar of the winds spinning the dirt around. She coughed and gagged as sand particles flew into her mouth.

Quinn blasted the area before him and manage to catch Geodude in his icy breath. Geodude let out a cry before blacking out. Even with Geodude down the sandstorm continued to rage.

"You tried your best," Roark said, swiftly replacing his fallen Pokemon. "Onix, teach this new trainer a lesson." Roark was not holding back on Dawn.

A giant snake made entirely out of rocks ravaged the arena. The storm did little to hide his form but it was Piplup who continued to be worn down by the sandstorm. The sand scraped his body, slowly whittling down his diminishing health.

"There's no way you can miss this one! Ice Bubble Barrage!" Dawn was determined to get this move right. Lucas spent a lot of time explaining to Quinn in hopes of getting an advantage over other trainers. She couldn't let his work to go to waste.

"Onix, Rock Throw!"

A swipe of its massive tail was all it took to lob a chunk of rock at Quinn. He slid across the ice, avoiding the Rock Throw and got in close. The sandstorm began to settle and everyone could finally see what was happening on the battlefield again. Quinn pelted Onix with his bubbles, earning a painful yelp from him.

"Water Gun! Bring him down!"

"Smack Down, Onix. It's harder to dodge this one!"

Quinn doused Onix with pressurized water, dealing massive damage. Onix reeled back in pain and slammed his tail into the terrain. A single glowing rock shot out from the ground. This particular rock was faster than before, knocking Quinn onto his back. He was unresponsive and declared unfit to fight.

I lost Quinn too early, Dawn told herself dismayed. But I need to press on. I must win this Gym Battle. One step closer to entering the Sinnoh League. A step closer to wiping Roman's smug look. The pressure of a real gym battle was really nothing like her past battles be it with her friends or at school practice matches. It was exhilarating in a way she never thought a battle could be. Was fighting really the right way for her to continue on this path a trainer.

"He's weakened, Bambietta! Take him down."

Finally making her debut, Dawn's Shinx appeared with a confused expression. Her jaw dropped at the sight of the massive rock snake that towered over her. Onix's horn was barely scratching the ceiling, worrying her if it was safe to fight such a beast in an enclosed area.

-"Can I tap out? There's no way I can-" Her speech was cut short as the rocks around her came to live. Many pointy rocks shot out from the ground, sticking into her side. She used Flash on instinct, surprised by the sudden attack.

"My eyes! Not again!" Dawn cried, rubbing her eye sockets. "Was that Stealth Rock?" she asked, seeing it was the same rocks that Geodude threw at them that reacted to Shinx''s presence.

"Onix, get her with Bind!" Roark ignored Dawn's question and continued the momentum.

"Hey, Bambietta! Double Kick!" she ordered through squinting eyes.

Faster than anticipated, Onix coiled around Shinx. Like a snake, he began to exert his pressure on to her. Shinx struggled and wailed, but she couldn't escape the tight grip. In the grasp of a ground type, most of her moves were useless.

"Get out! Uhh...Flash!" Dawn shouted at the top of her lungs.

Bambietta herd Dawn's cries and gave it her brightest Flash. The light filled the dimly lit arena and managed to momentarily blind Onix, loosening his hold on her. She wiggled out and ran across the length of Onix's body.

"Get on top of Onix and give him your best Double Kick!" Dawn punched the air as if to simulate the blow even though the move required feet.

She listened and climbed Onix's body as if she would scale a rocky cliff. She managed to get onto Onix's head and brought down her Double kick onto the rock snake's head. Onix tumbled like a stack of wooden blocks at Friday game night, making the earth tremble beneath his weight. Shinx barely managed to jump off before a cloud of dust shot out beneath Onix's limp body.

-"Huh? That was much easier than I thought,"- she blinked in disbelief. She never thought she could ever topple over an Onix.

"I won't let you win so easily," Roark proclaimed, tossing a Pokeball into the air. "Cranidos, teach her the meaning of an unstoppable force!"

A small, bipedal dinosaur roared, letting his presence known in the cave. Unlike Rampardos, this little fossil Pokemon was more cute than intimating. His shiny dome head also gleamed like polished marble but his diminutive form didn't possessed the same strength.

-Now this guy is more up to my caliber,- Bambietta thought as she sized up her opponent.

"Rock Polish!"

"Charge!"

Both Pokemon took their first turn to increase their power. Cranidos's body shimmered and earned himself a glossy sheen. Bambietta gritted her teeth and began to store electricity in her body.

"Get her now, Headbutt!" Roark shouted.

"Don't let him get you! Spark!" Dawn hurriedly ordered.

Cranidos was swifter on his two legs than Shinx who had four. Lowering his head, Cranidos ran straight at his foe. Bambietta was still charging electricity as Cranidos reached her with his increased speed. Using his hard head like a battering ram, he tackled Bambietta. With sickening crack, he sent the Shinx flying across the field.

"Does Charge always take this long?" Dawn felt the move took too much time, especially in the middle of a battle. "Bambietta, get on your feet! He's coming for another attack. Get him with Thunder Shock!"

She was disoriented from the blow, but she weakly got back up on shaky legs. She released her stored energy to zap Cranidos with a weak electric current that did little to stop his advance.

"Go back and get her! Take Down!" Roark shouted. Cranidos lowered his head again, and ran towards Bambietta.

"Flash" Dawn figured the way to avoid such a devastating hit. "You're not faster but we can make sure he can't land another hit."

The reaction was instant this time. Bambietta filled the arena with a bright light. She was shocked to see that Cranidos wasn't hindered by the Flash. With his head lowered to the floor, Cranidos continued to charge.

"Dodge! Quick Attack!" Dawn desperately called out to her Pokemon.

Bambietta didn't act and turned back, expecting an explanation as to why it didn't work. Cranidos barreled towards her, striking her with his entire body. With his hard head first, he rammed her into the ground but also fell over in the impact. Both flopped across the floor, but Cranidos managed to stand back up with some minor injuries. The same couldn't be said for Bambietta.

"What is this coordination? Haven't you been training her to listen to your commands in battle?" Roark raved on. "She panicked in the midst of battle."

"Hey, I just caught her this afternoon! Give her a break!" she defended her Shinx.

Roark dropped his axe into the ground, visibly irritated. "You came here, challenging me with a Pokemon you barely caught. No prep. No chemistry. No time for her to get used to your strategy, decision making or even fighting style?" Roark listed off the basic requirements for a successful team. He was rightfully pissed.

Dawn's hand drooped at her side, recalling her injured Shinx. "I may be inexperience, but that's no reason for me to give up!" she shot back. "Driscoll, we're almost there. Bring home the trophy-I mean badge!"

Dawn's last hope, Driscoll took the field. He entered his defensive state, realizing it was the fabled gym battle they have been training for. His enthusiasm was short lived as the Stealth Rock activated and stabbed him with sharp rocks.

-"What's this trickery?"- he barked. -"I can't start a battle with this glowing rock ambush!"-

"A fire type..." Roark slowly said, "I'm guessing you were hinging on everything being taken care of by your Piplup. Growlithe and Shinx were simply filler Pokemon to meet the three Pokemon minimum criteria." He sounded disheartened. "Cranidos, let's end this quick. Headbutt."

"Don't listen to him, Driscoll! Flame Wheel! Clash with that bald head with your own hard head!" she tried to best to rouse up her last Pokemon. She had one last thing to rely on when it came down to Driscoll. It was gamble but she had no choice but to rely on it now.

Cloaking himself in flames, Driscoll rolled on the rough ground. Cranidos met him halfway, head lowered. The collision had both flying backwards. Cranidos was the first to pick himself up as Driscoll took his time to collect himself.

"Ancient Power," Roark was blunt with his commands.

"Howl," Dawn responded to the attack. She needed to prepare her Growlithe for the deciding blow.

Growlithe pointed his nose at the ceiling and let out a howl. His spirit was raised as well as his attack. His perfect howl was interrupted by rocks ripped out of ground by a mysterious force. The Ancient Power pelted Growlithe with the first two, but the next few he expertly dodged.

Roark took notice of Driscoll's exhaustion. "We can end this now, Cranidos. One last move!"

"There's a chance!" Dawn shouted. "Driscoll, raise up your head. I need you to give it your all for this deciding moment and finish it. We need to become like raging fire and-"

"And I won't let you finish talking!" Roark interjected. "Take Down!"

Dawn shortened her lengthy, passionate speech about friendship and got straight to the point. "He's coming in for the final blow! Driscoll, shatter his thick skull with Reversal!" she bellowed before softly adding, "But don't get knocked out, please."

Cranidos dashed forward, eager to end the match. He lowered his head low enough that his stubby nose was inches above the ground. Growlithe prepared his devastating attack, remembering every blow he has taken so far.

"Don't attack him head on! To your right!" Dawn shouted, waving her arms to her side.

Reversal filled his body with energy, giving him a threatening orange energy. He reacted to Cranidos's predictable movement and sidestepped the fossil Pokemon. He then slammed his entire body into the dinosaur with no regard of his well being. Cranidos was sent flying out the designated field and into the wall itself. The force surprised Driscoll himself as he witness Cranidos body dropped onto the ground like a rag doll.

"Driscoll, you did it boy!" Dawn hopped for joy, rushing up to her pup. She nuzzled his confused face.

-"I did it? My first gym match?"- he grew excited, licking his trainer's face.

"How was that for an amateur trainer?" she teased the gym leader.

"That took me by surprise," Roark retrieved his Cranidos before approaching Dawn. "You knew your Growlithe could avoid the hit?"

"Whenever your Cranidos lowers his head, he keeps on going in a straight path," Dawn explained. "He doesn't keep his gaze on his target, since Flash didn't blind him. It was just finding the right time to use it our advantage!"

Roark pulled off his helmet, running a hand through his hair. "I was wrong about you, Dawn," he looked down at the teen. "Despite my harsh criticism of your methods and brashness, I can see you becoming a capable trainer."

Capable? Doesn't he mean great or amazing trainer? Dawn wondered if she really did leave a great impression on him.

"Take this Coal Badge. You've earned it," he said, pulling out a brown pin.

Dawn held the badge to the light, trying to make out the shape of the badge. Is it a Pokeball? No, the badges are related to the Gym in some way...a boulder? "But it looks like a treasure chest," she blurted out loud.

"Oh and don't forget this TM." Roark took out another prize. Extending his hands towards Dawn, he revealed a standard CD. "It contains the move Stealth Rock that you can teach you Pokemon."

"Those magic rocks that kept poking my Pokemon," she said with an awe expression.

"Stealth Rock is a move that attacks any new Pokemon that is sent out during a match," Roark explained. "It's useful in dealing with Pokemon who have Sturdy as an ability or even a Focus Sash."

-"Those magic rocks were his doing?"- Driscoll was convinced he was in a mystical cave.

"I also need to apologize," Roark began, "I was unnecessary harsh on you. I-I let my father's words get the better of me. I'm a gym leader who is suppose to test trainers yet I used you to take out my frustrations."

Dawn recalled the argument from before. "Do your arguments usually lead to Pokemon battles?"

Roark weakly nodded. "He comes by, asking how much I've progressed as a proper Gym Leader. He is never satisfied with my state, spouting how much time I should be dedicating to training. Becoming a Gym Leader wasn't enough for him. I need to become the best gym leader as if that would solve our differences."

Roark's father pained expression crossed her mind. "I don't think he's really disappointed...but maybe he is trying to push you to become a better in his own way," she tried to make sense of this.

"Well, he sure has an odd way of showing he cares," he shrugged. "But knowing him...I can see it being true. Well, I guess it's back to my inspection of the mines."

"Wait!" Dawn suddenly shouted. She turned back to see her two friends have not joined her and were busy talking to each other. "My friend Barry wants to battle you next," Dawn pointed towards her blonde friend. Having taken notice, the two boys dropped their conversation to speak with Roark.

"I'm done battling for today," the gym leader refused. "I have work to do. Stop by the gym and I'll gladly take your challenge there."

"That's alright with me," Barry agreed it was best for Roark to finish up his rounds. "I already have an appointment for a gym battle!"

"Then please take care not to get lost on your way out," he bade the group farewell. "Oh, and don't you dare think about riding the conveyors unless you want to be banned from Sinnoh's Underground for life."

"Alright, let's take a rest at the Pokemon Center," Dawn announced with a fist bump into the air. She was feeling rather thirsty after such an intense battle and her Pokemon needed the much deserved rest.

"Huh, what's wrong Barry?"

Barry was being unusually quiet after her close victory. Without his usually energetic self bouncing off the walls, Dawn easily knew that Barry wasn't feeling right. She figured that there was something on his mind that needed to be said.

"Go on, tell her," Lucas nudged his friend.

Barry, who put on a serious face (to Dawn's shock), sighed and turned towards Dawn,. "I was just thinking during this battle…" he trailed off, trying to find the right words, "…I've realize of the problem of me being on your journey. With me around, I'm just going to slow you down."

"What? That's nonsense, Barry! I would never say that!"

"Just hear me out," Barry tried to reasoned with her, holding up his arms.

I could never think that my friends are a burden to me, Dawn felt offended.

"Even now, I'm slowing your progress. My battle is registered for another which is more time lost," Barry held his finger as to stop Dawn from interrupting her. "So, I've decided on the only logical solution to this conundrum."

Dawn held her breath. No, you better not be thinking of sacrificing yourself for my sake. Don't end your life just now!

"From here on out," Barry took a commanding pose and powerfully pointed at Dawn with his stern index finger, "I declare you as my rival!" He proclaimed to the heavens, throwing his hand upwards in a melodramatic fashion.

"Huh?" Dawn blinked in confusion. "You're not going to sacrifice yourself in order to make my character stronger."

"I'm going to what!?" Barry shouted incredulously. "I'm just going to be your rival. We can't no longer travel together, since you know, rivals can't be on the same team no more."

"Why not?" Dawn continued to ruin Barry's moment. "We aren't really enemies."

"Dammit Dawn. Can't you see I'm doing this so you don't have to travel with me, and you can continue on without feeling guilty?" Barry shouted back.

"Lucas?" she turned to her other friend hoping to get backup.

Lucas simply smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'll continue to travel with you, Dawn."

"And you're fine with leaving Barry behind?"

"If it's Barry's decision then I'll support him. Even if I don't totally agree with him I'll still support my friend," he sounded surprisingly mature.

Dawn sighed and mulled on Barry's choice to leave the group. "Fine, Barry. If that's what you want...then I guess we are now childhood rivals." She was not happy with the decision, but both of her friends already agreed on it.

"You better use your time training, because next time we meet we are battling," Barry snidely remarked. "And Lucas, don't you fall behind as well. You better be helping in fill that Pokedex for Professor Rowan."

"Are we already saying our goodbyes?" Lucas asked confused.

"I'm staying here to train for the gym battle. You guys need to head to Eterna City," he replied.

"Good luck, Barry. Hope to see you again soon," Dawn smiled back. Lucas nodded and they both hopped onto the conveyors, riding the belts straight to the top and out the cave.