Chapter 49:
The Durant Bully
Location: Victory Road
The red cliff of tunnels towered over me. Of course, to go in, I would need to go in through the tunnel that was right in front of me.
"It'll take another day to scale this," I said. "Potentially more."
Inside Victory Road was just like any other cave I had been through on my journey. There was a large lake next to me.
As I walked, I saw a fainted Pokémon. It was small, grey and had two pincers in front of its mouth.
Durant (アイアント)
138
Bug/Steel Type
Iron Ant Pokémon
1'00" (0.3 m)
72.8 lbs (33 kg)
They attack in groups, covering themselves in steel armor to protect themselves from Heatmor.
Durant has no known evolutions.
"Are you okay?" I asked Durant. Durant had trouble getting up; it was too weak. I scanned its body; it had been burned. "Must be a Heatmor wound. It has the word heat in the name, so I presume it's a Fire Type."
I presumed right because, from behind me, something jumped out. It was orange and yellow, with some brown on its head and feet. It had a slim, flame like tongue.
Heatmor (クイタラン)
137
Fire Type
Anteater Pokémon
4'07" (1.4 m)
127.9 lbs (58 kg)
Using their very hot, flame-covered tongues, they burn through Durant's steel bodies and consume their insides.
Heatmor has no known evolutions.
"Leave Durant alone!" I shouted. "Samurott, Aqua Tail!" Samurott came out and hit Heatmor with its water covered tail. Not quite a knockout. Heatmor then came back with Bug Bite, as it nibbled on Samurott's horn. "Surf!" Samurott created a wave that crashed into Heatmor, knocking it out. "Good job Samurott," I said. Durant had just enough health to scurry off. "Okay, let's continue guys!"
I got to the next floor. I was still shocked to think about how big this cliff was, and I still needed to find Terrakion.
"Hey!" shouted an Ace Trainer. "Yeah, I know you're in a hurry to beat N, but this is Victory Road. We have to battle!"
Hilbert Vs. Ace Trainer Shanta
"I choose Druddigon!" I shouted.
"Go Whimsicott!" Shanta replied, sending out a brown Pokémon with green ears and a big ball of fluff behind it.
Whimsicott (エルフーン)
053
Grass Type
Windveiled Pokémon
2'04" (0.7 m)
14.6 lbs (6.6 kg)
Like the wind, it can slip through any gap, no matter how small. It leaves balls of white fluff behind.
Cottonee -Sun Stone- Whimsicott
"Use Cotton Guard!" Whimsicott created lots of fluff around it, which raised its Defense drastically.
"Oh no. How are we going to get through that?" I said, just as Druddigon looked at me. Its tail was glowing blue. "Wait… is that? Okay then. Druddigon, Dragon Tail!" Druddigon hit Whimsicott with its tail. It was sent back, and Zebstrika was forced out.
"Oh, great. Okay Zebstrika, Wild Charge!" Zebstrika covered itself in electricity. Then it charged into Druddigon. It didn't do much damage though, and Zebstrika took damage from both the Rough Skin and recoil.
"Now Revenge!" Druddigon punched Zebstrika back. That took down Zebstrika. "Good job. Come back." I recalled Druddigon. As Whimsicott was sent back out, I summoned Lampent.
"Whimsicott, Hurricane!" Whimsicott started creating wind. Very strong wind at that. It was a hit, and Lampent was blown away into a wall.
"You okay?" I asked as multiple Durant scurried out. "Lampent, give it a dose of Flame Burst!" Lampent fired a flame at Whimsicott. It did a lot of damage.
"Now use Giga Drain!" Whimsicott drained some of Lampent's health, but not much.
"Flame Burst one more time!" Lampent lodged itself out of the wall and threw one more flame at Whismicott. It fainted upon impact.
"Good job! Dragon Tail can come in real handy! Clearly you learned from Drayden!"
I walked outside for the next leg of my ascent. Despite having gone up one floor, it felt like I had made barley any progress. It was at least a tenth of the entire mountain. I certainly knew that I wasn't going to make it up that day. Plus, the only accessible door was at the bottom. "I'm nervous," I said as I reached the edge of the cliff. I put my right foot forward, and I slid down the cliff. I had to lodge my feet into the ground in order to not go splat at the bottom. Thankfully, I made it to the end with no injury. "That was, weirdly fun," I said.
As I walked over to the next door, I came across a new Pokémon. It was small with black feathers and a small pink head. Its most astounding feature was the huge diaper made from bones.
Vullaby (バルチャイ)
135
Dark/Flying Type
Diapered Pokémon
1'08" (0.5 m)
19.8 lbs (9 kg)
Its wings are too tiny to allow it to fly. As the time approaches for it to evolve, it discards the bones it was wearing.
"I choose Excadrill!" I shouted. "Rock Slide!" Excadrill made rocks fall from the top of the cliff, and they all landed on Vullaby. It was knocked out in one. "That's for potentially eating Rufflet!" I said, and went through the door.
This was another simple room, with a lake. Nothing much went on here. Took down a Woobat and a Deino. Well, okay I did Surf part of the way.
Back to the second floor, though a different room. There were to ways to go, not counting the way I just came. A door which led outside and some stairs to the next floor. Yeah, I think you know where I went.
The next room was small with an Ace Trainer inside. You bet I battled him.
"Hey," I said. "You wanna do this or what? But hurry cause you know end of the Unova region and all that."
"You bet!" he said.
Hilbert Vs. Ace Trainer Dwayne
"Okay Stoutland, go!" Dwayne yelled.
"And I choose Scrafty!" I replied. Stoutland had Intimidate, so Scrafty's Attack was lowered. "Use Hi Jump Kick!" Scrafty leapt forward and kicked Stoutland, not quite taking it out.
"Reversal!" Stoutland started getting pumped up. Then, it charged into Scrafty taking it down instantly. Reversal is a move that is stronger the less HP the user has. A bit like Flail but Fighting Type.
"Go Lampent!" I yelled.
"Crunch!" Stoutland chomped down on Lampent for Super Effective damage.
"Lampent, Flame Burst!" Lampent fired a flame at Stoutland, dealing the final blow.
"Okay, go Scolipede!" Dwayne shouted. "Use Toxic!" Scolipede fired sludge at Lampent, badly poisoning it.
Just then, Lampent put a Curse on Scolipede! Yep, it had learned Curse! Sure, it cut a lot of its own health, but that was fine. Still though, I recalled Lampent for Excadrill, who was immune to the incoming Venoshock. It also took a Steamroller attack. "Rock Slide go!" I yelled, as Excadrill made rocks fall from above. They all fell on Scolipede, knocking it out.
"I hope your battle against N isn't Cursed!"
I exited the small cave to end up outside again. At this point, both me and my Pokémon were starting to get a bit exhausted. I promised them when we reach the fourth floor, we could take a break for the night. So, I went in the opening next to the one I came out of.
As soon as I entered the cave, I was noticed by a Black Belt.
"Hmm. I swear I know you from somewhere…"
Hilbert Vs. Black Belt Tyrone
"Go Scrafty!" he shouted.
"I choose Samurott!" I replied. "
"Scrafty, Crunch!" Scrafty chomped down on Samurott.
"Revenge!" Samurott punched Scrafty, doing a lot of damage to it.
"Now High Jump Kick!" Thankfully, it missed and Scrafty kept going. It hurt itself.
"Surf!" Samurott made a large wave that swamped Scrafty for the rest of its HP.
"Thanks, Scrafty. Mienfoo, come out!" From muscles to swiftness, Mienfoo entered the scene. "Jump Kick!" Mienfoo jumped into Samurott, almost taking it out.
"Revenge!" Samurott punched Mienfoo back. Mienfoo flew into a stalagmite.
"Now Force Palm!" Mienfoo took Samurott by the face, then forcefully tuned it. Samurott was finished, now with a hurting red nose.
"Lampent, come out!" I shouted.
"U-Turn Mienfoo!" Mienfoo charged into Lampent, then went back to Tyrone who sent out a large brown Pokémon with pink muscles showing. In each beefy hand it held a stone pillar.
Conkeldurr (ローブシン)
040
Fighting Type
Muscular Pokémon
4'07" (1.4 m)
191.8 lbs (87 kg)
They use concrete pillars as walking canes. They know moves that enable them to swing pillars freely in battle.
Timburr -Lv 25- Gurdurr -Trade- Conkeldurr
"Lampent, Inferno!" Miraculously, it hit! Conkeldurr was burned. But as I would learn, that wasn't necessarily a good thing.
"Rock Slide!" Conkeldurr made rocks fall from above, knocking out Lampent. "Nice try, but Conkeldurr has Guts as its Ability. If it has a status condition, its Attack is doubled."
I felt stupid, but Conkeldurr was weaker. "Gothitelle, go!" I shouted. "Psychic!" Gothitelle lifted up Conkeldurr, then slammed it on the floor. It was defeated.
"Mienfoo, go!" Tyrone yelled. "U-Turn!" Mienfoo charged into Gothitelle for Super Effective damage.
"Psychic!" I replied. Gothitelle lifted up Mienfoo, then slammed it on the ground. It was a Critical Hit and took out Mienfoo.
"Wait… I do know you! You're Cheren's friend! Tell him thanks for the Trade!"
Well, guess what happened. That was the wrong door! It led to a dead end. It had a Full Restore, but that was it. Great. I had to walk all the way back, and that's what I did.
In the other door was a Veteran Trainer. I walked in front of her.
"Now now. It's only polite that a Trainer with as big of a responsibility as you accept this challenge!"
Hilbert Vs. Veteran Tiffany
"Excadrill, go!" I shouted.
"Go Beheeyem!" Tiffany replied, sending out a floating-orange Pokémon with flashing fingers.
Beheeyem (オーベム)
112
Psychic Type
Celebral Pokémon
3'03" (1 m)
76.1 lbs (34.5 kg)
It uses psychic power to control an opponent's brain and tamper with its memories.
Elgyem -Lv 42- Beheeyem
"Excadrill, Earthquake!" I shouted. Excadrill made the entire cliff shake. Despite floating, Beheeyem took damage. Don't know why, it can't have the Levitate Ability.
"Beheeyem, Energy Ball!" Beheeyem shot a green ball at Excadrill. It did quite a bit.
"Now Rock Slide!" Excadrill made rocks tumble from above onto Beheeyem. It was knocked out.
"Urgh. Go Heatmor!" The Fire Type entered. "Use Flamethrower!" Heatmor spat fire at Excadrill, melting away the rest of its health.
I recalled Excadrill for Samurott. "Heatmor, Shadow Claw!" Heatmor's hand turned black. Then, it slashed Samurott.
"Surf it!" Samurott made a giant wave that crashed down onto Heatmor, knocking it out.
"I choose Lilligant!" Tiffany yelled as she sent out her sentient plant.
I called back Samurott. "Gothitelle, go!" I shouted. "Telekinesis!" Gothitelle lifted Lilligant up with its mind.
"Energy Ball!" Lilligant shot a green ball at Gothitelle.
"Thanks," I told Gothitelle before recalling it. "Okay Lampent, come out!" My lantern joined the fray and took two Energy Balls. "Now Inferno!" Lampent created a pillar of fire around Lilligant. It was burned up in one.
"Well, nice one anyway. What a gentleman."
I walked up the stairs. At this point I was sweating madly. "That's enough for today," I said.
"Need some help?" It was a Doctor!
"Well, I suppose I could do one more battle today. Can you heal my Pokémon if I win?"
"Of course!" the Doctor said, taking out a stethoscope.
Hilbert Vs. Doctor Logan
"Go Gothorita!" Logan shouted.
"I choose Samurott!" I replied.
"Gothorita, Psychic!" Gothorita lifted up Samurott telepathically, then slammed it down.
"Surf!" Samurott made a large wave that crashed down onto Gothorita.
"Psychic again!" Gothorita did it again, this time knocking out Samurott.
"Gothitelle, go!" I shouted. "Use YOUR Psychic!" Gothitelle blasted Gothorita with its Psychic power. It did a lot more damage than Gothorita's Psychic and knocked it out.
"Leavanny, go!" Logan sent out a Bug Type. I was concerned about the Bug Type move that would be coming my way. "X-Scissor!" Leavanny lunged at Gothitelle in an X formation.
It missed! "Gothitelle, Psychic!" Gothitelle lifted up Leavanny, than slammed it down without laying a finger on it.
"Another X-Scissor!" Leavanny cross-slashed Gothitelle, knocking it out.
"Druddigon, you're my last hope!" Well okay that was a bit dramatic but you know what I mean. It was time to rely on Rough Skin for victory.
"X-Scissor!" Leavanny attacked Druddigon, and it got hurt by Rough Skin.
"Now's your chance! Dragon Claw!" Druddigon swiped at Leavanny, taking it down.
"Okay, let's get you healed up!"
After he did this, I asked if he had a sleeping bag on him.
"Yes, I do!" Logan said. "I have an inflatable mattress to!"
I politely declined that. I'd rather sleep on rocks than sleep on one of those again.
Tomorrow, I will reach the top of Victory Road. After I've proven my worth as Champion, I will take on N.
