It was a battle without speech, both Brock and Stlix trusting their partner completely. Buddy bulk barely fit within the Gym's battlefield, over eighty feet long he was curled upon himself leaving his head open to attack. The onix, whilst comparatively smaller, also curled in upon themselves both serpents lashing back and force with elemental beams and fangs.

Only after Brock was satisfied with Floaty's barriers did he eventually speak and call for an earthquake, prompting Stlix to respond with called order for a magnet rise. The earthquake shattered the floor and would have caused massive being upon it but passed by the flying Steelix. Buddy floated over and crashed back down upon the onix, pinning it.

Trapped the onix and Steelix wrestled both vying to top the other until the steelix's greater strength and bulk trapped the onix and the battle slowly petered off.

Buddy had used bind and slowly squeezed the fight out of the smaller onix, winning the battle, and badge, for Stlix.

"Well." Said Brock. "That Steelix deserves the win." Buddy let out a roar in response. "And I need to focus on training a lot more, new trainers beating part of my best team" He shook his head with a smile. Before pulling out a glinting piece of metal from his pocket. "And this is the boulder badge, well done for gaining your first badge, although you could have challenged my first badge team with that Steelix and slightly brushed them away." They exchanged several more words and Stlix thanked him before recalling both Buddy and Floaty and leaving the gym.

After having checked Beda in with nurse Joy he called his Uncle at one of the centres onsite phones. He waited for several moments but Joseph Stone did not answer. Frowning slightly Stlix then proceeded to call Steven.

After the second ring the champion of Hoenn picked up and looked through the video phone.

"Stlix, have you won your first badge?"

"Yes, I did, the boulder badge, Buddy fought Brock's main team onix. I also have two new additions, but one is currently with nurse Joy." He then pulled the luxury ball off his belt and let out Happiny. Upon seeing the playhouse Pokémon, Steven smiled.

"Yes, you mentioned wanting to find a chansey, a happiny would have come from a nurse Joy, correct?" Stlix nodded in response before asking another question.

"Where is Uncle? He didn't pick up when I called him." At that Steven's smile grew even further.

"He is within Pewter Cities Pokémon centre." Before Stlix could confusedly interrupt, Steven hurried on. "And I will say, well done, good luck and goodbye." The screen flicked to black almost immediately after the final word, leaving Stlix bewildered and confused. Then he jumped when a hand clasped his shoulder.

Spinning round he was met by a portly, grey haired man with a grin upon his face.

"Hello Stlix." Joseph Stone said happily.

"Did you ask the league to find out which city I checked in and flew to Kanto from Hoenn purely to jumpscare me?" Stlix asked incredulously.

"No, I asked the league to find out which city you checked in and flew to Kanto from Hoenn purely to give you a gift." The man said merrily. "Follow me, quickly, quickly." Saying that the man turned and almost skipped from the room.

Sighing in amused exasperation Stlix followed him until they turned into a small room where Joseph placed a pokeball upon the table.

"Go on." He spoke. "Open it up." Expectantly Stlix did so and was met by a brown scaled face with a jaw full of fangs. The small tyrunt gave a cry and licked his face. Smiling Stlix petted the small dinosaur he had seen but never met. Before his face adopted a confused expression.

"Didn't I have to undergo a test to carry a fossil Pokémon?" Joseph laughed at that.

"Stlix, Devon Corporation invented the restoration of fossil Pokémon. I told the league that we would vet newer trainers who wanted a restored fossil. The test, therefore, is for the trainer to meet the owner of Devon Corp, me, and for me to judge them worthy." Stlix gave a smile at that before hugging the dinosaur Pokémon.

He remained the day with his Uncle, introducing him to Happiny and Beda, once she was released from being healed, and went round Pewter for the day. They explored the many shops and saw the old cooperation between human denizens of Pewter and the rock Pokémon that also lived here. They also went to Pewter cities museum, although Joseph was unimpressed by its collection of fossils and stones, Stlix wasn't either, he could probably find better in an empty mine. After he went to spend the night in the Pokémon centre Joseph left by an alakazam's teleport.

The next day he left Pewter City to move towards the City of Cerulean. To get there he would have to move through the old onix tunnels that threaded through Mount Moon. Upon arriving in the mountain, he started his own search for something he was curious about, the Moon stone.

Before he entered the mountain, he had a thought and released Buddy. The great Steelix looked around confused before Stlix communicated he wanted to know if Buddy wanted to talk to any of the resident onix line Pokémon. Buddy agreed and slithered up the mountain before disappearing into one of the higher up onix tunnels.

Slowly entering the massive stone landmark, he released Beda and the new tyrunt, asking both of the female Pokémon to walk with him. He enjoyed the feel of stone all around him once more, far more comfortable here than he was in the outside world.

As he walked through the tunnels and caverns an ominous feeling surrounded him, he did not notice the cause before he started looking for resident rock types to communicate with. Upon noticing that he also realised the lack of zubat and paras that also inhabited the mountain.

Far more cautious than before he examined the tunnels before eventually ha came across a massive mining operation. Knowing that no mining should be taking place in Mount Moon he was cautious. He noted a group of tied up trainers off to one side of the operation.

He narrowed his eyes; the trainers were guarded by people in familiar uniforms.

Team Rocket.