Chapter 6 – Challenging the Mines

Bells clanged as the lift descended down into the depths of the earth. Others were taking the newly constructed ramps and stairs down to the mines. Orebourgh was famous for its automated coal production, but it still require people and Pokemon to get the valuable mineral from beneath the ground. The production here was also highly contested throughout the various regions as there was some scientific evidence that the burning of coal was dangerous to the environment. Even if Orebourgh had a reputation of being a clean and green city.

The city had taken steps to make the mining process safer over the years. Slag heaps were kept well away from open water sources and were dealt with in a timely fashion for the most part. Conveyor systems and automated machines also lead to an increase in safety as it meant less miners were exposed to the hazardous underground. However that didn't stop many from still travelling down there. The potential for finding rare fossils was just too great. The ground that Orebourgh sat on was one of the most prolific areas for fossil finds. Researchers and scientists from all over came here to study the many different bones which were constantly being brought up by the miners.

There was one other major attraction to the city other than its mines and that was the museum which had just recently been given enough money to create their own restoration facility for resurrect fossils. Ancient Pokemon here were given somewhat special accordance. The gym leader of the city was especially fond of the 'extinct' rock types. This meant that he was a constant fixture down in the mines, as he was basically an expert in the field.

Trainers passed through town frequently enough, allowing the mining town to flourish in the midst of the mountains. Just a four day hike through the foothills brought one to the foot of Mount Cornet. The massive looming mountain could be seen from Orebourgh and always gave people visiting a sense of grandeur. It was the backdrop for the city when a traveller first entered coming from the west. It was this sight that met Jill and her three Pokemon as the entered the town.

"Oh wow!" Jill whispered upon seeing the mountain bathed in sunlight. The snow-capped peak towered over everything, making the city seem much tinier than it actually was. All three Pokemon also stopped to wonder at the sight. People were still making their way into the city and because she was somewhat in the way, Jill made her way deeper in to the town with her team.

People here seemed to keep mostly fighting or rock types the rookie trainer noticed. All around were Pokemon like Machop, Machoke and Machamp along with Geodude and Graveller. Jill assumed it must be because of the mines that so many here worked in. The collection of tough heavily muscled Pokemon for some was intimidating, but Jill was no average trainer to be intimidated by large Pokemon sizes. What she was a bit nervous for was her upcoming gym battle. This would be the first test for her on this journey and she wanted to do well. She wanted to prove to her mother that battling was in her blood, to her cousin that she was more than ready to challenge for the position of champion. First though, she had to find the damn place.

After walking around the smaller city for close to an hour and a half, Jill and her team stumbled upon the building. It was completely none descript, looking more like it was hewn from the mountain side than anything else. Makes sense I suppose for a rock type gym the young woman thought. A symbol over the automatic doors was the only indication that this was the gym. Returning all her Pokemon except Caladan, Jill entered the building. The lobby area was just as plain as the exterior. Displays and pictures were spread throughout the floor and walls showcasing fossils and other mining related things. Two pillars with the league insignia were stationed on either side of another pair of doors, which caught Jill's attention. Names of the trainers who had defeated this gym were accessible from the two touch screens. Touching the screen, Jill scrolled through the most recent winners, who were quite a few months apart. Barry was the most recent victor, winning his match just two days ago.

"I take it you are here to challenge Roark to a gym battle?" a portly somewhat older man said behind Jill. She turned around to address the man in the brown suit.

"I am yes."

"I'm terribly sorry, but Roark won't be back until tomorrow from the mines. However, I can take your name and schedule a match for you."

"That would be wonderful, thank you!" Giving her information, Jill signed up for a battle tomorrow afternoon. This wasn't really that bad, seeing as it would give both her and her team some time to relax and prepare.

The young woman made her way over to the local Pokemon centre, another building looking as though it was made with withstand an avalanche. Or had been created out of one. The red tiled roof was the only modification made to the grey edifice. Upon entering, Jill saw that many of the Pokemon here were still ones that people could find helping down in the mines. Caladan was most certainly out of place here, being a pure grass type. Chase and Star were also unique to this environment as neither of their species typically wandered close to the abrasive rock types who lived in the area. There was one man with a Pokemon however, that caught Jill's attention, as it was a Pokemon she had never seen before. Pulling out her Pokedex, she pointed it at the brown and grey shape. From her vantage point, with its back turned, Jill couldn't really get a good look at it. Looking down, her Pokedex seemed to have an error. It was telling her that the Pokemon in question was not in this current edition and that she would have to update for more information.

"Well that's weird" she said, marching over to the pair. Caladan walked beside her, not sure what his trainer was thinking. "Excuse me, but is this your Pokemon?" she asked the man in the massive white cowboy hat. Jill figured he must be from Solaceon considering what he was wearing. The blue jeans, cowboy boots, hat and some type of leather vest over a burgundy button down shirt.

"Hmm?" the man grunted turning around at the same time as his Pokemon. "What's that lass?" he drawled. His accent was completely different than any one Jill had heard before.

"My apologies, but I was just wondering if this was your Pokemon here. I've never seen one like it before." Getting a better look at it, Jill couldn't tell what the hell it was. A huge blade with two spikes protruded out from the brown body's forehead, while where the things hands should have been were two more blades. They looked like they could cut through anything and the smaller, yet bulky body backed this up. The white face looked level with the young woman.

"Why yes this here Pokemon is mine. Goes by Excadrill. Don't see many round these here parts."

"Where can you find one?" Jill asked taking a look at the foreign Pokemon.

"Har! Sounds like this little whippersnapper's got a passion for ground types!" the man said to his partner. The drill Pokemon laughed with its trainer. Jill looked at them in confusion. "Names Clay lass. I head the gym over yonder in Driftveil. That's in Unova if you wasn't aware."

"I've heard of it, just haven't been. I only just began my journey about a month ago."

"Only a month? So why y'all travellin' then? T' get stronger?" Clay asked. The man was quite nice, even if his booming voice made others shrink away from him.

"I'm training to become the best. Once I beat all eight gyms in Sinnoh, I want to challenge Cynthia to be the champion" Jill replied with sincerity and force. For once, Clay was impressed with the answer. This girl might just have a bit of iron in her.

"Well that's a might high goal lass, but if you raise them Pokemon of yours properly, I don't see why y'all can't do 'er."

"Do you mind my asking what brings a gym leader from Unova all the way out here?" Jill inquired.

"I came to see about them mines in Mt. Cornet. Young Roark has asked for some help and I'll be damned if I can't help a fellow out. Y'all should join me, might learn a thing or two." Clay was obviously ready to go down to the mines and he was right. You never know what you could learn. Caladan also knew that his trainer's curiosity was insatiable, not all that normal for humans he guessed. It was one of the things he already loved about her.

"We'd love to!" she replied much to Caladan's amusement. Of course they would.

Jill and Caladan followed the Unovian gym leader down to the mines, which were just south of the city. Machinery was all over the place, and the massive conveyor system towered over the lower buildings and workers. People and Pokemon alike navigated their way around completing various tasks. But what was most assailing was the smell. Jill was sure she wasn't all too clean after having been on the road for the past week and a half or so, but all the sweat, grime, burning material and dust by the mines lead to a rather rank smell. Clay however, seemed not to notice a thing.

Stopping at the gate, both Jill and Clay were issued standard safety equipment. Clay was a veteran at this already, but Jill felt like a goof wearing the somewhat oversized hardhat and overalls. However, this was the only way she was getting in. Still following Clay into the bowels of the earth, the young woman was surprised to see how well lit it was. A string of lights lined both sides of the large corridor, allowing people to easily see what was happening around them. Caladan was looking around in wonder at all the activity happening beneath the surface. It took close to a half hour before the pair tracked down Roark. He was discussing something with another miner, both men intently staring at the wall.

"Whatcha found there Roark? 'Nother fossil to be reconstructed?" Clay boomed out the question, startling the other miners, but Roark just laughed instead.

"Clay so good of you to come! And you've brought company? I wasn't aware you had any apprentices…" Roark said well naturedly staring at Jill. Roark was actually rather cute, something the young woman wasn't expecting. She honestly could see too much as he was covered by the coveralls, but his mild mannered voice held with it a certain level of confidence which Jill found attractive. And he was younger looking, even with dirt smudged all over his face.

"Nah, this here little lady came to town t' challenge you! I'm just here to help with the new shaft is all." Roark nodded along, taking his eyes away from Jill and back to Clay and his Excadrill.

"I take it this is the Pokemon my father was raving about?" Roark asked, gesturing his hand towards the subterranean Pokemon.

"This is him. Best minin' partner there is." The part steel type nodded along with saying 'drill' in its own way. "I'll be assumin' that you'll be wantin' the shaft down there, that about right?" Clay asked stepping forward.

"That's right. Straight and true for about 150 or so yards. That's where the vein should be. Really appreciate you doing this Clay. Dad's a stubborn old codger, saying all the stuff about Iron Island and all that. I think a team of Onix might be able to bore through the rock layer, but I don't know if they have enough control to not cause any structural damage to the corridors."

"I understand just fine. Once these lads are done moving them there bones, me and 'drill here, we'll get it done." Roark nodded finally turning back to Jill.

"So you've come to challenge the gym hey?" The young woman nodded watching a grin spread across the man's face. "Well I've been looking forward to another match especially after my last one. Speedy little guy came through with some seriously wicked punches. I'm not one to lose two straight!"

"Well I've come to win my first badge so we'll see about that!" Jill countered, her confidence never wavering. The guy might be cute, but she wasn't looking for a date. Besides, did she really want to be with a guy who she was about to bowl over so easily? Roark's grin broadened at her confidence.

"Have you scheduled a match at the gym already?" he asked.

"Yeah, tomorrow afternoon."

"Perfect! Well then I'd best get topside and begin preparing! Let me lead you out."

Jill inhaled deeply at the bottom of the steps leading up to the battlefield with her eyes closed. She had torn through the gym underlings with ease to be admitted to challenge Roark. But she only had one real option in this battle and that was Caladan. Opening her eyes and breathing out, the young woman began climbing the stairs. She was ready and she believed in her partner. This was their first real test but it was one she was sure they could handle.

A modest crowd had come to watch the match, mainly those in town who were not at work in the middle of the week. The miners were crowded around the screens though posted throughout the work areas and speakers were giving a running commentary of the gym leader's battle. Clay was also present to watch the battle. He was interested in seeing how this rookie trainer would handle her first gym. It wasn't very often people interested the ground type leader, but there was something different about this one. Perhaps it was her confidence or her upfront manner. Either way, Clay wanted to see how it played out.

"Welcome to the Oreburgh Gym Jillian! As you may have noticed, my specialty is rock types, but I am only one such trainer who has chosen to walk beside these sturdy Pokemon. As a gym leader I need to see your potential as a trainer through battle. Are you ready?" the young leader asked. Jill took one last breath to steel herself. Looking right in Roark's eyes, she replied.

"More than you know!" Caladan shouted out his agreement down by her side. The grass type was much larger than when he had first been given to Jill and she hoped that he was ready for this. Rock types were notorious for high defenses and could pack quite a punch. With Cal's grass type moves however, the advantage was Jill's.

"This will be a three on three match!" The ref cried out from the side of the battlefield. "Only the challenger may substitute Pokemon. The first person to knock out all their opponents Pokemon will be declared the winner. Trainers ready?" Both Jill and Roark nodded. "Then begin!" The crowd cheer as both sent out their first battlers. Jill using Caladan, Roark sending out a Geodude.

"Alright Cal let's start this quick. Use razor leaf!" Jill called out. Her Turtwig moved with surprising speed, whipping his head around and sending the sharpened leaves out towards the rock.

"Break the ground and defend!" Roark called out. Jill was caught off guard by the maneuver. The small boulder-like Pokemon pounded its two fists into the ground sending shards up and deflecting the incoming grass attack away. "You're going to have to try harder than that to defeat me Jill! My rock types are prepared for all challengers, even those who have the advantage!" Roark called out, causing Jill to frown. Of course a gym leader would be a stronger challenge than your average trainer. However, she was in this to win.

Caladan looked back at his trainer, a twinkle in the grass type's eye. Jill realized he'd seen something that she hadn't. She gave her starter a questioning looked briefly before nodding her approval. Whatever the Turtwig had seen obviously had him finding the upper hand. Caladan sprinted forward as if to tackle the rock type. The Geodude was ready for that attempt, but Jill realized what Caladan wanted it to do. Beaming she urged her starter on.

"Now!" the young woman yelled as the rock type grabbed a hefty stone. As Roark's geodude lifted the rock above its head Caladan unleashed a veritable storm of leaves upon his opponent. Roark winced as his Pokemon was wiped out in a single attempt.

"This battle isn't even close to being finished!" the gym leader called out. Jill was grinning with excitement however. Caladan was breathing regular still, meaning the battle had taken next to nothing out of the little guy. Roark grabbed another red and white sphere, releasing one of the longest Pokemon known. The Onix roared as it appeared, causing Caladan to frown. This elongated rock snake was not going to be quite as simple as the previous Geodude.

"Not sure what I think about this one" Caladan said quietly so only Jill could hear him.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall Cal, and we still have the type advantage on our side" Jill said to encourage her friend. Besides that, this particular Onix wasn't nearly as large as she knew they could get. There was one more thing the young trainer figured she would try to get Roark off his game.

"Are you compensating for something there Roark?" Jill asked lightly, greens eyes dancing with amusement. Clay's booming laugh rebounded around the arena as he heard the remark. Roark smiled, but his cheeks flushed red. Obviously he wasn't completely used to rookie trainers giving him any lip service.

"Not at all! Onix are amazing tunnel diggers and help out down in the mines. And their defences are amazing too!"

"It's going to take more than defence to beat me" Jill countered. Turtwigs amber eyes were lighting up at his trainer's confidence. He knew that Jill believed he was about to take this hulking menace down.

"Use rock throw!" Roark called out. The massive snake roared, drowning out the cheers from the crowd and launched three boulders at Caladan. The grass type nimbly dodged the first two rocks, but failed to avoid the final stone. He cried out as the weight sent him stumbling backwards.

"Caladan!" Jill cried out, her worry adding to her Pokemon's pain. The little starter couldn't take many hits like that and be okay. But with only a razor leaf attack as an effective strategy…

Then it hit her. Razor leaf wasn't the only grass type move Caladan knew. "Cal time to switch things up! Let's hit it with absorb!" Jill called out to her starter. The tiny leaf Pokemon's amber eyes hardened as it built up the necessary energy to launch the tendrils of energy. The vine-like veins touched the rocky opponent as light as a feather brushes the skin, but the effect was immediate. Green globules of energy travelled back to Caladan, sucking the life out of Onix. The rock snake roared, but teetered over crashing down onto the field, shaking the entire building. Jill looked at her partner to see him looking as hale as when the battle started.

"Well this is surprising! But if you think you can take out this next Pokemon as easily as you did the first two, you'll be in for quite a surprise!" Roark grabbed his final Pokemon, releasing the prehistoric beast out for battle. Jill frowned as she looked at this next challenge, not recognizing the Pokemon. She pulled out her Pokedex for more information.

"Cranidos, the head butt Pokemon. A lifelong jungle dweller from 100 million years ago, it would snap obstructing trees with headbutts."

"A skull fossil was the first fossil I ever found, and it was the first fossil our museum here resurrected" Roark explained as the not so extinct Pokemon eyed up its opponents. Caladan was ready but there was something off putting about this challenger. Its powerful legs gave the grass type the distinct impression that this Pokemon was much faster than the first two Roark had sent out. And that domed head most definitely made Caladan believe what the Pokedex was saying.

"We'll end this quickly. Use headbutt!" Roark called out. The revived fossil Pokemon roared and charged forward, its clawed feet turning up the field as it charged towards Caladan head lowered. Jill was astounded at how quickly the rock type moved. Caladan wouldn't be able to dodge this speed for very long. And just like that, Jill saw her opening.

"Cal use razor leaf and aim for its legs!" Caladan frowned and followed the command, sending leaf after leaf at the oncoming dinosaur. Three of the strikes hit home on the creatures right leg, causing it to stumble and fall forward. Caladan moved out of the way still wary that his attack hadn't taken the opponent out just yet. Slowly the Cranidos attempted to stand, its right leg buckling as it tried to put its weight on it.

"No way!" Roark exclaimed. Jill smiled as she knew this battle was hers now.

"Finish it up Cal! Use razor leaf!" The tiny leaf Pokemon happily obliged sending another barrage of stinging leaves at the hapless rock type. Crying out the fossil Pokemon passed out under the grass type attack, even with its hardened head deflecting some of the attack. Roark was in shock as he stared at his unconscious partner. Jill on the other rushed out and picked up her starter once the ref announced that Caladan was the winner. Roark was out of Pokemon and Jill had just won her first badge.

"Well little lady, that was some impressive battling that was" Clay announced after the match. Roark's Pokemon were being taken care of as he addressed Jill after her victory.

"It really was for a rookie trainer. But you'll have to beware, there are even more powerful gym leaders out there than me. And you'll need seven more badges before you'll be able to take on the league." Jill was nodding staring down at her new badge. The brown and silver insignia looked like a hexagon had been rounded on top, with a Pokeball-like design for the middle portion. Finally she was on her way to becoming a champion. This was her first step.

"Where are you headed off to next?" Roark asked. Jill looked up at the two gym leaders.

"I was thinking Eterna city. There's a gym there that specializes in grass types, and I think it would be an interesting challenge." Roark laughed.

"That it will be! Gardenia is quite the trainer however, so don't take her lightly. It might be worth your while to check out the pastures to the north of town here. I hear wild Ponyta sometimes can be found there."

"A fire type would most certainly be useful for a grass type gym" Clay muttered. Jill frowned slightly. They were right, a fire type would be useful. And it's not like she could just rely on three Pokemon to get her through the league.

"Thanks for the tip Roark. I think I just might do that." The young man smiled.

"Good luck on your journey Jill! Hope to see you at the league soon!" Jill smiled as she headed for the exit with Caladan.

"And if yer ever in Unova, stop by Driftveil and I'll show you a real mine!" Clay boomed out laughing as Roark groaned.

Jillian's Pokemon:
Caladan (Turtwig) - level 15, ability: Overgrow, nature: Bashful
Chase (Shinx) - level 13, ability: Intimidate, nature: Impish
Star (Starly) - level 12, ability: Keen Eye, nature: Lax

Here is our first gym battle. I honestly was expecting a bit more of a challenge simply due to only having one effective party member available to me. However, Caladan literally just steamrolled the gym by himself. Exceedingly easy, I was almost disappointed! Oh well, step one complete. Stay tuned as the next chapter will see a different look at the development of the story.

NOTICE: I have changed the main protagonists name. My original characters are inspired by real people I know and because of this I've decided on a new name for our heroine. She is still the same character, however just a new name. This is the update for this chapter. Thank you.