"Before leaving Hulbury, Victor and Gloria run into Rose, Chairman of the Galar League, and his assistant Oleana, not to mention solve a crisis between a restaurant and a hungry Pokémon. Now our heroes' journey continues, but what could be next?"
"Mine's Training"
Outside the entrance to a mine, with a sign that reads "Galar Mine No. 2"
"I don't believe this…" Gloria says, looking downward, and thinking about being chased by Carkol. "After all the trouble we had last time, we have to go through another mine…"
"This must be the mine that Russel mentioned," Victor realizes, before looking at Gloria, as he continues with a sweat drop. "Remember we have to go through it to get to Motostoke."
"I know…" Gloria sighs, before she and Victor start to walk into the mine. "But I wish we had used Corviknight Taxi..."
Shortly later, Victor and Gloria are walking through the mine, with Gloria looking side to side.
"See, you worried for nothing," Victor tells her. "There aren't even any mine cart tracks."
Then Victor steps on something resembling a tiny Poké Ball, with him looking down, "Is that… a Poké Ball?"
Suddenly, a Stunfish bursts out of the ground and beneath Victor's feet, knocking him back, "Stun! Fis!"
Having fallen down, Victor looks up at it, "What that Pokémon?!"
Victor's Rotom Phone flies up and floats in front of him, "Stunfish, the Trap Pokémon, Its conspicuous lips lure prey in as it lies in wait in the mud. When prey gets close, Stunfish clamps its jagged steel fins down on them."
"It's a Galarian Stunfish," Victor gabs his Rotom Phone, looking at it.
"Stun! Fis!" Stunfish hops up and down.
"I think it wants to battle," Gloria guesses.
"If that's what it wants," Victor, still on the ground, holds up a Poké Ball and throws it. "Go Scorbunny!"
The Poké Ball opens, shoots out red energy, which turns into Scorbunny, "Scor!"
"Okay, Scorbunny, let's give Double Kick another try!" Victor calls out.
"Scor!" Scorbunny jumps up and starts to spin around.
"Stun!" Suddenly Stunfish bends forward clamping its fins on Scorbunny's foot.
"Scor!" Scorbunny screams out in pain.
"Maybe now is a bad idea to try to learn a new move," Gloria says, as Victor gets up.
Stunfish releases Scorbunny's foot, with Scorbunny rubbing it.
"Stun! Fis! Stun! Fis!" Stunfish hops up and down, as Scorbunny looks at it angrily.
"Okay, Scorbunny, let's give Ember a try!" Victor calls out.
"Scor!" Scorbunny starts to shoot a stream of small fireballs from its mouth.
"Stun! Fis!" Stunfish spins around, hurling blobs of mud, which each hits the fireballs in midair, blowing them apart, before a couple blobs of mud get past, hitting Scorbunny.
"Scor! Scor!"
"Scorbunny," Victor says, as Gloria looks around.
"Hum, Victor, I think we're in trouble," Gloria says.
"We're fine, Scorbunny can jump around and wait for an opening," Victor explains.
"That's not what I meant," Gloria says.
Victor looks at her, before looking around, noticing more Stunfish starting to burst out of the ground, all around them.
"Stun! Fis!"
"Stun! Fis!"
"Stun! Fis!"
Scorbunny backs up to the two Trainers, as they all look at the Stunfish surrounding them.
"This isn't good…" Victor says to himself.
"We're gonna need help," Gloria holds up two Poké Balls before throwing them. "Sobble! Sirfetch'd!"
"Sobbl!"
"Sir! Fetch!"
"Sobble, Water Pulse! Sirfetch'd, Fury Cutter!" Gloria calls out.
Sobble then waves around its arms, bringing them together before pushing them ahead, shooting a pulsing blast of water from its hands. "Sobbl!"
The pulsing blast of water knocks back three Stunfish.
Farfetch'd strikes forward with its leek, several times, striking a Stunfish with each attack.
"Stun! Fis!" a Stunfish spins around, hurling blobs of mud, with Scorbunny, Sobble, and Sirfetch'd jumping out of the way, with Victor and Gloria barely avoiding the attack.
One of Victor's Poké Ball falls down, opens up and shoots out red energy, forming Toxel, "Toxe!"
Victor looks to his side, "Toxel?!"
"Toxe!" Toxel shoots out a spray of acid from its mouth, hitting one of the Stunfish, but it is completely unharmed. Toxel starts crying, "Toxe!"
"Toxel, Galarian Stunfish are part Steel types, Poison type moves don't affect it," Victor says with a sweatdrop.
"Scor…" Scorbunny takes a step back.
Victor looks back ahead to see he and his friends are surrounded by Stunfish, who all says together, "Stun! Fis!"
Suddenly, a Centiskorch jumps out from a cliff within the mine, "Centi! Skorc!"
Victor and Gloria, and their Pokémon, slowly turn to see Centiskorch roll forward, head over tail, while surrounded in flames, "Centi! Skorc!"
The flaming Centiskorch rolls around the group, blowing through the Stunfish, "Stun! Fis!"
"Centi! Skorc!" Centiskorch stops rolling, as the flames dissipate, and watches as all the Stunfish runs away. Centiskorch looks over to the group, as they all, except for Sirfetch'd, look at it nervously, with Sobble hiding behind Gloria's legs.
Gloria's Rotom Phone flies up, "Centiskorch, the Radiator Pokémon, While its burning body is already dangerous on its own, this excessively hostile Pokémon also has large and very sharp fangs."
"Hum, thanks for your help," Victor nervously says.
Gloria takes her Rotom Phone out of the air, "I wasn't aware there's wild Centiskorch in this mine."
"There aren't."
The group turns to see standing on the same cliff where Centiskorch came from, is Kabu, holding a towel on his shoulder.
"You're Kabu, the Motostoke Gym Leader," Victor realizes.
"That's right," Kabu hops down from the hill, approaching the group, with Centiskorch approaching him. "You already met Centiskorch. And you are?"
"I'm Gloria, this are my Pokémon, Sobble, Sirfetch'd."
"Sobbl…" Sobble hides behind Gloria's legs.
"Sir, Fetch!" Sirfetch'd holds out its leek in front of Gloria, who sighs.
"And I am Victor, and this is Scorbunny and Toxel."
"Scor," Scorbunny proudly bumps a fist against its chest.
"Toxe," Toxel walks up next to Scorbunny.
"Oh right, I remember you from the opening ceremony," Kabu rubs his chin. "You were quite… nervous."
"Yeah…" Victor responds.
Kabu then knees down to Scorbunny and holds up a Potion bottle, "This should help with your leg." Kabu sprays the Potion on Scorbunny's leg.
"Scor! Scor!" Scorbunny happily stretches its leg.
"Excuse me, but what are you doing here?" Gloria asks, as Kabu stands up.
"I often come to this mine for some training," Kabu says. "It's nearby and full of wild Pokémon, so it's perfect for training."
"Training…" Victor says to himself, while thinking about battling Milo and his Eldegoss, Nessa and her Drednaw, and the Stunfish.
Victor then approaches Kabu, "Mr. Kabu…"
"It's just Kabu."
"Right… hum, well, I know this is sudden, but I wonder if I could train with you?" Victor asks.
"Train with me, huh?" Kabu looks to the side for a moment, before looking back at the young Trainer. "Yeah, sure."
"Great, thanks," Victor says.
"Scor," Scorbunny smiles, before it sees Toxel walking past it.
"Toxe! Toxe!" Toxel approaches Victor, waving its hands.
"Looks like Toxel also wants to train," Kabu guesses.
Victor knees down to his Pokémon, "Sorry, Toxel, but I don't think you're ready. Why don't you watch us train, with Gloria."
Toxel looks over to Gloria, who smiles and waves at it. Toxel then looks away and starts crying, "Toxe!"
Gloria drops her head.
Meanwhile, in another part of the mine, Jean and Paul are hunching over, as they walk.
"It seems like we've been walking through here for hours!" Jean yells.
"We better find our way through here fast, or we might miss Marnie's next Gym Battle!" Paul yells.
"What if we get lost and never see another of her Gym Battles?!" Jean wonders.
"Don't even joke about that!" Paul replies.
Jean and Paul start to turn a corner, when they stop and see Victor, Scorbunny, Kabu, and Centiskorch jugging down a different path, with Gloria, Toxel, Sirfetch'd, and Sobble following them.
Jean and Paul stay behind the corner and peeks around the corner.
"Was that the Gym Challenger who always bothers us?!" Jean asks.
"Yeah, and the not Gym Challenger that is always hanging out with him!" Paul adds. "And I think the Gym Challenger is training!"
Jean stands behind the corner as her fists shake, "Is it bad enough that he thinks he could challenge Manrie, but now he thinks he could train and actually improve more than Marnie!"
"Let's teach him a lesson so he realizes how little chance he has against Marnie!" Paul turns to Jean.
"I love the way you think!" Jean yells.
"Of course, we think the same!" Paul adds.
Jean and Paul both turn to look ahead, "Nobody can beat Marnie, and we'll prove it by beating everyone else!"
Shortly, Victor, Scorbunny, Kabu, and Centiskorch are each doing push-ups.
Jean and Paul are peaking around a corner. Jean turns to Paul, holding up a Poké Ball, then looks past him, surprised. Paul turns, as they see a Noibat flying toward them, before it starts to fire shockwaves from its ears, with Jean and Paul holding onto their ears as they fall down.
Victor and Kabu, with Scorbunny and Centiskorch, respectively, on their backs, as they swim laps around a large pool of water.
Underwater, Jean and Paul are holding their breaths and holding up their Poké Balls. Before they see coming toward them from the vast darkness is a Corphish swimming quickly.
After Victor and Kabu finish pulling themselves out of the pool, with their Pokémon next to them, Jean and Paul are knocked out of the opposite end of the pool.
Victor, Scorbunny, Kabu, and Centiskorch are running, while getting chased by wild Drednaw.
Further down the mine path, Jean and Paul peak around the corner, before looking at each other, with their Poké Balls and nodding their heads, unaware that Victor, Scorbunny, Kabu, and Centiskorch just ran past them.
Jean and Paul then jump away from the corner, only to see the Drednaw running toward them, before getting knocked to the side.
Later, Victor and Scorbunny are seated against a wall, catching their breaths, as Toxel stands next to them, waving its arms excitedly, "Toxe!"
Gloria looks at the two, "Are you guys, okay?"
"We… We're fine…" Victor says.
"Scor… Scor…"
Gloria grins, "If you say so."
"Sobbl," Sobble walks up to Gloria, who looks at it, then Sobble points to the side. "Sobbl, Sobbl."
"What is it, Sobble?" Gloria looks up to see Sirfetch'd is standing in front of Centiskorch, swinging its leek, while Kabu stands next to his Pokémon.
"Sir, Fetch! Sir, Fetch!"
"Centi…" Centiskorch sweat drops.
Gloria hurries next to Sirfetch'd, bowing, "I'm so sorry about Sirfetch'd. It loves to battle…"
"That's quite alright," Kabu tells her. "In fact, I usually end my training with a sparring session. Perhaps instead of a wild Pokémon, you and your Sirfetch'd could battle us."
"Oh, hum, okay, sure," Gloria's taken aback.
Not too far away, Jean and Paul, exhausted, are walking through the mine.
"That guy gonna be sorry he's making it so hard for us to ambush him!" Jean complains.
"That's right!" Paul agrees.
The two reach a corner and look around to see Gloria and Sirfetch'd facing off against Kabu and Centiskorch. Jean and Paul then turns away from the corner
"Wait, is that one of those Gym Leaders?!" Paul realizes.
"Yeah, how dare that not Gym Challenger try to one up Marnie by battling a Gym Leader!" Jean adds.
"Okay, Sirfetch'd, let's start with Rock Smash!" Gloria calls out.
Sirfetch'd holds it leek straight up. "Sir, fetch!"
"Centiskorch, Coil," Kabu instructs.
"Centi!" Centiskorch spins around, coiling up. "Skorc!"
Sirfetch'd brings down its leek, slamming Centiskorch on the head, but it doesn't appear to have any effect, "Centi."
"Sir, Fetch?"
"Gloria, Coil increases a Pokémon's Defense, as well as Attack and Accuracy," Victor stands back up.
"What?!" Gloria looks over her shoulder slightly.
"Now, Centiskorch, throws Sirfetch'd off and uses Bug Bite," Kabu instructs.
"Centi!" Centiskorch throws back its head, pushes Sirfetch'd back, then lunges forward and biting Sirfetch'd's torso.
"Sir, Fetch!"
"Sirfetch'd, Iron Defense!" Gloria calls out.
"Sir, Fetch!" Sirfetch'd's body turns to iron for a moment, as Centiskorch tries to bit it again, but pulls back upon contact.
"Now, follow it up with Fury Cutter!"
"Sir, Fetch!" Sirfetch'd spins in midair and starts to strike repeatedly with its leek.
"Centiskorch, Smokescreen," Kabu instructs.
"Centi! Skorc!" Centiskorch shoots out a large puff of smoke from its mouth, before the first attack could hit.
Sirfetch'd lands back on the ground and looks around, surrounded by smoke, "Sir, Fetch…"
"Sirfetch'd, try to listen for Centiskorch," Gloria says.
"Sir… Fetch…" Sirfetch'd looks side to side, unaware a pair of eyes appear behind it.
"Centiskorch, Flame Wheel," Kabu instructs.
Sirfetch'd feels some heat behind it and turns to see Centiskorch rolling, head over tail, surrounds by flames, toward it, knocking Sirfetch'd back, "Sir, Fetch!"
"Sirfetch'd!" Gloria calls out.
Victor watches, "Everything Gloria tried, Kabu was able to counter and defend against…" He looks down at Scorbunny, still seating, and Toxel, who's standing next to it. "Could any amount of training help us overcome such a powerful opponent…"
Sirfetch'd slowly gets to its feet, holding up its leek, "Sir, Fetch…"
"Look like Sirfetch'd can still battle," Kabu realizes.
"Too bad it's our turn!" Jean's voice calls out.
"Wait, was that?!" Gloria asks.
"Linoone, Headbutt!"
"Linoo!" Linoone runs past Gloria, and then slams its head against Sirfetch'd's back.
"Sir, Fetch!"
"Nickit, Assurance!"
"Kit!" Nickit slams its paws down on Scorbunny.
"Scor!"
Jean and Paul appear from around the corner.
"We got you this time!" Jean yells.
"You can't escape us this time!" Paul yells.
"Escape you?" Gloria asks.
"What is going on here!" Kabu demands to know.
"We have no problem with you, especially since Marnie's gonna beat you in a couple days!" Jean yells.
"But we won't let these two think they could surpass Marnie by beating you first!" Paul yells.
"I have no idea what you two are talking about," Kabu says.
"Welcome to our lives," Gloria says.
Sirfetch'd turns to face Linoone, swings its leek to the side, "Sir, Fetch!"
"You not gonna beat us this time, Sirfetch'd!" Paul yells.
"Linoo!"
"We see about that," Gloria starts. "Sirfetch'd, Fury Cutter!"
"Sir, Fetch!" Sirfetch'd swings it leek, striking Linoone, repeatedly.
"Hey, we're supposed to be winning!" Paul complains.
"Scorbunny, use Ember!" Victor calls out.
"Scor!" Scorbunny starts shooting small fireballs from its mouth, but Nicki runs around, dodging the attack.
"You should try some new tricks, or just be faster!" Jean mocks. "Nickit, Assurance again!"
"Kit!" Nickit jumps up and slams its paws on Scorbunny.
"Scor!"
"She's right, Scorbunny is moving slower than normal, it must be still exhausted from all that training…" Victor realizes.
"Toxe! Toxe!" Toxel approaches Scorbunny, as Nickit backs up away from the injured Pokémon.
"Toxel…" Victor says to himself. "Toxel might not be ready for battle yet… but a Poison type attack might be my best bet right now…"
"Okay, Toxel, use Acid!" Victor calls out.
"Toxe! Toxe!" Toxel happily says, before it starts to shoot a spray of acid from its mouth, shooting over Nickit's head and hitting the wall behind it, corrosion the wall.
"Kit?" Nickit looks over its shoulder, confused.
"Are you actually aiming?!" Jean asks.
"Toxe! Toxe!" Toxel continues spewing acid, as it almost loses its balance, and manages to catch it, spraying acid onto the ceiling, a column, and the wall again, corrosion each.
"Toxel, stop… stop!" Victor calls out.
"Toxe!" Toxel loses its balance and falls onto its butt, as it stops spewing acid. "Toxe?"
"It seems Toxel needs some help controlling its power…" Kabu realizes, before looking around, noticing the corrosion on the column, wall, and ceiling. "Wait…" Kabu takes a step forward. "Everyone, we need to stop battling, now!"
"We will not stop battling until…!" Paul calls out.
The ceiling starts to break apart and collapse.
"Scor!" Scorbunny gets up and pushes Toxel out of the way of some debris, throwing it and itself toward Sirfetch'd and Sobble, knocking them back.
"Sobbl!"
"Maybe we should stop battling!" Paul picks up Linoone, as Jean picks up Nickit.
"I was just thinking that!" Jean yells, as she and Paul start running down the mine's path.
"Watch out!" Kabu jumps toward Victor and Gloria, pushing them back.
"Centi! Skorc!" Centiskorch also jumps toward them, pushing them further, as smoke and dust fills the entire area.
Once the smoke clears, Centiskorch had wrapped itself around Victor, Gloria, and Kabu, before loosening and moving away from them.
"Is everyone okay?" Kabu asks.
"I think so…" Gloria says.
"Yeah, I'm fine…" Victor starts, before he starts to look around. "Wait, where Scorbunny and Toxel?"
Gloria looks around, "And Sobble and Sirfetch'd?"
The three Trainers get up and see parts of the ceiling and walls have collapsed, blocking the path.
"They must be… on the other side of that…" Victor realizes.
"No…" Gloria starts, before she approaches the blocked path. "Sobble! Sirfetch'd!"
"Scorbunny! Toxel!"
"A run-in with the Gym Leader, Kabu, gave Victor and Scorbunny a chance to train. But another run-in with Jean and Paul from Team Yell led to Scorbunny, Sobble, Sirfetch'd, and Toxel to be lost. Will Victor and Gloria be able to find their Pokémon?"
"Find out, as the journey continues…"