Pokémon: Adventures in Sinnoh Chapter 22: Heavy Metal Pokémon Rock Iron Island!, a pokémon fanfic

Happy new year! Sorry for the lack of updates, but I have been extremely busy. They should be more frequent for the next while. Have a great 2012!

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Light and colour filled his eyes as a jolt of panic shot through him. Then he felt the wooden floor collide with his body. Squirming like a Magikarp on a fishing line, he sat up and clung onto the sheets that had followed him on his voyage to the ground.

'Veeee!'

His eyes focused onto the small serpent whose vines had just dragged him from bed, then to the grinning face of its adoptive mother who was standing in the doorway.

'I'm not hanging around all day while you sleep.' huffed Pearl. 'Get ready and go challenge Donald on Iron Island.'

'R-Right…' croaked Nick, whose voice was still asleep.

She walked away as he got to his feet. Squinting through the veil of morning light, he saw the island resting on the still, sparkling sea. He smiled, imagining the steel-type Pokémon he would encounter there, before a pang of hunger hit his stomach. With a yawn, he made his way to the bathroom.

He found Pearl in the reception a short while later, looking out from the viewing porch they had met her on the previous day. The sun fell on her face as she turned to meet him, her light features framed by the dark hair.

'It's about time.'

'Uhh… Yeah.' he replied, finding he had been lost in thought.

'There's a ferry leaving for Iron Island in ten minutes.' she continued, stroking the head of the baby Pokémon nestled in her arms. 'Let's get a move on.'

He nodded, then looked to the newborn. Its wide eyes looked at him in innocent wonder as it sniffed the air with its green snout.

'Did you find out what it was yet?'

Pearl had already began to walk away and turned round with a grimace.

'No, obviously I haven't!' she snapped. 'But I've decided to name it Serp for the time being. Now would you hurry up?'

She marched out into the warm sea air. He noticed the nurse looking at him with a pitiful smile on her lips. The two visitors at the desk were giggling and whispering to each other. He returned the smile half-heartedly, before following his short-tempered friend from the door.

The town was a lot busier than it had been yesterday. The pleasant weather had obviously drawn people from their homes. The cafés and shops were bustling with smiling customers, while tourists with their children and Pokémon took photographs on the pier. Nick looked at the happy faces of the families laughing and eating ice cream together. He suddenly yearned for home, and looked forward to seeing his parents again. But he knew it would be a flying visit. His Pokémon journey was far from over. Pearl, on the other hand, seemed unmoved by her surroundings.

'That's the ferry.' she said, pointing to a large boat in the distance.

'Then let's hurry!' laughed Nick, finding the energy to break into a run, inspired by the positive vibe of Canalave.

They dashed along the street, ducking and diving between the countless bodies, until they found themselves facing the ferry. It looked slightly grimy and rusty in places, but not entirely run-down.

Well-used would be a fair term, thought Nick.

It was then that he noticed the large crowd of people lining the wooden boardwalk in front of them, queuing to ride.

'Oh no!' moaned Nick. 'All of these people aren't going to challenge the leader, are they?'

'I wouldn't have thought so.' sniffed Pearl. 'Iron Island is a tourist attraction too.'

'A tourist attraction?'

Nick's shock was interrupted by piercing feedback from overhead speakers. Eventually a voice shadowed them.

Would all passengers please now board the ship. Please keep all Pokémon inside Poké Balls while on the ship. The entry gates are now closed.

The voice was so fuzzy that Nick had barely heard it, but everyone seemed to have understood. They began to march in twos up the gangplank as a barrier lowered behind them to prevent anyone else coming on board.

'Put that… Pokémon in a ball please, Miss.' said a steward to Pearl. He looked perplexed at the creature, much like the trainers had been at the Pokémon Centre when it first hatched.

She reluctantly lifted a Poké Ball to her grass-type and, in a flash, it vanished inside. They stepped onto the ship and followed the crowd into the lounge area. A royal blue carpet spread out over the wide room like a woollen sea, with smooth wooden tables forming its islands. The two trainers sat down at one. Nick looked up at the chandelier above them, which began to sway slowly as the ferry pulled out of the port. He was sure that it was not as valuable as the staff undoubtedly hoped it would look, but it added a strange charm to the room. He looked back down to find every table now lined with eager tourists, and felt a slight contempt for them; surely his challenge was more important than a chance for them to gawp at Pokémon.

'Do you mind if we sit here?' asked a boy, pulling out the chair and taking a seat before they had even answered. His companion, a girl with dazzlingly white-blonde hair, did the same.

'Uh, sure, I guess.' muttered Nick, looking to Pearl. She hadn't even acknowledged the strangers.

'I'm Blake.' said the boy, pointing his thumb to his chest. A bush of black hair sprouted from his head, twisting in several directions, and his eyes stared at Nick with an unsettling inquisitiveness. 'This is my travelling partner Alana.'

The blonde girl looked quickly from Blake to the others as though surprised to hear her own name. She nodded and smiled at them both in turn, and opened her mouth as though about to speak, before slouching a little and remaining silent. Nick and Pearl stated their names, taken aback by the odd mannerisms of their new friends.

'Are you a Pokémon trainer, Nick?' asked the boy. He continued before Nick had even replied. 'Sure you are. I can tell you are. When you're as experienced as me, you can tell another trainer a mile off.'

Nick laughed nervously. Pearl rolled her eyes.

'So how many Pokémon you caught, Nick? Got any gym badges? I'm off to study some of the steel-types on Iron Island.'

Nick was unsure whether he should answer his questions or pursue a conversation about his research. He opted for the former.

'I have five Pokémon; Elekid, Nosepass, Shellder, Skorupi and uhh… Vulpix.'

'What? You a rookie trainer?' laughed Blake in an infuriating tone. 'None of 'em are even evolved!'

Nick shuffled in his seat uncomfortably.

'Maybe not, but I have four badges thanks to them.' he sniffed, getting defensive. 'And I'm on my way to challenge Donald for my fifth.'

'I already have six, including the Mine Badge from Donald.' revealed Blake with a condescending sigh. 'But I'll have no problem defeating three more leaders to get into the Pokémon League. My Pokémon are evolved, unlike your rookies, so…'

Nick could not contain his anger and stood up.

'Well let's have a battle, and I'll show you who the rookie is!'

Blake leapt to his feet too, pulling out a Poké Ball with a sneer, before piercing whistle interrupted the heated proceedings.

'No Pokémon are to be released onboard!' cried a security guard, marching towards them and waving a finger. 'Break it up, and put those Poké Balls away!'

The boys reluctantly withdrew them, and leered at each other briefly before turning away.

'I need some air.' announced Nick, leaving the table. This was also a great excuse to try to overcome his seasickness in private. He pushed open a door at the end of the row of windows and disappeared into the white spray of the deck.

'Please forgive Blake,' whispered Alana to Pearl, who masked her surprise at hearing the girl speak. 'He comes across as an arrogant hothead, but…'

'That's probably because he is.' snapped Pearl, looking from the quiet girl to the boisterous boy. He grimaced at her before getting to his feet.

'Come on Alana.'

He stormed off as the blonde girl timidly chased after him.

The Canalave shoreline grew smaller and smaller. Nick leaned on the barrier, transfixed on the trail of choppy waves left by the ship. The sea salt stung at his nostrils to the point he was sure he could taste it, his palate a smorgasbord of cold air and savoury sickness. He coughed and gagged, trying to rid his mouth of the sensation with a hiss.

'Don't tell me ye don't relish the taste of the sea air!' came a hearty voice.

He turned round to see a man approaching him. He was large, but his body was composed mostly of muscle, not fat. Tattooed arms bulged out from a white shirt that was too tight for his frame, and a white cap sat on his round stubbly head.

'I'm a little bit queasy…' replied Nick, looking back out to sea.

'Ha! You just haven't got yer sea legs yet!' bellowed the man, slapping Nick on the back – something that didn't help his seasickness. 'When you've been sailin' these seas as long as I have, it becomes home.'

'You're a sailor?' asked Nick out of politeness. He would rather the man left him alone with his illness.

'I'm the captain of this fine vessel!' laughed the man, slamming his thick fist against the boy's back again. 'Name's Eldritch. I run the ferry services out of Canalave.'

'Nice to meet you…' sighed Nick. 'I'm Nick. I'm a trainer from Twinleaf Town.'

'On yer way to challenge old Donald, Nick?' smiled Eldritch, straightening his cap that had been blown askew by the wind.

'Yeah.' replied Nick, taking a sudden interest in the sailor and his talk of gym leaders. 'Do you know him?'

'Only too well, only too well.' wheezed the man, leaning on the railing of his fine vessel. 'A master of steel-types. A very powerful gym leader indeed.'

Nick's heart sank. His successes in the last few gyms had perhaps made him too confident, and to hear that this would be a true challenge was not entirely good news.

'One thing I will say,' continued Eldritch, 'Is that steel Pokémon have high defences. They're immune to many attacks, but weak to fire-, fighting- and ground-type moves.'

Nick stared blankly.

'Of course, Donald knows of this. It's not going to be enough to simply know his weaknesses. You'll need to find other ways around his solid defence.' nodded the sailor sagely. 'Steel Pokémon are bulky and heavy, and their attacks are mainly physical. Think about what that means in terms of their movement.'

With a nod, and one more pound on the back, the sailor returned to his duty, leaving the trainer once again looking into the froth and contemplating the advice.

They filed out from the boat, along the gangplank and onto the island. A guide led them up a steep dirt path to the summit of the island. The way was lined with sharp silver-grey rocks that protruded from the yellowed grass, the stale dry colours of the surroundings enough to make one thirsty. Pearl released Serp from its Poké Ball and carried it in her arms. The young creature yawned and smiled, enjoying the open air that the ferry staff had denied it. Several people in the crowd turned to look at the Pokémon, and whispered to each other about it. Nick looked at their intrigued faces with a smile, until he locked eyes with Blake, and quickly looked away, slowing his pace.

'That guy is a jerk.' he muttered.

'Just forget about it.' sighed Pearl.

Nick took in the location some more. Why anyone would want to visit this bleak, barren island was beyond him. Unless it was for a gym battle, of course. He was growing impatient and anxious to find Donald, and began fiddling with his Pokétch out of frustration. The on-screen map of the island was larger than it looked in reality, with several floors also described. It appeared that there were caverns underneath where they stood.

The sight that greeted them at the summit of the hill was one that interested Nick. A wide plain spread out below and beyond where they stood, and on it roamed countless Pokémon: a herd of Lairon rested in the shadow of a rock, many of them nursing their young Aron; a Mawile chased after a floating Magnemite, biting at it in frustration; and, in the furthest away point, a group of Steelix tunnelled in and out of the ground, their diamond-like serpentine bodies gleaming in the sunlight. Nick looked on with a wide smile as his Pokédex detailed the creatures to him and, from the corner of his eyes, he saw several tourists shuffle closer to him to listen to the information. Just as the device detailed how Steelix can see in the dark while underground, a gruff voice boomed from nearby. The crowd turned to see a tall man standing on a rickety wooden platform, smiling down at the visitors. The light shone from behind him, casting his features in shadow, but Nick could discern a square jawline and a long, slightly crooked nose. Grizzled, matted hair cascaded from his head down to his waist, sticking to his long, black coat. Steel-capped platform boots supported the figure, a layer of dust and dirt encrusted on them.

'Welcome to Iron Island!' the man cheered, throwing his arms up as though offering the whole crowd a hug. 'My name is Donald; Canalave gym leader and conservation manager of this island.'

A few timid claps started a polite round of applause. Nick looked up at their host; he was an intimidating individual, regardless of how powerful his Pokémon may have been. He could not help but feel that he had seen him before.

'It's my job to make sure the island is taken care of, so that the wild creatures that live here can live freely and safely.' continued Donald. 'That's why I'll say, before the tour, please refrain from catching or battling any wild Pokémon you see.'

An enormous American man in sunglasses and a Hawaiian shirt, with a camera around his neck, sighed and placed a Poké Ball back into the pocket of his shorts. Nick smirked and looked back to Donald over the heads of the people in front of him.

'One hundred years ago, Iron Island was home to a mining community. The iron from here was used to construct many of the buildings across the Sinnoh region and beyond.

'Eventually, the ore reserves ran dry and the miners could not keep the business running. Luckily, they had been very prosperous over the years, and most of them were able to retire and move away.

'The workers owned many steel-types, who lived with them on the island and helped in their work. They began to breed until wild species began to roam on the island. When it closed, the owners and the mayor of Canalave City decided to leave the area to the Pokémon as a sign of respect for nature and as thanks for their hard work in helping the humans. And it exists like that until today.'

Gasps, smiles and approving chatter spread through the audience. Donald continued to beam down at them, glad they had enjoyed the history lesson. Two uniformed assistants stepped onto the podium and stood by his side.

'Our guides will now take you on a tour around the island. Thank you for coming, and I hope you enjoy your time here. Are there any questions?'

Before he could consider his actions, Nick found himself pushing through the crowd, emerging at the front with his outstretched hand aiming at Donald.

'Yes?' asked the man.

'Can I challenge you to a Pokémon battle?'

The crowd's chatter turned to laughter, which spread to the gym leader. Nick grinned nervously, slightly embarrassed by his rashness. Donald seemed to savour the moment, leaving a long pause between the question and answer.

'Yes,' he said finally, 'I accept your challenge, trainer. And your name is?'

'Oh… Nick.' laughed the trainer, his heart beating furiously.

'Well, Nick, follow me to the arena.'

The crowd began to disperse, following the guides towards the plain where the wild creatures roamed. Their departure uncovered Pearl, who was looking at the ground and shaking her head in response to Nick's actions. Donald held up a Poké Ball and a Steelix emerged from it. Leaping from the platform, he clung onto one of the steel snake's jagged appendages. Clambering onto its head, he let out a call, and it tore down the side of the cliff and out of sight, carrying its trainer with it. For a moment, Nick thought that they had fallen into the sea. His heart racing faster than ever, he ran to the edge, only to discover a terrifyingly steep, narrow path that led around the island. His innards shifted as he took in the sheer drop leading down to the waves that crashed against the grey cliffs. He was surprised the large Pokémon was able to traverse the delicate route, and at the speed with which it could do it. Pearl joined his side.

'Ready?' she asked, motioning to the path.

'As I'll ever be…' he laughed nervously.

Careful feet carried them down the edge in pursuit of the gym leader.

Nick leapt from the narrow ledge and onto the wide area of ground that lined the island. He sprang into a jog, thankful to have more solid earth under his feet again. Pearl followed more cautiously, surveying the surroundings. The battlefield was similar to the road that had led them to the plateau, the calm waves stirring around the outer edge like a patient audience. A short distance away stood Donald, smiling at them from behind clumps of hair that the sea breeze blew across his face. The wind had begun to make its presence known, replacing the stale, dry air that had been bothering Nick. Now, however, the cooler air made him shiver in anticipation of battle.

Battle. Oh…

Focusing on the danger of the cliffs had pushed fighting tactics to the back of his mind. He hadn't fully considered Eldritch's advice.

We'll each use three Pokémon!' announced Donald, as though trying to interrupt his thoughts. 'The winner will be the last trainer who has an able Pokémon! The challenger will send out their Pokémon first!'

Nick still hadn't fully decided who to use, and was not keen to use Elekid or Vulpix after what the sailor had told him. He threw a ball into the battle and, in a flash and a whirlwind of bubbles, Shellder appeared, announcing its arrival with a squeak. Pearl perched herself on a flat rock at the edge of the field, her eyes fixed on the gym leader as Serp nuzzled into her hair.

'I choose Shieldon! Go!' boomed Donald, throwing a white ball forward at a speed that could have penetrated a sheet of metal.

'Sheeee!' cried the Pokemon that appeared. It resembled a dinosaur that Nick had seen in picture books as a child, only a lot smaller and less intimidating. It stood on all fours, with a steel plate covering its face and a short tail protruding from its rear. Pearl lifted her slightly, peering inquisitively at the creature, but remaining silent. Nick barely had time to consider the opponent before Donald commanded the first move.

'Shieldon, use Metal Sound!'

The dinosaur closed its eyes and bowed its solid head. A horrific sound suddenly filled the air, piercing Nick's ears and scraping at the inside of his head. Shellder seemed similarly unsettled, while the leader looked on with a grin, unaffected.

'Nick… do… something!' groaned Pearl from the side, Serp's high-pitched crying causing double the damage to her ears. This was the first time he had heard her call him by name; this attack was truly brutal if it could lower Pearl's social defences.

'Shellder… Withdraw!' he cried, through gritted teeth.

The bivalve snapped its shells together, but still quivered at the cacophonous attack.

'Now… Icicle Spear!'

Without opening its armour, Shellder formed an icy cone between its valves and thrust it forward. Donald and Shieldon watched as the spear spun flimsily through the air and smashed to pieces on the rocky ground, several yards away from its intended target.

'Whoever told you that battling when you can't see was a good idea?' guffawed the leader. Shieldon started to laugh too, breaking its concentration. The Metal Sound faded. A hot flush of embarrassment washed over Nick – he had wanted to stop the attack, but not by making the opponent laugh at his pathetic effort.

'Iron Head!' commanded Donald.

A white glow surrounded Shieldon, and it charged forward at a speed that betrayed its heavy frame.

'Stay withdrawn, Shellder!' called Nick, massaging his ears.

The leader's Pokémon crashed into his with a painful noise, and the water-type rolled along the ground, its shell chipped and grazed by the impact.

'Shellder!' he cried, running to it and stroking its gently. It opened and its long tongue rolled out, its eyes rolling.

'Your Shellder's defences aren't good enough to withstand a steel-type attack. It needs more training.' advised Donald. Nick looked at him with a frown, then back to his dazed ally.

What can I do? he thought.

Then he remembered he had not used something that had helped him many times before.

The Pokédex!

The abrupt start to the match had knocked it from his mind. He flipped it open.

'Shieldon.' it began. 'This steel- and rock-type Pokémon became extinct over one hundred million years ago until it was recently cloned from DNA extracted from fossils.'

His eyes lit up in awe, and the surprise of how this creature came to be almost shadowed the useful information the device had just given him.

'A ground-type!'

'Ground-types are weak to water.' chirped the Pokédex, confirming his thoughts. It had obviously picked up Shellder in its radar.

'Shieldon!' burst Donald, as though picking up on the challenger's new strategy. 'Metal Sound!'

Nick reacted quickly.

'Shellder! Water Gun!'

The gushing river of water flew through the air, rippling wildly where it hit the invisible wave of noise, before crashing down on Shieldon. The ground-type fell flat under the weight, and struggled to get to its feet as the remaining drizzle rained down on it like darts.

'Finish it with an Aurora Beam!' cheered Nick.

Shellder's eyes fell into a frown as it shot the burning cold ray into the dinosaur, and it fell back down.

'Lucky shot,' growled Donald, recalling the Pokémon, 'Shieldon is resistant to ice-type attacks.'

Nick was too busy congratulating and petting Shellder to notice.

'Try this!' interrupted the leader, pulling his hair out of his sweaty face as he threw another Poké Ball forward. From it came a strange blue circular thing. It floated in mid-air, occasionally spinning its very thin frame as the spheres lining it gleamed. Two eyes as round as its body darted from left to right before focusing on Nick. This was one of the strangest, most intimidating creatures he had ever seen. He slowly lifted the Pokédex to it.

'Bronzor. This mysterious Pokémon is thought to have acted as a mirror in ancient times. It possesses both steel- and psychic-type powers.'

'Let's do it, Shellder! Use Aurora Beam!' called Nick, looking up from the screen.

'Confusion!' barked Donald.

As Shellder opened its mouth to release another beam, a blue glow surrounded it and its shell suddenly closed again. A bright flash leaked through the gap, accompanied by a loud bang, and the bivalve flew backwards. It landed at Nick's feet and the blue glow subsided. The shell opened slowly, revealing an unconscious Shellder, knocked out by its own attack.

'Let's see how you handle a steel-type that can attack from afar!' smirked the leader.

Nick returned Shellder to its Poké Ball.

Vulpix is fast, he thought. Maybe it can avoid Bronzor's psychic attacks!

He released the fox. It looked up at him and barked happily, before rubbing against his leg affectionately. Pearl's head fell into her hands.

'Err… it's nice to see you too, Vulpix,' laughed Nick, 'But it's time to battle!'

'Vul!'

It ran forward and stood with its legs spread out, ready for action.

'Bronzor, Confusion!'

The mirror-like monster rolled its eyes before focusing them on Vulpix.

'Vulpix! Run away before it can focus on you!' cried Nick, half-panicking.

The fox took off at speed, its one tail whipping wildly as it went. It ran in a zig-zag, denying Bronzor the chance to catch its eyes and use its telekinesis.

'Bronzor!' snarled Donald in frustration. Nick tried to hide a smile as he made his next move.

'Flame Burst!'

Coming to a halt, Vulpix quickly stood on its hind legs, reared its head back, and coughed a burning ball of fire. Bronzor was engulfed in the blaze, its frame glowing white hot.

'Gyro Ball!' howled the leader. 'Put out that fire and tackle it!'

Bronzor quickly began to rotate and, in a few seconds, was spinning with a fierce intensity. The flames were vanquished, and glowing blades of light formed around the blur that was the steel-type.

'Vulpix! Get ready to jump!'

No sooner had the words left his lips than Bronzor shot at the ground like a bullet. The fire-type leapt above it and, turning around mid-jump, released another blaze. It fell down on its opponent like a burning rain. It stopped spinning and lay still, burning in the fissure it had created with the impact of its attack.

'Return!' growled Donald. A red beam sucked the Pokemon back inside. Donald blew on the red-hot Poké Ball before putting it back in his pocket and withdrawing another.

'Not bad, Nick. Not bad at all.' he smiled.

Nick was now hugging Vulpix, but this time listened to the leader's words.

'Thanks!' he beamed.

'Vul!'

The leader lifted the Poké Ball up.

'But I hope you realised that I've been going easy on you.'

Nick shuffled uncomfortably, putting Vulpix to the ground. He looked to Pearl, who nodded solemnly. He took this as encouragement; perhaps she had liked his battling style so far. Turning back to Donald, he saw the leader throw the ball high into the air with a grin. A strong wind suddenly blew in from the sea, but what emerged was not moved at all by the breeze. The dark shape fell towards the ground and landed with a deafening thud, sinking an inch into the ground. It raised an ugly square head that stretched high above yellow eyes that peered from behind sharp horns and a row of prong-like teeth. The four legs it stood on were covered by a similar armour, and a studded ridge ran along its spine. It stomped at the ground as through ready to charge as Nick slowly opened the Pokédex once more.

'Bastiodon, the Shield Pokémon.' it said softly, as though acknowledging its power. 'This once-extinct Pokémon protected its young, Shieldon, with its shield-like face which acts as an impenetrable wall.'

So it's Shieldon's evolved form… thought Nick. What can I do? Shellder can't battle anymore…

'Vulpix! Flame Burst again!'

The fox leapt into action again, a trail of flames blazing along the ground in front of it. They hit Bastiodon and burst into a roaring inferno that twisted high into the air.

Surely that's done the trick! smiled Nick.

The sides of his lips fell as he watched the massive dinosaur come crashing through the wall of fire. Its movement was slow, but its massive, crashing stride was suitably frightening. Nick couldn't find the words to command Vulpix as he stepped back quickly from the oncoming enemy, and watched his fire-type be tackled with a force that knocked it high into the air. He called it back before it hit the ground.

'As you can see, Bastiodon won't go down as easy as Shieldon and Bronzor.' chuckled the leader with a competitive menace. 'What's your next move?'

Nick looked at his two remaining Poké Balls. Even if Skorupi would listen to him, its poison-type attacks would have no effect on the steel-type. He only had one option left; one last hope to attain the Mine Badge.

'Elekid! Go!'

Sparks filled the scene as Elekid made its appearance. It landed on the ground and began to stare down Bastidon, flexing muscles that shuddered with power. It turned its head to its trainer, awaiting a command.

'Try Thunderbolt!'

Nick was sure that, behind the loud crackling of Elekid's attack, he heard Donald let out a loud laugh. When the lightning subsided, Bastiodon stood calmly, unaffected.

'Huh?'

'Electric attacks aren't going to work!' cried Pearl, thrusting a hand at him. 'Try other types!'

Nick looked to Elekid, considering his next move as he studied it. The tattoo on its foot caught his eye and an idea came to him.

'Elekid, give it a Low Kick!'

The electric-type darted across the battlefield, dropped onto its back and slid into Bastiodon's wall-like front, a tensed foot crashing into its face. The steel-type rolled back a few inches and nursed a pain with a shake of its head.

'It's… working!' gasped Nick.

'Of course it is!' yelled Pearl with urgency. 'Steel Pokémon are weak to fighting-type attacks!'

'That may be,' interrupted Donald, taking over her sentence, 'But that's the last chance you'll get to do that! Bastiodon, Earthquake!'

The armoured beast lifted itself onto its hind legs before dropping itself into the ground with an almighty crash. Elekid began to teeter back and forth as the earth below it rumbled and shook. A series of cracks began to run from Bastiodon's claws like thick black nails. The battlefield began to spew rocks from below the surface. They shot at Elekid like hard jagged missiles, their aim precise as though having minds of their own. The Pokémon was slammed back and forth before falling flat on the shaking floor.

'Time to unleash your true power!' exclaimed Donald. 'The power of the ancients!'

Bastiodon roared and bowed its head to the ground, its eyes closed in deep concentration. Nick looked on in a bewildered horror as a transparent image of itself rose from its body, growing to a massive size. It looked like Bastiodon, but more sinister. Its eyes burned with a dangerous, inhumane rage, as though it considered Elekid to be a threat to its life and not a competitive opponent. It twisted and contorted above its real-life counterpart, dark and terrible. It opened its mouth into a silent roar, and several large stones materialised around it. They burned a glowing white, and fired towards Elekid like lightning bolts. The whole scene turned to a bright white that lingered for several moments, a void-like panorama, as though the world had been destroyed. It faded and, through aching eyes, Nick saw his Pokémon lying at his feet, burns and bruises covering its body. It was motionless, save for the infrequent twitch.

'Elekid…' he gasped. 'Elekid!'

He dropped to his knees and picked up his fallen comrade, cradling it in his arms.

'Are you okay?'

'Elek… Ele-kid…'

'It'll be fine.'

Nick looked up and saw Donald stroking Bastiodon's solid back. It was on its last legs; it had obviously suffered from its own attack. He recalled it to its Poké Ball and made his way over the rough terrain to where Nick stood.

'Ancient Power looks devastating, but the damage won't be severe. I usually only use it against the strongest opponents.'

Two punches of disappointment hit Nick. Donald obviously did not see him as a worthy adversary, just a starry-eyed waste-of-time trainer. But, more importantly, he had failed to win a badge.

'You put up a good fight, Nick.' said Donald softly, offering a large sweaty hand. The boy took it with sadness. 'You did really well to defeat two steel-types in a row.'

If I could only have defeated three…

The sombre silence was broken by a faraway voice. They looked to where it was coming from and saw a shape descending from the sky. As it got closer, Nick recognised the gleams of light on silver wings – it was a Skarmory. On its back was one of the guides who had led the tourists around the island.

'Donald! Donald!'

'What is it, Marty?'

The boy leapt from the steel bird as it approached the ground and landed in front of the leader. He sleeked his ruffled brown hair back into place, revealing a face surely younger than his years. His eyes were perpetually tensing, as though fighting back tears.

'There's some kind of vessel off the coast of Newmoon Island!'

Donald jolted forwards, his fists clenched.

'What?' he exclaimed rhetorically. 'People have trespassed?'

'It looks that way!' replied Marty, louder than was necessary. 'Dark clouds are forming in the sky above the island!'

The leader turned to look at the sea, his head hanging slightly lower.

'This is bad…'

Nick remembered the words of the strange old man he had met the night before.

There's somethin' out there, somethin' evil… the embodiment of darkness and filth…

'What's the problem?' asked Pearl, joining the group.

'Newmoon Island is a dangerous place, and it's off-limits to the public.' replied Donald, turning to them. A look of determined anger had replaced his worry. 'If the island is threatened, the whole of Canalave and Sinnoh could be in trouble. Let's get to the boat. We need to fix this.'

He started to walk away in great steps, his jacket and hair blowing behind him in the growing wind.

'Nick… can I ask for your assistance?' he asked over his shoulder. 'It would be useful to have a strong trainer like yourself if… if what I hope hasn't happened has happened.'

All it took was for Donald to recognise him as a good trainer, and for the leader to disregard Pearl as one.

'Sure, I'll help.' he replied, his voice more confident than his mind.

The leader's walk turned into a run, and they followed him – with a little difficulty; his speed betrayed his mass – as the distant blue sky slowly turned grey.