Trainers, which bird is the odd one out?
a) Starly
b) Swablu
c) Murkrow
Lucas and Dawn's next destination was Pastoria City and its Gym. Crasher Wake, the leader of the Gym, was more than happy to accept the challenge.
"So, landlubbers, huh? This'll be a fun treat."
Lucas and Dawn are challenged by Leader Wake!
Leader Wake sent out GYARADOS!
Go! Yuki!
Prepared for his first chronological battle, Yuki placed his paws forward, and shot an Ice Beam. The blow was true, and Gyarados even came out of the incident frozen. Yuki followed on his advantage with a second Ice Beam, defeating the Gyarados.
Leader Wake sent out FLOATZEL!
Yuki charged forward, the swiftness of his paws leading up to a Quick Attack. Floatzel attempted an Aqua Jet, which Yuki dodged. Floatzel turned around, and used Crunch before Yuki could spare a second glance. With a Brine, Yuki went down.
Go! GROTLE!
Grotle had a possible Ice move to worry about. He spread a Leech Seed, to be on the safe side, and began a Mega Drain. Floatzel realised what was occurring, but too late.
Leader Wake sent out QUAGSIRE!
What? GROTLE is evolving!
Time stood still, as the excess energy around Grotle's mouth spread around the tortoise. He turned earthy brown and grassy green, and the shrubbery on his back changed into a large tree. Grotle's beak, already a smidgeon on the scary side, changed into something genuinely menacing.
Congratulations! Your GROTLE evolved into TORTERRA!
Torterra gave a mighty stomp, and began draining again. Quagsire felt like a tremendous power was being exerted despite his double weakness to Grass.
Lucas and Dawn defeated Leader Wake!
"Well, sweep me down with a tidal wave! I have never seen anyone with so much raw power since that time I faced a tidal wave! You deserve this!"
Lucas and Dawn received the Fen Badge from Wake!
"The Fen Badge allows you to Surf over even the most insane waves. It should come as an immense help to you."
*QUAKE*
"What was that?"
Lucas and Dawn left the Pastoria Gym in a hurry, and saw that the entrance to the Great Marsh was kind of in pieces. Crasher Wake followed behind them.
"What in the… stupid landlubbers! When I'm done with them, they'll rue the day that they… well, they'll rue something!"
"Dawn, calm him down," Lucas said. He ran into the Great Marsh, ignoring Dawn's cries. In his crashing through the rubble, he managed to throw a Safari Ball at a Pokémon, but he didn't stop to inspect the mistake. He saw a man in a grey jumpsuit leaving behind the Marsh.
Team Galactic had done this.
Lucas sent out his Sneasel, who started slicing through the undergrowth and making Lucas' progress a lot faster than the Galactic Grunt's. Getting the idea, Gabite, Staravia and the newly caught Skorupi added their cuts, dramatically reducing the amount of undergrowth that Lucas ploughed through. Despite this, Lake Valor was within sight when Lucas caught the Grunt.
"You! I'm not going to battle you! I have to get this package to the lake!"
"No, you are going to battle me!"
Lucas is challenged by Galactic Grunt!
Galactic Grunt sent out CROAGUNK!
Go! SNEASEL!
"Takes a thief to know a thief." Sneasel snarled. Croagunk tried a Brick Break, but it turned into a Faint Attack by its arrival at Sneasel. Sneasel ignored this, and used an Aerial Ace, followed by a Slash. Croagunk was battered back. Croagunk tried to approach more honourably, to use a proper Brick Break, before Sneasel won out with an Ice Shard.
Lucas defeated Galactic Grunt!
"You fool! You foolish fool! How dare you have attempted to thwart my efforts? Well, no matter now. I can still get this baby to Lake Valor. Watch and weep! Well, after we're done at Celestic."
"Any luck?"
"Found a Galactic Grunt, and attempted to beat him. I won, but he still threw me out. Can't get in. Though he did mention 'Celestic'…"
"Celestic Town is north of the route you took to get from Hearthome to Veilstone. And then… arr, I'm no good with land maps," Wake added.
"That's OK, Wake, we'll manage. Just make sure to let no one get into too much danger in the Marsh."
"That, I can do. Fair winds and strong rowers!"
The pair of Lucas and Dawn made their way onto the Route that would lead to Celestic. They got a part way through, before being stopped by a march. Of Swablu.
"And… at ease, troopers! Good work today, boys. Keep this up, and we'll have Caterpie for dinner!"
"Are you kidding me?" Staravia asked. He flew over to the leader of this army.
"That looked really ragged. How was that good?"
"I suppose you'd know better?"
"I have an army back home. They're all a bunch of buffoons, but I know bad when I see it!"
"You can't be so negative, Mr Staravia. You have to tell your troops they're doing well."
"BUT THEY'RE NOT!"
"Halt! Turn left, and… march!" Someone other than the Staravia and Swablu said. Dawn turned to look at the sky. Starly were flying across it, each wing beat sounding like a footstep by an army of infantry.
"Bravo! I told you not to go extinct before I returned. This is not preservation!"
"Alfa! Long time no see, Commander. I hope you are doing well."
"Bravo, that is no way to treat your former superior. Where is Charlie? She shouldn't be allowing such a mistake to occur! She has my absolute trust!"
"Unfortunately, Charlie caught a bad case of fever. Chicken?" Bravo asked, pulling out what appeared to be a chicken wing. Alfa stared at it for a few seconds.
"This better not be what I think it is."
"It's not, sir." Alfa pecked a scrap of meat from the bone. He promptly spat it out.
"It is! Bravo, what is your major malfunction?"
"You have been training us without pause. It is time we tested our skills in battle. Win or perish, the soldiers are ready. Charlie tried to stop us, so I put her in her place."
"Bravo… you have crossed a line from which there is no return." Alfa flew down to stand in front of the Swablu.
"All right, listen up, because I'm only going to say this once. Bravo has led the Starly army to claim your turf. You are nowhere near as bad as them. You will thrash them, and send them packing. Bravo, at least, must die."
"Um… Alfa, was that your name?" the leader of the Swablu asked.
"Yes, we have time for one question."
"Aren't you the leader of the other army?"
"They are no army of mine. The price for mutiny is death."
A mere five minutes after the battle was called to begin, the situation looked bleak for the Swablu army. Bravo had evolved by combat, and was shearing aside Starly and Swablu alike. Alfa and the leader of the Swablu were watching from a more secure post.
"We have to go in."
"Are you crazy? That Bravo guy will kill you!"
"Perhaps…"
What? Alfa is evolving!
Time stood still, as every eye was drawn to Alfa. He spread his wingspan, which became even wider. His crown became a much larger fringe, and red feathers appeared at its end. Several of Alfa's points turned jagged.
Congratulations! Your Alfa evolved into STARAPTOR!
Alfa charged into the battlefield, careful to sweep through the Starly. He made his way to Bravo.
"You evolved, too? You… YOU JUST KEEP SUPRESSING US!"
"If you were ready to fight us, I'd already be defeated."
Alfa slipped into Bravo's space, and used an Aerial Ace. Bravo executed a perfect loop, and sent his Aerial Ace above Alfa. Alfa spread his wings. Several iron feathers were formed. All sent in Bravo's direction. Bravo spun around, and executed a Quick Attack. Alfa charged in, and used a new move.
Close Combat.
Alfa gave Bravo several attacks, before sending him flying into the sky. With a twinkle, Bravo had vanished into the sky.
"Alfa! You won?" Echo asked. Alfa looked over at where Bravo soared.
"Echo. I want Bravo's corpse found. I don't want him to be alive and nip back! Find some competent soldiers, and get them combing the entire region for Bravo if need be."
"Sir, Yes Sir! Oscar! Victor! You heard the boss. Find Bravo's body."
"SIR! YES SIR!"
Alfa returned to mount a branch next to where Lucas and Dawn were sitting.
"What? You back from your little war?"
"Yes, Ma'am. I, Alfa, resign as Commander of the Starly Army. My position will be handed down to the next in precedence. Delta, if he's alive, and Echo if not."
"Um… OK?" Dawn asked.
"And I'll be resigning about now as well." An Altaria mounted the branch next to Alfa's. It was the leader of the Swablu army.
"Why, might I ask, are you resigning, Commander?"
"Same reasons you did, I guess. Wanting to learn, had enough of the rules of the army…"
"OK, I've had quite enough of listening to your army mumbo jumbo," Dawn sighed, catching the Altaria mid-sentence.
"So does that mean we move on?"
"It means we move on."
Lucas and Dawn arrived in Celestic Town, a town with relics of the past. These relics were significant in that they told an ancient legend: a powerful being had emerged at one time, and a trio of three beings countered it. Or something, ancient cave paintings were very vague in their meaning when viewed from a modern perspective.
"Can you move past, please?"
Dawn turned. The voice chilled her to the bone. A very pallid man extended his fingers, and moved to touch the painting.
"Yes… as I suspected… but I wonder…"
"I wonder… who are you?" Lucas asked, one eye on the man, and the other on Dawn.
"I? I am Cyrus. My goal is to end the pointless strife that ruptures in the world, so that in glory and in triumph, a man may become the momentary master of a fraction of a dot… it's despicable, what man can do for power."
"Yeah… those wars are death-traps…" Lucas said, confusedly.
"The world today can't change because of three Pokémon protecting it… but I will resist that notion. I will destroy this painting. There will be a new legend!"
"YOU'RE MAD!" Dawn shrieked.
"Mad, am I? Well, we'll see who's mad in the conventional way. I, Cyrus, will defeat you. Now that I get a better look at you, you'd be Lucas, of Twinleaf, and Dawn, of Sandgem, correct?"
"Yes… how would you be familiar with us?"
"Everyone and their mother is fully aware of what you guys do to Team Galactic."
Lucas is challenged by Galactic Boss Cyrus!
Galactic Boss Cyrus sent out SNEASEL!
Go! MONFERNO!
Monferno charged forward, dealing a Mach Punch, and back flipped off Sneasel. Sneasel sped forward, and tried a Quick Attack. Monferno's second Mach Punch collided straight into it, defeating it.
Galactic Boss Cyrus sent out GOLBAT!
Golbat used an Air Cutter, dealing a critical hit and taking out Monferno. The Zubat line was always a problem for Monferno.
Go! TOGETIC!
Togetic used an Extrasensory, managing to hit the Golbat. Golbat tried a Poison Fang, which Togetic flew out of the way of. Togetic soared high into the sky, and hit another Extrasensory.
Galactic Boss Cyrus sent out MURKROW!
The Murkrow finished what the Golbat started, and Drill Pecked Togetic. Togetic fell into Dawn's arms, shivering like mad.
Go! CRANIDOS!
What? CRANIDOS is evolving!
Time stood still, as Cranidos reared up. His light blue and grey turned to dark blue and grey, and his eyes glowed red. Spikes shot out of him, as he reached his… well, impressive for his standard height.
Congratulations! Your CRANIDOS evolved into RAMPARDOS!
Rampardos immediately charged headlong, and then jumped. A Rock Slide was borne, and Murkrow, braced for a frontal assault, had no defence against the attack from above.
Lucas defeated Galactic Boss Cyrus!
"Hm. Keep your beliefs. Right until the very end. I have learned what I need to know."
"Lucas…" Dawn quietly said. Lucas put his arm around her, as Cyrus left the town. Neither knew what to make of him.
The correct answer is c) Murkrow. It is part Dark, while Starly and Swablu are part Normal.
Next time, on High Road to Giratina, we cross the sea to Canalave.