Episode 30: Dig Those Diglett
It has been several months since Sora has began his Pokémon journey and met Kairi. Along the way, he, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel had caught some new Pokémon, collected four Gym Bagdes dealt with the Heartless coming their way, and they foiled Team Rocket's evil plans in Celadon City and Lavender Town.
A few hours had passed since the group had left Gringey City, and they found themselves somewhere in the mountains.
"Looks like a nice place," Kairi said.
"Sure does," Sora agreed. "Almost nothing can ruin it for us. Better see how close are we to Fushia City." Sora took out the map from his backpack. "Well, it's not too far. We just have to make it over the mountain."
"Which mountain?" Kairi asked.
Sora started to point at random spots on the map.
"It could be this one. Or maybe this one. Or is it this one?" Sora asked. "Perfect! I have no idea where we should look." Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel hung their heads as they sighed.
"Please don't tell me we're lost again," Kairi groaned.
"Okay, I won't tell you," Sora said.
Sora and Kairi sighed again.
"Pika," Pikachu sighed along with them.
"Vee," Angel also sighed.
"Wait a minute!" Sora said, still looking at the map. "There's a road here! And it isn't too far! Makes me glad it was over nothing!" Sora said as he, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel continued on.
Over to Team Rocket, Jessie and James are having themselves a little picnic while Meowth is doing some sit-ups.
"Nothing like some spicy rice curry," Jessie beamed.
"Served with a hot cup of tea," James added.
"Nothing for me, thanks," Meowth said. "I need to stay in shape."
"Feel the burn," Jessie and James said in unison.
Just as Jessie and James was about to begin digging in a loud explosion is heard somewhere in the mountain as a small flock of Pidgey is seen flying away.
Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel were caught in the frenzy. Kairi nearly fell to the side as Sora caught her.
"What was that?" Kairi asked.
"I don't know," Sora said letting Kairi go. "It sounded pretty close."
Over to Team Rocket the picnic was definitely ruined. The rice curry was splattered on her head and the tea got splash on his head as well.
"I didn't get a taste," Jessie sadly said.
"I didn't get a sip," James also said.
"That's the brakes," Meowth said. "But where did that loud blast come from?"
Another blast goes off.
"Over there!" Sora said, pointing to his right. "Let's go!"
Sora and his friends starts running in the direction of the explosions.
Over to Team Rocket, they become enraged over the fact their own lunch was ruined and raced over towards the source.
"Somebody is gonna pay for this!" Jessie and James said running.
"Hey! Wait for me!" Meowth called out running after them.
Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel all saw a construction crew and it looks like they're building some kind of dam.
Elsewhere, Riku with Eevee on his shoulder along with Naminé saw the construction going on. Naminé didn't like the sight of it. She shook her head.
Team Rocket manages to see the construction going on.
"This looks like a battle zone," Jessie said.
"We must be attacked by aliens from another planet," James said.
Jessie just looked at him with a deadpan expression.
"And what planet are you from?" Jessie asked sarcastically.
As the construction trucks drove, the ground beneath them causes the trucks to crash into each other. Everyone gasped at the sight.
"Such wreckage," Kairi said.
"That can't be good!" Sora added.
"What destruction," Jessie said.
"And we didn't cause it," James added.
"What just happened?" Riku asked.
"Eev," Eevee said.
"No idea," Naminé said.
Pikachu and Angel were pretty shocked to see the wreakage and they heard a sound pretty close to them.
"Diglett, Dig, Diglett, Dig, Diglett, Dig," several voices said.
Pikachu and Angel's ears perked up as the small sound was close.
"Chu," Pikachu said.
"Vee," Angel said.
Out of the ground came a small, brown moles with two small eyes and a large pink/red nose. Its body is in the earth. This Pokémon is known as Diglett.
"Diglett!" The little Pokémon said.
"You're a Diglett!" - Pikachu subtitle.
Pikachu and Diglett look at each other.
Over to Riku and Naminé, Eevee heard a similar sound coming from not far from them. Eevee watches the ground as another Diglett pops out of the ground.
"Diglett," the small Pokémon chirped.
"Eevee," Eevee said.
The Diglett smiles at Eevee before heading back underground.
Over to Pikachu and Angel, the first Diglett goes back underground. Meowth not too far spots Pikachu, Angel and the Diglett whom had already left.
"So that's it," Meowth said.
From one of the wrecked trucks, the foreman steps out of the trucks starts banging his hand on the ground.
Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel came in one way as Riku, Naminé, and Eevee came in from another.
"Riku? Naminé?" Sora asked surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Riku said.
"I can't take it anymore!" The foreman yelled.
"What's the matter?" Sora asked.
"It's those damn Digglett!" The foreman exclaimed. "They're destroying everything!"
"Diglett?" Sora asked.
"Over there!" The foreman said pointing to his right.
The group turned to see more Diglett popping out of the ground.
"Diglett, Dig, Diglett, Dig, Diglett, Dig, Diglett, Dig," the Diglett chanted.
"Oh my gosh!" Kairi beamed gushing at the Diglett. "Look how cute they are!"
"Well I don't think they're cute!" the foreman barked at her. "Thanks to them, we can't finish building that dam!" He started to throw a fit like a little kid.
"So, that's what Diglett living in the Kanto region looks like," Riku said. He took out his Pokédex and scanned them.
Diglett, the Mole Pokémon
Type: Ground
Diglett are raised in most farms. The reason is simple— wherever this Pokémon burrows, the soil is left perfectly tilled for planting crops. This soil is made ideal for growing delicious vegetables.
"Just Ground-types, huh?" Riku asked, putting his Pokédex away.
"What they doing here anyway?" Sora asked.
"I don't know!" The foreman yelled. "If I did, I wouldn't have a problem with them in the first place! They kept causing trouble for me and my crew! They caused so many of my construction crew to quit on me, so that I wouldn't have fulfill my dream of building the Gaiva Dam in these mountains." The foreman sobbed.
"That explains the blasting," Sora said.
"And now we can't get the supplies through because of those little bastards!" The forman yelled. Kairi didn't like this. She figured the Diglett were there for a reason. Naminé had the same thought. "My current crew has put up a petition to hire any abled Pokémon trainer to fight off the Diglett."
"Fight off the Diglett?" Kairi asked, disgusted.
"Yes," The foreman answered. "The prize is a six night stay at the famous Gaiva Hot Spring Resort. Are you the first wave Pokémon Trainers we called."
"First wave Pokémon Trainers?" Sora tilted his head along with Riku and Naminé.
"No, we are not," Kairi spoke in an angry tone. "You can take that prize and shove where the sun don't shine, because we refuse!" Sora and the others looked at her, surprised. Kairi just walked away from the foreman. Sora was about to run up to her when he saw a red car drive up.
"Kairi, watch out!" Sora shouted.
Kairi froze in place as the car stops.
"Have no fear," Gary called out. "The first wave of Pokémon Trainers have arrived! Me in this car and the rest in these buses!" Gary proclaimed.
"Jeez, Gary, what the hell is the matter with you?! This car almost hit Kairi!" Sora yelled.
"Sora, I don't remember seeing your name on the list," Gary said.
"Gee, maybe that's because we were just in the area, and we thought we drop by, but we didn't expect to see you here," Sora said.
"Late as always, Sora! It must be so unfortunate for you to be here, because only the best Pokémon trainers were invited," Gary boasted.
"Oh really?" Riku asked walking up to them. "If you're one of the best, then how come you lost to me?"
Gary growled as he recognized Riku and his Eevee.
"You again!?" Gary exclaimed. "What are you doing here if you weren't hired?"
"Same as him," Riku said. "Passing through. And I can see you still kept your floozies around after I told you to lose them."
Gary growled at Riku.
"How do you and that loser know each other?" Gary asked. "He just a fourth-rate Pokémon Trainer. He's dead last!"
Sora growled at that and Riku spoke up for him. Riku definitely didn't like how he was so disrespectful towards someone like that.
"Why don't you just shut up?" Riku asked. "Who gives a Raticate's ass if you're Professor Oak's grandkid?"
Gary was just stunned to what Riku just said to him.
"You're telling me that you don't?" Gary asked smugly.
"Am I supposed to?" Riku asked in a deadpan expression. "Nobody said I should. So why should I? You're just a Pokémon trainer who goes around flaunting your grandfather's name like the spoiled brat that you are."
Gary was starting to get pissed off. His cheerleaders just glared at Riku for his remarks.
"How dare you!" One of his cheerleaders spoke.
"Who do you think you are disrespecting Gary like that?" The second cheerleader scowled.
"You little worm!" The third cheerleader added.
"The little worm who mopped the floor with Gary," Riku said. "You wanna go another round? It won't be my fault if you lost to me again."
"I'll pass," Gary said not wanting to risk losing to him again.
"Well, it's nice to see someone else putting Gary in his place for a change," a familiar voice spoke. They turned to see it was Ash.
"Ash!" Sora said.
"You're always putting people down, and it ends up pissing them off," Ash said.
"Why do you even care about this chump?" Gary asked.
"Sora is my friend. That's why I care," Ash said. That made Sora smile.
"No one will back you up if you keep this up," another familiar voice said. It turns out to be Leaf.
"Leaf!" Kairi said.
"Sora is always looking out for everyone, so that's also why he cares about him. You're just mad because everyone all likes Sora more than you," Leaf said.
"Can't we just get back to the business at hand?!" The foreman yelled. "Someone has to get rid of those Diglett! Don't forget the resort vacation at the Gaiva resort!" He said running around throwing flyers in the air.
"Don't give it another thought, sir," Gary arrogantly said. "Those Diglett are as good as gone since Gary Oak is on the case!" Gary got in the car and drove off.
Sora walked up to Riku.
"Why did you stick up for me like that?" Sora asked.
"That's what you do for a friend," Riku answered. "I didn't like how he was talking to you like that. And besides, he lost to me because he got too cocky. He boasted over the fact that he's related to Professor Oak."
"But I lost to you, too," Sora pointed out.
"True. But, you gave it everything you had," Riku reminded him. "Don't get me wrong, you did a good job raising your Pokémon. You can give it all you've got and still lose. I learned that the hard way."
Sora smiled as he shook Riku's hand. Sora was fortunate that he has a rival who is even more mature and respectful than Gary. Sora looked over to Kairi.
"So why didn't you want us to except the job?" Sora questioned. "It's not like that I would except it or anything."
"It's just those Diglett have every right to be here as those guys do," Kairi said. "It wouldn't be right just to force them out just becuase of a construction crew says we should. Also, they don't see that it's affecting the Pokémon that live here."
Sora, Ash, and Leaf understood what she meant. The wild Pokémon started running for each time the blasts went off.
"I guess you're right, Kairi," Sora said. "Even if I don't want to lose to Gary, I won't except that job neither."
Riku, Naminé, Pikachu, Eevee, Angel, Ash, and Leaf all smirked at the two of them. Sophocles nudged Riku on the side winking, while Riku chuckled.
They still had time before Sora got to Fushia City, they might as well watch how this will turn out. Team Rocket who had been watching from behind the bushes hearing everything that's being said.
"We're Pokémon Trainers," Jessie said. "We should try to win that reward."
"Brilliant idea, Jessie," James said.
"If we get rid of those Diglett, we could spend whole week at that resort," Jessie beamed.
"I know how that feels, Jessie," James said.
They began their planning out their strategy on battling the Diglett.
The group watched from afar as the foreman gave his speech.
"We appreciate that you have put your Pokémon training on hold into helping us getting rid of the Diglett!"
Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, Angel Riku, Naminé, Ash, and Leaf had arrived to witness how many have came to battle the Diglett.
"There's a lot of people here," Naminé said.
"I just can't believe how greedy they're getting over this," Ash snarled.
"Neither can I," Sora shaking his head. He was even more appalled over the fact that Gary would just show up just to show off.
Team Rocket has shown up and saw the crowd.
"Look at that," Jessie said. "There's a lot of Pokémon Trainers gathered around."
"And imagine what kind of Pokémon they must have," James said. "It's a Pokémon gold mine!"
"We can take them all!" Meowth said.
"We sure can!" Jessie said.
"But there's only one problem," James stated.
"And what problem is that?" Jessie asked.
"We won't be able to beat them with the Pokémon we have," James sighed. "The ones we have are..."
"Ekans..." Jessie said.
"...and Koffing," James finished. "Not even Mime Jr will be enough against them."
"You're right," Jessie said. "Even if we do a clever sneak attack, we will still lose. Unless..." James looked right at her.
"Unless what?" James asked.
"Yeah!" Meowth also questioned. "Fill us in."
Jessie gave a devilish grin.
"We make our Ekans and Koffing evolve," Jessie proposed.
"That is brilliant Jessie!" James said liking the idea. "We could have even stronger Pokémon!"
"Then let's get to it!" Meowth said.
"It's time for Team Rocket's Operation: Make Ekans and Koffing Evolve to begin!" Jessie proclaimed.
"Yeah!" All three said at once.
The foreman rolled a banner of a Diglett marked with an X on the picture.
"When you see these Diglett, the little vermin Pokémon that would destroy anything that they come across," the foreman said, "take them out without prejudice." Gary just smirked at the idea of Diglett being such a menace, as he had it in the bag (or so he thinks). It didn't take long before the Diglett started to show up. "It's them! The Diglett are back!"
"Stand back everyone!" Gary proclaimed. I, Gary Oak take care of these Diglett!" Gary's cheerleaders cheered on to Gary as he threw the Pokéball he took out. Gary threw the Pokéball as it was about to let out one of Gary's Pokémon, but it just flows back inside. "What?! No way!"
Sora and his friends were just as surprised.
"What just happened?" Ash asked.
"Gary just threw a Pokéball and the Pokémon inside didn't come out," Leaf said.
"But why?" Ash asked.
"I think that's something only they know," Kairi said.
One of the Diglett tunnels under the Pokéball and returns it to Gary.
"Thank you," Gary said taking his Pokéball and realized his objective. "Wait a minute! Why am I thanking you?" He puts the Pokéball away and throws the five other Pokéballs, but the results were the same as the others. Other Trainers did the exact same thing, but the results were all the same. The Pokémon inside refused to come out and battle the Diglett. The Diglett tunnels under the Pokéballs and returns the contained Pokémon to their Trainers.
Even the foreman couldn't believe it. Trainers throwing their Pokéballs and Pokémon refusing to battle.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!" The foreman exclaimed. "WHY AREN'T THEY COMING OUT TO BATTLE THE DIGLETT?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?!" The foreman started to bang on the ground throwing a temper tantrum.
Sora, Kairi, Riku, Naminé, Ash and Leaf couldn't believe it either. They all looked over to Pikachu, Angel, and Eevee curious about they know.
"Okay Pikachu," Sora said. "If we did accepted that deal, and if we had sent out our Pokémon, would you refuse to battle the Diglett?"
"Pika," Pikachu nodded.
"What about you, Eevee?" Riku also asked. "Would you battle against those Diglett down there?"
"Eevee," Eevee shook his head.
"So the results would be the same," Leaf said. "I wonder why."
"It's like what Kairi said," Sora said. "Only they know why."
Sora and his friends took off trying not to dwell on so much, but it was too hard to do. Gary looked up where Sora and the others were sitting.
"Sora, Ash, I am not going to lose to you. No way, no how," Gary said. He entered the car and he and his cheerleaders drove off.
Later that night, the group made their way to a hot spring just big enough for the group. Everyone put on their swimsuits while Naminé wore a one piece swimsuit with a blue heart in the center. Ash wore a red pair of trunks as Leaf wore a green bikini.
"Nothing like a nice hot spring," Sora beamed.
"You've said it, brother," Ash said.
"But there's just one more thing," Kairi said.
"What?" Sora asked.
"Why wouldn't they come out of their Pokéballs?" Kairi asked. "We never figured that out."
"You're right," Sora agreed as he turned to Pikachu. "Why is that, Pikachu?"
"Pika," Pikachu said pointing on his right.
Several Diglett popped out of the ground.
"They want us to follow them," Riku pointed out.
Everyone got out of the hot spring and got their clothes on after drying themselves off. The foreman was playing some whack-a-mole as he spotted the kids follow Pikachu and Eevee and the Diglett trail, so he followed them as well.
Over to Team Rocket, both Ekans and Koffing emerged from their Pokéballs while Jessie and James were going over how to evolve Ekans and Koffing.
"This is just great," James pouted. "Reduced to having unevolved Pokémon."
"Well according to this book, it is said that some Pokémon must have certain experience in order to evolve," Jessie read.
"And the experience we have is losing," James said.
"But we should consider when they do finally evolve, they'll be completely different Pokémon," Jessie pointed out. "I've known Ekans ever since I got him for my birthday."
"And I've known Koffing since I received him for Christmas," James said.
"How can we ever evolve them?" Jessie and James said in unison as they cried.
Ekans and Koffing felt their trainer's sadness so they started to evolve.
"Was it something..." Jessie started.
"... what we said," James finished.
"THEY'RE EVOLVING JUST FOR US!" Jessie and James both beamed.
"Now we're about to get two times stronger!" Meowth said.
Over to Sora, Kairi, Riku, Naminé, Ash, and Leaf, they continued to follow Pikachu, Angel, and Eevee as the Diglett were carrying twigs on their heads. They all saw what they were doing. The Diglett were planting the twigs into the soil. Along with the Diglett were Pokémon that looked like larger versions of Diglett, but hunched together. Sora took out his Pokédex and scanned the new Pokémon.
Dugtrio, the Mole Pokémon
The evolved form of Diglett
Type: Ground
Dugtrio are actually triplets that emerged from one body. As a result, each triplet thinks exactly like the other two triplets. They work cooperatively to burrow endlessly.
"Diglett and Dugtrio," Sora said. "What are they doing?"
"It looks like they're replanting the trees," Riku pointed out. "They obviously live here and all these mountains is their personal backyard."
"That makes sense," Leaf said. "Pokémon are more in touch with nature than humans are. So they were doing whatever it takes to preserve it."
"In other words," Sora said. "They weren't causing trouble at all; they were just preserving their home."
"And that does explain why none of Gary's or anyone else's Pokémon would battle the Diglett, even when their Trainer's ordered them to," Kairi said. "The Pokémon knew that before we did." Pikachu and Angel both nodded in agreement.
"And in order to complete the dam, this whole mountain range would be completely covered with water," the foreman said. "Nothing can live here." He said, looking around.
"Now do you see that actions have consequences?" Kairi asked the foreman.
"I do," he answered. "The project is cancelled. I won't build the dam."
Everyone was happy to hear that; Kairi especially since many Pokémon on the mountains won't lose their homes; not anymore.
"At least you learned your lesson," Sora said.
"But your lesson is just getting started!" Jessie called from behind.
"Oh no," Sora said, annoyed.
The group turned to see Team Rocket up in a tree.
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all peoples within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
They jump off the tree doing a stance.
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Why do you do that?! We know who you are!" Sora exclaimed in annoyance. "Look, if you wanna lose to us that badly, we won't stop you, but just get out of here, okay?"
"Oh, we're not going anywhere," Jessie said.
"Especially for the fact we never had our lunch," James added.
"So, now Team Rocket takes vengeance because we have some new Pokémon to present to you!" Meowth said.
"How right you are, Meowth," Jessie said, taking out her Pokéball. "You know him as Ekans, but I present to you, for the first time ever! Arbok!" She threw it. Her Pokéball opened to reveal bears a resemblance to a cobra, with the majority of its body being purple. It has a "hood" much like a cobra, though it has never been shown to be able to retract it. There is a red, black and yellow pattern on their hood that looks somewhat like an angry face to intimidate other Pokémon.
"Cha-bok!" Arbok hissed.
"And Koffing is now Weezing!" James added. James took out his Pokéball and threw it. A Weezing emerged from inside.
"Weezing!" Weezing said.
Sora and Kairi tilts their heads having a very bad feeling as they took out their Pokédexes and pointed at the two poisonous Pokémon.
Kairi's Pokédex:
Arbok, the Cobra Pokémon
The evolved form of Ekans
Type: Poison
This Pokémon is terrifically strong in order to constrict things with its body. It can even flatten steel oil drums. Once Arbok wraps its body around its foe, escaping its crunching embrace is impossible.
Sora's Pokédex:
Weezing, the Poison Gas Pokémon
The evolved form of Koffing
Type: Poison
Weezing loves the gases given off by rotted kitchen garbage. This Pokémon will find a dirty, unkempt house and make it its home. At night, when the people in the house are asleep, it will go through the trash.
"I knew it!" Sora exclaimed putting his Pokédex away. "Ekans and Koffing must have evolved since we last saw them!"
"You've got that right!" Jessie grinned. "Now Arbok use Crunch now!"
"CHA!" Arbok hissed lunging towards the group.
"Weezing! Move in with with Double Hit!" James ordered as Weezing charges in.
"Pikachu, go!" Sora ordered.
"Pika!" Pikachu charged in.
"Angel! Join in!" Kairi called out.
"You too, Eevee!" Riku oredered.
"Eevee!" Eevee also charged in.
"Use Shadow Ball!" Riku called "Aim it at Weezing!"
"Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt at Arbok!" Sora ordered.
"Angel! Use Swift!" Kairi ordered.
Both Pokémon fired their attacks at the two newly evolved Pokémon only to dodge them. Arbok and Weezing were struck by Swift, but that did so little.
"Arbok! Use Dig!" Jessie commanded as Arbok dove head first underground.
"Follow him, Weezing!" James ordered as Weezing followed.
Everyone waited for Arbok and Weezing to pop out of the ground at any moment. Riku and Eevee kept their cool while Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel were becoming anxious. The silence was broken when the sound of bashing came underground. Both Arbok and Weezing were hurled up bandaged and beaten.
"Uh oh," Meowth spoke up.
"I know what's coming," James said worried.
"Me too," Jessie said sharing her colleague's worry.
The Diglett and Dugtrio popped out of the ground and forms a big dirt mountain and sends Team Rocket out on a surf. They thought it was a total blast until they're sent towards the dam.
"Guys look!" Meowth exclaimed.
"The dam!" Jessie and James exclaimed before they hit the dam causing it to collapse.
"IT LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET IS GOING DOWN AGAIN!" Team Rocket shouted as they fell.
Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, Riku, Naminé, Eevee, Angel, Ash, and Leaf watched the dam get destroyed.
"You think that they learned their lesson?" Naminé asked.
"No," Sora said.
"That is very unlikely," Kairi agreed as she nodded.
"They make so many mistakes, they're just too stupid to learn from them," Sora scoffed.
"But I am smart enough to learn from my mistakes," the foreman said.
Everyone said their goodbyes to the foreman who decided to make the mountains a nature reserve for all the Pokémon living in the area. So he and the Diglett and the Dugtrio agreed to work together to make it work.
Everyone stops for a camp out for the night so that they could get a fresh start to continue on with their journey in the morning. Also, it'll give Sora to spend some time with Ash and Leaf again.
Unknown to them, the same Diglett from before pops its head out.
"Oh, it's you," Kairi said.
"Diglett," Diglett said.
"You don't need to thank us. We're the ones who should be thanking you for your help," Kairi said.
"Diglett, Dig," Diglett said.
"So, you wanna be one of my Pokémon, is that right?" Kairi asked.
"Diglett, Dig!" Diglett said.
"Okay, you got it," Kairi said, taking out a Pokéball. Diglett tapped the button and flows inside. Stars swirls around the Pokéball to confirm the catch. Kairi's Pokémon Box goes off asking her if she wants to keep Diglett with her. She chose to send Diglett to Professor Oak's lab.
Over to Team Rocket, they moaned and groaned over their latest and humiliating defeat.
"I can't believe it! Even with some evolved Pokémon, we still lost!" Jessie said.
"Maybe, it was because they just evolved and we were too eager," James said.
"Or maybe, we just weren't evolved!" Meowth said.
"How about we make you into a Persian, Meowth?" James suggested.
"I'd rather drink raw sewage!" Meowth exclaimed.
"Or, we can have your Mime Jr evolve instead, James," Jessie said.
"I like Mime Jr just the way he is!" James yelled.
And we'll leave them right here for now. Until then...