Chapter 26
Now we're back in Olivine City, and Ethan and I are running with our Pokemon for training. "You have to be faster, Ethan." I say to him.
"I am trying!" Ethan says back to me.
"You guys are looking good, Ash!" And much to our surprise, Irena is now with Reisa and the others. Irena says, "Your Pokemon are looking good too."
"Thanks, Irena." I say.
"So are you ready to go, Ash? Ethan?" She asks me.
"You bet I am." But while we are walking, we find a giant Wobbuffet robot in front of us. It looks like Team Rocket's new scheme. I use my Crystal Steelix, and Irena sends out her own Shiny Steelix, and then we use Tackle to knock the robot down.
"You have a Shiny Steelix?" Lillie asks Irena, and she says, "My mom gave me this Pokemon a year ago."
It seems that the Robot is actually tough, but we all use Crunch and the robot is cracking.
"Iron Tail!" We both yell at the same time, and the machine breaks and Team Rocket is blasting off again.
"They really are a pain..." Irena sighs.
"I agree. It will be a miracle if we don't have to deal with them..." I say.
Then we finally arrived at the gym, and we could see there were a lot of arcs in the building. The Gym Guide is also there and he just tells them only one thing, "Jasmine uses Steel-type Pokémon. She's trying to hide her tenderness behind her steely coldness."
"That's it? Nothing else?" We are confused, but we don't say anything as we walk forward, as we are stopped by a Gentleman. "I knew you'd come here. Thank you for helping the Gym Leader, but the battle is a separate matter. Go for it."
We are confused, as the Gentleman isn't going to battle us, and when they continue, we find a lass and she says, "I guess...I know how capable you are from the Lighthouse. It's time you showed that side of yourself to Jasmine! Good luck!"
Irena says, "Every gym trainer here knows how you fight your way up the lighthouse and help save Mom's Amphy. So they all decide not to battle you and let you get to Mom in the end.
"I'm not complaining if I can just get to battle the Gym Leader, that really saves us a lot of time after all." I say as we reach Jasmine, who is at the end of the room.
"Thank you for your help at the Lighthouse... But this is different. Please allow me to introduce myself. I'm Jasmine, a Gym Leader. I use the...clang! Steel type! ...Do you know about the Steel type? They are very hard, cold, sharp, and really strong! Um... I'm not lying."
"Of course, we know about Steel Type Pokemon." I say. "And we are here to have our battle."
"Right! Skarmory!" Jasmine starts with the Skarmory, so I decide to go with Ampharos to battle.
"Ampharos! Let's go with Power Gem!" I say, and Ampharos fires the gems at Skarmory. But Skarmory dodges the attacks with ease.
"Skarmory, use Steel Wing." Jasmine says, and Skarmory swoops down from above and uses its wings to attack Ampharos, hitting it time after time. Kris says, "This is going to be very hurtful..."
"Thunder Punch!" I yell, and just when Skarmory goes for the close range, Ampharos strikes the Skarmory with the attack, and it also causes Skarmory to get paralyzed.
"Now it's our chance! Use Signal Beam!" I yell.
"Skarmory! Use Wing Attack!"
Both attacks clash with each other, but in the very end, Skarmory falls to the ground and faints.
"I'm happy to see how strong your Ampharos is. But let me show you my next Pokemon, go, Magnemite!" Jasmine sends out her second Pokemon. Ampharos is defeated by Magnemite because of the Supersonic that makes Ampharos hit himself and then finishes with multiple Sonic Booms.
"In that case, Steelix! I choose you!" I send out my second Pokemon, and Jasmine says, "Oh my... a Crystal Steelix... that sure is a rare kind."
"I know and I'm going to beat you with it."
Steelix starts it off with a Crunch, but Magnemite simply evades. Magnemite throws down a Thunder Wave back at Steelix, Steelix dodging as well. Although I am not sure if Thunder Wave can work on a Ground Type like Steelix.
"Your Steelix is pretty quick." Jasmine says.
"Thanks. Now use Mud Shot!" I say.
Magnemite is worryingly fast and evades several Ground attacks with ease.
"Have you ever seen a Magnemite move that fast before, East?" Kris asks.
"No, never. That Magnemite's strong." East says.
"Now use repeated Supersonic!" Jasmine yells, and Steelix continues to dodge the attacks.
"They both just dodging hits..." Ethan says.
"No one's getting hit, no one's going to win either." Irena adds.
Then I decided to take a direct hit from Magnemite, and let Steelix take the Sonic Boom, which is not very effective. Then I have Steelix use Earthquake, hitting Magnemite.
"Now they both get hit." Lillie says.
"Magnemite! Supersonic!" Jasmine yells.
"Let's go, Steelix! Iron Tail!"
Steelix slams Magnemite into the wall, knocking it out of the battle.
"That Steelix of yours is really amazing, Ash. But properly tempered steel won't be made rusty by things like this!" Jasmine says as she goes for her final Pokemon, which is Steelix.
As the final Pokemon appears, Lillie says, "Just as I thought. I hope Crystal Steelix can handle it."
Jasmine's Steelix has the advantage with Crystal Steelix fatigued from the last round. Crystal Steelix uses Flash Cannon, but Steelix manages to hang in there. An Iron Tail by Steelix misses its mark. Crystal Steelix retaliates with a Stone Edge, but it has no effect on Steelix's hardened body. Steelix soon finishes it off with another Iron Tail.
"Alright, in that case. Quilava! I chose you!" I send out Quilava to battle.
"Now Steelix, just because Quilava is a Fire Type Pokemon, there is no reason to be afraid, so just go out there and show him what we got!"
"Steelix may be stronger and bigger, but you have the heart of the Fire Pokemon." I say.
I have Quilava to use Flamethrower, but before it can do that, Steelix uses Sandstorm to block and then it uses Dig to go underground. Steelix pops out from under and uses Iron Tail, which Quilava easily dodges.
"Good job, Quilava." I say. "You really have great defenses!"
After being busy with dodging, Quilava finally used an Eruption on Steelix. However, Steelix started using Sandstorm, making a dust devil appear absorbing the flame. Now unable to do anything, we just waited until Steelix rose out again.
Steelix rises out but misses Quilava by a close call. Steelix again tries an Iron Tail, which misses, and Quilava going for a Flamethrower again. Steelix digs once again to evade the attack and the process repeats for a while.
"Not bad." Jasmine says. "How about we step things up with a notch?"
Steelix dives underground once again and it emerges in front of Quilava.
"Again?" I mutter.
Quilava tries a Smokescreen, but Steelix uses Sandstorm to blow it away. However, when Steelix stops for a moment, Quilava isn't there.
"This time Quilava has disappeared." Ethan says.
Quilava soon appears from a hole behind Steelix and shoots out a Flamethrower at an advantage. Steelix gets hit, but it isn't quite down from the blow, instead getting mad.
"Hurry and get into the hole again!" I yell and Quilava dodges once more.
Steelix tries Iron Tail over and over while Quilava dodges. When Quilava tries to dodge an Iron Tail once more, it gets smacked out of the ring.
"Oh no, Quilava!" I yell in horror.
"Quilava is hurt for sure..." Kris says.
"Yeah, it's flame is going out..." Lillie says.
"Quilava... hang in there..." Much to my surprise, Quilava is evolving and it now becomes a Typhlosion.
"Typhlosion!" I gasp in delight, and his body is heated up for sure. The spectators are also amazed as Lillie scans the Pokemon.
Typhlosion: The Volcano Pokemon. Fire Type. Evolved from Quilava at LV:36. When heat from its body causes the air around it to shimmer, this is a sign that it is ready to battle.
"Let's end this once and for all! Crunch!" Jasmine yells.
"Typhlosion! Smokescreen now!" Then Typhlosion releases another Smokescreen and evades. Typhlosion tries another Flamethrower, and Steelix spins into its Sandstorm defense.
"Don't give up! Now put your heart in it and use Flare Blitz!" Then Typhlosion is trying to charge at the Sandstorm tornado, and the color is turning into a brazen red color, and the swirling vortex turns into a deadly and inescapable firestorm. Steelix stops twirling around, and a few anxious moments pass before it finally collapses from the searing heat.
"We did it! Typhlosion!" I hug my Pokemon and the others are also happy for us.
"That was great, Ash. Turning that sandstorm back on me into a whirlwind firestorm is a brilliant idea. You are a better Trainer than me, in both skill and kindness. In accordance with League rules, I confer upon you this Badge."
I take the Mineral Badge, which is a plain octagon badge. Jasmine says, "With that Badge, all Pokémon, including traded Pokémon up to Lv. 70, will obey you without question."
We let Jasmine heal her Pokemon, and once it is done, she goes to battle Ethan. Like the battle with me, Ethan uses the same strategy with Pibu and Expo to win against her Magnemite and Steelix, in the end getting the badge as well. Expo also evolves into a Typhlosion just like mine.
"So where are you guys going next?" Jasmine asks us.
"Uh... I think we're going to Mahogany Town." When East says that, we remember who the gym leader of that town is.
"Mahogany Town... if I remember, the Gym Leader is Pryce, who used to be the Masked Man that was once Team Alpha's enemy..." Jasmine says. "I know that Adam informed us that he has returned from the Time shrine. But you still have to be careful."
"Of course we will." I say.
Then we bid farewell to Irena and Jasmine and we decided to head back to Ecruteak City so we could go to Mahogany Town.
Back at Ecruteak City, we meet Sakura again, and her Eevee evolved into Espeon. Lillie battles with her and wins against her. After hearing our stories, Sakura wishes that she could travel on a journey, but admits her sisters won't allow her to.
Team Rocket then manages to steal the Kimono sister's Eeveelutions, and Sakura wants to prove herself by saving the Pokemon with Espeon. After sending Team Rocket blasting off and saving the Pokemon, Sakura finally gets permission to travel, but she wants to travel on her own instead of with us. So we decided to keep in contact by using emails.
Then we hear a commotion and Team Rocket stole the Crystal Bells in the Bell Tower. We also meet up with Morty, Shade, and Eusine. They show us the scroll depicting the ancient Crystal Bells.
"The bells contained within the Bell Tower were recovered from the Burned Tower after it was destroyed 300 years ago." Morty says.
"The ringing of the bells today indicates that Ho-Oh still watches over everyone. And its anger will only melt away when the hearts of humans and Pokemon alike become one." Eusine says. "Ho-Oh sent three incarnations of the north wind, volcanoes, and thunder, to maintain the peace. And that's why I'm still trying to find Suicune."
Then after a while, we find that the Bell Tower is covered with webs. The Pokemon are attacking us and we think the stolen Crystal Bells have to do with this. We eventually find that Team Rocket is the one who stole the bells and they are also trapped by sticky webs. We notice that there are only three of them, and Meowth admits that Jessie breaks the fourth one.
I try to reason with the Bug Pokemon, but they are too angry to listen to reason. Fortunately, Suicune appears and he helps us reason with the Pokemon. However, Team Rocket is trying to capture it, but Suicune uses Aurora Beam in response and sends them flying.
"Suicune... How brave it is! How refreshing it is! How beautiful it is! And how quickly it moves! Ash! You seem to be around where Suicune would appear."
"We don't know why..." Lillie says.
"Well, that's OK. My desire to search for Suicune is far beyond yours... My grandpa was...quite into myths. I've heard so many stories about Suicune from him. Suicune... I won't stop following you until I've found out what you're after... You hear me!" Eusine yells as he rushes to chase after the Pokemon. Then we also bid farewell to Morty and Shade, heading east to Route 42.
Here is a new chapter, and now Ash and Ethan get their sixth badge. Two more to go and I hope you like it.
Ash + Lillie's Pokemon:
Charizard x2 (In training), Butterfree x2 (One Pink), Pikachu, Lapras, Meganium, Typhlosion, Feraligatr, Furret, Noctowl (Shiny), Ledian, Ariados, Crobat, Lanturn, Togetic, Xatu, Ampharos, Bellossom, Sudowoodo, Politoed, Jumpluff, Aipom, Sunflora, Yanma, Quagsire, Espeon, Umbreon, Murkrow, Slowking, Unown x28, Forretress, Steelix (Crystal), Granbull, Qwilfish, Scizor, Shuckle, Heracross, Corsola, Mantine, Seadra, Porygon 2, Stantler, Smeargle, Miltank, Blissey, Raikou, Entei, Celebi
Reisa's Pokemon:
Blastoise, Tentacruel, Seaking, Starmie, Gyarados, Feraligatr, Lanturn, Azumarill, Politoed, Quagsire, Slowking, Qwilfish, Corsola, Mantine
East's Pokemon:
Noctowl, Ledian, Crobat, Jumpluff, Mantine
Ethan's Pokemon:
Typhlosion, Pichu, Sudowoodo, Politoed, Togepi, Aipom, Sunflora, Mantine
Kris' Pokemon:
Meganium, Cubone, Xatu, Smoochum