Kanto Gets Loud
Chapter 14: Showdown at Pewter City (Part 1)
At the Outskirts of Pewter City,
The three trainers looked out from the top of a hill down at their destination, "Is that it?" Lincoln asked.
"Yep. That's Pewter City," Misty replied. Lincoln slumped down on the rock, exhausted but relieved.
"Oh man, it was a long time coming, but it was worth it to get out of that forest," he commented.
"I know what you mean. I think that'll be my quota for Beedrill swarm encounters for one region," Raigo commented.
"Even though it was my home before, I'm glad to finally be out," Pikachu added.
"Ok, so does Pewter City have other things to do besides the Gym?" Lincoln asked.
"Well, there is the Pewter City Museum, where people can come to look at various fossils and artifacts from archeological digs," Misty replied.
"There's more to Pewter City than just that, little lady," the three trainers looked over to see a dark skinned man with a bushy brown beard, sitting on a stool, "Pewter City's gray – the very color of stones. That's what this city is famous for," the man said.
"Uh… what in the world are you talking about? On that note, who even are you?" Lincoln asked.
"The name's Flint, and you happen to be sitting on some of my merchandise," the man replied. Lincoln looked down at the rock he was sitting on, before scrambling to his feet.
"Oh, geez, sorry about that!" Lincoln exclaimed.
"Wait, you're selling rocks?" Raigo asked.
"Of course. They're Pewter City's most famous souvenirs. Care to buy one?" Flint asked.
"Depends. Are any of them evolution stones?" Misty asked.
"Afraid not, little lady," Flint replied.
"Then I'll pass," Misty replied.
"Suit yourself. What about the two of you?" Flint asked the two boys.
"Nah, I'm good," Lincoln replied.
"Same," Raigo added.
"Your loss. By the way, that'll be a 200 Pokedollar charge for resting on one of my rocks," Flint said.
"WHAT?! It's just a rock!" Misty exclaimed.
"That rock happens to be an official Pewter City souvenir. If you don't pay the charge, then you have to buy it. And if I'm not mistaken, that particular rock costs 2600 Pokedollars," Flint replied. The three trainers blanched at the insane price of the rock.
"Do you at least have something I can scan my Trainer Card with?" Lincoln asked, getting out his Trainer Card.
"Indeed, I do," Flint replied, pulling out a small device.
"Ok, because I wouldn't be able to pay otherwise. Just be sure that you only take out the 200 Pokedollars you said," Lincoln pleaded, handing over his Trainer ID.
Flint looked over the card as he scanned it, "Ah, so you're an American. You don't see too many American trainers very often. So, when did you start your journey?" Flint asked, not looking at the buttons he was pressing.
"A few days ago," Lincoln replied.
"Ah, so you're still a newbie," Flint said, looking at the device, "Uh oh," he said.
"What do you mean 'uh oh'?" Lincoln asked, his tone indicating he wasn't going to like the response.
"I must've hit the wrong button, because I mistakenly took out all of your money," Flint admitted.
"YOU WHAT?!" Lincoln yelled, incensed by what he had just heard.
"It was an honest mistake! If you want, not only will I pay back the extra money I took out, but you can even keep that particular rock free of charge! How does that sound?" Flint asked nervously.
"I'm going to hold you to the money bit, but the rock thing is a bit of a stretch," Lincoln said, kicking the rock he mistakenly bought, only to hear a hollow sound coming from it. Everyone there was perplexed. Lincoln looked over the rock, and feeling it, he determined it was actually made of plastic, "I think this rock is a fake."
"Hey, that looks like a hinge to a hatch of some kind," Raigo commented, seeing a hinge. Lincoln looked around, and saw a way to open it. When he did, they were all amazed at what was inside of it.
"Whoa, I don't believe it!" Misty exclaimed in awe.
"Star Pieces, Nuggets, Big Nuggets, that kind of looked like a Comet Shard, some Pearls, Big Pearls, and a Pearl String, along with evolution stones and TMs too! Talk about a lucky find!" Raigo commented in amazement.
"I know about TMs, and a little about the evolution Stones, but what about those other things?" Lincoln asked.
"Treasures such as these can be sold at the Pokemart for a boatload of cash. You've got yourself a gold mine here! Somewhat literally," Raigo explained, pulling out a Nugget.
"Well, looks like my mistake did some good for you after all," Flint awkwardly commented, only to get deadpan stares from the three trainers and Pikachu, "I'll still reimburse you for the money I took out."
"I'm still holding you to that. In the meantime, you wouldn't happen to know where the Pokemon Center is? We just had a rough experience with some Beedrill in the forest," Lincoln asked.
"Sure. I'll take you right over," Flint replied.
"Great. When we get there, the three of us can divvy up this loot," Lincoln said, as he picked up the stone shaped case, which was surprisingly lighter than he was expecting.
"You and Misty can split it. I'm pretty good off financially," Raigo replied.
"You sure? I'm more than willing to share," Lincoln asked.
"Yeah, I'm good. Besides, if you win your Pewter City Gym Battle, then you and I will officially become rivals, and while we can help each other out with what ever we find on the road, it'll be every trainer for themselves," Raigo replied.
"Well, suit yourself," Lincoln replied, as they followed Flint.
Later, at the Pokemon Center,
"Well, we're here," Flint said, as they arrived at the Pokemon Center.
"Thanks Flint," Lincoln said.
"No problem. Now then, I'll go get your money from the ATM, while you three rest up your parties," Flint said, as they entered the Pokemon Center, and he went off to a nearby ATM, leaving the three trainers to go talk to Nurse Joy.
"Hello, and welcome to the Pokemon Center," Nurse Joy said.
"Hello. Could we ask you to take care of our Pokemon?" Lincoln asked, as the three of them each placed their Pokeballs into some trays, and handing them over to Nurse Joy.
"Of course. You can just leave them to me," Nurse Joy replied, before looking back at the three, "Say, aren't you those trainers who helped my niece out in Viridian City?" she asked.
"Your niece? You mean the intern Nurse Joy that was working at the Viridian Pokemon Center?" Lincoln asked.
"Yes. You see, her mother happens to be my younger sister," Nurse Joy replied.
"I see. To answer your question, we are the ones who drove off Team Rocket," Lincoln replied.
"I knew it! My niece's description of each of you was spot on, especially with you," Nurse Joy said, pointing to Lincoln.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Raigo asked, as he and Misty eyed Lincoln suspiciously.
"Uh, well, you see, the thing is both the Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny we met back in Viridian City were 15-year-old interns, training under their mothers, and before I left, they kind of gave me their phone numbers," Lincoln replied nervously.
"WHAT?!" his two companions exclaimed. Raigo then took Lincoln by the collar of his shirt, shaking him furiously.
"YOU MEAN A COUPLE OF HOTTIES GAVE YOU THEIR NUMBERS WITHOUT HESITATION?! FIRST YOU GOT LUCKY WITH YOUR SHINY BEEDRILL, THEN WITH THE STASH WE FOUND FROM FLINT'S ROCK SHOP, AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU'RE EVEN LUCKY WITH THE LADIES?!" Raigo yelled in comedic jealousy.
"And here I thought you were just an average kid from the States," Misty commented, also feeling somewhat jealous of Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny.
"Well, I guess I just have that kind of charm?" Lincoln nervously theorized.
"Ahem!" Nurse Joy cleared her throat, "Could the three of you take this somewhere else besides the front counter? I'll have your Pokemon healed up in no time," she said, as she took their Pokeballs into the back.
"Well, why don't we focus on this for now?" Lincoln suggested, looking towards the stash.
"Oh fine. But I've changed my mind. I'm taking a Big Nugget as my share!" Raigo said, as he fished out a gold nugget the size of a basketball, before walking off in a huff.
"He's one odd duck. In the meantime, how do you want to split it? It was your money that bought it, so you should decide how we should split it," Misty asked Lincoln.
"How about a 55/45 split in my favor?" Lincoln suggested.
"That's more than fair in my opinion," Misty replied, as they took the stash over to the common area, and proceeded to go through the treasures within. It took about half an hour for them to completely split the stash between them.
"With all these TMs, training my Pokemon and taking on the Gym will be a lot easier," Lincoln said, looking at his stack of TMs.
"I wouldn't get too ahead of myself if I were you, kid. Even with strong moves, victory over a Gym Leader isn't going to be easy," Flint said, as he came over to the two of them, "The Gym Leader, Brock, is one tough customer. A rookie like you is bound to have a hard time against him," he said, before handing Lincoln a stack of money, "Oh, and here's the money I owe you."
"Thank you. And I don't plan on backing down now. If I don't beat him today, then I'll try again tomorrow, or the next day, or however long it may take me to win that badge," Lincoln said.
"Hmm, I admire your determination. But it still would be a good idea to get in some practice before you take him on. Might I suggest training at the Pokemon Battle Club?" Flint suggested.
"'Pokemon Battle Club'? What's that?" Lincoln asked.
"Glad you asked," Ragio said, rejoining the group, "The Pokemon Battle Club was originally franchised over in the Unova Region. It's a place where trainers can go to battle other trainers to sharpen their skills or just to train up their Pokemon," he explained.
"It would be smart to take up Flint's suggestion. Gym Leaders aren't like normal trainers. They're tough as nails," Misty suggested.
"Hmm. Maybe I will train there. But I would still like to see how Brock battles, just so I can know how to train," Lincoln replied.
"Well, once our Pokemon are all healed up, I plan on taking him on myself. You can come and observe if you want," Raigo replied.
"That is true. Knowing how your opponent battles is paramount in Pokemon battles," Flint stated, before he took his leave. It was then that Lincoln remembered something.
"Ah, that's right! I'm going to go check in with Professor Oak," Lincoln said, collecting his share from the stash, before heading over to Videophones.
Meanwhile, at Professor Oak's Laboratory,
The professor was sitting down to a cup of tea and some cake, when he heard his phone going off, "Ah, I wonder who that is?" he asked, as he went over to answer. When he did, an image of a very exhausted Lincoln appeared on screen, "My goodness, Mr. Loud, what happened to you?"
"Lets just say that we had a bad experience with some Beedrill in the Viridian Forest, and just leave it at that," Lincoln replied.
"I see. Well, in any case, how are things going for you and your Pokemon?" Professor Oak asked.
"Pretty good. Since we talked last time, I managed to catch a Poliwag, a Pidgeotto who reminds me a lot of Lynn, two Weedle, one of which being shiny that evolved all the way into Beedrill earlier this morning, while the other one I'm using for a Wonder Trade, and a Caterpie, which is also going to be used in a Wonder Trade," Lincoln explained.
"Wait, did you say that you caught a Shiny Beedrill?!" Professor Oak exclaimed in surprise.
"That's right," Lincoln replied.
"Well, that is a rather lucky find. Most trainers never encounter a shiny Pokemon so early in their travels. So apart from the Pokemon you've caught, what all have you been up to?" Professor Oak asked. Lincoln caught Professor Oak up to speed on everything that happened since the last time they talked, from how Lincoln got a plethora of gifts from the Viridian City Pokemon Center, including the numbers of the Joy and Jenny interns, as well as his lucky find upon arriving in Pewter City, "My word, that's quite the streak of good luck if I do say so."
"Yeah. So, you said that you were going to give my family a progress report on my travels. How did it go?" Lincoln asked.
"Not too terribly well. Your sister Lynn tried to convince the majority of your sisters that my profession and your progress was all a hoax made up to convince them that they were misguided during the bad luck mess," Professor Oak replied.
"Yeah, that does sound like something Lynn would do," Lincoln muttered.
"And when I brought up your battle with Team Rocket at the Viridian Pokemon Center, you parents became worried, and were asking about sending you back home," Professor Oak added. Lincoln became worried.
"You aren't going to send me back, are you?" Lincoln asked.
"You needn't worry, Mr. Loud. You're a legal adult in the eyes of the Kanto government. The only way you can get me to deport you back to the states is if you do something that I don't approve of, such as using Pokemon to commit a crime. Other than that, you're really the only one who has any say in whether or not you go back to Royal Woods," Professor Oak explained.
"Oh, thank god," Lincoln breathed a sigh of relief.
"While we're on the subject of your family, I have a message from your Mother and two of your younger sisters," Professor Oak said.
"Which sisters?"
"I believe their names are 'Lucy' and 'Lisa'? One has black hair covering most of her face, while the other is quite the intelligent one, despite her role in this mess," Professor Oak replied.
"I see. Well, what did they want from me?" Lincoln asked.
"They wish for you to call them so they can attempt to make amends. It's clear that they genuinely feel remorseful for their actions," Professor Oak replied.
"Hmm, I'll see about giving them a call after I challenge the Pewter City Gym. Do I just call them via my regular home phone number?" Lincoln replied.
"Correct. And as for waiting until after your gym battle, that's quite fine, as long as you hear them out," Professor Oak replied.
"I'll do so. Is there anything else you want to talk about?" Lincoln asked.
"Yes. I also have a favor from Lisa specifically, regarding your Pokemon and Pokedex," Professor Oak replied.
"Go on," Lincoln urged.
"She would like for you to send over the data on the Pokemon you've seen and caught when you get the chance," Professor Oak explained. Lincoln was most surprised.
"I'm alright with doing that, but is it possible?"
"Indeed. Just insert the Pokedex into the slot below the screen. It'll do the rest," Professor Oak explained.
"Ok. And am I also to assume she wants me to send over the Pokemon I catch?"
"Yes. But it will be quite a bit of time before you can do so. I recently sent her the schematics to build a Pokemon Transporter, and she's going to need time to build it," Professor Oak explained.
"I see. Oh, one more thing," Lincoln said, fishing out the Mega Stone he received from the Beedrill leader, "Could you tell me what this is exactly? Raigo told me that it's called a 'Mega Stone' or something."
Professor Oak was stunned at the sight of the Stone, "My word, Lincoln, that's not just something you can get anywhere," he said.
"So, can you tell me what it is exactly?"
"I can, but I will need to do an analysis on it. Could you send it over?" Professor Oak asked.
"Uh, sure no problem, but is there a way I can do that?"
"Of course. Just place it in the transporter device you see there next to the Videophone. I can initiate the transfer sequence," Professor Oak instructed. On the other side of the call, Lincoln did as he was told in putting the stone in the machine.
"Ok Professor, it's in." Professor Oak nodded, and with a press of the button, a beam of electricity shot out from the transporter in his lab, and the Mega Stone materialized, "You'll let me know when once you find something, right Professor?"
"Of course, and if this is what I think it is, then you may have just obtained an item that will make your goal of becoming Champion that much more likely," Professor Oak replied.
"Wow, that's some pretty heavy stuff there," Lincoln replied.
"Indeed. Now, is that everything you wished to talk to me about?" Professor Oak asked.
"For now, it is. I'll call again once I've won my first badge and talked things out with my sisters and Mom," Lincoln replied.
"Very good. I look forward to hearing about your battle. Good luck," Professor Oak said.
"Thanks Professor," Lincoln said, before hanging up. Professor Oak then retrieved the Stone from the transporter.
"Lincoln has no idea of just how lucky he is to have gotten a hold of something like this," the Professor smiled.
Back in Pewter City,
Lincoln was seated at a table in the Pokemon Center's restaurant with Misty and Raigo, enjoying some lunch, "So, it's going to be Raigo first, then Lincoln, right?" Misty asked.
"That's right. I'll be observing the battle so that I can adjust my strategy accordingly," Lincoln replied.
"Ok, but can you tell us what your initial strategy is going to be?" Raigo asked.
"Well, seeing as how it's a Rock Type Gym, Poliwag is a definite must, being a Water Type. And if the rules state that more than one Pokemon are allowed, then I'll probably send in either Fearow or Pidgeotto, since I taught them how to use Steel Wing," Lincoln replied.
"Hey, what about me, and Beedrill for that matter?" Pikachu asked, taking a break from his ketchup.
"Sorry buddy, but since we're up against Rock Pokemon, and since, according to the Pokedex, most of the Rock Type Pokemon in Kanto are also Ground Types, you'd probably be at a disadvantage. The same goes for Beedrill. But don't worry, you can be in the next gym battle," Lincoln said.
"Hmm, good point. Seeing as how Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto, Kabutops, and Aerodactyl aren't among the living any more, that would make sense. But I'm holding you to your word about the next gym," Pikachu replied.
"Duly noted," Lincoln replied.
"But as for your actual battle, Lincoln, you'll need to choose your two Pokemon ahead of time, since you'll most likely be battling Brock two on two," Misty replied.
"Is something like that normal for gyms? The two-on-two thing, I mean," Lincoln asked.
"Lots of gyms have different rules based on the how many badges you have. Some will have battles that are one on one, two on two, three on three, and so forth," Raigo replied.
"I see. So I can only battle with two Pokemon. Well, regardless of what Pokemon I use, all five of my Pokemon are going to get some heavy-duty training done at this Battle Club place you told me about," Lincoln stated.
"So, what all are you planning to do at the Battle Club?" Misty asked.
"Well, first off will be to help Poliwag with his accuracy. Afterwards, I plan to help Pidgeotto and Fearow get used to using Steel Wing. I can also work on Pikachu's Iron Tail," Lincoln explained.
"Sounds good. Once we're done here, we can head over to the gym," Raigo said, as the continued with their lunch.
Later, at the Pewter City Gym,
The three trainers stood outside of a building that looked to be built with boulders, "Whoa, this place looks intense," Lincoln commented.
"Most gyms are built that way, to give challengers a general idea of what they're going up against," Raigo said, as they entered the Gym, "Hello? My name is Raigo of Lavaridge Town. I'd like to challenge the leader!" he called out.
"So you are my next challenger," a spotlight turned on, shining down on a tall, tan skinned young man wearing an orang t-shirt with a green vest, and long brown pants, "I am Brock of the Pewter City Gym. So tell me, how many badges have you earned so far?"
"So far, I have two badges," Raigo replied.
"I see. In that case, lets get this battle started," Brock said, as he pulled a switch, which revealed a battlefield that had several stalagmites sticking out from the ground, "Our battle will be 3 on 3. Does that sound acceptable?" he asked.
"It does," Raigo replied, as he took his position at the challenger's side of the battlefield, while Brock took up the side opposite to him. Just then, several smaller kids who looked just like Brock rushed in.
"Hey Brock, we just came to…" the oldest of the younger kids cut himself off when he saw what was going on, "You have a new challenger?"
"Yes, Forrest. And this one's a strong one too," Brock replied.
"In that case, could I be the referee of the battle?" Forrest volunteered.
"That's fine, but there are some stipulations. You're to call the match even, without giving me any special treatment. And if any of you try to interfere with the challenger like last time, then I will automatically forfeit the match. Is that clear?" Brock asked.
"But Brock, that kid was going to hurt Onix with his Squirtle!" a girl called out.
"I don't care. If you interfere with an official gym challenge, then it's a discredit not only to the gym and my career as a trainer, but to this boy as well. You all are confined to the stands until after the battle, unless I tell you to head back home. Is that understood?" Brock asked.
"Yes sir," the younger kids droned in disappointment, as they all went up to the stands, while the eldest of the kids took his place at a box in the middle.
"Ok, the official Gym Battle Challenge between…" Forrest immediately realized he didn't know Raigo's name.
"My name's Raigo."
"Right. The official Gym Battle Challenge between Raigo the Challenger and Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader will now commence. Both trainers may use up to three Pokemon each, and the battle will continue until all of either side's Pokemon are unable to continue. Substitutions by either side may not be made at any time! Now then, trainers, choose your Pokemon!" Forrest declared.
"My first Pokemon will be Graveler!" Brock said, as he sent out a bipedal rock Pokemon that looked to have two sets of arms, one cemented to its chest.
"A Graveler, huh? In that case, Shroomer, you're up!" Raigo exclaimed, as he sent out a kangaroo like Pokemon with mushroom qualities. Lincoln took out his Pokedex and pointed it at both Pokemon.
"Graveler, the Rock Pokemon, a Rock and Ground Type, and the evolved form of Geodude. Mossy rocks are its favorite food. It can devour a ton a day while crunching loudly.
Breloom,, the Mushroom Pokemon, a Grass and Fighting Type, and the evolved form of Shroomish. It's short arms stretch when it punches. Its technique can put even a pro boxer to shame," the Pokedex explained.
"Alright, begin!" Forrest declared.
"You can have the first move," Brock said.
"Thanks. Alright Shroomer, use Leech Seed!" Raigo instructed. Shroomer then fired a seed onto Graveler, which sprouted vines all over it. When the vines began to glow, Graveler started to look weaker.
"So you're using Leech Seed to gradually sap away Graveler's energy. Smart move. Graveler, use Rock Tomb!" Brock instructed. Graveler then hurled a bunch of rocks at Shroomer.
"Quick, use Bullet Seed!" Raigo instructed. Shroomer began to fire a barrage of seed like projectiles at the rocks, obliterating them instantly, "Alright, now let's use Mach Punch!" Shroomer's hand began to glow, as it charged at Graveler with blinding speeds.
"That's fast!" Misty commented, amazed at Shroomer's speed.
"Breloom could be a tricky opponent," Lincoln commented, as Shroomer landed its punch on the Rock Pokemon, who was still able to stand.
"You'll need to do a lot more than that to try and beat Graveler. Speaking of which, Graveler, use Rollout," Brock instructed. Graveler then began to roll at a high speed, crashing into Shroomer, before turning around and slamming into her again. It would've done again, if Graveler hadn't fallen asleep, "Hey, Graveler, wake up!" Brock called out, but got no response.
"What's going on?" Lincoln questioned.
"Information: Breloom's Ability: Effect Spore. When takin a direct attack from an opponent, the use can spread spores that can inflict either Poison, Sleep or Paralysis," Lincoln's Pokedex explained.
"Alright, now's our chance, use Iron Tail!" Raigo instructed. Shroomer then charged at Graveler, it's tail glowing a metallic color. Shroomer would've been able to make contact if...
"Graveler, use Sleep Talk!" Brock called out. While asleep, Graveler then used Rock Tomb, stopping Shroomer's advance.
"What the…?! I wasn't expecting Sleep Talk!" Raigo exclaimed.
"What's Sleep Talk?" Lincoln asked.
"It's a move that allows the user to randomly use any of its other moves while its fast asleep," Misty quickly explained.
"So much for relying on Shroomer's Effect Spore for an upper hand. Alright Shroomer, lets just use Mega Drain!" Raigo instructed. Shroomer then hurled its arms around Graveler's body. The arms began to glow, and Shoomer's injuries began to heal up.
"Whoa, that's awesome! What is it?" Lincoln asked.
"Information: Mega Drain: A Grass Type move that deals damage and heals the user by half of the damage inflicted to the opponent by siphoning off their energy," his Pokedex explained. No sooner than Lincoln got his answer that Graveler went down to defeat.
"Graveler is unable to battle, the winner is Breloom!" Forrest declared, as Brock recalled Graveler.
"I see that you've done an excellent job in raising your Breloom. Now, lets see how you deal with this!" Brock said, as he sent out his next Pokemon. This time, it was a massive snake like Pokemon that looked to be made of boulders.
"Whoa, that Pokemon's huge!" Lincoln exclaimed, pointing his Pokedex at it.
"Onix, the Rock Snake Pokemon, a Rock and Ground Type. Onix burrows through the ground at speeds of at least 50 mph. Because its magnetic brain acts as a compass, it never gets lost while underground."
"We got ourselves one win already Shroomer, so lets keep up the pressure! Use Mach Punch!" Raigo instructed.
"You're going to have to do a lot better than that. Onix, use Dragon Breath!" Brock instructed. Onix then blasted Shroomer back with a stream of green flames. Shroomer was struggling to move, "An added affect of Dragon Breath is that the opposing Pokemon can sometimes be paralyzed. Now Onix, use Stealth Rock!" Onix then fired rock projectiles all around the field around Shroomer.
"Doesn't look like Stealth Rock did anything," Lincoln observed.
"Information: Stealth Rock: A Rock Type move that scattered jagged rocks around the opposing side's field. Any new Pokemon sent in while Stealth Rock is in effect will be damaged upon entering battle," his Pokedex explained.
"Whoa, so there are trap moves as well?" Lincoln questioned.
"Yeah. Some moves immediately affect the Pokemon already in battle, but moves like Stealth Rock only work on new Pokemon," Misty replied.
"Now Onix, use Slam!" Brock instructed. Onix swung it's massive tail, and slammed Shroomer into a nearby rock, knocking it out.
"Breloom is unable to battle, the winner is Onix!" Forrest declared, as Raigo recalled Shroomer.
"You did great out there, Shroomer," Raigo said, as he readied his next Pokeball, "Alright, you're up, Honda!" he said, as he sent out a fairly chubby, yellow Pokemon that looked like a sumo wrestler. Upon entering the field, the Stealth Rocks slammed into the new Pokemon. Lincoln pointed his Pokedex at the new Pokemon.
"Makuhita, the Guts Pokemon, a Fighting Type. Makuhita are very tenacious. They keep getting back up and attacking their opponent, no matter how many times they're knocked down. Every time it gets back up, it stores energy it needs to evolve."
"Honda, use Bulk Up!" Raigo instructed. Honda then appeared to instantly bulk up some muscle.
"Looks like Honda got a little stronger," Lincoln observed.
"You're right, Lincoln. Bulk Up is a move that increases a Pokemon's Attack and Defense power. Now then, use Arm Thrust!" Raigo instructed. Makuhita charged at Onix, repeatedly shoving back the Rock Snake Pokemon.
"Hold your ground, Onix! Use Rock Slide!" Brock instructed. Onix then summoned a large number of boulders, and hurled them at Honda.
"Use Wide Guard, quick!" Raigo instructed. Honda then summoned a barrier, that blocked Rock Slide, "Alright, lets use Whirlwind!" Honda then swung its arms with much force, created a powerful wind that forced Onix back to its Pokeball, and replaced it with a fairly large, gray rhino like Pokemon. Like before, Lincoln took this opportunity to scan the new Pokemon.
"Rhyhorn, the Spikes Pokemon, a Ground and Rock Type. Rhyhorn's Tackle is powerful enough to topple a skyscraper. However, since it's brain is very small, it can sometimes forget why it was charging in the first place."
"But since Onix returned to its Pokeball, does that mean Rhyhorn is Brock's last Pokemon?" Lincoln asked.
"Afraid not. Whirlwind only swapped Onix out for Rhyhorn. Onix is still in the battle until its declared unable to battle," Misty explained.
"I see," Lincoln replied.
"Rhyhorn, use Stomp!" Brock instructed. Rhyhorn then charged at Honda, before stomping down on the Guts Pokemon, pinning it.
"Honda, quick! Use Bulk Up and get out of there!" Raigo instructed. Honda once again used Bulk Up and was able to throw Rhyhorn off, before getting back up. It was then that a bright light erupted from Honda, "I had a feeling you were close to evolving!" he commented, as Honda grew much larger, and looked more like a sumo wrestler, with large, three fingered hands.
"Whoa, another huge Pokemon!" Lincoln exclaimed, scanning the newly evolved Honda.
"Hariyama, the Arm Thrust Pokemon, a Fighting Type, and the evolved form of Makuhita. Although Hariyama looks fat, it's actually a thick layer of muscle. When it hunkers down, the muscles in its legs can be as hard as a rock."
"Alright Honda, lets show them your new power! Use Arm Thrust!" Raigo instructed. Honda then charged at Rhyhorn.
"Quick, use Rock Blast and aim for the feet!" Brock instructed. Rhyhorn then began to fire rocks at Honda's feet.
"Use Arm Thrust to block!" Raigo instructed. Honda began to hit back the rocks with Arm Thrust.
"Alright, now use Bulldoze!" Brock instructed. Rhyhorn then slammed down on the battlefield, sending shockwaves that seemed to stagger Honda's movement, "Now, use Double Edge!" Rhyhorn then began to glow in an orange color, before it slammed into Honda, sending it back on its back, completely exhausted.
"Hariyama us unable to battle, the winner is Rhyhorn!" Forrest declared, as Raigo recalled Honda.
"And just after it evolved too," Misty said.
"True, but don't forget that Raigo still has one more Pokemon he can use that hasn't been in battle yet, while Brock's two remaining Pokemon have taken considerable damage," Lincoln replied noting how exhausted Rhyhorn was beginning to look, as sparks flew off of it, "Hey, what's going on with Rhyhorn?" Lincoln asked.
"My guess is that it's taking the recoil damage from Double Edge. Some moves can damage your own Pokemon as well as your opponent's Pokemon," Misty explained.
"Alright, Skipper, you're up!" Raigo said, sending out Skipper. As soon as it landed on the battlefield, the Stealth Rock slammed into Skipper.
"Rhyhorn, we need to finish this up quickly, so use Rock Blast!" Brock instructed. Rhyhorn once again began to fire off rocks again.
"Quick, run and dodge!" Raigo instructed. Skipper quickly evaded each and every rock Rhyhorn had fired at it, getting in close.
"Quick, use Stomp!" Brock instructed.
"Don't think so! Skipper, use Water Gun!" Just as Rhyhorn was going to Stomp Skipper, the little Mudkip fired Water Gun, sending Rhyhorn flying into a nearby rock. Rhyhorn fell to exhaustion.
"Rhyhorn is unable to battle, the winner is Mudkip!" Forrest declared, as Brock recalled Rhyhorn.
"You're tough, Raigo. You've clearly done an excellent job in raising each of your Pokemon," Brock commented.
"Heh, thanks. Comes with the fact that I grew up on a Pokemon Ranch back in Lavaridge Town," Raigo replied.
"Well, you aren't the only one who's raised some excellent Pokemon. Now, time to end this! Onix, let's go!" Brock said, sending Onix out again.
"Alright Skipper, we need one more win, so let's do it! Use Mud Slap!" Raigo instructed. Skipper then swung it's tail across the ground, sending a big splash of mud at Onix's face.
"Gah, I can't see!" Onix roared.
"Onix, fire Dragon Breath at the ground directly in front of you!" Brock instructed. Onix did just that, firing Dragon Breath in front of it. However, Skipper was able to cleverly evade the attack.
"Alright Skipper, use Water Gun!" Raigo instructed. Skipper then fired off Water Gun. The attack damaged Onix, but at the same time, it also washed all the mud out of its eyes.
"Alright Onix, use Rock Slide!" Onix once again unleashed Rock Slide. Skipper did its best to evade, but was eventually buried under a pile of rocks. Forrest went over to check.
"Mudkip is unable to…" he was cut off when a bright light erupted from the rocks, as they burst apart. When the light died down, a new Pokemon was in place of where Skipper was at. It was now a bipedal form of Mudkip, except it was a lighter blue, the orange spikes on it's cheeks merged into one, and it's tail split in two.
"Skipper's finally evolved!" Raigo exclaimed.
"So that's what a Mudkip evolves into," Lincoln mused, as he pointed his Pokedex at the new Pokemon.
"Marshtomp, the Mud Fish Pokemon, a Water and Ground Type, and the evolved form of Mudkip. Marshtomp is much faster traveling through mud than it is at swimming. This Pokemon's hindquarters exhibit obvious development, giving it the ability to walk on it's hind legs," his Pokedex explained.
"Two evolutions in one battle isn't something that normally happens, but a battle is still a battle, and I still intend to win this. Now, Onix, use Double Edge!" Brock instructed. Onix then unleashed Double Edge on Marshtomp, who remained standing. Lincoln was puzzled when he saw that Onix wasn't feeling any recoil.
"Hang on, I thought Double Edge damages the user as well?" he asked.
"Information: Rock Head: An Ability that blocks recoil damage," his Pokedex explained.
"Alright Skipper, lets show them your new power with Mud Shot!" Raigo instructed. Skipper then began to fire off pellets of mud that were beginning to take their toll on Onix.
"Onix, before they have a chance to act, use Slam!" Brock instructed. Onix was gearing up for a Slam attack, but it was moving a lot slower.
"That's an added affect of Mud Shot. Sometimes it reduces the opponent's Speed. Now's our chance, Skipper! Use Water Gun!" Raigo instructed. Skipper once again fired off Water Gun. When the attack ended, Onix fell to defeat.
"Onix is unable to battle, the winner is Marshtomp, so the victor is Raigo of Lavaridge Town!" Forrest declared.
"Alright! We won, Skipper!" Raigo exclaimed, rushing over to hug his newly evolved Pokemon. Brock recalled Onix.
"You were just great out there Onix. Take a long rest," Brock said, as he went to grab a box from where he was standing when they got into the gym. He then returned to Raigo, "You battled excellently today. You should be proud of yourself and your Pokemon," he said.
"I am. Thank you for the great battle," Raigo said respectfully.
"It was my pleasure. And so, as proof that you've won at the Pewter City Gym, I hereby present you with the Boulder Badge, as well as a TM for the move Rock Tomb," Brock said, giving Raigo a small, rock shaped pin, and a gray colored USB stick.
"Thank you, Brock," Raigo said, as he placed his new badge into his badge case.
"You're most welcome," Brock replied, turning to Lincoln, "So, are you a challenger too?" Brock asked.
"Yes, I am. My name is Lincoln Loud. I come from Royal Woods, Michigan in the US," Lincoln replied.
"Ah, not often I get a challenge from a foreigner. If its all the same with you, could we have our battle tomorrow? I had another battle with another trainer before you guys arrived, and all of the Gym Pokemon are in need of some rest," Brock requested.
"That would work out perfectly. Gives me a little bit of time to train and strategize," Lincoln replied.
"Good. I look forward to our battle," Brock said, turning to his siblings, "Alright troops, time to get back to the house!" he said.
"Ok!" they all chimed, as they exited the gym battlefield.
"We should get going too. My Pokemon are wiped out from all that battling," Raigo commented.
"Right. We'll see you tomorrow, Brock," Lincoln said, as they exited the gym themselves, leaving Brock to go tend to his own Pokemon.
Lincoln:
Pikachu
Level: 16
Gender: Male
Ability: Static
Nature: Mild
Moves: Thundershock, Quick Attack, Tail Whip, Electro Ball
Fearow
Level: 23
Gender: Female
Ability: Sniper
Nature: Calm
Moves: Arieal Ace, Pursuit, Mirror Move, Leer, Fury Attack
Poliwag
Level: 15
Gender: Male
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Jolly
Moves: Water Gun, Water Sport, Hypnosis
Beedriil (Shiny)
Level: 13
Gender: Male
Ability: Shield Dust
Nature: Lax
Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot, Bug Bite, Harden
Pidgeotto
Level: 21
Gender: Female
Ability: Tangled Feet
Nature: Rash
Moves: Gust, Whirlwind, Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Tackle
Weedle (Only for Wonder Trading)
Caterpie (Only for Wonder Trading)
Misty
Staryu
Level:
Gender: None
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Careful
Moves (currently known): Water Gun, Rapid Spin
Poliwhirl
Level:
Gender: Male
Ability: Damp
Nature:
Moves:
? (Only for Wonder Trade)
? (Only for Wonder Trade)
? (Only for Wonder Trade)
Raigo:
Marshtomp
Nickname (Skipper)
Level: 23
Gender: Male
Ability: Torrent
Nature: Jolly
Moves: Tackle, Water Gun, Iron Tail, Mud Slap, Mud Shot
Taillow
Level: 18
Gender: Male
Ability: Guts
Nature: Relaxed
Moves: Peck, Focus Energy, Wing Attack, Steel Wing, Double Team, Boomburst (Egg Move)
Ralts
Level 17
Gender: Male
Ability: Trace
Nature: Calm
Moves: Confusion, Growl, Teleport, Double Team, Disarming Voice, Shadow Sneark (Egg Move)
Breloom
Nickname: Shroomer
Level: 25
Gender: Female
Ability: Effect Spore
Nature: Brave
Moves: Mach Punch, Leech Seed, Seed Bomb, Bullet Seed, Iron Tail
Hariyama
Nickname: Honda
Level: 24
Gender: Male
Ability: Guts
Nature: Relaxed
Moves: Whirlwind, Arm Thrust, Bulk Up, Wide Guard
Jessie:
Ekans
Gender: Female
Level: 16
Ability: Shed Skin
Nature: Naughty
Moves: Poison Sting, Leer
? (Only for Wonder Trading)
? (Only for Wonder Trading)
? (Only for Wonder Trading)
James
Koffing
Gender: Male
Level: 18
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Mild
Moves: Sludge, Smokescreen, Tackle, Poison Gas
Pidgey (Only for Wonder Trading)
? (Only for Wonder Trading)
I'm going to hold off on adding Brock's Pokemon List to the overall party list, and I'll keep the Pokemon he used in his battle with Raigo under a separate list under his name.
In the next chapter, Lincoln will have his time to shine in a Gym Battle, but not until after he helps his Pokemon Level up a considerable amount at the Battle Club