Kanto Gets Loud
Chapter 40: Dig Those Diglett!
Meanwhile, in the warehouse district of Vermillion City,
"Serves that brat right for messing with us for so long," James commented, as he and his cohorts were walking through the warehouse district.
"Yeah, but I thought I heard him accepting a rematch from that Surge guy in three days," Jessie replied.
"That he did, which doesn't bode well," Meowth commented.
"What do you mean?" James asked.
"Well, remember those surveillance drones we used to help spy on them? Well, they're wanting to see the St. Anne when it docks in port. And if the white haired brat doesn't win that gym badge, he may not leave Vermillion City until he does," Meowth explained.
"So?" James asked.
"So, if he and his friends don't leave Vermillion City, then they won't board the St. Anne," Meowth explained.
"That's right! And we need to make sure that they do board it. Remember what Proton said?" Jessie questioned, as they thought back to earlier in the day.
Earlier that day, half an hour before Lincoln and friends arrived in Vermillion City,
The three Rockets had just flown into Vermillion City, and landed in the warehouse district, "Ok, so, now that we're here, what's the plan?" Jessie asked.
"Well, for starters, we need to try and ambush the brat and his friends, and the best place to do that is the Vermillion Gym," Meowth replied.
"Good, so lets scope out the city and try to find it. Then we can make him pay for our humiliation," James said, as they began to move out, only to bump into someone.
"Hey, watch where you're… oh no, not you three!" the three Rockets paled upon seeing a teal haired man in a black Team Rocket Uniform.
"Uh, Mister Proton, sir! What are you doing here?" Jessie asked.
"I should be asking you three idiots that question. Why are you here instead of doing the assignment Giovanni gave you?" Proton demanded, glaring fiercely at them.
"W-Well, the American brat is on his way here to challenge the Vermillion Gym, and we thought we could ambush him there. Plus, he and his friends said they wanted to see the St. Anne," James explained. Proton's glare softened a little bit.
"Well, at least you three are actually using whatever's in those heads of yours. But rather than going through your ambush plan, I have something else in mind for you," Proton replied.
"What could that be then?" James asked.
"You see, Giovanni wants us to conduct a little raid aboard the St. Anne when it comes into port. This is a very carefully calculated operation. Therefore, we need to make sure that the American DOES board the ship," Proton replied. The three Rockets looked at him in bewilderment.
"You want that brat to be ON the ship?!" Jessie exclaimed.
"Of course. After all, according to the little bit of intel you've been providing the boss, he has quite a few rare Pokemon that could definitely fetch some high prices on the black market. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to have him board," Proton explained.
"So, you want us to ambush him on the ship, rather than at the gym?" Meowth asked.
"Precisely. Of course, you will still be doing recon work at the Gym to assess his Pokemon's strength. But before you do that, I'll need you three to sit through a little mission briefing video. Remember what said about this plan, how this is an important operation? Well, if you three wish to be a part of it, then you're going to need to learn what needs to be done, and how to do it. We're not going to take any chances of you three screwing up!" Proton said.
"Believe us, Proton, sir, we believe in giving only 100% effort to the glory of Team Rocket," Jessie replied.
"See to it that you also give 100% efficiency as well. Now, come along! We're burning daylight, which can be used to prepare for our operation," Proton said.
"If I may ask, when is the St. Anne supposed to dock?" James asked.
"It was originally scheduled for tomorrow, but a pod of Wailord is causing it to be delayed. According to our agents where the ship is now, it'll be three days before it docks into port," Proton replied.
Realtime,
"That's right! Proton wants us to make sure the brat is on board the St. Anne!" James exclaimed.
"Dat's right. And the kid's top priority now is earning that gym badge," Meowth replied.
"Which means if we want to move along with the plan, the brat needs to win the battle, even if we have to interfere," Jessie added.
"You mean actually helping the brat out?" Meowth asked.
"You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs," Jessie replied.
"As much as I hate the idea, Jessie is right. That brat deserves to have his Pokemon stolen during the raid, and we have to ensure that he's in the thick of it," James added.
"Well, I suppose if there's no other way to do it," Meowth relented.
The next morning,
Lincoln and friends were having breakfast in the Pokemon Center restaurant. All the while, Lincoln was contemplating how he was going to train up Pikachu for his rematch against the Lieutenant, "So, what's on the training agenda for today, Lincoln?" Leaf asked.
"Well, I was planning to take Pikachu and the rest of my Pokemon to the Battle Club to help train them up. Afterwards, I was planning to explore the surrounding Routes to try and catch some Pokemon," Lincoln replied.
"I see. Well, there are two Routes you can explore. Three if you count the Diglett Cave. There's Route 6, which is between Vermillion City and Saffron City, and Route 11, which is to the East of the city. Both Routes have plenty of wild Pokemon you can try to catch. And I think I remember hearing about one of them having something called a 'Battle Chateau'," Raigo replied.
"Ok, so what's a 'Battle Chateau'?" Lincoln asked.
"I've heard of that place! Supposedly, it originated in the Kalos Region, but much like the Battle Club, it's being internationalized. As for what it is, it's a place where trainer go to battle one another in the hopes of attaining a noble title," Leaf said, digging through her bag, "Hang on, I have a brochure," she said, before pulling it out, "Ah, here it is! Take a look," she said, handing it to Lincoln. Looking it over, the Battle Chateau looked like a castle. There were also pictures of trainers with different colored robes.
"Hmm, this place does look like a good place to train up my Pokemon. But could you shed some light on that 'noble title' thing?" Lincoln asked.
"Certainly. Noble titles are given as part of a ranking system they have. The more battles you win, the higher the title you get. All newbies start out as Barons or Baronesses. From there, you can achieve the ranks of Viscount / Viscountess, Earl / Countess, Marquis / Marchioness, Duke / Duchess, and the highest possible rank, Grand Duke / Grand Duchess," Leaf replied.
"Word on the street is that you can only battle trainers that are the same rank as you, and each higher rank you attain allows you to use more than one Pokemon," Raigo replied.
"Hmm, I think I will check that out. Which Route did you say it was one?" Lincoln asked, handing Leaf her brochure back.
"It says here that the Chateau is on Route 6," Leaf replied, looking it over.
"Ok, so we can head there after I do some training at the Battle Club," Lincoln proclaimed.
"We'll come with you, Lincoln. We'd like to get some training done ourselves," Misty replied.
"As you wish," Lincoln replied, as they continued breakfast.
Later, at the Battle Club,
"WHAT?! You're booked up with training sessions for the next few days?" Lincoln sounded disappointed when Don George told him that he couldn't help him train.
"Sorry, but we got a flood of trainers who want to get their Pokemon into shape, and we don't have any available spots open until next week," Don George replied, scratching the back of his head.
"Oh well, I guess it can't be helped," Lincoln replied, as he and his friends walked away.
"Well, that sucks. On the plus side, we can at least go check out one of the Routes," Raigo commented. Lincoln perked up a little bit.
"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Lincoln replied.
"So, which Route should we explore first?" Misty asked.
"Route 11 is the closest, so lets head over there first," Leaf suggested.
"Ok, then lets do that then," Lincoln replied, as they made their way through the streets once more. As they were walking, they ran into Ren, who looked to be out on a jog. The older boy took note of them.
"Hey guys, where are you off to?" he asked.
"Route 11, so we can do some training," Lincoln replied.
"I see. Now that you mention, I thought I saw a long line of buses heading that way too," Ren replied, scratching his chin in a thinking manner.
"Buses? Is there anything on Route 11?" Lincoln asked.
"Only thing I know of on Route 11 is Diglett Cave. Apart from that, there's not much to it," Brock replied.
"Well, actually, I remember seeing a flyer on the Pokemon Center bulletin board about a dam project being delayed, and they were calling in trainers from all over," Leaf commented.
"Well, it's worth investigating," Lincoln replied.
"Best of luck in whatever you need to do out there," Ren said, before jogging off again, leaving Lincoln and company to move on to the Route.
Later, on Route 11,
Route 11 was a massive, open field, which Lincoln was very impressed by, "Whoa, this field is huge," he commented.
"Yeah, and there's a lot of trainers and Pokemon situated on this Route, so you should be able to get in plenty of training," Raigo replied.
"Good to know, but for now, we should look into investigating that Dam Project," Lincoln replied, as they walked through the field. Taking a moment for a little heart-to-heart, Leaf walked closely to Misty.
"So, Misty, what's the deal with Lincoln and his family?" she asked. Misty furrowed her brow in annoyance.
"It's not really my place to say, but all I will say is that he didn't leave on good terms with them," Misty replied.
"It was that bad?" Leaf asked.
"'Bad' doesn't even begin to describe it. Now, I strongly urge you to drop it. It should be Lincoln to tell you," Misty replied.
"I understand," Leaf replied. Just then, they heard a loud booming sound, and a cloud of dust billowing up from some trees.
"That didn't sound good," Brock commented.
"We should go check it out," Lincoln suggested, as they all made their way to the source. They soon arrived, and saw several trucks carrying construction materials all overturned, or inside of fissures in the ground.
"What a wreck!" Misty exclaimed.
"This is terrible!" Brock added. While the five trainers were looking on at the wreckage, Pikachu heard something.
'Hmm? What could that be?' Pikachu wondered, as the trainers went to help out, as a construction worker got out of one of the trucks, before collapsed.
"ARCEUS DAMN IT! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" he screamed, punching the ground.
"Excuse us, but are you alright?" Lincoln asked.
"I'm fine physically, but just look at all of the materials we were bringing through!" the worker replied, motioning to the convoy of wrecked trucks, "It's all because of those blasted Diglett!"
"Wait, you're saying that Diglett caused all of this destruction?" Leaf asked in disbelief.
"Yes! And they're over there!" the worker replied, pointing to a clearing in the road where several brown mole like Pokemon with red noses were popping their heads in and out of the ground.
"Oh, how cute!" Misty gushed.
"So, you think they're cute, do you?!" the worker asked in outrage, causing Misty to flinch.
"Hmm, they don't look all that threatening," Lincoln commented, pulling out his Pokedex.
"Diglett, the Mole Pokemon, a Ground Type. It burrows underground at a shallow depth of one yard to feed on plant roots. It leaves upturned earth in it's wake that perfect for farming, so it's easy to spot," Dexter explained.
"Are you sure it's the Diglett? They're not exactly known for being aggressive Pokemon," Brock asked.
"Yes, I'm sure! Because of them, our dream project of the next Great Giva Dam is put on hold!" the foreman replied, pointing to what appeared to be a construction site. Some blasting was seen from some nearby cliffs.
"Is the blasting really a part of the construction?" Raigo asked.
"Yes, the blasting is part of the construction! But it's all for nothing because of those Diglett! They've caused so much trouble for us, that we've had to send out an urgent request for Pokemon Trainers to come and help get rid of them!" the foreman said.
"Oh, so that's what the flyer in the Pokemon Center was about!" Leaf put two and two together.
"Indeed! Are you among the trainers that we sent for?" the foreman desperately asked.
"Uh, well, we are trainers, but probably NOT part of the group you sent for. But we will lend a hand any way we can," Lincoln replied.
"Why bother?" a snide voice asked, much to the annoyance of Lincoln, Brock, Misty, and Leaf, who turned to see none other than Gary Oak, in his convertible with his cheerleader squad. Behind them was a fleet of buses, "Gary Oak is here as part of your Diglett extermination squad! The rest of the trainers you sent for are in these buses," he said.
"Gary, of course," Leaf groaned, rolling her eyes.
"You know this guy?" Raigo asked.
"Unfortunately. He's an egotistical trainer who thinks he's hot stuff just because his grandfather is Professor Oak," Leaf replied.
"'Egotistical'? Not at all. I'm just a guy who knows what he's doing naturally," Gary boasted.
'Ego!' Lincoln, Misty, Brock, Pikachu and Leaf all sang in their heads.
"Can we please get back to the fact that we need all the trainers we can get to help get rid of these vile Diglett?!" the foreman pleaded.
"Oh, right! Please, lead the way for us," Gary said, as he got back into his car, along with his cheerleaders and the foreman, before driving along the road, followed by the buses.
"Should we help them?" Lincoln asked.
"Might as well, since we're here," Misty replied, as they followed after the convoy.
"Lincoln, I need to tell you something," Pikachu said.
"What is it, Pikachu?" Lincoln asked.
Later, at the Giva Dam construction site,
"We greatly appreciate all of you talented Pokemon Trainers interrupting your journeys to come here and help us get rid of the Diglett!" the foreman said through a megaphone. Lincoln and friends were in the dead center of the crowd, looking around.
"Man, there are lot of trainers here," Lincoln commented.
"You! The white-haired boy with the Pikachu! Listen with your ears, not your mouth!" the foreman yelled, causing Lincoln to flinch, "Now then, please direct your attention to the poster behind me!" he said, as a massive poster with a Diglett with a "no" symbol across it was unfurled, "This is the sworn enemy of this glorious construction project, the greatest, most dastardly bug Pokemon in existence!"
"Hold up!" Gary called out from the crowd, "If I may, Diglett are not actually bug Pokemon. They're classified as 'Mole Pokemon', and are Ground Types. In addition, they're among the smallest Pokemon ever recorded, coming in at an average height of only 8 inches, and weighing only 2 pounds. Therefore, they're hardly worth being called the 'greatest' anything."
"Know it all," Lincoln grumbled under his breath.
"That may be true, but in groups, they are able to destroy just about anything. Which is why I have called upon all of you trainers to assist us! And we are ready to compensate you for your troubles. The reward is a six-night, seven-day stay at the famous Giva Hot Springs Resort," the foreman explained. This got several interested murmurs from the crowd. Raigo was the only one who wasn't impressed.
"Are you not interested, Raigo?" Misty asked.
"Not really. I come from the hot springs town of Lavaridge Town, so when you see one hot springs resort, you've seen them all," Raigo replied. Meanwhile, up on a nearby cliff, a certain trio was watching over the crowd.
"Did you hear that, James?" Jessie asked.
"Yes I did. And this could be a golden opportunity for us to have a much needed vacation," James replied.
"And all we have to do is get rid of the Diglett, and it's a week-long vacay at that hot springs resort," Jessie gushed.
"If that's all it takes, then I'll be sure to get rid of those Diglett!" James proudly proclaimed.
"Now remember, James, we're a team," Jessie reminded.
"That's right, and that team is…"
"TEAM ROCKET!" both partners proclaimed, striking a pose, while Meowth watched them.
"I'm wondering if it's not too late to transfer to a less embarrassing team," he commented. Back down at the crowd, they all heard a noise coming from behind them.
"They're here!" the foreman yelled, as Diglett began sprouting up from the ground. Some even burrowed towards the buses, causing the ground beneath them to cave in.
"Time to go to work!" Gary proclaimed.
"GARY DOESN'T DIG THOSE DIGLETT!" Gary's cheerleaders cheered.
"Alright, time to use a Pokemon most suitable for battling underground Pokemon! Go!" Gary said, throwing a Pokeball. The Pokeball opened and a flash of light began to emerge, only for it to turn red, and the ball shutting once more, "What?!" Gary exclaimed, as the Pokeball fell to the ground.
"Weird. Is something like that normal?" Lincoln asked.
"It's the first I've ever seen of it," Brock replied, as a Diglett returned Gary's Pokeball.
"Oh, thanks," he said, accepting his Pokeball back, before remembering something, "WAIT A MINUTE!" he yelled, before composing himself, "Alright, in that case, I'll just use my ace Pokemon!" he said, tossing another Pokeball. Like before, the Pokemon inside wouldn't come out, "Alright, I'll just use every Pokemon I have!"
"Will someone please stop the Diglett already?!" the foreman pleaded. Every trainer there began throwing their Pokeballs, resulting in a massive pile, which the Diglett slowly returned.
"Well, at least their polite," Misty commented.
"Not to mention, unstoppable," Brock added.
"Well, what are WE waiting for? Lets try to send out our Pokemon!" Raigo suggested, as he, Leaf, Misty, and Brock all readied their Pokeballs.
"ALRIGHT, GO!" they yelled.
"No! Don't do it!" Pikachu intervened.
"We can't stop now!" Misty said, just after the four of them threw their Pokeballs. Much like all the other trainer's Pokeballs, none of their Pokemon came out. The Diglett then promptly returned their Pokeballs.
"I don't get what's going on," Leaf commented, retrieving her Pokeball.
"Isn't it obvious?" Gary asked, getting everyone's attention, "For some reason, the Pokemon don't want to battle the Diglett," he explained, as he and the others heard the sound of something pounding the ground. Looking over, they saw the foreman, trying to smash the Diglett with a hammer, only for the Mole Pokemon to retreat underground immediately.
"Blast… you… Diglett!" he said, with each swing of the hammer.
"That won't work. Diglett can pull their heads back into the ground at speeds of 186, 282 miles per second," Gary pointed out.
"What's that?" Lincoln asked.
"The speed of light. Diglett aren't very strong, but they are fast," Gary replied. Then, Lincoln got an idea.
"I think I know what to do," Lincoln commented.
"What's your plan?" Raigo asked.
"Well, the Pokemon won't come out of their Pokeballs to battle the Diglett, right? But what if they were brought out to talk to the Diglett?" Lincoln asked. His friends got where he was going with this.
"Well, it's worth a try," Misty replied. Lincoln then readied his five Pokeballs.
"Alright guys, come out and help talk to the Diglett!" he said, tossing his Pokeballs. Unlike all the others, his team, consisting of Aizami, Spirit, Beedrill, Zubat and Clefairy, all materialized, "I need the six of you to try and coax the Diglett up above ground long enough to have a talk."
"Sure thing," Pikachu replied, as he and his teammates went to talk things out with Diglett.
"So, you're sending in your Pokemon as diplomats?" a trainer asked.
"Pretty much. I figured since battling was a no go, then talking would be our best bet," Lincoln replied.
Meanwhile, up on the cliff with Team Rocket,
"Did you see the size of that pile?!" Jessie asked.
"I did! There must've been hundreds of Pokeballs!" Meowth replied.
"In that case, we should try to… oh forget it," James said, turning away from the sight.
"James? What's wrong?" Jessie asked.
"Think about it, Jessie. We couldn't possibly battle that many trainers, not when we have are…"
"My Ekans, Smoochum, Wynaut, and Spinarak."
"And my Koffing, Rockruff, and Timburr."
"Even though we have a somewhat diverse team, sending them out against a horde like that wouldn't end well," Jessie commented, slumping down.
"Then we need to go to Plan B," Meowth replied.
"You're right! It's now or never!" Jessie said, getting back to her feet, clenching her fist.
"It's time for the principle of induced evolution!" James proclaimed.
Back down in the valley,
It didn't take long for Lincoln's Pokemon to come back, "Lincoln, the Diglett want to speak with you directly," Pikachu said.
"Thanks for the assist you guys," Lincoln said, as he was brought over to the Diglett.
"So, how's he going to talk to them?" one trainer asked.
"You may find it hard to believe, but Lincoln has the ability to talk to Pokemon, and understand what they're saying," Brock replied.
"He knows what Pokemon are saying? Is something like that possible?" another trainer asked.
"I've heard rumors about some people like that, but it all seemed ludicrous, so I never believed any of them," another trainer replied. Lincoln then returned.
"So, what's the good word, Lincoln?" Raigo asked.
"According to the Diglett, the Giva Dam project is the one causing problems," Lincoln replied.
"WHAT?!" the trainers all yelled.
"Well, it doesn't matter much to me. If our Pokemon won't battle, then there's no reason for me to even be here. So I'm going to continue my journey where I left off from," Gary said, as he and his cheerleaders got into his car, and drove off. One by one, the rest of the trainers followed suit, leaving Lincoln and friends and the foreman.
Later that night,
"So, now we know why both sides of this argument are against each other. But the question we need to ask is 'why are the Diglett so against the Giva Dam?'" Lincoln commented, as he and his friends were relaxing in a hot springs bath.
"Remember what I said about Diglett, and how they aren't really aggressive Pokemon. They have to have some ulterior motive," Brock replied.
"It could have something to do with why the Pokemon refused to come out of their Pokeballs to battle," Misty added.
"I've heard that Diglett have a special ability called 'Arena Trap', but that only to keep Pokemon from switching out, not from going into battle," Raigo pointed out.
"Lincoln, when you were talking to the Diglett, did they say why they were trying to stop the project?" Leaf asked. Lincoln shook his head.
"Afraid not. All they said was that the dam needed to be stopped," he replied. Just then, several Diglett began to pop up from behind the surrounding rocks, "Ah! Digletts!" he exclaimed, as he and the others stood up.
"Humans, if you wish to know the truth, then follow us," a Diglett said, before they moved out.
"The Diglett want us to follow them," Lincoln said.
"Uh, should we go get dressed first?" Brock asked.
Back with Team Rocket,
In a flash of light, Koffing, Timburr, and Rockruff, who was behaving rather aggressively, emerged, "Hmmph, some 'principle of induced evolution,'" James commented.
"Lets see here," Jessie said, as she was reading a book, "According to this, some Pokemon require a certain level of experience before they can successfully evolve."
"That's good to know, considering our experience is nothing but failure," James replied.
"And there's something else to think about. We've had Ekans and Koffing the longest out of all our Pokemon. And when they evolve, they'll become entirely different Pokemon," Jessie pointed out.
"That's true, and we've slowly been getting to know the new Pokemon we had gotten from our first Wonder Trade," James added.
"And I want my little Smoochie to stay as cute as she is now!" Jessie exclaimed, as she and James embraced their Pokemon, with a single tear drop falling onto each of them, which caused all but Koffing and Smoochum to begin glowing brightly and change shape, "What's this?!"
"Was it something we said?" James asked.
"Nope. Their time to evolve just happened to be now," Meowth replied. Smoochum simply rolled her eyes.
Back with Lincoln and friends,
The five trainers were following a long precession of Diglett, who were each carrying a branch, "What could these Diglett be up to?" Raigo asked.
"There must be something further up ahead," Lincoln replied, as they continued following the Diglett. Soon, they arrived at a lush valley, where many more Diglett, and Pokemon that looked like a cluster of three Diglett were tilling the earth, and planting the branches that were being brought in.
"You see, this is why the Diglett were messing with the dam construction," Pikachu pointed out.
"So many Diglett and Dugtrio!" Leaf exclaimed.
"'Dugtrio'?" Lincoln parroted, pulling out his Pokedex.
"Dugtrio, the Mole Pokemon, a Ground Type, and the evolved form of Diglett. A team of Diglett triplets. It triggers huge earthquakes by burrowing 60 miles underground. The three heads move alternatively, as a means to drive through tough soil," Dexter explained.
"Now it all makes sense! The Diglett Cave is only ONE place that Diglett and Dugtrio can be found, but this whole valley must be their other home!" Brock declared.
"'Their home'?" Lincoln asked.
"Yeah. The Diglett and Dugtrio work and live here. The Dugtrio plow the ground, while the Diglett plant the trees! And not just here. This whole area must be their backyard!" Brock explained.
"So, all of this was made by the Diglett?" Lincoln asked.
"Yeah, probably. And just here; all the forests in regions around the world might be gardens made by the Diglett," Misty replied.
"And if we complete the dam, this whole mountain pass would be completely submerged in water! Nothing would be able to live here anymore!" the foreman said, realizing why the Diglett were causing so much trouble, as mental images of the forest and the Pokemon living there getting washed away entered their minds.
"Now I get why the Pokemon didn't want to battle! They must've realized the damage the dam would've caused before any of us did," Raigo commented.
"Guess that means we humans still have a lot more to learn about how Pokemon think and feel, right Lincoln?" Brock asked.
"Without question," Lincoln replied.
"I'm calling off the whole project. I won't allow it continue, not after seeing the truth," the foreman said.
"Well, all's well that ends well," Lincoln commented.
"Who said this was the end?" a familiar voice said, as Team Rocket appeared from on top of a tree branch, "To protect the world from devastation!" Jessie recited.
"To unite all people within our nation!" James continued.
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!" both of them leapt down from the branch.
"Jessie!"
"And James!" Meowth then jumped into the picture.
"They know the rest," he said, causing both of his cohorts to stumble.
"Man, what's Team Rocket doing here of all places?" Lincoln questioned.
"Like you don't know, brat! We're still out for revenge for how you and your friends screwed up our Viridian City heist!" Jessie proclaimed.
"Seriously? Man, people can NOT let go of a petty grudge! Especially when they have no business having one," Lincoln commented.
"Keep talking big, twerp! We're not the same bunch of clowns you've been pushing around!" James countered.
"What are you talking about?" Misty asked.
"Just see for yourselves! Our team has grown much stronger since the last time we tussled! Ekans, Wynaut and Spinarak have evolved into Arbok, Wobbufet, and Ariados!" Jessie replied, sending out her Pokemon, which consisted of Smoochum, a large purple cobra Pokemon with a scary looking face pattern, a blue blobby like Pokemon with a black tail, and a large, red spider like Pokemon.
"And as for me, Rockruff and Timburr have both evolved into Lycanroc and Gurdurr!" James said, sending out his Pokemon, which consisted of Koffing, a red werewolf like Pokemon, and a muscular humanoid Pokemon carrying a large metal girder.
"Whoa, who are those Pokemon?" Lincoln questioned, getting out his Pokedex, as did Leaf.
"Arbok, the Cobra Pokemon, a Poison Type, and the evolved form of Ekans. After stunning it's opponents with it's belly pattern, it then proceeds to constrict them, and waits until they stop moving.
Wobuffet, the Patient Pokemon, a Psychic Type, and the evolved form of Wynaut. It lives in dark caves to keep its pitch-black tail hidden. It is never first to attack.
Ariados, the Long Leg Pokemon, a Bug and Poison Type, and the evolved form of Spinarak. Although its thread is used to wrap up prey, it can also be used to make clothing. The resulting clothing is known for its strength," Dexter explained.
"Lycanroc, Midnight Form, the Wolf Pokemon, a Rock Type, and the evolved form of Rockruff. The more intimidating the opponent is, the more its blood boils. It attacks with little regard for its own safety.
Gurdurr, the Muscular Pokemon, a Fighting Type, and the evolved form of Timburr, Gurdurr excels in demolition – construction is not it's forte. In any case, there's something to be said about the way it wields it's massive steel beam," Leaf's Pokedex said.
"Tsk, I'd rather not waste any time battling these clowns, but I guess it can't be helped. Alright, come out! Aizami, Spirit, and Zubat! Pikachu, you get in there too!" Lincoln said, as his four Pokémon readied themselves for battle.
"I'll help out too! Skipper, you're up!" Raigo said, sending out a large, blue amphibian like Pokemon with large orange spikes on each of it's cheeks, and two large fins on top of its head.
"Whoa, is that really Skipper?" Lincoln asked.
"Yep. Since the last time we met, Skipper evolved into a Swampert," Raigo replied.
"Whoa, too cool!" Lincoln commented, pointing his Pokedex at the newly evolved Skipper.
"Swampert, the Mud Fish Pokemon, a Water and Ground Type, and the evolved form of Marshtomp. Boasting incredible strength, Swampert can easily drag boulders weighing more than a ton. It has powerful vision that allows it to see even in the murkiest of waters," Dexter explained.
"Alright, you got your lessons in Pokemon, now can we get to the battle already?!" Meowth demanded.
"With pleasure! Arbok, Ariados, double Poison Sting!" Jessie ordered. Both of her Pokemon began firing Poison Sting at the opposing Pokemon.
"Quick, Aizami, use Vine Whip and knock them down!" Lincoln instructed.
"Skipper, use Mud Shot!" Raigo instructed.
"With pleasure!" Aizami replied, as he used his vines to whip away half of the Poison Stings.
"Right away, sir!" Skipper added, firing Mud Shot at the remaining Poison Stings, while sending a few more bullets at the remaining Pokemon.
"Wobuffet, do something!" Jessie ordered. Wobuffet then began glowing yellow, as it tanked the Mud Shot, before sending it back with even more force, hitting Skipper, Aizami, and Spirit, each of whom were still standing, but barely.
"That was Mirror Coat! Mud Shot got sent back with twice the original force!" Brock called out.
"We need to be careful with Wobuffet," Lincoln commented.
"Lycanroc, use Rock Throw!" James ordered. Lycanroc then summoned several rocks, and began hurling them at the opposing Pokemon, striking Pikachu, Spirit, and grazing Zubat, who seemed to take the most amount of damage, "Alright, now Gurdurr, use Slam!" Gurdurr swung its metal beam, slamming it into Skipper, who caught the weaponized object.
"Quick Pikachu, use Thunder Shock while Gurdurr is in place!" Lincoln instructed. Pikachu then fired off Thunder Shock, electrocuting Gurdurr, "Ok Zubat, now use Steel Wing on Koffing!" Zubat then swooped down at Koffing, striking it with metallic wings, and slamming it into a tree.
"Smoochum, deary, could you please use Powder Snow and knock that Zubat out of the sky?" Jessie asked. Smoochum then fired off the icy cold attack, causing Zubat to stagger a bit, "Nicely done! Now Ariados, use Night Shade!" Ariados was getting ready to fire off Night Shade, when the ground beneath it and the other Pokemon caved in. The sound of fighting was heard, before they were all thrown out, battered and beaten. Soon after, several Diglett and Dugtrio surfaced, and they didn't look too happy.
"HUMANS, YOU HAVE DISTURBED OUR PEACE! LEAVE AT ONCE!" they all yelled, as they gathered dirt into a giant tidal wave.
"Run away?" James suggested.
"RUN AWAY!" Jessie and Meowth agreed, before they all got swallowed up by the tidal wave, and were carried through the forest.
"Whoa, actually, this is kind of nice," Jessie commented.
"Surfs up!" James joked.
"Hey, what's that up ahead?" Meowth asked. His cohort's good mood quickly turned sour, upon seeing…
"THE DAM!" Jessie screamed, as they crashed into the construction site, completely destroying it.
"Boy, those guys never catch a break," Lincoln commented.
"And they never learn their lesson," Misty added.
"Not like me. I most certainly have learned my lesson," the foreman said.
"And I thought of a great idea I can do for my rematch against Surge. All I need to do is teach Pikachu Dig," Lincoln commented.
"Makes sense to me. Dig is a move that Pikachu can learn, and it's a Ground Type Move, so it'll be perfect for an Electric Type Gym battle," Brock replied.
"If it's Dig you want to teach your Pokemon, then take this," the foreman said, handing Lincoln a brown colored TM, "Our construction company has more than enough of those Dig TMs than we know what to do with."
"Thank you, sir," Lincoln replied.
"You're most welcome. Now if you'll excuse me, I must inform the company about this development," the foreman said, returning to the construction site. No sooner than he left, Zubat began to glow brightly, and it grew larger.
"Zubat, you're evolving!" Lincoln exclaimed, as the light died off, revealing the newly evolved Bat Pokemon. Zubat now had larger wings, and a wide, gaping mouth.
"Nice! Your Zubat has evolved into Golbat!" Brock exclaimed.
"So that's Golbat," Lincoln commented, pointing his Pokedex at his newly evolved Pokemon.
"Golbat, the Bat Pokemon, a Poison and Flying Type, and the evolved form of Zubat. It loves to drink the blood of others. If it finds another Golbat going hungry, it might share some of the blood it has gathered," Dexter explained.
"Just like a vampire bat," Lincoln commented, walking up to Golbat, "How are you feeling?"
"Fang-tastic! I didn't realize I was so close to evolving," Golbat replied.
"That's good to hear. Let's keep working hard, alright?" Lincoln asked.
"I'm with you all the way, Lincoln," Golbat replied.
"As are we," Aizami added.
"Thanks you guys," Lincoln replied.
"Hey, I think I see the entrance to Diglett Tunnel! Want to go explore?" Raigo suggested.
"Maybe tomorrow. It's rather late, and our Pokemon just had an intense battle," Lincoln replied, noticing how tuckered out the Pokemon were from the battle. Just then, some Diglett and Dugtrio came up to them with a bunch of large, yellow berries.
"As thanks for helping to protect our home, please accept some of our Sitrus Berry crop," a Dugtrio said.
"These Diglett and Dugtrio are giving us these berries," Lincoln said, as he accepted the berries.
"Those are Sitrus Berries, Lincoln. Giving them to our Pokemon will help replenish their strength," Raigo said, taking one of the berries, and giving it to Skipper.
"Are there really berries like that?" Lincoln asked, handing out the berries to his Pokemon.
"There are tons of berries in the world of Pokemon. Sitrus Berries are just one type. Some berries can be used to heal certain status ailments, such as paralysis or poison, or to help replenish energy. There are also quite a few that don't do anything, but are used in cooking, primarily in a type of candy and biscuit Pokemon eat called 'Pokeblock' or 'Poffins'," Leaf explained.
"I've heard of those. They're used by coordinators to help enhance the qualities of their Pokemon for Contests," Brock replied.
"'Coordinators'? 'Contests'?" Lincoln asked.
"Right. For some people, there's more to Pokemon than just battling. Coordinators enter their Pokemon in Contests to show off how well they've raised their Pokemon by using their Pokemon's moves in as flashy a way as possible," Raigo explained.
"It's best to think of them like pet shows for Pokemon," Brock added.
"Hmm, that does sound interesting," Lincoln commented.
"I've heard that there's a Water Type Pokemon called 'Feebas' whose evolution is dependent on how high it's Beauty stats is," Misty added.
"But can Pokemon use berries in battle?" Lincoln asked.
"There's no rule I've ever heard of such a thing. In fact, some trainers often give their Pokemon either Oran Berries or Sitrus Berries so that they can heal up mid battle," Brock replied. Then, Lincoln got another idea.
"Maybe I can use that in my rematch," he mused.
"You can think about different ways to win your rematch all you want, but for now, I just want to go to bed," Misty said, as they made their way back to the lodge.
Lincoln:
Pikachu
Level: 28
Gender: Male
Ability: Static
Nature: Mild
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Thundershock, Quick Attack, Electro Ball, Protect, Thunder Punch, Iron Tail, Volt Tail (Hybrid Move), Thunder Wave
Bulbasaur
Level: 21
Nickname: Aizami
Gender: Male
Ability: Overgrow
Nature: Serious
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Tackle, Razor Leaf, Sleep Powder, Vine Whip, Protect
Beedriil (Shiny)
Level: 22
Gender: Male
Ability: Shield Dust
Nature: Lax
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot, Bug Bite, Harden, U-Turn, Protect
Golbat
Level: 22
Gender: Male
Ability: Inner Focus
Nature: Quirky
Pokeball: Friend Ball
Moves: Absorb, Bite, Wing Attack, Astonish, Supersonic, Giga Drain (Egg Move), Protect
Clefairy
Level: 21
Gender: Female
Ability: Magic Guard
Nature: Calm
Pokeball: Moon Ball
Moves: Metronome, Double Slap, Defense Curl, Sing, Encore, Disarming Voice
Trapinch
Nickname: Spirit
Level: 29
Gender: Male
Ability: Arena Trap
Nature: Lax
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Bite, Bide, Mud Slap, Dig, Sand Tomb, Rock Slide, Focus Energy (Egg Move)
Charmeleon (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Nickname: Inferna
Level: 19
Gender: Female
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Naïve
Pokeball: Level Ball
Moves: Ember, Metal Claw (Egg Move), Smokescreen, Growl, Protect, Thunder Punch
Kirlia (Shiny) (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 24
Gender: Female
Ability: Synchronize
Nature: Timid
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Growl, Teleport, Confusion, Disarming Voice, Double Team, Misty Terrain (Egg Move), Protect, Thunder Punch, Psybeam
Poliwag (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 20
Gender: Male
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Jolly
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Water Gun, Water Sport, Hypnosis, Protect, Water Pulse
Sandshrew: (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Nickname: Andrea
Level: 23
Gender: Female
Ability: Sand Veil
Nature: Calm
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Poison Sting, Defense Curl, Rapid Spin, Fury Cutter, Magnitude, Metal Claw (Egg Move)
Riolu (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 20
Gender: Male
Ability: Inner Focus
Nature: Quirky
Pokeball: Luxury Ball
Moves: Quick Attack, Counter, Metal Claw, Endure, Vacuum Wave (Egg Move), Protect, Thunder Punch
Squirtle (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Nickname: Raphael
Level: 15
Gender: Male
Ability: Rain Dish
Nature: Rash
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Tackle, Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Gun, Aqua Jet (Egg Move)
Pidgeotto (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 24
Gender: Female
Ability: Tangled Feet
Nature: Rash
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Gust, Whirlwind, Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Tackle, Steel Wing, Twister, Protect
Goomy (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 26
Gender: Female
Ability: Hydration
Nature: Calm
Pokeball: Nest Ball
Moves: Tackle, Bubble, Absorb, Bide, Protect, Poison Tail (Egg Move)
Fearow (At Professor Oak's)
Level: 25
Gender: Female
Ability: Sniper
Nature: Calm
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Arieal Ace, Pursuit, Mirror Move, Leer, Fury Attack, Steel Wing
Cleffa (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 12
Gender: Male
Ability: Cute Charm
Nature: Jolly
Pokeball: Moon Ball
Moves: Metronome (Egg Move), Pound, Sing Encore, Charm
Clefable (Shiny)(At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 25
Gender: Female
Ability: Magic Guard
Nature: Graceful
Pokeball: Moon Ball
Moves: (Known so far): Metronome, Double Slap, Follow Me, Minimize, Disarming Voice
Steenee (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Nickname: Queeny
Level: 23
Gender: Female
Ability: Leaf Guard
Nature: Calm
Pokeball: Friend Ball
Moves: Sweet Scent, Razor Leaf, Rapid Spin, Splash, Play Nice, Grass Whistle (Egg Move)
Meowth (Galar Form) (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 24
Gender: Male
Ability: Tough Claws
Nature: Wild
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Scratch, Hone Claws, Pay Day, Metal Claw, Taunt, Night Slash (Egg Move)
Meowth (Alola Form)(At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 18
Gender: Male
Ability: Pickup
Nature: Bold
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Scratch, Fury Swipes, Screech, Bite, Fake Out, Hypnosis (Egg Move)
Meowth (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 22
Gender: Female
Ability: Pickup
Nature: Naughty
Pokeball: Great Ball
Moves: Taunt, Fake Out, Fury Swipes, Feint Attack, Fling(?), Theif, Covet (Egg Move)
Misty
Starmie
Level: 21
Gender: None
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Careful
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves (currently known): Water Gun, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse
Poliwhirl
Level: 28
Gender: Male
Ability: Damp
Nature: Bold
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Water Pulse, Mega Punch, Water Gun,
Gyarados (At the Cerulean Gym)
Level: 22
Gender: Male
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Rash
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Dragon Dance, Twister, Ice Fang, Aqua Tail
Buizel
Level: 22
Gender: Male
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Careful
Pokeball: Net Ball
Moves: Water Pulse, Water Gun, Quick Attack, Water Sport, Growl, Sonic Boom
Skrelp
Level: 24
Gender: Female
Ability: Poison Point
Nature: Hardy
Pokeball: Lure Ball
Moves: Water Pulse, Bubble, Acid, Camouflage, Smokescreen, Tail Whip, Toxic Spikes (Egg Move)
Dewpider
Level: 23
Gender Male
Ability: Water Absorb (Hidden Ability)
Nature: Lazy
Pokeball: Dive Ball
Moves: Icy Wind, Bubblebeam, Protect Bug Bite, Spider Web, Water Sport
Squirtle
Level: 18
Gender: Male
Ability: Torrent
Nature: Bold
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Tackle, Withdraw, Bite, Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Mirror Coat (Egg Move)
Krabby (At Cerulean Gym)
Level: 16
Gender: Male
Ability: Hyper Cutter
Nature: Lax
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Water Gun, Leer, Harden, Metal Claw, Mud Shot, Protect, Ancient Power (Egg Move)
Brock:
Main Party:
Geodude
Level: 19
Gender: Male
Ability: Sturdy
Nature: Hardy
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Defense Curl, Rollout, Tackle, Rock Polish, Rock Tomb
Onix:
Level: 22
Gender: Male
Ability: Rock Head
Nature: Graceful
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Bind, Tackle, Rock Tomb, Dragon Breath, Stealth Rock, Head Smash (Egg Move)
Bronzor
Gender: N/A
Level: 27
Ability: Heatproof
Nature: Hardy
Pokeball: Dusk Ball
Moves: Tackle, Confusion, Psywave, Iron Defense, Hypnosis, Feint Attack
Budew
Gender: Female
Level: 22
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Docile
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Absorb, Growth, Worry Seed, Water Sport, Mega Drain, Stun Spore, Extrasensory (Egg Move)