Chapter 18:

The Isle of Armor

Location: Wedgehurst Station

I got into the Corviknight Taxi. I should mention that I put my Slowpoke in the PC before heading out; I wanted to catch something new in the Isle of Armor.

"Good luck," Hop told me. "Remember, Mustard is a bit tough."

"Tough is what I need," I replied. "Leon didn't become the strongest in Galar because he was taught by someone soft. I've got this!"

"Sure thing!" Hop replied.

With that, Corviknight flew off towards a new adventure…

Galar Mainland – Isle of Armor

Location: Fields of Honor

I exited the Isle of Armor station and into the beach and blinding sunlight.

"Wow!" I said. I looked around at the pristine blue ocean. I could see a Dojo, which looked like a building found in Johto in the distance and a giant Wailord out at sea.

Wailord (ホエルオー)

#357 (Mainland)/#191 (Isle of Armor)

Water Type

Float Whale Pokémon

47'07" (14.5 m)

877.4 lbs (398 kg)

Its immense size is the reason for its popularity. Wailord watching is a favourite sightseeing activity in various parts of the world.

Wailmer -Lv 40- Wailord

"Well that one is found on the mainland," I said. "Or sea I suppose. What about…" I then saw a brown Pokémon with yellow-fluffy ears. "Aww! It's a Buneary! So cute!"

Buneary (ミミロル)

#004 (Isle of Armor)

Normal Type

Rabbit Pokémon

1'04" (0.4 m)

12.1 lbs (5.5 kg)

If both of Buneary's ears are rolled up, something is wrong with its body or mind. It's a sure sight the Pokémon is in need of care.

It was hopping about though, so I highly doubted there was a problem.

"I'm finally here," I said. "I suppose I should head towards the Dojo."

"Well look who's decided to show up!" I saw Klara and Avery walk towards me.

"Hey guys!" I said. "You ready to train?"

"Let's see," Avery said. "I think first, we need to see if you are worthy of being in Mustard's Class."

"Worthy?" I asked. "Do you mean what I think you mean?"

Avery nodded. "Yes. I predict we will have a two on two battle…"

"Wait!" Klara said. "I want to go first!"

"Hold on," I said. "Avery was the one who challenged me beforehand, so I'll do it…"

"NOW!" Avery shouted.

Gloria Vs. Avery

"I choose Abra!" Avery shouted.

Abra (ケーシィ)

#031 (Isle of Armor)

Psychic Type

Psi Pokémon

2'11" (0.9 m)

43 lbs (19.5 kg)

Abra can teleport in its sleep. Apparently, the more deeply Abra sleeps, the farther its teleportations go.

"And I choose Lombre!" I replied.

"Abra, Confusion attack!" Abra made Lombre a bit dizzy.

"Lombre, come back with Bubble Beam!" Lombre shot bubbles at Abra. It was a Critical Hit!

"Now Abra, Shock Wave!" Abra fired electricity at Lombre.

"Astonish!" Lombre scared Abra for Super Effective damage.

"Shock Wave again!" Abra hit Lombre, and it was knocked out.

"Uh oh," I said. "Okay Liepard, you're up!" Liepard came out, used Fake Out and beat Abra.

"You are good! Slowpoke, go!" Out came Avery's Slowpoke.

"Liepard, Assurance!" Liepard hit Slowpoke with a Super Effective Dark Type move.

"Come back with Acid!" Slowpoke hit Liepard with some poisonous liquid.

"Finish with Assurance!" Liepard did just that.

"No!" Avery said.

"Wait…" I said. "I thought you can only teleport. How did you predict?"

"I didn't…" Avery said. "I'm such a disgrace!"

"Hold on!" I said. "Where did you-"

"Wait a sec!" Klara said. "You were going to battle me next!"

"Some things are more important than a battle!" I replied. I walked over to Avery, who was standing in front of the ocean. "Is… everything alright? That was an immature way to take a loss."

"It's… not that…" Avery replied. "No. I'm fine now. You ready to have a match with Klara now?"

"Yes you do!" Klara said.

"Let's do it then!" I shouted.

Gloria Vs. Klara

"I choose Venipede!" Klara shouted.

Venipede (フシデ)

#074 (Isle of Armor)

Bug/Poison Type

Centipede Pokémon

1'04" (0.4 m)

11.7 lbs (5.3 kg)

Venipede and Sizzlipede are similar species, but when the two meet, a huge fight ensues.

"Go Raboot!" I shouted. "Use Flame Charge!" Raboot set itself ablaze and charged into Venipede. It almost went down.

"Now use Poison Tail!" Venipede's tail started glowing, and it struck Raboot with it. Raboot was poisoned in the process.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Raboot dashed into Venipede, knocking it out.

"Urgh! Okay Slowpoke, I choose you!" Out came Klara's Slowpoke.

"Raboot, Flame Charge!" Raboot charged into Slowpoke.

"Venoshock!" Slowpoke fired poisonous energy at Raboot. It went down due to Venoshock's effects.

"No!" I replied. "I've still got this! Go Corvisquire!" My Flying Type was sent out. "Power Trip!" Corvisquire hit Slowpoke with a Dark Type move.

"Now use Confusion!" Slowpoke made Corvisquire a bit dizzy.

"Pluck!" Corvisquire defeated Slowpoke.

"Aw," Klara said. "Well, I guess that was a great battle."

"You two," I replied. Deciding what to say. "Hey, we should exchange League Cards!"

So we did. Klara's photo was... quite something.

"Now that that's done," Avery said. "We should head to the Dojo. See you there!" With that, Allister teleported away.

"And he doesn't even ask to go with us…" Klara said. "Oh well, guess I'll head on alone then. See yah!" Klara ran off.

"Guess I'll be going alone to," I said. "Wait, I can just go with Ho-" Hop didn't come with me. "Oh, yeah. Well, I should probably head onwards!" And so I did.

I walked off the beach and approached a bridge. The dojo was on the other side.

"Almost there," I said, just as I noticed something at my feet. It was a Diglett, but with a tuft of golden hair.

Diglett (Alolan Form) (ヂィグダ)

#164 (Mainland)

Ground/Steel Type

Mole Pokémon

0'08" (0.2 m)

2.2 lbs (1 kg)

Its three hairs change shape depending on Diglett's mood. They're a useful communication tool among these Pokémon.

"That's weird," I said. "These are the variety that are found in Alola."

"Hello!" I saw a Worker approach me with a puffy coat and backpack. "Ah, you found one of my Diglett!"

"Yeah I did," I said.

"How about this?" he said. "If you find some of my Diglett, I'll reward you!"

I kept that in mind.

Eventually, I found myself outside the Master Dojo.

"So this is where I'll be training…" I thought as the doors swung open. A teenage boy came running out in tears.

"No! This is too much! I can't do this anymore!" He ran down the field.

"What's up with him?" I thought.

"So, you're a new recruit?" At the doors now was a woman wearing a green shirt. She had curly-brown hair.

"Erm, yes!" I said. "My name is Gloria Smith, and… what was with that bloke right now?"

"Oh, he found Mustard's training too hard," he said. "And that was only after half an hour."

Sounded tough. I could see how Leon became Galar's best if he put up with all this. "Well… I'm not scared! Where is Mustard? I would like to meet him!"

"Well good timing!" she said. "After that kid dropped out, we now have an extra slot! Come on in, make yourself at home! My name is Honey by the way. Pleasure to meet you!"

Before I walked in, I thought I could see something brown on the roof. When I got a better look at it, it jumped off. "What was that?" I asked.

Honey looked back to me. "What do you mean?"

"I saw something brown and agile on the roof. What Pokémon is it?"

"Oh," she said. "It's probably just a Skwovet. Come on in!"

Location: Master Dojo

Inside the Dojo were multiple students wearing yellow uniforms. Klara and Avery waved at me subtly, and I did the same back.

"So, you've met Klara and Avery," Honey said.

"Yeah," I said. "Bit of an odd pairing, aren't they?"

"So…" An old man wearing a blue jacket over the yellow uniform came out. He stroked his short-white beard.

"Master Mustard, sir!" Everyone said except Klara.

"Oh, sorry. Master Mustard, sir!" Klara said.

"So you are Leon's mentor," I said, shaking his hand.

"Indeed I am," Mustard replied. "He told me you were coming Gloria. It's kind of a big deal that you get referred to by the Champion, even if you are best friends with his brother."

There was talk among the students once again.

"Quiet!" Mustard shouted. "So Gloria, you are here for training?"

"Yes Master Mustard!" I replied sharply.

"Well, you can't just waltz in and start, can you? You can enter if you beat me in a 2 vs. 2 battle. Does that sound reasonable?"

"Reasonable?" I replied. "I would never turn down a battle with you sir!"

Mustard smiled. "Honey, you keeping note?"

"Yes dear!" she said.

"Dear?" I asked.

"Ah yes," Mustard said. "Honey here is… my wife."

"Don't worry! I'll be cheering for both of you love!"

"Without further ado," I said. "Let's begin!"

Gloria Vs. Dojo Master Mustard

"Mienfoo, hah!" Out came a yellow Pokémon with red legs and arms.

Mienfoo (コジョフー)

#163 (Isle of Armor)

Fighting Type

Martial Arts Pokémon

2'11" (0.9)

44.1 lbs (20 kg)

In one minute, a well-trained Mienfoo can chop with its arms more than 100 times.

"And I choose Corvisquire!" I shouted back.

"Mienfoo, Fake Out!" Mienfoo clapped in front of Corvisquire. It flinched.

"That's not going to be fun to deal with. Corvisquire, use Pluck!" Corvisquire jabbed at Mienfoo with its beak for Super Effective damage.

"Now U-Turn!" Mienfoo jumped into Corvisquire, hit it and then went back. Mustard then sent out a blue and black Pokémon with a yellow star on its tail.

Shinx (コリンク)

#025

Electric Type

Flash Pokémon

1'08" (0.5 m)

20.9 lbs (9.5 kg)

Electricity makes this Pokémon's fur glow. Shinx sends signals to others of its kind by shaking the top of its tail while the tail tip is shining brightly.

"We can still do this! Corvisquire, use Fury Attack!" Corvisquire jabbed at Shinx a few times.

"Shinx, Spark!" Shinx, covered in electricity, charged into Corvisquire. It almost defeated it.

"Such power!" I shouted.

"Well of course," Honey said. "Shinx has the Ability Rivalry. It will get stronger if it's the same gender as the opposing Pokémon."

"Using gender to your advantage aye? Cool! Okay Raboot, go!" Since Raboot was a male, I knew Rivarly would still be a problem. But using Liepard, my only female, meant that I'd have to deal with Mienfoo. "Raboot, Flame Charge!" Raboot charged into Shinx covered in flames.

"Use Bite!" Shinx bit down on Raboot.

"Double Kick!" Raboot then kicked Shinx twice. It was defeated.

"No! Thanks Shinx. Mienfoo, come out again!" The Fighting Type entered once more. "Use Fake Out!" Raboot flinched.

"Now use Flame Charge!" Raboot charged into Mienfoo, covered in fire.

"Force Palm!" Mienfoo grabbed Raboot, and clenched its fist. Raboot was almost down.

"One more Flame Charge!" Thankfully, the Fire Type move finished off Mienfoo.

All the students gasped, then cheered. Mustard smiled.

"My my, you are strong. Tell me miss, how many Badges do you have?"

"Three sir- I meant Master Mustard."

Master Mustard held out his hand. "Welcome to the Master Dojo Gloria."

I shook it. "I am honoured to be your student."

"Tomorrow, the trials begin. Whoever does the best gets a special reward. Rest easy, it will be a hard couple of days."