Chapter 20:

The Mushroom Search

Location: Master Dojo

"Hello everyone," said Master Mustard.

"Hello Master," we all replied.

"We have your next trial ready for you. Honey, you have something to say?"

Honey walked on with a piece of paper. On it was a cluster of pink fungi. "What are those?" I asked.

"Max Mushrooms," Honey replied. "I would like to make Max Soup, but I can't find this ingredient. They only grow on the Isle of Armor, but I can't seem to find any. Can you have a look?"

"We'd be happy to!" said a random student.

"Then it's settled!" said Master Mustard. "You have eight hours to find at least one cluster. Once you find some, return immediately! With all that said, your time starts… now!"

Location: Fields of Focus

"Okay!" I said. "Let's go find some Max Mushrooms." I thought about mushrooms in general. They tend to grow in dark places. I got a map up on my Rotom Phone. "Let's head towards the Courageous Cavern."

Location: Courageous Cavern

Courageous Cavern was a cave with a river running through it that went out to sea. There were holes in the roof, so it wasn't pitch black.

"This place is damp," I said. "Mushrooms must grow here."

I walked onwards and tripped over something. It was orange and lived in a rock.

Dwebble (イシズマイ)

#086 (Mainland)/#122 (Isle of Armor)

Bug/Rock Type

Rock Inn Pokémon

1'00" (0.3 m)

32 lbs (14.5 kg)

When it finds a stone appealing, it creates a hole inside it and uses it as its home. This Pokémon is the natural enemy of Roggenrola and Rolycoly.

"Sorry Dwebble! Go Lombre!" Out came my Water Type. "Bubble Beam!" Lombre shot bubbles at Dwebble. It should have knocked it out, but Dwebble had Sturdy, so it didn't. Dwebble then nibbled Lombre. "It's using Bug Bite! Lombre, Mega Drain!" Lombre defeated Dwebble.

"That was close," I said. Lombre eyed me. "Okay, I should look where I'm going to. Come on, we have to find some Max Mush-"

"HELP!" A male voice echoed through the cave.

"That's Avery's voice!" I shouted.

I ran round the corner to see Avery with an armful of Max Mushrooms. He was cornered by a white Pokémon which looked like it had plates all around it.

Golisopod (フソコムシャ)

#233 (Mainland)/#125 (Isle of Armor)

Bug/Water Type

Hard Scale Pokémon

6'07" (2 m)

238.1 lbs (108 kg)

They live in sunken ships or in holes in the seabed. When Golisopod and Grapploct battle, the loser becomes the winner's meal.

Wimpod -Lv 30- Golisopod

"Avery!" I shouted.

"It's too strong!" he shouted.

"Hey!" I told Golisopod. It turned towards me. "Leave him alone!" Golisopod slowly approached me. "I choose Corvisquire!"A Flying Type could deal with this one. "Use Pluck!" Corvisquire stabbed at Golisopod with its beak. Golisopod then used Slash, doing lots to Corvisquire. "Use Pluck again!" This time it was a Critical Hit! Because Golisopod had Emergency Exit, it fled because its HP went under half.

"Are you alright?" I asked Avery, helping him up.

"I am now," he said. "I tried battling against it, but it has Bug Type attacks, which are strong against my Psychic Types. I also can't teleport away when I'm scared, so before you came along, I thought I was a goner." He handed me a Max Mushroom. "For saving me. It took me a while to find, but you deserve them more than I do."

I pushed them away. "No no, you found them and you keep them. You should get back to the Master Dojo. You will be secured a place."

Avery nodded. "I suppose you are right. But I do owe you one. Do not forget that." With that, Avery clicked his fingers and teleported away.

"Let's try another place," I decided.

Location: Brawler's Cave

Brawler's Cave also had a river running through it, but it was much taller with roads upwards.

"We must find some here," I said. "Or we won't pass." In the distance, I saw Isaac. He had found some Max Mushrooms on the riverside. He saw me and waved, but then fell in the river. "Oh no!" I shouted, running over.

"Don't worry!" Isaac said. "I can swim!" As he started doing the breaststroke over, we heard splashing.

"That can't be good." In the distance, I saw something blue and round swimming over quickly.

Poliwrath (ニョロボン)

#144 (Isle of Armor)

Water/Fighting Type

Tadpole Pokémon

4'03" (1.3 m)

119 lbs (54 kg)

Its body is solid muscle. When swimming through cold seas, Poliwrath uses its impressive arms to smash through drift ice and plow forward.

Poliwag -Lv 25- Poliwhirl -Water Stone- Poliwrath

"We can't let Poliwrath reach Isaac!" I said. "Let's slow it down! Toxel!" Toxel was sent out. "Use Nuzzle!" Toxel ran towards Poliwrath on the surface, then rubbed its cheek against it. Poliwrath became paralyzed, which gave Isaac enough time to get to shore. I helped him up.

"That was close," he said.

"You really should be careful," I told him.

"You're right," he said. He then handed me the Max Mushrooms, blushing. "Little present, for saving me."

"Your safety is all that matters," I replied. "Here." I took out a towel I had nicked from the Budew Drop Inn and gave it to him. "Dry yourself though. Galar waters are chilly and you don't want to catch a cold. Now head back and report to Master Mustard."

"I will," Isaac said. "Can I borrow your towel until I get back?"

"Sure!" I said. "Nice to see you got through! I still need to find mine."

Location: Challenge Road

I finally came out of the cave and to a clifftop. There stood a large pagoda similar to the one on Challenge Beach, but with black flags.

"Look at that!" I said. In the distance I saw the other building. "This place is like a mix of Johto and Alola!" In the distance, I saw a Skarmory floating on the winds.

Skarmory (エアームド)

#153 (Isle of Armor)

Steel/Flying Type

Armor Bird Pokémon

5'07" (1.7 m)

111.3 lbs (50.5 kg)

People fashion swords from Skarmory's shed feathers, so this Pokémon is a popular element in heraldic design.

Skarmory has no known evolutions.

"I can't wait around. I need to find a Max Mushroom!" I noticed a desert in a bowl-like rock formation. "According to the map, that must be Potbottom Desert. There is a cave that leads there, we might find some Max Mushrooms!"

Location: Training Lowlands

I came to a field with some trees and a river. The location to Warm-Up Tunnel was located here.

Location: Warm-Up Tunnel

A lot of trapped heat from the Potbottom Desert could be felt inside the cave. I knew I wanted to be in and out of there.

"There!" I said; some Max Mushrooms! I ran over and picked them. "Finally! Now, let's head back to the Master Dojo!"

Location: Master Dojo

I had got back to the Master Dojo where Avery, Isaac and a female Trainer was waiting with Max Mushrooms.

"Made it!" I said. "And with just half an hour to spare!"

"So you did!" said Mustard. "Now. Please place your Max Mushrooms on the table." We all did. I went first, then Avery and Isaac. This was followed by a female Trainer. Her Max Mushroom looked a bit different…

"Hmm…" Mustard said. "I don't think this is a Max Mushroom," said Mustard.

"It's not," said Hyde. He was tapping away on his computer. "Can I see it? I'd also like someone else's Max Mushroom for comparison. It will only be a minute"

The Trainer nervously went to Hyde and put her Max Mushroom next to him. I did the same with mine.

"Now let's compare." Hyde typed away on his computer. "Hah! It's not a match! This isn't a Max Mushroom…" We saw it moving. "It's a… it's a…"

Foongus (タマゲタケ)

#077

Grass/Poison Type

Mushroom Pokémon

0'08" (0.2 m)

2.2 lbs (1 kg)

The spores released from this Pokémon's hands are highly poisonous, but when thoroughly dried, the spores can be used as stomach medicine.

"You just dipped it in pink dye!" Avery said.

"This is wrong!" said Mustard. "You are disqualified. Sorry about this Foongus."

But Foongus wasn't having any of it. It started shaking, and yellow powder started getting in the air.

"Look out!" said Isaac. "It's Stun Spore! Everyone hold your breath!"

I ran to the doors to open them and get the Stun Spore out. Klara was at the door.

"My my," she said. "What happened?"

"A mushroom mishap, that's what," I said as the Foongus hopped out the Dojo. I looked to see everyone was paralysed. "This isn't good," I said. "We need to heal them."

"The only thing that we could use is an Old Gateau," Klara suggested. "Let's try the Forest of Focus."

Location: Forest of Focus

We ran to the forest and immediately started foraging.

"So what exactly happened?" Klara said.

"Someone tried to pass off a Foongus as a Max Mushroom. It didn't work and now everyone has to pay for it."

"Oh," Klara replied. "Making a whoopsie. I guess it really does fall on us then. And I can look for Max Mushrooms whilst I am it!"

"NOT THE PRIORITY!" I said. "But now that you say that…" I started feeling around. "I think I've found some!" I pulled them out and indeed; they were Max Mushrooms!

"Yippee!" Klara said. "You found them! Now give them here and I'll meet you back at the Dojo."

I pulled them away. "Klara. How could you be so selfish? The people in there are relying on us!"

"What I was going to say…" said Klara. "Is I'll meet you back there because something is behind you!"

"Oh and you're going to do a sneak attack or…"

I came face to face with a black Pokémon with vines wrapped around its arms.

Zarude (ザルード)

#211

Dark/Grass Type

Rogue Monkey Pokémon

5'11" (1.8 m)

154.3 lbs (70 kg)

Once the vines on Zarude's body tear off, they become nutrients in the soil. This helps the plants of the forest grow.

Mythical Pokémon.

"What do you want?" I asked.

Multiple Zarude jumped down. "They must think you're here to hurt the forest!" Klara shouted. "I've got it! Whirlipede, g-"

I put up my hand. "No. I'll try explaining myself. Zarude, our friends are sick. Do you know where you might find some Old Gateau?"

The leader shouted to one of the Zarude to go into a tree and find some Old Gateau. "Great!" Klara said. "Gimme gimme!"

Zarude retreated. It put it on the floor and put up its hand.

"I think it wants to trade for something," I said. "Fine. But what could we…"

"Not the Max Mushrooms!" Klara said.

"I wasn't going to!" I said. "But one more out of you and I will!"

"Wait…" Klara said. She went into her bag and pulled out a microphone. "My singing career… it failed. Please take good care of it though."

She handed it to one of the Zarude, who took it off her. They all jumped back into the jungle.

"Wow…" I said. "Wait… our friends! Come on!"

Location: Master Dojo

When we got back, we cut up the Old Gateau and fed it to everyone. Within five minutes, they were as right as rain.

"Oh, that's better," said Mustard. "Now, since not everyone got them in time!"

"Wait!" Klara said. "I know I'm 15 minutes late… but I found these. Well, Gloria found them."

"Yes I did," I said. "Mustard, you have to let her through. She had to sacrifice something that meant a lot to her to get this Old Gateau. And if you don't let her through, then I will step down."

Mustard laughed. "This is fine! Better late than another Foongus! Congratulations Klara! You're through to the final trial!"

"Yes!" Klara said. We hi-fived.

"And that brings us down to you four. Gloria Smith, Avery Copperfield, Klara Winehouse and Isaac McDougal. I will reveal the challenge tomorrow. But it should be something you are all familiar with…"