While Vex and Scyther didn't let up with their attacks, they didn't even scratch Arlu, even with the type advantage. Roxanne's Pokémon had a better chance, all four of them using Bulldoze at once, but Arlu threw them all away just spinning around. He pulled up a force field using his new psychic power, and nothing could get through it.

flash

On Roxanne's signal, Eli recalled her Pokémon, but she took the Burst Heart from her pocket to find it glowing. No one seemed to notice or care, though, because the entire tunnel (and plenty of Route 116) was rolling from a quadruple Earthquake. Arlu's barrier shattered, and he fell to the ground. Rocks fell on top of him, the ground under him gave out and his feet fell in, but just when it was clear that he'd taken some damage he just got right back up as if he'd not gotten a scratch!

"This is getting tiring!" he shouted, grabbing Roxanne's Steelix by the tail with just one hand (the other carrying the relic he was digging for) and beating down Geodude and its evolutions. "I'll wrap this up quick." Swinging Steelix into one of the walls, Arlu picked up Geodude and pitched it straight for Roxanne.

...

Something stopped it. It had long, slate gray hair with red tips, and a black ruff of fur around its neck like a scarf; pupil-less, aqua colored eyes, and a pair of red markings over the bridge of its nose while large Zorua-style ears protruded from the sides of its head. It wore short-furred clothes, like a bodysuit or even a second layer of skin that extended from collar to feet, in the same gray tone and red accents as the hair, with detached sleeves and gloves that ended in claw-wielding fingers.

"Eli?"

"I'm as shocked as you," she answered, setting Geodude down and bringing her hands together, generating a purple ball of energy between her fingertips. It came naturally to her, like Pokémon instinct, and as quickly as she'd made the ball she'd let loose on an even more surprised Arlu with a pulsing black beam.

Of course, it wasn't like he wouldn't get up from this. It just actually took a little effort this time.

"D-damn brat. Consider yourselves lucky I'm out of time." Spinning wildly, Arlu disappeared into the ground, and Eli's appearance returned to how it was just before as her Burst Heart retreated to her pocket.

"Graveler, Golem," Roxanne began, returning her Geodude and Steelix and resolving to leave before asking anything, "can you dig us an exit?"​

SCYKE ICK - Petalburg City

[h1][/h1]​

[h1][/h1][h1][/h1]"Snowy, Razor Leaf!"

"Snoooover!" After the rapid sharp leaves fainted the wild Zigzagoon, Scyke recalled Snowy back to it's Pokeball. He wasn't enjoying facing wild Pokemon every minute at all; before he had faced around five other Zigzagoons and the same number of Poochyenas. Hell, Zap was exhausted three battles ago and Scyke was forced to change to using Snover to clear a path towards Petalburg, which was extremely annoying as Snover's ability of bringing in hail every time it came out was starting to do Scyke's head in. Before long however, a sight of a building with a distinct red roof came around and Scyke rejoiced at the sight of it. A PokeCentre must be nearby - therefore that should be Petalburg City.

Scyke walked in the Centre and handed a tray with Snowy's and Zap's Pokeballs on them. After they were recovered by the city's Nurse Joy, an old guy which had some shady shades suddenly approached him after he returned his Pokemon to his belt. The mysterious dude slapped Scyke's shoulder and turned he's body for him. "Yo, you look like a rookie trainer to me! I'm Jim Gai, and I'm here to tell you all about the Petalburg City's Gym! Follow me!" Unsure about what just happened, Scyke unwillingly followed "Jim" outside of the Pokemon Centre and towards outside a giant building with a huge "Gym" sign attached to it. The dude stopped and turned to face Scyke, directing his hand towards the building itself. "This is the official Petalburg City Gym! Inside stands our proud gym leader who isn't a pushover at all - the Normal-Type master, Norman! Of course, being the Petalburg Gym guide I can sneak in that Fighting-type moves are most effective against Normal-types, but don't think the might Norman is any pushover!" After an enthusiastic start to his speech, Jim's voice started to change it's tone to a more disappointing one, "Unfortunately, I don't think Norman's taking any challengers right now. A young trainer just like yourself came in to challenge him not long ago today, and Norman limits his challenges per day; unfortunately for you that limit has been met. However you may be able to challenge him tomo-" Scyke had enough of the guy - he had came out of nowhere and just started blabbering about a gym that Scyke knew he was no where near ready to challenge yet - and so awkwardly started laughing while scratching his head, "Err... hard to break this to you mate, but I'm not really looking to battle Norman just yet..."

Jim looked at Scyke, dumbstruck. "But... your a trainer? It should be your motive to challenge every gym that comes in your way. Norman might sound terrifying, but that shouldn't put you off-" "I know everything about Norman; in fact, I researched on all the gym leaders in Hoenn before I started my journey, and I don't think I'm ready to challenge a gym yet, especially of one in the caliber of Norman. Anyway," Scyke brought out his Pokeballs and flashed them towards Jim,"I don't have a fighting-type nor any effective tactics to use against Norman. If I recall right, Rustboro's gym leader Roxane is the master of Rock-type Pokemon, and my Snowy would be amazing there, knowing a Grass-type and Ice-type move." Sckye then ended with a wink and a cheeky grin, "So, "Jim", I think I'll be fine, but thanks for the help anyway." After hearing Scyke mention Rustboro, something seemed to have triggered Jim as he suddenly looked worried and concerned. "You might... not be able to fight the gym leader Roxanne yet. Have a look at this." Jim then brought out a PokeNav out of his pocket and showed Scyke a news report on it's screen-

SCYKE ICK - Route 104

[h1][/h1]​

[h1][/h1][h1][/h1]Scyke walked through the surprisingly empty beach of Route 104, looking over the glistening sea with Zap on his shoulder like usual. He figured that mostly everyone had went over to Rustboro to help rebuild the buildings, especially the Pokemon Centre. The cause of all the destruction was yet unknown, and so also was the location of the local gym leader, Roxane; well, according to the PokeGear news report anyway. Scyke scratched his head in uneasiness. Should he go help in Rustboro? He had no business there, and putting himself at risk from falling and fallen debris. But they wouldn't mind some extra hands, right?

"Uuuurgh I don't know Zap, what do you think?" The yellow mouse just replied with his usual cry, but he was also aware of the ruckus in Rustboro; it wasn't a stupid Pokemon. "I wonder if this was doing of a Pokemon... then again, what Pokemon would be able to do that kind of destruction?" Scyke rested both of his palms on the back of his head and continued to ponder, "Then was it actually someone, a human? Who would be evil enough and even resourceful enough to break a city?" Still walking, Scyke noticed a pebble on the floor and instinctively kicked it to a random direction. Scyke was decent at football (OOC: Soccer to y'all in US) and was nearly captain of the team in the local school; if it wasn't for his interest in Pokemon, he probably would of moved to some city called Nimbasa in Unova and joined a team to play in the Big Stadium. While he was dreaming however, he hadn't really noticed where the pebble had landed.

It had struck right in the face of a Tailow.

"Taiwooak!" The little stone bounced off the blue bird and recoiled near to Scyke. Scyke noticed that the pebble he kicked had somehow came back to him, like a boomerang. Picking the rock up, Scyke noticed a few cries of a Pokemon around him. He looked up. The Tailow which he had hit was quacking at him like mad.

"Man, that is one pissed off Pokemon," Scyke said, "but it's a Flying-type, so an Electric-attack should be invincible here, right Zap?" Noticing that was the cue for him to make a move, Zap jumped out of Scyke's shoulder and landed softly on the sand, sparks flying off his little red cheeks. Before Scyke could call out a command however the Tailow's number started doubling every few seconds; in about a minute, it wasn't one pissed off Tailow - it was twenty pissed off Tailows. And they looked ready to charge in anytime.

"Well sh*te, come back Zap!" A laser of red recalled Pikachu back to his Pokeball and Scyke took off with a head start towards an unknown direction, the pissed off Tailows close behind.