Chapter 13
The Ultimate Plan-Part One
"Are you ready?" she asked.
"I think I am the one that should be asking you that question," Norman remarked.
Julia threw a Pokéball into the arena. "Lunatone, I choose you first!"
"Then…Girafarig, go!"
"I thought Girafarig is Psychic," Julia said.
"Psychic and Normal," Andrew reminded his sister.
"Oh, right. Lunatone, Rock Slide!" Rocks crashed down on Girafarig, doing mediocre damage. At Norman's command, Girafarig fired a purple-and-black ball at Lunatone, causing severe damage. "Shadow Ball," said Julia. Her Lunatone was in deep trouble.
"Girafarig, another Shadow Ball!" Norman commanded.
"Lunatone, uh…Rock Slide again!" While rocks pummeled Girafarig, another purple energy ball was fired at Lunatone, knocking it out. "Come back, Lunatone, and go…Taillow! Wing Attack!" In a flash, Taillow burst out of its Pokéball and zoomed toward Girafarig, whacking him with its wing.
"Girafarig, Stomp!" Norman instructed. Taillow quickly dodged the powerful attack, and then prepared itself to strike again.
"Taillow, Slam to finish it!" Taillow dive-bombed Girafarig, slamming the Psychic Pokémon into the ground. Girafarig didn't rise. "Good job," said Julia. Taillow landed, and then spread its wings. It then started glowing, and changed form. "You've evolved!" Julia shouted. Her new Pokémon, Swellow, cheeped in reply. "What Pokémon is it?"
Andrew pointed his Pokédex at Swellow. "Swellow," Andrew replied.
"Okay. Thanks!" she turned to Swellow. "All right, are you ready to battle?"
Norman threw a Pokéball, sending out Furret. "All right, let's see what your Pokémon can do…"
* * *
Meanwhile, Team Magma was gathering at Mt. Chimney.
"Are your men in position?" Maxie asked one of his grunts.
"Yes, all entrances and exits to Mt. Chimney are blocked off, sir," the grunt replied.
"Good. Make sure you hold your grounds, too. I don't want anyone to get by. No one." The Team Magma Grunt agreed, and walked away. "Now I need to see what Luke is doing…" Maxie said. He pulled out a small phone and called him.
"Yes?" said Luke.
"Where are you?"
"Outside of Lilycove."
"Good…"
"But we have a problem."
"What's that?"
"Well, it appears that Team Aqua has beaten us here. I don't know how, but they have."
"What!? Well, raid their base! Take it over!"
"I would, but there are too many of them."
"Too many? How many, exactly?"
"Well, not that many. Just a little more than us. Looks to be about a little more than half of Team Aqua," said Luke.
"Half…shit!" Maxie cursed. "Everyone, prepare for a sabotage!"
"What's going on?" Luke asked.
"If half of them are there, the other half are somewhere else. If they have already taken over that base, they must have known our plans for it. Which means, of course, that they know about here!"
"Dammit…what should we do?"
"Just wait there. We'll try to fight them off. If we fail here, we can still make it out there. I'll call you in a little while."
"And what if you defeat them? Won't they come here?"
"Yes…we are in a dilemma, aren't we?"
"We have two choices, Maxie," Luke started. "Either my squadron goes there to help you, or your guys come here. The best case scenario is that you lose and make it back here before they do."
"Well…hm. We need some sort of plan. What if we attack on both fronts? We fight here, and you fight there?"
"And if we both lose? Our defeat will be swift."
"If we outnumber Team Aqua, then we can hopefully defeat them and move onto you. No matter what happens, I'll call you and give you the OK to attack. We'll meet you there. If they lose, we'll have the upper-hand. Maxie out." He shut his phone. "We are in some deep shit," he said.
Julia recalled her Skitty. She and Norman were down to one Pokémon each-Marshtomp and Granbull.
"Marshtomp, Mud Shot!" Julia commanded.
"Granbull, Skull Bash!" Norman returned. As Granbull lowered its head to attack, mud rushed around it, doing mediocre damage. Granbull then charged at Marshtomp, ramming the Water-and-Ground Pokémon.
"Surf!"
"Stomp!" Granbull attempted to strike Marshtomp with his foot, a giant wave crashed over him. Before Granbull could undertake in attacking again, Marshtomp used Ice Ball, knocking out Granbull.
Julia breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally," she said. She called back her starter Pokémon.
"You, also, are worthy of the Balance Badge. Take it and wear it with pride," said Norman.
"I will," Julia answered. She took the badge and then left the gym.
"So, now that we both have our fifth Badge, we should be heading to what, Fortree? I believe the sixth Badge is there."
"How do we get there?"
"Well, we have to go north again. And then east," Andrew responded, looking at his map.
"I think I should train, though. I think I am lagging, a little."
"Couldn't hurt," Andrew said.
They headed back to Mauville, where they could access the waterway leading to the eastern part of Hoenn. However, as they were leaving the city, they noticed a helicopter going the opposite direction-towards a large mountain near Lavaridge.
"I wonder where it's going," Julia said.
"It looked like a news chopper. I wonder if there's anything about it on TV." They walked back to the Pokécenter, and looked the television. It showed a battle.
"What's going on?" Andrew asked someone who was also watching the TV.
"Some huge fight broke out at Mount Chimney, between Team Aqua and Team Magma," the person responded.
"Uh-oh," Julia remarked, turning to Andrew.
"Certainly can't be good," Andrew commented. They ran out of the Pokécenter. "None of my Pokémon can Fly. Julia, what about your Swellow?"
"Not yet, it can't. It's not strong enough, especially not for both of us."
"Drat. I guess we'll have to take the long way around."
"I just hope we're not too late."
"Sir, are you ready to strike?" a Team Aqua Member talked into a cell phone.
"Yes," Archie, the leader, replied. "How about you? Any sign of Magma?"
"No, sir. I don't know where they are."
"Well, keep your eyes open. We'll be fighting Team Magma here. You need to hold back Magma there. Don't let them take that base."
"We'll try not to, sir."
Here goes nothing, Archie thought, and ran into Mount Chimney.