Ash's Story (Part 5: Modern Sinnoh)

Chapter 24

We finally arrive at Pastoria City, and when we get there, we decide to head to the Great Marsh. Lillie says, "It seems like the Great Marsh is like the Safari Zone."

"You're right about that." I say. "It's been a while for me to play the Safari Game."

We all decide to try it out, and we receive the Safari Balls like usual, the game's over when we are out of balls or 500 steps. Before we go in, I decide to use the binoculars on the second floor.

"What will that do, Ash?" Dawn asks.

"Trying to find the Pokemon so that I won't waste any steps." I say while using the Poketch to circle the locations. "Okay. Now I'm done."

We head to Area 2 to get a Carnivine, Area 4 for a Croagunk, and Area 5 for a Skorupi. Once I'm finished, I decide to show the three Pokemon I capture to them.

"Wow, most of them are Poison Type Pokemon." Tox says.

"Yeah." I say.

Skorupi: The Scorpion Pokemon: Poison and Bug Type. It grips prey with its tail claws and injects poison. It tenaciously hangs on until the poison takes.

Croagunk: The Toxic Mouth Pokemon: Poison and Fighting Type. Its cheeks hold poison sacs. It tries to catch foes off guard to jab them with toxic fingers.

Carnivine: The Bug Catcher Pokemon: Grass Type. It attracts prey with its sweet-smelling saliva, then chomps down. It takes a whole day to eat prey.

After we're done, we head to the Pastoria City Gym and start our gym challenge. Lillie is going first this time, and the gym guide says, "The Gym Leader Wake... Uh, I mean Crasher Wake, is a master of Water-type Pokémon. I'd say you've got guts if you try to face down Water types with Fire- or Ground-type Pokémon! But that part I'll leave up to you! Go and have some good battles!"

The gym challenge seems interesting, and right now the pool is not full, so Lillie can walk through some of the parts. She can try to press buttons and some of them raise the water level while some of them empty the pool instead.

The first gym trainer is a Tuber named Jacky. He says, "My body isn't the only thing I work on toughening up here. I also work on my Pokemon and my spirit!"

He goes for Buizel, so Lillie goes for Plant Cloak Wormadam and defeats it with Razor Leaf. "Wow, Trainer! You just might be tougher than our Gym Leader!"

"Seriously?" Lillie asks with a sweatdrop. Then she drains the water to go to the next trainer, a Fisherman named Walter. "I have mastery over the incredible power of water. You won't win!"

He uses only a Barboach, so Lillie wins this one as easily as the previous one. "But the kid wins anyway! I'm just bowled over!"

She raises the water and head to the third trainer, a Sailor named Damian. "I've traveled all over the globe while raising Pokemon. This is the Gym I've chosen. You'll find it a handful for sure."

He uses two Wingulls, so Lillie decides to go with Pikachu this time to battle, and Pikachu is doing a great job in the gym match. "You! You're a kind of top-class tough!"

With the water rising, Lillie finds the fourth trainer, a Tuber named Caitlyn. She says, "I want to become a strong Trainer like Crasher Wake!"

She uses an Azurill and a Marill, so Lillie goes for the new capture Skorupi to battle, and with the Poison moves like Poison Fang, it defeats both Pokemon with ease. "You're too much."

The gym trainers here are more than the last one, and she already gets to the fifth gym trainer, a Fisherman named Erick. "I've landed the most fish Pokemon in the world. I'm next!"