"Use Screech!"
Onix opened its jaws wide, releasing a piercing, metallic shriek that echoed across the battlefield, sharply lowering the opponent's physical defense.
Lombre clutched its head in pain, grimacing from the sound.
"Now—Dig!"
"Roar!"
Onix twisted its massive body, slammed its tail into the ground, and quickly burrowed underground with thunderous force, cracking the earth as it vanished below.
Lombre, still reeling from the Screech, suddenly raised its arms and summoned a swirling white fog around the area.
"Mist, huh?"
Ethan narrowed his eyes as the battlefield filled with haze.
"Onix, use Screech from underground!"
Another screech rang out—this time amplified by the tunnels below. Though the Mist prevented any stat reduction, the sound still disoriented Lombre, which cried out in discomfort.
"Did you hear that, Onix? Follow the sound! Use Quick Attack!"
The ground rumbled. In an instant—BOOM!—Onix erupted from beneath the surface and slammed into Lombre with a powerful burst of speed.
Bang!
Caught off guard and still reeling from the noise, Lombre couldn't dodge in time. It was thrown into the air and slammed into the ground with a crash!
It looked badly injured, but it was still trying to stand.
"Gotta hand it to Grass-types… they're built tough."
Ethan muttered as he decided to press the assault.
"Onix! Don't give it any room to recover—Quick Attack again!"
"Roar!"
Onix coiled its body like a spring, then lunged forward with explosive force.
But just as it was about to make contact, Lombre scrambled to its feet.
"Hekaro!!"
It let out an enraged cry—emerald green energy suddenly shone from its body! At the same time, vibrant green spheres of energy surged from Onix and flowed rapidly into Lombre.
Onix staggered mid-charge, its attack halting as it grimaced in pain.
"Roar!"
"That's… Absorb!"
Ethan clenched his fists. "Onix! Snap out of it—Iron Tail!"
"Roar!"
Struggling against the Grass-type energy sapping its strength, Onix roared and focused. Its tail glowed with a white metallic sheen—Steel-type energy!
At that close distance, if it landed a hit, Lombre would be in serious trouble.
But just then, Lombre, now revitalized from Absorb, retaliated—blue vapor condensed at its mouth, and in a flash, it launched a Water Gun!
Ssshhh!
Water clashed with steel. Blue and silver energy burst in a brilliant explosion, blowing away the surrounding Mist!
"Roar!"
Onix groaned in discomfort. The glow on its tail faded, and the Water Gun landed a direct hit.
Ethan's face shifted as he saw Onix doused in water.
"Hang in there, Onix—Screech again, interrupt it!"
"Roar!"
Despite the type disadvantage, Onix's resilience shone through. It let out another ear-splitting Screech.
Lombre cried out and clutched its head once more, forced to endure the sonic assault. The flow of Water Gun finally weakened and dissipated.
"Now, Onix—Return!"
A Normal-type move whose power scales with the Trainer's bond with their Pokémon.And Ethan's bond with Onix? Maxed out.
Star-like white light sparkled around Onix. With every ounce of strength, it launched itself at Lombre in a head-on charge!
Bang!
"Hekaro!!"
The full-force impact sent Lombre flying through the air. It crashed into the dirt with a heavy thud.
Moments later… its eyes spiraled into unconsciousness.
"Phew… finally won…"
Ethan exhaled in relief.
"Ding! Battle complete.Onix wins.Gained 5 Trainer Points.First win bonus: +10 Trainer Points.Onix leveled up to Lv. 19.New move learned: Rock Throw (Beginner)."
Only 15 points…? Ethan blinked. Well, at least it leveled up and got a new move.I'll save the points for now.
He walked over to Onix, gently stroking its rocky side as it panted heavily. A proud smile spread across Ethan's face.
"You were amazing, Onix. You fought so hard."
"Roar~"
Even after taking hits from both Grass and Water-type moves, Onix had stood tall and finished the battle strong.
You've got hidden potential, that's for sure.
"All right, let me apply a Potion, then you can rest properly."
"Roar!"
Though he wasn't officially registered with the League yet—and couldn't enjoy discounted treatment at Pokémon Centers—paying out of pocket would still work.
And battle injuries couldn't be ignored. Light wounds were fine, but if left untreated, severe ones could cause permanent harm.
With that in mind, Ethan quickly sprayed the Potion onto Onix, then returned it to its Poké Ball.
He turned and began walking back toward Petalburg City, heading straight for the Pokémon Center.
As Ethan entered the Pokémon Center lobby, he immediately saw the familiar sight of the front counter directly ahead. Standing behind it was Nurse Joy, looking almost exactly like her anime counterpart. Beside her stood a plump, pink Pokémon with a gentle smile and an egg tucked in its belly pouch.
That was Chansey, Nurse Joy's reliable partner!
"Hello, Nurse Joy—my Onix is injured. Could you please take a look at it?"
Ethan hurried over to the counter, handed over the Poké Ball, and explained the situation.
"Of course," Nurse Joy replied with a warm smile. "Please show me your Pokédex."
Ethan scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"I don't have one yet… I'm on my way to Littleroot Town. I ran into a wild Pokémon along the way, and—well…"
Nurse Joy smiled knowingly.
"I see. A new Trainer. Please fill out this form to register."
"Got it!"
Ethan quickly wrote down his name and paid the treatment fee.
Finally done!
"I'll take care of your Pokémon now. You can rest on the sofa over there in the meantime."
She gently reassured him as she placed the Poké Ball onto the diagnostic machine behind the counter and began the healing process.
Ethan finally let out a breath of relief. Delaying treatment could risk lasting damage to his partner—thankfully, they had made it in time.
With nothing left to do, he took the opportunity to look around.
The Pokémon Center looked almost identical to how it had appeared in the anime. These facilities were built across the Pokémon world to serve Trainers. With the exception of the Alola region, most cities had a Pokémon Center, and major venues and locations often included smaller versions or medical stations.
Contests, tournaments, and the regional Pokémon League all had their own Centers as well.
While appearances varied slightly, most Centers featured red roofs, automatic glass doors, and escalators connecting the floors.
The first-floor lobby typically had two key sections:
The left counter, where Nurse Joy examined and healed Pokémon.
The right side, with public video phones for contacting family and friends, or checking travel routes. There were also plenty of sofas and tables for Trainers to rest and relax.
The second floor, usually accessed from the back of the lobby, housed the Link Club, battle communication equipment, and the Pokémon Exchange.
This is where Trainers could evolve Pokémon via trade—a method known as Link Evolution. Unfortunately, Onix was one of those Pokémon.
Behind the building was a large courtyard with grassy lawns, small hills, a pond, and trees—ideal for all types of Pokémon to rest, train, or battle.
It was the most active area of the Center, especially for new Trainers. Battles happened from morning to night.
Beyond that was a dormitory building, circling the courtyard and connecting to the main lobby.
The first floor housed the cafeteria and recreation rooms.The second floor held guest rooms for accommodation.
All in all, the Pokémon League offered impressive amenities to its registered Trainers. Of course, in return, one had to contribute—grow stronger, improve, and always be ready to answer the League's call in times of crisis. That was part of the Trainer's duty.
After observing a few battles outside, Ethan got a rough idea of his peers' command levels. In short?
"Quick, dodge!" "Hang in there!" "Get up!"
These so-called "divine commands" were surprisingly common. Still, Ethan hadn't yet encountered elite Trainers—and to be fair, he was just a beginner himself.
Returning to the lobby, he headed over to the phone booth and dialed home.
The call connected quickly.
"Ethan, where are you? Petalburg City?"
His mom's face filled the screen, and just behind her, Troy Stone squinted from the background, pretending not to listen in. Ethan grinned.
"Mom! Yeah, I made it. I'm at the Pokémon Center."
"That's great! I'm glad you arrived safely. Was the trip okay?"
His mother looked visibly relieved.
"Yup, it was smooth—and Onix's first battle went really well!"
"Really? That child is so hardworking."
"Yeah, he got a little banged up, but he held his own. He's even stronger than I expected—really talented!"
"Then you must take good care of him! And remember to send any Pokémon you catch back home—I'll help take care of them for you!"
"You're the best, Mom! Way better than Dad—haha! Okay, I gotta go now. Bye!"
Ethan waved cheerfully and quickly ended the call, just as a voice echoed faintly from the receiver:
"You little brat…"
"Heh~"
He chuckled to himself. Just then, the front desk speaker called out:
"Ishida Yong, please come to the counter~"
Too late to complain about being called by his full name, he dashed to the counter.
"Hi! That's me—Ethan!"
Nurse Joy handed over the Luxury Ball with a gentle smile.
"Your Pokémon has made a full recovery."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy!"
"You're welcome. Safe travels!"
Nodding with gratitude, Ethan stepped out of the Pokémon Center and resumed his journey toward Littleroot Town.
"Onix, use Quick Attack—finish it!"
"Roar!"
A cloud of dust burst into the air. When it settled, a Wurmple lay sprawled out on the ground.
"Ding! Battle complete.Onix wins.Opponent too weak—no Trainer points awarded.Small experience gained."
Ethan sighed, frustrated.
"Why are they all Bug-types? Leveling up like this is way too slow…"
"Roar…"
Onix nodded solemnly, clearly sharing the sentiment.
They had fought tons of bug Pokémon along the way—all weak. Onix hadn't even hit Level 20 yet…
Ethan glanced warily at a Beedrill hive in the distance and wisely decided to back off.
Sure, Rock-types had the advantage over Bug-types… but not when there were dozens of them.
A thousand cuts can take down an elephant. Time to retreat.
If you're not strong enough yet, don't go looking for trouble.