"Come on, use Screech!" he commanded Onix, its sharp cry echoing as it utilized a move that would lower its opponent's defence.
The Lombre grimaced and covered his head. "Now, Harden then use Dig!"
Onix's body flashed with light, enhancing its defence before burrowing underground. Suddenly, the battlefield was engulfed in a white mist. Ben watched the mist rise and decisively commanded, "Onix, use Screech underground!" The piercing scream resounded, amplified by the tunnel. While it wouldn't reduce the Lombre's stats due to the mist, he was certainly disturbed by the noise. A painful cry escaped him.
"Did you hear that? Onix, charge towards the sound!"
In the mist, the ground trembled, and with a loud crash, the Onix burst through the surface, colliding with the Lombre. "Yes, hit!"
Lombre had been distracted by the intense noise, he couldn't dodge the Onix's impact . He got knocked back and fell to the ground, clearly injured but still struggling to rise. "Grass-type Pokémon are tough!" Ben muttered, not forgetting to shout, "Onix, don't let him recover! Tackle!"
"Onix!" The Onix charged once more, powered by its resolve. Just as it was about to strike, the Lombre sprang up, shouting, "Hey!!"
A wave of emerald green energy erupted from the Onix, merging into the opponents body. The Onix halted, writhing in pain. "Onixx!"
"Uh-oh! It's Absorb! I wasn't careful," Ben realized, quickly directing, "Onix, focus! Use Iron Tail!"
"Niiix!" The Onix fought against the lingering effects of the Grass-type move, its tail glowing with white light. At this close range, a successful hit would surely prevent Lombre from standing firm. Meanwhile, Lombre reacted by gathering blue water vapor in his mouth before unleashing it, colliding with the Onix's Iron Tail. The energies exploded in the air, sending shockwaves that cleared away the white mist.
"Onix!" The Onix cried out in pain as the steel energy faded and the Water Gun struck it. Ben urged, "Onix, hold on! Use Screech to break through!"
"Onix!" The Onix responded to Ben's command, letting out another piercing sound. Lombre's Water Gun was interrupted, forcing him to clutch his head tightly as he endured the noise. "Now, Onix, unleash the final technique Return!"
Return is a unique move that grows stronger with the bond between trainer and Pokémon. With their relationship at its peak, the power surged, and white star-like lights swirled around the Onix, striking the Lombre hard.
"Lommm!" he screamed, propelled backward and landing far away, his eyes spiraling. Ben finally exhaled in relief. "We did it!"
[Ding! The battle is over. The Onix wins and earns 5 training points. For a first victory, there's a bonus of 10 points. The Onix has levelled up to 19 and learned Rock Tomb (1/100).]
"Only 15 points this time?" Ben thought, feeling a bit disheartened but also pleased with the level-up and new skill. As for the training points, he decided to save them for later.
Approaching the Onix, he gently stroked its tired body. "Thank you, Onix. You were incredible out there!"
"Onix~" The Onix had withstood both Water and Grass-type moves while remaining upright, exceeding Ben's expectations. "I guess you really are tough, haha!"
"Alright, let me give you some medicine, then we'll head to the Pokémon Centre for a proper rest."
"Onix!"
Although he hadn't registered as an official trainer yet and couldn't enjoy any discounts, he figured it was worth spending the money for the sake of the Onix. He quickly applied the healing ointment before recalling it into its Poké Ball and heading back to Petalburg City without delay.
Once inside the Pokémon Center, Ben spotted the consultation office directly across from him. Nurse Joy, looking just like her animated counterpart, was busy at the counter with her pink partner, a Happiny, nearby, cradling an egg in her pouch.
"Hello, Nurse Joy! My Onix is hurt. Could you please take a look?" Ben said as he approached the counter, pulling out the luxury ball to hand to her.
"Of course. Please show me your Pokédex." Nurse Joy smiled warmly.
Ben hesitated, scratching his head shyly. "I don't have a Pokédex yet; I'm on my way to Littleroot Town. I ran into a wild Pokémon along the way… so…"
"I understand, a rookie trainer! Please register here," she said kindly.
"Okay!"
"Leave your Pokémon with me, and let it rest. Don't worry; it will be ready soon," Nurse Joy assured him as she took the Poké Ball and started examining it with a monitoring device.
Relieved, Ben took a moment to observe the Pokémon Centre. Like in the anime, it was designed to cater to trainers and their Pokémon. Except for the Alola region, Pokémon Centres are commonly found in towns throughout the Pokémon world, with some even located near major landmarks.
Additional counters exist in places like Grand Tournament venues and Pokémon Leagues across regions. Each Pokémon Centre has its own unique design, featuring red roofs, escalators, and glass doors at the entrance.
The first floor was divided into two main sections: on the left, Nurse Joy managed trainer Pokémon health and treatment, while the right contained a telephone station for contacting family or determining travel directions. Randomly placed tables and chairs dotted the area, offering weary trainers a place to rest.
On the second floor, three counters awaited visitors. The left received gifts and rewards from League activities, the middle was the wireless club counter marked with dots representing Poké Balls, and the right provided access to an online club where trainers could connect for Pokémon exchanges, evolution, battles, and more. Many Pokémon evolve under specific conditions, and some require communication to do so; unfortunately, the Onix was among those that needed that assistance.
Behind the Pokémon Centre was a large courtyard featuring lawns, low hills, pools, and trees—a perfect space for Pokémon to rest or battle. It was a popular spot for trainers, with battles taking place from morning until night, though most participants were rookies, making elite trainers a rare sight.
The dormitory building encircled the courtyard, with the first floor housing a dining hall and entertainment area, while the second floor held accommodations. Overall, the benefits for League trainers were substantial, but they were expected to work hard and devote themselves to facing the darker forces the League aimed to combat.
After watching some Pokémon battles unfolding in the courtyard, Ben gained insight into the command styles of his peers. Phrases like "Dodge quickly!" and "Hang in there!" echoed around him, showcasing the various levels of skill. Perhaps he simply hadn't encountered the top-tier trainers yet, especially since he was still a newbie himself.
Back in the front hall, he approached the phone station and dialled home, quickly connecting. "Ben, where are you? Petalburg City?"
Seeing his mother on the video call with his father feigning indifference behind her, Ben secretly smiled. "Mom, I made it to Petalburg City, and I'm at the Pokémon Center now!"
"Great! I'm glad you arrived safely. How was the journey?" His mother seemed relieved.
"It went well! Onix performed amazingly in its first battle."
"Really? That's great! He's working hard, huh?"
"Yeah, just a few scratches. It's being treated now." Ben scratched his head. "But Onix is stronger than I expected."
"Make sure to take good care of him! Remember to bring him home once you've captured enough Pokémon. I can help take care of him!"
"Thanks, Mom! You're way better than Dad! Let's talk later, bye!" With a cheerful wave, he ended the call, faintly hearing a voice from the other end mumble, "Brat…"
"Hey~"
Smiling to himself, he heard the announcement echo throughout the hall: "Ben Young, please come to the counter!"
With no time to dwell on being called a brat, he rushed to the counter. "Hello! I'm Ben!"
Nurse Joy handed him back the luxury ball. "Your Pokémon has recovered."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy!"
"You're welcome! Have a pleasant journey!"
Feeling a bittersweet pang as he paid the bill, Ben exited the Pokémon Centre and resumed his journey toward Littleroot Town.
"Onix, use Tackle, finish him off!"
"Onix!" As dust flew up, another Weedle fell.
[Ding! The battle is over. The Onix won, but due to the opponent's low strength, no training points were awarded. However, some experience was gained.]
Ben shook his head in disbelief. "Why are they all Bug-types? This is taking way too long to level up!"
"Roar!" Onix Screeched in agreement. They had faced numerous Bugs along their journey, but all of them were weak Pokémon. As a result, their levels hadn't even reached 20 yet. It was clear they needed a stronger opponent to make real progress.
As he glanced at the giant Beedrill hive in the distance, Ben decided against the idea of collecting some golden honey. Even though Rock-types had an advantage over Bug-types, the sheer numbers of the insects worried him. After all, it was said that ants could take down an elephant, so it was better to slip away for now.