The next morning saw James and Jen start the short run up Route 35 towards the National Park. Quilava was back to his old self, which made James happy, but Jen reminded him that they couldn't go charging forward again. James knew she was right, and he wasn't about to go disobeying Nurse Joy's orders regarding his best pal; the last thing he needed was the Fire-type collapsing again.
Stephanie, the girl they'd had a run-in with the night before, was nowhere to be seen, which both youngsters were relieved about for differing reasons. Jen was still fuming about what Stephanie had said about her Elekid, while James was still trying to figure out why she had talked to him the way she did. As they exited the northern gatehouse and hit the open road again, James turned to Jen, hoping she could enlighten him.
“Hey, Jen, what was all that about last night?”
“What was what all about?”
“That stuff with the girl we ran into. Why did she start acting so weird when I showed up?” Jen stiffened at the mention of Stephanie, and she shook her head.
“I don't know or care, because I don't remember much of it to be honest. She was just so stuck up and vain, I couldn't stand it. Why, did she say something to you?”
“Well, one minute you two were arguing back and forth about Elekid, the next she's calling me cute and acting real strange. It weirded me out a bit.”
“Who knows?!” Jen answered, with a tone that suggested James drop the matter. “I didn't like her, that I know, so can we please talk about something else? I can think of a thousand things more important than her.” James nodded, turning his attention to Quilava, who was quietly walking along by his right leg.
“You alright, buddy?” Quilava growled an affirmative, and James scratched behind his ears as they continued along. The Fire-type hadn't witnessed the previous night's exchange, and didn't think it was his business anyway. James would certainly have called him over if he needed him, but he probably wouldn't have been much help. He was content just walking along, and James wouldn't have had it any other way.
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They walked along the river that ran along much of the route, and both James and Quilava were grateful that a fence separated them from the water. Jen cared little for the barrier, and she leaned over it so she could see the clear water more easily. Magikarp leapt high in the air every so often, and various other Water-types were swimming in the river too. James stayed back, but was impressed with the height the Magikarp were attaining; for a Pokémon with a reputation for weakness in battle, it had a massive leap.
As they continued, they saw various people heading in the same direction. It was mostly tourists, but a few of them were dressed like they were headed for a track meet, not a relaxing stroll in the National Park. James stopped one of them and asked where they were headed.
“Oh, we're going to the Pokéathlon Dome. It just opened, and we're hoping to win a few medals there.” James was intrigued, but knew that neither he nor Quilava were up to the competition just yet. He might enter someday, just not today.
The Park itself was quiet, with lines of trees surrounding patches of tall grass. Parents walked around with small children, admiring the scenery and watching various wild Pokémon scurrying through the grass. Several Bug Catchers ran through with their nets, hoping to catch one of the many Bug-types that lived in the Park, a sight so common that no-one bothered staring. Jen looked at the calm scenes and was instantly glad they'd come; she'd heard about how pretty Sinnoh's Amity Square was, but seeing the Johto park was breathtaking.
“This place is great, huh, James?” she said, admiring the trees lining the paths. James nodded, only half paying attention.
“It's better than a cave, or a thick forest. You can actually see where you're going here.” Jen giggled; she had long gotten used to James' fear of caves. “The scenery's nice, though, it's not too different from back home.” Quilava growled quietly; he was growing impatient, aiming to burn off some of his pent-up energy. James put a calming hand on the Fire-type's head, wordlessly telling him to ease off; this was no time to be getting worked up.
As they kept walking, they saw a tall young man staring at the ground. James looked intently at him, wondering what he could possibly be looking for. Quilava, tired of his inactivity, ran over to where the young man was standing before James could stop him, only to stop short as a small yellow Pokémon leapt out of the ground right in front of him. The Pokémon rolled up and spun a few times in midair before landing hard, uncurling its body as it landed.
“Whoa, what was that?” Jen was impressed with the Pokémon's movements, even if she didn't know what species it was yet. The young man looked over and saw her, then Quilava, and grinned.
“Came to see the show, huh?” The young man's red hair was cut very short, and his eyes were a warm blue.
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“You might say so,” James answered, running over to Quilava. “Quilava's a bit restless at the moment, and he's always curious when there's an unseen Pokémon around.”
“He's got that hunter's instinct, huh?” The young man looked at the yellow Pokémon, then turned back to the two youngsters. “My name's Mason, and this is my buddy Sandshrew.” The Pokémon at his side waved, and James took out his Pokédex to scan it.
“Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon. This Ground-type Pokémon spends most of its time in underground burrows, and only emerges when it hunts.”
“So it's a Ground-type,” James murmured, putting the device away. “So, were you and Sandshrew practicing hunting or something?”
“Oh, no, we're working on a battle strategy. Since Sandshrew isn't the quickest Pokémon in the world, we're working on using its Dig to avoid enemies.”
“That's a strategy that Whitney used!” Jen remembered hers and James' battles with the Goldenrod Leader's Furret, and how it had managed to create havoc with its speed. “Her Furret was so fast, we could barely get a hit in.”
“Well, we're not quite as fast, but we'll make up for that.” Mason turned to James. “You know, Quilava could probably learn how to use Dig too. I can teach him, if you want.”
“You could?” James looked at Quilava, who had perked up at the sound of his name. Having the move would help a lot, particularly against opponents with an advantage. “What do you think, Quilava? Want to give it a try?” Quilava grinned and nodded, and James smiled too. “Okay, Mason, you're on.”
“Great! We'll start in a few minutes.”
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Mason started the lesson by having Sandshrew perform the move at full speed, to show what the move should look like when done properly. The Ground-type dove underground quickly, then leaped out a few seconds later.
“The idea behind this move is unpredictability,” Mason explained. “Since your opponent normally won't know where you are underground, you have the element of surprise. But it's on you to know when and where to emerge.”
“How do we know when to jump out?”
“Well, it's usually pretty straightforward: you remember where the opponent was when you burrowed, and then attack them while they're looking for you. You might run into trouble with a more mobile opponent, or one who has a high speed rating. In addition, some Pokémon like Quagsire or Onix can sense the vibrations underground and avoid you, and some can't be hit by it at all. But the vibrations work both ways. Quilava should be able to sense his opponent's moves from underground, and use that to determine where his target is.”
“Okay, I get it. So, how do we get underground in the first place?”
“I'll show you. Sandshrew, use Dig, but real slow so Quilava can watch.” Sandshrew nodded, then began frantically scratching at the ground in front of him. “You can start by practicing that, Quilava. Use your front paws to dig the hole, then use them again when you come out.” Quilava growled quietly, then started digging at the ground himself. Soon there was a small pile of dirt next to him as he burrowed further down, then he stopped digging and looked at James.
“There you go, Quilava. You're getting the hang of it.”
“He sure is. Okay, now that you've got the hole dug, you can start burrowing sideways. Keep doing the same thing as before.” Quilava nodded and started digging to his left, but this time his movements were faster and more confident. “That's right, keep at it. You can move faster as you get better.”
“Quilava sure learns quick.” Jen was sitting against a tree nearby, watching closely. She'd let her Pokémon out, and they were running with the rest of James' team nearby. “I bet he'll master this skill soon.”
“He sure is determined.” Mason watched Quilava dig his tunnel with quiet fascination. Most non-Ground-type Pokémon took much longer to pick up this skill, but Quilava was surpassing his expectations. “That's a good quality for a Pokémon to have.”
“Quilava never gives up, just like James.” Jen said. “That's why they get along so well.” James shook his head and watched as the ground near Mason began to shake slightly. “Is he trying to dig his way out now?”
“Yes he is. Hold it, Quilava!” Mason shouted, and the digging stopped. “Alright, now we're going to practice locating a target from underground. Go backward a little.” After a few seconds, Mason sent Sandshrew to provide an objective. “Okay, Quilava, try to sense where Sandshrew's moving. It'll be tough at first, but that's all part of learning the move.” He directed Sandshrew to move slowly, so Quilava would have a lower chance of emerging in the wrong place. No sooner had Sandshrew started to circle the area that Quilava began digging up the ground beneath it, causing the Ground-type to jump in surprise. Quilava emerged and slammed into Sandshrew, knocking it over with a triumphant growl. James smiled and nodded at his starter, knowing he was ready to keep going.
“Alright, Quilava, you're getting there! Try it again, and try to dig a little faster this time.” Quilava nodded back and dug another hole, already on the way to mastering the move.
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After a while, Quilava was able to dive underground without really moving his body that much. Mastering the move, as Mason told them, would take work, but being able to dig with minimal effort was a key to the attack. Most Pokémon using it didn't look like they did much of anything, seemingly cutting through the ground as if it were butter. James was pleased with what he saw, and knew he could help Quilava master the move.
“Quilava's got it. All we've got to do is practice.”
“Exactly. I have to hand it to you guys, you sure catch on fast. I wasn't sure if Quilava would be able to learn the move quickly, since he's not a Ground-type, but he proved me wrong. All he's got to practice is speed and timing. Just remember what I told you about opposing countermeasures; a skilled opponent will be able to stop Quilava in his tracks before he can even get underground.”
“We'll do that.” Jen walked over and smiled at Quilava, who was now napping near James' right shoe.
“It looks like Quilava's ready to pack it in after all that hard work.”
“It does.” Mason grinned at the Fire-type. “Alright, guys, I've got to go, I'm hoping to hit the Pokéathlon Dome tomorrow. Keep practicing and stay safe.”
“We will, Mason. Thanks for all your help.” With that, Mason waved goodbye and moved south with Sandshrew in tow, while James, Jen and Quilava began to walk towards the exit of the Park.