"Welcome, to Brimber Gym!"

I step into the gym side of the volcano, still wondering where in the entire region Jake was. He wasn't at the gym, nor was he at the Pokemon Center when I went to heal my Pokemon.

Oh well.

I noticed the gym was an obstacle course, with magma pooling out everywhere. There were more trainers here too, so I made sure to regulate my healing as I go through the course.

When I got to the top, I saw Sebastian again. He noticed me and smiled.

"So, you've managed to brave the obstacle course," he says. "Well, congratulations. By the way, thank you again for the whole situation with Groudon earlier. We're all really grateful for it."

I nod and set Scorbunny down, and look at the Gym Leader again.

"So how bout that battle?" I ask. Sebastian nods.

"Yeah, let's battle."

As soon as he said that, the platform ascended, and it stopped at the peak of the volcano.

"Okay, Litleo, let's go!" Sebastian throws out a Pokeball, which sent out the lion cub, Litleo. Scorbunny jumps in front of Litleo.

"Litleo, use Noble Roar!" Sebastian commands, and Litleo lets out a deafening roar, making Scorbunny cover her ears by throwing them downward.

"Scorbunny, use Quick Attack to get in close, Ember as a distractor, then use Tackle!"

Scorbunny sped herself up and ran in circles around Litleo. Sebastian tried to counter that by using Overheat in every direction. However, Scorbunny proved to be too fast and avoided the Overheat. She then fired Ember at the ground, setting a small ring of fire around Litleo.

Sebastian tried to use Noble Roar as a way to dispel the flames, but Scorbunny had already jumped in and tackled Litleo into the fire.

"Litleo, are you alright?" Litleo nodded back to its trainer. "Alright, use Overheat!"

Litleo sent a wave of fire towards Scorbunny, who gets hit with it. However, it doesn't do a lot of damage.

"Use Take Down, then Overheat close-range!"

"Counter it with Quick Attack!"

Litleo rushed at Scorbunny, just as the latter does the same. Both clashed with each other, but when Litleo was about to use Overheat, Scorbunny flashed a little blue and then got a full-scale evolution.

Soon it wasn't Scorbunny anymore, but Raboot.

I marveled at the evolution before Litleo used Overheat and snapped me out of it. I dodged out of the way to avoid the fire, then commanded Raboot to use Double Kick.

Raboot, since she was at close range already, merely kicked Litleo twice before it fainted. Sebastian called back Litleo and sent in Growlithe.

"Growlithe, use Flame Wheel!"

Growlithe rolled up into a ball and wheeled at Raboot, who was experiencing gravity slowly and drifting down to the battlefield.

"Raboot, use Quick Attack, and run on top of Growlithe's Flame Wheel in the opposite direction!"

Raboot landed on Growlithe and ran the opposite direction, eventually putting the Flame Wheel out of circulation. Growlithe screeched to a halt and Raboot jumped off of the other Fire-type.

"Now Double Kick!"

"Overheat!"

Raboot jumped up to avoid the incoming Overheat but was hit a third time by it when Growlithe snapped its head upwards to counter Raboot's strategy.

"Quick Attack to get in close, then try a Double Kick again!"

Raboot charged at Growlithe as fast as she can and jumped up to gain more power into the attack. Growlithe was hit with the attack, but Sebastian used Reversal, which damaged Raboot pretty badly.

"Return! Pikachu, go!"

Pikachu replaced Raboot and immediately sparks danced about his cheeks.

"Use Electro Ball!"

Pikachu chucked a ball of electricity at Growlithe, who gets hit and lived on 1 HP.

"One more! Use Electro Ball again!"

Pikachu did the same thing again, but this time Sebastian told Growlithe to throw it back with its own tail. I do the same, and soon enough, Pikachu and Growlithe were knocking the Electro Ball back and forth until it eventually dissipated.

"Use Overheat again!" Sebastian ordered, and Growlithe shot another wave of fire.

"Dodge with Quick Attack! Then tackle Growlithe with the move!"

Pikachu dodged Overheat and sped towards Growlithe, who took the attack head-on, knocking it out in the process.

Sebastian returned Growlithe and sent out his third Pokemon, Magmar. I kept ordering Pikachu to do an Electro Ball-Quick Attack combo. I don't know, but it somehow worked. Magmar got knocked out after exchanging a few hits with Pikachu and Raboot since Pikachu got knocked out before. Sebastian was a little surprised but chuckled not too long after.

"You really do have potential. I knew Groudon saw something in you! Good work, you definitely earned this one!" He gave me the second badge, which was an orb with a flame design around it.

"By the way, here's a Technical Machine containing my signature move, Overheat." He gave me the disc, which I accepted.

"Thanks," I reply once I pocket the two items.

"You're welcome. I can see you'll go far in your adventure." Sebastian says. "Good luck with the rest of your adventure."

The platform descends, and I step off of it. Sebastian gestures to something behind him.

"Use this to get back to the entrance." Sebastian pressed a button on a wall, and the lava parted to reveal an elevator of sorts behind. I took it down after waving goodbye to Sebastian.

Jake was still missing after my battle, so I decided, "why not?" and ditch the guy for now. I'm sure he could find his way.

While I was going through the riverbank that is Route 7, I felt someone was watching me, but when I look around, it's just trainers and lumberjacks. I shrugged it off and walked through the route.

At the near end, a bunch of Bidoof had apparently built a dam, and I had to go to the lumberjack office to talk to them about it. Apparently they were on a break and I had to battle quite a few of them to get to the desk. By that time, the manager had come back from his own break and ordered the workers to move it.

The dam was cleared in no time and I was free to go.

Beyond Route 7 was a small town resting upon a body of water called Lagoona Lake. The town was covered by a glass veil overhead and not too far from the town laid a building shaped like a hemisphere.

Inside the hemisphere was a research lab that researches the items they find underwater. Apparently, the lake is home to a lot of ancient things since a meteor had hit the place eons ago, so they want to know everything they can and asked me to go down there and check some out. They handed over a battery and said to find as many items as I could until it runs out.

Underwater, there were many rocks and seaweed floating everywhere. Every now and then, there were cracks in a piece of stone and I fished something out.

Soon enough, the battery ran out and I had to return to the surface. Back at the lab, they examined everything I found and realized I found a fossil, and I was allowed to revive it using a machine at the back.

The fossil turned out to be an Amaura, who looked extremely confused as to where it is and why. I picked it up and had a little introduction right there, with all of my own Pokemon joining in.

After Amaura got acquainted with everyone and accepted going on a journey, I headed to the Pokemon Center to sleep in for the night. Everyone was sent out of their Pokeballs and we all just enjoyed a dinner at the Center's dining area.