Oreburgh Gate

Hey kid! I see you have a shiny new poketch, you can’t have been travelling far. You might need this!

The strange man hanging around the cave entrance hands me a HM06.

- Oh, er… thanks?

Helping out newbies is kind of my hobby!

If I still had all 24 if my badges I’d show him a thing or two about book covers and judgement. But I just take the HM06 along with the insult and carry on.

Oreburgh City

I find the gym fairly quickly, it was easy to spot with Barry outside hopping up and down while peering into the windows.

Aw man, the gym leader isn’t here yet!

- Well maybe if we look around the city a little we might find him.

Oh, great idea! Imma go north, you go south!

Before I get a chance to respond, Barry is already rounding a corner and out of my sight.

That kid needs to lay off the coffee…

Asking around town reveals that the gym leader, Roark, like to train in a local coal mine. I’d tell Barry but he’s nowhere to be seen.

Oreburgh Mine

The mine appears to be quite active, conveyor belts are loaded with coal and whisking it all off to a place I can’t see. Several of the miners working down here are also pokemon trainers and prove to be good practice for Sinclair and Vir.

I find Roark near some loose rocks.

Hello there, young trainer!

- Hi, could I–

See a demonstration? Of course!

- Er..

Here you see a pesky rock blocking our way. Now behold the power of Rock Smash!

Roark has one of his pokemon shatter the rock, scattering the pieces around.

The rock is now smashed. You could have this ability too but the Hidden Machine required cannot be activated without the badge from my gym!

- About that…

You wish to challenge me? We cannot do battle here, meet me at my gym and we shall battle there!

Oreburgh City

Go Geodude!

- Go Sinclair!

- Razor leaf!

Stealth rock!

Sinclair launches a flurry of sharp leaves that chip away and dig into geodude. Geodude goes limp and lazily rolls to one side.

Go Onix!

- Razor leaf!

Stealth rock!

Onix throws small sharp rocks all around my side of the arena. A flurry of leaves thrown by Sinclair chip away at onix.

- Razor leaf!

Roark twists open a potion bottle and sprays it onto onix and Sinclair throws more sharp leaves that dig into it. Onix flops to the floor with a loud slam.

Go Cranidos!

- Withdraw!

Headbutt!

Cranidos charges at Sinclair and knocks him to one side with it’s head. Sinclair withdraws into his shell.

- Withdraw!

Headbutt!

Cranidos chases after Sinclair and headbutts him into an arena wall, Sinclair completely withdraws into his shell as he bounces off the wall and slides to the middle of the arena.

- Absorb!

Headbutt!

Cranidos slams it’s skull into Sinclair’s shell, upon contact Sinclair absorbs a portion of Cranidos’ energy to heal.

- Absorb!

Headbutt!

Cranidos bounces off of Sinclair and has more of it’s life drained on contact.

- Absorb!

Headbutt!

Undeterred by Sinclair absorbing life on touch, cranidos smashes head first into Sinclair’s shell.

- Absorb!

Headbutt!

Cranidos charges at Sinclair. The quick claw around Sinclair’s neck glints, Sinclair pops his head out of his shell, bites cranidos on the neck and absorbs the last of it’s life.

Aww man, I lost?

Well done, I award you the Coal Badge!

Meanwhile in Sandgem Town…

Thank you for coming to see me at such short notice. I know you have your hands full right now but I believe this could be of greater importance in the long run.

I’ve come across a suspicious individual. He goes by the name of Caldar.

He’d said to me that he’d become champion in foreign lands. When I checked for his name I could only find a few references from between ten and forty years ago.

References to individuals who had taken part in rather questionable acts in Hoenn, Kanto, Johto, a rather extraordinary incident in Unova, and don’t even get me started about Kalos!

At first I thought it couldn’t possibly be the same individual but the photos I found all show a very similar, if not the same, person.

I find it quite remarkable that such a person could retain such a youthful look for all those decades but also how he seems to be at the centre of events involving large criminal organisations.

Which is when I thought of you and your current investigation…

Thank you for bringing this to my attention! It could very much have something to do with my investigation into Team Galactic. I am reminded of my first investigation as a detective for the International Police.

I seem to remember a Caldar from back then too, but he had vanished by the time I arrived in Unova. Perhaps he’s the true mastermind of the criminal organisations like the Plasmas and the Rockets!

And then there’s this Professor Oak too. Tell me, mister Looker, what do you know about time travel…?

Voting for the legacy egg is open!