RS021: Slugging It Out with Slugma I

Slugging It Out with Slugma I (VSマグマッグI) (also known as VS Torkoal in Chuang Yi version) is the 11th and final chapter of Pokémon Adventures: Volume 16.

Synopsis
Ruby and the director watch as Blaise of Team Magma intimidates Stern and his assistant, Dock. Once Blaise has gathered data, he goes to imprison Stern, but Ruby and the director fall out. Ruby goes into the submarine, as does Blaise, though the submarine begins diving in.

Chapter Plot
Ruby and the director are thrown into a room. Ruby sends Mumu, who soaks the director, waking him up. The director remembers they were making PokéBlocks until they were attacked. The director and Ruby see through the door's window and see Blaise holding a man. Ruby realizes they are members of Team Magma, the ones he fought on the Abandoned Ship. He also realizes Courtney and Tabitha, the ones he fought before, carried him away from the Contest Hall. He hopes they have not realized he is here, knowing he wore glasses, stood in the shadows and was smudged by berry juice, so they couldn't see him easily. Fortunately, they are not here, but wonders about Team Magma's motives.

The director realizes Blaise is holding Captain Stern, owner of the aqua museum of Slateport City, as well as the shipyard's owner. He thinks the man beside him is Dock, his assistant. Ruby asks the director didn't he realize he was dragging Captain Stern through the Contest Hall, but the director replies he was too busy thinking about mixing berries. The director asks Ruby to show his cool side and battle this man. Ruby declines and asks why doesn't the director battle, to which the director tells he is just afraid of battling. Blaise intimidates Stern and presses a button, causing the Submarine, Karen I, to appear. He asks of him about components, since the submarine is not working properly yet. Stern does not want to tell anything, while Dock yells at Blaise. Blaise sends Slugma to threaten Dock.

Seeing Dock hurt, Stern replies a heart component is missing. He tells it can travel undersea, but will not be able to reach the Cave of Origin. He had the Devon Corp. transport the component, but it was not delivered. Blaise is pleased and tells this to Courtney and Tabitha, to go to Devon Corp. and find the component. Stern demands of Blaise to let Dock go. Blaise simply takes Stern and goes to place him in the room, but Ruby and the director fall out, since they have been eavesdropping. Ruby runs off, claiming he does not know anything about the submarine, though Blaise sends Slugma to chase him. Ruby begins dropping PokéBlocks and hides in the submarine. Slugma goes in and Blaise cannot call it back, so goes into the submarine. However, the locking mechanism activates and the safety gear falls off, as the submarine dives in.

Blaise sees Ruby lured him personally, claiming he has no desire to battle, though he has been dropping green PokéBlocks, the ones his calm Slugma loves. Ruby didn't realize this, but Blaise does not believe him. He wonders who Ruby *really is*.

Twenty days have passed since Ruby and Sapphire made their bet.

Pokémon
Blaise's Slugma