Pokémon X and Y Walkthrough, Part Twenty-One: Route 13 and Kalos Power Plant

Four badges down, four to go. With western Kalos under your belt, you're now off to the east to see what challenges await. Problem is, you have to go through the north of Lumiose City - and the city is caught by a blackout. Perhaps you can do something to solve it?

Route 13 - Lumiose Badlands

- Head south out of Coumarine City to find the route. Sycamore's assistants will intercept you and upgrade your Pokedex to the Mountain Kalos Pokedex.

- This area's a bit different from normal. Rather than running into grass, you'll be pursued by underground pokemon, represented as churned dirt. Avoid or attack as you see fit.

- Before doing anything else, look a short ways northwest of the path. There's a hidden Nest Ball nearby. There are no obvious landmarks, so use your Dowsing Machine to find it.

- Go east. Across a grinding bar you'll find a Smooth Rock. (If the wind is annoying you in trying to get across the bars, either wait until it dies down or stand still with your skates on before approaching them. Unless the wind is really working against you you'll probably get across the bars.)

- Wander to the west end and a little ways south. You'll find another grinding bar. Just south of it, in a rock, is a Heat Rock.

- If you head back east from this grinding bar, as well as a little ways south, you'll find a Guard Spec. in the middle of nowhere. The Dowsing Machine is practically compulsory. If you keep going east and south from here, near one of the metal bridges and in a rock, is an X Accuracy.

- Go across the grinding bar. Go south before crossing the next bar and you'll find a Burn Heal behind a breakable rock.

- On the other side of the bar back north you'll find a PP Up in a rock.

- Bash through the rock near the grinding bar and follow the thin trail south. Along the way is a rock containing a Hyper Potion. Follow the trail all the way south, west, and east to find TM 57, Charge Beam.

- Make your way down the grinding rails to the south. Head west when you see the scientist. A Team Flare Grunt is waiting.

Team Flare Grunt

Houndoom, level 31

Golbat, level 33

Reward: $1,320

A step up, maybe, but these guys are still pretty frail. Kill Golbat quick before it can confuse you.

- After beating the guy and listening to his jabbering, check the large rock to your right to find the Power Plant Pass. You can use this Pass to enter the Power Plant to the north, but we'll finish searching the desert first.

- South of the scientist is a grinding bar. Go a ways east of him and get a run up to get onto and across it. This will take you to a small path leading to a Sun Stone.

- Head all the way east along the bottom of the map. Near a Power Plant installation is a Flame Plate.

- Enough aimless wandering. Head back to the door you saw in the west and use the Pass to get in.

Kalos Power Plant

- Walk down the long hallway and you'll find a Grunt inside the first area.

Team Flare Grunt

Scraggy, level 32

Croagunk, level 32

Reward: $1,280

Low-level guys. Nothing special as long as you avoid normal-types.

- The room to the right is full of people. Some jerk in here will sell Fresh Waters for $300 rather than $200. On the right side of the room is a Zap Plate.

- Head back into the hall. Another Grunt is waiting to the north.

Team Flare Grunt

Croagunk, level 31

Golbat, level 33

Reward: $1,320

A bit tougher than the last battle since Golbat can be a bit annoying, but not that bad.

- Walk into the next room. A Grunt will challenge you automatically.

Team Flare Grunt

Mightyena, level 34

Reward: $1,360

Got a fighting-type? You will destroy poor Mightyena. It's still not difficult otherwise unless you're trying to use a psychic- or ghost-type pokemon.

- You're forced to walk the long way around this area. Trainer...

Team Flare Grunt

Scraggy, level 32

Golbat, level 32

Reward: $1,280

Stupid Golbat.

- And another...

Team Flare Grunt

Golbat, level 32

Mightyena, level 32

Reward: $1,280

Stupid Golbat.

- And another...

Team Flare Grunt

Swalot, level 34

Reward: $1,360

Weird move pool, fairly durable, but still not that challenging. Psychic is the go-to if you have any available moves. Toxic can be painful; don't be afraid to switch out.

- And another...

Team Flare Grunt

Liepard, level 31

Swalot, level 33

Reward: $1,320

Stupid Toxic!

- And another...

Team Flare Grunt

Croagunk, level 31

Scraggy, level 31

Liepard, level 31

Reward: $1,240

Eh, nothing special.

- Aaaaand another. Though at least it's more interesting.

Team Flare Admin

Houndoom, level 36

Reward: $2,880

A fairly hardcore glass cannon. Houndoom hits hard and moves hard, but is so very fragile. One solid hit will bring it down.

- Aaaaand then his cohort, a named member of Team Flare! Ooo.

Team Flare Aliana

Mightyena, level 38

Reward: $5,320

A more durable, but ultimately less dangerous, version of Houndoom. It's good at slowing you down and chomping psychic-types, and that's about it.

- After the battle, some... um... interesting characters will show up and give you a full heal, as well as two Full Restores. Gee, thanks? Well, at least you can now enter Lumiose City...

- ... but first, return to the room with the captives. The guy near the door will give you TM 43, Flame Charge; the female scientist will give you a Magnet; and the shyster with the expensive Fresh Waters lower them to $100 a pop. Now you can go to the city.

- Make sure you enter Lumiose City through Route 13's southern exit! Not only can you find a Rare Candy and a hidden Stardust on a small path east of the exit, you won't be able to enter the northern sections of Lumiose City until you go through here. (Thanks to porygon for pointing out the items.)