Arata's POV
I placed my hands into my jacket's pocket and huffed out a breath, trying to ignore the annoying flutter in my stomach. I was feeling nervous despite myself. I knew my team was strong, there was no doubt about that—and this was just the first gym. But the issue was that there was no guarantee the Gym Leader would go easy on me, as they might a true novice who had just started their journey. Gym Leaders adjust the challenge based on the challenger's perceived strength, and I had no idea what Lola Harrison, the current Gym Leader, would throw at me.
Wasn't that a surprise? Brock's mom was the Gym Leader instead of his father. A stray thought passed through my mind: I wonder what he's off doing.
"Are you feeling nervous?" Maggie piped up, skipping along beside me like the little gremlin she was turning out to be.
I shot her a dry look. "No, you brat. I'm just thinking."
Yeah, right, I thought to myself. I'm not nervous. Nope. Definitely not nervous about failing my very first Gym challenge after all the expectations people have... A warm, steady pulse of calm then flowed through my bond with all my Pokémon, calming me more than I'd like to admit.
That's right. I'm not doing this alone.
"You guys didn't have to come, you know," I said, glancing over at Marrie. "You could've stayed back and prepared for your contest."
Marrie smiled softly. "We're coming to watch a live Gym Battle, obviously."
"And I didn't know someone like you could even get nervous," she added, a teasing glint in her eye.
I rolled my eyes and kept walking. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up."
I hadn't texted Hailey about the challenge yet. Part of me wanted to wait until I actually had the badge in hand. Professor Oak probably already knew, though; I had registered the challenge through my Pokédex.
The path sloped upward steeply, forcing us to walk through rocky, mountainous terrain. The air grew cooler as we climbed. Greenery still clung stubbornly to the slopes, but the ground was mostly stone and packed dirt now. Eventually, the trail opened up, revealing a large compound built to look like a massive, weathered boulder. A few other trainers were milling around outside, some looking confident and some not so much. There were also people here who looked to be out for a day trip, probably just to enjoy some Pokémon battles.
As we reached the main entrance, I could tell the difference from the one in Saffron. It was quite a bit smaller and had a diminished crowd, probably due to the city's population and demographic. Pewter was mostly a mining city with industries based around that. I glanced at the front desk and the small queue of trainers in front of it.
I turned to the girls. "Why don't you two go find a good spot to sit? My challenge should be up before lunch if nothing changes."
Maggie gave me an enthusiastic double thumbs-up. "Good luck, Arata! Beat them up!"
Marrie smiled softly, though I could see a hint of worry in her eyes. "We'll be cheering for you. Good luck."
"Thanks," I said, returning the smile.
They headed off toward the spectator seating while I stepped into the short line. When my turn came, the young man behind the desk barely looked up from his screen.
"Name?" he asked in a bored tone.
"Arata Ishida."
He tapped a few keys, then turned the monitor toward me so I could confirm my details. I quickly scanned and approved them. The attendant nodded distractedly.
"Alright. Since this is your first Gym challenge, you'll need to win a 1-on-1 preliminary match against one of our Gym Trainers before you can face the Gym Leader."
Unsurprised, I nodded at him. I followed his directions through a heavy, rocky door that looked like it had been carved straight out of the mountain. It led me to a smaller area with multiple battlefields where matches were already taking place. I was directed to the far end where a severe-looking older woman, definitely a Gym Trainer based on her brown uniform, stood waiting for me, already holding a Poké Ball.
My first hurdle, I thought, feeling my mind sharpen the way it always did right before a battle.
I had already contemplated who I was going to use. I could use Caesar and steamroll this match—it was, after all, only a screening process. Orin or Livia could probably breeze through it too, even with Livia's type disadvantage. But I wanted this to be a proper learning experience for my newest team member.
A referee stepped forward, raising a flag.
"This will be a one-on-one match under standard League rules!" he announced clearly. "The battle will continue until one side's Pokémon is unable to continue, or I call off the match. Trainers, are you ready?"
The Gym Trainer gave a single, firm nod. "Ready."
"Ready," I echoed.
I reached for Titania's Poké Ball, enlarging it with a swift click of the regulator switch. Across from me, the woman did the same. The referee brought down the flag in his hand tightly, signaling the start of the match. The woman and I tossed out our Poké Balls at the same time.
In twin flashes of red light, two Pokémon materialized on the rocky field. Hers was a well-bred and groomed Geodude, flexing its powerful arms as it called out its name loudly. My Titania landed with a loud thud, signifying her weight despite her relatively smaller size. She let out a fierce little growl, her spines raised, clearly ready to prove herself.
I smirked as I caught the flash of surprise on the Gym Trainer's face at seeing my Larvitar. The woman didn't waste any time, calling out the first move of the match.
"Geodude! Let's put some pressure on them! Rock Throw!"
The rocky Pokémon grunted and punched the ground. A chunk of stone ripped free instantly, spinning through the air like a cannonball as it hurtled straight toward Titania. But my little Larvitar didn't wait for orders. She snorted a sound eerily reminiscent of Caesar and neatly sidestepped the attack with contemptuous ease.
"You're going to need more than that," I murmured, then raised my voice. "Dark Pulse! Get in closer, Titania!"
It would be a bad idea to get in close quarters to a Rock-type Pokémon, but I had faith in Titania. Besides, she didn't have a sufficient special attack to decisively bring down her opponent. Titania charged forward bravely, firing off lances of crackling dark energy as she closed the distance. The shadowy pulses streaked across the battlefield, forcing the Geodude to move and dodge to avoid being struck by the dark lances.
"Defense Curl!" the Gym Trainer snapped.
Geodude tucked its arms and curled into a tight, hardened ball, its rocky hide glowing faintly as it boosted its defenses.
The woman didn't let up and continued. "Finish that Ground-type! Rock Slide!"
A massive wave of boulders and rubble erupted from the ground and came crashing down toward Titania. She stood her ground, patiently waiting for my command even as the rocks bore down on her.
I smiled despite the tension. How far she's come from that feral little thing I first met...
"Dive!" I called out calmly.
Titania dropped and disappeared into the earth with a burst of dust just as the Rock Slide smashed into the area where she'd been standing with a devastating sound.
I had guessed correctly: the Gym Trainer's face twisted in a grimace. This was only a screening match, so she would likely use a move like Earthquake or Magnitude. "Rock Smash the moment it comes up!" she commanded.
Hearing its trainer, the Geodude planted itself, fists glowing with power, ready to strike the second Titania emerged. I stayed calm as I sent the feelings of what I wanted Titania to do through our bond. The ground exploded outward as Titania burst up,right in front of the Geodude. The Rock Smash connected hard, smashing into her face with a heavy crack, but at the exact same moment, her body flared with muted brown Fighting-type energy.
Counter.
Titania lashed out with her little hands. The force of the amplified blow was reflected straight back through the hit. The Geodude was launched violently through the air, tumbling end over end before crashing hard into the far wall.
The referee raised his flag immediately.
"Geodude is unable to battle! The winner is Larvitar!"
My little Larvitar screeched in victory, throwing her head back as I felt a surge of fierce pride swell in my chest.
That's my girl.
The Gym Trainer recalled her Pokémon with a respectful nod in my direction and walked over to me as I returned Titania, after sending feelings of pride and satisfaction through our bond. "Not bad, kid, that was a good fight. Your challenge with the Gym Leader is right before lunch. You can get some rest in the rec room."
She left, muttering something about lazy assistants and that my profile should have been flagged. I ignored that and made my way to the pointed-out rec room.
That's one hurdle jumped. Now it's straight to the finish line, I thought. Let's do this.