"Look, Shimizu! It's Petalburg City!" Shimizu yawned indifferently; however, Suika was quite excited, having grown up in Littleroot Town, this was the farthest she'd ever been. She was ecstatic at the awesome time they had made, after spending the night at Odale, and come across the already bright town in early morning, sparkling in dew. Suika stretched and smiled at Shimizu.

"Wanna race down the hill, Shimi-chan?" But the blue mud fish was now sleeping. Never the less, the green-haired girl tucked her pokemon into the practically empty pocket of her large cream colored messenger bag and dashed down the hill at top speed, enjoying the sheer exhilaration, only to trip and fall flat on her face at the very foot of the hill.

Shimizu hopped out of the pack and pawed half-heartedly at his trainer. Suika sat straight up so suddenly that the mudkip leapt back in sheer terror and sat down quivering.

"Ne heh heh, oops, I tripped." She laughed nervously. "Er, sorry Shimi-chan, did I scare yas?"

"Kip!" The mud fish pokemon chirped sharply in anger.

"Oooh! Look, a gym!" Once again, Suika's rodent-like attention span had moved on. (No offence meant to any rodents.) "Come on, Shimizu!" Suika leapt to her feet, and Shimizu, reluctantly, took his place on her shoulder. She grinned determinedly. "Let's give it our best shot and win, Shimi-chan!"

The mudkip blinked in surprise at his trainer's sudden determination. The entire journey may be looking up, it seemed…

- - -

The gym was deserted. Suika blinked, trying desperately to get her forest green eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness.

"Maybe they aren't open yet…" She mused, disappointed, than cleared her throat and called out to the emptiness. "IS ANYONE THERE?" The green-haired girl waited a few minutes, but only heard echoes of "there? ... ere…? … re… e?" She sighed and turned away, only to hear several crashes. The girl jumped and whirled around quickly to see a teen-aged boy, about Yuki's age, with scraggly brown hair and clothes so wrinkled it appeared as if he had been sleeping in them, limping in her direction and muttering curses under his breath.

"I can hear you," He hissed. "There's no need to yell, especially when I'm trying to get in some slee- er training."

"Er, sorry; I wanted to challenge the gym leader…"

"Well, he's in Slateport, get lost!" Suika blinked in surprise.

"But, I wanted to battle someone." She whimpered. "I haven't battled anyone yet." The boy perked up.

"No one?" He asked. "I guess I could battle you if you like, but I won't go easy on you. By the by, the name's Shin."

"Really? You will? You will?" Suika's eyes widened. "Thank you!"

- - -

Shin and Suika faced off outside the gym. A rectangle had been drawn in the ground. Shin drew a great ball from his belt, its bright blue and red colors shone bright in the daylight.

"Go!" He yelled, throwing it as a light emerged from it, taking shape. "Spinda!" The bear-like pokemon staggered slightly before gaining its balance. He grinned.

"Shimizu," Suika nodded to her pokemon. "Do your best, 'kay?" Without waiting for any other comments, the mud fish had leapt to the ground.

The battle had begun.