Here's the next chapter! I hope you all enjoy!
Spiral had finally arrived in Santalune City and the first place he immediately went to was the Pokémon Center. He went inside with Fennekin still in his arms and walked up to the nurse at the front counter
"Excuse me? Is this where I come to heal my Pokémon, right?" Spiral asked.
"Yes, this is it." The nurse said. "Are you a new Trainer?"
"Mmhm." Spiral nodded.
"My name is Nurse Joy." She politely bowed to him. "Here at the Pokémon Center, you can heal your injured Pokémon free of charge."
"If your services are free, how do you make money to stay in business?" Spiral questioned.
"My, aren't you the inquisitive type." Nurse Joy giggled. "Pokémon Centers aren't just hospitals for Pokémon; they are also a restaurant, Trainer shop and inn all in one."
"Okay, now it makes more sense." Spiral said before pulling out Fennekin's Poké Ball. "Fennekin, you're going to have to go back into your ball for now, okay?"
"Fenna." Fennekin spoke.
Spiral recalled Fennekin back to his Poké Ball, took out his Pikachu's Poké Ball as well and placed them in a Poké Ball tray to hand to Nurse Joy.
"Come back in a little while." Nurse Joy took the tray of Poké Balls.
Spiral turned around and looked over the Pokémon Center until he saw a set of video phones.
"I should probably call Mom and let her know I got here safe." He said as he walked over to the phones.
He took a seat in front of one of the phones, dialed a series of numbers and waited for his mother to respond. After about five rings, it immediately went straight to a message receiver.
"Hi, Mom, it's me." Spiral said into the speaker. "I just wanted to let you know that I made it to Santalune City all right. I managed to catch my first Pokémon, though I'm sure you'd rather hear the story from me. Anyway, I'll call you again later today. Love you."
After hanging up the phone, he let out a heavy sigh.
"Maybe she's out shopping." Spiral muttered to himself before looking toward the Pokémon Center front doors. "Perhaps I can check out the gym in the meantime."
After acquiring a map of the city, Spiral began walking around until he finally managed to find his way to the Santalune Gym, a large building with a green roof and tall glass windows. As he approached the gym, he noticed a familiar face standing in front of it.
"Hey, Kimiko!" Spiral called out to and ran toward the girl at the gym's entrance.
"Huh?" Kimiko turned and saw Spiral running up to her. "Oh, Spiral. How are you?"
"Fine." Spiral answered. "Did you catch any new Pokémon since the last time we met?"
"No." She shook her head. "I still only have Froakie and Fletchling. You probably caught more than I did, though."
"Well…" Spiral chuckled nervously. "I only caught one. You about to challenge the Santalune Gym?"
"Oh, y-you can go first if you want."
"Both of my Pokémon are being treated back at the Center, so you can go ahead. Do you mind if I watch?"
"W-watch?!" Kimiko stammered and lightly blushed.
"Yeah, that way I know what kind of Pokémon to expect from the Gym Leader."
"O-oh…" Kimiko gave a light sigh. "R-r-right…"
They both went through the front doors and walked through a hallway of photographs of various Pokémon, mostly, if not all of them, were Bug-types.
"Wow!" Kimiko admired the photos as they passed by them. "These pictures all look amazing!"
"Judging by these photos, maybe the Gym Leader here uses Bug-types." Spiral guessed before thinking to himself. *If that's the case, I might only need to use Fennekin.*
They continued walking until they went through another set of doors and into a wide open room with a Pokémon battlefield in the center of it. There were trees all around the battlefield save for a few paths for spectators and the ceiling was glass, almost as if it was like a greenhouse.
"E-excuse me?" Kimiko called out rather quietly. "I-I'm here for a gym battle."
"Kimiko, the Gym Leader's not gonna hear you if you don't speak up." Spiral said. "Like this." He took a deep breath before shouting loudly. "Excuse us?! There's someone here for a gym battle!"
After a few seconds, the doors on the other side of the room opened and a woman with blonde hair, a white shirt, green pants and a camera hanging from her neck came in.
"You came at a good time." The woman said. "I just got back from the field."
"Are you the Gym Leader, ma'am?" Kimiko asked.
"Yep." The woman pointed her thumb at herself. "Viola, the Santalune Gym Leader. Uh? Why is your friend looking away from me?"
Kimiko looked toward Spiral and noticed that he had his head turned away from Viola.
"Spiral, is something wrong?" Kimiko asked.
"Nothing!" Spiral replied rather quickly with a hint of pink on his face. "Nothing is wrong! Anyway, she's the one who wanted to challenge you to a gym battle."
A couple moments later, Kimiko and Viola stood on opposite sides of the battlefield, each with a Poké Ball in hand, and a referee stood on the sidelines in between them. Spiral was standing nearby as a spectator behind the referee.
"The Gym Battle between Viola, the Santalune Gym Leader, and Kimiko Kage, the challenger, will now begin!" The referee proclaimed. "Each side will be allowed to use two Pokémon! The battle is over when all Pokémon on one side are no longer able to battle! Only the challenger is permitted to substitute Pokémon mid-battle!"
"Surskit, Go!" Viola threw out a Poké Ball and out of it came a small, four-legged blue spider.
" A Surskit…" Spiral muttered as he pulled out his Pokédex.
"Surskit, the Pond Skater Pokémon." The Pokédex chimed. "Surskit secretes oil on its feet that allow it to skate on water and the tip of its head releases a sweet scent to draw in prey."
*A Bug AND Water-type.* Spiral thought as he examined the Pokédex's data. *Fennekin's going to have a real problem against that.*
"Alright…" Kimiko said as she pulled out one of her Poké Balls. "Fletchling, go!"
Kimiko threw the Poké Ball and the Fletchling she had caught before entering Santalune Forest came out of it.
"Fletchling!" The small bird chirped as it flew in the air.
"BEGIN!" The referee raised her arm and swung it back down, signaling the combatants to start the battle.
"Quick Attack!" Both of them commanded.
Surskit and Fletchling dashed at each other at high speed and collided into one another, the force knocking both of them away from each other.
"Now, Surskit, Bubble!"
Bubbles began to blow out from the tip of Surskit's head at Fletchling.
"Fletchling, dodge!"
Fletchling swiftly flew around and past the bubbles Surskit was blowing.
"And Peck!"
With a swift strike, Fletchling quickly dived at Surskit and struck it beak first.
"Get back in with Quick Attack!" Viola shouted.
After Surskit stopped keeling from Fletchling's attack, it dashed right into Fletchling and pushed the tiny bird Pokémon away.
"Fletchling, are you okay?" Kimiko asked worriedly.
"Fletch-ling!" Fletchling chirped back.
"Okay, use Quick Attack to get in close and then use Peck!"
Fletchling began darting through the air towards Surskit.
"Bubble!"
Surskit blew bubbles from the tip of its head again to create a 'wall' between the two of them.
"Fletchling, find gaps in their defense!"
Fletchling easily and quickly navigated through the wall of bubbles, came up to Surskit and delivered a strong peck that sent the bug sliding to Viola.
"Surskit, no!" Viola exclaimed.
Surskit looked as if it was completely unconscious.
"Surskit is unable to battle!" The referee declared. "Fletchling is the winner!"
"Phew…" Kimiko sighed with relief before smiling at Fletchling. "Great job, Fletchling!"
"Fletchling!" Fletchling responded happily.
Spiral intently watched the battle the entire time, taking mental notes of every detail he could find.
"Don't worry, Surskit." Viola said as she recalled Surskit back to its Poké Ball. "You did your best." She put Surskit's Poké Ball away and pulled out another one. "Vivillon, you're up!"
Out of Viola's Poké Ball appeared a butterfly-like Pokémon with pink wings and Spiral took out his Pokédex again for more Intel.
"Vivillon, the Scale Pokémon and the fully evolved form of Scatterbug. The patterns on their wings vary depending on the climate of their habitat and release colorful scales when beating its wings."
*Now it's a battle between Flying-types, although Fletchling has the type advantage.* Spiral thought to himself.
"Fletchling, Peck!" Kimiko commanded.
Fletchling darted its way towards the airborne Vivillon.
"Vivillon, Harden!"
Vivillon curled its wings around the front of its body and they glistened in the sunlight peering through the roof. When Fletchling struck it, the bird bounced back and fell to the ground, checking its beak for injuries.
"Now, Infestation!"
Vivillon unfurled its wings and repeatedly beat them, unleashing a swarm of tiny insects at Fletchling while it was recovering. When the tiny bugs latched onto the bird, it started feeling the bugs biting at him and winced in pain.
"Fletchling!" Kimiko exclaimed.
"Now use Tackle!"
Vivillon charged at Fletchling and crashed right through it, sending it flying back towards Kimiko. As the bugs scurried off of Fletchling, everyone could make out that it had lost consciousness.
"Fletchling is unable to battle!" The referee proclaimed. "Vivillon is the winner!"
Kimiko picked up Fletchling and took out its Poké Ball. "I'm so sorry about that, Fletchling…"
Fletchling was recalled back into its Poké Ball and Kimiko put it back into her bag, only to pull out another in its place.
*I think I know who Kimiko's using next…* Spiral thought.
"Froakie, you're our last chance!" Kimiko said as she threw out the Poké Ball.
"Froa-kie!" Froakie croaked as it came out of its Poké Ball.
"This will be the final match of the battle!" The referee announced. "Now… Begin!"
"Froakie, use Quick Attack!"
Froakie began jumping toward Vivillon at great speeds.
"Harden!"
Vivillon curled its wings around its body again.
"Get around it and use Pound!" Kimiko quickly shouted.
Froakie disappeared as soon as it got in right front of Vivillon, reappeared behind it and smacked it in the back of its head.
"Now, Lick!"
Froakie stuck out its long tongue and licked Vivillon, making it shudder and float toward the ground.
"Vivillon, Infestation!"
Vivillon tried to attack, but the lick attack had rendered it paralyzed and it couldn't counterattack.
"Now's our chance, Froakie!" Kimiko said. "Bubble!"
Froakie blew a flurry of bubbles at Vivillon, their popping causing a fair bit of damage with each one.
"Let's end this with Quick Attack!"
Before Vivillon could get back up, Froakie rammed into it at high speed and sent the butterfly flying into the air, eventually crashing into the ground in a cloud of dust. Once everyone could make things out, Vivillon appeared to be unconscious and wasn't moving.
"Vivillon is unable to battle!" The referee declared. "Froakie is the winner! And the victory goes to the challenger, Kimiko Kage!"
"We did it, Froakie!" Kimiko giggled as all of the tension in her body disappeared.
"Froakie!" Froakie hopped toward Kimiko.
Kimiko caught Froakie in her arms and hugged the frog Pokémon. Viola recalled her Vivillon and walked up to Kimiko.
"That was very impressive." Viola said. "I wish I took a picture of that. Anyway, here's the Bug Badge. You've earned it."
Viola held out her hand, which had a pin shaped like a bug's shell and mouth-like pincers, and Kimiko accepted the badge.
"Thank you very much." Kimiko said before politely bowing to Viola. "Please take care."
"That was amazing, Kimiko!" Spiral said as he walked up to her. "Your Froakie in particular was really awesome! I'm glad I decided to stay and watch!"
"I… I don't know what to say…" Kimiko looked away shyly from Spiral.
"Fennekin and Pikachu should be all healed up by now." Spiral said. "After getting ourselves something to eat, we're going to do some serious training."
"If those are the Pokémon you're using, you should have a much easier time than I did."
"I don't know… You and Froakie really overwhelmed Viola and her Vivillon."
"So, seriously…" Viola spoke up from behind them. "Why were you looking away from me, earlier?"
Spiral groaned as he turned his head away from Viola again, his face shaded in light pink. "I… I feel flustered around women older than me… Ow!"
Spiral felt something slap him in the arm and saw Kimiko with her arm out. When she realized what she did, she quickly retracted it.
"I'm sorry!" Kimiko panicked. "I don't know why I did that!"
Viola laughed at the two young Trainers and took a photo of them with her camera.
A/N: I'm sorry this took so long! Freakin' Overwatch event and I couldn't unlock the witch costume for Mercy! Anyway, how are all of you feeling about Sun and Moon? I already have both pre-ordered! I was surprised they revealed the final starter evolutions ahead of release, which they all look really cool by the way! I'm going with Rowlet in Sun, which will be my main game, and Popplio in Moon. And by the way, yes, I plan on doing a sequel story in Alola once I finish this one. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! Stay tuned for next time!