The dim lights of the rising sun gave everything a tint of light pink. Lyra could hear many Pidgey chirping, sending beautiful birdsong floating through the air.
After spending an entire day training her Pokemon to be as strong as they could possibly be, she was beat. Her Pokemon were being tended to by Nurse Joy,
then, so Lyra had nothing to do but sit and wait around.
So far, every battle she'd won was won by luck, and luck alone. If she was to be a trainer worth battleing, she'd have to kick it up a knoch.
Nurse Joy came out with each of Lyra's Pokemon in their Poke' Balls. She gave a farwell to the lady at the counter and stepped outside.
This was the day she'd battle Falkner.
She was so nervous, she felt as though she was going to jump out of her skin. Her Pokemon were just the opposite. Thundaga had surrounded herself in electricity,
Pidgey was pecking at invisible enemies, ocasinally sending out small gusts, and Ace's back and head were blazing.
"I guess we're ready," she breathed as she watched her Pokemon. She hated watching her Pokemon getting knocked out, because each time they were revieved,
they seemed less friendly than before.
Gulping, she stepped towards the gym. She opened the doors to find the elevator down, ready for chalengers. Holding her breathe, she went up.
Before facing Falkner, though, she had to battle two trainers who didn't stand a chance. Each of their Pokemon were taken down in one shot by Thundaga. And,
finally, Lyra reached Falkner.
"Another chalenger. The haven't seen one in a few days."
"Um, do you just sit here, waiting for challengers?"
"That is what a Gym Leader must do. Now, I assume you've come to battle me." She nodded. "I'll warn you now, this isn't going to be a walk in the park."
"I never thought it wouldn't. Thundaga, lend me your strength!" The small Pokemon egerly ran forward.
"An electric type, hm. You certainlly did your research. But knowledge will do you no good. Pidgey! Gust!" Right after being sent out, the bird Pokemon sent a wind far stronger than her Pidgeys at Thundaga.
"Don't give in! Thunder Shock!" Thundaga sent a huge wave of electricity at the Pidgey. The poor thing didn't stand a chance.
"Pidgey, return! Inpressive. But can that worthless sheep of yours handle Pidgeoto?" A bird, far bigger than Mareep, came out of the Poke' Ball, a sneer spread across it's face. "Sand Attack!" It sent dust on the ground flying into Thundaga's eyes.
"Thundaga! Use Thunder Shock again!" The blinded Pokemon tried, but winded up hitting thin air.
"Tackle," comanded Falkner as his Pidgeoto sent Thundaga falling off the edge of the platform.
"Return!" That Pidgeoto is no joke, she thought. "All right then. Go, Ace! Substitute!" A copy of the starter Pokemon sat in front of the Pidgeoto as the real Pokemon vanished. "Now, Ember!" Fire surrounded the bird Pokemon, engulfing it in flame.
It sreeched, but didn't faint. "Sand Attack!"
Dust was thrown into the air, calming the flames and revealing Ace's hiding spot.
"No!"
"Yes! Pidgeoto! Tackle!"
"I told myself I'm NOT winning on luck. Ember!" Before the giant flying type could get in a yard of Ace, it disappeared in fire. "We won!"
"Not quite yet. Roost."
"What?"
"Roost heals half of Pidgeoto's health, making it impossible to keep any damage on it!"
"If I can't do damage..."
"You'll lose! Pidgeoto! Tackle!"
Racing out of the flames at incredible speed, Pidgeoto rammed into Ace, knocking him off his paws.
"No! Quick Attack!"
"Roost!"
And for half an hour the battle raged on like this. Ace hitting it and it healing itself and right after, hitting Ace away. Things weren't looking to good.
That is, until when Failner comanded his Pokemon to use Roost, but the Pokemon did nothing.
"Oh no..."
"What? What's happened to Pidgeoto?"
"It can't use Roost anymore. It used it to many times."
At first, Lyra didn't know what to think. And then it hit her. Without Roost, Falkner couldn't heal his Pokemon. That meant...
A smile spread across her face. "This means, I can beat you! All right, Ace. Let's show 'um how we do things! Ember, max power!"
The Pokemon stared at her, a confused look. "When a trainer tells their Pokemon to use a move at max power, it means give it all you've got. Now go!"
He nodded, and before the two trainers knew it, it was all over. A ball of fire, twice the size of Ace's body, was shot at the Pidgeoto, and that was the end of it.
"Why, I've never seen anything like it," Falkner mumbled after returning his Pokemon. "Young girl-"
"Lyra."
"Lyra, you and your Pokemon have a special bond. Of all the trainers I've seen in years, I've never seen anything like it."
"Does that mean I'm the best trainer you've fought?"
"Far from it, but maybe one day, when both you and your Pokemon grow stronger, we can battle again, and maybe, just maybe, I can say that."
"That's awesome! Come on, Ace! We've got to celebrate!" Falkner smiled as the two walked away.
"Elder, you told me to keep an eye on that girl. You were right. There's something not normal about her, but I can't put my finger on it..."
The sun was high in the sky as Lyra covered the last of Route 33. Pidgey and Thundaga both evolved, and each Pokemon was looking better than ever.
And then she saw them. The two trainers she'd seen a few days before. They were in the heat of battle, Sapphire using Milotic and Yuu using a Jolteon.
Maybe they'll talk to me now, she thought walking towards the two.
"Hey! My name's Lyra! I saw you guys on Route 32!" The two turned to her. Sapphire looked furious that some one had interuppted, while Yuu walked over smiling.
"My name's Yuu, and that's my friend, Sapphire. Don't mind her. She gets a little angry when people disturb her battling."
"What do you want, anyways?" Sapphire said, coming over to stand by Yuu. "We were kind of busy."
"I just wanted to say hi."
"Well, maybe you should have waited until we were done, now shouldn't you have. Come on, Yuu. Let's get on with our battle."
"Wait!"
"What now?"
"I want to battle one of you." The pair looked at each other, and back at Lyra.
Yuu said, "All right, I'll battle you."
"No!" Sapphire said, pushing him back. "I want to battle they low life who interupted us."
"So I'm battling you?"
"Of course! Milotic! Return! This isn't going to be tough, saying I've already beat plenty of trainers. Go! Venusaur! Let's crush them!"
"If it's a grass type we're up against, then I'll use you. Go, Ace!"
And the battle was on.