A/N: Wow! I want to thank everyone who's followed this fic since I first published it. I'm really touched that somehow it got over 100 follows. Even if some of them probably aren't caught up and reading it currently, I'm still pleasantly surprised that at some point they decided this big Hoenn-bible was worth following I also want to give an enormous thank you to everyone who's left a review, even the little ones totally make my day and help get me motivated to write the next chapter. For a fic with as wild a word count as this, 100 isn't much is it? But then again it won't feel complete to me if I cut out too much, Pokemon is a big series, and since this is my first 'official' fic I've actually put a continued effort into, 100 means a lot! So, thanks!

Chapter 35: VS. Tate and Liza, "The Mystic Combination!"

"A-ah, it's hot today…"

"Oh, my! Do you need help there?"

Wally took another breath as he reached the top of a set of stairs carved roughly out of the white rock of Sootopolis, raising his soft green eyes to the woman offering him a hand.

Smiling, the boy shook his head. "No thank you, miss. B-but, um… Which way is the Pokemon Center?"

The woman, middle-aged with tan skin and dark hair, tilted her head in question. Her lips then rose into a gentle curve and she gestured off to the right. "Just around the corner, dear. Are you on vacation here with your family?"

Wally brushed off his clothes and some sweat from his face before shaking his head. "No, I'm a trainer."

"Oh! Are you!" Her eyebrows shot up and she laughed. The natives of Sootopolis are so lively, Wally thought absently, stifling a giggle. "That's great! They're starting young these days, then. Well, I'm sure you saw the Gym on the way into town then, honey. It's in the lake."

Blinking, Wally turned back towards the path he'd hiked up, taking in the sight of the bowl-shaped city, the massive rock walls surrounding it, and, following the woman's directions, a small round island sitting in the sky blue water with a single building on it. Sootopolis Gym, he thought as a warm breeze buffeted his hair. The eighth badge! Here I come!

"Thank you, miss!" Wally exclaimed, surprised at the power of his own voice. With a grin, the boy scurried off down the dusty path to the Pokemon Center.

Delcatty mewed, rubbing its face against its trainer's leg as Wally took a seat in the Pokemon Center lobby. Even in an exotic place like Sootopolis, the interior is still the same, the boy noted as he observed the familiar pink and orange-accented décor. Absently, he ran one hand along the feline Pokemon's ears – the rest of his team was in care, as it was a long and tiring journey to the city full of difficult battles. Hmmm… Oh! That's right! I was going to…

Fidgeting around in his pockets, Wally eventually found his Pokenav. He fumbled with the buttons a bit before finding May's name, and with an excited squeak, clicked send.

Brrrr… Brrrr…

Brrr…Brrrrrr…

Disappointment began to rise in the boy's chest as the phone continued to ring with no answer. I wonder if she's battling? She hasn't called in a while either.. I-I wonder… D-does she not want to talk anymore…?

Click!

Oh! He straightened.

"…Hello…?" The sound was barely human, sounding more like the croak of a large wild Pokemon.

Mildly shocked, Wally ignored this and mustered a reply. "Hello, May? T-this is Wally!"

There was a long pause on the other end. Buzzing anxiety began to fill the boy's head as he gently switched the phone from one hand to another. "U-um…"

"Wally!" May finally replied, sounding much more like herself. "I- sorry, I… Just got up. How are you?"

The trainer relaxed, though a tentative glance at the clock was enough to summon up more questions. "Really? It's half past noon!"

Another long pause. Suddenly it dawned on Wally. May's a teenage girl… This is pretty normal then, isn't it…? I never thought of it that way, but maybe she has been a late sleeper all the time…? The concept was foreign to him, as for as long as he could remember Wally has been a morning person, always wanting to make the most of every hour of the day. "Sorry! Did I wake you up?"

"No… It's fine!" May laughed. "It's really okay. Guess I had a later night than I thought! But you sound really well, Wally. Where are you, now? Maybe we could meet up and hang out."

Wah! H-hang out!? The boy fought a blush as he replied, "I-I just got to Sootopolis City."

Once again, there was quiet from the other end, thought it only lasted a few seconds before it was replaced by wild laughter. "Really?! That's great, Wally! You're miles ahead of me, I'm in Lilycove! Hahaha!"

"Huh?!" Wally gasped. More than a few other people in the Pokemon Center were casting curious glances at him, most likely due to how loud May had been. "Really?"

"Yeah! Hahaha. I guess I need to speed things up! Look at me, falling behind like this!" Her humor seemed out of place, but there had never really been a strong rivalry between the two, just a mutual friendship. Most of their calls prior to this hadn't brushed on the topic of badges, despite how important the League was to each of them, and had focused more on their own Pokemon. But to hear that May was behind… It was a foreign idea to Wally, someone who had idolized the girl ever since he'd met her, and had inspired him to become stronger.

"W-well, it's probably just because I had such an easy time with the last two Gyms, Flying and Psychic… They must have been harder with your Blaziken, May…" He stuttered. After all, there's no other way I could be ahead of her! Wally thought to himself, blushing even more and almost feeling guilty.

"I don't know, Wally," May hummed. Another pause. "Maybe you are just better than me! I guess I'll have to battle you the next time I see you and find out!"

"Eeh? Really? No way, I'm not ready!"

The two laughed some more before Wally, confronted with more of the strange silence, changed the subject. "Have you been back home recently…? Around Petalburg?"

"…Err… Umm… No," May replied uneasily. "Why do you ask?"

"I-I… I'm just wondering… How my family is doing. I really… do get homesick sometimes."

The other end of the line was so quiet that Wally suspected his friend had hung up. Nonetheless he went on – it was a subject he could barely talk to others about. Except for his Pokemon, which would listen whether they could understand or not. "I didn't realize it until recently… but… I was always bothering them to stop worrying about my illness and to let me be a Pokemon Trainer… And now that I am, I realize they were only being protective because they cared about me and my health…"

Still, Wally was given silence. "Sorry…!" mustered the boy, standing up from the leather chair and loosening his shirt collar with one hand. "I got carried away. Maybe instead of speeding ahead to Sootopolis I should have gone back and seen them though…"

"No, I understand, Wally. It's fine," May finally responded in a quiet and somewhat somber tone. "I still have a lot of trouble understanding why my father kept me from Pokemon for so long. But… I see what you mean… In the end, I think it's all part of growing up. For us, and for my father – or in your case, your family. We're never going to become mature and responsible enough to go on an adventure, train Pokemon, and collect badges if we're never given the chance to, right? It's just… it's something we have to go out and do. No matter how hard it is for them."

Wally blinked, his gaze traveling to Delcatty, which had taken a seat on top of a glass coffee table. He was so close with the Pokemon, had trained it so much, that it was hard to realize that not too long ago he was the boy borrowing a Zigzagoon from Leader Norman and timidly following May out into tall grass. "Wow, May." He couldn't help but smile. "You sure are smart!"

There was an embarrassed huff from the other end. "Don't give me that, Wally, you're the wise one! Anyways, I guess my only choice right now is really to cross the sea to Mossdeep City. I'm still going to battle you the next time we meet, though!"

Wally yelped once again. "No way, May! Really!"

"Lombre…"

I eyed the amphibious Pokemon apprehensively. It peered back up from beneath its lilypad, tilting its head in question.

"I… I don't know if you're gonna cut it. I don't want to make you swim if it's going to hurt you…"

It was 1 in the afternoon, a late start I knew I'd be getting the night before. But the talk with Wally had been motivating. And it's not like I have any other choice either, I frowned, remembering Matt's words. I have no idea where Archie is… Until I get a clue, I should just head to the next town.

Another warm wave washed over my feet and Lombre flinched noticeably. I let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Lombre. It's not your fault. Maybe there's a boat that goes to Mossdeep…"

The Pokemon resigned, waddling out of the water and instead playing with the wet sand.

Hmm… Oh! "Right!" I slapped myself in the face, grinning. "How could I forget?"

Fishing out a ball from my bag, I released the newest member to our group.

"Sharpedo!"

The Pokemon materialized further out from the shore, peering up from the waves at me curiously. I beckoned it over and skimmed the Pokedex entry for Sharpedo once more. It must already know Surf. This is great! "Sharpedo, can you carry me across the ocean?"

The water barely rippled as it approached me, getting as close as possible without beaching itself. Its body was blurry beneath the murky waves, but upon closer observation… It's awfully small… How am I supposed to ride this thing…?

A few minutes later

The sun beat down on my skin as I padded back up to my spot on Lilycove's beach, once again letting out Sharpedo from its ball. This time, I was prepared, having ran into the department store and bought the first swimsuit I saw – a dark blue one-piece with frills at the bottom and white accents.

"Look, Sharpedo! I look like you, now," I said, cracking a grin. "Now…"

Carefully, I approached the Pokemon as it made slow circles in the shallows, in perfect control despite the waves rolling through. The water was warm, but refreshing, and I recoiled at the gooey feeling of seaweed beneath my feet. Once I was out deep enough, so the surface reached my shoulders, I stopped, trying to steady myself in the constant rolling and turning of the sea. Suddenly I'm getting second thoughts…

Sharpedo's fin came circling past me once more and with one shaky arm I reached out, grabbing a hold of it. There was a slight tug as the Pokemon got used to my weight and I got used to the rough texture of the fin, and then we were moving leisurely through the water together.

"Hey, whoa! This isn't so bad, Sharpe-"

There was a splash, followed by the soft hum of the sea as a wave blindsided me, submerging the rest of my body. Immediately panic seized me and I felt my muscles lock up as bad memories, of a different Sharpedo but the same sensation of panic and inability to fight the current, flashed through my mind. The fin slipped from my hand and, coming back to reality, I swam up towards the surface.

"Hhuhg…" I struggled in an attempt to tread water and rub out my eyes at the same time. "N-not fun…"

Something rough bumped at my left leg and I jerked back in surprise. "What-" Turning, I spotted Sharpedo's fin once more and relaxed. It peeked up at me with one luminous red eye, and made a gentle snorting noise.

"I'm sorry, Sharpedo. It might take me a while to get used to this…"

After another session of struggling to surf, and flip-flopping between the style of riding atop the Pokemon – something that'd seriously scratch up your thighs – or grabbing its fin with both hands and letting it drag me, I decided on the latter, gathered up my belongings, and headed off across the sea. The Dark-type was a fast swimmer – as its Pokedex entry boasted – and in no time we were speeding across the surface of Hoenn's turquoise ocean. Pelipper followed us from the sky, my yellow bag strapped around its body.

Stops were frequent, and luckily the sea between Lilycove and Mossdeep had plenty of shallow sandbars and islets speckling it. Some breaks were made to make sure I was still heading east, others for eating and letting out my Pokemon to stretch.

We were halfway to the city when the sun had begun to dip into the ocean. The peaks and crests of waves were littered with flecks of vermilion. They gathered at the horizon and then smoothed out into the softer, paler orange hues of the sky.

I sighed, sprawling out into the sand on one of said islets. Even with the waning sunlight it was hot, and easy on my back, which was more sore than it had ever been. "Hoenn's ocean is so nice," I noted to no one in particular. "Nothing like Johto's. Boy, was I wrong about this place…" Another gentle gust of wind blew in from the water and across my face, doing nothing to dry my frizzy, soaking wet hair. "Ah, it's a paradise."

Pelipper landed nearby, folding up its wings and tucking its feet beneath its body. Absently, I rolled onto my side to watch it, barely aware of the layer of sand that was sticking to my back. The Flying-type let out a soft coo, enjoying the rest.

Inland, there was a wooded area, not dense enough to hide anything but thick enough and far enough from the sea that it would make a safe place to camp overnight without worrying about tides. I bounded up to an open spot among the trees, the springy, dry grass poking up in between my toes, and with a grin called over my Pokemon.

We set up camp, had a fulfilling dessert of packaged cookies from the Lilycove department store, and for once I dozed right off to sleep.

Night had set on Mossdeep City and Steven, finding himself rather restless, was wandering about the town center, his eyes flicking to each passing trainer with mild interest. One hand was shoved into his jacket pocket, fidgeting with the Pokenav, while the other hung at his side, his thumb pressing and rotating the two steel rings around and around.

The city was quiet. So, so quiet. Even with the relaxing ambiance of rustling grass and cicadas drifting through the windows of his house he had not found peace and was not able to brush off the deep-rooted anxiety that'd been growing in his chest. The trainer wasn't used to being cooped up on the island like this, with how often he'd been traveling recently. Maybe I'll take out Skarmory and go for a fly, he thought with a frown, before realizing that his party of Pokemon had been left sitting on his desk at home.

With a sigh Steven brought himself from his daze, only to find that he was standing in front of the brightly-lit Pokemon Gym. In a mundane place like Mossdeep, the building was rather outstanding, both in its impressive modern architecture and the fact that it held intense battles fitting of Hoenn's seventh Gym Leaders. A warm tinge of nostalgia filled the trainer's chest as he remembered his own experiences here. It seemed like just yesterday that he'd claimed the Champion title, but looking back now, it was far more than a few months ago. He was very much the same person, curious and adventurous, skilled in battle, but also had recently taken on the attributes of someone distant, stressed, and imprisoned by responsibility. Steven frowned, pushing the thoughts away.

"Oh, Steven!"

"You're visiting again?"

The trainer turned to his left, drawing his hand from his pocket. The familiar voices belonged to the two child Gym Leaders, Tate and Liza. The twins, dressed in their usual loose blue robes, approached him, feet scuffing against the path.

"Yes," he replied, mustering a smile. "Or, I suppose my feet just led me here. It's very nice weather for a walk."

The two of them tilted their heads. "You seem troubled, Mr. Steven," Liza said, the worried edge to her voice noticeable.

"More than usual," Tate remarked.

Steven felt his eyebrow twitch. Was he that transparent? Then again, the pair of Leaders had always been unnaturally good at reading people. Trying to word it in a way the children would understand, he replied, "I have a lot on my mind, so I'm trying to clear my thoughts." Glancing back at the glowing building, he added, "Have you had any strong challengers recently?"

The twins looked at each other, their eyes sparkling, and then grinned widely. "Not yet," Liza began.

"But we have the feeling we'll be seeing someone strong here, soon," finished her brother.

Steven considered their words with a hum, crossing his arms.

Liza, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, looked up at him curiously. "Are you waiting for someone too, Mr. Steven?"

"You really want a good battle, huh? The Champion position is boring?" Tate continued with the slightest of smirks.

The silver-haired trainer glanced down at the twins, his foot tapping against the cobblestone path. "Maybe."

As if they were proud of their accurate reading, the two twins beamed at each other. "Well, we'll let you know…"

"…When someone comes…"

"…Then you can come watch the battle, if you'd like."

With that, the two skipped past him, hand in hand, and reentered their Gym. Steven scoffed, floated around Mossdeep for a few more minutes, and then started back to his house.

No.

NO!

Blue and black was churning around and around, making a horrible echoing noise. It had the consistency of thick paint, and the rancid smell, too. A whirlpool of something barely passing for water, without a single speck of light in sight. I felt a tug at my foot that rapidly escalated to my whole body being pulled deeper and deeper towards the center of the mess, the pressure around me rising, being forced to take in breaths only to taste bitter and somewhat metallic saltwater-

"…!"

The sensation came to a sudden stop, replaced with the familiar tropical imagery of the island we had chosen to rest on. The rapid shift in my senses was overwhelming, like I'd run directly into a brick wall. Groaning, I half walked, half crawled over to the shoreline nearby, slumping over and splashing my face. The salty water left a dull stinging in my eyes and mouth.

It was a dream. It was a dream.

I stared into the water until my eyes recovered, observing how the surface distorted my hands. The shallows were still enough that I could make out my own ragged reflection looking back at me with dry, tangled hair and two shining, red-ringed eyes.

Morning. It was no longer unfamiliar to be greeted with a cruddy morning like this.

I maneuvered backwards, sitting cross-legged in the sand and resting my hands on my knees. The ocean was so serene, barely lapping at the shore, just a misty, soft blur on the gray horizon. If this wasn't the most serene spot to camp out in Hoenn, I'd be shocked. So why…? Why am I having these nightmares? What, is it childhood trauma or something? One droplet of water on my face was particularly warm as it moved down towards my chin and I scoffed, wiping it away. What am I doing, crying? It's just a dream.

Despite the fact that a wispy layer of clouds had rolled in overnight, skimming across the Hoenn sea was still as renewing as ever. Pelipper once again took to the skies while Sharpedo cut through the waves, and I even was able to get in a few Pokemon battles. Not only was the Sharpedo a great way to get to Hoenn's oceanic settlements, but it was a powerful fighter. I silently reminded myself to ask the nurse at Mossdeep if anyone had a missing Pokemon; the Lilycove nurse had come up with next to nothing by the means of a Sharpedo (though there were plenty of other missing Pokemon - as expected of the city housing Team Aqua's base.)

Mossdeep quickly went from being a dull blur on the horizon to a massive plateau, surrounded by shallows, shimmering sand dunes, and choppy cliffs. Sharpedo stopped as close as possible to said shallows, curving back around in a circle. I rolled away from it, climbing onto the land and recalling the Pokemon. "Thank you." When I restock on Pokemon food, you're gonna feast, Sharpedo.

With a wide smile and a reassuring nod to myself, I surveyed the formation that rose up above me. The maroon cliffs seemed to surround the island itself, serving as a natural barrier to the shoreline that was currently slinking back into the deeps. The beach off to my left was dotted with a few fishermen, their poles shoved lazily into the sand. Some of them were dozing, while others were holding newspapers and chatting, fanning themselves with their big red and white hats.

I padded towards what seemed to be a pathway leading into the city, Pelipper following suite with a chirp.

Reaching the crest of the hill – or, the island, rather – I was given a full view of Mossdeep. The island stretched far out in every which way, green, grassy hills accented with rusty rock cliffs. Aside from a bustling area not too far ahead, the rest of the city was suburban, dotted with shanty, rustic houses with footpaths connecting one another rather than roads. Past all of this, on the northern end of town, were the familiar silhouettes of sailboat masts and barges – a harbor – and off to the east, a bizarre, tower-like structure jutted up into the sky, casting a large portion of the city in shadow. In contrast to all this, the western coastline of the town was near barren, with only a few houses nestled among the hills and trees.

With everything in sight, it appeared to be a city that hid nothing from you – much unlike Lilycove with its abundance of winding roads and dark alleys, or Lavaridge with the many tucked-away houses and caves. But at the same time the city carried a more developed atmosphere than Dewford.

Well, the most important thing is, of course… I thought, lips climbing into a smirk, where's the Gym?

"Hmm…"

The sun poked out from behind the clouds, shining in through the window onto Steven's hand, which was currently grasping an unidentified rock. Below his other hand was a leather notepad full of smudges. Both were resting on an antique mahogany desk, imported by his father from Arceus knows where. Steven's tired gaze moved from the patch of sun to the window, and then to the sky. Even when indulging in one of his favorite hobbies, time somehow felt like it was crawling by, and the man had a strange sensation that he should be elsewhere.

"I guess…" he thought aloud, standing up and setting the specimen aside, "I should stop by the Gym again… I'd like to catch May while she's in town…" but I'm sure calling again would only be a bother.

Pulling on his suit jacket, the trainer rested his eyes on the familiar set of Pokeballs lying on his desk. Pausing, Steven hummed to himself and took them before heading out the door.

The wooded dirt path from his house, which was isolated from the rest of Mossdeep (preferential for someone like Steven), took a few minutes to travel down and soon he found himself standing once again in the bustling streets of downtown Mossdeep. Taking a deep breath, he stepped onto the road and began to wander, hoping that among the variety of passersby he'd spot May. But as time passed and the trainer made his way around the Gym and up towards the eastern end of town, all he'd spotted were the usual fishermen, nondescript trainers, and scientists dressed for work up at the space station.

As the heat of the day was beginning to skyrocket Steven retreated up an untamed, weed-infested hill and sat down, staring across the city and to the sea beyond, face tense and focused. Behind him was the Space Center, a series of laboratories and factories all well separated from the rest of the city and surrounded by overgrown fields, and also somewhere he'd visited a number of times before due to both curiosity, Devon business, and for his own knowledge of geology. Steven turned to look up at the massive main building once more, bangs flying into his eyes, only to find someone walking towards him.

"Steven Stone! Is that you?!" The man was clearly out of breath, and as he reached Steven's spot on the hill he pulled off his glasses and ran the sleeve of his white lab coat along his forehead. "Thank goodness. Have you caught wind of the situation yet?"

The trainer stood, brushing off his clothes. "Situation…?"

Adjusting his glasses once more, the scientist stuttered, "Y-yes, it's Team Magma…! They've rushed the place… Released notices…"

Notices…? He thought back to his walk around the city. Plenty of street corners had been filled with leaflets about plenty of things, but… Now that I think of it, the Magma insignia… Did I see it there…? Was I too focused on looking for May? "What's happened? They're at the Space Center?"

The distraught man finally caught his breath and nodded. "Yes. They… want to take all of our rocket fuel! We have no idea where they came from – suddenly some old, unmarked, beat-up sub surfaced in the harbor, and…"

Placing a reassuring hand on the man's quivering shoulder, Steven nodded towards the Space Center. "I'll go take a look."

"Whoooaaa-aaaaaaaah!"

The floor zipped forwards beneath my feet and I fell flat on my butt. Who designed this Gym?! A kid?! The entire building was riddled with speedy, automated walkways, and in order to progress one had to change their directions at the correct place and time, all the while battling fierce Psychic-type trainers that offered very little advice post-battle. It was one big puzzle. And puzzles were not my forte.

I braced myself as the pathway turned another 90 degrees to the left, tossing me into the wall with a hard thud! and then shooting me off in a different direction. Uhg, I think I'm gonna be sick…! With a few more random twists and one instance of almost falling over a ledge, the walkway came to a stop and I pulled myself to my feet.

Somewhere in the twists and turns, I'd moved uphill, because now I was faced with a huge battlefield, lifted high above the rest of the Gym. The deep red walls had turned to violet, with small, neon green lights lining the ceiling.

I squinted, placing one hand over my eyes. "Where are the Gym Leaders…?" Wait a sec… On the other side of the stadium… No, they're two short… and there's two of them-

Suddenly the two silhouettes turned around simultaneously, a bright white spotlight beaming down on them from above. My eyebrows shot up. They were practically identical, both in the baggy robes they wore and the bun hairstyle. Not to mention their small, round faces contained the same exact innocent smile. But… My gaze moved to their hands. Each was clutching a ball; one in the left, the other in the right. No way… they really are…? Gym Leaders…?

"Hehe…"

"Hehehehe!"

Eh? I blinked. C-creepy!

"You look surprised!" The two were speaking at the same time, their voices practically the same pitch, faces alive with a knowing and mischievous glint. "Surprised that there's two of us? Or surprised that we're twins?"

I scratched my head, unable to hide my own confusion. "Both, I guess..."

They giggled some more, both bringing their free hands up in a peace sign. "Tate and Liza, Liza and Tate –we're the twin Gym Leaders!" At this point they split up, the one with slightly shorter hair stepping forwards. "We don't even need to speak to each other…"

Just barely before the boy could finish the sentence, the sister, identifiable only by her bubbly tone and longer, black locks of hair bordering her face, finished, "…because both of us can tell…"

"…What the other is thinking, feeling, and experiencing…" Tate spoke again.

"…All through our minds!"

"All in with our thoughts!"

This is definitely strange... it is the seventh Gym, though... I allowed myself to fall into the focused, serious mindset I'd adapted for Pokemon battling and readied two Pokeballs. Looks like I'll have to be careful in this match. No messing around…

"Do you really think, challenger…"

"You can beat this combination?"

With that, their Pokeball-holding arms swung out in an arc and two Pokemon materialized on either side of the stadium – one in a moon shape, one in a sun shape. Solrock and Lunatone, I recalled Pokedex entry I'd first examined in Meteor Falls. If I tried to burn my way through with Blaziken, I'd get blown outta here in a minute, so…

Clearing my mind, I tossed out two balls from either hand and they exploded in the air, revealing Mightyena, scraping and kneading at the ground, and the sharp form of Sharpedo, looking out of place in the indoor environment.

Tate and Liza observed with their deep eyes but did not say anything – out loud, at least. I gulped and then ordered the first attacks - a Crunch from both Mightyena and Sharpedo.

As the Pokemon zoomed forwards the twins turned their heads to one another, exchanging silent words, and then made their move. "Hypnosis!" "Sunny Day!"

I bit my lip as the sleep-inducing attack hit Sharpedo, causing it to flop onto the ground and enter a deep slumber, while Mightyena's attack hit the defenseless Lunatone head-on, causing both of them to tumble back towards the ledge. Far above us, through what seemed to be tinted windows, the sun began to show through, heating up the room's temperature.

Sunny Day… The lack of an offensive attack could have been because Psychic-type moves had no effect on either of my Pokemon, or because the twins were concocting a whole different plan. But their blank expressions withheld any secrets from me, so I stayed focused on the battle. "Mightyena, use Crunch again on Lunatone! Lower its defense!"

Mightyena, after nudging worriedly at its comrade, launched itself at the recovering Lunatone once more. The attack did little more damage than the first attempt, but the Rock-type was visibly getting worn down. If I can just make this a 1-versus-2 battle, I should have the clear advantage…

"Lunatone, Hypnosis again!"

"Mightyena, get out of the way!" I barely reacted in time, as did the canine Pokemon, flinging its body away from Lunatone as its eyes began to glow and emit a pulsating light. That's dangerous… If both of my Pokemon were to fall asleep…

"Solrock, Solar Beam!"

What?!

In seconds a blinding burst of light exploded in front of the misshapen Pokemon, ramming into Sharpedo's slumbering form and sending it skidding back towards me. Solar Beam!? No!

Despite taking the very worst of the sun-powered blast, Sharpedo did not wake, its eyes dark and its body rising and falling very slowly. I grinded my teeth and looked to Mightyena for hope. I'm gonna need a new plan…

Tate and Liza's gazes had focused on me again, glinting, almost like they were taunting me telepathically. Lunatone and Solrock both hovered in front of their masters, faces emotionless aside from their shiny, red and black eyes that, like their trainers, were focused on me. I fought back a shiver. But they can't be totally unbeatable, I thought, sniffing. They're still Pokemon. "Mightyena, use Swagger!"

The move we'd practiced dozens of time was put into play, with the trigger-happy Solrock spiraling into a confusion. Defensive strategy… defensive strategy! Sharpedo would still be out for a turn or two. Lunatone was almost out of commission…

"Lunatone, get in close and Hypnosis again!" Tate called out. Liza was still quiet, eyes trained on Solrock. The connection the two had with their Pokemon was obvious, and a little intimidating.

Mightyena, still distracted with Solrock, wasn't able to dodge, either.

As it fell to the ground in a heap of black fur, the twin's voices, in unison once more, echoed through the Gym. "What now, challenger? What will you do now that both of your Pokemon are asleep?"

I swallowed, pausing for a long time, and in this hesitation Liza called out another attack with enthusiasm. "Solrock, Solar Beam again!"

The words hit me like a train but Solrock, despite charging the attack, cried out in response and began spinning in circles. The energy dissipated and Sharpedo remained unharmed, eliciting a breath of relief from me. I can't hold out like this for much longer. Sharpedo…! I know you're new, but I need you to believe in me! "Wake up and use Surf, Sharpedo!"

Miraculously, the Pokemon heard me, and the faint scarlet glow returned to its eyes. At once the Pokemon summoned up a tiny, azure sphere of energy that exploded, cascading throughout the stadium and off of the edges. A sneer crawled onto my face as both Solrock and Lunatone recoiled, with their trainers beyond them snapping out of their sync to gawk at the water and tug off their wet shoes. Yet despite the damage done, and how Sharpedo was revitalized, Surf had damaged the sleeping Mightyena and was also quickly negated by the effect of Sunny Day. What made things even worse was the fact that Solrock's dazed state had faded and its narrowed orbs were once again focused upon me. A shiver ran up my spine. It seemed angrier.

"Lunatone," Tate finally spoke up, his voice sounding strained, "Light Screen!"

"Solrock! Use Flamethrower, then Solar Beam!" Liza called, and before I could question the tactic hot, red fire blew out from in front of the Pokemon, searing the ground around Sharpedo and covering its rugged form in flames. In the mess of steam and heat this created, light began to gather around the Pokemon's body. Another Solar Beam. But if it's taking a turn to charge, that means… Sunny Day's effects subsided. Meanwhile a reflective wall flittered to light around the two Rock-types, distorting the smoke brought on by Flamethrower.

With my gaze on Mightyena I called for Surf again, and water drenched the arena once more, though failing to interrupt Solrock's focused attack. Lunatone, meanwhile, used its Psychic power to divert the wave away from itself. They're learning… But the purpose of the attack, this time – it had been for my Pokemon. Mightyena, now drenched by not one but two tidal waves, was hacking and panting, its fur quivering in agitation. It shot Sharpedo a death glare.

Good!

"Quickly, Mightyena! While Lunatone is recovering from Psychic, hit it with one more Crunch!"

Snarling, the Dark-type rammed into its foe, latching onto the tip of Lunatone with its empowered teeth and tossing it roughly towards its trainers. A number of dents were visible in the Pokemon's already uneven body, and Mightyena, turning its head to the side, spat out a few chunks of the rock. At the same time, Solrock released its energy and another blinding saffron beam knocked out Sharpedo completely. With a light sigh I withdrew the Dark-type into its glittering, black Luxury Ball and set the final steps of my plan into action.

"…Lunatone, return," Tate's voice, sounding less childish and more somber now, barely made an echo across the violet walls. He nodded at Liza, the two once again exchanging silent words between each other.

I held back a smirk but, upon realizing that the psychic duo could probably read the satisfaction from my mind anyway, allowed the ends of my lips to curve upwards. Bowing my head, I gave Liza the first move.

"Flamethrower!" the dark-haired girl ordered, taking the offensive once more, and the column of fire blew out across the room, illuminating the steel flooring of the arena. Mightyena took the attack, howling in pain and sustaining a burn.

"Strike back with Torment, Mightyena!"

"What!?" came the yelp from the opposite end of the arena. "T-torment! We didn't predict this…!"

Of course, I thought. Mightyena only learns it with a TM. You expected me to try and wear you down with Crunch like I did with Lunatone… Looks like your mind reading needs some work…!

"S-Solrock! U-use Solar Beam!" Liza stuttered, her brother sharing the look of shock.

The Pokemon began to take in sunlight – the few UV rays that actually reached into the dimly-lit Gym – but was left completely vulnerable to Mightyena's next Crunch, hitting critically and sending it spinning back towards Liza. Even as the beam of light was launched, the Dark-type was swift enough to roll out of the way and send itself hurtling forwards again, tackling Solrock to the ground with a Take Down and finishing the job with one final Crunch just as Liza ordered Flamethrower again.

The few embers that had been summoned up dissipated as Solrock's pupils rolled back into its head and Mightyena backed off, shaking out its singed fur and giving its tail a few licks.

"Whaaat?!" Liza cried out, breaking her stoic persona at last and running up to the fallen Pokemon.

"You broke our synchronization… Our perfect combination…" Tate muttered, tucking his own Pokeball under the folds of his tunic and nodding at Liza, who in resignation withdrew Solrock.

"It can't be helped, can it, brother?"

"No… The challenger beat us, sister." I looked down at the two after recalling Mightyena, raising my eyebrows at the glimmering trinket that Tate was holding up. It was pink, in the shape of a heart, connected at the bottom but visibly separated into two near the top. Somehow, the shape… Resembles the twin's bond with each other, I noted, looking over the seemingly innocent children once again and accepting the badge, as well as the TM his sister had offered.

Liza began smiling brightly as Tate spoke. "As a Double Battle Gym, we have to have the strongest bond between each other in order to challenge trainers…"

"…But when we lose, it's always because the bond between a challenger and their Pokemon is even more powerful than ours."

I lit up, gripping Sharpedo's Pokeball in my hand. "Thank you. I feel like I've learned a lot while battling you two. You're a lot wiser than I thought."

They giggled. It was strange to see them out of synch like this, but also heartwarming – not only did the twins share a sturdy bond between their minds, but in their hearts, as well. "The future we see for you, challenger," Tate added, a glint in his eyes, "is one where you make even more strong bonds and deep connections."

"Even if the challenge ahead of you proves to be harsh and daunting…" Liza's cheerful tone had once again dropped into monotony, "Even if it seems like it's too much for you and your Pokemon…"

"Don't be afraid!" The two were speaking in sync again. Their faces had hardened noticeably, eyebrows furrowed together. "You won't be alone. You realize it already. You have your Pokemon. So, May, face these challenges head on as you always have - with confidence!"

A/N: On that topic how do you pronounce Liza…? I've always seen it like "Lisa" but recently in a video I heard "Ly-za" and realized, ohhhh. That makes more sense. Like Eliza. Idk