The gang spent a lot of time in Celadon City with Dillon's aunts and uncle. Daisy, Lily, and Violet dragged the group to the Celadon Department store where Dillon's aunts bought a lot of unnecessary items, but Dillon and his friends stocked up on goods for their travels. Dillon bought a Leaf stone to evolve his Gloom into a Vileplume, Aurora bought a Fire Stone to evolve her Growlithe into an Arcanine, and Granite bought a Moon Stone to evolve his Nidorina into a Nidoqueen.
The young group manage to separate from the Sensational Sisters to train while Granite can finally freely explore the city. Of course, Dillon's aunts made sure the group came back to spend the night in the hotel. Fortunately, they have a nice civil dinner while his aunts talk about their current world tour and Dillon learns more about his traveling cousins.
The next day consists of some more training, which leads to Aurora's Slowpoke evolving into a Slowbro. Granite is pretty bummed out that he can't enter the casino since he needs to be 21. That evening, the group heads to the gym to battle Erika; however, she won't let any males in.
"You can't discriminate! You're a gym leader!" Aurora exclaims to Erika's worker, Alyson.
"Those are Lady Erika's rules. You may enter, but the boys must remain outside." Alyson tells her.
"How are you still a gym if you always do this?" Granite angrily asks. He's heard stories about Erika's gym from his father, but he had hoped the League would've cracked down on the place by now.
"There must be something we can do to enter, right? Because I know there are boys who get the Rainbow Badge!." Aurora insists, which makes Alyson sigh.
"If you can impress Lady Erika with a Kimono Dance, then she will battle you." the worker suggests.
Dillon shakes his head. There is no way he's dancing, much less in a kimono. "No."
Alyson shrugs apologetically. "Other boys have done it. We even help you learn, and Lady Erika isn't too harsh on judgment. As long as you're willing to learn, she will deem you worthy enough to battle."
The teenage boy glares at her. "This is so stu-"
"We'll do it!" Aurora quickly clamps a hand over Dillon's mouth, and he now directs his glare towards her.
"Splendid! I will inform Lady Erika!" Alyson then disappears back inside the locked gym, so Dillon frees himself from Aurora's hand.
"What the fuck?! I'm not dancing! This is a gym! All I need to do is battle!"
"You heard her! Let's just get it over with!" Aurora shouts back at him.
"Just do it, Dillon." Granite tells him defeatedly. "It's not worth arguing and not getting the badge at all, so just do it."
Groaning, the boy throws his hands up in frustration. "Fine! But you're doing it too, Granite!"
Granite and Dillon wait inside the dance studio since they've already changed into kimonos, even Pika got one to wear. The grumbling boy is very annoyed, especially since Aurora is taking so long. Alyson soon walks in with the bluenette and Pachirisu. "Everyone ready?" The worker asks them.
"Yup!" Granite smiles.
Dillon looks up from the ground to nod, but when he catches sight of the bluenette in the pink kimono, he quickly looks back down. "Sure." he mutters.
Aurora grins as she runs over to grab his arm and drag him onto the dancefloor. "You look nice." She slightly blushes. He only nods while avoiding eye contact as a faint blush appears on his cheeks.
Granite chuckles from behind them as the electric rodents pair up. "Hey, who am I dancing with?" He asks.
Alyson approaches him to lead him onto the dancefloor. "I'll use you to demonstrate." She tells the blushing Granite.
"Uh. Okay."
A Few Hours Later
After Dillon and Aurora kept stumbling over each other, Alyson told them that they actually need to look at each other to avoid hitting their partners. This causes both teens to blush more, and Granite to laugh. However, Aurora really wants the gym badge, so she looked at Dillon's chest. Dillon reluctantly gave in too as he looked at the top of her head.
They soon performed in front of Erika, and while the group obviously didn't do a good job, they weren't terrible. Erika appreciates their willingness to learn, so she accepts their challenge. Once they're changed out of the kimonos, Dillon and Aurora easily defeat the gym with just Coal and Arcanine.
As soon as the group is out of the gym, Dillon lets out a loud groan. "That was too much."
Blushing slightly as she remembers dancing closely with Dillon, Aurora quietly says, "It wasn't that bad."
"I had fun." Laughs Granite because he enjoyed watching his blushing uncomfortable friends all afternoon.
"Whatever. Let's leave tomorrow. We're done here." Dillon mutters in annoyance.
Hotel
"Aw! Are you sure you have to leave so soon?" whines Lily at the dinner table.
"We don't have much time left, and we still need to get 4 more badges." Dillon says.
"You need 4 more badges. I just need 3." Aurora corrects him, which earns her an eye roll from the boy.
Dillon's aunts and uncle snicker at this. "So how'd you two meet?" Violet asks the teens.
"Her Pachirisu was dying and I saved her."
"His Pikachu ran away and I found him."
Granite sweat drops at his friends. "Guys-"
"They didn't ask you!" the teens snap at the young man, which earns him a sympathetic look from Tracey.
"Oh, I remember those days." The older man smiles nostalgically.