Marinette: Tikki (Ledian), Wayzz (Dottler), Longg (Vibrava)

Adrien: Plagg (Meowstic), Neufchâtel (Skitty)

"Wayzz, Struggle Bug!"

"Don't give them the chance, Neufchâtel! Keep your distance with Disarming Voice!"

Wayzz charged towards his opponent, using his psychic energy to carry him when legs failed. Adrien's Skitty jumped out of the way of the attack, opening its mouth and unleashing a cacophony of noise.

Good. That was exactly what Adrien should be doing against Viola. Keep his distance, not letting the fast pokémon catch up to him. Still, Viola would have more tricks up her sleeve…

…Tricks that Marinette was honestly having a hard time figuring out what the Dottler could substitute for. It would have been easier to keep Tikki in the battle. But still, she had missed Wayzz so much. Tikki may have been her partner, but Wayzz and Longg were still her pokémon, and she appreciated them all the more knowing that she could have lost them.

"Alright, Wayzz..." Marinette said, forcing her head back into the game. "We gotta get Adrien prepared for long-ranged attacks. So let's use Hypnosis!"

"Hypnosis!" Adrien was only stunned for a moment, before his brow furrowed in concentration. "Neufchâtel, keep your distance and use Copycat!"

That wasn't a bad idea. Infestation and Leech Life would be harder to dodge, but more manageable to fight against in battle, and Copycat would give Adrien the same advantage Viola had.

Wayzz was not much of a dodger. Viola's pokémon would be, and Adrien would have to plan for that in the future. But it worked for now, and Wayzz was out like a light.

"Good job, Neufchâtel! Now, Wake Up Slap!"

That wasn't what Marinette had expected. But, even with the type difference, it was effective. Wayzz had one moment to wake up from the Hypnosis as Skitty's tail collided with him full force, before he was knocked out.

"Good job, Wayzz. I'll get you a treat later, I promise." Marinette said as she recalled her pokémon.

"We did it Neufchâtel!"

The normal type pokémon rushed into her trainer's arms, bothering the sleeping psychic type pokémon that had been resting on Adrien's shoulder. The two looked so happy, one would think that he had actually won against the gym leader and not just trained for her.

"Good job Adrien!" Marinette said. "I think you're about ready!"

"Thanks, Marinette." Adrien said. "Say, Neufchâtel needs a chance to recover before we head to the gym. Do you want to get brunch at a cafe before we head out?"

"W-wh-what?" Marinette stammered. "T-the two of us? T-together?"

Marinette mentally gave herself a Wake Up Slap. She was fine talking to Adrien if they were battling. But talking to him one-on-one, thinking of going out with him…all she could of was how bright his smile was, and all of her other thoughts turned to mush.

Marinette did not get a chance to answer, which was probably for the best. Adrien's HoloCaster went off, and a hologram of an older woman filled the space between them.

"Adrien, you're running late for your piano lessons." The woman said.

"Shoot! Sorry Nathalie, I'll be right there!"

The hologram disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. What, no hello or goodbye?

"Sorry, Marinette…" Adrien said. "Still, I should be done with my lesson around 12, so maybe we can meet up at the gym around 1?"

That worked. At the gym, Marinette could talk about battling and save herself further embarrassment.

"Sure. It's a date." Shoot! "I-I mean, I-I'll see you there!"

Adrien's piano lesson went fine, as usual. He was on autopilot, his mind still preparing for the battle ahead. As soon as it was over he was on his way out, only stopping to grab a quick lunch from Chef that he could eat on the way to Santalune City.

He had been to Santalune City several times; besides Lumiose City, it was the more popular place for his photo shoots. But today was the first time he ever went below the floor of Viola's art gallery and into the gym itself. As he slid down the fireman's pole, he found himself surrounded by leaves larger than he was. A closer looked revealed them to be made of wood and paint; props in a photoshoot no doubt. He landed on a league-standard battlefield, but the lines that would have painted the court-size were instead an intricate spider web. And standing at the end of that battlefield was Viola, the camera girl who never missed a smile, the first gym leader he would have to defeat. And he would be defeating her today. He was not going to give up that easily.

"That determined expression... That glint in your eye that says you're up to the challenge... It's fantastic! Just fantastic!" Viola's camera was going a mile a minute. Adrien tried his best not to slip back into model autopilot. "Now, I take it you are Adrien Agreste, correct?"

Adrien gave a curt nod. He had made sure to inform Viola that he would be challenging the gym today while on the way here.

"Fantastic! And this will be your first gym battle?"

He gave another nod. Viola turned to the backdrop behind her, pulling out a set of pokéballs.

"Then I shall only use two pokémon against you. You are free to use however many pokémon you like, of course, but if you run out of pokémon to use, then I will be the victor." Viola said.

Adrien knew all of this, but it was proper to say. He let his attention wander for just a moment, turning to the bleachers. There was a handful of trainers there, no doubt students from the Pokémon School based on the way they were dressed, and one figure sneaking in…ah, there was Marinette.

"Whether it's the tears of frustration that follow a loss or the blossoming of joy that comes with victory... They're both great subjects for my camera! Fantastic! This'll be just fantastic!"

Viola tossed out a pokéball, releasing a Surskit onto the battlefield.

"Now come at me! My lens is always focused on victory-I won't let anything ruin this shot!" Viola said.

"Alright, here we go!" Adrien said. "Neufchâtel, I choose you!"

He released Neufchâtel onto the battlefield.

"Surskit, start with a Sticky Web!"

That wasn't unexpected. Speed was nearly everything in a battle, especially for bug types, and it was much harder for Skitty to maneuver around the battlefield when it was covered with stick. But fortunately, Marinette had helped him prepare for that.

"Don't worry about that, Neufchâtel! Disarming Voice!"

"Bubble!"

Most of the bubbles popped against Skitty's cry, or were knocked off-course when Surskit was hit by the attack. Still, quite a few hit.

"Surskit, Quick Attack!"

"Dodge, Neufchâtel!"

Neufchâtel jumped out of the way of the incoming bug pokémon. But Surskit was quick to redirect itself. Neufchâtel jumped back, and back again. And then as she tried to jump once more, the Sticky Web took effect. She was stuck to the ground before Surskit rammed into her, knocking her backwards.

Darn. Dodging wasn't going to do much good against the Sticky Web. Well, if that were the case…

"Change of plans, Neufchâtel! Play Rough!"

"Keep your distance with Bubble, Surskit!"

More Bubbles charged towards Neufchâtel. But this time, she was able to maneuver through them with ease. She threw herself at the Surskit, pummeling it to the ground in a cartoonish puff of dust. When the dust cleared, Surskit still was not off of the ground.

Viola recalled her Surskit. That was one down. Still, Viola had a determined smirk on her face. She tossed another pokéball out to the field, releasing a Vivillon.

"Vivillon, Infestation!"

"Try your best to dodge, Neufchâtel!"

Neufchâtel did try, to her credit. But a swarm of tiny bugs, too small for Adrien to make out, soon covered his pokémon.

"Good job! Now, Struggle Bug!"

"Keep them away with Disarming Voice!"

Neufchâtel howled, but whether it was part of the Disarming Voice or the pain of the bugs biting her, Adrien could not tell. Vivillon flew closer, barely bothered by the noise, and tackled the Skitty.

"Are you okay, Neufchâtel?"

It took her a moment, but Neufchâtel managed to rise to shaking legs. She did not have much left in her, even Adrien could tell. So he had to make this one count.

"Neufchâtel, Sing!" If he could get Vivillon to fall asleep, then they wouldn't have to worry about Neufchâtel getting hurt anymore than she already was. She could use Wake Up Slap, and the fight would be over.

"Vivillon, Draining Kiss!"

But before Neufchâtel could open her mouth, Vivillon was already on her. The bug pokémon leaned in close, pecking Neufchâtel on the cheek, and the Skitty fell to the ground.

"Neufchâtel!" Adrien cried.

It didn't matter. Neufchâtel was unable to battle. With reluctance, Adrien recalled his pokémon, mentally promising to give her a treat when this was all over.

But now what? He had been counting on Neufchâtel to carry him through this gym. There was no way he could face off against a Vivillon with Plagg-

Plagg was already on the battlefield before Adrien could say anything.

"Wait, Plagg!" Adrien said.

But Plagg turned back to him, a determined glint in his eye, and Adrien felt his resolve deep in his heart.

"Vivillon, Struggle Bug again!"

"Plagg, Quick Guard!"

Quick Guard was good for just that—a quick guard against an attack. But it was hard to keep repeating, and it could not last forever. Adrien would need to think of something quick. He couldn't rely on Plagg's psychic type attacks, so that left…

"Disarming Voice, Plagg!"

"Vivillon, counter with your own Bug Buzz!"

The noise was cacophonic, and Adrien was pretty sure it was doing more damage to him than it was to Plagg. Plagg endured the noise, his ears curling in closer as a method of cover. The Vivillon endured the hit as well, but Adrien could see it waver. One more hit should do it. He just had to figure out what that last hit was.

"Let's finish him off with a Struggle Bug, Vivillon!"

"Plagg, use Psychic!"

It was Plagg's strongest move, even if Vivillon resisted it. And right now, it was all they had.

Vivillon charged towards Plagg. Plagg raised a psychic wall between him and the bug pokémon. It pushed Vivillon, causing the pokémon to collide into the opposite wall and into the prop leaves. That probably did more damage than the Psychic attack itself, but it didn't really matter. When Vivillon fell, it did not get back up.

The gym erupted into cheers as Viola withdrew her pokémon. Even Marinette was jumping in the stands, cheering as loud as she could.

"Young Trainer, you... No, it wasn't you alone. You and your pokémon have shown me a whole new depth of field! Fantastic! Just fantastic!"

Viola pulled out her camera and snapped more photos. But this time, Adrien did not feel like his smile was forced.

He did it. They had done it. And now, he was well on his way to achieving his dream.

Author's Notes: Fantastic counter: 7

I refuse to believe that most gym leaders are just sitting around waiting for trainers to show up to their gym, especially gym leaders with a day job like Viola. Trainers have had phones since gen 2, let them use it diagetically.