Chapter 8 Virima City Gym
After getting outside of the Pokemon Center, they see that the way to the South part of Virima City is blocked by some Tepig, Pignite, and Emboar fighting at each other, so they decide to just go to the gym.
Ash: So this is the gym. (Looking at the house in front of them.)
Lillie: Yeah, now we just need to head inside.
But before they are going to get in, they feel a bush beside them is shaking. As they go towards the bush, they hear a voice.
Mysterious Voice: Hiiiiiiiiiii! Do you like hide and seek?
Ash: Hide and seek is a fun game, but what does it matter?
Mysterious Voice: I have a hiding spot in every city and town in Ceolis, and everywhere there's a Gym. Once in a while, someone will find me someplace, but no one's managed to find me everywhere. If you can find me in all of my hiding places, I'll give you a reward!
Lillie: Okay...then where will you be hiding?
Mysterious Voice: I could be anywhere - outside, inside, behind the object, in the tree, etc. Bye for now, hope to see you around.
Just then, the voice disappears, and they see no one but a small speaker in the bush. The two of them shrug as they go into the gym.
Ash and Lillie find themselves in a hobby in front of the gym, they are in awe as this place is just like a mansion.
Lillie: So this is a gym? It looks like a mansion instead...
Ash: I know, but we should know what this gym mission is about...
Then they notice four keyholes besides a door, they think this might be the gym mission.
Lillie: Maybe we need to find four keys?
Ash: But this door isn't locked...
As they enter the door, they find five more doors, and they realize the middle one is locked.
Ash: I get it...there are four rooms, and for each room, there is a key inside.
Lillie: Then let's go from left to right.
The first room is the study room, as they see a girl reading books. Ash notices that some of the gyms have gym trainers, and she might be one of them.
Lass Eve: My hobby is Eevee training. (Sends out Eevee)
Ash sends out Blipbug to battle. Eevee is using Quick Attack and Baby-Doll Eyes, but Blipbug can only use Struggle Bug. But Blipbug evolves into Dottler, much to Ash's delight. It uses Confusion to defeat Eevee.
Lass Eve: We need more training. (Recalls Eevee)
She takes out a Blue Key and gives it to Ash, Ash thanks her as he puts the key into the pocket.
The second room is the living room, and they see a woman sitting on the sofa waiting for them.
Pokéfan Melissa: If you want to battle my husband, you have to get through me first! (Sends out Glameow)
Ash uses Lucario to battle Glameow, by using Aura Sphere, it defeats Glameow and her second Pokemon Deerling with just one hit.
Pokéfan Melissa: You walked through me like I wasn't even here. (Recalls Deerling)
She sighs and takes out a Red Key, Ash then takes it and puts it into his pocket.
Pokéfan Melissa: You're skilled. I think you can give Jim a good battle!
Ash: Thanks.
The third room is the Kitchen, and they see a youngster waiting for them at the table.
Youngster Wilbur: Another challenger? Yay! (Sends out Rattata)
Ash has Infernape for this one, with the Mach Punch, he defeats Rattata, and then Pidove and Doduo in the end.
Youngster Wilbur: A Normal Gym for a normal Jim. (Recall Doduo)
He takes out the Green Key and gives it to Ash, who puts it into the pocket.
Youngster Wilbur: We get a lot of challengers coming from all over the world.
Ash: It must be very hard for you to battle a lot of them.
After that, they go to the final room, which is the Meeting room. A Maid is cleaning the floor there, but after seeing Ash and Lillie, she stops and turns to them.
Maid Lila: Watch it, I just cleaned these floors! (Sends out Indeedee)
Ash has Levanny battle this one as he knows that Psychic Type is super effective against Fighting Type. Leavanny uses X-Scissor to defeat the Pokemon.
Maid Lila: You didn't hold back, did you?
Then she gives them the final key, which is the yellow key.
Maid Lila: Please, try not to make a mess...
Lillie: We won't.
After putting all four keys into their keyholes, they can hear a loud unlocking sound in the distance. When they open the final door, they see Jim, the Normal Type Gym Leader, standing in front of them.
Jim: Hello, challenger. You must be Ash, right?
Ash: (Surprised) How do you know my name?
Jim: Your sister Emily told me about you. She earned my badge not long before you came in. Some challengers feel awkward about battling me in my house, but I assure you that you're not intruding in any way.
As Jim notices Lillie also in the room, he realizes that he hasn't introduced himself to both Ash and this young lady in front of him.
Jim: Oops, I haven't even formally introduced myself yet. My name is Jim. And before you mention it, yes, I know. I've heard it over a million times. Chelsea doesn't let it go...
Lillie: (Introduces herself) My name is Lillie, and I'm here to watch Ash battle. But who is Chelsea? And what do you mean over a million times?
Ash: (Nods) I think he is talking about how his name and Gym are pronounced the same. Jim, and Gym.
Jim: Oh, pardon me. Chelsea is Ceolis' Water-type Gym Leader, and she makes a lot of puns. But for now, I'm the leader you should be focusing on. My type might be Normal, but I'm a Gym Leader. There's nothing normal about my power!
After Ash and Jim stand at the sides of the battlefield, Lillie is watching from the stands with Snowy by her side.
Referee: The match between Gym Leader Jim and Challenger Ash is about to begin. Each Trainer will be using 6 Pokemon, and when one side loses all their Pokemon, the other side wins. Now please send out your Pokemon!
Jim: My first Pokemon is going to be Sky. (Sending out Starly.)
Ash: (Noticing the Starly being sent out.) Starly, huh? It is not only a Normal Type, but it is also a Flying Type as well. If that's the case, Pikachu! I choose you!
Pikachu rushes to the field as the battle begins, Starly uses Quick Attack, and Pikachu dodges it with the same attack, then it goes for a Thunderbolt, which deals a lot of damage.
Jim: I see this Pikachu is very well trained. But can it block my Hidden Power?
The Hidden Power from Starly blasts at Pikachu, causing it to take damage.
Ash: (Noticing the damage is neutral effective) It is not Ground Type, since it is not Super effective. But it is not a Flying Type as well, since it still deals some damage...
Ash commands Pikachu to go with Thunderbolt, and it defeats Starly with ease.
Jim: I see you have a lot of experience. Here is my second Pokemon, Meadow! (Sending out Deerling)
Ash: Pikachu, return!
Pikachu rushes back to the field, and Ash takes out a Pokeball and sends Noivern out.
Jim: A fully evolved Pokemon...maybe it is a mistake by using a lower level team against you...but it can be affected by Leech Seed!
Ash widens his eyes as Noivern is trapped with the vines coming from the seeds, and its energy is being taken by Deerling. But in the end, Noivern beats the Pokemon with the Hurricane.
Jim: My third Pokemon is going to be River. (Sends out Bidoof)
Ash: Leech Seed will continue to affect Noivern...then I'll switch out.
Ash goes for Sirfetch'd, and Sirfetch'd has a hard time attacking the Pokemon because it keeps using Rollout.
Jim: (Seeing Sirfetch'd is tired.) Now use Hidden Power!
The Bidoof goes for a Hidden Power, which also deals some damage to the duck Pokemon.
Ash: (Concerned) Hidden Power sure is something...if only we can know what type it is...
Lillie: (Putting her hand on her chest with worry) Ash...
In the end, Sirfetch'd be able to defeat the Bidoof with the Brutal Swing, much to Ash's delight.
Jim: I can tell you really have a lot of experience in battling, with the full team that I have, for now, I might not be able to win against you.
Ash: (Confused) What do you mean by that?
Jim: It means that I can just forfeit since I know that I am going to lose, but I am not going to do that since I want to battle at the very end! Go, Desert!
The fourth Pokemon is a Helioptile, Ash decides to go for Krookodile. With the move: Charge, it keeps raising its Special Defense, and the Hidden Power turns out to be Super Effective against Krookodile.
Ash: Now it is Super Effective...are your Pokemon using the same type of Hidden Power?
Jim: (Smiles) Of course they are. But I am not going to tell you. Use Pound!
Ash has Krookodile goes for Earthquake, a move that deals Physical Damage, and that causes Helioptile to get defeated in the end.
Jim: My fifth Pokemon is going to be Farm. (Sends out Wooloo)
Lillie: (Noticing that the Pokemon sent out is a Wooloo) It is so cute...that's another Pokemon from Galar...
Ash goes for Lucario to battle this Pokemon, and Jim has Wooloo use Hidden Power. Like Krookodile, it is also super effective.
Ash: I get it, the type of the Hidden Power is Fighting! We need to be careful, Lucario.
Lillie: (Amazed for Ash) It takes him five Pokemon to figure out the type of the Hidden Power? That is so amazing...
Pikachu can only shrug as he is also surprised at Ash figuring out the Hidden Power.
Wooloo keeps using Rollout and Defense Curl, but Lucario uses a Close Combat to knock out the Pokemon.
Jim: Down to my final Pokemon. Savanna, I need your help. (Sending out Girafarig)
Ash: Then I'll be going for Heracross. (Recalling Lucario and sending out Heracross.)
Heracross uses Megahorn to deal a lot of damage, but Savanna is using Stomp to flinch the Pokemon, and then using Confusion to give the Pokemon a lot of damage.
Ash: This isn't good...Heracross! Use Hyper Beam!
Girafarig manages to dodge the attack and goes for the Hidden Power, dealing little damage to Heracross.
Lillie: Since the Hidden Power is Fighting Type, that means it isn't going to be effective on Heracross. (Turns to Heracross) But Heracross needs to recharge.
Jim has Girafarig go for Confusion to deal a lot of damage to Heracross, but Ash has Heracross use Megahorn to defeat Girafarig.
Referee: Girafarig is unable to battle, which means the winner of the gym is Ash Ketchum!
Ash sighs in relief as he wins the match, even though it is an unfair 6-0 match. But he is the Monarch, and there shouldn't be something like level resetting.
Jim: Good game. (Recalls Savanna) For tourists, you and your sister did exceptionally well.
Ash smiles at the compliment, and Lillie is also happy for Ash.
Lillie: He's right, you are awesome in the battle.
Ash: Well, my Pokemon did the job, so they should earn the praise.
Jim: Don't get carried away by that compliment and your performance here, though. You have seventeen gyms left, not to mention the Elite Four. You might be ill-suited to deal with a certain type, have trouble cracking a leader's strategy, or lack the firepower to bring down one of their Pokemon. On the other hand, don't let that discourage you either. You're not limited to one attempt, and if you're defeated, you can learn and improve! Anyway, here is the Clear Badge. You've more than earned it.
Ash: (Takes the badge and puts it into his badge case) Thanks! Jim. But do you know where I can find the second gym?
Jim: The closest Gym from here is in Cianosa City, which is just past Virima Trail to the north. There are two ways to travel through Virima Trail. You could ride through on a bicycle, or you could speak to the ranger in the gatehouse about walking on the trial with a Furret. Maybe the people and Pokemon you meet there will be different depending on whether you're biking or walking with a Furret!
Lillie: Furret Walking sounds like an interesting idea.
Ash: And biking is also good considering we purchased them for free.
Jim: I'd definitely encourage you to try both. Have fun on your vacation and good luck with the League. I hope we can have a rematch someday! I'm also a tour guide for P.I.E Tours, so maybe we'll see each other again while you're adventuring in Ceolis!
Ash and Lillie nod as they bid farewell to Jim, and after that, they decide to leave Virima City as they head north to Virima Trail.
Here is a new chapter, and in this chapter, Ash has won against the first gym leader as he gets the first badge, the Clear Badge. In the next chapter, we will be having the Virima Trail, and what will you choose if the choices are Furret Walking or Biking?
Ash's Main Pokemon: Snorlax, Noctowl, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Heracross, Lucario, ?, Hawlucha, Sirfetch'd, Pidgeot, ?, ?, ?, Noivern, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Naganadel, ?, Donphan, ?, Krookodile, ?, ?, ?, Tyranitar, ?, Gigalith, Lycanroc, ?, Butterfree, ?, ?, Leavanny, Scatterbug, ?, Gengar, Shedinja, ?, ?, ?, ?, Diglett (A), ?, ?, ?, ?, Melmetal, Charizard, ?, Infernape, ?, Talonflame, ?, ?, Mantyke, Feebas, Samurott, Greninja, ?, Exeggcute, Sceptile, Budew, ?, Decidueye, ?, Pikachu, Mareep, ?, Rotom, Tynamo, ?, Mr. Mime, ?, ?, ?, Espurr, Dottler, Lapras, ?, Glalie, ?, ?, ?, Dragonite, ?, Garchomp, ?, Goodra, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Pheromosa
Lillie's Main Pokemon: ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Scrafty, ?,?, ?, Xatu, ?, Gliscor, ?, ?, Muk, Dustox, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Torterra, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Carbink, ?, ?, Ninjask, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Forretress, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Torkoal, ?, Incineroar, ?, Slowpoke, Feraligatr, Floatzel, Seismitoad, ?, ?, Venusaur, Meganium, ?, Serperior, ?, ?, ?,?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Ninetales (A), ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Exeggutor (A), ?, Altaria, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Cufant, Clefable, ?, Whimsicott, Florges, ?, ?