Pokémon Insighter: Platinum

by Espeon804

They were forced into world to alternate from their own: The world of Pokémon. They were told one thing: "Find The Insight". They have to journey through the Sinnoh Region to seek answers. They aren't the chosen ones, "The Inisghter" is. The twins are just disposable tools for the gods. However, they are kids with dreams, and EVERYONE has dreams.

9. Gardenia's Forest Badge

A/N: From the original hand-written version of this, I always introduced a trainer from another region in each season. Well, Sinnoh never had one. Not until now.

Also, I appreciate the reviews/comments I've received from Fanfiction and Wattpad! Thank you!

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- Chapter 9: Gardenia's Forest Badge -

"What? You found him? Is he alright?!"

Professor Rowan stares at Cynthia through the screen of her laptop, wearing an expression of total disbelief.

"He's fine, now. He's resting at the herb shop, slowly regaining his strength," Cynthia says. "I told him to sit out for the day, and I'm surprised he agreed."

"What happened that made him fall into such a bad state?"

"Eterna Forest."

"Hm. I see," the professor says. "I am confused. This could have been avoided if he had his Charizard scout for him. Has that ever crossed his mind?"

"I asked him when he was strong enough to speak. He told me he didn't want to risk it. He was running for hours from the hunters. If he had sent out his Charizard, they probably would have struck it down. I can understand. It doesn't matter how strong the Pokémon is. Their technology cannot be avoided."

The professor nods. "Yes, I can see that. He was very lucky to have found his way out. Who knows how long he was lost in there?"

"The hunters wouldn't be able to find him though the overgrowth," Cynthia replies. She looks back, watching the sitting teen take in another drink of water. His Charizard stands nearby, on constant guard. "It was a risky stunt he pulled to get away from them."

"I'm just glad he is alright," the professor says. "His people back in Galar would be crushed if anything were to happen to him. He may be the Champion of his country, but he is merely fourteen. He's still young and vulnerable right now."

"Don't worry. Garchomp and I will keep an eye on him until he's back to full strength," Cynthia says. "And I'll make sure he has a pack of water to take along with him."

Charizard nudges Leon's head, and the teen laughs at this. He is doing better now.

- 0000 -

"What was that?! Was it carrying someone?" Lalinda wonders.

They had stepped out of the Pokémon Center not too long ago, and the first thing they saw was a roaring dragon Pokémon flying past. It was indeed carrying someone, but Mia couldn't make out who it was.

She does recognize the Pokémon from her childhood shows… but the name can't pop in her mind right now...

Mia takes out her Pokédex quickly.

(Charizard. Non-native in Sinnoh)

"The Pokédex can't tell me anything about it. It's called a Charizard, though," Mia says.

"Charizard! Of course!" Lalinda shouts. "It's the most well-known Pokémon next to Pikachu! Though… what is one doing here in Sinnoh? If you can't find them here, it must have come from somewhere else."

"I don't know… but I'm glad it didn't try to attack us or anything," Mia says. That was what she was worried about the most.

Lalinda agrees with a nod. They wouldn't know what to do if that were the case.

"Well, other than that… I'm still surprised that Team Rocket is here," Mia says. "I wonder if the Pokémon they used are foreign to the region, too."

"I dunno. I think I've seen a few Murkrow before," Lalinda replies.

"Pokédex. Tell me about Murkrow and Houndour."

(Sinnoh Number 074.

Murkrow, the Darkness Pokemon.

It's typing is: Dark and Flying. If spotted, it will lure an unwary person into chasing it, then lose the pursuer on mountain trails.)

It moves on to the next one.

(Sinnoh Number 176.

Houndour, the Dark Pokemon.

Its typing is: Dark and Fire. It is smart enough to hunt in packs. It uses a variety of cries for communicating with others.)

"They are native here. Both dark-types," Mia says, making note of that immediately. "Just like a Stunky. I wonder what its weakness is…"

"What matters is that we drove those Rockets back," Lalinda says. "Now we can focus on challenging the gym leader."

"Right. Gardenia." Mia quickly takes out her gym badge case. Looking at the images, Gardenia wears a friendly smile. She can only wonder what she is really like in person.

Opening the case, the Coal Badge sits snug in its slot. The empty slot next to it will be filled soon. At least, she hopes.

'Sunshine! Sunshine!'

Mia closes the case, looking down at her feet. The Eevee looks at her, appearing happy and carefree. Mia puts the case away, and she offers her arms. The Eevee jumps to them and immediately climbs for her head. Mia keeps her mouth close to keep a foot from accidently going inside.

"Let's get going," Lalinda says, as she begins to walk.

Sunshine the Eevee continues her name chant while Lalinda changes direction. Mia thought that they were going to the gym, but her guess is that she has other plans.

Lalinda stops in front of a random house that is several stories high,

"Do you know the person who lives here?" Mia asks Lalinda as her hand grasped the house's door knob.

"Nope." Just as Lalinda was about to open the door, Mia yanks her arm away. She isn't pleased with that. "What's your problem?!"

"You can't just walk into someone's house!" Mia warns her.

"Uh… I don't know what's wrong with you today. We can." She frees her arm from Mia's grip. Next, she opens the door and walks inside.

The door wasn't locked?

Mia thinks the poor girl's going to be arrested for trespassing. Mia knows she won't be, so she stays in her place.

Lalinda is just in the middle of the house. She turns around and sighs. "You are so very paranoid. C'mon!"

"But you don't even know who lives here!" Mia protests.

"By gods!" She marches her way towards Mia, and grabs her arms. She forces her to walk along with her. Mia's feet helplessly drags across the floor, which annoys Lalinda further. "Why are you so stubborn?! Everyone does this except you!"

"It doesn't make any sense!" Mia yells. "This is so not cool!"

"What is going on here?!" A woman shouts from the other side of the room. As soon as she sees them, her annoyed expression changed to a friendly one. She is trying to keep herself from laughing. "Goodness trainer. Why are you hesitating? Come in! Come in!"

Mia stops struggling as her mouth hangs open.

This world has plenty of logic.

"Trainers, here. This is a Quick Claw." The woman hands them both each a faded yellow colored claw. "You know how your Pokemon is sometimes a little slow? This item can help them strike first occasionally."

So now, Mia has a magical claw that makes Pokemon faster.

"Can you be a little less paranoid now?" Lalinda asks Mia.

"Alright, alright." Mia finally gave in. She might as well brace herself for more. "Can we find the gym leader now?"

Thankfully, her plea is answered. They walk out of the house.

The Pokémon world is not like her own. Logic from one world cannot be applied in another.

That is a mental note Mia has to keep to herself.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the gym right now? I was supposed to surprise you!"

Mia never spun around so fast in her life. While Lalinda is left confused, Mia grows excited at the sight of her twin brother (with Richard on his shoulder) walking from where the Pokémon statue stood. She abandons Lalinda in a heartbeat, running to Will and jumping into his arms.

"Whoa!" Will is knocked back a few steps, and his Pichu nearly falls from his shoulder. He slams his feet down to stay firm on the ground. "We weren't even separated that long! I missed you too, though."

He pauses, and he points at Sunshine.

"Is… that an Eevee? Here did you get that from?"

'Hiiii!' The Eevee chips.

"Wh-what the- did it just talk?! Since when can a Pokémon do that?!"

"It's a long story…" Mia says. "I'll explain when I can."

"Mmm… okay. But uh… can you let me go now?"

"No." Mia hugs him tighter.

He sighs. Richard pats his head as comfort.

Lalinda seems to understand what is happening here. "So, you're the twin brother Mia told me about. You are clearly a good person if she almost knocked you down."

"Huh?" Will looks over Mia's shoulder. "Who are you?"

"Sorry…" Mia steps away, releasing her brother from her harsh embrace. She lowers a hand at Lalinda's direction. "This is Lalinda. I met her around the Valley Windworks."

"Nice to meet you," Lalinda says with a smile.

"I was told about what happened there. Are you alright?" Will asks.

"I'm fine, now," Mia answers. "I got yelled at by Johanna, though. I never saw her so worried before."

Will would reply, but he is interrupted by Lalinda spitting and nearly suffocating. This concerns him and Mia. "Uh… are you okay there?"

Lalinda raises a finger until she's able to speak again. "You… you know what? I'm not even going to ask how you know her. It's obvious since she lives down in Twinleaf Town…"

Mia looks at her brother, but he just shrugs. She resumes talking to him. "So, did you get your second badge already?"

"Yep!" Will replies proudly. He reaches for his black bookbag, and he removes the gym case from one of the side pockets. He opens it, and in Gardenia's slot is a shining new badge. A trio of squares stand from their corners. Two are at the bottom, and one at the top. A single silver streak starts from the base of the bottom corner and stops in the middle. The badge is outlined silver at the edges. It seems to be mocking a forest.

"How hard was it?" Mia wonders as she stares at it.

"Well, my Piplup couldn't do much in there-"

"Wait, you have a Piplup, too?!" Mia forgets about everything else immediately. She is a bit disappointed. Did the professor carry two? She missed both of them!

Well, it doesn't really matter now. She enjoys having Razorleaf around.

Will answers, a bit startled by her sudden outburst. "Yeah. Chill… you don't have to shout. I knew you wanted Piplup since you kept talking about it so much, so I took it myself-"

He is cut off as Mia throws a heavy punch against his shoulder. He grunts as Richard squeaks in surprise.

"You did that on purpose?!"

"Ow! Man, I said chill!" Will growls through the pain. He rubs his shoulder, almost glaring at her. "I didn't want you getting so attached to a single Pokémon. The professor even suggested I should take it so that you'll learn to appreciate other Pokémon!"

"He did?" Mia just blinks. Her having her least favorite starter was all a set-up? The professor has his way to do things, but this was the least expected.

"Yep. It seems you learned by now," Will says as he unclips two Pokéballs. "You want to see something cool?"

He tosses them in the air. Out comes his Prinplup. Landing next to him is a larger bird that is half Will's height. The best way to describe it is that it looks like an older version of Starly. It's body is taller and a little slimmer. It's legs are no longer hidden under the feathers. It's beak is sharper, and it has a swirl of feathers at the top of its head.

The bird spreads its wings and releases a noisy cry. Mia takes a few steps back, finding the bird a bit… intimidating.

Still, she takes out her Pokédex, and its name appears right underneath Starly.

(Sinnoh Number 011.

Staravia, the Starling Pokémon, and the evolved form of Starly.

Its typing is: Normal and Flying. Recognizing their own weakness, they always live in a group. When alone, a Staravia cries noisily.)

"Everyone seems to have a Starly. Yours evolved… and so did your Piplup…" Mia scans the Prinplup, and she looks at the information displayed about it. "When did it evolve?"

"Just recently. I did some training at Route 211," Will explains. "I was gonna find you so that I can cheer you on in the gym. Gardenia is tougher than Roark. She's has a few tricks up her sleeve."

"You'll watch me battle?!" Mia asks him excitedly. At the same time, she's a bit nervous. If she messes up, he might have a long list of things she could have done.

"That would be nice, but there's a bit of a problem," Lalinda says. "She's not in her gym, remember?"

"Oh, yeah… she's not in there," Mia remembers. "Roark wasn't at his gym at first, but that's because he works in a coal mine. What about Gardenia?" She turns to Lalinda. "You know anything about her?"

"Well…" Lalinda begins. "I do know that she comes by Floaroma town to drop off flowers to the shop. I heard she has a massive garden where she grows all kinds of flowers. Maybe she made a run by Floaroma Town, and we missed her."

"She was here a few hours ago," Will says. He is a bit confused. "It's not like we can call her or anything, so we may have to wait."

"Or!" Lalinda suddenly blurts out. "We can ask the Champion to call her! She has contact with all the gym leaders!"

"What? You mean, Cynthia?" Will asks. "How could you be so sure-"

"I know you know her!" Lalinda steps closer to him, making him a bit uncomfortable. "You have to talk to her? Ask about Gardenia from no one else! Cynthia knows everything! We have to see her! She's here in the city! She brought us here, so I'm sure she'll help us again! Please? Take us to her!"

"It sounds a lot like… you just want to see her," Will says. "I'm sure she's busy. I haven't seen her around at all. Sorry."

"Don't you have her number?!"

"No, I don't."

Lalinda turns to Mia quickly.

Mia shakes her head. "Sorry. I don't have it, either-"

"But you both know her! How could you not have her number?!"

"I never thought to ask. She visits a few times a year so…" Mia doesn't know what else to say. Lalinda has a good point. So, she turns to her brother. "Why didn't you get her number?"

"Why didn't you? You were with her earlier!" Will counters.

"You had a head start! You should have asked the professor!"

"Why didn't you?"

"I thought you did!"

"It's not my fault!"

"Yes, it is! You were ahead of me, so it is!"

"No, it's not!"

"It is!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is too!"

"Is no- dang it, Will! Don't do that!" Mia can't believe she fell for such an old trick. Her brother is already laughing at her.

Will's Pokémon don't seem so amused.

"Guys, can we focus?" Lalinda calls them both. "We have to go back to the Pokémon Center. There isn't much else we can do."

Mia agrees. There really is no reason to stand around anymore. She does have a lot of catching up to do with Will, so she's positive they will talk for a good amount of time.

"I guess." Will shrugs. He pauses, apparently forgetting something. "Wait. What's your name?"

"It's Lalinda. Nice to meet you," Lalinda replies, bowing her head.

"I'm Will, but I'm sure my sister talked about me enough times, huh?" Will asks.

"I don't talk about you that much," Mia replies. She knows she tends to talk a lot about him, but it's not like it never ends.

"I am just messing with you, sis," Will chuckles as he calls his Pokémon back inside their Pokéballs. After clipping them on the belt, he lightly pushes Mia back in a playful manner before he begins to walk.

"Don't be annoying already," Mia tells him as she begins to follow. She can't help but smile. He kept his promise.

Lalinda is by her side, a bit disappointed that not much can be done. She slows down, taking a look at her surroundings. People are rushing past, all turning the same corner. "Hey, something is happening."

Mia takes note of a woman running past. "They are all heading the same way. What's that about?"

Will doesn't say a word. He turns and runs in the direction.

"Hey! Mr. Noisy! You can't just do that!" Mia is after him. She doesn't want to leave him alone.

Lalinda is quick to follow. They pass the strange building, seeing a large crowd growing around the Pokémon statue.

In the distance, a woman with short brown hair is glaring at something. Her hands lightly grip her short green cape that is over her long-sleeved and black crop-top. She pulls it close to her body.

She looks just like the second gym leader on the gym case. She must be Gardenia.

So, when did she get here? Something must have dragged her out...

"Sir! We are going to ask you again. Please, can you get down from the statue?" Gardenia shouts again. She sounds firm, not having any plans to go anywhere until her problem is resolved.

"Why? Maybe I don't want to!" an accented male voice responds. The accent sounds very similar to that teen's...

"Sir, if you don't come down, I will be forced to detain you."

"Then detain me! It will do no good, anyway!"

Gardenia has her hands near her hips, appearing annoyed with the whole situation.

There is a person standing on the shoulders of the statue. He apparently has no care for how much it means to the locals. He appears too well dressed to be acting so immature. How often would one see a man wearing a dark tuxedo standing on a statue like it's a living beast?

"What's with this man?" Lalinda wonders. "Doesn't he know that statue could be fragile? It's older than everyone in this town! I've never seen anyone do this before!"

Mia agrees with that. She can't see what good would come out from doing something so foolish.

The man turns an angle for her to see him better, and it clicks in. It clicked in a way that Mia doesn't want it to.

She knows who he is.

But… it can't be possible.

"Shoot… he can't be…"

Her concerned tone is noticed by Lalinda. "What's wrong? You look scared…"

Sunshine lowers her head, resting her chin on Mia's. She's a little scared.

"Will…?" Mia calls her brother, who is watching as well. "Am I seeing things, or does that man look a lot like-"

"Don't. That can't be real." Will cuts her off, appearing just as lost. "He was make-believe. This is just a coincidence… right? No…?"

He's not wrong… but Mia can't shake the feeling off. This can't be a coincidence. He looks just like her 5-year-old nightmare in every way. His dark blue eyes hold the same mischief they did in her dreams. Even his indigo hair looks the same in every way, shoulder-length and all.

And that fedora hat.

That stupid fedora.

She has to be seeing things, but she's not. He's right there! How is this even possible? Is the whole world trying to mess with her head?

Gardenia appears to have lost patience with the man. She takes a step forward and speaks firmly. "Sir, you are to get down right now or-"

"Or what? You're going to tell on me? Oooh. That is so scary!" The man stands tall, removing the midnight blue fedora from his head. After fixing his hair up with his other hand, he sets the hat back in place. "Go ahead and do it. I won't get into trouble anyway. You'll just waste your time. I'll get down when I feel like it."

"Look at this idiot," Lalinda says, annoyed. "Doesn't he know she is stalling for more people to arrive?"

"Name-calling isn't nice, you know."

Lalinda freezes, along with the twins. There is no way that man heard her. However, he is looking at their direction. So… he did. He really did!

It's another check for Mia's list. This is becoming more unreal. "No way…."

The man's eyes are on them. He seems annoyed at first until a few seconds in. Now, he shows interest, and amusement. He now wears a smile of mischief as he speaks again. "Ah, yes… the children."

Those familiar words sends a chill down Mia's spine.

He's looking right at Mia. He recognizes her, just like she and her brother recognizes him. He appears entertained now.

"It's… it's The Shadowman…" Mia quietly tells them. Why can't she move? The logical thing to do would be to run, right?

No. She can't outrun a shadow.

Gardenia walks forward, having enough of it all. She is surprised by how quickly the man leaps off the statue and lands on the streets unharmed. Her face twists in many ways as she tries to grasp how he didn't break anything.

The Shadowman completely ignores the gym leader now, walking towards the three kids. "You…" Shdowman chuckles. "Oh, my. Look at you! You've gotten bigger! How old are you now?"

"He… he knows you?" Lalinda asks.

"Kinda…? Oh, crap… he came to life…" Mia mutters. "Will, please tell me he didn't come to life."

"He's make-believe! He shouldn't even exist like this!" Will is louder. He grabs Mia's arm, pulling her behind him. Richard's cheeks build with static. The mouse crouches lower against his shoulder.

"What? What did you say?" Lalinda clearly heard, but she doesn't believe it.

"Don't you recognize me?" the man asks, not slowing down. "Looking at your faces… of course you do! You are just so happy to see me, that you are speechless!"

Gardenia is after him. "Sir, leave those children alone!"

The man appears a little disappointed now. "Or, are you upset? That's no way to treat an old friend. Do you remember? You gave me the name, 'Shadowman'. I was your greatest imagination ever created,"

"No you weren't…." Will shakes his head as he continues to push Mia back.

Mia can't bring herself to speak yet. She looks at Lalinda, a bit scared. The girl gets the message to keep her distance from the man.

Gardenia continues to stay close behind, well on guard. Her hand is already around a Pokéball.

Shadowman spreads his hands out and slowly parts them dramatically. "While I was just a nightmare at first, you two turned me into your bad guy during your playtime. It was fun. We had lots of fun. You drew me, gave me a voice, gave me this… nice hat…"

The mentioned hat is patted a few times.

"And then one day, daddy came to the rescue and told you two that I wasn't real. I was… just your imagination. While you still remembered me… and was frightened time after time… well… well…"

Mia sees him reaching for the feather of his hat. Her heart skips a beat. She finds her voice as her brother moves quickly, ready to run. "Lalinda! Get back!"

"When you arrived here… and you got older, you completely forgot about me. How could you do that after all the great times you had fighting against me? The many fights you won against me? You just crumbled me up and threw me away, like some disposable rubbish! It's all because daddy said so! But now, we are seeing each other again! Isn't that wonderful?!"

As soon as he removes the feather, Will breaks into a sprint with his sister. Lalinda is quick to follow.

Shadowman flicks the feather, and it is engulfed with flowing dark purple energy that grows into a longsword. People start to scream and run now as he casually walks forward, spreading open his arms. With a proud shout, he says; "Let's play a game! It's called 'Tag'! 1, 2, 3…."

The three kids are already turning the corner.

"Bother," Shadowman huffs. "You were supposed to say 'Not it!' if you didn't want to be it! But that's fine. I'll be 'it'! Let's have fun!"

"Hey!" Gardenia calls.

"I don't think I want you to play," he clenches a fist towards her, and Gardenia is yanked from the ground and tossed aside. She hits the asphalt with a grunt. The remaining crowd gasp at this, and they quickly move back. They are ignored.

Gardenia doesn't try to move. Her face has gone pale.

"Who is that guy?! He knows you!" Lalinda shouts, as they continue running. "Is everything he says true?!"

"What the heck, man!" Mia exclaims, looking at Lalinda. "He's alive! Alive! He was just a stupid drawing we made when we were kids, because our dad asked us to draw what he looked like since we had so many nightmares about him! Now he's alive, yo!"

"Why is he alive?!" Will shouts at his sister. "He knows he was pretend! That's creepy!"

"I… I don't know how he's alive…!"

Burning lungs is not a good sensation. Mia can't keep running for very long, and she knows her brother is in the same position.

"I got my answers!" Lalinda shouts. "A living nightmare! How dangerous is he?!"

"I mean, we dreamed about him since we were around four years old… or five… I don't know!" Mia doesn't want to think right now. Running is her current focus. "But he's dangerous! Super dangerous! He could kill us!"

"Why would you make him kill you?!"

"I said… he could! But he's... still dangerous! He might just catch up!"

"How would he catch up when we were-" Lalinda is interrupted as the mentioned man rises from the ground… from a shadow. His arrival forces the trio to stop moving. "Okay… I see why he got his stupid name…"

Will pulls Mia close. Mia won't complain. Such a thought doesn't come to mind, anyway. She just stares at the man, almost completely out of breath.

"Won't talk? That's fine. Actually, that's not fine!" Shadowman growls. "You think that because you're older, you don't have to worry about me anymore? I was trapped here for who knows how long! It wasn't nice!"

"What is he talking about?" Lalinda asks.

"I don't know!" Mia and Will shout in sync.

"Tch. You choose to ignore me. Fine. I won't cut you. I'll just force you down. I didn't come here to kill anyone." Shadowman slips a hand under his suit, and he pulls out a Pokéball that is oddly purple all around. After bouncing it in his hand a bit, he turns turns his wrist and releases the capsule towards them. "Ninetales!"

The Pokéball bursts open with a puff of purple light. Coming out is a 9-tailed fox that is half the man's height. Its fur is black, and it's eyes are a glowing red.

Something tells Mia that Pokémon isn't normal. "What kind of... Pokémon is that?"

Her Pokédex responds.

(Ninetales. Non-native in Sinnoh)

"You're kidding…?" Mia quietly asks.

Shadowman points at them. "Take the twins down. I need them alive. Confuse Ray!"

Mia quickly takes out a Pokéball, but the Ninetales' eyes glow brightly. Mia makes the mistake of looking into them, and she feels-

A flash of blue strikes the Ninetales and slams it to the ground. The Ninetales hisses and kicks its feet, but it simply can't get up. Fangs hover over its face, belonging to a land shark that threatens to bite.

Mia can't believe how fast it moved. Where did Garchomp come from?!

"Are you alright?!" Running to the scene is Cynthia. She holds a black-top Pokéball in her hand. Her eyes don't leave the Shadowman.

"Cynthia!" Lalinda gasps. "You came!"

"I heard some commotion, and I received an urgent call. I raced out here as fast as I could," Cynthia explains. "Do you know this man?"

"We kinda do…" Mia answers as she steps back.

Shadowman steps forward. "You weren't supposed to get involved! What you did was not fair!"

Cynthia just stares, unsure of what to make of him. She looks at Mia and says awkwardly; "He's… not as mature as he looks."

"I mean… we were five," Mia says, not knowing how else to put it. "But he's still dangerous!"

"All of you stay back. Garchomp and I will handle this," Cynthia turns back to the enemy, focusing her attention on him. Her Garchomp jumps back in time to avoid flying flames unleashed from the Ninetales' mouth. "Attack with Dragon Rush!"

Ninetales stands with a snarl. Shadowman is truly annoyed with this, shouting his own order. "Confuse Ray!"

The Garchomp jumps back and flies upwards in the air. Her claws are engulfed with purple and blue flames. She soars down as it swallows her entire body, and it sprouts from her back like a pair of dragon wings.

Ninetales eyes are just starting to glow, but the Garchomp is already in front of it. The dragon hits her like a rocket, sending Ninetales into the street with a pained yowl. Dust and dirt kicks up from the heavy impact.

It happened so fast. If Mia had blinked, she would have missed half of it. Garchomp moves like a jet. It's insane...

Garchomp jumps back and lands next to her trainer. The quick movement blows the cloud of dirt back enough to see the Ninetales unconscious on the ground. Its body glows blue before it is called back inside its Pokéball.

"Whoa… with just one hit…" Mia can't believe it.

Lalinda cheers and throws a fist in the air. "That's The Fearless Champion you're up against! You messed with the wrong group! Haha! That's what you get!" She sticks her tongue at the man.

Cynthia holds her arm out in front of them. It's enough to silence Lalinda in an instant.

"Adults always get in the way of fun." Shadowman sneers as his fingers grip around the handle of his sword. "I said, I didn't come here to kill anyone. I just want the children. Am I asking for too much?"

"What if I say that you are?" Cynthia challenges him. "You will not lay a single finger on them."

Shadowman grips the weapon with both hands. He turns his body sideways, having a firm stance on the ground. "You are annoying…"

Lalinda turns to Mia. "How good is he with that…?"

"He's... really good with a sword," Mia replies.

"Why would you give him that ability?!" Lalinda snaps at her.

"We were five!" Mia and Will shout at her, trying to defend themselves.

Shadowman glares at the children. "You know how things play out when I don't get what I want. Tell your annoying friend to get out of the way, and no one gets hurt."

"He's going to attack with that?!" Lalinda is near panic. "Come on, Cynthia! Use your Garchomp to send him flying!"

Her Garchomp growls low, but Cynthia raises a single hand as a silent order to stay quiet.

"It's against a trainer's code to bring harm to a person with their Pokémon. Pokémon are not tools of war," Cynthia replies, bending down as she reaches for her waist under her coat. "But, don't worry. If he comes any closer, he won't reach you so easily."

Bending his knees, Shadowman points his sword towards her, raising the handle close to one side of his face. Everything falls silent. Garchomp is on guard in case anything goes wrong.

Shadowman and Cynthia both study each other. Tension is high in the air. It is too late to run. The silence mocks a ghost town. Heavy and quick breathing can be picked up from everyone.

Everyone except Cynthia.

A slight tug of her hand leads to small movement from inside her coat. It draws Shadowman's attention. His eyes remain glued, reading for any change.

After several seconds, the man flicks his sword, and it reduces to a feather. He tucks it back on his hat with a sigh. "I can see why you sit on the throne." He turns away, growling small. "I don't plan on having any blood drawn."

Cynthia doesn't drop her guard. The man darkens into a black figure before sinking into his own shadow, and he slithers away. The Champion's expression morphs to disbelief. "Did… he just…"

"I'll explain when I can…" Mia says. Such a thing clearly isn't normal in this world, either.

Cynthia lowers her hand, slowly standing as her eyes remain on where the shadow lurked. It takes a few seconds for her to finally face the kids. "So… you know that… person. A living shadow?"

"THE Shadowman." Mia puts emphasis on the first word. "I still can't believe the dude came to life. But how?! Does that happen here?!"

"I never heard of dreams becoming reality like this…" Cynthia shakes her head. "This is entirely new to me. I doubt even the professor would know about this. I'm just glad he didn't go any further with his attack."

"You're just as fearless as they say," Lalinda says with awe. "I never imagined anyone would stand so bravely in front of someone with a weapon. Especially one that isn't even coded…"

Mia didn't even notice. His weapon wasn't coded at all, so it was hard to tell what his intentions were. "He said he wouldn't kill anyone…"

"Who would believe that?" Will frowns at her. "Still, I can't believe you did that, Cynthia. You're pretty crazy…"

"I'm actually glad he backed off," Cynthia replies. She looks at Will, somewhat curious. "Does that man have a real name?"

"Nope. Just 'The Shadowman'. No other name was given to him. We were creative kids." Will is a bit sarcastic in the last sentence.

"Well, if he is your childhood villain, there is already so much you know about him. Do you have a clue on why he didn't go on?"

"I guess… it's because you're an adult," Mia says. "Or maybe because you weren't afraid. He kinda does feed on fear. No… It's most likely because you're an adult-"

"Nevermind." Cynthia waves it off, not so worried about it anymore.

"Champion!"

All heads turn to Gardenia, who is running towards the group in a hurry. Fright is written all over her face.

"Gardenia! What happened?" Cynthia quickly walks over to her. "You are just now coming by?"

"He… he tossed me aside like an old doll," Gardenia replies, appearing uneasy. "Th-that's when I called you. I wasn't sure how well I would do against him, so I made sure everyone nearby was safe inside their homes. He was armed and dangerous."

Cynthia takes notice of something. She pulls back the sleeve of Gardenia's shorts, exposing her bleeding knee. "You're hurt."

Gardenia looks at the injury. "It's… just a scratch. Fell on the road. I'll take care of it."

Cynthia picks up her discomfort. She removes her hand as she speaks. "He's gone now. Just give it some time, and I'm sure the city can bounce back to their routines,"

"S-so, no one had to cross swords… that's good." Gardenia appears relieved.

Garchomp snorts as she lightly nudges Cynthia, who pets her head in return.

"While I was pushing everyone to the safest places… I noticed something wrong with the Pokémon statue," Gardenia says with a frown. "The plate had gone missing. I know it's almost impossible to read, but who had the nerve to take it down?"

"Maybe it was the shadow person. He was on top of it," Lalinda says.

Gardenia shuts her eyes as she takes a deep breath. Her hands are trembling. "Th-that… shadow…"

"But it's too late to get it back now, is it?"

After a few seconds, Gardenia manages to gather her nerves. Her response is filled with disappointment. "Unfortunately. I couldn't even protect something so important."

Taking in this news, Cynthia nods and gives her a response. "Don't be so harsh to yourself. What we encountered was something unnatural. You must need time to gather yourself."

"I do. I'm sorry, but I can't battle today. I have to focus on settling everyone down," Gardenia says. She turns to the children. "Forgive me for…"

She stops talking.

Her expression appears a bit spooked, which confuses Mia.

Roark looked at her the same way before, didn't he?

"Um… are you alright?" Mia asks.

The gym leader immediately fixes her expression, wearing a smile now. "I'm fine. Sorry about that."

It didn't seem that way.

"I'm going to make another check around. I expect to see you as soon as tomorrow," Gardenia says, before bowing her head. "I apologize for delaying our battle."

Mia can't help but feel bad for her. She looks terribly shaken. Even as she walks away, she can't seem to walk straight.

What did he do to her?

A low growl from Garchomp is sounded. The Pokémon seems restless, unable to relax as she swings her claws at the air. This display of agitation makes Mia feel nervous. She finds herself stepping behind her brother.

Cynthia turns to the beast, cupping her face with her hands. She lightly pulls her head down to rest against her own as she strokes her gently. "It's okay, Garchomp. He won't hurt me so easily. You know that, don't you?"

Mia feels a little better now. She stops hiding, watching the woman easily calm her Garchomp down. The bond they have, Mia wonders if it will be that strong for her one day.

"You three should rest in the Pokémon Center for the day," Cynthia says, looking at them now.

Lalinda appears a bit sad to hear this. "You won't come with us?"

"No. I have someone to tend to," Cynthia says. "I'll try to stop by later, but I can't make that a promise."

"I understand."

Mia is just glad she arrived in time. They didn't have to battle another threat. It's a wonder if Mia would be crushed if she tried taking on his Ninetales alone. Either the Shadowman is weak…

No. He's not weak.

Cynthia is powerful.

- 0000 -

To Mia's annoyance, she is woken up earlier than she prefers. Checking her Pokétch, it's seven in the morning. Lalinda is persistent about getting the next badge.

Getting ready for the day doesn't take too much time. They are out the door, and in front of the Pokémon Gym in no time.

"Are you sure we didn't arrive too early?" Mia asks Lalinda, rubbing one of her eyes. Trying to shake the sleepiness off her body isn't easy.

"It's not our fault you aren't a morning person," Will teases her.

"Don't start," Mia warns him. "I wasn't talking about me. I was talking about the gym leader."

"Oh, she's usually up during this hour," Lalinda responds. "Come on. We should go."

"Are you sure she's in the mood to battle?" Mia asks as she follows her inside.

"Are you sure you're not asking too many questions?" Will asks her.

She doesn't answer him. She knows he's just messing with her.

The first thing seen inside are two Gym statues on each side of the door. Standing between them is the same man she saw in Oreburgh's gym. When did he get here?

The man looks at her and smiles. "Well hello champ-to-be! Welcome to Eterna City Gym! The gym leader is in a much better mood today, so she's ready for some challengers."

"See?" Lalinda looks at Mia.

The man recognizes Will in an instant. "Oh, did you come back?"

"Just here to watch," Will responds.

"That's good! I am sure this gym will bring another exciting battle to witness! You know, I said that very same thing to some kid I met earlier, but he wasn't open to it at all. He just rudely told me to "Shut up" and moved on."

"Marlen." Will already knows.

The gym greeter has another word of advice. "As you may already know, Gardenia is a master of grass-type Pokémon. She isn't a fan of facing fire, and anything that can fly gives her a lot of trouble. However, if you arrive with a water-type, you'll find yourself being pushed back. Gardenia has a lot of tactics, so she isn't pushover."

"Got it," Mia says.

"You can't battle the gym leader right away. Inside that gym is a giant clock. You stand on the hands to move your way around to battle a gym trainer. Sprinklers stand in your way, and you can't pass them until you defeat the trainer guarding it. Think of it as training. Gardenia wants you to prove your skills, first. That's the only way you can reach the gym leader."

Is it that complicated to reach a simple gym leader? From how things look, they might encounter more gym tricks like this, and if not, more complicated tricks. Hopefully it won't involve heights.

Well, might as well get it over with.

She walks across the small room until she meets with another pair of double glass doors.

They open, and she walks inside the giant room. In the middle is a giant metallic flower. The center is the main part. Two green leaves stick out from the petals like the hands of a clock. One is longer than the other… and it seems the darker green one is the minute hand.

That's not what grabs her attention the most.

"This… this is her garden?!"

A massive flower bed grows underneath the clock, bringing sweet scents into the air. It reminds Mia of Floaroma Town. There's too many flowers to count.

Around the clock are fresh green grass growing. Sprinklers water them constantly. Several trees are lined with the walls. At the very back, Gardenia sits on a small and green throne. The wall behind her is painted blue with a pattern of clouds. Compared to Roark's rocky anesthetic, this gym is very lively.

"Didn't Roark have a throne to sit on in his gym too?" Mia wonders aloud.

"It's all part of the gym leader thing. Pretty cool, huh?" Lalinda smiles.

"If every gym leader has one… I wonder what the Champion throne looks like…"

Will smiles. "It's bigger, I bet."

"Hm…" Mia spots the first gym trainer on the ground. No need for a clock to get to her, but Mia still took care of her anyway.

Mia walks up the steps and stands on the hour hand. Immediately, the minute hand moves, and she nearly loses her balance as it dashes under the hour hand. It directs her in a new direction.

It stops with a clang. Mia carefully walks down, and she sees another trainer. The girl stands in front of a row of sprinklers much like the last one.

Truthfully, Mia is in no mood to battle the gym trainers, because she just wants to battle Gardenia right away. She could simply sneak pass the trainer and slide between the water. Could that be cheating?

"That's not a good idea." Lalinda sends her warning.

Mia makes a move for it anyway. She makes her move.

Oom!

She hits a wall instead, and she falls on her back. Her Eevee loses her grip and plops down as well.

"Told you," Lalinda says. Will nearly laughs.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Mia shouts. "I can't even slide between water!"

'Ouchie, owie….' Sunshine pushes herself up with her little paws.'You've got to be kidding me! I can't even slide between water!'

"Don't copy me…" Mia says before letting out a sigh.

Lalinda places her hands near her hips. "You just love learning the hard way, don't you?"

Will glares at Lalinda before speaking. "Why aren't you doing this?"

"I'm waiting my turn." Lalinda turns to face the door they came from. "I'm heading out there to spectate. I'll find you soon."

On that note, she is gone.

Will sighs. "Well, I guess I'll be going there too. There's no point in being here in your position."

"Wait!" Mia grabs his arm before he could go anywhere. "Aren't you gonna help me?"

"That's like giving you a cheat sheet of a test. I can't do that," Will replies. He pulls his arm free, jogging for the doors. "You'll be fine!"

"Hey! You can't just-"

The double doors close.

"Guess I have no other choice, huh?" Mia says as she picks Sunshine up back to her seat. "You need some experience anyway." She heads back and waves at the girl to catch her attention. Mia turns to Eevee and nods once. Sunshine looks a bit nervous, but a smile from Mia is enough to give her some confidence, so she jumps in.

The opposing trainer sends out a Budew. Mia gives her Pokédex a quick look.

Level 16?! Never mind! Mia quickly calls Sunshine back. She would have fainted from the first attack! So, instead, Batty is sent out. All it takes is one Wing Attack and it is over. What surprises her is the fact that the Pokédex notifies her that Sunshine grew a few levels even though she wasn't involved.

Mia is back on the clock, and the minute hand moves again, leading her to a path that will take her to the next gym trainer. After some time - and with little Sunshine leveling up bit by bit - the minute hand stops in front of Gardenia. The woman stands from her seat as soon as she sees her.

Mia takes a quick look around. Just like the previous gym, there are raised seats for some people to spectate the battle if they please. She catches sight of a moving hand among the small crowd…

There is Lalinda, sitting at the highest row. Mia waves back for a second just as the doors behind the seats open. The first one entering is Richard, who is quick to jump to the highest row. Entering the room afterwards is Will. He climbs to sit next to Lalinda.

Mia waves at them both.

As she jumps off the clock hand, the gym leader is quick to stand. There is a large band-aid pad on her knee.

Gardenia crosses her arms. "You kept me waiting! I'm Eterna's Gym Leader, Gardenia, the Grass-type master! When I first saw you, I was convinced you'd find your way to me. My hunch was right on the money. You have a winning aura about you. So, anyway, this will be fun. Let's have our battle!"

She holds her smile, but Mia doesn't budge.

"Uh, kid?"

"You don't really mean that, do you?" Mia asks with a smile.

Gardenia nearly laughs. "Okay. You got me. It's just a silly script I am required to say to every challenger."

"I get it…" Mia says as she smiles. "Roark said the same."

"Well, besides that," Gardenia continues, "I apologize for making you wait. After what took place yesterday, I knew I wouldn't be able to perform well. That man we faced, he is far from normal. Whatever power he possesses… It's... supernatural."

The reminder makes her cringe.

"I… I couldn't sleep very well."

"Oh! I'm sorry you had to go through that!" Mia feels bad for her already. "If you want, we can-"

"No. I made you wait long enough."

She clears her throat before showing a smile.

"Besides, sitting back here all day gets boring sometimes. And Roark... he called me the other day explaining how much of a challenge you were, but I won't believe it 'till I see it myself!"

There it is. She's testing her just as Roark did.

Gardenia presses a button on the wall, causing the platform to expand, transforming to a battlefield, which is always the size of a basketball court.

Floors are steady. Walls shake violently. Sunshine is clinging on to Mia's shoulder. The Eevee squeals in panic. A giant section of the wall behind Gardena, feet above her, starts to split open. A giant screen is revealed. Her's and Mia's stats are displayed in an instant.

"Knowing Roark, he introduced you to traps and tactics in battle, didn't he?" Gardenia asks. "Take this as your next lesson. We'll see how close your bond is with your Pokémon. Trainers have an effect on how well they perform on the battlefield."

"I had the idea-"

"You have no idea. At least, not yet," Gardenia says, cutting her off. "Trainer Influence, that's what we call it. How well will you fare against us? Your lessons will come as this battle carries on, both by sight and words!"

Mia hopes she does well.

Gardenia reveals a Pokeball in hand, containing Mia's first opponent. She excitedly tosses the capsule to her other hand. Catching it, she throws it forward with a smile. "Let's begin! Turtwig!"

Mia's ears do not deceive her. The Turtwig is summoned.

"This is really cool!" Mia shouts. "Because I once had one too!" She quickly unclips a Pokéball, and she throws it to the battlefield. "Let's go! Razorleaf!"

Razorleaf's body forms from the spilling light. He lands on the ground, and he tilts his head back.

RAAAGHH!

The Pokemon's stats appear on the screen now.

Gardenia seems impressed. She places her hands on her hips and tilts her head to get a good look at him. "Question. How long have you two known each other?"

"Over a week. Why do you ask?" Mia is confused..

She studies her, then looks at Razorleaf. "It's just not common to face a trainer with a starter in stage 1 already."

"What is stage 1?"

Gardenia simply smiles. She doesn't answer, carrying on instead. "This should be interesting. You're rather unique for a rookie."

"Unique huh? You know something about me?" Mia asks her.

"You know the saying here? The common saying everyone knows?"

Why would Gardenia bring that up? Mia answers carefully. "It… has something to do with fate, right?"

"Right. The saying is; Fate cannot be avoided, but it can be altered." Gardenia chuckles at this. "Basically, whatever destiny you have will happen. How it does happen is entirely up to you. You, kid… you're unfamiliar with a lot of things. But I believe you can pull through this match. I want you to show me the strength you displayed to Roark."

The only reason why Mia won was because Roark guided her through the battle… right? No, wait… he was teaching her as they battled. But why would he do that? Is Gardenia going to follow the same formula?

Mia shakes away the thought. She has to make a step forward to figure this out. "Let's get started! Razorleaf! Attack with Tackle!"

Razorleaf follows the command by charging his way towards the Tiny leaf Pokemon.

Gardenia is impressed. "Looks like I can't figure out what your orders are. Alright. Turtwig! Use Tackle!"

Gardenia's Turtwig ducks under Razorleaf, and it tackles his underbelly. Razorleaf's cry comes out as a cough, and he falls flat with the Turtwig escaping in time.

Mia glances at the board. Razorleaf's HP bar falls by a quarter. What just happened?

"I don't understand! I gave Razorleaf the order first!"

Gardenia shrugs, obviously seeing this before. "A Grotle would naturally be faster than a Turtwig, but Turtwig is smaller, and this one in particular had a little training focused on reflexes."

She's showing off her skills.

The fastest Pokémon on Mia's team… she isn't ready to send her out yet.

"Tackle again!"

Razorleaf begins to charge. The Turtwig attempts the same stunt, but Razorleaf catches it, knocking it down. Turtwig hits the ground with a soft chirp. The board displays its own points dropping more than Razorleaf's did.

Gardenia doesn't look worried at all. "Turtwig! Use Reflect!"

Her Turtwig stiffins its body. The twig on its head begins to glow. Like magic, a transparent thin wall is formed, shining bright before it fades.

"What is that?" Mia is curious. Is Gardenia playing defensive?

Two can play in that game.

"Razorleaf! Withdraw!"

Razorleaf snorts as he crouches his body. His shell glows for a split second. Orange aura engulfs his body and travels upwards for only a second.

Ree-ree-ree-ree-ree-ree! The board makes its mark.

Razorleaf's Defense rose slightly!

"Now, use Sunny Day!" Gardenia announces.

"What? Sunny Day?" Mia echoes the name. "What does that do?"

Gardenia's Turtwig responds to the order. It tilts its head back while opening its beak, and it fires a concentrated sphere of light into the air. It flies high until it hits the ceiling, and it bursts as a blinding light. Everyone is forced to shield their faces.

The harsh light fades just enough for eyes not to sting. The gym is a lot brighter now. Warmth bathes everyone's skin.

It's like harsh sunlight. Mia takes a glance at the ceiling, but her eyes can't focus on concentrated light. Looking away is a wise thing to do.

"That is Sunny Day! It mocks the hot summer weather!" Gardenia explains. "As for what it does… you'll just have to find out!"

Mia doesn't want to take any chances with whatever trick she has up her sleeve. After experiencing Roark's Stealth Rock trap, she's a little more careful.

"Razorleaf! Withdraw!"

The Grotle toughens his body even more.

"You know, if you keep that up, none of you would be going anywhere. The battle would be long and hard, because both Pokemon would hardly take any damage. Something to expect from a wimp like you challenging the gym leader."

Oh no. Why does he have to come and bother her now? Why is she even surprised? He technically started his journey at the same time she did…

Marlen stands at the doorway of the spectator section. He shuts the door behind him as he heads for a seat.

"I'm sorry. What?" Gardenia isn't pleased.

Lalinda rolls her eyes with a groan. "This again…"

Will is more aggressive. "Don't you start with that, Marlen!"

"Shut it, skumbag." Marlen grumbles as he sits.

The gym leader sighs. She did battle him prior. "What are you doing here? You already won my badge. What good would it do for you to come here again? I'm battling someone right now."

"Well, if you must know, I came to watch this girl here lose. Stay out of my business!" Marlen replies rudely.

Gardenia wears a frown. She doesn't say anything, but why?

Mia doesn't try to counter what he said. It did strike a nerve.

"Hey! Get your head straight! You're talking to an adult!" Lalinda shouts.

"Like if I care. It's not like she can do anything."

"How would you know?!" Will growls.

Mia can see many eyes on her, but she doesn't try to say anything to defend herself. "Can't you just… leave me alone?"

"How about I don't?"

Despite how mean it was, Marlen could be right. Keeping the Grotle in the battlefield would take a long run due to the fact that all of his attacks are physical. It will do no good now. "Razorleaf, enough! Come back!" Mia takes out his capsule, and he was sucked back inside of it. She quickly sends another.

Batty is summoned.

"Turtwig! Tackle!"

"Batty! Wing Attack!"

Batty flies around the Turtwig before it could attack. Just as she raises a wing, her body glows blue before being pulled back as a ribbon of light.

Turtwig has its head pulled back, bracing for the impact that never came. It relaxes, visibly confused.

"What just…?" Mia checks her Pokébelt.

"What happened?" Gardenia wonders aloud.

Whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo!

A low decreasing sound?

"The heck…?" Mia glances at the screen.

Turtwig's Defense fell slightly!

"What the?!" There is no weight on Mia's head. Seeing Sunshine standing in the battlefield nearly gives her a heart attack! "Why?! You're only a Level 5! Come back!"

"This just got interesting," Gardenia says. "Turtwig! Tackle!"

Her Turtwig charges and lunges at the Eevee.

Sunshine vanishes a split second before the Turtwig could hit her.

"What?!" Gardenia is baffled. Will and Lalinda actually stand up for a batter look. Marlen's mouth slightly hangs open. Mia is just lost.

Is that normal?

Mia and everyone else scans the field, looking for the Eevee. The ground below Turtwig starts to crumble, and Sunshine pops out attacking his belly, sending the turtle flying. Accomplished, she faces Mia with a smile.

"Your Eevee knows how to use Dig?" Gardenia asks Mia.

Mia isn't sure what to say, especially since Sunshine is now trying to chase her tail. She opens her Pokédex for a look into Sunshine's summary. "I don't understand. The Pokédex made it clear that she only knew two moves. One Attack move, and one stats move. Tackle, and Tail Whip... So where did Dig come from?"

The Eevee stops her pursuit, and clumsily wobbles around until she falls over. This Eevee is no ordinary Eevee. Telepathy was one thing, but now this? How could she fight so well in level 5 when her opponent is in level 20?

Turtwig isn't happy at the fact that a newly hatched Eevee just managed to attack it. With a low chirping growl, it glares at her.

"I understand your frustration," Gardenia says. "Use Tackle!"

"Sunshine! Get outta there!"

The Eevee isn't even a tiny bit intimidated. Instead, she starts to laugh. She leaps high in the air and starts to float around as if she's inside a balloon! 'Flying! Flying!'

Gardenia's mouth hangs open now. "Did it just talk?!"

"A talking Pokémon…?" Marlen stares at the floating Eevee. "What kind of… how did that…?"

"That's so cool!" Lalinda cheers.

"That is very freaky." Will is more uncomfortable instead of impressed.

"How is she doing that?!" Gardenia asks.

"I don't know!" Mia replies. "How is this possible?! She's levitating through the air like she's psychic or something!"

Sunshine can't battle yet. The second the Turtwig catches her, she'll experience a great deal of pain.

"Sunshine! Come back!" Mia quickly calls the Eevee back from her flight. She's safe back inside her Pokéball.

While her friend and brother are impressed by what they saw, Marlen isn't so pleased. From the look on his face, he must have a thousand questions.

"I seriously need to find a way to keep her from doing this crazy stuff…" Mia makes a note to herself. If that Eevee shows off in front of the wrong people…

She just hopes Marlen doesn't run out telling anyone about this...

"Batty! Let's go!"

The Zubat returns to her previous position, flying around her trainer, awaiting orders.

"Leech Life!"

Batty dives for the Turtwig, who is back into a defensive crouch.

"Tackle!" Gardenia orders.

Her Turtwig is slow to react, unable to keep up with Batty's speed. Hungry fangs are an inch away from its head. The wall set up before reveals itself, stalling most of the attack from reaching the Turtwig. Batty manages to tear through, only grazing the head.

Turtwig throws its body up, tackling Batty from the air. Batty hits the ground, but she's back into flight within seconds.

"What was that? The wall just appeared?" Mia is confused. It didn't do a good job at protecting the Turtwig, if that was what it was trying to do.

A quick look at the board tells Mia the Turtwig took the attack a lot better than expected. It's health points aren't even halfway down.

"This is weird… how come Razorleaf isn't able to do that?" Mia wonders.

Marlen growls. "That's because she taught it Reflect through a TM, idiot! Don't you see what is going on? It's halving the brunt of physical attacks!"

"Hey! Don't call my sister an idiot!" Will glares at Marlen. "If you don't like what you are seeing, then get out!"

"I'm not getting out," Marlen shoots a glare back. "And your sister really is an idiot if she doesn't know how common status moves work!" He points a finger at Lalinda just as she opens her mouth. "And you stay out of this!"

Lalinda's mouth hangs open.

Will seems ready to attack him, but he restrains himself, squeezing the seats instead.

"You just remembered you can't win a fight against me. Took long enough for you to learn." Marlen grins in mischief. His taunt angers Will further. "You're still free to hit me, but the outcome won't be pretty."

Will glares at the flooring. He can't find a counter for those words.

Marlen seems satisfied he had everyone quiet. He looks back at the battlefield. "None of you know anything."

Mia looks at the gym leader. Why isn't she saying anything? "Um…"

"Turtwig, Tackle again!" Gardenia shouts.

Seriously?!

"Leech Life again!" Mia isn't sure about what is going on, but she does know that she has to keep her Zubat's health up.

The two opposing Pokémon meet again. Batty attacks Turtwig's legs this time. The barrier appears again and saves the Turtwig from taking a harsh bite. The Turtwig knocks Batty off of it, taking it to the ground again.

Points fall on both sides. Turtwig is in the yellow zone, nearing red. Batty's draining attack only leaves her with a third of her points gone.

Gardenia smiles. "Alright. Let's Tackle again!"

"Leech Life!"

It's like a broken record, but it's effective. Both sides attack again. The barrier is revealed, and Batty tears through it.

The Turtwig staggers on its feet as fangs sink into its skull. It freezes, letting out a weak cry before falling to its side.

Turtwig's points are drained. A long and dragging beep is heard from the board.

"Whoo-hoo!" Lalinda cheers from the sidelines. "There you go, Mia!"

"Keep going!" Will cheers as well. "You got this!"

Marlen growls lightly, not pleased in the slightest. "She only knocked out one. So what?"

"Don't kill the mood," Lalinda growls at him.

"Ignore him," Will tells her.

Mia should ignore him, but his comment did kill the small joy she was feeling. She frowns, looking back at the gym leader. This battle is far from being over.

"Not bad," Gardenia says as she calls her Turtwig back. "But that's only one so far."

Did she ignore Marlen's comment, or did she not hear?

Mia watches how swiftly the gym leader swaps the capsules. The way she holds the next one with confidence…

Mia can't let herself be careless.

"Go! Cherrim!" Gardenia tosses the capsule. Summoned out is a small creature. Purple petals cover its body like a closed umbrella. All that isn't covered is the pink lower half and its stubby feet. A pink stem twitches on its head.

The board displays the change in Gardenia's side.

"What's that? She called it a Cherrim?" Mia takes out her Pokédex.

(Sinnoh Number 059

Cherrim, the Blossom Pokemon, and the evolved form of Cherubi.

Its typing is: Grass. If it senses strong sunlight, it opens its folded petals to absorb the sun's rays with its whole body.)

It's a little stronger than the Turtwig for sure...

Gardenia looks at the Zubat. "We are at a disadvantage. But… that's okay."

The Cherrim's body glows a bright yellow. The petals of its body open up like a flower.

It spouted. Hidden underneath the petals is a yellow creature with stubby limbs. Its pink eyes match the petals around its head. It is dancing endlessly.

"Wh-whoa! Did it just evolve?!" Mia asks.

"No. It simply transformed, but this isn't all about looks!" Gardenia says. "Cherrim! Use Leech Seed!"

"Batty! Wing Attack!" Mia shouts.

Batty is faster, zipping towards the Cherrim with outstretched wings. Just as Cherrim's petals start to shake, Batty hits the Reflect wall. It absorbed most of her attack as she rams the grass-type, knocking it to the ground. Batty flies past and makes a turn to her side of the field.

The board displays Cherrim's bar falling below half, now in the yellow zone. Cherrim trembles on the ground, and its eyes are shut tight. Still, it rolls to its feet and stands. Glowing green seeds are fired from the petals. They latch on the Batty's wings, but nothing else happens.

Batty's flight isn't affected.

"It had no effect?" Mia wonders.

Looking at Gardenia, the expression on her face…

Batty's screeches are loud. It's a scary sight, seeing the seeds grow roots on Batty's body, pulling green light from her. It flies over to Cherrim, who absorbs it.

"What? That's not Absorb, was it?" Mia looks at the board. While Batty's points drop a bit, Cherrim's increases in the same amount, bringing its bar back to the green zone.

Now the name of the technique makes sense. The seeds are still there so, how long does it last?

"Now for our next move. It won't be very effective, but it's better than nothing!" Gardenia points ahead. "Grass Knot!"

The Cherrim bounces around before it slams its feet to the ground. Green roots burst from the floors, shooting towards the Zubat.

Mia doesn't like where this is going. "Batty! Wing Attack!"

Batty zips around the roots that try to reach her. She successfully rams her wings against Cherrim's body. It breaks through the Reflect wall as before. Impact is halved. Cherrim hits the ground with bruises across its delicate body.

The board is beeping, indicating Cherrim stands at critical points.

The roots strike Batty from the air like a fly. She hits and rolls across the ground like a tumbleweed.

Looking at the board, Cherrim's attack did more than Mia hoped. Batty's points start to drop again. She's near the yellow zone now.

Mia frowns. "There has to be a way to get rid of that Leech Seed…"

Will would have answers, right? Looking at him, he shakes his head.

He won't help her? But why? He used to always help!

"How is this Cherrim hitting so hard…?" It's another thing bothering Mia.

"Cherrim's ability is called Flower Gift," Gardenia says, drawing in Mia's attention.

She's earned a lesson.

"It increases the Attack and Special Defense stats of the Pokémon with this ability, including its allies. Unfortunately for me, this ability isn't so useful in single battles," Gardenia explains. "Still, it doesn't mean Cherrim can't do anything! Cherrim! Magical Leaf!"

Mia reacts quickly. "Batty! Leech Life!"

Batty flies forward as Cherrim unleashes a swarm of rainbow-colored leaves.

Batty flies in another direction in efforts to avoid them, but they follow her and gain speed. They slice across her body, and she nearly loses control of her flight. She falls a few feet until a violent flap of her wings saves her fall. She dives, and the Reflect wall appears, only to disintegrate completely. Batty is able to sink her fangs into Cherrim's head, pushing it to the ground.

The Cherrim flails around for several seconds before lying still. A long and dragging beep is sounded from the board.

Batty flies back to Mia, drained more than expected. The seeds just won't let go of her body, no matter how much she moves.

Cherrim is called back to its Pokéball. Gardenia takes a long look at the capsule. "Looks like Reflect wore off. I was hoping to wear down that Zubat before it becomes a threat, but not everything goes as planned."

Two down, one more to go. No one on Mia's side fainted. So far, so good.

"It's not the end yet." Gardenia says as she sends out her final Pokémon: A green plant-like creature with a giant red and blue rose as hands. The top of the head has a massive white rose. Attached to its back is what appears to be a dark green cape. It's made from a huge thorny leaf, perhaps?

Mia wants a Pokémon like that.

"This is Roserade. I hope you can handle her. She's not easy to pass through, so winning this one won't be so easy."

The mentioned Pokémon closes its eyes. It calmly bows its head with one rose against its chest.

Mia isn't sure how to feel about this. By just looking at it… she can tell this Pokémon is no pushover. "Pokédex… who's that Pokémon?"

(Sinnoh Number 027.

Roserade, the Bouquet Pokémon, and the evolved form of Roselia.

Its typing is: Grass and Poison. Each of its hands contains different toxins, but both hands can jab with near-fatal power.)

Just focus.

"How well will you stand against my trusted partner?" Gardenia asks, swinging a single arm across. A grin forms on her face. She seems pumped with energy. "I'm full of spirit! I trust my partner can turn this around! We'll be as bright as the sunrise!"

Orange light swarms upwards and around the Roserade for a few seconds. The increasing sound is heard from the board. Mia is alarmed.

Roserade's Speed rose sharply!

"Sharply? The heck does that mean…?"

Looking at the board, Mia never imaged arrows would scare her.

In Roserade's stat chart, next to "Speed" are two red arrows instead of one! How can she face that?!

No time to linger.

Mia takes a deep breath to get herself situated. "Okay, Batty, Wing Attack!"

Batty flies across the battlefield. She raises one wing, ready to beat down the rose quickly and swiftly.

"Roserade!" Gardenia narrows her eyes "Use Stun Spore!"

Will jumps to his feet. "Mia! Watch out!"

Mia is worried now. "What's wrong?!"

His warning makes it sound very bad.

Roserade opens its eyes and throws its rose hands in the air, and it shakes them rapidly. Yellow pollen flies in the air. Mia steps back, unsure of what it is. It rains down on Batty…

And she screeches, falling to the ground..

"What?!" Mia is frightened. Batty's body is twitching out of control. The way her muscles move, she can't seem to move them very well.

She's stunned.

"Oh, no!" It sinks in now. Mia looks back at the Roserade, who is on the offensive now. "What happened?!"

She looks at the board for answers.

Batty's points slightly fall again due to Leech Seed. There is a small yellow box next to her name. It fades and returns every second. What's texted on it gives the answer.

Paralyzed.

"Your Zubat is paralyzed." Gardenia points out the obvious. "When a Pokémon is in that state-"

"They sometimes are unable to act..." Mia finishes the sentence. The lessons from the Trainers' School are hitting her hard. If that is the case, then she's in a bad spot. Looking at the gym leader, she seems to be waiting for Mia to make a decision.

Quickly, Mia calls her Zubat back, and she swaps capsules again, sending out Aqua to take her place. The Psyduck holds her head as she takes a look around, confused to be in this environment.

Lalinda groans and covers her face. Will slowly sits and tilts his head back.

"Like I was saying…" Marlen almost laughs.

Gardenia closes her eyes as she lowers and shakes her head in disapproval. Clearly, this is a mistake. "Trainer… these are basic things. Grass is weak to Fire. Fire is weak to Water. Water… is weak to Grass." She lightly grabs the fabric of her cape. "Roserade. Magical Leaf."

Roserade swings her blue rose-hand towards Aqua, and a swarm of rainbow-colored leaves fire from the petals like bullets.

"Aqua!" Mia shouts. She watches the Psyduck start to waddle away desperately, but the leaves are like a missle, and they catch up fast. The sharp edges slide their way against the Psyduck who twists and turns, crying out in pain. Within a few seconds, she falls on her back, and her arms fall flat on the ground.

Her Hp bar falls empty on the screen. Her image falls flat. The board releases the long beep.

Lalinda and Will are not pleased. Marlen appears entertained.

"Did you forget what that man said at the door?!" Will scolds her.

"I-I'm sorry! I forgot!" Mia shouts back, feeling embarrassed enough. There is no excuse for what she did. Aqua won't like her for it.

Her short feathers are ruffled. Some even litter the ground. That attack was brutal...

"I'm... sorry Aqua..."

Mia calls back her Psyduck and stares at the Pokéball for a few seconds. After accepting the one-hit loss, she swaps capsules again, and she gives it a hard toss.

Summoned now is Razorleaf. The Grotle stares down the Roserade, snorting a challenge.

"Razorleaf! Tackle!" Mia sends her order immediately, and she watches her Grotle charge forward.

Gardenia points a finger forward, shouting out her command. "Roserade! Use Poison Jab!"

The two Pokémon are closing the gap quickly. However, it's Roserade who is quicker. She lunges from the ground and over Razorleaf as the roses of her hands close into a tight bud. The tips immediately drip with a liquid ooze. She lands on Razorleaf's right side and jabs his unprotected stomach with both hands.

Razorleaf's mouth snaps open as he squeals. He shuts his eyes and rams his body against the Roserade, knocking it down. He stands over her, breathing hard. He hasn't opened his eyes yet. From where he was struck, the liquid ooze is dripping.

Mia hears her Pokédex beeping a notice. Whatever the message is, it's seen on the board. Not only is Razorleaf's HP on red, there is a status box displayed.

Poisoned.

It stops blinking, staying visible for a couple of seconds before Razorleaf's HP drops completely. To Mia's horror, he tips over and hits the ground.

Mia is frozen, unsure of what to do. When Roark said she was tougher, he wasn't kidding. But, it didn't cross Mia's mind that she would be this strong!

"Good job with sending out a grass-type against a poison-type! That just shows how much of a genius you are!" Marlen shouts from the stands.

"Can you chill for one second, man?!" Will glares at him again, annoyed with Marlen's constant taunting. "I already told you to get out!"

Marlen scoffs. "This is coming from the same person who got destroyed by my Pokémon on day one. You can't say anything with the sorry Pichu you have."

Will quickly stands. Richard growls small as his cheeks crackle with static. Just as he steps forward, he is pulled back by his own bag, being sat down violently. He turns to Lalinda, who has a firm hold of his bag. "Hey!"

"Come on, Mia! You still have two Pokémon left!" Lalinda's encouraging shout can be heard across the field.

She isn't wrong, but there is a problem.

Mia's one Pokémon who could turn things around… is paralyzed. Sunshine won't stand a chance due to her lacking battle experience. She might not-

Mia closes her eyes, taking in a deep breath. "No… don't panic… focus…"

Gardenia places her hands near her hips.

Mia calls her Grotle back. "I'm sorry… you shouldn't have to go through that…" She felt the need to apologize to Razorleaf, too. She can't imagine the pain he just went through.

After swapping Pokéballs, Mia sighs and tosses the one containing her Zubat. Seeing the light spill right to the ground is a bad sign itself.

Batty is on the ground, struggling to do as much as move a wing. How can she battle in this state? The yellow powder clings on to her fur as the seeds did before. It won't go anywhere.

Wait…

"The seeds are gone…?" Mia is surprised. Maybe there is a chance. "Batty…" She calls her Zubat, hoping she would respond. "You need to wake up! Come on!"

Gardenia appears a bit guilty to have placed Mia in a difficult spot. She pushes it aside quickly, sending an order. "Roserade! Poison Jab!"

Mia watches helplessly as Roserade jumps forward and jabs her Zubat with the roses. Batty's squeaks are weak. She is fighting so hard to move. The board on the screen displays her bar falling to the yellow zone.

It's not very effective? What a lucky break. But, she can't take another two at least. If the next hit is critical…

The situation is frustrating. Mia shuts her eyes, beating herself up. She doesn't know what else to do. "Darn it! I'm so stupid! What am I supposed to do?!"

"How about you quit and just go home?" Marlen teases her. "You shouldn't even be here in the first place!"

"Can you please stop?!" Lalinda shouts at him. Her question is ignored. A growl escapes her throat. She doesn't release Will, who seems ready to remove his bag just to get to Marlen.

"Don't call yourself stupid." The gym leader tells Mia. "You'll make a ton of mistakes. After this battle, you'll make better choices next time, won't you?"

Mia looks at her Zubat, who crawls awkwardly with her wings and feet. She seems to have a good hold of herself, because she begins slapping her wings against the ground until she leaves it in flight.

"She has battling spirit, kid."

Mia looks at Batty, who stays afloat, waiting for her next order.

Even if Batty does land the next Wing Attack, there is no telling if it would be enough to knock out the Roserade. That Pokémon took out two of hers without trying. Mia can't afford to act so recklessly.

"Supersonic!"

Gardenia smiles small. "Oh?"

Batty flies forward quickly, opening her mouth wide.

"Use Magical Leaf!" Gardenia's command isn't what Mia wants to hear.

Roserade allows its hands to blossom again, and it fires the rainbow leaves that strike Batty across her body.

Batty nearly falls. She beats her wings harder to keep herself airborne. Pushing herself forward, she soars around the opposing Pokémon. A horrible screech surrounds Roserade as sound waves. Roserade begins to stagger, appearing dizzy.

"Confusion. Not a bad counter," Gardenia comments. "Roserade, focus! Attack with Magical Leaf!"

Roserade lifts its rose hands up high again. It nearly loses its balance, and it shakes its head. Instead of attacking Batty, it jabs itself aside the head instead. It's hard enough to hurt.

Gardenia doesn't say anything about it.

Roserade is hurting itself in confusion. It's all in efforts to snap out of it. The board displays her points falling a little more.

It has to be enough.

"Batty! Wing Attack!"

Batty flies for the Roserade, who struggles to do as much as focus.

For the first time in a while, Mia feels a bit excited. "We have this!"

Gardenia smiles at this. "Are you saying something? You think you have me cornered?"

"What?" Mia's smile drops. The sight of Batty losing control of her flight makes her stomach drop. "Wh-?!"

Batty falls to the ground, twitching once again. Her own body just turned against her.

"I honestly don't know who is going to win," Lalinda says. "Both sides are struggling."

"Gardenia looks very calm about this…" Will points out. "Does she still have it?"

"Have what?" Lalinda looks at him, a bit worried.

Roserade shuts its crossed eyes for a second before flicking one of its roses. A yellow and pear-shaped berry falls to the other. It brings it to its mouth and eats it.

"What is that?" Mia doesn't like where this is going.

It grows worse. Some of the bruises covering Roserade's body fade away. The board displays Roserade's points shooting back to the green range! The bar is a little over halfway full now!

"What?! That's not an Oran Berry!" Mia shrieks.

"Sitrus Berry," Gardenia says, almost grinning. "It heals more than what an Oran Berry can offer. I told you, I am not worried one bit!"

"What…" Mia grips her arm, looking towards her feet. "What am I supposed to do now? I didn't even think to give them any berries… I didn't even…"

"Sis!" Will shouts. "This is still anyone's game! Don't stress out! That's the worst thing to do right now!"

"Roserade is still confused!" Lalinda reminds her.

"I know that!" Mia shouts. "But Roserade has healed itself up! What can I-"

"Quick! Roserade!" Gardenia shouts, interrupting them. "Try it again! You can snap out of it!"

The Roserade shakes her head rapidly. It aims its hands towards the Zubat while blinking, and the rainbow leaves are unleashed.

"Batty! Batty!" Mia screams, afraid that she may not be able to take it. All she can do is watch as Batty is struck by the leaves again. She is knocked back a few feet, letting out a pained screech.

Batty twitches on the ground, struggling to do as much as lift her head. The board displays her points falling a little more.

Mia can't tear her eyes off of it. If Roserade goes for Magical Leaf, maybe Batty can take it. But… one more Poison Jab…

"What's wrong? You're not giving an order to your Pokémon?" Gardenia calls, having her attention now. "If that's the case, I'll make my decision, first! Roserade! Poison Jab!"

"Oh, no…!" A wave of panic nearly takes over Mia's thoughts. "Batty! Come on, Batty! You can get up! I know you can! I'm not gonna give up yet, so come on! Get up!"

Batty twitches, doing everything she can to break free. She manages to push herself to her feet, and she begins to fly again. It's clumsy, but it's better than staying on the ground.

Roserade is struggling just to stay focused.

"Wing Attack!" Mia shouts.

Batty closes the distance, and she circles around Roserade quickly with her wings outstretched.

Roserade takes notice of the Zubat, and it jabs Batty's small body, just as it is struck by one of the wings that knocks its head back. Both Pokémon hit the ground.

Beeeeeeeeep!

Beeeeeeeeep!

"What just…?"

Displayed on the board, both bars are empty. Batty's and Roserade's images are grey.

"If Reflect was still active, Roserade would have surely taken it. It all came down to that critical hit," Gardenia says. "Your Zubat responded very strongly to you. She was adamant to win, but in the end…"

"It's a draw," Mia whispers.

"No. Not a draw. Look at the board again," Gardenia tells her.

On the board, all three of Gardenia's Pokéballs are grey. As for Mia, it's three out of four…

Sunshine's image takes over the screen. "WINNER!" is bold across the board.

"Sunshine….?"

"You still had a Pokémon in the back," Gardenia says. "According to league rules, you have won."

"Hah…" Mia is speechless. She isn't even sure if she deserved that win. She hears the cheering and clapping from her friend and brother, which lightens her mood even more.

Marlen huffs at this. "That's pure luck."

Gardenia calls her defeated Pokemon back inside the Pokeball. She looks a bit disappointed that she lost, but she gives Mia a smile as she walks up to her. "Amazing. You are really good, aren't you?"

"Not really," Mia answers, calling back her Zubat.

"Well, you made it!" Gardenia says with a smile. "Congratulations on beating the second gym leader! Your team took on even the toughest spots, and it was all for you. I guess that's a measure of how much you love your Pokémon. In recognition of that, I proudly grant you this!"

A gym trainer makes her way to the gym leader with a small brown bag in one hand, and a small black case in the other. Gardenia pulls the string of the bag free, and she pulls out the shiny green badge.

"Here you go. The Forest Badge." Gardenia places it on Mia's palm. "This is proof that you've defeated me. You'll need it when you head for the Pokémon League in the future. I hope to see you make it there. Not a lot of trainers do."

Mia just looks at her. "Are you sure I deserve this?"

"Don't be so hard on yourself. While you made a few mistakes… it didn't sabotage your win entirely. Pokémon battles have chance in them. Remember that. Your Zubat could have pulled through the paralysis easily, or she could have stayed stunned on the floor. My Roserade could have easily snapped from her confusion. Every battle is unpredictable. It's down to the trainer on how they will handle it."

Mia stares at the badge before she makes a move to pull out her gym case. She inserts the new badge next to the Coal Badge… the one she earned from Roark. They look pretty together.

"Here's another reward." Gardenia reaches into the pockets of her shorts, and she pulls out a concealed disk. She hands it to Mia. "TM86 is Grass Knot. If you teach this to any capable Pokémon, they'll learn this technique. The heavier the target, the worse the damage. It could be a life saver. As for me… It was almost pointless to use it against you, but I had my fun using it regardless."

"Thanks…" Mia holds it firmly.

"And finally…" Gardenia opens the black case. After a quick count inside, she pulls out a small stack of cash.

Every time Mia sees it, she is left speechless. It is placed in her hand, and she starts to count it.

2,640 Pokédollars. Unbelievable.

"Goodness…" The sigh escapes Mia's lips.

"Congrats!" Mia hears Marlen shout from a distance. She turns and sees him at the door.

Will growls at the upcoming rude behavior.

"So what if you have Sinnoh's second badge?! That doesn't change anything! The only reason why you won is because you were lucky!" He frowns. "Scratch that. The gym leader was weak!"

The grass-type leader's expression quickly changes to anger. "I purposely said nothing to see how long you will carry this out. I've had enough of your attitude. You know better than to talk to me with that tone! Keep that up, and I'll make sure that Cynthia will have a word with you!"

Marlen crosses his arms. "She doesn't scare me."

Gardenia shrugs, returning to the topic. "I would usually hand out an HM, but Cynthia informed me that she already took care of that."

"She did?" Mia is a bit surprised.

But… why did she say her name like that?

Someone is clapping now.

Pinpointing the direction, Cynthia and Garchomp sit at the opposite side of the room where Lalinda and Will is. Was she there the entire time?

Marlen appears spooked now. "When did she-?!"

"Hey Cynthia." Mia greets her, a bit surprised on how well hidden she was. Either that, or she was way into the battle. "What brings you here?"

"I was just watching you to see how well you battle. I said I would try to make it here, remember?" Cynthia walks down the bleachers. Her epic Garchomp quickly follows. "You seem to be good at it already for a newcomer. Perhaps it's the strong bond you already have with your Pokemon. They seem to trust you already."

"You think so?" Mia asks.

Gardenia smiles. "Yup! If there's one thing I can tell about you, it's this! You and your Pokémon are gonna get even tougher, and I mean seriously!"

"I know for sure. They are learning just as you are… and they are relying on you to be their teacher." Cynthia turns her attention to Marlen now. "I've overheard the mean things you said. Is there a problem you are having? We can discuss it here."

Her Garchomp growls at him.

Marlen slowly stands, and he puts on a straight face as he turns his back. "No." He opens the exit door and leaves in a hurry.

"That's what you get," Will huffs as the door closes.

Gardenia chuckles. "Doesn't matter who they are. No one ever tries to disrespect our Champion. Will the kid learn?"

"He's a troubled child, so I understand," Cynthia says, still looking at the door. "I heard how his father was not the happiest person. I guess some of that rubbed off on him."

"Hm… that's too bad. The kid is a strong fighter with or without his Pokémon. He has potential to face you in the league one day."

"He does, but his attitude is concerning. Professor Rowan refused to give him a Pokédex even with my permission. He isn't having any of it."

So, Marlen wasn't lying when he said the professor didn't give him one. From the way it sounds… Rowan was very stern about it.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I kept you waiting too long, have I?" Cynthia turns to Mia as she pulls out a concealed disc from under her coat. "Here. This is HM01."

Mia takes it carefully.

"This Hidden Machine will teach a Pokémon how to cut down trees. The technique is called 'Cut'. Not easy to forget." Cynthia smiles. "I'm sure this is exactly what you needed."

"No way! This is it!" Mia stares at the silver disc inside. She can finally get rid of those annoying little trees!

"Seems I made your day. I'm glad to help." Cynthia says. She turns and looks towards the crowd. "Thank you for cheering her on."

"Hey. I had to," Will says.

"Professor Rowan will be pleased to hear three of you made it this far." Cynthia says. "I think it would be easy if you stick together. You could easily help one another out every now and then."

"Looks like we all left on the same day…" Lalinda notes as she looks back at Cynthia. "It's crazy how we met up here."

"So, it is. Perhaps fate brought you together" Cynthia smiles. "And now, you can head for your next destination together."

"Already?" Mia isn't sure if she's ready to travel anymore.

"Take your time. There is no rush," Cynthia says. "The next big place is Hearthome City. To get there, you head south from this city until you reach Bicycle Road, which hovers over Route 206. Take the road, and you'll find yourself on Route 207."

"And if you want, you can take that as a shortcut to Oreburgh and say hello to Roark for me!" Gardenia suggests.

"Once you get to Route 207, head East, and you'll find yourself at Mountain Coronet. Just go straight through the passage, and you'll enter Route 208. Pass there, and you'll meet your destination."

"It's a mouthful, and a lot to remember. I know," Gardenia says. "But you have your town maps to refer to, so I'm not too worried. You should stop by the city's bicycle shop if you don't have a bike. They won't let you cross the gate without one."

"This really is a lot to remember," Lalinda says. "Bicycle shop… got it. We'll head there first."

"The next gym leader..." Mia looks at the front of the gym case. Just next to Roark is the pink-haired girl. "This girl is next, isn't she?"

"Maylene?" Cynthia crosses her arms. "Well, yes. Any other time, you would go straight for her. She is stationed in Veilstone City, so the journey there is long, very long actually. However..."

She points at the purple-haired woman on the second row.

"I believe she will be your next opponent."

"Huh...?"

Gardenia is just as surprised. She gives Cynthia a puzzled look. "Wait. Cynthia... Are you sure about this? I mean, this kid had a bit of a hard time against me. Maylene would be a much easier approach than... her."

She shivers.

Cynthia nods. "I know what I am doing."

"I-If you say so..." Gardenia looks back at the gym case.

The way she looks at it is almost like she thinks it's haunted.

"Wait." A new question comes to mind. Mia turns to Cynthia. "Where is she?"

"Funny thing is, she's actually stationed in Hearthome City," Cynthia answers, somewhat amused. "Makes it a little easier than having to travel even further for the next badge, right? You'll have to cross Hearthome just to hit the road to Veilstone anyway."

How convenient.

"That is Fantina," Gardenia says with a shy smile. She shakes her head, laughing small. "Not a lot of trainers make it past her. She made a handful give up aiming for the league."

"She's that strong?" Mia asks.

Cynthia nods. "She didn't earn her position as the fifth listed for nothing. She's clever, and unpredictable. There will be no hand-holding from her."

"Wait. Fifth?" Mia now sees why the woman is on the second row. "But... that means I shouldn't be able to battle her yet, right?"

Cynthia expected this response. She answers, smiling. "Usually, your next opponment would be Maylene. However, I am granting you permission to face Fantina a little sooner. That is only if you are willing to take it."

"Permission from the Champion herself is a big deal!" Gardenia winks at Mia. "That means she's impressed with you. I think Cynthia sees a bit of a tough weed in ya!"

Mia looks back at her brother, who only shrugs. She impressed Cynthia? Mia can't see how, when she was being so clumsy during the battle.

"Just... don't be a little careless...?" Gardenia almost whispers to her, glancing at Cynthia. She lightly nudges Mia and adds. "Maylene is your best friend right now."

Mia is a little confused. What does that mean? Maybe... She should turn it down?

But after hearing all of Marlen's comments...

"I'll go to her." Mia's decision leaves Gardenia looking at her as if she had lost her mind. Was it a bad choice? Cynthia doesn't seem to mind.

In fact, the Champion smiles. "Then, I will inform her of your arrival. Of course, I will include your brother and friend if they wish."

Gardenia's eyes widen. "What?"

"Oh! Of course!" Lalinda immediately agrees.

"Don't agree!" Gardenia shouts at her before looking at Will.

"I'm not leaving Mia out on her own again," Will shrugs.

"You'll-!" Gardenia pauses, and her arms drop in defeat. "It's too late..." She lightly grabs and rubs her own arm. She speaks a bit quietly now. "If I were you... I would be careful."

"Why?" Mia asks.

"Well, it's just that Fantina- wait. I mean..."

Gardenia looks nervous now.

"Her Pokémon…" Gardenia's smile fades. She turns around, laughing nervously. "W-well… I myself don't do well against her Pokémon anyway…"

Cynthia's Garchomp snickers before grumbling in a way that sounds like a laugh.

"Gardenia, we talked about this. Her Pokémon won't haunt you in your sleep," Cynthia sighs.

Gardenia faces her. "H-hey! In all due respect, you aren't the one patrolling Eterna Forest every night! I'm sorry, but if you want anyone to investigate the Old Chateau again, y-you'll have to ask someone else!"

"Is something the matter?" Mia asks her.

Gardenia forces a smile on her face. "Oh, it's nothing! Don't worry about it. I wish you the best of luck when you face Fantina!"

"Huh…?" Mia looks at her brother, who just shrugs.

Cynthia places a hand on Gardenia's shoulder. "The herb shop just opened for the day. Yesterday really shook your nerves. Take another break if you need it."

"Thank you, Champion, but I'll be fine," Gardenia assures her.

Cynthia nods once as she steps back. After nodding at the kids, she turns and heads towards the main exit. "I'll be on my way. I have to check on someone. Battle hard for me, and be careful with that Shadowman!"

Right… He's around, too.

As soon as she and her Garchomp are gone, Gardenia stretches her arms to loosen her nerves. She walks towards the seats. "Well... who'll be my next challenger?"

Lalinda raises her hand quickly, but she jumps as Richard crashed down from the bleachers. "Oh! Are you okay?"

Will rises and walks down the seats carefully until he reaches the Pichu. "It's fine. He just shocked himself again." He places the Pokémon back on his shoulder. "Gardenia, Lalinda will go next."

Gardenia is pleased. It seems the silly display has calmed her down. "Of course. I'll be ready in ten minutes. You wait here."

She walks past them all, stepping on the clock and walking across in a hurry.

So maybe she hasn't calmed all the way down.

Will steps into the battlefield, heading straight for his sister. "You did pretty good. Still, sending out your Psyduck was a reckless move…"

"Oh, be quiet." Mia lightly pushes him with an embarrassed smile.

He steps back once, and he asks a question. "Where did you get the Eevee from? They are rare Pokémon, you know."

"Oh. Some boy gave me her when I was in Oreburgh City. But, she was an egg at the time. Team Galactic was causing trouble. He kinda gave me this as a thank you gift."

"A boy?" Will looks at her funny, being a bit protective. He brushes it aside after a while. "Well… She likes you. I know you'll take good care of it."

"I will." Mia agrees. Creaking bleachers tells Mia Lalinda finally made her move to reach them. The girl is jogging their way.

"Watch me win this one!" Lalinda says proudly. "I have a Starly that will make this match pretty clean!"

"Don't just depend on your Starly." Will warns her "You saw what she did to Batty."

Mia smiles at his words. "Yeah… she has her ways to work around her weak points. I was kinda scared."

"Kinda?" Will repeats the word, giving her a funny look.

"Don't make fun of me! I won in the end!"

"Because you had the Eevee."

Mia shuts her mouth, and she lightly punches his shoulder. "Boy, shut up."

He simply laughs.

Her attention returns to her gym case. Two leaders are down. There are six other faces she is yet to see in person.

If Fantina is as tough as they say, then Roark's and Gardenia's battles are just a sample of what gym leaders have to offer… aren't they?

There will be no more hand-holding.

- 0000 -

After some time, the door of the herb shop opens. Cynthia walks in with an arm full of grocery bags. Her Garchomp holds the door open for her as she walks in.

"Okay, Leon. I brought you some rice and beans with a few vegetables. I figured you would want to make your own curry so-" Cynthia pauses, taking a look around the shop.

No Leon to be found.

"Leon…?" Cynthia turns to the clerks. "Excuse me, do you have an idea on where he went?"

"He got out," the elderly man says.

"He got out?!" Cynthia is alarmed. "He has no reason to go anywhere yet! I made it very clear to call me if he needed anything!"

"Something kept bothering him. He just got up and raced out the door before we could say anything," the elderly woman explains. "He has recovered very well."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Cynthia says. "This city is huge, and his sense of direction is terrible! He'll wander off somewhere he shouldn't be!"

"He has his Charizard with him. I'm sure he will be fine," the woman says, giving the Champion a smile. "He looked like he was on a mission. I guess sitting around too long wasn't doing well for him. You know how kids are."

"His mission was what got him hurt in the first place," Cynthia sighs. The bags in her hands are almost meaningless now. They are set on the counter. "I'll come back for those."

"We'll reach out to you if he ever does return," the man says.

"I am grateful." Cynthia bows her head. "I hope you make wonderful progress today. I'll be off."

As soon as she leaves, her smile falls to a slight frown.

"Please tell me you didn't wander somewhere foolish…"

---

A/N: Trainer Influence: During the heat of battle, a trainer encourages their Pokémon. It's similar to an ability Pokémon have. This is only available in this series though.

If you played Pokémon Conquest, it's similar to "Warrior Skills".

Roark has not displayed his since he was the first gym leader.

Gardenia:

*Sunrise - If the sun is out, Gardenia will cheer on her Pokémon, boosting their speed by two levels. Speed cannot be reduced for as long as the sun is out.

That's about it.

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To be Continued to Chapter 10!