Eventually, Nate and I come to the point of training where we decide we're ready to go through with the challenge to Burgh's Gym. Considering I've been in the area before, leading the way for Nate is easy.

The inside is...not quite how it is in the games. The entrance is more akin to a normal gym back on Earth: a reception and a corridor with various doors leading to other rooms. Other rooms that, according to Nate, serve as training spots for the Gym's trainers or for trainers sponsored by the leader.

After that initial introduction, Nate says we first have to set up our matches with Burgh at the reception. The procedure from there is fairly similar to the games: we will enter the room reserved for Gym challenges, solve whatever "test" the leader has set up for challengers and then take him on.

As we walk to the reception, a strange feeling of…unease takes me. Which is strange, since I'm nowhere as invested in this as Nate is. He's the one doing this for the challenge, I'm only in it to get paid. What's there to be nervous about?

"Are you participating as a team for a double battle?"

The receptionist's question takes both of us by surprise.

"Excuse us?"

"What?"

"Since you two are together, I assumed you worked as a team."

I give Nate a questioning look. He shrugs and shakes his head.

"Unfortunately, no. Conflicting interests with our sponsors."

Goddammit…

"I see, I see," the receptionist replies unfazed before turning his attention to his computer. Has he gone through this routine before?

"Well, we have a free spot for you two today. Burgh is currently facing another trainer, but as soon as he's finished, he should be able to-"

"You two!"

I feel a blood vessel in my head popping as I recognize the voice that just cut off the receptionist. And sure enough, when Nate and I turn to it, it's the annoying blonde.

"Finally found the guts to take on a challenge, have you?"

Still got nothing better to do than annoy people, do you?

"Samantha," I say, trying not to make it come out as a hiss. "What do you want?"

The Galarian girl shrugs. "Oh, nothing. Was just passing by since, you know," her hand reaches into one of her pockets, before showing off a green object shaped like the wing of a dragonfly, all while she smirks at us, "I've just won my Insect badge."

...should have known the one Burgh was facing before us was her.

Nate lets out a gasp at my side. I show her less fanfare.

"Oh, wow…" I say in the most unimpressed voice I can do. Which causes Samantha's smirk to drop.

"Anyway," I turn to the receptionist. "If she was the one facing Burgh right now, does that mean he's free now?"

The receptionist blinks a couple of times, but then composes himself. "Yes, that is correct. The challenge room is at the end of the corridor."

"Thank you." I turn to Nate and nudge my head in said direction. "Let's go, Nate."

I start walking through the corridor, Nate following me after a moment of hesitation.

"Hey wait a moment!" I hear Samantha protest. I decide to ignore her.

That decision proves to be the wrong one when I feel my jacket being pulled back.

"I said wait a moment!" she cries out from behind me. "I come showing I've got my second badge before you got your first, and that's all you have to say?!"

"Yes," I hiss as I slowly turn around to glare at her. "Now, you can either let me go, or I can call the police. Your call."

Some color drains from Samantha's face. Just a little, though.

Both of our attention, however, is turned away from each other and to the nervous chuckle Nate is making. "Excuse me, Miss Taylor." He wraps an arm around my shoulders and drags me away from her.

"What?" I whisper when we've gotten a fair distance away from her.

"Don't you think you're going too hard on her?"

Seriously? This again? "I already told you-"

"I know, I know," he cuts me off. "She's a bully and all that. But have you seen her face every time you bring up the police? She's terrified!"

"If she is an attention-seeking whore who can't accept the world doesn't revolve around her and that got her in trouble with the law before, that's her problem not mine."

"Come on, you're better than that. That's the misanthrope side of you talking, not the real you."

…

"Really had to go for the jugular, didn't you?"

Nate pales somewhat to that. "S-sorry."

"Fine," I sigh as I shrug his arm off. "You win this one."

I turn back to Samantha, who is now looking at us with an arched eyebrow. Hope she didn't hear any of that.

I cross my arms as I address her. "Alright. Congratulations on your second badge. Happy now?"

Samantha doesn't answer my question and just stares at me in silence for a bit.

"If you two don't mind," she then says, "I'd like to watch how your fights against Burgh go."

I instantly frown. "I do mind. Those will be hard enough without some punk booing us all the time."

Her face shifts to an unimpressed look. "I do wonder how you'll handle all the other Gyms as they get more challenging, with that mentality."

Why, you-!

"But don't worry," she places a hand on her chest and raises the other. "I swear on my honor as a good Spikemuth girl not to boo everything you do out there. Unless it's really stupid, of course."

…what was so special about Spikemuth? I honestly don't remember much about Galar, besides some of the new mons.

"Fine," I groan. I don't have a way to send her away this time.

Samantha smirks as she nods. "Much obliged." She then gestures to the end of the corridor. "After you."

I suppress a growl as I lead the way.

"What the hell is this?" I ask at the sight of the mess of silk, cocoons and three levels of platforms we are greeted by.

"It's the Gym's test, of course," a smirking Samantha replies. "You have to make your way through these cocoons to get to Burgh over there."

She point at a much larger one enveloping the ceiling, with just two threads of silk attached to it. One ends...somewhere on the higher platforms. But the other…

"Why can't we just use that one?" I ask as I point at a cocoon on our floor, with one guy standing by its entrance.

"That's for people who just want to watch the matches or already have the badge." She lets out a giggle. "Which, neither of you are."

Thanks a bunch, blondie…

"Anyway." She starts walking toward the cocoon in question, all while waving at me and Nate. "I'll see you at the top. Bye!"

As she gets to the entrance of the cocoon, something pulls her up and then she's nowhere to be seen.

After that, I let out a huff and turn to look around at the labyrinth of cocoons in front of us. I'm sure Burgh would like it to be called 'web', but I don't really care.

"Where do we start?" Nate asks me.

"You're asking the wrong person," I sigh.

All three of the cocoons' threads lead to different platforms. Two just go up to the first level above. The third goes all the way to the third.

"What about that cocoon?" Nate asks, pointing to the one leading to the third level.

I shake my head. "Too simple. If it were that straightforward, I doubt this would be much of a test."

Hopefully it's not a double-trap where it tricks people into believing that and it's actually as simple as I think it is.

"So...which of the other two are we taking?"

Good question. One goes left, one goes right, but everything after that is as good a guess as any.

"Let's split up," I decide to say. "We'll cover more ground and if someone arrives first we won't have to worry about deciding who challenges Burgh first."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure I don't have better ideas, Nate."

The younger trainer shrugs to that. "Alright, but don't start before I arrive, okay? I want to watch your fight."

I nod. "Right back at you."

We split apart after that and go to the two cocoons.

Upon leaning my head inside mine, I find that it's…empty. There's another opening from which the silk thread goes up, but that's it. How am I supposed to-?

Suddenly, a series of silky strings attach themselves to the front of my jacket.

"What theeeeeeeeeeeee…?" I shout out as the strings pull me upward, inside the cocoon connected to the first one.

To say the landing on my ribcage is ungraceful would be an understatement.

"What the…?" I ask while I massage my chest.

"Sea."

"Wadle."

I look up to the top of the cocoon. I'm greeted by a group of five green and yellow caterpillars with leafy collars. And all of the Sewaddles have one of those strings dangling by their mouths.

That's how this is going to be? Of for the love of...

I want to burn this place to the ground so damn much. I swear the amount of back and forth with dead ends and clowns with Swadloons is just...if Burgh wants people to be furious before they can challenge him, he's doing a damn good job with it.

Thankfully, this cocoon is the one that goes to the ceiling. No absence of threads, no side entrance that leads to somewhere else entirely, no buffoon hiding inside of it, just one final pull upwards. Of course, that means getting my jacket covered in even more silk, but I've reached the point where I stopped caring.

"Hey, wait for me!"

I turn around and am met by the sight of Nate running in my direction, as covered in silk as I am. He stops just short of tackling me and then leans forward to pant.

"Thank you," he wheezes out. "Man, this place is a maze."

No shit there.

"At least now it's over," I tell him as I look at the cocoon. "Unless Burgh saved some new surprise for last."

Nate's eyes widen as he scratches his mane. "Man, I hope not."

He then gestures to the cocoon's entrance. "After you."

"You sure?"

He nods. "You got here before me. Don't worry, I'll be right behind you."

Very well.

I step into the cocoon and am soon pulled by silky strings for the upteenth time today before making another unceremonious landing.

The room I find myself in when I stand is a...actually a pretty place to be in. The walls are all covered by silk, but only some dangling strands are their usual white color. Everything else is painted in various colors, but not in combinations that are bad for the eye. It's like...being inside a rainbow, if that even makes sense. It's enough to almost make me forgive Burgh for the silky nightmare below.

Almost.

A thud near my feet interrupts my observations.

"I'm here!" Nate exclaims as he shoots on his feet again. "I just-"

Whatever his next words were supposed to be, they die in his throat as his eyes widen and he starts looking around as well.

"Wow."

"I'm glad you like it," a new voice intervenes cordially. "It took many months to get it where it is now. And I'm still not entirely satisfied with the current result."

We turn in its direction, and the one greeting us is a...concerningly thin guy. He wears a green shirt, a pink scarf, pants and shoes of both colors. Most telling of all, is perhaps the butterfly-shaped strap of his belt.

"Are you Gym leader Burgh…?" I trail off. "Sorry, what was your surname again?"

The man lets out a soft chuckle. "It doesn't really matter. I don't mind."

Oookay…?

"But yes, I'm Burgh," he continues, an easy smile plastered on his face. He gestures to our side, showing a field, the only thing not covered by silk. "Welcome to the Castelia Gym, challengers."

Nate's eyes widen in awe at the sight. My gaze, on the other hand, falls on one of the two stands at the side of the field. Specifically, the one where Samantha is looking at us.

Surprisingly, though, her eyes are not filled with her usual arrogance. Instead, they are narrowed on us, as she stands in meditative pose, her clenched hands covering her mouth.

What is she up to now?

After we're done with the introductions, Burgh calls up one of his Gym's trainers to act as referee for the matches and gives us a rundown of the rules while we wait. Most of it is about the behavior to have, but there is one other thing: both challengers and Gym leaders are supposed to use the same number of Pokémon. It's not a problem this time, since Nate and I both have only two Pokémon, but it's still something to keep in mind for the future.

In any case, when the referee arrives, Burgh asks which of us is going to challenge him first. Given the discussion Nate and I made earlier, at the bottom of this room, we quickly agree that I go first.

So now, here I am. On one side of the field while Burgh stands on the opposite one. Neither of us has called their Pokémon out yet, though. I'm waiting to see which he's going to start with, if only to see if it's someone I can risk sending Annette against first or if I should send out Seteth first.

Unfortunately, Burgh seems to have had the same idea, as he just smiles at me from his side of the field, hands calmly tapping on the Poké Balls at his side.

"I said 'begin'!"

And the referee seems not to be appreciating having to wait like this.

"It would seem we can not stay our hands much longer," Burgh comments as he closes his eyes. "Tell me, what is the reason you wait?"

"You're the Gym leader, you go first," I reply. "I'll decide my move from there."

"A commendable strategy," he chuckles lightly before he finally reaches for one of his Poké Ball. "In that case, go Scissor!"

I momentarily panic when I hear the name, expecting to see the infamous scarlet Steel-type.

"Kar!"

When instead I'm met by the small blue and yellow beetle that is Karrablast, I let out a sigh of relief.

Ok, this shrimp is a pure Bug-type. Too dangerous for Annette.

"Go, Seteth!" I shout out as I toss the Premier Ball.

"Sig," the Flying-type announces as his form takes shape.

If Burgh is concerned about facing a Sigilyph, he doesn't show it. Either he has no idea what he is, or he's not worried about the type disadvantage. And with how close Desert Resort is, I doubt it's the former.

To my surprise, Burgh doesn't give any command to his Pokémon. Which, in and of itself, is another red flag. Best if I take out this beetle quickly.

"Use Air Cutter!"

Seteth doesn't waste any second and flaps his wings, summoning the air to form the air blades.

"Use Struggle Bug, aim at the wings."

What?

A lime aura envelops the Karrablast and then it separates from it, forming dots of the same color that it then shoots at Seteth.

And in my confusion, I fail to give any instruction to Seteth. The dots consequently hit his wings, breaking his concentration as the air blades are shot around, missing their intended target entirely.

Seteth seems to have come out of that attack unscathed, thankfully. However, I can't let this happen again.

"Try again, but fly around as you do so! Don't let it hit you again!"

Seteth lets out a half-hearted "Sig", but follows my instructions nonetheless.

"That's better," Burgh compliments from the other side. "Let's see if it will be enough. Scissor, run around and keep using Struggle Bug when you can."

Oh, I so don't like the sound of that. Unless the name of the move is a trick, it's not going to do much to Seteth and he knows it. Whatever his plan is, it's gotta be something much more insidious than trying to overpower us.

Seteth and Scissor start running circles around each other from there. The former keeps shooting Air Cutters at every turn, while the latter just runs and every once in a while hits Seteth with those lime dots. They don't do much at first, but as Seteth is hit more and more, his flight pattern gets more erratic.

And as if that wasn't enough, I start noticing something else: every time Struggle Bug strikes, Seteth's attacks seem to get slightly weaker. I have no idea how stats reduction works for the real thing, but I have a feeling that's what's going on. And if I'm right, I've gotta figure something out before Seteth can do jackshit to the Karrablast.

"Use Tailwind!"

Fingers crossed speed increases work as I think they do outside of turn-based battles.

Seteth stops in his flight to let out another "Sig" as he summons a wind that flows all through the room. Scissor manages to land another Struggle Bug, but Seteth doesn't go down yet.

"Now, let's try it again!"

The two go back to running circles, but this time Seteth is too fast for the Struggle Bugs and some of his Air Cutters actually manage to land this time.

Of course, with his special attack as depleted as it must be after all the previous hits he received, they are not enough to take the big beetle down. And the fact Tailwind's effect has an expiration makes things even worse.

Man, I've got a bad feeling about what I'm about to do.

"Approach and hypnotize it!"

Seteth hesitates long enough to let out a confused "Sig", but then flies over to the Karrablast all the same. Although the bug manages to set off another alarm for me when it stops running and just waits for the Sigilyph. What is it doing now?

"Headbutt."

As soon as Seteth is in range, Scissor jumps up and hits Seteth right below his lower eyes with his head. The impact is strong enough to send Seteth flying several meters and land ruinously.

Motherfucker…

"Sig…"

To my utter shock, Seteth is still not out of the fight even after that blow. He's struggling to float now, his body and wings are covered in dirt and his eyes are lidded, but he's still up.

"I commend your Sigilyph," Burgh comments from his side of the field. "Not many Pokémon can take one of Scissor's Headbutts. Alas, even fewer can take two."

As if it'd just received a command, the Karrablast charges at Seteth, head lowered in his direction.

I bite my lip. I can see only one way out of this, but it's gonna be risky.

"Seteth, get higher up in the air," I instruct him. This time, he doesn't hesitate.

I keep my gaze on the bug's feet as it keeps running. Too soon, it'll make the jump anyway. Too late, Seteth won't have the time to pull off what I have in mind.

Only when I can see its feet getting planted into the ground, do I give my next order.

"Gust!"

The Flying-type move hits Scissor mid-jump, and this time it's its turn to be blasted away and land ruinously. Unlike it and its trainer, I don't leave the time for it to get back.

"Hypnotize it!"

Seteth rushes to the Karrablast and, as it's just gotten up on its feet again, stands just a few centimeters away from it, as his eyes briefly glow purple. Scissor yawns, closes its eyes and crouches down, fast asleep.

"Give no quarter! Hit it with everything you've got!"

Without any more prompting, Seteth summons as many Air Cutters as he can, all of which hit their target this time. He throws a couple of Psybeams as well, for good measure.

When the dust of his barrage settles and he's panting, Scissor is lying on the ground, out cold.

"Scissor is no longer able to fight!" The referee announces. "The winner is Seteth!"

"Good job, Seteth," I tell my Pokémon as I let out a heavy breath. Holy shit, that was a close one.

Meanwhile, Burgh starts clapping his hands after he's recalled his Pokémon. "An astute recovery. Not the most elegant, but it was undoubtedly efficient."

Shove your elegance up your ass, pretty guy.

"And now," he reaches for another Poké Ball, "my last Pokémon. I hope you fare as well as you did just now. Go, Chisel!"

He throws the red and white ball in the air and it lets out its iconic white beam. And this one takes the shape of…

"Dweble," the crab stuck in a rock says.

Fuck me sideways, it just had to be the Bug/Rock-type.

Okay, okay, let's not panic. Seteth is severely weakened and is now at a disadvantage, but we can still win this.

"Use Tailw-!"

"Smack Down."

Before I can react, a golden sphere of energy forms in front of the Dwebble's mouth and pebbles gather around it. As it is blasted away, it hits Seteth and sends him flying back another time.

And this time, he doesn't get back up.

"Seteth is no longer able to fight! The winner is Chisel!"

Crap…

I recall Seteth and then switch his Poké Ball for Annette's. Pros of the situation, being part Rock-type means she can actually do something to the crab. Cons, it's a Bug-type so it still has the advantage.

Not that I have alternatives.

"Annette, go!"

"Ra!"

Unlike Seteth, this chosen Pokémon gets a reaction out of Burgh. An arched eyebrow.

"An interesting choice," he comments. "Even among Grass-types specialists, a Maractus would not be someone's first choice to face me."

"Well, she's about to surprise you," I retort. "Ready, Annie?"

"Ra!" she eagerly replies.

Burgh chuckles again. "Excellent. Then let's begin. Chisel, Struggle Bug."

That again?!

The same lime aura as before envelops the Dwebble and it then shoots the lime dots again.

When we get him back, I've gotta thank Pip for his help.

"Sucker Punch your way through it!"

"Mara!" Annette answers as the black aura covers her arms' spikes. She then hops her way forward to her opposing crab, all the while punching its projectiles out of the way.

As that happens, though, I can't help but notice the curious look Burgh gives her.

"Hold it, Chisel," is the Gym leader's next command. And as the Dwebble interrupts its barrage, the Dark energy surrounding Annette's arms dissipates. She notices only when she's within striking range of the crab, though, as she starts examining her now powerless arms.

"Now, Fury Cutter."

Chisel raises one of its pincers and its tip glows lime.

But as it's about to strike, I shout out, "Spiky Shield!"

Without missing a beat, Annette wraps her arms around herself and an emerald aura surrounds her body. Green spike-like projections appear all around her, and the Dwebble's attack only hits one of those projections. The crab is then forced to step backward, as it shakes its now wounded pincer.

When the emerald aura dissipates, Annette unwraps her arms and turns to Chisel again. The crab narrows its eyes at her. She raises her arms in a pose that reminds me of a boxer.

"Impressive," Burgh comments from the sidelines. "Your Maractus is a born fighter."

"And you haven't seen anything yet," I retort. "Needle Arm!"

Green light envelops the spikes of Annette's right arm.

"Defend yourself with Fury Cutter!"

Chisel raises its now glowing unwounded pincer and parries Annette's attack.

What follows is the closest thing to a boxing match between a cactus and a crab one could ever hope to see. Both mons try to hit the other, only to be met by parries. Annette attacks with Needle Arm and parries with Sucker Punch, while Chisel uses Fury Cutter for both.

A bead of sweat falls down my temple. Burgh, on the other hand, seems amused by the show.

At least, until his face returns serious. "Alright, that's enough. Smack Down."

While both adversaries' limbs are occupied, the Dwebble summons another ball of pebbles and shoots it point-blank at Annette, pushing her backwards a few meters. And then, without waiting for its trainer's next command, it unleashes a new barrage of Struggle Bug, against which neither Annette nor I react in time.

The Maractus looks worse for wear, but she thankfully manages to limit the damage, as she activates Synthesis with a spin on herself.

Okay, now what to do? Staying at a distance is not an option, not when all she can fire back with is Absorb. Close range, we go back to the boxing match between the two, which is more of a fight of attrition. Not to mention Chisel has proven it can push her back whenever it pleases. And Spiky Shield becomes less effective the longer one keeps using it.

Unless…

"Hey Annie," I tell her. "Are you in for a hug?"

Her head jerks in my direction. "Ra?" she asks confusedly.

"You know," I explain as I wrap my arms around my chest. "A big spiky hug?"

Annette's mouth thins to that. Then, it falls agape. And finally, Annette lets out an understanding "Ra".

I nod to her. "Good," I say, smirking. "Then get to it."

After that command, Annette and Chisel repeat the little dance they did at the beginning, with the latter shooting out a barrage of Struggle Bugs and the former punching them away with Sucker Punches. The crab must not know other ranged moves if it hasn't changed strategy by this point.

In any case, this time, instead of hesitating when the Dark energy dissipates, Annette reaches out to the Dwebble's rocky shell and wraps her arms around it. I cringe when it hits her shoulders with a pair of Fury Cutters, but she doesn't let go.

"Maractus!" she declares as the emerald aura of Spiky Shield covers her again, more than one of the spiky projections caressing the crab as it does so.

After the aura dissipates, Annette finally lets go of the Dwebble and it falls unconsciously on the ground.

Burgh blinks in surprise at that.

"...Chisel is no longer able to fight!" the referee announces after a moment of hesitation, "The winner is Annette!"

I was originally going to include Nate's own fight against Burgh, but between how long the chapter was getting, how this fight ended and the fact the next chapter would have had little content otherwise, I decided to leave it for chapter 16. Hope you like this nonetheless!

Thanks to Softandhappy and Geolight164 for betareading. You can find us at the Fanfiction Treehouse discord server at: 9XG3U7a

Also, if anyone's interested, I've put a poll on my profile page. It's purely informative, so the results won't be hard-set, but I'd like to hear your opinion all the same.

See you all next time!