a/n: Thanks for the support!
Here's the next chapter, and Cynthia's first gym battle!
—-
Cynthia walked out into the pokemon center lobby, wide awake and ready to go!
Viola looked tired and was standing around the lobby, looking absolutely miserable.
"Morning Cynthia," Viola said, clearly still groggy
"Morning Viola!" Cynthia was wide awake and happy as could be!
"You ready?" Viola asked, tiredness evident in her voice
Cynthia was practically jumping up and down with excitement. "Let's do this Viola!"
"Yeah….off to the gym.." Viola said with no enthusiasm in her voice whatsoever.
The two set off, Viola with her camera and Cynthia with her confidence.
Thankfully, the gym was a short walk from the pokemon center. The two made it right as the gym opened, the door was just unlocked by the gym steward who nodded.
"Hello challenger, I'm assuming you want to challenge Daisy?"
Cynthia nodded
"Just let me see your trainer card for a second," The gym steward took Cynthia's card and inserted it into a small machine that beeped.
"Alright, thanks!" Cynthia said before she tried to leave.
Viola stopped her. "Anything she should know before the challenge?"
"Well, she's…..a personality. She's waiting in the arena having her morning tea, so uhhhh maybe keep your vibes chill if you know what I mean. She's a grass type user, so she's very calm and relaxed, but has a side that will certainly surprise you," The gym steward explained to Cynthia
Cynthia smirked. "Alright, thank you!" and sprinted into the arena, totally ignoring his advice to keep her vibes chill.
Viola was finally waking up. She locked eyes with the gym steward who shrugged at her.
Viola walked in the arena and was amazed at the detail put in this gym.
It was a beautiful forest around a hill, the arena was in an oval shape. Several rows of seats surrounded the forest, and Viola's mouth was practically watering at the amazing pictures she could get from this angle. Maybe this gym challenge was worth getting up so early for.
"Hey, mind if I go upstairs to those seats?" Viola asked the Gym Steward who gave her a thumbs up.
Cynthia marched straight down the center of the forest, crossing a small creek and walking up a tiny hill before setting her sights on the gym leader.
She was a small woman, of perhaps seventy years. With a head of white hair put up into a neat bun and wearing a forest green dress, she certainly looked like a grass-type gym leader.
She was sipping tea slowly, enjoying the forest around her, listening to the creek run and the cries of the pokemon she allowed to live in the forest. Perhaps her own?
Cynthia approached the table and locked eyes with the gym leader.
"Hey," Cynthia said
"Hello darling, sit your bud down and enjoy the scenery," Daisy motioned for Cynthia to sit down
"Oh, I'd sorta like a gym battle," asked Cynthia who didn't sit down.
"Ah, you're really pushing the petal, huh?" The gym leader replied with a smirk.
Cynthia just locked eyes with Daisy, unable to think of what to say
"How many badges do you have sprout?" asked Daisy
"None," Cynthia said
"Oh, a flower not even in bloom! I can't wait to see the fruits of your labor. A fresh gym challenger is always so exciting!" Daisy replied
"What's up with the puns?" asked Cynthia
"Problem with me pollen your leg?" Daisy replied
Cynthia groaned
"Heh, you'll get your battle young sprout. But first, answer a question for me," Daisy said as she stood up
"Sure, what is it?" Cynthia replied
Daisy's eyes suddenly grew much more intense and focused.
"High ground, or low?" Daisy asked
Cynthia paused. She'd need to answer carefully
"Hmmmmm…"
Cynthia looked around the gym, the high ground had less tree cover to protect Gible from ranged attacks but he'd have the upper hand for any of her pokemon who wanted to attack physically. On the other hand, the low ground would be an uphill assault to protect Gible, but he'd have tree cover to protect herself from ranged attacks.
Cynthia made her decision.
"Give me the low ground,"
Daisy laughed, "Not so often I hear a trainer choose that option! We'll see how that pays off for you,"
Cynthia smiled. "Oh, we'll see alright!"
Daisy motioned for Cynthia to walk down the hill. "There's a red X on the ground, once you stand on it for ten seconds the gym battle will commence,"
Cynthia gave a thumbs-up and walked down the hill, eventually seeing a red X on the ground.
"Good luck Cynthia!" Viola shouted before she pulled out her camera and focused on Cynthia.
Cynthia smiled at her and gave a wave
The gym steward began counting down from ten, and Cynthia was amazed to see an electronic board appear behind Daisy with her name on it.
Cynthia- 2
Daisy-3
Cynthia gulped, while she technically had two pokemon, she hadn't practiced at all with Togepi.
But, it didn't matter! She'd be on top regardless.
"Three, two, one, battle begin!"
Cynthia smiled and sent out her Gible who emerged ready for battle.
"Gible, are you ready for our first gym battle?"
"Gible!" Gible shouted in affirmation
"Alright!" Cynthia said
"Togei!" Togepi cried, feeling slightly left out
Cynthia heard a poke ball materialize on the other side of the gym, but she couldn't tell what. It seemed like Daisy intentionally made it so she couldn't see what she was using.
"Gible, stay on the lookout!" Cynthia commanded
Cynthia heard a shout from the other side of the arena. "Razor leaf!"
Several sharp leaves slammed into nearby trees. Gible dodged the attacks handily
"Stay on the lookout! Her pokemon could be anywhere!" Cynthia said, looking around for her foe.
Just to reaffirm her suspicion, a surprisingly fast pokemon tackled her Gible from behind, and then jumped on its head and escaped the battleground.
Gible landed on the ground, slightly dazed.
"Get up Gible, we can do this!" Cynthia encouraged Gible
"Gible!" Gible stood back up, ready for battle
Another batch of razor leafs was fired at Gible who somehow avoided them by rolling out of the way.
Cynthia closed her eyes, she could hear nearby branches creaking so she'd have to take a guess.
"Gible, attack that tree!" Cynthia pointed at a nearby tree.
Gible headbutted and tried shaking a nearby tree.
Somehow, Cynthia got lucky and her foe fell out of the tree.
It was a small Turtwig, and it looked fast.
"Gible, attack it with a double edge!"
Gible coated herself in orange energy and slammed into Turtwig, knocking it into a tree.
She heard Daisy's voice from behind, "Turtwig, sunny day!"
Cynthia shrugged, the old lady chose not to use a damage-dealing move and that was her mistake. As far as Cynthia was concerned, if a strategy did not involve hitting or blasting an opponent repeatedly it was invalid and for cowards or people who didn't know how to battle.
She'd learn over the course of her adventure that her old opinion was in fact the invalid one.
"Do that again!" Cynthia cried out
Gible seized the opportunity and crashed full force into Turtwig again.
Turtwig crashed into another tree, just as blazing sun rays began to make Cynthia sweat slightly.
Cynthia smirked, no matter the case she wouldn't be the one sweating because she was winning!
Turtwig was down for the count, it seems Gible's double edge knocked it out for good.
She heard clapping from across the forest and another poke ball materialized.
Cynthia heard some ruffling and a happy chirp.
"Alright, solar beam!" she heard Daisy command firmly.
A massive yellow beam carved through the nearby tree, nearly hitting Gible.
A colorful yellow and pink pokemon landed in front of Gible who stared it down.
"What….what pokemon is that," Cynthia was impressed with Cherrim and its colors
"This is Cherrim," Daisy introduced her pokemon who stared down Gible.
"Now, use a magical leaf!" Daisy commanded
Cherrim launched several homing leaves straight towards Gible while jumping away quickly.
Gible tried to tackle Cherrim but to no avail.
Cherrim launched another attack, sending even more magical leaves toward Gible who was starting to get pretty bruised up.
"Ugh, we can't make contact!" Cynthia was frustrated
Daisy was capitalizing on Cynthia's frustration, "Cherrim, attack with a solar beam!"
"Gible, get down!" Cynthia shouted as Cherrim blasted a large yellow beam straight towards Gible, who barely avoided it by ducking.
"That was a close one," Cynthia was relieved.
It was not a close one. Daisy was in this to win it, and Cynthia needed to double down and focus her efforts at stopping her.
"Cherrim, stun spore!" Daisy commanded
Cherrim launched a yellow-ish powder straight on Gible, and Cynthia gulped. This wasn't good at all….
Cherrim landed in front of Gible who was struggling to move.
Up in the stands, Viola was looking at the battle, taking pictures but she couldn't hide how worried she was.
"Come on Cynthia, get out of there!" Viola muttered
"Gible, take cover behind those trees!"
Gible limped slowly towards cover, avoiding an additional solar beam from Cherrim.
Cynthia gulped, she'd have to think of a plan, and fast.
She decided on the only one Gible could do.
"Gible, double edge with all your heart! When I give the signal!" Cynthia commanded
"Cherrim, fire your biggest solar beam yet!" Straight at that tree!
Shoot. Daisy knew where Gible was
Cherrim fired a huge solar beam, and it was speeding towards the tree. Cynthia only had one choice.
"Gible, double edge through the solar beam!"
Gible surrounded herself with orange energy, and charged straight through the solar beam, plowing through the beam handily and striking Cherrim with intense force, knocking it out instantly.
Gible then fell over backward, also knocked out.
Daisy nodded, clearly impressed.
"Well played, certainly well played! That's one strong Gible. Ready to send out your next pokemon? Be prepared though, because my next one is my strongest!" Daisy
Cynthia fell to her knees and tears started welling up in her eyes. She hadn't planned on this. How could she send in Togepi to a certain loss?
"Uhhhh, you ready?" Daisy asked
Cynthia stood up, recalled Gible and ran out of the gym without saying anything.
"Cynthia, wait!" Viola ran down the stairs, chasing after her friend.
"Oh shoot, this isn't good," Viola muttered as she ran out of the building after her friend
Cynthia ran out of the gym with her bag, dragging Togepi on a bumpy ride and ran towards Eterna forest.
She kept running and finally stopped in the forest around noon.
"What…..what did I do wrong?" Cynthia said while sniffling
Togepi peaked its head out of the bag
"Oh, I'm so sorry Togepi, I….it's not fair of me to make you battle a gym leaders ace when you've never even battled before,"
"Togepi! Togepi!" Togepi said
Cynthia sighed, "I don't understand, but I can take a guess that you're saying I should have lost with grace and not quit on you and Gible, huh?"
"Togei!"
Cynthia put her hands over her face. "Ughhhh, I thought so,"
Cynthia picked up Togepi and hugged her.
"I'm sorry Togepi, really I am. Let's do better next time, alright?"
"Togepi!" Togepi agreed with Cynthia
"And, I'll practice with you so we can get stronger before our next battle, alright?" Cynthia made a promise to Togepi
"Heh, alright. Let's see if Gible is doing alright,"
Cynthia released her Gible, revealing a beaten and tired dragon.
"Hey Gible, I'm sorry, we lost. You did amazing, it's my fault. Next time, I promise I'll do better for you guys, alright?"
Gible just stared at Cynthia and sat down, already having forgiven her trainer.
"Are we good Gible?"
"Gible!"
Cynthia giggled, "Glad to hear it. So, uh looks like we'll be training here for a while. So you two get ready to get stronger!"
Just then, Viola burst through some nearby bushes.
Cynthia made eye contact with her and looked down.
"I'm sorry Viola, it was wrong of me to do that. Go ahead and yell at me,"
Viola shook her head, "Actually, I'm just worried about you Cynthia. You scared me by running off like that,"
Cynthia sighed, "Yeah, I…. I guess I should have been smarter, huh?"
Viola shook her head, "It's your first gym battle, no one expects you to be perfect. You did better than you think, taking out two pokemon with one of your own is no small feat. If you train with both Togepi and Gible I know you'll prevail,"
Cynthia smiled, "Thanks Viola,"
Viola gave a suggestion, "In fact, let me help train Togepi! I'm good with young pokemon, in fact I raised my own partner from an egg so I think I can help,"
Cynthia nodded, "I'd like that," she handed Togepi to Viola
Viola smiled at Togepi. "Alright, let's learn how to battle, huh?"
Cynthia looked at Gible, "And we're gonna get even stronger!"
She looked up at the sky. Considering everything that had happened today, it was incredible that it wasn't even noon yet.
She realized this was a life lesson. You can turn a bad day around, or you can let a bad day stay bad.