The group awoke early the next morning and continued on their way to Violet City, which by early afternoon they found themselves walking into. The city was much smaller than Chance expected it to be. He was used to the noise and rush of Nimbasa City, but Violet City was much more relaxed. The city felt more calm and peaceful than any town he had visited back in the Unova Region.
The boys made a quick stop at the pokemon center, which was thankfully located rather near the entrance to the city. While there they learned from Nurse Joy that the Sprout Tower was a popular spot for trainers to stop and get some last minute training in before battling Falkner. Both boys decided that a small pit stop would be a good idea to make sure their pokemon were ready for the gym leader.
The group headed to the northern part of the town where the large, old looking sprout tower stood watch over the land. The boys entered and were greeted by the sages of the tower who graciously offered to spend a few hours with the young trainers allowing them to train with the bellsprout that lived at the tower. The training helped teach their pokemon more about dodging and going with the flow of the battle. The swaying of the bellsprout, as well as the tower, was an example of how you can't stand firm when it comes to a battle. You have to allow yourself to adjust to what the battle brings your way. The young trainers spent the remainder of their afternoon practicing what the sages had taught them, deciding that the next morning they would head straight to the Violet City gym. The boys stayed in a room at the pokemon center that night, but neither got much sleep as they were both far too excited. They talked early into the morning about the strategies they planned to use against the flying-type gym.
The next morning the boys woke up a bit later than they had planned, but nevertheless, they were both more than ready for their gym match. They ate a quick breakfast with their pokemon and headed straight for the gym, which was located near the center of the town. The gym was a rather tall building, rivaling the height of the Sprout Tower to the north.
"Whoa… This gym is huge!" Chance marveled as they stood before it.
"Yeah it is… I wonder why they would make it so much larger than any other gym." Adrian mused. The boys headed inside and were greeted by a woman who was a trainer at the gym. She guided them to an elevator and explained to them that the gym's battle ground was located up on the roof of the building. She informed them that the gym leader was already up there finishing up a battle with another trainer, but they were both welcome to head on up whenever they were ready.
When they elevator doors opened the boys were temporarily blinded by the bright morning sun that was slowly rising further in the sky. As their eyes adjusted they saw a large pidgeot swoop down with a glowing wing and slam into a poliwhirl that was waiting below. The tadpole pokemon was thrown back and knocked out of the match. The ref declared the match over. Falkner was the winner. The young woman across from him thanked her pokemon for a good battle and returned it to its ball. She thanked the gym leader and walked towards the elevator, passing the boys and wishing them luck as she went.
"Are we really going to have to fight that pidgeot?!" Chance questioned his companion, his voice giving away the panic he felt about going up against such a strong pokemon.
"That really depends," Falkner started as he approached the two boys. "How many badges do you currently have? Your experience level decides which pokemon are used during a gym battle." He brushed his long blue hair out of his eyes as he spoke.
"We both just began our journey, actually." Adrian responded. "Neither of us have any badges yet."
"Ah, so some fresh trainers then? Sounds good to me. You both are looking to battle me today?" His voice relayed a large amount of confidence.
"Yes, sir." Chance replied.
"Alright, then each match will be a 2-on-2 battle. You guys will be allowed to swap pokemon mid combat, but I will not. Whoever loses both pokemon first loses the match. Understand?" Both boys nodded in response. "Good. Now, who will be going first?" The boys looked at each other for a moment before Adrian stepped forward.
"I will battle first if that is alright with you." He smiled over his shoulder at Chance, who nodded in return. A young boy who had been standing by the sidelines ran over and handed two pokeballs to the gym leader, who thanked him. Adriand and Falkner both took their positions on their respective sides of the battlefield.
"Hoothoot! Take to the sky!" Falkner yelled out as he tossed the pokeball high into the air, releasing a familiar looking owl pokemon.
"Nidoran! It's time to battle!" Adrian responded by tossing out his own pokeball. The small, purple pokemon burst out of its ball and stared down its foe. "Start this off with a horn attack, Nidoran!" Nidoran stomped its front foot on the ground and then ran forward with surprising speed. The large horn on its head began to glow as it jumped into the air at the flying pokemon, however, the owl dodged the attack with ease.
"Sorry, kid, but my birds have the advantage out here! Hoothoot, use peck!" The owl shot forward and began to assault the pokemon below it. "Keep it up! Don't give it an inch!" The leader ordered.
"This is bad…" Adrian muttered to himself. He didn't have any flames to help him counter this time. "Nidoran, try and break free! Hit it with a poison sting!" The small pokemon began to run across the field, trying to shake its aerial pursuer. Hoothoot's speed was more than enough to keep up with Nidoran, but this ended up working in the poison-types favor. Nidoran suddenly stopped running and the owl shot past it. When it turned around it was assaulted by a spray of purple needles that shot from the mouth of its foe. Hoothoot recoiled in pain as the poison shot through its body. It collapsed down to the ground as the toxins took hold.
"No! Hoothoot!" Falkner yelled in dismay as he saw that the needles had poisoned his pokemon.
"Now is our chance! Hit it hard with a horn attack!" The horn on Nidoran's head began to glow once more as it charged the wounded bird. It slammed into the flying-type and sending it tumbling across the battlefield to its trainer's feet.
"Hoothoot is unable to battle! Nidoran wins the round. Leader Falkner may now send out his final pokemon!" The ref shouted out.
Falkner recalled his pokemon and grabbed the second pokeball from his belt. "Pidgeotto! Take to the skies!" He shouted once more as he released his final pokemon. A smaller version of the pidgeot they witnessed crushing its opponent earlier now flew before Nidoran. Nidoran was already breathing hard from the damage it endured from its first foe. "Pidgeotto, wing attack now!" Falkner ordered. The large bird darted through the air towards the poison pokemon, its wings glowing a bright white. Nidoran lept out of the way as quickly as it could, narrowly dodging the blow. "Bring it around and try again! Wrap this up!" Falkner barked out.
"Retaliate with a horn attack, quick!" Adrian shouted to his exhausted pokemon. The two pokemon rushed towards each other, meeting in the middle in a small explosion. As the smoke cleared from the blast Pidgeotto stood on the ground with its left wing held out awkwardly. Even with the damaged wing it took the hit better than its foe who laid on its side, knocked out.
"Nidoran is unable to battle! Pidgeotto wins the battle! The challenger may now select their final pokemon!" The ref called out.
"Your turn, Cyndaquil!" The fire mouse pokemon emerged from its ball and let out a cry, igniting its back. "Let's finish this up! Ember now!"
"Quick, Pidgeotto, fly up!" Falkner's pokemon spread its wings and attempted to rise into the air, only to instantly plummet back into the blast from the fire-type. Pidgeotto slowly made its way back up to its feet and stared at its opponents. Falkner looked down at his pokemon, whose fighting spirit was not broken in the slightest. It looked ready to battle still, but its trainer knew better. "Enough! I forfeit." Everyone looked over to Falkner in surprise. "Pidgeotto's wing is too damaged to fly. There is no point in continuing and risking further injury." Falkner explained as he walked over to his pokemon and pet the feathers on its head.
Adrian looked at the gym leader with a look of shock. "Are… Are you sure that this is okay?" He stammered. "I mean, I didn't really win…"
"No, you definitely had the advantage. You earned this badge, and it comes with a good lesson for both you and your friend. Know your pokemon and their limits. Their health and safety should be the priority at all times." The leader explained as he offered his hand out to his challenger. Adrian looked down at the hand before him for a moment, lost in thought.
"You really are a great gym leader. Thank you so much." Adrian responded as he took the offered hand. Falkner recalled his injured pokemon and took it over to one of the awaiting gym trainers. "Please take my friend to the pokemon center right away." The trainer nodded and rushed off towards the elevator. "Alright, time for my other challenger?"
"Are you sure? You are down one of your pokemon and I don't want to win because you had to limit your options… That just doesn't feel right." Chance replied with a frown on his face.
"Hah!" Falkner laughed at the young trainer. "If you think our wings are clipped just because I can't use Pidgeotto then you are sorely mistaken! All of my friends are ready for battle! I have two more of my wonderful birds just waiting to stretch their wings!" The leader grinned while he pulled out another pokeball and tossed it into the air. "Pidgey! Take to the skies!" Pidgeotto's pre-evolved form burst out of the pokeball and shot straight up in the air before leveling out and circling overhead.
"If you insist, then we are ready!" Chance smiled with determination. "Hoothoot, show him that he isn't the only one who owns the sky!" Hoothoot emerged from the ball and flew in front of its trainer, eyes focused on the competition.
Falkner laughed. "Well then. I like your spunk, but challenging me to an aerial battle will prove to be a foolish mistake! Pidgey, show him that we are the kings of the sky! Use gust to throw it to the ground!" The small pokemon beat its wings at a blinding speed and a strong wind began to blow at Hoothoot, who struggled to stay in the air.
"Hoothoot, remember what the sages taught us! Go with the flow! Don't fight the gust, use it to gain speed and come around with a tackle!" Hoothoot took a moment to stead itself within the wind before turning around and spreading its wings, allowing the gust to take it full force. Hoothoot plummeted forward and looked like it would slam hard into the ground, but it swooped around at the last second and used its built up speed to rocket towards its opponent, slamming into the tiny bird pokemon. Pidgey was thrown back and fell a few feet in the air before righting itself.
"Pidgey, show it a real tackle attack!" The gym leader ordered.
"Don't give up, Hoothoot! You use tackle too!" The two flying-types repeatedly slammed into each other in an intense aerial battle. Pidgey was much faster than its foe, but the owl pokemon had size on its side. Hoothoot's tackles were wearing its foe down much more quickly than it was taking damage. With one final, stubborn clash the two birds slammed into each other and both fell to the ground. Hoothoot slowly stood back up and balanced on a single foot. Pidgey lay motionless on the ground.
"Pidgey is unable to battle!" The ref cried. "Hoothoot wins the battle! Falkner may now choose his final pokemon!" Falkner brushed his blue hair aside as he recalled his pokemon.
"You did great, my friend. Take a long rest." He smiled at the pokeball and withdrew another. "Doduo! End this!" Out of the red burst of energy emerged a tall, two-headed pokemon.
"What is that thing?" Chance wondered out loud. He withdrew his pokedex and scanned it.
"Doduo, the Twin Bird pokemon. Its short wings make flying difficult. Instead, this Pokémon runs at high speed on developed legs."
"So it doesn't fly, huh?" Chance smiled. "That means we have the aerial advantage this time! Hoothoot, fly up!"
"Don't be so sure about that! It may not fly, but Doduo can still soar! Use a peck attack, now!" As the leader called for the attack, his pokemon began running forward before leaping high into the air towards the owl pokemon. The twin beaks of Doduo both slammed into Hoothoot and knocked it back down to the battlefield. "Now quick attack!" Doduo charged at its downed foe.
"Hoothoot, tackle now!" Hoothoot lunged at the other flying-type and slammed into it. The attack definitely did damage, but Hoothoot had had enough.
"Hoothoot is unable to battle! Doduo wins the round! The challenger may now choose his final pokemon!"
Chance recalled his pokemon and looked down at his starter. "Your turn, Snivy." Snivy nodded and bounced out onto the field.
"Well, that certainly is a rare site in these parts. But just because it's rare doesn't mean it is a wise choice. My Doduo has the advantage here." Falkner grinned at his challenger. "Doduo, use peck!" The large pokemon charged the grass snake pokemon.
"As we practice! Dodge it and use leaf tornado!" Snivy used its small size to duck under the assaulting beaks and quickly responded with a leaf tornado from right below its foe. The swirling leaves hit their mark and tossed Doduo into the air. Doduo slammed hard into the battlefield, but quickly stood up, a look of anger spread across both faces.
"Not bad. Doduo, quick attack!" The bird pokemon charged Snivy, who tried to evade but failed. Snivy was thrown across the battlefield and before it could right itself was hit again and tossed even further. Doduo continued pressing the assault and charged again.
Chance thought for a moment and quickly came up with a plan. "Snivy, before it gets to you use your vine whip! Aim for its legs!"
"What?!" Falkner looked in dismay as a vine slammed against the legs of his pokemon and sent it tumbling across the battlefield. "Doduo, get up, quick!"
"Don't let it, Snivy! Keep up the vine whips!" Snivy did as it was ordered and continued to slam its foe with its strong vines, keeping it off balance and preventing it from getting to its feet. The attacks didn't do much damage, but the continued assault was slowly building up on the twin birds. Chance noticed Doduo's breathe becoming more ragged and decided now would be his best chance to end it. "Snivy, end this with a slam attack!" The grass snake charged its downed foe and slammed its tail across one of the heads, smacking it into the battlefield. The other head looked down at its now unconscious twin and slowly laid its head on the ground.
"Doduo is unable to battle! The challengers, Snivy and Chance, win the match!" The ref announced. Falkner recalled his pokemon and praised its strong performance.
"That was a great battle, Chance. You were able to locate Doduo's weakness and exploit it. That was some quick thinking." Falkner praised as he offered his hand to the red-head.
"Thanks!" Chance smiled as he took the hand. "I knew we had to do something quick or there is no way we could win with the type disadvantage. Snivy hopped up on Chance's shoulder as he grinned. His grin became much larger as Falkner presented his two challengers with the Zephyr badge. The boys thanked the gym leader for the great battles and the lessons about caring for your pokemon. They turned to depart the gym, pleased with the results. Chance couldn't take his eyes off the shiny new badge. He really could live up to his family's name.