Episode 7: The determination to continue

"Welcome to the team, Rufflet." Niko said as he kneeled in front of his newest pokémon. "My name is Niko, and this is Snivy. We're going to help you get stronger, if that's when you want."

Rufflet looked at Niko, frowning a little as he studied his new trainer. It was clear he wasn't entirely happy with the idea of being caught, but at the same time the Eaglet Pokémon was tempted by the offer to get stronger.

"We're going to challenge the Aspertia City Gym tomorrow. I want you to do the very best that you can, alright?" Niko said calmly. Rufflet nodded. "Great. Would you like to try training a little?" He asked kindly. Rufflet opened his wings and cawed affirmatively. "Got it. Let's go, Snivy."

Niko, Rufflet, and Snivy exited the Pokémon Center for the practice battlefield while Warren and Charlotte looked on. "He said he doesn't like battling, though. Wonder what's changed in him." Charlotte said curiously.

"I think he's just accepted it. It's weird, that's for sure." Warren said plainly. Niko's actions didn't seem to quite add up. He has been against battling and being a trainer as long as he has known Niko, but all of the sudden he seemed more at ease with it, particularly after training with Snivy. "Maybe it's just Snivy having an effect on him." He finally said.

"That's true. He seems to really care for her." Charlotte commented. She hardly knew Niko, but like Warren she too noticed the seemingly sudden change of heart in her new friend. The upcoming gym battle—that he was almost pressured into trying, she thought—would decide how ephemeral his "change of heart" was to become.

"Alright Rufflet, use fury attack!" Niko commanded. The Eaglet Pokémon dove down towards the ground and slashed and clawed at it with his talons, kicking up dust in his wake and causing him to cough a little. "Maybe let's not do that…come over here." Niko said, grabbing a now angry and flailing Rufflet. "Don't be frustrated, you did just fine."

"What's going on, Niko?" Warren asked as he and Charlotte walked out onto the practice battlefield.

"Rufflet kicked dirt into his face and got angry about it." Niko said, putting the bird down again and watched as he continued to throw a temper tantrum. Niko scratched his head a little. "This'll be an interesting battle, that's for sure."

Charlotte laughed a little. The angry Rufflet was a little frightening, but also fairly comical. "How are you feeling about the gym battle?"

"I guess I feel alright. I don't really know what to expect, though." Niko said. He knew this was a lie—he knew exactly what to expect, with the exception of the type of pokémon he would be facing. What did the Aspertia Gym specialize in? But as far as battling is concerned, he had a general sense of what was to come. "Where is the gym?"

"I looked it up earlier, actually." Warren piped in. "It's located at the Trainer's School. I believe the teacher is the gym leader there."

"Really now…" Niko said. "Guess we'll just have to check that place out, then."

The following day Charlotte woke up to see Niko sitting on his bed watching Rufflet and Snivy sleep. "Morning." She said groggily. "How're you doing?"

"Fine. I just woke up, too. Waiting for them to get up so we can get ready to head over to the Trainer's School."

"You just want to get this over with, don't you?" She asked directly. Niko turned to her and nodded. "Do you really not like battling?"

"I don't prefer to. And if you were wondering, it's for a few reasons." Niko said, darkening his look a little.

"I see. Well, I get why you're doing it, too. It's for Snivy and Rufflet, isn't it?" When Niko nodded in response, she paused before continued. "And…if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here. And I'm sure Warren is too."

"If I wanted to I would have already." Niko replied.

So he hasn't really changed his tune. Is it all a façade, then? Charlotte thought to herself. "Either way, I hope you win."

Niko turned back to look at her, a slight smile etched on his face. "Thanks, Charlotte." He then turned to see Warren slowly stir, eventually opening his eye a minute later. "Morning."

"M…morning…" He said sleepily. "Oh…Niko…did you win yet…?"

"Uh…no?" Niko replied, raising an eyebrow at the odd statement. "Did you have a dream about my gym battle?"

"Must…have…" Warren sat up and looked around at his two human companions. Poliwag and sewaddle were in the midst of waking up as well. "Are you ready?"

"Yes." Niko said curtly. Warren shook his head when Niko wasn't looked. He wasn't too happy with Niko's close-mindedness around this. Why is he so stubborn?

Finding the Trainer's School wasn't terribly difficult. It was the only school in the city, and was larger than Niko imagined it would be. He hesitated upon entering, only doing so when Warren lightly pushed him forward. "Go on, don't be nervous!"

"I'm not nervous about the battle! It's just…it's weird being back at a school…" Niko said.

"Oh…yeah, that makes sense." Warren said with a laugh. "Alright then, let's go!" He said, raising a fist into the air and leading the trio forward.

The inside of the school was just as Niko expected—there were two hallways then went in the left and right directions, with a stairwell in the middle leading to a second floor. Down the halls were several doors that presumably had classrooms on the other end. In between the doors were sets of lockers for the students.

"Looks just like the school I went to in Pallet Town…only bigger." Niko said, looking around. "Where do we go?"

"We could just walk around until we find someone who can help us out…" Warren suggested.

"That's kind of weird, Warren." Charlotte replied.

"She's right. We can't just wander around." Niko said, turning to his friends. As he did so, a man in a security outfit appeared behind him.

"What are you three doing here?" He asked sternly.

"Oh, hello. My name's Niko, and I'm here to challenge the gym leader. We were told that they're here."

"Correct. Cheren should be teaching right now, let me go find him." The guard said, turning and walking down the left hallway. Minutes later, he reappeared with a tall, black-haired man in a white dress shirt, blue slacks, and an orange tie walk alongside him. "Cheren, this young man wants to challenge you."

"Ah, hello." He said in a professorial, but friendly, tone. "As security said, I'm Cheren, and I lead the Aspertia Gym. You caught me at the perfect time, actually. I was just beginning a lesson on the normal type—my specialty—when I heard of you. This would be a perfect opportunity for them to observe firsthand the power of normal type pokémon. I accept your challenge, but on the condition that my students get to watch."

Niko turned to his friends, both of whom nodded. He then turned and confirmed his acceptance. "That works with me." He replied.

"Excellent. Meet me out in the back field. That's where I hold all of my battles." He said before walking back to his classroom. Security then led Niko, Warren, and Charlotte through a door past the stairwell. On the other side was an ordinary battlefield with small stands on each end. Niko looked around at the rather familiar sight, noting that Charlotte and Warren walked with the security guard to the right side, just as his old friends used to.

Just focus on the battle. Let Snivy and Rufflet decide this, not you. Niko thought to himself. He then turned to his left and saw a horde of two dozen children with Cheren leading them. They all sat down in the stands while Cheren stood in front of them to speak.

"Class, today we have an unexpected—and welcome one, at that—lesson. As you all know, I'm also a gym leader, and occasionally I'll host gym battles during my classes. Today is one of those days. We have here a challenger from…where're you from again?"

"Pallet Town in Kanto, but I now live in Castelia City." Niko said plainly.

"Oh, a foreigner. Very nice. Class, please welcome Niko from Pallet Town! Today, he will battle me for the Basic Badge. In this battle, I want you to look out for how I use normal type pokémon. But also watch how Niko battles as well. You can learn a lot from different types of people, pokémon, and battling styles." He then turned to Niko. "Well then, shall we?" He asked politely.

Niko nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

"Excellent. This will be a two-on-two pokémon battle. Are you okay with that?" He asked. When Niko nodded, he smiled. "Good to know. Tomson, if you will please act as referee." The security guard, evidently known as Tomson, nodded as well. "Now then, Niko, prepare to face the full force of the normal type. Patrat, I choose you!" Cheren shouted, summoning a small rodent-like pokémon that looked similar to a chipmunk.

"Patrat, the Scout Pokémon. Normal type. Extremely cautious, one of them will always be on the lookout, but it won't notice a foe coming from behind."

"Rufflet, I choose you!" Niko called out, throwing a pokéball high into the air.

"Watch this…" Warren said, leaning over to Charlotte excitedly.

"I am. It's really exciting already. I've never seen a gym battle in person before." She said, holding her hands in her lap. Smeargle sat beside her, as she wanted the Painter Pokémon to watch their friends, too.

"Rufflet, use peck!" Niko commanded. The Eaglet Pokémon dove down towards Patrat, eager to finally be in an official battle.

"Watch this, kids. Patrat, detect!" Cheren ordered. Patrat's eyes began to glow and it evaded not just the first attempt by Rufflet to peck at it, but also successive strikes. "Now, bite!" Cheren commanded, watching at Patrat bit down on Rufflet's left wing and flung it to the side. "And work up!"

A red aura surrounded Patrat and, when Cheren commanded another attack, the Scout Pokémon charged forward, the aura flashing once more. Patrat crashed into Rufflet, who was still trying to get back up. He then smirked. The battle was already in his favor.

"Rufflet, get back into the air!" Niko commanded. He, for whatever reason, always had difficulty with normal type gyms. First in Johto against Whitney, with whom he tied, and again in Hoenn against Norman, to whom he lost. Cheren was much the same. Niko always found that the normal type was unpredictable, and that he never really had anything to effectively counter it.

He thought for a moment as Rufflet hovered in the air, waiting for a command. "Alright Rufflet, use fury attack, but on the ground!" He commanded, knowing that the Eaglet Pokémon wouldn't appreciate this. "Oh, and close your eyes."

"I see what you're doing, Niko. Patrat, work up!" Cheren commanded. The red aura reappeared around the Scout Pokémon. Meanwhile, Rufflet crashed into the ground, thrashing his talons around and kicking up a cloud of dust. Just as Niko had warned, he also closed his eyes. "Now, bite!"

"Rufflet, stay where you are." Niko said calmly as he watched Patrat running blindly into the thin cloud of dust to tackle Rufflet. "Now, fury attack!"

Rufflet slashed his talons freely—and blindly—hitting Patrat. Once the cloud disappeared, Niko told him to open his eyes and use peck. Doing so, Rufflet lunged forward with his beak, striking Patrat in the upper chest and knocking it over.

"Finish Patrat off with fury attack!" Niko commanded, thrusting his hand forward. Rufflet did so, knocking the Scout Pokémon down a second time.

"Patrat is unable to battle, Rufflet is the winner!" Tomson declared. "Leader Cheren will send out his second pokémon!"

"Interesting strategy, Niko." Cheren said as he returned Patrat. "Using your environment in a battle is often a critical component of victory. Well done. But you won't find it easy the second time around. Lillipup, I choose you!" Cheren shouted, summoning the little terrier-like pokémon that Niko has seen on occasion in Unova.

"Lillipup, the Puppy Pokémon." Charlotte's pokédex stated. "Though it is a very brave Pokémon, it's also smart enough to check its foe's strength and avoid battle."

"Use work up!" The Gym Leader commanded.

"Rufflet, peck!" Niko commanded. Rufflet, feeling more confident from his first victory, charged downwards, aiming to hit the little puppy pokémon, whose red aura began to glow even brighter. Suddenly the Lillipup leapt into the air, crashing into Rufflet and quickly overpowering him, knocking him to the ground and kicking more dust and dirt into the air. "Rufflet, get back up!" Niko shouted.

"Bite!" Cheren called out.

"Fury attack, Rufflet!" The two pokémon charged forward, with Rufflet kicking at Lillipup with his small talons, and the latter attempting to bite them, dodging and weaving around each talon. Eventually, Rufflet managed to kick Lillipup, knocking it to the ground. However, just as he did so, the Puppy Pokémon bit down on to Rufflet's leg and brought the bird down with him.

"Now, tackle!" Cheren commanded. Lillipup quickly got up and charged at Rufflet, knocking the Eaglet Pokémon further across the dirt battlefield. "And finish it off with bite!"

"Rufflet, don't give up!" Niko shouted, but it was too late. Rufflet was defeated.

"Rufflet is unable to battle, Lillipup is the winner! Challenger Niko will now send out his second pokémon!" Tomson declared.

"Return, Rufflet. You did a great job, buddy. Thanks for the help. Snivy, you're all I've got left. Let's go!" Niko commanded, summoning the Grass Snake Pokémon. "You up for this? It's down to you now."

Snivy turned to Niko and, with a fire in her eyes, nodded. Niko couldn't help but smile. Yet, he was still conflicted. Whether or not I become a trainer again depends on Snivy. I'll fight until the end with her, but I don't want this to be up to me. He thought, feeling a little uneasy deep down. In the stands, Warren and Charlotte watched with increase interest, as did their pokémon. Poliwag and Sewaddle began to cheer loudly for their friend Snivy.

"Let's do this, then. Snivy, use tackle!"

"Work up and then tackle again!" Cheren commanded. While Lillipup was waiting for Snivy to approach, it surrounded itself with a red aura. Once Snivy got close enough, Lillipup charged forward as well, the red aura flashing just before the two collided on Cheren's end of the field. Both pokémon were repelled backwards, but it seemed like Snivy took more of the hit. "Work up!"

"Don't let it, Snivy! Attack with vine whip!" Niko shouted. Snivy immediately got back up with little effort, extending green vines from her neck and slapping Lillipup with them.

"Use bite on the vines!" Cheren commanded. Lillipup obeyed, leaping up and grabbing one of the vines as it was about to descend towards the puppy. "And throw Snivy!"

With an unusual amount of strength, the little terrier dog flung Snivy high into the air and, as soon as the Grass snake Pokémon was about to land, charged forward and tackled her, knocking her across the field where she eventually landed to Niko's left.

"Can you keep going?" Niko asked, wondering if this was the end of the battle. Snivy simply nodded, getting back up with seemingly little effort, which surprised Niko. Coming from a pokémon with very little battling experience, the determination to continue was impressive. At this, he smiled. "Alright buddy, let's do this. Snivy, charge forward with tackle!"

"Again? Alright then. Lillipup, use tackle as well!" Cheren shouted. The worked-up Lillipup ran forward with unusual speed. Just as the two got close, Niko shouted for Snivy to leap into the air.

"Wrap Lillipup with vine whip!" Niko shouted while Snivy was in the air. The Grass Snake spun around, running the green vines around Lillipup's body. As Snivy landed, she hurled Lillipup over her head, throwing the Puppy Pokémon straight across the field, nearly hitting Cheren.

Snivy quickly fell to one knee, exhausted. Niko figured that this move must have taken more strength than the tiny grass type had ever exerted before. They—along with all of the students, Warren, and Charlotte—watched Lillipup as the terrier dog got up and limped back onto the field. It looked up at Snivy before collapsing onto the ground in defeat.

"Lillipup is unable to battle, Snivy is the winner! And the victory goes to Niko from Pallet Town!" Tomson declared.

The students erupted into applause while Niko stared dumbfoundedly in no particular direction. Before he realized it, Snivy was tugging at his pant leg. Looking down, he saw Snivy standing there, holding her arms out. Niko picked her up and embraced the Grass Snake.

"I'm very proud of you, Snivy." He said quietly.

"I knew you could do it!" Warren said as he slapped Niko's back.

"Well done, Niko." Charlotte said with a warm smile. Niko turned to both of them and nodded.

"Thanks, it was all Snivy and Rufflet, though." He tried to admit.

"Well, Rufflet wouldn't have thought of using a dust cloud to win against Patrat, and Snivy wouldn't have thought of throwing Lillipup clear across the field!" Warren protested. "That was you, Niko!"

Before he could continue the argument, Niko saw Cheren—with his students behind him—approach. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a long golden badge. It was shaped like the purple spine of a book.

"Niko, on behalf of Aspertia City, the Trainer's School, and the Unova League, I present to you the Basic Badge, as proof of your victory today." He placed the badge in Niko's palm before continuing. "You've given my students an excellent lesson in Pokémon battling today, particularly with your use of the environment to your advantage. I hope that, wherever you go next, you continue to improve as a trainer." He said before shaking Niko's hand.

"Thanks, Cheren. I appreciate it." He turned to Snivy, holding the badge up to her. Snivy simply nodded with a smile, appreciating their victory as much as she believed her trainer did.

Aspertia City has a lookout point where visitors—and residents—can view the expanse of the Unova Region. In the aftermath of his victory at the gym, Niko went to this lookout point to reflect on the previous battle.

The last thing I ever wanted to do was become a Pokémon trainer again. My life was going on, I was in a new region, a new city, with new friends and a job. I felt like a new person, completely separated from who I was on Battle Island. I believed—and still do—that the best way for me to cope was to abandon everything. I had hoped that I could forget my failures, forget the past, and move on.

But that didn't happen today. I was brought back into the world I had so easily left. The one that I felt pushed me away, even without knowing it.

I don't like the idea of being a Pokémon trainer anymore, but it is hard to admit, even in my own mind, that I didn't play a substantial role in winning the Basic Badge. It was a joint victory between me, Snivy, and Rufflet. We won this together. That is the upside.

The downside is that I feel pressured to commit to this once more. That means I have to commit to the idea of losing again. I have to accept my past and continue moving on the path I had set myself on two years ago, after the Silver Conference.

To be a Pokémon Master, whatever that means.

Niko thought all of this as he looked at the landscape beyond, seeing rolling hills with ponds, large and small, covering their tops. In the far-off distance, he saw mountains expanding out of the Earth. He even noticed an airplane gliding above them, possibly taking people on journeys of their own.

"Hey."

Niko turned around to see Charlotte standing there alone. He nodded, indicating to her that she could proceed forward. She stood next to him, looking out onto the expanse, equally in awe.

"It's a nice view. I can see why this is so popular here." Niko only nodded. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good."

"You seem deep in thought."

"That's because I am." Niko replied.

"About the reasons why you don't want to battle? Or become a trainer?"

"Yes."

"How is that going?"

"Better."

"Do you want to continue challenging gyms? Because there's one on the way to Castelia City, in Virbank City."

"I think so. If not for me, then for Snivy and Rufflet. They really seemed in their element against Cheren."

"That's because they were." Charlotte said. She then locked eyes with Niko and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You did well back there. You should be happy with yourself."

Niko looked away and then nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Let's head back to the Pokémon Center and plan our trip to Virbank City."

"Got it."

Author's Note: The battle here went way better than I expected, to be honest. Also, if it seems like Niko's feelings are confusing, then that's how it's supposed to be. I wanted to express that confusion through Charlotte and Warren, who seemed confused at the start of the episode about Niko's stubbornness towards battling.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed!