It wasn't difficult to follow the marked path through the undulating valley and ridges. Younger trainers and other challengers battled my duo of Servine and Riolu, Riolu getting some much needed experience gains from it. By the end of the day's light, we made it to the western gate that leads into Virbank City. I run into Hueso, who looks like he's waiting for someone.

"For me?" I'm perplexed. "Why?"

"I want to experience the power that defeated Cheren! Show me! Oh, but, let's head outside so we won't thrash this place."

We moved outside and took our places next to the road. A small crowd of people gathered to witness.

"Go! Tranquill!"

"Tranquill, huh? Okay, go! Riolu!"

"Tranquill, use Leer!"

It's eyes glow red and catch the sight of Riolu. Riolu's guard drops.

"Riolu, use Quick Attack!"

Riolu runs to Tranquill.

"Let's try out your new move! Use Force Palm!"

"Oh? Now, use Growl!"

Tranquill lets out an earsplitting cry and lowers Riolu's will to attack, but not fully as Riolu's Force Palm connects. Tranquill is left paralysed.

"Fly up!"

It attempts to but, it stays on the ground unable to move.

"Use Force Palm again!"

Riolu lands another hit, reducing its health.

"Use Roost!"

Where it stands, it takes a roosting position on the ground and recovers its health.

"Lets see, now, fly up!"

"What?" I'm shocked. "It broke through the paralyses!"

Tranquill shoots into the air.

"Unleash a barrage of Air Cutter!"

"Riolu! Endure!"

Riolu stands still and firm and takes all the incoming Air Cutters. After the dust clears, Riolu stays standing, but its significantly damaged.

"Finish it off with Quick Attack!"

Tranquill dives diagonally.

"Endure!"

But, its in vain as Tranquill strikes down Riolu. It stands near the fainted Riolu and cries victory.

"Riolu, return." I look at my pokéball clutched in hand. "You did great. That Tranquill is strong!"

"Of course!" Hueso answers arrogant and typical.

"Go, Servine!"

Servine cries out. Tranquill answers.

"Oh? It evolved," Hueso says.

"Servine, use Growth!"

Servine cries out and slightly grows in size.

"Interesting," Hueso says. "Tranquill, this'll be easy. Use Air Cutter!"

"Dodge and use Growth again!"

Servine rolls and avoids the oncoming Air Cutter, and still on the ground, grows slightly once more.

"Servine, hide!"

Servine slides on its slender body towards a bush and takes cover inside.

"Even more interesting," says Hueso. "Drive it out with Gust!"

Tranquill creates a vortex of air around the bush Servine is hiding in.

"Now! Spring up and Tackle it!"

Servine comes out from behind a tree and, using its powerful tail as a spring, flies upwards and headbutts the airborne Tranquill. It falls down, caught by surprise.

"Servine, Wrap!"

Servine takes hold of Tranquill and squeezes.

Hueso cries out, "Oh, no!"

"Use Vine Whip!"

From its coiled position around Tranquill, Servine produces a long whip, even longer than when it was a Snivy, and repeatedly strikes at Tranquill, slowly draining its health.

"Use Roost!"

But it doesn't work as Servine keeps hold of it and finishes it off with one last strike of its Vine Whip. Tranquill faints.

"Tranquill, return! Yes! Excellent! That's what I'm talking about, Catheri!"

I can hear some people speaking about us. "They know each other?" "Yeah, seems like it." Oh, this is just a friendly battle." I try not to look over at them and keep my eyes on Hueso as he takes out his next pokémon.

"Ready, Pignite? Go! I choose you!"

"Tepig evolved?"

"Yeah. Check these moves out."

I already know I lose. But, still. "Bring it!"

"Is that your new battle greeting? Pignite, use Flame Charge!"

Pignite charges at Servine quickly. More quickly than I thought it would move.

"Servine, Leer!"

"Defense Curl!"

As Servine's eyes glow red, Pignite curls into a ball and avoids the move.

"Use Flame Charge!"

Moving at an even greater speed than before, Pignite strikes Servine with its forehead.

"Take a hold of it! Use Wrap!"

Servine wraps its body around Pignite, but it just looks on unfazed.

Of course. I think to myself as Hueso calls out, "Ember!"

And with that finishing move, the battle comes to a close.

"Servine, return."

"Not bad. You've grown a bit since last time in Aspertia. That Riolu is strong, too."

"Thanks. That means a lot coming from you."

"Get even stronger. See ya around."

With his usual parting phrase, he leaves for the gate into Virbank City. I soon follow.

My first impression of Virbank City was 'What a filthy place.' People sleeping on the sidewalks off the side of the streets in tents. A cloud of pollution that obscures sunlight. The stench of industrial machinery. I hate this place. I think to myself as I walk through its streets.

After healing my pokémon at the pokémon centre, I ask the first person I see outside in the little courtyard where the gym is. They point me in the direction of a shady street.

"Thanks," I reply and leave promptly.

Down the alleyway of a not-so-busy street, removed from the main road, a neon sign welcomes me into a venue. Past the strong looking guy wearing shades standing out front, down the narrow passage of stairs, the silence switches to loud. A raised battlefield, like those raised beds that house plants in public parks, stands in the center. Loud, obnoxious rock music plays through the speakers and subwoofers on the stage. Flashing lights and lasers illuminate the quartet performing on stage. The lead singer is a girl, slightly older than me, I guess. She shreds her guitar violently. Thing is, I'm not alone down here. The audience cheers on and headbangs to the music. I stand and wait, looking kinda lost.

After the concert ends (I guess), the girl on stage calls me out. It takes me a moment to react before I notice a stage light shining down on me.

She takes the microphone and says, "We have a challenger!"

I look around at all the faces looking back at me and hear their unwelcoming words.

"She's cute."

"So innocent looking."

"Looks weak."

"Yeah, probably is."

The girl says, "Speak your name, challenger!"

"Catheri!" I say as loud as I can so she can hear me.

"Welcome, Catheri, to my gym. There's only one reason why you're here so lets get right down to it. I, Roxie, leader of the poison type gym here in Virbank City accept your challenge! Let us move down from the top stage to the grand stage of the battlefield!"

Roxie leaves her guitar with the drummer and makes her way down to the battlefield. I follow her lead and take my place at the far end.

Do all these people have to watch? What a bother.

"Alright, kid. Let's put on a good show for the audience!"

One of the security guards, who also acts as referee, takes center stage. He says, "This battle will be between Gym Leader Roxie and the challenger, Pokémon Trainer Catheri! Both trainers are allowed to use up to six pokémon."

"Three for me," says Roxie.

"Are both trainers ready?"

"Ready," she says.

"Ready," I say.

"Battle begin!"

"Go, Koffing!"

"Go, Servine!"

"Servine? Did you learn nothing in school?"

"Don't underestimate Servine."

"Ooh, I like that spunk, kid. Koffing, use Poison Gas!"

"Servine, dodge it and use Growth!"

Koffing releases a cloud of poisonous fume from its mouth. Servine dives under Koffing to Roxie's side of the field.

"Now, use Vine Whip!"

"I don't think so. Koffing, Smoke Screen!"

Koffing releases a cloud of thick black gas from its pores, obscuring nearly half the field.

"Tackle it and use Clear Smog!"

From somewhere, Koffing tackles Servine off its feet and then releases a white cloud down at it. Through the thick smoke now dissipating, I can see Servine choke and regress back to its usual size.

The referee says, "That Clear Smog cleared away Servine's attack gain from its Growth earlier!"

What?

"Koffing, use Poison Gas!"

This time, Koffing successfully poisons Servine with its fumes.

"Servine! Spring up! Use Tackle!"

"Use Venoshock!"

Veno–!?

Koffing concentrates on Servine and hits it with an unseeable attack that works only on poisoned targets. Servine faints.

"Servine is unable to battle! Catheri switches out for her second pokémon!"

"Go! Riolu!"

"Oh," Roxie says, "what a little cutie, just like your trainer."

"Riolu, use Quick Attack!"

"Right off the bat! I like that! Koffing, Smoke Screen!"

Once again, Koffing releases a thick black cloud from its pores.

"Concentrate, Riolu! Sense where Koffing is!"

Riolu closes its eyes.

"Koffing, sneak up to it and use Poison Gas!"

I would guess, from Riolu's point of view, it would sense Roxie in front, the audience members on both sides, me behind and a round shape moving about through the thick black cloud.

"Dodge its attack and use Force Palm!"

As Koffing sneaks in from behind Riolu, its caught by surprise at a strike from the side. Koffing is pushed out of the thick cloud and into the clear.

"Riolu, Quick Attack!"

As Koffing composes itself, Riolu flies out from within the cloud and strikes it head on, or, fist on, in this case.

"Yes! And now, another Force Palm!"

Riolu strikes the vulnerable Koffing. It faints.

"Koffing is unable to battle! Roxie will be switching to her second pokémon!"

"Alright, check this one out! Go! Grimer!"

My face shudders as my nose picks up a fowl stench. I see Riolu holding its nose.

"And out comes Grimer! What will Catheri and the visibly tired Riolu do? And will they be able to get past the stench of Grimer?"

Keep going. Till the end.

Roxie says, "Gnarly, innit?"

"Riolu, Quick Attack!"

Riolu rushes in.

"Grimer, Minimise!"

What!?

Riolu manages to land a hit on Grimer as it compresses itself.

"Disable!"

This time I audibly exclaim, "What!?"

"Grimer has disabled Riolu's Quick Attack! It'll be a while before that move comes back into play!"

"Okay then, stun it with Force Palm!"

"Harden!"

Riolu moves swiftly to land its move. Grimer meanwhile stiffens its body. Riolu's paw sinks into Grimer's body, but it does strike as Grimer's body moves back a bit.

"Harden, again!"

Grimer stiffens its body more.

"Hit it with Force Palm!"

Riolu lands another hit but, this time his paw does not sink in.

"Use Minimise!"

Again?

"Minimise, again."

"Force Palm!"

But this time, the hit doesn't land and Riolu falls over the now smaller Grimer. It's less than twice the size.

"Can you use Quick Attack now?"

Riolu stands by, but it does nothing.

"Still disabled, huh?"

"Grimer, use Sludge!"

Grimer drenches Riolu in its toxic sludge and poisons it.

"Oh, no."

"Oh, yes. Now, finish it with Venoshock!"

I open my mouth but the words don't come out. Grimer attacks with Venoshock and Riolu faints.

"Riolu is unable to battle! The winner is Roxie!"

A cheer from both sides reverberates all around me as the crowd congratulates Roxie's win.

"A word of advice," Roxie says as I return Riolu to its pokéball, "you should check out the Complex south of the city. There's Magnemite there that could give you an edge against my poison types. Just something consider."

It takes me a moment to answer. I don't want to be rude and I try my best to keep my composure so I say, "Thanks."

"Chin up. You're just starting on your journey. If you let a loss keep you down, then you're not a pokémon trainer. There're folk out there stronger than me. A whole myriad of them awaits you here just in Unova alone."

I nod.

"See ya," she says as she turns around and hops off the battlefield.

I do the same.