Notes- Not much to say for this one. Chris trains hard and challenges Whitney. Let's see how this unfolds. Please Review and Subscribe!


Chapter 16

The next six days tested every amount of patience in Chris' body. The trainer awoke every morning to the sound of his 7:30 PokéGear alarm clock. He would wake himself with a lukewarm shower before grabbing the continental breakfast in the hotel's lounge. As the days progressed, he found himself consuming more food on each visit. From there, he would work his way to the same training area on Route 34.

Because of the unusually high Spring temperatures, Chris always found himself dressed in athletic shirts and shorts. The trainer was wiping perspiration from his eyes by the time he arrived at the open fields of grass. Being the paranoid boy his mother had raised him to be, Chris kept his silver backpack strapped over his shoulders as he ran several laps around the open route. Chris had taken Waz's advice, about training the body, to heart. The temperatures had really begun to skyrocket by the time he finished this exercise.

Chris had decided on a fixed schedule for the the training days, believing that he could optimize every available minute. On the first day of this intensive training, Chris released his Pokémon from their storage devices and immediately grabbed their attention.

"Yesterday's training was a good start," Chris looked over each of his Pokémon, trying not to laugh at his flailing Magikarp. "However," Chris felt a wave of adrenaline wash over him, "we are nowhere close to where we need to be." Chris began to pace, a habit he hoped would not stick with him forever. "After sleeping on that loss yesterday I realize how light I've been taking your training." Chris' thoughts were on Waz, Sarah, and even Raul.

"Yesterday I told you that we would not be overwhelmed again," the trainer was surprised to see his normally aloof Golbat intently listening, "and I meant it. For the next six days we're going to dedicate ourselves to becoming stronger." Chris nodded at his focused starter. "And we're going to grow."

While Cyndaquil, Nidorino, and Golbat performed a set of stretches, Chris brought Magikarp back to the same stretch of beach. As the Fish Pokémon battled the incoming waves, Chris read through the Johto League Guide that Professor Elm had given him. He found some interesting training regimens for his land based Pokémon, and even some tips for flying and swimming training.

Chris remembered hearing his brother tell about the great physical shape his team had been in and the difference it made on the battlefield. This thought led to the first half of every day's routine being exercise based. For the first couple of days, none of Chris' Pokémon could completely finish their exercises. So at around two, when the sun had begun to descend, Chris would gather his team together to have lunch and take their vitamins. In order to get past his team's physical problem, he was forced to give each member an HP Up to strengthen their stamina. The last four days allowed Chris to work with his Pokémon's attacks, and really stufy them for the first time.

"So your Ember attack loses strength over distance," Chris mentally noted on the third day after seeing his Cyndaquil fire off the attack.

"Quil!" The Fire Mouse waved his arms in frustration.

"It's just an observation," Chris quickly clarified.

During the fourth day of training, Chris stopped to check out Golbat's Wing Attack. The Bat Pokémon spun through the air and swung one of his massive wings into a thick tree branch overhead. Chris noticed the increased speed of the attack and was surprised to see large cracks in Golbat's target. "You really are turning into quite the battler!"

On the fifth day, Chris noticed Nidorino pushing himself harder than ever before. The evolved Pokémon seemed to be hell bent on impressing his trainer. As the sky darkened on this fifth day, Nidorino attempted one more display of strength.

"Nido!"

Chris directed his focus to the Poison Pin Pokémon, whom was charging at one of the few trees in the area. As Nidorino lowered his horn to ram the tree, Chris saw the Pokémon's feet tangle up. The Poison type's face slammed into the ground as momentum carried the out-of-control Nidorino into the tree. The crash scattered oak leaves everywhere and left the trainer speechless. Chris instinctively turned to see his team's reaction, but the Pokémon were too tired to laugh or show emotion.

"Alright," Chris helped his embarrassed Poison type up before addressing the other members, "I think that should do it for day five!" Chris withdrew the four Pokéballs which had now become a welcome sight to his exhausted Pokémon. Chris used his arm to wipe the sweat off his brow. "I'll get you guys all healed up and ready for out final day of training!"

The trainer had managed to adapt to the chaotic streets of Goldenrod and found himself arriving at the center in record time. After handing his Pokémon off to the nurse, Chris was reminded again of her prediction for Cyndaquil. The Fire Mouse Pokémon had remained very consistent throughout the training, but Chris thought he could sense some doubt in his starter. Despite his earlier slip up, Nidorino had demonstrated much more power than Chris' starter since his evolution. The increased speed of Golbat did not help things either. For the upcoming gym battle, Cyndaquil had now become a liability. Nidorino's type advantage and Golbat's aerial assault would be too useful to ignore.

"An evolution tomorrow sure would be great," Chris breathed as he waited beside the counter. The trainer had decided to really push his Pokémon on their final day of training. With any luck, Chris believed he could have a powerful new option after tomorrow.

"Here are your Pokémon!" Nurse Joy announced as she returned Chris' Pokéballs.

"Did you notice anything about Cyndaquil?" Chris quickly asked.

The nurse shook her head. "Sorry, I haven't noticed any changes since Friday."

Chris sighed. "Thanks again."

The trainer decided once again to spend the night in the company of his thoughts. His mind was so focused on Cyndaquil and the Goldenrod Gym that he only managed to get a few hours of sleep. Chris slowly rolled out of bed the next morning and found that he could barely keep his eyes open. After some deliberation, the trainer had to resort to his final morning defense.

"Do you have any sugar?"

Chris held a mug of black liquid in his hand. It was the same concoction he had bashed his parents for drinking over the years.

"All of the coffee accessories are over there," a hotel employee pointed him to a large line.

After nearly twenty minutes, Chris was back on the road and heading for the familiar route. The trainer could feel a headache coming on and was ready for this final day to be over. He felt like his mind had been pushed as hard as his Pokémon. Perhaps he could just take a break on this day.

Upon arriving, he released his Pokémon and made sure he had their attention. "I don't have much to say." Chris noticed how exhausted his Pokémon still looked. Even the Pokémon Center couldn't completely cure their fatigue. "This is it. Today, you are going to push yourselves to your limit. Let's go!"

Chris extended the exercise training an extra ten minutes to ensure his Pokémon knew the desired pace. The trainer found a soft patch of grass to sit down on and observe his team. As Cyndaquil, Nidorino, and Golbat made their laps, Chris thought about working with Magikarp in the water. The trainer studied the waves crashing on the shoreline and found that they were the perfect size to test Magikarp's enhanced stamina.

"I'm not going to use him in the battle," Chris reminded himself. "No point in wasting what little energy I do have."

After his team had finished up their exercises, Chris prepared a quick lunch for the group. The trainer had decided on a strength based diet, and had loaded up his team with Proteins.

Once he had taken care of the vitamins, Chris snapped his team back to training. The trainer rotated them in one-on-one battles and was frustrated to find Cyndaquil unable to keep up with Golbat and Nidorino. The Fire type was repeatedly knocked down by his teammates, prompting Chris to ask Cyndaquil for a break.

"Quil!" The Fire type shook his head before jumping back into his battle with Golbat.

"That's an order!" Chris commanded. The trainer was already angry about Cyndaquil's unevolved state. The last thing the trainer needed was to be frustrated with the Pokémon himself. "You're just having an off day. It happens."

Cyndaquil seemed shocked by his trainer's persistence. The Fire type was too surprised to retort and simply took a seat near Chris.

"There you go," Chris edged on as Nidorino caught Golbat with a Horn Attack. "That's the aggressiveness I'm looking for! We'll need to match Whitney's strength to have any chance."

Chris glanced at his PokéGear and was surprised to find that mid-afternoon was upon them. The trainer could tell that his Pokémon had expended most of their energy and were running off of sheer will. After noticing that Golbat was unable to raise his wings, Chris ended the training.

Chris brought his team down to the shore and released Magikarp into the water beside them. He quickly found himself pacing in front of his team. "Tomorrow's gym battle will most likely be a tough test of endurance and strength. But we've put too much work in to lose now." Chris knelt beside Nidorino and Golbat. "Next time I bring you out of your Pokéball, we'll be facing Whitney. If you have anything you'd like to say, now is the time."

Golbat let loose an uncharacteristic screech that seemed to carry excitement. Chris smiled at the Bat Pokémon before returning him to his containment device.

"Nido!" The Poison Pin Pokémon followed with his own ambitious roar. The Poison type attempted to hide his exhaustion with a swing of his horn.

"Duly noted," Chris nodded, before drawing Nidorino into his Pokéball.

"Magikarp," Chris couldn't hold back a grin, "I guess you're probably itching for a battle as well!" The Fish Pokémon turned to his trainer, but simply gave him the species' trademark blank expression. Chris quickly withdrew the fish. "I'll take that as a yes."

As Chris turned towards his starter, Cyndaquil approached the trainer. Despite his slim chance of battling, the Fire Mouse Pokémon carried his steely-eyed focus. Cyndaquil seemed determined to prove to himself and his trainer that he was not second rate.

"Great things are on the way for you," Chris dropped to his starter's level. "Whenever you evolve, your perseverance and hard work will match your increased size." Chris brought out Cyndaquil's Pokéball. "I couldn't care less about your height or form though. What's going to win us battles," Chris patted his starter's chest, "is in here." Chris tapped the device against his Pokémon and the Fire type was dematerialized into the container.

The trainer stood up and took a deep breath. Before worry could sink into Chris' brain, the young man revealed a grin. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of motivational speeches."

After healing his Pokémon, Chris decided to turn into bed early. The trainer was still exhausted from the previous night's lack of sleep and quickly took care of his hygiene. As he fell into his bed, Chris thought about bringing out his Pokémon to give them some encouragement to sleep on. The trainer could tell that each of his Pokémon were feeding off of their trainer's nervousness. Chris' eyelids had other ideas though, as the trainer found himself unable to keep his head up. The trainer quickly sent a PokéGear message to his mother to update on the day's events. The young man knew that his mother would instantly fear the worst if he did not check in with her on a daily basis. It was simply the price of being a sixteen year old.

The trainer felt his head fall onto the pillow, and sleep immediately followed.


Your journey. Your goals. Your family.

Your life.

Chris found himself looking up at the white hotel ceiling, eyes wide open. It seemed like the trainer had closed his eyes only a second ago. He sat up and was surprised to find his alarm clock displaying 9:00. The sunlight peaking through the shades told Chris all that he needed to know.

"The traffic is going to be awful."

After showering and grabbing a bite to eat, Chris threw on his backpack and was heading North. Through the suffocating traffic of bodies, Chris could make out signs pointing him towards a wide dome in the distance. The trainer traveled another dozen blocks and found himself standing before the gym facility. Chris did not notice any lines or reservation signs present and suddenly felt his body begin to shake. In a short amount of time he would be competing for his third badge.

The trainer from Cherrygrove entered through the large sliding doors and found himself in a spacious room with the domed roof as its ceiling. Despite its size, Chris noticed that all of the action revolved around the battlefield and stadium seats that rested in the middle of the area. The trainer was surprised to find a battle currently underway.

A long necked Pokémon, which Chris eventually recognized as a Girafarig, was locked into battle with what appeared to be a Poliwhirl. Chris noticed that the Water type was being pushed back onto its heels.

"Let's finish them with Psybeam!" The female trainer of Girafarig commanded.

"Block it with Water Gun!" Poliwhirl's trainer shouted.

A multicolored wave of energy crashed over the Tadpole Pokémon before it could counter. Poliwhirl collapsed to the ground, leaving its trainer to release a deep moan.

"I was sure that the third time would be the charm," the middle aged trainer admitted as he returned his defeated Pokémon.

"This was definitely your best attempt yet!" The pink haired trainer informed as she called back her Pokémon.

Upon further examination, Chris identified the tall woman as the Gym Leader, Whitney. The only pictures Chris had ever seen of the Gym Leader were taken back in her youth. The trainer was genuinely surprised to find a woman in her twenties approaching him.

And a little nervous.

"Hello!" Whitney greeted the trainer with a smile and a handshake. Whitney reached into her form fitting jacket to reveal a small, yellow badge. "Here for a battle?"

"Y-You've got it!" Chris tried not to frown after stuttering. "Will you need to heal up your Pokémon though?"

"That depends," Chris could make out a teenage-like sass in the Gym Leader's high pitched voice, "on how many badges you have!"

Chris was more than a little flustered by her direct dialogue. "I have two... right now." Chris fumbled through his backpack. "I mean, I could show them to you, if you needed to see them."

"Of course not!" Whitney flicked her wrist and giggled. "I believe you!" She pointed to the battlefield and revealed two Pokéballs. "If a two-on-two battle is alright with you, I'll be over there."

The trainer was having a very difficult time getting into his battle mentality as he approached the battlefield. Despite the Gym Leader's friendly greeting and child-like excitement, Chris could detect an incredible amount of confidence behind her attitude. Chris tried to display his own confidence as he took his place in the open trainer box.

"Are you ready!?" Whitney squealed as she maximized a Pokéball.

Chris paused. He glanced over at the sideline and noticed something wrong. "What about a judge?"

"Don't worry about it!" The Gym Leader chuckled. "I became a certified official several years back! I'll know when a Pokémon is down for the count."

"Sounds a little unfair to me," Chris muttered beneath his breath.. The trainer noticed his opponent staring at him expectantly. Chris let out a frustrated growl as he withdrew a Pokéball. "I'm ready whenever you are."

"Then let's begin!" Whitney boomed as she tossed her Pokéball into the air.

"Let's start off right," Chris mirrored the Gym Leader's action, watching as both devices released their creatures.

Chris was happy to see his Golbat already tense and focused, despite their opponent being the adorable Clefairy. Chris tried to get a good grasp on Whitney's reaction to his choice, but the leader seemed too enamored by her own Pokémon.

"You get cuter every time I see you!" Whitney clapped for the Fairy Pokémon.

"She began the battle," Chris would not wait for the leader to focus. "Confuse Ray!"

The Bat Pokémon let loose a hellish screech as he sent a ghostly orb of energy at his unsuspecting opponent.

"That move looks quite pretty!" Whitney nodded to her Pokémon. "We'd like to see an Encore!"

To Chris' surprise, Clefairy stood its ground and began to clap. As Golbat's attack found its mark, Chris noticed the Bat Pokémon begin to glow.

"Perfect!" Whitney cheered, despite her Pokémon's confused state.

"I don't know what your game is," Chris said aloud, "but we're here to win." Chris directed his attention to Golbat, who appeared unaffected by Clefairy's move. "Let's take it down with Wing Attack!"

"Stay calm," Whitney quickly informed her Pokémon as Golbat prepared his attack. "You'll have time to shake this confusion off."

As Golbat went to attack, the bat suddenly released another shriek. The Poison type fired another Confuse Ray which harmlessly passed over the already confused Clefairy.

"Why-" Chris suddenly realized the effects of Encore. "It's in the freaking name!" Chris silently berated himself for not acknowledging the attack.

"It appears we are at a standstill," Whitney informed the trainer. "My Pokémon seems to confused to attack, and yours is unable to use an effective move."

"Guess we'll see which moves wears off first," Chris gritted his teeth in frustration. A slow paced, off balanced battle was not his area of expertise. "Keep attempting Wing Attack! It'll wear off!"

The next half minute possessed some of the ugliest battling ever displayed. Golbat fired several Confuse Rays that simply passed over the tipsy Fairy Pokémon. Finally, Golbat managed to overcome Encore's effects and raced towards Whitney's stumbling Pokémon.

"I think you're ready for Metronome!" Whitney directed after seeing her Pokémon begin to regain her balance.

"Don't pull up!" Chris roared, believing that his attack would strike in time.

As Golbat swung a glowing wing forward, Whitney's Pokémon began to wag its fingers. A blinding flash of light exploded out from the Fairy Pokémon and forced Chris to shield his eyes. The trainer was forced to wait several seconds before he could look again. Golbat had been forced to land and shield himself with his wings. Despite the attack not doing any damage, for a nocturnal Pokémon like Golbat, Chris was sure the bat had suffered discomfort.

"Oh, a Flash attack!" Whitney seemed pleased with the mysterious attack's outcome. "How about another Metronome?"

"Crunch!" Chris realized that Whitney severely underestimated the Bat Pokémon's speed.

Golbat pounced from his close proximity and sank his glowing fangs into the unsuspecting Pokémon's neck. The Normal type let out a cry as it dropped to a knee.

"Finish your Metronome, sweetie!" Whitney pleaded after seeing her Pokémon in extreme pain.

The Fairy Pokémon managed to wave its fingers once more, causing Chris to freeze in fear. Clefairy's body suddenly began to glow once more. This time, Chris noticed a harsh blue light encompass Whitney's Pokémon. Chris glanced over at the leader and noticed that she was racing away from the battlefield. The neurons in Chris' brain finally fired.

"Get out of there Golbat!" Chris shouted as he dove to the ground.

The Bat Pokémon displayed his remarkable speed by releasing his grip and taking off into the air. The blue light expanded outward before snapping back to Clefairy in a violent motion.

The Normal type spoke. "Clefairy."

A powerful explosion rippled outward, forcing Chris to cover his head. The trainer felt debris rain down as he kept his head covered. Chris prayed that his Pokémon had made it away in time.

"Sorry about that," he heard Whitney apologize.

Chris looked up and found himself speechless. A large crater now rested where Clefairy had stood. Chris stood up and was even more surprised to see the Fairy Pokémon lying at the bottom of the hole, completely unconscious. The trainer's thoughts instantly shot to his own Pokémon and he snapped his head upward.

"Yes!" Chris' eyes found a figure resting in the dark rafters overhead. The Bat Pokémon dropped back down into sight and came to rest in front of his trainer. "There's that speed we trained for!"

"My darling is obviously unable to continue," Whitney shook her head in disappointment. As she returned the Fairy Pokémon to its device she seemed to pep up a bit. "But you put on a fabulous show! That's all I asked of you!"

"Don't you think Metronome might be a little too dangerous?" Chris could still feel his heart beat racing.

"Oh don't be so dramatic!" Whitney dismissed. "What are the chances of it picking Explosion?!"

"Dramatic?" Chris repeated. The trainer pointed at the crater. "That seems pretty dramatic to me!"

"What less do you expect in a Gym Battle?"

Chris had to bite his tongue to keep from upsetting the Gym Leader. "Alright. I'm ready to continue whenever you are."

"Splendid," she replied with a smirk. "Then here comes my final Pokémon!"

Final Pokémon. Chris remembered hearing those words before. He thought back to who had uttered them. "Adam!" The trainer had warned Chris of Whitney's final Pokémon. The trainer really wished he had asked the Azalea native more about it.

Whitney tossed another Pokéball into the air, immediately grabbing Chris' attention. The device burst open, revealing Whitney's trump card.

"A Miltank?" Chris knew he shouldn't laugh, but he couldn't hold back an audible chuckle. After seeing the determined look in the Gym Leader's eyes, he knew he had made a terrible mistake. "Let's stay focused Golbat!"

"That's right," Whitney kept her voice low, "there's no room for error anymore."

Chris could feel his heart beat pick up again as he heard the leader's warning. Her change in voice sent shivers up the trainer's spine and at once he realized that she now held the competitive edge.

"Begin!" Whitney roared as her Pokémon raced forward on all fours.

"Keep calm Golbat," Chris reassured, more for himself than his Pokémon. "Let's show them no fear. Charge forward with Wing Attack and be ready to adapt!"

The Bat Pokémon raced towards his charging opponent as Chris assessed the situation. With proper timing, Golbat could knock the Milk Cow Pokémon off balance and do some serious damage. As Miltank reared up to strike, Chris made the command. "Go for her legs!"

Golbat used the timing from his training to strike a split second earlier then Chris thought possible. The Bat Pokémon brought his glowing wings forward and delivered a powerful blow to the Normal type's back legs.

"Got her!"

"Stomp attack!" Whitney's command came as a surprise to the challenger.

To Chris' horror, Miltank was not spun to the floor by the attack. In fact, the Milk Cow Pokémon held her ground, catching Golbat completely open. Miltank brought both of her front feet forward, smashing the Bat Pokémon into the ground with her hooves.

"Knock her feet off with your wings and get back into the sky!" Chris quickly directed. The battle's increased pace left Chris unable to comfort his Pokémon. They would have to stick with battle commands.

Golbat followed Chris' direction, managing to get free and fly back into the air.

"I don't think so!" Whitney pointed at Chris' retreating Pokémon. "Don't let Golbat escape! Rollout!"

Chris felt a smile creep to his face. The Gym Leader had made a grave error in judgement. "Prepare a Crunch attack," Chris nodded towards the bat, "and be ready for an opening."

The Milk Cow Pokémon dropped to the ground and began to spin like a top on her side. On Whitney's command, she quickly rolled off in Golbat's direction.

"She can't hit you while you're up in the air," Chris quietly informed his Pokémon. "Be ready to strike once her attack is over."

Chris was surprised to see Miltank roll into the large crater in the middle of the battlefield. For a split second, the Milk Cow vanished from sight.

"What-"

Without warning, Miltank sped up the edge of the hole and used it as a ramp to spin into the air. Chris felt his mind freeze up as the large creature shot towards Golbat like a bullet. Golbat managed to shake off his surprise, and met Whitney's spinning Pokémon with a Crunch attack.

"Golbat!"

Chris watched as the Milk Cow Pokémon shrugged off the Bat Pokémon's attack and delivered her powerful Rollout. The Normal type's spinning body seemed to pull Golbat in and both Pokémon dropped to the ground in a tangled mess. Miltank bounced back to her feet and struck a pose, prompting a shower of praise from her trainer. Chris looked over his motionless Pokémon and realized the truth.

"Golbat is no longer able to battle!" She sung in a playful tune. "Look's like you're down to your last Pokémon!"

"That Miltank," Chris could only stare at the innocent looking Normal type as she smiled at her trainer. "I had no idea... this Pokémon could actually battle."

"One of the first lessons a Pokémon trainer should receive," Whitney's tone became matter-of-fact, "is that every Pokémon is capable of higher level battling. An underestimating opponent makes for an easy win!"

"Guess I forgot that," Chris replied, feeling his teeth grind together. He returned his defeated Pokémon to his device, while already planning how to counter Whitney's menace of a Pokémon. Chris brought out his second Pokéball and tossed it into the air. "Let's see what you do with him!"

Nidorino burst from his container and unleashed an intimidating roar. The prideful introduction was just what Chris needed to restore his fallen confidence. The trainer could feel his both of his fists clinched tightly together as he awaited Whitney's continuation.

"Begin!"

"We aren't going to give them a moment to breath!" Chris informed the Poison type of the pace. "Charge!"

"Let's follow their lead," Whitney shrugged. "Meet him head on. You'll know what to do once you're close enough."

Chris was hit by a moment of déjà vu as he watched the two Pokémon race towards one another. This time however, his Pokémon would not be shoved around.

"Horn Attack!" Chris called out as they reached one another. To the trainer's surprise, Whitney did not give her Pokémon a command.

As Nidorino delivered a powerful strike with his horn, the Milk Cow Pokémon took action. The Normal Type grabbed hold of Nidrino's horn and pulled Chris' Pokémon closer to her. Chris flinched as Whitney's Pokémon placed a kiss on the stunned Poison type's cheek.

"What was that?!" Chris looked toward Whitney in disbelief.

"Follow up with Stomp!" A visible smile crossed the woman's face as she looked on.

Miltank jumped into the air and slammed Nidorino's face into the dirt with her hooves.

"You have to move out of the way!" Chris was baffled by his Pokémon's lack of defense.

"How about we get you feeling better?" Whitney suggested to her Pokémon. "Let's use Milk Drink."

"That's a healing move!" Chris knew he would have to prevent the move at all cost. "Double Kick!"

As Nidorino attempted to get back his feet, the Poison Pin Pokémon collapsed back to the ground. Chris noticed flushed cheeks and a grin on his Pokémon's face.

"You must be joking," Chris could feel his body begin to shake. "That kiss was the move Attract?!"

"And here I thought you'd never catch on!" Whitney confirmed with a playful laugh.

Miltank began to drink from her utters, prompting Chris to plead with his Pokémon. "You've got to snap out of it! We're in the middle of a Gym Battle!" Chris felt a flicker of hope enter his body as Nidorino turned to look back at his trainer. "This whole battle is up to you now buddy. You have to get your head into the game!"

The Poison Pin Pokémon finally nodded and rose back to his feet. Unfortunately, Miltank had already finished her healing technique.

Whitney wasted no time in following up her previous move. "Let's finish them with Rollout!"

"Counter with your Fury Attack!" Chris knew that Nidorino still had more than enough energy to battle. They could not give Miltank any more leeway.

As Miltank spun forward, Nidorino managed to catch the Milk Cow Pokémon with multiple strikes to her exposed body. The blows pushed Miltank back and prevented the Normal type from dealing any damage. Whitney remained persistent however, and Miltank rolled forward to attack once more.

"Excellent job Nidorino!" Chris knew that Rollout grew stronger with each subsequent use, but the trainer believed that his Pokémon was strong enough to fend off any attack. "Send them packing with Double Kick!"

Nidorino shoved both of his front feet towards the charging opponent. Chris was overjoyed to see the kick knock Whitney's Pokémon back once more. As Miltank spun forward for the third time, Chris saw Nidorino turn around and prepare for the follow up kick to his previous attack.

"Don't hold anything back!" Chris encouraged as Nidorino extended his legs forward to intercept Miltank.

The trainer's face contorted into fear as his Pokémon's feet slipped out from under him. Chris had no chance to react as Miltank crashed into the challenger's fallen Pokémon. The blow was powerful enough to lift Nidorino back into the air and deposit the Poison type behind his trainer.

"Nidorino," Chris muttered as he turned around to examine his Pokémon. The young man from Cherrygrove simply stared at his Pokémon. The trainer slowly approached the Poison type and knelt beside him.

"How does he look?" Whitney inquired as she peered at the fallen Pokémon.

"He... he," Chris could feel moisture behind his own eyes, "doesn't look like he'll be able to continue."

"Well then," Whitney's visage carried a very unsatisfied look, "I guess that's that." She approached the challenger, who quickly wiped his eyes. "That was an interesting battle. I'm sure you'll be back for round two soon." She extended a hand.

Chris nodded and shook her hand. The trainer could not bring himself to smile and could only stare at the Gym Leader with blank eyes.

"Are you alright?" Whitney asked hesitantly after noticing Chris' expression.

"Fine," his horse voice replied. "Thank's for granting me a battle."

"Anytime," she replied with a nervous wave, before quickly disappearing into another room.

Chris turned back to look at Nidorino and found that the Poison type had still not regained consciousness. The trainer quickly returned the Pokémon to his Pokéball before heading for the door. Chris felt the numbness surrounding his body disappear and be replaced by nauseous stomach.

"Why am I freaking out?" Chris silently berated himself. The trainer felt too lost to even console his Pokémon. They had put in the training, so it had to be the trainer's fault, right?

The streets were packed with early lunch traffic, prompting Chris to mutter the closest things to curse words he would say. After twenty minutes of fighting his way through the madness, the trainer found himself in front of the Pokémon Center. The trainer passed through the doors and immediately found himself in a lengthy line.

"Really?!" Chris bit his lip to keep from shouting at those who turned towards his outburst. What was wrong with him? The trainer hated losing, but he was acting like a fool. The loss was his fault after all.

Or was it? Golbat's inability to sweep Miltank had nothing to do with Chris' training. The young man had given the Bat Pokémon every necessary vitamin and had trained Golbat with strength in mind. Nidorino's slip up had not been a product of Chris' decision making either. The Poison type had not executed his trainer's command. Perhaps it was as simple as that.

"Here are my Pokémon," Chris went to hand the nurse his team, but found a different woman before him. "Where's Nurse Joy?"

"Not working today," the brunette woman yawned. "I've taken over for her. Now could I please see your Pokémon? We don't want to hold up the line."

Chris was not in the mood to argue. The trainer quickly complied with her request before asking, "When will those two be ready for pick up?"

"With the crowd we've had today," the young nurse looked up at a nearby clock, "I'd say a couple of hours."

"Wow," Chris couldn't hide the sarcastic tone in his voice. The day was not getting any better. "Alright," Chris pushed past his frustration and decided to head outside.

After battling traffic for several minutes, Chris found a calm ocean lookout to catch his breathe at. Since Chris had entered the city, he'd found himself assimilated into its pace. At first the trainer had thought nothing of it. After several days of rural sights, Chris had been relieved to see city lights. However, the trainer was beginning to believe that Goldenrod's fast, chaotic lifestyle was catching up to him. Despite his extended rest, the trainer still felt jittery, as if he could explode at any moment. Chris leaned against the railing and took a moment to reflect on the last few hours.

"Something is off," Chris breathed as he studied the afternoon sun's reflection on the ocean's calm surface. Up until this past week of training, Chris had prided himself on an upbeat, positive attitude. The trainer thrived on the energy of Johto's scenery and the battles it offered. This sulking, thought-overloaded attitude was not what Chris desired. The trainer needed a boost.

Chris noticed an open stretch of beach in front of him and found a set of stairs leading down to it. The trainer checked his PokéGear and found that he still needed to kill an hour. Setting his backpack down in a patch of grass, the trainer took off his shoes and performed some stretches. Chris needed these sprints, and he needed to run them alone. The young man felt his mind begin to unwind as his feet pressed into the soft, warm sand. Sand that wasn't too different from the grainy sea close to his house. As he drove his feet down, he thought about his loss. Dropping a gym battle to Whitney was unfortunate, but who said it was a setback?

When the trainer felt he had worked up a solid sweat, he fell beside his backpack. With adrenaline pumping through his veins, Chris believed he had rediscovered the trainer who had won his first two gym battles. After finding a shower to rinse off the sand, he threw on his shoes and backpack. The trainer noticed storm clouds forming over the ocean as he prepared to set out. It was still fairly early in the afternoon as Chris made his way back to the Pokémon Center. He felt a little bit of life return with each step he took.

Chris rounded the final corner, that brought the center into sight, when he heard a commotion in the alley beside him. The trainer was shocked to find a boy around Chris' age lying in the narrow street. He appeared to be unconscious, prompting Chris to fear for his well being. As the trainer approached him, Chris found that he was not alone.

"Listen tough guy," a man stepped out of the shadows, "you don't need to get involved. This doesn't concern you."

"What's your issue with him?" Chris nodded at the downed young man.

"He owes me a great deal of money," the older man replied as he stepped toward Chris. Despite his large build, Chris realized that the man wasn't very tall.

"I don't think he'll be able to pay you if he's unconscious," Chris hesitantly countered. The trainer did not wish to escalate the conflict.

"I think you're right," Chris felt a twinge of fear as the man spoke. The trainer could not make out the figure's expression. "How about you pay it?"

Chris instinctively reached into his backpack for his Pokéballs. The move triggered a series of hectic events.

"Yanmega!"

Chris heard the sound of wings flapping overhead, before catching a viscous blow to the back of his head. The strike knocked Chris off of his feet and flung the trainer headfirst into a recycling bin. Chris grabbed the back of his head and remained still. The trainer felt groggy, but attempted to regain his bearings.

There seemed to be a scuffle going on nearby, but Chris was unable to survey it. There was an explosion of light and then, silence.

"What is going on?" Chris managed to gather himself after several seconds. The trainer made it to his feet and looked over the alley.

"Where..." Chris found the narrow street completely void of life. The trainer's confusion was cut off by a throbbing pain in the back of his skull. He didn't need to dwell here.

Chris slowly finished his trek back to the Pokémon Center. He went to the pick up counter and asked an aid for a pack of ice. Along with the bag of ice, the woman brought Chris his healed Pokémon. The trainer thanked her before placing the ice on his head as he took a seat. Chris checked his backpack and was relieved to find that nothing had been damaged or stolen. Now that Chris had regained his composure, and the throbbing pain had weakened, he felt anger surge into his body. The trainer had been unable to stop the man's assault, and more importantly, could not aid the helpless boy. It was a blow to Chris' pride and his conscious. The trainer needed some solace from his Pokémon.

Once Chris felt that the aching pain would no longer be an issue, the trainer headed towards the nearby Route 34. The volume of the city did not help the throbbing headache that was beginning to form. Chris was happy to escape the roar of traffic as he stumbled onto the route. The trainer was pleased to find his training spot completely deserted, an obvious product of the approaching storm. As gusts of wind began to sweep through the flat land, Chris released his Pokémon from their containers.

"Guys I-" Chris stopped. Each Pokémon had their backs turned to the trainer. Even Magikarp would not look up from the pond he was floating in. Chris found himself speechless as the wind continued to pick up. "What's going on?" The trainer asked the question calmly, refusing to let his voice shake. He needed to remain confident. "Why are you acting like this?"

None of Chris' Pokémon made a sound. They remained stoic, like statues, as Chris looked over each member. A cold wave raced up the trainer's spine, a chill that had nothing to do with the wind. "Don't do this guys! I can't..."

A bolt of lightning ripped through the sky overhead, bringing Chris' encounter with Suicune back to the trainer's mind. That moment felt like it had occurred years ago. How much had his Pokémon grown since that meeting? How much had he grown?

The trainer felt his headache coming on stronger as he stared over his Pokémon. Finally, he broke. "What is wrong?" Chris shouted over the wind. The trainer felt like he had been thrust into an unsolvable situation. He was out of options. "Why?"

As drops of rain began to fall, Chris held back a gasp as Cyndaquil slowly turned to look at him. The Fire Type held his usual solemn expression, but something was different. The trainer felt himself wither under the Fire Mouse Pokémon's stare. The pressure pushed Chris to withdraw his team's Pokéballs once more. As Chris returned the Pokémon to their devices, he caught one last glimpse of Cyndaquil. Beyond the Fire type's stern glare, Chris could make out drops of water in the Pokémon's eyes.

Night had fallen by the time Chris returned to his hotel room. The trainer found a number in his PokéGear and called it. He felt tears begin to fall down his cheeks as the ringer chimed.

A deep voice answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, dad."


Chris has reached a crossroads of sorts. How will the trainer tackle this emotion-driven conflict? Can he reach the heart of the issue and gain back the support of his team. Let's find out in the next chapter!