Summer's training for the Mauville City Gym took a slight detour as Professor Birch requested help with his summer camp. The two Trainers not only helped with the children's field work assignment, they also saved one of them from Hamsetrin's grasp. As the days winded down, the Hoenn Trainer finishes her preparations. But it appears someone unexpected has come to watch the match. Who is it, and how will Summer do against the Electric type Gym Leader?

Chapter 23- A Surprise Shock

As we wrapped up our last day of training on Route 117, I sat under a tree, reading the upcoming Gym Leader's description.

"Wattson, one of the oldest Gym Leaders in the Hoenn Region, is also known as the 'the cheerfully electrifying man' due to his penchant for Electric type Pokémon and jokes. With his beloved partner, Volt the Manectric, the founder of Mauville City has also been tinkering with the evolution of his beloved city. He eventually hopes to convert it into a modern location for years to come. By mixing his fun-loving nature with his skill in electronics and robotics, Wattson has come up with surprise techniques that we cannot disclose any further than this biography."

Surprise techniques, huh? I wonder what that means…

"Here you go, Summer."

I looked up and saw Lightning present to me a beautifully aesthetic grass wreath.

I gasped. "Wow, Lightning. I'm really impressed. You not only got the grass and daisies in it, but also some nuts and berries."

She beamed. "Thanks, Summer! I really worked hard on this. It's been getting easier to incorporate more things into the wreath now."

"Does that mean you're ready to use Grass Knot?"

She rubbed the back of her head. "Maybe? I haven't tried it since I almost knocked Ty into the river."

"Why don't you try now?"

She glanced at Weldon approached and smirked. "Sure…"

She got down on all fours and focused her energy into her front paws. A light green aura appeared, and two large blades of grass began to tie themselves in front of the boy. However, he noticed it just in time and skipped over it.

"Nice try, Lightning," he said with a grin. "Though you are getting the form down."

"Darn!"

Weldon plopped next to me and exhaled sharply. "How is it so hot today?!"

"If you think this is hot, just wait till we get to the places near Mt. Coronet."

"That volcano? Don't remind me… Anyway, ready for tomorrow?"

I put the wreath on Lightning's head before she dashed off. "I think so. Rocky's in for sure, then Blaze and Lightning. And Olive will be participating in the minor preliminary battle."

"I see. Did they say what the benefits and risks are for that?"

I stroked my chin. "I don't recall reading about it. I guess he wants to keep it a surprise."

He shook his head. "Don't they always?"

Seeing him perspire some more, I got up. "Let's head back. We can get some ice cream at Freezing Rock."

"Freezing...Rock?"

"Yeah! They make ice cream mixed with custom order toppings on frozen flat rocks. Apparently, it's pretty popular."

Weldon smirked. "It was also a coupon item, wasn't it?"

"How did-?"

"I have the book too, remember? Now come on, let's go before it gets crowded."

I called over Lightning, who was finishing the grassy crowns for the wild Oddish and Zigzagoon. Then we headed to the ice cream place inside the Mauville City Shopping Center. After getting our treats, we found a table by the television.

The Raichu happily licked her ketchup-flavored ice cream as I dug into my chocolate ice cream mixed with fudge sauce, brownies, and strawberries. I smiled as Weldon savored his coffee ice cream with bits of chocolate chips, banana, and peanut butter swirled inside.

The last time I saw him this happy was during the Princess Festival in Saffron City. I'm glad he's been more go-with-the-flow now.

Weldon gave me a quizzical look. "Everything okay? You're giving me a weird smile."

"O-Oh! It's nothing!"

I ignored Lightning's side smirk and focused on the news. To my surprise, my old traveling partner, Yuki, was on the screen. She and her Wartortle, Momo, finished their appeals round with an impressive Aqua Tail and Ice Beam combination.

As they waved, the screen turned into an inset picture. {And that was the amazing appeals round from top Coordinator contender, Yuki Mizu from Tangelo Island.} A female reporter said. {With her Wartortle, Momo, in tow, Yuki has won her second Ribbon in Vermillion City. She is one of the highly watched Coordinators in this year's Kanto Pokémon Contest circuit, and we are looking forward to see how she progresses.}

"Wow, Yuki's doing well," I noted. "Her performance looks a lot better too."

Weldon nodded. "I agree. Do you want to see her perform?"

I pondered this. "Of course. But I don't think we can take a break to go back to Kanto."

The announcer continued, {This year will also be the third year of the popular Wallace Cup. The Wallace Cup Ribbon is a highly valued prize that is recognized by all Contest-holding Regions. Therefore, all Coordinators are invited to participate, no matter the region where they are registered in. The Wallace Cup will be held in the Champion's hometown of Sootopolis City in about six months' time. We will provide more coverage as the date gets closer.}

"Do you think Yuki will do it?" Weldon asked as he scooped out a chunk of banana.

"I hope so. It'll be great if she did, and we can meet up with her. Have you watched a Contest before?"

"Nope. It wasn't part of my curriculum."

I beamed. "Then we should definitely watch. Out of all the Contests, this should definitely be your first."

He chuckled. "If you say so. Let's finish up and head back to finish the Gym prep."

"Okay."

We consumed the rest of our sweet treats and returned to the Pokémon Center.

The next day…

Weldon and I walked to the yellow Gym building, which stood out from the skyscrapers. The lightning bolts were much more noticeable up close, and I was able to make out three beacons on the roof.

We entered the building and were surprised to see a mechanical Raikou in the center of the yellow tiled lobby. Other than that, the display cases showed the different devices and mechanisms constructed by their eccentric owner.

A young man with fluffy brown hair and glasses emerged from a room past the reception desk. "Oh, hello! Are you here for your Gym battle?" he asked in a meek voice.

I approached the table. "Yeah, Summer Scorcher at 10?"

He adjusted his brown cardigan glanced through the schedule on the computer. "Ah, yes. Right on time. I'll let Wattson know you're here. In the meantime, feel free to wait in the lobby until I come back. Your friend can enter the bleachers through the right door. My name's Watt by the way. If you need anything, just ask."

"O-Oh, okay."

The assistant disappeared back into the hallway.

"I've never had the receptionist tell me to wait in the lobby after checking in…" I murmured.

"Be on your guard," Weldon cautioned. "It could be one of his surprise techniques."

"I will."

After he left, I observed the very realistic Pokémon. "This is really cool. It's a pretty accurate copy."

To my surprise, Sānda's voice echoed in my mind. "Seriously, Summer? I am much more sleek and refined than that...jagged replica…"

I never expected you to be jealous, Sānda…

Suddenly the machine roared, causing me to jump back. Th-That really sounded like Sānda too.

"H-Hey!"

"Interesting behavior..."

I turned around to see Watt writing something on a notepad. "Wait, you're recording this?"

"Well, it was Wattson's idea. He wanted to see if he could make life-size mechanical Pokémon for a new amusement park in the Kanto Region. This is the one he's most proud of, so he wants me to record any reactions challengers have to it, that old coot."

"I...see…"

"Anyway, Wattson's ready for you. Go ahead through the double doors."

"Thanks." I took a deep breath and entered the battlefield room.

Like the room before it, it was very yellow, including the bleachers and television screen. The only thing that wasn't as yellow was the dirt battlefield.

I guess the Gym Leader really likes yellow.

Across the way stood a short, stout man. He had white hair, a white beard, and black eyes. His outfit consisted of an olive green jacket with the Electric type emblem on the upper sleeves, yellow cargo pants, and brown shoes.

Or maybe not all yellow…

"Ah, there she is. Summer Scorcher," he announced in a booming voice. "Welcome to the Mauville City Gym. I'm Wattson, the Gym Leader. I hope you enjoyed the surprise earlier."

I forced a smile. "Oh yeah. It was...shocking…"

He laughed. "I never get tired of people using that joke! I hope you don't mind me being here already. A surprise visitor came and wanted to watch your battle. I hope that's okay with you."

"A surprise visitor?"

I looked at the stands, and to my surprise, Viola was there with a scowl on her face. Weldon sat somewhere else, distancing himself from his former classmate as much as possible.

"Viola?" I called. "Why are you here?"

She replied with a sneer. "Doing the thing I'm best at with competitive battling: research."

"Uh…okay…"

"I don't know how a normie like you defeated someone like my jack, but I'm here to find out!"

Weldon rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about Viola, Summer! Just focus on the battle!"

I smiled. "Thanks, Weldon."

Then Wattson cleared his throat. "Anyway, you are doing the minor preliminary battle, yes?"

"That's right."

"Well then. Let's begin!"

Watt entered the room and made his way to the referee box. "Trainers, select your Pokémon!"

The older man took out a Great Ball. "Alrighty, Bolt, let's electrify the room!"

A small green dog-like Pokémon with yellow markings on his head appeared. He had a jagged appearance, especially with the yellow stripe on his back and his yellow-tipped tail.

[Electrike, the Lightning Pokémon. It generates electricity using friction from the atmosphere. In seasons with especially arid air, its entire body blazes with violent showers of sparks.]

An Electrike. That makes sense. "Let's go, Olive!"

The Treecko was a little frightened to see her opponent, but after giving her a confident smile, she was put at ease.

"The challenger, Summer Scorcher, will have the first move." Watt raised his hands. "Battle begin!"

"Olive, Quick Attack!"

She nodded and charged at Bolt.

Wattson grinned and shouted, "Use Quick Attack right back!"

He leapt forward in the blinding white light, dodging the speedy Grass type. Then, he spun around and struck Olive. She tumbled backwards but was able to return to her feet.

That really is an unexpected strategy. Let's try a surprise strategy of our own.

"Bolt, Tackle!"

As he got close, I countered, "Olive, Screech!"

She emitted the high-pitched sound, causing Bolt to falter and step back. The Gym Leader wasn't too surprised as his Pokémon's defense reduced dramatically.

He laughed. "What an interesting strategy, Summer. Looks like you have some surprises of your own."

I grinned. "Thanks, Wattson. Now, Olive, Mega Drain!"

She charged her tail and prepared to absorb the Electric type's energy.

"Not so fast, Summer! Bolt, protect yourself with Discharge!"

Bolt charged his body and surrounded himself with blue sparks. This not only blocked the green energy from touching him, it also hit Olive. She winced from the attack, but she still looked fine.

Seeing her willingness to continue, I shouted, "Quick Attack!"

She jumped over the electricity and slammed into Bolt.

Unfazed, the Gym Leader shouted, "Use Bite!"

As he opened his mouth, I waved my hand. "Counter with Pound!"

She spun around, using her left hand as an anchor, and struck the Electric type again. However, sparks from Bolt's fur transferred onto Olive, and she winced.

Dang it! I should've expected Bolt to have Static.

More confident about the battle, Wattson shouted, "Bolt, Discharge!"

The Lightning Pokémon pushed the Treecko back with his move, but he panted heavily because the physical attacks were hurting him more than normal.

Seeing my Pokémon was doing the same, I knew this would be the last move.

"Quick Attack!" we simultaneously shouted.

The green Pokémon again charged at each other. However, Olive struggled to keep running due to the paralysis. Bolt took advantage and launched her into the air.

I gotta think fast!

When I saw her body glow green, I knew what I had to do. "Use Mega Drain!"

Feeling a boost from her ability, Overgrow, she pointed her tail at Bolt and absorbed whatever she could. The Electrike howled in pain, then collapsed from exhaustion. Olive slammed into the battlefield. She tried to stand, but was unable to.

The room was silent until Watt waved his arms. "Both Olive and Bolt are unable to battle! This minor preliminary match is a draw!"

I ran over to Olive, who got back to her feet.

She sniffled, holding back tears. "I-I'm sorry, Summer."

"Hey, it's okay, Olive. You did your best. Besides, you're slowly overcoming your fears."

She cracked a smile. "I-I guess so. Can I watch the rest of the battle?"

"Sure. You can watch with Weldon."

After giving her some Sitrus Berries, she climbed onto the bleacher walls and joined him in the stands.

I looked at Wattson, who gave me a sheepish grin.

"That was a mighty fine preview of our battle, Summer. I'm impressed so far."

"Oh, thanks, Wattson. What happens now?"

He stroked his chin. "Well, if a draw happens, then there are no benefits or penalties that'll affect you. Basically, we're just gonna go into the match as usual."

"Well, that's good. I'm ready to start whenever you are."

He laughed. "Very well. Watt, let's start."

His assistant nodded and announced, "This match will now be a three-on-three singles battle between Summer Scorcher from Littleroot Town and Wattson, the Mauville City Gym Leader. The challenger is allowed to switch her Pokémon and will have the first move. The winner will be decided when the opponent's Pokémon are unable to battle. Wattson, please select your first Pokémon!"

Wattson took out a Fast Ball, an orange Poké Ball with large splotches. "Let the sparks fly, Volt!"

A Manectric materialized and puffed out his chest, giving off an air of power.

This surprised me. "You're leading with your strongest Pokémon first, Wattson?"

He laughed. "Of course! It's all part of the battling strategy I'm most known for!"

Oh right, the surprise tactics. "In that case, go, Rocky!"

The Steelix towered over the field, but the Electric type remained steadfast.

The older man stroked his beard. "A smart idea, Summer, but let's see how this all turns out."

I clenched my teeth. I don't like the sound of that, but I'm going through with this.

Watt raised his arms. "Battle begin!"

"Rocky, use Iron Tail!"

He raised his glowing tail and aimed it at the Discharge Pokémon.

Wattson smiled. "Dodge and use Flamethrower!"

Volt leapt out of the way and shot a stream of flames at Rocky. The latter groaned as the super effective move hit his body, but he was able to shake off the pain.

I clenched my fist. I didn't expect his Manectric to use Flamethrower. I hope it doesn't get worse.

Seeing he was able to continue, I shouted, "Use Stone Edge!"

He slammed his tail on the ground and released a wave of pointed rocks that caught Volt off-balance. The Electric type was thrown into the air, but was able to land on all fours.

"Hang in there, Volt. Counter with Crunch!"

His partner nodded and used the rocky spires to shorten the distance to Rocky's head.

As the Manectric bared his fangs, I waved my right arm. "Counter with your own Crunch!"

Rocky opened his mouth and clamped onto Volt's body. The Electric type struggled to break free, but the Steelix maintained his grip.

Wattson, though, remained calm. "Volt, use Hidden Power!"

Several orbs appeared around the blue Pokémon and swirled around him. I noticed the clear blue color and my eyes grew wide.

"Rocky, throw Volt back!"

The Iron Snake Pokémon hurled his opponent towards the ground, just as Electric type shot the orbs at the taller Pokémon. Rocky roared in pain as Volt struggled to his feet.

I knew it...that Hidden Power was Water type… Wattson is really prepared against Steel and Ground types. But we can't let that stop us.

"Are you okay, Rocky?" After giving me a nod, I commanded, "Use Dragonbreath!"

"Volt, block it with Flamethrower!"

The green and orange flames collided before exploding and spraying embers everywhere. Both Pokémon endured the falling embers, but their exhaustion was obvious.

Wattson sprang into action. "Volt, finish Rocky with Hidden Power!"

The Manectric jumped up and began to create the blue orbs.

This is our last shot! I can't let Rocky lose to an Electric type like this! "Rocky, Stone Edge!"

Sensing my determination, Rocky roared emphatically. Shards of rock circled around him, surprising Wattson.

The two combatants unleashed their attacks, each individual element striking each other at the center of the field. However, more shards pierced through the small orbs and pelted Volt. The Electric type shrieked before crashing onto the rocks. He tried to stand up, but his legs gave out.

Watt examined the fallen Manectric, then shouted, "Volt is unable to battle! Rocky wins! Wattson, please choose your next Pokémon!"

"Great job, Rocky," I praised.

Though he was panting, he gave me a smile. "Th-Thanks."

"Excellent work, Volt," Wattson complimented as he returned his partner. "Take a good rest." He took out an Ultra Ball and smiled. "This is shaping out to be a shockingly good battle. Let the sparks fly, Gauss!"

A Magneton floated over the broken rocks.

I cautiously looked at Rocky. "Do you want to keep going? It may have Magnet Pull."

"Y-Yeah. I-I need to give the others some help."

"All right. Just be careful, okay?"

He nodded and returned his gaze to the new opponent.

Watt acknowledged our stance and shouted, "Battle begin!"

Rocky slightly shifted due to Gauss' presence. This confirmed the Electric type's ability.

I waved my arm. "Rocky, use Dragonbreath!"

As the Steelix prepared for the attack, Wattson smiled. "Gauss, Charge Beam!"

I raised an eyebrow. An Electric type move? But it won't work on Rocky.

The Magneton charged a yellow orb from its center then shot a yellow electricity beam that collided with the green flames. Although the attacks canceled each other out, a red aura temporarily surrounded Gauss.

A stat raise? So that's why. But which one? Guess I'll find out soon enough.

"Rocky, use Iron Tail!"

He raised his tail, but before he could slam it onto Gauss, Wattson shouted, "Gauss, use Screech!"

The Electric type vibrated and emitted the familiar ear-splitting sound. I covered my ears as Rocky winced. With the Ground type temporarily immobilized, the Gym Leader increased the pressure.

"Gauss, Magnet Bomb!"

Small silver orbs appeared around the Magneton before it shot each one at Rocky.

I shouted, "Rocky, use Stone Edge!"

He fired the rock shards at the orbs, but the Steel type move powered through them and struck the Steelix. Rocky groaned before falling onto the battlefield, motionless.

"Rocky is unable to battle! Gauss wins! Summer, please select your next Pokémon!"

I smiled as I returned him. "Good job, Rocky. Go get some rest." Even though that move was not that effective, using Screech definitely increased Magnet Bomb's power. I have to be careful against Gauss. "Go, Blaze!"

My starter emerged from his ball and crossed his arms. Gauss, on the other hand, vibrated aggressively.

"Um...is Gauss okay?" I asked Wattson.

"Oh, don't mind him. It gets excited when it faces a significant disadvantage."

"I see…"

Watt raised his arms. "Battle begin!"

I raised my right hand. "Blaze, Fire Punch!"

He nodded and ran towards the Magneton.

Wattson laughed. "Going right for the close range, huh? Gauss, Reflect!"

It raised its magnets and formed a translucent rainbow barrier in front of it. Blaze's fiery fist hit the circular shield, but only a few embers went through and made contact. Gauss hummed, as if it was laughing.

Great… Now its defense against physical moves is temporarily raised.

Blaze jumped back to our side of the field, preparing for a counterattack.

The Gym Leader did just that. "Gauss, Charge Beam!"

"Blaze, Flamethrower!"

The electricity and fire collided, but with the earlier boost, the yellow beam broke through and struck Blaze in the chest. He growled in pain as Gauss received another power increase.

"Are you okay, Blaze?"

"Y-Yeah, don't worry about me."

I nodded. "Then let's try something else." I shifted my right foot. "Blaze Kick!"

The Fire type leaped into the air and we moved our knees into position.

"Gauss, Screech!"

The Magnet Pokémon released another ear-splitting sound. Blaze grimaced and felt his strength decrease, but he refused to relent and struck the barrier again. Although the attack still couldn't break the Reflect, the resonation of the impact still hurt Gauss.

Wattson grinned as Blaze retreated. "Impressive. I never expected Blaze to have the strength to affect Gauss with the Reflect in place. But we're not through yet! Magnet Bomb!"

As Gauss launched the Steel type move, I countered with, "Dodge, Blaze!"

He ran to the right, but to my shock, the move followed Blaze and hit him. The Blaziken tumbled backwards, but he was able to stand up.

I gritted my teeth. I didn't expect it to be a perfect accuracy move, like Aerial Ace… But I wonder…

Wattson shouted, "Finish Blaze with another Magnet Bomb!"

I made a fighting pose, and Blaze followed my lead. "Blaze, knock the small orbs back with Fire Punch and Blaze Kick!"

With a confident smirk as the orbs approached, we knocked each of them back with punches and kicks. The flaming silver orbs hit the rainbow barrier, but it eventually faded, causing Gauss to take damage. Its Trainer was shocked to see the Magnet Bomb turning against them.

The Magneton faltered a bit, but was still levitating.

"Now, Blaze! Flamethrower!"

"Gauss, use Charge Beam!"

The attacks collided again, and the Electric type move began to overpower the flames.

"Don't give in, Blaze!" I encouraged. "You can do it!"

Motivated by my words, his body glowed orange, and the Flamethrower grew bigger. The super effective move overtook the Charge Beam and struck Gauss head on. The Magnet Pokémon, which was now scorched, fell onto the battlefield.

"Gauss is unable to battle! Blaze wins! Wattson, choose your last Pokémon!"

"Great job, Blaze." Then I noticed he was panting harder. "Do you want to continue?"

He tried to straighten up but was too hurt to do so.

I took out his Poké Ball. "Blaze, return!"

The Blaziken retreated without complaint.

"A wise decision, Summer," the Gym Leader noted. "Now, for my final Pokémon!" Wattson took out an Ultra Ball. "Let the sparks fly, Siemens!"

An Electrode hopped onto the battlefield, the iconic grin plastered in its face.

I took out my last Poké Ball. "Go, Lightning!"

The Raichu landed on all fours, ready for battle.

Wattson smirked. "Looks like they'll be sparks in the end all right!"

"Umm...sure…"

He scoffed with a shrug. "That's one of my best jokes. Oh well."

Watt waved his arms. "Battle begin!"

"Lightning, use Thunderbolt!"

She charged her cheeks and fired the lightning bolt at her opponent.

Wattson grinned and shouted, "Dodge with Rollout!"

Siemens closed his eyes and rolled around the attack. Then, he headed for the Mouse Pokémon and struck her head on.

I gritted my teeth as it came back. "Dodge, Lightning!"

She tried to outrun the barreling Electrode, but it was able to strike again, causing more damage. She shook off the pain as Siemens stopped in front of us and chuckled.

Without Quick Attack, it's going to be harder to avoid fast attacks. Looks like our strategy has to change.

"Lightning, use Iron Tail!"

She nodded and charged her tail.

The Gym Leader smirked. "Sorry, Summer, but these head-on moves won't work against us! Siemens, Double Team!"

To my frustration, the round Pokémon made five copies of itself. But I remembered what to do.

"Spin around and strike them all!"

She anchored her right hand into the dirt and swung clockwise, knocking the illusions away and hitting the farthest one. Siemens winced, but was otherwise unfazed.

"Rollout, Siemens!"

"Lightning, Thunder Punch!"

Both Pokémon's moves connected, but the Electrode easily knocked Lightning away. It then struck the Mouse Pokémon several times, each hit doing more damage than the last. She fell onto the ground and struggled to stand.

"Are you okay, Lightning?"

She returned to her feet and smiled. "I'm fine."

We need to do something about that Rollout. I don't want another repeat of what happened against Whitney.

Wattson clenched his right hand. "Time to make it rain! Siemens, Rain Dance!"

The Ball Pokémon smiled and twirled around, hopping occasionally. Soon, I felt a drop of water touch my head. I looked up and saw rain falling onto the battlefield from large dark clouds.

That is certainly a surprise move. I wonder what he's planning to do. I should strike first before he can. "Lightning, Thunder Punch!"

Feeling energized by the water on her fur, she ran at the round Pokémon and quickly charged her right paw. But Wattson was unfazed. The Electrode smirked, as if he was expecting a familiar command. I braced for the worst.

"Siemens, Thunder!"

It hopped up and focused its energy into the dark clouds. A flash of lightning caused me to shield my eyes, and my heart dropped when I heard Lightning cry in pain. When the bright light faded, I slowly lowered my arm and saw Lightning was just a few inches away from Siemens. She glared at the grinning Electrode and returned to our side of the field.

I smiled, feeling her determination. Lightning really wants to win. I can't let all the training we did go to waste.

Wattson beamed. "It's been a fun battle, Summer. But I think it's about over now. Siemens, Rollout!"

The Ball Pokémon spun towards a weak Lightning, splashing water aside.

Then it hit me. "Lightning, use Grass Knot!"

Clenching the wet soil, she stood up and focused her energy into them. A soft green glowed appeared around her paws, and she struck the ground with full force.

Two large blades of grass appeared in front of the speeding Electrode and tied themselves together.

Wattson gasped. "Oh no! Dodge, Siemens!"

It tried to, but the combination of rain and speed make it too slippery, causing the Ball Pokémon to hit the knotted vegetation and fly into the air.

I smiled. "Lighting, Thunderbolt!"

She shot the bolt at the wayward Electrode, which also caused it to be shocked by the storm clouds. Siemens then fell onto the battlefield, his grin frozen in place.

Watt examined his employer's Pokémon then shouted, "Siemens is unable to battle! Lightning wins, which means this match goes to Summer Scorcher of Littleroot Town!"

"You did it, Lightning!" I squealed as she jumped into my arms.

"All thanks to you, Summer!" she exclaimed. "I got a Grass Knot to work!"

I set her back down as Wattson came over.

He clapped. "Well done, Summer! You not only beat me, but you also used strategies I've never seen before."

He took something out of his jacket pocket. It was a round yellow pin comprised of five circles and had a thin rod ornament behind it.

"You earned this Dynamo Badge, Summer. Congratulations."

"Thanks, Wattson." I secured our latest prize in my Badge Case.

"Good luck with the rest of the Gym challenge, Summer. I know you'll do as well as you did here. In the meantime, I need to do the finishing touches on my traps for that Nuzlocke Trainer's Gym challenge. I can't wait to see him figure it out!"

I chuckled. "I'm sure he'll be pleased. Bye, Wattson."

"Farewell!"

Lightning and I returned to the lobby, where Weldon and Olive were waiting.

"Congratulations, Summer," he complimented.

"Thanks, Weldon. It was a really close battle. What happened to Viola?"

"Oh, she ran off once the battle was over. To be honest, I was happy to see her so upset. You really proved her wrong."

I chuckled as Olive walked towards me. "Did you like the battle, Olive?"

"O-Oh, yeah…" She then looked at Lightning, who was stuffing herself with some Sitrus Berries. "H-Hey, L-Lightning?"

The Raichu paused. "What's up, Olive?"

"C-Can I… Can I touch you?"

"Oh, sure."

The Treecko slowly reached out to her teammate. The former hesitated but went through and touched Lightning's fur. Olive gasped and laughed.

"I-It's so soft and warm… Not at all cold and painful…"

Lightning sniffled. "Olive… I can't believe it…"

She offered to hug the young Pokémon, and the Grass type obliged.

I was touched by the scene. Bit by bit, Olive was truly overcoming her past.

Summer's Pokémon:

Blaze (Blaziken, male): Brave Nature, Blaze Ability, moves: Fire Punch, Flamethrower, Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut

Errol (Noctowl, male): Rash Nature, Keen Eye Ability, moves: Psychic, Confusion, Hypnosis, Air Slash

Aurora (Dewgong, female): Calm Nature, Thick Fat Ability, moves: Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Signal Beam

Lightning (Raichu, female): Adamant Nature, Static Ability, moves: Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Thunder Punch, Grass Knot

Rocky (Steelix, male): Lonely Nature, Rock Head Ability, moves: Stone Edge, Crunch, Dragonbreath, Iron Tail

Olive (Treecko, female): Timid Nature, Overgrow Ability, moves: Pound, Screech, Mega Drain, Quick Attack

Weldon's Pokémon:

Venusaur (male): Serious Nature, Overgrow Ability, moves: Solarbeam, Body Slam, Sludge Bomb, Vine Whip

Fearow (male): Adamant Nature, Keen Eye Ability, moves: Drill Peck, Steel Wing, Fury Attack, Aerial Ace

Golem (male): Bold Nature, Rock Head Ability, moves: Rock Slide, Earthquake, Rollout, Double Edge

Gyarados (male): Sassy Nature, Intimidate Ability, moves: Surf, Ice Fang, Payback, Waterfall

Arcanine (male): Naughty Nature, Flash Fire Ability, moves: Hyper Beam, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Fire Blast

Electabuzz (male): Rash Nature, Static Ability, moves: Thunder, Mega Kick, Thunder Punch, Shock Wave

Questions for the Chapter:

What did you think of Summer's Gym battles?

What did you think of Wattson?

What will Summer and Weldon encounter on their way to the next Gym?