Summer and Weldon arrived in Lavaridge Town and met up with her friend, Sip, at the Pokémon Center's hot springs. While there, she learned about the Gym Leader, Flannery, who was in big trouble. Enki Moore, Flannery's grandfather, asked Summer to battle her to not only get more experience, but to help her overcome her recent struggle. Our heroine, however, isn't sure how this Gym battle would help someone she doesn't know that well. Who helps Summer refocus her thoughts, and what strategies will Summer use to beat Flannery?

Chapter 32- Burning Off Doubts

After a long day of strategizing, Weldon and I relaxed in the arishyu at the Pokémon Center. I knew I was prepared for the battle, but I wasn't sure about how I could keep my word to Enki.

Weldon leaned over and smiled. "You shouldn't overthink things, Summer. You trained hard for this battle, so I know you'll be able to help Flannery."

I crossed my arms. "I don't know, Weldon. How could I help someone if I don't know them that well? Let me look at her profile again."

Flannery, the Lavaridge Town Gym Leader, is the newest member of the Hoenn Gym Leaders. Her love of Fire types came from growing up around Mt. Chimney and its hot environment. This was where she met her first Pokémon, a Torkoal she named Kinbō. She has shown why she is truly one with a fiery passion that burns through her aggressive battling style and preference for status conditions.

He gently lowered my right arm. "You can look at her profile as many times as you want, but that can only help so much, Summer."

Sighing, I put my Pokégear back into my capris pocket. "You're right… But I don't want to let people down."

He looked into my eyes and said, "You won't. I can say that with absolute certainty. You're more sensitive to people's emotions, especially because of your powers. But that can be a great asset if you don't give up on yourself. Just be confident and remember to rely on your Pokémon's strengths, okay?"

I giggled. "Thanks, Weldon. I really needed to hear that. After all, isn't that how I got you to travel with me?"

His cheeks turned pink. "Well, you are also…pretty persuasive. Anyway, we should get some sleep."

"Okay," I replied after a big yawn. "Thanks for spending time with me in the ashiryu, Weldon. Talking to you before a Gym battle always seems to calm my nerves."

"I'm glad I could help. Good night, Summer."

The next day…

Weldon and I arrived at a large white building located southwest of the Pokémon Center. The two-story structure, along with the walls surrounding it, were protected with red-tiled roofs.

We entered the lobby, which was more hot and humid. There was not much décor around the white walls; the main focal points were the heatproof glass display cabinets showing the Gym's awards and the dark granite reception desk.

Weldon, drenched in sweat, moaned, "How is it hotter in here than outside?"

"This setting mimics the natural environment for the native Fire types. And it tests the challenger's resolve to persevere," Kabu answered as he emerged from the hallway, wiping his brow with his towel.

"I see…"

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Weldon-san," the Fire type user said. "And thank you both for coming early. Master Enki and I need to inform you about what will happen during your battle today."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Enki and a woman in her early thirties emerged from the hallway. She had striking blue eyes, long, curly red hair, and fair skin, but what made her stand out was her clean white blouse and blue skirt.

Enki saw us and greeted us with a warm yet nervous smile. "Summer. It's good to see you again."

"Thanks, Enki. This is my travel companion, Weldon."

Weldon nodded. "Nice to meet you, Enki. And, are you Ms. Kyushi Hōfu from the Pokémon League Association?"

She smiled and replied in a pleasant tone, "Yes, I am. It's nice to finally meet you, Weldon and Summer."

I brushed my hair behind my ear. "Thanks… May I ask why you're here, Ms. Hōfu?"

"Of course, since you will be involved as well." Her demeanor became solemn. "The Pokémon League Association is investigating the Lavaridge Town Gym Leader, Flannery, for bullying a recent challenger two days ago. This Gym battle will determine if she is still capable of performing the duties of a Gym Leader or if she should be replaced with someone else."

Wow, that is more serious than I thought. "But what are you hoping to see during our battle?"

Ms. Hōfu adjusted her hair. "I want an impartial witness to help me determine if Flannery's actions are a one-time occurrence. Since you are a Senior-level Trainer with no prior experience with this Gym, you should have the knowledge and experience to handle anything Flannery says and does."

"Okay, I'll help in whatever way I can."

The Hoenn PLA representative smiled. "Thank you, Summer. Please enter the battlefield when you are ready. Mr. Moore, Mr. Kabu. Please join me in the bleachers; any other spectators must be there before the battle."

"Of course, Ms. Hōfu," Enki replied.

The men left the lobby just as Sip entered.

"Hey, guys. Ready for the match?" Seeing our awkward looks, he added, "Is everything okay?"

I adjusted my hair. "H-Hi, Sip. Well, this match will be a little bit different. The PLA is investigating Flannery for a violation from a previous battle."

The Lavaridge Town native rubbed his chin. "Oh, yeah. I remember watching it on the HNN. So this match will be monitored then?"

"Yeah."

Weldon crossed his arms. "Be careful, Summer. I know Flannery isn't mean like what Ms. Hōfu said, but you never know."

"Thanks, Weldon. You two should head upstairs."

With a wave goodbye, they headed to the bleachers as I walked through the wooden double doors. I was pleasantly surprised to see it was an outdoor dirt battlefield surrounded by trees and the mountains. A regular male referee stood in the center box, and I saw Ms. Hōfu, Enki, Kabu, Weldon, and Sip in the stands.

Then, the Gym Leader Flannery appeared from where I entered. Her hair was more wild than I last saw it, and she wore a black crop top and blue jeans held up by a thick orange belt.

As she walked to her box, I could feel her anxiety and fear. I felt bad for her, but I knew I couldn't let that distract me. I had to focus on helping her.

Once she got into position, she cleared her throat and said with a forced smile. "W-Welcome to the Lavaridge Town Gym, Summer. I'm Flannery, th-the Gym Leader. I-I'm sure Ms. Hōfu told you about the special conditions for our match."

"Yes, she did. And, I'm fine with them."

Flannery nodded her approval, and the referee shouted, "This match is a three-on-three singles battle between Summer Scorcher from Littleroot Town and Flannery, the Lavaridge Town 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. As mentioned to both Trainers, this match will be closely monitored by the Pokémon League Association. Flannery, please select your first Pokémon!"

Flannery took out a Great Ball. "L-Let's turn up the heat, Mag!"

An orange lava snail-like Pokémon with big yellow eyes a dark black shell materialized, his body leaking magma onto the dirt.

[Magcargo, the Lava Pokémon and the evolved form of Slugma. The shell on its back is made of hardened magma. Tens of thousands of years spent living in volcanic craters have turned Magcargo's bodies into magma.]

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

The Raichu landed on all fours, ready for battle.

The referee waved his arms. "Battle begin!"

"Lightning, use Thunderbolt!"

She charged up her cheeks and fired a bolt of lightning at the Fire type.

"All right, you got this, Flannery…" she whispered. Flannery then stuttered as she waved her right hand, "M-Mag, u-use Light Screen…"

The Lava Pokémon set up a translucent pink barrier around her, causing the Thunderbolt to weaken in power as it hit him.

That's a pretty smart strategy. Especially for Water type moves.

"All right, Lightning, use Iron Tail!"

She charged forward, her tail glowing silver.

Flannery stepped back. "Come on, Flannery, you can't let that get to you… Mag, Earth Power!"

Mag wiggled his body, causing the ground to break apart with and erupt with a powerful force from below. Lightning tried to jump over it, but the force knocked her back to our side of the field.

She shook over the dirt, making Flannery nervous.

"Are you okay, Flannery?" I asked.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine, Summer. D-Don't worry about me."

"O-Okay." This must be the trauma from her last battle. I need to find a way to show her I can handle her battling style.

"N-Now then. Mag, use Rock Slide…"

He looked to the sky, and large boulders fell towards the field.

Though her speed was compromised since losing Quick Attack, Lightning wasn't entirely defenseless.

"Lightning, protect yourself with Grass Knot!"

She slammed her paws into the ground and surrounded herself in a thick grassy dome. The rocks bounced off the vegetation barrier and landed around the two Pokémon.

"Mag, p-push the rocks away with Earth Power."

I felt the ground crack as another super effective attack headed towards Lightning.

"That won't work a second time. Lightning, use Iron Tail to leap over the Earth Power!"

She slashed through the grass with her silver tail and used its momentum to evade the impact below. As she descended, she swung her tail at the Magcargo, who shuddered in pain.

Flannery gasped. "Are you okay, Mag?"

He nodded as he remained firm.

"I'm glad you're staying strong for me. I haven't really been myself in this battle, have I? Thanks, Mag." The Gym Leader took a deep breath and shouted, "Summer! I can see that you're giving your all in this battle. And I should be too; I won't let my actions from my last Gym battle affect me moving forward. I'll battle like my normal self, no more doubting myself. If I say anything that hurts your feelings, just let me know and I'll change my responses."

"Sure thing, Flannery." Hearing her sound more relaxed made me more confident to move forward. "Lightning, Thunder Punch!"

Flannery, with new fervor, shouted, "Stop Lightning with Lava Plume!"

The Raichu struck Mag's shell with a crackling punch, but she was blown back when the ground shot magma into her face. Lightning landed hard on the ground, but she was able to stand back up.

I was about to check on her, but she responded with, "I-I'm good, Summer. I just need more time…"

I looked at the Light Screen around Mag and understood what she meant. "Okay. Then we'll make this one count. Use Grass Knot!"

She slammed into the ground, making grass tie around Mag.

Flannery raised an eyebrow. "That's an interesting strategy, Summer. But you know the grass will just ignite, right?"

I smirked. "That's not our goal."

The Gym Leader's face turned to shock as the Light Screen faded. "How clever. But we don't need it anymore. Mag, finish Lightning with Earth Power!"

"Lightning, Thunderbolt!"

The lightning bolt flew over the cracking earth, and the moves struck their targets. Both Pokémon collapsed, unable to move.

The referee, after looking at the two, raised both arms. "This round is a draw! Trainers, please select your next Pokémon!"

"You were great, Lightning," I praised as I returned her. "Take a good long rest."

Flannery returned Mag and thanked him for his efforts. She smiled. "I can see why Grandfather wanted you to battle me, Summer."

I chuckled. "I want to battle you at your best, Flannery. That makes it more fun and exciting, right?"

Laughing, she replied, "It does, doesn't it?" She took out an Ultra Ball. "Then let's keep showing you what we really got. Let's turn up the heat, Aso!"

A large, orange camel-like Pokémon with blue rings along his body slammed onto the broken battlefield. His two humps, which were shaped like small volcanoes, stood out compared to his shaggy fur.

[Camerupt, the Eruption Pokémon and the evolved form of Numel. A Pokémon that lives in the crater of a volcano. Every 10 years, the volcanoes on its back erupt violently. Research is under way on the cause of eruption.]

Good thing I had Lightning go first. Then we'll take advantage of the field this time. "Go, Errol!"

The Noctowl flew over, eyeing the Camerupt warily.

Flannery grinned. "You're using a Flying type so Aso can't use his Ground type moves."

"That's one of our strategies, yes."

She chuckled and responded with, "I can't wait to see what they'll be this time."

The referee waved his arms. "Battle begin!"

I waved my left hand. "Errol, use Air Slash!"

He raised his left wing and hurled a swirling air orb at the stationary Pokémon.

Flannery clenched her fist and raised it up. "Aso, stop it with Eruption!"

He lifted his two humps, and a stream of lava gushed out of them. Not only did it break through the Air Slash, it also knocked Errol off balance. The Owl Pokémon was able to right himself before he hit the ground, but I could tell that move did a good amount of damage.

From what Weldon told me, Eruption is strongest when its user has full health. We'll have to deal damage to make that move less usable.

Flannery smirked. "Will-O-Wisp, Aso!"

Small, eerie blue flames appeared around the Fire type before flying towards Errol.

"Errol, stop them with Psychic!"

The flames stopped in midair and became surrounded with the magenta energy. Using his head, Errol launched the Will-O-Wisp back at Aso. Though the flames couldn't burn the Camerupt, he winced in pain from the Psychic type attack.

"Nice one, Summer," the Gym Leader responded with a grin. "But we won't let up! Aso, use Eruption again!"

Another stream of lava headed towards Errol. This time, we were ready.

"Errol, dodge and use Hypnosis!"

He swerved around the attack and focused his gaze on Aso's eyes. Several white rings hit the Camerupt, and he fell over, snoring.

Flannery called out, "Come on, Aso! Wake up!"

But the snoring canceled out her cries.

"Now, Errol, Air Slash!"

He launched several orbs of air at the sleeping Camerupt, dealing a good amount of damage. After the third one, he immediately woke up and returned to his feet.

"Nice!" Flannery said. "Aso, use Flamethrower!"

"Errol, counter with Psychic!"

My Pokémon stopped the stream of fire with the magenta energy and redirected it back to Aso. After being bathed in flames, Aso collapsed.

"Aso is unable to battle, Errol wins! Flannery, please select your final Pokémon!"

"Thanks, Aso. You did your best." Flannery looked at me with a genuine smile. "I'm really impressed, Summer. Using my moves against me." She then took out a Repeat Ball. "Now, it's time for my last Pokémon. Let's turn up the heat, Kinbō!"

A dark orange tortoise-like Pokémon appeared with white smoke coming out of his dark black shell and nose.

[Torkoal, the Coal Pokémon. It battles using energy it gets from burning coal. When loosing smoke from its nostrils, it lets off a sound that is similar to a locomotive's horn.]

"How do you feel, Errol?" I asked.

"I can continue to assist you, Ms. Summer."

"Okay. Let's keep going."

The referee shouted, "Battle begin!"

"Errol, use Hypnosis!"

As he focused his gaze on Kinbō, Flannery smirked. "Sorry, Summer, but it won't work this time. Kinbō, use Sunny Day!"

The Fire type let out its signature locomotive cry and looked to the sky. I felt the instant heat from the sun and shielded my eyes. To my horror, Errol was blinded by the sunlight and lost his focus.

"Errol, straighten out and use Air Slash!"

He flew low to the ground and raised his right wing.

"Kinbō, use Heat Wave!"

The Coal Pokémon summoned a sweltering fiery breeze which spread south across the battlefield. Errol screeched as the Heat Wave hit his body. He tumbled to the ground and remained motionless.

"Errol is unable to battle! Kinbō wins! Summer, please select your final Pokémon!"

I returned him with a smile. "You did great, Errol. Get some rest." After taking a deep breath, I took out my Lure Ball. "Go, Aurora!"

The Dewgong shielded her eyes from the bright sunlight, but she was still ready to battle.

"That's an interesting choice, Summer," Flannery noted. "Let's see how your Pokémon deals with Kinbō."

The referee shouted, "Battle begin!"

I commanded, "Aurora, use Water Pulse!"

She shot a watery orb at the Torkoal, but its size shrunk slightly due to Sunny Day.

Flannery countered with, "Kinbō, use Heat Wave!"

The fiery breeze evaporated the Water Pulse and hit Aurora. She braced herself, and, thanks to her Thick Fat Ability, the attack didn't do as much damage.

The Gym Leader chuckled. "I see. So that's her ability. Looks like we need to be careful about our Fire type moves. Kinbō, use Gyro Ball!"

The Coal Pokémon tucked himself into his shell and spun around in a silver light.

"Aurora, dodge with Ice Beam!"

She sprayed the ground with ice and slid away from the approaching Torkoal. But with the beating sun, the ice melted. The Dewgong was struck from behind and winced.

This is bad. With Sunny Day in effect, most of Aurora's moves won't be as strong. I got to think of another way to stall out the weather.

"Kinbō, use Heat Wave!"

As the hot winds blew towards us, I shouted, "Aurora, stop it with Aqua Tail!"

She swung her tail, swirling with water, at the Heat Wave and was able to stop it long enough for the clouds to cover the sun.

Relieved, I returned on the offensive. "Follow up with Water Pulse!"

The orb made direct contact, causing Kinbō to slide back.

Though Flannery was cornered, she remained calm. "Looks like we need to keep up the pressure. Kinbō, use Sunny Day!"

I frowned as the intense sunlight returned over the battlefield. If this keeps up, Thick Fat won't be able to protect Aurora much longer. I need to find a way to counter the effects of Sunny Day. Then, I noticed the water that was left on the field before it evaporated. That's it!

Flannery waved her arm. "Kinbō, use Gyro Ball!"

"Aurora, knock Kinbō into the ground with Aqua Tail!"

She nodded, using the swirling water to not only launch herself into the air but to also slam the Fire type into the ground. Kinbō created a sizeable dent, but he was able to stand back up.

"Don't give in, Kinbō. Let's turn up the temperature with Overheat!"

He opened his mouth and charged the move.

I quickly shouted, "Aurora, use Signal Beam!"

After landing, she shot a rainbow beam of light at her opponent.

Flannery was confused until she shielded her eyes this time. Kinbō was temporarily blinded as the sunlight reflected off the Bug type move. He shot the powerful beam of fire into the ground, creating a deep concave pit that covered a quarter of the battlefield. A blue light temporarily surrounded him, indicating a decrease in special attack.

"Are you okay, Kinbō?" she asked as her Pokémon regained his vision. When she got his acknowledgement, Flannery shouted, "Kinbō, use Heat Wave!"

"Aurora, slide around the field with Ice Beam!"

She covered the field with a thick layer of ice and used her fins to gain more momentum. With the combined heat from the sunlight and Heat Wave, water from the melting ice drained towards the created pit. Aurora was then able to dive in to avoid most of the damage from the fiery winds.

"Incredible…" Flannery said with a hint of surprise. "I've never seen a tactic like that before. You really are a great Trainer, Summer."

"Thanks, Flannery. But we're not done yet."

"Don't worry, neither are we."

Grinning, I commanded, "Use Water Pulse, Aurora!"

"Kinbō, counter with Overheat!"

The two moves struck each other, but the stronger Fire type move was evaporating the orb of water.

"Aurora, strengthen the Water Pulse with Ice Beam!"

She shot the beam of ice from her horn at the diminishing Water Pulse. The orb grew in size as the beam turned into water, and the force of the move propelled it towards Kinbō. He was knocked back again but was still standing as the blue light appeared momentarily.

The bright sunlight once again faded, leaving an equal playing field.

Flannery clenched her first. "We can't rely on the sun this time, Kinbō. Put everything you got into this Overheat!"

Knowing the move will be weaker now, I shouted, "Aurora, Water Pulse!"

The moves collided, but this time, the watery orb pushed through the beam of fire and struck Kinbō. The Torkoal fell over, unable to move.

The referee waved his arms for the final time. "Kinbō is unable to battle! Aurora wins, which means the winner of this Gym battle is Summer Scorcher from Littleroot Town!"

"You did it, Aurora!" I cheered as I ran towards her.

She jumped out of the makeshift pool and beamed. "Thanks, Summer. I was just happy that the impromptu strategy worked."

Flannery approached us with a huge smile. "You and your Pokémon fought hard today, Summer. Your strategies are really top-notch, and I'm happy I got to battle you."

"Indeed," Ms. Hōfu said as she and Enki came over. "Mr. Moore was right in selecting you as the Trainer to test Flannery."

"Ms. Hōfu!" the Gym Leader exclaimed. "Have you decided on the fate of our Gym?"

"Flannery, please be patient," her grandfather scolded.

The PLA representative grinned. "It's all right, Mr. Moore. I would react the same way. I'm happy to say that the Lavaridge Town Gym is no longer under suspension from the Pokémon League Association. Going forward, Flannery, please remember your actions and words hold great weight as a Gym Leader."

Ecstatic, she responded with a bow, "I will, Ms. Hōfu. Thank you." Flannery then turned to me and presented a pin with a yellow circle and large orange wisp of fire. "On behalf of the Lavaridge Town Gym, I present to you the Heat Badge. You definitely deserve it."

I accepted the badge and put it away. "Thanks, Flannery."

"No, thank you, Summer. For helping me return to my full battling potential. Good luck with the next Gym in Petalburg City. Let me tell you, Norman won't be easy."

Chuckling, I replied, "I'll keep that in mind. Bye." I waved goodbye to the three and returned to the lobby.

"Congratulations, Summer!" Sip said. "That was a really fun battle to watch."

"Thanks, Sip. It got nerve-wracking at times, but I'm happy things worked out."

"Just like I knew you would," Weldon said, smiling.

"Thanks, Weldon. Though I wonder what happened during the battle that made Flannery seem like a bully."

"Me too," the Lavaridge Town native agreed, his arms crossed. "I've never known Flannery to be a bully. She's one of the nicest Trainers I know."

Kabu briskly stepped down the stairs and joined us. "I believe I have the answer to your question, Sip-san."

"Oh, Kabu! I thought you left for Galar already."

"I decided to postpone my travels until I finish assisting Master Enki." He then returned to our earlier conversation. "Flannery has…always been driven to help those who have been bullied. So when she received a convincing letter telling her about that challenger's past and how he did not deserve to win against her, she wanted to make sure he would never bully anyone again. Little did she know she would end up becoming the bully."

Weldon became a little nervous. "That challenger…was it Lapis Eurig?"

"Why, yes. Are you acquainted with him, Weldon-san?"

"Yes, Summer and I both are."

Seeing my coach was getting more uncomfortable, I changed the subject. "I'm just happy Flannery realized her mistake."

Kabu nodded. "I agree. She is still relatively new to being a Gym Leader, but I am sure she will surpass Master Enki's accomplishments."

Flannery entered the lobby and was happy to see us. "Oh, Summer, you're still here."

"What's up, Flannery?"

She placed her hands on her hips. "You really helped me out of my funk, Summer, so I want to do more to pay you back."

"Oh, no. You don't have to Flannery."

"I insist! I can help one of your Pokémon learn a new move."

"Come to think of it," Kabu mused. "Your Noctowl can benefit from learning Heat Wave. It will be very helpful against Steel and Ice types."

"Okay. He's been wanting to learn a new move lately. But will it be hard to learn? Errol takes more time to master new moves."

Chuckling, the Gym Leader replied, "Don't worry. I'm sure he'll master the move in no time. Just come by tomorrow around 9am and we can begin training."

"That sounds good with me."

"Great! Weldon, what about you? I can do the same with one of your Pokémon."

He pondered this and replied, "Fearow can potentially learn Heat Wave as well. I'm sure both of them will benefit."

"Or compete with each other over who can master it first," I teased.

After we laughed, Weldon, Sip, and I returned to the Pokémon Center and spent the rest of the day relaxing at the hot springs.

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 (Grovyle, female): Timid Nature, Overgrow Ability, moves: Fury Cutter, 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 Ms. Hōfu?

What did you think of Flannery?

What did you think of the battle?

What do you think about Errol and Fearow's new move?