Another day, another set of gym battles to get through.

  Yet, Seijo would do it all with a smile.

  Swinging a set of keys around, hearing them jingle and clank as they ran rings around his finger, Seijo pursued the gym door with a relaxed stroll. Upon approaching the door, he let the keys fall into his palm, fingers flicking through the clump of metal. The key turned as a Crobat keychain fell from the rest, leaving the sliding doors unlocked. Then, Seijo stepped inside, taking a deep breath as he set down what little he needed behind the receptionist desk.

  The power button on the old PC pressed down with a satisfying click. The ancient fans whirred, just as Seijo began to wander towards the back room. The PC setup was so primitive that it barely even functioned with the modern software mandated by the League. Yet, Seijo didn't mind it much. It was like nothing had changed since he had taken over the gym. Everything remained the exact same, right down to the frustratingly slow speeds of the computer systems. He'd even accommodated for the eons it took to boot up into his morning routine, choosing to examine the bulk of the gym in the time it took for the PC to load.

  Setting the doors to the battle room aside, his eyes glanced around at the battlefield. As spotless as he had left it the day before. No unexpected surprises from any teleporting Pokemon. Safe for the occasional scratch from an attack deep enough to damage the floor, it was a perfectly clean slate. Just how he liked it. After all, it would be unfair for the competitors to fight on anything other than the best that the league had to offer. It's why it had been built the way it had. And, why Seijo spent a great deal of time upkeeping the battlefield. More than battling, some may even say.

  Seijo stepped into the centre of the battlefield, fishing a remote from his pocket, flickering a couple buttons. Sure enough, when the buttons clicked, a bright flash emanated from the floor around. A solid wall stretching along the perimeter of the battlefield. Then, it disappated. Seijo switched his remote for a Pokeball, throwing it into the air, letting it crack onto the floor below.

  Out popped a large purple bat, equipped with four wings wrapped around its small circular body. Then, those wings exploded to its side, exposing the blue sheen hidden underneath the purple exterior. Sharp to the edge, they spread out. Then, the Pokemon soared into the air dramatically, feeling the air breeze against its poisonous skin. Seijo paid little mind to its theatrics, however. Instead, he just walked towards the edge of the battlefield. There, he found resistance, seemingly in nothing. But, with only a little effort, he pushed through, stumbling slightly as he reached the exterior of the battlefield.

  "Alright, your turn Crobat!" Seijo turned, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted up to his partner. The Poison type nodded, flying as high as it could, nearly touching the ceiling. Then, it entered into a nosedive, wings flapping as quickly as they could. Every bit of speed and momentum went into this one charge. Then, just as it looked destined to hit the ground, Crobat swerved up. Approaching the gym leader at top speed.

  Seijo should've been used to it. But, his partner still coming full force still made his heart jump. Even as its face smudged against the invinsible barrier. Crobat tried with all of its might to break through, wings continuing to flap. But, no matter the momentum, all of that came to a stop with the barrier. Wizardcraft or simply advanced technology, Seijo didn't know. All he knew was that it worked, and worked well.

  "You'll get it next time." Seijo chuckled, watching his Crobat continue to struggle. The Pokemon pouted at the man's taunt. Then, the gym leader sighed. Another couple of buttons clicked down, and the barrier disappeared. Then, Crobat went bounding into Seijo's arms, knocking the leader to the ground.

  "Yes, nice to see you too." Seijo joked, Crobat sighing as it picked itself from the gym leader's body, soon returning back to its Pokeball. Slipping the Pokeball back into his pocket, Seijo glanced around, then dipped into the backroom of the gym. A long corridor that led up to another locked door, reinforced with metal and steel to prevent breakages in. But, it shifted as soon as the right key found its place.

  Seijo ducked his head inside, examining the neat pockets of Pokeballs. There sat 9 different trays of Pokemon, ranging from small teams of two to full teams of six, all ranging depending on the level of the challenger. Most hadn't been trained by Seijo, having inherited lots of Pokemon from Norman's days. But, he still treated them as his own, and always wondered which Pokemon he'd do battle with this day.

  Luckily, everything was as it should've been, too. A small inkling of paranoia told Seijo Ralts may have been told to teleport in and steal a few Pokemon. But, any such idea seemed demonstrably false, every Pokeball being as it should've been without a single change. Even the few Pokemon missing sat onto the couple of healing docks the gym had handy, ensuring the Pokemon were always at their best before a battle.

  "Hope it found its way," Seijo muttered to himself, as much for Ralts as for the girl who had wandered into the gym. If Ralts kept to its word, and Ellie had embraced it with open arms, one hell of a battle lay down the line. And, honestly? He couldn't wait for it. That, and any other challenger like that to come his way. Even the boy with a Torchic that cheered her on. Both would be excellent fights. But, he'd have to see what was on the agenda for today first.

  Walking back into the reception area, his gaze fell at the gym's PC, which had finally managed to boot up, displaying a clear spreadsheet of every battle that he had booked in for the day. Everything seemed in order, without any glaringly obvious errors. Like most days, his schedule was pretty free. The most plentiful of his gym battles were the people attempting to take their first gym badge.

  Despite the suggested order given by the League, it was an obligation for every gym to pick their Pokemon accordingly to the trainer's total number of gym badges. That meant that he had quite a few challenge his own gym as their first, despite the order dictating he should be their 5th challenge. Not that he minded. Seeing beginners come into their own, growing stronger with each challenge. That was the fun of being a gym leader. But, it was the higher up challenges he was usually excited for.

  A challenge from a person with three gym badges, and a challenge from a person with six. Those would be the highlight of his day, where he can show off to almost the fullest extent what he could do. Of course, there could be a surprise from other people wanting to challenge the gym suddenly. But, right now, the schedule seemed remarkably dry, even from those with zero or a single badge.

  Seijo sighed as he tapped his fingers against the keyboard, logging a couple notes for the League. Another requirement of the job; an updated log of his duties as a gym leader. Everything that he did went down into there. Even day to day interactions, like the one he had with Ralts, or the one he had with a young trainer as he walked to work. Greatly monotonous, but ultimately, who was he to complain about it? A little monotony's perfectly acceptable if your job is battling all day.

  The sliding doors of the entrance of the gym opened, Seijo adjusting his glasses as he peered up at the group entering the gym. An ail to his boredom, and an excuse to put off the monotonous work, regardless of who they were. So, they were welcomed with open arms. And, an even warmer smile once Seijo recognized those entering his gym.

  "Ellie! Wonderful to see you back so soon!" Seijo exclaimed, quickly sitting up from his chair and leaning over the counter, asking, "Are you here for a rematch?"

  "Mhm, as soon as possible," Ellie responded with an uncharacteristically warm smile. Without another word, or even another sign, Seijo knew that her forces had grown one member stronger. Seijo looked back to his computer. Well, with a dry morning came the opportunity for a match without any need for appointments or pleasantries. Filling in one of the slots and updating his log with a quick note, he smiled. "Then follow me."

  Ellie looked aside to Lucas, and they both wandered after the gym leader into the arena. With a click of the button, the battlefield barriers were set up. Then, Seijo disappeared into the backroom of the gym, insisting that he'd only be a moment. Soon, he reappeared, two Pokeballs clenched in either hand.

  "You remember the rules from last time, correct?" he asked, moving to his side of the battlefield.

  Ellie's eyes flickered up, having set her duffel bag down, taking one last scan of her notes. But, upon Seijo's arrival, she set down the notes (with maybe one more cheeky glance) and retrieved two Pokeballs from her bag. One slipped into her pocket, while another remained clenched in her hand, nails gently scratching against its metallic surface. "Of course," she responded.

  "Then there is no need for any more explanations. Only one question..." Seijo slicked the glasses from his face, the temples digging in and brushing against one another. Then, they slipped into his pocket, along with another Pokeball. His orange eyes flared up, darting up to meet Ellie's stare. "Are you ready?"

  Ellie took a deep breath, shuttering her eyes, then looking down at her Pokeball. Then, she returned the stare, clenching the Pokeball tighter. "Ready as I'll ever be."

  "Then, let's do this! Taillow!" Seijo thrust the Pokeball forward, smashing through the barrier and against the ground. The scrappy Flying type appeared out of its Pokeball, letting out a high cry before taking flight in the air, staring down expectantly. Ellie held the Pokeball out, dangling in the centre of her palm. Then, her fingers clenched tight, lobbing it up into the air.

  "Ralts, let's show them what we can do!"

  A Psychic aura glowed around the Pokeball as it came into contact with the floor, the rough metal crashing against the wood. Then, it popped open, Ralts bursting in the air, but soon teleporting down to the ground. It warmed up its hands, glowing a darkened purple, before the energy dispersed. Ralts and the gym leader looked to each other, and Seijo could see the smallest smirk appear on Ralts' face, buried underneath the green helmet.

  "Wow, a Ralts? Never would've expected you to get one of them!" he chuckled with a hint of sarcasm that threw Ellie off. But, with that chuckle, he let out a sigh of relief. They had worked things out. Excellent.

  "Go Ellie! Go Ralts!" Lucas cheered from the sidelines, chorusing with Torchic's excitable chirps (and Zorua's loud yawns as it attempted to sleep in Lucas' lap). Ellie's face turned flush, glancing to Lucas. He'd mentioned cheering for her, but she hadn't expected him to be so...loud about it.

  But, Lucas wanted absolute confidence going into the battle. The past two couple days had been non stop training for this moment, particularly building up Ralts and its ability to listen to commands. He wanted as much confidence instilled in Ellie of her winning, as Lucas held for her victory. "You can do this!"

  "Hey, where's my cheerleader group?" Seijo joked at the boy's ever eager demeanour.

  "You have one! See!" Lucas pointed to Zorua, yawning as if to say 'yeah, whatever.' Seijo couldn't help but chuckle again. But, his thoughts soon returned to the battle, where Taillow stared daggers into him, looking only a couple seconds away from attacking Ralts without a command to justify it.

  "Alright then, enough talk, Pe-"

  "Confusion!" Ellie suddenly struck first, cutting through Seijo's command. Taillow flapped i's wings, preparing to fly straight for Ralts. But, just as Taillow went to make its move, its wings halted. Body stuck, stopped dead in its tracks. The bird glanced to the ground, watching Ralts point towards its location. Psychic power emanated from its hands. Power which soon affected Taillow's brain.

  Taillow found its mind swimming, visions of Ralts swimming in its mind. To the sparrow, its actions made sense. But, to any onlooker, its movements looked dazed and confused, like a Sprigatito chasing a laser pointer, darting around after some invisible enemy of which neither trainer could quite see.

  "Snap out of it!" Seijo shouted as loud as he could, hoping the startling loud tone would reach the bird. But, it seemed the shout only startled Ellie, as Taillow continued to holler and move without restraint. Until, eventually, it reached a complete stop. Ralts raised its arms high, Taillow's body following suit. The next moment, however, Ralts' hand slammed against the wooden floor, Taillow feeling gravity suddenly grow heavier than it could handle. The Normal-Flying type let out a squawk as it smashed against the ground. Hard enough to deal some major damage. But, also wake Taillow from its daze.

  "Don't let up! Disarming Voice!" Ellie called out, not giving a moment for Taillow to rest. Even with an early lead, there was no reason to get complacent. Not while Ellie's victory remained unassured. A high pitched song echoed throughout the room, pink vibrations passing through the air. Still, despite the quick call for action, the projectile rendered itself quite sluggish. As such, reacting became a breeze.

  "Dodge it!" Seijo cried, as Taillow took off above the attack. But, as it flew away, it found that the attacks wouldn't just be stopping there. The screechy melodies kept on coming in plentiful amounts, keeping Taillow on its toes and constantly guessing where it'd have to fly to next. Meanwhile, Ellie's eyes darted, thoughtfully watching the Flying type. Seijo instantly knew her motive. Analysing, tracking, trying to find openings in Taillow's patterns. He needed to distract those thoughts, be the wrench that clogged the gears turning in her brain.

  "Quick Attack!"

  Taillow brought the battle back up to speed, darting around the battlefield at max speed. It blitzed around the pink waves without any issue, quickly closing in on Ralts. Ralts stopped its attack, awaiting Ellie's command.

  "Teleport!" she cried, the Quick Attack succeeding in throwing away her thoughts for a moment, although she tried to keep them at the front of her mind where she could return to them later. Still, her brain felt like splitting, keeping track of the information from before, while keeping attentive and alert for the battle.

  Ralts' body buzzed with Psychic energy, suddenly disappearing out of Taillow's sight, only to reappear a good length of the battlefield away, escaping out of Taillow's pressure easily. Ellie smiled, confident they'd be able to play their keep away game once more. But, Seijo had other plans.

  "Don't stop, Quick Attack again!"

  In a burst of speed, Taillow sped over the battlefield, not giving a moment for Ralts to rest.

  "Confusion!" Ellie cried, not expecting to be forced on the backfoot so suddenly. But, she hoped that she could create some space between the two of them with her next attack. Ralts' hands pointed at the Flying type, a Psychic aura washing over both its arms and the Flying type. Yet, Ralts found itself struggling to halt Taillow's momentum.

  Quick Attack continued to shoot Taillow forward like a bullet, steadily moving forward, even when Ralts' telekinesis demanded it be sent flying back. The Feeling Pokemon gritted its teeth, hands beginning to shake from the stress of the attack, until it could take the strain no longer. Ralts' hands split apart, tensing its body as Taillow soared forward as quick as a Latios, sniping the Psychic type with a direct hit.

  "Ralts!" Ellie cried as her Pokemon went flying back. Ralts struggled to its feet, one hand feeling over its chest, where Taillow had struck with its beak. One blow Mudkip had once shrugged off showed considerably more damage on Ralts, its frailer body not as equipped to handle repeated hits. Still, Ralts would take a couple more before falling. And it certainly wouldn't let this blow slow it down.

  "Are you okay?" Ellie added, and Ralts nodded, shaking off its arms and refocusing on the battle at hand. Ellie let out a sigh of relief, clenching her fist and watching Taillow intently. The Flying type let out a cry, as Seijo exclaimed,

  "Once we get going, we're too fast to slow down! Taillow, Quick Attack once more!"

  Once again, Taillow began to speed through the air, at a brisk pace that Ralts' eyes struggled to track. Ellie's body tensed. Flashes of their last interaction flew through his mind. It was insanity to suggest Confusion would work when it had been so ineffective before. But, still, with Taillow approaching like a speeding bullet, she still needed a way for Ralts to counter.

  Her eyes glanced to Taillow once more. Momentum on its side, for now. But, would it be able to shift that speed suddenly? Taillow was focused intently on Ralts' current position, that was true. Could it really slow down enough to prevent itself from falling into a trap? Only one way to tell.

  "Ralts, Teleport up...NOW!" Ellie cried at the top of her lungs, timing her shout so that Ralts teleported just as Taillow swept down, narrowly missing the Psychic type. But, Seijo found no problem in it. Taillow would simply swoop around to catch Ralts with a followup attack. Then, if it teleported from there, Taillow would simply follow.

  "Chase Ralts in the air!" he called out, Taillow making a U turn and diving after Ralts. Seijo expected Ellie to crack under the pressure. But, she smiled expectantly.

  "Dive after Taillow and Pound!" Ellie called out. Ralts swept through the air like it had its own pair of wings, plunging straight after Taillow. Its hands first stretched out to its side to help propel itself forwards, before being raised into the air, ready to strike.

  "Taillow, Wing Attack!" Seijo cried, as Taillow began to contort its body to counter against Ralts upcoming attack. Ellie smirked, knowing that Taillow couldn't slow down in time. The momentum from the Quick Attack threw off its chances at quickly putting up its guard. So, when Ralts hit, it hit hard.

  The Psychic type's palm smacked against Taillow's head. One palm overhead, then one striking against the torso, sending the bird flying across the battlefield. It bounced off of the invisible barrier, yet Ellie saw another opportunity to attack out of the blue.

  "Don't let it get away, Confusion!"

  Ralts came to a safe, albeit rather clumsy, landing, digging its feet into the ground and readjusting to its surroundings. Its mind's eye focused upon Taillow intently, watching the Flying type soar through the air. Then, a Psychic aura began to slow down Taillow's trajectory. What first appeared to be a miracle, proved itself to be a curse as the sparrow went slamming down into the ground. Then, Ralts rose it from the hard wooden floor, only to slam it down again. One more time for good measure, the impact shaking the foundations of the gym. Then, another bash against the floor, finishing the job.

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  Ralts began to settle down, taking a deep breath, having exhausted most of its Psychic energy in that attack. It had thought the battle over. But, Ellie thought otherwise. Seijo knew otherwise.

  "Good, but you've not earned that rest yet, little one! Wing Attack!" he belted at the top of his lungs, his eyes blazing with intensity as a smile stretched upon his face. Up from the dust of the collision, a screech fitting of the mightiest warriors bellowed from Taillow's mouth, as the Flying type soared across the battlefield. Injured, but with a vengeance to quench.

  Ralts' body shook, faced with an enemy it believed defeated. It attempted to stumble to its feet, only to come crashing down quickly. Unsteady balance, mixed with exhaustion. Ellie kept her composure when Ralts's failed, however, crying, "Teleport away!"

  Ralts' body was overcome with a Psychic aura, as it successfully teleported away. But, its positioning wasn't ideal, too focused on getting away that it hadn't considered where it would end up landing.

  Instead of a safe teleport to where its feet could be soundly planted, the Psychic type flew high in the air. Much akin to before, with one key difference. Ralts spun out of control, hands flailing. Even worse, an angry Taillow swooped below, a glint in its eye as it soared into the air.

  "Now, how do you plan on landing!" Seijo exclaimed as Taillow swept upwards, knocking Ralts higher into the air. The Feeling Pokemon let out a pained cry, a firm wing smacking it in the back. Taillow looked ever eager to continue juggling Ralts, moving to where it looked to be falling.

  "Teleport to the ground!"

  Ralts' hands buzzed with a Psychic energy, its body tensing and stressing. But, with its energy draining, teleporting felt less like breathing, and more like clawing against a stone wall, trying to make a dent. A fruitless effort, one its body couldn't seem to handle. The energy emanating from its hands soon fizzled out like a fleeting flame. Then, Ralts felt its back get smacked once more.

  Not as strong as before, with Taillow fighting more against gravity in its attack. But, more than enough to keep Ralts high in the air. The Psychic type almost struck the ceiling, finding itself at the same point as when it had watched the first battle. Ralts glanced around for a moment, before falling once more, looking down at the looming death that was Taillow.

  Ellie scrambled to think of a solution. Taillow had every advantage in the world. Especially while they were in the air. Without Teleport, Ralts could scarcely even move, let alone fight back. In a direct confrontation, Taillow would come out on top too. Ellie had already used their overhead strike earlier in the battle. No way it would work on Seijo twice. She needed to adapt. Be cunning. But, her mind drew blanks.

  "Confusion!" shouted Ellie. In her mind, a foolish move. But, she merely had to believe Ralts had the strength in itself to muster up one more attack. Ralts looked down at Taillow, taking a deep breath before throwing its hands forward. Those hands glowed a deep, dark purple. Soon, Taillow's body followed.

  Ralts' hands shook with the strain it felt from Taillow's momentum. Without the momentum of Quick Attack on Taillow's side, it became much more manageable for Ralts to slow the bird down. But, Taillow still made steady progress. Especially as Ralts began to fall to the ground, right into its line of sight.

  "Quick Attack!" the gym leader yelled, having grown tired of putting up with Ralts' attack. Taillow's wings shook, a white outline enveloping its wing span, before bursting forward. It broke through Ralts' attack with ease. Ralts didn't even attempt to slow it down.

  "Use Confusion to boost Ralts, then teleport!" Ellie cried, her breaths laboured as she watched her Pokemon fall. A risky move. One that Seijo wasn't sure of the intent behind. Especially with Ralts' draining power. But, Ralts saw the vision. Taillow suddenly found its momentum propelled forward by Ralts, its brain beginning to slow, confusion settling in. Then, just as its beak looked prime to strike Ralts' chest, the Pokemon slipped out. A purple aura enveloped its body, then it was gone.

  Now, without a target to soften its momentum, Taillow sped forward. Soared, straight towards the ceiling. Taillow's brain finally broke free of the confusion. But a few seconds too late, its momentum only stopping once it thudded against the wooden roof, its own speed betraying it. A cry echoed throughout the gym, as the two Pokemon fell from the sky. One fell in a heap, one fell with the grace of a ballerina.

  "Let's go Ralts!" Lucas cried out, Torchic excitedly bouncing on the bench, enraptured by the intensity of the battle. Taillow had already collapsed, swirls enveloping its iris, sitting on the battlefield floor lifelessly. Seijo brought up a Pokeball, returning his Pokemon. Then, a smirk came across his face, slipping the Pokeball away and folding his arms.

  "Very good, using Taillow's momentum against it when we got too confident." his eyes darted down to the one responsible. Ralts, who had taken only a momentary glance at Taillow to assure itself of the bird's defeat, before collapsing to its knees. Not to the point of fainting, but to the point of complete exhaustion. "Seems it took a lot out of Ralts to do it, hm?" Seijo hummed, awaiting Ellie's return of the Pokemon.

  "Yes, you did excellent, Ralts." Ellie crouched onto the ground, making eye contact with Ralts beneath the helmet. Its eyes shimmered with a beautiful pink. As did its lips stretch into a smile, even when it panted like a tired Mightyena. Ellie fished around in her pocket, retrieving the Pokeball and returning Ralts. It stood in no condition to fight now. And, a break could afford it the opportunity to maybe come back around if needed.

  But, Ellie had no intention to let Ralts onto the battlefield again. She dropped Ralts' Pokeball into her bag. Then, retrieved Mudkip's Pokeball. The one who'd finish it all. Right here, right now. No longer did her expression soften, like it had when addressing Ralts. Her features sharpened, hand clenched around the Pokeball.

  Seijo made contact with those cutting eyes. He couldn't help but smile, the fire in her eyes spewing sparks that lit the blaze behind his. With a hand clenched tight around Vigoroth's Pokeball, Seijo lobbed it onto the battlefield. Ellie did the same.

  "Let's fight 'till the end, Vigoroth!"

  "Mudkip, let's prove our worth!"

  The Pokeballs met in the air, switching sides as they slammed against the floor. Mudkip bounced out of the Pokeball, its paws skidding against the Earth as it turned to face its opponent. Vigoroth appeared, its back turned, hunched over. But, when it fully stood up, it loomed just as threatening as before. Its limbs dangled loosely, claws scratching against the floor as its body contorted. Turned, eyes burying deep into Mudkip's. It smiled.

  Mudkip felt goosebumps rise across its skin. But, the Water type shook its head, warding away those chills racking its body. It barked, focusing on anything but the gut feeling that told it to run away. The Mud Fish couldn't give in now. It had spent the bulk of its time training, prepping for this exact Pokemon. To stow its nerves, let its instincts take over and just follow what Ellie was saying. That's all it had to do. Believe in its trainer. No matter how strong Vigoroth stood.

  "You got this Mudkip!" Lucas yelled out from the sidelines, waving a symbolic flag in support of Mudkip. But, Ellie didn't pay it any mind. Lucas wouldn't want her to, either. There could be no distractions. She wouldn't allow it. Mudkip was going to give it its all. So, Ellie's brow furrowed, the rest of the world melting away. She'd give it her all. No regrets.

  Seijo tapped his fingers against his arm, biding his time while he made sure that Ellie was ready. But, the determined expression spoke all the words of assurance that Seijo needed.

  "Fury Swipes!" Seijo kicked off the battle with a bang, Vigoroth bursting forward with its claws sharp and ready to swipe. Mudkip took a breath, looking up at the Normal type.

  "Water Pulse!" Ellie cried, as Mudkip took a step back out of Vigoroth's immediate range, charging up a Water Pulse in its mouth. The water swished around before releasing steady and fast, the ball of water circling the air before coming towards Vigoroth.

  "Slice through it!" cried Seijo, Vigoroth bearing its claws once more, slashing through the Water Pulse like butter. Seijo expected it to dribble down to mere drips of water. Just as it had in the first battle. But, as it split apart, it exploded right on Vigoroth, striking the Pokémon even when it had seemed to subdue the attack. It wasn't as strong as if it just hit normally, but it was good enough to make both trainer and Pokémon think twice about trying to contest it again.

  Ellie smiled, the effort of their training beginning to bear fruit. Even better, it seemed the space grew between Mudkip and Vigoroth, as the Water type took steady steps backwards, avoiding the ire of Vigoroth's claws. That would be her gameplan. No point scrapping with a Pokemon as fast and strong as Vigoroth. They had to strike where Vigoroth couldn't. But, Seijo wouldn't give them that space without a fight.

  "Don't let up, Retaliate!"

  Ellie's heart raced. Her command came out lightning quick. "Jump over it!"

  Vigoroth raised one arm to the side, looking intently at Mudkip. Then, in the blink of an eye, it swooped across the battlefield, nearly threatening to take Mudkip's head off. If Ellie hadn't gave the command to jump before Vigoroth acted, it was certain that her partner would have been hit. But, the foresight allowed Mudkip a safe escape, crouching down and leaping above the Wild Monkey.

  Ellie breathed a sigh of relief, seeing Mudkip begin to drift away. They'd avoided the worst of it. Ellie had seen what Vigoroth's Retaliate could do from a few stray videos of Petalburg Gym Battles. But, even with the attack dodged, Mudkip still had to land against such a fast Pokemon. Ellie's eyes darted to Vigoroth. Its head twisted to track Mudkip. Then, that same smirk came across its face. Seemed it didn't take long to recover after an attack.

  "Water Gun!" cried Ellie. Mudkip inhaled deeply, before letting out a stream of water at Vigoroth, attempting to cover some space while it came to land. It succeeded in creating an immediate barrier to Vigoroth's offence, allowing Mudkip safe passage to the ground. But, it wouldn't take long for Seijo to find a way to keep up the offensive.

  "Jump over!" Seijo cried, Vigoroth sidestepping the Water Gun, then leaping into the air. Its fierce eyes locked onto Mudkip, a snicker escaping its lips. Mudkip's heart sank, watching its Water Gun sail underneath.

  "Slash, let's go!"

  The shine of Vigoroth's claws sparkled in the lantern light of the room, arms outstretched and diving towards Mudkip. The Water type froze for a moment.

  "Stay in it! Water Gun, full power!" Ellie acted quickly, her voices breaching Mudkip's fear. The Water type huffed, tensing muscles, back legs buckling down so it could put all its strength into repelling Vigoroth. A huge stream of water erupted from its mouth, constant and rushing with ferocity akin to a rushing river. It came to clash with Vigoroth's claws, the two attacks colliding and ending in a standstill. One Ellie assured herself would be in favour of Mudkip.

  She was mistaken.

  Vigoroth let out a cry for the first time in the battle, its claws shining even brighter. Its strength began to prevail, chopping its way through the Water Gun with steadyfast efficiency. Mudkip growled intensely, snarling, huffing with every bit of strength it had. But, Vigoroth's strength proved too much. The slow movement turned quicker and quicker, the tides quickly turning for the Water type. Then.

  SLICE!

  Mudkip let out a blood curdling howl, dropping to the floor with a thud. Vigoroth had sliced clean through. Ellie's breaths quickened, glancing to her downed partner. Then, to the Pokemon responsible. Vigoroth raised its head. Trainer and Pokemon made eye contact. It snickered at her. Attempting to taunt her, whether by Seijo's design or not. Ellie's fist clenched.

  Mudkip rose slowly behind Vigoroth. Water dripped from its mouth, spilling out onto the battlefield floor below. It attempted to rise to its feet. Slowly, but surely. Ellie's eyes locked onto Vigoroth, attempting to keep it distracted while Mudkip got up. But, a momentary glance to Mudkip gave away her intentions. Vigoroth slowly turned, its claws grating against the floor, like Klefki on a chalkboard.

  Mudkip got back to four feet, breathing heavily. It seemed to reap no benefits of its abilities. No blue aura shone around its body. No boost to its water. Energy still remained to be burned. Two more attacks before it went down, Ellie estimated. That was enough to lift her spirits, forgetting Vigoroth's taunt, pushing it to the back of her mind. Now, she had to focus on the battle. Just, how would she slow down Vigoroth? Ellie's eyes glanced to the floor. A plan sprouted in her mind.

  "Harass Vigoroth with Water Gun!" she cried, Mudkip swirling water around its mouth before letting it loose, heading towards Vigoroth.

  "Tsk. Running out of ideas, are we?" Seijo shook his head, throwing out his arm out. "Vigoroth, Retaliate."

  "Now, use Water Gun to spray the floor!"

  Seijo's arm retracted into itself, freezing as Mudkip angled its attack away from Vigoroth. It sprayed the floor underneath, the wooden surface glistening with a thick layer of water running over the top. Vigoroth took it as if it meant nothing, however. As confident as ever, it raised its arms to the side, claws sharp and ready to strike. In the flash of an eye, it disappeared, blitzing across the battlefield.

  But, with its quick speed came a lack of balance. Only further emphasised by the slippy battlefield, courtesy of Mudkip's Water Gun. The wood, strong as it was, proved the perfect surface to make the battlefield more akin to an ice rink. A headache to speedsters like Vigoroth. A boon to patient Pokemon like Mudkip. As soon as Vigoroth launched itself forward, it found its footing upset and off balance, going tumbling right to Mudkip's feet.

  "How's that for running out of ideas? Water Pulse!" Ellie clenched her fist, seizing the chance to get back into the battle tight. Mudkip pounced forward, building up power, then sending a Water Pulse rocketing after Vigoroth. The monkey put up its claws to protect its body. But, the Water Pulse still collided with ferocious power. It sent the Normal type flying back across the battlefield, crashing to the floor only to slide around some more.

  "Use Water Gun!" she added, tacking on some extra damage while Vigoroth slid around. Seijo gritted his teeth, looking for paths to easily sprint towards. But, it seemed Water Gun did more than just hit Vigoroth. Rather, it dripped onto the battlefield below, continuing to make it a slippy, hazardous surface, of which there were little dry spots. Without another option, Seijo made a risky move.

  "Jump high into the air!" he bellowed out. Vigoroth's eyes suddenly flared back to life, its claws slashing into the floor, slowing its trajectory instantly. Then, it raised one arm forwards, blocking the Water Gun. It tensed the muscles in its legs, then suddenly jumped forward.

  Mudkip had covered nearly every spot in water. The only thing that remained untouched was the very ground that Mudkip stood on. Many battles had been decided on territory. This one seemed no different. Mudkip, desperately clinging to its land, and to their chance at victory. Protecting it with everything they had. But, Vigoroth approached steadily. Ellie took a deep breath. Time for the final gambit.

  "Meet Vigoroth in the air and Water Pulse!"

  Mudkip dived down, body compressing, scrunching down to a pancake. All the while, the Mud Fish prepped its attack, water swishing around its mouth. Its eyes watched Vigoroth intently, growling. Then, once it felt the orb of aqua begin to form inside its mouth, Mudkip dived into the aether, jumping towards the monkey.

  "Slash!"

  Vigoroth raised its claws above its head, a sinister smirk appearing on its face. Mudkip stared at it with unflinching confidence, holding the Water Pulse even when it seemed prime to let loose. But, without an idea of the plan, Vigoroth slammed down.

  "Brace yourself!" Ellie cried out, as Vigoroth landed a devastating blow on Mudkip, sending the Water type hurdling towards the Earth. Mudkip did its very best to stifle its cry, despite every limb screaming inside. It had lost the battle in the air. But, it seemed intentional. Seijo's fist had clenched in excitement, seeing Vigoroth's attack landing. But, making eye contact with the challenger, Ellie wasn't the mess he anticipated.

  After all, how could she be mad about something she wanted to happen?

  "Mudkip, use the Water Pulse explosion to blast yourself back!" Ellie cried out. Mudkip's eyes shot open, looking to the floor. A blue aura washed over its body, the Water Pulse growing in power. Then, Mudkip released it just as it looked to slam into the floor. Mudkip went flying back, the explosion of water blasting it away. Back to its dry territory. Its body collapsed as it reached safety.

  "Chase afte-"

  Seijo suddenly stopped. He glanced up to Vigoroth. The Normal type began to fall. Vigoroth had completely halted its momentum to slam Mudkip down into the ground. So, now, where to fall other than down onto the wet ground? That small slip up, where its lust for blood had outshone the cunning needed to win. Ellie'd orchestrated it from the start. Only now did Seijo realize her gambit. Now, to reap what she had sown.

  "You're not landing! Finish this, Water Pulse!"

  Mudkip let out a mighty cry, jumping to its feet and rearing its head back. Waves frothed in Mudkip's mouth, Lugia's command of the ocean engraved into the very Water Pulse brewing in Mudkip's mouth. Charging, as it watched Vigoroth sink like a rock to the floor. It waited for the command.

  "NOW!"

  Just as Vigoroth attempted to land, claws looking to sink into the Earth, Mudkip let its attack rip. A bursting balloon of water, fired with the speed of a bullet, ripping through the air. The claws established some balance. But, when its feet came down, they couldn't find even ground. It had slipped. Now, it found itself staring down the barrel of its demise.

  It was a critical hit!

  A valley of mist kicked up from the clash. Ellie's heart raced, then began to settle. A smile appeared on her face. Mudkip huffed, letting its behind fall against the floor. Surely, that would be the end of it. Mudkip's panting reminded her that perhaps there was still a battle to be won. Couldn't let herself get content. But, surely? She had put everything into her attack, as had Mudkip. It had to be enough. Surely.

  Maybe not so surely.

  From the mist of the attack, Vigoroth appeared. Its claws sunk into the wooden crust of the battlefield. Ellie's eyes widened. Even if she knew she couldn't get content, she still expected that to do the trick. Just how tough was this thing? It had taken a beating from Mudkip. Mudkip had thrown everything at it. Ellie had used every trick in the notebook. Yet, here it stood. Snickering.

  It rested upon its claws. They held Vigoroth up, like a tired warrior resting on their sword. The monkey didn't make eye contact with either of them. It stared at the floor vacantly, continuing to snicker. A silence followed, where no one dared make a move. Seijo didn't speak a word. Simply crossed his arms. Waiting. For either his Pokemon to rise back to its feet. Or, to crumple under the weight of the world.

  Vigoroth panted. All the oxygen in the world seemed not to lessen its fatigue. One breath. Then another. Its exhales turned more raspy. Its snickers lost their flavour, sounding more akin to a cough. A dwindling star, no longer triumphant in battle. Its eyes broke from the floor.

  It stared into Ellie's soul. Ellie stared back. Goosebumps shuddered down her arm. Her body jolted. Vigoroth took notice. It let out one last snicker.

  Only then did it fall.

  Ellie'd have called the Pokemon a jerk. Had her spite not been trumped by the euphoria of victory.

  Mudkip let its body collapse to the ground, greedily gulping in all the air that it could. It flipped over onto its back, staring at the ceiling. Victory hurt. But, strangely, Mudkip couldn't have been happier.

  "Mudkip, we-WOAH-" Ellie rushed onto the battlefield, forgetting about the slip hazard the entire battlefield had turned into. Luckily, she remained standing long enough to reach Mudkip's dry area. There, she scooped Mudkip up into her arms. Mudkip mewed, giving Ellie a pained, but undeniably real, smile. She pressed her pale cheek against Mudkip's spiked one, nuzzling against one another. "We did it. We won."

  Seijo observed the battlefield for a moment, taking careful steps across the slippery surface. Then, he took a knee next to Vigoroth's fallen body. With a click of his Pokeball, it was returned back to its Pokeball. Then, his hands fished a remote from his pocket, flickering the barrier down. From there, he looked to the ceiling. He sighed.

  Then, a small chuckle left his throat. That small chuckle evolved into a hearty laugh, filling the entire gym. Ellie couldn't tell if it was the heartbreak of the battle, or the thrill of it. She soon figured out. It was both.

  "Marvelous! Just, wow, what a battle!" Seijo exclaimed, giddily hopping to his feet. Walking over to Ellie, he dug into his pockets, revealing a Balance Badge. "Your smarts really showed. Keep those wits about you, and you'll go far. This badge will be your first step in that journey to greatness."

  "T-thank you." Ellie spoke with a slight stutter, her hands shaking as she clenched the badge tightly. Her first gym badge. And, with such kind words to follow them. She smiled as she looked down at the badge, "I think I did good."

  "Good?" Seijo crossed his arms, his expression going from joyful to serious in a single moment. "Listen, gym leaders are contractually obligated to congratulate challengers on their skills no matter what they truly felt. Even if some random kid get two lucky burns from an Ember, or they manage to hit Hyper Beam on a Metronome. I have to give the same speech.

  "That wasn't one of those speeches. That was me speaking my mind. An excellent battle. Don't be so modest. You're gonna do great things." Seijo's smile soon returned, "So, don't sell yourself short. Be proud. You earned that in every sense of the word."

  Ellie nodded, returning Seijo's smile. Then, she suddenly found her tummy squeezed as Lucas pulled her into a massive hug, exclaiming,

  "Yeah, you were awesome! That was an amazing battle!"

  "L-Lucas!" Ellie nearly jumped out of her skin, cheeks flustered as she awkwardly pushed Lucas off. "Don't just sneak up on me like that!"

  "Sorry, I just got really excited! Seeing you battle got me all hyped up!" Lucas' eyes shimmered. Ellie hadn't the heart to be mad. Especially as Torchic chirped congratulations, and Zorua even seemed to have taken an interest in the battle, the smallest smile appearing on its face as Ellie made eye contact.

  "Well, thank you, Lucas," Ellie muttered, feeling Mudkip go slack in her arms. No doubt, a fatigue fueled slumber. Ellie stroked her partner's top fin. "Bet you're knackered, better get you to the Pokemon Centre."

  "Right! But, before that..." Lucas stepped forward, looking to Seijo and saying, "I'd like a gym battle. In two days or so."

  "Of course! I don't think we have anyone booked in for that day yet, so I'll get you booked in for whenever you want."

  "Later in the evening, if you can."

  "Done." Seijo responded, looking at Ellie cradling Mudkip, then back to Lucas. "You've got a lot to live up to with your friend there. So, I'd advise you train hard."

  "Of course, we won't need a second attempt for sure!" Lucas responded with a fierce glimmer in his eyes.

  "Hey!" Ellie pouted, knocking Lucas gently over the head. "No need, is there?"

  "No offence! I'm just talking big!" Lucas muttered, beginning to walk out the room, as Ellie continued to hammer against his arm.

  "You could talk big without bringing me down, you know! Maybe a congrats for just getting my first gym badge?"

  "I did congratulate you! I gave you a celebratory hug!"

  "That nearly scared the living daylights out of-"

  Seijo couldn't hear the rest of the conversation. For, they had already long left, disappearing into the lobby. Seijo chuckled to himself. Then, he turned, staring out at the battlefield. Soaked in water. Even the previously dry areas had been overrun with water.

  "Looks like we got a lot of work to do." Seijo sighed, then chuckled to himself.

  "Can't wait to see what that other kid'll do."