I panicked hard seeing Gym leader Erika’s Tangela use Sunny Day.

‘This is a first badge gym battle. God damn it! Gym leader, please don’t follow up with THAT move,’ I cursed, shuddering inwardly.

“Cet, Brave Bird, quick!” I called out, knowing that he couldn't cancel agility mid-way.

Just as the Sun shined over the dust-laden battlefield, a crash sounded sending the Tangela skidding across the field.

As the dust cleared, Tangela stood on her legs wobbling lightly.

The crowd roared their approval, making me register their presence for the first time after the Gym match started.

Still apprehensive about the Gym leader's plan, I ordered.

“In and out Poison Sting, Cet.”

“Match it with wine whip, Tanny,” Erika called out confidently.

The Tangela’s speed suddenly increased.

‘God damn! Chlorophyll ability,’ I cursed hatefully looking at the small sun shining over the battle arena.

The Tangela used her two whips to shield itself from the Poison Stings and the other two to catch Cet.

I didn’t use Gust as Cet has to be stationary to pull off a Gust that can do some damage to the Tangela.

With the Tangela waving around four whips like the death reaper’s scythes, being stationary meant a death sentence.

Cet being buffed twice in speed dodged the whips and damaged the agile Tangela now and then with glancing hits from the Poison stings.

The two Pokemon danced with a fatal rhythm, where one mistake would end their dance, leaving the other biting dust.

The whips cleaved through the air, their sharp snaps sending shivers down my spine.

‘I should give Cet more treats,’ I thought, seeing him dance around the nimble whips fearlessly.

‘Get poisoned already,’ I thought exasperated, seeing the Tangela still healthy after taking so many hits from the Poison Sting, granted not every sting from the move connected with it.

The Tangela is too well-trained, only taking glancing hits from a double-buffed Pokemon, even though having four whips certainly helped.

Just as I was about to feel confident of my win. The Tangela suddenly retracted two of its whips enduring a barrage of Poison Stings, giving me a bad feeling.

I looked at the battlefield intensely looking for a trap and noticed that Cet was being corralled into a corner this whole time.

Cursing my ineptitude, I was about to order him to disengage when Erika spoke with a finality in her voice.

“Solar beam.”

On hearing that I caught myself from ordering a retreat and fanatically shouted.

“Gust-side.”

Just as the words left my mouth, the whole world lost its colour for a moment and the world regained its colour back, bathing in the golden light of the solar beam.

Cet….he..he dodged the solar beam.

I pumped my fist into the air.

I shook with the urge to kiss Cet and Nia. Without encountering Nia, I wouldn’t have thought of teaching Cet any movement techniques.

The movement technique is a simple one, it just uses the opposite force generated by Gust move to propel oneself with a burst of high speed in any direction required.

I looked at the Tangela to see it panting lightly, ready to go another round.

‘Monster..’ I thought, looking at the humming Tangela, bobbing her body for a tune only she could hear, her wines waving in the wind placidly like she didn’t just steal the light from the sun.

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Like she didn’t endure a direct hit from Brave Bird and Poison Stings.

I shook my head, feeling put off.

The Tangela didn’t even retract her other two whips to facilitate the use of the Solar beam, leaving them on the ground and just started to retract them now.

Cet also looked slightly tired.

“Hang in there, buddy,” I shouted, more for myself than him.

“Sandscreen and Poison Sting,” I ordered deciding to not drag this match more than necessary.

Dust rose once again, obscuring Cet.

“Vine whip and Spin, Tanny,” Erika ordered using the same move again.

Just as the dust dispersed, Cet appeared like a silent reaper above the Tangela and fired Poison Stings.

The Tangela faltered as the attack connected.

‘One more Poison Sting to take it down,’ I thought observing the Tangela.

It seems Erika also reached the same conclusion as she ordered.

“Solar beam.”

“Brave Bird, slide into it,” I ordered taking a risk.

Tangela fired a second solar beam with less intensity than the first.

Cet gracefully glided across the beam, burning with azure fire, never contacting the beam.

Just as the Solar beam ended, Cet slammed into the Tangela sending it skidding across the ground.

Cet fluttered his wings wobbling and took to the skies recoiling from the hit.

The referee began the countdown and the crowd joined in, as I anxiously looked at the still form of the Tangela.

“3.”

“2,” the Tangela moved slightly, making my heart race.

“1.”

Cheers erupted as the referee announced my victory to the world.

I raced into the battlefield and hugged Cet, overcome with emotion.

The silly Zubat licked my face, making me reward him with some scratches.

Deciding he was going to get as many treats as he could eat, I recalled him to let him take some rest.

‘The risk I took paid off,’ I thought hearing the crowd cheers.

I decided to take the risk for three reasons.

Cet not being in an optimal position for the Solar beam like last time, having experienced gliding around Nia’s brine and me having another healthy Pokemon, Nia, to win the match were the reasons.

Nia has grown from the Ducklett who can’t fire water guns properly to an accurate firing machine, even having better aim than Cet, who started practising his aim for Poison Sting even before meeting the intense Ducklett, but letting her fight when her only long-range move was water gun wasn’t an option.

The Gym leader signalled me to follow her and moved towards, what looked like a resting area.

Happy with my battle I followed her grinning.

As we entered the room the hubbub of the crowd disappeared. Gym leader Erika sat down on a chair motioning me to do the same.

“That was a good match, young Leo.” She spoke looking at me.

“Thank you! I thought you would be more cross with me for the trick I pulled on your Bulbasaur,” I said carefully trying to read her expression.

“That was a cheap trick, but as it utilises your Pokemon’s advantages, I forgive you. But you won’t be able to do the same in your conference matches.” She said not even slouching or moving after she sat down.

Straightening my back to imitate her posture, I said.

“I know, every Pokemon that reaches the conference would have developed keen hearing. To not let the Trainers be silent partners throughout the match League decided that mic usage is compulsory,” I said still not finding anything wrong with her posture.

‘She is behaving like some noble or something,’ I thought and decided to ignore it.

“Hmm! You have better awareness than your peers at least. What I meant to say was just because a trick works, you shouldn’t stop developing more tricks or practising new moves.” She said smiling lightly.

I nodded my head indicating my agreement.

“So, do you want a Mega drain TM from me or just TM points?” she asked.

The TM points offered by the Gym Leaders are half the value of the TM offered by them, I chose the Mega Drain TM, as upgrading Cet’s absorb to Mega Drain will be helpful.

‘Damn! League and their ridiculous tests’ I thought, easily seeing through one more supposed test of the League.

Not wasting any more time thinking about the League and their penchant for tests, I showed Gym Leader Erika Cet’s diet and asked for tips as Cet has a Poison typing.

Erika approved and recognised Koga’s recipe. She gave suggestions on which treats a poison type likes, the best temperature for their rest poison-type energy exercises and more.

A buzzer sounded in the room indicating the start of another battle. I was ushered out as Erika went to face another challenger.

Feeling happy with learning more about poison types and on a high of winning my first badge, I left for the Pokemon centre.

I exited the gym, where a girl stood, still like a doll, she stopped me as I passed by her.

Her long blonde hair swayed in the wind as she narrowed her blue eyes looking at me, with a small frown on her face, she spoke.

“I saw your gym match, congratulations,” she said.

“Thanks,” I said grinning.

“Your challenge with Gon is tomorrow, do you know anything about his Gastly or him,” she spoke, the perpetual frown never leaving her face.

“I have time. I will look into him,” I said, raising an eyebrow at her interest.

She took her Pokedex and typed something in it.

“I sent you his public match recordings If you think you can easily defeat him tomorrow,” she paused, her face still rigid, and pressed her hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t,” she said after I made eye contact with her.

I nodded, my earlier happiness evaporating due to her sudden invasion of my privacy.

Seeing me nod, she turned around and started walking away.

“What’s your problem with him?” I called out.

She turned and said softly, still frowning.

“I just want him to lose once, he is a bad winner.”

As I looked at her retreating figure, sudden recognition washed over me.

She is the one with Abra. The aberrant Abra, who knows 3 or more moves.

‘She spoke like she didn’t defeat him even once. I mean the Gastly has type advantage, but with the Abra’s Fire punch, the odds should nearly even out,’ I thought trying to remember the Gastly’s trainer face.

Suddenly, my match tomorrow got more interesting.