Time has the weirdest dichotomy.

Before Oddish evolved into Gloom, I felt like I had far too much of it. I was counting down the days to my gym battle in anticipation. Post-evolution, though? It's the complete opposite. I need every second I can get to try and work with Gloom, so we can rebuild the synergy and coordination that her evolution has thrown out the window.

That process is going slowly, in all honesty. The clothespin helps some, but it doesn't cut out Gloom's entire stink. It does enough to where I can command her for a while, but eventually the smell becomes too much and I have to return her. My Pokémon aren't much help, either. Charmeleon basically laughed in Gloom's face and then adamantly refused to participate in any training. I was going to punish him by forcing him to endure the stench with me, but I've learned that the more emotional Gloom is, the stronger her stink becomes, so I returned him reluctantly to stop that from happening.

Glaceon at least does train with us, but I can tell she didn't enjoy it, and my first Pokémon is always relieved when it's time to go back to her ball.

Strangely enough, Spewpa is the one to last the longest around Gloom. I think it's because it guarantees that no Pokémon or person would dare approach us as we were training. Not that Spewpa was much help in that regard.

I know it'll disappoint Gardenia, and everyone else at the gym who wants a grass-versus-grass showdown, but at this point, I'm hoping Glaceon and Charmeleon can win this battle on their own, and I won't have to rely on Gloom.

Speaking of time, I'm supposed to be going inside and getting this thing started. I check my watch for the hundredth time and tap my foot on the pavement while I wait for Lucas to show his face. Dude has pretty much moved out of my house to spend all his time at the Pokémon Center. Why Lucas was so excited for that is beyond me, but he had assured me that he would come watch my battle. At least it spares me from having to share my room with Ursula any longer.

Right as I'm about to head inside, I spot Lucas as he turns the corner. He is flanked by Monferno, which is normal. What's weird is that he's wheeling Mr. G, who's essentially a recluse that barely goes outside, let alone all the way to the gym. I also see a small brown Pokémon that looks like a puppy running circles around them happily, though Monferno darts forward and drags it back whenever it runs too far ahead.

I'm so surprised that I'm speechless when they finally roll up, something Mr. G quickly picks up on.

"What's the matter?" he comments. "Meowth got your tongue?"

"I'm wondering if my senses are tricking me, because you never leave your building," I retort. "And who is this cutie?" I reach down to pet the puppy by instinct.

"That's Rockruff, and she's my new Pokémon," Lucas says, watching the now named Pokémon sniff my hand experimentally. "Be careful, she's a biter." I withdraw my hand like I dipped it in boiling water.

"Am I missing something?" I ask, looking between them. "Since when are you two friends?"

"I'll tell you the full story later, but Mr. G is lending his considerable knowledge to help me with my project. This was originally his Rockruff, but now she's been given to me."

"Lucas helped me out too, and he offered to bring me here to watch your battle," Mr. G adds on, before piercing me with his gaze. "You better make it worth it, you hear?"

"I'll do my best to be entertaining," I quip, holding the door so Lucas can roll Mr. G inside. I hear them greeting someone inside, but their attention is quickly turned to me when I follow.

"There you are!" Gardenia greets me, after directing Lucas down to the arena. "You are keeping everyone waiting. Were you trying to run from our gym battle? We were about to send people to go look for you, like last time."

Gardenia certainly looks like the type to go out on her hands and knees to search for a lost kid. Her whole outfit is fit for a nature superhero, with her hiking boots, mini-cape, and cut off shorts. She's pretty enough to be one as well. The only issue is Gardenia's haircut. There's no universe where the mushroom cut doesn't make you look like a total dork.

I groan at the embarrassing memory and swiftly change the subject. "No, I wouldn't do that. I know you cut off your day in Eterna Forest for this battle. How was that, anyways?"

"Amazing!" the gym leader gushes, as we start to walk. "The Pokémon are really starting to come back to their homes, now that we've removed all those invasive ones. I almost caught a wild Shroomish! Do you know that they scatter toxic spores strong enough to wilt a tree when they're in danger? Next time I go out I'll catch one for sure. They love to feed on compost, so I'm making some as we speak."

Gardenia can't stop talking about her favorite type of Pokémon. She's like a walking Pokédex just for Grass-types. Heck, she probably could write the Pokédex entries, with how much she knows. "How come you didn't catch the Shroomish today, though?"

"Oh! I ran into an interesting group searching for some Combee honey. One of them mentioned he was challenging the gym, and I may have pretended I wasn't the gym leader so I could battle him. He was nice enough to battle my Turtwig with his Staravia and a Turtwig of his own!"

She bumps my shoulder as if to suggest I should do the same and bring out my Grass-type during our battle before continuing. "And then, we ran into another trainer, who had the most cuddly and huggable Cacnea and Carnivine I've ever seen! We weren't able to talk long, but I think he was really interested in trading one of them for my Victreebel! Next time I meet him, I'll make sure I come away with one of them!"

I don't know what's worse: the fact that Gardenia thinks Cacnea and Carnivine are cuddly, or that James actually wants another Victreebel. In any case, I also know a guy who always has the Grass-type starter of the region and the early game bird on his team.

"This trainer you mentioned. Did he have a Pikachu riding on his shoulder?"

"He did! Do you know him?"

"Unfortunately," I mutter. "That Pikachu is a ridiculous menace. Watch out if he uses it against you."

"I had the feeling he was special, by the way he trained his Turtwig," Gardenia muses, as we stop in front of the doorway. "His Turtwig was really fast. Most people don't know, but Turtwig's shell is made completely out of soil, so it's not heavy at all! Which means you can train for speed like I do!"

However you interpret it, special is a great word to describe Ash. As for Turtwig, that explains why it eventually grows a whole tree on its back. But if Torterra's design was based on a tortoise, wouldn't it be really slow? Gardenia had one each of the whole family, and her Turtwig wasn't going to evolve at all, so it made sense for her. Then again, I guess Ash doesn't make a habit of evolving his Pokémon. I push all thoughts of him from my mind because Gardenia is holding out her hand expectantly.

"Um? Do I have something of yours that I need to return?"

"You need to hand over your Pokédex," she replies with a conniving smile.

I clutch at my pocket defensively. That's my only tool against whatever Pokémon she's going to pull out! "Why?"

Gardenia wags a finger in my face. "Roark let you off the hook, considering it was your first gym battle. You aren't allowed to research Pokémon in the middle of a match!"

Her smirk gets wider at my disappointed face. "Get ready for another week at your mother's house, Luna, because you're going down today. If you think you're going to beat me in our very first battle, think again."

I know this is the typical trainer trash talk, but it feels to me more like good-natured banter from Gardenia. Sorta like an older sibling talking to a younger one to motivate them.

Which fits, because Gardenia really does feel a lot like my big sister. I slap my Pokédex into her palm.

"We'll see about that."

We both enter the arena. She continues to her side, only stopping when I point an accusing finger at her and shout. "When did you remodel the gym?!"

"A few days ago," she answers innocently. "You don't like it?"

"It's super weird and unlike you," I mumble under my breath. Gardenia usually has this place packed with plant-life, like you were fighting in the middle of Eterna Forest. Trees, vines, shrubbery, long grass, you name it, it was there. Now, all of that has been removed, and all that's left is a professional looking field of even grass, football match quality. What was once a battlefield where there were plenty of hiding places is now one where your Pokémon would be totally exposed.

The bleachers and cameras are both behind the challenger, because that provides the best line of sight when all the canopy is there. The cameras have moved to the side, but the people remain. I look up and count the familiar faces sitting in the gaudy pink seats. I see Mr. G, Lucas, Ursula, and the gym trainers, Jane, Angela, and Caroline. That leaves one person missing.

I whirl back around to see her stepping on top of the referee's box, Pokéball in hand.

"Mom? You're the referee for this match?"

"Why are you so surprised? This is literally one of my primary job duties."

"Yeah," I say, dragging out the word. "But aren't you, I dunno, biased?"

My mother puts a hand to her upper left chest like I've shot an arrow through her heart. "This is what motherhood is like, Jane," she says, raising her voice so the other gym trainer can hear her. "My own daughter is questioning my very integrity."

"Don't worry about it," Gardenia calls from the other side of the arena. "If I'm okay with it, you should be too! Sera may be your biggest fan, but she's not going to gift you a free win. I guarantee that!"

"Besides," my mom adds on, picking up a flag and waving it at me. "I get a front row seat."

Well, I can't begrudge her that. That reminds me, though. I run over to the bleachers and summon Spewpa from his Pokéball.

"Listen," I tell him. "We're about to have a gym battle, and while you don't have to participate, I want you to at least watch. I'm going to leave this right here." I place his Safari Ball beside him."If things get too scary, you can go back inside." He nods at me and I repeat the action at my mom.

She smiles as I finally give my assent. Mom presses the button on the Pokéball, and out pops the gym Exeggutor. Upon seeing the scene, it promptly puts up the psychic safety barrier, and the roof opens up. My mom clears her throat, projecting her voice.

"This Gym battle is between Gym Leader Gardenia and the challenger, Luna of Eterna City, by way of Virbank City! This battle will be three-on-three. Each round will end when one Pokémon is unable to battle, and the battle will conclude when all three of one side's Pokémon are unable to continue! The challenger may substitute, but the Gym Leader may not! Does the challenger have any questions?"

I shake my head.

"Gym leader, select your first Pokémon!"

Gardenia has a manic grin on her face. "Exeggutor, let's go!"

Another Exeggutor? It's only after the Pokémon fully materializes, and I realize I'm staring at two stocky legs and a tree trunk that I realize that this is not a regular Exeggutor. I slowly crane my head up to see what we are dealing with.

Exeggutor bends its ridiculously long neck to leer at me with its three laughing heads. What happened to this thing? It's like, three times taller than a normal one!

Unsurprisingly, Gardenia is happy to educate me. "This is an Exeggutor from Alola!" she yells from behind her Pokémon. "There's more sun, so they grow much taller, though mine is only twenty feet! The Alolan people like to say that these Exeggutor have outgrown their reliance on their psychic powers and gained the aspect of the dragon!"

Does…does that mean this thing is a Dragon-type? But that only raises more questions. Why did Gardenia choose a Pokémon four times weak to ice? I know Cynthia's Garchomp wiped the floor with us, but I can probably count on one hand the number of Pokémon that can stand up to that thing, regardless of type.

Being Dragon-type means it's neutral to fire, and I don't want to send out Gloom. I guess that means I have to spring whatever trap she has laid.

"You're up, Glaceon!"

My first Pokémon looks up at our opponent as Gardenia's smile gets even wider. Mom waves her flag like she's at a racetrack. "Battle, begin!"

Gardenia offers me the first move, and I take it. "Use Icy Wind!"

She's more than ready. "Exeggutor, Flamethrower!"

You gotta be kidding me. This giant coconut tree knows Flamethrower? Why, because it's a Dragon-type? Our opponent's middle egghead opens its mouth wide, and a torrent of fire emerges, easily overpowering our attack.

"Cancel and get out of there!" Glaceon lights up with Quick Attack and darts out of the way. A black scorch mark is left where the Flamethrower connected with the ground. The problem is, there's nowhere to hide.

"Energy Ball this time!"

Another head charges up a green ball of energy and launches it at us. "Dodge this and circle around, Glaceon! It doesn't have any heads in the back, so use Icy Wind from there!"

"I wouldn't be so sure," Gardenia sing-songs. "Flamethrower!" Exeggutor tilts its head back, and now all three heads are facing our direction, albeit upside down. That doesn't stop it from eviscerating our attack again, as the rest of its body starts to turn around.

"Go underneath it!" I order, exhausting the last place where I think Exeggutor has no vision of. But my opponent is prepared for everything.

"Use Stomp! And ready another Flamethrower attack!"

I don't really know what readying Flamethrower means, because Exeggutor seems to be able to use it with no issues. With all its weight behind it, Exeggutor's stomps sound like a drum being pounded, but Glaceon manages to sidestep being squashed. Eventually the attack stops because Exeggutor is finally ready. Its flexible neck, though it seems rather taut, is bent into a curve, so the top of the tree is now adjacent to the ground. Now I see what Gardenia meant. Even though it's facing the wrong direction, its heads are once again looking right at Glaceon.

The middle head's mouth opens and I curse inwardly. "Water Pulse as a shield, and get out of there!" The crashing wave buys Glaceon enough time to sprint away from the Flamethrower that is fired between its legs and under its round trunk bottom. My Pokémon is back in her starting place, although Exeggutor hasn't moved to face her yet.

"Alright!" Gardenia says, thrusting a finger forward. "Go for Dragon Hammer!" Is that a signature move? It sure sounds like one.

Although, I'm not sure how exactly one is supposed to hammer something without any hands. That answer is provided when Exeggutor's head whips forward like a catapult's cord has just been cut. My eyes grow wide as I see how much energy its three heads are covered in.

"Glaceon, look out!"

My Pokémon gets away from the impact area, which means she doesn't get smushed. What we can't dodge is the follow-up ring of energy, which blasts outward in a shockwave. First blood goes to Gardenia as Glaceon is sent tumbling, and Exeggutor slowly raises itself to its full height.

"Come on, Glaceon," I urge her as she gets back to her feet. "Water Pulse!"

"In that case, we'll counter with Energy Ball!" Gardenia says, totally comfortable with how the battle is progressing.

Glaceon grows a blue orb as Exeggutor creates a green one. Both attacks are launched towards each other, though it won't be an even match.

I snap my fingers. "Flash Frost!" It takes a second, but when the two attacks do collide, our Ice-type one eventually smashes through.

It seems Gardenia has a plan for this move as well. "Time to use Light Screen!"

Exeggutor's six eyes glow, and right as our attack is going to connect, it shatters against a wall of what looks like glass, though I know it's psychic energy. Half of the shards fall harmlessly to the ground, while the others make it through.

"I thought you said Exeggutor outgrew its psychic powers?" I ask, in a slightly whiny tone.

"That doesn't mean he can't use them!" the gym leader calls back. "In fact, Exeggutor has a fourth head on his tail, which is still attuned like a Kantonian Exeggutor would be! It means they never step on unsuspecting people or Pokémon by accident!

She always gives too much info for a simple question about a Grass-type. The one saving grace that I'm going to take to my bank is that Exeggutor's three heads have expressions of discomfort, pain, and anger. It might have all the tools to stop us, but clearly, it is not a fan of being hit by Ice-type moves. If we can somehow get through, a strong Ice-type attack should put it out of commission. Too bad Flash Frost and Icy Wind are half effective right now.

"You've got this, Glaceon," I say, making it clear that I don't plan to substitute her. Let's hope this thing can't use Reflect as well.

"We've got them on the run," Gardenia confidently contradicts me. "Flamethrower, again!"

"Ice Shard at its torso, and then get out of there!" A host of frozen pellets suddenly surround Glaceon. She launches them and the bounds away in one motion, so Flamethrower again only torches some grass.

Exeggutor stumbles backwards when Ice Shard clatters with its midsection, which I count as another small victory. "Keep it up, Glaceon! Don't stay in one place for long! Ice Shard when you can!" Once we've stalled for long enough, we can finish it once Light Screen is down.

That's the plan, anyways. Gardenia is looking at the battlefield with a new focus and narrowed eyes. "So, you two actually have a physical Ice-type move in your arsenal," she mutters to herself. "Don't let Glaceon get the chance to attack! Keep them on the run with your triple Flamethrower!"

Uh oh. All three heads open wide and rivers of fire are unleashed in three directions, all at the same time. No wonder Gardenia replaced her normal field. This one is going to be nothing but charcoal soon enough.

Which is not good for an Ice-type. "Use Water Pulse to defend and make safe spots where you can stand!" I change my command worriedly. There's barely enough time to get an Ice Shard off. We won't get the chance to attack if Glaceon is constantly keeping parts of the battlefield walkable!

Exeggutor and Gardenia know it, too. Even when one head needs to take a break, the other two are constantly firing. Slowly but surely, the entire battlefield is becoming a charred, flaming wasteland. Glaceon's Water Pulse shield preserves precious patches of green, like oases in a desert.

Which are slowly being overrun, by this twenty feet tall fire hydrant of a Pokémon, only it spits actual fire instead of the water that's supposed to out. This flat, featureless battlefield is perfect for a Pokémon like Exeggutor, because of its insane vision. There aren't any places that it can't see by tilting its head. Every place Glaceon keeps green is blackened as soon as she leaves.

I watch our opponent continue its flaming rampage and correct myself. There is one place that Exeggutor can't see, unless it really wants to turn its neck into a pretzel. It's guaranteed not to be burned either, though I wouldn't exactly call it safe. The only issue is getting there. Lucas's Monferno would have no issue, but Glaceon isn't built for this.

All that leaves is the express method of transportation. Should I be considering such a risky strategy so early on in the battle, though? We both have all three Pokémon remaining. I just get the feeling that Gardenia's whole strategy to beat me revolves around Exeggutor. Which means this tree needs to be chopped down.

"Glaceon!" I call out. "There's a spot all the way in the back that's still green!" That much is true, but she's been avoiding it because it's surrounded by an ocean of scorched earth. I give her the 'I wouldn't be making you do this if I didn't have a plan' nod and she takes off. I know it must hurt; being an Ice-type, it must feel to her like running over blazing hot coals. Glaceon finishes the painful journey, and now I'm betting that my opponent can't resist using Exeggutor's signature move one more time.

"She's trapped!" Gardenia exclaims. "Now's your chance to finish this with Dragon Hammer!"

Exeggutor doesn't tilt its head all the way back, instead whirling in a circle to gain some momentum. Once it starts glowing royal blue, it smashes downwards.

"Jump on Exeggutor's head!" I shout.

"What?" Gardenia says, taken aback.

At first I don't see Glaceon anywhere, from the cloud of dust sent into the air from Dragon Hammer, but as the Grass-type woozily lifts its head, Gardenia and I both see Glaceon clinging on for dear life, by sheer will.

"Use Light Screen and then throw Glaceon off!" Gardenia orders.

I see the glass walls appear for a second around Exeggutor before the tree Pokémon starts swaying like it's in the midst of a hurricane. It shakes its leafy top and bends every which way in an effort to eject its unwanted passenger. Glaceon fights to stay on valiantly, gripping with her whole body and biting down as she's taken for an extremely bumpy ride.

"Hang on tight, Glaceon!" I yell, as if she doesn't already know. "Exeggutor's going to get dizzy! Once you get a chance, use Ice Shard!

My Pokémon has other plans. Exeggutor finally starts to slow down, and stands straight up, though its eyes are all unfocused. Enough for Glaceon to raise herself up. I see her mouth open and the sun glint off her ice covered fangs before she plunges them right unto Exeggutor's leafy head.

Okay, apparently Glaceon knows Ice Fang. When did she figure that one out?

Whatever the case, the enemy Pokémon really felt that attack. Exeggutor immediately resumes its wild thrashing, so Glaceon can't deliver another super-effective blow, but again Glaceon hunkers down and waits it out. She rears up and goes for another Ice Fang, though not before Gardenia issues a command, seeing as her last one didn't work.

"Use Giga Drain!" A couple of leaves wrap around Glaceon, and start glowing. They're draining her energy, but Glaceon, tasting victory, powers through and bites down with Ice Fang again, to great effect. This time, it brings Exeggutor to its knees.

Gardenia looks dumbfounded, but then her expression suddenly hardens into something resolute. "Exeggutor! Explosion!"

All of Exeggutor's heads turn their expressions to calm, and all twenty feet of it glow white like it was about to evolve. If only that were the case.

"Glaceon!" I yell, leaving my hands in panic. My voice jerks her out of her next Ice Fang. "You have to get down! Exeggutor is going to blow itself up!"

I know it's a long way to the ground, but a rough landing is infinitely better than being literally right on top of a ticking time bomb. Glaceon leaps off as orange fireballs start to appear all over Exeggutor's body-

BOOM!

The sound of explosion is fit for an Exploud, to say nothing of the horrific power. All the loose dirt from the arena is picked up so that Exeggutor and Glaceon are totally obscured, though I see a monstrous orange flame inside the twenty feet tall plume where Exeggutor was. Then comes the shockwave. It pulses out and slams into the psychic barrier with such savage force that I have to take several steps back, though the barrier holds. I scarcely register the sound of a Pokémon being recalled as dirt and dust and my own Pokémon is sent flying, straight into the barrier. Glaceon falls to the ground, blackened and burned and totally passed out.

I hear a crash as a tree falls, though not in a forest, as our opponent also slams into the earth, and that's the sign for the call.

"Glaceon and Exeggutor are both unable to battle. The first match is a draw!"

I barely hear Mom's voice because I'm staring at my Pokémon in horror. "Gla-Glaceon," I stammer in shock. She remains unresponsive other than the slight rise and fall of her chest.

I look furiously over at Gardenia, ready to give her a piece of my mind. Her face is a mixture of sympathy and.. pride?

"Pokémon battles aren't always about being noble, Luna," Gardenia tells me, keeping her voice even. She recalls her Pokémon, thanking it for its efforts, and its sacrifice. "I told you that I plan to win, and Exeggutor and I did what we thought gave us the best chance. It's a hard choice, using Explosion, when you know your Pokémon is going to get injured to the point of fainting. That's the kind of commitment it takes to win."

Her tone softens. "You can take heart in this, though. I underestimated exactly how strong you and Glaceon have become. To the point that I was forced to use Explosion to preserve a tie, rather than saving it for later as I intended."

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

I think I understand what she's saying. Even with Glaceon going down like that, she's opened the door by removing Exeggutor from the battle, and the threat of explosion with it. Now it's up for the rest of us to run through it.

"Amazing work, Glaceon" I compliment as I recall her. "You've given us a chance to win this thing, and we're going to take it."

Eterna's gym leader is smiling as she pulls out her next Pokéball. "It still won't be easy!" she promises. "Dartrix, you're up next!"

Out pops what essentially looks like a regular owl, except for the suave leaf bowtie it has. Dartrix grimaces as soon as it touches the ground and immediately takes flight, revealing that this thing is most likely part-Flying.

"More Pokémon not native to Sinnoh?" I complain.

"You need to learn some Sinnoh history," Gardenia corrects me. "Dartrix's pre-evolution, Rowlet, used to be one of the starter Pokémon for this region. It still is, in Alola. Part of it was the population decreases as many of the flocks searched for greener pastures, but also because Dartrix can be extremely difficult for young trainers to raise. It's easier in Alola, where the whole region is a series of island chains. Here, Turtwig was found to be a much more suitable option."

That's mildly interesting, though largely irrelevant. If Dartrix is a Flying-type, then I suppose my pick is my own starter from another region.

"Let's go, Charmeleon!"

He looks around at the ruined battlefield and glances back at me, impressed. He probably wants to know what kind of Pokémon could have wrought this type of damage.

My mom waves her flag in the air once again. "Dartrix versus Charmeleon. Begin!"

"Use Flame Burst!" I instantly command. As expected, Dartrix evades the explosive fireball and two after bursts with ease.

Usually, my main strategy against fliers is to slow them down with Icy Wind, force them to the ground, and defeat them there. That obviously isn't possible now, so the backup plan is to catch them with an attack when they swoop in.

"Use Razor Leaf!" The owl brings its wings back and a volley of sharp-edged leaves come flying at us.

"Push it back with Ember!" The fiery coals easily overpower Razor Leaf, forcing a Whirlwind from Dartrix to stop Ember cold.

"Go for Seed Bomb, then!"

I'll respect the stronger attack with one of my own. "Flame Burst!"

The meeting of the two explosive attacks creates fireworks between Dartrix and Charmeleon. My Pokémon's body language is antsy and frustrated, that he isn't able to leap in and start attacking our flying opponent.

"Easy, Charmeleon," I try to soothe him. "These exchanges are all in our favor. We can play this slowly."

He grunts irritably, clearly not a fan of the plan, but hopefully he realizes the wisdom in what I'm saying. Dartrix has to be much more worried about stray projectiles from our ranged clashes than we do. We can afford to take several resisted hits, and while our counterpart can probably stomach one or two Embers, it can't afford to take anything stronger.

That means they need to get in close and make use of their superior mobility. I struggle to hide my smile as Gardenia makes the next move. "Use Trailblaze!"

Well, that's a new one to me, but I suppose as long as the principle is the same, who cares? Dartrix glows green and soars, on a collision course with Charmeleon. "Fire Fang!"

I can picture Charmeleon's grin as his face lights up with fire. He tenses and lunges as Dartrix approaches…

Only to bite down on air as our opponent changes its flight path so it skies safely above Charmeleon. Did it miss on purpose?

"Trailblaze again!" Gardenia calls.

Um…"Fire Fang again?"

This time, when Charmeleon lunges to bite, even though he whiffs again, he's a second slow. Dartrix keeps avoiding direct contact, but how did it get faster?

My mind races with the possibilities. "Is Trailblaze a Grass-type version of Flame Charge?"

"Excuse you," Gardenia replies, pretending to be offended. "Flame Charge is a Fire-type copy of Trailblaze!" Her face lights up. "Here's a move you might recognize. Dartrix, land and use Swords Dance!"

Oh, hell no. "Interrupt that with Dragon Rage!" The only saving grace is that Dartrix has to land to start up Swords Dance. Its wings move elaborately, like in some sort of swordsmanship form or kata. Thankfully, the hastily fired blue fireball forces it out of its dance before it completes, though I feel like it still might be stronger by the way it glows for a couple seconds. Dartrix takes to the air and makes a big show of cleaning its orange talons from the black soot that was plastered on them.

Must be a neatfreak. No wonder snot-nosed, mud pie making, sand-eating kids had a hard time raising it. Especially if there was a lack of water bodies for it to wash itself in. Actually, can't I take advantage of that?

"Dartrix, use Aerial Ace!"

"Ember!"

The wide conal spray of Ember means Dartrix gets hit multiple times with the super-effective attack. The low overall power of Ember, combined with the high speed of Aerial Ace, mean that it's guaranteed to land this attack. "Ready Fire Punch to retaliate!"

I don't know if we underestimated Dartrix's mobility, or if Charmeleon is too amped for this fight. He swings super early after breathing fire on his fist. Dartrix deftly avoids it before slicing into Charmeleon's midsection. Literally, because his razor-sharp wing opens up a bleeding gash. Annoyed at his miss, Charmeleon is angry enough to try and hit on the way out with one more Ember, though this one mostly misses, except for a few stray coals.

Okay, I've seen enough. It was fine leaving him in while he wasn't taking damage, but I need Charmeleon as healthy as possible for her final Pokémon. "Return!"

His Pokéball rattles furiously, I hold it right under my mouth. "They still have one more! Stronger than this one. I need you for that!"

I stow his Pokéball and pull out the clothespin. I fix it to my nose and bring out Gloom's Pokéball. Gardenia is bouncing on the balls of her feet. Sorry to disappoint, but my once cute Oddish is anything but.

"Come on out, Gloom!"

As soon as my Pokémon materializes, the psychic dome does the opposite. I whirl to look at my mom as it fades away.

"What's going on?!"

She sighs and points to my Pokémon, looking like this isn't the first time this has happened. I hear a delighted shriek.

"Oh my goodness! I've never seen such an adorable Gloom! Ever!"

I don't even know how to react. Is she crazy? Gloom is definitely not adorable. Gardenia has lifted my confused Pokémon into the air, and is rubbing her cheek to cheek like she's a Teddiursa or an Eevee or a Vulpix.

Not to mention, forget being within the stink zone like I am. She's literally right next to the source! I can smell Gloom through this clothespin, but she's acting like nothing's wrong!

"You-you can't smell anything?" I ask dumbfoundedly.

"Oh, that's a great idea! I love how Grass Pokémon smell!"

"No, wait," I try to warn her. The gym leader ignores me to take a massive whiff through her nostrils.

"She smells amazing!" Gardenia gushes. "Forest fresh!"

F-forest fresh? I think my brain just short-circuited from her words. I shake my head to remember where I am, and why I brought out Gloom in the first place. Unlike its trainer, Dartrix seems to have a proper sense of smell. The owl does not think Gloom smells "forest fresh". It's constantly looking over its feathers, as if to make sure they don't absorb any of the stench.

Gardenia has lost all sense of what's happening. "You have to trade me this Gloom. I have plenty of rare Grass-types to offer! Do you want a Gogoat? Or a Steenee? Ooh, I know! Maybe you want my Capsakid!"

Mom coughs to get the gym leader's attention before she can rattle off more Pokémon in her collection.

"Perhaps you can discuss that after this battle is concluded?"

"Oh. Heh. I guess I got carried away there," Gardenia says, a teeny bit embarrassed. She finally puts Gloom down, but not before taking one last whiff. "This is a great chance to show me what you can do!'' she tells my Grass-type.

Gardenia sprints back to her side of the field. Exeggutor puts up the barrier again, and normality is thankfully restored.

"Okay," Mom begins. "Battle resume!"

This time, Gardenia wastes no time getting started. "Aerial Ace!"

"Wait for my command, Gloom!" Dartrix is fast, but this is something the owl won't be able to avoid. As soon as it nears, I go for the stink bomb. "Use Sweet Scent!"

Our flying enemy screeches to a halt and lands, covering its face with one wing while the other one is used in a desperate attempt to clean Dartrix off. Because Dartrix is a Pokémon obsessed with cleanliness, it absolutely can't stand smelling utterly revolting. Not that I disagree with its over the top reaction, because Gloom, whatever Gardenia's defective nose says, smells repugnant, and Sweet Scent only increases the stink times ten.

See Mom? I managed Gloom's stink to our advantage. If that's not being able to work with her, I don't know what is. "Go for Acid while it's distracted!"

Gloom spits out an orb of sinister purple, while Gardenia tries to get Dartrix to focus on the battle. "Dartrix, you're fine! Gloom smells great! It's her attacks you need to worry about, not her scent!"

Thankfully, Dartrix isn't convinced. Acid lands right on its chest, and burns off that part of its leaf bowtie. That gets our opponent pissed. It shoots up straight into the air, enraged, supposed dirtiness forgotten.

"There we go!" Gardenia cheers and fistpumps. "Dartrix, Hone Claws!" The owl brings its talons to its beak and starts sharpening them furiously, glowing all the while.

A boosted Aerial Ace at this point is really going to hurt. "Acid again!"

She opts for a more defensive option instead. "Use Steel Wing!" Dartrix does a loop in the air before it skies towards Gloom, wings glowing. As soon as Acid reaches, one wing is held in front of its chest to block the Poison-type attack.

"Moonblast!" I call for our strongest attack. Gloom's power increase comes in real handy, because the silvery ball of energy immediately starts growing over her head, as Gloom holds it steady with her rounded arms.

"What a gorgeous Moonblast attack! I can already imagine the things I can do with a Pokémon like that at my side!"

I shut off my ears to more compliments. "Focus! Make sure you land the attack!"

In Gloom's mind, that means waiting until the actual last second. Dartrix powers into her with its Steel Wing, forcing her back several feet. Gloom treats Moonblast like a basketball, dunking the attack right into Dartrix's back before it can fly away. A huge cloud of silvery energy is released, and when the dust finally clears Dartrix is facedown in the dirt in front of my panting Gloom.

"Dartrix is unable to battle! The winner is Gloom!" Mom states formally, waving her flag on my side of the arena. "Gym Leader, please select your final Pokémon."

"Well fought, Dartrix. Take a long rest." She swaps out that Pokéball for another. "Roserade, let's finish this with style!"

Roserade is certainly a stylish Pokémon. Most people are drawn to the perfectly arranged bouquets of vibrant blue and red flowers on its hands, but what looks like hair is also actually a rose, this one pure white. Roserade even has a grass cape to match its trainer, but the way it carries itself effortlessly and elegantly reminds me of Cynthia, another Roserade aficionado.

"Gloom, return. I promised Charmeleon he would get the first crack at this battle, so take a rest, okay. I might still need you." I neatly leave out that her smell is getting to me. I wait a few seconds for the air to clear once she's released, thanks to the open roof, before I remove my clothespin and take a breath of fresh air. "Alright, it's you, Charmeleon!"

Charmeleon glares at our opponent, who stares back coolly, as I make my plan. At least he'll like this one, considering Roserade is far better at attacking from range. Mom's call to begin sounds across the arena, and I immediately take the initiative.

"Get up close!" Charmeleon breathes fire on both his arms before he surges forward, the leftover flames clinging to his mouth in Fire Fang.

"Roserade, use Leech Seed!" Our opponent holds its blue bouquet up to face level like a pistol before firing off a solitary seed. I'm sure Charmeleon doesn't think much of it, but I know better.

"Burn that seed to a crisp! In fact, burn every move sent your way so you can get in close!" Charmeleon breathes enough fire to char the seed into ash before he's upon Roserade.

"Dodge those attacks!"

That's precisely what Roserade does. Charmeleon has an attack pattern, a left-handed Fire Punch aimed at Roserade's head, a right-handed one towards its midsection, and then a wild lunging Fire Fang aimed in Roserade's general vicinity. Sloppy is the word I would use to describe his fighting style, and while I probably have encouraged this, not seeing anything wrong with him wailing away on an opponent with his sharp claws, flaming fangs and fiery fists, it's not very effective against Roserade. The graceful Grass-type easily tilts its head to the side to dodge the first Fire Punch, twirls out of the way of the second, and does a quick hop backwards to make sure Charmeleon is only chomping down on air. Roserade backs up several steps and takes up an offensive pose.

"Don't let it stay at a distance!"

"Strike back with Petal Blizzard!"

An actual blizzard of petals is fired nearly instantaneously from both bouquets, though Charmeleon once burns all of them away with his fiery breath before he advances. He goes for the same three strike combo again, and while it's consistent, it's also predictable. I can tell he's becoming frustrated with another opponent that's able to avoid all of his attacks. Roserade goes for another Leech Seed as Charmeleon scorches it and rushes it again.

"Get creative, will you!" I shout. "Quit using the same attack pattern over and over again! Roserade is too clever and strong for that!"

He flares his tail as a yes and this time, instead of punching, Charmeleon spins in a circle so that his tail takes out the surprised Roserade's legs right from under the Grass-type. Roserade rolls to the side as Charmeleon uses a double Fire Punch on the ground where she was. He quickly spits fire at the fleeing Pokémon to press the advantage.

"Use Water Sport!" Gardenia calls once she sees her Pokémon won't be able to get away this time. On her back, Roserade shoots out two sprays of water from her bouquets that barely hold Charmeleon's fire at bay until he finally runs out of air and is forced to take a breath. Roserade takes that respite to jump up, and Gardenia goes for their next move.

"Poison Jab! Aim for that cut on Charmeleon's chest!"

Roserade rushes forwards as both her bouquets turn purple and drip ominously onto the blackened earth. Charmeleon is about to run forward to meet it when my voice stops him cold.

"Defend yourself with Metal Claw!" I order, taking a page out of Gardenia's book. "Concentrate! You can't let a single attack get through!" He slides out his claws as they gleam in the sun, bringing them up to his chest to prepare for Roserade's onslaught of attacks.

As the name suggests, Roserade goes for a series of speedy jabs, rather than a few powerful strikes. That being said, I can imagine this attack on a Pokémon more physically oriented, using a horn or claws or anything but flowers, actually, dishing out some serious damage. Gardenia's intention for this move is clearly less about the initial damage, and more about inflicting poison. A sentiment I can agree with, because a status condition can be the game-changer in a matchup like this.

I'm not sure if it's because Charmeleon's primary training partner is Monferno, who's a very fast and much more powerful puncher, or because he also understands that this attack needs to be repelled at all costs, but my Pokémon is up to the task. Every jab Roserade throws is met with an ironclad defense, making me reconsider my earlier assessment about Charmeleon's fighting style. If he can defend this skillfully, then should be able to attack with similar precision. If I can provide the right guidance for him, his preference to get up-close and personal might not be a bad thing.

My Pokémon feels confident enough to last out with Metal Claw, piercing the blue bouquet and stopping it cold with his strength. Roserade tries to attack with the other one as Charmeleon has dropped his defenses, but my Pokémon is ready. He grabs the arm at the last second, and twists it downward, Roserade's stem-like arm is the only thing that makes contact with him. The Fire-type then ignites his fangs and chomps down on Roserade's shoulder. The Grass-type cries out in pain for the first time as it struggles to get free of my stronger Pokémon.

"Use Water Sport!" Gardenia commands, and Roserade focuses through the pain. Instead of shooting water from her arms, it lowers its head and blasts Charmeleon right in the eyes and nose from its head flower. Charmeleon abruptly breaks off his attack to sputter and cough, and wipe water out of his face. Roserade takes the opportunity to back away, holding onto its damaged shoulder with one hand.

'We've got them now, Charmeleon. Lead with Flame Burst!" My Pokémon has basically expunged all that unexpected water from his system, but as soon as he opens his mouth, he starts coughing again, so much so that he drops to one knee. I thought he blocked every Poison Jab? "Charmeleon, return!" He doesn't protest this time, and I run my mind through the possibilities, since I know Roserade so well, having used it on so many of my teams. I throw out my hypothesis as I get ready to send out Gloom again.

"Poison Point?"

Gardenia looks delighted that I know her Pokémon's special ability. "That's right! The thorns on Roserade's arms can also inject poison! The one from the blue arm is a slower acting, more virulent poison, while the red one acts quickly, though it doesn't get any stronger with time. It might get weaker, depending on your Pokémon's constitution."

I really need to make a list of all these Pokémon that can inflict status after physical contact, because this might actually cost us this battle like it did against Ash and Pikachu. Blue sounds like Toxic, while red seems like the regular poison. Either way, Charmeleon probably only has a few more attacks left in him until he goes down. I pinch my nose with the clothespin again. "Go, Gloom!"

"Charmeleon is still in the back, so it's not totally on you to win, ok? Wearing down Roserade might be enough."

My opponent isn't about to let that happen. "Use Synthesis!" Roserade tilts her head to the sun, and starts using the bright sunlight to heal itself. Well, my Pokémon has taken some damage too, and we might as well take this opportunity.

"Moonlight!" Gloom's body glows silver in contrast to the gold and green Roserade has turned, but the same thing is happening on both sides. I see Roserade's injury heal up, and I know whatever damage Gloom sustained in her last bout is also being erased.

The gym leader smiles. "Now use Growth!"

"You use Growth too!" I quickly parrot. We cannot afford to fall behind even more in this arms race, considering Roserade is a fully-evolved Pokémon. Powered up and healed, Gloom and I stare across the field at Gardenia and Roserade, as I wonder what her play will be if her Leech Seed and poison tactics aren't going to work in this battle.

"Use Petal Blizzard!" she orders, which seems to be Roserade's preferred attack. A giant storm of violently fluttering petals is headed for my Pokémon, but I order her to stand her ground.

"Growth again!" Gloom gathers more energy from the sun as she's peppered with the attack, but I think we should be on close to even footing now.

"Use Acid!"

"Roserade, Venoshock!"

Two balls of poison collide with each other into a shower of droplets . The ones that hit the ground fizzle out on the already lifeless battlefield, and though both Gloom and her opponent receive their fair share of the spray, neither seems too bothered.

"An even match," Gardenia says. "Try Shadow Ball!"

Shadow Ball is an interesting move for Roserade to learn, because Ghost moves in general have insane neutral coverage, only being resisted by Dark-types and ineffective against Normal-types; however, they don't really have much super-effective coverage either, only hitting other Ghosts and Psychic-types, which I suppose Roserade is weak to. Shadow Ball doesn't cover most of the traditional weaknesses of a Grass-type. That said, it's still a strong move that we need to respect with our own. "Moonblast!"

Roserade is a little faster at creating her dark purple ball than Gloom is at creating her silvery one, so Roserade is able to thrust her attack forwards first. When the attacks finally do collide, it's much closer to Gloom than it is to her counterpart. Thankfully, both attacks destroy each other, this time leaving nothing but a few pretty wisps of silver and purple.

Gardenia is tilting her head back and forth like she really is contemplating her next course of action. "Use Growth, Roserade." Her voice is distant, like her mind is somewhere else.

I quickly order Gloom to soak up some more sunlight, then call for another Acid, which Gardenia and Roserade counter with another Venoshock. I know she can heal off the damage, but if Gloom can manage to land a few Acids, with the way our attack creates a sensitive weak spot, it might not matter if Roserade can use Synthesis.

It appears Gardenia is done thinking as well. "Roserade," she says, with new conviction in her voice. "Create Grassy Terrain!"

Her Pokémon plunges its bouquets straight into the ground, and from them, new life starts to bloom. Grass starts to grow, starting from the area around her flowers, but it swiftly starts to spread to all corners of the battlefield, turning what was a charred black floor into a thriving green battlefield. The whole thing looks like it's bursting with new energy. Gloom turns to me in surprise, and I can see some of the spots where that Venoshock and Acid mix hit her start to fade away. Even if this Grassy Terrain is a giant healing field, I think the principle of our plan should stay the same. "Acid, again!"

"Use Sunny Day, Roserade!"

Another supportive move? Gloom's ability is Chlorophyll, so that greatly benefits us as well! Not to mention Fire-type moves get a major boost in harsh sunlight. What's she up to? Roserade creates two white orbs, one for each bouquet, and sends a beam of energy straight through the roof of the arena. It instantly gets several degrees hotter, and the entire field looks a different color because it has become brighter. Acid connects on Roserade's midsection, and while it leaves a nasty burn mark, I immediately see it start to slowly heal as Grassy Terrain works its magic. Her skin still looks paler than before, though. "Another Acid attack!"

"Not this time! Roserade, show them the power of our Weather Ball!" Gardenia's signature Pokémon holds her red bouquet out, creating a nondescript ball of white on top. When it holds it up to the sky, however, the ball ignites into a fireball double the size of what it was previously, and it's still growing. When our opponent finally decides it's time to throw its attack our way, Weather Ball blasts through Acid like it wasn't even there.

"Dodge!" I shout. My normally plodding Gloom dashes out of the danger zone, and Weather Ball incinerates the spot where she just was, though it starts to grow back.

"One more Weather Ball! Make sure this connects!"

"Keep on the move, Gloom! Roserade won't be able to use it once the sunlight fades!"

Roserade poses twice again, once to start the attack, and once to imbue it with the power of the sun. This time, our opponent's eyes glow green, and Roserade starts waving its blue bouquet.

"Watch out Gloom! They might try something sneaky, like another attack before she launches Weather Ball," I warn. Gloom keeps her eyes on Roserade whilst running, waiting for her opponent to strike, but to my utter surprise, she trips and falls out of nowhere. Like a coiled Arbok, Roserade takes that split second to strike.

"Get up, Gloom!" I shout in panic, but it's in vain. Weather Ball lands as my Pokémon is stumbling to her feet, knocking her down once more, this time for good. Smoke rises off her body as she lies unconscious in the circle of burned grass.

"Gloom is unable to battle!"

"Return, Gloom. You were awesome today." Regardless of my issues with her new form, we held our own pretty well. I switch Pokéballs for the last time in this battle. "It's up to you, Charmeleon!"

He's still having trouble breathing, which is not a good sign. In fact, he looks worn down just from standing in this harsh sunlight, which basically tells me all I need to know about his condition. Time is not on our side here.

"Charmeleon vs Roserade," Mom announces. "Final battle, begin!"

"You've exceeded every one of my expectations for this battle," Gardenia tells me. "It's a shame it has to end."

I'm about ready for it to end, actually. My brain is worn out! "Use Fire Fang!" Charmeleon's fangs roar to life with double the fire they usually do. A sun boosted attack is going to have to be enough.

"Roserade, stop Charmeleon in its tracks!" The Grass-type does the same bouquet flick with its blue arm as its eyes glow green once again. This time, when Charmeleon trips and lands on his belly, I can see why. To elongated blades of grass have been tied together, like when shoelaces are tied together as a prank. Grass Knot is aptly named, that's for sure.

"Now, end this! Weather Ball!" Roserade prepares to launch a fireball once more.

Charmeleon struggles to his feet, struggling to breathe and wincing with every motion. "We aren't done yet, are we, Charmeleon?" I urge him on. "Show them a real Fire-type attack! Flame Burst, maximum power!"

Roserade sends Weather Ball towards us as Charmeleon takes a moment to suck in, labored as it is. When he does expel his fire, it's like none I've ever seen before. This type of fireball is what I'd expect from a Moltres or an Entei. It's so enormous that obscures my vision of the other side, and most likely Charmeleon's as well. Not that we'd have a problem connecting, with how it threatens to engulf half the battlefield. Roserade's Weather Ball is absorbed into the much larger fireball, only enhancing the absurd attack further.

I can't help but stare in awe and wonder at where this ridiculous power is coming from. I hear Gardenia's voice vaguely in my ear. "Water Sport!"

The hiss of steam tells me that Water Sport had negligible effect, with the water likely evaporating the second it made contact with our attack. Our opponents go for one last move before the fireball swallows Roserade whole.

"Synthesis!" I barely see light emanating from Roserade before the fireball explodes on it, overwhelming the Grass-type with its ferociousness. If the two flares released on the sides are any indication, each of them fit for a jet engine. Charmeleon collapses onto the ground like he's sprinted from here to Sunyshore and back without stopping or slowing down. He's wheezing for breath so much that one might make this mistake of thinking the floating Poison-type was here. It's all he can do to partially push himself off the ground, though standing up seems to be too much of a challenge. The flames clear on the other side to reveal a blackened and burned Roserade also struggling to move.

Mom glances between the two sides for a brief second, as one Pokémon finally drops to the ground, the effort of moving too much for it. She waits one second before pointing the flag in the winner's direction. "Roserade is unable to battle, which means Charmeleon and Luna are victorious!"

Wow. Wow, wow, wow. Gym battles really are the ultimate test of a trainer and their Pokémon, and this one took us all the way to our limit. It feels amazing coming out with a victory.

"Magnificently fought, Roserade," Gardenia says, returning her Pokémon to its ball, as I pull our Charmeleon's to do the same.

My Fire-type has finally let himself fall to the ground after the call has been made, either from exhaustion or relief. "Unbelievable resilience out there, Charmeleon. You were amazing today." His head is facing sideways, so I can see a very tired smile on his lips as he vanishes, bathed in red light.

I briefly turn around at the sound of rapturous applause, even from my miniscule audience, which has been made smaller because Spewpa is in his Pokéball, and give them a tired, though pleased smile and wave. I whirl around to meet Gardenia in the center of our battlefield, and I hold my hand out for a shake, though she grabs me in a hug. I return it for a couple seconds before she releases me, hands still on my shoulders.

"I know I've said it before, but you and your Pokémon have grown so much since I've last seen you. I wouldn't believe it myself, had I not witnessed it firsthand. I might have made a couple of mistakes in that battle, underestimating you at first and then not taking into account Charmeleon's special ability, but it all shows how strong a bond you have with your Pokémon. I'm super proud of you!" She shakes my shoulders until I'm laughing to get her point across.

"Ok, ok, I get it!" I laugh. "I'm surprised you forgot about Blaze, though."

"Charmeleon's special ability isn't Blaze," she corrects me. "It's-"

"Solar Power," my mom finishes, having come off her referee block to stand next to us. Gardenia releases me so Mom can give me a hug and her congratulations as well. "That was fantastic, Luna. The best battle I've ever seen."

""Oh, come on," I dismiss. "You're just saying that. I'm sure you've seen better."

"No," she affirms. "This was the best, until you go and have a better one. Being able to watch you battle today means the world to me."

She squeezes me one more time before I cough and take interest in some grass at my feet. "Anyways, about Solar Power…"

"My Sunflora and Sera's Tropius both have the same ability," Gardenia tells me excitedly. "We all match! Under harsh sunlight, it will give a massive power boost to Charmeleon's special attacks. There is one negative side effect, which is that it does drain your Pokémon's energy. I don't think Charmeleon has any control over it right now. Your Pokémon basically was drained after just one attack. Grass-types have an easier time manipulating the energy they get from the sun, since they do it all the time. But they don't have that kind of power Charmeleon just demonstrated."

She snaps her fingers. "Ooh, I know. How about you trade me Gloom for my Sunflora, and she can teach your Charmeleon how to master his ability! That sounds like a fair trade to me!"

I almost feel bad at disappointing the eager gym leader. Yeah, the smell factor sucks, and while it's apparently no issue for Gardenia, plus she's an expert on Grass-type Pokémon, I cannot trade Gloom away. "Sorry, Gardenia. I'm not trading Gloom. She's the first Pokémon I've ever caught. Also, I think this battle proved," I glance at my mom, who nods, "that we still make a great team."

"Well, a girl can hope. I have a gift for you, seeing as you made that decision." She runs back to the referee's box and grabs a platter with two lumpy objects covered with fabric, carefully speed walking back. "A TM, prize money, the gym badge…" she waves her hand dismissively. "Everyone gets those. We at the gym really wanted to reward you once you won, though I certainly didn't expect it to be this soon."

Gardenia pulls away the fabric and I gasp once I see two evolutionary stones sitting there, gleaming. "Whichever one you want, Luna," Gardenia says, holding out the Leaf Stone and the Sun Stone. "Though I would suggest you might want to consult with your Pokémon, first."

Any notions I may have had about taking the idealistic, moral road, and letting Gloom pick for herself whether she wanted to evolve disappeared as soon as I bring her out. I thought I could tolerate the stench for a few minutes, while she made her decision, but now I'm just going to have to overrule her if she decides to stay as Gloom, because constantly having to deal with this stink cannot continue. I'm going to keep trying to treat my Pokémon the best I can, but they'll just have to accept that I won't always make the righteous decision. Such as in this case.

I wave Lucas over so he'll be able to see this. My mom has already backed up quite a few steps, and Lucas stands next to her; enough to have a great vantage point, but far enough away to where the smell isn't as bad. "Wow, we got a whiff of it in the stands when Gloom used Sweet Scent, but the stench is way worse up close." he says, covering his nose with an arm.

Amazing analysis. He doesn't seem in awe of the stones. Maybe he's already seen one? Gloom's sitting on her butt, still very worn out from her battle with Roserade, so I do my best to consciously breathe through my mouth as I take the platter for Gardenia and hold it out to her. "We're gonna correct this today, Gloom. Touching either of these stones will make you evolve, and this won't be an issue ever again."

"Actually…" Gardenia's voice comes from behind me. I turn around to face her.

"What? Am I wrong?" Please tell me I'm not.

"No, you're mostly correct," the Grass-type expert assures me and my Pokémon. Vileplume, despite the name, doesn't have a powerful scent like Gloom unless one is purposely trying to put it out, like when you used Sweet Scent on Dartrix. It's really a Vileplume's pollen that you need to watch out for, it's extremely potent. It will be a fairly easy transition once you evolve Gloom, similar to the way you are now. Bellossom is a much different Pokémon, you probably aren't going to be nearly as good at utilizing Poison-type moves, though you can still learn and use them if you put in the effort. Bellossom is still a very versatile and strong Pokémon, in a different way. Both are great choices."

Well, today has proven that I can work with whatever she picks. I can at least give this choice to her, even if I've already made up my mind that she's going to evolve. "I don't have a preference, Gloom. Whichever you decide is fine by me. The Leaf Stone will evolve you into Vileplume, and the Sun Stone into Bellossom."

I can only imagine what's going through her head right now, as she stands up and peers down at one stone, then the other. She seems mesmerized by them both, but is there something drawing her to one stone over the other?

It appears so, because she eventually makes her decision, hovering a rounded hand over one of the stones for several seconds, when she suddenly presses down to make contact. Immediately, her whole body lights up and starts changing. I think her leaves are going to fall off, but they instead create a ring around her slimmed waist as Gloom's flower bud blooms, but not before it splits into two. When the light fades, a green Pokémon with a leafy skirt and two gorgeously colored flowers, the same orangish-red you might glimpse during a picturesque sunset, is standing in Gloom's place.

I'm happy she's smiling again. "How do you feel, Bellossom?"

Good enough to start dancing, apparently. She gives a happy cheer and then starts spinning in circles, while petals start emerging from her flowers, similar to how they did from Roserade's bouquets. They rise to the roof before starting to come back down. I can't resist the urge to grab a handful and throw them in the air like confetti. Most of them land on Lucas, and he returns the favor after a second of thought. It's not long before everyone is laughing up a storm, covered in flower petals. The only thing that stops us is Bellossom tipping over.

"I know you evolved, but I'm sure you're still tired from all that battling," Bellossom doesn't react to my words, as if she's in a haze. Petal Dance causes confusion, doesn't it? "I'll take you to the Pokémon Center with everyone else. Return."

Someone's stomach grumbles. Thankfully, it isn't mine. We all look at Gardenia, who grins unabashedly. "What? Battling makes me hungry. Good thing you won all that prize money, Luna. You can put it to good use treating us to dinner."

She wraps one arm around both my shoulders and starts steering me to the door. "I'm not paying for all of us to eat out."

"We can discuss an installment plan while we eat. And what kind of TM you want! I have plenty of good ones, like Trailblaze, Energy Ball, and Grass Knot. Did any one of them catch your eye during our battle? Bellossom should also be able to use Sunny Day after she evolved, and if you really want me to pull some strings, I might be able to get my hands on a Solarbeam, though it's gonna cost you."

"You all are paying for your own dinner, and I don't need Solarbeam right now," I tell her, since I have something else in mind involving Sunny Day. "Do you have an extra copy of Weather Ball?"