"Then you can go ahead and challenge it."
Gary stepped calmly to the side and gestured toward the sleek glass entrance of Sunyshore Gym, as if inviting Barry into a restaurant rather than a League-sanctioned facility.
Barry froze mid-stride.
For a full half-second, his brain seemed to stall.
"Seriously? You're letting me go first?" he asked, eyes widening in disbelief.
"Why not?" Gary replied casually. "You were the one who nearly broke the door."
"HEY! That was the door's fault!" Barry shot back instantly, jabbing a finger at the perfectly intact glass. "It didn't open fast enough!"
Then his expression shifted into a broad grin.
"You're not bad. I like that. Fine! I'll let you watch my battle afterward. That way you can study the Gym Leader's Pokémon in advance and adjust your strategy."
Gary's lips curved faintly.
Barry was loud. Impulsive. Reckless.
But he wasn't malicious.
In fact, he genuinely believed he was offering Gary an advantage.
Unfortunately for Barry—
There wasn't going to be a battle.
"HEY! I'm here to challenge the Gym!" Barry shouted toward the automated doorway. "Open up!"
The sliding doors parted smoothly with a mechanical hum.
A calm synthetic voice echoed through the entrance hall.
"Welcome. Please proceed to the reception cabinet."
Barry blinked.
"…Reception cabinet?"
He stepped inside, boots squeaking slightly against the polished floor. An illuminated arrow appeared along the wall, guiding him toward a sleek metal compartment embedded beside the reception desk.
The cabinet door slid open with a soft hiss.
Inside sat several neatly arranged Beacon Badges, each gleaming under the fluorescent lights.
"This Gym does not require a battle," the mechanical voice explained. "Please take one Badge."
Barry stared.
At the cabinet.
At the Badges.
Back at the cabinet.
"…What?"
His voice cracked mid-syllable.
"What do you mean, take one?! No battle?!"
Gary leaned casually against the doorway, arms crossed, suppressing a smile.
The robotic system repeated evenly, "This Gym does not require a challenge. You may receive the Beacon Badge directly."
Barry staggered backward as if someone had physically shoved him.
"This is illegal! You can't just hand out Badges! That's against the rules!"
As the son of Palmer—the Frontier Brain of the Battle Tower—Barry had grown up around League officials. He knew regulations better than most rookie Trainers.
Gyms were meant to test challengers.
Badges were earned.
Not distributed like promotional coupons.
"Please take one," the system repeated with identical calmness.
Barry looked deeply conflicted.
He had traveled all the way to Sunyshore City.
He couldn't exactly leave empty-handed.
He glanced at the cabinet again.
Then at Gary.
Then back at the cabinet.
After several seconds of visible internal turmoil, he stepped forward and reached inside.
His fingers closed around one Beacon Badge.
He withdrew it slowly.
"Thank you for your patronage," the robotic voice concluded.
Barry stared at the Badge resting in his palm.
This wasn't how he imagined earning it.
There had been no tension.
No strategy.
No clash of power.
Just… retrieval.
He turned sharply toward Gary.
"Wait—did you already get one like this?"
"No," Gary replied evenly. "I don't agree with that kind of Gym."
Barry's eyes widened slightly.
"You're not going to take it?"
"There are other Gyms in Sinnoh," Gary said calmly. "I'd rather earn a Badge than receive it."
Barry looked down at the Beacon Badge again.
The weight of it felt wrong.
"…You're right," he muttered. "It does feel weird."
For a moment, the hyperactive energy drained from him.
Then—
His competitive spirit ignited again.
"Then how about this?" he said suddenly, snapping his head up.
"Oh?" Gary replied.
"If there's no battle here, we'll have one ourselves!"
Barry pointed dramatically, nearly jabbing Gary in the chest.
"I came all the way to Sunyshore City. I'm not leaving without battling someone strong."
Gary chuckled softly.
"You're confident."
"Of course I am!" Barry declared proudly. "I'm going to win the Sinnoh League!"
Gary studied him for a moment.
Barry's confidence was loud.
But it wasn't empty.
There was conviction behind it.
"Alright," Gary said. "What format?"
"Three-on-three!" Barry answered without hesitation. "Winner takes all!"
Gary raised an eyebrow.
"All?"
Barry rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a small protective case. He opened it carefully, revealing a single Technical Machine disc.
"If you win, you get this TM. If I win, you pay me one million PokéDollars."
Gary blinked.
"One million?"
Barry nodded firmly.
"Yes! A million!"
Gary stared at him for several seconds.
"You usually start negotiations at that number?"
"No!"
"Then why one million?"
Barry crossed his arms confidently.
"Because you look rich."
Gary nearly laughed.
Barry continued with absolute sincerity, "You've got high-end gear, quality Poké Balls, and that coat isn't cheap. You're definitely loaded."
Gary regarded him thoughtfully.
For someone who ran headfirst into glass doors, Barry's observational instincts weren't terrible.
"What's the TM?" Gary asked.
"Snarl," Barry replied proudly. "It hits multiple targets and lowers Special Attack. Great for breaking setup strategies. Even airborne opponents get clipped. Super practical!"
Gary considered it carefully.
Snarl wasn't overwhelmingly powerful, but its guaranteed Special Attack drop gave it significant tactical value.
Against special sweepers.
In double battles.
Or as support pressure.
Especially for a Dark-type like Darkrai.
"Alright," Gary said at last. "I accept."
Barry grinned triumphantly.
"Good! No backing out!"
They headed toward a public battle field near Sunyshore Gym—an older arena that wasn't currently reserved. The field bore signs of wear: faded boundary lines, minor cracks along the stone surface, and weathered spectator benches.
But it was functional.
That was enough.
Both Trainers took their positions across from one another.
A small crowd began gathering, drawn by Barry's shouting.
"Let's see what you've got!" Barry yelled.
He hurled a Poké Ball into the air.
"Go! Staraptor!"
"Star—RRAAA!"
The majestic raptor burst from the Poké Ball in a flare of light, wings spreading wide as it released a fierce cry. Wind stirred around it as it hovered confidently.
[Staraptor | Level: 44 Potential: Elite-tier]
Gary nodded slightly.
Impressive.
Staraptor was widely regarded as Sinnoh's most formidable regional bird. With access to Close Combat, Brave Bird, and even Endeavor, it could overwhelm unprepared opponents.
Barry's team composition wasn't reckless.
He selected and trained deliberately.
"Your turn!" Barry shouted.
Gary tossed his own Poké Ball casually.
"Go. Magnezone."
White light erupted midair.
A sleek silver-and-white Magnezone descended smoothly, electromagnetic coils humming with quiet authority. Its blue eyes glowed steadily.
[Magnezone | Level: 59 | Potential: Champion-level]
Barry's jaw dropped.
"Whoa! It's shiny!"
The difference was unmistakable.
Standard Magnezone bore metallic gray plating and red pupils.
This one gleamed white-silver, with brilliant blue eyes that reflected the sunlight sharply.
Gary nodded.
"I've raised it since it was a Magnemite."
Barry stared in disbelief.
"You're insanely lucky! That's a fine—fine—fine!"
Gary blinked.
"…Fine?"
Barry waved his hands frantically.
"It's just my catchphrase! I'm not actually fining you!"
Gary shook his head faintly.
"Can we begin?"
Barry's eyes sharpened instantly.