As they made their way toward the audience entrance, Yellow and Misty walked side by side in rare silence. The usual chatter between them was absent, replaced by the quiet weight of anticipation. The low murmur of voices around the gym, the echo of footsteps against stone, and the occasional excited whisper all blended into the background.
It was Misty who noticed them first.
Her eyes shifted instinctively toward a group approaching from the side, and she stopped short.
"Elsa." Yellow followed her gaze, her eyes widening slightly as recognition settled in.
"Elsa." Hearing her name, the blonde girl turned.
Elsa was walking with a small group of girls, their laughter soft but lively, and beside her was a familiar face—one that made Yellow pause for half a second longer than expected.
Leaf.
The moment Elsa spotted the two of them, a gentle smile bloomed across her face. There was no surprise there, only warmth, as if she had expected this meeting all along.
"Yellow. Misty," she greeted calmly, then her eyes flicked toward the gym entrance. "So… he's here?"
Just thinking about Ash made her smile deepen, the expression coming so naturally that even she didn't bother hiding it anymore. It was only after leaving her group earlier that Elsa had fully realised it—she had fallen for him. Completely.
And once she accepted that truth, there was no turning back.
That was why she had insisted on coming here. That was why she had asked her friends to watch his match with her. The teasing that followed had been relentless, but beneath it all, they supported her wholeheartedly.
Leaf, meanwhile, was staring. 'Wow… it's really Misty and Yellow.'
She let out a quiet sigh, her thoughts spinning. She had only been thinking about helping Elsa sort through her feelings. She hadn't even considered that Ash would be the one involved.
"Leaf."
Yellow's voice pulled her back.
Leaf blinked, then smiled. With her brown hair tied neatly and brown contact lenses softening her gaze, she looked striking in her slim, simple outfit—effortlessly beautiful. The familiarity in Yellow and Misty's voices made Elsa glance between them, realisation dawning.
They knew each other.
Especially Yellow.
After all, they had lived together for years—until Leaf moved away the previous year.
"As expected," Leaf said gently, nostalgia colouring her tone. "You were on a journey with Ash."
Yellow nodded. "I called your house before… but you weren't there."
That simple sentence was enough.
Leaf's voice carried a quiet warmth, and Yellow felt her chest tighten. A faint shimmer appeared in her eyes as she smiled—happy, emotional, relieved. Seeing someone who felt like a sister after so long stirred memories she hadn't realised she missed so deeply.
"I'm really glad you came to Kanto," Yellow said sincerely.
Leaf's smile softened even more. Then her gaze drifted again toward the gym entrance.
"So… is he in there?" There it was. The boy from Pallet Town. The one whose stubborn smile and reckless determination had somehow lingered in her heart longer than she ever expected.
"Yep," Yellow replied. "It's his first gym battle. Let's watch it together, right? Elsa?" Elsa nodded immediately.
The girls beside her exchanged subtle glances. They weren't blind. The way Leaf spoke, the way Elsa smiled—it was obvious. Two of the most admired girls in their group, both drawn to the same boy.
Just who was Ash, exactly?
Their curiosity piqued, they joined the others, walking alongside Yellow and Misty. Misty, for her part, already knew Leaf well. They had met during her time in Hoenn, and their friendship had picked up easily again.
"I ended up with a Bulbasaur," Leaf said casually as they walked. "Since I wanted a Kanto starter back at school, they gave me Bulbasaur as my first choice." She released the Pokémon briefly, the green figure appearing beside her with a calm cry.
Yellow laughed softly at the sight.
"Looks like we really do have the same taste even in this," she said, amused by the coincidence.
As they entered the audience area together, anticipation hung thick in the air. Ash's first gym battle was about to begin.
"He's there…"
The moment Leaf stepped inside, her eyes found him almost instinctively.
Ash stood on the opposite side of the arena, slightly crouched as he spoke quietly to Pikachu. The familiar sight made her heart skip—Ash with that focused expression, Pikachu perched comfortably on his shoulder, tail swaying with restless energy.
'He's really here… Pikachu too.'
A warm wave of nostalgia washed over her. That image—Ash and Pikachu together—felt unchanged, as if time itself had carefully preserved it. For a brief second, she was reminded of Pallet Town mornings, of reckless promises and loud laughter that felt impossibly far away now.
At the same time, Ash turned his head toward the audience stands.
His eyes scanned past the crowd until they landed on familiar faces—Yellow and Misty. He relaxed slightly… then froze.
Elsa.
And beside her—
Leaf.
A silent smile curved onto Ash's lips, natural and unforced.
"Pikachu, look," Ash said softly. "It's Leaf."
"Pika~ wiga."
Pikachu lifted his paw enthusiastically, eyes sparkling as he looked up at the stands, then glanced between Leaf and Elsa as if carefully comparing the two. The exaggerated seriousness of the gesture made both girls laugh despite themselves.
Ash chuckled quietly before his gaze sharpened again. He lowered his voice, speaking only to his partner. "Let's go with you first, aibo. I'll show them how far we've grown."
Pikachu's response was immediate.
His eyes flared with fierce light as he leapt from Ash's shoulder, landing cleanly in the centre of the battlefield. Sparks crackled along his cheeks as a sharp cry rang out, electricity rippling outward and briefly charging the sand beneath his feet.
The air itself seemed tense.
"Wow," a voice remarked from the opposite side. "That little one looks totally fired up."
Flint stepped into view, arms crossed loosely, a faint grin tugging at his lips. His eyes lingered on Pikachu, sharp and evaluative. The Pokémon's posture, aura, and control told him more than any badge count ever could.
Impressed.
"Are you sure you're going with that little buddy?" Flint asked, amusement laced through his tone. Ash didn't hesitate. "Yes," he replied immediately. "He's my first partner. He'll be battling in this match." Flint's grin widened slightly.
"Good," he said, nodding. From Pikachu's stance alone, he could tell the Pokémon had been raised properly—trained with care, trust, and real combat experience. 'An emotional trainer,' Flint thought. 'But not a careless one.' He straightened. "So… Ash is from Pallet Town. Will you be challenging this gym at the ordinary level?"
For some reason, Flint found himself expecting a different answer.
"I would like to challenge the Elite level." The words landed cleanly. Just as Flint suspected. A low chuckle escaped him. "Heh."
The reaction in the stands, however, was anything but calm. "He—he just challenged Elite difficulty?" One of Elsa's friends whispered sharply.
"I thought you said he was just a rookie!" another blurted out, barely containing her shock.
Their disbelief echoed quietly among the group. Even challenging the ordinary level was impressive for a new trainer. Elite difficulty was something most experienced trainers avoided unless they were truly confident.
Elsa, Yellow, Misty, and Leaf didn't respond.
They were all watching Ash closely.
Serious. Focused. Unwavering.
That silence unsettled the others more than any boast could have. 'Is he really that capable?' the girls wondered, eyes fixed on the boy standing alone in the arena. For the first time, doubt crept in—not about Ash's chances of losing…
…but about how strong he actually might be.
"Let's go, aibo. I choose you."
Ash's hand came down gently, patting Pikachu's head. The little mouse answered in his own lively way—flipping into a handstand, tail slapping Ash's palm mid-motion before using the momentum to spin and land lightly on his feet.
"Pika~ Wigachu!"
The energetic cry echoed through the arena, sparks dancing faintly around his cheeks as he dashed forward and took his position on the battlefield. Pikachu's stance was low and ready, eyes sharp, body humming with restrained electricity.
Ash lifted his gaze toward the opposite side. "Your move."
Flint chuckled softly. "Alright then. I choose you—Onix."
With a heavy rumble, the massive Rock Snake Pokémon burst forth. Stone segments crashed together as Onix reared up, its towering body casting a shadow across the arena floor. Dust scattered outward from its landing, and the ground trembled faintly under its weight.
Ash's eyes narrowed just a bit.
'Starting with Onix…'
He wasn't startled—but he was intrigued.
"Heh," Ash muttered under his breath, the corner of his mouth lifting. "Let it come."
From the stands, Misty leaned forward slightly. "An Onix right from the start…"
She knew exactly what that meant. Flint wasn't underestimating Ash—but he wasn't going all out immediately either. Among Flint's lineup, Onix was the weakest. Still, weakest didn't mean weak.
Flint raised a hand, his voice calm and clear as it echoed across the gym. "Battle rules are simple. Ash will face my three Pokémon. He may recall and switch his Pokémon freely."
He paused, eyes glinting. "I won't." A murmur rippled through the audience. "And Ash", Flint continued, "is allowed to use all six of his Pokémon in this battle." Ash barely reacted outwardly. His focus was entirely on Onix.
A system-like clarity flickered through his mind as he assessed it. Level 28. Solid. Experienced. But not insurmountable. A faint grin tugged at his lips.
Thanks to the Onix he had encountered before, his team had grown faster than expected. Every Pokémon he had now was past level twenty—the lowest already at level twenty-four. With proper type advantage and execution… 'I can take this one-on-one.'
Pikachu's tail twitched, electricity crackling softly along its tip as he locked eyes with the towering rock giant ahead.
Ash inhaled slowly.
Then exhaled. The opening clash of his first gym battle—no, his first Elite-level gym battle—was about to begin.