The air in the Oreburgh Gym felt heavy, charged with the lingering scent of ozone and crushed stone. On one side of the battlefield, the massive Onix was curled into a rocky spiral, snoring loudly enough to make the pebbles on the floor dance. On the other side, Sylveon stood like a small, pink beacon of serenity. Her eyes were closed, her breathing was rhythmic, and a soft, pulsating purple light surrounded her.
She was deep into her second Calm Mind.
In the world of high-level battling, a move like Calm Mind isn't just a "stat boost"—it's a mental sharpening. Every time Sylveon centered herself, her Special Attack and Special Defense surged by 50%. Most Pokémon struggle to hold that level of focus under pressure, but Sylveon was a natural. Two boosts meant she was now hitting with double her normal spiritual power. She could push for a third, but I could see the slight tremor in her feelers; maintaining that much raw energy was exhausting. Two was the sweet spot. Two was enough to end this.
The snoring Onix let out a sharp snort, its massive stone eyelids flickering. It was waking up.
"Now, Sylveon! Finish it with Draining Kiss!"
Sylveon's eyes snapped open, glowing with a fierce azure light. She didn't move her body; she simply blew a shimmering, pink heart-shaped kiss across the arena. It looked delicate, almost harmless, until it struck the waking Onix square in the chest.
The giant rock snake didn't even have time to roar. The pink energy surged, siphoning the last of its stamina and transferring a faint green glow back to Sylveon. Onix's head slumped back to the dirt, its eyes swirling in total defeat.
"Onix is unable to battle!" the referee shouted, dropping his red flag.
Roark didn't look upset; he looked fascinated. He pulled out a Poké Ball and recalled the giant serpent. "You handled that with incredible patience, Julian. Using the sleep turn to set up a sweep? That's veteran thinking. But the mine has one more treasure for you to dig through. Go, Cranidos!"
The Poké Ball popped open, and a small but terrifyingly sturdy dinosaur landed on the rocks. Its blue, dome-like head was surrounded by four sharp spikes, and it let out a screech that echoed off the gym walls. This was Roark's ace—a Pokémon built for one thing: pure, unadulterated physical destruction.
"Cranidos, don't let her keep those buffs! Use Roar!" Roark commanded instantly.
My heart hammered against my ribs. Roar was a tactical nightmare. If that sound wave hit Sylveon, the League rules would force her back into her ball, and all those Calm Mind boosts would vanish into thin air. I'd be starting from scratch against a fresh, angry dinosaur.
"Not a chance!" I yelled. "Sound against sound! Sylveon, Disarming Voice!"
Cranidos took a deep breath, its chest expanding as it prepared a deafening blast of sonic energy. But Sylveon was faster. She let out a high-pitched, melodic cry that carried the weight of her boosted Special Attack. The two sound waves met in the middle of the field with a literal crack of energy.
The pink waves of Disarming Voice didn't just meet the Roar; they shattered it. The melody tore through Roark's strategy and slammed into Cranidos, sent the fossil Pokémon skidding backward across the jagged rocks.
"What?!" Roark gasped. "You used an attacking sound move to cancel out a status roar? I've never seen that timing!"
"Fairy magic is full of surprises, Roark! Sylveon, keep the pressure on! Draining Kiss!"
"Cranidos, shake it off and use Headbutt! Full power!"
It was a collision of styles. Cranidos lowered its armored head and charged like a runaway freight train, its feet kicking up clouds of dust. It was a terrifying sight—a prehistoric battering ram aimed right at my partner.
Sylveon stood her ground. She waited until the very last second, then sent out another shimmering heart. Cranidos tried to swerve, but the damage from the Disarming Voice had left it sluggish. The Draining Kiss connected right on its blue dome. The impact wasn't loud, but the effect was immediate. Cranidos's momentum vanished. Its legs wobbled, its eyes glazed over, and it face-planted into the dirt just inches away from Sylveon's paws.
The referee walked over, checked the fallen Pokémon, and raised his flag toward me.
"Cranidos is unable to battle! The winner of the match is the challenger, Julian!"
"We did it!" I shouted, sprinting onto the field. Sylveon didn't even wait for me to reach her; she leaped into the air, and I caught her mid-flight, spinning her around as she licked my cheek happily. "You were incredible, girl! First Gym, first Badge!"
Roark walked across the arena, pulling off his work gloves and tucking his safety helmet under his arm. He was beaming.
"That was a masterclass, Julian," he said, extending a hand. "I've been the Leader here for a while, but I've never seen a 'rookie' use the rules of the Gym against the Leader so effectively. Your defense with Fairy Wind and the way you broke my Roar... that's research-level battling."
"I've spent a lot of time thinking about how these moves interact," I said modestly, shaking his hand. "But honestly? If you'd brought out your main team, we wouldn't have lasted a minute."
Roark laughed. "Maybe not today. But you're just starting your journey. By the time the Sinnoh League rolls around, I expect you'll be a force to be reckoned with. And as proof of your victory here at the Oreburgh Gym, I present to you the Coal Badge."
He handed me a small, charcoal-colored badge. It was shaped like a polished, angular Poké Ball and caught the light with a subtle, metallic sheen. I felt the cool weight of it in my palm. My very first Gym Badge.
"So," Roark asked as we walked toward the exit. "What's next for the Fairy Doctor? Eterna City? The Forest?"
"Actually," I replied, "I've got a bit of a detour. I'm heading to Canalave City to catch a ferry. Professor Oak invited me to Kanto for some research."
Roark's eyebrows shot up. "The big man himself? Well, that's an opportunity you can't pass up. I wish you a tailwind on your journey, Julian. I'll be watching your progress!"
That evening, the stars over Oreburgh City were hidden behind a light haze of coal dust and clouds, but inside my hotel room, everything was bright. I had spent an hour at the Pokémon Center making sure Floette and Sylveon were fully healed and pampered with the best Oran Berry smoothies the city had to offer.
I sat on the edge of the bed, the Coal Badge resting on the nightstand next to my Jubilife Ribbon. Floette was hovering near the window, practicing a few new dance steps with her blue flower, while Sylveon was practically purring as I brushed her soft, pink-and-white fur.
"You really stepped up today, Sylveon," I said softly.
She leaned her head into my hand, her feelers wrapping around my wrist with a gentle, affectionate squeeze. She was exhausted, but she looked proud.
"And you too, Floette," I added, looking over at my first partner. "Setting the stage with that Grassy Terrain was the only reason we survived the first half. We're a team."
I reached into my bag and pulled out a fresh photograph. I'd asked a gym staffer to snap a picture of us after the ceremony. In the photo, I'm grinning like an idiot with my hat tilted back, Sylveon is posing regally with the Coal Badge tucked into her ribbons, and Floette is floating above us like a tiny guardian. Roark stands to the side, his red helmet shining, giving us a thumbs-up.
I flipped the photo over and uncapped my pen.
April 19th, 243rd Year of the Alliance Calendar — Oreburgh City
Julian Reed and his partners with Roark!
Our first Gym Match and Sylveon's big debut — a total success! I didn't expect the actual Gym Leader to step out for a zero-badge trainer, but it made the win feel ten times better. Roark is a class act. I've realized that battling isn't just about math; it's about the heart you put into the moves.
Next stop: Kanto! I'm heading to see Professor Oak much earlier than I thought. I wonder what he's like in person? And what kind of 'special gift' is he talking about? I'm nervous, but mostly, I'm just ready to keep moving.
The journey is officially underway. One Ribbon down. One Badge down. A whole world to go.
I tucked the photo into my journal and leaned back against the pillows. Tomorrow, we'd be on a train to Canalave. Then, a ship across the ocean to a new region, new friends, and a whole new set of challenges.
"Kanto," I whispered as I drifted off to sleep. "Here we come."