The midday sun was shattered by the massive glass dome of the Sootopolis Gym.
Light pierced through the thick bulletproof glass, pouring down onto the expansive Water-type battlefield.
The water surged, refracting a cold, hard blue light that made one's eyes swim.
The air was thick with moisture, carrying the faint saltiness of seaweed; one breath, and even one's lungs felt dampened.
Today, the Gym was closed to visitors.
The spectator stands, with their hundreds of seats, were completely empty, save for Ariel, who was leaning against the railing in the front row.
He was toying with a coin in his hand, the metal edge rolling between his fingers and making a faint, scratching sound. He tossed the coin up, caught it, and tossed it up again.
He was very patient.
The atmosphere in the center of the arena was extremely strange.
A dozen or so apprentices, dressed in brand-new water-blue uniforms, lined up on both sides.
They stood straight as arrows, not daring to even breathe too loudly.
Even the most restless apprentice, usually the most lively one, was keeping his chin tucked tight today, his hands pressed firmly against the seams of his pants.
Juan stood on the central floating platform with his hands behind his back.
His magnificent white cape hung down, its hem dipping into the water and staining dark, but he didn't care at all. He looked at the young man opposite him and cleared his throat.
"Today, the Sootopolis Gym will welcome a new master."
The words landed with a heavy thud.
Wallace, who had been busy adjusting the intricate lace cuffs of his sleeves, froze at these words. He looked up, and on that face, which was usually kept in an elegant smile, a momentary blankness appeared.
Did he hear that right?
He took a half-step forward, his leather shoes slipping slightly on the wet, slick floating platform. He lowered his voice, protesting in a volume only the two of them could hear:
"Master, didn't we agree? Didn't we say we'd talk about the succession after some time had passed? This is way too premature!"
Juan ignored his whisper.
Instead, he raised his voice, his words echoing under the vast dome and causing ripples to spread across the water's surface.
"Wallace, you have already proven that you possess the ability to become a qualified Gym Leader."
Juan turned around to face the apprentices and began to recount Wallace's achievements.
"When Team Aqua attacked Sootopolis City, he stepped forward, commanding Milotic to protect the civilians and launch a counterattack. I have heard all of this clearly from the mouths of the residents of Sootopolis City."
The apprentices nodded repeatedly as they listened.
Usually, their senior apprentice was elusive, obsessed with Pokémon Contests all day long, researching how to make Pokémon moves more dazzling, and many had private complaints about it.
But when it truly came to a life-or-death crisis, their senior apprentice's strength was beyond doubt.
Several gazes of admiration were cast over, landing hotly on Wallace.
Wallace, however, only felt a chill down his back, and his stomach even began to cramp.
The more he was praised, the deeper the trap.
What did taking over the Gym mean?
It meant having to sit in that cold, uninviting Leader's chair at eight o'clock every morning, dealing with a mixed bag of challengers from all over the world.
It meant having to review mountains of municipal paperwork, handling trivial nonsense like clogged sewers or wild Pokémon causing disturbances.
It meant his beloved freedom and his long-planned Pokémon Contest continental tour would all be ruined.
He turned his head, his gaze crossing the wide water, and stared fixedly at Ariel in the spectator stands.
Save me! Hurry!
Those eyes, usually so full of charm, were now filled with a desperate desire for survival.
Ariel received the distress signal.
He shifted his posture, crossed his arms, looked up, and began to earnestly study the steel structure of the dome.
Hmm, the quality of this steel is not bad; the load-bearing capacity should be quite strong...
What a joke; he wasn't going to wade into these muddy waters.
Besides, if you traced this matter back to its source, he was the one who had fanned the flames.
Ariel rubbed his nose, forcibly holding back the smile that had slipped to his lips.
Better you than me, Wallace; just rest easy and be your working stiff.
Sootopolis City needs you.
On the field, Juan's speech was drawing to a close.
He pulled out a raindrop-shaped badge from his pocket, representing the highest authority of the Sootopolis Gym.
This badge was a size larger than the ones given to challengers, with small diamonds embedded along the edges.
Juan grabbed Wallace's hand and slapped the badge directly into his palm.
"Congratulations, Gym Leader Wallace."
Juan patted his disciple's stiff shoulder with enough force to make Wallace sway twice.
"From today on, protecting this city is your greatest responsibility."
Wallace opened his mouth, his tongue feeling a bit tied:
"No, Master, I..."
"Your master is going on a trip; the flight is booked for two in the afternoon. The luggage has already been checked. Don't let me down."
As soon as he finished speaking, Juan turned and left.
He walked with a brisk, windy gait, his cape swinging in an extremely dashing arc.
Not five seconds later, he had already disappeared outside the Gym's main gate, not even leaving a shadow behind.
The arena was so quiet that one could hear the humming of the circulating water pumps.
Wallace looked down at the badge in his hand, then looked at the empty doorway.
That's it? It's over just like that?
The apprentices looked at each other, then tacitly scattered, each going to prepare for their daily cleaning and training.
No one wanted to cross the new Gym Leader at a time like this.
Ariel braced one hand on the railing, leapt down from the two-meter-high spectator stand, and landed steadily on the command platform.
His boots struck the metal grating with a crisp sound, breaking the suffocating silence.
"Since the new Gym Leader has taken office, there's no time like the present."
Ariel pulled out a Poké Ball and spun it on his fingertip.
The red and white sphere reflected a blinding light in the sun.
"Gym challenge, do you accept?"
As long as he took this Water-type badge, he would have completely collected all eight badges of the Hoenn region.
The entry ticket for the League Conference was right before his eyes.
Wallace slowly turned around.
He looked at Ariel.
The culprit was right before his eyes.
"Challenge?"
Wallace gritted his teeth, chewing the two words up in his mouth before spitting them out.
He did not walk toward his own preparation area, but instead walked straight to the specially made storage locker in the deepest part of the Gym.
Password entered. Iris scan. Fingerprint confirmed.
With a click, the heavy metal locker door popped open.
Cold air spilled out from the locker, condensing into Mist in the air.
There was nothing else inside, only a black velvet tray.
On the tray, six Ultra Balls, shimmering with a dark golden luster, lay quietly.
Those were left behind by Juan.
They were the Pokémon personally left behind by the former Gym Leader, and among them were Juan's main powerhouses!
They were veteran fighters who had accompanied Juan in battle for decades, each having experienced countless life-and-death struggles.
Wallace's long, slender fingers brushed over those cold metal balls.
He turned and walked back to the battle area.
"I accept."
Wallace looked at Ariel.
His usual mask of playfulness was completely shattered, his eye twitching slightly.
Want to get a badge? No problem.
Then just help me share a little bit of this gut-wrenching pain of losing my freedom.
If I don't beat you until you question your entire existence today, my name isn't Wallace!
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