Like No One Ever Was

A few days later, I walked into the Cortondo Gym Building. The stark, tall white building stuck out amidst the more pastoral houses and small shops that littered the streets nearby. Considering the Treasure Hunt hadn’t started yet, the building was fairly empty, with only a few staffers walking to or fro (and a few lounging about).

Marching up to the front desk, I said, “Hello, I am Nemona-”

“Oh, aren’t you adorable!” The lady in a suit behind the desk squealed, looking down at me. “Do you know where your parents are?”

Clearing my throat, I responded. “I am well aware where my parents are. At home, waiting to watch my match against Katy. Speaking of, could I please schedule a match against her?”

She blushed briefly, nodding as she donned a more professional demeanor. “We’ll need to see your Trainer ID first.” I took the plastic card out of my wallet, passing it to her. Miles has a copy on the phone as well, but I like the solid feel of the physical card.

The receptionist scanned it before frowning. “You’re already cleared to use Terastalization, but you aren’t a student. How-?”

“Professor Turo gave me a Tera Orb personally,” I explained, and she was satisfied with my answer.

“Just give me a moment then.” She passed me my card back and made a quick call before hanging up and turning back to me. “You’re in luck; Katy is ready to test you right away. Ah, before you face the Gym Leader, you need to complete their Gym Tests. For you, that will be helping Katy out in her bakery.”

Right, they really leaned into Gym Leaders having other interests in this game, almost seeming like them being Gym Leaders is almost a side gig. As I left and made my way to the Patisserie Soapberry, I saw that it was swarmed by townsfolk, all eagerly drooling at the sight of Katy’s baked goods (or possibly the woman herself).

The crowd was thick enough that I would have had trouble pushing my way through it. Luckily, there was an open side window. Floating up, I drifted in, silently gliding through the kitchen before I landed by Katy’s side. “Hello, I was sent to help you.”

Her piercing shriek had me covering my ears before she recovered. “Oh? Where did you come from-” The sounds of shouting outside got her attention. “I best calm them down.” Exiting to wave at them, she addressed them.

“Today, as an extra special treat, I have a helper.” She gestured to me, and I walked out to the counter, waving awkwardly at the horde. “Please have some patience as we whip up something extra special, with some free desserts at the end of the day.”

That got the crowd fired up, cheering her (and possibly me) on vigorously. I guess that’s part of why Gym Leaders have these kinds of jobs outside of their duties. It helps them deeply connect to the community.

We went back into the kitchen and began work making some of the many incredibly sweet confections for the hungry customers outside. I was no great hand in the kitchen, but I wasn’t inept either, so I was able to follow Katy’s instructions and make a few dozen treats.

We didn’t chitchat much as we worked, as I wanted to show that I was giving this test my all. The Gym Tests aren’t that difficult, but failing them or giving the signs that you’re not paying attention to them would give the Leaders an easy excuse to refuse a challenge. I need to focus and not get distracted... like I am right now.

After a couple of hours, we were finished for the day, and Katy tasted one of the cupcakes I had made. “Oh? This is quite nice, very impressive.”

I bit my tongue, wanting to call her out on that as a lie. Technically, I don’t know that. Honestly, it might be quite impressive for a nine-year-old. But she’s not feeling overjoyed. My Aura sense could feel that slight twinge of disappointment. No anger or real sadness to go along with it, so I felt it was just that she had overly high expectations that I couldn’t quite live up to.

She continued, wrapping up the pastries I made to give away. “You’ve passed the test. If you’ll give me a few minutes, I can meet you on the Gym Court for our battle. This will be your first Gym Battle, correct?” I guess the receptionist informed her of my ‘official’ record. But I fought Clay at the fifth badge level years ago and went toe-to-toe with an Elite Four, that just won’t do.

Rather than answer, I said, “I’m aware that my culinary skills don’t hold a candle to yours.”

She frowned and opened her mouth like she was about to deny it or give me an empty platitude as if I were upset. Why would I be? I’m not as skilled as a grown woman who has trained her whole life to do this? That just makes sense. “Battling is a different story, however,” I continued. “Please, face me at the Eighth badge level, or this won’t be a challenge.”

That got a response from her, a steely glint forming in her green eyes. “Oh? Be careful you haven’t bitten off more than you can chew,” she warned. I said nothing, simply turning and striding cooly out of the Soapberry.

Or at least it would have been cool if I had a cape like I wanted! And if I hadn’t forgotten I was still wearing the apron she lent me and had to head right back and give it back. Why can’t life be cool like an anime? I fumed silently, slapping at my crimson cheeks as I tried to push aside that prior embarrassment.

It didn’t take long for me to get to the Gym Battlefield. It was fairly similar to the one I had seen in Artazon when watching my sister’s match, though there wasn’t a giant windmill nearby. Also, far fewer people are about to watch this, but that makes sense. The Treasure Hunt hasn’t started yet, so it’ll mostly just be locals who happen to be interested.

Seeing a few more people heading towards me, all surrounding Katy, I pulled Miles out of my pocket. “I want you to record the fight for me.”

“Bzzt, are you sure?” They said, recognizing that it would put me at a slight disadvantage. Not that great a disadvantage overall, though. Yes, Oven Form would be best here, but even without an appliance to possess, Miles will have the Ghost Typing, giving them resistance to Bug Types. Plus…

“I’m sure. Phantasm has come far, to say nothing of the rest of the team.” After we had arrived in Cortondo, we headed back out to the surrounding fields almost immediately (at least after getting a hotel room and resting up). There were a decent number of Combee swarms and even a Vespiqueen for Phantasm to test herself against, as well as other Trainers on the roads.

The battles were fairly easy overall, but they helped us hone some techniques and practice strategies that I hoped would pay off here. Looks like we’ll see one way or another now.

A League referee stood at the side of the field as the Gym Leader took her place on the other end of the arena, a strand of green hair sticking out from underneath her chef's hat and blowing in the wind. “This will be a five-on-five battle for your first Gym Badge, Nemona Glitterati. Each of us is allowed three switches and to Terastalize.”

She leveled an odd look at me when she said that. Does she think that I just bought my way into getting clearance to use a Tera Orb and that I’m some rich brat who thinks that alone is enough to face her at full power?

The fact that it wasn’t six-on-six made me wonder if Katy only had that many Pokemon at an Eighth badge level or if she had more for challenges beyond it. I’m leaning towards the former here; she hasn’t been a Gym Leader all that long yet.

“Do you have any questions, challenger?” She questioned in a booming voice that carried over the field, and I shook my head. “Then let us choose our first Pokemon.”

The two of us raised our Pokeballs, and, on the count of three, released them.

“Go, Lokix!”

“I choose you, Dun!”

With dual flashes of light, our two Pokemon appeared on the field, to much applause (mostly for Katy’s Pokemon, but a few cheers for me too). The sleek, dark Bug Type stood proudly, looking down on the Dudunsparce before them. For her part, my Pokemon turned back, glancing nervously at me, and I nodded reassuringly.

“You’ve got this, just watch out for his range; those legs can flip out far,” I warned her, and she turned back without a sound. Lokix is one of her weaker Pokemon for this level, and ironically isn’t all that great for us to go up against first, but we both know the plan. This should still work.

The referee counted us down. “Three, two, one… begin!” The first command Katy was about to give died down as she saw what I was doing.

Pulling the Tera Orb out of my pocket, I activated it immediately, my arm shaking slightly from the force going through it. “Shine on with haunting beauty!” I shouted as I tossed the Orb over her head. My other hand was clenched in a white knuckle grip, as I prayed that this would work and would be convincing.

The crystal blocks surrounded her for a moment before breaking to reveal the shining Pokemon. They had a violet, ghastly figure attached above the head of the snake after a moment. Gah, there was a flicker there. Did Katy notice?

The Bug Type Gym Leader frowned from the other end of the arena before shaking her head. “Using Terastalization so early... I understand wanting to rush to dessert, but patience is necessary when baking any meal.”

“Yeah well… Curse.” I finished lamely, not able to come up with a witty response. Luckily, my Pokemon made up for it, a spectral nail stabbing through her body and conjuring a nasty pool of distorted purple energy beneath Lokix. The Pokemon clicked angrily at the status effect.

“First Impression!” With an odd skittering motion, her Pokemon threw himself forward at her command, trying to strike into the long snake. Yet somehow, the attack missed, my Pokemon pulling ‘herself’ away from the blow with surprising speed.

Honestly, just glad the angle was off. I think Phantasm is hiding her true self in about the middle of where Dun’s body appears to be. If Lokix hadn’t gone for the head, that might have connected, and given the gleam of his eyes, I think he has Tinted Lens. Those Moves will hit hard even with her resistance to Bug Type attacks.

“Lunge and get out of there.” That was our codeword for U-Turn, and Phantasm launched into the Move.

“Pack a sour surprise with Sucker Punch!” Katy called out, timing the Move well to counter our own attack. Lokix used his back legs to flip out and launch him forward, but once again the Move ‘missed’.

Katy blinked her eyes as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Which is fair; a Dark Type Move shouldn’t be phasing through a Ghost Types head. In that moment, Phantasm had slammed into Lokix with her real body, disguising it as a tail slap before ‘slithering’ away. The pain from the super-effective Move was compounded with the ghostly pain ailing our foe.

“Swift and keep your distance,” I called out, happy with how things were proceeding but still on my toes. She’s not going to let this get her down so easily.

“Astonish!” Her Pokemon jumped, flashing his arms out to shock Phantasm, even as the stars she was commanding slammed into him. My Pokemon gave an overdramatic cry of 'pain,' but pushed through it remarkably fast, moving to keep her distance. That Lokix is much stronger than the Scyther we faced before; if we weren't fooling her with these illusions, we'd be toast. At least the Swifts are hitting them hard, though Lokix is pretty frail. With that and the curse dragging him down, Phantasm might get her first Gym Pokemon win.

Just in case, I added “Use Detect if he gets too close, and keep on firing Swift.” Unfortunately, the command proved to be the tipping point, and seeing her Lokix writhing in pain from the invisible curse plaguing him, she recalled her Pokemon.

“Switch! Kofu taught me that variety can be the spice of life, so let’s change it up. Go, Spidops!” With a press of a button and flash of red light, a green and brown upright spider-looking Pokemon had taken the field, and she waved her many arms menacingly at us.

“Hex!” I called out another code word command. She gathered a similar-looking, if slightly wild, ghostly energy like Hex would create. But this was more than debilitating spite of that Move, but a bone-chilling hatred, honed to cut through an enemy’s very being and sap their power. Bitter Malice, her signature Move.

I frowned at seeing the top of ‘Dun’s’ head glowing a faint red as she used the Move, the Illusion slipping a tad, but I couldn’t draw attention to it for her to fix. Besides, Bitter Malice did its job. Spidops recoiled back in pain, launching out a bunch of webs that missed by a mile - or it might have seemed like they did, for someone who hadn’t studied Katy’s battles.

Sticky Web might slow my next Pokemon down, but Phantasm can slip around it for the moment. “Hex again!” I cried, and she went to work, trying to slam more ghostly energy into Spidops.

“Skitter Smack,” Katy tried to turn the tide, her Pokemon dropping to all-eights and ramming past Phantasm, then into her from behind. The blow knocked her back a bit, but her Typing and the previous Moves she had used against the Spidops took away much of the sting from the attack.

Too close right now for another Bitter Malice, but I think we can trade in melee at this point. “Aerial Ace.” This was a difficult one for Phantasm to pull off, as she had to mimic Dun’s wings and flight rather than the acrobatic skills she was actually using to pull off the attack.

Katy’s face lit up. “Silk Trap!” The Gym Leader gleefully cried out, and I realized my mistake as Spidops held up a thick web in front of it, catching Phantasm in it and absorbing the blow. Dammit!

“Caught like a bug in a web,” she cackled. “Go for a Throat Punch!” Spidops raised back an arm covered in Dark energy, punching it forward... and going well over even the illusory body of Dun, who was stuck in place. Her and her trainer had wide eyes as they wondered how she could have missed a stationary target.

I didn’t even try to hide my smirk as I called out, “Swift, cut yourself free, and cut into her. Then Hex.” That Lax Incense is working wonders alongside the illusion; I really thought Phantasm might be beat there, or at least that we might have to use Curse again, which would knock her out.

Spidops valiantly tried to pursue, but his follow-up attacks were getting weaker and weaker, much to Katy’s consternation, the Gym Leader frowning at the sight. Sighing, she called for a withdrawal.

"I'll withdraw Spidops from the battle." Not a switch? Well, she already used one, and Spidops already slowed 'Dun' as well as set up the arena hazard, makes sense she might want to conserve those. "But I think I’ve got just the right ingredient here to balance things out. Heracross!” Seeing the powerful blue-shelled Bug crying his own name out proudly on the battlefield, I knew it was time for Phantasm to end her run.

That Heracross might not be as powerful as Kotetsu’s, but he’s still a powerhouse. Still, doesn’t mean we won’t go without a bang! “Curse!”

Once more, a ghastly nail sunk itself into Phantasm, and though Heracross tried to race across the field, claws covered in Dark energy, it couldn’t close the gap in time, the Curse hitting them and Phantasm falling right before they could connect the blow.

The illusion faded away, revealing the Zorua for a brief second before I recalled her, and Katy gasped, understanding dawning on her face. “Oh! So that’s how you- I see, a secret ingredient.” There was recognition now radiating from her.

She thinks she’s seen the plan in full and respects the use of Terastalization there. Katy will be coming at me full force now, which is a good thing. While Phantasm has come a long way, she’s still the weakest of my team by a long shot, and I’m about to show that here.

“Go, Nightwing!” The tall flying scorpion swooped out onto the field, even her long tail not touching the ground to get ensnared by the webs left there. She clacked her pincers together viciously, staring down at the familiar Pokemon. Right, I had her sit out a fight with a powerful Heracross over a year ago. Time to see how much she’s grown.

Katy frowned, likely not familiar with Gliscors but easily recognizing her as a Flying Type and the weakness that presented for her Pokemon. Her hand dropped down to the Pokeballs at her side. “Swi-”

“Sand Tomb!” I interrupt, and Nightwing blurs forward, hitting the ground in front of Heracross with her pincers and tail. The force knocks sand into the air, which her wings beat into a whirling storm of sand around the Bug Type.

The red beam from Katy’s Pokeball fails to connect with her Pokemon trapped within. With that option cut off, she just calls out “Stone Edge!” Heracross dutifully ignores the phantoms and abrasive sand scraping his chitinous body, dropping his horn low to rip some rocks out of the ground and send them spiking up at Nightwing.

The blows land, smacking her a tiny bit and causing her to idly scratch at her face, but leave little real damage. “Protect,” I say, hoping to buy a little more time.

It works, her skin turning darker purple spreading out from the Toxic Orb that rests on the cord around her throat. All the while, Heracross futilely rips up more stones, the rocks shattering against the barrier Nightwing has surrounded herself with.

“Fling then Dig!” I shout out as Protect ends. With a quick slice, Nightwing snips her own necklace, hurling it around at Heracross, the Orb smacking into him with a crash, covering him in the noxious liquid. Then she burrowed down beneath the arena’s surface in the blink of an eye.

Katy was quick to respond with an “Earthquake!” That has Heracross stomping the ground and shaking it up violently, such that even I can feel faint tremors past the barrier.

It did nothing to Nightwing, the Gliscor gal easily swimming through the churning earth; an opening in the ground had me see her lazily waving up at the Bug Type before disappearing from sight again.

All the while, Heracross is in tremendous pain. The Poison was building up as the sands refused to relent, all while shades hound his very being. Crying and thrashing in pain, he slammed around, trying to break free before falling.

Not bothering to worry about if it’s a trick or not, I immediately call Nightwing back up. “End the Sand Tomb.” My tone was entirely serious, and she responded, swiftly wiping away the storm and letting Katy recall her Pokemon. “Sorry about that, the compounding effects- I didn’t-”

“Enough of that,” she responds, her voice clipped. “A battle isn’t a place for regrets.”

“Yes Ma’am.” Recentering myself, I wait as she chooses her next Pokemon.

Finally, she pulls out a Pokeball. “You’re quite good. I think I’ll have to roll things out a bit differently than I planned.” The ball opened and out landed her largest Pokemon to date. A massive bear with brown fur, the pale yellow ring pattern on its torso was one of the few signs it wasn’t just a regular bear. As well as the power radiating off of it.

My mind flashed through options, trying to think of how I might counter it. I know it can learn Ice Type Moves and has enough power to push through even Nightwing’s prodigious defenses. Status conditions won’t help if it has Guts, like I suspect it does. Maybe if I get it to- no, I’m overthinking this.

Drawing Nightwing’s Pokeball, I return her. “Switch. Show ‘em what you’re made of, Notch!” The Carbink was released above the webs that littered the field. The damage to the ground made some of the arena hazard unlikely to catch them, and the few that did slid right off their crystal covered body.

Ursaring lumbered forward, raising a claw to slash down at Notch. “Metal Claw/Iron Defense!” Katy and I ordered simultaneously.

The blow hit hard, and I couldn’t tell if it had hit before Notch had finished with Iron Defense or not, but the Berry they ate nullified a good chunk of the damage anyways. Part of me was tempted to keep on going for setup, but since the bear was so close...

“Body Press!” Twirling up through the air, Notch hung above the powerful Normal Type for a moment, like a wrestler leaping off the high ropes, before they dropped down. An elbowless piledriver smashed into the Ursaring, sending her stumbling back with a howl of pain. Her return swipe was with steely claws but found little purchase against Notch’s body. Partly due to their defense increase, partly due to the fact that their blow had broken the Ursaring’s arm.

Katy whipped out her own Tera Orb, not wasting time to say anything pithy, tossing it above Ursaring’s head. From the crystals, Ursaring emerged, with two crystalline antennas above her head. With a frown marring her usually soft features, she called out “Fury Cutter!”

Roaring, the claws on her good arm were surrounded with a dull green energy as she attempted to cut into Notch, to little avail. Carbinks can be a bit confusing to fight if you don’t know about them, and it does make Body Press weaker. Still, it’s pretty obvious Notch is a Rock Type, so let’s show her why Terastalizing into a Bug Type is a bad choice.

“Power Gem,” my voice rang out over the battlefield, and Notch’s gems glowed bright white before firing their beams off. Ursaring recoiled from the shots, but they didn’t do quite as much damage as the Body Press earlier had.

“Fury Cutter, again!” Katy commanded, and I decided to stop her before she could build up.

“Protect!” The floating rock surrounded themselves completely in a spherical barrier, weathering Ursaring’s blows until she ran out of steam.

Rather than try it again, Katy called out, “Switch!” Once more, she recalled her Pokemon and released the last one I had yet to see.

Covered in steel shell, only a few red protrusions and their eyes were visible outside their defensive plating.

“Forretress, Gyro Ball!” Katy yelled, and the heavy steel ball-shaped Pokemon jumped up, looking to crush Notch.

Despite it being a Steel Type Move, I wasn’t too worried - Gyro Ball was based on how much slower you were than your opponent, and Notch was only slightly faster than the Forrestress. Do I let it hit and set up Stealth Rock a bit? Notch can tank the blows- oh, but Katy will just Rapid Spin out. Better Switch again.

Recalling Notch before they would be crushed, I tossed Nightwing back into the fray. We both have a switch left, so she can’t just go back to Ursaring or whatever. Not that I think any of her Pokemon are a good match for Nightwing right now.

“Fire Fang,” I ordered, and Nightwing gleefully obliged. Diving down on the Steel Type, her mouth aflame, she sunk her teeth deep into the creature’s shell.

“Infestation!” Katy shouted, and out of the tough Bug’s shell poured out an innumerable number of small actual bugs. Hopping over onto Nightwing, the pests burrowed into her skin, causing internal pain and discomfort.

She didn’t let that stop her, landing in two quick Dual Wingbeats against Forretress’ shell before going in for another fiery bite, only to chomp on empty air as Katy switched her Pokemon.

My hand shot to my belt to do the same until I remembered that the Gym Leader’s Move left us stuck for a while. We’re in a better spot though. For all the discomfort Infestation was causing her, it was offset by the Poison healing her as fast as she was hurt.

Katy’s Ace took the field once more, the Terastalization holding through that time. “Ice Punch!” She called out, seeing her last chance for victory...

“Acrobatics,” I responded, and she saw that chance slip away. Spiraling through the air, Nightwing struck as Ursaring was still pulling her good arm back, hitting the bear repeatedly as she flew by.

The mighty Ursaring stumbled, dazed, before the crystalline sheen covering it and the ‘hat’ on her head shattered. The bear fell over, unconscious. Katy stood, shocked for a moment, before she recalled her ace with a resigned look on her face.

“Your strength has risen nicely, like bread in the oven. But allow me to show you my own strength!” She tossed out Forretress, and the ball-shaped Pokemon began spinning about the instant it hit the field. “Rock Slide!”

Angling itself so its red spikes would tear through the ground, it continued spinning towards the Gliscor, the impact sending stones flying up to hit her. She shielded herself with her large pincers before swooping down. “Acrobatics,” I began, before I saw the Bug Type below her begin to glow brightly. Evolution? No, it must be- Explosion!

“Protect!” I screamed, and right after, the Forretress erupted, blinding me for half a second. When the smoke from the Move had cleared, I saw that Katy’s Pokemon was unconscious, while mine had a forcefield surrounding it. But she’s hurt. All those scratches and bruises on her body, no way those would be there if she had gotten Protect up in time. I gotta get better at reading those things; Katy must have given her Pokemon some signal I missed to use that.

The Bug Type Gym Leader was taking her time to toss out her next Pokemon, likely waiting for the Infestation to do my Gliscor in. That won’t work. Those bugs have almost run their course, and Nightwing’s Poison Heal will keep on working.

She seemed to realize that her strategy wouldn’t work or got tired of waiting, throwing in her last Pokemon. Lokix leaped into battle but couldn’t match Nightwing’s aerial agility. I ordered her to dodge around a bit, gaining time against our weakened foe as her own strength recovered.

“Finish this, Acrobatics!”

“Sucker Punch when they come close!” Katy tried, and to her Lokix’s credit, he landed a solid hit on Nightwing as she came in. I’d trained my Pokemon to tank hits and Nightwing had been quite physically durable even before the regiment of training and vitamins I gave her, so she pushed through. In a flurry of motion, she beat the Lokix around with all of her limbs, smashing him into the ground.

For a second, he tried to get back up before collapsing down. We did it, we won! As soon as the referee called the match, I raced onto the field and scooped Nightwing up. “You did it!” I’ll have to thank Notch and Phantasm too, as soon as they’re healed.

Katy reminded me of her presence, clearing her throat. Looking over, I saw she had recalled her own Pokemon and walked onto the field as well. “You did wonderfully, if a bit savage for my tastes.” Seeing my expression, she shook her head. “Oh? Don’t mind me; I’d hardly want you to hide in your cocoon for my sake. Not every treat can be to everyone’s taste. Please accept this badge.”

Reaching for her hands, I grabbed the first (official) Gym Badge I had ever received. Unlike the other regions, all of ours are the same shape: a circle with a gold border and the Gym Leader’s Type symbol in the center.

“So small, but so significant,” I said as I carefully held the first physical symbol of my team's progress in my hands. Katy seemed to like that, smiling and offering me a handshake. I took it gratefully, grinning broadly as I shook her hand. One down, seven to go.