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Chapter - 6
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"Welcome to my Pokémon Gym." Norman welcomed Leaf as she stepped inside the Petalburg Gym. The Gym was the first building when she entered the city.

Unfortunately, Brendan and May had left for Rustboro City and now she didn't even have a travel buddy. Now that she didn't even want one.

The only thing she wanted was to get this gym battle over as soon as possible, only because it was the last thing she wanted to do at the moment. Leaf was so tired, she could totally sleep two days without stopping.

"I am Norman, the Gym Leader. What's your name? Where are you from?"

Leaf took a few seconds to realise that Norman was talking to her. She was lost in her own thoughts, so deeply that she didn't even pay attention.

"My name is Leaf, and I'm from Ka- uh, Sinnoh." Leaf replied. She fixed her hair, hoping she still had her hat in her bag. She wore a black sleeveless shirt with cyan shorts. She preferred this outfit more than the one she wore in Kanto. The cyan sleeveless shirt with red miniskirt.

"Ah, Sinnoh. Close to where I come from."

"Where you from?"

Norman closed his eyes, thinking about his days in the Unova Region. It was too much work for him, he was glad that he was now a Gym Leader, Pokémon battles were something he only dreamt of doing as an adult. His days as a trainer were back, after 28 years.

"I'm from Unova." Said Norman. "Feels like I'm a Pokemon Trainer again. Relaxing."

"Not relaxing for everyone." Leaf focused on her previous thought of quitting Pokémon Training.

"Only because you don't have a travel buddy? Or the fact that you think it's wrong?" Asked Norman. "Using Pokémon for battles."

Leaf was shocked, the Gym Leader was right. She was alone, and it was her first time she was travelling alone, that too in an unknown region. Her concern wasn't that she was using Pokémon in battles, but that she was tired of this.

"A bit of both, we have to use new Pokémon every region. Which makes us a bit worried about the Pokémon we were with previously." Said Leaf, picking up a valid point. She didn't want new Pokémon, she just wanted to be with her old Pokémon.

"I understand completely." Said Norman. "Okay then, coming back to business, here are my gym rules. I'll be using 3 Pokemon, battle items are not allowed, you can switch your Pokemon anytime."

Leaf was ready to send her Dragonite.

"Since you have travelled 2 regions already, I'll be using stronger Pokémon. I don't know about other gym leaders, so quickly catch new Pokémon."

"I know. I will." Leaf felt bad about her Pokemon, they'll have to go to Oak's, which she believed was a boring place to send anyone but a mad scientist.

Leaf clipped off Dragonite's Pokeball and tossed it on the battle ground. "Dragonite, come on out."

"Well, that's gonna be harder than I thought." Norman sent out his first Pokemon. "Go Vigoroth."

Leaf pulled out her Pokedex, looking at the details of the Pokemon.

"Vigoroth, a Wild Monkey Pokémon. It can't keep still because its blood boils with energy. It runs through the fields and mountains all day to calm itself. If it doesn't, it can't sleep at night."

"Doesn't look like a wild monkey to me." Mumbled Leaf. "Dragonite, use Outrage."

Vigoroth was badly hit, but he was powerful, he was the oldest Pokémon that Norman had and he trusted his Pokémon alot.

"Vigoroth, use Focus Punch."

Leaf smiled, believing that Vigoroth will faint after the next attack Dragonite uses.

"Dragonite, finish 'em with a Thunderbolt."

Vigoroth was critically hit. Norman was filled with joy, he always wanted to do this but never got the chance as a trainer in his younger days.

"Vigoroth, use Reversal."

Dragonite fainted. Leaf was shocked to see what happened, also partly confused.

"What was that attack?" Asked Leaf.

"Reversal?" Asked Norman. "The low the user's HP is, the stronger the attack is."

Leaf felt frustration, something she never felt in a while. She wanted to use it against Norman. "Come back, Dragonite, you did great." She said. "Venusaur, I choose you."

"Oh, a Venusaur?" asked Norman, surprised to see one after a long time. "Those are rare to find, must be your starter?"

"True." Said Leaf. "Venusaur, use Frenzy Plant." Vigoroth fainted, just as she expected.

Two more to go - She thought.

"That was a powerful move to use, your special defense is lowered now?" Said Norman. "Go Linoone."

Leaf pointed her Pokedex at the Pokémon that Norman had just sent, it looked similar to a Pokémon she had encountered before.

"Linoone, a Rushing Pokémon. When running in a straight line, it can top 60 miles per hour. However, it has a tough time with curved roads."

"Alright, Venusaur, use Petal Dance."

Linoone was critically hit. Leaf had an upper hand in this gym battle but still she had to change her Pokemon as soon as possible.

According to Hoenn League rules, a trainer should have at least three Pokemon that are exclusive to the Hoenn Region, and battle with them in the league. That is why it is suggested to catch those three Pokémon to just make them stronger.

"Linoone, use Slash." Said Norman. Just like the games - He thought.

"Venusaur, use Solarbeam." Said Leaf, making the biggest mistake in any gym battle she had ever been in.

"Linoone, use Rock Smash." Venusaur fainted. Leaf was left with her other low leveled Pokémon.

Okay, please don't let me down like the Pastoria Gym - Thought Leaf, clipping off one of the Pokeballs on her belt. "Go Cranidos use Zen Headbutt."

Linoone fainted. Thank you, Cranidos, for not tripping on the floor - Leaf thought.

"Go Slaking." Said Norman, sending out his final and strongest Pokémon.

Leaf pointed her Pokedex towards the Slaking. "Slaking, a Lazy Pokémon. It is the world's most slothful Pokémon. However, it can exert horrifying power by releasing pent-up energy all at once."

"Cranidos, use Head Smash." Said Leaf. The attack wasn't very effective against Slaking.

Norman smiled gently, in a partially evil way. "Slaking, use Earthquake."

Cranidos being one of the weakest Pokémon in Leaf's party, fainted. Leaf was left with three Pokémon. "Alright, come on out, Ninetales."

"Slaking, use Body Slam." Said Norman. Ninetales was critically hit. Slaking was really powerful. Leaf was anxious, she did not want to lose her first gym battle.

"Ninetales!" Shouted Leaf in frustration. "Fire Blast." Slaking was critically hit, fire blast was a powerful move to use. Leaf crossed her fingers, hoping to win.

Norman raised his eyebrows and clapped while looking at Leaf as if to say - well played. Leaf smiled, interpreting the gesture correctly.

"Use Brick Break." Said Norman, Ninetales fainted. Haha! Plot twist! - thought Norman, determined to win.

Leaf almost had an anxiety attack. "Come back, Ninetales." She said with a blunt expression. "Go Raichu."

"Slaking, let's make 'em sleep with a Yawn!" Norman fixed his jacket.

Raichu felt drowsy by the attack. "Raichu, use Thunderbolt!" A strong bolt of lightning hit Slaking and he fainted. The very next moment, Raichu fell asleep.

Norman and Leaf called their Pokémon back. Norman stepped forward. "That was great, quite refreshing for me, getting back to Pokémon battles."

"You were a trainer before?"

"Yeah, but didn't accomplish much, because of the reasons you just gave me. I had a soft spot for battling with Pokémon, didn't like it much. But I feel nothing but regret when I look back, shouldn't have left training." Norman explained, getting a bit emotional but hiding his emotions from Leaf.

"I was thinking about quitting training. I want to do something for Pokémon, training was never my first interest."

"Then, what was your first interest?" Asked Norman, looking for the TM he was about to give Leaf, with the Gym Badge ready in his pocket.

"I had many dreams, one of them being a Pokémon Ranger. The television shows motivated me, Mystic Force and Mighty Morphin." Leaf attached Raichu's Pokeball back to the belt.

"Brendan used watch something like that." Said Norman. "Well, here are your belongings, the Balance Badge and TM42 - Facade."

Leaf put the badge in her badge case and the TM42 in her TM case. She stepped out of the Gym. The evening sky looked beautiful combined with the cold winds.

She stood out side the Petalburg Gym, feeling that cool air when she heard a familiar voice. "I got that badge an hour ago. I knew you would win."

He stood in front of her. She was seeing him after a very long time. Leaf looked at his clothes, which were exactly the same like she remembered. Nothing had changed about him except for his heavier voice and better physique.

"Red!" She exclaimed while she pulled her bag's strap which slipped from her shoulder.

"Oh, you do remember me?" Red smiled. Leaf knew exactly why he was saying that. That was the exact conversation they had in Pewter City, about a year ago.

"Do you forget a friend after seven months?" Both of them laughed and hugged each other.

"I missed you, Razor Leaf." Red whispered in her ear, still hugging. Leaf giggled.

"Missed you more, Sleepy Red."

Red looked at Leaf, noticing the change in outfit and her bag. She previously carried a slig bag which Red made fun of because Leaf couldn't carry much in it and had to put her items and Pokeballs in Red's bag pack.

"Nice outfit." Red complimented. "But the previous one was cuter."

Leaf looked at Red like a grumpy grandpa. She pursed her lips for a second and quickly changed the topic. "I thought you weren't continuing Pokémon Training."

"I wasn't, but then I thought, why not do a last one with a friend?" Red smiled uncontrollably.

"Aww." Leaf blushed. "Come on let's go to the Pokecenter. We have so much catching up to do.

"Okay, Twinleaf."