They had avoided it long enough.

Now, standing in front of Canalave Gym, Eliza felt the flame in her heart. She wasn't going to back off, she told herself. Even if she was terrified, worried of the what-ifs, she could only move forward. 

The others wouldn't have wanted this, after all. 

She wasn't going to let them down. No matter what!

"Marylin, Blair, you ready for this battle?" she asked the two standing on each of her sides. 

"Infer!" Blair roared. 

"Zel!" Marylin nodded, a serious look forming as she got ready to fight. 

Canalave Gym was a Steel-type gym, and its leader Byron wasn't a pushover. A Magneton was his first Pokemon, followed by his Steelix, and then finishing it off with the Bastiodon. 

However, she had prepared for them. Marylin and Blair had trained hard to get where they were today, so it was no shocker when they took on the three Pokemon and came out victorious without switching in any other teammates. 

"Woohoo!" Eliza cheered as she jumped into the air. They did it!

Blair and Marylin did some awkward celebratory dances, which made her call out the rest of the team so they could laugh at their friends' expense. Of course, the two only realized once they heard Chomps' guffaw, and turned to them, giving them an embarrassed look. 

They all pointedly ignored that because it was just too hilarious. 

Byron watched their antics with a sad smile as he looked at the Pokemon on the ground, "Rest well, my friends..." 

He wasn't going to lie; he missed those times when he was innocent and still easily hurt by the deaths. 

Now, he was just numb. It felt almost mechanical...

Watching them reminded him that it was okay to feel pain and Byron... Byron appreciated the lesson they had taught him. 

(That night, he cried into his pillow. Years of repressed pain were finally flowing out. Promises to visit his friends' graves were made, and so were funeral plans for the newly lost Pokemon afterward, but for now, he wanted to relieve himself from the ice-cold heart within.

It was the first time he had cried since he became a Gym Leader.)

Once they were healed up, it was time to head to Snowpoint Gym to get their 7th badge. Eliza had made it a habit at this point to let everyone travel with her on the bicycle, with them taking turns to ride on it. It was a way for everyone to breathe, relax and prepare themselves for the battles ahead. 

Their journeys led them to battle and catch a Finneon, who she named Joy. 

"Finneon's data has been added into your Pokedex!" 

"Alright, nice job Kuro!" she high-fived the Mothim. "What should the Finneon's name be then?" 

"Infernape!" Blair immediately gave a smile. 

"Joy?" she burst out laughing. "Poor Nurse Joy in the Center then." 

The rest of her team snickered, happy to have someone new on the team. 

(She put her in the PC with Tea, and never let her out. Not until the deaths were over.)

They proceeded to battle more as they traveled to the city, battling the cold the best they could. Eliza made sure to even out the damage and play safe, but she was getting better. She was going to win the next gym! 

Then Viva got sick. 

No one knew if it was due to the cold or the amount of training, but it had Eliza rushing into the Pokemon center, so so close to dying of the cold, yet holding onto Viva as if she was Eliza's lifeline, screaming, "SHE NEEDS HELP!" 

The Nurse Joy of Snowpoint City worked fast, thankfully. Within a few hours, Viva's condition had stabilized, and Eliza was on her feet again. 

However, Nurse Joy had prohibited the Weavile from any battles, "She's sick, and we can't push a sick Pokemon." 

Thus, she had to tell Viva the bad news; she couldn't fight with them in the gym.

She had been against it at first, but once she understood just how close she had been to... to joining Volt and the others, she hesitantly relented and let Marylin and Eugene care for her while she and Blair headed to the Ice-type Gym to take the 7th badge back. 

It was a long, arduous fight. Four against one, with each attack hitting her friend again and again. Eliza held her breath, winced, worried every time she looked ready to collapse. Anxiety was pooling at the bottom of her stomach, whispering its toxic words into her ears. 

Despite all that, she pulled through, though. 

Eliza felt so, so relieved when Abomasnow collapsed, finally done for. The battle was theirs. They had won. 

"Impressive," Candice praised as she walked over and handed Eliza the Icicle Badge. "You did great. I hope to see more of you later on. I'm sure you'll give Cynthia a run of her money!" 

Hearing that... 

Eliza felt a sense of happiness bloom, and she smiled, saying, "Thank you!" for the kind words. 

Candice walked her out of the gym and waved her goodbye before returning inside and collapsing on the ground as she cried for the losses. 

(Every Trainer had to have felt the loss before being able to be a Gym Leader. It was integral, a part of life.

Something told her that Eliza was the perfect candidate to becoming the next Sinnoh champion, and she couldn't wait. She knew that Eliza was going to do something about the rules of being a Pokemon trainer. 

She prayed that Eliza would revolutionize the world and give them a chance to see Pokemon as friends instead of weapons and tools.)

Meanwhile, when Eliza returned to the Pokemon Center, she was immediately assaulted by the rest of her team, including a healthier Viva. 

"Toxi toxi!" 

"Thim thim!" 

"Floatzel!" 

"Gabite!" 

"Weavile!" 

She laughed, pulling herself off the ground and steadying herself before holding out the newly earned badge, "We got it alright. We got the 7th badge!" 

It was followed by cheers of excitement and relief. Relief that no one had been lost. 

"Once we heal up Blair, we head for the final gym," Eliza then decided. "Sunnyshore Gym, here we come!" 

Everyone roared out their agreement, ready to take on the final gym, and be closer to the dream Eliza had always had since that fateful match on her TV. 

(The gears shifted, the world continued to turn. 

The change was coming. A familiar one was coming. 

Is anyone ready for it?)

venusaura And here we go! Awfully rushed, I know, but I did my best! We got two more parts to go! Anticipate the last two! I'm sure they'll be exciting too!