“Kinda. Onix took on most of it but rocks hit hard no matter what size”, Colin grumbled.

  “I’m more surprised you took on that Aggron. That Pokemon was even more deadly than Steelix”, he continued.

  “I couldn’t have done it without the help of your Machoke…… he’s currently out of commission as well”, Harrison stated apologetically.

  “He did what I asked him to. And he’s a fighter so he’ll be back in action in no time”, Colin responded, noting Harrison’s concern.

  “More importantly, how was your time in the mine?”, he said looking at the two behind Harrison.

  “It was definitely more than we bargained for but I think I understand Pokemon a bit better now”, Gavin stated.

  “I wouldn’t like to encounter another Aggron but at least, I got a new friend from this”, Christine said while glancing at Ralts.

  “It was insightful in many ways”, Harrison stated as he continued to ruminate on the incident.

  He knew Pokemon were able to withstand immense amounts of damage and only faint in response but that was just in the games and not guaranteed in reality. And even in the games where Pokemon only fainted, there were plenty of graveyards including the Lost Tower in Sinnoh. That fact alone made him err on the side of caution. For that to happen was likely extremely rare because if Pokemon easily died then no ten year old would be allowed to venture out on their own but it was still a possibility that he nearly chanced upon.

  He then shook off the creeping sense of dread as it was just a sentiment being magnified by his first proper loss. He obviously didn’t have a perfect track record but he had never pushed his Pokemon to such an extent that they couldn’t sleep away their minor injuries.

  They then moved onto lighter topics. Colin talked about how Machoke was very reliable but had actually been gifted to him when he first got the job working in Oreburgh mine years ago. Since then, the Pokemon had saved him quite a few times, mostly from debris in mining operations that weren’t properly executed but also from a rampaging Excadrill.

  Gavin admitted his Pokemon were recently obtained and their time together just started while Christine talked about how Bidoof apparently just rolled in on one of their family hikes and has been a part of their family ever since.

  Harrison briefly mentioned that his two starters were from his parents and that in the beginning, Shinx couldn’t stop electrocuting him and would get scolded by Luxray for leaving scorch marks in the living room.

  After an hour passed, a nurse entered and urged them out for Colin to recover.

  “We’ll visit a few more times while we’re still here”, Christine said while waving goodbye.

  “I’m fine if you just visit one more time to talk about your Gym battles. Roark is waiting in anticipation”, Colin responded.

  Harrison nodded, acknowledging his request before heading out. Along the way, he waved at one of the kids that had previously been in the visitor’s lounge.

  On the street, Christine stretched before letting out an exhausted groan, “What a long day- I’m done for today and maybe even tomorrow”

  It wasn’t early as the Sun had set quite a few hours ago but since starting their journey, they stayed up way later than they should have. No longer constrained by school schedules, they would have possibly minimized their sleep if not for Harrison.

  A slight vibration on his wrist then notified him of an incoming message.

  “Same. I still feel grime from all the time we spent in the mine”, Gavin muttered. They weren’t filthy as they cleaned up a bit during the checkup as otherwise, they’d be restricted from wandering around the hospital. But a far deeper cleanse was necessary to get rid of the sensation of dirt, dust, and battle. And probably a new outfit that didn’t go through as much as they did.

  “You two can head back to the Pokemon Center. I’ll go get us some dinner. Any suggestions?”, Harrison said as he read a message on his Poketch.

  “Something light”, Gavin replied.

  “Something warm”, Christine added.

  “Soup and a sandwich?”, he offered. They shrugged in response before heading back. Along the way, Ralts glanced back, likely having perceived a bit of Harrison’s emotions.

  When a considerable distance was made, Harrison went past the intended restaurant.

  Taking another turn, he headed into Oreburgh’s modest PokeMart. It wasn’t the size of an entire warehouse but was still slightly larger than a supermarket. The offerings were still sizable but catered more towards their local industry of mining through flashlights, mining equipment, and pebbles for Rock type Pokemon to snack on. There were also random knickknacks like weak magnets, brushes for removing dust on clothes, and a kit for testing Mohs hardness.

  Harrison then provided a verification code to the clerk who affirmed that the delivery had arrived and gave him a key. He walked towards the green lockers that held parcels for personal deliveries. If important enough, a deliveryman in green would remain in the PokeMart to verify in person but Harrison opted for anonymity and these were relatively common in Unova so it wasn’t the biggest deal.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  Inserting the key, he also had to enter the passcode to access his parcel. A safety measure for extra security but also to guard against employees having absolute access. They were also Voltorb-proof but that didn’t mean they were impenetrable as there were other means to dismantle the locker in case something dangerous was stored inside.

  He stored the heavy parcel in his spatial backpack and grabbed a bunch of Repels along the way. Maybe, they could help him if he got jumped by a horde. He then thought of how potent the repel would need to be in order to turn away that Aggron but he was unsure if Steel types even had functioning noses with the exception of Probopass with a magnet in place of an actual nose. And then he remembered that Repels only ever worked on Pokemon weaker than your own so it probably wouldn’t matter unless he nuked them with a septic tank used only by a Skuntank.

  Harrison then left the PokeMart and went towards the restaurant and ordered a lighter corn pottage and an egg with avocado sandwich.

  When Harrison finally made it back to their room, Gavin had long since collapsed and had been dozing after a lengthy shower. Christine was busy indulging Ralts’ curiosity but didn’t exert her usual enthusiasm. Her new Pokemon had never left the underground and kept pointing to different human technologies and furniture which weren’t used by miners for their work.

  Harrison let out an extended yawn and left the takeout food on the table. He then entered for a much needed wash. As the warm water loosened his muscles and soothed his stressed mind, he thought of the day and sighed. Waves of regret surged as he replayed the Mega Evolution in his mind. The way it had wasted all their efforts. It was like getting a Legendary down to red only for them to Recover. Like crushing a tough Pokemon only for the Trainer to Full Restore.

  “Nova is fine”, Maestro transmitted through telepathy.

  “That’s good to know”, Harrison muttered back.

  But it wasn’t enough. He had stumbled and struggled through but he and his team could only do the bare minimum. His capacity significantly improved now that Abra evolved into Kadabra but complacency was something only the stagnant could afford. It would cripple the ambitious, shackle the powerful, and define the meek.

  His Pokemon needed to improve but so must he.

  He then exited in clean sleepwear. Christine seemed to have fallen asleep alongside her new Ralts after a brief meal while Gavin barely stirred, likely having not eaten anything at all.

  In the quiet room, Harrison sat at the table and enjoyed a light meal while watching the city from the window. People and Pokemon bustled as they chose a moment of respite.

  Time then passed with the next day having gone by as they busied themselves with preparations. The patches, having done their job splendidly, left unblemished skin with zero signs of bruising.

  With new clothes and a resolved expression, he stood before the Gym. It looked just like an entrance into a mine with its doors being firmly embedded into the mountain face. On each side of the stone stairs were decorative ore formations which had likely been plucked out with heavy machinery long ago.

  He then entered the battlefield which resembled a large chamber deep underground with the rough unpolished stone walls on every side of the room.

  Christine and Gavin sat spectating alongside a bunch of people he did not recognize. The only exception was a Trainer that he saw back in Jubilife that had been showcased as an extraregional competitor. He did not remember their name.

  The Gym Leader then entered, sporting his usual red mining helmet and in his dusty mining gear. The miner then walked towards Harrison.

  “I apologize for delaying our battle for a day but the mine needed a lot of attention”, Roark stated.

  “I understand but was everything else with those two Pokemon resolved?”, Harrison asked.

  “I can’t say too much but Aggron will be sent to Iron Island after it is studied. As for Steelix, the many Metal Coats it had saved for its offspring had been taken by Aggron which was the cause of the incident”

  Iron Island, Harrison pondered. Another reason and another dangerous place he needed to go to.

  “Your contributions are enough for the Coal Badge but you wanted a proper challenge?”

  “Of course. Unless I’m facing that Tyranitar then I’ll concede”, Harrison said, raising his hands in jest.

  “If only. I’m not allowed to send out my best unless the challenger has 7 badges even if they want a proper battle. So challenge me again after you reach the Conference”, Roark requested.

  “Sure. But could you not have made the battle more discrete?”, Harrison asked as he looked to the side. It was manageable before but after Roark arrived, more and more spectators began to arrive. Easily over 40 people along with a dozen Pokemon had gathered to watch.

  In the anime, most gym battles had nobody in the audience other than the usual cast of characters. It made for a hilarious scene as there were just four people amongst enough seats to probably seat hundreds.

  “Fame is not something an accomplished Trainer can escape”, Roark said with a laugh. He then headed to his side of the battlefield.

  To the side, a Gym Trainer entered to act as a referee.

  “The Oreburgh Gym Battle between Roark, the Gym Leader and Harrison of Jubilife City will now commence”

  “This will be a 3 on 3 battle above the challenger’s badge level. As soon as all 3 Pokemon on either side cannot continue, the challenge will be over. The challenger may substitute Pokemon but the Gym Leader will only be allowed substitutions through moves. Now let the battle begin!”

  The new information sparked interest in the crowd as this meant the battle was not the typical beginner’s brawl but also that the competitor wasn’t a veteran as badge levels did not apply to those that had already completed a Gym Circuit. New Pokemon in a new region could still be used but it then depended on the challenger’s team rather than their badge level.

  Christine then turned to Gavin and said with concern, “He doesn’t have 3 Pokemon right now”

  “Yeah, the third would be Magikarp with Nova still in the Pokemon Center”, Gavin confirmed.

  “I’ve already seen your potential as a Trainer but let me experience the toughness of the Pokemon that battle with you, firsthand!”, Roark exclaimed.

  “Go, Cranidos!”, Roark said as threw the Pokeball towards the rocky field.

  The miniature Pachycephalosaurus with a rock hard skull then emerged from the Pokeball and stanced itself as if ready to charge.

  “To the air, Stratus!!”, Harrison shouted as Staravia was summoned.

  His bird hovered but did not make eye contact with its opponent yet.

  “A flying type.. You’re gonna be in for a rocky start then. Cranidos! Use Stealth Rock!”, Roark ordered.