While his cousin won her first battle, in the waiting room Jake clapped loudly, a wide grin on his face. "That was awesome, Monika!"
Emily nodded in agreement. "I can't believe she pulled that off. Yawn was a smart move!"
Mark, however, remained quiet, his arms crossed as he stared at the screen, clearly unimpressed. Monika burst into the waiting room, her grin as wide as ever. "Did you see that? Did you see me win?"
The other kids crowded around her, cheering and patting her on the back.
"That was so cool, Monika!" Emily said, eyes wide with admiration. "You made it look easy!"
"Yeah, that Yawn move was super smart!" another boy chimed in.
Jake high-fived her. "Told you you'd do great! Hippopotas was awesome."
Monika puffed out her chest proudly. "Thanks! I told you I was going to show you how it's done."
Mark, standing at the edge of the group with his arms crossed, rolled his eyes. "Lucky shot," he muttered, but no one paid him any attention.
The kids soon returned their focus to the screen, where more battles played out. Some matches were quick, with decisive knockouts, while others dragged on in tense exchanges of strategy. Jake watched them, his stomach twisting into tighter knots as his name grew closer on the list.
And then, it happened.
"Number 37!" the referee's voice echoed from the speakers. "Please report to the battlefield!"
Jake's heart skipped a beat. It was his number. The other kids turned to him, grinning.
"Good luck, Jake!" Emily said, giving him a thumbs-up.
"You'll do great!" Monika added, though Jake noticed her slight concern.
Mark, however, smirked. "Loser," he mumbled just loud enough for Jake to hear.
Jake's smile faltered, and he frowned at Mark, anger bubbling inside him. But before he could retort, the gym trainer by the door motioned for him to hurry.
"Come on, Jakub. It's your turn," the gym trainer told him encouragingly.
Jake gulped, gripping the Pokéball containing Silicobra tightly in his sweaty hand. "Okay," he mumbled, following the trainer out into the bright, roaring battlefield.
As he stepped onto the platform, the sheer size of the crowd hit him like a wave. Rows upon rows of people were watching, cheering, and clapping. His knees felt weak, and he wiped his hands on his pants, though they instantly became clammy again.
On the other side of the field stood his opponent, an older girl with a confident smirk. She tossed her Pokéball lightly from one hand to another, clearly unfazed by the crowd.
Jake's thoughts raced. Why did I want to come here? Why is everyone staring at me? What if I mess up? What if Silicobra doesn't listen to me? He swallowed hard, rooted to the spot as if his feet were glued to the ground.
"Trainers, are you ready?" the referee's voice snapped him out of his daze.
Jake blinked, looking around in confusion. The gym trainer accompanying him leaned down and whispered, "You've got this, Lindenberg. Just focus."
Jake nodded shakily, his grip on the Pokéball tightening. "Y-yeah. I'm ready."
The referee raised their hand. "This battle will now begin! Trainers, send out your Pokémon!"
Both Jake and the older girl threw their Pokéballs into the air, the devices spiraling and releasing their respective creatures in bursts of light.
Jake's Silicobra emerged with a hiss, its sleek, sand-colored body coiling as it looked around. Across the field, the older girl's Pokémon materialized—a Dewpider, its glistening water bubble shimmering under the lights.
The crowd roared as the match began, and Jake's heart thudded in his chest.
The battle began cautiously. Jake's mind raced, the type disadvantage looming over him like a dark cloud. Water's strong against ground… I have to keep Silicobra away from that Dewpider.
"Silicobra, use Sand Tomb!" Jake called out.
Silicobra hissed and whipped up a swirling funnel of sand, aiming to trap Dewpider inside. The sand encircled the Water-type, but its trainer didn't hesitate.
"Dewpider, use Water Gun on the sand!"
A jet of water burst from Dewpider's bubble, cutting through the sand like a knife. The Sand Tomb dissolved into harmless grains that fell to the ground.
Jake bit his lip. Okay, that didn't work. Let's try again.
"Silicobra, another Sand Tomb! Make it bigger and quicker this time!"
Silicobra obeyed, summoning an even larger vortex of sand. For a moment, it seemed like Dewpider might get caught, but its trainer grinned.
"Water Gun, again!"
The same result. Sand turned to mud, leaving Dewpider untouched.
Behind him, the gym trainer leaned down slightly and whispered, "Jake, remember, Silicobra knows more than just Sand Tomb. Think about your other options."
Jake froze for a moment, then nodded. Right, I've got other moves. He quickly ran through them in his head. Bulldoze? No, that might not hit hard enough. Headbutt could work if I get close, but Dewpider's fast. Wrap? Maybe…
While Jake hesitated, the older girl seized the opportunity. "Dewpider, charge in with Bug Bite!"
Dewpider scuttled forward, its small legs moving rapidly as its mandibles gleamed. Jake's eyes widened.
"Silicobra, dodge it!" he shouted.
Silicobra barely managed to slither out of the way, but Dewpider was persistent, lunging again and forcing Silicobra to keep retreating.
"Don't let it corner you!" Jake yelled, his voice cracking slightly.
"Silicobra can't keep running forever!" the girl called from across the field. "Dewpider, use Bubble Beam!"
A rapid stream of shimmering bubbles shot toward Silicobra, who dodged most of them but got clipped by the tail end, sending it skidding slightly. Jake winced.
"Alright," he muttered to himself, gripping his fists. "Let's try this. Silicobra, Bulldoze!"
Silicobra slammed its body into the ground, sending a wave of tremors toward Dewpider. The vibrations caused the bug to stumble, its movements momentarily unsteady.
"Good!" Jake cheered, gaining some confidence. "Now Headbutt!"
Silicobra darted forward, its head glowing slightly as it rammed into Dewpider. The hit landed solidly, pushing Dewpider back several feet.
The older girl gritted her teeth. "Dewpider, use Aqua Ring!"
A shimmering barrier of water formed around Dewpider, slowly restoring some of its energy. Jake's excitement faltered as he realized the match was far from over.
"Don't let it recover! Wrap it, Silicobra!"
Silicobra lunged forward, coiling its body tightly around Dewpider. The water barrier sizzled against Silicobra's scales, but it held firm, squeezing its opponent.
Dewpider let out a sharp cry, and its trainer retaliated. "Bug Bite, up close!"
Dewpider bit down on Silicobra's tail, causing it to release its grip with a hiss. Both Pokémon stumbled back, clearly showing signs of fatigue.
Jake wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, his mind racing. They're both getting tired. I just need one good hit.
But the girl was thinking the same. "Dewpider, use Bubble Beam again!"
"Silicobra, Bulldoze!" Jake countered.
The two attacks collided, sending dust and water droplets flying into the air. When the debris cleared, both Pokémon stood shakily, breathing heavily.
"Headbutt!" Jake yelled.
"Bug Bite!" the girl called at the same time.
The two Pokémon charged at each other, colliding in the center of the field with a loud crash. For a moment, they both wavered, trying to stay upright. Then, almost in unison, they collapsed onto the ground, fainted.
The referee stepped forward, raising both arms. "Both Pokémon are unable to battle! This match is a draw!"
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, acknowledging the hard-fought battle. Jake let out a long breath, relief and disappointment mingling in his chest.
The gym trainer patted his shoulder as he walked off the field. "Good work, Jake. A draw is a solid result when you were in disadvantage."
Jake nodded, though his stomach churned. I wish I could've won…
As he returned to the waiting room, wiping sweat from his brow, the kids gathered around him.
"That was so close!" Emily said with a smile. "You almost had her!"
"Yeah, great job, Jake," Monika added, grinning. "A draw's not bad, especially since Dewpider had the advantage!"
But Mark, leaning against the wall with a smug expression, wasn't about to let the moment pass. "Still didn't win, though. Told you that you're a loser."
Jake frowned, his hands tightening into fists. "I've got a draw with a type disadvantage. That's more than you've done."
Mark's grin faltered, but before he could fire back, the speakers crackled to life, and an announcement came through.
"The next match: Mark Vranitzky versus Monika Prochazka. Please report to the field."
Mark's smirk returned as he pushed himself off the wall. "Time to show you all how a real trainer battles."
Monika just smiled, bouncing on her toes. "This'll be fun!"
The two headed out, and the kids crowded around the screen to watch.
On the battlefield, Mark stood with his arms crossed, exuding confidence, while Monika was all smiles, waving to the crowd.
When the referee gave the signal, they threw their Pokéballs. Cacnea emerged on Mark's side, glowing with the same confidence as its trainer, while Monika's Hippopotas landed with a thud, shaking its head and snorting.
Mark wasted no time. "Cacnea, Trailblaze!"
Cacnea began to glow green, its speed increasing as it dashed forward, striking Hippopotas hard and leaping back gracefully.
"Hippopotas, use Yawn!" Monika called out, a playful edge to her voice.
Hippopotas opened its mouth, releasing a series of pink bubbles that floated toward Cacnea. But Mark was ready.
"Razor Leaf!" he shouted.
Cacnea spun, launching a flurry of sharp leaves that popped the bubbles mid-air. The leaves didn't stop there, cutting into Hippopotas and forcing it to stumble backward.
"Whoa, that's fast!" one of the kids in the waiting room commented.
Monika seemed unfazed. "Okay, Hippopotas, Sand Attack!"
Hippopotas kicked up a spray of sand, aiming to obscure Cacnea's vision. But Mark wasn't letting up.
"Trailblaze again!"
Cacnea darted forward, its speed now blinding, and struck Hippopotas with another powerful hit. The Ground-type staggered, trying to stay upright, but the repeated attacks proved too much. Hippopotas let out a groan and collapsed.
The referee raised a hand. "Hippopotas is unable to battle. The winner is Mark and Cacnea!"
Mark smirked triumphantly as he recalled Cacnea. Monika returned Hippopotas to its Pokéball, still smiling as she gave the younger boy a cheerful thumbs-up.
Back in the waiting room, Mark strutted in, his chest puffed out. "See? That's how it's done. I'm clearly better than any of you guys from Battle Ranch."
Monika, unbothered, plopped onto a chair with a grin. "You only won because you had a type advantage. It'd be interesting to see how Cacnea handles a Flying or Fire type."
Mark's smirk faltered, his face darkening. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you had it easy," Monika replied with a giggle. "But that's okay. It was still fun!"
The other kids nodded in agreement, chiming in.
"Yeah, she's right. Grass beats Ground. That's not exactly impressive."
"And you got lucky with who you battled," another added.
Mark's face turned red with frustration as the kids rallied around Monika. He opened his mouth to argue, but the gym trainer stepped in.
"Alright, let's calm down. The next match will be announced soon."
Mark crossed his arms and turned to watch the TV while Monika chatted with the others, her cheerful energy unshaken despite her loss.
The kids remained in the waiting room, eyes glued to the screen as more matches played out in rapid succession. Jake was practically bouncing in his seat, captivated by the diversity of Pokémon battling in the tournament.
A young trainer commanded a Geodude to use Rock Throw against an opponent's Fletchling. The tiny bird Pokémon swooped gracefully, avoiding the barrage before retaliating with a precise Peck.
Another match featured a Sandshrew squaring off against a Bugsy-looking gym trainer with a Kricketune. The two exchanged blows, Sandshrew rolling into a ball to deliver a Rapid Spin while Kricketune struck back with Fury Cutter.
A particularly intense battle saw a Snover and a Vibrava clashing. Snover created a Hailstorm, limiting Vibrava's visibility, but the Vibrava countered with a powerful Dragon Breath that melted the snow and landed a critical hit.
Jake watched with wide-eyed excitement. "Did you see that? Vibrava's so cool!" he exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. Monika smiled at her younger cousin's enthusiasm but leaned back in her chair, her legs swinging restlessly.
Mark's match came next. He was pitted against none other than Prince Charles, who released a Nincada. The Bug/Ground-type scuttled forward with surprising speed, dodging Cacnea's Razor Leaf and countering with Fury Swipes. Mark managed to land a few solid hits with Trailblaze, but Nincada's relentless Leech Life sapped Cacnea's strength until it could fight no more.
When Mark returned to the waiting room, his grin was as smug as ever. "I gave the prince a real challenge," he announced loudly, crossing his arms. "But... I had to let him win, right? Can't embarrass royalty."
The other kids exchanged skeptical glances.
"Yeah, sure you did," Monika said with a teasing smirk. "That's why Cacnea was knocked out cold."
Mark glared at her with his arrogant expression but said nothing.
As the battles continued, Jake stayed glued to the screen, pointing out moves and Pokémon to anyone who would listen. Monika, however, was growing restless.
"This is fun and all," she said, stretching her arms above her head, "but I can't sit here forever. Let's go explore the gym!"
Jake looked up from the screen, hesitant. "But what if they call us for something?"
"They won't," Monika said confidently, hopping off her chair. "We're out of the tournament. And we can always come back before it's over."
A few of the other kids perked up at the idea, nodding in agreement.
"Come on, Jakey," Monika coaxed, tugging at his sleeve. "You've got to see more than just this room."
Jake sighed, but her enthusiasm was contagious. "Alright, fine. But if we get in trouble, it's your fault!"
Monika grinned. "Deal!"
With that, Monika, Jake, and a small group of kids slipped out of the waiting room, ready to explore the halls of the gym. The corridors stretched out before them, lined with statues of various Ground-type Pokémon, walls painted with earthy tones, and plaques describing the history of the gym. Their footsteps echoed on the polished stone floor until they turned a corner and stopped short, gasping in unison.
They had entered a hall lined with grand pictures and photographs of past gym leaders. Each frame captured the leaders in dramatic poses, often accompanied by their Pokémon. The older paintings featured fierce creatures like Golem, Onix, and Torterra, while the more recent photos displayed powerful figures like Mamoswine and even a towering Tyranitar.
Jake's eyes darted from one frame to another, overwhelmed by the sheer strength and majesty of the Pokémon depicted. But it was one painting near the center of the hall that made him freeze in place.
"Groudon!" he exclaimed, pointing at the picture. It showed an ancient gym leader standing boldly in front of the colossal red and black beast, whose glowing eyes seemed to pierce through the ages. The silhouette of Groudon loomed larger than life, framed by the fiery light of a setting sun.
Jake squinted at the plaque beneath the painting, his lips moving silently as he tried to read the description. But the words were long, and his frustration grew quickly. "Monika," he called out, "what's this say? Why is Groudon here?"
Monika stepped up, brushing her hair behind her ear as she leaned in to read the inscription aloud.
"It says this gym leader lived several centuries ago and traveled around the world. While he was in Hoenn, he was lucky enough to meet Groudon and even challenged it to a friendly battle. Of course, he lost badly—"
"Of course," Jake interrupted, grinning.
Monika smirked and continued. "But Groudon was friendly to him. A few days later, when the gym leader was ambushed by a group of bandits, Groudon appeared out of nowhere to help him. Together, they defeated the bandits, and the gym leader credited Groudon with saving his life. The encounter became one of the most famous stories in the gym's history."
The kids stood in awed silence, staring at the painting. Even the younger ones, who didn't fully grasp the significance of Groudon, felt the weight of the story.
Jake's eyes sparkled. "Wow... Groudon is so cool. I can't believe he helped a gym leader like that."
Monika tilted her head, studying the painting thoughtfully before breaking the reverent silence with a cheeky grin. "Hmm, Groudon... I bet my dad's Quaquaval would show him who's the boss!"
The group burst into laughter, breaking the spell of the moment.
"Yeah, right," Jake snorted. "Quaquaval wouldn't stand a chance!"
Monika shrugged playfully. "Maybe not, but it'd be fun to watch!"
The kids moved on down the hall, their excitement rekindled as they speculated what other stories the gym might hold. But as they walked, Jake couldn't help glancing back at the painting of Groudon, the ancient beast's gaze lingering in his mind like a challenge yet to be faced.
The group reached the end of the hall lined with gym leaders' pictures, where a large, ornate mirror dominated the wall. Most of the kids barely gave it a glance, their attention still on the stories they'd just read, but Monika stopped and studied her reflection.
"Yeah," she said with a cheeky grin, striking a triumphant pose. "My picture could be here, instead of the mirror. I could be the next gym leader!" She giggled at the idea.
But as she admired herself, her reflection began to shift. The smile faded from her face as the familiar image in the glass morphed, replaced by a hooded man with a cruel grin and an eyepatch over left eye.
"What the...?" Monika muttered, leaning closer to the mirror. The figure mimicked her movements perfectly, though he was distinctly not her. His dark, piercing eye and menacing smirk were unsettling, his presence wrong.
"What's that?" she whispered, her voice tinged with unease.
Tentatively, she reached out to touch the mirror. As her finger grazed the surface, it rippled like water. A swirling grey portal burst open, and the man inside the mirror grinned wickedly. Before Monika could pull back, his hand shot out of the portal, ice-cold fingers closing around her wrist.
"Ouch! Let me go!!" she shrieked, struggling as the man yanked her through the portal. The surface shimmered, swallowing her whole.
Her cry jolted the other kids out of their conversations, and they turned to see Monika vanishing.
"Monika!" Jake yelled, his voice cracking as he stumbled forward, but his legs felt like they were weighed down with stone. He froze in place, paralyzed by fear and the sheer impossibility of what was happening in front of him.
The portal in the mirror didn't close completely. Its swirling grey edges pulsed, leaving a small gap open. Through it, Jake saw Monika on the other side, struggling and kicking as the eyepatch-wearing man carried her away, his sinister grin never wavering.
Behind Jake, the other kids screamed in fright. Some clutched each other, their faces pale and stricken with terror, while others instinctively started backing away, ready to run.
"What is that?!" one of them shouted, their voice shrill with panic.
"We need to get out of here!" another cried, already turning to flee.
But Jake couldn't move. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his body trembling as he stared at the portal, his cousin disappearing further into the unknown. The cold, heavy dread rooted him to the spot, his breath shallow and rapid as the last remnants of the portal shimmered ominously in the air.