Before long, it was time for Marie and Yuri's scheduled Gym battles. Yuri's match was set ahead of Marie's, so Marie headed to the spectator stands alone.
While there was a waiting room backstage for challengers, the only view there came from the big screen. It didn't compare to the energy of watching it live. Besides, according to Yuri herself, just knowing Marie was in the crowd would give her an extra boost of courage.
Since the challenger had made the request, Marie had no choice but to once again step into the noisy, crowded stands.
Silk and Baru, who were set to battle later, were resting in their Poké Balls. Only Moonlight and Chuchu were with Marie, watching from the sidelines.
"Chuu... (There's so many people here...)"
Not used to such bustling scenes, Chuchu was slumped lazily in Marie's arms. Having lived in the wild his whole life, he'd never experienced this kind of noise and crowd before.
"You'll get used to it. You'll have to battle in front of noise like this eventually."
"Chuu? (How much longer till it starts?)"
"Almost. As soon as the host finishes talking down there, it'll begin."
Marie had actually considered letting Silk or Chuchu take on this Gym challenge. Since they didn't have much battle experience, facing a gentler opponent would've been a good learning opportunity.
Unfortunately, she had already registered Baru for the match. Unless there was a particularly compelling reason, trainers weren't usually allowed to change their selected Pokémon once the battle roster was confirmed.
"Vee... (You think Yuri will be okay...?)"
Moonlight, now completely familiar with the group, sat beside Marie and looked up at her trainer with a hint of concern. Marie reached over and gave her head a gentle pat, smiling.
"She'll be fine. She even went out of her way to buy that TM from me and worked hard to train for this. She's more than ready."
Marie gave Moonlight's ear a playful squeeze. She genuinely had confidence in Yuri's upcoming battle.
…
Backstage, Yuri had changed into her competition outfit and was sitting in the challengers' lounge. Her hands were clasped tightly, betraying her nervousness as the host's voice echoed from the nearby screen.
Unlike Hop's boisterous personality, Yuri was just an ordinary girl at heart. Being suddenly thrust onto such a massive stage made it impossible for her to stay calm.
She'd heard that in other regions, Gym battles weren't held in front of an audience at all.
Tugging at the glove on her right hand, Yuri couldn't help but silently grumble about Galar's overly theatrical Gym challenge system.
"Ack..."
"Sobble?"
Her thoughts were interrupted as Sobble popped out of its Poké Ball and, with practiced ease, climbed onto her lap and nuzzled its face against hers. Yuri tilted her head and gently rubbed cheeks with it in return.
"...Are you trying to comfort me?"
She raised a hand and softly patted Sobble's head. The timid little thing that used to always hide behind her was now the one comforting its trainer.
"Sobble!"
"Thanks."
Yuri couldn't understand Pokémon language the way Marie could, but even so, she could feel exactly what Sobble was trying to express.
She grabbed a bottle of mineral water one of the complimentary ones from the Gym and took a long gulp.
"Haah..."
Letting out a deep breath, she brushed her bangs back. She'd been encouraged by her Pokémon. She couldn't let herself keep trembling like this.
"Let's do this, Yuri! Marie's out there waiting to cheer for you!"
Alone in the quiet waiting room, Yuri gave herself a pep talk. And just as the host's announcements came to an end, the room's door was knocked on.
"Come in!"
A uniformed staff member entered after receiving permission, offering a polite smile.
"It's time to go on, young lady."
"O-okay! Got it!"
Yuri stood up stiffly and touched the four Poké Balls already secured at her waist. Even though the lineup for the match had already been confirmed, she had never been the type to entrust her team to anyone else even moments before stepping on stage.
The familiar weight of the Poké Balls gave her a small sense of calm. With one last steadying breath, she stepped out of the waiting room and headed down the long tunnel toward the battlefield.
The staff member silently watched her leave, then closed the door with a smile. Every time he saw a new trainer about to face their first Gym battle, it always felt like catching a glimpse of Galar's future. It brought a quiet joy to his heart.
Good luck, kid.
Offering a silent cheer from the depths of his heart, the staff member turned and headed back to his post.
The walk through the tunnel wasn't nerve-wracking. But the moment Yuri stepped into the light at the end, the overwhelming roar of the crowd hit her all at once. The massive arena and the endless sea of people...
It was a scene she had watched from the stands countless times. But this this was the first time she was seeing it from inside the field, wearing a Gym challenger's uniform, as an actual participant.
Crap... I can't find Marie...
She walked toward Gym Leader Milo, shielding her eyes from the sun and trying to scan the audience. She knew roughly where Marie was supposed to be, but with the crowd constantly shifting, that familiar face was nowhere in sight.
"First time meeting, Challenger. You're Yuri, right?"
A gentle voice snapped her back to attention. She turned quickly to find Gym Leader Milo already standing in front of her, smiling kindly.
"Y-yes, hello, Mr. Milo."
She gave an awkward nod, embarrassed at having been caught spacing out. But Milo simply waved it off, unbothered.
"No need to be nervous. It's just a regular Pokémon battle. I'm looking forward to seeing what you've got."
With that, he gave a nod and turned toward his side of the field.
"…"
Yuri didn't manage to reply in time, but she followed suit, taking her place at the challenger's stand. She gripped the Poké Ball in her right hand, placed her left fist over her chest, and took two deep breaths. When she finally looked up
Her eyes locked with Marie's.
She couldn't hear her or see what she was saying from this distance, but just catching sight of Marie was enough to steady Yuri's heart.
The host's voice rang out, announcing the start of the match. Yuri pulled the Poké Ball from her belt and pressed the button.
"I'm counting on you, Cottonee!"
With all the strength she could muster, she hurled the ball forward.
"Nya~"
In a flash of red light, Cottonee appeared on the field. The Poké Ball rebounded off the air and returned neatly to Yuri's hand.
On the opposite side, Milo also sent out a Cottonee of his own.
"Nya!"
"Hoo…"
Yuri exhaled slowly. She knew the opponent was waiting for her to make the first move. It was a common habit among many Gym Leaders when facing first-time challengers Milo being one of them.
"Cottonee, Round!"
"Nya~"
Yuri's Cottonee bounced in place and began to sing. As expected, once she made the opening move, Milo gave his command.
"Rapid Spin and Magical Leaf!"
A familiar combo. His Cottonee responded quickly, green leaves forming around its body. With a spin, they turned into a swirling vortex of cutting wind and sharp energy, barreling toward Yuri's side of the field.
____________________
NEXT CHAPTER : Battle with Gym Leader Milo
(Yuri steps onto the battlefield for her official Gym Challenge against Milo and quickly learns just how outclassed she is. Milo's Pokémon aren't just strong; they're surgical, using seamless move combinations like Magical Leaf and Razor Leaf with terrifying control.
But Yuri isn't here to fold. Her Cottonee fights back with creative strategies, using Round, Rapid Spin, and well-timed Pollen Puffs to break through Milo's offense and land a crucial win.
The battle heats up even more when Flapple joins the fray, facing off against Milo's final Pokémon and the looming threat of Dynamax.
Next Chapter:Milo's not holding back anymore. With Dynamax power unleashed, will Yuri's Flapple be able to weather the storm… or get flattened by sheer size?)
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