Red's POV

Goldenrod City was not what it used to be. After what happened in the city, I couldn't imagine how difficult it must be for the citizens to switch back to their usual lives.

Lyra and Yellow walked beside me looking for the PokeCentre. Where as Bugsy looked for a restaurant, man he loved food.

Every city had its own flavour, but here I could feel sadness. Moreover, Articuno was with Team Rocket and I couldn't do anything.

I should've told Looker about this - I thought.

"Red?" Lyra broke the silence. "You alright?" She tried her best to make me feel comfortable but how could I ?

"Lyra, I don't-" I said, Bugsy cut me off.

"Hey guys. This restaurant got Shawarma in the menu." Said Bugsy in his overly excited tone. Yellow glared at him.

"Don't you ever take anything seriously?" Asked Yellow. "You know, all of our Pokemon are injured severely and the only thing you care about is yourself."

Yellow seemed angry which was not her best emotion. She had a valid reason to be angry, Orchid was missing half a pound of flesh from his arm. I felt so sorry for both of them. It was a very hard time for Yellow.

Marill suddenly bounced off of Lyra's shoulder and started running towards a restaurant. "I guess she's hungry too." Bugsy grinned.

Lyra ran after her Marill. Yellow and I followed her quickly leaving Bugsy alone. Marill ran past the restaurant, now I was confused, where was she headed.

After a few turns, she stopped outside a huge building. "The Goldenrod City Gym." Said Lyra. "Marill, not now. First we find a PokeCentre."

"Wait, Lyra your Pokemon are just fine. Right ? You didn't use them." I reminded her.

"Yeah but I have to tag along till your Pokemon are restored back to normal."

"No you can go. Challenge the gym leader. Wait, where's Bugsy ?"

"On your left." Said Bugsy, tapping my left shoulder.

"Take out your laptop, change my team. Professor Oak will heal all the injured Pokemon." I said.

Bugsy did as I said. I switched all my Pokemon. Charizard probably could not battle after last night, so I switched him with Snorlax.

"Smooth." Said Bugsy. "Okay you do the Gym battle. I'll go with Yellow, get Orchid healed." Yellow looked at Bugsy, smiling.

Soon after, we entered the Goldenrod Gym. Like always, we were clueless about the Pokemon type the Gym Leader possessed.

We walked on the pavement leading us to the door. The glass door had a sticker on it, belonging to a Pokemon, with "Miltank" written below it.

Lyra shrugged and I pushed the door open. The gym was not like a regular gym.

My eyes saw more than it could see. Okay, no. It's just an oversimplification. It only saw what it could see. I mean, compared to other Gyms, this one was different in a way. Oh, man. Bugsy's pov's are better.

The Gym had a grass flooring, I bent down and touched the grass to confirm whether it was real or not. It was.

"Ew!" Exclaimed Lyra in digust. She walked two steps back after the realisation that her foot was placed in Pokemon poop. Sounds disgusting, practically its way more disgusting.

"Okay, were those poop puddles there before ?" I asked as I looked across the farm-ish gym.

"Gross. I'm outta here." Said Lyra. "This doesn't feel like a gym at all."

"You mean – smell like a gym at all." I corrected. "Listen. Remember the Pokemon League ?"

Lyra stopped. "Do I have to ? From day 1 I've hated this. I didn't even wanted to become a trainer in the first place."

"But why now ? You have two gym badges, why not participate in the Pokemon League once and then stop ?"

"Because I can't. I'm tired of this." Said Lyra. I knew that she hated Pokemon Training. She wanted to become a fashion designer. But now that she was doing it, stopping was a really bad idea.

"See. Your parents want this from you. Tell me one thing, do you find Pokemon Training tough or boring ?" I asked.

"Not that. It's fun. But then, we are competing with many others. I am just afraid of losing." Explained Lyra.

"You don't have to be !" Said a girl, walking towards us.

She was probably in her mid teens. She had pink hair, pulled into two ponytails, and two small yellow barrettes helped to hold them back. She had light pink eyes, the color of a cotton candy.

She wore a white shirt with pink stripes on the sleeve ends and in the middle with two yellow triangles to the left of her chest. Also, she wore short blue denim shorts with black leggings and sneakers matching the color combination of her shirt.

"And you are...?" Asked Lyra.

"You don't remember me ?" Asked the girl. "Oh come on, Red and Lyra, it's me."

Both of us stared at her continuously, trying to remember her face.

"We met at the Ruins. You helped rescue some people when Ruin One was breaking down. And then we together looked for the King Unown. Remember ?" Explained the girl.

"Uh, I remember all of that, but not you." Said Lyra, still trying to remember. But I had already figured out the possibility of both of us not recognizing her. Time travel.

"Where's Bugsy ? And Ethan ?" She asked. "Okay, forget it. Let me reintroduce myself. I am Whitney. The Gym leader of Goldenrod City."

I was about to ask her if we had to battle on her poop field, then I thought it must be very rude to call her gym – a poop field.

"Bugsy is at the PokeCentre. He'll be here in a while. Now, let's talk business." I said, pulling out a Pokeball from my belt.

"What's the hurry, Arcanine ?" Asked Whitney. "Get the joke ?"

"That was a joke ?" I asked.

"Red, Arcanine resembles that Tiger creature from Animals tv show. She means – what's the hurry, tiger." Explained Lyra. "Or just forget, it's a bad joke."

"Ugh. You're making me angry. It's good. Okay, let's talk business. You can use all your Pokemon, I'll just use 4. No healing items are allowed." Said Whitney. She pulled out a Pokeball from her belt.

"Okay."

"Let's start, go Smeargle." Said Whitney, sending out an ugly stuff toy like looking Pokemon with paint on his furry tail.

I pointed my Pokedex towards it. The Pokedex popped open with a blue light blinking at the back.

"Smeargle, a Painter Pokémon. Once it becomes an adult, it has a tendency to let its comrades plant footprints on its back." Explained the Pokedex.

"Wait, you're a normal type trainer ?" Asked Lyra. "Haven't seen any other Gym specialising in that type before."

"Yep. I'm special." Said Whitney, smiling.

"I choose Wartortle." I said, sending out my water type.

"Water type ? Silly move. Smeargle, use Thunderbolt." Said Whitney. Smeargle had a move type advantage against Wartortle. The lightning hit Wartortle instantly knocking him out. "One hit knock out !"

I was so mad. After so long I brought Wartortle in a battle and only because of me, he fainted. I had to defeat Whitney.

"Wartortle, come back. I'm really sorry." I said. "Go Bulbasaur."

"Smeargle, come back. Go Nidorina." Said Whitney, changing her Pokemon.

"Wait, gym leaders can't switch Pokemon before that one faints." I explained.

"My gym my rules. Plus, that's why using healing items are not allowed. Have you ever fought Misty ? Do you know how many Super Potions she uses ? What is more fair, this or that ?" Asked Whitney.

"Okay. This." I said. "Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf."

The leafs hit Nidorina like a bullet, but her hard skin restrained from any damage. This was going to be a tough fight.

"Nidorina, Double Kick."

Nidorina kicked Bulbasaur on his face thrice, the rest he dodged perfectly.

"Your Bulbasaur sure is talented, how long has he been with you ?" Asked Whitney.

"Five months." I said. "Bulbasaur, Solar Beam." Bulbasaur started to collect solar energy, luckily the gym had glass ceilings.

"That's a decent amount of time." Said Whitney. "Nidorina, Crunch."

Bulbasaur was critically hit but he tried his best not to fall on the ground because of his tiredness. And the way he was standing with his legs shaking, one could clearly tell he wanted to lie down and sleep.

Then, he unleashed the solar energy, projecting it towards Nidorina.

Nidorina fainted.

"Nidorina, come back." Growled Whitney, angrily. She didn't want to lose.

Suddenly, Bulbasaur glowed blue in color and grew in size. The leafy layer of his bulb opened, becoming the two pairs of leaves around his pink bulb. Then, he was an Ivysaur.

"Ivy !" Said Ivysaur.

"Good for you." Said Whitney. "I choose Clefable."

"Ivysaur, use Leech Seed." I said. Ivysaur shoot seeds from his bulb. Clefable was seeded. He then absorbed energy from Clefable.

"Clefable, Metronome." Clefable moved her two index fingers right and left with an extreme amount of coordination.

She opened her mouth and a ball of light could be seen slowly generating power and getting bigger.

Clefable used Hyper Beam. It hit Ivysaur and pushed him into the tree behind. Ivysaur fainted.

"Ivysaur, come back. You fought well my friend." I said, with a smile. "Go Pikachu."

"Haven't seen one of those in a while. Clefable, use Dig." Grinned Whitney.

"Carefull, she's using a ground type move. Pikachu needs to be ready to dodge it." Said Lyra.

"Got it." I said. "You heard her, Pikachu. Be ready to dodge it."

"Pika !" Said Pikachu, boldly.

Clefable used dig and went inside the ground. Usually, the Pokemon knowing that move also knows how to detect the position of the opponent. In order to dodge it, we needed to do something so that Clefable becomes unaware of Pikachu's position.

"Alright. Pikachu, use Double Team and run towards the hole Clefable dig." I ordered. Only if Pikachu knew what I was thinking, it would've made this strategy much more easier.

10 to 15 Pikachus ran across the field. Then he did exactly what I thought. All the after images of Pikachu ran zig-zag, crossing each other and sometimes through each other.

Clefable came out of the ground, right in front of all the Pikachus. She was confused of what was happening and couldn't do anything but stand.

"Clefable, Metronome." Ordered Whitney in rage. "Win this one."

The Pikachus stampeded towards Clefable and the real on jumped onto her head and then jumped higher from her head. Meanwhile, the rest vanished after going inside Clefable.

Pikachu turned around in mid-air and used Thunderbolt.

Clefable fainted.

"Impossible !" Said Whitney. "How ?"

"Coordination." I said, winking. "He already knew what my plan was."

"Come back, Clefable." Said Whitney. "Go Miltank."

Whitney sent out a big Pokemon that resembled a Tauros. For 2 seconds I thought it was a female version of Tauros just like Nidoking has Nidoqueen.

But no. The Pokedex displayed something else.

"Miltank, a Milk Cow Pokemon. If it has just had a baby, the milk it produces contains much more nutrition than usual." Explained the Pokedex.

"Pikachu, use Thunder." I said. But it failed. I forgot the roof was still there. "Oops."

"Miltank, time to roll."

Miltank used Rollout. Pikachu fainted. Miltank rolled over Pikachu.

"Pikachu, come back. You really did a great job. I'll not let this battle go waste, I'll not lose." I said. "Okay. Go Ditto."

Ditto wobbled on the grass and quickly transformed into it's opponent. I pointed my Pokedex towards him to see his new attacks.

"Now you know Miltank's moveset. Using Ditto is cheating." Said Whitney.

"It's not. Ditto, use Surf." I said, looking at the Pokedex.

"Nice try. Miltank, use Zen Headbutt."

Ditto fainted. Miltank was far more powerful. But I knew how to defeat Miltank. I had a weapon of my own.

"Ditto come back." I said, casually. "You want a challenging match right ? Take this. I choose you, Snorlax."

Snorlax came out of the Pokeball with a thud. I was fortunate, Snorlax was not asleep and looked active and energetic than ever before.

What did Oak feed him – I thought. He was bulkier than the last time.

"Miltank, Use Rollout." Said Whitney. Miltank started to roll towards Snorlax and was eventually going to hit him.

Snorlax stood like a wrestler waiting for Miltank to come closer. Then suddenly, he lies down. Miltank hit Snorlax but she bounced back.

"What-" Whitney was confused. "Wait, if he sleeps he's out."

"I know he won't." I said.

Meanwhile, Miltank kept using Rollout, but it didn't work.

"Snorlax, get up !" I said. "Please. For this once.".

But Snorlax didn't respond. He yawned as if he was about to sleep.

"Miltank, Body Slam." Whitney ordered.

Miltank slammed her heavy body on Snorlax. Snorlax's eyes opened, enraged. He turned over. Slamming his body onto Miltank.

Miltank fainted. Snorlax fell asleep.

"Miltank, come back." Said Whitney, almost crying. "Snorlax is out of the match."

"You okay ?" I asked, worried.

"Yes !" Snapped Whitney. "Last one, go Smeargle."

"Let's get him Eevee !" I sent out Eevee. "Use Bite."

Eevee ran towards the Smeargle angrily, obviously trying to scare him. And then bit the poor Smeargle.

Smeargle's health was critical. One more attack and we win.

"Smeargle, Sketch." Said Whitney.

Smeargle copied Eevee's last attack. He ran towards Eevee in the same exact way Eevee did. And then bit Eevee. Eevee still had energy to battle, plus point, which Smeargle didn't.

"Eevee, finish this with a Quick Attack." I said. "Show them your speed."

Eevee ran towards Smeargle, this time way faster than the previous time, he ran so fast that it looked like he was teleporting for one spot to another.

Eevee attacked Smeargle. Smeargle fell a few feet back and fainted.

Whitney broke down, crying. Then after a second wiped her tears off her face.

"You fought really well. Come back, Smeargle." She said. "Red, you never seize to impress anyone. This belongs to you."

She walked to the tree behind her and tapped it twice. A slot opened, she picked up a few things and walked back to me.

"Here, the Plain Badge is the proof that you defeated this Gym, and TM45 – Attract." Said Whitney, handing me the badge and the TM.

I put the badge inside my Badge Box, and the TM inside the TM case. I noticed I had another TM45.

I turned back to Whitney and passed a smile. Then looked at Eevee who stood happily on the grass, on the poop field.

"Well done, Red. My turn." Said Lyra.

Suddenly, someone removed my cap from behind. I turned back and saw Bugsy, along with Yellow.

"Ah, here you are." I said, snatching my cap back and wearing it.

"Red, Oak wants to talk to you. And send your Snorlax back. Charizard is healed." Said Bugsy. "Hurry, your PokeCentre."

I nodded. "Best of luck, Lyra."