The clash of water and fire reached its boiling point.
Crawdaunt and Torkoal collided again and again-each strike ringing like thunder in the heat of battle. Flannery's eyes burned with determination, her long crimson hair flowing wildly behind her as she roared,
"Charge, Torkoal! Earthquake!"
"Torr-koal!"
Torkoal stomped its front legs down, and the entire battlefield began to rumble. The ground rippled like waves on a boiling ocean, converging beneath Crawdaunt's position.
Silas didn't flinch.
"Crawdaunt, Substitute-now!"
"Craw!"
A translucent decoy shimmered into existence around Crawdaunt just as the quake surged upward. The substitute took the full brunt of the eruption before shattering into mist. The real Crawdaunt stood unharmed behind the fading barrier.
Flannery's grin returned in full force.
"Torkoal-Sunny Day!"
The sunlight above flared brighter, the heat intensifying until the air itself shimmered. Silas narrowed his eyes; she'd chosen the perfect moment–right when Crawdaunt's momentum paused after using Substitute, and the effects of Dragon Dance were beginning to fade.
A battle of patience and timing.
'Smart,' he thought. 'That's the kind of precision that makes her a Gym Leader.'
But Silas wasn't planning to drag this out. "Crawdaunt, Dragon Dance then Aqua Jet!"
"Craw-daaa!"
The crustacean spun its massive claws, swirling water and energy around its body in a dance that radiated fierce, rhythmic power. Its muscles tensed, its speed spiked, and its aura shimmered like an ocean storm.
Flannery clenched her fists. "Torkoal-Overheat! Let the sunlight explode!"
The Coal Pokémon let out a deep bellow, and crimson flames erupted across its shell. Fire poured through cracks in the battlefield like molten rivers, building pressure until
"Bang!!!"
The entire arena erupted in a fiery explosion, columns of flame shooting skyward in a massive inferno.
Silas's voice cut through the smoke.
"Crawdaunt-Protect!"
A faint blue shimmer flared within the chaos. The barrier held, straining but unbroken, as waves of fire and smoke roared past.
When the haze began to clear, a flash of blue light pierced through-Crawdaunt still stood, steaming but undefeated.
Across the field, Torkoal's body was trembling.
Its flames sputtered and dimmed. The sunlight above finally waned.
"Torr…koal…"
The Fire-type collapsed with a thud, smoke curling gently from its shell.
"Torkoal is unable to battle! The winner is the challenger Trainer Silas !" the referee announced, his voice ringing with astonishment.
As an old veteran of countless Gym matches, he knew exactly how tough Flannery's Torkoal was. That Pokémon had been raised by the former Gym Leader-Flannery's grandfather, Mr. Moore-using special training techniques from the League's Fire-type sanctuaries.
To think someone had just defeated it in a fair match was no small feat.
Flannery fell silent for a moment before letting out a dramatic groan.
"Ahhh–I actually lost!"
Her pout lasted all of five seconds before she burst into a bright, fiery laugh. "Guess I got carried away again! Still… that was amazing!"
Silas only smiled quietly, recalling Crawdaunt into its Poké Ball. "It was a good battle. You pushed me to adapt."
"Can't lose your fire, right?" she said, hands on her hips. "A true Trainer keeps moving forward-like a flame that never dies!"
Then, with her usual flair, she reached into her jacket and pulled out a small, ember-shaped badge that glowed faintly orange-red under the light.
"This is proof that you've conquered the Lavaridge Gym-the Flame Badge!"
Silas bowed his head slightly, accepting the badge with both hands. "Thank you, Gym Leader Flannery."
"Hey-call me Flannery! Titles are for League forms!" she said, laughing.
He smiled faintly. "Understood."
After registering the match at the front desk and receiving the official League reward-some Pokédollars and a special Fire-type Pokémon supplement,Silas glanced at the item with mild amusement.
"A Fire-type nutrient mix, huh? Guess I'll save it for later."
Inside his badge case, the Flame Badge joined the others-three badges now gleamed in a perfect row, each one a different color and shape.
His journey through Hoenn was gaining momentum.
...
As Silas exited the gym, he could still hear the distant voices of new challengers registering at the counter. Most were beginners, signing up for apprentice-level matches. When they spotted his Flame Badge, a few tried to peek curiously, but Silas only gave a polite smile and moved along.
Outside, the same group of elderly men from before were still lounging under the shade, chatting lazily in the warm sun.
When Silas stepped out, they looked up in surprise-the echoes of his battle had clearly reached them.
The boy gave a respectful bow. "Good afternoon, gentlemen."
"Ah, what a good kid!" one of them chuckled. "Polite, strong, and humble-that's rare these days!"
Silas gave a small, modest smile and continued toward the Pokémon Center.
...
Inside, Nurse Joy was already at the counter.
"Welcome back, Trainer Silas. Another Gym victory, I see," she said warmly as he handed over his Poké Balls. "Let's get your team healed up."
His Pokémon were all showing signs of fatigue. Crawdaunt's shell was singed; Umbreon still carried faint toxin traces despite using Refresh earlier.
Silas nodded. "Please run a full diagnostic on Umbreon too-just in case."
"Of course!" she replied with a cheerful smile.
Half an hour later, his partners were back-fully healed, polished, and brimming with energy.
"Craw-daa!"
"Umbre~!"
"Shar~pedo!"
Umbreon trotted up first, eyes sparkling, her golden rings gleaming under the center's lights. She instinctively tried to leap into Silas's arms-only to realize, mid-jump, that she'd grown too large to fit.
"Umbre…" she murmured, ears drooping in embarrassment.
Silas chuckled softly, crouching to ruffle her head instead. "You've grown stronger, that's all."
The dark-type purred, brushing against his leg affectionately.
He looked at all three of them-Crawdaunt snapping its claws proudly, Sharpedo drifting calmly behind, and Umbreon glowing softly at his side and felt a quiet sense of satisfaction.
"Welcome back, everyone," he said, his voice gentle.
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(End of chapter)