Early morning arrived, and the sun beamed brightly overhead.
Gary rode his mountain bike to the entrance of Cerulean Gym. Since it was a weekday and not the weekend, Misty's three sisters wouldn't be performing their famous water shows, meaning they were likely at the gym.
As soon as Gary arrived, the system notification chimed in.
[Ding! Task released: Get Cerulean Gym Badge / Task reward: Low-level Rare Candy x10, Permanent Skill Learning Device 'Water Flow Break' x1, Top-quality Mystic Water (increases Water Skill Power by 50%) x1.]
Gary took note of the task and its rewards. While the Rare Candies and Mystic Water were useful, the permanent skill learning device 'Water Flow Break' didn't seem too impressive. It was a water-based physical attack with a power of only 85. Compared to the reward from defeating the Nibi Gym, which had been the powerful Rock-based move 'Stone Edge,' this one seemed lackluster. Still, Gary didn't mind too much; it was just another step in his journey.
He couldn't help but think about how weak Cerulean Gym had become. The gym leaders here, Misty and her sisters, were far less capable than the rock-hard trainer brock from Nibi Gym. The only real advantage Cerulean Gym had was its water-type focus, but that alone wasn't enough to compensate for their lack of true skill.
Gary parked his bike and walked up to the gym doors. He gazed at the building, feeling a bit incredulous.
"Really willful," he muttered. The gym had been transformed into an underwater ballet performance hall by Misty's three sisters. If their father knew what had become of it, Gary imagined he wouldn't be pleased.
Gary pressed the doorbell, and after a short moment, a girl with long pink hair appeared, greeting him.
"Wow, handsome guy!" she exclaimed upon seeing Gary.
Gary, used to such compliments from his time in Pallet Town, ignored the girl's obvious flattery. He didn't know which sister this was, but he had no interest. After all, his focus was on Pokémon battles, not small talk with the gym's staff.
"Hello, I'm here to challenge the gym," Gary said, getting straight to the point.
"Ah...!" The pink-haired girl seemed to panic for a moment, as she had thought Gary was just another admirer of the three sisters. Realizing her mistake, she quickly ushered him in.
"Okay, come in with me," she said. The gym couldn't refuse a trainer's challenge, and she led Gary to the main area.
It seemed the three sisters had yet to completely give up their roles as gym trainers. They hadn't been replaced, though they weren't as professional as the gym leaders Gary was used to. Before their embarrassing defeat by the trainers from Pallet Town, the sisters had been decent gym trainers, but after that, their spirits seemed to have dwindled.
Inside the gym, Gary noticed a blonde girl and a blue-haired girl cleaning up, preparing for the weekend's performances. Their task was to tidy up the gym in time for the shows.
"Sister, a trainer is here to challenge the gym!" shouted Lily, the third sister.
At that, Sakura and Violet stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to Gary. Upon recognizing him, they were surprised.
"Oh, I didn't expect the trainer to be such a handsome boy," Violet teased with a grin.
"Yeah, he's definitely handsome," Sakura, the eldest sister, agreed, her lips curving into a playful smile.
Gary sighed inwardly. Though he appreciated compliments, he wasn't here for flattery. "Hello, my name is Gary. Can we start the gym battle?"
Sakura, who had been silent up until now, grinned. "You don't understand romance, do you? Well, I'll be your rival then."
"Wait," Gary asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are you the gym leader?"
"Yes," Sakura said with a slight nod. "The three of us are gym leaders. I'm the eldest, Sakura. This is Violet, my second sister, and Lily, the youngest."
"Got it," Gary said, ready to get the battle underway. "Can we start now, Sakura?"
"Okay, let's go," Sakura replied, already stepping onto the platform.
The gym's battle arena was designed with water in mind. There were floating platforms positioned at different spots on the surface of the water. Given this setup, water-type Pokémon held a distinct advantage, as they could easily maneuver and launch attacks. Gary couldn't help but wonder how these three sisters could still be considered gym leaders with such a setup. Their strategic use of the water-type advantage seemed lacking, making them appear far weaker than gym leaders from other regions.
"The rules are simple," Sakura said. "1 vs. 1 battles. Do you understand?"
Gary frowned at the suggestion. A single battle? That hardly seemed like enough to showcase a trainer's skills. "What? Just 1 vs. 1?" he muttered. "A two-on-two would be more challenging."
Violet, who was acting as the referee, raised an eyebrow. "Is that a problem?" she asked.
"No, no problem," Gary said with a sigh, shaking his head. As much as he didn't want to fight in such a restricted format, he knew he'd have to work with it. These sisters weren't going to be much of a challenge anyway.
"Then it's my turn," Sakura said, throwing a Poké Ball into the air. "Go, Seel!"
Out of the ball appeared a white, sea lion-like Pokémon with a small horn on its head. The creature splashed around in the water, letting out a cheerful cry.
[LV 16 Seel♂ / Elite]
Gary couldn't believe it. A level 16 Seel? This was their best Pokémon? The sisters really were weak, if this was all they could offer.
"Exeggutor, I choose you!" Gary threw his own Poké Ball onto the platform.
"Coconut Egg!" Exeggutor appeared, its three heads swiveling around, observing the unique water arena. Exeggutor seemed intrigued by the water surrounding it.
Sakura blinked, surprised by the choice of Exeggutor. It was clear that Gary had come prepared, bringing a Pokémon with an advantage over water types.
"The battle begins!" Lily announced, raising her arms to signal the start.
Immediately, Seel dove into the water, clearly hoping to use the water as its advantage.
"Exeggutor, use Confusion to create a whirlpool!" Gary ordered.
Exeggutor's three heads focused their power, and blue light emanated from their eyes. A swirl began to form in the center of the water. As Exeggutor's telekinetic power increased, the whirlpool grew larger and more powerful, pulling Seel into its vortex.
Seel, caught in the whirlpool, struggled but was trapped.
Sakura gasped. "What?!"
Gary didn't waste any time. "Exeggutor, use Egg Bomb!"
With that command, Exeggutor's three heads released several large eggs, which detached from its body and flew toward the trapped Seel.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The eggs exploded with force, the concussive blasts reverberating through the water. The impact was so intense that it caused a significant splash. When the water finally settled, Seel was floating unconscious on the surface, its eyes spinning.
Sakura looked on, stunned by the overwhelming power of Gary's Pokémon.
"Nice power," Gary said, impressed with Exeggutor's performance. The Egg Bomb move had only been learned after Exeggutor reached level 20, but it was clearly effective, especially when combined with the whirlpool.
It was clear that the Cerulean Gym would need to step up its game if it hoped to challenge a trainer like Gary.
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