In the remaining week and change before his scheduled match against Chuck, Ran handles a few major things.

  First and foremost, he gets back into a proper training schedule, working with his team of what is now five pokémon to the best of his ability, pushing them to be faster, stronger and more precise with their attacks day after day. There’s also some major progress made by Skorupi and Croagunk in particular, as they benefit significantly from training with Ran’s older and more experienced team members.

  Neither quite fully masters the moves they’re working on just yet, at least not to the degree where Ran considers either Venoshock or Poison Jab fully mastered, but he’s at least confident that they’re able to use the moves, when not under pressure. As for the rest of his team, there’s no major breakthroughs for any of them, with Aria actually seeming to struggle with Poison Jab more than Croagunk, her ability to manage the move lagging behind compared to the newer team member. Still, Ran assures her that she shouldn’t feel too bad about it, as she still puts enough effort into their training to leave him happy.

  Second, he ends up returning to Cianwood Pharmacy, hoping to barter Croagunk’s venom, which he can’t picture as being a lot more common or cheaper than Skorupi’s, into another batch of supplements. He’s not quite as successful as he’d like to be, as the pharmacy’s owner points out that they actually get a regular supply of Toxicroak venom from the Gym. Which, in retrospect, isn’t really all that surprising, though it does confirm to Ran that Chuck has at least one Toxicroak of his own. Not that he expects to see it in their match, but it’s nice to have the confirmation.

  Still, it’s an intriguing visit, as although there’s no deal to be made with the old lady who runs the place as far as Croagunk’s venom is concerned, she does make another offer that Ran files away for later consideration. The old lady, whose name he learns is Margaret, after his failed attempt to negotiate a deal around Croagunk’s venom, suggests that he intern at the Pharmacy for a while. Essentially, in exchange for free labor, she offers to teach him what she knows about venoms and toxins, their potencies, how to increase them and how to turn those things into remedies, rather than things that hurt.

  It is definitely something Ran has a fair degree of interest in, but it also fits into his plans somewhat poorly at the moment. Especially as, although his team hasn’t objected to the supplements he’s been adding to their meals since his prior visit, they also haven’t shown any noticeable improvements just yet. If Margaret is as skilled as she claims to be, he’s got a lot to learn from her, but he can’t accept on the spot.

  She’s quite gracious about his refusal, stating that the offer is open indefinitely, as she’ll always have room for some free labor, especially when said labor comes from a trainer with a team full of poison-types. So, ultimately, they part on good terms, with Ran promising to keep the offer in mind and Margaret waving him out with a polite smile before he ‘scares away the paying customers’.

  Third, a new discovery Ran wasn’t previously aware of, though the small line of waiting trainers clearly shows that the place has at least some amount of reputation, is Cameron’s Photography Studio. At first glance, it’s little more than a normal family home, but the large sign outside advertising photography services for trainers and their pokémon hints at the business operating out of the premises.

  Ran ends up lining up more out of curiosity than any genuine desire to purchase anything, but when, some ten minutes later, he makes it inside and actually gets to have a look at the listed prices, he decides to actually stay around and have a picture taken with his team. It’s a pretty cheap service and, judging from the two trainers he’s seen leave with wide smiles on their faces, it’s clear that they’re quite satisfied with whatever service they received.

  It’s a bit of a surprise to discover that Cameron is only a few years older than Ran himself, but the young man is clearly on a tight schedule, leaving Ran little time for chitchat. Not that he really minds, to be fair.

  For the picture, he actually gets led into the house’s backyard, which of course, as is typical for Cianwood, is made out of sand, rather than a less… messy material like grass or tiles or some other harder surface material. Still, there’s a large white canvas for Ran and his team to pose in front of and a selection of backgrounds to choose from. Alternatively, there’s also a small honest to goodness dune, at the top of which there’s an undisturbed view of the ocean.

  After a moment’s hesitation, Ran chooses his preferred background, before releasing his whole team. It only takes a minute to make it clear to all of them just what they’re doing, at which point a small scuffle breaks out as they all maneuver for position. Cameron is kind enough to provide some boxes to provide elevation, as well as a perch for Golbat to hang down from. Within minutes, Ran is leaving with the physical copy of his team photograph stored securely in his backpack, and a digital copy saved on his pokégear, ready to be sent to his dad, something he handles later that evening.

  Finally, outside of a few training sessions with Doro and them promising to come and watch the other’s matches at the Gym - conveniently on the same day -, there’s one final major event in the lead-up to his match against Chuck. In fact, it’s the Tuesday evening before his challenge, right after he finishes having dinner, that his pokégear buzzes with an anticipated, though also unexpected, message.

  Josie: I smoked Morty! Tell me I’m awesome!

  Ran grins in delight at the sight of Josie’s familiar name on the small screen, eagerly sending back a message of his own. Under the circumstances, he isn’t even snarky about it.

  Ran: You’re awesome! Great job, Josie!

  Josie: Thanks! Won’t bore you with the details, don’t feel like typing it all out. Plus I want to keep some surprises to myself. Clear win though. 3-on-3, used the team you know, with new tricks. Say hi to my new team member btw.

  Before Ran has even finished reading, his pokégear is already buzzing with an incoming picture. The quality isn’t the greatest on the tiny screen, which means he’ll likely have to open it on one of the pokécenter’s computers later, but he can still make out Josie smiling at the camera as she hugs a Vulpix.

  Josie: This is Lady, Caught her on Route 37 just outside of Ecruteak. Isn’t she precious?

  Ran: Sure is. Congrats Josie, glad to know you’ve been doing well. Where are you headed next?

  Josie: Sticking to Ecruteak for a while longer, lots to learn here! Then I’m going to Olivine. See you there? Been missing you.

  Ran hesitates for a moment, unsure just how much to read into Josie missing him. After all, they split up because that’s what she wanted, not to mention the radio silence since. It takes him a few minutes to muster up a response which, once he manages to type it out, ends up feeling lackluster.

  Ran: I’m challenging Chuck tomorrow. If I win, I’ll probably take one of the next boats to Olivine, so we’ll hopefully meet there, yeah.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  Josie’s response only takes seconds and feels less warm than her previous messages.

  Josie: Understood, good luck tomorrow.

  Trying to keep the conversation going, Ran texts back swiftly this time.

  Ran: Thanks! What are your plans for tomorrow, if you’re staying in Ecruteak for a while longer?

  Josie doesn’t immediately respond, leaving Ran to close the message window. It’s only later that evening, just before bed, with him having taken his pokégear off for his shower, that he comes back to find a message from Josie waiting.

  Josie: A learning opportunity. Don’t feel like typing it out. Leave a girl some secrets, won’t you? See you in Olivine!

  Not wanting to push further, for fear of causing Josie to withdraw once more, Ran keeps his response brief and enthusiastic.

  Ran: Looking forward to it!

  For a moment, he considers sending Josie a picture of his own team, before deciding to hold off. Her winning her third badge and expanding her own team has probably done a lot of good for her mood, but he still doesn’t want to risk offending her by showing off that his own team has had another exotic addition. Instead, he merely prepares to put his pokégear away after reading Grady’s daily update, a habit the other trainer picked up the day after leaving Goldenrod once more. Currently, the younger trainer is camping just half a day’s travel outside of Ecruteak at the moment.

  Ran could of course inform either Josie or Grady of the other trainer’s proximity, but either the two of them have stayed in touch, in which case they can figure things out themselves, or they didn’t, in which case Ran isn’t going to try and force a friendship between the two. Instead, he merely sends Grady back a short update of his own day, with a few minor embellishments, before turning in for the night, his team taking up their own sleeping spaces throughout the room he hopes to leave behind in just a few days.

  The next morning, after a light but nutritious breakfast for himself and his team, he runs them all through a quick fifteen minute warm-up on the beach, before recalling them all and heading towards the Gym. The same receptionist he’s grown used to seeing in Chuck’s Gym is already in place behind the desk, though this time there’s something significantly more confrontational about her as she meets Ran’s gaze.

  “Welcome, challenger,” She says to him, “We are ready to instruct you in the power of the fighting-type’s discipline. Please enter the second door on your right and think on the merits of your challenge. When you hear a gong, exit the room through the sliding door on the other side and follow the stone path. We suggest taking off your shoes throughout this challenge, allowing you to feel the ground on which your pokémon shall battle, though it is not mandatory.”

  Ran nods gratefully, before deciding to follow the suggestion and taking off his shoes. Fortunately, the wooden floor and the tatami mats upon it hardly make for an unpleasant walking experience. With shoes in hand and a polite nod to the receptionist, he enters the waiting room, which proves to be a small, square room without decorations, though the floor is entirely covered in comfortable mats, ensuring that he can sit down easily wherever he likes.

  The walls aren’t quite as bare as the floor, with banners and posters hanging off of the walls. Some show off fighting forms, both for humans and for different fighting-types. Others hold mantras or motivational quotes and then there’s a few paintings of man and pokémon clashing with nature, as mighty tidal waves and rock slides are contested by trainer and fighting-type working in tandem to overcome the elements.

  It’s quite the inspiring sight, which stirs something even in Ran’s rather cynical heart. Still, it’s only a momentary lapse, as he soon concludes that rather than fighting nature, if the trainers in the paintings had been better prepared, they would never have ended up in such danger in the first place. For his own part, Ran would rely on Golbat to get him out of those situations, something he’s confident the poison-flying-type will be capable of with ease, if they keep up the weighted flying training they’ve been engaging in lately.

  Before he can ponder the decorations any further, a gong rings out from beyond the second door. Obediently, Ran moves towards the door, sliding it open to find a path made up of small, loose, rounded river stones. His first step is just the slightest bit tentative, to check just how much give there is to the stones, but his feet only displace enough of the small rocks to sink in by a quarter of an inch or so, at which point his steps become more confident.

  It’s actually quite pleasant to have the stones, clearly polished to smoothness over many years, gently pushing against the soles and sides of his feet, as he follows the slightly descending path, taking a turn to the right, before ending up in front of another paper sliding door. Ran doesn’t hesitate to open it, finding himself looking out into what was clearly inspired by a martial arts arena, only to be adapted to the sensibilities of pokémon battling.

  The room is ringed on all sides by elevated wooden benches, the early hour ensuring that only a limited number of spectators are present, though Ran notices Doro amongst them. Her presence is one he’s been expecting, as upon finding out that they’d booked challenges on the same day, they’d agreed to watch each other’s matches. He offers her a brief nod in greeting, a gesture she mirrors, before he turns his attention back to the rest of the arena.

  Ran enters into the room from a small corridor which tunnels under the spectator seating, with a similar tunnel on the other side clearly being the Gym leader’s entrance. Chuck is already present however, standing in his trainer box, clearly delineated by the black tatami mat he’s standing on.

  There is a second black mat, clearly waiting for Ran, which he quietly moves towards, even as he examines the rest of the floor. Around the outside of the room, there’s the expected beige tatami mats that seem nearly ubiquitous in Chuck’s Gym, however, the actual battleground, where their pokémon will fight, shows clear signs of the allowances that have been made for non-fighting-type moves, as there the mats have been removed and even the wooden floorboards have been stripped away, leaving mostly sand, with the exception of a number of large, scattered rocks, which dot the battlefield.

  The sand makes for a looser, more physically demanding surface to fight on than the usual grass or hard earth, but it may well enable an interesting trick or two for Skorupi, who doesn’t know Dig, but whose burrowing skills have proven more than a match for loose sand in the past. The same goes for Caesar, actually. It’s something to keep in mind, though for now Ran’s gaze pans around the full arena before landing on the referee, standing to the side on a black tatami mat of his own.

  She’s a younger referee, as far as the age range of referees Ran has observed so far, looking to be in her early- to mid-twenties. When she notices Ran’s attention on her, she takes that as an invitation to start running through the rules. The commentator, which Ran has gotten used to from his previous Gym challenges, appears to be absent here, as it is instead the referee who runs through not just the rules, but the announcements as well.

  “Gym Leader Chuck has been challenged! The challenger is Ran Carr, who challenges for the Storm Badge at a fourth badge level! This will be a singles battle. Each trainer will have a total of three pokémon. Each trainer is allowed to make up to three free switches. Any further switches will result in the pokémon that gets switched out, forfeiting its place in the match. Held items are allowed for this match. Gentlemen, are these rules clear to you both?” She rattles off swiftly, even as she taps one of the pokéballs on her own belt to make a Mr. Mime materialize by her side.

  “They are.” Chuck acknowledges, nodding solemnly.

  “They are.” Ran agrees, following the Gym leader’s words, only to be caught by surprise when Chuck directly addresses him, before even sending out a pokémon.

  “To a good match, Ran!” Chuck calls out to him, before bowing towards him solemnly, in what is an undeniable show of respect, though Ran, not having scouted the Gym, can’t tell whether it’s a genuine gesture, or a formality Chuck insists on carrying out for every match. No matter which option it is, Ran sees little option but to follow, though his own bow isn’t the full ninety degree bend that Chuck offers. In his defense, he doesn’t keep to the same physical habits as Chuck either.

  “Very well, trainers, release your first battler in 3, 2, 1, now!” The referee calls out, as both Ran and Chuck select a pokéball, sending out their first pokémon of the match.

  Ran chooses Skorupi, intent on setting up early Toxic Spikes and encouraged by Skorupi’s decent showing against Doro. When a Machoke appears on Chuck’s side of the field however, he can’t help the pained wince he lets out at the sheer size disparity between the two pokémon. Still, the typing-advantage remains solidly with Skorupi, leaving Ran optimistic about the match-up.

  “You may begin,” The referee speaks once more, drawing both Ran and Chuck’s attention to her for a moment, “in 3, 2, 1, now!”