After finishing the last skewer in his hand, Roy followed the map on his Communicator to the entrance of Blackthorn City's Gym.
Two giant dragon statues stood guard on either side of the Gym, and a huge Dragon-shaped Skull sculpture sat beside it, making Blackthorn Gym's specialty clear.
A girl wearing a cape was pacing outside the main entrance. Roy immediately recognized her as Clair, whom he had battled aboard the S.S. Anne.
"Clair!"
Hearing his voice, Clair noticed Roy's arrival as she paced outside the Gym. Her heart jolted, but she quickly recovered.
The person who had haunted her like a nightmare had finally appeared before her.
Today, she would put an end to that nightmare herself!
Seeing Clair walk toward him, Roy wanted to greet her, but before he could raise his hand, she grabbed him and dragged him into the Gym, ignoring the startled looks of the apprentices on either side.
Once they entered a training ground, Clair spoke to Roy before even the referee inside could collect himself.
"Roy, battle me!"
A battle?
Why did she want to battle the moment he arrived?
Besides, if he was going to battle anyone, it would be Blackthorn City's Gym Leader. Clair had nothing to do with that.
"Are you the Gym Leader? I came to Blackthorn Gym to challenge the Gym Leader at the highest difficulty."
"I... I'm the Acting Gym Leader. The Gym Leader isn't here right now, so I'm the Gym Leader."
Acting Gym Leader?
Clair was not Blackthorn City's actual Gym Leader, of course, but like Wallace before her, she was Blackthorn Gym's Acting Gym Leader.
She could battle challengers at any difficulty except the highest.
"If you can give me Blackthorn City's highest-difficulty Gym Badge, I'll battle you."
Clair had not expected Roy to