Petalburg City's streets were quieter in the early morning than at dusk. The air carried the city's distinctive crispness, while steam and the aroma of food drifted from the breakfast shops along the road. Several Pidgey preened their feathers on the branches of the roadside trees.
After cycling to Petalburg Gym, Xinhai followed a Gym apprentice responsible for guidance directly to the Main Training Ground.
Two other Trainers were already standing on the training ground. They both looked to be boys around Xinhai's age. One was rather thin and wore glasses with dark frames, while the other was sturdier and crouched at the edge of the field, helping his Pokémon loosen up.
When they saw Xinhai enter, both raised their heads, their gazes curious and appraising.
"You're new today, right?" The boy with glasses spoke first, his tone easygoing. "I'm Tetsuya Nomura, a local from Petalburg City. This is Hayato Akiyama, from Oldale Town."
"Xinhai, from Verdanturf Town." Xinhai nodded, found a spot at the edge of the Main Training Ground, and surveyed the unfamiliar field.
Petalburg Gym's Main Training Ground was even larger than Rustboro Gym's. The ground was paved with light-gray synthetic stone slabs, smoother and more even than natural rock, with clear white boundary lines marked around the edges.
Several rows of seats surrounded the field, and above them was a ring of observation stands separated by glass partitions.
A row of people stood at the center of the field—the Gym instructor Toyokawa was at the front, with three young people in Gym uniforms behind him. Two men and one woman, all seemingly in their twenties, each had six Poké Balls hanging at their waist. Simply standing there, they exuded the composed air forged through long-term training.
"Everyone's here." Instructor Toyokawa stepped forward, his gaze passing over