Oreburgh City

Oreburgh City lay east of Jubilife City and was known as "the city of energy."

It was also the first city Bai Shi had encountered since setting out on his journey that had an official Gym.

The Leader of Oreburgh Gym was Roark, who specialized in Rock-type Pokémon.

After a night's rest, Bai Shi had completely shaken off the fatigue of traveling.

Because of the terrain, Oreburgh Gym had been built inside a massive mountain.

Now Bai Shi stood at its entrance, full of energy and ready for his first Gym Challenge.

Many Gym Leaders held other jobs and couldn't stay at their Gyms all the time.

Besides testing challengers, Roark was responsible for mining the city's coal pits.

You couldn't challenge him whenever you felt like it.

Anyone who wanted to challenge him had to submit an application to the Gym staff.

A Gym battle could take place only when the Leader had time.

Fortunately, Bai Shi's application was approved quickly.

He even managed to get a Badge case from the Gym staff for free.

Their match had been scheduled for today.

"If I remember right, Roark's ace, Cranidos, has already evolved into Rampardos."

"I'll be doing well if I can force him to bring it out."

Bai Shi's goal was to toughen up his Pokémon, so either outcome was acceptable to him.

If he won, he would earn his first Badge. If he lost, the defeat could motivate his Pokémon.

So the impending Gym battle hadn't put much pressure on him. He remained relaxed.

After tidying himself up, he pushed open the doors and stepped into Oreburgh Gym.

A staff member led him to Roark.

"Hello, I'm Roark, the Leader here. Welcome to Oreburgh Gym."

"Show me what you and your Pokémon can do!"

Roark, dressed in a gray work uniform and a red hard hat, addressed Bai Shi.

Once the match was over, he had to go back to mining.

He might as well save time by not changing clothes.

"Hello, Gym Leader Roark. I'm Bai Shi from Twinleaf Town. I look forward to our battle!"

Bai Shi greeted Roark politely and introduced himself.

"The match between Gym Leader Roark and challenger Bai Shi is about to begin!"

"Each Trainer may use three Pokémon. The match ends when all of one side's Pokémon are unable to battle."

"In addition, the Gym Leader may not switch Pokémon during the match. The challenger may switch freely."

Once the two had exchanged greetings, the Referee at the edge of the field loudly announced the rules.

"This looks like his first Gym Challenge. Let's see what he's made of!"

"Go, Geodude!"

Recalling Bai Shi's information, Roark chose Geodude as his lead Pokémon.

The Oreburgh Gym battlefield consisted of yellow-brown earth scattered with rocks of various sizes.

For Geodude, a Rock- and Ground-type, it was practically home ground.

"Geodude, huh? Then I should send out Staravia, or maybe Dunsparce..."

"Whoa! Stantler, why did you come out on your own?"

Before Bai Shi could decide which Pokémon to use, Stantler suddenly sprang out of its Poké Ball.

"Stantler!"

Stantler gave an excited cry and pawed the ground with its forelegs, looking eager to fight.

Bai Shi only had three Pokémon, so he had told all of them before the match.

He would send every one of them out today.

Stantler hadn't liked the news, but it could hardly refuse.

Still, Stantler had a plan of its own.

From what it had observed while traveling, most Trainers sent out their weaker Pokémon early in a match.

If it went first, it was unlikely to face an opponent that was too strong.

And the Pokémon Roark had sent out was just what it had hoped for.

So it had rushed out at once.

"Wait... have you turned over a new leaf?"

Bai Shi rubbed his eyes, hardly able to believe what he was seeing.

His first instinct was to take out Stantler's Poké Ball and recall it.

"Hmm... Since you volunteered, I'll leave this one to you!"

But after a moment's thought, Bai Shi decided against it.

He wanted to see what Stantler was up to.

Stantler was always slacking off, leaving Bai Shi unsure how strong it really was.

Roark's Geodude would be a good way to find out.

"That's quite an interesting Pokémon you've got!"

Roark adjusted his glasses and couldn't resist teasing him.

A Pokémon that left its Ball on its own was a rare sight.

He had only heard of such Pokémon before. This was his first time seeing one.

With that interruption over, the match finally began.

"Stantler, use Confuse Ray!"

As the challenger, Bai Shi made the first move.

A glow of strange colors drifted toward Geodude.

If the move landed, it would leave the opposing Pokémon confused.

"Geodude, use Rollout!"

At Roark's command, Geodude curled up and rolled quickly, easily dodging Stantler's Confuse Ray.

It sped straight toward Stantler.

"Just as I expected. Stantler, use Confusion!"

A smile tugged at Bai Shi's lips as he gave the command.

Rollout was Geodude's signature move. Of course he had prepared for it.

An invisible force seized Geodude.

Under its pull, Geodude rolled slower and slower.

"Lift it up and throw it at the rocks!" Bai Shi ordered.

A glint flashed in Stantler's eyes.

It poured more power into Confusion, hoisted Geodude into the air, and fired it like a cannonball at one of the rocks on the field.

Crash! The rock shattered on impact.

Geodude took a heavy blow from the collision.

Fortunately, it still had a sliver of strength left and hadn't lost its ability to battle.

"So it knows Confusion? Then try this."

"Geodude, use Rock Throw!"

Surprise crossed Roark's face as he commanded Geodude to use another move.

Several rocks dropped from above toward Stantler.

"Stantler, use Confusion again!" Bai Shi ordered, repeating his earlier tactic.

The falling rocks still couldn't break through Confusion's hold. They stopped dead in midair.

"Give it a taste of its own medicine!"

"Stantler, send those rocks right back."

An idea struck Bai Shi, and he issued the commands in quick succession.

Under Stantler's control, every rock Geodude had launched flew back at it.

They dealt Geodude another heavy blow.

That was more than Geodude could take. It collapsed, unconscious.

"Geodude is unable to battle! Stantler wins!"