Byron stared at the message, utterly baffled. This didn't feel like encouragement at all!
Gardenia still hadn't replied, and Roark began to feel uneasy too. He checked the time. Only half an hour had passed since Hu Bin left, so Gardenia should still have been fairly safe.
Roark relaxed for the moment, but a minute later, Gardenia replied.
Roark sucked in a sharp breath when he saw it. Gardenia's message came with a photo of Hu Bin looking smug after obtaining the Grass-type Gym Badge.
Gardenia said in despair, "Roark, when your message came, I took one look and got ready to run. But just as I reached the door, Hu Bin arrived riding a Latios. He immediately said he wanted to challenge the Gym, and then... that was that. My three main Pokémon, my Cacnea-all of them got swept by Hu Bin's Mega-Evolved Gardevoir! Boohoo! I had to hold back my tears and give him the Badge and the Mega Drain TM. He's terrifying! I couldn't beat him! I didn't even have time to run away like Maylene and the others. Why is my life so hard?"
Roark drew a sharp breath. "How could he be that fast? Oreburgh City and Eterna City aren't that far apart, but even riding a Flying-type Pokémon should take half an hour. Still, Hu Bin has a Latios, so that explains it. That little Jet Plane nickname isn't for nothing!"
"He's way too efficient!"
Roark quickly typed, "Where is Hu Bin planning to go now?"
Gardenia said, "I already told Hu Bin that the only Gym Leaders he can challenge now are Byron and Volkner. The others have left to exchange ideas with Gym Leaders from other regions, but they've left Badges for him with you. Hu Bin is probably already riding Latios