Obtaining the Mine Badge meant Xia You had collected his seventh Badge and was just one step away from qualifying for Sinnoh's Pokémon tournament.
It really was within reach now...
After exchanging a few more words with Byron, Xia You took the opportunity to say goodbye once May returned to his side.
Byron saw them all the way to the Gym entrance.
Although this was their first meeting and they had no real friendship to speak of, the battle had clearly earned this man's approval of Xia You.
For Xia You, this Gym battle had gone very smoothly as well.
The Gym Leader had been in the Gym rather than away, the battle had been won fairly easily, and he had obtained the Gym Badge. Nothing unexpected had happened at all.
The only blemish was that his Lucario was badly worn down and needed to recover at a nearby Pokémon Center.
But that did nothing to affect the pace of their journey, and they could return there for lunch while their Pokémon were being treated.
Retracing their route, they returned to the Pokémon Center in just over twenty minutes.
After handing Chimchar's and Lucario's Poké Balls to Nurse Joy behind the counter, the two headed to the dining area.
Up to this point, everything had been perfectly normal.
It was only after Xia You and May carried their trays to an empty table beside several other Pokémon Trainers and sat down that Xia You heard a piece of news that interested him a little.
"Come to think of it, it's almost that time again..."
Sitting beside them were three Pokémon Trainers, two men and a woman. They all appeared to be Canalave locals, casual not only in their expressions but also in the way they spoke.
The one who had