Because of the incident with Team Rocket, Xia You and Erika were in no mood to challenge the Gym.
Besides, it was already noon, and his Pokémon had used up some of their stamina in the battle just now, so Xia You decided to take the rest of the day off and challenge Whitney first thing the next morning.
For the time that followed, Xia You fulfilled his promise ahead of schedule, accompanying Erika on another tour of Goldenrod City. They visited practically every major attraction recommended in the travel guide.
They shopped, ate desserts, and spent another enjoyable afternoon out.
That evening, they found a hotel near the Gym and stayed the night. After breakfast early the next morning, they finally stepped through the doors of the Goldenrod Gym once more.
Unlike their first visit, Whitney happened to be at the Gym this time.
Led by a staff member, Xia You arrived at the battlefield inside the Gym and met the girl, who wore her red hair in twin ponytails and looked very cheerful.
Just like the Pokémon type Whitney specialized in, the battlefield's layout was very standard. Tiered spectator seating surrounded it, and the ground beneath their feet was hard, packed earth, with various lines marked out in white lime. No matter how he looked at it, it suited the "Normal" type perfectly.
"Welcome to the Goldenrod Gym. I'm Whitney, the Gym Leader."
Whitney spoke first when she saw them, and Xia You immediately began looking her over.
Whitney was around sixteen or seventeen, in the bloom of youth, and was very pretty and cute. She wore a white short-sleeved shirt, denim shorts, and green-and-black striped socks. Just looking at her, he could already sense her youthful energy.
Xia You got straight to the point. "Hello, Miss Whitney.