"It's all your fault, you narcissist! You kept combing your hair, and now we've lost Xiao Yan!"
"You went off to the store to buy a whole pile of snacks first, too."
Gary and Xiao Lan bickered in the street.
"Forget it. Knowing Xiao Yan, he'll definitely challenge the first Gym first."
"Then where's the first Gym?"
"The Santalune Gym in Santalune City. In other words..."
After hearing that, Xiao Lan let Charizard out.
"Xiao Yan's at the Gym in the town up ahead. Let's go, Charizard! Fly straight to the Santalune Gym!"
With that, the little girl climbed onto Charizard and flew away, leaving Gary behind.
"Hey! I'm the one who told you! How could you leave me here? Swellow, let's go!"
Gary climbed onto Swellow and headed for Santalune City as well.
"This is the Santalune Gym."
"Yeah! Let's go in!"
The two had arrived at the first Gym.
Inside the Santalune Gym were grass, trees, and plenty of Bug-type Pokémon. It was practically an ecological park.
"Are you here to challenge the Santalune Gym?"
A woman with a camera hanging around her neck regarded the two newcomers with interest.
"Only he is." Holding Fennekin, Serena stepped aside into the spectator area.
The woman smiled slightly.
"Xiao Yan, the champion of the last Indigo League tournament, correct?" The Gym Leader seemed to know him.
"Yes!" Xiao Yan held a Pokémon Ball, ready for battle.
"Then I'll have to send out my two strongest Pokémon."
The Gym Leader signaled to the referee standing nearby to begin the match.
"This battle is between Xiao Yan of Pallet Town and Viola, the Santalune Gym Leader. It will be a two-on-two match. Let the battle begin!"
The Santalune Gym sent out Vivillon, while Xiao Yan...
"So this is a Bug-type Gym... Then I'll use you!"
Xiao Yan sent out his Pokémon as well.
"What's that Pokémon?" Serena took out her Pokédex and pointed it at Xiao Yan's Arcanine.
"Arcanine, a Fire-type. A Pokémon from ancient legends. Its graceful movements, as though riding the wind, have captivated many people."
The explanation came from the Pokédex.
"It looks really strong." Serena watched the match without blinking.
"A Fire-type Pokémon... Just what I wanted! Vivillon, use that move."
Vivillon scattered powder over Arcanine, covering its entire body.
It hasn't been poisoned or paralyzed. What's this powder for?
"Flare Blitz."
Just as Arcanine was about to envelop its body in flames...
Boom! A small explosion suddenly erupted around Arcanine.
"What happened?" When the thick smoke cleared, Arcanine was already covered in injuries.
"The powder Vivillon scattered over Arcanine was Powder. It explodes on contact with fire, so even against a Fire-type Pokémon, we can turn a disadvantage into an advantage."
Then I can't use Fire-type moves.
"Arcanine, Extreme Speed." Arcanine instantly vanished into thin air. By the time it reappeared, Vivillon had already been sent flying by an attack too fast to see.
"So fast!" Vivillon beat its wings and took flight again, while Arcanine returned to its original position. Both Pokémon now bore several wounds.
"Again!" Arcanine vanished once more. By the time anyone could react, Vivillon was already unable to battle.
"Vivillon is unable to battle! Gym Leader, please send out your next Pokémon."
The Gym Leader recalled Vivillon and sent out a blue Pokémon.
"Surskit, show them what you can do!" So that blue creature was called Surskit.
"Arcanine, come back and rest!" Xiao Yan recalled the battered Arcanine and sent out his second Pokémon.
"Go, Dragonite!" Xiao Yan sent out the Dragonite that could freely grow and shrink. Dragonite let out a delighted cry when it realized he had chosen it.
"Agility." Surskit darted across the ice, confusing Dragonite and moving too quickly for its eyes to follow.
"Dragonite, use Flamethrower on the ice."
Dragonite's Flamethrower struck the ice, gradually melting it into a pool of water. In the water, Surskit's movement speed dropped noticeably.
"Grow bigger!" Dragonite's body steadily expanded, stopping just before its head touched the ceiling. Everyone except Xiao Yan was astonished.
"A Dragonite that can control its size?!"
"Look, you narcissist! Xiao Yan's battling!"
"That Dragonite is huge."
Xiao Lan and Gary had also arrived at the Santalune Gym and sat in the spectator seats to watch Xiao Yan's battle.
"Who's that girl?" Gary noticed Serena sitting farther ahead in the spectator area.
"Surskit is unable to battle! The winner is Xiao Yan from Pallet Town!"
Surskit had been knocked out beneath Dragonite's enormous tail. Dragonite immediately returned to its normal size and helped the fallen Surskit up.
"Xiao Yan, this is the Bug Badge, proof that you've defeated the Santalune Gym."
Xiao Yan received his first Badge from Viola.
"Thank you!"
"Xiao Yan really is strong!"
Serena gazed admiringly at Xiao Yan, who had just won.
"Do you know Xiao Yan too?"
"Xiao Yan?"
Serena looked at the girl who had suddenly appeared in front of her.
"When did that pervert get over there?"
Gary came over as well.
"You two..."
Having just received his Badge, Xiao Yan noticed two familiar figures in the spectator area.
"Hey! Your buddy's here!" Gary waved at Xiao Yan.
"Xiao Yan!" Xiao Lan ran over and threw her arms around him.
"Xiao Yan, I missed you so much..."
*...*
Xiao Lan pressed herself tightly against Xiao Yan. At that moment, he could feel that she really had grown up.
"..." Watching from the side, Serena looked a little jealous.
Gary suddenly rushed over and pulled the two apart.
"You pervert! I'll get my buddy to report you for harassment!"
Gary stood protectively in front of Xiao Yan, keeping Xiao Lan from coming any closer.
"Do you know each other?" Serena walked over to Xiao Yan.
"My name's Gary. Xiao Yan and I are like brothers, and that girl just now is his sworn little sister. Her name's Pervert."
Gary spoke before Xiao Yan could react.
"My name is Xiao Lan! Stop making up names for me!"
"Anyway, we all know each other." Xiao Yan neatly summed things up.
"Right! I'm Serena, and I'm Xiao Yan's friend too!"
Serena introduced herself to the two who had just appeared.
"Why are you here?" Xiao Yan finally asked a good question.
"When I found out you were going to Kalos, I secretly bought a ticket for the same flight and followed you all the way here. This pervert snuck onto the plane without even buying a ticket."
Gary pointed at Xiao Lan's nose, only for her to swat his hand away a moment later.
"What do you mean, snuck on? I paid for a ticket afterward!"
The two started arguing off to the side.
"Let us come with you!" Then they turned toward him and spoke in unison.
"Then I..." Looking at the three who were so close, Serena felt a little left out.
"Let's all go together!" Xiao Yan held out his hand to Serena.
"Okay!" Serena reached out and took his hand, setting off on the journey with everyone.
"What a lovely picture!" Viola captured the four of them interacting with her camera, then smiled as she watched Xiao Yan and his companions leave the Gym.
Before you continue