The night passed in silence, and soon, morning arrived.
After enjoying a delicious breakfast at the Pokémon Mall and packing his belongings, Robert secured Charmeleon and his other Poké Balls to his belt. Pichu perched comfortably on his shoulder as he stepped out of the Pokémon Center, heading straight for Cerulean City's Gym—the second stop on his journey to collect badges.
Though Robert hadn't scheduled a challenge in advance, he was well aware of Cerulean Gym's schedule. According to his research, now was the perfect time to issue a challenge before the gym transformed into an underwater ballet performance venue. If he arrived too late, he'd be forced to sit through the show before getting his battle.
When Robert finally reached his destination, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"Is this really the Cerulean Gym?" he muttered to himself.
Even though he had seen the original animation and knew that Cerulean Gym was somewhat of a joke, the sight before him still made him shake his head. It hardly looked like a place for serious battles—it was more of a performance hall than a Pokémon Gym.
Still, he had come for a reason, so he pushed past his skepticism and walked inside.
A Different Kind of Welcome
As Robert entered, he was greeted by a young woman seated behind a counter, wearing a uniform with "Cerulean Gym" printed on it. She smiled warmly as she addressed him.
"Welcome to Cerulean Gym! May I ask who you are?"
Robert approached the counter and answered, "Hello, I'm Robert, a Rookie Trainer from Pallet Town. I'm here today to challenge the Gym Leader."
"A Gym challenge?" The receptionist's expression brightened. "Of course! Please present your Pokédex for registration."
Robert handed over his Pokédex without hesitation. As a Rookie Trainer, he was entitled to one free Gym challenge, so there was no need to pay a fee. The receptionist entered his information quickly and returned his Pokédex.
"Everything is set! A staff member will now guide you to the battle arena," she said with a professional smile.
A moment later, another staff member arrived to lead Robert to the challenge venue.
They walked through a long corridor that passed by an enormous aquarium filled with various Water-type Pokémon. Further ahead, they crossed a large swimming pool where several people practiced synchronized swimming. Robert could already see how this place was more of a performance center than a serious battle facility.
Eventually, they reached an open battle area, and Robert spotted three figures on the opposite side.
Meeting the Sensational Sisters
The three young women stood together in bikinis, practicing ballet-like movements. Even before they spoke, Robert recognized them instantly.
These were the Sensational Sisters—Sakura, Violet, and Lily—the current leaders of the Cerulean Gym. They were also Misty's older sisters.
The staff member who had escorted Robert gave a respectful bow before introducing him.
"Gym Leaders, this is Robert, a Rookie Trainer from Pallet Town. He is here to challenge the Gym."
The sisters, who had been mid-routine, immediately stopped and turned to face him.
"Pallet Town?"
The three of them looked surprised, then exchanged glances before staring at Robert more closely.
"Wait a second..."
"Is that—?"
"Ash!?"
Robert nearly choked on his own breath. Ash? Did they seriously just mistake him for Ash Ketchum?
But before Robert could respond, Violet quickly corrected herself.
"No, no… it's not Ash," she said after looking him up and down carefully. "He does dress like him, but his face and overall presence are different. Besides, Ash and his friends left yesterday. Why would he be back so soon?"
"That's true. Ash is... well, let's just say he's got a very distinct personality. This guy seems way more mature."
Then, to Robert's horror, Sakura's eyes started sparkling as she clasped her hands together.
"And he's so handsome!" she whispered, as if she had just seen a celebrity.
"I agree," Violet added, her expression showing similar admiration.
Lily didn't say anything, but the way she stared at Robert made it clear she felt the same way.
Robert felt his face heat up slightly under their intense gazes. Being praised was nice, but this was getting a little weird.
Setting the Stage
Clearing his throat, he tried to get the conversation back on track.
"Ahem, I'm Robert, a Rookie Trainer from Pallet Town. Can we start the challenge now?"
Sakura blinked, snapping out of her daze. "Oh! Yes, of course."
Violet and Lily nodded, finally regaining their composure.
"Well, since you're from Pallet Town, I'm curious to see how strong you are," Sakura said. "The last two Rookie Trainers from Pallet Town were pretty impressive. One of them was Ash, and the other—"
"Don't compare me to Ash," Robert interrupted firmly, his expression hardening slightly.
The sisters exchanged surprised looks before laughing lightly.
"Alright, alright. No comparisons," Sakura said, raising her hands in surrender. "We apologize."
Satisfied, Robert nodded.
"Now, let's go over the Gym's challenge rules," Sakura continued. "Our battle format is a three-on-three match. However, instead of facing just one of us, you'll be battling all three of us in rotation."
"We each get to use one Pokémon, and once one of us is eliminated, the next sister will take over," Violet explained.
"As the challenger, you're allowed to switch Pokémon freely, but we must keep using the same one until we lose," Lily added. "Got it?"
Robert smirked. "Got it."
With that, the battle arena slowly began to shift. The floor separated into two halves, and from below, a large water battlefield rose into place, replacing the open space. The battlefield was a floating platform surrounded by a massive pool of water.
As the battlefield finished settling, Sakura stepped forward, holding a Poké Ball in her hand.
"I'll be your first opponent," she declared with a confident smile.
Robert reached for his own Poké Ball, determination shining in his eyes.
"Let's do this."
The Battle Begins
The referee stepped forward and raised his flag.
"This will be a three-on-three battle between the challenger, Robert, and the Cerulean Gym Leaders. The match will begin with Sakura representing the Gym. The challenger is allowed to switch Pokémon at any time, while the Gym Leaders must remain with their current Pokémon until defeated. Let the battle begin!"
Sakura tossed her Poké Ball into the air.
"Go, Goldeen!"
With a flash of light, a sleek, orange-and-white Goldeen emerged, splashing into the water with elegant grace.
Robert narrowed his eyes. He already knew that Water-types had a strong advantage in an aquatic battlefield, but he had prepared for this.
He grabbed one of his Poké Balls and tossed it forward.
"Go, Pidgeotto!"
With a burst of energy, Pidgeotto appeared, flapping its wings powerfully as it hovered above the battlefield.
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "A Flying-type? Interesting choice."
Robert smirked. "We'll see how it plays out."
The referee raised his flag.
"Battle—BEGIN!"
Sakura was the first to issue a command.
"Goldeen, use Water Gun!"
Goldeen reared back and shot a powerful jet of water straight at Pidgeotto.
But Robert was ready.
"Pidgeotto, dodge and use Gust!"
Pidgeotto swiftly banked to the side, narrowly avoiding the Water Gun. Then, with a powerful flap of its wings, it unleashed a raging gust of wind that struck Goldeen head-on.
Goldeen was blasted backward, struggling to keep itself upright in the water.
Sakura's confident smile faltered slightly.
Robert grinned.
"This battle is just getting started."
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