Getting back to the inn he was greeted by Daisy and she had already prepared food with the help of the innkeeper, the day was long so Julian ate his food, fed his pokemon and went to sleep, they have a battle to win tomorrow.

Next morning Julian woke up early and said goodbye to Daisy and headed towards the biggest Hot spring bath house in the town, it is also known as Lavaridge gym. ​​

When Julian reached the gym he saw a big traditional style red house, he entered inside to find two long corridors going around and a big garden right in the middle, as he looked around he saw a bald old man walking towards him with a broom in his hand.

Old Man "Are you perhaps a challenger young man?"

Julian "Indeed, may I know which way to go?"

Old Man "I see, you can go either way, both lead towards the battlefield where the gym leader will be waiting for her challenger"

Julian nodded and took the left corridor, he walked for a few minutes and found himself in front of a large hot spring, seeing no way around, Julian just jumped across the hot spring with one big leap because he didn't want his clothes to get wet.

Well, he was lucky as if he had entered the hot spring he would have been attacked by some pokemons that were raised by the gym.

Julian continued forward and he had to jump across three more hot springs after that he finally reached the battlefield. When he reached there he saw a normal battlefield.

Julian 'Look's like a normal battlefield to me, so where is this gym leader?'

Julian looked around to find the gym leader but she was nowhere to be seen, suddenly he heard rapid footsteps as if someone is running, Julian turned around to look at the direction where the sound of the footsteps is coming from, he then saw a young woman with red hair tied up straight wearing black top and jeans running towards the battlefield, she then suddenly tumbled and fell to her face.

Julian felt awkward seeing this so he just turned around and didn't mind her.

The gym leader got back to her legs and took her position on the battlefield.

Flannery "My name is Flannery and I am the gym leader of Lavaridge gym"

Julian nodded.

Julian "I am Julian"

Flannery "Ok Julian so you are here to challenge me huh? beware I am not that easy to defeat just because you saw me fall there"

Julian "I know, you are just clumsy"

Flannery "Who said I am clumsy"

Julian "No one, I just assumed because of what you said"

Flannery was at a loss of word.

Flannery "Forget about it, let's talk about the rules, the rules are same as every gym, three on three Pokemon battle"

Julian nodded without saying anything.

Flannery was not taking it properly, she was a cheerful and clumsy person and she liked to talk, seeing Julian just stay mute made her feel uncomfortable.

Flannery "Ok then let's begin, Go Slugma"

Flannery sent out Slugma, it is a pure fire type pokemon.

Julian "Trapinch you are up"

Trapinch came out of his Pokeball and looked around, he saw Slugma in front of him, he knew this was his first time in an official battle as he was ready.

Flannery 'A ground type, Slugma don't have much to counter, even its moves will have little effect on it'

Flannery knew she was put in a hard spot from the get-go now she is tensed.

Flannery "Slugma, use Light Screen"

Julian "Trapinch, use Dig"

Trapinch used Dig and went underground, Light Screen may reduce the power of a special attack but Trapinch was a pure physical attacker.

Flannery "Slugma be on guard"

Flannery had no way to counter a Dig, Slugma could only learn, Psychic, Rock, and Fire-type moves, and one or tow steel and ground type but they were also useless against Dig.

Suddenly Trapinch came under Slugma and sent it straight up in the air, the damage was big.

Flannery "Slugma, use Flamethrower on Trapinch"

Slugma in the air turned around and aimed at Trapinch and sent out a Flamethrower towards him.

Julian "Dig again, create a Conical pit"

Trapinch escaped the Flamethrower by going underground again, suddenly the ground changed and it turned into a conical pit, Slugma fell right in the middle of it.

Flannery "Slugma try to escape"

Slugma tried to escape but it was not possible, it was stuck, Trapinchs use these type of conical pit to trap their prey and anything which enters it cannot escape.

Julian "Finish it, Bite"

Slugma was unable to move at all even though it tried so hard. Whenever it gained some ground it would slide back to the center.

Unluckily for it just as it came back to the center a Jaw made of Dark energy came out from the side of the pit and slammed shut on Slugma, but it didn't stop there suddenly the Jaw grew bigger and opened and crunched down again, Trapinch's Bite turned into Crunch as well.

Julian 'Great'

Slugma fainted from the repeated Crunch.

Flannery just stared at Julian, she realized that this opponent of her is serious trouble, her pokemons aren't strong enough.

Flannery realized that her team was really weak against Ground types, she had a counter for Rock and Water but Ground was her biggest weakness.

Flannery "Go Numel"

Her next pokemon is Numel a Fire/Ground type, it is four times weaker to water and 2 times to Ground.

Julian looked at Numel and thought for a second, he knew Numel could have some moves which are very effective against Trapinch.

Julian "Trapinch come back, Milotic you are up"

Julian called back Trapinch and sent Milotic, Milotic came out of her Pokeball and saw her opponent, she was also ready for her first official battle.

Julian "Milotic Aqua Ring"

Milotic activated Aqua Ring as soon her whole body was covered with a veil of water, Julian came up with this method to make Milotic move around on the ground easily.

Flannery "Numel, use Body Slam"

Numel charged towards Milotic and jumped and came crashing down on Milotic.

Julian "Aqua Tail"

Milotic just kept her position and flung her Tail at Numel, she swatted it like a fly in the air, Numel was sent crashing down on the ground and fainted, it was a one-hit KO.

Flannery sighed seeing this, she called back her fainted Numel.

Flannery "Common Torkoal, let's put on a fight"

Her Torkoal was her final pokemon.

Flannery "Skull Bash"

Torkoal charged towards Milotic as his head started to get covered by white energy, Skull Bash was a very powerful move and nothing would want to get hit by it, luckily Milotic still had the advantage in typing and could inflict damage on Torkoal.

Julian "Aqua Tail"

Milotic swung her tail very fast.

Flannery "Iron Defense"

Torkoal body got covered by steel energy, Milotic's tail landed on Torkoal's head, the collision caused shock wave and Milotic was pushed back a little, she received some scratches on her tail but they were slowly healing due to Aqua Ring.

Julian "Water Pulse"

Milotic created a large Water Pulse and sent it rushing towards Torkoal, this time Torkoal had no choice to face it, Iron Defense only worked on physical attacks.

Flannery "Hyper Beam"

Torkoal used all its power and sent out a powerful Hyper Beam which came in contact with Water Pulse and the collision created a huge boom and the ground below cracked, the Hyper Beam finally trumped and continued towards Milotic.

Julian "Ice Beam"

Milotic sent out a powerful Ice Beam towards the incoming Hyper Beam, Ice Beam was her strongest move and it was the only way possible for her to counter the Hyper Beam.

The Ice Beam and Hyper Beam collided and the second round of explosion came crashing, shards of ice were scattered around the battlefield but the Hyper Beam was stopped.

Julian "Finish it, Water Pulse"

Torkoal had to recharge after that Hyper Beam so it couldn't do anything but to take this Water Pulse head on, it could only hope to survive.

The Water Pulse came crashing on Torkoal, unluckily Torkoal didn't survive and it fainted after receiving the attack head-on.

Flannery sighed seeing this.

Flannery "Looks like I lost"

She was down right now as she lost very badly, and on top of that, this was her first ever battle as a gym leader which she didn't say to Julian.

Julian "It's not that you are weak, my pokemons had a great advantage against yours"

Julian said and walked towards her and shook her hand.

Flannery got back to her old cheery self and smiled.

Flannery "Anyways you defeated me, here this is the Heat Badge"

Flannery gave the Heat Badge to Julian and he took and kept it inside his bade case, Flannery saw the number of badges inside his case and nodded.

Flannery "Since you have all five badges, looks like you will be going east"

Julian "Indeed"

Julian said his goodbye and walked out of the gym and went back to the inn.