Welcome back readers, no use trying to stall any longer because now its time for action! Let's tune back in to see the epic battle of Taylor and Roark unfold!

Once our balls made contact, our Pokemon erupted with unending ferocity! Ziggy and the Geodude touched the ground in a heated stalemate. They both stared at each other with burning determination, sensing opportunity Ziggy tried using a powerful headbutt. Still, Geodude predicted the attack, instead weaving out the headbutt just in time to employ a seismic toss! 2 firm hands wrapped around Ziggy's body as he started gaining enough speed to make a whirling vortex! Each passing second made my heart jump all the faster, knowing each rock face would be more painful than the last.

Instinctively I waited for just the right moment to create a sand attack that sends Ziggy veering right out of danger. The speed of the throw still makes Ziggy back away in the form of frequent jumps. But I still wasn't out of the wounds yet as in response the Geodude made a move that chills down every trainer's spine. Roark's Geodude then spread numerous bits of rocky shrapnel in the form of a punishing stealth rock. Next time Ziggy lands, he winces in stinging pain as the Geodude is still trucked along with a fast-moving rollout! As Geodude rapidly approached, I realized I was trapped between a huge rock and a hard place.

And it was at that moment I realized what I had to do. At once, I commanded Ziggy to push through the pain and rebound off the wall. In tandem, I also commanded it to use its tail whip to give him just enough spin to avoid the shot. Geodude found himself embedded in the rock face, unable to move. With the opportunity wide open and my new position, Ziggy closed in with a powerful Covet that sends the entire rock pillar to crumble on impact! As the gym was riddled with sounds of crunched rock, I looked to Trixie with all the pride in the world.

But even with my awesome maneuver, Trixie was still unimpressed. Almost automatically, my team gnashed in anger as I decided to kick it up a notch. With Ziggy's energy, I commanded him to hammer Geodude with a volley of Covet that created a small crater! I thought that Geodude would be a fast victory until Ziggy, for once in his life, stopped. I almost didn't understand what had happened until I saw that amid my incredible offensive, I still managed to get caught in Roark's grasp. Once again, a small vortex erupted from the crater, blowing all the rocks away instantly! The same trick didn't work twice as Ziggy was thrown up into the sky! Ziggy descended from the air while Geodude kept one of his hands closed as it started to build up with coursing power. I didn't know what the attack was until it hit me. Roark's focus punch was so reeling that I hissed as Ziggy's body was seconds away from hitting a perfectly placed rock pillar.

In a spark of fear, I unfurled my Pokeball, sending Ziggy right back to my side. Those proved to be more of a struggle than it was worth with Ziggy immediately bouncing inside the ball, ready for a round 2. I had to spend 2 minutes chasing the runaway Pokeball while Mr.Kopi embarrassingly cheered me on. When I finally got my bearings, Roark spoke up.

"Nice move back there, 30% of you guys usually get clinched by that combo. But I got to say you're off to a rocky start."

It was that comment that made me realize how far we were. In this first battle, Roark knew every nook and cranny of his Gym and made sure that no matter what, the disadvantage would just get bugger. Being first also meant that he knew all the first mistakes every gym leader makes. At the very thought, my hands become sweaty once again, terrified over what to do next; every second feeling like another eternity in Trixie's gaze. In that gaze, all I could do was keep on my path no matter what.

"Nadia, show your stuff!"

In another passionate throw, Nadia takes the stage in a triumphant and snappy pose, but that kind of gets chipped when the effects of Stealth Rock took effect. Seizing the opportunity, the Geodude then went into another stampeding Rollout. Instead of attacking, though, I ordered Nadia to lie and wait and at just the right moment, letting the power build in each of her legs to unleash a part one of a double kick that sends him flying! But I didn't expect Roark to adapt already, from out of the blue, a sizable mid-air rock appeared. Using said rock, the Geodude used unexpected agility to unleash another incoming rollout. Once again, I decided to stand my ground using the same strategy as Ziggy. I used the tail whip to weave right past the rollout, and connect with a powerful bite! Despite his defenses, the Geodude still flinched long enough to unleash a powerful Double kick that sends him colliding with another rockface!

For a half minute straight, The Geodude tried to get back up, only to fall in defeat. At that moment, rivers of excitement exploded out of me as I heard Mr.Kopi triumphant cheers shake the entire gym. That excitement, however, was cut short though, realizing that someone like Trixie wouldn't celebrate so soon, and Mr.Kopi wouldn't let it up until this is all over. Roark looked at me with a steely and confident look as he pulled out his next Pokeball.

"You're better than I thought Taylor, but let's see if this can whittle down that defense of yours!"

In a Vaillant throw, Roark released his 2nd Pokemon, a hulking Onix that snaked its way across the entire battlefield. Any normal Pokemon would've been scared at the size, but Nadia, in an encouraging pose, looked at him without even a hint of fear. I decided to follow her example as The Onix opened up with an indescribably loud screech! I don't know how a rock serpent could have such powerful vocal chords, but it worked as all I could do was cover my ears in pain with Nadia following suit. I tried giving out commands, but the sound entirely nullified them all. Which unfortunately was the perfect set up to a violent slam that sent the stadium reeling. Volumes of dust and pebbles filled the stadium only to end up revealing a pinned Nadia in writhing pain!

The massive Onix's weight and power were so imposing that my composure almost shattered, but Mr.Kopi's words at that moment ringed in my ear. So I decided to fake it till I made it and thought of a strategy that just might work. In desperation, I ordered a multitude of Double Kicks that carve into the ground. Along the way, Roark casually gave his next strategy in the form of a charged-up rock throw that condensed in the Onix's mouth. Once again, Nadia showed no fear instead of getting even more pumped up at the rise in danger. This all came together in one very close shave with Nadia managing to skirt under the Onix by the skin of her teeth! With her spirits higher than ever, Nadia responded with a combination of spinning tail whip and double kick to the Onix's exposed side! Seizing the opportunity, Nadia climbed up the Onix to deliver a bite straight onto his head!

It was almost addicting, seeing something so big be brought down in a second. It was more exhilarating than any contest or performance I had ever seen. So once again, I had to know what made you trade it in for me? In anger of said question, I commanded Nadia to unleash a Poison Point, hoping that would do something. Unfortunately, it didn't; instead of giving Onix just the opening he needed to use a Double-Edge so potent, the aftermath had me coughing up dust and having to cover my still throbbing ears. But it didn't take my eyes to see the result. Onix's Rock Head ability made sure it took no recoil, but that, unfortunately, meant that Nadia was the only one taking damage. Mr.Kopi uproared in a fit of angry statements as I turned my eyes to see Nadia fainted.

At such a sight, my mouth filled with the taste of coppery defeat and even more rising anger at Trixie's unchanging face. Even with that fact, I knew what I needed. With his range and power, I know that the only thing that could counter was speed.

"Ziggy, once again, show your stuff!"

Ziggy made his way to the stadium worse for wear. That stealth rock from earlier is still in effect, but Onix was still suffering from many prior injuries as well. This means there was only one good way I could win this: an all-out blitzkrieg! Amid Ziggy's pain, Onix tried to take no chance with another quick rock throw, but even while hurt, Ziggy was far faster than he would ever be, avoiding the throw with a combination of zig-zag movements and a punishing tail whip! Almost alarmed Onix tried to tag Ziggy again, but our combined tempo was far too quick for him as the combination of our movement, and tail whip quickly got the better of him. Each passing second the distance seemed to divide in half, but Roark in haste did a strategy I never even considered.

"Use Slam right now!"

In almost complete sync, the Onix whipped his tail at seemingly empty air. But with the hit having so much weight, I realized what had happened in the nick of time commanding Ziggy to keep moving at all cost! Through a bombardment of invisible stealth rocks soldiered on, not letting anything impede him for even a moment! With almost nowhere to run, Roark instead fell back on one last offensive, coiling the last of Onix's power into one final fateful blow! And as soon as Ziggy snaked his way up to his body, that crucial moment soon came to pass as Ziggy's Covet and Onix's Double Edge collided with all their remaining strength! The shockwave that took place was so forceful that the rocks shattered, and the ground quaked only for it to be followed by the sound of 2 bodies falling, which was somehow all the more painful for my still aching ears.

Taylor might have evened up the score for now, but this battle is still very much anyone's guess! But can our young explorer hope to beat both Roark and Taylor?! Find out next time as the journey continues ever onward.