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Making our way up the stairs to one of the gym courtyards, I’m once again peeved about the complete lack of useful information those two boys had. We got more information from the text detailing how to get to the “Snake Garden” for our gym test.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of flute music. We each listen while ascending the last few steps. The top of the stairs are framed by a black torii gate carved with snake reliefs.

Jane perks up, “I got it! It’s the Lugia Hymn.”

A hissing noise makes her jump, above us on the gate is a purple snake the size of the largest python I can imagine. Ekans nods in our direction before winding down the torii and slithering ahead on the path.

Towering pines, each meticulously trimmed, frame small stone paths that weave through the garden. If the goal was to give us an ant’s perspective of a bonsai garden, well done.

In a cluster of bamboo I spot a little Snivy peeking out at us before darting in the same direction the Ekans slithered.

Citro is looking everywhere to find more pokemon. Naomi points out a Goldeen in a creek snaking its way under a bridge on our path.

Just as the song ends we round a corner to a small sitting area under a pergola. A young woman with white hair and a shrine maiden outfit is petting the Snivy from before.

Lounging in the clearing are each of the pokemon some would refer to as danger noodles. Ekans and Arbok, Seviper, and Serperior, each one has surprisingly varied colorations. Some are all purple, some have more yellow, the largest Serperior is entirely white.

I can recall snakes with unique color patterns being quite popular in the pet trade back home. This tracks with everything else I’ve learned. Pokemon might have all looked the same in the games but in this reality, there’s plenty of variety.

Aside from those three lines are a few smaller Grass Type pokemon like Nuzleaf and Shroomish. Oh, and a random Pancham.

“Hello,” The gym trainer sets down her flute, “I’m Hibiko, and you must be the Red Rebels scheduled for today.”

Naomi takes the lead, “Yup, that’s us! What do you have for us Hibiko?”

The myriad serpents disperse into the surrounding garden.

Hibiko smiles, I notice her eyes are a disturbing shade of red, “Well, I couldn’t make up my mind this morning, so we’ll do a bit of both of what I was considering.”

“The first part of today's challenge,” she trills a quick note on the flute, a small bell pokemon flies in to land on her hand, “If you will each send out your starters please.”

With a stream of flashes appear Tesla the Galvantula, Crooky the Krokorok, Boomer the Rillaboom, and Delphi the Florges.

Hibiko smiles at the collection, “What a cheerful bunch. So, their task is to catch this Chingling without falling prey to the garden residents.”

With an excited ring, the floating bell takes off into the garden like a golden snitch.

“Meanwhile, you four will follow me to the balcony to answer some questions.” She spots the ever present tablet at Naomi’s side, “Closed book of course.”

Our pokemon look at us.

“You heard her, get that bell!”

They sprint off in random directions.

“Hey!” Naomi shouts, “Work together!”

Already we can hear the big Rillaboom howling at something.

“Shall we?” Hibiko starts along a path headed towards a building.

The sound of electricity firing off somewhere in the garden makes Citro jump.

With a soft giggle, our test begins already, “Miss Wattson, which berry is used to treat most poisons?”

“Pecha.” her immediate response.

“Very good.” we approach a set of stairs just inside a veranda, “Trainer Citro, which berry cures drowsiness or sleep condition?”

He takes a moment, eyebrows scrunched, possibly second guessing himself, “Chesto.”

“Correct!” She leads us up the dark wood steps, “Trainer Kurt, which berry negates most paralyzing effects, should the pokemon even be able to eat it of course?”

Oh hell.. Wait! This is one of the dumb named ones I remember, “Cheri.”

“Yes,” on the second floor of the building is a lovely shaded deck made of the same dark wood, “Jane, which berry causes the body to heat up, warding off freezing temperatures?”

We turn towards a second staircase to the third floor.

“Rawst-No! Aspear.” the redhead cringes at her almost mistake.

“Wonderful! As an aside, I’d love to meet your Aunt, The Pike, one day.”

“Sure, oh wow!”

Jane takes the words out of my mouth as we’re presented with a beautiful view of the garden. We can see all of its lush green plants, vibrant flowers, and softly trickling streams that stem from another waterfall where the garden meets the cliffside.

“Next round, going by badge level this time.”

We pause to see a small twister of flower petals sent up by Naomi’s Florges.

“Citro,” the boy jumps a little in nervousness, “Relax.”

Something is a little unsettling about her smile.

“What are some of the type weaknesses for grass pokemon?”

Boomer’s pained roar echoes off the rocky cliffside.

He answers with a grimace, “Poison, Bug, Fire, and Flying.”

She nods, “You just left out Ice, but as you’re from Alola that’s understandable.”

An Electroball burns its way out of a cluster of tall bamboo stalks.

“Kurt, what are Bug Type’s resistances?”

“Grass and Ground,” Damn, I know there's another, ah, Dewford! “And Fighting.”

“Yes, now, how many Types resist Bug?”

A poor Ekans gets flung into the air, we can hear it land in a pond with a splash.

Okay, “Fire, Steel, Flying… and like four or five more?”

Hibiko laughs, “Well you’re not wrong.”

We briefly see Crooky flying through the air in an attempt to snap his jaws on the Chingling.

“Oh my, that’s a new one.” she turns towards Naomi, “Miss Wattson, Fairy has few type interactions, the most notable being against dragons. So instead, name a pokemon native to Hoenn that was among the last to be declared a Fairy Type.”

Naomi’s hand almost grabs her tablet, “The Granbull line.”

“Well done,” again Crooky is launched into the air after a glint of gold, this time he's holding a mess of spider webbing, “It seems your partners have developed a strategy.”

“Your turn Jane,” the girl in question stiffens, “On average, where does Krookodile sit on the official, league power rankings for ground types.”

Jane looks like a deer caught in headlights.

Hibiko smiles, “It changes all the time, you just need to get close.”

“I know this…” she bites her nail, “ Garchomp, Swampert, Flygon, Camerupt … Fifth?”

“Your list was not quite right. But, that is the Hoenn rank, and just one off from the national.”

Boomer flails across a path while fighting off an Arbok attempting to constrict him.

“That’s not how Cobra’s work.”

Hibiko looks back at me, “What was that Kurt?”

“Nothing. Who’s next?”

She turns back to the garden and hums, “I’ve asked a basic foraging question, and one about your starters. For the final round…”

Crooky claws his way up a tree while being tangled by a Servine’s vine whip. Grabbing hold of the vines, he pulls his opponent off the ground and swings them back against a tree, knocking them out.

“Oh my, he really is quite the brute.” She sighs and leans on the railing, “How about this, Citro, give me one pro and con of being a type specialist.”

He thinks for a moment.

We see another flash of electric light from inside one of the bamboo clusters.

“Well, one pro, most pokemon of a similar type are likely to require similar care.” He glances at Hibiko, she nods for him to continue, “However being a known specialist makes it easier for opponents to plan against you.”

“Excellent! Naomi, please give me another con for type specialization, and then tell me another variety of team construction.”

“Well, if I’m surrounded by trapped in a garden of poison types,” She gestures to the example below, “My team of fairy types are in even more danger.”

Her Florges briefly floats above a tree top in a whirlwind of flower petals, narrowly dodging a spray of purple liquid.

“As for other team themes,” Watts points at the shrine maiden, “Body type, such as serpents.”

“Well done,” she looks to me, “Kurt, you reportedly have multiple ghosts on your team. What are the risks commonly found there.”

None for me…

Thinking back a bit, ah, “Some ghosts communicate via Dream Eater, it sucks, a lot.”

Her head tilts, white hair flowing off her shoulder, “That is both more specific, and not at all what I was looking for…” shrugging, “Again, you’re not wrong.”

Tesla gets blown into the air by another gust of fairy wind, she fires an Anchor Shot at something below.

A gentle ringing echoes out in the garden.

“Perfect timing,” Hibiko gently claps, “You pokemon caught Chingling! Now, before we head down, Jane has the final question.”

Jane just nods, her attention now focused up here.

“What is the oldest, most important, inviolable duty, each Pokemon trainer must uphold?”

Instead of answering, Jane is frozen, suddenly looking sick.

Hibiko nods, “My apologies…” She turns to the rest of us, “Every trainer, no matter how talented or spoiled, is expected to protect the defenseless in the face of a Rampage. Be it breaking the stampede before the city, or shielding your neighbor,”

Jane finishes the statement, “Even in the face of death.”

A quiet settles over the garden. Hibiko steps towards the stairs, pauses, “Failure is unacceptable. Survive or perish, all who break the tide are heroes. This will be your sixth badge Jane, you can no longer shelter in the safety of walls…”

She hesitates on what more to say, clearly knowing how Jane’s mother died.

“The reminder is considered necessary,” her eyes drift in a different direction, “Father should be the one,” she puts on a forced smile, “You’ve all passed, let's go congratulate your partners.”

At the bottom of the stairs we meet a blonde man. He looks like he got lost looking for a traditional gym, the kind with weights and treadmills, “Hey Snakey! What was all the noise?”

“Uncle Naps! When did you fly in?!” Hibiko rushes forward to greet her apparent family, then halts and turns back to us, “I look forward to watching your challenge, good luck trainers!”

With a small bow she returns to grabbing hold of her uncle’s arm, “Come see the new Snivy eggs!”

Being left on our own, we start back across the somewhat ravaged looking garden. Fallen bamboo poles, scattered leaves, impact craters in the soft soil, it’s a far leap from the carefully curated serenity of just twenty minutes ago.

“So,” Taking stock of the awkward kids, “That was easy.”

Jane punches my shoulder but there's a small smirk there.

Naomi glances about the garden, “Do you think she was really required to say that? Or was it a warning?”

We find our team of pokemon resting in the same clearing we left from. My Galvantula is helping Florges pick pine needles from her petals. Krokorok and Rillaboom are sprawled out on their backs, breathing heavily.

The target Chingling is dancing around the pergola, ringing soothing tones.

“You guys okay? Great job for sure.”

Delphi glares and Tesla chitters in frustration. Crooky raises a thumb claw up while Boomer looks at a slowly healing cut on his arm and just grunts.

Our pokemon return to their balls, likely eager for a stop at the center and a rest.

Naomi sighs, “Well, we passed.” her scowl turns to a feral grin, “Next are the battles against Ourboro tomorrow.”

She looks to each of us only to pause at Citro.

He raises a brow, “What?”

Her arm slowly raises to point behind him.

Looking back, a pair of basketball sized eyes, green with dark slits. An enormous white snake gently flicks its tongue at the back of Citro’s head. I swear those reptilian lips smirk at the chill that visibly goes up the boy’s spine.

A gust of leaves obscures the giant snake's sudden disappearance.

He peeks over his shoulder, “Can we leave now?”

“Yup,” I pull along the stunned Wattson, “time to go.”

Jane just laughs, “Oh come on, let's find her!”

“Nope!”

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