It was the next day after Luna had caught Marowak, all four trainer were currently walking up the stairs to where Lumi was going to have her gym battle with Winona. Out of three trainers that was qualifying to Hoenn Pokémon league, Lumi was up first, she managed to ask Winona first. The gym was on something that looked like a giant pyramid.
“Why do Winona have the gym on this thing?” Luna asked James while they were walking up the stairs.
“Winona uses flying Pokémon and the best way to let flying types perform better is in the opening.” Luna had to admit that what James said made sense.
When they finally reached the top, Luna was out of breath. “That was a long climb.” She managed to say between breaths. After catching some of her breath, she saw a woman standing in the middle of the battle field.
She was holding her hands and her eyes was closed, it looked like she was praying.
Luna leaned towards James. “What is she doing?” She asked him.
The answer was. “She is praying to the sky to make sure that the weather will be nice.” Luna wasn’t sure if she believe him or not, but over the last three months she has learned that ever gym leader is different.
Winona opened her eyes and spotted the group, she smiled and spread her arms. “Welcome to the Fortree city gym, I see that you are ready Lumi.”
Lumi step forward. “That I am, ready to get my six badges.” She said with confidence.
Winona smiled. “That’s what I like to hear, then go to the platform and will begin.” Luna had no idea why they would do that.
She watch them walk to a platform that looked it was content to something that made it go up and down, then they had to walk to a bench on the side so they could watch the battle.
A judge stood by the side, ready to get the battle on its way, but before he could do anything, Winona went down on one knee and crossed her arms. “Oh, great sky above I ask that you grant us wings, grant us you power to conquer thee even strongest stormy winds and please…” She looked up and stood, then she spread her arms. “…guide us to your great blue world and let us share infonaut power and majesty.”
After Winona was done, everyone was silence and didn’t know what to say while James just shook his head. “She hasn’t chance, that’s for sure.”
Luna Looked at James. “Why did she do that?” She asked him.
“She was just praying to the sky so they would have a great battle, it’s just something she does every time she about to battle.” Luna wasn’t sure if she understood it, but she knew that every gym leader was different, and Winona was surely different than the others.
Then it was time. “The gym battle between Winona, the Fortree gym leader and the challenger, Lumi form Snowpoint city will now begging. Each trainer will use three Pokémon and the match will be over when all of either trainers Pokémon are unable to battle, only the challenger will be allowed to switch Pokémon.” The judge told them.
Then they started and Winona was up first. “Come on out Altaria.” Out came a Pokémon that was blue and had wings that was made of clouds. “It’s beautiful.” Luna said while taking out her Pokédex.
Altaria the Humming Pokémon. Altaria sings in a gorgeous soprano. Its wings are like cotton clouds. This Pokémon catches updraft with its buoyant wings and soars way up into the wild blue yonder.
“Let’s see how Lumi handle Altaria, it’s also part dragon.” Said James.
Lumi just smiled of Winona’s choice. “You’re up first Snover.” Out came the frosted tree Pokémon.
Luna was curious by Lumi chose. “Why Snover? It’s grass type and ice.”
“Lumi want to use Snover’s ability, snow warning.” Luna nodded in understanding of what James said.
Then it was time to battle. “And begging.”
Lumi was up first. “Do it Snover.” Snover shot an ice ball into the sky and it started to hail. “Use power snow.” Snover shot snow towards the opponent.
Winona was ready. “Doge the attack and use peck.” Altaria managed to avoid the attack, then the Pokémon started to fly towards Snover.
Lumi decided to wait until Altaria was closer, she waited and when it was very close. “Use ice wind.” Snover shot sow out from its mouth that hit Altaria right in the face, Altaria was stop in its track.
“Don’t give up Altaria, give it your all.” Altaria tried to move closer but was pushed back, eventually the Pokémon couldn’t handle it anymore and was push back. Altaria landed right in front of its trainer. “Are you ok Altaria?” Altaria shook it off. Winona breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good, let’s use dragon breath.” Altaria was about to fly up when it got hit by hail. Winona looked up. ‘I had forgotten about the hail.’ While she was busy with that, Altaria had taken to the sky and had attack Snover with dragon breath.
“Doge it.” Snover tried but the attack was faster than him, he was hit and landed on the ground. Lumi took out a Pokéball. “Return.” Snover went back into its Pokéball and she took out a new one and threw it. “Your turn Glaceon.” Out came the fresh snow Pokémon. “Use ice beam.” Glaceon fired an ice beam from its mouth.
“Doge it Altaria.” It tired but thanks to the weather chance, Altaria was hit by hail and unable to avoid the attack, Altaria was hit hard and landed on the ground.
“Use another ice beam.” Glaceon did that and Altaria was to hurt to go anywhere and because of that Altaria was hit right on the chest, the humming Pokémon was out.
“Altaria is unable to battle, Glaceon is the winner.” The judge announced.
Lumi started to pump her fist up in the air. “Alright, way to go Glaceon.”
Winona called back Altaria. “You did a good job, take a good rest.” She looked over to Lumi with a smile. “I had to admit, I am impressed but it’s not over yet.” She took out a new Pokéball and threw it. “Your turn Pelipper.”
Out came a Pokémon Luna had not seen yet. It was a flying type, that was for sure. It was blue with some white and it had a giant belly, she had to check the data.
Pelipper the water bird Pokémon. Pelipper searches for food while in flight by skimming the wave tops. This Pokémon dips its large bill in the sea to scoop up food, then swallows everything in one big gulp.
After seeing the data. “Sound impressed.”
James. “Maybe, but Lumi can have some trouble with Pelipper, it also a water type so ice attacks won’t work so well.”
“Then why is she smiling?” James and Shadow was confused why Luna said that, then they saw that Lumi was smiling.
“I knew that you would chose Pelipper eventually.” She held out a Pokéball and called back Glaceon, she then threw a new one. “You’re up Electabuzz.” Out came a Pokémon that was standing on two legs, it was yellow with some black strips and it looked like it had two antennas on its head.
Luna check the data.
Electabuzz the electric Pokémon. When a storm arrives, gangs of this Pokémon compete with each other to scale heights that are likely to be stricken by lightning bolts. Some towns use Electabuzz in place of lightning rods.
Luna tilted her head. “It’s an electric Pokémon, I thought that Lumi only liked ice types.”
“Well, ice types are effective against flying, dragon, rock and grass. But water, that’s going to be though, so an electricity type is good to have.”
Back to the battle. “Electabuzz, use thunderbolt.” Electabuzz send out a powerful electric attack.
“Quick Pelipper, use steel wing.” Luna wonder why, steel attacks aren’t effect against electric Pokémon. Then Pelipper dive towards the ground. When the attack hit, nothing happened. Everyone expect James knew why.
“What’s going on? That attacks should have dealt damage to Pelipper.” Said Luna.
“Take a closer look at Pelipper.” James told her, she and Shadow did as he said and what they saw shock them both. Pelipper wing was in the ground working as a lightning rod. “When you are a gym trainer you have to a way to counter to a Pokémon weakness, just as what Pelipper are doing.”
Lumi wasn’t happy by what she saw. “Damn it, I have to find a way around that.”
When the attack ended. “Use water gun.” Water came out form Pelipper mouth and head towards it’s opponent.
“Protect.” Electabuzz held up its hands and a green bobble appeared around the electric Pokémon, Pelipper’s attack didn’t work, Winona gritted her teeth of that. “Use another thunder bolt.” Electabuzz send away another powerful electric attack but the same result happened, Pelipper used it’s wing to chandler the attack. “Alright, throw Pelipper up in the air.” Electabuzz ran over to the water bird Pokémon and threw it up in the air, this time Pelipper had no way to protected against an electric attack. “Thunder bolt.” This time he attack him and Pelipper was hit hard.
“Don’t give up, use water pulse.” Pelipper send out a ball of water that Electabuzz didn’t have time to doge, he was hit and then the effect of water pulse took effect. Electabuzz started to thrash around and punch in the air.
“What’s wrong with Electabuzz?” Luna asked James.
“He’s confused, it’s a side effect of water pulse. Let’s just hope that Lumi can switch Pokémon before it’s too late.”
Lumi was paralyzed, this was not her plan. She had hope that Electabuzz would take care of Winona’s Pelipper, she didn’t think that the effect of water pulse would happened. She just watch as Electabuzz started to hit himself.
“Use another water pulse.” Pelipper send out another ball of water and Electabuzz was hit hard, so hard that he landed on his back with stars in his eyes.
“Electabuzz is unable to battle, Pelipper is the winner.” The judge announced.
Lumi called back Electabuzz with a heavy sight. “Well, that didn’t work.” She threw a new Pokéball and out came Glaceon. “Use ice beam.” Glaceon did that.
“Doge it.” Pelipper managed to avoid the attack but part of its left wing was hit and some ice stuck on it and the water bird Pokémon was also hit by the hail.
“Now use ice fang.” Claceon mouth was cover in ice and she started to run towards Pelipper.
“Take to the sky.” Pelipper started to fly up but thanks to the ice on its wing, he was a little slower.
“Jump Glaceon.” The fresh snow Pokémon did that and manged to take a bite of Pelipper, Glaceon managed to drag Pelipper down back to the ground. “Now us icy wind.” Snow came out from Glaceon’s mouth and Pelipper had no way to escape the attach.
Somehow that attack created an explosion and when the smoke cleared, they all saw Pelipper lying on the ground with stars in its eyes. “Pelipper is unable to battle, Glaceon is the winner.” The judge announced.
Winona called back Pelipper. “You fought valiantly, take good rest.” She brought out her last Pokémon. “You’re up Swellow.”
Out came a Pokémon that Luna had seen before but this one looked very different from James Swellow, it was a shiny. Instead of the normal colour, which was pink and blue. This one was red and turquoise, and Luna had to admit that it was way more beautiful then James Swellow.
“Use quick attack.” Swellow dived towards Glaceon in an incredible speed, Swellow was so fast that Lumi and Glaceon had no time to react, Glaceon was hit.
“Damn, that was fast. Let's try and slow Swellow down, use ice wind.” Glaceon attack with snow.
“Use double team.” All of sudden there was a lot of them and Glaceon’s attack missed.
Lumi couldn’t help but curse when that happened, but lucky for her hail kicked in and hit the real Swellow. “On your right Glaceon, use ice wind again.” Glaceon turned right and attack and this time the attack hit.
“Stay strong Swellow and use wing attack.” Swellow’s wings started to glow and flew towards Glaceon.
“Doge it.” Glaceon managed to avoid the attack but Swellow wasn’t done.
“Keep using wing attack.” Swellow turned around in the air and headed towards Glaceon again, Glaceon keep on dodging the attack but it was not easy.
Swellow keep on attacking making sure that Glaceon couldn’t attack. ‘This is bad, if this continues Glaceon will get tiered.’ Lumi wanted to attack Swellow didn’t let her, it just keep on attacking.
Eventually Glaceon did a mistake, it tripe and feel face first on the ground which gave Swellow the chance to attack. Glaceon was hit by wing attack, right in the face. “Now use aerial ace.” Swellow did a loop and flew towards Glaceon who still haven’t recover from the last attack, Swellow hit the fresh snow Pokémon right in the stomach so hard that it passed out.
“Glaceon is unable to battle, Swellow is the winner.” The judge announced.
Lumi clench her fist, this wasn’t going as she had planned, Winona was stronger than she had thought. Lumi called back Glaceon and got ready her last Pokémon. “You’re up Snover.” Out came the frosted tree Pokémon came out again and he send out a ball and it started to hail, which affected Swellow who was hit by the hail. “Use powder snow.” Snover blew snow from its mouth.
“Doge it and use wing attack.” Swellow managed to avoid the attack and then it’s wings started to glow as it flew towards Snover.
“Keep using powder snow.” Snover attack with the same attack.
“Keep going and use double team.” Then it was a lot of Swellow’s.
“Attack them all.” Snover breath snow on all of the Swellow’s but before he got to the last one he was hit by the real Swellow’s wing, he flew back. “Get back up Snover.” Snover managed to get up, but very slowly.
“Let’s finish this Swellow, use air slash.” Swellow struck it’s wings in the air and it looked like blade of air came from its wings, the blades headed straight towards Snover who had no time to doge the attack. The attack created an explosion that send him flying backwards, he then landed on his back not far from Lumi with stars in its eyes.
“Snover is unable to battle, so winner is the gym leader Winona.” The judge announced.
“I can’t believe I lost.” After Lumi’s lost, they all gather at the Pokémon center, after Lumi had given her Pokémon to Joy so she could heal them, the four trainers and a Charmeleon had taken a seat by a table. Lumi had her arms on the table while resting her head in them. “I really thought my strategy would work.”
“You know that you can challenge her again.” James told her while eating.
Lumi looked at him with annoyance. “I know that, it’s just suck to lose.”
“A trainer learns more from losing than wining.”
Lumi lay her head back in to har arms. “I know that but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
James just rolled his eyes of Lumi’s behaviour, he decided to chance the subject a little. “Alright, we won’t talk about that anymore, might tell us why you have an Electabuzz.”
This time she looked at him with confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I thought you only had ice Pokémon, considering you are from Snowpoint city.”
“Yeah, so? Sure, ice types are my favourite but that doesn’t mean I hate other types. Electabuzz was actually the first Pokémon I caught when I arrived in Hoenn.”
“So, you have more than ice types?” Shadow asked her.
“Of course, having a team with only ice types Pokémon is just stupid.” They had to agree with her on that. Lumi looked at Luna. “I guess you’re up next.”
Luna nodded. “Yes, but I think I need some training before I challenge her, I don’t think I am ready yet.”
James raised his hand. “I can help you with that, I have the Pokémon she uses.”
Luna smiled at that. “I appreciate it.” Luna looked at Shadow. “Are you going to challenge her while I train?”
Shadow shrugged his shoulder. “Don’t know, maybe I’ll do some training before I do that.”
“I think I will do that to.” Lumi told them.
All three had a plan, do some training before they challenge Winona.