"Trainer Silas, since the academy grounds are so vast, why don't we take the sightseeing bus?"
Roxanne raised her hand and stopped a bus circling the school.
"That would be best. Your academy is just too luxurious," Silas replied with a helpless smile.
Guided by Roxanne, Silas boarded the bus. They spent most of the day touring the sprawling campus, passing countless facilities-from training fields to simulated wild environments-until finally, the bus halted at the last stop.
As Silas stepped off, his eyes widened.
A massive battlefield spread before him, crowded with students commanding Pokémon in heated practice battles.
"This is the free battle arena for students," Roxanne raised her voice over the clamor of colliding attacks and cheering spectators.
"Good afternoon, Teacher Roxanne!"
"Have you eaten yet, Teacher Roxanne?"
"Teacher Roxanne, do you have a boyfriend? Can I pursue you?"
The moment she appeared, dozens of students rushed to greet her. As both a beloved teacher here and the new Gym Leader of Rustboro, Roxanne's popularity had soared. Everyone in the Trainer School knew her name.
"Alright, students, back to your training," Roxanne said with a patient smile. "Don't embarrass our academy in front of visitors."
Her words, gentle yet firm, made even this group of spoiled heirs and prodigies immediately scatter back to their sparring fields. Other teachers often found these children impossible to handle, too wealthy and pampered to be disciplined. But Roxanne managed them effortlessly.
Still, many eyes continued to glance curiously at Silas. Who was this mysterious visitor important enough for Roxanne to personally guide?
"Tch. He's just some pretty boy," one jealous student muttered under his breath.
"Don't say that," another whispered. "Teacher Roxanne herself received him. He must have some background."
But the first boy scoffed. "Background? Look at his plain clothes and rustic manners. He's obviously just some bumpkin from the countryside."
Several students exchanged doubtful glances. Indeed, Silas didn't dress or carry himself like a pampered heir.
"Felton," one student said slyly, "since you're so sure, why don't you test him?"
Felton's lineage was impressive-his elder sister was none other than Phoebe, a member of Hoenn's Elite Four. Though he looked down on Silas, Felton wasn't foolish; he could tell his classmates were trying to push him forward for their amusement.
Before he could decide, another student shouted, "Wait-look! That guy's about to battle Teacher Roxanne!"
Instantly, all attention snapped toward the arena. A wave of excitement rippled through the students, and they swarmed forward to watch.
Silas, however, remained oblivious to their whispered criticisms. Even if he had heard, he wouldn't have cared.
"What outsiders say is just their opinion. Those who live by others' judgments are doomed to be miserable."
It was a belief he had held firmly since long ago.
Following Roxanne, he listened as she gave a detailed introduction to the school's history, her voice eventually turning hoarse from speaking so much. She paused, licking her dry lips before continuing.
Silas smiled faintly and then said, "Teacher Roxanne, would you honor me with a battle for a Gym Badge?"
Roxanne blinked in surprise, then let out a soft laugh. "Ah… so that's your true reason for coming here. Touring the school was only a pretext, wasn't it?"
She shook her head at herself, amused. "What a failure of a Gym Leader I must be, letting a challenger chase me all the way into the school."
For a moment, her expression darkened. She was still young barely twenty and though she had earned her position legitimately, rumors online claimed she had risen to Gym Leader too early, unworthy of the role.
But as she looked back at Silas, her eyes sharpened, gleaming with determination. "Very well, Trainer Silas. I accept your challenge."
Her voice carried the firmness of stone, her gaze like solid rock.
"If you don't mind, let's battle here. It will serve as a practical lesson for the students."
"Of course, I don't mind," Silas answered politely. The idea of battling under so many watching eyes didn't shake him. On the contrary, it was good practice. Someday, when he stood on the League stage, tens of thousands of spectators would be watching. Better to build his composure now.
"The rules will be two-on-two," Roxanne said gently. "You may switch Pokémon freely. I'll send mine out first, and you may respond accordingly."
Silas nodded. The rules mirrored those of the Petalburg Gym's lowest-level challenges.
Gym battles had tiers:
Lowest level: free entry, Badge if victorious.
Intermediate: 10,000 Pokédollars entry fee, with material rewards for victory.
Advanced: 50,000 entry fee, with a Technical Machine as reward.
Naturally, the difficulty scaled with the tier. What Silas faced now was the most basic.
"Go, Geodude!" Roxanne called.
A flash of white light revealed the rocky Pokémon, its arms flexing as it floated above the battlefield.
Silas smiled knowingly. As expected. A Rock-type… and I've got just the answer.
'Water beats Rock,' he thought confidently, unclipping a Poké Ball from his belt.
A burst of light revealed his choice.
"Come out, Carvanha!"
The sharp-toothed Pokémon appeared, suspended slightly above the ground as its fins twitched eagerly. Its jagged teeth ground together with a menacing crunch-crunch.
The watching students surged forward, surrounding the field in a wide circle. Their jeers rose quickly.
"Tch. I thought he was strong, but he sent out just a Carvanha? That's so common!"
"Yeah, it's not even a Sharpedo yet. Pathetic."
"Does he really think type advantage alone can win against Teacher Roxanne? He's way too naive. He doesn't know what real strategy is!"
Silas ignored the voices, his expression calm.
But Roxanne frowned, anger flashing in her eyes.
She turned toward Silas with an apologetic look, then bowed formally to him before whirling on the students.
Her elegant face hardened, her ribbon-like hair swaying with the motion.
The heckling students froze. Under Roxanne's stern gaze, they felt like prey cornered by a predator. Not a single one dared to speak again.
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(End of chapter)