The world around her was a blur of colours once more. Trees merged with the ocean and the houses, and the noises of the Pokémon slowly overcame the talks of the humans. Maylene, carefree once gain, was completely focused on the wind. As Crasher Wake carried her and ran to Veilstone, like he had always done before she travelled to Johto, the little girl reverted to the way she was at that time; she was carefree and ignorant.

All her weaknesses didn’t matter, and there were no obstacles in her way. Maylene forgot all those who posed a challenge to her, and all those who made her life harder. At that time, she would dwell in the single moment that would always go by too fast.

*

‘I have to say, Roark,’ Gardenia said, still stroking Turtwig and sitting in the most conceited of ways. ‘I never thought you would become a Gym Leader so soon, but I’m glad you did; it means I’ll get my first Gym Badge from you.’

‘Gardenia, I’m so glad you’re safe!’ Roark said, booming with joy. ‘Where were you all this time?’

‘I was busy becoming stronger,’ Gardenia smirked, getting up slowly. ‘In Johto!’

For a while, Roark and Candice were at a loss for words; Gardenia had created such a dramatic, exaggerated situation that the pair waited for hidden cameras to come out of the shadows, and for someone to shout ‘Cut’, while Gardenia kept staring at them, proud of the immaculate way with which she had handled the situation

‘Umm, Gardenia,’ Candice started, praying that the stubborn girl won’t interrupt her. ‘I just want to say that I’m sorry. I treated you horribly, and I never gave you a chance to show me what kind of friend you are. I know both Maylene and Roark appreciate you, and I’m sorry that I never did.’

‘An apology?’ Gardenia’s smirk started expanding, when her eyes shifted towards Roark, who had narrowed his eyes, as if prompting her. ‘It’s alright; I forgive you.’

‘Really?’ Candice started smiling. Her hands clasped together, and the twinkle in her eyes grew.

‘Yes,’ Gardenia said, narrowing her eyes at Roark. ‘But first, we have to battle! If you win, then I will stop teasing and making fun on you, which I’m sure is what made you not like me, and If I win, then I get Roark’s Gym Badge; seems fair to me.’

‘A battle? Now?’ Roark started. ‘Nobody cares about battling right now; you have to tell us exactly what you were doing all this time! And you have to tell everyone you know that you’re back! You have to go see Maylene; she’s back in Sinnoh right now! How can you even think about battling right now?’

‘Please, Roark,’ Gardenia laughed, still stocking her Turtwig. ‘Don’t get dramatic; we don’t need any of that.’

‘You’re right, Gardenia,’ Candice said. ‘Let’s forget the drama and battle like we used to!’

With a swipe at the pocket of her jacket, Candice picked one of two Poké Balls, and sent out her capture from Johto. The Swinub looked around the Gym; it was as if they had never left the Oreburgh Mine.

‘Thankfully, I just healed my two Pokémon,’ Candice said. ‘And it seems quite fitting for me to use my newest Pokémon against your newest Pokémon, assuming you’re using Turtwig.’

‘You assumed right, Candice,’ Gardenia said, putting her Turtwig back on the ground. ‘I hope you got stronger, because I have. Turtwig! Start with a Tackle!’

‘Don’t be phased, Swinub!’ Candice reassured her Pokémon. ‘Use Powder Snow!’

Swinub took in as much air as she could, and released it with a sharp squeal. Small particles of snow rushed towards the approaching Turtwig, striking the Pokémon as violently as if he had been pelted by ice. The Tiny Leaf Pokémon lost his direction as he tried to cover his face from the snow, and as he turned it, his forelegs failed to handle the speed of the turn in the midst of his confusion, and the Pokémon was sent rolling across the rocks, taking in more damage that he would have taken had he stopped.

‘Great job, Swinub!’ Candice shouted. ‘Now, follow that attack with a Mud-Slap!’

‘Not again, Candice!’ Gardenia beamed. ‘Turtwig, Withdraw!’

Acting upon his commands immediately, Turtwig rolled himself against his opponent’s attack, showing only his hard brown shell. Swinub flung some dirt at Turtwig, but it was to no avail, and the quickness with which he followed Gardenia’s second order gave no chance for the Pokémon to defend herself.

Unrolling himself from the ball, Turtwig finished his run and threw his body, backed by the momentum, against Swinub, sending the small Pokémon back towards Candice. Rolled up and squealing in pain, her Trainer knew that Swinub couldn’t fight anymore; it was her first serious battle, and the Pokémon would need a lot of training before she could catch up to Turtwig, a Pokémon that had without a doubt received many experiences to build his battling techniques upon.

‘You did well for a first serious battle, Swinub,’ Candice said, rubbing her Pokémon where the Tackle had hit. ‘I’ll put you back in your Poké Ball for now; rest, and after this battle, I’ll heal you.’

With a nod and a strange purr, Swinub retreated into her Poké Ball, leaving the battlefield and officially winning Gardenia the first match. Turtwig walked back to his side of the field, and stood in front of his Trainer, waiting for the next opponent. His confident rose, but Gardenia knew that Candice’s next Pokémon is Snorunt, her strongest Pokémon, and Turtwig, being a relatively new Pokémon, had no chance against her.

With another quick swipe at her jacket, Candice put Snorunt’s Poké Ball back into her pocket, and withdrew the second one. Snorunt emerged as soon as the Poké Ball left Candice’s hand, and with a self-glorifying attack, sent the Poké Ball back to Candice without having it touch the ground. Both Gardenia and Roark knew that Snorunt’s most used strategy was to pry off of the opponent’s lack of confidence, but it was too late to warn Turtwig now; he was already nervous about facing an opponent that seemed to have more confidence than he ever could.

‘Headbutt!’ Candice commanded.

‘Tackle, Turtwig!’ Gardenia shouted, knowing that defending would do them no good.

Snorunt wrapped her hands around her cloak and bolted towards Turtwig, colliding with him with the full force of both their attacks, but he still had some fight left in him. This wasn’t that far from over; all it needed was just one more attack, and being in such close proximity, Candice immediately gave her second command.

‘Ice Fang!’

‘No, Turtwig! D-Dodge!’ Gardenia shouted helplessly, but Turtwig had already lost.

Drastically lowering the temperature in her mouth, Snorunt had taken a large breath of air as she opened it, covering her teeth with a thin layer of ice, before lowering it and clasping her jaws against the small Turtwig. The Pokémon let out a cry of pain as the cold hit his already-injured leg, and fell in a heap on the rocky floor, with his limp still in Snorunt’s mouth.

The Snow Hat Pokémon slowly let go of his leg; dropping it suddenly might cause a jolt of pain that was unnecessary. Gardenia retreated her Pokémon to his Poké Ball, and gave a look of resignation; she should never have tried to take on Snorunt with Turtwig.

‘Roark, would you mind taking Turtwig to the Center?’ Gardenia started. ‘I think that fall did a lot more damage than we think it did.’

‘Yeah, sure,’ Roark said, sprinting to meet Gardenia and take the Poké Ball from her cupped hands. ‘Do you want me to heal Swinub as well, Candice?’

‘Why not?’ Candice said, chucking her Poké Ball at Roark as he ran past her towards the exit. ‘Snorunt and Roselia against each other again, huh, Gardenia?.’

‘And again, Candice,’ Gardenia grinned. ‘I will win.’