Pokemon: A Gym Leader's Rise(SI)

The rain from the rain dance continued to pour down weakening fire type moves, as the battle between Gladion and Erza raged on.

The air was thick with tension, the kind that only comes when a battle means more than just winning—it was a clash of pride, growth, and unspoken emotions. Well at least for our protagonist, Gladion.

Gladion's first Pokémon, Machoke, had fought valiantly but ultimately succumbed to the overwhelming might of Erza's Arcanine.

His powerful combo move, the combination of Thunder Punch and Fire Punch, had taken a toll on Arcanine, but it wasn't enough to bring down an Elite Pokémon.

Now, Gladion's team was down to only two active Pokémon: his Eevee, Nyx and the prized Milotic, Mystique.

"Go, Nyx," Gladion called, sending his small, determined Pokémon out onto the battlefield.

Eevee stood on the field, its body sleek and ready. Despite its tiny size in comparison to Arcanine, the fox Pokémon had grown stronger over the course of its training with Gladion. It was no longer just the cute, innocent Pokémon it once was.

It had learned to fight, to take down opponents with grace, and to think strategically. But against an opponent as fierce as Arcanine, it would be a true test.

Erza looked at her injured Arcanine, who was breathing heavily, clearly feeling the aftermath of Machoke's explosive moves. She frowned but quickly masked her concern.

Erza was lost in her own thoughts 'He has improved by a lot even when both me and Arcanine are holding back a little.'

'The way he's grown, the way he handles each Pokémon, it's impressive. He's learned to balance strength with strategy. I wonder what my dear son is planning now.' She had a smile on her face.

"Use Flame Wheel!" Erza ordered, and with a burst of energy, Arcanine hurled itself forward, flames surrounding its body like a fiery wheel of destruction.

The attack was swift, precise, and deadly, even though it was hampered by the rain. But the move still had enough force to create a shockwave, charging straight toward the small Eevee.

Gladion watched the scene unfold, his mind calculating his next move. Eevee wasn't capable of handling such a powerful attack head-on—not in its current state.

But Gladion had faith. The bond they shared was strong. Eevee wouldn't back down.

"Eevee, dodge it and use Bite!" Gladion shouted, hoping to catch Arcanine off guard.

The Eevee, reacting swiftly to its trainer's call, leaped out of the way of the incoming Flame Wheel. It was even faster than Machoke thanks to both Gravity training and it's small size.

The force of Arcanine's attack ruffled Eevee's fur, but it managed to avoid the brunt of the fiery assault. As soon as the Pokémon landed, it lunged forward, its sharp teeth aimed at Arcanine's leg. The Bite was quick, focused, and delivered with all of Eevee's strength.

Gwen, who was watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow at the sight. 'Damn Eevee is fast and she is got some guts, that's for sure. But I don't know if it's going to be enough...'

Arcanine, feeling the sharp pain from the bite, growled and twisted, using its powerful muscles to shake the Eevee off. It wasn't injured seriously, but the attack had landed, showing the strength of one of only three moves that Gladion had made Nyx train in.

Bite, so that it could evolve into Umbreon. Quick attack so that it would always have enough speed to attack and dodge. But the third move was Nyx's signature move. Something that would be used even when they would be fighting ace trainers or even elite four in the future.

Erza, not willing to let this continue for long, saw an opportunity. "Arcanine, use Flame Charge!" she ordered, and Arcanine complied, charging forward at full speed with a burst of fiery energy.

But there was a problem. Nyx, although small, was fast. And while it didn't have the sheer power to outmatch Arcanine, it had trained under Gladion's careful guidance. Nyx had learned a move—one that, although very difficult to master, would allow it to level the playing field.

"Eevee, use Copycat!" Gladion commanded.

Eevee's eyes narrowed with determination as it mimicked Arcanine's movement, its small form suddenly surrounded by fire as it used Flame Charge. The rain dance still suppressed the strength of the move, but it was enough to give Eevee a chance. The tiny Pokémon charged forward, attempting to strike with the same fire-infused speed as Arcanine.

Gwen's voice rang out in shock and surprise "What move is that? How can Eevee use flame charge?"

Despite its best efforts, Eevee was no match for Arcanine's superior strength and speed. But when two speeding things collide with each other, it was bound to damage both of them.

The two Pokémon collided in a burst of flames, and the difference in their abilities was clear. Arcanine's attack hit harder, and Eevee was sent flying back, knocked out by the sheer force of the collision. Arcanine had also taken further damage from the impact.

Gladion winced but didn't falter. His heart clenched a little at the loss of his Eevee, but he knew the Pokémon had done everything it could. Eevee had bought them time—and that was all Gladion needed.

"Well done, Eevee," he muttered under his breath before recalling the small Pokémon back to its Pokéball.

Erza watched the exchange with a thoughtful expression. "You've improved, Gladion."

Gladion didn't respond with words. Instead, he sent out his next Pokémon.

"Mystique, it's your turn."

The graceful Milotic appeared on the field, her long, serpentine body shimmering in the rain.

Erza's eyes narrowed, recognizing the water-type advantage Mystique had over her injured Arcanine.

She eyed her injured Arcanine. "You've got one last chance, Arcanine. Let's make it count."

Gladion smiled faintly, confident that this was the moment his team had been working toward. "Mystique, let's finish this."

Mystique's body coiled, her serene demeanor hiding the lethal power she wielded. "Use Aqua Tail!" Gladion commanded.

The Milotic responded with fluid grace, her tail swinging in an arc, crashing down toward Arcanine with a force that cut through the rain.

Arcanine struggled to dodge, weakened by a large degree from the earlier attacks. Mystique's Aqua Tail landed with a tremendous force, sending Arcanine tumbling back.

Arcanine, still recovering from the earlier blows, found itself unable to stand. The strength of the Aqua Tail combined with the continuing effects of the rain dance was enough to overwhelm it.

Arcanine though with sheer determination managed to stand up back on its feet. His mouth growling with flames showing why he was an Elite level Pokemon.

"That's it for today, Arcanine. We have lost this match. You win, Son" Erza said despite Arcanine's reluctance who barked in protest, clearly wanting to battle more.

Gladion jumped in joy as he hugged Mystique. He had done it. His team had done it.

Erza stood in silence for a moment, then shook her head in disbelief and then had a prideful smile on her face.

'That's… a 6-star badge team at least. Right there. And he has not even started his journey yet. He had grown a lot. The fact that he would manage to defeat Arcanine even though we were holding back is truly remarkable.'

Her eyes shifted from Arcanine to Gladion, her expression softening. "You've come a long way. I can't say that I'm not impressed."

Ben, who had been watching intently from the sidelines, let out a sigh of relief. "Looks like I won't have to worry about you anymore. Ben Jr.'s safe with such strong Pokemon on his team."

Gladion returned Mystique to her Pokéball and approached Erza, his gaze steady. "Thank you," he said simply. There was no need for any further words. He knew what this victory meant—both for him and for the bond he shared with his Pokémon.

He knew that his mom was holding back but he already knew that it was impossible to beat an Elite Pokemon with a team that has not even begin it's journey yet.

Gwen, watching the conclusion of the match, couldn't help but think to herself, 'Gladion has become strong. We would have to do a lot of work to defeat him, Gengar.'

Gengar standing quietly beside her, nodded in agreement. He could sense the strength in Gladion and his Pokemon as well.

-----Author Notes-------

Thankyou Toyo and Pato Senalima for supporting me.

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