Pokémon Amethyst (AU)

Chapter Four

The doors to the Arrowell Gym were revolving. Despite the quaint little village it was situated in, the interior was relatively modern. There were several trainers hanging out in there, chatting about various things. I couldn't help but overhear a group of teenage girls gushing over Champion Kossi. "He was so hot, literally, the hottest man in Taldourse!" A red-haired girl in a yellow tank top expressed. The brunette standing beside her nodded her head in agreement. "I cried for a solid week after he died." She retorted. "I wonder what happened to his Champion's Crown?" The pink haired girl queried. The others looked at her with sadness. "His wife probably kept it. Wherever she is now." The redhead theorised. The brunette nodded her head before her eyes suddenly widened. "You don't think that Team Moon could've swiped it, do you?!" The other girls gasped, and so did I.

The pink haired girl's eyes then fell on me, and upon seeing my reaction, she spoke, "Hey! Don't listen in on people's conversations!"

"Sorry." I said. "But I couldn't help but overhear you mentioned Team Moon... what do you know about them?"

"Not that much, to be honest," the redhead replied. "All I know is that they're bad news." The others nodded in agreement.

"Okay..." I nodded. "Do you know anything about Champion Kossi's death? Was he ill?"

The girls all looked at each other, before the brunette turned to me. "Nobody knows. Everyone has all kinds of different theories. But it's literally just speculation. Nobody knows for sure. The Elite Four have always been rather tight-lipped about that subject."

Hmm... strange.

I excused myself to challenge the gym, and the teenagers bid me a small goodbye, before I entered into the stadium. Upon entering, I was approached by a blue-haired man with a flower in his hair. He was cheerful, and had a spring in his step. "Hi, young challenger! Are you here to face Blade?"

"Yeah, I am." I smiled. "Name's Y/N."

Okie-dokie, it's time for a pop quiz!" He excitedly clapped his hands together. "Follow me!"

He began running, and eventually we came to a very narrow corridor, yet he didn't stop. The corridor was lined with weeping vines and I had to push them out the way with my hands as I rushed after the jolly fellow. He eventually stopped at a door and ushered me in.

"Your challenger has arrived!" The blue-haired man bowed before a young man with lime-green hair styled to mimic blades of grass and a matching athletic suit nodded, walking towards me. He was extremely tall and muscular.

"Hey, I'm Blade! I'm the gym leader."

I introduced myself, and he took my hand in his large one, proceeding to give me one of the firmest handshakes I'd ever had. I thought he was going to pull my arm off.

"It's good to meet you, Y/N. Of course, I've heard nothing but good things about you! Now, do you understand the premise of the gym challenge?"

"I got the basics, I suppose." I shrugged.

"Okay well, the gym badges aren't just given on the premise of how strong your Pokemon are. We gotta test your brain, too!" He hopped up on the stage. "Stuart! Grab him/her a seat!"

"Roger that!" The blue-haired flower man grabbed a spinny chair and wheeled it into the middle of the room, directly facing the stage. There was a huge electronic screen complete with fluorescent lights attached to the wall.

Sheesh, what kind of budget is this? I wondered to myself.

I sat down, and the chair swivelled slightly, as the lights dimmed and the show board began to dazzle, and quiz-show music began to play. I felt as though I was on one of those TV Game Shows. Blade stepped up and grabbed a microphone.

"Good afternoon, everybody! And by everybody, I mean the two people who are in this room!" This earned a chuckle from both me and Stuart, who was now standing on the sidelines waiting for Blade's next instruction.

Blade cleared his throat. "The rules of the challenge are simple: I will ask you a bunch of super fun questions, and you will give me some equally fun answers! If you get enough questions right, you'll be able to battle me. Are we clear?"

I nodded.

"Okay, DRUMROLL PLEASE!"

Stuart proceeded to bang his hands vigorously against a nearby desk, and Blade's voice boomed through his microphone.

"FIRST QUESTION!!! What is the name of the Greatest Champion in Taldoursian History?! Is it A - Kossi; is it B - Clyde or is it C - ME?!"

"A!" I yelled out in answer.

"And you are totally correct! Although I was kinda hoping you'd say C," Blade pulled a hilariously fake pouty face which elicited a giggle from Stuart.

"Alright! Next question! What is the name of the mysterious Cult that has baffled the region for centuries in terms of its antics? Is it A - Team Rocket, B - Team Moon, or C; Team Skull?"

"Team Moon!" This was an easy question, although I knew Taldourse had an equally difficult relationship with Team Rocket.

"Correct!" Blade announced, clapping his hands. Stuart grinned and also clapped his hands along with Blade. "Alright! Eyes on the prize! The prize, of course, being a spectacular battle with moi! Final question, and you're in!"

"Got it!" I called. Blade and Stuart's infectious, warm energy had rubbed off on me somehow, and I was now getting into the spirit of Pokemon battles.

"And finally! What is the name of the rich celebrity in Galar with the stupid haircut!"

"Wait, what?" I did a double take at the absurdity of the question.

"Yeah, I didn't write the questions," Blade admitted before sending Stuart a glare. Stuart only winked in response.

"You're talking about Sordward!" I exclaimed, remembering him from live television. When Flossi and Kossi visited Galar years back, they had shaken hands with a bunch of important people, including Sordward, and nobody could forget the look on their faces when they were confronted with his haircut. Their reaction was so priceless it went viral all over Taldourse and became a beloved meme. I looked to my left and Stuart was stood there cringing with his head in his hands. "Jeez, I have nightmares about that guy and his hair every single night!"

"Correct! Correct!" Blade cheered. "Mic drop!" He proceeded to drop the Mic on the floor, causing it to buzz in protest. Stuart and Blade began cheering and clapping for me.

"Congratulations, challenger!" Blade sang before jumping off the stage to shake my hand in yet another extremely harsh handshake. "It's time for the moment you've been waiting for! Stuart, please vacate the battlefield, I don't want to mess up your wonderful hair!"

Stuart immediately nodded before disappearing through the door. Blade walked to one end of the pitch, and I walked down to the other. We both pulled out our Pokeballs.

"Ready?!"

"I was born ready!"

"Here we go!"

You are challenged by Gym Leader Blade!