Pokemon Heroes: Sinnoh Saga [Book 1]

Chapter 15: Sam's First Gym Battle

"The first Gym Battle a Trainer ever has is sacred to them—not to mention unique. It is a rite of passage for a Trainer, and no matter how many hundreds of other battles a Trainer may participate in in his lifetime, that first Gym Battle will always be a memory fresh in his mind. The first win, when you obtain a badge for the first time that comes just a bit after. Even to this day, 6 years after the fact, I still envision it as clearly as if the battle happened yesterday. My first battle was against the Gym Leader, Roark, in Oreburgh City. I had spent the entire trip from Jubilife to Oreburgh practicing and training. I knew I was going to win before I arrived."

"How're you feeling?" asked Alyssandra as she filed into the booth for breakfast.

"Nervous," said Sam as he pushed his egg around the plate, "Very nervous. This battle could determine my entire performance for the rest of the Pokémon League."

"It may feel that way," said Niya as she bit into some bacon, "But that's actually not true. Sometimes you just have off days, other days you're on a roll. It's really just a matter of chance and how prepared you are. You'll do fine, and after training yesterday I think your secret weapons will work."

"You think so?" asked Sam.

Niya gave him a look. "You think I would tell you that if I didn't think so?" she asked rhetorically.

"Just remain calm," said Jeremy, "Remember what Niya said to Alyssandra before her first contest; a Pokémon can sense its Trainer's feelings, so if you're scared and uncertain, they will be too."

Sam nodded. "You're right," he said, "Let's hurry and eat then. I want to call home before I battle Roark—and I also want some answers from Professor Rowan about the ancient Pokémon we caught."

Everyone nodded, and ate the rest of their meal quickly, hoping to get answers quickly. Once they finished, they rushed from the dining hall to the entrance hall, stopping at the videophones.

"Let's call Professor Rowan first," said Sam, "We'll get our answers, then we can call home and let them know we're here."

Sam dialled the number and waited as it rang. The videophone barely rang three times when Professor Rowan picked it up.

"Hello there, kids!" he smiled as he saw who was on the other line, "I'm glad you called, that must mean you're in Oreburgh City, am I right?"

Jeremy nodded. "Yeah," he replied, "Sam's about to challenge Roark to his first Gym Battle."

"Isn't that exciting," chuckled Professor Rowan, "I remember when I first battled the Oreburgh Gym Leader. It was many years ago though; your grandfather and I challenged him one after another. Your first Gym Battle is something you never forget. You must be nervous."

"I am," said Sam, "But I've been training and practicing hard since we left Jubilife, and I have a few secrets up my sleeve."

"That's good," smiled Professor Rowan, "It's always good to have a few tricks as a Trainer; personal ones too! It keeps your opponents on their toes. But you're a good Trainer, and I'm sure you'll win the battle and get the badge. So, is there something you wanted?"

"We wanted to know about ancient Pokémon," said Alyssandra.

"What do you want to know about them?" asked the professor.

"Are there any still alive?" asked Niya quickly.

Professor Rowan paused for a moment, and stared at Niya as if he misheard her, and only when he was certain he had heard her correctly.