The locker room itself isn't anything different than the others that I have been in at the previous gyms. Though now that I take a moment to look, I realize that all the lockers are around the room with a single toilet in the corner. Similar to how the Pokecenter is fully unisex with minimal privacy, Erika's gym follows a similar setup. I just shrug and set down the bag on a nearby bench.
With my hands free, I unstrap my pokebag and holster from my thigh and set it down on the bench beside the bag that Erika gave me. I unzip the top before grabbing the hem of my half shirt I was wearing and pull it off in a single motion, letting my pert breasts greet the air once more. I fold the top before putting it into the bag and grabbing my shorts next. I realize I hadn't fixed them from earlier when I was feeling frisky, as the top button was still undone. I just finish unzipping them and let them drop around my ankles as I grab the top of my panties and slip them off my hips as well. I picked up everything off the floor as I kicked my shoes off and put them in the bag after folding them as well.
I take a moment to stretch slightly, getting my body warmed up for the battle. Feeling as though I have delayed long enough, I finally take out the clothes that Erika got for me. The first thing I pull out is a white sports bra, probably one close to my size, as Erika did get a chance to see me naked, and a pair of black stockings which I slip on. The stockings silhouette my long legs perfectly, making me twist and pose as I look. In this life, I have never been able to wear them, but in my old life I wore leggings all the time because they were comfortable.
After checking myself out for a bit, I pull out what is left in the bag. The outfit I pull out is surprisingly modest, and not one I would normally wear. It is a gray-blue long-sleeved shirt with cutouts on the shoulder and a matching skirt. The amount of cloth in my hands feels weird as I have only been wearing skimpy outfits most of the time. I slip them on and take a look in the nearby mirror. The outfit is classy yet modest. I can feel Erika's personality just from this, which brings me a smile. I pull out a pair of heels I feel fit the outfit and slip them on before zipping up my bag and picking it up.
Up until now, I was just going with the flow and letting things happen. Yet at this moment, as I stand outside of the Challenger Door, it finally hits me what I am about to do. I mean sure, I have been naked in public a number of times, but it was always with a smallish group of people. My walk to Vermillion only had about fifteen people see me, whereas on the Anne, nearly everyone was naked, so it didn't really matter. This though, is a major step up and maybe not in the right way. Yet, I have already committed to it, and Erika agreed. I let out a long breath that I didn't realize I was holding as I passed through the door and into the waiting arena.
*~*~*~*
"Welcome, everybody, to Celadon City Gym! We have a full roster today, filled with hopeful seedlings looking to bloom on their Journey to the Championship!" Called out the announcer as I waited to be called out for my battle. I spot Erika already waiting for me on her side of the arena. I have not yet had a chance to look at the arena, so I took a quick look. It is just a simple grass arena with two or three small bushes on each side, something rather plain. "To start things off, we have a special battle as our Challenger decided to be bold and leverage a bet against our beautiful Gym Leader. For those watching that don't understand what the difference is between a Bet Battle and a Standard Battle in a gym, let me enlighten you!
"In a Standard Battle, the Gym Leader is limited in the number and strength of their team. This is to ensure that every Challenger has a fighting chance to progress on to their next gym. For a Bet Battle, the rules are different, as a Gym Leader is allowed to use a team as if they were being challenged at two badges higher. This means that our lovely flower Erika will be giving us a battle worthy of someone earning their sixth badge! Now, I was not informed of what the conditions are for the bet, but you can be sure that we will all enjoy the process! With that all taken care of, let's welcome our Challenger! Frost Oak from Pallet Town, it is your turn to show your colors!"
The announcer finishes his introduction and makes a sweeping motion in my direction. Realizing that it was my cue, I step out from the shade of the door and head to my area of the arena. When I reach my spot, I can finally take a better look at Erika's outfit. I had figured she would change so that we had similar outfits, but I noticed that she went for a similar look, but the style is different. The undershirt and leggings of her outfit almost seem like a body suit under the dark red sundress she is wearing. She even changed her alice band to match the color of her dress.
"Alright Frost. As we had planned, this is going to be a four versus four battle with no swaps. If you are ready, hit the button in front of you." Erika says with a big smile on her face. I can see a hint of tension as well as a soft blush since she knows what will happen the moment one of us loses a Pokemon. That said, the no swap rule is going to make my life difficult. Suddenly, Erika's area lights up with green light, stating that she is ready.
I look down at my pokeballs, and I begin to think. I really didn't have much time to plan or train for this, so I am going to need to make choices on the fly. I have no idea who she has for a lineup, as I have seen and fought against other leaders using Pokemon from outside of the region. The fact that she is limited to Grass-Type Pokemon is a bit of a blessing, as her available list of Pokemon shrinks greatly and there is also the fact that Grass Types are weak to Ice. Thinking about it, I should probably keep Zephyr as my Ace since she is a flying counter to anything Erika can throw.
Skadi is also a solid choice for a second, leaving me with Lono and Aurora. Aurora just evolved and has very little training, and if I were to sacrifice her, it should probably be the third slot. That leaves Lono for being sent out first. He isn't my strongest, but he is small enough and fast enough that he might just be able to win. With a plan of attack in mind, I grab his pokeball and then hit the green button, which causes my little area of the arena to light up green like Erika's.
"Both battlers are ready! Release your Pokemon in 3…"
"2…"
"1…"
"Go!" "Lono lets go!" "Arbolvia, let's show them how to bloom."
The moment the announcer calls out 'Go', Erika and I toss our pokeballs into the center of the grassy field. In a small burst of red light, my little wind chime makes an excited tinkling noise. I can spot a tiny shimmer around him in the morning light, as the fact that his main body is made from ice means that the moisture in the air around him freezes as well. As I look at Erika's Pokemon, I realize he is much smaller. This will be to my benefit, as small targets are harder to hit.
Erika's Pokemon looks as if a tree came to life and decided that it wanted wings. The two large wings/hands spread out from its body like it wants to give you a hug. I am willing to bet that it is a great hugger as well. I should probably ask Erika after our battle. On the arms/wings, there are little brown fruits that look like pitted olives. Each of the olives are bigger in size than Lono is, making the size difference rather funny. If I recall correctly, this Pokemon is from the Paldea Region, yet unfortunately I don't know what its possible move sets are as I never used it during my playthroughs. I guess I am going to need to be on the ball today, as anything can happen and there is a lot at stake.