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After passing through the Slowpoke-filled streets, Liam and Delia finally arrived at the Pokémon Center in Azalea Town. Once they presented their trainer IDs to Nurse Joy, they were able to finally rest and relax.
The two of them discussed their next steps while in their room and ultimately decided to stick to the plan they had made back in Violet City.
First, Delia would take on the Azalea Gym challenge. If she succeeded, they'd spend the remaining time sightseeing and enjoying everything the town had to offer.
But if she failed, Delia would undergo special training under Liam's guidance and attempt the challenge again—repeating as necessary until she succeeded.
With the plan settled, and both of them exhausted from the day's travel, they quickly drifted off to sleep.
. . .
The next morning, they had a simple breakfast at the Pokémon Center. After asking Nurse Joy for directions to the Azalea Gym and thanking her, they set off toward their destination.
The Azalea Gym was known for its specialty in Bug-type Pokémon and was located on the eastern side of town, inside a massive insectarium.
Following Nurse Joy's directions, Liam and Delia arrived at the insectarium. They couldn't help but gasp in awe at the massive glass structure.
The front gate was wide open, with no guards in sight—it seemed there were no restrictions on entry. So, without hesitation, the two walked right in.
But once inside, they were surprised again. What greeted them wasn't a sterile exhibit, but a lush, dense forest—so natural and wild it bore no signs of human construction.
"Excuse me! Is anyone here? We're here for a Gym challenge!"
Delia looked around at the thick forest, unsure of what to do. After a moment of hesitation, she raised her hand and shouted into the woods, hoping someone would respond.
Rustle rustle~ rustle rustle~
Just as her voice faded, a wave of rustling came from deep within the trees. A moment later, the sound of slicing wind followed, and Liam instinctively looked up.
From above, several furious-looking Beedrill with glowing sharp stingers came hurtling toward them at full speed.
"Scyther—use the back of your blade!"
Liam stepped in front of Delia and growled out the command. A flash of white light shot from behind him as Scyther's form burst into the air. Its scythe-like arms glowed with pale light, and with a single beat of its wings, it turned into a streaking blur—slicing straight through the Beedrill formation.
BZZZZT!!
In a blink, the Beedrill froze mid-air—then one by one, dropped to the ground with a dull thud.
However, Scyther had used a non-lethal Back Blade Strike—a technique meant to go easy on opponents—so the downed Beedrill, though dazed, weren't seriously injured. After a few moments of staggering, they buzzed their wings in panic and quickly retreated back into the forest.
"Chaaasss!"
Watching the Beedrill flee, Scyther let out a low, unsatisfied growl, clearly displeased by the lack of a real fight.
Rustle rustle~
Just then, the nearby bushes rustled again. Scyther immediately perked up, snapping its head toward the sound, eyes sharp and ready for another clash.
"Something else is coming! Don't tell me it's another attack? What kind of Gym is this? Letting Pokémon ambush trainers like this? Doesn't the Gym Leader care?!"
Still rattled from the Beedrill ambush, Delia frowned and muttered angrily as she backed away slightly, eyeing the bush with caution.
"A Gym Leader's Pokémon are, of course, not allowed to attack trainers… But those Beedrill were wild. It's currently their breeding season, so their tempers are especially volatile. Your loud shouting probably startled and angered them—so in truth, the fault lies with you two, not this Gym."
Just as Delia finished her complaint, a man with silver hair wearing a gray-green coat emerged from the bushes, some leaves still stuck to him. His gaze was lazy, his tone calm.
"Ah! It's a person! That scared me… Who are you? What are you doing here?"
Delia was startled by his sudden appearance. With no time to mentally prepare, she reflexively jumped behind Liam, peeking out with just her head to yell back at him.
"Heh… My name is Ginko. I'm the Gym Leader of the Azalea Gym. Since this is my Gym, of course I'm here. Still, I wasn't expecting to see such an impressive Scyther here—it really made my day! Young man, is that Scyther yours? Are you also here for the Gym challenge?"
The silver-haired man who introduced himself as Ginko smiled warmly as he answered Delia, then turned his attention to Scyther—who still looked irritated at not getting a real battle.
The moment Ginko laid eyes on Scyther, his previously half-lidded eyes widened with admiration. He was clearly impressed and quickly asked Liam the question directly.
"Haha, I see—you're the Gym Leader then. My apologies for earlier… And yes, this Scyther is my Pokémon. But I'm not here for a challenge; I'm just accompanying someone else."
Liam smiled as he recalled Scyther back into its PokeBall, then casually stepped aside to reveal Delia standing behind him.
"Sigh… That's a real shame. I thought I might get to see a thrilling battle… What a letdown."
Ginko let out two dramatic sighs, shaking his head as he spoke with obvious disappointment.
"Hey! Don't make that face, old man! I'm strong too, you know! I won't let you down!"
Delia puffed up, clearly not happy with being overlooked. She stepped forward indignantly and shouted at him.
"Oh? Is that so? Then tell me—how many badges do you have?"
Ginko raised an eyebrow and gave her a quick once-over, slightly more curious now.
"Uh… well, just one for now. But that doesn't mean anything! I'm still super strong!"
Delia crossed one arm under her Pokémon egg, the other on her hip, brimming with confidence.
"…Alright then, I got it. You two—come with me. Stay close, and don't get lost."
Ginko's eyelid twitched as he looked at Delia, as if he could already foresee the "tragic" battle to come. But he had no other choice—it was his duty as Gym Leader. So with a resigned sigh, he led Liam and Delia deeper into the forest.