The battlefield of Rustboro Gym looked exactly like the photos in the Trainer Handbook—wide, rocky terrain with uneven stone slabs scattered around the arena. Perfect ground for Rock-type Pokémon.
Roxanne stood opposite me with her usual composed smile, tablet in hand. The lights on the ceiling focused sharply on the field, making every pebble gleam.
"Welcome, challenger. I, Roxanne, will observe how you handle Rock-type defense and battle rhythm. Let us begin."
She raised her arm."Geodude! To the field!"
"Geo—DUDE!!"The Pokémon burst from its Pokéball, landing with a heavy thud that sent dust scattering.
My heart tightened in anticipation."Mawile, you're up!"
"Mawile!!"She appeared with confidence, her steel jaws clacking once like a warning.
Roxanne adjusted her glasses."I'll begin the first test. Geodude—Rollout!"
Geodude tucked its arms in and spun, rolling across the stone terrain like a speeding wheel. The sound echoed—crack, crack, crack—as it bounced between boulders. Every impact made it faster, smoother, more rhythmic.
Tch.A standard Rollout, but she's using the terrain to boost it.
Roxanne explained calmly as the spinning projectile blurred around the field."Rollout gains power with each consecutive hit. And when combined with Rustboro's uneven rocks, its speed accelerates more efficiently."
The Rollout zig-zagged suddenly—shifting direction using the rock faces as springboards.
Mawile braced, but Geodude swept past like a stone bullet, grazing her arm and sending her stumbling back.
"Mawile!"She recovered quickly, shaking off the dust.
"Geo-DUDE!!"Geodude increased speed again—the next hit would hurt far more.
But this time, I finally saw it.
The slight pause before each rebound.The angle of each turn.The rhythm of its movement.
"I get it now… Roxanne's using Rollout not as a rush attack, but as a pattern test."
Roxanne smiled faintly. "Good. Can you act on the information, though?"
"You bet."
I pointed sharply."Mawile, wait—don't dodge yet! Let it come!"
Mawile stood firm.The spinning shadow approached—fast, faster—too fast to evade.
"Now! Use your giant jaws—Bite and hold Geodude in place!"
"Maw!!"Her steel jaws snapped open wide.Just before Geodude slammed into her, the massive horn-jaw caught the spinning rock like a bear trap.
CLANG!!!
The impact made the entire gym tremble.
Geodude struggled, spinning aggressively but trapped. Mawile's feet dug into the floor, resisting the force.
Roxanne's eyes widened slightly."You used Mawile's deceptive anatomy… clever."
Geodude's rotation was slowing, the Rollout chain broken.
"This is our chance! Mawile—Iron Head!"
Mawile released the bite, her forehead gleaming with metallic light.She lunged forward—WHAM!!
Geodude was launched skyward, crashing onto the stone with a heavy BOOM.
Dust rose.
Silence followed.
Roxanne raised her hand."Geodude is unable to battle. Round one goes to Mawile."
I exhaled—a wave of relief washing over me.
Mawile shook her arms proudly, her jaws clicking with satisfaction.
Referee returned Geodude with respect. "That was an excellent read of tempo and terrain. You adapted faster than expected. Your Mawile displays not only strength but instinctive timing."
"Now… let us see if you can handle the second test."
Roxanne drew another Poké Ball from her belt and tossed it forward in a clean arc."It's your turn—Nosepass!"
A large, blocky Pokémon materialized mid-air before crashing onto the battlefield with a heavy thud. The ground trembled slightly beneath its weight, dust scattering from the impact.
"N-Nosepass…" I murmured, pulling out my Pokédex.
'Nosepass's magnetic nose always points north. When two meet, their magnetic noses repel each other, preventing face-to-face contact.'
"A magnetic nose… that's bad news for me." I muttered. I didn't yet know how Roxanne planned to use this trait, but I had a bad feeling.
"Nosepass, Sandstorm!" Roxanne commanded.
The battlefield instantly dissolved into swirling grit. Sharp sand grains whipped through the air, turning the scenery into a brown blur.
"Maw? Mawile?!" Mawile flinched, curling inward as the sand scraped against her steel body. She had never fought in conditions like this.
"Stay calm, Mawile! Focus on my voice!" I raised my tone above the storm.
"Maw!" Mawile steadied herself. She had already defeated Geodude—she couldn't fall apart now.
Roxanne smiled faintly. "Adjusting your Pokémon's emotions so quickly impressive. That is the foundation of an excellent trainer. But problem-solving is the true test." She lifted her hand."Nosepass, Zap Cannon!"
"What—? With this vision? How can it aim—"
A blinding sphere of electricity tore through the sandstorm and slammed squarely into Mawile. The explosion of sparks lit up the entire gym. Mawile staggered back, teeth clenched, but at least she avoided paralysis.
"How…? Nosepass can't possibly see through this—"Then the answer struck me.
"Nosepass… magnetic… My Mawile is a Steel type. Of course!"
Roxanne nodded, pleased."Oh? You realized it quickly. Yes—Nosepass's magnetic sense locks onto your Mawile's exact position, even in zero visibility. Vision is irrelevant."
She pushed her glasses up slightly."So, challenger—will you find a solution? Or will you be defeated here?"
I raised Mawile's Poké Ball. "Mawile, return and rest!"
But the red beam hit her—and she didn't move an inch.
"What—? Magnet Pull…" I clenched the Poké Ball. "That's why I can't withdraw her."
Roxanne smirked."You think I wouldn't prepare a strategy specifically for Steel-type opponents? Using Rock types without considering weaknesses would be unacceptable for a Gym Leader."
Her confidence radiated like the sandstorm itself.Now the real challenge had begun.