Pokemon: Skybound

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Since Kai had finally arrived, Rudy had no choice but to abandon his plans for lunch and lead him to the battlefield.

However, just before they left, Kai suddenly noticed something peculiar inside the Gym, from an adjacent room, a rhythmic, upbeat melody was playing.

Glancing toward the open doorway, he was met with a rather bizarre sight.

A dozen or so Pokémon of various species were moving in sync with the music, twisting and swaying in ways that could only be described as… dancing.

"What… are they doing?"

Hearing Kai's question, Rudy didn't seem too interested in answering, but his little sister, Mahri, beamed proudly.

"They're dancing!" she chirped.

"Dancing?"

Kai blinked, momentarily thrown off.

At first, he thought they were undergoing some kind of special training. But no these Pokémon were literally just dancing!

He had expected something more serious, but instead, he was met with Pokémon mimicking human dance steps, which, given their different body structures, looked undeniably comical.

Mahri nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! Every Pokémon in our Gym learns to dance. It's a special training method unique to Trovita Gym!"

Perhaps her explanation was too vague, or maybe the word special had made Rudy a little uncomfortable. Either way, despite his reluctance to entertain Kai, Rudy couldn't help but elaborate.

"Hmph. The old-fashioned way of just teaching Pokémon moves is outdated! This is a training method I personally developed. It may not seem directly related to battling, but through this process, Pokémon can drastically improve their abilities."

"Drastically improve?"

Kai scrutinized the Pokémon's movements but didn't notice anything particularly remarkable.

Based on his understanding, dancing could enhance a Pokémon's coordination and flexibility, similar to how human athletes incorporate footwork drills into their training.

However…

Having Hitmonchan, Electabuzz, or even Ninetales practice dance routines made some sense. But Starmie? Golem?

How exactly were they supposed to benefit from this?

One was a floating, gem-bodied Pokémon, and the other was a massive, rocky boulder. Asking them to twist and bend was just… absurd.

Still, even if he found it odd, Kai didn't comment further.

Everyone had their own training philosophy. It wasn't his place to judge how Rudy ran his Gym.

---

Since Rudy and Mahri had skipped lunch waiting for Kai, they settled for some bread as a quick snack before leaving the Gym.

Following Rudy, Kai and Sabrina, along with a small entourage of Rudy's subordinates and Mahri, walked along a coastal path until they arrived at a towering cliffside.

The area was barren, devoid of vegetation, but what truly caught Kai's attention was the remnants of old excavation work on the rocky terrain.

The people of Trovita Island had once carved away massive chunks of the land to create the colossal stone pillars that now stood in the sea pillars that had altered the treacherous currents and saved countless lives.

Standing at the cliff's edge, Kai peered down at the ocean below.

Dozens of whirlpools churned violently, sucking the seawater downward into an endless abyss.

It was obvious if anyone were to fall in, whether a skilled swimmer or a sturdy ship, there would be no escape.

Rudy gestured toward the pillars. "That over there is our battlefield."

Kai followed his gaze and saw a large, flat plateau emerging from the ocean.

The surface, seemingly cut from a mountain, was roughly the size of a soccer field. At its centre, a perfectly marked battle arena had been drawn.

Just the sight of it stirred something inside Kai. It had been far too long since he had a proper Gym battle.

As he took in the sight of the arena, he felt the thrill of battle reignite within him.

Rudy, noticing Kai's excitement, smirked and added, "Of course, the real question is… how do you plan to get there?"

"This is the final test before our match. If you can't reach the battlefield, I can arrange for my hot air balloon to take you across," he said, tilting his head toward a nearby launch site.

Kai glanced over and saw a stationary hot air balloon tethered to the ground.

It was understandable why such an option existed. The distance from the cliff to the battlefield was at least 300 meters too far to jump. Without a Flying-type Pokémon, getting there safely would be impossible.

But for Kai, this was a non-issue.

Reaching for his belt, he retrieved a Poké Ball and released Charizard.

"RROOOOAAARRRRGGHH!!"

The dragon roared, flaring its wings as Kai casually climbed onto its back.

Rudy's expression faltered slightly as if a part of him had been hoping to see Kai struggle.

Just as Sabrina stepped forward to join him.

Rudy suddenly held out a hand, blocking her path.

"Ah, my dear lady, I'm afraid only the competitors are allowed on the battlefield," he said with an apologetic shake of his head. "You'll have to stay behind and watch with my sister and the others."

Sabrina narrowed her eyes.

It was clear that Rudy was deliberately separating her from Kai.

She glanced at Kai questioningly, silently asking if she should "deal" with this nuisance.

Kai simply smiled and shook his head.

Sabrina let out a small sigh but complied, stepping back to board the hot air balloon with Mahri and the Gym's attendants.

Meanwhile, Kai and Charizard took to the sky, reaching the battlefield long before Rudy even released his own Pidgeot to follow.

---

Once on the battlefield, standing atop the plateau, Kai could fully appreciate the setting.

The wind was harsh, carrying the salty sting of seawater. Below them, the waves crashed endlessly against the stone.

It wasn't just a battle for the Pokémon even the trainers had to endure these extreme conditions.

Across from him, Rudy finally landed and flipped his hair dramatically.

"Alright," he declared. "If you manage to defeat me, you'll earn the Spike Shell Badge."

Then, with a smug grin, he added, "So, which Pokémon will you be using first?"

Normally, Gym Leaders were the ones who sent out their Pokémon first.

However, in Trovita Gym, battles were conducted using matching types meaning the challenger had to reveal their Pokémon first, so the Gym Leader could select a corresponding opponent.

It wasn't the most exciting format, but it did ensure that matches weren't decided by type advantage alone.

Kai didn't waste time thinking about it.

Since Charizard was already out, he decided to let it stay in for the first round.

"Charizard," he called. "You're up first."

ROOOOAR!

The flame-tailed dragon landed on the ground with a thunderous impact, spreading its wings wide.

"Well, well," Rudy mused, reaching for a Poké Ball. "A Fire-type, huh? I suppose I'll match you with… this!"

With a flick of his wrist, he threw out his first Pokémon and in a burst of light, a Ninetales emerged onto the battlefield!

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