Pokemon: A Gym Leader's Rise(SI)

The arena was still buzzing with the energy of the preliminaries when Gwen stepped into her battle. The crowd's murmur rose as the spotlight shifted to Field 6, where the young trainer took her position.

Gwen's confident smile, matched only by the mischievous glint in her eyes, set the tone. Her partner for this match was her trusted Gengar.

From the beginning of the match, it was clear that Gengar was in top form. Almost as soon as the opposing trainer released a rugged, determined Sandshrew, Gengar launched a single, devastating Shadow Ball. The dark, swirling energy moved with blistering speed, hitting Sandshrew with unerring accuracy. In a flash, the Sandshrew was overwhelmed, knocked off its feet by the sheer force of the attack.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the display of raw power and speed made it abundantly clear that Gwen and her Gengar were a force to be reckoned with.

Back in the participants section, Gladion watched Gwen's match with a mix of admiration, excitement, and a hint of competitive tension.

He knew that when the time came for his sister to face him in the later stages of the tournament, it would be a showdown for the ages—one that pitted family against family.

He couldn't help but feel a strange thrill at the prospect of battling his sister.

From his shoulder, Nyx, his ever-observant Umbreon, broke the silence with a teasing lilt in her voice.

[Mistress Gwen might beat you, master. You should prepare yourself for humiliation.] Her tone dripped with playful sarcasm, and Gladion felt a blush creep up his face as he shot her a reproachful look.

"Nyx, stop torturing me psychologically!" he muttered under his breath. "I'm not ready for your snarky predictions of doom."

Nyx's eyes glimmered with mischief as she replied, [Oh, come now, you know deep down that Mistress Gwen's got the edge. Just admit it, master.@! The banter between trainer and Pokémon left Gladion both exasperated and oddly amused, a reminder of the quirky dynamic that defined his team.

As the preliminaries continued over the next few days, every trainer battled through three to four matches. The tournament format was relentless—initial one-versus-one duels whittled the field down until 256 remained, then a transition to two-versus-two battles reduced the numbers to 64.

Amid this grueling gauntlet, the arena soon buzzed with a stunning statistic: three trainers had won all their battles, including the two-versus-two rounds, with just one of their Pokémon and without suffering a single loss.

The gigantic screen overhead flashed the triumphant images for all to see. First was Gladion with his mighty Machamp, affectionately known as Guy in his wild, green spandex ensemble.

Next, Gwen and her Gengar was shown in all its spectral glory, and finally, Sabrina and her Alakazam—whose unmatched psychic prowess had dazzled audiences at every turn.

Later that evening, backstage near the bustling corridors of the stadium, Gwen and Gladion finally crossed paths. In a quieter corner away from the raucous cheers, the siblings exchanged greetings that were as familiar as they were competitive. Gladion greeted her with a smirk and a curt, "Sis."

Gwen's retort was swift and teasing, as she and her ever-loyal Gengar stepped forward. "Soon to be loser," she quipped with a playful glint in her eyes, causing a tick to appear on Gladion's face.

The siblings immediately launched into a friendly yet fierce debate about who was more likely to win the tournament—and more importantly, who would claim grandpa's coveted room as their own in the family home.

"Don't you see?" Gwen argued, crossing her arms as her Gengar floated ghost-like beside her. "I'm the better strategist, and my Gengar's speed is unmatched. You might have your Machamp's brute strength, but my moves are precise and deadly."

Gladion laughed, shaking his head. "Oh, please. Your Gengar might be fast, but I've seen your moves—so flashy and predictable. I'm the one who's going to outlast you in the finals. Plus, I've got a secret weapon: Guy's ridiculous outfit." He gestured toward the image of his Machamp still wearing the infamous green spandex.

"I mean, who else can pull off a jumpsuit that even the opponents are too busy laughing to fight?"

Gwen snorted. "You love that outfit just as much as I hate it! You're practically parading around like you've won a costume contest. And yet, you'd be surprised how effective it is. Guy's energy is infectious—if only you could match it."

Nyx rolled her eyes dramatically as if she couldn't believe the absurdity of it all. [I swear, you two,] she muttered under her breath, [if you keep arguing like this, I'm going to have to charge you both for my emotional labor.]

Sabrina appeared from behind Gladion as she looked at the two siblings arguing with a puzzled face.

Gwen raised an eyebrow and looked at Sabrina with curiosity. "Is she your girlfriend?" she teased, a sly smile forming on her lips.

Gladion's face flushed deep red as he sputtered, "I—I'm not in a relationship! I mean, come on, can we focus on the tournament?"

"Hey, You must be Gladion's sister. Gwen. Vortex ," Sabrina greeted, her tone friendly and unguarded. "I just caught a glimpse of your match. That Shadow Ball of yours? Absolutely stellar. I'd say your Gengar's got serious speed."

At this moment Gladion was proud. Sabrina was now able to handle social interactions.

Gwen chuckled and brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Thanks, Sabrina. I've heard you've a strong Alakazam yourself. Honestly, it's a relief to see someone else who isn't completely obsessed with, you know, being the 'best' all the time." Her voice carried a teasing lilt, as if referring to a well-known quirk of their mutual acquaintance.

Sabrina though caught on it "Oh, you mean Gladion? The man who believes every move is destined for greatness? I sometimes think he has a secret battle strategy titled 'How to Overcomplicate Everything 101.'"

Gwen laughed, nodding in agreement. "Exactly! It's almost endearing—if it weren't so exhausting. Every time he starts on one of his grand plans, I swear I hear him plotting like he's in a never-ending chess match. And then, just as he's about to unleash his 'brilliance,' something invariably goes sideways."

Gwen spoke next with a brilliant idea "You know, Sabrina, sometimes I wonder if we should form our own little alliance—a secret committee, if you will—to keep him in check."

Sabrina gave her a questioning look.

Gwen explained "We'd meet in secret, plot harmless pranks against him, maybe even sneak in some much-needed reality checks. It could be fun—almost like our own covert operation."

What Sabrina did not know was that none of Gwen's pranks were harmless. But well she was innocent and readily agreed. She wanted to get revenge against Gladion after all.

'That troublesome Gladion should get a taste of his own medicine for troubling me so much.' Sabrina thought but if Gladion had heard her thoughts 'He would have shouted 'Who are you calling troublesome, troublesome? You are the trouble magnet!!!!'

Both Gwen and Sabrina shook their hands with a smile on each of their face.

"What is this?" Gladion blurted, his voice tinged with panic as he took in the scene. "Are you two… becoming friends?"

Gwen, ever the instigator of good humor, flashed him a playful smirk. "Oh, come on, brother. We're just sharing a few thoughts, that's all."

Sabrina tilted her head and added, "Yes, nothing too serious. Just a bit of friendly chatter—and maybe plotting to keep your colossal ego in check."

For a moment, the air thickened with the weight of Gladion's dismay. His heart pounded as he tried to process the idea that his biggest enemies were bonding in a way that might, in the long run, leave him emotionally traumatized. His face flushed an alarming shade of red, and he took a step back, his eyes wide with a mixture of disbelief and horror.

Before he could protest further, Nyx appeared at the edge of the group, her eyes gleaming with playful mischief and a hint of ominous finality. [Master, I see the unthinkable has happened,] she drawled, her tone both teasing and foreboding. [Your two mightiest enemies are now chummy. I must say, this spells doom for your days of solitary peace.]

Before Gladion could react, Nyx looked at the two girls and asked [Can I join your alliance, mistresses?]

Both the girls looked at each other and then at Nyx. Both of them nodded before all three of them had an evil grin on their faces.

This was the final straw for Gladion. With a scared look, he teleported towards his mother who was staying in the hotel in the same city.

"MOM SAVEEEE MEEEE FROM THIS EVIL!!!" His shout was heard throughout the entire hotel.

-----Author Notes------

Y'all can read 15 extra chapters on my pat*reon. 3 more than what was offered earlier!!

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