"She has trained Exeggutor well." Misty nodded in compliment.
In the past week, Leaf worked with Anira to teach Exeggutor a decent Psychic-Type move since it had not learned one on Evolution. Aizen's Mega Metagross had helped with that. It used its Psychic Powers to teach Exeggutor how to form a Psychic Focus and instructed on using Extrasensory.
The move took the multi-headed Pokémon over 5 days to perfect. And it proved to be a good choice.
"Exeggutor is strong." Anira confidently said, but then her smile thinned. "However, now Violet knows which Pokemon to use to counter it. It would be a tough match."
"Go, Tentacruel!"
"What..." Anira looked at her choice in amazement. This was not what she was expecting. "Why Tentacruel?" She frowned.
"Poison is weak to Psychic, and Grass is weak to Poison." Daisy smiled at her. "A Gym Leader's job is to test the Challengers as best as they can, not to make sure that they always win. It is not an Elite Four Match." She giggled.
Anira nodded her head and smiled at the Two Pokemon that were staring at each other.
"This will be close." She crossed her arms on her chest and nodded to herself. "But Exeggutor will win in the end."
"We shall see." Daisy smiled brightly at her confidence and waited for the next round to start.
"Tentacruel vs Exeggutor!" Lily submitted the information on her Dex and smiled at her sister and Leaf before raising her hand. "Begin!"
"Tentacruel, greet our Challenger with Ice Beam." Violet calmly ordered.
"Use Leaf Storm to counter it!"
The two Powerful moves collided, and eventually, the storm of leaves won, cancelled the Ice Beam out and hit Tentacruel.
"Tenta.." The Pokemon groaned in a pain, but the damage seemed insignificant because there was no change in its demeanour.
"Rain Dance..." Violet whispered.
The water Pokemon called onto the cloud that gathered over the retracted roof of the Gym, and rain started pouring down.
"Screech."
"Don't let it! Giga Drain!"
"Tenta!!!"
The tentacle Pokemon groaned in pain as a green light started blinking around it, but it kept recovering all the lost energy under the rain that was pouring down on it now.
"Rain Heart..." Leaf's heart skipped a beat.
This Pokemon possessed the same ability as Aizen's Wartortle.
Just when she panicked a little, a powerful screech rattled everyone. With Exeggutor taking the most brunt of it.
"Wrap." Violet calmly commanded her Pokemon who approached Exeggutor and wrapped itself around it.
"Throw it off! Use Extrasensory!" Leaf cried out, but her Pokemon had now fallen into a confused state.
"Hex."
Tentacruel performed the Ghost-Type move where a malevolent energy erupted from its body.
Exeggutor was already confused and ended up taking massive damage from the move.
"Exeggutor..." It was in a pitiful state right now.
"Extrasensory!" Leaf cried out again.
This time, her Pokemon was not confused and did as commanded.
Tentacruel was hit by an invisible force that pulled it off Exeggutor and sent it high in the air.
"Leaf Storm!" Leaf wasted no time.
"Sludge Wave!"
The two attacks collided, and this time, Exeggutor was overpowered as Poison energy rained down on it.
"Exeggutor..." It dropped on one knee and panted as it fell under the Poisoned state.
Leaf could see that her Pokemon was not in good shape, and Tentacruel seemed a little better off.
Things were not working according to her plans. And it was painful the way her mind was running with multiple thoughts now.
"Wood Hammer!" She ordered her Pokemon, hoping that it would manage to perform the attack.
Tentacruel was still in the air, on its way down, and failed to do anything.
The power behind the move rattled it, and it crashed onto the wall of the pool several metres away.
Exeggutor took more damage from the self-harm Wood Hammer did, and dropped onto the disc, struggling to get back on its feet.
"Stay strong!" Leaf clenched her fists. "Use Extrasensory! Don't give it any time to recover."
"Exeggutor..."
The glow in its eyes disappeared, and a painful groan of Tentacruel sounded out. It was once again hit hard up in the air by an invisible force and this time, the damage was very significant.
"Ice Beam!" Violet called out.
"Giga Drain!"
Violet sighed when she saw what was happening. She already knew the result after Tentacruel's body started blinking a green light.
Ice Beam was cancelled before it could be performed and the tentacle Pokemon was groaning in a lot of pain now, right on the verge of fainting.
"Give it your all! Leaf Strom!"
However, Lead did not want to take any risks.
"Exeggutor!"
The merciless attack squarely landed on the already haggard Pokemon.
Tentacruel was simply helpless in the storm that enveloped it.
Exeggutor lost balance and fell on its knees, tired, but still staring at Tentacruel that was dropping down. It acted strong, but it was totally spent.
If the opponent got up again, there was nothing it could do to defend an attack, much less reply with one.
The tentacle Pokemon dropped down on a disc, and the gem on its head dimmed. It was no longer conscious to utilise its ability and recover from the rain that was still pouring down on it.
"Tentacruel is unable to continue. Exeggutor Wins! The Winner of the Match is the Challenger!" Lily raised her hand and called the result.
Leaf's body trembled before she too fell on her knees like her Pokemon. Her head was lowered and her fists were clenched tightly.
She knew that if Tentacruel had gotten one more chance at Exeggutor, this match would have been Violet's win. But she was proud of herself and her Pokemon. It was just that the emotions she was feeling were overwhelming her right now.
It was her first Gym Win. The first step to making a name for herself.
She felt a hand comfortingly land on her head, and she subconsciously leaned into the caress.
"You did well." Aizen crouched by her side and smiled at her.
"Thank you!" She blushed and did not dare to raise her head to look him in the eyes.
"You should call back Exeggutor. He needs rest."
"Oh, my god..." Leaf abruptly stood up and plucked the Pokeball from her belt. She was really embarrassed that she had forgotten to recall Exeggutor. "Return!"
The multi-headed Pokemon was enveloped in a red beam of light that sent it back inside its Pokeball.
"You did well." She lovingly whispered before planting a kiss on the Pokeball and storing it on her belt.
"Congratulations, Leaf!" Anira called out and hugged her friend. "It was a great Match."
"Thank you!"
Misty, Daisy, and Lily approached her to congratulate her on her win, and with every compliment, her confidence rose. She felt better and in control of her emotions.
"It was a good match, Leaf." Violet finally made her way over to the group and stood in front of the hazel-eyed girl. "Here's your reward!" She presented the Cascade Badge to the young trainer.
Leaf accepted the badge with a bright smile and then turned around to proudly flash it at Aizen.
"I won!"
"Yes. You won." He chuckled and patted her head some more.
"And now it is your turn! We will celebrate in a restaurant after your win!" She confidently spoke.
"He has to win first," Edric called out to them as he walked over to take his Position on the other end of the Arena.
Aizen smiled at his words, but did not say anything in reply.
"Go on, girls." He said to the people surrounding him. "I don't want to keep the Guardian of the Cerulean City waiting."
"Good luck!" Anira hugged him and then grabbed Leaf's hand before heading to the stands.
Misty stepped forward and planted a kiss on his cheek before running off to sit with her friends.
Lily did the same to his other cheek before following her little sister.
"Best of luck!" Violet only shook her head at the antics of her younger sisters and wished Aizen before taking her seat, a little away from the rest.
"Seems like you will be needing all the luck for this match." Daisy winked at him before walking over to the Referee's Square and taking her position.
"The Gym Battle between Cerulean City Guardian and Aizen Orayen is about to commence. The battle is over the Cascade Badge. The Standard Rules of the Battle apply in this Match." She patiently spoke. "The Battle will be a 3v3. The Gym Leader will choose their Pokemon first and are not allowed to substitute them at any point in the match. The Challenger may use substitution if their Pokemon has survived 5 minutes in that round or has won the previous round. Any questions?" She looked at Aizen.
"No." He shook his head.
"Gym Leader, please choose your first Pokemon!" She called out to her father.
"Hope you are prepared..." Edric smiled at Aizen. "I told you that I won't be going easy. Come on out, Slowking." He threw his Pokeball in the air and summoned the royal Pokemon.
Aizen stared at the Psychic-Water Pokemon thoughtfully. And quickly made his choice.
Not like he had a lot of options on his hands.
"Go, Wartortle!" He called out to his Pokemon.
"Wartortle!"
The indigo tortoise stared the Slowking in the eyes, and there was an excited grin plastered on its face.
"Slowking vs Wartortle!" Daisy raised her hand after she was done setting up everything on her Dex. "Begin!"