Grand Opening

After spending three days with Luna and the others in Verdanturf Town, Robert returned to Sootopolis City to continue their studies.

Shortly thereafter, Yuga received a call from Sasaki Makoto.

On the phone, Sasaki Makoto informed Yuga that the opening ceremony of the Verdanturf Gym was scheduled for one month later. During the ceremony, Mr. Norman, a Gym Leader from the Petalburg Gym, would present Yuga with the Gym Badge.

It wasn't surprising that Mr. Norman was chosen for this role, considering his esteemed status among Gym Leaders. He was more than capable of presenting Yuga with the Gym Badge.

Another piece of good news was that the Indigo potential Pokémon Egg Yuga had received from Virizion had finally hatched.

The egg's appearance had been quite ordinary, and Yuga had been unable to determine the species inside until it hatched into a Snivy.

Not only was it a Indigo potential Snivy, but it also had a hidden ability, Contrary.

Hidden ability Snivies were quite rare, and this was the first time Yuga had encountered one.

The training value of a Snivy with a hidden ability was higher than that of one with a regular ability, especially considering its Indigo potential.

Yuga couldn't help but be delighted by this Snivy, and shortly after, he received a call from his master.

Mr. Kuni'o requested that Yuga come to Mauville City for special training.

Mr. Kuni'o had watched the televised match from the Gym Challengers, and he wasn't entirely satisfied with Yuga's performance, leading to the special training plan.

Yuga hadn't immediately rushed to Mauville City upon his return, as he had many matters to attend to.

With the Gym now built and only the final appointment ceremony remaining, Yuga finally had some free time, prompting Mr. Kuni'o to call him.

Yuga naturally couldn't defy his master's orders. After briefing Beidou on the various matters at the shop, Yuga headed to Mauville City the next day.

Since he was going to Mauville City for special training, Yuga brought all his main Pokémon with him, including his Gengar and Mismagius for protection.

Yuga remained in Mauville City for an entire month until the day before the Gym's grand opening. During this time, Yuga coordinated the preparations for the Gym's opening via phone calls with Beidou.

Beidou successfully passed the referee exam for the Gym one week before the opening ceremony.

On the day of the Verdanturf Gym's grand opening, Verdanturf Town was bustling with excitement. The entire town was abuzz with activity, and not only were the local residents present, but many Trainers had also come from elsewhere.

Yuga, being the champion of the Gym's Challengers, was a center of attention.

At 9:30 in the morning, the opening ceremony of the Verdanturf Gym officially began. Fireworks burst into the sky, and the residents of Verdanturf Town and the visiting Trainers gathered at the Gym's entrance raised their heads to watch.

Most of these fireworks had been prepared by the local residents of Verdanturf Town themselves, demonstrating their strong desire for the town to have its own Gym.

As the fireworks display concluded, a group of robust Flygon suddenly flew into the sky. They formed two rows over the Verdanturf Gym and then simultaneously exhaled crimson spheres of light into the air.

These spheres of light exploded like fireworks, creating a display even more magnificent than the earlier ones.

"Those Flygon just used Draco Meteor, didn't they?" remarked one of the observing Trainers in amazement.

"Absolutely, that was definitely Draco Meteor. Gathering so many Flygon and having them all perform Draco Meteor is no small feat. These Gym Leaders are truly wealthy and influential," sarcastically commented another nearby person.

At this moment, another person nearby chimed in, saying, "They have these Flygon because they run a Pokémon Day Care. What does that have to do with Gym Leaders? Look at you, all sour-faced! How embarrassing!"

"You..."

Having their sour attitude called out so bluntly, the person who had spoken first turned red in the face and seemed like they wanted to argue but was restrained by their companion.

This minor conflict between the two individuals didn't draw the attention of others, and the Gym's opening ceremony continued in a lively manner.

Apart from the Flygon performance, other Pokémon displays were equally spectacular. For instance, a joint performance by Grass-type Pokémon called the Dance of Flowers, a flying formation display by Flying-type Pokémon, and a fiery dance performance by Fire-type Pokémon.

Among them, what left the audience most impressed was Chimecho's Aurora Performances. When a dazzling aurora appeared in the sky above the Verdanturf Gym, the spectators were awestruck.

Chimecho's ability to trigger auroras was inherited from Deoxys, although not as potent as Deoxys'.

However, this aurora-inducing ability was purely for spectacle and didn't hold much practical value. Chimecho rarely used it.

Inside the Gym, Beidou and the Gym's children were busily receiving the guests who had come to witness the ceremony.

Meanwhile, Yuga's aunt and uncle, watching the continuous flow of people inside the Gym, couldn't have been happier. Seeing Yuga achieve success had always been their wish.

In contrast to the bustle outside, deep within the Gym, Yuga was receiving Mr. Norman, who had specially come to present him with the Gym Badge.

Not only had Mr. Norman come, but also his wife Caroline, along with May and Max, although they were currently outside the Gym, mingling with the crowd.

"The appointment ceremony will begin shortly. Let's head out," Mr. Norman suggested.

During the conversation with Yuga, Mr. Norman had already explained the basic procedure of the appointment ceremony.

The appointment ceremony was an essential part of the opening ceremony. It signified not only the installation of a Gym Leader but also the League entrusting the management of the town to the Gym Leader. Moreover, it represented the Gym Leader's commitment and responsibility to the town.

A Gym served as a symbol of a town, bearing the responsibility of protecting the town.

When Yuga exited the Gym, the area around the Gym's entrance was packed with people. Officer Jenny, accompanied by officers from the police department, was doing her best to maintain order.

As Yuga and Mr. Norman emerged, the crowd initially stirred, but then it quieted down.

The mayor of Verdanturf Town, Mayor Ishida, was naturally present as well. He was on a raised platform in front of the Gym, holding a microphone and coordinating with Officer Jenny to maintain order.

Just as Mayor Ishida was about to announce the beginning of the appointment ceremony, the crowd suddenly became noisy. Following that, a Charizard descended from the sky and landed on the platform.

"Isn't that an Elite Four Moore riding on the Charizard?"

"What an Elite Four Moore! It's Gym Leader Moore!"

"I didn't expect this newly appointed Gym Leader to know such a prominent figure like Mr. Moore."

...

After a brief commotion in the crowd, Gym Leader Moore and his granddaughter Flannery descended from the Charizard.