Chapter 3: The Challenge at Viridian Gym

The door to the Viridian Gym loomed before James like a threshold to his destiny. With the sun setting on the horizon, the sky was painted with shades of orange and purple, creating an almost magical atmosphere. As he pushed open the heavy wooden door, a creak echoed in the air, as if the gym itself welcomed its new challenger. James took a deep breath, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement wash over him. Beside him, Arcanine, his loyal companion, stood proudly, his fur shining in the evening light.

Crossing the threshold, James found himself in a dark and reverberating space. Dim lights illuminated the battlefields set up for the brave trainers daring enough to challenge the gym leader, Giovanni. The gray stone walls seemed to absorb the energy of the place, while echoes of conversations filled the air with vibrant anticipation. In the distance, shadows of Pokémon moved in preparation for battle.

James advanced towards the center of the gym, where an elevated platform served as his battleground. He settled in with determination, feeling adrenaline begin to flow through his veins. His gaze focused on Giovanni, who sat on a dark throne at the end of the hall. The gym leader was an imposing figure; his presence emanated authority and power.

Giovanni watched James with a serious and penetrating gaze, but there was something in his expression that revealed a strange kindness hidden beneath his hardness. He was a man who had faced countless challenges and knew what it meant to fight for what one wanted. James felt a mix of respect and nervousness as Giovanni slowly rose from his seat.

"Welcome to the Viridian Gym," Giovanni said in a deep voice that lacked warmth. "Today you will have the opportunity to prove your worth as a trainer."

James nodded, feeling each word resonate within him like a motivating echo. He knew this battle would not only test his skills; it was a step forward in his personal journey.

With firm resolve, James called out his Pokémon: "Hitmonlee, it's your turn!" With an agile leap, Hitmonlee appeared on the battlefield. His tall and muscular figure stood out among the other Pokémon; his flexible limbs were ready to deliver devastating kicks.

The room erupted in applause as spectators held their breath in anticipation of the imminent confrontation. The seriousness of the gym leader contrasted with the kindness he had shown; it was a reminder that even in the competitive world of Pokémon trainers, there was always room for mutual respect.

Giovanni smiled slightly before responding. "Rhyhorn is your opponent." A Rhyhorn larger than average presented itself before everyone, its rocky body glistening under the gym lights.

"Bulk Up, Hitmonlee," James commanded to start. Hitmonlee surrounded himself with translucent energy that seemed to inflate his body momentarily, increasing both his attack and defense.

Giovanni displayed a smile and ordered Rhyhorn, "Bombard that Hitmonlee with Stone Edge." Rhyhorn obeyed, striking the ground and sending a flurry of sharp rocks flying toward Hitmonlee.

"Don't rush it, Hitmonlee! Use Double Kick to destroy the first ones and use them for momentum to get closer!" Hitmonlee used his powerful kicks to break apart the approaching rocks and began jumping between them, getting closer to Rhyhorn.

"Prepare to attack with Megahorn as soon as he gets close," Giovanni said calmly as if he were not in the middle of a battle; Rhyhorn nodded its head as an aura of green began to form around its horn.

James raised his voice, instructing Hitmonlee: "As soon as you're near, attack with Triple Axel." Hitmonlee's legs glowed with a faint blue light that formed layers of ice.

The first icy kick collided with Megahorn, neutralizing each other; however, the other two landed solidly on Rhyhorn, leaving it quite weak.

"Rhyhorn, Horn Drill!" Giovanni commanded for a devastating blow.

Rhyhorn prepared to deliver that ONE-HIT-KO strike, but Hitmonlee performed acrobatic jumps backward to avoid it.

"Finish off Rhyhorn with one last move: High Jump Kick!" Hitmonlee performed an acrobatic leap over Rhyhorn and delivered one final kick that weakened Rhyhorn significantly.

Giovanni withdrew Rhyhorn into its Pokéball and thanked it for fighting for him, showing kindness and affection towards his Pokémon that James would not expect from the future leader of Team Rocket.

"You've trained that Hitmonlee very well, kid," Giovanni praised James.

"Thank you," said James while memories flooded back into his mind about when he first met Hitmonlee.

MINI-FLASHBACK

James sat in his room, the echo of his recent escape still resonating in his mind. He had returned to Morgan Manor, but his heart longed for something more than just the safety of home. After days of reflection and adventure, he knew he had to convince his parents to let him train at a Pokémon gym. It was a desire he had expressed repeatedly but now felt stronger than ever.

With determination, he approached his parents in the living room. The soft light of sunset illuminated the space, creating a contrast between the warmth of home and the unease he carried within. "Mom, Dad," he began, his voice trembling slightly. "I want to train at a Pokémon gym. I need this to find my path."

His parents exchanged worried glances. His mother frowned while his father maintained a serious expression. "James, we know you've been through a lot," said his mother gently but firmly. "But we can't allow you to go out again without knowing if you'll be safe."

"I understand," James quickly replied, feeling frustration bubbling up inside him. "But if you don't let me try, I'll always feel like I'm missing out on something important."

After several discussions and pleas, his parents finally relented—though reluctantly. "Alright," said his father with a resigned sigh. "You can go to the main gym in Saffron, but you must promise us you'll be responsible."

James felt an overwhelming wave of relief and excitement wash over him upon hearing those words. Without wasting time, he prepared for the journey to Saffron Gym alongside his butler Hopkins, where he hoped to find his place in the Pokémon world.

Upon arriving at the gym, they were greeted by an atmosphere filled with psychic energy. The gym leader Thomas Clearmind was known for his mastery of psychic powers and was also Sabrina's father—who would someday take over from him. James felt both excited and nervous as he introduced himself before him.

"Welcome," said Thomas with an amiable smile. "What brings you here?"

"I want to train here and become a great Pokémon trainer," James replied determinedly.

However, as Thomas evaluated his skills and potential, his expression shifted to one of understanding mixed with sadness. "James," he began slowly, "you have a great heart and determination but lack the necessary talent for psychic powers. I cannot accept you here."

The rejection hit James like a cold wave. He felt disheartened as he left the main gym; he had hoped so much from that experience. However, he was not willing to give up.

Determined to find another path, he headed towards a karate dojo in Saffron—a smaller gym but full of opportunities to learn about fighting and discipline. Upon entering, he was greeted by the dojo master—a robust man with wise eyes.

"What do you want?" asked the master in a deep voice.

"I want to learn how to fight and improve my skills as a Pokémon trainer," James replied fervently.

The master nodded and offered him three options: a playful Mankey, a strong and determined Machop, and an eager Tyrogue who seemed anxious to prove himself worthy. James carefully observed each one before noticing how Tyrogue stepped forward as if asking to be chosen.

"Tyrogue," thought James while smiling at the little Pokémon's bravery. "It's you." With firm resolve, he called out to his new partner: "Tyrogue! It's your turn!"

Tyrogue showed enthusiasm as it approached James with renewed energy. At that moment, James knew he had found something special—not just a Pokémon to train but also a friend with whom he could share his life journey.

END OF MINI-FLASHBACK

Giovanni pulled another Pokéball from his pocket and threw it onto the battlefield; an imposing Nidoking emerged from it and roared loudly to announce its presence.

"Nidoking! Earthquake!" Giovanni's strong voice resonated.

"Hitmonlee! Rock Tomb and jump on them!" James countered.

With Hitmonlee's touch on the ground some rocks floated up and flew toward Nidoking while Hitmonlee surfed on one toward Nidoking.

Nidoking struck hard against the ground creating a powerful earthquake which Hitmonlee dodged thanks to the rocks around him.

"Ice Beam! Nidoking!" ordered Giovanni; Nidoking fired an Ice Beam freezing both rocks mid-air while simultaneously creating a thin layer of ice on Hitmonlee.

"It's time for eat! Hitmonlee," said James.

With that command Hitmonlee pulled out a Lum Berry which melted away any ice forming on him after consumption while activating Hitmonlee's ability "Unburden" which doubled its speed after losing its held item.

"Let's finish this quickly! Hitmonlee! Triple Axel!" Hitmonlee shot toward Nidoking before it could react delivering three icy kicks directly weakening Nidoking significantly.