The lobby of the Cerulean Gym was quiet when Nathan arrived.
Not silent, water trickled through stone channels lining the walls, and soft light filtered through blue-tinted glass, but there was a hush to the space. Like breath held just beneath the surface.
He stepped forward, noting that his reflection on the polished tiles looked sharper than usual. More focused. Leaner.
A Gym aide appeared from a side door. She wore the same soft blue uniform as before, but her tone was brisk.
"Name?"
"Nathan."
She scanned his card. "Challenger slip confirmed. Misty is in the observation chamber. You'll be shown to the prep corridor shortly."
Nathan nodded, but didn't move just yet.
Behind him, the gym doors opened again.
Footsteps.
He turned slightly and saw another figure step inside.
A boy, perhaps seventeen. Pale hair. Narrow eyes. Dressed in lightweight black and grey, water-resistant gear.
Nathan recognised him instantly.
The stranger from Mt. Moon.
The one with the Treecko and the masked System signature.
The boy said nothing. Just looked at him with faint interest… and then moved to the opposite wall.
The Gym aide's brow twitched as she checked her tablet again. "You're not on the schedule."
"I'm not here to fight." The boy's voice was smooth. "Just watching."
She didn't press further, just waved Nathan toward the prep corridor.
But the tension in the air had spiked.
Nathan met the stranger's gaze one more time.
Still calm. Still unreadable.
Then he turned away and followed the aide down the corridor.
The passage narrowed, lined with aquariums and soft-blue lighting. A single curtain marked the end, beyond it, the arena.
Nathan stopped just short.
The aide paused beside him.
"Misty doesn't just test strength," she said, more quietly now. "She tests flow. Rhythm. How you adjust. The ones who try to force the fight always lose early."
Nathan gave a slight nod.
"Your match will begin once she's in position. You may enter now."
He stepped forward and pushed through the curtain,
and into light.
The Cerulean Gym battlefield shimmered like liquid glass.
At its centre was a deep pool with rotating stone platforms bobbing gently on automated pivots. Spray curtains flickered on the far edge like rising mist. The air was cool, but carried the hint of something charged.
Above, the observation deck was already filling, trainers, aides, perhaps even scouts taking notes. And at its centre, leaning casually on the railing, was the boy from Mt. Moon.
Nathan didn't look up at him again.
His focus turned forward.
Across the arena, Misty stepped out of a side passage, barefoot again, hair damp from training. She wore no jacket this time, just a sleeveless battle top and half-gloves. Practical. Ready.
Her eyes met his.
No smile.
No welcome speech.
Just: "This field doesn't wait for you. Are you ready to move with it?"
Nathan exhaled.
"I am."
Misty nodded. "Then step to your zone. The match begins in ten."
She turned and disappeared into her prep alcove.
Nathan stepped toward the nearest platform, the water gently rippling at its base.
His System chimed once.
𝐆𝐲𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧: 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐲𝐦 – 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐲
𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: 𝟑𝐯𝟑 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝 | 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧: 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐙𝐨𝐧𝐞 (𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜)
𝐎𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞: 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐝𝐠𝐞
𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐢𝐞𝐫: 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 – 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐜
𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 – 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐞 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
He felt it then, not fear.
But pressure.
Like still water deep beneath the surface, waiting to shift.
Nathan looked down at the three pokéballs he'd already chosen.
Zorua.
Nidorino.
Mankey.
He left Squirtle on standby.
This wasn't about type.
It was about tactics.
The curtain rippled again.
Misty emerged, stepping up to the opposite side of the pool.
No ceremony. Just purpose.
"Let's begin," she said.
The scoreboard lit up above them.
The water stilled.
And the cascade test began.