[color=0072bc][center][h1]Ty Westgrove[/h1][h3]

Mesalon Gym[/h3][/center][/color]

Ty smiled at the women's well wishes.

[color=0072bc]"Thanks,"[/color] he replied. [color=0072bc]"Don't worry, I'll make it fast so we can catch up to the others, haha."[/color] It was a shame the big group had to be split up right after he met them. He wished he and Sophia could've seen each other's battles. But he had been expecting to take this gym challenge alone, so any amount of company was good.

[color=0072bc]"I'll be ready soon, I think,"[/color] Ty answered Lan, faltering a bit in his confidence. He didn't add the detail that he sent his Pokemon off to the Pokemon Center by themselves because he was too worried about missing an awesome battle. That was... probably a dumb decision, in hindsight.

Ty thought about walking toward the Pokemon Center to meet up with his Pokemon. But Reaper was expecting to meet him at the gym, and the flashy bug might be too busy zooming toward his goal to notice the small speck of a trainer walking the other way down the road. Besides, the group of trainers got split up unexpectedly, and someone might mistake his brief absence for yet another person wandering away from the group.

So, Ty stood and waited awkwardly right outside the gym's door. It was super boring. Ty watched a Caterpie crawl up a tree until it disappeared into the canopy. Then he rifled through his backpack to double check if he had enough snacks for humans and Pokemon alike. Then he read the sign near the door that described the gym challenge, just for something to do. Halfway down the sign, his glazed eyes sharpened into shock.

Just then, a faint buzzing sound quickly grew louder. Ty turned around to see Reaper hit the ground in an epic three-point landing. The Scyther smirked and spit Hunk's pokeball onto the dirt. Then his expression changed to a serious frown as he noticed the trainer's pale look.

[color=0072bc]"Hi... yeah... uh, we need to have a talk,"[/color] Ty said, pulling out Medic's pokeball. Soon, all three Pokemon looked expectantly at Ty. He knelt down to meet most of them at their level, save for Reaper who now towered over them all.

[color=0072bc]"So, I screwed up,”[/color]  the leather-clad man began, fiddling with his eyebrow piercing. [color=0072bc]“I mixed up this gym and Unova’s Normal gym. I thought we needed two Pokemon.”[/color]

Ty was never quite sure how well Pokemon could understand the intricacies of human language, so he held up two fingers to illustrate the crux of his message. He shook his head, then held up three fingers.

[color=0072bc]“But we need three.”[/color] Ty lowered his gaze for a second. Then everyone looked at the tiny Igglybuff.

[color=0072bc]“I know you’re not supposed to be a battler,”[/color] the blond continued solemnly. [color=0072bc]“It’s- it’s on me, I goofed up. We all got so excited, and this might be our only chance! ...What I’m saying is, worst case scenario, I might need you to battle. I’m sorry.”[/color]

The Igglybuff’s big brown eyes stared at the trainer in dutiful focus as he spoke. They somehow grew even larger as the situation dawned on her. Medic frowned at the ground and shrunk back for a couple seconds. Then the ball of pink fluff took a deep breath, looked up to her trainer, and nodded. Ty grimaced. Medic looked like she might burst into tears soon, and Ty didn’t wait around to find out.

[color=0072bc]“It’ll be ok,”[/color] Ty said emptily as he rushed to return Medic to her pokeball. He looked back to his other two Pokemon and forced a smile. This was such a downer right before the big battle. Everyone needed to get their hype back.

[color=0072bc]“That just means both of you will have to be even awesomer than ever before!”[/color] Ty shouted, pumping a fist in the air. [color=0072bc]“You two are such epic BEASTS, we’ll still win this if we give it everything we’ve got!”[/color]

Hunk yelled a rowdy battle cry and hoisted his log into the air, instantly re-pumped. Then he gently massaged Ty’s shoulders like he was a boxer about to go into the ring. Ty chuckled and did the same for his smirking fighting type. Reaper didn’t seem so convinced, but he gave a focused nod before both Pokemon were returned to their pokeballs.

Ty made his best attempt to regulate his breathing and get his head back in the game as he headed back toward the arena. This was too much of an emotional roller coaster before noon.

[color=0072bc]“Okay!”[/color] Ty shouted, bursting through the door with what he imagined to be a dramatically tough flair. [color=0072bc]“Let’s do this!”[/color]

[@LuckyBlackCat]