[CENTER] [img]https://i.imgur.com/QVTSpW7.png[/img] VS Timmy (Part 1) [color=d9837c]Mentions: All those present[/color] [color=d9837c]Interactions: NPC[/color] [/CENTER] Iris’s gym usually didn’t have as big of an audience as her colleagues for one big reason; location. She was right next to two small towns in the middle of a scary forest. Hestia had suggested to her that she get some guides to give people a tour of the beautiful Slumbering Wealds. Unfortunately, that required someone who loved ghosts as much as Iris, and she has yet to meet a person that met the requirements. So she had her Chandelure guide any spectators down the marked path to the gym. Challengers were required to enter the tower at the front of the gym while spectators would have to come through the back. They would also be given little black and purple masquerade masks as souvenirs. One of her ghosts had come to inform her that the challenger had made it to the end a few minutes ago, which gave her enough time to head to the center of the arena to greet him. The Challenger, Timmy, had managed to get through what was probably the toughest gym challenge he’s had to face so far. He thought it’d be like the Minor League gyms, where trainers would be waiting and the puzzles were simple… Ugh. The door maze wasn’t even the worst part; it was the Ghosts that kept popping at him! You see, Timmy hoped to one day take over as the Psychic type gym leader. So naturally, he wanted to find as many Psychic types as he could to win all of the gym badges with his favorites! He didn’t realize Ghosts were strong against Psychics until he was already inside the gym. At this rate, Timmy’s potions were going to be gone before he made it to the gym leader. So with a new plan, he searched through his boxes for Pokemon that had any Dark moves. The good news was he found two decently leveled Pokemon. The bad news was he found [i]only[/i] two decently leveled Pokemon. Well… at least they would be able to do something against the gym leader. Using them to fight the rest of the ghosts he encountered, Timmy wasn’t totally hopeless. With Zigzagoon and Nickit by his side, he could at least put up a fight! Or he could totally embarrass himself… Maybe that’s why he was so nervous. It was too late to run back and level up his team more, and he’d been standing outside the gym entrance hoping for another encounter though the Ghosts seemed to be done tormenting him. With no other encounters left, all he could do was get dressed in his Challenger's uniform and enter the gym's tunnel to head to the battle field. The two trainers appeared from the dark tunnels on opposing sides, walking towards their respective spots at the center of the gym where the Pokeball design was ingrained. Iris smiled down at the boy with the crooked glasses. The rumored creepy Ghost mother, in the flesh. The child seemed to be nervous, and Iris jotted it down to her Ghost babies having a little too much fun. Still, he made it this far and he deserved a proper introduction. [color=d9837c]“My name is Iris. Congratulations on making it past my gym challenge.”[/color] She began. [color=d9837c]“Since this is the first gym, it’s my job to spook away any Challengers not worth their salt. Shall we begin?”[/color] Timmy nodded his head. [color=c382e0]“Y-Yeah.”[/color] With both trainers ready, the crowd roared as the battle officially began. Iris grabbed the first Pokeball attached to her belt and released her first Pokemon; Polteageist. Timmy swallowed a lump in his throat and threw out a Galarian Zigzagoon. Iris hummed softly. It seemed the boy had done a little research before the first gym. Perhaps he would get his badge in no time. [color=d9837c]“Lovely, use Mega Drain.”[/color] Iris instructed her Pokemon. [color=c382e0]“Zigzagoon, use Snarl!”[/color] Timmy instructed his own. Iris was no stranger when it came to fighting Zigzagoons. In fact, it was one of the most common Pokemon she saw in her gym. They usually had a good amount of fighting experience and would outspeed her Polteageist; maybe even knock it out in one hit. But to her surprise, Polteageist not only outsped it, but the Zigzagoon looked to be barely standing after one hit. The Zigzagoon let out a snarl, injuring the Polteageist for only about a quarter of its health. [color=d9837c][i]'Huh...'[/i][/color] [color=c382e0][i]'Uh oh...'[/i][/color] It was safe to say who would come out on top if the Zigzagoon stayed in. Timmy knew this, and so, he was forced to switch his Zigzagoon out for his Nickit. Iris was curious what the kid’s plan was. He seemed terrified, but also nervous. She thought it was just from the ghosts, but maybe it was something else? Was he testing her Pokemon’s strength? Did he have heavy hitters on standby? Or… did he underestimate her, and brought in a bunch of under-experienced Pokemon? Regardless, Iris was about to find out. [color=d9837c]“Lovely, Mega Drain again.”[/color] She instructed. Iris wanted to see if this one was as lacking as the first. [color=c382e0]“Use Beat Up, Nickit!”[/color] Timmy said. Once again, Polteageist outsped the Nickit and took out a third of the Nickit’s health. Meanwhile, Nickit’s attack seemed to phase completely through the Polteageist, leaving it totally unaffected. Timmy seemed shocked by that. [color=c382e0]“Wait, what?! But isn’t Beat Up a Dark-type move?! …Oh, wait…”[/color] He smacked himself in the forehead upon realizing just how dumb of a move he had made. Iris had to hold back a giggle. She smiled at the other trainer. [color=d9837c]“I think you already know.”[/color] Physical attacks, except certain moves, did not affect ghosts. While yes Beat Up is a Dark move, it couldn't exactly do anything against a ghost, could it? Now Timmy was in a lot of trouble. He didn't think ahead to catch Dark Pokemon or have his Psychics learn any Dark moves because he'd been so focused on getting them experienced enough for the first major gym in the first place! Now he was down to two that could possibly [i]do[/i] anything to Iris's team, and that was assuming her stupid Polteageist didn't just wipe the floor with them! Needless to say, he needed to figure out a new strategy, and fast.