Bug type. That was my speciality. Trainers would come to my gym in droves, stomp my employees, then stomp my team. I only ever had an advantage against those who chose the Grass type as their starter, and even then, they would still win by catching some bird or something on Route 1.

Well I’ve had enough. I’m always the joke. I’m nothing compared to the seventh and eighth gym leaders, who use Fairy and Dragon types respectively. Trainers always prepare for them and the League, but never for me. I’m just a roadblock; an obstacle, not a challenge.

Thing is, though, the League said I should go easy on the new trainers, and they handed me a Surskit and a Metapod. A fucking Metapod. It only knows String Shot and Harden. I’ve always used Bug types my whole life, and I have strong contenders, but being the first gym leader, I’ve been discouraged from using them.

They enforce friendship and harmony between a trainer and their Pokemon, and yet they hand me some random creatures in the forest instead of letting me use my life-long partners and friends? Fuck that. Today will be different.

As of today, my gym will no longer be a joke. I’ve decided to use Triple Battles, a form of battle only practiced in the Unova region. I’ll have a full team of six; my friends that I’ve grown up with. We trust each other. They trust in my ability to lead. Sometimes, I don’t even need to say commands; they just know what I’m thinking.

Youngster James in my challenger today. He chose the Water type starter and a Pidgey on Route 1. He only caught that bird because he thinks it’ll be a good counter for my gym. He probably doesn’t even plan on keeping it. There’s no love and friendship in those Pokeballs.

“Welcome to the Bug gym!” I say. “We’ll be doing Triple battles.”

“But I only have 2 Pokemon,” James replies.

“That’s fine, but just know I’ll be using 3 at once.”

“Pff, okay. This is the first gym, so I don’t even need 3 to beat you.”

The referee counts us down. James throws out his starter and the Pidgey. I throw out 3 of my most trusted comrades: Volcarona, Scizor, and Galvantula.

The color in James’ face drains instantly. Today he’ll learn. Today he’ll learn what it means to be a specialist. Today he’ll learn just how terrifying Bug types can be.

Not for the first time I questioned my choice of career.

Originally, I'd set out to earn gym badges all those years ago-but not for fame, not to challenge the champion of my region.

Just to be able to get to the place where I could find something...new.

In the end, I was approached by the League for my prowess not in battling, but breeding. Not to say I was a slouch when it came to battling, but I had a sort of pride to the teams I used being bred and trained to perfection.

Of course I eventually made the mistake of taking up the position of a gym leader, thinking I could instill a sense of unity in trainers.

You know, show them that a bond is strong, not just by control but by understanding.

Then regulations changed that idea.

I could still breed my team for the gym-I'd had a full roster of varying strength planned and sourced the parents from local trainers-not just for pedigree but to ensure I wasn't potentially taking a rare species from it's habitat by force.

By virtue of luck, the gym I'd...well inherited for lack of better term, was the bug gym.

Near the local professor, I'd be either the second or third along many new trainers routes, with a few potentially putting me near the sixth or seventh depending on their origin.

This meant my projected team-and the Pokemon that I'd considered my friend and almost a sibling for the better part of twenty years was forced to sit in the wayside.

She'd proven herself a powerful little thing when we'd fought the Champion to prove ourselves worthy,and that made them worry.

I was able to keep up my theatrics, the showmanship I'd honed with fiery scales, venomous spines and razor sharp pincers at my side.

But...it stung, pun intended, at the disdain my friends received.

I'd been forced to settle on Vivillion as my ace-a modest Scatterbug that had all the bark, but none of the bite as I'd nurtured them into their final form.

All so a trainer with a bird and beast may have a fair chance.

And now I held a Trainer who'd beaten the other seven-in their own words, 'Saving the easiest for last.'

So, with a breath as deep as a Shedinja's body cavity should one dare to gaze into it for too long, I sighed.

"So you thought to keep my gym as a trophy of sorts?"

"Well yeah," the trainer said, their swagger far too much for a child of nearly fifteen years, "Bugs aren't exactly hard to beat,so why wouldI fight you when I had other fish to fry?"

"Well, that old beach babe in the port may have a habit of leaving her Quagsire out of the fight to play nice, but I do believe I won't."

He blinked, confused as he mouthed the name back to me, gears turning in that little head of his.

"Wait, she had a-"

"As such, if you'll excuse a slight delay, I do believe I'll give you a proper duel."

I turned away, moving to the neatly hidden recess in the back wall of the arena-I'd rebuilt the entire gym into a more suitable stable for the chitinous folk that made it home, including a few environmentally controlled rooms for the more delicate bugs(and a Lurantis, little Orchid may not have been a true bug but she'd been so adorable as a Fomantis I couldn't help but keep her around).

I placed the three plain white and red balls into the recess.

"You do have a full team of six, correct?"

"Yeah..?"

The trainer was confused, and it was understandable. I had earned a reputation for being a bit too...nice, agreeable even.

I picked up six balls each worn slightly and chipped-Beast, Net, Heavy, Friend, Luxury, and the oldest of the bunch.

A Master ball, nearly faded white as a premiere ball.

"Normally I'd be dancing around, giving a grandiose speech about the trust and respect one gives and receives."

I held three of the balls in each hand, turning to the trainer with arms outstretched and coat fluttering like a Frosmoths' wing tips.

"But I think it's time you learned the meaning of those words. To so callously disregard an entire form of life? To insult my friends in such a way?"

I whipped one hand up, sending the Beast, Heavy and Luxury balls over my head and to my right with a flourish.

From the Beast ball the hulking, armor clad form of Goliath, a Golisopod I'd raised from egg to fearsome titan, his shell pitted and scarred from the trials of Alola.

From the Heavy, the sleek form of Bident, a Scizor, one who'd left my side only once during the entirety of my time in Kanto, and returned in scarlet shell and with blade turned to claw.

From the Luxury, Galahad. Venipede were a skittish breed, but as a Scolipede? Galahad had taken effort to tame, and even now I could see the wrath of an unused blade in those sharp eyes.

I sent the remaining balls to my left, spinning both my arms into a bow as the Trainers eyes widened.

From the Net ball, Gillian. The trainer gasped as the Armaldo rustled his feathers and grated the sharp talons of his arms against one another like knives on a a sharpener.

The Friend ball nearly shattered as the eager form of Ragia burst forth in smoldering cinder-the Volcarona had been my second partner and despite her age she still sent many a foe away with crisped pride and wounded ego.

Lastly, the Master ball, a gift given to me alongside the first Pokemon egg I'd ever seen.

In a flash of light and with a cry that rivaled the crash of thunder itself, my dearest friend and companion of over two thirds of my life, four prickly legs alighted on my shoulders.

Val had always had a temper, eager to snip and throw herself at anything that moved even as a Grubbin.

The Trainer stepped back as I stood straight, right arm staight and palm facing up as Val-no, her full name would best here.

"Well, child. I would ask your name, though I doubt my friends would care," Val skittered to my hand, her mandibles arcing with enough power to bring down an Abomasnow with ease.

"I am the head of this Gym, Alexander Guyvolt. And this is my oldest friend. Valkyrie, if you would?"

She buzzed up, the others chittering and clicking their anticipation in a chorus of chaos.

"It's time for some shock and awe."

First gyms for a League are always tricky. They want them to not be impossible for beginners, but also have the possibility of being a later gym leader depending on wherever the Trainer starts their Journey. Not everyone gets to start in the same city as the region's professor.

My name is Kunsai "Kuro" Kuronosa, and despite the nickname, my favorite type is Normal. Tgere's just something so amazing as seeing the potential of "boring" made powerful. This isn't the first region ti have a first gym be Normal...the Unova region changed their gym structure a few years ago, and a young scholar named Cheren took over first gym duties in one part of the region.

When I first got accepted to this gym, it had been after years of hard work as a trainer, and my team of all normal types were all fully evolved and trained. "You need a lower ceiling, a fresh start for the newbies." I was allowed to breed my beginner-friendly team, under strict guidelines because even the ones I chose could be very powerful with the right moves...but I was only allowed two Mon...I chose to breed a Lilipup, as my Stoutland had been a wonderful companion and her child was strong, but I was forced to use a Ratata for my other...frail thing it was, a good attacker could knock it out in one or two attacks...

But as the time went on, I started being derided...even the "weaker" Bug and Grass types were higher in gym level than me, and it started to grind my gears... I decided that I would stop messing around with someone who thought them above me. I gathered my best team, all six, and put on a bracelet I thought I was going to have to retire permanently...

I walked over to my favorite Mon...a pink squish ball that I just loved to hug when I was down because it was comforting...She had been with me the longest, and when I had heard about a special power for her, I searched it out. This time, I pulled out a pouch with a bead-like object on a string and holder. "Well...Next punk who thinks they can skip me and come back for easy pickings is in for a real challenge...and You're going to be right there." I placed the object over the Mon's neck, or best approximation, and gave her a few squishy headpats before walking towards the door.

"Leader Kuro, we have a young man here searching for his 5th Badge...You have a regulation team to use for this!" One of the trainers who studied under him arrived just as he was leaving the room.

"5th badge, eh? I'm going to stop holding back..." I pulled out a Pokeball that was pure red, usually only handed out for special occasions, and opened it facing my favorite behind me. After the recall, I walked towards the gym floor, 6 Balls fixed to my belt.

"B-but Sir! Not following regulation could-"

"Screw the League and that "regulation" of theirs...I didn't spend all that blood, sweat and tears training so hard to end up the laughing stock of trainers everywhere!" I made my way to the floor, and looked at the young man who had entered...He looked like a punk, complete with leather jacket and ripped jeans.

"Come on Teach, this will be easy...I've got your number and this will be a breeze!"

"State your name, for the record Young Man." My tone was clear, and a little annoyed...it had been less than 5 minutes and he was already insulting me.

"You can call me Blaze, sucker." The punk was being rude, and that was obviously some street name he made up to look big...I bet his real name was Maurice or Terrance or something like that...

"Well then, challenger...this will be a 6v6, if you think you can handle that."

"OOoooh yeah! I got your number loser! It don't matter how many you use, I've got you all figured out!" The punk was brash, and full of bravado.

I cocked an eyebrow. "Oh really? Release your first Mon, Challenger."

The punk smirked. "If you insist! Go! Pangoro!" *He tossed what looked like a Great Ball, and, as he stated, out popped the angry panda Pokémon..native to Alola...and super weak to my ace.

"Well then...I think it's time you met an old friend!" I tossed out the all-red ball, and didn't miss the look of disbelief on the rookie's face when he saw my Cherish Ball...and certainly, he thought there must be a monumental monster inside....when out popped the cute pink blob from earlier...and Audino, with a small round stone hanging on its body.

"Joy has been there through thick and thin...do you think you have what it takes to beat her?

"The match is between the Challenger's Pangoro and Leader's Audino. Switching is allowed, but will be considered a forfeit. You may begin."

I smile, and raise my my arm with the bracelet on it. "It's been a while Joy....You ready?" At the nod from the Audino, I raise my arm, and touch the Keystone embedded into it...Joy is surrounded by a cocoon of energy, and comes out almost pure white, with fluffier ears.

"Draining Kiss."

It was a pain being an early rout gym leader. It didn't matter that I used steel types. All someone needed was a fire type to beat me. I took it up with the pokemon league and made a proposition.

I asked if I could hold an event. I wouldn't use a specific type. A memorable experience for expert and novice trainers alike. I'd use a team of my favorite pokemon and battle anyone that challenged me regardless of badge count.

Luckily for me, Geeta of Paldea was a lax champion. She was okay with me doing it. When I got back to town, I got to work setting up the perfect team from my early years when I did the gym challenge.

When my gym's doors opened, I was greeted by a sea of trainers, all wanting to see what team I had set up for this affair.

I stood smiling as the first trainer approached, her dark completion complimenting her black ponytail with strains of green hair falling over her eye. She had a fire in her eye as she challenged me, "Gym leader Saber, I challenge you to a battle!"

"Of course, to who do I owe the honor?"

"I'm Nemona, a champion rank trainer!"

'This should be interesting.' The battle started with her sending out a Lycanroc with me sending out Tantrum, my Great tusk, as a counter. Tantrum's brick break beat it down effortlessly, but they did get a good Accelerock in before it did.

Nemona's next pokemon was a Goodra. I switched Tantrum for Slush, my Baxcailibur. I hoped an Ice beam would end it quick, but a Thunderbolt pushed Slush within an inch of her life. I wasn't expecting the electric-type move, but it wouldn't keep us down.

Her next mon was a Pawmot. Spark, my Rotom fan, soon stood in Slush's place. I could hear the roar of the crowd as we battled. It reminded me of Ryme's gym and how she let the crowd's cheers empower our pokemon. Nemona had Pawmot use close combat, but Spark was out of the way faster than you could blink. One air slash later, and Pawmot was down.

Orthworm was next on the chopping block. Shadow flare, my Houndoom, ended it with a flamethrower, simple as that. Her Dundunsparse was next. My Tinkaton, Sweety, squashed the overgrown worm with a Gigaton Hammer.

It was as easy as that. She was down to her last pokemon, and I hadn't lost one. All I could do was smile. By Arceus, it felt good to be a trainer again.

"I seethe."

"No surprises there. Remind me why you go easy on the little snots?"

I turned from the mirror to Alma. The Banette picked at her zipper with her little finger like one would at their own teeth.

"Because we're the first. Because they need a first step up." I returned to staring at my aggrieved gaze. "Because no one else will. Because they knew the first would be a laughing stock. Our Time Badge means little. Its worth, devalued in the eyes of those on their road to Greatness. I wonder, will they recognise our grave at the end of the road? Or have the words worn down to nothing? Would they even care to read, if anything of our past survives?"

"We're here." Alma said. "We remember. Marty might wax poetic about how stone never forgets, but stone erodes. It wears away. The Dead don't. We persist. We persevere, even when we shouldn't."

"Aye." It was hard to disagree. Even if it won us battles that we should have lost, we would continue until the bitter end. Now, though...

"Zael?"

The door must have been open. Either that, or the hinges were recently oiled. I glanced at my secretary from the corner of my eye.

"Hello, Rebecca. Is our first challenger for the season here?"

She nodded, unperturbed by my asocial 'rudeness'. We went back a fair few years, so she was used to it. "A Harold Kensington."

"Kensington...? Galarian?"

She shrugged. "Better ask him yourself."

I nodded. "I shall arrive shortly."

As she left, Alma asked what I was going to do.

"Simple." I grabbed a simple, black book, inscribed with nothing but lines upon lines of names. "I'm going to raise Hell."

Rebecca could hear the cackling from the Doll's plush body.

---

"So, you're Mr. Kensington." I said.

The lad - he couldn't have been more than eleven, twelve - smirked at me. "And you're the guy everyone beats? How do you even keep this place?" He waved his arms to indicate my Gym.

"With a tenacity that can exhaust Fire, rust Steel, erode Rock, and melt Ice. A perseverance that stopped far more from reaching the pinnacle than you could ever hope. And for a lack of a better substitute, apparently. See, the ol-"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he snapped. "Let's just get this over with." With a lazy flick of his wrist, he flung a basic Pokeball which spewed out a Pidove.

I glared at him for a moment. "Really? Do you not know what Badge I hold?"

"The one I'm gonna get?" he said, exasperation showing how little patience he had.

"It's not just a pretty name. 'Time Badge.' Honestly, it seems no one appreciates time anymore. They all just want to rush into things headfirst, without taking a moment to just... observe."

I threw my own ball into the ring, summoning forth Geb. The Mimikyu took a ready stance with an aura that would give even veterans pause.

Or, in Harold's case, the most chilling tingle down his spine. That face... oh how I missed that look. My A-Team were experienced in more than just battling, and when readying for a fight, one could feel the room cool by several degrees, and when one sets their sights on a target...

Well, that Pidove became damn near a ghost itself. It was still as a statue with eyes that betrayed a deep fear, eyes wide and empty like its mind fled. A peculiar sound emanated from its beak. As for Harold, he was sputtering something, like he wanted to know what the hell was going on.

"Hope was the old First Gym Leader. After she passed, I was... nominated to take her place. Time, Harold. We have to appreciate what little we have. How quickly it goes. How slow it drags. And I'm going to enjoy every microsecond of this, just as I did back in the Elite Four."

He gaped at me then, turning a corpseish pallor as realization sunk in.

"The Dead will be Remembered. This season, we will take on all comers. And as I inscribe you into my Book, I shall drag you into an unending Hell. Ready yourself, Trainer! Either face your fears, or I will take my price for your silence!

"Now, Gebura! Giga Drain!"

The guilt and regret set in as my fury passed and the brat ran out of my gym clutching his poor battered charmander in what could only be described as blind terror. A deep sigh escaped from me as I recalled my Steelix. The old gal was from my original team that I challenged one of the elite four with to get my license to run my gym. She was well into 80s level wise and definitely not a fair choice choice to send out against that 10th level charmander, especially with an inexperienced trainer with no gym badges. I mean the cocky brat had it coming, but at 31, I shouldn't have let that get under my skin. If the brat recovered his wits enough I might even get a visit from a league representative, if he ever recovered from the trauma that is. I've seen average trainers with a couple of badges under their belt, soil themselves from seeing a 50th level wild pokemon let alone a highly trained 80th level one. I needed to find an outlet for my frustration. I guess this is the reason the first gym slot was so frequently vacant. Heading to the reception area, I mused on that ranked badge idea the fossil researchers and I discussed last weekend at the bar. It wasn't to far of a stretch considering the increasing popularity of rematchs growing among serious trainers. If only I could get a league representative to bite... If that brat reports me, it would be dead in the water coming from me, maybe misty would have more luck. I should visit her this weekend and pitch the idea...

"Gym leader Pug, please explain your actions to the elite four committee." Stated our noble champion on top of her high seat.

The wonderful thing about her position... she doesn't need to use one type or wear a certain gimmick. Sure, you'd seen a few stick to a kind of theme, but they never dealt with the challenges of young trainers. Those hopefuls who were just starting out on their journey, and so easily disheartened... or squashed.

"Well, Champion Bella, I don't think they need explanation." I retorted with a growl.

The stupidly shrill voice of Mala cut through the air, "No explanation? You've knocked out every opponent who came to your gym."

"Your point normy?" I retorted back.

Gosh, did I hate her. She relied on status conditions to win most of her matches, and her plan for fighting types was easy to counter. Half her team were flying types after all. Any kid with an electric and fighting type could knock her whole team out. Course, if she used an Ursaring it would solve her whole problem.

"Her point is you're the FIRST gym. You're not supposed to be hard." Interjected Fitz. "Your job is to give them the confidence to start their journey."

My eyes slowly turned to the right while I said, "That's not how I see it light bulb."

Ha, that was a good one. The fat man certainly possessed the body type, and he used electric pokemon. Something a trainer could easily wall with a Sandslash. The man didn't bother to cover for this weakness. Sure, he possessed an Emolga, but how hard was that to fight? Come to think of it, his whole team were electric mice pokemon. Guess it explained his weird cheek make up.

"Then how do you see it?" A calm voice said as she folded her hands on her lap.

This one was different. In all rights, she should be the champion. Her team was a collection of poison types. All of them with dual natures to give the challenger... well a challenge. Whether it was her Glimmora who could set up toxic spikes by move or hit in the beginning, or her Toxapex which stopped the momentum of a battle... She made a trainer think on their toes.

"Miss Gall, I believe we're going to easy on our challengers." I stated flatly.

A collection of snorting and laughing came from a tall man wearing a long trench coat and fedora. This clown, named Noc, he knew too well, always pretending to be the edgy guy when he was a softy.

"Easy? Clearly, you haven't been here to see our battles." Noc said in between laughs.

I smirked while saying, "That's true. After all, I wouldn't have let so many beat me."

The room was finally quiet from these loud mouths. All staring down at me with fire in their eyes.

"Let's be real. Our region isn't known by the rest of the world. You wanna know why? Cause our battle system is a complete joke. Our current regulations continue to get easier and easier as years go by. We aren't the only region facing this problem mind you... but we are the ones most affected by it. Not a single one of our trainers who've made it through possessed a strong showing in an interregional tournament. That is unacceptable. Our kids need to toughen up or get out of the way... plain and simple." I stated while staring straight back.

There was a hush murmur among the fools. Their monitors glowing while they double checked the information. Of course, it was true. Why else would he bother to be here? As each came to look up to speak in rebuke, the champion motioned them to stop.

"What would you have us do?" She stated calmly.

With a toss of my pokeball, I unleashed my Heracross. With the touch of my mega band, he mega evolved in a brilliant flash. With a stomp of his feet, the floor below cracked and splintered their podiums.

"A reevaluation of every trainer in our organization, starting with you five. I'm sure Miss Gall will pass with flying colors, and I'm almost tempted not to test her. But the rest of you need a wake-up call. So, send out a pokemon and you'll see how big the power difference is."

It wasn't long before a Noctowl, Emolga, Houndoom, Dragalge, and a Darmanitan emerged from their balls.

"Four on one. Hardly, seems fair four you five." I laughed as the battle began.

Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.

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