A New Life Through The Eyes Of Kanto: An Autobiography

The Badge Starts Here

I stared at the steel door with the words GRINGEY CITY GYM on it, bulging a couple of inches out to anyone reading. There was no doorknob. It was just a huge steel wall, basically. I knocked on the door. One tap.

ZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTT!!!

I was on the floor before I knew what hit me. When I regained any of my sense of comprehension, I saw the beauty before me.

June. She glared down at me. "I guess my trap door worked," she spoke.

I felt shaky and tingly as I sat up on the ground. "Tr-tr-tr-tr-trap... d-d-do-o-or?" I stuttered, sparks sparking off of me on occasion.

"Yeah. I set a trap door last night," June answered.

"W-w-wh-why?" I asked.

She walked inside of the Gym, the door now wide open. She turned her head back to me, a nasty look on her face. "Welcome to Gringey City Gym." She disappeared inside.

Confused and still trembling weakly, I stood up and cautiously edged my way past the door. As I stepped inside, lights cut on everywhere, making it very bright.

Several doors lined the two longest walls that were facing each other from opposite ends of the building, a set of bleachers in front of each wall, a battlefield between them. Unlike at Pewter Gym, these bleachers were filled with people. Kids, adults, even Nurse Joy and a few Officer Jennys!

I remembered seeing a Nurse Joy when I had left the Pokemon Center this morning. She must have been standing in for this Nurse Joy. They can't leave the Pokemon Center unattended.

"What...?" I marveled over the sight before me, still squinting hard in the sudden light.

June walked over the tile floor, the only part of the building that wasn't made of metal, to a huge lever on the floor near the bleachers and flipped it. A humming noise I didn't notice was on, suddenly turned off. "That was the shock control to the door." She turned and walked to the battlefield as the entire audience laughed and applauded. "Whenever I have Gym battles, the entire town often likes to come out to watch in support."
Everyone cheered and shouted out.

"We love you, June!"

"Juni is the best!"

"You're gonna win this one, sweetheart!"

I walked forward, starting to get control of my body again and stared at everyone in the bleachers in awe.

A man hopped out of his seat and walked near the battlefield. He had on a really nice, bright yellow suit and black sunglasses. "I will be serving as the referee for this Gym battle," the man explained.

Wow, he looks different than the other Gym referees I've seen so far, I thought to myself. Though they all have their own flair, I guess...

"This battle will be between Gringey City's own Gym Leader, June," the referee started.

The entire Gym went nuts with applause.

"And Gary from Pallet Town," the referee continued in a bored voice.

The entire place booed! Even Nurse Joy and the Officer Jennys!

"This will be a three-on-three Pokemon battle," the referee went on. "The first Trainer to defeat the opponent's will be declared the victor. This battle will have no time limit. Only the challenger is allowed to substitute. Let the battle begin!"

"Okay, Gary. It's time!" she said with a deadly seriousness I felt wasn't truly who she was. Not compared to how kind she was when we first met.

Was this June when she was in Gym Leader mode? I considered. Or did I upset her last night?