The road to Cylge City wound through towering cliffs and coastal valleys, its rocky terrain tougher than the rolling hills of Kalos’s inner routes. But the views were unmatched. Sharp, jagged rock formations jutted out along the edges, and in the distance, the ocean crashed rhythmically against stone.

  But Rhea didn’t care about the view.

  Not right now.

  Because this route was crawling with Trainers.

  And they were looking for battles.

  It started as a warm-up.

  A young Hiker challenged Benoit just outside a rest station. He was big, loud, and confident—until Riolu dodged three Rock Throws in a row and knocked his Geodude unconscious with a focused Counter.

  “Nice,” Rhea said afterward, stretching. “Clean moves.”

  Benoit puffed out his chest. “We’re in sync now.”

  “Then let’s test it again.”

  From there, the matches piled up fast.

  A pair of students offered a tag-team duel—Zigzagoon and Riolu faced off against a Pancham and Spoink.

  Benoit adapted quickly: “Riolu, fake the charge—Zigzagoon, cut in left!”

  They won in under five minutes.

  Another day, another challenge—this time Rhea took the lead, pitting Froakie against a Bronzor. Her opponent tried to wall her with defense, but she baited out Confuse Ray, countered with Bubble from above, then closed with a double-feint Pound.

  “You’re too fast!” the Trainer groaned.

  “No,” Rhea said, brushing dust off her boots. “I’m prepared.”

  After six wins in a row between them, word spread.

  The path to Cylge was long and winding—but Rhea and Benoit turned it into a proving ground.

  Trainers started waiting for them along the route. Some offered snacks for a match. Others brought homemade badges as “gifts for beating us.” By the time they were halfway to the city, a crowd followed them from spot to spot, whispering and cheering as they battled.

  And then it happened.

  A Trainer pair challenged them to a double battle.

  Benoit looked at Rhea.

  “You ready?”

  She shrugged. “Let’s see what synergy looks like.”

  Double Battle – Rhea & Benoit vs. Twins Leo & LinaThe makeshift field was a fttened ledge overlooking the sea. At least a dozen onlookers had gathered—sitting on rocks, perched on cliff edges, chatting between matches.

  “Go, Litleo and Furfrou!” the twins called out, releasing two Pokémon in perfect sync.

  The crowd whistled.

  Rhea and Benoit exchanged a look.

  “Skye,” Rhea said. “Time to fly.”

  “Riolu, let’s show them.”

  The Pokémon hit the field—Skye circling above, Riolu crouched low, eyes focused.

  “Litleo—Ember! Furfrou—Tackle, right ne!”

  The enemy split immediately—Litleo shot fmes toward Skye while Furfrou bolted for Riolu.

  “Skye—bank left, then Quick Attack Litleo!” Rhea called.

  “Riolu, intercept then Counter!”

  Skye veered sharply, dodging the ember and smming into Litleo from above.

  Furfrou reached Riolu—but just as it collided, Riolu’s form shimmered—

  He absorbed the blow—then returned it with Counter, striking with double the force and knocking Furfrou off its paws.

  The crowd gasped.

  Rhea took a breath.

  “Skye, Peck, push it back—Riolu, back her up with Quick Attack!”

  Two strikes, synchronized—Skye from above, Riolu from the side. Litleo colpsed. Furfrou staggered. Another round of hits ter and the match was theirs.

  Cheers erupted.

  Benoit whooped and spun Riolu in a circle. “We are LEGENDS!”

  Rhea shook her head, though she smiled.

  They were learning.

  Not just to win—but to work together.

  Arrival – Cylge CityThey reached Cylge two days ter, still undefeated since Route 5. The city was built into stone—cut into cliffs, threaded with winding bike paths, ramps, and rope bridges. The ocean pped against the lower docks, and higher above, the Gym stood like a fortress overlooking the sea.

  Benoit nearly passed out from excitement when he saw it.

  “It looks like a castle! With a climbing wall!”

  “Grant’s a climber,” Rhea said, checking her map. “His arena is built on an indoor cliff.”

  “That’s so cool!”

  As their Pokémon were checked into the Pokémon Center for recovery, Benoit opened his holo-tab and called Rhea’s parents without warning.

  When their faces appeared, he practically shoved his face into the frame.

  “We’ve won eleven battles! ELEVEN! Rhea did this amazing dive-bomb trick, and Riolu—you should’ve seen Riolu! He caught a Furfrou’s charge and flipped it like a table!”

  Sierra smirked. “Sounds like you’ve come a long way.”

  Rhea appeared beside him, dryly sipping tea. “I haven’t had quiet in 48 hours.”

  Her dad chuckled. “She’s glowing. Don’t let her fool you.”

  “She’s stressed,” Benoit said dramatically. “Gym stress. Her eyes are twitching from research.”

  Rhea held up her Pokégear. “Because I’m researching. Like someone should be.”

  Rhea’s Research – The Gym ChallengeThat evening, while Benoit took Riolu and Zigzagoon to a park outside the Center to practice their timing, Rhea sat in a corner of the lounge with her notebook spread out, three holoscreens open.

  One screen showed clips of Grant’s previous battles.

  The second showed terrain youts of the Cylge Gym’s arena.

  The third listed Rock-type base stats, movesets, and battle history.

  She murmured to herself, scribbling fast:

  “Grant opens with Amaura or Onix. Leans into vertical defense. Walls, terrain control, type pressure. Uses Sandstorm, sometimes Rock Polish.”

  “Amaura’s Ice/Rock. Weak to Steel, Water, Fighting. Froakie is a natural fit, but one hit from Rock Tomb could KO.”

  “Needs speed. Needs mobility. Avoid corners. Force mistakes.”

  “Nice notes.”

  Rhea blinked.

  The voice came from across the table.

  A boy, maybe a year older, was sitting there now—pushed a tray of food aside, holding a tablet open to the same battle clip she’d been watching.

  He wore a travel jacket, gsses, dark brown hair tied back in a loose knot. Calm presence, sharp eyes.

  “Didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” he said. “But you’re breaking down Grant’s movement patterns better than most League analysts.”

  Rhea narrowed her eyes slightly. “Who are you?”

  “Lucas,” he said. “Trainer. Researcher. Part-time analyst for a battle study group out of Shalour.”

  “You’re a research battler?”

  “Trying to be.” He tapped his screen. “I’ve been tracking Grant’s battle variations for three weeks. You’re right—his terrain pressure is vertical, but his right-handed bias leaves an opening on low-left fnks.”

  Rhea raised an eyebrow. “You noticed that?”

  Lucas smiled. “You did too.”

  She nodded slowly.

  He leaned in.

  “You aiming for his badge?”

  “Tomorrow,” she said.

  “Want a spar match tonight? I’ve got a team built to mirror Grant’s. Call it... research practice.”

  Rhea closed her notebook.

  And smiled.