Gardenia's expression didn't look like she was joking, but Luther felt this had to be another one of her whims.
"You think I'm being too hard on those challengers and want me to just hand out Badges now?"
"Just do normal battles," Gardenia replied. "If you run into someone with real potential, let them earn it. If they can win, great. If not, too bad. You control the battle pacing."
Luther was stunned. "Wait, you're serious? I've got zero experience with this. You might as well just shut the Gym down for a day."
"I'm giving you an opportunity here. Don't you get it?"
"Opportunity for what?"
Gardenia gave him a look like she'd overestimated his intelligence.
"If you become the acting Gym Leader, what do you think the Trainers who failed my challenges, but still think they're hot stuff, are going to do?"
Suddenly, it clicked for Luther.
"Exactly. They'll think the Gym's been taken over by a pushover and come running back, thinking they can score a Badge off you. You didn't want to handle my Gym funds before, right? Well, now you've got the perfect excuse, crush them in battle and end the whining."
Luther rubbed his chin, glancing at his Pokémon with a troubled look.
"My team's too small, I don't even have enough for two full rotations."
"All the Pokémon in the backyard are under your command," Gardenia said. "I'll only take Turtwig and the rest of my squad. I'll explain things to the others later."
Since it had gotten to this point, refusing would've been pointless. Besides, Luther was curious about what it felt like to stand in as a Gym Leader.
"You know the basic rules of being a Gym Leader already. Just remember one thing: if a challenger acts out of line, you can call them out, but don't lay a finger on them."
"Lay a finger? You mean, like… physically?"
"I mean don't actually get into a fistfight," Gardenia warned, side-eyeing him. "Let's not repeat what happened with Alon. Some challengers are weird, and I'm just worried you won't hold back."
Luther was a little surprised that even Gardenia knew about that incident. He scratched his face, looking helpless, and promised her he absolutely wouldn't do it again.
To be fair, the Alon situation had been a pressure cooker, an emotional burst from things bottled up for too long.
Gardenia handed him the key to the lounge cabinet where the Badges were kept, then rang the bell to signal the start of the afternoon Gym battles.
With the Lily of the Valley Conference drawing near, the number of challengers had spiked recently. Gardenia mentioned that it should taper off in another two or three months.
Mai had already hurried back to the Day Care, leaving Luther by himself in the garden washing dishes.
He nudged Marill with his foot, she was dozing off under the eaves again.
Marill didn't even open her eyes. She just rolled over, trying to nap in a comfier position.
Luther aimed the hose and gave her a light spray of water. That finally woke her, and she started hopping around in the splash zone.
"Time for training," Luther said as he picked her up, pinching her chubby cheeks. "Seriously, how do you eat so much and still stay this round?"
Marill looked down at her pudgy belly with a troubled expression. She genuinely didn't think she ate that much.
After setting the cleaned dishes out to dry, Luther returned to the yard, only to find someone unexpected waiting there.
"Basil?"
Luther recognized the girl immediately. Her name was easy to remember. Basil was the oldest of the young trainees Gardenia had taken under her wing, already fourteen.
At that age, most aspiring Trainers had long since set out on their journeys. But Basil had chosen to stick around, learning the fundamentals step by step.
Then there was her name and demeanor.
A spice-based name stood out, especially on a short-haired tomboy like her. The name itself sounded pretty neutral, even a little soft. But among the trainees, Basil was the quiet one, rarely talking, rarely joining in when others played.
"It's the weekend," Luther reminded her gently. "You don't have to come in for practice."
Basil stayed quiet for a long while. Luther was used to this; she always took her time to speak, often seeming lost in thought.
He didn't move or try to prompt her. Basil had another habit: if you interrupted or rushed her, she'd start apologizing over and over.
Even her Miltank and Jigglypuff had picked up the apologizing habit from their Trainer.
"I don't… I don't want to go outside with Gardenia San tomorrow," She said at last. "Can I… um… can I stay behind and keep practicing here in the Gym?"
That was unexpected. Most kids her age would be thrilled to go on a trip. But Basil wanted to stay.
"What's the reason?"
"I… I'm not very skilled yet. Even if I go outside to train with the others, I won't gain much from it. I still want to work on building a solid foundation."
Luther glanced at Basil, who was staring at the ground, then at her Miltank and Jigglypuff, both clearly worried about their Trainer.
"Alright. As long as Gardenia gives the okay, you can come to the Gym tomorrow. But…"
Basil's eyes lit up with hope, but the moment she heard "but," she shrank back again, looking nervous.
"But tomorrow, I'll be acting as the Gym Leader. If you come, I won't let you just hang out in the backyard, you'll need to stand behind me and observe the battles. If you're up for that, then you're welcome."
Basil looked a little disheartened as she walked away. Luther could tell she was torn.
When the closing bell rang, Gardenia returned to the lounge and started calling in the Pokémon from the backyard. It was only then that Luther realized just how many Grass-type Pokémon Gardenia actually had.
It made him think he'd underestimated how much she made on the side.
Luckily, the Pokémon were already familiar with Luther. None of them resisted Gardenia's commands, they even seemed to find it all a bit entertaining.
"I'll prep your dinner and leave it warm in the pot. Make sure you grab it when you come back."
"Don't worry about it. You and Mai can eat it."
"But you already paid."
Gardenia sighed at his refusal. When Luther got stubborn, there was no changing his mind.
"Let me ask," Luther said, "what's the story with that girl Basil? She seemed really timid before… Well, maybe 'shy' is more accurate."
Gardenia turned off the lounge lights and stepped out into the evening with Luther. After a pause, she replied, "She's always been like that."
"Her parents divorced a while back. She's living with relatives now in Hearthome City. I don't know all the details, but it's not that she's timid, she just struggles to connect with people."
"So that's why she avoids team stuff and keeps her distance?"
"Yeah. She barely joins in with group activities. Some of the other trainees have tried to befriend her, but she always stays on the fringe. It's hard to reach her."
Gardenia yawned as they walked. "Since you're basically an assistant now, keep an eye on her, will you? Neither I nor the last assistant could get through to her. It's like she's shut herself off."
"I told her that if she wants to come tomorrow, she has to stand behind me during the Gym battles. You think she'll show up?" Luther smiled as he asked.
Gardenia thought about it, then sighed. "As her mentor and as the Gym Leader, I'd like to say yes... but honestly, I think it'll be tough."
"Wanna bet on it?"
"Oh? What's the wager?"
"Let's say… the loser pays double for lunch next time."
"And if you lose?"
"Then I'll pay for both of us."
Luther sounded completely relaxed.
Seeing no downside either way, Gardenia had no reason to decline. She held out her hand, and Luther met it with a high five, deal sealed.
(End of Chapter)
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