Previously on Galarian Days...

Zander once again meets up with Elle and Turner in Hammerlocke, with the former saying that she designed the workings of the Power Plant. Turner then escorts Zander to the vault, where the Steel-type Gym Leader Lady Cona gives him a look inside, as well as something to think about...

-

Zander exited the Pokemon Center after getting his Pokemon healed up, then looked at the Great Ball his new Snorlax was in and said, "Sorry I took so long with that, Serta. No hard feelings?" He then remembered something else important. "Oh, my goodness, I almost forgot about those Apricorn Rangers and getting them to Wyndon for that surprise! Pow, that's a mouthful." So, he went back to Hammerlocke Stadium, where a person in a red superhero costume with a Level Ball helmet was waiting for him.

"Oh, good, you came back. My name's Level Red, and this is for you." Zander took the Level Ball capsule, opened it and read the note inside. "To the finder of this note, thank you for sending Level Red back to us. Now, we shall confide a little secret with you: The Apricorn Rangers are not originally from Galar, but a distant region that was not heard of since... for a long time now." He then merged the capsule with the others, and the result was a black ball.

"Okay, loose ends are tied up, now my Gym Challenge shall officially continue," Zander said as he left the castle again and crossed the bridge to Route 6... but as soon as he got to the other side, Avery came up behind him.

"So, Zander, we meet again," the man in the tall, black hat said.

"Oh, my Mew, are we really going through this mess again," Zander muttered in exasperation, then turned around to tell Avery, "Listen, I am in no mood for any of your nonsense again, sir. If I have to conk you down several pegs like I did with Klara, I will."

"Now, now, calm yourself," Avery said. "Rest assured, I am in no mood to tangle with you, either. I simply have more personal matters to attend to. And to make doubly sure that there are no hard feelings between you and I, perhaps this will serve as a proper peace offering." He then took out a League Card and handed it to Zander, who saw that it was not one of his, but of the Psychic Gym Leader, Monty. "Now, then... Avery, Teleport!" he added as he ran off.

"I can clearly see you running away! You know that, don't you?" Zander called out, then muttered to himself, "That man's pride is going to be the death of him one of these days..." He then looked at the card again to examine it more closely. The image was of Monty in a calculating stance with the Psychic Gym logo in the corner, and his uniform number, 031, was in a swirl of fushia, cyan, yellow and red on the bottom of the card. Flipping it over, Zander read, "Monty is one of the many members of a long line of Psychic Gym Leaders of Galar. He was gifted with teleportation abilities, which he has honed through years of practice. However, he has never been known to turn down a challenge, be it mental or physical with himself or his Pokemon."

Zander pocketed another addition to his League Card collection, then entered through Route 6, battling Trainers and strengthening his Pokemon... as always. Finally, he reached the town of Stow-on-Side, where the sun was beating down as people and Pokemon were playing in the streets and selling in the marketplace... then he heard a familiar voice say, "Here you go, and thank you for purchasing from the Battle Cafe!" and found Sophia there!

"Sophia! Over here!" Zander called out.

"Zander! Good to see you again!" Sophia called back, and the two friends walked up to each other once again. "So, how's the ol' Gym Challenge coming along?"

"Doing fine, thanks for asking," Zander answered. "I just came here to get my fourth badge when I heard you finish up one of your deliveries." But then he started panting and said, "Though, why anyone would tolerate a piping hot cup of coffee when it's already piping hot outside is beyond me."

"That's why there's also iced coffee," Sophia explained. "So, hoping to earn badge number 4, huh? Then you'll probably need this to give you a ghost of a fighting chance. No offense to last year's Leaders of here."

Zander accepted another League Card from Sophia as he said, "For continuity's sake, I hope there's no offense taken. I was going to wish them both good luck for next year." He then looked at his new card to see it was one of the Normal-type Gym Leader, Basil, battle-ready pose, Normal Gym logo, uniform number 221 on a pattern of gray Poke Balls on a light-gray background, and the flipside read, "Basil is a scholar of Pokemon, but he can only handle Normal-types due to a series of mishaps he would rather not discuss. Needless to say, when he became the Normal-type Gym Leader, he was able to use different strategies using a combination of his class smarts and traumatic memories, but one shouldn't be surprised if he tends to lose control of his emotions..."

"Ooh, sounds like I'm in for some instability on this one," Zander said as he pocketed yet another League Card, "and I guess I'll see you later, Sophia."

"Okay, Zander," Sophia said, waving as Zander continued to Stow-on-Side Stadium. "Good luck getting your next badge!"

Zander waved back as he entered the stadium, and unsurprisingly, he was approached by someone in a black superhero costume with a Heavy Ball-themed helmet. "Here. I am Heavy Black." He accepted the Heavy Ball capsule and read the note inside. "Thank you for getting to Heavy Black, dear finder. As a reward, here is a tidbit of interesting information: As you are collecting the capsules the Apricorn Rangers give you, you are actually recreating something that was lost to time..." One capsule-merging later, the black ball gained a white button on its front, making it resemble a Poke Ball... somewhat. Pocketing his new treasure, Zander then walked up to the Normal-type Gym Trainer at the end of the gray ball-patterned white carpet.

"Ah, a Gym Challenger. Are you here to face this Gym?" the Gym Trainer asked.

"I am," Zander confirmed.

"Then just go change into your uniform, and you can go right in," the Gym Trainer said. Zander went to go do just that, and when he came back, the Gym Trainer stood to one side, allowing him to pass...

-

Inside the chamber, the walls were a dull off-white, seeming to go down into a bottomless pit. Suspended over said pit was a long ramp of three mazes, each with a Wooloo-styled teacup ride at the top. Once again, Dan came up to Zander and explained the mission.

"Welcome, Gym Challenger, to the Normal-type Gym Mission of Stow-on-Side Stadium!" Dan said. "The objective is simple: you must ride and navigate through each of these mazes in these spinning teacup rides to progress! But be warned: Gym Challengers will attempt to halt your progress at the end of each maze, so you must also defeat them! With all that said, good luck, and let the Gym Mission begin!"

After Dan left, the starting whistle blew, and Zander got into the first cup. A countdown started from 3, then the cup started sliding down towards the first wall. Reacting quickly, he started turning the wheel in the center of the cup, and it spun to the left, dodging the wall. After clearing that wall, he then spun the cup in the opposite direction to fit into the maze's exit, then got off the ride only to be stopped by the first Gym Trainer, Bob. "Those spinning cup rides sure are fun, aren't they? But battles can be just as fun!"

Bob then sent out his Minccino while Zander chose Klefki. Minccino couldn't do much damage to Klefki with its Swift attack, but Klefki managed to one-shot its opponent with Flash Cannon, firing a shining silver ball of energy from its key-like horn to give Zander his victory. "Of course, battles are more fun if you win..."

Next, Zander got into the second cup, and let it slide when the countdown reached 0. This time, Zander spun into a wrong lane and got bounced back upwards by a spring-loaded glove. Eventually, though, he managed to find the correct way out after a few bounces, where he was stopped by Beth, the second Gym Trainer. "Now that my opponent's dizzy, I can strike him down!"

She then sent out a Munchlax, and Zander stuck with Klefki. Munchlax used Fling to throw a Poison Barb at Klefki, and while it didn't get poisoned, the damage, though not very effective, still was a pretty good chunk. Klefki then used Draining Kiss to siphon some of Munchlax's health, but then Munchlax used Recycle to bring back its Poison Barb. But Klefki finished Munchlax off with Flash Cannon before it could be defeated, giving Zander his second victory. "Whoa! You don't have to take it so personally!"

With the path once again cleared, Zander got into the last cup and slid down the maze, turning left and right to position himself into the path of some gloves that bounced him upward until he slid into a cluster of gloves that bounced him this way and that, ultimately shooting him down to the bottom of the last maze. While Zander was grateful that he didn't eat anything before the Gym Mission, there was only one Gym Trainer left before he could climb up the stairs to the exit: Gym Trainer Bill. "Normal-type Pokemon don't have to evolve to prove that they're strong. Just ask mine!"

Zander stuck with Klefki while Bill sent out a Skwovet. The cheeky Pokemon started off with Stockpile, while Klefki hit it with Draining Kiss. But the defense and special defense boost gave it a chance to use Stockpile again, further increasing its protection. Klefki only responded with Flash Cannon, knocking it out and letting Bill send in his Wooloo. Klefki used Flash Cannon again, but Wooloo used Copycat to counter with its own Flash Cannon. One Draining Kiss later, Wooloo was out, and Zander won against the last Gym Trainer. "That's... not to say evolution doesn't have good qualities..."

With that, Zander ascended the staircase to the exit, and with the jets of steam, the doors opened and the whistle blew again, signaling that the Gym Mission was complete!

-

Zander walked down the hallway to the pitch, colored in a plain-Jane light gray. As he made his way to the center of the pitch, a teenage boy with glasses, bowl-cut black hair and wearing a Normal Uniform came from the other side to meet him there. The boy was none other than the Normal-type Gym Leader: the Exceptional Standard, Basil.

"So, you must be the Gym Challenger I've heard about," Basil said. "I'm Basil."

"Oh, so you've heard of me?" Zander asked, surprised.

"Of course," Basil stated. "Any Gym Challenger who makes it to Stow-on-Side Stadium is notoriously famous. But the Gym Challenge doesn't stop there, because it becomes my turn to test their resolve. So, may the better Trainer win."

Zander and Basil then took their places, and Zander sent out his Sandygast while Basil chose a Cinccino from a Premier Ball. Sandygast started things off with Bulldoze, but Cinccino responded with a Bullet Seed attack, spitting a barrage of seeds at Sandygast and dealing super effective damage! "The best part about Normal-types? You never know if they have a secret weapon up their sleeve," Basil boasted.

Undeterred, Sandygast used Mega Drain to siphon Cinccino's health, knocking it out and saving Sandygast from nearly fainting. Basil then sent out a Greedent, which Sandygast proceeded to trap with Sand Tomb, but then it used Bite, dealing super effective damage and Knocking it out!

Zander decided to go with his Fletchinder this time, and it used Flame Charge to finish Greedent off. Basil then threw in his Dubwool, but its Fluffy ability made another Flame Charge from Fletchinder knock it out instantly.

"Keep it together, Basil," Basil told himself. "Don't lose your cool..."

Basil then sent out his last Pokemon: a Snorlax. Zander, however, opted to keep Fletchinder out.

"Fine," Basil said in defiance. "If it's my full power you want, it's Gigantamax Snorlax you get!"

Basil called Snorlax back into its Premier Ball, which then grew to basketball size. After sneering in frustration, he then threw the ball behind him with one hand without turning around, and the Pokemon inside came back out and swelled three times, but its appearance was changed. It now sported a pseudo field on its massive belly, the center of which had a Berry tree bearing fruit. Snorlax then growled to try and show off its power, but then it fell back asleep.

But Fletchinder used Acrobatics, darting towards Snorlax while glowing cyan and striking it multiple times. However, Snorlax was holding a Sitrus Berry, and ate it to recover some health.

"Now, G-Max Replenish! Destroy all and let my foes' efforts be in vain!" Basil shouted, and Snorlax started shining brightly until the ground below Fletchinder cracked and a massive pillar of light and berries knocked it out! The berries then fell to the ground, one of which was a Sitrus Berry that Snorlax caught in its mouth and ate, practically negating the damage it took!

Zander then tried Klefki which used Flash Cannon, but Snorlax only used G-Max Replenish again, and with the pillar of light, the berries and the eating, Klefki's efforts were fruitless. (Not Snorlax's, though!) Klefki tried Draining Kiss, only for that to be made pointless with another G-Max Replenish. Fortunately, Snorlax returned to normal size and shape, opening it up to another Flash Cannon with no way to recover. Snorlax used Lick, but one Draining Kiss later, and Snorlax was konked out, making Zander the winner!

As Zander howled and Klefki jingled, Basil was taken aback. "Of all the things... Doesn't that just beat all?" Then, both Trainer and Gym Leader walked back up to each other, and Basil said, "I see... The bond between you and your Pokemon is rather strong. Even without Dynamaxing, it's no wonder you won."

"Well, a Pokemon Trainer is only as good as their Pokemon," Zander said modestly.

"I concur," Basil agreed. "And yours have made you worthy of this Normal Badge."

As Zander and Basil shook hands, a piece of gold with a picture of a white ball being thrown was set into his Challenge Band: the Normal Badge.

"Congratulations on completing the first half of the Gym Challenge," Basil said, "and good luck with the latter half."

-

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