Courtney nodded and headed toward Eterna City. She was sure she would defeat the gym leader, Gardenia.

"Leo? Leo!" Sylver called out, looking for her brother. "Sylver? You're alive? What did the monster look like? Did you defeat it?" Leo asked. Kai giggled behind Sylver. "Well, actually, I think the monster wanted to join you" Sylver said, holding up the small buneary. Leo's face flushed in embarrassment. "It ambushed me! It seemed a lot bigger when it randomly jumped out at me!" Leo defended himself. "Well, anyway, I caught this for you, I thought it was cute and you might like it." Leo held out a Pokemon with a buneary in it. "Aww, its adorable! Thanks Leo!" Sylver said, picking up the buneary's ball. Sylver handed the monster buneary to Leo, who put it in a Pokeball. "I'll seeya around lil' bro, I'm going to challenge the gym leader in Eterna city" Sylver told him as they walked off.

"Hey, Kai, your team is all water types, won't you have a bit of a problem against Grass types?" Sylver asked, looking at his team. "Actually, I have a Pokemon in the PC box I've been meaning to take out, she'll come in handy for this battle." Kai told her as they walked into the pokemon center.

Courtney walked into the pokemon center, Luca at her side.
"Hello! Welcome to the pokemon center!" Nurse Joy said JOYfully.
(Lysie just facepalmed)
"Can you heal my pokemon?" Courtney asked.
"Sure! Just one moment!" Nurse Joy said, putting the pokeballs on the Healing Machine. "And done! Your pokemon are fighting fit!"
"Thank you." Courtney said. "Luca, come on out!"
"Lucaaaa!" Luca said happily.
"You ready to defeat Gardenia?" Courtney asked.
"Lu." Luca said, nodding.
"We prepared for this. Remember, use Poison Jab and Focus Punch for close-ups, and Aura Sphere and Shadow Ball for ranged attacks."
"Luca." Luca said.

Kai went to his PC box, taking a pokemon out of the pc box while Sylver got her pokemon healed. "All ready, how about you?" Sylver asked, looking over to Kai. "Yup, let's head over there now" Kai said, following Sylver to the gym.

"So... Your name is Courtney?" Gardenia asked.
"Yeah. It is." the lavenderette said. "I challenge you to a battle. Go Camerupt!" Courtney said, sneding out her first pokemon."
"Cherubi, I choose you!" Gardenia cried, sending out her first pokemon.
"All right! Camerupt, use Lava Plume!" Courtney commanded.

"Oh, gardenia already has a challenger, want to battle me for training instead?" Kai offered, ready to battle. Sylver nodded, grabbing a Pokeball. "Luxie, go!" Sylver called out her shinx. "Shello, are you up for this?" Kai called out his Shellos, which looked at him and nodded, using mud shot. "Luxie, bite!" She commanded it. After a few more attacks, the shinx fainted. Sylver called out her buneary next.

Courtney walked out of the Eterna City gym, the Forest Badge in her Sinnoh Gym Badge case.
"We totally destroyed her pokemon!" Courtney said, smiling.
"Lu-Lucario!" Luca said happily.

"Oh, look, we can challenge the gym now, I'll let you go first" Kai said, healing her Pokemon. Sylver nodded, thanking him. Kai came along for moral support.

Sylver sent out her Shinx first to face the Turtwig. "Shinx, use bite! then tackle!" Sylver commanded her pokemon. Her shinx took out the turtwig, then returned to its ball.

After she had taken her pokemon to the pokemon center, and changed her clothes, Courtney headed towards the route that would take them to Veilstone. She put her hair into a ponytail, and wore a Team Magma hoodie to protect her from the cold. Unlike most trainers, Courtney had decided to go over Mount Coronet, not through it.
It may delay my journey, but it will strengthen the bond between Luca and I. Courtney thought, smiling to herself.

After a long battle, Sylver finally won, her piplup evolving into a prinplup. "So you chose piplup too?" Kai said, looking at the penguin pokemon. Sylver nodded. "Time for your battle now" She said, Kai stepping up to the challenger position.