[attr="class","witness"]"Welcome to Petalburg Gym!"

Francie is there to greet Iris after she's checked in. She bounces toward a large stone wall, which begins to separate down the middle and open to reveal the giant maze within. This is the access point. Each wall is solid stone and stretches straight to the ceiling.

If one is claustrophobic, please look away.... er, don't read ahead? Whichever!

"This is the Petalburg Gym's Maze! The non-traditional gym route! If you make it to the end of the maze, with me, then you win yourself a stone badge! Your pokemon are not allowed to use damaging moves. If a challenge may present itself and I allow damaging moves, it will only be for the duration of that challenge time. Even with the case of non-damaging moves, please remember not to damage the walls of the gym or else I'm in deep trouble, heh heh."

Francie cleared her throat and regained her confidence.

"You may bring one pokemon with you, must be emerged from their pokeball while in the maze at all times! Once you cross this line here, and enter the maze, your return back over the line is seen as a forfeit!"

All jovial cheers aside, Francie's features are suddenly very serious, and she gives Kaida a challenging grin.

"Are you ready?"

@iris - roll total 0/200

[attr="class","witness"]Honestly the marshtomp was so adorable and if it was part rock she'd have one. But, her love for the type blinds her to the possibility for any other type to be on her team.

Except, somehow, Drudge. But that's a long and complicated story that'll probably be an exhibit post.

But she can see the hesitation in the little dual type and it has her frowning. She bends down so the dual type can hear her.

"I'm sure you're gonna do great!"

Except that they had gone down a dead in, and would have to turn around and head the other direction.

"I mean, as great as one can be in a maze, anyway... heh heh..."

She's trying to make light of the situation because, well, it's Francie and that's what she does. Finds sunshine even in the darkest of places.

@iris - roll total 6/200

[attr="class","witness"]Following behind them, Francie admires their teamwork. Once again, she's reminded why she was so eager to do this gym. Because seeing the team work that a pokemon and trainer can have together is ultimately one of her favorite things to witness, hands down.

As they continue down paths, suddenly they are presented with a room that was full of different seemingly floating and moving platforms, surrounded by water. Each platform moves at a different time, but they eventually synchronize and touch to allow passage. If timed correctly, one could make it to the other side without falling in the water.

"Welcome to your first obstacle! Make your way across the moving floor! Careful not to fall off, or you'll have to swim back to the beginning and start all over!"

A small flick of her wrist and Francie lets out her tirtouga, before stepping onto the turtle's shell. Captain keeps her above the water rather easily, beginning to swim her to the other side. He'd memorized the maze with her when she first took it.

"Keep in mind, you're still not allowed to use damaging moves at this time. If you or your pokemon fall off then you both have to start over! Good luck!"

She knew the ranger had it in her, so she was sure to show as much in her confident moment of cheering them on.

@iris - roll total 81/200

[attr="class","witness"]Francie returned her tirtouga, clapping happily at how well the two of them did. She grins as Iris comes to meet her at the end, a bright smile on her face.

"You're doing so well! Um, please don't move though."

Once they cross, Francie asks them to remain still, and the floor begins to lower. As it lowers, what was once the floor above them begins to close, causing them to enter pitch black and total darkness.

"Welcome to your half way point! From here on out, it's going to be total darkness!! Unless there's a way that your pokemon can illuminate your path. If not, you're allowed to use a device on your person."

Because lawsuits were a thing and if somebody decided they were going to sue because they hurt themselves in the darkness, she'd have an earful to deal with...

@iris - roll total 131/200

[attr="class","witness"]As they took a break, Francie had thought about asking if maybe she was pushing the poor thing a little too hard. But what Francie had realized in her years so far, was that some people had a different relationship with their pokemon than Francie did.

Typically, Francie treated her pokemon like they were her children, or her family. They were her friends, and she felt like she was on the same level as them in the means of respect, if they'd earned it. Through battles or hikes or other bonding activities.

Once they started moving again, Francie could feel the familiar air, and she started to clap in congratulations as the ceiling opened, shining down light from the arena they were raising up to meet.

As the arena floor and the ceiling met, becoming the ground of the gym's battle arena. Francie started a small jog, making her way over to to the podium that held within its casing the stone badge. A retina scan later and the casing unlocked, allowing Francie to pluck the stone badge out and turn to hand it out to Iris.

"Although tough, and full of a lot of different twists and turns, you and Blue made it through the challenge. Congratulations to you both, and I wish you two the best of luck in your many adventures ahead."

@iris - roll total 211/200
congratulations! will submit to mod reqs