the end of a nightmare

[Amongst some unhappy news of people being gone, there is Luca. He wanted to make sure that he hadn't actually been dreaming - that he actually had done it - and so, four days after the fact, he's trying not to smile too hard as he shows off his new badge. His first one, actually. And it's happy even though his scales haven't exactly gone away. Huff.]

Since it was close by, I challenged the gym in Celadon City and... I won. [Obviously.] I felt kind of helpless just watching my Pokémon battle such strong opponents, even if I was giving them orders, since I'm used to being in the middle of it but, well -- it doesn't matter. I guess it isn't as much my victory as it is theirs...

[He turns the 'Gear to the team that won it - his Audino, his Lopunny, and his Ursaring. His Sentret's there too, hanging around Lopunny's next and chittering at him. Probably nagging.]

Congratulations guys. Doctor, Spada, Ursa. And thank you.

[...Doctor will take all that praise-- Spada's a little more sheepish about it, and Ursa just grins. This is his team!! Mostly. He keeps the video on them though, since he's trying to pin the badge in his jacket like he's seen some other trainers do and-- failing at it, incidentally, while he talks.]

Um-- I'll probably take on Saffron City's next, since it's just a day or two away. Any tips would be really nice.