The other trainer also has a small red fox and an enormous white fox, both with extravagantly forked tails.

Well, Pasiap doesn't seem tired yet, and he can probably handle some forest creatures even if they do have fire powers like that tigerdog did. Ari sends him back out.

Pasiap makes short work of both foxes--they mostly rely on shooting fire, and he doesn't seem to mind having fire shot at him.

Good serpent, best friend. Well actually Daana'd is best friend, but Pasiap is a friend and boy regardless.

"Do I have to stay to fight your leader now, or can I duel him after I have some lunch? It's been several weeks since the last time I ate, I keep getting distracted."

"You have to either get a question right or beat a trainer six times total before you face Blaine, but you can leave and come back in between if you want. Also, uh, I'm pretty sure people need to eat more than once every several weeks."

"Maybe you do. I'm off to get lunch."

Aril sets off in search of food. He's actually pretty Goddamn hungry; meditation only sustains the body as long as it's going on, and he has not in fact eaten in weeks. ...he should probably acquire currency first. That's a distraction, but a necessary one. He goes to the Pokémart and offers the cashier a koku, which is probably the prettiest form of currency he has on him. Printed on mulberry paper shot through with purple and gold silk threads that form a pattern of flying cranes, the koku bears an image of a black-and-green print of eagles nesting on the Imperial Mountain. On the reverse is written, in intricately calligraphed High Realm script, “In the Scarlet Empress’s name, one-eighth of an obol of jade.”

He suspects this is more valuable as an art object than the siu was.

That is a very valuable art object! He can have five thousand local currency units (P$) for it. If he looked in any restaurant windows on the way to the Pokémart, he'll know he can get a good meal for twenty.

"Great! Oh, um, weird question, what do Pokémon eat and do you sell it here?"

"What kind of weird foreign . . . never mind. Wild Pokemon eat plants and rocks and stuff, if you're training them you'll want to get them Pokemon chow, you can get it for free at Pokemon centers. Make sure to get the right kind for their type, different types need different nutrients."

"Thanks!"

He heads to the Pokécenter, gets Pasiap and Daana'd fed, goes to a restaurant, consumes two meals and a dessert, and returns to the gym. "I'm back!"

Pasiap and Daana'd appreciate the food! They eat surprisingly little for their size, which still comes out to eating massive amounts, but the Pokemon centers know this happens and buy food in bulk.

The gym lets Aril into the second room from the door, and the speaker asks, "Are there nine certified Pokemon League Badges?"

“Could not possibly tell you.”

Daana’d, your turn. 

Daana'd completely trounces the next trainer's set of three fire types. The next few doors want to know if the Poliwag evolutionary line has four Pokemon, if electric moves are effective against ground Pokemon, and if Pokemon of the same species and level are identical.

“No idea, but they sound adorable.”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Of course not! All the beings and beasts of Creation are uniquely blessed.”

He has to fight two more trainers, then gets to skip number 5 because that was the right answer. The last question is whether TM 28 contains Tombstone.

"I have no idea what most of those words mean."

That's okay, all he has to know is whether to clobber the last non-Blaine trainer with Daana'd or Pasiap. Or both; he's got two Pokemon.

Hey, if the rules allow it then a double battle's fine by him. He can see how Daana'd and Pasiap collaborate.

The other trainer was expecting to go one at a time, but he's fine with both at once. He still loses hard.

Now Aril can face Blaine! He might want to heal again first, but he can probably power through without, at the risk of exhausting one of his Pokemon.

Yeah, he takes a quick trip to the Pokécenter. Blaine's team will be fresh, he's just evening the playing field.

Then he returns. "I'm ready for Blaine!"

And Blaine is ready for him! 

. . . Actually, no he's not. Daana'd and Pasiap use their water and stone powers to great advantage against Blaine's fire types, not to mention their enchanted intelligence. With Aril cheering them on, they win a glorious victory. 

Aril bows to Blaine anyway; there's no sense being rude. "A good battle."

"Likewise! In recognition of your triumph, I present you with this Volcano Badge!" He hands Aril a shiny red and gold circular trinket with a pin on the back to attach it to his clothing.

That is... adorable. Aril pins the badge to his belt. "You certainly seem to know a lot about these Pokémon," he comments.