Traveling isn't always smooth sailing; setbacks are inevitable.
Yeah, that's how it is for trainers in this world.
After leaving the second city, Millie found that whether it was the wild monsters by the roadside or performers, posing as trainers in the middle of the road, they'd always whip out an Elf Ball and forcefully initiate a battle without so much as a word.
Fortunately, even if her Pocket Monsters couldn't beat those of the other trainers, she just needed to be able to take down the trainers themselves.
According to the game's hint, these were just wild battles, not formal Gym battles.
Of course, with this mindset, Millie headed to her first Gym, but since it was the Deep Grey Gym, which specialized in Rock-type, and her Little Fire Dragon had a double weakness to Rock and Ground, and Pidgey was too low level, she inevitably faced a thrashing.