Chapter 10:

Wild Card

…

"Hone claws."

"Low kick!"

Neva sharpened and steeled her natural blades while Aldo would have none of it.

She raised her claws and blocked the kick, though the impact rattled her bones into a groan with the fighting energy having a significant impact against her typing and almost sending her tumbling back.

Before he could back off she went for a swipe, missing only by a hair.

"Nice defense, Grey, but with her typing, it's only a matter of minutes before she falls," said Evelyn in smug fashion.

Said opponent only grinned in response as Neva raised a peculiar item she now held in her claws, evaporating the lieutenant's smile.

"That might've been the case, but judging by that expression, the only reason I could gather for him having an 'expert belt' is so you can end favorable battles quickly…Perhaps due to his low attack power?" Said Grey in a snide comeback.

"Tch. Damn you, how?"

"Pickpocketing is one of Neva's secret skills, she is, after all, a sneasel. Perhaps you're not as proficient at your studies as I've heard."

Evelyn growled. "I scored top of my class several times before graduating! Don't think you've won this yet! Aldo! Finish her with Fury swipes!"

The round puffball of a lanky simian, in reflection of his trainer's anger, swung his arms wildly as he made a fervent dash toward the teal mustelid.

Neva analyzed his movements and with swift precision avoided each strike, waiting for Grey's signal.

"Ikkyo."

At his command, she grinned in mad anxiousness, pacing herself and welcoming the cool wind of her opponent's inaccurate swipes.

Aldo went for a haymaker—

Now.

—The mankey's claw came down but Neva dodged and grabbed the palm of his hand between her claws, pushed it backward against his wrist, and made a simple yet deft twist of her iron grip with a resounding crack reverberating from the pig monkey's wrist joint.

Before he could bellow out in pain, she forced him to step forth and with her free hand shoved his elbow backward with controlled force. The bone crunched under her grasp.

Aldo screamed in pain.

"Sequence two."

She let go and silenced him with a Throat punch having located said part within all that fur, being the narrow space beneath his snout.

With a thunk she struck home and the mankey gagged, holding his throat with his good hand in reflex.

"Back away, Aldo!" yelled Evelyn.

He did so, but it was futile.

Grey was more brilliant than she gave him credit for. Every single detail and reaction he had predicted aligned perfectly. Opponent comes swinging? Disable their limb and keep locking them down. If they wisely pull away, it would still be futile as she could use ranged attacks.

Neva blasted the Mankey with her Ice Shard attack, showering and battering him with chunks of ice, making him flinch and stagger due to only having one functional limb to cover himself in vain.

"Retreat and reposition yourself, Aldo! Don't let her within range!"

But the Mankey was too jarred and only managed a few shaky steps backward.

Grey sighed. This battle was over.

"Finish him with Ice spear. Keep their edges blunt."

She raised her hand and drew her ice from the coastal humidity in the air, forming lances of ice one by one while she pegged them at the mankey.

The barrage of blunt spears shimmered and struck him several times, shattering on impact like thick glass.

Grey observed his opponent's distress and was about to tell her to surrender, but Evelyn's expression was hardened and she murmured to herself with a clenched fist: "Just a little more…"

He rose a brow at that. A little more for 'what'?

One of the ice spears struck a vital spot and Mankey roared more so in anger than in pain, flailing his arm about with rabid froth bubbling out of his mouth.

"What the…wait."

He pulled out his pokédex and scanned the hairy creature…One thing of note was its other ability: 'Anger point', which…Shit.

"Neva! Quick! Finish him with a metal—"

A flash of light illuminated the area in iridescent blue and white, with a pulsating whir resonating in the air, blinding everyone. The mankey was the source of it; his body now a glowing and shimmering shape which grew several inches all round…now he was twice his original size and towered over his adversary with more defined musculature on his limbs and thicker hands.

The glowing faded, and in Aldo's place was a familiar creature…Didn't Ash have one of these from the first generation anime season?

—"Primeape, the pig monkey pokémon, sometimes known as 'the berserker pokémon'. It is the final known evolution of the Mankey line. Known to spontaneously reach this stage from sheer fury alone. When Primeape become furious, their blood circulation increases explosively, elevating their athletic abilities and overall strength to massive levels. Trainers should take caution, both opponent and keeper."— Finished the AI dex' voice.

"Primea—aaargh! I'll fucking kill you, bitch!" roared out Aldo as he stomped the ground repeatedly in a blind rage.

Jesus…I remember this guy, didn't he beat the shit out of a machop in a tournament? Not good…

"Oh, Aldo! I can't believe it! You evolved! Yay!" Celebrated Evelyn, skipping in place out of joy before grinning triumphantly at Grey. "You've lost, Wilson. I suggest returning your sneasel before she gets seriously hurt. She was at a double type disadvantage to begin with, despite having similar stats to Mankey, but now it's just outright—"

"Do you honestly think I'll just back down? Neva! He's still an arm short, continue with metal claw!"

…She advanced on the ape with a sheen in her hardened claw, but—

"Skull bash!"

Aldo blasted forth with incredible agility, only beige fur filled Neva's vision before her snout crunched along with the tang of blood rushing up her nostrils with her head buzzing uncontrollably and a sharp pain blaring into existence. Her vision flashed white for a moment before she found herself staring into furious black pupils.

"—va! Move aw—!"

"Thrash."

"—ith pleasure." Said the berseker ape.

"Neva!"

She only registered several syllables and couldn't react in time against a thick brown hand striking her head to the right, before another impact rattled her brains and snapped her vision to the left. Right, left, right, left; her stomach sank and she had no air; her legs were jelly and everything was a blur.

"—va!"

Only her name rung from Grey's voice and echoed in her mind as she only just registered the fact that she was getting the shit kicked out of her. The cloud spotted sky came about and the sandy ground pinched her back, only for a fist to fly down and crush her head against it with a thump.

Everything hurt so much that it was pointless to even think about how much. It just hurt. Bad. Her own blood and sweat blinded her and now her head swirled. How much abuse could she take?

She didn't want to faint again. Not this time. She held on as much as she could.

Then the rain of punishment stopped.

Muffled syllables of sorts came in pieces.

"—va…Return. It's ove—"

"No." She said, cutting him off without even thinking.

"...Excuse me?"

The spinning of the ground and sky lessened, and she somehow leaned up, putting a shaky claw on the ground for support. She lay eyes on Grey who seemed upset.

Was it because he believed he lost? Or was it because…

"Don't be stupid, Neva. You're lucky enough he stopped, anymore beating and not even the pokémon center's healing tanks can reverse all the damage."

"Why don't you just use your pokéball to return her?" Asked Evelyn with a curious tone.

Grey shifted his narrowed gaze. "That's none of your concern."

"Ah, I see. You want 'me' to return Primeape so you can cheat out a win from the Rotom Drone's perspective. I knew it, you're dishonorable."

"If that's what you think, then let me put that smart mouth of yours to rest," He said in a terse tone as he approached the floating rotom drone, and Neva snapped out of her daze in realization of what he was about to do.

Memories of Roxanne's exploding graveler filled the sneasel's mind.

That victory was not hers, but a product of Joanna's hard work. It stung her pride to realize that she not only couldn't deal the finishing blow, but the graveler essentially denied her that privilege. Then the probopass proceeded to humiliate her, despite her final uncontrolled struggle with her other power.

The sound of Grey's subtle growl filled her clearing ears before he began his statement. "I forfe—"

No.

"No!" She screamed as she launched an ice spear that went wide, distracting the rotom drone and cutting Grey off again. They all stared at her as though she had gone mad.

"Oi, Neva! You sure you wanna' go through with this?" Called out Ginger from behind.

"Master doesn't wish to see you hurt." Added Joanna.

But Kassadar, the starmie, remained silent. Likely because most psychic's didn't dare delve into a Dark-type's mind.

Grey glared at her. "Neva. What are you doing? Stop this now—"

"No! I'm winning this one for you! This is my battle, and my chance to claim a victory of my own! So shut up and watch!"

He was speechless, before he scowled at her. But she didn't care.

This time she'd win with dignity. She didn't give a shit who her opponent was.

—"Sneasel is still able to battle. Resume the match."— Commanded the rotom drone.

Neva stood her ground, ignoring the throbbing of her bruises, the blood rushing from her snout, mouth, and cuts all over. She closed her eyes and breathed in, concentrating as the external voices faded away.

Evelyn barked a laugh. "Looks like I'm not the only one that has to deal with insubordination in the ranks. Karma can certainly bite hard, eh, Grey?" She finished with derision.

He grunted. "Watch that tongue of yours, lieutenant. You know damn well I did that out of necessity and due to your incompetence. 'This' isn't such an occasion "

Aldo snarled. "Too much talk! I'll smash this arrogant, little darken' bitch to the ground if she doesn't step down! Ragh!"

The shuffling of the ape's feet on the ground was the last thing she heard.

Finally, the voices and noise were gone…And once more, Neva was in absolute 'True' darkness…

…Grey was absolutely livid. He could understand the thrill of fights, but this was just stupid. It wasn't enough that Neva allowed Ginger to convince her to risk herself at sea like a reckless moron, no. Now, the sneasel made the unexpectedly stupid decision to risk getting her brains bashed out too!? Out of pride!? And to top it off she closes her eyes and just stands there playing pretend ninja!

"Neva! Get the fuck out of there, now!"

She didn't even hear him. Christ. It was only a matter of moments before Aldo lost his shit and went too far.

No, he'd step in and get himself disqualified, fuck this, it wasn't worth Neva's life.

The primeape launched himself and Grey stepped forth to interfere with the vicious simian—

A gust blew around Neva and sent a thick layer of sandy-dust scattering into the air, obscuring the light of the sky and temporarily casting them in twilight shadow. With a whisper and a single rapid movement, Neva's own shadow elongated and melded with Aldo's, catching the rest of the lighter shadow and amalgamating it together into a concentrated black pit.

Aldo was upon her, but black tendrils whipped and lashed around one of his legs and arms, bringing him to a dead stop in his tracks inches away from Neva.

"What the fuck!? Ragh! What is this!?" Complained the simian as he cast an angry glare behind him, only to choke on his breath.

The tendrils led to a pool of blackness, and from it, a form emerged, composed of a multitude of sinewy, dark shifting shapes and dimensions, and morphing into a huge ash and carbon skinned creature several times his size. It shed a layer of pale shriveled skin that cracked into dust, revealing its black, mottled skin, glossy with translucent bile sloshing along its body.

Terror gripped Grey in his astoundment.

Neva did it again…It was the same eldritch creature, but this time, it was at least twice its previous size from when last seen in their match with Roxanne, with several more glowing red eyes added to the collection on its torso, and not only were its blade arms more massive but now from the sides of its four footless legs that ended in points, sprouted out wispy and drooling black whip-like tentacles which were firmly wrapped around one of Aldo's arms and legs.

The thing's growl was akin to the horrid sound of sharp nails dragging across a blackboard.

Evelyn shuddered and whimpered. "W-what the h-hell is that?"

Aldo tried to yank his limbs away, but instead, he himself was yanked into the air, flung about and smashed into the ground face first with such abrupt force that it sent buried pebbles flying out of the crater it left behind.

Aldo groaned as he was picked up and dangled in the air, still constricted by the tentacles. Blood and dirt marred his light fur.

Like a child would a toy, the being proceeded to repeatedly swing him around and smash him into the ground from face to back and so forth, leaving bloody imprints of the ape everywhere and flicking droplets of blood all about.

Smash.

Smash.

Smash.

"That's enough, Neva!" Called out Grey.

The being stopped to observe the ape who ceased resisting. Bored with him, and like a piece of undesired trash, it whipped the pig monkey into the air as it released him.

Aldo crashed to the softened soil once more, motionless.

The creature sunk back into the shadowy pit, which then dispersed and returned to their original and corresponding physical planes, though not without letting out a guttural cry in victory that froze Grey's spine from tip to base. It made the shriek of a banshee seem baritone in contrast.

The absence of the impossibly horrific creature made it seem like reality was just a made-up word to describe the familiar state in matter and affairs.

No one could ever be ready for something so alien to disrupt their sense of what was real.

For a few moments, Aldo didn't move, until the primeape let out a shrill screech in agony as he clenched the areas that were touched by the tendrils. At first, Grey thought the pokémon's bones were fractured. But upon closer inspection, like Evelyn and everyone else, he was horrified to find that parts of the skin were melting and mutating simultaneously into greenish pus-spewing cysts out of which small, black tendrils writhed about like they had a mind of their own.

"Waaagh! What is that!? Get them off!" screamed the poor ape as his other serious yet ordinary injuries now seemed like a jest compared to the ungodly remnants of the dark beast's touch. Aldo continued letting out pitiful wails in panic before getting sucked into the familiar red light of a quivering pokéball in Evelyn's hand.

The rotom drone whizzed to the middle of the fight area. —"This match has concluded! Primeape has been returned and is unable to battle. The winner is Grey Wilson and his sneasel. As a result of this match, your profile stats have been updated, and you may proceed to Dewford Gym, while trainer, Evelyn Maison, must make another appointment for a different allocated date and time to face the same gym. Good day."—

With that, the drone buzzed off into the distance.

Grey assessed the roughed-up battlefield filled with craters.

The primeape never stood a chance. Not against that. The creature didn't even need its bladed lance-like arms this time.

Upon seeing it for the second time and for significantly longer, Grey had a sense of familiarity of what it was based on other fictional franchises, yet he was still uncertain…

But it was enough to be extremely alarmed, for he had a terrible sense of foreboding.

Neva was possibly crossing some serious boundaries, and it had to stop.

This was all his fault…

He gazed at the sneasel, who looked as though she was about to pass out, despite the feverish grin on her face.

Shaking his head of such thoughts, he pulled out a super potion from his travel pack and knelt next to her. She flinched slightly from the sting of the antiseptic as it neatly closed her wounds with Nobel-shattering speed.

"How did I do Grey?" She asked with excitement painted on her gaze.

He considered his words so as to not ruin her moment. "Your Aikido was near-flawless, and so was your evasion and footwork. Your Ikkyo could go faster, but that can be polished over a longer period. I think you're ready for 'Nikyo'. Good work." He said, though without much emotion due to heavy thoughts.

She smiled, though her expression dulled suggesting she detected his discomfort. "What about my last move?"

"...When we get a chance, we need to have a serious word on that…technique."

"O-oh ok, sure."

"W-What is that thing? What did it do to Aldo?" came Evelyn's quavering voice from behind, still holding Aldo's ball with worry tracing her face.

He turned to her, hoping on hope that a lawsuit didn't follow should Aldo's unknown condition get worse. "The same technique used on Roxanne's Probopass. It's hard to describe. But if I were you, I'd take him as soon as—"

"To think facing it personally would be so much more terrifying than it was to see it on television…" She murmured to herself. It seemed she was very shaken, and Grey didn't blame her.

"Evelyn, the pokémon center's machines should reverse his condition. Thank you for the battle."

He hoped his words held true, and that the advanced technology was enough to do so.

"R-right. Good luck with Brawly." She finished without further ceremony, giving the rest of his team one last look, and rushed off back to town.

"Good grief…It's one thing after another." He mused. Grey pulled out his pokédex and typed a message to Sawyer.

—17:01 [Grey: Hey, I need to ask you something.]

—17:02 [Sawyer: Sure thing, what's up?]

…

With Sawyer having solved his doubt, he put the device away.

Grey observed the team as they congratulated Neva on her victory. Her wounds seemed to have healed for the most part, courtesy of absurd nano-tech, enough so that she could still, at least, watch the upcoming gym match. Though he'd still see her to the center' afterward, like the rest of the team once done here…

'No! I'm winning this one for you! This is my battle, and my chance to claim a victory of my own! So shut up and watch!'

But first, he had to put an end to this foolishness…

"Girls…and starmie," he addressed, catching their attention. Excited expressions filled their gazes, but they'd soon learn. "I didn't want to say this in front of Evelyn, lest she suspect anything of me or us…But that match was rightfully her victory."

His words came down like a hammer in a court, jarring everyone into silence.

Neva took a step forward, aghast at his words. "W-what do you mean!?"

He gave her a punitive glare. "What I mean, Neva, is if you risk yourself like that again, then you're out of this group. Do I make myself clear?"

"But—"

"Do I make myself clear!?" He lost control of his tone, evidenced by the echo of it across the field.

Understanding dawned on her face, but she still pleaded. "I-I don't understan—"

"Yes you do. And that goes for the rest of you as well."

"Hold on, Grey,"—Began Ginger—"we're the ones that decided to follow you—"

"And therefore you decided that I'm the trainer. And as your trainer, I'm saying I won't allow any of you to risk permanent harm, or even worse, all for a fucking sport. Nothing is worth your life. Nothing. Not even mine. I know I said I would rely on you all for survival, and that I'd help make you stronger, but that doesn't mean you should sacrifice your lives for my sake, and especially not for a 'sport'. Defending your own life to the bitter end against a threat is one thing, but an official pokémon battle is another."

"I get that, but—"

"No buts," he said as he pointed to the gym. "That's my final condition before we enter that building and proceed any further with the league circuit. No more reckless acts like the one you three made with your little sea venture. No more silly notions of 'excessive pride' in a battle. Just as you said you'd be the one to decide 'When 'I' die', Ginger, likewise, I, as the trainer, who is partially responsible for you, decide when an official fight is over or whether you can continue. The person that breaks this rule is out of the group. Understood?"

She narrowed her crimson eyes. "Hold on, who are you to eject us should we not comply?" She challenged.

"The person that cares. Like you told me from the start, in front of Neva and Joanna. This is how I demonstrate my caring, by establishing proper rules for the group to abide by for the sake of order and safety. This will be one of them, and one of the most sacred. The others I'll polish before declaring them, but this one sits pretty far up in priorities."

That sent the combusken into thought.

Grey continued, "And if the one that breaks one of these rules refuses to leave the group? Then the entire group is disbanded, and this whole thing is called off, even if it means that you make good on the threat you made to me on that same day…"

Ginger gasped at his resolve.

Grey gazed downward in memorial contemplation, lowering his arm. "I've lost too many allies and close friends to glorified violence…Because of my failure to protect them or because of some impossible decisions that I've made in their sacrifice…some of which I question even to this very fucking day…I won't have it again on my conscious…even if it means the end of this world."

"'The end of this world'? What do you mean by that?" Questioned Ginger.

Now it was Grey's turn to gasp and curse his loose tongue, before hardening his expression once more. "Nothing. A manner of speech. Are we in agreement? Or does this journey end here?"

The girls looked at each other in thought and whispered to each other.

Kassadar seemed more mature and very aware of the risks of recklessness, so Grey expected absolute understanding from him. The girls were another matter…

It didn't take them long to finish up their whispering before they turned to him once more, with Ginger being their representative. "We agree, on a condition of our own."

He rose a brow at that. "I'll remind you that you need a trainer to enter tournaments, purchase items, and such for your management, not to mention your threat means nothing to me now. What makes you think you're in any position to make demands when you've already blackmailed me from the start?"

She grinned. "The fact that even though you just admitted you no longer give a damn about my 'threat', you're still standing here and considering continuing as a trainer. That tells me you still need us to survive, and since the cruise incident, more than ever. Just because we follow your established rules, doesn't necessarily mean we'll always consider you our 'best' option as a trainer. As you said, we 'chose' to follow you, and we're free to choose otherwise."

A moment of silence passed before he chortled and shook his head in near-disbelief. "Well, I appreciate you not pitying me, at the very least," he retorted, slightly and admittedly…And oddly, disappointed with her last statement.

That last statement she made…kinda' stings…

But of course, they're so human in so many ways…No matter what kind of attachment they have, they can betray and still act out of self-interest…Tch.

"Fine, out with it, what do you want?" He asked gruffly, now annoyed with arms crossed.

Ginger smiled. "Our condition is simple. When it comes to survival outside of battles, our lives are our own, and only we get to decide what or who we risk it for. Not you."

For a few seconds, he processed that before he unfolded his arms as his heart beat faster at her meaning. "Now you're just pushing it. Why would you insist on riski—"

"That doesn't concern you because you've even said that you don't 'own' us. So therefore, if we agree for you to decide when we should stop battling for our safety or continue during a match, then you must agree for us to decide when we deem it necessary to risk ourselves for you outside of battles. After all, what kind of pokémon doesn't defend their trainer's life? A weak one, that's what kind, and we're not weak or fragile Arceus-damn it! Get it in your fucking head!" Ginger declared with her chest puffed out in zealousness.

He could only stare into her ruby eyes; there was flaming determination behind her every spoken word.

No matter how many times she did it, or how many times he analyzed her as a person, Ginger seemed to always find a way to leave him absolutely speechless…And from her expression, he knew she wouldn't back down from this…

He facepalmed. "Goddamn it, girl, you're fucking impossible you know that?"

She laughed. "Yeah, I get that from my trainer."

"Tch, lay it on even more why don'cha." He exhaled before running the situation in his thoughts…

"What's it gonna' be?" She pressed.

He tried, but he couldn't stop his lips from betraying a hint of a smile, before hardening his gaze again.

"...Fine. I accept."

Everyone seemed to have been holding their breath as the tension was let out all at once.

Grey in particular was somewhat relieved, though he didn't understand why exactly. Was it because for a moment he thought he was proven right about the nature of all self-aware sentience, only to be proven wrong by such…loyalty?

Was he glad that he may, very possibly, have been wrong? And if so, did that have anything to do with Ginger being a pokémon only in appearance? Curious…

"Alright, then it's settled. We march to our second gym."

"Yeah!" The team's spirits rose.

As they neared the building, a sliver as light as air yet as dense as a smoke touched the back of his head, or rather mind. He gave a brief glance to the psychic starfish floating behind him, as though he were an integral extension of his body…Which wasn't too far from the truth at this point, really.

You've been awfully silent, Kassadar.

"I wished not to impose on such familiarity amongst you all, but—

Mend that thought on 'familiarity'. Regardless of intention or premonition, you kept me alive, therefore, you're one of us now and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Your words flatter. I thank you for your gesture, but it pains me to sour it with my question…Is allowing them so much freedom…wise?"

What do you mean?

"You realize that once an action is committed, there is always the possibility of it happening again. Old habits die with difficulty…And pride is but an eternal poison built on the fragile ego."

Stop being so damned cryptic, what's your point?

"The crux of my word…is that Neva may yet again commit such an action, and while I find it most wise on your part to establish a constitution for your party, I sensed 'doubt' in your wavelengths…Are you truly prepared to enforce these rules? Should the unfortunate occasion of their infringement present itself?"

No. I'm not…But I believe 'you' are.

"Oh?"

You seem to agree with me the most out of anyone. As you seem to view it, your purpose is to keep me alive, and I can feel that you're most adamant about that, which includes removing any potential elements that may compromise my well-being and your mission…Or am I wrong?

Grey smiled as 'surprise' emanated from the ethereal sea star.

"Once more, you surpass my expectations. It seems I'm not the only one who detected a rise in emotion."

Damn straight. However, and ironically…I'm probably going to be the first to breach the contract anyway.

"Your meaning?"

Kassadar…I need you to do me a favor and swear to me that you'll see it done should the situation manifest. However, note, you'll be sorely hated for it, and perhaps you would be averse to it…But it's the most important favor I'll ever ask of you…

"...I see."

Grey nodded, and upon concentrating on his surroundings once more, found himself standing in the lobby facing the desk. A girl, around five-foot or so in height, with cyan-dyed hair stood behind the counter. She wore a tight, neon orange summer sports outfit that exposed her midriff.

An odd choice in attire for a desk secretary…

"Welcome to Dewford gym, and congrats' on passing your first test, yo! I'm Shauna, Brawly's assist', nice to meetcha'."

Uh, ok? Wait…

"Hi, and…First test? What's the second?"

Shauna grinned. "This one."

She leaped onto the desk and pushed herself off its edge into a dash, raising her leg to launch a round-house kick but Grey reached out with his own leg and in a flash firmly placed his foot on her thigh before she could lift her leg, *checking her kick before using the momentum of his in-step to launch a punch, stopping just short of her nose.

She was shocked, staring cross-eyed at his hovering fist.

"That kick was so telegraphed that I actually had to 'slow down' to your speed to block it. If I decided to be serious, this fist would be planted into your face before your foot even left the floor, and it'd be the last thing you see for the day."

Her pupils dilated at his statement. "Y-You're kidding."

"Fraid' not."

She frowned as she glanced at Kassadar behind him. "That starmie…So that's how you knew."

"No. On the contrary, he didn't warn me, nor even make a move to stop you because he understands that this is a test, and that I should be well capable of at least this much to have earned his respect."

"I see…"

"So have I passed?"

She retracted her leg and stepped back. "With flyin' colors! Very few are so prepared and fast to react alone, but no one has ever actually fought back and bested me on top of that! So Grey Wilson is also a martial artist, though I suppose it'd make sense considering you're part of a leader guild task force. Guess the hype about you is true, then."

And the media proceeds to fuck me over once again, seems like everyone and their dog know about my joining Mystic…Wait…Does that appear on my profile?

"You keep forgetting to check it, Grey." Said Kassadar with a hint of amusement in his mental voice.

Hilarious…But true. Why don't you remind me?

"It's part of your mental training."

Jesus, really?

"Hype?" He asked.

She giggled. "You kiddin'? Brawly's been super excited to face you, man! I haven't seen him this psyched in, like, ages!"

"Right, so is that where I should go?" He pointed at an ajar double door, with something akin to a basic gym visible in the crack.

"Haha! Oh no way, man, that's way too low-key for a challenger like yourself. No, Brawly is waiting for you in his 'true' gym. Come on, the lift is this way."

Shauna led the group down a different hallway and into a wide-spaced industrial elevator. It rumbled and ground to a descent.

Low key? True Gym?

So they 'do' filter out stronger trainers…

"Aye. It seems they receivge different treatment."

After a minute of descending, the lift jacked to a stop and opened its steel doors to reveal an underground water cavern with dripping stalactites adorning its walls and roof, similar to Oldale ruins, but with the exception of two things:

One, the light of the sky shone down from a huge central gap on its ceiling, and two, there was a path carved out of stone, leading to a large and rough stone platform around the size of a basketball court, rising above the water. The edges of the platform were littered with minor spyres of rocks jutting out, while some small pits, the size of manholes, dotted the rest of the field.

At the end of the platform a man of tanned skin and lean build, seeming close to his age, stood five-foot-nine tall, wearing black split-toe water shoes and light-blue long swim shorts. A chain necklace with a round pendant adorned his black shirt which was lined with orange decals that matched the shades resting on his aqua-colored shaggy hair.

Obviously, it couldn't be anyone else other than Brawly, the man's style bellowed out 'surf junkie'.

Shauna turned to Grey. "I'll be the judge of this battle, overseeing it from the referee platform. I'm assuming you keep your pokémon out to watch?"

"You assume correctly."

"Then select your first contender, and the rest can come with me, to the spectator area."

Grey glanced at his team.

"Joanna. You're up first, once again."

"Of course, master." She was a ball of excitement, fiddling with her little necklace, the pendant of which held a cloth wrapping for her held item.

"Hey, Grey, didn't she go first last time?" complained Ginger.

"It's part of my strategy. Since Neva won't be participating, I can't have the main fighting body of my team getting fatigued in the first round. I want you fresh as Joanna scouts out their capabilities and tires them out with her evasiveness."

"Oh. Sounds good, I guess." Though the combusken seemed pensive about it.

Grey faced Shauna once more. "I'll send Neva over soon enough, I need to tell her something first. You two go on."

"Grey..." Reminded Kassadar.

Obviously, you can stay floating within twenty-two meters, half that is more than far enough, I doubt they'll question it.

"Very well."

Though truth be told, Grey wasn't comfortable with being too far away from Kassadar, but whatever. It should be fine.

Shauna nodded before taking the alternate path toward the side of the cave with Ginger and Kassadar, where some benches were fashioned out of stone.

"Neva."

The sneasel gazed up at him with uncertainty in her red eyes. "Yeah?"

He kneeled to her level and ruffled her pink head-feather. "I'm sorry for raising my voice at you before. I had no right. I just want you all to become stronger for yourselves, not for me; and I want you to do it safely. I took you and Joanna away because I decided that you were better off without Aqua. But I selfishly only gave you two options, freedom or adoption to someone else while shirking the responsibility of my actions. Yet you still decided to follow me instead. I may be physically weaker, but due to my decisions, I'm still responsible for you, and I'd sooner see myself die than be the cause for your harm. That's why I have to establish these rules."

"I…see. But why are you telling me this now?"

"I had to get it off my chest so I can concentrate on the match, and by extension, on being a trainer you can be proud of."

Her eyes widened and glistened at his words as she nuzzled his hand. "Go get em'."

He only smiled in response as he walked to the battlefield with Joanna.

Grey stood with the salandit on the opposite side of the field, facing the gym leader who had his blue eyes fixed on him with a toothy grin splitting his face.

Brawly opened his arms. "Welcome to my personal gym, Wilson! It's totally rad having you here in the flesh, dude! I'm super psyched!" He exclaimed with vigor and excitement in his body language.

Kassadar tugged at his mind. "Grey, beware of this man. I'm sensing some unusual oscillations within his emotional wavelengths, though as it's not my specialty, there is inconsistency. There is a strong barrier around his mind that would alarm its creator and himself should I break into it with force. Beyond this, I cannot get a clue on his intentions."

Intentions?

"Yes. It seems the man knows a lot more about you than what he lets on. Considering…"

I see.

Grey nodded. "Thank you for the welcome. Though, I do have to ask…Do all of Hoenn's gym leaders strip the element of surprise from their most notable challengers?"

Brawly blinked a few times in a visible attempt to understand his wording. "Uh, sorry? I don't get your drift, bro."

"The Rotom Drone. You set me, in particular, to a test, as well as Evelyn Maison. But a friend of mine, Sawyer, says you did no such thing for him, but rather accepted him into the gym and fought on the surface one, not in this cavern…Is there a reason for the differential treatment?"

Brawly pursed his lips for a moment, then smiled again. "Oh! You mean that drone? Yeah, um, it's kind of complicated to explain, but long-story-short and according to a friend of mine who works at the PA, they've changed the system to even out the number of challengers coming to the gym. Sawyer happened to be first on the list, so he got a pass. It also measures the potential of each challenger and tests them against unfavorable odds.

That make's no sense. Evelyn should have a higher win-loss total since she's obviously been in more battles than I have…Shouldn't 'she' have been tested unfavorably?

"And that's why I was paired specifically with Maison, my platoon lieutenant," Grey stated.

"Maybe, but I reckon that was just a super coincidence." Brawly shrugged.

Grey was taken aback at the surfer's casual demeanor, before he was promptly reminded that the guy was a bloody surf junkie. "Right. Well, guess I'm lucky I had four pokémon and not three, otherwise I'd be left with two to contend with. Was that part of the test too?"

"Don't sweat it, bro, you're here now. A friend of mine has spoken highly of you, and I gotta' say, he wasn't kidding. You're a smart dude, a wave worth challenging. Let's see whatcha' got."

Brawly pulled out his pokéball and launched the device into the battleground. "Go, Bree!"

With a pop and whirring red energy, the first opponent of Grey's second gym match materialized. A figure just short of 4 feet tall.

The creature was bipedal with digitigrade legs ending in red claws, and a mostly forest green body, save for its green-clubbed tail that was a beige color like its neck frills and head. But its head wore an equally green mushroom cap on top, along with a cherry red knot on either side. Its short stubby arms also possessed red claws. It had a beaked mouth eerily resembling a snout.

Overall, it was a mushroom plant…kangaroo?

This pokémon wasn't on Brawly's profile or roster…What gives? Did he just pull the same shit Roxanne did? First the drone, now this.

What the hell was the League's deal here?

It bounced in place on its toes, excited for battle like their trainer.

Grey yanked out his pokédex:

—"Breloom, the mushroom pokémon"—yeah, no shit sherlock—"Female. It is capable of light and springy movements along with incredibly fast and long-range punches. Its technique puts boxers to shame."—

Long range and fast punches? With 'those' little mittens? Hmm…

—Grass and fighting type.

—*Genetic passive ability frequency:

40% Effect spore or 40% Poison heal, 20% other

10% spawn with secondary ability: Technician.

—*Move list: N/A, not a wild pokémon.

*-Updated features.

The companies that sponsored the pokémon labs were also partners with the pokémon league and sports commission. They had recently requested that the pokédex 'move list' calculator only be available in non-battle mode, meaning in official league battles, one couldn't see what potential moves the opponent's pokémon had to increase competitive fairness.

"I don't remember seeing breloom on your official roster list, Brawly."

The surfer only laughed. "Yeah, well…This one's a bit personal, I'm groomin' her for the 'World Leaders Tournament'."

"What's that?"

"A tournament where all the gym leaders of the world participate to show off their region's skills, my man. The winner gets, like, super recognition for their respective gym, and a chance to be 'supreme gym leader' of their region, depending on the standings and rankings. They're usually the toughest gym leader in that region. I figure against an opponent like you, it was a good chance for her to practice."

"I see…No wonder it isn't on your profile. Alright, enough talk. J—"

"Wait! I haven't started the match yet as the referee!" Whined Shauna from the spectator bridge.

The surfer looked befuddled for a moment, before slapping his forehead. "Oh! Right, whoops! Flunked that one, sorry Shauna babe', should I return Bree or—"

"No! Don't bother…Ugh, you're such a dumbass, Brawly! Ok…How does this go…Oh right." She raised one of two flags. "This is a one-on-one match with both contenders able to use up to three pokémon. There are no out-of-bounds, it's open field. The trainer with the last remaining capable pokémon standing will be the winner. Only the challenger may substitute at will. The Gym leader may choose any pokémon from their entire personal roster at any given moment, but cannot substitute once entered on the battlefield.

"I choose Bree, my breloo—"

"We already knew that!" Berated Shauna savagely. She flushed at her Gym leader's idiocy. "Trainer, Grey Wilson, send out your pokémon!"

Grey didn't know what to think of the antics of Dewford Gym. "Uh, ok then."

Joanna skipped excitedly onto the field.

…This was it. This was her chance to amend for her hesitation that led to Grey being in the wrong place at the wrong time at the cruise. She would fight to impress him beyond expectations. Joanna had studied and trained hard with Grey's instruction these last few days.

She was fond of those memories of his hand guiding hers, and she'd honor his lecturing touch as well as his training. Her heart skipped at the reminder of his warm-blooded skin on her hand.

The salandit passed Grey, giving him a flirtatious wink of her amethysts. "Any particular instruction? Master?"

He seemed unsure for a moment, before he folded his arms and gave a slight raise of his brow.

That was the signal.

She lowered her mental defenses to allow him a telepathic link. It was so…Riveting having his presence inside her…She giggled and flushed.

Master?

"Can you hear me?"

Yes.

"Good. This will be a great chance to test this telepathy thing, so try to keep your mind open and calm. Of course, I'll occasionally give out verbal commands so they don't suspect Kassadar of anything. And as for your first question…Keep your guard up."

The vibration of his mental voice within her mind gave her intense satisfaction and pleasurable reassurance. But such thoughts would be well kept in check, for it was time for battle.

She beheld her opponent breloom, who grinned at the raising of her hands as she took her bipedal stance.

The grass-fighter narrowed her beady black eyes. "That's right, salandit, keep that guard up. Don't even think about blinking, or you'll miss it." Taunted the rough feminine voice of Bree, who also raised her red claws.

"Trainers! Get ready! 3…2…1…"

~A drop made of the ocean's humidity fell from the gaping ceiling.

'Drip.'

"Begin!"

Joanna moved a few meters forward in a swift dash while Bree made a switch in her stance—

There was a whistle of wind before Joanna's head snapped back from a collision with a wham echoing in the chamber, causing her to stagger back in surprise with the breeze of a missing second strike cooling her face. She jumped back to her previous position, holding her now aching and bleeding snout.

She could only gape at the breloom who didn't even move from her position, while giving a smug grin in triumph.

What on Earth!? She didn't even take a step forward…

"Jesus christ-what the fuck was that!?" Came Grey's astounded voice in her mind.

I'm not sure, master, but it was impossibly fast, even for a pokémon's standard. Brawly didn't even give a command and the punch broke through my guard as though it were mere smoke.

"Shit…The pokédex sure wasn't fucking around when it said Breloom 'puts boxers to shame.' I'd say it's a bloody understatement. Crap…"

What shall I do?

"We have no choice but to analyze her strikes. Strengthen your guard and move in—"

Bree swapped her stance and made an abrupt rush at Joanna.

"Guard up!"

But her head had already whipped back from a strike while she tried to create distance while the rain of near lightning-fast strikes kept coming. In her desperation, she ignited the correct chemical composition from her internal sac and released a jet of hissing miasmic flame to keep Bree at bay.

Joanna opened her now sore eye. The breloom had bounded backward.

"Good. At least now she's wary of your fire attacks, only due to her grass-typing, mind you. She stretches out her limbs to a large degree, but it happens so fast while you underestimate her by the deceptive short length of her retracted arms."

So that's what's happening.

"Yeah…And I've got a plan."

"Fire ain't gonna' work, my man. Bree's too fast for that." Stated Brawly.

"I'm assuming that's 'Mach punch', correct?" Asked Grey.

"Hit it right on the crest, dude. Nice! Totally' is, bro. But it ain't no normal Mach punch…This one's called true Mach punch."

"You mean to suggest that she can punch at the fucking speed of sound? You're shitting me."

Brawly grinned. "Naw', bro. Take another look if you like, go, Bree, show'em we mean business!"

The pebbles at her feet sprayed out from the wind force of her jump as the fungal kangaroo pounced once more into range.

"Ground your feet and lean forward against her strikes. We need to get her to throw as many as possible."

Right!

As soon as Bree twitched her arm—

"Now!"

Joanna activated the poison in her guard as she was bombarded with the storm of jabs rattling her entire body.

"Bree! Stop!"

The grass-fighting type bounced back and observed her claws. Smudges of hissing translucent purple liquid splattered them. Bree winced in pain.

Brawly observed Grey with renewed interest. "I knew you had somethin' up your sleeve just then. Poison, huh? Wicked, how'd you manage that?"

The alternate-Earth born trainer smirked.

"'Poison hand'. A dark martial arts technique developed back where I come from. Just touching them can be considered lethal."

"Whoa! Solid plan, dude. Wicked mind to think of that…Hey, what's up with your nose?" Brawly pointed to his nostril in reference.

"Huh?"

Joanna turned to gaze at her master and was shocked to witness his bloody nose mimic her own. Was it possible that perhaps his telepathic connection with her united their senses?

Master, he's right. You bleed like I do.

"I think so…Not sure. It hasn't happened before. Maybe I'm just straining myself."

Grey wiped the blood off. "I get it sometimes when I'm overexcited, it's nothing compared to the poison your breloom is about to suffer."

Brawly chuckled. "Yeah, that would've meant total washout for Bree…If she didn't have poison heal."

"What!?"

The hissing toxic due on the grass fighter's hand evaporated slowly as though it were mere water, with Bree looking rather refreshed.

"No…"

"Yep. Poison heal is one of Bree's passive abilities. Instead of taking damage from poison, it actually heals her. Not good news for you, my man."

…Grey observed the breloom's clawed paws…The acidic solution did in fact deal superficial damage. But since it was poisonous, the injury it sustained from the initial application was patched and scarred over immediately using the poisonous antigens as natural stem cell production, boosting the natural healing process…And since it scarred instead of disappeared…That meant healing wasn't necessarily 'magical' in this world, as evidenced by his own body that was sustained by Kassadar. It meant that healing still followed a set biological principle…

…Joanna panicked internally. Not only could she barely put up a defense, but her trademark poison meant nothing to this goddess of punches…Truly formidable and uncounterable…She lost the match before it could even begin—

"Wrong…You can still win this."

She was taken aback at the certainty within his psionic voice.

Huh? How master? She is so swift and she punishes every movement I make!

"And now we'll use her very own biology against her…But you've gotta' trust me and hold steady. Brawly may be a great surfer but he's a lousy martial artist, and in this match, we're going to expose him for what he truly is."

How so?

"Unlike the name suggests, Mach punch is really just Mach 'Jab'. That is to say, they're only jabs, not punches. The damage is minimal as long as you keep up your guard…And Poison hand. I need you to conjure up the most poisonous solution you and I developed, and keep pumping it into your guarding hands. Can you do that?"

Of course, master, though I don't see how it will help against her 'poison heal'.

"Trust me…Just do as I say."

She spared a glance back at him and nodded.

Ok…I trust you.

She had to admit, his confidence was intoxicating. He must have noticed something about Bree.

Joanna lifted her guard and went through the components in her mind at light speed, recalling every moment spent with Grey developing the, otherwise manmade, toxin naturally…

'...Yeah, just like that. Now pour it on the tree sap and let's hide.'

'Ok, but won't it harm the heracross?'

'That's why we made the antidote and put only a tiny amount. It should be fine.'

~Soon enough, the heracross buzzed from a distance, basically a giant dark-blue stag beetle with a sheening carapace. It lopped up the sap and froze. In seconds, it began convulsing and fell to the grass. Thankfully, the antidote administered worked and it flew away in fright.~

'I can't believe it, master! We did it!'

'Holy shit…To think pokémon can make a natural fucking variant of 'VX'…'

'Master, where did you learn such complex chemistry for such a toxin?'

~His celebratory mood soured slightly.

'...I'd rather not say, all that matters is we've achieved something truly difficult, without need of any instrument besides the vials. That's a big thing, Joanna, and it's all thanks to you. I'd ask you a similar question about your learning of such a chemical glossary…but that would be a double standard, so we're even. Yeah?'

'Sure. I'm just glad I could be of service, master…'

…She extracted the phosphorous from her bladder fluid, the ethanol from within the berry extract she was digesting, and added specialized acid for the transester process and the methylation, before finally activating it with her naturally occurring sulfur.

All of these were pumped in exact measurements with precise timing into her hands and constantly transported by the touch of every jab that clobbered her guard like a barrage of missiles in relentless fervor.

Bree spoke while throwing jab after jab, "C'mon bitch! Is defense all the great salandit who defeated Roxanne can do!? Ha! Useless-Useless-Useless-Useless—"

For minutes, the clashing and whacking of flesh on bone and muscle echoed in the chamber, with Bree's arms a blur as they showered Joanna's guard like an endless cascade of meteorites.

"Go, Bree! You've got her on the ropes! Her defense will wear down eventually! Keep those punches up!"

"Fool still thinks they're 'punches'..."

At last, Bree's jabs were slowing down, and the weight behind each one lessening before the plant-fighter yelped in pain and jumped back, landing with a near-stagger.

"Whoa, Bree, usually you last longer than that, what's up—agh! Holy cow! What the heck happened to your arms, babe!?"

Even Shauna gasped from a distance in horror.

Meanwhile, a mad toothy grin split Grey's face, despite it being at the expense of the breloom…but it acted arrogantly enough to deserve it, as naturally, he understood everything she said to Joanna…and he almost couldn't believe his plan worked.

"Master, I don't understand, wasn't she meant to heal from the poison?"

He chuckled as he'd answer Joanna's question altogether along with enlightening his baffled opponent.

"I can see you're confused, Brawly."

"K-kinda', yeah. What's with that?" Asked the surfer, looking a bit pale from the sight.

The breloom's green arms were now grotesquely swollen pale appendages, covered with loads of fibered scars overlapping on top of each other that oozed out clear bodily fluid and grew like a sporadic fungus would. Ironic…

"That's a condition called 'over heal'. It's said that skin cancer is the result of the overhealing of continuously damaged skin cells that have had their genes altered through constant exposure to UV or…Thermal radiation, an added spice to the toxin your Breloom has been healing against, constantly getting it re-applied on contact. Not to mention her arms have been swollen by the over-inflammation her naturally superior white-blood cells are causing in the wake of their endless fight against the poison."

Brawly just nodded dumbly.

Grey deadpanned. "...You didn't get any of that, did you?"

The surfer gym leader gave a sheepish smile and scratched the back of his head. "Uh, no. I didn't get most of that, but I did get the over-inflammation part…Dude, like, that's totally wicked."

He nodded. "Yep. Joanna, finish her, get in there and show them what a real punch is!"

"With pleasure," she replied with a feverish desire for retribution.

"Bree! Defend yourself! Use Giga-drain—"

Joanna launched herself at the breloom, elated to finally be on the offensive. Despite being unable to follow through with her command, Bree still bravely launched some jabs in defense but they may as well have been in slow motion compared to her initial speed. Joanna swerved her neck on time—

Grey thrust out an arm in command. "VX-Fire punch! Full power!"

Joanna ignited the nerve agent in her hand and a purple deathly flame burst forth as she smashed and crushed the breloom's jaw with her fist, searing the flesh under it with hellish chemical flames.

Bree screeched out in pain before Joanna silenced her with a left hook of equal firepower and deadly poison.

'Crack!'

'Smack!'

Over and over, Joanna struck the breloom with vengeful ardor behind each punch.

The breloom, unable to handle any more punishment, toppled over and screamed as it was left convulsing on the ground, frothing, burning, and sizzling in place as it couldn't help but keep getting more and more swollen by the constant exposure to the toxic reacting with its poison heal.

Brawly let out a sigh, looking sick as he lifted his pokéball.

Despite her spasming, Bree rolled over and gave Joanna an equally venomous stare through her swelling visage, spitting the froth from her mouth. "You got lucky…This time…You bitch…But I'll get you back for this humiliation."

Joanna bent over with a smug grin lining her face, letting out a deep guttural laugh as she wiggled her chest in a tease and winked at the breloom. "Sure, honey, but do clean yourself up first, along with your poor one-dimensional skills, you're a mess."

Bree snarled at her and seethed in anger. "Rrghaaa—"

"Return, Bree. Good job."

The breloom's rage was cut off as the red light sucked her up and returned her to the device.

Shauna was in disbelief for a moment but waved her flag. "Breloom is unable to battle and has been withdrawn, the winner of this round is Salandit!"

Joanna chuckled evilly and turned to Grey.

Master?

"Yeah?"

She gave him another flirty wink.

You're amazing.

He smiled. "You're the amazing one here, Joanna. Think you can go for another round? I'd hate to ruin your rhythm, after those brutal strikes you delivered. I'd say you're on fire."

She giggled at his poor pun. "Your humor needs work, but as you said, those were mere weak jabs that I mostly took with my arms, which are a little sore, but not very damaged. All I did was stand around with my guard raised. With permission, I believe I can keep going."

"Granted, though, what humor are you talking about?" he asked mentally, switching to telekinesis to prevent suspicion.

She laughed again. "Nevermind."

"Well, I'll be, Wilson! You actually managed to defeat one of my upcoming 'world leader' contending pokémon! And using what it's meant to be resistant against no less! Totally radical, man! I don't think any normal starting trainer could achieve that. It seems he was right about you."

"I'll be honest, Brawly, for a moment Bree had us worried there. Her jabs are stupidly fast. Barring starmie, I don't think anyone else from my party could've won against that, not even Joanna had she not been poison-typed, ironically."

"Yeah. But I think we're done with the lightweight training, let's go…bigger." Said Brawly with an excited grin.

Grey winced. He gathered at this stage since coming to this world, that whenever the word bigger was coupled with 'pokémon' in a battle? It didn't bode well.

"Go, Choka!"

The pokeball released its occupant from the air. The red energy coalesced into a massive figure. It landed with an earth-shattering thud, lifting gravel and droplets of water and shaking the entire platform, even causing one of the rock spires to collapse under the vibration.

With a landing like that, Grey estimated it weighed at least a quarter-ton.

Standing almost three meters tall before them, was a hulk of a pokémon, with most of its mass consisting of its huge and chunky dark-blue thighs supported by two-toed orange feet. Its head consisted of a round pale visage with two small-pupiled eyes, shaded by thick dark blue eyebrows that ended in a point to the bottom of its chin while encircling over its ears toward the back and connected into a long pony-tail. On its hip swished a gold mawashi of sorts, like that of a sumo-wrestler. Based on its build and evidenced by the huge and flat orange tri-dactyl fingers, attached to comparably meager pale arms and trunk; Grey could safely bet that its design is based on a sumo-wrestler.

Taking it out with brute force alone was clearly out of the fucking question, even Joanna struggled to lock eyes with the beast as it towered above her and glared down at her like she were an insect.

—"Hariyama, The Arm thrust pokémon. Fighting-type. Male. As its category states, it is well known for the power of its arm thrusts, of which the strongest ever recorded could send a truck flying with a single strike. Hariyama's thick body may appear fat, but it can act as a hunk of solid muscle if it bears down and tightens all its muscle groups, becoming as hard as stone.—"

…A fucking 'truck'!?

—*Genetic passive ability frequency:

40% Thick Fat and/or 40% Guts, 20% other

10% spawn with secondary/tertiary ability: Sheer force.

—Move list: N/A

"Does the challenger wish to substitute!?" Asked Shauna from the side.

"No."

Both gym leader and assistant seemed surprised at his decision but didn't comment.

"This puny little thing defeated Bree? Ridiculous!" Hollered out Choka, the hariyama with a bellowing voice.

"Better believe it, big boy." Retorted Joanna, though her voice betrayed her nervousness.

"Oh? Is that so? Well then…" The huge pokémon widened his stance in the same way a sumo-wrestler would supporting his knees, and raised his left leg to bring it crashing down on the floor, causing the platform to tremble in a show of intimidation, before doing the same with his right leg, almost making Joanna lose her footing. "Let's see if it wasn't just sheer luck." He finished, further narrowing his thick brow in threat.

Now she was apprehensive. Physical moves would do nothing against something like that.

"We won't need to outmuscle it. Are you forgetting that size sacrifices speed?"

But inflicting damage will be difficult. If he grabs ahold of me—

"He won't. Steel yourself. You can do this."

"You're looking a bit nervous there, my man. But maybe bringing out one of my best is a bit too much for a starting trainer?" Asked Brawly.

"Nah, it's all good. I'm just impressed with this specimen, he's significantly bigger than the average according to the pokédex. I'm guessing you're also training him for the same event?"

"Thanks! Yeah, totally considering a slot for him. His performance is up to standard." Said Brawly, glancing at the spectator booth before looking back at him. "Truth be told, I don't think you'll beat Choka."

The comment struck Grey as a tad bit arrogant, though considering the behemoth of a pokémon, most would be confident. But he still tested, "Why's that?"

"Because your chosen roster of three consists of two fire-types, and I've got this funny feeling you aim to sweep me with just those two, though I'm not sure why. After all, you chose not to substitute your salandit. I don't think that's a good move, my man."

…He might be a surfer junkie, but he's not completely off the mark. He's smarter than he lets on…Might he have…planned this?

Perhaps he referred to his choice based on the match with Roxanne…

But Grey struck the nagging suspicion from his mind. There was no way a carefree surfer would be that meticulous with his plans.

"Trainers! Get ready for the second round! 3…2…1…Go!"

"Choka! Bulk-up!"

"Heatwave."

The hariyama glowed with red energy as he visibly, and somehow, became even thicker than he already was, with veins now popping out in several key areas. Joanna stretched her diaphragm and opened her maw, releasing a stream of air so hot that everything in a cone visibly rippled with some of the jagged rocks glowing orange and smoking from it.

Choka took the attack head-on making no move to defend himself, while the little puddles of cave water around him evaporated with a hiss from the sheer heat…

But to Grey's shock, the giant appeared to be unfazed or even affected in the slightest.

"Don't say I didn't warn you, hariyama's special ability is 'thick fat'. He takes radically reduced damage from fire-type and ice-type attacks. And with Bulk-up increasing his attack as well as his defenses, it means even less."

Shit! So even if Neva were present for this battle, she'd still struggle against him. Guess we'll have to go back to square one…But I find it an odd coincidence that he would bring out a pokémon resistant to both Ice and Fire, basically what my team consists of barring starmie…

Grey wasn't inclined to accept it as a complete coincidence.

"I warned you. He knows far too much." Came Kassadar's voice.

Though Grey held focus on the battle before him.

Brawly thrust his hand forth. "My turn! Choka, Force palm! Show'em your skill!"

The huge fighter stomped forth, jacking his arm back as his large appendage glowed an intense orange. He made an unexpectedly quick lunge forwards and shot out his palm which Joanna barely dodged. The hariyama's thrust boomed as it struck the ground with an impact that cratered the stone where she had stood, sending debris flying everywhere with that singular strike.

Christ the thing was freakishly strong, but predictably slow.

"Don't let him get so close! Scale shot!"

Landing from her evasion, the scaly hide on her back glowed a purple. She encircled the large pokémon, whipping her tail, and launched several small projectiles scattering through the air like a shotgun round; products of her own scales. They successfully landed with audible thunks leaving beads of blood surfacing on the punctures, though the lummox barely registered it.

Joanna as a result of her shedding scales became lighter and faster, increasing her speed.

Choka lumbered closer, ready to execute another attack at Brawly's command.

"Those things'll do nothin' to you, take it like a man and don't let her rest! Force palm!"

"Don't let him get near you, shower him with more Scale shots!"

Again, the hulk lunged forth with his huge intimidating palms, but Joanna was far too quick and began peppering him with continuous streams of scales, while becoming lighter and lighter as result of the impressive Dragon-type attack, though she could only use it so many times while becoming more vulnerable as a result of lacking hardened scales.

"Arm thrust to block the projectiles, she'll run out!"

The giant raised his huge flat palms like a shield and the scales clattered harmlessly off them.

It seemed hopeless for a moment as the last scale bounced off the appendage before the sumo-titan racked out a sick cough, spilling blackened fluid from his mouth and wiping it off his lips to observe it.

Brawly rose a brow. "Well I'll be a floatsie, that was your plan all along."

Grey grinned. "Of course. I can't expect to overpower such strength with any of my current roster, so what better way than to poison him. Joanna's scales are just as venomous as her bite and claws. You should've seen that one coming, Brawly."

A minor rumbling vibrated Grey's feet.

"Master, what is that?"

I have no fucking idea.

The surfer chuckled merrily. "You're right, I did see it coming. Show'em just how gutsy you are, Choka."

Gutsy? what…Oh shit.

The hariyama unleashed a bellowing roar as he became even more massive, with his limbs becoming more jagged and larger while bathed in a red aura. The very stone of the platform cracked under his feet.

"I think you should be familiar with this, considering your combusken from Roxanne's match..."

"Guts…increases the attack majorly if inflicted with a critical status condition." Answered Grey.

The Dewford Gym leader nodded. "And not to mention…It's coming."

The rumbling became stronger.

"What is?"

Grey noticed Brawly staring at the manhole-sized pits all around the battlefield. There was one right in between where Choka and Joanna stood, releasing wisps of vapor…

…Oh shit!

Joanna! Move away—

Steaming water burst out of the geyser.

"Brine!" Yelled Brawly, with the giant clapping his hand in response and sending a torrent of boiling salt water that barely slapped Joanna on the side, eliciting a shriek in pain and causing her to roll on the ground from her attempt to dodge. But she got up just short of receiving a direct hit, and out of the misty vapor left in the wake of the steam, she snuck a bite on hariyama's leg with a Poison fang.

"Gah! You little twerp!" Grunted Choka, with his poison status worsened now after the retaliatory move.

"He's slow, but don't risk biting him, just keep up those poison jabs!"

"Force palm the second she nears!"

Joanna feigned a step forward and the hariyama reacted with quick reflexes though only to fall for the trick with Joanna bounding to the side and striking the other leg, injecting the VX nerve agent. Though due to the thing's size, it was taking time for it to circulate.

"Damn that salandit's fast. Change of plan, Choka, let's go for the finish!"

The tank of a fighter nodded to his trainer before jumping off the platform.

…Joanna clambered to the edge to keep sight of her enemy, wondering what on Earth could he be up to.

The hariyama made a heavy landing on a small rock isle, causing ripples in the surrounding underground lake.

She stole a glance at Brawly who sported a childish grin.

"Joanna, get away from there!"

"Time for our local special! Take to the waters with 'Surf'!"

Dread filled Joanna as memories of the ocean storm she barely survived flashed in her mind.

The fighter mon' whirled his arms about with azure energy encircling him, causing the swelling of the water beneath him. Once more, he launched himself into the air and clapped his big hands together facing the water, cracking the air with the ear-splitting slap.

The energy generated by the movement caused the water to surge upward and right underneath his feet, lifting him over the battlefield and casting a shadow over it.

Seconds were minutes as Joanna stared at the impossible happening right in front of her. A tidal wave of several meters in height cast her in shadow and commenced its arching with Choka surfing on top of it. "Let's see how little lizard handles this!" He threatened.

There was nowhere she could run, the wave would cover the entire distance before she'd make it…It was over—

"No it's not! Think, what haven't you used!? You're lighter now from shedding scales, yes?"

Lighter? But what does that have…

Grey's advice from their training came to mind.

~An attack can have more applications than just offense…

…Of course…It's worth a try.

The wave began consuming the platform and she wouldn't lose another second…

…He could sense salandit's hope within their connection. Good, she figured it out.

From the pendant on her necklace, she pulled out a rapper with a berry in it and consumed it with a single bite.

She raised her head—

The water was upon her.

—and jumped into the air, releasing a gassy 'Belch' attack so strong that it almost rivaled Choka's clap. The pressure released from her gullet sent Joanna flying into the air, right above the flabbergasted hariyama.

Grey once more thrust his hand forth out of adrenaline. "Flame burst! Maximum power!"

Joanna flipped in the air as she accumulated fire in her jaw. Hariyama had nowhere to go and she was right on top of him.

Her jaw snapped open and an explosive charge of roaring and crackling chemical flames consumed his upper body.

He screamed in agony and lost his footing, tumbling off the wave just as Joanna grabbed hold of him. They plummeted back to the platform several meters below as the wave of water splashed the field.

The giant fighter crashed into the arena on his back like a huge boulder with a calamitous crack like that of splitting glaciers, almost shattering the arena with his fall.

And Joanna lithely landed on his belly, fine as can be sans the scathing burn on her side from the salty Brine attack she received earlier.

Choka was motionless, knocked out cold from his own added weight onto the impact he suffered. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

The echo of the noise had just faded with everyone staring open-jawed at the results.

Even Grey almost couldn't believe the sheer tenacity the salandit demonstrated.

Shauna and Brawly were dumbstruck.

Grey couldn't help but smile and cackle madly into the air with his mood soaring. "Hahaha! Well, how's that for a double fucking whammy!"

Joanna looked as though she couldn't believe she stood atop the giant, victorious for the second time in a row.

"Master…I did it." She said with a tired smile, attempting to catch her breath.

He smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up. "Ha! You sure fucking did. You all but just secured us our second badge!"

Grey was glad he wouldn't have to resort to Kassadar, lest he put himself at risk.

Brawly caught himself, now awake to the situation. He stared at his fallen hariyama, then at his feet with his brow obscuring his eyes in shadow while lifting his pokéball. "Return, Choka. That was a killer wave you made…"

The giant sumo-like pokémon was once again converted to red energy and recalled to his pokéball, with the toxic lizard standing on the field in his absent mass.

"Eh…umm…Hariyama is unable to battle. T-The winner of the second round is, salandit. Again." Announced Shauna with a tremor in her voice.

Neva and Ginger cheered wildly from the spectator seats, amazed at Joanna's performance. Kassadar even expressed his being impressed telepathically to the group.

Grey glanced at Brawly. "Looks like you're gonna' have to pull a miracle to beat three in a row, 'my man'."

For a moment, the bluenette didn't react or hold any eye contact…Until his shoulders spasmed.

Huh?

Brawly clenched his fists and seemed like he was growling, until he lift his gaze, raised his arms and wooed into the air in joy and laughter.

What the fuck…

"Woohoo! Oh man! I…Am…Psyched! Man, this is totally gnarly dude! I haven't been pushed this far since, like, a decade!" He celebrated with unexpected mirth. "Yep. No doubt. You're the real deal! Now I know why he's really into you."

"Who are you talking about? And shouldn't you be worried? You're practically getting swept in this match."

Brawly only grinned. "Worried? Heck, this has been one of the greatest thrills I've had since last year's super high-tide season! Also…I know I said I didn't think you'd beat Choka, but…" His grin turned near-malevolent with a red sheen crossing his eyes. "You can try, but you'll never defeat my final and recently considered 'top' of my team. At least not with your current roster. It sucks that I have nothing else capable of being enough of a challenge while at the same time able to get me out of this totally crazy streak of yours."

Grey narrowed his gaze in suspicion.

His earlier and similar statement with regards to his hariyama seemed childish. But this time…

Brawly's eyes betrayed a scheme.

He sought a link with Kassadar…

"Yes, sir?"

Should I be worried?

"You've realized it, then."

Yeah. This fucking surf dweeb and this mysterious person he keeps referring to planned 'everything'. The fact that he has a mind barrier around him, alert to psychic threats…

"We're about to get our answer."

Brawly raised a black luxury ball, decorated with a red band on the top half, with the central seam and button being of metallic gold.

"Go, Sang-kai!" Out of the ball and whirring into the physical plane was a figure close to a meter and half in height.

It was a bipedal, shirtless, and eerily enough, humanoid with pale-slate skin and notably thin arms with normal-sized tri-dactyl fingers. It stood bare feet with its legs wrapped in thick pinkish leggings resembling sultan pants. Adorning its round pale head was a headpiece of the same pinkish color, loosely based on an indo-persian kulah, and staring from underneath were a pair of black-pupiled eyes while lacking a visible nose. It pursed its red lips as though in thought.

After a pause, the pokémon did something that shocked Grey to the core.

It lift its left leg and placed itself in a balanced mix between a traditional 'Muay thai' and 'Shaolin kung fu' stance…

No…Fucking way…This thing knows real-world martial arts!?

The boxing pokémon from gen-one was one thing…But Muay-thai and Shaolin Kung-fu?

This did not bode well.

"Master? What is this 'Muay Thai' and 'Kung-fu'?"

In his worry, he had accidentally broadcasted that to Joanna.

…Something that none of you are even remotely prepared to face. To think I would eventually meet a fighting pokémon that uses a form of real-martial arts…We have yet to see if it's a coincidence though…But I can't think of any other reason as to why it would place itself in such a stance.

Brawly laughed. "What's up, Wilson? You look like you've seen a ghost, dude."

Instead of answering, he once again pulled out his pokédex:

—"Medicham, The meditating pokémon, Psychic/Fighting. Male. Through the power of meditation, it has gained psychokinetic abilities and a keen sixth sense able to see the aura of living things and predict their opponent's next move. It has a high degree of technical fighting skill, known to dance around their opponents strikes and counter them efficiently in the same motion."

—"Genetic passive ability frequency:

"80% Pure power, 20% other.

"100% spawn with secondary ability: Telepathy"

…Psychic type…Of course. Now it makes sense.

They had him from the start, and it all connected.

They figured he would leave Neva last in line for the gym challenge, considering her double-typing disadvantage against fighting types. But because of her Dark-typing, she would have had an easier time against an unexpected psychic-type opponent like medicham.

Instead, they made sure she wouldn't be available by matching him with Evelyn for the so-called 'test' in the beginning and even knowing, based on her profile, that her most frequently used pokémon was Aldo, her mankey. How they knew mankey was to evolve during their match? This wasn't certain, but perhaps, like Kassadar, they had the aid of psychic clairvoyance.

But if that were the case, then that begged the question…Did Brawly and his associate expect Joanna to sweep two-in-a-row? Grey doubted it.

Obviously, they had no control over which pokémon he'd pick first, so Brawly chose Bree first to entice him to pick Joanna who was a fire-type, as well as poison-type, through which the breloom should have won due to its coincidental 'poison heal' ability. Of course, Grey doubted they would've ever imagined him using the very same ability that was designed to counter Joanna, to his advantage and instead reverse-countering the breloom.

If Breloom should fail, Brawly would send in Choka, the hariyama, who conveniently again had 'Thick fat' versus Fire-type moves, and 'Guts' to take advantage of her poison inflicting moves. Not to mention its 'Brine' attack, a water-type move once the geysers from the cave platform erupted, making the location of the battle convenient, considering he had two fire-types on his team. The match up should have heavily favored the hariyama, who would have also had a considerable advantage against Ginger. In this case, they would have expected him to switch over to starmie (considering, somehow, they knew he was integrated into his party from days ago), so that the psychic/water type would come in tired from dealing with such a heavy pokémon, against medicham, who wouldn't suffer super-effective damage being psychic-themselves, and would be at a huge advantage against Ginger afterward, should Grey return starmie in favor of his safety.

But then came another question with regards to the starmie…Did they also know about his condition and his dependence on Kassadar? Did their clairvoyance cover that too?

Maybe not, considering that Brawly's earlier befuddled expression suggested he never expected Joanna to win a two-for-one, much less a two-for-nil.

But Grey was convinced that this match for all intents and purposes…

Was rigged in Brawly's favor.

It was designed so that Grey was certain to lose.

But why?

Why go so far to ensure his loss?

The one thing that seemed inconsistent with all this, however, was Brawly's enthusiasm and ridiculous confidence in the face of what now seemed like a one-sided match.

Did this guy actually believe he could pull off a perfect 3-win come-back streak with just his medicham?

It was unsettling, considering he would have never expected to encounter an opponent his pokémon wouldn't be prepared to face in terms of martial arts.

Grey glared at the surfer in suspicion, who in turn gazed back with childish innocence. "You alright there, my man?"

"Grey…" Kassadar mentally pinged.

Yeah?

"The medicham wishes to exchange words psionically."

Oh?

The medicham, known as Sang-kai to Brawly, gazed at him from the battlefield.

Isn't that a bit dangerous?

"I can act as a conduit, instead of him entering your mind, he will speak through me, much like a telecommunications device, from where I will direct the spoken wavelengths."

I see…

"Do you wish to accept?"

…Patch him through.

"Very well…"

A few moments pause, before a distinct and mature male voice resounded in his mind.

"Do you hear me? Human?"

I do.

"I only wish to make an inquiry out of curiosity. There is no need to answer if you don't desire."

Depends on the question. But go ahead.

The medicham's glare from across the battlefield intensified.

"...Just what kind of a human would you have to be…To have an aura so…Utterly and overwhelmingly stained with the blood of the dead?"

Grey rose a brow at that.

That seems a bit judgy.

"I have years of honed experience in aura-sensing…I see the aura of all living things as clearly as you see me before you…My eyes do not lie…I even find myself hard-pressed to call you 'human' at all. I've faced many an opponent and met many people, pokémon and human alike. Good of heart and of questionable moral compass…But I have yet to come across someone as heavily tainted in blood as you are…"

What's your point?

"My point…Is that I will 'not' allow you to win this battle. The thought of a hand so versed with the dealing of death touching my master's badge, disgusts me."

Grey smirked at the medicham.

Is that why this match has been so heavily rigged in your master's favor?

"...I know not of what you speak."

Whatever. I just want you, your 'master' and their associate to know…that you're not the only ones with cards to play.

The medicham glanced at the rest of Grey's team at the spectator booth, before returning his gaze.

"Bold words for a man who walks with his hands revealed."

We'll see…

Kassadar severed the connection.

Shauna called out. "Challenger, do you wish to substi—"

"No." He immediately answered, giving Joanna a look.

The salandit only smiled, while everyone else, barring Kassadar, seemed surprised at his decision.

Brawly inclined his head to the side in curiosity. "You sure about that, my man?"

But Grey ignored him as Shauna shared Brawly's confused expression. "Are you certain?"

"Just give the damned signal or I'll start without it," he grunted, impatient at all the questioning.

"Ok, jeez…Trainers, ready. 3…2…1…Be—"

"Flame burst." Commanded Grey.

Joanna leaped into action in a pre-emptive strike, charging her flame, but Sang-kai was upon her in a flash. She took the risk of self-inflicting damage and still followed through. She launched the gout of flame aiming for his chest, only to miss as medicham swerved out of the way like liquid, stepped past her while lifting a leg, and with a perfectly executed back kick, hammered the back of her head and sent her crashing into a rock pyre, crumbling it with the force of her impact.

Yeah…Definitely the power of Muay-thai with the water-like fluidity of Kung-fu…Shit.

Joanna did not get up again.

Grey rushed over without a second's thought and rummaged through the rough rock, pulling an unconscious Joanna out of the debris and into his arms.

"Hey, you ok?"

Her eyes were closed and she didn't respond, but her pulse was steady.

"Salandit is unable to battle! Medicham wins the third round!"

"You were amazing out there." He whispered, caressing her face.

The same voice from earlier spoke vocally, "And now that you're so near, I can even smell the rust of the blood you've spilled on yourself. Yet you worry intensely for another? Why?"

Grey only gazed at the medicham.

The psionic fighter narrowed his gaze. "Do not think me a fool, I'm aware you understand my verbal tongue."

That came as a surprise. But Grey flicked a look at Brawly and chose not to answer or lest he compromise himself.

A faint blue glow of familiar psychic energy gently wrapped Joanna.

"Do not lend ear to his words. And worry not, Joanna's wavelengths are healthy. Ginger is already heading toward the platform. I will take Joanna to the booth and administer the potion from your pack."

Grey gazed at Kassadar, glad for his words as Joanna floated away from his arms.

Thanks. Look after her.

"Indeed. I wish you luck."

Grey nodded as he barely spared a glance at the medicham before returning to his end of the field.

Ginger was soon at his side, though her gaze was filled with uncertainty as her head feather-crest lowered. "Why did you allow her to continue after pulling off two wins? Wouldn't it have been wiser and safer to have substituted her?"

"Through my telepathy, she asked me to allow her to continue…For your sake."

"My sake?"

Grey glanced at the combusken who seemed nervous. "Yes. So she could scout out the enemy's skill and for you to see it for yourself…and his side-stepping into a back kick with a single motion was nothing short of flawless. His technical skill is impressive. It makes me question whether he has natural talent, or if Brawly trained him that well, or perhaps he hired a martial artist to aid in the medicham's training. At this stage, with everything seemingly well planned out? Who the fuck knows."

"Do you think I stand a chance? Against someone who's both a psychic type and a skilled fighter?"

Her crimson eyes betrayed fear.

"That depends on you. No one is truly prepared for anything in life. Just give it your all. Do not engage him without thinking, if at all. Try to keep your distance and take him out with fire-type moves, and stay focused, don't fall for his mind tricks."

She nodded. "Right."

…He placed a reaffirming hand on her shoulder, the warmth of which felt reassuring to the touch.

"You've got this. Let's see just how good his precognition is." Came his voice; always welcome in her mind.

Right.

Ginger had doubts, considering her all-out battles so far consisted of favorable type-matchups, barring the crawdaunt back at the now sunken cruise.

But she would prove that she couldn't be taken down easily.

The medicham lifted his guard and swapped its stance.

"Trainers! Ready…3…2…1…Go!"

"Flame charge."

Ginger burst forth in a roar of flames toward the medicham, increasing her speed substantially only to find her cheek sink from an impact as soon as she drew near, redirecting her dash.

"Don't lose sight of him!"

She ground to a dirt-lifting halt and snapped her gaze back in the direction she came from.

Their plan to trick the medicham's precognition vs its hearing by doing the opposite of what Grey said aloud and attacking at close range, failed.

Sang-kai stood there, motioning for her to approach once more.

"Again."

Won't he just dodge again?

"Trust me. This hinges precisely on my earlier statement. Go."

Once more, fire enveloped her body as she made another attempt at Flame charge, increasing her speed even further.

It was minimal, but she was able to get in closer this time just as the medicham counter-struck again with a rolling kick that barely scraped her face, before again stopping at a distance with her eyes on the ever-cool fighter.

She tasted iron on her beak-lips and wiped her bleeding nostril.

"Aerial Ace."

With her increased speed, she blitzed across the field and with a leap she cut through the air like a spear, reaching out with her claws.

There was no way the medicham could counter while avoiding this, it had to be one or the other.

She closed in, but Sang-kai unexpectedly leaped toward her, raising a knee as leverage while scything the air with his other leg.

He barely leaned his neck to the side and avoided her attack, while her jaw clamped shut with her own neck snapping upward from a strike. The cave was a spinning whirl as the G-force of her spin took its toll and her ribs rattled from her landing on the rough rocky terrain.

She coughed and groaned from the painful High-jump kick she took. Arceus, he hit like a truck.

"Agh…Damn it…"

"G..ger, Y.. ..right!?" She barely registered Grey's telepathy as her mind still spun. But the emotion of his concern and anxiety washed over her through his psionic connection.

It was…nice to feel his worry directed at her. It really did show he cared.

Y-Yeah. I'm ok.

"Thank fuck. That was an amazing Aerial Ace, for a second I thought you were actually flying. But his counter was really ballsy and perfectly executed to top it off…fuck. And he's not even using the psychic portion of his moveset."

I gathered that, Grey, tell me what to do.

"Keep increasing your speed. Don't slow do—"

"You may stop your dialogue now and listen." Came Sang-kai's voice.

Ginger stood on her feet once more, shaking off the pain, and shot him a glare. "What do you want? This is a fight you know."

The medicham grinned. "Oh? A fight? And here I thought we were just warming up."

She growled. "What'd you say?"

"Don't let him get to you."

Medicham raised a hand to stop her. "Hold tongue, I have a suggestion…As it stands, I could end this so-called 'fight' in a second without lifting a finger, but I'd have it last longer. I know you're not being serious, surely you have more to offer than this? I saw your match against that probopass, so I would know."

"Enough talk! Let's—"

"Wait, Ginger! Think! Hear him out, we could exploit this."

I wouldn't tarnish my pride in being opportunistic like a 'darken'!

"Again, you're forgetting my very first lesson to you…"

Ginger hesitated in consideration, before jerking her chin at the medicham. "Speak. What do you want?"

"Let us play a game based on a wager. Fight me seriously using only combat, no Fire attacks. And I'll do the same, without Psychic attacks. The first of us to be forced to use a move that isn't physical combat-oriented…Forfeits the match. This is, of course, ignoring the Fire moves you've already used."

"How do you benefit from this?"

The psychic-type's gaze flickered to Grey, before falling back on her. "By having my satisfaction in seeing him suffer as I clobber you into the ground. As well as getting some kind of thrill from this, otherwise clearly, one-sided 'fight'."

She clenched her fists. "You're on! Enough talk and let's do this."

He leered at her smugly, pleased with himself. "Excellent! I was afraid you'd demonstrate more foolishness than you already have by declining."

She snarled at the comment.

"Keep your cool, Ginger—"

"Though, personally,"—Sang-kai closed his eyes and turned his gaze away—"I don't think you'll even come close to forcing my hand."

Ginger had enough of his arrogance and burst forth in a rush…

…Grey winced as Ginger lunged at the medicham with a claw which was evaded with a simple side-step and rewarded with a round-house kick to the face. She roared in anger and attempted a wheel-kick following up her motion, but the medicham 'checked' her kick with a simple leg maneuver while shuffling into her space and launching a solid upper cup, countering her strike all in a single motion, though the punch only grazed her face as she was fast enough to react thanks to her increasing speed over the match.

At least she was applying the basics of martial arts, though it was barely enough to keep her in the fight against a much more experienced opponent. "Ginger! What are you doing!? Move away, you still haven't accumulated enough speed!"

"I'm afraid she ain't gonna' listen to you, my man, and likewise for me with Sang-kai," said Brawly as he walked toward him from the outer edge of the arena, safe from the battle in the middle.

"What do you mean?"

The impacts from the seemingly one-sided slugfest continued as the gym leader stopped next to him, observing the battle with a casual smile. "They're in the zone, dude."

"In the zone? What does that mean? Is that some kind of sporting jargon?" Asked Grey, wondering how the concept seemed somehow familiar to him.

Brawly placed himself in a pretend surfing stance, staring into imaginary space, "Kinda'. Much like when you're super focused on something, you blot everything out. At the beach, when I lay eyes on a totally potential wicked ten-footer, I can't help myself and just run out to catch the wave, man. Good luck stoppin' me, I probs' won't even hear you, much less when I'm actually slayin' the wave, dude, and even less so when I'm competing against other surfers! Haha!"

That seemed fairly reckless, but Grey supposed he was familiar with such adrenalism…Though for very different reasons beyond sporting…

"So…You mean to say, they're both so focused on their task in the heat of competitiveness, that they won't even register their trainer's commands?"

"Yep! Right on, man! Though I don't dig it when he ignores and does what he likes, but it is what it is. That's what being in the zone's like. Surely, you've felt it before at some point in life, right?"

Grey only watched as Ginger tried her very best to gain some kind of ground in the fierce close combat against her formidable opponent. Despite getting countered and constantly hit, she seemed extremely focused.

In the zone…Yes. He felt such a thing, the latest example being when he was alone to confront a team of Magmas and their pokémon back at the Rustboro pier warehouse. He was certainly familiar with the sensation of being surrounded by multiple enemies, and the focus required to survive in such a situation.

A booming impact destroyed a stalactite pyre as Sang-kai splintered it into a thousand pieces with a powerful kick that Ginger barely avoided. They were in the heat of battle for sure, and the combusken's speed only kept steadily rising, so much so that literal flames began forming on her shoulders and head crest, like a rocket engine going into overheat.

"The zone, huh? Still, I reckon they made some kind of vow. Notice how neither of them have used anything but combat moves?"

"Yeah, they're totally betting on something. Sang-kai can get real freaky when he gets competitive, not even caring about my commands. I'm gonna' have a solid word with him when this is over. He acts the same when surfing alongside me, that's why he's so fluid and balanced. Coupled with the help of my mentor's martial arts training, we turned medicham into a solid fighting machine."

"Mentor?"

"Yep. Chuck from Cianwood in Johto."

Why did that name seem so familiar…Johto…Oh! That was the region from the second generation games, right? Grey vaguely remembered a fighting-type gym leader from that game too…Wasn't he a black-belt kung-fu expert that focused on 'strength' or some shit?

Though Sang-kai had the clear advantage when it came to executing striking techniques and counter-checks that were eerily reminiscent of real-world kung-fu and muay-thai…they lacked certain qualities and had several weaknesses that left openings a more experienced opponent fighter would exploit, not to mention the weak upper body that the medicham displayed…It could mean the difference in this round…

He wondered if Ginger would figure it out from their more recent lessons…

…A groaning and aching body were all she had to show for her pointless effort in trying to get a hit on this damned fighting machine. Ugh. Notably, though certainly not weak, the medicham's punches were nowhere near as strong as his kicks. Ginger had managed to get in a graze on the psychic-fighter's cheek, though only a product of her rising velocity from 'speed boost'. Was it this guy's natural psychic premonition that kept her from hitting him at all? Or was it her own apparently predictable offense?

He feigned a kick that she would block, only for him to spin around in the opposite direction and smash her cheek in with a strong back fist, sending her stumbling across the field. The tang of copper assaulted her tongue, and for the umpteenth time she spat out a meaty glob of blood.

Bastard.

Time after time she would be rewarded with a kick to the face if she reached with a punch, and a punch to the gut whenever she attempted a kick, meanwhile she kept falling to most of his feigned moves…Though one thing did strike her as odd…

Sang-kai never made an attempt at 'grabbing' her, but rather kept a controlled distance and would only dedicate an offensive to counter her own, but nothing beyond that—

It came in a flash and struck her mind, and once again seconds became minutes as she regressed into recent memory…

~Grey had her on the ground, with his legs hooked over her neck and torso as he arrested her right arm and pulled. Her forearm bone ground against her elbow for a split second—

'What the—Agh! Aagh! Stop, stop! I Give! I Give!' She yelled in pain, with the pressure disappearing as Grey let go, rolled backward and stood up fast, while she stayed planted on the sandy soil, dazed and unable to process what just happened. Yet another formidable technique.

~She got up rubbing her right elbow. 'Shit…What in the blazing fuck was that!?'

~Grey gave an evil grin—

Due to her massively enhanced speed, Ginger entered a state of hyper-awareness.

Sang-kai took a cautious step forward, likely having detected the change in her demeanor.

A breeze blew from the gaping ceiling, and dust blew across the arena, with the dripping of natural cave water now deafening in the sudden silence that came over the battleground.

She waited for the perfect moment. Ginger knew if she went for an overextended kick, Sang-kai would punish with a quick fist.

She stepped in and attempted a repeat round-house kick, the medicham swapped his stance to check her kick while raising his arm for another mach-punch counter, as predicted.

In those instances, she waited for his arm to fully extend and commit to his attack.

The air of his fist touched her beak—

Gotcha'.

In a single swift motion, she jerked her head back, leaped into the air face up, and raised her other leg to wrap it around his neck from his left while sealing the neck-choke with her remaining leg, forming a tight triangle as she grabbed his offending arm in both her hands.

"What on Eart—Ggh!" Sang-kai struggled with his words as Ginger tightened her legs around his neck and yanked his arm back, pulling her weight downward…

'—The most crucial yet powerful submission move of Jiu-Jitsu…'The flying triangle choke''.

'Jiu…Jitsu…'

'Yes. That, Ginger, will be the end of most matches. We're going to absolutely humiliate this so-called 'fighting-gym'. I looked up Brawly's profile. A person who is an amateur in martial arts at best. And mainly dedicated to surfing. A surf-junkie has no business running a 'fighting-gym', and we'll expose him for the joke he is…'

'Is there a way out of that hold?'

'For someone with quick enough reflexes? Yes. They'll naturally either attempt an overhead strike with their free arm, or a knee strike right onto the base of the exposed spine of the JJ user—'

Sang-kai struggled to hold Ginger's weight and attempted a knee strike from under to get her off…

—'but a professional JJ user will know that the triangle hold is incomplete, for there is a next stage, should the victim react on time—'

In response to the medicham's movement, Ginger shifted her wrapped leg to his chest, replaced it with her free leg in a reverse choke and pushed his neck back while pulling his arm out further, causing him to lose balance and stumble backward…

She had his arm between her legs as well as having him pinned on the ground in exactly the same way Grey once had her in.

—'The arm-bar.'

Grey's elation on seeing her executing the move flooded her in their returning connection, and a wave of euphoria came over her, sharing in the joy of her perfectly executed JJ hold.

"Now! Pull his arm!" Hollered out Grey in her mind.

Ginger roared as she pulled her enemy's forearm backward.

"Gah! What is—Aagh!" Yelped Sang-kai in agony.

"Surrender or I'll break it!" She yelled.

"Ngh! To someone beneath me!? Nng. Never! Agh!"

Beneath you, huh? I'll fucking show you—

"Pull harder Ginger! But don't bre—"

In her adrenalized state and rage, she ignored Grey's words and went all the way, even arching her back for extra leverage.

A horrid snap cracked the air, as Sang-kai roared in agony.

Ginger didn't care and pulled further as he had yet to surrender, but a glowing violet light surrounded her and she found her limbs paralyzed, as though invisible hands grabbed her from everywhere.

She was abruptly yanked off him and tossed through the air. Pain flared up her abdomen and torso as she smashed into a rock pyre and destroyed it with her impact.

Ginger groaned, aware that would leave yet another bruise added to her newly acquired collection, as well as a cracked rib.

Covered in dust, she staggered to her feet and rose from the pile of rocks, only to be met with the sight of a furious medicham, eyes glowing a wrathful violet with his body wrapped in an aura of the same hue. His right forearm hung loosely, broken.

"You…You filthy harlot!" He seethed in anger.

Ginger panted as she caught her breath, barely managing a grin. "Guess' that means I beat you at your own game, huh?"

For a moment, it seemed the medicham would react with violence, but his aura vanished and he grimaced in pain, shutting his eyes in dismay as he held his broken arm. "You've forced my hand…and therefore you've won the wager…I forfeit. It seems I have fallen to my own hubris manifest…"

He turned around and began walking away.

But Ginger, unsatisfied with her win and in a moment of regret reached out. "Wait I—"

"Does our word as trainers not fucking matter anymore!?" Boomed out Grey, his ire reverberating through the cave.

Both Ginger and Sang-kai jolted at the loud reprimand and turned to gaze back.

Brawly and Grey stood next to each other, both holding a punitive scowl.

"Sang-kai. I thought you were better than this. Not cool, man, not cool," said Brawly, shaking his head in disapproval.

Ginger sheepishly shyed away from Grey's glare, while Sang-kai faced them, broadcasting his telekinesis to all present:

"Do not be mad at her. It's my fault. I turned an official gym battle into a foolish parody, treating it like a game dishonorably…I realize that, master, and challenger."

"Don't remove the blame from her. Honestly, I'm more upset about her ignoring me and my lessons as the trainer! She went against my principles and broke your arm when I was about to instruct her to take it easy!"

Sang-kai seemed shocked for a moment, but for a different reason.

"...Did you just broadcast that to 'everyone'? I'm pretty sure only psychics can do that."

Ginger became nervous as Grey seemed shocked for a moment while Brawly also beheld disbelief in his gaze, before Grey fixed his expression once more. "Yes, with the help of Kassadar, my starmie."

Though the medicham seemed unsure.

Brawly took a step forth. "Anyway, the point is, Sang-kai,"—he pointed to himself—"I'm the gym leader here, and the conditions of the battle are determined by me. Not you." Said the surfer in a rare moment of anger.

"Yes, master…Apologies."

Grey turned to Brawly. "I'm so sorry about your medicham's arm, the point of a submission is to make them submit, not just leave them fucking impaired. I wouldn't have—"

Brawly waved it off. "Naw, don't sweat it. He was the one that was being salty and not wanting to submit."

"Still, most wouldn't take it too lightly. The point is to hold them and increase the intensity in increments. It seems 'someone' needs to learn some restraint," he said, shooting a glare at her.

Ginger flushed harder under Grey's admonishing stare…

"...Alright! Now that we got that cleared up, let's rock on!" Brawly fist-pumped the air and did a 180 on his attitude so quickly that Grey reeled in surprise and did a double take.

"Whoa wait, man, if you didn't notice, your medicham's arm is hanging by a bloody thread. I wouldn't take the win like that. Send out a different pokémon, I don't mind if it's the fourth, it's the least I can do for the damages—"

Brawly rose a brow in confusion of his statement, but then laughed and slapped Grey on the shoulder. "Haha! Too swell, my man. Naw, chill dude, he can handle it. like I said, it's his fault for not submitting to that wicked hold. Like, dude, I've never seen anything like it. Totally gnarly!"

'Never seen anything like it?'...huh?

"Wait, you're gonna' let him keep—"

"Sang-kai, stop pretending, dude, and use 'Recover'."

Re…Recover!?

Sang-kai sighed and grimaced as his arm glowed a lighter shade of violet and the bones snapped back together like magic, with him grunting in pain from the effect.

What the fff…wait, I'm literally half-dead and Kassadar is holding me together with psychic energy…Why the fuck should I be surprised? In fact…It should be expected at this stage…Well shit.

The medicham tested his arm and it seemed completely healed, though judging from his labored breath, the move took a lot of energy from him…Interesting. Once again, healing moves and abilities proved to be less magical than previously thought, following a set principle.

Brawly walked away to his half of the battleground. "See, my man? Nothing to worry about."

"Well, now I see what you meant..."

Ginger gazed at him with guilt watering her eyes. He focused and carefully opened a telekinetic channel to her, lest medicham detect it and his suspicion be proven if it already hasn't.

Yes? Got' something to say?

"Grey…I'm sorry."

For what?

"Not listening…And going too far."

…You're very lucky he happens to be psychic, otherwise, I'm not sure if Brawly would've been so 'chill' about it.

"I know. I broke contract."

And someone else's arm…But, well…Technically, I haven't established 'all' the rules of our little group just yet. I still need to write it up.

"What do you mean?"

He rolled his eyes.

Get a clue, girl, it means I'm willing to overlook it, this time. We just need to train your reflexes a bit.

Her gladness soothed over the connection.

"Thanks."

Oh don't thank me just yet, now you're gonna' have to battle for real this time. If you didn't get the drift, Sang-kai's going to treat this like a real match now. All move-types at his disposal.

"It's fine. I wouldn't have it any other way."

I know. I saw you tried to stop him…But note, in a fight for survival? There are no rules. You take what you can get, not to be confused with official sporting events, however questionable they are...You need to learn when to shift the gears and when not to during times of heightened adrenaline.

"I understand."

Grey observed Ginger's twitching muscles. It seemed she was struggling to keep herself still…Considering her speed enhancement…Now it made sense.

Her near maximum speed did something to her adrenal glands that made it difficult to regulate the amount of epinephrine getting pumped throughout her body, meaning much faster blood circulation and in turn, movement…But it also meant more reckless decisions, much like a speed demon…At least that was his 'on-the-spot theory'. He'd have to look deeper into it, but right now, it'd prove advantageous.

"Trainers!" Announced Shauna. "Resetting the match in 3…2…1…Go!"

"Flame charge, and don't let up!"

Ginger blasted forth, leaving a trail of flames—

"Take it head on with a Zen headbutt!"

Sang-kai was once more enveloped by his violet-psychic energy and burst forth, with his head glowing more than anywhere else.

They met in a momentous clash, sending sparks of fire and psychic energy everywhere before they reset into a standoff.

"Psychic!"

Before Grey could give a counter-command, a wave of psionic energy seized Ginger, and sent her flying once again across the field.

Psychic types were notorious for being extremely hard to battle against, however, Grey noted that medicham was fairly focused with both feet planted and channeling the power through his limbs.

This whole time, Sang-kai managed to predict her every move, another trait of the psychic difficult to overcome for most pokémon, barring Dark, Ghost and Bug-types…

The fire-fowl once again rose, and more jittery than ever, with bolts of fiery sparks arcing out from her head crest and shoulders.

Grey gathered she was about to hit maximum speed.

Yet if met with the right kind of resistance…

…Sang-kai didn't truly believe she could win the match-up, but he would honor the fire-fowl's request and fight to his truest potential. He couldn't help but have lingering thoughts on her trainer though. The man seemed to have a deeper tale to him than just his…uncanny aura. He swore the man had used telepathy independently minutes ago…But he erased such a thought for now.

It was time to finish this.

The combusken got up and seemed ready to give everything she had. Her aura was similar to that of her master's, yet it had a strange black tint to it…A part of her that was somewhat unpredictable, much like…a Dark-type. But that didn't seem likely. Either way, it was sizzling out in bright sparks and seemed ready to be unleashed.

He raised his guard and focused.

Brawly gave the command for another Psychic attack. It seemed he too wanted to end this quickly, for there was yet another opponent to be faced before they could wrest this match away from the challenger's grasp. A most agreeable tactic.

Sang-kai charged his energy, conducting it through his raised palm.

All things aside, this was a great battle. I've learned new things from you. I hope to face you again someday.

His focus remained steadfast on the combusken.

He was about to release the energy—

She vanished.

He gasped in disbelief, wondering if he was imagining it until he lay eyes on the trail her aura left—

Heat flashed on his cheek and a sharp burn along with an impact sent him rolling across the ragged field, though he regained his balance and stood on his feet quickly.

How in Arceus did—

Alarm jolted through his system as with a silent swish, the combusken stood inches before him.

He didn't even sense her coming!

Again he tapped into his precognitive power…And never felt more hopeless in his life…

W-what is this!?

Usually, a psychic can see through the intentions of their opponent by tracing the direction they project their own aura in, as it matches the energy they prepare in order to enter their path of motion. In that instance, a pre-image of said opponent's movement is perceived once their thoughts map out their intention. If they have a plan B formed in their mind, another possible pre-image is constructed, becoming another outline for an alternate course of action. This, in essence, is how psykinetic combat-precognition works. Of course, there was the odd case of an opponent solely relying on their reactive instinct rather than logical planning, which could mean a minor bypass of the precognition here and there, but even 'they' exerted intention through their energy.

At most, non-psychic pokémon could think three, maybe four steps ahead, and that meant the same amount of distinct pre-images per action intended.

But then why…Why were there dozens of the combusken's pre-images surrounding him!?

Everywhere he looked, there she was in a different motion. One was coming to his right for a right-hook, another for a leg sweep, another for an over-head swipe, another for a dash to his back, another—

Fire flashed before his eyes and singed his skin before he could conjure another thought, the air rushed out of his mouth with his stomach sinking from an incredibly powerful impact.

He gasped for breath while trying to get his bearings.

Again, a plethora of combusken pre-images ambushed him—

"Hagh!"

His body flailed from another hit. He met and scraped the cave floor for the umpteenth time.

How on Earth is she doing this!?

He pushed himself to his feet, immediately raising his guard. For a moment, there were no pre-images. Her intent was truly just to observe him, expressionless if anything more serious and focused than ever before…There she stood, though a bit jittery, with her muscles twitching and sparks of fire arching out of her shoulders and head crest…

Wait…Was it possible that she maximized her spee—

A squadron of pre-images burst into existence and all he could do was raise his guard before—

A powerful kick broke his guard and her clawed foot whammed his face and sent him into a daze, the floor whirled and his ears buzzed before again pain flared on his opposite cheek. Behind every strike was a searing heat that burned his flesh.

He couldn't believe it.

He was overwhelmed by her immense speed that accumulated throughout the match.

To think I would have had a much easier time, had I not been so foolish and allowed her to build up 'this' much velocity…

She truly is a worthy opponent…

Heh…Once again, I fall in the face of my own hubris…

…Grey was astounded that his plan worked! Kassadar's advice from his lessons in psychokinesis was truly wise. The general psychic could see several steps ahead, some dozens…But it had him wondering…

How much of a time lag was there between precognition, and the actual capability to react on time? Considering that using psychic precognition, much more to launch an actual psy-kinetic attack, took considerable amounts of focus…

The answer to winning this matchup…Was speed, something Ginger excelled at.

Ginger was absolutely thrashing Sang-kai now, and he was helpless before her, with his capacity to react out of precognition now out of reach from her immense alacrity.

"Sang-kai! Keep your distance and use ranged attacks!" Commanded Brawly, shocked himself at the turn of events.

Pointless. This is over.

Finish him with a 'real' technique, Ginger! He called out with his mind.

"With pleasure."

Ginger deformed the medicham's face with a round-house kick. She cocked the same leg back afterward and hopped forth on her supporting leg, using the same motion to switch into a 'super-man punch', putting the acceleration of her motion, weight, and power of her back into her fist.

The sheer smack of the meaty impact resounded through the cave with Sang-kai's head whipping back, spurting blood in an arc while he flew through the air like a bullet and struck a rock pillar, crumbling it and getting buried under its rubble.

Silence took the battleground, the hiss of rising dust the only thing to question it.

Moments passed with no movement, only Ginger panting for breath as she returned to a neutral stance.

Was it over?

Shauna was only observing from her side, though she made no move of her flags. Strange.

Perhaps she was too shocked at the sight of one her gym leader's best, if not, his top pokémon, getting defeated at the hands of a 2-0 starting trainer. She'd come to terms with reality soon enough.

Brawly gawked at the sight of his medicham fallen at the now destroyed pillar. "Whoaaa...I Can't believe you actually managed to rock my medicham with another non-psychic type fighter! Dude…Totally wicked…"

Grey smiled. "I'm finding it difficult to believe myself...You seem oddly calm about losing 3 - 1, aren't you embarrassed? Considering you call yourself a gym leader and a fighting-type specialist?"

"Haha! Whoa there, Willy, I think you're ridin' that wave prematurely."

Grey's smile faltered. "...What?"

The rocks at the recently broken pillar tumbled over, and Sang-kai rose from the pile, panting, sweat laced, bloodied, and bruised, but still standing if just barely.

"Jesus…When are you gonna' call it quits, man? Your medicham's been through enough, the match is over."

A sad frown marred Brawly's face as he grasped his necklace…and held the pendant in the air.

It looked like a cat-eye marble of sorts, with its canes of colors being a nebulous swirl of pinkish-violet…Similar to the color of most psychic energy types.

Brawly's demeanor changed, almost as though he were in regret. "You're right, Wilson…this match is totally over."

Grey's smile died out in confusion, and Ginger looked worried.

Sang-kai also frowned as soon as he saw the marble pendant in Brawly's hand. He glowered at it in apparent distaste. What was going on?

"Sang-kai…"

The medicham drew closer to the center of the platform, with a soft glow beginning to surround the gym leader.

"...Mega evolve!"

Grey's starmie-supported nerves fired in alarm as the glow became a powerful swirling light, flowing in ribbons from the stone and wrapping themselves around the medicham.

Sang-kai was now a rose-colored silhouette of photonic energy, jutting out arcs of plasma-like essence that seared the air. The silhouette's shape began changing significantly, with its brightness illuminating the entire cave.

What the fuck is this!?

"Ginger! Get away!"

She did so, leaping away from a loose bolt of power that burned the ground where she had stood.

The light finally faded with an energetic hum.

Grey beheld a significantly distinct form before him.

Now the medicham stood a few inches taller, a white sultan turban with several extensions replaced its persian-inspired headgear, with a gold plate just above his brow. His main physical body retained a similar mass if only slightly more defined muscles, except for golden braces on his wrists with an Arabic waistband loosely swinging with teardrop decorations, and golden knee pads on his sultan pants.

The main key differences, however, were the four additional arms floating behind him in a symmetrical formation. They were each identical to his original arms, but much bigger, at least close to his height in length and as thick as his torso.

His thrumming violet psychic aura radiated power that Grey could feel even from where he stood.

Sang-kai's eyes, now a piercing glowing blue, stared at him, before gazing at Ginger with sorrow in them that answered every doubt Grey had.

They really wanted to prevent Grey from winning…Yet from the lack of enthusiasm in the guise of pokémon and master, he had a sense that they would have had things go a different direction, had it not been for this 'associate' of theirs…

"What is that form?" Asked Grey.

Brawly managed a thin smile. "That's called 'mega-evolution'. A temporary transformation that massively increases the pokémon's stats. Course' you need a special stone to use it."

Grey eyed the glowing pendant on the surfer's chest…He recalled the store clerk back at Rustboro talking about them. The bracer on his wrist had an embossed space for such a thing, while the girls had accessories that held similar spaces…But something was off.

"How come I only see one stone? I was under the impression you need two distinct stones."

"Hmm? I'm not sure, dude. I said the same thing to the merchant who recently sold it to me, but he said something about 'bonds' being more important or something."

Strange…Was the clerk misinformed? Or was it a misconception that their store took advantage of to sell more products?

Also, 'recently sold'?

Brawly continued. "Anyway, You should be, like, totally honored man. You're the first challenger I've had a chance to use this on."

Grey rose a brow at that.

"The first 'challenger' or the first 'person'?"

Brawly scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, uh, we've trained a bit with it, but in an official battle? Yeah, it's our first. And now, in this crazy 2-1 situation you've skillfully got me in, I can test its power. I ain't losing 3-1 yet, no way, man, haha!"

Grey paused for thought…Before he raised his gaze once more…Deeply annoyed.

"Alright then…Ginger."

The combusken looked at him, still recovering her breath from her previous bout, though holding her speed boost. She seemed nervous.

"I'd hate to do this, but I need you to last for at least another attack to get a read on their power. Can you do that?"

She nodded, though confused at his statement. "Sure."

"Are you saying I'll lose?" She asked with hurt in her inner voice, still connected to his telekinetic link.

I'm saying that I'm allowing you to continue but for a quick assault. Take another look at Sang-kai.

She did so. The Medicham's injuries were all but gone, with several bruises and scratches here and there.

Notice how the transformation partially heals the user? While not in top shape, he's definitely recovered some of his injuries, while you're running on fumes right now. Not to mention his massively increased stats and power…This isn't a battle to the death, Ginger, don't make it out to be one.

"...Ok. But I'll still do my best."

I wouldn't expect anything more or less. Show them that you won't go down without a fight.

She gave a more determined nod, with her spirits raised.

Shauna waved her flag, though unable to take her eyes off of the psychic's new form. "Trainers! Restarting battle! Again…3…2…1…—"

"Flamethrower!"

Ginger blasted out a solid stream of flames, having prepared it in advance.

"Psy-beam."

Ripping through the torrent of flames like it was nothing, a huge, crackling and glowing magenta beam zoomed through, engulfing Ginger entirely and carrying her off the arena.

"Ginger!" He yelled with his soul aching at the sight.

'Boom!'

The beam continued hacking away at the rock of the cave wall, blasting several rocks off it before thinning out and vanishing, to reveal Ginger with her arms spread and embedded into the rocky wall of the cave far out of the arena. Blood spurted from her beak and splotched her plumage as she remained stuck on the rocks, barely managing garbled grunts in pain, as though she attempted to speak.

Ginger! Say something!

"...I…Can…till…figh—" her words vanished as did his connection to her mind.

She lost consciousness.

...Just like that, she was defeated.

Grey rushed to the rock path to get her off the wall, but a blue hue of psionic energy enveloped and held her in the air.

"I'll take care of her, sir. Worry not, she is fine." Said Kassadar.

Grey's very soul was soothed by the starmie's words. Regathering himself with a heavy sigh, he returned to the battlefield.

"Nice work Sang-kai. Two down, one to go, Willy, my man," said Brawly, gazing at Kassadar who tended to Ginger. "I'm gonna' be honest, dude, I don't think your starmie has much of a chance either. Not unless it enters the battle fresh. It's been tending to your pokémon for the whole match."

"Do not lend ear to his words, sir. If you wish, I am more than able to battle—"

No.

Kassadar's confusion exuded from the mental tether.

"...You would retire from the battle then? Or continue with Neva? I'll remind you, she is not in any condition to fight…"

Grey chose not to answer but instead gazed at the gym leader and his pokémon.

"It seems your associate's plans are going nicely, wouldn't you say?"

Brawly blinked at that, only to cast a repentful stare downward, before returning his gaze and shrugging with a wince to his feigned smile. "I'm not a good liar, man, so even if I knew what you were talkin' about, like, I wouldn't answer that question. Ya' feel me?"

That confirmed it…It also confirmed that the match was being recorded, since Brawly was unwilling to give a direct answer.

"Then let me repeat something that I already said to Sang-kai in our little mental chat, and this time, for the 'record'..."

Brawly and his medicham almost shrunk at the venomous glare he gave the two, with some dust and pebbles beginning to swirl in a circle in front of him much to everyone else's surprise.

Grey folded his arms. "You're not the only ones with cards to play."

The swirling dust became a cyclone of glittery photons before flashing and converting itself into a column of hot pink light, then materializing into a vortex that thundered into the ground, causing it to tremble with crackling bolts of neon-orange energy spewing out everywhere in a fearsome display of raw power.

A wavelength of horrid realization and surprise echoed through the telepathic bond with Kassadar. "What madness is this, Grey? How could you keep this from me? No…How were you even 'able' to?"

I had no choice, Kassadar. It seems some people are highly aware of me, I couldn't risk leaking out the information to even you. I had plans to use this trump card in the future in a difficult battle. But to think my hand was forced on just the second fucking gym…Tch.

"What do you mean?"

There was no guarantee that Brawly only had simple fighting types. I had assumed that maybe he had a 'poliwrath', considering his hobby and his living on the seaside, it would have been an excellent counter to both Ginger and Joanna with its primary water-type, not to mention vs Neva with its secondary fighting type. And 'you' were going to be the one to finish the battle with a simple psychic attack vs its secondary fighting-type…But as soon as Sawyer confirmed that he didn't need to go through the entrance test, my 'random' match-up with Evelyn made complete sense…That means…

"They already knew of me."

Exactly. And if it wasn't with Evelyn, they'd have made a similar match-up anyway. Hence his choosing of Medicham, which can resist your psychic attacks, while countering Ginger and Joanna with Neva out of the picture. Obviously, they never expected Ginger to last so long, but still, 'on-top' of that, they even had his 'mega-evolution' as a backup for caution. To make things even more suspicious, Brawly said he had gotten the mega-stone only 'recently' from some 'random' merchant…Mega stones are an extreme rarity, so only people with connections to those who possess buying priorities, mining privileges, or are of the Kalos region, can claim one. Do you know what that means?

"It means most likely someone of high standing in Hoenn does not want you to advance."

Or maybe they want something else…But either way, they had no intention of allowing me to win this particular battle. And now my hand has been forced…But I think the satisfaction I'll get from fucking their plans up is more than worth it.

The fountain of power shrunk as a figure of just under a meter in height emerged from it, releasing incandescent sparkles in its wake.

"But why 'her'? Her intentions are too shrouded! She's dangerous!" Kassadar insisted in concern.

Perhaps…But despite her intentions…

The light finally faded, as the figure turned their gaze.

His amber eyes met familiar piercing orange eyes.

She brought me back from the dead…

…