Vol. I, Part 2: Chapter 22

  Nate stood still, watching his opponent from across the arena.

  Rosa was rigid and focused, her unblinking gaze locked onto him.

  No holding back. This is what she asked for.

  Nate rolled his shoulder testing the ache in his ribs.

  "Two on two," Nate called out, his voice flat against the wind

  Beside him, Oshawott let out a sharp huff and crossed his arms. He hated being benched, but he seemed to understand that this wasn't his fight. Water-types wouldn’t do well against a Grass and an Electric type.

  On the sidelines, the sounds of sparring ceased. Hilbert and Hilda stood with Scraggy and Cottonee, their own match abandoned in favor of watching their teammates.

  Hugh acted as the judge, arms raised like blades cutting the field in half. Beside him, Golduck watched with arms crossed, the red gem on his forehead catching the setting sun.

  “Have both trainers selected their Pokemon?”

  “Ready!” Nate shouted, grasping Riolu’s ball sharply in his hand.

  Rosa didn’t speak. She just dipped her chin. Her eyes never leaving the empty space across the field.

  “Then let the match begin!”

  Nate moved first. His throw was practiced, effortless. “Riolu, you’re up!”

  The ball snapped open. Riolu landed in a crouch, paws splayed in the dirt as he exhaled a focused breath.

  “Blitzle, go!” Rosa cried out.

  Her toss was higher, desperate. Blitzle materialized, sparks already dancing in its mane.

  “No aura, Riolu. I want this to be a fair challenge,” Nate projected.

  Riolu exhaled a short chuff of acknowledgement. He prepared his combat stance, feet digging into the dirt to anchor his center of gravity.

  Rosa wasted no time. “Blitzle, Quick Attack!” she shouted, her voice cracking slightly.

  Blitzle dashed, closing the distance in a heartbeat.

  Riolu crossed his arms, bracing for impact. Blitzle slammed into his guard with the force of a battering ram, skidding Riolu’s heels through the dirt, but his guard didn’t break.

  Blitzle is up close. You said no holding back.

  “Force Palm!” Nate shouted, capitalizing on the position.

  Riolu’s counter was instantaneous. He thrust his open palm forward, slamming it into Blitzle’s flank. A concussive shockwave rippled through the air. Blitzle stumbled sideways, hooves scrabbling to keep itself upright.

  "Don't let up! Metal Claw!”

  Riolu’s paws took on an iron sheen. He advanced, a relentless flurry of strikes. The claws raked across Blitzle’s side. The pony tried to backpedal, shaking its head in panic, but Riolu stuck to it like a shadow, punishing every inch of retreat.

  “Blitzle!” Rosa screamed, her voice shrill. Her hand flew to her chest, clutching the fabric of her shirt.

  C’mon, Rosa. Think. Don’t just stand there. Give Blitzle a command.

  But she wasn't fighting. She was crumbling. The fire he’d seen earlier had been snuffed out by the first sign of struggle. She looked helpless. She looked weak.

  Nate gritted his teeth. He had promised.

  No mercy.

  Riolu pressed the flurry of attacks, turning Blitzle’s retreat into a rout. Each strike of the Metal Claw rang out like a bell, driving Blitzle backward, its hooves slipping in the loose dirt.

  “Finish it!” Nate ordered, his voice cold. “Force Palm!”

  Riolu ducked under a flailing hoof, energy gathering in his palm. He stepped forward, aiming directly for the chest.

  The sound of Blitzle’s cry rang deeply in Rosa’s ears.

  Time seemed to fracture. For a terrifying second, the training field dissolved. Rosa wasn’t standing in the dirt anymore. She was back at the pastures, watching the Leaf Tornado swallow her partner. She was hauling Blitzle to its feet, desperate to save it from disaster. Back then, she hadn't hesitated. She had thrown herself into the storm, risking herself for the Pokémon she loved. Here, she was helpless. She was weak.

  She wanted to scream ‘Stop!’ She wanted to yield, to run out there and shield Blitzle with her own body like she did before. But this wasn’t a medical examination or an operating room. This was a battle.

  She couldn’t think. Her instincts were that of a healer. Not a Trainer. She was supposed to be a medical prodigy, a path paved for her by her own parents.

  Her face burned hot. Tears welled in her eyes, trying to force their way out while Rosa stubbornly held them back. Her father’s words echoed in her mind.

  “Goofing off with your cousin playing with Pokémon.”

  The tears in her eyes evaporated in a sudden, searing flash of heat. Her blood burned with defiance.

  I’m not goofing off.

  She clenched her fists so hard her nails bit into her palms.

  I’m here to protect those I love. I’m not helpless. I’m not weak!

  “Finish it! Force Palm!” Nate shouted.

  Riolu lunged, aiming for Blitzle’s center mass. He was inches away.

  “Shock Wave!”

  The command ripped out of her throat.

  Blitzle reacted. Its mane stood on end, glowing with a blinding, jagged intensity. A sphere of pure, unavoidable electricity exploded outward from its body.

  The discharge caught Riolu off guard. He was blasted backward as if hit by a cannonball. He tumbled through the air, skidding violently until he came to a stop at Nate’s feet.

  Riolu lay still. Then, a low growl rumbled in his chest. He planted a paw in the dirt and pushed himself up, shaking his head to clear the static. He dusted his legs and recovered back into a low stance, eyes narrowing.

  Nate was looking at Rosa. He saw the fire returning to her eyes. He didn’t grit his teeth or curse under his breath at the momentum loss. He smiled.

  That’s it, Rosa. Believe in yourself.

  “We’ll need to get in close,” Nate called out. “Riolu, Quick Attack!”

  Riolu vanished from his spot, streaking across the arena.

  “Meet him with Flame Charge!” Rosa’s voice rang out clear and authoritative.

  Blitzle ignited. The static in its mane erupted into a cloak of fire, wrapping the Pokémon in a heat shield. The two collided in the center of the field.

  Blitzle leaned into the impact, overcoming Riolu with ease. Riolu was knocked back.

  “Follow up with Spark!” Rosa shouted, seeing the opening.

  The fire died instantly, replaced by jagged sparks of electricity. Blitzle lunged, moving faster from the Flame Charge speed boost. It was a missile of yellow light aiming directly for Riolu.

  Nate saw the speed. He knew Riolu couldn't dodge it.

  Don’t dodge. Redirect.

  “Target the leg! Force Palm!” Nate yelled.

  Riolu waited until the last fraction of a second, then sidestepped like a matador. As the Blitzle ran past, Riolu thrust his glowing palm, slamming it into Blitzle’s knee.

  Physics took over. Blitzle’s leg buckled under the force. Its forward momentum turned against it, sending the pony cartwheeling face-first into the dirt. Blitzle tumbled violently before skidding to a halt near the edge of the field.

  Blitzle didn't get up.

  Hugh raised a hand, his voice cutting through the dust. “Blitzle is unable to battle! Riolu is the winner!”

  Rosa recalled Blitzle with a beam of red light. She pressed the warm Poké Ball to her chest for a split second and placed it back in her bag.

  “Snivy, let’s go!” She yelled.

  Snivy materialized with a fluid grace. She landed softly, immediately standing tall, her arms crossed behind her back. She looked down her nose at Riolu, her expression of focus mirroring her Trainer.

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  Beside Nate, Oshawott shuffled in place, his hands rubbing his scalchop as if trying to soothe himself. He was vibrating with tension, his gaze locked onto his friend. Nate glanced down at his partner.

  It’s okay, buddy. She’s ready.

  On the field, Riolu shook his arms out. A fine tremor ran through his muscles, and static still crackled faintly in his blue fur. He was running on fumes and adrenaline. Nate knew it. They couldn't afford a long match.

  “Let’s not give Snivy any chance to breathe,” Nate shouted, pointing forward. “Force Palm!”

  Riolu launched himself, looking for the knockout.

  “Counter using Vine Whip!” Rosa commanded.

  Two slender green vines erupted from Snivy’s collar like striking Arboks. They lashed out, cracking the air with a sonic snap, deflecting Riolu’s palm as he tried to land a direct hit.

  “Faster, Riolu! Force yourself in!” Nate yelled.

  Riolu was desperate. He weaved through the snapping vines, bobbing and weaving, looking for an opening. But Snivy was a fortress. Every time Riolu tried to close the gap, a vine deflected his strike with surgical precision.

  Riolu’s chest heaved. The damage from the Shock Wave was catching up to him. His movements were slowing down.

  In contrast, Snivy was finding her rhythm.

  “Keep it up Snivy! Wear him down!” Rosa coached, her voice brimming with new confidence.

  Snivy saw the opening. She flicked her body, lashing one vine across Riolu’s side. The hit rang out like a whip. Riolu flinched, his attack dropping for a split second.

  That was all she needed.

  Snivy thrust forward, driving both vines upward in a vicious uppercut directed underneath Riolu’s chin.

  Riolu’s head snapped back. He was lifted off his feet, hanging suspended in the air for a second, before crashing hard onto his back.

  “Riolu is unable to battle,” Hugh’s voice rang across the field. “Snivy is the winner!”

  Nate recalled Riolu, murmuring a quiet "Good job" before shrinking the ball. He clipped it to his belt and looked at Rosa. She wasn't celebrating yet. She knew who was coming next.

  You wanted to battle him. Well, here he is.

  “Elekid, let’s finish this!”

  The ball burst open, and Elekid hit the field like a live wire. He windmilled his arms, sparks popping as he glared at Snivy. He let out a defiant buzz, eager to punch something other than a metal shed.

  Rosa’s mask of calm cracked. Elekid hit the field, ready to strike without mercy.

  Snivy kept her composure. She simply retracted her vines, coiling them tight against her body, her eyes narrowing at the noisy opponent.

  Nate calculated his battle odds, his mind racing through type matchups.

  Grass resists Electric. Thunder Shock won’t be effective. We’ll have to use physical attacks.

  “Elekid, Screech!” Nate roared.

  Elekid planted his feet and unleashed a high-pitched scream that wasn't of this world. The sound waves darted across the arena, distorting the air in visible, translucent rings.

  Rosa clenched her face, her senses trying to fight the deafening sound.

  “Snivy, dodge!”

  Snivy jumped high into the air before the wave made contact. She landed to the side, clear of the attack.

  Snivy was in the open and vulnerable. Nate seized the opening.

  “Get in close, Quick Attack!”

  Elekid obeyed with terrifying speed. He dashed, closing the gap in a fraction of a second. He slammed into Snivy head-on.

  Snivy was thrown backward off her feet, but she didn’t tumble. She slammed a vine into the ground, using it like a pole-vault to flip backward and land back on her feet, hissing.

  “Snivy, use Leaf Tornado!” Rosa yelled, throwing her hand straight out.

  It was the move that had haunted her nightmares. But this time, she was controlling the storm.

  Snivy squeezed her eyes shut. Her tail began to spin, glowing a vibrant green. A vacuum of wind erupted around her, pulling dirt and leaves into a spiraling vortex. The roar of the wind was deafening as the cyclone tore across the field toward Elekid.

  “Move Elekid!” Nate warned, shielding his eyes from debris. “Don’t get caught in the attack!”

  Elekid tried to pivot, but his stout build betrayed him. The vortex swallowed him whole. He flailed inside the storm, fighting the ghost of an enemy, striking at dirt, wind, and swirling leaves. Nothing landed. The wind picked him up off the ground, sending him into the heart of the storm.

  “Now, Snivy, Vine Whip!” Rosa shouted.

  Two green vines pierced the wall of wind like spears. They struck Elekid mid-air, swatting him out of the tornado. He hit the ground hard, rolling backwards.

  “Elekid! Can you get up?” Nate cried out.

  Elekid shook his head and regained his bearings. He stood up, slapped his cheeks, and grinned.

  “That’s it, Elekid! I knew you could do it!” Nate cheered. Beside him, Oshawott gave a sharp, encouraging bark.

  Elekid locked eyes with Snivy once more. Both Pokemon stared each other down, awaiting their next move.

  “Snivy, use Slam!” Rosa shouted, breaking the standoff.

  Snivy launched herself into the air, somersaulting forward to deliver a crushing tail strike.

  “Intercept it! Brick Break!”

  Elekid planted his feet. His right hand glowed. He waited for the shadow to fall over him, then chopped upward towards Snivy.

  The chop caught Snivy’s tail mid-swing. The force of the counter-attack slammed her into the dirt, bouncing her once before she sprawled out.

  “Snivy!” Rosa cried.

  Sinvy hissed, struggling to rise. She stood on one leg, favoring her left foot, one eye squeezed shut in pain.

  “He’s too strong to overpower!” Rosa realized aloud.

  "Strike now, Elekid! Brick Break!" Nate shouted, capitalizing on the momentum.

  Elekid roared, launching a furious, heavy-handed assault.

  "Snivy, keep your distance!" Rosa commanded.

  Snivy leaped into action. She moved like water. As Elekid swung a glowing fist, she ducked. As he swiped with the other, she pivoted away.

  The more Snivy dodged, the slower she became. Elekid kept his pace, waiting for the opportunity. With one final dodge, Snivy shut her eyes in exhaustion. Elekid, seizing the opening, landed a Brick Break with full force, sending Snivy tumbling to the side.

  “Snivy!” Rosa shouted in fear.

  The dirt from the impact cleared. Snivy lay flat on the ground, twitching.

  Hugh stepped forward, his hand raising to call the match. “Snivy is—”

  “Wait!” Nate shouted, cutting him off.

  Snivy’s tail twitched. She placed one vine on the dirt and pushed. It was trembling, but she leveraged herself up. She was beaten, bruised, but she was standing.

  “I can’t believe it,” Rosa breathed, her voice barely audible. “Snivy? You’re still willing to fight?”

  Snivy reared her head back and gave a haughty sniff, though it ended in a cough. She fixed Elekid with a glare that could peel paint. She would not lose to him.

  Snivy is an incredible Pokemon.

  “Elekid, don't underestimate Snivy,” Nate warned, his voice low. “She’s just as determined as we are.”

  He surveyed the field. Elekid was huffing, his energy reserves dipping. Snivy was broken but bold. And Rosa was staring at Snivy with a strange, intense focus.

  We need to end this now.

  “We’ll break her stance and go in for the swift knockout. Use Screech!” Nate shouted, his voice raw.

  The noise was deafening. Hilbert and Hilda clamped their hands over their ears. Rosa winced, but her gaze was fixated on Snivy.

  “Snivy, head straight for it! Dive right into the attack!” She shrieked, her voice cracking in desperation.

  What is she doing?

  Snivy obeyed her Trainer without question. She leaped into the sound waves, taking the full force of the attack.

  But she didn't cringe. She didn't shrink.

  Instead, a strange, shimmering orange light flared around her body. She stood straighter, her scales glistening as if they had suddenly turned to armor plate.

  Nate blinked.

  It can’t be…

  The textbook page had flashed in her mind. Genetic deviation... Inverts stat changes...

  It was a gamble. A crazy, reckless gamble.

  And it worked.

  The orange glow faded, leaving Snivy standing tall, her scales glistening like polished jade.

  Elekid stood frozen, his arms still raised from the Screech, his eyes wide. He had expected a cowering opponent. Instead, he was staring down a juggernaut.

  “Elekid, Brick Break!” Nate yelled.

  Elekid swung in desperation. Snivy tanked the attack. The hit landed on her scales and rebounded without her moving an inch.

  “Snivy! Vine Whip!” Rosa shouted.

  Rosa felt the rush, the electric thrum of adrenaline that drowned out her fear.

  Snivy launched her vines. They snapped forward with brutal intent. They struck the dumbfounded Electric-type square in the chest.

  Elekid took the full force of the attack. He was lifted off his feet, thrown backward through the air, and hit the solid ground with a heavy thud. He rolled once and remained still.

  The silence that followed was absolute.

  Hugh stepped forward, his arm slicing the air. “Elekid is unable to battle! Snivy is the winner! The match goes to Rosa!”

  The words washed over her, surreal and sweet. Rosa stood there, chest heaving. The girl who had curled up on the bleachers was gone.

  She was a Trainer.

  Rosa exhaled, a smile breaking across her face, soft and exhausted.

  She ran onto the field and scooped the battered Grass Snake into her arms. Snivy melted into the embrace, letting out a tired, happy sigh.

  “I never knew…” Rosa whispered, her voice trembling. “I never knew how strong you really were.”

  A single tear escaped, cutting a clean line through the dust on her cheek. Snivy reached up, brushing it away with a small, cool hand.

  Rosa laughed. She pressed her forehead against Snivy’s.

  “Thank you, Snivy. For believing in me.”

  Nate stood there for a moment, the dust settling around his shoes.

  At his feet, Oshawott looked from the fainted Electric-type back to his trainer, his whiskers twitching nervously. He let out a soft, uncertain bark.

  Nate let out a short laugh. He reached for Elekid’s ball.

  "Return, Elekid," Nate murmured, recalling his partner. "You fought hard, buddy. Get some rest."

  He clipped the ball back to his belt and walked toward the center of the field. The silence from the sidelines was heavy. Hilbert’s mouth was slightly open, and even Hugh looked stunned.

  Nate stopped a few feet from Rosa, Oshawott peering out from behind his legs. She looked up from Snivy, her eyes wide.

  Nate didn’t know what to say. Not because he was flustered, or awkwardly lost in her eyes, but because he was impressed. Genuinely impressed.

  “That,” Nate started, gesturing vaguely at Snivy, “was incredible.”

  “Thanks,” Rosa said. She gently set Snivy down on the dirt.

  Oshawott scrambled forward at the sight of Snivy, cheering loudly. He approached Snivy and raised his scalchop in a high-five. Snivy turned her head away, feigning indifference, but allowed Oshawott to slap her vine-hand. The tip of her tail gave a happy twitch as Oshawott chirped his praise.

  Rosa knelt down, smiling at the two Pokémon. “You’re a good friend, Oshawott.”

  Nate watched the scene, scratching the back of his neck. “How’d you know? I mean… how’d you know Snivy had Contrary?”

  “I didn’t,” Rosa admitted, looking up at him. “I read about it this morning. Snivy still wanted to fight, but she was exhausted. There wasn’t a chance of winning unless…”

  She raised her hand to her chin, her voice trailing off.

  “Unless you took the risk,” Nate finished.

  Rosa gave a sheepish nod.

  Nate smiled, a real, unmasked expression of respect. “You’ve got instincts, Rosa. Real ones. You deserve that win.”

  Snivy and Oshawott started cheering again, giving each other playful shoves in the dirt. Nate watched them for a second, wondering if they had their own silent rivalry going on.

  He glanced over his shoulder. Hugh was huddled with Hilda and Hilbert near the bleachers, their hands moving animatedly as they debated the mechanics of the battle.

  “Hey,” Rosa said.

  He turned back. Her eyes were shimmering, the vulnerability from earlier replaced by a quiet, steady pride.

  “Thanks, Nate,” she said softly. “I really needed that.”

  Nate felt a sudden heat rising in his ears. The softness in her voice bypassed his defenses entirely, hitting him harder than any attack on the field.

  “Of course,” he said, looking away quickly to hide the flush. “It’s what friends do.”

  In the background, Hilda was loudly demanding Hilbert pay up for a lost bet, their bickering cutting through the late afternoon air. But Nate tuned them out. He just offered Rosa a small, shy smile. It was the first time he’d called her that out loud. They were friends. And that felt like a bigger victory than the battle itself.