Flannery bounced from side to side getting herself psyched up for the coming match with Brock. On her head, her headphones held on through thanks to the various hair ties she’d woven through her hair and into the straps. Music thundered and pulsed letting her heart build up speed as she fully got in a fighting mindset.

Brawly, the big lug, might have won the rock-paper-scissors match they’d had on who would go first but he wasn’t going to be the only one who walked away from an Elite challenge against Brock with a Bejewelled Badge.

She wanted that shiny.

It called to her.

Well, in truth, it had only really started after Brawly had shown her and Roxy-girl his new badge yesterday after his match against Brock.

Flannery still called him a hack for calling out Titan like that. Titan, while Brock’s strongest pokemon was also Brawly’s best match-up!

He should have rolled the dice and risked coming up against something truly threatening, like that mean-ass Aerodactyl of Brock’s. Or his big beauty Bertha!

That girl knew how to rock, and Flannery suspected that if Brawly had faced her, there would have been a very different result.

But no, he’d demanded a match against Brock’s best and Brock had obliged him.

It still surprised her that Titan had lasted as long as he had. The big brute could certainly dish out and take the hits.

Still, her match was going to be nothing like that. For one, she couldn’t demand Titan come out due to the big guy obviously needing to rest up after the bruising he’d gotten yesterday.

Flannery also wasn’t mad enough to want to face Brock’s best.

So, that meant she had a different pool of pokemon to look at for who she’d be facing off against. She kind of hoped she got Sanchez. That Golem was cool in ways that just made fights with his appearance so much more memorable and enjoyable!

Rhyperior would be extremely tough but ultimately manageable.

Her best option, however, would be Knight, Brock’s Aggron.

His Steelix, Jormungandr, might also be a good option, but she didn’t want to give Brock the option of Mega evolution as the only viable strategy she had against such a foe was relying on stall-out tactics, which… well, they were the lamest strategies around, and everyone knew it.

Before she could get into any more reflection, a small whiteboard was held up in front of her face. It read, Flannery? We‘ve got thirty seconds!

Flannery pulled off her headphones with a deft twist. “Alright! Got my jam lined up?” she said to the rainbow-haired Rebecca, who matched her bounce for bounce as they approached the end of the tunnel.

“Yeah! I have to say I wasn’t expecting such heavy scream metal to be your choice.”

“Eh, what can I say? It gets me fired up!” said Flannery with a cocky smirk.

Rebecca just giggled and nodded. “Alright, let’s do it!” she cheered as she queued up a song that started with a shriek that had most of the crowd jolting.

Flannery grinned as the pyrotechnics she’d asked for from Rebecca for her entrance ignited.

She did one final stretch and then decided it was time to strut her stuff. Instead of sprinting or doing anything as over the top as flips through the gouts of fire launching over the tunnel, Flanery merely sauntered forward.

With her low-riding jeans and crop top, she was showing off a lot of skin, but she was more than happy to flaunt it.

Her entrance was hot in all the right ways, and the crowd roared their approval as Rebbeca roared into the microphone. “Let’s get fired up for some hot stuff from Hoenn! It’s Flannery from Lavaridge Town!”

Flannery beamed at the applause she got as people bounced back from their surprise at her entrance. Not many of the kids that challenged the Gym were allowed to ask for the fireworks as part of their entrance but as a slightly older contender for the Badge circuit she got some neat perks like that.

Brock did his usual stylish entrance that brought the weight of the crowd into play as they stomped and clapped right up until he leapt the sizable gap like it was nothing for him.

As Brock rose from his landing Flannery got to lock eyes with him once more. A small part of her enjoyed the thrill of staring down a foe that you knew was powerful.

The Elite challenge was certainly a draw for her and others. Rare were the chances you’d get to challenge a trainer at the top level. She’d tried hunting down Bruno when he’d been crushing rookies, and then she’d had to turn tail and chase rumours on the pokenet about Lorelei being out and about.

No one was dumb enough to try to stalk Agatha, as the few times someone had tried it, she’d crushed them.

“So, you’ve come back,” Brock rumbled with a voice like gravel.

Flannery held up a hand, palm facing towards Brock. “That’s enough kayfabe for me Brock! I’m here for a fight! Don’t wind me up, I’m ready to fight now! Let’s give these people the show they came here for!” she said, waving her arms up and turning to the crowd.

A good portion of them roared their approval at this, and Flannery grinned. The Pewter crowd were honest like that. Unless you had really poopoo’d their City or Gym Leader they were more than happy to cheer when you gave them something to cheer for.

Unlike Celadon, urgh! She’d taken part in a Badge Circuit tournament there and won, and she’d gotten a lukewarm applause that made her feel awkward even though she had held a giant trophy!

Yeah, Pewter’s honest, rough and tumble was more her style. Flannery already had plans to stick around for Roxy-girl’s match later this week, so she planned to quiz Brock and Sabrina about how they set their Gyms up and engaged with their community to get them so gung-ho about coming in.

Lavaridge had good support, but after seeing Brock’s base of support, she knew she could do better. Somehow, Sabrina, the stoic and rather taciturn girl of Saffron, had been popular even before her reveal of Mega evolution.

With Giovanni and Blaine being kicked, Sabrina was the Queen of Kanto. No ifs or buts.

Flannery had a host of questions lined up for her.

But for now, she needed to find out who she was going to be facing. “Alright! Spin that wheel!” she said pointing to the referee who made a show of pushing a big button.

On the big screen, various faces flashed over the screen.

Aerodactyl, Steelix, Rhyperior, Golem, Kleavor, Lunatone, … the flashing slowed and an Aggron was shown, and Flannery began to grin.

Fuck yes! That was the best— the screen flashed once more and a new image appeared.

Instantly, Flannery felt like the world had shifted on its axis. Like Arceus and Giratina had come together and asked the other for a funny joke.

Flannery wanted to rage, to stomp her feet and slam her hands into the ground. What even was her luck that she could witness the ideal only to be cast into her worst-case scenario?

A part of her wanted to blame her luck. It had apparently been too good of late with her lucking out on so much! First, she’d lost out on a local raffle by one number! Then she’d gotten the lucky door prize at Chrysanthemum wrong due to being there on the wrong day! She’d asked an old woman about it, only for the old hag to trick her!

And she was pretty sure she’d gotten jibbed with those fruit smoothies that the fruit vendor had been selling! She wasn’t even sure smoothies that defended against super effective rock attacks were a thing!

And now she was facing Shin, Brock’s Kabutops!

No one wanted this match-up!

They would have preferred fire and stone being thrown about with molten fields! Instead, they were going to get a wet blanket!

Instead of showing any of this outwardly though, Flannery merely took a deep breath before she rolled her shoulders and tilted her neck from side to side to limber up.

Urgh! What was it that Brock and Brawly liked to say at times like this?

Alright then! Maximum effort it was!

Shin the Kabutops took to the field and blinked uncertainly for a moment. He turned his head, looking this way and that as he took in the field.

Oh, he’d been selected for a match?

He studied the trainer across from them. A red-haired girl with a slightly constipated expression. Brock should tell her to eat some more aspear berry.

For some reason, that thought, when offered to Brock, seemed to amuse him greatly.

Shin shifted, worry gnawing at him. What sort of trainer would he be facing? As part of the Elite team he wanted to do his best, but after Titan’s loss yesterday, there was a lot of uncertainty.

Instead of fear, however, there was a certain level of glee radiating from Brock that Shin had to query.

‘Flannery’s a fire-type trainer,’ Brock said through the bond.

Shin took a moment to consider that. The human female was aligned with fire?

He raised his scythes high into the air and praised Arceus as his perfect match-up had arrived!

Brock’s confidence surged through him, and Shin suddenly felt like he was vibrating with how much energy he had access to. It was like that time he and the other pokemon had come into the house only for Munchlax and some of Brock’s siblings to make up a drink for them.

Coffee was it?

It had been delightfully bitter but it had the side effects of making him and his fellow pokemon zip around for the rest of the day. For Sanchez, that hadn’t meant anything different than usual apart from letting off a little more electricity.

Jorm had created whole new networks of tunnels that wound around each other and doubled back which had confused the Aron that had explored them.

Bertha had taken to chasing Don and Shin had gotten into an epic sparring match with Gawain that had lasted hours!

“Alright! Let’s start off strong! Arcanine! Let’s bring the heat!” roared the human female.

The Arcanine that took to the field caused a soft thump and spread its feet wide.

With Brock whispering thoughts through the bond, Shin could see how Arcanine was built for speed and had taken a sprinter's stance straight away with its claws digging into the ground.

Shin shifted, prepared for what was coming next even as he felt his heart thundering in his chest. This was it! His time to shine for the Gym!

Brock fed Shin the order even as the flags went up and with that Shin was already moving as the order to begin was called.

He brought his claws up at chest height and spitting a Hydro Pump straight ahead. At the same time he leapt backwards and allowed the Hydro Pump to propel him further.

For an instant it seemed like nothing was going to happen even as Shin enacted the twin commands.

“ES!” shouted the human female, and suddenly Arcanine went from the other side of the field to charging right at Shin.

The only thing that saved Shin from taking a heavy blow was the combo of a back jump with Hydro Pump.

Instead of slamming into Shin with the Extreme Speed, it instead plowed through a giant torrent of water that slowed it down before it punted Shin back a few more steps.

With his momentum already carrying him back it wasn’t a hard blow. More a playful nudge.

A nudge that saw Arcnaine yelping and stepping back with a small X cut on its head from where it had rammed into Shin’s bladed hands.

This! This was the Keikaku that Brock spoke about sometimes!

Brock’s amusement was palpable as he registered the thought, but he kept shin on task with a follow-up order of Aqua Jet combined with Rock Polish.

Shin leapt to obey, enjoying the way he streaked across the field at Arcanine with his claws raised.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“ES evasion!” cried the human female.

Arcanine vanished in a blur of speed and Shin grumbled as his attack met nothing but air. When it reappeared, it did so with a bark and a snarl at Shin.

Shin raised up his blades in his own threat display. Shin rather enjoyed watching the Arcanine zero in on the blood dripping across the edge. As Brock would say, it was metal.

“Hmmm let’s try a Fire Spin!” said the human female.

Shin shifted, knowing this was a change in tempo and Brock instantly changed up the order. Instead of Shin charging in he stepped back and called up a wave of water.

Unlike the others who would ride the wave atop the crest, Shin settled into the actual surge of water itself. With his body happily nestled behind the water he didn’t have great visibility of where his foe was but he was safe from the attack.

Also, he wasn’t weakened by the water as the others would have been.

If anything, Shin found himself even stronger. It was like being out in the rain.

The wave swept over the field, and Brock had him orient his body so that it was pointed directly upwards, then Shin waited. This was an old trick that Shin knew from his time in the caves. When he was submerged or in truly wet conditions, he moved faster.

Brock had known this in relation to rain, but he hadn’t considered it with relation to waves such as Surf. With the week that they’d spent training together, Brock had revised his methods of fighting with Shin. Shin could already notice the difference.

While they’d revealed the jagged Aqua Jet running methods, he had chosen to not reveal the Surf strike —a tactic Brock had named for this set play— to the world.

“—” The girl they were facing called an order and Shin thought he saw a flicker of something through the wave, but he ignored that; instead, he waited, lurking in the wave.

A small orange patch of colour appeared in the air above the wave and Brock fed him a point of attack.

Shin shifted slightly, adjusting his angle. Brock had spoken a lot about this being the true reason why Kabutops’ heads were shaped like they were and how this allowed lowered water resistance.

As Shin had learned long ago, when his trainer started talking, it was usually a good idea to nod.

Shin had known most of what Brock was saying. It was instinctual to him after all but apparently, it hadn’t been obvious to Brock.

Brock liked to think Shin became like a missile in the water but Shin just knew it was his right as a predator of the depths.

As soon as the command was given, Shin exploded out of the water.

His foe was caught completely by surprise by this sudden burst of speed.

Shin had to give it to the fiery dog pokemon. It was travelling fast. It must have taken a running leap over the top of the wave.

Normally, it would have been safe.

But not today.

Shin slammed into it and brought it down to the arena where they landed heavily with Shin riding his foe.

Pride swelled through him, and Shin stopped back from the downed Arcanine with a happy clack of his claws as Brock fed him praise through their shared bond.

And just like that one of the girl’s pokemon and the first of Shin’s opponents was down with only a small nudge to show for it.

Shin glanced over the field, pleased with how damp it was. This too would work in his favour and was yet another thing Brock had spoken at length with him about.

The battle from there was amazingly satisfying for Shin.

When the human female had sent out a Torkaol that caused the air to sizzle as her next pokemon she had bunkered down and gotten off a Sunny Day which caused the field to dry out.

Shin had been surprised and then annoyed that it had taken two solid Hydro Pumps to knock out the Torkoal but Brock had merely commented that it was a sign of good training on the human female’s behalf.

From there they faced off against a Houndoom who tried to destroy Shin with a Solarbeam only for Shin to outspeed the second dog pokemon on the human female’s team.

With three pokemon down Shin felt on top of the world, which was when the human female had growled and pulled out another pokeball.

“Alright, it looks like I have to get serious!” called out the human female.

Brock tilted his head and with the bond connecting them Shin copied him. “You mean you weren’t before? That’s kind of poor form on your behalf!” Brock called which caused a chorus of laughter from the crowd.

Shin grinned as the female human grew flustered. “I just didn’t think I’d need to use this method!” she growled. “Don’t try to get in my head! I had a hard enough time dealing with your girlfriend when she started that!”

“You must have made it too easy for her,” Brock commented in a lazy manner that Shin knew was false. The amusement Brock was feeling from messing with this female was the true emotion.

If Shin didn’t understand that Sabrina was such a formidable mate he would have thought Brock was trying to attract her.

Or perhaps he was, Shin didn’t pay as much attention to human mating habits as Bertha did with her ‘studies of human drama series’. He still wasn’t sure what that actually entailed.

Truthfully, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. Titan seemed to find it amusing so he supposed it worked for them, but both Titan and Bertha were human-raised.

They didn’t understand the need to spread yourself as wide and far as possible. Don had the right idea, although he could stand to not eat some of his mates.

That was rather poor form. Perhaps it was better to stick with true males, like Tide.

Tide had a good selection of females that he had even been willing to share. Tide was a good friend.

The next foe that appeared was a Rapidash. It appeared and instantly went into evasive action and despite Shin’s best attempts to catch it he wasn’t able to.

Frustration became a shared emotion between both Shin and Brock as Brock began to order a large sweeping Surf only for the human female to grin.

“Baton Pass!” she sing-song’d.

Brock cursed and committed to the attack, making Shin form up the wave to have it splash down upon the newly arriving pokemon. Shin got into position within the wave, ready to strike from within the wave again in case the new pokemon emerged.

Once more Shin could not see which pokemon emerged but the heightened focus Brock conveyed showed that it had to be a great threat.

Shin felt a thrill run through him as he prepared to take out whatever the human female had brought out.

He waited and waited as the wave charged forward… only for nothing to happen.

Brock showed through the bond that the newly emerged foe, a Blaziken, had used Dig to evade that wave.

Brock was extremely cautious with his urgings now and Shin prepared himself for a hard fight. Part of him rejoiced. Finally! Finally, Brock was using him to fight a worthy foe!

He could only hope that this pokemon, whatever it was, would stand up enough to allow him to demonstrate his true strength.

When the wave crashed down Shin was already facing towards where the Blaziken was.

Both pokemon surveyed each other and Brock continued to urge caution. Something about how the horse pokemon had gotten off multiple Agility before trading out with Baton Pass meant that this pokemon would be stronger.

Shin merely quivered, enjoying the way that sounded.

“Blaziken! Use Aura Sphere!” shouted the human female.

The command had barely been said before Brock was screaming a warning and having Shin charge. They got halfway across the field before Brock had him perform yet another new move in the form of Protect.

Shin stared at his foe as a large sphere of energy slammed into the defensive bubble Shin had encased himself in. Hmmm, it seemed his trainer had been right to avoid that attack.

“Tch! Prepare another!” the female ordered.

Brock tensed and Shin prepared to leap, knowing that what came next would be a big moment for him.

As soon as the bubble faded Shin leapt, and instead of drawing his claws out wide in preparation to strike Shin held them before his face as he charged, channelling energy into the final move that he had been working with Selene to learn.

Psycho Cut was held in his claws in the face of yet another Aura Sphere.

Shin didn’t hesitate to commit to the attack, trusting in his trainer that he knew what he was doing. For the first time in the match a niggle of doubt entered Brock’s mind only for his trainer to expunge it ruthlessly and mentally lean forward to urge Shin on.

Shin and the Aura Sphere slammed into each other and Shin felt his claws clash with that attack only for it to part slightly.

Pain still washed over Shin’s form for a moment that became an eternity.

Then Shin was through the attack and out the other side with his claws still coated with psychic energy.

Merely a metre away his foe baulked as Shin remained standing. Shin lunged, committing to the strike with one blade coming forward.

The Blaizken had good instincts as it swept a long leg out and caught the blade on the back part of Shin’s claw, allowing it to deflect the strike.

Shin had expected this, however, and his follow-up strike hit true, scoring a hit right to the chest that sent Blaziken staggering backwards.

“Keep on the pressure!” roared Brock through the bond and out loud.

Shin’s heart swelled as he powered forward once again.

“Detect!” screamed the woman and suddenly the next few strikes did nothing but whiff as Psycho Cut after Psycho Cut failed to connect.

Brock didn’t falter though and switched orders. Between one strike with his claws and the next Shin threw himself forward as water blasted him along, allowing him to slam straight into Blaziken and carry his foe to the very edge of the arena where he was hurled out.

Shin lingered on the edge, watching and waiting for his foe.

Part of him wanted Blaziken to rise up. To challenge him once more and grow his legend.

Another wanted it to be over and for him to have won against this strong foe.

When Blaziken failed to rise, Brock pumped his fist. “That’s the way Shin! We’re taking this win!” he roared, and Shin perked up.

“The hell you are!” the female roared, returning her pokemon only to send out a Camerupt.

The Camerupt appeared and glowered at Shin. “You’re a pesky guy,” said the Camerupt.

Shin brandished his claws, surprised at being spoken to during a fight. “I’m simply trying to win!” he replied feeling much more enthusiastic the more he won.

“Earthquake!” called the human female.

Brock quickly ordered Shin to leap backwards onto a Surf wave once more. They risked going out of bounds for a second as Shin hung in the air, calling water towards him only for it to rise up.

Camerupt stomped the ground, and an Earthquake rocked the fiel,d but Shin barely felt it with how he was now safely enclosed within the wave.

Shin kept his eyes locked on the large orange and tan pokemon. It didn’t appear to be fast, so perhaps it was going to use dig to evade? Or was Protect about to be used?

Oddly, the Camerupt stared straight back and as Shin and the Surf grew closer and closer, the Camerupt grew smug.

“Bye bye~!” shouted the Camerupt right as the human female shouted something.

Whatever it was that was shouted had Brock lunging forward and bellowing for Shin to leap out the back of the wave.

Shin started to do so, confused as to why—

The field erupted.

I had become too confident. I thought to myself as I replayed the series of events.

Shin had taken down an empowered Blaziken who had some serious firepower backing it up, thanks to grit and being able to power through the Aura Sphere.

In response, Flannery had sent out her Camerupt, a slow, yet powerful pokemon that I knew to be her starter.

She’d gone for Earthquake and I’d had Shin evade it with Surf.

I’d been ready to set up another combination of either Surf into Hydro Pump or Surf into Aqua Jet, depending on what Flannery did.

Instead of having her pokemon evade or defend against the attack, she’d had her pokemon stand its ground while she grinned at me.

“Big Bang!” Flannery announced proudly and her pokemon began to glow with an oddly smug look on its face.

My mind instantly locked onto two moves that Flannery could be referencing with such a command.

Eruption, the signature move of Camerupt and Torkoal pretty much everywhere.

And Explosion.

And then my mind made the next leap of logic.

What if she’d combined them like I’d done for Bertha?

I roared my next command for Shin to get out and use Protect and he started to act, only for it to be too late.

Camerupt went supernova and a wave of heat and light washed over me such that my clothes began to sizzle and my eyes whited out from the sudden flash bang.

I flooded my body with dark energy to attempt to adjust only for it to still take a few moments. I blinked rapidly and searched through the bond, grasping desperately for Shin.

It took a moment for him to respond weakly, but he did so.

When my eyes blinked away the blur I found Shin had been thrown out of his wave— which thanks to his position was probably all that saved him— right at the back of the field with his claws dug deep into the ground.

Twin gouges that cut parallel lines through the field told the story of him digging in and still being pushed back a good twenty metres.

I whistled as Shin shook himself out. He tested his range of motion and felt a chorus of aches and pains throughout his body. His body shuddered and his vision came in twos.

‘Want to stay in?’ I offered, making sure to not give any indication of preferring one over the other. I worried for him but I also knew his heart.

He shook his head and raised his claws out of the ground, preparing to fight Flannery’s last pokemon.

It took Flannery a few more seconds to regain her vision. “WOAH!” she roared, working a finger into her ear. “That was loud!” she shouted.

I blinked. “Are you deafened?” I asked.

Flannery cupped a hand to her ear, and I sighed as she shouted. “What?!”

I just nodded and gestured to Shin, who was still in the fight. Shin raised his claws as Flannery looked towards him. “Oh fuck right off!” she bellowed, and I just grinned.

Her last chance came with her Rapidash, but I’d learned my lesson from last time. I didn’t hesitate to have Shin form up a wave and close off the field with Surf.

Rapidash was swept from the field, and just like that, Shin took the victory.

Flannery slumped, and I felt bad for a moment before shaking it off as the podiums lowered. I took a moment to clap Shin on the shoulder for his victory and spray him over with some Hyper potion. I then approached Flannery and shook her hand. “Hell of a match. And your combination of Erupt and what I suspect is Explosion? Maybe you should lead with that in future?” I suggested.

Flannery rubbed the back of her neck. “Yeah, I didn’t want to do you that dirty. I kept it as my all-or-nothing card despite facing off against your Kabutops.”

She shot me a look. “Also, did you know that using Earthquake before Explosion makes it stronger?”

I blinked. “I hadn’t actually,” I said. I gave Shin another look. If what Flannery was saying was true then it was even more impressive Shin had been able to stand back up.

Flannery shook her head. “Aw well, no shiny badge for me. I’ll have to throw my support behind Roxy-girl later this week.” Flannery then drew herself up. “Say? Would it be alright if I worked at your Gym for the next week? I’d like to get a feel for it. Might intern at your girlfriend’s Gym after,” she said.

“You’re more than welcome!” I said, knowing I was going to get some interesting interactions with Flannery joining in.

“We start early tomorrow, wear some workout gear,” I said casually.

Hehehe, Trixie would have a new sacrifice.

Shin sauntered up to me with a slight bounce in his step while he waved at the crowd. He then looked at me and Flannery.

Through the bond I got an impression from him of him trying to give me advice.

I focussed on it only to blush as he casually mentioned how I should check with Sabrina before trying to mate with another human female.

That gave me pause and I stared at him for a long moment.

Part of me was amused and weirded out about how he was reading into my interactions with Flannery but another part couldn’t help but notice that Sabrina was referred to by her name and not ‘my mate’.

I’d never really talked with my pokemon apart from food, training or simple things they liked. I’d never considered how simplistic Shin’s view of the world was but then again Don wasn’t any better as were Shelly, my Omastar.

Titan and Bertha easily had the most nuance to their thoughts and ability to understand humans.

Huh, I wonder if I dropped this bit of knowledge on Samuel Oak how he would react?

“What’s got you smirking?” said Flannery suspiciously.

“Nothing,” I replied before another thought occurred to me. “Remember Professor Oak?”

“Yeah, the big nerd who loves gaming?” Flannery responded.

I smirked. “Yup that’s him, come on, I’ll get you started on the onboarding paperwork with Rachel.”

“Who?” Flannery said only for me to gesture to my rainbow-haired Public Relations Manager. “Oh… shoot, I’ve been calling her Rebecca,” she admitted with a laugh.

That earned a laugh. Yeah, having Flannery as part of the staff was going to be fun.