"Enough, enough, Roxanne! Cain came to challenge you. Didn't you want to face strong trainers and apply what you've learned at school in real battles?" Steven quickly intervened, stopping Roxanne, who was still listing Cain's titles.
Sure enough, the moment she heard the word "battle," Roxanne stopped what she was doing and looked at Cain with eyes full of excitement.
In the future, as Roxanne continues as the Rustboro City Gym Leader, she will also become a teacher at the Pokémon school.
By then, she will have fully integrated her school knowledge into practical application. But for now, she's just a young girl fresh out of campus, full of dreams.
Thanks to Steven's help, the battle was quickly arranged. Since the judges were on vacation, Steven volunteered to act as the temporary referee.
Each participant could use three Pokémon, and the battle would end when one side lost all three. A simple and common rule.
As the Gym Leader, Roxanne was the first to send out a Pokémon.
Pokémon: Nosepass (Light Blue)
Egg Moves: Rollout, Double-Edge, Block
Basic Moves: Tackle, Harden, Rock Throw, Thunder Wave, Rest, Spark, Rock Slide, Power Gem, Rock Blast, Discharge, Sandstorm, Earth Power, Stone Edge, Zap Cannon, Lock-On
Learned Moves: Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Magnet Rise, Fire Punch
TM Moves: Protect, Thunderbolt, Earthquake, Double Team, Rock Tomb, Rock Polish, Volt Switch, Bulldoze
Cain had faced Pokémon like Nosepass before.
Although Nosepass is a Rock-type Pokémon, it significantly differs from others of its type because it also functions as a giant magnet. While not an Electric type, it can learn and use various Electric moves.
This can catch trainers off guard when they try to exploit its Rock-type weakness with Water moves.
Nosepass causes considerable confusion for its opponents.
However, Nosepass has an evolution. If it evolves into Probopass, it gains the Steel type in addition to Rock. This increases its weakness to Fighting- and Ground-type moves but also enhances its resistance to others.
Fortunately, Roxanne's Nosepass hadn't evolved yet, likely because she didn't know how to make it happen.
"If it's a Rock-type Pokémon, then it's your turn, Slowking," Cain said as he tossed his Pokéball.
Hearing Cain's words, an almost imperceptible smile appeared on Roxanne's face.
Another trainer sending out a Water-type Pokémon just because their opponent is a Rock type.
Roxanne thought no one had noticed her little trick, but both Cain and Steven saw through it clearly. After all, she was still a young, inexperienced girl fresh out of school.
Steven couldn't help but facepalm, knowing his cousin was relying on typical school tactics.
But Cain's Slowking wasn't just any Slowking.
Its Water type was merely secondary.
"Slowking, a Water- and Psychic-type, is a very rare Pokémon. It's said that only two Slowking have been found in the wild: one in the Kanto region and one in Johto. Cain's is the only one captured by a trainer," Roxanne explained, pulling out a small notebook filled with detailed information about Slowking.
Although Pokédexes already existed, they still lacked data on many Pokémon and were in a testing phase. That's why school trainers like Roxanne compiled their own information, which became one of their most valuable treasures.
Cain's Slowking was level 47, in the late stages of the advanced rank. With a bit more effort, it could reach quasi-elite status.
"Quite thorough information," Cain praised.
Currently, finding data on a Slowking was rare, so this level of detail was impressive.
"Slowking, use Nasty Plot," Cain ordered, taking advantage of his right to attack first as the challenger.
Slowking's eyes gleamed, and its psychic power began rapidly building, raising its special attack.
"Nosepass, use Lock-On!"
At the start of the battle, Roxanne transformed, fully focused on the fight with her little notebook in hand, observing closely.
Following her command, Nosepass's eyes glowed as it locked onto Slowking, marking it as its target.
The move Lock-On ensures the next attack has significantly higher accuracy, almost guaranteeing it will hit.
Cain immediately understood Roxanne's strategy.
"Slowking, use Psychic Water Gun," Cain commanded.
This was a move Slowking had mastered on Mythical Island and had perfected over the past month, now using it effortlessly.
In an instant, Slowking gathered a massive amount of water energy in its mouth, its cheeks swelling. As it opened its mouth slightly, a powerful water jet the size of an arm shot out, enveloped in psychic energy, aimed directly at Nosepass.
"Nosepass, use Zap Cannon!"
At the same time as Cain gave his command, Roxanne issued hers.
After using Lock-On, Nosepass was ready to unleash Zap Cannon.
This move is incredibly powerful, with a base power of 120, but it has the drawback of low accuracy, which is why it's not often used.
However, combined with Lock-On, Zap Cannon becomes devastating, with the added chance to paralyze the opponent if it hits.
This was Roxanne's strategy: turning Nosepass into an auto-targeting paralysis turret. In a Pokémon war-style battle, Nosepass would be extremely dangerous.
But Cain had already seen through her plan.