In the stands-
Yuri stared blankly at the battlefield, now completely swallowed by smoke and dust. The roar of the cheering crowd echoed around her, but to her ears, it sounded distant, like it was muffled behind some invisible wall.
During that last exchange, even with her sharp eyes, she could barely track Barro's movements. Yet Marie had still been able to issue precise commands, and the Gym Leader Milo had responded instantly as well.
Taking a deep breath, Yuri once again felt the distance between herself and Marie.
If it hadn't been for the protective barrier surrounding the battlefield, she probably would've been left in a pitiful state from the aftershocks alone.
"…So I'm still not even close."
She glanced down at the Eevee sitting on her lap. It was staring unblinking at the battlefield.
Yuri suddenly let out a small laugh.
She'd almost forgotten this little one she'd just caught was a battle maniac through and through.
"Eevee, we're going to have to work even harder."
"Vee!!"
Eevee twitched its ears and let out a sharp cry, not even looking back. It was impossible to tell if it was annoyed by her voice or agreeing with her.
…
Back on the battlefield
Marie stood tense, watching the thick smoke that had yet to clear. If only she had Psychic powers then she could instantly sense her Pokémon's condition. But as things stood, all she could do was wait for any sign of movement.
Suddenly
"Raaaagh! Marie, let's keep going!"
A thunderous roar erupted from the center of the battlefield. At the same time, waves of Dragon-type energy surged wildly toward the middle of the arena, cutting through the lingering smoke and revealing a vague silhouette.
Dragon Dance.
Marie's pupils contracted. She hadn't expected this.
Barro had given up the advantage of concealment to perform Dragon Dance, using both the move and his roar to clearly send her a message.
There was no time to celebrate.
She trusted Barro. He could locate his opponent even without sight, and she believed he wouldn't have exposed himself unless he had a plan.
"Dragon Pulse!"
"Dragon Pulse! Fire back!"
Just like that, both trainers reacted instantly, their voices overlapping as they gave the same command.
It felt like the start of the battle all over again.
Only this time… something was different.
"Skreee!"
Hidden within the smoke, Flapple had already prepared its attack. The instant it heard the command, it launched its move at the exposed figure.
Boom!
The raging torrent of Dragon energy slammed into the midair silhouette, tearing it to shreds in a flash. The blast didn't stop there it continued crashing toward the arena's barrier.
"Skreee?! A decoy?!"
"Not good! Flapple, Protect!"
Milo and Flapple both realized something was wrong the moment the substitute was destroyed. But it was too late.
Barro had already located Flapple's position using Lock-On, and there was no way he'd let this opportunity slip past.
"Raaaargh! Time to exit the stage, bug!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Skreeeeee!!"
A sudden, vicious Dragon Pulse pierced the smoke like a cannon shot, aimed straight at the still-grounded Flapple. The stadium trembled under the impact.
Explosions shook the ground, followed by cries and roars. The arena was once again lost in a thick cloud of dust.
Marie held her breath. She didn't know if Flapple's Protect had come in time. Barro had struck right after Flapple unleashed its own attack. The switch from Dragon Pulse to Protect in that brief moment it wasn't just a matter of reflex. It involved completely different types of energy. Logically speaking, it was almost impossible.
But with Pokémon, logic didn't always apply.
Strange events and miraculous feats weren't uncommon. Until she could confirm the outcome, Marie knew anything was still possible.
"Barro, stay alert!"
"Raaaargh, got it!"
Now all she could do was wait.
If Flapple had already fainted, and she gave Barro another command to attack… that could easily be mistaken for cruelty.
This was just a Gym Battle. Even if she missed this opening, she could always fight back with Barro's current condition.
Across the field, Gym Leader Milo smiled quietly. Hidden from sight, he'd heard Marie's voice and understood her hesitation.
She's a kind trainer. And strong too.
When the smoke finally cleared, Flapple's form came into view.
Both the audience and the two trainers focused in.
"…Looks like I lost."
Milo sighed softly, then gave a warm smile to the rookie trainer standing across from him.
"I didn't even get the chance to Dynamax. Marie, you're a very capable trainer."
From above, the announcer's voice rang out:
"Whoa! Unbelievable! With flawless coordination, Marie and her Dragapult have defeated Gym Leader Milo before he even had the chance to Dynamax! Let's give a round of applause to our victorious challenger Marie!"
Marie looked up at the screen above the arena, where her photo had already been displayed. Her expression shifted subtly.
Do Gym announcers always speak their minds this bluntly? Aren't they afraid the Gym Leaders will get back at them?
"Raargh~ I won~"
Barro flew over and gave a joyful cry as he landed by her side. Marie raised a hand to pat his head but couldn't reach, so she settled for rubbing his belly instead.
"Congrats. And thank you for helping me win."
She glanced toward his head and hesitated.
"…How are the little ones?"
As Barro lowered his head, Marie's eyes drifted to the two unconscious Dreepy curled up inside the hollow of his horns.
"Raargh~ They just got knocked out by the Meteor Shower earlier. Nothing serious. A little more battle experience will toughen them up."
"…Mm."
Marie considered saying something but stopped herself.
She'd wanted to ask, Are all Dragapult this rough when raising their kids? But then again, Barro was already an odd one out for not using Dragon Darts in battle.
She didn't want to think too hard about how other Dragapult trained their young.
"Congratulations again, Marie. And you too, Dragapult. That was an excellent match."
Milo walked over, Flapple's Poké Ball in hand.
"Thanks for the match. Barro, return to your Poké Ball and get some rest."
"No worries! That was a blast!"
Barro gave a cheerful roar in response to Milo before disappearing into his Poké Ball.
"Barro says he enjoyed the battle too."
"Did he? That's good to hear. So the rumors were true after all."
Milo scratched his head, only to remember his hat was gone. He chuckled awkwardly and lowered his hand, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge.
"Here. This is your Grass Badge."
"Thank you, Mr. Milo."
With both hands, Marie accepted the irregularly shaped badge and brought the Grass-type Gym Challenge to its close.
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