----
Kai and Marina stood across from one another on the outdoor practice field behind the Pokémon Center, each ready with a Poké Ball in hand.
In perfect sync, they both launched their Pokémon.
Twin flashes of blue light illuminated the field.
Kai sent out his trusted Scyther, its sharp scythes gleaming in the light. Marina's Pokémon appeared in a burst of energy, it was a Croconaw.
The evolved form of Totodile, Croconaw, looked fierce and full of spirit. Its scaly blue body was marked with cream-colored patterns on its belly, and its head was topped with jagged red crests. Its mouth brimmed with sharp, tightly packed teeth.
Kai, as always, scanned it with his Pokédex.
Pokédex: "Croconaw, the Big Jaw Pokémon. Water-type. The evolved form of Totodile. Its fangs curve inward like fishhooks, making it impossible to escape once it bites down. It won't let go until its teeth break off."
From a typing perspective, Croconaw's Water-type had no clear advantage or disadvantage against Scyther's Bug and Flying combination, something that clearly brought visible relief to Marina.
She was already nervous facing the Champion of the Indigo League. If the typing had been against her, she might've considered forfeiting before the match even started.
Both Pokémon locked eyes, refusing to blink or back down.
And then it began.
Unable to suppress her nerves, Marina made the first move.
Croconaw lunged forward with impressive speed, spitting out rapid Water Gun blasts that splashed and scattered across the battlefield.
But she wasn't finished.
Before the droplets even hit the ground, Croconaw was charging, closing the distance to Scyther in a blink.
Her strategy was clear: hit fast, hit hard, and don't let up. She knew if she gave Kai too much time, she'd lose momentum.
To her credit, Croconaw fought with raw aggression and fearless energy, forcing Scyther into a back-and-forth exchange.
Kai nodded internally. Not bad.
Croconaw's performance showed she had been well trained. But even so, Scyther's experience and agility gave it the edge.
After trading blows, Scyther finally found an opening.
With a flash of his blades, he unleashed X-Scissor.
Croconaw took the full hit and collapsed.
"…I lost," Marina admitted, smiling despite her defeat.
She hadn't expected to win. Not against someone like Kai. But to have lasted more than a few seconds? That was a victory in her book.
Kai gave a respectful nod, noticing Scyther was breathing a little harder than usual.
"You did great," he said honestly. "You've got potential, and once you've traveled longer, trained harder, you'll be a serious contender."
Marina's eyes lit up at the praise.
She rubbed her nose sheepishly. "Hehe… Well, battling's not exactly my goal. I want to be a top-tier Pokémon Coordinator!"
Kai blinked.
A Coordinator, huh?
The moment she said it, names popped into his mind: May, Dawn. Both had similar dreams. And now it clicked. That familiar feeling he had about Marina?
She was destined to become one of Johto's top Coordinators.
"No wonder you looked familiar…" he murmured.
"Well, that's a great dream," he said. "Just as tough as becoming a Champion,, if not tougher. Stick with it."
Before Marina could respond, her spot was taken over literally.
Jimmy stepped into the trainer's box with all the subtlety of a stampede. "Alright! My turn!"
Kai smiled.
Jimmy reminded him of Ash in a lot of ways, especially that boundless energy. But something told him Jimmy would be a more difficult match than Marina. So he returned Scyther and got ready.
This time, Jimmy sent out his partner: a Typhlosion.
Kai responded by summoning his own rare Pokémon: Dragonair.
The elegant, serpentine Dragon-type floated forward, its blue-white body glimmering in the light.
Marina squealed from the sidelines. "Wow! A Dragonair! I've never seen one up close, it's so beautiful!"
She practically danced in place. If not for the match, she might've sprinted onto the field to hug it.
Kai ignored her and focused on the Typhlosion now standing across from Dragonair.
Just like Croconaw, Typhlosion was clearly Jimmy's starter, his most trusted partner.
It stood tall, lean, and dangerous. Its sleek body was built for power, and fire flickered from the ring of flames around its neck.
Kai lifted his Pokédex again.
Pokédex: "Typhlosion, the Volcano Pokémon. Fire-type. The final evolution of Cyndaquil. When the heat from its body reaches critical levels, it creates shimmering waves of heat and blasts of flame hot enough to incinerate everything in its path."
Unlike Marina, Jimmy's starter had fully evolved.
That alone spoke volumes about the difference in experience and training. Typhlosion was no pushover.
As Dragonair rose into position, Typhlosion's flames flared into full bloom.
Jimmy thrust out his hand. "Let's show 'em what we're made of!"
The battle exploded into motion blasts of flame, waves of water, coiling strikes, and wide dodges. It was clear: this fight wasn't going to be easy.
But then, without warning—
Dark clouds began to roll in.
Thick, heavy, and fast. They blotted out the sun almost instantly.
A chill swept through the air as the light vanished.
Kai, Jimmy, and Marina all looked up.
"What the heck…?" Jimmy muttered.
The clouds were pitch black, bolts of lightning flickering behind them. A storm was brewing—fast.
"Looks like rain," Kai said calmly, eyes narrowing.
It was strange. The skies had been perfectly clear only minutes ago. Where had this front come from?
Whatever the reason, the battle had to wrap up soon. Kai wasn't interested in getting soaked mid-match.
And neither, clearly, was Jimmy, especially since Typhlosion was a Fire-type. Battling in the rain could put him at a serious disadvantage.
Time to end this quickly.
----
Don't forget to drop some PowerStones!💎💎💎
For early access to advanced chapters on p@treon.
P@treon/iamxeno
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!