The Youngest Sibling


"Hi! You're Inyssa, right? Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"I do. Leave me alone."

Such exchanges made up about ninety percent of the interactions she had with the trainers of Pastoria during the following days. It was hard deciding who was more annoying; those who stared at them from afar or the ones who were bold enough to approach and talk to them. She respected the latter a bit more, but also wanted to deck them in the face so it kinda cancelled out.

In any other scenario she might have found the whole thing flattering and somewhat exciting. However, between her still simmering anger from her exchange with Reiko and the fact that more and more stupid rumors started coming out in response to her antisocial attitude, she wasn't exactly in the mood to be dealing with people.

The exception was Barry, who god bless him did his best to counteract the impact her shitty attitude was having on their image as trainers. He tried to maintain a cheerful and carefree attitude with all the people who approached him, but still, she could see that he wasn't used to being so sociable.

To make it up to him, she did all she could to help him with his training while she did hers. Their schedule wasn't as harsh as the one they'd followed in Eterna, but the tasks they prepared for their Pokemon were harsh and complex. Inyssa's were getting closer to finally getting past the threshold of Maylene's training, while Barry was having a bit more difficulty with his. For starters he kept telling her that he had no idea what the Gym Leader had meant when she said he was holding himself back.

Inyssa bit her lip and looked down. She knew exactly what she'd meant, but was a bit scared that her friend would take it the wrong way if she told him bluntly.

"It'll be okay," she said at the end of their training, patting him on the shoulder. "Just… trust your instincts when you fight Crasher Wake and you'll be fine."

Wow, who taught you how to be supportive, the inside of a fucking fortune cookie?

They headed back to town once the sun started to go down, frustration and disappointment clogging up the air like smoke. They would finally hang out with Lucas in a nearby café, and Inyssa wasn't sure if she was up for it or not. Maybe the sight of that dumb nerd would ease the burning knot inside her stomach, or in the worst case scenario it might be somewhat fun.

After taking a deserved shower and rinsing the dirt and dust off her with her favorite lemon-scented soap she headed to the accorded place with Barry. Even though it was getting dark and the faraway breeze of the sea refreshed them a bit, it was still a tad hotter than she would've liked. Not to mention the humidity, which made her feel like she was breathing water every time she inhaled.

A combination of all those annoyances might explain why she did what she did. After almost half an hour of walking they found the café Lucas mentioned, and just before they went in someone approached her from one of the nearby tables. A short, dark-skinned girl, probably one or two years younger than them, with soft, droopy eyes. Nervousness was written all over her face.

"Uh… excuse me," she said, looking down at her hands. "Are you Inyssa? I wanted to know if I could…"

It was an exhausting, bursting kind of anger the one which flooded her at that moment. It didn't last long, fading as soon as she opened her mouth and replied.

"Dear god, fuck off!"

She regretted her words as soon as they came out, and the way Barry looked at her didn't exactly help the situation. The girl's eyes shone with what looked like tears, and without saying anything she turned around and ran back to her table, where two older teens conversed with each other.

Inyssa looked at her feet, trying to avoid Barry's judging eyes as much as she could. Just what she needed, another reason to feel like an asshole.

"Let's go inside," was all she said as she opened the door.

As it was, seeing Lucas did cheer her up. Something about the way his round cheeks puffed up as he smiled and his eyes shone with excitement… she simply couldn't be mad at him.

"Well if it isn't the disappearing guy!" Barry put his hands on his hips, trying to sound offended. "Already found better friends than us?"

Panic appeared in the boy's face. "What? No! I was just… I was doing research and had to meet with someone and…"

"He's just messing with you," she said, elbowing Barry in the side. "Come on, let's find a table before I fall asleep on my feet."


They chose one of the tables in the back and close to the windows, so as to be out of the view of everyone else. As they exchanged stories of what they'd done in the time they hadn't seen each other, the orders came in. Inyssa asked for a slice of velvet cake with a cherry smoothie, Lucas for blueberry muffins with sparkling water and Barry for two slices of lemon pie and a soda. She had no idea how his body could process so much sugar, but she'd given up on understanding the boy's odd metabolism a long time ago.

"Ahh… I'm so glad." Lucas put a hand on his chest once she finished telling her side of the story. "Thank goodness you made it safely out of that. I heard a lot of rumors about what happened, and I got worried."

"Sorry for not telling you before," Barry apologized with a smile. "It… kinda slipped our mind."

Inyssa nodded. "Lots of stuff happened. Still, thanks for not believing the stupid shit people are saying about us."

"Always proof check your information!" Lucas raised one finger, smiling. "That's the number one rule for a scientist."

Dork, Inyssa thought as she took the glass to her mouth to hide her smile.

"Lucas, there is a very important question we need to ask you," she said after drinking some, a mustache of cherry smoothie pasted to her upper lip.

"The most important question!" Barry yelled, throwing his arms into the air. "Ice cream depends on it!"

Lucas was taken aback, fingers tightly gripping the glass in front of him. "W-what is it?"

Barry and her exchanged a knowing look, nodding at each other.

"Were you on a date a couple days ago?"

Her question hit the poor boy like a hammer. He sat stunned for a few moments, until the full realization of what she was implying fell over him. Eyes went wide as plates and she could swear his hair poofed up somewhat.

"No! I wasn't!" Lucas leaned forward, almost toppling the table. "I was with someone I know but it was because of research discussion and it wasn't a date I swear!"

Inyssa raised an eyebrow, amused, and formed a sly smile directed at Barry.

"Dangit Lucas!" The boy fell back on his chair, crossing his arms. "Now I need to get you an actual date so I can win back that ice cream!"

Lucas' cheeks went red as he grabbed the edges of the table. "If you don't want to lose then maybe stop betting on my love life! That's super rude!"

"I would describe it more as being interested in your love life," Inyssa said, making air quotes. "In the same way an investor is interested in a rising company."

"Or a Mandibuzz in someone dying on the desert," Barry added.

Lucas's shoulders dropped as he sighed. "You two are the worst." He tried to contain a smile. "I'm really glad I can hang out with you again."

Barry returned the sentiment, as expected. Inyssa however, being a minefield of social anxiety and having absolutely no idea how to take a compliment in a healthy way, simply scoffed and looked at the side as she tried to hide her embarrassment.

"Anyway, what have you been up to here?" she asked, trying to derail the conversation. "You said you were doing some kind of research?"

In the amount of time it took her to take a couple more bites and Barry to finish both his slices the boy described the incident near Lake Valor, and how he'd barely escaped death thanks to the stranger that rescued him. Judging by the way his voice stuttered for a moment and his slight blush Inyssa figured he was the person he'd gone on a date with. Not that she would mention it; that would make her the loser of the bet after all.

"That's… interesting," she said. "Azelf, huh? And this guy thinks its disappearance is the reason everything around the lake is dying?"

Barry knit his eyebrows. "I dunno… sounds kinda out there. Do you really think he was saying the truth?"

"It's as good as explanation as any," she shrugged. "And considering the shit we've seen I'm not gonna play the skeptic right now. In the movies those are the ones that die first because they didn't believe that the legendary Pokemon was behind it all."

Lucas nodded nervously. "I had trouble believing it at first, but he seemed very sure of what he was saying." His gaze went to the small backpack sitting at his side. "I would love to do more research on the subject, but I have my hands pretty full at the moment."

"What are you studying right now?" Barry asked.

"Oh! You'll love this!" A huge smile appeared on the boy's face as he took out one of his Pokeballs. "It's about my new Pokemon! Here, I'll show you outside."


Inyssa had to blink a few times to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.

The flash of light had blinded her for a moment, and as soon as it dissipated she found herself in front of an avian creature as tall as her, with eyes like shining rubies. His entire body was covered in protective metal armor, and the enormous wings resting at his side looked sharper than anything she'd ever seen.

"Holy crap…" Barry whispered, taking a step back. "You caught a Skarmory!?"

"Yeah, well…"

Inyssa interrupted him, eyes wide open in shock. "How on earth did you catch a fucking Skarmory!?"

The volume of her voice seemed to disturb the beast, who raised his beak ever so slightly and simply stared. Inyssa had to stop herself from shaking.

"As I was saying…" Lucas reiterated, putting a palm on the Pokemon's forehead. "This is my friend: Kevorkian. The man who rescued me in Lake Valor gave him to me in exchange for that Drapion."

She looked at the boy, head tilted to the side, and frowned. "You… how did you get it to obey you?" she asked, incredulous. "Skarmory has a four-star danger rating; they are one of the most dangerous Pokemon you can run into!"

"It's so cool!" Barry yelled next to her, flapping his hands. "His wings are like swords!"

Kevorkian seemed unimpressed by the boy's praise, since it started to peck at his wings with his beak, as if attempting to sharpen them. His expression wasn't that of one of the most terrifying predators in existence; more like a bored Pokemon who wished he were asleep.

"He's actually really laid back," said Lucas. "Which is good because he's the basis of my studies."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Wings like swords!" Barry repeated, excitement clear in his voice. "WingSwords!"

Lucas chuckled. "They… sure are, and that's basically the focus of my research." He started rubbing the Pokemon's head playfully. "You see, the metal encasing Skarmory is actually incredibly light and aerodynamic, which is why they can fly at speeds of up to two hundred miles per hour. To this day no one has been able to create a metal with those properties. Luckily a Skarmory's feathers can be extracted and be grown back painlessly, and a lot of people have used them as swords in the past. However, I think that's being shortsighted." He smiled to himself. "This metal has too many amazing properties to be used only for creating weapons; which is why I've been working on something else to use it on."

Inyssa blinked a couple times, having trouble following his reasoning. "And what would that be?"

Lucas winked and raised a finger at her. "Ah, that's a secret! I already sent my papers to a manufacturer yesterday, so the first prototype should arrive in at most a week from now."

"That's awesome!" Barry nodded enthusiastically. "Oh man I can't wait to see what that is!"

"Yeah, I'm honestly curious too," she admitted.

The boy blushed, twiddling his fingers. "T-thank you. And… Barry." He looked up at him. "If I remember correctly your birthday should be sometime next week, right? I read it in your trainer card," he clarified before Inyssa could make fun of him. "Who knows, I might be able to give you one of the prototypes as a gift if you're still here by then."

Barry's hair flopped around everywhere from how excitedly he nodded. "Yeah, we'll definitely be here then!"

"We're trying to take it easy from now on," she explained. "We've gone at a pretty hectic pace the last few months; we can afford to enjoy our journey a bit more."

"Besides, we have that party in the Great Marsh!" Barry said. "And it falls right on my birthday so we can't miss it."

"Party?" Lucas' nose perked up.

She explained the details of the party she'd found out during her time in Pastoria. From what she'd read it was a yearly event celebrated to honour Azelf, who according to legend turned the Great Marsh from a lifeless wasteland into the thing it was today. From it sprouted a wellspring of life, and the city was established next to the marsh shortly after. On the surface it sounded quite formal, but Inyssa was convinced that after so many years it had just turned into an excuse for teens to throw a party with loud music and alcohol.

"In summation we're gonna roast stuff over the bonfire and probably drink something. You wanna come?"

Lucas seemed really unsure, judging by the way his shoulders were squared and his hands clasping each other. She was convinced he would say no and give them an excuse, but after a few moments he nodded nervously.

"Sure… sounds fun."

Somewhat stunned, she walked forward and gave him a pat on the back, smiling. Also tried not to use too much force, since the Skarmory had his eyes on her and she didn't wish to be turned into tiny Inyssa slices.

"We might have to be going since it's getting late," she said, looking up at the sky. "Are you free tomorrow? At around five?"

"I think so, why?"

She exchanged looks with Barry, and noticed the slight nervousness rising through his façade. Not missing a beat she grabbed his hand and gripped it tightly.

"Tomorrow we're taking on the Gym Leader." She puffed her chest up. "Win or lose, we'll show this city what a true trainer looks like."


Barry faced the next day as best he could, even though his confidence was somewhere between his ankles and the floor.

They began by sleeping until late and eating a healthy lunch, followed by two hours of training. After that they came back to take a shower and get ready; with half an hour or so to sharpen their senses and collect their thoughts. He would've almost wished not to have that time, since waiting only made him more nervous.

The moment they entered the Gym they noticed quite a few trainers standing around, most of which turned to look their way, curious.

"They must've heard we booked a fight for today," Niss said, unimpressed.

"I'm kinda tingly," he admitted, scratching the inside of his arms. "Having people look so much makes me nervous."

"Let them watch," she said. "We'll show them something amazing."

The main arena was located behind the one they'd fought in a few days before, similarly to the way Maylene's Gym was laid out. What was different however was that instead of having a rectangular patch of sand it was a deep pool instead, with dozens of floating platforms sprinkled everywhere. At the sides were the spectator stands, where already a few dozen people waited expectantly. Not anywhere near as many as in Hearthome's stadium, but he was okay with that.

"Hey, Barry." Niss tapped his hand strongly, voice lit up. "Look!"

He followed her eyes, and enthusiasm, to where their opponent stood at the opposite side of the arena. His stomach dropped as he laid eyes on the man he'd admired so much in his childhood; Crasher Wake. Even from such distance he looked a lot taller than them. He wore tight, blue wrestler pants with orange boots and bracelets, and was topless other than that, showing the gut of a man close to his forties. Adorning his face was the mask he'd worn for his entire career; modeled after the head of a Gyarados.

Too stunned to speak, they stood close to the challenger's spot for a few seconds, until they saw him uncross his arms and smile. An unmistakable wave of confidence hit Barry from where he stood, making him shudder.

"Welcome, dude and dudette!" His voice seemed to almost shake the ground beneath him. "I take it you're the challengers I've heard so much about? Well, let me tell you something, you two!" He threw his hand forward, pointing at them with his finger. "You better be ready to give it your all, and then some! I am the one and only Crasher Wake; master of the ocean's wrath and the symbol of justice, OH YEAH!"

Clapping and cheering reached them from the podiums. It seemed they'd started filling up quite nicely; now there were at least a hundred people staring at them from above. Barry caught the bright red of someone's hair, and figured that Reiko and Percy were there as well.

He formed a lopsided, wavy smile. To be in such a position, finally hearing Crasher Wake's signature introduction in person, he couldn't help but feel reinvigorated. His usual energy started flooding from the inside of his body, traveling through his veins like an electrical current. A look at his side told him that Niss felt the same way.

Then, out of nowhere a voice exploded from the speakers hanging at the sides of the podiums, startling him.

"Gooood day ladies, gents and all the rest!" It was a girl speaking, her voice what he imagined an Exploud in human form would sound like. "As you all know I'm Marissa, number one student of Crasher Wake and charmer extraordinaire, and I am joined on this lovely evening by the one and only Matchstick!"

"The contestants today seem promising, don't you think?" The second voice was that of a young man, his tone a lot mellower. "These two have already made a name for themselves during their recent Gym battles."

Niss laughed, shaking her head slightly.

"Commentators, eh?" She grabbed one hand with the other, cracking her knuckles. "Looks like we're getting the whole package today."

"This is the best day of my life," Barry whispered back, smiling from ear to ear.

"On this side!" The girl shouted, almost blowing everyone's eardrums up. "We have the Child of Thorns: Inyssa, and the Yellow Hurricane: Barry! The first is the very tired and somewhat evil looking miss at the right; she's a tactician with a mind sharper than a Scyther's… uh… scythe." Each word was strangely pronounced, as if she were too excited to say some of them. "And the second! His Pokemon are fast as lightning and hit like a hammer; if there's an obstacle in his way this trainer will plow right through it! Fresh from Twinleaf Town; I present to you the power couple that's razing through Sinnoh in search for the one and only title of Champion!"

They both shifted uncomfortably at the term power couple, trying to act as though they hadn't heard it.

"However! There is an obstacle they must pass through before that." Barry could almost feel her enthusiastic pointing towards the man at the other side of the arena. "To proceed they must defeat our mighty Gym Leader: Crasher Wake! How will they fare against such a challenge? That's what we're here to find out, folks!"

Waves and waves of ovations filled the arena, filling Barry with a strange mix of anxiety and enthusiasm.

"Please, if you will: Let the first contestant step forward," the tired sounding man said.

Barry took the first step before Inyssa could react. He didn't know why; they'd both agreed that she should be the first to go so that he could take notes on Wake's battling style and be ready for the fight.

But that wouldn't do anymore. He was a trainer, and he couldn't just tail behind his friend his entire life. If he wanted to be the Champion he'd be ready for any challenge, no matter how unexpected it might be.

"Knock it out of the park!" Niss yelled behind him. He smiled.

He stood on his side of the arena, across from the man he had to defeat. Crasher Wake raised both hands to the side and the entire place fell silent. They both took out a Pokeball at the same time.

"No hesitation! That's what I like to see from my opponents!" the man yelled, winding back his arm. "Hear this, young man. My Pokemon have been toughened up by the most ruthless of storms! If you think you can beat them then give it your best!"

Two balls of light exploded at opposite sides of the pool, materializing into their Pokemon. On Barry's side appeared Kitsune, who fell swiftly on one of the floating platforms. In front of him an enormous fish-looking creature showed its ugly head. Its body was bright red, with multiple white fins coming from the sides and back of its body. Between its eyes was a sturdy, silver horn.

"A Seaking?" he whispered to himself, narrowing his eyes. "That's… weird, but good for me!"

Wake yelled as he postured forward. "Attack him with your horn!"

Barry smiled. That was exactly what he needed; the closer his Pokemon got the easier it would be to hit it with his trump card. He was very aware that none of his partners were especially strong against water types, so he made sure he'd have something under his sleeve for this occasion.

"Kitsune, wait for it!" he yelled. The Kadabra held his ground and pointed his spoon at the rushing water; staring as it parted in half by the Seaking's horn. "Now, Charge Beam!"

The audience gasped in surprise. With a twirl of his fingers the psychic Pokemon imbued his spoon with cackling, wavering golden energy as the air around him ionized. The beam of electricity tore the air in half as it traveled towards Seaking; too fast to dodge. Too fast to even react to it.

Seaking didn't need to react, however, as Barry painfully learned. Instead of hitting it the energy spiraled around its body for a moment, before being fully absorbed by its horn, which took on a sickly yellow glow.

At any other time Barry would've loved to see the face he made at that moment.

"What!?" He screamed, taking a step back. "What… why didn't that work!? Seaking's a water type!"

Kitsune was similarly stunned, eyes wide open as his opponent stared him down, its body glistening with absorbed power. At the other side of the arena Crasher Wake smiled.

"Counter with Signal Beam!"

By the time his panic overcame the shock he was in, he was too late to react. A heavy splash was heard in front of him as Seaking jumped out of the water, a pulsing orb of green light at the tip of his horn. Barry opened his mouth to scream, to tell Kitsune to dodge, but he wasn't fast enough. The beam hit his Pokemon square in the chest, sending him spiraling back until he violently crashed against the wall of the pool.

He returned Kitsune to his Pokeball as soon as he saw him sink into the water. His hand shook around it, his expression indescribable.

"Ohhh it looks like we already have first blood, folks!" The announcer's voice boomed through the stadium, followed by screams and cheers. "And this is one we've seen million of times before, haven't we? Tell me Matchstick, how many newbies have fallen prey to the king of the sea?"

"More than I could count, honestly. Seaking is an exceedingly rare Pokemon in Sinnoh, which explains why not many trainers know about its horn's property."

"That's right, folks! For those in the audience who don't know; Seaking's special ability is called Lightning Rod! Its horn can absorb any kind of electricity you throw at it, negating one of its main weaknesses! But wait, don't hang up the phone yet because there's more! For the low price of one incredible ability you can also take home the fact that all the energy it absorbs can be redirected into its next attacks! Call now for more amazing facts, only 2.99 an hour!"

"We don't get paid for this, Marissa."

Barry looked down at the Pokeball in his hand, the air around him growing denser with each second that passed. Cold sweat ran from his nape down his back, and he was pretty sure he was somewhat shaking.

It wasn't supposed to go like this. He'd planned for Kistune to be his main lynchpin during the fight, and now he was down without even leaving a scratch on his opponent. And all of his remaining Pokemon were at a disadvantage against water. He'd gotten himself into the literally worst situation possible, all because he was an idiot who'd dozed off constantly during trainer class.

Niss would've probably realized what was happening.

"Hey, kid!" Wake's voice brought him back to reality. "You're not already giving up on me, are you? Is the trainer I've heard so much of really this weak?"

"Oh snap! Crasher Wake might be a water type expert, but he sure knows how to burn people, folks!"

Barry frowned, heat rising to his face. His free hand went to one of the Pokeballs on his belt, gripping it tightly enough for his fingers to hurt.

He could still do this. He could turn this around if he played the match perfectly.

Maybe.

"Wrathia!" he screamed, throwing the ball into the field. "Your turn!"

On top of the platform materialized his newly acquired Pokemon, her fur as black as coal and eyes burning with determination. Any other fire type would've probably flinched at the sight of water surrounding them, but Wrathia simply scoffed, a small ember escaping through her fangs.

At least the sight of Crasher Wake's grimace brought him some pleasure. He could see the confusion and hesitation on his face, even through his mask.

"What is this!?" Melissa yelped through the speakers. "Is my eyesight as bad as I've been told or did our contestant just sent out a fire type!?"

"Fire and dark, if I'm not mistaken. A bold strategy, considering neither of those would be good against its opponent."

"Has our challenger lost his mind already or does he have a hidden plan? In any case let's give him a good cheering for his bravado, folks!

He tried to ignore the booming voices of the commentators, breathing deeply and focusing his attention on the fight ahead. He couldn't get caught off guard like he did before.

There was a reason he'd called in Wrathia. She had a way to win this battle, even if it was insanely risky and not very likely to happen. But that's where he came in; he needed to think of a way for his strategy to work; that was the whole point of teaching her that particular TM. He had the end goal, now all he needed was to plot a course to arrive there.

"Forward!" Wake ordered with a mighty shout. "Anihilate that fiend with Water Pulse!"

Once again the pool shook as Seaking jumped. This time he opened his mouth and released a torrent of spiraling water towards them, almost as wide as the platforms themselves.

"Jump!"

Wrathia kneeled her forelegs slightly, leaping up just before the attack reached her. Her body reached what looked like more than teen feet up, until she hovered right above her opponent. This was his chance.

"Use Smog on the arena!" Barry ordered.

Smiling, the Houndoom opened her maw and spat a noxious wave of purple, poisonous smoke downwards. The heavy cloud not only covered most of the arena but it penetrated into the water around Seaking as well.

Barry smiled to himself as Wrathia landed on another platform at his right, "What was that about weak trainer, Crasher Wake?"

His taunt made the man wince for a moment, but after the initial sprout of anger he simply laughed, putting both hands on his hips.

"That's the spirit, my boy!" He punched the air in front of him, smiling. "But don't think a little poison is gonna bring us down!"

"I don't expect the poison to." He grinned. "Say, can you see my Pokemon anywhere?"

For a moment he simply looked at him confused, until his eyes set on the arena. Wrathia was nowhere to be seen, the cloud of toxic smoke too thick to make out anything inside the arena.

"Oh my goodness, she's disappeared! I'll repeat it once more folks; the challenger's Houndoom has disappeared into that thick smoke! Could this be his master plan?"

"Nothing I, Crasher Wake can't handle!" The man assured his audience. "Seaking, keep using Water Pulse! We'll hit her eventually!"

The next seconds were a grueling torture for Barry. With every torrent of water that shot out the smoke he prayed that none would hit Wrathia, especially not while she was mid jump. She might've been able to survive one blast, but if it hit her while she was moving into another platform then she'd surely fall into the toxic water, and that would be it.

Wake and his Pokemon got more desperate the more time passed. They must have known Barry didn't expect to win with poison damage alone; that would take a lot more time than he had in his hands.

"Alright, that's enough! Seaking, jump and dispel the smoke with a Water Pulse from above!"

Barry grit his teeth, trying to contain a smile. That was the exact chance he was waiting for.

Without further ado the Leader's Pokemon did a jump almost as impressive as Wrathia's, and in the middle of the air shot the most powerful attack yet, pushing itself even further up. The column of water tore a hole through the smoke, dissipating it almost effortlessly.

The arena became visible again, and Wake made a face that Barry would remember forever.

Standing on a platform far away from Barry was Wrathia, fur glistening with a pale green glow. Between her jaws was a gigantic, pulsing sphere of energy she'd been gathering that entire time.

"I cannot believe my eyes, folks! Is that what I think it is?"

"No!" Wake yelled, panic clear in his voice. "Seaking, stop her! Water Pulse!"

Barry sent his arm forward, smiling. "Solar Beam!"

But his Pokemon did not attack. Barry's smile died on his lips as he saw Wrathia still gathering energy, still not ready as the torrent of water fell over her.

It hit her hard enough to sink not only her body, but the entire platform she was standing in. The water of the pool violently swirled as it swallowed them both, Barry simply staring in horror.

"Wrathia!" he yelled, desperate.

"It's over, kid." Crasher Wake crossed his arms, grinning. "No one can stand against…"

A column of light tore through the water, blinding them. The force of the explosion pushed both trainers back as their bodies were completely soaked by the resulting cyclone. Seaking didn't have time to dodge as the light swallowed it whole with an ear-shattering roar.

As soon as the attack dissipated, they could see the water Pokemon's body stuck to one of the walls, completely unconscious. Smoke rose from his fins in tiny, spiraling wisps.

Cheers and screams erupted from the podiums, strong enough to drown out Melissa's voice as she yelled in excitement. Barry saw as Wrathia's shaking paw rose from the water, claws closing around one of the remaining platforms. She barely managed to climb onto it before collapsing, a proud smile stuck to her lips.

He raised her Pokeball and returned her to it, only after cleaning his eyelids with the back of his sleeve. Wake stared at him in awe, and did the same soon after. No words were needed as they stared each other down, taking out another one from their belts.

This was his last shot. He needed to defeat both of Wake's remaining Pokemon with only one. His fingers pressed tightly against the metal of his starter's Pokeball. If anyone could do it…

"Pedri!"

He yelled the name with every ounce of strength left in his voice as he threw it. The Prinplup materialized soon after on top of one of the two remaining platforms, his fins crossed and a frown stuck to his face. He was ready to fight.

"Now that's what I call an impressive water type," Wake said, grinning. "But I'm afraid not impressive enough, for he will have to face this!"

The light that exploded in front of Barry grew, and grew and grew until the true form of the Pokemon he was supposed to face revealed itself. If not for the myriad of emotions already running through him he might've been paralyzed with fear, what with a gigantic sea serpent staring him down, its burning red eyes set on them.

The Gyarados' constantly open mouth released a roar that shook Barry to his core, and almost made him drop his Pokeball. His starter didn't falter however, as he stared the beast down, eyes full of determination.

"And there it is folks, Crasher Wake's famous Gyarados! How will our young contestant fair against the wrath of the ocean itself!? Keep watching to find out!"

"It will be an interesting matchup indeed. Since they are both water types the fight will come down to whoever one is physically stronger."

Barry knew that very well, which is why he wasn't as scared as he should have. If there was one Pokemon that could compete with such a beast when it came to strength, then that was Pedri.

"Gyarados, bite him down to size!"

"Pedri, use Aerial Ace!"

Wake's terrifying Pokemon threw itself at them, its fangs covered with dark energy. Its speed was almost enough to throw them off, but Prinplup barely managed to move to the side before he could be chomped down. Taking advantage of his opportunity he slashed at the beast's side with his iron fins.

Barry's expression darkened as he saw his starter's slash leave nothing but a scratch. He tried to swallow his doubt down and ordered another attack. Pedri jumped forward, but before he could even wind back his arm the beast's tail swatted t him with enormous strength, throwing him directly into the water.

"Get up!" he yelled, desperation growing inside him. "Use Metal Claw!"

"Counter with Aqua Tail!"

Pedri jumped out of the water like a torpedo, his right fin glowing with white energy. Gritting his teeth he slashed once again, his attack connecting with Gyarados' tail. The clash sent a wide ripple through the water, as the smaller Pokemon was sent backwards, falling once again into the toxic pool.

Barry opened his mouth to declare another attack, but no sound came out. There was something stuck in his throat, something solid and heavy and hot that prevented him from even moving. He saw as Pedri desperately tried to claw his way out from the water, his body shaking as poison took hold of him. Gyarados, being able to float above the water, did not have the same problem and without waiting it threw itself at Pedri, ready to finish the fight.

He couldn't do anything. Despair freezing his body, Barry could only watch as Gyarados played around with his best Pokemon, throwing him from one extreme of the arena to the other with its tail.

Even without instruction Pedri still did his best, slashing and fighting back whenever he had the chance. He'd even managed to get a few good hits in, but at this rate there was no chance for him to win, not while neck deep in poisoned water and being thrown around like a ragdoll. Not with such a disgraceful trainer commanding him.

Barry lowered his head, eyes covered in shadows, and raised Pedri's Pokeball. His friend wasn't at fault, and there was no need to make him suffer further if the result of the battle was clear as day already.

His finger barely touched the button when a familiar voice broke through the arena.

"DON'T GIVE UP!"

The scream startled him out of his daze, while also silencing everyone in the arena. He turned his head up towards the sound and into the stands, where he noticed a particular red coat and white hat.

"You can do it!" Niss yelled at the top of her lungs, punching the air up. "Come on Barry, kick his ass! Kick his ass, kick his ass!"

Her chant became contagious, as everyone around her started screaming in unison while raising their fists to the sky. He could've swear he even heard Melissa screaming it. The cacophony of screams filled the entire room, traveling from the air into the ground and all throughout Barry's body, making him shudder with something he couldn't quite identify.

That's when it happened.

Barry closed his eyes and took a deep, deliberate breath, unconsciously summoning that strength he'd called so many times before. Once he opened them he felt it, spiraling around his body and behind his eyes, covering him like a gust of weightless, warm wind. Staring down at his hands he saw the golden wisps dance around him like old friends, and smiled.

Then he looked up, and the world itself changed. He didn't just hear the chants, he saw them as well. Wavering threads of what appeared to be glass danced in the air, glistening with all the colors of the rainbow as they floated down to him. They enveloped his arms, legs and torso until there was no part of him that wasn't glowing. Judging by the way everyone in the audience kept cheering, they didn't seem to be able to see it like he could. How curious. He felt the power spiral around his fingertips, and laughed. An outwardly, not quite human laugh that shook the entire arena in waves.

The voice talked to him then.

"You're a slow bloomer, aren't you? How much longer were you going to make me wait before finally syncing with me?"

Barry looked around, but no one was close enough and the voice sounded right next to him. No, it sounded even closer, like coming from inside his head.

W-who are you?

"We can talk about it later. Now you have a fight to win, don't you?"

He looked towards the arena, where Pedri still held on against the might of his opponent. Clear as day was the rainbow colored flame inside him, burning with fierce determination. He then lowered his sight to his own body, the transparent glowing threads still dancing around him.

What do I do? What is this?

A cackle was heard inside his mind, so inhuman and mischievous that it made him shudder violently.

"What else? It's the crystallization of Emotion, spun into raw power by my hand. You may use it as you wish, for it is my gift to you."

At any other moment he might've questioned the voice further, or perhaps be too weirded out to act. But now his starter needed him, and he would not let him down again. He threw his hand forward, smiling, and the voice that came out of his mouth was intertwined with someone else's.

"Pedri, get up!" he ordered, grinning from ear to ear. "You weren't born to be on your knees, were you!?"

His words triggered something on the Prinplup. As the burning wisps and threads that covered Barry traveled to him, he slowly got to his feet, pushing the terrible weight of his exhaustion as back as he could. Before him stood his opponent, wielding a power unlike any other he'd encountered before. Any other Pokemon would have given up against such a terrifying beast.

He smiled, as his body began to glow. He was not just any Pokemon.

A collective gasp was heard around the arena as Pedri's form began to change. He grew to almost twice his size, and from his beak upwards three sharp protrusions rose like trident-shaped horns.

No, not horns, Barry thought.

A crown.

As the light dissipated he saw the final form of his starter, and couldn't help but laugh with joy. His black fins were now rimmed in blue, shining steel and were as wide as his body, under which were sharp golden claws. From his neck down to his waist his fur was white in a collar-like pattern, making him look a lot fancier than Barry ever expected him to be.

Without a second thought he raised his Pokédex, whose voice could barely be heard with the screams ringing around him.

Empoleon: The Emperor Pokemon – Water/Steel Type: One of the proudest creatures in existence; the crown-like horns that grow from its beak attests to its power. It can swim faster than a jet boat and, while it tends to avoid unnecessary disputes, if anyone threatens its pride it will decimate them with its wings that can cut through an ice floe.

Barry looked up at his friend; pride was certainly what he so clearly saw dancing inside him, burning so strongly it was almost painful to look at it. All around him he could hear the cheers and screams of Melissa and the audience, but he paid no mind to them.

He was in the middle of a battle, and the only important thing was the opponent in front of him.

"Gyarados, use Waterfall!" Crasher Wake yelled, sweat running down his forehead.

Barry laughed again, the solution to his problem so clear he couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before. Melissa, Maylene and Niss had all been right about him; he really should've been relying on his instincts from the get go. To try and imitate someone he admired, someone with a style of battling so fundamentally different from his own was nothing but futile.

As he threw his hand forward to declare an attack, he finally understood. All the strategies and ideas that flooded his mind in battle, that he'd considered too risky or stupid to work, he should've been relying on them from the very beginning.

In front of him Gyarados dove into the water, and a moment later a massive geyser of water exploded up, traveling towards Pedri.

"Slice through it!"

Pedri did as he was told, without a moment's hesitation. Winding back his wing he slashed at the pulsing whirlwind of water. It cut through it effortlessly, showering the arena with droplets of water as it exploded outwards. More screams rang all around him, and he even saw the Gyarados' eyes open wide in surprise.

But that was only the beginning.

"Pedri, let's finish this! Ready a Metal Claw!" He raised his fist, a wild smile covering his face. "Come on Crasher Wake, give me all you've got!"

"Same goes to you, kid!" the man bellowed. "Aqua Tail one last time!"

Empoleon threw his wings to the side, and the energy that covered them made the water rise all around him in wild spirals. As the platform he was standing in began to sink by the pressure alone, Barry gave his next order.

"Now Aqua Jet! Combine them like Reiko taught us!"

All the moisture in the air gathered around Pedri's wings, and began swirling through its sharp edges like a water jet. The pressure being released could be felt even in the stands at the sides of the arena, almost powerful enough to make Gyarados doubt himself. However this didn't last long as he threw his body forward with a roar, swatting the air with his tail.

"This is it!" Barry screamed, eyes gold and fearless. "You folks in the audience like improvised special moves, right? Then yell it with me!"

He felt the weight of everyone's emotions fall on him as he threw his hand forward, declaring his final attack.

"Emperor Claw!"

As his scream was echoed by the entire audience, Pedri jumped forward, determination burning through him. With all the strength left in him he slashed the air with both his wings in an X shape as soon as Gyarados' tail fell on him.

He felt the impact in his bones, rumbling inside him like an earthquake.

"I cannot believe my eyes folks! That was the absolutely most amazing exchange we've seen in a long time! And the winner is…!"

Water and dust stopped falling on the arena, showing him a view that could have honestly made him sob in joy. On top of the floating, unconscious body of Gyarados stood his starter, looking down at him with a proud look on his face.

"Barry's Empoleon! By Mew I swear I have never seen such a sturdy Pokemon in all my years as a commentator!"

"We've been commentators for a month, Melissa."

At the other extreme Crasher Wake smiled as he returned his Pokemon to its ball, his eyes shining with excitement. After a few moments he took out another from his belt, and this did not faze Barry at all.

"That was very impressive, kid," he said, spinning it in his hand. "What do you say? Still have enough strength in you to take on my main Pokemon?"

Barry put both hands in his hips, shaking his head playfully. The very idea of giving up now was ludicrous, even if Pedri could barely stand, even if victory seemed almost impossible. From the depth of his heart he yelled back his answer:

"BRING IT!"


Half an hour later Barry and Niss walked out of the Gym, hands empty and no new badge to be seen on them.

And yet the boy smiled to himself and looked up at his friend, who still hadn't stopped freaking out about the fight and didn't seem to care much about her loss. She almost looked like him, barely containing herself from bouncing in place as her words got jumbled together in excitement. To his side was Lucas, doing pretty much the same.

The fire behind his eyes had evaporated after the fight, and for the first time he was okay with that. He'd have tell Niss what happened, but he was somewhat sure he could summon the feeling and that voice back if he really tried. He felt more solid, somehow. More grounded in reality.

"…and the name you came up with was really cool too!" Niss finished speaking, her cheeks turning red. "Barry, that was incredible."

Lucas nodded- "As the first Gym battle I saw that was pretty amazing, yes."

He shrugged, heat rising to his face, "T-thanks. I'll definitely give it my all next time."

"Same for me!" Niss smiled, raising one fist. "Now that we know how he fights we can come up with a good strategy to beat him."

More and more people yelled encouragements at them as they walked past, smiling and giving them thumbs up. He appreciated them and waved back, and even Niss didn't seem as bothered as usual.

He saw two familiar figures approaching from the exit of the Gym, and gulped. Reiko and Percy walked to them, the first looking down with a strange expression on her face, and the second looking bored as usual. Niss noticed them, and her smile died as soon as she did.

An awkward silence fell over them for a few moments, accompanied by his friend's clear, heavy animosity. Finally Reiko looked up, and spoke.

"That was a great fight, Barry," she said. "And… uh…"

She scratched the back of her neck, cheeks turning the same color as her hair.

"I'm… sorry," she finally said, startling them. "For the other day. I picked a fight just because I was angry, and I realize it really isn't any of your fault. I'm sorry."

Next to him Lucas looked as confused as ever, having no idea who these people were. Niss on the other hand was too stunned to speak, eyes wide and teeth clenched.

"It's… okay," Barry said, smiling back. "At least on my part, I don't mind. I know how sensitive those topics are and how they can make people feel."

Another silence fell, as they all waited for Niss' response. The girl looked as lost as a Spinda, and needed a few seconds before coming up with a good answer. She looked too incredulous, like she couldn't believe Reiko's anger had dissipated so quickly. Barry had an idea of why she felt that way.

"Yeah, what Barry said." She shrugged, almost too violently. "If you're okay with it… uh, yeah."

A third awkward silence, followed by Percy smiling in relief and Reiko clapping her hands as she smiled.

"Perfect!" she yelled, tone relieved. "Now, we need to discuss all about this party that's coming up."