This is the last chapter of the year. I'm going to be taking some time off for the Holidays, but I hope you enjoy.

Suzie leaned back in her seat as she sipped her iced coffee. The sun above her head shined across Celadon's skyline as she looked across the circular, outside table she was seated at, not even a block away from her salon. Just next to the table, Vulpix shared a large bowl of food with a Slurpuff. The woman took the time to enjoy Celadon's beautiful air, not to mention the quiet atmosphere they were treated with once in a blue moon.

"Well, you weren't kidding when you said you had a story." her somewhat exasperated expression formed into a grin. "Although, knowing you, "launched into the stratosphere" probably just means that the Rhydon smashed into a wall or something."

Across from her, a grinning Elacia sat down a cup of her own. "Heh, you're no fun. I like my version better."

It had been a few days since her red-haired friend had returned to Celadon, although who knew when Elacia would be taking off again (and for how long, at that). Suzie was more than happy with communicating with her longtime colleague long-distance, but she'd always cherish their in-person moments while she could.

Sparing a glance down at Vulpix and Slurpuff (both equally enamored with the professionally made food they indulged in), the teal-haired woman sent her friend a grateful smile. "Well, I'm glad you told me." A minor frown formed on her features as she glanced at her cup. "We both know it could be a coincidence, but the timeline does add up." a smile. "Not that I'm worried. He sounds like a great kid."

Elacia chuckled, hand resting against her chin as she shot Slurpuff a fond look. "He definitely is. Some self esteem issues he needs to work out, but I'd like to think his time in Pewter already got that process started for him. He just needed an opportunity to see his potential for himself." reaching forward, she took one of the pastries piled up on the plate in between them and plucked it into her mouth.

"You seem oddly attached, based on your story."

The red-haired woman shrugged. "Eh, no denial there. I always enjoy helping out the latest batch of newbies when I can. Guess it brings back memories to my time as a trainer. But some times do feel more personal than others. Can't say I know the cause."

Suzie chuckled heartily as she picked out a pastry of her own. "That's how it usually works, isn't it? You never know when you'll feel that way towards someone, or for what reason. Usually just comes without warning. That's what happened with us." Taking a moment to chew on the pastry, she let out a satisfied moan as the taste filled her mouth. "These chouquettes you brought are so good, by the way."

Elacia smirked, getting ready to pop in another one. "Tell me about it. My Kalosian contact is a gift that keeps on giving. Gave me a recipe I'll hang onto for the rest of my life." a comfortable silence hung in the air between the two breeders as she chewed on the pastry, lost in the early morning breeze. She sighed. "I… always really enjoy these moments."

A teasing, yet good natured smile accompanied Suzie's features. "We could have them more often if you stuck around longer." her lips took on a more mischievous form as she leaned forward a bit. "For someone who lives in Celadon, you know, you sure aren't here all that often."

Elacia wagged a finger in her friend's face. "Now, now, Suzie, you know you can't go putting me on a leash like that. Just because you're content with being all boring and stationary, doesn't mean I gotta be dragged down to your level." she leaned back in her chair as her eyes made their way to the skyline above. "Things are going great for me. Celadon is my hub, Indigo is my stomping grounds. Wouldn't trade it for the world." her gaze moved down to her friend. "Of course, I suppose I should be grateful. Your complacency to never leave always gives me a reason to come back."

An uncharacteristic smirk appeared on the teal-haired breeder's compassionate features. "Then I guess it's a good thing I'm boring, isn't it? Gotta give you some place to call home, especially since you're so far away from Alola."

"Very kind of you, dear friend." Elacia took a bite out of another pastry. "Anyway, speaking of which, I'm not sure when he'll get here, but I did ask him to stop by my place when he does. And if I'm gone, I gave him your info as well. Either way, he'll find his way to your salon."

Suzie nodded gratefully. "Thanks. Although, you didn't have to go that far, you know. It's not like I didn't want him to have a trainer. Staying was always his own choice, not mine."

"True, but it still means he was around longer than most of the other Pokemon were. Figured the closure would be nice."

"You're not wrong, I suppose." Suzie admitted. "Given the circumstances…"

"Yeah, nobody was expecting the break in. And the two Rockets who were presumed responsible turned up dead, right?"

"That's what Erika said." Suzie nodded. "Just outside of Viridian Forest, where they went into hiding." she shook her head. "We shouldn't jump to conclusions, though. For all we know this was just a coincidence."

"I thought that too." Elacia admitted. "But the more I think about it, the more it doesn't add up. You gotta admit, it's convenient as hell."

"I won't deny that." Suzie responded, sipping her coffee. She sighed. "I suppose now the best thing to do is wait and see. I tried searching the forest myself a couple times, but you already know how that went."

"Nobody blames you for that. It's a needle in a haystack. If roaming that place wasn't such a risk in and of itself, it'd be one thing, but this is another." Elacia shot her a reassuring smile. "But as you said, wait and see. I'm sure that worry in the back of your mind will go away then."

"Thanks." Suzie responded appreciatively. Smiling, she took the time to briefly gaze at Vulpix and Slurpuff. "Valiant… that's a nice nickname."

/

"Toxtricity, Power-Up Punch!"

The bipedal lizard standing in front of Janine and Ivysaur sported purple-colored skin and a yellow underbelly, with yellow, electric frills extending from its front nose to its neck, and two smaller electric spikes on its back. Still fairly newly evolved, its height was below average for its species, though it was still taller than the Mankey hopping in front of it.

The fighting type had singes on his fur from the shocks of electricity that he had been exposed to throughout the battle, along with purple patches of acid and a slightly disrupted posture from the toxins progressively making their way into his bloodstream. Nonetheless, he still eyed Toxtricity with aggression. The electric/poison type Pokemon, in comparison, sported some bruisings, but showed little signs of hindrance.

At his trainer's orders, the bipedal lizard sped across the Pokemon Center's battlefield, some aggression of his own in his eyes as his reared back fist glowed orange.

With purified confidence, Janine watched her partner's fist collide with Mankey's crossed arms. As the fighting type staggered backwards, the glow in Toxtricity's fist intensified, before the energy suddenly began to spread across his arms.

'Power-Up Punch. A move that absorbs the impact from the collision and transfers it into energy to briefly amplify the strength of the user.' Janine thought to herself as she nodded with satisfaction.

"Great, now Thunder Punch!" Raising his other arm, which still glowed from the amplifying energy, Toxtricity lunged forward yet again, sending Mankey flying into the barriers in front of his trainer; a young boy about Janine's age. He did not get up.

Although clearly dejected, the boy paid the prize money before leaving. After she and Ivysaur offered their friend congratulations, the young girl returned Toxtricity.

She smiled at the Poke Ball as she placed it back onto her belt. Behind her, Ivysaur looked up expectantly as she glanced down at him.

"I'm glad we went to Suzie's place when we did, Ivysaur." she smiled at her starter. "It's embarrassing, but, she's definitely been a big help in researching Toxtricity, and I'm more confident he'll be able to reach his full potential now than when it was just me."

She tried telling herself that she shouldn't feel embarrassed. The more rookies her age started finding foreign Pokemon, the more common it had become to consult with breeders and other professionals for advice on how to raise and train them properly. And with Galar just behind Alola on the list of the rarest foreign Pokemon in Indigo, very few would judge her for seeking help.

But no matter her justification, she couldn't but feel as though she had let down a friend. It hadn't taken Toxtricity long to become friendly and loyal with the rest of the group, despite his stubborn attitude, but she had been unable to reward him for such dedication.

That would end now, however. Ever since their first visit, Suzie had been delighted to offer up her help. They were visiting her each day and taking the time to gather the information that they needed. Toxtricity were a species that even Suzie herself wasn't overly educated in, but she seemed to know all the right places to get started. What moves he could learn, the biology and health. It was all slowly unraveling, and Janine was grateful for the famous breeder's help.

And today, they had been lucky enough to find themselves an opponent to help apply some of their findings, despite how early it was. It wasn't quite 7:00 AM yet, and finding other trainers at this time had always been rare for her. She had lucked out.

Toxtricity certainly enjoyed the practice, as well. He clearly loved to battle, which made the girl all the more guilty she wasn't able to completely fulfill that enjoyment. Pretty soon, however, in due time, he'd have all the capabilities in the world. Enough to truly revel in the combat from the challenges ahead.

Her grin grew as Ivysaur returned it, the grass/poison type nodding affirmatively. The quadruped closed his eyes and leaned into her touch as she briefly bent down to pat his head.

Looking up to the sky, she could see the sea of blue beginning to brighten as the sun rose higher into the sky. "Suzie's place will be open roughly a half an hour." she glanced back at her starter with a friendly nod. "It shouldn't take Toxtricity too long to recover. We'll wait for the Center's machines to do her work, and then head on over."

Sure enough, her partner only took a quick half hour to recover. After that, she and Ivysaur were out of the Center and into the city streets, traversing the sidewalk side by side as they observed the start of the morning commute.

Janine found her eyes wandering at the sight of people exiting buildings and entering their vehicles. It would be a bit before things got busy, creating an odd harmony where activity was present, but didn't take too much away from the peaceful immersion of the morning.

It was something she always appreciated about waking up early, especially back at home. She had been raised from an early age to rise early, and had found comfort in the unique atmosphere that only early morning could carry. When the sun was rising, the uniquely dim yet noticeable blue in the sky made itself known, not too dark, but the day having not started yet, and without the noisy distractions that came from the daily community rush. And the breeze that accompanied the early dawn.

As she headed down the sidewalk, Janine sucked in a satisfying gasp of the fresh, morning air. Being from Fuschia, she wasn't a stranger to such clean, comfortable air, but she was more than impressed to find it of the same quality in a city like Celadon. Erika's environmental tactics truly had been worth the effort.

With a satisfied sigh, she looked down to her partner. "Always feels good to be out in the morning doesn't it, Ivysaur?" she giggled at his enthusiastic, nodding grin. Looking on ahead, she added. "I'm wondering what we should be focusing on this morning. Not sure if Suzie has anything specific to look up again, like with before. And we've been lucky enough for these past couple of days to not be too busy for her. We certainly can't always count on that…" Her partner grunted in affirmation. "We'll probably move on from here in another two or three days. I just want to make sure we have everything situated for Toxtricity. After that, it'll be all up to us to apply her guidance and advice." The girl stretched her arms as they continued on their way.

/

It was 8:15 AM when Ash's opening eyes were greeted with the sight of the hotel ceiling. As his feet touch the carpet and he glanced around, he could see that Valiant and Tempest were in the process of waking as well, while Eevee and Tyrunt remained sleeping side by side. Pikachu and Nebula were chatting off in a corner, breaking their conversation just long enough to greet their trainer as he passed by on his way to the bathroom. From what he could guess, they must have been up for at least a little while now.

After a quick shower, which Eevee and Tyrunt had both risen during, the group was off to the cafeteria as usual. Ash was silently pleased by the high spirits accompanying the air surrounding them, the victory at the Gym yesterday still perfectly fresh in everybody's memories.

There was always incentive to celebrate a new Gym badge, but the events of the previous day had essentially accomplished two things at once, the sour taste left behind by their battle with Surge having long since vanished. In addition to being one step closer to the still far-distant Conference, it was just good to feel victorious again; a reminder that they had what it took to make it all the way to the end.

Breakfast was pleasant that morning. The chatter amongst his teammates was more frequent, consistently chipper, and even Tempest, despite still being distanced from the rest as always, didn't stir up any trouble. In other sections of the cafeteria, Ash could overhear a few groups of trainers talking about their own endeavors, whether it be planning to challenge Erika, or recent triumphs or defeats at the Gym, but even those who brought up losing sounded fairly optimistic about their next attempt.

One particular comment, which he picked up from a girl passing by their table while talking to one of her friends, that stood out to him, was that today officially marked two months since the Season had first begun. Ash had been doing his best to keep track himself, but hadn't actually known the exact date.

Two months… everytime he thought of it, the more surreal the feeling got. Had so much really happened since then? His humiliation at Gary's hands, the attack on Viridian's Pokemon Center, the unpleasant week spent in Viridian Forest, all of the training and battles fought in Pewter, meeting Misty at Mt. Moon, where the Iron-Masked Marauder had attacked, staying in Cerulean, the encounter with Surge, and now… here.

"I'd recommend you get used to that, Ash. Your life is only going to get more eventful from here. Especially now that you have a full team of six. By the time you're at Indigo Plateau, you'll be feeling like your career has already gone on for a decade. Take it from someone who knows."

This must have been what Aya meant.

Breakfast finished at a steady pace that morning, Pikachu and Valiant joining Ash on the table as Nebula, Eevee, and Tyrunt chatted together. Tempest stayed put at his empty bowl, continuously glancing around the room, but not showing any signs of making any moves. The rest of the team had only shot him one or two distrusting glances before moving on without much concern.

Reaching into one of his backpack's pockets, Ash pulled out the business card that Elacia had handed out to him prior to leaving Pewter way back when. It was Suzie's.

The card's aesthetic was fairly stylish, with a beautiful Vulpix and a clean texture. Pikachu and Valiant eyed the card together, prompting Ash to smile at them.

"That's what's on the agenda for today." the boy stated to them. "Erika has already confirmed that Elacia isn't home right at the moment, so we'll be paying a visit to her friend Suzie instead." Even as he said it, Ash could suddenly feel a small amount of Butterfree in his stomach. Suzie was the top ranked breeder in all of Indigo. Even if her salon was open to the public, they'd essentially be talking to a celebrity. It almost felt silly for him to be nervous about that, given that Elacia was a celebrity too, and he had gotten used to interacting with her, not to mention the Gym Leaders that they had all met up to this point, but the young rookie quickly realized that it must have been a case by case sort of thing. Just because they had been able to grow comfortable around one celebrity doesn't mean that the process wouldn't have to repeat itself with another.

He pushed that all aside, however. The more he thought about it, the more of a good mood he realized he was in today. Good enough to dilute whatever nervousness he may have felt.

Beside him, Pikachu and Valiant both nodded. It seemed like they were content with the plan.

Before leaving, however, Ash called the rest of the team over to the table. As they lined up, he stood in front of them, a trainer addressing his six comrades.

"There's something worth mentioning I'd like to announce." His tone was friendly and casual, although he tried to keep his posture straight. It was a balance that he wanted to strike. Seeing that he had everyone's attention, he continued. "As of today, this current Season for the League has gone on for two months. Now, I know not all of you have been here for that long, but… I just wanted to say thanks. I know not… every memory we've made has been a great one…" mental images of the Iron-Masked Marauder and the Rocket children were swiftly shoved aside. "But as a whole… These past two months have been the best of my life. I had no idea what to think when I first left my home, but nowadays, the thought of the great road ahead has started to bring me some excitement to accompany that sort of anxiety." he put a hand to his chest. "I obviously can't speak for any of you, but with everything that's happened, and everything we've accomplished, I'd like to believe that we're a family now. All of us…" his eyes lingered on Tempest for just a moment. "We're not even at the halfway point yet, and the amount of trials are just going to be doubling from here on out, not to mention their intensity, but we've made it this far for a reason, and I think we can go all the way for that same reason. I hope you all feel the same."

Pikachu's cheeks jolted as the electric mouse sank to all fours with a grin. Beside him, Nebula patted the rodent's back with one wing, while raising the other with a determined smile. Valiant crossed his arms with a confident nod, Eevee's tail wagging beside him as Tyrunt giddily jumped up and down. Not too far away, Tempest's pincers began clicking madly, a sharp grin indicating a hunger that had yet to be quelled.

Ash's face nearly split into two at the sight. If they could go this far in just two months… then where would they be in four? Half a year? Just how far will they have gone in a full, entire year?

They were about to find out, because they weren't stopping here. Or at Saffron. Or at Vermillion or Fuschia.

Had Professor Oak lied to him? He didn't know. Did the kids in Pallet Town still think that he was a loser? Probably. Had Surge slaughtered them? Yes.

But did any of that really matter? Perhaps once, but… he couldn't afford to let it. And he no longer had any sort of inclination to. When he had first left Pallet Town, he had been using the words of other people to push him forward, and push him back. It had taken Professor Oak's encouragement to get him back on his feet after his first battle with Gary. It had taken Janine's encouragement to get him to reconcile with Pikachu. And how many times had Elacia told him that he was better than he thought he was, back in Pewter?

He had spent roughly half a decade allowing people like Gary and his friend's to be the judge of him and his capabilities. To the point where, even after bouncing back from his poor grades and passing the Indigo league Qualification Exam, he would still continue to deny his own potential at any slip up. Words of encouragement that most people would most likely see as standard procedure were like life support for him.

But he didn't need that anymore. The only encouragement he needed were the past two months that he and his new family had endured. From pulse pounding Gym battles to life-threatening terrorist encounters. The reminder that they were capable of making it through such things, the reminder that they had already earned three whole Gym badges, fair and square. That was what pushed him forward now. And this time, there wouldn't be anything around to push him, or any of his friends back.

If all of his peers back at home thought that he was a lost cause, some "worthless" person who's only use was to be cast aside as a cautionary tale of falling behind and not living up to expectations, then that was what they thought. He didn't need to prove them wrong any more than he needed to let their comments limit his view of himself. At this point, he had told himself that several times since first beating Brock. It was time he stopped reminding himself, and just did it.

He wasn't in Pallet Town anymore. And he'd only be getting further away as he and their family made their way eastward. No more clinging to encouragement from others as though it was the only strength he had to draw from. No more taking ridicule for fact, as though it was the final authority of where he would go. It was time to start fresh. For real, this time.

They wouldn't stop until they reached the finish line. And it was waiting for them at the Indigo Plateau.

His thumb shot upward as he raised his arm in front of his team. "Glad to hear it, everyone! We all feel the same way, then!" his eyes could be mistaken for a Charizard's tail. "Then let's keep on forging ahead, and show this boundless world what we have to offer it!"

The eruption of cheers was more uplifting than any reassurance or mockery could ever live up to.

/

Ash breathed in the refreshing, morning air as he walked through the automatic doors of the Pokemon Center and out into Celadon City. The heat of the sun was more noticeable now that it had been given the chance to rise, although the familiar morning breeze still made itself known as the early, urban commute presented itself at its high point in front of the young rookie trainer.

Pikachu had chosen to remain outside of his ball, perched contently on his trainer's shoulders as the young mouse smiled at the streets ahead. Beside Ash, Valiant had also chosen to remain outside, taking in a deep breath and trying to clear up the butterfree in his stomach as the trio prepared to leave the Pokemon Center behind for the day. A somewhat determined glint entered the Kirlia's eyes before he glanced up at his trainer.

Adjusting his cap, Ash took a moment to admire the scenery of the city before nodding to his teammates. "The address is at a place called Scissor Street, or Breeder's Lane, as it's been nicknamed. A bit of a walk from here, but we'll follow the signs."

Pikachu raised his tail in affirmation as Valiant crossed his arms for a moment while nodding. With nothing more to be said, the trio turned and headed westward. The sounds of passing vehicles and occasional honking horns dominated the collective silence between the three, before Ash eventually spoke up.

"We should probably leave in a couple of days." he announced as his eyes remained on the signs ahead. It felt as though, the larger the city, the more of a maze it was to navigate. "It won't take us long to reach Saffron from here. Sabrina should be back by then, or at least getting back soon." the mood in his eyes shifted. "After that, it'll be a matter of deciding whether to return to Vermilion, or head for Fuschia first. We're not going to have it easy either way."

It was something he had decided to put off thinking about until they had defeated Sabrina. Their victory over Erika had most certainly been uplifting following their collective humiliation at the hands of LT. Surge, but the fact remained that they couldn't remain away from Vermilion forever. In a technical sense, they absolutely could: they're were plenty of other Gyms in Indigo that could be challenged in Surge's place, and they could always take the Magnet Train from Saffron to Goldenrod and tackle Johto for the rest of their Gym Badges. Nothing was stopping them, and it certainly wasn't uncommon, but now that they had attempted the Gym, he didn't want them to turn away from it. It didn't feel right to have that kind of loose end.

But there was another Gym Leader who was equally known for their merciless track record, and that was Koga of Fuschia City. An expert in strategy and underhanded tactics, the poison type specialist was an alternative to Surge, in the event they decided they weren't ready for a rematch so soon, but it didn't make him any more of a comfortable or desirable opponent than the ruthless electric type specialist had been. Regardless of what choice they made, once they were finished with Sabrina, they would effectively have to pick their nonliteral poison, because neither of the succeeding two Gym challenges was going to be a pleasant experience for them.

But that was precisely why Ash was doing his best to push the impending decision to the back of his mind for a moment. Planning ahead was one thing (and most certainly important), but after being exposed to LT. Surge's prowess firsthand (not to mention knowing that Surge wasn't the only one who had such to offer), the young rookie worried about the risk of falling into overthinking territory. Eventually, he would have to make the choice between LT. Surge and Koga, and surely, he could very much regret either decision, but with all the obstacles laid out in front of him and his family, he was determined to take this journey one focused stride at a time, focusing on the hurdles as they came into view, and not continuously stress over two people he knew they weren't ready for.

And for now, their latest tasks would be reaching Saffron and facing off against Sabrina and her brilliant squad of psychics, and that itself was a challenge requiring their undivided attention. Just about any trainer who knew about Sabrina, knew of her high intelligence and cool-headed composure in just about any situation. If he distracted himself from the future and took his focus off of the task at hand, she'd make him pay for it tenfold.

But prepping for Sabrina would come when it was time to leave the city. For now, they'd enjoy their brief downtime following their battles with LT. Surge and Erika. It couldn't last too long, as Ash feared becoming too complacent to easily return to the road (which had arguably happened back in Pewter City), he certainly didn't want to take no breaks at all.

Pikachu and Valiant took in their trainer's words, nodding along to what he was saying, although Ash could tell that their focus was elsewhere. Pikachu's head was constantly in motion as his eyes absorbed the urban scenery that they passed by, whereas Valiant's gaze was straight ahead, seemingly deep in thought.

Ash grinned, tickling Pikachu under the chin for a moment (much to the mouse's pleasure) before he continued. "But we won't worry about any of that for now. I think we all deserve some time to ourselves, don't you?" seeing that they were in agreement, he allowed the comfortable silence to return, simply focusing on the walk ahead as the gentle breeze of the morning brushed their bodies.

/

Although it had always been apparent, Ash couldn't help but feel that he was having a much easier time taking note of the atmosphere of Celadon City this morning. Maybe it's because there was no current task at hand, allowing him to enjoy the surrounding environment as though it were some sort of vacation.

The sidewalk wasn't overly crowded, any passing pedestrians simply moving by them without issue. The occasional honking from the cars on the road wasn't frequent enough to be disruptive either. A few bird Pokemon flew overhead, some Pidgey perching themselves on power lines or balconies.

As always, the tall skyscrapers constantly surrounding them almost felt like some sort of ceiling, with the skyline serving as a reminder that there was always something above them. It was as though they encased all the other buildings that they surrounded, not to mention the people within the city itself.

Eventually, they reached the sign that they were looking for, stopping in front of it as Ash read aloud.

"Scissor Street." Ash gazed ahead as he spoke the name out loud. No skyscrapers in this particular section of the city, although the buildings were still quite tall, and the skyscrapers surrounding the area were still far from invisible. Valiant stiffened momentarily upon seeing the sign, before following after his trainer as Ash proceeded forward.

The young boy had removed Suzie's business card from his pocket, double-checking the address that they were looking for. "Judging by where we are now…" his eyes traveled between the various addresses that they were currently passing by. "Just a few more minutes of walking."

As Ash led Valiant down the sidewalk, Pikachu still perched on his shoulder, the boy took the time to examine the area surrounding them. As expected, Scissor Street reminded them why its nickname was what it was, with just about anything related to Breeding making itself known to the trio's eyes.

Shops that undoubtedly sold various care products and grooming tools, as well as recipe books for Pokemon food, and encyclopedias focused on biology and Egg Groups had a very clear presence on Breeder's Lane. As did the various salons in the area, ranging from general, jack of all trades, to specialties such as fashion or grooming, massages, or consultants.

This was the place that made Celadon's status in Indigo's breeding community what it was: It had all begun when a few high-profile Breeders of the time had coincidentally begun setting up shop in the area, as well as an extremely popular fashion salon. As the presence of these big names gradually began to draw more trainers towards that particular section of the city, more people in the community began to take note, quick to cash in on the obvious goldmine that was beginning to grow. Nowadays, salons could be found all over Celadon, ranging from groups of Breeders to individuals, as well as various different types of shops that were dedicated to the profession.

But the heart of it was all here: Scissor Street, the area where it had all started, with the reputation that had now affectionately nicknamed it Breeder's Lane. It was the place trainers came to to buy materials, consult help and advice in raising a specific Pokemon, buy Eggs that would hatch into a Pokemon or adopt a newly hatched Pokemon ( in either case, even being able to request specific criteria such as Egg moves or abilities if they had enough money), get their Pokemon groomed or massaged, and the list went on. Anyone who found success in a field as robust and versatile as Pokemon Breeding was set to flourish. And in Celadon, the booming market meant no shortage of momentum to go around.

From what Ash had known, Suzie had been operating within this area of the city ever since her career as a Pokemon Breeder had first taken off. Although many Breeders traveled outside of their respective territories to take on other clients, Suzie had done so progressively less as her time in Celadon City had continued. Nowadays, she was essentially integrated into the city's breeding culture, not only boasting a five star salon that offered just about anything a trainer could want from the breeding market, but various magazines highlighting her, always jumping at the chance to publish her latest articles, and nearly the entire community paying attention to her latest statements and philosophies, both about what it took to make it in the field, but also about what promoted Pokemon health the most, and how to establish the proper bond with them (the latter two being things that trainers would often latch onto as well). She also hosted a weekly lecture that was open to the public, and a website with no shortage of views. To say she was a celebrity amongst her peers and colleagues would be an understatement, and of course, being stationed in the same city as a Gym Leader ensured great, mutual business for both her and Erika.

In addition, she was known for her stunning record in beauty contests, from the dazzling glamor of the Pokemon that she entered (especially her Vulpix, which was just about as renowned as she herself was), to the collection of first place prizes that had been accumulated as a result.

Despite being a jack of all trades, however, her clear specialty was in care, and as a consultant. Massage, in particular, was an area that she found herself nearly unrivaled in, with more techniques than Ash could hope to count (and he likely didn't even know about all of her's). Her talent in culinary was also something of a legend, with her knowledge of Pokemon nutrition and cooking in general coming together perfectly. It seemed as though she was always coming up with new recipes, many of which she proudly shared with the community. And of course, her status as a made her lectures an ideal addition, with each week focusing on a variety of different topics that she would go impressively in-depth with, with a present audience of trainers, aspiring breeders, and the general community eagerly taking notes. Even as her work became more and more centered around Celadon, it hadn't decreased her popularity, instead just making her activity more focused and rhythmic. Local breeders weren't necessarily any less common than those that frequently traveled, and Suzie's versatility, passion, and unmatched creativity in her craft had cemented her as Indigo's top breeder, one who all in the field aspired to be.

And after just a few more minutes worth of walking, her salon, the heart of Breeder's lane, now stood proudly in front of the trio.

It was a multistory building, likely because the place was also her home (and home to whatever Pokemon she was currently in the midst of raising). Certainly not as tall as the skyscrapers, but among the taller buildings in the general area. Ash assumed that the breeder's living quarters were located above the first floor.

The boy stopped short of the automatic doors to read the sign beside the entrance, listing the various services Suzie had to offer. "Here we are." He looked between Pikachu and Valiant. The Kirlia tensed for a moment, before his muscles relaxed with a nod.

The exterior of the salon was fairly unsuspecting. Nothing overly flashy that would suggest it was run by Indigo's top Pokemon Breeder. To an outsider, it was just another shop, with nothing significant to make it stand out. The design overall carried a more humble feel than a few of the other salons and shops that the trio had passed by. And given the place's reputation, perhaps that was all it needed.

Looking behind him, Ash could see his psychic companion hadn't moved much further. There was an odd expression on the Kirlia's face. "Hey, Valiant, you okay back there?" Pikachu called out a bit for added measure.

Realizing Ash and Pikachu had noticed him, Valiant jolted out of his trance, shaking his head for a moment before shooting an apologetic expression at the two. "Yeah, sorry about that."

Ash scratched the back of his neck for a moment, a brief wave of concern passing over him before he nodded in response. Valiant had done this before, but had always brushed it aside fairly quickly. It was a bit frustrating, Ash had to admit, but the young rookie had never wanted to press too far. Momentarily satisfied with his friend's response, he turned back to the building.

Ash felt Butterfree in his stomach once more, before quickly pushing it back down. 'Relax, Ash.' he talked to himself. 'She may be the top breeder, but she's also Elacia's friend. There's no need to be intimidated.'

With that in mind, the boy took a step forward, only for the doors to open before he was in range.

"Thanks again, Suzie! See you at your next lecture!" a blond girl a few years older than him exited the salon with a Wartortle in tow. Almost bumping into him, she quickly apologized before moving to the side. Before the doors could start closing, Ash headed in with Valiant somewhat lagging behind.

Pikachu jumped off his trainer's shoulders as the doors closed behind them. With both his partners at either side, Ash took a moment to look around the room.

For the most part, the interior continued the exterior's element of not appearing overly flashy, although the overall top-tier nature of the salon felt far more apparent than before, for whatever reason. The entire room (which was fairly big) was clean enough to shine like a treasure. The chandelier that acted as the overhead light looked fairly expensive from first glance, as did the equipment that Ash was able to get a look of. It truly felt as though they were stepping into a top-of-the-line breeding salon.

Pikachu hummed as his gaze traveled around the room, while Valiant's trace of the place went by a lot more quickly. A voice directed their attention to the other end of the room.

"Morning! May I help you?"

At the end of the salon, a woman stood up with a brush in hand after tending to the Vulpix relaxing on a cushioned chair, and made her way to the group with a relaxed smile. Long, teal hair fell behind her shoulders as Ash's head turned in her direction. At his feet, Pikachu stopped to wave at her, while Valiant froze for a second.

Looking between Pikachu and Valiant for a moment, she stopped in front of the group, extending a hand for Ash to shake. "Welcome, the name's Suzie. Is there anything I can help you with today?"

Keeping his nerves down, Ash met the woman's brown eyes while accepting her hand. From the corner of his eye, he could see Valiant shifting to get a better look at the Vulpix far away, while Pikachu joined the Kirlia. "Hi, I'm… actually a friend of one of your colleagues." he took a moment to put together the sentence.

Suzie perked up at that, but didn't seem too surprised. Given the connections she likely had, this might not have been uncommon for her. "Oh?"

Deciding to speed things up by showing her, Ash dug through his pocket, before pulling out the business card with the Slurpuff. "Here." he handed it to her as the woman's features lit up.

A warm chuckle. "So you ran into Elacia? Makes sense. She's all over the place these days. No matter who asks her to sit still." as she returned the card, she asked. "So, what's your name?"

"Ash." The rookie returned the business card to his pocket. "Ash Ketchum." Her eyes went wide for more than a moment, prompting him to frown. "Something wrong?"

Her previously lax expression had formed into one of unreadable surprise as she took a step back. "Oh! I… I was told about you… by her." her eyes suddenly shifted down to pikachu and Valiant, the latter shuffling awkwardly before returning the breeder's gaze for a moment.

Ash perked up as Valiant shifted in his direction. This time, it seemed like he wanted to tell him something. "You sure everything's okay, Valiant?" This was the second time in a few minutes at most.

The look in Valiant's eyes was one of hesitance, suddenly breaking his gaze away from Ash and glancing around the room, as if trying to gather something. Finally, he turned to Pikachu, and began to speak verbally.

Ash was once again left wishing he could speak Pokemon language as a startled expression appeared on his starter's face. "...Pikachu?" he thankfully didn't need to wait too much longer, however, as the Kirlia turned again to face him. This time, the look in Valiant's eyes was a lot less awkward as he angled his head upward to meet his trainer's confused gaze.

"I… I was born here."

A wave of confusion passed over Ash for a moment as he attempted to process his friend's mentals words. "What do you mean you…" the statement began to sink in like a delayed reaction as he looked back at Suzie, suddenly noting the recognition in her eyes. "Wait, you mean, here? You were born here?" A nod.

Suzie interrupted the young rookie's growing confused (and startled) state. "So it really is you… Elacia seemed confident." her hand rested on Ash's shoulder. "Mr. Ketchum, you ran into Elacia at Pewter City, right? About a week into the Season?"

He nodded affirmatively. "Yeah… that's right." He looked back at Pikachu and Valiant. "So you mean…"

The sigh she let out conveyed relief, as if a pile of bricks had just been lifted from her shoulders, but the look in her eyes was apologetic. "You must be so confused, given that she beat around the bush." she worked up a smile. "Here, let's go to the back, and I can explain."

/

"So, is Valiant saying that you raised him?"

The group was seated at the other end of the room, Suzie inviting Ash to sit in a nearby chair as Vulpix hopped onto her lap. The fox offered Valiant a friendly bark as the teal-haired woman gently caressed her fur, Pikachu joining the psychic's side as the two Pokemon sat atop a nearby counter.

The fairly quick trip to the back of the room had given Ash the seconds he needed to fully process what his friend was saying. Back when he had first encountered the young psychic as a Ralts, he had wondered what a member of his species had been doing in a forest of all places. It was something that he hadn't had any explanation before, and he recalled the young Ralts' moveset being a tad more advanced than expected, albeit not by much.

'Celadon is just east of Viridian Forest…' Ash racked his brain as he took his seat a few feet away from Suzie. But then how did…

"Not entirely." Suzie admitted. "You've had him longer than I did. But yes, I am the one who hatched him."

Ash almost mentally slapped himself as realization suddenly lit up in his eyes. "That's why Elacia wanted me to meet you, wasn't it?"

"I'd imagine." the teal-haired breeder nodded. "That's what she told me, anyway. Back when she was still staying in Pewter, she called me and told me about you and him. Said you'll be here eventually." she sighed. "I'm… sorry she didn't explain anything to you. I presume she wanted you to hear it from me, but… This is a lot to take in, isn't it?"

Ash raised his hands for a moment. "It's not your fault… or hers, don't worry." his eyes lingered to Valiant and Pikachu for a moment, before returning to her. "So, you hatched him? He was in Viridian Forest when we found him."

"You're right, I know it's confusing." Suzie's hand left Vulpix's head as her posture began to straighten out. Just before she spoke, her head suddenly turned to Valiant, before looking back to Ash. "Kirlia-Valiant." She quickly corrected herself. "He says you saved him from a group of Bug Catchers?"

'He must've talked to her mentally.' Ash reminded himself. At the current moment, Valiant was only capable of speaking to one person at a time when using his psychic abilities. "That's what happened, yeah. He was caught in one of their traps, and they were going to take him away." he scratched at the back of his neck. It was a memory that came natural to him. "We walked in on that. One of their members challenged us to a battle to decide who gets him, and we won."

Thinking back to their weird feud with the Bug Catcher gang brought back a lot of unpleasant memories of Viridian Forest, but there were two moments that would always eclipse that displeasure: Nebula and Valiant. He knew Pikachu agreed.

She nodded in acknowledgement. "Like I said, I'll explain everything. From the beginning." Her eyes met with Ash's. "Your friend was initially one of the Pokemon that I bred here, at the salon. He hatched alongside a few other Pokemon that were meant to be handed off to trainers. Due to my connections, I was able to get a hold of a few foreign Pokemon, to have some exotic species to hand out for the next Season, being this one." her hand brushed Vulpix's head for another moment. "Two of those Pokemon were a Gardevoir and a Dusknoir." she nodded over in Valiant's direction. "His parents."

Ash's eyes lit up. "Dusknoir! So that's how he knows Shadow Sneak…"

Nodding, Suzie chuckled kindheartedly. "Yes, it's fairly rare for a Ralts. Unless it's with another one of their typing, Ghost Type Pokemon are some of the most unlikely to mate outside their species. They rarely ever breed with another Pokemon that's not another Ghost." she nodded at the boy. "Anyway, the Pokemon that hatched were intended for business purposes, and they ended up going out early. Not directly to trainers, but to the local lab here that gives away starters. Us breeders often pitch in with that, naturally, but the Ralts," she nodded at Valiant. "Didn't seem like he wanted to leave. He found this place rather comfortable, and preferred it to exploring the outside world. So, I decided to make a rare exception and allowed him to stay, just until he decided he was ready to head off. So I had him longer than usual, long enough for him to feel like family." she sighed. "But unfortunately, that all ended pretty abruptly."

Ash frowned at her expression. "Is this about how he ended up in the forest…?"

A look of shame spread across her features as she sullenly frowned back. "I'm… afraid so…" looking down a bit, she gently began rubbing her arm. "I know this is all going to sound really sudden, but… before the current Season started, a couple of… Rockets broke into this place overnight."

Horror passed across Ash and Pikachu's now pale faces as Suzie's eyes gave off the impression of reliving a horrendous memory.

"Most likely, they were planning to steal the Pokemon I was keeping here. My partner Vulpix was currently being cared for at the Pokemon Center due to illness at the time." she nodded down at the fox. "And the rest of the Pokemon I was planning to hand out had already been sent to where they needed to go. In other words…"

"He was the only one here." Ash glanced sideways at Valiant for a moment before returning his gaze over to Suzie. "So… they took him."

Suzie nodded, her expression growing even more sullen as her hands tightened into fists. At the confirmation, Ash could feel a somewhat similar emotion building up inside of him.

'Team Rocket… just waltzed into here and kidnapped a baby…'

"I slept through the whole thing. I don't even know how they managed to come in, but…" she looked back up at Ash, meeting his eyes once again. There was clear guilt and shame in her gaze. "When they made their escape, they accidentally triggered the alarm system. The police were on their tails on the way out. They managed to lose them, however, and were forced to hide out in Viridian Forest."

Ash's face scrunched. "No way they'd be found there."

"Yes…" she shook her head. "Obviously, Erika couldn't afford to expend the resources necessary to search the whole forest. I tried looking myself a couple of times, but had no way of knowing where to start, and there's always dangers to being in there. I feared the worst when the pair of Rockets that performed the abduction were found dead just outside the forest."

Face somewhat pale, Ash turned to Valiant. "Do you… know what killed them?" His expression turned apologetic as Valiant's head lowered to the floor, although Pikachu earned a small smile from the young Kirlia when the mouse patted him on the shoulder.

Suzie's fists tightened again. "I was caught off guard by the whole incident. Nobody's ever broken in here before, and I was convinced that I'd invested enough in our security system. Clearly, I was wrong. I didn't know what to do. It ate at me for a while." She looked up to meet Ash's sympathetic expression with a small smile. "But eventually… I got that call from Elacia, where she told me about you. At first she seemed to think the whole thing was a coincidence, but she seemed more and more convinced as time went on."

Ash's cheeks flushed. "Ralts aren't commonly found in the forest, after all. Still, I had no idea…" again turned to Valiant, who looked between the two for a moment before nodding at Ash with a smile. All this time, the young psychic had technically belonged to someone else. It almost made him feel guilty, albeit only for a split second as he remembered the true circumstances behind their meeting. They certainly hadn't stolen him, after all. It was all just a crazy coincidence.

'So this is why Elacia wanted me to come here. She was the first to realize.' All of a sudden, Ash found himself making yet another addition to the list of debts he owed the red-haired Pokemon Breeder.

A bit hard to fathom, hearing about it all at once, but yet, it explained everything. The presence of a Ralts in a forest of all places, rather than in an urban area. And one with a move like Shadow Sneak, no less. Viridian Forest was often most closely associated with Viridian City and Pewter City, due to being what directly connects the two together, but that also meant it was easy to sometimes overlook its relatively close proximity to Celadon.

'He's been through a lot.' the young boy realized with a frown. Kidnapped overnight, left to fend for himself in a scary forest after his abductors were apparently killed, and after probably spending his whole time within the comforts of this very salon. And then, right before they had met, he was nearly captured by those obnoxious Bug Catchers… 'Is this why he was so dedicated to being helpful? I knew we saved him, but I didn't realize the full story…' he turned to Suzie. 'Who knows how this must have affected her? She must have been so guilty, even if it's obviously not her fault.' She was certainly keeping it together, but even that was likely out of resignation. It would've been one thing if Valiant was lost somewhere in the city itself, but Viridian Forest? Just as difficult to track down, and far more dangerous. And now, she was probably just relieved.

Vulpix leapt off of Suzie's lap as she rose to her feet, making her way to the counter and petting Valiant's head. As if out of nostalgia, the Kirlia closed his eyes and smiled. "You've already grown quite a bit, it goes without saying. I'm sorry I couldn't look after you, but you seem to have been doing fine. The circumstances shouldn't have been forced on you. but now that it's all settled, I'm glad you found a trainer." A warm grin adorned her features as she turned to Ash, extending a hand as the young rookie stood up from his chair. "And importantly, thank you Ash. You might've saved his life. I'm glad he has someone to look after him."

Ash blushed for a moment, before turning to Valiant again.

Their encounter had been entirely by accident. He and Pikachu had just followed the sound of a scream in the forest, which had led to them finding a single Ralts strung up by one of the Bug Catcher traps. No indication on how Valiant had first gotten there, or that he had originally belonged to a famous Pokemon Breeder in Celadon City.

That one choice to follow the scream, however, had been a gift that kept on giving. It was Valiant who had helped Eevee acclimate, not to mention saved her life back at Mt. Moon. He was also the one who had helped raise Tyrunt, and since he was an egg no less. And on top of all of that, he had fought tooth and nail during every battle that he had been a part of, and had contributed to all three of the Gym badges that the team now held, to say nothing about his incredible performance yesterday. His strategic prowess was ahead of what would normally be expected from a Pokemon of his level, and that ability to operate without input had saved them multiple times over. And while training for those Gym battles, he had always been so devoted and focused, ever since Ash had spotted that determined glint in his eyes while beginning their preparations against Brock. And above all, he had always done his best to act as a moral compass within the team, and was one of the best friends any trainer could ask for.

Really thinking about it, Ash wasn't entirely sure where they'd be without the Kirlia. Valiant was loyal, tactical, devoted, and compassionate. He contributed to the team's success on such fundamental levels, and it had all started with a Bug Catcher trap…

Valiant returned Ash's grin as the boy turned back to Suzie and shook her hand. "The pleasure's all ours. My friends are the best, and Valiant's no exception. Right, Pikachu?" His grin widened at the electric type's happy response.

Suzie seemed satisfied with that, her smile maintaining as their hands separated.

A few seconds later, however, the moment was cut short as the door nearby opened. Everyone's head turned towards its direction, although Suzie didn't seem surprised.

Stepping into the room was a purple-haired girl with a spiky ponytail, accompanied by an Ivysaur. "Thanks again, Suzie. I just finished reading those documents you had me print out, and I can already tell it's going to be really help-" Pausing in place, she trailed off as she took note of the current scene, cheeks mildly flushing. "Oh, sorry." her gaze lingered towards Ash. "I didn't realize I was interrupting… something." her eyes somewhat narrowed as they landed on him, not in a suspicious manner, but somewhat analytical, almost as if she was trying to process something.

Ash blinked at the sight of the girl. She definitely seemed familiar, and was about his age…

He perked up. "Wait… Janine?"

Janine and Ivysaur perked up in return. "Hey! I thought you looked familiar! Hold on…" her hand rested against her chin for a second or two before her mouth spread into a grin. "Yeah! You're the boy I met on Opening Day! It's… Ash, right?"

A new memory suddenly came flooding back. His horrendous first day as a trainer, which had culminated in Pichu being injured due to his negligent incompetence. He had been in the lowest experience imaginable when arriving at Viridian City's Pokemon Center that night, when that girl from Fuschia had approached him and tried to give him some free advice. After that, she had held off those two Rocket grunts when they had tried to raid the Center, while he and Pichu made up and dealt with their Meowth together.

He remembered that night all too well, for better and for worse. At the very least, she was one of the better aspects of that memory.

He nodded with a smile. "Yeah, that's me." Hopping to the floor, Pikachu greeted Ivysaur with a raised paw (returned with a briefly raised vine) as Valiant looked on.

With a lax smile, Janine approached the boy. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" she extended an arm in offer. "Hope your journey's been treating you well, Ash."

Happily accepting the offer, Ash simply nodded back at her as the two shook. "Same to you. Nice to see you again."

Suzie chuckled at the exchange. "So, I take it you know my new client?"

"Sort of." Ash responded as the two rookies turned to her. "We met at Viridian City's Pokemon Center the night it was attacked. We haven't seen each other since."

"This world's getting smaller and smaller." Ash couldn't stop himself from chuckling at Valiant's lighthearted quip.

"Suzie's been helping me with a teammate of mine." Janine nodded over to Ash. "So I've been stopping by in the morning. Didn't expect to run into someone familiar, did we, Ivysaur?" she looked down to her starter, who shook his head with a small smile before nodding to Pikachu and Valiant as they approached him.

Suzie pressed her hands against her hips. "Well, if you give me a moment, we can take a break for a bit. Just need to put a sign out in the front.

/

Ash relaxed into the sofa cushion as Pikachu and Valiant sat down on the table in front of him. Not too far from him, Janine sat at the other end of the sofa, Ivysaur perched on the floor next to her. Suzie, who was seated in the cushioned chair on the other end of the table, had offered both rookies a drink which they accepted, Ash sipping from a cup of a grape juice, and Janine with fruit punch. Pikachu and Valiant shared a bowl of treats together, although they didn't eat much due to still being fairly full from breakfast.

The group had made their way into the backroom that Janine and Ivysaur had first come from. The floor was carpeted and soft, with a computer and coffee machine set up at the end of the room by a closed window. The room simultaneously felt like both a home and an office.

Janine glanced over at Ash as Suzie sipped from her coffee mug. "So your Kirlia grew up here initially? I imagine that took you by surprise."

"I won't deny that." Ash replied, looking between her and Suzie. "So, what about you two? You said Suzie was helping you with one of your teammates?"

Suzie spoke up as the purple-haired girl nodded. "Janine recently caught a Pokemon that Indigo's database has very limited information on. Since she wasn't completely sure what approach to take to raise it, she decided to come here and consult me. I have access to more research resources, so we've been reading up on it together to build a long-term plan for her to work off of. Things have been going pretty good so far."

Janine smiled at Ash's eagerly curious expression. "It's a Galarian species called Toxtricity. Evolved from a Pokemon called Toxel that I caught a few weeks ago. Heard of them?"

As racked his brain for a few moments before shaking his head.

She offered him an understanding nod. "I can't blame you for that. I barely even knew of it before myself, and Toxel were a species I hadn't even heard of before I caught it, so I didn't even know they were connected." she sipped her drink. "Anyway, Toxtricity are an Electric/Poison Type species that come in two forms called "Amped" and "Low Key". Mine is an "Amped" version." her cheeks reddened. "I didn't even know much about his potential moveset, so I was playing it really safe before coming here, teaching him techniques that felt like a sure thing for him to grasp. It was limiting for him." she shook off the embarrassment. "But that's behind us, now. I have most of what I need in terms of information, so now, I can finally be the trainer he deserves." Her tone of voice was admirably determined. Not even in an over the top manner, but carrying herself in a matter-of-fact, assertive way. "I'd show him to you, but I had him practicing outside while I did some reading on his kind's inner workings, so he's resting for a bit."

Suzie smiled at the girl. "Yeah, you've certainly had a work ethic, alright. I've had plenty of clients who needed help studying a specific Pokemon, but you've seemed eager to learn, not just pragmatically."

The young girl's eyes lit up. "The academic side of training is too important to overlook." She took a brief pause while momentarily reaching down to pat Ivysaur's bud, which grew on his back in the same place where a Bulbasaur's bulb had once been. "I need to soak up as much as possible, especially since he's a poison type." she turned her head over to Ash. "I'm a specialist."

Ash blinked. "You mean… already?" It wasn't uncommon for high-level trainers to specialize in a certain typing or group of typings (in fact, in certain circles, jacks of all trades were the one considered fairly uncommon), but the majority of trainers most often started out with a variety approach, and gradually condensed themselves as time went on. Masters like Karen and Lorelei, as he knew, had done so. Usually it depended on which particular typing (or, on other occasions, multiple typings) a trainer ended up excelling at the most, with their respective careers progressively becoming more and more centered on that particular strong point.

"It's a bit of a tradition. I was obviously prepped for training in general, but my own education was particularly geared towards the poison typing. All six members of my team share it."

Ash had a hard time hiding his surprise. Misty had been a later specialist herself, but instead of exclusively using the typing, she had simply showed favoritism towards it. Although high-skilled trainers utilizing only a single typing (or even just a few) usually wasn't considered to be much of a risk, due to usually being able to adapt the team to their natural weaknesses as the trainer's mastery of the typing grew, younger, more inexperienced trainers had no such benefit to this. In fact, in some cases, type specialization among experienced trainers (particularly Masters) was even considered a benefit superior to that of generalization (a frequently debated topic), whereas a rookie (and often, even second-year) attempting type specialization was often considered a crippling approach, as the team's weaknesses would be far more exploitable when their trainer hadn't been in the field long enough to develop fully fleshed-out counters and contingencies for them.

He doubted Janine was unaware of this, however. He hadn't known her very long, but she seemed far from ignorant, and Suzie had already pointed out the girl's studious nature. Yet she seemed fully confident in herself, and not even in an arrogant manner.

"Aren't you worried about the limitations?" he decided to simply ask her. "Type specialization puts you at a disadvantage against a lot of opponents this early on in your career."

"A hurdle I'll have to overcome in time." she didn't even shrug. "It'll give me and my comrades more time to develop counters and backup plans if we begin working on them from the start, So I figured there was no point in waiting. Plus, we'll get to have a lot of early examples of how the shortcomings of the typing can come back to bite us first hand, which is necessary to adapt. The longer we take to commit, the later it will be when we're finally ready to see the fruits of our labor. Lose ten battles today, win a hundred tomorrow."

Her expression had barely changed, and that was probably what impressed Ash the most. This girl genuinely believed in what she was saying, and had clearly thought things through before taking such an unorthodox approach. And her reasoning was very… he almost kicked himself for not thinking of it before.

Now that he thought about it… this vibe he was picking up from her wasn't all too different from back when they had first met on that one night. Just with an added two months worth of hands-on experience to back up her clearly well-founded confidence and posture.

"Oh…" he stuttered, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to pry."

She seemed unoffended. "I know you weren't. It's fairly unusual, but I needed to start thinking in the long-term as soon as possible. My father and aunt both did that and found success."

"Especially your father." Suzie muttered quietly with her coffee mug to her lips. Placing her beverage down, she spoke up. "You're right about that. There's a reason why certain approaches to training are popular, usually because they're proven to work, but that doesn't mean they are the only options that you have. Pokemon training is one of the most versatile career choices somebody could have, you shouldn't limit your methods to the crowd. Every popular trend starts somewhere; what's labeled "unorthodox" today could be the next commonplace decision next year." She looked between the two kids. "Your field is constantly evolving, and probably won't stop as long as it continues to exist. If you want to evolve with it, then you should push that progress by going ahead of your peers, rather than following after. Be the trainer that sets the next big example."

Ash blinked at her words, his feet suddenly becoming somewhat interesting. Setting trends for everyone else to follow, while reinventing the wheel. That was something for the best trainers in the world to do. People who had mastered the wheel and utilizing that mastery to reinvent it. As a rookie, he had naturally tried to get his foot in the door by utilizing what he already knew. Like almost any first-timer, he was something of a follower.

"Any Pokemon, huh? That kind of mindset is the same trap most rookies fall into. It's why so many people in the field look down on newcomers like us."

Paul's words came flooding back to him. Their first ever exchange, and all Ash could focus on back then was how much he disagreed with the other rookie's philosophy. But had he really taken the time to understand why Paul felt the need to push such thinking? Paul had hardly been nice that day, but by making things personal, Ash hadn't separated the personality from the motive.

'The same trap most rookies fall into…' Ash replayed the thought in his mind. 'Lose ten battles today, win a hundred tomorrow…' he had been so focused on passing the Exam, trying to get better grades, and tackling whatever challenge he knew he had to face. His manner of planning ahead had been limited to however he approached his travels. Which, as he now realized, was overthinking it. What he hadn't applied that to, which was far more worth it, was his mindset. His strategy. His approach to training, and the kind of trainer that he wanted to be.

'Janine and Paul both had a cohesive plan from the start. The two of them haven't been thinking like rookies.' his head briefly turned towards the purple-haired girl. 'Gary had the knowledge. They had the foresight. All of them had left home with something that drove them ahead of the pack from the start, while I was busy in the back, playing pinball with my self-esteem.'

Looking forward at the table, a smile crept its way across his lips. To realize how behind he was… that used to be so demotivating. But that was part of the problem, was it not? Now, he felt like he reached some form of clarity… a relief. Satisfaction from the realization of where to improve.

"You look like something's on your mind, Ash." his smile didn't drop as he turned back to Janine.

"I was just thinking about what she just said." he replied cheerfully. He looked back to Suzie. "Thanks for that."

Suzie's grin carried a maternal warmth. "A breeder's job is to care for Pokemon and promote their upbringing, but by extension, that also makes us companions to trainers like you. Your careers deserve the same nourishment."

"You really do remind me of Elacia, when you say that."

She giggled. "To some extent, I think her past as a trainer and affinity for breeding is what made her the perfect person for the job."

He wouldn't argue with that. In the short time he'd known her, Elacia was probably the most helpful figure he'd met on his travels thus far. For the state of mind he had been in, it retroactively felt like she was just what he needed. She'd listen to him talk, gave him the responding guidance when she had never been obligated to, had pointed out a major hole in his training regime that surely would have cost him against Brock had the oversight not been corrected with haste, and had provided him with a golden opportunity in the form of an egg. An egg that had hatched into one of his best friends.

'She even saved our lives.' Ash recalled the encounter with Butch and Cassidy, but did not voice it.

"By the way, Ash." Suzie spoke up again. "She told me she sold you an egg as well."

Ash nodded back at that. "Yeah, 'sold' might not be the best word for it. I kind of have to pay her off."

Janine crossed her arms in understanding. "That's no surprise. Eggs are expensive. I don't think any breeder would expect you to have the money so early on."

"The ones who aren't greedy, anyway." Suzie added on. "But those breeders who are only in it for the money rarely have the mindsets it takes to excel in the field anyway. Patients have always been a part of the game around here." she tilted her head. "So, what was the price?"

"Seven...thousand." Ash stuttered out the answer. Certainly not a price he was used to.

Suzie didn't seem too surprised (she probably already knew what kind of an egg that it was), but Janine responded with a mild gasp.

"That's a bit much even for an egg. If you don't mind, what species did it hatch into?"

Ash grinned a bit. "A Tyrunt."

Her eyes widened. "No wonder…"

Suzie laughed. "Betcha that was quite the surprise for you, too, right Ash?"

His face reddened. "You can say that again. Especially after I read the packet she gave me. They're certainly not the easiest creatures to raise, even if it ultimately pays off in spades later down the line."

She nodded along to him. "I'd say, she did it on purpose. She mentioned to me that she was hoping you'd challenge yourself, and I'll bet that was her way of doing it. Have there been any problems?"

A flashback to the night with Tempest played through his mind, but he pushed it aside as quickly as he could. "A-a little, I'll freely admit." he could see Valiant's frown. "But not since an… incident that took place. I don't think we're out of the woods, given the natural instincts that his species has, but it feels like we're over the hump. We did what we could to nurture him and promote a smoother upbringing that would hopefully minimize the… temperamental problems. Right?" he looked over to pikachu and Valiant, both of whom nodded rather confidently at his statement.

"Good." Suzie seemed satisfied. "That's the most you can do." finishing up her beverage, she set her coffee mug down. "Would it be alright if I saw him?"

Ash rose to his feet. "Sure! Hold on…" a moment later, Tyrunt appeared on the table.

Janine stood up as Tyrunt took in his surroundings, and exchanged greetings with Pikachu and Valiant. "Wow…! I've never seen one before!" pulling out a purple Pokedex, she turned to Ash politely. "May I?"

Ash shrugged nonchalantly. "Of course."

Flashing him a grateful grin Janine held the device out in front of Tyrunt, who stood still with an innocent expression upon realizing what she was doing. The purple Pokedex scanned him and played the recording, which Ash had already heard before when he had first scanned the young royal heir Pokemon after his hatching.

The poison type specialist lowered her device before returning it to her pocket, a satisfied expression adorning her features. "You were right about it paying off, Ash. He'll be dangerous when he grows up." she flashed the young dinosaur a reassuring grin after noticing his look of mild confusion. "In a good way, of course!" He smiled at that.

"Tyrantrum are about as top-of-the-line as you'd expect from a fully evolved dragon, Suzie confirmed back as she knelt down to meet the dinosaur's gaze. "Hello, little one." Tyurunt's smile widened as she reached out to gently pat his scales. At her request, he turned to the side a bit as the breeder examined him.

"He definitely saved us when we battled Erika yesterday." Ash spoke up after he and Janine watched the exchange for a few moments. He turned to her. "How many badges do you have, by the way?" he had a feeling that he already knew the answer.

The girl held up her fingers. "Three so far. From Pewter, Cerulean, and here. You?"

"Same." his smile widened. "Where are you going next?"

"Saffron. I'll be visiting my father at Fuschia eventually, although I'm not fully decided on which path to take there yet. Either way, Sabrina will be my next stop."

"I'll be challenging her too." Ash nodded. "Still undecided between Vermilion and Fuschia. I'm trying not to prioritize those for now."

Her lax grin spread across her features as she turned to face him in full. "It's nice to see you doing so well after that night."

His cheeks flushed. Right… she hadn't exactly seen a very promising side of him. "Yeah… things really didn't go my way starting out." he briefly turned to his Suzie and his team. "But that's all in the past. Pikachu and I worked things out. And I'm hoping to sort things between my newest teammate and the others as soon as possible."

Actions spoke louder than words, after all. He had promised Pikachu a fresh slate after Team Rocket had been driven off back in Viridian. Somewhere down the line, he had earned the mouse's confidence, a reassurance that he had failed to provide him with in their less than pleasing first interactions.

Her smile remained. "Can you believe it's officially been two months?"

Looking at her now made the thought even more surreal. Up until now, he had only known Janine for that one day alone. It was the only memory he associated her with. He couldn't talk to her without realizing how long it had been since the last time. A technically large amount of time had flown by, but was filled with so many events that made the elapsed time feel quite humongous.

"It's a bit of a scary thought," he admitted. "But I'm glad we have something to show for it."

"Agreed."

Their heads turned as Suzie approached the two of them. "Your Tyrunt seems to be in relatively good shape for now." she gestured over to the dinosaur, who was currently being offered a few treats by Pikachu and Valiant. "His scales are healthy. As are his teeth for his age. You've been following Elacia's instructions." she looked at Janine. "You said you finished reading the documents. Are you good for today? You're welcome to stay and hangout."

The girl nodded gratefully. "Thanks. I don't have much else to do today, since I'm getting ready to leave the city soon."

Ash eyed the girl carefully, a tempting thought beginning to creep into his head.

He didn't have much on his agenda either... And neither did his team…

He could feel Pikachu and Valiant's eyes gazing at him from the side. It seemed they were starting to pick up on it…

"Hey Janine." she turned to him with a neutral, albeit inviting expression.

"Yes?"

Adjusting his cap for a moment, he found his way to her eyes. "I was wondering if you wanted to battle."

Her pupils seemed to light up as Ivysaur affirmatively gurgled beside her. With her grin becoming somewhat more fierce, her hand found its way to her belt. "I certainly won't say no."

Suzie spoke up as a satisfied smile spread across Ash's features. "I have a battlefield in the back. Barriers in everything. Some clients use it for practice, so you two are welcome." The two rookies nodded in thanks.

/

Suzie's outdoor battlefield felt nearly identical to those found at a Pokemon Center. Seemed to be the same size and length, with the same kind of pavement as well. The surrounding buildings served as a backdrop, particularly the skyscrapers outlining the area of the city.

Suzie had taken a seat on the bench to the side of the arena, with Vulpix and Tyrunt joining her as she wished Ash and Janine luck.

Ivysaur seemed to be exchanging some words with Pikachu and Valiant at their respective trainer's feet while the two rookies both turned to each other.

"So…" Janine's cheerful mood had vanished, giving way to prepared formality, although a mild eagerness managed to seep through her eyes. "You issued the challenge, Ash, so how many Pokemon?"

Ash combed his thoughts for a moment. They both had six Pokemon, although he wasn't looking for a match too serious. Nothing held back, of course, but the nature of the challenge was primarily meant to be casual. Friendly. No personal stakes. Still, he also wasn't looking for something as limited as a one-on-one fight.

"How about…" his foot tapped against the ground. "Three-on-three?"

A nod. "That sounds good. I look forward to seeing your capabilities."

He blinked at that. It seemed she wasn't the most casual when it comes to battling. Brushing that aside, however, he grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "Alright! You two ready?" Pikachu and Valiant both nodded as he glanced down at them.

As both groups separated, Janine and Ivysaur took their place on the far side of the battlefield as Ash, Pikachu, and Valiant arrived at their spot and turned to face them.

Janine's posture was confident, straightened, bold. She gazed across the arena with crossed arms, purple eyes meeting Ash's own as Ivysaur stood beside her, wearing the same expression of assertiveness.

A rush of excitement found its way to his chest as he locked eyes with her. 'Something about the way she carries herself is…' The vibe she gave off only heightened his anticipation. It almost reminded him of how Misty's fiery passion felt. Janine's general coolheadedness was obviously a lot different, but it had a similar effect, nonetheless. The competent glint she promoted gave him a surge.

His brow furrowed. He knew she was going to be good. Much like Misty, Gary, and Paul, she was going through her career at the same exact pace that he was. And unlike himself, she seemed to have everything all together from the very start…

His hand clenched a Poke Ball on his belt, before loosening up a few moments later as his eyes directed themselves to Pikachu, who stood evenly by his side, arms crossed for a moment before sinking onto all fours, cheeks beginning to lightly spark. "Pikachu, wanna go first?" His starter grinned, prompting one from Ash in return. Standing at the young boy's other side, Valiant confidently nodded in encouragement at Pikachu just before the mouse sprang out onto the battlefield.

"Alright Ivysaur," Janine knelt down to place a hand on her own starter's head. "I'd like you to kick things off." Ivysaur took just enough time to lightly lick her hand before positioning himself in front of his trainer, locking eyes with Pikachu as the grass/poison type's knees began to bend.

Ash eyed Janine's partner carefully. The Bulbasaur line was casually known for being the easiest to raise among the three traditional Kanto Region starters (at least, it was the popular opinion among most researchers and breeders alike), but they were hardly any lesser for it. They were known to excel in trapping tactics amongst high-level competition, alongside their talent in inflicting different types of status conditions or energy drains to cripple their opponent. And of course, there was also their respective usage of the move Vine Whip, a move so closely associated with the species you'd be forgiven to forget anybody else could learn it.

Of course, they were certainly powerful on top of that, but if Blastoise had gotten their reputation for defensive prowess (as Gary's constant gushing had long since made him more than well aware of), and Charizard for their offensive prowess, Venusaur and the line that they came from were known for their tactical potential. The seemingly endless opportunities for combos are their various, crippling tactics stacked on top of their opponents. Perfect for wearing foes down in a battle of attrition.

'Keep a lookout for those vines, Pikachu." Ash spoke up as Janine began offering advice to Ivysaur. "You know they'll be using them, after all. And try not to stand still too long; they'll capitalize on any momentum that we lose." Satisfied with Pikachu's affirmative nod, Ash locked eyes with Janine one more time, an exchange of nods signaling that both combatants were ready.

"Iron Tail!"

"Body Slam!"

Pikachu kicked off the ground, Quick Attack carrying him across the arena as his tail turned to metal. As he advanced, two vines sprouted from around the bud on his back, pressing against the ground as the grass/poison type sprang forward. Almost like a slingshot, his body rocketed ahead as he shifted himself, his upper-side angled in front for the upcoming collision.

Pikachu's approach was rapid, and Ivysaur's own offense was occurring at a speed that the young mouse hadn't quite accounted for. Before he could swing his tail, he had already collided with his opponent headfirst. Although Ivysaur let out a somewhat pained grunt from Pikachu's Quick Attack, the grass/poison type's bulk overpowered the electric type's momentum, sending Pikachu rolling away with a painful series of bounces. Ash's starter clutched his head as he stopped in a sitting position.

Janine's voice was stoic despite the high volume. "Anesthesia Blast!"

As Pikachu began to pick himself up (remembering Ash's orders to never stay in the same place for too long), Ivysaur bent his body forward for his now opening bud to directly face the young mouse. The moment the bud opened, an onslaught of glowing seeds rocketed outward, coated in a shiny, white powder.

Scrambling onto all fours, Pikachu dashed to the side as the Bullet Seed struck the barriers in front of Ash and Valiant, while the trainer cupped his hands.

"Double Team, one copy!" He didn't want to risk pushing Double Team or Agility too early, as tiring Pikachu out too quickly would make it all the more easy for Janine and Ivysaur to capitalize on his condition and subdue him. Nevertheless, they couldn't pull all of their punches, as being too conservative would cost them by leaving him vulnerable anyway.

A clone of Pikachu emerged from the mouse's running body and broke off in a separate direction. The two angled themselves to approach Ivysaur from separate angles, but Janine was unfazed.

"Ailment Mix!"

Looking between his two targets for just a second, Ivysaur bent his knees as both pikachu began to approach him. As his bud opened once more, a cloud of powder erupted outwards. A mixture of white and bright purple.

Sleep Powder and Poison Powder… at the same time. Sleep Powder could come in either white or light blue colorations, but there was no mistaking Poison Powder. If Pikachu breathed that combo in, he'd be subjected to debilitating toxins and fatigue all at once.

Pikachu had thankfully picked up on the dangers, however; halting his forward momentum and throwing himself into a backwards jump even as he allowed his clone to fizzle away.

Ash watched Pikachu land on his tail, which he propped himself on while positioning himself in front of the trainer and Valiant. Keeping another eye on Ivysaur, the powder was descending onto the arena floor.

"Thunderbolt!"

Pushing himself off the ground, Pikachu curled up into a ball and let out a battlecry as the bolt of lightning exited his tail. Ivysaur, not taking his eyes off the mouse, dodged with a sideways leap before breaking off into a run, slowly curving to face Pikachu for an advance as his powerful legs carried him forward.

Pikachu was rushing forward the moment his lightning attack ceased and he landed on the ground. Once more, his tail became coated in metal as he slipped into Quick Attack.

Pikachu was much faster than Ivysaur, but the grass/poison type still saw him coming the moment he began his advance. Angling himself to face the approaching mouse in full, he took aim as a vine extended from the side of his bud, and quickly lashed out at Ash's starter just as the electric type was closing in.

With his momentum unable to be fully halted, Pikachu leapt to the side, his trajectory interrupted as the vine retracted back into Ivysaur's bud. The seed Pokemon ceased his dashing, turning around even as he slid across the arena floor and past the mouse.

"Venom Leaf!"

The bud on his back opened once again, a barrage of sharp, bladed leaves flying out towards Pikachu. Each leaf was coated with a familiar, bright-purple powder. Pikachu tried to change direction once more, having just resumed his run, but a few of the leaves connected with his side. As small, burning cuts formed, Pikachu blinked back tears as he nearly lost his balance, just in time for a second vine to lash out and wrap around his tail.

"Pikachu!" Ash called out to his starter as Ivysaur dragged him across the arena. "Fight back!"

Sliding on his back, Pikachu turned himself over and attempted to dash in the opposite direction, slipping into Quick Attack while Ivysaur strained himself to maintain his hold. As the grass/poison type began to slowly slide forward, grinding his feet against the pavement in an attempt to remain stationary, a second vine shot out from the other side of his bud, wrapping around Pikachu's tail and halting his momentum as the mouse scrambled his paws against the arena floor, Ivysaur once again retaking control as he slowly dragged his backwards.

"Slam him!" At Janine's orders, Ivysaur began straining himself upwards in an effort to lift the struggling mouse. After a moment or so, Pikachu was a few feet into the air, before smacking chestfirst down onto the pavement.

Ash and Valiant grimaced at the thudding sound of the impact, but as Janine ordered her partner to repeat the tactic, his starter struggled to fight off the sore achiness while redoubling his efforts against the seed Pokemon's pull.

As Pikachu's body began to angle upwards once more, but still not quite airborne yet, Ash chewed his lip. At this point, Janine was giving them little choice.

"Agility!" As the light-blue aura appeared around Pikachu's body, ivysaur suddenly found himself lurching forward with a series of staggers as the young mouse's momentum amplified. After a few seconds of scrambling his feet across the pavement, the grass/poison type successfully managed to right himself, his momentum slowing to a halt. His body showed clear signs of strain, however, muscles bulging as he fought back against Pikachu's own resistance, struggling to pull back the mouse. Even as he did, the glowing electric type continued to run in place, occasionally forcing his opponent forward a bit as the vines themselves began to strain.

Janine's brow was furrowed, but her voice didn't lose much composure. "Energy Ball!"

Ivysaur's mouth opened to reveal a slowly growing emerald colored orb. His effort to produce the sphere, however, was subtracted to the strain he put on his muscles to pull pikachu back. Now met with less physical resistance, Pikachu's retreat amplified in speed, and Ivysaur was only dragged forward a moment before the vines snapped. Between the forward momentum of Pikachu's own pull, and the backwards momentum of trying to pull back, the quadruped found his balance momentarily discombobulated as he fired the half-complete Energy Ball.

The aura of Agility lightly coating Pikachu's body evaporated as the young mouse rotated around to face his opponent once more, his lingering momentum sliding him backwards until he stopped with his back directly to Ash and Valiant. As he turned around, his tail became encased in another coat of metal as he prepared a third Iron Tail. Swinging forward, he whacked the steel type move against the Energy Ball, batting it right back into Ivysaur's face. Although he grunted from the impact, Janine's starter sustained no more than a small bruise as the collision forced him back. He nearly toppled over, having been struck before he could properly regain his balance, but halted himself halfway through, before firmly planting his forelegs back onto the arena floor.

As Pikachu sucked in a quick gasp of air, Ash took the moment to briefly assess his starter's condition. The cuts he had received from that Venom Leaf were minor, but surely at least a little of the poison had to have made it into his friend's system. And the cuts themselves had to have been burning a bit… he couldn't see it, but the electric was indeed blinking back some forming tears as his eyes began to water.

With Ivysaur in front of her, Janine's posture hadn't noticeably changed, her arms crossing in front of her chest as her eyes dug into Ash once more.

"You two aren't half bad, Ash. I can see how you've gotten this far with him in such good shape. Her lips curved up. "I hope you're done warming up, however. We still have plenty to show."

Her etiquette was both relaxing and unnerving, and Ash was even more unnerved that it felt as though he was experiencing both at the same time. What was the word for this?

'She's the real deal, alright.' He combed his brain as his inner thoughts brought him back to the battle. 'I have to get serious if we want to find a way through her.'

"We're just fine, I can assure you." he smiled as the familiar, fiery sensation filled his chest. He'd never get tired of this.

Ash couldn't see it, but there was a flame in her eyes, as well. "Glad to hear it." she responded as her hand rose into the air. "Now, Ivysaur, Injection Blast!"

Putting on a competitive grin, Ivysaur bent forward to stick his opening bud out to Pikachu, releasing an onslaught of glowing seeds coated in bright purple powder. In response, Pikachu coated his tail in metal once more, holding it out in front of his body as the projectiles bounced off of the surface. Just before he ceased firing, Ivysaur began to bound forward, two vines beginning to stick out.

"Agility and Static Tail!"

The moment the seeds stopped, Pikachu's still metallic tail erupted in lightning as his body once again became lightly coated in blue. Just before Ivysaur had time to lash out, the young mouse had closed the distance between them, smashing his tail into the side of the seed Pokemon's head.

Ivysaur almost toppled to the side as the blow sent him sliding a yard or two away, but regained his footing as the vines began to retract, briefly shaking his head with closed eyes to reclaim his bearings. Ash wasn't sure how effective the Thunder Wave's electrical properties would be at paralysing a grass type like Ivysaur, but the Iron Tail had left a satisfying bruise on the point of impact, mildly singed by the lightning.

With some added seriousness, Janine held a fist in front of her chest as she called out to her young starter. "Concoction Barrage!"

Turning back to face Pikachu again, Ivysaur broke into a run, bud reopening as he took aim at the mouse. The electric type retreated as a decently sized ball of powder, mixed in white and bright purple, emerged from the opened bud, followed by several others.

Ivysaur's aim was fairly precise, Pikachu barely dodging the first couple projectiles to the side before increasing his speed to avoid the others. As they collided with the ground, the powdery spheres left traces of their substances behind on the ground as ivysaur passed over them.

"Double Team, two copies!" Ivysaur's eyes narrowed as Pikachu split into three, two of them darting off to either side while the remaining one slid backwards and turned around to face Janine's starter. "Agility and Slam!" The increase in speed would give the real pikachu away, but would Janine and Ivysaur be able to register it in time?

"Jump, Ivysaur!"

Just as the three Pikachu began to rush for him, two vines sprouted out from either side of Ivysaur's bud, and slammed firmly into the ground. Pressing them downward, ivysaur launched himself up into the air like a slingshot, just in time for the real Pikachu to pass by underneath him.

Ash couldn't help his grimace. If he hadn't already battled Erika just yesterday, he'd have likely been surprised.

Janine's head angled upwards for just a split second as she watched her starter soar into the air, before returning her attention to the battlefield. "Seed Bomb, Body Slam after you land!"

Angling himself so his once again opening bud faced downward, Ivysaur grunted as a large barrage erupted from it. These seeds weren't like Bullet Seed, they were bigger, round, and hard-shelled. Keeping his clones in the arena, Pikachu dodged to the side as the projectiles exploded against the pavement, but with his opponent's position given away, Ivysaur already had his eyes locked on him as he neared the ground. A second pair of vines pressed firmly against the pavement as the seed Pokemon slingshotted himself towards the mouse, who raised a metallic tail to block.

Although Pikachu felt no pain in his tail, and Ivysaur couldn't help but grunt from the collision, the impact still bowled the young mouse over, sending him bouncing backwards, and Ash's starter barely had time to catch himself on his tail before a vine lashed out from the pursuing grass/poison type and smacked him in the face.

By now, Pikachu's clones had fizzled out, although Ivysaur wasn't focused on them as he watched Ash's starter catch himself on his forepaws, a visible bruise on his cheek as he flipped over and landed back on all fours. A second vine lashed out at the electric type as the seed Pokemon fully closed the distance, but Pikachu leapt over it, positioning himself directly above his opponent as a growing orb of electricity appeared at the tip of his tail. Ivysaur leapt to the side just in time for Pikachu to swing his tail downward and launch the Electro Ball, which exploded against the pavement, releasing shockwaves that mildly disrupted his opponent's balance.

Not wanting to give Janine any opportunities, Ash capitalized. "Iron Tail, now!"

"Merry-go-round!"

Ivysaur reclaimed his balance a lot more quickly than Ash had given him credit for. Just after Pikachu landed on the pavement and took off running, two vines spread out from either side of the seed Pokemon's bud. Janine's starter twirled around as the two vines lashed out in a clockwise motion. With little distance between him and his opponent, and his sprinting already nearing top speed, Pikachu passed directly over Ivysaur as he leapt to avoid the vines.

"Ugh," Ash groaned as he tried to regroup. "Thunderbolt!"

Landing on his tail, Pikachu turned around to leap into the air, curling his body as a bolt of lightning exited his tail. In response, Ivysaur turned in the direction of the electrical blast, a barrage of glowing seeds erupting from his bud. As the two attacks collided, eliciting a small explosion and brief cloud of smoke, Ivysaur broke into a run. His speed was limited by the weight of the bud on his back, but he was quick enough to charge through the smoke before it cleared up.

"Body Slam!"

Pikachu hadn't even landed yet as Ivysaur once again pressed two vines into the ground and launched himself forward, carried even further by the momentum from his run. Although Pikachu swung an iron Tail downward to intercept his opponent, the seed Pokemon had momentum and bulk on his side, and roughly shoved the young mouse back upon impact. Now falling backwards, Pikachu caught himself on his paws to save the top of his head from a collision, but as he flipped over, the sudden pressure left both paws aching, the pain briefly distracting him as he mildly stumbled after landing on his feet.

"Ailment Mix!"

This time, instead of forming into a cloud, the mixture of white and bright purple powder that escaped from Ivysaur's bud came out like a straightforward blast. Pikachu cringed as he returned to all fours, galloping to the side on his still slightly pained paws to avoid the assault, which stopped just short of the barriers. By now, there were a few spots on the battlefield with patches of lingering powder.

Although his mild adrenaline rush remained, Ash could still feel the first signs of sweat on his cheeks. "Electroweb!" He wasn't sure how well the move would hold a grass type, but they needed to find some manner of catching Ivysaur, and with his vines and ailments, they were being drained of options.

Pikachu slid backwards as he halted his sprint, turning to face Ivysaur before performing a tiny hop and swinging his tail outward. Sparks of lightning shot out, forming into a small net that closed in on the grass/poison type, only for a familiar barrage of bladed leaves to slice through it, sending the sparks of electricity scattering in every direction before finally fizzling out. Just as Pikachu landed and began to take off once more, Ivysaur had already begun an advance of his own, a vine lashing out and grazing the young mouse's two left legs. Now off balance, pikachu's momentum worked against him, sending him toppling away before he caught himself on his tail, but now facing Ivysaur.

"Ailment Mix again, Ivysaur!"

Pikachu had just begun to push himself off of his tail and leap to the side when the blast of powder collided with him. With no time to cover up his nose, his eyes quickly grew heavy as a wave of fatigue smashed into him, all the while a burning sensation filled his nostrils, and watered up his eyes. He quickly clamped his paws over his nose, desperately trying to prevent any further substance from being breathed in and entering his system, but as his bruised body began to weaken, Ivysaur was already upon him.

"Energy Ball!"

With Pikachu stumbling backwards on his two hindlegs, desperately trying to reclaim his dwindling bearings, Ivysaur opened his mouth to reveal a small, glowing, emerald sphere that expanded in size with a steady progression. With a powerful shout, the Energy Ball rocketed into Pikachu's torso, exploding against the young mouse's body and smacking him backwards, leaving him to bounce across the arena floor and stop just in front of the corners of the barriers as his body threatened to go limp. Pushing his still sore paws against the pavement, he tried to push himself off of his chest, only to stop halfway through before he could get into a standing position, and collapse face first.

Ash recalled his friend. Taking the time to watch Ivysaur start heading back to Janine's side of the battlefield, he shot a consoling smile to his own starter's Poke Ball. "Great work out there like always, Pikachu. Rest easy." After clipping the ball back onto his belt, his eyes returned to Ivysaur, who Janine knelt down to briefly pet once he reached her. He could see her mouth moving, but couldn't make out what she was saying. Likely praising her friend.

It had been starter vs starter, and sadly, Janine's side was the one with the edge.

As the girl straightened herself back up to once again lock eyes with Ash, her raised voice stretched out across the arena for him to hear.

"We're ready when you are, Ash." straight to the point. No gloating, no reassurance, no banter. Just down to business.

With an acknowledging nod, Ash surveyed Ivysaur before his eyes traveled across the arena. The patches of powder were still scattered about, not that they worried him any. They would likely be losing their substance soon, and would no longer be harmful.

He hadn't been expecting disappointment from the duo, and so far, Janine and Ivysaur had not given him any. He had been hoping that Pikachu's mobility and usage of Double Team would overcome the seed Pokemon's near-guaranteed tricky fighting style, but seeing the grass/poison type's capabilities in action had shut those desires down.

And what's more, it didn't seem like he'd be out of fighting shape anytime soon, either. Pikachu had certainly left his mark, but from where he was currently standing, Ash detected no signs of fading strength from Janine's partner. It meant that she might even keep him around for the next bout, rather than substituting him, although no guarantees could be made.

The surge in his chest didn't go away. This was going to be one heck of a challenge.

Tyrunt was a definite no. Although his Fire Fang would surely cripple the quadruped, the girl's starter had far too many options to keep him at bay, that Ailment Mix combo certainly not being the least of them. Tempest would also be risky for similar reasons, and although the damage left behind by Pikachu might increase Eevee's chances, Ash was hesitant to call on one speed based battler where another had already failed. Especially since Eevee sadly didn't have Agility to utilize as a trump card.

That left Nebula and Valiant. On one hand, Nebula's chances were likely the best, but that would just prompt Janine to perform a substitution. It would mean that they'd have a break from fighting Ivysaur, but they would still have to find a way to defeat him at some point if they wanted to win. And after seeing how fearsome he was, Ash wanted to do the job as soon as possible, before the rest of his team got worn down.

Grinning a bit, Ash exchanged looks with the young psychic type at his feet. "You ready, buddy?" With a nod, Valiant shot his trainer a smile before positioning himself in front of him in the arena.

"Do your best, Valiant!" Suzie called out to the young Kirlia as Tyrunt let out a squeal. Valiant waved to them both before locking eyes with Ivysaur, the latter of whom began to tense.

A few moments later, however, Janine, wearing a thoughtful expression, held up her starter's Poke Ball and returned him. Ash felt a mild wave of disappointment at the action, albeit not too much surprise.

'Maybe she knows I would have preferred for him to stay out.' he thought to himself. Ash wasn't quite sure what the rest of her team was like, but with ivysaur being as formidable as he was, it's possible that she was planning to save him for later to clean up the remains, now that she had already gotten some momentum going.

"It's been fun so far." she called out, reclipping his Poke Ball to her belt whilst pulling out a new one. Though her facial expression conveyed neutrality, there was an air of cheerfulness in her voice as her next Poke Ball enlarged. "Let's keep it up, shall we?"

A Beedrill emerged from the light, hovering in front of her as two large stingers tapped against one another. As Ash combed his brain, he remembered that Janine had mentioned something about a Weedle when they first met.

"Your psychic powers should be fairly useful against that Beedrill, Valiant." Ash spoke up as Janine began talking to her latest partner. "But you already know how dangerous those stingers are going to be, right?" A nod. "Good. Fire punch should work pretty well, too, but try to minimize close quarters. That's likely the situation that they want us to get in. Don't approach unless you're willing to use Shadow Sneak, and Teleport away whenever things get dangerous. It goes without saying, but don't forget your barriers."

WIth an understanding expression, Valiant's muscles tensed as he sank into a stance.

Starting things off, Janine raised a hand into the air. "Approach with Pin Missile!"

Wings buzzing, Beedrill began to advance at a fairly rapid pace, although it did not look as though she was flying as fast as she could. With her stingers glowing, especially at the tip, she pointed forward with both of them, unleashing a barrage of spikes that were quickly deflected by the erected wall of glass in front of Valiant's now outstretched hands. She continued to fire even as she closed in, only to suddenly cease as one of her stingers turned orange, raised and reared back to strike.

Valiant dropped the Reflect immediately, teleporting behind Beedrill as she swung forward into the air. Eyes flashing, he quickly fired a rainbow beam at the bug/poison type Pokemon, only for her to whirl around and slash her stingers diagonally, forming a bright, greenish-yellow X for the Psybeam to crash into. As the X-Scissor deflected his attack, Valiant took the time to take a small leap backwards, creating a bit more distance between both combatants as the glaring poison bee Pokemon held a stinger out in front of herself in a challenging motion.

Ash watched carefully. Those bug type moves gave Janine and Beedrill a convenient means of defense. Psychic attacks were their best bet at damaging Beedrill, yet she would likely have the easiest time blocking them…

Janine didn't give Ash time to contemplate. "Pin Missile again!"

Another barrage of spikes erupted from the tips of Beedrill's stingers. Instead of erecting another barrier, Valiant evaded the onslaught with a quick leap to the side before breaking into a run. Ceasing the opportunity, Beedrill quickly ceased her fire and rushed for the psychic, both stingers glowing purple and dripping with venom.

Valiant's eyes widened at the assault as Beedrill's first stingers thrust forward, threatening to puncture his body. With the second stinger still lying in wait, the Kirlia's eyes flashed blue as he swung a flaming fist in an uppercut, pushing the Poison Jab upwards and deflecting the attack. Although Beedrill felt a burning pain in her first singer, it did not stop her from rearing back her second one, before lunging forward in a slashing motion. With her movements telegraphed by Telepathy, Valiant leaned his upper body backwards, just barely ducking under the blow as the venomous stinger passed mere centimeters above his eyes, which began to glow rainbow.

Sensing a counterattack, Janine spoke quickly. "Double Team!" Just as Valiant was about to fire the point-blank Psybeam, Beedrill split in two, with both the real one and the copy moving to either side of the emotion Pokemon. Looking between them in frustration, Valiant slowly allowed the multicolored glow in his eyes to subside as he struggled to differentiate the two. He was able to do against Gary's Meditite by distinguishing which one was feeling emotions, but Ash had a feeling Janine and Beedrill wouldn't be giving him the time to do so.

"Teleport away, Valiant!" With an affirmative nod, Valiant heeded Ash's advice, and flashed several yards away from Beedrill and her clone, both of whom turned to glower at him before the clone suddenly fizzled out.

"Aerial Ace and Poison Jab!" Janine seemed mentally undeterred by their actions, simply giving orders in response rather than a sense of feeling threatened.

Ash immediately caught on to what she was doing. With Aerial Ace boosting her momentum, and the overall power of her stingers, who knew how much damage Beedrill would do? She'd stab right through Valiant, not only leaving a bad wound, but inviting a great deal of toxins into his system at a rapid pace. At the level his friend was currently at right now, it would be over for sure.

"Block it with Reflect!"

Beedrill crossed her stingers as they filled themselves with poisonous energy, before sticking them outwards in Valiant's direction. As she did so, her body lit up in the pale aura of Aerial Ace that was now currently surrounding her, before rocketing forward. Valiant had already outstretched his arms, erecting a large, glass wall that intercepted the blow. As Beedrill crashed twin-stinger first into the barrier, a shockwave spread across the surrounding areas of the battlefield while cracks quickly formed onto the shield, small shards scattering in each direction. Squeezing his eyes tightly shut and grinding his teeth, Valiant could feel his feet sliding backwards as he and his barrier were smacked away by the impact.

Just as he stopped a few feet in front of the barrier at the side of the battlefield, Janine raised her voice yet again. "Once more, Beedrill!"

Ash grimaced. Valiant's Reflect wouldn't survive a second attack, and he'd be smacked back-first into the barriers. The physical and mental whiplash would be too great for him to not be left vulnerable to a finishing blow. "Teleport, and Thunderbolt!"

His expression steeling, Valiant watched Beedrill coat herself in the pale aura once more as his barrier began to drop. The moment she charged forward, he had flashed away, appearing just a yard or so behind as she barely managed to halt herself in front of the barriers. A determined glint in his eyes, he raised his hands as they crackled with lightning, before firing the electrical blast towards his target.

Beedrill turned around in time to raise another X-Scissor, but could not produce the move in full prior to the Thunderbolt striking. Ash grinned as the bolt knocked her back, electricity dancing along the poison bee Pokemon's stingers and upper-torso. X-Scissor had still blocked part of the blow, so she hadn't gotten hit at full power, but it didn't provide the same defense against electricity that it did against psychic energy, and Beedrill hadn't had enough time to utilize it at full power anyway.

Seeing his opponent off-balance, Valiant immediately capitalized by sinking into Shadow Sneak. Rushing over in Beedrill's direction, he quickly exited his shadow as his fist became covered in flame, driving it into her stomach. As Beedrill was smacked sideways, Valiant wanted to give chase, only to find himself in need of catching his breath. Bedrill quickly capitalized on that herself, however; powering through the pain, she extended a glowing stinger in Valiant's direction, firing off a barrage of golden spikes just before she managed to cease her own backwards flight and fully right herself. The Pin Missile quickly bombarded Valiant, who, with no time to raise another Reflect, promptly crossed his arms as he cried out in pain from the assault.

"Valiant!" Janine gave Ash little breathing room, however, already issuing her own partner with another order.

"Focus Energy, then Fury Attack!"

As Valiant was knocked backwards by the spikey barrage, catching himself on his hands to flip further back and onto his feet, Beedrill held her stingers out in front of her torso, tips facing skyward as both stingers became radiated in bright, white energy. Just as Valiant had looked up to see her coming, she was already upon him, thrusting forward. With his eyes glowing, he hastily read the telegraph of her bodily movements, dodging to one side, before promptly dodging to another as her next stinger thrust forward. She didn't stop there, however, continuing to slash, stab, and lunge as Valiant backed away, repeatedly ducking, taking tiny hops backwards, and swaying to the side.

Ash could feel the sweat returning. She was giving them no time to respond, and had them trapped in a close-quarters combat situation, where she surely knew they'd be the ones on the backfoot. Valiant could read Beedrill's movements by relying on his ability, but he was no martial artist. How long could he continue responding to them until-

He quickly got his answer as a forward stab caught the side of Valiant's shoulder. As the emotion Pokemon's eyes squeezed shut to hold back a small amount of tears, his backwards motions began to stumble.

Ash sadly wasn't surprised when Janine capitilied once more. "Brick Break! Then Poison Jab!"

Beedrill's stingers did not lose their bright, white glow, but one was quickly accompanied by an orange glow as the bug/poison type combatant raised it over her head. Ash winced as she lunged forward and smacked Valiant's forehead. Fighting Type moves were of little issue to his friend, but Janine and Beedrill had both clearly utilized Focus Energy to specifically power up those stingers. Even with the plentiful resistance, the added force behind the blow would surely knock Valiant off balance, and that meant…

He was right. Valiant was sent soaring a good two feet through the air before he finally caught himself on both his hands, and even as he painfully pressed them into the ground to flip backwards and back onto his feet, he was immediately greeted with a sharp to his abdomen upon landing, as Beedrill's other stinger, cloaked in purple, plunged into him.

His head leaning back involuntarily, Valiant gasped for air as a sharp burning filled his stomach. Barely registering Ash's frantic shouts to fight back, he could feel a wave of nausea begin to overtake his body as Beedrill pulled out her bladed stinger, revealing the bloody gash left behind by her toxic stab.

Nausea was quickly accompanied by adrenaline, however, and even with the gradually increasing, sickly feeling in his body, the now-glowering Kirlia summoned the focus to flash his eyes rainbow as a Psybeam pounded Beedrill square in the chest. Janine's eyebrows raised in surprise as her partner, with a pained cry, was blown backwards, raising a stinger to her chest as she finally righted herself.

With Beedrill seemingly taking a breather, Ash quickly seized the opportunity to look over Valiant, eyes shooting past the poison bee and towards his partner. One hand clutched the Kirlia's abdomen as his breathing grew heavy, legs shaking a bit every now and then, and threatening to sink.

Janine's Beedrill was about as ruthless as he thought she was. With stingers like that, it would have been borderline impossible to fully utilize her assets without being merciless and unrelenting. Most poison types were like that.

It didn't seem like Beedrill was any longer at full strength after that surprise blow to the chest, but Valiant clearly wasn't either. He wondered if he should substitute…

'She would just do the same.' He quickly realized. Now that Beedrill seemingly had the upper hand in this fight, Janine would likely just save her for Valiant. What's more, if Ash let out his third and final Pokemon first, before she did, she could make her upcoming decision directly around his own, and still have a greater chance of maintaining the advantage as a result.

"You good, Beedrill?" Janine's question brought his mind back to the battle. His time for thinking was beginning to run out. As Beedrill lowered her stinger and nodded, before promptly raising both stingers ahead of herself, the young boy cupped his hands and called out to the Kirlia.

"Hey Valiant, what about you?" It took Valiant a bit of a moment to respond, gripping his knees tightly for a split second or two before standing up straight in full, the expression in his eyes familiarly turning to steel as he offered Ash an affirmative nod.

'That poison is only going to get worse over time.' he quickly reminded himself. Each moment, those toxins were burning Valiant from the inside, and he could only ignore such a thing for so long, regardless of determination or adrenaline rushes. 'We'll need a comeback immediately.'

Janine held a fist in front of her chest. "Venoshock!"

A small part of him had wondered if she would go that angle. After all, what better way than to ensure that Valiant couldn't ignore the pain of the toxins, than to amplify the pain itself?

Thankfully, he already knew how Valiant would react, and watched as a golden barrier was erected in front of the Kirlia, which the blast of liquid crashed into. As the Venoshock harmlessly slid down the Light Screen, however, Beedrill was already rushing forward, stinger glowing with a familiar orange aura.

Dropping the Light Screen before his opponent could prematurely shatter it, Valiant leaned downward to the side, deftly avoiding her blow before lunging outward and driving a flaming fist into her stomach. As Beedrill lurched backwards, Ash promptly capitalized.

"Thunderbolt!"

Taking a bold step forward, Valiant slowly began to channel electricity through his palms. It took a bit longer to gather the attack than usual, but with the stomach pain from the Fire Punch exacerbating the lingering discomfort in Beedrill's chest, he also had a bit more time.

"X-Scissor!" Janine sounded a clear bit more nervous than usual, but her voice wasn't panicked.

Beedrill crossed her stingers just in time for Valiant to fire off his Thunderbolt. Although the large X of energy that was formed by her flashing motions intercepted the bolt, she still found herself staggering back from the small explosion. Doing his utmost to ignore the sense of burning inside of his body, Valiant rushed forward and whacked her with another flaming fist while she was still off balance. As he promptly pressed his hands against the ground to gasp for air, Beedrill rolled across the pavement, stopping herself on her stingers.

Ash watched Valiant slowly rise up as the poison bee grunted in pain. Normally, he would want to finish this with Psychic, but with the poison overwhelming him, Ash doubted that Valiant could summon the concentration for such a move. He still already wasn't able to use it very easily as it was…

"Valiant, finish this with a Psybeam!"

Taking a deep breath, Valiant nodded as he closed his eyes for a moment, before they shot wide open, progressively taking ona rainbow glow.

"Pin Missile!"

Just as Valiant successfully fired the multicolored blast from his eyes, Beedrill had managed to raise her stinger, the barrage of spikes exiting the tip at the same time. The Psybeam collided with her head, almost instantaneously causing her to see white, only for Valiant's chest to be pelted at the same time. Even as Beedrill was bowled over, stopping at the barriers in front of Ash as her body went limp, the trainer bit his lip as he watched his partner collapse onto his backside.

Neither made any attempts to rise.

Letting out a somewhat guilty sigh, Ash raised Valiant's Poke Ball to return his friend as Beedrill disappeared in front of him. "Thanks again, Valiant." Reclipping the Poke Ball back onto his belt, he raised his head to meet Janine's eyes from across the battlefield, just after she finished giving Beedrill's Poke Ball a few words of her own.

"Good comeback." She confessed, running her hand across the Poke Balls on her belt as if attempting to make up her mind. "You turned the tide pretty quickly."

'We still didn't win.' Ash briefly told himself before swiftly shoving the thought aside. They had prevented the worst case scenario, and sometimes not losing something could be just as good as gaining something.

Nonetheless, they were still on the backfoot. Beedrill was down, but Ivysaur was still in the game, as was whoever Janine's final Pokemon was. They still needed to turn the tide for real.

It quickly occurred to him that Nebula was the only available option for him at this point. Even disregarding Janine's final Pokemon, the young Staravia was the only one other than Valiant that the rookie found himself comfortable using against the grass/poison type. She was their best chance at winning.

Taking the Poke Ball off his belt, Ash observed Janine holding her next orb out in front of her.

"Alright." he called out. "I'm ready."

Nodding affirmatively, Janine lightly chucked her own sphere into the air. Out of the bursting flash of light emerged a Golbat.

'That's right, she did have a Zubat back in Viridian.' Ash eyed the airborne creature as it flapped its wings just above the young girl's head. Face glowing with confidence, Janine's arms were proudly crossed against her chest as she stood tall, eyes radiating with anticipation. Just a moment ago, she had been somewhat unnerved by the abrupt comeback that he and Valiant had made against her and Beedrill, but that was all gone now.

Allowing a light grin to make its way to his lips, Ash tossed Nebula's poke Ball into the air, exchanging smiles with his feathered friend as she appeared above him.

"Hey, you're the last one left." he quickly announced. Nodding over to Janine and Golbat, he added. "She has her Golbat and an Ivysaur. Think you can handle it?" he wasn't surprised by her affirmative nod, even less so by her energetic chirp.

They needed to find a way around Golbat while still having enough left to take down Ivysaur. Hopefully, Nebula could put her fundamental advantages to good use if she was still in fair enough shape to take on Janine's starter, but Ash highly doubted that Golbat would be any less formidable than Ivysaur and Beedrill had been.

Nonetheless, his friend's behavior reminded him not to worry too much about the odds. This was a battle for fun, and they'd keep on powering through it until the end.

"Great to hear it, Nebula. Now let's win this!"

Janine grinned as Nebula squawked loudly at Golbat, who returned her call with a powerful shriek of his own.

"Steel Wing!" The orders were simultaneous as both fliers shot higher into the air, flying upwards in a straight line before suddenly changing trajectory, straight ahead on a collision course with one another.

Nebula crossed the halfway point just before the two attacks met, metallic wings slamming together as a shockwave spread throughout the air. Despite her seemingly, slightly greater speed, Golbat exhibited the strength to not budge from the impact, something that she herself ended up perfectly mirroring. As the two separated, both retreated diagonally upwards, before once again making a charge for one another, Golbat ducking under a glowing wing before changing course and charging after the now retreating Staravia, who deftly swerved to the side to avoid the clutches of his fangs.

An aerial dance ensued amongst both competitors. As few movements as possible were wasted as the two fliers simultaneously formed into near blurs while zipping across the area above the arena. Never staying in one place, the two constantly changed directions, charging, dodging, blocking, and regrouping. Most offenses were dodged, as one flier took aim at the other, only to have their strike deftly avoided, abruptly finding themselves dodging a counter strike mere moments later. Occasionally, two Steel Wings would collide against one another, usually when one finds themselves on the receiving end with no opportunities for evasion. Sometimes this would happen when the attacker had notably more momentum going for them than the defender did, resulting in the one on the defensive successfully blocking the blow without harm, but still being knocked back as a result.

As Ash observed the display with his head angled upwards, the even grin that eventually spread across his face could not be stopped. Nebula was beautiful in the air, traversing and battling with deft grace, and he almost found the sight of the aerial showdown entrancing. The nonstop action taking place overhead was enough to quicken the hearts of everyone present, and for a moment or two, he forgot that he was supposed to be giving orders.

That's right, they had to break this stalemate soon.

With the most pleasant of adrenaline rushes coursing through him, Ash cupped his hands to his mouth. "Air Cutter!"

The high-octane harmony was broken as Nebula ceased her flight, turning upwards to face the Golbat slightly, diagonally above her, and launched a barrage of blades of air in his direction. Janine had already called for a Double Team, her aerial partner promptly splitting into four, and although Nebula had done her best to spread out the assault in order to cover as much fo the nearby area as possible, two of the Golbat still succeeded in evading the barrage, while the two who were struck immediately evaporated out of existence. Nebula responded in kind, splitting into two Staravia while rushing forward with a mighty, high-pitched squawk.

The duo of Golbat did the same, both twosomes colliding head on. The real Nebula, however, crashed into the fake Golbat, passing through as the clone evaporated. The same occurred between the real Golbat and the fake Nebula. With both combatants realizing, with some frustration, that they had mutually duped one another, they immediately swerved around with U-Turn, wings coated in steel as they sought to try again.

"Supersonic!" Just before the two were beginning to near one another, Golbat's eyes widened as a barrage of soundwaves erupted out of his throat. Instinctively, Nebula's own eyes widened as the excruciating noise pounded against the insides of her eyes, her midair balance momentarily failing her as the metal encasing her wings threatened to fade away. As her speed waned, Golbat collided with her, metallic wing smacking into her chest and sending her back upwards. "Air Cutter!"

Golbat immediately began generating his own onslaught of windy projectiles, but Nebula had recovered quickly, responding in kind as two separate barrages of bladed wind collided with one another. As the last of the blades exploded against one another, the two resumed their earlier dance, Golbat making a mad rush for Nebula, who quickly swayed to the side to avoid his Steel Wing, only to have her own ducked under, the young Staravia quickly pulling back as the bat chomped forward with purple fangs.

This didn't last as long as it first had, however, as just a few moments after the two fliers once again began weaving around the air above the arena, Janine had already cupped her hands for her partner's next set of instructions.

"Foggy Gale!"

Positioning himself somewhat above Nebula, Golbat began to flap his wings like a madman as a series of dark-blue clouds escaped his open mouth. As he did so, his movements generated a rapid series of wind gusts that merged with the clouds and hurled them forwards. Observing the combination of Haze and Whirlwind, Ash didn't have time to tell Nebula what to do, the young bird shrieking unpleasantly as the wind smashed into her, and the fog covered her.

Even with his partner obscured from view, Ash promptly countered, cupping his hands and shouting out over the winds. "Wind Blast!"

Nebula had some difficulty performing what she was ordered with the winds pushing against her, and forcing her backwards, but just before her back could collide with the barrier, she fought against the current and began flapping her wings in a similarly fanatical manner to that of Golbat, producing a powerful, condensed blast of air that tore through Golbat's wind (and parted the clouds) before making its way over to him. With her view obscured, the young STaravia had no way of knowing whether or not her aim was true, but thankfully, Golbat hadn't had time to move, and was promptly struck cleanly by the blast of air as his own barrage forcibly subsided.

Ash capitalized by calling for a Steel Wing, but Nebula was already in the process of doing so, blitzing forward towards her enemy as he was painfully knocked back, and driving a metallic wing into his forehead. Aiming her strike somewhat downwards, she propelled him away with the assault, and although he managed to right himself a few feet in front of the barriers, he was immediately forced to raise a metallic wing of his own as she dive bombed after him. Although he received no harm from blocking her second strike in a row, her momentum smacked him backwards once more, and it was only a hastily reflexive Steel Wing into the barriers that prevented a possible concussion.

As he bounced off the barriers, Golbat bared his fang with a vengeance, teeth coated in a venomous purple as he prepared to chomp down onto Nebula's nick, only to find himself biting into her metallic wing instead. He ignored the pain as she tossed him away.

A fiery glint made itself known in Janine's pupils as she raised her voice above Nebula's squawk. "Air Slash!"

Still soaring backwards from Nebula's toss, Golbat reared his wing backwards, before lashing out to produce a giant blade of wind that tore through the air and in Nebula's direction. The Staravia had already begun to give chase, but was forced to cross her wings and coat them in metal yet again, the dual Steel Wings absorbing the impact of the large projectile while she, albeit unharmed, was forced back by the collision.

Now Golbat was back to rushing for her, wings glowing and at the ready, only for a prompt U-Turn from the Staravia to position herself behind him, now ready to charge. Golbat did the same, however, and once his own U-Turn had once again reversed their positions, he kept flying forward, as a series of combinations of Aerial Aces and U-turns on both sides struggled to outmaneuver one another. By now, the clouds from Haze had all but cleared up, the lingering few being quite small, and scattering about whilst breaking apart as the two fliers passed through them amidst their contest.

As tempted as Ash was to witness a third display in a row between the two, he knew that they had a battle to win. Grinning from ear to ear, he called out to his friend. "Double Team, three copies!"

Her own smile widening, Janine promptly responded. "Same for you, Golbat!"

About a split second or two after Nebula had split into four, Golbat had done so as well, eight fliers now weaving around the area over the arena as both rookie trainers inclined their heads upwards to watch.

Speeding up, Nebula drove a glowing wing into one of the Golbat, only for the clone to fizzle out of existence upon collision. Several yards away, Golbat saw the same results as his Poison Fang briefly sunk into one of Nebula's own clones, just before the copy disappeared from the blow.

As both fliers turned themselves around to reassess the situation, none of the six remaining figures in the air ceasing their movements, Janine's voice once again filled Ash's ears.

"Haze!"

The real Golbat momentarily gave away his position as the stream of dark-blue clouds of fog escaped from his mouth, but the moment he ceased spreading it across the air above the battlefield, there was no time to distinguish as both trios of fliers collided with the vision-obscuring clouds. The fog parted and moved every which way as Nebula and Golbat tore through it, trying to maintain the high-speeds of their flight despite the limited visibility. Golbat took a shot at what turned out to be one of Nebula's clones, the copy evaporating upon being slammed into by the Steel Wing. As he turned around, he fired a series of golden stars towards another Staravia. This one turned out to be the real one, her Steel Wing carving through the Swift as she made her way over to him, only for a quick U-Turn to thrust him back into the clouds, the fog now obscuring him from view for just long to reignite the confusion once he had finally reappeared.

Ash couldn't help but chuckle nervously, yet in amusement as well. An aerial brawl between two fliers who could split themselves into four was already near-guaranteed to be chaotic, but Janine had found a way to take the confusion a step further by introducing Haze into the equation. No doubt Golbat was far more accustomed to these types of circumstances than Nebula was; that was Janine's advantage. They couldn't play by her rules.

"Air Cutter!" Nodding promptly, Nebula quickly positioned herself, before madly flapping her wings in place. The blades of air sliced through the clouds, causing the dark-blue fog to part as two of the three remaining Golbat evaded the onslaught, only for the one that was hit to suddenly fizzle out of existence.

"Golbat, you too!" Just as Nebula was upon one of the Golbat, Janine's voice filled the air. As the last of Golbat's clones dissipated from the impact of the young Staravia's Steel Wing, the bat set his sights on the now revealed normal/flying type. With her true position given away, Nebula didn't even bother trying to make her clone dodge the attack, which she weaved around, moving in and out in an effort to reach the poison/flying type.

Just as she approached him, and took a swing with her Steel Wing, a quick U-Turn from her opponent positioned him directly behind her, swinging downward with a Steel Wing of his own. Quickly realizing what was coming, Nebula was swift to respond, turning around and lashing out once more as the two metallic wings clanged against one another.

"Supersonic!"

Ash's eyes widened. "Get out of there!" It was too late, however, and Nebula quickly found herself shrieking off balance as the horrible noise emitted from Golbat's mouth.

Taking a tiny step forward, Janine hollered. "Air Slash!"

Flying back in an upwards motion just a few feet away, Golbat reared his wing back and sent the large blade of air plummeting down atop Nebula's chest. With a shriek, she was propelled back towards the ground, unable to use Steel Wing in time to break her fall.

As Golbat took the moment to finally catch his breath, Ash winced as Nebula collided with the pavement. Although she began to pick herself up soon after, the bruises and sores on her body were apparent, as were her deep breaths.

"You okay?" he offered a light smile upon her affirmative nod, although continued to comb through his brain.

'They have more options than we do.' he realized with an inward frown. Golbat was too versatile for Nebula to keep up with on equal terms, despite consistently matching him in the physical department.

He didn't want to do this with Janine still having one more Pokemon left, but the only way to make eup for Janine and Golbat's versatility advantage, was to create an advantage of their own.

"Nebula, use Reckless!" The Staravia's eyes perked up as she was given the order, before nodding in understanding. With a mighty shriek to the heavens, the familiar crimson glow outlined the exterior of her body and feathers, coupled with a brief surge of electricity of the same color. As her now blood-red eyes murderously gazed up at her opponent, Ash took a deep breath.

This was it. They would have to end this quickly, before she ran out of steam, and then do the same thing to Ivysaur.

"Steel Wing!" he called out to her.

Upon mentioning the ability, Janine had taken a somewhat surprised step back, but quickly shook off that surprise as the brawl continued. "Supersonic, Golbat! Hurry!"

Spreading her wings out with a loud, continuous battle cry, Nebula took off into the air, wing stunning to metal as she tore her way upwards. The familiarly horrific noise slammed into her, filling her ears and leaving her balance and stability shaky, but her adrenaline continued to push her upwards, as though a catapult had launched her body against her will.

A loud smacking sound could be heard as her Steel Wing hit its mark, sending a deafeningly screeching Golbat sky-high as the merciless Staravia continued to give chase. Gradually, her balance began to return to her, although she was already upon her opponent before it did. Trying to right himself as quickly as possible, Golbat was just in the midst of shooting himself downwards when his own metallic wing collided with Nebula's, a somewhat sharp pain filling his wing upon impact as the collision sent him upwards yet again.

'If this keeps up, Golbat's not going to last very long.' Ash told himself. He doubted it would, though. Janine had an answer.

"Double Team and Haze!" she sounded threatened for sure, but her tone of voice still didn't seem too panicky. No doubt, if she was aware of how dangerous of an ability that Reckless was, she also knew that it came at a price.

Three separate clones consecutively split off from Golbat as the fog flowed from his mouth, covering the air above the arena once again. Pretty soon all four bats were flying about in every direction, surely trying to confuse the aggression-filled Nebula as much as possible.

Ash knew that Nebula wouldn't have the patience for elaborate tactics in this state. They needed to make use of her raw power and speed to overcome Janine and Golbat's trickery. "Do a quick Air Cutter, then blitz them!"

Although Nebula was grinning, her eyes conveyed rage as she flapped her wings harder than she ever had throughout the battle up to this point. Large blades of wind tore through the fog and diced two of the clones, but as she took off with her wings glowing, Golbat was already in the process of replacing both of them. No doubt the consecutive usage of Double Team would be taxing for him, but it certainly wasn't nearly as bad as what Nebula would be putting herself through if the battle became too prolonged.

The four bats tried to evade Nebula, but her superior speed easily carried her across the air, smashing one clone to pieces before turning towards the remaining targets in frustration.

Sweating a bit, Janine cupped her hands. "Catch it!"

The real Golbat found himself on the receiving end of Nebula's next charge. With widened eyes, the determined bat. Coated his wings in metal, and performed a clapping motion. As Nebula's outstretched, metallic wing neared him, her strike was suddenly stopped in its tracks as the poison/flying type's own two wings abruptly sandwiched hers. Her momentum did not cease, however, barely slowing down as she pushed the bat towards the barrier.

A feeling of dread beginning to well up within Ash's chest was promptly vindicated upon her next command. "Confuse Ray!"

There was no point in warning Nebula. There was no time. Golbat's eyes flashed, filling her vision with a disorienting light that halted her efforts, as what was once an aggression filled mind became jumbled and scrambled into a brief state of senselessness. Pulling back, Golbat reared his wing behind him and whacked her in the face, prompting the normal/flying type to roll several feet away.

Janine watched the Staravia's unstable balance for just a split second before she took a step forward and cupped her hands, voice filling Golbat's ears just before the Staravia had a chance to right herself.

"Brave Bird!"

Brave Bird was a deadly flying type move of a similar caliber towards Double-Edge, even with the same recoil aftereffect towards its own user. It was generally considered to be a high-level move, but it was now clear to Ash that Nebula wasn't the only flier in this fight with an Egg Move.

Pumping his wings out with a holler, Golbat became coated in a crimson aura that quickly turned blue. Nebula had just regained her balance and stopped her midair roll as he charged forward. Carried by the attack, the bat tore through the air with a blinding showcase of speed. With no time for anything else, she coated her wings in steel and crossed them in defense.

SMASH!

An agonizing pain engulfed Golbat's head as he crashed face-first into the metal exterior of Nebula's defenses. With a gigantic shockwave spreading out around the two rivals, the whiplash of the impact briefly left Nebula reeling backwards, before their balance simultaneously failed them, both slipping into freefall and colliding with the pavement below.

Both bird and bat bounced off of the arena floor before rolling onto their backs, faces scrunched up in pain as the two attempted to lift their heads. Nebula's aura began to flicker in and out as she rolled over a second time, pressing her wings against the pavement in an effort to force herself up, whilst Golbat did the same.

Ash chewed his lip as he watched the display. With pokemon Pokemon merely a few feet from one another (and closer to his side of the arena as well), the bruises and gashes left behind by the exchange came into full view. Neither trainer gave their Pokemon encouragement, instead opting to grip their Poke Balls for when the time came.

Letting out a painful cough, Nebula tried to take a deep breath before pushing against the ground higher. Slowly, her body began to rise. Seconds later, Golbat began to pick himself up as well, although it seemed like Nebula was gaining pace just a bit faster-

Just after passing the halfway point, she collapsed beak-first into the arena floor. After shaking for a moment, Golbat performed one final push and rose to his feet, only to collapse backwards onto his bottom a split second or two later, the bleeding gash on the top of his head fully coming into view. Unable to stand, but barely conscious.

It took a moment or two before either rookie could fully register the scene. As the adrenaline rush left their bodies, Ash let out a deep sigh before holding up Nebula's Poke Ball with a defeated smile. As she disappeared into the device, he could spot Janine from the corner of his eye, making her way towards Golbat.

An aerial battle between two flying type Pokemon of near-equal prowess was unarguably a spectacle to behold, but Nebula's trump card just barely fell short of compensating for the vaster arsenal at Golbat's disposal.

"Rest up, girl. You did great." The sensation of disappointment in the back of his head was nothing overwhelming. Certainly not absent, but he was already thinking back to how fun the battle had been.

The sound of footsteps raised his head as he returned Nebula's Poke Ball to his belt. Janine stopped in front of him while tucking away Golbat's own.

"I wasn't expecting that at the end." she admitted, with a somewhat uncharacteristically sheepish tone. She smiled before shaking off the mild embarrassment. "That was fun."

His grin becoming a bit more genuine, Ash nodded at her. "Definitely, thanks." Perking up all of a sudden, he quickly pulled out his Pokedex. "Oh yeah, here." Touching a few icons on the screen, he prepared to transfer some money to Janine's account. Since he didn't have much left, he wasn't losing too much either. The two tucked away their devices after Janine accepted.

A childish chatter brought his attention to Tyrunt, as the young royal heir Pokemon stopped in front of him and smiled. "Hey there, buddy. Did you enjoy the show?"

"He certainly did." an approaching Suzie spoke up and rested a hand on their shoulders as the small dinosaur nodded along happily. "I can see how you two have come so far. Make sure you keep it up."

Nostalgia surged through Ash's chest at that. "Thanks."

"Here, if you two want, I can send your teams to the Pokemon Center myself. We have a transport device here." the breeder offered. Giving thanks, the two rookies each handed her three Poke Balls."I'm gonna have to reopen the salon now." She announced as Tyrunt rejoined Ash near his legs. "But if you two stick around, I can take you to lunch later. My treat."

"I'll look forward to it, thank you." Janine nodded. As the woman returned inside with Vulpix, leaving the two alone with Tyrunt, the purple-haired girl turned back to Ash. "You have a nice team. I got a lot out of that, so thanks."

"You're not the only one." Ash assured her, mind tracing back to the match. Janine hadn't at all been concerned about the common weaknesses her team shared, and so far, it seemed to have paid off for her. That kind of proactive thinking… it was something he needed to hone. "I'm glad we did this. Thanks again." he offered a hand to her, which she quickly accepted. Although her grip was firm, he was quick to adjust his own.

"In that case, I'll be sure to have my eye on you." Although her response was good natured, it carried a somewhat analytical tone to it. "I'd be happy to have a rematch another time." she added on as the two began to separate.

Ash's lips curved up. "Why, because you won?"

"Only partly." she teased before turning to the door. Looking back a thim and Tyrunt, she offered a polite wave. "I'm going back in for now. Let me know if you want to talk." Ash and Tyrunt waved back before she disappeared through the door.

Letting out a deep sigh, Ash looked down at the rock/dragon type with an almost tired grin. "Guess we got our work cut off for us, huh? We're not the only ones who are doing this well." the dinosaur's tail brushed against the pavement, as he nodded, before he leaned downward to accept Ash's pat on the head. "We'll enjoy our time here while we can, because once we leave and get back to work, our gloves are coming off." The duo made their way to the door.

Two months was a longer time than it sounded, but it was a passing second to any veteran looking back at the past. A simple footnote in a long career.

Everything that had happened so far had all been the simple, opening pages of a book. The beyond rocky start, the travels through forest, roads, and cavern and the encounters along the way with four fellow rookies that all, in different ways, had something that he didn't. Something that he needed. Each experience was all so fundamental, yet the longer time flew by, the more they would feel like a passing second.

Because two months was only a fraction of a year. And the remaining Season to come, and the gigantic tournament that awaited at the end, would simply be the prologue to a legend.

Like I said at the beginning, this is going to be the last chapter of the year. I'd like to thank everybody who's read this far. I've wanted to do this since over a year before I was actually able to, so I'm happy to have finally gotten the chance, and to have made it this far in. The support means the world.

As the title probably suggests, this chapter (and really, this arc as a greater whole) is ultimately about looking back. By now, it's been a fair bit since Ash (for the most part) finally got over his self-esteem hurdle back in Cerulean, but until now, he hadn't really had those moments of self-reflection to complete the final step that comes after that. If Pewter was his turning point, and Cerulean is where it finally began to stick, then Celadon is where he truly leaves it all behind, learning from the speedbumps that his early shortcomings triggered in his first two months, and preparing to charge into the future with that new perspective. Growing is important, but he also needed to truly recognize the process (and his approach to it) in order to acquire the mindset that he needed for the next phase, where things are guaranteed to only become harsher from here, and that meant looking back with his newfound point of view, and making the realizations that he did from his latest run in with Gary, and the interactions here.

Between Gary's academic prowess, Janine and Paul's long-term foresight (which, given how many possible paths that a trainer can take, they excel at in different ways), and Misty's forward boldness, each have something that put them fundamentally ahead of Ash in elements that trainers need. His past issues contributed to him being lacking in these qualities early on, but now that he's gotten past that, he needs to apply that newfound confidence to that type of improvement. Some of it will come naturally now that he's made the progress that he's had, while others will require trial and error as Ash and his Pokemon family continue to grow stronger in face of the many, many challenges ahead. The next phase of this story is going to be all about that, and I hope you'll look forward to it in 2022.

But for now, happy Holidays.

Ash's Pokemon:

Pikachu (Male)

Nebula-Staravia (Female)

Valiant-Kirlia (Male)

Eevee (Female)

Tyrunt (Male)

Tempest-Krabby (Male)

Gary's Pokemon:

Wartortle (Male)

Weepinbell (Female)

Eevee (Male)

Meditite (Female)

Growlithe (Female)

Skarmory (Female)

Janine's Pokemon:

Ivysaur (Male)

Golbat (Male)

Beedrill (Female)

?

Toxtricity (Amped) (Male)

?

Paul's Pokemon:

Grotle (Male)

Teddiursa (Male)

Elekid (Male)

Skorupi (Male)

Murkrow (Female)

Sneasel (Male)

Misty's Pokemon:

Staryu (No Gender)

Prinplup (Male)

Eevee (Female)

Jigglypuff (Female)

?

?