VIII. Gateway

I stood anxiously beside my trainer, fixated on the brawl unfolding before me. Currently, the opposing Magneton was mercilessly bombarding Mismagius with various Magnet Bomb attacks. Since the ghost type got paralyzed the prior turn, she was helpless. She soon fainted, tying the match. Mismagius had defeated the opponent's Corphish, but that had left her exhausted.

"You were fantastic, Mismagius. Return," my trainer, Luc, said.

His jaw clenched, contemplating his options. Other than Mismagius and I, he had a Fearow and a newly hatched Vulpix. Besides having the type disadvantage, Fearow was recently recovering from a broken wing, the product of an intense battle against two wild Mightyena. And while Vulpix cleary had the advantage, he was much too young and inexperienced.

I tugged on Luc's pant leg.

"Send me in," I said confidently, and although he doesn't know my language, the message was clear.

"Are you sure?" A quick nod.

He broke into a grin, eyes sparkling with vitality, as I'm sure my eyes looked as well.

"Alright, Oshawott, let's show 'em what you've got."

I stepped determinedly onto the battlefield, and the other trainer let out a harsh bark. "Do you really think that runt can defeat my Magneton?" he scoffed.

Luc shrugged. "We'll see, won't we?"

I stared defiantly ahead, not intimidated in the slightest.

"Magneton, Thunderbolt!"

And so I was thrust into the battle, plunged into an impossible situation with an inevitable outcome.

THUD!

I landed hard on my shoulder after a particularly brutal Thunder had hurled me into the air. I was gasping for breath, struggling to rise.

"Too easy," snorted the Magneton.

"Think. Twice," I panted, my ragged voice only making the threat sound worse. I smirked and watched him blink in surprise as I surrounded myself in a blinding light. Although it made me deaf, I could imagine their gasps of surprise. But not Luc's. he and I had been preparing for months, awaiting my transformation. I still remember when he first brought it up, long ago.

We were relaxing on an open plain after entering a tournament strictly for water Pokémon. I was drained of energy but wore a weary grin on my face. We came in second place, just barely defeated by a Samurott.

Luc eyed me lazily, and somehow I knew we shared the same thoughts.

"Your face lit up when saw that Samurott," he commented.

I blushed, recalling my childish excitement. He just laughed. "I knew it! That means we'll have to fight twice, no, twenty times as hard now. The sooner you evolve the better."

Standing, I slapped my scalchop with determination. "I'm ready."

He understood me completely and beamed. Laying his head on his arms and shutting his eyes, he said, "You and me, Oshawott. We'll be unstoppable."

I wanted to continue daydreaming, but I felt myself finalizing the transition. What had been seconds to them seemed like eons to me, and I was eager to show off my new form.

The light burst off me as I stood proudly, arms crossed.

"Alright, Dewott!" cried Luc. "You did it!"

I smiled slightly but didn't look back. My eyes were hooked on my opponents.

The trainer, slightly shaken, waved of his awe and shouted, "Impressive! But one measly evolution won't stop us!"

Magneton, too, recovered from the initial shock, electricity sparking from his body. But I was ready.

"Dewott, Razor Shell!"

I took off running, gripping my scalchops tightly. Let round two begin.