Chapter 54: How she broke through it all Part 2

'The search goes on'.

Those of the only words that Geeta thought of by the time night had fallen. She thought that maybe the Iron Valiant would never come.

She sat in the middle of the desert with her legs crossed. The only thing that shielded her from the sands that were carried by the howling winds was the cloak she still had on. The hood surprisingly hadn't flown off from her head after all of this time- but despite her cloak's resilience, it couldn't protect her armored legs from the dirt. It was much dirtier than before- the normal shine of replaced with a brownish stain.

Behind Geeta was the katana her Kingambit had transformed into, sheathed and stabbed into the ground.

The woman's eyes were closed. She let the wind push against her gently and breathed in through her nose.

Soon enough, she heard footsteps. Geeta slowly opened her eyes to see the one challenger she was waiting for.

Iron Valiant. Its eyes were filled with rage, and Geeta could feel it. The metal being held its broken weapon like dual daggers.

"I've been waiting for a long time." Geeta said. She stood up. "Your eyes… you haven't let go of that anger. Your arrival means that you've gotten stronger…right?"

Iron Valiant nodded. It tightened its grip on its daggers…and an intense green aura exploded from the being.

An intense wind leapt from its body, strong enough to push any normal person off of their feet, and yet Geeta remained standing. The wind roared as it sent a wall of sand and dust at the former champion. Even Geeta's resilient hood stood no match against the gust, flying off her head as rings of dust appeared and pushed off of the Iron Valiant, like a ripple effect when a drop of water falls onto an ocean.

Geeta didn't even flinch. Her eyes reflected the intense green flame-like aura that she stared at.

"I understand it now. Somehow, some way, you must have gotten your hands on a second Herba Mystica." Geeta put her hand on her cloak. With one swing of her arm, she took off and threw her leather cloak away. The winds carried it away into the distance. Geeta then pulled her weapon out of the sand and held it close to close to her waist.

"Out of respect, I'll answer in kind."

Geeta's eyes closed for a moment before she opened them again- revealing that they were shining blue with the power of Flow.

"Hopefully you'll be the one to wake the beast within me. Come!" Geeta said, glaring furiously at Iron Valiant.

Iron Valiant dashed at Geeta first, moving with incredible speed. Geeta unsheathed her blade, defending against her enemy's violent attacks. Every swing from the robot was heavy and fierce, threatening to push Geeta off of her feet. Geeta stood her ground, deflecting and dodging his attacks.

'Such Malice…' Geeta thought to herself. She found herself stepping back, being overwhelmed by her enemy's slashes.

Iron Valiant suddenly swung hard enough to knock Geeta's katana off of her hands, the former champion's mind started to race, and the robot's dagger flew for her face. Geeta swung her head to dodge and smacked the Iron warrior's wrist with the back of her fist, causing it to drop its dagger.

Geeta caught the falling weapon as Iron Valiant swung with its other dagger. Their weapons clashed once again as they began to fight all over again. The sound of their blades clashing rang across the entire area.

The both of them were waiving their daggers and deflecting each other's attacks as though they were having a sword fight...but this was a knife-fight now, and Geeta had to adapt.

Entering a boxing stance and holding her knife with her back hand, Geeta deflected two swings from her aggressor with her blade.

The Iron Valiant mimicked her, holding its dagger with the back of its hand and waving it back and forth only for Geeta to deflect both attacks.

Both adversaries began circling one another, attempting to stab one another but dodging each other effectively.

Swaying her body left and right to dodge oncoming swipes, Geeta ducked and weaved under a thrust from the Valiant being and landed a stab directly on its chest. The attack was powerful enough to send the Iron valiant staggering back. Iron Valiant threw its dagger at Geeta, and by the time she deflected it, she saw the metal Pokémon closing the distance and landing a punch to her face.

Geeta felt the weight of the punch push against her visor, and the Iron Valiant kept going, punching Geeta's face again and again.

Kinggambit was a Dark/Steel type- she couldn't afford to get hit by any more of these Mach punches. Geeta grabbed an oncoming punch from Iron Valiant and held tight. Using the dagger still in her hand, Geeta stabbed relentlessly at her opponent's stomach, cutting him again and again until he went down to one knee. Geeta lifted her foot and slammed it on the Iron Valiant's face, bringing it down to the floor with a thud. The former champion kept her foot on her enemy's face until it began to roar- its aura exploded with enough force to send Geeta flying.

Geeta fell on her back. She turned her head and saw her katana standing beside her- the blade end had sunk into the sand when it was sent flying. She began breathing hard, looking at her enemy who was on their feet and seemingly getting even angrier.

Geeta started to wonder to herself what type this Pokémon really was as she stood up and took her weapon from the ground. The way it fought her just now definitely suggested that it was a Fighting type. Red, fighting-type lightning suddenly coursed around her opponent's body, as though it confirmed Geeta's suspicion.

Did it have a secondary type? Perhaps it was a Steel type. It had the word 'Iron' in its name.

Suddenly, the being began to yell out again in fury. Geeta could feel the dagger in her hand being magnetically pulled from her grip. The instant it flew from her hand, Geeta stepped back without once looking away from the still-powering-up Iron Valiant. A pink aura radiated from its body along with the green aura.

Was that Pink energy…Fairy-type energy? Either this thing had three types… or it was actually just a Fairy/Fighting type...?

That wasn't important right now- what was important was that she needed to defend herself. Now.

"Kowtow.." Geeta murmured under her breath. The moment Geeta took a drawing stance her enemy appeared right in front of her as though it teleported- its blades were now attached to its arms, and it was ready to strike.

"CLEAVE!"

Both combatants moved too quick for the human eye to see- they both darted past one another with blazing speed. For a split second, the sound of blades clashing against each other rang in the air as fast as one hundred raindrops would hitting the ground.

Geeta and Iron Valiant stood a considerable distance away from each other. Their backs were turned to each other, and they both remained standing. The wind continued to howl, as though it were a spectator screaming in surprise. For a while, neither of them moved, as though time hadn't caught up with their movements just yet.

The wind howled again, and then settled. Everything remained still.

Then, Geeta fell.

Her hand fell to the ground along with her knee. She tried her absolute best to not lie flat on her stomach. The power of Flow that radiated from her eyes faded. Geeta breathed heavily; her arm was beginning to tremble under the immense weight.

She turned her head, watching Iron Valiant begin to walk away.

"Where are you going...?" Geeta asked. "This… battle isn't over y-..."

Geeta felt the weight of her invoker overwhelming her. "No! No- Kingambit- you can't- you can't faint here!"

The sting of her defeat was spreading across her entire body. She could feel it in her bones at this point. As she held her body back from falling, she gritted her teeth.

"Why!?" Geeta cried. "Why...!?" She gripped the sand on the ground. She couldn't afford to fail! If she didn't win, or achieve a higher level of Flow somehow... How would she be able to face the ones who admired her?

How would she be able to face Nemona again?

The shame of her defeat…was outweighing the physical weight her invoker was giving her. Her body was trembling, every bone of her body was screaming out to her, begging her to stop fighting back and just stay down. But she couldn't allow it.

She couldn't stay down. So, she stood back up.

Her body began trembling as she fought against the roaring pain of her body. It felt like she was carrying her unconscious Kingambit on her back. She might as well have been at this point.

"Get…back…here..!" Geeta cried, taking an excruciatingly slow and difficult step forward.

Iron valiant kept walking.

"Get back here!" Every step she took was a fight of its own. "Get back...here! Turn around and fight me! FIGHT ME!"

Tears began to roll down the former champion's face as Iron Valiant walked further and further away.

"Fight me… Just- fight me already..!"

Geeta began to sob, realizing what she was saying, and how sad and pathetic she felt. She fell back to her knees and held herself up with both of her hands. She saw her own tears rain down on the sand she stared at.

How could she lose?! She couldn't just fail after everything she went through- the embarrassment she endured... If she was to earn back the respect and praise of her peers and the ones who looked up to... she had to win...! No matter what it took- she had to earn back the respect-

What made you think that? The ones you cared about ever stopped loving you because you made a mistake.

Once that thought came through her mind, everything around her became pitch black. Her eyes widened, because she knew the reason why. It was because she believed in a lie that she made up in her own mind.

It began back when she was younger, and when she remembered disappointed her parents long ago for sleeping in class so often. She remembered when she asked for their forgiveness at the dead of night...since were both asleep, she received no answer.

That was when she began to believe...that love was conditional. She thought to herself that her parents would no longer love her if she wasn't a model student. So that was what she became. Her belief in this lie was like a poison that eroded her life. It was to the point that whenever a person gave her praise, she thought it came only because of her status.

For example, whenever a trainer would complement her, she would think to herself, 'they're complimenting me because I was able to become a champion. If I never was a champion, they'd know I wouldn't have deserved praise."

'They're saying I'm an excellent chairman because I was able to work my way up and look professional. If I never became a chairman, they'd know I wouldn't have deserved praise. If they knew how imperfect I really am...'

The image of Nemona's grinning face came to her mind.

'If they knew how insecure and flawed I really am...'

The image of all four of the Paldea Elite Four members all smiling came to her mind.

'They wouldn't praise me anymore. They'd be disgusted with me. They wouldn't want anything to do with me anymore.'

That's when she realized it: When she said to Iron Valiant, 'Fight me', she really meant, 'Let me give everyone a reason to admire and love me again.' She thought that only way she can ever redeem herself was to become strong enough and become the top champion. That way she would be worth something again, that way others could admire her again.

That way, her parents could be proud of her again. It was the only way… The only way…

No. That's not true.

Geeta heard the sound of her own thoughts echoing in her mind once again. She recognized this voice in her mind. It was the part of her that she previously hated to the point that she considered it her worst enemy. The part of her that she stored away and never let anyone see.

The part of her that appeared before her…and had merged with her just as she learned how to use Flow for the first time.

That's when Geeta saw Standing in front of her was a younger version of herself, the same little girl who cried when her parents didn't respond to her. That version of her previously had yellow eyes- their eyes were now blue.

Both the present Geeta and the younger Geeta spoke at the exact same time.

"I have too much self-respect... to allow myself to believe in this lie."

The little girl walked over to Geeta's side and held the hand she used to desperately stay on her feet.

The darkness surrounding the former champion faded, and everything was back to the way it was. The smaller version of Geeta disappeared, and the former champion could see the desert around her, and her enemy still walking away. Suddenly, Geeta stood up completely as though the weight that had previously pushed her down didn't exist at all.

Geeta closed her eyes.

"All of my life... I always thought... that I was only worth something if I achieved something. I thought that love was conditional. So, I kept achieving, so that people wouldn't leave me or stop loving me. I kept fighting for something that I always had. I've..."

Suddenly, a white aura appeared around Geeta's body. The sudden surge of Flow caused Iron Valiant to turn around.

"I'VE...!"

Geeta could feel the surge of Flow coursing through her body.

"I'VE ALWAYS BEEN...! WOOOORTHYYYYYYY!"

An explosion of power radiated and burst from the former champion's body. What Iron Valiant was watching was no different than watching a volcano erupt right in front of it. A raging sandstorm blew against the metal being's body and was almost enough to send it flying.

The entire time, Iron Valiant couldn't tear its eyes away from the sight- it felt fear creeping up the back of its neck and began to tremble as it took a single step back.

Soon, the eruption of the energy of Flow and the sandstorm faded and revealed Geeta's ascension.

Geeta's raven black hair started to shine silver. The white aura that surrounded her body began to explode wildly but calmly. Her eyes...were now crimson red.

A golden orb appeared above Geeta's head- and it began to take the shape of two massive golden gauntlets- the same shape of Kingambit's hands. In its hands was its own, massive and sheathed Katana.

Geeta held her own katana that was still in her hand tightly and unsheathed her own sword, and the golden gauntlets above her head mirrored her movements. The golden gauntlets' katana was the same shape and color of the black blades that looked like Kinggambit's 'mustache.'

Geeta looked at Iron Valiant. Iron Valiant glared and roared as it began to dash after Geeta.

Geeta extended her arm, and the golden gauntlets above her head moved forward. Iron Valiant attempted to block the first swing from the gauntlets with its bladed arm, but the gauntlets' power overwhelmed it. The metal Pokémon's arm was deflected, and it was left wide open to the onslaught of slashes it began to unleash. Iron Valiant's body began thrashing wildly as all of the slashes connected directly. As the gauntlets kept slashing, Geeta walked forward, and the bladework of the gauntlets were able to keep Iron Valiant's thrashing body within arm's reach.

Geeta watched and kept walking- her enemy hung in the air like an apple being held by a string, dangling uncontrollably in front of her due to the violent attacks coming from the gauntlets.

Then, for the first time after her transformation, Geeta spoke.

"Allow me to show you..."

Geeta put her palm on her own katana's handle and folded her fingers before grabbing onto it.

The white aura around her began to explode and darken in response to the now conscious Kingambit.

"The beast that you've awoken from slumber...!"

Both Trainer and Pokémon's powers were merging together as one, changing into a blue color. The aura then took the form of a blue-skinned, red-eyed demon grinning maliciously. Geeta let out a battle cry as the golden gauntlets above her head prepared a finishing slash.

"Kowtow…"

The golden Gauntlets slashed downward, passing Iron Valiant's body over to Geeta.

"CLEAVE!" Geeta shouted.

Geeta drew her blade and swung it. To the naked eye- it looked like she stopped her sword short- right by Iron Valiant's neck. But in reality- she was slashing so fast no living being on the planet would be able to keep up.

What happened next was that a countless number of purple lines appeared all at once around Iron Valiant as Geeta seemingly didn't move. It was like watching a frenzied artist stroking so many lines with their paintbrush that the entire paper they painted on was covered in that color. The entire time, Iron Valiant's body hovered in the air as though it were frozen in time.

Geeta's movements became visible to the human eye once again- she spun around and slowly began to sheath her blade as the golden gauntlets above her head slashed once vertically, and again horizontally.

One massive horizontal slash mark appeared in front of Iron Valiant, and a final and massive, downward slash came from the sky, as though it were the final masterstroke of a maddened artist.

Geeta then finally finished sheathing her blade. Each and every one of those purple slash marks Geeta made around Iron Valiant exploded like fireworks before a massive explosion rang out. it sounded like thunder. The entire time, Geeta didn't turn to face her opponent until the explosion faded.

Iron Valiant was on its knees, its body twitched as blue lightning sparked around its body.

Without turning back, Geeta pulled out a Pokéball from her pocket and tossed it over her shoulder at the Iron Valiant. The Pokéball opened, swallowed the Pokémon whole and moved back and forth three times before confirming its capture. Geeta picked up the ball of her new companion.

Geeta put the Pokéball in her pocket and sighed, and as she did, the power of Flow exited her body- causing her hair and eye color to revert to normal.

Rika and Nemona were absolutely shocked upon hearing Geeta's story. Rika was sitting on her chair because Nemona was...

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- THAT WAS SO COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!"

...Being Nemona.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! YOU WERE SO AWESOME! I WISH I WAS THERE TO SEE IT!"

Nemona was on her feet and mimicking the actions that Geeta described doing when she faced the Iron Valiant. She pretended she had a Katana of her own and started swinging it wildly. Rika and Geeta watched and chuckled.

"So," Rika said, turning to Geeta. "How do you feel?"

"Well... I feel good. Although, Back when I discovered what Flow was," Geeta said, having a big smile on her face. "I assumed it was something that happened when you have complete focus in battle, But in reality, it was much more personal than that. It's the result of removing chains of the past and looking forward toward the present. That kind of strength- the one that comes when you yourself are on your own side…it's something that can push anyone to be the best version of themselves. As for why it gives the trainer an aura and alters their appearance... I've not the slightest clue."

"What're you going to add to your research notes of this power?" Rika asked.

Geeta sighed again. "I suppose I'll add that the first form of Flow comes when one realizes that they have themselves as an ally. And...I think the second one comes when the user stops believing in a lie that they believed in their entire life."

"WAIT WAIT WATI WAIT!" Nemona spun over to Rika and Geeta. "So-...Anyone can use Flow…right...?" Nemona asked.

"Yes," Geeta said, nodding.

Nemona stared at both of her open hands, remembering the words she said to Geeta when Kai asked the former champion how to use Flow:

"Hey!" Nemona heard her past self's voice echoing in her mind, "I don't have any mental distractions when I fight, why can't I use Flow?!"

"Nemona, when was the last time you stopped holding back?" Geeta's past voice echoed in her mind.

"Uh…" Nemona's past voice echoed again in her mind.

Nemona clenched her fists.

"I already have taken the Herba Mystica from Iron Valiant's body," Geeta was having a conversation with Rika while Nemona was staring at her now closed hands. "And I have people looking into the herbs. Eventually, we can-"

"Geeta- uh- La Primera- I mean…!" Nemona pumped her fists and stared at Geeta with a determined look. "La Diabla Azul…! I challenge you to a battle!"

"A battle?" Geeta asked, raising her eyebrows. "Oh right- that completely passed my mind. I'm supposed to fight you to regain my tittle, yes?"

"No- this isn't about a title or anything," Nemona said. "I wanna learn how to use Flow.. and the only way I can think of doing it is fighting you!"

"All right. But that'll have to wait until tomorrow. It may not look it, but I'm exhausted."

"Awww..! Okay! I understand!" Nemona grinned and nodded. "I'll fight you another time! Okay?"

Geeta nodded. "Of course." Geeta glanced at Rika, and the both of them shared a nod. Geeta stood up. "It's about time that I left. Take care, both of you." She said.

Nemona raced over to Geeta and hugged her. The force of her hug nearly pushed Geeta off of her feet.

"I'm so happy you're back…" Nemona said. Geeta smiled, patting Nemona's head with one arm and returning her embrace with the other.

"Thank you," Geeta said. "For always believing in me."

After a while, Nemona pulled away, and grinned widely.

"I'll be looking forward to our battle!"

"Of course. As will I." Geeta said. She turned around and started to walk out the building.

"Oh my goodness- Kai messaged me!" Nemona shouted.

Geeta stopped walking.

"He said that he lost his Tinkatuff, and that he may need my hel-...oh- wait. He sent me another message about ten minutes ago...he said he found it and is going for his second badge! Oooh Exciting! Can I go out and see it? Pleaase?!"

"Hmmm...I don't know." Rika said.

Geeta turned her head. "I'm interested to hear about Kai's progress." Geeta said.

"Oooh, you can come with me! Maybe we can battle on the way!" Nemona cried.

"Nemona, we can't walk and fight at the same time."

"Yeah, but maybe if you punch me really, really hard and send me flying or something we'll end up at the gym Kai's going to challenge!"

Geeta chuckled lightly. "That's not how it's going to work."

"Aww..." Nemona lowered her head. "Oh well! We'll fight eventually." A grin came back to the girl's face so quickly that Geeta's smile became bigger.

"Y'know, your smile's very contagious," Geeta said.

"Awwww! Thank you!" Nemona cried.

"If you really want to see Kai's battle, I won't stop you. I'll deal with the challengers that come by." Rika said. "Both of you go on. Have fun."

"Thank you!" Both Geeta and Nemona spoke at the same time. They both spun around and went for the door. Nemona reached it first because she was full of so much energy and held the door for Geeta. Geeta smiled.

The search that she said that 'went on'...the search for finding a reason for people to love her...had always been over. She just hadn't realized it until now.