"There are a lot more people here than I expected."
Ash couldn't help but speak his mind as he and his group were surrounded by a throng of bodies upon arriving on Cinnabar Island. Nestled off the coast of the Kanto mainland and surrounded by miles of ocean, the volcanic island was easily the largest landmass around. That made it a major stopping point for visitors from the Orange Archipelago and other regions.
That also made the locale a tourist trap thanks to how warm it was due to the volcano. The fact that it was still active was worrying, but thankfully there hadn't been an eruption in a long time. Though when it had erupted in the past it had left a large portion of the western flank little more than a desert canyon, which was normally closed off to the public.
"Ash is right," Misty said. Her emerald eyes spanned the sea of bodies and found several pokémon among their ranks. "There's not just a lot of tourists, but I can see plenty of trainers here too."
"Maybe they're going to the Gym?" Gina suggested. "That would be the appeal for the majority of competitive trainers, since it's only a few months until the Indigo Conference."
She and Ash were in relatively decent spots as far as their admission went. They only needed three and two badges respectively before they could challenge the Conference. And with the Viridian City Gym so close to their home, they had more than enough time to earn it next.
Brock shook his head. "No, I don't think that's it. Blaine often has the least number of challengers among Major Gyms due to the distance. Something else has drawn them here, but we can figure that out after we head to the Pokémon Center and get rooms."
The answer to that mystery was made clear once the group reached the Pokémon Center and spoke with the local Nurse Joy. She explained that to the Pokémon Laboratory had made a breakthrough in their Fossil Revitalization technology, allowing them to revive prehistoric pokémon from fossils. To collect a wider assortment of data they were hosting an event that would allow trainers to search for fossils in the desert canyon and keep the pokémon that were revived. The chance to obtain rare pokémon naturally drew in many collectors and ambitious trainers, which led to another problem for the group…
"I can't believe the Pokémon Center ran out of rooms…" The bitterness in Misty's voice carried as she sat next to Gina on a stone fence, fanning herself with her hand. The group had briefly split apart in the hopes of finding some place to stay for their visit, and they were catching their breath after their initial search failed. They'd chosen to take cover beneath the shade of a carefully tended patch of greenery within a small plaza of the coastal city.
"It can't be helped," Gina said, shrugging. "Since traveling trainers scarcely visit here, the Pokémon Center wouldn't be scaled to accommodate so many at once. That's the difference between a place this far out and Saffron City. We'll just have to find our own accommodations before night falls."
Saffron City had been a hub within the mainland and so their Pokémon Center had practically been a skyscraper. Cinnabar Island having a Pokémon Gym made sure it had the essentials and extra space for potential challengers. But with this many people they had to operate on a first-come, first-serve basis for non-emergencies.
"The hotels cost a small fortune since it's such a tourist trap though," Misty pointed out, grimacing from the prices they had seen. None of their group were poor, but that didn't mean they could just wantonly spend their budget on a room housing all of them. And it'd be a shame if they had to end up camping out until everything was done. "Pushing that aside for the moment, is everything alright with you and Ash?"
Gina's gaze turned from the landscape over to the Water Specialist. "What do you mean?"
"You both have been on the outs since Fuchsia City." Misty quirked her head to the side slightly. "Brock and I don't want to interfere, but I can't help being worried that you two might not reach a middle-ground with each other if it's taking this long."
Their difference in training philosophy had driven a wedge between them after the Fuchsia City Gym. And because of that mess with Dark City, they hadn't really had time to sort out things further. In fact, Ash had been avoiding her since then and Gina couldn't exactly change her battling style for his sake.
Brushing her hair in frustration for a moment, Gina shook her head. "We'll talk things out at some point, but for the moment we need to focus on the next Gym Battle and lodgings. I doubt we'd be in the mood to talk to each other calmly if we have to sleep outside for the next few days."
Misty seemed skeptical of them delaying their talk for that long but said nothing as they proceeded to get back onto their feet and continue their search for a place to stay before they had to meet back up with the boys. They followed the tourist map they had from location to location in the northern section of the city while the boys were handling the southern half. But it was to no avail as they found all the local places booked or too expensive, and so their chances of being able to sleep in a bed plummeted to near zero.
"I guess we don't have a choice but to hope the guys had better luck than we did," Gina conceded as she and Misty exited out the lobby of the last place on their map. It had been a Hot Springs resort and would have been too costly for them to stay, despite the traditional Kanto aesthetic and entertainment as part of the package.
They made their way back to a playground to meet with Ash and Brock. They found the boys sitting down on a bench while looking over some kind of business card, Pikachu perched on top of Ash's head. The Electric Mouse Pokémon's ears perked up after a moment before he kneaded his trainer's cheek before pointing in their direction, grabbing the boys' attention.
"So, you two have any luck?" Misty asked while catching Pikachu upon his leap towards her while the pair got up and grabbed their bags. She held the Electric-Type close while giving him a gentle brush behind the ears. "All the places we found were beyond our budget or booked."
"Maybe," Brock answered. "I did some asking around for a boutique hotel since those tend to be smaller and out of the way, but usually cost less to stay at. A local gave us a business card for a place that's apparently decent and falls within our budget and needs. But there's a catch."
"Better results than us." Gina shrugged. "So, what's the catch?"
"There's a riddle involved," Ash said, his gaze turning over to Gina for a moment. Then he purposefully looked away as he held out the card to them. "See for yourself."
Gina frowned at his reluctance to look at her before taking the business card he was holding. It was for a place called the Big Riddle Inn. "If you look near the swing, you'll see my hands—or at least my face…ah, they have a gimmick to match the name and you need to solve a riddle to figure it out. No wonder you were looking clueless just now."
"We figured out this must be the swing," Ash said in his defense. "There just aren't any statues nearby for the hands and face."
"I'm pretty sure it means a clock face and hand," Misty pointed out while gesturing to the north. There the hearty trees had grown in abundance along the inclined slope of the volcano, with their current position allowing them to just barely glimpse at a building sticking out of the side as if it were hiding behind the forest. There was a giant clock on it. "That's probably it."
"That's pretty far out of the way for most travelers to notice," Ash said. "If we hadn't come to this place, we never would have noticed it. How would they stay in business like that?"
"Most likely you would book a reservation as part of a vacation package and get a chauffeur who knows the direction," Brock reasoned. Since boutique hotels were often smaller and meant for a more personalized experience, walk-ins weren't usually done. "I'm guessing whoever runs the place likely decided to take advantage of the influx of tourists, but only the ones who bothered to scout out the island instead of staying on the beach would be able to solve the riddle."
"Then if we're lucky they might have rooms we can use," Misty added. "Let's go check it out."
The four trainers proceeded around the forested grounds in search of a path that would take them to the inn and eventually found one. That allowed them to get all the way up to the Big Riddle Inn, which was clearly an older establishment based on its traditional architecture. They entered inside and were greeted by a man with shades, long blonde hair, and a handlebar moustache.
"I see you managed to figure out my riddle," he said upon seeing Ash and Brock. "Welcome my establishment—the Big Riddle Inn."
"Wait, you owned the place?" Ash said in surprise. "Then couldn't you have just told us that beforehand. It took ages for us to figure things out."
"Now, now, what fun would that be…" He playfully twisted his moustache in amusement, giving the girls the impression that he derived some form of amusement from the situation. "Putting your brains to work while you're young keeps you sharp and it found you a place to stay for a while, right?"
While Ash silently fumed, Misty kept her priorities straight. "So, you have rooms still available?"
He nodded. "That's right. I've got two rooms available that you four can share in a packaged deal, covering meals and the chance to use the hot springs in the back. There's also plenty of space for your pokémon to move about, though try not to let Onix knock over any trees or tunnel through the stonework."
"Don't worry, we won't cause any issues during our stay," Brock promised before turning back to the rest of them. "Right?"
They all nodded in agreement, settling their housing situation for the duration of their stay. That allowed them to turn their attention to other matters, such as taking care of their Pokémon. The owner showed them out to a section of the grounds that could be used for both feeding and practice, which gave them enough space to let out their companions in earnest.
Gina turned her attention to the Beak Pokémon, who had begun to stretch out his massive wings as soon as he was released from the confines of his ball. "You're free to take to the sky as you please but stay within earshot and don't attack anything. After dinner, I'll set up the Technical Machine so that you can start your training on how to use Fly."
Fly was a technique that was designed so that aerial Pokémon could ferry passengers upon their backs. It involved controlling the flow of air around their bodies to the extent that it gave the rider shelter from the harsh winds, creating a shell of sorts. It had been later weaponized into a powerful combat technique so that, by concentrating that shell in the front and then ramming into the enemy, it would deal massive damage. But because it required focus to build up the shell, it was slow to use in battle.
"It'll also give you a leg up on Pidgeotto considering he's too small to use it," she added in a hushed tone, appealing to his inherent superiority complex. It was no secret that the two primary avians within Kanto had a semi-rivalry across their species, and so anything that pushed him further ahead of Pidgeotto was much to his delight.
A scratchy caw served as confirmation before Fearow took to the air and began to soar around them, casting a shadow that shrank the higher he got. It was in his nature to be territorial so he was no doubt using his Keen Eyes to scope out anything that would be a potential threat. It wasn't likely he'd find anything considering where they were, but he had been behaving since they had their talk and so he wouldn't attack even if he did find something of note.
That one taken care of, she spotted Wartortle and Nidorina heading to a small pond with Squirtle while Misty sat with her own Pokémon. Staryu and Starmie seemed content to merely cling to the wet rocks in the water with their gems catching the amber light of the encroaching evening. But the surly Tentacool was focused on the sight of the Water Specialist supporting Psyduck while trying to teach him how to swim, gently encouraging him while holding his hands to avoid him dipping below the surface.
Graveler had instead gravitated towards Brock's pokémon. His Geodude had gotten sparring pads out and was holding them up so that Primeape could continue to punch at them, occasionally throwing out a retaliatory swing that he had to dodge. The training regimen drew the attention of Vulpix, who watched them from atop the curled up Onix while Golbat hung upside down in the shade of the nearest tree with Ash's Pidgeotto perched upright and his Haunter drifting about.
Of her present team, that left Kadabra and Electabuzz next to Gina. The former was for obvious reasons, given his attachment to her. It wasn't too much of a problem because, despite him being quiet and reserved, he was still sociable enough. It was Electabuzz that worried her.
The Electric Pokémon was keeping a sharp and wary gaze upon all the other pokémon. Anytime the others got close he went tense, as if ready to fight until he sent a sharp glance her way for signs of confirmation. That was partly why she had to keep her eye on him.
Gina wanted to rehabilitate Electabuzz—not just for his potential when it came to the Indigo Conference, but because it didn't sit right with her how Team Rocket had conditioned him into that state. That meant making him more social with other pokémon without the need for oversight from her. But, at the same time, she couldn't push him into it carelessly since that might do more harm than good.
"Electabuzz," she called, only to be met with a swift grab of his attention like a soldier waiting to receive orders. "You don't have to stand guard over me. You can go interact with the others if you want."
He shook his head in lieu of words.
She expected as much, so she instead changed the topic. "Are you worried they might see you in the same light as the others at Dark City?"
It was natural to assume that he might perceive they held some animosity over that as a reason to be wary of them. Electabuzz and Scyther had not been socialized with other species since they were trained to attack, so suppressing them at Dark City had been something the others had dealt with decisively while she had been forced to rest. That was also part of the reason that Ash's new Scyther had been sent back to the Ranch with Bulbasaur, as Professor Oak should be capable of rehabilitating it to be less hostile.
His expression turned introspective for a moment as he puzzled whether that was the case or not. Eventually, he nodded that was at least part of it. "Buzz."
"I'm sure they don't think that way," she told him in a reassuring tone as she cast her gaze over towards Ash. He was currently hovering over his team as they discussed their upcoming Gym Battle. Since it involved facing off against Fire-Types, he had opted to try his luck with Charmeleon, Squirtle, and Krabby—the latter of which he had swapped out for Bulbasaur. "Well, I won't tell you to open up fully, but you can relax around us a little when we aren't in a battle."
She slowly extended her hand out and left it hovering for a moment. As much as she'd like to gently pat his head to comfort him, it was clear he was somewhat hand-shy and so she wanted to get his permission before doing so. He reluctantly consented with another nod before she gently rubbed his head between his antennae.
"Ash," Brock called out at that moment, drawing attention over towards him. "Are you sure that you want to pit Krabby against a Gym Leader without any prior experience? I know that you mentioned Professor Oak had been training him a bit, but it's going to be your battle for the seventh badge. Blaine won't be holding back much, if at all."
"I know that Krabby can do it," Ash said with no lack of confidence in that endearing, yet frustrating way Gina had come to expect from him. "Right, Krabby?"
The River Crab Pokémon snipped his pincers in agreement. "Bi-bi."
"Then how about a practice match with Vulpix, so you can at least familiarize him with a Fire-Type first?" Brock suggested, waving over to the Fox Pokémon. In response, she rose up from her perch on Onix. Then she let out an affirmative yip before hopping down onto the ground-level and making her way over to them.
"You're on," Ash answered. "Show us what you can do, Krabby!"
It's not a bad idea, Gina mused. There were only so many Fire-Types in Kanto and they had two in their party. Of them, Vulpix hadn't been Brock's pokémon for too long and she also likely hadn't been as combat-trained compared to Charmeleon, so against Krabby it would be a good way to gauge what he could do.
Using the open space as a makeshift battlefield, the Fox Pokémon took to the left side of the field while the River Crab Pokémon took to the right. The rest of the landbound pokémon took to the fringes to give them space to battle, not wanting to risk being caught in the crossfire. That left Misty, still with her own pokémon in the water, to act as the referee for the impromptu match.
"Keep in mind that this is just a sparring match, so no trying to seriously hurt each other," Misty said. "Begin!"
"Vulpix, start out with Ember!" Brock commanded, electing to make the first move. She yipped in response before drawing back her head, her small chest puffing out as she inhaled deeply before letting loose a spray of rolling wisps of flames. They sailed towards her opponent with the intention of grilling the crustacean within its exoskeleton.
"Krabby, use Bubble to snuff out those flames!" Ash ordered in response, choosing to meet fire with water rather than attempting to dodge them. The River Crab Pokémon opened his mouth and spat out a scattering cone of watery spheres that met with the rolling wisps of fire. Mutual destruction ensued as the clash between elements resulted in a veil of gray steam between them.
So, they're around the same strength due to the Type Disadvantage, Gina thought herself based on her observation. Ember and Bubble were basic attacks learned by their respective Types, but water won over fire due to Type Advantage. The fact that they canceled each other out rather than one being overpowered meant Vulpix was likely much stronger than Krabby when it came to using her own element, allowing her to make up the difference.
A streak of light then split the grey veil and pulled Gina from her musings due to its familiarity. It was a Quick Attack like those often used by her own pokémon to run their enemies down. But it wasn't Rattata or Eevee, both of whom she missed and hoped were keeping up their training. Instead, it was Vulpix shooting through the shroud of steam to land a critical hit against the surprised crustacean.
Red and cream spun over one another. Unable to brace or guard himself from the speedy blitz, Krabby was sent tumbling back several feet before his multiple legs found purchase. Reorienting himself upright, the River Crab Pokémon turned his eyes ahead in time to see fire pooling between Vulpix's parted maw in preparation for her next attack.
"Ember!" Brock ordered, giving the Fox Pokémon permission to blow out the building fire once more. This time it came in the form of a larger fireball that raced across the distance between them, with firelight illuminating the colors of the crustacean. The attack barreled down on him without a moment's hesitation, too fast for such a slow pokémon to even contemplate dodging.
"Use Bubble again!" Ash commanded, relying on offense to act as the best form of defense. Bubbles shot straight from Krabby's mouth and plowed into the oncoming fireball two-thirds of the way between them. They couldn't extinguish it completely, but it had largely petered out by the time it reached its target, and the remnants barely scalded his exoskeleton. "Now, spread it over the field this time!"
"Don't use Quick Attack again," Brock warned his pokémon as Krabby let loose a curtain of bubbles again, intentionally spread thin enough to splash over the battlefield rather than be used as an offensive attack. Now that the ground itself was laden with slick froth and foam such quick movements would likely cause her to slip. "Instead, trap it with Fire Spin!"
Fire licked at Vulpix's maw once more. Then, with a mighty bark, she unleashed a gout of flames like no other. It seared forward in a tight stream, the air itself hissing as the blaze spiraled towards the River Crab Pokémon.
Krabby launched more bubbles in response. The spheres of water sped forth, seeking to quell the blaze before they could reach him once more. But this time the flames actively avoided the water, much to the crustacean's shock. "Kuu?"
The motion was serpentine. Deft enough that it gave the impression that the flames had a mind of their own. That they were a living, breathing thing that writhed along the way to their target.
It was due to Vulpix's control over her attack more than anything else. Her precision and skill made up for her lack of raw strength, allowing her to move the stream of fire so it could avoid the extinguishing bubbles before tightening around the River Crab Pokémon to prevent it from escaping. Then it ignited into a burning twister that trapped her opponent within.
One could barely make out the silhouette within the roiling curtain of fire. There were moments when it broke down as Krabby attempted to fire off his Bubble attack one after another. But the flames that were extinguished were quickly replaced by more as she continued exhaling fire through her mouth while drawing breath from her nose in a cycle.
It looks like it's over, Gina concluded. She knew that as long as Vulpix could keep feeding the fire she could keep it going until her opponent fainted. Bubble wasn't a strong enough attack to extinguish it and Krabby lacked the strength or mobility to escape. Well, for its first battle, it didn't do too bad.
"I know you can get out of it Krabby!" However, even though she saw it as a loss, Ash remained optimistic. Even as his shout of encouragement seemingly went unanswered, and the River Crab Pokémon seemed to lose even the strength to shoot out water in a futile attempt to quench the flames, he still called out in support. "Show us what Professor Oak taught you!"
There was only the roaring of the flames despite his plea, and it seemed like even Misty was getting ready to call the match. But before she could a bright light abruptly shot from the ground and into the sky. It was a beam of pure concentrated power, erupting with such force that the flames were immediately snuffed out and the air itself howled as it rushed past them while whipping at their clothes and feathers and fur alike.
"Could we get a little warning next time?" Gina grumbled even as she rested a hand on top of her Electabuzz's shoulder to stop his fight-or-flight instincts from kicking in. She then blinked away the floaters in her eyes from the intense light until her vision came into focus again. "I swear… oh…"
Her voice and complaints trailed off as she saw that the River Crab Pokémon had undergone a transformation. His body had swelled in size, becoming several times larger than before to the point where it was up to their chest in terms of height. And that wasn't even factoring in that its left claw was even larger than its body.
The newly evolved Pincer Pokémon snipped its massive pincer and let out a deep rumble. "Kinglerrrr!"
"…Okay, I think we're going to call the match," Brock decided, looking over towards the Fox Pokémon who now found herself staring up at her much larger opponent and nodding absentmindedly. "But I don't think Kingler learn Hyper Beam naturally."
"They don't," Misty confirmed. "Gyarados is the only Water Pokémon that learns it naturally. That's why them going on a rampage is so dangerous."
"Gramps must have taught him it then," Gina said, crossing her arms and grimacing. "He has that TM in his private collection. That would also explain why he managed to evolve after a single battle."
Kingler bobbed his head at that in acknowledgement. "Kin."
"Well… you should still consider teaching him Bubblebeam at the very least," Misty suggested as Ash took the news in stride and ran over to his newly evolved Pincer Pokémon. "Hyper Beam takes a lot out of a pokémon, so using it back-to-back isn't easy. And it'll help deal with more speedy opponents."
Due to being so top heavy, more so with their huge pincer, Kingler as a whole were on the slower side when it came to battling. To be able to deal with faster moving targets in the wild, they learned Bubble and used the fact that they had so many legs and stable footing to cross the slippery surfaces easier. Bubblebeam was essentially combining both Bubble and Water Gun to gain the benefits of both.
"That sounds like a good plan!" Ash said with a level of enthusiasm that honestly downplayed the difficulties involved with doing so. "We'll have it mastered in no time!"
Why do I find that side of him attractive at times? Gina wondered as she watched them move over to the pond to learn from Misty and her Starmie. It would take it at least few days to even get the basics down unless they used a TM like the one that she had from the Cerulean Gym. But he probably wouldn't ask her since they weren't on speaking terms. And she couldn't bring herself to offer it without him asking since she did promise to use it for Fearow's sake.
Then again, luck always did seem to be on his side. He'd probably have it mastered well before then without help from her. And that left a bitter feeling in her chest when she considered the fact that it meant he didn't need her at all.
…I think the owner said they had Hot Springs here. I'll take a dip in it after dinner to clear my head.
[-oOo-]
"It's hotter compared to other places I've been," Gina mused as she sat at the edge of the hot springs sometime after they had finished taking care of their pokémon and eating dinner. "Then again, we are near a volcano so that's expected."
Countless bands of steam wafted from the milky water that was ringed by stones. The air was warm and humid to a staggering degree from just being near it. Her exposed skin, unhidden by the large towel wrapped around her torso, had already begun glistening from the beads of sweat as she dipped her feet into the water to grow accustomed to the heat.
"Do you think you can handle it this hot, Wartortle?" she asked, turning her attention to the Turtle Pokémon nestled on her lap. Her Starter Pokémon had wanted to see for herself what hot springs were like when the topic came up and she had been washed beforehand, meaning it was fine for her to come inside with Gina.
Wartortle let out an inquisitive purring sound as she curiously dipped her fingers into the water. Then her brown eyes turned from the water to her trainer, and her ears twitched as she bobbed her head. "War."
"Okay, but don't spray any water into the springs to try and cool it off since you'll dilute the minerals," Gina warned her, even as she gently lowered her into the water. "Just get out onto one of the big rocks if it gets too hot. I don't want you steamed after all."
The Turtle Pokémon trilled happily as she began to tread the water. She was heavier than when she was a Squirtle and would sink if she didn't have enough air to keep her buoyed within her lungs. But it was more than big enough for just the two of them to share, so she was free to play to her heart's desire.
Misty planned to come in later after she finished using the videophone located on the premises to talk with her sisters. Brock had something to discuss with the owner of the place, so he wasn't going to be using the men's side. As for Ash… well, she didn't know since he had been too busy celebrating that his pokémon evolved and training to really pay any attention to her.
Stop thinking about him for the moment and just enjoy this. Gina folded the towel and set it over to the side. Then she eased herself into the cradle of the water. Heat seeped into her skin and down to her muscles, melting the stress away. She let out a soft sigh of satisfaction before turning her gaze above to see that night had fallen well and truly at this point.
The dark canvas that was the sky had stars dotting it from up high. They looked like distant diamonds that occasionally seemed to be glinting. And the lack of clouds obscuring them made for a picturesque view from the mountainside resort ringed by trees and out of earshot of the city below. The silence and beauty allowed her to sink into her own thoughts about her upcoming match and future in peace…
SPLASH! At least until there was a loud splash on the opposite side of the bamboo divider that separated the genders. And any question about who it was on the opposite side vanished the moment she heard, "Wow, it's pretty hot! Might want to ease into it, Pikachu."
Why is Ash here now? Gina's gaze fixed onto the bulwark between them, and she let out a low sigh as his presence ruined her quiet contemplation. She wanted to get away from her thoughts about him for the moment but that was hard to do with all the splashing around coming from the other side.
Then Ash let out an uncharacteristically deep sigh. "Hmm… I still haven't figured out what to do yet about Gina…"
She immediately shifted her full attention onto him at that while the Electric Mouse inquired into the comment with a soft, "Pika?"
"It's been almost a week now," he said in response to the question. "I haven't been able to figure out how to apologize to her yet."
Her curiosity grew hearing that. She looked over to Wartortle, who had perched herself onto one of the rocky outcroppings within the steaming natural springs, and held a finger to her mouth to signal the Turtle Pokémon to remain silent. Then she quietly moved closer to the bamboo divider and placed her ear against it to make them hear easier.
Ash continued, unaware of their presence. "I know that we haven't talked for a while since the Gym Battle, so I've been trying to find the right way to bring it up. But I don't want to risk making her mad about what happened in Dark City when she was unconscious."
Gina put two-and-two together. Then she rolled her eyes and decided to speak up, "You mean how you stole my first kiss?"
"GAH!" His scream shook the night air itself and she could hear a loud splash as he floundered around on the other side. "Gina!? What are you doing here!?"
"I was using the Hot Springs first, which you would have known if you hadn't been avoiding me all this time," she said pointedly before staring down into the milky water. "Even now, you're getting ready to scramble away rather than talk to me just because you don't agree with how I handle my pokémon, aren't you?"
"No, I'm…" He trailed off, the water sloshing around him before she heard a thump against the bamboo divider. "It's… complicated."
A grimace spread across her face. It felt like he was trying to mask what he really thought behind that vague excuse. If she let it go, then he'd just avoid the topic and things would never change. "You think my way of winning is wrong and yours is right. That's pretty simple to understand."
"… Do you really want to win like that?" Ash finally asked. "Is victory so important that you'd order them to hurt themselves to win? To sacrifice themselves so easily? Without a second thought? That's not who you are."
"You make it sounded as though I wanted to give those orders, Ash." And, if she had to be honest, it felt like he'd put a dagger in her chest when he said it. Because she could hear the silent accusation in his voice. "I didn't."
"You might not have wanted to, but you still did it anyway to win," he pointed out. "You could have just tried again even if you lost—"
"No, I couldn't." There was a firm heat in her voice that was tinged with bitterness. "I can't fall further behind again. I can't break the promise I made with each one of the pokémon who chose to follow me. Not again."
"What promise?" he asked.
"That I would make them very best in Kanto." She turned her gaze back to Wartortle, who had slipped back into the water and was slowly paddling over to her. "I took them from their homes and brought them along with me while promising to make them the strongest Pokémon in Kanto if they followed my orders. They've all kept their end of that bargain, so I have to keep my end as well."
She promised them victory. To become Champions. Wartortle, Nidorina, Fearow, Eevee, Rattata, Kadabra, Graveler, Pinsir, and now Electabuzz—she made that promise to all the pokémon who chose to fight alongside her.
"I already broke my promise once by losing to Sabrina," Gina continued. "The circumstances were outside of our control, but that doesn't excuse the fact that I couldn't keep my promise. Losing again before we make it to the Indigo Conference is unacceptable. So, I used my last resort to ensure that we could beat Koga when all else failed—and even then, we only narrowly avoided losing."
She had underestimated Koga despite stating that she wouldn't. She had come up with plans she was sure would work and he had managed to work around them all with such ease that it was only because of everyone's willingness to sacrifice themselves and Kadabra having the right Ability that they managed to succeed. Her pokémon had been perfect, but she hadn't been good enough for them. So, she had to use such self-destructive tactics to make up for her own shortcomings.
Silence reigned for a moment, with only the water feeding from the fountain echoing. Then Ash sighed before she heard another thump against the divider. "Gina, what good is getting that far if you hurt yourself doing it?"
Gina denied it. "I'm not hurting myself."
"That's not what it sounds like," Ash said. "I'm worried that trying to keep that promise by wanting to win no matter what will eventually push in a direction you don't want to go. If you resorted to going that far for Koga, what about the rest of your opponents? What about me?"
"…I promised them, Ash," Gina said with finality in her tone. "Losing again would make everything a lie, so I can't hold back. Until we stand at the pinnacle, I owe it to them to do whatever it takes. That stands above everything else—including my own personal feelings."
She wanted Ash to acknowledge her feelings. But she wouldn't compromise her promise for that either. If it came down to a choice between the two, Gina had already decided what path she'd walk.
"Then I don't have much of a choice," Ash's tone carried a finality of its own. "I'll just have to prove that you don't have to make those calls. And that means I'll have to be the one to beat you in the Conference."
"And what makes you think that'll change anything?" she asked bluntly. "That I'd just accept losing if it was you?"
"I get the feeling that you can't accept losing to anyone until you become a Champion," he answered. "But if I beat you then at least you know it's after you did everything you could. You and your pokémon would accept that because we've been together this far and have known each other even longer. There's no shame in losing to someone you consider an equal, is there?"
She considered it. Neither of them holding back only for him to somehow come out on top, despite the clear difference in their training styles. Would she be able to bear that?
"Warrrr." A soft burble from the Turtle Pokémon was followed by a gentle nuzzling. Was Wartortle trying to comfort her? Did she really look that distraught?
"…You really do drive me up a wall sometimes, Ash," Gina settled on while bringing her partner to her chest and embracing her. "I won't accept something like a fluke win. If you want to prove your point as my equal… my rival… there's only one way to do that."
"And what's that?" he asked.
"Don't lose to anyone else until we face each other," she demanded. "I won't lose to anyone else from now on. So, if you want to prove your way is better than mine, you need to do the same at the very least. Only then can we truly be equals when we finally face each other. Then we can decide whose beliefs will carry them further… and I will hear your answer once and for all."
"…Okay," Ash said after a prolonged pause, with firm softness in his voice from beyond the bamboo partition. "That's my promise to you."