----
Violet City, being a densely populated hub, always had a steady stream of travelers coming and going. Naturally, when a Pokémon battle broke out near one of its main roads, it didn't take long for passersby to stop and watch.
Just like street basketball or impromptu music jams back on Earth whether you're into it or not, it's nearly impossible to ignore a good Pokémon battle. Curiosity always wins.
Within minutes, a crowd had gathered, easily dozens of people. And before long, someone in the audience recognized the challengers.
"The Week Siblings?!"
That name carried weight in Johto. While their skill levels varied, the seven siblings had battled plenty of trainers over the years. Win or lose, they were known for issuing strange personalized badges, and just about every local Trainer had crossed paths with one of them.
The audience buzzed, eyes quickly shifting from the siblings to their opponent wondering who this trainer was, bold enough to challenge the infamous family.
And then someone else gasped. "Wait… isn't that the Indigo League Champion?!"
All it took was one person to spark the fire.
"Is that Kai?!"
"No way! The guy from the finals?!"
In a flash, phones were out and recording. Erika glanced over at the growing noise behind them and sighed before turning her focus back to the battle.
Neither Kai nor Starla was fazed. They were both used to public attention. The murmurs and cameras meant nothing once the battle had begun.
On the makeshift field, Starla knew her Slugma was at a type disadvantage. If she was going to stand a chance, she'd need to act fast.
As soon as Sterling signaled the start, she called out, "Slugma—use Ember! Now!"
Slugma's molten body rippled as it reared back. A flurry of burning sparks burst from its mouth, flying toward Larvitar like a small firestorm.
But instead of reacting, Kai stood still—lost in thought.
Larvitar looked over its shoulder, confused. Where was the command?
Kai's eyes remained fixed on the Ember attack, almost in a trance.
Larvitar frowned. 'Uh… boss?'
As the fire drew closer, Kai's mind wandered just for a second.
He'd only recently survived a titanic clash between the Legendary Beasts and the Legendary Birds. After witnessing sky-splitting attacks and earth-shaking destruction, this little Ember just… didn't register.
When was the last time I even saw someone use Ember?
Feels like ages ago…
Thankfully, the lapse lasted only a moment. As the flames neared, Kai snapped back into focus.
"Larvitar—dodge it, then use Rock Slide!"
Larvitar leaped sideways, but just a fraction too late. The Ember grazed its side, licking across its rocky hide.
Fortunately, Larvitar's dual Ground/Rock typing meant it was highly resistant to Fire. What looked like a direct hit barely left a mark.
Recentered and alert, Kai took control of the match. Under his guidance, Larvitar engaged Slugma in a tactical back-and-forth.
Slugma's power wasn't bad, but its speed was a major weakness. Combined with the unfavorable typing, it had little chance to turn the tide.
Kai watched carefully. Slugma was weakening its movement slowing, its fire flickering.
Time to end it.
"Larvitar—use Bite! Finish it!"
The small Pokémon lunged, jaws wide. Its teeth clamped down on Slugma's molten body then immediately released.
White steam hissed from Larvitar's mouth.
Kai's eyes narrowed. "Burned?"
He realized it instantly Slugma had the Flame Body ability.
It was a passive trait. Whenever a physical move made direct contact, there was a chance the attacker would get burned.
Starla had lucked out.
But so had Kai.
A grin tugged at his lips.
His Larvitar's ability was Guts a hidden weapon. When affected by a status condition like burn or paralysis, its attack power surged, and the effects of burn were severely diminished.
Talk about karma.
Poor Starla. From typing to abilities, it felt like the universe had stacked the odds against her.
And sure enough, with boosted power and relentless pressure, Larvitar brought Slugma crashing to the ground moments later.
As Starla recalled her defeated partner, her expression was tight with frustration. She hadn't even used half her real strength. The fight had been one-sided from the start—and she knew it.
No vengeance. No redemption. Just another loss added to the record.
Sterling didn't offer words of comfort. He simply raised his hand and announced, "Larvitar wins the first round!"
The crowd reacted with hushed murmurs and mixed looks. Many had expected a high-octane, evenly matched battle. Instead, they'd watched a type of massacre.
Patting Starla on the shoulder, Sterling stepped forward to take her place while she moved to the side and assumed the referee role.
He adjusted his glasses once again. "Okay… I'll admit my sister got the short end of the stick. Type matchup was brutal."
He then locked eyes with Kai. "But don't get cocky. You won't be so lucky with me."
Kai just shrugged. "We'll see."
He gave Larvitar a quick compliment before returning it to its Poké Ball, then waited calmly.
Sterling didn't hesitate. He smirked, pulling a Poké Ball from his jacket.
On Starla's cue, both Trainers prepared to throw.
Sterling launched his ball first. "Let's go, Electabuzz!"
A flash of light revealed the muscular, horned Electric-type, crackling with energy.
Kai didn't switch. He sent out the same Pokémon again Larvitar.
Sterling froze. His jaw slackened.
His confident smirk vanished in real time as he realized what had just happened.
No… no way…
Two flashes of light. Two Pokémon.
Another type of disadvantage.
Electabuzz, a pure Electric-type, stood no chance against Larvitar's Ground typing. Its electric moves wouldn't even touch him.
Kai raised an eyebrow, watching Sterling go pale. "Something wrong?"
Sterling clenched his jaw.
He'd tried to outsmart Kai. Figured Kai wouldn't risk using the same Pokémon twice. But instead, he'd played himself.
As the crowd began murmuring again, Kai simply smiled.
"Ready when you are."
----
Don't forget to drop some PowerStones!💎💎💎
For early access to advanced chapters on p@treon.
P@treon/iamxeno
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!