As we neared the registration booth by the entrance, both Khan and I glanced around, following the trainers who were getting on a line. It wasn't long, but even from where I stood, I could feel the tension in the air. Focused eyes, tight grips on Pokéballs.
"I just hope this time I can manage to pass this puzzle..." muttered a guy behind us, scratching the back of his head.
After hearing him I leaned closer to Khan, curiosity getting the better of me. "Do you know what kind of puzzle it is?"
Khan shrugged, his blue eyes scanning the concert building. "No idea. I just hope it's not like the one in CeruleanGym. I don't want anything involving modeling."
As his turn came up, he stepped forward confidently. A woman eith black hair in a crisp white shirt beneath a black suit adjusted her tie and asked, "Name and Pokémon you're registering?"
"Khan. I'll be using a Gligar and an Electabuzz." He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out the two Pokéballs, placing them on the table.
She barely reacted, jotting down the names with a blank expression. "Alright. You're number four. Next!"
Khan stepped aside, clipping the small metallic button with the number four onto his sleeve. I walked up and unclipped Aria and Oddy's Pokéballs from my belt with a soft click, placing them on the table.
"And you? Name and Pokémon?" she asked, eyes flicking up to meet mine.
"Kirlia and Gloom," I said, keeping my tone steady.
She tapped her pen against the Pokéballs, then paused. "Are they Adapted Pokémon?"
"Yeah. Is that a problem?" I asked, leaning in just a bit.
She gave a quick shake of her head. "No, not at all. It's just unusual. That makes two trainers using Adapted Pokémon in this gym's participant list."
I blinked, glancing past her as she wrote down the names. "And your name?"
"My name's Alex Carter. But miss could you show me who the other trainer is?"
She handed me a button with the number five craved on it and nodded toward a boy near the edge of the place. He had brown hair, a dark blue hoodie with golden sleeves, and gray jeans. The late afternoon sun caught the metallic sheen of his Axew's steel scales.
A grin tugged at the corner of my mouth after seeing the guy.
I pressed Aria's Pokéball, releasing her beside me. She blinked at the crowd before spotting the boy. Without a word, she stepped to my side.
As we approached, I extended my hand toward the trainer. He looked up, then smiled broadly as recognition lit up his emerald green eyes. He clasped my hand and let me help him to his feet.
"It's good to see you again, Sammy," I said, a grin forming on my face.
"It's nice to see you too, Raltsy Boy," he replied with a smirk, his eyes locked onto mine. Emerald green against Scarlet red.
"Are you here for the Gym too?" I asked, crouching down to gently pat Tusk, the Steel scaled Axew's head.
"Yeah!" Sammy grinned. "I guess you're planning the same?"
Before I could respond, his eyes shifted and locked onto Aria. "So that's the new, evolved Aria, huh?"
Aria, proud as ever, stepped forward with elegance, her pale hair drifting slightly in the breeze. She lifted her chin and gave both Sammy and Tusk a graceful twirl, her crimson eyes glowing with confidence.
"Yeah," I said with a smirk. "She evolved during a fight… against people like the ones we saw in Viridian Forest." I leaned in, lowering my voice to a whisper.
Sammy's expression changed instantly. His smile faded for a moment, replaced by seriousness. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a Pokéball, clicking the release button.
With a flash of light, a Kadabra emerged floating a few inches above the ground. Its body was marked with black streaks that twisted across its yellow fur. Its eyes burned a deep red with purple pupils, and two jagged horns curled up from its temples like blades of bone.
I stared in awe. "Is that... the same Abra we saved?"
"Yeah," Sammy said quietly, eyes fixed on his Kadabra. "Vex evolved during a fight at Mt. Moon. Same kind of people, same kind of chaos and the same result!" He reached out and stroked the sleek tail of the Kadabra. "They're everywhere, Alex. You need to be careful."
I nodded slowly, then reached for Oddy's Pokéball and pressed the button. In a burst of red light, Oddy emerged, standing firm. His dark-blue body looked tougher than ever, and the strange, trap-like mouths on top of his head opened and closed with perfect synchronicits calm, steady.
Sammy crouched again, digging into his pocket and pulling out a small snack bar. He snapped it in half and offered the pieces to both Aria and Oddy, who gladly accepted.
"You evolved your Dark-type too," Sammy noted. Then, with a sudden spark in his eyes, he stood up and smirked. "By the way, want to battle before the challenge starts?"
I crossed my arms and gave him a deadpan look. "Hell no."
His grin dropped. "Wait, what? Why not?"
I pointed straight at his chest and began listing my reasons one by one.
"First, you've got at least four Pokémon." I flicked my eyes to his belt two extra Pokéballs hanging beside Vex and Tusk. "I've only got two."
I held up my hand, ticking off my thumb.
"Second," I said, poking him lightly in the chest, "I know one of those is a Gyarados. If we battled here, we'd probably blow up half the place."
Index finger down.
"Third, we don't have enough time."
Ring finger down.
"And fourth…" I paused, grinning. "The last time we battled, I already won, why should I change the result?"
I dropped my pinky with a smirk as Sammy groaned, rubbing the back of his neck in defeat without noticing my hand
Before ı continue, I turned slightly and called out to Khan, who was watching us from a short distance away.
"By the way, this is Khan. I met him at the Cerulean Gym. He's been with me ever since ı saw him at the Underground Challenge."
Khan lifted a hand in greeting. "Sup?"
Sammy stepped forward, eyeing him closely. "Nice to meet you… Wait, do I know you?"
Before either of us could answer, a loud speaker crackled to life above the stage:
[TRAINER NUMBER ONE! COULD YOU PLEASE COME TO THE STAGE!]
Sammy's ears perked up. "That's me!" he shouted, hoisting Tusk up onto his shoulder and returning Vex to its Pokéball. "Good luck to both of you. Let's go, Tusk!"
With a flash of energy, he took off toward the arena, vanishing into the crowd.
I turned to Khan and silently returned both Aria and Oddy to their Pokéballs. But when I looked at him again, something was off. His smile was gone.
He looked… defeated?
"What's the matter?" I asked, sitting down on the cold grass beside him.
He didn't respond right away. His eyes drifted to the spot where Vex had floated, then to Oddy's and Aria's Pokéball which were clipped to my belt.
Finally, he let out a long sigh. "Alex… I want an Adapted Pokémon too!" he said while ı stared at him with a completely blank face.
The speakers above crackled to life once more.
[NUMBER TWO, PLEASE COME TO THE STAGE.]
A girl bolted toward the platform, her footsteps lost in the sudden cheer that followed. Applause echoed through the square loud and wild.
"I wonder what they're doing up there to get that kind of reaction," I said, propping one hand on my knee while stretching the other leg out in front of me.
"No clue," Khan replied, pulling his button with number four carved into it from his pocket and squeezing it in his fist. "But looks like we're not gonna be fighting each other."
"Yea—" I began, but another explosion of cheers cut me off. We both turned our eyes to the stage. It was hard to see past the crowd, but whatever was going on, it had the entire line exited.
"What the hell is happening up there?" Khan muttered, rising to his feet. He moved toward the cluster of onlookers, trying to squeeze his way in for a better view.
I stayed where I was, unmoving. Instead, I reached out into the air, tapping my fingers into the red screen as it appeared from the thin air to life in front of me. With a swipe, I opened the Pokémon menu and began scrolling through Aria and Oddy's current movesets thinking of a way to use them at their max potential.
Aria: Double Team, Draining Kiss, Teleport, Hex.
Ability:Unknown
Oddy: Leech Seed, Giga Drain, Stun Spore, Snarl.
Ability:Unknown
Stun Spore was basically useless here since Electric types couldn't be paralyzed. I frowned, gripping Oddy's Poké Ball in my hand. Then something caught my eye.
An arrow right next to the move list.
I raised an eyebrow and tapped it.
The screen expanded instantly, unfolding into a new interface that listed moves Oddy had ever learned. My breath caught in my throat.
"No way…" I whispered.
Without hesitation, I closed the tab and opened Aria's page. The same arrow. The same expanded list.
All the moves she had learned—right there in front of me.
I couldn't help but laugh. "It's a Move Reminder. Free of charge!"
Grinning, I started swapping some of Oddy's moves, optimizing Oddy for the battle ahead.
"They were so many people that ı couldn't even see the damn stage," Khan muttered as he returned from the crowd of trainers. He glanced down at me, raising a brow. "What are you smiling for?"
I looked up at him with a satisfied grin, still adjusting Oddy's moveset. "Let's just say things are starting to go my way."
Behind Khan, I spotted the girl from earlier making her way back from the stage. Her steps were slow. Her expression empty.
Defeated.
Before I could say anything, the speakers crackled again.
[TRAINER NUMBER THREE AND FOUR. PLEASE COME TO THE STAGE.]
After the announcement echoed across the arena, Khan turned on his heel. His eyes briefly met those of another trainer approaching the stage.
"It's my turn. Good luck!" he said, pulling the button marked with the number four from his pocket.
"Good luck to you as well," I replied from behind as Khan dashed toward the concert stage, disappearing behind the thick red curtains with the other trainer. The crowd erupted in cheers, a thunderous wave of sound that rose and fell like the tide behind the performance hall.
I stayed where I was, waiting in silence.
A few minutes passed.
Then another wave of applause surged from the stage, this one less enthusiastic, more routine. The trainer who had entered alongside Khan returned alone. His face was drawn, eyes lowered. Defeat hung off him like a heavy coat.
Then the speakers flared to life again:
[TRAINER NUMBER FIVE AND SIX, PLEASE COME TO THE STAGE.]
Without hesitation, I leapt to my feet and brushed the dust from my clothes. Just as I moved, my eyes met those of a boy walking in the same direction. He looked young maybe twelve or thirteen but his gaze lingered on me a second longer than it needed to.
I didn't think much of it.
We walked toward the stage together, side by side.
But I stopped short the moment we stepped onto the platform.
There were so many people.
The crowd stretched out before me, its open-air stands packed with shouting voices and waving hands. The ocean shimmered behind them, its waves crashing against the stone cliffs just beyond the place's edge. For a second, the roar of the crowd merged with the sound of the sea, and a shiver ran down my spine from the cold sea air.
Before I could take another step, a voice broke through the chaos.
A tall old man appeared in front of us bald head gleaming in the sunlight, a thick gray mustache curling over his lips. He wore a sharp yellow suit that practically glowed under the sun.
"Trainers, get ready!" he called, stepping between me and the boy.
The kid clutched his Pokéball tightly, his fingers wrapped around it like it was a lifeline. I was still taking in the scene, trying to ground myself in the moment.
"Three!!" the crowd roared as the old man raised his hand into the air.
I unlatched Aria's Pokéball from my belt with a practiced flick. click.
"Two!"
I scanned the stands and spotted Khan and Sammy seated beside each other on a row labeled WINNERS. They glanced my way and waved their hands.
"One!!" came a new voice a smooth, excited shout from a figure perched atop one of the massive speakers. A trainer with spiky white hair and dark skin satcasually with his legs dangling, a red and white fur draped aroundhis shoulders. His yellow eyes shimmered, catching the sunlight like polished amber.
"BATTLE!!" the crowd screamed, their voices rising as one.
The boy and I moved at the same time, each throwing our Pokéballs into the air.
"Ember, go!" the boy shouted, flinging his Pokéball forward.
In a burst of red light, a Charmeleonemerged onto the battlefield. Its scales gleamed a fierce crimson under the sun, and a single horn protruded from the top of its head. Flames licked the air at the tip of its tail as it growled, eyes locking onto Aria.
Aria floated silently above the ground, her body weightless, violet cloak trailing like mist. She met Charmeleon's stare with calm intensity, her presence as quiet and eerie.
"Ember! Metal Claw!" the boy commanded, determination hunged from his voice.
I swung my hand. "Aria, teleport create space between Charmeleon and yourself!"
Just before Charmeleon's claw could connect, Aria vanished in a flash of shimmering light. The lizard's strike slashed through a trail of purple sparkles, and it stumbled forward, off balance.
"Now Double Team and Hex!"
My voice rose in sync with the crowd as Aria split into a swarm of illusory clones that fluttered and shimmered above the stage. Purple runes flared in front of each of them, symbols pulsing with spectral energy. With a synchronized surge, the runes shot forward like bolts of cursed light.
Charmeleon's eyes widened.
The attack struck true.
Smoke billowed from the point of impact. The crowd fell into a stunned hush as the dust settled, revealing Charmeleon collapsed in a faint on the platform. Its flame now smaller than a second ago.
The boy's lips pressed into a tight line. He said nothing, only returned Charmeleon silently and pulled out his next Pokéball.
"Go, Mankey!"
The ball snapped open and released a wiry, tense-looking Mankey. It landed with a spin, eyes narrowed, fists clenched, bouncing on the balls of its feet.
The crowd roared again but not as loud this time.
I raised my hand toward Aria. "Draining Kiss!"
Arias floated forward. A glow of soft pink energy gathered in front of them, curling into the shape of a pink ball before shooting forward in a beam of light. The attack struck Mankey before it even had time to react.
The small fighter let out a cry and stumbled backward, legs giving out. When the light faded, it lay motionless on the platform—fainted.
Another silence.
Even the crowd seemed unsure whether to cheer or hold their breath. I stood there, unmoving, my expression unreadable. Aria hovered beside me, calm and quiet as ever.
The boy's hands trembled slightly as he returned Mankey. His eyes had turned glassy. Still, he said nothing. Wordlessly, he took out his final Pokéball and threw it with a flick.
"Go, Pidgeotto!" he called, though his voice cracked halfway through.
The bird burst into the air, wings flaring wide, feathers catching the sun. It screeched loudly, wind already forming in its wake.
"Pidgeotto, Air Sla—"
"Aria, Draining Kiss," I interrupted, cutting him off.
Aria and her clones began to glow with soft pink light once more. In perfect synchronization, they launched waves of energy at the flying Pokémon. Pidgeotto squawked and tried to dodge, but the attack struck midair. It tumbled through the sky and crashed to the ground in a cloud of dust and feathers.
No one said a word.
The boy stood frozen. Slowly, he returned Pidgeotto, his arms tight against his chest like he was trying to keep himself from falling apart. His eyes shimmered as tears began to well up, and without another word, he turned and ran dashing behind the stage, one arm covering his face.
I started to reach out, hand half lifted, unsure of what to say.
But Aria teleported next to me in a brief flash of light, silently urging me to let him go as she swinged her head.
"Trainer Number Five continues…" the bald man announced, stepping forward with a raised hand.
Still dazed, I turned away and walked toward the section where Khan and Sammy were waiting. They didn't say anything. They didn't even look at me.
They just stood there, as if trying to pretend they didn't know who I was.
I sank down onto a wooden chair, elbows on my knees, hand covering my mouth. My eyes stared forward, but my mind was somewhere else.
"You really are one evil fucker Raltsy Boy..." Sammy said, covering his hand to hide his laughter.
"He really defeated that kid without mercy! Moreover he made the kid cry!," Khan said, not even hiding his laughter as he looked towards the crowd.
I looked down at the ground and let out a deep sigh without saying a thing to them while turning my eyes to the man with white hair who was standing on the speakers.
"So that's Wild..."I murmured trying to ignore both Khan and Sammy.