Jane is so fired up I’m hesitant to go first. Maybe once we get inside she’ll dial back.

Street side of the amphitheater is a multi level office and indoor arena. I can see through the mostly glass walls that it’s basically a lap pool with a number of floating platforms.

Inside is a front desk with a young boy in a lifeguard outfit manning a computer.

He looks up and smiles at our group, “Hey Cousin! Give Shauna a great match tonight! Your teammates going to register as well?”

Naomi puts on a big girl act, “Yes, they are, I hope there are available apprentices.”

The lad double checks his screen, “This is a busy week, but if y’all can go right now then we can do one inside, and the other out on the third beach field.”

Gabby chimes in, “can we stagger the timing a few minutes to get coverage of both?”

He shrugs, “a few extra minutes won't hurt. Who will challenge Simon inside? Meena is on the beach.”

No choice there, Jane’s King of Carps won’t be scoring any wins, “I’m inside.”

So much for my plan to use Blue, Skrelp is in for a tricky debut. Jane’s Sandile should be fine in sand though. The tide won’t be high anytime soon.

I look to the redhead, “Good Luck kid, your croc will have a blast on that beach.”

Her face is show of all the determination a sixteen year old that barely understands the word can muster.

A side door to the pool opens up, a young man with long black hair in a man bun walks out, “Hey Squirt, You pinged I got a battle?”

The kid behind the counter rolls his eyes, “Ya, first circuit, second gym. So single Pokemon battle, and don’t bring out your Toxicroak against another rookie Simon. Shauna will have you scrubbing the pool again.”

His face twists, “Right, that shit sucked. Alright, looks like my Azumarill gets some fun time!”

Viv’s boy frowns, “Head on in Mr. Kurt, just a heads up, Do Not, underestimate that Azumarill, it’s his favorite Pokémon.”

Gabby and cameraman Ty follow me into the pool room. The water looks to only be five or six feet deep, the platforms are round and in a star formation.

A young girl climbs a lifeguard chair while Simon takes position and releases a blue and white rabbit onto the closest platform. It begins to stretch.

“A bit old for a rookie ain’t ya?”

No, Really?

Just raising a brow, “Alright Skrelp, time to show me what you're made of.”

She appears in the water and looks around nervously.

Simon frowns, “Should have let me take the beach fight, it's just a squirt.”

The judge girl calls out, “Trainers are you ready?”

I wave a hand, “Just a moment, It’s her first battle.”

Simon laughs like an ass.

Leaning at the edge of the pool I scratch her chin, “Alright little miss, nothing to worry about here. You’re faster in water plus we can be sneaky! Also, remember that magikarp slamming the shark? We can’t fall behind a carp right?”

The little purple seahorse shakes her head indignantly, “Skrel!”

It’s amazing and concerning how smart Pokemon can be.

Taking position I signal ready.

“Trainers, Battle Start!”

Simon, “Show them who’s boss!”

Sure pal, “Skrelp ink up the entire pool.”

The Azumarill pounds its chest like a mini gorilla, “Azu!”

Meanwhile the water starts turning a shade of dark purple and black as Skrelp darts from under one platform to the next.

My opponent looks unimpressed, “not gonna win just hiding Mr. Rookie.”

Thanks Captain Obvious, “Get some snipes in Skrelp.”

Spouts of water start shooting at the blue rabbit from the black water.

Simon, “start bouncing!”

Azumarill begins hopping to dodge the water gun shots. Jumping from one wooden pad to the next.

Not enough, “Aim ahead of it Skrelp, lead your target.”

A few more shots, finally, one looks to be on target. But Simon lets out a loud laugh.

The Azumarill does a backflip in air to dodge, when heading to the water it suddenly exhales a large bubble and bounces off it to land on the nearby platform!

Simon brags, “Those water guns attacks all ya got?”

This brat, “Skrelp, coat the docks in Acid.”

Both Simon and Azumarill drop their smug grins.

The next pad over gets doused by a small geyser of purple sludge, then the next. There’s only five pads.

Hopefully Skelp has enough juice.

Simon yells, “Time for offense! Aqua Tail the next platform!”

Just as Skrelp sends out a fresh shot of acid, the blue rabbit dashes over and slams it’s tail at the water surface before once again bouncing away to one of the last clear pads.

The attack isn’t quite on target but Skrelp gets forced against the side wall of the pool by the resulting wave action.

Azumarill looks to do another aqua tail attack.

Not twice, “heads up, Ink it’s face!”

Sure enough as the Azumarill slams a shot of black gunk sprays all over its face. But Skrelp is sent flying onto a platform!

Azumarill is in the water, their position is reversed, Skrelp looks out of breath.

Almost there though, “Just roll back in the water, and prove ya hit better than a carp!”

Simon seems unnerved, “The platform is just a few feet ahead Azu!”

The rabbit is fast but blind right now.

Now’s the time, “Acid then Tackle Skrelp!”

A narrow jet of sludge snipes the rabbit in the face just before a Skrelp slams into it, her little poisonous horns jabbing it’s side.

Azumarill gets punted to the edge of the pool, and just floats belly up coughing up sludge.

Simon’s brow is twitching.

The judge asks, “Is he done Simon?”

He nods, and clicks his pokeball, “can’t say that was much of a fair fight old man.”

“Azumarill is out, Challenger Kurt wins!”

I lean beside the pool and carefully give my exhausted Skrelp victory scritches, “nice shooting girl, take a rest.”

She gives a cheery, “Relp!” As she returns to her dive ball.

Gabby walks over, “nice strategy Kurt, I’ve seen that Azumarill really rough up a Pokémon in close combat before. Anyway we should hurry out to the beach, I spotted Jane’s match starting.”

While walking I pause to shake Simon’s hand at the end of the pool.

He seems reluctant so I pat his shoulder, “Ya get what you ask for bud, egging on opponents will just fire them up to find a way to win against odds.”

Confused, “what egging on?”

Maybe he’s a lost cause, “just watch your mouth next time kid. I’ve got another fight to catch.”

I leave the oblivious young man and follow our camera crew out to a torch lit path. The sun is sinking towards the western sea horizon.

Along the way Ty taps my shoulder, “Caught that bit at the end, I’ll bet plenty of folks would like to see more cocky brats get put in place.”

Up ahead in a patch of sand two toothy reptiles are chomping after each other’s tails, Ty quickly heads forward to get recording.

Sandile whips his tail into the sand to spray the blue gator.

A nearby woman in a daring swimsuit shouts, “Gatson use Metal Claw!”

I recognize now the Croconaw bounds through the sand and pounces towards Janes Sandile!

Jane yells, “Mud Slap, watch those claws!”

The teal gator shields its face as his trainer yells, “keep pushing, Aqua Tail!”

Croconaw spins to avoid taking another mud slap head on before whipping a damp tail into Sandile’s face.

Little Crooky rolls across the beach before sliding to his feet and Leering at his opponent.

The blue gator makes his own scary face.

Both trainers call out, “Bite!”

Croconaw charges forward but Sandile uses his snout to shovel one more sand attack before they clash.

Sand rains down revealing Croconaw has Sandile’s front arm while the crafty Crooky has Gatson by the neck!

Jane is quick to shout, “Keep it down!”

The gym apprentice commands, “Claw out of it!”

Sandile lifts onto his hind legs while keeping Croconaw locked in his jaw while it tries to claw free. Their heights are even in the wrestle. Sandile bites down harder then slams his opponent into the sand!

The blue gator doesn’t move, he’s knocked out.

A judge yells, “Croconaw is unable to battle, Sandile Wins!”

Jane jumps, “Yaha! Way to go Crooky!”

The Croconaw returns to his trainer’s greatball. She walks up with some knock out hip sways… I’m just sayin.

“Well done girlie, glad to see ya on the up and up. Your Sandile’s dark moves are quite brutal. Hope we get a rematch at regionals!”

Jane is all smiles as she shakes her opponent’s hand, “it feels great to be free Meena! For sure, by then we’ll have a monster fight between a Croc and Gator!”

When Jane walks up, “awesome battle!”

Naomi, who had been out here with Jane, “Your Sandile’s anger point really overcame the Croconaw’s sheer force.”

Sounds like a compliment, I need to brush up on the trainer lingo.

Also, “You know that woman?”

This redhead is on cloud nine, “oh sure, she’s from my hometown. She’d visit to check on me every so often. I remember she told me once she had a spring and summer apprenticeship, and always wanted to be in the elite four.”

Gabby cuts in, “Alright great fights you two, we have thirty minutes before the sun hits the water line and it’s main event time.”

While we walk to the main amphitheater I check the dex app to review the last couple moves from Sandile. It brings up Bite, then Embargo as the head lock and Assurance for the finisher.

I ask Jane, “How long till Your Sandile evolves?”

She looks excited, “he’s already growing great, but they have a long juvenile growth period, maybe by the time we get to Mauville he’ll have his final molt and officially be a Krokorok.”

We find seats reserved at the front of a nice sandstone amphitheater with wooden bench seats. The view takes in the western sea line and torches make out the boundary of a beach arena as waves gently sweep across the battlefield before rolling back out with the tide.

I love it, but there’s stuff to learn and I have a bit to brush up.

Bringing up Pokémon abilities on my Dex app. The long short of it is that all Pokémon have innate features based on physiology, psychology, or hell, some are just magic for all I can tell.

Checking my own registered Pokémon; Tesla the Joltik, Docile with Galvanize. Shak the Golbat, Lax with Oblivous. Blue the Phantump, Impish with Frisk. Skrelp, Serious with Adaptability. Clauncher, Naive with Mega Launcher.

Really, Naive seems rude but it does think it’s a Corphish. Mild sure, Impish for sure...alright it all tracks. Especially Shak, that fat ass won't be breaking any speed records but the thing is a flying hulk.

Naomi is nervously triple checking every stat in her phone. At some point she even brought out her Clamperl and Flabebe. Every few minutes she shows them something and whispers. The little blue flower fairy is nodding seriously while the big blue clam is shifting in the sand occasionally.

After a while the crowd cheers. I look up to see a gal that belongs on the cover of a fitness magazine while still looking like a fashion model. She’s jogging up the torch path while smiling and waving. Behind her, my dex identifies her pokemon as a Dewott and Frogadier.

Jane leans over, “She’s ripped as those magazine photos! I thought they messed with the image or something. The article I read said she prefers regional starters to attract tourists on the island to watch the matches.”

Playing on regional pride to boost her gym’s income, smart for sure, “Jane quit drooling, we’re fighting her tomorrow. That Brawly guy, I get it, Shauna is like a sports icon but Viv is quite the femme fatal.”

Naomi looks over her shoulder at me, “Aunty says that younger slut gets too horned up after a workout and that ass Brawly couldn’t keep what little wits he had.”

Noted, “That doesn’t sound like something a thirteen year old girl like you should say.”

She sticks her tongue out like usual, Jane laughs.

Bleh, teenagers, Dawn wait for me! ... Eh, what would these twerps do without me?

A familiar girl in turquoise costume skips out from behind the stands, Lisia shouts to the crowd, “Hey there folks!”

The applause and cheers erupt.

She grins towards our camera crew, “Since I was on the Island, how could I miss the debut of my lil sis Naomi Wattson. Her adorable pokemon are ready to take on Shauna’s power packed water types! Let's get this beach battle going!”