This duel had to end. I had no idea how many more health potions Archibald had but there was no doubt in my mind that if something didn’t change, I was gonna lose.

I took Archibald’s advice to heart and decided not to go for another . I doubted Pando could even manage to complete the move in the state it was in. Its leg didn’t look so good.

“Pando,” I yelled, gripping the rope in front of me tightly, “Meditate!”

It stopped moaning and groaning and sat up, stretching out its arms and legs. It took five deep breaths, slow and steady, as a pink glow settled around its head and shoulders.

[Turn 5 - Pando

Pando used !

Pando’s Attack, Defense, and SP Defense have increased by 5%!

Turn End]

Archibald threw his head back and laughed. “You think that move will be enough to save you?” he jeered. “I’ve only shown you a taste of what Grizzooka can do!”

“Get on with it then,” I muttered.

“Hmph. Grizzooka, Burning Kuma!”

“Grizz,” his Bearmon said, swinging its bazooka to face Pando. With a roaring, “ZOOKA!” it blasted Pando in the face with a fiery bear head, lighting its black and white fur on fire. Pando screeched, slapping at its face with its paws.

[Turn 6 - Grizzooka

Grizzooka used !

Pando receives 5 damage! Pando has been set on fire with the Burning status effect! Pando receives 3 damage!

Turn End]

“What the heck, man!” I yelled, watching in horror as Pando stopped, dropped, and roll, flailing its limbs as the fire spread to its lower body.

“Such is the power of my Grizzooka,” Archibald replied, his fat face looking smug. “My family is made of powerful Bearmon trainers. We select the best moves for our partners.” He leaned closer to me, sneering. “I don’t know how some lowlife like you got a Legendary Bearmon, but it’s clear you don’t know how to use it. Why don’t you just retreat and give Pando to me, a trainer who would treat it right?”

I ignored him, staring at Pando’s dropping HP. It was at 18 now. Since it was still on fire, I gathered that the burning effect would last for another turn. I had wanted to do another to get its attack and defense up, but that wasn’t plausible now. Neither was using for that matter. I would lose before Pando could drop enough of Grizzooka’s health. Archibald probably had more health potions, too, so all he had to do was use a health potion until the burning effect stopped and then blast Pando again with another .

How could I possibly win this? Unless some deus ex machina thing went down, I wouldn’t-wait! applied the stun effect when it landed! Pando and Grizzooka were close enough that my Bearmon couldn’t possibly miss - at least, that’s what I was hoping. I could probably stack the Stun effect if it landed two times in a row.

“Pando, High Jump Kick!”

The blazing Bearmon struggled to its feet, looking positively terrifying with most of its body on fire. It darted toward Grizzooka, who was looking at its Trainer proudly, unaware of the approaching Pando.

Archibald frowned. “What are you-Grizzooka, look out!”

“Too late!” I crowed as Pando leaped into the air and slammed its leg into Grizzoka’s head. The tiny grizzly ate dirt - or, whatever the ground in the duel realm was made out of. Pando landed on its back, hopped off, and promptly began to beat at its flaming fur.

[Turn 7 - Pando

Pando used !

Grizzooka received 14 damage! Grizzooka has been stunned for (1) turn!

Pando received 3 damage due to the Burning effect!

Turn End]

Grizzooka’s at 29 HP and Pando is at 15 HP.

I can do this. I can win!

I told Pando to repeat the move and it did, shoving Grizzooka’s head further into the ground.

“This is ridiculous!” Archibold whined, clenching the health potion he’d taken out earlier. “That move is completely ridiculous! You’ve already used it four times! What’s the pp on that move?!”

“Ten,” I answered after making Pando repeat the move.

“The number is acceptable with that crazy backlash,” he muttered.

[Turn 8 - Pando

Pando used !

Grizzooka received 17 damage! Grizzooka has been stunned!

Pando received 3 damage to the Burn effect!

Turn End]

Both of our Bearmons had 13 HP. I smiled, knowing that the next move would decimate Grizzooka.

My first duel was a success! I should’ve never doubted you, Pando!

I opened my mouth to tell my Bearmon to finish Grizzooka when Archibald started cackling. I looked over to see him bent over, face red as tears streamed down down his fat cheeks.

“Dude now is not the time for this,” I snapped. “Go cry about your loss after I beat you.”

“You? Beat me?” he chortled harder.

“What’s so funny? Your Bearmon is stunned and I only need one more hit to finish it off.”

He grinned wolfishly at me as he dabbed his eyes with a white handkerchief. “Oh, you utter buffoon, you complete moron you imbe-”

“Can you hurry up?” I interrupted.

“Don’t interrupt me while I’m gloating!”

“Stop talking to me like an idiot, then!”

“But you are,” he sneered, pointing at our Bearmons.

Grizzooka was, slowly, pulling its face out of the ground, breathing heavily. Its entire body was glowing bright orange, its fur ruffling in the wind only the Bearmon seemed to feel. To my absolute horror, the thing started growing as it got to its feet.

When it was finally free and standing upright at one foot and three inches, it threw its head back and roared. Pando stumbled back, raising its arms to shield itself against the influx of wind.

I looked at the opposing Trainer, the obvious question stated plainly on my face.

“Grizzooka has the Sun Blast ability,” Archibald explained smugly. “When it gets to one-third of its HP, it enters ‘Rage Mode’. All harmful status effects- even as the Attack decrease you put on earlier- are dispersed and it automatically uses , a special Fire-type move just like but with a base increase of 60%. Although the accuracy drops by 30%, I have a feeling that won’t matter much now.”

Dread filled my stomach as Grizzooka aimed its bazooka at my trembling Bearmon.

“You should never, ever count your chickens before they hatch, Ronald,” Archibald said, practically glowing as a bear head the size of truck tire slammed into Pando. The tiny panda catapulted toward the other side of the duel realm, crossing over three entire rings before it smashed into the wall and dropped to the ground.

“Because I’m the wolf that’s going to take everything away from you.”

[Turn 9 - Grizzooka

Grizzooka has entered Rage Mode! All negative status effects have been removed. The turn has been handed over to Trainer Archibald.

Grizzooka automatically used ! It’s a critical hit!

Pando received 33 damage! Pando has fainted!

Turn End]

[Duel Results

Trainer Archibald won! Bearmons used: Lvl 5 Grizzooka (12 HP)

Trainer Ronald lost! Bearmons used: Lvl 1 Pando (0 HP)

Returning to the First Realm in 3...2...1!]

Archibald and I were properly returned to the quote-unquote ‘First Realm’ with our bruised and battered Bearmon in tow. Grizzooka had returned to its normal size and Pando was no longer on fire, just severely charred and unconscious. We were lucky no one was walking through the dorm hallway when we popped back into place.

My card buzzed in my pocket; something had changed, obviously. A screen tried top pop up and tell me, but I waved it away. I could check out my stuff later, away from Archibald.

I pulled my trapper out, and said, “Pando, return.” Its still body faded into a mist that disappeared into the brown and white sphere.

Archibald watched me slip it back into my jean pocket and smirked. “You know, my offer still stands. I don’t think you’re all that suited to being a Bearmon trainer.”

“Yeah, no thanks,” I snapped, stepping back into my dorm room. He tried to say more, but I shut the door on him and locked it.

Safe and secure in my room, I retrieved my card while looking at the screen that had neatly folded itself in the corner of my vision.

[Post-Duel Notification

You have lost a duel against Trainer Archibald! The winner has taken 10% of your Monies as the penalty for losing!

Try harder next time!]

I was indeed missing 10% of my Monies. I had 45 left.

Sighing, I leaned my head against the door. The duel went so wrong. There was a myriad of ways I could’ve done better. I mean, it was pretty stupid going into battle hardly knowing anything about Bearmon. I should’ve at least tried to gather some knowledge about the darned things I was tasked with training.

The first thing I’m gonna do when I’m actually ready is track Archibald down and get revenge, I decided, walking to my desk. I threw everything down - although I was gentle with Pando’s trapper - and sat in the uncushioned chair.

Pulling out a fresh notebook - my last one, actually - I got to work figuring out how to not screw up next time.