1:45 p.m. August 15th, Saturday, 106 PH (Post Hoopa Event). Day 67.

Events: Rhea won her Silver-tier Encrusted Badge after a tough battle! Now, our girls are on their way to getting their four Encrusted Badges for the League. Onward! Our girl started her journey on the 9th of June, and the end of registration for the Winter Indigo Cup is December 5th (111 days away).

Zyra burst out of her Poke Ball into the brightly lit forest stadium, mist obscuring the interior; she immediately charged Tailwind at Lori’s prompt, catching the vast cavern’s upward wind to carry her further into the air to buy her Trainer more time.

Her sharp eyes scanned the field and stadium, spotting Karen looking up at her with a smile; Lori’s family was watching.

A jagged red beam caught Zyra’s attention as Janine recalled Juliair, and a burst of wind at her back brought her into a steep dive, Mallory speaking to her spirit.

Defog! We’re on the back foot here since she gets to choose the counter. Keep sharp, soldier!

“On it!” Zyra chirped, wings folding in to accelerate toward the forest with her building energy ready to cut through the mist.

Keeping her eye on Janine in her rapid descent, the woman recalled her Croagunk as it jumped out of the fog, slapping the Poke Ball into the case and moving to the bottom right to swiftly pull out another one. Twisting to keep momentum, she launched it into the veil.

Light blue light gathered at her wings as she spread them, a gale of charged wind sweeping through the forest to disperse the vapor. Accelerating in the gathering tailwind, she rushed toward the place her next opponent landed. Vision penetrating the departing fog, a bright, green glow brought her into a spiral as she entered the canopy.

“Pin Missile; evasive maneuvers!” Gables shouted.

Five emerald spikes shot for her, and Zyra sped up, twisting around the homing rockets; the crackle of Bug-Type energy grazed her back as she tilted her wings to spin around the first.

Beak illuminating a light blue, she charged through the second, using Peck to break through the third following it; it was like cutting butter, telling her it was Super Effective, but the third disrupted the Move and made her pivot around the next two. She winced as the fifth grazed her belly; her matrix dropped to 94%, despite her resistance and barely getting touched.

Zyra cut through the remaining fog, spotting her next opponent as the announcer yelled it.

“And Alenia, the Snipe-Ninja Skorupi, comes out!” The pale-purple Pokemon’s slanted eyes fixated on her from a tree branch, pincered tail held threateningly above her head. “Our Rookidee may have an advantage, but she’ll need it due to their strength difference!”

Lori cursed as Zyra spun around a nearby tree to gain cover as dark energy surrounded both of them, and she spotted the shine touch Alenia’s claws and stinger; at the same time, her talons shone. Her vision sharpened with her hooked feet; just like her, the Skorupi would be far more accurate with her attacks.

“Double Hone Claw, folks! Our girls are getting their nails out to fight!”

“Blind it! We can’t miss our big attack. It probably has the Sniper Ability with how accurate it is!”

That’s annoying, Roxie huffed from inside her Poke Ball. Oh, it’s weak to Rock, too! Yes! I can fight it, too!

We got this, Private! Zyra screeched, twirling around a branch to see toxic spikes explode across the forest ground. Muk, they love these mines!

“You can get rid of it with Defog.” Lori hummed. “She probably didn’t see us use it before she came out. Let her waste her ener—”

Pushed forward by her tailwind, Zyra darted for the poison-spreading scorpion, wings glowing white as she expelled a burst of sand-laced wind. Yet, panic flooded her chest when a shimmering chain shot out of Alenia’s tail, the Skorupi cackling as it struck her chest.

“What the—ugh!”

The tether went taut, pulling her the opposite way when her opponent latched onto the branch and yanked her tail back; practically fished out of the air, Zyra spiraled to the ground, and her Sand Attack missed its mark.

“Shackle!” the announcer cried. “A rare Ability of Skorupi that keeps their prey close!”

“Muk! Really, Janine?!” Lori snarled. “Get back up to the sky if you—Zyra!”

Zyra’s eyes widened as she spread her wings when she neared the ground, tailwind looping to help her stabilize, only for a ball of spikes to rise out of the soil. A light-orange aura surrounded her enhanced talons, and she launched at the ground.

I don’t think so!

She slammed against the ground, Rock Smash causing an eruption of dirt to explode around her as she took cover in the ground; toxic spikes peppered the soil around her, but her manhole saved her from the deadly barbs.

Alenia fell out of the tree, green-shimmering tail lurching toward her, chain pulling her in for her pincers to ensnare. “Run and hide, little bird, but you’re not getting away!” she snickered.

“That’s what you think!” Zyra tweeted.

Flapping her wings against the loose soil to create an enhanced Sand Attack, the dust rushed up to meet the airborne Skorupi. It struck Alenia in the face, making her eyes snap shut.

“Ack!”

Given a bit of slack, Zyra hopped out of the way of the deadly pincers and spread out her wings; wind catching them, she beat them as hard as she could, taking her into the sky. The chain cut, dropping Alenia toward the forest floor as Zyra reapplied Tailwind.

Twisting around, light-blue light gathered on her wings as she rode the wind, twisting around to rid the battlefield of the Toxic Spikes. Pride filled her small chest at the cheers that met her upon successfully escaping the scorpion. She may be a lot weaker than these Pokemon, but she had options, and good ones at that.

Emerald missiles shot out of the canopy, but Zyra was ready for them, weaving around the projectiles and preparing to engage the Skorupi again, with Lori in her mind guiding her.

Janine had chosen two Pokemon that had weaknesses to Roxie and her to make it a fair battle. It wouldn’t be easy to win, despite that advantage, and with how strong they were compared to her, most of her Super Effective attacks would only do normal damage, if that.

All of her Moves were close-ranged, but she had one that her teammates had grown cautious of since the Battle Dome. A violet aura trailed after Zyra as the ghostly energy pulsed within her, and a devilish glint sparked in her eyes when spotting the scorpion.

The ominous, invisible pulse projected toward Alenia, firing another Pin Missile. It veered off-course as Spite’s ghostly claws sank into the Skorupi’s energy, chewing at it and making the girl seeth when she expertly dodged her missiles again.

“Spite lands, ladies and gentlemen! Zyra’s Keen Eye and Hone Claws have given her a sharp advantage in Accuracy. Tailwind keeps her mobile, giving her the speed to evade those deadly missiles! What a combination of Moves and that Sand Attack really did a number on Alenia’s vision. Our little bird can’t get cocky, though—and what’s this?!”

Zyra swooped in for another Sand Attack; she needed it in order to land her finisher. She chirped angrily when Alenia’s tail disappeared inside a tree hole, making her fly around it.

“Get out of there!” she cried, blowing sand into the opening.

“Geez! Leave my eyes alone!”

A flash of light from within made Zyra a little nervous as she backed away a little, staring at the opening for when the scorpion exited. Nothing came out. Gnawing sounds came from inside, and Alenia burst out of the back of the tree, blocking her Leer.

“Who’s running—”

Her chirps died in her throat as the Skorupi appeared right in front of her with a grin, and she barely dodged the chain that nearly attached to her wing; the upward gale carried her away just in time, spiraling to dodge the poisonous sting of her tail. Despite the wild lash, half-blinded, the Move and Ability almost landed with how close she’d managed to get.

“How did you get so fast?!”

“Agility!” Gables answered.

“Throw me in!” Roxie barked. “I can do it with your Tailwind!”

“Let’s do it!” Lori shouted. “We need to see if she’ll swap to Croagunk, and we want to save your finisher for a sure shot.”

On it!

Zyra flapped harder, flying through the trees toward her side of the field, Alenia hot on her tail, jumping from branch to branch. She groaned inside when she felt her Defense drop; back turned, she couldn’t return the Move, so she reapplied Tailwind for Roxie before sweeping the field with another Defog as she shot out of the canopy.

Emerald projectiles chased after her, slightly more accurate than before, telling her the Skorupi managed to get another Hone Claw.

Watch out, Private, she warned, getting in range of Mallory. My Defog should remain up across most of the field for a while, but when the wind ends, she’ll place more mines!

“I got this!”

Relief came to Zyra as the red beam of her Poke Ball came out to connect with her, but her friends’ cries twisted apprehension into her belly; eye shifting away from her Trainer, out of her peripheral, she saw a sinister, grinning black streak of dark energy. It was too late.

* * *

Roxie tensed up in her Poke Ball as Zyra’s destabilizing form was hit by the heavy blow mid-return, dropping her matrix to 51% in a single attack. Mallory’s stomach twisted upon realizing the mistake they’d made.

“Pursuit?! It’s almost guaranteed to hit if they bait us into a switch… Roxie, we have to blitz her down! If she swaps back to Croagunk, it’s going to be bad. Don’t let her get back to the other side of the stage!”

Out of their Trainer’s eyes, Roxie glared at the falling Skorupi, snickering as she entered the forest again. A blaze set in her spirit as Lori threw her into the ring.

I’m on her tail!

Landing on the soft soil, she shot forward; a burst of energy shot her into a rapid sprint as she took a note from Juliair. Quick Attack and a rush of wind carried her through the forest, Roxie’s keen eyes spotting the scuttling scorpion in her retreat.

Alenia flipped around as she neared, leaping from tree to tree to stop her escape. Emerald spikes fired out to buy her some time, but Roxie wasn’t going to let her run away; liberally pulling in Lori’s Fortitude, shadows enveloped her, carrying Roxie above the Skorupi to land a Dark wreathed fist into her back.

Sucker Punch stopped her momentum in its tracks, drilling the surprised Pokemon into the soil. Inspired by Amber’s blitz, Quick Attack carried her back to the floor as the scorpion tried to counter-attack, poisonous barbs seeking her side.

Using the nearby tree as a springboard, she leaped back, slamming the Scorpion Pokemon against a trunk. She’d end this early, a light brown aura erupting from her paw with rocky talons growing out of her claws to land a deadly strike; Alenia giggled and blurred, her swipe taking a large chunk out of the bark.

“Agility!” Zyra called out.

A muddy glow detached from her body as Roxie jumped into the air, back feet kicking the forming stone as she aimed right for the speeding Skorupi; it smashed into Alenia, unable to see the attack with her back turned and throwing her against a tree, pinning her in place.

“Ack! Not bad… It’s heavy!”

Roxie growled as the mist started to gather again, and spiked barbs shot out of the pinned Pokemon to bury into the ground. Forced to retreat, Roxie kicked another Rock Throw at her before Quick Attack brought her to the opposite side to square off against the bug.

Skidding to a stop, she guarded her side of the field, leer landing against Alenia as she finally freed herself from the rock; the Skorupi wasn’t unharmed, shaking herself off with a short laugh as she dodged her third Rock Throw.

“Looks like we’re at a stalemate, pup!”

Roxie shook out her mane and hopped between the Pin Missiles sent her way, using a tree to block the last three. “Humph. You’re the one trapped! Hah. And don’t think you’re safe.”

“Oh-no…”

She blurred, dozens of Rockruff spreading out as Double Team carried fragments of her energy around the zone. Taking the gamble, Quick Attack carried her through the minefield, weaving around the spikes as Alenia tried to escape. Her clones triggered the Toxic Spikes, peppering the area with barbs, but Roxie’s speed, sharp vision, and resistance allowed her to evade most and eat a few of them without issue.

“Run, run!” Roxie laughed, making the stronger scorpion flee up a tree. “Where are you going?”

Pursing the speedy scorpion to the top, she cursed as Alenia spread more Toxic Spikes in her retreat, forcing her to jump around the trunk and meet her in the air. Fire blazed in her jaws as they both broke through the canopy, her fangs latching onto the Skorupi’s tail just as a red beam destabilized Alenia and robbed Roxie of her win.

Jinx! Roxie snarled, dropping back into the forest.

A light-blue shell surrounded her to protect her from the deadly poisonous darts erupting from the minefield Alenia created in her exit. Landing on the ground, her pink eyes narrowed as a grinning, blue toad blurred in front of her, Steel-laced fist rocketing for her face.

“Hi, Rox!”

“Juliair…”

Darkness surrounded Roxie milliseconds before the toxic Pokemon’s Super Effective hit landed; instead, her dark-infused paw slammed against the side of the Croagunk’s dry and cracked cheek, punting the toad away.

“Muk!” Lori snarled. “Even with Tailwind, you only just barely outspeed her with a priority Move. Get back, and well—”

Let me cook! Roxie shouted, Quick Attack accelerating her after her prey.

Pounding into the tumbling Croagunk, Roxie’s jaws sparked with flames, and she pounced on Juliair as they struck a trunk; an eruption of fire seared the Croagunk’s arm, making her hiss.

“Ack—that hurt!”

Roxie yelped as an orange-covered fist struck her face, the force propelling her away. Determined not to get snowballed, a blue shell stopped Bullet Punch from following up, but both attacks lacked in strength.

“She’s burned! Nice cooking, girl!”

“Some hot jaws, Roxie,” Gables congratulated.

Zyra’s squeals followed. “Don’t get cocky, Private! Counter! Counter!”

Roxie didn’t have time to think due to Tailwind ending soon; eyes glowing red, a rush of energy flooded her as her vision tinted, and power erupted within her. A giant Croagunk jumped out at her from within the brush, but Roxie didn’t care; she charged forward, mauling it before spotting the surprised toad swiftly changing directions.

“Thrash!” the announcer screamed. “Roxie eats an Astonish and doesn’t flinch! She’s chewing and running through trees in pursuit of the Juliair; our Rockruff has turned into a juggernaut, eating attacks in a relentless chase!”

All Roxie saw were the running toad, breaking branches and trunks, as she devastated the shrubbery, her energy slowly dwindling; she took a few hits, but her strong offensive force dampened most of them, Burn further mitigating the damage. It didn’t take long for her to start seeing three or four Juliair, though, and she tripped, tumbling into a tree.

“Uh… where…”

Eyes spinning, her teammate’s voices shouted in her mind as her vision cleared, seeing a slightly dirty Croagunk’s poison-dripping fist coming for her snout.

“Double Team!”

She used the energy sent to her, rolling to the side and barely escaping the blow, but a Low Kick followed, arching her back, and throwing her into the air.

“Ack!”

“Let’s end this!”

Roxie tucked into a ball, drawing from her offensive energy as much as possible as a powerful, Steel-laced fist hit her under the jaw, sending her flying; her matrix and energy pool hit critical levels.

“Endurance keeps Roxie in the fight! Things look rough for our Rockruff! What will—is that what I think it is?!”

Roxie’s entire body felt bruised, muscles telling her to stop, and her mind fading, but a laugh bubbled out of her throat as Juliair loomed in front of her. Juliair’s eyes widened with the bright golden aura that radiated out of Roxie, her fist hitting a massive star that came between them. Mid-attack, there wasn’t time for Protect, leaving only enough time for the Croagunk to acknowledge what Roxie said.

“Last Resort…”

“Oh…”

On contact, the star engulfed the area in a brilliance that matched Nova’s unique lineage super-move, and Roxie’s mind drifted into oblivion; the last thing she smelled was cooked toad, making her drool. Mya would be proud.

* * *

Mallory’s white fingers gripped the edge of the console as an effulgence of golden light erupted at center stage, blowing apart a large chunk of the field and leaving a crater; all of Roxie’s secondary matrix shield expended in the last-ditch effort to take out their biggest threat.

She kept her eyes trained on the monitor as the dust settled and the drones flew closer. Roxie’s unmoving, totally drained, and ragged figure came into focus in the 10-meter-wide crater, dirt still raining from the sky. At the edge of the blast radius, Juliair came into focus, shaking and holding her burning arm.

Breathless, silence filled the stadium as she swayed and fell to her side, tumbling down the loose soil to lay at the center. Cheers shook the cavern as Janine giggled and clapped.

Lori puffed out her stress in a stressed laugh, spotting the smile on her family’s faces. Amira was holding up a new sign with her Wigglytuff that said, ‘Go, Roxie, Go!’ She seemed to have given Shauntel and Cassey one because her sisters had signs of their own in hand, waving the positive message.

You did it, Roxie, Lori sighed, watching the drones fly down to lift up both unconscious Pokemon to bring them over. It took everything you had, and then some, but you cooked, girl.

She felt more than a little tired after that flashy end, and it was only half-time. Last Resort used a Pokemon’s secondary protective matrix, meaning all of Roxie’s energy was spent, and any damage done to her would be permanent against her actual body.

Swiftly recalling her Rockruff and putting her into the transport pod, Lori felt only pride upon seeing both Roxie and Juliair’s pictures fade on the display. She took out Zyra’s Poke Ball, looking up at the highlights of her swift-moving pup, and all the work she put in to edge out a victory that was so difficult to reach.

Her adamant Kubfu stood on the console, arms crossed and nodding in respect as she watched her senior send the final, star-shaking attack at the Croagunk.

“Roxie showed more heart than most—literally giving everything she had—folks, who could have imagined she would have such a devastating Move?! Roxie came in with a vengeance at the end, and said, ‘If I’m going down, I’m taking you down with me!’

“Last Resort is something you rarely see outside of war due to its raw destructive power, and the danger to the Pokemon themselves. A simple fall could break their legs or crack their head when falling on stone. ‘Eye on the prize,’ that’s what Roxie said it took to take this battle, sacrificing everything for her Trainer. Beautiful. What will she follow it up with? Do we continue, Gym Leader Janine?”

Janine tossed Alenia’s capsule up and down, appraising the devastated center field, a reflective smile on her face and probably thinking back to her own uses of the dangerous Move. Her voice was soft and without disapproval.

“Encrusted Battles are made to be as challenging as possible to simulate war-like conditions. Endure into Last Resort is a war battle tactic that has been used to change the tides throughout history. What battle do you think of when seeing it, Mallory? Do you have one?”

A shiver ran down Lori’s spine as she held her arm, and thought about one of Unova’s darkest days. “Plasma’s attack on Opelucid City… when Drayden and Iris tried to stop them… and were overwhelmed… When Iris’ Emolga used it to destroy the Plasma Frigate’s ice beam before Kyurem’s power spread to all of Unova, sacrificing herself.”

A somber atmosphere overtook the stadium as they recalled the losses of one of the most devastating terrorist attacks in history and during the Ultra War. The act had scarred Unova’s history books and its current Champion, only a young ten-year-old Gym Leader, at the time, just off her journey with Ash.

“A dark day, indeed, and one that shows the practical use of such a powerful Move… A Move that generally does not come out with a happy ending. You are aware that it is typically a non-sanctioned Move for friendly battles?”

Lori swallowed and nodded. “Only permitted in Encrusted Battles, Silver and up.”

“Very good. Roxie will not be well for some time,” Janine said with a small smile. “So, I suggest you treat her for her bravery when she wakes. The courage to give everything for their Trainer is not something every Pokemon can do, and in a competition, no less. Pokemon are very vulnerable without their secondary matrix. Now, are you ready to continue?”

“I am,” Lori said, knowing there was nothing else she could say as she rubbed her sore shoulder; they had to be careful how they used their energy going forward, or she’d end up like Rhea when she went to the hospital. Last Resort was permitted, and it was the only way they both thought they could get rid of the far stronger Croagunk. Janine likely expected her to swap again.

“If I changed to Zyra, I was sure Juliair would have had Pursuit, just like Alenia did. You were punishing swapping with Toxic Spikes and Pursuit, forcing us to get creative. It was a desperate Move because Zyra and Roxie aren’t fully ready for Silver… We realize that, but you forced us into it by sending Juliair, a perfect counter to Gables. We’re trying, and this is how far we’re willing to go to show it.”

Janine was silent for a time before she nodded and threw her Poke Ball into the stadium. “Noted. You have excellent Pokemon, who are bred for perfection. Don’t take them for granted, Mallory… Despite what people think, Pokemon are so very fragile and trusting. Take your team to victory, and make Roxie’s determination and trust worth the risk.”

She didn’t feel good that she had to rely on Last Resort, but during the fight, the fire inside Roxie refused to let her recall the Rockruff again against the toad; Roxie hadn’t wanted to give up the fight, especially on her first debut battle. She had to prove to herself that she could hang with her friends and teachers. Roxie was determined, calm, and adamant in believing she could overcome any challenge, instilled into her by Mya.

Zyra, she whispered to her team. Are you ready?

Her bird chirped in response, telling her she wouldn’t give up so long as Lori believed in her. They were a team, and they could do anything; the wind was beginning to change, and she could see their night turning to day.

Fingers moving to her back, they flinched as she touched the burn, steel setting into her heart. So long as her Pokemon believed in her, then she’d go as far as it took to show her trust in them.

We’ll get back up, no matter the pain. Throwing Zyra’s Poke Ball into the stadium as the ninjas beat their drums, they entered the final round. We’ll win in the end. We got this!

* * *

Zyra exited her capsule, Lori’s tension hitting a peak as she sent the last bit of energy they could afford, rising high into the cavern to the ceiling.

“This is it! Before Alenia tries to wall us! We sweep for the victory! Tailwind!”

Hone Claw beginning to fade, she beat her wings, spotting Alenia near the crater, far below her, trying to find her among the dark ceiling backdrop. Time was running out for them. The wind caught her wings, and she put everything into her next Move, pausing only a moment before tilting into a nosedive, the fatal words resonating with her soul.

“Sky Attack!”

Speed tripling, pressure squeezed Zyra’s tiny frame as a blazing sky-blue light embraced her, the last bit of Lori’s Fortitude flooding her veins. Wind whistling past her, Zyra passed the treeline, aura curving into a spear-like point at her beak, tailwind carrying leaves and bending the tops of branches in her passing.

Alenia’s still-blurry eyes squinted up, sand still clouding them, and a light blue shell surrounded her widening vision upon seeing her glorious dive and war screech. “Where are—eep!”

“Aaaah!”

Striking the barrier mere moments after it formed, her beak tilted up. The shield cracked, and Zyra carried them both into the sky, pushing harder, fighting through the pressure and pain that squeezed her body. Protect broke, and she hit the shocked Scorupi dead in the face, shattering her matrix in one fell swoop.

Her opponent spun away after taking the hit, making her curse. Almost all her energy spent, Zyra twirled left and shot toward the falling Pokemon.

Grabbing Alenia’s wiggly, limp tail to stunned claps from the audience and shouts of the announcer, Zyra did her best to stabilize and keep them both from tumbling to the field below. No red beam connected to Alenia’s body to relieve her as Janine watched her struggle to set the scorpion on the treetops.

“Sky Attack! The strongest Flying-Type Move, and boosted with Tailwind! Hone Claw faded before the strike, but with how low Rookidee’s Attack is, and the power difference, to think it could punch right through a Silver-tier Protect is incredible! Lori set up the Sand Attacks in advance and didn’t even give her opponent to play her games. Let’s watch that again! Lori and her team are risk-taking gamblers, alright!”

We did it! Ugh—I’m going to throw up…

* * *

Lori recalled her swaying bird, sick from being so low on her personal power; they’d won, but she was covered in sweat. Zyra saw stars from using a Move she really shouldn’t, and Roxie was passed out in the hospital, totally drained.

We did it…

Janine appeared in front of her in a puff of smoke, making her cough and back up, free hand waving at her face to blow it away; Zyra’s Poke Ball was held in her other hand.

“Ack-ack!”

“Risky, risky, risky,” the woman sighed, resting her chin against her knee before tilting her head to look at the stands. “You do your parents proud, I’m sure… By those grins, they didn’t expect anything else. Luck is on your side, Lori. I can tell you’ve been through a lot to not even hesitate to do whatever it took to win, and your Pokemon resonated with that.”

Lori’s fingers tightened against her breast, looking to the side as she recalled all the torment she and her Pokemon had internally gone through since Misty; she’d hidden it, hoping to find some way to move past it, but Sabrina was for Miky, not her, and it didn’t help. It brought back the torture of her past. All the fear of her burned back, redoubling with the fear of hurting her Pokemon by losing again.

She was shaking, tears coming to her eyes. They couldn’t lose again. The price was too high for them to pay if they lost again, and Janine had made them earn this victory in blood.

Her muscles locked as suddenly someone was hugging her, and she looked down to see the small ninja woman’s arms around her. “You don’t need to be so scared of losing, Lori… You are strong. So don’t push harder than this… I know losing here would have been crushing, but you don’t know the price of losing a Pokemon until their soul is ripped away from yours. It’s okay. You’re loved. You’re strong. It’s okay to be vulnerable.”

A dam broke, fire running up her throat to her nose, and Lori couldn’t hold back her tears. They’d done it. They could keep up with Rhea and Amira. She wasn’t dumb or weak. She could stand with her Pokemon. They stood with her. No matter what, they had each other’s back.

Hugging Janine back, her family was soon surrounding her, and Lori felt the wounds left from Cerulean healing. She could move forward with her Pokemon.