Bea was the Fighting-type specialist Gym Leader of Stow-on-Side Stadium in the Galar region. Players often called her a human female Machamp, someone who had truly trained herself to the point that she was stronger than Pokémon in a literal sense.
Official material identifies her as the Gym Leader of Stow-on-Side, while official Pokémon sources also confirm names such as Galarian Farfetch'd and Sirfetch'd, Falinks, Palafin, Ceruledge, Iron Valiant, and the move Upper Hand.
Ash had inborn superhuman strength. Bea, on the other hand, had truly forged her endurance through training.
That said, the earliest Fighting Gym in Galar had not originally been run by her.
In Pokémon Masters EX and the game background material, it's clear that the Fighting Gym had originally been run by Mustard. This old martial arts master and former Champion had simply stepped down later on, and Bea also held Elder Mustard in very high regard.
In the games, it's only mentioned that Bea's parents gave her elite training. But in the anime, her father's status was elevated enormously, to the point that he was made into the teacher of Chuck, the Fighting-type Gym Leader from Johto.
By age alone, though, Bea's father shouldn't have been much older than Chuck. And in the manga, Chuck held an extremely high standing. His secret technique, "a sword style that cuts down invisible enemies," was enough to let him tower over other martial artists.
Meanwhile, Pokémon Masters EX background material suggests that the game version of Bea does not actually share that senior-junior disciple relationship with Chuck. In special events, the two of them also have no plotline or unique dialogue indicating they know each other.
At most, it could only be said that the anime and game settings conflicted a little.
After all, Cianwood City had a history of five hundred years, and in the background lore it even had ties to regions like Orre and Hoenn, while Galar karate only had a history of a hundred years. Were those extra four hundred years of tradition really just gone like that?
Still, none of that changed the fact that Bea remained one of the strongest martial artists.
And at this moment, after Hikaru exposed her identity, Bea froze where she stood.
"You... you know me? But I don't think I've ever seen you before."
In the anime, Bea was a little forgetful and somewhat face-blind, but the game version of Bea didn't have that "trait," though her serious nature remained the same throughout.
"A once-in-a-century karate genius from Galar. Marshal mentioned you before."
This time, Hikaru wasn't making it up.
"You came here to train, so he was probably the one who recommended this place to you, right? Because this is a land of legends. There's a story that's been passed down across Unova for a thousand years: the legendary Swords of Justice - Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion, and their disciple Keldeo - once underwent long years of training here."
"That's why this once-unnamed cave came to be known as Challenger's Cave. Powerful Trainers come here to temper both body and mind so they can face even stronger challenges."
"You're probably training for the Iron Fist Tournament at the end of the year too, but right now... you also look like someone who just suffered a crushing defeat."
Hikaru's words made Bea pause slightly. A trace of gloom passed through her expression, but she quickly focused herself again.
"Focus. Cast aside distracting thoughts."
She murmured those words to herself, then threw out all the Poké Balls on her person in one breath.
To think a martial artist I'd only just met could see through my weakness at a glance.
That was proof that her mind was in turmoil. Weakness of the heart was weakness of the self.
"I am Bea, a karate practitioner from Galar! I'm currently training so I can become the Gym Leader of Stow-on-Side Stadium!"
"Please battle me in a full 6-on-6 match!"
Even though it was phrased as a request, Bea carried the unmistakable air of someone who would never let it go if he refused.
Along with that Machoke and Galarian Farfetch'd, she had six Pokémon in total.
Hikaru quickly picked up on it.
"Your lineup is Hitmontop, Machoke, Galarian Farfetch'd, Falinks, Machop, and Clobbopus."
For some reason, that team matched the Pokémon she had in Twilight Wings. Machoke and Machop had appeared there, though those two really corresponded more to the Machamp and Machoke from Twilight Wings. Including Clobbopus, none of them had completed their evolutions yet.
"So you've hit a wall, and a bottleneck too. Makes sense. Nobody without a bottleneck would come here."
Hikaru naturally didn't say much more. He glanced at Riolu, who was recovering with Heal Pulse, and smiled slightly.
"You should rest on the side for now. The power you've built up should be saved for the very end."
"Wuff..."
Riolu looked a little disappointed, but after thinking it over, it nodded in reluctant agreement.
That's right. The power it had stored up should be used at the very last moment.
This girl martial artist looked strong, but no matter how strong she was, she couldn't possibly be stronger than that old man.
But Hikaru and Riolu's exchange struck painfully at Bea's nerves. She didn't know what Hikaru meant by "the very end," but scenes of her losing to the legendary martial artist Zaymon and Elite Four member Marshal surfaced once more in the depths of her eyes.
"I... I have to win!"
She cheered herself on like that, then saw the unnamed martial artist across from her release several Pokémon as well.
"Those are..."
Bea observed the Pokémon in front of her. Quite a few of them were species she didn't recognize.
Uh... the other side had a Falinks too! But in terms of presence, theirs seemed stronger somehow.
"The mountain queen Hisuian Lilligant, the ocean ranger Palafin, the legendary fire warrior Ceruledge, the noble holy knight Iron Valiant, a Falinks that likes fighting, and... Kubfu, who trains to rid the world of evil."
"Sorry, I don't actually have six Fighting-type Pokémon on my team, but I do have quite a few partners who are warriors or knights."
Bea nodded. She could tell that among those opposing Pokémon, some were stronger and some weaker. She cupped her fists toward Hikaru, then took up the standard pre-battle stance.
"My lead is Falinks!"
"Please guide me!"
Bea sent out her Falinks, and Hikaru responded with a nod toward his own Roman legion.
"Ita ita, waaaagh!"
Waaagh on!
"Falinks versus Falinks!"
They were a little hard to distinguish at a glance, but the Sons of Rome clearly had the stronger presence. Bea's Falinks was just a bit weaker in terms of momentum.
Probably because it had suffered defeat before. But on the other hand...
"A cornered army fights hardest? Even so, that may not be enough!"
"Falinks!" Both of them spoke at the same time.
"Rock Tomb!" Bea's opening move was a Rock-type suppression technique. It was also the move her Falinks used in the game. Its power wasn't high, but it could block off the opponent with huge rocks while lowering their speed.
Likewise, this move had two ways of being unleashed. The first was to drop and hurl massive boulders directly at the enemy. That version had been used in the manga by Giovanni's Nidoking, Hoenn's Groudon, and Black's Pokémon.
The second was the anime-style version, first seen from a Trapinch: giant stones rose directly from the ground to form a "stone wall" that blocked the opponent. Compared with the first method, the second was faster.
And in a rocky mountain cave environment, the second method was clearly better.
At this moment, Bea's Falinks used it exactly that way.
But Hikaru snapped his fingers.
"Break formation! Push through and use Beat Up!"
"Ita ita!"
Hikaru's Roman sons scattered in an instant, dodging the stones rising from the ground, then charged straight up in front of Bea's Falinks!
Beat Up was a Dark-type move that attacked with the strength of the entire team. The more allies you had traveling with you, the more hits it landed.
"A Dark-type move?! That won't be effective at all..."
Bea was deeply confused. Fighting resisted Dark, so even if it hit six times, it shouldn't do much damage...
"Iiita!"
That was what Bea had been thinking when her Falinks was suddenly dealt unprecedented heavy damage!
The Sons of Rome swung their spiked shields and slammed into Bea's Falinks in a flurry of blows, striking who knew how many times.
But it still wasn't over.
It looked like chaotic brawling, but Bea's Falinks had gone stiff and was unable to move!
"Counter with Close Combat!"
"What's wrong? Fight back!"
Bea realized her Falinks was taking hit after hit. It clearly wanted to retaliate, but somehow simply couldn't get the move off!
"It's a Razor Fang."
Hikaru explained it to the anxious and confused Bea.
"Beat Up really can't do much damage, even if the number of my accompanying Pokémon is way above six. That still isn't enough to deal serious damage to a pure Fighting-type Falinks."
"The move's power changes depending on the Attack base stats of the accompanying Pokémon..."
Of course, if he started talking about base stats and Attack values, a sports-specialist student like Bea probably wouldn't understand.
So Hikaru gave a short and clear explanation instead.
"Each accompanying Pokémon contributes once to calculating the power of one hit."
"Each hit has the same chance of landing as a critical hit."
"And if the user is holding King's Rock or Razor Fang, or has the Ability Stench..."
"Then each individual hit has the same chance of making the opponent flinch!"
"Razor Fang gives any damaging move that normally can't cause flinching a one-in-ten chance to make the target flinch when it deals damage."
"And if a Pokémon flinches, it can't use a move if it hasn't moved yet. So if you use Beat Up..."
"That's why your Falinks can only keep getting hit!"
Hikaru gave his second command.
"All six of you, use Rock Smash!"
As Bea watched the opposing Falinks shouting "wa-wa-wa" and smashing her Falinks with their shields, she saw the stat-drop effect appear on her Pokémon.
Rock Smash attacked with a punch and had a 50% chance to lower the target's Defense.
"Rock Smash, Beat Up, Rock Smash..."
The repeated pounding made Bea panic. She quickly recalled Falinks with its Poké Ball.
"Come back, Falinks! Next up, Hitmontop!"
Hitmontop was Chuck's ace Pokémon from Johto. Of course, as a Generation II Pokémon, it had naturally suffered from "falling behind the times."
In the manga, Hitmontop's shining moment had been suppressing Blue's Rhydon and nearly crushing it with a series of battle dances. In the end, Blue only turned the match around through the secret of the earth.
"Kicks performed while spinning at high speed are excellent moves that combine offense and defense. Rather than walking, advancing while spinning is faster."
"If you like dance battles..."
At Hikaru's call, Hisuian Lilligant stepped into the battlefield with a dazzling dance!
"Fake Out!"
Bea chose to answer Hikaru with a flinching move of her own.
A priority attack that made the opponent flinch. It only worked if used immediately after entering battle!
Hitmontop had plenty of problems, but one thing it could learn was Fake Out.
However...
Hitmontop spun and leaped in front of Lilligant. Its body, which had been rotating upside down like a top, suddenly flipped upward, both hands thrusting forward for a clap.
But Lilligant's counterattack was even faster.
A spinning leaf flashed like a blade and sliced across Hitmontop's neck with a single slash!
Hitmontop, which had been charging in at high speed, stiffened instantly as if its throat had been cut in one stroke, then slammed backward and went flying!
"How is that possible? Fake Out got...?!"
Fake Out had +3 priority. How could there be a counter move even faster than that?
"Upper Hand."
Hikaru looked at the shocked and tense Bea and thoughtfully explained it for her.
"After detecting the opponent's movement, the user strikes with the heel of its palm, making the target flinch. This is also a priority move, and it exists specifically to counter priority moves." (scarletviolet.pokemon.com)
And its priority bracket was the same as Fake Out's.
Of course, Bea's Pokémon had no way of knowing that move, because it was a Generation IX technique. It had some notoriety, but Galar didn't have a TM for it, and as for Pokémon that could learn it by level-up...
Theoretically, there weren't any.
And while its distribution looked broad at first glance, it really wasn't. Most of the Pokémon that could use it were connected to martial arts in some way, with a small number tied to combat techniques more loosely, like Sceptile, whose signature association was Leaf Blade.
Of course, when other Pokémon used leaf-based slashing attacks, that was called Leaf Blade. But for Grovyle and Sceptile, the older name, Leaf Blade's original Japanese flavor as a cutting leaf technique, somehow still sounded cooler.
"Don't zone out. Your Pokémon can't move right now!"
During the moment Bea froze in shock, Lilligant had already launched her second attack!
Her spinning dance raised three different stats at once.
"After Victory Dance, use Acrobatics!"
A move whose power doubled when the user wasn't holding an item.
At Lilligant's current level, taking down a lower-level Hitmontop was effortless.
Ability: Hustle. Attack increased to 1.5 times normal.
Now this is a trap set. If you pair it with a Flying Gem, I was planning to use it against Alder, Hikaru thought to himself.
Alder's lead was Accelgor, with an enormous base Speed of 145, but it was doubly weak to Flying. So as long as it got hit once...
Acrobatics had a little-known interaction: if the user held a Flying Gem and used the move on that turn, the Gem activated first, then damage was calculated.
That meant both the Flying Gem's boost and Acrobatics' doubled power would apply!
"Hitmontop!"
Bea watched her Hitmontop get one-shot, unable to land even a single meaningful attack from beginning to end. Her expression immediately fell apart, and her focus started to waver again. At her side, Galarian Farfetch'd had already rushed forward.
"Kwa!"
"Wait...!"
Bea hadn't intended to send Farfetch'd out yet, but it was already too impatient to wait. It seemed to want to help its Trainer refocus. Seeing that Farfetch'd, Hikaru suddenly smiled.
"Do you know Galarian Farfetch'd's evolution condition?"
Farfetch'd that lived in Galar had adapted through constantly using its thick, long Galarian leek, developing a unique form. It was a warrior that fought bravely.
That was why its typing had changed from Normal/Flying to Fighting, and why it had gained a new evolution as well.
"If it lands three critical hits in a single battle, it evolves into Sirfetch'd, the warrior depicted in ancient paintings passed down through Galar!"
"The held item Leek raises its critical-hit ratio by two stages, which means that with just one use of Focus Energy..."
"Kwa!"
Just as expected, Galarian Farfetch'd used Focus Energy.
It took a deep breath and concentrated, making its own attacks more likely to land as critical hits.
"With a critical-hit ratio at stage four, that means a guaranteed critical!"
Of course, in the first five generations, even at +4 crit stages, the critical chance had only been fifty percent. Back then, Focus Energy really hadn't been that impressive as a move. Everything changed from Generation VI onward.
Galarian Farfetch'd swung its thick leek and charged forward fiercely. Only then did Bea fully refocus and give a command!
"Against a Grass-type... right, use Fury Cutter!"
Fury Cutter, as a move only properly categorized not too long ago, had been discovered by Bugsy of Johto, then officially recognized by the professors of various regions as a true move. The move itself had existed long before that, but in the past it had often been confused with generic slashing techniques and Cut.
Fury Cutter stirred up some rather old memories for Hikaru. One of Honedge's earliest mastered moves had been Fury Cutter. Its essence was that if it hit continuously, its power kept doubling.
Its maximum power reached 160!
And just as the slash came down, Lilligant pulled back, then...
A roaring wave surged forth. Palafin burst into the battlefield!
The ocean ranger threw a punch, and a mass of black mist crashed into Galarian Farfetch'd like a storm!
"Kwa!"
Galarian Farfetch'd was struck by the dark mist, and its assault stopped at once. In the next instant, a heavy watery punch smashed it away!
"Black Mist," Hikaru said. "It removes the increased critical-hit state from all Pokémon on the field, and resets every Pokémon's stat changes back to square one."
For a hero of the sea to use a sneaky move like Black Mist...
It really didn't match the heroic spirit of the ocean ranger.
But then again, even a hero deck occasionally needed a few "dark" cards mixed into it, didn't it?
"That Pokémon is blue, so it's Water-type! Use Leaf Blade!"
Bea chose the right move against the enemy, and one of Galarian Farfetch'd's strengths really was that its movepool had some unusual tricks in it.
Because it was a bird, it could learn Brave Bird. And thanks to that leek, even without being Grass-type it could use Leaf Blade. It could even learn moves like Poison Jab, Curse, Steel Wing, and Sky Attack.
"Agility!"
Palafin's Speed sharply rose at once, and it dodged the Leaf Blade slash in a flash, then immediately countered with another heavy watery punch!
"Kwa!"
Farfetch'd was blasted away again and badly hurt. Only then did Bea realize something was wrong with its condition.
"My defense dropped... that move just now was Liquidation!"
"Correct."
Hikaru nodded.
"It looked like Jet Punch, but it was really Liquidation. Though... you probably don't know what Jet Punch is yet either."
"One more time. Acrobatics!"
Palafin's Acrobatics wasn't as strong as Lilligant's, given the small but noticeable level gap, but against this Farfetch'd, it was more than enough to bring it down.
"The third and fourth...!"
Bea watched Galarian Farfetch'd fall, and the focus she had just recovered began to shake again. The fourth Pokémon was Machop.
"Machop, huh? Then Kubfu can handle this one."
Hikaru nodded, and the little gray bear in its headband dashed into the field with a swoosh.
Here it comes.
Both sides had the Ability No Guard!
At the same time, both of them shouted:
"Dynamic Punch!"
There was no flashy defense or countering this time, only the ultimate expression of martial power in a single fist.
Within the fierce blast of wind and impact, Machop was sent crashing to the ground without question, while Kubfu held its punching stance. Though Kubfu's eyes had gone unfocused with confusion, the match had still been decided in a single blow.
"This Machop hasn't reached the level where it should be able to learn Dynamic Punch yet. Did it learn it through move tutoring?"
"But it still ended in one hit."
Watching her Machop collapse, Bea suddenly realized that she was already engulfed by the shadow of defeat.
Her footing was gone. And the gap in strength couldn't be overcome.
She looked toward her last two Pokémon.
"It's fine. Come at me together."
Hikaru offered the suggestion himself, and Iron Valiant and Ceruledge stepped onto the field as well.
On Bea's side, for some reason, her expression grew a little frightened, as though she were facing something inevitable. The fear in the depths of her eyes kept building.
And there were Machoke and Clobbopus.
Clobbopus was a cream-colored octopus Pokémon with a round head, and its two best-developed tentacles ended in shapes like boxing gloves.
Machoke was Machop's evolution. It looked like a blue-skinned muscleman in briefs, a Pokémon with both a powerful body and lasting endurance. It was tough, resilient, and sturdy.
When Machoke and Clobbopus prepared to fight for the sake of their Trainer getting back on her feet...
Iron Valiant swept its blade downward.
Psychic Terrain. It had learned it too!
Then Ceruledge's gaze flashed.
At the feet of both Machoke and Clobbopus, giant diamond-shaped pillars of light rose at the same time!
"Expanding Force!"
Psychic Terrain plus Expanding Force. Ceruledge's final dance. Against Fighting-type Pokémon, its power was absolute domination.
But just as those two Pokémon swayed and were about to fall...
Machoke suddenly slammed its fist into the ground!
"Hah!"
Machoke let out a roar. Its whole body trembled as it forced itself not to collapse!
It hadn't even thrown a single punch yet. The command hadn't come. Its Trainer's command still hadn't come.
How could it lose just like this?
Machoke held on so Bea wouldn't be sad!
"Oh?"
The power of their bond had appeared. Your Pokémon still hasn't gone down easily... but the Trainer has already lost the will to fight?"
"You can't just stand there in a daze at a moment like this."
Hikaru looked at the stunned Bea and saw that the fighting spirit she had at the beginning was already gone. It was as if she had already accepted the ending in advance.
And yet... what happened next left her frozen in place.
Machoke knew its stamina was already little more than a flickering candle in the wind, but for the sake of its Trainer...
Hikaru turned toward the dazed Bea.
"Machoke wants to land this one blow no matter what, so that you can pull yourself together and walk out of the shadow of defeat."
"Not bad. Then let's meet fists. After the battle..." Hikaru looked at Machoke. "I'll help you evolve."
Machoke froze for a moment, then its eyes showed relief.
Then please, unnamed martial arts master, bear witness...!
Machoke looked back at Bea behind it. And at that moment, Bea's battle instincts made her murmur almost unconsciously:
"Reversal."
"Hoaaah!"
Machoke flexed its muscles. Rolling currents of force surged violently with every breath, and with a snap, the belt around its waist came undone!
It was said that when Machoke removed its belt, it released all of its power.
A maximum-power No Guard Reversal!
True fighting aura burst from Machoke's body as it charged this way with the desperate force of a life-risking strike.
Ceruledge planted its golden spear into the ground, and blue flames ignited on both its fists.
Worthy of respect, warrior from a distant land. Then let the flames of legend answer your fighting spirit!
"Ceruledge, use Sacred Fire!"
Watching Machoke fall within those mysterious flames, and seeing the armor on that legendary fire warrior suffer some damage only to quickly restore itself, Bea's eyes filled with a different emotion.
Before she knew it, tears welled up in her eyes. The pain and sorrow of defeat surged up like a broken dam, until she couldn't even speak clearly anymore.
"I... I'm sorry..."
That sorrowful voice was probably an apology to her Pokémon.
And then she heard Hikaru's warning.
"Done venting?"
"Then the real training starts now."
"No matter how far you fall, your Pokémon will always keep following you."
"Whether it's hardship or sorrow, overcome it together with your Pokémon!"
(End of Chapter)
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