"Lotad, use Mega Drain!" I called out, testing how my opponent's Hariyama would react.
"Hariyama, Arm Thrust! Dash straight toward it!"
The weight of Hariyama made its movement slightly sluggish, restricting its ability to dodge. Mega Drain barely seemed to affect it — the type matchup was not in our favor.
Hariyama's massive arms struck forward twice in a row, sending Lotad flying across the battlefield. The impact was heavy — a clear difference in both strength and attributes between the two Pokémon.
"Thunder Punch!" Brawly shouted.
"Dodge between its legs!" I ordered quickly. Hariyama could even use Thunder Punch?! The level difference was huge — if we couldn't dodge, even one hit could knock Lotad out.
"This is my strategy for flying-type Pokémon! Don't let it get away — chase after Lotad!" Brawly commanded.
Despite its bulky appearance, Hariyama wasn't as slow as it looked. In just a few seconds, it had caught up to Lotad from behind.
"It's now! Hariyama, use Force Palm!"
Hariyama's glowing palm was about to strike.
"Lotad, use Water Gun — aim at the ground!" It wasn't the best command, but it was all I could think of at that moment. Lotad blasted a stream of water downward, using the recoil to propel itself high into the air.
"This is a bad move," Brawly muttered confidently. "Focus Punch!"
Hariyama began charging up its energy, waiting for Lotad to fall.
"Now, go!" Brawly shouted as Hariyama's fist glowed with power.
"Water Gun!" I countered. But the attack wasn't enough to stop Hariyama. The Focus Punch landed cleanly — even a full-health Lotad couldn't have survived that kind of hit.
"Lotad has lost the ability to battle. The winner is Hariyama!" the referee declared.
"Lotad, you did your best. Take a rest," I said softly, returning it to its Poké Ball. From what I'd seen, Hariyama had shown at least Focus Punch, Arm Thrust, and Thunder Punch — who knew what other moves it still had?
"Now it's your turn, Torchic!"
"Torc!" Torchic stepped forward bravely, unshaken by the massive opponent before it.
"Hariyama, Thunder Punch!"
"Dodge to the side and use Peck! Focus on its legs!" Torchic darted around and struck with precision. Targeting its legs was the best strategy — Hariyama's body was large, and its legs supported all that weight.
"Hah! Many challengers try attacking Hariyama's legs. Hariyama, crouch and block it with your hands!"
Hariyama caught Torchic's beak mid-strike and lifted it into the air.
"Hariyama, throw it!"
"Torchic, use Ember, right now!" I shouted.
Flames burst from Torchic's beak, engulfing Hariyama's arms.
"Follow up with another Peck!" I commanded.
"You want to repeat the same mistake? Hariyama, charge forward!"
As they closed the distance again, I made a quick call — "Jump and attack its hand!"
Torchic leapt up, pecking Hariyama's injured right hand. The attack landed hard, but Hariyama quickly caught Torchic with its other hand.
"Force Palm!" A surge of yellow energy exploded from Hariyama's palm, launching Torchic backward.
"Torc!" Torchic cried out in pain.
"Torchic, jump back — create distance!"
Brawly smirked. "Still calling for jumps? Haven't you learned from your last battle? Focus Punch!"
But I smirked back. "Torchic, Quick Attack!"
"What?!"
Torchic shot forward midair, slamming into Hariyama's right hand once again. The charge was interrupted — Focus Punch failed to activate.
"The charge stopped… Oh, right — Focus Punch fails if the Pokémon is hit before using it!" I realized.
"Hariyama, don't lose focus! Thunder Punch!" Brawly recovered quickly.
"Torchic, move between its legs — Ember, now!"
Hariyama used Detect, surrounding itself with a faint aura and dodging the flames.
"Quick Attack, then Peck!"
Torchic dashed forward, its beak glowing brightly, and struck Hariyama's leg.
"Hira!" Hariyama grunted, enduring the hit before swinging back with another Thunder Punch.
"Torc—!" Torchic cried as the blow landed. Its stamina was almost gone — it couldn't take much more. Still, Hariyama's hands and legs were clearly weakened.
"One last push, Torchic! Quick Attack — go!"
"Hariyama, Arm Thrust!"
"Move to its left side!" Torchic shifted course mid-charge, dodging the left arm and striking the right side instead — the same arm that was already in pain.
"Finish it — full-power Peck!"
Torchic darted in, struck hard, and landed a clean hit. Hariyama staggered — then fell.
"Hariyama is unable to battle! The winner is the challenger, Stephen from Dewford Town!"
I collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily. I'd used every bit of reflex and strategy I had in that fight.
The girl clapped her hands. "Congratulations — that was an incredible battle." Even her Wingull stared silently at the field, impressed.
Brawly walked over and handed me a badge. "Good job. I didn't expect so many clever commands from a zero-badge trainer. Take this — the Knuckle Badge."
"I deserve it," I muttered, grabbing the badge. "You used Hariyama — that's a foul! Why did I have to fight a stronger opponent than everyone else?!"
I snatched the badge and placed it firmly into my case.
Brawly just laughed and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Because, Stephen, sometimes a strong wave comes when you least expect it. You didn't drown—you surfed it. That's what matters."
"Thanks, Mr. Brawly," I said sincerely before leaving the gym.
Outside, the sun had started dipping toward the horizon, painting the island in shades of gold and orange. The sea breeze felt cool on my face. "That was… intense," I whispered to myself.
Wingull was still gliding above, its shadow passing over me."Wingull, you saw everything, right?" I called. "That's our answer to your training—our strength!"
"Wing!" It cried loudly, circling once before flying toward the coast. I watched until it disappeared into the sunset, smiling faintly.