"Just choose one head to release it."
Kashiwagi spoke plainly.
It wasn't something that required much deliberation, but seeing Zweilous fail to respond immediately, he knew the fellow was probably cooking up some "bold" idea.
"Stop."
He pressed down on Zweilous's heads and told it with a dead-serious expression, "You can worry about those things after you've mastered the move. For now, pull back that runaway imagination."
"Zwai-l!" "Zwai-l!"
Hearing its Trainer's command, Zweilous had no choice but to dispel the immature idea brewing in its minds.
Thanks to having a single core consciousness, Zweilous didn't waste time arguing over which head should fire the Draco Meteor. Having one head focus on the release allowed the other to help stabilize the energy flow.
Of course.
Everything depended on completing the first step.
Kashiwagi, as usual, broke Draco Meteor down into three stages: focusing to accumulate energy, completing the release of said energy, and finally, guiding the energy to burst and rain down on a specific location.
With Zweilous's natural talent, it might just master one step per day.
To the side, Wally fell into deep thought upon hearing Kashiwagi's training method.
Although he had long relied on "guts" and spirit to learn moves, it didn't mean he was against this more "scientific" approach.
Just as Kashiwagi wanted to learn Wally's idealistic techniques, Wally wanted to learn Kashiwagi's trick of deconstructing moves.
Only by exchanging knowledge could they progress together.
Furthermore, teaching Kashiwagi's Pokémon helped Wally's own team deepen their understanding. By the time Zweilous finally completed the first step of energy accumulation, Garchomp's control over Draco Meteor had also improved.
"Zwai-uh!"
Feeling the orange sphere of energy it had worked so hard to build, Zweilous couldn't resist. It guided the energy to its left head, while the right head watched as it launched the blast into the sky!
Bang!
The sphere soared high.
Under Zweilous's hopeful gaze—and Kashiwagi's "I knew it" look—the ball didn't explode. Instead, it plummeted straight down like a mortar shell, smashing a small crater into the ground.
Thud!
"Zwai-l..." "Zwai-l..."
Zweilous couldn't hide its disappointment. As a self-proclaimed "Move-Learning Genius," it hadn't managed to finish the entire lesson in one day to impress its Trainer?
"That's far enough for now. We'll work on the missing parts later." Kashiwagi rubbed both its heads.
Wally nodded as well. "Yes, learning moves requires a great deal of patience."
"Gar-ch..."
Garchomp let out a low growl.
Three mouths against two—sure, whatever you guys say goes.
Zweilous didn't argue. It simply buried its heads in its Trainer's chest, nuzzling and acting spoiled.
Kashiwagi chatted with Wally while grooming the Pokémon's fur.
In the far distance, unnoticed by either of them, someone in a building with a view of the park lowered a pair of binoculars.
"A Garchomp and a Zweilous that know Draco Meteor... Hmph! It's like they say: you search far and wide for something, only to find it right under your nose! Let's see who dares challenge my title as the world's number one thief now!"
"Boss! We found where they're staying! It's that guesthouse not far from here!"
An excited voice rang out nearby. "Do we move tonight?"
"No rush!"
The leader shook his head. "We watch a bit longer. Wait until that Zweilous learns Draco Meteor. Besides, caution above all else. What do we rely on to survive in this business?"
"Uh... picking on idiots?"
"Moron! It's caution!" The leader smacked his companion's head. "I think you're the idiot!"
The companion shrank back, not daring to argue.
The "big fat sheep" they had caught today had caused their confidence to swell. Instead of leaving Verdanturf Town immediately, they planned to use the "darkness under the lamp" strategy to pull off one more massive score!
Whether that darkness would truly protect them depended on whether Officer Jenny could catch them first.
...
The Next Day
Morning came, but still no notification for the match.
It wasn't until after-noon that the message finally arrived.
During the wait, Kashiwagi searched for the "Battle Tent" on blogs and found that it actually had an "official account" that frequently posted highlights.
Unfortunately, it didn't have much of a following.
The Battle Tent was like a "local rules" tournament, popular within Verdanturf Town because it suited the slow-paced lifestyle.
But for Trainers from the outside world accustomed to high-speed action, watching two Pokémon fight with "no technical skill" wasn't necessarily entertaining. Seeing a Pokémon use an ineffective move because it didn't know its opponent didn't make them laugh—it gave them high blood pressure.
Because of this, the tournament remained obscure.
And that low profile was exactly what Kashiwagi needed.
"One afternoon should be enough to finish two matches, right?"
He thought it over and summoned Steelix again.
To be safe, he had to prepare for the worst-case scenario—like one of the original three being unable to continue.
Successfully squeezing through the crowd outside the Battle Tent, Kashiwagi was led by staff to a waiting room twice the size of the previous one.
Perhaps it was a perk for the Top 4; the facilities were much better, and the viewing screen was larger and crystal clear.
"If you need anything else, please let me know immediately."
The staff member bowed and retreated.
The process was the same as the qualifiers.
Kashiwagi leaned back on the sofa, waiting. When the screen flashed "Match Ready," he placed three Poké Balls into the transport device.
The lead was, without a doubt, Mawile.
Her mobility could handle any situation, and she could pass stat boosts to her teammates. There was no Pokémon better suited for the vanguard.
The screen displayed the battlefield type: Sandy Terrain.
Seeing the familiar grit and rocks, Kashiwagi couldn't tell if the Goddess of Luck was on his side or not.
What if the opponent also used Rock or Ground types?
Pop! Pop!
The machines launched the Poké Balls.
When he saw the opponent's Pokémon, Kashiwagi realized his hunch was correct.
...
In the arena,
The moment Mawile landed, she used Magnet Rise to float into the air.
Based on the intel she'd gathered from Aggron, whether she was the lead or a switch-in, she needed to move fast to avoid being locked down immediately.
Fortunately, by the time she was airborne, her opponent was just entering the field.
"Maw?"
Mawile scrutinized the opponent, recalling the Pokémon knowledge she had crammed yesterday. She couldn't remember the name of this strange creature covered in orange-red crystals, but she knew it was a pure Rock-type.
Perfect.
She had the type advantage!
Just as that thought crossed her mind, the distant Gigalith let out a sudden roar. Countless fine grains of sand rose from the ground, swirling into a gale that rapidly spread toward her.
The speed caught Mawile off guard. She instinctively retreated, raising her hands and squinting.
When she recovered, the world was a blur of dusty yellow. The entire field was engulfed in a whirling sandstorm, as if an invisible force field was trapping the shifting sands.
Sandstorm? Or Sand Tomb?
Mawile didn't hesitate. She knew that without her Trainer's direct commands, her only real advantage was speed!
She had to be faster!
Mawile slammed her foot against a rock behind her, adding a burst of momentum to her forward charge. Her body became a blur, fast as a bolt of lightning.
In an instant.
The attacking Gigalith felt a flash before its eyes. The screech of air rushing toward it rang in its ears!
"Giga!"
Startled, it let out a roar. The orange-red crystals across its body glowed with a dull silver light. A terrifying energy sphere condensed and fired forward!
Power Gem!
Boom!
The massive recoil shook Gigalith's body, sending dust flying.
However, an attack—no matter how powerful—cannot land if you can't see the target. The energy sphere missed completely, exploding against the ground and releasing a pillar of blinding light.
Billowing smoke swept over, obscuring Gigalith's vision.
It missed?!
Gigalith's eyes darted around.
It didn't realize that the light and smoke actually provided cover for Mawile. Gigalith failed to notice that while its Power Gem was exploding, Mawile had already zipped past its front and kicked off a rock behind it.
Crack!
The sound of shattering rock finally alerted Gigalith, but before it could turn, Mawile—propelled by a second burst of speed—slammed into its back!
Thud!
Cloaked in a ring of silver energy, Mawile hit like a speeding bullet. Despite Gigalith's immense weight, the impact sent it sliding four or five meters, carving two deep grooves into the sand.
The intense pain left Gigalith dizzy and on the verge of fainting. Its mind was a chaotic mess, stuck on the question of how Mawile had attacked from behind.
The Sandstorm didn't affect her, and Power Gem missed?
The surging waves of weakness told Gigalith it could no longer continue. In this state, there was only one path left.
Explo—
Just as its body began to glow with a blinding light, a brownish-red fist slammed into its head. It took the last bit of its HP and caused the gathering energy to dissipate.
"Maw-ile!"(Tch!)
Mawile breathed a sigh of relief.
That guy was going for Explosion, wasn't he? I wasn't seeing things, right?
Predicting that move was the right call. She didn't want to get blown up again.
Recalling the time she was caught in Mega Camerupt's Explosion, Mawile couldn't hide her annoyance. They were winning comfortably, only for Explosion to flip the script.
Seeing the machine recall Gigalith, Mawile immediately began to spin.
After a Swords Dance, her attack power reached a terrifying level. Mawile clenched her fists and looked at the next opponent being released, thinking that if things went well, she might just sweep the entire team.
Of course, she had to see what the next Pokémon was first.
A flash of light.
A short-legged elephant appeared, its body dark gray and its head and back covered in a thick, black, rock-like hide.
Ah!
I know this one!
The moment Mawile saw Donphan, she remembered the one she used to fight back in Pyrite Town. She was as familiar with it as could be.
And to take this one down, what she needed was...
"Maw-ile!"
Mawile's hands were coated in frost as two sharp ice fists formed. With sparks of electricity dancing at her feet, she spun toward the newly arrived Donphan!
Whish—
The cold air mixed with the flying sand, creating a swirling vortex of brownish-yellow and icy blue!
"Don?!"
Donphan hadn't even processed its surroundings before the opponent launched a fierce assault.
Luckily, its reflexes were sharp. It immediately curled into a ball, transforming into a rotating black tire. It rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the direct path of the icy sandstorm.
Rumble—
The ice storm shattered the rocks at the edge of the field, mixing them with the sand.
But Donphan didn't stop. It accelerated its roll, speeding across the ground.
Everywhere it passed, sand and soil flew up like crashing waves. It circled the edge of the field to adjust its aim, its body suddenly engulfed in a brilliant white and purple spiraling aura as it charged at Mawile!
The roar of the wind and the terrifying energy made the sandy ground tremble!
Giga Impact!
On the other side, after the ice storm missed, Mawile used the momentum of her spin to snap her body around. Without hesitation, she charged back toward Donphan.
In an instant.
Giga Impact collided with the Ice Punch in the center of the field. Like a meteor hitting Earth, a massive shockwave erupted. A visible ripple of air instantly swallowed the arena. The fire from the explosion easily pulverized every standing rock and sent the overhead camera drone tumbling toward the edge of the stands.
It looked like a nuclear blast.
The screen went fuzzy.
But Kashiwagi, watching from the room, wasn't worried. He knew that in a clash like that, Mawile would be the victor.
Sure enough.
As the smoke slowly cleared, a semi-circular crater appeared in the center of the field.
Mawile stood in the crater, looking relatively unscathed. She was panting, but she didn't seem to be in much pain. Not far away lay Donphan, slumped on the ground with swirls in its eyes.
Clearly, in the clash with Giga Impact, the Swords Dance-boosted Mawile was stronger, finishing the opponent with her icy Fist.
"Maw-ile!"
She raised her fist, declaring her victory.
However, after shouting, Mawile turned her head and called out to the drone above. "Maw-ile~"
"Oh... she wants to switch..."
Kashiwagi couldn't speak her language, but he understood the intent.
She felt this match was in the bag and wanted to save her stamina and elemental energy for the next round. The massive physical boost had significantly drained her reserves.
In the arena.
Mawile wasn't sure if her message had gotten through. Seeing the machine recall Donphan, she quickly raised her right fist.
Baton Pass!
She turned into a streak of white light and returned to the Poké Ball, followed by Chansey dropping onto the field.
At the same time.
The opponent's machine released the final Pokémon—
A crustacean Pokémon with six legs, large claws, and a massive square rock on its back: Crustle.
When Chansey saw it, its attributes and abilities naturally popped into her head.
Without a doubt, "Little Egg" was the most studious member of the team. To better heal patients, she had learned a lot of Pokémon trivia back at the Pyrite Town Pokémon Center, and she often studied with Kashiwagi.
Even if she couldn't read human text, there were very few Pokémon she didn't recognize.
"Lucky~"
Chansey looked at Crustle and thought she could probably handle this one on her own without needing to bother Aggron.
While her teammates were growing stronger, she had to work hard too.
Whether in support or in battle!
When Crustle saw Chansey, it didn't hesitate. It raised its claws, manipulating energy to gather the scattered debris into glowing boulders, firing them like cannonballs!
Rock Blast!
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The rhythmic pounding and the whistle of boulders tearing through the air rang in Chansey's ears.
The latter started walking, acting as if she didn't even see the boulders arching toward her. She raised a small hand as she closed the distance to Crustle.
The boulders crashed and shattered into a thousand tiny pebbles, but not a single one so much as grazed Chansey.
This made the Crab's eyes widen.
Then, a sudden wave of invisible psychic energy surged, binding its limbs and lifting its body off the ground.
"Crust!"
Crustle flailed its claws and legs in a panic, trying to break free from the Telekinesis.
However, the force was too strong, pinning it in the air like a specimen. It couldn't budge no matter how much it struggled.
In desperation, its body began to glow with a terrifying red light. The massive rock on its back suddenly shattered!
Shell Smash!
"Crustle!"
With a roar, the Crab like pokemon used the surge of energy to disrupt the psychic hold and dropped to the ground, its inner shell now exposed.
Red light pulsed across its skin, and a frightening aura radiated outward.
Determined to go all out, Crustle faced the oncoming Chansey. Between its claws, it condensed a boulder far larger than itself and hurled it with all its might.
Rock Wrecker!
Rumble—
The massive stone, shrouded in a red glow, shrieked through the air. It was much faster than the previous Rock Blast, looking like a small mountain flying toward her.
"Lucky!"
Seeing this, Chansey didn't panic. Just as Rock Wrecker was about to hit, she used Minimize.
The sudden shrinkage caused the Rock Wrecker to whistle right over her. It slammed into the ground behind her with a deafening explosion, sending shards of stone flying like bullets.
But Chansey dodged those too.
Crustle stared in disbelief. It never expected her evasion to be so exaggerated. The vulnerability of its broken shell combined with a sense of dread made it want to run, but it found itself stuck in the recharge phase of Rock Wrecker.
It couldn't move.
"Crust! Crustle!"
It shouted, trying to intimidate Chansey and keep her away.
Unfortunately, Chansey wasn't about to pass up such a perfect opportunity. After running up to Crustle, she blushed and shoved her small fist right into its mouth.
"Mmph!"
Crustle's eyes bugged out. It instinctively swallowed something incredibly bitter and stinging. "Crust?!"
What did you just feed me?!
Wait! Who fights like this? Are you allowed to just feed people things in a match?!
"Crust! Crust!"
The panicked Crustle tried to spit it out, but the poison took hold quickly. Every time it tried to cough, it just spat out purple bubbles.
The pain in its gut made its head spin.
It tried to flee, but Chansey simply smiled gently and used Telekinesis again, locking it firmly in the air.
This time.
Under her intense concentration, Crustle found its claws and legs completely immobilized. It could still use elemental energy, but it couldn't aim.
After a few desperate, missed attempts at Rock Blast, Crustle could only watch in despair as Chansey, with a constant smile, slowly let the poison take its toll.
In the second before it blacked out, that shy, gentle smile was burned into its memory.
A demon!
This pink thing is a demon!
Who battles like this? She was literally torturing me!
The fragile-hearted Crustle almost cried in its sleep.
From that day on, every time it saw a Chansey nurse at a Pokémon Center smiling at it, it would shake like a leaf, too terrified to even make a sound.
The Nurse Joys were beyond baffled.
But that's a story for another time.
In the arena, Chansey let out a long sigh of relief as Crustle fainted. The "scary" fixed smile she'd been wearing out of nervousness finally vanished.
Yeah, having no attacking moves is kind of a problem.
She thought pensively. Naturally, she used Heal Bell on Crustle to cure the Badly Poisoned status.
She was about to use Heal Pulse as well, but the machine recalled the opponent.
Chansey snapped out of it and waved her little hand at her own machine.
Since Trainer relies on me so much, having only Toxic as an offensive tool feels a bit lackluster. I need to find a new breakthrough.
She thought to herself as the red light pulled her back into her Poké Ball.
...
...
Back in the room.
Kashiwagi slowly relaxed.
"Only one round left. One more round and I get the Pokémon Egg. I hope it's a cute and interesting fellow."
He began to wonder what the odds were of hatching a Shiny Ralts...
Hey, a man can dream.