"Alright! Fire!"
Barry's voice rang out with desperate conviction.
At the command, Roserade's hands blazed with brilliant white-gold light. The compressed solar sphere between its bouquet-like palms pulsed once—then discharged in a searing beam of incandescent energy.
The Solar Beam tore across the battlefield, scorching the air itself. The ground beneath it cracked from residual heat, thin lines spiderwebbing outward as the blast carved a straight path toward its target.
It was Roserade's strongest move.
Its final gamble.
"We'll counter it—Flash Cannon!" Gary ordered sharply.
"Magnezone!"
Magnezone's body thrummed as it drew steel-type energy from deep within its electromagnetic core. Its metallic shell gleamed with a polished silver brilliance, light concentrating at its center before erupting outward in a compressed beam of white-silver radiance.
Boom!!
The two attacks collided mid-field in a violent explosion of force and light.
For a fraction of a second, neither side yielded. Solar energy crackled against hardened steel power, sparks and fragments of light scattering in every direction.
The shockwave rippled outward, whipping up dust and forcing Barry to shield his eyes.
Then—
The steel beam surged forward.
Flash Cannon punched through the Solar Beam with overwhelming density, slicing apart the golden torrent as though cutting through fabric.
Crash!!
The remaining energy engulfed Roserade directly.
A thunderous explosion followed, the impact sending debris and smoke spiraling upward in a swirling column.
When the smoke began to settle—
Roserade lay at the center of a shallow crater.
Its elegant form was crumpled. Petals wilted slightly. Its eyes spun faintly, unfocused.
It tried to rise.
Failed.
And went still.
Silence hung over the battlefield.
"I… I lost…"
Barry clutched his head with both hands, fingers digging into his blond hair. His voice cracked with disbelief.
All three of his Pokémon had been defeated.
Cleanly.
Decisively.
There had been no narrow margins. No lucky breaks.
Just overwhelming disparity.
The Technical Machine in his backpack—the one containing Snarl—was something he had worked relentlessly to obtain. He had trained for it, saved for it, guarded it carefully.
And now—
Because of a wager made in pride—
He had to give it away.
"Don't look so crushed," Gary said calmly, recalling Magnezone with a flash of red light. "At your age, having this level of strength already puts you ahead of most Trainers your age."
Barry blinked, still stunned.
"R-Really?"
"Of course," Gary replied evenly. "With your current ability, reaching the Top 16 at an League Conference isn't out of the question."
"Top 16?!" Barry snapped back immediately, his competitive spark flaring again. "At least Top 8!"
Gary shook his head faintly.
Rookie Trainers burned with ambition.
That wasn't wrong.
But ambition without experience often collided painfully with reality.
Improving as much as Barry had within a year was already impressive. Charging straight toward Top 8 of a regional League Conference—where seasoned competitors gathered—bordered on reckless optimism.
Still—
Barry was more grounded than some.
Gary couldn't help recalling how Ash Ketchum once boldly declared he would win an entire League on his first attempt. Passion had carried him far—but reality had tempered it.
Reality always did.
Gary stepped closer.
"Enough about that. A deal is a deal. Hand over the TM."
Barry's face twisted with visible agony.
But he didn't argue.
Didn't stall.
Didn't pretend to forget.
With reluctant hands, he pulled the Technical Machine from his bag and extended it forward.
He hated losing.
But he wasn't the type to break his word.
"Thanks," Gary said with a faint smile as he accepted the disc.
The polished surface reflected the sunlight briefly.
Whether the so-called "power-timer anomaly" had normalized or not didn't matter in this moment.
A free TM was still a worthwhile acquisition.
Gary clipped the TM securely into his case, then reached for another Poké Ball.
"Come out—Tyranitar."
The ball burst open in a flare of red light.
A towering figure materialized with a heavy thud that sent a faint tremor through the field.
"Tyraaaaan—TAR!!"
Tyranitar rose to its full imposing height, emerald armor plating gleaming under the daylight. Its spiked tail swayed once, powerful and controlled.
Barry's eyes widened immediately.
He scrambled for his Pokédex.
The device beeped and projected data.
"Tyranitar, the Armor Pokémon. Its body cannot be harmed by ordinary attacks. Extremely aggressive, it challenges any opponent without fear."
"A Pseudo-Legendary from Johto… Tyranitar…"
Barry swallowed.
"If you already had this Pokémon," he asked, half-frustrated, half-awed, "why didn't you use it earlier?"
Gary raised an eyebrow.
"You couldn't defeat Magnezone. Are you sure you want to face Tyranitar?"
Tyranitar looked down at Barry.
Its crimson eyes narrowed faintly—not in hostility, but in evaluation.
This opponent hadn't even qualified as a test.
Tyranitar did not enjoy bullying weaker foes.
Unless they insisted.
It tilted its head slightly toward Gary, puzzled.
Why call me out now?
Gary held up the Technical Machine.
"I just won this from him," he explained calmly. "It contains Snarl—a Dark-type move. It suits you perfectly."
Tyranitar's eyes gleamed.
"Tyra!"
It stepped forward eagerly, heavy footsteps imprinting shallow marks into the ground.
Gary handed over the TM.
"Hold it. Focus. Let the information settle into your mind."
Tyranitar took the disc carefully between its claws.
Its eyes closed.
For a brief moment—
Everything grew still.
Then—
Dark-type energy rippled outward.
A low vibration passed through the air as shadows deepened around Tyranitar's form.
"TYRANITAR!!"
A deep, resonant roar erupted from its throat. The sound carried weight—not just volume. Waves of dark energy radiated outward in visible distortions, spreading like concentric rings across the battlefield.
The pressure was sharp.
Oppressive.
The Snarl had been successfully integrated.
Barry watched from the side, jaw tight.
The TM he had treasured—earned through effort—was now mastered by someone else's Pokémon.
Right in front of him.
It stung.
More than he expected.
Almost cruel.
Gary examined Tyranitar briefly.
Energy flow stable.
Adaptation immediate.
Good.
"Let's head to the Pokémon Center," Gary said at last. "Flash Cannon consumes a lot of energy."
"Yeah…" Barry muttered, still processing everything.
They began walking toward the exit of the public battlefield—
Only to stop.
Someone stood quietly near the entrance.
Tall.
Blond.
Hands resting casually in his pockets.
Gary's eyes sharpened instantly.
Volkner.
The Gym Leader of Sunyshore City.
What was he doing here?
Volkner typically left Gym operations to the automated systems he had personally engineered. He preferred tinkering at the lighthouse or experimenting with power systems over managing challengers.
Seeing him here—
Watching a battle—
Was unusual.
Had something changed?
"Hey, mister, need something?" Barry asked, trying to mask lingering embarrassment.
"Nothing," Volkner replied calmly. "I was just passing by. Thought I'd watch your match."
Barry stiffened.
So someone had witnessed his defeat.
Heat crept up his neck.
"Well… can you move? We're heading to the Pokémon Center."
Volkner stepped aside silently.
Barry walked past first, but after several steps, he realized Gary hadn't moved.
"Huh? Aren't you coming?"
"No."
Gary's attention remained fixed on the blond man.
"You're Volkner—the Gym Leader of Sunyshore City."
Volkner's eyes flickered faintly with surprise.
"You know me?"
"I asked around," Gary replied. "The Gym Leader here is described as a young blond man. That description wasn't subtle."
Volkner ran a hand through his hair, a faint smirk appearing.
Barry froze.
"Wait—you're the Sunyshore Gym Leader?!"
"It's not that shocking," Volkner answered flatly.
"Yes, it is!" Barry shot back. "Why are you giving out the Beacon Badge without proper battles? That goes against League regulations! You could be fined for that!"
Volkner's gaze drifted slightly.
"League rules…" he murmured.
His voice lost its edge.
Then, in a lower, detached tone:
"It doesn't matter anymore. I've lost interest in Pokémon battles."
The words fell heavily.