23
The atmosphere outside the Rustboro Academy was electric—and not just because of Roxanne's Nosepass.
Just as the cameras for the "Trial of Rustboro" went live, a sleek, purple Galar-style limousine pulled up, and out stepped a boy with hair like a frozen marshmallow and a coat that cost more than my entire streaming setup. Bede looked at the dirt on my shoes and the "rejects" following me with the kind of expression one usually saves for a Muk in a punch bowl.
"I see the Hoenn League has lowered its standards to 'internet jesters' and common thugs," Bede sneered, flicking a speck of dust off his sleeve. "Heritage and poise are the only true markers of a Trainer. You? You're just noise."
The chat went into a full-blown meltdown.
[Chat Log]
GalarGal_99: OH NO. NOT HIM. THE SALTY PRINCE!
GymBro_Chuck: PUNCH HIM IN THE HAIR, JAKE!
IceCreamQueen_C: Stay calm, Jake. He wants to rattle you before the Gym.
I didn't lose my cool. I leaned back, adjusted the Titan Key on my belt, and let the Nat 20 Charisma drop my voice into a cold, lethal calm.
"I'm sorry, Bede," I said, looking him dead in the eye. "But valuing only heritage just tells me you haven't done anything original in your life—from your looks to your insults. You're not an individual; you're a short measuring stick that throws a tantrum when others exceed you. And unlike you, I don't vandalize historical sites to get noticed. So no, we're not the same. And frankly? I'm glad."
The silence that followed was deafening. Bede's face went from pale to a vivid, pulsing purple.
[Chat Log]
SilentRed: [GIF: EMOTIONAL DAMAGE]
PervySage: HE KILLED HIM. JAKE JUST DELETED HIS ENTIRE CAREER!
DragonTamer_Lance: A sharp tongue, Jake. Now, prove your words on the field.
The Academy Battle: Jake vs. Roxanne
"Enough drama!" Roxanne interrupted, her eyes sharp. "To the battlefield! 3-on-3! May, you're in the spectator's box. This is a sanctioned League evaluation."
May pouted, crossing her arms. "Fine! But if that marshmallow kid says one more thing, I'm 'Sun Breathing' his car into a cube!"
Phase 1: The Magnetic Trap Roxanne started with Geodude and Nosepass. She immediately used Magnet Rise, causing her team to hover. Jerry and Tammy, being ground-based physical attackers, found themselves swinging at air. Jerry's Thunderbolt was absorbed by the rock-types, and Tammy's Slash kept missing as the Nosepass shifted its magnetic poles to repel her.
"You're too reliant on momentum, Jake!" Roxanne called out. "If you can't touch the ground, you can't win!"
Phase 2: The Solar Drill I looked at Kage. He was watching the spinning Nosepass, his Focus Sash glowing red. "Kage! We don't need to touch them. We need to go through them! Titan Resonance: ACTIVATE!"
I gripped the Titan Key. The Soul Dew shard in my pocket hummed, stabilizing the surge. Kage didn't Mega Evolve, but his ironwood stick ignited with a blinding, focused spiral of solar energy.
"Kage! Solar Drill!"
Kage leaped, not at the Nosepass, but above it. He began to spin his body like a top, the solar energy forming a conical piercing edge. He became a green-and-gold whirlwind, drilling straight through the magnetic field.
CRASH.
The Solar Drill slammed into the Nosepass, the heat of the "Sun Breathing" melting the rock-type's defensive shell. The magnetic field collapsed, sending Roxanne's team crashing to the floor.
Phase 3: The Cleanup With the hovering gone, Jerry used the distraction to land a Super Fang on Geodude, while Tammy used Assist—pulling Raven's Night Slash—to finish the match.
The Aftermath
Roxanne recalled her Pokémon, looking genuinely impressed. "Precision and innovation. You didn't just use power; you used physics. Welcome to Rustboro, Jake Callison."
Bede was already stomping back to his limo, fuming. "This isn't over! I'll see you at the League, you... you commoner!"
[Chat Log]
IceCreamQueen_C: Well played, Jake. But look at May. She's staring at the Devon Corp tower.
Steven_Stone: The 'Solar Drill' was a fascinating application of the Vigor resonance. Come to the Devon building tomorrow. We need to talk about that Soul Dew.
I looked at May. She wasn't cheering anymore. She was looking at the tall, dark tower of Devon Corp, her amber eyes flickering for just a second.
"Yeah," I whispered, feeling the Everstone shard in my pocket get warm. "I have a feeling things are about to get even more complicated."