"Roooaar!!"
Salamence's bellow shook the stadium rafters. The mighty Dragon soared through the humid air, wings slicing through the currents with terrifying speed. Its eyes locked on Tropius, who was struggling to keep distance.
With a deep inhale, Salamence opened its jaws, flames spiraling in its throat before bursting forth in a massive, blazing Fire Blast. The fireball expanded outward into the shape of a flaming star, engulfing the space around Tropius in a deadly inferno.
BOOM!
The explosion lit up the arena, heat washing over the crowd even from a distance.
"Trooo…!" Tropius cried as the flames struck, searing its leafy wings. Its body spasmed in pain before gravity claimed it. The large Grass- and Flying-type spiraled downward, smoke trailing behind. It crashed into the pool with a loud SPLASH! sending waves rippling across the water's surface.
A few seconds later, Tropius floated back up, eyes spinning in a daze.
"Tropius is unable to battle! Salamence wins!" the referee declared, raising his green flag toward Gary's side.
The crowd erupted in cheers, some chanting Salamence's name while others simply marveled at the display of raw aerial dominance.
In truth, there had never been much of a contest. A mere pseudo-dragon like Tropius, majestic though it was, stood little chance against a true apex predator of the skies.
Yui frowned, recalling Tropius in a flash of red light. Without missing a beat, she drew her third Poké Ball.
"Wigglytuff, I'm counting on you!" she called.
"Wiggly-TUFF!" The Balloon Pokémon emerged in a puff of light, its round, fluffy body bouncing slightly as it struck a battle pose. Its large blue eyes sparkled, but there was an underlying determination in them.
[Lv. 49 Wigglytuff / Gym] appeared on the stadium screen.
The announcer's voice boomed from above.
"And here comes Yui's third Pokémon—Wigglytuff! A Fairy-type that has a natural advantage against Gary's Salamence in terms of typing!"
Gary didn't hesitate. "Salamence, return."
The red beam of his Poké Ball pulled the dragon back. Gary was not the type to stubbornly keep a Pokémon in a bad matchup. He didn't see it as cowardice—he saw it as strategy.
In its place, he tossed another ball forward. "Swampert, back in!"
"Swamp-pert!" The Mud Fish Pokémon landed on a floating platform with a splash of water, clearly at home in the aquatic terrain.
Yui's brow furrowed. She had expected Gary to be proud and straightforward, the type to resist switching even in bad situations. Yet in this battle, he'd been rotating his Pokémon with ruthless efficiency. It was clear—he was treating her as a real threat, not a formality.
Unfortunately for Yui, none of her remaining Pokémon could match Swampert in this environment.
"Wigglytuff, use Sing!" she commanded.
"Booo~ booo~ bo-bo-bo-liii~" Wigglytuff's voice rang out in a sweet, melodic lullaby. The notes shimmered through the air, wrapping the battlefield in a soft, dreamy haze.
But Gary's counter came instantly. "Dive underwater!"
"Swam!" Swampert plunged into the pool with barely a ripple.
The sound of Wigglytuff's lullaby was muffled almost entirely beneath the water's surface—Sing's hypnotic effect fizzled uselessly.
Beneath the waves, Swampert swam in a tight arc and surfaced directly beneath Wigglytuff, ready to strike.
"Iron Tail!" Gary shouted.
Swampert burst upward, curling its body mid-leap. Its tail gleamed silver, hard as steel, as it spun with the force of a battering ram toward its target.
"Defense Curl!" Yui ordered quickly.
"Wiggly!" The Balloon Pokémon tucked in tight, using its plump, resilient body to absorb the blow.
BAM!
The impact still launched Wigglytuff several meters, bouncing once on the water's surface before splashing down again.
"Poko!" Wigglytuff squealed in discomfort, but it had successfully dampened the full force of the attack. Still, the downside was immediate—Wigglytuff now floated awkwardly in the pool, unable to swim and struggling to move efficiently.
Gary wasted no time. "Swampert, Iron Tail again!"
But to his surprise, Swampert remained rooted on the platform, staring down at Wigglytuff with a strangely dopey expression.
"…What's wrong with you?" Gary asked, narrowing his eyes.
From across the field, Yui smirked knowingly. The host quickly explained:
"Oh! Swampert is infatuated! Wigglytuff's Cute Charm ability has activated!"
Gary slapped his forehead. "I forgot about that…"
Yui's eyes glinted. "Wigglytuff, now's your chance—Hyper Voice!"
"Puff!" Wigglytuff's mouth opened wide, unleashing a devastating shockwave of sound. The sonic attack rippled across the entire field, blasting into Swampert before it could shake off its daze.
WHOOOM!
Swampert staggered from the impact, still wearing that lovestruck, ridiculous expression.
Gary sighed, recalling it with a flick of his wrist. "Swampert, return. You've done your part."
It wasn't a win, but Swampert had chipped away at Wigglytuff's stamina enough to set up the final blow.
"Salamence," Gary called, hurling the Poké Ball back into the field, "finish the first half!"
The dragon burst forth in a swirl of heat and wind.
"Roarrr!!" Salamence's Intimidate radiated across the arena, its sheer presence lowering Wigglytuff's offensive and defensive edge.
"Wigglytuff, Disarming Voice!" Yui countered.
"Salamence—Hurricane!"
The enchanting chime of Disarming Voice rushed skyward, but Salamence's massive wings beat furiously, whipping up a swirling vortex of wind. Blades of air tore across the pool, battering Wigglytuff mercilessly.
When the gale subsided, the Balloon Pokémon floated limply, eyes swirling.
"Wigglytuff is unable to battle—Salamence wins!"
The referee raised his flag. "With all three of Yui's Pokémon defeated, the first half of the battle goes to Gary Oak!"
The crowd erupted again, though a few voices in the stands called for Gary to "give her a little face" in the second half.
Both Trainers returned to their benches. The ten-minute halftime break passed quietly, though the audience's chatter was anything but. Most already considered the match decided—Gary's dominance in the first half was complete.
Still, everyone leaned forward as the roulette screen spun to select the terrain for the second half. It clicked to a stop on a leaf symbol.
"The next field will be… the Grass Field!" the announcer declared.
Vines and lush turf extended across the battlefield platforms as the scenery transformed.
The referee signaled for both Trainers to send out their Pokémon.
"Houndoom, I choose you!" Yui shouted, releasing her black-furred, horned Fire-type.
"Houndoom!" it snarled, embers flickering at the edges of its fangs.
[Lv. 49 Houndoom / Gym]
Gary smirked. "Let's wrap this up. Gardevoir, you're on!"
A flash of light revealed his elegant partner, her gown-like body shimmering with an otherworldly green glow. The crowd gasped—Gary's shiny Gardevoir was well-known from earlier rounds, her beauty matched only by her power.
[Lv. 60 Gardevoir / Elite]
"This could be it, folks—Gardevoir's power is in another league entirely compared to Houndoom's."
Some fans in the crowd already laughed about their winnings from betting on a complete sweep.