After agreeing to battle, the two girls moved to the open area outside the Aether House. Since two of their favorite big sisters were about to have a Pokémon battle, the children poured out behind them, buzzing with excitement.
There was no need to look for a formal battlefield. A wide open space sat right in front of the Aether House, clean and flat enough for a proper match. Caitlin and Acerola took opposite sides and faced each other from a distance.
"This is perfect!" Acerola said, hands tucked behind her back. She tilted her head, eyes curving into crescents again. "It's been forever since Acerola had a real battle."
She looked sweet. She sounded sweet.
And yet the shadows near her feet didn't sit the way they should. They leaned—just slightly—as if they were listening.
Acerola studied Caitlin with bright interest. She genuinely hoped Caitlin was strong. If not, she'd be disappointed.
"You'd better be careful, Caitlin," Acerola chirped, still smiling. "I'm actually pretty strong. Even Uncle Nanu can't always handle me."
The "Uncle Nanu" she meant was the Island King of Ula'ula Island.
Caitlin's expression didn't change. She wore a faint smile, already steady. Before coming here, Damian had told her exactly what Acerola was: an Elite-level Ghost specialist. A bad matchup for Caitlin's team.
Caitlin didn't care.
"Please, go ahead," Caitlin said calmly.
"Alright then! Here I come!"
Acerola threw her first Poké Ball with a quick snap.
A plush-doll silhouette hit the ground, and Banette emerged—pure Ghost-type, zipper mouth, button eyes, and a presence that made the air feel a touch thinner.
Before the match, they had already agreed on the rules and turn order. To answer Banette, Caitlin sent out Alakazam.
The battle began.
"I wonder if Caitlin can actually beat Acerola."
Damian sat on a stool the Aether Foundation staff had brought out, watching the clash with quiet interest. Emotionally, he wanted Caitlin to win. Rationally, this was ugly.
Ghost-types resisted and preyed on Psychic-types. Worse, Ghost battles were rarely straightforward. Acerola's grasp of Ghost-types wasn't "good." It was professional—better than almost anyone Caitlin would meet in the wild. That wasn't exaggeration. That was the gap between a normal strong trainer and a specialist at the Elite level.
The one good thing: Damian had already drilled Caitlin with Ghost-type matchups using Mismagius. Caitlin wasn't going in blind.
Still—type disadvantage was type disadvantage.
Banette fought like a trick. Alakazam fought like a scalpel.
Caitlin took the first win, but she paid for it. Alakazam came out of the exchange visibly worn, having taken heavy damage just to secure the knockout.
Acerola didn't blink. She flicked out her second Poké Ball.
Froslass.
Cold rolled across the field the moment it appeared. The grass didn't frost over or anything dramatic—but the warmth dropped, subtle and immediate, like someone had turned down the sun.
Alakazam didn't last. Froslass cut it down cleanly.
Caitlin's eyes narrowed.
"Gothitelle."
Gothitelle hit the field, and the fight turned into a grind. Caitlin managed to drag Froslass down with her, but it cost her a double knockout.
Two Pokémon traded. Two more removed.
Fighting uphill like this was exhausting.
This was a 3-vs-3 match.
And for the final round, both trainers sent out their aces.
Metagross.
Palossand.
The moment Palossand rose, the air felt heavier—wet sand, salt, and something old. Its shadow pooled wider than its body, like it didn't belong to the light.
Caitlin's Metagross didn't hesitate.
Even with the disadvantage, it took control of the exchange almost immediately. It was fast for its size, brutal in its timing, and unreasonably hard to stop. Palossand's attacks landed, but Metagross kept moving like it didn't care.
Acerola's eyes widened in genuine surprise.
Metagross smashed Shadow Ball apart with Meteor Mash, closed the distance, and drove a heavy right hook straight into Palossand's "face." A follow-up Ice Punch landed before Palossand could stabilize.
Palossand answered with Earth Power.
Metagross tanked it.
Not cleanly. Not effortlessly. But it stayed on its feet and pushed forward anyway. Then two Ice Punches came down like a hammer.
Acerola tilted her head, still staring.
…Is this really what Metagross is supposed to be like?
Huge bulk. Huge physical pressure. Great defenses on both sides. Even the special attack was respectable. Speed a little low—sure—but it had Bullet Punch to patch that gap, and its coverage was absurd.
Out of eighteen types, it resisted ten and was only weak to four.
Who designed this thing—somebody half-asleep?
Watching Metagross eat damage and pin Palossand down for a beating, Acerola's eyes went even wider. Caitlin was a Psychic specialist, wasn't she? Was Psychic battling at the top end really this violent?
Two more Ice Punches slammed into Palossand. Metagross, panting now, forced the finish through sheer battle-hardened pressure.
Palossand collapsed.
Victory. for exactly one second.
A dark light flickered from Palossand's fading body and wrapped around Metagross like a chain. Metagross froze, then dropped heavily to the ground.
Destiny Bond.
A one-for-one trade.
Both sides were out of Pokémon.
The battle ended in a draw.
"Whew~ You're really strong, Caitlin!" Acerola let out a long breath, cheeks puffing slightly before she patted them and smiled wide again. "Even with the advantage, I almost lost."
"Thank you," Caitlin replied evenly, then offered her hand. "You're strong as well, Acerola. I'll come find you again for another spar when I can."
They shook hands.
Caitlin hadn't won—but she looked calm. If anything, she felt lighter. Compared to Damian's Ghost-type style, Acerola's approach was… normal. Damian's battles were stressful in a way that didn't translate. Acerola was dangerous, yes, but the danger made sense.
"Hehehe~ Great, great!" Acerola clapped her hands once, delighted. "Let's exchange contact info. Acerola is super happy!"
After exchanging info with Acerola, Damian and Caitlin said goodbye to everyone at the Aether House.
"You have to come back and find Acerola again!" Acerola called, rising onto her tiptoes and waving her arms. "Caitlin, keep in touch~!"
Acerola repeated it like an order. She really liked Caitlin—elegant, powerful, and serious in battle.
Caitlin's smile deepened as she waved back.
As Damian and Caitlin walked down the small path away from the Aether House, Damian glanced sideways at her.
"Caitlin, your charm is something else," he said, amused. "The kids adore you. Acerola looked like she wanted to keep you here."
"Don't tease me." Caitlin rolled her eyes and tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear, her tone relaxed. "Acerola is just a very pure girl. And I'm… quite different from her."
Yes. Different.
She was Team Rocket now. A girl like Acerola—talented, bright, loved by children—would have a clean future ahead of her.
"Caitlin, that's not the right way to think about it," Damian said, eyebrow lifting.
He was about to say more when his phone buzzed. A message flashed on the screen.
Damian's grin turned sharp.
"It looks like our luck is good."
"What is it?" Caitlin asked, curious.
"Someone found Tapu Fini's whereabouts," Damian said.