Chapter 355: Cynthia's Defeat
~Cynthia's POV~
[Kanto Region, Pallet Town – Oak's Lab (Battlefield)]
I opened aggressively with Shadow Ball. Azure's Gengar returned the favor, unleashing a Shadow Ball of its own—a projectile that seemed denser, darker than any Ghost-type energy I had ever witnessed.
*BOOOM*
The beams met mid-field, creating a blinding, echoing explosion. I blinked against the shockwave intensity.
When the smoke cleared, both Pokémon were down. Spiritomb lay inert, the mysterious binding stone cracked, and Azure's Gengar was fading back into the earth, defeated.
A sharp inhale escaped me. Mutual K.O. was not the usual outcome for my Spiritomb; its defensive wall was near impenetrable.
This man is not playing fair. The power of that Shadow Ball was terrifying. It wasn't just training; something had boosted Gengar far beyond its natural limits.
Azure conceded, recalling his Gengar as he praised our battle, "An impressive start. But we trade equally."
Recalling my Spiritomb, I battled on. I called, replacing the spectral defense with graceful offense, "Milotic, time to turn the tide!"
*Pop*
Martializing was my wall against his might. Azure's next choice was unexpected, yet typical of a trainer unconcerned with traditional type matchups: "Scizor, standby for battle!"
*Pop*
The metallic insect appeared, its armor gleaming in a deep, vibrant red. This was a challenging match; Milotic's water moves were effective, but Scizor's steel defense was solid, and its Bullet Punch could close distances instantly.
I fought for distance, relying on Hydro Pump and Ice Beam, trying to exploit Scizor's minor weakness to ice. Azure navigated Scizor through the barrage with surgical precision, utilizing Swords Dance to boost its attack while deflecting most of the damage. When Milotic finally landed a solid Surf, Scizor surged forward through the torrent, its pincers glowing.
The final exchange was brutal. Scizor, fast and fortified, managed to land a critical Iron Head, leveraging the sheer speed of a technician build. Milotic, despite its bulk, succumbed, falling back into the grass.
Azure won the middle round, and he didn't switch out. Azure stated simply, "Toughness wins out."
I felt a genuine spike of urgency. Down two Pokémon, the fight was escalating faster than I liked. I needed a decisive win to regain momentum and deal with the steel threat without further loss.
Grabbing my third Ultra Ball, I yelled, "Lucario, finish this!"
*Pop*
My third Pokémon burst onto the field, radiating Aura. Lucario was the perfect answer to Scizor's steel/bug typing.
I didn't waste time ordering a barrage of Aura Spheres against Azure's Scizor. Scizor was tenacious, fighting desperately, but the sheer force of Lucario's attacks eventually overwhelmed the metallic insect.
Scizor crumpled, marking my first official K.O. Azure offered a nod of respect, recalling his Pokémon. He praised with a smile, "A brilliant combination of speed and power, Cynthia. But every action has an equal reaction."
He brought out his next choice, a familiar sight among Kanto powerhouses. He grabbed his Poke Ball, declaring, "Arcanine, let's go for the sweep!"
*Pop*
The magnificent fire beast erupted in flames, its mane flowing like a banner. Azure was using his Pokémon strategically to cover team weaknesses and punish my choices. He was forcing me to commit heavier resources than the trade-offs were worth.
Lucario was already breathing heavily after the heavy exertion against Scizor. I knew better than to leave it against a fresh Arcanine.
I recalled Lucario, knowing the cost. Switching out, I chose my next Pokémon, "Gastrodon, stand ready!"
*Pop*
I chose my bulky ground/water specialist, hoping to exploit Arcanine's weaknesses and absorb the heavy fire damage. This was a classic clash of power. Arcanine, using Flare Blitz, slammed into Gastrodon's defensive shell repeatedly, while Gastrodon retaliated with powerful Muddy Water attacks.
The match stretched, a grueling display of endurance. Gastrodon eventually succeeded, putting down the Arcanine, but the damage inflicted was critical. Gastrodon's shell was scorched, its energy depleted.
Azure was trading losses for maximum attrition. The cost of defeating just three of his core Pokémon was now four of mine.
I muttered, realizing the depth of his strategy, "The back and forth continues."
He wasn't just looking for wins; he was looking for expensive wins. Azure smiled faintly, reaching up to his shoulder.
His fifth Pokémon was ready as he ordered, "Eevee, you're up."
*Thud*
The little brown fox Pokémon hopped off Azure's shoulder and bounced onto the scorched grass. My heart rate jumped. I knew this Eevee was special.
My investigation reports had been extensive, detailing the bizarre history of Team Rocket's 'Eevee Reconstruction Experiment' and its subsequent encounter with Mew, granting it the unique ability to shift between its evolved forms freely.
Yet, it preferred to remain an Eevee.
Gastrodon was weak, but I had to see what Eevee would do. I ordered the strongest Scald I could manage.
*SPLASH*
Eevee, with a graceful flick of its tail, shifted, its fur turning translucent blue, fins sprouting from its head. Vaporeon.
*WASH*
The Scald hit, and Vaporeon absorbed the entire attack. Water Absorb. It absorbed the attack, regaining HP.
Azure commanded, "Razor Leaf."
*Shiii*
Vaporeon's form rippled, changing instantly to the emerald green of Leafeon. It surged forward, the energy concentrated into a razor-sharp leaf on its tail, striking the water-soaked Gastrodon with incredible force.
*THUD*
Gastrodon fell. I recalled my Pokémon, fighting down a wave of frustration.
This was what made Azure Sky so dangerous—his Pokémon defied the fundamental rules of battle. His Eevee couldn't be countered with a single type choice.
I had sacrificed two Pokémon, essentially, just to learn which form it wouldn't be next. The report was true. That small Eevee was a tactical nightmare.
I needed speed and versatility, something that could hit hard before it transformed. Hurling my next choice, I yelled, "Togekiss! Take to the air!"
*Pop*
Togekiss ascended, gaining an immediate tactical advantage. I ordered a mix of aerial attacks, aiming for pure damage.
Azure kept Eevee running through transformations—Jolteon, Flareon, Umbreon—using defensive types to mitigate damage, but the cumulative effect of Togekiss's attacks eventually wore it down.
Eevee, returning to its default state one last time, fainted on the field. We were tied: 4 of my Pokémon were defeated, and only one remained. Azure had 4 losses and 2 Pokémon left. The pressure was immense.
Azure recalled Eevee with genuine affection, patting its head before turning his attention back to the battle. He reached for his final Poké Ball—but paused.
He looked down at his hip, then glanced at the small, familiar Pokémon that had been trotting faithfully beside him this entire time. He smiled faintly, uttering, "Pikachu, it's our turn."
My eyes narrowed in skepticism despite the surrounding evidence of his power. His partner, the Kanto League victor, is a common Electric-type Mouse Pokémon.
I had watched the tournament videos. I had seen the impossible feats. Yet, every traditional bone in my strategist's body rejected the idea that a Pikachu, even a perfectly trained one, could stand against my final, most powerful partner.
I commanded, seeking to capitalize on the type advantage and the altitude, "Togekiss, use Air Slash!"
Azure was fast, his command sharp, ordered, "Pika Papow! Full power!"
*KA-BOOOOM*
Pikachu crouched low, gathering an unbelievable electrical charge. The air cracked, smelling of ozone, and the sheer volume of electricity radiating from the small body was frightening beyond belief!
Instead of a typical Thunderbolt, a complex, multicolored energy sphere erupted from Pikachu's cheeks, surging towards the airborne target. The Pika Papow struck Togekiss mid-flight. There was no struggle, no gradual damage.
*THUD*
My powerful, defensive Togekiss was instantly, violently knocked out of the sky, slamming into the ground with a sickening thud.
I stood frozen. One move. One devastating, unique, non-standard move invented by an unconventional trainer, delivered by a common Electric Mouse, had eliminated my Pokémon instantly.
My skepticism evaporated, replaced by cold, professional dread. This Pikachu was a monster. I tried sending Lucario against it, but it soon fell shortly after from a Quick Attack into Iron Tail shortly after.
I had only one Pokémon left. I whispered, retrieving the ball, "Garchomp. We hold nothing back. This is everything."
*Pop*
My magnificent Alpha Garchomp materialized, its massive frame asserting dominance over the ravaged battlefield. Its presence was a declaration of raw, pseudo-legendary power. The one who traveled with me from the beginning.
Azure, surprisingly, recalled Pikachu. He called, "Dragonite! I choose you!"
*Pop*
His final Pokémon, the bulky, gentle-faced pseudo-legendary, appeared. Dragonite against Garchomp. This was the final clash of titans, a brutal mirror match I understood well. Pseudo-Legendary of Sinnoh and Kanto facing off.
*BOOOOM*
The next moments dissolved into a whirlwind of power. Garchomp and Dragonite engaged in a savage dance of Outrage and Dragon Claw. Dragonite tanked hits with its characteristic durability, but Garchomp was unrelenting, utilizing its immense speed to weave around the attacks.
I pushed Garchomp to its absolute limits. After a prolonged, exhausting exchange that left the backyard cracked and ruined, my Garchomp finally landed the decisive blow.
*SLASH*
A single Dragon Claw managed to catch his Pokémon just in time. Dragonite roared before collapsing heavily onto the grass.
*Thud*
I held my breath, adrenaline surging. Azure was down to one Pokémon. I had one remaining. My trusted partner...
A tense silence fell over the field. Professor Oak looked on, clutching his clipboard as Daisy looked on in amusement.
Azure recalled Dragonite, a look of profound respect in his eyes. He turned to me, the ultimate challenge in his demeanor said happily, "Congratulations, Cynthia. A brilliant battle. You defeated my entire core team…. Now just got to deal with my partner."
He then reached down and scooped up his small partner. He said resolutely, "Pikachu. We finish this."
Pikachu, showing no signs of fatigue, bounded onto the field. My Garchomp, though victorious over Dragonite, was wounded, heavily damaged, and breathing raggedly.
But my Alpha Garchomp has the advantage: Type, position, and the momentum of the win. I commanded my partner forward, ready to unleash the final, defining sweep, "Draco Meteor! End it now!"
*SHIII*
Garchomp began to gather the explosive dragon energy. Even if Pikachu blocks it somehow, it wouldn't matter. Even his monstrous Pikachu, no matter how powerful, is a glass cannon, just a good hit in, and this match is mine!
Azure's voice cut through the air, sharp and utterly unexpected, "Pikachu! Agile Style Extreme Speed!"
My eyes widened. Extreme Speed?!
A unique, rapid movement usually associated with the most powerful Pokémon? How could a Pikachu possess that kind of training?
*ZOOOM*
Pikachu vanished in a blinding flash of golden light, not the shimmer of electric energy, but a pure kinetic blur of forward motion, bypassing Garchomp's defenses before the Dragon-type could even launch its devastating attack. It reeled its tiny arms back…
*BOOOM*
Pikachu slammed directly into Garchomp's chest, the speed alone acting as a bludgeon. Before Garchomp could recover from the impact, Azure issued his second, final command, "Now! End it with a Mega Punch!"
This wasn't a technique I had seen in the tournament footage, nor in any established documentation on the mouse Pokémon. This was raw, physical might channeled through the small form.
*SMASH*
Pikachu's tiny fist connected exactly where the Extreme Speed impact had been. The resulting force was staggering…
*BOOOM*
A shockwave rippled across the field. My Alpha Garchomp, the pillar of my team, was lifted entirely off its feet for a terrifying moment before being flung backward, skidding violently across the dirt…
*THUD*
Garchomp lay still. Fainted.
I stared, completely dumbfounded. The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the chirping of Pidgey in the nearby trees.
I had... lost.
Not to a type counter, not to a strategic trap, but to a sequence of impossible, physically overwhelming moves from a Pokémon that should have been fodder for my final ace. I lowered my head, my champion's pride momentarily crushed by the sheer, overwhelming genius of Azure Sky.
I had faced the strongest trainers in the world, defeated the best, and secured every title possible. But the man who refused the crown had just delivered the hardest, most humiliating lesson of my career.
Azure walked forward, picking up his partner, who looked up at him with unblinking, satisfied eyes. Azure said happily, genuinely pleased, "An incredible match, Cynthia. You gave us a run for our money."
I recalled Garchomp, my hand trembling slightly. I looked at the little yellow mouse resting on Azure's shoulder, then at the man himself. I managed, my voice strained with disbelief, "That… that was Extreme Speed combined with a devastating physical output. A Pikachu. How is that even possible?"
Azure merely shrugged, that familiar, slightly mischievous glint in his eyes returning. He replied casually, "The world is full of possibilities, Cynthia. And some Pokémon just prefer to surprise people."
I finally understood the title of the Uncrowned Champion. Azure Sky didn't need the recognition of the Elite Four or the League structure. His power spoke for itself. He wasn't playing by the rules of this world, and until I could understand the full scope of his experience—and the exotic nature of his partners—I knew I would never truly be ready to take his crown.
But I had what I wanted. I had experienced true defeat at the hands of true mastery. And for a champion, that experience was priceless.
I smiled, a genuine, competitive grin returning. I said calmly, drawing myself upright, "Then I suppose, Azure. I'll just have to keep studying my history. Thank you. I see I still have a long way to go."
Azure nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face as he said casually, "You showed incredible potential. I'd say you should journey around the other regions. Head to Alola, it's perfectly nice this time of year."
I considered his words. Alola.
A new region, new challenges, new ways of understanding Pokémon battles. It sounded like exactly what I needed.
As I turned to leave, already planning my next adventure, Azure's voice reached me again, softer this time, but carrying a profound weight. He grinned, a knowing, almost sly glint in his eyes as he said, "Remember this, Cynthia... When every life meets another life, something new will be born!"
I paused, halfway to the gate, hearing those words. They resonated within me, a deep echo that seemed to unlock something in my mind.
It was a philosophy I hadn't heard put so succinctly, yet it encapsulated so much of what I believed about the world of Pokémon, about life itself. I shook my head slightly, a small laugh escaping my lips.
Azure Sky, the Uncrowned Champion, was full of surprises, even after the battle was over. I continued my walk, but his words lingered, a seed planted in my thoughts, already beginning to blossom, pushing me towards an exciting, unknown future.
/////
~Azure S. POV~
[Kanto Region, Pallet Town – Oak's Lab (Battlefield)]
I watched Cynthia leave, the Sinnoh Champion walking stiffly alongside Daisy Oak, who was cheerfully trying to distract the stoic girl. She didn't get it, I thought, a small, weary chuckle escaping me.
The quote—' When every life meets another life, something new will be born!'—was a deliberate jab. It was a line spoken by the Anime version of Cynthia, a character of similar strength but often characterized by more profound, introspective dialogue.
The Cynthia I had just battled, the one defined by the Pokémon Adventures timeline, was analytical, ruthlessly strategic, but ultimately... weak.
This version was strong, undeniably world-class, but she was the one who failed to defeat Cyrus, whose incomplete Draco Meteor attack left her incapacitated and effectively dead weight during the final confrontation with the villain.
She was destined to struggle against the true forces of evil because her power, while immense, lacked a certain edge and adaptability. I brought my hand up to gently scratch Pikachu behind the ears.
He was spent, vibrating slightly with residual energy. Even Eevee, who was nestled inside my jacket, was breathing shallowly after its tactical transformation sequence.
I murmured, "Rough one, huh, buddy?"
Pikachu replied with a weak, affirmative cry, "Pika. (Yup.)"
Despite my ultimate victory, the battle had rattled me. I had been so convinced that my core team, augmented by the knowledge I carried from my past, was nigh unbeatable in any standard match equipped with the Plates.
I almost lost. And that was the sobering truth.
Cynthia's tenacity and Garchomp's raw power forced me into a desperate, high-risk situation. I had been relying too heavily on crutches.
I've relied on battle strategy on the spectacle: Z-Moves and Mega Evolution. Those mechanics allowed me to push my partners to heights that defied logic and type disadvantages.
Here, in the Adventures world, stripped of those gimmicks, my fundamental training was exposed. Take the Gengar battle. I had instantly equipped Gengar with the [Spooky Plate]—one of the eighteen legendary artifacts I'd been hunting in Johto.
It offered a massive, game-breaking boost to Ghost-type attacks. Without that Plate, my Gengar would have fallen first, and Cynthia would have maintained a one-Pokémon advantage throughout the subsequent rounds.
And Pikachu's final move? Extreme Speed into Mega Punch.
That combination was absurd, requiring precise control over acceleration and physical force. It worked, but I know I could've done better; not an ideal strategy.
But against what? Against a Cynthia who wasn't even at her absolute prime, fighting in a friendly duel.
If I, the purported 'Uncrowned Champion,' had struggled this much in a no-stakes match, how would I fare when the stakes truly mattered? I looked out over the quiet landscape of Pallet Town.
The tranquility was deceptive. I knew what was coming.
The timeline was advancing quickly now. The next major arc—the FireRed and LeafGreen chapter—was right around the corner.
And with that arc came Giovanni.
Giovanni, who would soon acquire the Deoxys that came to this planet, adjusted its power. Giovanni operated with a cold precision that dwarfed even the challenges of the League Tournaments.
The thought of using Rayquaza certainly eases my worries. But at the same time, my greatest concern is using the Sky High Pokémon to battle against Deoxys.
A part of the hesitation is the fact that when those two battle, they're bound to be a LOT of collateral damage done where they're located. Even a misfire attack from Rayquaza would cause massive damage to the environment, hence my hesitation to use it against Deoxys.
Add its Mega Form, and that's a disaster waiting to happen. Not only that, if I reveal Rayquaza too soon, then Team Rocket would react differently than I want them to. Or possibly force Giovanni's hand into an unexpected action if I push him too hard.
It was best to use Rayquaza as a last resort. And if all else fails, just sick Deoxys' biggest hater on it, consequences be damned.
Still, I had to be prepared. My reliance on the Plates was a weakness, a shortcut that allowed me to slack on rigorous basic training and stamina development. I had become complacent in the easy victories offered through my battles.
I had assumed my core six were untouchable. Cynthia's Milotic and Lucario had exposed the limits of Scizor's endurance. Arcanine, despite its power, struggled against a strategic opponent who knew how to leverage its environment (Gastrodon).
Even Dragonite, my powerhouse, fell cleanly to Garchomp. I told my partners, running my fingers over the smoothness of Dragonite's Poké Ball, "We need to train, and not just hard, but smart. No more relying on the easy power-ups. We need to raise our base capabilities. We need to train for exhaustion, for attrition, for opponents who won't break simply because we hit them hard."
Cynthia's visit had been a gift, a painful but necessary reminder that I was still lacking. I was an uncrowned champion for a reason—because I hadn't truly tested the limits of the Adventures world yet.
The coming months would be brutal. Pallet Town was about to get a lot louder.
I smiled, a genuine, focused smile this time. I whispered, the wind carrying the scent of salt from the nearby ocean, "Alright, team! Let's get ready for the Kanto rematch. Giovanni won't know what hit him."
The battle against Cynthia had shown me my flaws. Now, I would turn those flaws into unstoppable strengths.
My story was far from over. It was about to get a whole lot darker and require absolute perfection. I welcomed the challenge.
/////
A/N: Reach the goal of 100 PS to get a Bonus Chapter!