"Cubone, dodge it! Then use Bonemerang!"
At Miss Giselle's sharp command, Cubone agilely flipped backward, narrowly evading the lash of Bulbasaur's Vine Whip. In the same fluid motion, it hurled the bone club it had been gripping tightly since the start of the match.
The bone spun rapidly through the air, tracing a sharp arc straight toward Bulbasaur.
But Bulbasaur, its vines still extended, found it difficult to move.
Just as the spinning bone was about to strike—
"Bulbasaur! Use Seed Machine Gun—aim for the Bonemerang in the air!"
Thup-thup-thup-thup!
A rapid volley of seeds shot skyward.
"What?! There's no way Seed Machine Gun can hit a Bonemerang in midair!"
"He's lost it. Looks like Miss Giselle has this match in the bag."
"Totally. Nozomi's finished for sure."
The watching Pokémon Tech students spoke in excitement.
If Miss Giselle could beat that arrogant guy, their academy's pride might finally be restored.
But could she really win?
Nozomi was never one to take risks.
Before the stunned onlookers' eyes, Bulbasaur's Seed Machine Gun struck the spinning Bonemerang dead-on with perfect precision.
Clack-clack-clack!
The seeds hit the bone with crisp, rhythmic impacts.
At first, the spinning Bonemerang deflected most of the seeds. But as it neared Bulbasaur, its rotation slowed, weighed down by the repeated impacts.
Finally, it lost momentum completely and was deflected off-course by Bulbasaur's final burst of seeds, tumbling harmlessly aside.
Cubone's eyes went wide.
That bone was everything to it—its weapon, its shield, and a symbol of its very soul.
Panicking, Cubone sprinted toward where the bone had landed.
"Now's our chance! Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf!"
"Bulba-saur!"
Leaves spun from the bulb on its back with a sharp whoosh-whoosh, slicing through the air toward the fleeing Cubone.
Caught mid-run, Cubone had no time to evade.
"Cubone! Block them with your bone!"
Cubone gritted its teeth, taking several hits before finally snatching up its fallen weapon. With a defiant cry, it swung the bone wildly, deflecting the remaining Razor Leafs.
But the effort left Bulbasaur panting; the two rapid attacks had drained its stamina.
"Cubone, use Swords Dance!"
Seizing the opening, Cubone spun its bone in a precise rhythm, a silver aura whirling around it.
Miss Giselle's timing was impeccable. Ordering Swords Dance now meant Nozomi couldn't react in time to interrupt.
Cubone's fighting spirit visibly swelled. Nozomi frowned—he couldn't afford to let it keep powering up.
"Bulbasaur, Solar Beam, now!"
Solar Beam—Nozomi had been training Bulbasaur to master that move for weeks.
After the battle with A.J., they had finally perfected it.
"Bulba—saur!"
Bulbasaur gathered itself, the bulb on its back swelling and pulsing with radiant light. Dazzling motes began to coalesce around it.
Miss Giselle's eyes widened.
Solar Beam?! That was a move Bulbasaur shouldn't be able to use until it evolved into Ivysaur—or even Venusaur! Just how powerful was this Bulbasaur?
"Stop it, Cubone! Stop it before it's too late!"
As an elite student, Giselle knew full well the destructive might of Solar Beam. If that blast hit, Cubone wouldn't stand a chance.
Cubone froze mid-dance, throwing its bone again in desperation.
Whish—!
The Bonemerang shot forward—
—but too late.
In the next instant, a searing beam of solar energy erupted from Bulbasaur's bulb, swallowing both the Bonemerang and Cubone in blinding white light.
Even though Bulbasaur hadn't had time to fully charge, the brief burst was more than enough.
When the light faded, Cubone lay on the ground, its body charred and smoking.
"Cubone is unable to battle! Bulbasaur wins!"
The referee's voice echoed across the silent arena.
Miss Giselle bit her lip, saying nothing as she recalled Cubone into its Poké Ball.
The surrounding students stood speechless.
For the first time, doubt crept into their hearts—could Miss Giselle really win?
They had believed that with Nozomi leaving Metagross out of the match, they might finally see a victory. But in the end, that hope had crumbled to dust.
"Wait—look!"
A student suddenly pointed toward the battlefield.
Everyone turned.
Bulbasaur's body was glowing.
"That light…!"
"It's the light of evolution!"
"Bulbasaur's evolving!"
Murmurs rippled through the crowd of students. Their feelings were a swirl of awe and frustration.
Nozomi, however, only smiled faintly. By his calculations, the time had come.
If Bulbasaur had been the main Pokémon of an ordinary trainer, it would've evolved long ago. But Nozomi had too many strong partners, and Bulbasaur rarely got to battle. Its growth had simply been delayed—until now.
Miss Giselle didn't even know what to feel anymore.
Should she be relieved that her Cubone had lost to a Pokémon on the brink of evolution, or angry that Bulbasaur had evolved at her expense?
She could only watch as Bulbasaur's body expanded, the light fading to reveal a larger, more mature form. The bulb on its back had unfurled into a flower bud—Bulbasaur had become Ivysaur.
The once-cute Pokémon now radiated confidence and quiet power, its eyes sharp and determined.
"Ivysaur!"
Nozomi waved it over, and Ivysaur happily trotted to his side, nuzzling its trainer's palm with affection.
They shared a moment of quiet pride before Nozomi looked up again at the girl standing stiffly across the field.
"Let's keep going," he said calmly. "What's your second Pokémon?"
Miss Giselle hesitated, her mind a storm of emotions. But finally, she drew another Poké Ball from her belt, determination flashing in her eyes.
"My second Pokémon… is this one!"