After everything that had happened, it took longer than I expected to calm down.
Not just Meowth and Charmeleon—me.
The image of Imran standing there so effortlessly composed, the way Slowking had frozen my Pokémon without hostility or strain, lingered in my mind. It wasn't threatening. It was worse than that. It was a reminder of how wide the gap still was between us and the people who truly operated at the top of this new world.
By the time my breathing finally evened out, the forest had already begun to darken.
I made the call to stop for the day.
Charging blindly after points when my partners were exhausted—and my own nerves were frayed—would only end badly. The exam rewarded judgment as much as strength, and tonight, judgment told me to rest.
I moved carefully, choosing an open patch of ground where the canopy thinned just enough to let moonlight through. No obvious burrows. No signs of large Pokémon traffic. Close enough to trees for cover, far enough to avoid being cornered.
A decent place.
I set up a small campfire, keeping the flames low and controlled. Just enough warmth. Just enough light. Nothing that screamed easy target.
Meowth perked up immediately when food came out, exhaustion forgotten as he dug in with practiced enthusiasm. Charmeleon ate more slowly, distracted, chewing without his usual focus. When he finished, instead of settling down, he walked a short distance away and began practicing.
Again.
And again.
Controlled bursts of flame, scratch drills against a fallen log, footwork patterns he'd learned during camp. His movements were tight, deliberate, almost angry. The loss against Shelgon still sat heavy on him, and I could see it in the way his tail flame burned—steady, but edged with frustration.
I didn't stop him.
Some lessons needed to be worked through, not talked away.
Eventually, Meowth curled up near the fire, eyes half-lidded, body relaxing as sleep finally claimed him. I followed not long after, pulling my sleeping bag around my shoulders, letting the crackle of embers and the rhythm of the forest ease me toward rest.
That was when I heard it.
Footsteps.
Soft.
Measured.
Close enough that they shouldn't have been.
My eyes snapped open instantly.
Meowth was already on his feet.
Not groggy. Not confused. Fully alert, fur bristling, ears flat as he stared into the darkness beyond the firelight. Charmeleon turned at the same moment, posture shifting, flame flaring brighter as he fixed his gaze on the same point.
My heart rate spiked.
In a heartbeat, my mind went to the worst possible place.
Earth Liberation.
They had already proven they were willing to assassinate Aakash in front of the entire world. Infiltrating an exam island filled with exhausted teenagers would be trivial by comparison. The thought made my stomach twist as I rose slowly, hand tightening at my side.
If this was a fight—
Then it would be for survival.
The footsteps grew louder.
Then the figure stepped into the light.
A boy.
Roughly my age. Dark hair. Sharp features. Clearly of Chinese origin. He wore standard exam gear, nothing excessive, nothing hidden, hands visible and deliberately open as he stopped a safe distance away.
The tension in my chest didn't ease.
If anything, it sharpened.
Before I could speak—or command—he raised both hands slightly and took a careful step back, eyes flicking between me, Meowth, and Charmeleon.
"Whoa," he said quickly, voice calm but alert. "Easy, man. I'm not here for trouble."
I didn't lower my guard.
"Who are you?" I demanded, keeping my stance firm. "And why are you here?"
He let out a small breath, half a laugh that sounded more tired than amused.
"I'm an entrant," he said. "Same exam as you. Just… from a different group."
That made me hesitate.
"There are foreign entrants?" I asked, still not relaxing.
He nodded. "Yeah. A few of us. Part of some agreement, I think. Didn't know you didn't know."
My grip loosened a fraction, though my instincts refused to stand down completely.
He glanced toward the fire, then back at me. "I saw the smoke," he added. "Figured someone else was nearby. Thought I'd say hello before accidentally walking into your camp in the dark."
Silence stretched between us.
The forest listened.
Meowth's claws scraped faintly against the dirt as he shifted his weight, still ready. Charmeleon didn't move at all, eyes locked on the stranger with quiet intensity.
I studied the boy more carefully now.
No weapons drawn.
No aggressive posture.
No telltale signs of panic or hostility.
Just caution.
The same caution I felt.
"Name?" I asked finally.
"Lin Yi," he replied without hesitation. "From China."
I nodded once, still wary but no longer on edge enough to strike first.
"Rakesh," I said. "India."
He smiled slightly, relief flickering across his face. "Guess we're both a long way from home."
The fire crackled between us, throwing light and shadow across two trainers who, only minutes earlier, might have ended each other without a word.
I didn't know yet whether Lin Yi would become an ally, a rival, or just another passing presence on this island.
But one thing was clear.
The night wasn't over yet.
From behind Lin Yi, something stepped into the firelight.
At first I only saw pale fur and a sharp silhouette, but then the light caught properly and I froze for half a second.
Glaceon.
One of Eevee's evolutions.
And not a common one.
Its body was sleek and angular, fur tinted icy blue, diamond-shaped ear flaps reflecting the firelight like polished glass. Its breath misted faintly in the warm night air, lowering the temperature around it by sheer presence. I had read about them, seen pictures in the Pokédex, but this was the first time I had faced one in person.
I let out a slow breath.
"It seems you've got an influential family," I said evenly.
Glaceon didn't come cheap. Evolution stones weren't casually found, and raising an Eevee properly took knowledge and resources.
Lin Yi gave a small shrug, though the corner of his mouth lifted. "Just slightly."
He stepped forward, confidence returning now that the misunderstanding had cleared.
"Now that we're done glaring at each other," he said, tone sharpening, "let's battle."
My watch buzzed immediately.
Challenge received from Entrant Lin Yi.Challenge Rank: Blue.Do you accept?
I didn't tap it right away.
Instead, I looked at him carefully.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
He frowned slightly. "About what?"
I didn't elaborate.
Charmeleon versus Glaceon.
Fire against Ice.
On paper, it wasn't a fair match.
But battles weren't fought on paper.
Lin Yi, however, was already too eager. The thrill of challenge burned in his eyes, and he nodded without hesitation.
"I'm sure."
I accepted.
The watches on both our wrists emitted a brief tone, registering the engagement.
Charmeleon stepped forward immediately, tail flame rising higher, casting long shadows behind him. Glaceon moved with quiet grace, paws barely disturbing the dirt as it took its position opposite him.
The fire crackled between them.
The air shifted.
Lin Yi moved first.
"Quick Attack!"
Glaceon became a streak of white and blue, body blurring as it shot forward with explosive speed. It was faster than I expected—much faster. The ground barely registered its steps as it closed the distance in a heartbeat.
"Dodge!" I snapped.
Charmeleon twisted at the last possible second, claws digging into dirt as he pivoted sharply. Glaceon's shoulder grazed past him instead of striking full-on.
But Lin Yi was smiling.
He had planned for that.
"Bite, now!"
Glaceon twisted mid-slide with unnatural agility, hind legs pushing off the ground as it turned its body in one fluid motion. Its fangs glowed faintly as it lunged sideways, jaws clamping down hard onto Charmeleon's forearm.
Charmeleon let out a grunt, muscles tensing.
For a split second, I calculated.
Ice type.
Sharp fangs.
Direct contact.
If Charmeleon panicked or pulled back instinctively, Glaceon would drag him off balance and follow with Ice Shard or Icy Wind, creating space and tempo.
Lin Yi's expression said he knew that too.
He thought this was over.
But Charmeleon didn't pull away.
He didn't try to retreat.
Instead, he raised the very arm Glaceon was biting.
"Hold steady!" I commanded sharply. "Now—Flamethrower!"
At point-blank range.
Charmeleon's chest expanded.
Then fire erupted.
Not a small burst. Not a hesitant stream.
A full, roaring Flamethrower blasted straight into Glaceon's face, heat exploding outward in a wave that drowned out the night. The flames illuminated the clearing like a sunrise, sparks scattering into the air.
Glaceon's grip faltered instantly.
Ice-type fur met concentrated fire at zero distance.
There was no room to dodge.
No time to disengage.
The flames swallowed its head and upper body in a blinding flash.
When the fire cleared—
Glaceon was airborne, thrown backward by the force, body tumbling before crashing into the dirt several meters away.
Silence fell hard.
Smoke curled upward.
Glaceon lay still.
Knocked out.
My watch chimed.
+1 Point.
Lin Yi stood frozen, mouth slightly open, disbelief written plainly across his face. He had expected momentum. He had expected type advantage to matter less than speed and surprise.
He had not expected that kind of counter.
Charmeleon lowered his arm slowly, shaking off the lingering sting of the bite. His tail flame burned steady and proud, casting a fierce glow across his features.
I met Lin Yi's eyes calmly.
"Type advantage isn't a win condition," I said quietly. "Positioning is."
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Lin Yi exhaled, ran a hand through his hair, and let out a short laugh.
"…I guess I deserved that."
He recalled Glaceon gently, expression far more thoughtful than before.
The fire crackled again, returning the clearing to its earlier warmth.
This island wasn't just testing strength.
It was testing judgment.
And tonight—
Ice had learned what happened when it bit into fire.