Chapter 102: Next Duels
The air in the arena had changed.
Briv felt it before he understood it—a shift in pressure, a charge that raised the hair on his forearms. The crowd's murmur had died to something tighter. More focused. The kind of silence that preceded storms.
Samuel and Heather stood across from each other on their platforms.
Neither had thrown a Poké Ball yet.
Heather's fingers tapped against her hip. Once. Twice. Three times. A metronome of impatience.
Samuel stood still. His dreadlocks swayed in a breeze that didn't exist. His eyes were closed.
"Trainers—ready your Pokémon!"
Heather moved first.
Her ball arced through the air, split open, and released a Pokémon that landed with a sound like a hammer striking anvil.
Steelix.
The iron serpent coiled on the platform, its segmented body reflecting the chandeliers in cold, metallic gleams. Its eyes burned red. Its jaw could crush stone.
The crowd gasped.
Samuel opened his eyes.
He selected his ball with the same unhurried motion he used for everything. Threw it.
A Pokémon emerged—massive, tan, with a gaping mouth and thick legs that seemed bolted to the platform. Sand streamed from vents along its body.
Hippowdon.
"BEGIN!"
Heather struck first.
"Steelix—Earthquake!"
Steelix slammed its tail. The platform buckled. Cracks spidered outward.
Hippowdon didn't move.
Sand erupted from its body. A swirling vortex that deflected the shockwave.
"Now! Sand Tomb."
Hippowdon's mouth opened. A torrent of sand poured forth.
Steelix took the hit. Sand filled its joints. Its movements slowed.
"Steelix—Iron Tail!"
Steelix's tail glowed. It swung.
Hippowdon took the hit. It slid back. It didn't fall.
"Again! Earthquake!"
Steelix slammed its tail.
Hippowdon took the hit.
It grunted.
"Now! Fissure."
Hippowdon's body glowed. The ground split.
Steelix couldn't dodge.
It fell. Hit the platform.
It didn't get up.
"MATCH ONE—SAMUEL WINS!"
The crowd erupted.
Heather recalled Steelix. Her jaw tightened.
She selected her next ball. Threw it.
A Pokémon emerged—large, purple, with a body covered in gems and eyes that held nothing but malice.
Sableye.
Samuel selected his next.
Threw it.
A Pokémon emerged—large, brown, with a tree-like body and eyes that held ancient patience.
Sudowoodo.
"BEGIN!"
Heather struck first.
"Sableye—Shadow Claw!"
Sableye's claws glowed. It slashed.
Sudowoodo took the hit. It staggered.
"Now! Rock Slide."
Sudowoodo's body glowed. Rocks materialized. They launched.
Sableye dodged. Twice. Three times.
The fourth rock connected.
Sableye spun.
"Again! Shadow Claw!"
Sableye lunged.
Sudowoodo took the hit.
It didn't flinch.
"Wood Hammer."
Sudowoodo's arm glowed.
It swung.
Sableye flew. Hit the barrier.
It didn't get up.
"MATCH TWO—SAMUEL WINS!"
The crowd roared.
Heather recalled Sableye. Her hands were steady. Her eyes were not.
She selected her final ball. Threw it.
A Pokémon emerged—large, black, with wings that seemed to absorb the light and eyes that burned with crimson fire.
Honchkrow.
Samuel selected his final.
Threw it.
A Pokémon emerged—large, blue, with a body covered in vines and eyes that held nothing but hunger.
Carnivine.
"BEGIN!"
Heather struck first.
"Honchkrow—Dark Pulse!"
A wave of dark energy erupted.
Carnivine took the hit. It slid back.
It didn't fall.
"Now! Power Whip."
Carnivine's vines glowed. They launched.
Honchkrow dodged. Barely.
"Again! Dark Pulse!"
Honchkrow's body glowed.
Carnivine couldn't dodge.
It took the hit.
It fell.
It didn't get up.
"MATCH THREE—HEATHER WINS!"
The crowd exhaled.
Samuel recalled Carnivine. His face was unreadable.
He selected his next ball. Threw it.
A Pokémon emerged—large, gray, with a massive red nose and a mustache of iron filings.
Probopass.
Heather kept Honchkrow.
"BEGIN!"
Heather struck first.
"Honchkrow—Dark Pulse!"
A wave of dark energy erupted.
Probopass took the hit. It didn't flinch.
"Now! Flash Cannon."
Probopass's body glowed. A beam of steel energy launched.
Honchkrow took the hit. It fell.
It didn't