Chapter 91: Dariana's Decisive Match
The call came at dawn.
Dariana was already awake when her phone buzzed against the nightstand—a sharp, insistent vibration that cut through the gray half-light filtering through the hostel curtains. She'd been staring at the ceiling for hours, running through movesets in her head, visualizing matchups, calculating probabilities.
Gastrodon's pokéball sat on the pillow beside her. She'd fallen asleep with her hand resting on it.
She grabbed the phone.
Unknown number.
She answered.
"Dariana Brightone?"
The voice was female. Clipped. Professional.
"Speaking."
"This is Julye. I've reviewed your challenge record. I'm offering you a match. Three-on-three. Today. Noon."
Dariana sat up.
Her heart was already pounding.
"Why me?"
"Because you're close to qualifying. And I want to be the one who decides whether you make it or not."
The line went dead.
---
She found Briv in the courtyard.
He was sparring with Riolu—nothing serious, just footwork drills and quick exchanges. The little Fighting-type moved like water, ducking and weaving around Briv's exaggerated punches. Infernape watched from a bench, its flame flickering with amusement.
Briv saw her face and stopped.
"What?"
"Julye called."
His expression shifted.
"Julye? As in—"
"The one who's knocked out four trainers this season. The one who fights like she's trying to break bones, not win battles." Dariana's voice was steady. Her hands were not. "She wants a match. Today. Noon."
Briv wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Three-on-three?"
"Yeah."
"And if you win?"
"I qualify."
"And if you lose?"
Dariana didn't answer.
She didn't have to.
---
They gathered in the common room.
Patricia arrived first, still in her sleeping clothes, her hair a wild nest of gold. She took one look at Dariana's face and went straight to the coffee maker.
Nicola came next, already dressed, already alert. She leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms.
"Julye," she said. "Rock-type specialist. Aggressive. No mercy."
"I know."
"She's not like the other challengers. She doesn't hold back."
"I know."
"She's going to try to break your team."
"I know."
Nicola studied her for a moment.
"Good."
Dariana blinked.
"What?"
"You know what you're walking into. That's half the battle."
---
They walked to the arena together.
It was the same stadium where Patricia had faced Flannery—the crumbling coliseum in the northern district, its walls covered in vines, its field open to the sky. The morning sun cast long shadows across the packed earth.
Axel was already there.
He stood at the center line with his arms crossed, Rotom flickering in lazy circles above his shoulder. His green eyes tracked them as they approached, unreadable and calm.
Julye stood opposite him.
She was taller than Dariana had expected—six feet at least, with broad shoulders and arms corded with muscle. Her hair was cropped short, the color of dry earth. Her face was weathered, sun-beaten, expressionless.
She wore a leather vest over a sleeveless shirt. Her fingers were calloused. Her boots were scuffed.
She looked like she'd been fighting her whole life.
"Brightone," she said.
"Julye."
"Ready?"
"Always."
---
Axel stepped forward.
"Standard rules," he said. "Three-on-three. No substitutions. No items. Victory by elimination."
He looked at Dariana.
"You understand what's at stake?"
"Yes."
He looked at Julye.
"You?"
Julye smiled.
It wasn't a pleasant expression.
"I understand perfectly."
Axel nodded.
"Then send out your first Pokémon."
---
Julye moved first.
"Graveler. Let's go."
The Rock-type emerged with a grinding roar.
Graveler was massive—a boulder of gray stone and corded muscle, its four arms flexing with barely contained strength. Its eyes gleamed with feral intelligence. Its body rumbled with every breath.
Dariana studied it.
Rock and Ground. Heavy. Slow. Strong.
She reached for her first pokéball.
"Gastrodon. You're up."
---
Gastrodon emerged with a deep, resonant rumble.
The Sea Slug Pokémon landed on the packed earth and immediately settled into a defensive stance. Its massive body gleamed with moisture. Its antennae swayed. Its eyes locked onto Graveler with calm, patient focus.
"Begin," Axel said.
---
Dariana moved first.
"Gastrodon. Water Pulse."
Gastrodon inhaled.
It released a spiraling torrent of water that tore across the arena.
Graveler didn't dodge.
It didn't need to.
The water struck its rocky hide and splashed away harmlessly.
Julye smiled.
"Graveler. Rock Blast."
Graveler's arms glowed.
It hurled a barrage of stone projectiles across the field.
Gastrodon didn't dodge.
It didn't need to.
The rocks struck its soft body and sank in.
Then Gastrodon absorbed them.
"What the—" Julye's smile faltered.
"Gastrodon's ability," Dariana said. "Storm Drain. Water attacks heal it. And Sticky Hold means you can't knock it back."
She paused.
"Oh. And I forgot to mention. He's also immune to Ground-type moves."
Julye's eyes narrowed.
"So you've done your research."
"I've done a lot of research."
---
"Graveler. Earthquake."
Graveler slammed its fists into the ground.
The earth buckled.
Gastrodon didn't move.
The shockwave passed through it harmlessly.
"Earth Power," Dariana said.
Gastrodon's body glowed.
A pulse of seismic energy erupted from below.
Graveler roared.
It staggered.
It didn't fall.
"Rock Slide," Julye said.
Graveler's arms ignited.
It hurled a wave of boulders across the field.
Gastrodon took the hit.
The rocks struck its body and tore through its slime, opening deep wounds.
Gastrodon reeled.
"Recover," Dariana said.
Gastrodon's body glowed.
The wounds closed.
The pain vanished.
"What the fuck," Julye muttered.
---
They traded blows for ten minutes.
Graveler attacked. Gastrodon absorbed. Graveler attacked again. Gastrodon healed. The pattern repeated—a grinding war of attrition that favored the Sea Slug Pokémon's bottomless endurance.
"Graveler. Explosion."
Dariana's eyes widened.
"Gastrodon. Protect."
Gastrodon's body shimmered.
A barrier erupted around it.
Graveler detonated.
The blast was immense—a shockwave of light and force that cracked the earth and sent debris flying across the arena.
When the dust cleared, Graveler was unconscious.
Gastrodon was still standing.
"Graveler is unable to battle," Axel said. "Gastrodon wins."
---
Julye recalled her Pokémon.
She didn't look upset.
"Not bad," she said. "But that was the warm-up."
She reached for her second ball.
"Marowak. Let's go."
---
Marowak emerged with a sharp cry.
The Ground-type was lean and muscular, its bone helmet gleaming in the sunlight. It carried a thick club in one hand and wore a necklace of teeth around its neck. Its eyes were fierce. Focused. Hungry.
Dariana studied it.
Ground-type. Strong physical attacker. Probably knows Bonemerang and maybe Fire Punch.
She recalled Gastrodon.
"Combee. You're up."
---
Combee emerged with a nervous buzz.
The tiny Flying-type hovered above the field, its three faces reflecting three different emotions—brave, playful, cautious. Its wings fluttered with nervous energy.
"Begin," Axel said.
---
"Marowak. Bonemerang."
Marowak hurled its bone club.
It spun through the air like a boomerang.
Combee dodged.
The club curved mid-flight and struck Combee's flank on the return.
Combee squeaked.
"Gust," Dariana said.
Combee's wings ignited.
A blast of wind tore across the field.
Marowak braced.
It didn't fall.
"Fire Punch," Julye said.
Marowak's fist ignited.
It lunged.
"Bug Buzz," Dariana said.
Combee's body pulsed.
A shockwave of sound erupted outward.
Marowak staggered.
Its punch went wide.
"Air Cutter," Dariana said.
Combee's wings glowed.
It unleashed a volley of razor-sharp blades of wind.
Marowak reeled.
It stumbled.
"Bonemerang," Julye said.
Marowak threw its club.
It curved through the air and struck Combee from behind.
Combee spiraled.
It didn't fall.
"Gust. Full power," Dariana said.
Combee's wings ignited.
A tornado erupted across the field.
Marowak was lifted off its feet.
It tumbled.
It crashed.
It didn't get up.
"Marowak is unable to battle," Axel said. "Combee wins."
---
Julye recalled her Pokémon.
She was still smiling.
"Two down," she said. "One to go."
She reached for her final ball.
"Rhyhorn. Let's finish this."
---
Rhyhorn emerged with a roar that shook the ground.
The Rock-Ground type was enormous—easily six feet tall, with a hide of gray stone and a horn of solid bone that could punch through steel. Its eyes burned with rage. Its hooves tore trenches in the earth.
Dariana recalled Combee.
"Croagunk. You're up."
---
Croagunk emerged with a sly grin.
The tiny Poison-Fighting type landed on the field and immediately shifted into a fighting stance. Its cheeks bulged with poison. Its fingers flexed. It looked completely unbothered by the massive creature looming over it.
"Begin," Axel said.
---
"Rhyhorn. Stone Edge."
Rhyhorn's horn glowed.
It charged forward like a battering ram.
Croagunk didn't dodge.
It waited.
At the last second, it sidestepped.
Rhyhorn's horn carved a trench through the earth.
Croagunk struck.
Its fist connected with Rhyhorn's flank.
Poison jab.
Rhyhorn roared.
It spun.
Its tail lashed out.
Croagunk was thrown across the field.
It hit the ground.
It rolled.
It got up.
"Again," Dariana said.
Croagunk charged.
"Rock Slide," Julye said.
Rhyhorn's body ignited.
A wave of boulders rained down from above.
Croagunk dodged through them.
It slid between rocks.
It jumped over debris.
It reached Rhyhorn.
Its fist connected again.
Poison jab.
Rhyhorn staggered.
Its movements slowed.
The poison was working.
"Earthquake," Julye said.
Rhyhorn slammed its fists into the ground.
The earth buckled.
Croagunk grabbed hold of Rhyhorn's leg before the blast.
It held on.
The shockwave passed.
Croagunk was still hanging on.
"Close Combat," Dariana said.
Croagunk's fists ignited.
It unleashed a barrage of blows—punches, kicks, elbow strikes—each one landing with devastating precision. Rhyhorn tried to shake it off. It couldn't. Croagunk was relentless.
It was fury.
Rhyhorn's legs buckled.
It fell.
It didn't get up.
"Rhyhorn is unable to battle," Axel said. "Croagunk wins. The match goes to Dariana Brightone."
---
Silence.
Dariana stood frozen.
Her heart was pounding. Her hands were shaking. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps.
She'd won.
She'd actually won.
Gastrodon rumbled from its pokéball.
Pachirisu squeaked.
Croagunk turned and gave her a thumbs up.
Julye recalled Rhyhorn.
She walked across the field.
She stopped in front of Dariana.
"That was a good fight."
Dariana nodded.
"Thanks."
"You've got a strong team."
"Thanks."
Julye extended her hand.
Dariana shook it.
"I'll see you at the League," Julye said.
"I'll be there."
Julye turned and walked away.
---
Axel stepped forward.
"Match concluded," he said. "Dariana Brightone moves to fourteen challenges, ten wins, four losses. She is officially qualified for the League."
He looked at her.
"Congratulations."
Dariana nodded.
"Thanks."
She recalled Croagunk and clipped the ball to her belt.
Her hands were still shaking.
She didn't care.
---
Her friends reached her.
Patricia hugged her first. Then Briv. Then Nicola, which surprised her. She hugged Patricia again. She hugged Briv again. She hugged Nicola again.
Gastrodon emerged from its pokéball and nudged her; she pressed her face against its side.
"I did it," she whispered.
Gastrodon rumbled.
"You did it."
---
The celebration moved to the hostel rooftop.
Briv bought food. Patricia bought drinks. Nicola bought a cake from a bakery down the street with "CONGRATULATIONS" written on it in blue frosting. They ate. They drank. They laughed. They told stories about their worst battles. Their best battles. Their most embarrassing moments.
At some point, Dariana looked around at her friends and her Pokémon and felt something settle in her chest—a weight she hadn't realized she'd been carrying.
She was going to the League.
They were all going to the League.
---
She excused herself after dinner.
She walked to the edge of the rooftop and looked out at the city. Aethelburg glowed below her—crystal towers and floating bridges and canals of light. The stars burned above. The wind was warm.
She thought about Shellos.
About Gastrodon.
About how far they'd come.
She thought about the League.
About the battles ahead.
About the trainers she'd face.
She thought about winning.
About losing.
About everything in between.
---
Croagunk appeared beside her.
It leaned against the railing and looked up at the stars. Its expression was calm. Content.
"You did good today," Dariana said.
Croagunk shrugged.
"Don't be modest. You were incredible."
Croagunk grinned.
It was a sly, knowing expression.
"You know what's next?" Dariana asked.
Croagunk looked at her.
"The League."
Croagunk nodded.
"We're going to win."
Croagunk nodded again.
"Okay," Dariana said. "Just checking."
---
She rejoined her friends.
She sat between Patricia and Briv. Nicola sat across from her. Gastrodon rested nearby. Croagunk perched on the railing behind her. Pachirisu sat in her lap. Gallade stood at her shoulder. Glaceon sprawled nearby. Combee perched on the back of her chair.
She was surrounded. She was safe. She was home.
She was ready.
=====
She was ready.
---
The rooftop emptied slowly.
Briv and Patricia left first, their hands intertwined, their laughter drifting down the stairwell like smoke. Nicola followed soon after, her footsteps deliberate and unhurried, her silhouette sharp against the stairwell light.
Dariana stayed.
Gastrodon rested beside her. Croagunk leaned against the railing. Pachirisu had fallen asleep in her lap. The city hummed below—a living thing, breathing light and motion into the dark.
She wasn't tired. Not really.
Her body ached from the battle. Her hands still trembled when she thought about the moment Rhyhorn fell. But her mind was sharp. Alert. Hungry.
She pulled out her pokédex and scrolled through her team's data.
Gastrodon. Croagunk. Pachirisu. Gallade. Glaceon. Combee.
Six Pokémon. Six partners. Six reasons to keep going.
She closed the device.
Gastrodon rumbled.
"We should sleep," she said.
Gastrodon rumbled again.
"I know. But we have training tomorrow."
The Sea Slug Pokémon shifted its massive body.
"Fine. Five more minutes."
Gastrodon settled.
Dariana closed her eyes.
---
In another part of the city, Patricia walked.
She hadn't meant to leave the hostel. She'd meant to sleep—to curl up next to Briv and let the exhaustion of the past week pull her under. But her body wouldn't cooperate. Her mind wouldn't shut off.
So she'd dressed in silence, kissed Briv's forehead, and slipped out into the night.
The streets were empty. The canals glowed. The crystal towers cast long shadows across the cobblestones.
She didn't know where she was going.
Gligar followed.
The Flying-Ground type drifted above her, its dark violet wings catching the moonlight. Its yellow eyes scanned the rooftops and alleyways with quiet precision. It didn't speak. It didn't need to.
Patricia appreciated the company.
---
She walked for an hour.
Past the old market district. Past the abandoned train station. Past the industrial canal where Dariana had trained Gastrodon.
The city changed as she moved. The crystal towers gave way to brick and stone. The floating bridges gave way to cobblestone streets. The glowing canals gave way to dark water and rusted metal.
She stopped at the edge of a construction site.
The building was half-finished—a skeleton of steel beams and concrete, its windows empty, its walls exposed. Yellow caution tape fluttered in the wind. A sign near the entrance read: CONDEMNED.
Patricia stared at it.
Gligar landed beside her.
"Just a walk," she said. "Nothing to worry about."
Gligar didn't look convinced.
---
She turned to leave.
Then she saw it.
Something glinted in the dirt. Something sharp. Something curved. She knelt down and brushed away the dust.
A fang.
It was long—easily six inches—and razor-edged, its surface smooth and black as obsidian. It hummed with a faint, almost imperceptible energy. The air around it smelled like ozone.
Patricia reached for it.
Her fingers closed around the base.
It was warm.
---
Gligar moved before she could react.
The Flying-Ground type snatched the fang from her hand with a swiftness that blurred the air. It clutched the object to its chest and hovered backward, its eyes wide, its body trembling.
"Gligar?"
The Pokémon didn't respond.
It couldn't.
Something was happening.
---
Light.
Not the soft glow of evolution—not the gentle radiance Dariana had described when Shellos transformed. This was violent. Jagged. A storm of light that erupted from Gligar's body and tore through the darkness like lightning.
Patricia shielded her eyes.
Gligar screamed.
The sound was raw—primal—a noise that cut through the night and echoed off the steel beams. Its body convulsed. Its wings stretched. Its limbs elongated. Its skin darkened from violet to a deep, bruise-like purple.
The light intensified.
Then it shattered.
---
Patricia lowered her hands.
Gliscor stood before her.
The Fang Scorpion Pokémon was nearly twice Gligar's size—leaner, sharper, built like a blade. Its wings were massive, membranous, tipped with claws. Its tail curved overhead, ending in a barbed stinger. Its eyes burned yellow. Its fangs gleamed.
It looked at Patricia.
Its expression was the same.
Reserved. Intelligent. Calculating.
But there was something new in its gaze. Something fierce. Something free.
Patricia's breath caught.
"You evolved."
Gliscor clicked its fangs.
"I didn't—" She stopped. Swallowed. "I didn't know that could happen."
Gliscor didn't respond.
It didn't need to.
The Razor Fang glinted at its feet—discarded, its energy spent, its purpose fulfilled.
Patricia stared at it.
Then she looked at Gliscor.
"You knew," she said. "The moment you saw it."
Gliscor inclined its head.
"You knew it would make you stronger."
Gliscor clicked again.
"You didn't tell me."
A pause.
Gliscor's eyes softened.
"No," Patricia said. "I'm not angry. I'm—" She struggled for the word. "I'm proud."
Gliscor drifted closer.
"I mean it. You did this yourself. You knew what you needed, and you took it."
Gliscor pressed its forehead against hers.
Patricia closed her eyes.
---
They stayed like that for a long moment.
The wind blew. The steel beams creaked. The stars burned above.
When Patricia opened her eyes, Gliscor was still there—solid, real, changed.
"Let's go home," she said.
Gliscor nodded.
---
They walked back through the sleeping city.
Gliscor flew at her shoulder now, its massive wings cutting through the air with effortless grace. Its tail swayed behind it. Its eyes never stopped moving. It was still watching. Still protecting.
But there was something new in its posture.
Confidence. Power. Purpose.
Patricia felt it radiating off the Pokémon like heat.
She smiled.
---
Briv was awake when she returned.
He sat on the edge of the bed, his hair mussed, his eyes half-lidded.
"You were gone."
"I know."
"I woke up and you weren't here."
"I know."
He looked at her.
Then he looked at the Pokémon floating behind her.
"Patricia."
She nodded.
Gliscor drifted forward.
Briv stood up slowly. His eyes traced the creature's silhouette—the wings, the tail, the sharp, gleaming fangs. He didn't speak for a long moment.
Then he laughed.
"Of course," he said. "Of course you found a Razor Fang at midnight on a walk through the condemned district."
Patricia smiled.
"I wasn't looking for it."
"You never are."
"I'm serious."
"I know you are." He walked toward her. "That's what makes it worse."
He stopped in front of Gliscor.
The Pokémon regarded him with calm, steady eyes.
"Hey," Briv said.
Gliscor clicked its fangs.
"I'm not going to ask if you're okay. You look better than okay."
Gliscor clicked again.
"I'm going to ask if you know what you've gotten yourself into. Patricia's going to the League. She's going to face the best trainers in the country. And now you're—" He gestured vaguely. "This."
Gliscor's gaze didn't waver.
Briv nodded.
"Yeah. I thought so."
He turned to Patricia.
"You should sleep."
"I know."
"Big day tomorrow."
"Training," she said. "Not a big day."
"Every day is a big day now."
She laughed.
"I hate you."
"No, you don't."
She kissed him.
---
They lay in bed together.
Gliscor had taken up position near the window, its body silhouetted against the stars. Lopunny curled beside it, its ears twitching in sleep. Magby and Floatzel rested in their pokéballs. Cranidos snored softly in the corner.
Patricia stared at the ceiling.
Briv's arm wrapped around her waist.
"Hey," he said.
"Yeah?"
"You're going to win."
She turned to face him.
"You don't know that."
"I do."
"How?"
"Because you're Patricia Crownleaf. Because you don't know how to lose. Because you're the most stubborn, competitive, brilliant person I've ever met."
She was quiet for a moment.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
---
She closed her eyes.
Tomorrow, she would train with Gliscor. She would learn its new capabilities. She would push it to its limits and beyond. She would prepare for the League.
But tonight—
Tonight, she would sleep.
---
The morning came fast.
Patricia woke to sunlight streaming through the window and Gliscor's silhouette still framed against the glass. The Fang Scorpion Pokémon hadn't moved. Its eyes remained fixed on the horizon.
She sat up.
Gliscor turned its head.
"Morning," Patricia said.
Gliscor clicked its fangs.
"You haven't slept?"
Gliscor didn't respond.
"You didn't sleep."
The Pokémon's expression was unreadable.
"Okay," Patricia said. "We're going to have a conversation about self-care later."
Gliscor clicked again.
---
She dressed quickly and headed downstairs.
Briv was already in the courtyard, running drills with Infernape and Riolu. He saw her and waved. Patricia waved back.
Dariana was there too, training Gastrodon in the fountain. Nicola sat on a bench, watching Magnemite hover in lazy circles.
They all turned when Patricia appeared.
Gliscor followed behind her, its wings catching the morning light.
Dariana froze.
"Holy shit."
Nicola's expression shifted—surprise, then calculation, then a slow nod of respect.
Briv just grinned.
"Show-off," he said.
Patricia laughed.
---
They trained together that day.
Gliscor against Gastrodon. Gliscor against Infernape. Gliscor against Magnemite. The Fang Scorpion Pokémon moved like a blade—fast, precise, relentless. Its new form gave it power it had never had before. Its new body gave it speed it had only dreamed of.
Patricia watched it all.
And she thought about the League.
---
That night, they gathered on the rooftop again.
The stars were brighter than before. The air was warmer. The city hummed below like a living thing.
Patricia sat between Briv and Dariana.
Nicola sat across from them.
They talked about the League. About their hopes. Their fears. Their strategies.
Dariana mentioned the trainers she'd scouted. Briv mentioned the matchups he was worried about. Nicola mentioned the gap in her team's coverage. Patricia listened. Contributed. Laughed.
At some point, she looked around at her friends and her Pokémon and felt something settle in her chest.
She was ready.
They were all ready.
---
Later that night, Patricia sat alone on the rooftop.
Gliscor hovered beside her.
The city was quiet. The stars were bright. The wind was gentle.
She thought about the League.
About the battles ahead.
About the trainers she'd face.
About winning.
About losing.
About everything in between.
Gliscor clicked its fangs.
Patricia looked at it.
"What?"
Gliscor's eyes were steady.
"You think I'm ready?"
Gliscor nodded.
"You're sure?"
Gliscor nodded again.
Patricia smiled.
"Okay," she said. "I believe you."
Gliscor settled beside her.
They watched the stars together.
---
The night deepened.
The city slept.
And in the darkness, Patricia Crownleaf made a decision.
She would win the League.
Or she would die trying.