“Electabuzz! Thundershock!” My opponent screamed, but it was too late for that. Gyarados had been sweeping the girls team, and now her last Pokemon was desperately sending out blasts of electricity into the clouds.

The lightning hit the clouds above, and just splattered into them. To my delight, rain clouds were pretty good shields against electricity based attacks. I’m sure if the Electabuzz was stronger, like Ash’s Pikachu, my Blue Heart would be in more trouble, but that wasn’t the case.

But it was time to end this once and for all!

I laughed and raised my fists to the sky, to get my Blue Hearts attention.

“Your power is burning hot! Now! Grasp Victory!” I roared, and I couldn’t help but break into cackles as the clouds above suddenly shifted,darkness lit up only from the faint sunlight still soaking through, suddenly brightening.

The crowd went silent, as a line of power ran through the clouds rapidly, my Blue Hearts long body gathering power, and then he stuck his head down, his eyes already glowing white with his burning hot strength!

That’s right Blue Heart! You’re a shounen character! Let it roar!

“Hyper Beam!” I called in time with the release of the orb of power in his mouth, the light burning through the darkness, the clouds unable to hide this light that was more powerful than the sun!

And Electabuzz tried. He raised his fists, and Miranda called out. “Thunder Punch!” And crackling energy gathered and he thrust as the beam came down on him, but it was like punching a waterfall.

Heh.

The Ice he was standing on was shattered and Electabuzz disappeared.

That was the match. I stayed on guard, but there was no way that pokemon was going to get back up for another round.

“A-and that is Miranda Uchimaki’s last pokemon Electabuzz out!” The announcer called out, as Electabuzz appeared floating face up unconscious in the water.

A moment later he was returned, and then it was over.

“The Winner is Victoria Ferrous!”

I noticed rapidly that the crowd wasn’t cheering me on, instead their eyes were still all high as Gyarados had disappeared into the clouds.

Aww. He was being shy because he was tired after Hyper Beam.

I took a step back, and then ran forward, leaping over the edge of the trainer podium, landing with a plop in the soaked grass as I stepped forward until I hit the edge of the pool.

And then I looked up and spread my arms.

And the roar that echoed over the stadium was heard as Gyarados, didn’t just poke his head out of the clouds, but came charging out at full speed, banishing the clouds that he had hidden within.

“Hugs!” I called out loudly, and that was everything he needed.

A moment later he smashed into the icy pool, a plume of water and ice rushing out, soaking me completely as it washed over me.

It would have pulled me right off my feet if not for the face that suddenly was in front of me that I grabbed onto.

And then the water rushed away leaving me leaning into Blue Heart's face. For a moment it was just us.

“You were amazing.” I told him, and he rumbled deep in his throat, a quiet purr that only I ever got to hear. The noise of heavy splashes echoed around, as his tail swished back and forth and smashed into the pool in happiness.

It was just the two of us. Happiness curled around us both.

I looked away from him to see the crowd, as cheers had started, sporadic as they were, as people were still obviously freaking out at my breaking of their entire worldview.

So… Did I deal with that, or run away?

“Let’s Fly!” I called out instantly as the decision took exactly a millisecond to decide on, and I leapt up onto Blue Hearts horn stabilizing myself as I spun and flared my very damp cape behind me, as suddenly there was a surge below and Blue Heart rocketed up into the sky once more.

Yeah, this was the best choice. Let everyone calm down and not answer dozens of questions or something, instead just a peaceful flight slowly circling above the arena’s.

Any issues this might cause were future Vicky’s problem.

—--

“Dammit past Vicky.” I grumbled, I hadn’t even sat down in front of the pokemon center when I was attacked.

“Victoria Ferrous!” Fudge, that’s the cops. Gyarados didn’t curve off and take us on a life of crime, instead settling down with a rumble, and I jumped off to stare up at Papa’s stern face.

“I didn’t do it! You can’t prove it in a court of law! I demand my lawyer!”

“Denied.” Mama said from behind Papa, and I noticed she was very specifically hiding away. I felt my amusement sour a bit, and I turned.

“Good job my Blue Heart. Take a rest okay?” I asked and he rumbled and bent down to rub me with his face as he disappeared.

“Vicky… You look cold.”

“I’m freezing!” I agreed. Getting soaked and then going on a Flying Gyarados ride, hadn’t exactly left me warm this mountain was freezing!

“C’mon lets get you inside and warmed up, a lot of people want to talk to you.” Papa demanded, and dragged me into the pokemon center.

After a few minutes of letting me get changed into something warm, I was dragged out of the pokemon center and into a car.

“What’s going on?”

“The entire league is freaking out Trouble.” Papa said, and he gave me a look. “Someone revealed that Gyarados can fly in front of the entire region. People aren’t reacting well.”

I didn’t have any words to share. People would get used to it, most Gyarados probably couldn’t fly. And I wasn’t going to hide my friend just because people wanted. So what were we even doing here?

But instead I remained silent as we drove up to the league office building. The same place I had been registered before.

“Oh, Vicky.” Papa said, seemingly remembering something, I looked up to meet his warm eyes. “I’m proud of you. For winning. Good job.” He said, it came out a bit awkwardly, as he must have realized that he had rushed to the problem at hand, without it.

I threw him a bright smile and a thumbs up.

“I’m the best after all!”

“Trouble.” Mama said, with a wink and a warm sidehug. So that was nice.

—--

“Man past Vicky really screwed me over here.”

“What was that?” I was pointedly asked, and I looked away.

“Nothing.”

“Miss Ferrous.” The man's voice sounded so done with everything.

“What do you want me to say? Blue Heart can fly, he’s a flying type. That’s not news. Lance uses Gyarados.” I said, throwing the man under the bus for being a Flying Type Trainer again.

“Gyarados don’t fly!” Richard Brushfire called out from across the room. The man had been on the phone since I entered, only repeating that whenever it was sort of brought up.

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“Miss Ferrous, can you explain to me, how?” President Goodshow asked, his big beard and kind eyes a bit pointed.

“I think that’s a bit too far.” I looked over at Gram Gram who was glaring at the old man. “Asking for family secrets!” She added with a “Pfeh!” I smiled at her. She had been in the room waiting when we got here fending off the League men.

“This may constitute the first time in a long time that the Pokemon Association has to demand information for the good of the Region.” President Goodshow said seriously, and even Gram Gram looked away at his words.

I sighed, I had expected a reaction to Blue Heart, and even a bit of fear, but not to the extent that I was seeing.

I think Cigarette guy was going to have a heart attack with how fast he was talking on the phone.

“Hmm.” The voice that interrupted broke down some of the tension. “I wouldn’t mind trading for the information if that would soothe the issue.” Lance offered, and I looked over to him, and my lips curled into a smirk.

“Flying ty-”

“Don’t say it.” He responded instantly without even looking at me, just a pointed finger as he looked at Gram Gram, Mama, and Papa.

Uncle Leo to my surprise was here too. Although Elizabeth hadn’t been brought in.

He had been quiet so far, but he perked up at that offer.

“Nah.” I denied in turn earning everyone's attention at my sudden denial. I interrupted everyone's attempt to argue with me though. “It’s so simple, making you pay for it would be a rip off. I’m surprised you never tried it. You just have to have your Magikarp leap over the Dragon's Gate.” I explained with a little hand gesture showing the action.

My words caused a commotion, as Lance and I continued to lock eyes. There was denial, and arguments from some of the researchers that were in the wings, but it was Lance that nodded.

“I see. That makes sense.”

“How!?” Richard whispered a bit too loud, and I wasn't alone in sending him a look that silenced him.

“I can’t say for certain with my limited sample size, but from my Blue Heart? I think it’s not just the jump that does it.” I admitted and that caught everyone's attention. “My Magikarp evolved at the moment of glory, there was no danger, or fear. He evolved with his heart full of happiness. Maybe his heart, so full of happiness, was lighter than his mind full of rage. So he was able to fly?”

I shrugged at the end because that was just what I thought about it.

Lance nodded along, taking my words to heart, but it was the researchers around the room that interrupted.

“That makes no sense! Perhaps it requires a certain speed to unlock the flight?” He asked a bit loudly to his partner and he nodded as well.

Lance I noticed frowned and turned, but I just shrugged. Whatever, if they didn’t want to believe me, that was their problem.

“So what I am gathering is that this isn’t something the region has to worry about happening in the wild?” Goodshow asked, and I actually shrugged at that.

“Probably not, but it’s not impossible. A Magikarp that decided to climb a waterfall is always possible. Not likely, but possible. Or it could be done naturally in other ways. Like I said, my sample size is too small, but Blue Heart does have a much calmer demeanor than normal Gyarados, so even if it did happen more often, it’s probably okay.”

I looked over the group that was looking at me in surprise.

“Huh. That’s a bit more detail than I expect from a ten year old.” One of the researchers in the room muttered, but I caught it.

“I’m almost eleven.” I replied only proving that I was still ten in the eyes of everyone in the room of course.

“Your Gyarados is calmer?” Lance asked, ignoring the interplay throughout the room.

“Yep! Blue Heart is a sweetheart! He lets the others play around or on him. I can mush up his face and he just likes the attention. He doesn’t really get angry unless something attacks me.”

“Hmm. I’ll definitely have to try this myself. My Gyarados is due to lay some eggs I suppose.”

“Be careful. They’ll need a lot of support during the training. It’s easy for a Magikarp to lose heart, and if you aren’t there to bring them back you might end up hurting them more than helping.”

“I’ll keep that in mind Victoria.” Lance says seriously and I threw a thumbs up in response. Lance got it. Even if he was a flying type trainer.

“I think that’s good enough then.” President Goodshow said, taking off his ballcap to rub at his mostly bald head for a moment. “Miss Ferrous, thank you so much for taking the time to let us gather some information about this situation. I know that all you want to do is celebrate your victory. So let me be one of the first. I saw your battle, and it was astounding. I look forward to the rest of the conference.”

“Thanks!” I chirped, then looked around and leaned over to Papa. “That means we can leave right?”

“Yes. Let’s go. I want to make sure you get some food in you, and some rest for your match tomorrow.” Papa said firmly, and I happily jumped off the chair I had been sitting in and rushed to the door.

Time to get some food, for me and my team!

—--

Richard Brushfire

“I’m not the only one trying to make sense of what she said right?” He asked, only once the family was out of the room.

“It made sense.” Lance spoke up firmly, his eyes on the door for a moment longer as if still taking in the young girl, but then he turned, and the persona of the Champion fell over him. “But only if you adhere to some old methodology. One that the Blackthorn still likes to espouse, although it has fallen out of favor.”

“Bond Empowerment?” Richard asked, and Lance nodded.

“Indeed, the Master speaks of such things, and from what I was told by Clair that’s what earned Victoria her title of Dragon Master.”

“Hmm.” Richard added, but didn’t speak as the researchers around him were more than willing to speak against the Champion's grandfather.

“That makes no sense? Bond Empowerment has been mostly disproven over the years!” One of the men spoke up and Lance turned to him.

“Is that so?”

“Yes! A pokemon’s happiness of course improves their rate of advancement, but the idea that a human and pokemon working together increases their strength has never been-”

“It doesn’t really matter.” Lance spoke to Richards' surprise. “Because the fact is, that girl believes it, and frankly, does anyone in this room, besides me, believe they could even slow her down in a fight if it came to it? She seems to be doing something right.” He offered at the end, and the researcher frowned.

“That doesn’t prove anything.” The man said below his breath.

“Lance.” Richard spoke cutting in. “Moving onto the only topic that matters. Is there any worry about this from the Lake of Rage?”

“None. I believe Victoria was speaking truthfully. In order to unlock the natural talent to fly, in Gyarados, they may need more than what a wild Magikarp is likely to find. I would assume that you will find more trainers seeking out Magikarp in the next year though.”

“Ugh don’t remind me.” Richard groaned, thankful he wasn’t part of the Rangers. That was going to be a mess. Every time some trainer ran through the conference with a powerful Gyarados, there was a rash of Gyarados attacks the next year. Either captured Magikarp evolving and going wild, or the young trainers going into Gyarados territory to try and capture a Magikarp, or the Gyarados themselves.

“I think that perhaps young Victoria has the start of something interesting. Change Gentlemen I find over my years usually comes at the end of a Pokemon Battle, when a young trainer breaks what we all thought of as possible.” Goodshow added with a smile. “And there can be no doubt, that has happened today.”

—--

“That’s the Gyarados girl!”

“The one that flew?”

“Whoa, do you think she’d tell us how to get it to fly?”

“Don’t be stupid that’s a family secret, and I don’t want more flying Gyarados!”

I ignored the comments as we walked through the conference town. I was getting plenty of attention, but honestly I was more interested in my family.

Papa, and Uncle Leo were very pointedly not speaking to each other, but both were speaking despite that.

“You should be more careful about handing out information like that.” Uncle Leo was arguing.

“Leave her alone Leo.” Gram Gram cut in. “The girl’s got a sixth sense for this sort of thing. Flying Gyarados huh?” She asked, and I blinked at the question.

“Yeah? I mean, Gyarados is a flying type! And look at Milotic, he can sort of hover, but I’ve never seen a Gyarados do that, so I figured you just needed to teach them to fly, they’re a flying type, and flying types can fly. I mean, that’s like common sense.”

“Common sense. Pfeh!” Gram Gram scoffed and then cackled. “Granddaughter, I think your sense is anything but common!” She continued to cackle but I wasn’t laughing with her.

Yeah. I know. There were way too many times I’ve run into people that just don’t treat pokemon right.

It was times like this that made me really miss Oak. It would be so much easier, if I didn’t feel sort of guilty for knowing so much stuff that no one else knew.

I guess… I guess I wasn’t being the trainer that Oak thought I was, I was a Pokdex Holder after all. How many times had Oak handed me a Pokedex and a pokemon and sent me out into the World of Pokemon?

Well in the games anyways, but it still counts!

We stopped to get food, but everyone must have noticed I was being introspective as the chatter mostly went around me.

I had tinkered with my pokedex, I still had it in my bag. Something I doodled on every once in a while when I couldn’t sleep in my tent.

But it’s not like I could just throw it at someone and expect it to work, the problem was it was hard to verify knowledge, I needed a way to spread it without actually caring about going through researchers. Cause those guys were all about the scientific method, but they lived in a world with magic.

Hmm.

I looked away from the table at the people that were peeking at me. I had made a bit of a scene after all.

I guess Oak had used his battling prowess to get his research taken seriously, but I wasn’t… I couldn’t do what Oak did. I’d have to come up with my own way.

—--

“Wooo! Go Ivy!” I cheered from the stands as Ivy battled.

Venusaur had been her first pick, and the battle started. The opponents Rapidash, a solid choice, but even as it charged forward in a Flame Wheel, it slammed into Venusaur who simply poofed into a Pokedoll that then vanished.

“What?” The opponent asked in shock as the massive Venusaur disappeared! But then as the smoke cleared there she was, Venusaur’s flower was pointed and instantly a burst of pollen exploded out.

“Ah she got him!” I called out as Rapidash suddenly whinnied and then flopped.

Well that meant Ivy likely won this.

Ivy didn’t call out anything, but I could see Venusaur suddenly start using moves.

First the sky above suddenly got bright, and I could practically see the streamers of sunlight raining down.

Sunny Day? Against a Fire Type was risky, but I had faith!

Then Venusaur Shifted and a purple glob of gunk shot out and splattered across Rapidash.

Toxic huh? Nasty Ivy. Really nasty.

“Rapidash! Wake up!”

I nodded, that was likely to work, it had been long enough, and suddenly it did. Rapidash jumped to its feet looking pissed as it started burning bright with fire probably to protect itself.

“Flare Blitz!” The opponent called out, and I felt my eyes widen as the Rapidash burst into a practically straight line of fire as it raced right at Venusaur.

To my surprise Ivy didn’t need to say anything. A moment later the Rapidash slammed into a solid wall and I couldn’t help but nod.

“And Venusaur uses Protect! Completely Negating the attack!” The announcer called out, and I smirked as the grass terrain was looking pretty rough from that attack, but Venusaur stared down the firetype without concern. “Ivy Vinewoods Venusaur is a tough customer!”

Rapidash was in a bad spot, and Ivy capitalized.

“Bulldoze!” She called out, and Rapidash tried to leap away, but the ground attack was timed correctly.

And the Rapidash stumbled, obviously twisting its ankle a bit as it was slammed by the moving ground.

That was the first match in Ivy’s favor.

Rapidash tried to regain some control, but only managed some minor damage on Venusaur, which was healed away.

And as Rapidash pulled away. I noticed Ivy being sneaky.

Venusaur kept fading away with Substitute. Between it’s healing and Venusaur’s move pool which was super broad. She tore into her enemy.

Eventually Venusaur went down to a surprise Flamethrower by a Nidorina, and was swapped out with Tauros, to remove the type weakness.

Watching that poor Nidorina fly into the sky from a very familiar move. That was a Mrs. Kurosawa variant on Giga Impact, and Seismic Toss the match was over.

“Woooo!” I cheered and Ivy turned to the crowd that was cheering her on, despite this being her second match she seemed flustered and waved.

Heh. Ivy might not have been as flashy as I was, but the Vinewoods were pretty famous, and the Announcer had introduced her as one of the Vinewood Bulbasaur breeders.

Quite a few people in this crowd probably had, or knew someone that had a Bulbasaur coming from Ivy’s family.

But this wasn’t a moment where Ivy was recognized because of her family, it was a moment where her family was recognized because of Ivy!