Artazon Town

Recently, The group visited the town of Artazon, located east of Mesagoza. Known as the "Town of Flowers and Art," it's designed like a massive natural park, with flower beds and gardens scattered throughout, giving the entire town a vibrant, colorful atmosphere. As a result, many Grass-type and Fairy-type Pokémon gather here, and it's a popular destination for those seeking relaxation.

Furthermore, as a town known for art, numerous artists display their work here. However, not all the artwork is recognized or appreciated by the art world; some pieces are from artists who remain unnoticed by the public.

"This is Artazon, huh…"

The day after visiting Liko's family, Jin, Liko, and Roy arrived in Artazon after receiving some information from Liko's father, Alex.

"That person named Brassius is supposed to be in this town, right?"

"Yeah, that's what my dad said."

"Hope we can find some info about the Black Rayquaza…"

The previous day, after overcoming the challenge of meeting his girlfriend's father, Jin and Alex hit it off. At Alex's request, Jin and Liko spent the night at Liko's family home before setting off on their journey again. The initial tension between Jin and Alex had completely dissipated, and they were now as close as old friends.

"Brassius, an artist in Artazon, mentioned seeing a rare Pokémon."

After Friede and Roy returned to the ship, Jin, Liko, and Alex discussed their main reason for coming to Paldea—the Black Rayquaza—during dinner. That's when Alex recalled and shared this piece of information.

Armed with this lead, the three of them left early the next morning, returned to the ship to pick up Roy, and headed straight to Artazon.

(Well, it's a long shot…)

Legendary Pokémon sightings are incredibly rare. Often, when you think you've found a clue and travel to the location, it turns out to be a misunderstanding or even a complete hoax.

"Sorry, I don't know."

Once in Artazon, they asked over ten people if they had any information about the Black Rayquaza, but the answers were always the same—no one had seen it. Occasionally, someone claimed they had, but…

"Oh, Rayquaza? Yeah, I've seen it."

"Really!? Where did you see it?"

"Hmm, where was it…? I might remember if you buy me a juice."

It was mostly shady adults trying to trick the naive Roy, who was new to the world. If it weren't for Jin and Liko stopping him every time, Roy would have gone bankrupt by now.

"Another dead end…"

With no new information about the Black Rayquaza, even the usually cheerful Roy was starting to lose his energy.

"Roy… don't be too down."

"Dot said he's in this region, and maybe we'll find something when we meet Brassius."

Seeing Roy's spirits dampen, Jin and Liko tried to comfort him. Realizing they weren't likely to gather much more useful information by asking around town, the three decided to move on and visit Brassius, their original source of information.

Waaaaah!

Just as they were about to start moving again, they heard a loud cheer from somewhere nearby. Out of curiosity, Jin and the others rushed over and found two trainers engaged in a battle, surrounded by a large crowd of spectators, from children to adults, all watching intently.

One of the trainers, likely a local boy, was battling with his Skiploom. However, what caught Jin's attention was the opposing trainer—a girl with tanned skin, black hair tied in a ponytail with green highlights, wearing the familiar Orange Academy uniform he had seen in Mesagoza.

Her Pokémon resembled the Pawmi that traveled with them on the Brave Olivine. Jin took out his Rotom Phone to check the details.

Pawmot, the Hands-On Pokémon. An Electric/Fighting type and the final evolution of Pawmi. Usually calm, but once in battle, it uses its lightning-fast agility to overwhelm opponents.

(So it's an evolved form of Pawmi… pretty strong…)

"'Bullet Seed'!"

"Dodge it!"

As Jin observed, it was clear there was a significant difference in level between Pawmot and the opponent's Skiploom. Pawmot effortlessly dodged the Bullet Seed by dashing around the battlefield and closed the gap with Skiploom just as its attack ended.

"Time to finish it! 'Spark'!"

Pawmot surrounded itself with electricity and charged forward. The hit from Spark caused Skiploom to faint, spiraling down slowly from the air to the ground, clearly unable to continue the battle.

"Thanks! That was a great battle! Let's battle again sometime. I'm always up for it!"

"Yeah! Thanks, Nemona!"

After the battle ended, the girl called Nemona spoke to the trainer who had rushed over to his Skiploom. At the same time, the crowd of spectators began clapping, praising the efforts of both trainers.

"Nemona?... Wait, could she be the Champion-ranked Nemona!?"

Hearing Nemona's name, Liko, who had been watching the battle beside Jin, exclaimed in surprise. It seemed like she had heard the name before.

"Champion rank?"

"Oh, right. Jin, you might not know."

According to Liko, Paldea, like other regions, has several gyms. If a trainer can defeat the gym leaders and win their battles, they can earn the title of Champion Rank.

In most regions, the title of Champion is usually reserved for a single individual. In Jin's home region of Hoenn, and many other regions, this is the norm. However, in Paldea, multiple trainers can hold the title of Champion Rank at the same time.

Of course, that doesn't mean just anyone can become a Champion. The gym battles are tough, and many give up along the way. Still, compared to other regions, the path to becoming a Champion in Paldea might be slightly more accessible.

(I see… Champion Rank, huh…)

Unbeknownst to him, Jin had a rather frightening smile on his face. Anyone who saw him at that moment would have said he looked like a wild beast that had just found its prey.

"..."

Liko watched Jin with a conflicted expression. She knew that Jin wasn't interested in Nemona in a romantic sense, but it still didn't feel great to see her boyfriend looking so excited while watching another girl.

(…Not bad.)

Nemona's exact strength in the Paldea region was unknown, but Jin estimated that she was at least as powerful as Amethio, if not stronger. That would make her one of the strongest trainers he had ever encountered.

"Ah! Jin!"

Before Liko could stop him, Jin began walking slowly toward Nemona, who was still talking on the battlefield. Once he was close enough, he spoke up.

"That was an impressive battle."

"Haha! Thanks! By the way… are you a Pokémon Trainer too? If our eyes meet, that means a battle is about to start! Come on, let's go!"

"…That's a nostalgic phrase."

"If our eyes meet, a battle begins." That used to be the catchphrase of Pokémon Trainers back in the day. However, in recent times, with the rise of more passive youth and concerns about not considering the other person's situation, the phrase has fallen out of use.

"But… I'm more than happy to oblige."

"Great! That's the spirit—"

"W-Wait a second!"

Just as Jin agreed to the battle and the atmosphere was charged with anticipation, Liko and Roy rushed over from behind, frantically interrupting.

"Huh? What's up, Liko?"

"What's up? Why are you suddenly getting into a battle? We have plans, remember?"

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Yeah, yeah! We need to ask about Rayquaza!"

"Oh…"

"You forgot, didn't you!"

"Well… not exactly…"

That was a lie. He had completely forgotten. He'd become so absorbed in Nemona's battle and the idea of battling her himself that the original purpose of their visit had completely slipped his mind.

"Geez! Come on, let's go!"

Liko was eager to visit Brassius, which was their original goal. However, more than that, she didn't want to leave Jin near Nemona any longer. She was determined to get him away from Nemona as quickly as possible. With that thought, she grabbed Jin's hand and tried to pull him away.

"What's the matter? Not gonna battle?"

"Just all talk, huh? There's no way you could beat Nemona."

The words of the excited spectators, who had been expecting another battle with Nemona, reached Liko's ears, causing her to suddenly stop.

(What did they just say?)

Jin can't win? That's impossible. To Liko, Jin was the strongest Pokémon Trainer, her boyfriend. She couldn't stand the thought of someone she didn't even know mocking and belittling him because of her actions.

"...Jin, do you want to battle?"

"Uh, yeah… It's not every day you get to battle a Trainer of her caliber…"

"…Go ahead."

"…Huh?"

"I said, go ahead and battle. But make sure you win."

"Wha—! Liko, you're—… Ah, never mind..."

Roy, shocked by Liko's sudden change of heart, turned pale and started nodding frantically, granting permission for the battle. Jin was confused by the sudden shift in the situation, but he quickly decided to focus on the battle at hand. Nemona, too, seemed caught off guard by the turn of events and appeared a bit disoriented.

"Sorry about all the back and forth."

"N-no, it's fine! So, we're battling, right?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid I have to ask for a single battle with just one Pokémon due to our circumstances."

"Got it! Let's make it a great battle!"

Nemona moved to the far end of the field, putting some distance between her and Jin. Jin and Liko did the same, with Liko moving even further back with Roy to watch the battle from a safe distance.

"My Pokémon will be this Pawmot!"

"Pawmo!"

Pawmot is an Electric and Fighting-type Pokémon. Normally, the best counter to an Electric type would be a Ground type, but Jin didn't have any Ground-type Pokémon. He had Pokémon that could use Ground-type moves, but using something like "Earthquake" in a street battle would be problematic, given the potential impact on the town.

(If that's the case…)

Jin considered which Pokémon could minimize damage to the town while still giving him an advantage. Once he made his decision, he pulled out a Poké Ball from his pocket and tossed it into the air.

"Garde!"

Jin sent out his Gardevoir, a Psychic and Fairy-type Pokémon. Although it didn't have an advantage over Electric types, it was well-suited to counter Fighting types, making it a favorable match-up. Gardevoir was one of Jin's oldest Pokémon, second only to his Sceptile, and was highly experienced. It was a choice made to secure a win.

"Gardevoir, huh… This is gonna be a tough one! Let's do this, Pawmot!"

"Pawmot!"

Even with just a glance, Nemona and Pawmot could sense Gardevoir's strength, and their enthusiasm only grew. One of the spectators volunteered to act as the referee, and they were given the signal to start the battle.

"Alright! Let the battle begin!"

At the referee's signal, Pawmot moved towards Gardevoir even before Nemona could give a command.

"Strike first! Pawmot, use Wild Charge!"

Pawmot charged at Gardevoir, enveloped in far more intense electricity than the "Spark" it had used in the previous battle.

"Double Team."

In response, Gardevoir used "Double Team," multiplying itself into dozens of copies that surrounded Pawmot in a circle. Pawmot, startled by the sudden increase in opponents, halted its attack and began scanning its surroundings warily.

"Stay calm! If there are more of them, just hit them all! Use Discharge!"

Pawmot generated a blinding electric current from its body, releasing it across the entire field. The electric attack struck every one of the Gardevoir copies, and all the clones vanished, leaving only the real Gardevoir standing.

"Found the real one! Pawmot, follow up with Ice Punch!"

"Reflect!"

Pawmot swung its fist, now enveloped in chilling cold, for a follow-up attack, but just before it could land the hit, Gardevoir activated "Reflect," creating a barrier in front of it. Pawmot's attack was blocked by the sudden appearance of the wall, causing it to lose balance and momentarily exposing a small opening.

"Now! Use Psychic!"

Gardevoir used its telekinetic powers to lift the off-balance Pawmot into the air and then slammed it into the ground. Being a Fighting-type, Pawmot took significant damage from the Psychic-type move.

"Pawmot!?"

(...This is going well.)

Pawmot had been the one to strike first, charging in with aggressive attacks, but if you looked at the total damage dealt, it was clear that Gardevoir had won the early exchange. Moreover, Gardevoir had successfully set up "Reflect." Although Pawmot had powerful special attacks like "Discharge," it was clearly more focused on close combat. Having "Reflect" up against an opponent like this made a significant difference.

"Paw...mo...!"

Pawmot stood up from the ground where it had been slammed, but it was visibly staggering. The damage from "Psychic" was clearly severe.

(It's impressive it got up... but one more hit should do it.)

Even though Pawmot was a Pokémon trained by a Champion-Rank Trainer, the damage it had taken was considerable. Pawmot likely wasn't a Pokémon built for endurance but rather one that specialized in aggressive attacks to take down opponents quickly. If Gardevoir could land another super-effective hit, the battle would surely be over.

"This battle isn't over yet! Pawmot, use Double Shock!"

"...What?"

Pawmot, forcing its injured body to move, once again surrounded itself with electricity. Jin, who wasn't familiar with the move's name, observed the situation cautiously. He was about to dismiss it as just another electric move like "Spark" or "Wild Charge," but he quickly regretted his underestimation.

(This...!)

It was understandable that Jin didn't recognize it—"Double Shock" was a signature move unique to Pawmot. It unleashed all of its electrical power in one massive charge, losing its Electric type afterward as a trade-off. The amount of electricity generated by "Double Shock" was far beyond any of Pawmot's previous moves and any electric-type move Jin had ever seen.

"Gardevoir, counter with Shadow Ball!"

"Gardee!"

Surprised by the sheer intensity of the electricity, Jin hesitated for a moment but quickly ordered Gardevoir to act before Pawmot could launch its attack. Gardevoir, in response, formed a dark, spherical energy ball between its hands and prepared to meet the charging Pawmot head-on.

"Pawmoooooooo!"

"Gardevoirrrrr!"

With both Pokémon roaring with determination, Pawmot's "Double Shock" and Gardevoir's "Shadow Ball" collided fiercely.

And the one who emerged victorious from the clash was—

"Pawmooooo!"

It was Pawmot. "Double Shock" shattered "Shadow Ball" and struck Gardevoir directly, sending it flying to the edge of the battlefield. Gardevoir couldn't even manage a safe landing and collapsed to the ground.

"Gardevoir!?"

"…V-Voir…!"

Gardevoir had taken severe damage, but despite its heavily injured state, it staggered to its feet, clutching the wounded area with its left arm.

(...What power. Without Reflect, that could have been much worse...)

The reason Gardevoir wasn't knocked out by "Double Shock" was largely due to the "Reflect" that had been set up earlier, which reduced the move's power. Without it, Gardevoir would have certainly been defeated, ending the battle right then and there.

Gardevoir was already in a critical state; one more hit would be enough to bring it down. On the other hand, Pawmot, despite the accumulated damage and the slight blow it took during the clash with "Shadow Ball," still had some energy left, making it slightly better off compared to Gardevoir, who was barely able to move.

"This ends here! Pawmot, use Close Combat!"

"Pawmo!"

Pawmot had exhausted all its electricity with the previous move, so it received the command to use the Fighting-type move "Close Combat." Though the move was not very effective against Gardevoir, the trainer likely believed that this final attack would be enough to finish off the already weakened opponent.

The judgment wasn't incorrect—except that the opponent this time was simply too challenging.

(...This is it!)

"You've rushed your move. Gardevoir, use Teleport!"

Just before Pawmot's punch could land, Gardevoir used "Teleport," moving behind Pawmot. The distance covered was only about a meter, an unusually short range for Gardevoir's usual strength, but given its battered and exhausted state, this was the best it could manage. However, in this situation, even such a small movement was enough to make a difference.

"This is the end! Use Moonblast!"

Gardevoir gathered moonlight in its arms, forming a milky white energy ball, and launched the "Moonblast" from point-blank range. With a loud explosion, smoke engulfed both Gardevoir and Pawmot.

As Jin, Nemona, and the audience watched, the smoke gradually cleared, revealing Pawmot lying on its back on the ground and Gardevoir still standing, though breathing heavily.

"..."

"The referee..."

"P-Pawmot is unable to battle! The winner is Gardevoir!"

The man who was acting as the referee had been staring in disbelief, but upon hearing Jin's voice, he hurriedly made the call.

"Y-Yess!! Jin won!"

"Meow!"

"That was an amazing battle from both of you!"

"Fuecoco!"

Normally, after such an intense battle, the entire audience would be cheering, but the only ones doing so were Liko, Roy, and Jin's close companions.

However, this was understandable. They were in Paldea, where Nemona was a Champion-Rank Trainer. Most of the spectators had been eagerly anticipating an intense battle with Nemona emerging victorious at the end. Her unexpected defeat left the audience in stunned silence, with some children on the verge of tears and adults unsure of what to say.

"..."

Amid the concerned gazes of the spectators, Nemona quietly returned Pawmot to its Poké Ball. Even after recalling Pawmot, she kept her head down and said nothing. Not only the audience but also Jin, Liko, and Roy, who had been celebrating Jin's victory, gradually turned their attention to Nemona.

"...…Amaaazing!"

Breaking the long silence, Nemona shouted with excitement, her eyes sparkling as she rushed toward Jin with incredible speed.

"That battle was so much fun! Your Gardevoir is super strong! Hey, hey! That timing with 'Teleport' was perfect! Did you plan that?"

Nemona grabbed Jin's hands and shook them enthusiastically, expressing her joy.

"Ah, well... Gardevoir didn't have enough energy to keep moving, so I figured the best chance was to counter Pawmot's attack..."

"I knew it! Jin, you're really strong! Hey, let's have another battle with different Pokémon next time!"

There was no trace of sadness or frustration in Nemona's expression as she got close to Jin. Instead of being heartbroken over her loss, she seemed genuinely thrilled by the fun battle.

Of course, she probably felt some disappointment in losing, but for Nemona, the experience of the battle itself was more important than the result.

(The journey is more important than the destination, huh... I don't deny that...)

For Jin, however, losing was simply unacceptable, no matter how great the battle was. It felt like a betrayal to himself and to those who believed in him.

For Jin, the principle in battle was to enjoy it fully but to win at all costs, even if it meant putting his life on the line.

He didn't dislike Nemona or her perspective, but he recognized her as an opponent he absolutely couldn't afford to lose to. It seemed clear that their views on competition would never truly align.

"Come on! Let's battle again!"

"...I suppose we could."

"No, we can't!"

Just as Jin was starting to consider another round, appreciating the tension and valuable experience gained from battling Nemona, Liko suddenly jumped out from the audience and positioned herself between Jin and Nemona, forcibly separating their clasped hands.

"You promised it would be just one battle, right?"

"Ah... yeah, you're right."

"Awwww..."

Both Jin and Nemona seemed a bit disappointed, but they accepted it since that had been the agreement from the start. Spending more time on battles could interfere with their original goal of searching for Brassius and gathering information on the black Rayquaza.

"For now, let's take Gardevoir to the Pokémon Center. We can ask about Brassius there too."

Gardevoir was battered from the battle and needed healing, so Jin suggested they head to the Pokémon Center for treatment and information. Hearing this, Nemona chimed in.

"Brassius? Are you here to see Brassius?"

"You know him?"

"Of course! He's the Gym Leader of this town. I even know where he lives, so I can guide you there."

// END

It might feel a bit abrupt, but that's it for now.

At first, I considered having Jin battle with Pawmot, but I didn't want to write a scene where Jin struggled against it, so I went ahead and evolved it. I believe Nemona is one of the top trainers in Paldea and incredibly strong.

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