Mizu looks at Chimchar, sizing it up. Mizu chuckles, "Bringing a fire type to a water tower....bold of you...you're at the disadvantage, and I take it it's your only pokemon?"
Hikari nods firmly, unfazed by the disadvantage, "Yes, it is. But we'll manage."
Chimchar stands confidently beside her, flames flickering on its tail.
"Confident, bold, courageous, lively....heh...show me that you are a trainer like your friend....and not just soft hearted as I see in you." Mizu says
"Wh-what? What do you mean by that? A trainer like my friend? You think I can't be like Zoah? I want this. I want to win with pokemon battles." Hikari says
"Oh please, you dress up like that and it just says 'I'm not a pokemon trainer at all. I'm just a tag along.' You're dragging Zoah's potential down with you." Mizu says
Hikari's eyes widen at the accusation, her face showing a mix of anger and hurt. She clenches her fists, trying to keep her composure.
"That's not true! I may not have his skill yet, but I'm learning. And I'm not dragging him down. We work together."
Zoah watches the exchange, sensing the tension rising between them.
"Please, a female pokemon trainer would know not to wear a dress and would wear proper clothes as a pokemon trainer. To me...you seem to be more of a poké-star, not a trainer." Mizu said
Hikari's cheeks flush with anger now. She looks down at her dress, then back at Mizu with defiance.
"This isn't just a dress. It's my style. And I can be both - a trainer and stylish. Just because you have preconceived notions about how a trainer should look doesn't mean I have to follow them."
Zoah steps in slightly, sensing Hikari's rising temper.
Mizu scoffs, crossing her arms, "Style won't help you in battle. It's all about strategy and experience. And right now, you're lacking in both. Let's see if that dress can protect you when my next pokémon attacks."
She throws her next pokeball, releasing a Buizel from a pokeball.
The Buizel appears, ready for action. It looks at Chimchar with a determined expression, waiting for Mizu's command.
Hikari grits her teeth, ignoring the jab about her lack of experience. She focuses on the battle ahead, determined to prove Mizu wrong.
"Chimchar, be careful. Water type moves are strong against fire."
"Show me then. Show me you have what it takes to be a trainer!" Mizu says
Chimchar nods, understanding the warning. It gets into a defensive stance, flames still burning bright. Hikari takes a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions and think strategically.
"Chimchar, use Ember!"
The Buizel quickly moves to the side, dodging the Ember attack with agility.
Mizu smirks again, watching the dodge, "Predictable. Buizel, Aqua Jet!"
The Buizel uses its speed to launch into an Aqua Jet attack, heading straight for Chimchar with high speed water power behind it.
Chimchar tries to dodge again, but the speed of the Aqua Jet is faster than expected. It gets hit by the edge of the attack, sending it sliding back slightly.
Hikari winces as her pokémon takes damage, "Chimchar, shake it off and counter with Scratch!"
Chimchar shakes its head, regaining its balance. It charges forward with Scratch, aiming to hit the Buizel as it comes out of the Aqua Jet.
The Scratch connects, but the Buizel uses its tail to block some of the damage. It then retaliates with a swift Water Gun attack, spraying water directly at Chimchar's face.
Chimchar gets soaked by the Water Gun, its flames getting dampened. It shakes its head again, trying to clear its vision. The water is weakening its fire type advantage.
"Ice spinner!" Mizu yells as Buizel spins with its arms around as it creates an ice tornado sliding to Chimchar.
The Ice Spinner attack hits Chimchar, freezing some of the water on its fur and causing it to become even more vulnerable to cold attacks. Hikari realizes the danger of the Ice-type move.
"No! Chimchar, break free from the ice!"
"Now Water Gun!" Mizu quickly says
The Buizel fires another Water Gun, this time aiming for Chimchar's frozen areas to freeze them further. The combination of Ice Spinner and Water Gun is making it harder for Chimchar to move and fight back effectively.
Chimchar struggles against the ice, its movements becoming slower. The ice is starting to cover more of its body, and the water is making it harder to maintain its heat. Hikari looks worried, seeing her pokémon in trouble.
"Come on, Chimchar... you can do this..." She mutters under her breath.
Mizu watches with satisfaction as the ice spreads. She knows she has the upper hand now.
"It's over. Buizel, finish with Aqua Jet again."
The Buizel charges up for another powerful Aqua Jet, ready to end the battle with a final hit.
The Aqua Jet comes rushing toward Chimchar, who is barely able to stand. The ice is weighing it down, and it can't dodge properly. Hikari's eyes widened in panic, knowing this hit could knock out her pokémon.
The Aqua Jet connects with full force, hitting Chimchar and sending it crashing into the ground. The impact shatters some of the ice, but not enough to save it from the knockout. Chimchar lies there, unable to get up, completely defeated.
Mizu recalls Buizel, looking at Hikari with a mixture of disappointment and expectation, "And that's how it's done. You're not ready yet."
"No, Chimchar..." Hikari goes up to it and picks Chimchar up into her arms.
"Go back to where you came from and just be a princess there." Mizu turns pulling her goggles down over her eyes as Buizel comes up to her as the two dove into the water.
Zoah walks over to Hikari, seeing her distress. He puts a hand on her shoulder.
"It's alright. You did your best."
Mizu's words echo in the water, but Hikari doesn't respond. She holds Chimchar close, feeling the sting of defeat and Mizu's harsh criticism.
The water ripples where Mizu disappeared, leaving an uncomfortable silence. Zoah looks at the spot, then back at Hikari who was trying not to cry. This was her first loss ever since the two began there journey together.
He gently leads her away from the battlefield, giving her space to process what happened. He knew this was a hard blow to her confidence, especially with Mizu's comment about being a princess.
"Let's get out of here. We can try again another time."
Hikari stayed silent as the two made their way out of the tower, one that won and the other a loss. The walk to the pokemon center was quiet and after getting a room of two, Hikari flops on the bed and curls up underneath.
Zoah sits on the edge of the bed, watching her curl up. He knows she needs time to recover emotionally from the loss and Mizu's words. He doesn't push her to talk, understanding she might need space to think.
He stays close by, just in case she needs anything.
After a while, he speaks softly, "Do you want to talk about it? Or just rest?"
She remains silent for a moment, then whispers, "She was right... I'm not ready. I'm just holding you back..."
Zoah frowns slightly, shaking his head, "That's not true. You're not holding me back. You've improved a lot since we started. Mizu is just being harsh because she's the tower leader. She has to be tough."
"She doesn't know you like I do. You have potential. We just need to work on your battle strategies more. And maybe find a better counter to water types."
He tries to reassure her, but can see she's still upset about the defeat and Mizu's comment about being a princess.
He sighs, thinking for a moment.
"Look, let's focus on training tomorrow. We can practice against different types and work on your dodging skills. You can't let one loss define you."
He pauses, then adds gently.
"And about the princess thing... forget what she said. You're not just a princess. You're a trainer, my trainer partner."
"I don't wanna...." She says turning away.
He frowns again, concerned about her refusal, "Don't want to what? Train? Or forget it?" He tries to understand what she means.
He waits for her to clarify, giving her another moment, "Hikari, please talk to me. What's going through your head right now?"
She turns back slightly, her voice shaky, "I don't want to be a trainer anymore... I can't even beat a water type. I'm useless."
His expression turns serious, "That's not true. You're not useless. Everyone loses sometimes. It's part of learning and growing. You can't give up because of one setback."
He moves closer, trying to make her look at him, "Remember what we promised? Adventure and beyond. This is just one step in that adventure."
He reaches out, gently touching her shoulder again.
"We've come this far together. I'm not letting you quit. We'll figure this out together. As partners. I believe in you, even if you don't believe in yourself right now."
"We weren't even that far in this journey together for what? Not even a week yet...and...and..." Hikari has been holding back tears this whole time as she sniffles as the tears finally bled through falling.
He sees the tears and his heart aches for her. He moves closer, pulling her into a comforting embrace.
"Hey... it's okay to cry. Let it out. But don't think about how long we've been together. Time doesn't matter when it comes to being a trainer. It's about the journey and the bonds we make along the way."
He holds her as she cries, letting her get it all out. He rubs her back soothingly, being there for her like he always has been.
"Just breathe. We'll take it one step at a time. One battle at a time. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere."
"I-I've never been s-so humiliated before." Hikari cries into his chest
He lets her cry into his chest, his grip tightening slightly.
"I know it feels humiliating. But you're not humiliated to me. You're still my strong partner. That loss was just a bump in the road." He speaks softly, trying to soothe her with his words as well as his presence.
He continues to hold her, letting her cry until she starts to calm down a bit. He speaks again, his voice firm but gentle.
"Tomorrow, we'll start fresh. We'll find ways to counter water types. I'll help you train harder. And we'll beat Mizu next time. Together."
"I... don't think I want to do the battle tower challenge anymore." She says
He tenses slightly at her words, surprised by the statement, "What do you mean? You want to give up on the tower challenge entirely?"
She wipes her tears, avoiding his gaze for a moment, "Both... I feel like every tower will be the same. I'll just lose again and again. And I don't want to face Mizu again... not after she called me a princess and said I was holding you back."
He sighs, understanding her fear and insecurity now. He takes a deep breath, choosing his words carefully.
"You won't know unless you try again. And yes, Mizu was harsh. But that doesn't mean you should quit because of her. You have every right to challenge the towers. And if you lose again, we'll learn from it. Grow from it."
He pauses, then adds with determination, "And about holding me back... that's nonsense. You never have and never will."
"I...I think. I think I need to figure out what I want as a pokemon trainer." She says
He nods slowly, respecting her need to find her path as a trainer.
"That's fair. Take your time to figure it out. But remember, whatever you decide, I'll support you. Just like I always have." He lets go of her, giving her space to think clearly.
"I'm tired. I'm gonna go to sleep and...please hold me close." She says
He nods again, understanding she needs comfort tonight, "Of course. I'll hold you."
He lies down beside her, opening his arms for her to come closer. She moves into his embrace, curling up against him. She rests her head on his chest again, finding comfort in his warmth and steady heartbeat.
He wraps his arms around her protectively, holding her close as promised. He strokes her hair gently, silently promising to be there for her through this emotional night.
The room is quiet except for her soft breathing. He stays awake for a while, making sure she falls asleep first before he lets himself rest. His mind is filled with thoughts of how to help her regain her confidence and move forward as a trainer.
Eventually, he drifts off to sleep as well, still holding her. The night passes slowly, and the first rays of morning light start to peek through the window.
When Zoah wakes up, he peers down to notice she wasn't there. He glanced over to see her stuff is still here and has a note next to her bag.
The note says: I'll be back, just went on a walk. Don't worry about me. Just need a bit of fresh air.
He reads the note, feeling a mix of relief that she's safe but also concern about her state of mind. He checks the time and decides to wait for her return, hoping the walk will help her clear her head.
Away from the pokemon center outside down by the pier, Hikari was just walking by it as she glanced over to see a Radiant Garden boat.
"Is the Wailmers in?" Asked a grunt
"Yup! We're ready to set sail and release it back into the ocean." Says another
Hikari watches as this group was different from before from the cavern. These ones are returning pokemon back to the wild. The grunts begin loading crates onto the boat, containing what appears to be various aquatic pokémon.
One of them notices Hikari watching and looks at her curiously, "Hey, you shouldn't be this close to the dock. This is a restricted area."
The other grunt walks over to her, eyeing her suspiciously, "What are you doing here? This is for authorized personnel only. No civilians allowed."
The first grunt crosses his arms, blocking her view of the boat, "You need to leave. Now. Unless you have business with Radiant Garden?"
Hikari looks at them both, her expression neutral but her eyes showing a hint of curiosity about the pokémon release operation, "I was just walking by. I didn't know it was restricted."
The second grunt scoffs, "Well, now you know. So move along. We have important work to do."
The first grunt nods in agreement, still blocking her path, "This is a rehabilitation and release program. Not a tourist spot."
"Hey! What's holding up out there?" A woman's voice comes from within the boat as a woman comes walking out. She had a dark green short sleeve cardigan over a black compression bra and black flood pants on. She had short dark hair with braided side bangs.
"Madam director! I-uh. You see, there was a passerby and we were just trying to tell her to move along. She has no business here." Said the grunt.
"What? The public needs to see we don't mean harm to anyone." She says
The woman, the Madam Director, looks at Hikari with a more welcoming expression than the grunts.
"Let her stay. She's just observing. Right?" The grunts look surprised by her decision but don't argue with her.
"Actually, miss...would you like to witness us releasing Wailmers we rehabilitated back into the sea?" Madam director asked
Hikari blinks, a bit taken aback by the offer. She wasn't expecting to be invited to watch.
"Um... sure? If that's okay." She glances at the grunts who are still giving her wary looks but say nothing more.
The Madam Director smiles warmly, "Of course it's okay. Come aboard. We're about to start the release process."
She gestures for Hikari to follow her onto the boat, past the grunts who step aside reluctantly.
Hikari follows the Director onto the boat, looking around at the setup. There are several crates and tanks filled with water, with Wailmers swimming inside. The Director leads her to a good vantage point to watch the release.
"We've been working on rehabilitating these Wailmers for a few weeks now. They were caught in fishing nets and pollution in the area. We've cleaned them up and made sure they're healthy enough to return to the wild."
One of the grunts opens a crate, revealing a Wailmer inside. It looks much better than before, its skin is clearer and brighter. The Director nods to another grunt who prepares to release it.
"We'll start with this one first. Watch closely."
The grunt carefully lifts the Wailmer out of the crate and carries it to the edge of the boat. He holds it steady as the Director gives the signal.
"Alright, on three. One... two... three!"
They gently toss the Wailmer into the water below, where it splashes happily and begins swimming away.
The Director watches with satisfaction as the Wailmer swims off into the distance, reuniting with its natural habitat. She turns to Hikari.
"See? We're not just capturing and holding pokémon. We care for them and give them a chance to live freely again."
"Radiant Garden is a place for wild pokemon to get better so they can eventually go back out to the wild. I want a world where people would take good care of pokemon." The Director says
Hikari listens to her words, her expression thoughtful. She thinks about her own pokémon, Chimchar, and how she wants to take care of it properly too.
"That's... a noble goal. Not everyone sees it that way though."
"You care about pokemon yes?" The director asked
"Y-yes I do. I am a pokemon trainer...and even though I lost in humiliation against Mizu, the Sapphire Tower Leader. I.. I've just been thinking of if that's the way I want." Hikari says as the Director smiles
"I think you need a new path." The Director begins with a soft smile. "How about a job as a Radiant Garden Agent?"
Hikari's eyes widen at the unexpected offer. A job with Radiant Garden?
"A... Radiant Garden Agent? What would that involve exactly?" She asked
The Director explains as she watches another Wailmer being released, "We have agents who assist in pokémon rehabilitation, research, and field operations. You'd work alongside us to help pokémon in need and ensure their welfare. It's a chance to put your care for pokemon to good use."
She looks at Hikari with genuine interest, "You seem like you have potential. And you have the heart for it."
"But...I uh umm. I'm traveling on a journey with a partner. I don't want to leave him." Hikari not wanting to leave Zoah behind.
The Director nods understandingly, "Ah, a traveling partner. I see. You don't have to leave him. Radiant Garden has agents who are mobile and can travel while working for us. We have many locations across the region."
She pauses, then adds with a hint of persuasion, "Think about it. You could still adventure and help pokémon at the same time. It's a win-win."
She notices Hikari's hesitation and continues, "You wouldn't be abandoning your journey. You could work with us and report back to your partner. We have communication devices for agents in the field."
She gestures to a nearby grunt who is using a similar device to coordinate with other teams, "Plus, we offer good compensation for our agents. You could support yourself and your partner financially while doing something meaningful."
"Where...is your base here if I say yes?" Hikari asked
The director smiles as she brings up her holo-map of Hōseki,* "Here in the middle is where our headquarters is located. Here in Sapphire town, one of the branches is right here. We call them the RG Ranch."
The map shows a large building marked as the RG Ranch, located on the outskirts of Sapphire Town. It appears to be a facility for pokémon care and rehabilitation.
"Yes, that's where most of our operations are based. It's where we take in injured or captured pokémon and work to restore them to health. We also have smaller branches like this one in other towns for quicker access."
"And before I forget, my name is Eleanor Bishop. I am the director of Radiant Garden." The Director introducing herself.
"My name is Hikari Yuzo. I'll come back to you later. I gotta go...and...thank you...for letting me watch the Wailmers be let go back into the sea." Hikari smiles as she heads off and waves.
The Director, or Director Eleanor, waves back with a nod.
"Take your time to think about it, Hikari. We'll be here when you're ready."
She watches as Hikari leaves, then returns to overseeing the rest of the operation.