The aftermath of the battle felt like a fever dream. The Gym was partially flooded, the spotlights were sizzling, and the silence was only broken by the sound of dripping water and Ash Ketchum's heavy breathing.
Lily stepped down into the drained basin, her boots splashing as she approached me. She didn't look like a theater kid anymore; she looked like a general walking through a conquered territory. She reached into her pocket and held out a shimmering, blue teardrop-shaped piece of metal.
"The Cascade Badge," she said, her voice steady.
I looked at the badge, then at my fainted Fearow. "Lily, I can't take this. It was a tie. Technically, in the League bylaws—"
Lily chuckled, a low, carefree sound. "Regina, you defeated two out of three sisters. Your Pichu fought through a Seaking and a Cloyster before it even looked my Kingler in the eye. That was the best battle I've had in two years. If I didn't give you this badge, the League would probably audit me for being a stickler." She paused, her gaze softening. "Besides, I need to apologize. Our behavior earlier—the cooing, the 'cutie' comments—it was unprofessional. Sparky proved he's a warrior. He earned the respect; you earned the badge."
"LILY!"
The scream was so shrill it probably shattered the few remaining lightbulbs. Misty, Daisy, and Violet descended upon us like a colorful, panicked wave.
"You have a Gyarados?!" Misty shrieked, staying a safe fifteen feet away from the pool edge as if the water itself might bite her. "Since when?! Why would you hide that?! Why did you hide everything?!"
Lily shrugged, leaning back against a pillar. "I didn't hide it, sis. I just never told you. There's a difference."
"You were moving stage props with a Kingler!" Violet wailed. "We thought he was just a giant pair of scissors for the seaweed decorations!"
"And the Gyarados?" Daisy gasped. "Where did it even live?!"
"In the tank," Lily said simply, stifling a yawn. "I'm the one who feeds the Pokémon. None of you realized when the 'extra large Seel' I was ordering was actually for a twenty-foot sea serpent." She sighed, looking around at the cracked tiles and the empty basin. "Actually, this is a good time to mention it. I'm leaving."
The silence that followed was so heavy you could have carved it with a Scyther's blade.
"What?!" the three sisters screamed in unison.
"This battle was an eye-opener," Lily said, her eyes gleaming with a sudden, carefree fire. "I don't dream of being a Gym Leader, and I definitely don't dream of being a background dancer in a water ballet. I want to be a Water Pokémon Champion. Or maybe an Elite Four member. I'm going to take part in the Indigo League, challenge the Elite, and then... well, we'll see."
### The "Chosen One" and the "Main Character" Energy
"Battle me!" Ash shouted, stepping forward with his fist clenched. "I want a piece of that! If you're going for the League, you gotta go through me!"
Lily looked at Ash. She looked at the Pikachu on his shoulder. Then she looked at his belt. "How many badges do you have, kid?"
"One!" Ash said proudly.
Lily sighed. It was a deep, soul-weary sigh. "Fine. But a one-on-one. Most of my team would accidentally vaporize your current roster. Let's keep it civil."
"Go, Milotic!"
Misty's eyes nearly popped out of her head. A Milotic. The most beautiful Pokémon in existence, a shimmering, serpentine goddess of the water, appeared in the pool. It radiated a **Pseudo-Champion** aura that made the air feel soft and cool.
"When did you even get that?!" Misty screamed, her voice hitting a frequency that probably annoyed local Tentacool. "I've wanted one since I was five!"
"Hoenn trip," Lily said simply. "While you were chasing that boy for a bike, I was navigating the Feebas currents."
The battle was... surprisingly close. Ash's Pikachu was a **Pseudo-Champion** anomaly, fueled by the sheer, unadulterated power of "Protagonist Plot Armor." They traded blows for ten minutes—Thunderbolts meeting Hydro Pumps in a display of raw energy that left the Gym smelling like a thunderstorm in a car wash.
In the end, it was another tie. The Milotic was simply too durable, and Pikachu was too stubborn to fall.
"Impressive," Lily said, handing Ash a badge as well. "You have the spark, kid. Don't lose it."
"Good going, Ash," I said, walking over to him.
"You too, Regina," Ash grinned, adjusting his hat.
### The Spearow in the Room
Brock and Misty looked back and forth between us. "Wait," Misty said, squinting. "You two know each other?"
"Yeah," Ash nodded. "We met at Professor Oak's lab. She was there getting her Pokedex when I was... uh... running a little late."
I smirked. "Late? You were in your pajamas, Ash. It was a look."
I then looked between Ash and Pikachu noting there bond. "Your Pikachu actually listens to you now, huh? No more rubber gloves?"
Ash rubbed the back of his head, laughing sheepishly. He started telling the story of the Spearow flock, the rainstorm, and the Ho-Oh sighting. He got really into it, waving his arms around.
Ash rubbed the back of his head, laughing sheepishly. "Anyway, your Fearow was insane out there! I've never seen a bird move like that. Where'd you catch a beast like that?"
I felt a devious, wicked grin spread across my face. I looked at Ash, then at his Pikachu, then back at Ash. I popped a 'P' as I spoke.
"Well, Ash... do you remember that Spearow you threw a rock at on your first day? The one that called its entire flock to try and turn you into a human pincushion?"
Ash's face went from tanned to pale, then to a sickly shade of parchment. He looked at me, his eyes wide with a dawning, horrific realization. "No way... you don't mean..."
"Yup!" I chirped, leaning in closer. "I found him right after you left. He was fuming. He was disgraced. He wanted your head on a platter. So, I made him a deal. I promised him that if he came with me, I would make him strong enough to finally get his revenge on the kid with the hat and the 'Electric Rat.'"
Fearow chose that exact moment to live up to his 'Murder Bird' reputation. He took a slow, deliberate step toward Ash. His neck extended, his sharp eyes locking onto Pikachu. Then, with slow, agonizing precision, he raised one wing and made a slicing motion across his own neck.
"FEEEE-ROW," he hissed. ("I will end you, mouse. I will pluck the yellow from your bones.")
Pikachu let out a terrified "Pika-pi!" and scrambled into Ash's hair.
Ash took a slow, deliberate step back. "You... you caught him by making a deal at my expense?"
"Technically," I said, counting on my fingers, "I used your incompetence as a motivational tool. He's not a 'Wild Spearow' anymore, Ash. He's a 'Vengeance-Driven Fearow.' And I promised him we'd have a battle with you eventually. He's very looking forward to it. He's been practicing his 'peck-Ash-in-the-eye' technique."
"Yup!" I chirped. "He's been training specifically to Steel Wing your Pikachu into the dirt. Every time we practiced, I just whispered 'Remember the kid with the hat,' and he'd double his speed."
"REGIIIIIINA!" Ash wailed, falling to his knees in a dramatic pose of despair. "That's so mean! I thought we were friends! I thought we were lab-mates!"
"We are!" I laughed, nearly doubling over. "And as a friend, I'm helping you stay on your toes! It was either that or he was going to peck my eyes out. Honestly, Ash, you should be flattered. You're his ultimate motivation! He's only a Fearow today because he wants to kick your butt so badly it hurts."
Misty and Brock were staring at me like I was a sociopath. Daisy and Violet were just confused.
"You guys are lucky," I wheezed, wiping a tear from my eye. "Fearow is absolutely exhausted from fighting that Gyarados. If he had even an ounce of energy left, he'd be after your necks right now, demanding a rematch. He's been dreaming of this since Viridian Forest."
Fearow gave another slow, menacing nod, his beak clacking inches from Ash's nose.
Brock cleared his throat, trying to stifle a laugh. "Well, that explains the 'spite-aura' I felt from that bird."
"Speaking of gyms," I turned to Brock. "What are you doing here? I thought you were the Gym Leader of Pewter."
"My dad came back," Brock explained, a look of immense relief on his face. "He took the mantle back, which freed me up to pursue my real dream of becoming a Pokémon Breeder. I'm traveling with Ash to learn about all the different species."
"Good for you, Brock," I said. "Better than standing in a windowless bunker all day."
### The Reality Check
"So, Lily," Misty asked, her voice trembling slightly. "How many Pokémon do you actually have?"
"A full team," Lily said. She walked to the center of the arena. "I've healed them up while we were talking. I think it's time my sisters saw what a real Cerulean Ace looks like."
She released them all at once.
****
The Gym didn't just feel full; it felt crowded by gods. The **Primarina** (Lily's starter) stood at the center, radiating a **Champion-tier** aura that made my HUD scream in a digital panic.
Primarina (Lily's Starter): Champion Class. Level 48.
Milotic: Pseudo-Champion. Level 35.
Gyarados: Pseudo-Champion. Level 27.
Kingler: Elite. Level 26.
Starmie: Pseudo-Champion. Level 42.
Walrein: Elite. Level 45.
We all stood there in a stunned, respectful silence. Even the Sensational Sisters were speechless. Daisy and Violet looked at the Level 48 Primarina—a Pokémon that could literally sing a song and level the entire building—and realized that Lily hadn't just been "stronger." She had been playing a different game entirely.
Daisy and Violet stood there, their mouths hanging open. They had been treating Lily like the "quiet one" who did the chores, while she was apparently sitting on a team that could probably take down half the Elite Four.
"Lily..." Daisy whispered. "You... you could have been the sole Gym Leader this whole time."
"Too much paperwork," Lily said, yawning. "Anyway, I'm headed to the League. Regina, Ash—I'll see you at the Indigo Plateau. Try not to get eaten by any more birds before then."
I looked at Ash, who was currently hiding behind Brock's vest, peering at my Fearow's as if it might try to eat him any second, pikachu hiding behind ash doing the same.
"Best day ever," I muttered, kicking my board and rolling toward the exit. "Onward to the Nugget Bridge. We've got training to do."