Upon hearing this, Wattson's first reaction was disbelief: "No way! I refuse to believe it. You must be pulling my leg... or maybe those rookie trainers tricked you!"
Brawly was exasperated: "What would I gain from lying to you? And it's not just one trainer saying this... every challenger who came to my gym mentioned the same name: Caleb Chase..."
Wattson opened his mouth, then closed it, recalling the Bug Catchers he'd encountered... Cheap shorts, straw hats, butterfly nets in hand, jumping out from the roadside to challenge passersby with their strongest Caterpie.
Someone like that, capable of training a group of rookies to such a level in just fifteen days? He'd never believe it, even if beaten to death!
Roxanne mused, "This year's League Championship is going to be interesting."
Brawly imagined the chaos and nodded in agreement.
Wattson scratched his head and suddenly asked, "Have you two told anyone else about this?"
Roxanne shook her head. Her gym, Brawly's, and Wattson's were typically the first three gyms rookie trainers challenged.
Wattson grinned mischievously, "Good. Let's keep it that way. No reason we should be the only ones suffering!"
Roxanne smirked, "Don't worry, I get it. I promise, no fourth person will know!"
Brawly sighed at his two colleagues.
Just then, a clear male voice echoed from outside the gym.
Wattson raised an eyebrow, grinning, "Another challenger! This time, I'll show them what I'm made of!"
Hearing this, Roxanne and Brawly immediately understood that he was about to go all out.
As Wattson moved to end the call, Roxanne hurriedly stopped him, "Wait, wait! Don't hang up! I've got popcorn and a front-row seat ready!"
Though Brawly didn't speak, his background had already shifted to a couch. It was pretty clear that he too, was prepared to watch the show.
Wattson laughed heartily, adjusting the camera angle to capture the entire battlefield.
"Fine! Then watch and learn!"
With that, he turned and strode onto the battlefield.
...
Caleb studied the old man in the Hawaiian shirt and white hair, matching him to the Mauville Gym Leader from the games...
Wattson announced, "Mauville Gym battles are 3v3. Each trainer may use only three Pokémon, and the match ends when one side's team is completely defeated."
Caleb nodded in understanding. He didn't mention that he only had two Pokémon because he didn't expect to lose.
Roxanne and Brawly who were watching the live stream also saw the challenger... A clean-cut handsome young man.
Roxanne found it odd...
Her memory was sharp, allowing her to recall every trainer who'd challenged her gym. Yet, this boy drew a complete blank.
"He's never challenged my gym before."
Brawly thought for a moment, "Haven't seen him either. Must be a trainer who started in another city."
...
The battle began. The gym's ceiling slid open, revealing a clear blue sky...
On the first round, Wattson sent out a Manectric, its yellow fur crackling with electricity.
Caleb chose Mimikyu.
"That's not a Hoenn Pokémon!" Wattson's eyes gleamed with interest, "Strange... it looks like Pikachu. Is that a cloth over its body?"
"Yes." Caleb replied succinctly before immediately ordering, "Swords Dance!"
"You won't get the chance!" Wattson smirked, "Manectric, Discharge!"
Mimikyu's small form began an intense dance.
Manectric let out a sharp bark, arcs of electricity surged from its fur and converged into a blinding wave of current that engulfed the entire battlefield.
Mimikyu's tiny frame vanished within the storm.
Caleb remained calm, his expression steady.
Surprised by his composure, Wattson couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you worried?"
Caleb watched the dazzling light on the field, estimating that Mimikyu had finished its Swords Dance.
He explained, "My Pokémon's ability is Disguise. It can completely negate one damaging attack."
As the Discharge faded, Mimikyu stood unharmed, its aura now radiating overwhelming power.
Wattson's eyes widened. He hadn't known about this Pokémon's ability, a critical oversight!
Gritting his teeth, he barked, "Thunder!"
Caleb countered coolly, "Play Rough."
The moment the words left his mouth, a bolt of yellow lightning shot from Manectric's mane into the sky.
Dark clouds gathered instantly, crackling with energy before a devastating thunderbolt crashed down toward Mimikyu.
But Mimikyu was already glowing pink.
"Double Team." Caleb ordered.
As it charged forward, Mimikyu split into a dozen illusions.
The Thunder strike lost its target, obliterating two clones in a puff of smoke.
Wattson's stomach dropped, "Quick Attack, dodge!"
Manectric's body blurred into a streak of white light, narrowly evading Play Rough.
Caleb didn't hesitate, "Use Mimic!" he commanded.
Mimikyu's form shimmered... then it too, became a white blur, slamming into Manectric with terrifying speed.
*Bam!*
Manectric was sent flying, skidding across the ground before coming to a stop.
"Discharge, again!" Wattson commanded.
Manectric raised its head, electricity surging from its fur as another devastating wave of current spread across the battlefield.
Caleb's focus sharpened. Watching the attack's trajectory, he waited until the last possible second before shouting: "Now, use Splash!"
- Splash: a Normal-type move that does nothing…
Except, in this case, it made Mimikyu leap high enough to evade the Discharge entirely.
"Impossible!"
Roxanne, who was watching from the 'sidelines', was so stunned her popcorn spilled, "What just happened?! It's like Wattson's every move was predicted!"
Brawly's eyes gleamed, "The moment that Swords Dance landed, Wattson lost. With that boost, he couldn't afford to take a direct hit. Mentally, he was already on the back foot."
...
"Perfect! Now, Shadow Claw!" Caleb's eyes burned with intensity as he gave the order.
Mimikyu lunged forward, shadows coalescing into a vicious claw that struck Manectric dead-on.
*Whimper!*
Manectric crumpled to the ground, motionless, unable to continue the battle!
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Read ahead on my P@treon...
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