Ethan was beginning to think winning felt really good.
Possibly too good.
He stood on one side of the training field with Houndour beside him while, across from them, Samantha Ortiz crouched beside her Sentret.
“Ready?”
Sentret raised its little paws.
Houndour barked.
Ethan grinned.
Very ready.
Instructor Reyes stood near the center line.
“This is an evaluation match.
Beginner Grade only.
Standard stop conditions.” She looked at Samantha, then Ethan.
“Begin.”
“Sentret, move!”
Sentret rushed forward.
Ethan had already learned something from his first tryout battle — don’t panic, watch.
“Wait.”
Houndour stayed as Sentret closed in, then dodged at the last second.
Sentret passed harmlessly, and Houndour answered with Ember, but Sentret twisted away, and Samantha’s fast Scratch counter caught Houndour’s side before he could move.
“Hound!”
Ethan clenched his fist.
“You’re okay!”
Houndour recovered quickly.
Samantha liked attacking fast and keeping the pressure on, so — don’t let her.
“Houndour, Smog!”
Dark smoke poured across the field, and Samantha pulled Sentret back rather than risk it.
Fine — the Smog had done what he wanted; she’d stopped attacking.
Houndour vanished into the cloud, and when Sentret turned to watch its flanks, he burst from the left.
“Bite!”
Sentret jumped clear, but Ethan was already shouting.
“Ember!”
The burst caught Sentret before it landed, and it hit the ground hard.
It managed to stand, barely, and Samantha sent it in again.
“Houndour, Bite!”
Sentret tried to turn, too slow, and Houndour caught it around the shoulder and forced it down.
“Stop!”
Houndour released immediately — a few weeks ago, Ethan wasn’t sure he could have trusted that.
Sentret stayed down.
“Winner — Ethan and Houndour.”
Ethan threw both fists into the air.
“YES!”
Houndour barked, and Ethan ran onto the field.
“You did it!”
Houndour jumped against him.
“Hey!” Ethan nearly fell over, laughing as he scratched behind Houndour’s ears.
“Two wins!”
Marcus, near the boundary, raised both thumbs.
Two and zero.
Going great.
It stopped going great approximately four minutes later.
Reyes looked at her tablet.
“Next evaluation.
Ethan Crowe.”
Ethan straightened.
Again?
“Lucas Whitmore.”
Ethan’s smile weakened.
“Oh.”
Marcus walked over.
“What’s wrong?”
Ethan nodded across the hall, where Lucas was already approaching, Growlithe walking beside him, calm in a way Ryan’s Lillipup and Samantha’s Sentret hadn’t been — like he already knew exactly where he was supposed to go.
Marcus looked at Growlithe, then Houndour.
“Fire versus Fire.”
“Growlithe isn’t only Fire attacks.”
“Neither is Houndour.”
Ethan knew that.
Still.
He focused, and Appraisal answered.
Species: Growlithe
Type: Fire
Grade: Beginner
Potential: Yellow Ability: Intimidate
Moves: Leer, Ember, Howl, Bite, Flame Wheel, Helping Hand
Ethan’s eyes stopped on Flame Wheel — new to him, if not to Growlithe.
Most Beginner Pokémon he’d battled so far had fairly basic moves.
This list looked much better.
Marcus leaned closer.
“You doing the thing?”
“What thing?”
“The staring thing.”
“I’m thinking.”
“Same thing.”
Ethan ignored him.
Yellow Potential, same Grade as Houndour — good, except Ethan had only trained Houndour seriously for a short time, while Lucas had spent about a year with Growlithe, backed by his family’s money and private coaching.
Ethan looked down at Houndour, who stared back.
For a moment he ran through what he already knew.
Species: Houndour
Type: Dark/Fire
Grade: Beginner
Potential: Yellow
Ability: Flash Fire
Flash Fire.
That could matter.
“So?”
Houndour barked.
“Exactly.
Same Grade, same Potential.
We can fight.”
Lucas stopped across from him.
“Two wins.”
“Yep.”
“You looked good.”
“You’re about to make it three.”
Lucas laughed.
“Confident.”
“Always.”
“Good.” He looked down.
“Growlithe.”
Growlithe stepped forward, and Houndour did the same, the two staring each other down.
Then Growlithe’s Intimidate took effect — nothing dramatic, no visible wave of energy, but Houndour stiffened and his ears lowered slightly.
“Houndour.”
Houndour looked back.
“We’ve got this.”
His posture improved.
Not completely, but enough.
Lucas noticed.
“Nice.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
That was annoying.
Reyes stepped between them.
“Both Pokémon are Beginner Grade.
This is a full evaluation battle.
Either Trainer may surrender.
I will stop the match if necessary.” She stepped back.
“Ready?”
Lucas nodded.
Ethan grinned.
“Ready.”
“Begin!”
“Growlithe, move!”
Growlithe ran, fast.
“Houndour, Ember!”
Fire flew.
“Left.”
That was all Lucas said.
Growlithe moved left and the Ember missed completely.
Ethan blinked — that dodge had been clean, no hesitation, no wasted movement.
“Close in.”
Growlithe accelerated.
“Houndour, Bite!”
“Bite.”
The two Pokémon collided, Houndour catching Growlithe near the shoulder while Growlithe caught him around the neck.
For a second they wrestled.
“Back!”
Growlithe released and jumped away.
“Ember!”
Houndour fired.
“Down.”
Growlithe dropped low and the flames passed overhead.
“Flame Wheel.”
Fire erupted around Growlithe.
Ethan’s eyes widened.
“Move!”
Growlithe charged, and Houndour jumped, not fast enough.
Flame Wheel caught him and threw him sideways.
“Houndour!”
Ethan’s heart jumped as Houndour rolled, then stood almost immediately.
The fire clinging to him wasn’t burning him — it disappeared, pulled inward, absorbed.
He shook himself, a tongue of flame escaping his mouth, stronger than before.
Flash Fire.
Fire attacks couldn’t hurt Houndour, and being struck by one only made his own fire stronger.
“Oh.”
Across the field, Lucas’s expression changed.
He’d noticed too.
“Flash Fire?”
“Yep.”
Lucas looked at Growlithe, then Houndour.
“That’s inconvenient.”
“Very.”
Marcus laughed from the side.
Ethan liked this.
Lucas had more experience, Growlithe had better training, but Ethan had something too.
“Again.”
Growlithe moved.
Ethan expected Flame Wheel.
It didn’t come.
“Bite.”
Right.
Of course — why would Lucas keep using Fire attacks?
“Houndour, Bite!”
The two met again, jaws colliding, and Growlithe disengaged first.
“Circle.”
Growlithe moved around Houndour.
Lucas wasn’t bothered — he’d seen Flash Fire, accepted it, changed his approach.
Fine.
Ethan would adapt too.
“Houndour, Smog!”
Smoke poured across the field.
Lucas didn’t hesitate.
“Circle.”
Growlithe ran around the edge without entering.
Lucas had already seen what Ethan did to Samantha; he’d been watching.
“Come on.”
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
Ethan pointed.
“Houndour, move through it!”
Houndour disappeared into the Smog.
Now Lucas couldn’t see him, and Growlithe slowed.
Good.
Ethan waited as Growlithe watched the smoke.
“Howl,” Lucas said.
Growlithe raised his head.
“Groooooowl!”
Ethan’s smile vanished slightly.
He was strengthening himself while waiting.
Smart.
“Houndour, now!”
Houndour burst from the smoke.
“Bite!”
“Right.”
Growlithe shifted, and Houndour’s jaws snapped shut on empty air.
“Bite.”
“Oh, crap.
Dodge!”
Too late.
Growlithe slammed into Houndour’s side and he stumbled, but Ethan reacted.
“Ember!”
Houndour fired at close range, the flames stronger now.
Lucas’s eyes widened.
“Move!”
Growlithe jumped, not fast enough.
The Ember struck across his chest.
“Growl!”
Growlithe stumbled backward, and Ethan threw a fist up.
“YES!”
Lucas smiled.
“Good.”
Why did he keep saying that?
Both Pokémon circled, Houndour breathing harder now, Growlithe better conditioned.
Fire attacks wouldn’t hurt Houndour, but Lucas had stopped relying on them, and Houndour couldn’t win by trading Bites forever.
So — stop fighting Lucas’s battle.
Easy.
Probably.
“Ember!”
“Left.”
Growlithe dodged.
“Again!”
“Right.”
Miss.
“Again!”
Lucas frowned.
A third Ember, and Growlithe moved.
“Smog!”
Instead of another fire attack, Houndour released smoke, and Growlithe had already moved straight toward it.
“Back!”
Too late.
Growlithe entered the edge of the cloud and coughed.
“Houndour, Bite!”
Houndour rushed in — he could navigate the smoke better after all their training — and hit.
Growlithe yelped.
“Pull away!”
Growlithe retreated, Houndour following.
Ethan saw an opening.
“Keep going!”
Houndour lunged, and Lucas waited.
Why was he waiting?
Ethan’s stomach dropped.
“Stop!”
Too late.
“Turn.”
Growlithe planted his front paws and pivoted.
“Bite.”
His jaws closed around Houndour’s shoulder.
“HOUND!”
Growlithe used Houndour’s own momentum against him, throwing him sideways.
He hit the ground, rolled, stopped.
“Houndour!”
Ethan stepped forward.
Houndour pushed himself up, legs shaking, but he stood.
Growlithe was breathing heavily now too.
Lucas hadn’t used Flame Wheel again, and he’d simply adapted.
Ethan smiled despite himself.
Fine.
He could do that too.
Both Pokémon lowered themselves.
One more exchange, probably the last.
“Ready?”
Houndour barked.
“Go!”
Houndour charged, and Lucas didn’t immediately give a command.
Growlithe moved.
“Left!”
Houndour shifted, and Growlithe adjusted with him.
“Turn!
Bite!”
Houndour lunged, but Growlithe was already turning too — he’d expected it.
“Bite.”
Both Pokémon lunged.
Growlithe reached first, striking Houndour and driving him onto the mat.
Houndour struggled, but Growlithe held.
“Stop!”
Growlithe released instantly.
Houndour tried to stand.
His legs gave out.
“Winner — Lucas and Growlithe.”
For the first time that afternoon, Ethan had lost.
He didn’t like it.
Not even a little.
He walked onto the field and crouched beside Houndour.
“You okay?”
Houndour lifted his head.
“Hound.”
Ethan rubbed his neck.
“You did good.” That wasn’t just something you said after a loss — they’d landed attacks, adapted, and Flash Fire had given them an edge.
They’d nearly caught Growlithe more than once.
But nearly.
Lucas approached with Growlithe.
“Good battle.”
“Yeah.”
“You almost got us with the Smog.”
“Almost.”
“And Flash Fire was annoying.”
That made Ethan feel slightly better.
“Good.”
Lucas laughed.
“You’ll get better.”
“So will you.”
Lucas paused, then laughed again.
“Fair.”
Growlithe walked toward Houndour, and the two sniffed each other, exchanging tired barks.
Neither seemed to care about losing as much as Ethan did.
Traitors.
Marcus appeared immediately afterward.
“You lost.”
Ethan stared at him.
“Thank you, Marcus.”
“I’m just confirming.”
“I was there.”
“Growlithe is strong.”
“I noticed.”
Marcus looked toward Lucas.
“Battle Mankey next.”
“You don’t have a Mankey.”
Marcus froze.
“…Yet.”
Ethan laughed despite himself.
“You’re planning your Pokémon before you even have one?”
“Obviously.”
“What if you don’t get Mankey?”
“I’ll get Mankey.”
Lucas looked at Ethan.
“Is he always like this?”
“Yes.”
Marcus nodded proudly.
Same Grade, same Potential, and Flash Fire had even neutralized Growlithe’s Fire attacks — so why had they lost?
Lucas’s commands had simply been cleaner, his conditioning better.
Ethan had Appraisal, the Dark Realm, Grandpa.
Huge advantages, but none of them made him a better Trainer.
That part he had to earn.
“Tomorrow.”
Houndour looked up.
“We train.”
Houndour barked, and Ethan smiled — not because Lucas had something unfair, but because Growlithe wasn’t some Advanced-grade monster.
Just Beginner.
Just better, for now.
That was what made him want the rematch.
From the far side of the training hall, Instructor Reyes watched Ethan leave the field.
Two wins, one loss — not unusual.
What interested her was how he’d handled all three, adapting a little more each time, even after Lucas countered Flash Fire.
Not perfectly, not quickly enough, but he’d changed.
That mattered.
Another instructor stood beside her.
“Thoughts on Ethan?”
“Inexperienced.
Excitable.
Sometimes too aggressive.” Reyes watched him talking to Houndour near the benches.
“But he adjusts.”
“He’s twelve.”
“So is Lucas, and Lucas has a year of private coaching behind him.
Not extraordinary — just ahead of most rookies.” Houndour had released Sentret instantly when ordered, and that mattered, after Ethan’s earlier issues.
“Primary roster?”
“Two wins against rookies don’t guarantee anything.” Reyes closed the tablet.
“But he’s worth keeping.”
Ethan received his result twenty minutes later.
Reyes called him over, and he stood with Houndour beside him as she looked at the tablet.
“Two wins.
One loss.”
“I know.”
“Your second battle was better than your first.” Ethan nodded.
“And your third was better than your second.”
“But I lost.”
“Yes.” Reyes almost smiled.
“You’ll discover those two things can happen at the same time.”
Ethan wasn’t sure he liked that lesson.
“Your command control has improved.
You adapted reasonably well against Lucas.
Your timing still needs work.”
“Okay.”
“You also chase openings too aggressively.” Ethan thought about Lucas waiting for Houndour to pursue Growlithe.
“…Yeah.”
“That’s fixable.
So?”
“So what?”
“Did I make it?”
Reyes looked at the tablet.
Ethan waited.
Houndour waited.
Probably.
“Provisional yes.”
Ethan blinked.
“What does provisional mean?”
“It means you’re still being evaluated with the others before the final twelve-person primary roster is announced.”
“So…”
“You’re still in.”
Ethan grinned.
“YES!”
Several students looked over.
Reyes sighed.
“Volume.”
“Sorry.” He wasn’t sorry.
Ethan ran toward Marcus.
“I’m still in!”
Marcus raised both arms.
“YES!”
“Volume!” Reyes called.
“Sorry!” Neither sounded sorry.
That evening, Ethan sat on the porch at Bennett Orchards, Houndour lying beside him, Arthur in the chair opposite them.
“You lost.”
Ethan frowned.
“Why does everyone start with that?”
Arthur laughed.
“Because you’ve spent the last ten minutes explaining why Lucas is good.”
“He is.”
“That’s not a bad thing.”
“I know.” Ethan looked toward Houndour.
“He’s had Growlithe about a year.”
“And you’ve had Houndour?”
“Not nearly that long.”
“There you go.”
“But I want to beat him.”
Arthur smiled.
“Also not a bad thing.”
Ethan leaned back.
“Lucas has private trainers.”
“Probably.”
“Private facilities.”
“Definitely.”
“His family has money.”
Arthur nodded.
“So that’s an advantage.”
“Yes.”
Ethan waited, but Arthur didn’t say anything else.
“That’s it?”
“What did you want me to say?”
“That it’s unfair.”
Arthur shrugged.
“It is.” Ethan blinked.
“Some Trainers have more money.
Some start younger.
Some inherit excellent Pokémon.” He looked toward Houndour.
“Some find opportunities other people don’t.”
Ethan went quiet.
The Dark Realm.
Right.
Arthur leaned back.
“Competition isn’t fair.”
“That’s depressing.”
“No.
It’s reality.”
“So what do I do?”
“Get better.”
“That’s your advice?”
“Good advice tends to be boring.”
Ethan looked down at Houndour, who lifted his head.
Ethan smiled.
“Fine.” He stood.
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
“Where are you going?”
“Training.”
“No.”
Ethan stopped.
“What?”
“Houndour fought three evaluations today.”
“Two.”
“Enough.”
Ethan looked at Houndour, who had already put his head back down.
“…Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow.”
Ethan sat again.
He didn’t like waiting, but fine.
Lucas and Growlithe had a year together — Ethan couldn’t erase that in one afternoon, but he could catch up.
And then—
Ethan smiled.
Arthur noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“That smile is usually expensive.”
Ethan laughed.
This time, it wasn’t.
He was just thinking about the rematch.
I do read them, and they help me catch continuity issues