Saturday morning arrived with rain.
Not enough to cancel training.
Just enough to make the outdoor fields miserable.
Ethan stood beneath the covered walkway outside Grayhaven’s training building and watched water fall across the battle grounds.
Houndour sat beside him.
“Hound.”
“Yeah.”
Ethan checked the message from Reyes again.
INTERNAL EVALUATIONS MOVED TO INDOOR FIELD A.
Lucas appeared behind him.
“You’re blocking the door.”
Ethan stepped aside.
Lucas walked through with Growlithe’s Poké Ball clipped to his belt.
“Ready for Wartortle?”
Lucas gave him a look.
“Ready for Ryan?”
“I already beat Ryan.”
“That’s what you said yesterday.”
“Because it’s true.”
Lucas smiled.
“And Ryan knows that.”
Ethan stopped.
That was slightly less comforting.
Lucas continued inside.
Ethan looked down at Houndour.
“Still winning.”
“Hound!”
Correct answer.
Indoor Field A was already crowded.
Twelve primary roster members.
Four reserves.
Rookies and returning competitors together.
Instructor Reyes.
Machoke.
The room smelled faintly of rubber flooring, wet jackets, and Pokémon.
Ryan Cole stood across the room with Lillipup.
Ethan hadn’t battled him since tryouts.
Ryan looked different.
Not dramatically.
Just more comfortable.
So did Lillipup.
Ethan remembered their first battle.
Ryan had been good.
Better than Ethan expected.
But Ethan had won.
Today should be—
Ethan stopped himself.
Maya had spent an entire battle teaching him what happened when he assumed he understood an opponent.
Ryan noticed him looking.
“Morning.”
“Morning.”
Neither said anything else, which was good — no speeches, no rivalry nonsense.
They were teammates, fighting today for positions.
Simple as that.
Reyes gathered everyone.
“Northgate is approaching.”
The room quieted.
“Some of you seem to believe today’s evaluations determine the final lineup.”
Ethan glanced at Lucas.
Lucas didn’t move.
“They don’t.”
Ethan’s excitement dropped slightly.
Reyes continued.
“They matter.
So does every practice you’ve completed since tryouts.
So does every practice between now and the meet.”
That made sense — annoying, but sense.
“Returning members aren’t guaranteed positions because they competed last year.
Primary roster members aren’t guaranteed battles because they’re primary.
Reserves aren’t eliminated from consideration because they’re reserves.”
Ryan’s expression didn’t change.
But Ethan understood why Reyes said it.
“Northgate will field the team they believe gives them the best chance to win.”
Reyes looked across the students.
“So will we.”
She raised her tablet.
“First evaluation.
Greene.
Brooks.”
Noah groaned.
Hannah smiled.
Flaaffy appeared.
Rockruff appeared.
Ethan sat down.
This might take a while.
It did.
Noah lost.
But he lasted longer than Ethan expected.
More importantly, he didn’t chase Flaaffy every time Hannah gave him an opening.
Reyes noticed.
Chloe noticed too.
“He’s learning.”
Ethan nodded.
“Slowly.”
Noah walked past.
“I heard that.”
“Good battle.”
Noah looked suspicious.
Then continued.
Next came another pairing.
Then another.
Ryan sat quietly with Lillipup.
Ethan watched him occasionally.
Ryan wasn’t watching Ethan.
He was watching everyone — Maya, Oliver, Chloe, Lucas — logging movement, commands, mistakes.
Ethan frowned.
Maybe Ryan had always done that.
Maybe Ethan simply hadn’t noticed.
Lucas fought Oliver before Ethan’s match.
Growlithe against Wartortle.
On paper, it looked terrible.
Normal-grade Growlithe against an experienced returning Wartortle.
Water against Fire.
Lucas didn’t care.
“Growlithe, move!”
Water Gun crossed the field.
Growlithe dodged, fast.
“Flame Wheel!”
Growlithe became fire.
He charged.
Oliver immediately responded.
“Wartortle, Withdraw!”
Wartortle disappeared into its shell.
Growlithe struck.
The shell rolled.
Lucas didn’t chase.
Ethan noticed.
Two weeks ago, Lucas probably would have.
“Back!”
Growlithe retreated.
Wartortle emerged and answered with Water Gun.
It missed.
Lucas repositioned, again and again.
Ethan smiled.
Lucas had changed — not enormously, but enough.
The battle lasted almost eleven minutes.
Oliver won.
Growlithe eventually couldn’t overcome the matchup and Wartortle’s experience.
Lucas recalled him.
He didn’t look happy.
But he didn’t look embarrassed either.
Oliver approached.
They spoke briefly.
Then Lucas came toward the benches.
Ethan moved over.
“Water type.”
Lucas sat.
“Say it.”
“Say what?”
“I know you want to.”
Ethan smiled.
“Bad matchup.”
“Thank you.”
“You still lost.”
Lucas shoved him.
Ethan laughed.
Reyes looked toward them.
“Crowe.”
Ethan stopped laughing.
“You’re up.”
Ryan was already walking onto the field.
Lillipup followed.
No hesitation.
Ethan stood.
His stomach tightened.
There it was — not fear exactly, but something sharper.
Everything became more interesting when a battle actually mattered.
He looked down.
“Houndour.”
Houndour stood.
They entered the field together.
Machoke moved into position beside Reyes.
Ryan stood opposite them.
Lillipup lowered its body, ready.
Ethan looked at Houndour.
Five weeks now — maybe a little more.
The Houndour standing beside him wasn’t the same one he’d started with — a little taller, broader, better conditioned, faster.
Still Beginner Grade, still Yellow Potential, still Houndour, but better in every way that counted.
Ethan smiled.
“Let’s go.”
“Hound.”
Reyes raised her hand.
“Begin!”
“Lillipup, Tackle!”
Ryan attacked immediately.
That was different.
Last time he’d been more cautious.
“Houndour, move!”
Houndour jumped aside.
Lillipup passed.
“Ember!”
Fire flew.
“Left!”
Lillipup dodged cleanly.
Ethan frowned.
Ryan smiled slightly.
He had expected Ember.
Of course he had.
They’d battled before.
“Again!”
Houndour fired.
Lillipup moved before the attack came, and it missed.
Ethan stopped — this was Maya all over again: three Embers, three misses, the same mistake.
Ryan had studied him.
Fine — Ethan could study too.
“Lillipup, forward!”
Lillipup charged.
Ethan waited.
“Houndour.”
Houndour held.
Closer.
Closer.
Ryan’s eyes narrowed.
“Bite!”
Lillipup lunged.
“Back!”
Houndour jumped.
Teeth snapped shut inches from his muzzle.
“Smog!”
Black smoke exploded between them, swallowing Lillipup whole.
Ryan immediately called, “Out!” Smart — Lillipup retreated instead of pushing blind into the smoke.
Ethan smiled.
Ryan smiled back.
Neither had gained anything.
Good enough, for now.
They circled.
Ethan didn’t attack.
Ryan didn’t either.
The room was quiet.
Houndour watched Lillipup.
Lillipup watched Houndour.
Ethan could feel Reyes watching both Trainers.
Ryan moved first.
“Sand Attack!”
Lillipup kicked.
“Houndour, right!”
Sand sprayed.
Houndour escaped most of it — not all.
He blinked.
Ethan saw the opening.
So did Ryan.
“Tackle!”
Lillipup charged.
Normally Ethan would counter — Ember, Bite, something.
Instead—
“Run.”
Houndour ran.
Ryan blinked.
Lillipup chased.
Ethan smiled.
That was the opening he wanted.
Ryan expected Ethan to fight.
So don’t.
“Houndour, circle!”
Houndour changed direction.
Lillipup followed fast, and Houndour accelerated.
Ryan shouted.
“Cut him off!”
Lillipup changed angle — good, Ethan thought, still watching.
Houndour wasn’t trying to escape.
He was making Lillipup work: around, turn, accelerate, turn again.
Lillipup stayed close, but the gap wasn’t closing.
Ethan felt something warm in his chest.
Houndour was fast, and not because Reyes had said so — Ethan could see it for himself.
Weeks ago, Lillipup would have caught him sooner.
Now—
“Houndour, turn!”
Sharp turn.
Lillipup overshot.
“Ember!”
Hit.
“Lip!”
Lillipup rolled.
“Again!”
“Move!”
Ryan reacted.
Lillipup escaped the second attack.
Ethan didn’t chase.
Maya had beaten that out of him.
Mostly.
“Back.”
Houndour returned.
Ryan stared.
“You’ve changed.”
Ethan smiled.
“So have you.”
“Good.”
Then Ryan attacked again.
The next several minutes were harder.
Ryan stopped chasing.
Instead, he used Sand Attack to restrict Houndour’s movement.
Lillipup pressured from angles.
Ethan responded with Smog.
Soon parts of the indoor field were obscured by lingering smoke.
Neither Trainer could simply attack.
They had to think.
“Lillipup, left!”
Footsteps.
Ethan listened.
“Houndour, hold.”
Something moved inside the smoke — not enough to tell.
Wait.
Ryan looked at him.
Ethan looked back.
A shadow appeared.
“Now!”
Houndour lunged.
Bite connected.
Lillipup yelped.
“Tackle!”
Too close.
Lillipup slammed into Houndour.
Both separated.
Houndour skidded.
Lillipup stumbled.
“Again!” Ryan shouted.
Ethan nearly did the same.
Then stopped.
Houndour was closer.
Ryan wanted the exchange.
Why?
Ethan looked at Lillipup — weight forward, ready, waiting.
“Back.”
Ryan’s expression changed.
Houndour retreated.
Lillipup didn’t pursue — there it was.
Ethan smiled.
“You wanted Bite.”
Ryan sighed.
“Maybe.”
Definitely.
Ethan was starting to understand why Maya enjoyed this.
Making somebody else do what you wanted was fun.
Seven minutes.
Houndour was breathing hard.
Lillipup too.
Ethan noticed the difference.
During tryouts, a battle this active would have drained Houndour badly.
Now he was tired, but still sharp, still moving.
Ryan saw it too.
“Lillipup, pressure!”
Lillipup advanced.
Houndour retreated.
Ryan pushed.
Ethan allowed it, letting Houndour drift back toward the edge.
Lucas shouted something from the sideline.
Ethan couldn’t hear it.
Didn’t matter.
He watched Lillipup.
Ryan thought he had them cornered.
Maybe he did.
Houndour reached the boundary.
No more space.
Ryan pointed.
“Now!
Tackle!”
Lillipup sprinted.
Ethan waited.
One second.
“Houndour, forward!”
Ryan’s eyes widened.
Houndour charged directly at Lillipup.
“Smog!”
Smoke exploded.
Both disappeared.
Impact — a growl, a yelp, movement.
Nobody could see.
Ethan listened — left, no, right, there.
“Houndour!
Bite!”
A snarl.
Then—
“Lillipup, break away!”
Both Pokémon burst from the smoke.
Houndour had Lillipup by the shoulder.
Lillipup twisted.
Houndour held.
Ryan shouted.
“Tackle him off!”
Lillipup slammed sideways.
Houndour lost his grip.
Both rolled.
Ethan’s heart hammered.
“Up!”
Both Pokémon struggled to stand.
Houndour got there first.
Not by much.
But first.
Ryan saw it.
So did Ethan.
“Ember!”
Fire struck Lillipup before Ryan could call the dodge.
Lillipup fell.
Tried to stand.
One leg slipped.
Machoke moved.
Reyes raised her hand.
“Stop!”
Ethan froze.
Lillipup remained conscious.
But exhausted.
Houndour stood across from him, chest heaving.
Reyes looked at both.
“Crowe wins.”
For half a second Ethan did nothing.
Then—
“Yes!”
Houndour barked.
“HOUND!”
Ethan ran onto the field.
Houndour met him halfway.
Ethan grabbed him around the neck.
“Good boy!”
Houndour nearly knocked him over.
“You got huge.”
“Hound!”
“Okay, not huge.”
Ryan was crouched beside Lillipup.
Reyes and Machoke checked him.
Nothing serious.
Exhaustion.
Minor bruising.
Normal battle injuries.
Ryan recalled him after the check.
Then walked toward Ethan.
Ethan stood.
“Good battle.”
Ryan nodded.
“You got me.”
“Yeah.”
“Again sometime.”
“Definitely.”
That was it.
No drama.
Ryan went to sit down.
Ethan liked him.
Maya approached while Ethan gave Houndour water.
“Better.”
Ethan looked up.
“That’s all?”
“Much.”
He smiled.
“Much better?”
“Don’t ruin it.”
Ethan laughed.
Maya crouched.
She looked at Houndour.
“He’s faster.”
“Reyes said that.”
“Stamina too.”
“Yep.”
“You doing something different?”
Ethan’s hand paused for half a second.
Then continued rubbing Houndour’s neck.
“Training.”
Maya rolled her eyes.
“Obviously.”
She stood.
“Whatever it is, keep doing it.”
Ethan smiled.
“Planning to.”
Evaluations continued.
Chloe won hers.
Not through power.
Budew spent most of the battle being chased and somehow made the other Pokémon miserable enough to lose.
Ethan wasn’t entirely sure how.
It was very Chloe.
Noah lost again.
Hannah won.
Maya destroyed one of the other students.
Ethan felt slightly better about lasting nine minutes against her.
Slightly.
By early afternoon, everyone was exhausted.
Reyes finally dismissed them.
“No lineup?” Noah asked.
Reyes looked at him.
“No.”
Collective groan.
“Monday.”
More groaning.
“Go home.”
Monday came much too slowly.
Ethan checked the team board before first period.
Nothing.
At lunch, nothing again.
After classes—
There.
A crowd had already formed.
Ethan pushed through.
“Move.”
Noah looked over.
“You’re short.
Go underneath.”
“I’m not short.”
“You are from here.”
Ethan shoved past him.
The board showed:
GRAYHAVEN SECONDARY ACADEMY VS.
NORTHGATE SECONDARY ACADEMY
Below it:
PRELIMINARY COMPETITIVE ASSIGNMENTS
Ethan read.
Returning members.
Maya.
Oliver.
Hannah.
Then—
Lucas.
Chloe.
His finger moved lower, then stopped.
CROWE, ETHAN — SINGLES
He stared — once, twice — it was still there.
Singles.
His first official interschool battle.
Ethan smiled.
“Got one?”
Chloe stood beside him.
He pointed.
“I can read.”
“Then why ask?”
“Politeness.”
“You?”
She ignored him.
Chloe had an assignment too.
Lucas had one as well.
Ryan remained reserve.
But Reyes had listed him as an alternate.
Nobody’s season was over.
Nobody’s place was permanent.
But Ethan had his chance.
That was enough.
Arthur was waiting in the truck.
Ethan opened the door.
“Singles.”
Arthur looked at him.
“What?”
“Northgate.”
Ethan climbed inside.
“I’m fighting Singles.”
Arthur smiled.
“Good.”
“That’s it?”
“What do you want?”
“Maybe some enthusiasm.”
Arthur raised both hands.
“My grandson has been selected to participate in a middle-school Pokémon battle.”
Ethan stared.
“You’re terrible.”
Arthur laughed and started the truck.
Houndour sat between them.
Ethan rubbed the Pokémon’s head.
“We got in.”
“Hound.”
Arthur pulled away from school.
“Don’t mistake getting selected for winning.”
“I know.”
“Northgate was runner-up last year.”
“I know.”
“They’ll have experienced Trainers.”
“I know.”
“Possibly Normal-grade opponents.”
Ethan smiled.
“I know.”
Arthur glanced over.
“You seem happy about that.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
Ethan looked at Houndour.
Five weeks ago he’d been smaller, slower, tired sooner.
Maya’s Furret had shown them exactly how far they still had to go.
Ryan had improved.
So had Lucas.
Everyone was moving — which meant catching up to them would actually matter.
“Because we have time.”
Arthur frowned.
“For what?”
“To get stronger.”
That evening, Ethan and Houndour stood before the portal.
Arthur checked their equipment.
Stoutland waited beside him.
No deep exploration tonight.
Training only.
They stepped through.
The familiar Dark Realm surrounded them — dim forest, cool air, dark vegetation.
Houndour changed almost immediately: ears higher, steps lighter, tail moving.
Comfortable.
Home wasn’t the right word.
Bennett Orchards was home.
But this place suited him.
Ethan smiled.
“Ready?”
“Hound!”
They started running.
There was plenty neither Ethan nor Arthur knew — what waited in the Realm’s deepest, unmapped stretches, why this particular ground had turned out Dark-aligned in the first place, what that enormous slate buried far beyond their mapped routes actually was.
All of it could wait.
Houndour loved it here regardless — trained harder, recovered faster, and lately, grew in ways that still didn’t entirely add up.
That was enough for Ethan, for now.
He ran after Houndour into the trees.
Northgate could wait until Monday.
Tonight there was just running, and Houndour, a few strides ahead and still speeding up.