Vs. Magikarp

"Wait... a vampire?" I murmured under my breath, narrowing my eyes at Amaris. She stood on her side of the battlefield, breathing heavily, almost theatrically, as if she were in some kind of romance novel.

"Miss, please don't say stuff like that!" I called out, but she acted like she hadn't heard a word.

Before I could dwell on it any longer, the announcer's voice cut through the tension.

"Trainers, get ready! On the count of three, send out your Pokémon!"

I sighed, shaking my head, and reached for Oddy's Poké Ball. Whatever, let's just win this.

"One..."

I tightened my grip.

"Two..."

"Three! Trainers, start the battle!"

"Oddy, go! Start with Stun Spore!" I shouted as I threw the Poké Ball.

The ball burst open in a flash of red light, and Oddy,the unusual Grass/Dark-type Gloom, materialized on the battlefield, his eerie dark petals shifting in anticipation.

Amaris tossed her own Poké Ball with a dramatic flair, her lips curling into a smile.

"Go, Magikarp! Use Splash!"

A loud plop echoed as the red fish flopped onto the platform.

I blinked.

"Wait... a Magikarp? Splash?" I asked, dumbfounded.

The fish bounced in place, its mouth gaping uselessly at the air.

Oddy turned to glance at me as if asking Are we really doing this? Then, with a shrug, he turned back and released a fine golden dust of Stun Spore over the Magikarp, the particles settling onto its smooth, glistening scales.

For a second, nothing happened.

Then—

The Magikarp twitched.

And twitched again.

It flopped once....

And then, as expected, it got paralyzed, its body locking up mid-bounce before flopping helplessly back onto the platform.

I stared as she smirked.

"What kind of battle even is this...? A Magikarp? But why would one of the Water Sisters use this Pokémon...?"

Then it hit me.

This competition wasn't just about winning—it was about style. And what could be less stylish than struggling against a Magikarp?

"Oddy, use Leech Seed around Magikarp, then return!" I commanded.

Oddy nodded, the eerie mouths on his head opening slightly before launching a flurry of glowing green seeds. They scattered in a perfect circle around the flopping fish, embedding themselves into the floor. With a small hop, Oddy propelled himself upward, and I swiftly recalled him mid-air, his Pokéball snapping shut in my hand.

And for the real performance.

I grabbed Aria's Pokéball and grinned. "Aria, use Double Team! Grab Magikarp and teleport high above the arena!"

As soon as Aria emerged, her form split into multiple identical copies. Each illusion flickered and danced, creating a shifting, ghostly elegant presence around her. Even as they moved, they stayed in perfect synchrony—like reflections on rippling water.

Amaris smirked. "Magikarp, use Splash! " she called out confidently.

I almost laughed.

The poor fish flailed helplessly, barely getting off the ground before flopping right back down.

Then, one of the Arias dashed forward, weaving through the illusions before grabbing the paralyzed Magikarp. In a flash, they vanished—only to reappear high above the arena.

Gasps erupted from the audience. Camera flashes lit up the stadium like a lightning storm.

And that's when Aria really got creative.

Still mid-air, her clones began tossing Magikarp between one another like an elegant game of beach volley. Each movement was graceful, effortless, as if they were putting on a dazzling aerial ballet. Below them, the seeds Oddy had planted earlier began to sprout, vines slithering across the battlefield, weaving themselves into a stunning pattern of blossoms and twisting greenery. The flowers bloomed in sync with the performance, creating a breathtaking visual spectacle.

Amaris stared, her mouth slightly open in awe.

Her own Magikarp had become the star of Aria's show.

"Aria!" I called, raising my hand dramatically. "Finish it with Hex!"

The real Aria teleported into the center of her clones, holding Magikarp in place. The illusions surrounded them in a perfect circle, their eyes glowing an ominous purple. A dark energy pulsed between them before exploding outward—

BOOM.

A wave of spectral power engulfed the fish, sending it hurtling toward the water.

A burst of energy sent Magikarp plummeting toward the water. The moment it struck the surface, the impact sent a ripple across the pool—but before it could sink, one of Oddy's vines coiled upward, catching the stunned fish mid-drop. It held the Magikarp there for a second—just long enough for the crowd to take in the sight—before the vine gave a lazy flick, sending it bouncing harmlessly against the glass wall.

Silence.

The moment the glass lifted, I straightened my suit, adjusting my glasses with one hand.

Across the field, Amaris was staring. Her expression unreadable.

Then I noticed the red tinge creeping up her cheeks with her smile.

I didn't dwell on it. Instead, I turned, returned Aria to her Pokéball, and gave a brief nod to the crowd.

The match was over.

After the glass barrier lifted, I took a moment to glance around the arena.

The girl in streetwear stood victorious, her Pikachu perched on her shoulder, sparks still crackling from its cheeks. A few feet away, the boy in white clothes adjusted his sleeves, his Electabuzz flexing triumphantly beside him. But both of them looked just as confused as I felt.

"Wait—did you guys fight a Magikarp too?" the girl suddenly blurted out.

We exchanged glances before nodding.

"Yeah, but I don't get it," the boy said, rubbing the back of his head. "I kept expecting it to evolve or something—thought maybe we were supposed to have some big dramatic battle—but nope. Just a regular Magikarp."

I frowned. Did they not realize we had to win with style?

"Wait… you guys just defeated the Magikarp?" I asked, recalling Aria back into her Pokéball.

The boy shrugged. "Yeah, I just hit it with Thunder Punch right away."

"Same," the girl said. "Used Thunder Shock the second I saw it."

I couldn't help but let out a short laugh.

The boy's face twisted in worry. "Hey! Did you just laugh? Why are you laughing?"

Before I could answer, the announcer's voice boomed over the speakers.

*Ahem!**AHEM!*

"Looks like some of our trainers DIDN'T listen when I said you needed to defeat the Water Sisters in a STYLISH way!"

A wave of murmurs and chuckles rippled through the audience as the girl and boy's expressions darkened in realization.

"Trainer Number 7 and Trainer Number 18! Please leave the stage!"

The two of them sighed in defeat before stepping back.

"Well, good luck against Misty, Number 3!" the boy called, giving me a nod of encouragement as he left.

"Yeah, kick her ass for us!" the girl added, tossing something in my direction.

I caught it mid-air—a small potion bottle.

"Thanks," I said with a grin, tucking it into my pocket.

"Now!" the announcer continued. "After a five-minute break, we'll begin today's FINAL battle! Visitors,you can take this time to grab a snack or drink at the bar!"

The crowd erupted into cheers as I turned and jogged back toward the backstage area, slipping through the curtain once more.

The moment I stepped inside, I was greeted by Leo and a small group of trainers.

"Congrats, you lucky bastard," one said, smirking as he clapped me on the shoulder.

"Luck? Nah, he actually did pretty well! Of course considering that the other two were idiots." one trainer chimed in.

"That Magikarp is probably traumatized," another added with a chuckle.

Before I could respond, Leo suddenly grabbed me by the collar of my suit and yanked me aside.

"Alright, you losers, clear out! I need to give this guy some real advice," he announced, waving them off.

A collective groan of "Awww!" filled the room as the trainers reluctantly filed out, leaving just the two of us.

I crossed my arms. "Alright, so… what kind of tips are you giving me?"

Leo grinned. "None."

I blinked. "What?"

"I just said that to get rid of them." He burst into laughter at my unimpressed glare.

Sighing, I dropped onto one of the stools. "Hilarious. So do you actually have any advice, or was that it?"

Leo leaned in, lowering his voice like he was about to share some deep secret.

"Alright, listen closely," he said. "I have one very important question for you."

I narrowed my eyes, waiting. "I'm listening."

"Do you…" He paused for dramatic effect. "…know how to ride a jet ski?"

I stiffened.

"Wait—don't tell me—"

Leo's grin widened. "Yep!"

"Shit."

"You're fighting on a jet ski in the pool."

Leo burst into laughter as I ran a hand down my face in exasperation.