"Carbink, Stone Edge!"
✲ Stone Edge ✲
Hearing Cole's command, Carbink tried to attack, but a sluggish sensation slowed its movements.
At that moment, Valerie called out to her Pokémon, "Aromatisse, Calm Mind."
✲ Calm Mind ✲
Aromatisse immediately enhanced its power — it being a move that greatly increased special attack strength.
When Carbink's Stone Edge finally activated, Aromatisse moved with surprising speed, effortlessly dodging the flying stone spears. As Carbink continued its barrage, Aromatisse both evaded and kept using Calm Mind to boost its power.
This was a dire situation.
Without Light Screen — a move it hadn't yet learned from Daisy — Carbink had no means of raising its special defense. If Aromatisse kept boosting its special attack, even Carbink's naturally high defenses might not be enough.
As the battle continued, Cole bowed his head in concentration, searching for a way to break through the Trick Room's effects.
Finally, Aromatisse finished powering up and ceased its evasive maneuvers.
"Aromatisse, Moonblast!"
✲ Moonblast ✲
At Valerie's command, a crescent moon materialized behind Aromatisse. Pure moonlight bathed its body before condensing into a brilliant silver beam aimed at Carbink.
Slowed by Trick Room's effect, Carbink couldn't dodge in time and took the Moonblast directly.
"Carbink!"
Despite Cole's worried cry, Carbink shook itself, showing it was fine—its high special defense could withstand several hits.
Cole glanced at the cubic Trick Room, and inspiration struck.
"Carbink, use Sharpen!"
Though puzzled by the command to boost its attack, Carbink obeyed.
✲ Sharpen ✲
Its edges began to glow with white light, its diamond-embedded parts radiating an especially keen energy.
"Aromatisse, Moonblast!" Valerie seized the opportunity to command another attack on Carbink.
✲ Moonblast ✲
BOOM!!!
The silver beam struck Carbink again, making it sway, but it held steady.
"Carbink, keep using Sharpen!"
The command puzzled not only Carbink but Valerie as well.
What was he thinking? Even with boosted attack power, how could Carbink land a hit?
With this thought, she called out again: "Aromatisse, Moonblast!"
Cole remained focused, commanding Carbink to continue boosting its attack while enduring the adversary's assault. After taking five Moonblasts, Carbink was battered but standing.
Though Trick Room briefly wore off during this time, Aromatisse smoothly renewed it — a testament to its mastery of the move.
As Aromatisse readied another attack, Cole suddenly commanded: "Carbink, Stone Edge, Form Two!"
"Carb~"
✲ Stone Edge ⇾ Pillar ✲
Carbink's eyes sharpened with determination. Its attack power, now at its peak from multiple enhancements, channeled into a powerful ground slam. Instantly, countless stone pillars erupted throughout the Trick Room, filling the battlefield.
Caught mid-charge, Aromatisse took a direct hit from a stone pillar, its Moonblast interrupted. As it tried to escape, the dense array of stone pillars severely restricted its movement.
"Carbink, Stone Edge, Form Two!" Cole called out again.
Stone Edge wasn't just limited to rock spears — a skilled user could shape it into various forms, including pillars.
Having trained under a master like Ember, Carbink had mastered these advanced techniques.
At Cole's command, countless more stone pillars erupted within the Trick Room.
'You're fast at moving? Then I'll leave you no space to move.' Cole thought.
After all, Carbink was a stationary attacker — the pillars didn't affect it and even served as defensive shields. Thanks to the attack boosts, each stone pillar it created was now extremely thick.
As more stone pillars filled the space, Aromatisse's movement became increasingly restricted. It had to constantly watch for pillars that could emerge anywhere, risking being launched skyward if caught off guard.
Though it wanted to attack Carbink, layers of stone pillars protected its opponent, leaving Aromatisse helpless.
"Carbink, Gravity, then Stomping Tantrum!" Cole called out.
✲ Gravity ✲
As Aromatisse carefully navigated between the pillars, a binding force suddenly overwhelmed it. In an instant, Gravity pinned it to the ground. The earth began to shake, and the surrounding pillars started to sway.
✲ Stomping Tantrum ✲
"Aromatisse!" Valerie cried in alarm as all the stone pillars toppled toward her pinned Pokémon.
RUMBLE~~~
In a flash, Aromatisse vanished beneath an avalanche of stone pillars.
Moments later, the Rock-type energy pillars dissolved into points of light and faded away, revealing the fallen Aromatisse.
"Oh no~ I lost, I lost," Valerie said with regret as she recalled Aromatisse to its Poké Ball.
Cole approached Carbink and said to her, "Keep trying, you'll definitely get the badge."
"Of course! Just you wait, I'll definitely be back!" After storing the Poké Ball, Valerie ran off.
Once she had gone, Cole released Larvitar from its Poké Ball, gave it a berry, and had Daisy use Heal Pulse to revive it.
Larvitar sank into depression as it remembered its defeat by Mawile. It was mortifying to have lost so completely, unable to put up any resistance.
Cole consoled it: "Come on, everyone has their firsts. It's just one battle, and you can keep working hard for next time."
"Yow... Yow~"
Larvitar retreated to a corner, drawing circles on the ground with its finger, withdrawn and refusing to speak.
That's when Carbink approached and said, "Don't worry, I'll train you well from now on. Next time you face a situation like this, you'll handle it with confidence."
Being fellow Rock-type Pokémon, Larvitar had learned much from Carbink — not just moves but battle techniques as well. When Carbink spoke, Larvitar instantly believed it. Its gloom vanished as it happily followed behind Carbink.
Seeing Larvitar's swift mood change, Cole shook his head with amusement.
For the rest of the day, he continued watching over the gym. During quiet periods, he studied and read, and time passed quickly. Only Valerie challenged that day, and at sunset, he packed up and headed home.
Cole watched the gym for Ramos for three days total, receiving just two challengers. After Valerie, a male trainer came the next day — he too failed to earn a badge from Cole.
When Ramos returned and heard about this record, he shook his head.
"As gym leaders, we don't automatically withhold badges when challengers lose. You could have awarded a badge to that rookie trainer who came on the first day. Following your strict method, hardly anyone would earn badges."
Cole replied sheepishly, "How was I supposed to know? You never told me."
Ramos sighed, "Well, if she still wants the badge, she'll return. Not awarding a badge after a loss does follow the rules."
"That's right, exactly." Cole quickly nodded.
Ramos gave him an exasperated pat on the back, "Since you helped watch the gym, I brought you a gift."
Cole's eyes lit up, "What gift?"
Though Ramos hadn't explained his trip to Lavender Town, and Cole hadn't asked, he certainly welcomed a gift. Ramos turned and rummaged briefly before producing a small, delicate U-shaped magnet.
"This is for your Heliolisk. When it holds this, its Electric-type moves will become stronger."
Cole's eyes lit up as he understood. He smiled, taking the magnet from Ramos, "Then I humbly accept!"
He sent out Heliolisk and handed it the magnet.
"Helio~ Helio~"
Heliolisk chirped happily, taking the magnet and tucking it securely beneath its neck frills.
After chatting with Ramos for a while longer, Cole headed home.
✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲✲
A few days later, Valerie returned to challenge the Coumarine Gym, specifically requesting Cole as her opponent.
When Ramos called to ask his opinion, Cole flatly refused — she could challenge whoever she wanted, but his task was done and he wasn't getting involved.
Despite Valerie's repeated protests and Cole's continued silence, she eventually had no choice but to challenge Ramos instead. She earned her badge and left Coumarine.
From then on, Cole became "the one that got away" for Valerie.
One morning, Cole groggily walked out of his room. As he reached the doorway, his foot bumped against something. Looking down, he saw a dusty little cat sitting there, gazing up at him innocently.
Where did this Espurr come from?
"Hatte~ Hatte~"
Just then, Hatterene rushed into the living room and scooped up the Espurr from the floor. As Cole's vision cleared, he noticed a second Espurr perched on Hatterene's body.
So these two Espurr had hatched from those eggs?
"Did these two Espurr hatch from the eggs you found?"
"Hatte~" — Yes, they did.
Hatterene cradled the two Espurr tenderly, her eyes brimming with motherly love.
Cole was amazed that she had found two rare Psychic-type Pokémon eggs — no small feat. He had even filed a lost item report at the police station when there was no activity across the street, but no legitimate owner came forward.
A few people had tried to claim the eggs, but they were clearly trying to take advantage. Officer Jenny had seen through their lies quickly and given them a stern reprimand.
"Well, since they've hatched, let's take good care of them." Cole said.
"Hatte~ Hatte~"
Hatterene nodded in agreement.
Cole walked out into the courtyard to find his Pokémon already hard at work in the early morning.
Daisy was engaged in its daily sparring session with Captain Talonflame. Nearby, Larvitar and Carbink huddled together, studying Stone Edge techniques as scattered rocks littered the ground around them.
Chikorita bounded through the flower beds, its abundant energy causing the Fairy Flowers to bloom with unusual vigor for the early hour. The display had attracted Floette and her Flabébé companions to linger nearby.
Cole couldn't spot Brionne, but he knew it had likely gone to the reservoir at the mountain's foot, where its group of underlings awaited its "attention".
Heliolisk was lying on a large rock, its head held high and neck frills spread wide to absorb the rising sun's energy.
Since Cole had helped activate its hidden energy circuits, Heliolisk had gained a remarkable new ability — it could generate substantial electrical power by absorbing solar energy through its neck frills.
This unique ability set it apart from other Heliolisk.
Hoping to master the move Sunny Day, Heliolisk spent hours sunbathing each day.
Learning Sunny Day would be invaluable in battle, especially combined with its solar-powered electricity generation.
Weather moves, however, proved challenging to master. Despite its dedicated practice, Heliolisk didn't learn Sunny Day — instead, it unexpectedly mastered Flash. While not ideal, at least the effort hadn't been entirely fruitless.
Seeing Heliolisk's continued struggle with Sunny Day, Cole decided to seek Ramos's guidance.
Though Sunny Day was a Fire-type move, Grass-type Pokémon learned it naturally. As a Grass-type specialist, Ramos had several Pokémon who could use it.
After breakfast, Cole called him. Soon after, the old man's Tropius glided down to Mt. Ascendant.
This familiar Tropius — which had carried Cole many times before — was another of Ramos's Pokémon that knew Sunny Day.
✲✲✲
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