500 stone chapter
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It was the next day. Wallace stood tall in a flowing teal coat lined with sparkling scales, his Milotic gleaming behind him like a living ribbon.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of the Whirl Cup!" His voice rang out. "After days of intense, elegant battling, we have reached the semifinals!"
Beside him, Maya walked up and held up the Great Sea Spirit Sapphire. "It has been a wonderful few days with a lot of great battles, and I have no doubt that there is more yet to come."
From the stands, Ash was sitting with Brock and Yellow. Misty had already gone over to prepare for her match, so they got some time to themselves, but Ash was too busy looking towards the water as if he was trying to find something, but he said nothing
As he was lost in thought, Wallace continued, "Today, the remaining trainers will face off in a 2-on-2 double battle. Only two shall move on to the finals, where they will compete for the title of Whirl Cup Champion and the blessing of the Sea Spirit!"
The screens showed the matchups for the day: Misty was up against a girl from Kalos, while Nessa would face a guy from Hoenn.
Misty was already walking to her spot. She stepped onto her platform. After everything last night, she was much more, well, let's say invested in training harder. If you could even call it that. At least she chilled out, but it was almost like the whole pep talk with Ash from two nights ago hadn't even happened.
On the opposite platform stood a tall, poised Kalosian swimmer named Talia, dressed in a sleek navy wetsuit and wearing a belt of six Poké Balls, though only two were allowed. She raised a hand in greeting, but Misty didn't return it. She was too focused on the stands, checking to see if Nessa was watching her.
"This is a two-on-two match!" the referee announced. "Trainers, send out your Pokémon!"
"Let's go, Starmie and Lapras!" Misty threw her Poké Balls.
With a spin and a flash, Starmie emerged midair and splashed into the water. A reluctant-sounding rroooaaargh echoed as Lapras appeared, immediately looking back at Misty with narrowed eyes and a disgruntled groan. He snorted a spray of water at her feet, either out of annoyance or just because he could. Probably both.
"Love you too," Misty muttered under her breath, hands on hips. At this point, she was used to it.
Talia, meanwhile, released a Seismitoad and a Cloyster.
"Battle, begin!"
Talia wasted no time. "Cloyster, use [Shell Smash]! Seismitoad, [Muddy Water]!"
Cloyster spun and glowed as it cracked its own shell. Meanwhile, Seismitoad slammed its big hands into the water, creating a swirling mass of brown, churning liquid that surged forward in a wave.
Misty shot her hand up. "Lapras, [Ice Beam] on the water to freeze it! Starmie, [Psychic] on that water!"
Lapras gave a reluctant groan but blasted a ray of blue light that froze the incoming wave into a slippery ramp, halting the [Muddy Water]. At the same time, Starmie's gem pulsed as the frozen ice shattered, and the broken shards shot back at Seismitoad and Cloyster like bullets.
As the two Pokémon slid back, Misty took the chance. "[Hydro Pump], now!" she shouted to Lapras.
Lapras's eyes narrowed. With a hmph, he opened his maw and unleashed a jet of water, slamming Seismitoad backward.
"Cloyster, stop it with [Icicle Spear]!" Talia commanded.
As Cloyster's shell opened, it started shooting shards of ice, aiming at Lapras's neck to interrupt the [Ice Beam].
Lapras flinched as the [Icicle Spear] barrage hammered toward him.
Misty's eyes narrowed. "Starmie, intercept with [Rapid Spin]!"
Starmie launched forward, spinning like a disk, shattering each shard of ice and giving Lapras enough time to move out of the way.
Misty pointed at the water. "Lapras, use [Ice Beam], then [Body Slam] on Seismitoad!"
Lapras raised his head and shot another blue beam at the water, freezing it so neither of the two Pokémon could escape. Then, using the ice as a ramp, he slid forward, jumped up, and slammed down onto the frog, who let out a croaking wheeze as it was pinned beneath Lapras.
Talia grit her teeth. "[Hydro Pump], both of you!"
Seismitoad opened its mouth and blasted Lapras point-blank. His ability wasn't Water Absorb, it was Shell Armor, so it did do damage. At the same time, Cloyster unleashed another blast toward Starmie.
Misty raised her hand sharply. "Starmie, dodge and counter with [Thunderbolt]!"
Starmie zipped to the side, the [Hydro Pump] barely missing as its core gem sparked, sending a bolt of lightning crashing down onto the soaked Cloyster. It convulsed with a crackle and hissed in pain.
"Lapras, get rid of Seismitoad, [Ice Shard], point-blank!" Misty commanded with a wave of her arm.
Lapras shook off the blast of water and began firing shards of ice directly into Seismitoad's face, again and again and again, until eventually, it stopped struggling and swirls replaced its eyes.
The referee pointed. "Seismitoad is unable to battle!"
Talia bit her lip. Now things weren't looking good for her, but she didn't give up. "Cloyster, [Rock Blast] on Lapras!"
Cloyster tried summoning balls of stone to throw at Lapras, who looked more tired than Starmie. But Misty didn't give her the chance.
"Starmie, counter with [Power Gem]! Lapras, you too, use [Hyper Voice]!"
Starmie's gem glowed as it conjured stones and launched them, colliding with Cloyster's rock blasts. At the same time, Lapras raised his head and screamed at the top of his lungs. The force of the [Hyper Voice] pushed against Cloyster's rocks, easily overwhelming them.
Then Cloyster got hit with both [Power Gem] and [Hyper Voice], creating a small explosion that cracked the ice. When the smoke cleared, Cloyster lay on the floor with spirals in its eyes.
The buzzer blared.
The referee raised his flag. "Seismitoad and Cloyster are unable to battle! The victory goes to Misty!"
The crowd burst into cheers.
Misty exhaled and returned Starmie. She looked at Lapras, who gave her a heavy-lidded glare.
"Yeah, yeah," she muttered, returning him too. "I'll get you a poffin or whatever."
She took a step back and headed to the locker rooms to sit down and rest. She wasn't as happy as she'd hoped she would be.
—
When it was time for Nessa's match, she walked out to the stage, taking her spot and a small breath.
From the opposite side, her opponent, a boy named Trevor, stepped out. His long green hair was tied back, and his expression was smug.
"So, if I beat you, how about you go on a date with me?" he said with a smirk.
Nessa had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. If she had a nickel for every time someone tried that... "How about you talk if you can beat me," she replied flatly.
Before he could answer, the referee blew the whistle, starting the match. Nessa and Trevor both threw out their Pokémon.
"Go, Golisopod and Barraskewda!" Nessa called.
"Swampert and Lanturn, go!" Trevor followed immediately.
As the four Pokémon hit the water, the battle began with Trevor taking the first move.
"Swampert, [Earth Power]!"
Swampert slammed its massive hands into the small patch of solid ground beneath it, and a pillar of brown energy erupted upward toward Golisopod.
"Not happening, [First Impression]!" Nessa countered.
Golisopod dashed forward like a bullet, disappearing and reappearing behind Swampert, slashing it across the back before it could react.
Trevor blinked in surprise, then snapped back to action. "Lanturn, quick, [Thunderbolt]!"
"Barraskewda, dodge with [Aqua Jet]!" Nessa shot back.
Lanturn's antenna glowed a brilliant yellow as it unleashed a crackling bolt of lightning across the water. Barraskewda, however, rocketed forward in a zigzag pattern over the surface, avoiding the electricity and slamming into Lanturn's side with a sharp impact, knocking the floating fish into a spinning drift.
Golisopod, meanwhile, landed beside Swampert again, its claws clicking as it loomed.
Trevor grit his teeth. "Swampert, [Hammer Arm]! Don't let it get close again!"
Swampert roared and raised a thick arm, which began to glow red as the air around it shimmered with raw force.
"[Sucker Punch]!" Nessa shouted.
The moment Swampert began its swing, Golisopod's claws darkened with energy and slashed upward, intercepting the attack mid-swing and stabbing Swampert's arm. The Water/Ground Pokémon grunted in pain, its [Hammer Arm] fizzling out as Golisopod followed with a second slash across its face.
Trevor's focus flicked between both sides of the battlefield. "Lanturn, dive under and use [Confuse Ray] on Golisopod!"
Lanturn slipped beneath the surface, swimming closer, but Nessa's eyes narrowed.
"Barraskewda, [Drill Run], churn the water!"
Barraskewda dove like a torpedo, spinning as it entered the water. A vortex formed in its wake, churning the pool into chaos and dragging Lanturn off course. The [Confuse Ray] missed entirely.
Switching focus, Nessa snapped, "Golisopod, now, [Leech Life] on Swampert!"
Golisopod's claws pulsed with green energy as it lunged at Swampert, stabbing into its arms and draining its energy with a vicious strike. Swampert groaned and staggered, clearly weakened, but it grit its teeth and grabbed hold of Golisopod's claws.
"Swampert, [Ice Punch], get it off you!" Trevor shouted.
Swampert charged its fist with icy energy and slammed it into Golisopod's armored chest. The blow knocked the Bug-type backward, freeing Swampert at last.
But Nessa didn't look worried.
"[Poison Jab]!"
Barraskewda burst from the water mid-spin, its body glowing purple. It stabbed into Swampert's back before diving back down. Swampert winced, cheeks flushing slightly purple, it had been poisoned. and the poison damage was too much, it fell over into the water, and the announcer called it as Nessa's victory,
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Later that day, Misty took some time to cool off. Ash, Brock, and Yellow had invited her to enjoy the festival with them and grab some lunch. Since they were her friends, she eventually calmed down from her anger and agreed. But first, she needed to clear her head.
She sat quietly near the water. The breeze and gentle waves soothed her, but a lingering frustration gnawed at her. After the battle, people had immediately swarmed around Nessa. She was a famous model, after all, they wanted autographs, photos, and her managers whisked her away for more shoots.
"Figures," Misty muttered, tightening her grip on the edge of the bench. "Of course she gets all the attention."
She clenched a Poké Ball in her hand. But then, footsteps.
Misty glanced up to see none other than Nessa approaching.
Dressed casually now, her long jacket flowing behind her in the breeze, Nessa offered a small, warm smile. "Hey," she greeted, stopping a few feet away. "I've been looking for you. Figured we should talk before the final match."
Misty stiffened, her eyes narrowing.
Nessa continued, her voice gentle but sincere. "I've seen you battle… you're strong. I was kinda hoping we'd end up fighting each other. You remind me of… well, me, a little. I thought it'd be cool if we, y'know, talked. Maybe even become friends."
There was a pause. Misty's fingers tightened around the Poké Ball. That casual smile. That warm, perfect voice. That same tone her sisters used when pretending to compliment her, before mocking her behind her back or asking her to do something.
It made something inside her snap.
Misty let out a short, humorless laugh. "Friends? That what this is to you?"
Nessa blinked. "I mean… yeah. Why not?"
"You don't get it," Misty snapped, standing up. "You come in here all smiles and elegance, the darling of Galar, and everyone loves you. You walk into a Gym Leader role like it's a fashion show, and now you're here, sweeping through this tournament like it's nothing."
Nessa's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Misty turned fully to face her, eyes blazing. "It means people like you don't have to try. You get handed everything. Fame, fans, praise—"
"I've worked for everything I've got," Nessa shot back, her voice sharp now. "You think modeling and training are easy to balance? I've pushed myself harder than most people ever do. Just because I don't act like I'm angry at the world doesn't mean I didn't earn this."
"Oh, please." Misty's voice dripped with venom. "People like you are the kind of people I hate the most. You walk out with your perfect hair and your perfect smile, and they cheer. And then there's the rest of us, then there's me, who worked until I wanted to quit, and worked some more. And all anyone remembers are my sisters."
Nessa's expression shifted. "So that's it. This isn't even about me. You're mad because I remind you of them."
Misty's breath caught as she clenched her hands. Deep down, she knew this wasn't about Nessa, it was about herself. But she wouldn't admit it. Years of burying her jealousy had taught her that much.
"You think I'm some shallow girl who doesn't take her Gym seriously," Nessa said, stepping forward. "But you're not mad at me. You're mad at the girls who ignored you. At the people who didn't see your worth until you started winning. I get it. I do. But don't put that on me."
"You don't get anything!" Misty shouted, turning away. "You don't know what it's like, being told you're the backup, the unwanted one, like you weren't even supposed to exist. I had to fight for every scrap of respect I got!"
"And now you're putting that on everyone else, huh!?" Nessa's voice was cold. "Because I look like someone who hurt you?"
Neither of them spoke. The wind rustled through the palm trees. The ocean below churned.
"You want to be friends?" Misty hissed, her voice low and bitter. "Then maybe stop acting like you're better than everyone."
"I don't think I'm better," Nessa said, jaw tight. "But I won't let you tear me down just because you're still stuck in someone else's shadow."
"I'm not in anyone's shadow," Misty said, clenching her hands, like that phrase was a trigger for her.
They stared each other down, two storms locked in place.
"Tomorrow," Misty said finally, her voice trembling with rage. "We settle this."
"Fine by me," Nessa replied. "But don't expect me to hold back. Not out of pity. Not for anyone."
She turned and walked away, her long shadow trailing behind her as the sun dipped toward the water.
Misty stood there, fists clenched, every nerve on fire. Her heart pounded. She didn't know if she was angry at Nessa… or at herself.
—-
It was the middle of the night. Misty was still awake. She couldn't sleep, not with everything going on, not with tomorrow being the final battle.
Misty looked down at her Poké Ball belt and thought about what she would do. Maybe Starmie, technically her starter Pokémon. Maybe Gyarados, probably one of her strongest. Maybe… if she asked Ash, she could borrow his Mega Stone.
She shook her head. No, there's no way he'd do that. For Brock, he gave his Keystone, and that was it. The Mega Stone he had just so happened to be for Steelix. Misty had her own Mega Stone, but when she compared it to Ash's Gyaradosite, it looked different. Her's had more purple in it.
She sighed and sat on the balcony. She was shaking, not from the cold, but from nervousness. Fear. Anger, maybe. All of it mixed into a self-destructive smoothie.
Misty wrapped her arms around herself. Her nails dug into her skin so hard it almost drew blood, but before it did, she heard the sliding door creak open.
She quickly composed herself and looked back. Ash stood there, closing the door behind him.
"Hey. Can't sleep either?"
"O-oh, yeah, I guess. Nervousness, hehe…" Misty let out a humorless laugh.
Ash frowned and walked over, sitting in the chair next to hers. "Yeah. Not to mention the whole thing you did to Nessa."
Misty lowered her head. "Ah… you heard." She stayed silent for a moment.
"Yeah. You were screaming. And I don't know if you remember, but… I kinda got a superpower," Ash said as his eyes glowed blue again.
Misty sighed and buried her face in her knees. "I'm sorry… for how I've been acting… I've been a mess, haven't I…"
"Yeah, you kinda have," Ash said, not even bothering to sugarcoat it.
Misty swallowed hard. "I don't know what's wrong with me," she said, staring at the boards beneath her feet. "I just… I look at her, and it's like all the worst parts of me bubble up. She didn't even do anything wrong."
"Not really, no."
"I know that!" she snapped, then immediately recoiled. "Sorry. I just… I know. I know it's not her fault. But when I see her, it's like… all I can think of is my sisters. And how no one ever took me seriously. How they got everything just for being pretty. How I had to fight for anyone to even look at me."
Ash leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "And now Nessa shows up, and she's everything you wanted to be, right?"
Misty nodded slowly. "And my brain just… it tells me she didn't earn it. Because that's how it worked back then, that's how it was with my sisters. Even if I know it's not fair, I… I can't turn it off, even though I know it's not fair to her."
Ash didn't say anything right away. He looked up at the sky for a moment. "You know, I always thought you were good enough," he said. "I thought you said you were starting to make up with your sisters."
"I was… but you know the memories of what happened are still there… the things they did, they said… it's still there…" Misty mumbled.
"Well, you know… the more you let your past define you, the more it's just going to hurt you and everyone else around you," Ash said, looking at her. "If you go into that battle tomorrow just trying to beat your sisters through her, you're gonna lose."
Misty closed her eyes, feeling tears sting behind her lids. "I know…" she was forcing herself not to cry, she never let anyone see her cry, it was just something she learned because of what happened to her growing up
Ash saw her, trying to force herself not to cry, so he did the only reasonable thing, he scooted closer to her and gave her a hug
Misty stiffened at first, startled by the hug, for a bit she weakly protested pushing on Ash's chest but there was no strength in them. After a moment, she let out a trembling breath and leaned into it, burying her face against Ash's shoulder, and started to cry
"I'm sorry," she mumbled again, the tears finally slipping free. "I didn't mean to take it out on her. I don't mean to act like the biggest jerk to my own friends either… I just… I didn't know what else to do…"
She gripped Ash's shirt and cried. "I'm scared. I don't want to lose…"
Ash let her cry. He didn't say anything clever or comforting. There wasn't really anything he could say to make her pain go away.
Eventually, Misty pulled back, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her hoodie, cheeks pink and puffy. "I hate crying," she muttered, sniffling. "Feels like I lost twice."
Ash offered a tired half-smile. "But you know, it's not a crime to cry. We're still 11, and this is the first time I've ever seen you cry."
Misty wiped her face. "Big words from the one who said they've never cried before." But she felt calmer.
"You know, Misty… I know you'll do great. If you win, you win. And if you lose, well, you lost. So what? Everyone loses sometimes, but that doesn't mean you're a failure. It just means you have room to improve."
Misty looked up, still not wanting to break the hug. She was feeling pretty vulnerable, spilling everything, but she wasn't as scared as she thought she'd be. "You're a dummy, you know that…" Misty said, but there was no bite to her words. "Sometimes I forget I'm older than you… Why can't you be more immature more often…"
"Where's the fun in that?" Ash replied with a smirk. "Besides, who's gonna be the emotional support when you guys need it?"
Misty nodded, still feeling some tears fall out of her eyes onto Ash's shirt. "I know… thank you…"
Ash nodded with a smile. "Anytime. Just don't forget you have people who care about you. So you don't have to lash out at anyone, you can talk about it anytime, and I'll be here to listen."
Misty nodded as she looked up at Ash. "Can… can I talk about it right now? I'm sorry… I just don't want to be alone right now…"
Ash smiled and patted her head, something Misty never let him do. She'd always pull away or slap Ash's hand. But now, she let it happen.
"Sure. I'll be right here until you're ready."
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Alright, remember you get another extra chapter at 1000