Allen reached out and tousled her silver hair with casual familiarity.
"Ehehe!" Bea giggled. She wriggled under his hand like a contented Skitty and gently rubbed her head against his palm twice.
It was a startling image. Bea—stoic, steely Bea, who barely flinched during full-body takedowns and hadn't smiled once in the last five Galar League interviews—was purring like a pampered Delcatty.
Nessa's expression shifted from disbelief to… something stranger.
This girl had always been the League's enigma. Serious. Silent. Untouchable.
But now? She was beaming, giggling, headbutting her mentor's hand like a Lopunny in love.
If this moment ever made it to the internet, half of Galar's trainers would drop their Poké Balls in shock.
Bea's eyes suddenly widened as if waking from a dream. She took two quick steps back, coughed twice.
"Nessa, you're just in time!" Bea said, voice crisp. "I've been itching for a real match. Haven't had a worthy opponent since leaving Hulbury. Let's battle!"
Nessa's stomach twisted.
Haven't had a worthy opponent? Seriously?
She had just suffered another brutal defeat last week. She could still hear the crowd murmuring about her three-round loss to a rookie trainer with a Wooloo.
Still, Nessa didn't back down. She wouldn't. Even if the whole world doubted her, she wouldn't run away from a challenge.
"All right," she said, nodding firmly. "Let's do this."
…
Moments later, The Gym's arena stood prepped for battle. Warm light filtered through its glass ceiling, illuminating the polished floor below.
"Go! Drednaw!" Nessa called out, tossing a Dive Ball high into the air. It snapped open in a gleam of blue light.
The Heavy Jaw Pokémon crashed onto the field with a rumbling growl, its bulky frame low to the ground. Its shell glistened, freshly repaired from recent training. This was her strongest partner.
Across the arena, Bea raised her hand.
"I'm counting on you, Machamp!"
The Superpower Pokémon flexed all four arms as it emerged, muscles rippling with focus. It stomped forward to face Drednaw, fierce despite its smaller size.
But then, something unexpected happened.
Bea and Machamp pulled out black ribbons and began tying them over their eyes.
Nessa blinked. "Wait—what are you doing?"
"Try that move," Allen called from the stands.
Bea didn't hesitate. "Yes, Master."
"What is this supposed to be?" Nessa turned toward Allen, indignant. "Is this a joke?"
"Not at all," Allen replied calmly, lounging in his seat. "This is a test. I want to see the results of her training."
His serenity only irritated Nessa more. From her perspective, this was humiliating. Fighting her with a blindfold on?
She clenched her fists, frustration simmering.
Bea stood still, arms at her sides, breathing evenly. Machamp mirrored her, its eyes now covered in the same dark cloth.
"Fine," Nessa said tightly. "Drednaw, use Hydro Pump!"
The Water-type gathered energy, its jaw trembling with pressure. In the next instant, a massive torrent of water blasted across the field.
Allen squinted slightly as he watched.
Too linear. Too slow.
"Now, Machamp!" Bea shouted.
The blindfolded Pokémon shifted just enough—barely an inch—and the Hydro Pump missed by a hair's breadth.
Nessa's eyes bulged.
Can they see? No, they can't. Then… how?!
She remembered what she had seen 2 months ago.
The man who dodged a Dragon Claw from Leon's Charizard without even looking.
That wasn't just some flashy trick.
"Drednaw, Rock Slide!"
Nessa forced herself to focus. The ground around her Pokémon cracked, and dozens of stones levitated before launching toward Machamp in a fierce barrage.
"Machamp! Get out of the way."
The blindfolded Machamp nodded firmly.
Surrounded by a downpour of rocks from Drednaw's Rock Slide, it twisted and shifted, each movement narrowly avoiding the barrage. Stones grazed its shoulders, scraped past its ears, and skimmed across its back. But none landed a solid hit.
Nessa stood frozen, eyes wide. This wasn't luck. This wasn't guessing.
Bea's Machamp had learned something real.
Thud!
A stone finally struck Machamp square in the chest. The Superpower Pokémon grunted and dropped to one knee, a rare crack in its otherwise flawless rhythm.
"Machamp! Are you okay?" Bea's voice rose, her fists clenched by her side.
Allen sat in the stands, chin in hand. "Not bad, but still a ways to go."
"Drednaw, use Head Smash!"
***
More Stones = Faster Chapter Release