Pokemon: Radical Redux-Chapter 363: Whirl Cup first battle

Yay, hers your 2000 stone extra Chapter

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Misty didn't join the gang for dinner that night. When they went out to find her, they saw her right there on the beach, still training, and furious, not just with Corsola and Chinchou, although they were getting most of the attention, but with most of her Pokémon. Gyarados, Starmie, Wartortle, Politoed, Quagsire, and even Lapras were all listening to her, clearly seeing how pissed off she was.

Her hair was a mess, soaked with seawater and sweat, and her voice was hoarse from shouting commands.

She looked like she was preparing for war.

"Misty?" Yellow called out gently.

"Not now!" Misty barked, not even looking over. "Corsola, Mirror Coat! And Chinchou, follow up with Bubble Beam! Faster this time!"

Ash and Brock exchanged a look. Even Pikachu seemed hesitant to approach, as Ash sighed and walked over to literally pick her up, her body flopping in his arms like a toddler.

Eventually, though, Misty's stomach growled loud enough to interrupt a command. She scowled at her own body, but after a few more grumbles, she stomped back up the sand and begrudgingly accepted the food Brock had packed. She didn't speak, just sat down, chewing like the rice balls had personally offended her.

But she ate every bite, still clearly thinking about how to train from here.

—

The next morning, the sky over Blue Point Isle was a flawless cerulean, with a salty breeze rolling in from the sea and the sun gleaming off the ocean like liquid gold.

Inside the massive Whirl Cup Colosseum, every seat was packed. Spectators from across the world had gathered for the event. Massive screens hovered in the air, kept aloft by flying Pokémon and Rotom-drones, offering every viewer a perfect view of the action.

A trumpet fanfare echoed from the stadium speakers.

"Viewers, take a look at these contestants, these are the ones who have passed the preliminaries and aim to become the Brave Hero of the Sea!"

"The Whirl Islands have had their own civilization and culture since ancient times, worshiping Water-type Pokémon and coexisting with them to this day!"

"This culture has not disappeared, but continues through Miss Maya, the Priestess of the Sea, who abides by the ancient traditions passed down by our ancestors!"

Then, the water in the central arena surged upward, spiraling into an elegant, twisting column. It exploded into a fine mist, revealing two figures standing atop a floating platform: the legendary Contest Master Wallace and Priestess Maya.

Wallace twirled his cloak with dramatic flair, "Ladies and gentlemen, trainers and titans of the tides, welcome to the official start of the Whirl Cup Tournament!"

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Bubbles and sparkling confetti rained down from above, glittering in the morning light.

Maya stepped forward. She had long purple hair, wore a gauze skirt, and held a blue staff, the legendary Great Sea Spirit Sapphire. She opened her arms wide and spoke in a clear, loud voice:

"Everyone, welcome to the Water Pokémon celebration, the Whirl Cup Tournament!"

"The people who were here once were those connected to Water-type Pokémon. They lived together on the Whirl Islands and have been praised as the Brave Heroes of the Sea since ancient times!"

"It is said that the brave men and women of the sea will be blessed by the Great Sea Spirit Sapphire and granted the ability to communicate with all Water-type Pokémon in the world!" Maya said, raising the Sapphire. The gem caught the sunlight and cast a beautiful glow across the stadium.

Wallace stepped forward again, his voice smooth as silk across the stadium, "Today, we do not just battle. We celebrate the bond between Trainer and Water-type. This tournament is more than a test of strength, it is a test of spirit, of harmony, and of the will to rise like the tide!"

Cheers erupted again. Mist curled up from the base of the stadium as fountains around the rim sprayed arcs of water into the air, caught mid-flight by graceful Wingull and Pelipper gliding overhead.

"And now," Maya declared, "please accept the blessing of the Sea, and let the battles begin!"

The crowd roared as a stunning light show unfolded, and the trainers who had passed the preliminaries began making their way to check the tournament brackets.

Misty walked up to the board, clenching her hand. She scanned the list, her name was there. Then she searched for Nessa's. It wasn't on her side. She flipped to the other bracket, and there it was.

If Misty wanted to teach what she considered a spoiled rich girl a lesson, they'd both have to make it to the finals.

She exhaled slowly, Fine, she thought. She'd just have to crush everyone in her path.

Ash peered over her shoulder. "Well, that's lucky, right? You don't have to face her right away."

"I want to face her," Misty muttered, barely above a whisper. "I want the world to see me beat her, that some model who probably never had to work for anything in her life isn't as good as the real thing."

Yellow fidgeted beside her. "Just... don't burn yourself out before that happens, okay?"

"Hmph. I'll be fine," Misty said, then walked over and kicked Brock in the back of the leg, sending him to the ground.

"Why?! I didn't even do anything this time!" Brock cried.

"You were about to say something about Nessa!" Misty snapped.

"You can't prove that!" Brock tried to defend himself.

"And you're not denying it!" Misty retorted.

"..." Brock stayed silent, and got another kick for it, leaving him groaning on the ground as Misty stomped off to prepare for her match.

—

Meanwhile...

Backstage on the opposite side of the colosseum, Nessa stood in front of a mirror in the competitors' lounge, adjusting her sleek black-and-blue wetsuit. Her hair had been braided to one side, long and elegant, swaying with every movement. A stylist fussed nearby with a comb, but Nessa gently waved her off.

"I said I'm fine," she said, her voice calm but firm.

"But your promo shoot is in ten minutes, and the lighting outside—"

"I'm not here for promo shots," Nessa replied, tying her trainer band around her thigh. "I'm also participating in this. I didn't come all the way to Johto just for some photos."

The stylist blinked. "B-but Chairman Rose s—"

"Well, Rose isn't here, is he?" Nessa snapped. She paused, took a breath, and looked away. "Just... please go. I'll be fine. We can worry about my photo shoot after today's battles."

The stylist stepped back and nodded silently before turning to leave. As the door closed behind her, Nessa let out a slow breath and sat down on the nearby bench, rubbing her temple.

Her Drednaw sat beside her, head low to the floor, casting her a side glance. Nessa leaned forward, elbow resting on her knee, fingers still pressed to her temple.

Drednaw gave a low, gravelly grunt.

"I know," she murmured. "With everything going on... I guess I'm just stressed. But I know it wasn't fair to snap like that."

Drednaw grunted again, this time more of a snort.

Nessa glanced at her reflection. Calm, collected, poised. The perfect image. But under that still surface, she could already feel the mask cracking. Nothing was going her way. She didn't want to be here. Modeling was the last thing on her mind.

"It's like Rose did this on purpose," she told Drednaw quietly. "Pushing me with all this modeling pressure and the tournament. Trying to stress me out, scare me out of wanting to keep doing this..."

Drednaw lifted its head and gave her leg a small nibble, playful, not painful.

Nessa smiled. "Thanks. Yeah, you're right. We'll deal with it. We're not doing this for that narcissistic prick. We'll win for us."

A knock at the door snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Miss Nessa, you're up soon," a staff member called from the hallway.

Nessa stood, nodded once, and took a deep breath. Drednaw fell into step beside her. As she passed the window, she paused, peering out at the colosseum and the sea beyond.

"I wonder if I'll get to battle that one girl. She seemed fun. But... where have I heard that name before... Waterflower? Eh. I'll remember if it's important."

With that, she stepped out, the door closing behind her with a soft click.

—

The stadium announcer's voice boomed over the speakers, "Trainers, the first round of the Whirl Cup will now begin! All competitors, please report to your designated arenas!"

The big screen lit up again, and Misty's name appeared, "Misty of Cerulean City versus Kanoa of Akala Island, all the way from Alola, please report to Battle Pool 2!"

Misty's eyes narrowed. "Alola, huh? Doesn't matter."

—

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the stadium, Nessa strode into the sunlight, her steps sharp and purposeful. Her opponent was already waiting, a tall man in swimming trunks with mirrored goggles, standing beside a coiled Dragalge that hissed quietly.

"Nessa of Hulbury versus Zale from Anistar City, please report to Battle Pool 5!"

Zale gave her a winning smile and attempted small talk, but Nessa barely glanced at him. She walked straight to her platform, gaze steeled.

"Let's do this, Drednaw."

—

Battle Pool 2

Misty stood tall on the platform above the gleaming water field, the roar of the crowd echoing around her. She gave a curt wave, nothing flashy, her focus locked dead-on her opponent.

Kanoa, a laid-back islander in floral board shorts, stood casually across from her with a wide grin. At his side, a Toxapex twitched, bristling slightly as it hovered near the pool's edge.

"Nice to meet ya," Kanoa called out with a friendly wave. "You look serious."

"I am serious," Misty said coolly, brushing wet bangs from her eyes. "Hope you're ready to lose."

The referee raised both arms high. "This is a one-on-one battle! The match ends when one Pokémon is unable to battle. Trainers, ready... begin!"

"Corsola, [Ancient Power]!" Misty commanded instantly.

Coral-shaped rocks surged from Corsola's glowing horns and launched toward Toxapex.

"Toxapex, dodge and [Pin Missile]!" Kanoa countered.

Toxapex dove cleanly into the water, vanishing beneath the surface. A split second later, it emerged, scattering poisonous barbs in every direction.

"[Harden]!" Misty snapped.

Corsola's body shimmered silver as it braced, the spikes bouncing harmlessly off its stone-hard form.

"Now, [Icicle Spear]!"

Water vapor shimmered and froze mid-air around Corsola, then sharpened into jagged ice shards. They fired like bullets, pelting Toxapex as it tried to dive again.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Kanoa whistled, impressed. "Huh. You are serious."

Misty didn't reply. Her eyes were already tracking Toxapex's next move.

—

Battle Pool 5

Meanwhile, across the stadium, Drednaw exploded from the water in a spinning leap, crashing into Dragalge with a shattering [Rock Tomb]. Jagged stones pinned the dragon-type against the arena wall.

Zale clicked his tongue, unfazed. "Dragalge, [Hydro Pump]!"

A torrent of water blasted out, but Nessa calmly raised a finger.

"[Protect]," she commanded.

A shimmering green barrier enveloped Drednaw, absorbing the blast. Without missing a beat, she pointed again.

"[Jaw Lock]."

Drednaw surged forward, fangs glowing. It clamped down hard on Dragalge, dragging it back into the water with a massive splash. Both Pokémon thrashed beneath the surface, locked together, Dragalge's tail tightening around Drednaw's neck in return.

—-

Back to Battle Pool 2

Corsola rushed forward with a surprising burst of speed, leaping from the platform and diving into the water after Toxapex.

"[Recover]!" Kanoa called. Wounds along Toxapex's body glowed and healed rapidly.

"Now [Venoshock]!"

Toxapex burst upward, launching a spray of venomous purple needles.

Misty didn't flinch. "Tch. Not fast enough. Corsola, [Mirror Coat]!"

The venom struck Corsola's gleaming form, but in the next instant, a dazzling flash of energy burst from her body. The poisonous attack was reflected back with doubled power, slamming into Toxapex with a boom.

The toxic Pokémon crashed into a stone pillar with a wet thud and slumped into the pool, unconscious.

The crowd roared, Misty didn't raise her arms or gloat. She just looked at Corsola. The tension in her shoulders eased slightly.

Corsola chirped triumphantly, then jumped into Misty's arms, nuzzling her cheek. Misty hugged her back quietly.

—

In the stands, Ash stood up and clapped. "I guess she has been holding out on us, huh."

Pikachu and Vee, both wearing tiny sunglasses, nodded while chewing popcorn.

"You know," Yellow added with a nervous laugh, "Misty's kinda scary when she's motivated."

"Yeah..." Brock muttered, holding an ice pack to a fresh bruise. "Kinda..."

—

Zale was desperate now. Dragalge was still twisting and coiling, toxic mist seeping from its body and clouding the air around them.

"[Dragon Pulse]!" he cried.

But Nessa didn't flinch, "[Liquidation], now."

Drednaw charged straight through the blast of purple energy like a living cannonball, crashing into Dragalge with unstoppable force. The impact shattered the last of the dragon's resistance, sending it hurtling across the arena. It slammed into the pool's edge and slumped over, spirals in its eyes.

The announcer's voice rang out: "Dragalge is unable to battle! The winner is Nessa of Hulbury!"

Applause rippled through the crowd. Nessa exhaled slowly, then walked over to Drednaw and placed a gentle hand on his jaw.

"Thanks. You were amazing," she whispered, before returning him to his Poké Ball.

In the stands, a few photographers raised their cameras, snapping shots of her in the aftermath, but Nessa didn't pose. She walked off, head held high, jaw tight. Unfortunately, there were still a few sponsor photos she had to go take.

—

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of battles, some triumphant, some crushing defeats. But for now, the matches were done, and the festival took over.

Stalls lit up along the boardwalk, glowing softly under paper lanterns that swayed in the sea breeze. Laughter mixed with the smell of grilled Tentacool skewers, Sea Salt Mochi, and bubbling Lum Berry juice. Music played from somewhere by the main square, the melody dancing across the water with the wind.

At the edge of the beach, Misty sat alone, barefoot in the sand. Her hair was loosely tied back now, damp but no longer wild. Her Pokémon played nearby, digging or chasing bubbles in the tide, but her gaze was distant. She wasn't with the others catching dinner. She hadn't joined the celebration.

Ash approached quietly, hands in his pockets. In one, he carried a chilled Lum Berry soda. In the other, a can of green tea.

He stopped just behind her. "So... that was a pretty epic win," he said, casually holding out the tea.

Misty didn't look back, just took the can. "Thanks," she muttered, popping it open and taking a small sip.

A pause stretched between them before she added, softer, "They've been working pretty hard. I hope I'm not pushing them too far..."

Ash moved beside her, sitting in the sand. "You know, for someone who scolded me about pushing myself too hard, you're pushing pretty hard yourself~"

Misty's grip tightened around the can. "Yeah, well... I don't want to lose. Not now. Not with her watching."

"Nessa?" Ash took a sip of his soda.

Misty finally turned her head a little, glancing at him. "She's got the fame, the sponsors, all the attention. People already expect her to win. They look at me and just assume I'm a stepping stone. It's always been like that. First it was my sisters growing up... now it's everyone else."

Ash watched her quietly, then smiled a little, crooked and warm. "Then I feel bad for whoever's standing in your way. Because if there's one thing you're not, Misty, it's a stepping stone. You're one of the toughest trainers I know."

Misty snorted despite herself, eyes dropping to the sand. "Guess not."

Ash leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I get it though. Being underestimated sucks. I mean, look at me. I grew up next to Green and Gary, sure, but my class was full of prodigies. Everyone kept saying I'd never be as good as them. Not as strong, not as smart, not as naturally talented."

He gave a small shrug.

"But I worked harder than they did. And look at me now."

"Really? You?" Misty raised an eyebrow, smiling just a little. "Hard to believe, considering how cocky you used to act when we were still traveling through Kanto."

Ash chuckled. "Yeah, I know I acted like that. But honestly? I was scared out of my mind half the time. I didn't think I'd even make it out of Viridian Forest, let alone win the Indigo League."

Misty turned back to the waves, her shoulders finally slumping as she let herself smile. "Yeah... I guess you're right."

Their quiet moment was broken by a familiar voice shouting from down the beach.

"There you two are!" Brock called, jogging over with a half-eaten Tentacool skewer in hand. "The fireworks show's about to start! Come on!"

Yellow was already by the stands with Pikachu and Vee, waving them over and saving their spots.

Misty stood up, brushing sand off her legs. "Alright, alright, we're coming."

Ash offered her a hand, and she took it without hesitation.

As they walked toward the festival lights, Misty glanced sideways at him. "Thanks, by the way. For earlier. And... for the tea."

Ash grinned. "Anytime."

When they reached their spot, Yellow waved them in with a big smile. "Hey, Misty! I'm glad you look happy again."

"Ha... yeah," Misty said sheepishly as she sat down. "Sorry. I might've gotten a little carried away earlier..."

The first firework burst overhead, painting the night sky with shimmering blues and golds. Everyone looked up.

Misty, though, glanced down at her Poké Balls nestled beside her. She took a quiet breath.

"Um... Ash?" she asked.

"Hm? Sure, hit me," he replied, not taking his eyes off the sky.

Misty fidgeted, unsure how to phrase it. "Do you mind... if I borrow Pikachu and Blastoise...you know for training?"

"Oh, is that it? Sure," Ash said without hesitation. But when she opened her mouth to say more, he gently held a finger to her lips, smirking.

"After the show ends we get dinner. I saw you skip lunch and breakfast."

Misty blinked with his finger still on her mouth. She pulled back slightly, sighing dramatically. "Fiiine, if you insist..."

But there was a genuine smile on her face.

Because right now, Misty wasn't alone, and there's no place she'd rather be

—

Elsewhere, across town, Nessa sat on a rooftop balcony above the plaza, watching the same fireworks from afar. She was still in her wetsuit, fresh from another photo shoot. Down below, stadium screens and holo-displays replayed her battle footage, crowds clapped, admired, took photos. Her name lit up in brilliant letters across the city's event banners.

But Nessa sighed. The moment the cameras stopped flashing, her team had packed up and left to develop the shots. No one asked if she wanted to join the celebrations. No one stayed behind.

So, here she was, sitting alone in a silent hotel suite. Watching others laugh, play, and cheer from behind tinted glass.

She had no one to talk to about the pressure, the expectations, the doubts gnawing at her behind the perfect posture and wins.

Because right now... Nessa was just alone, and she'd rather be anywhere but here

----

Well by now the counter reset, so again, you saw i can do it,

500 stones = 1 Chapter