The shock on the little girl's face was profound, a raw, unmasked emotion that hadn't been present before. Her Alakazam, the symbol of her vast psychic power, lay defeated. The gym felt strangely quiet after the immense explosion.
But then, with a slow, deliberate movement, her hand went to her belt. She didn't have the confident flick of her previous throws. This time, it was almost hesitant, a sign that she was delving into her final reserves.
"You... you beat Alakazam," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper, a stark contrast to her earlier chilling pronouncements. She picked up a Poké Ball, less ornate than the one that held Alakazam. "But it's not over yet."
With a soft click, she enlarged the ball and tossed it. A flash of light revealed her last Pokémon: a Kadabra.
Kadabra stood, its signature red star on its forehead glowing faintly, its spoon held firmly in its hand. It was a powerful Psychic-type, certainly, with immense potential, but it lacked the sheer, overwhelming presence and raw evolved strength of an Alakazam.
It was, as Gilgamesh immediately perceived, not as powerful as its previous stage. Yet, it was still a formidable opponent, especially with Charizard having just endured a taxing battle.
Gilgamesh's triumphant grin tightened slightly, his eyes assessing Kadabra. He knew this wasn't a moment to let his guard down. Charizard was tired, but the battle wasn't over until the last Pokémon fell.
Gilgamesh looked at Charizard, who was still breathing heavily, its internal flames banked low after the devastating Fire Blast and the intense clash with Alakazam. While his team leader was incredibly resilient, pushing it further now would be reckless.
"Charizard, return," Gilgamesh commanded, a proud smile on his face. "You did a fantastic job, absolutely incredible. You're tired from that last clash; take a well-deserved rest."
Charizard let out a low rumble of acknowledgment, a plume of smoke escaping its nostrils, before disappearing back into its Poké Ball in a flash of red light.
"Alright, Nidoking, come out!" Gilgamesh declared, sending out his robust ground and poison type.
With a powerful roar that vibrated through the gym, Nidoking materialized. Its purple, armored hide gleamed, and its sharp horn looked menacing. It stomped its foot, a clear sign of its readiness for battle, its eyes fixed on the opposing Kadabra. Nidoking's Ground typing gave it an immediate advantage against Psychic-types, and its formidable physical strength was exactly what Gilgamesh needed for this final push.
The little girl's eyes widened slightly, a hint of concern finally appearing in her gaze as she saw the powerful Nidoking step onto the field.
The Saffron Gym floor, now scarred from the previous, explosive clash, braced itself for the final showdown. Nidoking, a bastion of physical might, faced off against the lithe, mentally formidable Kadabra. The little girl watched, her expression a mix of trepidation and determination.
"Battle begin!" the voice echoed, signaling the start of the final round.
"Kadabra, begin with Psychic!" the little girl ordered, her voice regaining a measure of its earlier steel.
Kadabra's spoon glowed intensely, and a focused, emerald-green psychic wave surged towards Nidoking. It was a swift and potent attack, designed to disorient and damage.
"Nidoking, meet it with Earthquake!" Gilgamesh commanded, wanting to inflict super-effective damage immediately.
Nidoking roared, slamming its massive foot onto the gym floor. A powerful tremor rippled outwards, causing the very ground to buckle and crack.
The Earthquake disrupted Kadabra's Psychic attack, causing the energy wave to shimmer and dissipate as Kadabra itself lost its footing, struggling to stay upright amidst the shaking. The Psychic-type cried out in surprise, momentarily thrown off balance.
"Now, Nidoking, Ice Punch!" Gilgamesh pressed, capitalizing on Kadabra's disarray.
Nidoking charged forward, its massive fist glowing with a chilling blue energy. It moved with surprising speed for its bulk, aiming a direct, super-effective punch at the still-recovering Kadabra.
"Kadabra, Teleport!" the little girl cried, clearly rattled by the sudden, powerful assault.
Kadabra, with its inherent speed, managed to shimmer and vanish in a flash of light just as Nidoking's Ice Punch connected with empty air. It reappeared several feet away, clearly winded but still standing, its brow furrowed in concentration.
"Too close!" the girl muttered, her composure visibly fraying. "Kadabra, Disable!"
A pulse of psychic energy shot from Kadabra towards Nidoking, attempting to prevent it from using its powerful Earthquake again.
"Nidoking, interrupt with Sludge Wave!" Gilgamesh swiftly countered, aiming for a direct, super-effective hit.
Before Disable could fully take hold, Nidoking roared, unleashing a noxious, bubbling wave of purple sludge that surged across the floor towards Kadabra. The Sludge Wave was wide and fast, difficult for Kadabra to fully evade even with Teleport.
Kadabra tried to react, but the sheer breadth of the Sludge Wave overwhelmed its attempt to teleport. The putrid, corrosive sludge washed over the Psychic Pokémon, causing it to cry out in pain as the super-effective Poison-type attack burned its delicate skin. Kadabra staggered, clearly poisoned and significantly weakened.
The little girl gasped, her eyes wide with alarm. "Kadabra, no!
Nidoking's Sludge Wave had left Kadabra reeling, its delicate body burning from the corrosive poison. The little girl's eyes were wide with genuine distress, her earlier, unsettling confidence completely shattered.
"Kadabra, no!" she cried out, her voice cracking.
Gilgamesh saw the opening, the fatigue in Kadabra's stance, the desperation in the girl's eyes. He knew this was the moment to end the battle decisively.
"Nidoking, finish it! Mega Punch!" Gilgamesh commanded, his voice ringing with power.
With a final, earth-shaking roar, Nidoking charged. Its massive fist glowed with raw, concentrated power. Kadabra, too weakened and disoriented by the poison, couldn't Teleport away in time. Nidoking's Mega Punch connected with devastating force, sending a shockwave through the gym.
Kadabra cried out one last time, its spoon clattering to the floor, before it collapsed, utterly defeated.
A heavy silence descended upon the Saffron Gym. The little girl stared at her unconscious Kadabra, her lower lip trembling. Then, slowly, tears welled up in her eyes and began to stream down her face. She looked up at Gilgamesh, no longer the eerie, confident Psychic master, but just a small, distraught child.
"I... I lost," she whispered, her voice barely audible through her sobs. "I... I lost my soul..."
Gilgamesh, seeing the genuine distress in the little girl, quickly returned Nidoking to its Poké Ball. He approached her, his tone gentle. "You didn't lose your soul," he said kindly, kneeling down to her level. "You battled incredibly well. Your Pokémon are very strong. Sometimes, even the strongest trainers lose." He offered her a comforting smile. "You just need to train more and keep believing in your Pokémon."
Misty, watching from the side, let out a silent sigh of relief. The battle was over, and the unnerving psychic power of the little girl had finally given way to childlike vulnerability.