บท 14: Chapter 14: Whispers of Victory

Jessie shot him a glare. "Doesn't matter. Koffing, Smoke Screen, now!"

Before I could react, Koffing's mouth spewed thick, black smoke, engulfing the entire Pokémon Center in a choking cloud. The darkness was immediate and suffocating. I could hear Ash and Misty coughing in the back, but I didn't move. My heart rate didn't even spike. I'd seen worse—much worse.

Through the haze, my voice cut like a knife. "Ash, Misty, Nurse Joy—get Pikachu and other injured pokeballs to Pewter City, now!" My tone left no room for hesitation, and within seconds, I heard their footsteps scurrying toward the back. The door slammed shut, leaving me alone with Team Rocket.

"Ekans, Leer!" Jessie commanded, her voice sharp as a whip. Ekans' narrow eyes gleamed through the smoke, locking onto Pidgey, who fluttered by my side. Pidgey froze, the snake's icy gaze paralyzing him for just a moment too long.

"Bite!" Jessie barked.

Ekans coiled, muscles tensing, and launched forward, its fangs glistening. But I was already ahead of them. "Sand Attack, now!"

Pidgey snapped out of its trance and flapped its wings furiously, kicking up a cloud of sand that splattered into Ekans' face. The snake hissed, jerking back, its strike missing by a hair. The smoke swirled around us, but Pidgey's small gusts kept it from completely obscuring my vision.

I smirked. "Bulbasaur, Vine Whip!"

From behind me, Bulbasaur lunged into the fray, its vines snapping out with a vicious crack. They wrapped around Ekans and yanked hard, sending the snake sprawling across the floor. Jessie's confidence wavered. Her eyes darted between me and the Pokémon, realizing this wasn't going to be as easy as they thought.

"Koffing, Poison Gas!" James shouted, panic creeping into his voice.

Koffing floated higher, spewing thick, purple gas, trying to blanket the room. But I didn't flinch. "Pidgey, Gust!" I ordered, and Pidgey immediately whipped up a whirlwind, blowing the toxic gas right back toward Koffing. The balloon-like Pokémon wobbled in the air, thrown off balance.

"Bulbasaur, Growth!" My voice was sharp, commanding.

Bulbasaur's body pulsed, swelling with power, its vines thickening as energy surged through it. The air seemed to shimmer around us, charged with the raw intensity of the battle. Bulbasaur's eyes locked onto mine, waiting for the next move. I grinned, knowing exactly what I had planned.

"Leech Seed, now!"

With a swift flick of its vines, Bulbasaur launched a seed straight at Ekans, embedding it into the snake's scaly skin. Vines burst from the seed, wrapping tightly around Ekans, draining its energy. Jessie's smirk vanished completely, replaced by wide-eyed panic.

"Koffing, Tackle, now!" James yelled, his voice shrill.

Koffing barreled toward Bulbasaur, but I didn't even blink. "Pidgey, Gust!" I called out.

Pidgey flapped its wings harder, summoning a massive gust that slammed into Koffing, sending it careening off course. It crashed into a nearby crate, splintering the wood with a loud thud.

James cursed under his breath, looking frantically at Jessie. She was already stumbling backward, her usual bravado crumbling under the pressure.

"Ekans, Poison Sting!" she screamed, desperation seeping into her voice.

Ekans fired a volley of venom-tipped needles at Bulbasaur. I could feel the tension in the air, the moment hanging like a tightrope. But I was already three moves ahead. "Vine Whip—deflect them!"

With a swift, powerful crack, Bulbasaur's vines lashed out, knocking the Poison Sting projectiles out of the air like they were nothing. I didn't even give Jessie time to react.

"Pidgey, Tackle!"

Pidgey dove through the air, slamming into Ekans with a bone-crushing tackle. The snake Pokémon was thrown back, crashing into a pile of broken crates, its body trembling from the repeated hits. Jessie stood there, frozen, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

But it wasn't over. "Bulbasaur, Leech Seed—Koffing and Meowth too."

Bulbasaur's seed shot out again, striking both Koffing and Meowth. Vines erupted from their bodies, coiling around them, draining their energy just like it had with Ekans. Koffing's toxic grin faded, and Meowth struggled, hissing and spitting, but it was no use. They were caught, immobilized, and drained.

Jessie and James looked at each other, the terror in their eyes unmistakable. They weren't dealing with any ordinary ten-year-old, and that realization hit them hard.

"What's your name, kid?" Jessie growled, though her voice was shaky, far from the confidence she had earlier.

I stepped forward, casting a long shadow over them. "Punit," I said, my voice cold and confident. "Remember it."

With their Pokémon trapped and weakened, I turned my gaze to Meowth, who was still snarling despite the vines constricting around him. "You sure you don't want to be my Pokémon?" I asked, my tone mocking, daring him to challenge me.

Meowth spat, baring his fangs. "I ain't never gonna be no one's Pokémon!"

I shrugged, already knowing the answer but amused all the same. "Suit yourself."

"Bulbasaur, Vine Whip—send them flying."

Bulbasaur didn't hesitate. Its vines lashed out, wrapping around Jessie, James, and Meowth, lifting them into the air and hurling them toward the door. They screamed as they were tossed through the exit, landing hard in their waiting balloon.

"Pidgey, finish it."

Pidgey swooped in, striking the balloon with a quick, precise tackle. The fabric ripped with a loud 𝘱𝘰𝘱, and the balloon deflated instantly. Jessie, James, and Meowth screamed as they were sent spiraling into the sky, their voices trailing off as they disappeared into the night.

"We're blasting off agaaaaaiiiiin!"

I watched them vanish, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. Turning back, I glanced at Bulbasaur and Pidgey. Both were breathing hard but still ready for more. I nodded in approval. This world, this life—it wasn't what I expected, but with my cheats and my Pokémon, I was going to own it.

This was just the beginning.