Elesa and I faced each other in a special area the amusement park specifically designed for battles. It was a hard-packed dirt battlefield with bleaches placed along the sides for spectators. People had spotted Elesa and I walking to the field and those bleachers were nearly packed by now.

   Elesa shushed the crowd and turned to me. "Okay, Rosa. It's three on three and switches are allowed," she called across the field. "You get the first move."

   Three on three huh? Since Ivy wasn't the best choice for an Electric-type battle, I decided to go with Slinky, Lucky, and Bow. Elesa sent out a black and yellow squirrel Pokémon my Pokédex identified as Emolga. I let Lucky out and she was raring to go. Okay Rosa, pure power isn't everything! "Use Growl!"

   Lucky growled at Emolga and it folded its ears over themselves, trying to block the noise.

   "Alright, now use Quick Attack!" I commanded.

   "Emmie, use Shock Wave!"

   Lucky became cloaked in a faint silver glow and charged at Emmie, and she was able to hit it before it could attack. Emmie was thrown across the clearing and rolled to a stop. It sprang to its feet and generated a shock wave. I told Lucky to use Quick Attack to dodge it, and she was successful.

   "Emmie, use Double Team!"

   Emmie spun in a circle and threw its arms out. Five copies of itself appeared from thin air and stretched out from Emmie on both sides. Lucky turned her head to look at each copy, one of her ears raised in confusion. I knew which Emolga was the real one, and I came up with an idea how to show it.

   "Lucky, use Growl on all of them!"

   Lucky still seemed confused, but she listened regardless. She let out a growl and the copies wavered until they broke apart, revealing the original.

   "Nice idea, Rosa. Now Emmie, Quick Attack!" Elesa said. Like Lucky, Emmie was cloaked in the silver glow and ran into Lucky.

   "Bite it!"

   Just as the Emolga made contact with Lucky, she lunged at the Electric-type and bit down on Emmie's ear. Emmie cried out in pain and tried to pull herself from Lucky's jaws.

   "Emmie, Shock Wave!"

   "Quick Attack!" I countered, remembering how Hugh used Flaris' Tackle against Ivy during our first battle. Lucky let go of Emmie and simultaneously smashed into it.

   "Emmie, return!" Elesa recalled Emmie as it was being flung back. "Fabby, let's go!" She sent out a Flaaffy, Mareep's evolution. "Okay Fabby, Electro Ball!"

   "Lucky, Detect!"

   Lucky threw up her shield and the ball of electricity Fabby shot broke apart on impact as did the shield.

   "Fabby, Take Down!"

   "Dodge it!"

   Sadly, Lucky was unable to dodge Fabby's attack. Lucky was thrown back and when she landed, she didn't get up. I recalled Lucky and sent out Bow in her place.

   Ooh, a Flaaffy! Bow said.

   I ignored her and told her to use Psyshock.

   Okay, Miss bossy! She summoned purple, ethereal shards of light and launched them at Fabby. Bow was way stronger than I thought she'd be because the single attack knocked Fabby out in one hit! Bow became enveloped in a bright light and she changed shape. The light burst away from her in fragments and Bow looked very different. She had evolved into a Gothorita!

   Well would you look at that, I'm so cute! Bow giggled, covering her mouth with her tiny hands. She jumped a little and actually hovered in the air for a few seconds.

   "Rosa, why did you say you aren't able to win any battles? You're doing so well!" Elesa laughed. In Fabby's place, she sent out a large black and white horse Pokémon. Elesa's ace was a Zebstrika. 

   Can I really win this? I thought. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but when Elesa said that, I felt a little more sure of myself.

   You can do it, Rosa. I won't let you down. I know a move called Fake Tears! Bow said. Can I use it?

   Umm... okay. I thought, hoping Bow was reading my thoughts. It seemed like she was because she fell to her knees dramatically, covered her eyes, and pretended to sob. Zebstrika lowered its head at looked at Bow, clearly concerned.

   "Use Psyshock!"

   Bow's head snapped up and she threw more purple shards at Zebstrika. The Electric-type's eyes widened, and it was blown back by Bow's attack.

   "Clever move, but you just got lucky!" Elesa said with a giggle. "Zephyr, use Flame Charge!"

   Zephyr's body combusted and it became wreathed in blue flames. It ran at Bow as she turned to look at me. I nodded. "Bow, use Future Sight!"

   Bow nodded and closed her eyes. The white bows on her head glowed purple and she briefly lifted off the ground. Just as she touched down, Zephyr's flaming form collided with Bow and she was knocked to the ground.

   I'm fine. That Zebstrika didn't do very much damage, Bow reassured me.

   "Quick Attack!"

   Zephyr ran at Bow again and she was thrown farther across the battlefield. Bow tried to retaliate with a Psyshock but Zephyr dodged it and hit her with yet another Quick Attack.

   That one kind of hurt... Bow whined, pain edging her voice.

   "Zephyr, use Spark!" Elesa commanded. Zephyr didn't move. It wobbled from side to side and toppled over and didn't get up. Bow's Future Sight had taken effect and it had taken out the rest of the Zebstrika's health.

   The crowd in the bleachers went wild. They were clapping and cheering for me. I was frozen with shock. I... I won? This thought kept repeating itself over and over as Elesa walked across the field to me.

   "See? I told you that you weren't a bad Trainer. You just needed a battle style that fit you. Battle with however style you're most comfortable with, and you can become strong as well." Elesa reached into her handbag and removed something that made my heart nearly stop. A badge. "This is the Bolt Badge," Elesa said. "Any Trainer who defeats me receives one. You won against me, so you deserve this." She gently grabbed my hand and placed the Bolt Badge in it. "Please accept it."

   I closed my fingers around the badge... my badge, and looked up at Elesa. Tears were beginning to drip down my face and I felt like I could barely speak. "Th-thank you, Elesa," I whispered, smiling the widest smile I could.

                            ~*~*~*~

I sat on a bench outside the Gym, waiting for Nate to finish his battle with Elesa. Bow sat on the bench beside me and stared at what I held in my hand. It was my Bolt Badge with a small change to it. I had Slinky cut the sharp end of the badge's pin off and using a bit of Bow's psychic power, I had manipulated the gold trim at the badge's top end. Now the badge had a small loop at the top. I had also used a Swadloon's leftover String Shot and threaded a piece of the silk through the loop.

   That's really clever, Bow remarked. I nodded and tied the silk into a knot at the back of my neck. The badge now hung like a pendant around my neck.

   "Thank you for helping me," I said. "I'm sure the battle would've gone differently if you hadn't been there."

   No problem. It's my job to help you as a member of your team, she replied.

   Bow! Rosa! Soul's voice entered my mind. Bow and I looked at the Gym and saw Nate and Soul exiting the building. Nate was holding his own Bolt Badge, and Soul had evolved into a Duosion.

   "Elesa told me she battled you, and you won!" Nate said, pinning his new badge with his others. He saw the pendant I made, and he smiled. "I guess you don't need me to train you now, huh?"

   I shook my head. "I'll still need help with my battling skills, but I know what my battle style is." I stood up. "Let's get going! If we hurry, we can make it to Driftveil by nightfall."

   My brother and I left the amusement park, ready to start the next chapter of our journeys, and ready for whatever came next.