The automatic doors of the Pokémon Center slid open with a soft hiss, welcoming us into its warm interior. The rhythmic hum of healing machines echoed faintly in the background, joined by the occasional chirp of conversation from passing trainers.
Barry and I stepped up to the front counter, where Nurse Joy greeted us with a familiar, calming smile.
"Rough battle?" she asked, already holding out a tray.
Barry gave a sheepish laugh as he handed over Piplup and Starly's Poké Balls. "You could say that. They went all-out."
I passed over Larvitar and Chimchar's Poké Balls in turn. "They'll need some time to recover.
"Don't worry," Nurse Joy said, placing the Poké Balls into the healing machine. "They're in good hands."
With our teams resting, Barry stretched his arms behind his head. "You hungry?"
I gave a slight nod. "Yeah. Let's eat."
__________
The Pokémon Center's dining area was modest, tucked into a corner past the healing station. We grabbed trays from the counter—rice bowls, some grilled fish, miso soup, and drinks—then slid into a booth by the window.
Barry immediately dug in, shoveling rice into his mouth like he hadn't eaten in days.
I ate more slowly, watching him for a moment before speaking.
"You surprised me back there," I said. "Holding back that your Starly knew Steel Wing… that was a good play."
Barry blinked mid-bite, then grinned, clearly pleased. "Ha! Thanks. Figured if I showed it too early, you'd start playing around it. I needed a big moment, so I waited until I had the perfect opening."
I nodded once. "It worked. I didn't see it coming."
He leaned forward, propping an elbow on the table. "I kept using Aerial Ace and Quick Attack to make you lower your guard—and then bam, Steel Wing lands clean. I thought I had you. But then you didn't even flinch. And then bam back at me—Protect?! Where'd that come from?"
I took a sip of tea before answering. "I didn't know about your Steel Wing until you used it. That part of your plan worked perfectly."
Barry grinned. "Heh. Yeah, I knew it would."
I raised an eyebrow. "Which is exactly why I decided to turn it back on you."
He blinked. "Huh?"
"You held back your trump card until it mattered most," I said. "So I did the same. I didn't show Protect until I needed to. Once I saw Steel Wing, I figured Larvitar could handle one hit, she hadn't taken any real damage yet. So I let it land."
I set down my tea.
"And I waited. I knew you'd think I had no way to stop the next one, so you'd go in close again. That's when I used Protect—for the perfect counter."
Barry stared for a second, then leaned back with a groan. "Dude. You used my own move against me."
I shrugged. "You gave me the idea."
He buried his face in his hands, half-laughing, half-groaning. "Man, I walked right into it."
I smirked. "It happens. You still forced me to adapt. That's what makes a good battle."
Barry grinned from behind his hands. "Still! If I had known you were holding back a trick too…"
"You would've played more cautiously," I finished for him.
"Exactly!"
I poked at my rice with my chopsticks. "But then it wouldn't have been as fun to win."
Barry laughed at that, loud and sincere. "Oh, so that's how it is, huh? Showing off and rubbing it in."
I gave a half-smile. "Just calling it like it is."
As the conversation lulled, I set my chopsticks down and glanced at Barry. "Was that Piplup's first time using Torrent?"
He blinked, then scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, actually. First time it's ever activated in a real battle. I knew Piplup had the ability, but I've never seen it kick in like that before."
I gave a small nod. "I figured. Neither of you looked ready for how strong that last Bubble Beam was."
Barry leaned back in the booth, grinning. "Wild, right? One second he's barely standing, the next—boom! It was like a cannon." He laughed to himself. "Honestly, I think Piplup scared himself more than you."
I raised an eyebrow. "Chimchar almost didn't dodge in time. That was a close one."
"Hey, a few more seconds and you'd be the one picking dust off your jacket," Barry teased.
I smirked. "Chimchar has Blaze, you know."
Barry paused, eyes lighting up. "Wait, really?"
I nodded. "If things had gone just a little differently, you'd have seen it in action."
He sat up straighter, his grin widening. "Aw man, that would've been epic! Boosted Bubble Beam versus boosted Flame Wheel? Now that's the kind of battle I want."
"Next time," I said simply.
Barry pointed his chopsticks at me like they were swords. "You bet! And this time, Piplup and I'll be ready to take it all the way."
I smirked. "We'll see."
Eventually, our trays sat empty, and we both leaned back, the tension from earlier gone. The Pokémon Center's dining area had quieted down, and the hum of the healing machines filled the comfortable silence between us.
Barry took a sip of his tea, now lukewarm, and glanced toward the recovery station.
"So…" Barry finally said, exhaling as he leaned back in his seat, "didn't expect you to be that good. You're crazy strong."
I gave a slight shrug. "You weren't a pushover, that's for sure."
He grinned at that, clearly taking it as a compliment. "Heh. Still lost, but I'm not walking away empty-handed. I learned a lot. I'm getting closer."
He swirled the last of his tea in the cup, his gaze thoughtful. "My old man would probably say I need to push even harder."
I tilted my head slightly. "Your old man?"
Of course, I already knew the answer. Palmer, the Tower Tycoon, one of the Sinnoh Battle Frontier's strongest. But I asked anyway, keeping my tone casual. I wasn't supposed to know about that.
Barry's grin softened, shifting into something more serious—pride tinged with determination. "Yeah. Palmer. He's my dad."
There was a brief pause. He didn't say it to brag.
"He's incredible," Barry said, his voice softening with admiration. "Growing up, he always had this… presence. In battle, he's calm, focused—but he never holds back. Watching him made me want to train harder. I want to be like that. No…" he looked at me with fierce determination.
He exhaled, the words rolling out like something he'd thought about hundreds of times before. "I want to surpass him. Not because I'm angry, or because I hate living in his shadow… but because I respect him too much not to try."
There was no bitterness in his voice. Just respect. A deep admiration that didn't feel weighed down by pressure.
He didn't resent Palmer's legacy.
He wanted to rise to meet it.
I gave a small nod. "So you want to surpass him."
"Exactly." His grin returned, more confident now. "And not just him."
He looked at me, fire in his eyes.
"I've got a long way to go, but I'll get there. And next time we battle, I'll beat you too."
I let the words settle for a second before leaning back slightly. "You know, you're not the only one with a Frontier Brain for a father."
Barry blinked. "Wait, really?"
I met his eyes. "Brandon. The Pyramid King."
His expression shifted in an instant. "Whoa. That Brandon? Kanto Battle Frontier?"
I nodded once.
"No kidding," he said, sitting up straighter. "He's a legend. I've seen footage, his battles are insane."
He studied me for a moment longer, then asked, "So you're trying to surpass him too?"
"…Yeah."
I didn't go into details. Not because it wasn't true, but because the full answer was more complicated than Barry needed to hear. He didn't need to know about the pressure. Or what Brandon meant to Paul.
I wasn't carrying the same resentment. But I still carried the challenge.
Barry didn't push for more. He nodded once, understanding. "Then I guess that makes us even. Two guys with legendary dads and something to prove."
He stood and stretched, a yawn escaping as he rolled his shoulders. "It's kind of crazy, isn't it? That our dads are who they are—and now here we are, sitting across from each other like this."
He looked down at me again, his usual energy rising back to the surface. "But you better believe I'm gonna be the one to go all the way. Champion, strongest trainer alive—you name it. I'm gonna earn it."
I stood as well, brushing off my jacket. A confident smirk tugged at my lips. "Sorry, but I'm already aiming for that."
Barry let out a laugh—loud, carefree, and exuberant. "Then it's a race to the top."
A soft chime echoed from the healing station. Our Poké Balls blinked green—fully restored.
Barry stepped forward and held out a fist.
I didn't hesitate.
I bumped it with my own.
"Next time," I said simply.
He grinned, eyes still glowing with the same fire I saw during our battle. "Next time."
We went our separate ways not as strangers or rivals out for blood—but as two trainers, each with a fire in our hearts, knowing we'd meet again.
And when we did?
We'd both be stronger.
__________
AN: Shorter chapter this time, I mainly wanted to focus a bit on Paul and Barry's friendship. Looking back, I felt like I erased too much of Barry's character. I hope this chapter rectifies that. Barry's more of a fun guy, but he can have his serious moments as well. He also has a cause for wanting to become stronger beyond just wanting to be the best trainer