Pokemon: Radical Redux

The breeding competition started. This one was similar to the first one they had attended.

Mr. Pokémon, aka Sukizo, stepped forward. "Welcome to this year's nationals for the Breeding Competition! I am your host, Mr. Pokémon, and with me, we have—" He gestured for the others to continue.

Whitney waved happily, her arm still in a cast. "Hello, everyone! It's me, your super cute Gym Leader, Whitney! I hope you all don't get too infatuated with me, I don't want to take away from the show!"

The next two people were the same old couple from the first competition Brock had participated in. They smiled warmly at Whitney's antics before the older woman spoke into the mic.

"Hello! I suppose you can just call us the daycare couple. I'm sure you young folks won't be too worried about learning our old names. Fufufu." Ms. Gold chuckled.

"But we are excited to be here," Mr. Gold continued. "We're happy to see you all and are looking forward to everyone's performances. Be sure to try your best—remember, you are all winners for making it to this point."

Then Ms. Gold smirked mischievously. "Of course, one of you will be more of a winner than the rest~"

"Oh hush, dear," Mr. Gold chuckled at his wife's antics. "Don't patronize them—they're all just fine as they are."

Mr. Sukizo took the lead again with a smile. "This year is special! We have far more competitors, including some from other regions, so we will be doing things a little differently. But first, let's introduce our hardworking competitors."

As he started introducing everyone, Brock was hardly listening—he was still too nervous about everything.

"Brock Harrison!" Sukizo announced.

But Brock wasn't paying attention.

It wasn't until someone slapped the back of his head that he straightened up. "R-right!"

Once Sukizo continued, Brock looked over to see who had slapped him and found Yui huffing beside him, arms crossed.

"Pay attention, idiot," she scolded.

"Sorry, but thanks. Beautiful and considerate is a great combination," Brock said. As usual, he wasn't trying to flirt—just saying what he thought.

Yui turned as red as her hair and used it to cover her face. "S-shut up! Who wants to be called beautiful by an idiot like you?!" she stammered, scrambling to the side.

After the formalities were done, the competition rules were announced. The event would consist of multiple contests held over the course of the day to ensure fairness.

There were hundreds of possible competitions because breeding specialists had many different areas of expertise—massage, swimming, grooming, racing, training, cooking, and more.

To keep things fair, 50 random competitions would be selected. Some contestants might place first in one round and last in five others, but that was normal—it was impossible for any one breeder to excel in every field.

Unfortunately, that wasn't good news for Brock. He didn't have a specialty. He wasn't even a jack of all trades, he wasn't incredible at anything. He was decent at a handful of things, but others had spent years mastering their specialties.

If anything, maybe battling was his specialty, but even that was a stretch. It would imply he had dedicated the most time to it, which wasn't true. Maybe grooming—he brushed each of his Pokémon every day and knew how they liked it, but that was also a reach.

The fact that Brock had even made it here was impressive. He had only started seriously training to be a breeder a year ago. Back when he was a Gym Leader, he hadn't practiced all these other skills—he never had any free time for himself.

The Breeding Competition had started, and things immediately weren't looking good for Brock. The first five events were ones he had no experience with, causing him to place last in three of them. Then came a swimming race—he could use Kabutops, but even then, he didn't break into the top ten.

This pattern continued. Event after event, he was getting destroyed. Even when the acrobatic race came up, where he put Crobat in, he still failed to make the top ten.

The first 25 competitions were a wash. But that didn't mean he was out, not by a long shot. Since he was at least managing to keep up in some events, his overall points were actually above average. Most competitors specialized in just one aspect, making their Pokémon excellent racers, grooming them for beauty contests, or perfecting one specific skill, while neglecting everything else.

So, despite not placing in the top ten even once, Brock was still doing okay points-wise. His confidence, however, was another story. He was visibly shaken, and as the competition took a short break, he sat off to the side, lost in thought.

Up in the stands, Ash, Misty, and Yellow watched with concern. Yellow frowned as she noticed Brock's downturned expression. "He looks so sad…"

"I mean, it makes sense," Ash said. "He's probably feeling like he's not doing well since he did pretty bad in the first half."

Misty shot him a dry look before giving him a light elbow. "Can you at least try to make it sound better? He's actually doing fine in points."

"And?" Ash replied simply. "Sure, we see it like that, but imagine the hit to his confidence. Before this, he probably thought he'd get at least a few first-place finishes. But he hasn't even cracked the top ten. That's like going to a fishing competition expecting to catch a Gyarados, only to reel in a bunch of Magikarps while everyone else gets Gyarados."

"I get that, but can't you try to be a little less blunt?" Misty gestured toward Yellow, who still looked worried. "Not all of us are as insensitive as you."

"As if that would change anything." Ash shrugged. "Besides, I'm not saying Brock is going to lose—just that he's probably not going to win."

Despite how negative it sounded, Ash didn't mean it in a bad way. He just didn't think Brock was in a position to win. A lot was stacked against him, and, to Ash, it seemed like Brock had been off when it came to talking about becoming a Breeder.

Ash wasn't sure why, but he had a feeling it had something to do with what happened at home. Ever since Brock had gone back to celebrate his birthday with his family, he hadn't been the same. Something had changed in him. His confidence wavered in a way that wasn't there before.

Before Ash could think more about it, a familiar voice cut through his thoughts.

"Oh hey! I knew I recognized that voice—it's you guys!"

Ash turned to see Lyra smiling down at them, her hands resting behind her back.

"Mind if I take a seat?" she asked, gesturing to the empty spot beside Ash.

"Sure, why not?" Ash shrugged. "What are you doing here, anyway? Shouldn't you be with Kris?"

"Oh, please." Lyra rolled her eyes playfully as she sat down. "My dear old sis and I finally couldn't stand each other."

Then, with a more serious tone, she added, "But yeah, we took different paths. Once she was sure I could take care of myself, she went off on her own."

"Now, as for why I'm here—well, because I had nothing better to do," Lyra said with a smile. "How about you guys? No offense, but you don't seem like the type to be into this kind of thing."

"Our friend Brock is participating," Yellow answered. "We're here to support him."

"Oh, fun! Alright, let's see how this turns out. I look forward to it." Lyra smirked.

Almost as if on cue, the break ended, and the competitors returned to the stage.

The next few rounds were just as rough for Brock. The only events he did decently in were Cooking—since he was naturally good at that—and Grooming, where he used Vulpix. But even in those, he didn't manage to take first place. In both, Suzie came out as the winner.

As they watched, Ash finally noticed someone familiar among the competitors—a green-haired kid with glasses.

"Wait a minute..." Ash squinted at the screen. "I know that guy. That's Khoury!"

Lyra followed his gaze and spotted him as well. "Oh hey, look at that guy. He's kinda cute—in a nerdy sort of way."

Misty crossed her arms and gave Lyra a knowing look. "Oh? What, are you going to start crushing on him too?" she teased.

After all, Lyra's not-so-subtle crush on Ash wasn't exactly a secret—especially after she had dragged him on that so-called "date."

Meanwhile, back in the stadium, the final four rounds passed by. Now, it was time for the last event of the night.

"It's been a lovely evening, ladies and gentlemen," Sukizo announced. "But I'm afraid all good things must come to an end. That means it's time for the part I hate the most—the battle section." He sighed dramatically.

Mr. and Mrs. Gold took over, since Sukizo clearly wasn't a fan of battling.

"This is how it will work," Mrs. Gold explained. "Each competitor will participate in a battle. Remember, this is not about strength—it's about the bond between you and your Pokémon. So get ready, everyone!"

With that, the final event began.

One after another, competitors stepped forward for their battles, but most were underwhelming. The truth was, many of these breeders never battled at all. Even those who raised strong Pokémon had no real battle experience.

Brock sat in the waiting room, lost in thought, debating which Pokémon to use.

Aerodactyl was a no-go—still too aggressive. Larvitar was too young to even start training. Crobat or Kabutops were probably the safest choices.

As he mulled it over, a hand suddenly clasped his shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Ash taking a seat next to him.

"You good?" Ash asked.

"Oh, hey, Ash. What are you doing here?" Brock asked, realizing Pikachu wasn't with him.

"Oh, I just told the girls I was grabbing some snacks before your battle," Ash said. "But how about you? How are you feeling?"

Brock looked down. "I don't think I'm going to win…"

"What? Dude, you're great at battles! And these guys are pushovers," Ash said—but he knew that wasn't what Brock actually meant.

"No, not that… It's just, I-" Brock started, but Ash cut him off.

"Dude, seriously. Stop. You're not being yourself." Ash gave him a light punch on the arm. "What happened to doing this because it was fun? If you win, you win. If you lose, you lose. So what? The world keeps spinning, people keep living, and you keep moving forward."

Ash got up. "Your match is about to start, so I should go. But Brock, just know—I know you'll do great in your own way." He offered his hand.

Brock looked at Ash, then smiled. "You always know what to say, don't you?" He clasped Ash's hand firmly.

Ash grinned before turning to leave, heading back to the stands. As Brock prepared himself, he suddenly felt something in his palm—something Ash had slipped into his hand during their handshake. When he opened his fingers and saw what it was, his eyes widened in surprise.

—

The final battle of the Breeding Competition was about to begin. This was Brock's last chance to shine—but ironically, his opponent was Yui. Of all people, it had to be her again.

As Brock stretched his arms and prepared for the match, he glanced at the judges' table. Sukizo flashed him a cheeky smile and gave him a thumbs-up.

He pulled some strings, huh? Brock thought, unsure whether to thank him or curse him. But there was no time to dwell on that now, he had to focus.

Taking his place on the battlefield, he saw Yui smirking from across him.

"I've been waiting for this rematch ever since you beat me last time," she said, stretching her arm. "I hope you and that Onix of yours are ready."

Brock sighed, reaching for his Poké Ball. He clenched it tightly, then took a deep breath.

"He's not an Onix anymore."

With that, he threw his Poké Ball, and as it hit the ground, it burst open with a flash of light. A massive metallic serpent emerged, its iron-plated body gleaming under the stadium lights.

Steelix roared, its powerful form towering over the battlefield.

Yui's eyes widened for a split second, but then she grinned. Spinning her Poké Ball in her fingers, she smirked. "Oh yeah? Well, guess what? You're not the only one who's gotten stronger!"

She tossed her Poké Ball into the air, and in a flash of light, a Slowking emerged. The regal-looking Pokémon stood its ground, staring calmly at Steelix.

Whitney took the microphone. "Alright! Let's get this match going! I wanna see you both give it everything you've got!"

Yui wasted no time. "Just like before [Trick Room]!"

Slowking's eyes glowed as a translucent blue rectangle with shimmering walls materialized around the battlefield, twisting the dimensions.

Brock's eyes narrowed. "Steelix, quick! Use [Heavy Slam]!"

Steelix bared his jagged metal teeth, slithering across the battlefield at an alarming speed. Normally, Steelix was slow—but inside Trick Room, where speed was reversed, he became one of the fastest things alive. Unfortunately, that also meant Slowking was even faster now or rather, slower.

"Slowking, jump up and [Scald] his head!" Yui commanded with a snap of her fingers.

Slowking waited until Steelix lowered his massive head like a wrecking ball, aiming to smash into him. Then, at the last second, Slowking leapt up, flipping gracefully over Steelix's head before landing atop him.

With pinpoint accuracy, Slowking fired a jet of scalding hot water directly onto Steelix's head.

"Steelix, shake it off! Then use Iron Tail!" Brock countered.

Steelix snapped his tail upward, grabbing Slowking in midair before slamming it down onto the battlefield with a heavy thud. Then, with a swift motion, he raised his tail high and brought it crashing down like a hammer.

Slowking took the hit hard, but Yui only smirked.

"Not bad, but not good enough. Slowking, backflip out and [Slack Off] then [Shadow Ball!]"

With surprising agility, Slowking flipped away just as Steelix's tail crashed into the ground where it had just been. As it landed, Slowking took a deep breath, its body glowing faintly as it recovered some health.

Then, in a seamless motion, it gathered dark energy in its palms and fired a shadowy purple orb straight at Steelix.

Brock's eyes sharpened. "Steelix, block it with [Breaking Swipe]!"

Steelix's tail glowed purple as it swung like a baseball bat, smashing into the incoming Shadow Ball. The orb exploded on impact, but Steelix's attack didn't stop there—his tail continued downward, slamming into Slowking and sending it skidding backward. However, Slowking recovered quickly, planting its feet firmly on the ground.

Steelix began sliding forward again, preparing to slam down onto Slowking, but this time, Slowking finally pulled its hands from behind its back, raising them as they glowed with psychic energy.

Before Steelix could land its attack, a purple glow surrounded its body—Slowking had used [Telekinesis], lifting the massive serpent into the air.

Yui and Slowking smirked in unison as Steelix floated helplessly above the battlefield.

With a snap of her fingers, Yui drew Brock's attention. "You know, ever since you beat us back then, we've been preparing for our revenge. And this is what we've been practicing." She extended her arm dramatically. "[Calm Mind], then let's end this with [Hydro Pump]!"

Slowking jumped back, closed its eyes, and took a deep breath, its body glowing as it sharpened its focus. When it opened its eyes again, a powerful torrent of water gathered in its mouth, swelling into a massive blast.

Then, with a forceful exhale, Slowking fired a devastating [Hydro Pump] directly at Steelix.

The attack struck head-on, sending Steelix crashing down next to Brock's feet. The impact shook the battlefield as Steelix struggled to rise, water dripping from its metallic body.

Across the field, Yui and Slowking exchanged victorious grins, celebrating their moment. The crowd erupted in cheers, impressed by the spectacle, while the judges watched with interest.

Up in the stands, Misty, Yellow, and Lyra looked on with concern, their eyes fixed on Brock. Was this the end?

But not everyone thought so. Suzie and Ash were the only ones who remained calm. They knew, this battle wasn't over yet.

As Brock looked down at Steelix, memories of his birthday surfaced the day his mother finally came back.

It had been bittersweet.

Yes, he had been happy to see her again. But a part of him resented the way she pretended everything was normal, when it wasn't.

He remembered telling her about the Breeding Competition, only for her to casually drop a bombshell on him

"Oh, the Breeding Competition? You know, I used to compete in those too! I even got my own funding. Oh? I didn't tell you? Silly me, I must have forgotten! I suppose you're just following in our footsteps, my precious boy."

Those words had made Brock's skin itch.

It wasn't that he hated his mother, no, he still loved her, even if she made thoughtless decisions.

But the reason he chose this path, the reason he pursued Pokémon breeding, was because he wanted to find his own way.

His whole life, people had told him what he was supposed to do.

He was supposed to take over the Gym.

He was supposed to follow tradition.

He was supposed to do what was expected.

And the thought of breaking free from that had been appealing. But now, here he was, and suddenly, he learned that his mother had done this first.

What was he supposed to think? Had he really changed anything? Or was he just following their path all over again?

No. Brock refused to believe that.

His grip tightened around the small object Ash had given him. It was a stone, more specifically, it was Ash's Keystone. And as Brock clenched it in his palm, he felt something pulse in his pocket.

Reaching inside, he pulled out something he had almost forgotten about. A blue and gray Mega Stone. Steelix's Mega Stone.

He had received it a long time ago from Looker, but it had been buried away, out of sight and out of mind. Until now. Now, as he held both stones in his hands, the pieces began to fall into place.

Brock closed his eyes for a moment, then looked up, determination burning in his gaze, "Steelix! If you have any fight left in you, lend me your strength and take this!"

He tossed the stone forward. Steelix was weak but he was still up, caught it in its tail, gripping it tightly. The stadium grew silent as attention shifted back to them.

Yui raised an eyebrow, "What are you doing?"

Brock met her gaze, gripping the Keystone firmly. "All this time, I've been walking down this path, pretending to be something I'm not."

His voice grew stronger. "But I see it now, I've just been lying to myself, pretending that I want the easy way, pretending this is the only path."

His grip tightened. "No. I will do what I want, and I'm going to do it my own way!"

He raised the Keystone and crossed his arms into a X, "Steelix, Mega Evolve!"

A brilliant light engulfed Steelix as its body began to shift. Metal shards detached and started orbiting its head, its entire form growing larger and more imposing, Leaving behind Mega Steelix

Yui's eyes widened in shock, but Brock didn't hesitate. He thrust his arm forward, "Steelix [Earthquake], now!"

Steelix slammed its tail into the ground, sending devastating shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. The ground beneath Slowking erupted, the force sending it stumbling.

Brock didn't let up, "Now, knock it back down and finish this with [Body Press]!"

With incredible speed, Steelix swung its tail, smashing Slowking back into the ground. Then, with a thunderous roar, it lifted its entire body and slammed down with its full weight.

The impact was so powerful, it cracked the stadium floor, but he rose up then slammed down again, then again and again.

As the dust settled, Steelix slowly rose, revealing Slowking, completely unconscious.

The battlefield fell silent for a moment, then the announcer's voice rang out, "Slowking is unable to battle! The winner is Brock Harrison!"

The crowd erupted into cheers.

—-

A few minutes later the top 3 were announced, it was expanded that only the top 3 would receive funding and a partnership with the league, along with a license if they don't have one already.

1st place to the surprise of no one was Suzie, 2nd was another guy that didn't really matter, but 3rd is where it mattered, since Brock and Yui were really close in points.

The Judges had to talk about it together, but eventually they came to an agreement, as Sukizo stood forward and took the mic.

"We have made our decision, 3rd place, and the last one to receive an official partnership contract with the league, is going to be-" he started as he gestured to the screen where it flickered to life, and on the screen was a name next to a picture.

[Yui Shiori]

-----

I have finaly done it, i have made a patre*on, now let me tell you what to expect

I have no idea what i'm doing so bear with me, I will change it, and once again i love all criticism, the main thing there is the advanced chapters, i will make more, and as i make more i will increse the amount each tier has access to

But becuse i want you guys to get more than just something you can wait for, i will also be doing patre*on exclusive chapters, that have ether exclusive content, things to expand some characters, or even learn some stuff early that will come up later.

More Omake storys like the valentines day one, along with request Omake storys and even affecting the story in some way.

Even if you won't join, still check it out, i will make the first Omake story public, its called 'Loser Admin meeting' but this is the only freebie you get, the rest will be patre*on exclusive

So check it out and support me if you want,

patre*on/Katsu190