"Sharpedo!"
Yohei cried out helplessly.
Sharpedo was blasted to the edge of the pool by an icy-blue bolt of lightning. Ice formed around it, freezing it to the pool wall.
"Sharpedo is unable to battle! Milotic wins!"
The Old Butler's voice was like a sharp knife, stabbing into the heart of Yohei, who had been so full of himself moments ago.
Yohei: "..."
How was that possible!?
He had reached the top eight at the Ever Grande Conference!
Even among the trainers of Sootopolis City, he ranked near the top. Yet his Sharpedo had been defeated so easily...
"When a Pokémon becomes infatuated, you should switch it out. Shouting at it won't help."
Baimu continued his critique.
Yohei had had every chance to withdraw Sharpedo. Infatuation wasn't even a lasting status condition.
He wasn't just arrogant. He was foolish, too.
Had he never considered that Wallace wouldn't have approved Baimu as a temporary Gym Leader if he were weak? The idea that he was merely a "lucky kid" was wishful thinking.
"...Got it."
Yohei looked at Baimu and Shiny Milotic, who seemed entirely at ease. At last, he set aside his prejudice and, gritting his teeth, sent out his second Pokémon—
Starmie.
"I underestimated you just now," he declared. "Don't think you'll take down my Pokémon so easily this time!"
Unfortunately.
That was more tough talk.
His ability as a top-eight conference finisher never showed itself. Either that, or the trainers at the conference that year had generally been at this level.
Under Baimu's commands, Shiny Milotic handled Starmie and Yohei's final Pokémon, Crawdaunt, with ease. The confidence it gained from those victories made its appearance and bearing shine all the brighter.
It was just as Juan had told him: "Beauty rests on strength, and charm comes from confidence."
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