Julian took a deep breath, his gaze lingering on the two spheres in his hand. He could play it safe. He could bring out the mystery fourth member or lean on Floette's refined control. But then he looked at the field—at the scorched, slushy mess they had made—and then at the ball containing a very tired, very stubborn Fire-type.
"Growlithe, I'm putting it all on you. I know you're gassed, but I also know you don't want to leave this to the 'backups.' You want this win for yourself, don't you?"
"Woof-woof! (You bet your life I do! Let me at that purple lady again!)"
The moment Growlithe hit the field, he was greeted by the same rhythmic swaying of Jynx. He stood his ground, though his legs were shaking slightly from the accumulated fatigue of two back-to-back victories.
"Back for more punishment?" Jira let out a cold, sharp laugh. "I admired your grit earlier, but now it's just bordering on arrogance. Do you honestly think a half-dead pup can take down my third Pokémon? Jynx, show him the weight of the mind! Psychic!"
"Juralu~!"
Jynx didn't even wait for Growlithe to move. Her eyes flared with a brilliant, haunting blue light. Before Growlithe could even bark, his paws left the slushy floor. He was hoisted into the air by an invisible, crushing force, his body glowing with that same eerie cerulean hue.
"Woof? (Hey! Put me down! This isn't a fair fight if I can't touch the ground!)" Growlithe flailed his paws wildly, looking like he was trying to swim through the air.
"Stay focused, Growlithe!" Julian shouted over the hum of psychic energy. "If you can't reach her with your paws, reach her with your jaw! Bite!"
Growlithe's fangs began to shimmer with a dark, purplish-black energy—the natural predator of Psychic types. He snapped his jaws at the air, trying to find a purchase on the invisible tether holding him, but he was suspended too far away. The psychic grip was like a suit of iron armor, locking his joints in place.
"It's no use," Jira said, his voice dripping with icy certainty. "Once Jynx has a lock on your frequency, you're just a toy. Jynx, finish the 'toss.' Slam him!"
With a flick of Jynx's silk-gloved wrist, the psychic force inverted. Growlithe was spiked toward the frozen ground like a volleyball.
CRUNCH!
"Growlithe!" Julian's heart skipped a beat as the pup hit the ice hard, sending a spray of dirty slush into the air.
Growlithe lay still for a second, his orange fur matted with mud and melting snow. Then, with a pained grunt, he shook himself off. His fur was a mess, and he was clearly hurting, but the fire in his eyes hadn't gone out—it had just turned into a concentrated, angry simmer.
"Woof... (That... actually hurt. I'm starting to really dislike this lady.)"
"I'm just glad you're still in one piece," Julian sighed, wiping sweat from his own brow despite the cold. "If we can't get close, we have to force her to come to us. Flame Wheel, let's go! Keep the heat up!"
"Sea-sea!"
Growlithe ignited once more, though the flames were noticeably flickering, a sign his stamina was hitting the red zone. He charged, a spinning disc of fire aimed straight for Jynx's midsection.
"Predictable," Jira sighed. "Jynx, give the little hero a Sweet Kiss to calm him down."
"Juralu~"
Jynx blew another flirtatious heart. Growlithe, remembering the 'horror' of the previous hearts, performed a frantic, mid-air mid-roll to dodge it. He avoided the kiss, but the maneuver cost him his momentum.
"Now, Powder Snow! Bury him!"
Jynx inhaled deeply and exhaled a freezing blizzard. The white powder swirled around Growlithe, clashing with his Flame Wheel. The steam rose thick and heavy, and Julian watched as the flames around his partner began to shrink, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the frost.
"Don't stop, Growlithe! Push through it! You're almost there!"
Julian was practically leaning over the railing now. Growlithe vanished into the white-out, his silhouette barely visible as the fire around him dwindled to a faint orange glow. He was closing the distance, step by agonizing step, moving through the blizzard until he was mere feet from Jynx.
"Now! Catch him with Psychic again!" Jira roared.
The blue glow returned. Growlithe froze mid-leap, his nose inches away from Jynx's dress. He hung there, suspended in the air once more, completely helpless.
"Growlithe, use Bite! Just one snap!" Julian urged.
"Woof... (I can't move my head, Julian! She's got me locked down tight!)" Growlithe's jaw was glowing with dark energy, but he couldn't tilt his head far enough to reach her.
"Then use Fire Spin! Blast her from the inside out!"
Growlithe tried to vent a spiral of fire, but the psychic pressure was so intense it seemed to snuff the sparks before they could even leave his mouth. He was a prisoner in his own skin.
"It's over," Jira said, a smirk finally crossing his face. "You fought well, kid, but this is where the road ends. Jynx, end this farce. Lovely Kiss."
Jynx began to sway rhythmically, her purple face leaning closer and closer to the suspended Growlithe. Her thick, pink lips were pouted, glowing with a hypnotic light that would put any Pokémon into a deep, dreamless sleep.
"Woof-woof! (No! Get away! Julian, help! This is way worse than the heart!)" Growlithe's eyes went wide, and he started squirming with a level of panic Julian had never seen before.
Julian looked at Growlithe, then at Jynx, and then... he did something completely unexpected. He slumped his shoulders and let out a long, dramatic sigh. He even tucked his hands into his pockets, looking bored.
"Growlithe, listen," Julian said, his voice suddenly loud and strangely detached. "Remember all that training we did? The Fire Spin variants? The Ember compression? If you can't use those now, then maybe you're just not ready for the Elite Class. Honestly, if you can't handle a little kiss, how are we supposed to face the Sinnoh League?"
"Woof?! (What are you talking about?! I'm being kidnapped here!)"
"It's fine," Julian continued, waving a hand dismissively. "If you lose here, it's whatever. I've still got Floette. She's way more reliable anyway. She wouldn't let herself get kissed by a stranger. Actually, Floette's probably laughing at you right now. She makes my life so much easier."
Julian actually turned his back for a split second, pretending to check his fingernails. ┓(´∀`)┏
"Have you? (Wait... are you serious? You're just giving up on me?!)" Growlithe's panic turned into a cold, sharp spike of betrayal.
"I'm just saying," Julian sighed, looking back over his shoulder with a sarcastic tilt to his head. "If you can't get yourself out of this, just take the nap. It'll be peaceful. I'll just recall you and let the 'real' members of the team finish the Gym. No big deal."
"Hmph." Jira frowned, looking confused by Julian's sudden change in attitude. "Are you actually mocking your own Pokémon during a Gym match? That's low, even for a rookie."
"I'm just being a realist, Jira," Julian said, holding up Growlithe's Poké Ball. "He clearly can't handle the pressure. Go ahead, Jynx. Give him the kiss so we can get this over with."
"Woof-woof! (You... you total jerk! You lowlife! I'm working my tail off and you're talking about Floette?!)"
Growlithe was no longer scared. He was livid. The insult to his pride as the 'Ace' of the team hit harder than any Psychic attack ever could. He felt a surge of heat from the very center of his chest—not the controlled fire of a trainer's command, but the raw, unbridled fury of a Pokémon who refused to be mocked.
Jynx was now inches away, her lips almost touching Growlithe's forehead.
"NOW!" Julian's voice snapped back into its commanding, sharp tone.
At that exact microsecond, Growlithe didn't try to move his body. He didn't try to fight the psychic grip. He just opened his mouth and let out everything.
KABOOM!
A violent, concentrated pillar of white-hot flame erupted from Growlithe's mouth. It wasn't a Fire Spin or an Ember—it was a raw, primal burst of Overheat-level intensity. Because Jynx was so close, and because she was focusing all her energy on the Psychic hold and the Lovely Kiss, she had zero defensive layers up.
The flames hit her square in the face.
"JURA—!"
The psychic grip shattered instantly as Jynx was blasted backward. The sheer heat of the explosion turned the surrounding slush into a cloud of blinding steam. Growlithe dropped to the floor, landing on his feet with a heavy thud, his breath coming in ragged gasps, smoke curling from his snout.
When the steam cleared, Jynx was slumped against the far wall, her blonde hair singed and her eyes rolled back into her head. She didn't even twitch.
The referee stood in stunned silence for three seconds before raising his flag. "Jynx is unable to battle! Growlithe is the winner!"