The alarm was a violent intrusion into dreams of stone mazes and fire erupting from the earth. Micah silenced it with a groan, every muscle in his body screaming protest at the thought of movement.
He'd overtrained yesterday. Not Donny,himself. Eleven hours of intense focus, constant commands, physical demonstration, sprinting back and forth across training grounds. His body had filed a formal complaint somewhere around 3:00 AM and was now threatening a full strike.
"Get up," he told himself. "Two days left. No time for weakness."
His body suggested several anatomically improbable alternatives to getting up.
Bellatrix, apparently tired of his internal debate, took matters into her own paws. She padded over to the bed, grabbed the blanket in her teeth, and yanked the entire thing onto the floor with one smooth motion.
"I hate you," Micah mumbled into his now-exposed pillow. "You're a terrible guard dog and I'm telling Maxie to revoke your professional certification."
Bellatrix's tail wagged once,the canine equivalent of "nice try."
Micah dragged himself to the shower, letting scalding water work some of the stiffness from his protesting muscles. By the time he emerged, marginally more human, Bellatrix had helpfully placed his training clothes directly in his path,subtle shepherding toward productivity.
"I'm going, I'm going," he muttered, dressing mechanically. "Slave driver."
Breakfast was protein-heavy by design,his body needed fuel to sustain another full training day, and Donny would need his own calorie intake increased to support the intensive conditioning planned for today.
Kira and Lucas were already waiting at their usual table, both looking more awake than Micah felt.
"You look like death," Kira observed cheerfully.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?"
"Because you look like death," Lucas confirmed. "Here." He slid a large coffee across the table. "Triple shot. Don't ask questions, just drink it."
Micah obeyed, the caffeine hitting his system like a benevolent electric shock. "What time did you two want to do the mock battles?"
"We were thinking 2:00 PM," Kira said. "Gives you the morning for your conditioning work, then we can run scenarios for two or three hours without completely destroying everyone's stamina."
"That works. I appreciate you both doing this."
"Stop thanking us, it's getting weird," Kira said, though fondness undercut the gruffness. "Just focus on not losing embarrassingly so we don't regret helping you."
"Motivational."
"I'm gifted that way."
DAY TWO - MORNING: ENDURANCE CONDITIONING
If yesterday had been about precision and technique, today was about raw stamina. The ability to maintain performance when exhausted, when every instinct screamed to stop, when tactical excellence met biological limitation.
Micah had designed the morning as one extended endurance circuit: mobility drills for five minutes, followed immediately by Rock Blast placement, followed immediately by mock combat engagement, followed immediately by more mobility drills. Thirty minutes of sustained activity, five minute rest, repeat.
Donny looked at the training schedule with what could only be described as betrayed confusion. Yesterday had been hard. Today looked harder.
"I know," Micah said sympathetically. "I hate it too. But Marcus Brennan's Numel has 'significant tournament experience.' You know what that means? It means they've trained for this. They've built endurance through dozens of matches. We're trying to catch up to months of conditioning in three days. This is how we do that."
The Rhyhorn rumbled,not agreement, but resignation. He was here, he'd try, but he reserved the right to be unhappy about it.
The first circuit was brutal. Donny started strong, executing drills with yesterday's learned precision, but by minute twenty his movements were noticeably slower. By minute twenty-five he was panting heavily. At minute thirty when Micah called rest, the Rock-type collapsed immediately.
"Five minutes," Micah said, offering water and high-energy nutrition supplements. "Catch your breath. Then we go again."
"Again?" Donny's expression asked. "You want me to do that AGAIN?"
"Four more times," Micah confirmed. "I know it sucks. I'm sorry. But this is what builds the stamina you'll need to execute our strategy for a full match."
They completed three more circuits before Micah called an early halt. Donny wasn't just tired,he was approaching genuine overexertion, the dangerous zone where training became injury risk.
"Okay, new plan," Micah said, making rapid calculations. "Three circuits was your limit today. That's fine, that's data. Tomorrow you'll manage three and a half. By match day, you'll be able to sustain activity for extended periods without collapse."
He recalled Donny to his Pokéball for mandatory rest, then turned to Bellatrix.
"Your turn. We've been using you as a training dummy for two days. Time to make sure you're still tournament-sharp."
The Houndour's eyes brightened,finally, proper engagement rather than just standing still while a baby Rhyhorn practiced hitting her.
They ran combat drills for ninety minutes, Micah commanding Bellatrix through her full moveset,Ember, Flamethrower, Smog, Fire Fang, Bite, and the one technique they'd been deliberately avoiding: Thunder Fang.
"We need to know if you still have this," Micah said, watching electricity crackle along Bellatrix's fangs. "If this goes to tribunal and Maxie argues for you to be officially transferred to me, they'll want documentation of your full capabilities."
Bellatrix released Thunder Fang against a training dummy, the Electric-type move shredding through the target with vicious efficiency. The move wasn't her primary specialty,Fire and Dark moves were her bread and butter,but having Electric coverage meant she could threaten Water-types that would otherwise wall her.
"Good," Micah noted, documenting the successful execution. "Maintain all techniques. Just because we're focused on Donny doesn't mean we neglect your development."
The Houndour's tail wagged,appreciation for being taken seriously as a combatant rather than just a training tool.
DAY TWO - AFTERNOON: MOCK BATTLE GAUNTLET
At 2:00 PM sharp, Kira and Lucas arrived at the training grounds with their Pokémon in tow. Kira's Corphish looked eager, pincers snapping with anticipation. Lucas's Wingull perched on his shoulder, eyeing the proceedings with avian curiosity.
"Here's what we're thinking," Kira said, pulling up a document on her tablet. "We run three mock battles, each showcasing a different strategic approach Donny might face. Battle one: aggressive rushdown with Corphish playing the role of a charging opponent. Battle two: ranged harassment with Wingull demonstrating kiting from a distance. Battle three: adaptive mixed strategy where we combine both approaches."
"That's perfect," Micah said, reviewing the plan. "Covers the major archetypes. We're ready whenever you are."
Matt agreed to referee again, ensuring safety and providing external assessment. Donny was released from his Pokéball, having recovered somewhat from morning conditioning, and took his position in the makeshift arena.
MOCK BATTLE ONE: AGGRESSIVE RUSHDOWN
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"This is Corphish playing the role of a Fighting-type or similar aggressive close-combat specialist," Kira announced. "I'm going to try to close distance and overwhelm with physical attacks. Show me your kiting strategy."
"Begin!" Matt called.
"Corphish, Harden then charge forward!"
The Water-type's shell gleamed as the defense boost took effect, then it scuttled forward with surprising speed, pincers raised threateningly.
"Rock Blast, standard pattern!" Micah commanded. "Block the direct approaches!"
Three rocks dropped with practiced precision, forcing Corphish to navigate around obstacles. But Kira had anticipated this,she'd watched yesterday's training, knew what to expect.
"ViceGrip on the nearest rock! Pull it out of your path!"
Clever adaptation. Corphish clamped powerful pincers around one of Donny's obstacles and physically removed it from the maze, opening a direct vector to the Rhyhorn.
"New placement,seal that gap!" Micah called, improvising.
Donny dropped another rock, but his Rock Blast allocation was depleting,he could only summon a finite number before needing recovery time. Each one Corphish destroyed or moved was one less obstacle available.
"This is the weakness of pure terrain control," Kira called out, educational even mid-battle. "If your opponent can counter the obstacles, you're burning resources for diminishing returns!"
She was right. Micah needed a different approach.
"Donny, stop running! Horn Attack, meet the charge head-on!"
Risk, but calculated risk. If Corphish was going to close distance anyway, might as well meet them on somewhat favorable terms rather than getting cornered.
Donnyplanted his feet and charged forward, horn lowered. Corphish responded with ViceGrip. The two Pokémon collided with a resounding crack,Donny's superior weight giving him advantage in the shoving match.
"Now,Rock Blast point-blank! Trap them!"
At this distance, Donny couldn't miss. Rocks materialized directly around Corphish, creating a makeshift prison rather than mere obstacles. The Water-type was temporarily immobilized, struggling against the stone cage.
"Match!" Matt called. "Donny achieves victory condition,opponent controlled and unable to advance. Well done both of you."
Kira recalled Corphish with approval. "Good adaptation. When terrain control failed, you switched to direct engagement and THEN used terrain control as a follow-up trap. That's creative thinking under pressure."
"I panicked and got lucky," Micah admitted.
"Panic that leads to effective tactics is just decision-making with adrenaline," Lucas observed. "Don't discount it."
MOCK BATTLE TWO: RANGED HARASSMENT
"Wingull's going to demonstrate the nightmare scenario for Donny," Lucas explained. "Opponent that can fly, stays at range, hits you with special attacks you can't effectively dodge or counter. This tests your endurance and problem-solving when the ideal strategy isn't available."
Oh good. Micah's favorite kind of test,the impossible kind.
"Begin!"
"Wingull, gain altitude! Water Gun from above!"
The Flying-type took to the air with graceful wing-beats, circling above the arena and firing pressurized water down at Donny. The Rhyhorn tried to dodge, but aerial attacks were nearly impossible to predict.
Water Gun splashed across his rocky hide, dealing devastating damage to the Rock-Ground Pokemon.
"Rock Blast,try to clip his wings!" Micah called, knowing this was a long shot.
Donny summoned rocks above Wingull's position, trying to catch the Flying-type in a mid-air trap. But Wingull simply banked left, aerial mobility making him untouchable.
"This is what happens when type disadvantage combines with mobility advantage," Lucas narrated. "Donny can't reach Wingull effectively, and Wingull can slowly whittle him down from safety."
"So what's the counter?" Micah asked, genuinely stumped.
"You tell me. This is your training exercise."
Right. Think. Donny couldn't reach Wingull directly. Rock Blast couldn't clip a properly mobile Flying-type. But waiting passively meant slow defeat through accumulated damage.
What did they have that could affect aerial opponents?
"Donny, kick up dust! Create a cloud!" Micah commanded, idea crystallizing. "Make it hard for Wingull to aim!"
The Rhyhorn began scraping his feet against the ground, churning up dirt and stone particles into an improvised smokescreen. Not elegant, but functional,Wingull's Water Guns started missing more frequently as visibility decreased.
"Better," Lucas approved. "You can't beat aerial harassment directly, but you can disrupt their accuracy. What's next?"
"Rock Blast,not targeting Wingull. Creating cover clusters!" Micah pointed to several strategic positions. "Build defensive positions Donny can shelter behind between harassment volleys!"
This time Rock Blast wasn't used offensively but defensively,creating barriers that limited Wingull's firing angles. Donny moved between cover positions, minimizing exposure to aerial attacks.
"Match!" Matt called after five minutes. "Time limit reached. Outcome: mutual survival. Donny takes accumulated damage but remains combat-capable. Wingull expends significant move PP without achieving knockout. Draw scenario."
"Which, against an opponent with type and mobility advantage, is actually a tactical victory," Lucas added. "You survived a hard counter scenario. In a tournament where victory requires your opponent fainting, a draw is a loss. But in terms of proving you can handle adversity? You passed."
MOCK BATTLE THREE: ADAPTIVE MIXED STRATEGY
"Final test," Kira said. "Lucas and I are both going to release our Pokémon simultaneously. Two-on-one, but we're deliberately limiting ourselves,Corphish fights at fifty percent speed, Wingull stays below ten feet altitude. This simulates a single opponent who can adapt between multiple strategies mid-fight."
"That's devious," Micah said.
"That's tournament reality. Good opponents don't stick to one pattern. They read your counters and adjust. Show me you can handle it."
"Begin!"
Corphish advanced from the left, Wingull harassed from the right. Donny was immediately caught in crossfire,if he focused on the ground threat, aerial attacks punished him. If he addressed aerial harassment, Corphish closed distance unopposed.
"Rock Blast,split placement! Three rocks block Corphish, three create overhead cover from Wingull!"
Donny executed, his improved precision from two days of training allowing the complex split-focus command. Corphish's advance slowed, Wingull's firing angles reduced.
But now both opponents adapted. Corphish began destroying obstacles again while Wingull shifted position to fire from an uncovered angle.
"This is resource depletion warfare," Kira called out. "You're burning Rock Blast charges faster than you can sustain. What happens when you run out?"
Micah's mind raced. They were right,he couldn't maintain this pace indefinitely. He needed to shift from reactive defense to proactive offense.
"Donny, aggressive! Horn Attack Corphish,force them to defend instead of destroy obstacles!"
The Rhyhorn charged, and Corphish had to interrupt their obstacle removal to raise defense with Harden. Good,that slowed their advance and preserved Donny's terrain control.
"Now Wingull!" Micah called. "Rock Blast overhead,force them to go lower where Donny can threaten them!"
Rocks appeared above Wingull's flight path, not trying to hit directly but creating a ceiling that restricted altitude options. The Flying-type descended, bringing them into range where Donny could theoretically land a Horn Attack if positioning aligned.
"Better and better," Lucas approved. "You're thinking three moves ahead now. What sealed the victory?"
Victory? Micah looked around. Corphish was locked behind obstacles, Wingull was forced into suboptimal altitude, and Donny had managed to control both opponents' positioning simultaneously.
"Match!" Matt confirmed. "Donny achieves control over battlefield and both opponents. Victory condition met."
The gathered friends erupted in applause,spontaneous, genuine, celebratory. Even their Pokémon joined in, Corphish clacking approval and Wingull chirping congratulations.
Micah felt emotion welling up, dangerously close to tears. Two days ago he'd been convinced this was impossible. Now Donny had just defeated two opponents simultaneously through pure tactical execution.
"You're ready," Kira said, gripping his shoulder. "Maybe not ready to definitely win, but ready to compete. Ready to prove you belong here. That's what matters."
DAY TWO - EVENING: RECOVERY AND REFLECTION
By 7:00 PM, Micah had completed his scheduled training. Donny was exhausted but satisfied,visible pride in how he'd performed during mock battles. Bellatrix was content, having maintained her own combat sharpness through dedicated drilling.
The evening session was pure recovery: massage work on Donny's muscles to prevent cramping and injury, careful inspection for any signs of strain or damage, high-protein nutrition to support tissue repair, and early rest in his Pokéball to maximize regeneration.
Micah himself collapsed into bed with his journal, determined to document the day before unconsciousness claimed him:
Day Two - Complete:
Mock battles exceeded expectations. Donny demonstrated tactical flexibility, adapted to multiple opponent types, maintained strategic discipline under pressure.
Key lessons learned:
- Pure terrain control has limitations against opponents who can destroy/bypass obstacles
- Environmental disruption (dust clouds) can counter mobility advantages when direct engagement isn't viable
- Resource management critical,can't spam Rock Blast indefinitely, need to make every placement count
- Decision-making under pressure improving rapidly,Donny beginning to anticipate commands rather than just reacting
Weaknesses still present but improving:
- Stamina remains limiting factor,three endurance circuits maximum before exhaustion
- No good answer to true aerial specialists (but Numel can't fly so this is acceptable weakness)
- Relies heavily on terrain control,if opponent has hard counter to Rock Blast, strategy collapses
One day left. Tomorrow: polish, rest, mental preparation. No new techniques,just refinement and confidence building.
Current assessment: We have a fighting chance. Not favored to win, but capable of competitive performance. That's enough.
Final day tomorrow. Then we prove ourselves.
He closed the journal, set his alarm, and let exhaustion pull him down into dreamless sleep with one day remaining between present and destiny.