Focus nodded. She didn't talk much, and that was good. As Sarah had said, weakness was bad but exposing it was unacceptable.

She would prefer a mute retainer to a bumbling, tongue-tied one any day. Perhaps speaking lessons would be useful later. Perhaps not.

For now, they needed fire.

The crackling of breaking grass snapped Sarah back to reality. Something was coming for them.

Nosepass's stony arm slammed into the ground, sinking deep into the stomped grass and punching down into the soft loam beneath.

Focus was already moving, her light feet scampering around behind the lumbering foe.

She had many advantages: size, speed, and hopefully intelligence.

"Come on," Sarah urged softly, as Fennekin darted out from underneath another swinging hammer arm.

Focus scampered, biting back flame. She knew it wouldn't work, but what would? Where was the opponent weak? How could they be disabled? Sarah was projecting a little, but she hoped that half of her thoughts were shared by the little Fennekin.

And then she saw Focus' eyes settle on their mark: the nose.

YES

When the next arm slammed down Focus dodged, not to the side but underneath Nosepass, moving in close enough to yelp out a blast of Psychic energy that spun Nosepass' magnetic appendage upside down!

It stumbled back, confused and disoriented, and let out a honk of distress that made Sarah laugh.

As it waddled off back into the grass Sarah knelt down to pet Focus. "Well done. You did me proud."

Focus beamed up at her, excited just to be a part of whatever was happening.

"Now let's see what's next."

Fennekin wasn't ready.

She'd melted Magnemite, popped Nidoran like popcorn, and cracked Yanma like twigs between her teeth.

It hadn't been easy, but it had been doable, and woth each victory her confidence and power grew, swelling like her ego until she felt that even the supposedly 'Dangerous' Duraludon was sure to fall before her flames. Just another stick of steel turned to slag.

She was wrong, and the steel claw compressing her into the ground was sure proof.

Focus wheezed for breath, scrambling to suon flame as the massive steel maw of the metal dragon breathed forge-hot air on her face.

In that brief moment of weightless, grappled freedom Focus felt the burning heat of her companions.

They were watching her now, all gathered to watch her trial by (and of) fire.

Chell, Sarah's right hand, watched on with blazing eyes. The Emboar had no time for failure or weakness. She was Sarah's support. Her bouncer and backbone. Chell was brutal, but she would never be regal. Never be elegant.

Chell was the one that should be accompanying Sarah, and the weight of that expectation was almost as suffocating as the weight of the steel dragon pneumatically compressing her chest.

The Emboar didn't say anything. She just watched, her flaming brows burning a righteous gold.

Focus felt her own flame, trapped inside. It swirled and struggled, searching for escape, flickering and dying in her belly.

She felt the pillars of flame around her. The overbearing Gold, Crimson, and Blue.

Her head felt light, her jaws open and flapping, but as Duraludon picked her up again to deliver the knockout blow she heard Sarah's voice. For real this time.

"Show me strength."

But how could she show strength when she had so little? The other Pokemon had been nothing compared to this monster.

Fennekin's eyes snapped open, and she sucked in a deep, shuddering breath. Streams of gold, crimson, and blue pulling into her mouth, and as Duraludon slammed her into the ground she let the hit expel the wavering flame in her own lungs, letting it mix with the fire of those around her.

She went off like a landmine.

The clearing was engulfed in flame so deep and rich that it looked purple. Like blackberry liqueur, ignited and set loose among the grass stalks.

As the smoke cleared, and the flames came under control, Sarah casually caught the defeated Duraludon. Focus lay nearby, unconscious yet still the clear winner.

Say what you want about pure strength, but in the battle of Brain vs Brawn she would bet on brain every time.

Sarah returned her new protege, and walked off in the direction of Professor Ash's new encampment. She may even have smiled.