I Challenge You, Professor!

Part 2: The Battle Begins

Art by @moa151 on Twitter/X

A/N: Champion Cynthia and Professor Rowan prepare for battle! Will it be completely one-sided, or will the tides shift to Cynthia's favor?

This battle has some anime moments if you squint hard enough.

(We aren't going to talk about how many Serebii tabs I had open.)

The concept of what Rowan's Champion theme would sound like is something I've mulled over for a very long time. I've went through several fanmade Pokémon themes on YouTube, but none really matched up the vibe I was looking for.

I would say, it feels like what you get from Cyrus', Director Clavell's, and Dialga/Palkia's theme? Sorta like the calm but intimidating sort of thing. Like, you know it's a serious fight, and you're against something that will overwhelm you if you are careless. Maybe sprinkle some of Rowan's lab theme as the motif. Of course he's a Champion, so the intensity is there. That's how it feels. If I knew how to arrange music, I would make it. All I can do is describe it. I hope you have the idea. Haha.

Enough from me though!

Enjoy!

- Part 2: The Battle Begins -

"Professor, what is it like being a Champion?"

The curious child looked up at the man with her Gible snug in her arms. She was patient with him, even as he took his time to sort through his many cabinets that held several labeled folders.

"Hm. Well." Professor Rowan took down a folder. "As you can imagine, my hands are always full. They like to tell you that the Champion title is simply a declaration of your strength. They never tell you about the responsibilities that come with it."

"Responsibilities?" Cynthia tilted her head. "Like protecting the region from malicious people?"

"Well, that's one of them, I suppose. When you are considered the strongest Trainer in the region, it's only to be expected for you to step forward and put an end to any sort of threat."

He sorted through the papers. His eyes squinted at the smaller print.

"And of course, being a professor means my research never ends. I am to write a paper to submit to Silph Co. Something about the Dubious Disc just doesn't sit right with me..."

"But didn't you say they don't know who made it?" Cynthia asked.

"That's what they claim. Perhaps one of their staff members felt daring."

"It made Porygon strong," Cynthia pointed out.

"Yes, but with a heavy price I didn't foresee," Professor Rowan said. "It was faulty, and Porygon's behavior has grown erratic. Its strength has grown exceptionally, yes, but its functionality has lost all sense of direction."

Cynthia frowned. "It's sick...?"

He stopped everything. Once he saw her worried face, a smile formed on his face. "It's more like...its overloaded. Have you ever studied for such a long period of time, that your mind struggles to sort the information? When you need to pull that information out, you come to a blank instead. There's nothing there, so you panic."

"Yeah," Cynthia nodded. "Grandma always told me it's bad to cram too much."

"Well, that's precisely what happened with Porygon, only there's no way to end it." Professor Rowan's smile faded as he brought the pokéball to his hand. "Constantly overwhelmed with information it doesn't know how to sort. Some of it may be beyond what it will ever comprehend."