A/N: All Pokemon are the same gender as their trainer unless genderless or only one possible gender. Also the maximum number of moves a Pokemon can learn is as follows: 4 for a stage 1, 5 for a stage 2, 6 for a stage 3 or fully evolved Pokemon.
Without further ado, onto Chapter 2!


Chapter 2: Unfair "Trade"

You Show Duel School had been flooded with fresh faces wanting to witness the remarkable phenomenon of Mega Evolution. Gong observed the 2v2 duel from the control room selecting the field, Action Field: Plain Plain.

"Duelists locked in battle, kicking against the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters! They storm through this field! Behold! This is the newest and greatest evolution in dueling! Action!"

"DUEL!", yelled Yuzu and Yuya with a grin.

"I'll take the first turn! Hip Hippo, let's go". Yuya's Hippopotas leaped out of its Pokeball, rearing to go. Drawing power from the cheers of the crowd Yuya, set off on his Pokemon to keep them entertained.

Yuzu smiled at the happy crowd. "Diva, curtain call!" Yuzu's ace appeared on the field, a beautiful humanoid pokemon wearing a flowing white dress. It gracefully landed with a polite curtsey.

Pokedisk information: Gardevoir, The Embrace Pokemon "Diva"; Ability: Telepathy
"
It has the power to predict the future. Its power peaks when it is protecting its Trainer"

"Hyper voice". Gardevoir leaped into the air and started to sing a beautiful melody. Hip Hippo hastened and his trainer managed to grab an X Speed. "Rolling Hippo!", called Yuya as Hip Hippo's new found speed allowed it to dodge the sound waves.

"Not so fast, Diva, Disarming Voice!". Once more the Gardevoir began singing, this time in more soulful tones.

Yuya raced to find another Action Item to no avail. "Disarming Voice cannot miss, so you'll have to take the damage!". Both Hippopotas and trainer were hit by the wall of sound and were thrown to the ground. Yuya was undeterred as the crowd started to cheer. "Pendulum! Pendulum! Pendulum!"

Momentarily stunned, Yuzu took the opportunity to attack again, "Hyper Voice". This time Hip Hippo took the full hit and fainted. Yuya stood and brushed himself off, recalling his Pokemon.

Smiling he announced "What you've all been waiting for, appear now Pendulum!". Yuya's loyal Pokemon materialized on the field. Wearing no collar it bowed politely to its opponents, it had fought against them several times before. The crowd cheered in excitement, seeing Yuya's ace who had defeated the Champion's own ace in a OHKO.

"Keystone respond to my heart! Mega Evolve". Silence enveloped the field as they waited in anticipation. But nothing happened. Yuya silently cursed. Maybe I need to be in a pinch. He gestured to Yuzu to make her move. "If you're not going to make a move then I will, Dazzling Gleam!".

The Embrace Pokemon shone brightly blinding the audience. When the attack ended they saw Yuya and Pendulum recoiling, obviously taking huge damage from the super-effective move.

We're in a pinch now, let's try again. "Keystone, respond to my heart, Mega Evolve!". Again however nothing happened much to the crowd's dismay. Yuzu however, didn't miss a beat as she ordered another attack. Once more, a blinding flash of light emanated from Gardevoir and when their eyes adjusted, Gallade had fainted and both the Action field and crowd began to disappear.

Silence ensued as Yuzu went to help Yuya up. He refused, and wordlessly put on his goggles and walked out of the school. Even Yuzu's attempts to get him to talk, to react even, failed. The budding Dueltainer was depressed by his inability to generate smiles, to showcase his own unique power. The crowds had left when they believed his Mega Evolution to be a mere fluke. Only a small dark blue haired boy, Tatsuya chose to join You Show. At least it hadn't been for nothing, Yuya thought, although that did little to brighten his mood.

Yuya was stopped by Gong who challenged him to a battle. "Yuya, how are you meant to make others smile when you're not? Duel with me and we'll work out how to rediscover your power".


It was the first time he saw the Steadfast Gongenzaka cry when he finally recreated the magic that had brought him his remarkable victory. 291 tries later.


It felt somewhat surreal having to attend school. Since mastering Mega Evolution it was all he could think of. He fiddled with his pendulum necklace through school, falling asleep. Every waking thought (and all his dreams) were about Pendulum.


A crowd pleaser, Yuya was thrilled when Sawatari Shingo congratulated him for a win and hastily agreed to show off his new found power at the prestigious Leo Duel School centre court. Yuzu flatly declined on his behalf attempting to pull him away but to no avail, left pouting and muttering angrily to herself. Her stubborn side refused to believe that LDS was better than You Show, she felt a slight sense of unease at how easily Yuya accepted Sawatari's offer. That said, she and the other younger You Show students were keen (or at least slightly curious) to see the state-of-the-art facilities and followed.

Sawatari proudly showed off his school's facilities, Yuzu silently frustrated at her starstruck friends, practically drooling at the classes, the fields and modern campus of LDS. She made a mental note to take a few swings of her fan once they left.

It was an understatement to say they were shocked at the expanse of LDS' famous centre court. Their jaws crashed to the floor, though Yuzu was the first to recover trying to maintain her temper. She had a reputation to uphold, representing her family's school and though in mild awe, she stubbornly refused to show any signs of it.


Yuzu's unease was not unfounded. Sawatari and his cronies asked to see Yuya's necklace and Yuya, with a momentary hesitation obliged, taking off his necklace for them to see. Yuya relished the attention and admiration until Sawatari snatched it out of his grasp. Like a pack of hyenas they jostled for the prize, Sawatari remaining the victor.

"I'll be adding this to MY collection. Finally a rare item fit for me". The mayor's son heard a sharp command to return the necklace to Headquarters but ignored it in favour of keeping his hands on the prize.

"Give it back!", yelled Yuya finally realizing the trap he'd practically jumped into.

"Let's settle this in a duel. The strongest duelist who wins the 1v1 will keep the necklace."

Yuya's fists were tightly clenched at the sight of Sawatari toying with him, taking his most prized possession – and he had let him. Yuzu was fuming but Yuya interjected cutting her off from starting her tirade. "Fine". The You Show students were frustrated at the sly tactics but had no choice but to believe in their friend.

From headquarters, the teenage president of Leo Corporation dismissed his assistant's suggestion to interfere, he wanted to see how this would play out.

"I'll choose the field", Sawatari declared "that which imprisons feeble princesses, rise up here and now!"

Action Field: Dark Town's Prison Tower

Sawatari drew the necklace over his head, proudly displaying his prize to spite Yuya as the stadium began its transformation. Yuya gritted his teeth. It was all on the line for him, the symbol of his strength, his own power.

An ominous deserted city shore arose, dark brick alleys leading out to a river dominated by a suspension bridge. Yuzu, Ayu, Futoshi and Tatsuya screamed as they were trapped by chains on the top pillar of the bridge as the Action Field materialized. Eyes widening, Yuya snapped back to reality, he had to fight for so much more and he wasted no time in calling out his Pokemon.

"DUEL!"


A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry for the delay, but from now on I will be updating more regularly with shorter chapters.