With the afternoon sun hanging overhead, Dagda inhaled, rolling his neck as he waited for the announcer. He noticed from his place in the stadium that there weren't that many people in the stands. It's inhabitants were mostly locals, even the Maractus that owned a house sitting in the front row.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a rather interesting matchup for you all today!" the announcer called, this being his least favorite of the stadiums he visited. Stow on Side was smaller, and always had a half empty stadium filled with just simply locals. Even the trainers and staff working at the gym were able to take off to watch the match, the entire town finding Allister's battles a spectacle worth watching.
"Introducing first, a hometown boy with a mysterious past, his young age not affecting his incredible ability as a Gym Leader! Representing MC Life Insurance, MC Brokerage and the town of Stow On Side, The Silent Boy of Mystery, Allister!" He called, a small child with long arms walking out onto the field.
"And his opponent! A lawbreaker with a theatric side, and an attitude like a hardened thug! Representing his hometown of Lumiose City and The Laverre Theater Company, 'The Druidic Gremlin', Dagda De Danann!" he called, Dagda walking out with a smile on his face.
He walked to the center of the field, casting a glance up to the sky box, where the announcer and commentators were, frowning at their harsh description of the character he played. However, he found his ever changing monikers and epithets to be rather amusing, noticing that he was now referred to as a 'gremlin' instead of an 'imp'.
He cast he gaze forward when he reached the center of the field, blinking when all he saw was a curl of black hair sticking up. He looked down, taking in his opponent's appearance. His opponent, who Dagda couldn't ever call a foe, was short and slightly thin. He had long arms, and his glove, a signature of all gym leaders, was on his left hand.
His skin was pale, and his clothes had little frills on them, at the top of his white boots and at the end of the long sleeves on his uniform. He had two rotating triangles on his hips, something Policemen wore to carry their Pokemon.
Although, his pale skin and lithe frame weren't what caught Dagda's attention. It was the white mask on his face, only three round holes cut out as it seemed to stick to his face. He looked up to Dagda, and the larger male felt something.
It was that same odd sensation he felt in the Wild Area. That feeling of calm, of confidence and compassion. It was like when he helped the Grimmsnarl up to his feet. This battle wouldn't be a test of wills like his struggle against Nessa, or a show of strength like against Kabu. This battle was a greeting, a way for the two trainers to get to know each other.
"...M' Allister." the boy said, his accent light, much like his voice. He sounded almost nervous, and Dagda offered him a smile. "I'm Dagda. I hope you can show me why they made you a gym leader." he said, smiling down at his opponent kindly, something that might have thrown him off.
He nodded with a grunt, the two turning and heading back to their starting positions. Allister and Dagda both grabbed a Dusk Ball, the boy throwing the ball with both hands, like a child dropping something that was too heavy. Dagda tossed the ball confidently, with an odd amount of rehearsed form.
The Pokemon that popped out of the Pokeball was familiar to Dagda, looking like a Yamask. Although, this one had different eyes, and instead of a small golden mask hanging from it, there was a small chunk of a runestone. From Dagda's Pokeball came Petey, a seven and a half foot tall, five hundred pound Pokemon that made his opponent tilt his head.
"It seems that this one is starting off rather different! Challenger Dagda has lead off with a rare looking Dracovish, and the gym leader is leading off with his Yamask."
The Yamask sprung into action, launching a Shadow Ball from it's hands without warning. Dagda narrowed his eyes, wondering exactly how the Pokemon received the order. Did Allister let his Pokemon battle as he watched on? Dagda shook his head. "Dodge!"
Petey hopped to the left, the ball crashing into the wall. The Yamask continued it's assault, throwing light purple flames at Petey. Dagda narrowed his eyes, inhaling as he thought about his next move. "Dodge and use Hydro Pump!" Dagda called, the huge Pokemon running away from the flames with strong strides.
Facing forward, Petey opened his massive mouth, blasting a torrent of water at his opponent. The Yamask floated up, away from the attack, launching another Shadow Ball that struck the fish in the head, making him stumble. Dagda grit his teeth, seeing another Shadow Ball coming his way.
"Hydro Pump!" Dagda called, Petey shaking his head quickly before launching another torrent of water, striking the Shadow Ball and causing an explosion, scattering water about the field in the form of a thin mist. "Ancient Power!" Dagda called, Petey's eyes glowing as the water stopped moving, as if time itself had frozen.
"Now!" Dagda called, a single command as the water began to shoot forward, striking the Yamask and forcing it lower in the air. "Finish it Petey, use Fishious Rend!" Dagda called, the Pokemon using it's thick, powerful legs to leap into the air, clamping it's behemoth jaws down on the Yamask's runestone, hurling it to the ground.
It hit the ground with a thud, cracking the floor as it remained on the ground, unable to continue. Petey threw his huge head back, letting out a wheezing cry of victory. "I Win!"
Dagda hesitated again. Was that Petey's voice? He shook his head, pretending that he was just hearing things. He looked to his opponent, who kneeled on the ground, silently consoling his Pokemon, who seemed slightly upset at it's own inability. Dagda narrowed his eyes, finding his affinity with his Pokemon a little odd, even for someone as strong as he was.
"It seems that size does infact matter, with the much, much larger Dracovish securing the victory! Will young Allister make a comeback, or will he suffer the same humiliating fate as the great Kabu?" the announcer asked, and Dagda cast a glance in his direction.
He couldn't understand why, but he found the commentary rather aggravating. He'd make sure to replace the man once he was champion. He looked to the huge prehistoric Pokemon, who stood with his head tilted.
Dagda noticed that Petey was watching Allister, as if he was studying him. It wasn't like a predator stalking it's prey, but more like a child witnessing an adult to something cool for the first time. He was incredibly distracted, and Dagda could tell. "Petey, switch out for me." he said, and the fish looked to him, nodding.
Walking over to Dagda with that same goofy, bobbing gait that made his massive aquatic head look like a bell, or a flower in the breeze, he stood next to his trainer before sitting down, Dagda pulling a Level Ball from his pocket.
"That was really fun! I hope you can keep up this energy!" Dagda called over to his opponent, who tilted his head towards the ground, unable to see exactly what was beneath the mask. He wondered what the boy looked like. Was he scarred as well, or was he just incredibly shy?
He watched his opponent throw another Pokeball, this time with a little more vigor. Dagda smiling. He was getting to him. If he continued treating him like a child, he'd eventually grow angry enough to fight serious, just like Dagda wanted him to.
The Pokemon that popped out of the Pokeball was very familiar to him. It was one of the Laverre Theatre's regional mascots, from their Alola division. It looked like a plush Pikachu given life, with a wooden tail.
Dagda tossed the Level Ball the same way. A confident, well rehearsed form that looked almost like it was meant to impress, something that his opponent must have picked up on, Dagda able to see his small fingers twitch for a second. Dagda was closer to his goal.
"It seems that the second match up is a battle of small, powerful Pokemon! Challenger Dagda has brought out his trusty Meowth from his battle against Nessa, and Allister has brought out his Mimikyu!"
Dagda inhaled, knowing that Marko had much better reflexes than Petey, at least at the moment. The Mimikyu shot forward, a black claw coming from it's underside. "Shadow Claw!" Dagda called, Marko inhaling.
He covered his arms in black, sickly looking energy and parried the attack, throwing a swipe with his free hand that struck, sending the Pokemon sliding back unphased as the head of it's Pikachu looking disguise fell back, like it's neck was broken. "Don't let up, use Metal Claw!" Dagda called, Marko's claws shifting to a bright silver.
He came down, the Mimikyu vanishing from his sight and appearing from behind, slashing him with the claw. Marko whirled around, missing as the Pokemon came from the right, pelting him at close range with a Shadow Ball.
Marko stumbled, beginning to pant as he tried to feel out his opponent, who came from above, trying to slam it's shadowy arm into the cat's skull. Marko jumped back, flexing his claws as he swung forward, missing again.
He began to look about, both him and Dagda thinking of how they could combat this foe. He was incredibly odd, and moved about sporadically, always coming from the least expected direction with an attack they couldn't anticipate.
The Pokemon came from beneath the ground, striking Marko with an uppercut that lifted him off of his feet. He growled, disliking the simple fact that he seemed to be the weak link in Dagda's team. It wasn't something Dagda said himself, but the lack of confidence he had must have stemmed from his lack of evolution.
He whirled his head around, remembering his pride as he launched a beam of light from his mouth, the Mimikyu barely able to avoid it by hopping, allowing Marko to cloak his tail in metal before striking the Pokemon in the head, sending it crashing to the ground.
The Mimikyu bounced back up, it's body wriggling as it grew incredibly agitated, Dagda noticing it's body shift back to Allister, who Dagda began to study. His small body was swaying slightly, in a curving, wave like pattern that felt incredibly familiar to him. Where had he seen that kind of movement before?
Marko was ready. He didn't need Dagda's instruction. He was a warrior. An elite fighter descended from the great Heimdall, a cat born from nine mothers. His father was a feline without parallel, and a man with very few equals. He was his son, he should be the same.
The Mimikyu shot forward, and Marko could vaguely hear Dagda call for some move he couldn't care to hear. This wasn't about him anymore. This battle was personal. This was about Marko proving to himself that he was the Elite feline warrior he believed he was, that his strength was something to be respected, not ignored or gawked at. He was the strongest. He had to be.
He caught the Mimikyu's shadowy hands, opening his mouth and blasting his foe with another Flash Cannon, sending it's smoking disguise stumbling back, Marko not about to fall to a Pokemon he had a type advantage against.
"You can do it Marko!" he heard, Dagda encouraging his Pokemon, who charged forward and slammed his metallic head into the ghost fairy, able to tell that the Pokemon's trainer was adamantly calling for it to fight back, goaded on further by his foe's drive to survive.
However, he wouldn't fall here. He opened his paws, another, larger Flash Cannon sparking between his paws as his foe stumbled and flinched. Marko turned his body to the side, throwing his paws up, one hooked and pressed against the other at the knuckle. "I am Marko Heimdallson, an elite warrior! You will not defeat me!" he screamed.
"Eat this!" he roared, Dagda's heart skipping a beat as once again, he heard the voice of one of his Pokemon, able to hear and feel Marko's strength and determination as he unleashed a mammoth Flash Cannon, engulfing the Mimikyu in a blinding light that singed it's disguise, leaving it defeated on the ground.
Marko panted, finding his stamina vastly reduced by putting so much into energy based attacks. However, his foe fell, so it was all worth it. "You did amazing Marko!" Dagda called, Marko able to see the happiness on his trainer's face, a genuine emotion that uplifted his spirits and allowed him to continue on.
"What a display! A staunch, defiant Meowth does the unexpected and uses a flurry of Flash Cannons to secure the victory! It looks like Stow on Side's beloved gym leader is being forced into a corner! Can he make a comeback?"
Dagda watched Allister walk over to the Pokemon, consoling it personally as Marko walked back over to him, the two sharing a silent glance as he returned to his Pokeball, Dagda's demonic, unholy abomination walking back out onto the field after a quick rest.
Dagda noticed even in Allister's walk back to his position after returning his Pokemon that his movement was odd. It was like something he'd seen in a play, or something he'd seen training wit Mr. Felix. But what?
"That was really well done Allister! I hope that the third battle is just as fun!" Dagda called, and he could see Allister's fist visibly clench. Dagda was close. He needed to do something to push him over the edge. He had to find that one comment, that one action that would upset his foe and draw out his desire to crush Dagda, to make a comeback and defeat him. Dagda watched him hurl a third Pokeball, and this one was thrown with a sense of anger.
The Pokemon that popped out floated in the air lightly, and had a depressing look on it's face, one that matched a button Dagda saw on Allister's back on his white suspenders. It looked much like a Corsola, although, it looked almost… dead.
"The challenger brings out his Dracovish again, and Allister brings out one of the most powerful Pokemon in the ownership of any of the Gym Leaders, Corsola!"
Dagda realized that he had to be careful approaching this Corsola. The Corsola he knew were pink and white, and they were water and rock types. This Pokemon was stark white, and it was obviously a ghost type. The Pokemon vanished from sight, something that Dagda grew tired of happening.
It came from above, launching a Shadow Ball before vanishing immediately. Petey was struck in the head, stumbling before being struck in the left side with another, his footing uneven as yet another from directly ahead caused him to groan audibly, his might frame coming off of it's feet and falling back.
Dagda noticed a change in the weaving stance of his opponent, much like he noticed changes in Petey's movement yesterday. Allister was happy, and Dagda didn't have to see under the mask to know that he was smiling. Petey groaned, looking at the ceiling, having never been knocked on his back in a battle before. He thought it was very interesting, and he rose to his feet with, of all things, a kip up.
"It looks like Petey is ready to get serious. I bet we can wipe that smile off of your face!" Dagda said, Allister's body freezing for less than a second. "Hydro Pump!" Dagda called, the Pokemon lifting it's head up high, charging a torrent of water from it's jaws.
The Corsola frowned before it surged forward, launching a flurry of Shadow Balls as Petey's attack was launched straight into the air. Dagda lifted his right leg, stomping down and holding his fist out. "Earth Power!" he called.
Fighting off an air raid of Shadow Balls with his sheer will and ancient determination, Petey hopped, stomping his powerful feet down as mist fell from the sky, chunks of earth popping up from the floor and missing their target. Dagda inhaled, realizing that this was his chance.
"Ancient Power!" Dagda called, Petey's eyes flashing before the water and the earth began to move, coming at the flying Corsola and pelting it from both sides, the Pokemon calling out as it hit the ground for a second before floating back up.
The Pokemon panted, Dagda and Petey looking like a pair of veteran trainers, their advanced strategies honed on the stage, something that he assumed would be daunting to a child like Allister. However, the Corsola vanished, appearing behind Petey and doing nothing, vanishing again. Dagda narrowed his eyes.
The Corsola was moving faster, Dagda able to watch the ghostly coral Pokemon fly about, it's ghastly energy and speed blending together to give the whole stadium an eerie feel, the Corsola creating a slew of afterimages, as if to trap him.
Dagda could see Allister's fists clenched, and he realized that this was what he was looking for. As soon as he could defeat the Corsola, he'd be able to draw out whatever Allister's strongest Pokemon was, and defeat in a showstopping fashion. A flurry of Shadow Balls began to come from all directions, pelting the prehistoric Pokemon like a hail of bullets.
"Hold out! Search for a pattern!" Dagda called, and Petey understood. This was the pattern of attack that all things had. In his times, the weak had many attack patterns as well. It allows him to plan out his attack for his hunt. All it took was some careful watching. He was large, and his eyes had watched so much.
"Find out the pattern and use Fishious Rend!" Dagda called, the Dracovish driven to one knee form the force and multitude of the blows, sickly balls of hatred that exploded against his scales. He soon noticed that every seventh Shadow Ball came from behind, his jaws spreading open.
After taking six more strikes, the Pokemon whirled around, catching his foe in his immense jaws of despair, whirling his head around and slamming the Pokemon into the ground, releasing it as it's defeated form bounced, landing in Allister's hands, Petey unknowingly setting up for the next phase of Dagda's act.
"That Corsola was really strong! Good catch!" he called, and Dagda watched Allister return the Pokemon immediately, clenching his fists as Dagda returned Petey to his Pokeball, the worn out fish grateful for the odd things that he viewed as sky eggs, his spirit weak and weary, needing a rest.
Dagda pulled out a Moon Ball, sending Danzig out in anticipation of their next battle. He was waiting for Allister to get serious, and he waited for a response. The monochrome weasel waited as well, Allister unmoving.
"It seems that the hometown boy is down to his final Pokemon! Even with Gigantimax, can Allister defeat at least one of the challenger's powerful beasts!?"
Dagda waited with baited breath, Danzig's posture low, his eyes laser focused, his body ready to pounce at anything. Allister finally moved, throwing his head back as his body began to sway. Dagda watched his chest heave once, a long, sigh of a breath that he struggled to decipher. He watched Allister's hands clench, his gaze locked firmly on Dagda, his shadow flickering and molding as a Gengar began to appear from behind him.
Dagda could see the determination, the raw fury from his opponent. He began to shake slightly, and Dagda noticed something. He felt something else. It was an eerie feeling that made his body desire to move, like the muscles he was made out of knew something he didn't.
Allister returned the Gengar to it's Pokeball, flipping his wrist over as Dagda saw his eyes for the first time. His pupils were a shimmering purple, much like Dagda's own, but there was a dark emotion hidden in eyes that actually shone like gemstones. It was something that Dagda couldn't look away from, Danzig feeling even more nervous as Dynamax energy began to pour into the Ghost's Pokeball. "I..." Allister said, as if trying not to speak. Dagda narrowed his eyes.
Dagda had to hear him speak. This was one of those rare battles that made his heart throb, one of those conflicts that made him forget about any of his woes, his wonders, his fears. He wouldn't let Allister hold back against him. This was their final clash. It had to be glorious. It had to be showstopping. "You what? Spit it out!" he said, keeping the same friendly, playful attitude in his voice. However, Allister wasn't playing. He peered at his foe with shining eyes, their luminescence not disguising his hatred.
"I'm going to kill you."
Dagda's heart froze in his chest. It was said with such frightening sincerity, and it was so incredibly unnatural for a gym leader said to be a shy child. However, there was something else, something more important.
It was the first time, the first time in his eighteen years alive that someone had actually said those words to him. He had no idea that someone could say those words with such vigor, such confidence. It was said in a way that made Dagda genuinely believe that his life was in danger.
He loved it.
He shed his character, Danzig noticing Dagda's hair begin to move on it's own as the scar faced trainer lowered his posture and let his face break out in a diabolical cheshire grin. "Is that right!?" He shouted, his voice filled with an amused venom, Allister tossing the massive Dynamax Pokeball into the air.
"Swallow them, Gengar!" Allister called, like a command from a general to his troops, the ball exploding open in midair as the energy seeped directly into the ground, which began to shake.
Two short, clawed hands rose from the ground, followed by a loud, death toll of a cry, a baritone note that sent chills through everyone's spines, even Danzig. As the note rang out like the bell of a funeral procession, a massive purple face began to appear.
There were huge eyes filled with evil, and then teeth. The teeth were followed by a mouth that looked like both a gate and an optic illusion. The mouth continued growing as the shadow began to weave as it grew, the Gengar now in the form of a behemoth maw, a creature that looked like the gates to Hell.
"We won't let you escape." Allister said, a confident tone in his voice that Dagda met with his near violent vigor. "Danzig, Dark Pulse!" He called, the Linoone shooting forward, opening it's mouth as it launched a beam of black energy at the creature, striking it in the mouth and doing no damage.
The huge shadow began to move, starting to follow him as it swung it's huge, spectral arms like clubs, Danzig barely able to avoid, suffering from the primary drawback of his species. He couldn't turn.
Each time he stopped to turn, his foe grew closer and closer. It was like someone avoiding death itself. "Max Darkness." Danzig heard, his eyes shifting to Allister for a split second before a wave of black, dark energy engulfed him, carrying him into the air as he was battered by the Gengar's claws, sent crashing into a wall.
He rebounded out of instinct, barely able to hear Dagda's calls for more attacks. He couldn't continue this forever. He knew that he could bob and weave for a while while releasing attacks, as he did just now, the dark beam striking the Gengar in the eye and doing nothing. However, he had a physical limit, and he couldn't be expected to whittle down such a giant. He began to try and think while listening to Dagda.
What could he do exactly? Was there a way for him to finally, finally defeat this monster. His body was sore, and he could tell that he wasn't getting anywhere with his hit and run tactic. He could still feel everything the same.
His foe had immense energy, there was a sickly energy radiating off of both Dagda and Allister, a near visible bloodlust that seemed unusual coming from two creatures like them. He grunted, slammed into a different wall, barely able to stand despite his incensed trainers cries.
He thought back hard, all the back to when he was an egg in Dagda's hands, and wondered exactly what he could do. He thought of his battles in each gym, even his half failure against Nessa, which is the only time any of his friends ever fell in battle. Yes, it was with the winning blow, but still.
Danzig shook his head, seeing another beam of energy come for him. He made a hard left, continuing on as he realized that he bypassed his species' main flaw. "You can't keep running! Fight me like a man!" Allister called, his accent slipping away in his enraged state.
He looked to Dagda, who maintained the same broad smile and near living hair. It was so odd seeing his partner, his friend, his brother in this state. It wasn't like him to be goaded on and change his act for someone else. Danzig blinked, hopping over a massive ball of energy that exploded beneath him. That was his answer. Change.
From his repenting mentor, Atilla, Danzig had learned the tactics that would allow him to change himself. The tactic of 'Taunt', to goad your opponent into a state where they can no longer defend themselves or perform trickery. However, he knew that his foe was far past that point.
Next was the technique of 'Defending', something Danzig had been doing all match long, something that felt like it was his only way of even walking out alive.
And next, was the final tactic. The technique of 'Opportunity'. This was the tactic of taking advantage of the opponent's defenses, forgotten from 'Taunting' and weakened from your own 'Defending'. He looked about, finding his target.
"I'm tired of you running away! Gengar, use G-Max Terror!" Allister called, and Danzig began drifting across the field as the Gengar called out, a behemoth black energy ball forming overhead. Danzig looked to Dagda, who understood his partner's thoughts from a single glance. "Now Dagda!"
Dagda clapped his hands together, both of them erupting in a red light as Danzig reared, ready for one decisive charge in the face of the gigantic ball of energy.
"The Voice in the Darkness speaks swiftly!"
Danzig surged forward, ignoring the Gengar as it attacked, the behemoth ball of energy coming for him. It was so massive the stadium began to shake, and many weren't able to see the sun, or the sky anymore.
"Listen as The Voice tells you it's tale! A tale of the Underworld itself!"
With Allister's enraged state shattered by sheer shock and confusion, the chanting trainer began almost narrating the battle as Danzig did the unthinkable, leaping directly into the Gengar's mouth, the Gates of Hell themselves.
"The Voice speaks of change! Of man becoming beast, and beast becoming man! It speaks of Demons and flowers of flesh, of lies and deceit!"
Black light began to erupt from within the Gengar, an evil howl ringing out as the audience began to shield their eyes. The massive ball of energy struck the ground, the stadium shaking uncontrollably as the ball rattled the entire town, the waters to the west shifting from the force.
"The Voice speaks of freedom, of victory, and of evolution! Danzig, break free of Hell! Black Hole Eclipse!"
The entire stadium seemed to freeze in time, the massive ball of energy drawn into the mouth of the Gengar as the black light erupted, covering the entire town in a wave of dark energy that caused an explosion within the stadium.
When the darkness gave way for light, and the people of Stow on Side, and the warring trainers themselves could see the sun shining in the sky again, the sun shone on the center of the stadium, the Gods themselves praising the sight before them.
The Gengar laid defeated, the stadium heavily damaged and wrecked. Allister stood in awe, holding his mask onto his face with a quivering hand at the most incredible thing he'd ever seen.
With the wind blowing briskly and the sun shining on him, the victorious Danzig stood at Dagda's side, his stance low and his fists clenched, one at his waist and one extended, the Pokemon proud and stalwart, no longer a Linoone, but it's pinnacle, Obstagoon.
And catching all of Allister's attention was the man who pushed him to his limits. Standing in a similar stance to Danzig, with his hair flowing in the wind, one palm open in front of him, and one up high by his head, was the same Raging Demon that pushed him to his limits, Dagda De Danann.