Chapter 30: The Fated Final Fight, Act 3: The Storm
…
The next morning…At the cafe of the Driftveil Chateau Hotel...
…
"So, which tournament are you planning on watching?" Hugh asks his best friend over breakfast.
"Hmmm...I think I'll go with the Kalos Leaders Tournament this time." Nate replies, not long after taking a sip of coffee. "I heard there's a Gym Leader from there who also uses a Mega Lucario. Kind of want to see her battle with it."
"Not a bad choice. Personally, I want to see the Galar Leaders in action. I've heard they've got something over there that's pretty interesting. What was it called again, er...Dynamaxing, yeah, that's it. Anyway, that's not what matters."
"I'm listening…" Nate replies, with piqued interest.
"From what I've heard, their Pokémon grows to huge sizes, and its stats are boosted…But that's not all."
"There's more?"
"Yup. Apparently, there's also this special kind of Dynamax called a Gigantamax. I don't know the exact differences between Dynamax and Gigantamax, though…"
"Maybe it's similar to Mega Evolution?"
"Maybe…"
Meanwhile, at another table across from ...
"I just saw the news last night. After we parted ways, of course." Rosa says to the pink-haired girl seated across from her.
She then replies with: "Yeah. I uhh, saw it too. Lisia was all over the headlines on the internet as well..."
Just then, a very familiar voice interrupts the two of them. "Indeed…" Lisia says. "Those journalists and even my fans wouldn't stop praising me for stopping those creeps." Unsurprisingly, both of them are caught completely off-guard, to the point that Rosa almost spills the juice that she had been sipping.
Yancy, recovering from her stunned silence, is the first to reply. "Lisia!? What are you doing here?"
Rosa, meanwhile, mutters "Speak of the…It really is Lisia!"
Lisia, clearly flattered at the two's reactions, replies with "I'm staying at this hotel. Sorry for surprising you both. Do you think I could sit here with you two?"
"O-of course!" Yancy replies. "How could I refuse!? I-I'm entirely grateful for your help, especially from yesterday." The pink-haired girl then turns her attention to her equally surprised friend. "Rosa, I'm pretty sure you'd be fine with Lisia sitting here now, wouldn't you?"
As if snapping out of a trance, the stunned Rosa replies with: "Y-Yeah, sure!"
And so, the older woman narrates to Yancy and Rosa about the events that had transpired just last night, with the latter two listening intently while also trying to finish their meals.
…
A few hours later, at the PWT…
…
*Lucario's Lucarionite is reacting to Korrina's Mega Glove!*
*Lucario has Mega Evolved into Mega Lucario!*
*Lucario used Power-up Punch!*
*The foe's Avalugg fainted!*
"And the winner is Korrina!" The Kalos Champion, Diantha announces. This is immediately followed by loud cheering from the audience.
"Huh...So that's the Kalos Gym Leader known for using Mega Evolution." Nate says, impressed at her Pokémon. "She one-hit KOed Wulfric's Avalugg like it was made of cardboard."
"She handled her Lucario very similarly to the way you handle yours." Yancy replies, equally impressed by the Kalosian Gym Leader's skills. "Not to mention...Isn't that the Kalosian Champion, Diantha hosting the Kalos Leaders Tournament?"
"Yup. That's her right there." He says, pointing at the woman holding a microphone. "There's a good chance I might be facing her later. Though, compared to other League Champions, they say she's actually one of the easier ones to deal with. But still, I don't plan on holding back." He then looks back at his girlfriend. "Anyways, why were you asking about Diantha? Shouldn't you be worried about facing Korrina?"
"It's not that…" She replies.
"Hm?"
"I used to watch her movies a lot when I was a kid. Ahahaha, you could say that she was one of my idols growing up. She's one of the reasons I came to love the Fairy-type, and why I wanted to be a celebrity."
"I see…" Nate says, still watching the awarding ceremony happening below. "I guess that explains your preferences for white clothes?"
"Pretty much, ahaha!" She then looks at him, as if asking for a favor.
"Is there...something you want? You're giving me Lillipup eyes, you know…"
"Y-yeah, actually…" She then produces a notebook from her bag. "Could you...get Diantha to sign this for me? I'd really appreciate it."
"Sure, I think I can manage that…"He then places the notebook in his own bag. "Anyways, I think that's the end of the regular Leaders Tournaments for now. We should get something to eat, then we'll go our separate ways to our respective tournaments this afternoon."
"Alright." Both of them then exit the arena, holding one another's hands.
…
"Well, I guess this is where we'll part ways. For now, at least." Nate tells Yancy as he embraces her, almost as if it would be the last time they would be seeing each other. "Good luck." He then kisses her on the cheek, then enters the Champions Tournament reception area.
"Good luck to you, too." She replies, with Nate looking back and smiling, before disappearing from sight in the midst of dozens of other participants. With nothing else left to do, Yancy proceeds to her respective gate.
"Welcome to the Pokémon World Tournament!" The receptionist in front of her says cheerfully. "Will you be participating?"
"Yes." Yancy replies.
"Which tournament?"
"World Leaders Tournament, please. Yancy Ruri, replacing White Touko." She then presents the invitation that White had given her a while back.
"Alright, there. You're registered. Now which battle format will you choose?"
"Single Battle, please."
"Alright, done. Now select the Pokémon that you wish to enter." With that, she picks 3 of her best Pokémon, ultimately deciding on Eve, Togekiss, and, after a semi-lengthy decision, Mawile. This was despite having trained and raised a Hatterene specifically intended for the PWT.
"And, done. Your registration is now complete." The receptionist tells her. "Right this way." She then directs her to the Trainer's lounge for participants of the World Leaders Tournament.
"Yancy, over here!" Rosa says as she waves at the less-experienced Trainer. When she approaches her acquaintance, Yancy also takes note of the person sitting next to her.
"Hello again, Yancy." Lisia tells her. "Me and Rosa were waiting for you to come."
"Did I miss anything?" She asks her mentor.
"Nope." Rosa replies, looking at the monitor in the lounge. "In fact, they're still preparing the lineups as we speak."
Taking a look at the list of names on the monitor, she sees her name amongst the list of Trainers and Gym Leaders. Taking a close glance, she then notices an all-too familiar name lining up next to her's.
"No way…" Yancy says, clearly shocked at her first opponent.
"Hm, what's wrong?" Rosa asks her apparently worried friend.
"Nothing really…" She replies. Suddenly, she then shouts. "Except that I'm going to be battling against Elesa first!"
"Congrats." Lisia tells her former pupil. "Knowing your admiration for her, you were probably hoping for this from the start, weren't you?"
"Ahahaha, pretty much." She tells the older woman. "I...kind of had a hunch I'd be facing her…"
Just then, the PA system goes live, announcing the final lineup for the first round.
"Well, I guess we'd better make our way to our respective arenas then." Rosa tells the other two. "Good luck, Yancy."
"Good luck to you, too, Rosa." She then waves her friend goodbye, as the more experienced Trainer heads out.
"Now…" Lisia says to her mentee. "Don't go losing on me to some random Gym Leader or Trainer, you hear me?"
"I promise." Yancy replies, clearly determined in keeping her word.
With that, the two trainers part ways for the time being, each heading to their respective arenas.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! As the current and de facto Champion of the Unova Pokémon League, I, Iris, officially declare the World Leader's Tournament Single Battle, open!" And with that announcement, the huge crowd cheers loudly. "Now then, I'll leave the rest to the other announcers!"
"These are the Trainers who entered this tournament!" On the huge billboard inside the arena, a list of Trainers is shown, with Yancy, unsurprisingly, shown to be facing off against Elesa, while Rosa is set to battle the Kalos Gym Leader Korrina, and finally Lisia is shown to battle the Johto Gym Leader Chuck.
"In the red corner: The shining beauty, the sparkling bolt of electricity, Elesa!"
"And in the blue corner: We have a newcomer! The former idol singer and celebrity TV host: Yancy!"
"The first round: Elesa vs. Yancy!"
"Hello, Yancy! Nice meeting you here."
"Hi, Elesa." The younger trainer replies, clearly a little nervous. "Ahahaha, I've been kind of looking forward to this."
"Well then, let's get started. Shall we?" She then produces a Poke ball from one of her pockets. Without saying a word, Yancy then nods in agreement, pulling out a Poke ball herself. "Now then, Yancy, my beloved Pokemon are going to make your head spin!"
*Pokémon Trainer Yancy is challenged by Leader Elesa!*
*Leader Elesa sent out Zebstrika!*
"Go, Togekiss!"
The ensuing battle proves to be a wake-up call for the less-experienced Pokemon Trainer. Immediately, Elesa's Zebstrika knocks out Yancy's Togekiss in one hit. However, upon sending out her Mawile, the tables soon begin to turn, especially once she Mega Evolves the Deceiver Pokemon. Despite the Thunderbolt Pokémon using Overheat on the Steel-type, the latter manages to survive the hit, thanks in part to it not being a STAB as well as the Mega Evolution increasing the Deceiver Pokémon's Special Defense enough to endure it, enough for the Deceiver Pokémon to retaliate..
"Mawile, use Play Rough!" Thanks to the prior recoil damage received from using a Life Orb, the Thunderbolt Pokémon cannot take the hit, and promptly drops to the ground.
*The foe's Zebstrika fainted!*
*Leader Elesa sent out Emolga!*
*The foe's Emolga used Volt Switch!*
*Mawile fainted!*
"Go for it, Eve!"
*Leader Elesa sent out Ampharos!*
Thanks to the Intertwining Pokémon's massive Special Defense stat, Yancy is able to fight a battle of attrition, gradually depleting the Light Pokémons HP with Draining Kiss, and immobilizing it with Attract. Until...
*Eve used Moonblast!*
*The foe's Ampharos fainted!*
Now backed into a corner, Elesa has no choice but to send out her last Pokémon, which also eventually succumbs to the same moves used on the other Pokémon before it.
*The foe's Emolga fainted!*
*Pokémon Trainer Yancy defeated Leader Elesa!*
"The winner of the first round...Yancy!" One of the announcers says over a loudspeaker. "Impressive for a newbie! With 2 Pokémon still standing firm, she's utterly dominated her more experienced opponent!"
"I...won?" Yancy asks in utter disbelief.
"Yes, you won." Elesa replies, just as surprised, while also impressed. "I was planning on getting your head to spin, but it looks like I was the one whose head spun,ugh. I have to admit, your fighting style was really sweet." Not long after, the Gym Leader approaches her, shakes her hand out of respect, and then promptly leaves the stage, the younger Trainer remaining stunned and speechless throughout. Not long after, she heads back to the lounge in order to see the results of the other Trainers.
As expected, Iris announces the results of the other Trainers once the pink-haired Trainers makes it back. "Now, with the 1st rounds all concluded, I'd like to direct all of your attention to the huge screen in the center!"
On the aforementioned screen is a list of the competing Trainers for the World Leaders Tournament, now showing the results of each 1st round battle.
"The first round, Rosa vs Cheren...What a suspenseful match! The winner is Rosa!"
"The first round, Lisia vs Bianca...It's no contest here! The clear winner is Lisia!"
"(Thank goodness…)" Yancy tells herself in a sigh of relief.
Not long after the final announcement is made, the two Trainers make it back to the lounge, exhausted but also relieved.
"Easy peesy!" Lisia says, confident at her easy win. She then addresses her mentee. "And it looks like someone's happy to have met their idol."
"Ahaha, yeah…I'm...still kind of surprised I actually beat her. I thought Eve wasn't going to cut it…"
Rosa, who had been quiet until that point, then butts in with: "But she did. No thanks to that amount of care you gave her. She must really adore you."
"Mmm Hmm." Yancy replies, smiling. "I always make sure my Pokémon adore me." Just before she can continue explaining to them, however, the matchups for the second round are already being announced.
"Let's move on to the next battle!" The announcer says. When Yancy takes a look at the next lineup of matches, she takes note of two things: Rosa and Lisia are to face one another in the second round, and that her opponent is someone she has never heard of until now.
Nonetheless, she keeps her cool, and heads to her respective arena.
"The newly-appointed Gym Leader of the Galar Region's Spikemuth City, Marnie!" And with that announcement, the Trainer in question arrives. In contrast to Yancy's lightly-colored and long-flowing dress and pink hair, Marnie was the exact opposite, wearing dark, revealing clothes, with black hair to match.
"The second round: Yancy vs Marnie!"
In the audience, a group of hoodlums in black, white, and pink begin cheering loudly. Unsurprisingly, several audience members and security guards, having remembered the recent Team Plasma incident, become wary of these suspicious folks, with many seating themselves as far away as possible from these troublemakers.
"Go get her for us, Marnie! Wooo!"
"You can do it Marnie! Yeah!"
"We know you can win the PWT, Marnie!"
"So, you must be that ex-Idol Singer everyone's been talkin' 'bout lately." Marnie tells her. "I loved your dance with that Nate fellow."
Yancy, not expecting that kind of compliment, blushes. "T-thanks, I guess…"
"Though, as much as I love your songs and your shows, don't take this personally when I kick your butt. I came here to win the World Leaders Tournament and to earn respect as the new Spikemuth Gym Leader!"
"I see...Then I won't back down on my end, either. I made a promise to my mentor that I'd battle her, here and now!" Yancy then assumes a battle stance.
*Pokémon Trainer Yancy is challenged by Leader Marnie!*
*Leader Marnie sent out Toxicroak!*
"Go, Togekiss!"
*Togekiss used Air Slash!*
*The foe's Toxicroak fainted!*
*Leader Marnie sent out Scrafty!*
*Togekiss used Air Slash!*
*The foe's Scrafty fainted!*
*Leader Marnie sent out Grimmsnarl!*
"A new Pokemon?" Yancy asks. Without a reply, Marnie simply smiles smugly back at the less experienced Trainer.
"Oh, you'll see." This tips the pink-haired Trainer to something off about the Bulk Up Pokemon.
"Togekiss, come back! Go for it, Mawile!"
Just as she sends out the Deceiver Pokémon, Marnie then does something that shocks both Yancy and the spectators in the arena. She grabs the Bulk Up Pokémon's Dusk Ball and throws it into the air behind her, which causes the Bulk Up Pokémon to grow to massive size.
"W-what the!?" Yancy asks, clearly shocked at the massive Pokémon now dwarfing everything around it.
"This...is what we in Galar call Gigantamax!" Marnie tells her opponent. "I worked real hard trainin' my favorite move, just so I could use it in a battle against someone like you!"
"(T-that's what I overheard Nate talking to Hugh about earlier!)"
*The foe's Grimmsnarl used G-Max Snooze!*
"Oh, no! Mawile!" Despite the impressive size and scale of that move however, the Deceiver Pokemon survives the hit, thanks in no part to resisting Dark-type moves. Seeing an opening, Yancy decides to take her chance on the next turn.
*Mawile's Mawilite is reacting to Yancy's Z-Power Ring!*
*Mawile Mega-Evolved into Mega Mawile!*
*The foe's Grimmsnarl used G-Max Snooze!*
*Mawile used Play Rough!*
Despite the foe's immense size, its defense proves to be next to nonexistent. Sure enough, the massive Pokemon can't take the hit.
*The foe's Grimmsnarl fainted!*
And with that, the Bulk Up Pokemon shrinks back to its original size, and then faints.
*Pokemon Trainer Yancy defeated Leader Marnie!*
"I see...I guess I still have much to learn as a Trainer and Gym Leader...Though, you could've at least made me look good with your win…"
"The winner of the second round...Yancy!" The announcer from before says.
"This is even more impressive than the last battle, folks! All of her Pokemon are still in tip-top shape!"
"I'm honestly gettin' fed up with losin' at this point!" Marnie tells her victorious opponent. "If you ever do go to Galar, I want a rematch! Anyways, good luck to you." Marnie then leaves the arena, with Yancy herself leaving not long after.
Upon making it back to the Trainer's lounge, Yancy meets up with Rosa once more. Lisia, however, is nowhere to be seen…
"Rosa? Where's Lisia?" Before Rosa can answer, the Second Round results are announced.
"The second round...Lisia vs Rosa...A truly suspenseful match! The ultimate victor is Rosa!"
For what seems like an hour...the two Trainers remain in an awkward silence. Rosa, knowing there isn't much time for rest, finally speaks up.
"I'm sorry, Yancy…I...knew that you were looking forward to battling Lisia. But…"
"There's no need to apologize." Yancy replies, smiling at her acquaintance. "You beat Lisia fair and square. Sure, I won't be able to battle her now, but there's always a next time."
"Yancy...Well, in that case, good luck to us both. May the best lady, win, I guess." Rosa then extends her hand out, to which Yancy responds by shaking her hand.
"May the best lady win, ahaha."