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Pokemon HQ Lab
What drew Melody's attention to the outside was the amount of commotion going on.
What focused Melody's eyes as she walked out into the sunlight was the Titans of Shamouti resting out on the lawn, allowing Krane to put some kind of device around their necks. Lily and Jovi were watching the sight from a distance while Kaminko was by the professor's side, evidently giving him directions.
"What's going on?" the teen asked as she approached Krane hooking a device around Zapdos's neck. Now she was closer, the attachment seemed to be some sort of camera.
"We've had reports of other legendaries in Orre."
Melody blinked as she heard Krane explain. Other legendaries. Well of course she knew there were more legendaries than the birds, but from what she knew they didn't tend to interfere with the others' territories if they could avoid it. Granted Orre was not the Titans' turf, but their presence should've given any other legendaries pause.
"Well...any idea of who they are?" she then asked.
"It's the Legendary Beasts. Raikou, Entei, and Suicune," Lily stated as she strode forward with Jovi close by her side. "The sightings have been pretty distinct that match their descriptions. They've been mostly sighted around the Wastes or heading towards the Wastes."
"And we want to know what they're up to," Krane said as he finished outfitting Zapdos's collar. "With any luck, they're going after the Cipher recruiters in that area. Kaminko! Are the cameras working?" he asked while waving a hand in front of the camera.
"Cameras are indeed functional professor! I can see you!" the doctor declared. "I've retrofitted the cameras with materials resistant to the elements that each of the birds emanate," he explained to Melody. "Another brilliant design of the great Dr. Kaminko!"
"With any luck, these cameras will be able to capture them," Krane commented, ignoring the mad doctor's ramblings. "Tracking their movements may even help us pinpoint where Cipher's troops are coming from if they're going after them."
"Are you sure they'll be able to find them?" Melody asked, looking at the birds.
"There's evidence to suggest that legendaries have some kind of sixth sense that let's them locate the others," Lily explained. "The method varies from individual to individual, but we do believe they can tell when another is in the area. Whether it's another of their group or a foreign legendary entirely."
"And they have been acting up as of late. At the same time the first sightings started to come in."
"But wouldn't that mean they could get into a fight? The titans are pretty territorial," Melody asked Krane. Memories of the Shamouti Incident surfaced. The awful shrieks of the warring birds filled the air that day, a reminder of the power they waged.
Krane shook their head. "I don't think so. We have no reason to believe that the beasts are just wandering through here. And given their history with Cipher, I have no doubt they're going after them. They share a common enemy with Cipher, so it's pretty unlikely they're gonna go at each other."
"Plus Cipher capturing the beasts was part of the reason they clawed to power the first time," Lily clarified. "It would be best if they had some kind of backup out there."
"We already talked to Michael about it this morning so he's on board. Besides, it gives the birds something to do now that they're fully purified," Krane said with a sigh, looking at the three.
Melody still couldn't believe how calm the titans were. She knew they'd been hanging around the base so they had plenty of human contact, but seeing them so chill seemed like a one-eighty from the rampaging beasts from before.
Carol was right after all. Times really have changed.
She sighed as she thought up of what she was going to say next. "Do you...do you know where Michael's next going to be? Is he coming back or…"
"He's going to be heading to Phenac City," Lily answered. "We believe that Cipher's going to hit the Production Facility so Michael wants to get the jump on them. I'll be heading with him while Professor Krane oversees the final adjustments to the Purification Chamber."
Krane folded his arms as he walked up to them, the cameras all set on the birds. "I still don't like you putting yourself in danger, Lily. You're practically heading to the frontli-"
"I'm his mother. I can't exactly watch my son march off to fight them. Especially with how he's been these recent days." The icy tone stopped Krane dead in his tracks. Even the legendaries seemed a bit taken back by the cold voice. Melody knew the feeling. She remembered that tone all too well from her mom. "Besides, with Cipher on the loose, hardly anywhere safe. And with most of the Shadow Pokemon purified, I'm not really doing much sitting at the lab."
"I...very well, I'm not going to stop you," Krane said in defeat. "It's just...be careful out there."
"Don't worry. I'll be fine." Melody suddenly realized where Michael got his guts from.
"If that's the case, I'm coming too!"
Now it was everybody else's turn to stare in shock at Melody, including the birds. Lily seemed to go a bit pale. "Melody, you-"
"With all due respect, I was at the epicenter of the Shamouti Incident where I got captured by a mad man and almost killed by at least two of the titans. Not to mention I came here in the first place. I already know the danger. And I'm not gonna sit on the sidelines and watch Michael rush into battle. Not this time!"
Silence fell. Behind, Moltres almost seemed to shrug with agreement with an impressed look on his face. Something that was shared by his sibling Zapdos. Melody suddenly felt a little bashful. Wasn't every day that two legendaries gave their approval.
"I...I suppose that makes sense," Lily concluded. "Very well, just...don't do anything stupid."
"Trust me. I won't. I spent time with Ash, remember?" Melody said with a smirk.
"So just to be clear, there's no one else that wants to go along," Krane asked exasperatedly.
"Umm...c-could I come too?"
Again, the air went quiet. Lily turned her head in absolute horror at her little girl. "Jovi. That is absolutely out of the question. I canno-"
"You said you were worried about Michael. That you felt that he needed family. Well...I don't want to stay home and watch him do this alone. I want to be there for him." Jovi looked up at her mother, her eyes shining brightly.
Lily seemed like she was about to say something...before sighing in defeat. She looked at Melody and asked, "Can I trust you to keep Jovi out of trouble while we are in Phenac?"
"Lily you can't be-!"
"Phenac City is probably one of the safest places in Orre right now, Professor Krane. Between the lack of crime and the militia, it really is our best bet. It's not like we'll be putting ourselves in unnecessary danger."
Krane could only sigh with defeat. "Very well. I just hope you three are up to it."
"I'll make sure to bring Mimi and Pluplu with me. They'll protect me!" Jovi said. Lily groaned, but ultimately nodded her head to the proposition. Melody had a bad feeling from their reactions.
The air suddenly kicked up as the legendary birds ascended into the sky, nearly taking everybody off their feet. Seemingly content with the ongoing plans, the titans spread their wings and flew off into the distance with their goals clear.
Melody knew she'd be following soon after them.
Times have changed. And she needed to change with them.
Pyrite Town
Michael ducked inside of Duking's office to see that Secc was there looking over some files. "Hey, you mind if I come in?"
"Uh...yeah. Sure. I was actually meaning to talk to you myself." He stepped inside fully having been given the invitation, not wanting to be rude.
"Do you mind if I go first or do you want to go first?"
"No you can go ahead," Secc said leaning against the table. "I was just overlooking some of the files we had on the suspects."
"I...I just wanted to say that I was sorry. About yesterday," Michael admitted. "It's just...well...I've got a history with Lovrina and between her and this whole situation with Cipher...there's only so much a guy can handle you know?"
Secc gave off a warm smile as he patted Michael on the shoulder. "You don't have to apologize. We've all been there. Stuff like this gets to you. I...I know I did."
"Yeah...Duking told me about what happened. How you...lost it when you were younger."
The blonde haired teen turned away for a moment. Michael and Espeon looked at each other. Neither of them could imagine having to live in a place run by Cipher, let alone run a spy network. Sure they didn't suspect the children of the Under to start keeping tabs on everyone.
But one false step, one wrong move…
"It was...hard on all of us," Secc answered, turning around to look Michael in the eye. "Marcia, Nett...myself. I still don't know how we managed to survive through that tough time.
"Mostly it was Wes that kept us going." He looked up, the light reignited in his eye. "The dream that things could be better. That we could do more than just hide in the shadows. Knowing that we were doing our part to help fight the good fight and take Cipher down, even if it was temporary in the long run. Fighting for something bigger than us."
"I know the feeling. Like the weight of the whole region is on your shoulders. That everyone is depending on you. How every move needs to be the right one, otherwise everything you ever hold dear is lost."
"...yeah. Something like that." The two teens took a seat on the couch on the side of the office, Espeon settling at Michael's feet. They just sat there for a moment, letting the memories play out in their heads. Both the good...and the bad.
After a while, Michael broke the silence. "How did you do it? Get through the bad times. Wes wasn't always there."
Secc chuckled. "Yeah...that's true. I think what got us through...was knowing that we were not alone. That we weren't fighting this on our own. So when one of us snapped, we always had somebody looking out for us. And that soften the blow, knowing that...we didn't have to carry this on our own.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is...it does help knowing that somebody is on your side."
Michael leaned back as he thought about it. His thoughts drifted to back home, to Krane and Jovi. To his mother.
To his dad…
He looked at the Snag Machine on his arm. It was modified, but his dad's spirit was still there. Ultimately this was his creation. His will. And looking at that gleaming metal and the lights whirring...he didn't feel entirely alone anymore.
Michael felt something brush against his leg.
Course...he never was alone from the start.
Espeon was there when he was an Eevee. And the others followed suit when he saved them from Cipher. All of them were more than eager to pay the criminals back for what they did. They drew strength from each other, learning, growing. And eventually, purifying and healing.
He absentmindedly patted the Master Ball on his belt.
And yes...getting better.
Michael never did it alone.
"Thanks man. I needed that." He paused a moment before asking his own question. "So...what was it you wanted to talk about?"
Secc sighed as he looked to the ground. Michael frowned. He felt like he was about to be hit with another round of bad news. There always seemed to be a monkey wrench thrown in everything these days. At least now he knew it was coming.
Naturally Secc asked the one thing that never occurred to him.
"Are you sure Lovrina is working with Cipher?"
Michael couldn't help but snort. "Of course she is. She's the one that created their Shadow Pokemon, remember?"
"Well I remember that. It's just…" Secc fidgeted for a moment. "...she hasn't been seen with any of the ones we've been watching."
"..what are you talking about?"
The blonde sighed. "Cail's seen her around town quite a bit, but never with any of the recruiters or anybody we're worried about joining up. And we haven't seen anybody like her with the suspects. I figured if she was still working with them, she'd be one of the first to make contact. Let them know what's going on."
"Could be she doesn't want to risk giving away their position," Michael pointed out. "Cipher does have pretty advanced equipment so she might have some other form of communication."
"True, but even still you'd figure Greevil would want his favorite scientist back to help them start up their project again. Isn't it true that they needed Shadow Lugia to corrupt that many Pokemon to begin with?"
Michael didn't argue with that logic. O.R.F. did exchange information with their allies across Orre, so chances were that Secc knew about how the Shadow Pokemon from the S.S. Libra were corrupted in the first place.
Then he also should've known that Lovrina was the one that created Shadow Lugia in the first place.
The Master Ball shook as a dark aura briefly extended itself, memories of the past flashing through Michael's eyes.
Yeah...I know how you feel, he inwardly said.
Secc didn't seem to notice the brief mental exchange. "Going by that logic, is it possible that Greevil might've cut Lovrina off? Hanging her out to dry so to speak."
Again, Michael admitted he did have a point. "Greevil did leave a lot of his henchmen to be arrested following his defeat at Citadark Isle to cover his tracks, only to contact them later," he reasoned. "Considering that Lovrina lost to me twice and failed to get Lugia back at Gateon Port…I mean it wasn't like something like that was lowkey or anything. It was all over the news!"
"And considering they needed Shadow Lugia to corrupt the Pokemon, not to mention the fact they have so much data on both him and the rest of the Shadow Pokemon…"
Michael summed up what both of them were thinking at that moment. "Greevil simply might not need Lovrina anymore."
Espeon sunk to his stomach as he understood the implications. His partner agreed. Like some trainer that got sick of a supposedly weak Pokemon, Greevil just abandoned Lovrina to the wilds. A sacrifice just to cover his bases. The Cipher Admin was many things, but even to somebody as loathsome as her that was a little harsh.
A moment of silence passed when the next bombshell hit.
"If that's the case and Lovrina's on the fence...maybe we can convince her to switch sides."
Michael wasn't sure if he was expecting it or not, but the result was the same. His eyes started to glow red, causing Espeon to leap back a ways from the shock. He turned towards Secc, the other teen suddenly unnerved by the dark aura radiating from him.
"...what?"
Secc gulped. "It's just...I know Eldes joined up with you. If we can get Lovrina on our side...maybe this is our chance?"
Michael turned and looked at the floor, sighing. He thought for a moment before coming up with a response.
"Eldes...he had hang ups for a while. Lovrina didn't. She genuinely seemed proud of her work. All the Pokemon she hurt...what she did to us...it's just...it's too much for us to stomach."
He turned towards Secc again. "We can't be the one to reach out. There's...just too much bad blood between us. She needs to do that on her own."
The blonde sighed. "I'm sorry I brought it up. It's just...knowing the option is there can be all the difference."
"No, we get it. If there's an opportunity it's now. It's just...we don't think we should be the ones to extend the offer."
The glow from Michael's eyes faded, causing both Secc and Espeon to relax a bit. As if the aura had simply retreated back to its source.
That wasn't just Michael talking. Though given what Espeon had sensed, it could easily have been both.
"I...I'm sorry. I didn't realiz-"
"No need to be," Michael reassured, his eyes gone back to normal. "It's just...even if Lovrina wanted to turn over a new leaf...I don't know if either of us could forgive her."
"I understand," Secc stated. "What she did was crossing so many lines. And maybe you're right and she's gone too far. But...just keep it in mind, alright?"
"I...I'll try."
But the shakiness in Michael's voice spoke louder than his words.
"AND HIS OPPONENT! One of the very first trainers to have ever faced down Wes in battle, give it up for Pyrite's pride and joy: CAIL!"
Michael clapped along with the audience as the green-haired gatekeeper made his way into the ring. The cheers were just as loud as his when he entered first, mainly very loud and filled with joy. In contrast, there were practically no jeers or booing for either of them. And if there were, they were drowned out by the audience's enthusiasm.
Everyone's support is swinging our way. Good, Michael thought. Seemed Duking's gambit was paying off. He just needed to keep winning. This was the semi-finals after all.
Cail folded his arms as he looked Michael dead in the eye. "I figured we'd be facing off again, but I didn't think it would be like this. You've come a long way since you first walked into Pyrite a couple of months ago."
Has it really been that long? Michael felt it was almost a lifetime ago. Looking back, everything almost did seem like a mirage. Something he'd read about in some book about a renowned champion. Not somebody he knew, or even him specifically.
"Don't think just because we faced off once before doesn't mean I'm not gonna go soft on you," the younger trainer warned with a wiry smirk. He was really looking forward to this. If Justy was any hint, a lot of the trainers here had stepped up their game. Cail shouldn't be any different.
Speaking of, his opponent held out his arms. "You're right there! I figured I'd redo my training. Got to keep up so I can still call myself the gatekeeper!"
Michael nodded as he got out his first pokeball. Espeon already leapt to his position on the field, gem shining and muscles at the ready. To his left, the energy from the pokeball materialized into Salamence, who roared a challenge to the gatekeeper.
Cail simply smiled as he whipped out his first two pokeballs. From the first came a large bipedal dog-like Pokemon with purplish fur and a large set of jaws. Granbull snapped his fangs together at Espeon, the powerful teeth creating a powerful display with Intimidate.
The other released a strange bird-like humanoid with features that looked more like a tree than an animal. Shiftry took a battle stance as it loosened the sharp leaves on his hands, never taking his eyes off Salamence.
Already, Michael got to work. "Espeon, let Granbull come to you and throw his weight behind his attacks. Keep on the defensive so you can counterattack when he goes on the offensive." Espeon already narrowed his eyes at Granbull. Larger he may be, the cat was faster. And he certainly seemed lacking in the finesse department, so throwing him off balance was their best bet.
"Salamence, go after that Shiftry. Chances are he's gonna try and gang up on Espeon since he's a Dark-type. Take him down quickly before he does." Salamence snarled as he spread his wings and pawed the earth. Shiftry couldn't help but be taken aback by the Intimidate, taking a step back from the display.
"Are the trainers and their Pokemon ready?!" Duking asked. Both teams took their stances as they eyed the other across the field.
That was all the confirmation Duking needed.
"THEN LET THE FIRST MATCH OF THE SEMI-FINALS BEGIN!"
Granbull was the first to strike, rushing forward with his jaws wide open for a Crunch. Espeon easily saw the attack coming and leapt out of the way, allowing the dog to charge right past him. He leaped back again once more to dodge a wild Brick Break before his gem lit up and unleashed a Psychic attack.
Such a huge amount of power sent Granbull crashing to the ground. To his credit, the bulldog managed to quickly roll back up on his feet using the momentum from the psychic force. Snarling, he held his hands together as he began to channel some form of dark energy between them.
Espeon's eyes widened as his tail twitched, causing his instincts to kick in as he conjured up his own Shadow Ball in retaliation. Both orbs of darkness were released at the same time, colliding in the center of the arena and creating a burst of unearthly might.
All the warning Espeon had for the second Shadow Ball came from his twitching tail, only barely managing to dodge the attack with Agility. Unfortunately, Granbull was already rushing into intercepting him, his fangs bearing down on the Sun Pokemon for a Crunch. Espeon just had enough time to fire a Confusion to off-center the larger Pokemon's aim and allow him to jump to the side again.
Landing on his feet, he and Michael shared a knowing glance. Granbull hadn't known Shadow Ball last time they fought, and it wasn't like Espeon could keep dodging forever. As the bulldog got back up on his feet and shook off the dust, the Psychic-type realized he was going to be in for quite the fight.
His tail twitched again as he was alerted to movement behind him. Turning around, he only had enough time to see the Shiftry rushing at him with a Shadow Ball to be fired at point-blank range.
Which left the Wicked Pokemon open to an Aerial Ace from Salamence's wings.
Shiftry was knocked back from the gald, feeling the wings rain down their blows upon him. Salamence snarled as he placed himself between Espeon and the tengu, almost daring the other to make a move. Indeed the Grass-type did, dodging to the side before coming in with his own Aerial Ace with his outstretched razor-like leaf blades swiping at the dragon's face.
Salamence snarled as he pulled back from the assault, kicking up dust from the ground to cover his retreat. However, as he landed on the ground, he noticed that the air had suddenly become hotter. In fact...it seemed brighter out than usual, didn't it? Looking up, he saw that the sun was shining harshly upon the battlefield. Sunny Day had taken effect.
The Grass-type proceeded to whip his leaf blades out, unleashing a powerful blast of energy in the form of Solar Beam. Salamence quickly fired a Dragon Breath to slow down the attack, but even such a blast of powerful fire wasn't enough to fully slow the attack down. He took the Solar Beam, being pushed back by it for a moment or two.
Michael grimaced. Sunny Day meant that Shiftry could use Solar Beam without needing to charge it. Things had just gotten a bit more complicated.
Salamence roared with rage as the beam faded, only to be silenced with a Shadow Ball to the face. His foe off-balanced, Shiftry lunged forward, quickly closing the distance between the two before leaping over the blue dragon's lashed-out tail with his leaves extended for another Aerial Ace.
This time though, Salamence was ready.
He grabbed the tengu in mid-air, driving his Dragon Claw into Shiftry's torso before slamming him into the ground. With the Sinister Pokemon restrained, Salamence's maw came alive with mystical flames as he doused his hapless opponent with a point-blank Dragon Breath before tossing him away across the ground.
Now on the offensive, Salamence roared and slammed his tail into the ground. With Dragon Dance fueling his veins, he rushed forward, his powerful legs carrying across the field. Shiftry rolled back up on his feet as he fired another Solar Beam, but the drake simply extended his large red wings and flew over the attack. This left the Grass-type open as he was sent back with another Dragon Claw.
Meanwhile Espeon lept back from another Shadow Ball to counter with a Psychic. Granbull just plowed through the attack before decking the cat with a Brick Break, sending him flying.
The mystical cat could feel his muscles strain as he picked himself back up. This wasn't going well. He'd been forced on the defensive due to Granbull's relentless assault of Dark and Ghost-type attacks. Between constantly dodging with almost little room for a counterattack, both his muscles and his mind were beginning to be strained from the effort. Pretty soon he would-
His thoughts were shot as Granbull lunged forward with another Crunch. Espeon dived to the side, but this time his timing was off, causing the bulldog to grab his tail with the Crunch. Now in the larger Pokemon's clutches, he was jerked around like a ragdoll before being tossed away. Espeon cried out as he hit the ground. Hard.
Michael began to sweat. He needed to turn the tables and fast. The teen began to squint as he tried to think up of a solution to help out his comrade.
Wait a minute…
He covered his eyes as he looked up at the harsh sun.
Bingo.
Michael looked across the field to see that Espeon had been following his eyes.
That meant he saw the sun too.
"ESPEON! USE SAND ATTACK FOR COVER!"
Espeon nodded as Granbull came charging forward. This time the cat whipped backward, kicking up a Sand Attack and blinding the dog from the dust. He then fired a quick Confusion, sending the off-balance Pokemon to the ground before whipping up another Sand Attack with his tail as he ran past.
Granbull snarled as he picked himself up from the dirt, shaking his eyes free of sand. He quickly found the Psychic-type as his forehead gem was glowing, easily giving away his position. The dog roared as he fired a Shadow Ball, intent on ending the battle.
Espeon fired his own Shadow Ball, and again, the two orbs of darkness collided in the middle.
This time however, Espeon fired a powerful Psychic attack right after. Granbull was sent flying as he took the attack.
Espeon smirked with his strength restored. The Sunny Day didn't just power up Shiftry. He was the Sun Pokemon, and he too was able to draw strength from it. His Morning Sun took full advantage of that, getting him back to practically full strength.
And with him back to his 100%, Granbull was in a lot of trouble.
Noticing the trouble his partner was in, Shiftry snap fired a Solar Beam to throw off the raging Salamence as he turned his attention to the Psychic-type. He held his fans together to summon up a Shadow Ball…
...only to get blindsided by another Aerial Ace from the dragon. Wheeling around, Shiftry fired one more powerful Solar Beam at point-blank range. Salamence couldn't help but take the full force of the attack, sending him back a ways.
But he wasn't to be denied his knockout.
Digging his hind talons in and balancing himself with his tail, Salamence reared up as he began to fire a Dragon Breath right in Shiftry's face. The tengu screeched as the fires cut off the attack, leaving him open to take the Dragon Claw full force.
Shiftry collapsed to the ground from the attack and attempted to stand from such a series of blows. However, his strength failed him as his feet fell right underneath him. Salamence hung back as a few seconds ticked past, ready for more if the other should be foolish to get back up again.
After those tense seconds passed, Duking made the call. "Shiftry is unable to continue! That's 1-0 for Michael!"
"Seems like you haven't lost your touch since last we fought!" Cail commented on with a smile as he recalled Shiftry.
Michael merely shrugged. "Well you know me. I'm not exactly the kind to just stand idle."
The gatekeeper smirked. "I wouldn't get too comfortable. I'm only getting started!" He looked at the Ultra Ball in his hand shaking with anticipation. "And my new pal here has been waiting to meet you!"
Before Michael could shoot some remark back, Cail threw the ball with a good deal of force. Energy burst out of the ball, taking the shape of a large and rather bulky-looking form. A powerful-looking gray hide took shape as a mighty tail thrashed the earth. Great arms flexed and a pair of heavy feet stomped the earth. Most prominent of all was a pair of fearsome-looking horns jutting from the Pokemon's cranium, with the snout sharpened to look like a third.
Aggron roared to the heavens to the joy of the audience, his blue eyes blazing, ready for combat.
Salamence and Espeon flinched from the beast's primal roar. Even though he was a good distance away, Michael had to cover his ears from the sound.
"What do you think?" Cail asked as Aggron pawed the ground, kicking up sand. "Found this guy when he was an Aron at one of those Poke Spots. He's been itching for a good fight ever since." Marcia and Cameran were focused on the new arrival, with the reporter stating how lucky the audience was to see such a powerful native Pokemon in the flesh. Duking was also beaming with pride as more evidence of his labors paying off were coming to fruition
All Michael could think about was how he needed to start looking for some of these wild Pokemon himself.
The Iron Armor Pokemon charged forward, his horns aiming directly at Salamence. He raked a Metal Claw right across the dragon's face, still stunned from the thunderous roar from earlier. Shaking his sense back as he stayed on his feet, Salamence roared with rage as he extended his own claws and slashed at Aggron's torso with Dragon Claw.
Aggron simply shrugged off the attacks as he laid into Salamence with another Metal Claw, sending him back to the ground. The sunlight gleamed off of the beast's claws, looking more dangerous as they were sharpened from the attacks. He then proceeded to beat his chest, the armor plating clanging with each successive pound as the Iron Defense hardened his already tough-looking hide.
Salamence woozily tried to get back up on his feet, the blows from his battle with Shiftry starting to catch up to him. Sensing his opponent trying to get up, Aggron proceeded to stomp his way to the fallen dragon with a raised fist…
Espeon cried out as he attempted to rush forward, only to get hit by a Shadow Ball from his blindside by Granbull who had gotten back up on his feet. Sensing the commotion behind him, Aggron turned towards the cat who had already begun to get back up on his feet. In order to make sure he wasn't interrupted, he whacked Salamence with a swoosh of his heavy tail. Not a hard blow, but it did seem to daze the wyrm.
Now stuck between a rock and a hard place, Espeon's eyes glowed as he focused his energies into a quick Swift, sending the stars to pummel Granbull. It wasn't a lot, but the guaranteed hit did cause the bulldog to stumble, allowing him to disengage and focus his attention on Aggron.
The very...very big Aggron who was barreling down on him with those iron horns.
Arching his back, Espeon waited until the last possible minute before jumping into the air and on Aggron's nape, just barely missing those sharp horns. The Iron Armor Pokemon roared with rage as he shook to dislodge his unwanted rider, but the cat clung on. Just barely managing to keep on.
With Aggron distracted, Salamence managed to jump back on his feet and charged the thrashing reptile, digging into the Steel-type with Dragon Claw. Much to his shock though, Aggron simply batted away the attacking dragon with a swing of his arm. Before he could lay into him with an Iron Claw however, Espeon fired a Psychic blast from his forehead, causing the giant to stumble forward. This gave enough time for Salamence to leap backward with fire in his maw.
Aggron felt himself be washed with Dragon Breath, stumbling backward as the flames licked his hide. Espeon hid from the flames beneath one of Aggron's head crests as he clung on desperately. He readied his gem for another Psychic to join the assault.
That's when Granbull lept on Aggron's back and clamped his jaws around Espeon in a powerful Crunch. Espeon cried out with pain as he was thrown from the Steel-type's back and smashed into the ground.
With his highjacker now dislodged, Aggron charged through the flames and smashed into Salamence with a Takedown. The dragon was flung to the ground as the full weight of 360 kilograms slammed into him. Using the momentum from the charge, Granbull proceeded to fling himself from Aggron's back and fired a Shadow Ball right into Salamence's chest before landing on his feet right at his partner's side.
The two of them watched carefully as Salamence tried to get up onto his fight. He glared at them both, but ultimately his strength failed him as he collapsed into a heap.
Behind them, Espeon too tried to get up. But the pain was too much, and he too fell into the dirt.
The result was obvious. "THAT'S A DOUBLE K.O! CAIL TAKES THE LEAD WITH 2-1!" Duking announced, the air now a din from the enthusiasm from the crowd. Granbull and Aggron roared with victory as Michael recalled his own Pokemon.
Those two deserve a good rest for having to put up with them, Michael thought. He made a mental note to get his Pokemon a good amount of food come dinner time.
And a massage.
"That's one impressive Aggron Cail! You trained him well," Michael commented as the sun died down from the Sunny Day. Aggron simply carved furrows into the earth with his horns as he glared at Michael.
"I hope you've got some fancy moves if you're gonna want to catch up Mikey!" Cail teased out. He had a feeling that Michael did have something in mind, but it did feel good to pull such a stunt.
Michael smirked. Duking wasn't kidding when he said the best trainers in the region came to this tournament. And the Bandit Hero must've had quite the battle on his hands if Cail was one of the first trainers he faced, with or without an Aggron.
Good thing he had his own heavyweight on his team.
He got out and threw his last two pokeballs through the air.
One opened up and released Houndoom, the ferocious Pokemon snarling and giving off a great burst of flame into the air.
The other released something else. A great bulky form emerged as orange scales and blue wings took shape.
Ironfang roared to the heavens to the enraptured crowd, the Dragonite having arrived at last.
"Woah. Isn't that the Dragonite you snagged from Miror B. during Gateon Port?" Cail asked.
"Yep! Figured I switch it up a bit for this match," Michael admitted. Inwardly he wondered if Clair was watching this bout. Figured she'd want to see Ironfang in actual competition for once.
Speaking of which, Ironfang and Aggron glared at each other, a sudden tense feeling arising between the two. Both were certainly bulky and powerful-looking Pokemon. Ironfang already sensed an equal in Aggron. Aggron could already feel this Dragonite would bring a fight.
Either way, they were in for a brawl.
Michael deigned not to even give orders to Ironfang for once, only giving a nod of approval. With one Pokemon focused, he turned to the other. "Houndoom, take down Granbull as fast as you can. He's got to be winded from the fight with Espeon so make it quick." Houndoom nodded as she noted the heavy breathing coming from Granbull. He sounded exhausted enough that knocking him out shouldn't be too strenuous.
Aggron roared as he charged forward, lowering his horns straight at Ironfang. The Dragonite snarled as he lunged forward himself, his legs propelling him towards the other. Everybody held their breath as the two behemoths met at the center of the arena.
BAM!
One could almost taste the air reverberate as the two crashed their massive bulks into each other. Aggron rammed his massive head into Ironfang's side with a Takedown, while the Dragonite slammed his muscled body into the Iron-type's side a Slam. The two roared as they pushed against one another for a moment, their size pushing against the other in some kind of sumo match.
Ultimately though, the heavier Aggron won out as he threw Ironfang to the side before slamming a Metal Claw right in his face. The Dragonite snarled as he backpedaled into the air, his wings kicking up a Twister as he ascended. The gust of draconic wind managed to push Aggron back a way, but he still snarled as he lunged forward with another Takedown behind his horns.
This time, Ironfang timed his dodge just perfectly so when he dove to the side, Aggron went right past him. He proceeded to Slam his tail right into the Iron Armor Pokemon's side, causing the beast to stumble momentarily. The dragon from Kanto proceeded to rake his opponent's hide with a Dragon Claw.
He raised his other hand to land another blow, but it was caught by the claws of Aggron who violently pushed it back. The Iron-type proceeded to ram a Metal Claw right into the Dragonite's side before driving him away with a massive Headbutt right to the face.
Ironfang had to back away just to clear his head.
Yep, he was in for a tough one.
His partner was having a bit more luck though. Houndoom fired a Flamethrower, pushing Granbull back from the force. The larger dog just snarled and lunged through the flames with a pulled-back fist for a Brick Break. Being more nimble, Houndoom was easily able to jump back from the punch and to the side when the bulldog went for another blow.
As the mad canine whooshed past her, Houndoom quickly whipped out her tail against Granbull's legs. It managed to trip up the charging Pokemon, giving her enough time to quickly dart behind and lunge onto his back, clamping her fangs on his shoulder for a Crunch. The bulldog howled as he fell forward from the force of the lunge and the pain of the attack.
Leaping off, Houndoom proceeded to douse Granbull in another Flamethrower, pushing him onto his back. To her surprise, he simply jumped right back up with his jaws wide open…
...only to fall flat on his face. He tried to push himself back up on his hands and knees but ultimately collapsed into the dirt. Defeated.
"Granbull is unable to continue! Houndoom ties it up for Michael with 2-2!"
Houndoom didn't seem to notice the call as she snorted flames and looked right at Cail, letting out a bone-chilling Howl.
On Cail's belt, his pokeball violently shook, indicating that its occupant was more than ready to answer the challenge.
Cail smiled as he unhooked the ball from his hip and tossed it into the arena, eager to give his Pokemon the battle it had been waiting for.
The pokeball burst into flame as the gatekeeper's own Houndoom burst out, flame forming at her paws. She let out her own Howl at her rival, seeing that they had grown considerably since last they fought. Michael's Houndoom just stood her ground and breathed her own flames, almost demonstrating that she wasn't the same Houndour from before.
At once, both of them charged with fangs barred and fire-spewing, colliding in a mad flurry of embers and teeth. They tussled for a moment, both of them struggling to gain an advantage over the other. Eventually, Michael's Houndoom managed to overpower the other, rising up and clamping a Crunch on the guard dog's nape before tossing her away.
The older Dark-type quickly rolled up on her feet and spat a disgusting combination of saliva, bile, and ash. It didn't get very far as the Sludge Bomb was quickly dissipated by the rival's Flamethrower. Michael's Houndoom kept up the assault, holding the burst of flames so she could close the distance to her prey. The memories of fighting violent Shadow Pokemon told her to keep on the offensive.
Cail's Houndoom ducked for a moment, protecting her face from the flames and allowing the hunter to come in closer. Then when they had strayed too close, she lunged forward with a raised paw and swiped them across the face. The Faint Attack caused the younger hound to stagger, and leave herself open as the guard dog pounced on her, driving her to the ground with a well-placed Crunch to the shoulder.
The assaulted Fire-type howled as she bucked off her rival and smashed her horns into their face. She backed away to gain some distance as well, firing off some Embers to cover her retreat. But the guardian didn't give up so easily, plowing through the cinders and coming right at her for another assault. With such a brazen assault, the hunter had to fire a Smog right in the other's face, throwing them off course and allowing her to gain some breathing room.
Meanwhile, Aggron and Ironfang were engaged in their own melee, exchanging Metal Claws and Dragon Claws in a flurry of attacks. The Dragonite was being driven back as each strike sharpened the steel talons of the Iron-type. Snarling, he delivered a powerful Slam right in the Iron Armor Pokemon's cranium with his own head. Something he regretted since the Iron Defense basically meant he was hitting a steel wall, but it did stagger them even momentarily. Spreading his wings, he backpedaled into the sky, sending forth a Twister to hold the beast back.
Aggron snarled as he pushed back the winds and roared in defiance at the airborne wyrm. He then proceeded to bury his horns into the earth as his claws began to dig up mounds of earth.
Michael was...confused to say the least. "You know Dig doesn't work on Flying-types, right?"
Cail smirked. "Wait for it…"
At first he thought Aggron was gonna go after his Houndoom, but the mound was clearly going after Ironfang. Something wasn't right…
The mound of earth burst out of the ground, dislodging great rocks from the earth as Aggron crawled his way out.
Then Aggron proceeded to hook his horns under one of the larger rocks and tossed it into the air. Ironfang managed to dodge, but the Iron-type began chucking the other big rocks whether by throwing them with his arms and horns or just kicking them with his tail or feet.
Eventually, a rather big one found its mark as Ironfang was felled from the sky by Rock Tomb. He smashed into the ground, with the boulder effectively pinning him as he attempted to get back up on his feet.
Aggron took advantage as he charged forward, his mighty tail slamming into the ground as he did. As he reached the helpless dragon, he whipped around, bringing his great tail with him. The Metal Tail easily smashed through the boulder and sent Ironfang skidding in the dirt from the force.
Michael couldn't help but nod at the combo. "Okay. Makes sense."
His eyes were drawn to a clang of bones as the two Houndooms locked horns and began to push against the other. Abruptly, Michael's Houndoom went slack as she allowed the other's momentum to carry them forward, allowing her to smash her horns in their face with a Feint Attack. Before she could go further on the offensive, the guard dog proceeded to douse her with Flamethrower, pushing her back away.
Cail's Houndoom leaped through the flames as she drove her younger rival into the ground, her jaws clamped on their shoulder with a Crunch to drive the impact further. The hunter quickly regained her senses, however, managing to use the energy from the leap against the other hound by kicking her off before too much damage was inflicted.
Both Houndooms quickly rolled up on their feet and let forth a Flamethrower at the same time. One could almost feel the heat increase as the infernal attacks pushed against each other with sparks flying. They were too equally matched though, with both fires fizzling out as they ran out of steam.
Not that the Dark-types cared as they charged through the dying flames and engaged in another melee with each other. They bit and clawed at one another, with embers flying and darkened fur singed.
At the same time, Ironfang and Aggron were engaged in a melee of their own. Both were laying in powerful blows one after the other, giving the other no respite or recovery. Unlike the two Houndooms though, the fight was swinging in Aggron's favor. The Dragonite took some pretty heavy hits from the combo and he was beginning to lose steam.
Although Michael could also see that Aggron wasn't looking too well either. Bruises and scratches were forming on his armor and his movements were slowing down.
If there was a time to end this, it would be now.
He quickly got an idea.
"Houndoom! Get on Ironfang's back! Ironfang, get some space and try to set up an Earthquake!"
Nodding, Houndoom quickly batted away her rival and blitzed towards her partner. Ironfang managed to fire a Dragon Breath right in Aggron's face to cover his retreat as he quickly flapped his wings to backpedal. The hound managed to clamber onto his back just as he was leaving the ground, climbing up the tail and clinging to his neck.
"Aggron! Bunker up! Houndoom, get on his back!" Cail ordered. Aggron proceeded to slam his arms into the ground and curled his body parts together in some kind of ball. One could almost see the steel gleam from the Iron Defense hardening his hide once more. Cail's Houndoom bounded over to her partner and jumped onto his back to watch the Dragonite climb further into the sky.
Howling in rage, Ironfang curled his wings as he began to plummet towards the earth, Houndoom still clinging to his neck. His great bulk crashed into the ground, causing the very earth itself to upheave with Earthquake. Aggron kept steady as the angry earth careened towards him, allowing the very earth to crash into his frame. He grunted in considerable pain, but the Iron Armor Pokemon kept steady. Michael couldn't help but admire the Pokemon resilience.
Suddenly, Houndoom leapt off Ironfang's back, the energy from the Earthquake propelling her farther than she could normally jump. Fire leapt from her maw as she fired a powerful Fire Blast right into Aggron's chest, who was beginning to unfurl from his ball when the superpowered flames slammed right into him. He was forced back from the intense flames as Houndoom landed on his back.
The Dark-type snarled at the other Houndoom, who was also reeling from the hot flames. She snarled as she tackled the guard dog off Aggron's back and into the hard ground with a Crunch. Both of them hit the ground quite hard, causing the two of them to be thrown off each other.
Meanwhile, Ironfang lowered himself to the ground as he eyed the hurt Aggron. Smoke and cinders were coming off of it and the armor was pretty dented. Not to mention he was hunched over as it had just taken a serious beating.
Seemed like finally the tin can was opened as Ironfang prepared to charge forward-
-to eat a Hyper Beam right to the chest, being forced to the ground from the impact.
Aggron huffed as the beam faded, his chest heaving up and down from his breathing. His body was wracked with pain. At the very least after that, the Dragonite should be down for the count. Indeed, Duking was eyeing the fallen form of Ironfang carefully.
Grunting, the dragon picked himself up slowly. His body was riddled with bruises and marks, but his eyes still burned with rage, causing Aggron's eyes to widen with surprise.
Snarling, Ironfang took a deep breath, causing his chest to expand.
Aggron's eyes narrowed as he gathered power into his chest as well. He wasn't going to let the wyrm put him down that easily.
Both of the Houndooms picked themselves up from the dirt, hurt and exhausted from the long battle. Michael's Houndoom seemed particularly slow to rise. The local hound noticed this, sniffing the air to assess their condition.
Though looking to what was going on between the two heavyweights, she hit the ground as well.
Indeed, the whole colosseum seemed to brace themselves as both Pokemon charged their attacks.
This was gonna hurt.
Aggron let forth his Hyper Beam. Ironfang let forth his. Both of the Hyper Beams hit their marks in the chest, but the force from two of them at the same time caused the very ground to tremble. Everybody could almost taste the power behind the attacks. It was...almost humbling.
It seemed to go on forever, but eventually, the beams did indeed cut off. As the dust settled, everyone could see to their astonishment that both of the Pokemon were still standing. The angry brown eyes of Ironfang met the cold blue gaze of Aggron. It was almost as if sheer will alone was keeping both of them up.
Everyone held their breath. Almost as if a gentle breeze could cause one of them to crumble.
After a few agonizing seconds...Ironfang collapsed. His body crashed as he lost consciousness.
Duking made the call. "Ironfang is unable to battle! That's 3-2 in favor of Cail!"
Before the crowd could cheer though, Aggron gave a few huffs of his own before he too toppled over. His heavy body thudded to the earth as exhaustion finally took its toll.
"IT'S A DOUBLE KNOCKOUT! WE'RE IN SUDDEN DEATH LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"
The crowd went wild from the call. With the giants down, everything boiled down to the exhausted Houndooms.
Michael couldn't help but sweat as Cail's Houndoom got up first. His own seemed to be having trouble getting up on her own feet with her head low, heavy breathing, and droopy tail. The very fate of the match hung in the balance.
Cail's Houndoom gave a warning growl, almost like she was warning her rival to stay down. But whether due to stubbornness or pride, the younger dog stumbled up to her feet and snarled in defiance.
That was enough for the older Dark-type to snort and charge, her fangs opened wide for a finishing Crunch.
Just then, Michael's Houndoom got a glint in her eye. Her trainer noticed it…
...and he knew she had it in the bag.
Just as the final blow was about to be struck, Houndoom slammed her horns into the guard dog's face, throwing her full force into the Feint Attack. The force of the attack sent her rival spiraling, leaving her open to a Fire Blast. Michael's Houndoom threw every last ounce of strength into this one attack and sent the older hound right to the ground.
She let out a gasp of air as the flames died down. Her muscles ached and her inner fire was spent. Houndoom looked up to her fallen rival and saw them attempt to get up…
...before slumping to the ground in defeat.
"Houndoom is unable to battle! THE WINNER IS MICHAEL!"
You could almost taste the enthusiasm coming from the crowd as they applauded with frenzy. Marcia and Cameran were cheering from the sidelines. Duking nodded his head in approval. Even Cail smiled as he put his hands on his hips and walked over to his fallen Pokemon.
Houndoom howled in triumph to the sky, her voice echoing in the voluminous chamber.
She had come a long way from her days as a Shadow Pokemon.
"You did it Houndoom! We're heading to the finals!"
Michael nearly barreled Houndoom over as he embraced her in a big hug. She smiled and gave an affectionate lick in return. Of course, she wouldn't have gotten that far without a good trainer.
"Nice work. I knew you had gotten stronger, but that was on a whole 'nother level," Cail complimented. His Houndoom faithfully trotted at his side, slowly but still with enthusiasm.
The two Houndooms exchanged a look.
The younger one was not a Houndour any longer.
"You got better yourself," Michael complimented. "That Aggron was pretty dang fierce. You and him work well together," he said, motioning to the approaching Aggron. Considering the beating he took, he was handling well, holding his head high even while holding his side and having a noticeable limp.
"Well, he's probably gonna be feeling this fight for a while," Cail joked. Aggron chuckled heartily, basically confirming that would be the case.
Ironfang approached as well, wounded but certainly still prideful.
Noticing this, Aggron held out a clawed hand. The Dragonite looked at it for a moment, considering his options…
...oh heck. There was no option.
He took the hand and shook it heartedly with a warm smile on his face.
Michael and Cail decided to follow their Pokemon's example and gave a warm handshake as well as a hug. The crowd went wild from the respect shown.
"I have to ask you though. I've never seen a Pokemon hide their condition like that. How'd you manage to train Houndoom to fight like that?"
The red-head simply smiled. "Charm. Something Houndoom picked up on when she was a Shadow Pokemon. Takes Pokemon off guard."
Cail thought for a moment...then shrugged. "Well if you have that you might as well use it."
The gatekeeper then turned and held Michael's arm up to the crowd, allowing the young trainer to bask in the glory of his hard-earned victory.
At long last. The finals.
Michael should've been excited.
Then...what was this feeling in the pit of his stomach.
The Master Ball shook, and they knew the answer.
Chances were...Lovrina would be waiting for them.
Gateon Port, Krabby Club
The sailors in the bar cheered at the results of the match. They'd been watching the fight with great enthusiasm.
"I knew there was something special about that boy when he first walked in here," the owner said, watching along with his wife from behind the counter.
"He's certainly come a long way, I give him that," Laken said as she took a swig from her drink.
"Hey. What's going on?"
Razell, one of the performers who worked at the club, looked over at the newcomers. "Oh. We're just watching the Tournament of the Bandit Hero. Michael's been killing it at the competition."
"We should know. He rescued us from Cipher during the Siege of the ONBS station," Dazell stated, another performer and Razell's partner.
"I see," the girl said. "We've heard a lot about him. He's said to have battled Cipher on his own."
"Indeed!" The owner said. "And he managed to capture all of those Shadow Pokemon. Including that Shadow Lugia that old Greevil had!"
"Shadow Lugia…" the strange boy said, a frown on his face. "Must be pretty talented to handle a Shadow Pokemon like that."
"You wouldn't believe it," Laken commented. "Shadow Lugia hasn't shown up at the tournament yet, but he's helped out at Gateon Port by defeating that Dragonite. I heard he and Michael were pretty tight."
"We know. We heard about it from Johto. Apparently, he showed up at the Shamouti Islands for their ceremony. We...actually just sailed in with some of the sailors," the girl stated. Indeed, a few sailors did nod, confirming her story.
The young man looked at the screen for a moment, specifically at Michael's face.
"He's...he's so young…"
"I know. That's why he's incredible," the owner said.
"No...he's too young."
The old man blinked as he heard the stranger's words. "W-what do you mean?"
"He's got that look in his eye," the stranger said, pointing at the screen. "I've seen it before."
Everyone looked at Michael's youthful face. They didn't see anything. The owner simply shook his head in confusion. "I don't see it."
It was then that Laken began to suspect something. "Hey...wait a minute...you look-"
She looked to see an empty space, the door closing as the duo ran out.
The restaurant tenders blinked at the sudden disappearance.
What was all that about?
A/N: At last. We reach the home run of the tournament arc.
I wanted to get Lily and Jovi a bit more involved since they are Michael's family. And further Jovi's development a little. Even if they aren't trainers, they can certainly provide some much-needed support.
I also wanted to touch on Michael's issues a bit here. Again, he's just a kid. So it was bound that something was gonna happen when he's dealt with Cipher for so long. Sharing his experiences with Secc highlighted that. Working against Cipher when you were a kid couldn't have been easy.
I had some fun writing Cail's fight. Most of his Pokemon from this bout came from the game directly as well as their moves. Aggron was an addition since I wanted to make the semi-finals a bit more exciting. Also had a lot of fun writing Aggron. Especially his fight against Ironfang. Wanted a slugfest between two ridiculously powerful Pokemon.
And of course, we get the Houndoom fight. I wanted to play around with the mythos of the hellhound, specifically the distinction between the hunter type and the guardian type. That's why I referred to Michael's and Cail's Houndooms like that.
Lastly, I will lay out some hints for the next chapter. Yes, it will be Michael vs Lovrina as some of you had guessed. They're both main characters so...yeah. Also Lovrina's a powerful trainer in itself since she was an admin so it seemed logical she'd get to the finals. And yes, Shadow Lugia will be making a comeback. I didn't want to make the tournament too easy for Michael to win. Do need to have some stakes after all. Plus the last arc was pretty heavy with development for Lugia so I'd figure to give the other team members some limelight.
Finally, we get to the final scene. Who are these two mystery characters? What role will they play? Do they have any connection with the timely arrival of the Legendary Beasts? All I can say is that I am super excited about writing the next chapter.
Except for the fight. That's gonna be tough to write. Oi.
Anyways, thanks for reading and the support, make sure to leave a favorite and follow if you want to see more, and as always...I'll see you all next time!