The sandstorm that Tyranitar's ability kicked up buffeted all the spectators in their Drifblim hot-air balloons. Nerissa chuckled. "I prepared for this." She pulled out five pairs of specialized goggles: for herself, Kenny, me, Piplup, and Kenny's Empoleon. With the goggles, we could see through the sandstorm. No doubt Steven had employed his drones with similar technology.

Skarmory and Crobat flew far above, the sand getting into Crobat's eyes and impeding his flight.

"Crobat!" Ace shouted. "Return with U-Turn!"

At the same time as Ace said this, Cynthia returned Tyranitar to his Poké Ball and sent out Aegislash, which took Crobat's attack. In shield form and double resistances against bug type moves, U-Turn barely made the Champion's Pokémon blink. Crobat zipped back to his Ultra Ball, and Ace called out his next Pokémon. In the chaos of the swirling sands, I missed the name. A roar shook the mountains. This Pokémon's feet thundered on the battlefield. I adjusted the focus on my goggles.

Nidoking raised his arms in a defiant roar. Steven raised his eyebrows and shifted a lock of metallic-blue hair out of his eyes. "Thinking of using the same trick that won last time? You'll need to be more creative than that, Ace." He rolled his neck, getting warmed up. "Skarmory, set up Stealth Rock!"

"Galvantula, you set up, too, with Sticky Web!"

The mountains around us trembled and shimmered. I couldn't see the hazards – there are always rocks and spiderwebs around – but I knew that the next time either side switched their Pokémon, they'd get an unpleasant welcome to the battlefield.

"Skarmory, set up Spikes!"

And that welcome just got a lot more unpleasant. Kenny staggered to the edge of the balloon with an awkward laugh. "Does he plan to set up every known hazard?"

Ace and Aaron glanced at each other. Aaron nodded.

"Nidoking, use Flamethrower on Aegislash!"

"Galvantula, use Volt Switch on Skarmory!"

Galvantula launched itself high up. I shuddered, glad that I wasn't arachnophobic. A jumping spider Pokémon is the stuff of nightmares.

Too busy spewing hazards around the mountains, Skarmory couldn't dodge the angry Galvantula. The sharp electric attack caught him off guard. Galvantula returned to Aaron, who sent out Scizor.

A smart switch. As angry as I was against the people who'd accused my friends of faking their battle, I had to admit that Aaron's lack of substitutions in the first exhibition battle was uncharacteristic of a trainer of his calibre.

Meanwhile, Aegislash spun his shield faster than a race car wheel, deflecting Nidoking's vehement flames.

"Nidoking, turn and aim for Skarmory!"

Aegislash's eye widened, momentum making his shield continue spinning uselessly for a second. Nidoking turned his rage onto Skarmory, cooking the pesky bird Pokémon. The flames reflected against Scizor's armour; Nidoking's ally glowed like a creature risen from the Distortion World.

Nerissa's breath caught. "How can none of them be burned?"

"Flamethrower doesn't always burn an opponent," I offered.

Kenny added, "I think Ace said his Nidoking has a rare ability that prevents secondary effects like burns but makes the attack stronger."

Poor Skarmory. With a raucous cry, Skarmory fell from the sky. A drone flashed red, followed by two more drones. Paul maneuvered his and Electivire's balloon to check on Steven's Pokémon. Paul didn't wear goggles – he probably thought he was too cool for something as mundane as safety goggles, but just wait until his eyes turned red – but he assessed the battlefield with a pair of fancy binoculars.

"Skarmory is unable to battle!"

The crowd went wild. Who would have thought the first one to go down would be a Champion's Pokémon?

Steven returned Skarmory to his Poké Ball with a soft smile. "You executed your part brilliantly, Skarmory."

My heart thumped harder in anticipation. Skarmory's role in the battle was never meant to be on the offensive; Stealth Rock would hit Crobat hard the next time Ace sent out his signature Pokémon, and Aaron was a bug type specialist. Even if the rocks wouldn't hurt Scizor much, they'd crush Galvantula and probably his final Pokémon. I hoped for his and Aaron's sakes that he didn't bring Yanmega or Volcarona to this battle.

"Excadrill, I choose you!" So that was Steven's second Pokémon.

"Aegislash, use Swords Dance!"

"Scizor, return with U-Turn!"

Scizor darted in to strike Aegislash and returned even faster. Heracross took his place. Ace glanced at Aaron. Cynthia's silver gaze cut to Steven, who nodded.

"Aegislash, protect yourself with King's Shield!"

"Excadrill, release your rage using Earthquake!"

"Heracross, lift Nidoking!"

"Nidoking, use Flamethrower on Excadrill!"

Heracross hooked his arms under Nidoking's arms and raised him above the battlefield. From the sky, Nidoking had perfect accuracy. Flames washed over Excadrill, casting the Subterrene Pokémon as a silhouette. Excadrill retaliated with a powerful Earthquake, dirt and debris shooting from the earth and scraping his opponents' exposed feet.

Nidoking screeched in pain. Sweat dripped from Heracross as the smaller Pokémon grunted with the effort to carry his ally.

Aaron shouted, "Now, Ace!"

"Return, Nidoking!"

"U-Turn, Heracross!"

Nidoking hopped back to his Poké Ball, freeing Heracross to attack Aegislash before returning, too.

"Excadrill, hit both of them with Rock Slide!"

"Aegislash, use Sacred Sword!"

Aegislash's sword went right through Ace's final Pokémon without having any effect. Gengar snickered. Aegislash's eye curved downward in anger. He maneuvered through the falling rocks in a vain attempt to attack Gengar, who hopped from mountaintop to mountaintop, unafraid of falling.

Galvantula was having a harder time. Worn down by Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Rock Slide, it was a wonder he was still on his eight little legs.

Ace raised his wrist, his mega ring gleaming under his sleeve. "Gengar, respond to our bond and mega evolve!"

"Think you can outspeed my Aegislash? Think again—Aegislash, get serious and cut through Mega Gengar with Shadow Sneak!"

"Gengar, use Sucker Punch!"

Upon mega evolving, Gengar became sleek and speedy. He dodged Aegislash, who retaliated by spinning his shield to deflect part of Gengar's attack. Both ghost types leaped away from the impact, hovering over narrow mountaintops in the periphery of the battlefield.

"Gengar, Sucker Punch again!"

"Aegislash, King's Shield!"

Aegislash returned to Shield Forme. When Gengar struck him, the shield gleamed brilliant white for an instant. Gengar recoiled with a cry of outrage.

Aaron commanded, "Galvantula, use Thunder!"

Any storm clouds were invisible in the sandstorm, but I could hear thunder rolling in. Steven shouted over the simultaneous storms, "Excadrill, use Rock Slide!"

"Aegislash, use Shadow Sneak on Gengar!"

A burst of lightning cleared away the sandstorm. Aegislash lay in his shield. Paul made the call. "Aegislash is unable to battle!"

Immediately after, Galvantula tumbled off the mountaintop. Aaron returned his Pokémon before the small fuzzy spider could land on the sharp stones and hazards scattered around. Paul declared, "Galvantula is also unable to battle! But where's Gengar?"

In Gengar's place, Nidoking roared, ready to battle again.