Kamikaze, translated as divine wind, often refers to flying types who use Brave Bird with disadvantageous odds. My friends had employed such a risky strategy against Primal Giratina in the Distortion World – I recalled with vivacity the powerful attacks of Crobat, Talonflame, Staraptor, Corviknight, and Braviary – but we'd had the advantage of numbers against a Pokémon who hadn't seemed keen on fighting us with full force. His main goal, I think, was to keep us from the mystery that is Cyrus frozen in the void's shadow.

Now, Crobat dodged the stones that flew at him from the surrounding mountains, flying with dramatic aerial feats he couldn't perform with a human rider, the way Ash's Staraptor had to hold back when Kenny rode him. I could see how Crobat had earned the local nickname "the sky's cross." Flitting at severe angles, rotating so abruptly that I don't know how he didn't give himself whiplash, Crobat appeared like a cross over the mountains in quick glimpses—an X in the sky, then gone with a blink. The whipping sands didn't help with visibility, either.

Cynthia's black coat blew when she swept her arm, commanding, "Garchomp, grab it with Dragon Claw!"

As soon as Crobat struck Garchomp, hurting both his opponent and himself, Mega Garchomp dug his scythe-like claws into Crobat's wings and threw him down.

Two drones blinked red lights, and Paul made the call. "Crobat and Excadrill are unable to battle!"

So Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch had hit. Like the name suggested, the punch was as fast as a bullet—faster than sound—outspeeding even Steven's Excadrill, which had Sand Rush as his ability. The Champions had planned a solid strategy revolving around Cynthia's Tyranitar, who hadn't taken a single hit yet, the black-clad trainer smartly switching him out as soon as the sandstorm took hold of the battlefield.

"That leaves both Steven and Ace with one Pokémon left," Paul continued. "Both trainers will send out their final Pokémon at the same time."

Kenny winced. "This is gonna be tough. Ace's final Pokémon is Mega Gengar, while Steven will definitely send out his signature Pokémon, Metagross, and mega evolve it."

I knew what Kenny was getting at. "Against a psychic type," I said, bopping with excitement at the battle, "Gengar is practically a double-edged sword."

Nerissa tipped her head to the side, her curls bouncing. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Gengar is part ghost type," I explained, "so he can deal super effective damage against psychic types like Metagross. But as a poison type, he's also vulnerable to psychic type moves."

Kenny added, "And no doubt about it, Steven Stone definitely had Metagross learn a powerful psychic-type physical attack like Zen Headbutt."

Before Nerissa could reply, Paul shouted, "Go!"

"Go get 'em, Gengar!"

"I'm counting on you, Metagross! Mega evolve and use Magnet Rise!"

"Gengar, use Shadow Ball on Metagross!"

Cynthia leaned forward, her boot scuffing up pebbles on the narrow precipice she balanced on. "Garchomp, protect your ally!"

Having mega evolved earlier in the battle, Gengar moved with astonishing speed that matched Scizor's Bullet Punch. I wondered if any Pokémon could outspeed this shadow. Garchomp leaped in front of Metagross, deflecting Shadow Ball with an arcing slash of his left arm, the scythe cutting through the ghost-type energy. Garchomp grunted with the effort; he'd sustained a lot of damage already.

Steven nodded at Cynthia. "We're ready."

"Then let's do this."

Aaron rubbed his hands maniacally. "I was waiting for this."

Ace smiled hesitantly.

What are they planning?

"Go!"

My mouth opened in a small O—before my lips clamped shut to prevent myself from choking on sand. Now that Mega Metagross was levitating, all active Pokémon could maneuver throughout the mountainous battlefield. And with Excadrill and Nidoking having destroyed the main flat-topped mountain, the whole battlefield was a series of ridges and harrowing precipices. Gengar, Scizor, Garchomp, and Metagross – all of them mega evolved, adding to their already-tremendous strength – exchanged quick blows as they leaped across the mountaintops, followed by their trainers. With her cape of platinum-blonde hair and delicate stiletto-heeled boots, Cynthia looked like a fairy—a dark fairy, dressed competely in black. Aaron was in his element, jumping across the pointed stones as easily as the Pokémon. Steven and Ace are more athletic than your average Bug Catcher Benny but even they struggled to keep up. Paul's Electivire maneuvered their hot-air balloon using electricity, while Piplup and Empoleon shot Bubble Beam to propel us after the battlers. Many of the other riders struggled to direct their own balloons.

Nerissa's manicured fingers scratched at her head in worry. "Someone will fall off! I just know it. Look at them: this is the fifth time Ace almost fell off, and one of Steven's drones blinked orange next to Steven Stone a couple times. Why isn't anyone stopping this battle? Do they at least have parachutes?"

I rested a hand on Nerissa's shoulder. "Yes, Nerissa," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm, "they brought parachutes."

"Oh, thank Arceus."

Kenny rolled his eyes. "She was joking, Nerissa. They're not high enough for parachutes to be any use. But hey, Paul and Officer Jenny are here, and they wouldn't let anything bad happen, right?"

I nudged Kenny. "This is Paul we're talking about. Officer Jenny, however—"

"—may not be much help, either," Nerissa whispered. Her hazel eyes cut to me. "I've been hoping that the Officer Jennys in Sinnoh would be more responsible, but it seems like they're as lackadaisical as the ones in Hoenn."

I was in Hoenn for the Wallace Cup not long ago. May and Serena were participating in Pokémon Contests in Hoenn as the exhibition rematch went on. I narrowed my eyes at Nerissa, not sure if she could see the anger in my gaze through the goggles. "What's wrong with the Officer Jennys in Hoenn?"

"You're a Pokémon Coordinator; haven't you heard?" When Kenny and I shook our heads, Nerissa said, "A group of villains called Team Esteem are attacking Pokémon Coordinators and their Pokémon—especially the cute ones, which makes it even worse."

That was the first time I heard of Team Esteem.

Kenny's reply was lost to an immense Flamethrower from Garchomp that burned through Scizor.

Paul shouted, "Scizor is unable to battle!"

Aaron brought his Pokéball to his lips. "It's all up to you, Heracross. Let's show 'em what we're made of."

Heracross would be going up against two mega-evolved Pokémon; but it was Aaron's Heracross who'd exploited Primal Giratina's only weakness, blindsiding the legendary with a critical Stone Edge. I got the feeling that this battle was reaching its climax.