Chapter 15 - Cyan vs. Mustard - Part 2

"Typhlosion, use Rollout!" Cyan ordered.

Typhlosion growled and then tucked in his head as he rolled forward. Dirt and rocks connected to him as he gained momentum, and his body soon became a dangerous weapon.

"Dodge it!" Mustard commanded.

Lycanroc did as he was told, leaping into the air and easily avoiding the attack.

"Now, Stone Edge!"

When Lycanroc came back to the ground, Typhlosion was using his momentum to turn around for a second attempt. However, Lycanroc stuck his feet into the dirt and roared. Stones exploded from the earth, putting a sudden stop to Typhlosion's attack. The Fire-type was tossed into the air, leaving him open for an attack.

"Here's our opening. Stealth Rock!" Mustard instructed.

Cyan had heard the name of the attack before, but he couldn't remember what it did exactly. "Flamethrower!" he yelled in response.

To Cyan's surprise, Lycanroc turned toward him and glared. He let out a howl, and five giant stone pillars ripped up from the ground. They shot into the air and at Cyan, but before they could hit him, they suddenly stopped and retreated back into the ground.

Then, Lycanroc was engulfed by Typhlosion's flame. The fire was strong, but Lycanroc didn't give any indication that he took damage. When Typhlosion came to the ground and ceased his attack, Lycanroc remained standing still. He shook his body and then turned around slowly before growling at Typhlosion.

"I know that Lycanroc are born fighters, but this one is crazy," Cyan thought.

"Your Typhlosion is tired, Cyan. He stands no chance against my Lycanroc," Mustard said with a sly smile. "Choose your next move wisely."

"Aerial Ace!" Cyan ordered.

"Accelerock!"

The two Pokémon raced down the field as quickly as they could. However, Lycanroc was much faster. Before Typhlosion could even start his attack, Lycanroc tackled him in the stomach. The Fire-type flew backward and landed on his back. However, to everyone's surprise, he still managed to roll over and push himself back up.

"This one doesn't know when to quit, huh?" Mustard wondered.

"Maybe that's my team's biggest problem," Cyan said with a laugh. "But, that's what makes us special. Eruption!"

"Finish this with Stone Edge!"

Typhlosion put all that he had into his last attack, sending an explosion of flames from his shoulders. The explosion enveloped Lycanroc as he started his attack. For a moment, it appeared like Typhlosion had stopped the Rock-type, but all hope was sucked away when the flames were extinguished by the massive stone pillars. Typhlosion was blasted directly with the stones, flying back and landing limp in front of Cyan's feet.

"Typhlosion is unable to battle!" Kona declared.

Cyan knelt down and pat Typhlosion on the back before he withdrew him into his ball. He stood up straight and considered his next choice. "Now, it's three on three. We're not looking to lose! Come on out, Kabutops!"

Kabutops emerged and slashed around his arms intimidatingly. However, the ground shook, and the five stones from before emerged once again. They jabbed into Kabutops, doing a little bit of damage before he could even do one attack.

"That's what that does," Cyan muttered, remembering his friend Skylar's battle with Stealth Rocks. "Kabutops, use Liquidation!"

"Fight back with Accelerock!"

Water overtook Kabutops' blades while he ran forward. Lycanroc howled, and small stones floated around his body. He dashed at a blinding speed, and the two Pokémon clashed, their power relatively even.

"Stone Edge!" Mustard shouted.

Lycanroc came back to the ground and roared. The five stone pillars erupted from the ground and targeted the airborne Kabutops.

"Protect!" Cyan exclaimed.

Kabutops crossed his blades, and a blue orb formed around the entirety of his body. The five pillars battered against the barrier, but Kabutops took no damage as he safely came back to the ground.

"Now, use your own Stone Edge!" Cyan instructed with a cheeky smile.

Kabutops sliced at the ground, and three pillars of stone erupted, immediately targetting and blasting into Lycanroc. The Rock-type yelped as he was flung back. However, he managed to get back to his feet. He lowered his head and started to snarl.

"Slash!"

"Lycanroc, Play Rough!"

The two Pokémon dashed forward once more, clashing in the middle of the massive field. Their power was equal, and both of them were sent backward. Lycanroc was experienced and angry while Kabutops was still new to intense battles. The effects of using their stamina showed as they both breathed heavily.

"Accelerock!" Mustard ordered.

"Liquidation!"

Lycanroc darted forward as fast as he could, and Kabutops tried to strike with his aqua-infused blade. However, the Lycanroc ducked before he snapped forward, slamming his full body into Kabutops' midsection. The Water-type keeled over and tried to stand up, but he found it difficult to balance.

"And Stone Edge!" Mustard said while pointing to the field.

Lycanroc snarled, and the five pillars rose from the ground again. This time, Kabutops didn't have the time to protect himself. Instead, he was battered by the stones one by one until his body went limp.

A glimmer of hope left Kona's eyes, and he sighed. "Kabutops is unable to battle."

Cyan withdrew Kabutops. "I'd expect nothing less from a Lycanroc. You did good, Kabutops."

"You're left with two Pokémon," Mustard stated. "What will you do next?"

Cyan grinned. "Fight until we can't anymore! Vulpix, let's go! Be careful of the rocks!"

Vulpix nodded and then ran onto the field. Just as expected, the stones came from the ground and tried to strike. However, Vulpix didn't make it easy. She leaped into the air, only getting hit with one of the stones and allowing the others to crash into one another. The sole stone retreated back into the ground, waiting for Cyan's final Pokémon.

"We'll finish this one quickly," Mustard said. "Accelerock!"

"Stop it with Iron Tail!"

Lycanroc bounded down the field while Vulpix waited. And in the blink of an eye, Vulpix whipped around, slamming her six tails into Lycanroc's jaw. The Rock-type was spun around before he flew back a few feet. His body hit the ground, and he didn't show any signs of getting back up.

"Lycanroc is unable to battle!" Kona exclaimed.

"Well, not bad," Mustard said while withdrawing Lycanroc. "But, that's all I can give you. Now, it's time for a Pokémon that you'll need to be ready for. Kommo-o, let's go!"

Mustard's next Pokémon was one that Cyan was vaguely familiar with. He had battled with one during his Island Challenge, but that one was much larger. However, he knew that the size didn't matter, and Mustard's Pokémon would be something to not scoff at.

"Do you fear my Pokémon, Cyan?" Mustard asked.

"We do not," Cyan answered.

"You will! Use Flash Cannon!"

"Get out of the way!"

Kommo-o roared and unleashed a straight beam of magnetic energy. It shot down the field, ripping up the earth, but Vulpix was faster than anticipated. She leaped into the air, easily avoiding the attack.

"Aerial Blizzard!" Cyan ordered.

Vulpix did a forward flip while she chanted. She unleashed a flurry of wind and snow from her body, which raced downward rapidly.

"Aura Sphere!" Mustard commanded. "Destroy it!"

Kommo-o put his hands together before he blasted a sphere of chakra into the air. It connected with the wind and snow, splitting it down the middle. Then, it continued into the air, connecting directly with Vulpix. The attack exploded before sending Vulpix spiraling downward. She hit the ground hard, but Mustard knew the battle wasn't over yet.

"That won't be enough for a Pokémon of that caliber. Clangorous Soul!" he instructed.

"Vulpix, let's get up!" Cyan called at his Pokémon. He watched as Vulpix struggled to stand Kommo-o clanged his scales together to hype himself up. He hadn't thought about Vulpix's bad heart for a while, but at the slow pace that she moved, it concerned him.

"Clanging Scales!" Mustard shouted.

Kommo-o clapped his giant hands together, and all of his scales clattered against one another. Arcane energy blasted from his body, sending a shockwave toward Vulpix.

"Weaken it with Blizzard!" Cyan instructed.

Vulpix howled and unleashed the strong wind and snow once again. The snow and arcane energy clashed, but Kommo-o's attack won out before it blasted into Vulpix directly. The Ice-type was flung backward, landing weakly against the ground.

Kona tried to get a good look at Vulpix to make a call. He waited, but then his attention was directed toward Mustard's side of the field as Kommo-o started to march and stomp. His body was noisy, and he wanted to make his presence known to put as much fear into Vulpix and Cyan as he could.

"You okay?" Cyan asked once Vulpix looked up at him.

"Vul," the Pokémon murmured.

Kommo-o continued to stalk Vulpix until his shadow loomed over her. He roared, but he wasn't ready for her next attack.

"Extrasensory!"

Vulpix's purple eyes started to glow, and she quickly spun around. The air around Kommo-o warped, and the Dragon-type was hit with a kinetic force. He took a few steps back as he cried in pain, giving Vulpix the time to escape.

"Kommo-o, we can finish this with one attack! Use Clanging Scales!" Mustard commanded.

Cyan took in a deep breath and held up his wrist with the Z-Ring. The light blue Z-Crystal started to glow.

"We've brought the spirit of Alola with us. No matter how far we are, home is in our hearts," Cyan exclaimed.

"There's no way," Lilo muttered.

"Vul-pix!"

Kommo-o clattered his scales together rhythmically as Cyan and Vulpix started to make their poses. With every movement, the air around the field shifted. Then, Cyan's Z-Crystal started to glow.

"Yes!"

"Use Clanging Scales now!"

Cyan punched his fist forward, sending the energy from his bracelet to Vulpix. She howled with power, and the field below her started to freeze.

"Subzero Slammer!"

Vulpix was surrounded by white energy and snow. She rocketed forward, destroying Kommo-o's arcane energy. Then, she collided with the Dragon-type, sending him soaring back. He crashed into the wall behind Mustard before he slowly collapsed to the ground. The energy left Vulpix, who couldn't help but let out an adrenaline-filled battle cry.

Kona held up his hand. "Kommo-o is unable to battle!"

"I can't believe that he did it!" Lilo exclaimed. "A Z-Move. I'm almost speechless. It can be done in Galar."

Mustard withdrew Kommo-o, closed his eyes, and then spun around. In the blink of an eye, he ripped off his jacket and hat, revealing his battle-ready uniform. He stood on one leg and held out his arm.

"Now it's time to get serious!" he exclaimed. "Come to battle, Urshifu!"

Mustard's Urshifu emerged. He stood up straight, unlike Cyan's. He glared at Vulpix before he struck a battle pose.

Mustard sneered. "Surprised?"

"Not really."

"Poison Jab!" Mustard ordered.

"Get out of the way!"

But, Vulpix had no chance of dodging. Mustard's Urshifu shot down the field and plunged his fist into Vulpix's side, sending the Ice-type flying. Before she could hit the ground, Cyan lifted his Poké Ball and withdrew her, saving her from a bad fall.

Kona made eye contact with Cyan and then nodded. "Vulpix is unable to battle!"

Mustard let out a battle cry. "Now's the time! Bring out your Urshifu, and let's see the results of all your training!"

Cyan pulled out his final Poké Ball and held it high. "This is it. Urshifu, let's go!"

Cyan's Urshifu exploded from the Poké Ball and did a frontflip. He landed on the ground, which immediately started to rumble. Without any more warning, the final jagged stone ripped from the ground and bashed into Urshifu. However, the half Water-type didn't flinch.

Both of the Urshifu took their stances, Mustard's going wide and Cyan's prepared to strike.

"Let's skip the formalities," Mustard said while he held up his Poké Ball. "Gigantamax!"

"Us too!" Cyan said while he let the red energy fuel his Poké Ball.

Both of the Urshifu were sucked in by the red light, and their Poké Balls expanded ten times their normal sizes. Then, they both tossed the balls behind them. They simultaneously exploded, and the gigantasized Pokémon emerged.

Mustard's Urshifu was white with spiked red fur, while Cyan's Pokémon was white with rounded blue fur. They took their poses as soon as they hit the ground, shaking the entirety of the isle.

"That's crazy," Cyan said, taking in his Urshifu's Gigantamax form for the first time.

"You've seen nothing yet!" Mustard exclaimed. "G-Max One Blow!"

Mustard's Urshifu's right fist was surrounded with Dynamax energy and a black aura. He roared as he slowly took a step forward and jabbed, hitting Cyan's Urshifu in the chest. The black aura exploded, and the Dynamax energy rained down onto the field. Cyan's Urshifu groaned, but only took one step back.

"Our turn," Cyan said with a grin. "G-Max Rapid Flow!"

Cyan's Urshifu was much faster than any Dynamaxed Pokémon that he had ever seen before. He quickly recovered, and aquatic energy surrounded both of his arms. He then started to repeatedly Mustard's Urshifu with his palms, forcing him back. However, the strikes were weak.

"Max Knuckle!" Mustard yelled over the noise of the two colossal Pokémon clashing.

"You too!" Cyan ordered.

Both Pokémon took their stances and chakra formed around their fists. They both punched at one another, Mustard's Pokémon hitting high, and Cyan's going for the midsection. They both froze after their attacks hit, neither wanting to show weakness.

If I'm correct, both Pokémon will now have some beefed-up attacks, Cyan thought. We can use that to our advantage.

"Max Ooze!" Mustard commanded.

Mustard's Urshifu raised both of his arms and created a giant blob of ooze in his palms. He threw it at the ground, sending a wave of poison into the air. Cyan's Urshifu took the entirety of the blow and let out a loud groan. However, he quickly got back into his fighting stance, waiting for Cyan's instruction.

"We'll do Max Steelspike!" Cyan yelled.

Cyan's Urshifu punched the ground with an iron fist. The field shook as mountainous steel spikes imploded from the ground in a straight line, eventually reaching and damaging Mustard's Pokémon. The spikes then exploded into red dust as both Pokémon started to shrink back to their normal sizes.

"And now we'll see the results of all those attacks," Lilo said. "There's no way that this battle lasts much longer."

"Who do you think got the advantage?" Avery asked.

Lilo didn't respond.

"Iron Head!" both trainers ordered at the same time.

The two Urshifu kicked the ground and bounded forward. Their foreheads started to glow with a slight silvery tint before they bashed into one another. They held their position momentarily before both stumbling back.

"Great!" Cyan exclaimed. "Surging Strikes!"

But, Cyan's Pokémon suddenly couldn't move. Shivers went down his back as he flinched from the pain of Iron Head.

Mustard laughed. "How unfortunate. Poison Jab!"

Mustard's Urshifu did not flinch. Instead, he got low and then drove his right fist into his opponent's stomach. Cyan's Urshifu's breath was taken away, and he stumbled backward. He felt to one knee as a purple aura radiated off of his body.

"Oh no," Cyan muttered.

"Well, it looks like your still just the student," Mustard stated. "Wicked Blow!"

Mustard's Urshifu charged all of his energy into his right fist. He looked at his brethren in the eyes before taking one more jab. Cyan's Urshifu was forced into the air. He hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Mustard eased his shoulders and stood up straight. He cracked his neck and sighed. "It's over."

But then, Cyan's Urshifu started to move. Using one arm, he pushed himself back up. He roared and then stood on both feet, catching both Mustard and his Pokémon by surprise.

"Alright! You can do it!" Cyan cheered. "I knew that you had it in you!"

"How is he still standing?" Mustard questioned. "Urshifu, end this now! One more Wicked Blow!"

Mustard's Urshifu now had to charge his attack while he ran forward. He put his arm at his side while it collected a dark aura. Cyan and his Pokémon waited for the Pokémon to get within range. Then, they made their move.

"Counter!" Cyan ordered.

Cyan's Urshifu moved his arm inward, knocking his opponent's hand to the outside. Then, he spun around and jabbed his elbow into Urshifu's chest. Mustard's Pokémon was frozen from the pain, and he found it difficult to breathe.

"Urshifu, let's do this! Use Surging Strikes!"

Cyan's Urshifu fought through the pain of poison while he started to attack. He relentlessly struck his opponent in the chest, stomach, and face with his palms while Mustard watched on. He took one more swing, knocking Mustard's Urshifu in the face.

And the battle was over.

Mustard's Urshifu fell to the ground, and Cyan's Urshifu let out a battle cry. The poison set in one more time, and he fell to one knee yet again. However, he did not faint.

Kona took in a sigh of relief and held up both his hands. "Mustard's Urshifu is unable to battle! Cyan Kokura is the winner!"

"Whoa," Cyan said as he lowered his arms. He hadn't expected to actually defeat Mustard, but he had got so lost in the battle, that he couldn't believe it was over. "We did it. We actually did it."

Cyan ran to the middle of the field as Mustard withdrew his Pokémon. Cyan's Urshifu collapsed from poison. Cyan knelt and withdrew his Pokémon before smiling at his Poké Ball.

"You did a good job," he whispered.

Mustard put on his hat and slowly walked down to the middle of the field. "Your Max Steelspike was what did us in."

"Huh?" Cyan wondered.

"It raises your defensive capabilities. We couldn't break through. You may have not known what you were doing when it comes to Gigantamaxing, but you followed your instincts, and you won. You're very gifted," Mustard said.

"Thank you, sensei," Cyan said while bowing.

Mustard appeared choked up momentarily. He looked away from his four students. "Alright. The four of ya. Go get packed up. You all need to get off of my isle first thing tomorrow morning. I don't need you here anymore."

The four stood still, staring at the back of their teacher's head as his body quivered. He wiped his forearm against his face and then looked at them with red eyes.

"Get moving!"

The next morning, the four were up early. They packed their belongings and ate their breakfast in silence. Mustard wasn't anywhere to be found.

They all sat in the dining room for hours, waiting for him, but he never came. Eventually, his son, Hyde, came and laughed at them.

"He's been on the beach waiting for you guys. He said first thing in the morning, so he might get angry at you," he said with a smile. "Thanks for coming to our dojo."

The four trainers grabbed their bags and rushed out the door. Cyan stopped in front of the dojo as the other three continued to dash toward the beach. He turned and bowed.

"Thank you for everything," he said. Then, he felt a presence next to him. He opened his eyes to find Kona, who also bowed.

"Thank you for everything," Kona said.

"Thank you for everything," Lilo said next, standing on Cyan's other side.

"Thank you for everything," Avery said shyly while he bowed.

Then, they all turned once more and took off for the beach. Vulpix, Pikachu, and Grookey all followed. It only took a few minutes, and they arrived, finding Mustard standing next to a Corviknight with a carriage attached. He turned and glared at his four students.

"Better late than never. Where will you go?" he asked.

"To challenge the Galar champion!" Lilo exclaimed.

Kona stepped forward. "To Pallet Town to help the next generation of trainers."

"To apply to become a gym leader!" Avery said.

Cyan took in a deep breath, looked down at Vulpix, and then smiled. "To Alola."

The End

Author's Notes: And with that, we're finished. Next time you see Cyan, it'll be in his final arc. He'll battle with Kaarina to claim his spot as the champion of Alola. Any early predictions for how that story/battle will go?

Thank you all for your support over the years!

REVIEWS:

pokemonking0924 - "This battle is turning out great so far especially the surprise appearance of Cyans new Slowking, I know it was talked about but I didn't think it would happen so soon. Can't wait to see its conclusion." - I liked having him appear, but you could tell that he still has a lot of work to become strong.

CrescentApple - "In not sure if your planned this, but you're meeting Cyan and Logan's strength in battle. One is fighting a new Elite Four member, and the other is battling a retired champion. I don't think you intended this, but these battles brought up an old memory I remember recalling, reading the protagonists' previous stories: Potentially, I see Cyan is stronger then Logan. But it feels to me like Logan works just as hard to get where he's at. And it's awesome, reading how far Cyan has come. I can see him defeat Mustard. He has 3 wins under his belt, But anything can happen." - I don't know if I ever will have a situation where Cyan will battle with Logan. However, at this point, I think that Cyan potentially has the stronger Pokemon (Urshifu and Venusaur in particular), but Logan is better at strategy. And, like you said, Logan works really hard.