Guzma's Grand Trial
"Well what do ya know, never seen this z-crystal before." Guzma gazed down at the Marshadium Z as he held it within his grasp. "I suppose it belonged to that spirit you captured, it probably chose you as it's partner if it gave it up the way that it did." Guzma shrugged before passing the z-crystal back to Zach. "Very well, you've proven yourself today and shown that you're worthy of facing me in a Grand Trial. So when would you like to have the match? Tomorrow, this weekend, next week...?"
"Why not now? There's still some time left in the day." Zach suggested. Neither he nor Dawn intended on staying the night in Po Town.
"Right now?" Guzma shifted a nervous glance towards Plumeria who was impatiently tapping her foot outside their home.
"Come on Guzma, wrap it up."
Guzma rolled his eyes at his wife and uttered out a light sigh. "Ya know if you're so eager for me to wrap this up then why don't you join me? Zach here is dating Mallow-"
"Dawn." Zach corrected Guzma while grabbing hold of Dawn's hand. Dawn smiled and let out a sigh of content as she rested her head against his shoulder.
"And I'm obviously married to you, you don't let anyone forget that." Guzma sighed while looking towards Plumeria. "So why don't the four of us engage in a tag team battle? Lovers vs lovers."
"Sounds great to me!" Dawn beamed.
"Yeah sure, whatever." Plumeria rolled her eyes. "So what are the rules here? We each using three Pokemon?"
"Well Grand Trials usually consist of the Kahuna utilizing at least two or three Pokemon so yeah, I think that'd work." Guzma smirked. "Sound good to the two of ya?"
"Of course, I already got the perfect partners in mind." Zach turned towards Lucario and Cinderace who excitedly cried out at the prospect of battling alongside their trainer.
"Sounds good to me, Piplup could use the exercise." Dawn smirked.
"Pip?" Piplup dropped a cookie and turned towards Dawn, his face burned bright red as he shook his fist. "Pip Piplup!"
Guzma led the group around Skull Manor and to the back where a battlefield stood waiting for them. Mallow took her place on the sideline while Rapp, Zipp and Tupp took theirs on the opposite sideline.
"Go Guzma, wooo!"
"You can do it, boss man!"
"We love you!"
Guzma flashed his opponents a challenging smirk as he reached for a ball. "Vikavolt let's show them what we're made of!"
"Vikavolt!"
"Toxapex let's show them a thing or two!" Plumeria tossed her own ball forward, releasing a Toxapex.
"Tox!"
"Pachirisu, spotlight!" Dawn cried out while tossing Pachirisu's ball into the air.
"Pachi!" Pachirisu excitedly squealed out as she burst out onto the field.
"Cinderace, time for action!"
"Ace ace!" Cinderace excitedly leaped onto the battlefield.
"Thunderbolt!" Guzma ordered.
"Vika!" Electricity began sparking around Vikavolt's body before firing off in a large electrical bolt.
"Pachirisu, protect Cinderace!" Dawn shouted out.
"Pachi!" Pachirisu excitedly leaped towards the electricity and took the blast head on. "Pachi pachi!" She giggled out in an excitable manner as she absorbed the electricity.
"Use Electro Ball on Toxapex!" Zach ordered.
"Ace!" An electric energy sphere formed between Cinderace's hands, the rabbit quickly dropped it before delivering a swift kick which sent the ball flying towards her opponent.
"Baneful Bunker!"
"Tox!" Toxapex hid behind his protective spikey exterior causing the Electro Ball to bounce off and fling away like it was nothing.
"Play Rough!" Dawn shouted out.
"Pachi!" Pachirisu raced towards Vikavolt and pounced, a cloud of dust surrounded the pair as the sound of punching and kicking could be heard before Vikavolt was flung out of the dust cloud.
Guzma clenched his fists. "Guillotine!" Vikavolt snapped it's pincers together as it blasted across the field.
"P-Pachi!" Pachirisu froze in place as sweat poured down her forehead.
"Pyro Ball!"
"Ace ace!" Cinderace quickly kicked up a large fireball before sending it flying towards her opponent, the ball soared across the field and made contact with Vikavolt right as he prepared to strike Pachirisu! "Ace..." Cinderace frowned as a blast of water struck her, it appeared that Plumeria took advantage of Guzma's distraction and blasted Cinderace with one of Toxapex's Water attacks.
Vikavolt uttered out a groan as he collapsed onto his side, swirls formed within his eyes.
"Woohoo, go Zach!" Mallow cheered.
Dawn flashed Zach an appreciative smile while Pachirisu began to unfreeze. "P-Pachi...?"
"Return," Guzma grunted out. "Golisopod let's show them what we're made of!"
"Goliso!" Guzma's Golisopod burst onto the field, if his and Ash's were standing right next to each other then one wouldn't be able to tell the difference as they were the exact same height and color with no distinct difference between them.
"We got to find a way past Toxapex's bunker..." Zach clenched his fists as he glanced towards Toxapex, he was still in top form and hadn't taken any damage. He looked around the field to get an idea before it hit him. "Scorching Sand!"
"Huh?" Plumeria blinked while looking towards Guzma who could only shrug in response. Dawn smirked, recognizing the move as the one that Zach and Garchomp created together in Hisui.
"Ace!" Cinderace kicked up sand which caught fire at her touch, the sand whipped across the field and flew towards Toxapex.
"Baneful Bunker!"
"Tox!" Toxapex closed himself shut as Plumeria flashed her opponents a mocking smirk. The sand struck Toxapex's barrier and fell to the ground though Toxapex soon squealed out, his barrier lifting up as he screeched out in pain. Apparently some sand seeped through the cracks between his protective barrier.
"Arceus almighty, sand really does get everywhere!" Plumeria gasped.
"Good work, Cinderace!" Zach praised.
"Ace ace!" Cinderace excitedly leaped into the air as Toxapex fell to his side, swirls formed within his eyes as he laid in defeat.
"Tox..."
"Return," Plumeria gritted her teeth as she returned Toxapex to it's Pokeball. "Gengar let's show them a thing or two!"
"Gengar!" Gengar flashed Pachirisu and Cinderace a mocking smirk as he emerged from his ball.
"Pachirisu use Thunder!" Dawn ordered.
"Pachi!" Pachirisu's cheeks sparked as she prepared to fire off an electrical bolt.
"Sucker Punch!"
"Goli!" Golisopod flew across the field before delivering a quick sucker punch to Pachirisu.
"P-Pachiii!" Pachirisu squealed out before collapsing onto her side as swirls formed within her eyes.
"Wooo!"
"Go boss man!"
"We love you!" Team Skull cheered.
"Pachirisu return!" Dawn quickly returned the downed squirrel. "Milotic, spotlight!"
"Miloooo!" Milotic melodically cried out as she burst from her Pokeball.
Dawn and Zach shared a brief look, it felt fitting that Dawn used Milotic here.
"Psychic!" Plumeria ordered.
"Gengar!" Gengar's eyes glowed bright blue while a similar colored outline formed around Cinderace as she was lifted into the air.
"Ace ace!" Cinderace flailed her arms and legs together before crying out as she was flung towards Milotic, crashing directly into the beautiful serpent Pokemon. Both Pokemon let out light grunts before separating from each other.
"Razor Shell!" Guzma shouted.
"Fire off an Electro Ball!" Zach quickly shouted as Golisopod raced towards Cinderace.
"Ace!" Cinderace kicked off an electric sphere towards her opponent, successfully switching herself to an Electric type before the type could hit. Cinderace uttered out a light grunt while Golisopod grabbed at his chest and groaned loudly.
"Goli..."
"Hydro Pump!" Dawn shouted out.
"Milooo!" A powerful geyser erupted from Milotic's mouth, blasting Gengar right out of the sky!
"G-Gengar..." Gengar gritted his teeth.
"Sludge Bomb that annoying rabbit!" Plumeria snarled.
"Gengar!" Gengar hurled out a large blob of sludge that flew through the air before pelting Cinderace's face. Cinderace uttered out a sickly groan as a purple tint formed on his cheeks.
"Cinderace!" Zach called out in a worried tone.
"Ace..." Cinderace turned around and flashed him a weak smile while giving him a thumbs up, showing that she was okay.
"Brick Break!" Guzma ordered out.
"Goli!" Golisopod flew across the field before performing a karate chop on Milotic.
"Milooo!" Milotic hissed out.
"Ace..." Cinderace grunted as the poison sapped away more of her energy.
"Use Pyro Ball on Gengar!"
"Ace ace!" Cinderace kicked up a large ball of fire before sending it flying towards her opponent, the large ball of fire struck Gengar and sent him careening across the field before he corrected himself.
"Gar..."
"Blizzard!" Dawn swiftly ordered out.
"Miloooo!" Milotic cried out as a fierce blizzard whipped across the field, a flurry of snow and ice began striking Golisopod and Milotic. A questionable look formed on Zach and Dawn's face as Golisopod returned on his own while Gengar slowly fell to the ground below. Swirls formed within Gengar's eyes as he uttered out a defeated groan.
"What was that?" Dawn asked.
"I'm not sure, maybe a special ability of Golisopod's?" Zach guessed while retrieving his Arc Phone.
"Emergency Exit, Golisopod's signature ability. Whenever the species reaches half health they'll automatically retreat to their Pokeball."
"So Golisopod's still out there then." Zach turned to Cinderace. "Alright Cinderace-"
"Ace..." Cinderace collapsed onto her back, swirls formed within her eyes as the poison finished it's job.
Zach formed a light smile as he returned her to her Pokeball. "Good job Cinderace, you were awesome out there!" He turned towards Lucario before beckoning for the battlefield. "Alright Lucario, it's your turn!"
"Carrr!" Lucario smirked as he leaped onto the battlefield.
"Scizor let's show these kids what we're made of!" Guzma shouted while flinging a ball forward.
"Scizor!" Scizor clashed his pincers together as he burst from his ball.
"Salazzle let's show them a thing or two!" Plumeria shouted while tossing a final ball forward.
"Salaz!" Salazzle hissed out as she emerged from her Pokeball.
"Dragon Pulse!" Plumeria shouted out.
"Salaz!" A multicolored dragon shaped energy beam erupted from Salazzle's mouth and shot towards Milotic before exploding upon striking her body. Milotic let out a pained hiss as she recovered from the attack.
"Recover!"
"Milooo!" Milotic's body began to glow as she recovered from her injuries, restoring some of her lost energy.
"Close Combat!" Guzma ordered.
"Scizor!" Scizor swiftly flew towards Milotic and began rapidly punching and kicking the serpent.
"Flamethrower!" Plumeria shouted out.
"Use Psychic on the Flamethrower!"
"Carrr!" Lucario's eyes glowed bright blue as the flames froze in place, Lucario then thrusted out his arms as he changed the flames trajectory and made them fly towards Scizor!
"Scizor!" Scizor painfully grunted out as his body was pelted by flames and Lucario's telekinetic force.
"Whoa, your Lucario knows Psychic?! That's cool!" Mallow gushed.
"I didn't think that was even possible." Guzma huffed.
"Nor did I until recently." Zach admitted. He supposed that Lucario always were capable of learning Psychic, they just forgot at some point between Hisuian times and the present.
"Bullet Punch!" Guzma swiftly ordered out.
"Scizor!" Scizor blasted across the field and unleashed a flurry of quick and precise punches upon Milotic causing the serpent to cry out in pain.
"Counter with Aqua Tail!"
"Milooo!" A watery veil surrounded Milotic's tail as she took a swing at Scizor, knocking him towards Lucario.
"Bone Rush!"
"Carrrr!" Lucario whipped out his aura infused bone club and performed a powerful swing, battering Scizor towards Salazzle causing the pair to fall on top of each other.
"Scizor..." Scizor grunted out.
"Salazz..." Salazzle hissed out.
"Poison Gas!" Plumeria hissed out.
"Salaz!" Salazzle hissed while purple gas emitted from her throat and seeped across the battlefield, Lucario and Milotic began turning a light shade of purple as they breathed in the gas.
Zach clenched his fists while Dawn simply looked confused.
"I don't get it, Lucario's Steel type so how did he get poisoned?"
"It is Salazzle's special ability, Corrosion. It allows her to poison Steel and Poison types." Zach explained.
"Oh."
"Hyper Beam!" Guzma shouted out.
"Scizor!" The bright orange-yellow energy beam erupted from Scizor's pincer and shot across the field before exploding against Milotic and Lucario, knocking the pair back. Milotic collapsed onto her side and remained motionless while Lucario shook himself off.
"Go boss man!"
"Ya did it again!"
"We love you, Guzma!" Team Skull cheered.
"Milotic return," Dawn swiftly returned Milotic to her ball before turning to face Piplup. "Alright Piplup, spotlight!"
"Pip Piplup!" Piplup leaped onto the field and took position beside Lucario. The two blue Pokemon flashed each other a smirk before turning their attention towards their opponents.
"Whirlpool!" Dawn ordered.
"Aura Sphere!"
"Pipluuup!" A massive whirlpool formed out of Piplup's beak and quickly shot across the field, dragging Salazzle into it as it made contact with her.
"Sala!" Fear filled Salazzle's eyes as she was flung back and forth throughout the twister.
"Carrrr!" A massive aura sphere formed between Lucario's paws before firing off towards Scizor, the aura sphere shot across the field before exploding. Scizor grunted out as he was flung backwards, his body sent spiraling towards Piplup's Whirlpool where he was promptly sucked in. Salazzle and Scizor flew alongside each other before the pair were flung out of the twister.
"Scizor!"
"Sala!" The pair cried out as they flew through the air before crashing down against the ground below, swirls formed within their eyes upon impact and the pair emitted a light groan before collapsing onto their backs.
"Woohoo, go Zach and Dawn!" Mallow cheered for her friends.
"Awww!" Team Skull hung their heads.
Plumeria crossed her arms and uttered out an irritable huff as she returned Salazzle to her Pokeball.
"It ain't over yet," Guzma returned Scizor before tossing forward another ball. "Don't forget Golisopod's still raring to go!"
"Goliso!" Golisopod roared out as he emerged from his ball.
"Razor Shell!" A watery veil surrounded Golisopod's arm as he shot forward and slashed Lucario across the chest. Lucario gritted his teeth before flinching once more as poisoned sapped away more of his health.
Zach and Dawn looked towards their remaining opponent before turning to face each other, giving off a light nod as they were in agreement about what to do next. "Piplup," Dawn started.
"Lucario,"
"Fastball Special!" The two shouted simultaneously.
"Huh?" Mallow, Guzma, Plumeria and Team Skull all blinked with visible looks of confusion.
Lucario and Piplup shared a smirk as Lucario whipped out his aura infused bone club. Piplup's beak glowed as the penguin began rapidly spinning in place. "Piplup lup lup!"
"Carrrr!" Lucario performed a powerful swing, batting Piplup across the field at incredible speed!
"Pipluppp!" Piplup continued rapidly spinning before striking Golisopod's head with Drill Peck, the impact being much harder than usual due to Lucario's attack adding a great deal of force to it!
"G-Golisopod!" Golisopod cried out before promptly dropping onto his side as swirls formed within his eyes. "Goliso..."
"Pip Piplup!"
"Lucar!" Lucario dropped to a knee to fist bump Piplup as the Pokemon celebrated their victory.
"Alright Zach and Dawn, you guys did it! You beat Guzma!" Mallow cheered.
Zach and Dawn smiled at each other before wrapping their arms around the other as they met in a passionate kiss.
"Those kids sure do make a great couple," Guzma admitted with a light smile as he returned Golisopod to his Pokeball.
"I guess." Plumeria muttered with a sour expression.
Guzma patted her shoulder before making his way towards Zach and Dawn, the Kahuna reached into his pocket before producing a pair of Z-Power Rings. One was primarily blue and black, matching Zach's jacket and Lucario's color scheme. The other was a mixture of pink and white, matching Dawn's former Poketch. Guzma smirked while holding the Z-Power Rings out for the pair.
"Here ya kids go, you definitely proved yourselves worthy of wielding z-crystals."
Dawn was shocked as she didn't expect to receive one. "Thank you, Guzma." The two thanked Guzma while giving him a respectful bow.
Guzma smirked before pulling a rather large box from his pocket, leading one to question where it had come from. The Kahuna opened it up revealing a large selection of z-crystals. "And I'll let the two of ya pick your poison!" He laughed.
"Which of these is F-" Zach was about to ask but Cinderace burst out and grabbed hold of Firium before he had the chance.
"Ace ace!" Cinderace beamed.
Zach sweated and gave Cinderace's head a light pat. "We'll take this one then." Lucario smiled, happy that his best friends had a gimmick that they could use together. Though he did hope that they'd find a Keystone soon.
"Piplup!" Piplup plucked out Waterium Z and dropped it into Dawn's hand.
Dawn sweated. "I guess we'll take this one."
"Pip Piplup!" Piplup proudly tapped his chest.
After returning to Malie City, Zach and Dawn parted ways with Mallow for the night and headed on up to their room at the local Pokemon Center as Zach relayed the day's events to Dawn. Mallow may be his friend but he didn't feel comfortable confiding what he heard to anyone else.
"So you have a cousin," Dawn tilted her head while she sitting down on the side of their bed. "Did Adaman happen to mention where you can find her?"
"No, he just said that 'our paths will cross soon' but surely I'd recognize my cousin if I came across her. She looked just like me, well as much as she could when we were babies... but my father looked exactly like me and she's from his side, she had the same eyes as me so surely she must have the same hair color as well!"
"Well she could always have dyed it," Dawn added on. "Or she could be wearing something that prevents you from recognizing her when you originally crossed paths with her. Maybe Adaman's trying to warn you because she might... die."
Zach clenched his fists at the thought. It wasn't like it wasn't a possibility as Pokemon Hunter R seemingly died when the Dragonite attacked his ship, Leroy almost died, then Volo and Cyrus were literally dragged to the Distortion World! "I suppose so, well we'll have to prevent that from happening then!"
Dawn nodded and offered her boyfriend a smile as she placed his hand atop of his. "Though something else is bothering you, I can tell. What's up?"
"It's about Irida, she-" Zach already told her about how Irida had his kid, he wasn't going to hide that from her. She already knew that the pair were a thing back when he had amnesia so the subject barely phased her, only showing a brief moment of surprise as he'd told her that the incident between them only occurred a single time. "Adaman said that she was reincarnated as well and that I knew who she was... but that can't be, can it?"
Dawn rolled her eyes and lightly smirked before planting a kiss on her boyfriend's cheek. "It's obviously May, silly!"
"You called, milord?" A figure clad in a black leather bodysuit kneeled before somebody that sat on a fiery red chair, the figure's face was currently obscured by orange colored one-way material.
"Essentia, the Psionic Comet dwells closer everyday." The man held up a star chart, showing that the comet was only a few weeks away from arriving within the planet's gravitational pull. "You must fulfill your destiny and tame the Emerald Dragon then we can raze terror upon our enemies, starting with that Ketchum brat and that traitorous Alain!" Xerosic spat at the mere mention of those names, visible disgust formed across his face. "They will regret taking Lysandre away from me!"
Essentia uttered out a light chuckle as she removed her mask, revealing a teenage version of Gloria. Her brown hair was trimmed short to prevent it from getting in the way of her combat maneuvers, her light skin was slightly paler than Zach's suggesting that she didn't get much sunlight though her eyes were the exact same shade of chocolate brown. A villainous smirk formed across her face as a look of determination filled her eyes. "Yes milord, I cannae wait!"
Had to redo the entirety of the last two sections, the power went off right as the document was about to save and wrap up. What are the odds?!
I feel like the tag team was way better than the previous tag team battles I've wrote, certainly had fun writing it! :D
Next time, Gary mother freaking Oak and Ash have their World Championship match!