As soon as the group entered Hammerlocke, they booked a room at the Pokémon Center by the gate to Hammerlocke Stadium. They napped through the afternoon and woke up rejuvenated after having dreams not tainted by the Pitch-Black Pokémon. Timothy and Ezria picked opposite sides outside the Pokémon Center to train their Pokémon in their disguises until dinnertime. Coovers, Gwen, and Winnie watched Timothy train his Pokémon until they began to grow low on energy. Electchu, Poliwrath, Odyssey, Shockwave, and Blitzwing were as tense as their trainer, knowing what was at stake, while Knightblade was ecstatic about the upcoming Gym Battle.
The following day, the group woke up to see swarms of people and Pokémon heading to the stadium from the window. Timothy and Ezria put on their uniforms and disguises before everyone went to the cafeteria to have breakfast. Ezria ate her pancakes with a grin, her mind on after the Gym Battles while Timothy, Coovers, Gwen, Electchu, and Winnie struggled to keep their cool with their minds on their upcoming battle. When they finished, they exited the Pokémon Center and followed the crowd to the stadium entrance. Ezria put her arm around Timothy's to "get into character" and smirked as she felt Gwen's dark gaze behind her. The group entered the stadium and walked to the end of the hall, where a staff member was waiting for them.
"Good day, Ms. Markenel," he greeted. "Your brother is in your private box getting ready for his battle. As scheduled, Mr. Durbin will battle next, followed by you. Are the two of you ready for your battles?"
"How did you know it's them?" Coovers asked.
"I let them know ahead of time," Ezria answered. "And yes, Fredrick. We are quite ready. Aren't we, Timothy?"
"Uh, yeah, we are," Timothy said hesitantly.
Ezria frowned and put her hand on Timothy's cheek to turn his head toward her.
"Hey, you got this," she said. "You've no doubt battled Dragon type Gym Leaders before, and you're going to do it again. Raihan has nothing on you."
Timothy's unease grew from his target encouraging him, but his face mask covered his nervous frown. He took a moment to collect himself before he gave Ezria a nod of assurance.
"You're right. I've done this before, and I can do it again," he said. "Raihan is going down."
"That's the spirit," Ezria said. "I'll be here to congratulate you before it's time for my battle."
"I'll be waiting," Timothy said.
Ezria's smile grew, and she leaned in to peck Timothy's cheek. She whispered, "See you then," and jogged to a nearby elevator. Timothy, Coovers, Gwen, Electchu, and Winnie watched her get in, with Gwen still giving Ezria a dark look until the League Staff member cleared his throat.
"If you follow me, Mr. Durbin, I'll guide you to the waiting room," he said.
"Okay, just give me a moment with my friends," Timothy said.
The staff member nodded, and Timothy, Coovers, Gwen, Electchu, and Winnie walked to a wall several feet away from the crewman, huddled together. Timothy looked around to make sure no one else was looking, and he took off his sunglasses and face mask, breathing heavily.
"If it weren't for the mission, I would probably be going to the waiting room with practically enough confidence to take on all the Gym Leaders at once," Timothy said. "I haven't been this nervous since my first Gym Battle."
"Raichu," Electchu said, nodding.
"Hey, none of that, Timothy. Ezria's right," Coovers said. "I wouldn't have put you up to this if I didn't believe my best friend could beat the final Gym Leader in one go."
"Great. More expectations. That's very helpful, Coovers," Timothy said sarcastically.
Coovers chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. Gwen huffed and stepped in front of Timothy. She placed her hands on the sides of his face, forcing him to look at her; her opal eyes staring into his soul.
"Listen to me, Timothy. You are an amazing trainer," Gwen said. "You train your Pokémon to be their best, treasure the close bonds you share with them, are strategic, and learn from your mistakes. Don't dwell on what might happen. Just focus on your battle and give it everything you've got. Remember, don't give up until it's over. Got it?"
Timothy silently stared back at Gwen, transfixed by her eyes and authoritative voice. For several seconds, Gwen waited for him to say something, but his lack of response made her worry that she didn't get through to him. Suddenly, she felt Timothy's arms wrap around her and pull her toward him in a close hug. Her pupils shrunk, and her cheeks turned hot pink as she stood frozen.
Coovers watched Timothy squeeze Gwen, stupefied. Never had he seen Timothy behave this way to anyone who wasn't Grandma Judy or anyone else in his family. Nor did he see Timothy ever show affection toward Gwen before that moment. Coovers turned to Electchu, who looked away, not wanting to imply that it knew something Coovers didn't. When Timothy finally broke the hug, his cheeks were tinted like Gwen's, and Coovers began to wonder if his hopes were coming true as Timothy gave Gwen a heartwarming smile.
"Thank you, Gwen. I needed that," Timothy said.
Gwen remained frozen for a moment before she snapped out of it, and bashfully smiled back.
"I'm glad to hear it," she said. "Now, you better get moving."
"Right. See you guys after the battle," Timothy said.
With that, Timothy and Electchu jogged back to the League Staff member, who began leading them down the hall to the waiting room. Timothy looked back as he walked to wave to Coovers, Gwen, and Winnie, who waved back before going to buy their tickets. Timothy kept his gaze on Gwen for several seconds until he heard someone snickering and looked down to see Electchu giving him a smug grin.
"Oh, shut up," Timothy said.
Timothy and Electchu sat on a bench alone in the waiting room. Fifteen minutes into waiting, they heard the sound of cheers and explosions coming from outside. Timothy played with his fingers as he imagined Venarge battling with a grumpy face while losing to Raihan. The thought of his rival getting riled up made Timothy smirk until he faintly heard the referee declare Venarge the winner of the match. His foot began to shake until Electchu put its paw on his side to calm him down.
Finally, fifteen more minutes passed after Venarge won his match, and Timothy and Electchu heard a staff member speaking through the speaker in the ceiling.
"Challenger number seven, come to the field for your battle. Challenger number seven."
Timothy sighed heavily and turned to Electchu with a half smile.
"Alright, guess it's time to win the final badge, get the proof to stop the chairman, and save the day again," he said. "You ready for this, pal?"
"Raichu," Electchu replied with a smirk.
"Alright, let's do this," Timothy said.
He stood up to remove his disguise and leave it on the bench before he and Electchu walked down the hall to the field. The massive stadium was jam-packed with people and Pokémon; more than any stadium they had battled at before. At the other side of the field, Raihan gave Timothy a cocky grin. The women in the stands screamed and cheered for Raihan while the men booed and shouted at Timothy. He couldn't understand what they were saying, but he knew they were fans of Ezria.
"Finally, the famous challenger who isn't one of the Markenel twins," Raihan said. "I've been looking forward to this battle. Everyone's been talking about some world-saving hero, but I didn't think there'd be one to go against me."
"Is that right?" Timothy asked.
Raihan nodded.
"And just like the twins, you aim to go up against Leon, don't you?" he said.
"I do," Timothy said.
"Are you also competing in the World Coronation Series?" Raihan asked.
"I am," Timothy replied.
"Well, as Leon's biggest rival, I - Raihan, will have to show you how high of a hurdle getting to him is," Raihan said. "I don't simply control the weather with my Pokémon. I seek to challenge my opponents with double battles."
"Then, this will be interesting," Timothy said.
Raihan's grin stretched to his ear, and he nodded. A referee levitated to the field on a platform attached to his Aegislash. The cheers and boos died down as the referee raised his hands.
"This is a four-on-four double battle between Raihan, the Gym Leader, and challenger number seven, Timothy!" He shouted. "The battle will be over when all four Pokémon from either side are unable to continue! Furthermore, only the challenger can substitute Pokémon! Are the contestants ready?"
"Ready!" Timothy and Raihan shouted simultaneously.
"Then, battle begin!" The referee shouted.
The crowd cheered, with some members telling Raihan to crush his opponent. Raihan took a moment to take a selfie before he took out two Pokéballs.
"And go, Goodra, Flygon!" He shouted.
He threw the balls, and they opened to reveal a Goodra and a Flygon both letting out battle cries. Timothy and Electchu frowned as they looked at the two Pokémon, the former beachfront, before taking out two Pokeballs.
"Poliwrath, Odyssey, let's go!" He shouted.
The containers opened to reveal Poliwrath cracking its knuckles and Odyssey taking a fighting stance, Both glaring daggers at their opponents.
"Raichu? Rai, Rai, Rai, Rai, Rai, Rai, Raichu," Electchu said.
"I know Odyssey's weak to Ground types, and Goodra is resistant to Water attacks," Timothy said. "But even if it's smarter to exploit both Pokémon's weakness to Fairy type moves right now, I want Shockwave out of the battle until it's time to start Dynamaxing. For now, let's focus on the opponents we have now and work our way from there."
Electchu looked at Timothy uneasily but silently decided to trust its partner. Raihan smirked again before he made the first call.
"Flygon, use Sandstorm! Goodra, use Thunder on Poliwrath!" He shouted.
"Poliwrath, dodge and use Hydro Pump! Odyssey, use Aura Sphere on Goodra!" Timothy shouted.
Flygon flapped its wings and released a whirlwind of sand that covered the stadium. The stadium's barrier protected the audience from any sand hitting them. Poliwrath moved to the side, barely avoiding a massive beam of yellow electricity, and fired a stream of water from where it last saw Flygon. Odyssey closed its eyes and used the aura around it to sense its target before using Aura Sphere. Flygon squealed, and Goodra grunted with their bodies covered in cuts.
"Don't let up, guys. Use Hydro Pump and Aura Sphere again!" Timothy shouted.
"Flygon, dodge and use Crunch on Odyssey! Goodra, dodge and use Thunder!" Raihan shouted.
Goodra and Flygon moved away, using the sand storm to easily avoid a stream of water and an orb of aura, respectively, and charged toward their opponents. Flygon opened its mouth and created a yellow aura shaped like a pair of curved fangs that bit down at Odyssey. Goodra, meanwhile, unleashed another massive beam of electricity that hit Poliwrath. The Tadpole Pokémon got down on one knee, making Timothy and Electchu uneasy.
"Now, use Crunch and Thunder one more time!" Raihan shouted.
"Poliwrath, protect yourself and Odyssey with Surf! As big of a wave as you can muster! Odyssey, point Poliwrath in the right direction!" Timothy shouted.
Poliwrath pushed itself back up, and Odyssey pointed at where it could sense their opponents' aura. Poliwrath raised its hands, and a giant wall of water emerged from the ground protecting Timothy's Pokemon from Goodra's Thunder. Flygon flew toward Odyssey but stopped in mid-air and tried to fly away before the wave came crashing down on it and Goodra. Flygon and Goodra winced in pain, drenched in water.
"Now, while they're distracted, Odyssey, use Aura Sphere on Goodra, and Poliwrath, use Bubble Beam double time!" Timothy commanded.
Odyssey pointed to Poliwrath where Flygon was, and Poliwrath took a deep breath with its arms moved back before unleashing a massive beam of bubbles from its swirly stomach. The bubbles hit Flygon and Odyssey threw another orb of aura that hit Goodra in the face.
"Now, Poliwrath, use Surf! Odyssey, follow with Aura Sphere again!" Timothy shouted.
"Goodra, use Surf followed by Hydro Pump on Odyssey!" Raihan shouted.
Timothy's confidence faltered at the command of Goodra using two Water type attacks back to back. Poliwrath created a wave of water, but another wave met it with Goodra riding on it. The Dragon Pokémon jumped off just before the waves collided and fired Hydro Pump on an unsuspecting Odyssey, who was knocked off its feet by the sheer force.
"Now, Flygon, use Steel Wing on Poliwrath!" Raihan commanded. "Goodra, finish it with Thunder!"
Flygon burst through the sandstorm and hit Poliwrath in the stomach with its wings glowing white. Poliwrath didn't have a moment to react before thousands of electric volts flowed through its body. It screamed in agony with its fists closed in a useless attempt to fight the pain until it fell on its back. Timothy's Pokémon only had a second to realize what had happened before it fainted.
"Poliwrath is unable to battle!" The referee announced.
The crowd cheered with multiple women screaming and chanting Raihan's name. Odyssey got up in a sitting position, and its heart sank at seeing Poliwrath lying flat on its back. Timothy reluctantly returned Poliwrath and stared at the sandstorm, imagining Raihan grinning.
"Hey, Raihan, hitting Odyssey so it can't guide Poliwrath with its aura: good strategy!" Timothy called out.
"Thank you!" Timothy heard from the other side of the storm. "You and your Pokémon are handling yourselves well despite Flygon's Sandstorm. Of course, I'd be careful in your Lucario's state if I were you!"
Timothy furrowed his brow, knowing his opponent was right. Odyssey stood back up, but it had bite marks and was drenched from Hydro Pump. If Raihan's Pokémon took down Odyssey, his Pokémon would be clueless as to where Raihan's Pokémon were as long as Flygon's Sandstorm was still up. Timothy bit his lip and scratched the back of his head until he realized something.
"Hey, Electchu, isn't it odd that while Goodra is using a move that can severely hurt Poliwrath, Flygon isn't using any Ground type moves against Odyssey?"
Electchu took a moment to think about it before it realized its partner was right and nodded.
"Chu, Rai, Rai, Churai, Raichu," it pointed out.
"If Raihan is waiting for the perfect time for Flygon to use a move that can cause serious damage against Odyssey, then why was he not wasting any time with Goodra using Thunder? It looks like this is another moment where an opponent's Pokémon doesn't have the moves it can use against us despite the type advantage," Timothy said.
"Rai, Rai, Rai, Raichu, Chu, Rai, Churai," Electchu said.
"True, he could be trying to throw me off," Timothy said. "Either way, Goodra was the only one trying to take out one of my Pokémon quickly, and we're never gonna be able to see anything as long as this sandstorm is up. I think we'll have to use our ace right now just until we at least take out Flygon."
"Raichu," Electchu agreed.
"Alright then," Timothy said as he took out his third Pokéball. "Shockwave, let's go!"
He threw the ball, and Shockwave gracefully appeared beside its best friend. The two of them exchanged looks of determination while Raihan chuckled.
"Now it's getting interesting," he said. "Flygon, use Steel Wing on Shockwave! Goodra, use Hydro Pump on Odyssey!"
"Odyssey, dodge using Extreme Speed! Shockwave, listen closely to Flygon's wings, then use Disarming Voice!" Timothy instructed.
Both of Timothy's Pokémon closed their eyes and waited patiently. Odyssey stood still until its ears twitched, and it ran with inhuman speed, avoiding Goodra's Hydro Pump before ramming its side. Shockwave took small breaths and listened to the sound of wings flapping against the sand in the air. The flapping grew louder and louder until Shockwave could sense its opponent only yards away from it. Shockwave took a deep breath and, with a high-pitched scream, released a beam of purple hearts that hit Flygon in the face. The impact sent Flygon flying back and falling on its back next to Goodra. Goodra looked at its friend in worry and Flygon hissed in agony before it rolled to its belly and flapped its wings, fighting off the damage from the Fairy type attack.
"Goodra, use Surf! Flygon, follow behind, and use Steel Wing!" Raihan shouted.
"I've got a better idea!" Timothy said. "Shockwave, use Psyshock right on the wave! Odyssey, help it aim!"
Shockwave formed a purple orb in front of its hands, and Odyssey stood close beside it. The Aura Pokémon closed its eyes again and heard a wall of water coming toward them. Finally, it sensed Goodra's aura and pointed below it with a "Lucar!" Shockwave unleashed a purple beam that burst through Goodra's Surf, creating a large hole in the wall of water and barely missing Flygon. Goodra lost control of its move and fell off the wave before crashing into the ground on its belly. It lifted its head and shook it before it opened its eyes to find it was lying only a couple of feet away from the grinning faces of Odyssey and Shockwave.
"Moonblast," Timothy said.
Odyssey cackled while Shockwave gathered energy from the moon, creating a pink orb. Goodra desperately tried to get up and run, but Shockwave shot the orb straight at Goodra's chest as soon as it stood up. Goodra howled as it flew to the other side of the field and fell flat on its back with a crash. The referee flew over to Goodra on his Aegislash to see it lying motionless with swirly eyes.
"Goodra is unable to battle!" The referee declared.
Cheers and boos could be heard all around Timothy and his Pokémon. Timothy and Electchu looked at each other and rolled their eyes while Odyssey and Shockwave fist-bumped. Goodra's body turned into pink energy, and it was sucked into the sandstorm away from Timothy, Electchu, Odyssey, and Shockwave's link of sight.
"How did you like what Shockwave did to Goodra's Surf, Raihan?!" Timothy called out. "Learned that from Bea with her Machamp!"
"Cute trick. Let's see if you have any more up your sleeve!" Timothy heard Raihan say. "Sandaconda, let's do this!"
Timothy and his Pokémon heard a Pokéball open and something slithering on Raihan's side of the field. The audience cheered again for Raihan's third Pokémon despite being unable to see it through the sandstorm. Odyssey and Shockwave took battle stances, waiting for the battle to continue. Timothy tilted his head and looked up at Sandaconda on his Rotom Phone to remind himself.
"Oh, great. Another Ground type," Timothy said.
"Rai, Rai, Rai, Raichu, Chu?" Electchu asked.
"We'll have to go on defense against two Ground type Pokémon and hope we find an opening," Timothy said.
"Chu, Rai, Raichu," Electchu said.
"Yeah, I don't like it either," Timothy said.
"Sandaconda, use Fire Fang on Odyssey! Flygon, use Steel Wing!" Raihan shouted.
Timothy grunted, realizing Raihan's Pokémon each had a move powerful against one of his Pokémon, and shouted, "Odyssey, dodge and use Bone Rush! Shockwave, wait for the right moment to use Disarming Voice again!
Odyssey created a bone of green energy, and both it and Shockwave closed its eyes, waiting once again for their opponents to come to them. After a few seconds, Odyssey's eyes snapped open, and it jumped away, narrowly avoiding the fiery jaws of the snake-like Pokémon. The Aura Pokémon hit Sandaconda on its dark brown neck pouch, and Sandaconda hissed in pain. Sandaconda began repeatedly snapping its jaws at Odyssey ferociously with its fangs still on fire. Odyssey avoided Sandaconda's fangs with its superior speed, but the Sand Snake Pokémon refused to let up. With so much commotion, Shockwave couldn't hear Flygon zooming toward it, and Flygon rammed Shockwave with its wing, knocking the air out of it. Odyssey broke focus, noticing Shockwave lying down and hugging its stomach.
"Odyssey, watch out!" Timothy shouted.
"Raichu!" Electchu cried out.
Odyssey looked away from Shockwave just a split second before it felt two sets of fangs dig into its body. Timothy's loyal Lucario screamed as Sandaconda shook it with its jaws.
"Shockwave, free Odyssey with Psychic, now!" Timothy screamed.
Shockwave turned its head while still massaging its gut and gasped at the sight of Odyssey trapped in Sandaconda's fiery jaws. The Embrace Pokémon clenched its teeth and caught Sandaconda in its psychic control, forcing the large snake Pokémon to drop Odyssey.
"Oh, no, you don't! Flygon, use Steel Wing!" Raihan shouted.
"Shockwave, block Flygon's attack with Sandaconda, then swat it away!" Timothy instructed.
Shockwave levitated a flailing Sandaconda over to the Embrace Pokémon as it stood up. Shockwave waited for a second before it heard a thud and Sandaconda shouted in pain. The Embrace Pokémon stretched its arms out, and it spun Sandaconda, using its tail like a baseball ball to hit Flygon. Timothy and his Pokémon heard Flygon hit the barrier and fall to the ground, but they didn't hear the referee declare Flygon unconscious, and the sandstorm was still up. Timothy grew uneasy with the sand keeping him from knowing if Flygon was back in the air on its hands and knees. In the grand scheme, he only bought time for his Pokemon to focus on just one opponent.
"Odyssey, Shockwave, use Bone Rush and Disarming Voice on Sandaconda, and don't let up!" Timothy shouted.
"Sandaconda, use Protect followed by Glare!" Raihan shouted.
With a hiss, Sandaconda formed a green force field around its body, protecting itself from Odyssey's bone and a beam of purple hearts. Sandaconda then glared at Odyssey and Shockwave with its eyes glowing, and yellow sparks suddenly appeared all over their bodies. Odyssey and Shockwave both got down on one knee, with Shockwave losing its Psychic control over Sandaconda.
"Now, Sandaconda, use Earth Power on Odyssey! Flygon, use Steel Wing on Shockwave!" Raihan shouted.
"Odyssey, dodge using Extreme Speed! Shockwave, use Disarming Voice in different directions! Try to disrupt Flygon flying to you while also trying to hit it!" Timothy shouted.
Odyssey clenched its teeth as it forced itself to stand up to use Extreme Speed, but before it could take another step, the yellow cracks from the ground created by Sandaconda hit it. Shockwave released another beam of purple hearts and began moving its head randomly as the purple hearts came out of its mouth. Flygon could avoid the attack at a distance, but as it flew closer to Shockwave, it began to hesitate and take quick maneuvers to avoid the purple hearts, having no idea where Shockwave's head might turn next. Suddenly, yellow Sparks appeared around Shockwave's body again, and it shut its eyes and clenched its teeth while stopping the attack. Timothy's eyes widened as Flygon wasted no time smacking Shockwave with its wing once more.
Timothy's Pokémon lay on the ground in front of him, decorated in cuts and bruises. The referee flew over to Odyssey and Shockwave to check if they were still conscious. Odyssey and Shockwave lay on the ground with their eyes shut, whimpering from the pain. Then slowly, their eyes opened, and they stared at each other as they lay down. Nothing was said, but Odyssey and Shockwave didn't need to say anything, but they both knew what was at stake should Timothy lose that match. With a growl, Odyssey pushed itself up, and wobbled before it gained its balance and helped Shockwave back on its feet. The two of them smiled and nodded before turning to Timothy, giving him looks that assured him they could still fight to the end. Timothy gave his Pokémon an appreciative nod, and Odyssey and Shockwave turned to face the storm again, where Sandacona was close enough to be seen, but Flygon was nowhere to be found.
"Sandaconda, use Earth Power again!" Raihan shouted.
"Shockwave, stop it with Psychic, now!" Timothy shouted.
Shockwave's eyes glowed blue, and it captured Sandaconda in its psychic control before the snake-like Pokémon could slam its tail onto the ground. Shockwave lifted Sandaconda up and slammed its head into the ground three times to force it into a daze. Shockwave held Sandaconda up in front of it and Odyssey, using it as a shield with Sandaconda's back facing it so it could not use a move against them. Timothy stared at the sand storm with a serious look. He didn't know whether Raihan could see what happened, but it was likely that Raihan understood enough with Sandaconda not using its move that would have badly hurt Shockwave and taken out Odyssey. The Gym Leader would have to be creative if he wanted to take out Timothy's Pokemon with one of his Pokemon captured.
"Flygon, Steel Wing!" He heard Raihan shout.
Timothy smirked, seeing Raihan's call as a sign that he either didn't know what was happening or couldn't think of a strategy to save Sandaconda.
"Odyssey, use your aura to sense Flygon, then batter up when it's close enough!" He instructed.
Odyssey closed its eyes again as it created another bone of energy. Timothy's hands turned into balls of fists as he mentally prayed that his plan would work. Suddenly, Odyssey's ears twitched, and Shockwave released Sandaconda from its psychic control a split second before Odyssey hit it like a baseball with its bone. Sandaconda screamed in agony as it was sent flying back into the sandstorm, and Timothy heard two bodies hitting each other in midair and hitting the ground. Odyssey turned to Electchu and shouted while pointing at the storm. Electchu translated to Timothy, informing him that Flygon and Sandaconda were lying on the ground.
"Shockwave, use Moonblast right where Odyssey is pointing!" Timothy shouted.
As soon as Shockwave heard the word "moon," it created another orb of pink energy and fired in the direction Odyssey was pointing. An explosion was heard, followed by two screaming voices. Finally, the sandstorm disappeared, and Flygon was found lying on its back with Sandaconda's head on its stomach, both having swirly eyes.
"Flygon and Sandaconda are unable to battle! Odyssey and Shockwave win!" the referee declared.
Once again, some audience members cheered for Timothy, but many booed and hissed at him. Some of the men in the front rows on Timothy's side of the field were yelling at him, calling him a cheater and telling him to leave Galar. Timothy pitied how blind Ezria's fans were to their loyalty to her, yet part of him was amused by how they behaved like bratty preschoolers. He looked around at the audience, imagining Coovers, Gwen, and Winnie being ecstatic that he had the upper hand. The edges of Timothy's mouth curled slightly as he turned to Electchu.
"One more to go," he said. "Let's end this."
"Raichu," Electchu agreed.
But instead of showing concern, Raihan continued to grin as he put his second and third Pokemon back into their Pokeéalls. He took out his Rotom Phone to take another selfie before he took out his final Pokéball.
"It might be impossible to pull off a combo going solo, but it's not impossible for me to still win," he said. "Go, Duraludon!"
He threw the Pokéball into the air, and it opened to reveal a creature with a tall, bipedal dinosaur-like appearance. It had enormous feet, a chunky tail, and a head integrated into its neck. Its body was mainly light gray and dark blue, with zigzag patterns running down its body, gray bands around its arms, and two black slits on its lower chest. Its hands had four triangular indents. Duraludon's head has a small red section and multiple slits on it. It also has yellow eyes with green pupils and appears to be permanently scowling. It moves its upper jaw when opening its mouth. What worried Timothy, however, was that Raihan's partner looked like it was made of metal. He took out his Rotom Phone and scanned the Pokémon, dreading what the Plasma Pokémon was going to say.
"Draludon. The Alloy Pokémon. A Steel and Dragon type." Rotom said. "Duraludon sports a metallic body with a beautiful luster of polished, shining metal."
Timothy's heart sank as his worries were proven warranted. Steel type Pokémon were resistant to Psychic type moves, and with the Pokémon half Dragon and half Steel, it wasn't weak to Fairy attacks. It was weak to only Fighting and Ground types, but Odyssey was still badly hurt, and both of his Pokémon were paralyzed. With both of his Pokémon badly hurt and Duraludon likely possessing a move that could severely damage Shockwave, in particular, Timothy considered switching Odyssey with another Pokémon. Still, if Duraludon took out both Shockwave and his final Pokémon, he'd be left with a Pokémon that likely wouldn't last long.
Then suddenly, Timothy remembered he still had one other Pokémon that had a move strong against Steel types, and his eyes lit up with a glint of hope. His spirit rose as he realized how his possible fourth Pokémon was resistant to Dragon and Steel type moves. He looked at Odyssey and Shockwave, who took battle stances while glaring at Duraludon, and his smile turned sad as he realized what he had to do.
"Odyssey, Shockwave, in any other circumstances, I'd keep you both in the fight to show everyone how your teamwork gets the job done," Timothy said, gaining his Pokémon's attention. "But you two are badly damaged, and you, Shockwave, don't have the advantage we hoped you would have against Raihan's final Pokémon. With Duraludon being part Steel type, it looks like Fighting and Ground moves are our best play, making Odyssey and Knightblade the best Pokémon to take it out. So, Shockwave, you better get some rest, and let us both trust our friends to win this battle for Galar."
Odyssey and Shockwave looked at each other, reluctant to be apart. Then they thought about it and accepted that Timothy's decision made sense. They both gave Timothy short nods of understanding, and he smiled as he took out Shockwave's Pokéball and returned it.
"Raichu, Chu, Rai, Rai, Churai, Raichu," Eletchu said.
"If this works, Ezria will get a kick out of this," Timothy said before he threw the ball into the air. "Knightblade, let's go!"
The container burst open, and Knightblade came out in blade form, letting out a battle cry while holding its shield up.. Raihan grinned again, realizing Timothy picked his Aegislash because it was resistant to his partner's moves, though he did not know what Timothy had in mind to damage Duraludon seriously.
"Whatever you have in mind, I say bring in the storm! My partner will send everyone in the stadium flying!" Raihan declared.
He returned Duraludon to its Pokéball, and Galar Particles came out of his Dynamax Band and merged into the Pokéball. The Pokéball grew large, and Raihan threw it, shouting, "Gigantamax'' before Duraludon burst out. In its Gigantamaxed form, Duraludon had a massive glass plate on its abdomen, and its chest had glass panels that resembled windows. Its tower-like neck was so tall that Timothy, Electchu, Odyssey, and Knightblade could barely see the Pokémon's head.
"Alright, Knightblade, if there's ever a time we need the full extent of your power, this is it," Timothy said.
"Aegislash," Knightblade said in acknowledgment.
Timothy put Knightblade back in its Pokeball, and Galar Particles came out of his Dynamax Band and merged into the Pokéball. Timothy threw the ball as it grew, and Knightblade burst out, Dynamaxed and letting out another battle cry. Odyssey turned to Gigantamax Duraludon and gave it a smug look that said, "You're in for it, now." Raihan's grin stretched to the sides of his face as he watched Dynamax Knightblade stare menacingly at his Gigantamaxed partner.
"Now the fun really begins!" He shouted. "Duraludon, use Max Rockfall!"
"Knightblade, break the Rock with Max Steelspike! Odyssey, charge in with Extreme Speed, then use Aura Sphere!" Timothy shouted.
Gigantamax Duraludon made a giant stone slab rise from the ground, and Dynamax Knightblade slammed its shield into the ground, creating a series of jagged gray spikes. The spikes extended forward and destroyed the slab from underneath it, breaking it into pieces. Some rocks flew toward the audience and hit the barrier protecting them. With its body surrounded in green aura, Odyssey charged toward Gigantamax Duraludon with inhuman speed and fired Aura Sphere at its stomach. The Aura Sphere made contact, but Duraludon's defense was so greasy in its Gigantamaxed form that Odyssey's attack did little despite Aura Sphere being powerful against Steel types.
"Knightblade, use Max Knuckle! Odyssey, use Bone Rush!"
"Duraludon, use Max Guard!" Raihan shouted.
A blue barrier appeared in front of Gigantamax Duraludon's neck and head just as Knightblade swung its sword at it. The barrier protected it from Knightblade's Max Knuckle, but it was so high up that it could not stop Odyssey from running underneath it with another bone of energy. Odyssey hit Gigantamax Duraludon's left leg, holding its bone like a baseball bat, and the alloy Pokémon grunted, taking a little more damage.
"Now, use Max Knuckle and Bone Rush one more time!" Timothy shouted.
With Gigantamax Duraludon distracted, Knightblade swung its sword and successfully struck its opponent's neck. Odyssey raised its bone above its head to strike again, but yellow sparks appeared around its body, and it got down on one knee as its bone disappeared. Raihan smirked as he saw his chance to take down Timothy's opponent, who barely had any energy left.
"Duraludon, use Max Steelspike! Use your left foot!" He shouted.
Gigantamax Duraludon stomped its left foot, and jagged spikes came out of the ground from underneath Odyssey, sending it flying in the air. Odyssey howled at the top of its lungs and crashed into the ground. The spikes extended forward and hit Knightblade, but the royal sword Pokemon merely grunted as if someone lightly smacked the back of its head. The referee flew over to Odyssey, who lay on the ground with swirly eyes.
"Odyssey is unable to battle!" He shouted.
The audience cheered with Ezria's fans screaming for joy. Timothy furrowed his brow, knowing Raihan now planned to take out Shockwave in its weak state, with it being the only Pokémon it had left. Knightblade and Duraludon shrunk to their regular sizes with scratches on the former's body. With a sigh, Timothy returned Odyssey to its Pokéball and gave the Pokéball a sad smile.
"You gave it everything since the beginning of the battle, Odyssey. You deserve some rest," Timothy whispered.
He put Odyssey's Pokéball in his pocket and took out Shockwave's. He turned his head to Electchu, who was uneasy with the state of the battle, and then to Knightblade. Knightblade gave Timothy a look of unwavering confidence with its golden eye, holding up its shield to show it was ready to finish the job. Timothy smiled at Knightblade's enthusiasm before he took a deep breath through his nose and threw the Pokéball.
"Shockwave, let's go!" He shouted.
Shockwave came out of its Pokeball, its body still covered in cuts and bruises. It looked around, confused that the battle was still going on. Shockwave turned its head to Knightblade and then to Timothy.
"Gardevoir?" Shockwave asked.
"Yes, I'm afraid Duraludon defeated Odyssey," Timothy said. "But let's not focus on that. Odyssey and Knightblade gave us a good start with damaging Raihan's last Pokémon, and it no longer can Gigantamax. Let's avenge Odyssey and complete the Gym Challenge once and for all!"
"Raichu!" Electchu shouted.
"Aegislash!" Knightblade yelled.
"Gardevoir," Shockwave said, nodding.
Shockwave and Knightblade turned to face Duraludon, who kept out a roar. Shockwave and Knightblade looked at each other and nodded, ready to fight as a team. Raihan smirked again as Shockwave cracked its neck and Knightblade held its shield in front of it like a warrior about to charge into battle.
"Now, Shockwave, use Moonblast! Knightblade, use Sacred Sword!"
"Use Iron Defense!" Raihan shouted.
Duraludon's body became outlined in white and its body briefly shined. Shockwave took a deep breath to use Moonblast when suddenly yellow sparks appeared around its body, and it hugged itself with its eyes shut. Knightblade charged in with its blade glowing blue, but the Iron Defense blocked its attack before its blade could connect with Duraludon's metal body. Duraludon pushed Knightblade back, and it turned its head to the paralyzed Gardevoir.
"Use Steel Beam!" Raihan shouted with a grin.
"Knightblade, protect Shockwave in Shield Forme!" Timothy shouted.
Duraludon landed on all fours and gathered an orb of bluish-silver energy in front of its mouth. Knightblade sheathed its sword and put its arms behind its back as it stood between Duraludon and its friend, giving Duraludon a stern glare. Duraludon fired a massive beam of energy from the orb, hitting Knightblade dead on. The Royal Sword Pokémon tried to stay in the air while taking minor damage, but the beam was too much force. It sent Knightblade flying backward toward Shockwave, who was still distracted by its paralysis.
"Shockwave, catch Knightblade with Psychic!" Timothy shouted.
Shockwave opened its eyes and had a split second to react before its eyes glowed, and it caught Knightblade in its psychic control just before Knightblade rammed it in the face. By then, Duraludon's attack was over, and it started to breathe heavily, having taken damage by using the powerful attack.
"Now, use Moonblast and Flash Cannon!" Timothy shouted.
"Use Iron Defense!" Raihan shouted.
Shockwave and Knightblade unleashed beams of pink and white, respectively, but Duraludon's body became surrounded in a white outline, and it shined for a moment before the beams hit, doing little damage.
"Now use Stone Edge!" Raihan shouted.
"Dodge it!" Timothy shouted.
Duraludon slammed its hands onto the ground and pointed. Light blue rock pillars appeared out of the ground and rushed toward Shockwave and Knightblade. Shockwave jumped to the side to avoid the pillars while Knightblade levitated up to be out of the pillars' reach. Timothy frowned, realizing the battle was hardly going anywhere, with Duraludon only taking damage from using one of its attacks. It seemed as though Raihan was prepared for every possibility when his ace was facing two opponents at once. Timothy then noticed the broken pieces of rock from the slab Duraludon created using Max Rockfall. He raised his eyebrow, and he gave Raihan a smirk that confused the Gym Leader.
"So, you like rocks? We'll give you rocks," Timothy said. "Shockwave, throw those rocks at Duraludon using Psychic!"
With a smirk that matched its trainer's, Shockwave's eyes glowed blue again, and Duraludon found itself surrounded by rocks circling above it. Suddenly, one piece of rock three feet tall zoomed toward Duraludon and hit it from behind, breaking into small pieces. A smaller rock hit the side of Duraludon's head, followed by two more hitting its stomach. Dozens of rocks hit Duraludon in multiple directions, making it try in vain to shield itself with its small arms. Finally, Shockwave finished with a rock two feet tall, hitting Duraludon in the face. The alloy Pokemon whimpered as its eyes rolled in a daze.
"Duraludon, use Stone Edge!" Raihan shouted.
"Shockwave, stop it with Disarming Voice!" Timothy shouted.
Shockwave released a beam of purple hearts from its mouth, hitting Duraludon before it could slam its hands onto the ground. Duraludon groaned and took a step back with its eyes shut, feeling its body growing weaker.
"Let's end this!" Timothy shouted. "Knightblade, use Sacred Sword!"
With a battle cry, Knightblade unleashed its sword with the blade glowing blue, and it charged at Duraludon. Before Raihan had a chance to make another move, Knightblade slashed Duraludon diagonally from its heat to its side right above its right arm. Duraludon let out a roar of agony as it fell on its side and lost consciousness. The referee flew over to Duraludon on his Aegislash to see it had swirly eyes, and he raised his arm to Timothy's side of the field.
"Duraludon is unable to battle!" The referee shouted. "With two Pokemon left, that means the victory goes to challenger number seven, Timothy!"
"Yes!" Timothy shouted, shaking his fists into the air.
"Raichu!" Electchu squealed.
"Gardevoir!" Shockwave cheered.
"Aegislash!" Knightblade shouted.
The crowd got up and cheered at the top of their lungs. However, some of the men in the audience booed and accused Timothy of cheating again, with their faces hot with fury. Shockwave and Knightblade went over to Timothy, who hugged both of them.
"Thank you, guys," he said. "I really couldn't have done this without you."
"Aegislash," Knightblade chirped.
"Gardevoir," Shockwave said.
Raihan stared at his beaten partner before apologizing and returning it to its Pokéball with a sad smile.
"Take a good long rest," he said to the Pokéball.
He put the Pokéball in his jacket pocket, and with both hands in his jacket pockets, he walked over to Timothy, Electchu, Shockwave, and Knightblade, trying to act cool to hide his disappointment. Electchu poked Timothy's leg with its tail, and he broke his hug with Shockwave and Knightblade just as Raihan stopped in front of them. Timothy and Raihan looked at each other silently until the Gym Leader smiled and shrugged.
"You know, Timothy, when I battle with trainers here, I don't just fulfill my role as a Gym Leader. I use every battle to hone in my skills before challenging Leon again, " Raihan said. "And yet, after having a ferocious battle, I feel as pure and refreshed as when the sky clears after a storm. Do you know what I mean?"
Timothy smirked and said, "Actually, I do. I dream of winning every league and defeating every Champion in the world. Not just Leon. I've been honing my skills and growing stronger with my Pokémon before I try again most of my life. Even so, it can be very relieving after having an intense battle, and this match is proof of that."
"I'm glad we have an understanding," Raihan said as he took out a badge from his pocket. "In any case, it's time to give you proof of your victory - the Dragon Badge."
"Thank you, Raihan," Timothy said as he took the badge.
Timothy took out his ring and connected the badge to the last empty spot. He showed the ring to Electchu, Shockwave, and Knightblade, and they let out calls of joy before he held it out to the crowd. The audience let out deafening cheers, but there were still men who booed and accused Timothy of cheating, being a fraud, and demanding a rematch. Ignoring the boos, Raihan put his arm around Timothy's shoulder and took out his Rotom Phone to take a selfie with Timothy and his Pokémon. Timothy forced a smile, but his eyes were scanning the audience out of hopes of finding Coovers, Winnie, and especially Gwen. He knew he would see them shortly, but he wished he could see his crush overjoyed as she watched him hold up his ring of badges on the field. After taking the selfie, Timothy and Raihan shook hands, and Timothy returned Shockwave and Knightblade before exiting the field with Electchu.