Next to Malie City was the Malie Gardens. The grass and flowers were well kept, and many of the Pokémon that resided here were friendly and peaceful. Like Malie City, the bridges and buildings resembled Johto-designed architecture. Standing on one of the corners was a tall tower similar to the Bell Tower in Ecruteak City, and in the middle of the garden was a large lake shaped like a Gyarados.
Grimsley had been training in the gardens the past three days, and today he had been here all afternoon. He let out Raz and Blackjack, and had them battle one another. Raz stood tall in the grass while Blackjack was in the lake.
"Blackjack, Ice Fang! And Raz, counter with Shadow Ball!"
Blackjack jumped out of the lake and opened his jaws, cold mist seeping out from his mouth and
his fangs glowing blue. Before he reached Raz, she spatted out a crimson ball and it exploded inside Blackjack's throat. The shark screeched and was blown back into the lake with a big splash.
Both Grimsley and Raz rushed to the edge of the lake. He looked down to see small bubbles forming, and then several seconds later Blackjack popped up. Grimsley sighed in relief.
"Good to see you're still in good shape." Grimsley pressed his lips and narrowed his eyes. "Now Blackjack, Aqua Jet!
Blackjack surrounded himself with torrential waters and shot out of the lake like a rocket. His body collided with Raz, slamming her onto the ground. Blackjack dived back into the lake just as Raz picked herself up and shook the water off her fur.
"Raz, watch for Blackjack's movements and then strike."
Raz gazed up at Grimsley with a low growl and nodded. She looked down at the lake, and Blackjack's shadow could be seen swimming swiftly. Grimsley snapped his fingers.
Blackjack exploded out of the lake, his fangs glowing blue once more. Raz quickly countered by cloaking her right paw in purple vapors, that formed into a large claw, and left a deep cut on Blackjack's face. Blackjack crashed on the land and collapsed.
Grimsley went to his Pokemon's side and pulled out a potion from his bag. He sprayed the medicine onto Blackjack's face, careful to not do it directly on the eyes. Blackjack winced at its stings, but already the cut on his face faded.
"You and Raz did great today," he said in a soothing tone and returned him back in his pokéball.
Raz growled sadly, as if apologizing to her trainer. Smiling down at her, Grimsley scratched Raz's cheek and neck.
"Oh hey, Grimsley!" a male's voice called out to him. Grimsley flinched and turned around to see a middle-aged man approaching him.
"Ronald?" Grimsley said in a surprised voice.
Ronald flashed him a grin. "Fancy seeing you again! Doing some training right now?"
"I was. Nothing too serious, though."
"That's good!" Ronald said. "I saw a little bit of that battle. No surprise your Liepard and Sharpedo are very well-trained!"
Upon hearing that, Raz's ears perked up and she cried a happy meow.
"Raz appreciates your compliment there," he said, scratching her cheek once more. Raz responded by rubbing at his hip.
Ronald chuckled. "Say, there's a tea shop here. Why don't we go there and talk some more?"
Grimsley regarded Ronald a moment. "Sure, we can do that." After Grimsley returned Raz, he followed Ronald to the tea shop.
xxx
Past the biggest bridge was the tea shop. There was a small building where the tea was served, and tables covered with colorful tablecloths outside. Besides Grimsley and Ronald, two other people occupied one table. The tea was bitter with a tinge of honey in it, hot and sweet inside Grimsley's throat.
He first asked Ronald what he was doing in Malie City. It turned out he was here to visit his daughter and her family, and was staying with them for another two days. Grimsley then told him how he had met with several people here, including Nanu. Ronald was very interested on their encounter, as expected.
"So you're doing some training before you meet him again?" Ronald asked after he sipped his cup.
"After my battles with Molayne and Kahili, I knew Nanu would be just as challenging. I want to battle him before I leave."
"I see. Well, you should get to know him better! That'll up your chances in scoring a battle with him!"
Grimsley groaned, staring up at the sky.
"Yes, I know. I've been told that several times already." He paused to drink the last of his tea. "You mentioned having a niece that had battled me before. How is she?"
"Oh, you mean Berthy? Right now she's traveling through the Galar region!"
Grimsley cracked a small smile. "The Galar region, hm? Some of my family from my father's side were from there. I visited there a couple times before, a charming region."
"It is! She showed me some pictures of her there!"
Ronald whipped out his phone from the pocket of his pants and handed it to Grimsley. There was one picture of a dark haired girl with her and Samurott on a bridge. In the background there was a large clock tower that Grimsley recognized as Big Ben. Grimsley checked out another photo of her and another girl with brunette hair in front of a building with old-style architecture. From the looks of it, they took this picture in a small town Grimsley couldn't remember at the moment.
"I think I remember Berthy now. She and her Samurott worked well together." Grimsley handed the phone back to Ronald. "Looks like she's having fun."
"She is! Last I talked with her, she's going for her fourth badge there."
Grimsley's face softened. "When you get the chance, tell your niece I wish her luck and a safe journey in Galar."
"I will! Berthy will be so excited!" A large grin stretched across Ronald's face. "Speaking of training, have you tried this place called the Kantonian Gym?
"You mean that building with the golden roof and the Pokémon League logo?" Grimsley asked with a quirked eyebrow.
"Yeah! It opened almost half a year or so. Alola never had Pokémon Gyms like other regions, so a lot of Alolan people wanted to try it."
Grimsley hummed, folding his arms against his chest. "I thought about checking it out, but thought the battles would be similar to the ones back in the Battle Buffet."
"I don't blame you there." Ronald tapped his chin with his finger. "You want a more interesting challenge, right? There's a guy who trains Dragon Pokémon that could fit the bill."
"Really? Does he come to the Kantonian Gym often?"
"I think so. Apparently he's a musician also, so he does shows in there, too!"
A Dragon trainer that was also a musician? Grimsley recalled one trainer that fitted that description. The brow on his forehead shot up. No, it couldn't be.
"Hold up, you don't mean…"
"Hey! Is that you, Grimsley?" someone new said.
When Grimsley turned around, his face fell. In front of him was a man in tight clothing, which showed off his bare chest. His wild hair was tied in a long ponytail, the bangs partially covering his face. He was carrying a guitar case, so he was definitely a musician. Grimsley's suspicions were true.
"It's been a while, Ryuki," Grimsley said as he got up, forcing himself to smile.
Ryuki flashed him a grin. "You still in the Elite Four, dude? How's little Iris doing?"
"I am, and she's doing fine."
Ronald stood up and gave them confused looks. "Wait, you guys know each other?"
"In a sense," Grimsley said. "He stayed in Unova for a while to train in the Village of Dragons."
"Elder Margot was awesome, really knows how to dig into dragons' hearts," Ryuki said. "Iris and Drayden were also stars in their own ways."
"Not only that, he had toured with the Virbank City Gym Leader, Roxie, for a while. I also saw him play in casinos a few times."
"That was while I tried to get my music going." Ryuki turned to Grimsley, his grin widening. "You do know how to play your cards right."
Grimsley snorted. "I haven't done any high risk wagers in a long while."
Even though he was in the Elite Four, Grimsley had gone to several world poker events to gain some extra money on the side. He had first met Ryuki in the Sinnoh region, in the Veilstone City Casino. The up-and-coming rockstar had only a dozen people in each showing, but then his popularity grew slowly. After Iris had become champion, she told Grimsley how Ryuki had been living in the Village of Dragons for some months and that surprised him. They visited there twice to meet him, but then after that Ryuki went on tour with Roxie and Grimsley hadn't seen him since.
"Oh wow, sounds like you guys went way back!" Ronald said, grinning.
"We only talked a dozen times due to us knowing the same people," Ryuki said as he faced back at Ronald. "Still, I have mad respect for him."
Grimsley hummed, and then he said, "Ronald told me that you go the Kantonian Gym now."
Ryuki nodded. "I came all the way here to spread my fame and check that Gym out. However, it isn't a real Pokémon Gym."
"Hm? What do you mean by that?"
"You know how the Gym in Vermillion City has trash cans and you have to find a switch?" Ryuki asked, and Grimsley nodded. "The Kantonian Gym is like that, but the trash cans don't work."
"Were you disappointed when you found that out?"
"I was at first, but I dig it the more I go there."
"I also mentioned to Grimsley how you're a strong trainer that he should go up against!"
Grimsley's eyes grew wide, and then he frowned at Ronald. "You didn't have to tell him that."
"Sorry, I didn't think you would mind," Ronald said with a sheepish chuckle. He rubbed the back of his neck.
"You know, my babies have been bored from the last few battles we did." Ryuki put his guitar case down and pointed his gloved finger at Grimsley. "A blazing battle with an Elite Four will wake them up again! Maybe they'll even get to see your Mega Absol on stage!"
Ronald's face fell. He turned to Grimsley and asked, "Wait, you can do Mega Evolution?"
Grimsley's heart almost skipped a beat, and his face tense. "I can, but haven't done so in a long time. I have my reasons."
Ryuki gave a disappointing look at first, and then he smiled.. "I don't blame you. I'm a rocker down to my core, after all. If we battle, you don't have to use Mega Evolution."
Grimsley pondered over Ryuki's suggestion for a moment. From what Iris had told him, Ryuki raised his Dragon Pokémon fairly well. Plus, he could use this opportunity as a warmup before going against Nanu. Now that offer was tempting.
"Sounds like it could be fun. I accept your invitation."
"Oh, can I come and watch?" Ronald asked eagerly.
"Sure, the more the merrier! Let my bandmates and I set up first." He faced Grimsley, giving him a toothy grin. "Meet me in the Kantonian Gym in an hour." He picked up his guitar case, and headed out of the gardens.
"A battle in the Kantonian Gym, huh?" Ronald had his hands on his sides and grinned. "I can't wait to see how that plays out!"
"I wouldn't put your expectations that high just yet." Grimsley wasn't as enthusiastic as Ronald over this, but was curious to see if Ryuki was what Iris made him up to be.
Xxx
After they had left Malie Gardens, Grimsley told Ronald that he had something to take care of and would meet him outside of the Kantonian Gym later. Ronald replied that he was fine with that, and they went separate ways.
When Grimsley returned to Malie City, he got himself a room in the Pokémon Center. Today quite a few trainers, both young and old, were inside. Grimsley didn't pay attention to what they were doing and instead went straight to his room.
Rooms in Pokémon Centers were as simple as they get. There was a queen sized bed with soft pillows and blankets, and a table with a computer next to it. Plain curtains hung above the windows. The hardwood floor occasionally made squeaking noises underneath Grimsley's feet.
Grimsley went to his desk, grabbing his bag. He pulled out the Keystone and Absolite and set them aside, both sparkling against the sunlight. The Keystone was on a stickpin while the Absolite was tied to a golden chain.
They were a gift from Colress a few years ago. He had found a few Mega Stones, including Roulette's, and Keystones during his trip in Kalos. After they had broken up, he hadn't done Mega Evolution in a while. There was a possibility he and Roulette might use it again.
He grimaced at that thought and tore his gaze away from the stones. Grimsley took a step back, pulled out Roulette's pokéball, and released her. She stood still, her tail wagging, and barked. Giving her a sad smile, Grimsley scratched her chin.
"Hello, Roulette. How are you feeling?" he asked, and Roulette let out another joyful bark.
A sharp frown stretched across his face. Grimsley went to the table to get the Keystone and Absolite. When he returned to Roulette, he opened his palm to show her the stones. Roulette sniffed a few times and tilted her head.
"Do you remember these? They're an Absolite and a Keystone, which are used to have you turn into Mega Absol. I agreed to a battle with someone who wanted to see you like that."
Getting it now, Roulette took a few steps back and snarled. Grimsley closed his palm and rubbed his temple.
"I know, I know, you usually don't like changing to your Mega form. I don't want to do this either, but we might have to. Not just against him, but perhaps Nanu also."
Grimsley had heard Absol generally hated changing to their Mega form. That might have some truth to it as Roulette didn't like how much it overwhelmed her after battles. She would also get angry whenever Colress wanted her to Mega Evolve, so most likely she associated him with that.
Roulette still fixed her glare at him. He sighed, and then dropped on one knee and gripped onto her horn.
"I promise, though, that I won't let you use Mega Evolution unless you want to. We got ourselves a deal?"
Making a small cry, Roulette seemed to consider Grimsley's proposal. After several seconds, she barked happily and licked his face. Grimsley chuckled, patting her cheek. He put the necklace with the Absolite around her neck, and then he got up and attached the stickpin on his scarf. He frowned once more.
He truly hoped he didn't have to resort to using Mega Evolution in today's battle.
Xxx
The Kantonian Gym was situated in the middle of Malie City. Like the city, the building was influenced by Kantonian and Johtonian architecture with yellow roofing. The Pokémon League logo was above the automatic doors, which led Grimsley to wonder if the higher ups from the international headquarters had approved this. The hours when it was open were written on the sign next to the entrance. Ronald was already here, waving and grinning at him.
"Grimsley, over here!" he called out, and they went inside.
Inside the Gym's first room the floors were yellow and several trash cans were lined up. Bright lights from the ceiling gave the whole area a sunlight hue. A dozen or so people were having Pokémon battles with one another.
"Man oh man, so this is the Kantonian Gym, huh?" Grimsley had his hands on his sides, staring at his surroundings. "Didn't Ryuki say that the trash cans don't work?"
"He did. I think they're here for aesthetic reasons. Let's go check in with the receptionist."
He and Ronald went up to the receptionist. She paused what she was doing on the computer and smiled at them.
"Welcome to the Kantonian Gym! How may I help you?" she asked.
Grimsley leaned closer to the desk. "Well, I was invited here by Ryuki Oshiri for a battle."
"I'm just here to watch the match," Ronald added.
Her smile widened. "Oh, you must be Grimsley! Leader Ryuki is in the next room. Also, the entry fee for adult males is $50."
"$50?" Grimsley asked in shock. Entry fees in Unova's Gyms were less than half of that. This was as ridiculous as the battle fee back in the Battle Buffet.
The receptionist hummed and nodded. "The prices here are different for adults and young trainers!"
Grimsley furrowed his brow, and then he stared at Ronald who gave him a shrug. He rolled his eyes and paid the entry fee. They moved forward, passing by the trainers on the way.
Once he and Ronald stepped into the next room, the atmosphere was different than the previous one. Two trainers, one with a Machamp and another with a Cinccino, were on the battlefield giving out commands. Ryuki was up on a small stage playing his guitar, the music booming loud from the speakers and making Grimsley's skin vibrate. Dimmed-colored lights were flashing behind the musician like lasers. Half of the seats in the benches were already occupied, the audience cheering on the battle and the music.
"Wow, looks like Ryuki has quite a few fans," Ronald said.
"You should've been to Roxie's Gym in Virbank City. She often has big crowds going to her battles and concerts." Even though this Gym was advertised to be similar to Vermilion Gym, Grimsley mused that this was more like the Virbank Gym.
"Yeah, Berthy had mentioned the Virbank Gym was like that. I'm gonna go sit on the stands now, good luck!" He patted Grimsley's shoulder, and did just that.
Grimsley stood where he was and watched the battle in front of Machamp kept throwing his four fists at the Cinccino, but the Scarf Pokémon was able to dodge his every move. She used her fluffy tail to slam Machamp's face, which made his head turn sideways for a second.
"Retaliate with Cross Chop, Rio!" A middle-aged man in a karate robe ordered, which Grimsley assumed to be the Machamp's trainer. The other trainer was a younger woman in a white dress and blonde hair tied in a ponytail, the Cinccino belonging to her.
"Take the hit, Cece!"
Rio crossed his arms, and then collided with Cece. The Cinccino screamed and fell on the floor, but she got herself back up. Her fur was dirty, and she was breathing hard. Rio gave her a smug look, but then his face softened and cheeks flushed.
"Great, now for a Thunder Punch!" the Machamp's trainer ordered. Unfortunately, Rio still stood there in a lovestruck daze. The trainer gritted his teeth. "Hey, why aren't you moving!"
The woman trainer grinned. "That Machamp's been charmed now! Aqua Tail, let's go!"
Cece made a chirp-like noise and jumped. Her tail shined a blue coat and covered in torrential waters. She hit Rio's chest, knocking the air out of him.
"Finish it off with Iron Tail!"
Cece's tail glowed a metallic coat this time, and she struck Rio's face. The Machamp crashed on the floor, not getting up.
"And the winner of that battle is Lee!" Ryuki announced from the stands, and the crowd cheered.
"You were amazing, Cece!" Lee praised. Cece jumped into her arms, and Lee giggled.
After the other trainer returned his Pokemon, he went up to her and smiled. "You're one tough lady there. That's a good match."
"You're not so bad yourself. And I agree." She smiled back, and the two shook hands.
"What a rock hard battle that is, ohhhh! Give it up for Lee and Bruce!"
The crowd erupted into another rowdy cheer. Bruce and Lee, still holding her Cinccino, waved to the crowd goodbye, and they left the battlefield. When Ryuki noticed Grimsley, he grinned.
"All right everyone, I have a special treat for you! Our next battle will be with yours truly and a special guest! Hailing from Unova and a member of that region's Elite Four, give it up for Grimsley!"
The lights suddenly dimmed, and the spotlight aimed at Grimsley. He squinted and used his palm to shield himself from the brightness. Several people spoke softly amongst themselves; some recognized him as Grimsley from the Elite Four. The majority of the audience, though, cheered. Grimsley forced a smile and waved to the crowd.
"So dude, liking Alola so far?"
Grimsley grunted, closing his eyes. "Not bad, but I could always use a little more excitement."
"I hear you loud and clear," Ryuki said, and Grimsley opened his eyes to see him grinning. He held two fingers up. "Two Pokémon each. How do you want this, single or double battle? "
"How about we let chance decide?" Grimsley pulled out his coin and flipped it a few times. "Heads for single, tails for double?"
Ryuki raised a suspicious brow, but then his grin returned. "Once a gambler, always a gambler huh? Sure, I'll play by your rules."
Grimsley tossed the coin, caught it, and opened his palm. "It's tails. Double battle, then."
"Right on! Then let us get this party started!" Ryuki pulled two pokéballs from his belt and tossed them in the air, his Pokémon being released in a burst of light.
His first Pokémon had blue-green fur, a mustache, and fluffy white wings. They stretched their long neck and yawned, shaking their mop of hair. Ryuki's second Pokémon was a Garchomp who flexed his arms, swissed his tail, and roared. On his neck was a cord with a small purple stone attached to it.
A Garchompite. Grimsley swallowed hard upon that realization.
He ran through his options inside his head. Grimsley wasn't sure if the fluffy dragon had a secondary type, but that shouldn't be too much trouble. He was more worried about the Mega Garchomp. Dice should be able to handle him, especially with Garchomp's quadruple weakness to ice. Even though Queen would be good backup, she wouldn't fare well with Garchomp's ground moves. His best bet would be Roulette's speed and power.
And her Mega form if it came to that.
Grimsley released them. As usual, Dice pulled his shedded skin up and lifted his chin. Roulette threw her head back and howled, the Absolite around her neck shaking. Ryuki beamed.
"So you're going with your Absol, after all." Ryuki lifted his guitar higher. "All right babies, it's showtime!"
Ryuki pulled his guitar up and played like a musician in a metal rock band. Both of his Pokémon and even Dice were bobbing to the music. Roulette and Grimsley raised their brows and stared at the distracted Scrafty.
"All right, Dice, that's enough! Roulette, Shadow Claw at the white and green dragon on the left!"
Roulette howled and rushed towards her opponent. When she reached them, purple vapors covered her right paw and formed a large claw. She swiped at the dragon…
...only for Shadow Claw to have no effect on them. The fluffy dragon yawned and shook their head. Roulette growled in frustration while Grimsley gave an impressed smile.
"I must say, that's the first time I've encountered a Dragon and Normal-type Pokemon."
"Right-o, dude! You've never encountered a Drampa before, so it's an easy mistake to make. But yeah, Ghost moves are useless on my baby boy here."
The smile on Grimsley's lips faded, and he narrowed his eyes. All right, he needed to be careful not to use Shadow Claw on the Drampa anymore.
"Dice, hit hard at the Garchomp with Ice Punch! Roulette, go at the Drampa once more, but this time Bite him!"
Grimsley's Pokémon sprang into action. While running, Dice's fist glowed blue and formed a cold mist. Roulette had her jaws wide open, ready to strike.
"Belt out everything you got, Gleam!" Ryuki said, still playing his guitar. "Dirk, sneak up on the little guy coming at you!"
Gleam inhaled and let out an ear-piercing scream. That made Dice and Roulette stop in their tracks, Roulette wincing and Dice covering his ears. Grimsley gritted his teeth and also covered his ears. He glanced to see half of the audience having the same reactions, the other half cheering on.
While Dice was distracted, Dirk went behind him and crunched his arm. Dice screamed and tried to wiggle out of the Garchomp's grip, but with little success. Dirk tossed him aside and let go, Dice hitting the floor hard. Dice got up quickly, shook his fist, and glared at him.
"Nice work, babies! Follow that up with Poison Jab, Dirk! And you Gleam, let's fire up the crowd even more!"
"Try punching him once more, Dice! Roulette, get at Drampa hard and fast!"
Both Dirk and Dice rushed at each other and their fists glowed, purple and light blue respectively. When they collided, their fists pushing against each other. Eventually Dice pushed through and punched the fin on Dirk's arm, freezing part of it. Dirk screamed and shook his arm, trying to get rid of the ice shards forming there. Dice pulled his shredded skin, grinning.
While that was happening, Roulette howled and jolted forward like a beam of light. Gleam inhaled once more and flames started forming around his jaws, only for Roulette to ram onto him and cause him to tumble backwards. Roulette took several steps back, carefully watching him.
"Good work you, two," Grimsley said in satisfaction. "Roulette, focus on the Garchomp! Dice, you go for the Drampa and use Zen Headbutt!"
Grimsley's Pokémon did as they were told. The horn on Roulette's forehead turned purple, and she bolted towards Dirk. As Dice rushed towards Gleam, his own forehead glowed a soft pink.
"All right Dirk, time to get your claws dirty! Gleam, let's go for a different kind of firepower!"
Dirk crossed his arms together, and green flames formed on his two claws. As soon as Roulette reached him, he blocked her assault and pushed her some steps back. They exchanged several blows at one another, but eventually Dirk's claw sliced at Roulette's face and she fell down. Roulette picked herself up and glared at him, gritting her teeth.
Before Dice could reach Gleam, the dragon sucked in a deep breath and let out a dragon-shaped multicolored beam straight at him. Dice screamed, green and purple flames engulfing him for a few seconds. After the flames faded, burnt marks were shown on Dice's wrists and knees. Still energized, Dice's forehead shone once more and he headbutted below Gleam's chin. Gleam stared at the ceiling for a moment, as if dazed, before shaking his head.
Ryuki pressed his lips and glared. His music went on a faster and aggressive pace.
"Spread your wings and fly, Gleam! And Dirk, let's shake things up now, shall we?"
The audience cheered wildly upon him saying that. Grimsley had an idea what Ryuki wanted his Garchomp to do, so he yelled out his next command.
"Both of you jump and attack from the air!"
Ryuki's Pokémon acted first, Gleam flapping his wings and taking to the air and Dirk slamming his fins on the floor. Grimsley stared up, dumbfounded; that Drampa could actually fly? He just learned another trivia of that Pokemon.
As the earth began to shake, both Dice and Roulette jumped in time while Grimsley wobbled and almost lost his footing. Dice stretched his right leg and dived down at Dirk, kicking his face and making his head moved sideways. Roulette reached Gleam and had her horn slash his neck, leaving a deep cut there.
Roulette's Super Luck ability, Grimsley mused to himself with a small smile. Makes critical hits deadlier.
Grimsley's Pokémon landed on the floor first, and then Gleam shortly after. Dice and Roulette stood by and watched while the Drampa grunted and thrashed his head around. Grimsley raised his brow, thinking he was just moving to Ryuki's music.
That was, until he noticed Gleam's eyes glowing red.
The Drampa threw his head back and roared, causing Dice and Roulette to cautiously step back. The air inside turned cold dramatically and a snowstorm blew over. Grimsley gritted his teeth and tugged at his scarf tighter while his Pokémon closed their eyes and braced themselves.
"Oh my, you just activated Gleam's Berserk ability. You don't want to see his bad side." Ryuki then said, "I think that's enough of a warm up there, Dirk. Time to really rock this joint!"
Ryuki pulled up his guitar, a small keystone attached to it that gleamed in the spotlight. He touched the keystone with his finger, and both the keystone and Dirk's Mega Stone shined brightly with multi-colored sparks. Dirk roared and was engulfed in golden light. Everyone stopped cheering and watched with bated breath. Grimsley shield himself from the brightness, and when the light faded his throat turned dry.
Dirk's shoulders grew bulkier and more spikes formed around his chest. His fins changed into large scythes, and his face had a more angular shape. Dirk stretched his new arms up and roared. The audience erupted into a joyous uproar. Roulette and Dice were taken aback by Dirk's new appearance, and then they went back to their battle stances.
Ryuki lifted his chin, grinning. "Say hello to Dirk's Mega form. Pretty metal, huh?"
Seeing the Mega Garchomp before him, Grimsley had vividly recalled the conversation he and Colress had over Mega Evolution. The secrets on using that power.
"The four secrets of Mega Evolution?"
"Yes! During my time in Kalos, I went to the Tower of Mastery in Shalour City and had a lovely discussion with the gym leader Korrina and her grandfather. They gave me some great insight on ways Mega Evolution brings out a Pokemon's full potential!"
"Really? Well, I'm now intrigued."
"I thought you would! Ahem, now the first secret of Mega Evolution. Both the trainer and Pokémon must have a bond. Having that bond ensures a stable mental connection between both parties."
Back in the present, Grimsley grunted, his forehead knitting in a furrow. He had heard how awfully powerful Mega Garchomp could be. Not only that, Ryuki's Drampa was still on the battlefield. He needed to take down Gleam first and perhaps get some physical damage on Dirk while he was at it.
"Roulette, Aerial Ace at Dirk!" Grimsley said, thrusting his arm out. He first pointed at Dirk and then Gleam. "Dice, throw a punch at Gleam!"
After giving an affirmed bark, Roulette howled and accelerated towards Dirk in lighting speed. She rammed onto him, which caused him to stumble halfway and shriek. Dirk recovered quickly though, and there was barely a scratch on him. Seeing how she didn't succeed, Roulette glared and snarled.
Over the other half of the battle, Dice kept throwing punches at Gleam. The Drampa was able to dodge them easily due to his slender neck, but luckily Dice landed a blow below his chin. Gleam screamed and several ice shards were stuck on his beard, which he was then able to shake easily.
"Yo Gleam! Looks like the crowd wants an encore!"
Liked before, Gleam inhaled and let out an ear-piercing scream that made Grimsley and his Pokémon winced. This time, the Drampa kept thrashing his head and his eyes glowed red, which Grimsley assumed was the Berserk ability being activated again. Roulette barked continuously and shook her head while Dice dropped on the floor and rolled around; they seemed to be in much more pain than last time. That Pokémon definitely needed to go.
"You two, we need to take down Gleam now!"
Despite the various noises in the room, Roulette and Dice were able to snap out of Gleam's Hyper Voice and rushed towards him. Once Roulette's scythe glowed, she sliced Gleam's side and left an even deeper cut than before. While Gleam roared in pain and bobbed his head wildly, Dice pulled up his shredded skin and leapt up. As he was diving down, Dice kicked the Drampa hard on the face and had him fall backwards. When Gleam didn't get up, Roulette and Dice exchanged each other grins, the Scrafty giving a thumbs up.
The audience went silent for several seconds, and then gave out genuine, excited cheers. Ryuki stopped playing the guitar and stared, but then he smirked.
Grimsley sighed in relief, but then he frowned when he realized his Pokémon still needed to deal with Dirk.
"Not surprising that you're this good, pal." Ryuki chuckled through the microphone and returned his Pokémon. "However, Dirk and I will keep on rocking!" He resumed playing his guitar again and screamed, "Get your claws out once more, ooooh!"
"You guys do the same!" Grimsley said.
Dirk stretched his head upwards and green flames formed on his scythes. Roulette and Dice let out their claws too, dark purple and green flames respectively. They collided with Dirk, who was able to block off their attacks but still needed to divide his attention between the two. Each time Roulette and Dice's claws met with Dirk's, sparks flew like when Grimsley and Molayne's Bisharp had battled.
After a while, Dice tried to aim for Dirk's face and missed, giving the opportunity for the Garchomp to slice his back. Dice screamed in pain and crashed onto the floor. While Dice moaned and struggled to get up, Dirk approached him and lifted his scythe above him.
When Roulette saw that, she howled and had her jaws open. She attempted to bite Dirk, but he slammed her with his arm and pushed her aside. Dice barely got up, but he winced and dropped on one knee. A grin pulled on Dirk's face, his teeth showing, and he swiped Dice across the face. A deep claw mark was shown on his face, and Dice collapsed and didn't get up.
Both Grimsley and Roulette's face fell. Everyone in the stands cheered, and half the audience jumped up and applauded.
"You did wonderful Dice, you deserved a rest," he said with a sad smile, returning him back inside his pokéball.
He turned his attention to Ryuki and Dirk, the two having their chests rising and taking deep breaths. The musician flashed him a grin and pointed a finger at him.
"And now we're down to one Pokémon each," Ryuki said, still panting and his voice raspy. "Can you and your Absol hold on a while longer?"
To the audience, it looked like he was running out of energy after playing hard on his guitar. Grimsley knew though that wasn't the case. Colress's voice echoed inside his head once more.
"The second secret of Mega Evolution! Both the trainer and Pokemon's hearts and souls must be in sync. You give half of yourself and your Pokémon the other half."
Rykui and Dirk had shared each other's hearts and souls when they did their Mega Evolution. They would be exhausted after this battle was over, but Grimsley was still at a disadvantage. Unless...
Grimsley flinched when Roulette barked several times. She shook her fur, the Absolite on her neck dangling. Their gazes met, and Grimsley's heart jumped in his throat.
"Are you sure?" he asked in a low voice. Roulette lifted her head and barked. Grimsley regarded her a moment, and then he grinned. "All right, let's do this!"
Grimsley touched the keystone, which was attached to his scarf, and both it and the Absolite sparkled. Roulette was bathed in golden light, and her appearance changed.
The back of her fur stood out on end, as if she had wings. More fur bristled on her legs, and the spikes on her heels and elbows also grew. Her horn thickened and widened, and another smaller horn popped out as well. Roulette tossed her head and let out her loudest howl since this battle.
The audience stopped in stunned silence upon Roulette's Mega form being shown, and then they erupted into wild cheers, like they did with Dirk's Mega form. A wide grin pulled on Ryuki's face, and he gave out a throaty laugh.
"Having a change of heart, huh?"
"Roulette wants to make this bet even," Grimsley said, and Roulette barked in agreement.
"Your Absol is quite the rocker, then!" Rykui resumed playing his guitar. "Dirk, Earthquake once more!
"Jump, and then bite him!"
Dirk threw his head, roared, and slammed on the floor. The earth shook once more, Grimsley slightly losing his balance. Roulette jumped up, giving the illusion of flying, and then she dived down with her jaws open. Roulette sunk her teeth onto Dirk's arm, which he used to block her from his face. He shook her off, and Roulette landed on all fours and glared.
As Grimsley contemplated Roulette's next move, he found himself hearing Colress's voice in his head again.
"The third secret of Mega Evolution! Both the trainer and Pokémon must use it only temporarily. Using it more than necessary could cause great harm to both trainer and Pokemon."
Mega Evolution was a power used for a short period of time. If you overstayed your welcome, then there would be consequences. Both his and Ryuki's Pokémon were at risk. He needed to get this battle wrapped up soon.
"Aerial Ace, but from above!" Grimsley said, pointing to the ceiling.
Roulette jumped, or "flew" rather, once more, and in a blink of an eye crashed down on Dirk. The bulkier Garchomp screamed and fell on the ground. Several seconds passed, and Dirk rose up with a snarl.
Grimsley bit his lips and clenched his fist. That Aerial Ace hit much harder than last time, but it was still not enough.
"Don't think you'll crack Dirk's shell that easily!" Ryuki said. "Give that Absol a taste of your poison!"
"Shadow Claw, go!"
Dirk's scythe lit up purple, and dark vapors formed around Roulette's leg. They collided and exchanged rapid blows at each other. The crowd became immersed with the fierce dance between the two Mega Pokemon. Even Ryuki couldn't tear his gaze off of that spectacle.
While their battle continued, Colress's voice echoed through Grimsley's head one last time.
"Now the final secret of Mega Evolution! Most importantly, the trainer and Pokémon must put their trust in one another. If one has doubts on the other, then their bond and souls aren't strong enough yet for Mega Evolution."
Grimsley knew he and Roulette had a strong bond and he trusted her in handling herself like when she went against the Totem Pokemon, Mimikins. They still had a long way to go in dealing with Dirk, though.
After several more blows between the two, Roulette managed to scratch Dirk's chest and left three deep claw marks there. Dirk retaliated by jabbing her throat, which caused her to whine and fall down. She rose back up, but she panted hard and her legs shook.
Grimsley took deep breaths, sweat drenching on his forehead. He grew tired himself from having shared his energy with Roulette, and he wasn't sure how much longer they would last.
Ryuki grinned, showing off his teeth. "Looks like the Absol here is burned out. Time to close the show!"
"Don't let him get away with that!"
Despite being exhausted, Roulette's horn shined and she swiped Dirk's chest, leaving another scar there. Dirk screeched and crunched her wing-like fur. Roulette howled in pain, struggling to let go of Dirk's grip, and she was tossed up in the air. After she smashed into the ceiling, Roulette crashed down hard and collapsed. She changed back to her normal self.
Dirk raised his arms and roared, celebrating his victory. The crowd rose from their seats, cheering.
Grimsley dropped on his knees and tried to regain his breath. He was drained from not doing Mega Evolution in a long while. When he noticed Roulette still lying on the ground, he rushed to her side and pulled her head to his lap. He pushed a strain of fur away from her eyes.
"Roulette, are you all right?" he asked, gazing down at her worryingly. A few seconds passed until she opened her eyes and made a sound. Grimsley gave a soft chuckle and stroked her forehead. "You did splendidly out there. Take a nice long rest."
After Grimsley returned Roulette and got up, Ryuki jumped off from the stage and approached him. His Garchomp was behind him, not in his Mega form anymore.
"That is some blazing performance you put out there. Everyone, give it up for Grimsley!"
Everyone on the stands rose up once more and did a standing ovation. Grimsley couldn't help but feel a mixture of sadness and pride.
Another loss here. This was more disappointing than his loss with Kahili, but that was fine. Every battle had a winner and a loser, and right now this was Ryuki's time to shine. Grimsley would have his chance again soon.
"Thank you. You know how to work the crowd yourself." He and Ryuki shook hands.
"If you'll be in Alola a while longer, I don't mind doing another gig with you!" Ryuki turned to the crowd and clapped his hands. "That's it for today's show, but I'll come back tomorrow as always!"
As Ryuki and his Garchomp made their leave, the audience cheered one last time before getting up themselves. Ronald got down to the battlefield and reached Grimsley, grinning at him.
"The way you handled Mega Evolution was amazing!" Ronald gave him a worried look. "Are you okay? You look pretty tired."
"I'm fine, no need to worry," Grimsley said, making a dismissive hand wave.
"All right, if you say so. Will you use it when you battle Nanu, also?"
Grimsley flinched, and he stared down at the keystone on his scarf. While he did say to Roulette that was a possibility, he wasn't comfortable having her do Mega Evolution again for some time. He didn't need to decide now.
"I'll worry about that once I get him to battle me."
"Fair enough." Ronald gave him a wide grin. "I need to head back home, but it's great seeing you again! And good luck getting a battle with Nanu!" Ronald said, and that made Grimsley give out an amused grunt.
"I'll need more than luck for that, but your well wishes are appreciated. It's a pleasure talking with you also."
He and Ronald shook hands, and then the older man waved to him goodbye and left the gym.
Grimsley still stayed where he was, rubbing his chin. Roulette needed to be taken to the Pokémon Center, and he needed some rest himself. After that-
"Think it's finally time for me to see Nanu again," he muttered to himself. He had been putting off visiting Nanu too long. The kahuna wouldn't be happy to see him, and Grimsley wasn't sure if he was ready to battle him yet, but there were still some questions he wanted to ask him.
Author's Note:
Hi there! So a quick announcement, I FINALLY fixed grammar edits on Chapter 7 and 8! Also for Ch 8 I went and extended Grimsley and Kukui's beginning scenes where I have the two discuss why they couldn't just fly over to the mountains. I'll get to Chapter 9 and 10's edits soon.
Originally this chapter I was going to have Grimsley meet with Ronald and another Nanu scene. Plans sorta changed though when my beta pointed out the "Grimsley wants to do some training" line at the end of Chapter 10. Andddd this is the end result!
So what you guys think of the battle and the twists? The idea of Ryuki training in Unova I kinda got the idea from the anime where his team were Unova dragons. I wasn't able to add this in the narrative, but Ryuki came from a group of Sinnoh Dragon Tamers and how he got his Garchompite.
Next chapter will be Nanu centric. It's quite short, so I should have it posted before the end of this month! Chapter 13 is then we'll get Nanu and Grimsley meet again, woo! Thanks to bobandbill for betaing as always!