Chapter 18:
Old Masters, Young Challengers
Route 5 – Tancoon Way
Tancoon Way turned out to be quite different from the rest of the routes the group had traveled through. While the previous routes had plenty of green grass and trees of a similar color, the trees here were shades of yellow, orange and red, making the place look as if it was permanently in autumn. Even if the grass was still green, it was a more muted shade compared to the bright oneof green as the opposed bright shade from the previous route. It made the place look as if it was permanently in autumn, but But it couldn't bewasn't the case, given that the trees were lush with leaves, none of them having fallen to the ground.
"And none of the other Greninja from that village were able to emulate your transformation?" Vaeryn asked.
"I knew they were trying, but the last time I heard from Sanpei, he told me that neither him nor his older brother had been able to," Ash replied.
On their way to Comet Port, the town where Vaeryn would meet this professor, the old man had requested Ash to tell him everything about his Greninja, and to spare no details. So Ash recounted all the moments he had shared with the Kalosian starter: how he met shortly after arriving on Kalos, all the battles they had since then, evolving into Frogadier, Olympia's prophecy, the Ninja Village where he both evolved into Greninja and manifested the Battle Bond.
When they reached to that part, Ash also mentioned that according to the ninjas, another Greninja many centuries ago was also able to undergo a similar transformation. This caught Vaeryn's interest, taking it as proof that Greninja's transformation wasn't something unique, and perhaps it could be replicated in another Pokemon.
"You know, I don't remember anybody showing that much fascination in my Greninja, sir," Ash pointed out. "Not that I mind, but most people just tend to go with it."
Well, there was also Lysandre, but Ash preferred to forget about the man.
"How could I not be fascinated, boy? A transformation not dissimilar to Mega Evolution, except without either a Keystone or a Mega Stone? If somebody told me about that, I would have never believed them! Heavens, I saw it with my own eyes, and I still don't believe it!"
"You also display quite the fascination towards Mega Evolution as well," Clemont pointed out.
Vaeryn chuckled heartily. "Why, yes! You can say that Mega Evolution is a subject that I'm very passionate about. I spent quite a good portion of my life studying its mysteries, albeit not exactly from a scientific standpointway, like the man I'm about to meet with does. My approach is more... philosophical and spiritual."
Ash nodded. Ash was reminded of Gurkinn, Korrina's grandfather and Mega Evolution Master, who also had a similar outlook on the topic.
"Mega Evolution is indeed big in Tandor, huh?" Bonnie echoed.
"Aye. Though, while most people, those from this region included, merely see Mega Evolution as a way to increase their Pokemon's power, me and those with a similar mind see it as much more," Vaeryn said. "Namely, we think Mega Evolution is the ultimate bond that can be forged between humans and Pokemon, and the means to truly understand one another. And this makes me wonder, how deep is the bond between Ash and his Greninja, being able to reach such a transformation without the help of a Keystone and Mega Stone?"
"Well... as much as I like hearing that, I also like to think that the bond with other Pokemon is just as deep, even if I can't make them transform like Greninja does," Ash pointed out.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu energetically nodded.
"Oh, pardon me, my boy, if my words implied that your bond with your other Pokemon were lesser. It was far from my intention," Vaeryn apologized.
"Don't worry, it's okay," Ash said, smiling reassuringly.
Vaeryn nodded. "Thank you. Also, before we part ways, there's something I'd like to ask you, Ash. Would you mind battling me with your Greninja? I know I already saw it in action, but I want to experience a battle against him myself."
"Sure! I'd be glad to," Ash happily replied.
"Though, you better have a very strong Pokemon if you want to match Ash-Greninja!" Bonnie piped in.
"I can assure you that won't be a problem," Vaeryn confidently stated.
"Heh, you said that now, but wait until-" Bonnie interrupted herself, a frown developed on her face as a realization dawned upon her. "Hey, wait a minute! If you have a Pokemon so strong, why didn't you help us fight that giant Terlard before!?" she angrily asked.
Realizing that Bonnie made a good point, the rest of the group looked at Vaeryn. They weren't glaring at him or anything, just wanted to hear what he had to say in his defense.
"I was about to, but seeing Ash's Greninja distracted me. I also wanted to see not just his capabilities, but what the rest of you were able to, and your skill as trainers," Vaeryn began. "I swear by Aotius and Mutios that, had the situation demanded it, I would have stepped up and dealt with that Terlard myself. I would never let any young trainer be harmeda victim of any harm in my presence."
They continued looking at him, weighing his words. While they believed him, it almost looked as if they found his excuse a bit flimsy, and he should have helped them anyway.
"I see you're not convinced. Perhaps I should have offered my help as well back then," Vaeryn reflected. "Alright, let me try to compensate you, then. Ash, if you are able to impress me during our battle, I will give you and your friends a very special prize that will be of great help during your journey."
"Really? That's awesome!" Ash cheered.
…
Thankfully, it didn't take very long for the group to reach Comet Port. Not that they didn't enjoy the wild beauty of Tancoon Way, but after so many days traveling through the Baa Grasslands, sleeping in the open, followed by their arduous trek through Comet Cave, civilization was a sight for sore eyes for Ash's group. While they were no strangers to sleeping in the open, after doing it for so long, sleeping in a Pokemon Center was much appreciated.
Comet Port was a sizable town, much larger than Moki and Kevlar Town, though not as big asto the size of Nowtoch City. The town was mostly formed by one and two story houses made of wood with green roofs, but there were also large warehouses, mostly near the wharf –with several ships docked in–, where the load carried by ships was stored before it was sent away on trucks.
"Comet Port. Here we are," Vaeryn announced. "Once you want to go to East Tandor, you'll have to come here in order to board a ferry. Well, either here or Bealbeach City, but the price tickets are much cheaper here, hehe."
Wasting no time, the group headed to the Pokemon Center. Not only to have their Pokemon restored to full health and book a couple rooms, but also because they were curiousthey were also curious about this scientist Vaeryn was about to meet.
"Ah, there it is," Vaeryn said, looking at a man sitting at one of the tables in the lobby. A tall, handsome looking man with dark hair that the group was very familiar with.
"No way! It's Professor Sycamore!" Bonnie loudly said.
Upon hearing his name, the Kalosian Professor turned around towards the source of the voice, and smiled upon seeing the group.
"Hey, it's you guys," Sycamore said, getting up and walking towards them. "Fancy to see you here. Such a small world, huh? So, Ash, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie. I trust you've been okay?"
"Hey there, Professor!" Ash greeted him.
"Of course. A Kalosian Professor expert in Mega Evolution. It couldn't be any other but you," Serena said, recalling what Vaeryn told her.
"And I see that you've been acquainted with Gym Leader Vaeryn," Sycamore mentioned.
There was a collective gasp, as the group of four looked at the old man with a sudden sense of awe.
"Gym Leader...?" Ash repeated, while Serena pulled her Pokedex, and began to furiously type something on it.
"Indeed, young man. Didn't I mention it?" Vaeryn not-so-innocently asked, a wide smile forming under his beard. "It must have slipped my mind. You know, in my old age, my memory isn't what it used to be..."
"Not only is he a Gym Leader," Serena said, having found information on Vaeryn on her Pokedex. "You're one of Tandor's three toughest Gym Leaders, as well as a Mega Evolution master!"
"No wonder you know so much about Mega Evolution..." Ash said in awe.
"Well... I do try, hehe," Vaeryn chuckled.
"That's why we're here. Mega Evolution in Tandor is just as popular as in Kalos, and it has been for quite some time, thanks to its abundance of Mega Stones. So it was only logical to come here in order to continue our research on Mega Evolution," Sycamore explained. "And I couldn't think a better way to start than meeting the region's foremost Mega Evolution expert."
"Of course," Ash agreed, before he realized something. "Wait a minute... we?"
"Exactly, we," a familiar voice said behind them.
Ash turned around, and saw a tall black haired boy wearing a distinctive blue scarf, accompanied by a redheaded girl whose hairstyle was reminiscent of a Chespin, wearing a green hat.
"Alain! Mairin!" Ash said, smiling wide. "Heh, I knew that if the Professor was here, you wouldn't be far."
"It's great to see you again, Ash," Alain said, as both rivals shook hands. This allowed Ash to notice the new bracelet with a Keystone on it. Last time he saw the Kalosian teen, he had given it to the police since it had been given to him by Lysandre. "Huh? I see you got another Keystone."
"Yeah..." Alain, taking a look at it, his expression becoming unreadable. "Professor Sycamore was kind enough to get me another one to replace the one I got from..." He said, frowning a little as he left the line unfinished. He then smiled at Ash, as if pushing away from his mind some thoughts that troubled him. "I take you're going to challenge the Tandor League?"
"You can bet on it! I have two badges already!" Ash proudly said. "What about you? Are you going to take part in the League too?"
"Indeed! And he has four badges already!" it was Mairin who replied.
"Four? Whoa!" Ash gasped. "I better step up my game then!"
"At first I only challenged Gym Leaders here as part of our research, since all of them use Mega Evolution," Alain explained. "But now that I know you're also going to take part in the league, I'm going to enjoy it much more!"
"What, weren't you happy with kicking Ash out of a league once that you plan to do it again?" Bonnie deadpanned, shooting Alain an irritated look.
"Bonnie!" Clemont shouted.
Alain either didn't hear her or ignored her. "But you know what? As great as our last battle in the Kalos League was, now that I see you here I can't wait anymore! I challenge you to a battle, Ash!"
Before Ash could reply, Vaeryn cleared his throat. "While your enthusiasm is encomiable, and I understand why you would want to battle a trainer like Ash if you know him beforehand, I'm afraid that he promised to battle me when we arrived at Comet Port."
"Oh..." Alain said, deflated and a little disappointed. "Guess I'll have to wait my turn."
"Heh, you're surely popular around here, Ash," Sycamore joked.
Ash just chuckled bashfully, before he turned at Vaeryn. "If you don't mind, would you like to have our battle now?"
"I was about to suggest it, my boy, and I'm glad that we were thinking the same thing," Vaeryn said.
…
A few minutes later, everybody was on the battleground next to the Pokemon Center. Ash and Vaeryn were on their spots, with Clemont in the middle, playing the role of referee. Everybody else was on the sidelines, watching with interest.
"Vaeryn promised Ash a reward for this match. His Gym Badge?" Serena muttered to herself. Though louder than she thought, given that Alain heard her.
"No. Only matches that take place on Pokemon Gyms and with an official referee can result in winning a badge," her fellow Kalosian explained. "If Vaeryn gave Ash a badge now, not only the badge wouldn't be valid, but Vaeryn would get into trouble with the Pokemon League."
"Then what-" Serena was about to say, before being interrupted by Clemont.
"The battle between Ash and Vaeryn will be a one on one with no time limit! The trainer who faints the opposite Pokemon first will win," Clemont began. "Trainers, select your Pokemon!"
Ash already had a pokeball in his hand before Clemont could finish explaining the rules. "Greninja, I choose you!"
Ash tossed the pokeball forward, releasing the Kalosian Water-type starter, quickly slipping into a fighting stance.
Vaeryn didn't react, but a subtle shift in his body language revealed that he was excited to see Ash's Pokemon again. A pokeball appeared in his hand. "Show your worth, Ampharos!"
Vaeryn's pokeball opened when it hit the ground, and the Electric-type Pokemon emerged from it. Ash quickly noticed the collar around its neck with a Mega Stone attached on it.
"Begin!" Clemont shouted.
~Ash (Greninja) VS Vaeryn (Ampharos)~
"Let's begin with Water Shuriken!" Ash ordered.
"Gre!" Greninja nodded, forming a watery star between his hands, before tossing it at Ampharos.
Watching the four star projectile fly towards his Pokemon, Vaeryn wasted no time and issued an order. "Ampharos, counter it with Thunder Punch!"
"Am!" Ampharos cried, as it twisted the end of its arm into something resembling a fist, which crackled with electricity, before punching the Water Shuriken, which was shattered into a million electrified water droplets.
"Excellent! Now Dragon Pulse!" Vaeryn followed.
"Dodge it while getting closer and use Night Slash!" Ash replied.
Ampharos took a deep breath before releasing a purple and amethyst dragon- shaped energy blast at Greninja, who dodged as he rushed forward, as a sword of pure darkness forminged on one of his hands. Like a blue blur, Greninja bridged the distance between himself and the Light Pokemon, delivering a powerful slash across its chest.
"Phaaaaa...!" Ampharos cried.
"Well done Greninja! The first hit is ours!" Ash cheered. However, his joy was about to be very short-livedshort lived.
"Thunderbolt!" Vaeryn ordered.
"Aaaaam..." Ampharos began, as its body crackled with electricity.
"Greninja, quickly, move back!" Ash urged.
"PHAROS!" Ampharos cried, releasing the stored electricity in the form of multiple yellow lightning bolts.
Greninja hopped backwards as fast as he could, but he was too close to Ampharos to properly dodge the Thunderbolt, taking it in full.
"Greninja!" Ash cried.
"Whoever wins a battle isn't that whom strikes the first hit, but the last," Vaeryn told Ash, his tone carrying a scolding edge.
"Well, that Thunderbolt is far from being the last hit of the battle!" Ash proclaimed. "Night Slash once again!"
"Parry with Thunder Punch!" Vaeryn replied.
Once again, Greninja moved into close quarter distance, another blade of darkness in his hand, and delivered a swipe at Ampharos, who parried it with one of its electrified punches, and countered with the other, but Greninja's speed allowed him to dodge it. The two of them continued to trade blows that were either parried or dodged, until Vaeryn called for the next course of action.
"Focus Blast!" the old man shouted.
Ampharos pushed Greninja backwards, and formed a red orb of energy between its paws.
"Very clever," Serena heard Sycamore say. "Ampharos is a very slow Pokemon, so Vaeryn is playing defensive and goading Ash into getting closer, enduring Greninja's hits, but countering with something much more powerful."
"Yeah. Focus Blast is a strong move offset by its low accuracy, but from that distance, Greninja will have a hard time tryingwill have it hard to dodge it," Alain added, before he narrowed his eyes. "Though... Ash doesn't appear to be very concerned with that."
"Greninja, Water Shuriken! Make it as big as possible and use it as a shield!" Ash shouted.
"Gre!" Greninja said, forming a Water Shuriken twice as big as normal, and placing it so its blunt side would face the incoming projectile.
The orb crashed against the Water Shuriken, resulting in an explosion that canceled both attacks, also producing a shockwave that pushed Greninja backwards. However, the Ninja Pokemon managed to use the momentum to do a backflip in mid- air, before gracefully landing on his feet.
"Thunderbolt!" Vaeryn replied.
"Avoid it with Double Team!" Ash ordered.
As Vaeryn's Ampharos directed multiple lightning bolts towards Greninja, a multitude of illusory copies littered the battleground, much to Ampharos' confusion. Some of the copies were dispelled by the Thunderbolt, but most of them remained, including the original.
"You won't dodge this one. Ampharos, Thunder Punch on the ground!" Vaeryn said, hitting the floor with the bottom of his staff.
"Greninja, jump into the air!" Ash said.
Just as Ampharos' electrified fist hit the ground, releasing a circular electric shockwave that expanded outwards, dispelling the rest of the copies at once, Greninja leaped into the air, avoiding the attack.
"Now, Ice Beam!" Ash said, thrusting a punch forward.
"Greeee...!" Greninja began, forming an orb of ice between his webbed hands, before using it to fire a beam of frigid energy at his foe. "NINJA!"
Vaeryn was unable to issue another command, and the attack hit Ampharos. The Light Pokemon cried, as its body was slowly covered in frost.
"Now, Night Slash!"
Letting gravity pull him down, Greninja aimed his body so he would fall near the shivering Ampharos, as another blade of darkness was conjured ion his hand. The Light Pokemon couldn't react in time, and Greninja delivered a powerful swipe across its chest, carrying so much power, it knocked the Electric-type backwards.
"Yes! Direct hit!" Bonnie said, getting up and bouncing up and down. "Go Ash, go Greninja!"
"Indeed. Your start may have been a little sloppy, but you managed to match my battle pace quite admirably," Vaeryn praised. He then pressed a switch under the staff's dragon head, causing it to open its mouth, revealing a Keystone. The old man grabbed the Keystone, and said: "I believe this is enough for a warm-up. Should we begin the actual battle?"
Ash smirked confidently. "We're ready for anything you throw at us!"
Vaeryn matched Ash's smirk with one of his own. "In that case.." he raised the Keystone above his head. "Ampharos, my old friend! Let our bond bring forthforward the power within, and unleash it like a storm! Mega Evolve!"
Both the Keystone and the Mega Stone attached to Ampharos' collar began to glow, and fired beams of different colors towards each other. The beams clashed, and merged into one, and Ampharos began to glow as its body changed, the helix of Mega Evolution flashed before it once the transformation was finished.
"Oh my goodness...!" Bonnie said, looking at Ampharos with sparkles in her eyes. "Mega Ampharos is so cute! Look at that mane! And that tail! It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!"
"You're going to need more than fluffiness to bring us down!" Ash said, crossing his arms in front of his face, a move Greninja mimicked. "Come on Greninja! Let's do it TOGETHER!"
Trainer and Pokemon brought their arms outwards, and Greninja was surrounded by a vortex of torrential water that formed around him. Behind the water tower, one could see how Greninja changed forms as the Battle Bond was triggered. Lastly, the summoned water condensed into a single four point star that was attached to Ash-Greninja's back.
Vaeryn couldn't repress an awed "ohhhhhhh" as he witnessed the transformation.
"Last time, I was only able to catch a glimpse of that transformation from a distance. Seeing it whole, and in front of me, it was simply incredible," Vaeryn said.
"If you liked that, you're going to like this even better!" Ash said. "Water Shuriken!"
"Counter with Dragon Pulse!" Vaeryn replied.
Greninja grabbed the shuriken on his back, and launched it towards Ampharos, spinning so fast it resembled more a blue disc more, while the Mega Evolved Pokemon fired another purple and amethyst dragon- shaped stream of energy. The two attacks clashed in the middle, the ethereal dragon and spinning water star grinding against each other for a couple seconds, before Ampharos' attack won the struggle, tearing through the shuriken and barreling towards Greninja.
"Greninja, jump out of the way!" Ash commanded. Thankfully, Greninja reacted in time, and jumped aside, avoiding the Dragon-type move.
"Whoa, Mega Evolution made Ampharos really strong," Serena noted. "Its Dragon Pulses were nowhere near as powerful."
"That's because Ampharos has gained the Dragon-type upon Mega Evolving. So Dragon-type moves like Dragon Pulse become more powerful as long as Ampharos remains in that state," Sycamore explained.
"Whoa, Pokemon can gain new types upon Mega Evolving?" Bonnie asked, looking awed.
"Pokemon can gain new types upon evolving normally, so why should Mega Evolution be different in that regard?" Sycamore said with a smile.
"Other Pokemon also change types. My Charizard, for example, trades its Flying-type for Dragon-type," Alain added.
After the brief explanation, the spectators returned their eyes to the battle, where Ash was once again on the offensive.
"Get close and use Night Slash!" Ash commanded.
"Gre!" Greninja said, rushing forward, two blades of dark power appearing on each hand.
"Stop him with Thunderbolt, Ampharos!" Vaeryn said, slamming the bottom of his staff on the ground.
"AAAAMP!" Ampharos bleated, its whole body crackling with electricity, before releasing all of it in the form of a yellow electric storm. "ROOOOS!"
"Greninja, avoid it with Double Team!" Ash replied.
A multitude of Greninja clones appeared around the original, quickly hiding him. Several lightning bolts struck them, making them disappear, but the original remained untouched. All the Greninjas quickly surrounded Ampharos and prepared to attack.
"Ampharos, Cotton Guard!" Vaeryn shouted.
Ampharos' mane and tail began to glow with a white light, as balls of cotton quickly appeared around the Light Pokemon, covering it almost instantly. The moment Greninja hit, he was only able to shave some cotton off of Ampharos.
"Now, Thunder Punch!" Vaeryn replied.
Just as quickly as they appeared, the cotton puffs forming the unlikely armor disappeared, revealing Mega Ampharos, already lunging towards the surprised Greninja, electrified fist ready to strike.
"Greninja, dod-!"
But Greninja was unable to react in time, and Ampharos' attack landed, its improvised fist slamming into the amphibian's face, the hit launching him backwards as electricity ran through his body, bouncing painfully on his back. Ash winced in shared pain every time Greninja's body hit the ground.
"Well done, Ampharos! Focus Blast, now that he's off balance!" Vaeryn said.
"Greninja, deflect it with Aerial Ace!" Ash said.
Ampharos formed an orb of energy between its arms, before launching it at Greninja. As the sphere of destruction zigzagged its way towards the Ninja Pokemon, Greninja jumped back on his feet, and both arms began to glow with a white light. He managed to stop the projectile barreling towards him before it could hit him with both arms, and carefully not to detonate it, he pushed it towards the sky.
"Well done! Now, Water Shuriken!" Ash followed.
Greninja once again reached to his back in order to grab a watery star, a second one quickly forming it to take the first's place, and tossed it towards Ampharos.
"That again? Ampharos, another Dragon Pulse!" Vaeryn said, his voice carrying an edge of irritation.
Just like it did before, Ampharos fired a dragon-shaped purple and magenta energy beam towards the incoming spinning shuriken. And just like it did before, Ampharos' attack overpowered Greninja's, and barreled towards the Water and Dark-type.
However, unlike the previous time, Ash and Greninja were ready for this.
"Greninja, Ice Beam! Quickly!" Ash shouted.
Greninja cupped his hands, forming an orb of icy energy, before thrustingthursting his hands forward, the white sphere of light exploding into a beam of freezing power. Once again, the two attacks clashed, but this time, it was the Dragon Pulse who was pushed backwards as the Ice Beam dangerously got close to Ampharos.
"Ampharos, let the attack strike you!" Vaeryn ordered.
"Huh!?" came the collective reply from the audience. Well, except Alain, who was watching the battle deep in thought, and didn't open his mouth.
Despite the order, Ampharos didn't hesitate, and let the super effective attack hit it. The Light Pokemon bleated in pain as ice and frost began to cover its body.
"Now, Thunderbolt!" Vaeryn ordered.
As it was being frozen, Ampharos' body crackled with yellow sparks as its body gathered electricity, before being released. However, it wasn't released in the form of one or many electric bolts as it normally was, but through Greninja's Ice Beam, which acted as a makeshift conductor.
"Greninja-"
But Greninja was unable to cancel the attack in time, and took the attack in full. But Pokemon and his trainer yelled in pain. The two of them fell to one knee.
"Time to finish this! Focus Blast!" Vaeryn said, hitting the ground with the bottom of his staff.
A yellow orb of destructive power appeared between Ampharos hands, and launched it towards Greninja, still on his knee. Even if the orb zigzagged erratically, it was obvious that it would hit the Ninja Pokemon until he jumped out of the way.
"G-Greninja... you have-"
Too late. The attack landed, and Greninja was engulfed by the resulting explosion, the shockwave launching him backwards, landing on the ground on his back with a painful thud. The Battle Bond was dispelled as Greninja returned to his regular form.
Clemont raised a hand in Vaeryn's direction. "Greninja can't fight anymore! The winners are Vaeryn and Ampharos!"
Ampharos let out a sigh of relief as it sat on the ground, returning to his regular form as well. Vaeryn's expression was unreadable.
"A magnificent victory against an excellent opponent, Ampharos. You fought with courage and determination. Take a well deserved rest," Vaeryn said, returning his Pokemon to its pokeball.
"Ash!" Serena cried, as she bolted towards her friend. She knew better than she wished how much of a toll the Battle bond could take on Ash, especially when Greninja lost. "Are you okay?"
"I'd say I'm fine, but you'd call me a liar," Ash said, chuckling a little. "But I'll be. Nothing a little rest can't fix."
That answer seemed to placate the honey blonde.
"You did your best, Greninja. We'll do better next time," Ash said, as he returned the ninja Pokemon to his pokeball.
"Now," Vaeryn said, as he began to walk towards Ash and Serena. "I believe I promised you a prize for agreeing to take part in a battle against me, did I not? And I'm a man that keeps his word."
"But... I didn't win," Ash weakly said.
Vaeryn chuckled, and shook his head. "Didn't you listen to me, or did you forget what I said? I never said you had to beat me, Ash, but to impress me. And impress me you did."
Ash grinned. "Well, even if I lost, it's great to hear that I made a good impression on you. I'd hate to make a fool of myself in front of one of Tandor's greatest trainers."
"In fact, it was a rather narrow defeat, if I'm being truthful. Letting Ampharos endure that Ice Beam in order to use it as a conductor was a gamble I wasn't sure it would pay off," Vaeryn admitted. But before Ash could reply, he pulled what appeared to be a rectangular case from within his cloak, and handed it to Ash. "Here's your prize. I'm sure you'll find it to your liking."
Ash took the case, just as Clemont, Bonnie, Alain, Mairin and Professor Sycamore approached Ash, clearly moved by curiosity over Vaeryn's gift. The Pallet Town native opened the case with a soft click, and took a look inside.
"Whoa!" Ash said.
Inside the case were six items, lined in two rows of three. One of the rows were Keystones. The others were Mega Stones, each of a different color: one forest green and light yellow, the second black and red, and the last one deep blue and bright yellow.
"It's a rather fortuitous coincidence that I was carrying the same number of Keystones as trainers are in your group, Ash," Vaeryn said, clearly enjoying his and his friends' reaction. "I'm sure they'll be mostly useful for your journey."
"By the way, at the Bealbeach City department store there's a jewelry shop that sells accessories that can be used to hold a Keystone," Sycamore suggested. "It certainly beats keeping it in the pocket all the time."
Bonnie, however, crossed her arms and pouted. "Not fair! Why don't I get a Keystone?"
"Come on Bonnie, you aren't a trainer. Why do you want one?" Clemont asked.
"I'll be ten next year, so I can be a trainer by then! Think how awesome it would be to start my Pokemon journey with a Keystone!" she hotly replied.
Clemont sighed. "Alright, I'll try to get one for you. And if I can't by the time you begin your Pokemon journey, I'll talk with dad so he gives you his Keystone. And if he doesn't want to, I'll give you mine. Happy now?"
Bonnie weighed Clemont's words. His body language relaxed a little. "...for the time being."
"What kind of Mega Stones are those?" Alain asked. "I don't think I'll ever see them before."
"They are a Metalynxite, Archillesite and Electruxolite, which can Mega Evolve the evolved forms of the Tandor starters," Vaeryn explained. "They are also the most common Mega Stones found in Tandor. Others are a little harder to come by."
No one in the group had a Pokemon that could evolve into Archilles, but Ash had an Orchynx and Clemont a Eletux, which could use those Mega Stones once they evolved. And Serena also had a Pokemon capable of Mega Evolution once Selkid evolved.
Ash nodded, and closed the case. "Thanks a lot, Vaeryn. I couldn't have asked for a better gift."
Vaeryn nodded. "Normally, the more advanced Gyms have a minimum requirement of badges in order to accept a challenger," the old man began. "Not me. I have a different requirement: only those who master Mega Evolution have the right to challenge me to a battle for a Gym Badge. I can tell that one day in the near future, you'll come to Snowbank Town in order to acquire that badge. In the meantime, use that gift to prove yourself worthy of a rematch with me, one with far more at stake."
"Don't worry, Vaeryn, I will," Ash excitedly said.
"Welcome to the club, Ash," Alain said, slapping Ash on the back. "I can't wait to see what you'll be able to do once you get a hold of Mega Evolution, on top of what you do with Greninja. Heh, I'd love to challenge you to a battle for old time's sake, but I don't think Greninja is in any condition to battle against my Charizard after such an intense battle."
"Come on Alain, you're always using Charizard! Give it a rest!" Mairin protested. "And it would be so much better if you showed Ash the new Pokemon you just caught."
Thatis immediately got Ash's attention. "Really? Did you catch new Pokemon? So did I!"
"In that case, how about if we have a battle with Pokemon we caught in the region then?" Alain suggested.
"Yeah! Count me in!"
"Yes, but first," Serena intervened. "Let Ash rest a little. The previous battle took a toll on him on top of Greninja. And neither of you want a battle when one side is not at their 100%, right?"
Neither boy contested her.
…
About an hour later, once Ash had rested and had a light snack to recover some energies, both he and Alain were ready for their first match since the Kalos League finals. Vaeryn was now taking Alain's place among the small public, while Clemont continued serving as referee.
"The battle between Ash and Alain will be a one on one with no time limit! Both trainers will use two Pokemon, and they are allowed to switch Pokemon. The first trainer whose two Pokemon are unable to battle will lose," Clemont began. "Trainers, select your Pokemon!"
"Linkite, go!" Alain said, throwing a pokeball forward.
The capture device opened up, releasing Alain's first pick for the battle. Once it materialized, one of the weirdest Pokemon they had ever seen appeared before them. It looked like a floating Substitute Doll, chained by the neck to an iron ball painted to resemble a pokeball. It was rather gloomy looking.
"Linkite, the Forsaken Pokemon. Ghost. The spirit of a Pokemon that died inside its pokeball. It has forgotten its original appearance so it takes the form of a Substitute decoy," Ash and Serena's respective Pokedex explained.
"Wow, that's... grim," Serena said, a little shaken by the description.
As Ash pocketed his Pokedex, his hand reached for a pokeball. "Alright, then this is my choice! Orchynx, I choose you!"
The pokeball opened upon hitting the ground, releasing the Grass and Steel-type Tandorian starter. The moment the Kitten Pokemon materialized, Linkite's shadow stretched towards Orchynx, linking both Pokemon through it.
"Huh? What was that?" Bonnie asked upon noticing the weird phenomenon.
"Linkite's ability, Shadow Tag," Vaeryn replied. "Shadow Tag binds the opponent's Pokemon, stopping it from being recalled. The rules might allow Ash to switch Orchynx if he wants to, but Linkite's Shadow Tag won't let him."
"So Ash has to win this battle with Orchynx then," Serena concluded.
Clemont raised both hands, before bringing them down in a chopping motion. "Begin!"
~Ash (Orchynx, ?) VS Alain (Linkite, ?)~
"We'll take the first move! Linkite, Night Shade!" Alain ordered.
"Liiii..." Linkite wailed softly, as it opened its eyes, releasing pitch black energy beams with red edges from them.
"Orchynx, counter with Energy Ball!" Ash shouted.
"Orr!" Orchynx meowed, as she opened her mouth, forming a green energy sphere in front of it, before firing it forward.
The two attacks collided in the middle, neither being unable to overpower the other, resulting in an explosion, which created a cloud of smoke.
"Orchynx, quick! Use the cloud of smoke as a cover to get close to Linkite!" Ash said.
"Don't let her! Night Shade again!" Alain replied.
As Orchynx entered the cloud of smoke, Linkite began to fire more Night Shades at her, but none of its attacks found its marks, just as Ash had hoped.
"Now Orchynx, Energy Ball!" Ash said.
The cloud of smoke, already dispelling, glowed green for a second before a sphere of the same color came out of it, and smashed right into the Forsaken Pokemon's face, before it detonated.
"Yes! Direct hit!" Ash cheered, pumping his fist. "Now Orchynx, get close and use Metal Claw!"
Like a green bullet, Orchynx rushed towards Linkite, still recovering from the Energy Ball, as her paws began to glow with a metallic shine. She then pounced towards her opponent, delivering a couple of strikes.
"Liiiiin!" Linkite cried.
"Linkite, no!" Mairin shouted, clearly worried over her friend's Pokemon's doing poorly against Ash.
A worry that, tellingly, Alain wasn't sharing. If anything, he appeared pleased with the way the match had started.
"Pain Split!" Alain commanded.
Oh, so that 's why.
A red outline appeared around both Orchynx and Linkite, as some of the latter's wounds began to disappear, and reappeared on Orchynx.
"Well, that was unexpected," Ash admitted.
"Yeah. I admit, Linkite isn't a Pokemon that suits my style of battling, but I decided to use it for the sake of expanding my horizons," Alain began to explain. "Raw power isn't the only path to true strength."
"Let's see how well that works for you then. Orchynx, Bullet Seed!" Ash commanded.
"Deflect it with Gyro Ball!" Alain ordered.
Orchynx opened her mouth, and fired a salvo of glowing yellow seeds at the Ghost-type Pokemon, who sat on the iron ball it was chained to. It, and started to spin in place, deflecting the incoming projectiles.
"Very well, Linkite! Now onto the offensive!" Alain said, thrusting a fist forward.
"Ki, ki!" Linkite said, as it advanced towards Orchynx, like a threatening spinning top.
"Orchynx, keep moving! Don't let it touch you!" Ash said.
Orchynx nodded, and began to jump from one side to another, using her superior speed to avoid the spinning Linkite whenever it came too close. After a few seconds, Linkite's spinning speed began to drop.
"Well done! Now use Metal Claw!" Ash said.
Like it happened before, Orchynx pounced at Linkite, her paws glowing with a silvery sheen, as it delivered a couple of powerful slashes at the Forsaken Pokemon. Once she was done, Orchynx's body flashed a red aura for a second.
"Huh? What happened there?" Bonnie asked.
"That's Metal Claw's effect. After being used, it has a chance of increasing the user's attack power," Sycamore explained.
"So lucky," Serena said, smiling.
"Yeah! Ash now has this on the bag!" Bonnie cheered.
"Come on Alain, you can still win!" Mairin shouted.
"Of course I can. Linkite, let's recover some health with Drain Punch!" Alain said.
Linkite's iron ball began to glow with a white light as it began to levitate, before Linkite sent the ball flying towards Orchynx, the chain increasing its length.
"Quickly, jump over it!" Ash told Orchynx, who leaped above the incoming ball, gracefully avoiding it. "And now, Energy Ball from the air!"
Alain gritted his teeth as he watched Orchynx preparing to deliver the finishing blow towards the wide open Linkite. He sighed in resignation, and said:
"Destiny Bond."
"No!" Ash panicked. "Orchynx, stop-"
But it was too late. Linkite began to glow with a purple aura, as grey smoke surrounded its body. A couple seconds later, the Energy Ball hit it in full, knocking it out. Then, once Orchynx landed on the ground, she was surrounded by the same aura, let out a meowlet a meow that sounded more like a ghostly wail, and collapsed.
Clemont raised both hands. "Both Pokemon can't fight anymore! The first match is a draw!"
Both trainers sighed, and returned their Pokemon. While being clearly unsatisfied with the result of their matches, they thanked their Pokemon for a job well done.
"Sorry for ending the match in such a cheap way," Alain quietly admitted. "I didn't know any other way to beat your Pokemon."
"No need to apologize. Destiny Bond is a move as valid as any other," Ash reassured, as he picked his next Pokeball.
"I guess I still need to work more with Linkite," Alain said, mimicking Ash.
"Alright, this is my second Pokemon! Dunsparce, I choose you!" Ash said, tossing the pokeball forward. It opened upon hitting the ground, releasing the Normal-type worm.
"Duuuun..." Dunsparce said, looking at Alain.
"A Dunsparce. Not a Pokemon I'd envision you having," Alain commented, before his mouth curved into an expectant grin. "I'm sure this is a Pokemon that's going to make quite an impression on you, Ash. Xenomite, go!"
The capture device opened up, and from a flash of green light that left everybody except Sycamore and Mairin a little stunned, Alain's Pokemon emerged.
"Xeno!" it cried.
"Is... is that...!?" Vaeryn said, agitated.
Sensing the old man's uneasiness, Sycamore placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. There's nothing to worry about."
Xenomite was a little smaller than Dunsparce. Five green stumpy legs protruded from the sides of its black body, which ended on a long tail with a green tuft at the top, which it wagged lazily. Its head was shaped like a rounded V. It had two large green eyes, and a green nose that reminded of a gas mask. Both Ash and Serena pulled out their Pokedex to scan this weird new Pokemon.
"Xenomite, the Mutant Pokemon. Nuclear. A species that spontaneously appeared in irradiated zones. It is thought to have hatched from a corrupted egg."
"Nuclear!?" Ash asked in shock.
"Is... is that a type?" Serena asked.
"Indeed it is. While not officially recognized as a type in most circles due their sheer rarity, they are in the region of Tandor," Sycamore began. "Normally, Nuclear-type Pokemon exist in areas with strong radiation, places where no other living being can live, such as the central mountains of Tandor, which hold large uranium deposits. However, thanks to Tandor's many nuclear power plants, many Nuclear-type Pokemon had left their normal habitats and moved to places near them."
"Whoa..." Ash said, looking at Xenomite with curious eyes. Could he be able to catch a Nuclear Pokemon?
"But... I thought there were only eighteen types!" Clemont said.
"There may be many Pokemon types out there that we don't know about, either because of their rarity, or simply because they live in zones where no human has gone before," Sycamore continued.
"You shouldn't have caught that Pokemon, boy," Vaeryn gravely said, glaring at Alain. "Those creatures are as dangerous as they are unpredictable."
"What? But Xenomite has been such a sweetheart!" Mairin protested.
"Yeah. I might not have it for long, but Xenomite hasn't given me any troubles so far," Alain replied.
"I'm aware that Nuclear Pokemon can be temperamental, but this Xenomite behaves exactly like any other Pokemon," Sycamore added.
Vaeryn grumbled something unintelligible under his thick beard. "Very well then. If you trust you can tame those Pokemon, I won't stop you. But I still stand by what I said."
"Perhaps if you show Vaeryn how Xenomite fights, he might change his opinion on it?" Ash suggested.
"Guess there's no harm in trying," Alain agreed. "Let's go!"
"This time, we'll take the first move!" Ash said. He was about to give an order, when a thought assaulted his mind. "Wait a minute... that Pokemon is of a type I never fought against before. How does the Nuclear type relate to the other types?"
"Ash?" Alain asked upon seeing the boy from Kanto hesitate.
This seemed to snap Ash out of his brief trance. "Guess I'll have to find it myself. Dunsparce, Rollout!"
"Dun, dun!" Dunsparce cried, as he curled into a spinning ball, and rolled his way towards Xenomite.
"Xenomite, dodge it!" Alain ordered.
Xenomite managed to jump aside just as Dunsparce reached it, rolling past it. Dunsparce, however, made an impromptu U-turn, rolling in the Mutant Pokemon's direction.
"Xenomite, Protect!" Alain shouted.
Xenomite faced the rolling Dunsparce, and erected a green energy barrier around itself, allowing Dunsparce to crash into it, canceling the attack and causing the Land Snake Pokemon to bounce backwards.
"And here's a Nuclear-type move for your viewing pleasure! Xenomite, use Gamma Ray!" Alain said, making a waving motion with his arm.
Xenomite raised its tail, as an orb of green energy, similar to Energy Ball, but a more intense shade of green and with green sparks crackling around it, formed on its tip, before the orb exploded into a beam of the same color. It, directly landeding on Dunsparce, producing an explosion of the same color.
"PAAAAAARCE!" Dunsparce cried in pain, as he was lunged backwards by the power of the attack.
"Such a potent attack!" Ash said, worried for his Pokemon, but also in awe.
"That looked like a super effective move," Serena surmised. A conjecture Ash was inclined to agree with.
However, looking at Alain and Sycamore, the grins they were showing made Ash wonder if Serena was right or not.
"Dun!" Dunsparce cried, as he got back on his proverbial feet, and fiercely glared at Xenomite, whose resolve didn't waver in the face of Dunsparce's anger. The yellow snake hadn't taken that Gamma Ray kindly.
"Dunsparce, if we want to beat this Pokemon, we'll need to be careful, okay? I don't think you can take many more attacks like that one," Ash warned his combative Pokemon, fearing that he might do something stupid in his attempt to get back at it."
"Dun..." the Land Snake Pokemon reluctantly agreed.
"Let's keep going on! Xenomite, Gamma Ray again!" Alain ordered.
"Evade it with Dig!" Ash quickly replied.
As Xenomite prepared the Gamma Ray, Dunsparce burrowed underground, and was safe below the battleground when the Mutant Pokemon fired its attack. Then, before it could have any time to react, Dunsparce tunneled towards Xenomite's position, bursting from under him, sending him flying into the air.
"Well done, Dunsparce! Now hit it with Ancient Power before it hits the ground!" Ash said, pressing the advantage.
"Duuuuun...!" Dunsparce began, as he summoned several glowing orbs of golden light spinning above him, which quickly grew into golden boulders that he launched towards the still airborne Xenomite. "Parce!"
"Xenomite, destroy that attack with another Gamma Ray!" Alain shouted.
Rather impressively, Xenomite was able to right its position mid air, and fired a third Gamma Ray from its tail towards the incoming Ancient Power, reducing the golden rocks to mere peebles.
"Dunsparce, get close and use Poison Jab!" Ash ordered.
"Protect!" was Alain's reply.
Ash Dunsparce crawled towards the falling Xenomite, his stinger tail was covered in a purple aura, which he directed towards Xenomite as the Nuclear-type touched the ground. However, the moment it happened, the Mutant Pokemon was encased once again inside a protective forcefield, which successfully blocked Dunsparce's attack.
"Now, Sludge!" Alain added.
Xenomite fired a stream of toxic purple mud through its tail as if it was a pressure hose, hitting Dunsparce in the face.
"Duuuuun!" the blinded Dunsparce began, thrashing wildly in a vain attempt to lash out at Xenomite.
"Now, Gamma Ray!" Alain said.
"Dunsparce, Dig!" Ash desperately said.
Unfortunately for Ash, Dunsparce barely registered the order, and was unable to do anything to stop the Nuclear-type move from hitting him a second time, engulfing it in the resulting explosion. And that second time was what Alain's Pokemon needed to put an end to the fight, as once the resulting green cloud dispelled, Dunsparce didn't move.
Clemont raised an arm in Alain's direction. "Dunsparce can't fight anymore! The winner of this match is Alain!"
"Oh no..." Bonnie lamented.
"Yes! Alain won!" Marin cheered, as she jumped from her seat.
Both trainers sighed, one in resignation, the other in relief, as they returned their respective Pokemon and thanked them for giving their all. Then, they walked towards each other and shook hands once again as a sign of mutual respect.
"Great victory, Alain. It seems you're still the better trainer," Ash admitted.
"Thank you. Though, don't be so ready to put yourself down," Alain replied, smiling earnestly. "Even if we couldn't use our strongest Pokemon, it was an amazing fight on par to all our previous bouts. You always manage to push me like no other trainer has done."
"In that case, I take you're open for a rematch sometime in the future?" Ash suggested.
Alain's smile grew even bigger. "Do you really need to ask?"
"Boy, that Nuclear Pokemon was sure something," Ash said, as he and Alain began to walk towards the rest of the group, with Clemont trailing behind them. "Unlike Linkite, you were far more aggressive with it. It suits your style better."
"I better be. An aggressive approach is the only way to use a Nuclear Pokemon," Alain said.
"Huh?"
"You probably wonder how Xenomite's type interacted with othersreacted to other types, don't you?" It wasn't Alain, but Sycamore the one who answered. The man looked almost eager to divulge more knowledge over the mysterious type. "Nuclear-type Pokemon are vulnerable to pretty much every other type bar itself. That makes them relatively fragile, so a defensive strategy doesn't suit them."
"So that's why you used Protect so much," Clemont pointed out.
"Exactly. I need to be careful not to let Xenomite take many attacks, or else it might go down very quickly," Alain said.
"However, Nuclear-type attacks inflict great damage on Pokemon of any type. Only Steel and other Nuclear-type Pokemon are able to resist them," Sycamore finished. "In the hands of a careful and skilled trainer, a Nuclear-type Pokemon can be a powerful battler."
"And in the hands of a careless one, they can cause unimaginable damage," Vaeryn said, his scowl persisting.
"Would you think Alain is careless?" Sycamore asked.
Vaeryn took a few seconds to study the black haired boy with his eyes before giving an answer. "The kid's a talented and experienced battler, that's for sure. But that might make him grow confident, even overconfident, in his skill to keep such a beast under control," he harshly said. "Then again, after seeing that Xenomite in action, I must admit that Alain appears to have it under control. Let's pray it lasts."
"I don't know much about Nuclear Pokemon, but I do know that Alain is one of the best trainers I ever met," Ash said, his voice earnest and unwavering, taking a step forward. Alain smiled gratefully. "If there's somebody who can tame a Nuclear-type Pokemon, it's him."
Vaeryn didn't contest Ash, seemingly accepting the issue as settled.
"I think we all can agree that we were lucky to watch such spectacular battles," Sycamore began, changing the topic in an attempt to reduce the lingering tension. "Though, I'm sure that, after not one but two fights like that, Ash and his Pokemon are in some need of rest," this earned him a nod of approval from Serena. "Vaeryn and I need to go already, since our ship will be sailing soon. Alain, Mairin, would you mind staying here until tomorrow with Ash and his friends?"
"Sure thing, professor," Alain said.
"That way, we can catch up!" Mairin chimed in.
"You need to go already?" Ash asked.
"Yes. Like the good professor said, our ship will be departing soon." he then looked at Ash and Alain. "I expect to see the two of you in my Gym in the foreseeable future."
"Don't worry, we will get there," Ash assured him.
…
An hour later, after walking with the two adult men towards their ship and seeing them go, the group of six were returning now to the Pokemon Center.
"Dinner now?" Ash asked. "I'm so hungry I could eat as much as a Snorlax!"
"Pika..." Pikachu shook his head.
"It's getting a bit late, so sure, why not," Serena agreed, as she looked at the sun in the horizon slowly set.
"By the way, where are you guys going now?" Ash asked Alain and Mairin.
"Before we meet up with him on East Tandor, Professor Sycamore sent us to an errand on Rochfale Town," Alain said.
"Rochfale Town? That's where my next contest is!" Serena beamed.
"Great! Then we can go all together!" Mairin cheered.
"What kind of errand did Professor Sycamore send you?" Clemont asked. "More Mega Evolution research?"
Alain shook his head. "Not really. You see, one of Tandor's three Pokemon Professors, Professor Cypress, is about to unveil her latest invention, which she claimed it will be revolutionary. She wanted Professor Sycamore to be there to see it, but since he's going to be busy, he's sending us in his place."
"A revolutionary invention?" Clemont echoed, his interest peaking. "Did he tell you what kind of invention it was?"
Alain shook his head. "Not really. All I know it's that it's not related to Mega Evolution, since that's outside Professor Cypress' area of expertise."
"Do you want to come with us?" Mairin asked.
"Sure! If they let us go with you..." Clemont asked.
And thus, the group of six continued towards the Pokemon Center, as all of them wondered what such apparently marvelous invention could be.
Author's Note: Boy, I've been dying to get to this chapter, given how many things happened. Alright, let's unpack them!
First of all, no, Comet Port doesn't exist in the game either. I located it right on the beach that separates Route 5 from Route 12. I created it myself for pacing/convenience reasons, since it would be easier if the episode happened on an actual town rather than on some random beach. And yeah, Ash and co. will return here when it's time for them to go to East Tandor.
Next, Mega Evolution! Yeah, if it hasn't been obvious yet, I LOVE Mega Evolution, and there's no way I wrote a Pokemon fic where Ash and his friends didn't get it (if you saw the pictures I posted on the Ao3 version, this shouldn't come as a surprise, given that Ash, Serena and Clemont are holding Keystones in them). I was pretty bummed when they didn't get to use it in XY (despite everybody and their grandma using Mega Evolution), and while Ash-Greninja was nice, I still itched for the real thing. And yes, I know that JN gave Ash Mega Evolution at last, but it was for a Pokemon I absolutely loathe (Lucario). Of course, it will be a little while until they start using Mega Evolution, but hey, they already have the means to do it.
And here comes Alain, the last of Ash's three rivals, and by far the most important one! Yeah, if you ever wondered why I had Ash take Greninja as opposed to other Pokemon, like Gabite or Pidgeot, this is the reason. Like many of you, I was left deeply unsatisfied with the way their rivalry was solved (I believe Ash was WAAAAAY past the point of needing moral victories), so I hope that I can provide a much better conclusion in this fic.
And lastly, we introduce the most important staple of Pokemon Uranium, Nuclear Pokemon! And yeah, I decided to give Alain one, since I feel it's a type that suits him and it doubles as a good way to introduce the type, and prepare the characters for when they meet them in larger numbers.
Thanks to Fox McCloude, hirowriter and Viroro-kun for reviewing last chapter, and special thanks to Viroro-kun for his invaluable work as a betareader.
Now, onwards to Rochfale Town, to Serena's next contest, and to see what Professor Cypress' amazing invention is (if you played the game, you should know what it is). In the meantime, don't forget to leave a review sharing your thoughts on this chapter!