Chapter 81

In the midst of the Polar Biome, our group is captivated by the unexpected variety of Pokémon that surrounds us. As we traverse the area, our amazement only deepens at the sight of creatures other than the typical Ice Types.

When Porygon gracefully glide by, Serena voices her astonishment, her eyes fixed on the artificial Pokémon. "Porygons are here? They used to be so rare because they're artificial Pokémon..."

Minami eagerly points to the floating Pokémon nearby, her excitement palpable. "And look over there! Milcery and Solosis!"

We marvel at the Pokémon that gracefully swim in the crystalline waters. Serena's voice carries excitement as she points them out one by one. "Check out the Pokémon that are swimming in the water too." Our gaze falls upon Lapras, Piplup, Oshawott, Horsea, and, to our surprise, Hisuian Qwilfish, gracefully navigating the frigid waters.

Lucine's gasp of astonishment draws our attention, and we follow her gaze to spot a Duraludon. "And Duraludon as well!"

Alice, seemingly sensing the perfect moment, chimes in. "Speaking of Duraludon... Ash, I think it's time to show you one of our new teammates. Come on out!"

She confidently hurls a Pokéball, and as it opens, a peculiar sight greets us. The Pokémon it reveals bears a resemblance to Duraludon but boasts an additional layer of metallic components. When it crouches down, its body miraculously transforms into a bridge. Lillie, visibly curious, inquires, "What's that Pokémon?"

Alice's face lights up with pride as she explains, "It's Archaludon. I caught Duraludon here and then used an Item known as Metal Alloy to evolve it."

Archaludon: The Metal Alloy Pokemon: Steel and Dragon Type. Evolve from Duraludon with a Metal Alloy. It gathers static electricity from its surroundings. The beams it launches when down on all fours are tremendously powerful.

I inquire further about the unique Archaludon, seeking clarification from Alice. "So this Archaludon is not the same Duraludon that we had in our ranch, right?"

Alice responds with assurance, "Of course not, the Duraludon at the ranch has a Gigantamax Factor, so he won't be able to evolve. Like Pikachu and Meowth."

"Right," I acknowledge, absorbing this piece of information, before turning my attention to the description of Drayton.

"Drayton: BB League Rank: #2. A very capable Trainer of Dragon types who firmly believes in having fun at all times. He's constantly tired during the day, but stays up late lazing around anyway. From Opelucid City in Unova."

We then continue our exploration, venturing deeper into the Biome and stumbling upon a series of caves, including the famous Chargestone Cave. The cave's resemblance to the one near Mistralton City is evident, but the Pokémon inhabiting it offer a more diverse spectacle. Common sights include the Joltik line, the Eelektross line, and an array of Electric Pokémon, along with the unexpected presence of Chespin.

As we explore further, we discover other caves, each harboring its unique inhabitants. One such cave reveals Torchic and Cyndaquil, marking the final starters we can encounter in our journey.

As we reach the plaza, I had already prepared to spend 50 BP for the Elite Four challenge. However, a surprise awaits as Drayton suddenly appears and interjects, "Whoa, hold up! My friend here gets in free!"

My surprise and uncertainty are evident as I stammer, "A-are you sure, Drayster? The rules say -"

Before the staff can respond, Drayton dismisses my concerns with a confident wave. "Just charge it to my account. That oughta take care of it, yeah?"

I express my gratitude, saying, "Wow, thanks Drayton."

The staff, seeming slightly resigned, reluctantly agrees, "That's not - OK, understood. I'll make an exception."

Drayton beams with enthusiasm, acknowledging my presence. "Many thanks, my man. There's my Champ in the making! Thanks for coming. Let's hit the battle court real quick."

As we step onto the battlefield, Drayton announces with a flourish, "Feast your eyes on the majesty of the Polar Plaza battle court!"

Alice, however, doesn't seem as impressed, offering a more pragmatic perspective. "Isn't it just the same battle court as in other plazas? Just a little colder?"

Drayton, grinning, defends his love for the cold. "Unlike some of my hometown friends, I'm a cold-weather kinda guy. Not what you'd expect from a Dragon-type user, right?"

Lucine joins the conversation, finding humor in the contrast. "Yeah... Iris is scared of the cold," she chuckles.

Drayton refocuses on the task at hand, addressing me directly. "Anyhow, buddy, you came to do my Elite Trial, not listen to me ramble. So let's hop to it! I call my Elite Trial Terarium - Only Battles! Your goal's to clobber three of your fellow League Clubbers in battle. Simple enough, right?"

I sweat a little, feeling a sense of déjà vu as I recall, "For some reason... I think Raihan's gym also does the same thing?"

Drayton nods, emphasizing the unique aspect of his challenge. "But it's called Terarium-Only for a reason! You can only use Pokémon that meet two conditions. First, they gotta be Pokémon that were caught living wild in the Terarium! Second, YOU gotta be the one who caught 'em! Unless your whole party of Pokémon meets those conditions, no Elite Trial for you."

I express my surprise and disappointment, realizing the implications. "Seriously?" It dawns on me that I won't be able to use Pikachu or any of my other trusted Pokémon for this trial.

Drayton acknowledges the challenge he's presented and justifies its difficulty, saying, "I know I'm asking a lot. But what fun would it be if you just dipped into your vault of beefy Pokémon and cheesed your way through? Your opponents are under the same conditions, so you can't be too mad about it. Now underlings! Come out!"

Three League Club members promptly emerge at his call, ready to engage in battle. Drayton offers some leniency, explaining, "My trial's about skill, but it's chill. Take it at whatever pace you want. If you wanna dive right into battling your three clubmates, go nuts! Rather stroll around the Terarium catching Pokémon first? No problem! So go on, get out there and chill it up. Good luck! Everyone give it your best shot!"

I lean in to whisper to Alice, acknowledging her strategy, "So that's why you want me to use Archaludon..."

Alice nods in agreement but expresses a concern, "Yeah, but that's only one of them. You still need another member for this trial..."

I offer a confident response, revealing a hint of my past experiences, "I don't think we need to worry about that. There is one reason why I used to be the King of Team Plasma."

To everyone's surprise, a Reuniclus suddenly teleports onto the scene. I smile warmly and address the Psychic-type Pokémon, "Hello, my friend. Can you assist me in this battle? I will release you once the battle is over."

The Reuniclus nods in understanding as I capture it, adding to my team's strength. I announce confidently, "So now I have two Pokémon, and they are going to help me win."

The first opponent, named Ray, introduces himself with a reference to a popular streamer, Iono. "Y'know Iono? The streamer? I use the same type as her, so like, ready for a shock?"

Ray sends out his Zebstrika and Magnezone, but my strategy comes into play. Reuniclus sets up the Trick Room, altering the battle's dynamics, and Archaludon takes the stage as the main battler, unleashing an Earthquake that defeats both Electric Pokémon with ease. Ray remarks, "That was electrifying, all right!"

Next up is Winter, who exudes confidence. "I'm quite the cool customer. Ready to shiver?"

She releases her Dewgong and Alolan Sandslash, providing an ideal opportunity for Archaludon's signature move, Electro Shot. With precision, it dispatches Dewgong, while Reuniclus uses Hammer Arm to handle Sandslash. Winter acknowledges our performance, saying, "I can see why Drayton likes you."

The third trainer, named Craig, expresses his love for Pokémon with gray tones. "I love Pokémon with some brittle gray tones! Ready to battle me?"

Craig employs Sinnoh Fossils, a choice that plays into the strengths of my Steel-type Archaludon. Reuniclus proves equally effective with its Hammer Arm and Psychic moves, swiftly defeating both Rampardos and Bastiodon. Craig compliments our performance, stating, "Your Pokémon are like gems!"

With the completion of the three battles, Drayton announces, "So that makes, let's see... One... two... three... Nice! You went and beat all three of 'em! Which means this Elite Trial is Elite Complete! All right, my League Club assistants. Retreat! On the double!"

As the trainers and their Pokémon depart, Drayton praises their performance, saying, "Aren't they great? No grumbling or nothing. Buncha sweethearts."

I respond with a hint of uncertainty, "Maybe..."

Drayton acknowledges our impending battle, asking, "Looks like it's finally time for you and me to battle. Guess you're still using the party you put together for my challenge though, huh? Go ahead, take a second to change it up."

I release Reuniclus from its Pokéball, expressing my gratitude, "Thank you for assisting me, friend. I'm sure you'll become a better Pokémon in the future."

The Reuniclus nods, bidding me farewell before teleporting away. Lillie remarks with admiration, "To think you were able to do that much with Reuniclus, the Pokémon whom you didn't have any bond at first."

I chuckle at the memory, reminding her, "I've battled through the Battle Factory, remember?"

With our teams ready, Drayton shares his thoughts, revealing a sense of excitement, "Y'know, I was thinking about the look you get when you're in battle... and I realized I've only ever seen you like that from the sidelines. Guess now I know what it's like to face you from across the court! Lemme be real - I'm counting on you to conquer the whole BB League, bud."

I express some doubt, wondering if it might be better for Alice to take on this challenge as a non-exchange student, but Alice quickly distances herself from the discussion, sighing in response.

Drayton insists, his determination unwavering, "I mean it. I need you to pull this off! You gotta come through for me! That being said, I'm not just gonna roll over and miss out on the fun. So watch out. But there's no need for us to get all official or anything! Just battle me normally like you would anybody else, Ash. Here's the 100-percent Drayster truth: I'm so psyched I'm practically tingling. So why don't we get this rolling, nice and easy? Let's go, bud. Show me a good time!"

Drayton throws two Pokéballs, revealing his Dragonite and Flygon, while I opt for Baxcalibur and Lapras as my first Pokémon.

Drayton sets the stage, urging me not to let him down. "Don't let me down, bud! No one wants to see me ugly cry." He begins by setting up Tailwind and launching a Stone Edge attack. Fortunately, Baxcalibur skillfully dodges the attack, while Lapras takes charge, using Ice Beam to freeze the incoming rocks before following up with a powerful Blizzard, dealing damage to both of Drayton's Pokémon.

With Dragonite targeting Lapras with a Fire Punch, I quickly decide to utilize Baxcalibur as a sacrificial buffer to absorb the hit. The Thermal Exchange ability activates, boosting Baxcalibur's attack stat. Seizing the opportunity while Dragonite is immobilized, I command an Ice Fang attack, dealing a decisive blow that knocks Dragonite out of the battle.

Drayton expresses his admiration, saying, "Whoa! Not a lot of types can make me eat a supereffective hit." He sends out his Haxorus as his third Pokémon, and Flygon follows up with a Stone Edge attack that takes down Lapras. However, before Lapras faints, it manages to set up the Perish Song, adding a time limit to the battle.

I call upon Dipplin as my next choice, and though it takes damage from Haxorus's Breaking Swipe, it quickly learns a new move during the heat of battle. I grin and command, "Good! Use Dragon Cheer!"

Dipplin obeys, using Dragon Cheer to boost Baxcalibur's critical hit chance. Baxcalibur retaliates with Glaive Rush, defeating Flygon.

I express my appreciation for their teamwork, cheering, "Nice work, you two!" To everyone's astonishment, Dipplin begins to evolve, transforming into a Hydrapple with seven dragon heads emerging from an apple-shaped body.

Insey gasps, asking, "What was that?"

Drayton explains, "It's a Hydrapple! The final evolution for Dipplin!"

Hydrapple: The Apple Hydra Pokemon: Grass and Dragon Type. Evolve from Dipplin by learning Dragon Cheer. These capricious syrpents have banded together. On the rare occasion that their moods align, their true power is unleashed.

I express my excitement at Hydrapple's evolution, cheering, "That's awesome, Hydrapple!"

Drayton proceeds with his fourth Pokémon, Kingdra. Eager to test out Hydrapple's new move, I command, "Let's try this out! Fickle Beam!"

The attack lands a powerful hit on Haxorus, impressing the onlookers. "Wow, that is a powerful move!" Lillie gasps.

As the Perish Song activates, both Baxcalibur and Haxorus faint. We decide to send in Tinkaton, while Drayton selects Sceptile. I repeat the Fickle Beam attack, but this time, only three of Hydrapple's heads shoot out the beam, leading to a weaker result.

Lucine comments, "I guess that first time is because all the heads are working together... but it seems that this move sometimes depends on the heads..."

In the ongoing battle, I have Tinkaton employ the Gigaton Hammer, dealing a blow to Kingdra despite it not being super effective. Unfortunately, Hydrapple falls to a combination of Ice Beam and Hurricane from Kingdra.

With Snowy taking the field, we continue the battle. The combination of Dazzling Gleam and Tinkaton's Play Rough eventually overpowers Kingdra, leaving Drayton with just Sceptile and his final Pokémon, Archaludon.

Archaludon attempts to target Snowy with a Flash Cannon, but Tinkaton valiantly jumps in the way and takes the hit, fainting in the process. I express my gratitude to Tinkaton, saying, "Tinkaton... thank you for your assistance."

As my last Pokémon, I select Archaludon, and Drayton exhorts his Archaludon with confidence, "Now watch this dragon's blood boil! Take control, Archaludon!"

Drayton seems to have made an error by Terastalizing Archaludon into a pure Dragon Type, making it vulnerable to Snowy's Fairy and Ice moves. To ensure Snowy's safety, I Terastalize her into a pure Ice Type, and she unleashes a powerful Blizzard attack, knocking out Sceptile. However, before Sceptile goes down, it manages to use Dragon Cheer to boost the critical hit rate for Archaludon.

Archaludon retaliates with an Electro Shot, dealing significant damage to Snowy. I encourage her to hang in there as I have Archaludon use Dragon Pulse, while Snowy's Dazzling Gleam adds its power to the attack. This combination proves decisive, ultimately leading to Archaludon's defeat.

Drayton smiles broadly following his defeat, thoroughly enjoying the battle. "That's what I'm talkin' about. Heh heh heh! Man, that was ridiculous. So much fun. I knew inviting you to join the League Club was the right move! And I guess if you can beat me, we better make you a full member, finally! Whaddya say? Ready to be the real deal?"

I express my hesitation, considering my status as an exchange student, and I frown as I voice my concerns.

Drayton dismisses my reservations, playing it off casually. "Aw, no need to play hard to get! I know I saw the spark of enthusiasm in your eye... C'mon, let's get a photo of you for the club roster!"

We proceed to take photos of each other, just as the other Elite Four members have done. Drayton takes a look at the picture and acknowledges, "Lacey probably woulda wanted a more serious photo. She might not be thrilled, but oh well. That's the BB League Elite Four all-beaten! You schooled every Elite One of us. Man, it's like I blinked and you'd plowed through the whole BB League. You know what's next for you, right, bud?"

I nod, recognizing the next step in my journey, "Yeah... that means I have the right to challenge the sitting BB League Champion, Kieran?"

Kieran's arrival sets the stage for our long-awaited showdown. He playfully remarks, "You really kept me waiting. Took you a while to beat the Elite Four. Kind of slow for you, isn't it?"

Drayton chimes in with a teasing tone, "Nice Kieran. You've really got Ash on the brain, huh?"

Kieran counters with a knowing smile, "I could say the same thing about you, Drayton. You sure are putting a lot of effort into helping Ash out."

Drayton defends his actions with a hint of humor, saying, "Who wouldn't help out new students? Gotta be good to our fellow humans."

Kieran, however, hints at something more significant, saying, "That's rich coming from you... Whatever you're planning, it's about to come to an end." He then turns to me with a determined look, issuing a challenge, "Ash. Let's settle who's the strongest between us two, once and for all."

After Kieran leaves to prepare for our battle, Drayton expresses his excitement, "It's finally time. I'm pumped for you. We'll have to go sign you up at the front desk to get your Championship match going. No sense waiting around. Let's go!"

As Kieran leaves and the prospect of facing him as the BB League Champion looms, Serena inquires, "So Ash... you're ready to do it?"

I pause, furrowing my brows in thought. "What's the rush? I mean... this is just my fifth day in Blueberry Academy, and I'm already going to become the BB League Champion? I know that a lot of students would like to see me win... but still..."

Alice joins in, sharing her thoughts, "I know what you mean, and considering the whole Ogerpon thing, our relationship with Kieran has been strained a little. Despite his teases back then... I think there is something more about it."

We collectively sigh, feeling the weight of the situation before deciding to chase after Drayton.

Here is a new chapter and this marks the end of the BB League Elite Four battles. The next chapter will be meeting up with Perrin and also the battle with Kieran. I hope you like this chapter.

Ash and Serena's Pokemon:

Charizard x2, Pikachu x2, Tauros (Paldean) x3, Lapras, Steelix (Crystal), Sceptile, Gardevoir (Shiny), Garchomp, Lucario, Krookodile, Zoroark, Greninja, Sylveon, Noivern, Lycanroc (Dusk), Mimikyu (Shiny), Corviknight, Indeedee x2, Kleavor, Ursaluna (Blood Moon), Sneasler, Meowscarada, Skeledirge, Quaquaval, Oinkologne x2 (Male/Female), Spidops, Lokix, Pawmot, Maushold x2 (Family of four/three), Dachsbun, Arboliva, Squawkabilly x4, Garganacl, Armarouge, Ceruledge, Bellibolt, Kilowattrel, Mabosstiff, Grafaiai, Brambleghast, Toedscruel, Klawf, Scovillain, Rabsca, Espathra, Tinkaton, Wugtrio, Bombirdier, Palafin, Revavroom, Cyclizar, Orthworm, Glimmora, Houndstone, Flamigo, Cetitan, Veluza, Dondozo, Tatsugiri X3, Annihilape, Clodsire, Farigiraf, Dudunsparce x2 (Two, Three segment), Kingambit, Great Tusk, Scream Tail, Brute Bonnet, Flutter Mane, Slither Wing, Sandy Shocks, Iron Treads, Iron Bundle, Iron Hands, Iron Jugulis, Iron Moth, Iron Thorns, Baxcalibur, Gholdengo, Wo-Chien, Chien-Pao, Ting-Lu, Chi-Yu, Roaring Moon, Iron Valiant, Koraidon, Miraidon, Sinistcha, Okidogi, Munkidori, Fezandipiti, Ogerpon, Archaludon, Hydrapple