Chapter 57 Battle for Mega Evolution
Ash and Alice follow Lizzy into Rassic Castle, marveling at the numerous Dragon statues adorning the halls. "You really like Dragon Types, don't you?" Ash asks, intrigued by the décor.
"Of course," Lizzy replies with a smile. "To me, Dragon Types are strong, and they present a lot of challenges in training."
Alice nods in agreement. "I see, Dragon Types really are hard to train after all."
As they continue through the castle, Lizzy opens one of the large doors, revealing a battlefield. Ash looks around, impressed. "This place feels just like a gym."
"But sadly, it's not," Lizzy says, a hint of regret in her voice. "By the way, I battled someone a few minutes ago who also had a Mega Stone... I think his name was Robby?"
"Rodney," Ash corrects. "He's actually our friend."
Lizzy chuckles. "Ah, you're right—his name was Rodney! He was a tough opponent, and he managed to defeat me..."
"Well, he is strong, after all," Alice says. "But what about your brother? Knowing his attitude, I would have thought he'd have come to beat you by now."
Lizzy giggles lightly. "My brother hasn't come by yet. I think he's still training... But I don't think it'll be enough, haha! How about the two of you team up for a double battle with me?"
Ash smiles at Alice. "Sure. Alice, will you team up with me?"
"Of course," Alice agrees without hesitation.
"Good," Lizzy says, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "You should know, I was trained by Rex to be his castellan for this castle, which means I'm really strong!"
Ash nods confidently. "Well, I was trained by my parents, so I won't judge by that. After all, Rex is an Elite Four member, and my mother is a Champion."
"I really like your guts," Lizzy says with a confident smile. "Now let's start our battle! I'll show you the strength of Dragon-Type Pokémon!" She then sends out Finndra, the evolved form of Finflix, and another Pokémon known as Cryodra.
"A Cryodra!" Alice gasps in awe at the sight of the Pokémon, its body sparkling with crystals. Alice's eyes widen with excitement, reflecting the same crystalline shimmer. "I've always wanted that Pokémon! Where did you find it?"
Lizzy chuckles softly. "Well, it was my first Pokémon, given to me by Rex. So, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you where I captured this Pokémon."
"Oh man..." Alice mutters in disappointment, but Ash steps in, reassuring her. "Don't worry, Alice. We'll find one when we continue our journey. And I need to thank you as well."
"Thank me?" Alice asks, puzzled. "What do you mean by that?"
"Because of you, I know that Cryodra is an Ice and Dragon Type," Ash explains. "And I'll be using Flearoe!"
Ash sends out Flearoe, which growls in readiness. Alice, analyzing the situation, says, "Finndra is a Water and Dragon Type, so I'll be using Jello."
Alice sends out her Jellitic, and the battle officially begins.
"Cryodra, use Flash Cannon on Jellitic! Finndra, use Scald on Flearoe!" Lizzy commands, taking the first move.
"Dodge it!" Ash and Alice shout in unison as their Pokémon narrowly avoid the attacks. Ash quickly formulates a plan. "Alice, trust me on this—use Ice Beam on Flearoe."
Alice hesitates for a brief moment, realizing the risk of such a move, but nods. "Okay. Jello! Use Ice Beam on Flearoe!"
Jello nods, releasing the Ice Beam, which covers Flearoe in a layer of ice. Ash then calls out, "Use Flame Wheel!" Flearoe begins spinning, the ice around it turning into a blazing wheel as it crashes into both of Lizzy's Pokémon.
"What a combination..." Lizzy says, impressed by their strategy. "I guess you really trust each other. Alright, now let's get serious."
Lizzy reveals her choker with a Key Stone attached to it. Pressing it, she calls out, "Cryodra, Mega Evolve!"
As Cryodra Mega Evolves, its body becomes even more encrusted with ice. Alice's eyes light up with admiration. "It can Mega Evolve too! Now I really want it on my team!"
Lizzy smiles at Alice's enthusiasm but reminds her, "I know you're excited, but don't forget it's your opponent now. Cryodra, Finndra—use Dragon Pulse! Both of you!"
Cryodra and Finndra unleash powerful Dragon Pulse attacks, striking Ash and Alice's Pokémon. Jellitic struggles but manages to stand back up, while Flearoe is heavily damaged, causing Ash to worry. "Are you two okay?" Ash asks, concern evident in his voice. Jellitic rises to its feet, but Flearoe remains badly hurt, its condition causing Ash to grow increasingly concerned.
Before the referee can declare Flearoe unable to battle, it suddenly stands up, its eyes glowing red. Ash gasps in surprise. "Is that Blaze? I didn't know you had this ability as well!"
Flearoe gives Ash a determined nod, and the temperature in the room begins to rise. Alice quickly devises a plan. "Ash, I think I have an idea. You can use Earthquake on Jello."
Ash hesitates, concerned. "Are you sure about that? With Blaze activated, it's even stronger. What if I knock out your Pokémon in one hit?"
Alice looks at him with confidence. "I'll just hope that you won't. Trust me."
With a nod, Ash commands Flearoe to use Earthquake. The ground trembles, sending Jellitic into the air. "Now, Jello, use Icy Wind!" Alice commands.
The cold wind not only hits Lizzy's Pokémon but also carries the rocks dislodged by Earthquake, causing significant damage to both Cryodra and Finndra. However, to Ash and Alice's surprise, Lizzy's Pokémon remain standing, albeit heavily injured.
"Use Freeze-Dry and Ice Beam!" Lizzy commands, trying to turn the tide. But Ash is quick to counter. "Flearoe, Flamethrower!" he shouts.
"Jello, Octazooka!" Alice adds.
The attacks clash in mid-air before dispersing. Seeing an opening, Ash and Alice decide to go all out. "Time for the finale! Flearoe, use Flare Blitz!" Ash commands.
"Jello, use Water Spout!" Alice follows up.
Flearoe charges at Finndra with a powerful Flare Blitz, while Jello's Water Spout slams into Cryodra, sending it crashing into the ceiling. Both moves prove too much for Lizzy's Pokémon, causing them to faint.
The referee raises his hand. "Cryodra and Finndra are unable to battle. The victory goes to Ash and Alice!"
Lizzy sighs in resignation but smiles as she recalls her Pokémon. "What a battle. You two are full of energy."
Delia and Red watch the battle with pride, smiling at their children's success. Gina also feels a surge of pride for her brother. Lizzy approaches Ash and Alice, clearly impressed. "Oh, wow! You're both incredibly talented Trainers! I never thought I'd be defeated by two young Trainers at the same time... I believe you're strong enough to handle Mega Evolutions. Here, take this."
She hands each of them a Mega Ring—Ash's is black, while Alice's is blue, both containing a Key Stone. "The Key Stone is a stone that acts as a medium between a Pokémon Trainer and one of their Pokémon. If your Pokémon is holding a Mega Stone and you activate the Key Stone, they react, and your Pokémon can Mega Evolve. Some Pokémon in this region can Mega Evolve, like my Cryodra. I hope this will help you on your journey."
"Thanks a lot," Ash says gratefully.
At that moment, Rex enters the castle, having watched the battle. "I saw the match—it was really impressive. Delia, Red, you sure have raised some good children."
"Thanks," Delia responds with a smile. "So, why are you here?"
"Well, actually, I have some rare Dragon Pokémon that I wanted to give Ash to take care of."
"Rare Dragon Pokémon?" Ash repeats in surprise, as five little dragons enter the castle and surround him.
"Wow, are these for me? Thank you so much," Ash says, his eyes wide with excitement.
"They're really cute, too," Alice adds, as Ash eagerly scans the Pokémon.
Droot: The Fruit Dragon Pokemon: Dragon and Grass Type. Droot emits a fruity fragrance, luring other small animals to their grasp. However, the same fragrance also invites their own predators to attack.
Serpyro: The Singe Dragon Pokemon: Dragon and Fire Type. Serpyro prefer living in the hottest parts of the volcanoes, especially where its dark and an abundance of active vents. As such, sightings of Serpyro are incredibly rare.
Pinkmee: The Sea Dragon Pokemon: Dragon and Water Type. Pinkmee are extremely popular in Pokémon pageants, it is said they keep their lustrous pink shine by eating nothing but a certain species of plankton.
Strikon: The Levin Dragon Pokemon: Dragon and Electric Type. When thunderclouds gather densely on the tops of mountains, it is believed that many Strikon eggs are nested. People chase these storms in the hopes of obtaining one.
Fayely: The Noble Dragon Pokemon: Dragon and Fairy Type. Fayely will only bond with kind-hearted people. They can become physically ill should their trainer commit evil deeds, but will still never leave their side.
"You mean there are five pseudo-Legendaries in the Rikoto Region? That's so cool!" Ash exclaims, watching as Pikachu continues to play with the five little dragons.
"Yeah," Alice agrees, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "They must be really strong after evolving."
Lizzy smiles at Alice and says, "By the way, Alice, since you really like Cryodra, I think I should give you this."
Alice gasps as Lizzy hands her a Cryodite and Prism Scales. "Are these for us?" she asks, hardly believing her luck.
"Of course," Lizzy replies warmly. "If you encounter a Cryodro, you can use the Prism Scale to evolve it into Cryodra, and then you can use the Cryodite to Mega Evolve it."
"Thank you so much. I'll cherish it," Alice says gratefully, carefully putting the items away.
With their new treasures in hand, they bid farewell to Rex and Lizzy and leave the city, ready for the next leg of their journey.
The return journey to Sailport Town on the boat turns out to be less than smooth, as they unexpectedly encounter two narwhal-like Pokémon. However, once Alice discovers that they are Ice Types, she becomes determined to capture one. Both Ash and Alice successfully capture a Nawale, with Alice affectionately naming hers "Nally."
Nawale: The Narwhal Pokémon. Ice and Water Type. Nawale charge horn-first into anything that intrudes on their territory. Many Nawale have broken their horns from ramming into larger ships.
Remembering that a girl in the Rassic City Pokémon Center wanted to see a Nawale, Ash and Alice fly over there, leaving Delia, Red, and Gina on the boat. The girl is thrilled to see the Nawale and exclaims, "WOW! This is a Nawale! Oh my, they're pretty big and pretty white—they could take on a Polarpow in a fight! Thanks for the inspiration! Take this as a token of my gratitude!" She hands them a TM for Rain Dance.
After this, they head back to the boat, only to face another challenge when a large whale-like Pokémon blocks their path, nearly causing the ship to sink. Ash and Alice manage to persuade the whale to move and even capture it.
Whaley: The Whale Pokémon. Water Type. Whaley's blubbery skin protects it from the cold, deep ocean. Without a lung large enough to hold their breath for long, however, they can only dive undersea for under an hour.
Once they arrive back in Sailport Town, they discover the ship has been turned black by ink, which they quickly find out is being sprayed by squid-like Pokémon. Ash captures one of the Squidart and instructs it to stop spraying ink.
Squidart: The Squid Pokémon. Dark and Water Type. Squidart propel themselves by shooting ink from behind at high pressure, as well as blinding their predators at the same time. Their ink does not disappear until after a day.
After the long day, Ash and Alice decide to head to the Pokémon Center for some rest. In their room, they find themselves in the familiar comfort of sharing the same bed. As they settle in, Alice, with a thoughtful expression, says, "Now that we have Key Stones with us, I wonder how we're going to use them?"
Ash, smiling confidently, replies, "Isn't it obvious? We'll use them when we're fighting against Team Solar or Team Lunar, and in our upcoming battles as well."
Alice nods, a smile tugging at her lips. "You're right. I almost forgot about that—all the excitement of trying to find a Cryodra has been driving me crazy."
"I know," Ash says, understanding her excitement. "But you did catch a Nawale when we were back in Sailport Town. And remember, Nawale is also capable of Mega Evolution."
"You're right," Alice says with a chuckle, feeling content. They both relax, and soon, they fall asleep in each other's arms, ready for whatever challenges await them next.
Now Ash and Alice all have their Mega Stones, now they can mega evolve their Pokemon. Don't worry, they have the Mega Stones, they only need the Key Stone. I hope you like it.
New Pokemon: Droot, Serpyro, Pinkmee, Strikon, Fayely, Nawale, Whaley, Squidart