Draco: I made myself do these units in traditional order instead of in my preferred order, because I was seriously scared that if I didn't do my favourite unit last, I would never get around to writing any of the remainder. Even so, my bias is going to be incredibly obvious.
Pokémon and all related properties © Nintendo. Virtual Singers of Piapro Studio © Crypton Future Media. Characters from Colorful Stage © Craft Egg.
On the Stroke of 25:00
As Jeanne fought her way through the next four battles, she realized that she didn't actually know her last four major opponents by name. Not even fans of Nightcord at 25:00 could tell anyone what their specific members looked like when their music was largely non-vocal and their videos were built on artwork rather than photos or footage. As such, when Round 81 came around, Jeanne made a point to check the name on her opponent's Battle Pass, as well as the more pertinent tactical information, before making her way out onto the battlefield.
Once more did a brilliant light surround her as she took her position on the blue corner. When it faded, a shocked Jeanne found herself standing in a monochrome expanse that seemed to extend into eternity. A grey sky above, illuminated as though sunlight were trying to shine through a thin layer of clouds, yet without the darkness that would accompany the threat of rain. A grey surface below, unmarked except by the indicators where each corner's Trainer was to stand, and shadows that stretched further than they had any right to. Large triangular shapes, apparently of the same material as the ground, seemed to emerge at random from the surface, though none intruded on the battlefield proper. Scattered about were great metallic beams that resembled cell phone towers or the arms of cranes, lying at erratic angles as though they had been impaled in the ground - some peaked with a clear end to their construction, while others seemed to be rent as though torn from their source.
And yet... there was a peace to this place, though Jeanne couldn't be sure why. It lacked the familiarity of Leo/need's classroom setting, a place where one could be surrounded by friends and acquaintances. It lacked the vibrant crowds of MORE MORE JUMP's stage, the cheers of people whose spirits were uplifted by the sights before them. It lacked the casual atmosphere of Vivid BAD SQUAD's backstreet café, a place where one could meet and connect with new people by nothing more than chance. And it lacked the enthusiastic joy of Wonderlands×Showtime's amusement park, the myriad elements designed specifically to bring happiness.
Where, then, did it come from? Why did this emptiness seem to soothe her heart?
The sound of footsteps seemed all the louder in the empty expanse, and Jeanne turned her attention to find her opponent emerging in the red corner... seemingly from nowhere at all. It was the white-haired girl in the sweater from the lobby, whose Battle Pass had identified her as Kanade; as she came to a stop at the marker, she reached for her belt, and had to take a moment to move up the cuff of her sweater's arm in order to seize her first Poké Ball.
"If battle is a song," she proclaimed, "then let us compose something wonderful."
"It would be my pleasure," Jeanne replied, seizing a Ball of her own.
Two Pokémon were sent out onto the battlefield; a shrouded Fairy-type seemed to rise out of the ground as a mighty Steel-type touched down opposite. "In the blue corner: Lucario! And in the red corner: Mimikyu! Let's see where this goes!"
Kanade raised her gaze with a look of determination. "Cast a shadow...!"
Jeanne reached for her Key Stone. "Bust 'em!"
The light of Mega Evolution enveloped Lucario as a darkness extended across the ground from below Mimikyu; no sooner had the radiance shattered than the Disguise Pokémon emerged from behind the transformed Fighting-type, striking with a Shadow Sneak. Lucario stumbled away from the blow, twisting around and unleashing a Dark Pulse in retaliation - and as the shadowy aura slammed into Mimikyu's head, it seemed to topple backwards like its neck had been broken, leaving her disguise busted.
Mimikyu retaliated with an angry cry, a tendril extending from beneath her shroud to lash out with a Shadow Claw; Lucario tumbled backwards from a surprisingly potent blow, but managed to right himself and retaliate with a Meteor Mash, throwing Mimikyu sideways across the battlefield. With an angry screech, she leapt forward in an attempt to Play Rough; Lucario managed to sidestep the leap by such a close margin that she barely brushed against his aura sensors, and stumbled backwards as the Disguise Pokémon began kicking up a cloud of dust against nothing for a few moments.
Lucario finished her off with a Meteor Mash as soon as he could see her; Kanade withdrew the Disguise Pokémon and sent out a Pawmot to take her place. As the little Electric-type started to charge forward, Jeanne withdrew Lucario, sending out Archeops to take the high-speed Mach Punch. Then, before Pawmot could land in the aftermath of the leaping blow, Jeanne illuminated her Tera Orb and flung it to burst over the First Bird Pokémon, causing crystals to envelop him. The Hands-On Pokémon began to rub her paws together, building up electricity before leaping into the cloud of shards as soon as the crystals shattered.
A ferocious Double Shock slammed into Archeops - and did absolutely nothing, leaving Pawmot tumbling to the ground deprived of voltage. Archeops cried out, and dirt scattered from his multilayered Tera Jewel before he drove his talons into the ground, unleashing a vicious Earthquake. Pawmot dashed back to the red corner as the tremors battered her body; it was just barely not enough to knock her out, and she glanced back at Kanade, who nodded in assurance, before turning round to face Archeops once more.
The Hands-On Pokémon brought her paws together, and a light began to well up across her body before bursting outward as she raised her arms high. Archeops didn't even dare to take off, raising his wings before him defensively - but to his and Jeanne's surprise, the light didn't strike him, instead lingering in the air and then flowing towards Kanade. A confused Archeops elected not to waste the opening, and unleashed a second Earthquake to finish Pawmot off; as Kanade withdrew the Electric-type, the light subsided... and Jeanne noticed it was centered on a Poké Ball on her belt.
Kanade seized that Ball and flung it forward - and Mimikyu emerged from it, ready to battle once more.
"Oh, Mulch." Jeanne had heard about the art of Revival Blessing, and written it off as a fantasy from some prick who thought there was something morally wrong with using items on your Pokémon. Archeops, to his credit, didn't back down, lifting into the air again and invoking stones of Ancient Power before flinging them forward to bust Mimikyu's Disguise again. The angry Fairy-type leapt forward and lashed out with a Shadow Claw that flung Archeops aside, but the First Bird Pokémon managed to endure the blow, retaliating with a Rock Slide to finish her off again. As she was withdrawn once more, Kanade sent out a Farigiraf to take her place, and the Long Neck Pokémon unleashed two blasts of psychic power to shatter Archeops' Tera Jewel.
"Double-tapped by Twin Beam!" Miku exclaimed as the Rock-type fell to the ground. "The red corner is regaining ground!"
Jeanne withdrew Archeops and sent out Volcarona to take his place; the Sun Pokémon unleashed a screeching Bug Buzz, leaving Farigiraf stumbling in pain. With an angry cry, she lashed out with an Uproar, shaking the battlefield with sound of her own, and the two Pokémon began trying to out-noise each other; Volcarona was barely clinging to consciousness when Farigiraf finally gave out, slumping in the blue corner as the Long Neck Pokémon collapsed in the red.
Kanade withdrew Farigiraf and sent out a Rabsca to take her place; a Psybeam from the Rolling Pokémon was enough to finish off Volcarona, and Jeanne elected to deploy Froslass in response. An Ice Beam was fired across the battlefield in the hopes of freezing her opponent, but the cold barely even got a reaction out of Rabsca, who retaliated by unleashing a Power Gem to strike the Snow Land Pokémon with great force. A more focused Shadow Ball followed suit, yet that wasn't enough to knock him out; to the blue corner's concern, the same light began to gather around Rabsca as had gathered around Pawmot, and his limbs extended in all directions as that light burst outward, converging on Kanade once again.
A second Shadow Ball was enough to finish off the Rolling Pokémon; once again did Kanade withdraw the unconscious, and sent out Mimikyu to take his place.
Jeanne swore under her breath. How many more of her Pokémon can do this?
Froslass immediately loosed an Ice Beam, busting the Disguise once more, but Mimikyu swiftly retaliated, lashing out with a Shadow Claw to cut Froslass down. Jeanne withdrew the Snow Land Pokémon and sent out Primarina to take her place; the Disguise Pokémon managed to land a vicious blow with a Wood Hammer, but a well-aimed Hydro Pump was enough to knock her out for a third time. Mimikyu had tumbled next to Kanade before the torrent subsided, and the composer withdrew her with a sigh, sending out a Glimmora to take her place. Primarina was rising up for a Sparkling Aria when the Ore Pokémon took aim, firing a powerful shot of noxious gunk that hit the Fairy-type point-blank in the chest.
"Blasted by Gunk Shot!" Miku called out as Jeanne withdrew the unconscious Primarina. "Both corners are on even footing now!"
With a deep breath, Jeanne swept her next Poké Ball out to set off her Dynamax Band; as the particles converged on it, she seized the expanded Ball in both hands and flung it backwards. A supersized Goodra touched down in the blue corner with a tremor; Glimmora tried to take aim with a second Gunk Shot, but couldn't give it enough launching power to reach the Dragon Pokémon, leaving it splattering on the ground as Goodra unleashed a blast of Max Lightning on the Poison-type. A Stone Edge had more luck, ripping sharply into Goodra from below, but the howling Max Wyrmwind that ripped up around the Ore Pokémon knocked her out before she could follow up with another blow.
Kanade withdrew Glimmora, and her face wore an expression of determination. "Sometimes, it's hard," she observed. "Sometimes, it hurts. But no matter what, we'll never stop. For the sake of everyone who listens to the music we make, we'll continue to compose!"
She seized her last Poké Ball off her hip, holding it before her - and her sleeve slipped down her arm, exposing the Dynamax Band that began to shine. Particles converged on the Ball in her grip, causing it to expand; for a moment Kanade stumbled under the weight, her other hand coming forward to help lift the Ball, but then she turned round and hurled it back.
A blue Pokémon emerged from the point where it landed - and the air around it began to freeze, forming a ring of ice. As its form swelled, revealing the armoured appearance of the shell upon its back, the ice began to extend, until it resembled the bars of sheet music; glacial shards manifested between and upon the lines, like notes to be played. The Lapras touched down as her Gigantamax finalized, unleashing a triumphant note that chilled the battlefield, before turning her attention to the Dragon-type who stood opposite.
Goodra only glared in return, taking advantage of what time he had left with his own Dynamax to unleash another blast of Max Lightning. As it came down on the Transport Pokémon, she sang another note, invoking great icy chunks to come down on the Dragon-type; a blast ripped up around him, his Dynamax ending as he was knocked out, and a shimmering Aurora Veil enveloped Lapras to reduce any further harm she might come to.
Jeanne withdrew the Dragon Pokémon, then turned and seized her last Ball, hurling it forward to deploy the still-Mega-Evolved Lucario. The Aura Pokémon raised his gaze to Lapras, and then charged forward, leaping into the air from halfway across the field; water gathered before Lapras even as he got near, and he drove a Drain Punch into her shell, easing his wounds even as a Max Geyser threw him backwards. Rain began to fall from the skies above, and everyone on the field knew that it would make Lapras' next blow all the more fierce.
Even so, Lucario righted himself in mid-flight, launching himself forward with a burst of aura, and a metallic light shone around his paws before he slammed them into Lapras with a Meteor Mash. The gathering water scattered, unfired, as her Gigantamax blast; Lucario leapt away, landing on a hand, a knee, and a foot as his opponent's form began to recede into the red corner.
When the light of Dynamax had subsided, Lapras slumped onto the battlefield, unconscious.
"And there it goes!" Miku exclaimed as Kanade withdrew the unconscious Transport Pokémon. "The blue corner has claimed victory!" Lucario looked like he was about to topple for himself, and Jeanne quickly withdrew him as well. "The challenger continues to overcome every obstacle in her way!"
Kanade was crossing the battlefield, and Jeanne raised her gaze to find a smile on the composer's face. "Thank you," she praised. "I enjoyed that... more than expected to."
Jeanne smiled back. "I'm glad you did," she offered. "I enjoyed it, too."
She kept her eye on Kanade as the composer stepped back towards the red corner; she saw what looked like the gateway area of the battlefield seem to open up in thin air, and Kanade stepped into it. Curious, Jeanne made a point to turn as directly away as she could before she made to withdraw for herself; fortunately, the door opened as she got close, regardless of her being a few degrees to the left, and she was able to enter safely.
+x+x+x+
Four more battles followed in this empty expanse, and though Jeanne still couldn't place what about this emptiness was so comforting, that comfort gave her and her Pokémon a confidence all the same.
As she emerged on Round 86, she found the purple-haired girl from the lobby emerging opposite, whose Battle Pass had identified her as Mafuyu. There was a smile on her face as she took position in the red corner - or at least Jeanne thought it was a smile, at first. But then a chill ran down her spine, and she began to question the evidence of her eyes, for an expression of joy shouldn't have provoked such... trepidation.
"Alright," Mafuyu encouraged, lifting a Poké Ball at her side. "Shall we begin?"
Jeanne took a deep breath, seizing a Ball of her own. "...Sure."
Two Pokémon were sent out onto the field - and both of them wore something with a Mega Stone set into it. "In the blue corner: Lucario! And in the red corner: Audino! Show us what you're made of!"
Mafuyu's free hand was held forward, and Jeanne saw a Key Stone sitting in her palm, not mounted in or on anything else. "Come on, Audino. Let's start strong."
She held it forward, and her other hand came forward to touch the Key Stone between her fingers; the Audinite worn around her Pokémon's arm reacted to the touch, and as Mafuyu drew the Key Stone back from her outstretched palm, the light of Mega Evolution enveloped the Hearing Pokémon. When it faded, Audino's body had become a brilliant white, flaring out like a doctor's coat at her sides, and there was a newfound grace to her motions as she opened her eyes.
Jeanne reached for her own Key Stone mounted in her hair clip, setting off Lucario's Mega Evolution as well. "No holding back!"
Lucario gave an echoing howl - and Audino loosed an echoing cry to meet it. Power welled between Lucario's paws, and he flung an Aura Sphere across the Colosseum to strike Audino head-on. The Hearing Pokémon was sent skidding backwards, but barely shifted from upright; as her momentum faded, she parted her arms, and a light appeared around her... and around Lucario. The Aura Pokémon gave a pained yell as a radiant glow soared out of him, and a similar - but smaller - glow soared out of Audino; the two merged in the center of the battlefield, and then the resultant shine divided into two even lights that each soared towards one of the Pokémon.
The Hearing Pokémon was rejuvenated by the Pain Split, while Lucario was considerably worse-off. With an angry growl, the Aura Pokémon charged forward, metallic light shining upon his paw, but Audino merely raised her arms forward, and a Protect barrier rippled in the air in front of her before his Meteor Mash slammed into it. Lucario barked angrily, and as soon as the light faded, he brought his other paw forward to strike with a Drain Punch; Audino was thrown backwards, but retaliated by kissing one hand and thrusting it forward, and a Fairy light burst upon Lucario, sapping at him in return and then flowing towards the Hearing Pokémon to restore her.
Another Aura Sphere welled in Lucario's paws, and he flung it forward to find it striking another Protect barrier. As he lunged forward a second time, a bead of Life Dew descended on Audino, rejuvenating her before another Meteor Mash slammed into her full-on. She couldn't stop herself from stumbling this time, but had more than enough in her to raise a third Protect barrier and halt his follow-up Dark Pulse - as Lucario was hoping for, allowing him to pitch a third Aura Sphere forward as soon as the shield faltered, leaving her no chance to defend.
Audino tumbled backwards, and her Mega Evolution subsided as she came to a stop at Mafuyu's side, unconscious. The smile faded from Maufuyu's face, and her eyes widened briefly; then they fell closed, and she bowed her head. She seized a Poké Ball from her belt, raising it to withdraw Audino before returning it to her belt... and then she seized the next, raising her head as she opened her eyes once more.
They seemed devoid of light - devoid of joy.
"Fine, then."
Her next Poké Ball was flung forward, and a Typhlosion emerged - with deep purple fur forming a collar, upon which blazed sinister purple flames. Lucario grinned, far more confident against a less defensive opponent, and lashed out with a Dark Pulse... but Typhlosion retaliated with a loud cry as his collar burned bright, and flames converged on the Aura Pokémon before consuming him in a relentless blaze.
"Cast down into Inferno!" Miku yelped as Lucario fell to the ground, his Mega Evolution having ended in the fire. "The red corner evens the field!"
Jeanne withdrew Lucario and sent out Primarina to take his place; she promptly crossed her arms and then thrust them forward to set off her Z-Power Ring, and the Soloist Pokémon rose onto her tail as the light converged on her. Typhlosion tried to interrupt her, unleashing his spectral flames to advance and converge on Primarina in an Infernal Parade, but it did nothing to stop her as her first note commanded a sea of water to gather above her head. She thrust her fins to push the liquid forward, and the sphere came to a halt above the Ghost Flame Pokémon; then she loosed a second note, and it burst, consuming Typhlosion and knocking him out in short order.
Mafuyu called back the unconscious Fire-type, and deployed a Bisharp to take his place. The Sword Blade Pokémon charged forward, driving his helmet into Primarina with an Iron Head; she managed to endure the first blow, retaliating with a Sparkling Aria, but the second blow coming down on her face was enough to knock her out. Jeanne withdrew the Fairy-type and deployed Volcarona, who immediately twisted into a Fiery Dance to batter the Steel-type with blazes. A Night Slash carved across one wing, but did nothing to stop a second dance, and the flames were enough to finish him off, prompting Mafuyu to withdraw him.
A red-furred Lycanroc was sent out to take his place, standing on his hind legs and hunched over so the knuckles of his forepaws rested against the ground. Jeanne quickly drew her Tera Orb, letting it fill with Terastal energy and flinging it over Volcarona's head as she began to gather sunlight; Lycanroc snarled, calling down a Rock Slide as the crystals shattered, but the bouquet of the Tera Jewel atop the Sun Pokémon's head meant the stones had little effect. She spread her wings and brought a Solar Beam down on Lycanroc - but the Wolf Pokémon managed to endure the first blast, and charged forward in retaliation.
A brutal bombardment of Close Combat left Volcarona reeling, but she managed to stop herself from toppling over; a screeching Bug Buzz was enough to finish off the Rock-type. Mafuyu called him back and sent out a Dhelmise to take his place, and the Sea Creeper Pokémon immediately vanished into nothing before Volcarona could begin to step. Her Fiery Dance blazed upon nothing, and she had no chance to strike before Dhelmise descended out of the shadows, bringing her anchor down to shatter Volcarona's Tera Jewel.
"Phantom Force comes out of nowhere!" Miku exclaimed as Jeanne withdrew the unconscious Sun Pokémon. "How long can the blue corner keep their lead?"
Archeops was deployed next, and swiftly soared forward to bombard Dhelmise with Acrobatics. His swiftness, however, proved to his detriment when Dhelmise retaliated with a Gyro Ball, knocking him out of the sky with a single blow before he had landed more than one of his own. Cursing under her breath, Jeanne withdrew him and sent out Goodra; the Dragon Pokémon happily obliged to finish off the Sea Creeper Pokémon with a Dragon Pulse, blasting her hard enough to leave her anchor behind as her wheel tumbled towards her empty-eyed Trainer.
Mafuyu withdrew Dhelmise, and there was an uncertainty in her motions as she seized her last Poké Ball. "Let it burn, they said," she murmured. "When you feel a fire in your breast, let it burn." She raised her gaze. "Is that why... I don't want to lose?"
She hurled the Ball forward, and from it emerged a Gardevoir- no, a Gallade- no. It was a humanoid Pokémon who looked metallic, with a segmented petal skirt that had no fluidity but was separated into individual plates, and with star-studded blades of magenta mounted on its arms. Its head bore the crest of a Gallade's helm and the length of a Gardevoir's, with protrusions behind it that resembled hair pulled into buns or braids; Goodra stepped back, any concern for the disadvantage lost amidst the concern of a Pokémon that shouldn't exist in this world.
Iron Valiant brought its hands forward, and lengths extended from the blades on its arms, connecting to one another; the blades themselves twisted at right angles to its arms, facing away from one another, as it seized the handle of its newly-forged glaive in its left hand and swept it back with a loud cry. With a shake of his head, Goodra focused, calling down a blast of Thunder; the voltage slammed into the battlefield two meters to Valiant's left as the Paradox Pokémon charged forward, glaive shining with Fairy light as he brought a Spirit Break down on the Dragon Pokémon.
Goodra skidded backwards, but was not knocked out by the single blow; he promptly planted himself and unleashed a Hyper Beam in retaliation, blasting Iron Valiant head-on. The cybernetic warrior charged through the beam without hesitation, and in the instant the light faltered, it lashed out with a second Spirit Break to finish him off. Jeanne withdrew the Dragon-type and swept out her last Poké Ball, setting off her Dynamax Band, and then flung the expanded Ball back into the blue corner to deploy a supersized Froslass.
The Paradox Pokémon turned its gaze skyward as the Snow Land Pokémon gave an echoing cry, and threw itself into the air, blade raised to deliver a vicious Night Slash. Froslass took the blow and flung Valiant backwards; then she swept her arms out while it was still airborne, invoking a hundred spectral objects to converge on the cybernetic warrior and blast in a Max Phantasm.
Iron Valiant's glaive fell to the ground, and impaled itself in the battlefield.
"What a close match!" Mafuyu's gaze fell as the Paradox Pokémon landed next to its weapon, closing her eyes once more as she seized Valiant's Poké Ball and withdrew him. "The blue corner claims victory yet again!" Froslass made a curtsying motion as her Dynamax subsided peacefully, and Jeanne turned to her with a smile to withdraw her as well. "Our challenger just won't go down!"
When Jeanne turned back around, she found Mafuyu approaching - and though she was not smiling, truthfully or otherwise, nor did her eyes seem to have the same emptiness. "You fight well," she praised. "...Better than me."
"I don't know about that," Jeanne insisted. "It came right down to it. I think I just had more options."
"...Maybe." Mafuyu turned away. "Good luck with the rest."
Draco: Two Pokémon willing to heal their allies rather than try to take down the enemy that's about to knock them out; a Pokémon willing to break its neck over and over again to try and clutch a win; and an empowerment option whose primary effect is that it provides a massive boost to the Pokémon's health, applied to a Pokémon that almost went extinct. Our choices for Kanade's team were kind of mean.
All of the empowerment options were assigned to be appropriate to something about the characters. For Mega Evolution, we mostly assigned them to characters who change in some way during their respective storylines. Kohane and Nene both build up confidence in themselves and what they do, and "transform" into a better version of themselves. Airi was only ever seen as variety-show personality Happy Everyday until she joined MORE MORE JUMP! and got to be an idol proper. For Shiho, she's very good at what she does and she wants to do it professionally, so she gets a non-flashy Mega who's just better at the same things as its non-Mega form.
But Mafuyu is someone who has become amazing at everything, because that's what was expected of her, and she's just passively gone along with it until N25 came into the picture. And since Mega Evolution is treated as a major privilege in-story, having a Key Stone is something of a sign of achievement. So we gave her a Key Stone, and a Pokémon with a Mega Stone who is really good on a support role, and she opens with the Mega. And when Audino goes down, farewell my mask.