Draco: So... I may have been a bit deceptive regarding the 100-battle challenge during the intro chapter to SEKAI Colosseum.
I said that unit members would serve as threshold Trainers for every fifth battle starting on the first, when you do the 100-battle challenge. I claimed that the reason for this is because the 100-battle challenge is shuffled in groups of five, and I want the player to be surprised when they hit the next threshold battle rather than anticipating it based on which SEKAI the previous four battles were fought in. But in truth, that was decided after a happy little coincidence where I realized it would make more sense for, say, Ena to be fight #1 followed by her group of four Trainers, rather than her group of four Trainers (who were also part of the N25 battle challenge) being fought in the Between Worlds backdrop.
If that coincidence had not occurred, I would have explicitly pointed out that the battle challenge I am writing deviates from the battle challenge as it would be in-game. Because, ultimately, my reason for Ichika being the first battle of Jeanne's 100-battle challenge is that I didn't want to write a rando Trainer as the first battle of the Colosseum, when I still need to write twenty battles with the actual unit members. Nor did I want to skip Jeanne's first battle and cut immediately to battle #5 after she hears Miku's introduction and watches the Colosseum transform.
And, as a matter of fact, that coincidence did occur because I ran into a separate problem. Namely, in a 100-battle challenge that serves as a fight with all five units, the Colorful Stage characters being threshold Trainers means that there's not a big dedicated "final boss" like there was on Mt. Battle. This was another thing that Courtyard Colosseum handled poorly; Kruger being every threshold Trainer means that battle 100 doesn't feel like as much of a big climax as it should.
But then I remembered the entire premise behind Grand Stage. Every Colosseum has one of the Virtual Singers serving as announcers, and each Virtual Singer serves as the Colosseum Leader - and thus the last opponent - of their respective Colosseum. So I could remedy that problem by making the randomized mode in SEKAI Colosseum be a 101-battle challenge... because in Colorful Stage, every SEKAI also has a Virtual Singer as part of it, even from the launch of the game.
I told you this was gratuitous, but honestly, I don't know if this one counts.
Pokémon and all related properties © Nintendo. Virtual Singers of Piapro Studio © Crypton Future Media. Characters from Colorful Stage © Craft Egg.
Hear This Melody Resound
Four more battles came and went without fanfare; Jeanne stepped back into the pre-battle chamber, intending to depart from SEKAI Colosseum, and was surprised to find the paid healing options listed on the screen.
"Challenger Jeanne, can you hear me?"
The voice echoing out of a nearby speaker caught Jeanne off-guard. "Miku? Is that you?"
"You've fought your way through a hundred battles," Miku observed. "No one would think less of you for accepting your prize, and departing from this Colosseum victorious. But... if you would end this challenge with a triumphant finish - if you would put on one last spectacle for everyone who is watching your battle..."
A Battle Pass appeared in the top corner of the display - with a familiar figure upon it.
"...then take your place on this grand stage, one more time, and join me in one final song."
Jeanne smiled. "I'd be happy to."
She laid her Poké Balls upon the machine, paying for a full restoration; then she emerged onto the Colosseum once more. For the last time did that brilliant light envelop her; when it faded, she was standing in that white void once again, with triangles of colour scattered throughout and drifting in the air. A wave of coloured triangles seemed to wash over the marker for the red corner, and once they had passed, the battle diva was standing there, a gentle smile on her face.
One hand shifted at her side, briefly flashing the glow of her Dynamax Band before it closed into a fist to steady its shaking. The other rose up to rest upon her heart, and light gleamed of the Z-Power Ring bound around her wrist. Miku bowed her head, and the Key Stone in her hairpin gleamed as she took a deep breath; then she turned her gaze across the battlefield, and extended her hand forward with a Tera Orb held in her grip.
"Here, on the borderline between worlds... let the music resonate throughout each and every one."
Jeanne set the fingers of one hand against the palm of the other, cracking them audibly in the void before reversing the motion and doing the same to the other; then she seized a Poké Ball from her belt and raised it forth.
"As you said, we are notes in the song! Let's play our parts to perfection!"
Miku's empty hand seized a Poké Ball, and she flung it forward as Jeanne did the same. Froslass opened her eyes, and was shocked at what she saw - a petite white figure who seemed to be clad in a green dress, with flowing blonde hair that resembled a musical staff scattered with blue notes. Jeanne wanted to doubt the evidence of her eyes... but then the Purest Melody opened her mouth and sang, erasing all doubt from her mind.
Froslass recovered before her Trainer did, taking aim to loose an Ice Beam that seemed to vanish into the void between her palms and striking Meloetta. The Melody Pokémon endured the blow, and responded with a spin, invoking a blast of Psychic to leave Froslass shaking. Shadows gathered between the hands of the Purest Melody as Froslass tried to strike with another Ice Beam; Meloetta endured this as well, and flung the projectile to finish Froslass off.
Jeanne withdrew the unconscious Snow Land Pokémon, sending out Primarina to take her place. Meloetta threw her head back and sang once more, and this time her notes had force to them; the Relic Song seemed to attack Primarina from all angles, but left no further mark. A light enveloped Meloetta, and she twisted into a spin - and when the glow faded, her hair had turned a deep brunette, and was curled above her head in a high bun, while her dress has splayed out like a dancer's. Primarina only glared, Fairy light gathering between her flippers - and when she flung the Moonblast forward, it was enough to knock Meloetta out.
Miku withdrew the Melody Pokémon, sending out a Vespiquen to take her place; then she held out her Tera Orb, and light converged upon it. Jeanne responded appropriately, crossing her arms and thrusting them forth to set off her Z-Power Ring - in the same instant as Terastal energy consumed Vespiquen in crystals, Z-Power converged on Primarina in return.
When the crystals shattered, a brilliant-cut Tera Jewel rested upon Vespiquen's head, and light shone out of it as she flung a Tera Blast below the ocean of water that Primarina invoked. The Soloist Pokémon endured the blast without issue, urging the water to stop above the Bug-type; at Jeanne's signal, Primarina loosed a song to consume Vespiquen in an Oceanic Operetta that flooded the battlefield.
To Jeanne and Primarina's surprise, it wasn't enough to knock out the Beehive Pokémon, who retaliated by invoking with a swirl of Toxic. With a glare, Primarina unleashed a Hyper Voice in retaliation; that finished her off, the Tera Jewel shattering as Vespiquen's flight faltered. Miku withdrew her, watching as the poisons dug into Primarina's body; when they failed to knock her out quite yet, she swept out her next Poké Ball to set off her Dynamax Band, particles converging upon the Ball to supersize it before she flung it backwards into the red corner.
A Blastoise emerged with his back turned to them - thus putting the artillery upon his shell front-and-center. As his Gigantamax finalized and he touched down, Primarina was gathering Fairy light between her flippers... but then cracks spread across the void beneath her, and a Max Strike finished her off from in the instant her attack flew forward. Blastoise barely reacted to the Moonblast as Jeanne withdrew her and sent out Volcarona to take her place; he took aim with his cannons, but Jeanne quickly drew her own Tera Orb, thrusting it overhead to illuminate it and then hurling it forward to burst around the Sun Pokémon.
When it faded, a bouquet of a Tera Jewel rested upon Volcarona's head - which severely hindered the damage dealt by the G-Max Cannonade that blast into her. The waters that lingered did their best to batter her as she gathered sunlight, but failed to strike her down; leaves scattered from her Tera Jewel, and a Solar Beam ascended heavenward before coming down hard on Blastoise. The Shellfish Pokémon managed to endure the blow, retaliating with another Max Strike, but Volcarona responded with a screeching Bug Buzz as the void cracked beneath her, and no sooner had a pillar of light struck her than the sound left Blastoise's Dynamax to blast.
A Delphox was sent out to take Blastoise's place; the Fox Pokémon promptly brandished her wand, searing Volcarona with Magical Fire to shatter her Tera Jewel and leave her toppling. Jeanne withdrew her and sent out Archeops to take her place, and the First Bird Pokémon immediately lashed out with an Earthquake to shake the white void around them and leave Delphox stumbling. The Fire-type invoked a Psyshock in retaliation, particles slamming into Archeops from all directions, but it failed to knock him out a Rock Slide came down to finish Delphox off.
A Lycanroc was sent out to take her place, this one sporting fur like the sunset save for its raised white mane - which had a Z-Crystal nestled in it. The Wolf Pokémon lunged forward with a bark, intercepting Archeops before another Earthquake could shake the void and striking him out of the air with an Accelerock. Jeanne withdrew him and swept out her next Poké Ball to invoke her Dynamax Band, and once the ball had expanded she flung it backwards to send out Goodra.
The void tremored as the Dynamax finalized, and the Dragon Pokémon gave a threatening cry down at Lycanroc. Seeming undeterred, the Wolf Pokémon glanced back at Miku, who nodded in agreement; she crossed her arms and thrust them forward to set off her Dynamax Band, bracing her arms at her sides from an upright position and then twisting to brace them again from a kneel.
Rocky formations seemed to manifest out of the red corner, with Lycanroc perched upon a great cliff as massive stones like arrowheads rose about the void. Goodra unleashed a Max Wyrmwind to twist about the cliff, but Lycanroc endured the gales and leapt into the air, causing all the stones to turn their sharpest point towards the Dragon Pokémon in retaliation. As the Wolf Pokémon lunged forward, the Splintered Stormshards converged on Goodra - but the Dragon-type managed to endure the assault, lashing out with a bolt of Max Lightning in retaliation, and that blast was enough to finish off Lycanroc.
Miku withdrew the Wolf Pokémon, holding her last Poké Ball before her. "No matter where I go... No matter what I see... No matter who I meet..." She raised her gaze. "There is nothing more beautiful than music that is made together."
She threw the Ball forward, and her Mawile emerged, sparkling in the void with her Mega Stone bound around one arm.
"No matter how ephemeral the song, I will continue to sing - together with any who are willing to join me!"
She reached for her Mega Dec, and the Mawilite reacted before the light of Mega Evolution enveloped its bearer. When it shattered, she swept her arms out with an echoing cry, her hair-maws lashing in the air behind her, and advanced with all the courage she could muster. Goodra brought down a blast of Max Lightning to intercept her in mid-charge, but the Deceiver Pokémon dashed through the voltage undeterred, leaping towards the supersized Dragon-type and dashing up his fore with blows of Fairy light. The Play Rough was too much, and the Dynamax blast, leaving Mawile to leap away as Goodra's shrinking form collapsed.
Jeanne withdrew him before turning back to Miku. "I'd be happy to sing with you. No matter how long it takes, or how much effort I have to put in, I would be honoured to be part of the same song!"
She sent out Lucario, and the sight of Mawile standing there had him crossing his arms to flash his own Mega Stone.
"Until then, I'll never stop fighting, no matter how slim my chances!"
She touched her own Key Stone, and the Lucarionite reacted to envelop the Aura Pokémon in turn. In the instant it shattered, he and Mawile charged towards each other, both of them eager to clash once more. Lucario's paw was wrapped in a metallic light, but Mawile managed to duck beneath his Meteor Mash, the swing passing narrowly between her maws as she slid beneath his blow. Her feet collided with one of his legs, and she dashed up his fore like a desert prince, throwing him backwards with the Play Rough as she backflipped to a standing position.
Lucario managed to cartwheel with the blow for himself, leaping into the air and pitching an Aura Sphere down at Mawile. The Deceiver Pokémon took the blow and retaliated with a Metal Burst, the light scattering across Lucario's body and leaving him stumbling as he landed; he managed to avoid toppling, raising his gaze with an eager grin that his opponent returned.
Mawile's footsteps sparked with Fairy light as she charged forward, and Lucario's paw shone with Fighting spirit as he lunged forth to meet her.
The Aura Pokémon's blow connected first, and Mawile was flung backwards from the force of the Drain Punch, light scattering in the air before her and flowing towards Lucario to soothe his wounds. Mawile hit the ground and bounced hard, and her Mega Evolution began to subside as she tumbled to a stop at her Trainer's feet.
Miku took a deep breath, withdrawing the Deceiver Pokémon; then she raised her gaze with a smile.
"With determination like that, there's no one your feelings can't reach."
Draco: Yes, Miku shows up as the last opponent of SEKAI Colosseum, packing all four empowerments. No maxed-out IVs and EVs this time, that is exclusive to her Pokétopia Championship team; there's enough difficulty from having to spend Poké Coupons in order to have your team healed in between fights.
She does appear in every battle challenge of SEKAI Colosseum, possibly in her SEKAI-specific outfits when accompanying each unit, which I guess would technically make the others 21-battle challenges as well. Not sure if she should always use the same team or have a separate team for each SEKAI, but she DOES always bring all four empowerments (Mawile as her signature means that Mega Evolution is accounted for, and the other three aren't exclusive to select species of Pokémon).
Hmm. Now that I've said that, the "unit members on every fifth battle starting from Round 1" should probably be universal rather than specific to the 101-battle challenge. It might be kind of rude to have the last member of a unit immediately followed up with a battle with Miku. Or maybe it should be 25-battle challenges instead? {sorts spreadsheet} Okay, a threshold Trainer every fourth battle would produce exactly twenty fights with four thresholds and a final, so that works. Unit-specific 20-battle challenges of fixed order, unit members on every fourth battle starting from Round 4; collaborative 101-battle challenge in random order, unit members on every fifth battle starting from Round 1.
The bait-and-switch conversation after Battle 100 is purely me writing a story rather than anything I would have happen in-game, and the entire reason it's a bait-and-switch is so I could blindside you, the readers. I would have it listed as a 101-battle challenge on the menu selection (and the announcement pamphlet), so you know what you're getting into before you go in. The Between Worlds setting has no random weather; the rest of SEKAI Colosseum's environmental effects are in effect as normal. I think I would have the Peak Colosseum "all five Virtual Singers serve as announcers when Miku takes the stage" mechanic in play at SEKAI Colosseum as well.