Ash tried to stamp down on his amusement but was finding it difficult. Serena was absolutely beaming as they walked through Snowbelle the next morning, Snom tucked in her arms.
She hadn't yet thought of a name for her new teammate, but she had a few ideas. Not that she'd share them with Ash yet.
Instead, while she had been checking over Snom, Ash had finally received his necklace from Xenos back in Anistar City. The glossy black bands of the orrery concealed the Key Stone unless one knew what they were looking for. Gazing at it, he couldn't help but be reminded of the other piece of jewelry he obtained. Unfortunately, this disrupted his valiant attempts to ignore the Cuff glued to his arm. Being in Snowbelle City has made it easier, since he's been keeping it covered with thick coats.
Plus, Ash has been somewhat avoiding the Mega Evolution topic. He'd been priding himself with how strong of a bond he had with his Pokémon, something extremely difficult with the Chaos types, but now it was about to be put to the test in the most stark and objective way possible.
Yes, Ash would be the first to admit failure is a precursor to growth. But there are certain failures he doesn't want to confront.
This being one of them.
But now his excuses have run dry. Artemis was beside herself with excitement, wanting to try it out as soon as possible. Yet Ash already knew how it would play out. There was a lingering fear that he couldn't ignore when it came to the Houndoom.
Obviously, it wasn't debilitating, or even that noticeable. But it was there, and Ash knew it.
What he needed to accept was that this was a goal for Artemis. And like Cynthia said, a trainer's job was to help their Pokémon reach their goals, and hope their own were met along the way. So he'd strive to heal and recognize Artemis was nothing like Domino's Houndoom.
They would try and try and try until they got it.
Rolling his shoulders, he filed the topic away for later thought and focused on his current objective; trying to respond to Giselle Goodshow.
Unknown
Received 12/18/xxxx at 01:15
Dear Mr. Ketchum,
You may not remember me, but we battled months ago. My name is Giselle Goodshow. We departed on worse than terrible terms and both conducted ourselves in an appalling manner.
I have decided to put aside my grievances in order to thank you for your loyal contribution to maintaining the League's esteem. Poacher Omen was a blight to the League's forces and image and I am extending gratitude for your removal of such a plague.
Though I have to wonder if you mentally traumatized him to death.
Forgive me, that was bleak.
Giselle Goodshow
Uva Academy
Paldean Representative
Ash and Serena were on their way to Master Cort Champlain's house, which was on the outskirts of Snowbelle, right on the cusp of where the city turned into Route 20. It was a far walk, and Ash had been turning over Giselle's message in his mind since he got it.
He had mixed feelings, naturally. Their single meeting had been abrasive, cruel, and full of barbed words. It had also been his first loss, and he'd lashed out. Though she hadn't been a Mew-send by any means either.
He had to admit, his intentions weren't entirely selfless. It wouldn't be wise to alienate Charles Goodshow's niece. Plus, her message had indicated she was a Paldean representative, and he was interested in the reclusive region.
"What's got your feathers so ruffled?" Serena had looked up from Snom long enough to eye Ash with an eyebrow raised.
Ash relented. "You know Charles Goodshow?" Serena rolled her eyes. Okay, valid. "Well, I battled his niece back in Kanto. It was… hostile. She was an entitled shit and I was an asshole."
"You're still an asshole."
He ignored her. "Well, I got a message from her after the whole Omen thing. Here." Passing her his Pokédex, Ash waited for Serena to read the short message.
"Hm, she speaks like the upper echelons of society, which isn't surprising. From what I'd seen and heard when I was in Paldea, their battle academies are the best in the world, the rich and influential are guaranteed a spot. She has a high opinion of herself, but I bet it was not easy for her to write that."
Ash sighed and pocketed the device. "Yeah, I guess. She had some incredible strategies when we battled, and I want to battle her again. She's a Ground specialist, and if what you say is true about the schooling there, I could learn a lot from her."
"So message her back. You've always been good with words, just try to make them less cutting this one time."
Scoffing in faux-offense, he brought the Pokédex back out and started another draft. His nose wrinkled at how stuffy his message sounded, but he was at least trying to match the tone. The dex was handed to Serena to check over, and upon her nod, he sent it off.
Ash Ketchum
Sent 01/10/xxxx at 08:57
Goodshow,
I appreciate your message, Omen was a monster and I doubt anyone will miss him.
I agree we were both rather insensitive. Our battle, ignoring the events preceding and following, is one that taught me much.
The other day I battled Gym Leader Wulfric and he had an impressive Mamoswine that took every ounce of battle-smarts I had to defeat. I'm curious what tactics you'd employ against a Pokémon of such size and durability.
Ash Ketchum
Serena skipped forward, making Ash realize they had arrived. After knocking, she bounced on her toes in excitement, a sharp contrast to how she'd been when she first Teleported in.
The front door swung open to reveal the Master himself. His eyes were assessing and a little beady, but he nodded at the two without words and gestured for them to come inside. Coming to a small sitting area, the man waved towards the couch and settled down into a worn armchair with a huff.
Looking at Cort Champlain, he was rather unassuming. He was hunched with age, with more hair above his lip than on his head. But there was an intense intelligence in his black eyes.
"So, you've got Master Champlain at your disposal. Or, maybe the correct wording would be that I've got a couple o' youngsters at my mercy." He chuckled to himself while Ash and Serena shared a side-eyed look. "Give me your suggestions for which of your Pokémon you'd like to learn the ultimate move."
Ash nodded to his friend to go first. Smiling, Serena leaned forward with her hands on her knees. "I have my starter, a Delphox, who I was hoping could learn Blast Burn. I guess if I had to choose a backup, it'd be teaching Milotic Hydro Cannon."
The elderly man didn't outwardly react, instead turning his attention to Ash. "I have a Frogadier who has just started learning Hydro Pump. I'm hoping he can learn the basics of Hydro Cannon. If that's not possible, then my Hydreigon can feasibly learn Head Smash."
Blast Burn was… Ash would rather not.
Master Champlain leaned back in his chair and pursed his lips. "Release your Kalos starters." The two trainers allowed their teammates to appear in the sitting room, Polaris looking around before hopping up on Ash's lap and Fawkes standing stoically beside her trainer. Cort let his eyes rove over the two, Fawkes shifting slightly and Polaris meeting the gaze straight on.
The man hummed for a few seconds before nodding. "Alright. Let's get started."
Ash allowed his eyes to wander over the snowy field for a moment. Master Champlain's backyard was enormous, sprawling and stretching out for dozens of acres.
Plenty of room for training.
The past eight days had been a blur with how Master Champlain swept Polaris and Fawkes away for tutoring, exceedingly secretive and territorial of his methods. This left Ash and Serena blinking and a lot of time on their hands.
Naturally, they trained.
Styx, Libra, and Hei Bai were having a very explosive three-way battle in the distance, Libra's Earthquakes felt even this far away. Hedwig had taken to following Sagitta wherever she went, much to the Togekiss's consternation. She was definitely working on her accuracy when it came to hitting the smaller Flying type.
In a surprising twist, Hela had inserted herself into Castor and Hemlock's rivalry. The three were often left shaky and twitchy after their bouts.
Bane had been upset to learn Fawkes and Libra were otherwise occupied, so had instead stuck to Mirae and, to everyone's shock, Degas. Serena's Miltoic had gone off with Serena to work on their next Showcase, Snom watching from the sidelines.
Only a few of Ash's partners were learning new moves seeing as many of them had over a dozen. Ash didn't want to forget which attacks they had, or worse, overload them. Thus they focused on trying out new battling techniques.
The few that were learning new moves were working hard. Orion was wrangling Aurora Veil and Blizzard like a champ while Artemis and Nettle had been working together in an… exchange if you will. Nettle was taking a break from Dragon Pulse and was instead learning Hidden Power while teaching Artemis Sludge Bomb. If Ash read the color correctly, he would say Hidden Power had Fighting type energy.
Though, at the moment…
Ash bit his cheek and forcefully pushed away the overwhelming sense of failure that threatened to choke him. Artemis was looking at him with such soulful eyes that he couldn't even consider giving up.
Ash had transferred the gold beryl pendant from Lillie and Styx's fang from her time as a Zweilous onto the new chain. Facing one another, Ash once again - for the 21st time today - raised his left arm and stared into Artemis's eyes as he breathed deeply and pressed the Key Stone.
A flicker, then nothing.
He heaved a sigh and let his arm drop to his side. Honestly, he should be happy they were getting some reaction from the stones. But Ash was so used to getting things right quickly that this was taking its toll.
Ash crouched down in the thickly packed snow and frowned at his shoes, ugly emotions filling his chest with tar and lead. His hands had gone numb in the winter chill long ago, and now he focused on the lethargic movement of his fingers as he opened and closed his fists.
He hugged his arm to his chest, fingers dragging over the hidden Cuff and illogically thinking maybe this was the reason he was failing. That it wasn't him, but some external source halting his success.
He couldn't kid himself, though.
A warm snout pressed against his neck and Ash squeezed his eyes shut. "I'm sorry." The soft whine he got in return had a curious note to it, urging him to lift his head and look at the Nether-hound.
Instead of defeated coal eyes, they were burning. The intensity behind the gaze warmed Ash to his bones and lit his own fire. He felt his lips pull up at the corners without his say-so. "Moment of weakness. Let's try again." Artemis's wolfish grin was rare, but well-timed. "It might take us ten thousand attempts, but we'll get there." The canine threw back her head and howled, sending shivers down Ash's spine. Whether they were born of fear or determination, he didn't know, but they washed away his shame all the same.
Just as he stood and braced his feet, Artemis's nostrils flared and her eyes zeroed in on something over Ash's shoulder. He heard the crunching of snow under footfalls before registering the spark approaching.
An unfamiliar voice broke the temporary silence.
"When Cynthia told me you were an overachiever, I thought she was exaggerating." The voice was clear like bells and sounded almost like singing with how the syllables flowed together. Ash turned over his shoulder and swallowed thickly.
If it wasn't for her chestnut hair, Diantha would have blended in with her surroundings. White power suit, fair skin, stormy grey eyes, she certainly cut an ethereal figure. How she was walking through snow in heeled boots without stumbling was anyone's guess. Every gesture had an otherworldly feel with how graceful and effortless it looked.
Ash dipped his head in her direction. "Champion Diantha." Her smile was a mere quirk of her lips, but it appeared choreographed and paced in time with the suspension in the air.
"Mr. Ketchum." She dipped her head back, the movement much more regal. "Fifteen years of age and already trying to simultaneously unlock the secrets of Mega Evolution and the most powerful elemental attacks. You don't waste time." The last sentence was stated more than it was asked, like she was trying the words out and found the answer herself.
Feeling slightly off-balance, Ash was unsure if that was rhetorical or not. Was he supposed to elaborate? Going with what he knew best, he stayed quiet, staring at the Kalos Champion like she was a particularly intricate puzzle. The woman's smile grew, something sparking in her eyes.
Diantha Chastain conquered the Kalos League in the years the region was recovering from both Lysandre's Flare and the disease that had ravaged the population prior. She had torn her way through the Elite Four and defeated Meyer Citron, his Fighting and Electric types unable to stand up to her Dragons and Faes.
She had an analytic mind, a sharp cunning, and a brazen audacity that saw her gain her second Mastery - Dragon - during her League challenge. She defeated Malva, Siebold, and Drasna with her drakes, and then Mega Evolved her Gardevior against Wikstrom.
She had been eighteen; the youngest in history to achieve both Mega Evolution and a second Mastery.
She was twenty when she abandoned her attempts at training Darks; her Absol released.
Ushering in peace and restoration in Kalos was no simple task, but Diantha succeeded with remarkable grace.
"I've been wanting to meet you for a long while. You see, I can't help but wonder how you are able to handle Darks when I couldn't. What is it about you? I'd like to find out. Six one-on-one single battles. Tomorrow, Snowbelle Gym at noon. I expect at least three Darks on your side. I look forward to our match."
Unable to register her departure due to the resounding heartbeat filling his ears, Ash stood like a statue.
What?
"Ash?" Blinking, he turned to Serena, who stood somewhat awestruck a few paces away. "That was… Diantha?"
It felt like a thousand Vespiquen were beneath his skin and his soul had somewhat left his body. Was he seriously expected to battle a Champion tomorrow? With so little time to prepare? Obviously he didn't expect to win, but Diantha seemed to have a personal investment in this test. Did she feel slighted? Her pride hurt because he could do something she couldn't?
After his initial meeting with Lance, he had realized even Champions were at the mercy of their emotions. They could be hot-headed and illogical and immature, but they were also the first to try to right their wrongs.
But Ash didn't know Diantha. He knew of her, naturally; Fantasy Master, movie star, Grand Duchess, and Champion. Seriously, come on, that's intimidating even for him. Capable of juggling all those capabilities proves she's extremely competent as a human being.
If she had it out for him…
"She challenged me to a battle tomorrow." He heard Serena lightly gasp and he figured that was valid.
"Did she say why?"
Ash shrugged. "She started out as an aspiring Chaos Trainer but couldn't handle the Dark types. She wants to see what 'makes me different' or some shit like that. It'll be six single battles." He saw Serena gape out of the corner of his eyes and couldn't help his snort. "Yeah."
She was quiet for a few beats before shrugging. "Well, you've got some planning to do. Our time with Master Champlain ends today, so will you use Polaris?"
He tilted his head back and forth in thought. "Possibly. She wouldn't use her Master team to fight a Rookie, that'd just be in bad form. Alright, I have some strategizing to do."
Looking back to find Artemis, he tilted his head at the sight of her playfully rolling around in the snow with an odd green canine.
Frowning, the unknown Pokémon looked as if its verdant and black skin was rippling, glitching, almost looking like digital scales.
He didn't often come across Pokémon he didn't recognize, and if he did they were either from an alternate dimension or Paldea. But the spark in his mind was no brighter or stronger than any of his teammates, eliminating the possibility of this being another Legend.
As he approached, the canine's head shot up, skin rippling except the single red gem-shaped blotch on its chest.
It bolted into the surrounding forest.
Artemis whined, looking up at him sadly. "Sorry about your friend, maybe they'll come back." Sadness easily forgotten, the Houndoom barked and wagged her tail, paws tapping the wet ground where the snow had melted. "Come on, we have a battle to prepare for."
He stared at the entrance to Snowbelle Gym for a moment, breathing the frigid air. Serena was a quiet presence beside him, present but not trying to fill the silence. Her hand on his arm was grounding and he took a deep breath, doing his best to shake off his nerves.
Excitement was present, of course, but this was more than just a battle; this was a test. If Diantha wasn't impressed with him by the end… he didn't know what that would mean or how he'd react. He'd be the first to admit he was pretty prideful.
He rolled his neck and huffed, finally forcing himself to push open the doors and step inside. Wulfric was waiting for them, arms crossed and a bemused look on his face. "You just keep getting more interesting, Ketchum." Ash didn't deign to answer, instead choosing to follow the Ice Master through a different set of doors from his previous battle here.
The battlefield he found himself facing was much more standard, no ice and no chill. Instead, it was tightly packed dirt and nothing else.
Diantha stood in the far challenger box, yesterday's power suit exchanged for a white jumpsuit and her well-known flared white coat. Her Key Stone was expertly hidden among Fairy and Dragon Gems on her expensive necklace.
Serena tugged on his sleeve, snatching his attention away from the Kalos Champion. She gave him a single nod, her eyes fierce before turning away to take her place in the stands. He watched as Serena set up her phone to record the battle for him.
So many big challenges he's faced alone. Having support was a change of pace.
Ash walked purposefully to his own trainer box and stared at the 6th strongest trainer in the world. Diantha stood tall while somehow looking relaxed. It was that nonchalance that got Ash's heart pounding with determination.
"Well, Mr. Ketchum, I'm sure this'll be an… informative battle. To keep things a bit more fair, I'll release first each time and you can choose your Pokémon. No time limit, no substitutions, and we will complete all six battles. Are you amenable to these terms?"
Ash merely nodded and dragged his fingers over his Pokéballs. He knew which of his Darks he was using, but the other three were a toss up. His heart rate skyrocketed when Diantha hit the release button on her Luxury ball.
The Pokémon that erupted from the device hovered above the field, wings buzzing so quickly they were a blur. Ash eyed the Vibrava, noting its vibrant green coloring and how it darted around in the air like it was teleporting.
His finger came to rest on the single Lure ball on his belt, releasing Polaris to the field.
The past nine days of tutoring had been rough on the frog, but in a good way. His water stores had increased dramatically, Hydro Pump coming easily after training for Hydro Cannon. According to Master Champlain, Polaris had impressed him greatly with his drive to succeed, already achieving the basics of Hydro Cannon faster than Blastoise and Greninja before him. Obviously the high powered attack is nowhere near mastered, but he had a good start.
This was Polaris's chance to prove what he could do.
Wulfric eyed the two trainers from his spot in the referee stand before he called for the battle to begin.
"Test it, Scald."
Diantha said nothing, just casually watched as the steaming mass of water got closer and closer to her Pokémon. Then, just as the water was a few meters away, the Vibrava buzzed, and the Scald evaporated.
Gone. Poof.
Ash gritted his teeth and knew they were in way over their heads. But now he knew. "Hide." Polaris didn't hesitate to release a thick plume of smoke, body already blurring with Double Team. Vibrava zipped around above the thick Smokescreen, dodging Water Pulses and Smack Downs with ease.
"Locate, Dragon Pulse." Ash's brows furrowed when Vibrava buzzed once more before firing off the concentrated Dragon energy. He inhaled audibly when Polaris was sent flying from the Smokescreen cover.
It took a moment for Ash to understand. Echolocation. What the fuck.
"Smack Down, mix and repeat!" Polaris dove back into the smoke, even as the Vibrava looked almost bored with how its Boombursts destroyed each oncoming stone.
That was, until it didn't work on frubbles.
The sticky white substance latched onto two of its wings, allowing the next Smack Down to impact the Ground and Dragon type's side.
"Vibrate." Diantha said almost offhandedly, and Ash groaned internally when all of a sudden the frubbles started smoking and successively caught fire, dripping onto the field. "Focus, Earth Power."
"Aqua Jet." Even as the red beam of Laser Focus latched on to Polaris, the Kalos starter zigzagged between each eruption of Ground energy from below it, proving his reflex training had been successful.
However, as Polaris spun and torpedoed towards his opponent, Diantha called, "Sand Tomb." and Polaris encountered a solid wall of sand.
The frog actually splat against the rapid sandstorm, water mixing with some granules and falling to the field. The frog was huffing even as the Sand Tomb expanded and covered him.
Ash knew Diantha wasn't going all out, but he was still in shock at how unbelievably outclassed he and Polaris were. His mind danced with plans as he watched Polaris be smothered by the sands. "Water Pulse!"
The wave of water pushed back the sands, giving Polaris the gap he needed to Aqua Jet out of there. But now, the Vibrava was protected by the roaring Sand Tomb that surrounded it. Nothing could pierce it.
Except maybe…
"Aqua Jet again!" Polaris proved his trust in Ash by not hesitating and launching himself once more at the vortex. Diantha looked significantly unimpressed, but Ash ignored that. Squeezing his fists he waited a single heart beat before shouting "Ice Beam!" Polaris's eyes flashed with intensity, his body tilting to send the Aqua Jet into a spiral.
Then the entire thing froze over.
Vibrava twitched right before the Ice Aqua Jet pierced the roiling Sand Tomb, the pointed tip slamming into the vibration Pokémon's chest. The two passed through the back wall of the vortex, both landed harshly on the field.
The Ice around Polaris shattered, revealing the absolutely battered form of the Frogadier. Vibrava was quick to recover, returning to the air and having a distinctly angered buzzing going on.
But Polaris was a stubborn frog and shot off something that looked like a mix of Hydro Pump and Hydro Cannon that caught Vibrava by surprise.
Polaris smirked and successively passed out.
Ash pursed his lips trying to conceal his smile. Vibrava had only been slightly fazed by the high powered attack, and was baring its teeth at its unconscious opponent.
Lifting the Lure ball, Ash returned his downed partner and whispered his thanks. He might have only been hit by Dragon Pulse and Sand Tomb, but the attacks weren't powered down at all. Also, he's battling a Champion, obviously these weren't going to be drawn out battles.
Vibrava disappeared in a flash of red light. Diantha didn't say anything, expression bland but eyes a little more invested. She grabbed her next Luxury ball and released her second Pokémon.
A blue flower Floette hovered over the field, grimacing down at the sand and mud that covered it. The flower was large and beautiful, denoting her strength. Diantha had a Florges on her Master team, he had to wonder why she was raising another of the same line.
He pushed the thoughts away and stared at the Fairy, trying to make a decision. Nodding to himself, his fingers rested on the most intricate of the Pokéballs and released his teammate.
Nettle cried out happily upon being released, flying in loops for a few seconds before calming down and watching its opponent. The Poipole's oddly distorted spark in his mind was a familiar comfort.
"Enchantment." Diantha started off this time, and Ash didn't bother trying to stop her command.
"Nasty Plot." Thank you Sagitta. As the two Pokémon glowed with their respective moves, Ash watched the Floette intently. He recognized Safeguard and Lucky Chant, and the green mist that spread over the field was pretty discernible.
"Vine Whip."
"Weave." Instead of one or two vines, Floette struck with a flurry of them. Nettle blinked in surprise before jumping into action, dodging the wriggling vines none too gracefully. "Adhesive!" Nettle stopped midair, the vines wasting no time to converge. The UB released a fountain of poison, the thick globs looking like a geyser of sludge.
"Infuse!" Diantha actually raised her voice a little, and the vines suddenly took on a decidedly metallic tint.
But Ash wasn't looking to harm the vines. The Steel type energy did nothing to protect the vines from becoming a tangled, sticky knot. Nettle darted out of the fray, allowing the knot to thud on the ground.
Diantha frowned and Floette didn't need to know what she wanted. The Fairy type proved its focus by releasing a flurry of Magical Leaves that sliced through the vines. Now disconnected from the mass, Floette sneered and glared at the Poipole.
The attack that came next awed Ash with its power.
Petal Dance was already an extremely powerful attack. Add in Psychic, and it was destructive.
Nettle was caught in the storm, crying out in pain as the Psychic energy seeped into it. Mew, hearing its cries was like watching an infant get hurt. Ash gritted his teeth. "Protect!" The green dome of energy flared outward, the Psychic infused Petal Dance battering against it relentlessly.
The little Poison type had its arms attempting to cover its head, cyan eyes squeezed shut as it waited for the thunderous storm to pass. The silence that followed was deafening.
"Knot!" Just as the dome fell, thick grasses sprouted from the misty field to wrap around Nettle. The following Hidden Power ripped the Poipole from the Grass Knot and sent it skidding across the field.
Ash dug his fingernails into his palms, letting the pain sharpen his panic-fogged thoughts. "Sludge Wave, follow!"
"Psychic, sweetheart." Ash didn't care that the effortless ripple of energy punched a hole through the massive wave of poison. No, he cared that Nettle was now within a few feet of the Fairy.
"Poison Tail!"
"Seed Bomb!"
"Acid Spray."
"Hidden Power."
"Iron Tail!"
"Energy Ball."
"Now!" Ash had been splitting his attention between the actual fight, and the glowing barrier around Floette.
It had faded.
Nettle, bless its soul, knew what he needed. The Toxic that exploded from its head missed Floette.
But not her flower.
From one second to the next, the flower shriveled, the noxious purple tint racing through phloem and xylem. Floette's body seized like she had been electrocuted, eyes wide and mouth open.
Ash's heart was beating and he refused to wait. "Venoshock!" The specialized poison slammed into the immobilized Fairy and her flower, roiling like bubbling magma and just as thick. The sound was disgusting; sticky and wet.
Floette was revealed, the white of her body completely covered in noxious purple.
She dropped.
The entire battlefield was silent for a moment. Diantha looked flabbergasted, Wulfric's jaw was dropped, and Serena had her hands pressed to her mouth. Nettle was just floating above its downed opponent and had a confused look on its face.
"Nettle!" The little UB turned towards its trainer, glowing mouth opening wider in happiness as Ash held out his arms. The Poipole darted across the field and into his chest, forcing Ash to take a step back. He laughed a little hysterically and hugged his teammate. "You were amazing, thank you."
Who would have thought? His cuddly, lighthearted Pokémon would take down a Champion's. Ash shook his head, gave Nettle one last squeeze, and returned it. He looked up at his opponent and saw her standing stoically, Floette now returned.
"Well, that was certainly well done. However I have yet to battle a Chaos type." Ash scowled, it was like she was dismissing that win entirely. The Kalos Champion pushed a short strand of hair away from her eye and released her next Pokémon.
The Grassy Terrain was still going strong as Whimsicott landed on the field. The Grass and Fairy type floated down to the ground, its weight almost negligible. Ash nodded to himself and pressed a finger on the Heal ball on his belt.
'Mirae' appeared on the field, lips raised in a snarl. Wulfric nodded and signaled the next battle to begin.
"Power Up."
"Sunny Day." Ash pulled out his hat when the artificial light started beating down. 'Mirae' had already completed Hone Claws and now was pacing impatiently, glaring at Whimsicott distrustfully.
"Weigh them down."
Not wanting to know what that meant, Ash didn't stick around. "Agility, under if needed." He bit his cheek as 'Mirae' burst into action, Whimsicott shaking piles of cotton off of them, an unexpected Defog scattering them around the field.
'Mirae' skipped and jumped and glided around the sticky and heavy Cotton Spore, managing to exhale wisps of flame that burned the cotton. Upon one large clump coming towards him, 'Mirae' dove underground, the hole now plugged with the cotton.
Whimsicott hadn't moved from its spot yet, and Ash was wary.
He soon knew why his gut was screaming at him. As soon as 'Mirae' burst from the ground, Whimsicott crossed the field like it had Teleported, landing a particularly painful Moonblast that sent the Pokémon back into the hole.
Damn Chlorophyll and Grassy Glide.
But 'Mirae' was quick. The unexpected Aerial Ace tore off a significant chunk of cotton from the Grass and Fairy type's head, earning a startled cry. Whimsicott stumbled away, hand reaching up to touch the now bald spot on its head.
Uh oh.
Whimsicott snarled, the supercharged Solar Beam erupting before Ash could blink. 'Mirae' was sent tumbling and rolling away, and finally, the illusion dropped.
Bane's chest was charred and smoking from the powerful Grass attack, but he was far from done. The torrent of flames that burst from his maw made Ash sweat from his spot. Sunny Day caused the attack to fan out, Whimsicott cornered and unable to escape without stepping out of bounds.
Then, dozens of Zoroark were surrounding the Grass and Fairy type, illusionary torrents of flame lighting up the battlefield and flickering like they were real and wild. The spark that Ash knew was his teammate broke away from the mass, claws once more tearing at Whimsicott.
The Windveiled Pokémon was only caught by its opponent a moment more when Diantha called, "Hurricane!" and her Pokémon obliged. The winds caught the lightweight Pokémon, lifting it high into the air and above the faux-Fire attacks and away from rending claws.
Another Solar Beam tore into the field, Bane getting away with Dig before he could be struck again. He was unprepared for the Energy Ball that followed him.
Bane came up for air, rear hindleg unable to hold some of his weight from the surprise Grass attack. Snarling once more, he glowed with an ominous black energy, ensnaring Whimsicott in its rage.
Diantha rolled with the Taunt. "Moonblast, Seed Bomb!"
"Wait… dodge, Night Slash! Bomb it!" His fastest teammate dove away from the Moonblast, jumping to his feet in time to meet the unstable seeds with elongated claws, taking another step with each seed that was destroyed. The next Flamethrower blocked him from sight.
The agonized cry of Whimsicott when the Sludge Bomb sunk into its skin was piercing. Bane was quick to follow up with a Skitter Smack.
"Grassy Glide, Play Rough!"
"Copy Cat!"
Even as the Grassy Glide sent Bane sprawling, he was able to get to his feet in time to meet Whimsicott head to head in a glowing pink brawl.
"Now!" It wasn't perfect, but Bane had the advantage with the standard field.
He vanished.
Whimsicott scowled and erupted with wind, Hurricane covering the entire field, stirring up dirt, debris, and tufts of cotton. It twitched just as from below, Flamethrower erupted from nowhere. It was only struck for a moment, a small sphere of wind forcing the flames to bank around it.
This was all just a stalling tactic to Diantha.
Somehow, the Champion acted a second before the Flamethrower died. "Spore Cloud!"
Bane was already launching himself forward and ran face first into the cloud. The burst of powders in Bane's face were immediately inhaled, the fox reaching up to grab his throat as he struggled to breath. Ash cursed. "Toxic!"
Some poison seeped into Whimsicott as it made its getaway, putting space between it and its opponent. Bane dropped to the ground, his airways producing an awful wheezing sound.
"Alarm Clock, darling." Ash paled when he realized what was happening. Whimsicott produced a large seed that it held to its chest.
And then it went to sleep.
Every single bruise, cut, injury, and poison burn knitted back together. "Sludge Bomb, rapid fire!" Bane coughed but produced a few small globs. However, his eyes were glassy, his breathing was labored, and his muscles were frozen, and all the globs went wide.
The seed in Whimsicott's arms suddenly burst open, its energy seeping into the Unova native and waking it.
A timed Worry Seed.
Ash couldn't control the slow shake of his head. Whimsicott looked good as new and Bane was struggling to breath. He winced when Bane hacked a fluid-filled cough and fell to his knees.
"I forfeit Bane." It showed how far gone the Dark type was that he didn't even hear his trainer. The Heal ball was quickly lifted to return his teammate, the innate technology already doing its best to somewhat heal the fox of his status conditions.
Diantha tilted her head thoughtfully but returned her Pokémon as well. He didn't care what she thought, there was no way Bane would have been able to continue battling. It would have been cruel to expect it.
Ash was left a little shaken from the abrupt change in battling. Diantha didn't hold back this round. After Nettle's surprise win, she must have released the reins a bit. Ash refrained from dragging a hand down his face, though he desperately wanted to.
Halfway through.
Diantha's next Pokémon took to the field without hesitation, the gooey Kalosian slug dripping onto the field.
Once again, she had another Pokémon from the same line as one on her Master team.
Ash could only thank Mew that she hadn't evolved Sliggoo yet.
Goodra were nightmares to battle, their skin had very few pain receptors, and the damage they did take could be washed away with Hydration, Life Dew, or any combination of Water exposure. Their skin secreted an acidic substance that ate away at most organic matter, giving them another layer of defense. They were slightly more vulnerable to Fire if it was hot enough to dry them out, but very few Fire types could overwhelm a fully evolved Pseudo-Legend.
Sliggoo, while still annoying to battle, weren't nearly as formidable as their evolution.
Ash took a fortifying breath, letting the short and quick exhales up his heart rate to give him a boost of energy. The Dusk ball in his hand was warm as he released the hound.
Artemis was the most serious he'd ever seen her, snarling and glaring at the pure Dragon type across from them. Her saliva dripped to the ground with a quiet sizzle.
"Be careful, the slime can dissolve anything." Artemis snorted to show she heard. No Beat Up, no Crunch, no Fire or Thunder Fang. No matter, she had better long range attacks anyway.
As Wulfric called a beginning to the battle and the two Pokémon set the stage with Howls and Curses, Ash took a steadying breath.
"Muddy Water."
"Sunny Day, Feint Attack." Timing was everything for this, because as the artificial light in the sky was renewed - using less power as the heat was still half-there - the wave was upon Artemis. Just as the first droplet sizzled against her hide, she faded.
Sliggoo looked properly off guard when she appeared next to it with Feint Attack, the blast of Flamethrower attempting to make the Dragon extra crispy.
"Fling." Ash grimaced when the Soft Tissue Pokémon shot a glob of mucus at his teammate. She yelped when the acidic goop made contact, her fur dissolving away until she superheated her body to burn it to shit.
Artemis was much more wary now as she put distance between her and the slug. "Rain Dance." The speed of the technique was awe inspiring, the Sunny Day immediately smothered by clouds and rain. The burns on Sliggoo melted away, and Artemis had to keep her body temperature high to keep the rain from touching her.
The pace of this battle was so much slower, Ash wasn't entirely sure how to proceed. "Smog-screen." Artemis sent the noxious cloud exploding over the field, the rain barely denting the thick plume.
He really, really hoped Sliggoo didn't have Hydration as its ability. But if the healed burns were any indication…
His teammate was intuitive, and didn't need to wait for his commands to enter the fray. She was immune to her own brand of poison, so she dove without hesitation into the smog-infused smokescreen.
A gooey thump and cry made him smile grimly. Thank goodness for Ice type Hidden Power. The smoke suddenly lit up with blue electricity, and a startled yelp notified him Artemis had been hit. When it became obvious the Shock Wave was on repeat, he called, "Iron Tail!" hoping she understood.
When there was no cry of pain on the next two flashes, Ash was dubiously hopeful. When a muted thud was heard, he bared his teeth in an approximation of a smile.
"Whirlpool." What happened next wasn't a traditional Whirlpool. No, instead, it was using the Rain Dance and Muddy Water to sweep up smoke, mud, and Artemis in a vortex.
'Oh shit.'
Artemis looked panicked within her prison, the threat of drowning imminent. Sliggoo had no poisonous tint to its body and looked fresh and renewed from the rain. His eyes darted around frantically until he saw it. Damn Hydration.
Sliggoo was connected to the Whirlpool.
"THUNDER FANG!" He bellowed as loudly as he could, and when Artemis's jaws crackled within the water, the response was immediate.
Both the Sliggoo and Houndoom seized up, electricity coursing easily through their bodies from being drenched in water. The Whirlpool fell to the ground, Artemis smacking wetly against the field. She coughed and spluttered, worn and battered. But she stood. Sliggoo was fine, hardly any damage on its slimy body.
The stones flashed once before going dull again.
"Finish it, darling. Rock Slide."
Ash closed his eyes, waited a beat, and then in a defiant tone, shouted, "Destiny Bond!"
Diantha took an aborted step forward, but it was too late. The ghostly energy latched on to both Artemis and Sliggoo, and as the Houndoom was buried under an avalanche of rocks, Sliggoo's energy drained out of it.
It fell to the ground in a dead faint.
He smiled tightly, waiting for the Jynx on the edge of the battlefield to lift the rocks with Psychic. Artemis was crumpled beneath the pile, foreleg bent at an odd angle. Ash lifted her Dusk ball and returned his wonderful teammate. He lightly kissed the ball before replacing it on his belt.
When he looked at his opponent, Diantha looked like she swallowed something sour. "Well, that was certainly a… Dark type inspired strategy." He wanted to laugh. Did she or did she not want to see why he could train Darks? And now she was trying to shame him for it? Destiny Bond wasn't even labeled as a Dark technique.
He didn't respond, instead waiting patiently for her to release her fifth Pokémon. Something must have changed because her features hardened and she took out an Ultra ball. The behemoth that landed on the field was breathtaking.
Tyrantrum.
The Fossil Pokémon bellowed its release, the ground shaking beneath its massive frame. Standing over ten feet tall, it was a behemoth. Its scales were thick and its collar was large, small foreclaws flexing in anticipation. The Fossil was all prehistoric aggression, jagged edges and rugged angles.
This beast was on her Master team.
Ash readied his own Ultra ball.
Who better to battle a king than a future queen?
Libra appeared on the field with an earth-shattering roar, almost as mighty as her foe's. The Totem Hakamo-o tilted her head up, staring defiantly at what would be her biggest challenge yet. She slammed her meaty fists together, a harsh cacophony echoing across the battlefield as her scales crashed against each other.
This was going to be good.
"Work Up."
"Dive in." Diantha waved a hand, allowing her Pokémon to run straight at Libra, jaws wide. Libra glowed orange for a moment and lifted her bulky arms just in time to catch Tyrantrum by the teeth, her feet carving deep lacerations into the ground. The Fossil blinked before the charged Dragon Breath entered its throat.
Libra let go and backed up, the explosion causing Tyrantrum to groan and stumble back. But then its eyes flared open and the fury in them made Ash shiver. But Libra did not falter, once again slamming her fists into each other and roaring her daring.
The next time Tyrantrum advanced, it was all the more terrifying. Libra ducked beneath the first Crunch, then the second. The third cracked against her scales, but they did not pierce.
Drain Punch slammed into Tyruntrum's throat, reflectively unlocking its jaw and freeing the Totem.
When the two clashed again, Tyrantrum learned that if its teeth couldn't pierce Libra's scales, then the scales had to go.
The Thunder Fang got under some scales on her neck and heaved. Libra roared when her scales were ripped off, the gray skin beneath bleeding sluggishly.
Tyrantrum went in for a second attempt, but Libra was pissed now. The Sky Uppercut slammed the Rock and Dragon type's mouth shut with an audible snap. The second Sky Uppercut was sure to be felt in the neck the next day.
The Hakamo-o, while large, was smaller than the beast, giving her the opportunity to employ her rarely-used agility, ducking beneath teeth, swerving around the tail, and skidding away from crushing feet.
All the while, Dragon Claws tore at knee ligaments, Drain Punches bruising the already painful, though shallow, slashes.
Ash watched the exchange in horrified fascination. Even Styx's battle against Iris's Haxorus wasn't this savage.
Diantha brought out Tyrantrum when she wasn't going for complex strategy. It was purely meant to be a battering ram.
Tyrantrum stomped, the Earthquake catching Libra off-guard and sending her stumbling. The Stealth Rock that followed was so incredibly precise, each small stone tore off a scale.
At this point, Libra had maybe 65% of her scales left, which was giving Ash heart palpitations. He could see pain written in every single movement Libra took. This was no longer a battle of tactics, this was a brawl between Dragons.
Suddenly, Libra glowed with violet energy, her remaining scales smashing against each other. Tyrantrum stumbled away and shook its head to clear the horrible noise. Libra grit her teeth as her scales cut into her skin, but the violet energy grew with every slash.
It was much too soon, yet Clangorous Soul filled her body with power.
When it ended, Libra bellowed with enough strength to shake the room. She advanced on Tyrantrum with more speed than ever before, body coated with an orange light as she unleashed a flurry of Sky Uppercuts and Drain Punches. The streams of blood where her scales were torn out slowly scabbed over.
When the Fossil swung its tail around, Libra shined with the power of Iron Defense, and kept going. As her all-out attack ended, Tyrantrum, limping and covered in bruises, snarled. Libra was panting and shaking at this point, and though she tried to scramble away, it wasn't possible.
Tyrantrum glowed and charged, its head getting underneath Libra.
Then, it flung her away.
Libra went airborne and when she landed, Diantha, Ash, and Wulfric all stumbled from the tremor. Tyrantrum roared and advanced, Superpower draining from its body and leaving it panting slightly. Libra struggled from where she lay sprawled on the torn up field. Her limbs wouldn't cooperate and she looked fearful as Tyrantrum loomed over her.
Before the Fossil could place a leg on her downed form, she vanished in a haze of red. Ash held her Ultra ball aloft and lowered it slowly, thanking her even as he shook.
He'd never seen Libra so bloody.
He took pleasure in the bruises littering the Fossil's body, though. Tyrantrum snarled as its prey escaped it, but even it couldn't hide its shaking muscles. Oh, it had plenty left in the tank, but Libra had weakened its support, one or two Dragon Claws getting deep enough to affect some knee ligaments.
Ash breathed deeply and closed his eyes. One last battle. Opening his eyes, he saw Diantha readying her final Pokéball, another Luxury ball. Upon release, Ash gulped.
Her Altaria, already part of her Master team, had a Mega Stone. It was a delicate necklace around the long, gentle blue neck. How'd Diantha get two? Her Mega Gardevoir was her staple, the ace of her team. When did she get a Mega Altaria?
To be fair, what better for a Fantasy Trainer? Altaria, like Mirae, became a Dragon and Fairy type when Mega Evolved. Ash sighed, but unclipped the old, dented Dusk ball.
She'd never forgive him if he didn't give her this.
The risks were great and terrible. But a Dragon's pride was greater, and broken pride would not be suffered.
Styx appeared on the field with the same heart-stopping shriek as always, the blood-curdling sound targeting the most primal parts of the body. Her three heads slunk back and forth, fuschia eyes locking on her opponent.
"Let's not waste time, yes? Harmony, my love, respond to my heart!" As the Kalos Champion pressed the stone hanging from her necklace, the chain around Altaria's neck glowed in response. Altaria burst into a dazzling white blaze, its silhouette growing bigger and wider, the matching spark in his mind flaring, until the light sunk into its new body.
Mega Altaria flapped its fluffy wings, the massive downy fluff on its back bobbing with every downward beat of the wings. Ash narrowed his eyes, knowing they were at the biggest disadvantage of their careers. But Styx wouldn't go down without a fight.
Styx gnashed her teeth and pounded her tail against the destroyed field. As soon as Wulfric gave the signal, she was moving.
The Scary Face that formed from smoke was a horrifying sight, and not even a Mega Altaria was immune.
Styx slammed into it with all the brutality her species was known for.
Teeth tore and punctured and ripped fluffy feathers from their host. Mega Altaria was only caught off guard for a second before its body was suffused in light.
The screech from Styx was enough to make Ash plug his ears. The ground was torn up from where she skidded, the Moonblast leaving her twitching. "Stone Shower!"
"Hyper Beam."
Pixilate was something to behold, because the Hyper Beam tore through every single meteor that fell to the field.
But the Stone Edge that caught the bird in the abdomen cut off the Fairy attack. Styx glowed with the Rock energy, stone after stone slamming into Mega Altaria each time it tried to recover. "Cotton Guard." The next Stone Edge did nothing, the cotton barrier absorbing the impact. Mega Altaria used its new defenses to fly above the pyres. "Symphony." The Hoenn native opened its beak.
What erupted from the Dragon was indescribable. It was soothing, like Sing. It was harsh, like Disarming Voice. It was beguiling, like Alluring Voice.
Styx shrieked and shrieked until Hyper Voice unfolded naturally, all three heads screaming.
Mega Altaria flinched, throat closing and cutting off the myriad of sounds. Styx's smaller heads released two concentrated Dark Pulses that struck the bird in the chest, but didn't do much damage.
"Dragon Dance, Sky Attack."
"Match with Dual Wingbeat!" Styx took it upon herself to use Dragon Dance before the two Dragons met with a clash of wings. Styx hissed as she lifted her legs to protect her chest from the flaming Humming Pokémon, six wings rushing down to slam into it.
But for Mega Altaria, when in doubt use a Fairy attack.
Styx once again shrieked when Dazzling Gleam burned her. Her heads whipped erratically trying to get rid of the blindness the attack caused. Mega Altaria was quick to press its advantage, Moonblast and Dragon Pulse forcing Styx to the ground in an explosion of dust and debris.
The Hydreigon was shaking from the massive concentration of Fae energy that's trapped in her system, her body jerking and twitching as she tried to reject it. Mega Altaria drifted just a tad too close though.
One of Styx's heads lashed out, Ice Fang sinking into one wing. A mighty yank sends the bird tumbling into the other smaller head, another Ice Fang awaiting. Mega Altaria charged up another Moonblast, prepared to launch it point-blank.
But a Steel coated tail slammed into the bird's neck, the energy destabilizing and exploding between the two Pokémon. Mega Altaria's downy feathers softened its fall, rolling the Pokémon away until it came to a stop.
Styx's wings were splayed out, legs beneath her but unable to carry her weight. She was snarling and hissing, stamina holding true but the Fae energies disrupting her bodily systems. All she could do was scream. Hyper Voice threatened to rupture the eardrums of everyone in the room, its intensity higher than ever before.
Mega Altaria was writhing on the field, its own music unable to compare.
Then everything fell silent.
Styx lay immobile on the floor, the Fae energies finally sapping the rest of her vitality and her body shut down.
Ash had never returned a teammate faster in his life. She'd need to be taken to a specialized center to get the Fae energy siphoned from her body.
His body was starting to realize the immediate 'threat' was nullified, and the adrenaline was draining from his veins. His first 6v6 battle. Against a Champion. 4-1-1. Not bad.
He nodded to himself and finally straightened, shoulders squared, and met Diantha halfway across the field. The Kalos Champion's eyes were narrowed, staring down at him for a moment. Her Altaria had returned to its base form and was standing beside her.
She lifted her hand and Ash gazed at her for a moment before he reached out to return the shake. "My questions were not answered like I had hoped, but there is something…" Her gray eyes analyzed him for a long moment. "I did get glimpses of Chaos. Of Restoration, of Destruction, of Order. You are a walking contradiction, Ashton Ketchum."
From a small handbag, she removed a book.
It was well-loved, but obviously well-made and extravagantly bound. Ash took it, hesitating only slightly, and looked down at the cover.
Stamped amidst the textured face was Aura, Balance, and Natural Order by Dr. Fleur Fir.
Professor Fir had been the Kalos regional professor for over 60 years before Sycamore took over. Ash was almost positive she dedicated the final years of her life to studying the Aura Trio after Lysandre's power grab.
Ash looked up, words forming on his lips, but Diantha was already striding away.
Ash's lips twisted, unable to figure out the Kalos Champion as he put the book in his pack.
Did she try to become a Chaos trainer because of the Aura Trio? Because of Lysandre's Flare?
All three Legends had been present that day. The same day as The Great Wave. The same day as…
"Ash!"
He turned to look at Serena, seeing her smile and eyes wide in disbelief.
Right, the battle.
He took a deep inhale, trying to release the tension held in his muscles. His Pokémon were in a state, Artemis, Libra, and Styx the worst off of them. Polaris and Bane would be okay after some healing, and Nettle had only a few injuries.
He couldn't be prouder of them.
Ash turned to give a single wave to Wulfric who had been watching silently from the sidelines. He got a serious nod in response, eyebrows furrowed in deep thought.
The cold air hit their faces and they both shivered slightly when they started walking. "Ash, I'm… I'm just in shock right now. You held your own against a Champion. You've been a trainer for only eight months and your Pokémon weren't knocked out in one hit. I'm a little speechless."
"My Pokémon… they work so hard." There was a pulsing warmth in his chest at the thought of his team, his Pokémon.
He rarely felt lucky, but it was easy to think he had some on his side in regards to the partners he has.
Each one fought for him, for themselves, against overwhelming odds today.
"Give yourself some credit. They couldn't have gotten this strong without you." Ash was quiet but nodded. "Now, let's get Styx healed up. There's a Pokéhospital by the entrance to Route 21. I had to bring Hei Bai to one after a run in with a wild Slurpuff. They should be able to help Styx."
After they got to the hospital, Ash was separated from Serena for a short while as he got the paperwork filled out and Oak's account was accessed that was set aside for his sponsored trainers. He admitted Artemis and Libra too in order to speed up their healing and to ensure there was no lasting damage. Libra would be out for a while as her scales regrew.
But, every time her scales regrew, they were stronger than the last. One of the bright sides to such violent battles.
Luckily, they'd be discharged tomorrow morning a few hours before his flight. But being down three Pokéballs on his belt made him distinctly uncomfortable.
Serena was reading a sports magazine when he returned to the waiting room. She finished reading a passage and then set it back, rising to meet him. "Will she be okay?"
Ash nodded. "Yeah, it was a lot of Fae energy and she'll be unable to battle for about five days, but she'll be okay. Artemis will be in a cast for three days and Libra will be benched for a week."
Serena frowned. "Wow, it must have been worse than it looked."
Ash grimaced. "Yeah, she ended up losing 73% of her scales. She also had two broken metatarsals on her left hand. She'll be grumpy for sure. I'll ask if she wants to rest at Oak's Ranch."
He had plenty of ideas for countering Diantha's team in the future. He needed Hemlock or Bane for Vibrava to bypass the Sand Tombs and vibration. He was also going to steal those protective strategies with Castor and Libra.
Floette was manageable, Sagitta was maneuverable and fast enough to evade the flurry of vines and energy attacks. The Fairy type was also able to infuse Steel energy into her vines. They'd be experimenting with that.
Whimsicott was hard to hit and had all the advantages of a Grass type; spores, sun invigoration, and terrain manipulation. Its wind manipulation was also a huge boon, acting as a speed-enhancer alongside a defensive capacity. Orion would be a good counter once his Hail activation improved and they could work on Ice variation of Stealth Rock.
Sliggoo was the type of Pokémon to keep getting back up and healing if it had access to water. The slime on its body weakened most energy-based attacks while protecting it from physical attacks due to its acidity, on top of their dulled nerves. Artemis would actually be a competent counter once her body temperature was maxed out. Castor could protect himself underground and dehydrate it potentially. Ash had heard rumors of a Paldean Pokémon that used salt-based strategies for that very purpose…
Tyrantrum was a monster, its physical prowess practically unstoppable. Libra would, though. He knew she could, they just had to train her strength output. She would be the strongest of his Pokémon, physically. He either needed a Pokémon hard to hit, or a Pokémon that could hit back harder. Polaris would be an option when he evolved. But Libra was still the best choice. They just had to get better. There was no saying when she would evolve, but in the meantime she'd become the most formidable Hakamo-o there was or ever will be.
Mega Altaria was a losing battle from the beginning, especially for Styx with her debilitating weakness to Fairy energy. There were few ways to circumvent that kind of blatant disadvantage, but with Floette's technique maybe they could…
The battle showed him their ineptitude in many areas. His winning streak had made him too comfortable, too stagnant. This loss has taught them their blind spots.
The two exited the building and stood off to the side. There was an unspoken tension between the two, the knowledge that Ash's time in Kalos was quickly dwindling wearing on them.
"What time is your flight?" Guess they were both thinking about the same thing, Serena smiling sadly.
"11:00 in the morning. I should probably get there a couple hours before."
Serena nodded slowly before a pensive look came to her eye. "Alright, we need to make the most of our last day together. So, what do you want to do?"
"I need to drop off Polaris, Nettle, and Bane. After that… I'm not sure."
At the center, Serena perused the info board as Ash dropped off his three teammates. She was pursing her lips in thought as she read over the options. "The Pokémon Village south of here is experiencing some issues with wild Mandibuzz hunting the recovering Pokémon. Think we'll be strong enough to assist?" Serena had a challenging gleam in her eye.
He smirked. "We might be able to help."
Our boy fought a Champion - though she wasn't going all out - and Artemis is having a time with Mega Evolution and a new friend…
IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm going to take a two-week posting hiatus to iron out some things. I have a (very) rough draft written of practically the entire fic, and I want to ensure adequate continuity since I heavily edit before posting. Chapter 32 will be up the first week of February.
I'm really excited for the Galar arc, it might be my favorite storyline of the four regions Ash travels to.
Diantha's Fairy Master Team
Gardevoir (Mega)
Sylveon
Carbink
Klefki
Clefable
Florges
Diantha's Dragon Master Team
Goodra
Dragalge
Kingdra
Altaria (Mega)
Noivern
Tyrantrum