Hello, everyone. ThunderReborn from 2025. This chapter was originally edited by Darklord331. Finally, in April 2025, this chapter was edited again by my current beta reader, Waroyer123. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.
Please look at the Broken Dreams Stat Sheet for the current list of Ichigo's Pokémon. The bolded names are those featured in his chapter.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, and Studio Pierrot.
Pokémon is owned by Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, and Game Freak.
Please support the official release.
"Hello." – Normal talking.
"Hello." – Ichigo's thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
Chapter 70:
Ichigo entered the battlefield and walked to the center. A minute later, his opponent appeared. She walked to the middle of the battlefield and met Ichigo.
"Good morning, Sabrina," Ichigo said.
"Good morning to you as well," Sabrina replied. The referee approached them.
"The winner of the coin toss will decide who sends out their Pokémon first and will also make the first move," the referee announced, taking out a coin. "Who wants to call it?"
"After you," Ichigo said.
"I'll go with heads," Sabrina said.
"I'm fine with tails," Ichigo replied. Sabrina nodded and flipped the coin. It landed on the ground, and everyone looked to see that it was tails.
"Ichigo called it right," the referee announced.
"Sabrina will go first," Ichigo said.
"Okay then. Take your places." Ichigo, Sabrina, and the referee took their positions on the battlefield. "The match between Cardinal Ichigo and Ace Trainer Sabrina will begin. This will be a six-on-six match, and each trainer is allowed five substitutions. Ace Trainer Sabrina will send out her Pokémon first and make the first move."
"Go, Espeon," Sabrina said.
"Go, Drapion," Ichigo replied. Drapion let out a loud, intimidating roar as she glared at Espeon.
"Damn it. None of my Pokémon have any Ground-type attacks," Sabrina thought. The referee glanced at her, and Sabrina recalled her Espeon, sending out Gallade instead. Ichigo recalled Drapion and sent out his red Dusknoir.
"I'll stick with Gallade," Sabrina said.
"The battle between Dusknoir and Gallade will begin. Ace Trainer Sabrina has the first move."
"Gallade, use Psycho Cut!" Sabrina ordered. Gallade charged toward Dusknoir, his arms glowing with psychic energy.
"Shadow Sneak and Shadow Punch," Ichigo commanded. Dusknoir dove into the shadows. Gallade stopped, trying to locate Dusknoir.
"Be careful. It usually shows up from below you!" Sabrina warned. Gallade nodded and stayed alert. The shadow behind him expanded.
"Behind you!" Sabrina called. Gallade turned around, his arms ready to strike, but Dusknoir appeared behind him and punched him in the face. Gallade staggered back, trying to recover.
"Don't let him recover," Ichigo ordered. Dusknoir soared toward Gallade, continuing to use Shadow Punch.
"Psycho Cut in front of you!" Sabrina shouted. Gallade fired a Psycho Cut in front of him, hitting Dusknoir and forcing her back. Gallade quickly recovered. "Keep using Psycho Cut! Don't let Dusknoir attack!"
Gallade fired more Psycho Cuts at Dusknoir.
"Dodge it and use Will-O-Wisp!" Ichigo commanded. Blue ghostly flames gathered in Dusknoir's hand and flew toward Gallade.
"Destroy those Will-O-Wisps!" Sabrina ordered. Gallade fired a few Psycho Cuts toward the incoming flames. The two attacks collided, causing an explosion.
"Dusknoir, use Shadow Sneak and Shadow Punch!" Ichigo called. Dusknoir used the smoke from the explosion to hide in the shadows and move toward Gallade.
"Gallade, blow the dust away with Psycho Cut!" Sabrina ordered. Gallade swung his arms, releasing more Psycho Cuts to part the smoke, but Dusknoir had already disappeared. Dusknoir shot out from Gallade's shadow and punched him in the back of the head. Gallade collapsed to the ground. Dusknoir punched Gallade a few more times to ensure he was unconscious.
"The battle is over. The winner is Dusknoir," the referee declared.
"Good job, Gallade," Sabrina said as she recalled her Pokémon and sent out Malamar. Ichigo recalled Dusknoir and sent out Scizor.
"I'll stay with Malamar," Sabrina said.
"The battle between Scizor and Malamar will begin. Sabrina has the first move."
"Malamar, use Night Slash!" Sabrina ordered. Malamar's tentacles glowed with dark energy as it swung them at Scizor.
"Dodge and use X-Scissors," Ichigo ordered. Scizor easily sidestepped the attack and slashed downward at Malamar with her claws in an 'X' formation.
"MAR!" Malamar howled in pain.
"Keep it up!" Ichigo encouraged.
"Malamar, get away!" Sabrina ordered. Malamar tried to retreat, but Scizor was too fast. Scizor delivered another X-Scissors to Malamar's back, knocking the Pokémon off its feet, and landing face-first on the ground.
"End it with X-Scissors," Ichigo commanded. Scizor delivered one final strike to Malamar's back, knocking it unconscious.
"The battle is over. The winner is Scizor." Sabrina recalled Malamar and sent out her Bronzong. Ichigo recalled Scizor and sent out Chandelure. Sabrina nodded to the referee.
"The next battle will be Chandelure vs. Bronzong. Ichigo has the first move."
"Flamethrower," Ichigo said. Chandelure unleashed a stream of flames toward Bronzong.
"Use Light Screen to protect yourself," Sabrina ordered. Bronzong's eyes glowed as a yellow, transparent barrier appeared in front of it, shielding it from Chandelure's flames.
"Revolve around it," Ichigo ordered. Chandelure began to circle Bronzong while continuing to use Flamethrower. Bronzong spun along with Chandelure, keeping the Light Screen up. Soon, they were trapped in a vortex of flames. Chandelure gave Bronzong an eerie smile as it struggled to protect itself from the heat.
"Bronzong, use Psychic to escape!" Sabrina ordered. Bronzong surrounded itself in psychic energy, trying to escape the fiery vortex.
"Shadow Ball!" Ichigo commanded. Chandelure fired a few Shadow Balls at Bronzong. The Shadow Balls struck, causing Bronzong to lose focus on its Psychic and fall into the flames. Each time it got close to escaping, another Shadow Ball from Chandelure knocked it back down. This continued for another minute until Bronzong finally fell into the flames. "Enough," Ichigo said. Chandelure devoured the remaining flames, revealing an unconscious Bronzong.
"The battle is over. The winner is Chandelure," the referee declared. Sabrina recalled Bronzong and sent out her Espeon. Ichigo recalled Chandelure and sent out Drapion.
"The battle between Drapion and Espeon will begin. Sabrina has the first move."
"Espeon, use Dazzling Gleam!" Sabrina ordered. Espeon glowed with fairy energy before shooting a burst of light at Drapion.
"Cross Poison," Ichigo countered. Drapion crossed her arms in front of her face as her claws began to glow purple. A purple 'X' appeared in front of her crossed arms and shot the attack toward the incoming Dazzling Gleam. The two attacks collided, creating a massive explosion. As the dust settled, it revealed that both Drapion and Espeon were still standing, unharmed.
"Charge in with Night Slash," Ichigo ordered. Drapion charged straight into the dust, her claws glowing black.
"Use Psychic to dodge," Sabrina commanded. Espeon floated into the air, narrowly avoiding Drapion.
"Keep an eye on Espeon while you use Hone Claws," Ichigo instructed. Drapion's claws began to glow red as she tapped them together, repeating the process while Espeon hovered above.
"Damn," Sabrina thought. "As soon as Espeon loses focus and falls, Drapion will charge in and hit her with Night Slash, knocking her out instantly. If I keep Espeon up there, she'll tire herself out and won't be able to react in time."
Drapion stood, continuously using Hone Claws, her eyes locked on Espeon.
"Come on. Your Espeon should get tired by now," Ichigo thought, noticing Espeon's struggle to stay afloat.
"It's now or never," Sabrina thought.
"Espeon, use Dazzling Gleam!" Sabrina ordered. Espeon broke free from her Psychic, beginning to fall. She gathered fairy energy, ready to unleash her attack.
"Drapion, take the Dazzling Gleam and end it with Night Slash," Ichigo ordered. Drapion's claws glowed with dark energy as she charged toward the descending Espeon. Espeon fired her beam of fairy energy, but Drapion charged through, ignoring the attack. The reckless action startled both Sabrina and Espeon, allowing Drapion to close in. She slashed with Night Slash, sending Espeon flying into the battlefield wall behind Sabrina. Espeon collapsed, unconscious.
"The battle is over. The winner is Drapion!" the referee declared. Drapion let out a victorious roar. Sabrina silently recalled her Espeon and sent out her Alakazam. Ichigo recalled Drapion and sent out his Absol.
"Another one?" Sabrina thought, eyeing Ichigo's new Pokémon. The referee glanced at Sabrina.
"I'll stay with Alakazam," Sabrina said, her voice steady. The referee nodded.
"The battle between Absol and Alakazam will begin. Ichigo has the first move."
"Night Slash," Ichigo ordered. The horn on Absol's head glowed with dark energy, and she fired a crescent wave of dark energy.
"Teleport and use Aura Sphere," Sabrina countered. Alakazam quickly teleported away, dodging the incoming attack.
"Use Psycho Cut to destroy the Aura Sphere," Ichigo responded. Absol's horn began to glow with psychic energy as Alakazam fired the Aura Sphere. Absol unleashed a wave of psychic energy, and the two attacks collided, causing a small explosion.
"Sometimes I hate his tactical mind," Sabrina thought, frustration creeping in. "Catching a few additional Pokémon that I didn't expect and teaching them enough different moves to fully counter my strategies."
"Absol, Night Slash!" Ichigo ordered.
"Alakazam, dodge it!" Sabrina called. Absol fired another crescent wave of dark energy. Alakazam teleported away just in time. Alakazam reappeared above Absol, floating in the air, and Sabrina gave her next command.
"Make it rain with Aura Sphere!" Sabrina shouted. The sky filled with Aura Spheres that began to fall toward Absol.
"Absol, use Psycho Cut and make it big!" Ichigo ordered. Absol's horn began to glow with even darker psychic energy. She swung her horn at the incoming Aura Spheres, releasing a massive purple crescent wave of psychic energy.
"Alakazam, get out of there!" Sabrina ordered. Alakazam teleported just as the two attacks collided, creating a massive explosion in the air. As the dust settled, both Alakazam and Absol were clearly exhausted.
"Absol, use Crunch," Ichigo commanded. Absol charged toward Alakazam.
"Stop it with Aura Sphere!" Sabrina countered. Alakazam quickly charged another Aura Sphere and fired it at the incoming Absol. Despite her exhaustion, Absol dodged the attack. With her mouth glowing with dark energy, she bit down hard on Alakazam's arm.
"Get it off!" Sabrina ordered. Alakazam punched Absol in the head, trying to make her release the hold. But Absol bit down harder, refusing to let go. After a few moments, Alakazam finally collapsed from the damage and exhaustion. Absol released her grip and stood back.
"The battle is over. The winner is Absol," the referee declared. Sabrina recalled her Alakazam and sent out her Medicham. She pulled out her Mega Bracelet. Ichigo recalled his exhausted Absol and sent out his Gardevoir. He also revealed his Mega Stone.
"MEGA SHINKA!" they both shouted as Medicham and Gardevoir were engulfed in a ball of energy. The energy dissipated, revealing Mega Medicham and Mega Gardevoir.
"The battle between Mega Gardevoir and Mega Medicham will begin! Sabrina has the first move!"
"Medicham, use Close Combat!" Sabrina ordered. Mega Medicham ran toward Mega Gardevoir.
"Shadow Ball," Ichigo countered. Mega Gardevoir raised her hands and fired balls of ghostly energy at the approaching Medicham.
"Dodge them!" Sabrina commanded. Mega Medicham swerved to the side, narrowly avoiding the Shadow Balls.
"Moonblast," Ichigo ordered. Sabrina widened her eyes as Mega Gardevoir released a blast of fairy energy at Mega Medicham. Mega Medicham was forced to take the hit, unable to dodge in time. The attack sent her flying backward.
"Continue with Shadow Ball," Ichigo said. Mega Gardevoir fired more Shadow Balls at Mega Medicham.
"Dodge them!" Sabrina ordered. Mega Medicham swerved from side to side, trying to avoid the incoming Shadow Balls.
"One more wave of Shadow Balls. After that, pin Medicham down with Psychic," Ichigo instructed. Mega Gardevoir fired another wave of Shadow Balls toward Mega Medicham. As Medicham swerved again, she suddenly froze in place.
"Medicham, break free!" Sabrina urged. Mega Medicham struggled against Gardevoir's Psychic but couldn't break free in time. She was hit by the Shadow Balls.
"Slam Medicham down to the ground," Ichigo commanded. After the Shadow Balls hit their mark, Gardevoir raised Mega Medicham in the air before slamming her repeatedly into the ground.
"That's enough," Ichigo finally said. Mega Gardevoir released her Psychic, and Mega Medicham collapsed, unconscious.
"The battle is over. The winner is Mega Gardevoir! That means the winner of this semi-final match, and the one advancing to the finals against our Dark Horse, is Cardinal Ichigo!" the referee declared. Ichigo and Sabrina recalled their Pokémon and teleported off the battlefield, avoiding the reporters. They arrived at the Pokémon Center, where they handed their Pokémon over to Nurse Joy before teleporting to their hotel room.
"Are you ready to go against Tobias?" she asked.
"I am," Ichigo replied, glancing at his notes as he finalized his team.
Time Skip: The Next Afternoon
The next morning, it was Sabrina vs. Paul, and Sabrina easily defeated him, claiming third place. Ichigo, Tobias, and the referee arrived in the middle of the battlefield.
"The winner of the coin toss will decide who sends out their Pokémon first and also gets to make the first move," the referee announced, pulling out a coin.
"I'll let Ichigo make the first move while I send out my Pokémon first," Tobias said arrogantly. The referee glanced at Ichigo.
"I'll accept Trainer Tobias's offer," Ichigo said, giving Tobias a sharp look. "Just don't blame me if that arrogance costs you this match."
Ichigo, Tobias, and the referee took their places on the battlefield.
"The match between Cardinal Ichigo and Trainer Tobias will begin. This is a six-on-six match. Each trainer is allowed to substitute five times. Trainer Tobias will send out his Pokémon first, and Cardinal Ichigo has the first move," the referee declared.
"Go, Darkrai," Tobias said, releasing his Legendary Pokémon.
"Go, Urshifu," Ichigo replied, sending out his own Legendary Pokémon. Urshifu glared at Darkrai.
The referee glanced at Tobias. "Trainer Tobias, will you stay with Darkrai?"
"I will," Tobias said confidently.
"The first battle is between Urshifu and Darkrai. Ichigo has the first move!" the referee announced.
"Urshifu, use Close Combat!" Ichigo commanded. Urshifu charged silently toward Darkrai.
"Fool," Tobias thought.
"Dark Void," Tobias ordered. Darkrai gathered dark energy and shot it toward Urshifu. Urshifu narrowly avoided the attack and punched Darkrai in the face. The force of the blow pushed Darkrai back.
"Put it to sleep!" Tobias growled. Darkrai launched more Dark Voids.
"Dodge them!" Ichigo ordered. Urshifu swerved side to side, avoiding the attacks.
"Since I can't put it to sleep, let's shift to offense," Tobias thought.
"Darkrai, use Focus Blast!" Tobias commanded. A ball of white energy began to form in front of Darkrai.
"Close Combat!" Ichigo called out. Urshifu dashed toward Darkrai, landing a punch that interrupted the Focus Blast, causing it to explode prematurely. The explosion damaged both Urshifu and Darkrai. Urshifu leaped back to Ichigo's side, appearing uninjured, but Darkrai was heavily hurt and struggled to stay standing.
"End it with one more Close Combat," Ichigo ordered. Urshifu rushed forward and delivered a devastating punch to Darkrai's face. The force sent Darkrai flying, crashing to the ground in front of Tobias.
"Get up," Tobias growled, but Darkrai remained motionless.
"The battle is over. The winner is Urshifu!" the referee declared. The crowd erupted into cheers. Tobias only used Darkrai throughout the tournament. He recalled his Darkrai.
"Since Urshifu is only a Fighting-type, this should be a good counter," Tobias thought, recalling Darkrai and sending out his next Pokémon. Ichigo pulled out his Pokédex and scanned it.
"This is Cresselia, a Psychic-type Pokémon. This Pokémon is owned by Trainer Tobias," the Pokédex reported. Ichigo turned to Urshifu.
"Do you want to continue?" he asked. Urshifu nodded.
"I'll continue with Urshifu," Ichigo said, turning to the referee, who nodded in agreement.
"The next battle is between Urshifu and Cresselia. Tobias has the first move."
"Cresselia, use Psychic!" Tobias commanded.
"Wicked Blow!" Ichigo ordered. Urshifu's eyes glowed red, her body surrounded by dark energy as she rushed toward Cresselia. Cresselia tried to trap Urshifu with Psychic, but Urshifu ignored it. Before Cresselia could react, Urshifu's fist collided with Cresselia's face, sending her crashing to the ground and forcing her back several feet. Cresselia floated back up.
"It's a Fighting Dark type," Tobias realized, recalling Cresselia.
"And Trainer Tobias recalled his Cresselia!" the referee announced. Tobias sent out another Pokémon.
"Heatran, a Fire Steel-type Pokémon. This Pokémon is owned by Trainer Tobias," the Pokédex reported. The referee glanced at Ichigo.
"I'll continue with Urshifu," Ichigo said.
"The next battle between Urshifu and Heatran will begin. Due to Trainer Tobias's substitution, Cardinal Ichigo has the first move."
"Surging Strikes," Ichigo commanded. Urshifu's body was surrounded by blue energy as she lunged toward Heatran. She struck with a series of palm strikes and chops. Heatran tried to defend itself by swinging its arms.
"Heatran, use Magma Storm!" Tobias ordered. Heatran opened its mouth, releasing a powerful spiral of red-orange flames toward Urshifu.
"Dodge it!" Ichigo called. Urshifu leaped to the side, avoiding the attack.
"Continue with Surging Strikes!" Ichigo said. Urshifu jumped behind Heatran, landing more palm strikes and chops. Heatran groaned in pain but kept trying to protect itself.
"Heat Wave!" Tobias ordered. Heatran released a loud roar as a massive wave of heat shot out from its body toward the surrounding area. Urshifu, too close to dodge, was hit by the wave.
"Use Liquidation to protect yourself!" Ichigo commanded. Urshifu covered herself in water, blocking most of the heat. The water absorbed the brunt of the attack.
"Keep up the Surging Strikes!" Ichigo ordered.
"Use Heat Wave to keep it away from you!" Tobias commanded. Heatran unleashed another Heat Wave, forcing Urshifu to retreat each time before landing more strikes.
After two more rounds, Heatran collapsed, either from exhaustion or from the damage it had taken.
"The battle is over. The winner is Urshifu!" the referee announced. Tobias recalled Heatran.
"Should I send Cresselia back out?" Tobias pondered. "No. His Urshifu was able to deal that much damage with just one hit. Latios and Latias wouldn't be ideal either, as they're weak to Dark-type moves. Looks like it has to be him." Tobias took out another Poké Ball and released his next Pokémon.
"Shaymin, a Grass Flying-type. This Pokémon is owned by Trainer Tobias," the Pokédex reported. Ichigo recalled Urshifu and sent out Miyuki.
"Damn. It's an Ice-type," Tobias thought. "I can't switch to Cresselia because of Urshifu."
"I'll stick with Shaymin," Tobias said.
"The battle between Ninetales and Shaymin will begin. Shaymin has the first move."
"Shaymin, use Leech Seed!" Tobias commanded.
"Miyuki, freeze those seeds!" Ichigo ordered. Shaymin shook its body, dislodging a few seeds, which flew toward Miyuki. She opened her mouth and fired a beam of ice at the incoming seeds, freezing them before they could take effect.
"Hail!" Ichigo called out.
"Air Slash!" Tobias ordered. Miyuki gathered a ball of icy energy in her mouth as Shaymin flapped its wings, sending small blasts of wind toward her. Miyuki leaped into the air, dodging the attack. Mid-air, she fired the energy ball into the sky. The sky darkened immediately, and hail began to fall.
"Dammit, the hail," Tobias thought.
"Shaymin hit that Ninetales with Leech Seed!" Tobias ordered. Shaymin struggled in the freezing cold as they tried to find Miyuki. Miyuki quickly blended into the snow, hiding herself from Shaymin's view.
"Blizzard!" Ichigo commanded. Miyuki fired an icy blue beam at the unsuspecting Shaymin, hitting it and freezing it instantly. The frozen Shaymin fell from the sky, crashing onto the icy ground.
"Shaymin, get out of there!" Tobias yelled.
"Blizzard!" Ichigo ordered again. Shaymin flapped its wings, struggling to escape, but Miyuki froze it once more in a solid block of ice.
"Trainer Tobias has 10 seconds to get a response from his Shaymin. If he fails, I will determine that Shaymin is unable to battle," the referee announced as the ten-second timer began to count down.
"Shaymin!" Tobias ordered desperately. To his dismay, Shaymin didn't respond. The timer reached zero.
"The timer has reached zero, and Shaymin failed to respond," the referee declared. "This means the winner of this battle is Ninetales!"
"What should I do?" Tobias thought. "I only have Cresselia, Latios, and Latias. Cresselia should be able to deal with his Ninetales, but he might have other Ice-types. I could send out Latios, hoping to bait him into switching to something else." Tobias recalled his frozen Shaymin and sent out Latios, shivering in the cold.
"Why did he send out Latios? He's part Dragon, making him vulnerable to Miyuki's Ice-type moves," Ichigo thought. "Maybe his Latios knows a Fire-type move." He glanced at Latios, who was still shivering. "His Latios isn't handling the cold well."
"I will stay with Miyuki," Ichigo said.
"Dammit," Tobias muttered.
"The battle between Ninetales and Latios will begin. Ninetales has the first move," the referee announced.
"Blizzard!" Ichigo ordered.
"Dodge it and use Luster Purge!" Tobias commanded. Latios flew into the air, narrowly avoiding the Blizzard. He raised his hands, gathering psychic energy, and hurled a ball of it toward Miyuki.
"Hide in the snow!" Ichigo ordered. Miyuki leaped to the side, dodging the Luster Purge as the impact kicked up snow and ice, momentarily obscuring her from Latios's view.
"Find that Ninetales!" Tobias ordered.
"Blizzard!" Ichigo commanded. Miyuki snuck up behind Latios and fired an icy beam.
"Behind you!" Tobias warned. Latios barely dodged in time. "Luster Purge!" he shouted, throwing another psychic ball at Miyuki. She dove into the snow, evading the attack.
"Latios, end this ice storm!" Tobias ordered. Latios's eyes glowed as he tried to control the hailstorm.
"Blizzard!" Ichigo called. Seeing Latios distracted, Miyuki fired another Blizzard. The attack struck Latios, beginning to freeze him.
"Get out of there!" Tobias ordered. Latios focused his psychic energy on himself, using it to force his frozen body to move.
"Follow it!" Ichigo commanded. Miyuki followed behind Latios, continuing to use Blizzard. The ice continued to encase Latios, despite his efforts to escape.
"Crash onto the ground!" Tobias ordered. Latios crashed hard onto the icy ground, breaking free of the ice. The impact obscured Miyuki's view.
The hail stopped as the clouds parted and the sunlight broke through. Ichigo and Miyuki could now see Latios's outline clearly.
"Moonblast!" Ichigo quickly ordered. Miyuki gathered fairy energy and fired it at Latios.
"Dodge it!" Tobias shouted. Latios attempted to move away but was too slow. Miyuki's Moonblast hit Latios squarely, knocking him out and sending him crashing to the icy ground.
"The battle is over. The winner is Ninetales!" the referee declared.
"His Ninetales looks extremely tired. He'll probably switch Pokémon," Tobias thought as he recalled Latios and sent out Latias.
"Miyuki, can you still go on?" Ichigo asked.
"I need a break," she replied. Ichigo recalled Miyuki and sent Urshifu out. The referee glanced at Tobias.
"Dammit. Forgot he has that," Tobias thought.
"I will remain with Latias," Tobias said.
"The next battle is between Urshifu and Latias. Tobias has the first move."
"Dragon Pulse!" Tobias commanded. Latias gathered her draconic energy into a ball and fired it toward Urshifu.
"Dodge it and use Wicked Blow," Ichigo ordered. Urshifu's eyes glowed red as dark energy surrounded her body. She tightened her fists and rushed toward Latias. As Latias fired her Dragon Pulse, Urshifu swerved to the side, easily dodging the attack before delivering an uppercut with Wicked Blow. The force of the strike sent Latias's head snapping back, causing her to flip mid-air.
"Latias!" Tobias yelled out.
"Don't let her recover," Ichigo instructed. Urshifu gathered more dark energy around her fist and leaped at Latias. As Latias regained control, Urshifu's punch collided with her face, sending her crashing to the ground. Urshifu landed several feet away, standing in a fighting stance, ready for Latias's next move.
"Latias, throw the rocks at Urshifu!" Tobias commanded. The rocks around Latias began to glow before being launched at Urshifu.
"Dodge it and end this," Ichigo instructed. Urshifu dashed toward Latias, dodging the flying rocks. She raised her right fist, surrounded by dark energy, and delivered a powerful punch to Latias's head. The impact knocked her out. Urshifu leaped back to Ichigo's side.
"The battle is over. The winner is Urshifu," the referee declared as Tobias recalled his Latias and sent out his Cresselia.
"I will remain with Urshifu," Ichigo said.
"The next battle is between Urshifu and Cresselia. Ichigo has the first move," the referee announced.
"Wicked Blow!" Ichigo ordered.
"Dodge it!" Tobias commanded. Cresselia shot up into the air, narrowly avoiding Urshifu's attack. Urshifu leaped toward Cresselia, her right fist glowing with dark energy.
"Moonblast!" Tobias ordered. Cresselia began gathering fairy energy.
"Dammit," Ichigo thought.
"Urshifu, dodge the attack!" Ichigo called. Urshifu nodded as she landed back on the ground. Cresselia fired her Moonblast, but Urshifu swiftly moved to the side, evading the attack.
"Wicked Blow!" Ichigo commanded. Urshifu quickly jumped toward Cresselia.
"She's coming!" Tobias warned. Cresselia adjusted her attack, but Urshifu reached her, striking Cresselia in the lower stomach. The blow knocked the wind out of Cresselia, causing her Moonblast to dissipate.
"Grab her!" Ichigo shouted. Urshifu grabbed Cresselia as both began to fall.
"Get rid of it!" Tobias ordered.
"Wicked Blow!" Ichigo countered. Urshifu straddled Cresselia, punching her in the chest with a series of Wicked Blows. Just before they hit the ground, Urshifu used Cresselia as a springboard, leaping off of her. The added force from Urshifu's jump made Cresselia's impact even more painful. Urshifu performed backflip mid-air before landing in a fighting stance, facing the buried Cresselia.
"Get up!" Tobias shouted. The dust cleared to reveal an unconscious Cresselia.
"The battle is over. The winner is Urshifu. This means the winner of this year's Lily of the Valley Conference is Cardinal Ichigo!" the referee announced. The crowd erupted in cheers as they recalled their Pokémon and quickly transitioned to the award ceremony. Cynthia presented Ichigo with the trophy for winning the Lily of the Valley Conference.
"So Cardinal Ichigo," Cynthia began, "Will you challenge the Sinnoh Elite Four?" she asked.
"I will tomorrow," Ichigo declared. The crowd roared in approval. Ichigo sent out his Gardevoir and teleported off the battlefield. He dropped his Pokémon at the Pokémon Center before returning to his room. Ichigo released both Gardevoir and Malware.
"Yes, Ichigo?" Gardevoir asked.
"Tomorrow, while I participate in the Elite Four Challenge, I need both of you to teleport to Vermillion City and Professor Oak's Lab," Ichigo instructed.
"Why?" Malware asked.
"I need all data regarding Yami to be altered," Ichigo replied.
"Very well," Malware said.
"As you wish," Gardevoir agreed. Ichigo spent the rest of the evening planning his team for the Elite Four challenge.
Time Skip: The Next Morning
Ichigo stood in the waiting room, greeted by a referee.
"Cardinal Ichigo, before the challenge begins, let me explain the rules," the referee said. "The first rule is that only six Pokémon can be used throughout the entire challenge. You must reveal the six Pokémon you plan to use now." Ichigo released five of his Pokémon.
"Are you planning to not use another Pokémon?" the referee asked.
"I am," Ichigo said, taking out one more Poké Ball. "It's a surprise, and I won't use this Pokémon until my match with Cynthia."
The referee sighed. "Fine," he said, noting the Pokémon before leaving the room.
"Our challenger is the undefeated winner of the Lily of the Valley Conference, Cardinal Trainer Ichigo!" the announcer called. Ichigo could hear the loud cheers from the audience as he walked onto the battlefield. Aaron was already waiting in the center.
"Man, don't crush my bug Pokémon too harshly," Aaron joked.
"We'll see," Ichigo replied. Another referee walked up to them.
"The first match of the Elite Four Challenge will now begin. This is a six-on-six match between Cardinal Ichigo and Elite Four Aaron. Each trainer is allowed one substitution per round. On the count of three, both trainers will send out their first Pokémon. Cardinal Ichigo will make the first move." The referee explained. Ichigo and Aaron took their positions.
"One," the referee called. Ichigo and Aaron both held out their Poké Balls.
"Two," he said. The trainers raised their Poké Balls, preparing to throw them.
"Three!" Both trainers tossed their Poké Balls. Charizard and Drapion appeared on the battlefield.
"The battle between Charizard and Drapion shall begin!" the referee announced.
"Flare Blitz!" Ichigo ordered.
"Night Slash!" Aaron commanded. Charizard engulfed in flames, soared toward Drapion, who had dark energy surrounding its claws. The two attacks collided, and the resulting shockwave blew gravel and dust into the air. Charizard and Drapion returned to their positions.
"It seems that Aaron isn't aware that Charizard is Fire Dragon, rather than Fire Flying, or maybe his Drapion doesn't have Dragon-type moves," Ichigo thought.
"Charizard, use Fire Claws!" Ichigo called. Fire surrounded Charizard's claws as she charged toward Drapion.
"Night Slash!" Aaron ordered. Drapion's claws, now covered in dark energy, met Charizard's fiery claws in a deadlock, neither side gaining ground.
"Overheat!" Charizard opened her mouth and unleashed a burst of dark red flames at Drapion's back.
"RAH!" Drapion screamed in pain, faltering. The distraction allowed Charizard to break the deadlock, and she attacked Drapion with fiery claws.
"Drapion!" Aaron yelled.
"That Charizard of his can easily destroy my entire team," Aaron thought.
"Fight back!" He ordered. Drapion raises its claws to counterattack.
"Elemental Aura!" Ichigo commanded. Charizard became surrounded by intense flames, further enhancing her Fire Claws while protecting herself from Drapion's attacks.
"Get away!" Aaron ordered. Drapion tried to leap back, but Charizard grabbed one of its claws and pulled it back in. She then attacked Drapion with another strike.
"HYPER BEAM!" Aaron shouted. Drapion opened its mouth and began gathering orange energy.
"Get away!" Ichigo shouted. Charizard released her hold on Drapion and soared into the air.
"FIRE!" Aaron ordered. Drapion released the orange beam, aiming at Charizard. Charizard swerved to avoid the attack, narrowly escaping the Hyper Beam's blast.
"Flare Blitz!" Ichigo ordered. Charizard, engulfed in flames, dove toward Drapion.
"Dodge it!" Aaron yelled, hoping Charizard would miss and injure herself from the impact. Unfortunately, Charizard was too fast and slammed directly into Drapion's back, causing a massive explosion. Charizard soared out of the smoke, looking unharmed. As the dust settled, it became clear that Drapion was unconscious and embedded in the battlefield.
"The battle is over. The winner is Charizard," the referee declared. Aaron recalled his Drapion and sent out another Pokémon. Ichigo pulled out his Pokédex and scanned the new Pokémon.
"Crustle is a Bug Rock type. This Pokémon belongs to Elite Four Aaron," the Pokédex reported.
"The Rock-type would be able to deal with most Fire types," Ichigo thought, recalling Charizard and sending out Blastoise.
"It'll be hard, but I might still be able to win," Aaron thought.
"I will remain with Crustle," Aaron said.
"The next battle is between Blastoise and Crustle. Elite Four Aaron has the first move."
"Crustle, use Earthquake!" Aaron ordered. Crustle leaped into the air.
"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!" Ichigo countered. Blastoise aimed his cannon at the descending Crustle and fired a powerful jet of water. The attack hit Crustle in midair, sending it crashing to the ground next to Aaron.
"Crustle, are you okay?" Aaron asked. Crustle shakily stood up. "Can you still battle?" Crustle nodded. "Good. Use Rock Slide!"
Crustle raised both of its claws, and several white rings of energy appeared above it. Large gray boulders formed from the energy and fell toward Blastoise.
"What is he planning?" Ichigo wondered.
"Blastoise, use Rapid Water Spin to protect yourself!" Ichigo ordered. Blastoise tucked her limbs into her shell and spun, unleashing jets of water that destroyed the incoming boulders.
"Now, use Earthquake!" Aaron commanded. Crustle leaped back down.
"Blastoise, shoot yourself up in the air!" Ichigo called. Blastoise, still in her shell, angled her cannons downward and fired two powerful jets of water, launching herself into the air. Crustle hit the ground with a massive thud, shaking the battlefield, but Blastoise avoided the impact.
"Liquidation!" Ichigo ordered. Blastoise, still in her shell, was engulfed in water as she dove toward Crustle.
"ENDURE IT!" Aaron shouted. Crustle retracted into its shell just as Blastoise collided with it. The impact slammed Crustle into the wall behind Aaron. He nervously turned to his Pokémon.
"Crustle, are you all right?" he asked. Crustle's stone shell cracked open, revealing an unconscious Crustle.
"The battle is over. The winner is Blastoise!" the referee announced.
"Thank you, Crustle," Aaron said, recalling his Pokémon and sending out his Heracross. Ichigo recalled Blastoise and sent out Charizard. Aaron immediately recalled his Heracross and sent out another Pokémon. Ichigo scanned it with his Pokédex.
"Volcarona is a Fire Bug type. This Pokémon belongs to Elite Four Aaron," the Pokédex reported.
"The next battle is between Charizard and Volcarona. Cardinal Ichigo has the first move!"
"Charizard, use Outrage!" Ichigo ordered. Charizard glowed red as she charged toward Volcarona.
"Volcarona, use Hurricane!" Aaron ordered. Volcarona flapped its wings, sending powerful gusts of wind toward the incoming Charizard. Charizard pushed through the wind and sank her teeth into Volcarona's wing. Volcarona shrieked as Charizard began to strike with her fists.
"Volcarona, try to escape!" Aaron ordered. Volcarona struggled to free itself, but Charizard held on tightly. It didn't take long before Volcarona fainted from its wounds. Charizard released her grip, letting Volcarona collapse to the ground.
"The battle is over. The winner is Charizard!" the referee announced. Aaron recalled his Volcarona and sent out his next Pokémon. In less than five minutes, Charizard easily defeated Aaron's remaining Pokémon: Yanmega, Heracross, and Mega Scizor.
"The first match of the Elite Four challenge is over! The winner is Cardinal Ichigo!" the referee declared. Ichigo and Aaron recalled their Pokémon. They exited the battlefield, allowing the crew to repair the arena. Ichigo was escorted to a private healing station to tend to his Pokémon before being led back to the waiting room.
Ichigo entered the battlefield once again, seeing Bertha, the second member of the Elite Four, step onto the field. Both trainers took their positions.
"The second match of the Elite Four Challenge shall begin. The match is between Cardinal Ichigo and Elite Four Bertha. This will be a six-on-six match, with each trainer allowed one substitution per round. On the count of three, both trainers will send out their first Pokémon. Cardinal Ichigo will make the first move," the referee explained. Ichigo and Bertha moved to their positions.
"One," the referee called. Ichigo and Bertha held out their Poké Balls.
"Two," he continued. Both trainers raised their Poké Balls, preparing to throw them.
"Three!" Ichigo and Bertha released their Pokémon. Suddenly, the battlefield was engulfed in a sandstorm. Ichigo quickly scanned the Pokémon Bertha sent out with his Pokédex.
"Hippowdon is a Ground type. This Pokémon belongs to Elite Four Bertha," the Pokédex reported.
"The battle between Venusaur and Bertha's Hippowdon shall begin!"
"Sunny Day!" Ichigo ordered.
"Earthquake!" Bertha countered. A ball of light shot from Venusaur's back, and the sun intensified, shining brighter. Hippowdon lifted its front legs, standing on its hind legs for a moment before slamming them down hard. The ground trembled as the battlefield shook from the impact.
"Use Power Whip to counter the shockwave!" Ichigo commanded. Two thick vines shot from Venusaur's back, glowing purple. Venusaur slammed the vines into the ground, releasing a shockwave that collided with Hippowdon's attack, neutralizing the shockwaves.
"Now, use Giga Drain!" Ichigo ordered. Venusaur shot out four vines, wrapping them around Hippowdon. Hippowdon began to glow red as Venusaur drained its energy.
"Hippowdon, use Crunch on the vines!" Bertha ordered. Hippowdon opened its jaws and bit down on one of the vines, trying to break it apart.
"Sleep Powder!" Ichigo commanded. The flower on Venusaur's back released a cloud of white powder toward Hippowdon.
"Don't breathe it in!" Bertha shouted. Hippowdon let go of the vine and closed its mouth, attempting to avoid the powder. As the sandstorm subsided, the clear sky revealed the sunlight.
"Dammit," Bertha thought. "Hippowdon's energy is being absorbed by Venusaur and healing it." Despite Hippowdon's best efforts, it was forced to take a breath, inhaling the Sleep Powder. Its eyes began to droop as the powder took effect. "Dammit," Bertha muttered, recalling her now-sleeping Hippowdon.
"Elite Four Bertha recalled her sleeping Hippowdon," the referee announced as Bertha sent out her Mamoswine.
"Hm… Mamoswine is Ice and Ground. Venusaur is at a major disadvantage," Ichigo thought as he recalled Venusaur.
"Hm… he recalled his Venusaur. What is he going to send out?" Bertha thought. Ichigo sent out Charizard. "Damn him," she thought.
"The next battle is between Charizard and Mamoswine. Due to Elite Four Bertha's substitution, Ichigo has the first move," the referee declared.
"Flare Blitz," Ichigo commanded. Charizard was engulfed in flames and charged toward Mamoswine.
"Mamoswine, use Rock Slide!" Bertha ordered. Multiple white rings of energy appeared above Mamoswine, and large gray boulders descended toward Charizard. She easily dodged the rocks before colliding with Mamoswine. The impact forced Mamoswine into the air before crashing to the ground, unconscious.
"The battle is over. The winner is Charizard!" the referee declared.
"H-how? Mamoswine should've been able to withstand some of Charizard's attacks," Bertha thought, recalling her Pokémon. "Looks like I need to bring out the big guns," she decided as she sent out her Garchomp. She revealed her Mega Bracelet. Ichigo recalled Charizard and sent out Blastoise. Ichigo also revealed his Mega Bracelet.
"MEGA SHINKA!" they both yelled as Garchomp and Blastoise were engulfed in spheres of energy. The energy dissipated, revealing Mega Garchomp and Mega Blastoise.
"The next battle is between Mega Blastoise and Mega Garchomp. Elite Four Bertha has the first move."
"Garchomp, use Earthquake!" Bertha ordered.
"Use Triple Ice Beam, aim one at Garchomp and the other two at the spots where Garchomp was standing!" Ichigo instructed. Mega Garchomp leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the Ice Beam aimed directly at it. Mega Blastoise fired Ice Beam at the designated spots on the battlefield. As Garchomp descended, most of its side of the field was covered in ice. Mega Garchomp slammed down hard, shattering the ice into icy dust, but it absorbed some of the shockwaves from the Earthquake.
"TRIPLE ICE BEAM!" Ichigo ordered. Mega Blastoise fired three Ice Beams at Mega Garchomp.
"Get out of there with Flamethrower!" Bertha yelled. Mega Garchomp opened its mouth and unleashed a sweeping Flamethrower, melting the ice in front of it.
"Blastoise, use your hand cannons to fire Hydro Pump while continuing to use Ice Beam with the back cannon!" Ichigo commanded. Mega Blastoise followed his orders, and the water from Hydro Pump extinguished Mega Garchomp's Flamethrower while speeding up the freezing process.
"Fight back!" Bertha shouted. Mega Garchomp struggled but was quickly frozen solid by the combination of water and Ice Beam.
"Elite Four Bertha has to the count of ten to get a response from her Mega Garchomp. If she fails to do so, I will determine that Mega Garchomp is unable to battle," the referee announced, starting a ten-second timer.
"Break free from the ice!" Bertha ordered. Unfortunately for her, Mega Garchomp didn't respond.
"The battle is over. The winner is Mega Blastoise!" the referee declared once the timer ran out. Bertha recalled her frozen Mega Garchomp and sent out her Gastrodon. Ichigo recalled Mega Blastoise and sent out his Venusaur. Bertha immediately recalled her Gastrodon and sent out her Gliscor.
"So that was her plan," Ichigo thought.
"The next battle is between Venusaur and Gliscor. Due to Elite Four Bertha's substitution, Ichigo has the first move."
"Venusaur, use Sunny Day!" Ichigo ordered.
"Gliscor, use Fire Fang!" Bertha commanded. Another ball of light shot from Venusaur's back toward the sky, making the sun shine brightly again. Flames shot from Gliscor's mouth as it flew toward Venusaur.
"Sleep Powder!" Ichigo called. Venusaur released a cloud of Sleep Powder in front of it.
"Dodge it, Gliscor!" Bertha ordered. Gliscor flew too fast, diving straight into the Sleep Powder. Gliscor's flames were extinguished as it crashed onto Venusaur's flower, fast asleep.
"Giga Drain!" Ichigo ordered. Venusaur extended four vines that wrapped around the sleeping Gliscor, draining its energy.
"Dammit," Bertha thought. "Looks like I have no choice." She made her decision.
"I forfeit Gliscor," she declared, recalling her sleeping Pokémon.
"Elite Four Bertha has forfeited her Gliscor," the referee announced.
"Smart. She couldn't substitute her Gliscor as she did with Hippowdon. She also knew the longer Gliscor stayed out, the more energy Venusaur would gain, which would increase its power," Ichigo thought as Bertha sent out her Rhyperior.
"I will stay with Venusaur," Ichigo said.
"The next battle is between Venusaur and Rhyperior. Elite Four Bertha has the first move!" the referee declared.
"Rhyperior, use Avalanche!" Bertha ordered. Rhyperior raised its hands as white rings of energy appeared around it. Large chunks of ice descended toward Venusaur.
"Counter with Power Whip," Ichigo instructed. Four large vines shot out from behind Venusaur, glowing purple. Venusaur used them to destroy the incoming ice.
"While Venusaur is distracted, now use Megahorn!" Bertha ordered. Rhyperior charged toward Venusaur with its glowing horn extended.
"Venusaur, watch out!" Ichigo warned. Venusaur quickly sent out two more thick vines to stall Rhyperior. Once all the ice was destroyed, Venusaur's four vines wrapped around Rhyperior's limbs, immobilizing it.
"Rhyperior, try and break free!" Bertha ordered.
"End it with a Solar Beam," Ichigo commanded. Thanks to the bright sunlight, Venusaur quickly gathered the energy and fired the Solar Beam at the trapped Rhyperior. The beam struck, and Rhyperior collapsed, unconscious, falling to the ground as Venusaur retracted the vines holding it up.
"The battle is over. The winner is Venusaur." Bertha recalled her Rhyperior and sent out her Gastrodon.
"The next battle is between Venusaur and Gastrodon. Ichigo has the first move," the referee declared.
"Solar Beam," Ichigo said.
"Shield Stone Edge!" Bertha ordered. Venusaur fired its Solar Beam at Gastrodon. The slug-like Pokémon slammed its body on the ground, causing large stone boulders to shoot out of the earth, protecting it from the Solar Beam.
"Power Whip," Ichigo said. Venusaur sent out its purple vines toward the stone boulders.
"Ice Beam!" Bertha ordered. An Ice Beam shot out of a small hole toward Venusaur.
"Block it!" Ichigo commanded. Two of Venusaur's purple vines intercepted the Ice Beam, encasing them in ice. The other two vines shot toward the small hole.
"Get out of there, Gastrodon!" Bertha ordered. The purple vines pierced through the stone boulders and pulled Gastrodon out.
"Beat it until it's unconscious!" Ichigo ordered.
"Ice Beam!" Bertha shouted. Gastrodon opened its mouth to fire an Ice Beam, but Venusaur reacted faster. The vines slapped Gastrodon in the face, breaking its concentration. The continuous Power Whips knocked Gastrodon unconscious. Venusaur released Gastrodon, allowing it to fall to the ground. Bertha sighed as she recalled her Pokémon.
"The battle is over. The winner is Venusaur!" The referee declared.
"I surrender," Bertha said.
"The second match in the Elite Four challenge is over! The winner is Cardinal Ichigo!" The referee declared. Ichigo recalled his Venusaur and left the battlefield to allow his Pokémon to be fully healed and the battlefield to be rebuilt. Ichigo soon returned, ready to face Flint, the third Elite Four member. Everyone took their positions on the battlefield.
"The third match of the Elite Four Challenge shall begin. The match is between Cardinal Ichigo and Elite Four Flint. This will be a six-on-six match. Each trainer is allowed to substitute their Pokémon once per round. On the count of three, both trainers will send out their first Pokémon. Cardinal Ichigo will make the first move." The referee explained. Ichigo and Flint walked to their positions.
"One." Ichigo and Flint took out their Poké Balls.
"Two." Both trainers raised their Poké Balls, preparing to throw them.
"Three!" Ichigo and Flint threw their Poké Balls. Out came Tyranitar and Camerupt. Suddenly, the battlefield was engulfed in a sandstorm, thanks to Tyranitar's ability.
"The first battle is between Tyranitar and Camerupt. Ichigo has the first move."
"Stone Edge," Ichigo ordered.
"Use Sunny Day!" Flint commanded. Tyranitar stomped the ground, sending a wave of large stones into the air toward Camerupt. Camerupt began to gather energy as the rocks approached. At the last second, Camerupt opened its mouth and fired a ball of energy into the air. The stones sent Camerupt flying, crashing into other rocks. The force knocked Camerupt unconscious. The sandstorm began to weaken.
"The battle is over. The winner is Tyranitar." Flint silently recalled his Camerupt and sent out his Magmortar.
"I will stay with Tyranitar," Ichigo said.
"The next battle is between Tyranitar and Magmortar. Flint has the first move!"
"Magmortar, use Solar Beam!" Flint ordered. Magmortar raised its cannon arms as it began to gather solar energy.
"Interrupt it with Stone Edge!" Ichigo commanded. Tyranitar stomped her foot again. More stones hurtled toward Magmortar. Magmortar pointed its cannons at Tyranitar and fired its Solar Beam.
"Use Sandstorm to dodge it!" Ichigo ordered. Tyranitar let out a roar and swiped her tail, kicking up another sandstorm. The Solar Beam pierced through the sandstorm but missed Tyranitar.
"Dammit. The Solar Beam missed, and he managed to set up Sandstorm again," Flint thought as Magmortar tried to keep an eye on Tyranitar.
"Earthquake!" Ichigo ordered. Tyranitar slammed her tail on the ground. The entire battlefield shook from the impact. Magmortar was knocked off its feet and landed on its back.
"Stone Edge!" Ichigo shouted. Tyranitar stomped her foot again, sending another wave of stones at Magmortar.
"Magmortar isn't fast enough to dodge the Stone Edge."
"Magmortar, Sunny Day!" Flint ordered. Magmortar pointed its cannon arms up and fired a ball of energy into the sky. The Stone Edge collided with Magmortar, knocking it unconscious. The weather around them began to warm up even more.
"The battle is over. The winner is Tyranitar!" The referee declared as Flint recalled his Magmortar and sent out Houndoom. Ichigo glanced at Tyranitar.
"Do you want to take a break?" he asked. Tyranitar nodded, and Ichigo recalled her, sending out Blastoise. The referee glanced at Flint to see if he would substitute.
"I should save Rotom Heat for when Blastoise is about to faint," Flint thought.
"I will stay with Houndoom," Flint declared.
"The next battle is between Blastoise and Houndoom. Elite Four Flint has the first move due to Cardinal Ichigo's substitution."
"Flamethrower!" Flint ordered.
"Duo Hydro Pump," Ichigo countered. Houndoom fired a jet of flames from its mouth, while Blastoise fired two streams of water from her back cannons. The two attacks collided in the middle of the battlefield, neutralizing each other.
"Even with the sun out, his Water type attacks are still strong," Flint thought.
"Disengage!" Flint ordered. Houndoom stopped fueling the Flamethrower and ran away.
"Hydro Pump Barrage!" Ichigo ordered. Blastoise aimed her cannons at the running Houndoom and began firing small bursts of water at it. Houndoom took a few hits but managed to dodge the rest.
"Houndoom, get in close and use Overheat!" Flint ordered. Houndoom charged toward Blastoise, who continued to attack with Hydro Pump Barrage. Houndoom jumped onto Blastoise's face and unleashed a powerful blast of flames.
"Blastoise, get Houndoom off your face!" Ichigo commanded. Blastoise grabbed Houndoom and threw it off. She immediately fired Hydro Pump before Houndoom could react. The force of the attack finally knocked Houndoom unconscious.
"The battle is over. The winner is Blastoise!" The referee declared. Flint recalled his Houndoom and sent out Rotom Heat. Ichigo recalled his Blastoise and sent out Tyranitar again. The battlefield was once again engulfed in a sandstorm.
"Dammit. Looks like I have no choice," Flint thought. He recalled his Rotom Heat and sent out his Infernape. He showed off his Mega Ring. Ichigo put on his Mega Stone.
"Mega Shinka!" they shouted as Infernape and Tyranitar were engulfed in balls of Mega Energy. The energy dissipated to reveal Mega Tyranitar and Mega Infernape.
Mega Infernape grew larger, looking like a gorilla (1).
"The battle between Mega Infernape and Mega Tyranitar will begin. Due to Elite Four Flint's substitution, Cardinal Ichigo has the first move."
"Use Earthquake!" Ichigo ordered. Mega Tyranitar slammed her tail on the ground, shaking the entire battlefield.
"Hi-Jump Kick!" Flint ordered. Mega Infernape leaped into the air, avoiding the Earthquake. Its feet glowed as it flew down toward Mega Tyranitar.
"Use the Sandstorm to hide!" Ichigo commanded. The sandstorm grew bigger, swallowing Mega Tyranitar. Mega Infernape lost sight of her, causing it to crash into the ground.
"Stone Edge!" Ichigo shouted. Suddenly, rocks shot out from around Mega Infernape, striking it and sending it flying into the air.
"High Jump Kick!" Flint ordered. Mega Infernape let out a loud roar as it descended toward Mega Tyranitar.
"Use Rock Slide to protect yourself!" Ichigo instructed. Mega Tyranitar roared as rocks formed above them and began to fall, intercepting Mega Infernape's descent.
"Push through!" Flint commanded. Mega Infernape continued its descent, breaking the rocks in its path.
"When it's within range, use Outrage!" Ichigo ordered. Mega Tyranitar glowed with draconic energy as the rocks managed to slow Mega Infernape. She swung her tail at it. Mega Infernape and Flint were too distracted by the incoming rocks to notice Mega Tyranitar's tail until it was too late. The attack sent Mega Infernape flying, embedding it into the stadium wall.
"Mega Infernape, are you okay?" Flint asked, turning to his Pokémon. Mega Infernape didn't reply.
"The battle is over. The winner is Mega Tyranitar!" The referee declared. Mega Tyranitar let out a loud roar as Flint recalled his Mega Infernape and sent out his Rotom Heat.
"The battle between Mega Tyranitar and Rotom Heat will begin. Flint has the first move."
"Thunderbolt!" Flint ordered.
"Use Sandstorm to protect yourself," Ichigo replied. Mega Tyranitar swept her arm, causing the sandstorm to intercept the Thunderbolt. "Now, Rock Slide!" Ichigo commanded. Large rocks appeared above Rotom Heat and began to fall toward it.
"Dodge!" Flint ordered. Rotom Heat swerved side to side, trying to avoid the large rocks, but the Sandstorm made it difficult. Some of the rocks slammed into Rotom Heat, causing it to fall to the ground.
"Outrage, tail swing!" Ichigo shouted. Mega Tyranitar let out a loud roar as she swung her tail, hitting the grounded Rotom Heat and sending it flying. Rotom Heat was embedded into the same hole where Mega Infernape had been knocked into.
"Rotom!" Flint shouted, trying to get a response from his Pokémon. Rotom Heat didn't reply, much to his dismay.
"The battle is over. The winner is Mega Tyranitar." Flint recalled his Rotom Heat.
"I forfeit," Flint declared.
"The third match in the Elite Four challenge is over! The winner is Cardinal Ichigo!" The referee announced as Ichigo recalled his Mega Tyranitar. Ichigo walked off the battlefield to heal his Pokémon. After twenty minutes of waiting, Ichigo was called back onto the battlefield, where it had been repaired. On the opposite side stood Lucian, the fourth Elite Four member. Both trainers took their positions.
"The fourth match of the Elite Four Challenge shall begin. The match is between Cardinal Ichigo and Elite Four Lucian. This will be a six-on-six match. Each trainer is allowed to substitute their Pokémon once per round. On the count of three, both trainers will send out their first Pokémon. Cardinal Ichigo will make the first move," the referee explained.
"One." Ichigo and Lucian took out their Poké Balls.
"Two." Both trainers raised their Poké Balls, preparing to throw them.
"Three!" Ichigo and Lucian threw their Poké Balls. Out came Tyranitar and Espeon. Suddenly, the battlefield was engulfed in a sandstorm, thanks to Tyranitar's ability.
"The first battle is between Tyranitar and Espeon. Ichigo has the first move."
"Tyranitar, use Elemental Aura!" Ichigo commanded.
"What is Elemental Aura?" Lucian thought, never having heard of the move.
"Espeon, use Protect!" Lucian ordered, playing it safe. A green barrier appeared around Espeon. Tyranitar unleashed a loud roar as she was surrounded by dark energy. The brown sand took on a darker hue. Lucian's eyes widened.
"He somehow infused the dark type into the sandstorm."
"Now then, Dark Outrage!" Ichigo ordered. Tyranitar charged at the protective Espeon and began to attack the barrier.
"Espeon, hold on!" Lucian shouted. Tyranitar continued to assault the barrier with her feet. It didn't take long before the barrier shattered, and Tyranitar stomped on Espeon. She moved her foot, revealing Espeon, now embedded into the ground.
"Kick it toward Lucian," Ichigo ordered. Tyranitar turned around and kicked Espeon out of the ground toward Lucian. Espeon landed in front of Lucian, unconscious.
"The battle is over. The winner is Tyranitar!" The referee declared. Lucian recalled his Espeon and sent out his Medicham. Ichigo recalled his Tyranitar and sent out his Aegislash. The empowered Sandstorm dissipated.
"So, that's his fifth Pokémon," Lucian thought. The referee glanced at Lucian.
"I will stay with Medicham," Lucian replied.
"The second battle is between Aegislash and Medicham. Elite Four Lucian has the first move!"
"Fire Punch!" Lucian ordered.
"Dodge with Shadow Sneak," Ichigo countered. Medicham's fists were engulfed in flames as it charged toward Aegislash. At the last second, Aegislash used Shadow Sneak, dodging Medicham's attack.
"Focus," Lucian said. Medicham nodded and closed its eyes. Aegislash manipulated the shadows, trying to break Medicham's focus, but it remained unaffected.
"Shadow Claw," Ichigo commanded. In the shadows, Aegislash shifted to Blade Form. Her free arm glowed with ghostly energy as she shot out to attack Medicham.
"Fire Punch!" Lucian ordered. Medicham's fist blazed with flames as it attacked Aegislash. The two attacks collided, struggling for dominance. An explosion forced them both back.
"Don't let Aegislash recover!" Lucian shouted.
"King's Shield!" Ichigo ordered. Medicham charged toward Aegislash with its fiery fists. Aegislash transformed into her shield form, and a thin purple barrier appeared in front of her.
"Don't attack!" Lucian called, seeing the barrier, but it was too late. Medicham's fists collided with the barrier. Purple energy surrounded Medicham, weakening it.
"Shadow Claw!" Ichigo commanded.
"Get away!" Lucian shouted. Aegislash transformed back into Blade Forme. Medicham jumped back and ran away from Aegislash. Aegislash's arm glowed purple as she pursued Medicham. It didn't take long before Aegislash caught up with Medicham and struck with Shadow Claw. Medicham was knocked to the ground.
"End it," Ichigo said. Aegislash attacked Medicham one more time, knocking it out.
"The battle is over. The winner is Aegislash!" The referee declared. Lucian sighed as he recalled his Medicham and sent out his Alakazam. Ichigo recalled his Aegislash and sent out Tyranitar. The battlefield was once again shrouded in a sandstorm. Alakazam raised its arms, shielding its face.
"The third battle is between Tyranitar and Alakazam. Due to Cardinal Ichigo's substitution, Elite Four Lucian has the first move!" the referee announced.
"Focus Blast," Lucian ordered. Alakazam's eyes glowed as a ball of energy formed in front of it and fired towards Tyranitar.
"Dodge it," Ichigo ordered. Tyranitar manipulated the sandstorm, hiding within it and causing the Focus Blast to miss.
"Keep an eye out," Lucian instructed. Alakazam nodded, trying to locate Tyranitar.
"Elemental Aura!" Ichigo shouted. Tyranitar let out a loud roar as dark energy infused into the sandstorm, causing it to passively damage Alakazam.
"Teleport out of there!" Lucian ordered. Alakazam closed its eyes, concentrating on its psychic energy. Unfortunately, the darkened sandstorm interfered with its concentration.
"Crunch!" Ichigo commanded. Tyranitar suddenly lunged out of the sandstorm and bit down hard on Alakazam's shoulder.
"ALLLLLLLLLLLL!" Alakazam screamed in pain from the attack.
"Attack it!" Lucian ordered. Alakazam tried to retaliate, but Tyranitar lifted Alakazam up and violently shook it, forcing the bite to go deeper and preventing Alakazam from focusing. It didn't take long before Alakazam's body went limp. Tyranitar released it, allowing it to fall to the ground.
"The battle is over. The winner is Tyranitar!" the referee declared. Lucian sighed and recalled his Alakazam, sending out his Gardevoir. Ichigo recalled his Tyranitar and sent out his Aegislash. The sandstorm once again dissipated.
"The fourth battle is between Aegislash and Gardevoir. Due to Cardinal Ichigo's substitution, Elite Four Lucian has the first move!" the referee announced.
"Gardevoir, use Shadow Ball!" Lucian ordered. Gardevoir raised her arms, gathering ghost energy into a ball.
"Dodge it and Iron Head!" Ichigo commanded. Aegislash's body glowed metallic silver as it charged towards Gardevoir. Gardevoir fired her Shadow Ball at the incoming Aegislash, but Aegislash dodged it at the last second. Aegislash used the opening to ram her head into Gardevoir's gut, pushing her back. "Use Shadow Claw!" Ichigo ordered.
"Teleport away!" Lucian commanded.
"Grab her arm!" Ichigo quickly replied. Aegislash's arms glowed with ghostly purple energy as she grabbed Gardevoir's arm. The ghostly energy interfered with Gardevoir's teleportation, preventing her from escaping Aegislash's Shadow Claw.
"GAR!" Gardevoir screamed in pain.
"Shadow Ball!" Lucian ordered, deciding to risk it.
"Finish her!" Ichigo shouted. Aegislash continued to attack Gardevoir with Shadow Claw. Eventually, Gardevoir succumbed to her wounds, but not before firing a Shadow Ball that hit Aegislash.
"The battle is over. The winner is Aegislash!" the referee declared. Lucian recalled his Gardevoir and sent out his Bronzong.
"I will stick with Aegislash," Ichigo said. The referee nodded.
"The next battle is between Aegislash and Bronzong. Cardinal Ichigo has the first move!" the referee declared.
"Shadow Sneak," Ichigo commanded, and Aegislash entered the shadows.
"Trick Room!" Lucian ordered. Bronzong's eyes glowed red, and a large light-blue rectangle with transparent walls and ceiling appeared around the battlefield. It glowed briefly before becoming invisible. "Knock Aegislash out of the shadow!" Lucian commanded. Out of the corner of Bronzong's eye, Aegislash crept out. Suddenly, Bronzong appeared beside Aegislash and slapped her in the head, knocking her out of the shadow.
"His Bronzong is now faster than Aegislash," Ichigo thought as Aegislash landed on the ground.
"Earthquake!" Lucian ordered.
"King's Shield!" Ichigo commanded. Bronzong shot up into the air and began to descend. Aegislash shifted into her Shield Forme, and a purple dome surrounded her. Bronzong slammed into the ground, shaking the battlefield and sending rock and debris toward Aegislash. Luckily, the King's Shield protected her from the attack.
"How much longer is Trick Room going to last?" Ichigo thought.
"Shadow Sneak," Ichigo ordered, and Aegislash changed into her Blade Forme.
"Don't let it enter the shadow!" Lucian ordered. Bronzong moved toward the descending Aegislash.
"Now Shadow Claw!" Ichigo commanded when Bronzong was within range. Aegislash hit Bronzong in the face with Shadow Claw, stunning it with the unexpected attack. "Don't give it time to recover!" Ichigo ordered.
"Dodge it!" Lucian shouted, but Aegislash continued to attack Bronzong with Shadow Claw. Bronzong managed to dodge the attack.
"Don't let it escape!" Ichigo ordered. Aegislash's next Shadow Claw hit Bronzong.
"The Trick Room ended," Ichigo and Lucian realized. It didn't take long before Aegislash knocked Bronzong out with Shadow Claw.
"The battle is over. The winner is Aegislash!" the referee declared. Lucian recalled his Bronzong and sent out his last Pokémon, Gallade. He revealed a necklace from under his shirt, showing off a Mega Stone.
Ichigo recalled his Aegislash and sent out his Charizard.
"Damn," Lucian thought, expecting Tyranitar to show up. Ichigo revealed his own Mega Stone.
"MEGA SHINKA!" they both shouted as Charizard and Gallade were engulfed in a ball of mega energy. The light died down to reveal Mega Charizard and Mega Gallade.
"The next battle is between Mega Charizard and Mega Gallade. Elite Four Lucian has the first move!" the referee announced.
"Close Combat!" Lucian commanded. Mega Gallade ran towards Mega Charizard.
"Outrage!" Ichigo ordered. Mega Charizard let out a roar as it was engulfed in red energy. The two Megas collided head-on, trading blows—punch for punch, kick for kick. Suddenly, Mega Charizard bit down on Mega Gallade's shoulder.
"GALL!" Mega Gallade screamed in pain.
Mega Gallade punched Mega Charizard in the mouth, forcing her to let go.
"Get back!" Lucian ordered. Mega Gallade leaped back.
"Flare Blitz!" Ichigo commanded. Mega Charizard roared and was engulfed in flames, charging toward Mega Gallade.
"Protect!" Lucian ordered. A green barrier surrounded Mega Gallade, shielding him from Mega Charizard's attack. The flames dissipated as Mega Charizard landed back on the ground, still glaring at the protected Mega Gallade.
"Blast Burn," Ichigo commanded.
Mega Charizard roared as bright blue flames engulfed her body before she unleashed a devastating stream of fire at the shielded Mega Gallade. The moment Blast Burn collided with Protect, a massive explosion erupted, shaking the battlefield.
As the dust settled, Mega Charizard took a moment to recover from the powerful attack. Through the clearing smoke, Mega Gallade stood, his body badly burned, yet he forced himself to remain on his feet.
"End it with one more Flare Blitz!" Ichigo ordered. Mega Charizard let out another roar before she was engulfed in flames and charged toward Mega Gallade.
"Reversal!" Lucian ordered. A wave of orange energy burst from the ground around Mega Gallade, and his right fist became covered in the same energy. Mega Gallade punched the incoming Mega Charizard. The two attacks collided, causing an explosion—much larger than before. Suddenly, a loud roar echoed, pushing all the dust from the explosion away. Mega Charizard stood proudly on the battlefield while Mega Gallade lay unconscious on the ground.
"The battle is over. The winner is Mega Charizard. The fourth match in the Elite Four challenge is over! The winner is Cardinal Ichigo!" the referee announced. The entire audience cheered as Ichigo recalled his Mega Charizard and walked off the battlefield. He stopped at one of the staff members.
"Yes, Cardinal?" the staff member asked.
"Please inform the referee that, for the next match, I wish to be the first to send out a Pokémon. In return, Cynthia may have the first move, and I will not substitute my Pokémon until the end of the first round."
"I-I will inform the referee of your request," the staff member said before running off. Ichigo entered the break room, healed his Pokémon, and sat down. After twenty minutes, the staff member returned.
"I've informed the referee of your request, and he passed it on to Champion Cynthia. She decided to accept it," the staff member reported.
"Thank you," Ichigo said.
"You should be ready to return to the battlefield," the staff member said before running off again. Ichigo took out his final Pokémon, the one he hadn't used yet.
"It's time for the show," Ichigo thought as he returned to the battlefield. He saw Cynthia standing in the center, waiting for him.
"Hello, Cynthia," he greeted.
"Hello, Ichigo," she replied.
"I apologize for what's about to happen in this match," Ichigo said.
"Sounds like you're confident about beating me," she said with a smile.
"Cardinal Ichigo. Champion Cynthia. Please go to your respective sides of the battlefield," the referee called.
Ichigo and Cynthia returned to their positions.
"The final match of the Elite Four Challenge shall begin! The match is between Cardinal Ichigo and our Champion Cynthia!" the referee declared. "This will be a six-on-six match. Each trainer is allowed to substitute their Pokémon without any restrictions. Cardinal Ichigo has requested to be the first to send in a Pokémon. In return, Champion Cynthia will be allowed the first move, and Cardinal Ichigo will not be able to substitute his Pokémon until the end of the first round." The referee stepped back. Ichigo took out his Poké Ball and took a deep breath.
"Roaring dragon of death!" Ichigo began to chant. "Shatter the lock that encloses the boundaries of life and death!" Ghostly energy radiated from Ichigo. "Remind humanity of your power!" he yelled as he threw the Poké Ball into the air. The ball opened, revealing Yami in her legendary form. The audience gasped, recognizing one of the Legendary Creation Trio. Yami activated her Divine Domain, and a massive presence pushed down on everyone, further intimidating them.
"G-Giratina," Cynthia stammered. Her eyes widened as she stared at Ichigo. He briefly nodded in acknowledgment.
"Giratina was probably angry with Cyrus for trying to control Dialga and Palkia. To pacify Giratina's anger, Ichigo had to make a deal with it," Cynthia deduced.
"Thank you," Cynthia said, then sent out her Togekiss. Togekiss immediately felt the pressure of Giratina's presence, looking back at Cynthia with a nervous expression.
"Try your best," Cynthia encouraged.
"The first battle is between Giratina and Togekiss. Champion Cynthia has the first move!"
"Togekiss, use Dazzling Gleam!" Cynthia ordered. Togekiss charged up a ball of fairy energy before firing it toward Giratina. The middle of Yami's head crest glowed light blue before her entire body turned black and disappeared. Togekiss looked around, trying to locate her opponent. Suddenly, Yami burst out from below Togekiss, ramming into it and sending the fairy-type flying into the air. Yami opened her mouth and fired an Ice Beam at Togekiss.
"Dodge it!" Cynthia ordered. Togekiss failed to react in time, and the Ice Beam struck it, encasing it in ice. Cynthia watched helplessly as her frozen Togekiss crashed to the ground. The impact shattered the ice, but Togekiss lay unconscious on the battlefield.
"The battle is over! The winner is Giratina!" the referee declared.
Cynthia silently recalled her Togekiss and sent out Milotic. As soon as Milotic appeared, Giratina let out a bone-chilling screech, causing Milotic to flinch in surprise.
"The second battle is between Milotic and Giratina. Car—"
"Champion Cynthia should take the first move as long as Giratina is on my field," Ichigo interrupted.
The referee hesitated for a moment before glancing at Cynthia, who gave a brief nod.
"By Cardinal Ichigo's request, Champion Cynthia will have the first move!"
"Ice Beam!" Cynthia commanded.
Milotic opened its mouth, releasing a concentrated beam of ice toward Giratina. But before the attack could land, Giratina vanished into the shadows with Shadow Force, causing Ice Beam to strike nothing but empty air.
"Keep an eye out!" Cynthia called, as Milotic searched for Yami. Suddenly, Yami appeared behind Milotic with her eyes glowing yellow.
"Behind you!" Cynthia yelled, but it was too late. Yami unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity, hitting Milotic with a Thunderbolt. The attack caused massive damage to the water-type.
"Ice Beam!" Cynthia ordered. Milotic tried to retaliate, but Yami, noticing Milotic's struggle, ceased the Thunderbolt. Milotic attempted Ice Beam, but Yami swiped at Milotic with Dragon Tail, sending it crashing into a nearby wall. Milotic collapsed, unconscious.
"The battle is over. The winner is Giratina!" the referee declared. Cynthia recalled Milotic and sent out Roserade. The plant Pokémon immediately felt the oppressive presence of Giratina.
"The third battle is between Roserade and Giratina. Champion Cynthia has the first move!"
"Roserade, use Effect Powder!" Cynthia ordered. Roserade released a large cloud of various powders toward Giratina. Yami used Shadow Force again to disappear, evading the attack. "Now, litter the field with Leech Seed!" Cynthia instructed. Roserade fired small seeds all over the battlefield, ready to sprout. Suddenly, Yami reappeared beside Roserade, ramming into her and knocking the seeds off the field. Yami opened her mouth and fired another Ice Beam.
"Dodge it!" Cynthia shouted. Roserade tried to avoid the attack, but Yami adjusted her aim and caught up with the plant Pokémon. The Ice Beam froze Roserade in place.
"Champion Cynthia has to the count of ten to get a response from her Roserade. If she fails to do so, I will determine that Roserade is unable to battle," the referee announced as a ten-second timer began. Cynthia sighed as the timer reached zero.
"The battle is over. The winner is Giratina!" the referee declared. Cynthia recalled her frozen Roserade and sent out her Eelektross, which surrounded itself with electricity, signaling caution.
"The fourth battle is between Eelektross and Giratina. Champion Cynthia has the first move!"
"Let's stop using Shadow Force," Ichigo mentally suggested.
"Eelektross, use Discharge!" Cynthia ordered. Eelektross unleashed a large blast of blue electricity across the battlefield. Yami took the attack head-on.
"I expected Giratina to disappear like before. Is it showing us it can defeat me without using that move?" Cynthia thought as Yami let out a loud roar, forcing the electricity to disperse. Yami opened her mouth and fired multiple Shadow Balls at Eelektross. Eelektross swerved side to side, trying to dodge the attacks.
"Is it just me, or is Eelektross moving slightly slower than before?" Cynthia thought, noticing how sluggish Eelektross seemed. Despite Eelektross's efforts, Yami adjusted her aim, causing most of the Shadow Balls to hit.
"Use Discharge to destroy all the Shadow Balls!" Cynthia said, changing tactics. Eelektross let out a burst of blue electricity, destroying the remaining Shadow Balls. It let out a tired breath as Yami stared at it, waiting for it to catch its breath. Yami opened her mouth and fired a powerful Dragon Pulse.
"Dodge it!" Cynthia ordered, but Eelektross was too tired to react in time. The Dragon Pulse collided with Eelektross, knocking it out.
"The battle is over. The winner is Giratina," the referee announced. Cynthia recalled her Eelektross and sent out Lucario, who didn't seem intimidated by Yami.
"The fifth battle is between Lucario and Giratina. Champion Cynthia has the first move!"
"Meteor Mash!" Cynthia ordered. Lucario charged forward, using the frozen ice as a platform to reach Yami. Yami opened her mouth and charged an Aura Sphere.
"Get out of there!" Cynthia yelled as Yami fired her attack. Lucario stopped its Meteor Mash and fired its own Aura Sphere, which was half the size of Yami's. The counterforce allowed Lucario to change its position. The two Aura Spheres collided, causing an explosion. Lucario performed a shoulder roll and stood back up. Yami fired another Aura Sphere at Lucario. Lucario quickly fired three of its own Aura Spheres. The two attacks collided, canceling each other out. Yami fired more Aura Spheres at Lucario. Due to the size of Yami's Aura Spheres, Lucario was forced to block with its own. But it didn't take long before Lucario was too exhausted to continue, allowing Yami to land a final Aura Sphere. Lucario collapsed, unconscious.
"The battle is over. The winner is Giratina," the referee announced. Cynthia recalled her Lucario.
"It's been a while since I've been knocked this far down," she thought as she sent out her Garchomp. Garchomp let out a loud roar and glared at Yami. Yami responded with her own roar. Cynthia revealed a Mega Stone pendant.
"Mega Shinka," she said as Garchomp was engulfed in a sphere of Mega Energy. The energy dispersed, revealing Mega Garchomp.
"The sixth battle is between Mega Garchomp and Giratina. Champion Cynthia has the first move!"
"Dragon Rush!" she yelled. Mega Garchomp was engulfed in draconic energy as it flew toward Yami. Yami replied with an Ice Beam.
"Dodge it!" Cynthia shouted. Mega Garchomp swerved to the side, narrowly avoiding the Ice Beam. Yami's tail glowed with draconic energy and struck Mega Garchomp, sending it tumbling toward the battlefield. Mega Garchomp quickly recovered. Before it could attack, Yami unleashed another Ice Beam. Mega Garchomp dodged each one, closing the distance between them.
"Dragon Claw!" Cynthia ordered. Mega Garchomp's claws glowed with draconic energy as it tried to strike Yami. She stopped her Ice Beam and used Dragon Claw with her ghostly tendrils. The two Dragon Claws collided, unable to land a solid hit. Suddenly, Yami's other tendrils wrapped around Mega Garchomp's limbs, preventing it from moving. Yami opened her mouth and unleashed an Ice Beam at close range.
"Fire Fang!" Cynthia ordered, hoping to prevent Mega Garchomp from being frozen. The inside of Mega Garchomp's mouth became engulfed in flames as Yami's Ice Beam struck. Ice formed around Mega Garchomp's body, but it failed to completely freeze due to the heat from the Fire Fang.
"Keep it going!" Cynthia yelled. The outcome of the battle rested on who would tire first—Yami with her Ice Beam or Mega Garchomp with Fire Fang. To everyone's surprise, Yami stopped her attack first. Before anyone could react, Yami unleashed a powerful Dragon Breath. Mega Garchomp was helpless against it. When the attack ended, everyone could see Mega Garchomp was unconscious, held up by Yami's tendrils.
"The battle is over. The winner is Giratina!" the referee declared. Cynthia recalled her Mega Garchomp.
"The final match of the Elite Four Challenge is over. The winner is C—" Suddenly, Yami unleashed an even louder roar, causing the effects of her Divine Domain to affect everyone in the stadium. Ichigo walked over and grabbed the microphone from the referee. Yami restrained her Divine Domain, and everyone looked at Ichigo.
"For those who didn't know, Team Galactic used ancient Hisui legends to take control of Dialga and Palkia," Ichigo began. Cynthia walked over to him. Ichigo handed her the microphone.
"I can confirm that Team Galactic did this," Cynthia said, returning the microphone to Ichigo.
"Before Team Galactic could do any harm, Giratina intervened, dragging Dialga, Palkia, Team Galactic Leader Cyrus, and myself into the Reverse World. There, Giratina freed them from Team Galactic's control. Both Dialga and Palkia planned to return to the Real World and punish the citizens of Sinnoh for Team Galactic's actions," Ichigo continued. The stadium was silent in shock. "In the end, I convinced them that doing so would only cause more people to try and capture them. I convinced them that having one of them show up and crush the strongest Pokémon Trainer in Sinnoh would remind the citizens not to mess with them."
Cynthia took the microphone from Ichigo.
"I, Champion Cynthia, thank you, Deus-Cardinal Ichigo, for single-handedly saving the entire Sinnoh Region from the wrath of the Creation Trio," she said. Yami let out another roar. Everyone stared at her as Ichigo picked up Yami's Poké Ball and crushed it with his foot.
"The agreement is done," he said. Yami shot into the air before disappearing. Ichigo could sense her returning to his shadow. With that, the crowd erupted in applause, and the award ceremony began. Ichigo was formally crowned as Deus-Cardinal, likely due to his being awarded the rank of Cardinal again and pacifying the Creation Trio. After the ceremony, Ichigo returned to his room at the hotel. He noticed Sabrina was already asleep.
"You can come out now, Yami," Ichigo said as Yami's head floated out of his shadow. "Good job," he complimented while petting her head.
"Thank you, Ichigo," she replied. Ichigo summoned a Faker Ball and caught her. A few moments later, Gardevoir and Malware teleported in.
"I assume you finished hacking my records?"
"I have," Malware said.
"Thank you," Ichigo said, recalling his Pokémon. With that done, he took a quick shower before heading to bed.
Author's notes:
(1) Imagine Rillaboom but with Infernape colors and flames instead of leaves.