Grimsley stepped aside, the chamber opening to the corridor beyond. The tension that had filled the room bled away in its wake, leaving only the quiet hum of the League's inner halls. I drew a slow breath, steadying myself, then took my first step forward. Skyla didn't let go of my arm.
"You're really about to face her," she said, half-laughing under her breath as we walked. "Cynthia. How crazy is that?"
She wrapped her arm around me.
"I've been trying not to think about it," I replied.
"Yeah, well, I'm thinking about it," she said, glancing at me. "I've only met her once when she visited the gym to meet my grandfather. I hadn't taken over as gym leader then. What do you think the battle will be like?"
"Challenging."
The corridor stretched on, longer than it should have been. Each step echoed, slower than the last, my body finally beginning to feel the weight of everything I'd just done. My team… they had given everything.
At the end of the hall stood the door.
We stopped a few paces from it, both of us falling quiet. The surface gleamed faintly, untouched, waiting.
Then, with a low mechanical hum, the floor shifted.
A circular pedestal rose smoothly from the ground between us and the door, its surface lined with familiar slots.
Skyla let out a breath. "Right. Of course."
I reached for my belt, placing each Poké Ball into the pedestal one by one. There was a rhythm to it.
Light pulsed across the surface as the system activated, accompanied by the soft, melodic chime of the healing sequence. For a few seconds, there was nothing else.
The light dimmed. The tone signaled completion.
I collected each Poké Ball, feeling the renewed energy within them as I returned them to my belt.
"Okay," Skyla said, rolling her shoulders. "Now we're really doing this."
I reached for the handle, but before I could turn it, a soft chime sounded overhead.
"Champion battle commencing."
The massive doors separated with a deep metallic groan.
Light spilled through the widening gap. For a heartbeat, I couldn't make out anything beyond the brightness.
Then my vision adjusted.
The battlefield was beautiful, and unlike anything I'd seen before.
The arena sat beneath an open sky, sunlight pouring in through a circular opening high above. Massive stone pillars ringed the battlefield, each carved with scenes from Pokémon history.
Legendary Pokémon soared across the stone, ancient battles were frozen in time, and intricate reliefs celebrated the bond between humans and Pokémon. Waterfalls spilled between the columns into crystal-clear pools before disappearing beneath the battlefield itself. Vines climbed weathered stone and flowers bloomed from cracks that looked centuries old.
It felt less like an arena and more like a sanctuary.
Camera drones silently tracked me from every angle, their lenses following my every movement. Somewhere beyond these walls, millions of people were watching.
My footsteps echoed across the polished stone as I walked to the challenger's platform.
Skyla stopped just behind me, resting a hand on my shoulder.
"I'll be right here."
I smiled.
"I know."
She squeezed my shoulder once before stepping back toward the viewing stands, leaving me alone beneath the open sky.
Across the battlefield, another doorway slid open.
She emerged without fanfare, music, or announcement.
Cynthia's long blonde hair drifted gently behind her as she crossed the field with calm, effortless confidence. Every movement was measured, every step unhurried.
She stopped opposite me, silver-gray eyes meeting mine.
For several long seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then she smiled.
"So," she said softly. "We finally meet."
"I've been looking forward to this."
"As have I."
Her eyes studied me carefully.
"I watched every one of your League matches."
I blinked.
"You did?"
"It would have been difficult not to."
The corner of my mouth tugged upward.
"You've accomplished something remarkable, Atrea. Eight gym badges. Four Elite Four victories."
I inclined my head. "Thank you."
Cynthia's smile lingered for another moment before it slowly faded. The warmth in her expression gave way to quiet focus as her hand settled on one of the Poké Balls at her waist.
"I look forward to being your final gauntlet."
Her eyes drifted toward the referee on his elevated podium, who acknowledged her with a nod before stepping forward.
"The Championship Match will consist of a full battle between the Challenger Atrea and Champion Cynthia," he announced. "Both trainers may utilize six Pokémon, and substitutions are permitted."
He paused before gesturing toward the arena itself.
"This battlefield is equipped with multiple environmental configurations. Throughout the match, the terrain will transition between several battlefield layouts previously used during League-sanctioned Gym battles. These transitions will occur automatically and without warning."
A faint mechanical rumble echoed beneath our feet.
"The opening battlefield..."
He extended a hand toward the far wall.
"...beginning transformation."
A row of massive circular floodgates built into the stone walls unlocked with a deafening metallic clang.
My eyes widened as the gates rolled open.
A torrent of water thundered into the arena.
The ground beneath my feet shuddered as hidden machinery groaned to life. The central battlefield slowly began to descend, the polished stone sinking deeper and deeper into the earth.
The rushing water poured into the newly formed basin, churning violently before gradually settling into gentle waves.
Within moments, the battlefield had disappeared beneath the surface.
In its place stretched a crystal-clear lake nearly twenty feet deep, sunlight shimmering across the water while only the two trainers' platforms remained above the surface.
The sudden and violent influx of water didn't seem to faze Cynthia one bit.
I gulped and reached for Swampert's Poké Ball.
The red flash deposited him directly into the newly formed lake. Clearly expecting solid ground, he landed awkwardly before quickly righting himself. He surfaced with an annoyed scowl.
A little warning next time.
I smirked.
Ah yes, I'll warn the pieces of code that make up your Poké Ball next time.
He snorted.
Appreciated.
Across the lake, Cynthia released her own partner.
Milotic slipped beneath the surface without so much as a splash.
A heartbeat later, the lake erupted.
She burst skyward in a graceful arc before crashing back into the water, sending a rolling wave across the battlefield that slapped harmlessly against Swampert.
"Battle begin!" the referee called.
Cynthia moved first.
"Limit his mobility."
Milotic surged beneath the surface, and a brilliant Ice Beam erupted from the water.
Swampert dove immediately, the frozen beam skimming inches above his head.
"You'll have to be faster than that," I called.
Cynthia smiled.
"You're under the assumption that she was aiming for Swampert."
My stomach dropped.
The Ice Beam struck the water where Swampert had been.
The lake froze almost instantly.
Crystalline ice raced across the surface until nearly the entire arena had become a frozen sheet.
A violent slam echoed from beneath the ice.
Milotic gracefully landed atop the frozen surface while Swampert hammered upward from below.
The first punch left only a crack.
The second widened it.
The third splintered the surface.
On the fourth strike, his fist burst through.
Milotic struck instantly.
She lunged downward, jaws snapping around Swampert's forearm.
Let's go for a ride.
Her tail slammed into the frozen lake.
The entire sheet shattered.
Before Swampert could react, Milotic dove.
He was ripped through the collapsing ice before being launched bodily into one remaining section.
His body skipped across the frozen surface before disappearing beneath the water again.
Another section exploded upward moments later.
Swampert burst through face-first, sliding nearly a dozen feet before finally digging his nails into the ice.
He groaned as he pushed himself upright.
She's really fast.
I noticed.
My eyes tracked Milotic's serpentine body weaving beneath the remaining ice.
What can I do against something that knows this battlefield better than I do?
Then it clicked.
There's a lot of her.
Swampert glanced back.
What?
It takes her slightly longer to fully submerge than you. Grab her after she surfaces... but wait until she commits to an attack.
Understanding crossed his face.
Got it.
Milotic vanished beneath the lake.
Swampert lowered himself into a ready stance.
Here she comes.
The water exploded.
Milotic burst upward, Aqua Tail already glowing.
Swampert sidestepped, and his hand shot forward.
Milotic was already twisting to dive again when his fingers clamped around her midsection.
This is going to hurt.
He assured her as he hurled Milotic across the battlefield.
She slammed into the shimmering barrier hard enough to ripple the protective shield.
Hydro Pump!
Water erupted from Swampert's mouth.
I'd hoped keeping my command silent would prevent Cynthia from reacting.
I couldn't have been more wrong.
"Mirror Coat."
Her voice remained calm, almost expectant.
Milotic's scales shimmered seconds before Swampert's Hydro Pump struck her head-on.
The torrent rebounded instantly.
Twice as powerful.
Swampert barely had time to inhale before the reflected blast smashed into him.
He rocketed backward, slamming into the barrier hard enough to make its protective field visibly cycle.
"Dive!"
Swampert disappeared beneath the water just before Milotic's own Hydro Pump carved across the surface.
What now? he asked as he swam beneath the ice.
Milotic remained poised atop her frozen platform, well outside his striking distance.
Before I could answer, Cynthia pointed.
"Ice Beam."
The water around Swampert immediately began freezing.
Surface.
I'm at least fifty feet away. I'll never make it.
I inhaled slowly.
You don't have to.
I focused on a thick slab of floating ice ahead of him.
Throw it.
Silence.
...I see it.
The lake erupted.
Swampert burst through the surface, both hands lifting a massive slab of ice.
With one explosive motion, he hurled it.
The projectile crossed the arena in an instant.
Even Milotic's fluid movements weren't enough.
The slab exploded across her body and staggered her.
Got you.
Swampert landed directly in front of her.
Cynthia's eyes narrowed.
"Dodge."
Too late.
Swampert wrapped both arms around Milotic.
His fists ignited with freezing energy a second later as ice surged across her scales and locked her midsection in frost.
With a grunt, Swampert slammed her into the frozen surface.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Each impact sent fractures racing through the ice.
Milotic struggled desperately to slip free, but Swampert planted one foot across her neck.
She looked up as Swampert's Hammer Arm descended.
The blow landed with enough force to shatter the remaining ice beneath them.
Milotic went limp, and the referee called it.
"Milotic is unable to battle!"
Swampert immediately lifted her unconscious body from the freezing water, cradling her carefully so her head remained above the surface.
He waited.
After several long seconds, Milotic stirred.
Her eyes slowly opened.
She blinked once before realizing who was holding her.
Swampert offered a tired smile.
You fought well.
A faint smile crossed Milotic's face before Cynthia recalled her in a flash of red light.
"Excellent adaptation," Cynthia said.
Our eyes met.
"Most challengers spend an entire battle trying to force their original strategy."
She clipped Milotic's Poké Ball back onto her belt.
"You abandoned yours after thirty seconds."
The faintest smile returned to her face.
"Good."
Across the battlefield, Swampert met Cynthia's gaze.
He gave her a single respectful nod.
Cynthia returned the gesture before reaching for her next Poké Ball.
The floodgates opened once more.
The artificial lake vanished almost instantly as hidden pumps drained thousands of gallons of water beneath the arena. The battlefield trembled beneath my feet as stone receded into the floor while a lattice of reinforced colored glass panels slid into place, each section capable of rising and falling independently.
I recognized the layout immediately.
"Reactive field?"
Cynthia nodded as she retrieved her next Poké Ball.
Glaceon descended like a drifting snowflake.
Swampert stepped forward, rolling one shoulder before settling into a fighting stance.
"Battle begin!" the referee called.
We struck first.
Swampert opened his jaws and unleashed a Hydro Pump. It wasn't meant to finish the fight. I wanted to see how quickly Glaceon reacted.
She didn't disappoint.
Glaceon sprang gracefully over the torrent just as the battlefield shifted beneath her. A cluster of colored glass panels surged upward, forming an elevated platform beneath her paws before she landed effortlessly atop it.
"Hyper Voice."
The sound hit like a freight train.
Swampert immediately clamped his hands over his ears as the shrill screech echoed through the arena. The PAP barrier spared the cameras from transmitting the true volume, but judging by the look on his face, the attack was agonizing. He staggered backward, struggling to keep his footing.
Cynthia never hesitated.
"Blizzard."
Glaceon shifted slightly on the platform and the temperature around her plummeted. She threw her head back with a sharp cry as a roaring wall of snow and ice surged across the battlefield.
Swampert disappeared inside it.
Ice immediately began creeping across his body. Every muscle bulged beneath his skin as he fought to stop the frost from spreading over his limbs.
It wasn't enough.
"Now."
Glaceon launched herself from the platform. The instant she left it, the glass retracted beneath her.
She became a blue-and-white missile.
Giga Impact.
Swampert could only roar as she closed the distance. The collision produced a flash of blinding light that forced me to shield my eyes.
When the dust settled, Swampert was still standing.
Both of his arms were wrapped tightly around Glaceon.
The tiny Pokémon writhed desperately, snapping Ice Fang after Ice Fang into his forearms. Frost spread across his skin with every bite, but his grip never loosened.
With a roar, Swampert twisted at the waist and drove Glaceon face-first into the reactive field.
The impact sent fractures of colored light racing through the reinforced glass. Glaceon bounced once before rolling across the battlefield. She trembled as she forced herself back onto her paws.
Swampert took a single step toward her before his legs suddenly buckled beneath him.
He tried to push himself upright. His arms trembled violently before finally giving out.
He collapsed face-first onto the battlefield.
"Swampert is unable to battle!"
A disappointed sigh escaped him as he rolled onto his side, looking across the battlefield at Glaceon.
Well played.
He said before slipping into unconsciousness.
Glaceon dipped her head respectfully as I returned Swampert in a flash of red light.
Across the battlefield, Cynthia knelt beside Glaceon, gently scratching beneath her chin as the exhausted Ice-type leaned into her hand.
I was already reaching for my next partner. He thrived in close quarters like these.
Scizor materialized with a metallic clang, emerald eyes immediately locking onto Glaceon as she regained her stepped forward across the battlefield.
The reactive terrain shifted once again. Several glass towers rose from the floor while two long, narrow corridors stretched between them.
Scizor studied the battlefield for only a second.
Don't want to get stuck in one of those at range.
No. You don't.
The referee raised a flag.
"Battle begin!"
Glaceon moved first.
She sprinted into one of the corridors before stopping halfway down and turning back toward us.
A trap, Scizor observed. Do I take the bait?
I couldn't help smiling.
Apparently they don't realize how fast you are.
His lenses sharpened.
Show them.
Both shoulder thrusters ignited.
Instead of charging into the corridor, Scizor rocketed skyward before cutting diagonally across the battlefield. He landed at the opposite entrance, forcing Glaceon to pivot.
Cynthia remained perfectly composed.
"Ice Beam."
A lance of frozen energy screamed down the corridor.
Scizo's thrusters roared, and he exploded forward.
With an upward boost, he launched himself clean over the attack. Glaceon's head snapped upward to track him, but he was already descending.
He crashed down only a few feet away.
Glaceon barely managed to cut off the Ice Beam before Scizor's fist slammed beneath her jaw, launching her into the air.
To my surprise, she recovered instantly.
Still airborne, she opened her mouth.
"Blizzard."
A roaring wall of snow and ice swallowed the corridor. Scizor crossed his arms as the storm engulfed him, shattering one of the glass towers and coating his armor in frost.
When the blizzard finally cleared, he was still standing.
Ice had frozen halfway up one of his legs.
He stomped once, and the ice shattered into glittering fragments.
Glaceon landed opposite him, but her right foreleg buckled before she steadied herself.
"Hyper Voice."
Glaceon planted her paws.
Scizor's wings folded tightly against his back.
I can do that too.
His wings scraped violently against his carapace, producing a piercing metallic screech that echoed through the arena.
Glaceon flinched.
Her own Hyper Voice died in her throat.
Scizor surged forward so fast that he seemed to teleport directly beside her.
X-Scissor carved twin emerald trails across her face.
Before she could recover, a Meteor Mash slammed into her side.
Glaceon's body folded around the impact before skidding helplessly across the reactive field.
The referee's flag shot into the air.
"Glaceon is unable to battle!"
I smiled as I raised Scizor's Poké Ball.
"You did great."
Scizor looked back at me, his wings giving a satisfied buzz before returning in a flash of red. Across the battlefield, Cynthia did the same with Glaceon as the arena began to rumble once more.
The reactive field slowly sank beneath the floor. The glass towers disappeared one by one, followed by the corridors, until nothing remained but polished stone. A heartbeat later, the ceiling split apart. Sunlight poured into the arena as fresh air rushed through the opening. Massive steel pylons rose from the battlefield, each topped with broad landing platforms. Suspended bridges unfolded between them while dozens of floating platforms drifted into position at varying heights, transforming the arena into a sprawling aerial course.
I smiled and looked over at Skyla.
"The aerial field."
"It rewards mobility," Cynthia replied.
The referee raised his hand.
"Prepare your next Pokémon."
I unclipped Simon's Poké Ball.
"You're up."
Simon materialized with an excited trill, stretching his wings as he eagerly surveyed the battlefield. His enthusiasm faded the moment he spotted his opponent circling silently overhead. Cynthia's Hisuian Braviary had taken flight the instant it had been released.
"Battle begin!"
Simon had barely lifted off the ground when two floating platforms tore free from their positions overhead. Braviary's eyes glowed with psychic power as the slabs hurtled toward Simon like falling boulders. His tail flashed downward, cleaving the first platform cleanly in half before he opened his jaws and vaporized the second with a perfectly aimed Boomburst.
The recovery afterward cost him.
Braviary burst through the settling debris and slammed headfirst into Simon.
Take Down.
The impact echoed through the arena. Braviary staggered briefly from the recoil, but Simon took the worst of it, tumbling through the air before catching himself.
For two winged predators, they really hadn't moved much.
Get off the ground, Simon!
He answered by firing Supersonic directly into Braviary's face. The eagle swayed in midair, briefly disoriented. Despite the opening, Simon listened to me and climbed hard for altitude instead.
Braviary shook off the confusion almost immediately. Two more platforms ripped free from their supports, drifting into Simon's path to slow his ascent.
"Psychic."
Braviary's crest glowed. Simon's left wing instantly locked, and he dropped from the sky like a stone. Braviary banked out of the way as Simon slammed into the battlefield hard enough to leave a crater.
Despite the impact, I wasn't worried.
A hit like that wasn't enough to keep Simon down.
He climbed out of the crater just as Braviary's body ignited with brilliant blue energy.
Brave Bird.
Here he comes.
Simon planted his feet and waited. The instant Braviary committed to the attack, Simon stepped aside. The eagle shot past him, forced to pull up sharply to avoid burying itself in the ground.
Come here!
Simon's hand shot out and clamped around Braviary's legs. He yanked the bird toward him before raking Dragon Claw across its chest and following with a heavy punch that knocked the wind from its lungs. Before he could continue, Braviary's psychic crest flared. The air visibly distorted as an invisible shockwave erupted outward, slamming into Simon and throwing him backward. He caught himself with his tail, but Braviary was already descending again.
Both talons locked around Simon's shoulders.
Without flapping once, Braviary hauled the much larger Flygon into the air. Its grip tightened until Simon cried out before hurling him back into the crater. Dust exploded skyward.
"Psybeam."
The multicolored beam hammered Simon before he could recover, forcing him even deeper into the crater.
Then Cynthia made the first mistake she'd made all battle.
"Brave Bird."
That caught my attention.
Can you take this hit, buddy?
Simon winced.
I think so. What do you have in mind?
I watched Braviary accelerate toward the crater.
Remember what you did to Burgh's Scolipede?
A grin spread across Simon's face.
I do indeed.
Braviary struck like a missile. The crater widened again as rock and dirt erupted skyward. When the dust finally settled, even Cynthia's expression shifted.
Simon stood at the center of the crater with both of Braviary's talons locked firmly in his grip. The eagle beat its wings frantically, struggling to break free, but it didn't move an inch. Its psychic crest pulsed.
Simon answered with Supersonic.
The piercing cry washed over his opponent at point-blank range, and the psychic glow vanished instantly.
Simon jerked Braviary forward and drove a Headbutt into its beak hard enough to visibly distort the air.
"Boomburst!"
Simon opened his jaws, and the explosion of sound that followed seemed to swallow every other noise in the arena. Braviary's screech disappeared beneath the deafening blast. When the shockwave faded, the eagle crashed to the battlefield below, unable to continue.
Simon took a tired step backward, breathing heavily.
"Braviary is unable to battle!"
I couldn't help smiling as Simon looked back at me, exhausted but clearly proud of himself.
You did amazing,
Simon grinned despite his labored breathing.
Cynthia returned Braviary with a gentle smile before drawing another Poké Ball from her belt.
"Spiritomb."
The keystone struck the ground with a sharp crack. Emerald glyphs carved into its surface flickered to life as violet mist seeped from the stone, swirling upward into Spiritomb's familiar grinning face.
Simon lowered into a fighting stance, his wings spreading wide in anticipation.
"The battle will now resume!" the referee called. "Begin!"
Simon reacted instantly. A piercing cry erupted from his throat as Supersonic rippled across the battlefield.
In an instant, Spiritomb folded back into its keystone.
Its face collapsed back into the keystone just before the sonic wave washed harmlessly overhead. It resurfaced immediately.
"Payback," Cynthia commanded.
Spiritomb's grin stretched unnaturally wide before surging toward Simon. The ghostly face ballooned until it swallowed his entire field of vision.
Sinister beams of black energy erupted from every direction, slamming into Simon's chest, sides, and back in rapid succession. Before he could recover, Spiritomb's enormous face folded inward and crashed down over him.
Simon dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.
Simon!
I'm okay.
He forced himself upright and launched back into the sky.
"Dark Pulse."
A sphere of violet-black energy erupted from Spiritomb.
Simon banked sharply, weaving around the beam as it tore through the air. It missed him by inches before smashing into one of the floating platforms, reducing it to a cloud of jagged metal fragments.
Now!
Simon spun, and Boomburst detonated.
The sonic blast caught every piece of debris at once, transforming the shattered platform into a storm of razor-sharp shrapnel that tore through Spiritomb's spectral body.
Its grin twisted apart beneath the barrage.
For a brief moment, it looked as though Simon had done serious damage.
Then the violet mist simply flowed back together.
Spiritomb reformed without so much as a scratch.
"Hypnosis."
Its eyes glowed.
Simon looked directly into them.
His wings stopped beating as he slipped into sleep.
"Oh no..." I whispered.
He plummeted from the sky like a falling star, slamming into the arena floor with a deafening impact.
Spiritomb drifted silently toward him as dark energy gathered between its eyes.
"Dark Pulse."
Simon! Wake up!
My voice cut through his sleeping mind.
Simon! Get up!
His eyes snapped open just as the beam erupted.
Simon rolled clear, the Dark Pulse vaporizing the stone where he'd been lying. Using the momentum, he sprang back into the air and looped around the edge of the beam, flying so close that the black energy rippled across his scales.
Completing the arc, he whipped his tail into a devastating roundhouse kick.
The impact launched Spiritomb's keystone across the battlefield.
It never struck the ground.
An invisible psychic force caught it in midair before gently lowering it back onto the stone.
Simon hovered overhead, panting heavily. Every beat of his wings looked slower than the last.
One last push. Use Dragon Rush.
Blue draconic energy erupted around Simon as he folded his wings and accelerated toward Spiritomb like a missile.
I waited for Cynthia to issue a command, but she never did.
Spiritomb simply remained where it was as Dragon Rush struck dead center.
The impact blasted Spiritomb backward, its ghostly form warping beneath the force of the attack.
Then it grinned.
Dark energy exploded outward from point-blank range.
Simon disappeared inside the Dark Pulse.
The blast hurled him the length of the battlefield before he crashed onto the stone and slid to a stop.
He didn't move.
"Flygon is unable to battle!"
I recalled Simon, letting his Poké Ball rest in my hand for a moment before clipping it back onto my belt.
You did amazing.
Across the battlefield, Cynthia inclined her head toward Spiritomb.
"Well done."
I drew my next Poké Ball.
"Zoey."
She landed lightly on the stone, never taking her eyes off Spiritomb.
About time.
"The battle will now resume!"
The referee's hand fell.
"Dark Pulse."
A sphere of black energy surged toward Zoey.
She answered by thrusting one palm forward. A Dark Pulse erupted from her claw and slammed into Spiritomb halfway across the battlefield.
The collision shook the arena.
Neither attack gained an inch as black lightning crackled where the beams met.
Spiritomb's ghostly form suddenly flared.
Its Dark Pulse swelled, slowly forcing Zoey's attack backward.
Her claws dug furrows into the stone as she struggled to hold her ground.
Come on...
With a grunt of effort, Zoey thrust her free hand forward.
A second Dark Pulse erupted from her other palm and shot into the first beam, reinforcing it. The combined blast punched through Spiritomb's attack before slamming into its ghostly body.
Spiritomb staggered.
Zoey was already moving.
She burst through the fading smoke, one claw igniting with violet energy before carving a Night Slash through Spiritomb's body. For the first time since entering the battlefield, its spectral form flickered.
"Payback."
Spiritomb's grin stretched impossibly wide before ballooning toward Zoey. Sinister beams of black energy erupted from every direction.
They struck, and Zoey dissolved into black smoke.
Spiritomb immediately looked skyward.
Zoey dropped from above with three Shadow Balls already primed between her claws. She hurled them in rapid succession.
The explosions struck Spiritomb one after another, forcing its ghostly form backward.
Keep the pressure on!
Zoey lunged.
A black tendril suddenly lashed out from Spiritomb's keystone and wrapped tightly around her ankle.
Spiritomb slammed her into the battlefield hard enough to fracture the stone beneath her before ripping her back into the air. Zoey barely had time to cry out before she was whipped into another section of the arena, shattering the rock on impact.
Just as she pushed herself up, a Dark Pulse caught her squarely in the chest.
The blast hurled her backward, and she vanished.
I exhaled slowly.
Good... stay hidden...
Cynthia's expression didn't change.
"Psychic."
The air around Spiritomb began to shimmer as dust lifted from the battlefield.
Fragments from the shattered platforms joined them, followed by chunks of broken stone from the crater Simon had carved into the arena in the previous rounds. Within seconds, Spiritomb sat calmly at the center of a swirling storm of debris.
She's trying to flush you out!
A muffled wince echoed from somewhere inside the storm.
One of the larger stones suddenly ricocheted away as though it had struck something solid.
Zoey stumbled into view, clutching her shoulder as the illusion around her collapsed.
"There you are," I heard Cynthia mutter. "Dark Pulse!"
Spiritomb wasted no time.
Zoey threw herself into a roll as the beam passed inches overhead before detonating against the arena wall.
The debris storm slowly settled back to the ground.
For a heartbeat, neither Pokémon moved until a familiar aura enveloped Zoey.
A darkness rippled around her claws, and Zoey exploded forward.
Finish it.
The Night Daze crashed into Spiritomb, swallowing its ghostly body whole.
Its form flickered once.
Then twice.
Its grin faltered.
Then, without another sound, the purple mist collapsed back into the keystone.
The emerald glyphs carved into the stone dimmed...
Then went dark.
"Spiritomb is unable to battle!"
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.
You did it.
Zoey turned toward me, breathing hard.
Never doubted it for a second, she said with a tired grin.
I laughed quietly before raising her Poké Ball.
"Come back."
Red light enveloped Zoey as I returned her.
The moment her Poké Ball locked onto my belt, the arena rumbled beneath my feet. Overhead, the remaining floating platforms began their descent. One by one, they lowered between the towering support pillars before sliding into hidden compartments built into the stone. Heavy doors sealed behind each platform until the aerial battlefield had vanished completely.
Scizor materialized with a metallic clang, his wings buzzing softly behind him.
Across the arena, Lucario emerged in a flash. As he settled into his stance, something around his neck caught my eye.
A tight black cord hugged his fur; the Mega Stone set into its center was already beginning to glow.
His aura erupted into a roaring pillar of light as his body began to shift. The energy collapsed an instant later, revealing Mega Lucario standing taller and leaner. The air began to visibly distort around him.
The referee stepped forward.
"For the next battlefield, the PAP barrier itself will serve as the arena's hazard. Once the round begins, the barrier will gradually contract until the battlefield measures six yards in diameter. Combatants should be aware that the available space will continuously decrease throughout the match."
He looked between Cynthia and me before raising both flags.
"Battle, begin!"
The shield surrounding the arena pulsed once. Then, almost imperceptibly, it began creeping inward.
Lucario wasted no time. He thrust both palms forward, sending three Aura Spheres screaming across the battlefield. The glowing projectiles curved through the air as they locked onto Scizor, forcing him to react the instant the match began.
Dodge them!
Scizor's thrusters roared to life. He slipped cleanly between the first two Aura Spheres before driving straight through the third with a Meteor Mash. The attack burst into a shower of blue sparks around him, but he never slowed.
Using the explosion to mask his approach, Scizor rocketed toward Lucario with his glowing pincer already cocked back.
Lucario met the strike head-on.
He caught Scizor's claw with both hands, twisted it into an awkward angle, and drove a Jump Kick into Scizor's chest before he could pull free. The impact sent Scizor flipping backward through the air, but he absorbed the momentum with a smooth handspring and immediately ignited his thrusters again.
Scizor's thrusters screamed as he vanished from sight.
Even Lucario only had time to shift his stance before Scizor slammed shoulder-first into his chest. The blow staggered him just enough for Scizor to clamp a pincer around his wrist and yank him forward. Pivoting on one foot, Scizor spun until his back faced Lucario, setting up the throw.
"Brick Break!" Cynthia ordered.
Lucario's free arm shot upward, but Scizor answered first. His thrusters flared at point-blank range, twin jets of superheated exhaust washing across Lucario's face. Lucario recoiled instinctively, and Scizor planted his feet before hauling him clean over his shoulder.
Lucario hit the stone flat on his back with a crack that echoed through the arena.
He didn't stay there.
Lucario rolled through the impact, kipped onto his feet, and drove a kick into Scizor's abdomen. Scizor fired his thrusters just before the blow landed, preventing himself from being launched backward by the force, but the kick still knocked the wind from him.
Scizor skidded backward across the stone before crimson energy erupted around him.
"Close Combat!" Cynthia called, recognizing the opportunity. If Lucario struck before the transformation finished, Scizor would never get the chance to capitalize on it.
He dashed forward with an opening punch, but the blow was caught by one of Mega Scizor's reinforced claws.
Match him. I ordered. Close Combat.
The two Pokémon exploded into motion so quickly that their bodies became little more than crimson and blue blurs. Every punch was met by another. Knees crashed into armored plating, elbows glanced off reinforced pincers, and Brick Break collided with Bullet Punch in showers of sparks. Neither Pokémon gave ground as the shrinking battlefield echoed with the relentless crack of metal striking bone.
I tried to follow the exchange, but it was hopeless. Every opening vanished before either Pokémon could capitalize on it, replaced instantly by another counter. Across from me, even Cynthia's eyes darted back and forth as she tracked the impossible pace.
Then Lucario found an opening.
His foot snapped upward faster than Scizor could react. The kick caught him in the chest before his thrusters could stabilize him, sending him skidding backward until he slammed into the PAP barrier hard enough to send ripples racing across its surface.
"Meteor Mash!"
Lucario lunged.
Scizor twisted aside at the last possible instant, the glowing fist missing his face by inches. Instead of retreating, he stepped inside Lucario's reach and wrapped both arms around him in a crushing bear hug.
Lucario winced as Scizor squeezed harder, reinforced armor compressing his ribs. Before he could wrench himself free, one massive pincer released his torso only to snap shut around his leg.
Let's go for a run.
Scizor's thrusters erupted.
The pair shot toward the barrier so quickly it looked like they teleported. Instead of bouncing away, Scizor planted both feet against the shimmering shield and kept running.
Lucario had nothing to brace against.
He was dragged helplessly behind Scizor as he sprinted straight up the vertical barrier, his thrusters screaming without pause. Every few strides, Scizor kicked away from one side of the barrier and landed against the opposite wall, using the PAP shield like solid ground while Lucario swung helplessly beneath him.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed the arena had finally reached its smallest size.
Barely six yards remained between the walls.
Twenty feet above the battlefield, Scizor kicked off the barrier one final time.
Then he opened his pincer.
Lucario plummeted.
He crashed into the stone hard enough to crack it, the impact shaking the entire arena.
Scizor folded his wings against his back and dove after him, Meteor Mash engulfing his right pincer as he became a crimson missile streaking toward the ground.
Lucario looked up, then rolled.
Scizor's fist smashed into the arena where Lucario had been lying and dented the stone.
Before Scizor could recover, his opponent surged upward.
My eyes widened in shock as Lucario's arm shot up and grabbed Scizor below the chin.
Lucario let out a roar of effort as he heaved Scizor up over his head. Scizor was helpless as Lucario dropped and slammed Scizor down across his knee like a hammer hitting an anvil.
Scizor rolled off and hit the ground with a clang. He twitched once, then went still.
Lucario keeled over, breath heaving.
He inhaled once, then his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed next to Scizor.
"Both Pokemon are unable to battle!" The referee declared.
I wasted no time recalling Scizor.
"Outstanding work,"
I whispered as the red beam enveloped him.
"Get some rest."
Across the arena, Cynthia returned Lucario with the same quiet respect she'd shown every member of her team.
The referee stepped forward. "For the next battlefield, the PAP barrier will return to its standard configuration."
Overhead, the PAP shield generators cycled and the barrier began to return to its normal radius.
This next battleground would not be cluttered with shifting terrain or floating platforms. The fight would happen on good old-fashioned stone.
I rested my hand on Trilla's Poké Ball and clicked the activation switch.
Trilla emerged in a flash of red and gently hovered to the earth. She looked back and smiled at me.
My turn already?
She asked calmly
Indeed.
I replied as I pointed across the battlefield. Cynthia had drawn her final Pokémon.
Her last partner.