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The atmosphere in the Lilycove Museum shifted from "sophisticated gala" to "high-octane action movie" the second the first guitar riff of Free Bird tore through the high-end speakers.
"Steven, take the Blue Shard and get to the basement!" I yelled over the music, tossing him the lead-lined pouch. "We'll keep the 'ladies' busy up here!"
Steven caught the pouch with a sharp nod, his Metagross clearing a path through the panicked socialites as he headed for the Ancient Sea-Map.
🎸 THE BALLROOM BLITZ: "FREE BIRD" EDITION
Lens didn't just hack the speakers; he synchronized the entire museum's smart-lighting system. The chandeliers began strobing in time with the tempo. I hopped onto the main stage, grabbing a wireless mic.
"Lilycove! Are you ready for some Lawful Enforcement?!" I screamed, leaning into the mic as the song's tempo started its legendary climb.
The Lucha Legend: May Unleashes!
May didn't wait for an order. She kicked off her heels, her amber eyes blazing with "Vigor." She grabbed a Magma grunt, used the buffet table as a spring-board, and delivered a perfect Flying Cross-Body.
The Style: She was pure Lucha Libre. She was a whirlwind of arm-drags and dropkicks, her bandana tied tight, looking like a superhero in a cocktail dress.
The Mid-Air Metamorphosis: Genji's Ascent
Genji (the Froakie) was in the middle of a massive leap toward Shelly's Sharpedo. As the guitar solo hit its peak, his body erupted in that signature blinding white light.
The Evolution: He didn't just grow; he streamlined. His "frubbles" became a sleek, muffler-like scarf around his neck.
The Finish: He landed the blow not as a Froakie, but as a Frogadier, pinning the Sharpedo to the marble floor with a Water Pulse so pressurized it cracked the stone.
The Titans' Symphony
Raven (Absol): She was the calm in the center of the storm. She used Razor Wind to create a protective circle around the stage, her horn glowing as she parried Courtney's Camerupt with a dual-wielded Iron Tail/Night Slash combo.
Jerry (Rattata): He was a purple blur, using Extreme Speed to weave between the legs of the fighting adults, delivering Brick Breaks to the kneecaps of any grunt trying to draw a weapon.
Kage (Grovyle): He stayed high, leaping from the museum's dinosaur skeletons. His Leaf Blade was a green streak, disarming guards before they even saw him.
The Vocals and the Stamina Drain
I was dodging champagne glasses and stray Ember attacks, my lungs burning as I belted out the lyrics. My Stamina: 0 was screaming at me, my vision blurring at the edges, but the adrenaline was a hell of a drug.
"Lord Maxie is... disappointed!" Courtney shouted, trying to maintain her robotic composure while May literally used her as a stepping stone for a backflip.
"Tell Maxie he needs better taste in music!" I retorted, narrowly ducking a Hydro Pump from Shelly.
[Chat Log: ABSOLUTE CINEMA]
GymBro_Chuck: THIS IS THE PEAK! THE SOLO! THE EVOLUTION! THE MIC DROP!
IceCreamQueen_C: Jake's heart rate is 180! He's going to collapse, but man, what a way to go!
PervySage: Genji evolving mid-air to Free Bird? That's going in the Hall of Fame.
The Climax: The Stage Collapse
As the song reached its final, frantic notes, Shelly and Courtney realized they were being publicly humiliated. They signaled a joint retreat, dropping smoke pellets that filled the ballroom.
I hit the final high note and felt my legs turn to jelly. I collapsed onto the stage just as the music cut to silence. May landed next to me, breathing hard, her dress torn at the hem but a triumphant grin on her face.
"We... did it," she panted, looking at Genji, who was admiring his new Frogadier form in a nearby mirror.
Suddenly, my tablet buzzed. It was a secure ping from the basement. Steven. "Jake. I've secured the Sea-Map, but you need to see this. The Shard didn't just lead us here... it's a key to a location in the Sootopolis Crater. And the Aqua/Magma truce wasn't just for today. They've formed a 'Coalition of the Deep'. We're moving into the endgame."