Alice re-appeared on the teleportation pad connecting the four paths to the Elite Fours’ doors. As she began to turn around and look for which trainer to face next, she was distracted by a gasp coming from her very left. Jerking her head to that direction she found Sam halfway between the pad and the door to the Psychic-type trainer. With each of them now seeing each other making their own progress, Alice made a mad dash for Acerola’s door while Sam continued on to the one before him.
Sam’s door opened up, and as he ran through it and up the stairs onto the battle platform, the sight of the person standing at the other end before the teleportation pad exit forced his body to slow to a stop. With his white jacket, white pants, blue scarf, and sandy-blonde hair, Dexio smirked over the stunned expression his challenger had on his face.
“D– Dexio?!” Sam sputtered.
“In the flesh! Well, not entirely…” Dexio held up his right hand and pulled the sleeve down to expose as much of his forearm as his attire would allow.
Placed over the stub where Dexio’s hand used to be was a sleek, white round cone. Paced over the cone’s hand was a cybernetic prosthetic hand that appeared to function as fluidly and lifelike as his left. The palm and the back of the hand was painted magenta, giving Dexio the appearance of wearing a single fingerless glove. The outlines of the joints of the thumb and fingers were visible to Sam, even from where he was standing, but they moved in accordance to how Dexio commanded as they wagged in a wavey motion.
“That’s incredible!” Sam exclaimed. “How are you even here? How’d you become part of the Elite Four?”
“Well,” Dexio explained, “since Guzma left to serve as Ula’ula’s Kahuna, they needed a spot to fill and fast. You and Alice were only two trials away from reaching this point, after all.”
Sam’s smile grew wider, another thought crossing his mind. “This is awesome! Now I really can’t wait to fight you!”
“Neither can I, Sam. However, don’t assume that because your sister defeated me with one less Pokémon, one that hadn’t even evolved at that, that this match will be remotely easy. Between helping you and Alice saving Equestria and the three weeks since the Equestrians returned home, I’ve grown much stronger since then, so you best be prepared!”
Dexio flexed his right hand, the single trapezoidal patch of white on the back of it lighting up. In response, the light fixtures of the corner supports of the platform began to whir to life and glow. Just then, a magenta haze began to encircle the entire field before it condensed into a tall, holographic band, a barrier that would remain until one trainer’s team of Pokémon fell.
“That being said,” Dexio spoke, brandishing his first Ultra Ball, “let’s begin. Go, Espeon!”
Dexio threw his ball out, the device opening up to release his purple twin-tailed feline creature, who sat patiently for Sam to send out his first.
“Fine with me.” Sam detached his own Poké Ball and tossed it out. “You’re up, Lurantis!”
Sam’s pink-and-white insect Pokémon hopped out from the ball’s energy upon opening, landing on the ground and studying Dexio’s first Pokémon carefully.
“Also,” Dexio shouted, “I may have never faced you yet, but I know your Pokémon, and I know your tricks, and so do my Pokémon! Espeon, attack Lurantis with Shadow Ball!”
With the gem in Espeon’s head glowing, the Pokémon opened its mouth as a dark-purple ball of spectral energy formed in front of it. With a bark, it sent the ball spiraling out at Lurantis, who crossed its scythes over its face as the attack struck it. Between the force of the hit and the burst of aura sliding around it and hitting its body, Lurantis was pushed back hard, though still managed to keep its balance.
“Lurantis, you alright?” Lurantis unveiled its face and nodded with an affirmative cry. “Atta girl! Now, hit back with X-Scissor!”
Lurantis leaned in and threw its arms behind her, breaking off into a swift sprint. Making a beeline at Espeon, Lurantis leapt up and swung both of its arms back in. Throwing its arms back out and up, Sam’s Pokémon dragged the points of its schythes across Espeon’s chest, throwing it back and sending it sliding toward Dexio’s feet.
Dexio smiled to see his Pokémon shake the pain out of its body, ready for its trainer’s next command. “That’s what I like to see! See if you can finish her off with Psyshock!”
With the gem in its head still lit, Espeon let out a shout as it fired several beams of black-and-purple lightning out at its target.
“Lurantis, dodge it!” Lurantis nodded to Sam’s request before running to the right, the bolts of energy passing by its left side.
“Espeon!” Hearing Dexio, Espeon turned its head to redirect its attack.
As the bolts swiveled over near Lurantis, it quickly crouched low before leaping high up and to the left, its body twirling over the Psyshock attack. Upon landing with plenty of space between itself and the attack, Lurantis continued to charge at Espeon, instinctively hugging its arms in.
“You know what to do!” Sam yelled. “Finish him with X-Scissor!”
Espeon tried to turn its head back with all its might to focus its attack back on Lurantis before it reached it, but Lurantis hopped forward soon enough to swing its scythe arms at Espeon, the points slicing across its body. Hurt and exhausted, Espeon could no longer hold its Psyshock as it was flung off its paws and landed on its side, laying still upon sliding to a stop.
“Yes, Lurantis! Nice!” Happy with the compliments Sam gave it, Lurantis quickly skipped back to his side.
Dexio blew a sigh as he detached his Ultra Ball from his belt and aimed it at his Pokémon. “That’s okay, Espeon. We’ll be sure to get her for you.”
Sam watched on as the red beam from Dexio’s ball shot at his fainted Pokémon and brought it back in. “Tell me, Dexio, I’m curious. When you faced Alice, how’d her Pokémon fare against Espeon? I was in the Megamart fighting Chrysalis, so I’m not very privy to the details.”
Dexio frowned, and then subtly smirked. “If you’re so intent on prying, my Espeon did in fact get the first takedown, and if it sates your pride any more, you’ll be happy to know that it was against her Mimikyu.” Sam gasped slightly through his nose, a telling gesture that made Dexio smile wider. “And now that you feel that much cockier about your supposed victory, that’ll only make the path to mine that much clearer!” He detached his next Ultra Ball and tossed it out. “You’re up, Raichu!”
Dexio’s Raichu flew out from its ball, circling around the border of the holograph wall with delight before zipping around outside its trainer and stopping in front of him.
“Okay, Lurantis,” Sam encouraged, “it’s another Psychic-type, just like the last one! Hit this one with X-Scissor too!”
With just as much enthusiasm as it had when it was sent out, Lurantis sprinted at the Raichu hugging its arms in as it picked up its speed even further.
“Raichu, use Reflect!” On Dexio’s order, his Pokémon clasped its hands as its body became outlined with a magenta light.
As Lurantis came close and leapt up at it, Dexio’s Raichu spread its arms out wide, a shiny rectangular barrier spreading out right in front of its body. Lurantis broke through and slashed its scythe arms through the barrier and across the Raichu’s stomach. With the barrier still intact, the Raichu was pushed back only a foot or so, looking more agitated than hurt.
“Good work, Raichu!” Dexio cheered. “Finish her off with Psychic!”
Dexio’s Raichu threw its arms forward, pointing the tips of its paws at its target. As a soft, magenta glow began to surround the Raichu’s body, and even harsher glow began to envelop and then promptly constrict Lurantis, lifting it up in the air.
“Lurantis!” Sam cried. “Fight it, you can do it!”
Lurantis groaned as it tried to resist the force squeezing down on and into it from all sides and angles. With the Raichu’s attack not letting up, Lurantis let out one last squeal of effort before its body gave up, the psychic energy forcefully curling its body up before the Raichu suddenly relinquished its hold on it. Lurantis fell to the ground and was limply sprawled about the floor, no longer fit to continue battling.
“Damn,” Sam hissed as he detached Lurantis’s ball and aimed it at his fainted Pokémon. “That’s alright, girl. We’re in a great spot now because of you. Thank you.”
The red beam from his ball shot out and connected with Lurantis, sending both back inside the ball to allow Sam to place it back on his belt.
“So what’s next?” Dexio boisterously and theatrically asked. “Shall you send out your prized Aegislash, or shall you send out your Absol and attempt to defeat my Pokémon with the power I so selflessly granted to you back in Equestria?”
Sam let out an exasperated chuckle. “Man, I really do hate to be so predictable.” Detaching his next Poké Ball, he threw it forward, sending it flying. “Let’s go, Absol!”
The Poké Ball came open, and upon the white energy inside of it streaming out and down from it, Absol leapt from it and landed on the ground with quick and nimble stop.
Dexio lowered his head and slightly squinted. “I see…”
“And yeah, it’d be a waste not to do this at this point, so…” Sam held his Z-Ring up to face Dexio and pressed his fingers into the Key Stone placed within. “Respond to my heart, Key Stone! Beyond evolution! Mega Evolve!”
The Key Stone and the Absolite in Absol’s necklace began to shine bright with bands of light shooting out from it. Dexio watched proudly as the DNA-tendrils of energy snaked out from the Key Stone and connected with the Absolite. Absol let out a howl as the radiant energy began to spread over its body from the neck out. Once Absol was completely covered, a lock of hair grew over the left side of its face, its horn elongated and warped, and a pair of large, fluffy wings burst out from its sides. Finally, the energy covering Absol exploded off its body in bright shards that quickly evaporated, unveiling Mega Absol before Dexio and his Raichu.
“Excellent, Sam!” Dexio shouted with open arms. “Your Mega Absol looks just as beautiful as she did when you first flew her to Canterlot!”
“That’s good to know,” Sam replied, “but with your Reflect already up and my Mega Absol’s invulnerability to your Psychic attack, all you have left is your Thunderbolt attack! Let’s see how you’ll deal with that! Mega Absol, attack his Raichu with Night Slash!”
With a dual-toned bark, Mega Absol got a quick running start with a flap of its wings, its dull-black claws beginning to turn a more solid and defined shade as it made its way.
“And that’s all I’ll need to defeat her,” Dexio muttered. “Raichu, dodge the attack!”
Mega Absol leapt up at Dexio’s Raichu, its front claws now elongating into small sabers that made contact with the Reflect barrier. With a flash of the warping of the barrier’s reflection, Mega Absol broke through, only to find the Raichu already a couple of feet in the air and halfway through a front-flip over it. Mega Absol could only continue its stride and prepare to land back on the ground, its attempt at the first attack thwarted.
“Perfect, Raichu!” Dexio pointed down at Mega Absol, who landed upon the floor and spun around to face its foe. “Now, hit her with Thunderbolt!”
The Raichu’s tail-board began to charge with electricity before Raichu threw its arms up, sending the energy up into the ceiling to disperse among the crystals embedded into it. Enraged, Mega Absol ran out at Raichu and prepared to jump. With the Raichu throwing its arms back down, a hefty bolt of lightning rained down to strike a spot between itself and Mega Absol. Right as it got low to leap, the bolt struck the center of Mega Absol’s back, its muscles involuntarily contracting and tripping it up, causing it to throw itself down and painfully roll back toward Sam.
“Mega Absol!” Sam’s breath caught in his throat as his Pokémon continued lying down. “Are you al–”
Mega Absol began to stand up, but laboriously slow. It wasn’t until Sam began to see the small snaps and fizzle of sparks dancing on its coat that he understood what had happened.
“Oh no…” Sam’s grimace matched his Pokémon’s, who could feel its trainer’s worry from behind it.
“Well now,” Dexio spoke, “that is an unlucky break, but I suppose that can happen when you choose to underestimate the Elite Four of all people. Raichu, hit her once again with another Thunderbolt!”
Dexio’s Raichu threw its arms up into the air once again, sending another stream of electricity to the ceiling to be absorbed by the crystals. It threw its arms back down, allowing another lightning bolt to come shooting down and slam down onto Mega Absol, who fell onto its stomach as it tried to withstand the pain and the convulsions of its muscles. When the attack was over, Mega Absol let out a roar as it forced itself back onto its paws with a flare of its wings, a reaction that genuinely surprised Dexio.
“So what do you think, girl? You think you got it in you?” Mega Absol barked in affirmation. “Okay, you got it! Mega Absol, attack Raichu with Megahorn!”
Crouching down to lunge, Mega Absol appeared to freeze as its limbs trembled, Sam breathing in through his teeth as the suspense ate at him. Finally, Mega Absol was able to push forward, a wave of plasma racing down the length of its body as it ran. Despite its weaker, slower gait, Mega Absol refused to let its body stop it, shocking both Dexio and his Raichu as they kept still in their spots.
Mega Absol then leapt up to the Raichu’s level, its horn beginning to glow a yellowish green. With a tuck of its head, Mega Absol drove the point of its horn through the Raichu’s Reflect barrier and into its chest. Raichu was thrown flipping backward, crying out from the sudden intense pain of the first hit against it.
“Raichu! You okay?” Dexio’s Raichu regained its balance and flew back down to its spot. “That’s a good girl.” Dexio couldn’t help but grimace upon seeing Mega Absol bare its teeth and slowly back up, the strength in its muscles now nearly spent. “Okay Raichu, let’s finish her off quickly now with one last Thunderbolt.”
From the surface of its tail up, the Raichu lit up its body with its electrical energy, frowning as it faced Sam’s cornered Pokémon. Thrusting its arms forward, it shot its lightning bolt straight at Mega Absol, blasting it. Mega Absol cried out in pain as the energy of the Key Stone began to seep all over its body in splotches. Once Dexio’s Raichu was finished, Mega Absol began to tip over before the Key Stone’s aura broke away from it, leaving Absol to fall over onto its side, fainted.
Sam, suddenly demoralized, fell to a knee as he reached out to his fallen Pokémon before bringing it back and clenching his fist. “Absol…”
“Raichus are pretty resilient Pokémon,” Dexio spoke up. “In fact, your sister’s Raichu managed to take out over half my team by itself before it fainted during our first battle. You honestly shouldn’t be all that upset. Mega Absol put up one hell of a fight, especially to deliver a Megahorn like that while paralyzed. However, you shouldn’t lose hope over a single Pokémon, Sam. You still have over half your team ready to fight for you, so bring it on, man! My Raichu and the rest of my team are looking forward to them!”
Sam breathed a calming sigh in and out through his mouth as he pulled his Absol’s ball off of his belt, aiming it at his Pokémon and returning it back inside. As he stood back onto both feet, he put the Poké Ball back and took another off, clutching it tightly.
“Okay, buddy. Let’s see if you have what it takes.” Winding his arm back, Sam sent his ball flying. “Let’s go, Archeops!”
The ball opened up, his ancient bird of stone appearing from the energy that was flung off its body like water as it flew out. With a cry of freedom, it swung up and over before landing on the ground in a spot before its trainer.
“A Flying-type against my Raichu?” Dexio smiled. “You’re so full of surprises, Sam! Raichu, attack Archeops with Thunderbolt!”
“Quick!” Sam countered. “Hit it with Bulldoze!”
Archeops began to run on the ground at Dexio’s Raichu as it charged its body with electricity and shot it up into the ceiling through its arms. Taking quick glances upward and continuing its advance, Archeops leapt to the right as it flapped its wings to take flight. The Raichu threw its arms down, summoning yet another bolt of lightning to strike its target. With a concentrated squint and a screech, Archen swooped around to the left, passing underneath the Raichu’s attack right before it could hit the ground.
“What?!” Dexio shouted.
“Your Pokémon aren’t the only ones fast enough to dodge attacks!” Sam punched the air in Dexio’s Raichu’s direction. “Archeops, attack!”
Swinging around to the right again, getting low to the ground, and gliding straight at its target, Archeops began to pick up a wave of dirt and mud beneath its wings. With several strong, fast beats, Archeops swung up and flew inches from the Raichu’s front, throwing a muddy tsunami up into it and splashing all over every inch of its body.
Dexio gasped again as his the ball of dirt his Pokémon became entrapped in fell to the ground with a firm plop, looking back up to see Archeops return back to its spot. Sam and Archeops suddenly noticed the mound began to wiggle before the Raichu’s arm and face broke out through it, the rodent taking in deep breaths of fresh air that it was temporarily trapped without.
Sam couldn’t help but smile over what this meant for him and his Pokémon. “She’s not out yet, but she will be after this! Archeops, one more Bulldoze, now!”
With a drawn out caw, Aecheops hopped up and began to fly again, keeping its low distance and drawing up another surge of the earth to attack Dexio’s Raichu with.
“Raichu!” Dexio shouted. “Hurry!”
The Raichu, the top half of its body now free, tried to pull itself further out with all its might, but found the rest of its body was still stuck while its sloppy paws slipped along the floors. Archeops only resolved to fly faster, gradually picking up its altitude before rising just quick enough to fly just over the Raichu and its trainer’s head.
With the sudden burst of speed and height, the mud wave rose only a couple feet off the ground. Its crest quickly fell, but the edge of it crashed right into the Raichu, dislodging it from its first prison and swamping it in yet another. Dexio continued to stand still as his Pokémon washed up to his feet, nervous to not it underneath the grime.
“Raichu, Raichu!” Dexio fell onto his knees into the muk and began to frantically scoop it away, unearthing his Pokémon’s right cheek.
Moving and scraping his hand to the right, he uncovered enough of his Raichu’s face to allow it to breathe, but with its minimal movements, Dexio didn’t need to see much else.
Dexio stood up, uncaring for the patches of brown that covered much of his outfit as he reached around and pulled his Pokémon’s Ultra Ball off his belt and aimed it at it. “That was another excellent job, Raichu. Thank you so very much.”
The red beam connected with his Pokémon, converting it and only it into the same energy. Once the beam receded back into the ball, the loose mud left over caved in back onto the floor where his Raichu had laid. Meanwhile, Archeops continued soaring around the edge of the room in an apparent set of victory laps.
As Dexio put the ball back and took out another, he suddenly smiled wistfully, something that came across to Sam as odd. “What’s with the smile all the sudden?”
“Oh, it’s just…” Dexio let his arm and ball hang. “It just seems that my battle with you will virtually mirror the one I first had with Alice, and it just brought back some… memories, is all.”
“Mirror…” It didn’t’ take long for Sam to figure out whose ball Dexio was holding. “That means your–”
“It seems this battle of mine isn’t drawn by choice or strategy, but by fate!” Dexio sent his ball soaring. “You’re on, Metagross!”
With his ball shooting open, Dexio’s royal-blue disk Pokémon flew out from its ball and fell to the floor, gently landing itself upon the ground with its telekinetic abilities.
“And after he sees Archeops use a Ground-type move, he still sends out a Steel-type,” Sam said loudly to himself. “That works just fine for us! Archeops, attack Metagross with Bulldoze!”
Archeops, upon hearing his trainer’s command, turned in tight to fly down the center of the battle platform, diving to pick up speed and power for its next attack.
Dexio grinned, watching as Sam’s Pokémon was actively ensnaring itself. “Metagross, attack Archeops with Bullet Punch!”
Metagross lowered itself in preparation to lunge, only to vanish with only a brief appearance of its after-image. Mid-gasp, Sam saw as Metagross appeared in front of Archeops and drove one of its arms into its face. As Archeops cried out and tumbled back, Metagross disappeared as quickly as it appeared, reappearing near its original spot. Its claws dug into the glass floor to make for a quick landing, leaving deep scratches in its surface. As Archeops regained its balance, it anxiously searched around for the Pokémon that was just in front of it a second ago.
“He’s still right there!” Sam shouted. “Keep going!”
With a screech, Archeops looped back around and flew back out at Metagross, picking up speed as more mud seeped up underneath it. With a tight loop back around, Archeops hurled its wave of dirt into Metagross, who groaned as its claws kept it anchored to the ground. Once the earthy torrent settled on the ground, Metagross’s eyes glowed red as the mud clinging to it was pushed off and away, quickly freeing it.
“Under normal circumstances,” Dexio said, “that Bulldoze attack of yours is quite useful in slowing your opponents down, but thanks to Metagross’s Bullet Punch, all you have is a moderately powerful super-effective move.”
“And even with its speed,” Sam reminded, “your Bullet Punch still isn’t as powerful.”
“Then we’ll just have to see who will outlast who! Metagross, Bullet Punch!”
“Archeops! Hit him with another Bulldoze!”
Archeops flew back at Sam before swinging around him and making its way back for another round. Metagross disappeared once again, this time appearing to Archeops’s left. With a kick of its back-right arm, Archeops was sent careening to the right as Metagross suddenly appeared further down to its right.
“To your right!” Archeops straightened itself and began to instinctually fly back to the center, only for its trainer’s reminder to make it bank to the right.
With a dive and a scoop, Archeops sprayed another heavy sheet of dirt onto Metagross, this time climbing up to get a higher vantage of the battlefield.
“Again!” With a glow of its eyes, Metagross vanished as the mud surrounding it exploded outward.
Metagross appeared above Archeops this time, clocking it in the face before disappearing. Falling into a spiraling nosedive, Archeops could see Metagross now appear directly to Sam’s left near the edge of the platform.
Sam pumped his fist as his Pokémon recovered and swooped down near him. “You got it! Another one!”
Flying inches from the ground, Archeops tried to pick up even more dirt, only for a wave half as small as the others to form, its wings beginning to tremble. With a weaker pull, Archeops swooped over Metagross and veered right, the wave it managed to form only proving to be a light shower of earth.
“Looks like your Archeops is already calling it quits!” Dexio huffed sympathetically. “Okay Metagross, see if you can make this Bullet Punch your best!”
Metagross didn’t even need to remove the mud on him, opting to disappear for another consecutive time. As Sam's Pokémon flew about, it half-heartedly scanned the area to try and find where Metagross was going to appear next.
Sam’s eyes widened as he saw Dexio’s Pokémon blast upwards, locked on to his Archeops’s stomach. “Archeops! Below–”
Sam’s words came too late, and with a jab of its front right arm, Metagross folded Archeops across the surface of its claw before the bird was thrown up into the ceiling, flipping helplessly about before crashing into it with a small burst of dust.
“Archeops!” After a few moments, Archeops fell out from the cloud toward the ground, its wings and head floating around unconsciously.
Sam quickly tore his Poké Ball off his belt and aimed the ball below his Pokémon. The red beam shot out quickly and managed to connect to his Archeops’s upper breast, converting it into the same energy before it could hit the ground. With a sigh of relief, Sam let the beam bring itself and his Pokémon back inside his ball.
“Hah,” Sam couldn’t help but laugh, “that sure was a close one. Thank you, Archeops. You’re awesome as always.”
After putting his ball back onto his belt, Sam took out another, fiddling his fingers on it as he prepared to send it out. Finally, he threw it forward.
“Salazzle, you’re on!” Sam’s Poké Ball burst open, his fiery salamander Pokémon hopping down feet first from the energy that spilled out, landing with a bend of its knees to cushion itself.
“To send out a Poison-type now against…” Dexio stopped himself, realizing what he was about to say. “It’d have to happen sooner or later, I guess. Metagross, attack Salazzle with another Bullet Punch!”
Salazzle and Metagross squinted at each other, the former watching carefully as Metagross vanished in an instant. Curling its claws, Salazzle awaited Metagross’s arrival, its arms tense with anticipation. Metagross then blurred into existence, Salazzle’s eyes shooting open as it limbered its arms. Metagross drove its arm forward and slammed it into Salazzle’s head. At the same moment, Salazzle swung its arms in and grabbed the arm tight in both hands. Metagross prepared to pull its arm away, only to find that Salazzle managed to keep it anchored to its spot.
“What?!” Dexio shouted.
“Now you got ‘em, girl!” Sam exclaimed. “Finish it off with Flamethrower!”
Metagross lifted itself up and away, hoping to pull itself free from Salazzle’s grip. The salamander was taken up with it, refusing to let go as its mouth filled with fire. It then blew its plumes point-blank into Metagross’s face, finally letting go and dropping back down. Having taken more than it could handle any longer, Metagross let out a grinding grumble before it shut its eyes and began to fall down as well. Salazzle landed on its feet and tumbled back to Sam, while Metagross slammed into the ground with a deafening bang.
“Yes!” Sam shouted. “Nice job, Salazzle!”
Sam’s Pokémon joyfully screeched back at him while Dexio removed his Ultra Ball from his belt and returned his Metagross inside of it.
“That’s okay,” Dexio whispered into it. “I couldn’t have expected you to beat her after that.”
“Okay, girl,” Sam grunted excitedly, “think you can stick around for the long haul?”
With a light scream, Salazzle signaled its readiness.
“There won’t be anything long about this.” Dexio took out his next ball and sent it flying. “Let’s go, Slowking!”
With the ball opening up and streaming its energy down, it condensed until it formed into Dexio’s crowned pink creature, who looked about in mild shock to find itself back on the battlefield.
“We still have the speed advantage!” Sam shouted. “Salazzle, attack the Slowking with Sludge Bomb!”
Salazzle got down on all fours as a loud gurgling sounded off from its throat. With a growing bulge in its throat now shifting up into its mouth, Salazzle opened its mouth wide and hocked, shooting out a sizable ball of mucus, phlegm, and slime toward Slowking. The attack hit its face dead center, the grime splashing over its face and wrapping its way around. Slowking moaned as it quickly rubbed the slime off its eyelids so that it could see once again.
“Don’t worry about it, Slowking,” Dexio called, “you don’t look like you’re poisoned. Now, let’s finish her! Slowking, hit Salazzle with Hydro Pump!”
With a wipe of its mouth with its arm, Slowking began to inhale as tilted its head up. Throwing its head forward, Dexio’s Pokémon hurled a massive torrent of water that quicky flew at Salazzle. The stream was high enough for Salazzle to slink onto its stomach, letting the water fly over it. Salazzle then rolled around twice to remove itself from danger, opening its window to Salazzle once again.
“Nice, girl!” Sam yelled with a pump of his fist. “Hit him with another Sludge Bomb!”
Dexio, noticing that Salazzle had freed itself, threw its pointed finger at Sam’s Pokémon. “Slowking, to your right!”
Slowking could only turn its head fast enough to see another large, toxic loogie make its way for it. Slowking chose to cut off its attack and attempt to dodge it, only for the attack to strike it in the chest, the ooze washing over its neck, belly, and thighs. Knocked onto its rump, Slowking tried to smear as much of the mess off of itself as it could, Dexio noticing it scratching itself as well. To his horror, large rashes began to form on Slowking’s body, which began to pulse and glow purple.
“No, Slowking!” With its oblivious expression slowly turning to anger, Slowking got back up and made one final wipe of its front side with its front arm, no longer caring about the rest of the sludge that covered him. “Okay, that’s it! You can still do this! Finish Salazzle off with Hydro Pump!”
Breathing in and puffing its cheeks, Slowking turned to face Salazzle before blasting out another hefty burst of water from its mouth. Salazzle tried to leap away back to the center, but Slowking was able to see Salazzle’s movements, shifting its attack toward its direction. Upon landing back on the ground, Salazzle saw the watery blast make its way toward it, unable to react as it was struck with its full force.
Sam shielded his face from the water that sprayed all around Salazzle as Slowking kept its attack going. “Salazzle!”
“Yes, Slowking!” Dexio cheered. “You have this now! I think you–”
The poisoned spots on Slowking’s body began to pulse and glow again, the sudden discomfort and pain forcing it to stop its attack. As it coughed out the water that it had accidently swallowed, Dexio looked out to where Salazzle had stood to see if his Pokémon’s attack was successful. His eyes narrowed in fear and shock to see Salazzle on one knee with the palm of its hand placed upon the ground, having withstood the attack.
“Impossible!” Dexio shouted. “After getting hit by my Slowking’s Hydro Pump–”
“Seems like she was in it for the long haul after all!” Sam threw a pointed finger out. “Salazzle, finish Slowking off with Venoshock!”
Salazzle got back down on all fours as the magenta markings on its chest and back began to light up with energy. With its head tilted to aim its mouth at its target, Salazzle let out a shrill roar, a flurry of pins made of purple aura firing out from its maw. Slowking was too weak and its reflexes were too slow to even attempt to avoid the attack, taking the attack’s fury as the vast majority of the pins struck into its body before bursting in dark wisps of smoke.
Slowking could only cover its face with its arms as Salazzle’s barrage continued on. Finally, it slumped over as its arms fell down to its sides, unable to resist any longer. Salazzle chose to stop its attack and watch on with its trainer as Slowking fell onto its butt once again before tipping and plopping onto its side, having fallen unconscious.
“Unbelievable…” Dexio managed to whisper.
“Salazzle!” Sam got low and widened his stance with his arms wide open. “Give me some!”
Turning back to him, Salazzle bounded to Sam like a squirrel before leaping into his embrace, ecstatic to feel him squeeze itself close.
“Oh my god,” Sam croaked, close to tears, “I’m so proud of you right now!”
Dexio finished returning Slowking to its Ultra Ball, looking at the face of it. “She really was something, wasn’t she?”
Placing the ball back onto his clip with the other four, he took out his final ball. Flexing his left wrist and looking down on it, he felt and spotted his Z-Ring, pure and white like Sam’s, which housed both a Psychium Z as well as a Keystone on the right side of its face.
“So now it’s come to this, Sam.” On hearing Dexio’s voice, Sam and Salazzle turned to him, the former dropping his Pokémon to return to its spot on the field. “Down to my last Pokémon, while you still have half of yours available to you.”
“Don’t butter me up, man,” Sam talked back. “I’ve seen your Mega Alakazam before, and if there’s one thing about our battle that I’m taking seriously, it’s definitely him.”
Dexio let out a huff, humored. “Wise man.” With a wind back of his arm, he sent his last Ultra Ball up and out. “This is it, Alakazam! Let’s show him what we’re made of!”
The ball opened, letting loose a stream of white energy that grew a pair of arms and legs before the rest of its body and head formed. With its color and other features appearing, Dexio’s ace Pokémon stared down at Salazzle, already anticipating whatever last ditch attempts against it that it would make.
“Okay, Sam! Now it’s my turn!” Dexio held up his Z-Ring and pressed his mechanical fingers onto the Key Stone, activating it all the same. “Respond to my heart, Key Stone! Beyond evolution! Mega Evolve!”
Sam and Salazzle braced themselves as light shone from both Dexio’s Key Stone as well as Alakazam’s Mega Stone. “Here it comes, girl! Get ready for it!”
Four DNA-shaped tendrils of energy raced their way out from Dexio’s Z-Ring and connected at once with the Alakazite hanging from its spoon. The Psychic Pokémon clutched both spoons tight as the Key Stone’s energy was fed into it through its hand, soon spreading up its arm before reaching its chest, head, legs, and its other arm.
As its moustache began to droop down, a beard formed beneath Alakazam’s chin. As well, the pads on its forearms began to widen, appearing like the sleeves of an ancient mage’s cloak. After tossing its two spoons above itself, Alakazam hopped up and clasped the toes of its feet together, sitting in midair as its two spoons multiplied into six and levitated between both shoulders in an arc. With its transformation complete, the Key Stone’s energy broke away, Mega Alakazam having taken Alakazam’s place.
“There he is!” Sam bellowed. “Quick, attack it with Flame Charge!”
Salazzle began to gallop over to Mega Alakazam as its body became cloaked with fire, ignoring the frightful and domineering appearance it gave off.
“Don’t allow her to outrun you!” Dexio cried. “Finish her with Psyshock!”
Throwing both arms forward, Mega Alakazam fired off a big, powerful bolt of bright Psychic energy that zipped its way toward Salazzle.
“Dodge it, hurry!” Salazzle leapt to the left to let the attack pass it, ready to continue its advance.
Squinting in concentration, Mega Alakazam pulled its left arm in and traced a circle with its right, causing its Psyshock bolt to swing over and around, forming a loop around Salazzle. Throwing its arm back out to the right, the loop closed up, constricting around Salazzle’s body before it exploded in a burst of magenta sparks.
Sam’s voice quivered as his Salazzle tumbled to the ground, having gone unconscious before its body even landed. “Salazzle!”
“That was a very good attempt, Sam,” Dexio spoke, “but better trainers than you have tried and failed to circumvent my Mega Alakazam’s breakneck speed and undeniable power.”
“Not my sister though, right?” Dexio pursed his lips, somewhat impressed by the remark. “And trust me, I won’t either!”
Sam took out Salazzle’s Poké Ball and returned it inside, quickly placing it back and throwing another one out straight from his belt. “Okay, Drampa, let’s do this!”
The ball opened up, the burst of energy that emerged from it tremendous. Upon forming, Drampa immediately roared at Dexio and Mega Alakazam, only the former of whom flinched by the sudden volume and gust of its breath.
Dexio looked back over his arm as Drampa settled down, awaiting the first attack. “So now you want a piece of me. Alright, fine! Mega Alakazam, attack Drampa with Focus Blast!”
Mega Alakazam put its arms back out, its spoons floating out in front of the tips of its fingers and forming a circle. In the center of the ring, bright wisps of copper-colored energy began to gravitate into it, forming a concentrated ball of pure Fighting-type aura. With a groan, Mega Alakazam attempted to control the energy as it grew to reach the back tips of its spoons.
With a shout, the bowl-end of the spoons swung forward and aimed themselves at Drampa, the orb firing out at tremendous speeds with it. Drampa tried to shift backwards and away, but the energy ball hit its mark, exploding in a forceful bang and burst of reddish-brown smoke that completely covered the dragon.
“Oh my god, Drampa!” Sam ran two steps forward toward his Pokémon before the dust already began to settle and unveil it.
Drampa laid on its stomach with its lower jaw resting on the ground, letting out a tired moo.
“Drampa? You think you can still–” Hearing Sam’s attempts at encouragement, Drampa picked its head back up and faced Mega Alakazam with an angered scowl. “That’s it, Drampa! Hit him back now with Thunder!”
The ends of Drampa’s fur, as well as the area of its dreads, began to radiate with plasma, the dragon itself finding itself lifted up by the power it generated inside of it. Throwing its arms out, Drampa channeled a pillar of electricity up into the ceiling. Looking up, Dexio became fearful as the crystals, unable to hold all of their power, created a web of lightning that brightly lit the room up.
All of the electricity then concentrated on a single point directly above Mega Alakam and shot down. Upon striking Mega Alakazam and the ground it floated above, Dexio and Sam both wavered and fell into kneels with the shockwave that ran through the floor. Mega Alakazam held its arms up as the spoon arc above its head shook and tremored as it tried to withstand the attack. When the last of the lightning came down, the ground became still again, and as Sam and Dexio stood back up, Mega Alakazam continued to maintain its zen seat, its spoons becoming still too.
Dexio smiled to see that his Pokémon was not left with a paralyzing coat of sparks. “That was a nice attempt on your part, but it fell just short. Now, it’s time for you to send out the Pokémon that Mega Alakazam really wants to face! Now, finish Drampa off with Energy Ball!”
Mega Alakazam formed another ring with its spoons, a sphere of green now expanding inside of it. With another push of its arms, Dexio’s Pokémon sent its attack flying. Knowing that it would not survive this next hit, Drampa closed its eyes and let the ball slam into its chest, its head and neck slumping to the ground followed by the left side of its body. Sam clenched his fists with regret, but quickly relaxed himself, resolving to take its Poké Ball and aim it at his Pokémon.
“We’re almost done here,” Sam whispered as the red beam returned it back, “and I have you to thank for it.”
Dexio pursed his lips as he stifled a frown, watching Sam put Drampa’s ball back onto his belt. “Quit beating around the bush and send out your Aegislash already! Your best Pokémon versus mine! Let’s go, Sam! We’re ready for you!”
Sam smiled and nodded, reaching back and grabbing his last Poké Ball. “Just know that you were asking for it. Okay Aegislash, showtime!”
Sam threw his ball, which opened up and unleashed his shield-and-sword Pokémon who already came out in its defensive stance.
“If only Mega Alakazam could be in better health right now… but it is what it is, and I have no regrets…”
Dexio widened his stance and crossed his arms in front of his face, his Z-Ring and the Psychium Z inside of it flaring up. Both he and Mega Alakazam threw their arms down and crossed them back out in perfect synch before swinging their arms and placing the tips of their fingers onto each temple. They then both reached forward with their right hands, ending their ritual with Dexio stepping his right foot beside his left as his Pokémon moved in the same direction.
Z-Power burst out of Dexio’s hand and his forehead in a brilliant fountain of gold, the strands of aura encircling Mega Alakazam before gently constricting it and seeping into the skin. Clenching its fists and throwing them to the side, Mega Alakazam let out a roar with the sheer amount of power inside of it.
“Aegislash?!” Sam’s Pokémon nodded, ensuring its trainer that it was indeed prepared.
“Now Sam, experience the fullest power of my Pokémon!” Dexio threw his hands and outstretched fingers forward. “Mega Alakazam! Attack Aegislash with Shattered Psyche!”
“Aegislash!” Sam screamed. “King’s Shield!”
Throwing its own arms out, Mega Alakazam formed a dozen circular disks of Psychic aura that pulsated with magenta, cyan, and gold. Flicking the fingers of its right hand, Mega Alakazam sent one of the disks flying at Aegislash at breakneck speed. Aegislash tensed up as it prepared for the hit, and upon the first disk making contact, it broke into many pieces against Aegislash’s blue energy barrier. Dexio smiled to hear Aegislash grunt under the sudden push of force as it shifted it back an inch or so. Mega Alakazam then flicked its fingers on the right and then left hands, sending two more discs flying. They struck their target yet again, shattering against Aegislash’s defenses and pushing it back even further.
Dexio’s Pokémon then began to make throwing motions with one hand following the other, sending the remaining nine discs out in succession. Aegislash roared as it threw itself forward, the fourth disc stopping its advance and the remaining eight slamming against its King’s Shield. By the time the last disc’s hit had landed, Aegislash’s barrier was shattered along with it. The strength of this final blow threw Aegislash out of the enarme of its shield, sending both it and the shield to the floor where they fell with a clatter.
“Aegislash!” Sam’s Pokémon energetically swung up off the floor, picking up its shield with its right cloth arm and thrusting itself back to its spot, ready to resume the battle.
Dexio smirked to see Aegislash in such high spirits after such a barrage. “Pretty smart of you to save him with his King’s Shield, but it still looks like he got dinged up a bit. Now that that move’s spent, let’s see how he takes an attack head on! Mega Alakazam, attack Aegislash with Psychic!”
Mega Alakazam reached out at Aegislash, its hands as well as its target’s body beginning to radiate with a magenta, telekinetic glow. As Mega Alakazam’s fingers curled in, it forcefully exerted an invisible pressure onto Aegislash, Sam’s Pokémon groaning as it worked to withstand its might.
“Okay,” Sam huffed, “we’ve had enough now. Let’s get this done so we can move on to our last trainer!”
Sam crossed his arms over his face, activating his Z-Ring as it suddenly shimmered with light. Feeling the glow of the energy behind it, Aegislash flexed its blade outward, breaking free of Mega Alakazam’s hold. Sam placed his arms down as Aegislash put its free left arm down too. After crossing both arms out, Sam punched his fists together twice while his Pokémon curled up the ends of its cloth hand and banged the center of its shield.
Finally, Sam and Aegislash both punched their arms out at Mega Alakazam, causing two sizable beams of Z-Power to launch out from Sam’s fists, which collided into the Pokémon’s body. A blazing aura swirled over Aegislash, filled with unfathomable energy.
“You really think that you can finish me off with a Z-Move here?” Dexio shouted out.
“I’m going to try!” Sam called back. “Drampa did get a good hit on you before it left, after all.”
Dexio smiled and threw his arms open. “Then do it, Sam, Aegislash! Hit me with your best shots!”
“Aegislash! Attack Mega Alakazam with Corkscrew Crash!”
Aegislash tilted itself up toward the ceiling as it hugged its shield close to itself. Firing up like a rocket with a burst of Z-Power blasting into the floor, it got high up before tightly arcing back down to divebomb Mega Alakazam from below. As it got nearer, Aegislash began to spin, the aura burning off of it turning thick and silvery until its entire body was cloaked in a sharp whirlwind, the point of its cone headed straight for Mega Alakazam’s head.
“Mega Alakazam!” Dexio’s desperate shout prompted Mega Alakazam to reach up, its spoons forming a ring through which Aegislash would seemingly soar down through.
Aegislash crashed into the center of the spoon ring, a translucent magenta disk blocking its advance. Sam’s Pokémon refused to let up, and Mega Alakazam groaned as it struggled to maintain the willpower necessary to keep its shield up. Then, to its horror, the barrier began to crack under the force and pressure. Mega Alakazam grit its teeth as it concentrated harder, now only strong enough to keep the fractures from spreading out more.
“Aegislash!” With Sam’s voice ringing out, Aegislash pushed a little harder.
The cracks only got bigger now, and Mega Alakazam no longer had the power to stop them. With a sharp huff of defeat, Mega Alakazam relinquished its shield, allowing Aegislash to drill through onto it, slamming it into the ground hard enough to create an explosion of dust. Dexio was thrown back by the shockwave, landing on his back and sliding away. Quickly sitting back up, he was awestruck to see a tornado of rock and dirt swirl around where his Pokémon been began to settle, the debris falling down.
Aegislash floated out from the cloud and returned to Sam’s side, waiting for the dust around Mega Alakazam to clear and unveil it. Soon, the end result of the last attack was revealed. A large crater was left in the spot Mega Alakazam sat above, and laying on its back inside of it was Dexio’s Alakazam, its eyes facing in different directions while its two spoons were on the ground out of its reach.
Dexio took a deep breath in and let it out, clearing his mind of any negative emotions. “That’s what I like to see…”
“Aegislash!” Sam’s Pokémon rushed into its trainer as he hugged it tight. “Aegislash, you beautiful bastard, you did it again!”
Dexio took out his fainted Alakazam’s Poké Ball and returned it back inside. After looking at the front of the ball appreciatively, he gently squeezed on it, the light on the back of his hand lighting up. At once, the teleportation pad behind him whirred on, the surface of it swirling with progressively brighter colors. As well, the crater his Alakazam was left in and the other damages on the floor of the platform began to glow brightly and reconstruct themselves back to normal.
Once the ground had been fixed, Dexio approached Sam and Aegislash, the two of them turning to acknowledge him. “That was a truly magnificent battle, Sam. It’s one I can only expect out of a potential champion.”
“Thanks a lot, Dexio.” Sam reached his hand forward. “It’s truly been an honor to finally battle you after fighting by your side.”
“You’re telling me.” Dexio gripped Sam’s hand gently with his robotic one, Sam’s eyes widening at the sensation of it. “I know, it’s a little cold. Cool though, right?”
“Yeah.” The two let go, now simply standing in front of one another. “If its okay with you, I’m going to heal my Pokémon here before I challenge my last trainer.”
“You do whatever you need to. Just be sure to try and get it done before your sister beats you to the champion.”
“As far as I know, she may just be trailing behind. Still…”
Dexio stepped back as Sam sat down on the ground, placing his bag beside him and fishing out his potions and Revives. As Sam got to work healing his Pokémon, Dexio looked out to the front door where Sam first emerged and then up at the corner of the ceiling, smiling in anticipation for what would await Sam and Alice up there.