The dust from Growlithe's defeat had barely settled when Julian reached for his second Poké Ball. His heart was hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He had known that challenging a veteran like Grandpa Aaron would be tough, but he hadn't expected the old man to bring out a living legend.
"It's up to you, Sylveon! Let's show them we don't back down!"
With a brilliant flash of light, the pink-and-white Fairy-type reappeared on the dirt floor.
"Sylveon, don't be careless," Julian warned, his voice low and heavy. "This opponent is on a completely different level. He's an 'overpowered' boss compared to what we've faced before. He just took out Growlithe in a single heartbeat."
Sylveon's ribbons, which usually swayed playfully, were now taut and focused. She looked at the blue jackal across the field, sensing the immense, suppressed energy radiating from him.
"Fly! (Julian... I can feel it. He's like a mountain.)" 🎀
It was the first time Julian had ever heard Sylveon sound so serious. She bared her tiny fangs, her aqua-blue eyes narrowing into slits as she locked onto Lucario.
"Haha! That little lady has a fierce look in her eyes!" Aaron shouted, his bare chest glistening with sweat as he fell into a fighting stance. "I like her spirit! Since I'm the host, you can take the first move again!"
Julian didn't hesitate. Against a monster like Lucario, a "counter-attacking" style was suicide. If he waited for Lucario to move, the battle would be over before he could blink.
"Sylveon, give it everything you've got! Mystical Fire!"
Sylveon's ribbons flared out like a sunburst. She gathered a swirling vortex of purple and pink flames, condensing them into a massive, searing orb. With a defiant cry, she launched the fire directly at Lucario.
"That's a fiery will right there!" Aaron cheered. "Lucario, let's show them the art of the staff! Bone Rush!"
Lucario didn't dodge. It didn't even flinch as the heat of the Mystical Fire scorched the air around it. It cupped its paws together, and a long, glowing bone-like staff of pure energy materialized between them.
With a blur of motion, Lucario spun the staff. It became a shimmering, golden circular wall in front of him. The Mystical Fire slammed into the spinning energy, its power being diverted and dispersed harmlessly into the floor.
"Tsk! He's too fast!" Julian gritted his teeth. "Sylveon, don't give him an opening! Hyper Voice!"
Sylveon took a deep breath, her chest expanding. She unleashed a powerful, resonant roar that vibrated the very wood of the stadium. The sound waves, infused with pink Fairy energy, rippled across the arena with the speed of sound.
Lucario was caught in the middle of spinning his staff. The sound hit him like a physical blow, bypassing his physical defenses. He winced, a pained expression crossing his stoic face. He was forced to drop his bone staff, clutching his ears with his paws as he endured the sonic onslaught.
As the roar began to fade, Aaron didn't miss a beat. "Now! Close the distance! Bone Rush again!"
"Lucario!" The jackal-like Pokémon recovered with terrifying speed. He snatched the energy staff from the ground and lunged forward, his movements a blur of blue and black.
"Sylveon, Protect!" Julian shouted.
Clang!
The bone staff struck the shimmering green dome of Sylveon's shield. The impact was so great that it sent ripples across the barrier, but it held. Julian saw his opening—the distance was closed, and Lucario was right in front of them.
"Now! Swift at point-blank range!"
While the shield was still fading, Sylveon flicked her ribbons. A burst of pink-and-gold stars exploded directly into Lucario's face. The jackal was caught off guard, a few stars striking his chest and shoulders, pushing him back. However, he quickly recovered, spinning his staff once more to deflect the rest of the barrage.
"Encore! Another Hyper Voice!" Julian yelled, hoping to stack the damage.
"Lucario, Force Palm!" Aaron countered.
"FLY-AHHHHH!" 🎀🔊 "LU-CA!" 👊
The two attacks collided in the center of the field. The sonic wave and the concentrated palm-strike created a violent explosion of energy, kicking up a massive cloud of dust that obscured the entire arena.
Julian strained his eyes, trying to see through the haze. As the dust slowly settled, the two Pokémon became visible. Lucario was leaning on his bone staff, his fur matted and his breathing heavy. Sylveon, on the other hand, was covered in scuffs and bruises, struggling to stay on her feet.
The Stand of the Fairies
In the spectator stands, a heavy silence had fallen. The apprentices weren't whispering anymore; they were staring in awe.
"This challenger... he's actually doing it," the red-haired girl said, her voice full of disbelief. "Even with the weights and the power suppression, Grandpa's Lucario hasn't been pushed this hard by a five-badge challenger in decades!"
The yellow-haired girl beside her had her hands pressed against the railing. "Look at that Sylveon. She's tiny, but she's fighting a legend and refusing to fall. If I were in that ring, I'd be shaking. This Julian... he's something else."
Back on the field, Aaron wiped his brow, a grin of pure joy on his face. "Hahaha! I haven't felt this alive in years! Your Sylveon is a diamond, Julian! But let's see how she handles the true power of the Aura! Lucario, Aura Sphere!"
Lucario raised his paws, and a ball of pulsating, electric-blue energy began to grow between them.
"Sylveon, you know what to do! Protect!"
"Fly~!" Sylveon gathered her remaining strength, her body glowing as the green shield manifested once more.
The Aura Sphere and the Protect shield collided with a deafening CRACK. The energy feedback was so intense it created a secondary cloud of smoke, thicker than the first.
"This is it! Lucario, use your Aura! Find her through the smoke! Bone Rush!" Aaron seized the initiative.
Lucario closed his eyes. The four black sensory bundles behind his head stood up straight, glowing with a soft blue light. He didn't need eyes. He could feel the 'vibration' of Sylveon's life force within the dust. He snatched up his staff and charged into the gray fog.
"Sylveon, he's coming for you!" Julian shouted. "Abandon defense! Use every last drop of energy you have! Hyper Voice, full power!"
Julian knew it was a gamble. A Mystical Fire would be more powerful against a Steel-type, but in the thick smoke, it was too easy for Lucario to dodge a projectile. Hyper Voice was an area-of-effect attack; it didn't matter where Lucario was hiding—he would be hit.
"FLY-AHHHHHHHHHHH!" 🎀🔊
The roar was the loudest yet, a final, desperate scream that tore through the smoke, rippling the very air.
BANG!
A heavy thud echoed from within the cloud. The silence that followed was agonizing.
Slowly, the wind from the open dojo doors cleared the arena. Lucario was the first to emerge. He was covered in scratches, his chest heaving, and he was leaning heavily on his bone staff for support. He looked genuinely exhausted.
In front of him, Sylveon lay motionless on the dirt, her ribbons sprawled out like broken silk.
"Sylveon is unable to battle! Lucario wins!" He Zhi announced, waving his flag. "Challenger, please send out your final Pokémon!"