Thunder Annihilation was devastating against large groups.
Had the aircraft not been directly below them, Aaron could have ordered Rain Dance first and pushed Gyarados's lightning even further. As things stood, however, the storm was already tearing through the remaining flock.
Charizard's attack was ready as well.
"GRAAAZARD!"
He opened his jaws and unleashed Super Flamethrower.
A concentrated torrent of golden fire cut across the sky, swallowing every Shadow Fearow caught in its path. Charizard swept the attack from one side of the formation to the other, leaving the flock nowhere to scatter.
Elite-level Fearow were incinerated almost immediately. Even those at Gym-level lasted only moments before the golden flames overwhelmed them and sent them plummeting through the clouds.
Caught between Gyarados's lightning and Charizard's fire, the remaining flock was wiped out within seconds.
Inside the aircraft, the passengers stared through the windows in stunned silence.
Every new development seemed to challenge what they thought they knew about Pokémon.
A Gyarados nearly sixteen meters long, equipped with four limbs and capable of summoning Flame Clouds, was already beyond anything most of them had ever seen.
Then there was Charizard, standing more than four meters tall, covered in hardened dragon scales and breathing golden fire powerful enough to sweep an entire section of the sky.
And above them all circled a five-meter Shadow Fearow whose presence alone made the cabin feel colder.
"Did that Gyarados just cover the whole sky with Thunder?"
"Look at Charizard's flames. They cut through the flock like a beam."
"What are those black Pokémon? I've never seen Fearow like that."
"That giant one is different. Just looking at it makes my skin crawl."
One passenger suddenly pointed toward the window.
"Aaron's going after it!"
Excited voices filled the cabin.
"Come on, Aaron!"
"Take it down!"
"Get us out of here!"
Outside, the Alpha Shadow Fearow watched the last of its flock fall from the sky.
Its crimson eyes fixed on Aaron.
The pressure radiating from its body intensified as rage replaced whatever caution it might have possessed.
"KREEEAAAH!"
White energy gathered around its enormous beak.
Drill Peck.
The Alpha beat its wings once and shot forward.
Its nearly five-meter body became a black blur, the glowing beak aimed directly at Aaron and Charizard.
Aaron's expression sharpened.
This was no ordinary member of the flock. The Alpha had reached Class Champion (Late Stage), and nearly every move it knew had been trained to Perfect proficiency.
He had no intention of underestimating it.
"Gyarados, two Dragon Dances!"
He turned toward Charizard.
"Lightning-Flame Dragon Mode! Then hit it with Super Flamethrower!"
Both Pokémon answered with thunderous cries.
Even while maintaining the Flame Clouds supporting the aircraft, Gyarados twisted through the first Dragon Dance. Red energy surged around his enormous body as his strength and speed rose.
He immediately began a second.
At the same time, fire and lightning erupted across Charizard's scales.
Golden flames rolled over his body while arcs of electricity raced between his wings and horns. The two energies twisted together, feeding into one another until the pressure around him surged.
"GRAAAZARD!"
Charizard opened his jaws.
A torrent of golden fire laced with violent lightning erupted toward the charging Alpha.
The massive Fearow did not slow down.
Still consumed by rage over the destruction of its flock, it drove Drill Peck straight into the oncoming attack.
The collision stopped it cold.
Thunder and flame exploded around its body.
The Alpha had expected to break through an ordinary Fire-type attack. Instead, the Lightning-Flame Dragon Mode allowed Charizard to convert the move's typing while preserving its existing Fire-type enhancements.
Although the attack still resembled a torrent of golden flame, it struck as an Electric-type move and gained another surge of power through Lightning-Flame Fusion.
Against a Flying-type Pokémon, the result was devastating.
"KREEEAAAH!"
The Alpha's scream cut through the storm.
Electricity tore across its body while the golden flames scorched through its black plumage. The force of the attack ripped it out of Drill Peck and hurled it backward through the sky.
Thick smoke rolled away as Super Flamethrower finally ended.
The giant Fearow emerged from the blast barely able to remain airborne.
Much of its plumage had been burned black, and electricity continued snapping across its wings. Every breath came hard as it stared at Charizard with open fear.
One direct hit had nearly finished it.
The Alpha had finally understood the difference between them.
It could not win.
"Kreeeah..."
It released one last defiant screech, then abruptly banked away from the battlefield.
The Alpha intended to flee.
Aaron had no intention of allowing that.
After attacking the aircraft, slaughtering its way through the sky, and placing every passenger aboard in danger, the Fearow was not simply going to disappear back into the clouds.
He looked toward Gyarados.
The second Dragon Dance had just ended.
"Don't let it escape!"
Aaron pointed at the fleeing Alpha.
"Armament Haki: Dragon Tail!"
"GRAAAADOS!"
Gyarados roared.
He had spent the opening of the battle holding up the aircraft while Charizard took the spotlight. Now, after completing two Dragon Dances, his opponent had decided to run before he could land a single proper blow.
That was not happening.
Red energy blazed around his enormous body as he surged forward.
The strengthened Flame Clouds continued supporting the aircraft behind him while the rest condensed beneath his body, propelling him after the fleeing Alpha with explosive speed.
Gyarados's massive tail darkened beneath a layer of Armament Haki.
Then he raised it, ready to strike.
...