The entire stadium was still buzzing from Togepi's victory over the legendary Cobalion.
"So cool!"
"Toge toge pii!!" Togepi was happy, but after celebrating, it used a move on the defeated Cobalion.
Life Dew, a healing move.
It was healing its opponent?
The crowd was stunned.
Togepi didn't like seeing others get hurt, that was all.
Many female in the audience began asking, "Where can I buy a Togepi?"
Chadri's hand trembled on his second Pokeball.
What should he send next?
After hesitating, just as the referee was about to remind him, Chadri decided.
BOOM!
A form hit the ground, drilling partway into the earth before emerging.
Gray and red body with massive drill-tipped claws spinning menacingly. Steel plating covered its compact frame.
"DRILL!!"
Excadrill, a Steel/Ground-type Pokemon, one of Chadri's signature partners. Known for incredible drilling speed and devastating attacks!
"Speed is key," Chadri muttered. "Don't let it use Metronome!"
The moment Excadrill entered, Chadri gave the command immediately.
"Excadrill, Drill Run, attack NOW!"
Excadrill's drills spun at incredible speed. It dove into the ground instantly, disappearing from sight!
"Toge?" Togepi looked around confused. Where did it go?
Underground, Excadrill was moving fast, tracking Togepi's position through vibrations. It would attack from below before Metronome could activate!
"Togepi, Metronome, hurry!" John commanded.
"Toge toge pi~" Togepi started wagging its fingers.
But underground, Excadrill was already beneath it, drilling upward!
The ground beneath Togepi cracked—
BURST!
Excadrill erupted from below like a torpedo, drills spinning, aimed right at Togepi!
But at that exact moment, Togepi's Metronome completed.
A brilliant pink bubble formed around Togepi instantly.
CLANG!
Excadrill's drills hit the bubble and bounced off harmlessly, sending Excadrill spinning away!
"What—?!" Chadri's eyes went wide.
Protect! Togepi had randomly pulled the perfect defensive move!
But that wasn't all.
The pink energy didn't fade. Instead, it expanded outward in a shockwave.
WHOOOM!
Excadrill, still mid-air from bouncing off, got caught in the expanding energy wave. Its body froze in place, suspended.
"That's not Protect..." Chadri realized. "That's—"
The energy intensified. Excadrill was lifted higher by invisible psychic force, twenty meters, thirty meters into the air!
The crowd gasped. This wasn't a simple defensive move. This was a counter-attack!
Togepi's eyes glowed faintly pink. The psychic energy swirling around it was immense.
Then—
SLAM!
The psychic force reversed violently, driving Excadrill straight down into the ground at meteor speed!
BOOM!
The impact created a massive crater. Dust and debris flew everywhere.
When it cleared, Excadrill lay in the center of the crater, drills stopped spinning, eyes spiraled, completely knocked out.
"What move was that?!" someone shouted.
"It looked like Protect at first, but then..."
"That psychic power... could it be Mewtwo's Psychic?!"
"No way! Metronome can pull Mewtwo's moves too?!"
Chadri gritted his teeth. Two down. Four to go.
Cobalion fell to fire. Excadrill fell to psychic power.
Togepi's Metronome wasn't random, it pulled exactly what was needed at exactly the right moment.