Chapter 630: Normal Gym Battle (2)
~Third POV~
[Unova Region, Nacrene City – Museum (Gym)]
The subterranean vault of the Nacrene City Museum hummed with an ancient, scholarly gravity, its towering bookshelves and polished fossil exhibits bearing silent witness to the clash below. High up in the steel-framed bleachers, Black leaned forward so hard his knuckles turned white against the metal guardrail. Beside him, Azure's eccentric menagerie held their collective breath.
Rotom hovered by Black's ear, its digital blue screen flashing an anxious warning icon, and chimed in, "Zzzt! Query: Does the organic known as Fraxure possess adequate structural integrity to withstand subsequent kinetic impacts of that magnitude?"
Black shouted, his voice cracking slightly with hot-blooded fervor as he watched the arena floor, "I don't know, Rotom, but this is insane! Lenora's a Gym Leader who treats the battlefield like a library—every move is a checked-out book of calculated strategy! How is Azure just standing there with that calm look on his face?!"
Down in the dusty expanse of the dirt arena, Azure stood completely unbothered, his hands tucked casually into his jacket pockets. Next to Black in the stands, Azure's Pikachu gave an encouraging chirp—"Pika-pi!"—while the Eevee resting on the seat let out a soft yawn, entirely unbothered by the high-stakes gym match. Next to Pikachu, Pichu (Mew) gave a cheerful, high-pitched squeak.
On the opposite side of the field, Gym Leader Lenora reached back to her belt with a confident stride, her amber eyes gleaming with competitive fire. With a swift motion, she unlatched her final Poké Ball.
*Clack*
Lenora called out, tossing the sphere forward, "Let's see how you handle this classic partnership, challenger!"
*Flash—THWUMP*
Materializing in a burst of white light, the heavy, earth-shaking thud that followed made the museum's glass display cases vibrate. Out emerged a massive Kangaskhan, the maternal heavyweight of the Unova Gym circuit.
But it was the silver-and-blue gemstone affixed to a leather band on her wrist—and the matching clasp on Lenora's cuff—that made Azure's expression harden into a mask of absolute focus thought, '[Kangaskhanite]…'
Azure took the chance to examine Lenora, finding her item. Attached firmly to her wrist was a gleaming silver band—a Mega Cuff—and embedded dead-center in its plating was a prismatic Keystone that caught the museum's overhead lighting.
But even before any transformation could take place, the sheer maternal aura of the giant Normal-type radiated pure intimidation. Clipped securely to her side was her energetic child, peering out from her pouch with wide, curious eyes.
Azure's eyes narrowed instantly, the casual smirk fading into a razor-sharp expression of intense focus. He had faced mega-evolved powerhouses across Hoenn and Sinnoh, saving the very planet from the brink of oblivion alongside Rayquaza and his seasoned partners, but treating a seasoned Gym Leader lightly in Unova was a fast ticket to defeat.
A smirk crossed Lenora's face, seasoned by years of tactical brilliance and library archives. She called out, her voice booming off the museum walls, "Let's see how you handle this, challenger!"
The battle recommenced instantly. Before Fraxure could even adjust to his heavier, newly grown limbs, Lenora smirked, pointing forward, and commanded, "Oh, ho! Kangaskhan, let's set the pace! Fake Out!"
*Whoosh*
Before Azure could even issue a command, the hulking marsupial vanished in a blur of motion!
*WHAM*
The newly-evolved Fraxure—barely clinging to consciousness after its grueling clash with Watchog—didn't even have time to blink. The blindingly fast sonic-boom strike caught the Dragon-type square in the jaw, sending it skidding backward through the dirt in a cloud of dust before its eyes rolled back into spirals.
*Thud*
Fraxure was out cold.
Azure murmured, lifting Fraxure's ball to recall the exhausted dragon in a soothing red beam, "Return, buddy. You fought brilliantly."
He offered a gentle smile to the empty air where his partner had just stood, adding, "Take a good long rest."
Azure reached to his belt and unclipped his final Poké Ball. Azure declared, hurling his Poké Ball forward, "Go! Pawniard, I choose you!"
*Clang—Clink*
Out materialized Pawniard, the sharp-bladed Steel and Dark-type appearing in a crouched combat stance. The red-and-steel Pokémon adjusted its blade-like crest, a heavy [Muscle Band] strapped securely to its arm vibrating with latent physical energy. Pawniard's body trembled—not from fear, but from an overwhelming, electric eagerness to test its steel against a legendary mother-and-child titan.
Up in the stands, Black groaned, rubbing his temples as his own fiery nature warred with tactical logic, and muttered, "Man, talk about a brutal type matchup! Kangaskhan's got the bulk, the physical output, and normal-type dominance! Why is Azure sending in a Steel-type against a brawler that heavy?!"
*Vwoosh*
Gengar phased partially through the steel bleacher floor, letting out a haunting chuckle. She said knowingly, "Heh heh heh! Kid, you worry too much! The Boss had faced worse odds before! Just watch him cook!"
Yet, down on the field, Azure didn't flinch. He didn't even raise his voice. Pawniard took his battle stance, his blade-like crest quivering not with fear, but with a fierce, trembling eagerness to lock horns with a truly worthy titan.
He raised a hand, signaling his partner. Azure commanded, "Pawniard! Open with Thunder Wave! Let's sap her mobility right out of the gate!"
*ZAP*
Pawniard's blades sparked with yellow electricity, instantly weaving a crackling net of paralyzing energy toward the colossal Kangaskhan.
Lenora commanded sharply, "Not so fast! Protect!"
*BZZT*
A translucent, hexagonal green barrier shimmered into existence around Kangaskhan just in time, completely swallowing the electrical discharge and neutralizing the status condition before it could root.
Lenora ordered, sweeping her arm forward, "Counterattack! Flamethrower!"
*ROAR—FWOOSH*
Kangaskhan drew a deep breath before unleashing a blistering torrent of white-hot orange fire from its maw, melting the very edges of the dirt arena into glass as it surged toward the small Steel-type.
Azure commanded, his voice steady as a rock, "Agility and precision, Pawniard! Use Rock Polish to weave through the heat!"
*Zoom—Whoosh*
Pawniard's eyes locked onto the advancing wall of fire. Instead of retreating, the Blade Pokémon blurred into motion, pivoting sideways with pinpoint accuracy!
*Clack-clack-clack*
The abrasive friction of the Rock Polish technique coated Pawniard's metallic armor in a shimmering sheen, supercharging its velocity by +2 stages as it slid cleanly underneath the searing blast of flames, the heat scorching the red paint on its crest.
Azure barked, "Now! Strong Style Cut!"
Pawniard materialized directly beneath Kangaskhan's flank, its arm-blades glowing with an intense, concentrated aura of slicing power, preparing to bring down a devastating, heavy-impact slash.
Lenora's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she recovered instantly with a seasoned smirk and shouted, "A Strong Style attack? Too slow! Because of our level advantage, use Roar to blow him back and force a switch!"
Kangaskhan threw her head back, unleashing a bone-rattling shockwave of sonic fury meant to disorient Pawniard, trigger a flinch, and forcefully eject the steel warrior from the field.
*BOOM*
The concussive wave hit Pawniard dead-on, but to Lenora's utter shock, the Blade Pokémon didn't stop, didn't flinch, and didn't hesitate for a single microsecond. Driven by its Inner Focus ability, Pawniard carved straight through the sound barrier, its blade descending in a lethal arc.
*SHING*
A sharp metallic screech echoed through the museum as Pawniard's Strong Style Cut carved a deep, smoking gash across Kangaskhan's thick hide. Lenora gasped, stumbling back half a step, "What?! It didn't flinch?!"
Azure called out, a confident smirk playing on his lips, "My Pawniard doesn't do wasted movements, and it certainly doesn't know the meaning of hesitation! His Inner Focus makes flinching impossible."
Lenora's expression hardened, her friendly museum-curator demeanor replaced by the sharp, unyielding gaze of a master Gym Leader. She replied with an eager smirk on her face, "Impressive. But raw stubbornness won't save you forever, challenger! Let's turn up the heat!"
Azure countered, "Agile Style Cut, keep her guessing!"
Lenora yelled, "Meet it head-on with Flamethrower!"
*Hisss—Fwoosh*
Once more, fire cascaded across the floor. Pawniard dashed forward with blazing speed, executing an Agile Style Cut that clipped the air, but the sheer wall of fire forced the Steel-type to quickly cross its blades in a desperate defensive matrix.
Azure yelled, "Protect!"
*CLANG*
The green barrier flared up, blocking the worst of the secondary burn, but the moment the barrier dropped, Kangaskhan was already waiting.
Lenora commanded, "Power-Up Punch!"
*CRASH*
A vicious, knuckle-first haymaker connected squarely with Pawniard's chest. An intense, fiery orange glow enveloped Kangaskhan's entire body as her raw physical power surged upward by another stage.
Up in the stands, Black gasped, gripping his hair in frustration as he shouted, "Man! That Power-Up Punch stacks its attack power with every single successful strike! If Pawniard takes another hit like that, it's totally over!"
*Thud*
Down below, Pawniard tumbled across the dirt, struggling violently to push itself up. Its metallic armor was dented, smoke wafting from its shoulder plates, and its breathing was ragged. Azure watched his partner closely, his mind calculating every variable.
Azure thought, his expression tightening at the sight of Pawniard's state, 'One more super-effective hit and he's finished. I must manage every single movement with absolute perfection. No wasted commands.'
Lenora saw the opening as well. She ordered, extending her arm outward, "Finish it! Another Power-Up Punch!"
Azure commanded, "Not yet! Rock Polish to evade!"
*Whoosh*
With a burst of pneumatic speed, Pawniard's body flashed as its speed stat skyrocketed once more into +4 stages. It tilted sideways by a fraction of an inch, the massive fist of the mother Kangaskhan whistling past its ear with enough wind pressure to whip up a dust storm.
Lenora praised, her voice laced with grudging respect, "Astounding footwork…"
She raised her wrist, tapping her fingers directly against the glowing Mega Cuff. She said in a serious tone with an eager grin, "But a library has many floors, challenger. Let's open the final chapter."
*FLASH*
A blinding pillar of prismatic, rainbow-colored light erupted from the Keystone on Lenora's wrist, connecting with the pulsing energy of the [Kangaskhanite]. The museum shook as the massive Normal-type underwent a radical morphological transformation.
Her physique grew sharper, more muscular, and fiercer, while her infant child leaped dynamically out of her pouch, suddenly grown into a miniature duplicate of its mother, wrapped in a protective fighting stance of its own!
Up in the bleachers, Black's jaw dropped so low it nearly hit the floor. His eyes bulged as he stared at the towering, empowered behemoth on the field. He exclaimed in disbelief, his expression of concern on his face, "Mega Evolution?! Right here in Nacrene City?! I've read and seen about it in the theoretical journals or videos, but to see it live... How is Azure supposed to beat that?! One hit means total defeat!"
Rotom's screen flickered wildly and chimed in, "Warning! Warning! Combat parameters exceed standard Unovan tier limits by 400 percent!"
On the arena floor, the crushing, oppressive aura of Mega Kangaskhan washed over Pawniard like an avalanche. The heavy pressure weighed down on the Blade Pokémon's circuits. For a split second, Pawniard's fighting spirit wavered.
The little Steel-type's armor rattled violently. Doubts—cold and biting—crept into his fighting spirit. The sheer disparity in size, power, and aura made his inner fire waver. Pawniard's instincts screamed at him to yield: 'Can we... can we really win this?'
Azure marched a step closer to the edge of the trainer's box, his eyes locking onto his partner with absolute, unyielding faith. Azure's voice cut through the heavy air like a scythe, sharp and absolute, "Snap out of it!"
Pawniard's head snapped up. Azure called out firmly, his voice echoing off the stone walls, "I chose you for this battle because I believe in your strength! Power isn't just handed to you by evolution or gimmicks; it's forged through discipline! Trust my commands, and I'll show you what true strength looks like!"
Pawniard's eyes narrowed. The self-doubt evaporated, burned away by the memory of how he had found Azure. He remembered his previous trainer—weak-willed, easily swayed by Team Plasma's hollow, manipulative speeches about liberation, ready to abandon his Pokémon out of sheer ideological cowardice.
Pawniard had abandoned him first, seeking out the quiet, terrifyingly competent Master who possessed a willpower stronger than any steel to make him stronger. Pawniard's grip on his arm blades tightened.
His fighting spirit blazed back to life, hotter and purer than ever. Pawniard's posture changed into his battle stance, seeming to declare, 'Let's dance!'
Azure smirked, his confidence returning tenfold as he declared with his arms crossed, "That's it! Let's dismantle this giant."
Lenora commanded, "Double strike! Power-Up Punch!"
*ZOOOOM*
With the mother and the newly grown child charging in unison, two titanic fists came down like falling meteors. Yet despite the incoming attack, Pawniard readied himself to follow Azure's command.
Azure ordered, "Agile Style Aerial Ace! Backward evasion!"
*Whoosh*
Pawniard turned into a silver streak, bouncing backward off the ground with instantaneous acceleration just as the two fists slammed into the dirt where it had stood a millisecond prior.
Lenora yelled, "Don't let up! Rock Slide!"
*RMBL*
Countless heavy boulders materialized from the ceiling, raining down upon the arena. Azure commanded seamlessly, "Dance through them, Rock Polish speed! Smash the kid's rocks, dodge the mother's!"
*Swooosh*
Pawniard moved like a phantom. It sidestepped a falling boulder from the mother Kangaskhan with millimeter precision, while its arm-blades whipped outward in a blur— shattering the child's incoming rocks into harmless pebbles.
*CLANG—CLANG*
Lenora shouted, pressing the advantage, "Simultaneous Low Kick!"
*Swoosh*
Two massive legs swept low across the dirt, aiming to trip and crush the Steel-type…
Azure countered, "Protect!"
*CRACK*
A brilliant emerald shield materialized around Pawniard just in time, absorbing the bone-crushing dual impact of the Low Kick, though the sheer kinetic force still sent shockwaves vibrating up Pawniard's arms.
Lenora let out a breath, her brow sweating slightly as she maintained relentless pressure. She said proudly, "You're holding on by a thread, challenger! Let's end this! Mega Kangaskhan, Power-Up Punch!"
Azure called out instantly, "Agile Style Aerial Ace to the rear flank! Move!"
*Zooom*
Pawniard zipped away just as the child's punch sailed through empty air. But as the mother Mega Kangaskhan prepared to bring down her devastating follow-up strike, she suddenly—inexplicably—hesitated.
*FREEZE*
Her massive arm paused mid-air for a fraction of a second, her maternal instincts momentarily conflicting with her battle programming as her own child darted across her line of sight. Azure's eyes flashed as he thought, 'Looks like I've found my win condition. Time to make our counter-attack!'
Azure grinned as he commanded, "Now! Thunder Wave, point-blank!"
*BZZZZT*
Before the mother could react to her own hesitation, a point-blank burst of golden electricity engulfed Mega Kangaskhan.
*ZAP*
A bolt of golden electricity lashed out, catching Mega Kangaskhan directly in the chest. Her massive frame seized up as paralysis clamped down on her nervous system, slowing her immense speed to a crawl.
The paralyzing current locked up her muscular fibers, forcing her to stumble backward. Lenora cried out in shock, "What?! Why did she hesitate?!"
Lenora didn't get her answer, as she didn't see it. The Kangaskhan pair lunged again, but Pawniard didn't just dodge—he moved with eerie calculation, sliding smoothly into a very specific vector on the battlefield.
*Thud*
With the younger Kangaskhan directly in the path between Pawniard and the mother, Mega Kangaskhan froze once more, hesitating to throw her punch for fear of clipping her own offspring.
In the stands, Black blinked, trying to parse the sudden shift in momentum. He was confused by the tempo change of battle and muttered, "Wait... why are all of Kangaskhan's attacks missing now? Why is she stopping?"
*Whoosh*
The Kangaskhan pair lunged again, but Pawniard smoothly drifted to a precise, calculated angle. Black watched with wide, unblinking eyes, his trainer's intuition finally clicking into place as realization hit him.
Black's jaw dropped. He exclaimed in a tone of disbelief, "Wait... looking at how Pawniard is moving! Every time it dodges, it positions itself so the child is directly in a straight line between them and the mother! He's... he's using the child as a human shield by manipulating their positioning?!"
Gengar chuckled, her glowing red eyes gleaming as she answered his question, "Heh heh! You're catching on, kid! The mother's maternal instincts force her to hesitate every single time her offspring crosses her path, terrified of hitting her own flesh and blood! It's a blind spot built entirely out of love!"
Black whispered, utterly awestruck by the sheer psychological and tactical depth of Azure's strategy, "Genius... even if his opponent is stronger, Azure still has a way to win even against a Mega Evolved Pokémon…"
Down on the floor, the tide of battle had completely inverted. Mega Kangaskhan was panting heavily, her massive frame weighed down by both physical exhaustion and the lingering paralysis coursing through her veins.
Azure yelled, pointing his finger forward, "Finish it with everything you've got! Strong Style Night Slash!"
*Hummm*
Pawniard's blades turned a deep, inky black, humming with dark energy. His eyes focused on the Mega Kangaskhan figure, prepared to end this battle…
Lenora pleaded desperately, "Kangaskhan, dodge!"
But it was too late. Paralyzed by the Thunder Wave and completely blocked by the geometry of the battlefield, Mega Kangaskhan couldn't move out of the way.
*SHING*
Pawniard became a streak of absolute darkness. It closed the distance in a single heartbeat, its arm-blades glowing with a terrifying, pitch-black energy as it delivered a devastating critical-hit slash directly across Mega Kangaskhan's chest.
*CRITICAL-HIT*
*BOOM*
A shockwave of dark energy blew the dust across the entire museum floor. Mega Kangaskhan let out a heavy roar as the immense damage forced her out of her Mega Evolution entirely.
*THUD*
The prismatic light faded, and the child quickly scurried back into her pouch as the mother collapsed to her knees, panting heavily before gently falling forward onto the dirt. For a moment, absolute silence filled the subterranean museum.
Then, Lenora let out a long, weary sigh, a warm, appreciative smile spreading across her face. Lenora chuckled, resting her hands on her hips as she recalled her exhausted partner, and said in an impressed tone, "Well… I'll be. You completely outmaneuvered us. The battle goes to the challenger."
Up in the bleachers, the crowd went wild.
Black roared, pumping his fist into the air with explosive, hot-blooded energy, "HE DID IT! He beat a Mega Evolution with a standard Pawniard through pure, flawless positioning and strategy! That was unbelievable!"
Zorua's telepathic voice echoed with pride, a smug grin, 'Told you the Boss knew what he was doing.'
Rotom whirred excitedly, snapping digital snapshots of the arena, and said, "Victory confirmed! Challenger Azure wins the Nacrene Gym match!"
Azure didn't waste a second. He broke into a sprint, running out onto the dirt arena just as Pikachu leaped down from the stands, Eevee hopped off to cheer for them, and the Pichu (Mew) scampered to his pant leg. Pawniard stood tall amidst the dust, panting heavily, its blade-arms lowered as it met Azure's approach.
Azure said warmly, kneeling to rest a hand on Pawniard's metallic shoulder, "You were incredible out there, partner. You fought like a true warrior."
Pawniard let out a proud, metallic chime, its sharp eyes softening just a fraction as it accepted the praise. "Pawniard!"
Pikachu scampered over, patting Pawniard's foot with a cheerful "Pika-pika!" while Eevee rubbed its soft fur against the Steel-type's armored leg. Gengar phased up through the floor, cackling happily and praising the metal kid, and Zoura trotted over in its illusory form, giving an approving nod.
Gym Leader Lenora walked over, holding a small tray bearing a gleaming silver insignia and a data drive. She offered Azure an admiring grin. Lenora said, her voice rich with respect, "You're quite something, Azure. I pride myself on studying the history and strategy of every book in our library, but the way you battled... I think I just fell in love with the sheer poetry of your tactics."
Azure stood up, offering a polite, respectful nod. He said in a respectful tone, "Thank you, Gym Leader Lenora. Your Kangaskhan and tactical flexibility kept me on my toes every single second."
Lenora said, presenting the items, "As you earned it, take this."
She handed him the Basic Badge, followed by the TM for Retaliate, and a generous cash prize for his victory, as she said in a proud tone, "Keep fighting on like that, and always believe in the bonds you share with your Pokémon. You've got a bright road ahead of you in Unova."
[Item: Basic Badge
Rarity Item: A+
Type: Badge
Description: A Gym Badge, commonly referred to as simply a badge, is an item that serves as proof of a Pokémon Trainer's victory in a battle against a Gym Leader at a Pokémon Gym. With this badge, Normal-Type Moves are increased by 12.5%, and control of Pokémon is easier for the Trainer to command.]
[Item: TM Retaliate
Rarity Item: -
Type: Technical Machine
Description: A Technical Machine used to grant memory knowledge of how to perform the move [Retaliate].]
Azure replied, pocketing the badge and the TM with a confident smile, "I will."
Together, Azure and his triumphant team turned and began walking back toward the grand staircase leading up out of the subterranean gym. A few paces behind them, Black followed closely, his hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets. His mind was racing a mile a minute, burning with hot-blooded ambition.
He kept his eyes locked on the back of Azure's head, his thoughts spinning in a breathless spiral. Black thought to himself, his teeth gritting in intense anticipation, 'Beating a Gym Leader using high-level strategy, conquering battle frontiers in other regions, commanding a team of powerhouses like it's second nature.... If I'm going to collect all eight Unova Gym Badges, win the Unova League Tournament, and become the Champion... I'm going to have to face guys like Azure in the finals.'
Black narrowed his eyes, a fierce grin spreading across his face as he quickened his pace to catch up with the transmigrated champion. Black resolved internally, his dreams burning brighter than ever, 'Just you wait, Azure! When we meet in the tournament ring, I'll be the one walking away with the championship trophy!'
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A/N: Hope you like the chapter!