"This one's yours, Shelgon!"
Following the rotation plan he had settled on earlier, David swapped Lucario out and sent Shelgon in for this match.
"No matter how many times I see it, that size is just unreal."
"Apart from the one sleeping in the Dragon's Tomb back at your place, this is the biggest Pokémon I've ever seen in person."
Luke couldn't help himself when Shelgon stepped onto the field. He had been there when Bagon evolved, and yet Shelgon's sheer mass still landed with fresh impact every time.
"A Superior Pokémon deserves a proper opponent. Metagross, you're up."
"Beta!"
The Poké Ball opened, and a flash of red light gave way to a Metagross — noticeably larger than the average of its species — materialising on the battlefield with a low, heavy presence. Its exterior gleamed with a bronze metallic sheen, its large red eyes catching the light with an eerie glow. It was considerably smaller than Shelgon, but it radiated a weight of its own.
"Metagross?"
David studied it with a puzzled look. He hadn't expected Luke's Metang to have evolved over the winter break.
He pulled up its information.
Name: Metagross (Undergoing Transformation)
Type: Steel / Psychic
Gender: Genderless
Level: 35 (Superior)
Potential: Light Red
Ability: Clear Body
Held Item: Metal Coat
Moves: Iron Defense, Tackle, Take Down, Hammer Arm, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Hone Claws, Explosion, Zen Headbutt, Magnet Rise, Flash Cannon, Psychic, Meteor Mash, Agility, Body Press, Heavy Slam, Earthquake, Giga Impact, Gravity, Light Screen, Meteor Beam, Protect, Ice Punch…
Level 35. Before the winter break, Metang had been sitting around level 31 or 32, so the jump was real progress. But the level wasn't what caught David's attention. What caught his attention was the evolution itself.
In the real world, unlike the fixed level thresholds of games, evolution for Superior Pokémon wasn't tied to a number — but it still followed a general pattern. Pokémon in that tier almost always needed to reach at least Professional rank before their final form became accessible. Aria's Dragonite, for instance, had evolved from Dragonair only after breaking through to Professional Rank One.
Metagross evolving at level 35 was early by any measure. The "Undergoing Transformation" notation alongside it suggested something else was at play too.
"I was planning to save the surprise for the new semester," Luke said, noticing David's expression — somewhere between puzzled and impressed. "But since we've run into each other here, no point keeping it quiet."
He said it lightly, but the memory of what his family had invested to make this happen still made him wince inwardly. The early evolution was just one of the outcomes. A small one, relatively speaking.
David didn't press for details. He had a reasonable idea of the shape of it — a family technique, a carefully held secret, something passed down. Everyone had something like that. And honestly, the Dragon's Blessing sealed within Shelgon — bestowed through the Dragon Festival by Rayquaza's Outrage — had a rather more significant origin than most. He wasn't in any position to find someone else's heritage surprising.
"Then let's get started."
"Shelgon, Flamethrower!"
"Roar~"
A surging column of fire erupted from Shelgon's mouth, rolling across the field directly toward Metagross. The temperature in the arena climbed noticeably in an instant.
Shelgon had learned Flamethrower before evolving, and the months since had only sharpened it. Against a Steel-type like Metagross, it was the natural opening move. Dragon-type attacks would only deal half damage to Metagross due to its typing, but that was precisely where Dragon-type Pokémon showed their strength — a wide, varied move pool that didn't leave them helpless when their STAB moves were resisted.
"Psychic — deflect it."
Metagross didn't flinch. Under Luke's command, it extended its Psychic influence outward, catching the incoming Flamethrower and redirecting the stream of fire off to the side before it could connect.
David smiled.
He recognised that trick. He had used it himself during the Newbie Cup matches, and Luke had clearly been paying attention. At the time, Metang's Psychic capability hadn't been strong enough to make it work cleanly, so Luke had noted it and waited. Now that Metagross had fully evolved, the Psychic power was there — and David was the first target.
Though the execution hadn't been perfect. Redirecting a sustained move like Flamethrower was harder than deflecting a projectile, and Shelgon's output was strong enough that fully reversing it hadn't been possible. Luke had adjusted mid-command from "reflect" to "deflect," which was the right call.
"Agility — close the gap. Ice Punch!"
Metagross launched into motion. Using Agility, it crossed the field in a blur of speed, its movement leaving faint afterimages — something close to a short-range burst of acceleration. In seconds it was on top of Shelgon, enormous metal fists raised, a thin layer of frost already condensing across the knuckles as cold air curled off them.
"Iron Defense. Hold it, then Fire Fang!"
David's voice was steady.
Metagross wanted to close in? That suited Shelgon perfectly. In a physical battle at close range, a fully evolved Superior Pokémon or not — Shelgon had no reason to back down.
A metallic sheen rippled across Shelgon's shell as Iron Defense took effect, hardening its defenses just before impact.
"Roar woo!!!"
The ice-coated fist slammed into Shelgon's body. Even with boosted defense, the Ice-type damage hit hard — super effective, and Metagross hit with real weight behind it. Shelgon's roar was raw and pained.
"Now. Fire Fang!"
A deep crimson ignited in Shelgon's eyes. Furious, it snapped down on Metagross with Fire Fang — a direct, full-force bite, heat blazing from its jaws.
"Beta!"
Metagross had closed in too tight. At this range, there was no space to dodge, and it caught the full force of the bite. Shelgon clamped down and held.
For a moment, neither moved.
Shelgon had Metagross locked in its jaws, Fire Fang burning continuously against steel that was beginning to glow from the heat. Metagross, in turn, swung its free arm in repeated Ice Punches, each one hammering into Shelgon's side.
Both Pokémon were taking damage. Both were refusing to let go.
David watched calmly.
Luke, across the field, was not calm.
The situation looked like an even exchange on the surface, but it wasn't. Shelgon's stamina was in a different class. Even after evolving, Metagross could not outlast that. If this stalemate continued, Metagross would be the one to give out first — and both trainers knew it.
I have to find a way out of this.
Luke's mind was already working.