Chương 49: Crystal II

Green adjusted her wrist bands, expression focused on the screen in front of her.

"Consider me the final boss of this whole thing." Final boss... Silver didn't know just how accurate those words were. In Green's eyes, Silver was the final boss, one who had already crushed her decisively, back when she was with Mew, when she had felt invincible. But yet, all she could see was Silver staring her and Mew down, as if the match had already been decided.

Green exhaled, shutting her eyes as memories flashed of a bleeding Silver, staring at her while trembling, with eyes that blamed himself for everything.

"I'll fix this."

"Leaf?" She jumped at the voice, eyes shooting open to meet narrowed silver eyes. Her best friend stared at her with blatant concern, crossing the distance in record time and pulling her into a hug.

"You alright?" he asked quietly. Green sagged into his hold.

"W-What are you doing here?" she asked. She felt his dagger-like eyes peering through her. Silver had an intense gaze... they all did, but you could tell when he was staring at you.

"I wanted to see you before your battle," Silver said eventually, eyes flitting over to the television playing his interview.

"I'm glad I did. Facing Crystal like this is gonna end up in a loss faster than you can think," he murmured. Green bristled slightly.

"I'm fine, Silvy... I'm not made of glass," she bit out. Silver pulled back, staring at her with eyes so intense that she couldn't help but avert her gaze.

"A conversation for later. What I'm trying to say is that you need to be 100% focused against any of us to win. You're focused too much on battling me... Crystal will eat you alive if you look past her," he advised. Green took a deep breath. He was right. Crystal was already a formidable opponent, and in her current state, Green would likely lose before even considering the finals.

"You're right... sorry for snapping at you," she mumbled, sinking into his hold with a sigh. Silver looked amused.

"It's fine. I'm here making sure you're okay. I want you two to tear the roof off, and then we'll do it again in the finals." Green grinned cheekily.

"What? Not rooting for me?" she teased. He rolled his eyes.

"It doesn't matter who wins... but part of me hasn't forgotten our very first battle," he mused.

"I'd tell you to watch me... but then you'd be a filthy cheater!" Green exclaimed, puffing up as she got her head in battle mode. Silver chuckled.

"While everyone in Kanto will be watching your battle, I'll be in my room brooding or something," he drawled. He released her, turning on a dime.

"That's fine by me. If it makes the finals more exciting, I look forward to it. Missing a battle or two is worth it," he mused, waving a hand.

"See ya, Leaf." Green smiled.

"Call me Green!" He laughed loudly, a sound that made her warm up. It was rare to hear Silver laugh. The sound was very endearing. She adjusted her hat.

"He probably won't be laughing after I crush him," she murmured. Battling Silver was something she desired above everything else, so that meant she needed to win against Crystal. Green just hoped Silver didn't take the loss too badly. Crystal took a deep breath, held it, exhaled, took another deep breath, and exhaled once more.

"Breathing exercises?" a familiar voice that she hadn't heard in so long asked. Crystal felt a small grin split her lip.

"Lyra!" she beamed, turning to face her little sister.

"Hey sis- Hey, stop that! Get off me!" Lyra complained as Crystal pulled her into a tight hug.

"I missed you!" Crystal laughed. Lyra rolled her eyes, a small smile on her face.

"I guess I missed you, too," she grumbled.

"Ah, seeing my two stars hug like this!" Marina beamed, pulling both her children into a tight hug.

"Crystal! I can't believe you haven't visited me all year! Think about how your mother must feel about such a thing!" Crystal laughed nervously.

"Mom, I was in Kanto, and I was a little busy... sorry." Marina stared at her with narrowed eyes.

"So you hate me," she said flatly. The oldest member of Colors groaned, slapping a hand against her head.

"No, Mom, I don't hate you," she said slowly.

"See what I've had to deal with while you were gone? I'm not convinced you don't hate me," Lyra stressed, crossing her arms. Crystal groaned.

"No one hates anyone! We all love each other, now can you guys please be normal up until I finish my battle at least?!" she stressed, pointing at her gear to make her point. Marina giggled.

"Okay! I'm done messing with you! Oh, I just missed my daughter so much!" Crystal laughed softly as her sappy mother pulled her into a hug.

"I missed you, too, Mom. Don't worry, after this we'll spend some time together!"

"Oh, will you be traveling through Johto?!" Marina asked excitedly. Much to Lyra's horror, Crystal nodded her head happily.

"What?! You're traveling through Johto?" she asked in disbelief. Crystal scratched the back of her head.

"Well... since I traveled to Kanto, I decided it's only right I do the journey through Johto I was originally supposed to do." Lyra did not attempt to hide her distaste at the idea, groaning loudly. Marina gasped.

"Lyra! That is no way to act around your sister," she scolded. Lyra grumbled, crossing her arms and turning away with a frown. Crystal sighed.

"Now's really not the time for this. I'm going now," she said, clutching her bag.

"Oh, we're sorry, Crystal. Honest!" Marina apologized guiltily, pulling her daughter into one last hug.

"We'll let you get to your battle, and afterwards, I'll apologize properly. This was supposed to be us encouraging you!" Crystal shook her head with a small smile.

"Trust me, I never really expect anything to go normal with you... But that's what makes it great!" Marina grinned brightly, kissing her on the head.

"Get them, my little genius!" She waved at the two before marching off.

"Watch me! After this tournament, I'll introduce you to my gang!" Crystal ignored the distressed noise Marina let out at the information of her being in a gang, and she ignored the disgusted noise Lyra let out at being kissed on the forehead by her older sister. As she walked through the door, she met Gold leaning against the wall. The two exchanged a meaningful look, and Crystal smiled. Then she headed straight for the arena. As a spectator, Gold had to give it to the crowd... they were intense.

Screams resounded in all directions of the stadium, all focused on the two contestants of this upcoming battle.

"Oh, Gold!" Mars waved. Her call brought the attention onto him, and Gold laughed as the section closest to him stopped screaming to swarm him instead.

"You're Gold! Dude, that battle with Silver was so awesome!"

"You were robbed, man. A Top 8 match like that?! I'd pay to see you two battle again!" He puffed up slightly.

"That battle was great... but I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here to watch two of my best buds go at it, so if you'll excuse me..." he muttered, taking his seat right next to Mars.

"I was gonna go sit with my mom and Aunt Marina... but I'll sit with you guys!" he cackled. Janine was on her other side, sparing him a glance that eventually led to the two mockingly sticking their tongues out at each other.

"Oh, don't tell me you two have a problem with each other, too?" Mars complained, holding her head.

"I hate Gold and Silver. They bully and harass me all the time," Janine said decisively. Gold waved her off.

"Bah, you make a little fun of someone for being trash at games and become public enemy #1."

"AND YOU'RE BOTH SO IGNORANT!" Janine nearly lunged, only for Mars to glare at both of them pointedly in a very Silveresque manner. It did the job well, and they grumbled, leaning back into their seats.

"I'll get you after this," she growled, raking a hand against Mars' Sneasel. Mars sighed, patting the dozing Glameow with a shake of her head.

"That was a great battle you two had, Gold! You and Silver really blew the roofs off!" she praised. Gold rubbed a finger against his nose.

"That's only the beginning. You'll be joining us soon in our awesome battles, yeah?" Mars nodded eagerly.

"Hell yeah! I'll catch up in no time!"

"That's the spirit!" Gold cheered. Janine rolled her eyes.

"I see they've already turned you into a battle freak as well... and your journey hasn't even begun. They're very infectious," she sighed. Mars grinned.

"I've been aching to get my journey started. I can't wait!" Gold chuckled.

"I get that excitement. I was the same way! Man, who woulda thought our first year would be like this..." he trailed off. Janine exhaled.

"Tell me about it. My first year as a trainer was tame in comparison to you all."

"Here's to hoping mine is smoother," Mars muttered. Gold laughed.

"You're part of our group, Mars. You'll find out soon enough what that means." Her complaints made him laugh all the harder before the announcer grabbed their attention.

"WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE FINAL MATCH OF THE TOP 4!" Gold, along with the rest of the crowd, cheered at the sight of the two contestants marching onto the field. Green and Crystal were all business, sparing each other matching smiles before it smoothed over. On Crystal's side, sitting on the railing that was protecting her, was Ruree, the baby Kangaskhan. It rocked back and forth, eagerly awaiting the upcoming battles. Signs littered the entire arena, even more numerous than Gold and Silver's battles...

Well, it was likely because of their battle that there were more signs. After all, this was more internal warfare between the Colors.

"Today, we have two brilliant young ladies who have stormed through the competition! Rookies, veterans... nothing has been able to slow them down!"

"On the red side, hailing from Pallet Town, Leaf Green has made her statement by crushing all opposition quickly! She's been unstoppable, and she's done it all with that cool expression!" Green said nothing, just adjusting her hat with a calm expression.

"On the green side, hailing from New Bark Town, Crystal Kotone has tackled every battle with a strategy that leaves opposition little room to counter! An inevitable force in her own right... Who is going to win between these two powerhouses, to face Trainer Silver in the finals?!" Crystal took a deep breath, eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Trainer Crystal will release first!" Gold leaned forward, eyes locked onto the battle. There was an eager gleam in his eyes as Crystal grabbed her ball and launched it forward.

"Let's go Khanaree!" she shouted, eyes narrowed as the Kangaskhan burst out of the ball. Little Ruree let out an excited cheer, prompting her mother to turn and face the baby with a small smile. Green seemed to ponder her options before grabbing her own ball.

"Lapee," she said calmly, releasing her Lapras with a focused expression. The battle started immediately. Green and Crystal wasted no time, barking out orders. Lapee attempted to keep Khanaree at a distance, but the Kangaskhan immediately closed that distance with a well-timed Fake-Out, followed up by a Power-Up Punch that bulged up her muscles. Lapee huffed, skidding backwards from the attack.

She attempted to retaliate with a Scald on Green's command, only for Khanaree to lunge forward with a Sucker Punch, landing it directly on her face and rocking her head backwards. Green's eyes narrowed at that, and she hastily commanded Lapee to use Mist, shrouding her side of the battlefield in a dense amount of fog. A surge of rain appeared directly after, the act causing Crystal's eyes to narrow.

Khanree experimentally lifted a boulder and launched it into the combination of fog and rain, brows furrowed at being unable to spot Lapee. That did not mean the Lapras was idle, though. A wave of boiling water burst from a random direction, crashing into the surprised Kangaskhan. She let out a roar, burns forming on her hide from the impact. Shards of ice immediately crashed into her directly after, Lapee finding her element quickly. Crystal nodded her lip.

"Endure it, Khanaree! Wait for your opening!" Ruree shouted her encouragement. Lapee repeatedly battered Khanaree from her spots, while Khanaree withstood the attacks. Finally, her eyes snapped open, and she lunged forward into a Sucker Punch, streaking across the field to deliver the punch to the healthy Lapras. The burns made it weaker, but Khanaree seemed to anticipate that. Crystal did too.

"Dynamic Punch! Then Comet Barrage!" she shouted. Green's eyes widened.

"Lapee! Blast her away with Water Pulse!" Lapee attempted to do so, only for the punch to land square on her cheek. She wailed in confusion, thrashing about as the attack struck true and rattled her brain. But that was not all, Khanaree's arms glowed, and she delivered a flurry of different punches, speeds enhanced by the Comet Punch. The most prominent to spot were the Power-Up Punches and the Thunder Punches, but Khanaree was punching the living daylights out of Lapee.

Khanaree attempted to punch again, only for a point-blank Hydro Pump to carry her into the air. Lapee twitched, shaking her head rapidly. Bruises littered her body, courtesy of the flurry of punches delivered by Khanaree. It was a testament to her durability, and the Kangaskhan being burned, that protected her from fainting.

"Don't let up, Khanaree! She'll heal otherwise!" Crystal pressed. Lapee tried to do just that, only to flinch slightly as Khanaree delivered another Fake Out. Fake Out wasn't a move that worked often, but there were times where you could draw out its value... Like after delivering a brutal combo attack. Khanaree's arm bulged up, a snarl on her face.

"Perish Song!" Only to let out a horrible wail as the Lapras screeched in her face with a haunting melody. The sound forced the Kangaskhan backwards, but her eyes shot open, and she lunged again, recklessly tackling her. Lapee had doomed them both already, but Khanaree wasn't letting up. Without hesitation, she opened her mouth and delivered a brutal Fire Blast that exploded in both their faces. Crystal smiled victoriously as Lapee swayed and collapsed.

Khanaree panted, burns riddling her wet body in a polarizing display. She sagged slightly, only to stand up straight at hearing her child's cheering.

"And Crystal draws first blood! Stopping the Lapras from outlasting all her opponents, she made Kangaskhan's efforts pay off!"

"It's basically 1-1," Gold muttered. Janine nodded grimly.

"Khanaree is going to faint very soon. Crystal can take solace in the fact that Green has released her pokemon first." Green returned Lapee to the ball, mulling over her options as she eyed down the exhausted Khanaree. Finally, she nodded and tossed her next pokemon. Vee appeared without fanfare. The Espeon smiled at seeing who their opponent was, mewling happily. Despite her state, Khanaree waved at the Espeon.

"It's good to see that the bond between Colors is still as strong as ever!" the announcer quipped. Khanaree started this brawl off, lunging forward with the effects of Sucker Punch active. Vee's eyes glowed, a small smile on his face. A swirling psychic aura seemed to appear around him before the Espeon crouched lowly and slipped into a Quick Attack. Khanaree's attack never landed as she was thrown away with the raw force of the Quick Attack.

Her stomach seemed to bend into itself before she soared backwards, fainted before the Perish Song could end that haunting melody in her head. Gold's eyes were wide in confusion.

"What?" he murmured in fascination. Vee was a strange Espeon already, not once neglecting the physical moves he favored as an Eevee... but that Quick Attack carried more power than his little body had.

"Psych Up?" Crystal called out with wide eyes, returning Khanaree to the ball. She was patting the crying Ruree, calming the baby down slightly.

"I shouldn't be surprised you noticed that fast... but I'm still surprised. Vee has been silently using it this entire time," Green replied, smiling slightly at her observation.

"I'm not Gold!" Crystal laughed.

"Okay... rude," Gold scowled, flipping off the laughing Janine. Crystal did not take much time to send her next choice out, Misteree popping out of the ball easily. The Mismagius crooned, staring at Vee with that mysterious smile of hers.

"Careful, Misteree... Vee copied some strength boosts from Khanaree. He's going to hit hard." Misteree hummed in acknowledgement, and the battle began immediately. The main aggressor was the Mismagius, firing a flurry of Shadow Balls that Vee deftly avoided, until the ghost fired off a flurry of Magical Leaves. Vee stopped them with narrowed eyes, gem glowing with psychic energy as he halted the attack and fired it back.

Misteree vanished into the shadows before appearing behind Vee, who had already anticipated the attack. He leapt over the Phantom Force, shooting a Shadow Ball in retaliation that collided with Misteree's own. Crystal's eyes narrowed as Vee danced through all the attacks.

"Vee's even more slippery than before. It must be a combination of Detect and Future Sight," she murmured.

"Alright, Misteree! Lucky Chant!" Green's brows furrowed as Mismagius sang an uncharacteristically cheerful melody. She glowed before Crystal smiled.

"Start firing, Misteree!" The Mismagius hummed happily, unleashing a salvo of miniature Shadow Balls that Vee deftly began dodging. The Espeon let out a yowl of surprise as a few smashed him backwards before Misteree popped behind him with a menacing grin. Before she could deliver the Phantom Force, the Future Sight made itself known and froze her, allowing Vee enough time to blow the ghost away with a Psybeam. Green quickly came to a decision.

"Calm Mind, Vee. Then use Baton Pass." Vee stepped away, eyes glowing purple, before a sheen covered his body and shot him back to the ball. There was another ball in Green's hand, capturing the effects of the Baton Pass.

"Dree," she decided.

"Damn," Gold whispered at the pokemon. Dree was no longer a Drakloak, body more than doubling in size. What floated there was a Dragapult, and it looked dangerous. Inside its horns, two Dreepys appeared, both having a necklace with a tiny stone on it.

"So Dree evolved," Janine murmured, watching Crystal bite her lips. Dree rumbled, deep voice coursing through the arena as the crowd gasped in awe. It gazed at Misteree with recognition in its eyes, offering a gentle nod while Dory and Draky cheered excitedly in their perch.

"Silver said Dree would become one of Green's most dangerous pokemon... let's see if that holds up," Gold muttered. Janine shook her head.

"Silver said Green would be one of the most terrifying trainers alive with her team."

"And Green sends out a Dragapult! Native to the Galar region, they are a pokemon with very few equals!" Misteree smiled in a motherly manner to the Dree, who suddenly outstripped her in size massively. While he had been larger as a Drakloak... as a Dragapult, the difference was astounding. The two stared at each other before immediately flying off into a flurry of battle. Both the ghosts continuously vanished into their Phantom Forces, playing a game of cat and mouse where the mouse was whoever got caught first.

Over and over, the two ghosts would appear on different sides of the battlefields. Misteree refused to actually test their natural speeds against each other, fully abusing Phantom Force to slip briefly into the distortion realm. The one who got the first advantage was the Mismagius, likely because of the Lucky Chant. They both appeared once more out of their covers, both charging massive Shadow Balls that they intended to unleash onto each other.

Misteree's powered up faster, something she took massive advantage of. The Shadow Ball collided with Dree's own, giving the Mismagius an avenue to push her sudden advantage. She hissed, lunging forward with billowing flames surrounding her. She attempted to connect the Will-O-Wisp, but Dree vanished not with Phantom Force, but with raw speed. Misteree's eyes widened as the Dragapult appeared directly behind her before crying out in distress as Draky and Dory made their presence known.

A Thunder Wave connected to her before she flinched from the Astonish... only to let out a truly anguished noise from the Assurance delivered by Dree.

"Holy shit," Gold muttered. He had watched the battle against Blaine, but this really put into perspective how awful it was fighting the Dragapult. Dree was relentless. He powered up a massive Shadow Ball and detonated it directly in the Mismagius' face. The ghost flew backward, crashing to the floor from the force. The Dragapult hissed, staring at the defeated Mismagius with respect. It was difficult to imagine that at one point, he had been the weakest ghost of the Colors.

Crystal bit her lip, staring at the Dragapult with a pensive expression. She seemed to be contemplating between two things before eventually coming to a decision.

"Eerie," she said, opening the ball and revealing her 3rd member. It was light blue in color, with long, pointed ears, dark eyes, and a small nose. A teal crest with two dangling flaps adorned its head, resembling some form of headgear. The Glaceon let out a quiet noise as it shook its little flaps. Its gaze was locked onto the Dragapult, and it shot Crystal a single look, nodding at the confident and reassuring smile on her face. Eerie nodded, immediately summoning a snowstorm and hiding her body.

Dree let out a noise of discontent as the snow covered the entire battlefield. He glanced around rapidly before darting away from a beam of ice. He hissed in annoyance as shards of ice immediately crashed into him, eyes darting all over to find the Glaceon hidden in the snow. It vanished with Phantom Force, appearing a distance away and forming right in front of Eerie, only to let out a gasp of surprise as the Glaceon vanished in a display eerily similar to the Dragapult.

The sight of the Glaceon performing Phantom Force stunned Dree long enough for her to appear once more, slamming into the ghost and getting a roar of surprise out of it.

"Copycat... It's great against a ghost type like Dree," Janine murmured. Gold nodded in agreement, watching Eerie slip into a Quick Attack that sent her deeper into the snow. By now, clumps of the snow had fully covered her body, providing protection and camouflage. Green clenched her jaw.

"Dory, use Swift. Dree, follow it and then Lock On." Dree did more than follow it. The Dragapult saw the general direction of the Swift before vanishing in a burst of speed. Eerie did not even get to let out a noise of surprise before the Dragapult opened its mouth and unleashed a massive Fire Blast. Eerie squealed, launched back from the force. She stumbled backwards before Dree noticed she was glowing.

The Glaceon hissed with a baleful look before retaliating with a vicious Mirror Coat that crashed mercilessly into the stunned Dragapult. To make matters worse, snow began seeping into the Glaceon's skin, healing her body slightly. Dree hissed violently, body littered in bruises from the raw force behind the Mirror Coat. The dragon had been caught off guard by the Glaceon's strategies, not expecting her to have such an arsenal.

The Dragapult flew backwards, sagging from the pain before unleashing the missiles known as Dory and Draky. They were shot out at massive speeds, soaring through the air. Eerie sidestepped Draky and slammed a single shard into Dory that made the Dreepy cry out in pain. She yelped as a Flamethrower hit her, stumbling away and giving way for the Thunder Wave delivered by the Draky who flew past. Dree nursed the whimpering Dory, placing her back in her slot on his helmet, while Draky flew back into his.

Eerie twitched slightly, body surging in pain. The Glaceon glared icily at them before she began summoning an Ice Beam. Green's eyes widened.

"Dree, U-Turn!" The paralysis, unfortunately, made Eerie just a step too slow. A sickly green body sent the Glaceon skidding backwards before returning to Green's ball. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. Green's eyes were narrowed. She clutched her next ball and threw it forward. A hush washed over the arena as the snow suddenly vanished.

"Damn... I'm starting to see what Silver meant," Gold muttered, staring at the actual Volcarona with wide eyes. Larvee was big, an almost 6ft moth with four small feet. Two compound eyes, both a shade of blue, looked ahead, the sheer heat of the pokemon banishing the snow. Six leaf-like wings spread as if the pokemon were a blooming flower. The Volcarona unleashed a noise akin to an eruption, the buzzing accompanied by a deep rumble. It wiggled cheerfully, staring at the weary Eerie with a cheerful expression.

"I can't believe my eyes! It seems like Green's Larvesta has finally evolved into a Volcarona! Amazing! This isn't a pokemon you'll see often, which seems to be par the course for Colors!" Crystal stared at Larvee with a narrowed gaze before a coy smile made its way to her face.

"Calm Mind; Baton Pass." Green sucked her teeth at that, not seeming overly surprised by the order... which made sense considering she had called for the same thing earlier. Crystal seemed to be regarding something.

"I could use Archeree here... but Archeree has an advantage on all of Green's pokemon, so I'll leave him for now. It's best if I try to win with..."

"Totoree, let's do this!" The Feraligatr snarled on arrival. It ignored Larvee's happy cheering, offering a single nod in response before immediately performing a Dragon Dance. Larvee snapped to attention at that. The sun above brightened tremendously before the Volcarona followed Totoree and performed a mystical dance; her wings glowed with the effects of Quiver Dance. Totoree snarled and snapped, body bulging. Water coalesced around Crystal's most violent pokemon, and he lunged forward at tremendous speeds...

Only to abruptly stop as Larvee unleashed a soundwave of energy. The Bug Buzz was effective in stopping Totoree's approach, and the water type snarled, eyes bulging in rage. Larvee let out another noise akin to an eruption and blew the Feraligatr backwards with a violent Whirlwind, following it up with a String Shot that wrapped around the water type to slow it down even further. Crystal bit her lip at that.

"Screech! Water Pledge!" The Feraligatr hissed at that before opening its mouth and letting out a deafening noise that caused the Volcarona to seize up long enough for a pillar of water to launch it in the air. Larvee flapped her wings to maintain herself, flying in the air before a Rock Tomb brutally launched her out of it. Totoree took his opening with vindictive glee, launching himself across the field while covered in aura.

This time, Larvee wasn't fast enough to stop him, and he smashed into her, hissing as the raw heat immediately caused burns to form on his body. Just the proximity was enough to do so, but that didn't slow down the Feraligatr. A watery tail smashed into the Volcarona, launching it backwards, and Totoree hissed, attempting to push his advantage. Water converged around its claws now, sharpening into something almost lethal.

The Feraligatr roared, dashing with the watery claws of the Liquidation only to get blown back by another brutal Whirlwind. Larvee's eyes were narrowed, and the bug hissed, flames dancing around her body that she used to launch herself forward at incredible speeds. The Volcarona flew, trails of fire following after her. Totoree grinned ferally, lunging forward to meet the charge, only to blink in confusion as Larvee flew above him.

"Giga Drain." Confusion quickly made way for pain, as Larvee formed green tendrils of energy that latched onto the Feraligatr. It began sapping him of energy, eliciting a roar of discomfort from the pokemon. Crystal chewed on her lip at that.

"Totoree! Hydro Pump!" He hissed, angling his head and firing off the pressurized water with no hesitation. It missed its mark, Larvee flying too fast to be caught by the move, but it brought it far enough to disentangle the tendrils. Totoree didn't let that deter him, summoning a wave of water that he sent careening towards the Volcarona. Larvee made a noise akin to disgust, soaring higher into the air to avoid the surf, just in time for another Hydro Pump to meet her.

She barely managed to move away from it, getting clipped by the water. The force was so great that she was immediately sent careening backwards. A column of water, courtesy of Water Pledge, caught her right after, and she finally cried out, floating lower to the ground.

"Push your advantage! Aqua Jet!" Green's eyes narrowed.

"Fire Spin." Whatever distance Totoree tried to make was halted as a ring of fire surrounded him, keeping him trapped for a split second. He roared in annoyance, summoning another surf that instantly doused the Fire Spin— Only for a speeding missile to crash into him. Larvee hissed, latching onto the Feraligatr with her boiling hot body before biting the Feraligatr.

"Leech Life," Green said calmly, eyes narrowed. Totoree hissed, collapsing onto a knee as the combination of Larvee's incredible body heat and the Leech Life quickly drained him of his energy.

"Hang in there, Totoree! Quick, use Water Pledge underneath yourself!" Crystal cried out. Totoree's eyes snapped open, and he roared, a column of water launching both him and the surprised Larvee into the air. As they hung there, the Feraligatr's claws became surrounded in water before it delivered a brutal Liquidation, raking it across the Volcarona's chest. Larvee cried out at that before slight venom entered her eyes.

With no hesitation, flames surrounded her body once more, grip still firm on the water type, and plummeted towards the ground like a meteor. A thunderous boom resounded across the arena that was quickly perpetuated by a hellish screech. Larvee rumbled deeply, unlatching herself from the Feraligatr and floating over to Green's side. Lying there, unconscious, Totoree's burned body was immediately returned by Crystal, most of the water drained from his body due to the undesirable conditions he had been fighting in.

"Green's weaker members have become terrifying," Janine pointed out with wide eyes. Gold nodded in agreement.

"She's been playing the long game for a while... and I think it's finally paid off for her." Crystal clicked her teeth slightly, staring at the mostly unharmed Volcarona.

"Alright, there goes that plan," she muttered, grabbing her ball. She cursed herself for her slight error, not expecting Larvee to fight like that. The Larvesta had always preferred getting close, and while she had done that near the end... Totoree couldn't close the gap very easily and suffered for it. It wasn't a mistake she'd make again, but in this battle... it was very detrimental.

"Archeree!" she shouted, throwing her ball forward. Crystal was used to ignoring the noise. It was a skill she had picked up on because of this tournament, actually. As fun as it was, the crowds were loud, gossip ran rampant, and whatever caught people's interest would remain the topic of discussion until the next thing caught them. Because of her vested interest in not finding out any pokemon her gang had, Crystal had become quite good at blocking it all out.

Well, that was before she became the center of that attention. As her Arcanine materialized, Crystal expected to hear gasps, but she winced back as the crowd roared in surprise.

"WHAT'S THIS?! EVEN TRAINER CRYSTAL?!" the announcer exclaimed.

"Whoa," Gold muttered, eyeing the Arcanine with wide eyes. Archeree looked... different. He was massive, sporting thick fur that gave him a much bulkier appearance. Darker than the normal Arcanine, with gray fur...

"Silver?" Janine asked.

"Silver," Mars and Gold both replied. Gold was surprised that Mars even answered. She was glued to the battle. Green's eyes were wide as she gazed at the Arcanine.

"So this is what you were talking about," she muttered. Crystal nodded with a small smile.

"Imagine my surprise when this happened," she sighed, holding her head as Archeree let out an excited bark at the sight of Larvee. The Volcarona waved one of its wings cheerfully at the Arcanine, the two chatting with each other on the few calm moments before battle. Green cracked her own smile before the battle began.

"Archeree, Agility into Retaliate!" Crystal barked immediately, causing her opponent's eyes to widen. The Arcanine raised a single foot and placed it on the ground, vanishing in the next movement. His body soared past the Larvee, who just barely dodged before Archeree landed, pivoted, and slammed its head against the back of the Volcarona's wings. Larvee immediately let out a wail of pain at that, body bending into itself before flying a great distance.

She just barely caught herself in time to see Archeree raising a single foot one more time, planting it on the ground, and vanishing. Green's eyes widened.

"Whirlwind! Quickly!" The Volcarona conjured strong winds, blowing them towards the pursuing Arcanine. Much to Green's astonishment, Archeree bowled through the heavy winds as if they didn't exist, rushing towards Larvee with a single-minded focus. He bulldozed Larvee again, getting a squeal out of her, and she stumbled across the ground. Archeree let out a tremendous howl, matching Larvee's volcanic rumbles with his own erupting barks.

He deftly leapt away from the seeking tendrils, flames erupting from his body as he rushed towards the Volcarona.

"Up!" Green demanded immediately. Larvee hissed, launching herself into the air.

"Fiery Dance!" Larvee cried out in her vantage point in the sky, mimicking the sun as her body glowed. The crowd let out a noise of awe as she began to dance, spreading balls of fire in every single direction. Crystal's eyes narrowed, but before she could give an order, a heavy Whirlwind formed, combining with the flames of the dancer and causing pandemonium to erupt across the battlefield. Archeree didn't look fazed by the chaos of the firestorm at all.

His only issue was the difficulty in spotting Larvee, something that proved to be detrimental as the Volcarona activated Morning Sun while he was distracted.

"Wait, Archeree, she's healing! Stop that with Rock Tomb!" Crystal demanded. The Arcanine barked, spotting the brightest area, before stamping the floor with a single foot and conjuring 3 boulders that it launched through the air. While one missed, the second one scored directly in Larvee's midsection, getting the loudest squeal out of the Volcarona yet. Green's eyes widened once more as a realization hit her.

"Larvee, it's a Rock-type!"

"Too late! Rock Slide!" Crystal pressed, eyes practically glowing. Archeree howled, stamping the ground repeatedly with thunderous steps. Rock after rock formed before the Arcanine unleashed the salvo at the paralyzed Volcarona. Larvee attempted to summon winds to steer the rocks in a different direction, but she was struck by a flurry regardless. She wailed, body glowing as she attempted to fly away. The sound of rushing flames interrupted her, however, before a giant dog crashed into her.

Archeree brutally connected the Flare Blitz to Larvee's body, the force causing a momentary pause before the Volcarona went flying into the barrier. The Arcanine didn't even flinch backward from the force of the fiery tackle, just panting in excitement at the battle that had just taken place. He let loose a victorious howl, the sound reminiscent of an avalanche of crashing rocks. Green looked a little stumped, returning Larvee to the ball.

"I didn't expect this," she admitted honestly.

"You and me both," Crystal replied with a smile of exasperation.

"Note to self, steal that Stealth Rock TM from Silver," she thought.

"That Arcanine is a beast," Gold whispered, taking note of the fact that it hadn't even seemed fazed by the Flare Blitz. Rock type as well? That was an incredible counter to Larvee, who was gearing up to take over the match. Now the momentum had completely flipped. None of Green's pokemon excelled against Archeree, and that was before his rock typing. With it? Even Lapee was suddenly at an unexpected weakness if Archeree got a hit in.

Archeree was Crystal's trump card against Green, much like Larvitaro was Gold's against Silver. They all had different trump cards against each other. Gold's trump card against Green was more often than not, Explotaro, and his trump card against Crystal was Kintaro. It was fun. It made any of their members the main characters. Suddenly, the battle was significantly more difficult for Green.

Lapee had fainted, who was her best shot, and her two healthiest pokemon, Togee and Saury, were weak to Archeree, while Vee and Dree had suffered damage. Judging by Green's pause, she was realizing this dilemma too. She seemed to mull something over before nodding to herself. She held up her Friend Ball and launched it forward.

"Togee," she decided. As the figure materialized, Gold hummed in interest. Togee was no longer a Togetic. Standing there, wings spread with a cocky smirk on its face, was a Togekiss in all its glory. It took its vantage in the sky, glaring down at the panting Archeree. Archeree barked excitedly, prompting Togee to scoff with a roll of his eyes.

"Togekiss too, huh?" Crystal murmured, staring at Togee with searching eyes. Green smiled.

"He was ready. I'm glad for that because he was really annoying with how eager he was," she laughed. Crystal laughed at the indignant look on Togee's face.

"We'll be the first to test you then, Togee! Welcome to the big leagues!" With that, Archeree summoned a flurry of rocks that it launched at the Togekiss. Togee hissed vehemently and flew to the left, avoiding the rocks with a heinous glare.

"Aura Sphere!" Green barked immediately. Togee glowed and fired off a giant blue orb that soared towards Archeree, who attempted to dash away from the ball. Despite his efforts, the Aura Sphere stayed on target, chasing him down the entire time.

"You have to destroy it!" Crystal shouted. Archeree barked in affirmation, flames licking his body. He turned around and unleashed a massive Flamethrower that clashed with the speeding bullet. The Aura Sphere had picked up quite a bit of traction, forcing itself through the Flamethrower initially before halting slowly but surely.

As Archeree attempted to destroy the orb, he cried out in confusion as a sheen surrounded and forced his head upward, forcing the flames to change their trajectory and allowing the Aura Sphere to rush through. Togee grinned smugly at the ensuing explosion. He cackled and summoned another Aura Sphere, firing it without care. Archeree snarled in annoyance, the happy-go-lucky dog sufficiently bothered. This time, he intercepted the Aura Sphere while it was shooting from Togee's position.

The Togekiss gasped as a Fire Blast bulldozed the ball, sailing towards him with full intent to burn him. The Togekiss slipped into an Extreme Speed, dashing through the air and evading the Fire Blast in time to catch a giant rock on one of its wings. Togee squealed as the force sent him flying backwards, scrambling away from the next flurry of rocks attempting to crush him. Archeree was relentless; the dog howled, summoning a flurry of rocks that he launched through the air.

As they flew, he opened his mouth and unleashed a stream of flames that engulfed the stony missiles. Togee hissed in panic, spinning to the right to avoid some of the missiles, then angling himself higher to avoid the others. Archeree was not idle while this happened. The Arcanine growled lowly, stamping the floor with more force and launching itself through the air at incredible speeds.

"Togee! Ancient Power!" Green shouted, watching the Arcanine approach. Togee scowled balefully, summoning a flurry of his own rocks that he launched towards the flying Arcanine. Much to his astonishment, Archeree began using the rocks as a stepping stone, deftly landing on one before jumping to another until he steadily approached the Togekiss. A psychic sheen surrounded him, only to be broken by the dog channeling a Crunch.

Togee attempted to slip away with Extreme Speed, but Archeree tensed his legs on a rock and launched himself further up with crushing force, channeling his own. Togee didn't make it far enough from the relentless dog before Archeree collided with him. He let out an outraged shriek as Archeree clamped flaming fangs on his wing, bringing him towards the floor with his significant weight advantage. Green's eyes narrowed as the Arcanine began succeeding in doing so.

"Not so fast! Togee, Thunder Wave!" Crystal's eyes widened at the order. Togee snarled, unleashing a wave of electricity that connected squarely with the Arcanine. Archeree seized up, shuddering as sparks ran through his body, but the dog held tight, even as Togee struggled to dislodge him.

"Air Slash!" A blade of wind crashed ruthlessly into Archeree even as they plummeted to the ground. He held strong before another one connected, causing the Arcanine to wince backwards, mouth opening unwittingly. Togee took the chance with ruthless glee. The moment Archeree flinched backwards, he was hit with a massive Aura Sphere that sent him flying backwards. Togee nursed his burned wing with a scowl, glaring at the Arcanine and summoning more rocks to launch forward.

Archeree attempted to move, but sparks appeared over his body, making him seize up and leaving him vulnerable to the Ancient Power.

"Wish, Togee!" Green shouted. Crystal grit her teeth.

"No, you have to stop him!" As Togee shot a star into the sky, Archeree attempted to move forward, sparks appearing over his body once more and halting him for a second. The Arcanine howled in frustration, muscles bulging with exertion. Togee hissed balefully, summoning a truly massive Aura Sphere that he intended to crush the Arcanine with.

"Archeree!" Crystal shouted in concern. The Arcanine's gaze shot open, and he howled, vanishing from his spot, only to appear moments later on a one-way trip towards Togee. As he blazed across the field, his body exploded in flames, and Archeree let out a guttural noise. Togee's eyes widened, and he fired off the Aura Sphere, but to his astonishment, Archeree dredged up an incredible amount of energy and plowed through it.

He ignored the significant damage he accrued from an action, leaping at Togee before the Wish could take effect. The Arcanine slammed headfirst into the Togekiss, making Togee wail. The Flare Blitz, combined with Archeree's rocky skull, did devastating damage to the Togekiss, sending it tumbling across the ground with vicious burns across its body.

"Man, Archeree became a beast," Gold murmured, watching as a slightly stunned Green returned Togee to the ball. Archeree panted, wincing as his body sparked periodically.

"Green's in trouble," Janine pointed out.

"Not quite yet. If I'm right... She's about to send out Dree," Gold replied. True to his words, Dree appeared once more. Almost as soon as he appeared on the field, the star that was shot up earlier came down and caressed the injured dragon, his injuries fading away in moments.

"Oh, that's bad news for Crys," Janine said, eyes slightly wide.

"Horrible news. If that Wish didn't go off, I think Crys was geared to win this battle comfortably, but now it's anyone's game," Gold explained. Dree, Draky, and Dory all hissed as the Wish healed their wounds, a second wind hitting the dragon who had unexpectedly suffered against Eerie. Crystal's brows were furrowed in contemplation. Archeree was on his last legs after an incredible performance, and it didn't look like he was going down without a fight.

"We aren't stopping here, Archeree! Flamethrower!" Archeree howled, unleashing the stream of flames towards Dree, who dashed away from it. The Dragapult hissed, returning fire with a Dragon Pulse that Archeree barely leapt away from. His body surged once more with sparks, locking up his muscles and getting an annoyed whine out of the giant dog. Dree was relentless; he immediately opened his mouth and unleashed a stream of draconic energy that only caused more sparks to appear.

As he attempted to continue bathing the Arcanine, Archeree leapt out of the way, body surging across the field. Green watched him run and exhaled.

"Lock On; Dragon Darts." Dree hissed in affirmation, eyes tracking Archeree the entire time. He tensed up before launching both Draky and Dory out of their pockets. They flew through the air with incredible velocity, streaks following after them as they mimicked missiles. Archeree yelped as Dory crashed into his midsection, stopping him in his tracks. The yelp transformed into a wail as Draky joined the assault.

Finally, Archeree was silenced as Dree burst from the shadows on the opposite side of the Dreepy, slamming into Archeree's vulnerable midsection with relentless force. The Arcanine tumbled across the ground from the power. It tried to lift a paw, but went limp, falling unconscious from the onslaught. Dory and Draky flew back into their perch as Crystal returned Archeree to his ball. She tilted her head and hummed, quickly coming to a decision and releasing Eerie once more.

This time, Eerie summoned Hail instead of snow; the sleet pounded against the floor, drawing a growl of discomfort from Dree and the Dreepy. The Glaceon let out a sigh as her body steadily began healing from the powerful hail, glaring at the Dragapult as small sparks surged through her body. She wasted no time summoning shards of ice that flew towards Dree at tremendous speed. With the temperatures dropping so low, it allowed the Ice Shard to pepper the slightly lethargic dragon quickly.

Dree didn't stay idle for long, soaring at tremendous speeds towards the slightly less camouflaged Eerie. He opened his mouth, unleashing a Dragon Pulse that the Glaceon attempted to step away from, only for the sparks to make themselves known once more, holding her in place in time for the orb to explode against her side. She cried, flying backwards from the force before retaliating with a Dragon Pulse of her own, the orb flying at equal levels of speed as the one fired by the Dragapult.

It soared past the wary Dragapult. Dree was now utilizing his far superior speed to push his advantage, zipping across the field. Crystal gnawed on her lip and nodded.

"Eerie, Blizzard!" Green's eyes widened.

"Phantom Force!" Dree barely vanished just as the hail turned violent, a Blizzard washing over the entire battlefield. If not for his last-second Phantom Force, he would have suffered from that. Eerie panted, eyes darting in every direction. She panted, waiting for an opening... before Crystal smiled.

"Detect!" The Glaceon jumped right over the lunging Dree, getting a gasp of surprise, which transformed into a wail of surprise as a gust of wind crashed against him. Ice began accumulating over his body, causing the dragon to sag under the weight. Eerie wasn't done; she landed deftly, ignored the sparks tracing her body, and unleashed a thin beam of ice that made Dree roar.

She was relentless, holding the Ice Beam for as long as possible before squealing as Draky shot out of Dree's horn to crash into her midsection. Dory followed suit, sending the Glaceon tumbling backwards from the force. The two Dreepy's hissed, only to squeal as another powerful wind crashed into them, this time, accumulating enough ice to send them tumbling to the floor.

Dree let out a wail of distress at that, attempting to shoot towards the two Dreepy's, only to be stopped in his tracks as another gust of wind rushed through the battlefield... only this time, it was accompanied by the full force of the hail. The Blizzard washed over the three with ruthless force, freezing them on the spot. Eerie panted, turning up her chin at the victory.

"Hard to imagine Eerie was the little Eevee afraid of her own shadow," Green commented idly, returning her pokemon to the ball.

"She's a fan of Silver, who corrupted her somehow before we left Saffron. She's become a little underhanded because of it," Crystal sighed.

"I can tell. Taking advantage of Dree's worry for Dory and Draky... then freezing them all. Ruthless," Green mused.

"I noticed in their previous encounter. Sorry," Crystal bowed. Green laughed freely, getting a surprised noise from the crowd.

"Only you would apologize in the middle of battle, Crys!" She grabbed her next ball and threw it forward, Vee revealing himself once more. He landed deftly on the ground, tail swaying in every direction. Eerie's gaze lit up. The perpetual scowl on her face was gone, replaced by a small smile instead. Her own tail began swaying, causing Vee's eyes to curl up, the two chatting to one another before the battle began in earnest. Eerie shot out a thin beam of ice that Vee's Psychic diverted.

Undeterred, the Glaceon fired off shards of ice that flew through the air, though Vee had seemingly already anticipated that, weaving between them with a grace befitting an Espeon. Green's eyes glimmered slightly, eyes tracing Eerie's every movement before narrowing at the slight amount of sparks tracing them. Almost as soon as she noticed, Vee's gem glowed brightly, firing off a massive Psybeam that bowled over the Glaceon, who attempted to move but was unable to because of the paralysis making itself known.

"Channel dark type energy!" Crystal shouted worriedly, almost as soon as the attack struck. A psychic sheen covered Eerie, hoisting her up and slamming her down before she could do what Crystal demanded. The Glaceon cried out and unleashed a gust of wind that brushed against the Espeon, getting a small mewl of discomfort out of it. Hails were repeatedly battering Vee as well, making him shuffle about.

Deciding to finish this as quickly as possible, Vee slipped into a Quick Attack and leapt at the struggling Eerie, only to suddenly halt his dash and leap backwards just in time to avoid crashing into the Barrier that formed around her. Eerie took the opening with vindictive glee. It was a testament to Crystal's talent that the Glaceon was so battle-ready. A powerful Blizzard, powered by the Hail and increasing its size to something unavoidable, washed over the field once more.

Vee cried out in surprise at that, ice forming on his skin. Eerie attempted to power the move for as long as possible before, only to be stopped abruptly as psychic bolts appeared over her, striking down like bolts of lightning from the sky. She cried out at that before a sheen of psychic energy hoisted her into the air and crushed her to the ground. Eerie struggled to push herself up, but fell flat, exhaling tiredly as she fell unconscious. Vee panted, lustrous fur covered in ice as the hail above petered out.

"One left," Mars muttered in anticipation, watching Crystal return Eerie to the ball. She was already holding her last ball, no trepidation on her face despite the disadvantage.

"Green's the one at a disadvantage," Gold said suddenly. Mars looked surprised by that.

"How come?" He turned to face her, taking the chance to marvel at the blatant curiosity someone with Silver's face was showing, and said, "Green's last pokemon after Vee is Saury the Venusaur. He's a beast of a pokemon... but Crystal's last pokemon is—" Both of their attentions were grabbed as Crystal threw the ball forward. The pokemon bellowed on arrival, a friendly smile on its face as the crowd awed in excitement.

"Airee, the Dragonite. He's Crystal's strongest pokemon," he finished, watching the Dragonite take to the skies.

"Oh," Mars said, scratching her head.

"You guys have crazy strong teams." Gold rubbed his nose.

"No matter what you catch, we'll make sure you're just as crazy." Mars grinned before her expression turned wary.

"Crazy strong, right?" Gold just kept smiling.

"... Right?" Janine patted her soothingly. Green took a deep breath, staring at the titan that was Airee with a measured expression. Vee looked comically small in comparison to the Dragonite, but despite that, the Espeon stared fearlessly at him. They exchanged pleasant nods before shooting right into the battle. As Airee took to the skies, the sun above began shining brightly, Vee's gem glowing in time with the Sunny Day.

It parted any remaining cloud from the Hail from before, leaving clear skies above Airee's eyes narrowed as a psychic sheen converged around his body. The dragon grunted and tensed his body before bulldozing through it with raw power and speed. Vee only had a moment to move before Airee was upon him. Vee slipped into a Quick Attack, dashing away from the dragon.

As he sprinted away, the Espeon suddenly lunged to the right, eyes wide as Airee nearly broke every bone in its body with the momentum Extreme Speed granted it.

"Don't let up, Airee!" Crystal demanded. Running would do Vee no good; Airee was soaring across the battlefield at dreadful speeds. He attempted to pivot mid-run to fire off a Psybeam, but Airee flapped his wings rapidly, shooting out blade after blade of wind that nearly carved into the Espeon. Vee panted, evading as much as he could, but there was simply too much to account for, even with his enhanced precognitive abilities. Blades began cutting into him, a cry escaping the Espeon in the process.

Airee flitted across the field once more; size belied the speed at which the Dragonite could move. It landed a vicious Thunder Punch that Vee was a step too slow to dodge, lifting the Espeon off the ground.

"Detect; Power Gem!" Green shouted. Vee dodged the next clubbing blow by pushing himself out of the way with a burst of psychic energy. As he soared through the air, the Espeon's gem glowed before firing off a flurry of glowing gems. Airee put a hand up to block the Power Gem, scrape marks appearing as the attack landed true. He grunted as Vee landed on the ground, flapping his wings once before dashing towards the Espeon. Finally, Green smiled.

"Power Swap!" Crystal's eyes widened as Vee cried out triumphantly and shot out an orange beam that connected Airee to himself. Airee never stopped his flight despite that, but when he crashed into the Espeon, it was with far less power than expected. Vee smiled smugly at that, having transferred his less-than-stellar physical stats with Airee's own, trading his impeccable mental abilities in the process.

Without any hesitation, the Espeon pushed back before leaping up into a frontflip to deliver a vicious Iron Tail. Crystal looked stunned.

"Psych Up and Power Swap?" she asked. Green smiled.

"Vee always did prefer fighting up close as an Eevee... I just made sure that didn't go away and made it an advantage for myself... and a disadvantage for others."

"She's a genius," Gold exhaled.

"You all are," Janine grumbled, watching with wide eyes as an Espeon overpowered a Dragonite. Anyone would laugh, but it was true. Currently, Vee was overpowering the Dragonite, who seemed almost stunned by the power. Vee lunged forward, only for Airee to fly upwards, avoiding the Espeon, who suddenly preferred close quarters.

"Airee, if you've got Vee's attributes... then Thunderbolt!" Crystal shouted. Vee yelped, dodging from the massive bolt of lightning that Airee conjured way too quickly.

"Ice Beam!" The Espeon shrieked in a panic as a beam of ice came flying right after.

"Fire Blast!"

"Lance's Dragonites have two very different styles. One's a close-range specialist and the other prefers firing at a distance... Crystal said she'll just make Airee both," Gold said dryly. By swapping with the Dragonite, Vee had stolen its physical stats... but had given it the Espeon's exceptional focus, allowing it to form and fire moves far quicker than he normally could. Green's eyes narrowed.

"Drag it down, Vee!" she demanded. Vee attempted to do just that, only to wail as the winds picked up. Even with the sun out, Airee summoned a weakened Hurricane that tore the battlefield apart. He was uprooted from the floor, yowling in discontent as his fur was further ruined. He snarled at Airee, righting himself shakily— Only for his eyes to widen as Airee appeared directly in front of him, mouth opened with a familiar turquoise beam. Green's eyes flashed momentarily.

Right as the Dragon Pulse erupted, Vee unleashed a vicious Zap Cannon. A massive explosion ensued before Vee's tiny body flew out of it, scraping against the floor and tumbling about. Steam wafted off the unconscious Espeon before the smoke of the initial explosion wore off, revealing Airee. The Dragonite huffed, only to wince as sparks raced across his body. Green smiled. Crystal bit her lip. The sun shone above. And out of Green's final Friend Ball came Saury.

If possible, the Venusaur looked even larger than when he was last seen, standing at an unbelievable 9 feet, bordering on 10. Saury rumbled, alert and at the ready as he stared at Airee. Gasps filled the field as the crowd witnessed Saury in the flesh for likely the first time. The Venusaur was truly enormous, to the point where even Airee's size didn't match it.

"Holy shit," Mars gaped, eyes bugged at the sight of Saury.

"That's what everyone thinks when they see Saury," Gold said sagely. Saury was a monster. This was why Gold's trump card against Green was Explotaro... Though Wartaro, with more training, could do some real damage to her. She shook her head rapidly.

"Not even Ares is that huge! What the hell?!" she muttered, watching the Venusaur bask in the sun.

"I'm jealous of Green," Janine sighed forlornly. Crystal's eyes narrowed.

"We've got this, Airee," she said confidently. Airee stood taller at her words, eyes narrowing. He ignored the sparks racing across his body and glowed white with the effects of Safeguard.

"Saury, we have to finish this fast. Airee still has traces of Shed Skin; the full effect of that paralysis won't last long, and Safeguard protects it," Green murmured. Saury grunted, eyes never leaving the Dragonite. He nodded in affirmation before tensing up. It seemed like the Venusaur began absorbing the sunlight, growing even larger as a result. Airee inhaled before unleashing a stream of flames that rushed towards Saury.

In an instant, the Venusaur was on the move, causing eyes to bug out of many heads as he sped across the field at ridiculous speeds.

"Look at the speed of that Venusaur!"

"With that size?!" Vines flew out of Saury's body, lunging towards Airee at incredible speeds and barely missing as the Dragonite took to the skies. Saury didn't let that bother him, summoning thick seeds and launching them through the air. Airee flew past the first salvo, then traces of static raced across his body, stopping him in his tracks for the next salvo to explode against his belly.

The Seed Bomb did insignificant damage, but it allowed Saury to utilize his enhanced speed to launch his vicious vines through the sky. Saury grunted, dragging Airee down to the ground with far too much ease. The Dragonite attempted to struggle, but his physical strength had been stolen from Vee. As a result, he was dragged towards the ground with the efficiency Green's most ruthless pokemon was known for.

As Airee collided with the floor, vines still wrapped around his body, Saury unleashed a violent column of leaves that the Dragonite was forced to take the full damage of. Crystal's gaze sharpened.

"Fire Blast! Now!" Saury let out a roar as Airee gripped his vines tightly, unleashing an enormous bout of fire that burned every vine and collided with the Venusaur. Airee was forcefully released from his hold, falling to a knee from the damage it had accumulated. Vee had already done a number on him, and Saury was just as relentless. The Dragonite stood back to his full height, only to yelp as more seeds were thrown at him. These did not explode; they took root in his body, digging and sapping him of his energy.

Saury huffed in pain, with mild burns on his body as a result of the Fire Blast being used underneath the blazing sun. The Venusaur's gaze was wide, alertness at its peak, and the ground shuddered as Saury moved. Airee didn't have any time to react to the Venusaur slamming into his midsection with full force.

The Double-Edge lifted the Dragonite off the floor, but Saury didn't let him go far; more vines crawled out from his body to grab onto Airee before he could fly away and ruthlessly slammed him back to the ground. Before Airee could fire off the Flamethrower he had prepped, those vines wrapped around his mouth and sealed them shut, glowing with the effects of Giga Drain to sap as much energy as possible. Airee tried to struggle, but the paralysis crippled it to a dreadful degree.

"Airee!" Crystal shouted in concern. The Dragonite's gaze snapped open at that before he roared. Green watched with wide eyes as Airee glowed, scales and skin shedding before her very eyes as it cleansed itself partially from the Paralysis. He roared, forcing the Flamethrower through his mouth, heedless of the damage it would cause. It crashed into the surprised Saury, causing the Venusaur to howl from the pain. Airee lunged forward, turquoise energy surrounding him as he crashed and uprooted the Venusaur.

"Stay away from him, Saury!" Green shouted, watching the red haze in the Dragonite's eyes. Saury leapt backwards, the impact making a tremendous noise, and barely avoided Airee slamming into the spot where he had just been. The Dragonite had slipped into an Outrage that allowed it to ignore the pain it was in, while also increasing its power output. Airee howled, opening his mouth and unleashing a steady stream of Flames that cut off much of Saury's escape route.

He ignored the vines sapping at his energy, ignored the paralysis, and just continued to push forward. Saury groaned at the powerful flames, lunging forward to meet Airee's reckless rush head-on. They slammed into one another, the Venusaur temporarily winning out before Airee's antennae began glowing. A thin beam of ice slammed into the surprised Saury. His pained roar was cut off as Airee smashed into him with a ruthless Dragon Rush.

It lifted the Venusaur off the floor, launching it away and forcing Saury to right himself. Saury landed with a huff, bruises forming all over his body that not even the Leech Seed could heal. Airee's gaze was fully red now, Outrage taking full root. He unleashed a deafening roar, opening his mouth and forming an orange beam while the Venusaur recovered. Green's eyes widened.

"Solar Beam, Saury!" Saury panted before the inside of his plant began glowing. It swiftly gathered energy from the sunlight. The air tightened, breaths were held, and in an instant, both attacks were unleashed. The Solar Beam bloomed with life, light condensing from the sky and forming into a radiant laser of emerald and golden hues. It soared forward into a single, focused lance, the beam screaming forward with the sound of rushing wind and crackling energy. On the opposite side, the Hyper Beam responded in kind.

It was a blinding surge of raw power, white hot at the core before transforming into a violent shade of orange. It roared, a concussive blast that left shockwaves through the stadium floor. The two techniques collided in midair. For a staunch second, no sound was made, a peaceful quiet filling the stadium. Then that second was over. The clash screeched loudly, howling as the two beams of condensed energy vied for supremacy.

Sparks flew from every direction, dust and debris began to lift, and Saury and Airee roared from exertion. The stalemate lasted only a moment. Green's eyes widened in dread as the Hyper Beam slowly but surely won the struggle, surging with more and more energy as the sheer power behind the technique began to push back against the Solar Beam.

"No! I have to win this! I have to!" Green thought in horror, eyes shooting open. Saury's roars grew louder, the Venusaur being slowly pushed backwards. But at the rate things were going, he would lose. Green grit her teeth. She needed to win. She had to! She clenched her fist tightly, squeezing her hair with the other one. Fine then— The screeching of the clash interrupted her thoughts. Green watched with wide eyes as the attacks finally detonated.

A sphere of blinding light expanded outward, the starting point dreadfully close to Saury.

"Saury!" Green shouted in concern. Airee cried out as he was struck as well, the Dragonite falling to a knee as injuries littered his body. He held his head, the burnout from Outrage quickly taking effect.

"Did I lose?" Green thought wildly, eyes wide in confusion and dread. But she didn't even go against Silver yet. This couldn't... no! She couldn't lose here! She just couldn't— A glob of toxin flew through the air, splashing against Airee. Both Green and Crystal watched with wide eyes as a battered Saury trudged through the smoke. One of his eyes was shut, burns riddled his body, and he limped forward without the speed he prided himself on.

Yet despite that, he was standing, giant plant on his back glowing slightly. It hit Green at once.

"Was he... channeling Synthesis at the same time as Solar Beam?!" she thought in awe. She didn't tell him to do that. They never even practiced such a thing... was that why the Solar Beam had lost so handily? Was Saury... gambling on an opportunity? The Venusaur spared her a look with its good eye before rumbling, turning towards the Dragonite seeping in poison. Without any hesitation, Saury's plant glowed once more and spat out a poisonous liquid that splattered against Airee.

The Dragonite shrieked in agony at that, falling to the floor as his body seemed to flare up. His orange skin began darkening tremendously, the poison coursing through his veins faster as the Venoshock put him into shock. Airee let out one last gasp before a beam of light hit his unconscious body, returning him to the Quick Ball. There was a brief silence before Saury finally groaned and collapsed, eyes shutting as he also fell unconscious. The referee raised a flag.

"Both Venusaur and Dragonite are unable to battle... but because Dragonite fainted first, the winners of this match are Leaf Green and Venusaur!" Then the floodgates opened.

"INCREDIBLE! AMAZING! WHAT A MATCH!" The announcer roared.

"A BATTLE OF INCHES AND IN THE END, LEAF GREEN IS THE VICTOR! SHE WILL MOVE ON TO FACE TRAINER SILVER IN THE FINALS!" Crystal let out a slow breath before a small smile appeared on her face. She nursed Airee's ball and attached it to her belt, nodding to herself.

"Good battle, Green!" she said with a bright grin. Green snapped out of her daze, returning Saury with a small breath. Then, she smiled.

"Great battle, Crys!"

"Heh, another show stealer," Gold said, pushing himself up with a satisfied grin.

"That was fucking awesome!" Mars cheered. Janine looked thoughtful.

"Green vs Silver... those two spar a lot, but I've never seen an all-out battle between them." That would be an incredible battle. Gold laughed.

"Who'll win? No idea, but it'll be a banger!" he chuckled.

"Trainer Green, Trainer Green! Just one question, please!" Green looked up, staring directly into the camera.

"I'm coming for you, so come at me with your best, Silver. I don't want there to be any doubt on who's better," she said firmly. With that, she marched off. I leaned against my bed, leg propped over another. I idly raked a hand against Achlys, ignoring the Arachne running across my body and the Freyja lazily draped over me as well.

"I'm coming for you, so come at me with your best, Silver. I don't want there to be any doubt on who's better." I opened a single eye, staring at the screen with a curious expression.

"Ya hear that, team? She wants us at our best, so that's what we'll give her," was all I said, closing my eyes once more. I listened to the chorus of noise from my team before turning my music back on and allowing the peace of the moment to linger. After I crushed Green, we could talk about her unhealthy tendencies. Here's to hoping she didn't take the loss too badly. Final Matchup: Green vs Silver