The heavenly fire crashed to earth, igniting the weeds and turning the wasteland into a burning hellscape, thick black smoke billowing up.
Even in the countryside, this commotion would soon draw attention. Before long, they'd hear Officer Jenny's sirens.
They had to end this quickly.
Mimikyu stayed at Lucas's side, its huge Shadow Claw ripping apart the flames. Lucas looked up, meeting Moltres's blood-red eyes without fear, and shouted, "Dragonite!"
A gust of wind howled—the moment Moltres blinked, Dragonite was already hovering silently before it.
Moltres's pupils shrank. Heart pounding, it realized Dragonite was flying even higher than itself, a challenge to its authority. With a screech, Moltres unleashed a hot, star-speckled wind at Dragonite.
"Drago!!"
Dragonite flapped its wings rapidly, stirring up a storm. The wild wind formed a field, not only neutralizing Moltres's attack but slashing countless wind blades across its body.
Controlling the storm, Dragonite then let out a thunderous roar. Thick clouds gathered instantly, and rain poured down in torrents.
Rain Dance and Hurricane combined into a perfect combo. Raindrops hit Moltres's flames, turning to steam that shrouded the sky. Moltres, with its deep reserves of stamina, endured the attacks—but could do little else.
Escaping Dragonite's prison of wind and rain was nearly impossible.
Moltres tried matching Hurricane for Hurricane and blasting Flamethrowers to break free, but Dragonite countered everything effortlessly.
Mimikyu's Shadow Claw shielded Lucas from the rain. The wind whipped at his clothes as Lucas observed Moltres's moves and demeanor, forming a judgment.
This Moltres was very young—in both attitude and inexperience, it couldn't hide when using its moves. Its combat experience was shallow.
Dragonite's combo wasn't unbreakable—during the Paldea League's Champion Assessment, Ogerpon had powered through with sheer force.
As Lucas pondered, Moltres finally found a weak spot. Wrapping itself in a blue-flamed Brave Bird, it forced its way out, earning several deep wounds in the process.
Dragonite blinked—not angry that its domain had been breached, just hovering calmly as Moltres panted in exhaustion.
Noticing Moltres's wounds were healing at an astonishing rate, Lucas marveled at the legendary Pokémon's stamina and talent. It found the combo's weak point and broke through at a steep cost.
But time was running out. Lucas raised his hand and shouted, "Thunder!"
Dragonite responded instantly. Thunder rumbled in the clouds, lightning snaked across the sky, and a golden torrent of electricity rained down, blasting Moltres relentlessly.
The deafening thunder shook everything. Luxray watched the sky, nodding in satisfaction—Dragonite's Thunder was quite impressive.
...
Police Station.
Officer Jenny opened her window, looking at the storm clouds gathering in the countryside, though it was still sunny overhead. Her Growlithe, though trembling with fear, barked bravely at the sky.
Jenny gripped her squad car keys, mumbling, "If I die in the line of duty, there should be compensation, right?"
...
Farm – Lake Area.
Lucas watched as Dragonite's relentless assault quickly shaped a massive crater. He turned to Mimikyu and asked, "Once we fill this with water, let's call it Thunder Lake, okay?"
Mimikyu nodded in agreement.
The thunder lasted a full minute.
As it faded and the lightning dispersed, Moltres's figure slowly emerged.
Its feathers were mostly scorched, the flames on its body weak, and even its instinctive flight was faltering.
No doubt, Moltres was at its limit.
Even so, it stubbornly kept its eyes open, refusing to fall.
"Damn, legendary Pokémon stamina is absurd," Lucas admired, feeling a touch of respect—Moltres had lived up to its noble status.
For some reason, Moltres looked down at Lucas, standing dry and calm below, almost as if wanting to remember him.
With respect for Moltres's unyielding will, Lucas ended the fight: "Dragon Pulse."
A blue dragon-shaped aura roared, engulfing Moltres.
Dragonite vs Moltres—Dragonite wins!
...
When Moltres awoke, it was already night.
Officer Jenny, who'd come to check, had been sent away with some made-up excuse. Moltres's injuries had been treated by Lucas, and even the deepest wounds had mostly healed.
"Awake?"
Lucas sat in a small chair, adding a stick to the crackling campfire in front of him.
Moltres turned its eye, letting out a weak cry, as if wondering why Lucas had treated it—and why it felt no Poké Ball restraint.
Moltres was young, but it knew some things.
For example, legendary Pokémon like it were coveted by trainers. After being defeated by Dragonite and rendered unconscious, it would have been powerless to resist a Poké Ball—capture would have been guaranteed.
Lucas tilted his head. He didn't know if it was a legendary power, but he could understand Moltres's meaning. He replied with a question: "Why would I capture you? Would you want to be caught?"
Moltres thought, no, it wouldn't. If it woke up in a Poké Ball, it would have fought with all its might or refused to obey.
"Exactly," Lucas brushed off the ash from his hands, leaned closer, and smiled. "Besides, your power isn't strong enough for me to want to catch you yet."
Moltres turned its head away awkwardly. Lucas's words were true, and now that it was calm, it realized it couldn't beat any of the Pokémon at Lucas's side.
But, besides resentment, why did it also feel a pang of disappointment?
Moltres found this feeling very strange.