The sun hovered high above the courtyard of the Ravios Royal Academy, casting long shadows across the sand-colored battlefield. It was a circular arena of packed earth and stone, with runic markers etched into the outer walls some for protection, others for tradition.
A crowd had gathered, drawn by the buzz of something rare.
A duel between elite students.
On one side of the field stood Ren, black-haired and composed, arms folded behind his back. On the other side stood Vince, grinning like a man who relished challenge more than victory.
"Looks like the whole class is here," Mila muttered, standing near the edge of the crowd. Her pink hair glinted in the sunlight as she leaned against the barrier. "You better not hold back, Ren," she called, cupping her hands.
That earned her a few glances and more than a few mutters.
Ren, hearing her, only sighed.
The instructor overseeing the match a tall, silver-bearded professor named Quintus Elmar stepped forward. His robe was engraved with the golden crest of the Academy.
"This is a sanctioned duel," he declared. "Two versus two. No substitutions. Each trainer may switch only after one Pokémon is declared unable to battle."
He paused.
"Begin when ready."
---
Ren and Vince moved in perfect sync each drawing a Poké Ball and casting it forward in a single, fluid motion.
"Let's take to the skies, Braviary," Ren said calmly.
The Poké Ball burst open in a blaze of white light, and the proud form of Braviary soared into the air, wings outstretched and feathers glinting like sharpened blades.
"Time to ride the storm! Flygon, let's dance!" Vince shouted.
A whirl of sand and wind exploded outward as Flygon emerged, its crystalline wings vibrating with a high, insect-like hum.
The wind stirred.
"Flygon, Sandstorm! Start it up!"
Flygon roared and beat its wings. Dust and grit whirled into the sky as a mini-cyclone surrounded the battlefield. The sky dimmed slightly under the veil of churning sand.
Braviary narrowed its eyes.
Ren didn't flinch.
"Tailwind," he said softly.
Braviary soared higher, then circled once. With a powerful flap, it summoned a wind of its own, cutting through the sand and bolstering its own flight.
Now both Pokémon rode currents of air Flygon's unpredictable and chaotic, Braviary's sharp and forceful.
"Air Slash!" Vince commanded.
Flygon dove, slicing the wind with its wings as shimmering blades of compressed air launched toward Braviary.
"Dodge and retaliate with Aerial Ace," Ren said smoothly.
Braviary twisted mid-flight, narrowly avoiding the Air Slash, then rocketed downward, white streaks of power trailing from its wings. It collided with Flygon's flank with a powerful slash, driving it back through the air.
The crowd winced. Mila smirked.
Flygon shrieked and flared its wings wide, regaining balance.
"Let's bring the Flame ! Fire Punch!"
The desert dragon swooped in low, gathering burst of flame around one clawed fist as it lunged for Braviary.
Ren's eyes flashed.
"Brave Bird."
Braviary's body ignited in blue flames of sheer willpower. It accelerated, becoming a comet of avian fury.
The two Pokémon collided midair, sending a thunderous shockwave across the courtyard. Dust exploded from the impact. Students shielded their eyes.
When the dust cleared—Flygon was down, twitching faintly in the sand. Braviary hovered briefly, then landed, panting but still standing.
"Flygon is unable to battle!"
Vince returned his partner with a nod. "Well damn, Ren. You don't miss."
Ren said nothing just straightened his collar.
---
"Alright," Vince said, his tone shifting. "Time to bring out the big one."
He threw his second Poké Ball.
"Let's go, Swampert!"
A rumble echoed as the massive, bipedal amphibian landed with a heavy thud. Its muscles flexed, mud dripping from its arms. The moment its feet hit the ground, the sandstorm intensified, kicked up by its entry.
Braviary, still recovering mid-flight, beat its wings.
"Keep your distance," Ren ordered. "Air Slash!"
Braviary launched a barrage of slashing air blades from above, targeting Swampert's broad frame.
"Take it and Rock Slide!"
Swampert growled, shielding itself with its forearms as stones rose from the ground and exploded upward, targeting Braviary's flight path. Several boulders clipped the bird's wings.
Braviary faltered in the air.
Ren's eyes narrowed. "Break through with Steel Wing."
Braviary glowed silver and dove, wings gleaming like blades.
Swampert stood its ground.
"Hammer Arm!"
The two clashed midair again Braviary slashing from above, Swampert swinging its powerful arm upward. Braviary cried out and was thrown back into the air, spinning slightly before catching itself.
It was slower now.
"Keep it grounded," Ren murmured. "Tailwind again."
Another wind picked up, trying to fight the sandstorm. But the storm had grown thicker Swampert was grounded, and Vince was controlling the field.
"Muddy Water!" Vince yelled.
Swampert slammed its fists into the earth, sending a wave of water and mud bursting forward. Braviary tried to evade, but its injuries slowed it.
The mud hit.
Braviary crashed into the ground with a grunt, wings coated in mud.
Ren's hands clenched.
"Brave Bird," he said softly.
Braviary rose shakily, the flame of effort burning bright once more. It launched toward Swampert, a final push.
But Swampert was ready.
"Ice Punch."
With a chilling roar, Swampert's fist gleamed with frost and collided with Braviary's head mid-lunge.
The impact was decisive.
Braviary hit the dirt hard and didn't rise.
"Braviary is unable to battle!"
---
Ren silently returned Braviary, his expression unreadable.
Across the field, Vince was panting, his Swampert bruised but upright.
"You really gave me a run," Vince called out. "It's been a while since I had to think that hard in a match."
Ren reached for his second Poké Ball.
"Now let's see how you handle this."
He tossed it calmly into the air.
The ball burst open and Lucario landed gracefully, blue fur bristling in the wind, eyes glowing faintly.
A murmur spread through the crowd.
Mila smiled to herself.
The match wasn't over.
It had just begun.
Vince smirked and pointed.
"Swampert—this is the real fight. Let's go!"
The final round had begun.
---
"Aura Sphere!" Ren commanded.
Lucario thrust both paws forward. A glowing ball of shimmering blue energy coalesced between its hands, pulsating like a heartbeat. With a sharp flick, it hurled the sphere across the field.
"Protect!" Vince barked.
Swampert raised one heavy forearm, summoning a glowing green shield just in time. The Aura Sphere slammed into it and exploded in a shimmer of light, but the Swampert remained unmoved.
"Now Hammer Arm!"
Swampert surged forward like a tidal wave. Its right arm glowed with blunt force energy as it closed the distance rapidly.
"Detect!"
Lucario's eyes shimmered faintly. In the blink of an eye, it stepped sideways and behind Swampert, narrowly avoiding the earth-shattering smash that cratered the battlefield.
The crowd gasped.
Lucario landed silently on the other side.
"Close combat," Ren said calmly.
Lucario vanished in a blur of speed and struck. Fist to jaw. Elbow to shoulder. Knee to chest. A barrage of precise, fluid attacks rained into Swampert's massive frame.
Swampert staggered under the flurry but then spun.
"Ice Punch NOW!"
Lucario didn't have time to dodge. Swampert's icy fist caught it across the ribs, sending it tumbling through the air. Lucario rolled and skidded across the stone before flipping upright.
Frost crackled across its fur.
---
"You're fast," Vince said. "But this is my terrain now."
"Swampert, Muddy Water!"
The ground shook as Swampert slammed both fists into the earth. A surge of filthy, murky water erupted from the ground, soaking the field and turning the terrain into a shallow, sludgy pool.
Lucario's footing slipped slightly.
"Cut through it," Ren ordered. "Extreme Speed."
Lucario blurred forward in a streak of blue light, launching toward Swampert like a bullet.
"Earth Power!"
Just as Lucario was inches away, Swampert stomped, and cracks exploded upward from beneath the mud, sending a blast of earthen energy through the field. The explosion hit Lucario mid-dash and launched it into the air.
Ren's fist clenched but Lucario twisted midair and landed on all fours, panting, but upright.
Then something strange happened.
---
For a split second, time seemed to slow.
Lucario's gaze locked onto Swampert's. Its pupils glowed blue and beneath the surface, a shimmer of blue light rippled across its body, barely perceptible.
Ren's eyes widened as a familiar warmth pulsed in his chest.
'No. Not now.'
He gritted his teeth and exhaled slowly, forcing the sensation back down.
The flicker of aura passed.
Neither Vince nor the instructor seemed to notice.
Lucario stood taller now, a slight glow radiating off its body like a subtle heat.
Ren's voice was firmer. "Counter stance."
Lucario spread its legs, brought its arms in front of its core, and waited.
---
"Let's break him down! Rock Slide!" Vince commanded.
From the muddy ground, jagged stones ripped upward and flew toward Lucario.
"Jump. Then Bone Rush."
Lucario leapt high into the air. While mid-flight, a glowing white staff of energy formed in its hand. As the rocks flew beneath, Lucario twisted and hurled the bone downward like a javelin.
It struck Swampert in the shoulder with a crack, staggering the behemoth.
Then Lucario landed and immediately sprinted forward.
The crowd roared as the two closed in once again.
"Close Combat!" Ren barked.
"Hydro Pump! full blast!" Vince shouted.
Just before Lucario could land the hit, Swampert opened its mouth and a geyser of water erupted forth.
Lucario braced itself but was overwhelmed by the blast and slammed backward into the arena wall, denting the stone.
The crowd collectively gasped.
Lucario fell to its knees.
---
"Finish it, Swampert! Hammer Arm!"
Swampert roared and charged, dragging its glowing arm behind like a hammer ready to fall.
Ren's eyes narrowed.
"Lucario. Charge Aura Sphere. Now!."
Lucario's arms surged with energy. It rose shakily, cupped its hands, and forged a glowing orb between its palms larger than before, crackling like a miniature star.
Swampert came closer.
"Release!"
Lucario thrust its arms forward, and the Aura Sphere launched.
It struck Swampert dead center in the chest point-blank.
The explosion lit the field in a burst of radiant light.
When the dust cleared, Swampert was on its knees.
Then it collapsed.
"Swampert is unable to battle! Lucario and Ren are the winners!"
---
The arena was quiet for a moment.
Then the crowd erupted.
Applause broke out in waves. Even the more reserved students clapped though a few nobles scowled in silence.
Mila grinned brightly and clapped over her head. "Let's go, Ren!"
Ren walked forward and approached Lucario, who was kneeling. He knelt beside it and placed a hand on its shoulder.
"You did well."
Lucario nodded, tired but proud.
Across the field, Vince returned Swampert with a fond grin. "That was wild. You really are a wall, Ren."
Ren stood and faced him.
Vince offered a hand.
Ren took it and for once, he actually smiled.