"Sceptilleeee!"
"Gwoooooooo!"
As the light from the Mega Stones began to fade, Mega Sceptile and Mega Gyarados appeared with mighty roars, both glaring at the Galarian Moltres hovering in the sky, intimidating their opponent.
"Faaaaaaaiii!"
The Galarian Moltres responded with a roar of its own, now on high alert, wary of the two formidable Mega-evolved Pokémon before it. Even a powerful Legendary like Galarian Moltres couldn't afford to ignore Mega Sceptile and Mega Gyarados.
"...So? What's your plan?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb. You don't know my or Gyarados's battle style, which means you can't fight a proper tag battle with us."
Jin and Amethio were originally enemies. Though they had battled each other several times before, they had never fought together as a team. Jin didn't know what moves Gyarados would use or what Amethio's battle tactics were, making it impossible to synchronize their efforts. In fact, a poorly coordinated attack might only worsen their situation.
"You're not foolish enough to overlook that fact. And yet, you still chose to team up with me. You must have a plan in mind, right?"
"Heh... Glad you're quick to understand."
Jin never thought that pairing up with Amethio would result in flawless teamwork to take down Galarian Moltres. If that had been his intention, he would have taken the risk of fighting with only his own Pokémon, no matter how dangerous that might have been.
In this situation, Jin only needed one thing from Amethio.
"Give me three minutes. Just buy me that much time."
"Three minutes?"
"Yes. I'm going to have Sceptile prepare a move. It's going to take that much time for it to be ready."
"…And with that move, can you defeat it?"
"I don't know for sure how well it'll work against something like that, but I can guarantee its power."
Jin had used this move before when they had docked their ship in an isolated area. While it hadn't caused any damage then, he concluded it was too dangerous to ever use on board. If he could land this attack, even against a Legendary Pokémon, it might deal a fatal blow.
"So, what's it going to be? If it's too difficult, I don't mind if you run away now."
"…Fine. Gyarados!"
"Groooaa!"
Responding to Amethio's command, Gyarados stepped forward, positioning itself in front of Sceptile and facing Galarian Moltres. Taking that as a cue, Sceptile jumped back near Jin and Amethio to start preparing its move.
"By the way…"
Amethio stepped forward and spoke to Jin over his shoulder, never taking his eyes off Galarian Moltres.
"Buying time is fine, but what if I manage to defeat it before your move is ready?"
"…Hah, go ahead. I'd love to see you try. Show me what you've got!"
With Jin's approval, Amethio locked eyes with Galarian Moltres. The overwhelming pressure and aura of fury emanating from the Legendary Pokémon would have paralyzed any ordinary person with fear, draining their will to fight.
But Amethio didn't flinch, standing tall and unshaken.
"Faaaaaaai!"
Moltres, hovering in the cave, flapped its wings, sending out multiple blades of air toward Gyarados.
"Gyarados! Smash the ground with 'Aqua Tail'!"
Gyarados wrapped its tail in water and slammed it into the ground with all its might, launching itself high into the air and avoiding the air blades. It soared above Galarian Moltres, seizing the high ground.
"'Ice Fang'!"
As Gyarados flew up near the cave ceiling, it coated its sharp fangs in ice and aimed straight for Galarian Moltres's neck, sinking its frozen teeth into the Legendary bird.
"Faii?!"
Hit with a super effective 'Ice Fang,' Galarian Moltres let out a pained screech, thrashing its body from side to side, desperately trying to shake Gyarados off.
"Gyarados! Don't let it escape yet!"
"Gwoooaa!"
However, Gyarados clenched its jaws even tighter, continuing to bite down on Galarian Moltres with all its might. Its fangs were deeply embedded into Moltres, making it nearly impossible to shake loose. The continued damage from the 'Ice Fang' was taking its toll on the Legendary Bird.
---
(…This is beyond my expectations.)
Watching the battle between Gyarados and Galarian Moltres from behind, Jin was genuinely impressed by the strength of Amethio and his Gyarados.
It hadn't been long since Amethio had learned to Mega Evolve. Despite that, the way he had mastered it to this degree was impressive and worthy of praise.
"Sceptile, begin the preparations."
"Scep!"
Right now, Galarian Moltres was fully focused on fighting Amethio and Gyarados, paying no attention to Jin and Sceptile. This was the perfect moment. Sceptile could prepare for its move without fear of being attacked.
"'Energy Charge!'"
Sceptile began forming an 'Energy Ball' at its mouth, then swallowed it. Normally, at this point, a green aura of grass energy would envelop its entire body. But this time, something was different.
Sceptile controlled the energy from the 'Energy Ball' within its body, slowly concentrating it not throughout its body but into the grass on its right arm.
"…Scep."
"Sceptile, stay focused on controlling the energy."
Sceptile seemed worried about the battle between Gyarados and Galarian Moltres, but after Jin's reminder, it nodded and continued concentrating the energy.
(I understand how you feel…)
It was a fierce battle, one fought with Amethio's full strength—an opponent that would surely stand in their way in the future. It was only natural to want to take it all in. But even if their alliance was temporary, Amethio was acting as their shield, drawing Moltres's attention. Wasting his efforts would be unacceptable.
The preparation would take about three minutes. As Amethio and Gyarados continued their desperate battle against Galarian Moltres, Jin and Sceptile quietly pressed forward with their own plans for victory.
---
"Faaaargh!"
Sensing the accumulating damage, Galarian Moltres determined that it couldn't take much more and decided to ram both Gyarados and itself hard into the cave wall. Though Moltres also sustained damage, the impact finally forced Gyarados to release its bite.
"Faaa... faah..."
However, the combined damage from Gyarados's 'Ice Fang' and the crash against the wall had taken a significant toll on Galarian Moltres, leaving it breathing heavily.
"Don't give it any chance to recover! Use 'Surf!'"
If Moltres were given an opening, it would likely counter with its fierce 'Fiery Wrath.' Without a defensive move like 'Protect,' it would be nearly impossible to avoid. The only option was to keep the pressure on, leaving no room for Moltres to retaliate.
Despite being inside a cave, Gyarados summoned a massive wave, creating a tsunami to swallow Moltres whole.
"Faaaai!"
But with a mighty flap of its wings, Galarian Moltres countered with 'Hurricane,' generating a tornado larger than the tsunami itself. It turned the tide, engulfing the wave and pulling Gyarados into the storm instead.
"What!?"
The 'Hurricane,' now resembling a violent whirlpool, trapped Gyarados inside, dealing continuous damage.
"Not yet! Gyarados, climb up with 'Waterfall!'"
Using sheer force, Gyarados fought its way up through the whirlpool, charging forward with the momentum, directly toward Galarian Moltres.
"Ice Fang!"
Gyarados aimed to sink its icy fangs into Moltres once again. But as Gyarados approached, Moltres surrounded its entire body with a blue aura and charged head-on to meet Gyarados.
"Faaaaiiiiii!"
The clash between Gyarados's 'Ice Fang' and Moltres's 'Sky Attack' ended in Moltres's favor, sending Gyarados flying into the cave wall.
"Gyarados!?"
Seeing Gyarados crash against the wall, Amethio cried out in despair.
"Gwooo... Gwoooaa..."
Though Gyarados lifted its head and glared at Moltres, it was clearly exhausted from the relentless battle. Even Moltres could see that Gyarados was nearing its limit.
"Faaaah!"
Galarian Moltres rose toward the ceiling, spreading its wings wide. The fiery aura around its body twisted into a dark, malevolent force. It was preparing to unleash 'Fiery Wrath,' and Gyarados, battered and worn, could neither stop nor avoid the attack.
"...Is this it?" Amethio muttered, frustration in his voice.
But at that very moment, a voice called out from behind him.
"No, you've held out well."
"!?"
Amethio turned to see Jin standing behind him, alongside a fully prepared Mega Sceptile, who had finished controlling the grass energy from its 'Energy Charge.'
"Time for a change. Let's go, Sceptile!"
"Scep!"
At Jin's command, Sceptile crouched low, positioning its left foot forward and raising its right arm high. The energy gathered from 'Energy Charge' concentrated into Sceptile's right arm, transforming it into an enormous 'Leaf Blade.'
"Forest's Flash!"
At the exact moment Moltres unleashed 'Fiery Wrath,' Sceptile dashed forward with incredible speed, almost as if it had used 'Extreme Speed,' slicing through the air. Before Moltres's flames could engulf the cave, Sceptile reached it and struck both of its wings in quick succession.
"!? Faaaiiii!?"
Only after being struck did Moltres realize Sceptile had gotten so close, but it was too late. The attack interrupted its move, and with a painful screech, Galarian Moltres fell to the ground.
Sceptile, who had sprinted through the cave and slashed Moltres as it passed by, planted its left arm into the ground to stop its momentum. Then, with its energized right arm, Sceptile slammed it into the cave floor, sending the grass energy surging beneath the earth. The energy transformed into thick vines that quickly coiled around the falling Moltres, ensnaring and squeezing it tightly.
"Finish it, Sceptile!"
On Jin's signal, the concentrated energy in the vines began to gather at their center. A green aura pulsed from the vines, and in the next moment, a massive explosion erupted, shaking the entire cave as the green light filled the space.
When Jin and Amethio looked toward the center of the explosion, they saw Galarian Moltres sprawled on the ground, wings outstretched, lying face-down.
"Faa... faaai..."
Though it had fallen, Moltres was still conscious. Its voice, weak but present, indicated it was struggling to rise once more.
(Even after taking that hit, it's still conscious...)
Though it appeared unlikely that the battle could continue, one could never be too cautious when dealing with a Legendary Pokémon.
"Sceptile, finish it with 'Leaf Bla—!?"
Jin stopped mid-command when he saw Sceptile. The Mega Evolution and the 'Energy Charge' enhancement had both worn off, and Sceptile had returned to its normal form. It was breathing heavily, down on one knee from exhaustion. Though it tried to stand and take a stance at Jin's call, it was clear that the toll from 'Forest's Flash' was far greater than anticipated.
(...Seems like this is as far as we go.)
"Sceptile, that's enough."
Sceptile, with the last of its energy, had begun to form another 'Leaf Blade,' but Jin stopped it.
"Scept?"
"We've already achieved what we set out to do. There's no need to push any further."
After calming down, Jin remembered that their original goal had been to buy time for Liko and the others to escape. That goal had already been accomplished—Liko and the others had likely already made it out of the mine by now. There was no reason to continue the battle against Moltres.
Moreover, Galarian Moltres, like Arboliva, was one of the six heroes' Pokémon. It was likely to be a key figure in their journey. Ideally, they'd want to form an alliance with it in the future, so it was best to avoid any unnecessary hostilities.
"...Sceptile."
"Yes, you did well. Return now."
Understanding Jin's thoughts, Sceptile quietly returned to its Poké Ball. Galarian Moltres, still unable to comprehend what was happening, glared at Jin.
"You're free to go now."
"Fai?"
"I really wanted to talk to you, but now's not the time for that."
Galarian Moltres, despite being on the verge of defeat, had calmed down somewhat but still radiated intense anger. While Jin needed to establish cooperation with it, that would require the pendant connected to the Six Heroes and the ancient Poké Ball holding Arboliva.
"We'll be back here again. If you're still itching for a fight, I'll take you on then."
Moltres silently glared at Jin. Jin met its gaze without flinching, the two locked in a tense, silent stare. After a few moments, Moltres finally faltered, flapping its wings and flying unsteadily toward the tunnel it had entered from, disappearing from view.
"...Man, that was exhausting."
After battling yet another legendary Pokémon, following the encounter with Darkrai, the moment Jin thought it was over, a wave of exhaustion swept over him. He leaned his back against the cave wall and sat down.
"...Why did you let it escape?"
Amethio, who had been observing the battle between Sceptile and Moltres, returned his injured Gyarados to its Poké Ball and looked down at Jin, questioning him.
"There's a lot going on with me too."
In the past, simply defeating and capturing Moltres would have been enough. But now, Jin had a higher purpose—protecting Liko and uncovering the mysteries of the pendant with his companions. It wasn't just about winning battles anymore.
"Oh, right. We were supposed to continue our battle, weren't we? Shall we get started?"
"...No, that won't be necessary."
"What?"
Jin stood up, remembering his promise to Amethio, and reached for the Poké Balls of his other Pokémon—Sceptile, Gardevoir, Salamence, and Darkrai—when Amethio suddenly refused to continue the battle.
"What's your game?"
"...I hate to admit it, but I know now. I can't beat you, not yet."
The technique Sceptile had shown at the end, the "Forest's Flash," and the unexpected appearance of Darkrai protecting Amethio from Moltres—there were too many unknowns. As much as Amethio had grown stronger, Jin had clearly grown even stronger, if not more. Amethio couldn't deny that reality.
"...If you're leaving, do as you wish."
Amethio was undoubtedly an enemy. But in this instance, they had formed a temporary alliance. Now that Amethio had no intention of continuing the battle, Jin hesitated to strike first. Besides, after all the back-to-back battles, Jin himself was nearing his limits. He didn't have the energy left to chase down a retreating opponent.
"I will become stronger and face you again. Until then, I won't lose to anyone."
With those parting words, Amethio turned his back to Jin and walked into a different tunnel from where Moltres had disappeared, vanishing into the shadows.
"...Seriously."
Jin muttered under his breath as he watched Amethio leave, having said his piece and not giving Jin a chance to respond.
"But… it's kind of exciting."
This feeling was something Jin hadn't experienced during his solo travels. Back then, he had no rivals—no one who could match his strength and continuously push themselves to catch up, like Amethio.
In Hoenn, no such opponent existed.
The other kids Jin had grown up with might have admired his strength and talent, but none had seriously believed they could beat him. Some swore revenge after their first loss, but after losing several times, they eventually gave up. But Amethio was different. No matter how many times he lost, he kept coming back stronger, always challenging Jin again. He might be the first true rival Jin ever had.
"So this is… what it feels like to have a rival."
Amethio would continue growing stronger to defeat Jin. And in preparation for that, Jin knew he had to grow even stronger too. Just thinking about their inevitable rematch made him look forward to it.
// END
The technique "Forest's Flash" that Sceptile used is from Pokkén Tournament. Although I've never played it myself, a reader introduced it to me, and I used it as a reference for this battle.
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