"Come back, Gardevoir. You did great out there."
Wally recalled his partner with a soft word of comfort before slowly drawing his next Poké Ball.
Originally, before knowing that Trainers like Calem had already captured Legendary Pokémon, he had planned to keep this Pokémon as his trump card—a secret weapon to unleash at just the right time.
But the pace of reality had changed far too quickly. Now that so many of these "main characters" had already revealed at least one Legendary or Mythical Pokémon, there was no point in hiding anymore.
Even if he held back, there was little chance of defeating opponents of this caliber. Better to go all-out and prove the true measure of his own strength.
"Rest well." Paul said coolly.
He lifted a hand, his eyes flashing blue as he used telekinesis to guide Samurott's twin seamitars back into their sheaths. Only then did he recall the fallen warrior.
For a moment, his gaze locked with Wally's. Then, together, they cast their new Poké Balls onto the field.
"Aggron, prepare for battle!"
"AGGRRR!!"
The metallic titan landed with a crash, its alloy body quaking the ground as it let out a roar that shook the stadium.
"Diancie, I choose you!"
From Wally's Poké Ball emerged a Pokémon crowned with a radiant pink diamond, its white gown flowing like a skirt, its lower half formed from raw rose-colored ore. She looked every bit the Diamond Princess, playful and delicate in form—yet her gaze was nothing of the sort.
There was no fragility there, no pretense of a pampered sovereign. Her eyes shone with resolve, like those of a knight sworn to battle.
The moment she touched the ground, the Spikes detonated beneath her feet, sending her staggering from the trap damage.
"So you're my opponent? Then let us settle this!"
Even wounded, Diancie raised her hand, conjuring a shimmering Diamond Sword, and leveled the blade at Aggron without a trace of fear.
"A Mythical Pokémon that can speak?!"
The crowd erupted in hushed shock.
It was well-known: most Pokémon could not speak the human tongue unless born with the ability or trained thoroughly for it. Even among Legendaries, only a handful could communicate through telepathy.
To see one speak outright—let alone in such commanding tones, was stunning.
"An interesting Pokémon…" Paul admitted. He hadn't expected Wally to bring out Diancie, nor for her to be matched against his own Aggron. It was a strangely fitting pairing.
In truth, Paul had chosen Aggron simply because it hadn't battled another Trainer in a long time.
Type advantage rested with Aggron. Level advantage lay with Diancie. The outcome was anyone's guess.
"Diancie, your opponent is no ordinary one. Give it your all—Mega Evolution!"
"I shall fight with everything I have."
Diancie raised her crystalline sword, her body lifting gracefully into the air as radiant light engulfed her. The diamond atop her head reshaped into a heart, from which two white veils flowed. Golden arcs ringed her waist, neck, and gown, while the ore beneath her transformed into an immense pink diamond, surrounded by long diamond pillars.
Mega Diancie—on stage!
Her transformed body gleamed with elegance and might. Even the casually summoned diamond sword in her hand now looked like a flawless work of art, sharp enough to carve the heavens.
"…Not bad. Aggron, Mega Evolve!"
Paul pushed back his sleeve, revealing the Keystone on his wrist.
The stone resonated with Aggron's hidden Mega Stone, light bursting forth as his Pokémon transformed. Aggron's forehead horn lengthened to a spearpoint; twin blade-like horns jutted from his snout; his shoulder armor sharpened into spikes; his steel-ringed arms bristled with weapons; and his tail thickened, bound with gleaming silver bands.
"Full power. Now!"
"AGGRRR!!"
Aggron sneered, his eyes blazing with crimson. Metallic light surged across his body, and an ear-splitting shriek of steel resounded through the arena.
The Rage State, Bloodline Mode—activated!
The tactical combo: Metal Sound, Screech, Iron Defense, and Rock Polish—all unleashed at once!
In an instant, the already fearsome titan transformed into a primordial juggernaut—his aura was overwhelming, his noise deafening.
"What kind of strategy is this…?!"
Even Diancie, who had been ready to charge in, was stunned. The cacophony rattled her ears, leaving her clutching her head, unable to hear anything beyond the shrill roar.
The battle had only just begun, yet she could no longer make out her Trainer's commands.
Sure, she could glance back to read Wally's lips—but in the heat of battle, who had the luxury to do so?
"AGGRRR!!"
Aggron grinned wickedly, unleashing a Flash Cannon from his maw as he stomped the ground to trigger a devastating Earthquake.
Two attacks in tandem.
Diancie raised her sword, cleaving the cannon blast apart, and then floated skyward to evade the tremors.
But as she watched Aggron fortifying himself further, her gemlike eyes narrowed. With a swift motion, she invoked Psych Up, copying the beast's strengthened stats for herself.
Her mind was sharp—within moments she felt her defenses harden, her speed quicken. The next instant, she blurred forward, her blade flashing as she struck.
A shallow cut—but on Mega Aggron, it left a visible scar.
Super effective!
Paul's telepathic voice cut through the din to his partner:
"Stop fortifying. Abandon tactics. Metal Burst!"
Aggron absorbed the blow, then suddenly seized Diancie's sword with one massive hand. With the other, he swung a crushing fist at her.
The incoming force was monstrous. Diancie quickly abandoned her weapon and conjured a Diamond Shield to block.
CRASH!!
Aggron's iron fist shattered the shield like glass, his punch slamming into Diancie's side and sending her flying back.
"Earthquake!"
The moment her feet brushed the ground, the earth split beneath her, shockwaves blasting upward. Wracked with pain, she quickly lifted off again to avoid further damage.
But even as she regained her height, Aggron charged, his whole body cloaked in steel—launching into a devastating Heavy Slam.
Caught off guard, Diancie hastily conjured a massive pink diamond barrier before her.
BOOM!!
Its hardness surpassed ordinary diamond, bolstered by mystical energy. Even Yveltal's Oblivion Wing could not easily shatter it.
Yet, against Aggron's full-powered Slam, cracks spidered instantly across its surface. Within a second, the diamond exploded into glittering shards.
And when the fragments cleared—Aggron was gone.
For most, that brief moment would have been too short to react. But with her Psych Up-boosted speed, it was more than enough.
By the time Aggron's attack missed its mark, Diancie had already countered.
Her feet touched the ground as she thrust both hands forward:
"Sand Tomb, Earth Power!!"
The piercing metallic screeches had only just ceased when Wally seized his chance.
The instant Aggron stopped roaring, the earth beneath it collapsed into a swirling vortex. From within, a surge of searing geothermal force erupted upward, the two powers fusing into a deadly assault that tore at Aggron's body.
It's super effective!
Ground-type moves held the upper hand against Steel-types, but Mega Aggron's Filter ability blunted the damage of super-effective attacks, keeping the punishment just within its limits.
"Diamond Storm!"
Even while maintaining the dual assault, Diancie raised her hand. Instantly, countless diamonds materialized from thin air, spinning into a storm that fused with the whirlpool of sand. The spectacle engulfed Aggron in an all-encompassing tempest.
The radiant storm was breathtaking to behold, but inside it, Aggron felt no beauty—only relentless, and stinging pain. Its health was being shredded away by the multi-layered onslaught.
"Rock Tomb—then hit with Take Down!"
Aggron forced boulders into place beneath its feet, anchoring itself above the quicksand trap. From this platform, it gathered strength and launched upward with terrifying force.
Given a footing, the Alloy Beast could finally strike back. Take Down, compounded by its stat boosts, exploded with overwhelming power. The rampage shattered every diamond barrier in its path.
But the moment Aggron broke free of the storm, a gleaming Diamond Sword cleaved into its face, knocking the steel titan from the sky.
"Earth Power!"
Floating aloft, Diancie conjured several more blades of crystal and hurled them downward. Each embedded itself into the ground around Aggron and then detonated, releasing a surge of molten energy that erupted beneath it.
Super effective!
"Stone Edge!"
A forest of jagged, azure-hued pillars erupted from the earth, dispersing the magma wave while spreading across the entire battlefield. Within seconds, the arena had transformed into a crystalline labyrinth of stone spires.
"What's he planning…?"
Diancie hesitated. The field clearly restricted her movement, but she could slice through the obstacles if she wished. To be safe, she floated higher, refusing to descend into the stone forest.
"Diamond Storm!" Wally called.
"Rock Tomb." Paul countered.
Once more, a storm of radiant gems spiraled forth, tearing through half the field and smashing the stone pillars one by one. But at the same time, countless massive boulders materialized overhead, plummeting in an indiscriminate bombardment.
The Diamond Storm deflected half, but the other half rained downward.
"Smack Down!"
Diancie hurled her blade skyward, shattering the descending boulders into rubble. She dismissed the rest, focusing her energy on amplifying the diamond gale around Aggron.
Then—her heart skipped. The falling rocks froze in midair, glowing white-hot as a hidden power surged within them.
"BOOM!!"
The explosion tore the battlefield apart. Dust and debris blanketed everything, reducing visibility to nothing.
The Diamond Princess reeled from the surprise blast. Though her injuries remained manageable, she was left disoriented, her radiant form stained and battered.
Somewhere in the haze, an eerie metallic roar echoed.
When she steadied herself and peered through the smoke—Aggron was gone.
Her eyes widened. The Alloy Beast had already closed the distance.
On instinct, Diancie raised a diamond barrier. But in the blink of an eye, Mega Aggron's Take Down crushed through every layer, its massive body slamming her into the ground with earth-shaking force.
THUD!!
The impact tore the dust cloud apart, revealing the once-poised princess now pinned beneath the merciless weight of the steel juggernaut.
It was like a scene from a fable—Princess and Beast. Except this Beast knew nothing of chivalry.
Aggron's maw opened wide, unleashing a point-blank Flash Cannon. Its alloy claws tore into Diancie's white gown-like body with unrelenting fury.
Her skirt wasn't true fabric and could not be shredded, but each blow seared pain deep into her being.
Steel-type attacks struck with quadruple effectiveness against her Rock/Fairy typing.
Diancie fought to endure. Summoning her will, she tried to form another Diamond Sword to counter, but Aggron anticipated her. With one massive claw, it pinned both her arms to the ground, continuing its brutal assault with the other.
Though Diancie was a Mythical Pokémon, her immense vitality and defenses bolstered by Calm Mind, the combined barrage of Flash Cannon and Iron Claw slowly wore her down.
"AGGRRR!" Aggron roared.
At last, Diancie's strength gave out. Her body went limp. Aggron rose to its feet, kicking her aside before bellowing to the heavens, declaring its triumph.
"Diancie is unable to battle! Aggron wins! Since all of Wally's Pokémon are unable to continue, the victory goes to Paul!" The referee announced.
"Return… and rest well, Diancie."
Wally recalled the Diamond Princess with care, his heart was heavy. He glanced at Paul, who merely gave a respectful nod to the referee.
'So strong… As expected of Sinnoh's greatest Trainer, I can't compare at all. And this is without even bringing out his strongest Pokémon—or Mewtwo.'
"Paul, I wish you success in the World Coronation Series. My partners and I will keep striving to improve."
"…Mm. Do your best."
With that, Paul turned and walked away.
(End of Chapter)
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