The morning air over Viridian City was heavy with anticipation.Wind rustled through the trees lining the road leading to the Gym — ancient oaks that had stood long before the first Pokémon League was founded. The sunlight shimmered faintly off the metallic badge case at Tharion's hip — seven badges gleaming like medals of war, one final slot waiting to be filled.
He stopped before the towering doors of the Viridian Gym, their polished surface engraved with shifting patterns of grass, ground, and normal-type insignias — a hybrid challenge for even the most seasoned of trainers.
Tharion inhaled deeply."Eight gyms… and this is where it all comes together."
Beside him, Lucario stood silently, eyes half-closed, aura pulsing faintly around its body in a steady rhythm. It sensed his resolve before he even spoke.
Tharion reached into his coat pocket, pulling out two objects: a Lucarionite bracelet, gleaming with radiant blue light, and a small silver ring embedded with a polished Keystone. He had reforged the Keystone into a ring weeks ago — a bond forged by trust and intention.
He knelt before Lucario, holding up the bracelet."This… belongs to you," Tharion said softly. "Your strength isn't just power — it's connection. You've earned this."
Lucario's crimson eyes softened. It extended its arm as Tharion fastened the Lucarionite bracelet around its wrist. The instant the clasp clicked shut, a low hum filled the air — faint ripples of blue light swirling around both trainer and Pokémon.
Tharion raised his ring, and for a brief second, both stones resonated.A flash of golden-blue aura surged between them — an unspoken promise.
Their hearts aligned.
The doors creaked open, revealing a vast, dimly lit arena. Columns of stone and steel framed the battlefield, and the faint scent of earth and moss filled the air.
At the far end stood a tall figure — the Viridian Gym Leader, cloaked in a green-black jacket, radiating quiet authority. His sharp gaze followed Tharion as he stepped forward.
"So… you're the one who's swept through the other Gyms in three months," the Leader said calmly. "Your reputation precedes you. Tell me, Tharion — what drives you to chase strength so relentlessly?"
Tharion's expression was composed but resolute. "I don't chase strength. I build it — for those who walk beside me."
A faint smile tugged at the Leader's lips. "A noble answer. Let's see if you can prove it."
He raised his hand. "This will be a three-on-three match. Standard rules. No switching unless a Pokémon faints."
Tharion nodded. "Understood."
"Nidoking, let's begin!"
The Leader's first Poké Ball burst open in a flash of crimson light — the colossal form of Nidoking emerged, its muscles coiled and horn gleaming. The ground trembled with each step.
Tharion smirked faintly. "Lucario… let's show him what aura truly means."
Lucario stepped forward, silent and composed, aura flickering around its frame.
"Battle start!"
The Leader didn't hesitate. "Nidoking, Earth Power!"
The ground exploded in molten energy, rushing toward Lucario."Double Team — now!" Tharion commanded.
Lucario's form blurred — a flurry of afterimages splitting in every direction. The attack struck only empty ground.
"Now — Aura Sphere!"
Dozens of orbs formed and launched like precision-guided missiles. Nidoking roared, crossing its arms, blocking several — but one struck directly in its chest.
The Gym Leader's eyes narrowed. "Smart. But not enough. Nidoking, Thunder Punch!"
Electricity cracked across its fist as it charged. The blow connected — but Lucario barely staggered. Aura shield shimmered around it, dissipating the shock.
Tharion's voice dropped. "Time to test it, partner."
He raised his right hand — the Keystone gleamed.Lucario's bracelet flared in response.
Their auras ignited in perfect sync, blue and gold intertwining like a rising flame.
"Lucario — Mega Evolve!"
A surge of radiant energy erupted — the air warped, wind howled through the arena. Lucario's form elongated, its spikes gleaming sharper, its aura sense amplifying to near-blinding levels.
Mega Lucario opened its eyes — and the entire battlefield seemed to bow to its presence.
Nidoking hesitated, instinctively stepping back.
Tharion extended his hand. "Close Combat!"
Mega Lucario vanished in a blur — striking with a flurry of blows so fast the air rippled from the force. Nidoking was thrown backward, crashing into the far wall.
When the dust settled, it lay unconscious.
"Winner: Lucario."
The Gym Leader's lips curved slightly upward. "Not bad at all."
The next Poké Ball opened with a heavy thud — Rhyperior emerged, its body like a fortress of stone.
Tharion exhaled slowly. "Stay sharp, Lucario."
The Leader's voice rang out. "Stone Edge!"
Spikes of jagged rock surged upward.Lucario dodged the first wave, but Rhyperior's aim was precise — the second barrage caught Lucario mid-air.
"Endure it!" Tharion called.Lucario landed hard but steadied itself, panting slightly.
"Counter with Aura Break!"
Lucario's aura flared violently, disrupting Rhyperior's charge. The stones cracked and shattered as blue energy tore through them.
"Rhyperior — Hammer Arm!""Intercept with Bullet Punch!"
The two collided — a sonic boom rippling through the arena. Both Pokémon staggered backward, barely standing.
The Leader grinned. "You've got nerve, boy."
Tharion's eyes hardened. "Lucario. Aura Pulse — full power."
Lucario clasped its hands together — aura condensed into a blinding sphere that pulsed with golden-blue light. The moment it released, the attack tore through Rhyperior's defenses, slamming it into the floor.
Silence followed.
Then, the Leader nodded once. "Rhyperior, return."
The Gym Leader pulled out his last Poké Ball — silver trimmed, unlike any Tharion had seen before.
From it emerged Flygon, wings shimmering with emerald dust. Its eyes glowed through red lenses as it hovered gracefully above the arena.
Tharion's pulse quickened.This one's special…
Lucario dropped to one knee, breathing heavily — its Mega form flickering slightly.
Tharion hesitated — but Lucario looked back and gave a faint nod.Let me finish this.
The Gym Leader gave the command. "Dragon Claw!"
Flygon descended in a flash. Lucario barely sidestepped, the claw grazing its shoulder. The two began trading blows midair, blue and green streaks intertwining like lightning.
Tharion clenched his fist. "Push past the limit — use Aura Storm!"
Lucario crossed its arms, aura bursting outward into a cyclone of gold and blue energy — spiraling like a vortex that consumed the air itself. Flygon roared, countering with Dragon Pulse — the two attacks collided, shaking the entire Gym.
For a moment, it seemed like neither would give way — until Lucario's aura flared brighter, golden light overwhelming the green.
The explosion of energy sent shockwaves across the floor.
When the dust cleared, Flygon lay fainted. Lucario, exhausted but standing, lowered its head — victorious.
The referee raised his hand. "Winner — Tharion of Pallet!"
The Gym Leader smiled, recalling Flygon. "That was more than just strength… it was harmony."
He approached, holding out a glimmering green-and-silver badge — the Earth Badge. "You've earned this. And something more."
He extended a small crystal orb — faintly humming with ground-type energy. "A gift. It resonates with earth's essence — perhaps useful for your Tyranitar someday."
Tharion accepted both with a respectful bow. "Thank you."
As he turned to Lucario, the aura Pokémon knelt slightly, exhausted but proud.Tharion smiled. "You were incredible."
Lucario's eyes glowed softly, aura shimmering faintly around both of them — as if whispering, We did this together.
The bond between them pulsed one final time before fading to calm equilibrium.
Eight badges.
A complete journey.
But beyond this battle… lay the League itself.
The silver badge case gleamed faintly under the sunlight as Tharion stood before the familiar oak trees of Pallet Town, the wind brushing through his coat. Eight badges — each a symbol of hard-earned triumphs — rested neatly within. His eyes softened as he exhaled, the last few months flashing through his mind: the battles, the training, the bonds he'd forged. But even with the League just seven days away, there was one last step to complete.
Inside Professor Oak's lab, the familiar hum of machines filled the air. The old professor turned from his desk, surprise melting into pride."Tharion, my boy… eight badges already. I had a feeling you'd do it," Oak said warmly. "Your progress is… extraordinary."
Tharion gave a humble smile. "Thank you, Professor. But there's something else I wanted to ask."
He lifted his hand, revealing the Lucarionite bracelet, still pulsing faintly with a deep azure glow. "You've studied Mega Evolution before, right?"
Professor Oak's eyebrows rose. "Indeed I have. But—"
Before he could finish, Tharion pressed his fingers to the silver ring on his other hand. The keystone within began to shimmer, light spilling between his knuckles. A sudden surge of aura filled the room — deep, resonant, powerful.
Outside, Lucario stood silently under the open sky, the wind swirling around it.Tharion's voice rang out, calm yet commanding:"Lucario — Mega Evolve!"
A blinding spiral of blue and white engulfed the Pokémon, raw aura bursting outward in concentric waves. Dust and leaves whipped into the air as Lucario's form shifted — its aura sensors lengthened, its energy more vibrant than ever before.
The transformation ended with a crack of power that left Oak speechless.The professor's glasses glinted as he slowly whispered, "So it's true… Mega Evolution born of trust and resonance."
Tharion's voice was steady, eyes never leaving Lucario's glowing frame. "It's not just power, Professor. It's a harmony between souls."
As Lucario's Mega form faded, Tharion withdrew the ring, pocketing it carefully. "I came to ask — do you know of a similar stone for Charizard?"
Oak smiled knowingly. "Ah, the Charizardite stones. Yes… there are two. Each tied to a different nature of fire and will. One grants overwhelming physical might — the other, unmatched control over flames. But finding one… that's not easy."
Tharion's expression softened. "That's fine. I'll find it when the time is right."
He nodded respectfully and left the lab, Nina following beside him. As they stepped into the open road, the sunlight flared against their aura shields."Ready to head home?" he asked.
Nina smiled. "Always."
A pulse of white light enveloped them both — the teleportation crystal in Tharion's pocket activated. In a blink, they vanished from the quiet town…
They reappeared before the grand mountain villa, its spires wrapped in vines and stone carvings of dragon heads. The evening air here was clean, still, and alive with energy. Pokémon roamed freely — the results of months of exploration and catching.
Tharion walked through the open courtyard, eyes scanning the familiar faces:his towering Charizard, proud and scarred from a hundred battles;Lucario, kneeling in meditation;Tyranitar, radiating an earthen aura;Ferrothorn, coiled near the training wall;Noivern, wings folded as it hung from the rafters;and the obsidian-scaled Gyarados, the newest addition — a rare black variant whose presence made the air ripple with raw dominance.
Nina followed close, her team stepping forward — Haunter, drifting mischievously; Bouldore, rumbling low; Luxray, glowing with quiet pride as it knelt to let her slide off its back; and Butterfree, fluttering softly above her.
As they reached the heart of the villa grounds, Tharion turned and released a small core crystal glowing with sandy light. "Tyranitar," he said, tossing it forward. "You've earned this."
Tyranitar caught the crystal, its eyes flashing as the ground energy surged into its core, deepening the brown armor and strengthening its connection to the earth.
Next, he produced a small, faintly glowing Everstone Core. "Bouldore," he said gently, nodding to Nina. "Before you evolve, you need this — to stabilize your body. Let it merge with your energy."
The Bouldore rumbled, lowering its head respectfully as the core sank into its rocky chest, glowing like a heartbeat.
Nearby, a familiar rustle drew Tharion's gaze. From beneath the old tree — the same one where she'd first greeted him months ago — the elder Lucario, his Lucario's mother, stepped out. Her eyes were calmer now, her stance more solid. Yet her aura pulsed faintly brighter — she had recovered.
Her gaze shifted to Lucario, then to Tharion."She wishes to train him herself," Tharion murmured, reading her aura.He nodded. "Go on, Lucario. Learn everything she can teach."
Lucario bowed to him before following his mother into the forest, their twin auras flickering like blue fire before fading into the trees.
Tharion smiled faintly, his gaze softening. "She's waited a long time to do that."
As the others dispersed into their training zones, a small movement near the villa wall caught his attention. A Ralts — one that had been living quietly there since the beginning — peeked out. Its eyes glimmered as it watched Nina with her team.
The Ralts had once been offered to her as her first partner — but she'd chosen Shinx back then. Now, seeing Luxray, majestic and strong, pride and longing twisted in Ralts' chest.
Tharion felt it — a flicker of jealousy, buried beneath admiration.He smiled faintly, placing a hand on Nina's shoulder. "You should go meet an old friend."
Nina turned, her eyes softening as she saw the Ralts trying to hide its face. "Hey… you still remember me?" she asked gently.
Ralts trembled, then nodded, stepping forward hesitantly. Nina knelt and extended her hand."I'd still love for you to come with me. Will you?"
The small Pokémon hesitated only a moment before leaping into her arms, its aura flaring with joy.Tharion's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Welcome to the team, Ralts."
Night fell across the mountain villa, the stars reflecting off the tranquil lake below.Charizard and Gyarados circled in the distance, roaring playfully. Tyranitar's footsteps shook the ground as it practiced its strikes, while Ferrothorn's vines whipped through the air like steel lashes. Nina and Luxray sat near the villa porch, Ralts asleep on her lap.
Tharion stood silently at the edge of the cliffs, gazing at the horizon. The wind carried whispers of the coming League — challengers, champions, destiny.
He clenched his fist."Seven days," he murmured. "Seven days until the world sees what we've built."
Behind him, the faint shimmer of aura light flickered — the mark of a bond that had long transcended strength.The calm before the storm had begun.