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The shift from the sterile Battle Factory to the coiled, serpentine architecture of the Battle Pike was like stepping into a different world. The building itself is a massive Seviper, and the air smells of jasmine and danger.
"The Pike, huh?" May said, her eyes narrowing as she adjusted her bandana. She leaned in close, her Lucha-mask-wearing face inches from mine. "You're really eager to visit Queen Lucy, aren't you, Jake? Something about her 'tactics' you find... interesting?"
"It's for the Symbol, May! Purely professional!" I stammered, feeling the Stamina Band spike from my own nervousness.
🐍 The Battle Pike Gauntlet: Luck of the Draw
Because Blaze and Genji are May's partners, I had to reorganize the Titan Squad for this run. The Pike is a series of rooms where you choose one of three doors—one leads to a battle, one to a status ailment, and one to a recovery.
The Team: Kage (Sceptile) for speed, Tammy (Liepard) for her "Luck-Acquisition" skills, and Cobra (Poipole) for the raw unpredictable power.
The Rooms: Tammy was in her element. She'd sniff the doors, her tail twitching. Every time she hissed at a door, we avoided a Kirlia with Will-O-Wisp. When she purred, we found a lady who healed our team.
The Struggle: Kage had to carry us through a brutal room filled with wild Dusclops, but he used the "Verdant Sun" style to slice through the shadows without breaking a sweat.
👑 The Queen of the Pike: Lucy
We finally reached the inner sanctum. Lucy was draped across a velvet sofa, her eyes sharp and cold, several Seviper coiling around her throne. She stood up with a fluid, predatory grace that made May's grip on my arm tighten significantly.
"So, the 'Anomaly' finally crawls into my den," Lucy purred, her gaze lingering just a second too long.
I signaled Lens. "Now! Hit the track!"
[The Intro: The soulful, choral opening of "Like a Prayer" (Deadpool & Wolverine Version)] As the heavy beat kicked in, the choir's "Life is a mystery..." echoed off the stone walls. The vibe shifted from a Pokémon battle to a high-stakes cinematic showdown.
The Lead: Lucy sent out her Seviper. I sent out Cobra.The Clash: As the music swelled into the rock-heavy chorus, the two "Serpents" clashed. Seviper used Poison Tail, but Cobra used the Dragon Slayer's Secret Art, spinning like a purple drill through the venom.
The Switch: Lucy brought out Milotic. Its Mirror Coat was a nightmare. I looked at the crowd—May was glaring at Lucy, and Lucy was staring at me.
"Kage! Finish this with style!"
[The Crescendo: "I'll take you there!"] Kage erupted from his Poké Ball as the "Portals" style brass hit. He didn't just use Leaf Blade; he used the momentum of the music to perform a X-Scissor that was so fast it left green afterimages in the shape of a cross. The Milotic went down.
🏅 The Silver Luck Symbol
Lucy let out a sharp breath, her cold exterior cracking into a smirk. She walked over, leaning in to pin the Silver Luck Symbol on my jacket. "You have a certain... spark, Jake. Most trainers blink when I look at them. You didn't."
"He has a girlfriend!" May shouted from the sidelines, waving her arms.
[Chat Log: THE PIKE DRAMA]
GymBro_Chuck: LUCY VS MAY! THE REAL BATTLE OF HOENN!
IceCreamQueen_C: The music choice was 10/10. It made the Seviper fight look like a movie.
Master_Oak: The way Cobra adapted to Seviper's poison... the Slayer training is already showing results.
As we walked out, May was unusually quiet, just humming "Like a Prayer" under her breath and practicing her "Front Double Bicep" pose. I have a feeling the next facility is going to be even more intense.