"Overheat!"
When Stephen's GA Altaria was hit, Malva made a snap decision and commanded her GA Houndoom to unleash its strongest move.
Houndoom twisted its neck, its temperature burning to the extre. Superheated flas, shifting from red to white, poured out.
It felt as if she'd completely forgotten this was just an exhibition match.
"Cotton Guard."
Stephen glanced at the firestorm descending from the sky. Even with Altaria's resistance to fire, taking a move like that wouldn't be pleasant.
Looks like Team Flare ca today with a desperate attitude.
As the organization's top ace, Malva had no intention of holding back.
Altaria's already fluffy feathers puffed up even further after GA Evolution, trying to act as a shield to block out the high-temperature flas.
"The fire will burn through its feathers!"
Malva arched an eyebrow and shouted.
Cotton Guard—a move that greatly boosts a Pokémon's physical defense.
From the players' lounge, Gary was confused, "Why is Brother Stephen using Cotton Guard now?"
Gary, who also has a Swablu, knows what Cotton Guard does—but Overheat is a special attack!
Using Cotton Guard here is pointless.
Sure enough, the flas kept burning through the fluffy feathers, charring them to ashes and pressing ever closer to Altaria's body.
"What about this, then?"
Stephen still wore his usual smile.
Suddenly, the GA Altaria's previously pink feathers beca coated in a black film, blocking out Houndoom's scorching flas.
"That's... Armant Haki!"
Sonia, clutching her bootleg yellow-furred mouse in the stands, cried out in surprise.
"It's not over yet!"
Nessa's face bead with a radiant smile, looking at the man in the arena as if he were her destined hero.
For three or four seconds, the Armant Haki feathers held off Overheat.
Around GA Altaria, the feathers kept swelling, getting larger and larger—until they nearly filled half the battlefield.
In the end, the endlessly puffing fluff ford the outline of Altaria itself!
"That's..."
Cynthia, who'd witnessed Joker's battle with the Masked Man on Lily of the Valley Island over half a year ago, instantly rembered Pryce's Ice Giant from back then.
"Amazing!"
Seeing an Altaria as massive as a Dynamaxed Cotton Giant, the live audience and TV viewers gasped in astonishnt.
"Feather Dance."
Stephen casually gave a new command.
Endless pale pink fluff danced like snow.
GA Houndoom had nowhere to dodge—its hellhound-like black body was instantly covered in fluff.
Feather Dance—a move that showers the opponent with feathers to sharply lower their Attack.
Overheat is already a high-powered move that lowers the user's Special Attack as a trade-off.
Unless you're using a mixed-attacker Pokémon, most trainers wouldn't risk this move unless they're sure it will finish the fight.
Now, with its Special Attack already dropped from Overheat and its Attack further lowered by Feather Dance, GA Houndoom was crippled.
If this were an official match or a life-or-death battle, Malva could just recall Houndoom and let it rest.
But this was a 1v1 exhibition match.
In this state, Houndoom was done for—the outco was clear.
BEEP——!
Just then, a tir sounded from the big screen above the stands.
The comntator shouted excitedly:
"Ti's up! What a spectacular duel! Let's give a big round of applause to these two outstanding trainers!"
Stephen and Malva's match was tid.
This was to prevent either side from losing face if they were beaten.
A draw is the ideal result for these exhibitions.
The audience, being good sports, gave a round of applause.
anwhile, in the players' lounge, a group of kids—none older than 15—wore the sa dissatisfied look Stephen once had in his previous life.
"Tch, it's over already? That was barely enough!"
Blue pouted.
"We have a winner," Red said quietly.
Even if there wasn't an official result, even Ash could tell who was stronger.
"Yeah, but that Malva isn't weak at all," Blue sighed.
Before coming, he'd looked up the Kalos Elite Four's ranking: Drasna > Wikstrom > Siebold > Malva.
Blue wanted to ask: is the Kalos League blind?
"Coming here was the right call—I learned a new move!"
Gary said excitedly.
He planned to have his Swablu practice that Cotton Giant move as soon as he got ho.
["Next up, let's welco the top trainers in this year's Kalos Junior Cup!"]
At that mont, the announcer's voice ca from the TV and radio.
"Let's go, it's ti to enter the arena. Well, either way, I'll be the one to win in the end,"
Blue declared confidently.
...
"I'll beco the strongest with my Charizard!"
Alain clenched his fists in determination.
...
After the exhibition match, Stephen and Malva returned to the VIP box on the second floor to sit with Lysandre and other Kalos League officials.
By the ti they sat down, the opening ceremony was nearly over, and the first two contestants—Alain and Red—had entered the field.
"Heh~"
Stephen couldn't help but laugh.
That ani episode where Water Absorb beat Ash-Greninja almost made him quit for good.
The son of the writers VS the Silver Mountain prodigy.
This should be interesting.
"Let's go, Charizard!"
With a shout, Alain threw out his Pokéball.
The ball opened midair and out ca Water Absorb on the right side of the field.
"Hm?"
Noticing the lack of the ani's Key Stone on Charizard's neck, Stephen raised an eyebrow and looked at Alain's left wrist.
He was wearing the Key Stone ring, so Lysandre must have given him the Key Stone and the Charizardite for GA Evolution. Why wasn't he using it?
Lysandre suddenly explained,
"Alain doesn't seem to have fully mastered GA Evolution yet."
Recently, he'd noticed that Professor Sycamore's assistant had great potential and thought he could develop him as a right-hand man.
So he gave Alain the Key Stone and Evolution Stone.
But after less than a year of traveling, Alain still couldn't control the power of GA Evolution.
Stephen's eyes flickered.
Right, he'd almost forgotten that Pokémon can lose control after GA Evolution.
That happened with Korrina's Lucario in the ani.
"Charleon!"
Red wasted no words and sent out his starter.
Charleon was less evolved than Alain's, which was a bit surprising. But then again, Alain's Charizard had been with him since childhood, while Red had only had Charleon for about three months. It made sense that Alain's was ahead.
"Why use Charleon? Wouldn't Pikachu be better here?"
Gary wondered.
Blue analyzed, "Maybe Red wants his Charleon to learn sothing from Alain's Charizard, which Brother Stephen praised so highly."
"Flathrower!"
At Alain's command, Charizard—wearing a slight, disdainful smile—opened its mouth and fired a pillar of fla.
The fire shot across the water in the center, turning the whole surface red.
As a fully evolved Pokémon, it had a natural superiority complex.
"Dodge it!"
Red waved his hand.
Charleon darted around the forest battlefield, using rocks and trees for cover.
"Flathrower!"
As Charizard paused for a breath, Red finally gave a counterattack order.
Charleon leaped from behind a boulder and fired a fla right at Charizard.
"Flathrower!"
But just as Charleon's attack was about to land, Alain's Charizard recovered, spitting its fla to block and push back Charleon's.
"Alain's got the edge. After all, he and his Charizard have been together for years. That Red kid probably just started his journey. Still, he's impressive."
Professor Sycamore comnted from his lab in Lumiose City.
"Dig!"
Red gave a simple order.
Charleon stopped attacking and quickly dug into the ground, toughing out the incoming flas.
Though the opponent was a bit higher level, Charleon's Fire typing resisted the attack enough to dive underground.
"Fly, Charizard!"
Alain pointed to the sky.
Ground Moves are useless against a flying Charizard.
"When he cos out, finish it with Dragon Claw."
Alain commanded.
"Roar!"
Charizard hovered ten ters above ground, its claws glowing blue-green like steel talons.
Crack!
Suddenly, a fissure appeared on the right side of the field.
"There?!"
Alain's eyes narrowed.
Charizard dove down.
But what burst out wasn't Charleon, but a star-shaped, golden bullet.
It was Swift!
Reflexively, Charizard swiped at the Swift, shredding it.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Rifts opened all over the battlefield, Swifts shooting out from every direction.
With their homing ability, Charleon didn't even need to aim—the Swifts found their target.
"These weak moves won't work on us! Charizard, Heat Wave!"
Charizard twisted its neck and unleashed a fiery wind, incinerating the Swifts in midair.
"Is hiding underground all you've got? That won't work on us."
Alain waved confidently.
"Let's finish this—Charizard, Blast Burn!"
Blast Burn—the ultimate Fire move only starter evolutions can learn, and one of the strongest in the gas.
Charizard wrapped itself in flas, like donning a fiery coat.
Next, it focused all that power into its right fist and slamd it into the ground.
Boom——!
The field shattered like a spiderweb, flas surging into every crack and engulfing the hidden foe.
"It's over, right?"
Champion Diantha whispered in the comntary booth.
Everyone saw Charleon, belly-up in the cracks—fainted.
"We won!" Alain shouted.
The ref raised his flag to announce the result.
But Blue smirked,
"Idiot, you underestimated him."
"Dragon Claw."
Red spoke.
A red blur appeared out of nowhere, claws glowing blue, and struck Charizard on the back of the head.
Charizard staggered, dropping to one knee.
Alain and the crowd, including Diantha, were stunned.
That was... Charleon!?
Wasn't he underground? Where did he co from!?
The Charleon in the rift faded away.
A Substitute!
"Idiot, you burned a dummy,"
Blue explained,
"When Charleon was firing those Swifts, he wasn't just attacking at random—he was changing positions every ti, diverting your attention. When you dropped your guard, he'd already surfaced and was hiding behind you. You wasted your attack on an empty spot."
Charizard, still dizzy from Blast Burn's side effects, couldn't move.
"Dragon Dance!"
Red ordered.
Charleon crouched, surrounded by crimson-purple energy, boosting its power and speed.
"Ugh..."
Charizard, clutching its head, forced itself up for another attack.
Alain, flustered, shouted,
"Charizard, quick—!"
"Thunder Punch!"
Red didn't give him a chance.
Charleon's claws sparked with lightning and powered up by Dragon Dance, it landed blow after blow to Charizard's abdon.
"Only idiots who rely on level advantage get crushed. Down you go,"
Blue sneered.
On TV, Charleon delivered a final electrifying uppercut.
Thud!
Charizard swayed, then finally collapsed.
"Charizard is unable to battle! Charleon wins!"
"Whoa—!"
Cheers erupted. No one expected Charleon to beat an evolved Charizard.
"Didn't learn anything..."
Red muttered, returning Charleon to its Pokéball and heading for the tunnel.
He'd thought, from what Stephen had said, that Alain was so amazing trainer, so he sent out Charleon hoping to learn sothing.
But that was all Alain had.
Red's last words, and the disappointed look beneath his cap, cut deep into Alain's pride.
"Round two! From Alola, it's Gary VS Lumiose Gym Leader's son, Clemont!"
The announcer called the next match.
Gary muttered,
"Is Brother Stephen ssing with us? That Alain guy's not strong at all."
Stephen thought: I only said his Charizard resists water, not that he's strong.
After Gary defeated Clemont, Blue handily beat a no-na trainer to advance.
Soon, the three from Pallet Town faced off.
Gary was crushed by his brother Blue, who pointed out that Gary had only learned the form, not the spirit, of Stephen's battle style.
In the finals, during the epic clash between Red and Blue, Red's Charleon evolved into Charizard at a critical mont, disrupting Blue's rhythm and clinching a narrow victory.
At the handshake, Blue slapped away his rival's hand, grumbling,
"Evolving mid-battle was pure luck. Next ti, you won't be so fortunate."
Stephen laughed at that.
It was luck this ti.
Before either beca the Indigo League Champion, their rivalry was neck and neck, with Blue usually having the edge.
But after Red beca Champion and trained at Mt. Silver, the gap only widened.
Red soared to Master level, while Blue stayed stuck at the Champion's peak.
"Congratulations to Red from Kanto, the winner of this year's Kalos Junior Cup! Before the award ceremony, there's a special event—the champion will have a rare chance to challenge our Kalos League Champion, Diantha! Red, will you accept?"
The announcer called out.
Red nodded.
A champion, huh? Perfect. Let's see how far I am from the League's top powerhouses.
In the VIP box, Stephen smiled as he watched Diantha step onto the field and shake hands with Red.
I recall in the ani, Diantha nearly lost to Ash, right?
Now it's his older brother instead... another interesting match.
Just then, Lysandre said,
"Dr. Stephen, this match shouldn't last long. You should prepare for the award ceremony."
Stephen glanced over.
Oh, here it cos!
"Alright, Hoopa, let's go."
He pretended not to notice anything unusual. He was curious to see how they planned to take Hoopa from him.
"Okay!"
Hoopa floated in the air, ready to leave with Stephen.
Just then, the VIP box door opened, and a surprised voice called out:
"Hoopa, I can't believe I'd et you here!"
"Baraz!?"
Hoopa cried out in surprise.
She usually hung out with ray but was also close to Baraz.
"How's Alola? Is ray okay?"
Barza asked.
"Yup, yup, she's great!"
Hoopa nodded enthusiastically.
Stephen watched Baraz chatting warmly with Hoopa, pretending not to see him, and blinked.
I almost forgot about him.
"Dr. Stephen, it's ti to get ready for the awards,"
Lysandre reminded him.
Stephen glanced at the lion's head.
A simple trick, but pretty effective.
Just like how throwing money works for picking up girls.
"Hoopa, stay here and chat with Mr. Baraz. I'll be right back."
Stephen called.
"Okay! I'll find you soon, Big Brother!"
Hoopa waved cheerily, still clueless about what was happening.
Stephen strolled out, noticing Malva standing with arms crossed at the door.
She'd co with Baraz.
Stephen flashed her a bright, sunny smile.
Malva frowned.
She had a bad feeling.
"Baraz, why don't you talk to Big Brother Stephen?"
Hoopa asked.
"I'm not that close to Dr. Stephen..."
Baraz replied perfunctorily.
He didn't want to get too friendly with that playboy.
After all, photos of Stephen with Nessa and Karen, arms around both, had gone viral yesterday.
Baraz was usually pretty composed, but even he'd cursed in his heart when he saw them.
Two such beautiful girlfriends, and he still wants to steal Malva too.
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