Black musical notes swirled around the battlefield, creating an ominous atmosphere that made the air itself feel heavy. The haunting melody reached every spectator’s ears, beautiful yet unsettling, like a funeral dirge played in a major key.
Perish Song, a move guaranteed to hit regardless of the target’s strength, capable of making any Pokemon lose consciousness after a set period. Such devastating power naturally came with severe limitations.
The song’s curse affected not only the opponent but the user as well, making it a true all-or-nothing gambit. More importantly, recalling a Pokemon into its Pokeball would immediately nullify the effect. In standard six-on-four battles where trainers could freely switch Pokemon, moves like Block or Mean Look were essential to prevent such easy counters.
John noticed that Damon hadn’t used any trapping moves to prevent a switch. This told him everything he needed to know about Damon’s strategy.
"Heh," John chuckled softly.
Damon was essentially admitting he couldn’t handle Aggron directly. With only two Pokemon remaining against John’s four, forcing a switch was his best option. So this was why Altaria had joined the Elite’s main team, not for its combat prowess, but as a strategic retreat mechanism.
"I wanted to test a new technique I’ve been developing," John mused, pulling out Aggron’s Pokeball. "Oh well, next time."
While most spectators might miss the tactical nuance, the expert commentators and special guests immediately understood Damon’s desperation. They began mentally elevating John’s perceived strength above that of the Elite Four member.
’Is Aggron really that overwhelming? they wondered. To force an Elite Four trainer into such tactics...’
Seeing John recall his Pokemon, Damon exhaled in relief. Rather than risk pursuit, he also withdrew Altaria and selected his next fighter.
John’s replacement was Greninja, which emerged from its Pokeball in a spectacular display of cascading water. The ninja Pokemon landed with fluid grace, its crimson eyes gleaming with cold determination.
John hadn’t originally planned to use Greninja, but he’d promised his mentor he would publish research on Greninja after defeating the Elite Four. Time to give his "ace in the hole" some spotlight for the upcoming academic presentation.
After nearly six months of preparation, he’d collected sufficient data on Greninjas with the Battle Bond ability and even established a dedicated Froakie breeding facility. The research phase was complete, now for the practical demonstration.
Damon’s final choice surprised many observers. Instead of another dragon, a magnificent golden eagle materialized on the battlefield.
Pidgeot, Damon’s true ace and his very first Pokemon.
Despite being raised in the Dragon’s Den, where tradition dictated dragon-type specialization, Damon had chosen to nurture this particular bird. Pidgeot was actually the offspring of his late mother’s ace Pokemon, and raising it had been his way of honoring her memory. The "dragon blood" running through its veins made it an acceptable choice for a Dragon-type Elite, though purists occasionally mocked him as more of a "Flying-type Elite."
When Damon obtained Pidgeot’s Mega Stone, the bird had truly earned its place as his team’s cornerstone.
The audience began connecting the dots as both trainers prepared their final gambit.
"Wait, did the Elite Four member just use Perish Song to force a switch?"
"Looks like he’s actually afraid of that Aggron."
"Damon’s down to his last two Pokemon while John still has four. The momentum has completely shifted..."
"Are we about to witness the youngest Elite Four member in Dragon Kingdom history?"
Damon blocked out the crowd’s murmurs. Despite the numerical disadvantage, he knew the battle’s climax had arrived.
"Pidgeot, Mega Evolve!" Damon revealed his Key Stone.
Brilliant light enveloped the soaring bird, transforming it into something even more magnificent. The evolved Pidgeot boasted enhanced plumage with pink and golden accents, while its eyes blazed with regal golden light. Its expanded wingspan and streamlined form radiated both power and elegance.
"Impressive," John acknowledged, then addressed his own Pokemon. "Greninja, let’s show them our power too."
Greninja spread its arms wide as water spiraled upward from beneath its feet, creating a towering waterspout that enveloped the ninja Pokemon. When Greninja’s battle cry shattered the aquatic cocoon, a massive Water Shuriken had materialized on its back. Follow current novels on Nov3lFɪre.ɴet
John-Greninja stood revealed!
The entire arena erupted. Over ninety percent of the audience leaped to their feet, including the distinguished guest commentators.
"What did I just witness?"
"Is that really Mega Greninja?! But Greninja doesn’t have a Mega Evolution!"
"That transformation looked different, no Mega Stone, no evolutionary light..."
The confusion was immediate and widespread. Several spectators frantically checked their Pokedexes and news feeds, searching for any information about Greninja’s supposed Mega Evolution. They found nothing.
"So this is John’s special Greninja?" Damian leaned forward with intense interest. Though he’d missed John’s battle with Harisson, he’d heard detailed accounts of this mysterious transformation.
"I don’t see any Mega Stone though," he noted with scientific curiosity.
Saul Badman nodded thoughtfully. "We’ll have to wait for John’s explanation after the match. I suspect we’re witnessing something entirely unprecedented."