"Two—no, just a one-on-one battle. Win or lose, as long as I see you're not here for any nefarious purpose, I'll let you meet Clemont."
Meyer had considered a two-on-two battle, but remembered his Blaziken shouldn't appear here—he was just an ordinary appliance store owner, after all.
"No problem," Lucas agreed.
He didn't quite get how Meyer could judge a person through a battle, but as long as he won, it should be fine.
"My Pokémon is… Ampharos."
Meyer gestured behind him. Suddenly, brilliant light illuminated the darkness, and an Ampharos appeared—looking both powerful and a bit goofy.
Its tail shone so brightly Lucas squinted, wishing he had sunglasses—
"Yare yare." (Good grief.)
Oranguru suddenly handed him a pair of sunglasses—having already put some on itself.
Lucas was stunned. Where had Oranguru gotten these? How did it know sunglasses would come in handy?
Was this… precognition?
Giving Oranguru a thoughtful look, Lucas decided not to use it in battle. Since Meyer wanted to judge someone through battle, Oranguru's intelligence-based style wouldn't fit. Better to go direct—let Arcanine handle it. Plus, his newly evolved Arcanine needed experience against strong opponents.
Meyer, as an older trainer, should be about on par with his just-evolved Arcanine.
"My side, it's you—Arcanine."
With a flash from the Poké Ball, Arcanine's large form appeared on the field.
"Whoa!"
Meyer was surprised—not unfamiliar with Arcanine, but he'd never seen one with this size and look, retaining only some classic features. The reservation said the challenger was Lucas, from Paldea—was this a regional variant?
Meyer didn't press for details, but seeing a rare Pokémon rekindled his fighting spirit.
The battle was officiated by a human referee; with Meyer here, Lucas guessed Clemont hadn't invented Clembot yet.
The judge looked at both trainers and announced, "The Lumiose Gym Challenge begins! Each side uses one Pokémon. The challenger attacks first. The match ends when either Pokémon is unable to battle."
Both Lucas and Meyer nodded knowingly. As the judge dropped the flag, Lucas ordered quietly, "Flare Blitz, charge up."
Arcanine gave a mighty roar, shaking Ampharos and Meyer, though Intimidate wasn't its ability—or the effect would be even stronger.
Flames wrapped around Arcanine's body, turning its gray-black mane fiery red. With a burst of speed, it became a streak of fire across the field.
"So fast! But not faster than lightning—Thunderbolt!"
Meyer commanded coolly.
Ampharos raised its arm, lightning crackling. Bolts shot forward like arrows, aiming straight at Arcanine.
It was slightly faster than Arcanine's charged attack.
But Arcanine didn't panic. Its flame-filled eyes locked onto the incoming bolt. Without Lucas's command, trained by Luxray and others, Arcanine knew it had to make its own split-second decisions in battle.
A rushed Thunderbolt isn't that strong—
Just bite through it!
Flames erupted around Arcanine's jaws as it snapped at the perfect moment, using Fire Fang to bite through Thunderbolt!
"What!?"
As flames and lightning collided, an explosion and smoke filled the field. At that instant, Lucas issued a second command: "Wild Charge!"
The explosion masked his voice—only Arcanine and Ampharos heard it.
A blazing light rose. The flaming Arcanine charged through the smoke, catching Ampharos off guard due to its lack of recent battle experience.
This single moment's opening was all Arcanine needed.
Like a meteor, Arcanine rushed Ampharos, its body crackling with explosive energy.
The sound of its charge tore the air as Ampharos, unable to defend, saw Arcanine's fierce figure descend on it.
Boom!
A roar louder than before—Ampharos was smashed into the ground, unable to get up.
"Ampharos!?"
Meyer was completely caught off guard. He stared at Lucas and the now reddish-maned Arcanine in disbelief.
Something was wrong.
He'd expected to use Ampharos to give this young man, badge-less challenger a teaching match, then end it. Why was Arcanine so much stronger than Ampharos in every way?
"Amph~!"
Ampharos struggled up, having barely survived Arcanine's Wild Charge—but the pain rekindled its fighting spirit.
Its blood boiled. Ampharos raised its tail, revealing a round stone hidden beneath the red orb!
Meyer understood: Ampharos was fired up. Though family responsibilities made him retire as a trainer, sometimes he'd moonlight as "Blaziken Mask," but today, he wanted to answer Ampharos's fighting spirit.
Taking out his Keystone, Meyer declared, "Mega Evolution!"
Brilliant light engulfed Ampharos, its power surging as its form began to change.
Lucas was surprised—he didn't expect Meyer could Mega Evolve Ampharos, not just Blaziken.
This guy was full of surprises.
He'd thought he could wrap things up quickly—but with Mega Ampharos here, it would take some work.
The light of Mega Evolution scattered like shards. Mega Ampharos lifted its head, radiating energy like a storm.
Its body didn't change much, but it now had flowing white hair on its head and tail, and more red orbs appeared.
With its dormant dragon blood awakened, Mega Ampharos's regal presence pressed down on Arcanine.
Arcanine narrowed its eyes, completely unfazed.
Meyer said, "You're a strong trainer—you've made us feel passionate again. Now, let us indulge a bit, if you don't mind."
"I understand," Lucas replied, matching Meyer's fired-up gaze with a smile.
That's good—Mega Ampharos would push Arcanine to new heights.
"Electric Terrain!"
"Rock Slide!"
Even stronger electricity exploded from Ampharos, surging through the field, filling it with electric energy.
On Arcanine's side, rocks shot up and crashed toward Ampharos.
Mega Ampharos didn't budge. At Meyer's command of "Discharge!", it unleashed a storm of lightning from its body, shattering the rocks instantly. The power far exceeded Thunderbolt.
Facing the oncoming storm, Arcanine showed its ferocity—flames erupted, wrapping it again. Fearless, Arcanine intended to brute-force its way through.
A spectacle unfolded.
Under the referee's stunned gaze, the entire field became an ocean of lightning. A burning meteor Arcanine charged through the electric sea toward Mega Ampharos. Even Dragon Pulse couldn't stop Arcanine's advance.
If one Wild Charge failed, another would follow. No matter how fierce the lightning, Arcanine would break through with sheer force!
Meyer watched, murmuring, "How can Arcanine still fight after so many Wild Charges? The recoil is brutal. How is it ignoring the side effects, and withstanding so many hits from Ampharos?"
Oranguru glanced at Lucas, wondering why he didn't use other tactics to win safely, letting Arcanine fight so recklessly.
It was as if he were waiting for something.
Lucas's gaze followed Arcanine, watching its mane turn redder as it repeatedly broke through Mega Ampharos's attacks.
Almost there—just a bit more heat, and Arcanine would reach that state it showed before.
But things rarely go perfectly.
The next moment, the storm of lightning suddenly stopped, as if someone hit pause. Then, it shattered and faded.
Mega Ampharos's imposing form collapsed, even its Mega form fading away, knocked out.
Arcanine had exhausted its stamina.
Panting, Arcanine looked disappointed.
So close.