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The door to the infirmary slammed open with a jarring thud, and two Pangoro charged in, their heavy steps thudding against the tiled floor. They moved with precision, their faces grim as they carried a stretcher between them, Hank's form limp and eerily still on the gurney. The abrupt arrival did not surprise him half as much as who he saw lying on the stretcher; his eyes went as wide as dinner plates when he saw the Zoroark on the stretcher, prompting him to sit up in alarm, wondering what injury he had suffered to warrant such urgency.

Gallia came in right behind the Pangoro, and he immediately turned his attention to her, demanding, “Hey! Miss! What the hell happened to Mister Hank?" He demanded.

Gallia put up her hand softly. “I'm sorry, but I must tend to him right now," she said, disregarding his question as she followed the Pangoro as they carried Hank to a bed, transferring him while a pair of Audino rushed over to relieve them.

Caulin's heart pounded in his chest as the stretcher was wheeled past him, his mind racing. His breath caught in his throat when he saw Hank, pale and unmoving, and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe.

Then, a voice broke through the panic. “Ignus, hold up!" Volcan called, his tone firm but comforting.

The Lycanroc skidded to a halt at his father's call, turning back and looking desperately at Volcan. “But Dad, what if he needs our help?" he demanded.

Volcan and Luke entered the infirmary then. “If we run in there, we'll only get in the medic's way," he said, reassuringly as he knelt in front of Ignus, lifting a hand and gently rubbing his neck. “We know Gallia well; she's just as good a healer as Serena. Hank's in good hands; don't you worry."

“But…" Ignus went to protest, but a calming look from Luke eventually made the Lycanroc relent and he sighed. “...Okay…"

“That a boy," said Volcan, gently pulling Ignus into a hug. “He's going to be okay," he whispered gently to his son.

“While we wait, I'm hoping to get some answers as to what that ability that Hank showed off was," Luke commented.

“I think only Hank himself could tell us what that was," said Volcan. “I've never seen anything like it-"

“Ahem!" Caulin cleared his throat loud enough to talk over the three of them, earning their attention. “Someone wanna fill me in here? What happened? What's going on?"

“Oh. Sorry, Caulin," said Volcan, releasing Ignus and rising to his feet. “It's… Hard to explain. We don't quite know what we saw either, but, Hank was in the match after yours; he fought Azrael - the Absol from Neilla's team, in case you don't remember him."

“Kinda. I didn't see him all that much." Caulin answered. “Why? Is he why Hank's all injured?'

“We don't really know," replied Volcan, “as far as we could see, Azrael didn't really do anything. Hank conjured some illusions that…" he huffed. “I don't even know how to explain it… They weren't illusions - not in the traditional sense."

“They had their own scents too. It was like there really were six of him fighting that Azrael guy," Ignus added.

“So, he's… somehow turned his illusions into… clones?" Caulin asked, his voice tight with disbelief. He leaned forward slightly, as though trying to make sense of something his mind couldn't quite grasp. “Is that even possible?"

“We don't really know," replied Luke. “No Pokémon in existence can cast illusions on the scope that a Zoroark can, but even this seems beyond the logical scope of their abilities."

“Even if it clearly has some… Dreadful consequences," added Volcan, grimly.

The doors swung open once more, and Azrael stepped in, his usually confident posture now noticeably rigid. His amber eyes scanned the room quickly, his gaze landing on the group gathered in the corner. The moment his eyes met theirs, his expression softened into something unreadable—an amalgamation of guilt and worry. He approached them tentatively, taking care not to let his nails scratch on the stone floor.

“How is Hank - any word?" he asked, concerned.

“They rolled him in before we arrived," said Volcan. “Gallia's working on him now." He then eyed the Absol squarely. “Azrael, what happened out there?"

“I don't even know how to describe it," said the Absol, shaking his head. “I've met several Zoroark in my life, but not a one among them capable of doing what Hank did today. Turning his illusions into… Metaphysical projections. Every one of them was as real as himself."

“Whatever he did, it looks like it had dire consequences… To cause that bad of a seizure after a short time…" Luke trailed off, his eyes looking to the side as a familiar memory resurfaced in his mind.

“The cost of power," Volcan muttered, a deep frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. His voice was thick with something between regret and frustration, the weight of unspoken experiences pressing down on him. “It's never worth it when you're the one who pays the price."

Gallia stepped out from behind the curtains, her face momentarily clouded with exhaustion before she masked it with practiced composure. She took a few steadying breaths, her hands moving in deliberate motions as she readjusted her gown, her eyes flickering to the group with an unreadable expression. She was used to this, but even a healer couldn't help but be affected by a situation like Hank's.

When she was done, she walked closer to them, correctly gauging they would want answers. Volcan was the first to voice a question, taking a step forward.

“How is he?" Volcan asked.

“There have been no further seizures," she said. “The episode he suffered caused him to bite his tongue; I've taken care of that. We've made sure he's comfortable, and I've given him something to help him sleep. But when he wakes up, he's sure to be confused."

“Hey… Where's Sickle?" Volcan asked. “We saw him running here ahead of us…"

From behind the drawn curtains, a soft voice broke the stillness. “Over here, Volcan," came Sickle's tired but steady tone. His eyes, wide with concern, flickered briefly to the others before focusing back on Hank. “I… I got here ahead of the doc. Didn't realize it was so chaotic out here."

“He wouldn't leave Hank's side," Gallia said, her voice tinged with a mix of admiration and sympathy. “I think, after everything Hank's been through, he feels like he can't let go—not even for a moment."

That brought a laugh to Volcan. “Are you surprised, Gallia?" he asked, arching a brow at Gallia. “Remember what it was like to make me leave Luke's side when he was comatose? Sickle and Hank are engaged."

“Point taken," the Gardevoir admitted.

Luke then approached Sickle and placed a paw on his shoulder, both to offer comfort as well as to grab his attention. “…It might be curt to ask, but… you two have been living together for a while now. I don't suppose you have any idea as to what Hank did and why it affected him so badly?"

Sickle grimaced, chewing on the question as he considered the best way to answer it. “Hank's been trying to improve his powers ever since he came to Bluegrove," he explained. “For the past few months, he's been trying to enhance his illusions to the point that they can target all of the senses, not just sight and sound. He'd had many breakthroughs; even managed to make illusions that smelled like the real thing… But this was the first time he attempted it in a combat setting, outside of a controlled training environment."

“And he'd never had episodes like this before?" Azrael inquired.

“None that he told me, no," said Sickle. Then, he perked up. “But… Wait…" he narrowed his eyes, thinking back. “Kaen said he thought he saw his nose bleeding one day… Hank brushed it off, and he seemed fine so I didn't think much of it… I thought maybe he was just finding it dry outside since it hadn't rained in a while…"

“A nosebleed?" Gallia asked, alarmed, “Sickle, that could indicate internal hemorrhaging in his brain; that is serious!"

“Wait, so then Uncle Hank could be brain damaged?" Ignus barked anxiously.

“It's a possibility, provided the extent of the damage…" Luke answered grimly. “Though we hope it doesn't come to that…"

“I think the possibility of that, for now, is still relatively low," said Gallia. “But, repetition – using those powers too often could have long-term consequences," she shook her head. “The damage could indeed become irreversible, to even the greatest healers or surgeons in the world."

Volcan narrowed his eyes, and then looked at Sickle, saying his name to get his attention. “Whatever happens in the future… You have to try to make sure Hank doesn't try that again," he stated, “No matter how powerful those illusions are, it's not worth the cost."

“Don't have to tell me twice," stated Sickle, shaking his head.

Luke let out a sigh. “We should let Hank rest." He suggested, then offered Sickle a small smile. “If your number comes up, we'll let you know as fast as we can," he suggested, knowing the Sceptile would want to stay at the Zoroark's side.

Sickle's voice was quieter now, almost hollow, as if the emotional toll was taking its toll on him. “Thanks, Luke… I'm number thirty-seven, so you know." His words were simple, but the look in his eyes—tired, but resolute—spoke volumes more than his words ever could.

“Thirty-seven. Got it." Luke nodded, giving Sickle a quick hug before turning to the door. “Let's head back, guys."

“Right," said Volcan. “See you later Caulin," he bade to the younger Lucario as he left with his husband and son.

Azrael turned to look at Sickle, giving him an apologetic look. “I'm so sorry about Hank… I never thought he'd push himself so far," he said.

“You couldn't have known, Azrael… But I appreciate the thought," Sickle replied, nodding to the Absol.

Azrael nodded in return, and followed Luke, Volcan and Ignus back out of the infirmary, making their way back to the stands to watch the rest of the first round…

“…I'm starting to wonder if I've set the bar for an unhealthy threshold." Luke suddenly stated, his head hung slightly as he spoke.

Volcan looked at him. “Whoa, you can't be thinking this is your fault, can you?" he asked.

“I'm not saying it is, but you can't deny the similarities." Luke corrected Volcan. “I sought to increase my power through my aura control, and nearly ended up losing my ability to wield it. Hank tried to increase the potency of his illusions and ended up causing himself brain damage. I can't help but feel like he used my own power up as a foundation to build upon his own ability."

Volcan frowned at that, seeing the reasoning behind Luke's words and letting out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck in the way he did when he was flustered… Luke gently took Volcan's hand in his paw and looked at him gently.

Luke's voice dropped lower, a shadow crossing his face. “I just don't want anyone thinking that pushing yourself to the brink… that risking everything is the only way to get stronger. I learned the hard way, and I can't help but feel like Hank's trying to walk down the same dangerous road." He shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I just want him to learn from my mistakes, not repeat them."

Volcan's expression softened, but a weight of concern flickered in his eyes. He took a small step toward Luke, his voice low and earnest. “I get it," he said, but there was a gentle firmness beneath his words. “But please, Luke… I don't want you carrying this. Nobody expects you to take responsibility for what happened to Hank, and I don't want you to start thinking it's all on you." He sighed, the hint of a frustrated growl in his throat. “You've already been through enough. Don't let this add another burden to your shoulders."

Luke looked up at him, giving a small, tired smile. “I'll be fine… Promise."

But the doubt in Volcan's eyes lingered. He knew his partner too well, and the weight of his words hadn't fully settled. He wanted to believe Luke would be okay, but the concern in his chest was hard to shake. Still, he nodded and gave Luke a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder, hoping his partner would truly believe it himself soon.

~~~~~

Several rounds passed in the tournament before the next fighter from the group of friends was announced. This time, the number called belonged to none other than Minato, called out by Lord Hizashi. The Lucario stepped out into the arena, giving short waves to the audience as he casually stepped to the center of the arena to await his opponent.

The gate opposite him was lowered after Revane introduced him, and out from the shadows stepped a Mienshao, walking with its paws pressed together as though in prayer as it stepped out onto the field, and Revane went on to introduce them.

“Presenting, from the Order of the Fist, Captain of Team Tao, the martial-arts master, Meilin!"

'So, this is the captain of Team Tao,' thought Minato, remembering what Luke had said about Meilin during his time working as a Guild Councilor. Luke had described her as being the most level-headed and patient out of everyone on the council. Not surprising, since she was by definition a warrior monk.

As she approached to take her spot in the arena, Minato whistled a bit and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I can certainly see you carry yourself as well as your status makes you out to be," he commented.

She opened her eyes, looking at him with indifference. “You've heard of me," she said, her voice level and as smooth as flowing water.

“Hard not to, given you once served on the High Council with my Captain's husband," Minato answered, arching an eyebrow.

She considered his words for a moment. “Minato… That's what Revane called you, yes?" At his nod, she continued. “Ah, then you must be Minato of Team Phalanx, then?"

“That's right." He answered with a smirk. “Heh, who would have guessed we'd be introduced to each other so soon in this event? Here I was hoping to see how you perform as the matches go on."

“The wheels of fate turn as they choose," she said plainly, parting her paws and letting her arms fall at her sides. “So… I suppose now that they have chosen, we may as well get started."

“Ladies first." Minato answered back, smirking as he beckoned Meilin to approach him.

Meilin shifted her posture then, taking in a deep breath as Revane called for a start to the match, but she still didn't immediately move, eyes still closed as she seemed to be concentrating on something. But then, in the blink of an eye and a tensing of her legs, she blurred… And was gone!

'Another speedster, eh?' Minato thought inwardly, keeping his gaze forward and sending for any movement from every direction. His ear twitched, and he suddenly threw his arm out to left, but despite the well-timed strike, the Mienshao halted just out of arm's reach, her long whiskers tossed by the momentum she had accumulated.

“Hm. Perceptive," she said plainly.

“I've faced many speedsters, lady. You're not slick in that department." Minato answered plainly back. “You're gonna need more than speed to pull one over me."

“Will I?" she asked, before jabbing her arm forward, and Minato felt himself struck by an unseen force that launched him backward.

Being a Lucario, he recognized Force Palm quite easily. Thankfully he was spared the paralysis and slowly straightened up after he skidded to a stop, glancing at where he was struck, then back at Meilin with a curious frown.

“Huh," He commented, then brushed his chest a little with his paw. “…That it?"

“We have only begun," she said as she adjusted her stance, putting most of her weight on her back foot and raising both of her arms so that the ribbons trailing from her arms hung like the arms of a mantis.

He recognized that stance… The Rapid-Strike Style. Of course, just like Zheng, she was a master of the Fist; it made sense that she practiced one of the two styles as well.

Minato smirked, knowing the fighting style all too well, confident in his chances. He once again beckoned her with his paw, shifting his posture so he stood more at an angle facing her. The two gently circled each other, shifting their feet to keep their weight evenly distributed, both intending to dodge if either one attacked first, yet neither one of them made the first move…

Finally, Minato struck first. He twisted his wrist so his paw was facing toward Meilin and began shooting a barrage of Aura Spheres at her. In retaliation, she formed and Aura Sphere of her own, widening it and casting it at the flurry, successfully dissipating all but two of them, which she broke with a backhand.

Then, she formed another Aura Sphere, throwing it to her left, where it made a wide berth approach toward Minato. Channeling more Aura into his paw, he swung his arm and deflected it away, sending it crashing into the ground away from him with a medium explosion. But as soon as he turned his gaze back to Meilin, she had suddenly appeared to his left, opposite to where she had thrown the Aura Sphere, and her paws glowed as she struck at him with Fury Swipes, her paws a blur of motion as they moved.

He flinched as the first three strikes raked against his body, but on the fourth he caught her arm and held her up in the air, then slammed his paw hard into her chest with a potent Force Palm, letting her go just before he hit her. Her eyes flashed briefly, and when the Force Palm came at her, she bent her body to avoid his paw, causing him to miss, and then twisted herself to pull her arm free and deliver a Low Kick to his knee.

He grunted as he was brought to one knee from the attack, growling in annoyance before he glared at Meilin, catching her in a Psychic hold and lifting her up harmlessly into the air, then he thrust his paw forward to send her flying toward the other end of the arena as hard as he could, chasing after her as she flew back. Having no way to slow herself, she flew on until she nearly collided with the wall of the arena, falling just shy and hitting the sand, where she skidded to a stop.

She recovered quickly, jumping back to her feet and popping her neck. “Very well done," she called to him. “I wasn't expecting a Lucario to know Psychic.".

“I'm just full of surprises," Minato answered back, now getting into his own fighting stance. “That said, I'm about done feeling you out… From this point onward, the gloves are off."

“You expect me to believe you have been holding back, after what I just experienced?" she asked. “Surely, you bluff."

“You really going to doubt the word of someone who survived Arc Island's destruction, nearly got killed by the Dark Crusade's most bloodthirsty lieutenant, and chosen Blessed of one of the Royal Knights?" Minato shot back, his tone darker than before. “If so, then try me and see for yourself…"

Her eyes widened at that. “I take it back… Clearly, I did not understand whom I faced," she said, “Let us find out then…" she made a wheeling motion flourish with her arms before reverting to her combat stance once again. “...just how much you live up to those claims, Minato of Team Phalanx."

He only stared back at her as she got into her stance, his brow furrowing heavily as he began to tense up, then in a burst of speed, he suddenly was in front of her, nose to nose for the briefest of moments before weaving around her and elbowing her in the back once he was behind her. Her eyes flashed as she used Detect to predict the incoming attack, bending out of the path of his elbow of its own volition, and retaliating with another Fury Swipes.

The two of them exploded into motion; even though Meilin was technically quicker than Minato, he had fought opponents both larger and faster than her often enough to know how to defend against them, correctly reading the flow of her form to predict each attack as he sought an opening. When she attacked him again with another Fury Swipes, he slapped her paws away from him with his own until he managed to push her arms outward, finding the opening he needed and delivered a heavy one-two Fire and Ice Punch combo, then kicked her away once both those attacks landed.

She took the kick and turned with the impact, absorbing as much of the hit as she could, before she began to twirl like a miniature tornado, forming a whirling storm of ice and snow around herself before racing back toward Minato as well with the clearly Ice-type attack. He scoffed and sidestepped out of the way, grabbing Meilin with Psychic as she passed by and yanked her up and over him, slamming her into the ground before coming down on her with another Fire Punch.

She grunted as she was slammed, and again when the Fire Punch struck, having no way to defend herself this time, and groaning as she struggled to get up. Minato stepped back, waiting for her to rise to her feet, still ready for combat.

“Done already?" he asked. “Like I told you, you're going to need more than speed to take me down… I've faced another practitioner of the Rapid Strike Style who swung way harder and faster than you."

“You have?" she asked, looking at him curiously. “Who?"

“Another of your Order. Zheng, if I remember his name correctly." Minato answered.

Her eyes widened. “You have fought Master Zheng?" she asked, and then a smile tugged at her lips. “I confess, I am envious. I've never had the opportunity to meet him, let alone spar with him."

“That's a shocker, given you both studied the same fighting style from the same area." Minato answered, then noticed her smile and smirked. “Looks like you can express yourself. Here I was thinking you were as deadpan as a doorknob."

“I am expected to maintain a certain composition," she retorted, her tone carrying no hint of offense. “But I am still as aware as you are; I am entitled to a certain reverence to one of my order's grandmasters, am I not?"

“Heh. Guess so," Minato answered, rolling his head along his shoulders a few times. “Still got some fuel left in the tank, or you had enough?" He asked.

She lost her smile then, considering his words, and then answered. “No… I am unsure whether or not I can win here, but I shall not surrender," she said, and took a step back from Minato as she put her paws together once more, breathing in deeply as she relaxed, focusing, lost to the world around her.

“Hehe… Good. Nothing excites me more than a fight well fought." He remarked, grinning as he beckoned her again. “Come on..!"

She breathed in again, her eyes remaining closed even as she exhaled, and this time there seemed to be a soft glow around her body. Minato could almost feel power radiating from her then, sensing her Aura spiking… Calm Mind, he guessed; he'd seen Lashanne use it enough times to recognize it.

“So you were holding back too…" Minato muttered, his grin broadening as he started getting chills up his spine, his excitement in fighting her again present in his eyes before he rushed in again, darting back and forth quickly as he closed in on her.

She opened her eyes then. “Not hardly… This is merely a way to amplify my powers, but one should never show their opponent their full hand from the beginning," she replied as she resumed her fighting stance.

Minato closed in on her, spinning and swinging his fist as if to strike her across the head. However, at the last second he withdrew and spun the other way, ducking around her and throwing his leg out for a roundhouse kick to her opposite flank. Likely by use of Detect again, she saw through the deceptive attack, managing to narrowly avoid his kick, and cast another attack at him. It came fast; it didn't hit hard, but it was almost immediately followed by another, as spheres of compressed air struck him repeatedly with every thrust of her paws.

Vacuum Wave!

Minato grunted with each attack, then he growled and punched through one of the Vacuum Waves, dispersing it around him, then he rushed forward and assailed Meilin with a furious Close Combat attack, rapidly punching and kicking her as hard and as fast as he could. She met his onslaught with a Close Combat of her own, their paws and legs colliding with thunderous force as they both unleashed their full strength; as before, Meilin was faster… But this time, Minato was tougher.

She scored a strong punch to his chest…

He scored a stronger one to her stomach…

He staggered, but she fell, wheezing for air as she clutched her stomach. For his part, Minato reeled, the super-effectiveness of a Fighting-type move enhancing the damage he had taken from Meilin, but he managed to stay on his feet. He capitalized on this, jumping forward and tackling Meilin to the ground. They rolled for a bit along the sandy arena before he managed to get back up on his feet, and when Meilin rolled onto her back to push herself up, she was met with the point of Minato's Bone Blade aimed directly between her eyes, stopping her from getting up.

“Got you…" He muttered, narrowing his eyes as he stared firmly down at her.

She crossed her eyes to look at the tip of the blade, remaining absolutely motionless as she followed the length of the blade back to its wielder, and let out a sigh. “I yield," she said.

At that, Revane's voice boomed through the arena, announcing Minato as the winner. He relaxed and dissolved his weapon before reaching down and offering Meilin his paw to help her back to her feet.

“You're good, there's no question about that." He said as he gripped her paw and helped her up. “I'm just better."

“So, you have proven this day," she said. “Unfortunate that I have lost in the first round… But I suppose someone had to." She put her paws together and gave Minato a respectful bow. “May good fortune follow you through the rest of this competition, Minato."

Minato gently lowered his head in a bow of his own. “Given my competition? I'm probably going to need it." He answered, then gestured for her to exit the arena with him.

“Wowza, that was something," said Volcan, arching a brow as he watched Minato and Meilin leave the arena. “She really held her own for a bit there."

“I was surprised at how quickly she was able to get the drop on him a few times like that." Luke commented. “Then again, I've only ever seen her fight once, and I was barely paying attention that time… She's good."

“Unfortunate she wasn't with us at the final nexus. We could've used someone of her skill."

Then came the calls for the next numbers, and Neilla stood up. “There's me. You boys cheer me on now," she said, winking at them.

“Go get 'em, Miss Neilla!" Ignus barked, wagging his tail as she stood.

“Good luck!" Luke called with a smile.

The match was a relatively short one, compared to others seen so far. Neilla's opponent was a tournament fighter from the Northern Continent, introduced as a Rillaboom - a towering grass-type simian Pokémon who brought a drum, carved from a tree stump, into the battle.

From the word go, the Rillaboom was pounding the drum relentlessly, causing the entire ring to be flooded in Frenzy Plants, trying to limit Neilla's mobility. But the blinding speed of the Lopunny proved too much for him, as well as her agility. She managed to close the distance, and the pair traded blows at close range. At first, it seemed like Neilla was at a disadvantage, facing off with an opponent who was as tall as Volcan, but as strong as Katsumoto.

However, this was where the gap in skill became apparent. The Rillaboom's fighting technique was raw, clearly more reliant on limiting his opponent's mobility to wear them down and overwhelm them. Having failed that, Neilla effortlessly outmaneuvered him, and when she found her opening, she unleashed a powerful Triple Axel, two blows to the chest and the third to his head, sending the Rillaboom careening off his feet, dazed.

When he failed to stir, Revane called the match, and the audience roared with applause - not the least of which being Sarth, jumping to his feet and pumping his fists into the air. “Whoo! That's my captain, baby!" he crowed.

“Size really doesn't matter," said Volcan, applauding.

“I never doubted her for a second." Luke said with a proud smirk. “She's earned her place as our rival since the day we met her."

“That's for sure."

After another short pause, the next fighters were called, and they watched with anticipation as the first stepped out. “Hey… It's Sol!" exclaimed Volcan.

The Typhlosion in question stormed into the arena, paws clenched at his sides and wearing that usual angry scowl on his face. He snorted smoke from his nostrils once he was at the center of the arena, only occasionally shooting glances up at the audience, but ultimately acting like they weren't even there.

“Oh boy. Sol's up next." Luke muttered with a bit of trepidation in his voice. “And judging from his entrance, I'd say he's a bit restless…"

“A bit?" came the voice of Minato and Lashanne, speaking in unison. The group looked up to see the pair coming to sit with them; Volcan scooted over to make room.

“Okay, Okay. He's very restless." Luke corrected.

“Isn't he always?" Lashanne asked.

From the opposite side of the arena, Sol's opponent slowly began stepping into the arena, looking rather nervous as the light revealed the Pokémon to the audience. Sol arched an eyebrow as he watched the smaller Quilava slowly step toward the center of the arena, his face marked with red tribal paint under his eyes and along his cheeks and a small tribal necklace hung loosely around his neck, even as he stood back on his hind legs in an attempt to measure up to the monstrously large Typhlosion.

Sol and the young Quilava, who was introduced by Revane as Altair, continued to stare intently at each other without so much as making a move. Sol's leer was aggressive and intimidating, while Altair's was calm and almost stoic, as if he was unfazed by the fact he was up against an opponent nearly twice his size and strength. Altair then slowly lowered his head in a respectful bow before finally breaking the ice between the two of them.

“I look forward to fighting you, Sir." He said calmly, his young, confident voice betraying his seemingly stoic posture. “Let's give the audience a good, clean show."

Sol scoffed in return. “You got a lotta guts, I'll give you that." He remarked snarkily, slowly stepping back and hunching himself forward, ready to launch himself at his opponent at any given moment. “Let's see if you got enough bite to back up that confidence…"

“Go easy on him, Sol! He's just a kid!" Luna's voice rang from the stands, making Sol flinch and growl in irritation. He didn't have much time to dwell on the fact when Revane announced the match to start, and the Quilava's vents quickly ignited before he rushed in with Flame Charge, gaining speed as he closed in on Sol.

Once in range, Altair quickly disengaged his Flame Charge and went for a Brick Break attack right for Sol's face. The larger Typhlosion growled and lifted his arm up to block the attack, then threw his arm out in an attempt to push the young Quilava away. However, rather than get pushed back, he followed through with the momentum and spun on the spot, forcing Sol to step back as Altair threw a swift Double Kick to his face. The first kick Sol managed to dodge, the second he was forced to block with his opposite arm.

Sol then moved in and went for a furious Mega Punch in retaliation, but the smaller Quilava was faster and reacted swiftly to Sol's attack, ducking under the punch, and retaliating with a Rock Smash square into Sol's abdomen. The Typhlosion gagged as he was hit, gritting his teeth, and stumbling back a few steps before hunching forward and holding his stomach with his paws.

“...Wow. Okay." Minato remarked, blinking a few times as he registered what was happening. “So, Sol's actually getting his ass beat by a Quilava half his size so far. Have to admit, that kid's pretty good."

“He managed to topple Sol?" Volcan asked in disbelief. “Sol can nearly take a hit as hard as Tristan can! How can someone so small be so strong?"

“It's not that he's hitting harder than Sol." Luke pointed out. “He's reading Sol's movements and countering by hitting him where he's most vulnerable. He's trying to build up Sol's rage and use it against him," the Lucario couldn't help but smirk softly. “He's fighting exactly like Luna does, only without the blistering speed."

“Then this is going to be a heck of a test for Sol," said Volcan. “Either he's learned the importance of self-control he needs to keep this kid from getting under his skin, or he's going to lose."

In that instance, Altair managed to Double Kick Sol backward, hitting his jaw and making him skid back a little further. The Quilava then readied another Rock Smash as he rushed in, aiming to end the fight right then and there. However, in the last possible moment, Sol recovered and swatted the attack with his arm, then grabbed it before he could pull away.

“...Better pace yourself, you little shit." Sol growled, then he yanked Altair in and socked him right in the nose, making him cry out as he was sent skidding along the sand, tumbling about until he managed to roll back on all fours. He shuddered as he fought through the pain, looking back at the Typhlosion for a brief moment before rearing himself back up on his hind legs and opening his maw, gathering up a copious amount of fire into his mouth, then discharging it into a powerful Fire Blast attack.

Sol scoffed and lowered his guard as the attack came barreling into him. However, rather than the attack exploding upon contact, the flames seemed to warp around Sol, creating a sort of field of fire around the Typhlosion before it was absorbed into his body, making him sigh and chuckle smugly.

“Thanks fer the snack, chump." Sol remarked, rolling his neck along his shoulders. “My turn…" He added before rearing his arm back and punching the ground as hard as he could, making the entire arena shake violently as he launched a powerful Earthquake attack.

Poor Altair was bounced about like a ragdoll as he endured the attack, until finally he managed to flatten himself as best he could and ride out the quake with minimal damage taken. He panted once the quake was over, pushing himself back up onto his hindquarters and widening his stance somewhat.

“You haven't beaten me yet…" Altair remarked.

“Actually, yea. I have." Sol remarked. “Yer good, I won't lie, but all you're doing is hitting me when I'm vulnerable, and even then, yer attacks have no punch to them. Yer not using your rage to its fullest potential."

“Because in my tribe, we were taught to quell our rage. To us, it's a poison that can quickly spread and corrupt even the most stalwart of warriors." Altair explained. “I won't let my rage take over… unlike you have."

That comment made Sol twitch, and immediately his scowl grew more aggressive as Altair's words sank in. “Choose your next words carefully, runt…" Sol growled, his temper starting to spike as his neck vents started to give off smoke.

“You're only proving my point by getting angry. You're letting your anger control your actions. It's why you're so feared among the tribes in my homeland." Altair continued to comment. “So much destruction at your hands… How can you live with yourself knowing that?"

“I warned you…" Sol growled angrily, smoke now exuding from his mouth as well as his neck vents. “You wanna see what kinda monster I am…? You wanna see what rage can do to a guy like me…??" He growled, then his neck vents exploded with fire. “You wanna see why I'm called The Devil of Azure??? Then step right up, you piece of shit!!!"

Sol suddenly shot forward, using Flame Charge to boost his speed as he closed in. Altair quickly moved to the side, expecting Sol to shoot past him, but to his shock, Sol managed to skid to a halt and change his direction mid-step, managing to land a heavy Mega Punch clean into his stomach. Altair gagged as he was sent flying, to which Sol used Flame Charge once more to shoot past the smaller Quilava and unleash a brutal barrage of punches right along his back before he grabbed him and slammed him into the ground.

Altair was completely defenseless against Sol's enraged barrage, unable to recover or escape the Typhlosions explosive fury even as he was thrown up into the air, then punted by his foot and sent careening up into the air. When he fell, Sol punted him again, effectively juggling the Quilava and… seemingly getting a sick pleasure out of it.

From the stands, both Luke and Minato noticed Sol's change in attitude, watching him become more sadistic in nature as he mercilessly toyed with his opponent. To Luke, it was like he was watching the Typhlosion brutally beat down on his opponent back at the Warmachine tournament, and that left him incredibly worried that Sol was going back to his old ways.

“...He's going too far!" Luke remarked as he began to stand up from his seat. “He's going to cripple that Quilava if this keeps up!"

Volcan shot to his feet then, looking ready to jump down into the ring to stop Sol, but Minato quickly put his arm up to stop him, earning him an incredulous look from the Blaziken.

“...You two know Sol better than anyone. Do you really think he'd go back to his old ways after you earned his trust and friendship?" He asked, looking directly at Volcan. “This isn't like him, and you know it… He's up to something."

“But the kid…!" Volcan exclaimed. “He can't take a beating like that!"

“Sol's holding back." Minato answered plainly. “If he were really going all out, he'd be attacking as if he meant to kill… and I think his brother knows that as well." He said, gesturing over to where Luna and his family sat in the stands.

They could see the Zangoose was staring intently at Sol, but he wasn't shocked or scared in the slightest. If anything, his gaze was more curious than worried, even if his wife and his son looked otherwise concerned.

Turning back to the arena, Sol kicked Altair up into the air one last time, grinning as he stepped back and let him fall onto the ground in front of the Typhlosion. The Quilava groaned and coughed, his body riddled with bruises and his flames all but dying out. With a weak groan, he finally managed to speak up, his voice strained from his injuries.

“I…I…I surr-"

Sol quickly grabbed Altair by the scruff of his neck, lifting him up and holding him right in front of his eyes. “You listen here…" he growled. “You even think about quitting on me… And I'll fucking roast you until you're nothing but ashes!"

“B…But the rules… There's… no killing allowed…" Altair gasped weakly.

“Enough of this… I'm putting you out of your misery." Sol growled, lifting his other paw and powering up a Focus Blast, rearing it back as if to blast him point blank with it. “And after I'm finished here, I'm going to find your tribe and wipe them out of existence… They'll all be nothing but ashes billowing in the wind, because you gave up the will to fight." He added. “Your friends.. Your family…they'll all be dead… and it won't be quick…"

Hearing such atrocious words made something snap within Altair's consciousness. Sol's threat to harm those dearest to him sparked a deep-seated rage the likes he had never felt before, so much that his neck vents sparked back to life. He suddenly brought his hind paws up and Double Kicked Sol in the chest, making him stumble and release the Quilava, all while disrupting his focus and making his Focus Blast fizzle out of his paw.

His body was trembling, not from pain or exhaustion, but from the rising anger building within himself. HIs flames grew more and more intense the more his rage consumed him, until a ring of fire started burning around his feet. He looked up at Sol with a furious glare, his eyes shining brightly, his teeth gnashing together.

“If you do anything to my village…OR my family…" He growled, the ring of fire suddenly erupting and spiraling around Altair as it rose into the air. He was completely hidden from view as the flames raged on, slowly turning from their natural red to a blistering hot yellow, much like the sun shining above them.

The flames finally exploded outward, revealing not a Quilava, but a large Typhlosion in Altair's place, his neck flames surging as they burned yellow behind him, with the occasional spark of electricity crackling along the flames as he reached the peak of his evolution.

“I WILL MAKE YOU PAY!!!!!" He suddenly roared out, his flames intensifying as he suddenly shot forward, not with a Flame Charge, but with a WILD Charge instead, leaving a trail of electricity behind him as he zoomed in and punched Sol square in his face. Sol grunted and recoiled from the empowered attack, actually sent flying off his feet, and skidding along the sand until he was able to right himself in time to defend himself from a savage onslaught of punches from the newly evolved Typhlosion.

Sol growled after managing to regain his footing, slapping his opponent's paws away and sweeping Altair off of his feet. However, in a quick blur, the enraged Typhlosion managed to catch himself on his paws and Double Kicked Sol into the air, then shot toward him before he could recover and double axe-handled him into the ground below. The tides had quickly turned to Altair's favour now, and Sol was once again on the backfoot.

When the dust cleared, Sol was pushing himself back to his feet again, groaning as he wiped a bit of blood from his lip. He then started to smirk even as Altair landed before him, rearing back a heavy punch and threw it right into Sol's face. At the last minute, Sol brought his head down and took the blow directly to his forehead, his feet digging into the sand as he grinned back at the enraged Altair.

“...That's it." He said, making Altair flinch slightly. “Don't ever forget how good that felt…"

The other Typhlosion seemed to come back to his senses then, quickly pulling his arm back and panting as his yellow neck flames extinguished, looking at his trembling paws for a moment and only noticing then that he had evolved.

“Wait…" He muttered softly, looking back at Sol incredulously. “All that… just to make me evolve?"

“And to teach you an important lesson, kid." Sol added, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Yer right. Rage can be a poison that can turn anyone into a monster… but there's a saying a friend of mine once told me when I was lost in my own rage." He stated. “Power isn't measured by just having it, but by what you do with it… For a long time, I used my power just to destroy everything around me, and I still regret doing so to this day… My point is, you can use your rage for good intentions, so long as you temper it… Use it as a tool, not as a crutch, and you can do almost anything." He then narrowed his eyes slightly. “You ever hear the story about the Black Titan?"

“...Yes, I have," Altair answered.

“He was a prime example of letting your rage burn out of control and destroying everything around you without a care in the world. He had one goal in mind, and he would stop at nothing to get it… There was only one thing that stopped him from reaching that goal, and yer looking right at him."

Altair's expression changed into shock at the implication. “...You took down the Black Titan?"

“Yea… and I did it by being better than him," Sol explained.

He then clenched his paws and let out a quick shout, his neck flames suddenly shifting and exploding with life as they changed from red to blue, making Altair recoil and step back from the intense heat radiating from Sol. He sighed and let himself relax, staring squarely at the other Typhlosion.

“This is what happens when you fully unleash all of your pent-up rage, then rein it back under control… This ain't exclusive to me either. With enough training, you can use this kinda power as well."

“Y-You're kidding…All of that power… from your rage being tempered?" He asked softly, then he gagged as Sol suddenly shot forward and socked him hard in the stomach, making his eyes roll back in his head as he started to fall forward.

“Remember this pain…" Sol said as Altair fell flat on his face. “Let it activate you…" He added as he powered down, slowly stepping away from the unconscious Typhlosion.

The bell rang to announce the end of the match when Altair didn't stand back up, and medics came out to check on him as Sol left the arena. Volcan slumped back into his seat, resting a hand against his forehead. He rubbed his eyes as he let out a sigh.

“Dammit, I'm such a lousy friend," said the Blaziken. “I should know better by now. I should know to trust him…"

“To be fair, I was quick to assume as well," Luke added, gently touching his husband's shoulder. “We're both at fault here. The way he was attacking Altair made me believe he was going back to his old ways. For once I'm glad that I was wrong, but still…"

Volcan huffed. “Still… He pushed that kid to a new height. He evolved, and he's stronger than ever now."

“And with a new ability," Luke added. “You see that yellow flame he had? It was like Sol's berserker state, only… it was yellow and had traces of lightning around it."

“Pretty sure I saw a Wild Charge in there too," Volcan added. “He's learned some electric moves."

“Indeed. That'll be handy for any water types he may encounter." Minato piped up with a sagely nod. “There really are some interesting warriors out there… It's only making me feel more excited to face them."

“What, fighting a master of the fist didn't whet your appetite?" Lashanne teased her boyfriend.

“Let's just say she was an appetizer," Minato answered. “There's still other fighters out there that are stronger than her."

“I wonder who's going to be up next?" Volcan wondered aloud, folding his hands before him as they waited.

As the previous fighters had finished clearing the field, the next numbers were called. The first to emerge was an Arbok, introduced as Nidor from Team Orochi, who slithered out quietly as he took his place in the area. For the second number, called out by King Calyrex, the gate dropped and a young Greninja marched out, most of his face hidden within the hood of his cloak, while the rest of his attire softly billowed behind him as he stepped to the center of the arena to meet his opponent.

Nidor rested in his place, coiled up and still, watching Hageshi as he waited for the match to start. He was intently focused, evidently not caring for small-talk. Neither was Hageshi for that matter. He merely lifted his head slightly so that his eyes were visible to the Arbok, and he could see the indifference in his gaze. To the Greninja, this was merely a warm up, and the expression in his eyes made that evident as they waited for the signal to begin.

Revane made the call, and like a bolt of lightning, Nidor struck, snapping forward with fangs extended to bite. Hageshi quickly jerked to the side just as he was about to be bit, spinning as he let the Arbok pass him and turning to face his opponent as he recovered from his failed attempt.

“...Slow." Hageshi muttered just loud enough for Nidor to hear.

Nidor let out a hiss. “Fassster than I expected," he said, posing himself to strike again but biding his time.

“I have faced far worse than a snake's venom…" Hageshi retorted, jerking his head a bit to gesture for Nidor to attack again.

The Arbok hummed in thought, considering the Greninja. “Perhapsss… A change of stratagem is in order," he said, before he suddenly lunged - away from Hageshi, plunging head first into the soft sand and burrowing into it with a cloud of dust marking his entry.

“Hm… Underground, huh?" Hageshi asked, his eyes darting left and right, but for the most part he remained calm as he waited for the Arbok's next move.

To his admitted surprise, what came next was not an attack from below, but from all around, as a ripple suddenly coursed over the stadium, causing the ground to heave beneath him and send sand billowing in all directions with the Bulldoze attack.

Hageshi scoffed, crouching low and jumping high into the air to avoid the brunt of the attack. As he ascended, he puffed his cheeks out, then exhaled an Ice Beam down at the arena floor, coating it in a layer of ice to dull the effects of the Bulldoze attack before he let himself fall to the ground again.

Only then did he realize, however, that the Bulldoze was only a diversion. From out of the same hole he had disappeared into, Nidor emerged again, launching himself out as though fired out of a cannon, and went straight for Hageshi - who was still airborne, attempting to take advantage of his inability to maneuver for another Poison Fang.

The Greninja's eyes widened slightly, unable to dodge or move out of the way in time. He grunted as the Poison Fang hit its mark, going completely rigid as he felt the poison entering his bloodstream…

For a moment, it seemed like Nidor had scored a decisive hit. However, when they both fell back to the ground, the Greninja suddenly shattered as if he were made of glass, spreading shards of ice all over the arena around the impact zone.

“What the-?!" Nidhor demanded as he dropped back to the ground, looking around at the shards in alarm. “Sssubstitute???"

“Sloppy…" Hageshi whispered from behind the Arbok. When he turned, he was suddenly greeted by a blast of freezing cold Icy Wind point blank, showering the Arbok in freezing cold air and snowflakes.

The attack had the benefit of slowing the endothermic serpent down, and his counter-attack came slow, swinging his tail as it glowed with poisonous energy. Hageshi drew his sword and parried the incoming attack, kicking the Arbok as he followed through with the parry and ending his assault by creating a few Ice Shuriken and throwing them at the reeling Nidor.

The shurikens successfully hit, one biting into the Arbok's hood and two into his tail, and he collapsed, shuddering from the cold that was quickly getting to him. Hageshi stood over the shivering Arbok, leering down at him before shaking his head slowly.

“…Sad." He remarked, then turned and began to walk away. “Try again when you can put up a better fight…"

When Nidor failed to rise, the match was called, declaring Hageshi the winner and allowing medical crews to rush out to retrieve the Arbok.

Volcan sighed. “That might've been overkill," he said. “But, putting an endothermic snake against someone who harnesses the cold, I guess Nidor didn't have much of a chance."

“Well, you have to give points to him for trying." Luke commented. “Despite being leagues behind Hageshi, he put up the best fight he could… I just hope his teammates don't take it personally."

Volcan nodded. “I guess we'll find out," he said.

To Luke's surprise, the next number that was called was his own. “Number seven!" Calyrex called out.

“Well whaddya know?" Luke said as he stood up and stretched a bit. “Time to get in some exercise."

Volcan reached up to clap his husband on the back. “Go get 'em, love," he said.

“You got this, Papa!" Ignus barked.

Luke smiled and winked at his son before he shuffled out of his seat and made his way down to the arena, eventually entering the arena through one of the massive doors on either end of the arena, waving to the audience cheering him on.

From the opposite side, a familiar winged form flew out, landing on the field a few meters away from him, and Luke immediately felt a pang of recognition, at the sight of this Charizard. The Captain of Team Drake! Revane went on to introduce him, naming him 'Infernis' and confirming Luke's suspicions.

Infernis tilted his head as he studied Luke. “Wait… You look familiar," he said, “We met at Team Warmachine's tournament, didn't we?"

“We did. You and one of your teammates went up against me and my now husband way back then." Luke answered with a nod.

He allowed the shadow of a smile on his angular face. “Heh. Been a long time," he said. “Heard you guys have been making quite the splash these last couple of years."

“Just doing our part to keep the world safe." Luke answered modestly. “Fame was never on our agenda, only doing the right thing."

Infernis let out a light laugh. “You're a better man than some of the mooks that get into the guilds these days, that's for sure," he said. “On that note… Talk about history repeating, eh? First round, and we're facing off again."

“Only this time it's a classic one on one, with a much larger audience." Luke answered with a smirk of his own. “So tell me, Infernis. You have any new tricks under your wing this time around?"

“I might," he replied, flaring open his wings and lowering his head. “Think you can take me without your Blaziken pal backing you up?"

“I took on Calhoun by myself and defeated him without any back up." Luke boasted as he got into a Single Strike stance. “The question is can you keep up with me without your teammates to back you up?"

“Only one way to find out," he said.

Revane called for the match to start, seeing that the two had finished talking. Infernis immediately leapt into the air, flaring out his wings and launching a Flamethrower at Luke as he ascended. Luke in turn started strafing to the left once the flames got too close, running quickly to avoid the flames, then he suddenly launched himself upward toward Infernis and threw two Aura Spheres at each of his wings.

Infernis reacted quickly, flapping both wings to send a pair of Air Slashes at the Aura Spheres, the two attacks cancelling each other out. Then, he fell into a dive, plunging toward Luke before veering off, breathing a thin stream of fire at the ground and forming a ring around him - Fire Spin!

Luke narrowed his eyes as he saw the Fire Spin beginning to form. He let himself fall into it, feeling the heat of the attack licking at his body for a moment, then he tensed up and threw both his arms outward, unleashing a powerful blast with his aura that blew away the Fire Spin before it could cause any further damage to him.

“Nice try…" He muttered softly, then he created another pair of Aura Spheres and hurled them up at the Charizard.

Once again Infernis countered the attack with another pair of Air Slashes, grinning down at Luke. “I'm onto that trick, you know. Aura Sphere can't be evaded, But that doesn't mean it can't be countered," he said. “Starting to look like we're at an impasse."

As he finished that sentence, Luke suddenly shot upward, then like he did against Mewtwo, he used Blaze Kick to create a controlled explosion under his feet to 'double jump' in a sense and appear above Infernis, grinning back at him once he was above him.

“Are we?" He asked, then quickly reared back his arm and discharged a Force Palm right into Infernis' back, sending him plummeting toward the ground.

“How the-?!" Was all Infernis managed to say before he was knocked out of the air, hitting the ground and emitting a column of dust where he struck.

Hastily, he tried to push himself back up and get airborne again, certain that the mobility granted to him by flight would be his saving grace. Luke was already on top of him unfortunately, shooting down and spinning a few times before landing a punishing roundhouse kick, further keeping him grounded just long enough for the Lucario to jump off the Charizard and assail him with a rapid Surging Strikes assault.

The Charizard, not recognizing the attack, could do little more than put up his arms to defend himself, but the water-type Surging Strikes assailed him to great effect, and he growled in pain as he stumbled back, before making a counter attack and lunging at Luke with a Fire Punch. Luke reacted instinctively to the Fire Punch, leaning back to barely avoid it, feeling the flames licking his face before lurching forward with a small Bullet Punch barrage, then held his paw right in front of Infernis' stomach, then shouted as he performed a Wicked Blow in the form of a one inch punch.

Infernis' eyes shot wide open, and he took three steps back, clutching his chest as he tried to catch his breath, the wind having been knocked out of him. “I do-!" he rasped, unable to even form the words.

“You alright?" Luke asked, taking a step forward.

Infernis coughed a few more times before he lifted his head to look at Luke with half-lidded eyes. “Well… You got it…" he rasped once more before he keeled over, landing on his side with another billowing cloud of sand around him, letting out a groan.

“Winner!" Revane called, “Luke of Team Valiant wins!"

Luke let out a sigh as the crowd roared with cheers and applause. He then turned and waved at the audience as he made his way out of the arena, giving special attention to his family as he walked.

“YEAAA! YOU ROCK, PAPA!!" Ignus howled ecstatically.

“Way to go, Luke!" Volcan called, matching his son's octave.

“Heh. Show off." Minato remarked yet still gave him a congratulatory wave as the younger Lucario left the arena.

The rest of the day's battles went by, with every one attending having their first match. Lashanne, Sickle, Koa, Kaen, Kage, Wade, Doug, Tristan and Katsumoto finished their matches, each of them squaring off against worthy opponents. Even Fernidas, captain of Team Orochi, prevailed against his opponent - a Darmanitan, who despite having the typing advantage wasn't prepared for the Serperior's cunning and ultimately failed.

Blaster, however, did not make it into the second round; his first opponent was none other than Leon, and the vastly more experienced Empoleon prevailed in the end; during their battle, he managed to close the distance and engage Blaster at close range where the Blastoise had little advantage. Romulus to the surprise of no one, managed to win his match, effortlessly crushing a Pyroar he faced.

By the time the sun began to set, half of the fighters had been eliminated. So it came to the last match of the day, between Aegis… And Luna.

As the fighters stepped out onto the field, Volcan noticed Sol coming over to sit with them. “Hey, Sol," he said, moving over to give the Typhlosion room on the seats that Minato and Lashanne had vacated earlier. “Looking to have a front row seat for your brother's match?"

Sol glanced at Volcan for a moment, then he shrugged and shuffled through the aisle to get to the seat offered to him and plopped down next to his captain. “Don't see why not." He answered. “Though I already know how this is gonna turn out."

“Don't count Aegis out just yet," said Volcan, “he's on Team Warmachine for a reason, you know. Wade has faced him before and barely managed to take him down. He'll give Luna a good fight."

“Maybe he will." Sol said with a shrug. “I'm just saying. Luna's not gonna let himself get beat before he and I meet in the ring."

Volcan shrugged as well. “Either way, let's just sit back and enjoy the show," he said.

Aegis took his position on the field, regarding Luna with a bemused expression. “Well… Not who I had in mind," he said, “but at least I still get to have the pleasure of taking on a Blessed, like I hoped. You're… Luna, right?"

“Indeed I am." Luna answered, giving Aegis a proper bow. “Wade's always spoken very highly of you. It's a privilege to meet you in person, sir." He said with a bright smile.

“Likewise," he said. “Looks like we're the last battle of the day. Let's make sure to give the crowds a good one, shall we?"

“By all means." Luna said with a nod. “I hope you can keep up, Aegis!" He announced as he crouched low.

“Speed has never been my strength," admitted Aegis as he widened his stance, “but don't mistake that for a vulnerability either," he added with a grin.

“Don't worry… I never underestimate my opponents." He replied, grinning back at the Chesnaught.

Once their conversation ended, Revane gave the signal to begin, and Aegis opened by firing Pin Missiles from his outstretched arms, sending a flurry of pointed objects toward Luna, but the Zangoose was already prepared for such an attack. With a brief flash of electricity surging around him, Luna was already zooming in between each attack as he closed in on Aegis, leaving behind lightning bolts as he moved. He reached Aegis in less than a second, jumping up into the air before vanishing in a bolt of lightning, appearing under the Chesnaught again and performing a rising Crush Claw attack along his chest.

Aegis, however, proved tougher than Luna anticipated; he had planted his feet, and even when Luna made contact with him, the Chesnaught barely moved, and hastily brought his arms together, seizing Luna in a tight bearhug.

“Not the first speedster I've fought, kiddo!" he crowed, holding Luna tightly, nearly forcing the air from the Zangoose's lungs with the strength of his grip.

Luna wheezed as he was seized in the Chesnaught's arms, struggling instinctively at first before he forced himself to relax. Then his eyes shot open and he arched his back, casting a Thunderbolt attack on Aegis with incredible potency, managing to shock him even despite being normally resistant to Electric attacks. Aegis held on for a time, struggling to resist the electric charge, but eventually he was forced to release Luna, and he capitalized on this by leaping out of Aegis' arms and coming down on him with an X-Scissor attack, then bounding up and assailing his face with a rapid flurry of Fury Swipes before leaping off and releasing a Focus Blast as he retreated, all in a matter of seconds.

The attacks largely bounced off of Aegis' armour, with Fury Swipes doing next to nothing, and even X-Scissor only doing minor damage. But to Luna's horror, his Focus Blast - upon making contact with Aegis' shell… Vanished, dispersing harmlessly off the Chesnaught's hide.

Aegis grinned, and threw out his arms, scattering Seed Bombs around the arena that exploded upon hitting the ground, blinding Luna and forcing him to stay on the move. He covered his eyes slightly from the explosions, then he began strafing around Aegis at lightning fast speeds, leaving behind trails of electricity as he ran in circles around the Chesnaught.

When Luna attempted his next attack, the billowing sand had nearly hidden what Aegis had done, and Luna had to bring himself to a stop before he was about to run into Aegis' Spiky Shield. In that small window of vulnerability, the Chesnaught lashed out, and scored a powerful Body Slam into the Zangoose, throwing his full weight into the attack and hitting Luna full-on with his shoulder.

Luna grunted from the impact, barely managing to catch himself before skidding to a halt and rubbing his chest where he was struck. He then narrowed his eyes slightly as he analyzed the situation, his gaze locked onto the Chesnaught within the cover of the billowing sand. Aegis was tough; of that there could be no question… Luna knew well that fighters who relied on defense had certain advantages against quick opponents like him; Luna would wear out long before Aegis would in that case.

Somehow, he had to find an opening in Aegis' defense.

“How did you beat him, Wade..?" Luna muttered softly, electricity surging around him for a moment before an idea formed in his head. He formed another Focus Blast in his claw, then charged forward like a bolt of lightning, zigzagging as he closed in. Aegis, while keeping his arms tucked in, timed his retaliation carefully, watching Luna before throwing himself at the Zangoose again for a second Body Slam, aiming to capitalize on Luna's evident mistake of trying Focus Blast again.

The two looked like they were about to clash, but at the absolute last possible moment, Luna dissolved his Focus Blast and clenched his claw. He then summoned enough of Zekrom's power to create a powerful shroud of electricity around him, ducking to the right of the charging Chesnaught and slamming into him with Bolt Strike, channeling all of that built up lightning into Aegis. The Chesnaught cried out in surprise and pain before being thrown backward, tumbling across the sand until he finally came to a stop, landing on his front.

Luna slowly stood tall after Aegis fell, watching him, waiting for him to rise again, residual electricity surging around him as he waited. Eventually, Aegis began to stand, proving once again just how tough he really was as he rose to his feet once more.

“Not bad, kid," he said, “even with my grass-typing as an insulator… Big enough charge will overcome even that… Not your first time fighting someone as tough as me, is it?"

Luna's composure relaxed and he rubbed the back of his head bashfully. “Well, my brother is a Typhlosion, and my dad is the biggest, toughest Nidoking in the world." He responded with a small giggle.

Aegis chuckled, and took a step forward only to tense as his leg gave out under him. He let out a sigh, and held up his arm while looking toward the box.

“Aegis has forfeited!" Revane's voice echoed through the arena. “The winner is Luna!"

“Wait what??" Luna exclaimed, looking at Aegis, then noticed how he was favouring one leg and widened his eyes. “Oh jeez… I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you that badly!"

“Eh, give me a few hours with Synthesis and I'll be as good as new," he said, favouring his leg as he stepped over to the Zangoose, flashing him a reassuring smile. “Either way, can't keep up with a speed demon if I can't move. So, this one's all yours, Luna."

“I…" Luna looked like he wanted to protest, but he eventually relented and relaxed. “Alright… Thank you for the fight, sir." He added while giving him a respectful bow.

“Anytime, kid. Looks like I need a little more training yet," he said, and reached over to grasp Luna's claw, lifting it high to the roar of the audience. “For now, savour the win! You got much more to do yet," he reminded.

Luna nodded, smiling brighter and taking in the victory for a change, waving at the audience as they cheered his name over and over.

Sol smirked and nodded as he watched his brother take in the crowd. “Told ya." He said while casting a side eye to Volcan. “Never a doubt that he'd win."

“I didn't either," Volcan said, “But, Aegis put up a good fight, you gotta admit. He didn't make it onto Team Warmachine for nothing. Either way, we got a good show and a good end to the day."

“Which also means that day after tomorrow's going to be even more interesting, with longer, more even matches." Luke added. “I just hope Wade doesn't take this too badly. He had been looking forward to facing off against Aegis ever since we got the invites."

“Eh, they can always have their rematch out of the ring," Neilla suggested with a shrug as she stood and stretched. “Well, why don't we go see what other places to eat they've got out here?"

“I'm for that," said Sarth, “I'll go get Azrael."

“Speaking of, we ought to go check on Hank," said Volcan, “I haven't seen him come back since he was wheeled off to the infirmary, and Sickle only came back for his own match but he didn't stay."

“I hope he's alright," Ignus whined softly. “That lady made it sound like what he did could have been really bad…"

“He's in good hands, son," Volcan said softly, patting Ignus on the back. “Now, let's go see him, shall we?"

Ignus smiled and nodded softly. “Maybe he's woken up by now." He stated hopefully.

“Well, if he hasn't, you could always pounce on him," Luke commented with a grin.