"It's here, it's here! The root of all evil—Toxic Spikes!"
"That's the thing! Damn it, this is where it all started! Last year's Indigo Plateau Conference—eight out of ten competitors were using Toxic Spikes!"
"Once Toxic Spikes are on the field, the opponent is just miserable. Anyone who's used it knows."
"Too classic. This Toxic Spikes setup."
The arena erupted into an uproar—especially among trainers from Kanto who had once suffered under the "reign" of Toxic Spikes.
Love it or hate it, Toxic Spikes were undeniably powerful.
To be fair, it really was an extremely effective tactic.
Once Toxic Spikes were set, there was no time limit.
Unless the opponent had a Flying-type, a Poison-type, or a field-clearing move like Defog—
Or unless the power gap was overwhelming—
As long as Toxic Spikes stayed on the field, the battle was almost guaranteed to be in your favor.
Guaranteed.
And that was exactly why Toxic Spikes had flooded Kanto last year.
At the Indigo Plateau Conference, eight out of ten trainers were running it.
Even if they didn't use it themselves, they had to bring countermeasures—or they'd get destroyed.
And where did all this start?
Wasn't it Dylan?
On the field.
"Toxic Spikes… should I switch to Pidgeot?"
Yellow hesitated.
As an apprentice of the Viridian Gym, she understood perfectly how dangerous Toxic Spikes were.
Even though Arcanine, empowered by her Viridian Forest power, now had the strength to face Drapion head-on—
If her decisions were wrong, Arcanine still wouldn't be able to win.
But if she switched to Pidgeot…
"Drapion, Earthquake!"
Dylan pressed the attack.
Drapion raised its tail and slammed it down hard.
RUMBLE—!
The entire battlefield shook violently as tangible shockwaves spread outward.
"Arcanine, Extreme Speed!"
Yellow immediately gave the order.
White light flared around Arcanine as it dashed forward at terrifying speed.
Drapion was fully prepared, eyes locked onto Arcanine, trying to track its movement.
But while its eyes could follow—
Its body couldn't.
BAM!
Arcanine smashed into Drapion's side with brutal force, knocking its massive body slightly off balance.
But the moment Arcanine landed—
The poison damage from Toxic Spikes kicked in!
"Grab it!" Dylan said mercilessly.
Drapion's tail shot out like lightning, aiming straight for Arcanine.
"Arcanine!"
Hearing the whistling air, Arcanine endured the pain from the poison and rolled sharply to the side.
Barely avoided!
The tail struck the ground right beside it.
If Arcanine had been even a little slower, it would've been caught again.
And if Drapion grabbed it one more time—
It was over.
Yellow's heart pounded violently.
"Yellow," Dylan warned calmly,
"hesitation in battle can be fatal."
"Yes!" Yellow replied seriously.
"Come back, Arcanine."
She recalled Arcanine without delay.
She had considered it—Toxic Spikes were placed on the battlefield itself.
Could a wide-area Fire-type move melt or destroy them?
Dig underground, then use Flare Blitz beneath the surface, perhaps?
But the problem was Drapion.
Drapion could use Earthquake.
If Arcanine dug underground and Drapion used Earthquake, Arcanine would be finished on the spot.
Especially since Arcanine's condition had already worsened.
Earthquake already countered Fire-types—and against Pokémon underground, the damage doubled.
"Pidgeot!"
Yellow threw another Poké Ball.
The elegant, majestic Pidgeot spread its wings and cried out.
But that wasn't all.
Yellow raised her arm and pressed it against the necklace around her neck—
A shining Key Stone.
"Pidgeot!"
The Key Stone burst into brilliant light.
"Pii—!!"
The Mega Stone on Pidgeot resonated instantly, dazzling evolution light engulfing its entire body.
Mega Evolution!
Moments later, massive wings swept out of the light.
A beautiful, gigantic avian Pokémon soared into view.
Its cream-colored feathers turned pure white.
The crest on its head grew more radiant, and a long red plume extended from head to tail—sleek and striking.
Compared to before Mega Evolution, Mega Pidgeot looked not only more imposing, but far more beautiful.
Mega Pidgeot
Normal / Flying
Ability: No Guard
Moves: Hurricane, Air Slash, U-turn, Tailwind, Hyper Voice…
Description:
Muscle strength is greatly enhanced, allowing it to fly continuously for two full weeks without rest. (Mega Evolution)
Mega Pidgeot really was impressive.
Lillie gazed at the powerful, elegant Pokémon in the air.
Its strength was nothing to scoff at.
"Pidgeot! This is a battle against Gym Leader brother—we're going all out!"
Yellow lowered her arm and shouted.
Mega Pidgeot locked its sharp gaze onto Drapion below and let out a clear, piercing cry.
All-out battle!
Fueled by Yellow's intense will, Mega Pidgeot's aura surged upward—its power skyrocketed.
This was Yellow's unique Viridian Forest power.
"Interesting," Dylan said, narrowing his eyes slightly as he looked up at Mega Pidgeot with a faint chuckle.
"Pidgeot! Defog!"
Yellow decisively chose to clear the field first.
"Acupressure!"
Mega Pidgeot beat its wings powerfully, unleashing a violent gale that swept across the battlefield.
The Flying-type move Defog cleared the Toxic Spikes from the field.
Meanwhile, Drapion raised its tail and stabbed it straight into its own body.
Acupressure—a move that greatly boosts one random stat.
But Dylan had long since had Drapion train extensively with Arbok—
Drapion's Acupressure could now choose which stat to raise.
This time, of course—
Attack sharply increased!
Drapion's Attack had previously been lowered by Intimidate.
Now, Acupressure raised it by two stages—
Not only negating the drop, but boosting it one stage higher.
"Well… now it's hard to say whether that trade was worth it," Leon said, stroking his chin.
"It's obviously a loss," Gloria said matter-of-factly.
"Mega Pidgeot's Flying-type—it doesn't care about Toxic Spikes anyway.
But Acupressure definitely boosted Drapion's Attack."
"In that case, yeah… that's bad," Leon nodded.
On the field.
"Pidgeot! Air Slash!"
Yellow thought for a moment, then chose to test the waters.
Mega Pidgeot was a high-speed special attacker—
Mega Evolution massively boosted its Speed and Special Attack.
Mega Pidgeot cried out, wings slashing downward as a blade of compressed air shot toward Drapion.
"Cross Poison!"
Drapion snapped its claws together, launching a dark-purple toxic blade.
BOOM!
Air Slash and Cross Poison collided midair, exploding into violent shockwaves.
Before the dust even settled—
Mega Pidgeot dove straight down at high speed.
Fast—
Not as fast as Extreme Speed, but still incredibly quick.
"Trying to use speed and mobility to get in close?"
Dylan chuckled.
"A bit naive."
Against Extreme Speed, Drapion struggled.
But this wasn't Extreme Speed.
"Keep your eyes on it, Drapion."
"Long—!"
Drapion growled low, eyes locked tightly onto Mega Pidgeot.
"Pidgeot! U-turn!"
Yellow's expression was solemn.
Relying on aerial special attacks alone wouldn't be enough to defeat Drapion.
She had to fully exploit Mega Pidgeot's speed advantage.
White energy enveloped Mega Pidgeot as it spun gracefully through the air and accelerated straight toward Drapion.
Five meters—
Three meters—
One meter!
It'll hit!
"Drapion!"
Dylan shouted sharply.
In the next instant—
Drapion suddenly lowered its head.
Mega Pidgeot's U-turn skimmed right over the top of its head.
Missed!
Yellow's eyes widened.
At that tiny distance—
Drapion had dodged by lowering its head instantly?!
"Wait—Pidgeot! Be careful!"
Yellow's pupils shrank.
She saw it—
Drapion's tail, coiled and ready.
Mega Pidgeot passed just over Drapion's back.
Normally, it could've flapped aside immediately—
But it was already too late.
Drapion's head twisted around—
A full 180 degrees—
Staring straight at Mega Pidgeot.
The crowd gasped.
That movement alone was horrifying.
Mega Pidgeot, glancing back—
Panicked.
WHOOSH!
Drapion's tail shot upward and clamped down, slamming Mega Pidgeot hard against its armored back.
"Pidgeot!!"
Yellow cried out.
"What?!"
"That worked?!"
"What is this thing?!"
Ash and the others were completely stunned.
Far away in Veilstone City, Paul and Reggie fell into silence.
…So Drapion could be used like this.
"Incredible reaction speed—and absurd body coordination," Professor Oak said in amazement.
"That Drapion's control is phenomenal."
"And Mega Pidgeot's in real trouble now."
Which was exactly the case.
"Pidgeot! Air Slash!!"
Yellow shouted urgently.
Mega Pidgeot struggled violently, trying to retaliate—
But its entire body was locked down by Drapion's tail.
Its wings couldn't spread.
It couldn't use Air Slash at all.
"Cross Poison!"
Dylan grinned.
Drapion's claws crossed, deep-purple light flaring—
A massive cross-shaped blade slashed down.
BOOM!
Cross Poison detonated against Mega Pidgeot's body.
Mega Pidgeot cried out in pain.
Even with Mega Evolution, its physical defense wasn't outstanding.
A clean hit like that hurt.
"Pin it to the ground."
"Long—!"
Drapion lifted Mega Pidgeot with its tail—
And slammed it down.
CRASH!
The battlefield shook violently.
Mega Pidgeot shut its eyes tightly in pain.
Then—
"Toxic Spikes."
With Mega Pidgeot pinned helplessly, Drapion raised its head.
A deep-purple sphere formed between its claws and was launched into the sky.
Streams of dark purple fluid rained down and vanished into the battlefield.
Toxic Spikes—set again.
Yellow bit her lip hard.
Sweat beaded densely across her forehead.
Sweating bullets.
"I should've taught you this," Dylan said gently, looking at her with the same warm smile as ever.
"Use every advantage your Pokémon has."
"So, Yellow—how will you respond now?"
If one ignored—
The ferocious purple scorpion Pokémon in front of him,
And the Mega Pidgeot pinned to the ground, unable to do anything except awkwardly stick its rear up—
If one ignored all that—
Then yes, the smile really was quite pleasant.