Bang! Bang! Bang…!
The sound of shattering stone echoed through the Veilstone Gym as Machoke swung its glowing white fists again and again, trying to smash apart the sharp, whirling stones of Garchomp's last attack.
For a moment, Machoke managed to break through two of the spinning blades—crack! bang!—but a third barrage followed instantly. The razor‑edged rocks struck hard against its chest and sides.
Bang!!
"Mackoke…"
Machoke collapsed to the floor, trembling before falling completely still.
"Machoke is unable to battle! Garchomp wins!" Kuroda announced loudly.
Like Meditite before it, Machoke simply couldn't bridge the vast gap between itself and Gary's Garchomp. The difference in their power was overwhelming—the kind of difference that separated an Elite Trainer's team from a Champion's.
Maylene stood frozen for a moment, her face blank with disbelief. She had suffered losses before, but never so utterly. This wasn't just defeat—it was domination.
I couldn't even put up a proper fight… she thought helplessly.
The Gym matches were supposed to be opportunities to test a challenger's strength, not to display such a lopsided battle. Even so, she refused to back away from the lesson before her.
She tightened her fist around her final Poké Ball. "Alright, Lucario… it's all up to you now."
She threw the ball high. "Lucario, I'm counting on you!"
With a flash of light, Lucario appeared, crouching gracefully as its blue fur bristled in the lingering heat haze. "Lu‑ka‑rio!" it cried, snapping its fists together as green sparks of aura energy rippled around its arms.
[Lv 34 Lucario / Elite]
Despite her current disadvantage, Maylene held her head high. Though her Lucario was of average level, its fighting spirit burned brightly; with training and experience, she knew it could one day become a fine partner equal to any Elite Leader's Pokémon.
"Lucario," she called softly, "let's give it everything we've got."
"Luk!" Lucario answered, meeting her gaze with fierce determination. It turned toward Garchomp, tail twitching, and released a slow exhale as light gathered in its eyes. The air itself seemed to ripple—Aura Sense(waveguide) activating.
"Lucario, Bone Rush!" Maylene shouted with renewed hope.
Whoosh!!
Lucario dashed forward with lightning speed; white‑gold energy condensed into twin staffs that spun rapidly between its paws. It leapt and struck at Garchomp with a fierce downward swing.
"Luca!" the blows landed like snapping bamboo, one after another.
Garchomp crossed its arm to block. Sparks flew as the energy stave met Garchomp's claw—and then shattered into fading motes of light.
Gary snapped his command, "Use Iron Tail!"
"Gar‑choooomp!"
The dragon's tail shimmered with steel energy. With a sharp turn of its body, Garchomp whipped around, sending the Iron Tail crashing through the air.
Lucario read the motion through its lingering aura waves and jumped gracefully backward mid‑step, the attack missing by inches and smashing a chunk of the floor instead.
Maylene's eyes lit up. "Nice dodge—keep reading its aura flow!"
Gary nodded appreciatively. "Instinct and training… Lucario's using waveguides perfectly."
"Lucario, use Aura Sphere!"
"Luuuc!"
Lucario brought its paws together; energy condensed between them into a bright sphere of pure aura. With a swing of its arms, it launched the shining projectile straight toward Garchomp.
Gary's eyes gleamed. "Tear it apart with Shadow Claw!"
Garchomp's claws glowed black with spectral energy. It slashed through the air—the Shadow Claw struck directly into the Aura Sphere.
A deep whoomph echoed through the arena as aura and shadow clashed, the blue light splitting cleanly in two before dissolving into particles. The audience gasped at the spectacle, a wash of wind blowing over the field.
Lucario skidded back, lowering into its combat stance again. Its breathing grew heavier, but the determination in its crimson eyes hadn't faded a bit.
Maylene's voice rose again. "Lucario, stay sharp! Wait for an opening!"
"Let's test that timing," Gary muttered. "Garchomp, Earthquake!"
"Click!" the Garchomp stomped down hard, sickle‑like fins cutting into the floor. Tremors spread through the gym. The ground cracked and roared under the immense pressure.
"Jump—now, Lucario!" Maylene shouted.
Lucario bent its knees and sprang upward, its body spinning as chunks of rubble broke free beneath it.
"Just what I was waiting for," Gary said under his breath. Then, louder: "End it—Fire Blast!"
Garchomp tilted its head back and bellowed. "GAR‑CHOOOOMP!!" Flames built in its throat, then erupted forward in a blazing torrent, forming the massive shape of a red‑orange kanji—the Fire Blast burned brighter than before.
"Luuuca‑rio!!"
Caught mid‑jump, Lucario could only cross its arms defensively before the inferno struck. The explosion rippled through the room with deafening sound and suffocating heat.
Boom!!
Dust spread across the gym; parts of the floor sizzled from the intense blast. When the smoke cleared, Lucario was down, its fur singed and aura dimmed. Its eyes swirled faintly, body still trembling as it tried to push back up but failed.
Kuroda sighed, then raised the blue flag high. "Lucario is unable to battle! All of Veilstone Gym's Pokémon have been defeated! The winner is Challenger Gary Oak!"
At battle's end, Maylene exhaled slowly. "You're incredible, Gary. My team… just wasn't enough."
Kuroda patted her shoulder. "You fought bravely. This challenger's power is far beyond what we usually see—it's no shame to lose against such strength."
Maylene managed a faint smile. "Thanks… that means a lot."
She returned Lucario's Poké Ball, then walked over and offered a small, marble‑like badge carved with stone tiles. "This is proof that you've earned the Cobble Badge, symbol of Veilstone Gym."
Gary accepted it with a thankful nod. "Appreciate it."
[Ding! System Notice]
[Task complete. Rewards have been distributed to the Trainer's storage space.]
Gary slipped the badge carefully into its slot in his case.
After the formalities, he turned back to Maylene. "By the way," he said curiously, "did you raise your Lucario from a Riolu?"
Maylene blinked, a little surprised by the question. "Ah—no. Lucario was given to me by my father. It's one of his old partners."
Gary nodded thoughtfully. "Do you know if there are any wild Riolu or Lucario around this region?"
"Probably not nearby," she said, shaking her head. "Wild Lucario are extremely rare, and even wild Riolu sightings are uncommon in Sinnoh."
"I see…"
Maylene continued thoughtfully, "For Riolu to evolve into Lucario, it needs strong spiritual power—that is, a bond of trust. In wild habitats, Pokémon constantly compete with one another, so building that kind of intimacy is nearly impossible."
Gary folded his arms, listening intently.
"Riolu tend to live alone," Maylene added. "Even if they meet Lucario in the wild, they rarely form groups. Only when their hearts align through training and care can a Riolu evolve. Without that trust, Lucario usually keeps its distance."
"Understood," Gary said. "Thanks—you've been a big help."
"Are you planning to look for one yourself?" she asked curiously.
"Maybe," Gary replied with a grin. "A Lucario would make a great partner for study—and battle."
He waved lightly as he turned toward the exit. "See you, Maylene."
"Goodbye, Gary. And good luck."
Leaving Veilstone Gym, Gary checks out the item rewarded from system.
[Item Obtained:Wellspring Mask]
When held, this item boosts Water‑type move power by 20%. If equipped by certain species such OGERPON or other Water Pokémon, it also allows dual‑type resonance.
Gary examined the crystalline mask glowing in his pack. "So, a new ninth‑generation item… a variant of Mystic Water, huh? Not bad."
He smiled faintly. "It'll come in handy soon enough."
Releasing his loyal Cyclizar, Gary climbed onto its back. "Let's go, partner. Time to head east— Pastoria City."
"Cy‑cliii~zaaaar!" the Pokémon chirped, tail coils spinning as it began to roll forward at full speed.
Veilstone's cobbled streets sped by; soon the city gave way to open countryside. They rode for nearly half an hour before reaching a broad rocky field dotted with enormous craters—the Meteorite Pit, one of Veilstone's famous landmarks.
Gary stopped to look around. Massive meteor stones the size of trucks lay embedded in the ground, their surfaces glinting faintly under the sun.
"It's said these fell all at once, hundreds of years ago," he murmured, walking closer. His reflection shimmered faintly in the rough surface of one fragment.
He knelt, touching the cool rock. "Could Deoxys really appear around meteorites like these?"