20
The morning light filtered through the crystalline roof of the grotto, but the peaceful atmosphere was shattered by the screech of metal on wind. A sleek, silver Skarmory spiraled down from the canopy, landing with surgical precision.
Stepping off the steel bird was a man who radiated "Final Boss" elegance. Wearing a tailored charcoal suit and rings that shimmered with evolutionary energy, Steven Stone looked at the charred clearing, then at me.
"A chaotic performance, Jake Callison," Steven said, his voice as smooth as polished marble. "The League Council usually spends their mornings discussing tax brackets. Today, they spent it watching a Treecko try to rewrite the laws of physics on your stream."
[Chat Log]
StoneLover: STEVEN! MY KING HAS ARRIVED!
IceCreamQueen_C: He's there to assess the threat level, Jake. Be professional.
PervySage: Ask him if he has any spare change! His rings look like they cost more than a Gym.
May stood up, dusting off her torn shorts. "Dad said someone was coming, but I didn't think it'd be the Champion! Does this mean we're famous enough for a cape?"
"It means you're dangerous enough for a leash, May," Steven said, though his eyes held a hint of a smile. He turned back to me. "I'm not here to arrest you. I'm here to prevent you from vaporizing a route. That Sceptilite you found? It's an ancient variant, 'Primal-resonant.' It doesn't want a trainer; it wants a conduit."
The Forest King's Ultimatum
Before I could reply, Aaron stepped out from the shadows of the cave, his Lucario's aura sensors flared. "The Champion speaks of conduits, but I speak of souls," Aaron rumbled. "The stone is a burden. If the Singer cannot harmonize with his partners, the Key will only lock his potential forever."
Aaron held up the broken hilt. The Key Stone inside pulsed with a heavy, blue light. "I will give you the Key, Jake. But only if you can defeat my Lucario in a Bond Battle. No items. No 'Streaming' tricks. Just the pulse of your heart against mine."
"One vs One," Aaron declared. "The Ninja against the Aura Guardian."
[Chat Log]
DragonTamer_Lance: A Bond Battle? This is a test of the Trainer's synchronicity. One slip and the mental backlash is severe.
GymBro_Chuck: SHOW HIM THE SUN BREATHING, JAKE!
The Battle: Kage vs. Lucario
I looked at Kage. He was still bandaged, but the moment he saw the Lucario, he stood up. He didn't grab his stick. He adjusted his red Focus Sash, his eyes burning with a calm, cold fire.
"Kage, we're doing this," I said, stepping into the center of the grotto. "Lens, wide angle. No commentary. Let the actions speak."
The battle was a blur of blue and gold.
The Opening: Lucario used Extreme Speed, appearing like a ghost. Kage didn't dodge; he used Detect, a trick he'd learned from Raven, sensing the air displacement to parry with a hardened tail-swipe.
The Escalation: Aaron's Lucario launched a Bone Rush, a staff of pure energy. Kage countered by forming a Sun Rasengan in his palm. Instead of throwing it, he crushed the orb, coating his hand in a burning, solar gauntlet.
The Resonance: The Key Stone in Aaron's hand began to hum. I felt a sharp pain in my chest—a reflection of Kage's exhaustion. I reached into my bag and gripped the Soul Dew Shard Latias had left.
"Kage! Now! Sun Breathing: Final Form – Sunrise Slash!"
Kage lunged. He didn't transform this time. Supported by the Soul Dew's stabilizing aura and my own Nat 20 focus, he moved with a fluid, terrifying grace. His hand, wreathed in solar fire, met Lucario's Aura Sphere in the center of the clearing.
BOOM.
The shockwave knocked the bandages off Kage's arms, revealing sleek, reinforced scales. Lucario was pushed back ten feet, his feet carving grooves into the stone. Kage stood his ground, a thin trail of steam rising from his breath.
The Result
Silence. Aaron looked at his Lucario, then at the hilt in his hand. He walked over and handed it to me.
"You didn't overpower him," Aaron said, a look of genuine respect on his face. "You bore the weight with him. The Singer has found his rhythm."
Steven Stone stepped forward, clicking a silver device onto the hilt. "Then let's make it official. I've integrated a stabilizer. You now hold the Titan Key."
May cheered, grabbing me in a hug that nearly ended my life. "YOU DID IT! WE'RE MEGA! WE'RE ACTUALLY MEGA!"
[Chat Log]
IceCreamQueen_C: Incredible. He stabilized the resonance without a full evolution.
SilentRed: [GIF: Crown being placed on a head]
PervySage: Wait... did Steven just give him a Champion-grade stabilizer for free? The favoritism is real!
"Don't celebrate too long," Steven warned, his Skarmory let out a sharp cry. "Wallace is waiting in Sootopolis. He's seen your 'Father-in-law' comment, Jake. And unlike me... he has a very dramatic sense of justice when it comes to family honor."
I looked at the Key Stone, then at May, who was currently trying to teach Blaze how to "Pose like a Champion."
"One problem at a time, Steven," I sighed. "Right now? I need a sandwich."