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The crowd roared as the two trainers faced each other. One of them a newly minted gym leader who interrupted the ceremony for a battle and the other a trainer from Alola that often liked teaching her Pokemon how to blow stuff up and look good while doing so.
Shard’s body quivered with anticipation as she eyed Bede from across the pitch, the squad had a small rock-paper-scissors competition beforehand to decide who would fight the little asshole and avenge Hop’s honour. Shard won and the smile she’d worn on her face gave everyone a sense of foreboding. She was going to enjoy this immensely, plus it gave her the chance to introduce who she really was. While the cloak she wore protected her from the cold weather of Galar it also concealed her true occupation underneath it, luckily her title wasn’t on the line when she was in the gym challenge because she’d put Kukui as a temporary until she got back from Galar. The paperwork was a nightmare but thanks to some suggestions, and several instances of her expressing her displeasure, she got it finished on time to catch the plane the day after.
She cracked her knuckles, her Pokemon were awaiting the battle in their balls and she knew that only one of her Pokemon had an advantage over Bede’s fairy types. If that failed she’d switch to dark type and her Pokemon’s high speed would put them above the type advantage. If that failed there was always the option to just likely cause property damage, Shard hoped it would never come to that though. Thanks to her training at the Isle of Armour her Toxitricity Fai was capable of Gigantamaxing now. She linked her headphones to the stadium’s speakers (she’d gotten permission from Leon and the league staff beforehand) and selected a song on her phone, this one was gonna be good. The instant Bede sent out his Pokemon Shard knew it was time.
“Alola! You ready for the fight of your life? Under Solgaleo’s Sun and Lunala’s Moon we shall battle!” Shard tapped the play button on her phone after she roared this declaration, she grabbed her cloak and tore it off. The binding came undone easily, revealing her true ensemble underneath. The crowd went silent in shock as the rumoured First Champion of Alola revealed themselves to Galar, the stadium’s speakers blasted out the music rumoured to be the champions theme.
Good evening, my people up in the chandeliers
The wining and dining, the menu is blood, sweat and tears
Everybody ready, raining down confetti
Champions are born right now
Ain't about the glamour, click goes the hammer
Run when you hear that sound
Shard tossed a ball up in her hand a couple of times before unleashing her Cinderace, Hotaru, the firefly. The rabbit landed on one knee, both paws on the ground as it braced itself. The female firefly pushed herself up and glared death at Bede’s Mawile who looked as terrified as Bede did. Shard’s glare intensified “You poked a sleeping dragon Bede, none of us took the fact you hurt him lightly…” Bede paled as he figured out what he’d done to piss off the hidden Champion. “Hotaru, let’s go.” The rabbit snarled at the mawile and sprang forward.
Heroes never die
Gonna make it to the finish line
We know we survive
Even if we crawl to the finish line
I won't believe it, underdog dreamin'
Don't need no cheers, world's gonna see it
Heroes never die
Gonna make it to the finish line
Hotaru struck the steel/fairy type with Blaze kick, axe kicking it’s massive jaws before following up with flamethrower, springing away as the massive jaws attempted to bite it. It collapsed in a dead faint as Hotaru flicked away the excess fire, an angry look on its face. Bede switched to his Gardevoir as Shard also switched Hotaru, pulling a moon ball out of her suit jacket. With a flourish she enlarged the ball and sent out a strong looking Hydreigon which roared loud enough to create shockwaves.
Their dreams just keep dripping out of their golden cups
I'm starting, I'm starving, leftovers ain't enough
Ain't about the royals, they do nothing for ya
All you got is you right now
Who is gonna falter? Who is gonna conquer?
Better never count me out
“Nyx! Use Crunch followed by Hyper voice!” Shard commanded, her entire dementor now serious for a usually crazy girl, her entire aura seemed to scare everyone. The dragon roared and rocketed foreword, narrowly dodging a Moonblast with some aerial manoeuvres and sinking its fangs into the side of the princess like fairy/psychic type. It followed up with a deafening shriek that caused shockwaves, the Gardevoir tried to cover its ears but ultimately fell as well. It tried to fire off a last Moonblast but a Dark pulse attack finished it off.
Heroes never die
Gonna make it to the finish line
We know we survive
Even if we crawl to the finish line
I won't believe it, underdog dreamin'
Don't need no cheers, world's gonna see it
Heroes never die
Gonna make it to the finish line
A Galarian Rapidash was sent out next, Shard knew this wasn’t her student’s Rapidash Candy but she couldn’t falter. She swapped out Nyx for her faithful friend, one who’d followed her over to Galar and journeyed with her throughout two regions. Her first Pokemon. She unleashed a quick ball that had the squad back in the changing rooms all collectively smirk as one. She sent out a Pokemon which had the audience tense with anticipation. A shiny Zoroark formed from the light, roaring her dominance with fervour and causing Bede to tremble as it glared at him. “Izanami!” Shard commanded her oldest friend, “Night Slash!” It struck too fast for anyone to follow and the Rapidash couldn’t guard against the night Slash attacks that followed, as it collapsed Shard began to synchronise her movements with Izanami. “NIGHT DAZE!” The command was drowned by Izanami’s roar as she struck the ground with her glowing paws. An explosion of dark energy tearing through the pitch, splashing harmlessly against the shield that kept the audience safe but blasting the Rapidash away and knocking it out.
Gonna make, gonna make
Gonna make it to the finish line
Every day, every day
Gonna make it to the finish line
Gonna make, gonna make
Gonna make it to the finish line
Every day, every day
Gonna make it to the finish line
Bede was down to one Pokemon, he sent out his Hatterene. Shard knew this one was going to be tricky as she sensed the intense aura around the Pokemon. It could Gigantamax. She knew the perfect Pokemon. She withdrew Izanami and plucked out a Dusk ball, unleashing her Toxtricity Fai. The weird punk rock Pokemon glared at the emotional vibe check machine. Bede went first and Gigantamaxed his Pokemon to the roars of the crowd, Shard went next and held up Fai’s pokeball. “Be empowered by the darkest light! One! Two! Three! Gigantamax!” She threw out the G-Max form of Toxtricity, the Pokemon shrieking it’s warped call to the heavens. Shard glared at Bede, “Heroes never die! Gonna make it to the finish line! G-Max Stunshock!”
Heroes never die
Gonna make it to the finish line
We know we survive
Even if we crawl to the finish line
I won't believe it, underdog dreamin'
Don't need no cheers, world's gonna see it
Heroes never die
Gonna make it to the finish line
Fai created a huge guitar of purple electricity and swung it at the Hatterene, it smashed into the Pokemon’s face and sent it staggering. It lashed out with its tails located on its hat and tried to vibe check the poison/electric type, it grabbed two of the tendrils and hit down on the third locking them both in a stalemate. The Hatterene followed up with G-Max smite and knocked away Fai, confusing it for a second before it consumed the Persimmon Berry it had on hand at the time, shocking Bede that his strategy was toppled. “Max Ooze!” Shard commanded with no mercy in her tone. Fai complied and the Hatterene exploded in red energy, powering down to its base form and shrinking. The song faded out as Shard depowered and recalled Fai, ending the battle with her as the winner.
She and the shellshocked Bede walked up to each other, she gave Bede a cold stare. “You may continue battling, do not give up because you were beaten. You had no way of knowing who I was, but I must warn you that words hurt. The little one was so depressed after what you did to him that we all had an unanimous degree to beat you in the finals. Be glad I didn’t use my real team to wipe the floor with you, Akiyama doesn’t like bullies.” Bede and the crowd paled at that, another Charizard commanded by the Alolan champion who also never lost. Shard left Bede as she returned to the changing room, picking up her cloak as she did so and disconnecting her phone from the speakers.
Her demeanour changed from serious to exhausted as soon as she got into the room. She was mobbed by her friends who all made sure she was okay after that stunt. “That was scary” she breathed, exhaustion catching up with her as the mental and physical strain of the battle crashed down on her. Victor got her some water as Hop came up to Shard looking nervous, “You’re a champion too?” He asked, Shard nodded and patted his head. “Unlike your brother I don’t like to maintain an image for the populace. They know me as the crazy champion next door. Alola is more relaxed than Galar, we place more emphasis on enjoying battle than fame or sponsors. I’m actually quite sick of things in Galar, they place so much pressure on your brother that they destroy the people around him. Maybe even Leon himself...”
She let that sentence hang in the air, memories of storming Rose Tower still fresh in everyone’s minds and righteous anger at the Chairman simmering beneath the skin. Shard promised herself, as Victor came back with water which she drank gratefully, that if Rose dared harm Galar that all of them would get even. She looked across at her boyfriend Hau, who looked back at her with a nod, as he knew what she was thinking. He knew that while Shard presented herself as a happy go lucky individual, in reality she was a dragon full of pride and rage just waiting to be set off, she was hiding in the skin of a fox. Deceiving everyone but her friends and family until she was in the right position to strike.
Those who wanted Galar’s destruction in the name of false peace would learn quickly not to wake a sleeping dragon.