----
The Iron-Masked Marauder had escaped swiftly and decisively.
He didn't even leave behind a single threat, nor did he care about the Rocket Grunts he had abandoned.
And after the brief yet intense battle, just now, trees had fallen, the ground had caved in, rivers had been severed, and shrubs burned. The corrupted Pokémon, having gone berserk with their power, had left half the valley devastated.
Clair looked over the once beautiful and familiar landscape, now riddled with scars. She couldn't help but sigh deeply.
"Don't dwell on it too much," Lance consoled her, patting her on the shoulder with a smile. "Nature's power is formidable. It won't take long before the ecosystem recovers."
"He's right," Kai added. "And with so many Grass-type Pokémon living here, taking care of the land… this Dragon Sanctuary will probably become even more beautiful than before!"
Hearing Kai still address him as "Mr. Lance," Lance looked at him seriously.
"Come on now we've been through so much together and fought side-by-side. Isn't 'Mr. Is Lance a bit too formal? Just call me Lance from now on."
Kai smiled at the kindness. Including Lorelei, this now made two Elite Four members who had grown close to him. Even Agatha, the sharp-witted veteran, had shown him great respect. Bit by bit, Kai's network was expanding and this was a priceless asset.
.
-
.
After recalling their Pokémon, they looked toward the group of Rocket Grunts still bound nearby.
By now, most of them had regained consciousness. But bound hand and foot, they had no way to escape.
Seeing how the Iron-Masked Marauder had abandoned them without hesitation after also losing their Pokémon in battle, they had lost all spirit, slumping in place, resigned to their unknown fate.
"What do we do with them?"
Lance sneered, "We'll escort them out of here and have Officer Jenny haul them to prison. But before that, let's report back to the Elder."
Leaving a few Pokémon to stand guard, the group made their way back to the Dragon Shrine.
On the way, Lance couldn't stop praising Kai's Gengar, who had turned the tide of battle.
Kai, on the other hand, turned curiously to Clair.
"How did you manage that earlier?"
"Manage what?" she blinked, not sure what he meant.
Kai mimicked her movements with exaggerated arm gestures and sound effects: "You know leaping between tree branches like a ninja! How were you so agile and light on your feet?"
Clair chuckled, "Oh, that? I've trained with Pokémon since I was a kid. Over time, my physical abilities improved. Plus, I know Dragonite's attack patterns inside and out so I could dodge smoothly."
"You make it sound so simple," Kai muttered sceptically. "No ordinary person can move like that."
Hearing this, Lance burst into laughter ahead of them. "Clair really is just a normal person. But if you ever meet Bruno, you'll know what true human strength looks like. That guy can literally wrestle with Pokémon. Trust me you'll be stunned."
'Bruno... right.'
Kai stroked his chin. He remembered that name.
In his memory, Bruno was truly something else. Rumour had it he once defeated an Onix with his bare hands a walking Pokémon powerhouse.
If there was a chance, Kai definitely wanted to meet him.
Truth be told, Bruno was the only Elite Four member Kai hadn't yet interacted with.
....
A few minutes later, they arrived at the Dragon Shrine.
Throughout the entire battle, the Dragon Elder and Cab had watched from afar. Now, seeing everyone return safely, they came out to greet them.
Lance stepped forward to recount the events in detail. The Elder offered a few words of praise and encouragement to his own clan members before turning his eyes to Kai.
"Young man, you've done us a great service. We Dragon Tamers never forget those who help us. As a reward and because of your deep connection to dragons I offer you this."
From his robes, the Elder produced two shimmering stones.
One was yellow, the other blue, both beautifully polished and glossy. Each bore a faint genetic spiral pattern, and under the sunlight, they sparkled with a subtle glow.
At first glance, Kai instantly recognized them: Both were Mega Stones for Charizard!
The yellow stone would trigger Mega Charizard Y.
The blue one would evolve Charizard into Mega Charizard X.
Seeing Kai's surprised expression, the Elder assumed he didn't know what they were and explained:
"These were brought back from Kalos by a travelling Dragon Tamer. They contain great power and can temporarily further evolve your Charizard. However, to use them, you must travel to Kalos and learn how to unlock their true potential. But the two stones are mutually exclusive you can only choose one."
"Isn't this a bit too valuable…?"
"No need to be polite. You earned it."
Even with the Elder's encouragement, Kai still hesitated. He looked up Lance and Clair were smiling at him with approving eyes.
After thinking for a moment, Kai finally extended his hand.
But when it came to choosing, his hand hovered in the air stuck.
A single choice…
So hard to make.
Honestly, both Mega forms of Charizard had their own strengths.
Each one was incredibly cool, and Kai truly loved them both.
But just as the Elder had said it was a one-or-the-other decision. No matter how much he liked both, he could only take one Mega Stone.
After a long pause, he made up his mind.
With a sharp breath, Kai reached out and chose the yellow Mega Stone.
Mega Charizard Y it would be.
Unlike X-form, which transformed Charizard into a Fire/Dragon-type with a completely different colour scheme, Y-form retained its Fire/Flying typing but massively boosted its special attack and moves to a better fit for Kai's overall team synergy.
In truth, neither form is objectively stronger it all depends on the Trainer's preferences and strategies.
And now, having made his decision, Kai felt at peace with it.
Counting this with the Mega Stone he previously obtained for Gyarados, this would be his second Mega Stone putting him ahead of most Trainers even before his journey to Kalos had begun!
----
Don't forget to drop some PowerStones!💎💎💎
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