Chapter 11

On Friday night, the Amanecer City Cerebral Gym was already electric. Thousands packed the stands, their voices merging into a constant roar of anticipation. Every seat was filled, and millions more tuned in via live stream. Hashtags flooded PokéNet. The entire island was waiting for the second trial of the Divine Challenge. Everyone watching was eager to see if Ace was the real deal or if his victory over Mikaela was more of a fluke.

Ace entered the lobby in a navy-blue polo shirt, gold jacket, dark jeans, and sneakers. On the surface he looked steady, calm, unfazed. Inside, though, his mind was racing.

I need to win this mental battle first.

By 8:00 PM sharp, the massive digital screens above the battlefield lit up, displaying both trainers’ names, resumes, and stats. Fans waved banners, reporters clustered near the front, and commentators Dan Stevens and Wallace prepared for the opening call.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Dan’s voice boomed. “Welcome to the Amanecer City Cerebral Gym! Tonight’s Divine Challenge battle pits Gym Leader Lucy Simon against Challenger Ace Tomlinson!”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

From the opposite tunnel, Lucy Simon appeared in a tailored white blazer over a soft lilac blouse, her signature playful grin on her lips. She waved to the crowd, her laugh audible even through the noise. With her petite frame and disarming charm, she looked more like a movie star greeting fans than a gym leader about to fight for a man’s life.

Yet her eyes, when they found Ace across the battlefield, sharpened instantly. Bright blue, unblinking, piercing. She brushed her hair back with a flick of confidence, then tilted her head and let the grin turn sly. “You should know better, Ace,” she called, her voice carrying even without a mic. “You can’t outmaneuver me in my own domain.”

The referee stepped forward, raising his hand. “This will be a Full Six-on-Six Battle! No time limit! Trainers may switch Pokémon freely! The match ends when all of one trainer’s Pokémon have been defeated. Trainers, are you ready?”

Lucy’s fists clenched at her sides, her smile as sharp as her tone. “More than ready.”

Ace stood with his arms loose at his side, expression calm, unreadable. Inside, though, his focus narrowed to a razor’s edge. He watched every flicker of her expression, every cadence of her words.

“Trainers, send out your first Pokémon!”

Lucy’s fingers moved with practiced elegance as she plucked a Poké Ball from her hip. “Let’s get this started, Bronzong!”

The massive steel bell materialized with a reverberating clang, levitating above the field. Its bronze body gleamed, its hollow toll echoing through the gym. Fans gasped at the sight. Bronzong was one of her most reliable openers, a wall that could grind opponents down.

“She’s starting defensive,” Wallace noted on commentary, his tone low and serious. “Bronzong is the foundation of Lucy’s control strategy. Ace is going to need surgical precision to break this wall.”

“Or risk being smothered from turn one,” Dan added.

Ace reached for his Poké Ball without hesitation. “Alright, Blade, show ‘em what you’ve got!”

With a flash of red light, Scizor materialized, blades gleaming like fresh-forged steel under the stadium lights. The crowd went wild at the sight of the metallic mantis, its wings humming as it snapped its claws with lethal precision.

Lucy laughed softly, shaking her head just enough for the cameras to catch it. “Scizor against Bronzong? Bold. Let’s see if boldness keeps you alive.”

Ace’s eyes narrowed. He knew her game: psychological warfare, tiny needles meant to burrow into his confidence.

“She wants me second-guessing. Not gonna happen.” He thought.

The referee’s hand cut the air. “Begin!”

“Bronzong, Reflect!” Lucy commanded without hesitation.

The steel bell Pokémon’s body shimmered, forming a translucent barrier across the field. The crowd buzzed. Reflect was the classic opener, halving the damage of Ace’s physical strikes before they even landed.

Ace didn’t flinch. “Blade, Swords Dance!”

Scizor’s metallic body gleamed as it whirled its pincers in sharp arcs, boosting its power to terrifying levels. The arena lights caught every glint of polished steel, the promise of overwhelming force.

Lucy tilted her head, her smile calm, calculating. “Bronzong, Trick Room.”

The battlefield warped. Colors bent unnaturally as the air thickened. Suddenly, speed meant nothing. Bronzong’s sluggish movements would now outpace Scizor’s lightning-fast strikes. The crowd erupted with gasps.

Ace clicked his tongue. “Damn.”

Dan’s voice boomed over the commentary feed: “Lucy Simon flips the script with Trick Room! Scizor’s speed advantage is gone!”

Wallace cut in, sharp and clinical. “This is Lucy at her best. She doesn’t just battle, she controls the battle. Ace has to adapt immediately, or he’ll be dismantled.”

Lucy’s eyes narrowed, her smirk widening. “Bronzong, Sunny Day.”

Bronzong’s body pulsed with radiant energy. Above, the arena’s artificial sky panels lit with blazing sunlight, flooding the battlefield with harsh heat.

Ace’s eyes narrowed. She’s setting something up...

Ace steadied his voice. “Blade, Knock Off!”

Scizor surged forward with one last burst of energy, slamming its pincer into Bronzong’s body. The blow cracked across the arena, super-effective and punishing. Bronzong reeled but didn’t fall, its Reflect still softening the edge.

Lucy’s smirk never faltered. “Now, Weather Ball.”

A swirling orb of energy gathered in front of Bronzong. Fueled by the harsh sunlight, it ignited into roaring fire. The flaming sphere rocketed across the field, slamming into Scizor.

BOOOOM!

The crowd gasped as Scizor staggered backward, its armor scorched black, the flames still flickering off its carapace. It barely remained upright, pincers trembling.

Wallace leaned forward excitedly. Brilliant move by Lucy! Weather Ball becomes a powerful fire-type move in the sun which is especially devastating to Scizor!”

Ace’s jaw clenched. “Blade, X-Scissor!”

Scizor lunged forward, its pincers making an ‘X’ formation as it slashed Bronzong with force. The bell-like titan reeled from the blow, its Reflect softening, but not negating, the punishment.

Lucy remained unfazed. “Bronzong, Weather Ball. Again.”

Another sphere of flame erupted from Bronzong’s body, streaking across the arena like a comet.

CRASH!

The blast engulfed Scizor completely. When the smoke cleared, Blade lay crumpled on the floor, unmoving.

“Blade ... no.” Ace’s voice carried over the stunned arena, low and sharp with concern. Scizor’s claws twitched, trying to rise, but its body slumped lifelessly in front of him.

The referee’s right arm shot up. “Scizor is unable to battle! Bronzong wins!”

The crowd erupted. Cheers, disbelief, even cries of warning about what this meant for Ace’s odds.

“Wow, Scizor is already down!”

“Is Ace already done?”

“Damn, Lucy is clever!”

Lucy brushed a strand of hair from her face, her tone smooth as glass. “Confidence won’t save you here, Ace.”

Dan shouted over the feed. “Scizor, down already! Lucy baited Ace perfectly! Sunny Day into Weather Ball was absolutely devastating against Scizor! This is not the start Ace Tomlinson wanted!”

Wallace’s voice was colder, more pointed. “Lucy predicted the Scizor lead and punished it mercilessly. If Ace doesn’t recover fast, this match could spiral out of his control.”

Ace silently returned Blade to its Poké Ball, eyes steady. Inside, though, his thoughts raced.

“Alright ... she had the counter ready.” He thought. “Fine. Let her think she’s in control. Now I know how far she’ll go, and I’ve still got answers she hasn’t seen yet.”

Ace didn’t waste a second. He plucked another ball from his belt and hurled it forward.

“Lucky, let’s turn up the heat!”

A burst of red light hit the field and resolved into the lean, black-coated form of Ace’s Houndoom. Its horns curled menacingly, fire flickered at the edges of its maw, and its crimson eyes locked onto Bronzong with murderous intent. Lucky barked several times and the crowd’s roar hit a fever pitch.

“A Houndoom!” Dan shouted on commentary. “Ace is bringing out raw firepower against Lucy’s Bronzong!”

Wallace’s tone cut in, cooler and sharper. “Bronzong may be weak to fire, but remember, Trick Room is still in effect. Houndoom won’t move first here.”

Lucy wasted no time, her voice smooth and merciless. “Bronzong, Earthquake.”

The steel bell chimed once, then slammed its massive body downward. A shockwave ripped across the battlefield, the ground cracking open beneath Lucky’s paws. The canine howled, staggering, but managed to keep its footing, smoke and dust clinging to its black coat.

Ace’s fist clenched. “Lucky, hold steady! Now, Flamethrower!”

Lucky’s jaws gaped wide, flames erupting in a torrent. Boosted by the artificial sunlight still blazing overhead, the inferno crashed into Bronzong with blinding force. Bronzong wailed as the flames engulfed it, its levitating body twisting in agony before it collapsed to the ground with a final metallic groan.

The referee raised his arm. “Bronzong is unable to battle! Houndoom wins!”

The arena detonated with cheers, fans leaping from their seats. The cameras zoomed tight on Ace, his calm expression only barely hiding the relief in his eyes.

Dan: “And just like that, Ace evens the score! His Houndoom’s Flamethrower, boosted by Lucy’s own Sunny Day, turned her strategy right back on her!”

Wallace: “That’s Ace’s strength. He takes punishment, then twists his opponent’s setup into a weapon against them. The Reflect barrier was useless since it only weakened physical moves, not special moves. Lucy has plenty left, but she’ll be more careful now. One mistake and Ace makes you pay.”

Across the field, Lucy returned her Bronzong without a flicker of disappointment. Instead, her lips curled into a sly grin. She tilted her head, her blue eyes locked on Ace.

“Well played,” she said softly. “But don’t get comfortable. You’ve only solved the first piece of my puzzle.”

Lucy plucked her next Poké Ball with calm elegance.

“Come forth, Gardevoir.”

A burst of light revealed her graceful partner, standing tall, gown-like body shimmering under the bright arena lights. The crowd’s roar swelled. This was one of Lucy’s most iconic battlers. Gardevoir’s eyes glowed faintly, already radiating psychic pressure across the field.

Dan: “And here comes Gardevoir! Lucy’s ace in the hole for psychological warfare. It isn’t just powerful, it’s unpredictable.”

Wallace: “Ace will need a perfect read here. One wrong guess and Gardevoir can dismantle entire teams.”

Ace steadied himself. “Lucky, stay sharp. Flamethrower!”

Houndoom roared, spewing fire across the stage. Gardevoir didn’t flinch.

“Focus Blast,” Lucy said coolly.

A sphere of fighting-type energy coalesced in front of Gardevoir before detonating into Lucky’s chest. The Houndoom howled as the blast sent it sprawling, flames sputtering out. It clawed at the arena floor, but its legs gave way.

The referee raised his flag. “Houndoom is unable to battle! Gardevoir wins!”

Ace returned Lucky silently, his jaw tight. Lucy gave him a playful wave across the battlefield.

“That’s one step forward ... and two steps back, darling.”

The crowd surged, chanting her name, the arena tilting toward her momentum again.

Ace exhaled slowly, then hurled his next ball. “Horus, you’re up!”

With a flash, his Pidgeot soared onto the battlefield, wings spreading wide, golden crest feathers gleaming beneath the lights. Horus let out a piercing cry, drawing cheers and whistles from the crowd.

Dan: “Pidgeot takes the field! Speed and air dominance could change the tempo here!”