The beginning of a new road {Path of the Aura Ranger: Book II}

VII Pikachu's P.O.V

As the Lumiose Conference raged on, many hard battles were fought and won. Scrafty had won Max another victory, now he and Tierno had moved into the quarterfinals. So, have many others, like Astrid who her Mega Absol had won against an Amoonguss, Sawyer whose Slaking had defeated a Medicham, and Remo who won with his Mega Garchomp against a Hydreigon. Now, those two need to be watched out.

"So, it had been decided," Diantha said, as we all were lounging in the VIP box. "For the premiere of our movie, you and Elite Four Larry will have an exhibition match."

"Well, more than an exhibition match, I will be facing off against the strongest Flying Master for my flying mastery," Ash corrected her. "But he has agreed to allow it to be televised to promote the movie."

"Good," Diantha smiled, eager. "I can't wait!"

"Neither can we," I snorted. "Quite literaly, Charizard and Pidgeot are running the team to the ground with all of their training."

"One would believe that with the last couple of missions they've had it would be enough," Ash sighed. "But no! They don't even bat an eye when meeting Legendaries or Mythical pokemon. I've ruined them!"

"Sorry again for jinxing you," Clemont apologized, flinching when Gary turned to glare at him at the reminder of whose fault it was.

"That's right! You guys met Hoopa!" Diantha exclaimed. "How was the battle? A difficult one?"

"More like difficult to watch," I winced at the memory, knowing that everything I was saying will be translated by Gardevoir. "I've never seen Ash go all out like that. Poor Hoopa was crying and apologizing in Baraz and Meray's arms afterwards, swearing to Arceus to never use their rings for personal gain again. And don't have me started with Cabinet Minister Alva and his plans with Magearna. Ash and Volcanion had him begging for mercy afterwards. Poor fella..."

"He deserved it!" Ash pouted, crossing his arms over his chest like a child. "Let's stop getting distracted! This is an important battle for Max! Let's focus!"

That's right, at the moment, Max and Astrid are in the middle of a battle. This was a battle for the position in the semifinals.

Mega Gallade lunged forward with lightning speed, his graceful movements belying his immense strength. Mega Absol reacted swiftly, dodging Mega Gallade's initial strike with a graceful leap. Undeterred, Mega Gallade pressed on, executing a series of calculated moves. He utilized Dazzling Gleam, unleashing a devastating fairy attack that crashed into Mega Absol with remarkable force. Absol staggered, but he quickly regained his composure, retaliating with a fierce Night Slash that sliced through the air.

The battle intensified, with Mega Gallade and Mega Absol exchanging blows in a flurry of precision and power. Mega Gallade's Close Combat showcased his mastery of fighting techniques, each strike landing with pinpoint accuracy. Mega Absol countered with his own barrage of swift and relentless attacks, his Razor Wind cutting through the air with deadly precision.

The crowd watched in awe as the battle continued to unfold, the clash of blades and the crackle of energy filling the stadium. Mega Gallade's strength and speed seemed unmatched as he skillfully evaded Mega Absol's attacks while delivering powerful blows of its own. The audience held their breath, captivated by the fierce contest taking place before them. Mega Absol, sensing the urgency of the situation, called upon his Dark-type powers. He unleashed a devastating Night Slash that cut through Mega Gallade's defenses, causing him to stagger momentarily. But Mega Gallade refused to back down. With unwavering determination, he summoned his inner strength and retaliated with a stunningly precise Focus Blast.