This has been in the works for a while. It's part of a collaboration between the user firefeygirl on deviantArt. My end constituted writing an encounter between her character and mine, while she will make some art to go with it. You can find out more about our characters at the following links:

http://mario72486.deviantart.com/art...r-R1-153765918
http://firefeygirl.deviantart.com/ar...Form-153248163

Once the art is finished, I'll post that up, as well. But for now, enjoy...

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Pokémon: Ultimate Battle Frontier
Clashes of Opposties

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"So good to be home…"

Such was what Nathaniel Vale said to himself as he looked down from a rocky ledge upon the sleepy little community known as Lavender Town. It had been months since he last stepped foot back into his hometown. The 19-year-old had been out training in northern Kanto with his current Pokémon roster. He took off his green hat and scratched the itch out of his brown hair. He swore the bite he received from that Zubat back in the Rock Tunnel was going to give him a rash…

But that wasn't important. What did have importance was the reason for coming home. Alexei Vertua, a prominent figure from north of Vermillion city and the area's local Breeder, recently lost one of his Pokémon companions, a Growlithe. Nathaniel himself was asked to be involved in the ceremony. It was not just because his family helped with the upkeep of Pokémon Tower, either; the boy was good friends with the Breeder, visiting him on many an occasion during his youth. He had several Pokémon hatched from the breeder's eggs to show for it. When Nathaniel's Ninetales, Max, was still a Vulpix, she would play with the older Growlithe as long as time would allow; he knew she was taking it hard since he broke the news. Taking part in the funeral would be more than just a job – it would be an honor. Also, it would give his Roselia an opportunity to back up his claims of creating the most spectacular and eye-catching displays this side of the continent.

When he arrived at the Pokémon Tower, he immediately looked up to the ceiling. He noticed some graffiti that was put up there by some delinquents the last time he was in town, drawn in the shapes of several Ghost-types. Either no one had noticed it yet, or no one bothered to find a way to get all the way up the fifty feet to reach it. Then again, how someone was able to tag the ceiling was beyond him.

But once again, this wasn't as important as the reason why he came.

Nathaniel walked to the front desk, where a woman was going over some paperwork. She was elderly, perhaps as old as Mr. Pokémon himself, the one who constantly advocated the harmonious balance between Pokémon and Man. Her thick-rimmed glasses took up most of her face, and it looked like a challenge trying to keep them on, but that didn't stop her from ensuring that affairs were kept in order. The young trainer casually leaned against the desk and rang the bell, startling the woman.

"Oh! Oh dear…just a moment..." She took off her glasses; apparently she didn't need them to see people in front of her. "…oh, Nathaniel, it's so good to see you," she said in an almost motherly voice.

"Hey, Bess," Nathaniel greeted in a playful tune. "Sorry I'm late. The Rock Tunnel seemed a little bigger since the last time I trekked through it."

"That's alright, dear. The funeral is still days away."

"I know, but I wanted to meet with Mr. Vertua as soon as possible so we can iron out the details for the floral displays. Speaking of which, I thought he'd be here by now…"

"Oh, that's right. He called earlier today saying he came down with something last night. He won't be able to make it until the day of."

Nathaniel slapped his forehead, almost dumbfounded. "Wait a minute…you mean I rushed all the way out here for nothing?!"

"Oh no of course not, dear. He still plans on coming to the funeral, but he wanted to get better and regain his strength before making the trip. He did send someone along on his behalf, though. This one certainly isn't as courteous as Mr. Vertua, but it looks like he does have some redeeming qualities to him. He's up on the next floor."

"Alright," the trainer said, tipping his hat. "Thanks for letting me know." He headed towards the winding staircase.

"I hope things go well, dear!" Bess called after him.

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As Nathaniel reached the second floor, he could instantly feel the air grow cooler. This was the first of many floors bearing gravestones for Pokémon of all types and sizes, and for anyone who was willing to pay for them. A thick fog reached his ankles, adding to the overall eeriness. This was perhaps one of the only things that he didn't like about the Tower; a cemetery was meant to be a place for remembrance and peace, not a stereotypical area where psychopathic movie villains could pop up at any time.

He looked up and saw a few Gastly circling overhead. After all this time, Ghost-types still inhabited the Tower. There was nothing wrong with this, though, as long as they were respectful of those coming to pay tribute to their loved ones. A sudden scream caught his attention. He turned around to figure out where the source was…

…and was knocked over by a large purple Pokémon.

"What the hell?!" Nathaniel snapped as he tried to recover from the fall.

This outburst freaked out the perpetrator in question, and it screamed again, falling over itself. It covered its eyes as it quivered in fear. It turned out to be a Gengar, the fully-evolved form of Gastly. The Gastly circling above laughed in amusement at this pathetic display.

"Ah, shut up!" Nathaniel shouted up. The smaller Ghost-types shook their heads and snickered as they went about their business.

He sighed as he turned his focus to the one that knocked him over. "And as for you…" The Gengar removed its hands from its eyes, revealing a distinct quality that he instantly recognized. "…Phantasm?"

The Gengar's expression quickly changed from fear to surprise. "Nate?" It said in its language. When the trainer nodded, the Pokémon's look immediately changed to happiness. "YAY! NATE'S BACK! NATE'S BACK! NATE'S BACK!" It seemed to do a dance to show its delight.

"Alright, alright, calm it down already," Nathaniel urged. "But anyway, wow, you've really grown. Last time I saw you, you were just a little Gastly."

"I know," Phantasm replied, finally calming down. "A lot happened after you left. I…actually joined up with a trainer shortly after you left on your journey."

"You were caught?" Nathaniel asked.

"Well……I wouldn't say that…"

"Phantasm, there you are."

Both Nate and the Gengar looked up when they heard the new voice, and they saw an older trainer standing in their midst. He was close to six feet tall with a muscular build. His gelled hair was jet-black, while a pair of sunglasses covered his eyes. He had on a black leather jacket that had seen better days, as well as faded jeans and black boots.

"Sorry," Phantasm said, bowing in apology. "I got scared off again."

"Let me guess…the tumbleweed?" The trainer asked, almost in a sarcastic voice.

"…the tumbleweed," the Gengar replied embarrassingly, looking down to the foggy floor.

The trainer sighed. "You have to forgive him. We've been working on his confidence and courage-building, but the little things still scare him half to death…if you know what I mean."

"Tell me about it," Nathaniel chuckled. "When he was little, he was scared of his own shadow."

The trained looked surprised. "Wait…you know Phantasm?"

"Know him? We were practically playmates! My family helps keep this Tower running, so naturally I spent a lot of time here when I was younger."

"Oh, then you must be the one I've been waiting for." The trainer extended a hand, offering to help the other to his feet. "The name's Leo. My grandfather asked me to come here on his behalf."

"Nathaniel," the younger trainer replied, grasping Leo's hand before getting pulled up. "Hang on…you're the grandson of one of the most famous breeders in the region?"

"That I am," Leo confirmed, "though I'm not that keen on bragging about it. He doesn't get enough credit, after all."

"Are you kidding? I've hatched a ton of eggs from him. He's more than willing to help out trainers looking for interesting Pokémon to take care of."

"It sounds like he knows you all too well. Guess that's why he asked you to take up this job." Leo reached into his jacket and pulled out an envelope.

"Yeah, you might say that," Nathaniel said. "It's an honor to help commemorate a Pokémon I've known for most of my life…well, besides the ones I own myself." He looked down at the envelope. "Is that the information I need?"

Leo nodded, handing it to him. The younger trainer opened it and looked over the letter. "He said he doesn't know what kind of displays you can create," the older trainer explained, "but he's leaving everything up to you as to how it plays out. Nothing extravagant, but nothing miniscule either."

Nathaniel nodded as he finished the letter. "Alright, sounds like a plan. Reynard's going to have a ball."

"…Reynard?"

"My Roselia. He's going to handle the display. Speaking of which, Phantasm tells me that he joined up with you. Did you catch him?"

"…not exactly," Leo chuckled. "I was taking a break from exploring the Tower a few floors up when, without my knowing, a scared little Gastly dove into one of my empty Pokéballs looking for a place to hide. I didn't even know until after I left town, when he came out to see if the coast was clear."

"Don't tell me…he got scared by the tumbleweed."

"HEY!" Phantasm snapped. "It was a really big and scary-looking one! I thought it was gonna gobble me up!"

"Does that answer your question?" Leo asked. Nathaniel laughed in reply, while the Gengar glowed beet-red in humiliation.

"He may get scared on more than one occasion," the rogue continued, "but he's still a terrific companion and battler. Just a week ago he defeated half of another trainer's team all by himself."

Phantasm natural color returned, and he seemed to glow with pride. "Oh, go on," he quipped.

"…then he got taken out by another Gengar that got the drop on him…"

The Ghost-type's mood quickly changed back to embarrassment. "Come on, how was I supposed to know you could attack from behind?"

"It sounds like you've been taken care of well," Nathaniel said, putting a brotherly-like arm on the Gengar's shoulder. "I'm proud of ya." The Ghost-type grinned ear-to-ear. Leo nodded in approval, but raised an eyebrow when the younger trainer wrapped the other arm around him.

"So…the funeral won't be until the weekend. Since we have plenty of time…how about you and I hit the town and…"

Leo looked a little irked by the display and remark. "Uh…actually, I have some business of my own to take care of…"

"Oh come on, you can do that on the way. Besides, who better to lead the way to this town's hotspots than someone who actually lives here?"

"Hotspots? That can be seen in so many lights…"

Nathaniel had to take a moment to process this statement. As soon as it clicked, however, he broke off from his casual arm-wrapping. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, did NOT mean to put it that way…although I wouldn't mind seeing you take off those shades. They do make you look kinda mysterious…"

"And I'd prefer to keep it that way, if you don't mind," Leo replied, indicating the scar over his left eye.

"Ooh…" Nathaniel cringed when he noticed it. "Sorry…I'm kinda desperate if you can't already tell. I've been on this journey of mine for close to ten years, and not a single girl has come in my crosshairs."

"I see…" Not wanting to further offend the younger trainer, Leo decided to change the subject. "Well…how about we have a battle, instead?"

That request seemed to change Nathaniel's attitude. He suddenly became a bit more serious than earlier. "What are the rules?"

"3 on 3, no strings attached. No need to wager anything, either. If you're good at this as you are with orchestrating visual displays with your Roselia, this should be a cakewalk for you."

Nathaniel smiled. "Alright, you've got yourself a challenge. Let's say we head up to the Rock Tunnel entrance and take it from there?"

Leo raised an arm. "Lead the way." The two proceeded out of the Tower, a very concerned Phantasm following closely behind.

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The entrance to the Rock Tunnel was about two miles from Lavender Town, but neither trainer seemed to mind the walk. The ground was flat and grassy for the most part, although there were a lot of boulders to break up the monotonousness. The sun was bright, and only a few clouds spoiled the vastness of the sky. Conditions were perfect for what could easily become a memorable battle. The two trainers stood about seventy feet away from each other. Leo had already chosen a Pokéball off his belt, Phantasm looking on with a nervous grin. Nathaniel was still debating what to start with.

"Hey Nate, let's make things interesting," Leo suggested.

Nathaniel's serious mood didn't seem to change. "What do you have in mind?"

"Let's send out our first Pokémon at the same time, and we cannot make any substitutions. That way, neither of us will have the advantage."

The younger trainer thought about this for a moment, but it was clear what he decided on. "Yeah, that ought to make things interesting." He grabbed the closest Pokéball on his right side. "Ready?"

Leo grinned, pulling back his arm. "Set…"

"GO!" Both trainers threw out the devices that held their first contenders. They opened simultaneously, revealing the Pokémon inside.

Nathaniel had chosen an elegant fox-type, with a cream-white coat and unique red markings on its multiple tails. The tails themselves seemed to have character of their own, as they moved in their own distinct ways. Its eyes were a dark red, staring back at the opposing side questioningly. This was Max, his female Ninetales, and also his very first Pokémon companion.

Leo had taken a similar route in terms of typing, but on a much grander scale. His first choice was an orange-colored creature, and from its features it could easily be mistaken for a Dragon-type. It had short arms, large wings, and a long tail swinging side to side with a bright flame on its end. This was the Pokémon he had chosen at the start of his journey, fully evolved as a Charizard.

Nathaniel gave an exasperated sigh. "Ah man, that's the fifth Charizard I've come across this month!" His Ninetales seemed to share the resentment, shaking her head.

"If that's the case, then you shouldn't have any problem dealing with us, then," Leo retorted. "But I warn you, Tiamat is no easy mark." The female Flame Pokémon let out a burst of white-hot fire in response.

"We'll see about that," Nathaniel stated. "Max, let's show them what we've got! Hit her with Flamethrower!" The Ninetales arched her head back and let loose a large stream of flame.

"Tiamat, let's fight fire with fire!" Leo commanded in response. The Charizard didn't need to move any part of her body to prepare herself. Simply opening her mouth was enough to fire off her own Flamethrower. The two attacks met in the middle of the makeshift battlefield, and they seemed to strain against each other as both Pokémon tried to gain the upper hand.

"Pour it on!" Leo urged. "Don't let up!" It didn't look like Tiamat had any intention of giving in, and her attack became fiercer.

"You gonna take that from a cookie-cutter opponent?" Nathaniel asked. "Show him what originality is all about! Change your attack into Overheat!" Max didn't need to be told twice, and the color of her attack changed dramatically, from an orange to a dark red. Her side of the assault quickly overtook the other, and Tiamat was in trouble.

"Break away and take flight!" Leo ordered, knowing that trying to resist would be a useless gesture. Tiamat ended her Flamethrower and flew up just before the Overheat connected. It instead hit a boulder a few feet away, quickly melting it into glass.

"Close the gap and hit her with Aerial Ace!"

The Charizard quickly dove onto her opponent, her wings spreading out as if they were fans. "You're mine, Foxy!" Tiamat roared.

"Counterattack with Iron Tail!" Nathaniel commanded.

All of Max's tails glowed with a silvery light. "Don't bet on it, cookie-cutter!" Max howled in reply, swinging her tails in the direction of the oncoming Flame Pokémon. The attacks collided, and both combatants were thrown apart; but Tiamat got the worst end of the exchange, falling on her back.

"Don't let your guard down!" Leo called. Tiamat was able to roll over, but it was clear that her left wing was aching.

Nathaniel knew he had to continue applying pressure. "Stay on top of things and use Iron Tail again!" Max swung her tails a second time, using them to strike the back of her opponent. Tiamat screeched in pain as she was whipped repeatedly. The more she tried to get up, the harder Max hit her.

"What's the matter?" Max asked as her onslaught continued. "Are you enjoying this little whipping show of mine?"

Tiamat didn't respond. Her eyes seemed to glow a darker shade of red with each strike of the Iron Tails.

"That's it…" Leo said to himself. "Keep riling her up…stay distracted…" Unbeknownst to Nathaniel or his Ninetails, the flame on Tiamat's tail changed, becoming a bluish hue. It became an orb shape as energy began to charge up.

Max had had enough. "Enough with the back…time for the HEAD!" She shifted herself around to put as much weight as possible into her next Iron Tail.

"Tiamat, use Focus Blast NOW!" The Charizard seized the opportunity, swinging her own tail around and unleashing the orb of energy. Max was caught mid-swing as the orb collided with her side. The Ninetales cried out as she was sent flying.

"Follow up with Dragon Pulse!" Tiamat roared as an orb of teal energy formed in her mouth. Rather than releasing the orb, a large beam shot out from within its core. The beam headed straight for the opposing Ninetales as she fell to earth.

"Quick Max, Hyper Beam!" Her physical awareness was out of whack, but she could clearly see the Dragon Pulse coming. She fired off a bright blast of energy.

Unfortunately, this was accomplished just a split-second before the Dragon Pulse arrived. The explosion created where the two attacks met sent Max crashing into the hillside above the Rock Tunnel entrance. Nathaniel was dumbfounded, but this was short-lived as he rushed up the hill to check on his companion.

Tiamat belched out another round of flame in triumph. "YES! No one messes with the Queen of the Mountain and gets away with it!"

"Enough," Leo ordered. "This isn't the time or the place for selfish gloating. I thought I taught you better than that."

The Charizard lowered her head. "Sorry," she said meekly. "But you know how much I hate being taken advantage of."

"Regardless," Leo replied. "And based on how he went after his Ninetales, you've stirred up a hornet's nest of vengeance."

On the hillside, Nathaniel checked up on his battered best friend. Max was clearly down and out, but still conscious enough to know she was being helped. "You ok?" The trainer asked.

"Not really," Max said in reply, "but you know me, I'm a survivor, and I've been through worse."

Nathaniel sighed, pulling out Max's Pokéball. "You did great. Get some rest." He recalled her before returning to the battlefield. The serious look in his eyes had become even more intense, and both Leo and Tiamat could see this.

"You think knocking out my best friend was funny? We'll see who has the last laugh! Naideen, you know what to do!" He sent out his next Pokémon, a blue humanoid duck with a large beak and red gemstone on its head. Naideen, the female Golduck, struck a pose as she made her appearance.

Tiamat could only laugh. "This is your answer? What a joke!"

Leo narrowed his eyes beneath his sunglasses. "Get your head in the game!"

This warning came too late, as Naideen shot off a Hydro Pump at lightning speed. Tiamat, too caught up in her own arrogance, had no time to react. The giant column of water hit her dead-center, sending her careening through several boulders before she crashed into the rock wall.

Phantasm winced when his teammate hit the wall. "Ouchies …"

"…That…hurt…" A soaked Tiamat muttered before collapsing in a cold and wet heap.

The rogue sighed as he recalled his Charizard. "I told you once, I told you a thousand times…"

Naideen struck several more poses as she celebrated. "Who's da 'mon?" She seemed to gloat.

"You da 'mon!" Nathaniel replied, giving her a high-five. "We sure taught that cookie-cutter!"

"Time to break the mold, then," Leo stated, sending out his second Pokémon. "Go, Grizz!"

The Pokéball opened, and the shape grew larger…and larger…and larger…until finally it revealed itself as a blue behemoth with a cream-colored stomach and head. Unlike most of its kind, this Snorlax was wide awake, stretching its arms in anticipation for battle.

Nathaniel was surprised by this development. "Ok…that certainly isn't cookie-cutter…"

"He's nothing but a big blob," Naideen commented. "I can take it no problem!"

"That's the spirit," her trainer replied. "Use Hydro Pump one more time!" The Golduck took a deep breath and shot off another blast of water.

"Use Curse and hold your ground," Leo simply said. The Snorlax remained where he was, glowing with a reddish hue, as the Hydro Pump connected.

Unfortunately for Naideen, Grizz seemed to like it. "Man, I needed this wash-down," he said, rubbing his body as if he was in a shower.

Naideen stopped her attack, dumbstruck at the scene. "What the…this isn't time for cleaning yourself!"

"Don't take that from him!" Nathaniel ordered. "Use your Zen Headbutt!"

The Golduck's gemstone glowed fiercely. "Here I come you big lummox!" The glow soon covered her entire body as she charged in head-first.

"Same as before," Leo commanded. The Snorlax nodded, maintaining the red aura around him.

Naideen could not believe it. Why would this trainer allow his Pokémon to take a punishing blow? These thoughts soon left her mind as she collided with Grizz's stomach, determined to make this attack as damaging as possible.

Certainly, the Snorlax grimaced in pain, but Nathaniel could see that something was wrong. Grizz's enormous stomch was literally absorbing the headbutt, stretching inward like nylon. "Naideen, get out of there!" He called, knowing what was going to happen next.

Naideen heard the order, but before she could do anything, she was propelled out of Grizz's girth like a projectile from a slingshot. She slammed into the ground just in front of her opponent. Unfortunately for her, that would be the last place she'd want to be. As she looked up in a daze, she noticed that the behemoth was teetering.

Grizz eventually gave out, letting his belly lead the way. He fell right on top of Naideen in a Body Slam, a move that shook the ground when it hit.

Nathaniel's skin paled at this development. Snorlax was one of the heaviest species in existence, and that 1000+ pounds could flatten just about anything.

When the beast rolled over to get back on its feet, he turned his head and saw there was a Golduck-shaped impression in the ground. Thankfully for the Duck Pokémon, this area of ground was very sandy. "Whoops, my bad…" He said in apology.

Nathaniel breathed a sigh of relief as he approached the scene, finding that his Pokémon was only unconscious after nearly becoming a pancake. He was thankful to the stars that Naideen was still in one piece, and he returned her to her Pokéball. While the Golduck would live to tell the tale, she was certainly in no condition to continue.

"Sorry…" Grizz muttered. "I thought the dieting would help, but…"

"It's not your fault," Leo replied. "I know you didn't mean it, and I know Nathaniel feels the same way."

"I'm still going to get back at you for that," Nathaniel quipped, throwing out his last Pokémon for the battle. What appeared was far smaller than the rest of the Pokémon used previously. It was hard to describe it, since a large skull took up most of its sandy-brown physique. But this and the club of bone it wielded was enough to distinguish itself as a Cubone.

"Malin, it's up to you," Nathaniel said. "You know what to do."

The Lonely Pokémon looked up at the opponent in front of him. "Wow…I've seen fat, but this really takes the cake…before he eats it."

Grizz seemed to take offense to this. "Hey, I said I'm on a diet!"

"A diet of fatty foods, looks like," the Cubone quipped. "What's your belt size? Equator?"

"Why you little…" The Snorlax tried swiping a paw at the Lonely Pokémon, but it dove away easily. "Hold still so I can knock some respect into you!"

"Don't see why I should. Hey, bet they have to grease doors and hold Rare Candies on the other side to get you through!" He dodged another swipe of Grizz's claw. "I had to take the Magnet Train and two buses just to get on your good side!"

"Your blood type's Rocky Road!

"Your cereal bowl comes with a lifeguard!

"You work at the movies…as the screens!"

Leo could not believe what he was hearing out of such a tiny Pokémon. With each passing insult, his Snorlax was growing more and more frustrated. He heard something being written down with pencil, and noticed that Phantasm had a list of some kind in front of him. "What are you doing?"

"Taking notes," the Gengar replied. "I've got a comedy act in mind once this is all done…"

"Put that down and focus!" The rogue snapped. "I might need you in a minute!" The Gengar reluctantly threw the note-taking material over his shoulder.

Meanwhile, the round of insults was reaching its peak. Malin had now incorporated song and dance into his little act.

"Fatty fatty fatso, fat fat fat! Fatty fatty tub o' lard, fat fat fat!"

This was the last straw. Grizz somehow leapt up to drop over the Cubone in a Body Slam. Malin was able to evade the move, and the Snorlax hit nothing but dirt. The Lonely Pokémon saw the opportunity to jump onto Grizz's back. The lumbering giant got up, trying in a frenzy to find his miniscule opponent. When he realized he was on his back, he frantically tried to reach around, but with no success.

Malin took his time climbing on top of the Snorlax's head. "It's time to knock some sense into you!" With a large swing of his club of bone, he smashed the living daylights out of the behemoth before leaping to safety. Grizz imagined seeing Pidgey flying around him as his eyes glazed over. He finally fell over, the ground quaking violently.

"Ha!" Malin laughed. "I knew that fatty was a big softie!"

Leo recalled Grizz, obviously not amused. "Alright, Phantasm, you're up."

The Gengar looked up from the action. "What?"

"You heard me, it's up to you. You know Cascada and Steele are out of action for the moment."

He was talking about his Lapras and Metagross, who had been involved in a brutal battle a week earlier. Even after a week's period, the two were nowhere near full strength, and were currently recovering at the Lavender Town Pokémon Center.

"But…but…Nathaniel's a good friend of mine…I can't fight him…"

"You can and you will. You know what my other option is."

"Uh…calling it quits?" Phantasm didn't have to see through Leo's glasses to know that he was staring daggers at him.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about. I don't plan on giving up, but I don't want to use…him." He was referring to the other Pokémon he had used in the previous week's battle, the one that single-handedly tore through the rest of the opponent's team without breaking a sweat.

"Hey," Nathaniel called, "are you going to send out your last Pokémon or not?"

"Hang on a second!" Leo replied, returning his attention to his Gengar. "Come on, you can't leave me hanging like this. I need your help here."

"I'm…I'm sorry…I can't…"

"You have to. You know what will happen if I use Draco-"

As he spoke that last word, the remaining Pokéball on his belt opened, unleashing the beast inside.

"NO, GET BACK HERE!"

It was too late, as the beast revealed itself. Its hide was a dark blue, with an orange stomach and yellow designs on its body. Two wing-like protrusions stuck out of the bottoms of its arms, while a large fin adorned its back. It was clearly a Dragon-type, but the pod-like structures on either side of its head suggested more of a hammerhead motif. What added to its ferocity were the hundreds of overlapping scars that covered its body. It roared as the restraints of being held in its 'prison' were severed.

"Whoa…that's one nasty-looking Garchomp…" Nathaniel mused.

"Talk about overkill on the ugly!" Malin quipped. "I bet he shatters every mirror he looks in!"

The Garchomp known as Draco looked down at the Cubone as it continued to talk trash.

"I bet he can't even get a date off a calendar!"

"Uh…Malin, I'd shut up if I were you…"

"I bet when he was born, the doctors slapped his mama!"

This last insult proved to be one too many. Draco stomped the ground, the resulting Earthquake sending a column of earth right at the Lonely Pokémon.

"Uh oh…" He tried to escape, but the attack came too quickly, and he was sent flying. Draco didn't miss a beat, cruising in like a shark out for blood. As the Cubone dropped out of the air, he was hit a swipe of the Dragon-type's claws. The Brick Break knocked Malin out, and he hit the ground like a ton of bricks.

However, it didn't look like Draco was finished just yet. He licked his chops, as if preparing to chomp down on the unconscious Cubone.

"Draco, that's enough!" Leo called, rushing towards the scene. The Garchomp stopped what he was doing and looked behind him to his trainer, snarling all the while.

Nathaniel looked on as he recalled Malin. "What the heck's going on?"

"You've done enough, now return!" Leo aimed Draco's Pokéball and fired the red beam. It struck the Mach Pokémon, but somehow he was able to break out of it with a roar.

Before Leo had time to react, the Garchomp shoulder-blocked him with a Dragon Rush. The rogue cried out in pain as he fell to the ground.

Phantasm freaked out, rushing to the aid of his trainer. "Leo, get up! Please, get up!" His cries went unanswered, as his trainer was knocked out by the attack.

Draco, meanwhile, continued his blind rage, destroying the nearby boulders as if they were enemies. Each strike seemed more powerful and aggressive than the last, and his normally yellow eyes were slowly turning blood-red.

Nathaniel arrived on the scene, appalled by what he was witnessing. "What the hell was he thinking, sending out a Pokémon like that?"

"He didn't want to!" Phantasm replied, nervously picking up the Pokéball Leo had dropped. "He wanted me to go out, but I couldn't…I didn't want to fight you! You're my friend!"

Nathaniel shut his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. "That doesn't matter right now," he finally said. "What does matter is that we stop that thing before it gets more out of control!"

As if on cue, Draco has broken apart the last boulder in the immediate area. Unfortunately, he was far from calmed down. He set his eyes down the path towards Lavender Town. With another roar, he sped towards the community.

"Ah crap," Nathaniel yelled, realizing what was happening. "Lufti, go after him!" He sent out another Pokémon, a large bird-like creature with white feathers and blue and red designs on its chest. "I don't care how you do it, but knock that thing out!"

"I'm on it!" The Togekiss replied, speeding off in pursuit of Draco.

"Come on," Nathaniel urged to Phantasm, "we have to stop him before he gets to the town!" He ran off to join his Togekiss. Phantasm didn't move, his thoughts still focused on Leo.

"We can help him afterwards! Now HURRY!" The Gengar flinched when he was yelled at, but knew that the trainer was right. He hesitated for a moment, but soon joined in the chase.

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It did not take that long for Lufti to catch up to Draco, given he could fly faster than the Mach Pokémon could run. The Togekiss charged up energy from his mouth and fired off an Aura Sphere. The attack hit Draco in the back, exploding on impact. The Garchomp stopped in his tracks, looking up at his attacker with a vengeful growl. Lufti didn't let up, unleashing a volley of more Aura Spheres. These attacks were ineffective, as Draco, now knowing where they were coming from, was able to dodge them with ease.

However, the objective was achieved, as he had halted his trek to Lavender Town and focused his attention on the dive-bombing Togekiss.

This allowed Nathaniel and Phantasm to catch up. "I saw Earthquake and Brick Break, but what other attacks does he know?" The trainer asked.

"Uh…" The Gengar thought about it. "There was Dragon Rush and Crunch, I think. Because of Draco's aggressive nature, Leo did not want to teach him any special-based moves like Hyper Beam."

Nathaniel sighed in relief, watching the unfolding scene of Lufti attacking from the air. "Wow…that would've made things even more difficult. Well, you've travelled with him for a while, so you should know how to put him away, right?"

"Wish I knew," Phantasm replied. "Draco trains mostly with Tiamat, since she's the only one who can really match him in power. Leo's Lapras is the only one with Ice-type attacks that can really slow him down, but she's back in town recovering from another battle!"

"Terrific," Nathaniel groaned. "We'll have to do what we can. Just as long as we can keep him grounded, knocking him out shouldn't be too much of an issue…"

"Yeah, about that…" Phantasm began.

At that moment, Lufti dove in for a Sky Attack. The Garchomp seized the opportunity and leapt into the air, meeting the Togekiss in mid-flight and catching it off guard. He chomped down on Lufti's wing with a Crunch Attack. Lufti cried in pain as it was forced to the ground the hard way.

"…Draco can…jump good…"

Nathaniel didn't hesitate, sending out his two remaining Pokémon at the same time. "Reynard, Levina, move in to attack!" The two materialized and followed orders. Reynard was a green plant-like being, with a rose on either arm instead of hands; one was red, the other blue. Levina was a yellow fox-type, with spiny yellow fur and deep black eyes. The Roselia and Jolteon did not miss a beat as they came to the aid of their comrade.

"Get away you sonuvabitch!" Levina shouted, firing off a Thunderbolt. Knowing it wouldn't have an effect on the Garchomp, she instead focused it on the ground around the beast. It got his attention, and he got up from his pummeling of Lufti.

"It's time to show this big brute what I'm made of," Reynard said in a real stuck-up voice. With a wave of his roses, the Roselia started his Petal Dance. A gust of wind sent the multicolored, razor-sharp petals towards Draco. They connected, scratching up the Mach Pokémon's ever-growing collection of scars. He roared as he tried to shoulder-block the smaller creature. Reynard dodged to the side, firing off an Energy Ball. The Garchomp…well, chomped on the Energy Ball as if it were a midday snack. Smoke blew out of his nostrils as he charged at the Roselia again, this time counting on nipping things in the bud.

He didn't count on Levina charging in with a Giga Impact; the supercharged tackle sent him crashing into the cliff face. The Jolteon had to catch her breath, the last move taking more out of her than she would have liked. She gave a gasp as Draco got back to his feet, his rage intensifying. As he charged, he was knocked down again, this time by Reynard's Solar Beam.

"This is far too easy," Reynard commented. "He isn't even putting up a fight…"

Apparently he jinxed himself, as Draco leapt into the air and came down hard, unleashing a far stronger Earthquake than before. The wave of earth was at least six feet high.

Reynard was unable to escape the wave, and he was forced against the cliff face, effectively knocking him out. Levina attempted to Dig her way underground to avoid the attack, but the Earthquake's shockwave caused a cave-in, trapping her. Nathaniel and Phantasm hid behind a larger boulder, and thankfully it held up, protecting them from the attack.

The distractions taken care of, Garchomp continued his trek to Lavender Town.

"Oh no…oh no oh no oh no…" Phantasm said in a panicked voice.

"Phantasm, listen," Nathaniel said. "It's up to you, now." Before the Gengar could protest, the trainer continued. "Think about the innocent people who could get hurt if that Garchomp reaches the town. There may not be anyone else who can stop him."

"But…but…"

"No buts. I know you're afraid, but you need to man up, take that bravery training you've done with Leo and put it into practice. You have to do it for your friends back in town…do it for the townsfolk…do it for Leo…"

"…do it for me…"

Phantasm's shivering stopped in its tracks, while the once frightened look in his eyes vanished, replaced by one of sheer determination. His eyes narrowed as he nodded. "You got it." Without another word, the Gengar glowed with an eerie aura, and he floated off towards his rampaging teammate. Nathaniel moved in to recover his fallen Pokémon.

Draco's rage was near its peak, and he was not in the mood for another distraction - which would explain his angry response when Phantasm sped past him and blocked his path.

The Gengar flinched at the roar, but that did not force him away. "Draco, it's me, Phantasm, remember, your partner for target practice?"

The Garchomp snarled, and finally spoke his first words in a while. "Get out of my way, coward."

"Not until you calm down and stop what you're doing!" Phantasm snapped. "Don't you realize the people and Pokémon you've hurt today? You knocked out Leo for god's sake!"

"What about it?" Draco asked. "It's not my fault if he can't control me. Now I'll say it again – get out of my way…"

Phantasm shook his head in disappointment. "I don't want to fight you, but I will if I must…"

Draco turned his head in disgust. "I have brought down far stronger opponents than you. What makes you think you can hold your own against me?"

Phantasm frowned as he charged up a Shadow Ball. "I actually have a reason to fight right now…"

"Then you'll meet the same FATE!" Draco charged with a Dragon Rush. The Gengar leapt aside, allowing his ball of energy to grow larger. He hurled it towards the Garchomp, and the ectoplasm collided, forcing the Mach Pokémon to the ground. It didn't last for long, as Draco leapt in to Crunch down on Phantasm. Once again, the Gengar dodged to the side, sending off yet another connecting Shadow Ball.

The Ghost-type finally came to appreciate why Leo used him as a target for the Garchomp; due to his higher speed and incredible agility, he could avoid the Dragon-type's physical attacks with ease.

His eyes began to glow a bright blue as his Psychic attack came into play. Draco was afflicted with the same glow, and was thrown against the side of the canyon. "Damn you…" He snarled.

This got the Gengar going. Gone was his fear of this behemoth; in its place was the need to stop him at all costs. With that in mind – literally – he pressed his Psychic attack even further, lifting the Garchomp into the air, and then slamming him into the ground multiple times in an attempt to wear him down.

Nathaniel had caught up by now, having rescued all of his Pokémon from near disaster. He watched in amazement as Phantasm continued his Special onslaught.

Draco was at wit's end, the rage building within him finally boiling over. His eyes went completely blood-red as he roared at the top of his lungs. "ENOUGH!" He slammed his foot into the ground, creating an Earthquake twice as large as the previous one. Nathaniel dove for cover, fearing the worst.

The shockwave created a cloud of dust and debris, and Draco was sure that the attack was more than enough to make the Ghost give up. When the smoke cleared, however, Phantasm was still standing. The Garchomp's jaw hung out in disbelief. "Ah crap…"

"My ability is Levitate, remember?" Phantasm commented, firing off another Shadow Ball at lightning-fast speed. The attack hit Draco square in the head, causing it to snap back. He flipped over a full 360 degrees before falling over. Like all the beings he had attacked earlier, he was now unconscious.

It took a moment for the realization to sink in, but when it finally did, Phantasm fell on his back, clearly exhausted himself. "I did it…I really did it…"

Nathaniel took out the Pokéball Leo had used earlier, and recalled the Garchomp with no trouble at all. He approached the Gengar with an expression of both relief and pride. "I knew you could do it," he said.

Phantasm looked up, his smile bigger than ever. "All thanks to you," he replied.

The trained nodded. "Now come, we need to get Leo back to town. Hopefully he isn't hurt too badly…"

-------------------------------------

A few days later, both trainers and their Pokémon teams were in attendance for the funeral. Nathaniel guided Reynard through a remarkable display, using the multicolored petals to simulate wind and fire patterns. The crowd was awed by this demonstration, and this made the Roselia feel even more proud than before.

Mr. Vertua clapped in appreciation, hoping that his Growlithe was in a better place. Leo stood by his grandfather, his right arm in a sling. The Dragon Rush has bruised a few ribs and came close to fracturing the bones in his arm. He was simply glad that this was the only damage caused by his Garchomp. Phantasm was by his side, glowing with a far more positive light than when he had first arrived back in his hometown.

"So what did you end up doing with Draco?" Mr. Vertua asked to the side.

"Stored him away for now," Leo replied. "He has grown far more out of control than I realized. Until I can find a way to curb that aggression, it's far too risky to keep him in my group. I haven't decided on who will take his place yet, but that isn't my biggest concern right now." He nursed his injured arm with a disappointed look on his face.

"You shouldn't blame yourself," Phantasm said. "You couldn't have known. I'm just glad we were able to stop him before innocent people got hurt."

"And I have you to thank for that," Leo replied, giving a noogie to the Gengar's head with his good hand. "Not only did you face your fears, you were able to single-handedly knock out one of your stronger teammates without any physical trouble. I'm very proud of you. I might have to reconsider who I start off with during future battles…"

"Well…I don't know about that…" Phantasm chuckled.

The display complete, Nathaniel came to meet with Mr. Vertua, Max trailing behind him. "So, what'd you think?" He asked.

"I thought it was magnificent," Mr. Vertua replied. "You more than met my expectations, and I'm sure my Growlithe would've loved it. I appreciate you coming all the way out here to do this."

"Wasn't a problem at all," Nathaniel said, rubbing Max's head.

Leo stepped forward. "I heard about the pep talk you gave to Phantasm the other day," he commented. "Personally I did not expect it to have such a great effect on his confidence. It if wasn't for you, there's no telling how things could have turned out." He extended his free hand. "For that, I thank you."

Nathaniel received the handshake. "So…does that mean we're friends?"

The rogue grinned. "I guess you could say that…"

"Does that also mean you'll let me show you all the hotspots in town?"

Leo raised an eyebrow. "…don't press your luck." Nathaniel only laughed at this.

"Speaking of which," Mr. Vertua interjected, "I think you received an invitation earlier, Leo. It's for a competition in the Sardonyx region, I think."

"You got one, too?" Nathaniel asked. "I got my invitation the other day. I'm definitely planning on going to this. How about you?"

Leo looked down at Phantasm. "What do you think? Are you up for another intense competition?"

The Gengar grinned. "Compared to what happened the other day, this should be a piece of cake!"

The rogue smiled back. "Guess it's settled. You can count me in."

"Don't think I'll go easy on you if we cross paths again," Nathaniel said, the determination in his eyes having returned.

"You can bank on that," Max added.

"We'll see how the ball bounces this time," Phantasm replied, his eyes burning brightly.

Mr. Vertua looked on with nostalgia. "Ah, trainers these days…"

The ceremony came to an end and new paths were forged, as two trainers, completely opposite of one another, psyched themselves up for perhaps the greatest competition of their lives. The journey wouldn't be easy, but based on the looks the trainers and the Pokémon gave each other this would be an incredible quest to remember...