The stone floor beneath Al’s boots felt cool, even under the mid-morning sun streaming through the Gym’s translucent dome. Wind whispered through the rafters above, stirring the air and giving the whole arena a weightless, aerial atmosphere—fitting for a Gym built on flight.

  On the far end of the battlefield, Falkner stood calm and collected, hands behind his back, every line of his posture sharp with purpose. The gym leader’s blue-and-white robes rippled slightly in the moving air, and his gaze met Al’s with a kind of cool challenge.

  “This is a Star Badge match,” came the voice of the referee from the booth above. “Six Pokémon each. No switching. Each Pokémon will battle until it is defeated. Trainers, ready?”

  Al exhaled slowly, fingers tightening around his first Poké Ball. “Ready.”

  Falkner nodded once. “Begin.”

  (break)

  Falkner made the first move. “Swellow!”

  The Poké Ball burst open in a streak of light. A sleek, steel-blue bird with crimson plumage took to the air in a sudden burst, wings slicing the wind. Its eyes gleamed with sharp instinct, and it circled above the arena in wide, rapid arcs.

  Al stepped forward. “Manectric, let’s go!”

  The electric hound landed with a snarl, lightning crackling along its mane. Manectric crouched low, eyes tracking the airborne Swellow.

  The tension between them was immediate. Speed against precision. Air versus ground.

  “Agility!” Falkner called.

  Swellow’s body blurred, leaving a wake of motion behind it. It dove in and out of currents, nearly invisible, its acceleration spiking every second it stayed in motion.

  “Charge!” Al called.

  Manectric planted its paws, electricity building in arcs up its spine. Not just power—preparation. The ground hissed beneath him.

  “Quick Attack—spiral dive!” Falkner snapped.

  Swellow vanished into a blur and plunged straight down, then twisted midair in a tight helix to throw off Manectric’s aim.

  “Snarl!” Al barked.

  Manectric unleashed a blast of harsh sound. It disrupted Swellow’s trajectory just enough to dull the impact as it collided.

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  The hit still landed. Manectric was driven back, skidding across the stone floor.

  But Swellow was exposed now, mid-recovery.

  “Thunderbolt!”

  Electricity surged from Manectric’s body and arced skyward like a whip. The bolt caught Swellow full in the chest, blasting it backward into a spiraling, uncontrolled flight path.

  “Don’t let it recover—Thunder Fang!”

  Manectric leapt, fangs charged with lightning, catching the falling bird midair with a snap of jaws and slamming it into the ground.

  Swellow shuddered once, wings twitching—and stilled.

  “Swellow is unable to battle.”

  Al exhaled slowly, heart thudding.

  Manectric stood over the fallen bird, chest heaving, fur sparking.

  Falkner recalled Swellow, expression unreadable. “Good read on timing,” he said simply. “But you haven’t seen precision yet.”

  He pulled out his next Poké Ball. “Noivern.”

  The bat-dragon erupted into the air in a burst of wind and shrieking sound. Purple wings stretched wide, ears twitching like radar dishes, and its yellow eyes gleamed with almost cruel amusement.

  Manectric growled low.

  Al hesitated a breath. No switches. Manectric had to see this through.

  “Dragon Pulse!” Falkner snapped.

  A beam of spiraling energy shot down with barely a warning. Al’s instincts flared.

  “Dodge!”

  Manectric darted right, the beam exploding into the floor behind it. Chunks of stone flew.

  “Get in close!” Al yelled.

  Manectric charged, zigzagging at top speed.

  “Noivern, Boomburst.”

  The screech that followed was apocalyptic—vibrating the very air, sending pressure rippling across the arena like a tsunami.

  Manectric was blasted off its paws, skidding and tumbling in a heap.

  “On your feet!” Al called, urgency rising.

  The electric-type struggled up, bruised, limping slightly—but standing.

  “Flamethrower,” Falkner said with eerie calm.

  Fire poured from Noivern’s maw like a dragon’s breath.

  “Thunderbolt—straight through!”

  Al’s command was a gamble. Manectric roared, letting loose a surge of lightning that tore through the flames. The bolt struck Noivern’s wing—but not hard enough.

  The dragon shrieked, retaliated.

  “Tailwind!”

  A burst of air spiraled behind it, boosting speed exponentially.

  Then it was gone—invisible in the blink of an eye—reappearing behind Manectric in mid-dive.

  “Air Slash!”

  The wind blade hit like a guillotine.

  Manectric dropped.

  Silence rang through the arena.

  “Manectric is unable to battle.”

  Al returned his Pokémon, pressing the ball to his chest for a brief second. “You did great. You gave me a window.”

  Noivern circled overhead, fresh wind propelling it like a missile.

  Al took his next ball.

  “Then I’ll take it.”

  He tossed it high.

  “Gardevoir, you’re up!”