The stadium lights blazed down on the battlefield as both Pryce and Lance released their first Pokémon. Lance's Poké Ball burst open with a flash of crimson, and out came a shiny red Gyarados.
The crowd erupted into a deafening roar as they saw a rare shiny Pokemon.
Pryce released his Glaceon. Against the large Gyarados, Glaceon looked like an ant. The referee raised both flags, and the battle began.
"No matter what happens, the Indigo region will experience some serious changes after this match," Erza said quietly, her eyes fixed on the screen.
"We already know what's going to happen, Mom," Gladion replied, leaning back on the couch with a very big, very smug smile. "Let's face it, Pryce has lost his edge. Even his ace abandoned him."
Gwen snorted, tossing a kernel at Gladion's head. "You're more sadistic than me, Glady. You're saying it like you had no role in crushing Pryce's confidence. Collosus and the others totally demolished him in your match against him. Look at that grin, you're enjoying this! You're so mean, the guy who tried to undermine you is suffering, and you're just sitting here like a villain in a movie!"
Milo and Lila, perched on either side of Daisy, chimed in together, their voices high
"Big Brother Glady is mean!"
"Big Brother Glady is mean!"
Gladion coughed awkwardly, his ears turning pink. "Anyway," he said, quickly changing the subject, "the changes with Lance winning will be huge. The Blackthorn Clan will gain more political power, which will back up their already strong military presence. It'll shift the balance in Johto. Lance's ideals are to unify Kanto and Johto on an emotional level and reduce the bias and unfairness Pryce has subjected Kanto to. That means more economic development for Kanto, better trade, more jobs, less regional favoritism."
'And they might prove a headache if they ever find out about Latios and Latias,' he thought, his smile fading slightly. 'Those dragon-obsessed monopolists don't want anyone else touching a Dragon-type. Fucking gatekeepers. They wouldn't let me rest if they find out that I have two legendary dragon types.'
"You are forgetting that with Lance getting the leadership of Kanto, it would mean a shift of values from old to new. And with most of the gym leaders being new and young like you, Brock and Sabrina, there would be unrest among the older generation with traditional values." Ben chimed in.
Back on the screen, the battle raged. Lance's shiny Gyarados dominated the field, its Dragon Dance boosting its speed and attack with every turn. Pryce's Glaceon tried to counter with Ice Beam, but the red serpent shrugged it off like a light breeze. A single dragon tail sent Glaceon skidding across the field, knocked out in one hit.
Daisy leaned forward, frowning. "Wait, I don't get it. Ice types have an advantage against Dragon types, right? So why aren't Pryce's Ice moves hurting Lance's Pokémon more? And why are Dragon-type moves doing so much damage to Ice types?"
Gladion glanced at her, impressed by the question. "Type advantages do matter, even in the highest-level matches. But when the difference in strength between two Pokémon is this big, it barely makes a difference. Ice is effective against Dragon, yes but it's not as strong as Fairy against Dragon. And Lance's Pokémon are trained to the absolute peak. Raw power, speed, and strategy trump type charts when the gap is this wide. Not to say Pryce Pokemon are not well trained, they are strong but rusty and Pryce has lost his motivation to train his Pokemon recently."
Daisy nodded slowly, her eyes glued to the screen as Pryce recalled Glaceon and sent out Glalie. The spherical Ice-type floated forward, launching a Blizzard that filled the field with swirling snow. But Gyarados powered through, its Aqua Tail slamming into Glalie with a thunderous crack. Another knockout.
The battle was one-sided, just as Gladion had predicted. Pryce cycled through his team: Glalie, Delibird, Weavile, Jynx, and finally, a Piloswine. Not his ace—the real ace had left him years ago, a betrayal still whispered about in trainer circles but a backup. Daisy winced as Piloswine took a direct Outrage from Lance's Charizard and collapsed without landing a single hit.
'At this point, I might just give him the method to evolve Piloswine into Mamoswine,' Gladion thought, a rare flicker of pity crossing his face. 'His ace isn't even fully evolved for a Champion. That's just sad.'
Lance recalled Charizard and released his third Pokémon, his ace, an alpha Dragonite. The massive orange dragon towered over the field and it roared. The crowd went silent for a split second, then exploded into cheers.
Dragonite didn't even need commands. It moved like a storm, Hyper Beam, Dragon Rush, Extreme Speed. Weavile fell in one hit. Jynx lasted two. Piloswine didn't stand a chance. The alpha Dragonite barely looked winded, its scales untouched.
As Dragonite unleashed a final Hyper Beam that obliterated Pryce's last Pokémon, a deep, earth-shaking roar echoed from the ranch besides the Vortex manor.
The Vortex Manor trembled slightly. Glasses rattled on the coffee table. Daisy jumped, nearly spilling her soda.
Gladion smiled, slow and proud. "It seems Collosus wants a go against another alpha pseudo-legendary."
He had installed massive screens in the caves and habitats of his larger Pokémon so they could watch big matches. Collosus, his alpha Tyranitar, was clearly fired up. Another roar rumbled through the walls, and Daisy could've sworn she felt it in her chest.
Back in the stadium, the dust settled. Lance's Dragonite landed with a gentle thud, folding its wings. The referee raised a flag.
The announcer's voice boomed, thick with emotion:
"With a final score of 6 to 2, Lance Wataru claims victory! Ladies and gentlemen—history has been made! A new era dawns upon us! Please rise and give it up for your NEW CHAMPION OF THE INDIGO REGION—LANCE WATARU!"
-----Author Notes------
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