415 Chapter no.410 Surprise in the Saffron City Gym

[AUTHOR NOTE: Dear Readers,

Firstly, I sincerely apologize for the hiatus and for not being able to fulfill my promise of daily uploads. The stress of awaiting my exam results took a toll on my health, and I needed to recuperate. To update you all, I scored 84% in my exams, which I am genuinely proud of. Now, the wait begins for medical college admissions to commence in December. Fingers crossed!

Your continued support means the world to me, and I promise to be consistent in my uploads.]

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

[POV CHANGE]

Saffron City was a bustling metropolis, known for its towering skyscrapers and bustling streets. But today, the city was shrouded in a strange and ominous aura. Rows of trucks belonging to Team Rocket were stationed at regular intervals along the border, their dark exteriors contrasting against the bright lights of the city.

Inside each truck was a horror show. Glass containers filled with a strange, green fluid held the bodies of psychic Pokemon. The creatures floated lifelessly, held in place by the high-tech machinery that surrounded them. But if one looked closely, they would see that the psychic spoons, symbols of the psychic power within each Pokemon, floated inside the chests of the creatures.

On the rooftop of one of the city's tallest buildings, a woman stood, surveying the chaos below.

Lisa was dressed in a long, black coat that whipped in the wind, and her hair was styled in a sleek bun that accented her sharp features. Beside her stood her Alakazam, its eyes glowing with psychic energy as they gazed upon the rows of human psychics, each one of whom had gone missing from their homes years ago.

"It's time," Lisa said, her voice echoing over the city. "It's time for us to show the world what we're capable of."

She raised her hand, and with a flick of her wrist, she triggered Mega Evolution.

Rows of humans knelt on the ground, their bodies trembling as they were blindfolded. Suddenly, without warning, their bodies began to age at an accelerated rate. Wrinkles appeared on their skin, their hair turned gray and withered, and their bodies shrunk as if they were being consumed by some unseen force. In the blink of an eye, all the humans were turned into dust, leaving nothing behind but a trail of gray particles that drifted aimlessly on the wind.

As the dust settled, a pulsing aura of psychic energy erupted from the remains of the humans. The energy swirled and coalesced, forming an impenetrable dome that covered the entire city of Saffron. The dome was a brilliant shade of green, illuminating the city below and causing buildings to shake. People in the streets looked on in horror, their expressions a mix of fear and disbelief as the dome continued to grow. The sound of shattering glass filled the air as windows broke, and the ground beneath their feet rumbled.

Lisa stood atop the building, her hair whipping in the wind, as she watched the psychic dome consume the city. Her Alakazam was at her side, its eyes glowing with a strange and powerful energy.

"This is just the beginning," she said, a wicked smile spreading across her face. "With the power of the psychics at my fingertips, the world will tremble at the sound of my name."

As the psychic dome continued to grow, it became clear that Saffron City was no longer the same.

....

[ Saffron City Gym ]

The Saffron City Gym was a place of power and strength, where trainers came to test their skills and earn their badges. But today, the gym was eerily quiet, as if waiting for something to happen. That was until a group of Team Rocket grunts rushed into the room, their dark type Pokemon at the ready.

The grunts were led by Team Rocket executive Orm, a formidable figure, standing at over six feet tall and with a build that was both imposing and intimidating. His skin was a sickly shade of pale white, and his features were rough and rugged, giving him the appearance of a monster straight out of a horror film. His hair was black and wild, hanging down in tangled strands that framed his face, and his eyes were deep-set and dark, gleaming with a sinister light. Despite his fearsome appearance, Orm was a skilled and cunning strategist, leading the Team Rocket grunts with an iron will and a fierce determination as he led his grunts into the gym. But as they entered, they found the room completely empty.

"Where is everyone?" Orm growled, his deep voice echoing through the gym.

And then, from the shadows, a voice called out. "How long has it been since I have battled?"

The grunts turned to see an old man walking towards them, his gi rustling as he moved. Anthony, the dojo master, and he was a sight to behold. His gi was immaculate, with not a single wrinkle or stain to be seen. His hair was slicked back, and his eyes were piercing and full of wisdom.

As he approached, Orm's eyes were drawn to the black belt that Anthony wore, and the mega stone that was attached to it. He took a step forward, his expression turning from confident to frightened as the Medicham at Anthony's side began to glow.

"Children, battle aren't won by numbers ," Anthony said, his voice steady and confident. "But by those that hold wisdom to use their power wisely. Well then, Team rocket let the match begin, Hajime!"

The vast hall of the Saffron City Gym echoed with Anthony's challenge. As if on cue, the lights dimmed, casting the dojo into dramatic shadows.

Orm snarled, signaling his grunts. From the shadows, Houndooms, Mightyenas, and Weaviles emerged, their dark auras clashing with the ethereal glow of the Medicham.

The first to attack was a Houndoom. With a burst of speed, it lunged at Medicham. But Medicham, drawing from the principles of Wing Chun, shifted its weight effortlessly. Using the Houndoom's momentum against it, it employed a swift 'Tan Sao' (Dispersing Hand) to deflect the attack, causing the Houndoom to skid past it.

Two Mightyenas approached next, trying to corner Medicham. They leaped simultaneously, coordinating their assault. But the evolved fighter was ready. Tapping into Aikido's fluid motions, Medicham pivoted on one foot, using the 'Irimi Nage' technique. It entered the space between the Mightyenas, redirecting their energy and sending them crashing into one another.

A Weavile, fast and agile, attempted to outmaneuver Medicham with its quick slashes. However, Medicham utilized Wing Chun's 'Chain Punches' in response. Its ghost-like arms delivered a rapid series of blows, forcing the Weavile back.

But the numbers were against Medicham. As it engaged one Pokemon, another would sneak up from behind. Realizing this, Medicham began to draw from the internal principles of Wing Chun and Aikido. It became the eye of the storm, with every movement calculated and every response precise.

A Mightyena tried to grip Medicham from behind, but with Aikido's 'Tenkan' (turning) movement, it broke free, guiding the Pokemon's forceful grip into empty space.

Medicham's style was a dance of energy redirection and efficient strikes. It began using Wing Chun's 'Bong Sao' (Wing Arm Block) to deflect incoming attacks, followed by Aikido's 'Kote Gaeshi' (wrist turn) to manipulate the aggressor's movement.

Orm, watching the spectacle unfold, grew increasingly frustrated. "Enough of this!" he shouted. Releasing his ace, a massive Tyranitar, the ground shook as it roared.

Orm's sinister grin seemed to widen as he issued the command. "Tyranitar, Hyper Beam!" The behemoth opened its massive maw, gathering a potent orb of energy. With Medicham momentarily distracted by the remaining grunts, it seemed like Anthony was directly in the line of fire.

A brilliant beam of light exploded from Tyranitar's mouth, illuminating the dojo in a blinding flash. As the dust settled and the noise faded, the entire gym held its collective breath, fearing the worst. Orm's smirk solidified into a triumphant sneer as he believed he had obliterated Anthony.

But as the residual energy from the Hyper Beam dissipated, a sudden roar of an engine filled the room, followed by murmurs of disbelief from the grunts. Orm, perplexed, lifted his gaze to the audience railing above. There, to everyone's astonishment, stood old man Anthony. His body glowed red-hot, steam hissing from his frame as if he'd absorbed and redirected the sheer force of the Hyper Beam itself but he had used his secret martial arts.

Orm's eyes widened in disbelief. "What... What are you?"

Catching his breath and suppressing a cough, Anthony responded with a tinge of humor, "How long has it been since I've used this technique against a Pokémon?" He then fixed Orm with a steely gaze, "Oi, kiddo, when was the last war you witnessed?"

Whispers spread among Team Rocket's members. "Is he even human?" murmured one.

Anthony smirked, "It's an elder's duty to guide the young," he began, taking a step forward, his gaze never leaving Orm. "And I think it's high time I guided you... to where you truly belong."

A cold, almost tangible chill descended upon the gym. As Medicham leapt gracefully into the air, aligning itself beside Anthony, the room seemed to contract in anticipation of the old master's next words.

"The morgue," Anthony declared.

The sheer force of his proclamation left a palpable tension in the air. Orm, for the first time, seemed unsure, his confidence replaced with a dawning realization of the power he was truly up against.

As Anthony moved his belt, the air around the Medicham began to shimmer and pulse with energy. The Medicham's body started to glow with a bright, white light, and its outline became blurred as if it was being pulled apart. Suddenly, with a blinding flash of light, the Medicham underwent mega evolution.

Its form changed dramatically, becoming more muscular and powerful-looking.

As Mega Medicham, its headpiece now resembled a white turban with a yellow stone in the center. The red extension in the back is retained, and there are five white extensions on the turban, three extending from the stone and one on either side of its head. There is now a gold band on each wrist and additional gold bands around its waist. Several blue, teardrop-shaped decorations hang from the lowest hip band. Using its enhanced willpower, Mega Medicham has formed four ghost-like arms around itself.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

[ Omake Paragraph ]

In recent years, it was believed that Magmar could not breed. Theories abounded as to why this was the case: perhaps their reproductive organs had been scorched away when they were reborn in the fire of volcanoes, perhaps their flame body which incubates the eggs of other pokemon so well was causing their own eggs to hatch prematurely. But the utter absence of any infant Magmar in the wild, and their refusal to breed in captivity, understandably led people to believe they were as sterile as Voltorb.

Recent advances in the science of pokemon breeding have led to many baby pokemon being bred for the first time in captivity, and seen others like Pichu reclassified from mere infants to their own evolutionary stage. Yet none of these discoveries have shocked the scientific world as much as the breeding of Magbee or Magby. (The latter transcription is favored, owing to its similarity to the word "baby", but a vocal minority continues to insist on the former one.) An elderly couple of pokemon breeders at a daycare in Johto have recently managed to induce a pair of Magmar to breed, and the method they used has since become as commonplace among breeders as Rattata in tall grass.

The resultant pokemon, Magby, has one striking difference from Magmar; its fire is contained internally, so it does not burn everything it touches, a fact which allows trainers to raise one without fear of committing arson. (One must use care when handling a Magby, however, for the lack of flames does not mean a safe body temperature.) Sadly, they do not get used to the sensation of burning from infancy, so once they evolve they are as pained by the heat as a Magmar born of a volcano.