Caulin ran out onto the field to the joyful cries of the audience. Many of them remembered his fight with Keldeo, and he could hear his name being called by the masses. He skidded to a halt as he made his entrance, raising his arms up into the air and relishing in the cheers for a time before turning to face his next opponent.

From the opposite gate stepped a Charmeleon. For a moment, Caulin didn’t recognize him, having only seen him a few times, but he eventually noticed the armband he wore, and the familiar crossed scythes that he knew were the emblem for Team Kama.

“Oho! A member of Mr. Sickle’s team eh?” He asked, grinning from ear to ear. “One step closer to fighting the big man himself~”

The Charmeleon arched an eye ridge at him. “Think you’re going to get that far, do you? Heh. Just like me; so much confidence,” he remarked.

“I got the skills and the power to back up that confidence, or did you not see my fight against Keldeo?” Caulin answered, flicking his nose with his paw.

“Keldeo’s one thing, but I was trained by the namesake of this very tournament himself,” Kaen returned, pointing to the statue of Torolf mounted atop the arena wall.

“And I aim to surpass even him!” Caulin announced. “So sorry, but I’m not gonna let you stop my streak today!”

“And I don’t intend to go down without a fight,” Kaen returned as he widened his stance. “I may be Team Kama’s smallest member, but I’m not going to be known as their weakest!”

“Hehehe! That’s the spirit!” Caulin answered, hopping a few times before getting into stance, once again flicking his nose with his paw.

“Let’s see what you got, kid,” Kaen said, wearing a wide grin.

Revane waited a few seconds as the two readied themselves, before signalling for the match to start. Caulin immediately made the first move by swinging his arms and discharging two Aura Spheres to start the fight, then fired a third before he began darting to Kaen’s blindspot, charging forward once he was in position.

Kaen made a sweeping attack with a Flamethrower to disperse the Aura Spheres, and narrowly turned to block Caulin’s incoming attack. “Fast on your feet,” he said, before making a quick twist and slamming his tail into Caulin’s abdomen.

The young Lucario took the hit, grunting, but anchoring his feet into the ground as the tail hit him. He then wrapped his arms around the Charmeleon’s tail and grinned. “And tough like rock!” He added before he began pulling on Kaen’s tail, spinning in a circle until Kaen’s feet were off the ground, where he then threw him as hard as he could against the arena wall.

Kaen whooped in fright as he was lifted off the ground. Whooping turned to yelling as he was thrown, and then a grunt as he struck the wall, sliding down the stone before landing on the sand again. “Okay… Ow…” he groaned as he stood again.

“Hehe~ Had enough already?” Caulin asked as he flexed his arms and summoned his Bone Rush Tonfas, spinning them in his paws before holding them at the ready. “Thought you weren’t gonna go out being known as the weakest of Team Kama?~” He further prodded.

“Oh, you’re askin’ for it, kid!” Kaen growled, lifting his arms as six ethereal swords formed around him, rotating in a circle before each of them clashed with their adjacent phantasm, and the muscles of Kaen’s body noticeably swelled as he pumped both of his arms.

Then, he ignited both fists, and ran at Caulin, surprising the lucario at how fast the Charmeleon was at full sprint as he attacked with a flurry of flaming punches and tail swipes, his fighting style somewhat reminiscent of the Rapid-Strike’s style, though nowhere near as refined. That said, because his fighting style wasn’t refined, Caulin was able to deflect and dodge around each attack with some effort. Eventually he was forced to rely on Mind Reader to get a leg up on Kaen, parrying one of the Charmeleon’s claws and countering with a series of rapid jabs with his weapon into Kaen’s stomach before kicking him away.

Kaen exhaled with each jab Caulin made, before bracing himself against the kick, skidding back only a meter. Caulin’s mind reader caught a glimpse of the next attack too late; he was too close! Kaen spat a Flame Burst at Caulin’s feet, the exploding fireball detonating even as the Lucario tried to move.

“Crap!!” He exclaimed as the attack exploded, causing him to get blown back from the force of the Flame Burst and skid along the ground for a moment, then shot back to his feet and dusted off any residual flames still lingering on his Gi. “Yikes!! That was close!”

He heard Kaen exhale again; the dust from the blast was quickly joined by a smokescreen, blanketing the field and leaving Caulin unable to see where Kaen was. Caulin growled, shielding himself from the smoke at first before instinctively activating his Aura Sense to try and zero in on Kaen’s signal.

He expected to find the signal beyond the smoke, where he was sure Kaen was preparing another attack. But when he reached out, he didn’t detect the Charmeleon’s signal from where he expected…

It was behind him!

Caulin turned sharply, just in time to see the Charmelon leaping at him, fist drawn back with a Focus Punch and eliciting a fierce roar as he struck at the Lucario. With no other choice, Caulin brought his weapons in front of him and rooted himself down as much as he could, his arms taking the Focus Punch and rattling as he struggled to keep himself from being blown back a second time.

Despite his lacking size, Kaen was powerful. He was small and quick, but his punches were as hard as any Pokemon twice his size. Caulin’s aura tonfas cracked against the force of his punch, taking all of his focus not for them to shatter from the punch. But Kaen wasn’t done; in his left claw, he had already conjured a Fire Punch, and swung at Caulin’s cheek from the Lucario’s right without dropping the Focus Punch with his right arm.

Caulin couldn’t do anything to block or dodge the Fire Punch, not with both his arms occupied. He felt the burning fist slam into his face, sending him flying off to the side and skidding along the ground and out of the smokescreen, where he lay there for a few long moments before he stirred and began to push himself back to his feet slowly.

Kaen watched him, never lowering his guard, his flaming tail whipping side-to-side as he watched to see if Caulin would manage to stand again. Eventually he managed to stagger back to his feet, wiping his cheek with his paw while he remained hunched over, his body trembling slightly.

“You’re just as tenacious as old Torolf himself when he fought Groudon,” Kaen remarked, “never willing to stay down until the last drop of blood left his body. I can admire tenacity, but I hope you realize that it’s not always necessary. You aren’t facing the same stakes he did back then, after all.”

“Maybe not…” Caulin managed to mutter, sparks flashing around his body for a few moments as he started to straighten up. “...But I’m not gonna let you beat me, pal. I’m gonna keep going until I can’t even twitch my paws…”

Kaen smiled and shook his head. “If that’s the way you want it,” he said, both fists igniting once again. “Just hope your dad understands, it’s nothin’ personal.”

Caulin lifted his head and grinned. “I wouldn’t have it any other way!” He said, then he let out a roar as he let loose his anger, his power exploding around him in a burst of aura before settling around him, to which he took up his stance again and beckoned Kaen to approach. “Come on!!”

Kaen let out a breath, his confidence visibly shaken by Caulin’s sudden surge of power, but he showed no intention of backing down, readying himself for the fight to resume. Caulin then shifted his foot slightly before he suddenly vanished, appearing behind Kaen with an arm wound back to strike with a Force Palm. Kaen had no time to react, and the Force Palm successfully connected with his back, sending him stumbling.

He rounded on Caulin again, unleashing another Flamethrower in a sweep, trying to surround him with the flames. However, Caulin shifted again and he was gone again before the flames could touch him, appearing once again behind Kaen and slamming an Aura Sphere right into his back at point blank range. He then followed up by firing five more spheres, then assailed the Charmeleon with much faster Vacuum Waves to keep him pinned while the spheres closed in on him.

Kaen put his arms up to shield himself against the Vacuum Waves, unable to act as the Aura Spheres came down at him, blasting him one after the other, until he was concealed by a cloud of dust. For a moment, Caulin couldn’t see him, but this time he was ready in case Kaen tried the Smokescreen trick again, by staying far enough away that he’d see him if he tried to circle around again.

But this time, from inside the dust cloud, Caulin saw a column of fire erupt with explosive force, causing the dust to dissipate, and reveal Kaen. His body, practically glowing with heat, and his eyes likewise taking on a hot yellow glow in the whites, with clouds of steam and smoke rising from his body where particles burned on contact with his skin.

It was easy to recognize the Blaze ability in effect; Kaen had just received a power boost of his own. Caulin grinned and rolled his head along his shoulders. “That’s the spirit.” He said as he channeled his aura, powering himself up to the very limit. “An all out battle where we’re both at full power. That’s what makes a fight so fun!!”

“Careful, kid… You’re literally playing with fire now,” Kaen stated, flecks of flame bursting from his mouth with every word. This time, when his fists ignited, the flames were bigger and burned much brighter; even from where he stood, Caulin could feel heat radiating from the Charmeleon. Getting close to him now would have consequences.

“What can I say? I’ve always been one to fight fire with fire.” He responded, then held his paws forward and began putting all of his power into an Aura Sphere, straining as he focused it all in front of his paws and condensed it as much as he could.

Kaen tensed his legs, slamming his fists together, and expanding the flames until they engulfed him. “All or nothing!” he bellowed, before he suddenly shot toward Caulin like a rocket, his entire body immolated and spinning like a corkscrew as he flew.

It wasn’t Flame Charge, or even some other version of Fire Punch… That was Flare Blitz!

Caulin grunted as he felt his Aura Sphere reach max charge, then let out a roar as he finally discharged it, letting it loose and sending it crashing into Kaen’s Flare Blitz, kicking up dust and sand as it moved. Kaen struck the Aura Sphere, and for a moment it seemed like he was going to blast through it, but even as the Aura Sphere waned, Kaen tumbled, landing in a roll and lying motionless on the ground as the effects of Blaze began to recede, indicating that he had reached his limit

“Winner!” Revane called. “Caulin of Port Azure!”

Kaen’s eyes opened and he cast Caulin a wry smile. “Nice work kid,” he rasped.

Caulin whooped and threw his arms up in the air and triumph, his power receding once rage gave into joy and excitement. He then strolled over and crouched next to Kaen, offering him his paw to help him back on his feet. “You were pretty tough too, Kaen. That was a wicked fight!” He stated.

Kaen was shaky as he stood up, not to mention his body was still hot, prompting Caulin to shake his paw after touching the searing flesh of Kaen's claw.

“Thanks,” he said. “I think you're going to go far in this tournament, Caulin,” he added in compliment. Then, he winced. “Ow… Might have overdone it a bit with that Flare Blitz…”

“I mean it is a risky move.” Caulin said as he helped Kaen to his feet and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. “Cmon let’s get you all patched up.”

At that, Kaen rolled his eyes. “So looking forward to hearing it from Gallia again after all this time,” he remarked as the two left the field together, the Charmeleon leaning on Caulin for support. “She never liked it when she found out I was learning that move. Of course, I didn't master it until after I left Team Warmachine. She's gonna give me an earful, I know it.”

“Ya never know. She might not.” Caulin offered optimistically.

Kaen chuckled. “Well, I hope not,” he said, “I’m too beat to get a lecture right now.”

“Then I’ll make sure she doesn’t. Plain and simple.” Caulin reiterated, nudging Kaen forward. “Now less talkie more walkie.”

“‘Ey now, I’m still older than you,” Kaen reminded, but walked at pace with him regardless.

The next few rounds saw several of their friends moving on, with Sickle and Minato both clearing their matches easily, and even Doug - once again surprising the audience with his mastery of earth control and creating a bodily construct for himself, managed to win his match as well, putting him in line for the third round alongside Katsumoto and Luke; so far, the members of Teams Valiant and Phalanx were carrying on, sans Hank and Tristan, but they were the ones with the most members to make it into the quarterfinals.

Next round though would see the second appearance of Azrael, stepping out of the gate first, followed by a most unexpected opponent. The gate was lowered, and his opponent came out like a yellow blur, skidding to a stop a few meters from Azrael, and causing the coattails of his duster to toss at his sides.

Caulin, having rejoined his family in the audience, was practically crowing with delight as he recognized Koa. “Oh sweet! Koa’s up next!” He exclaimed as he took his seat, though was immediately on his feet and calling down at the Zeraora. “YOU GOT THIS, HON!! WHOOP THEIR ASS!!” He cheered excitedly.

“Koa versus Azrael,” remarked Volcan, rubbing his chin. “Now this will be the epitome of talent against experience… Koa’s young, but we’ve seen him in action before.”

“Dare I say he’s even faster than Luke.” Minato commented with a chuckle. “Let’s see of Azrael’s Future Sight can predict where he’ll attack from.”

“I think that is exactly what it’ll come down to,” commented Lashanne.

“Go Azrael!” Sarth called, pumping his arms. “You got this, man!”

No words were exchanged between the Absol or Zeraora, both waiting with anticipation for the match to start. Koa widened his stance, claws flexing and tail flicking behind him. Azrael matched the motion, head lowered and concentrating on seeing his opponent’s opening move.

When Revane found no exchange between the two, he raised his arms high and called, “BEGIN!” before fading into the ground.

Azrael immediately opened with Double Team, creating multiple copies of himself and hastening to form a semicircle around the Zeraora. Koa, for his part, watched the clones only for a few seconds before he was off in a dash, his body a blur of streaking yellow as he raced toward the clones on the left, fists sparking with Thunderpunch as he struck the Absol clone - which dissipated immediately, and he moved onto the next.

One after another the clones dissipated until he found the real Azrael, with only two clones remaining; Azrael struck back with Sucker Punch, successfully dashing at Koa while his guard was down and smacking him with his paw. Koa recoiled, but little else, before rounding on Azrael and spiking him at the ground with a Mega Punch, sending the Absol skidding on his side.

Azrael sprang up, once again focusing on his Future Sight to predict Koa’s next move. However, what came next happened too quickly; he saw it with only a single second of notice, as Koa seemingly appeared at his side and uppercut him with his massive paw, once more throwing the Absol backward from the force of his punch.

Then, as Azrael struggled to recover, Koa’s paws ignited with arcs of electricity; not yellow like normal, but blue in colour, forming visible plasma arcs across his body as he powered up. With that, he struck the ground with both paws, and two pillars of lightning erupted from where he hit the ground, both meeting as they struck the Absol from two sides.

Azrael’s howl of pain filled the arena, and when the lightning dissipated, he didn’t move… He was still on his feet, but his head was down, body spasming randomly for a moment… Before he keeled over and fell to the ground, and his two remaining clones vanished, having never even had the chance to attack.

“Unbelieveable!” Neilla exclaimed, almost refusing to accept what she had just seen as Revane called the end of the match.

“Th-That couldn’t have even been forty seconds!” Sarth added. “No one has ever beaten Azrael like that!”

“WHOOOO!!!” Caulin whooped, jumping up in the stands excitedly. “THAT WAS AWESOME, KOA!!” He announced, then pointed at him while looking around excitedly. “SEE THAT? THAT’S MY BOYFRIEND!! JUST TRY TO KEEP UP WITH HIM!!”

“Sheesh, calm down kiddo!” Minato remarked, chuckling a little. “I get that you’re excited for his win, but take it down a couple notches.”

Volcan stared, open-mouthed, at the field. “I… I can’t believe that just happened,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Azrael lost, so quickly?”

“That future sight of his didn’t help in this case,” said Lashanne. “Even if he could see Koa’s attack coming, that kid is just too fast, and too powerful... Knowing what he’s going to do and having enough time to react to it, are not mutual.”

“Now I’m kinda nervous of ever facing him in the arena.” Luke admitted. “Minato’s right. He’s faster than I could ever be. Hell he might even be faster than Luna…”

Volcan let out a breath. “Even with my Mega Evolution’s Speed Boost, I’m not sure even I could catch him,” he admitted. “It’d take at least a half minute for my speed to climb high enough to keep up; by then, it might be too late.”

He then looked at Luke. “It may be a premature assumption… But I think Koa’s going to make it to the finals, Luke. One of us is definitely going to have to fight him if we make it there.”

“I agree… I just hope whoever has to face him will be ready for him.” Luke answered back.

~~~~~

As the arena was prepared for the next match, Neilla and Sarth stepped out to check on Azrael. Luke and Volcan decided to go with them, while Caulin went off to find Koa and congratulate him on the victory.

They found Azrael at the infirmary, as expected. The Absol lay quietly on one of the beds, conscious and alert - better than they expected to find him, for sure. Neilla was at his side in seconds.

“You alright, Azrael?” she asked.

Azrael nodded. “Fine, Captain,” he said. “Koa was a worthy opponent, to be sure… I saw his attacks coming but every time I did, I had one - maybe two seconds to respond. He was just too quick for me to manage it.”

“It sounded like when he hit you with that last attack, it was pretty severe,” Volcan commented.

Azrael shivered. “It was powerful, to be sure… I think he caught on to my battle style, and knew the only way to prevail was by ending the fight quickly before I managed to strike him.”

“You mean he wanted to keep you pressured so that you couldn't strike back?” Sarth inquired.

“Indeed. I do believe Koa is aware of his own lack of endurance, and by that conclusion, I think he knew that if he allowed me to land a blow on him, even a single Night Slash, might have been all it would take. So, he made sure I couldn't.”

“The kid has good instincts, have to give him that,” said Neilla.

Azrael frowned. “Unfortunately, it seems my rather… Quick defeat, had some unexpected repercussions,” he remarked.

“What do you mean?” Neilla asked.

“As I was being carried here, I overheard a fighter we passed in the corridors say that my victory over Hank must have been a fluke, because of how quickly I lost to Koa,” he remarked.

Luke frowned. “They were being narrow-minded,” he stated, “Not to disparage my former teammate, but Hank is nowhere near as fast as me or Volcan, let alone Koa. He relies more on his skills of deception than blinding speed. You just can’t compare the two.”

Azrael nodded. “I know that,” he said. “I will not allow it to discourage me.”

Neilla patted Azrael’s side. “I’ll win this one for you, Azrael. If I end up against Koa, I think I have a way to beat him,” she said.

Azrael gave her a look. “Do not make promises you may not keep, Captain,” he said. “Besides… Koa is not your only competition here,” he added as he cocked his head, gesturing over her shoulder to Volcan and Luke.

Neilla chuckled. “Point stands,” she said. “Rest up and be sure to come join us in the stands tomorrow. The competition out there is heating up.”

“I will be there,” Azrael promised.

With that, the four friends departed to return to their seats, eager to spectate the next match…

Elsewhere, Caulin had managed to locate Koa, and surprised the Zeraora as he practically sprang out from around the corner, arms outstretched as appeared.

“That was AWESOME!!” It was the first thing he said before he caught Koa in his arms. “You beat that Azrael guy in seconds!! I don’t think anyone’s ever done that before!!”

“Thanks, kuip’po,” said Koa.

“Nice work out there,” Lashanne added as she and Minato came to join them. “I really felt that last hit you put on Azrael… That was your signature move; Plasma Fists, right?”

Koa nodded, “Yes,” he said. “Had to end fight quickly. Else, would have lost.”

That answer surprised Caulin. “Wait what?” He asked, pulling back a bit from Koa. “Whaddya mean you woulda lost? You floored him with your speed; he couldn’t even keep up with you!”

“Azrael, very strong,” said Koa. “Speed, my only advantage; stop him from landing a blow upon me, only way I could’ve prevailed.”

“I think I get what he means,” said Lashanne, rubbing her chin. “Even Neilla and Sarth vouch for how strong Azrael is. Koa properly deduced that the only way to win was to stop Azrael from concentrating and take him down before he could change his tactics; that’s why he had to stun him and land that Plasma Fist attack, for a quick takedown. If that had missed, though, he’d have been wide open.”

Then, Caulin understood. Koa was implying that his victory was as much due to good luck as it was for the power gap between himself and the Absol. Caulin had seen Azrael in action before; he was highly skilled, without question. Furthermore, powerful enough to square off even with Neilla - who of course had already defeated Lashanne, and had proven herself a match for Luke, Volcan, and maybe even Minato. It raised a complex web of possibilities, overall…

Caulin lowered his head slightly to hide his expression. He then started to fidget a little before he began to speak again. “That…”

He then lifted his head and wore the most excited grin on his face. “…is SO awesome!!” He exclaimed suddenly. “That just makes your win even more epic!!”

Lashanne rolled her eyes and looked at Minato. “Think he missed the point, but at least he’s enthusiastic,” she whispered to him.

“Caulin’s always seen the bright side of things.” Minato whispered back with a shrug. “It’s part of his charm, I guess; always looking for the positive within all the negatives.”

“True enough,” she agreed.

At that, Koa went on to change the subject. “Saw match with Charmeleon. Strong opponent?” he asked, referring to Caulin’s fight with Kaen.

“Oh, Kaen? Oh yea, he was pretty tough. Even found a way to block out my Mind Reader too,” Caulin answered. “I think if I hadn’t used my little power up, I might’ve been a little cooked, hehe.”

That caught Lashanne’s attention. “Wait, blocked out your Mind Reader?” she asked. “How? He shouldn’t have been able to do that, unless he was somehow trained to resist telepathy.”

“It was his Smokescreen that did it.” Caulin answered. “I’m not sure I understand it myself. I just couldn’t really zero in on his thoughts until he was right next to me, and even then I didn’t have a lotta time to react.”

“Oh that,” said Lashanne. “That may be because you couldn’t see where he was, so you didn’t know precisely where to direct your Mind Reader - not unlike with your Aura Sense?” she looked at Minato for confirmation.

“That’s the gist of it,” Minato confirmed. “I’m going off of the assumption that your Mind Reader works by making direct eye contact with them, and that allows you to see exactly what they’re thinking moments before they act.” He then chuckled. “I guess the eyes really are the gateway to the soul.”

“Right. So, by making you unable to see where he was, he tricked your Aura Sense too. It only bought him a few seconds but that’s all he needed,” said Lashanne. “Clever little lizard, I’ll give him that.”

“Yea, like I said, he was tough,” Caulin admitted. “But I still won, and I’m gonna keep winning for as long as I can!” He said while pumping his fist.

Minato smirked. “That’s the spirit, kiddo.” He said while gently rubbing Caulin’s head.

“Well, guess we better get back up there. The last few matches of the day should be coming soon,” said Lashanne. “Hard to believe that after today it’ll be down to sixteen fighters.”

“Time flies when you’re beating the snot out of each other, I guess.” Minato added with a shrug. “I’m not complaining either way. I’m having way too much fun in this competition.”

“Same here!” Caulin added, then wrapped an arm around Koa. “What about you? You enjoying beating the snot outta people for sport?” He asked with a giggle.

“I am… Having fun,” Koa admitted with a nod. “Challenging, and meeting many people.”

“And just think. There’s other competitions out there that allow you to test your skills and meet new folks. Ya just gotta know where to find ‘em!” Caulin added. “I tell ya, when we form our own team, we’re gonna find a competition and enter as our team. That way we can show the world just what we’re made of!”

“Isn’t there some proverb out east about reaching high?” Lashanne whispered to Minato.

“Dunno about any proverb, but I do know one about setting one’s goals too high.” He answered. “You set your sights on the sun, your wings will burn up the closer you get.”

~~~~~

The second-to-last match of the day was Romulus against another member of Team Drake; the Garchomp, Gavel. Most of the audience expected Romulus to struggle with his opponent, but the past year had not lessened the Garchomp’s temperament, and his recklessness ultimately cost him the match when Romulus managed to dodge his claws, bite his leg and pull him off his feet before throwing him into the arena wall. The entire audience winced as Romulus rammed Gavel in the stomach with his horns, knocking the wind out of him and rendering him unconscious.

Once Gavel was led out by the medics, the next round was announced, and the first of the two fighters to emerge was none other than Kage, catching the attention of Luke and his teammates in the stands; they had been joined by Katsumoto, Hank and Doug - once again forced into a tub as the stands didn’t have access for him, carried up by Katsu.

“Well now, looks like Kage’s the last one for the day,” said Volcan.

“Barring Hank, we’ve all managed to make it this far together… Though I do wonder who he’ll be up against for today’s final round.” Luke wondered aloud.

“Maybe someone that’ll really put him through his paces.” Doug answered. “Kinda like Katsu with Tristan.”

“Mmm..” Katsu mumbled, his eyes down on the arena, but his mind elsewhere it seemed, not really paying attention to the conversation.

“Looks like we’re about to find out,” said Lashanne, pointing as the other gate was lowered, and another figure stepped out - or, waddled out, rather. “Wait… Is that Leon?” she asked.

“Yep, that’s definitely him,” said Volcan, before Revane even announced the second fighter. “Shit, Kage just got pitted up against a high-tier Captain.”

“Ah, I wouldn’t worry. He’s faced a lot worse.” Hank said confidently, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms. “He’ll do just fiiiine.”

“We shall see.” said Volcan, resting his head on his knuckles as he leaned forward.

~~~~~

“Well,” said Leon as he took his place in the arena, “I often wondered if I’d ever have the opportunity to face you, Kage.”

“It seems now you get that opportunity.” Kage answered, his arms crossed and his expression as stoic as always. “The last time our teams clashed, we were but mere underdogs competing in a vast world beyond our knowledge…”

“Indeed… And yet, you exceeded all expectations,” stated Leon. “Now, finally, I shall have a chance to face you while I’m not the proverbial puppet on a string.”

Kage nodded softly, uncrossing his arms and lowering himself to the ground in a crouched position. “Let’s do this..” He proclaimed, indicating the time for idle small talk was over.

“Very well,” said Leon, widening his stance and raising his metal-clad flippers before him, his expression darkening as he faced the Greninja.

With the small talk out of the way, Revane signaled for the match to begin. Kage immediately opened up with a barrage of Water Shuriken, then weaved a sign and disappeared into a cloud of smoke, hiding his presence as he sunk into his shadow via Shadow Sneak. Leon raised his flippers like shields, the Water Shuriken striking him harmlessly before he lowered them again, seeing Kage had vanished.

But Leon was no fool. He remembered Kage’s tricks; suspecting the Greninja was about to attack him from behind, he turned sharply on his foot, sweeping a Steel Wing at the ground where his shadow was cast. The shadow veered off course as Leons’ wing scraped along the ground, to which he emerged with his blade drawn and performing a rising Night Slash as he emerged, following up with a Lick attack just before he touched down.

Leon blocked the Night Slash with his wing, still powered by Steel-type energy, but just as Kage tried to Lick him, he lunged, leading with his beak as an energy spiral formed around it, striking with Drill Peck; an attack that would most likely severed his tongue from the rest of him if he dared continue his attack. At the very last moment he swung his head back to jerk his tongue scarf away from Leon’s Drill Peck, jumping backward and shooting a searing hot Scald attack as he retreated.

Leon met the Scald with a Hydro Pump, the two blasts of water colliding, but the Hydro Pump was stronger, and pushed through Kage’s Scald before striking the Greninja in the chest; as it was a Water-type move it didn’t hurt him much, but the force of the impact still sent him hurtling backward. With that lost contest, the difference in raw power between Leon and himself was made abundantly clear…

Leon didn’t let up; even before Kage hit the ground, he summoned a wave of water to form up beneath him in a Surf, and he stood atop the water as it surged forward, carrying him with it in pursuit of Kage who had only just landed on the sand while igniting both of his flippers with another Steel Wing, hunched and putting his weight forward as the Surf carried him toward Kage.

‘He’s even devised a way to compensate for species’ lack of mobility,’ thought Kage, quickly weaving a sign and using his own Hydro Pump to rocket up into the air, jumping over the Surf attack and landing behind Leon. As the Surf dispersed, Kage zoomed in and landed a quick succession of Power-Up Punches on Leon before he countered, making Kage weave out of the way before closing in with another Power-Up Punch string, stronger than the last attack.

Leon took the hits with obvious discomfort before he exhaled a black fog that surrounded them both. Immediately, Kage felt the additional strength he had gained from the Power-Up punches disappear, and then Leon struck him with his flipper again, clubbing him with the steel-powered limb. Kage brought his arms up to block the attack, but the force of the attack sent him off his feet and flying until he managed to catch himself in a crouch where he retaliated with a concentrated Extrasensory attack at Leon’s brain.

Leon’s face contorted with clear discomfort from the attack on his mind, but his Steel-typing allowed him to resist it, and concentrate on his next attack. An Ice Beam erupted from his open mouth, striking toward Kage like a white bolt of lightning.

Kate tilted his head to the side to avoid it, feeling the cold beam whiz past him harmlessly. However, he didn’t make any counterattack afterward. He remained where he was, panting slightly as he wracked his brain for a new attack strategy… Leon did not pursue him, wisely taking a moment to catch his own breath as well; he was visibly battered, but he was far from finished…

After taking a moment to catch his breath, he thought through a plan that ensured his best odds of victory. He drew his blade again in a reverse grip and charged forward, running in a wide arc as he approached Leon. When Leon went for a counterattack, that’s when Kage employed his plan. He quickly created a clone using Double Team and came to a halt while the clone continued forward and took the attack, disappearing in a plume of water that momentarily distracted the Empoleon.

That moment was all Kage needed. He slid under the Empoleon’s guard and kicked him as hard as he could to send him airborne, then he created two more doubles of himself before vanishing, to which the Empoleon was suddenly attacked from every angle at very high speeds. After the first hit, Leon braced himself, enduring the hits as they came until he spotted his opening, and began to spin in place, forming a Whirlpool around himself, forcing Kage to stop his attack or be pulled into it.

“Got you!” Leon shouted before the Whirlpool disappeared, and he blasted the Greninja - the real one, with a Brine attack. The Greninja’s eyes widened before he took the attack head on, gagging as he was sent flying away from Leon and skidding along the ground until he slammed into the opposite wall.

Leon then rushed forward, flippers crossed as he propelled himself with Aqua Jet, and body-slamming into Kage with his full weight behind his charge. Again, Kage lifted his arms to defend himself, but he was slammed further into the wall from the force of the Aqua Jet, dealing further damage and rendering him dazed as he blinked rapidly to clear his vision. He tried pushing himself back up to his feet, but his arms became shaky and gave out, rendering him unable to rise.

When Kage was unable to rise, the call from Revane came. “Winner, Leon of Team Warmachine!”

The announcement of Kage’s defeat took everyone on Team Valiant completely aback. A mixture between shock and disbelief present on each of their faces.

“I’m sorry, WHAT??” Doug exclaimed incredulously.

“Froggie lost???” Hank followed up. “But… It’s fuckin Froggie! He never loses!!”

“He rarely loses…” Katsu corrected. “All the same, it appeared as if he had Leon dead to rights.”

Volcan and Luke looked at each other, both of them at a loss for words, before they turned their gazes back down to the arena, seeing Leon standing over Kage as the audience roared with applause, until Leon helped the Greninja to stand.

“Are you alright?” Leon asked, supporting Kage with his flippers.

Kage sighed heavily after he was brought back to his feet, brushing his arms a bit and sending flecks of sand from them. “It would seem… that age has finally caught up with me.” He reluctantly admitted. “I’m not as spry nor as dexterous as I used to be…”

Leon nodded. “Time is an inescapable river, my friend. It affects us all… Some, more than others,” he said.

The Greninja shook his head softly. “I did not think it would come for me today of all days.” He added as they began to make their way out of the arena. “…I suppose it’s time to consider a life outside of the Guilds…”

Leon grimaced at that, but nodded. “Nevertheless… I am pleased I had the chance to face you before you decide to retire,” he said, and held his flipper across his chest in a salute. “Until we meet again, Kage.”

Kage nodded back silently to Leon before turning away from him, feeling somewhat perturbed by the fact he was getting older. He hated the idea of having to leave the Guilds, but he hated not being able to give his all to his work even more… and he knew Luke deserved better than to have him holding back the team…

“Should we go check on him?” Volcan asked Luke as they watched Kage and Leon leave the battlefield, heading through the same gates they arrived in.

Luke didn’t answer. His gaze still facing forward even after the combatants left the arena. He wore an expression that showed he was stunned by Kage’s defeat, but also… distress; as if there was something on his mind that left him full of worry…

Volcan, not hearing his husband answer him, cast a concerned look his way. “Luke?” he asked, his concern carried in his voice.

“Huh?” Luke snapped back into reality and looked back at Volcan. “Oh… sorry, what did you say?” He asked.

Volcan frowned. “I… Was just wondering if you wanted to go check on Kage,” he said. “You know, make sure he’s not too beat up from that fight.”

“Oh! Uhm… Yea, that might be a good idea.” Luke answered, nodding quickly once.

The others in his team took notice of the shift in Luke’s demeanour, but decided not to say anything about. “Might be a good idea.” Hank piped up. “Poor guy might need a little bit of a pep talk for his bruised ego, amirite guys?” Hank asked, snickering and trying to lighten the mood.

“‘Pep talk’, for Kage?” Lashanne piped up. “We talking about the same Greninja here?”

“He did just take a pretty big L,” Doug remarked. “Against one of Team Warmachine’s guys too. Dude’s bound to be hurtin’ on the inside.”

“Right… Let’s go then,” said Volcan, rising from his seat. “Who’s coming?”

“I think Minato and I will head back to our room, or go get some supper,” said Lashanne. “Caulin, what about you and Koa?” she asked, glancing at the younger Lucario.

“If you’re going for supper, mind if we come with?” Caulin asked, wrapping an arm around Koa happily. “He’s earned a meal after today’s win~”

Lashanne chuckled. “Alright then,” she said.

“Well, no time like the present, peeps,” Hank announced. “Let’s hustle. Froggie’s a waitin.’”

“Lead on. You guys would have a better idea of where Kage would go after something like this,” offered Volcan.

The group didn’t have to search for long after they departed from the Colosseum. They all kept their heads up and looked along the tops of the buildings before they eventually spotted him atop the point of a narrow structure, stiff as a statue and looking down at the immediate area below, silent as the grave.

“There he is,” Hank stated before cupping his claws around his mouth. “Yo! Froggie! Ya got a second?”

At first the Greninja didn’t respond, though after a few moments he glanced down at their location, flicked his tongue before letting himself fall to the ground below, landing silently in front of his team.

“...What do you want?” he asked stoically.

“Just wanted to check up on you,” offered Volcan. “You took a pretty big hit toward the end there; do you need to go to the infirmary?”

“I’m fine,” Kage dismissively responded. “Just bruises, nothing more.”

“Is it, though?” Katsu suddenly asked. “Because I have a hunch there is more to it than you are letting on.”

“...You’re deluding yourself,” Kage answered. “Leon won that fight because I grew careless. Plain and simple. He earned his victory.”

“Kage,” Luke spoke up next. “We’ve worked together for years, and in the time we have you rarely ever get careless. Hell, you’re the most overprepared Pokemon we know.” He stated firmly. “What’s really going on, Kage?”

The Greninja remained silent after that, eyes locked onto Luke as the question hung in the air before finally breaking the silence. “...You’re overthinking things again, Luke. You all are.” He responded again in a dismissive tone.

Volcan rolled his eyes. “Here we go again,” he muttered. “Never a question where Hageshi gets it from…”

Luke sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes with his paw and shaking his head softly. “Kage… I know you’re the type to keep things close to the chest, and we get it. You hate showing any signs of vulnerability; you think it makes you look strong, but it doesn’t.” Luke explained. “What is it going to take for you to understand that when we ask about you, it’s not because we’re trying to get on your case? We’re a team! We support one another!”

Luke glared angrily at the Greninja. “So drop the tough, lone wolf act and just for once in your mysterious life, open up to us and tell us what’s going on so that we can help you!!”

“You can’t,” Kage immediately answered after Luke finished his rant. “...You can’t help me, because this is something no one can help me with…”

Doug seemed to catch onto what Kage meant, narrowing his eyes slightly and leaning forward a bit. “I think I get it,” He said, earning him everyone’s attention. “You didn’t lose that fight because of a slip up, did you? You lost because you literally couldn’t keep up.” He deduced. “...You’re slowing down, aren’t you?”

Then, Volcan seemed to catch on, looking at Kage with a studious gaze, his eyes sweeping across the Greninja’s posture, taking note of how he stood and the way he carried himself; the difference was slight, so minute that anyone could’ve missed it if they were not looking for it...

He recalled that out of both of their teams, Kage was the eldest among them, seconded by Tristan… But Kage was older even than the Aggron, and while both of them had spent their lives honing their bodies to physical perfection, only one of them had the benefit of aging like the mountains - slowly… But that was not Kage.

“It’s your age,” he said, “it’s catching up to you, isn’t it?”

The Greninja closed his eyes, turning his head away for a moment before he finally nodded, confirming Volcan and Doug’s suspicions. “I did not expect it to start catching up to me so soon… but given how long we had been in active duty during the war, I suppose the amount of stress only continued to build as a result… until my body started to pay the price.”

“...How long?” Luke asked softly. “How long has this been going on?”

“It’s been progressive… But I think I started noticing it six months ago,” Kage answered. “I figured training would bring me back up to speed, but it only seems to have accelerated my deterioration. It has also started to affect my Protean ability… I can only change into the first type of attack I use during battle…”

“I had no idea age could limit an ability like that,” admitted Volcan, grimacing.

“Take into account what I used to be, Volcan…” Kage added. “I was groomed to be the best assassin in the world while I was still a child, and even after I escaped, I survived twenty years in the wild while also taking care of my wife and raising my son…”

“That many years in the wild would’ve taken their toll as well,” admitted Volcan, nodding. “Even if you’re only feeling it now…”

“So, what does this mean then, my friend?” Katsu asked.

Luke was gritting his teeth within his closed mouth. He already knew the answer to that question, but he was desperately trying to deny it. Only when Kage spoke did Luke nearly break from his words.

“...I’m afraid I can no longer serve with Team Valiant,” Kage stated. “I have now become a liability, and this team cannot have any excess baggage weighing it down. It deserves better than anything less than one hundred percent efficiency…”

“Surely you don’t have to straight-up leave, though,” Volcan offered. “Age doesn’t limit your ability to contribute, right? I mean, Torolf was still seven years your senior and you’re barely older than Romulus either. They found ways to make it work. You could still serve a consultation or support role, surely.”

“I was bred for combat and assassination. Sure, I have taken on an advisory role, but only because there was no one else who could.” Kage answered, glancing at Luke. “As I said, this team deserves no less than one hundred percent efficiency. We managed without Hank when he decided to pursue a life in Bluegrove, but now with Katsumoto fathering three children, and now with my ailing condition…”

“...The team would be forced to disband…” Luke finished that statement, his head hung low.

“There’s got to be something you guys can do,” Volcan said. “You’ve still got Luke, Eagle Eye, Doug - you aren’t out of the game yet.”

Deep down, though, he knew he was reaching… The team had lost their muscle, their cunning trickster and now their most experienced member and infiltrator… Team Valiant - his husband’s team, and one that had once taken him on as one of their own, was coming apart before his eyes…

Luke shook his head in response to Volcan’s claim. “I’m afraid there isn’t much we can do…” He said sadly. “Eagle Eye can only do so much from the air, and while Doug could act as the team muscle in theory, it’s not his area of expertise… No offense.”

“None taken,” The Dugtrio answered.

Luke then looked over at Kage again. “If that’s what you think is best, then… who am I to stop you? Arceus knows I couldn’t even if I wanted to…” Luke said with a sad, wry smile. “That said… what will you do next?”

Kage looked upward toward the darkening sky, narrowing his eyes as he thought for an answer. “...I think for once… I’ll take a page out of your book.” He answered. “I will let life take the reins for once and see where it takes me.” He added before glancing at Volcan. “You are right about one thing… I may not be of use to Team Valiant, but perhaps I can be of use in other areas.”

Volcan nodded slowly, contemplating, and looked at Luke to get a sense of where his mind was at. Luke eventually stepped forward and stood before Kage, looking up at him and offering him his paw.

“Well…” He began, offering the Greninja a weak smile. “...It’s been an honour fighting with you, Kage.”

Kage looked down at Luke’s paw in consideration, then slowly raised his webbed hand and grasped it firmly. “...The honour was all mine… Captain.”

Luke held his composure for as long as he could, but he ultimately couldn’t resist rushing in and hugging his teammate tightly in his arms. Kage flinched at the sudden embrace, but sighed and eventually placed his hand around Luke’s back and gave him a few reassuring pats before pushing him back a bit.

“Dry your tears… This isn’t goodbye forever,” he said, his stoic demeanour once more returning.

Hank rolled his eyes hearing that, smirking despite the fact. “Man, even in a heartfelt moment, yer such a killjoy man.” He remarked.

Volcan lightly elbowed Hank in the side. “Let him express himself the way he knows how,” he gently chided the Zoroark.

“Just saying,” Hank said with a shrug.

Luke took a few steps back from Kage. “Well… we’re probably going to grab some food before turning in for the day. You coming?” He asked.

“I may join you later…” Kage answered. “Go on ahead.”

“I think I’ll go join up with Minato and Lashanne,” said Volcan, looking at Hank beside him. “Feel I ought to update them on this too,” he whispered to the Zoroark.

“Yea… thinkin’ I might do the same later with Lizzie,” He whispered back.

With that, the remaining members of Team Valiant and Volcan all headed off to take care of their businesses, leaving Kage alone in the streets. The Greninja watched his teammates… his friends depart, allowing a small smile to cross his face; confident that they would find some way to manage without his presence on the team. His smile quickly faded as he felt something behind him, his frown returning as he slowly glanced over his shoulder.

“...You might as well show yourself. You’re not exactly being subtle.”

From around the corner, a large figure slowly emerged, flanked by two others of similar stature. Upon entering the dim light, Kage was greeted with the sight of none other than Lord Hizashi and his entourage, the elder Samurott looking down at him with a stern gaze as he approached the Greninja.

“Kage, was it…?” He asked, continuing only when the Greninja nodded. “...I have something I wish to discuss with you. Walk with me.” He said while gesturing beside him.

“...I know exactly what it is you want, Lord Hizashi,” Kage stated, his eyes narrowing as he regarded the aged Samurott. “But fine… I will humour you,” He added, allowing himself to relax as he turned and began walking away with the Shogun to another part of the city.

Minato, Lashanne and Caulin shared stories of their matches that day, with Caulin recounting his fight with Kaen with enthusiasm, singing the praises of the experienced Charmeleon. “Aw man, Kaen was something else! I can’t wait to fight him again when we get the chance!” He exclaimed, teetering back and forth on his feet as the excitement radiated around him. “Who knows? He might even beat me next time!”

“He certainly is tough for a little Charmeleon,” said Lashanne, nodding. “I wonder why he hasn’t evolved yet? Or, is he just that strong despite not being old enough yet?”

“Whatever his reasons for not wanting to evolve are his own,” Caulin stated. “All I know is that he’s really strong for a Charmeleon, and that makes me even more excited to fight him again~”

“Someday,” said Lashanne. Then, her smile vanished and she looked over Caulin’s head. “Oh, hey, Volcan!”

“Hey guys,” came the voice of the Blaziken from behind Caulin. “You guys mind if I join you?”

“By all means.” Minato said with a nod, gesturing for his friend to join him. “We were just talking about today's matches.”

“Yeah, we had quite a few shows today,” agreed Volcan. “And, with only sixteen fighters left, it’s only going to get hotter still. Especially with all the remaining fighters being people we know…” he looked between Minato and Caulin. “Including us.”

“Sure, rub it in,” said Lashanne, arching a brow.

“Oh. Sorry, Lashanne, I-”

“It’s alright,” she interrupted, shrugging. “I didn’t think I’d make it all the way to the end. Pure dumb luck my opponent was Neilla.” She chuckled.

“To be fair, it could have happened to anyone.” Minato offered. “For all we know, Luke could have been paired against Romulus today.”

“True. Woe to the poor soul he did fight though; that fight was almost as quick as Koa’s fight with Azrael,” she commented.

“You mean Gavel? Yeah, Luke and I faced him once too,” said Volcan. “Bit of a hothead; strong, but reckless. Even with a type advantage over Romulus, experience and discipline was the deciding factor there.”

“Well, Romulus definitely has years of both,” agreed Lashanne, nodding.

Minato chuckled a bit, then turned his attention and noticed something off with the Blaziken. “...Yo, you good man?” He asked suddenly.

Volcan looked at Minato briefly, his forced smile fading away before he let out a sigh. “That last battle, between Kage and Leon?” he said. “Looks like that might be Kage’s last.”

“Wait, what? What happened?” Lashanne asked.

“He’s retiring,” replied Volcan. “His age is catching up to him, and he declared his service with Team Valiant is at an end once this tournament’s over.”

“You’re kidding!” Caulin exclaimed. “What does that mean for Uncle Luke’s team?”

“Well… given the circumstances, he’s lost half his members now that Kage’s announced his retirement.” Minato piped up. “He’ll be hard pressed to operate at the same efficiency with just a skeleton crew.”

“Luke said the same,” said Volcan. “With Katsu gone, he’s lost his muscle. Hank was their secret weapon and Kage had the most training and experience out of all of them. This is… Not good, for them. The original team’s balance and cohesion is pretty much gone with this.”

Lashanne hummed in thought as she considered the situation, letting the boys keep talking for a moment. Then, she had an idea.

“What about our team?” she asked.

Volcan looked at her. “What do you mean? We haven’t lost anyone… Well, maybe Serena but she has a good reason. Everyone else is still here.”

“Well yeah, but, what about if Luke’s team merged with ours?”

That gave Volcan pause as he considered. “A merger…” he muttered, rubbing his chin in thought.

Minato’s eyes lit up as he glanced at his girlfriend. “...Damn, you’ve done it again.” He said with a smirk before turning his attention back to Volcan. “It can work. You and Luke already work so well together, and having Doug’s demolition expertise and a flier for aerial recon could further Team Phalanx’s efficiency.”

“The idea definitely has some merit,” said Volcan, nodding. “We still have our muscle - Sol and Tristan, but we never have had a flier or a tunneler…” He nodded again, with more enthusiasm this time. “Yeah… That could work!”

“It will work.” Minato said with more confidence. “And I’ve no doubt that Luke will readily agree to a merger if it means he can keep working for the Guilds.”

“Agreed,” the Blaziken replied. “Alright; I’ll talk it over with him first chance I get.” He rubbed his chin as he had another idea. “Huh. Wonder if we should keep our team name or, change it to something else?”

“Like what?” Lashanne asked.

“No idea,” said Volcan. “‘Valiant’ is another word for bravery or determination. ‘Phalanx’ refers to a battle formation of overlapping shields and extended spears. How do you combine those two things?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” Minato offered. “Besides, knowing Luke’s penchant for coming up with names, he’ll come up with something fitting.”

“True that. I’ll see what he suggests,” agreed Volcan. “If this is what we’re going to do, I suppose we ought to mention it to the rest of the team too when we’ve decided how to proceed.”

Minato nodded, gently patting Volcan’s shoulder. “In any case… you wanna grab some food in the meantime?”

“Oh, yeah. I am pretty hungry,” he agreed, nodding. “Alright, sure! If it’s okay for me to join you guys.”

“There’s always room for one more, Uncle!” Caulin stated happily. “Heck, you can even talk about your fights up till this point with us!”

Volcan chuckled. “Well, I’m always up for that,” he said, and beckoned to a nearby waitress to receive a menu as he settled into his seat.