章 156: Taming a Tyrant...Again

The atmosphere was practically humming in excitement as I stepped out to the opposite end of the arena from Clair, swapping out several of my pokemon as I did so.

"Ace ketchum... You're quite the hot topic right now." Clair said as she eyed me, appearing as if she was actually going to take me seriously.

"I'm flattered from all of the attention." I replied with a dry smile, before activating a pokeball.

"Tiiiiiiini!" Dratini trilled as she appeared, making Clair's eyes go wide due to her pink colorage.

"Is that your first pokemon?" She asked.

"No, Dratini is only a couple weeks old. I just want her to watch and see what a battle between dragons was like." I answered while draping Dratini on my shoulders.

"I see. I have to say she is VERY beautiful." Clair said without being able to take her eyes off of Dratini.

"Thank you. And by this way, THIS is my first choice." I aid while tossing out another pokeball, which opened to release Tyrunt in the middle of the arena.

"RUUUUUUUNT!" Tyrunt growled menacingly at the people around him, basically saying 'look how scary and powerful I am'. Though I could feel through their auras that everyone just thought he was cute.

The only one who appeared to take Tyrunt seriously was Clair, who narrowed her eyes as she said, "A Tyrunt? I hope you're prepared for how much of a hassle it'll be after it evolves, even Lance doesn't bring his Tyrantrum out carelessly."

"I think we'll be fine. The best weapon when dealing with dragon types is confidence, waver even the slightest bit, and they'll chew you up for lunch." I stated, which Clair nodded approvingly at.

"Well said. And since you sent out a younger pokemon to start, then I shall do the same! Go, Gible!" She declared while throwing out a pokeball.

"Gib gib!" The little Gible declared as it appeared, only to narrow it's eyes as it noticed Tyrunt, and the same happened with him as well.

"Get ready, this is going to be your first dragon opponent." I told Tyrunt in warning, who grunted dismissively.

"You may begin!" The drone officiating the match declared.

'Charge in for an Ice Fang.' I mentally ordered Tyrunt, who roared as best as he could before doing as I commanded.

"Humph! Gible, use Dragon Breath!" Clair quickly commanded, to which her pokemon opened it's large mouth to expell a torrent of powerful draconic energy at Tyrunt.

'Dodge.'

"TY!"

Tyrunt lunged to the side with a cry, just narrowly avoiding the Dragon Breath by the barest of margins before leaping forward at Gible.

"Tyrunt!"

With ice forming around his jaws, Tyrunt latched onto Gible while activating his ability, Strong Jaw, which drastically increased the power of his biting type moves. Along with the force of his bite, ice also began to spread across Gible's body from where it was bitten.

"Dragon Rush." Clair quickly ordered.

"GIBLE!"

With draconic energy surging and covering it's entire body, Gible lunged in the direction that Tyrunt was clinging to it from to slam into his body, tackling him to the ground.

"Dragon Claw." I ordered Tyrunt even as he was knocked down, prompting him to spin on the ground as draconic energy gathered on his clawed feet to rake Gible across the face and send it reeling.

"Now, keep it up with a Dragon Tail."

"TY!"

"Gible use Bulldoze!"

"Gible!"

The little land-shark growled as it charged at Tyrunt, amassing ground type energy as it did so while Tyrunt gathered draconic energy into his tail. And right as Gible was about to hit him, Tyrunt spun around quickly to slam his tail into it.

*CRASH!*

The two attacks collided in an explosion of ground and draconic type energies, which sent both pokemon flying back due to Tyrunt being weak to ground type attacks, while Gible was weak against other dragon type attacks.

Thankfully one of the highest priorities when it came to training most of my pokemon was endurance, both in exertion and in taking attacks. Though it was a struggle, Tyrunt pushed himself up to his feet in order to continue fighting if needed.

On the other side, Gible also rolled to it's feet while bearing it's teeth at Tyrunt in challenge, showing that it too would not go down so easily.

For a moment the two little dragon types just glared one another, each daring the other to make the first move while Clair and I did the same. As we did so, I could feel the frustration radiating from Tyrunt at Gible's refusal to submit to his 'kingly' self.

And right as Tyrunt grew indignant at the lack of respect he was receiving as a 'king', he suddenly started to glow.

"No way..." I said after blinking in surprise, as Tyrunt grew in size until he towered over me and everyone else in the arena. And when the glow died down it revealed his newly evolved form, which was far more intimidating, fearsome, and regal than it had been a second before.

"Gible, return." Clair readily declared, forfeiting her pokemon.

"Gible has been forfeited, Tyrantrum wins." The drone announced, which usually would have disappointed the spectators if they weren't so awed by Tyrantrum's presence. And Clair retiring Gible was understandable, since Tyrantrum were infamous for their violent natures, and he was large enough that he would have been able to gobble Gible up in a single bite.

"Well look at you buddy!" I said with a smile as I walked out onto the arena and patted his side in approval.

"Ty?" He growled questioningly while glaring down at me.

"Don't even think about it."

"TYRAAAAAAANT!"

With a roar that translated to 'HOW DARE YOU TOUCH ME?', Tyrantrum twisted and lunged at me with his fangs bared in what was obviously an attack meant to kill.

Time seemed to slow as screams and cries filled the air, and I watched the jaws of death approaching me.

"Of course..." I muttered in exasperation, before reaching up to grab a tooth on both his upper and lower jaws.

"TRUUUUUUUUUM!"

Tyrantrum roared directly into my face as he pushed me back across the arena, smacking my face with his foul breath while my feet slid over the arena floor until I created a small foothold with aura.

"I think you need to LIE DOWN!" I roared back as I used the foothold to twist and leverage his own momentum against him, sending him crashing down to the ground beside me.

"Tiniiiii." Dratini trilled in my ear, apparently having fun as I fought Tyrantrum.

I just ignored her for the moment though while focusing my attention on Tyrantrum, who was quickly maneuvering himself to get to his feet as quickly as possible.

"I don't think so." I growled, channeling my aura into my fist while also focusing on the blessing I received from Dragonite.

My fist slowly began to radiate with a royal-purple hue as I cocked it back while running at Tyrantrum, before punching him in the side of the face to send him crashing back down to the ground.

I had channeled my aura in a way similar to when I used Rock Smash, except I had also applied the blessing from Dragonite as well. Dragon Smash maybe? Thoughts for when I didn't have a large suped up T-Rex trying to eat me.

This time Tyrantrum had to take a second to organize his head since I probably rattled him more than a little, but his focus came back as I stepped up in front of him.

"Tyyyyyyyrant..." He growled threateningly while trying to stand once more, but I wasn't going to have that.

"No you don't." I growled back, before grabbing him by the nostrils and jerking his head to side once again, preventing him from finding his balance.

"Tyrantrum! Ty Rant!"

"And? I don't give a shit if you think you're a 'king'. All you are is my bitch, and I'll teach you this lesson as many times as it takes until you get through your thick skull, BITCH." I snarled back at him, filling my body with the blessing of Dragonite as I did so.

"Tyyyyyyyy...." Tyrantrum growled as he once again tried to stand, only for me to jerk his head and through him off balance for the second time. Then when he did it again I punched him in the face yet again.

This repeated a few more times before Tyrantum finally fell still, seeming as if he had given up unless you looked into his eyes, which glared at me hatefully. Well I glared back while pouring all of my aura into the blessing of Dragonite, making my entire body glow royal-purple as I bore my intent down onto Tyrantrum.

""...""

For several minutes neither of us moved as we glared at onother, neither one willing to give up on the battle of wills first. And then, just as my eyes were beginning to truly burn from how long they had stayed open, Tyrantrum blinked.

I smiled viciously in victory, bearing down even more on Tyrantrum with an amount of aura that would have suffocated a normal person. And apparently that worked as I felt his intent to fight with me beginning to wane, before vanishing altogether.

I fought down the sigh of relief that the issue was over as I released my hold on Tyrantrum and my aura while stepping back. I had successfully tamed the ancient despot.

"Is it over?" Clair asked, reminding me that she, along with the gallery were still here.

She had not once offered to help me, but I could see that she had a pokeball in her hand, ready to use if needed. Now however I could something akin to awe in her eyes as she looked at me, while the pokeball in her hand was seemingly forgotten.

"Yeah, its over. Watch." I told Clair before turning my attention back to Tyrantrum as he slowly rose to his feet.

"Open."

As I commanded, Tyrantrum opened his mouth for me before I readily stuck my right arm into it, despite the fact that he merely needed to bite down to take it off completely.

I ignored the numerous sharp intakes of breath at my daring action, which could literally cripple me for life at the whim of Tyrantrum. But a sharp look from me was enough to keep him from even thinking of doing so.

I kept my arm within his mouth for several seconds, before slowly drawing it back out while looking right at Clair.

"I don't think this guy will give me anymore problems."

To call Clair stunned, along with everyone else present, would a severe understatement as they all gaped at my daring act of pure nerve. Some of the women present even swooned.

"Truly impressive..." Clair uttered, her aura fluctuating greatly from the display I just showed. Not only from beating a Tyrantrum with my bare fists, but also making it submit to me so completely. Of course, the former was only possible since he had just evolved. If he'd been a fully evolved Tyrantrum for a while, then I doubt I would have been able to handle him so easily.

"Yeah well, its like I said before. You just need to show confidence, or they'll eat you." I replied while moving back to my area now that Tyrantrum was sufficiently obedient, which he followed me all the way back as well.

As soon as the two of us were out of the arena, Clair pressed a button on her side and the arena itself began to change as the floor dropped down to be replaced with a large pool of water. Along with a couple floating platforms like back at the Cerulean city Gym.

"Now for the next round! I choose you, Kingdra!"

"KIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!"

I watched as the final evolved form of Horsea appeared in the pool, massive and regal with the coral-like horns on its head that resembled a crown.

"Interesting..." I said slowly, as if contemplating my option when I had already decided who I was going to send out against it.

"I choose you, Ampharos!"

"AMPHAAAAAAAAAA!"

Ampharos cried as he appeared on one of the floating platforms, his body crackling with electricity as the bulb on his tail lit up like a beacon.

"Oh? Interesting choice." Clair said as she looked my Ampharos over, but I wasn't done yet.

"Let's kick this up a notch, Ampharos!"

"Ampha!"

With him crying in agreement, I brought my fist to my mouth, kissing the ring on my finger for show before holding it up as it began to shine, taking some of the little aura I had left.

At the same time, Ampharos was encased in a sphere of light as he underwent Mega Evolution, before the sphere shattered to reveal his new form to the world.

The first thing everyone noticed was that Ampharos now had a long mane of cotton coming from his head, like a hero with their flowing locks of hair, matching the cottony tail that had several red orbs throughout it that twinkled repeatedly with the one he previously had.

"Ampharos!" He growled while looking at Kingdra challengingly, electricity crackling all over his body while I could also feel draconic energy swirling within him. Thats right, when we tried this out before I learned that Ampharos gained dragon typing upon Mega Evolving.

And Clair seemed to be the only other person to realize that as everyone else focused solely on the changes in how Ampharos looked.

"I see... A match between dragons it is!" She cried out excitedly, confusing a few of the spectators that heard her, but they were ignored.

"Thats right! Now Ampharos, use Agility!"

"Kingdra, quickly use Dragon Dance."

Our two pokemon quickly moved to follow our orders, with Ampharos increasing his speed while Kingdra increased both it's speed and attack. But Ampharos started first.

'Now, give it a Thunder!' I mentally commanded him, keeping my face tense as I did so to prevent Clair from guessing that I was giving him new orders.

"AMPHA!"

At my command, Ampharos quickly unleashed a powerful Thunder that momentarily blinded the rest of us as it struck the pool. Unfortunately Kingdra had dove down to avoid being struck directly, allowing the majority of the Thunder to be dispersed by the salt water filling the pool. Though SOME of it had to have hit Kingdra.

But that was fine.

'Now use Charge.' I ordered Ampharos next, prompting him to gather and charge up electricity for his next attack while Kingdra was down below.

"Kingdra, use Dragon Pulse!"

The pool itself began to churn as Kingdra expelled a raging torrent of draconic energy that shot out at Ampharos at high speed, only to miss as Ampharos readily leapt to another platform.

However the platform Ampharos had been standing on was completely destroyed, leaving him less space to stand on.

"I see..." I muttered in realization of their plan. It didn't matter if Kingdra missed if they managed to eliminate any footing Ampharos had.

In that case...

'Dazzling Gleam.'

"Amphaaaaa!"

At my command, Ampharos unleashed a bright light from the bulbs on his tail that radiated fairy type energy, before focusing that light on Kingdra below.

"!!!"

The pool churned violently as Kingdra thrashed from the attack, being especially weak against Fairy type moves.

'Good, now use Zap Cannon!'

"AMPHAAAAAAAAA!"

Ampharos cried as he focused all of the electric power he had left into a condensed sphere in front of him.

"Kingdra! Use Hydro Pump!" Clair hurriedly ordered with rising urgency.

"KING!"

Crying in affirmation, Kingdra expelled a massive torrent of water from it's mouth, right as Ampharos shot the Zap Cannon at it as well. As soon as the two attacks collided though, the Charged up Zap Cannon blasted apart the Hydro Pump before racing down into the water to hit Kingdra while only losing a little of it's power.

'Keep it up, Dazzling Gleam again.' I hurriedly ordered Ampharos, not knowing how much damage Kingdra took from that attack. It was the unfortunate thing about them gaining the dragon typing from evolving, they also became more resilient against grass and electric type attacks.

"AMPHA!" Ampharos cried in affirmation, his tail lighting up once again.

"Smokescreen!"

"KIIIIIING!"

Before Ampharos could unleash his attack though, Kingdra filled the pool with a thick cloud of ink, obscuring everything within.

"There!" I said while pointing to where I could feel Kingdra's aura. But before Ampharos could attack...

"AMPHA!" Ampharos cried as the water below the platform he was standing on erupted, sending him flying through the air while the platform landed outside the pool.

"Now Kingdra, Ice Beam!"

The black water erupted once more to reveal Kingdra for the first time since the battle began, right as it fired an Ice Beam at Ampharos.

"Fire Punch Ampharos!" I hurriedly ordered. But it was in vain.

"Amph-!"

Unable to angle himself right as he was flying through the air, Ampharos was hit broadside from the Ice Beam, and swiftly encased in a solid block of ice before falling back down to the water below.

"If Ampharos is unable to free itself from the ice within thirty seconds, it will be considered unable to battle!" The drone officiating the match declared.

"That's fine. I'll forfeit this round." I declared, knowing that the chances of Ampharos escaping from that ice were thin. And even if he did, he would end up right in the water with Kingdra.

"Ampharos has been forfeited, Kingdra wins this round!" The drone declared, even as the water/dragon type pushed the Ampharos ice cube over to me.

" Thank you." I said to it, before pulling said ice out and turning to Tyrantrum. "Think you can thaw him out without hurting him?"

"Ty..."

Saying so, Tyrantrum used Fire Fang to swiftly melt the ice around Ampharos until there was a space large enough that I could return him to his pokeball.

"Try and warm up." I whispered to the ball, which jerked once in my hand in affirmation.

"Well Ace..." Clair said, prompting me to look back up as she returned Kingdra, and the arena went back to the way it was before.

"You won one, and I won one. How about this next round be the last, winner take all?"

"Fine by me." I answered, right as she threw out her next pokeball.

"DRAGOOOOOOOON!" Declared the Dragonite that she had released, the same one that had beaten Ethan's Typhlosion when I first arrived. Only now it was fully rested and ready to kick some more butt.

"I see... Then I guess I'll have to go with you..." I said with reluctance in my voice, though my mouth was spread in a wide smile.

"CHAAAAAAAAAR!"

Charizard roared as he entered the arena, sending a pillar of flames into the air as he did so.

"Charizard versus Dragonite? This will be a match to remember!" Clair stated excitedly.

"Not yet!" I declared, making her pause in confusion before I held up my ring once more.

"Ready buddy?"

"Char!"

"Then HERE. WE. GO!"

I channeled some of my little remaining aura into my ring while focusing on Charizard, before he too was encased in the sphere of transformation. And when that sphere shattered, it revealed a drastic transition.

Charizard's scales, once the purest and most beautiful of white, were now the darkest of pitch black. Aside from his belly and the membrane of his wings though, which were an eerie blue that matched the flames at the tip of his tail, and gathered at the corners of his mouth.

"CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!"

The newly Mega Evolved Charizard roared with draconic fury, having ALSO gained the typing upon Mega Evolving.

"Now THIS will be a match to remember." I said with a smirk at Clair.