Pokemon : The Master of Dragon-Types

Chapter 458: 458. A different game

The sunset-like blaze painted the northern sky a deep red, burning bright enough to rival the stars above. For a moment, it looked almost like dawn.

Charizard's full-power Eruption landed with devastating force, dealing critical damage to Noivern in a single strike and sealing the match.

Charizard's strength had always been at the top of the team — in terms of raw power, it was genuinely on par with Sceptile, and when type advantages were factored in, it was arguably ahead. Noivern, by comparison, still had ground to make up. The gap wasn't insurmountable, but it was real.

Part of it came down to history. During its time as a Noibat, Noivern had been carefree and slow to push itself, and the difference in natural aptitude between the two had let Charizard build a lead that didn't close easily. The aptitude gap had since been addressed, but the time that had been lost to complacency couldn't be recovered overnight — only steady effort could narrow it.

That was simply how it worked. Even among talented Pokémon, a hardworking one would always outpace a lazy one given enough time. Noivern understood that now. It wasn't the same Pokémon it had been as a Noibat, and the defeats it faced going forward would be lessons, not endpoints.

"That's enough," Jacob called, bringing the match to a stop. This was a friendly spar, not a formal battle — there was no reason to push it further.

He looked over at Charizard with an approving nod. "Charizard wins this one."

Then he walked over to Noivern. "Don't take this too hard. Losing here, in training, is better than losing when it counts. Use it. Work harder than you have been, and the gap will close." He paused, then added more quietly: "I know it will."

"Roar."

Noivern nodded slowly. The loss stung — it wouldn't pretend otherwise. But losing to Charizard, a rival it had known since they were both young, at least had meaning to it. It glanced at Jacob, then at Charizard, and something in its eyes settled.

The carefree Noibat it used to be felt very far away.

"Next up — Diancie versus Indeedee."

Both Pokémon stepped onto the field. The competitive fire in their eyes was immediate and obvious — they had been waiting for this.

Jacob cleared his throat. "Before you start — your match is going to be a little different from the others."

Both Diancie and Indeedee turned to look at him, curious.

"To keep things interesting — and to make sure you don't turn this into something personal — there's only one move allowed from start to finish. Metronome. And no dodging."

The Metronome competition was a well-established format in the Pokémon world. Held annually, it required participants to use only Pokémon below King level and restricted them to Metronome alone throughout the entire event. Every year it produced moments that were equal parts spectacular and absurd, and it had built a dedicated following because of it. Running a Metronome battle between Diancie and Indeedee was, frankly, the most sensible way to let them compete without things escalating.

Diancie and Indeedee both opened their mouths to object.

"It's decided," Jacob said, before either of them could get a word in. "This is not the place for a serious brawl. Metronome only. What happens next is entirely up to luck."

Charizard: ???

Cinderace: ???

"Begin!"

Jacob didn't leave room for further protest and called the match immediately.

The two Pokémon exchanged a look, then both raised a small finger and began to wave it in the distinctive motion of Metronome. Normal-type energy shimmered around their hands as the move took effect, triggering whatever random attack fate had decided.

(Note: In this story, unlike the games, some signature moves can be rolled by Metronome — but Z-Moves and Dynamax moves remain excluded.)

Jacob and the rest of the team watched with genuine curiosity.

Dark-type energy began rising off Diancie first. What followed looked almost like tears streaming down its face — Fake Tears, sharply dropping Indeedee's Special Defense.

On Indeedee's side, the result was something else entirely. Fire-type energy flared brilliant blue across its body, vivid as fireworks. In an instant, azure flames bloomed outward, beautiful and fierce, and surged directly into Diancie.

Jacob blinked. "Is that Blue Flare?"

Reshiram's signature move — and Indeedee had rolled it on the very first turn.

Diancie's expression soured visibly. Its Metronome had landed on Fake Tears. Indeedee's had landed on one of the most powerful Fire-type moves in existence. The disparity was not subtle.

Still, Diancie held to the rules and took the hit without attempting to dodge. Fortunately, its Rock/Fairy typing gave it a double resistance to Fire, which softened the blow considerably.

Round one went to Indeedee on paper, at least.

Both Pokémon raised their fingers again for round two.

Psychic-type energy pulsed from Indeedee this time, forming into a wave that washed gently over Diancie.

Heal Pulse.

Every point of damage Blue Flare had dealt in round one was undone in round two. Indeedee stared at the result with an expression that had gone completely flat.

Two turns in, and effectively nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, Diancie had rolled Sharpen — a move that adjusted the angles of its body and raised its Attack stat. Useful in theory, not particularly dramatic in practice.

Neither of them slowed down. Round three began immediately.

This time, Diancie's luck turned. Water-type energy surged out of it in a sweeping torrent.

Hydro Pump.

As one of the strongest Water-type moves available, Hydro Pump hit with power proportional to the user's current HP — and with Diancie sitting at nearly full health, the move carried its full weight. The surge engulfed Indeedee and dealt heavy damage.

Indeedee's roll for round three was Attract.

A female Indeedee, using Attract on a female Diancie.

No effect.

Jacob watched from the sideline, relaxed, genuinely entertained. This was far more enjoyable to observe than a standard match — unpredictable, ridiculous at times, and oddly fair in its randomness.

He found himself hoping one of them would eventually roll Precipice Blades.