There was a battle, a horrendously beautiful, and savage battle between some mountain of ice, and those that would try to stop it.

It had called to him here, this fight. He felt it in his blood, and he was on his way to enter the fray. Flying pieces of metal crashed next to him as if warning him to turn back, but he didn't. He pressed forward, this is what he lived for. This is what he would die for.

Though fate would have other plans as before he could close the distance a new challenger would approach him. A pokemon with drills protruding from it.

This wasn't the fight he had been looking for, but it was the fight he would take.

His Lucario stepped forward it's claws extending with metallic menace, and it bared it's fangs to the challenger.

howard slayte

SLAM!

Gaia slammed a mighty arm into the Lucario's block, her Hammer Arm burying it in a mountain of concrete, rebar, and stone. If Gaius was going to make it to Regice and get the fight he desired, he'd have to get past this unstoppable mountain first.

Many of Howard Slayte's Pokemon were not particularly strong. He did not train them. This Rhyperior was an exception, spending her time guarding the admin's farm in Ultra Desert. Many wars against Buzzwole and Pheromosa had been fought, and fist and foot had fallen before the beast's armor.

She lumbered forward, intent on slamming Gaius into paste, her back unturned to Lucario as she did so.

---

gaius marcellus

It's body was etched into this wall, it had tasted pain over, and over again. That was no longer a reason to not fight, and so it pried itself out of the wall.

Pain would not stop it anymore, and so it launched itself at the Rhyperiors back as it approached Gaius, Metal Claws extended, and attempting to rend unsuspecting flesh.

Meanwhile Gaius watched, his heart pounding with excitement at the appearance of a strong foe. This is why he came here, the strong attracted the strong. This would be a proper bout, and he would relish every second of it.

howard slayte

Metal sinks into flesh. Gaia's roar of pain rang out through the camp. Metal rattled as it sunk into flesh, before eventually striking Solid Rock.

Gaia whirled back as quick as a hurricane, sending the Lucario flying into a shipping container, which subsequently ignited. The Lucario was engulfed in an explosion as the weapon stockade within detonated.

Mountains cracked and crumbled in Gaia's voice as the Rhyperior laughed. It lumbered towards the smoldering container, before lunging forward with a Megahorn in an attempt to skewer the Lucario's heart.

In the distance, the Nihilego reverted, its Dynamax ending.

---

gaius marcellus

Fire was harsh, but it was survivable.

As the embers, and inferno attempted to claim his life, it failed. He would not fall here, he would not die. Then came his foe, the way they appeared so smugly, so 'superior' as if they had already won. No this simply wouldn't do. As his foe charged with a horn of destruction they would be met with a surprise.

The perfect Copy Cat as a large horn of energy would extend from his own face, and he would dash to meet his enemy, and attempt to ram his newly founded blade into their abdomen.

howard slayte

The Megahorn sent Gaia flying, its massive weight causing the ground to tremble as it fell.

A low roar rose from the Rhyperior's throat as he rose. A growl became a roar, a roar became an earthshattering bellow. Metal rattled against the ground, rubble loosened, earth shook. A boulder manifested between Gaia's palm as a Rock Wrecker emerged. Stone grew scalding hot as the attack was charged.

A moment passed. Silent. Still.

Tranquil.

Then the boulder was loosed.

---

gaius marcellus

There was time before the boulder hit, and in that brief moment the Hound vanished. With Extreme Speed it would close the gap quickly, and in the same breath attemp to drive it's claw into the creatures jaw.

This was a fight. This is how it should be, pure unapologetic violence.

Gaius could hear the sounds of the battle behind him fade and his agitation grew. Did he miss it? Was he to late? Those thoughts increased his ire.

howard slayte

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The earth shook and trembled as Gaius's Lucario crossed the gap. The loud crack of rock and stone between Gaia's hands caused the earth to crack and tremble. The Rock Wrecker fired. It missed.

Fist struck stone. The fist won, cracking the Solid Rock and sending the Rhyperior to her knees with a rolling groan. Yet before the final strike could be delivered, the ground shook again.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Regice marched by, sending Lucario to its knees as well. In its hand was a man clasped in armor, his cape flapping in the wind. For a moment, it was as if he had seen Gaius.

A moment that stretched into eternity. The helmet gleamed.

The moment ended as Regice continued its march into Petalburg, leaving Gaius with a far grander target to chase.

---

gaius marcellus

The ground shook, and it interrupted the conclusion of their fight, but unlike his fight with Althus Rex, he didn't care that it ended this time.

No the next level appeared, and he was going to chase it. So chase it would after the ground stopped shaking and both he and his hound could stand again.

When they were able he set off to fight the next strongest creature he had seen.

howard slayte