Ondun grinned. "Actually...we did learn quite a bit."

  Zephanie the Galebul had been flying straight at the small Mon. Even as the Mon lined up and fired a beam of purple energy, Zephanie raised a barrier of wind that redirected the beam into the morning sky. With a vocal grunt of "Palapala!" it fired three more beams, but all were turned by the wind barrier.

  Lowell raised an eyebrow at Ondun. With a stoic nod, Ondun dropped the grin. "Wind Wall is a shinobi jutsu that is typically used as an emergency measure. However, when used by a Mon that is elementally compatible with it and not neutral like us Civil Folk, it takes on a potency far beyond what even my teacher would expect."

  The City Leader nodded as Zephanie slammed into Lowell's Palapala, sending the tiny Mon flying. "I see. You learned that attacks can be traps, that blind aggression and a quick end to a fight aren't always the most optimal way. That's a basic lesson, and well played...but..."

  The Palapala arrested its momentum in midair, with crackling purple energy floating off it. "Your Galebul had to make contact with Palapala, here. That was a mistake," he added, as he gestured to Zephanie, who was now confusedly flying about in circles. "Touch telepathy is more stealthy and potent than the ranged kind. Palapalas have a natural affinity for touch telepathy due to their psychic nature."

  "Zephanie! Listen to my voice. You're experiencing an illusion. Seek grounding in reality. Remember what I taught you about recognizing the double bluff?" Ondun yelled as the Palapala prepared a ball of purple that shot at Zephanie. The tiny bird shook her head before the ball plowed into her, throwing her across the field, almost to Ondun's feet. The tiny bird got up, its eyes narrowed at the small floating figure, and released a wave of wind. Zephanie had seemingly regained her mental footing, but the wave of green slammed into a purple barrier.

  "Second lesson, Ondun! Your enemies can also defend. Psychic types actually make some of the most formidable defenders when properly trained. This little one here is a son of Garamond himself. If you want to defeat him, you and your friend will have to do better than that."

  Ondun's face fell. "Well...since you asked nicely..." he looked down at Zephanie. "Non-lethal takedown, please, Zephanie."

  "Galebul!" came the enthusiastic chirp as the bird dashed into the air and then began circling faster and faster. The tiny monster was holding the shield...just as Ondun had expected and wanted.

  "Counter-lesson: The best offense is a good defense. However, the best defense is a good offense. The two flow about each other in harmony, like air and earth, water and the warm sunlight, the sun, and the shadows cast. It's an old Shinobi proverb that teaches all elements act in opposition."

  A small cyclone had formed about the tiny Mon, who was now trapped inside. "However, not all elemental relationships are obvious, and the absence of an element can itself be an element under the right conditions." As he said this, the barrier flickered as the tiny Mon swayed, then shattered and dispersed as the Palapala fell unconscious for want of air.

  Seeing this, Zephanie abandoned the cyclone, retreating to Ondun's side, as the wind rushed back into the vacuum the tiny bird had created with her high-speed flight. As soon as it was safe, a referee ran onto the field and checked the small monitor. "Palapala is unconscious. One Mon from City Leader Lowell has been defeated! Please select your next Mon."

  The man pulled out the capture capsule for the Palapala and returned him. "To defeat one of Garamond's clan with such an advanced move. We should trade techniques one of these days. I particularly like the non-lethal nature of the takedown. I recognize your efforts. The true test, however, begins now."

  The City Leader pulled a Capture Capsule from his belt and released a five-tailed fuchsia fox onto the field. With a cry of "Noukitsune!" the five tails flared out, and immediately Zephanie had to furiously dodge five tracking orbs at her best speed. Ondun called, "Zephanie! Tracking projectiles! Give the audience a show!" as she dove and weaved. The fox-like Mon began firing purple beams, but each shot narrowly missed the erratically flying avian. Ondun watched this and realized exactly what was going on.

  The first Mon of his team is meant to deal any damage possible, Ondun realized, replaying the charged orb that had flung Zephanie across the field. The second Mon is meant to be the follow-up that punishes the weakened Mon and then rolls over the enemy team's less favorable match-ups like an avalanche from a mountain.

  Lowell grinned at Ondun. "You're wiser than many coaches to understand that. You are indeed worthy of every title you've earned from your world." Ondun didn't dignify this with a reply. Instead...the trick is to reverse the strategy here. All Zephanie has to do is deal any damage for her contribution to this battle to be worth it; the more, the better.

  Fortunately, Ondun had ordered Zephanie to fly creatively, and while Lowell was focused on him, the fruits of the furious four-day-long training session paid off. Sylphie had explained that most Mon coaches gave play-by-play move commands during battle, thus her loss to the otherworldly adventurer on Route 41. In light of this, while Sylvie trained the Mons in physical traits and moves, Ondun had focused on elemental attacks and strategy. With Sylphie's help, he showed the Mons videos of Lowell's previous fights and briefed the Mons of both teams the way he had briefed Alliance soldiers back on Arcanis before particularly difficult fights.

  As a result, while Lowell was reading his mind, he read that recollection too. "Noukitsune, watch your back!" came the desperate cry before two spheres slammed into Noukitsune, staggering it. Zephanie made a quick U-turn in the air and slammed herself into the larger Mon, which Ondun was guessing was a second form of an evolutionary line. Three more spheres flung themselves into Zephanie, lending a bit more force to the impact. While Zephanie fell to the ground, battered and bruised, the Noukitsun got up nearly as painfully.

  "I withdraw Zephanie," Ondun called. He pulled out the capture capsule and recalled the avian. "My thanks, friend. You've set things up nicely. Take a rest." The capsule shook weakly as he pulled out a second capsule. "It's on you. Strudel, I choose you!"

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  The blue and white dog materialized on the field. "Well, well, would you look at that, folks! It seems Ondun's starter has been training hard enough to almost complete its second form evolution. Will we see a rare battle evolution, or is Lowell's Noukitsune going to send him and his coach packing?

  The crowd jeered equally for both men. Ondun couldn't help but look before he noticed Lowell gesturing at him. "Monster coach, eyes on me! I am your opponent. Noukitsune, let's take this up a notch. Challenge that dog to a dance battle!"

  The foxlike Mon began performing an odd dance that almost drew Ondun's attention in before he felt the influence shatter against the protective barrier of his Wayfarer's Brand. He shook his head, only to see Strudel follow the dance for a moment...before shaking his head, and in a blast of radiant light, clearing the influence. Strudel began circling the Noukitsune, the two dogs circling each other now that the initial psychic assault had failed.

  Strudel shot a pulse of water at the fox, who fired a silk-fine thread of purple into it, dispersing the pulse. A second follow-up was shot, but it weakly slammed into the wall behind where Strudel had been, as the water dog had leapt into the air, and glowing against the morning sky and the crowds like some angelic being, dove down onto the five-tailed fox, adding more bruises and causing it to yelp.

  Lowell opened his mouth...but closed it when he saw that Strudel was still cloaked in light. "Okay...this one you've got to tell me. The Aquepup line doesn't learn Light moves until their final form."

  As the two canines carefully probed each other, bites and beams exchanging, Ondun nodded. "Three are the positive elements: Wind, Water, and Earth. Together they are the positive anima expression and all part of a greater whole: the element you just named." A radiant tackle from the dog was narrowly avoided by the Noukitsun, whose eyes were glowing as it was reading the canine's mind. "Light magicks become easier to manifest with each positive polarity element mastered. There is even an order of mages back on Arcanis who wield this magic, not to lay ruin, but to bring healing and restore order and hope. They are Dawn Mages. Strudel, for his part, has some things in common with them."

  Lowell nodded. "I'm impressed. Well, then, let us bring this contest to a close, one way or another. Noukitsun! If that dog is a mage of the dawn, then it's on you to bring the dusk! Bring the abyss!"

  The purple glow of the Noukitsun's eyes turned to jet black, an un-light, as a sphere gathered. Ondun sighed. He knew exactly where this was going. "Strudel, this is like the Daemon battle. You know what to do...and what not to do."

  "Aquepup!" came the affirmative bark. The dog cloaked himself in radiant light, a beacon against the terrifying dark, and charged straight at the orb. An eagle-eyed observer might have noticed the odd quality of the light about Strudel...but Noukitsune didn't. Lowell did, though. He hurriedly cried, "Detonate the move! Now!" but it was far, far too late. Strudel had been training with both Ondun and Sylphie to improve his speed. The luminous canine slammed into the move, with the light and darkness mingling for a slight second, before a massive blast rang through the shockwave. Forcefields of some kind—to Ondun they looked vaguely Allemandian—flared as the crowds behind them were protected by the blue, hexagonal barriers.

  While Strudel had taken some bruises, his immense momentum kept him going. The Noukitsune backed away, eyes wide, as the water-shrouded Mon charged at him, only to stop at the last moment as Lowell cried out the close to the match.

  "I concede...and grant Ondun of Arcanis his victory. Let it be known that the Princess' Knight has reigned victorious this day!"

  The crowd went wild for many minutes afterwards. Across Kongming, people had been standing or sitting stock still, watching the short but elegant and brutal exchange on screens big and small. The Lowell Fan Club sighed, but all agreed that it had been a good match regardless of further into the city. Still others who were curious about the strange dragon-like man nodded appraisingly and agreed to keep an eye on this most unusual of aliens. "What's Arcanis?" they asked each other, only to get shrugs in response.

  Some ways away, there were, however, two youths who watched and took notes. One was a woman with long blue hair, an enviable chest, and legs that boys her age could've sworn were sculpted by Olympus Himself. Had they paid more attention to her, they would look into scornful grey eyes, icy like the mountains she called home, and filled with calculating disdain for anyone whose situation was better than hers. The other was a red-haired man, muscular and handsome. He turned his sculpted visage to his ally, his colleague, and his literal partner in crime. Together, they made a solemn declaration.

  "We want that Aquepup."

  They were both tapped on the shoulder and looked...to see a man in a mask, wearing some impressive deep purple, red, and primarily black cloak looking down at them, a grin on his exposed mouth.

  "Perhaps I can give you some pointers," he declared and gestured to some more isolated tables. For some reason, no one else looked like they noticed him.

  The two looked to each other and nodded, then followed the cloaked man, thoughts of wealth, infamy, and a successful heist on the two young criminals' minds.

  Ondun strode across the field, jogging to a pleased-looking Lowell, before stopping. Strudel twitched, his muscles rapidly tensing and un-tensing. His form grew notably, his snout became more pronounced, and his small round puppy eyes became more angular. The white in his fur grew more pronounced too, and radiant dampness was flung from his coat with every motion.

  "Aquehound!" came the booming bark from the new, improved, and far stronger second form of Strudel.

  "Well, well, well, everyone, it seems we got a battle evolution after all! For those who don't know, Aquepups evolve over time into their second form, Aquehound. They retain the adorable cuddliness of their previous form and also gain an extra cool factor and a lot more power! Everyone give Ondun of Arcanis a hand on this momentous event!"

  The crowd went wild, even the ones who had been rooting for Lowell. Ondun petted his friend, snuggled him, and raised a triumphant fist to the crowd, who somehow cheered louder. Lowell patted him on the back.

  "Well fought, Ondun. It seems you've learned more lessons than I had anticipated. This match is yours. I've downloaded a skill manual to your phone—it will teach the psychic skill "Mental Block," which will allow any compatible Mon to raise the defensive field you saw Palapala use. Hitting the barrier also deals some psychic damage, so be careful how you use it. I've also given you your pay for such a display, 30,000 Mondollars. Further victories will see you earn more, of course. Lastly, our agreement from earlier. I will grant you and your companions access to the restricted section."

  Ondun tilted his head in confusion. "But...Sylphie is my only traveling companion," he said. "I thought Mons were discouraged in the library."

  The onesie-clad city leader adjusted his glasses. "This is the case. However...I think you should also check your phone. It seems there's been a development. Also, you really should stick around and watch Sylphie's match with me next."

  He nodded, and as he stood to applause and chants of "Aq-ue-hound! Aq-ue-hound," pulled out his phone.