The night had flown by and soon, morning was upon the travelers who were now ready to make their way to the next route. However, with the morning, came an unexpected surprise. The professor desired to see Seth as well as his traveling companions. About an hour after the message, all five of them found themselves inside the laboratory of Professor Sycamore.

"Magnifique! It looks like everyone's here," Sycamore declared.

"What's this about, Professor?" Trevor inquired curiously.

"I'm glad you asked Trevor," Sycamore beamed. "As most of you know, Pokémon go through a basic transformation. They become stronger through this change and evolve into their final, perfected form. But, what if I were to tell you that there is a stage beyond final evolution?" Sycamore proposed.

The group looked perplexed.

"I think you lost us," Serena said nervously.

Sycamore chuckled and continued.

"Allow me to clarify," Sycamore began. "You see, as I said before, most Pokémon evolve into a stage we know as Final Evolution, meaning that they have reached their potential and there is nothing more beyond that. But, studies have proved that theory to be completely false. There is one more stage that a Pokémon can reach. That stage is known as Mega Evolution."

"Mega Evolution?" Seth questioned the professor.

"The ultimate stage that a Pokémon can reach. I have been studying this transformation for years. As most of you have seen, I have a Garchomp here in this lab. As you may have guessed, Garchomp is one who is capable of Mega Evolution," Sycamore explained.

"Mega Evolution sounds cool and all, but just how much of a change does this bring?" Serena asked.

At this, Sycamore grinned.

"That is an excellent question with an even better answer. The change is incredibly drastic. A Pokémon could grow new appendages or have their entire body go through a startling transformation! Not only that, but the power they gain is phenomenal," Sycamore added excitedly.

"So how does this change take place?" Seth asked, showing clear interest in the topic at hand.

"I'm glad you asked that, Seth. You see, this state can only occur when the bond between trainer and Pokémon is at its maximum. For that to occur, two items are necessary. A Keystone and a Mega Stone," Sycamore elaborated.

"Did you bring us here to give us those items or was there another reason?" Serena asked curiously.

The professor smiled and shook his head.

"Unfortunately I do not have those items available for you. However, there is a place where you may obtain them should you hold an interest in acquiring this power for yourselves," Sycamore replied. "However, I will caution you with this. Not all Pokémon will be able to achieve this form. Only certain Pokémon possess this extraordinary ability to push beyond their limitations and bring out their full potential. Another thing to remember, is that it is temporary."

"Temporary?" The group asked in unison.

"Yes. As soon as the battle concludes, the transformation will wear off for both parties," Sycamore continued.

So it's a temporary boost in power huh? Anyone with that kind of power will most definitely have the edge in battle. I wonder if any of my teammates will be capable of that, Seth mused.

"Mega Evolution sounds so cool!" Tierno exclaimed. "Do you know of any other Pokémon besides Garchomp that can do it?"

"As a matter of fact, that is the other reason I brought you here," Sycamore grinned, gesturing to a table with several Poké Balls on it.

"In those spheres are Pokémon that will, when evolved fully, be able to undergo Mega Evolution. There are six here, however, only you four will have your pick. Sadly Seth, you must catch your own as the rules state you must capture your own Pokémon," Sycamore informed Seth.

"I had a feeling that's how it was. I guess I can live with that," Seth said dryly.

For the next hour, the others chose from the available Pokémon that Sycamore had selected. Afterwards, the five stepped out of the lab and bid the professor farewell.

"Deino, Dragon Rush!"

"Tyrunt, use Outrage!"

Deino planted his feet and lowered his head. The arena shook as a powerful azure aura erupted around his frame. With a roar, the quadruped dragon exploded from his position and tore off towards the dino-dragon.

With a rage filled roar, Tyrunt rampaged down the warpath like a freight train without brakes, his body glowing with a crimson, draconic aura. A loud bang was heard as the two collided, creating shockwaves that shook the arena atop the rock wall.

Smoke and ash blew everywhere, causing everyone to cough and cover their face. When the dust cleared, Tyrunt was revealed to be out cold while Deino remained standing, breathing heavily.

"Tyrunt is unable to battle! Deino wins the round, which means Charles wins the match!"

A red beam of light retracted Deino into his sphere which was placed on Charles' belt.

"That was an incredible battle Charles. You've conquered this mountain," Grant stated, reaching out to shake the blond's hand with a firm grip.

"It was a pleasure battling with you Grant. Acquiring your badge was no easy task," Charles commented.

"Well you were no easy challenge yourself," Grant complimented. "You've trained your team well."

Charles nodded and glanced over at Allie who looked rather frazzled due to the shockwaves from the impact of the two attacks.

"That was a splendid battle indeed. It kept me on the edge the entire time. Sadly, my hair had to suffer from this," Allie grumbled.

"Fret not princess, you'll be able to freshen up after this. After all, we have our dinner tonight before you leave," Charles reminded her.

"Ah, of course! Yes, there is a silver lining to this after all. Very well then, I shall make haste to prepare. I shall see you tonight then," Allie said as she stepped into the elevator to head down.

"I shall see you tonight princess," Charles called out as the doors closed.

Seth and company traveled down Versant Road, chatting away about the new Pokémon they were just given. All was going well or so they thought.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't the mouse and his ragtag group of friends," came a familiar voice, prompting the group to stop and turn.

Serena clenched her fists and shot the unsavory individual known as Enzo, a piercing glare. Her eyes shifted to Seth, a question forming in her sapphire depths.

"I'm going to break his jaw..." She muttered.

Seth sighed and stepped forward, ignoring the violent request from Serena, and faced Enzo.

"Seriously, what is it with you high society people and your pompous attitudes?" Seth said with a raised brow. "Do you all have sticks up your asses, or is that just a trait you and the princess share?"

"Y-You leave the princess alone. She has nothing to do with this!" Enzo snapped furiously.

"Why? I mean, she's half the reason we're all going to run into each other anyway. So the way I see it, she's got everything to do with this," Seth stated flatly.

"You're just bitter because the princess dislikes you," Enzo grinned. "We all saw what she did at the gathering. You poor man. It must feel awful knowing you have no chance of winning the affections of a goddess such as she," Enzo laughed.

"Ugh...gag me. Please," Serena said, rolling her eyes at Enzo's words.

"You act as if I actually care about that. If I were as stuck up and snobby as you, maybe I'd care a little more. But I will say one thing, she has a hell of a lot more grace than you do," Seth chuckled.

"Oh? And what do you mean by that?" Enzo inquired.

"Give me a break. When I saw the two of you dance, it looked like she was leading you. Your steps were off balance half the time because your eyes were so distracted by her that you couldn't move properly. In other words, your footwork was sloppy and your concentration was off," Seth said sharply.

"Y-You imbecile! My dancing was perfect that evening. She told me herself," Enzo snapped. "It's why she placed me tenth on the list. You're probably at the bottom."

"She probably put you there because you talk almost exactly like her. Also, news flash, I'm fourth on the list. Not that it matters, I'm not looking forward to it," Seth shot back.

"FOURTH!? How are you above me!?" Enzo demanded angrily.

Seth shrugged.

"Dunno, don't care either," Seth lied.

Actually, I do know why. And I'll have to thank her mother for that I guess. Not that he needs to know that...

"This is an outrage! I should be higher, not you!" Enzo roared.

"Oh quit whining ya big baby," Serena snapped.

"Nobody asked you ya bimbo!" Enzo fired back.

Seth palmed his face.

That idiot! Seth thought, his eyes shifting to Serena who was clearly livid as hell.

"I'm sorry...but WHAT did you just call me!?" Serena growled.

"You heard me. Now stand aside, this doesn't concern you," Enzo replied curtly. "You there, battle me. We shall see who really deserves that spot."

"Seth... kick his ass. Just make sure to save some for me okay?" Serena said with a devilish grin.

Seth shook his head and turned to face Enzo.

"That's fine by me. I've been looking for a good warm-up before the next gym anyway," Seth stated firmly.

"Oh ho ho! I believe that is my line. After I'm through with you, you'll be wanting to quit," Enzo added confidently.

"Pretty big words there, but all you're doing is blowing smoke. So why don't you shut your mouth and let your Pokémon do the talking for you?" Seth bit back.

"As you wish. But this is one battle you are going to wish you hadn't started. Sneasel, to battle!" Enzo called out.

In a flash of light, a creature with sharp claws, piercing red eyes and dark blue fur, immerged from the sphere. It bore traits of a feline and a weasel.

A Sneasel huh? Maybe this guy is more than just talk after all. I might actually have a challenge on my hands here, Seth mused, reaching for Pawniard's ball and snapping it off his belt.

"Pawniard, en garde!" Seth commanded, thrusting Pawniard's ball onto the battlefield.

The Sharp Blade Pokémon brandished his blades before the Sharp Claw Pokémon, his eyes narrowing at the sight of his newest adversary.

"Sneasel, use Ice Punch!" Enzo commanded.

"Parry it with Metal Claw!" Seth countered.

Sneasel incased his clawed hands in ice and bolted off towards Pawniard, moving so quickly that he seemingly teleported to him. Reacting quickly, Pawniard ignited his blades with steel energy and deflected the icy claws as they came at him in a flurry of slashes. Pawniard sidestepped an oncoming Brick Break before following up with a Brick Break of his own which was swiftly avoided via Double Team by Sneasel.

"Your Pawniard is a lot faster than I expected. Normally they are slow and make for easy targets," Enzo commented. "Still, he's no match for Sneasel's superior speed and skill! Use Low Kick!"

Sneasel's duplicates rushed in, prompting Pawniard to go on the defensive. In a blurred motion, the weasel feigned a frontal assault with a doppelganger and struck from below, causing Pawniard to fall forward and be met with an Ice Punch uppercut that sent him skidding along the ground. Fortunately he had crossed his blades in time to take the brunt of the blow.

Pawniard rose to a stand and dusted himself off. His body was fairly dinged up from the assault, but he'd taken worse from a certain primate.

"Just like I told you. Sneasel is far too fast for your little Pawniard," Enzo smirked.

"Speed isn't everything in a fight you know," Seth replied sharply.

"Oh but it is. The faster of two competitors usually wins. Your Pawniard may be a Steel-type, but he can be worn down by those who out-speed him," Enzo pointed out.

"Well, if you think speed is what's going to win you this fight, then by all means, come at me," Seth stated firmly.

"Bold words for one who is at a disadvantage. Very well then, Sneasel, take out Pawniard with Brick Break!" Enzo commanded.

Sneasel powered up his claw and powered forward, leaping towards Pawniard with vicious intent. Bracing himself, Pawniard swung a bladed hand upward to take the assault. The resulting blow pushed him back several feet. Sneasel pressed the assault, his claw still glowing with fighting aura. As he struck again, Pawniard began to glow bright gold.

"Revenge!" Seth commanded.

Pawniard drew back his blade and thrust it forth with devastating force, sending it crashing into Sneasel's stomach, causing the weasel/cat to be sent flying through the air and crashing onto the ground, unconscious.

"Ha! take that asshat!" Serena cheered, getting an aggravated look from Enzo.

"That was a fluke! Sneasel should have won that!" Enzo shouted. "That scrap heap just got lucky," Enzo frowned, returning Sneasel and then grabbing his next ball.

"Name calling? That's real mature. And I don't think Pawniard likes being made fun of," Seth stated, narrowing his eyes. "And neither do I," Seth added darkly, sending a slight chill down Enzo's spine.

"Yes...well, let's not get hasty here," Enzo replied, expanding his next sphere and readying it.

"Meditite, time for battle!" Enzo exclaimed.

Seth considered his options as the Meditation Pokémon materialized onto the grass.

Pawniard's pretty beat up right now. I doubt he'll be able to take much more without rest. And Litleo won't be able to keep up with Meditite either. I guess that leaves Combee...

"Pawniard, take a breather," Seth called to his companion, returning Pawniard in a flash of red light.

"Combee, let's go!" Seth boomed, firing the buzzing honeycomb into the sky.

"A male Combee? You can't be serious," Enzo laughed. "Those are about as useless as a Magikarp with an everstone tied to it."

"Seth?" Serena called.

"No..." He replied.

"But-"

"Just wait," Seth muttered, turning his gaze towards Serena, giving her a knowing look before facing Enzo again.

"You talk as if I'm not aware of what I have. On the outside, you see a male Combee who will remain that way for the rest of his life. But if you take a closer look, you'll find that there is more to Combee than meets the eye," Seth smirked.

"That's all well and good, but I still see a plain old Combee who is no match for Meditite. And I shall prove it! Meditite, Thunder Punch!" Enzo instructed.

"Tailwind!" Seth commanded fiercely.

Meditite kicked off from his position and blazed a trail towards Combee, sparks of electricity flying from his right fist as he ran. Combee, seeing Meditite on the move, began rapidly flapping his tiny wings, whipping up a strong wind that increased his speed drastically, enabling Combee to avoid Meditite's attack.

"Gust!" Seth hollered.

Combee angled himself to Meditite's position and unleashed a furious blast of wind that bashed into Meditite, forcing him to brace himself and dig his feet in. Breaking free from the assault, Meditite spread his hands wide and began generating psychic energy through his frame. Combee was too quick to deal with while he was in the air. It was time to bring him down.

"Feast your eyes on this! Meditite, use Gravity!" Enzo roared.

The air around Combee grew more dense and the gravitational pull on his body became stronger within an instant, yanking him towards the ground. Try as he might, he could not break free from the intensity of the force of which he was afflicted. He crashed hard into the ground and was being pinned by the pull of gravity.

"End it with Fire Punch!" Enzo commanded.

Combee stood no chance. Struggle as he might, he was unable to free himself. Meditite closed in with fists ablaze and drove a heated fist downward and pounded him with a flurry of flaming fists. Meditite stood up after he was finished and looked down at the unconscious Combee. A beam of red light retracted Combee with haste.

The sound of another ball flashing open was heard as Pawniard burst forth.

"Seth's in trouble here," Trevor said nervously. "Steel-types like Pawniard have a severe disadvantage against a Pokémon like Meditite..."

"That is true," Serena replied. "Pawniard may be strong, but Meditite has the upper hand from the start. And since he also knows Fire Punch..."

"And since Pawniard's still a bit tired from the last match against Sneasel, he'll be hard pressed to win," Trevor finished.

"You can do it Pawniard!" Shauna cheered.

"Yeah! Show your moves!" Tierno exclaimed.

"Come on Seth. You and Pawniard can beat this snob!" Serena shouted.

"Ah the Pawniard. You should realize that he has no chance. My Meditite barely took damage from your Combee. On top of that, Meditite has the advantage," Enzo grinned.

"Spoken like a true textbook trainer," Seth stated.

"Excuse me? What is that supposed to mean?" Enzo inquired with a raised brow.

"It means what I said. You're the standard type of trainer who only looks at the Pokémon's type in relation to their opponent, rather than their level of skill. Only a true novice would look at this matchup and claim victory based on bare bones Pokémon knowledge," Seth stated firmly.

"Do you mean to insinuate that my Meditite is less skilled than your Pawniard?" Enzo snapped.

"Hey, you said it not me," Seth smirked.

"You're delusional if you think I'd believe that! Meditite, let's show this low class louse what true strength is! Use Brick Break!" Enzo roared.

"Shadow Claw!" Seth commanded.

Meditite bounded after Pawniard, his hand aglow with a white aura. Pawniard's blades were laced with ethereal energy as he dashed towards his adversary. The two came to blows in the center of the battlefield, trading strikes with one another. Meditite landed a Brick Break to Pawniard's torso, below the blades, only to have a Shadow Claw brought down upon his head, sending the Meditation Pokémon staggering back.

"Fire Punch!" Enzo cried out.

"Psycho Cut!" Seth ordered.

Meditite's fists burst into flames as he ran towards Pawniard, who simply waited for him to draw near as he charged his head blade. As Meditite lunged, Pawniard's stomach blades lit up, much to Enzo's alarm.

"Retreat!" Enzo called out hastily.

Unfortunately, Meditite was too close to be able to back down quick enough. The blades on Pawniard's body fired off several crescent discs of psychic energy towards Meditite, prompting him to put his arms up to block. Meditite was blasted backwards and sent tumbling along the ground.

Meditite struggled to pull himself up and was just about to ready himself when Pawniard rushed him, his blades out and ready.

"Strike him down! Fire Punch!" Enzo cried out hastily.

"Aerial Ace!" Seth commanded, much to Enzo's horror.

Meditite swung hard, only for Pawniard to duck the oncoming punch and lash out with both blades, knocking Meditite high into the air. A loud crash was heard as Meditite slammed into the ground unconscious.

"I-I don't believe this! I LOST!?!?" Enzo cried. "How could I lose!?"

"It's because you got careless," Seth said flatly.

"Careless? Explain," Enzo demanded.

Seth shook his head.

"Figure it out while you heal your Pokémon. I'm not going to spoon feed you," Seth replied sharply, returning Pawniard before turning his back and walking back to his companions.

Meanwhile, while Enzo continued his tantrum, Seth looked over at Serena and nodded in Enzo's direction. Serena grinned deviously and cracked her knuckles before stalking towards Enzo.

"That was so awesome!" Tierno exclaimed.

"Agreed, I wasn't expecting that," Trevor laughed nervously. "I guess I need to think outside the box too..."

"Don't get so down on yourself Trevor. You're smart, you'll get it," Shauna encouraged him.

Trevor blushed lightly and scratched the back of his head.

"Thanks Shauna," Trevor replied.

"I won't let this stand. Enjoy your victory while it lasts, because next time I'll-OUCH!" Enzo cried as Serena smacked him across the face.

"Do you ever shut up? You lost, so get going," Serena said sharply, pulling his ear before letting it go.

"You'll pay for this!?" Enzo shouted angrily as he darted off.

Serena huffed and turned around, exhaling a sigh of relief. Seth stood in front of her and folded his arms.

"Feel better?" He asked.

"Astronomically better," she replied with a smirk.

"Good. Now that it's over, shall we continue to Camphrier Town?" Seth inquired, getting a nod from Serena who joined the rest of the group.

Hours later, Seth and company reached Camphrier Town. It had been a tiring day for the group of friends, and after healing their team, they checked into their rooms for the evening.

There you have it! Seth defeats Enzo after a tough match. I know some of you wanted to see Seth stomp him, so I made it interesting. Serena even got a jab in, which was inevitably going to happen. I hope you all enjoyed this. See you in the next chapter! Feel free to vote and comment as well!