"Teacher! That's against the rules!"
Walter said in a panic.
Gym Leaders could adjust their Pokémon lineup according to a challenger's strength, but that was preparation done before a match. Who swapped Pokémon in the middle of one?
If someone reported this to the Pokémon League, Wattson could be held accountable at best. At worst, Mauville Gym would be closed until it corrected its practices.
The Pokémon League had always been strict with Gyms, which wielded considerable authority. Even a minor issue could bring a Pokémon Inspector to investigate, and the slightest sign of wrongdoing could mean a temporary closure.
"It's fine, it's fine!"
Wattson waved the concern away, then turned to Baimu. "Do you mind, young Baimu? I'd think you'd want to battle stronger Pokémon too."
"...Yes. Go ahead."
Baimu had no objection.
"Hahaha! Splendid, splendid!" Laughing, Wattson swapped the two Poké Balls in his hands for the Great Balls in the wall.
Only two...
Baimu was disappointed, but also a little relieved.
Ordinarily, he would have been delighted to face four new opponents. Right now, though, he could feel Mega Aggron was close to running out of steam and reverting to its usual form.
Could it last through one more at most?
Baimu exchanged a glance with Mega Aggron as it turned toward him. They assessed how they were both holding up and arrived at roughly the same conclusion.
Ultimately, they had learned Mega Evolution less than half a month ago. Going from scratch to using it in a real battle—and beating two Pokémon in a row—was already impressive.
He had once dreamed of sustaining it for a whole match, just like in the games.
Trying it for himself had shown him how unrealistic that was.
It was nowhere near that stable.
Not yet, at least. Judging by