Seeing the Mischievous Panda sprinting away, the Linoone looked at each other in dismay.
At this moment, the Chandelure, Swalot, and Aromatisse Fire-type Pyroar in the room also poked their heads out.
“Chandelure~” What happened?
The head of the family, Chandelure, asked.
“Chino~ Chino~” Sawsbuck said that the Mischievous Panda's parents had returned.
Chino the Cinccino replied.
Hearing this, Chandelure frowned.
Among their family, those who joined Nibel Plateau earlier knew Mischievous Panda's parents, such as Chandelure, Scraggy, Linoone, and Delcatty.
The rest had not seen them, especially Swalot, which joined Nibel Plateau after Ange.
“Chandelure~” Let's go take a look together.
After a moment of contemplation, Chandelure said.
“Chino~”
The moment it saw them, Mischievous Panda slammed on the brakes and shouted:
“Ya cha!!!” My mom found me a stepfather!
Of course, it remembered what its mother looked like, after all, it thought about her day and night… no, it didn't, definitely didn't.
In short, it just inexplicably kept remembering.
But the other one was clearly not its dad.
Mischievous Panda's cry attracted Ange's attention.
The moment Ursaluna and Pangoro saw their son, their eyes filled with tears.
They finally saw their little darling.
So they rushed to Mischievous Panda's side, opening their arms to hug their baby.
However, Mischievous Panda leaped up, nimbly jumping away from the spot, not only causing Ursaluna and Pangoro to miss the hug but also to fall flat on their faces.
“Goolong~ Goolong~” Baby, it's mom, don't you recognize mom?
Pangoro said with teary eyes.
“Ya cha~ Ya cha~” I was wondering why you didn't come back for so many years, so you were finding me a stepfather!
Mischievous Panda said angrily.
Pangoro: ???
Ursaluna: ???
Ange, who had just arrived and overheard: ???
Pangoro asked cautiously: “Goolong~ Goolong~” Baby, what stepfather?
“Ya cha~” Isn't that him?
Mischievous Panda put one hand on its hip and pointed at Ursaluna with the other.
“Pfft~” Hearing this, Ange couldn't help but laugh, “Mischievous Panda, that's your real dad, he just evolved.”
Mischievous Panda: . . .
So its dad could evolve? It was the first time it had heard of this.
“Kuma~ Kuma~” Yes, yes, baby, it's dad!
Ursaluna said with teary eyes.
Okay, this tone, this way of speaking, it was definitely its real dad.
“Ya cha~ Ya cha~” Since there's no stepfather, then it's even more unforgivable that you haven't come back for so many years!
Mischievous Panda said angrily.
“Kuma~ Kuma~” Baby, listen to us, mom and dad didn't deliberately not come back.
Ursaluna said anxiously.
“Ya cha~ Ya cha~” I won't listen, I won't listen! I just won't listen!
Mischievous Panda covered its ears and jumped around, then it turned its head and ran away.
“Kuma~” Baby!
“Goolong~” Baby!
Ursaluna and Pangoro immediately wanted to chase after it.
However, as soon as they took a step, a Shadow Ball suddenly smashed at their feet.
They looked up and saw Chandelure floating in the air, while Heliolisk and Scraggy stood not far away, one on the left and one on the right.
They split into two groups, Chandelure, Heliolisk, and Scraggy to stop Ursaluna and Pangoro, while Linoone and the others went to comfort Mischievous Panda.
Because Chandelure had evolved, Ursaluna and Pangoro didn't recognize it for a while, but Scraggy was already in its current form when they left, so they recognized it at a glance.
“Kuma~ Kuma~” Scraggy, what are you doing?
Ursaluna questioned.
Scraggy didn't answer, but Chandelure spoke up.
“Chandelure~ Chandelure~ Chandelure~” Since you haven't cared about Mischievous Panda for so many years, then you have no right to interfere with it now.
“Goolong~” You are…
Relying on memories, Pangoro finally recognized that Chandelure was the former Litwick.
After all, they were once companions who spent day and night together.
At this time, Ange reminded the couple from the side, “After you left, Litwick took care of Mischievous Panda and raised it to adulthood.”
“Kuma~”
“Goolong~”
Hearing this, Ursaluna and Pangoro immediately looked at Chandelure with gratitude.
However, Chandelure didn't appreciate it.
“Chandelure~ Chandelure~” I didn't take care of Mischievous Panda because of you, I don't need your thanks.
“Goolong~ Goolong~” Pangoro immediately explained to Chandelure why they hadn't come back all these years.
However, Chandelure didn't understand the couple like Vileplume and the others, but instead questioned:
“Chandelure~ Chandelure~” Back then, you took the initiative to leave Nibel Plateau in pursuit of an exciting life, no one forced you, right? Now that you're back, do you think you can get Mischievous Panda's forgiveness by saying a few nice words?
Its question directly silenced the couple, and the words that had reached their lips were swallowed back.
Yes, being trapped outside and unable to return did have external factors, but it was also a fact that they had abandoned raising Mischievous Panda in pursuit of a more exciting life.
Mischievous Panda was raised by Chandelure, so it couldn't forgive anyone who hurt it, not even its parents.
Ursaluna and Pangoro were a little at a loss and looked at Ange for help, but Ange spread his hands, indicating that he couldn't do anything, this was not something he could interfere with.
At this time, Chandelure said: “Chandelure~” I can give you a chance.
“Kuma~” What chance?
Ursaluna asked in confusion.
Chandelure said:
“Chandelure~ Chandelure~ Chandelure~” Back then, you left to pursue excitement. So many years have passed, you must be very strong now, right? As long as you can beat me, I won't stop you from seeing Mischievous Panda.
“Kuma~ Kuma~” Okay, deal!
Ursaluna agreed without hesitation, it was very confident in its strength.
However, Ange shook his head behind them, Ursaluna and Pangoro's strength was indeed not weak, but it would be difficult to win against Chandelure!
If you want to rank the strength of the Pokémon on Nibel Plateau today, except for Ange's main Pokémon and the Legendary Pokémon (Mythical Pokémon), Chandelure can be ranked at the top.
The first tier, needless to say, definitely includes Salamence, Zoroark, Chesnaught, Greninja, Delphox, Politoed, and Lilligant. (Salamence is in a league of its own.)
The second tier consists of Glaceon, Galarian Articuno, Aggron, Excadrill, Infernape, Feraligatr, Armarouge, Ceruledge, and Honchkrow.
The third tier includes Chandelure, the Hippowdon parents, Alolan Raichu leader, the Oinkologne couple, and the Sirfetch'd couple.
Below that are the Talonflame and Staraptor couple, the Altaria couple, the Victreebel couple, the Gardevoir and Gallade couple, Goodra, and Dusknoir…
Don't underestimate Chandelure just because it's ranked in the third tier. Considering how many Pokémon are in the Nibel region, this is already quite high, indicating its considerable strength.
In An Jay's opinion, Ursaluna and Annihilape are about equal in strength to the fourth-tier Pokémon on the Nibel Plateau.
Ursaluna confidently asked, "Kuma~ Kuma~" Are you sure you want us both to fight you at once?
Chandelure nodded.
"Hyah tah lah~ Hyah tah lah~" That's right, but if you lose, you're not allowed to approach Pawmi without Annihilape's permission!
"Kuma~" No problem!
Ursaluna agreed readily, confident that it and its wife could win.
Their impression of Chandelure was still based on its appearance as a Litwick many years ago.
Little did they know that with An Jay's help, Chandelure had long since been reborn, possessing the formidable strength befitting its role as the head of the family.
Chandelure looked at An Jay and said, "Hyah tah lah~" An Jay, could you be a witness?
An Jay nodded, "Of course."
Then the three Pokémon stood on opposite sides.
"Now that both sides are ready, then… battle start!"
With An Jay's command, Chandelure launched the first attack.
Four pillars of fire simultaneously rose from its four candelabra-shaped arms, intertwining and surging towards Annihilape and Ursaluna, ultimately forming a fiercely burning ring of fire that trapped the couple inside.
Chandelure used Inferno.
"Kuma~" Ursaluna roared upon seeing this, slamming its two front paws heavily on the ground. Using High Horsepower, the ground trembled, directly overturning and extinguishing all the flames in an instant.
Without the flames as a barrier, Annihilape leaped forward, using Assurance, raising its fist to strike at Chandelure.
However, Chandelure was faster, dodging while controlling wisps of phosphorescent fire, directly slamming them onto Annihilape.
The burning flames caused Annihilape to feel intense pain, wailing as it fell to the ground.
Annihilape relies on physical attacks, and now, being burned by the phosphorescent fire, its physical attack damage is halved, which is basically fatal.
Seeing his wife injured, Ursaluna didn't hesitate to use High Horsepower again, leaping forward and crashing heavily into Chandelure.
Although it was very grateful to Chandelure for raising Pawmi, they couldn't lose this battle.
Of course, Chandelure felt the same way.
It would never hand over Pawmi, whom it had painstakingly raised, to this couple.
The moment Ursaluna attacked, Chandelure flashed again, and at the same time, a large amount of purple mist spewed out from the flames on its body, engulfing Ursaluna.
It used Clear Smog, which deals damage to the opponent while also having a chance to inflict poison.
Unfortunately, Ursaluna was hit.
Now the couple, one poisoned and one burned, were truly a pair.
Chandelure didn't give them a chance to breathe, controlling a pillar of fire and sweeping it out.
Seeing this, Ursaluna and Annihilape hurriedly dodged, rolling around on the ground to barely avoid it.
Seeing that ordinary methods couldn't do anything to Chandelure, the couple exchanged glances, and finally Annihilape used Rain Dance.
Immediately, a cloud gathered above them, and a drizzle followed.
As a Fire-type Pokémon, being drenched in water is naturally very uncomfortable, and at the same time, the damage of Fire-type moves is reduced in rainy weather.
Although Chandelure possesses both Fire and Ghost types, Ursaluna is immune to Ghost types, and Annihilape resists Ghost types, so it hadn't used Ghost-type moves before.
While Annihilape cast Rain Dance, Ursaluna also cast Sweet Scent, to lower Chandelure's evasiveness.
Aren't you curious why a bear knows the move Sweet Scent? If a bear has a scent, it should be stinky.
Because Teddiursa, Ursaring, and Ursaluna all like to eat honey. When they were still Teddiursa, they would put their paws in the honey after finding it, allowing the honey to seep in, so that when they felt uneasy, they could lick their paws to keep their minds calm.
Over time, their bear paws would emit a sweet fragrance, which is why they can learn this move.
After that, the couple used Brave Bird and Assurance, attacking Chandelure simultaneously from the left and right.
Ursaluna thought: You can't run away this time!
However, just as they were about to hit Chandelure, Chandelure's body suddenly shrank, disappearing from their sight.
It turned out that Chandelure used Minimize, a move that can shrink the body and greatly increase evasion.
Reappearing in the sky, Chandelure thought: Did you think that weakening my Fire-type moves would make me helpless against you?
The next second, two Energy Balls were controlled by it and shot towards Ursaluna and Annihilape respectively.
Annihilape immediately wailed and fell to the ground, unable to get up.
But miraculously, the Energy Ball automatically dissipated when it approached Ursaluna.
Chandelure looked puzzled.
It turned out that Ursaluna's ability is Bulletproof, which can negate ball and bullet moves.
And Energy Ball is a ball move.
If Ursaluna, which has the Normal type, wasn't immune to Ghost-type moves, Shadow Ball would also be ineffective due to the Bulletproof ability.
However, Chandelure was only surprised for a moment. If Energy Ball was useless, it immediately changed to another move, using Dark Pulse to shoot over.
After being hit, Ursaluna, which was already losing a lot of stamina due to poisoning, immediately followed in its wife's footsteps.
At this time, the rain had just passed its duration, the sky became clear again, and Chandelure's mood also became clear.
It called out to Heliolisk and Thievul, and then floated away without looking back.
Before leaving, Thievul and Heliolisk glared fiercely at the couple.
Hmph, you think you can win against Chandelure? Dream on!
