Well, here we go! Chapter 2 of my story.

I do hope you enjoyed that mini-prologue of mine, but here's the main core of the beast. Also, a little heads-up, some of the potential harem characters will get there little moments with Ash before I upload the poll, so yeah. For this chapter, it'll be one shipping in particular that gets its time in the sun.

This is going to be a long chapter, just short of 8k words, but typically, each chapter length would be about 5k~~

Anyhow, do enjoy.


Jirachi's Wish

Chapter 2

.:. Twinleaf's Champion .:.

"You've been waiting all year for it, folks. Highly acclaimed throughout the region and home to one of the most competitive Tag Battle tournaments in the world, I welcome you to the annual Twinleaf Town Festival of the Stars!"

It was approaching night in the southernmost town of the beautiful Sinnoh region, the time of day when the quaint town erupts into a festive community where a myriad of Trainers take to the stage with their finest Pokémon, and a flurry of stalls and shops sell the rarest of charms and merchandise, sparking bright lights for the collectors amongst the countless number of people that flooded the jubilant streets of Twinleaf. Multi-coloured lanterns hung from the sky's invisible tether, stretching from building to building, illuminating the main streets in Twinleaf Town and the city square where people from all sides of the grand region of Sinnoh came to enjoy the annual Twinleaf Festival.

Amidst the lit-up streets of Twinleaf Town, in between the stalls where freshly cooked Octillery Snacks and rice balls permeated a luscious smell that flurried amongst the passing townsfolk, a young boy steadily walked with his Pikachu resting comfortably on his shoulder, slaloming his way through the bustling crowds and rare Pokémon that scattered the streets.

"Here we are, Pikachu! The Twinleaf Festival of the Stars…" awed Ash Ketchum with the widest of smiles upon his face. Walking by his sides were Dawn and Brock, eyeing the magnificence and marvel of the efforts of the Twinleaf Town residents.

"Talk about a festival!" Brock happily remarked, casting his head upwards, gazing at the vastly coloured lanterns as they contrasted with the silver stars. "So what do you think the Star Festival is all about, Ash?" he asked with obvious curiosity.

"Beats me, but hey, if there's a Tag Battle Tournament involved, count me in!" he cheered with unparalleled enthusiasm. He stood for a second, following Brock's eyes as he gazed up at the night sky, taking an inspiring look at the silver ball of wonderment that floated almost magically in the night sky like a queen in her starry realm. "'A Festival for the Stars', eh?"

"The Star Festival is dedicated to a single special star that comes shooting past the sky this day ever year!" giggled the blue-haired girl. "It may seem a bit much for just a single star, but when you see it, you'll understand just how magical it looks!" she explained with her eyes dazzling as she also gazed at the countless constellations that covered the night sky. "As for the Tag Battle, I guess that's just a little thing they added on the end."

"Well, beings that the boat is arriving at the early hours of tomorrow morning, why don't we have some fun?" Brock suggested, standing in between his two friends. "Not to mention it'd be nice to see you battle for the last time here in Sinnoh, Ash."

"Brock's right, Ash, let's have some fun!" cheered Dawn from behind, taking hold of Ash's warm hand and pulling him through the dense crowds with a wide, child-like grin smothered on her face. She flew through the crowds with an ecstatic smile smothered on her face, laughing cutely with the raven-haired boy struggling to keep up from behind.

Contrasting to earlier, the Co-ordinator wasn't having such a good day. It was yet another sleepless night for Dawn Berlitz. Not even for a second could she simply close her eyes and drift away, for the ever-present thought of Ash departing kept her mind in constant pandemonium. Before she knew it, the evening beckoned and she found herself strolling alongside her friends around her hometown.

"Attention, ladies and gentleman, signups for this year's Tag Battle Tournament have just begun! Sign up at the Town Square within the next thirty minutes to take part in the grand Tournament and battle to win Twinleaf Town's coveted trophy – but that's not all, no, the lucky couple to win the Tournament will get to have the honour in battling with a special guest and none other than the Sinnoh Battle Frontier's one and only Tower Tycoon Palmer!" the overexcited announcer proclaimed to the people of Twinleaf Town.

A blast of cheers ruptured from the crowd, the impact sending tremors through the ground as Palmer's name was called out. An ecstatic smile gleamed on Ash's face as he took a quick moment to recall his last fight with Palmer. He had battled the legendary Palmer once before, in fact. Six months ago, he had won the Twinleaf Town Battle Festival where, despite having the type advantage against a Rhyperior, ultimately fell short of beating one of the strongest and most highly acclaimed Pokémon Trainers to have ever been born.

"Palmer's here, too, eh?" Brock crossed his arms with a grin. "I guess this Tag Battle Tournament is a pretty big thing here in Twinleaf Town."

"You bet! Every year, I'd sign up, but there are always some people who pairs who turn out to be amazing," she explained with a glimmer of awe in her speech. "But, now that I think about it, since Palmer's here, I bet you guys can guess who else will be…"

Ash and Dawn both looked at each other, then to the crowds that surrounded them. Without a word said between them, the trio scanned the people for one particular person – the kind of person who wouldn't hesitate to make his presence known in a place such as the Twinleaf Tag Battle Festival. There was no doubt about it. With a huge name like Palmer around, the person whom the trio were looking out for had to be nearby.

"ASH KETCHUM!" a loud voice echoed across the horizon where an individual sprinted through the crowds, leaving a path of dust behind before stopping just before the raven-haired Trainer. Following shortly behind him, a shorter, chestnut-haired boy stood beside his accomplice, out of breath and panting restlessly.

"Barry, Kenny, surprised to see you-"

"What do you mean, 'surpised to see you here'? This is the Tag Battle Tournament, Ash! Never would have thought after such a short time following the Sinnoh League would I get the chance to wipe the floor with you, but I'll take every opportunity I can to let you know that I'm the better Trainer!" Barry exclaimed without a single hesitation, thrusting his finger towards Ash's face before brushing his wild, blonde hair back with a single comb of his hand. "Besides, my dad, none other than Palmer of the Sinnoh Battle Frontier will be here, too!"

"So I've heard! Then we'll see just how strong you are on your home turf," Ash replied back with just as much enthusiasm. "And hey, it's great to see you, too, Kenny!" happily greeted the Pokémon Trainer.

"It's nice to see you guys, too!" he said with a beaming smile, focusing mostly on Dawn. "I take it you guys are all taking part in the Tag Battle Tournament, right?"

"Yep! In fact, this'll be the last big thing we do in Sinnoh before we take off," Brock explained. "Much later this evening, our boat will arrive, and then it's straight back to the Kanto region and home."

The crystal blue pupils that rested within Dawn's bright eyes shrank exponentially. She didn't want to be reminded that Ash's departure was imminent. She froze with a dazed expression trapped on her face, as if reality was looming in a different dimension.

This Festival… and that's it, her innermost thoughts spoke to her. He's gone…

"Dawn…!" Almost immediately, Dawn was sent flying back to reality with a hand waving in front of her eyes. "Geez, Dawn, just try and stay awake for what I have to say," Kenny remarked, smirking with his head pompously held upwards. "You have heard about the rule change this year, correct?"

"Rule change?" Dawn blurted, throwing her head in front of Kenny's.

"Err, yeah, rule change," stuttered Kenny, turning away ever so slightly to hide the tint of red that smudged his cheeks. "In previous years, Trainers were randomly paired up, but this year, they've made it so that Trainers now select their partners. I don't know, something to do with the whole idea that the battles will have more excitement in them – more chemistry, they say," Kenny explained, turning his eyes to a large Empoleon that captured his gaze. "But, you know, I consider this to be a good thing, after all, we can get paired with people who we've known for quite a while," added the Co-ordinator, gazing directly into Dawn's eyes with a half-asked smile.

"I guess you're right," Dawn said, not cottoning on to Kenny's hints.

Fate has its funny ways, but now I can pair up with Ash, Dawn thought to herself, recalling her contagious smile in an instant.

"So…Dawn," Kenny exclaimed, taking a giant step forward to Dawn's side, subtly pushing Ash out of the way. "I mentioned that we can pick our own pairs for this tournament, so what do you say you and I pair up together?" A bright light shone in his eye as he gazed Dawn down, slowly opening his mouth, shooting a charming, boyish smile at the young girl. "It'd be just like a Co-ordinator Tag Team! And besides, consider us made even, beings that you declined my offer to travel with me," he reminded.

She felt somewhat cornered by Kenny's bombardment of information. Almost ominously, Kenny gradually moved closer and closer to Dawn, anticipating a reply. "Well, I…"

"Okay, Ash, now that Kenny's going with Dawn, I will be willing to work alongside you this time. No need to thank me, but I'll see it through and through that the two of us make it into the final! You've got nothing to worry about!" Barry reasoned with a high amount of enthusiasm. "As for Kenny and Dawn, pff, we'll beat them."

"Oh yeah? You're forgetting we've got the number two Co-ordinator in the whole of Sinnoh on our team!"

"Co-ordinating in a Pokémon Battle?! Real smart, Kenny! You may as well be a figure skater-"

"Hey! I didn't agree to anything!" Dawn blurted. "And besides, I already asked Ash if I could pair up with him, in case the rules changed, and he said yes," she explained to the two boys in arguing in front of her. "Isn't that right, Ash?"

Ash felt his travelling companion almost leap to his right in a single stride, clinging on to him with her arm wrapped around his. She looked up at him with her hopeful eyes praying that he would say 'yes'.

"Ermm…yeah, sorry guys. Dawn kinda did ask me a while ago," he replied, sheepishly scratching his head.

"Sorry, Kenny, but perhaps some other time we'll pair up," she apologised with a heartfelt expression firing a blast of pink onto Kenny's cheeks.

"Err, it's really okay, Dawn, really," he stuttered, facing away gingerly, allowing time for his blush to settle down. "But, say, I really got to be going now. You guys better sign up soon - anyway, so I'll catch up with you guys later, kay? See you!" Before the group could even give their farewells, he dashed off into the crowd with his head held low.

Stunned, the remaining members of the group looked around in awkward confusion before regaining their composure. "Well, then, what are we waiting for? Let's get signed up!"


Fireworks sounded in the background as the group of Trainers marched towards the very centre of Twinleaf Town. Explosion after explosion of colour dispersed before dissolving in the midnight-blue sky, showering down a plethora of coloured embers onto the ground.

They stood before the Town Square; an area in Twinleaf most famous for the dozens of Pokémon Trainers that gathered every once in a while on special occasions to show the rest of Twinleaf their remarkably trained Pokémon, battling with one another whilst the exultant crowd watches on with the uncertainty of who's going to win sending them into a thrill. Today was no different; countless cheers cracked the sky's sound barrier, each cheer dedicated to the two Pokémon in the centre of the battle taking place.

"Looks like a practice battle is going on," Brock theorised, observing the masses of people that gathered around the battlefield with the unmistakable feeling of excitement flourishing in the air. On one side of the battlefield, the quartet recognised the Pokémon to be a Gardevoir, hovering majestically in front of her inexperienced, yet confident Trainer with grace and calmness. Her opponent was even more easily recognised by the four travellers; a Torterra, fiercely stomping its heavy feet against the ground whilst it's intimidating eyes, encircled within black rings, scanned the on looking audience with immeasurable anticipation.

"A battle," Dawn blissfully spoke with her eyes gleaming with excitement, clasping her hands together, "between a Gardevoir and a Torterra!"

"Well, I guess you can never have enough practice. Perhaps those two are going to pair up with one another for the actual tournament," Barry knowledgably said.

"But it looks like it's been going on for a while," Brock noted, observing how the Torterra in particular continued to pant restlessly after each breath it took. "But with no real type advantage for either Pokémon, I guess this was a close battle."

"Alright, Gardevoir," the Trainer spoke, raising an instructive finger in Torterra's direction. "Finish off Torterra with Psychic!"

"Gardevoooirr!" The Gardevoir that stood before the crowd engulfed her whole body in a thick, fuchsia light before fiercely shooting out an asperous bolt of psychic power from her body, aimed straight at her target. The Torterra opposite her entered its battling stance, inclining its head before fixating its heavy, stone-plated feet against the ground. As the Continent Pokémon readied itself for the attack, the potent jolt of psychic energy pierced the air at great speed, finding its target within a split-second, enveloping the dual-type in a thick, jagged overcoat, rendering the Torterra unable to battle. The crowd erupted before the two Trainers with a giant applause; the myriad of Pokémon fans cheering the winner's name like a chorus.

"Torterra is unable to battle, Gardevoir is the winner!" announced the referee of the battle, holding a hand in the direction of the Gardevoir's Trainer, who merely accepted the applause with a modest smile before embracing her Pokémon with a loving hug.

"That power…" murmured Ash, observing how the Gardevoir looked so harmless on the outside. "I don't think I've ever seen a Gardevoir like that before…"

"Oh, man, that was so totally awesome! She's still got much to learn, though," Barry gloatingly said, heaving his heavy head upwards with a belittling smile in Ash's direction. "Trust me, if that's the best competition this year has to offer then I have a good reason to believe that this year is my year!"

"But you still need a partner, Barry. I don't think even you can win one versus two," Dawn reminded, resting a hand against her hip. "And, Brock, what about you?" A short moment passed before the three Pokémon Trainers looked up at the older individual.

"Say, you guys, I think I'll go have a look around," Brock slowly said, his eyes drifting towards a rather attractive-looking girl that stole his gaze. "I'll be back for the tournament!" he blurted before dashing at a frantic speed towards the girl.

Barry, Dawn and Ash all sighed in unison. "I think he means to say that he's going to find a cute girl to pair up with," Dawn explained to the two boys, both acknowledging Brock's antics.

"Why does it have to be me who doesn't end up with a partner?! How could the son of Palmer be like this? I swear, if I don't get a partner in the next fifteen minutes, I'm going to fine every last one of you!" he shouted, angrily crashing his feet against the ground, obviously mimicking the mannerisms of the Torterra from earlier.

"Ermm, excuse me…" a timid voice crept to the ears of the three individuals as they immediately turned their heads to the right, then looking down to see a small girl approach them. She shyly glanced at each one of the Trainers, then to Barry, twirling a finger within her hair. "But did you say you were related to Palmer?"

A sudden beaming smile crossed Barry's face. "If you're talking about Palmer, none other than the Tower Tycoon of the Sinnoh Battle Frontier, then yes, I just so happen to be his son," Barry explained with his grin frightening the young child. "Impressed?" he asked, opening an eye in the girl's direction.

"He really knows how to milk it, doesn't he?" Ash sweat dropped.

"Hey, aren't you the Gardevoir Trainer from before?" Dawn asked, leaning over 'til she was about the same height as the younger girl.

"I sure am," she beamed with the most innocent of voices, retaining a modest grin. "My name's Fleur, and my Gardevoir was my first ever Pokémon!" she explained as the Psychic-type wondered over to the congregation. She stood by the side of Pikachu and Piplup, who both galvanised at the incredible beauty of the Embrace Pokémon, watching as the Pokémon twirled with its silk-like gown swaying with the gentle breeze, and its motherly smile that watched over the two smaller Pokémon.

"Well I'm Barry, son of the great Palmer!" Barry boasted.

"My name's Dawn, and I'm a Co-ordinator."

"And I'm Ash from Pallet Town!"

Immediately after getting acquainted, Fleur's eyes shot open, her eyelashes boasting her steel-grey eyes that immediately shot themselves in the direction of Ash and Dawn. "Have I seen you two before from somewhere?" she questioned to herself, pointing at Ash and Dawn with a curious finger. The fixated smile on her face began to lengthen as time passed, with Ash and Dawn frozen still; feeling particularly uncomfortable and uneasy at the look Fleur gazed at them with. "I know I've seen you two from somewhere, but I just can't think where."

"Well, I… err took part in the Grand Festival just a few weeks ago, and Ash was in the Sinnoh League," she nervously replied to the little girl, not wanting to sound arrogant in any sense of the word.

"Of course!" the girl's eye's sparkled with enlightenment. "You're Ash Ketchum, and you came in the Top Four after losing against Tobias! And you're Dawn Berlitz, and you came second in the Grand Festival! You two are famous!" she squealed, jumping up and down with her cheery expression brightening the atmosphere around her. "Can I just say; you two are the greatest! I've seen you all over the newspapers together, all over Co-ordinator's weekly; just about everything!" she added. "Not to mention, you two do make quite a cute couple together," she cheekily remarked, focusing her grin in Dawn's direction.

Dawn's sapphire eyes enlarged in an instant, slowly and timidly turning into Ash's direction, only to find he was doing the same. Immediately pulling back upon feeling an explosion of red invade their cheeks, they both retracted their glances, Ash readjusting his cap to cover his brightened cheeks, and Dawn looking down at the ground with her hair shadowing her dilated eyes.

Dawn shook with a wave of embarrassment flowing through her. "Oh, erm, thank y-"

"What about me?! I'm famous, too!" Barry shouted, stomping the ground in the midst of his tantrum. "In fact, you'll be seeing me crushing my opponent in the final of today's Battle Festival!"

"The Battle Festival?! That's what my Gardevoir and I are taking part in!" she said, wrapping her arms around the floating Pokémon, nuzzling her head into its soft, silky skin.

"Gardevoooiirr!" Gardevoir cried out, it's rhythmic voice surging a mesmerising chime through the Trainer's bodies as she placed a friendly arm around Fleur.

"Sorry, kid, but there's a height requirement," Barry joked, tauntingly patting the annoyed kid on her head. "And besides, you've gotta beat some of the heavyweights first, like me, for example. What are you, nineteen years old?"

"I'm only ten, you know?" she replied with an expressionless face. "But me and my Gardevoir have been training extra hard for today!" she chimed with a grin. "Hey, you know how you said you were Palmer's son…then…does that make you the Trainer who lost in the third round of the Sinnoh League?" she asked with the grin on Barry's face slowly morphing into a rather annoyed expression.

"…Yes…" Barry slowly said in an impatient tone.

"So are you the one who got wiped out by the purple-haired kid?" she asked innocently.

"What is wrong with you people?! It takes huge amounts of skill to qualify for the Sinnoh League, let alone place in the Top Sixteen! Besides, Paul got lucky if you ask me, and I'll be sure to prove it tonight in today's Battle Festival!" Barry blurted, startling the little girl.

"Hm, in that case," she reached into her pocket, ripping out a Pokéball and holding it out in front of herself with a confident smirk, "what do you think about you and me pairing up?" she winked. "Would you care to accept my offer?" she formally asked. "You do need a partner, right?"

Barry took a moment, considering the girl's offer. "Fine," Barry breathed. "But if you screw this up, I'm going to have to fine you!"

"Don't worry about me," she cutely remarked.

"Attention, everyone. The signups for the Tag Battle Tournament will remain open for the next fifteen minutes."


"Okay, ladies and gentleman, it's the moment we've all been waiting for. The first round of the Tag Battle Festival will be commencing in little less than a few minutes, but first, I will announce the two couples that will fight for a place in the second round." A brief moment passed before the recognisable voice of the announcer was heard again. "Okay, so the first Battle of the first round will be a Tag Battle between Barry and Fleur against Ash and Dawn! Wishing both couples the best of luck, please report to battlefield to commence the tournament."

"Trust my luck," groaned Ash as he trudged his way over, walking alongside Dawn. "Barry and Fleur in the first round…"

True to his word, Brock did find a partner – a female partner, at that. Though she looked slightly grossed out by him, she looked as if she'd been battling for a long time.

The Twinleaf Town Square began collecting more and more onlookers as the four Trainers, standing at both sides of the battlefield with their partners, eyed each other with an attempt at unnerving them. A faint wind passed by, the breeze tenderly floating the pink blossoms around Dawn and Ash, standing side by side with their smiles fixed upon their faces.

"Man, it's been a while since we last teamed up like this," Ash told her, turning his auburn eyes in her direction.

Dawn didn't want to admit it, but their last team battle together only felt like yesterday. She smiled, reminiscing vividly of how Ash was always there with his Pikachu to save Piplup whenever he was in danger. "Yeah, it has been a long time," she sighed dreamily. She woke up, back to reality where the first thing she noticed was the large crowd that had been summoned to the centre of Twinleaf. "Wow, there sure are a lot of people here today," Dawn noted, feeling a worrying tension building up in her. "Making me quite nervous, to be honest," she admitted, shuffling herself closer to Ash's side.

Ash noticed, looking down at Dawn with a confident smile. "No need to worry, Dawn," Ash recited, gazing in awe at the giant crowd that gathered before him. A pounding sensation drove against his heart, pumping a wave of adrenalin through his veins, sending his mind into a whirl. "Looks as if all of Twinleaf is here-"

"Hey! If you guys don't hurry up, I'm going to have to fine you!" Barry shouted from the other side of the battlefield.

"You ready, you two?" Fleur asked, gripping a Pokéball in her hand.

"Ready!" Dawn and Ash both replied.

"Then let's start this! Gardevoir, out you come!" she called, tossing a Pokéball from her hand onto the battlefield where it exploded into life, the thick light emerging from the Pokéball morphed into a long, slender Pokémon that hovered above the ground with a feeling of grace and modesty secured in the Zen-like expression on its face.

"Hey, it's that Gardevoir from earlier!"

"Fleur's opponents stand no chance now she's out!"

"Such a cute little girl, and such a powerful Pokémon!" several calls from the crowd dictated with the feeling of sheer anticipation flourishing around them. Fleur glanced at the audience, waving at them with a timid smile, only to receive a few patronising 'aww's in return.

"Fleur's fan base better be ready for what I've got in store! Alright, Empoleon, let's get going!" Barry tore a Pokéball from his belt, hurling it onto the battlefield, landing with a mighty thud. The Pokéball burst onto the scene, revealing a beefy, armoured penguin-like Pokémon that stamped its heavy feet against the battlefield. The Empoleon glanced at the human opponents, clashing its steel-tipped wings together with a heavy clash, glimmering with the shimmering sunlight with the mighty sheen capturing the eyes of the large crowd.

"Empoleon!" Empoleon roared with pride, glancing at the Gardevoir to its left with a nod from either Pokémon.

Across the other side of the battlefield, Ash and Dawn eyed their opponents' choices with an adventurous grin.

"Okay, Dawn, let's give them all we've got!" Ash cheered. "Pikachu, I choose you!" From behind Ash, the Electric-type valiantly charge onto the battlefield, sparking miniature bolts of energy from the red spots on its cheeks. Despite seeming miniscule in comparison to the Gardevoir and Empoleon opposite, the Pikachu seemed more than ready to battle.

"Alright, Piplup, you, too!" Dawn called out. Standing to the side of Dawn, Piplup waddled onto the battlefield, taking its place beside Pikachu before shooting a competitive glance at Barry's Empoleon, who merely pulled an intimidating grin from behind its trident-like crest.

"Okay, this match will be a two-on-two battle with no substitutions. The winner will be the team with the Trainer with the last remaining Pokémon. Begin!" the ref explained, commencing the battle.

"Okay, let's start this off! Pikachu, fire a Thunderbolt straight at that Empoleon!" Ash called out. Upon hearing his Trainer's command, the Electric-type dashed forward, positioning itself in front of the Emperor Pokémon. Within a split second, the Pikachu channelled a fearsome ball of energy in front of itself, slowly growing with time before he shot it directly towards Empoleon.

"Empoleon, do something-"

"Gardevoir, use Psychic," Fleur calmly told her Pokémon. The Gardevoir, in an instant, dove in the way of Empoleon, closing her eyes for a split second before enveloping her body with a pale pink aura. As the Thunderbolt came charging in, Gardevoir shot open her eyes, now coloured in a misty blue, attaching her glance with the incoming jolt of lightning, diverging its path directly into the sky.

"W-what was that?" Ash stammered, immediately taken aback by the Gardevoir's tactics.

"It's amazing the things you can do with a Psychic attack," Fleur grinned. "But it's nothing special really, I just diverged the path of the Thunderbolt attack so it completely missed."

"That's amazing…" Dawn whispered to Ash.

"And now, none of your ranged attacks will have any effect on us," Fleur remarked. "But now it's our turn to fight! Gardevoir, Teleport behind Piplup!" In the blink of an eye, Gardevoir flashed, startling the Piplup as he looked behind himself to see the towering Psychic-type. "Shadow Ball!"

Gardevoir held out her hands, building a ball of ghostly energy before firing it directly on top of Piplup's head. The resulting impact summoned a cloud of smoke to raid the battlefield, clouding the Piplup in a blast of darkness.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail above Piplup," Ash growled, unable to gain any sight of Gardevoir's location. As the dust slowly cleared, a miniature crater rested under Piplup, who leapt to its feet, rubbing its head from the devastating blow it just suffered. Pikachu stood beside his battling partner, but Gardevoir had teleported back to its starting location.

"Piplup, are you okay?" Dawn cried out to her starter Pokémon, only to hear an uneasy chirp as a reply.

"That speed…" Ash quietly awed to himself. "Gardevoir had teleported back to her starting location before we even noticed… and since ranged attacks won't work… Pikachu, Volt Tackle!" Ash called out.

The Pikachu in front of him galloped forward, covering itself in a blur of yellow light that charged directly at his opponents.

"It's coming for you, Barry," Fleur quickly said, slanting her eyebrows.

"Empoleon, block it with Steel Wing!" Barry told his Pokémon. Empoleon's mind jolted into gear, immediately throwing its shimmering wings across its chest. The Pokémon braced itself calmly as the Electric-type collided into the Steel-type, throwing both Pokémon back. "Well blocked, Empoleon-huh-?"

"Now, Iron Tail!" Ash speedily added. Pikachu leapt into the air, changing the base material of his tail to a hardy steel before smashing it against Empoleon's side, hurling the Pokémon across the battlefield. "Yeah! Great job there, Pikachu!"

"Keep your guard up, Barry," Fleur told him.

"Alright, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on Gardevoir," Ash said. Pikachu hesitantly turned in the Gardevoir's direction, anticipating the Psychic-type to distort the path of his attack. Slowly, Pikachu shot out a beaming ray of electricity at the Embrace Pokémon, only to find the inevitable.

"Gardevoir, Psychic again," Fleur sighed. Gardevoir reacted, connecting her eyes with the tip of the Thunderbolt attack, directing it up into the sky again. "Don't think I'll forget my own tactics, Ash," she called out.

"Piplup, follow up with a Whirlpool attack!" Dawn said. Piplup charged forward headfirst, its beak glowing in a blinding yellow light, before summoning a torrential swirl of water that fired itself straight at the Gardevoir.

"Gardevoir, look out!" Fleur urgently cried out. Almost immediately, Piplup's Whirlpool attack threw Gardevoir back with a monstrous force.

"Aha, just as I thought!" Dawn victoriously cheered. "Your Psychic attack isn't as flawless as you claim; you can only control one thing at a time, and since your Gardevoir was concentrating on Pikachu's Thunderbolt attack, you were not able to stop Piplup's Whirlpool," she explained with a proud smile.

Fleur stood frozen still before gradually bringing back her smile. "Clap, clap, Dawn," she said, silently pressing her hands together. "But that doesn't change a thing! Gardevoir, Shadow Ball, full power; aim for Empoleon!"

"What?!" Ash and Dawn called out in unison.

"Friendly fire, really?"

"I know he's underperforming, but is that really necessary?" Several confused voices from the crowd murmured.

Fleur's Gardevoir raised its silk-like sleeves, concentrating a vast amount of dark energy into the purple orb of energy that had appeared before it. "You ready, Barry?" Fleur asked, just as Gardevoir gave her Trainer a nod.

"I'm ready!" Barry replied confidently. "Get ready, Empoleon!" the Empoleon, now back on its feet, took a long stare at its target before nodding back at his Trainer.

"Now, Gardevoir!" The Gardevoir fired the ball of ghostly energy directly at Empoleon, awaiting a call from its Trainer.

"Empoleon, hit it with Steel Wing!" Barry called out. Barry's Empoleon readied his glimmering wing, smacking the incoming Shadow Ball with a frightening force down at the Pikachu and Piplup, who both got swallowed up by the resulting explosion that sent a ton of debris flying in the air. "Haha, bull's-eye!"

"That's our Fleur!"

"What a fantastic team those two make!"

"The blonde kid's not too bad, either."

Ash and Dawn both stood with their mouths agape, still waiting to see the fate of their Pokémon after the resulting explosion. "Piplup! Pikachu! Are you okay?" she said, cupping her hands around her mouth. As the dust thinned out, two faint silhouettes of Pokémon began to show to the two Trainers.

"Pikachuu," Pikachu exclaimed, slowly heaving itself off the ground after the stunning blow it took.

"Piplupup," chirped the Piplup, appearing quite dizzy after the previous attack.

"Oh, you're both okay!" Dawn cried, pulling a relieved smile.

"…That was some combination," Ash awed, his jaw still dragging across the ground after what he recognised to be an incredible move.

"Face it, Ash! You've lost this," Barry taunted, unnerving Ash slightly as the raven-haired Trainer lowered his cap over his head, letting a small growl.

"Don't listen to him, Ash," Dawn encouraged, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder. She leaned over, gazing into his deep chocolate eyes with her heartfelt smile. "Why don't we show those two just who the real king and queen of combinations are, eh?" she blushed, not afraid to hide her reddened cheeks from him.

Ash smiled. "If you really think we can beat them, then I'll be more than glad to help you," he replied. "Besides, it looks as if that last attack really hurt their stamina," Ash noted observantly, watching as his opponents' Pokémon panted restlessly, trying their best to recover their energy in time for the next attack.

"You ready, Pikachu?" Ash called out, clenching his fist.

"Pika-Pikachu!"

"What about you, Piplup?"

"Piplup!"

"Okay then, Pikachu get ready to Volt Tackle," he said to his Pokémon. The Mouse Pokémon leapt in front of Piplup, proceeding to gather electricity from the atmosphere, building it up inside itself.

"And, Piplup, use Hydro Pump to propel Pikachu!" Dawn explained. Piplup paused for a moment, taking a giant breath before firing a torrent of water straight at the Electric-type.

"Now, Pikachu!" Ash called out. Pikachu shot forward; within an instant, the Pokémon covering itself in a shimmering golden light. The gush of water behind the Pikachu eventually caught on to the strikes of lightning, synergising the two into a single attack.

"Gardevoir, look out!" Fleur worriedly told her Pokémon. The Mouse Pokémon, now propelled and enveloped within a torrent of water, coupled with the shards of lightning that surged through the air at a blinding speed closed the gap in between himself and his opponents until the defining moment when they collided.

The resulting explosion hurled a cloud of opaque dust into the air. The breeze that rolled by began clearing the way for the Trainers as they watched anxiously with their eyes oblivious to whom the winner is. As the dust cleared, two faint silhouettes rose to their feet, resembling a small mouse-like and a penguin-like Pokémon.

"Gardevoir and Empoleon are unable to battle, which means the winner of the first round of the Twinleaf Festival of the Stars Tag Battle Tournament is Dawn and Ash!" the ref announced, holding an arm in favour of his two travelling buddies.

Immediately the crowd burst into a frenzy of cheers for Ash and Dawn as they sprinted towards their Pokémon, embracing them with a friendly hug.

"Wow, what a way to kick-start the Tag Battle Tournament. It was close, but Ash and Dawn managed to squeeze through Barry and Fleur in gaining the first spot in the second round. Commiserations to our losers, but congratulations to Ash and Dawn!"

"This doesn't change a thing, Ash, I'll fine you if you don't admit that I'm better!" Barry stomped.

"Well, we lost fair and square, but you know, for the son of a Pokémon legend like your dad, you're pretty damn useless…" Fleur joked, grinning at him with her trademark charm.

"What did you just call me?!"

"I'm kidding, Barry," she told him. "We did make an awesome team out there, but those two are something else…"

Ash grinned fervently, looking at the crowd that cheered his name like a chorus, their cries sounding Ash's heart into an untameable frenzy. "We did it, Dawn," he cheerily remarked, still glancing at the crowd.

Dawn, still stunned by their win, slowly withdrew a smile, beaming it straight at the night sky. "Yeah… we did it…" she slowly said, looking up to Ash. "Now let's go ahead and win this tournament!"


A multitude of Pokémon took to the stage; battle after battle commenced that night with a dizzying array of mystical moves and sparks flying after each engagement. Shock results and long-fought battles pleased the crowd in particular with each team sending out their finest Pokémon to fight on their behalf. Trumped by not only the skill of their opponents' Pokémon, but the teamwork between each couple, the number of entries eventually whittled down with two worthy winners facing off against Palmer and the mysterious special guest.

"Now's the moment you've all been waiting for, ladies and gentleman! It's time for the winners of this years' Tag Battle Festival to take on the Sinnoh Battle Frontier's Palmer and the special guest, whom we will be revealing in a short time – but first, I present to you your winners: Ash Ketchum and Dawn Berlitz!" the announcer proclaimed, holding a hand in the direction of the couple. "My, my, what a fantastic team those two make. Certainly worthy winners of this years' Festival of the Stars Tag Battle Tournament, am I right? But let's just see how they compare to Sinnoh's finest…"

At one side of the battlefield stood Ash and Dawn, their eyes riddling with unparalleled concentration as they awaited their opponents. Their Pokémon, akin to their Trainers, stood at the edge of the battlefield, waiting patiently for the man of the hour.

"…Are you ready, Dawn?" Ash asked, shooting a confident smirk in his partner's direction.

"I've never faced Palmer before, but he's strong…very strong," worriedly remarked the co-ordinator as a shivering bolt pierced her heart. "But it's not just him – no – he's pairing up with someone else, too," she reminded, tugging gently onto Ash's sleeve as the anticipation shook her nerves to an all-time high.

"Then we'll just have to show them both just how strong we are," Ash replied, looking down into Dawn's eyes, pulling a child-like grin. "Just remember, if you ever get stuck, Pikachu and I have got your back, okay?"

She glanced at his audacious smile, riveting her azure eyes that glistened with the glow of the moon. "Yes, let's try our best," she replied with a more enthusiastic tone, smiling along the way.

"…yes, that's right, Sinnoh's finest, I said! Once a normal human like you and me, but now, a member of the strongest and most prestigious Pokémon tournament in the world, I welcome you the one and only Tower Tycoon Palmer of the Sinnoh Battle Frontier!"

It was tiniest of moments of silence between when the crowd had regained their composure to them cheering for a Pokémon legend. Walking onto the battlefield, a wave of nerves pounced on Ash and Dawn, sending each of them into a frenzy of shivers as they met eyes with Palmer.

He stood proud before the congregation, wearing his large green coat and trademark shaggy blonde hair that clearly ran in the family, a gleaming smile and charismatic wave was all it took for the crowd to burst out with a flurry of cheers and whistles, chanting the name 'Palmer' like an idol.

"That Palmer sure is popular," Brock noted, folding his arms with a sense of admiration as he watched the Frontier Brain work the crowd.

"That's my dad. Only it should be me battling in that final, not Ash," Barry muttered.

"You're never gonna let it go, are you?" Fleur sighed, rolling her eyes at the older Trainer. "But what I'm interested about is who he's battling alongside."

After a while, with the cheers and whistles only getting louder, the announcer quickly drew his microphone before continuing. "Wow! Just look at that response! Certainly one formidable opponent, but what else did you expect from the one and only Palmer? Ash and Dawn certainly have their hands full now, but it's not over yet. It's time to reveal the special guest, whom will be fighting alongside Palmer and against Ash and Dawn. And my, my, what a treat we have for you today. From overseas, she's been a world-famous Co-ordinator from a very young age, bound only by her imagination; I welcome to you the winner of the Hoenn Grand Festival, the Princess of Hoenn, May Maple!"

Another booming cry of delight shook from the innumerable crowd as Ash and Dawn, who were left stunned, watched as their friend walked onto the stage, waving at the crowd with a degree of elegance. She looked much more matured than beforehand, growing and maturing physically as her prude strides gently carried her to the side of Palmer.

"It's been a while, you two. Don't think that just because you won the Tag Battle Tournament that you'd think this battle will be a walk in the park. We won't be going easy on you two," Palmer boomed with an intimidating grin. "May and I are going to show you how real champions fight!"


A shadowy figure rested by one of the trees that bordered the edge of a grand river that surged through the outskirts of Sinnoh. He stood perfectly still, gazing at the glimmers of sunlight that bounced off the river's surface with a feeling of animosity purging his deep red, bloodshot eyes, twitching every now and again with each passing sound that broke the deafening silence. Although the sun was nearing its peak, a very indefinable feeling flourished in the air around the man, a feeling that sent Pokémon running for their lives, silencing the calming breeze that flew by, as if he was controlling nature itself.

"…Five…" the man whispered, breaking the deafening silence. His chilling voice froze the grass below him within a thick coat of ice.

"…Four…" the man whispered again with a patient tone. He shot open his bloodshot eyes that immediately spiralled as they jerked left and right, taking a step forward, still engulfed within the shadow of the great tree that loomed over him.

"…Three…" He slowly turned, eyeing the immaculate sky with a great feeling of anticipation and excitement sending his legs into a tremor.

"…Two…" he murmured with a stronger voice than before, raising both his hands to the sky.

"…One…" He fell silent. "It's here…"

"RAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAARRRRR!" A deafening shriek struck the ground with an unimaginable force, tearing away the trees from their roots, swaying blades of grass in the direction of the fearsome cry that erupted from the sky, and yet, the man stood perfectly still, eyeing the sky with a sense of marvel glimmering in his red eyes.

A sudden black spot appeared from the sky where a pair of green claws tore away at the atmosphere 'til a massive crack appeared in the sky.

"Rayquaza…" the man murmured with excitement pulsating through his veins at an alarming rate. "It's been a while, and I'm surprised you actually showed up …Emperor of the Skies… my beloved Rayquaza…"

A sudden beady eye appeared within the crack, stunning the scenery within a glance by the mighty legendary Pokémon. Its black pupil, stained with feeling of fear, glanced down at the lone man with an uncanny grin smothering his face sadistically.

"You used to be one of mine, Rayquaza… you used to be one of my own; my treasured Pokémon," the man slowly told the great legendary. "So how about returning to your Trainer-?"

"RAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAARRRRR!" Rayquaza penetrated the sky with another bellowing roar.

"I knew you'd decline my offer." He shuffled forward, retreating his hand for a quick moment before flashing a mysterious, spherical shape at the sky, marked with an 'M' with one half covered in a metallic purple. "Get back into your ball, Rayquaza!" A tornado circled the man as the ground below him began to blacken with the evil slowly emitting from his body and spreading into the once calm surroundings. Rayquaza's pupils shrank suddenly before piercing the sky with another deafening roar.

"I'm sure you're well-educated about the King's Jirachi and the tournament he is holding. Any one wish in the world will be awarded to whoever wins his tournament, you know. Don't make me waste that wish in getting you back!" The man gritted his teeth, growling with the animosity purging from his body.

"No one ever knew that you were captured…and I do have to say, we did quite a good job of keeping it a secret," the man chuckled, grinning viciously at his former Pokémon. "But you ran away from me! Who knew the great Rayquaza was such a coward! This is the Master Ball… your ball… and yet you chose to run away from me! Coward!" he spat, mocking the dragon-type. "Did you hear me? I said 'coward'! You never understood our potential, Rayquaza. Everything you see could've been ours, but no, you never wanted 'everything', you never wished to bowed down to, but instead, you chose to run away, hiding in your little sanctuary, praying that that boy would come and stop me… coward."

A short moment of silence passed.

"I'm telling you one more time, Rayquaza… get back in your ball!" the man slowly said, pronouncing each word with a different level of convection. A fierce, deadly glimmer kept still in his eye as he shot daggers at the legendary. "GET BACK INTO YOUR BALL!"

"RAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAARRRRR!" the legendary howled before sealing the gap in the sky, vanishing from sight.

The man lowered his head, still retaining his psychotic grin, chuckling with a malefic tone. "So naïve… I don't think you understand the magnitude of this situation, Rayquaza… You know, I went through a lot of trouble to get this," he said to himself, tossing the Maser Ball between his hands. "But I'm not the kind of man who will lose to cowards so easily. I will find you, and I will catch you. With you by my side, a new era shall break the dawn on this world! A world where the darkness can take over the light… you refused to get into your ball," he shouted, holding the ball back up to the sky. "You tried to defy me… and now, you shall pay the price of disobeying me… Rayquaza… you will be mine again! My vision of the new world requires a strong Pokémon… and you're going to help me."

He exited the scene, now with an even larger smile on his face. "I like it when they play hard to get, and because of you, I'm going to have to win that tournament and get that Jirachi! You do make me laugh, Rayquaza, but I'm afraid your days of freedom are now numbered. Time is ticking, and soon you will be mine again… my beloved, beloved, Rayquaza…"


I do hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it =) Anyhow, please review. Every word means so much to me!

Take care, and I will update in due time (Probably less than a week).