"…you never did tell me how you got here…" Iian spoke up, his voice cracking a bit before her cleared his throat, the cleanse tag he had received pinned to his shirt and proudly displayed like a treasure as he overlooked the battlefield, Raian standing with his arms held high as his opponent returned their unconscious Ludicolo.

"That's the best line you could open with?" Anna asked with a tilt of her head as she looked at Iian, her bright red eyes practically sparkling in the bright days light, the two trainers battling on the field below looking like toys from the height, "How about…"

"I'm sorry." Iian interrupted as he turned to the girl, his face showing full sincerity as he made direct eye contact with the girl, "There's no way I can really express how sorry I am. But I've been terrible to you…honestly I don't deserve a bird like you, I'm unbelievably grateful that you've put up with me this long….I like you…like-like…I mean…"

"Hey," Anna interrupted as she gently placed her hand on Iian's face, his freshly shaven face feeling smooth, his clothes actually looking somewhat clean for the first time in a while, "It's fine."

"It's really not." Iian half smiled as he placed his hand over the girls, "I never did thank you for that gift either. But I can tell you for a fact that every last item went to a good cause. And now I'll always have this cleanse tag to remind me about what you did."

"It wasn't really me." Anna replied turning from the boy and staring back at the battlefield as a Banette charged forth at a Blaziken, "Elsa really did spend a lot of her money to…you know, back when we didn't really have money."

"Speaking of which." Iian grinned as he reached into his back pocket, pulling forth a small box, "They finally caught that Lumi wanker, she had all of my money, so they gave it back…and maybe they gave back a little more than I had before."

"What's that?" Anna asked with a large grin as Iian handed her the box

"That? It's for Elsa, a little compensation for all the trouble I caused her." Iian replied as Anna shook the box a bit, the boy slowly lifting his hand up with two tickets, "And this is for you, two tickets to the Sinnoh Orchestra. You can take whoever you want."

"Well isn't that awfully kind of you." Anna smiled as she plucked the two tickets from Iian's hand, "You wouldn't happen to know any young gentleman that would be willing to take me, would you?"

"I could always ask Raian." Iian joked

"…yeah, no." Anna quickly retorted, "I had someone else in mind."

"I never would have made it this far if it weren't for you." Iian grinned as Anna wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, "I figured it was about to time to do something nice for you, so anything you want, your call and I'll do it."

"How about after this league, come the holidays, you come over to meet my new family." Anna smiled as Iian slowly wrapped his arms around her, returning the warm hug, "They're the reason I'm even able to be here right now."

"Then they have my eternal gratitude." Iian smiled as Anna brought her head into his chest and closed her eyes, a warm feeling embracing the boy as he slowly rested his head on hers, a small tear beginning to roll down his cheek as all the cold nights and harsh events of the past few months filled his head, all of it contrasting with the spot he found himself in presently.

On The Battlefield

"I have to say, you made top eight for a reason." Raian spoke out as he tried to smile, his attention still quite on the tall Blaziken standing across from his Banette. His Banette was an odd little creature, a dark grey doll-like Pokémon with three short spikes on its head and a long zigzagging ribbon trailing off the back of its head. A zipper seemed to act as its mouth and it had purplish pink eyes with slit pupils. Its long flat arms had three-fingered hands while its short legs were stubby, all accented with a yellow brush-like tail. The Blaziken was a Pokémon Raian was all too familiar with.

"Thank you, and I can see that you earned your spot as well." The dark skinned, rather attractive young woman, standing across from Raian in her own trainer's box replied as her Blaziken took a few steps back, the rocky terrain underneath its feet full of pebbles and craters from the ongoing battle.

"Down to our last few Pokémon, this is when it really starts to get difficult." Raian said as he plucked forth a potion spray bottle at the same moment his opponent did

"It's been a difficult fight, this isn't the little leagues anymore." The young woman, Neveah, replied as she sprayed the substance on her Pokémon comrade, "So come at me with everything you have, because I'm not going to hold back. I want this win, and I'm going to get it."

"I'm not just going to hand it to you." Raian grinned as he clipped the empty bottle back onto his belt, "I'm not going down without a fight. So if you want to win, you're going to have to earn it."

"Didn't expect anything less." Neveah replied with a grin as she tossed the empty potion bottle to the ground, her Blaziken standing up tall and looking quite ready to fight as it put its fists up into position, its long taloned feet planting themselves into the cold ground.

"Let's do this!" Raian called out, His Banette quickly poking up with a wide grin on its zippered mouth, "Banette let's go! Shadow ball!"

The creature quickly threw itself forth, in a very jerky ragdoll motion, flipping around, dropping its arms as they gathered up an orb of energy. Raian's Banette knew just as well as he did that his Caturne, Milotic, and his gallade were all down, and now Banette truly had to up its game. The match had already been stretching for quite a while, but the audience was still quite on the edge of their seat to see which of these skilled trainers would walk out on top.

Banette threw the shadow ball forth, yet Blaziken quickly arched backwards, dodging the attack. Neveah wasted no time in calling out some move of her own, but the words were all but drowned out to Raian due to the crowd's uproar. Despite the fact that Blaziken leapt forth with its leg steaming, ready to strike, everything seemed to slow down for Raian. Much as a life may pass before one's eyes, Raian's adventure seemed to pass before his eyes as his Banette quickly threw itself across the ground to dive under the Blaziken's kick.

"I've been quite busy lately, haven't I?" Raian found himself thinking as Banette leapt forth, throwing its arm up in a sucker punch straight to Blaziken's back, causing the oversized poultry to lunge forward into the ground, yet it rolled forward committing to a somersault to regain its footing quickly, "Lot of contests, and gyms, and getting Beth to join the group, and missions…it's been a busy trip."

Raian called out some words instinctively, but they made no real difference to him as he began to lose himself in thought, Blaziken and Banette going at it yet again. Blaziken leapt forth once again, bringing its heel down from the air, yet Banette went limp, bending backwards to dodge the first kick. As Blaziken lifted and dropped its heel multiple times, Banette limply jerked its body around to dodge the strikes before launching itself up once again for a sucker punch. This time however, Blaziken dodged the strike to plant a vicious punch into Banette's body, yet the ragdoll merely smiled as it seemed to feel nothing from the strike despite the direct hit.

"I miss home, I miss my bed." Raian continued to think to himself as Banette set off a shadow ball directly into the torso of his Blaziken foe, "I wonder how the garden's doing…I wonder if she's watching me battle right now…."

The leaders in the lookout watched closely, the majority no longer partaking in shenanigans. Jasmine seemed to lead the pack looking out the window as they watched Blaziken and Banette, Neveah and Raian, show off their talent. Arachide, Elsa, Miguel, Julio, Mica, Sam, Kiera, Clair, Lance, everyone seemed to have attention on the screen or on the battlefield. It was a top eight match after all, very close to the finals.

Even outside the arena people were tuning into the great battle unfolding. Raian's moves had captured their eyes, Neveah's skill kept their attention, and the clash seemed to entertain quite well. Lumi found herself glancing up at the small screen in the lockup waiting room as the officers prepared her. Drew found himself glancing at the television in the poke-center as the screen showcased Blaziken preparing some sort of flame based attack.

Elesa found herself smiling as she noticed the young boy she saw potential in was finally showing the entire world just how skilled he was. Serenity and Agatha both proudly watched as the coordinators ghost type fought valiantly, dodging the assault of flames and throwing forth three glowing slashes resembling claws. Anna found herself grinning as she watched her new family member do what he did.

Josue smiled as he munched on his chips, he knew the feeling of being underestimated and he was glad his cousin could show that he was more than Mica's shadow. Hillary nodded her head as she could tell just how far Raian had come since they met. Beth was proud of her friend, and was quite proud she joined him for the adventure, as it had truly lived up to be one. Yet last of all, Iian, although a bit jealous of Raian being in top eight, even found himself grinning. Despite all the rivalry and all the talk, Iian was just as proud of Raian as everyone else.

No matter how far they had all come, no matter how many arguments and stupid fights they had all gotten into. Despite the jealousy and the rage. Despite the separate ways and tempers. Above all they were friends, and they might as well have all been family. They would never want to be anywhere else then where they were right then and there. A brother, a cousin, a friend, for the first time in a while Raian truly felt just how lucky he was, and everyone who watched could enjoy seeing that coordinator showcase his Pokémon and his very being to the world.

"Heh." Raian smirked as Banette and Blaziken once again aligned themselves, ready to charge forth, "Time to move forward."

The Leaders Lookout

"He's not doing half bad." Maylene spoke to her friend across the table she sat at, everyone seeming to focus on the battle at hand

"He's not doing half good either." Candice retorted, "He has a ghost type out, he should be wiping the floor with that fighting type."

"This is League level fighting, if a simple type advantage is enough to beat you, you shouldn't be here." Clay called out in response as Banette lunged forth at Blaziken, throwing forth its arms as it flopped forward, three glowing blades of energy protruding from its hands

"Half the point of a league is to show off what you're capable of." Sam piped up, a long toothpick in his hand with various fruits stuck on it, "If I were a Frontier representative, which I am, I would be impressed with her ability to go toe to toe with a major type disadvantage like this."

"Or you would be upset with her stupidity in refusing to switch to an effective typing." Kiera retorted as Banette threw itself forth, striking Blaziken square in the chest with the shadow claws.

"Ouch." Marlon spoke as Blaziken fell backwards to the ground hard, "That's gotta hurt."

"See, that won't look good to the Frontier." Kiera gestured as the referee threw up her arm pointing to Banette and Raian as Neveah returned her Blaziken which was out cold.

"Granted." Sam nodded as he watched Banette walk towards Raian, the creature a bit battered from the battle

"My money is still on her." Flannery said as she searched the banquet table filled with deserts of all varieties, "She knows what she's doing."

"But you just can't count the little guy out." Valerie retorted with a small tilt of her head

"He's an adult and he's taller than an Ursaring." Burgh replied, "I don't think he's the 'little guy' anymore."

"They're all little until they're in the frontier." Lance spoke up with his brazen voice

"Pretty sure I could have beat you when I wasn't frontier." Mica replied with a bold wink as he stuck his tongue out at the rival trainer

"Pretty sure you still would have been just as pathetic as the one time you did beat me." Lance retorted

"I swear you guys have the temperament of a mankey." Coraline sighed as she rolled her eyes, the screen just to her left showcasing a Pokémon known as Shiftry leap forth from Neveah's pokeball, the creature looking quite aggressive and ready to fight.

"It's not like who wins this matters." Maylene spoke up again, "Hillary is still going to win the whole thing."

"You still stand by that because she bought you food?" Skyla asked as the Shiftry leapt forth at Banette on the screen

"Anyone who buys me fries is alright in my eyes." Maylene replied with a smile, banette slashing forth at Shiftry, the creature leaping up to dodge the swipes, "Besides…after this league I doubt I'll ever see her or Josue again."

"You never know." Gardenia said as she moved forth, keeping a lookout for pumpkaboo

"I guess that's true." The pink haired girl shrugged poking her plate of food which sat next to a gallon of water, "Either way, I still do have the after-league party to thank them."

"So just curious, what will you do if Raian wins this whole thing?" Skyla asked gesturing towards Mica who watched as Raian returned his unconscious Banette quickly to throw forth a new pokeball.

"Probably be proud." Mica shrugged picking up a small paper bucket filled with an odd popcorn-like food

"Would you want to battle him?" Flannery asked as the pokeball Raian threw forth burst open to release an odd magma-based snail creature known as Magcargo

"I want to battle him now." Mica chuckled as the screen showcased Raian's new Pokémon, the limbless snail-like Pokémon consisting almost entirely of bright red magma. Its oval eyes were large and yellow with small pupils. It had a bulbous snout with a wide mouth and two large drops of magma dangling from each side. It had a grey spherical shell composed of hardened magma forming irregular lumps and plates.

"Still," Clay began up, "You can't say if he won you wouldn't be a bit more curious about his skill in the arena. You may want to battle him now, but if he wins, you might be a bit worried about how good he's become."

"Hey, no complaints." Mica replied leaning back in his chair, "If he gets that good, I'll be happy, not worried…heh, maybe it would mean I could retire early."

"Oh please." Kiera rolled her eyes

In the stands

"Ah, bloody f^ck." Iian groaned as Raian's Magcargo began to let off a large offset of flames, seemingly bursting from the ground in a Flame Plume

"What?" Anna asked as she watched the match carry on

"He's going to lose…and he was doing so well too." Iian groaned as the flames spread forth, Shiftry unsure of what to do

"What makes you say that?" Anna asked as she pulled a small bag of nuts from her pocket and began munching on the snack, her name written in exquisite cursive on the side of the bag

"That wanker there has been my friend for years, I know how his mind works." Iian replied with a sigh as Shiftry leapt forth, the flames snapping at the creature as it propelled itself towards the slug base of the flames, "He's getting too rash. Normally he takes his time to analyze what's going on before he tries to use some culmination of moves he renamed as some fruity bit. But now he's just going in."

"Huh, never noticed that. Maybe you're right." Anna nodded as she bit into a shelled nut, eating the shell with the actual piece

"In fairness I've known him so long we're practically family." Iian smugly spoke as he watched Shiftry strike Magcargo, sending the snail tumbling back a few feet

"Yeeah…about the whole family thing…" Anna began up before Magcargo threw its head back up, shooting a vile purple toxin at Shiftry

"Woah!" Iian interrupted as he got entangled in the match, the girl standing beside him leaning back on the safety railing with a smile as she watched Iian enjoy the fight like a child.

The Arena

"You see, you can try to overpower me, but I won't let you." Raian smirked as the foe's Pokémon grunted at the toxin that began to seep into its skin, "I will sacrifice ground if it means a gain of ground in the end, I will not simply lose. I am not an all or nothing trainer, I will do my best to do what I can. Even if I am to lose, it won't be easy."

Raian grinned as his Magcargo stood back upright, his opponents Pokémon also gaining its footing on its long feet. The Shiftry seemed to snarl as it shook its head at the toxin now coursing through its veins, its entire body feeling as if it was pulsating with each step. Neveah looked onwards trying to think the situation through, Raian on the other hand was reeling to go, he was running off of pure trainer instinct at this point which may or may not have been a drawback.

"You can act as if you're different all you want." Neveah shrugged, in the stands the green haired Hope watching the battle closely as her new friend fought against this skilled trainer, "Just because you're also a coordinator doesn't mean anything, alright? Of course you have to take risks to make gains, everyone would agree on that. You aren't any smarter or any better than any other trainer here because of your way of thinking. You're the same as us all. Sure we're all precious little snowflakes and we're all different in our own ways, but you're the same as the rest of us. So stop giving me this pretentious dialogue and just do whatever it is you think you can do."

"Fine then." Raian grinned as he looked onwards at the Shiftry just beyond his Magcargo, the heat releasing snail which Raian found quite adorable, "Maggie! Recover!"

"Shiftry get in there and use Dark Pulse!" Neveah retorted as Magcargo braced itself.

Shiftry began to buzz a bit, a pulsating dark energy beginning to wave around its body a bit. Magcargo began to give off a few green glowing sparks as its internal energy began to revitalize and reenergize the creature. Shiftry quickly gathered the entirety of the energy epidermis and unleashed it in a thick pulsating wave which struck the Magcargo.

Magcargo skidded forth a bit before it poked its head back up. Raian grinned as Shiftry suddenly fell to its knee, the toxin finally kicking in much harder than it had before, and Magcargo's defense beginning to get the better of the foe.

"Maybe I am a bit pretentious." Raian shrugged as he closed his eyes a bit, Shiftry huffing on the ground, "Maybe that just comes with being a coordinator, I mean it is an art which requires you to portray yourself as being the best. But whatever the case, I may talk the talk, but I assure you, I can back it up. Bye-bye Shiftry, it was nice meeting you."

As Raian said this he flapped his hand open and shut, waving to the foe Pokémon as it fell face first into the ground, the toxin taking over. Neveah watched her Pokémon faint a bit surprised and slightly impressed at the same time as Magcargo casually walked back to standing before Raian as if nothing happened.

The Leaders lookout

"Woo! Coordinators!" Arachide happily declared throwing her tanned glass around, the liquid almost pouring out as she cheered at the screen

"See, year after year we see this." Winona smiled gesturing towards the screen, "Some coordinator proves why contests are legitimate gauges of skill, intelligence, and prowess."

"Of course contests are." Miguel spoke up as he strummed his small guitar

"That's why they're present in the Frontier." Julio added

"It takes much more practice to assure each move is executed precisely and beautifully." Miguel carried on, "And it takes great instinct to alter ones performance at a moment's notice for the crowd, the judges, and even your fellow contestants."

"It's making sure your moveset is pretty, not effective." Clair spoke up rolling her eyes

"I hate to agree, but in Contests your Pokémon tends to be pretty, not strong." Flannery added, "Sure some contests have certain battle-like simulations, but they're still more based on how good everything looks rather than how skilled the battle is."

"It's easy to write off a good looking move as all bark and no bite, but I guarantee the move is just as powerful if not more powerful than other moves." Kiera retorted, "It's just better controlled for more accuracy and precision."

"But let's be real, how many coordinators do you see in leagues?" Clay asked as he held onto a large sandwich, its contents practically pouring out as he waved it around, the screen behind him showing Neveah throw forth a new pokeball onto the field

"I see one right there in top eight." Mica grinned

"Yeah, and besides, most coordinators focus on contests…duh." Arachide added, "They'll be in the Frontier too, they'll just take a different path."

"Frontier Contests take much more skill than a typical Pokémon battle." Julio nodded as the screen showcased the new Pokémon on the field, an odd creature known as Walrein.

"I guarantee the best non-coordinator trainer in this room couldn't even handle a Frontier contest." Miguel carried on as he strummed his guitar in a quick progression, "The talent present, how much the judges expect, the knowledge of your opponents and your own Pokémon. Your instincts have to be much more finely tuned. You have to understand moves on an entirely new level. It's no longer just about base damage and side effects, it's about how the move looks, how it acts, what it can set up for. Moves are used as building blocks to create greater spectacles of moves. Strategy is much deeper than a regular battle could ever hope to use."

"I doubt that." Lance said looking at Miguel as Arachide wrapped her arm around his neck giving him a hug, "I think you don't understand just how much knowledge has to go into a battle. It's much more than type advantage or power."

"Can we just agree to disagree for once?" Mica asked as the creature on screen let out a large bursting beam which created a frozen trail across the ground as it came towards Magcargo

"Every league we get into the same argument." Sam sighed

"Because every League there's someone who thinks they're better than coordinators." Arachide replied glancing at Clair who merely turned away with a huff and a toss of her hair

"Alright, alright, that's neither here nor there now," Flannery said as she watched the screen, Raian returning his Magcargo from the ground where it was lying unconscious, "Things are really close out there."

"Let's see who can make it to the semi-finals." Clay called out thumping his large foot on the ground as he stood proud watching, "So far we got money split pretty much half and half, so there's some honor riding on this."

"Raian's got this." Elesa spoke up, a few of the leaders nodding as they watched closely

"Don't underestimate Neveah." Wattson said simply, "I guarantee she con-du-it."

The Battlefield

"I guess here we go." Raian shrugged as he plucked forth the last pokeball on his holder, this one slightly illuminated unlike the others beside it which housed all of his defeated Pokémon, "Last one, feels odd that this isn't Lucario."

"You just going to talk to the pokeball, or are you going to throw it?" Neveah asked crossing her arm, her Walrein proudly seated before her amidst a few icicles which let off some cold steam in the air

"Patience." Raian retorted glancing at the field, taking note of the cracks and scattered pebbles across the field as well as the residual ice the Walrein had created, the boy began to analyze what was surrounding him and how he could use it as he clicked the button on his Pokeball, "Don't be so hasty to lose."

Raian threw forth the pokeball in his hand. Neveah watched as the device sprouted open as the boy tossed it, the magnificent beam shooting forth in three interweaving rays which quickly formulated into one small creature before the boy and his opponents Walrein. The magnificent creature formulated with a small spin, a pleasant smell starting to fill the air as the small primarily green Pokémon with circular blue eyes and red markings on its cheeks came forth. The crowd watched as the adorable creature with two bright red flowers on its head spun around, the green and yellow leaves around it resembling a skirt for the creature known as Bellossom.

"This is your last Pokémon? This is your big surprise?" Neveah asked looking at the small creature as it happily spun around and continued to dance in joy, "And here I thought you would bring out something intimidating."

"Sure she may not be intimidating in the sense that she isn't a bloated hideous creature like…well…that," Raian retorted looking at Walrein, the stadium screen rotating about the two Pokémon as they stood, rather, as Walrein laid and Bellossom danced, "But Belle here is one of the strongest Pokémon I've ever owned. She has more than earned a spot here and in my contests."

"Let's test that then!" Neveah called out, "Walrein Ice Beam! Keep using it until that thing is down!"

"Wal! Rein!" The enormous blubbered creature roared as it reeled back before throwing its head forth and began spewing forth an enormous glowing beam which let off several ice crystals into the air.

The first blast came straight for Bellossom, yet the creature happily spun around to the left effectively dodging the attack. Walrein grumbled a bit before unleashing yet another blast, this time the Bellossom happily spun to the right dodging the blast. Walrein began to grow frustrated and let forth an unleash of all it could.

The first blast came forth, yet Bellossom dipped itself backwards to dodge the attack, a stubby green leg poking out of the bottom of its dress. Walrein shot forth another blast in a sweep, yet Bellossom happily began a pirouette, moving forth before the blast, before the lovely creature spun around and dropped itself into a backwards bridge position, the blast going right over it.

"Beautiful as always." Raian smiled as he stuck his tongue out at Neveah, Bellossom happily waggling her hands back and forth as Walrein looked on, "Now how about we get in close?"

"Walrein you can take this brittle flower!" Neveah called out with a passionate declaration as her Pokémon shared in the electricity of the moment.

"Every rose has its thorns." Raian retorted with a grin, the excitement of the enormous stadium, the crowds, the viewers in the lookout and at their homes, everyone's energy seemed to flow through the two trainers and their Pokémon in the middle of that arena, "Go!"

Bellossom smiled as it suddenly started forth, its legs moving so rapidly that the creature seemed to glide along the ground. Walrein shot forth another massive beam of ice, yet Bellossom leapt forth in an arch, dodging the attack with precision as it went forth. Walrein slapped its large body across the ground as it began to summon forth a blizzard of its chilling energy.

Raian's Bellossom began to let off a few stray petals as the creature ran forth, the petals glowing a bright pink energy as they began to float off the ground. Bellossom happily sashayed forth towards its foe, a blizzard of ice starting to radiate from the walrein as a flurry of petals began to trail Bellossom.

"It's almost funny how many times Raian finds himself in this situation." Iian grinned as Bellossom threw forth its tiny and, the petals shooting forth towards Walrein, the massive flurry of ice in the blizzard surrounding the two Pokémon like a miniature tornado

"What do you mean?" Anna asked as her hood began to flap in the air which began to pick up

"He likes things to be as even a fight as possible." Iian carried on as Bellossom and Walrein met in the epicenter of the clashing storms which surrounded them, "He wants to beat people at their best. I've always found it bonkers, but I get it. A victory is that much sweeter when you truly earn it. And that's kind of what everyone's been getting at this past while….it's not the situation, it's how you handle it. Raian could have easily taken this match earlier…but he wanted it to be fair, he didn't want something as simple as a type advantage to be his victory. He could have returned his Pokémon and tried to outlast his opponent, but it's a shallow victory to him. I will never say Raian is a better trainer than me…but I'll be damned if I don't admit there's something special about the way that son of a b!tch battles."

"Did I just hear you admit to someone being better than you at something?" Anna asked with a smile as bellossom threw forth a pulsating green energy ball at the walrein which shot forth one last ice beam to clash with the attack

"…maybe…" Iian retorted with a huff

"The end might be near." Anna chuckled as she rested her head on Iian's shoulder, the two blasts causing a minor explosion to cloud the field for but a moment.

"Son of a…" Iian muttered as the dust cloud settled down revealing the last standing Pokémon