Pokémon and SRMTHFG doesn't belong to me.

R&R please.

The next few days were calm. No one of the group had to face the HyperForce or anyone they knew in real life. Everyone had agreed to try to use as little different Pokémon as possible. Antauri had managed to win his last three battles with Espeon only. The same went for Gibson and Leafeon, Gary and Blastoise and Ash and Pikachu.

The group once again was on their clearing near the arenas and had their Pokémon train together. Suddenly Gary cursed loudly.

"What is it?", asked Cynthia.

Gary gestured to his little laptop, before he explained: "The next round are double battles. Two trainers are paired up and the winning pair battles against each other."

"So", asked Max.

"Well, luck left us with the pairing."

"Who", asked Antauri simply.

Gary sighed, before he answered: "Antauri you have the black-haired kid…"

"Chiro", whispered Antauri with a frown.

"…Gibson has the green-haired guy…"

"Otto", stated Gibson with clenched teeth.

"…and you go against each other."

The two brothers shared glances, before nodding. "What about me and you?", asked Ash. "Well, I got you as partner Ash", explained Gary.

"So?", asked May.

Gary smirked coldly and explained: "We're battling against ourselves."

Everyone was silent after that. Those were very unfortunate pairings, but they would have to get through with it. Antauri closed his eyes for a second, before turning around. "Where are you going?", asked Sabrina. "I'm going to find Chiro and tell him about the battle", answered Antauri simply, then turned to his brother and asked: "Gibson, will you come with me. Otto should be with Chiro after all." Gibson nodded and walked up to him. Espeon and Leafeon raced after them and leaped on their trainers shoulders before the two left the clearing.

"Good Luck", shouted Dawn after them.

Although Antauri and Gibson knew they weren't meant to hear it anymore, they heard Max say: "You'll need it."

And he was right. Antauri rarely felt as nervous as he did now. "Where are they?", asked Gibson once they'd left the trees and reached the road. The silver haired teen closed his eyes and sent out a wave of Power Primate Energy. Somewhere he felt a flare of a total of four energies answering his wave and he said: "Found them." The two walked off once more, having to push through small crowds of fan-girls every now and then. After a while, they reached a café and Antauri sensed the team in it. He shared a glance with Gibson, who took a deep breath. Together they walked in and Antauri spotted the team immediately. He walked up to them, and said one word.

"Chiro."

"Chiro."

The teen locked up from his lunch, to gasp. He heard similar gasps from the rest of his team. Antauri and Gibson stood there, their Espeon and Leafeon sitting on their shoulders. "So now you're talking to us?", asked Sprx sharply.

Chiro watched how both narrowed their eyes at him, before Gibson answered: "We wouldn't if it wasn't necessary."

"Oh and why is it necessary?", asked the teen.

Antauri glanced at him, before he asked: "Did you check the battle-screen lately?"

"Yes, it's double battles, why", answered Nova. She was the only one who didn't feel the slightest bit betrayed by their team-mates.

"Because the pairings came out a little earlier", explained Gibson.

"So?", asked Sprx impatiently.

"Well, Gibson is paired with Otto and has to battle against myself and Chiro", explained Antauri while he crossed his arms.

The team froze. "What?", exclaimed Chiro finally.

"You heard us", answered Gibson. "If you want to plan, you can come to us. I'm sure you know where to find us. If you don't, we can also wait till the battle."

With that he turned around and walked off. Antauri gave him a small eye roll and a wink to Chiro, before he sprinted after the blue-haired teen.

-TIME SKIP-

Chiro nervously waited in the trainers stand, Otto on the other side. Antauri and Gibson still had to arrive. How he was supposed to keep up with Antauri, he didn't know. He and Gibson were so powerful, Chiro felt almost ashamed. "Ready?" The teen jerked into the air with a yelp and the Pokéball he'd held sailed upwards. A pale hand caught it easily and handed it back to him. Antauri gave him a smirk before pulling out his own Pokéball. Espeon sat on his shoulder, so Chiro supposed he wouldn't use her. He was proved wrong when he recalled the Psychic-type with the Pokéball.

"I got a question", stated the teen. Antauri looked at him expectantly. "Why did you only use Espeon lately?"

At this Antauri seemed to relax and he answered: "We thought it would be better to keep our Pokémon a secret. Or at least their actual abilities." Chiro nodded, then the announcer shouted: "All trainers have arrived. This is a…"

Chiro tuned the speech out and found Antauri shaking his head, muttering something about hating these announcers. A small grin spread over the teen's lips at that. After a while the referee spoke up. "This is a one-on-one double battle. Each trainer can bring out one Pokémon. The match is over when both Pokémon on one side are unable to battle, or their trainers have forfeited. Begin!"

In less than a second Antauri's Pokéball sailed into the air, snapping open. "Espeon I need your assistance!"

Chiro heard Gibson shout something similar on the other side of the field, before Leafeon appeared. The teen threw his own Pokéball, Otto following his example.

"Monferno let's do this", shouted the teen before the fire-fighting-type appeared.

On the other side, in front of Otto appeared his Nidoking.

"Begin!", shouted the referee.

"Nidoking use Earthquake", shouted Otto.

Chiro saw Gibson face-palming and was about to give a command when Antauri ordered: "Espeon Psychic on yourself and Monferno, get off the ground!" The teen stared at his second in command. He hadn't expected that. Espeon's eyes and gem glowed for a second, before she and Monferno floated up. Across the field, Leafeon hit the ground with Leaf-Blade and catapulted herself into the air, to dodge Earthquake as well. The moment it was over, Antauri shouted: "Close in. Iron-Tail!"

"Leaf-Blade again!", shouted Gibson.

Both felines landed on the ground and charged at each other. Their attacks clashed and the spun back, before their trainers shouted: "Continue!" Again and again the Eeveelutions clashed and Antauri murmured to Chiro: "Now is your chance Chiro. But remember Nidoking is strong against Fighting-Type attacks. So I hope you have some others as well."

Chiro nodded, then turned to Monferno and shouted: "Monferno use Fire-Spin!" "MONFERNO!", shouted the Pokémon and attacked Nidoking. "Nidoking dodge and get back at it with Poison Jab!" "Fire Punch!" The two went at each other as well and Chiro watched nervously. Then he saw something. Antauri didn't even look at Espeon battling. His attention was on Nidoking and Monferno. Suddenly Monferno backed off and Nidoking raised its arm to deliver a strong Poison Jab. Before Chiro had time to react, Antauri smirked and ordered: "Espeon flip into the air. Psychic at Nidoking. It's off guard!"

Shocked Chiro watched how Espeon spun, freeing herself from Leafeon and shot high into the air. Then she shot Psychic at Nidoking, who got hit in his unguarded stomach. It roared and backed off. "Now Chiro!"

"Monferno use Fire-Spin again!"

Again Monferno fired his Fire-Spin on Nidoking, this time hitting it. Nidoking back off, gasping hard. Chiro grinned, when suddenly Espeon smashed into the ground in front of Monferno. Monferno jumped back with a screech, but Antauri just shouted: "Gyro Ball!" Espeon fired the attack at Leafeon, who just landed from delivering a strong Leaf-Blade at the Psychic-Type. Leafeon cried out in pain and backed off. Monferno and Nidoking gasped for breath hard already, but Leafeon and Espeon just made slight grimaces of pain. They didn't seem too exhausted.

"Alright. Nidoking use Toxic Spikes", ordered Otto.

The attack shot forward and disappeared in the ground, while Leafeon retreated onto Nidoking's back. Chiro had no idea what the attack did, it was new, but Antauri scowled at it and Espeon didn't seem to happy either. Whatever, thought Chiro, then ordered: "Monferno forward with Flame-Wheel!"

"Chiro wait…", shouted Antauri, but too late. Monferno shot forward and Espeon's eyes widened. "Espeon!", shouted Antauri. The feline raced forward as well and collided with Monferno. He was sent on another course, which would him still allow to hit his opponents. Yet Espeon, with a burned flank, crashed down where Monferno would've come down from his leap into Flame-Wheel.

To Chiro's shock, purple light erupted from the ground, engulfing Espeon. Espeon cried out in pain, before struggling back up, wincing. Antauri growled and asked: "Espeon?" Espeon gave him a small grin, before she winced once more.

"Antauri what does Toxic Spikes?", asked Chiro, when Monferno suddenly collided, not just with Nidoking, but Leafeon as well. The yellow feline got flung from Nidoking's back and crashed to the ground, getting engulfed in the same purple light Espeon was, while Nidoking got burned from the attack. Both cried out and Monferno flipped back.

Antauri's eyes widened and he shouted: "Espeon don't let Monferno land there!" Espeon, from her crouched position, snapped to attention and swiftly levitated the monkey back in front of Chiro. Just now Antauri turned to the teen and explained: "Toxic Spikes is an attack that influences the field. One a Pokémon steps onto a hidden spike, it gets poisoned. The attack is fairly harmless to Nidoking, since he's a Poison-Ground-Type. Espeon and Leafeon, with being Grass- and Psychic-Types are worse off though. Monferno is the only one unaffected right now, and I'm afraid soon Espeon will be the only one affected."

"Why that?"

Before Antauri had a chance to answer, Gibson shouted: "Leafeon use Heal-Bell."

"That's why", growled Antauri. "When a Pokémon uses this attack, each member of the team and the user itself get healed from sleep, poison, paralysis, freeze, and burnings. And since this is a double battle, that includes Nidoking. His burn-status will disappear as well." Chiro looked at their opponents, to see that Antauri was right. Nidoking and Leafeon glowed bright green while Leafeon sent out waves of soft tunes. Espeon growled frustrated at it and glanced at Antauri. "Agreed, we can't change it anymore anyway", stated he, then ordered: "Iron-Tail!"

Espeon rushed forward, having everyone gasped when another Toxic Spike got activated. Espeon only winced for a second, but kept on running. Her attack hit Leafeon unprepared and head on. "Now Psychic and don't let off!" Chiro stared. What Antauri used now was just raw power, nothing like him. Then he reminded himself of the condition Espeon was in. It was no surprise he got like this. He looked back at Leafeon, who struggled in the psychic-bind Espeon had her in.

"Nidoking stop her with Poison Jab!", ordered Otto.

"Monferno stop Nidoking with Mach-Punch. Then close-range Fire-Spin followed up by Fire Punch!"

Monferno shot forward, using the path Espeon had used already. He got between and Mach Punch blocked Poison Jab. The Fire-Spin hit as well and the Fire Punch forced Nidoking to back off. Chiro glanced at Leafeon and Espeon, who both hadn't changed their position. Suddenly Gibson gave Antauri a smirk and raised Leafeon's Pokéball. "Leafeon return. I don't want you to suffer unnecessarily."

Everyone gasped when Leafeon disappeared in her Pokéball and the referee shouted: "Leafeon's trainer forfeit!"

"Why?", asked Chiro.

"Gibson saw that Leafeon would be incapable of escaping Psychic", answered Antauri, his eyes locked on Espeon, who gasped for breath and winced under the effect the poisoning had on her. "At the beginning of the battle, she would've managed it, but Leafeon already took damage. She as exhausted and he didn't want her to suffer to fainting. It would've been over anyhow."

Chiro stared, when suddenly Monferno cried out. Chiro hissed angrily when he saw that his Pokémon had activated a Toxic Spike. "Espeon use Gyro-Ball and follow up with Iron Tale!", shouted Antauri. Everyone watched how Espeon flung the attack high into the air, to leap after it. "Fire!", shouted Antauri and Espeon did a summersault, to smash her iron Tail against Gyro Ball, sending it at Nidoking, who couldn't dodge in time. The Pokémon roared, before collapsing. Espeon landed near Antauri and winced from the poisoning, but the referee already raised his flag.

"Nidoking is unable to battle. Both Pokémon on one side are unable to battle. With this the win goes to Silver and Chiro."

Chiro stared for a second. They'd actually won. Then Antauri walked forward and gathered Espeon up in his arms, cradling her. He murmured something into her ear, having the feline purr. The silver-haired teen walked past Chiro, but stopped and murmured: "See you in two hours Chiro. Be ready for a tough battle."

Chiro gulped. Antauri was powerful, there was no way he could win this, but he would have to give his very best.

Antauri's Pokémon:

Chimecho
Baltoy
Hypno
Mightyena: Bite, Tackle, Sand-Attack, Double Team
Latias: Dragon-Pulse, Psychic, Mist-Ball, Areal Ace (Shiny)
Spiritomb: Hypnosis, Dream-Eater, Hyper Beam, Confuse Ray (Shiny)
Lucario: Close-Combat, Aura-Sphere, Metal Claw, Psychic
Haunter: Night Shade, Shadow-Ball, Mean Look, Destiny Bond
Espeon: Psychic, Gyro Ball, Sing, Iron-Tail
Umbreon: Shadow-Ball, Moonlight, Dig, Double Team (Shiny)
Metang: Meteor Mash, Psychic, Earthquake, Flash-Canon
Mismagius: Thunderbolt, Shadow-Ball, Ominous Wind, Energy-Ball
Alakazam: Psycho-Cut, Psychic, Shadow-Ball, Thunder-Punch
Gallade: Psycho-Cut, Leaf-Blade, Close-Combat, Razor Wind (Psychic as ability)
Honchkrow: Dark-Pulse, Hyper-Beam, Sky-Attack, Brave-Bird
Absol: Razor-Wind, Dark-Pulse, Shadow-Claw, Giga-Impact
Gardevoir: Magical-Leaf, Psybeam, Psychic, Energy-Ball

Gibson's Pokémon:

Latios
Leafeon: Solar-Beam, Magical-Leaf, Heal-Bell, Leaf-Blade
Marowak
Gengar
Infernape: Fire-Punch, Flame-Thrower, Thunder-Punch, Focus Punch
Garchomp
Chatot
Arcanine
Glameow
Swellow
Lanturn

Rebekah's Pokémon:

Vulpix
Houndoom
Growlithe
Chimchar
Numel