Author's Note:
Welcome back, all you wonderful people. It's time for part 2 of the Sycamore Mega Tournament! The top 64 round is complete, and the top 32 is wrapping up at the beginning of this chapter, before we move on to the top sixteen and quarterfinals. Hopefully you enjoyed Marie's battle debut and the matchup between Trevor and Tierno last chapter, and in this chapter, hopefully you'll enjoy another couple of crucial matchups.
But first, we've got a visitor to introduce properly. Let's see who it is...
Chapter 35: Sycamore's Mega Tournament – Part 2
The crowd's cheers were deafening as the final battle of the day concluded, putting the tournament's remaining competitors down to the final sixteen, who would be battling it out tomorrow. The original sixty-four had been cut down to just a quarter of the trainers who had set their sights on winning the tournament and receiving Sycamore's Key Stone.
Unfortunately for Shauna, the crowd's cheering was in her opponents favour, as her Gothita had been unable to match the Beedrill her opponent had countered with. Serena could see her friend wasn't too disappointed, though, as she headed back to where the group was sitting, smiling at the performance she was able to give. It had never been about winning for her, either, and she'd been happy to prove herself in battle well enough against a trainer who had actually finished fairly close to making the IPL team behind Ash, Clemont and Trevor in the tryouts.
"Congratulations to all those trainers moving on to the final sixteen tomorrow!" Sycamore's voice called out to the crowd, just as Shauna quickly sat down next to Serena. "And to those who were unable to move on, don't be disappointed in how you performed. You have all progressed at least a little with your Pokemon, and this experience will help you move forward together."
"Yeah, even though I lost, I'm pretty happy with how I did," Shauna whispered over to Serena, who noticed Marie listening in. "I wasn't that experienced with battling before anyways, so at least I gave it a try and learned a few things for my performances. That Poison Sting that that Beedrill used might be something Ivysaur could work with if Flabebe helps out."
Serena smiled at that, spotting Marie look down in thought out of the corner of her eye. That made Serena think of her own experience in this tournament, and what was next for her. The large screen above the seats of the arena had the bracket displayed, showing the matchups for the remaining sixteen trainers. And, right next to Serena's picture, was Julie's, the girl who'd utterly embarrassed Marie, taunting her with no regard for the rookie trainer's feelings.
"Tomorrow," Sycamore's voice started again, breaking through Serena's thoughts, "we will have three rounds in the morning, with the top sixteen round, the quarterfinals and the semifinals narrowing us down to the final two, who will battle it out tomorrow afternoon for the Key Stone."
"This is gonna be so awesome!" Ash exclaimed at that, his gaze also going to the screen displaying the matchups. Serena had a feeling she knew what he was thinking, especially as he looked back at her, a bit of a challenging look in his eye. Just two more wins, and it's Ash and me.
Sycamore was quick to wrap things up after that, simply warning spectators to arrive early to get seats before the tournament resumed the next day. Following that, he made his way off the field while the crowds followed suit and stampeded towards the exits. Serena and the others were a little more patient, though, waiting in their seats for the crowds to thin out. Only a few other people seemed to be doing the same, including a couple of Sycamore's assistants, who were joined by the unfamiliar man that had been with Sycamore earlier.
Ash was the first to get up when things had calmed down a bit, he and Pikachu looking ready to get going with the next stages of the tournament already. "I can't wait till tomorrow!" he shouted, making his way forward and standing at the edge of the field. "Rowlet, you did an awesome job today!"
The Grass Quill Pokemon was pleased with the compliment, hooting happily from his spot where he sat with Hawlucha, Riolu and Absol. It seemed to encourage him as he quickly flapped his wings, getting himself up in the air, before doing a few spins in a mock attack and then launching himself into Ash's backpack. It was remarkable how quickly he fell asleep, his head just barely poking out at the top.
"One of us needs to win this now that we've gotten so far," Tierno said, getting up as well. He didn't seem as energized as Ash, his battle with Trevor having tired him out a bit more, but his excitement was noticeable. "Five of us are left out of the top sixteen, and we all have a chance to make the quarterfinals too. Then me and Dawn might get to battle!"
"I think Scatterbug would definitely like that," Dawn laughed out nervously. Her bug type was in its pokeball, getting a well deserved rest after surprisingly dominating its match against a Taillow earlier on. While it didn't necessarily look like a threat, that little bug was fierce, and seemed to get by on guts alone. Not to mention Dawn already had it moving smoothly like a well-trained Coordinator's Pokemon. A bit more work, and they'd be a fierce team, beyond this tournament.
"I wonder if Ash and Serena are going to get to battle each other," Shauna pointed out, giggling as Ash looked at Serena excitedly. "If you two keep winning..."
"I hope so!" Ash said, looking over at Absol, who stared back curiously. "I want to see just how far you and Absol have come. You're looking like the team to beat here!"
"I'm not sure about that..." Serena said quietly, trying to hide her face as she felt her cheeks heat up.
"You kids wouldn't be talking about that Absol, would you?"
They all jumped up a little in surprise at the new voice that broke in. Serena's eyes went over to where it came from, just behind Ash, seeing a large man with the moustache and blue shirt covered by some kind of a yellow robe. He was the man that had been with Sycamore earlier in the day. Despite the cool air outside, it almost seemed like he was dressed for the beach, his robe patterned with white flowers opened up and looking quite comfortable in his white shorts. He definitely looked like he'd been in the sun, with his tanned skin.
"He's yours?" the man said to Serena. It was stated like a question, but obviously he'd seen Serena battling with Absol and knew the answer. Serena nodded as the man stepped up next to Ash, smiling as he noticed Rowlet in the backpack. "Ahh...nice to see a little something from home."
That quickly got Ash's attention, and he looked up at the man curiously. "Wait...does that mean...you're from-"
"Alola, yes!" the man laughed out loudly, looking quite happy to talk about his home. "My name is Hala, the Kahuna of Melemele Island in the Alola region. It's nice to finally meet the famous Ash Ketchum that I've heard so much about!"
"You've heard of me?" Ash asked, looking a little embarrassed as he exchanged some confused looks with the others. Serena wasn't too surprised, though. Considering Ash's league success and word of Greninja's special form spreading, more people were probably learning about him. Particularly someone who seemed to be in a position of authority, which Serena assumed a "Kahuna", as Hala had called himself, was.
"Yes," Hala said simply, reaching over and gently scratching Pikachu behind the ear, much to the electric mouse's delight. "In fact, you're the reason I'm here. Professor Kukui wasn't able to make it, so he asked me to come in his place. I'll be busy with the Grand Trials when I return, but from what I know, this trip should be worth it. Professor Sycamore certainly had a lot to discuss with me. Still does."
Serena had a feeling she knew what Hala was here for now, Clemont speaking up just before her. "You're here about the research Professor Sycamore is doing about the Bond Phenomenon! About Greninja!"
Hala smiled at that, rubbing his moustache as he chuckled a little. "Yes, among other things," he said, looking over at Serena for a moment, before turning his attention to Ash. "Of course, a few other interesting research opportunities have arisen since I arrived. I must say, Ash, I'm very impressed with how you've trained your Rowlet. Alolan Pokemon are a unique breed, but you've certainly bonded quite well with him. I've been quite impressed with all of your battles in fact." He seemed to make a point of looking at Marie as he said that, causing her to look both confused and embarrassed. Serena was sure he wasn't being mean-spirited, though. He seemed pretty knowledgeable about Pokemon.
"All of us?" Tierno asked, looking excited to hear what Hala had to say about his own unique battle style.
Hala gave out a booming laugh at that, pointing at Tierno enthusiastically. "Ah, yes! You, Mr. Tierno, would be great friends with Kiawe back home! And I'm sure he'd be very impressed with that Chimchar of yours."
"Lucha luchaaa," Hawlucha muttered, looking like he wasn't as impressed with the dancing, preferring his own battle theatrics.
"Mmm, and who's this?" Hala asked, eyes lighting up as he stepped forward, looking closer at Hawlucha. "Looks like a strong fighting type!"
Hawlucha proudly posed at that, while Riolu rushed to his side to join in, getting another laugh out of Hala. Ash took note of that, an interested look in his eyes. "You like fighting types?" he asked, the idea of a battle obviously on his mind
"Indeed," Hala said, absentmindedly rubbing a strange looking item around his wrist. "They really pack a punch!"
"In that case-"
"Kahuna Hala! There you are!" Once again, everyone's attention was diverted to the direction of the voice that had called out. It was Professor Sycamore, looking a little flustered as he approached Hala. Serena bit back a laugh, having a feeling that Hala had wandered off to talk to them, rather than heading to do whatever it was that Sycamore needed him for. The nervous smile Hala gave Ash was further proof of that.
"Sorry, Professor," the Alolan said, turning to Sycamore, "I was just curious to meet Ash and his friends, here. A fine group of young trainers you've got here."
Sycamore smiled at that, looking over the group for a moment. "Yes, they're definitely quite the group." He seemed to decide he might as well give a full introduction at that point, telling Hala each of their names and then finally stepping back and looking at him. "Hala here, is what they call a 'Kahuna', in the Alola region. Something like a Gym Leader, but Alola's customs are a little different. They don't even have a Pokemon League yet!"
"Yes, we're a little unusual compared to some of the other regions," Hala admitted, chuckling as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Although we do hope to have a league at some point. Professor Kukui was actually planning a trip to Kanto and Johto fairly soon to discuss some things with Champion Lance and the others. Speaking of that, I'll need to have a chat with Agatha and Flint at some point while I'm here."
"They're actually meeting with me at the lab," Sycamore informed him, the expression on his face making Serena think he'd informed Hala already. "We should probably be heading over there."
"Right," Hala nodded, looking back to Ash and then the others. "I look forward to seeing the rest of your battles, and hopefully we'll get another chance to chat. Ash and Serena, I'd like to speak to both of you at some point this week, if you aren't too busy with training and classes. We might even be able to discuss Greninja a bit with Professor Sycamore."
Ash agreed right away, but Serena took a moment. Not because she wasn't willing, which she was, but more so because she had absolutely no idea why Hala would want to talk to her. Regardless, after a quick look at Ash, who smiled encouragingly, she nodded. "Sure, whenever you'd like."
"Very well then!" Hala boomed out, patting Ash on the shoulder before he and Sycamore set off.
As she watched them go, Serena could feel her friends' eyes on her, while her mind scrambled trying to think of what Hala would want or need from her. All she knew, was that things were probably about to get even more interesting around here.
There was a clear sense of excitement among Ash and his friends as they headed to the meeting place for the remaining trainers just outside the arena the next morning. They'd all been a bit tired out after all the battles and excitement yesterday, but now they were fully refreshed and ready to get going with another day. As much as Ash, and he assumed Serena as well, was excited and interested in knowing what Hala wanted to speak with them about, he knew the tournament was priority number one at this point. He and Rowlet had done well so far, but they would need to step it up to another level to beat the rest of the competition. Things wouldn't be getting any easier.
And as they stopped at their destination, Ash could see Serena looking up at the screen displaying the next round's matchups. Obviously she knew things were heating up as well, and he could see her eyes narrowing as she looked at the pair of pictures belonging to her and Julie. He was confident that she would manage to win this one for Marie, but he had to wonder what kind of tricks Julie might try to take advantage of Absol's weaknesses if she noticed any, the way she'd easily been able to control the battle with Marie once she'd shown her fear.
"Twerpette." Ash turned his head at the sound of the voice, noticing Julie walk by like she hadn't even noticed them, although making sure to look as far away from Serena as possible, obviously having directed her comment at her.
"You'll beat her, Serena," Ash told the Performer confidently, glaring in Julie's direction. "I know you and Absol can do it."
"Yeah, you'll have no problem!" Marie added. She looked a little more upbeat now that she knew one of her friends was going to battle the opponent that had put her down, and Ash was definitely glad she had a little extra something to cheer for now.
Serena smiled at their words, clenching her fists a little as Sycamore appeared, making his way up to stand before the crowd of trainers. Everyone went quiet fairly quickly, their excitement making them desperate to hear every word as the next matchups were about to be announced.
"Welcome to the remaining sixteen trainers, and their friends and guests!" Sycamore called out, as he looked over the crowd. "Yesterday, we started with sixty-four of you, and now, only a quarter remain, having earned your way into the top sixteen. Making it this far, is a great accomplishment in and of itself. However, I know that you seek to make it even further with your partners, and I'm sure you'd all like to get started as soon as possible, so that we can get onto the quarterfinals, semifinals and, of course, the exciting final match."
The trainers all cheered at that, Ash looking excitedly up at Rowlet as he popped up out of his backpack and onto Ash's shoulder, looking ready to get started with the battles again. "Let's keep winning, Rowlet!" Ash told his emerging star Pokemon. "You've done great so far, so let's keep getting stronger together!"
"Kooo!" Rowlet hooted out excitedly as Sycamore began speaking once more.
"So, to start the day's matches, we will begin with the first matchup of the top sixteen round!" he called out, looking out across the group of trainers. "We have eight matches to complete, and after a brief break to recharge the Pokemon, we'll be able to get started with the quarterfinal matches soon after."
Ash looked over to Serena once hearing that, as the trainers around him started whispering excitedly while Sycamore announced the first matchup. He could see Serena looking over at Julie once again, her fists clenched at her sides. Ash was definitely excited to see how she did, although he didn't want her to get too worked up. That would be exactly what Julie wanted.
A few minutes later, Ash and the rest of the group joined the rest of the trainers as they made their way to their seats in the stadium. Ash quickly noticed Bonnie and Meyer and he and the others quickly joined them, Bonnie apparently having received permission to hold onto Clemont and Shauna's Skitty. Everyone was fairly restless, but the first match didn't include anyone from the group who remained, so they watched on as the first two competing trainers made their way onto the field.
It was a fairly close match, and probably more exciting than Ash gave it credit for, but he was so excited about seeing his friends battling, and getting to battle himself, that he wasn't really paying as much attention as he normally would. He was pretty sure that the eventual winner, a trainer using a Nidorino, would be no match for Clemont, who would be their next opponent if he won his top sixteen match.
When it was finally Clemont's turn to go, Ash was far more focused, he and Rowlet watching very closely as Turtwig managed to pull off a powerful combo attack of Leech Seed, Razor Leaf and Tackle. It finished off a fairly dominant match for Turtwig, who easily managed to overpower the opposing Diglett.
After Clemont's battle, Dawn was up next, her and her Scatterbug again giving an impressive performance. Ash could see Tierno watching as he gripped at Chimchar's pokeball, ready to go for his next battle, which would be next. If he won, he would face Dawn in the quarterfinal match. He definitely had a lot to contend with, though, as Dawn's Scatterbug was making perfect use of its String Shot to keep the opposing Dustox away, before finishing the match with Stun Spore and Bug Bite, all executed with the grace of a Coordinator's Pokemon, which seemed to impress Serena and Shauna.
When Tierno went up next, it was obvious how much he wanted to move on, so that he could finally get that match between his Chimchar and Dawn's Scatterbug. He and Chimchar moved in perfect sync as they put on their best dancing routine yet for the whole tournament. Chimchar smoothly avoided every attack the opposing Marill threw at him, and unleashed a barrage of Ember and Scratch attacks that ultimately won him the match.
Everyone in their group cheered loudly as Tierno was declared the victor, all of them knowing that his win guaranteed that, at the very least, one of their group would be fighting in the semifinals, with Dawn and Tierno set to meet in the quarterfinals. Now all Ash and Serena needed to do was get into the final eight as well, and there would be a very good chance that one of them would win the whole thing. But first, it was finally Serena's turn to face off against her opponent in this round.
"Our next matchup will be Serena against Julie!" Professor Sycamore announced, signalling for both trainers to take their places on the battlefield.
"Good luck, Serena!" Marie said, grabbing Serena's wrist and looking seriously at her. "Beat her for Fletchling, okay?"
Serena smiled, nodding and turning around to head off to her spot on the field. Ash could see just by the way she was walking that she wasn't going to hold back anything in this battle. Like everyone else in their group of friends, she wanted to get some revenge for Marie. Ash thought she was the perfect one to actually battle Julie, though, even if he had imagined getting the satisfaction of beating her himself. Serena seemed to truly be doing this for Marie and Fletchling, and he knew that she wanted to show Absol the joy in performing for others. Even if this wasn't a performance, he was sure Serena could pull it off anyways.
"Meowth, go!" Julie shouted, her Meowth running forward to stand in front of her, doing another strange "Meowth!" call, that just didn't sound right coming from its mouth. The more Ash watched that Meowth, the more he felt it wasn't right that it was battling here. He shook his head at the thought, though, watching as Serena threw her pokeball out next.
"Absol, come on out!"
"Sssooolll!" Absol roared out loudly as he emerged onto the field, standing tall and menacingly as he looked across the field at Meowth, who took a couple of nervous steps backwards. Ash smiled, noticing Absol quickly glance over at Marie. Obviously Serena had talked to him about this match, and Ash was definitely interested to see how it would go, and what they had planned.
There was a brief moment of silence before the referee stepped forward, raising a flag, about to call the start of the match. Of course, not surprisingly, Julie had to make some kind of insulting remark about Serena and Marie first. With Sycamore seeming to pay more attention this time, though, she did seem to hold back a bit.
"That Absol looks poorly trained. Clearly not very elegant like my Meowth, who would never try to yell out like that. What should I expect from a friend of the twerpette I beat yesterday, though?" She and her Meowth laughed at that, the latter looking quite pleased by the comment about him being "elegant". Ash was pretty sure both of them knew that was stretching it quite far, though.
Serena wasn't as easy to get off her game as Marie, though, not even flinching at Julie's words, and just watching the referee as he finally signalled for the match to start. She was immediately calling out her first order for Absol once the signal came. "Absol! Psycho Cut!"
"Knock it away with Fury Swipes!" Julie shouted, laughing with surprising confidence as the pink, crescent-shaped attacks sailed towards Meowth. Even though it had looked poorly trained yesterday, Ash could see that the two of them had built up some confidence. Serena would still be able to win, but she would have to be careful.
In a surprisingly performance-like way, Julie's Meowth leaped forward, extending his claws as he slashed at the Psyscho Cut attacks that were fired towards him, slashing each with some quick Fury Swipes and shattering them into pink sparkles that rained down around him, making the crowd gasp in awe, almost like they thought they were watching a Performance. Ash noticed Serena look a little surprised by that, but clearly she wasn't too fazed, as she quickly recovered and called her next attack, smiling confidently.
"Absol, Dark Pulse! Aim for Meowth's feet and get it off balance."
"Sol!" The Disaster Pokemon looked inspired by his trainer's confidence, quickly opening his jaws and unleashing the swirling, dark energy towards Meowth, the attack crashing into the ground in front of him as he scrambled back, barely keeping himself from falling over.
Julie didn't look happy. "Keep sharp, Meowth! Now, if she wants to play that game, we will too. Attack that beast's legs and send it back to the Pokemon Centre!"
"Sycamore can't allow that!" Dawn muttered angrily, looking like she was about to get out of her seat. "Who'd be that low to try and hurt Absol like that again?"
"He has to let the battle continue," Clemont muttered, not exactly sounding happy with it as they watched Meowth trying to make his way towards Absol, leaping out of the way as the Disaster Pokemon fired off a few Dark Pulse attacks his way. "Absol was cleared to battle. He might not be able to move as quickly as he used to, but he's supposed to be okay to battle. Professor Sycamore can't just stop the match because someone wants to try to attack him where he was injured."
"He'll be fine. Serena's helped him get a lot stronger already," Ash assured his friends, although he couldn't deny a little bit of nervousness creeping into his thoughts. "Absol's not the same Pokemon he was when he was in that Pokemon Centre anyways."
Julie was obviously hoping she could still take advantage of a possible weakness, though, continuously urging her Meowth to move forward. Ash clenched his fists as he saw Meowth manage to roll past another Dark Pulse, getting closer, and making it far more difficult for the dark type to fire off the attack. Serena would need another strategy soon.
"Now, Scratch attack Meowth!" Julie shouted in glee, as Meowth ducked under one last Dark Pulse, putting himself in range.
"Meeeooowwwth!"
"Absol, Detect!" Serena quickly countered. Ash smirked, seeing what Serena was up to now. Marie also gasped excitedly as she saw Absol's eyes flash, just as Meowth pounced, claws extended while he slashed outwards. The dark type smoothly dodged the attack, ducking under Meowth's claws on the first swipe of his claws and then sliding back on the second. Now he was vulnerable. "Double Edge!"
"Sol!" Absol cried out, gritting his teeth as he dug his feet in, ready to charge. Ash, even though confident in Absol's recovery, was definitely surprised to see the Disaster Pokemon put as much strength into his legs as he did. He just hoped it wouldn't overwhelm the dark type.
Fortunately, it did no such thing, and Absol charged forward, driving his head into the centre of Meowth's chest, causing the Scratch Cat Pokemon's eyes to bulge outward as he was sent soaring backwards, before crashing hard into the ground and sliding a few feet before stopping in front of Julie, groaning. Ash quickly looked over to Absol as well, though, wincing himself as he noticed the Disaster Pokemon breathing heavily after taking some recoil damage.
"Is he going to be okay?" Bonnie asked worriedly, looking over at Ash and Clemont with wide eyes. She'd become quite the fan of Serena lately, and thought Absol was, "one of the cutest Pokemon in all of Kalos," even though Absol didn't exactly like that description.
"Yeah," Ash said, although he wasn't entirely convinced himself until Absol managed to steady himself, turning back and giving Serena a nod of confidence, while Meowth managed to get to his feet at the opposite end of the field. "Double Edge gives recoil damage, so Absol took a little bit by using that move. But don't worry," he added, smiling as he quickly looked over at Bonnie, and then Marie as well, who looked twice as anxious, "Meowth took a lot more from that."
Ash couldn't deny that he was impressed with Serena's battling so far this tournament, but she definitely seemed far more focused this round. Even though he had expected that, with seeing how determined she was to face off against Julie, Ash was surprised at how precise her orders seemed. It almost reminded him of Gabby, when she and Serena had performed against each other. However, there was something a little different here. Ash just laughed at the thought, pushing it to the back of his mind. He just wanted to focus on the battle right now, and from what he saw from the smile on Serena's face, and the shine in Absol's eyes, they did too.
"Absol, on the move, and use Detect with Psycho Cut!" Serena ordered, spinning around almost like Tierno. Ash could tell that she was almost getting into a Performance mode the more she got into this battle. He took another glance over at Marie, seeing her holding her Fletchling up as the two watched on in awe.
"Meowth! Pay attention and use Fury Swipes!" Julie seemed to screech, clearly frustrated with the early going of the match.
"Ye- I...Meooowwwth!" Meowth stammered out. The awkward call as he charged forward didn't seem to get noticed by many in the crowd, but Ash immediately looked over to Dawn, who seemed to be having a similar thought. Could it be...?
"Sol!" They both quickly looked back towards the battlefield, seeing the two Pokemon clash mid-field, Absol ducking past a swipe of Meowth's claws, aided by his Detect. The dodge was timed perfectly as his horn glowed a bright pink, just before unleashing the pink, crescent-shaped attack that struck Meowth, exploding against him and sending him crashing into the dirt in a cloud of dust and pink sparkles that shimmered around him in the sunlight.
"Jump up and use Dark Pulse!" Serena yelled, thrusting an open palm forward, much like Ash often did mid-battle the more he got into it.
"Dodge it, Meowth!" Julie screeched, sounding furious.
Unfortunately for Julie, though, Meowth was in no position to dodge, still reeling from the Psycho Cut that had slammed him to the ground. As Absol jumped up, barely looking like he noticed the stiffness in his legs, he quickly aimed down, locking eyes with Meowth, and then he opened his jaws, sending the dark, swirling energy downwards, where it crashed into Meowth, exploding into the ground, and causing dust and smoke to shoot up all around the Scratch Cat Pokemon.
The crowd cheered loudly, led by Marie, Bonnie and Ash, as Asbol landed softly, looking back proudly at Serena, who smiled back. The Disaster Pokemon took a few steps back, staring ahead at the cloud of dust and smoke surrounding Meowth, joined by the crowd as he waited for any signs of movement. Ash could tell that Julie and Meowth were outmatched by Serena at this point, but he wasn't sure Meowth was out of the match just yet.
Unfortunately, that's where Serena made her mistake. "Absol, finish this with Double Edge!" she shouted, pointing ahead, clearly ready to end the match.
"Sol!" Absol cried out, breaking out into a run, just as the dust cloud was clearing up. And, just as he neared the place where Meowth had been hit, Ash could see that Absol noticed the mistake as well.
"Grab onto his legs, now!" Julie suddenly shouted.
Many in the crowd gasped in surprise as Meowth leaped out from the side, diving at Absol's legs and just barely managing to grab hold of his back right one. Ash's eyes widened, seeing Absol suddenly come to a stop, looking almost completely frozen in fear as he felt his formerly broken leg being held onto tightly by his opponent.
"Now, Bite!" Julie yelled gleefully, looking like she was convinced that she had Serena backed into a corner now.
"Meowwwth!" Meowth cried out, sounding just as happy, before opening his jaws and clamping down as hard as he could.
"SOL!"
"Absol!" Serena shouted, taking a nervous step forward, legs shaking underneath her.
Ash winced as he saw Absol drop to his knees, looking paralyzed from the pain. He quickly looked over to Sycamore, wondering if the Professor would put a stop to this, but he just looked too surprised by the sudden attack. Ash supposed he couldn't do anything anyways. Like Clemont said, Absol was cleared to battle. But if he was cleared, it meant he was healthy enough that he should be able to get out of this. Serena just needed to figure out how. Ash could hear some muttering from the crowd around him, many people thinking that Serena had been backed into a corner here, but he was sure she could do it.
And as she looked over to their group, meeting Ash's gaze and then looking over to Marie, who was glaring over in Julie's direction, Ash knew he was right. Serena looked back towards Absol, seeing the dark type wincing in pain, but Ash could see that he wasn't willing to give up, eyes narrowed in determination as he prepared to fight back. The two locked gazes, and Ash could sense the connection between them as they smiled at one another.
"Dark Pulse on the ground!" Serena shouted, Julie's cackling coming to an abrupt stop as soon as the order was made, stunned at the fact that Serena wasn't giving in that easily.
Absol quickly looked down, opening his jaws, the energy forming within his mouth, before firing the attack downwards, the purple and black energy striking the ground and propelling the two Pokemon into the air. Meowth held onto Absol's leg, but Ash could tell that his grip had loosened, noticing the surprise and fear in the Scratch Cat Pokemon's eyes. It was just enough for Serena's next order to give Absol the edge he needed.
"Now, Psycho Cut!"
"Sol!"
With Meowth too surprised by the sudden trip into the air, he didn't notice Absol aiming the pink, crescent-shaped attack being aimed towards him. It was too late once he did, the Psycho Cut striking him in the middle of the chest, loosening his grip just enough so that Absol could shake him off, leaving them both hovering midair for a moment.
"Quick, Meowth! Fury Swipes!" Julie shouted, sounding fearful as she could sense where this was going.
"I don't think so!" Serena answered, smiling brightly as she called the finisher. "Detect! And then Double Edge!"
To Meowth's credit, he gave it his best shot, slashing outward with his claws with all he had in him. Of course, it wasn't enough, with Absol swiftly dodging each strike with perfect, precise movements, his eyes glowing brightly from Detect. Then, he launched himself forward, his body glowing in faint, white light as he slammed his body into Meowth, sending the Scratch Cat Pokemon crashing hard into the ground below, just before Absol landed calmly himself, wincing a bit from the recoil, but looking okay overall.
Ash looked over to Marie in that moment, as the referee stepped forward, raising his arm to call the battle. She and her Fletchling looked overjoyed. And when he looked back towards the field, seeing Julie storming off, holding her Meowth by the tail as it hung there limply, he felt his heart pounding in excitement, watching as Serena embraced Absol.
Their battle was coming soon, and he couldn't wait for it.
"Nidorino, Poison Sting!"
As Ash laughed next to her, shaking in excitement, Dawn wondered just what he was so happy about, other than his victory last round, her own eyes seeing a pretty powerful looking poison attack about to hit Clemont's Turtwig at a crucial point in the match. However, a moment later, she could see just why he was so confident, with Clemont having clearly been drawing his opponent into a trap.
"Razor Leaf!" Clemont shouted, Turtwig responding immediately and sending the razor sharp leaves flying towards the charging Nidorino.
The glowing, purple point on Nidorino's horn charged through, though, only slowed down a little by Turtwig's attack. Of course, as Dawn, and Clemont and Ash, knew, slowing the opponent down "just a little" could be exactly what you needed in order to win a match.
"Step aside and use Leech Seed!"
"Twig!" Turtwig again acted quickly, ducking low and sliding to the side, just as Nidorino reached him, the poison type running just past him as he dodged. Then, Turtwig bowed his head and fired off the seed into Nidorino's side, jumping up as it exploded into vines around the Poison Pin Pokemon. It seemed to sap some of Nidorino's energy, making the poison type wince, while Turtwig straightened up, ready to deliver the finishing blow.
"Bite!" Clemont shouted excitedly, seeing his trip to the semifinals was pretty much won.
Turtwig seemed just as excited, bursting forward and clamping his jaws down on Nidorino's back. The Poison Pin Pokemon shouted once in pain, before slumping to the ground, the vines falling away as it fainted. And as the referee called the match, Dawn and the others cheered the loudest out of everyone in the crowd.
"That's my brother!" Bonnie shouted proudly. "He's gonna win this whole tournament!"
"Well done, son!" Meyer called out along with her, clearly just as excited and proud.
"Now it's you and Tierno!" Ash pointed out, as they watched Clemont and his opponent shake hands. "This is gonna be a great battle. It's like a rematch from your IPL tryouts."
"Yeah, I can't wait to show you my awesome dance moves, Dawn! I beat you once, and I bet I'll beat you again. Your Scatterbug doesn't stand a chance against my Chimchar!"
Dawn narrowed her eyes at that, feeling Scatterbug's pokeball shaking violently in her hands. "We'll see about that, Tierno. I've been training pretty hard as well. And I wouldn't underestimate Scatterbug if I were you. She's been too much for everyone else so far." They'd learned that Scatterbug was female during Dawn's last battle, when the opposing Dustox, also female, had failed in its use of Attract.
"Well, whoever wins, they'll have a tough battle in the semifinals," Serena pointed out, as they noticed Clemont making his way back to the group, while Sycamore stepped forward to make the announcement for the next quarterfinal match. "Clemont's Turtwig is one of the toughest Pokemon here."
"Who would've thought that a couple months ago?" Dawn laughed, as she and Tierno stood, while Sycamore called them up. The two of them quickly congratulated Clemont as they passed him on their way to the battlefield. As Dawn came to a stop on her side, she couldn't help but think about how impressive it really was that Clemont, while still struggling to get Turtwig to calm down sometimes, had managed to turn the energetic grass type into such a fierce fighter. It was much the same with Ash's Rowlet, who was almost always sleeping when Ash got him, but was now willing to put as much of his energy that he could, into training and battling. Not to mention, Serena had turned Absol, a distrustful, and quite literally broken, Pokemon, into a loyal and powerful fighter, who was well on his way to becoming a Performer capable of bringing smiles to the faces of people and Pokemon alike. Looking at Marie and Fletchling right now, there was no doubt about that.
All of them had a big head start on Dawn and Scatterbug. It wasn't going to be easy keeping up with them, having only been training Scatterbug the past week. But...Dawn did feel a special connection with her newest Pokemon. Although the circumstances were quite different, it was, in some ways, very similar to Serena and Absol bonding so quickly back when he'd arrived. They still had to figure each other out a bit, but Dawn and Scatterbug were understanding each other well so far. They weren't at a huge disadvantage, as long as they could use that trust to its full potential.
"Lup?"
Dawn glanced down, seeing Piplup at her side, looking up at her in concern, obviously able to see that she was deep in thought. Across the field, Tierno was calling out his Chimchar, so she knew she had to get ready quickly. "No need to worry, Piplup," Dawn said confidently, holding up Scatterbug's pokeball, which seemed ready to burst open. "We'll win this for sure!" With that, she threw out the pokeball, noticing Chimchar watching with a challenging look. Scatterbug emerged a moment later, and Dawn knew that her bug type was barely able to hold herself back from leaping into battle immediately. "Let's win this, Scatterbug!" Dawn shouted out encouragingly.
"No way!" Tierno answered, him and Chimchar folding their arms smugly. "We'll dance circles around you!"
Dawn just laughed at that, noticing Scatterbug shaking in anger. She knew she could count on the Scatterdust Pokemon to restrain itself enough to use her competitiveness as an advantage. She'd been looking forward to this battle since the start of the tournament, and bad discipline wouldn't prevent her from winning.
The referee raised his arm a moment later, looking between the two trainers and Pokemon. "This will be a one on one quarterfinal battle between Dawn and Tierno. The winner will be declared when the opposing trainer's Pokemon is unable to battle. The victor will move on to battle Clemont in the semifinals. Are you ready?"
"You bet!" Dawn and Tierno shouted in unison, both excited to get their mini rivalry going again, along with the brewing one between their two Pokemon.
"Then let the battle begin!"
"Chimchar, use Scratch!" Tierno ordered quickly, surprising Dawn a little with his fast start, he and Chimchar doing a pirouette before the fire type charged forward, arm raised in preparation to attack.
Fortunately for Dawn, Scatterbug was ready to move just as quick. "Roll away and use Stun Spore!"
"Scatter!" Scatterbug cried out, swiftly rolling itself into a ball and sliding out of the way just in time, Chimchar, skidding to a halt as he missed the Scratch attack. Scatterbug quickly took action, straightening back out and sending a spray of yellow dust out towards Chimchar.
"Use the rhythm, Chimchar! Ember and dodge!" Tierno countered quickly.
"Char!" Chimchar responded, flipping over and doing some kind of handstand as he sent a few fireballs out between him and Scatterbug's Stun Spore, flipping backwards and rolling over to avoid the remains of the paralyzing attack.
The crowd cheered loudly at the brief exchange, sensing the skill the two trainers had. Dawn was just as excited, knowing her and Scatterbug could keep up, as long as they trusted one another. Chimchar and Tierno were quick, and would be tough to hit, but Dawn was sure they had a chance to win this.
"String Shot, let's go!" she ordered, hoping to keep Tierno on the defensive. If they kept him and Chimchar dancing, it would wear them out eventually.
"Roll back and use Ember!" Tierno countered calmly, doing a little flip himself as Chimchar formed the flames and started to roll back, while Scatterbug launched the thick string of web towards him.
The String Shot was just reaching Chimchar as he seemed prepared to launch his fireball back, but just then, the flames seemed to expand, engulfing Chimchar as he started to roll back, picking up speed, outracing the webs chasing after him. Dawn gritted her teeth upon seeing it, noticing Scatterbug end her attack, watching Chimchar jump up, spreading his arms triumphantly as a few embers rained down around him, the flames disappearing from his body.
"Wow! Chimchar has just learned Flame Wheel! This should be an excellent addition to Tierno's dance routine!" Sycamore announced, the crowd gasping in amazement. "Dawn and Scatterbug will definitely need to be careful now."
"Chim chim char!" Chimchar cheered out, clearly quite pleased with himself, even giving Scatterbug a taunting look.
"Awesome! Good job, Chimchar!" Tierno called out gleefully, clearly sensing he had more of an advantage now. "Okay, let's use that new Flame Wheel!" He and Chimchar then both did another pirouette, before Chimchar was once again engulfed in flames. He then started rolling towards Scatterbug rapidly, ready to deliver the super effective strike.
"Scatterbug, dodge and then use-"
It was too late, though, the Flame Wheel picking up speed too quickly. Chimchar reached the stunned Scatterbug in seconds, his flaming body crashing hard into the bug type and sending it flying through the air. Scatterbug crashed into the ground a few feet away, her body smoking a little as she struggled to rise up. The crowd roared in approval at the successful strike, and Dawn knew she was going to be in trouble if she couldn't find a way to deal with that Flame Wheel soon.
"Chimchar, use that rhythm and hit it with Ember!" Tierno shouted, spinning around and mimicking Chimchar as he did the same and sent a fireball speeding towards Scatterbug.
Dawn narrowed her eyes, knowing they could find a way to get out of this, and she could see just where to start. "Scatterbug, jump and use String Shot!"
"Scatter!" Her bug type leaped into the air immediately, the stringy web firing out immediately, hitting the ground in front of Chimchar as his Ember attack just barely sailed past Scatterbug. Dawn watched Tierno closely, seeing if he could figure out her plan. Fortunately for her, even if he did, Scatterbug was moving too quickly. The Scatterdust Pokemon pulled hard on her rope of webs and propelled herself forward. She spun through the air quickly, sliding past another Ember attack that Chimchar sent her way, picking up even more speed as she reached the ground.
"Now, Tackle!"
"Charrr!" Scatterbug hit Chimchar with all the force she could muster, sending the fire type flying back, before he hit the ground, skidding along the dirt for a few feet before struggling to get up. He winced, looking over at Scatterbug with anger in his eyes, clearly not having expected the force behind that Tackle attack.
"A strong response by Dawn and Scatterbug!" Sycamore called out to the crowd. "Maybe this match isn't quite over yet."
Not at all,Dawn thought, pumping her fist in satisfaction. "Scatterbug, String Shot again!" Her bug type, using the energy from pulling off her last successful attack, fired off another String Shot quickly, sending it straight towards Chimchar and hitting the fire type in the chest, just before it could get up and spin away in a dance move. "Now, pull back and use Stun Spore!"
"Use Flame Wheel!" Tierno tried to counter, although it was too late, the String Shot taking Chimchar off balance enough so that Scatterbug could interrupt his movement.
"Scatter!" Scatterbug immediately pulled back as hard as she could, before bursting forward and leaping up, releasing a shower of yellow dust that sparkled as it rained down on Chimchar, while the Chimp Pokemn stumbled from the String Shot. The fire type screeched from the discomfort as his body seized up, the paralysis taking hold of him.
"And just like that, Dawn and Scatterbug have neutralized Tierno and Chimchar's dancing routine! It will be hard for them to dance their way out of this paralysis," Sycamore commented.
"Chimchar, hang in there!" Tierno called out, looking less confident than before the match. "Use Scratch and get those webs off!"
"Char!" Chimchar nodded, quickly slashing out and removing the webs with one quick strike, while Scatterbug landed behind him. He turned, looking ready to act on Tierno's next order, but in that moment, his body seized up and he dropped to one knee.
"Quick Scatterbug, use Bug Bite!" Dawn ordered, knowing she needed to take advantage of Chimchar's lack of movement whenever she could. Scatterbug knew it as well, quickly charging forward and leaping up on top of Chimchar's back, before taking four to five quick bites and jumping back, before Chimchar could stand up again.
Tierno wasn't going to give up too easily, though. "We can handle this, Chimchar! Just gotta dance to a slower beat! Use Scratch!"
"Tackle!"
The two Pokemon charged at one another, Scatterbug moving a little faster and managing to slam her head into Chimchar's chest, but the Chimp Pokemon managing to still give the bug type a good swipe across the back. Both cried out in pain, but unfortunately for Scatterbug, Tierno and Chimchar managed to make it worse.
"Now Flame Wheel!" Tierno ordered, doing a pirouette as Chimchar grabbed hold of Scatterbug and did one himself, both of them moving a little slower, Tierno trying to keep their "rhythm" in line with the paralysis.
"ChimCHAR!" Chimchar cried out, his body becoming engulfed in flames before he launched himself forward, rolling along the ground, while still holding on to Scatterbug. He kept it up for a few seconds before finally stopping and tossing Scatterbug away, the bug type's body smoking from the attack.
Dawn gritted her teeth, seeing Scatterbug breathing heavily as it struggled to get up, glaring across at Chimchar. Even if Chimchar was moving slower, they would have to be careful. Just one or two more of those hits, and Scatterbug would be finished.
Luckily, in that moment, Chimchar's paralysis took over again, bringing the Chimp Pokemon back to his knees. Dawn quickly took advantage, seeing Scatterbug notice as well. "Quick Scatterbug! Use Tackle!"
"Scatterbug!" The Scatterdust Pokemon quickly shook her head and charged forward. There was nothing Tierno and Chimchar could do, the bug type slamming hard into the Chimp Pokemon and sending him rolling across the field. He managed to get to his feet rather quickly, though, his body loosening up once more.
"Chimchar, use Ember!" Tierno shouted, kicking out and spinning around while Chimchar did the same, before sending out the fireball in Scatterbug's direction. The bug type managed to duck just enough so the attack just grazed her, but it was enough to slow her down for Chimchar's next attack. "Get in close and use Scratch, and then another Flame Wheel!"
Dawn clenched her fists, seeing Chimchar approaching the tired Scatterbug, knowing her options were limited. She had one plan that could work, though. "Scatterbug, aim String Shot at Chimchar's feet!"
"Scatter!" The white rope of webs quickly shot out, hitting the ground in front of Chimchar as he ran, his feet landing in it a second later. The Chimp Pokemon stumbled, the sticky webs slowing him down even more than his paralysis. Unfortunately it didn't cause him to seize up again, but it gave Dawn the opening she needed.
"Now, surround Chimchar with webs! String Shot!" she ordered, pointing ahead.
Scatterbug seemed to understand completely what Dawn was getting at, quickly launching herself forward and circling Chimchar as he tried to give chase, stumbling over and over again in the webs at his feet. Before too long, though, he was circled by a mini field of webs at the centre of the battlefield.
"We'll have to attack from a distance this time, Chimchar!" Tierno shouted, looking a little frustrated, as the crowd gasped at the tight spot he seemed to be in. Dawn quickly glanced over to see their friends all watching closely, clearly loving every moment of the battle. "Use Ember!" Tierno added, bringing Dawn's attention back to the battle.
She smiled, knowing this was exactly how she could win this thing. "Charrr!" Chimchar cried out, sending a few fireballs in Scatterbug's direction, the bug type managing to get out of the way, while the webs she'd formed began to ignite. As Chimchar kept firing, Scatterbug managed to just duck out of the way each time, continuously circling Chimchar, and causing the webs to ignite all around him. Before long, they were separated. Chimchar was surrounded by the flames, with Scatterbug on the opposite side, hidden.
The crowd had gone dead silent now, almost sensing this was the end of the battle. It all came down to whoever managed to make the best use of the flames. Dawn knew it was risky, but she was sure she could trap Tierno one more time. "Scatterbug, keep circling the flames, and get ready to attack!"
"I don't think so, Dawn!" Tierno called out, tapping his foot as he prepared to get some kind of beat. "Chimchar, focus and get ready to use Flame Wheel!"
"Scatterbug!" Scatterbug shouted, already on the move, darting around the circle of flames as fast as she could. Dawn could just see Chimchar through the flames, looking around, trying to get a sense of her timing. She knew it would be close, but she was sure Scatterbug could do this.
"Now!" Tierno yelled, doing another pirouette and punching the air, before Chimchar screeched loudly, flames shooting up around him as he burst forward.
"Charrr!" The Chimp Pokemon put everything he had into his attack, bursting out of the wall of flames and timing his strike perfectly, hitting Scatterbug in the side and driving her back from the flames with full force.
"Hold on, Scatterbug!" Dawn yelled, knowing it was their only chance.
"Scatter!"
It was like watching it in slow motion, the two Pokemon midair while Chimchar's flaming body carried Scatterbug back. However, Dawn could just see Scatterbug managing to hold on, despite a few cries of pain. Just a bit more, Scatterbug, she thought, clenching her fists.
Finally, just as he was about to land, the flames around Chimchar suddenly disappeared, his whole body seizing up as he collapsed to the ground, with Scatterbug still holding on tight, her body smoking badly. She looked just about ready to drop, but she was desperate to win this match.
"Bug Bite!" Dawn yelled in triumph.
And with that, the crowd seemed to know it was over, cheering loudly as Scatterbug raised her head, before biting hard into Chimchar's back. The Chimp Pokemon didn't even cry out, too tired from the paralysis and the previous attacks. Scatterbug then quickly leaped back, ready to end it once and for all.
"And finish with Tackle!"
"Scatter!" The bug type charged forward, slamming her body hard into the still Chimchar and sending him back into the flames, which were quickly dying down.
As they settled down completely, the referee stepped forward, seeing Chimchar's still body lying in the middle of the field. "Chimchar is unable to battle! The winners are Dawn and Scatterbug, and they will be moving on to the semifinal round and will battle Clemont!"
"WOOO!" the crowd roared, ecstatic about the performance both trainers had put on.
Dawn quickly ran forward towards Scatterbug, the bug type falling over from exhaustion. "Scatterbug!" she said happily, picking up the bug type in her arms. She noticed Tierno making his way over to Chimchar, looking a little disappointed, but he still gave her a smile nonetheless. She smiled back, before returning her attention to Scatterbug. "You were great, Scatterbug. That was a really tough battle, but you pulled it off!"
"Sc-sc-sc-" Scatterbug weakly tried to get out, coughing suddenly, her body seizing up.
"Scatterbug?"
Suddenly, the Pokemon in her arms began to glow, Scatterbug's eyes opening wide as she looked up at Dawn. She heard a few people gasping, but she didn't pay any attention, only focusing on Scatterbug as it grew larger in arms, its soft body becoming harder and somewhat furrier. When the light faded, she could still see Scatterbug's face, but it was slightly larger, and below it was some kind of furry covering a cocoon-like body.
"Spewpa!" Scatterbug said happily, eyes lighting up as it looked at Dawn.
"And Dawn's Scatterbug has just evolved into Spewpa!" Sycamore announced happily, while the crowd applauded. "This should make her semifinal match with Clemont even more interesting!"
Dawn just smiled at that, hugging her new Spewpa as she stood up and looked back towards her group of friends, noticing Tierno waiting for her at the edge of the battlefield. She quickly followed him, while Sycamore announced the next matchup, which was Serena's. As they passed her, Serena quickly congratulated Dawn on her battle, looking quite impressed with Spewpa and telling it how great a job it had done.
When they reached their seats, Marie and Bonnie offered to take Chimchar and Spewpa to Nurse Joy, and as they set off, Serena's match began soon after. It wasn't nearly as close as Dawn's and Tierno's match, with Absol making quick work of the opposing Gligar, but it was good to see Serena moving on. Ash, meanwhile, was getting ready for his match, seeming quite excited by the match between Dawn and Tierno.
"You guys were awesome out there!" he exclaimed, pumping his fist. "And I bet Spewpa will be great for you in the future, Dawn. Especially when it evolves into Vivillon!"
Dawn hadn't even thought of that, but smiled as she looked back towards the battlefield, while Serena's match finished up, and Ash headed out to finish off the quarterfinal round. While he battled, his Rowlet looking just as dominant against his opponent as Absol had against his, Dawn felt a huge sense of relief wash over her.
It wasn't like her battle against Tierno meant she had gotten herself back on track to be the Coordinator she wanted to be, but maybe...maybe it was a good start to getting back there. Even though it wasn't a Contest, she and Scatterbug...or Spewpa, now, had managed to come even closer. They had worked off each others' strengths and had managed to outmanoeuvre Tierno's quick dancing routine. It had been close, but Dawn and Spewpa had pulled off something special together. They'd only known each other a few days, and winning that battle was a good start for them.
A few minutes later, with Ash's battle wrapping up, Bonnie and Marie returned with the Pokemon, Marie handing Dawn her Spewpa. The bug type still looked a little tired, but in its eyes, Dawn could see it was ready for the next battle. And as Ash's battle ended and he started making his way over to their group, looking straight at Serena, Dawn could feel the excitement picking up among them, and the rest of the crowd as everyone looked towards Professor Sycamore.
"And with that, we are down to our final four competitors!" he announced, the crowd cheering loudly as the screen overhead displayed the pictures showing the next matchups. "This has been a great tournament so far, and I think it's safe to say everyone has learned a lot, but now, we're down to the final group vying for the Key Stone! I'm sure you all want to see the semifinals get started as soon as possible."
"WOOO!" the crowd roared, cheering and applauding.
"In the first semifinal match, we will have Dawn and her newly evolved Spewpa, facing off against Clemont and his Turtwig," Sycamore continued. Dawn could feel the eyes on her as people around her stared at her, but she ignored it, focusing on Sycamore. "And in our second match..."
"I can't wait!" Ash whispered excitedly, leaning forward with excitement. Dawn laughed, seeing Serena looking a little more nervous about it, but excited nonetheless.
"In our second semifinal match, we have Ash and his Rowlet, battling against Serena and her Absol!"
Author's Note:
That's right...the semifinals will see Clemont facing off against Dawn, and Serena facing off against...Ash. Turtwig, Spewpa, Absol and Rowlet have fought hard so far, but who will emerge as the strongest? And who will win the Key Stone? And as for Team Rocket and Jessie/Julie...not forgotten...
And also, we've got the introduction of Hala from the beginning of the chapter! If his appearance seems a little off, it's partially because there was very little Sun and Moon info for a large part of the planning of the story, but I wanted to include some, so I needed to leave a few things open for when I had some more info. And info I got, so I think it works out quite well. What's in store should be interesting, but we'll see.
Anyways, next chapter shouldn't be too far away, and for those who follow on Twitter, be on the lookout for more Bonnie story info coming soon as well. Thanks for reading, and see you next time.