Things have barely improved at the Pokemon Center. Timothy and Coovers have stayed by Brock's side, patting his shoulder or rubbing his back, but the most they've managed to do is help Brock eventually stop crying. The tan-skinned man just stays seated with his head down. With his arms cradling Holly's flower and necklace, he sniffles quietly. Nurse Joy offered a box of tissues when she came to give Timothy Electchu and Shockwave back, and Brock quietly thanked her and wiped away the tears that went all the way down to his chin while Timothy returns Shockwave. Coovers looks at Timothy and Electchu for a moment before turning to Brock and asking a question that he thinks he knows the answer to.
"How you holding up, buddy?" He asks.
Brock sniffs before he answers, "Not great. I feel a little better after letting it all out, but still not great."
"Yeah, I bet," Timothy says.
"Raichu," Electchu says quietly
The three of them are silent for a moment before Timothy hesitates before his curiosity gets the better of him.
"So...you were going to choose to pursue only her?" He asks.
Brock nods, not looking at him.
"How long ago did you make that decision?" Timothy asks.
"A couple of days," Brock answers.
"You mean you waited a couple of days to tell her that?" Coovers asks, surprised.
"I wasn't sure that she was going to say yes," Brock explains. "I mean, I hurt her so bad, and I was working on getting back into her good graces again that I was scared to tell her. I didn't decide to take that chance until today."
"Wow, that's rough," Timothy says.
"You're telling me," Brock says. "I would have told her already if Ash and Max and the others didn't barge in during our lunch date or if I convinced her to let me tell her before her battle with you as opposed to her telling me to wait just because she wants to stay focused on the match. Heck, if I somehow found out that her feelings for me were coming back beforehand as opposed to Lucy telling me after the match, I definitely would have told her sooner."
Timothy shakes his head and says, "There's no way that you could have known, Brock."
Electchu nods in agreement.
"But there had to be," Brock protests. "Maybe I could have bumped into the two of them during the time they were making the bet and come clean with how I really feel about her and tell Lucy that -"
"Uh, Brock, ixnay on the ucylay," Coovers interrupts, looking at something past his friends with a nervous chuckle.
Brock, Electchu, and Timothy look at Coovers in confusion before they turn to where Coovers is looking. Brock's heart sinks when he sees Lucy and her sisters at a distance, giving back the card key to their room to Nurse Joy. As they turn around to leave, Lucy glances at the three men and Raichu and stops walking, and her eyes immediately met Brock's. Her sisters turn to see where she's looking and angrily glare at Brock, looking ready to beat him to kingdom come. As the tan-skinned man and the Pike Queen stare each other, Brock gives her an apologetic look, and Lucy just stares at him with tears slowly appearing in her eyes. No words need to be said before Lucy turns her head and exits the building with her sisters following her. Once the women are gone, Timothy and Coovers take a deep breath before turning to Brock.
"That was pretty awkward," Coovers says bluntly.
"I'll say," Timothy says.
"Raichu," Electchu mumbles.
Brock lowers his head, still depressed.
"You know what the saddest thing is?" He asks. "My feelings for Holly where right there in front of me."
Timothy, Electchu, and Coovers look at each other, confused before Timothy asks, "How do you mean?"
Brock lifts his head and stares at the wall before he answers.
"Lucy's a great woman and everything, but even when I was chasing other women after the Hearthome City Tag Team Tournament, I always wished I could see Holly again. I even talked a lot about her to Serena when we were in Celadon City. And even though I agreed to be together with Lucy after this tournament and was really excited about it, all my thoughts about it just disappeared the moment I saw Holly again at Neon City. On top of that, I've never been so happy during the times we've had since whether it was helping her train or go touring together or having her meet my family or when I gave her her necklace."
Timothy, Electchu, and Coovers nod in understanding as Brock stares at the necklace in his hand.
"Maybe if Lucy was upfront with me about her feelings all the way back when Ash was partaking in the Battle Frontier before I ever met Holly, things could have been different. I imagine Lucy and I could have been happy together even though her sisters hate me. But she didn't, and I eventually met Holly. They both like me for me, but even when I was taking turns spending time with both of them, I knew I was happier with Holly."
"I don't doubt it," Coovers says. "If we're being honest, I was kind of jealous of seeing you and Holly together."
"I know," Brock says, turning to Coovers. "And I hope you succeed where I have not in finding the one and not lose her, Coovers. I really do."
Coovers gives Brock an appreciative smile before the three men and Raichu stay silent again. Suddenly, Brock wipes the tears from his eyes one last time before he forces a smile and stands up.
"Okay, I think I'm ready," he announces.
"Ready for what?" Timothy asks as he and Coovers stand up.
But instead of answering Brock turns to Nurse Joy, who is standing at the front desk and asks, "Nurse Joy, is the second semifinal battle still going on?"
"Ugh, yes, it had last time I checked," she answers. "Last I looked on my computer both sides have three Pokemon left."
"Perfect," Brock says before turning to his friends. "Let's go watch Ash and Max's battle."
The two other men and Electchu look at each other concerned before Coovers asks, "Are you sure?"
"I am," Brock says confidently. "I may be still brokenhearted, but that shouldn't stop me from supporting my friends. Besides, I want to find out who I'm going to cheer for against you at the finals, Timothy. Er, no offense."
It takes a moment before Timothy, Coovers, and Electchu smile supportively.
"None taken," Timothy says. "And I think Holly would have wanted you to be there for Ash and Max. Just know that I'm rooting for Ash so that we can have our battle at the league like we promised."
Brock chuckles and says, "Duly noted."
The two of them chuckle together, and Coovers and Electchu smile before the former steps in.
"Then what are we waiting for?" He asks. "Let's go watch the battle before Ash or Max already beats the other."
"Right!" Brock and Timothy say at the same time.
"Raichu!" Electchu exclaims.
Back at the Indigo stadium, Ash is still thinking about Pokemon to use next against Gallade. Serena and all of his friends at the stands grow concerned as he's been thinking for a couple of minutes now. Even Max, May, and Bonnie are uneasy with him taking an unusual amount of time to choose his next Pokemon.
"Ash, you must choose your next Pokemon or be disqualified from the match!" The referee calls out.
"I know, I know!" Ash calls out back.
With the referee putting pressure on Ash, he tries to think quicker over who to choose. Eventually, he shuts his eyes and grinds his teeth before he spontaneously makes his decision.
"Typhlosion, I choose you!" He shouts.
Typhlosion comes out of its Pokeball with a mighty roar. It looks at Gallade menacingly while flames erupt from it's back. Glowing rocks appear from the ground and hit it, but it stands its ground despite it being slightly hurt.
"A Typhlosion, huh? Cool," Max says, fascinated before turning to his Pokemon. "Gallade, use Disarming Voice!"
"Dodge it with Flame Wheel!" Ash shouts.
Gallade sends several pinks hearts toward Typhlosion, but the volcano Pokemon moves away from them and charges at Gallade with its body surrounded in flames. It rams into Gallade, and the blade Pokemon falls down with its body covered in burns.
"Now, use Flamethrower!" Ash shouts.
"Gallade, move away with Teleport!" Max calls out.
Gallade whimpers as it fights through the pain and quickly disappears just in time to avoid Typhlosion's attack. As Max sighs in relief, May looks concerned for her brother's Pokemon.
"But Flame Wheel shouldn't be that effective," she protests.
"Yes, it should," Max contradicts. "I hate to admit it, but even though it didn't use any dark type attacks, Ash knew what he was doing when using Scraggy. By having it use Leer twice, it really affected Gallade's defenses to a serious degree. So I need to be careful and use Teleport as much as I can to avoid Gallade getting hit by any more of Typhlosion's attacks."
May stares at her brother before she turns back to watching the battlefield.
"Alright, Typhlosion, use Flamethrower again!" Ash orders.
"Dodge using Teleport again, followed by Brick Break!" Max shouts.
Typhlosion releases another Flamethrower at its opponent, but Gallade disappears before the stream of fire was halfway towards it. Gallade reappears right behind Typhlosion, and karate chops it in the back. The volcano Pokemon howls and gets down on all fours.
"Now, use Close Combat!" Max orders.
"Dodge it using Flame Wheel!" Ash shouts.
Gallade prepares to punch its opponent furiously, but Typhlosion jumps away, and it spins around in the air before with its body engulfed in flames.
"Gallade, use Teleport, and use Close Combat again!" Max orders.
"Dodge it while still using Flame Wheel!" Ash shouts.
Gallade disappears and reappears in front of where Typhlosion is going, but its opponent moves away before it can attack. It then moves to another spot to attack only for Typhlosion to dodge again. The volcano Pokemon keeps dodging Gallade's attacks while still spinning like a wheel in flames.
"I wonder how much longer this is going to last," Bonnie comments.
"Who knows?" Serena says. "At this rate, they might both run out of energy before Gallade can hit Typhlosion."
Ash's eyes widen, having overheard the two girls and turns to Serena with a smile.
"Serena, that's it!" He exclaims.
"Huh? What's it, Ash?" Serena asks.
But instead of answering, Ash turns to the battlefield and calls out, "Typhlosion, keep dodging until you see an opening to attack, then use Flame Wheel to hit Gallade!"
Typhlosion lets out a grunt to let its trainer know that it acknowledges his command and keeps on dodging. Gallade keeps trying to get the upper hand by appearing right in front of Typhlosion, but its opponent takes a sharp turn to avoid its fists. Max keeps watching the process until he notices that Gallade is taking longer to teleport. It takes a moment before he realizes that it's getting tired from constantly using the same move.
"Gallade, stop using Teleport!" He calls out.
Gallade disappears and reappears at a different location one last time before it eventually stops and breathes heavily. Ash and Pikachu smirk confidently when they know that they have the advantage. As the raven-haired boy instructed, Typhlosion heads toward Gallade with Flame Wheel and rams right into it. Gallade screams in agony asset falls into the ground with more burns around his body.
"Now, finish it with Eruption!" Ash commands.
Typhlosion grins as it lowers its head, and a geyser of red and orange flames appear from its back. It releases the red and orange flame from its mouth, and it hits Gallade mercilessly. Max watches in shock as Typlosion eventually stops the attack to see his friend unconscious.
"Gallade is unable to battle! Typhlosion wins!" the referee announces.
Ash and Pikachu cheer with the audience while May, Max, and Bonnie frown again. The boy with glasses returns his Pokemon back into its Pokeball and gives the ball a fond look.
"You were fantastic, Gallade. Thank you," Max says before turning to Ash. "I guess you figured I relied too much on Teleport that it would eventually tire Gallade, huh?"
"Sure did," Ash says with a smirk. "And I wouldn't have realized it if it wasn't for Serena giving me the idea."
Serena is taken aback at Ash, stating how she's behind his idea, and she smiles with a small blush on her cheeks. Bonnie smirks teasingly, and Ash gives her a toothy grin, not noticing Serena's blush before turning back to Max.
"You had a good way to use Teleport, but you should learn not to completely rely on it, Max!" He says. "Sometimes relying on just one move isn't the best idea."
Max smiles and takes out a Pokeball saying, "Sounds like there's a couple of things I still need to learn about Pokemon battling on my own. But that won't stop me from losing to you. Let's go, Kabutops!"
He throws his Pokeball and Kabutops comes out, swinging its blades to show that it's ready for battle. Bonnie grins mischievously at the sight of the shellfish Pokemon, making Serena suspicious.
"What's so amusing?" she asks.
"Oh nothing," Bonnie lies. "It's just that Max told me a couple of days ago that Kabutops is a rock and water type which fire attacks are not very effective against. So since most of Typhlosion's moves are fire-type, it won't be long before Kabutops takes it down."
"De ne ne," Dedenne chuckles, with the same vexatious grin as Bonnie's.
Serena pouts, annoyed with Bonnie having switched sides.
"I'm starting to like you better when you were teasing me for admiring Ash so much," she grumbles.
"Oh, I'm sure you are, Serena," Bonnie says in a singing voice. "Doesn't change the fact that Typhlosion is in trouble, though."
Serena glares at her young friend and says, "You know what? I can't wait to see that grin wiped from your face when Ash beats Max."
"We'll see, Serena," Bonnie says, unfazed. "We'll see."
"De,ne ne," Dedenne says.
Back in the battlefield, Max smirks, having the same train of thought as Bonnie.
"Alright, Kabutops, let's get started with Aqua Jet!" he commands.
"Dodge it and use Eruption again!" Ash shouts.
Kabutops surround itself in water and shoots itself like a rocket. Typlosion moves away and fires another red and orange flame at its opponent. The fire attack hits Kabutops, but it barely has any burns in its body.
"Ash, have you forgotten that fire attacks don't work on Kabutops?" Max calls out.
"Oh, I know it is," Ash says. "But it's also not immune to fire attacks, so I can still do some damage."
Max raises an eyebrow become he chuckles at his old friend.
"That's just like you, Ash! You just keep on going!" he says. "Kabutops, use Rock Throw!"
"Dodge it using Flame Wheel!" Ash shouts
Kabutops summon large, silver rocks out of thin air and throws them at Typhlosion. The volcano Pokemon once against dodges its opponent's attack using Flame Wheel before charging at Kabutops with its attack.
"I don't think so, Ash," Max says with a grin. "Kabutops, use Dig!"
Kabutops jumps into the air and digs a hole underground, dodging Typhlosion's attack. Typhlosion stops and looks around for its opponent before Kabutops emerges from the ground and hits it. Ash's Pokemon shouts in pain before it falls to the ground back first.
"Now, use Aqua Jet!" Max orders.
"Dodge it with Aerial Ace!" Ash shouts.
It takes a moment before Typhlosion opens its eyes to see its opponent charging at it with water surrounding its body again. It quickly stands back up with the flames on its back, igniting again before it jumps and flies into the air. Kabutops misses its opponent and stays still with water no longer surrounding its body just in time for Typhlosion to charge at it with white streaks all over its body. The shellfish Pokemon turns to see its opponent right before Typhlosion slams at it. Kabutops is hardly affected by Aerial Ace either, but it takes a little more damage than Eruption.
"Hmmm. I think you should have started with Aerial Ace, Ash," Max suggests. "It's still not very effective, but it is a little more effective than your fire attacks."
Ash chuckles nervously and scratches the back of his head.
"Honestly, I sort of forgot that Typlosion knows Aerial Ace until now," he admits.
Max and May stare at Ash, dumbfounded. Pikachu sighs, embarrassed for its partner while Serena facepalms and Bonnie grins again.
"Typical Ash again," Max says, shaking his head. "Kabutops, use Rock Throw again multiple times!"
"Dodge it with Aerial Ace!" Ash orders.
Typhlosion just in the air and starts flying again while Kabutops throws more silver rocks at it. Typhlosion keeps dodging the attacks again and again, before it flies toward Kabutops, ready to strike again. But as it comes close to hitting the shellfish Pokemon, one rock hits it in the back, and it falls to the ground.
"Oh, no! Typhlosion!" Ash shouts.
Max smirks and says, "That's it for this Pokemon! Use Aqua Jet again!"
Once again, Kaputops surrounds itself in water and shoots itself like a rocket. Typhlosion is too weak to move before the shellfish Pokemon rams into it, sending it crashing into the ground with swirly eyes.
"Typhlosion is out of the match!" The referee announces. "Kalutops wins!"
The crowd cheers again, and Max shakes his fist into the air while May, Bonnie, and Dedenne cheer for him. Ash sighs and puts Typhlosion back into its Pokeball before he takes out another one.
"Okay, let's see Kabutops take out this Pokemon!" He shouts. "Go. Sceptile!"
He throws the ball and Sceptile comes out before glowing rocks come out again and hit Ash's Pokemon. Sceptile grunts in pain, but it shakes it off, being stronger than Ash's previous Pokemon. Max becomes uneasy, and Bonnie gulps nervously, which catches Serena's attention before she smirks teasingly like an older sibling making fun of her younger sister.
"Is there something about Pokemon types concerning Sceptile that you want to share, too, Bonnie?" She queries.
"N-n-n-no," Bonnie whimpers.
Serena raises her eyebrow and scratches her chin, pretending to be thinking about what could be on the little girl's mind.
"Hmmm, let's see," Serena says. "I know that water Pokemon are weak against grass, but what about rock Pokemon? Could they be weak against grass too?"
Bonnie lets out a little squeak, making the honey blonde girl snicker.
"I get the feeling that the answer is yes," she says. "So if both types are weak to grass, that means grass type attacks are four times as effective against Kabutops. My oh my, whatever will Max do?"
Bonnie pouts bitterly and says, "You're really mean today."
"Yeah? Well, you started it," Serena says in a matter-of-factly tone before sticking out her tongue.
Meanwhile, Max thinks carefully about how to proceed with his Pokemon at such a disadvantage. Ash smirks confidently at his young friend before Max bites the bullet.
"Kaputops, use Rock Throw!" He shouts.
Kaputops summons more silver rocks and sends then toward Sceptile, but Ash just grins at the move.
"Sceptile, cut them down with Leaf Blade!" He commands.
The four leaves on Sceptile's wrists glow light green and firm into two leaves. It then jumps into the air and starts cutting the rocks into pieces as if they were made out of paper. Before it lands on the ground, however, Max makes another call.
"Now, use Slash!"
As soon as Sceptile's feet touch the ground, it finds Kaputops charging at it before it strikes with its blades. The forest Pokemon cries out before it jumps away to avoid another Slash
"Kabutops, use Dig!" Max orders.
Once again, the shellfish Pokemon makes a hole and digs underground. Sceptile wonders where it is until Ash calls out to it.
"Sceptile, don't worry!" He shouts. "Just close your eyes and wait for the right moment before dodging using Quick Attack!"
Sceptile nods at Ash and closes its eyes, waiting patiently. It takes a moment until it feels the ground underneath it shake, and it immediately opens its eyes and with inhuman speed, moves away from where Kaputops is emerging. The shellfish Pokemon pops out of the ground only to find its target not there before Sceptile quickly moves and hits it.
"Now, use Leaf Blade!" Ash shouts.
"Counter with Slash!" Max shouts.
Two blades appear on Sceptile's wrists, and it starts clashing blades with its opponent. The two of them keep it until Ash gets an idea.
"Sceptile, dodge Kaputops' next attacks before you strike!" He instructs.
Sceptile acknowledges Ash's command and ducks while Kabutops is swinging one of its blades. Sceptile takes the opportunity to use the blades on its wrists to do an uppercut against its opponent, making Kabutops take a couple of steps back, feeling the harsh sting of the grass-type attack on its chin.
"Don't let up! Use Leaf Storm!" Ash shouts.
"Dodge it, Kabutops!" Max cries out desperately.
But the rock-and-water-type Pokemon is too disoriented to move away while the seeds on Sceptile's back glow white, and it releases a barrage of light green glowing leaves surrounded a green aura around its tail. The leaves surround Kabutops, leaving it encircled in a tornado of leaves before slamming into the ground right in front of Max lying on the ground limp.
"Kabutops is unable to battle! Sceptile wins! The referee shouts.
"Yeah! Go, Ash!" Serena cheers.
The crowd cheers, including Misty, Dawn, Piplup, Iris, Axew, Cilan, and Clemont. Max, May, and Bonnie frown as the boy with glasses returns his Pokemon.
"Alright, so Ash needs to take down one more Pokemon, and he wins," Cilan says.
"I can't believe he's that close," Iris says.
"Axew!" Axew shouts.
"But how strong is Max's last Pokemon?" Misty asks, concerned.
"Don't know. But we do know that it's also a Sceptile," Dawn answers.
"Really?" Misty says, surprised.
"Yeah, he started his journey choosing a Treecko just like Ash," Dawn explains. "So, this battle will be very interesting."
"Piplup," Piplup says.
"I agree," says a voice behind them.
The five teenagers and Axew and Piplup turn around to see Brock walking towards then with Timothy, Electchu, and Coovers walking behind him. The tan-skinned man gives them a friendly smile as he sits down next to Misty.
"Brock, are you okay?" Misty asks.
"I'm kind of better," Brock answers. "At least enough that I can keep my emotions in check so that I can root for my friends like Holly would have wanted."
"Well, I'm glad to see you're doing somewhat better," Dawn says before leaning forward to look at Timothy and Coovers. "And thanks for helping him through his grief, you guys."
"No thanks are necessary, Dawn," Timothy says kindly. "The way I see it, it's the very least I can do after playing a part in what happened."
"And I'm all for being there for a guy looking for romance just like me," Coovers says before turning to the field. "Anyway, Max has only one Pokemon left?"
"That's right. And according to Dawn, it's going to be a Sceptile too," Iris answers. "Ash's Sceptile has already taken some damage with Stealth Rock from Pinser and Slash from Kabutops."
"Yes, and the way things are looking, this match will probably be a matter of who hits the other the most," Clemont says.
Brock nods and crosses his arms staring at the stadium.
"Maybe, but Sceptile also have an ability called Overgrow that makes their grass attacks stronger when their health is low, so that might play a factor into who wins," he says. "Even so, it might be a matter of not only who takes the most hits but who has the most powerful moves and perhaps also the most experience."
Misty and Dawn smile at Brock, happy to see him analyzing a Pokemon battle again. Meanwhile, Max tries to keep a fearless face while taking out his last Pokeball.
"It's up to the two of us now," he whispers to it before throwing the ball, shouting, "Go, Sceptile!"
The ball opens, and Max's partner comes out, ready for action. It soon notices Ash's Sceptile, and the two of them stare at each other menacingly, eager to prove which one is superior. Ash keeps a confident face as he looks at Max.
"Sceptile, use Bullet Seed!" Max shouts.
"Dodge it!" Ash commands.
Max's Sceptile fires multiple golden seeds surrounded in a light green aura. Ash's Sceptile just smirks before moving away from the line of fire.
"Now, use Leaf Blade!" Ash shouts.
"You use Leaf Blade too!" Max shouts.
The blades appear on both wrists of the two forest Pokemon charge at each other. Just like with Ash's Sceptile against Kabutops, the two of them constantly clash their blades against each other with neither Pokemon leave their gaze at the other as they fight. Max and Ash stare at their Pokemon, eager to get the upper hand.
"Sceptile, push Max's Sceptile back! Force it into a wall!" Ash shouts.
Ash's Sceptile puts more force into its attacks, causing Max's Sceptile to slowly retreat while still blocking its opponent's attack. Max grinds his teeth, realizing that Ash's Sceptile is stronger than his until he gets an idea.
"Sceptile, move away, and then strike with Fury Cutter!" He instructs.
Max's forest Pokemon moves away on the side, causing Ash's to almost lose its balance from swinging at air. The blades on Max's Sceptile's wrist glow white, and it strikes its opponent, causing Ash's Sceptile to let out a painful cry. Before Max's Sceptile could strike again, Ash's Sceptile moves away just in time.
"Whoa. Ash's Sceptile was lucky to move away the way it did," Cilan says.
"It sure did," Brock agrees. "The power of Fury Cutter grows stronger every time it hits its target and only reverts to its normal amount of damage if it misses its attack."
"And since grass-type Pokemon are weak against bug type attacks like Fury Cutter, Sceptile probably took enough damage just from getting hit once," Clemont finishes.
"Well, I hope Ash can figure something out," Timothy says before turning to Misty, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, and Clemont. "Does Ash's Sceptile know any moves that aren't grass attacks?"
"Just one and it's Quick Attack," Brock answers. "The only moves it knows apart from that is Leaf Blade, Leaf Storm, and Solar Beam."
Timothy and Coovers frown skeptically with this information.
"If that's the case, then Ash better be very careful," Coovers says.
"No kidding," Brock says. "Especially since Max was traveling with May and me during our journeys through the Hoenn region and the Battle Frontier. Throughout those journeys, Max witnessed Ash catching Treecko and seeing it evolve into a Grovyle and then a Sceptile."
"So that means he probably knows all of the moves that Ash's Sceptile has, giving him even more of an advantage apart from his Sceptile knowing Fury Cutter," Timothy says.
"Exactly," Brock says, seriously.
Back in the battlefield, Max smirks, seeing Ash grow uneasy after learning that his Pokemon knows a powerful bug-type move.
"Okay, Sceptile, use Fury Cutter again!" He commands.
Max's Sceptile charges again, but Ash is ready for them this time.
"Stop it with Leaf Storm!" he shouts.
Once again, Ash's Sceptile creates a tornado of leaves that encircle its opponent and sends it slamming into the ground.
"Now, while it's distracted, use Leave Blade!" Ash commands.
Ash's Sceptile charges at Max's Sceptile without hesitation. The four leaves on its wrist turn merge into two green blades before it wallops the other forest Pokemon with both of them. It starts furiously pounding on Max's Sceptile repeatedly, giving it several serious scratches all over its body.
"Sceptile, move away by using Quick Attack!" Max commands.
Just as instructed, Max's Sceptile moves away before Ash's Scpeticle can strike again and runs away with incredible speed.
"Go after it using Quick Attack too!" Ash orders.
Ash's Sceptile starts following Max's with the same incredible speed. The two of them zig and zag all over the battlefield with Max's Sceptile, trying to get Ash's Sceptile off its tail.
"Sceptile, study your opponent's running pattern, and then change course to ram into it!" Ash instructs.
The raven-haired boy's Sceptile does as it is told, keeping a close eye on the way its opponent moves to try to lose it. Once it learns enough, it stops pursuing it and uses Quick Attack to run into the direction Max's Sceptile is going to run next. The young boy with glasses' Sceptile makes a turn only to see its opponent running straight after it. The two of them crash into each other and fall down, disoriented from running into each other at a great speed.
"Sceptile, get up as soon as you can, and use Leaf Blade!" Max shouts.
"Sceptile, use Quick Attack to dodge and quickly flank it!" Ash commands.
Max's Pokemon comes up first and charges with blades already formed on its wrists. But while it's attacking, Ash's Pokemon comes to as well and uses Quick Attack to move away. Before Max can tell his Sceptile to go after it with the same move, Ash's Sceptile rams right into it from the side.
"Now use Leaf Storm while it's down!" Ash commands.
His Sceptile creates a third tornado of leaves, and they once again encircle its opponent and send it crashing into the ground.
"Now, use Leaf Blade again!" Ash shouts.
"Oh no, you don't!" Max shouts determinedly. "Sceptile, fight back with Fury Cutter!"
Ash's Sceptile charges with Leaf Blade again, but its opponent quickly comes to and stands up with glowing, white blades appearing on its wrists. The two of them clash blades together again and start another duel with the weapons on each of their wrists. But before Ash or Max could come up with another idea to overpower the other, the latter's Pokemon suddenly overpowers the other and starts vigorously pounding its opponent with its bug type attack.
"Sceptile!" Ash cries out.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu shouts.
"That's it, Sceptile! Keep at it!" Max orders.
"Way to go, Sceptile!" May cheers for her younger brother.
"Yeah, that's the way to do it!" Bonnie calls out!
"Hey, whose side are you on!" Ash rebukes.
"Believe me, I've been asking myself that the whole battle," Serena grumbles. "But enough of that, Ash. You got to do something fast!"
Ash realizes that the honey blonde girl is right and turns his head back to the battlefield. His Sceptile grows weaker and weaker as the other Sceptile's bug type attack grows stronger with every hit. Serena's heart sinks with every hit, and she grabs her ribbon as fear overtakes her. Back in the stands, Brock, Misty, Dawn, Piplup, Iris, Axew, Cilan, Timothy, Electchu, and Coovers are worried as well.
"What is Ash going to do?" Iris asks.
"I don't know, but whatever he does, he better do something fast," Cilan says.
"Frankly, I'm surprised that Max's Sceptile hasn't taken down Ash's by now," Coovers says. "Ash must have trained it to become really strong if it's lasting this long."
"Well, he better not push his luck," Timothy says before calling out to the field. "Come on, Ash! Do something! Don't forget our promise!"
"But wait, Ash still has Pikachu left," Dawn points out.
"That's right. Worst-case scenario, Pikachu can finish the job, right?" Misty asks. "I mean Ash's Sceptile has done a number on Max's Sceptile already."
"Maybe so, but Ash shouldn't press his luck with Pikachu," Brock says. "Grass Pokemon like Sceptile are resistant to electric attacks, which is what most of Pikachu's moves are. Maybe Pikachu will win since it's Ash's best Pokemon, but he should avoid taking that chance."
Back in the battlefield, Ash's hands turn into balls of fists, and he grinds his teeth. Pikachu and Serena look at him sadly, unsure that he will think of something in time. But then he notices a green aura surrounding his Pokemon as it tries to catch his breath. Ash's eyes widen, realizing that his friend's health is so low that its grass attacks have increased. He thinks about how to carefully make the next move until he notices Max's partner running towards Sceptile and he gasps in shock.
"Sceptile, quick, use Leaf Blade to defend and use Leaf Storm quick!" he yells.
With barely any stamina left, Ash's Sceptile creates green blades again and blocks both of its foe's blades. Max's Sceptile tries to overpower it again, but before it can, Ash's creates another Leaf Storm, and the tornado sends it back, slamming it into the ground a few feet away.
"Close call, Ash!" Max admits. "But it looks like your Sceptile is so weak that all it takes is another hit from any of my Scepile's attacks to bring it down."
"That's why it won't get the chance!" Ash claims. "Sceptile, use Leaf Storm multiple times! Drive that Sceptile away!"
Sceptile takes a deep breath and summon another tornado that slams the other into the ground. Before Max's Pokemon can get up, another tornado encircles it and slams it into the ground. The process repeats itself constantly, making Max worried.
"Sceptile, quick! Use Bullet Seed!" He shouts.
His forest Pokemon slams into the ground again and tries to open its mouth only for it to be encircled by another tornado full of leaves and bangs it into the ground, disorienting it again. Back in the stands, Dawn realizes what is happening.
"Look, Max's Sceptile is growing weak," she says, pointing at it.
"Hey, you're right," Cilan says in realization.
"It appears that Ash is using Leaf Storm to keep Max's Sceptile incapacitated," Clemont says, adjusting his glasses.
"Not only that, but it's keeping it opponent at a distance so that it can't use its melee attacks like Leaf Blade and especially Fury Cutter," Brock analyzes. "Plus, Leaf Storm does more damage now that Overgrow is in effect."
Ash smirks confidently as he watches Max's Pokemon take more damage with every slam. But suddenly, the Lead Storm stops, and Ash looks in confusion until he sees his Pokemon panting heavily.
"I guess you're out or energy for another Leaf Storm, aren't you, Sceptile? " Ash says.
"Scep...tile," Sceptile replies with a nod.
Ash hums in thought and glances at Max's Pokemon to see it struggling to stay up but is also starting to glow in a green aura. He considers using Quick Attack or Leaf Blade, but decides against it since Max's Pokemon can fight back with the same move if it gets up. He ultimately chooses the next ranged attack his Pokemon has and makes the risky decision.
"Sceptile, let's finish this with Solar Beam!" He shouts.
Ash's Sceptile takes a deep breath and gathers sunlight with its tail. Max looks at what is happening and grins.
"Big mistake, Ash!" He says. "Sceptile, Quick Attack now!"
But instead of charging, Max's Pokemon struggles to get up. The boy's pupils shrink as he realizes that his Sceptile might not move away in time.
"Come on, Sceptile, hurry up!" He pleads. "You can do it!"
"Come on, Sceptile!" May says with her hands clasped together in a praying position.
Serena keeps her hand on her treasured ribbon as she watches Ash's Pokemon gather energy from the sun. Ash and Pikachu stare at their friend, with the former trying to stay confident that Sceptile's attack will be ready in time. Finally, Sceptile's tail grows white, and Ash immediately makes the call.
"Now! Fire Solar Beam!" He yells.
"Sceptile, move away quick!" Max shouts desperately.
Max's Sceptile grinds its teeth and fights through the pain and slowly gets up. But despite its efforts, Ash's Sceptile fires a white beam, and it hits it foe so hard that it crashes into a wall. Max's heart sinks as the dust clears, and his Pokemon plummets to the ground on its front with swirly eyes.
"Max's Sceptile is unable to battle!" The referee declares. "Ash's Sceptile is the winner. Thus the victory goes to Ash!"
The crowd roars in applause along with Timothy, Coovers, Electchu, Brock, Misty, Dawn, Piplup, Iris, Axew, and Cilan, all standing up and cheering for Ash. Max, meanwhile, looks at the ground sadly and takes out Sceptile's Pokeball and returns it. May quickly rushes to his side while Bonnie looks at him sadly from a distance. Serena, on the other hand, stands up and happily cheers with joy while Ash and Pikachu rush to his Sceptile's side.
"Great job, Sceptile!" Ash cheers.
"Pika!" Pikachu shouts.
"Sceptile," Sceptile says before it groans softly and gets down on one knee.
Ash realizes that his forest Pokemon is barely staying conscious and takes out its Pokeball.
"Take a good rest, buddy," he says before the grass-type Pokemon goes back inside its container.
Over at the stands, Misty, Dawn, Iris, and Cilan all sigh in relief while Brock, Timothy, and Coovers smile approvingly.
"I can't believe it," Misty says with a happy smile, and her hands clasped together. "I get to see Ash make it to the final round of a Pokemon league. If this is a dream, please don't pinch me."
"I wouldn't dream of it," Dawn says assuringly.
"Piplup," Piplup says with a nod.
"Me neither," Iris says. "To tell you all the truth, I don't entirely believe it happened even though I saw him win with my own two eyes."
"Axew," Axew agrees.
"Well, believe it," Timothy says. "And now Ash and I will face each other a third time at the final round."
"Raichu!" Electchu
"That's right," Coovers says before something enters his mind. "Though I have to admit, it seems like even if Max's Sceptile won, it would be too weak to take down Pikachu."
Brock frowns and says, "Maybe, but I think the fight between their Sceptile was somewhat more important in its own way."
"What do you mean?" Dawn asks.
"You see, Max looks up to Ash, and it's clear that he chose Treecko as his starter Pokemon because Ash caught a Treecko whenfew were traveling through Hoenn," Brock explains. "I think it was important to Max to not only beat Ash but attempt to surpass his Sceptile with his own with a duel between the two. His strategy was great, but Ash triumphed in the end. So, I think it hurts Max not only because he lost but because his Sceptile didn't win against Ash's despite coming very close."
"When you put it that way, it's really sad that he lost," Iris says sympathetically.
Misty nods and notices Max glumly leaving the field with May following behind with her hand on his shoulder. One the other side, she sees Ash, Serena, Pikachu, and Bonnie running towards the two siblings from their side of the field.
"Looks like Ash wants to talk to Max," she analyzes. "Why don't we join them?"
"That's a good idea," Brock says with a warm smile.
"As long as Max's defeat isn't a part of another bet, I'm in," Timothy says before realizing that Brock is right next to him. "Er, sorry."
Brock chuckles lightly and with a sad sigh, says, "That's okay. Let's just go see our friends."
Everyone else nods in agreement before they make their way downstairs.
"Hey, Max, May, wait up!" Ash calls out.
The two siblings stop walking down the hall and turn to see Ash, Pikachu, Serena, and Bonnie running towards them. Max forces a smile on his face as he and May face them.
"Hey, Ash. What's up?" He asks.
"I just want to say that was a great battle out there," Ash says with a warm smile. "You and your Pokemon give it everything you got. I'm proud of you."
Max put up a brave face and tries to smile more widely as he speaks.
"T-t-thank you, Ash," he says with his voice cracking. "That means a lot coming from you."
Almost as soon as he finishes his last sentence, the young boy begins to cry. May immediately kneels down and hugs her brother like a mother comforting her child. Bonnie walks over to him and sadly pats him on the back with Dedenne standing on her shoulder. Ash smiles at his young friend while Serena stands next to him and gives Max a kind smile.
While Max is crying, Brock, Misty, Dawn, Piplup, Iris, Axew, Cilan, Clemont, Timothy, Coovers, and Electchu emerge from the other side of the hall. They all give Max sad smiles, understanding what he's going through. Timothy decides to walk over and kneel down before Max, catching his attention.
"The first defeat in a Pokemon League is usually the hardest," he says. "I still remember how hard it was to not even make it past the preliminaries despite how hard I've worked to make my Pokemon so strong. Sometimes I wonder what might have been if things had not interfered with Electchu and Poliwrath's desire to battle. But in the end, I just had to keep going and learn from it. You may have lost today, but you've done great for your first time. So just keep going, okay?"
Max sniffles before he gives a sad smile.
"Okay," he says. "I'll keep going until I'm strong enough to beat Ash."
"There you go," Timothy says with a smile before standing up and turning to Ash with a competitive smirk. "Speaking of which, looks like our long-awaited battle is going to be at the final round."
Ash smirks back and says, "I wouldn't have it any other way."
"That makes two of us," Timothy says as they shake hands.
Everyone smiles at the two of them until Serena notices Brock.
"Oh, Brock. How are you feeling?" She asks.
"Oh yeah," Ash realizes. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, are you doing?" Bonnie asks.
Brock gives them a sad smile and says, "I'm still heartbroken, but I'm hoping to keep having a positive attitude for you guys."
"That's what I like to hear," Ash says encouragingly.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu says.
The others nod in agreement before Timothy clears his throat.
"Well, it looks like Electchu, Coovers, and I better get going," he announces. "I should start training for the big match tomorrow."
"Sounds good to me," Ash says. "See you out there."
Timothy nods before he and his companions leave. The rest of the gang stay silent before Serena turns to Ash.
"So does this mean you're going to train too, Ash?" She asks.
"You bet," Ash smirks. "As soon as my Pokemon are healed up, and I switch a couple of them, I'm going to work hard to be ready for my match."
"I'm glad to hear," Serena says cheerfully. "Meanwhile, I think I'll make some cookies and Pokepuffs for dessert tonight."
"Yay! Can I help too?!" Bonnie exclaims.
"Yeah, count me in," Dawn says, raising her hand.
"Sure, the more, the merrier," Serena says.
Thus, the three girls walk together out of the hall and exit the building. Ash smirks, secretly glad that Serena is not going to watch him train and turns to Clemont.
"Hey, Clemont, I need your help with something," He says.
"Huh? On what, Ash?" Clemont asks.
"Would you be able to make a couple of inventions for helping me train?" Ash asks.
Clemont is surprised for a second before he says, "Sure. What do you have in mind."
"Oh, a couple of things," Ash answers with a cunning grin.