AUTHOR'S NOTES (1):

And so, we've entered the final half of the final battle in Kickin' It In Kanto. Before I get started, I just want to sincerely thank you all for reading. The past two years of writing fanfiction has been so fun, and I feel that it has all led up to this chapter. Of course, there will be more stories and chapters, but this one is the most special, in my eyes. Logan has three Pokémon left, and he's so close to achieving his dream. Can he do it though? I'd apologize for how long this chapter is, but as long as it's engaging and what I had envisioned, then I have no regrets. Enjoy.

Let's do reviews first!

REVIEWS:

pokemonkin0924 - "Congrats on Logan's newly evolved Torterra. Logan's dad seems like an interesting guy and can't wait to find out more about him or why he's afraid of Logan's mom." - Remember that Logan got Torterra (Grotle) from Yurie! So, he's getting help from her. Also, kind of dark, but it's a divorced parents joke. Haha

CrescentApple - "I... didn't expect Steelix to be taken out. But it wasn't easy. The pokemon was attacked again and again and still fought on. Walrein :D love that pokemon! I was a tiny bit expecting Mightyena to have appeared in Logan's last battle. Oh well!" - Maybe it only shows that Logan is stronger than Seshiru? Maybe. Also, as for Mightyena. I'm not sure that he'd be strong enough to make an appearance in the final battle. *winky face*

UKEagleClaw - "If Logan wins, I would guess Sinnoh is on the horizon. And Mightyena/Swampert possibly to come. Maybe another of his Unova Pokémon like Emboar too as one of his last three." - Sinnoh is on the horizon! But, not for Logan, whether or not he wins or loses. However, I would like to write something with Swampert/Mightyena again. I'm getting nostalgic.

wisdom-jewel - "Logan needs a good old pep talk from his old man. I wonder what he would say and how he would go with it. Logan needs to hear some sage advice from Gordan. He may have a few ideas that Logan could use." - We'll see what he's going to say... now!

Chapter 79 - Final Battle - Part 2

Yurie and Gordon had both raced for the field. They were allowed in by the guards, as they had been pre-approved to visit with Haruto and Logan. Yurie ran to Haruto's side, while Gordon limped over to Logan's bench.

"You're doing great so far," Gordon said while taking a seat. "Mind if I stay here for the rest of the battle? I don't want to go all the way back up there. The noise is killing me."

Logan put his hands on his knees and laughed to himself. "You still complain a lot. You haven't changed much. You've lost some weight though."

Gordon crossed his arms. "I've heard about everything you've done, kid. You stood up to Team Plasma, fought to save Alola, and battled in Sootopolis. Anything I'm missing?"

Logan wanted to tell his dad about going face to face with Mewtwo, but he knew that now wasn't the time. "No. Kanto has been pretty relaxing."

"What are you gonna do next, kid? Your friends said that you're hanging up your boots after this battle. You know if you wanted to, you could take over for the Driftveil Gym anytime. Clay loves ya, so he'd gladly hand it over," Gordon said. He looked down at Logan's feet. He wore black and white tennis shoes, not boots.

Logan shrugged. "To be honest, I didn't believe that I'd make it to the finals. All of my rivals were so strong this year. I didn't see myself getting this far. I accepted the fact that I was gonna go home and become a research assistant, maybe even a professor someday."

Gordon didn't want to ask his next question. It felt as though his heart was going to rip out of his chest, but he knew that he needed to ask it. "And where's home, kid? You were born in Driftveil but raised in the White Forest. As far as I'm concerned, your home is where you're born."

Logan looked over across the field and at Yurie. "Home is where the heart is, dad."

Gordon sat back and smiled. "Your lady has a lot of spunk. I like her. But, don't get distracted, kid! You still have to bring down four of his Pokémon. You got something for that Walrein of his?"

Logan shrugged. "Actually, I don't. I might have to brute force it."

"If you had a Steel-type, it wouldn't be a problem. Do you got any info on his other Pokémon?"

"I have a couple of hunches. I did some research into him and his previous battles. He already used Steelix, which leaves a couple of other strong Pokémon that he used in the preliminary rounds. There's also his Blaziken," Logan said. "But, we've prepared as much as we can. Not much that I can do now except for my best."

"I have faith in you and your Pokémon."

"I do too."

"We haven't spent this much time together in years," Haruto said as Yurie sat down next to him. He was looking at his four remaining Poké Balls, attempting to create a strategy with what Pokémon he knew Logan could use.

"Well, I'm glad that we could," Yurie responded. "Feeling confident?"

"My Pokémon are strong and well-trained," he exclaimed. "But your boyfriend is better than I thought."

"My-my boyfriend?!"

"Don't play stupid," Haruto said. "I see how you look at him and how he looks at you. You haven't been this in love since Kensuke. I'm happy for you, even if it's with one of my rivals."

"I-I," she stuttered. "You got me. After Saffron City, he asked me out. And, I'm happy. I think I've had a small crush on him for a while now. But, we shouldn't be focusing on this now! He may be my boyfriend, but you're blood!"

"Huh?"

Yurie stood up. "We're Kawahara! We don't lose! Don't hold back, even for a second! I've decided to cheer you on for the rest of this battle!"

Haruto shrugged. "Thanks. It doesn't matter who you cheer for, Yurie. This battle was decided as soon as I won my last badge in Kanto. But, thank you."

The father and son and brother and sister duos talked for the remaining time that they were given. And when the buzzer sounded, Yurie ran back to the stands to sit with Himawari and Seshiru. Gordon stuck to what he said and remained on Logan's bench.

"We will now resume the final battle between Logan Stephenson and Kawahara Haruto!" the referee announced while the two boys took their positions. "Resume!"

"My remaining Pokémon are the best on my team, Logan! You stand no chance!" Haruto exclaimed. "Go, Venusaur!"

The popular Pokémon emerged and landed on the field, shaking it. She roared and whipped her vines out against the ground, getting a reaction from the crowd.

Logan took in a deep breath. "No regrets. No holding back. I have faith in my Pokémon." He grabbed his Poké Ball and held it out. "We're not going to lose! Mightyena, let's win this!"

Roughly Two Years Prior

"So, you're taking a break from training?" Yurie asked. The two of them were on opposite sides of the fire, laying down and gazing at the stars. Professor Birch, his assistant, and Yurie's mom had all gone off to bed, leaving the two alone.

"Kind of," Logan answered. "I'm honestly unsure about what I'm doing."

"I understand that," Yurie said. "I have no idea what I'm doing. I have no goals. I don't feel like I have a reason to go out there and travel. Every other kid that I know dreams of this day. I dreaded it."

"You'll find your way. We all do," Logan said. He looked over at Mudkip and Poochyena. "We all do."

"How can you be sure about that?" Yurie asked. "Even you're struggling right now, and you're supposed to be some kind of big shot trainer, right?"

Logan shrugged. "Well, actually, I lose a lot. Recently went through a pretty big loss."

"Isn't that painful?" Yurie asked. "I lost all of my practice battles with my classmates, and I hated it every time. I'm not even sure why they're giving me Torchic. If we go out into the world, we're going to lose every battle. There's no point."

"My dad always told me that losing makes you stronger. Failing makes you wiser."

"I don't think so," Yurie responded quickly. "If you only lose and you only fail, then something is clearly wrong with you. And I only lose and fail. There's no reason for me to be a trainer."

"You'll never know unless you try. I was determined to be a trainer. I was determined to be the champion of Unova," Logan said. "But, things change, and goals change. When you get out there and see the world, everything changes. Your view of everything will be different. I promise you. Even if you don't want to become a trainer, going around the world and seeing new places is an irreplaceable experience."

"You don't want to be the champion anymore? Is it because of your loss?" she asked.

Logan pet Mudkip on the head. "Nah. It's because I just don't think it's the right job for me. If I got the chance, then heck yeah, I'd do it. But there's so much more out there. How will you know your true purpose if you don't look and become a little bit uncomfortable?"

"I guess that I could enjoy the food of the land," Yurie muttered. "That'd be exciting. And there are millions of flowers to see around the world."

"That's a start. It's a simple goal, but I think it's a step in the right direction."

"And maybe I'll write a book!" Yurie exclaimed excitedly. She sat up and looked across at Logan, catching his gaze and his light blue eyes.

"About what?"

"Food!" she said.

"Food?"

"Yeah! Maybe you don't know this, but the food in Hoenn is delicious! I want to try all of the food in all of the cities!"

Logan looked at Yurie. She was small and thin. He wouldn't have taken her for the kind of person who enjoyed eating as a hobby. He was chunky and loved pizza.

"Well, I hope that you can. And this is your chance," Logan said.

Yurie smiled. "I don't know about battling, but when it comes to eating, I can't fail!"

Logan laughed and then popped his neck. He rolled over onto his sleeping bag and looked up at the stars. "Something I learned a while ago, if you can see the stars, then the next day will be sunny. Tomorrow will be a bright day. It'll be good to start a new adventure."

Yurie looked up. She had never done a lot of stargazing before. The dark blue sky was dotted with the twinkling of stars from millions of light-years away. "Do you think you'll start a new adventure tomorrow?"

"Any day, something new could happen," Logan said. "Maybe I'll never battle again. Maybe I'll write a book."

"Don't steal my book idea!"

"I'm just joking. I don't have the patience," Logan exclaimed. "Who knows? Tomorrow is a new day. Let's get some rest and see what happens."

Present Day

Mightyena materialized on the field and barked. Logan's friends weren't aware that he called the Pokémon back, and they all cheered.

"Let's get the advantage early!" Haruto exclaimed. "Use Sunny Day!"

Venusaur roared and then launched an orb of light from the flower on her back. The orb exploded, and the light and heat intensified in the stadium.

Logan smiled and then shrugged. "Your mistake. Use Fire Fang!"

Mightyena growled and then bounded down the field, flames exploding from his mouth. With the power of the solar energy, the flames intensified, almost surrounding the entirety of the Dark-type Pokémon.

"He's fast," Himawari commented.

Haruto pointed at Mightyena. "Solar Beam!"

Venusaur only needed a second to charge her attack. She quickly lowered her head and pointed her flower at Mightyena before unleashing a straight beam of light that tore up the field.

"Disappear!" Logan shouted quickly.

Mightyena leaped into the air and then quickly dove back down, digging into the ground and disappearing from the field in an instant.

"We won't give you any chances," Haruto said. "Earth Power!"

Venusaur groaned, and her eyes started to glow blue. The field rumbled, and she tore chunks of the earth from the ground, one of them carrying Mightyena.

"And Solar Beam!"

Venusaur targeted the chunk of earth and then blasted it with his strong attack. It exploded, and Mightyena was thrown into the air. He hit the field hard, but quickly rolled and stood back up.

"Solar Beam again!"

Venusaur redirected herself and pointed down the field.

"Play Rough!" Logan ordered.

Venusaur launched the beam down the field, but before it could reach Mightyena, the Dark-type lifted his paw and smashed it down, causing an explosion of pink smoke. He disappeared, leaving Haruto and Venusaur with no clear target. Slowly, the smoke continued down the field until most of the crowd's vision was obscured.

"Fire Fang!" Logan shouted.

Mightyena came from the side of the smoke, and flames exploded from his mouth. He latched onto Venusaur's side, making the Grass-type howl with pain.

"Nice!" Gordon cheered.

"Use Solar Beam!" Haruto ordered.

Venusaur glanced at the unrelenting Mightyena, and she tried to direct her flower just enough to where she could use his attack.

"Underground!" Logan yelled.

Mightyena quickly let go of Venusaur, backed away, and then dug a hole. Venusaur used her attack, but it was too late, and Mightyena managed to avoid it with ease.

Haruto clenched his fists. "We're not going to be outplayed by a low-tier Pokémon like Mightyena. Outrage!"

Arcane energy swirled around Venusaur. She stomped her two front legs and then roared, making the energy blast from her body. She then looked at the ground and started to kick and scratch, tearing up the field in the process.

"Oh, man! Venusaur is angry! It's going on a rampage, and it's going to destroy the whole field!" the announcer shouted.

"Mightyena, come up and use Play Rough!" Logan directed.

Mightyena erupted from the ground and then used his paw to fling pink energy forward. It collided with Venusaur, exploded, and extinguished some of the arcane flames, but Venusaur was still enraged. She raced forward and collided with Mightyena, making the Dark-type slide to the side. Then suddenly, Venusaur stopped. The energy disappeared, and Venusaur wobbled to and fro.

Confused, Logan thought. He looked up and noticed that the light from the solar energy was beginning to fade. "We have to take our chance! Fire Fang!"

With no way to defend herself, Venusaur couldn't do anything. Mightyena ran forward and latched his powerful Fire-type attack onto Venusaur. She let out one last groan before she slumped to the ground, her massive flower covering most of her body.

"Venusaur is unable to battle! Mightyena is the winner!"

Logan wiped the sweat from his brow while Haruto recovered his Pokémon and the light faded. He looked up at the screen. The trainers were even, but Logan's Mightyena had taken some damage and had a slight limp. The Dark-type Pokémon had trained at Bill's lighthouse for roughly half a year, and the results of the training were showing, but Haruto's Pokémon weren't pushovers.

"Even," Yurie muttered.

Himawari nodded. "I think our boy has got this. He can make a comeback better than anyone I've ever met."

Seshiru folded her arms. "However, let's not underestimate Haruto."

Haruto threw his Poké Ball forward, and Walrein returned to the field. He was still roaring from his victory over Torterra, and when he saw Mightyena, he lowered his head and growled.

"Walrein, finish this quickly with Blizzard!" Haruto commanded.

Walrein howled, and the cold wind, snow, and ice streamed from his mouth. It washed over Mightyena momentarily, causing parts of his body to freeze over.

"Dig!" Logan managed to shout loud enough for Mighyena to hear.

Mightyena barked back and then dug into the ground, quickly disappearing from view.

"We're not going to fall for any more of your tricks, Logan!" Haruto snapped. "Iron Head on the ground! Bring him out!"

Walrein rocked back and started to focus metallic energy on the dome of his head. He looked at the ground and then lunged, smashing himself into the field and causing it to shake.

Logan pointed into the sky. "Crunch!"

Mightyena was forced out of the ground by the makeshift earthquake. He surrounded himself with dark energy, which quickly took the shape of a set of black jaws. Mightyena spun around in circles while he came to the ground, and he latched onto Walrein, making the large Pokémon groan.

"Got him!" Logan yelled. "Now, show off your power and toss him!"

Mightyena heaved and tried to lift the larger Pokémon. The crowd was ready to see something amazing, as they had become accustomed to seeing astounding feats of strength. However, Mightyena couldn't gather enough power to heave Walrein into the air.

"Iron Head!"

While Mightyena struggled, Walrein reeled back. He focused his energy and then headbutt Mightyena, making the set of jaws fade away into nothingness. Mightyena stumbled away as he tried to recover from the quick blow.

"And Rollout!" Haruto shouted.

"Escape with Play Rough!"

Walrein tucked in his head and began to roll. He shot straight for Mightyena, but in an instant, the Dark-type disappeared into the pink smoke. Walrein rolled into the smoke and then stopped. He looked around and waved his head violently, trying to find Mightyena, but it was useless.

"Rein?" the Pokémon wondered. He had no idea where Mightyena could have gone.

"Fire Fang!"

The light above Walrein darkened and then suddenly intensified. Slowly, the pink smoke dissipated before Mightyena came crashing down from the sky. He clamped his flaming maw onto Walrein, making the Water-type roar from the pain. Mightyena tried to shake his body to get as much damage as he could from the attack, and it worked. Walrein groaned and then forced himself free. The two Pokémon separated and stared each other down.

Then, flames burst from Walrein's body, and Logan grinned.

"Burned, baby, burned!" he exclaimed.

"Fight through it!" Haruto yelled. "Blizzard!"

Walrein heaved from exhaustion, but he wasn't going to let himself faint just yet. He roared, blasting the gale of freezing wind from his mouth. However, Mightyena was much faster, and he disappeared into the ground without a command necessary.

Walrein was furious. He roared as more of the flames emitted from his body, causing more damage.

Haruto grinned. "Use your anger! Iron Head! Rip this field up until you find him!"

Walrein let out a groan and then rammed his head into the ground, making it shake. He then started forward, bulldozing the field haphazardly. Eventually, he came to a stop and lifted his head, ripping Mightyena out of the ground and into the air.

"Blizzard!"

"Crunch!"

Walrein tried to use his attack, but he was suddenly inflicted by the burn once more. He paused momentarily while Mightyena prepared the darkness around his body. Mightyena forced himself into a spin and then came down like a meteor. He crashed, sending the darkness out from his body pulsating across the field. Eventually, it came down to just the two Pokémon. Mightyena looked up at Walrein, who glared down at him. But then suddenly, the Water-type collapsed.

The referee had to wipe sweat from his brow with his forearm before he raised his flag. "Walrein is unable to battle! Mightyena is the winner!"

Mightyena could no longer put in the effort to hide his limp. He slowly backed away to Logan's side of the field. He knew that his time in the battle was coming to an end, but he was happy that he could help Logan get ahead, even by a little bit.

Logan nodded and smiled at his Pokémon. "Good work, Mightyena."

"Haruto only has two Pokémon left," Himawari said. "What did I say about our boy winning this?"

Haruto still has Blaziken. I have no idea what he'll use next, but if it's as strong as his other Pokémon, then Logan is going to struggle, Yurie thought.

Haruto switched out Poké Balls and then cocked his head to the side. "We refuse to lose. Go, Machamp!"

Haruto's Pokémon emerged on the field and immediately started doing one-armed push-ups. He held his three other arms behind his back and looked at Mightyena with a cocky look on his face.

Mightyena doesn't have too much left in him. We have to get as much as we can out of him, Logan thought. "Mightyena, use Play Rough!"

"I don't think so!" Haruto shouted. "Cross Chop!"

Machamp pushed himself back to his feet and then started down the field. He was fresh, healthy, and much faster than Mightyena was. He crossed his arms and charged chakra around himself. Mightyena smashed his paw into the ground, and the pink smoke engulfed him. However, Machamp unleashed all of the chakra in front of him, blasting away the pink smoke. Mightyena was hit too and launched into the air. He landed hard in front of Logan's feet, unmoving.

The referee raised his flag. "Mightyena is unable to battle! Machamp is the winner!"

"And just like that, this battle is even yet again!" the announcer yelled. "Haruto used Machamp throughout most of the preliminary rounds, getting victories without a single loss! Will Machamp's brutal beatdowns continue?!"

Logan withdrew Mightyena smiled at his Poké Ball and then tucked it away.

"He's gotta use Charizard, right?" Himawari asked. "He's got the Flying-type advantage."

Seshiru's shoulders slumped. "He's been doing really well in this battle, which means that we're due for a mistake or two. If it were me, I'd try to battle with Charizard as he is all the way through."

"As he is?" Sora asked.

Yurie nodded. "He can mega evolve Charizard, but if he does that, then he loses some of his Flying-type powers. Still capable of using the attacks, but they're not as strong."

"I guess it depends on whatever Logan's sixth Pokémon is," Maleah said. "I'm sure that he'll figure something out."

Haruto is saving Blaziken for last, which means that I have to keep my best for last. I'm putting myself at a disadvantage here, but as long as we use our Z-Move, we'll be fine, Logan thought. "Go, Lycanroc!"

Roughly Two and a Half Years Prior

"Go, Lycanroc! Use Splintered Stormshards!" Logan commanded.

His maroon Lycanroc howled, and the ground at Poni Beach started to shake. There was a loud crash as Lycanroc was lifted into the air by a large stone that he had ripped from the ground. When he was up high, he struck the rock, shattering it into pieces. And then, with one more blood-curdling howl, he launched the shredded rock at the ground. They struck into the plank of wood that Logan and Lycanroc were using for target practice. Soon, the hellfire of stone stopped, and Lycanroc fell to the ground, his body weakened by the energy that he had used.

Logan ran to his Pokémon, allowing him to fall into his arms. He fed Lycanroc some food that he had made from berries before he helped his Pokémon stand on his own two feet once more.

"It's better this time," Luna said from the side. She sat on a rock and ate her sandwich. Next to her was her massive Emboar, who looked out at the sea longingly.

The two were preparing for the Manalo Conference. They had won both of their last badges and were left with months to train. Logan's team was already much stronger than the team that he had made in Unova, and he was almost confident that he could win the whole thing if they spent a lot of time training and perfecting their moves.

However, he did spend an excessive amount of time Mantine surfing.

Logan nodded and took in a deep breath. "Lycanroc is getting worn out from the attack. We have more work to do, but maybe now is a good time for rest."

"One of us is gonna win this year!" Luna exclaimed. "I can feel it in my bones!"

"Oh yeah?" Logan wondered. "And then what?"

"Well, when I win, I'll get to stick around for a bit more. I'll challenge and defeat the Elite Four and champion!"

"And then?"

"And then, I think I'll stick around some more. I like it here. I'll become the next champion of Alola," she said confidently.

"What do I do?" Logan asked. "Do I stick around? We promised to travel together."

Luna shrugged. "Well, if you happen to win, which you won't, I'll stick around and support you. A promise is a promise."

"I think I'll win," Logan said, thinking over his team. "I'm feeling a lot more confident this year. Lycanroc, Raichu, and Incineroar. I have a lot of strong Pokémon this time around."

"That's three, Logan. What happens if you win? What do you do?"

Logan put his hands on the back of his head. "Well, I don't want to stop traveling. Maybe, I'll take on the Elite Four, but they have to come find me! Maybe I'll go to Galar! I'd love to catch an Alcremie!"

"You're such a fatty," Luna whispered. "In the event that we both lose, what do we do?"

"I thought that you could feel that one of us is going to win in your bones?"

"I do! But sometimes, bones are wrong, eh?"

Logan shrugged. "Well, in that case, maybe we can try somewhere East? Kanto or Johto!"

"Not Galar?"

"I'm not sure if you'd do well in Galar," Logan said. "Every time that we meet Finn, you end up mimicking a Crown Tundran accent. If we went there together, you'd end up in an endless loop that I'm not sure you'd come back from."

Logan was right. Every time that they encountered their friend, Finn, in Alola, Luna's Crown Tundran ancestry would take over her, and she'd speak with a butchered accent.

"But hey! Let's not focus on what we do if we lose. Let's focus on the positive! You win and become the Alola champion or I win and eventually become the Unova champion! Wouldn't it be awesome to be champions at the same time?" Logan asked.

Luna blushed. "Almost a dream come true."

"Lycan," Logan's Pokémon barked. He stood up straight and pounded his chest.

"You want to try once more?"

"Rock!"

Logan nodded. "Alright, buddy. When I win, I want you at my side. So, let's give it our all!"

"Lycanroc!"

Present Day

"A Rock-type?" Haruto wondered. "You moron. Machamp, use Cross Chop, and end this now!"

"Lycanroc, get out of the way!"

Machamp crossed his four arms and charged up chakra. He stayed where he was before he blasted the x-shaped chakra from his body straight down the field. However, Logan's Lycanroc was quick. He leaped to the side and avoided the chakra with ease. He then got on all fours and sprinted across the field, preparing for Logan's follow-up command.

"Iron Tail!" Logan shouted.

Lycanroc continued to move forward while he spun around. His small but bushy tail became hard as iron, slightly extending. He swung and slammed it into Machamp's midsection, but the Fighting-type barely reacted.

"Beat him down!" Haruto yelled. "Thunder Punch!"

Machamp grabbed a hold of Lycanroc's tail with one hand, and both of his right arms started to spark with electricity. He slammed both his fists into Lycanroc's side, forcing him into the ground. Smoke and dust flew into the air, cloaking them both.

"Living up to the brutal nickname," Logan commented. He grinned. "But my Lycanroc likes the pain! Thunder Fang!"

The smoke quickly wafted away as Lycanroc came from the ground, his maw electrified. He clamped down onto Machamp's shoulder, making the Fighting-type cry out from the pain.

"This one hurts to watch," Himawari said while putting his hands in front of his face. He looked over at Sora, who looked at the field with a blank expression on his face. "How are you able to watch without flinching, Sora?"

Sora shrugged. "Maybe I'm blind."

Himawari laughed and slapped him on the back. "This guy is a hoot!"

Haruto glared at Logan and then examined Machamp, who was roaring from the pain. "Don't let that stop you! Use Cross Chop!"

"Counter!" Logan ordered.

Machamp crossed his two bottom arms and focused his chakra. He struck out, hitting Lycanroc directly in the stomach. The Rock-type held tightly onto Machamp's shoulder with his fangs while his lower half flew into the air, absorbing the attack. Lycanroc took the chakra from Machamp and focused it into his feet before he swung back down, kicking the Fighting-type as hard as he could. The two were ripped apart, Machamp landing on his back and Lycanroc managing to land on his feet. The Rock-type keeled over slightly, breathing heavily from the super-effective strike.

"Now or never," Logan said while raising his hand into the air. "Lycanroc, let's show them just how strong you are!"

Logan's Z-Ring started to glow, seemingly sucking away some of the light from the stadium. It surged with energy while Logan struck his first pose, and everyone felt as though time had come to a complete stop. Logan and Lycanroc did their second and third poses quickly, and the Pokémon roared with power. They followed it up with a fourth pose, and the energy from Logan dispersed, finding its way to Lycanroc and fueling him for one more powerful strike.

"Lycanroc, use Splintering Stormshards!"

The ground rumbled below Lycanroc, and he howled. He was lifted into the air by a giant rock that he ripped from the field. The crowd watched on in awe, and Machamp looked back to Haruto, who was also seemingly stunned. Then, Lycanroc punched the rock, shattering it into hundreds of pieces.

"Machamp, use Dual Chop!"

Lycanroc howled and began to rain the shattered rock down to the ground. Machamp's hands started to glow with arcane fire, and he swung wildly, slicing through some of the shredded stone. However, no matter how fast he was, he couldn't keep up with the storm of stones, and within a matter of seconds, he was buried.

Lycanroc fell back to the ground, now breathing heavily. He looked at the pile of rocks with his bloodshot eyes and then howled again, sending chills down the spines of the children in the audience.

"Did he do it?" Himawari asked. "That must of done it!"

Sora slowly shook his head. "No."

The pile of rocks suddenly exploded, and two x-shaped chakra blasts rocketed down the field. They hit Lycanroc in succession, sending the Rock-type into the air. He crashed back down to the now torn-up ground, his body limp.

Machamp fell out of the pile of rocks, but he quickly caught himself. He breathed heavily and looked down the field at Lycanroc before managing to crack a smile.

"Lycanroc is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Machamp is the winner!"

Logan was in shock. He knew that he was at a disadvantage against Machamp, but he was positive that he could have won with the Z-Move. He watched as Machamp held his stomach and then backed away to Haruto's side of the field. He lifted his Poké Ball and withdrew Lycanroc before looking up at the screen. His last Pokémon had already made an appearance in the first round. It was now time for Logan to see how far he had really come.

"Logan has one Pokémon left!" the announcer said. "Can his Charizard make a comeback victory for the talented trainer from Unova?"

"I promised someone that I'd battle with Charizard and win the finals of the Indigo Conference," Logan said with a nod. "Can Charizard make a comeback? Yeah. He can. Go!"

Four Days Prior

It was the night before Logan's battle with Sora in the Top 16. He sat in the park next to his Charizard. The two were well rested, and they had pizza only an hour before. Charizard hated pizza before when he had to make it as a Charmander, but now, with Logan coaching him through it, he learned to enjoy it.

"Tomorrow, things are going to get intense. Thanks for helping me get this far," Logan said. "Not just in the tournament, but you worked so hard to help me earn my final badge. I'm so proud of you. You've come so far from when we first met."

Charizard let out a soft groan.

"I'm gonna leave the rest of the tournament for my other Pokémon though."

"Rar?"

"I promised old man Logan that I'd battle alongside you to win the Indigo Conference. I want to keep you healthy until then. You've worked so hard, and you've learned how to deal with the pressure of battle better than any of my other Pokémon," Logan explained. "Even if I make a mistake, which is possible, I think that you'll manage to keep your cool."

Charizard nodded slowly.

"But, if we do lose, it's okay. I think I know what my dream and purpose of life is. I think that I should study Pokémon. I'd like to take over for my aunt someday," he said. He tilted his head and then sighed. "But, I'm not exactly the brightest tool in the crayon box, if you know what I mean."

Charizard had no idea what Logan was saying.

"If I choose to study, then I'll get to travel again. It won't be as intensive as now, and I won't be battling as much, but I'll still get to see the world," Logan said. "And I'm sure that you'll love my aunt's lab! She has so many friendly Pokémon, and her backyard is huge!"

Charizard glared at Logan and then roared. The fire on his tail intensified slightly.

"What?"

"Rar!" Charizard cried out.

Logan was shocked, but a look of clarity quickly came over his face. "You're saying that we're not going to lose?"

Charizard nodded.

Logan looked out. "Sora, Aaron, Maleah, Clint, Haruto, and Seshiru. We have a lot of obstacles, ya know? The journey to the top isn't going to be easy."

Charizard pounded his chest.

"But nothing good is easy," Logan said with a grin. "Alright, Charizard. Let's win this!"

"Mind if I join your little picnic?" Maleah asked from behind. Logan didn't flinch. He patted the ground next to him and allowed her to sit down.

Present Day

Charizard materialized once more in the air before flapping his wings and then slowly coming back down to the field. He stopped, blasted flames from his mouth, and then huffed at Machamp.

Haruto grinned. "This battle is ours! Machamp, finish this with one strike! Stone Edge!"

"Charizard, into the air! And let's mega evolve!"

Machamp stomped his muscle-filled leg into the ground and tore up five stone pillars. He held four of them with his arms and then threw them down the field. However, he lacked control, and it was easy for Charizard to get around them. The Fire-type was engulfed by an orb of rainbow energy, and within moments, he took a new form.

The crowd was stunned by the changes made to Charizard, and even Haruto appeared amazed. Charizard's body became black, and the flames on his tail became blue and arcane. His wings changed shape and were now divided, making it more difficult for him to fly. He came back to the ground and roared, blasting blue fire from his mouth.

Logan smiled and put his hands on his hips. "I knew that you were trying to save Stone Edge for last. It would have been dangerous to put Charizard up against a fresh Machamp."

"But how'd you know about Stone Edge?" Haruto asked.

"Your sister didn't tell you?" Logan asked with a grin. "Well, it's all a part of my Unovan strategy, I guess! You should know, I'm an expert in Pokémon attacks. I figured that you're a pretty talented trainer, and once you chose Machamp, I knew that I was in for Stone Edge or Rock Slide or something. I was right."

"Not bad, Unova," Haruto said. "But it doesn't change the fact that we're going to win this. Machamp, use Thunder Punch!"

"Air Slash!"

Machamp's body started to spark, and he ran down the field while waving his arms above his head. Charizard responded by jumping slightly into the air and flapping his wings violently. Aerial energy blasted from his wings, slicing the ground in front of him. The energy continued down the field and blasted into Machamp, but the Fighting-type was only stopped momentarily. He growled and looked up at Charizard before continuing into the storm.

"In that case, we'll use our own Thunder Punch!" Logan directed.

Charizard stopped flapping his wings, and his fist became electrified. He dashed downward while Machamp leaped into the air. The two Pokémon swung their fists, and Machamp got in multiple jabs. However, Charizard also managed to directly punch Machamp in the face. The Fighting-type was shot backward, and he dragged against the ground, his body now completely limp.

"Machamp is unable to battle! Charizard is the winner!" the referee declared.

The crowd erupted into cheers as the screen changed and Machamp's picture faded to black.

"This is it," Yurie said while Haruto withdrew Machamp. "They're down to one each."

"Does Blaziken change types when it mega evolves?" Seshiru asked. "That could be a huge factor in this, right?"

"It won't," Himawari said. "It looks like we're just going to be getting an all-out brawl between two Fire-types."

"Blaziken is Haruto's first Pokémon, so he's got a lot more experience. I don't know if Charizard is going to be strong enough," Yurie added.

Sora remained quiet, observing Charizard.

Haruto glared at Logan while holding out his last Poké Ball. "We're going to take it to the next level and then show you how much of a fool you are. Go, Blaziken!"

Blaziken emerged and blasted flames from his wrists. He stood up straight and howled into the sky before slowly taking his fighting pose.

"Mega evolve!" Haruto commanded while pulling his stone from the collar of his shirt. It started to glow, and Blaziken was engulfed in the rainbow light.

I never got the chance to fight Luna's mega Blaziken, so here we go. We won't lose, Logan thought. "Air Slash! Give him a surprise once he comes out of that cocoon!"

Charizard huffed and blew arcane flames from his mouth. He took into the air and charged up energy in his wings before blasting it at the rainbow cocoon. As soon as Blaziken emerged, he was bombarded with the aerial energy, but he didn't flinch. He became cloaked once more, now with smoke.

Haruto pointed at Charizard. "Bring 'em down! Use High Jump Kick!"

Blaziken emerged from the smoke and took into the air. He stuck out his knee, and before Logan could give a command, Charizard was knocked out of the sky. He landed hard against the ground, causing a loud crash.

"And Night Slash!" Haruto commanded.

Blaziken twisted his body and pointed downward. His claws became engulfed with black energy, and he crossed his arms. He came to the ground and slashed, blasting Charizard to the side.

"Thunder Punch!" Logan ordered.

Charizard whipped his tail around, wafting the smoke away. He quickly stood up and jabbed his fist out, but Blaziken easily ducked under it and backed away.

"It's so fast!" Himawari shouted.

"And every second, it's getting faster," Sora added.

"Speed Boost?" Maleah asked.

"Switch it up and use Dragon Claw!" Logan directed.

"And we'll fight back with Night Slash!" Haruto yelled.

Charizard changed the arm that he was going to strike with, covering himself with blue flames. He swung while Blaziken used his shadowy attack. The two Pokémon struck and held out momentarily, struggling to decide which one was more powerful. Blaziken was older and experienced, and it showed, as Charizard's knees buckled. But then, in a show of strength that shocked the crowd, Charizard roared and tossed Blaziken back. The Fighting-type hit the ground and rolled before coming back to his feet.

Logan grinned. "My Charizard is special! With this form, he not only changes to part Dragon-type, but he also gains the ability Tough Claws. Any up and close battling that you plan on doing isn't going to be met without a fight!"

Haruto clenched his fists but then grinned. "He must not be a Flying-type anymore? Those weak wings can barely support him."

"I wouldn't say they're weak."

"Not my point! Blaziken, use Earthquake!" Haruto yelled.

Blaziken focused his power into his fist before he plunged his arm into the ground. The entire village shook, and some audience members were forced out of their seats by the power. Charizard, who was normally unaffected by Ground-type attacks, roared from the pain and held at his head.

"That's not good," Logan muttered while he struggled to remain standing.

"Blaziken, use High Jump Kick!"

"Blaze!" the Fighting-type called back. He pulled his arm out of the ground and then leaped forward, sticking his knee out.

"Get out of the way!" Logan managed to yell before falling onto his backside.

Charizard huffed and blasted blue flames at the ground, which helped to get him into the air. He narrowly avoided Blaziken's strike, flying off to the side. Blaziken couldn't stop his momentum in midair, and he hit the ground knee first. He let out a terrible cry before rolling over and grabbing at his leg.

"We've got him where we want him!" Logan said. He stood up and grinned. "Air Slash! Rain it down!"

Charizard rounded about and charged the white energy in his wings. He unleashed it all at once, and it exploded against the ground. However, Blaziken had managed to escape at the last second, retreating to Haruto's side of the field, now with a noticeable limp.

"Don't you dare give in!" Haruto commanded. "Night Slash!"

"Dragon Claw!"

Charizard flew down while Blaziken fought through the pain and jumped into the air. The two collided, causing an explosion of arcane flames and black energy. Charizard was knocked further into the air, while Blaziken was left in the middle of the field.

Logan pointed into the sky. "Now's our chance! Finish this with Blast Burn!"

A thick ball of fire formed in front of Charizard's mouth, and everyone could feel the temperature increase in the stadium. Charizard roared loud enough to where he could be heard from miles away. Then, he unleashed the fireball at the field. It exploded when it reached Blaziken, and everyone was momentarily blinded by the flames.

The light eventually faded away, but the attack had been so strong that the field was set on fire. In the middle, Blaziken remained standing while Charizard was frozen on his half of the field, his arms at his sides.

Haruto observed the flames on the field and grinned.

"Reminds me of dad," Yurie muttered.

"With Blast Burn, Charizard is gonna be stuck like that for a bit. I guess that was your mistake. We're going to win this. Blaziken, use Flare Blitz!"

The flames on Blaziken's wrists once more flared up, and he looked straight at Charizard. He dug his feet into the ground, and he was engulfed by flames within a second. The flames around the field intensified, and then Blaziken dashed forward. He crashed into Charizard, and the two of them were engulfed in smoke and flames.

"Charizard!" Logan shouted.

Everyone waited in anticipation for the smoke to clear. And eventually, it did. Everyone in the stadium gasped as the two Pokémon were revealed. They grabbed ahold of one another and were struggling to push each other back. Neither one of them wanted to use any moves, so they had to stick with their pure power until their trainers figured out something.

"Earthquake!" Haruto commanded.

Blaziken couldn't use the technique the same way as before. So, he instead opted for stomping one leg against the field. It all began to shake yet again, and Charizard was forced to let go.

"Night Slash! Make them quick and don't let up!" Haruto yelled.

Blaziken recoiled and held out his arms. His talon-like claws became enwrapped with black energy, and he slashed outward in succession, repeatedly hitting Charizard. With every strike, Charizard was forced back slightly, but he never once gave any indication that he was going to collapse.

Logan watched on closely, looking for a chance. Every time that Blaziken hit, he became slightly slower as his stamina slowly drained away. After one strong hit, Blaziken paused and gasped for air.

"Air Slash the ground!" Logan shouted.

Charizard did as commanded. He didn't aim for Blaziken, instead opting for the easy target of the field. There was another small explosion that followed, and Charizard took into the air, once more finding himself above Blaziken.

"Let's finish this!" both Haruto and Logan yelled.

"Blast Burn!"

"Flare Blitz!"

Charizard formed the ball of fire above his body while Blaziken took off into the air. The Dragon-type launched the ball down like a meteorite, but the Fighting-type dove into it without any care for his well-being. He fought back against the ball until he managed to push it into the air. Both Pokémon were engulfed by flames, and there was one final explosion.

The flames, the ashes, and the smoke all cleared, and both Pokémon were left sprawled out on the field. They both were unable to move.

"Folks, in all of my years of calling conferences, I've never seen a battle like this! Both of the Pokémon are seemingly down for the count! But, we need a winner!" the announcer shouted into the microphone. "What will the referee do?!"

The referee raised his flags. "I will now begin a ten count!"

"We're getting a ten count!" the announcer yelled. "Whichever Pokémon can get to their feet and remain standing by the end of the ten count will be ruled the winner! However, if neither Pokémon can stay standing, then we will have to go to a ruling by the commissioner!"

"One!" the referee shouted.

"C'mon, Charizard!" Logan yelled.

"Get up, Blaziken!" Haruto ordered.

Both of the Pokémon were still. Slowly, Blaziken started to stir.

"Two!"

It was now that the crowd realized the consequences of the count. They started to yell and cheer for both of the competitors. The crowd was split between the two. Logan was considered the underdog, but Haruto was a popular trainer from Hoenn, which wasn't too far from Kanto.

"Kawahara!"

"Logan!"

"Three!"

"Charizard!"

"Blaziken!" the crowd screamed. The younger fans' voices were easier to hear over the adults, as they were higher pitched.

Charizard's eyes opened, and he looked across the field at his opponent. Blaziken was slowly pushing himself up with his arms, which wobbled violently.

"Four!"

"You can do it, Charizard!" Himawari shouted at the top of his legs.

"C'mon, Charizard! You got this!" Seshiru added.

"Charizard! Push!" Maleah yelled.

Even Sora, who was always seemingly in a state of relaxation, stood up and shouted, "Charizard! Do it for Logan! I know you have it in you!"

You can do this, Yurie thought.

"Five!"

Now with the count halfway over, the two Pokémon could feel a sense of urgency coming over them. Charizard punched the ground and started to push, but no matter how badly he wanted to stand back up, his legs weren't doing what he wanted.

"Six!"

"Don't give up, Charizard!" Logan yelled. "You can do it!"

Charizard let out a roar and pushed with both of his arms, bringing him to his knees. He looked down the field at Blaziken, who had managed to get to his feet, but his knees were bent, and his head was down.

"That's it, Charizard!" Gordon shouted.

"Seven!"

"Char-i-zard! Char-i-zard!"

"Blaze-i-ken! Blaze-i-ken!" the crowd chanted.

The arcane flame on Charizard's tail intensified, and he pushed himself once more, managing to get to only one knee. He just needed to move his other leg, which he was finding nearly impossible.

"Eight!"

Blaziken slowly stood up straight, his arms hanging limp at his side. He cocked his head and tried to correct his posture, but his body was too weak. He looked at Charizard through one eye, surprised that either one of them had managed to stand back up.

But the crowd cheered upon seeing Haruto's Pokémon make the effort. And when they noticed Charizard's progress, they only got louder.

"Nine!"

Charizard closed his eyes. He thought back to when he was still a Charmander and his flames were too weak to heat up an oven. He remembered when he first saw his trainer and the feeling of getting to leave to go on an adventure. He remembered battling at the gym in Celadon and being too nervous in front of a crowd to do a single move. He couldn't manage to get a win for months. He remembered battling Midori's Charizard and losing not only once, but twice. But even so, Logan put his faith in him to win in their third match. Logan put his faith in him to help battle Mewtwo. But most importantly, Logan put his faith in him to win in the finals of the Indigo Conference.

Charizard grunted and then forced himself to stand on both of his feet. He straightened himself out and looked at Blaziken. The two Pokémon rocked back and forth. Neither of them could perform another attack, so they had to simply wait to see who would collapse first.

Then, one of them did.

"Ten!" the referee yelled.

"I can't believe it!" the announcer shouted.

...

A lot has changed since we first left Nuvema Town.

You had to learn to lose before you could learn to win.

You don't deserve it, Logan. But if you do happen to win, then it's clear that you would have earned it.

If anyone in this tournament is gonna beat Haruto, it's you.

I have faith in you and your Pokémon.

...

"Blaziken is unable to battle! Charizard is the winner! Your victor and the champion of the Indigo Conference, Logan Stephenson!"

The crowd roared with cheers as Logan's face came onto the screen. People were watching worldwide. A boy from the Crown Tundra jumped up and down as his best friend was declared the winner. A Kalosian man with his friendly Furret cheered loudly in his living room, celebrating with his family. The new Nimbasa Gym Leader smiled and nodded approvingly before getting back to his studies. The flower lady from Littleroot Town clapped lightly. A Unovan girl who had just participated in the Silver Conference lightly clapped her hands, proud of her old friend's victory. A girl with a shiny Gothita groaned with jealousy but was ultimately happy for her cousin. And that boy with the BayStaryu hat from Alola smiled, as he was known to do.

"I can't believe it!" Seshiru and Himawari cheered. They jumped into the air and hugged one another.

Sora and Maleah danced. But Yurie remained sitting. The two stopped dancing, looked down at Yurie, and found that she was crying.

She was still, not even her shoulders shaking. But tears were streaming down her face. She closed her eyes, sniffled, and then punched the air. "He did it!"

"Lo-gan Ste-phen-son! Lo-gan Ste-phen-son!" the crowd chanted. Streamers and confetti were shot into the air and slowly rained down, falling onto the field.

Logan had remained in his trainer's box, and he found it almost impossible to move, in disbelief that he actually won the battle. All of the noise that the crowd was making didn't seem to register with him, and the second after the call was made felt like a year. For Logan, only he, Charizard, Haruto, and Blaziken existed. Millions of people were watching around the world, but none of them mattered at the moment.

It was just the two strongest trainers in Kanto and their most trusted Pokémon that mattered.

Then it all came back to him. He could hear the crowd. He could feel the energy that came off of them. He looked around, finding his friends and rivals in the crowd. He looked back at his dad, who was crying tears into his beard. He grinned, focused back on the field, and ran out to his Charizard.

The energy from the mega evolution wore off before Logan could reach his Pokémon, and Charizard became normal again. He let out a soft cry before Logan gave him a tight hug. The two howled and cheered, and Logan was overcome with emotion. He buried his face in his Pokémon's shoulder and began to sob.

"We did it, Charizard. We really did it!"

"Good job, Logan," Haruto said. He had slowly made his way onto the field to meet with Blaziken.

Logan turned around. He wiped the tears and dirt from his face.

Haruto stuck out his hand. Logan looked at it momentarily before catching Haruto's eyes. The two paused, and Haruto smiled. Then, Logan took his hand, and they shook.

The crowd went crazy one more time.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I'm emotionally exhausted. Thanks for reading. 3