AUTHOR'S NOTES: (1)
Because of how this chapter ends, I'm doing an A/N and review response right here instead. Last chapter, Logan managed to get to the finals and we're now in the midst of Seshiru vs. Haruto. Seshiru is well ahead of Haruto, but anything could happen!
REVIEWS:
pokemonking0924 - "Still I hope Logan gets his own Gigantamax to have another ace up his sleeve alongside Mega evolution and Z moves.
I also wonder if Manectric will be returning to Logan permanently." - For the tournament, I don't see Logan getting a Gigantamax Pokemon. He might sometime in the future, but so far, I don't love writing Gigantamax, so I'm unsure if I'd want to give him one.
CrescentApple - "Logan's reaction to Gigantamax was pretty amusing, but it makes sense after he explained it. This Gigantamax battle makes more sense. Magnetic is literally running around the large attack, or in an attack to wide and fast, gets swept up by the water." - I think this one is easier to understand too because Maleah was limited to three attacks and it was a one on one battle.
The Imprisoned of Hell - "Personally, I want to see Logan vs Seshiru. Also what do you think of the newly announced Gen 4 remakes and the prequel game Legends Arceus?" - We'll find out who wins soon! As for Gen 4, I'm disappointed in what we've seen so far for the remakes, but I'm not going to cry about it, because I'm almost 27. And I'm intrigued by Legends Arceus, but I also don't like open-world games, so... We'll see! I'm more than open to change!
Chapter 77 - Fate of the Finals - Seshiru's Promise
"Hey!" Yurie called. She ran from the hallway and to Haruto's bench. She took a seat and then hugged her brother. "What's up? You're down by a lot!"
Haruto looked at her with a deadpan stare. He glanced up at the board. He had lost three of his Pokémon while Seshiru was still left with five. "I see nothing wrong. We'll be fine."
"I don't want to psych you out or anything, but Seshiru is really strong. She's battled against and caught a legendary Pokémon. You definitely shouldn't underestimate her," Yurie exclaimed.
Haruto put his hands together and looked down the field at Seshiru. "I'm not underestimating her. I gave her this first half as a courtesy. If I'm forced to use my last Pokémon, then Seshiru will understand my power. Everyone in the crowd will know that I should have been ranked number one."
Yurie looked at her brother, and she couldn't help but smile. "When did you get so serious?"
"Huh?"
"You've always been good at Pokémon battling, even when you were young and in school. You definitely weren't top-ranked, I remember that! But, I don't remember you being so serious. You used to smile a lot more."
Since Haruto had left for his journey almost four years prior, the two hadn't met very often. He hardly, if ever, called home, and the brief times that they'd see each other, he was always in competition with Logan.
"Before I left, mom told me that I was the new man of the house. Since dad left us to play as an Elite Four member, I had to take up that mantle. But I'll be honest, I wasn't ready at the time. Like Yui, my first year as a trainer, I fumbled around a lot. I got to the Ever Grande Conference, and I didn't do too bad. But, I still lacked the battler's instinct. I didn't have what it took to be a strong trainer. Loss after loss after loss made me who I am today. My Pokémon have the scars of war and I'm left with the memories of consistent failure. However, this year, I told myself that I wouldn't lose anymore. I'm going to step up and become the man of the house as mom wanted. But first, I have to be stronger than the man that came before me. I have to prove that I'm worthy of the mantle."
Yurie sneezed, breaking Haruto from his trance. "You take it too seriously!" She slapped him on the back. "Being the man of the house is overrated! We run a flower shop, so no matter how manly you are, it's still gonna be a bit girly."
Haruto couldn't help but crack a smile. "Maybe you're right."
"So," Himawari started to say, catching Seshiru's attention. "You are killin' him."
Seshiru grinned and patted the spot next to her on the bench. "Come sit!"
"Don't mind if I do," he said. He used his long legs to step over the back of the bench and then he sat down. "How have my friends been over the past year? They don't call at all, so for all I knew, they could have died."
Seshiru shrugged. "Well, we did have a run-in or two with an evil organization, and we were face to face with death on a couple of occasions."
Himawari stared at her with a blank expression. He then burst out into laughter. "You're hilarious!"
Seshiru's eyes shifted. "What? It's true."
"Yeah, sure," Himawari said. "How have they been? How are you? What's your deal?"
Seshiru was slightly flustered by so many questions. She wasn't expecting an interview during the break. "Well, it took a while, but they finally confessed their love for each other."
"Took an eternity," Himawari said with a groan. He sat forward and put his hands together.
"And my deal?"
"Yeah. You seem like a pretty strong trainer. I didn't think that Logan would have traveled with someone he was competing with though."
"We weren't rivals from the beginning. I had to take a different path to get here," she explained, recalling all of her Battle Frontier challenges.
She told Himawari of her journeys with Logan and Yurie. She talked about her Vaporeon and even gave a quick recap of how she caught Zapdos and then eventually released it. Himawari was left in stunned silence.
"And you? What's your deal?" Seshiru asked.
"Well, did Logan or Yurie happen to mention that I have dragon's blood?"
"Dragon's blood?"
The two duos continued to talk during the fifteen-minute intermission, and when the time was up, Yurie and Himawari returned to the crowd, and Haruto and Seshiru walked to their trainer's boxes.
"We've now entered the second half of this semi-final battle! Seshiru was able to get quite a hefty lead when we left the first half, but will Haruto be able to power himself to victory?" the announcer wondered.
"Mamoswine, you're up!" Haruto called while throwing his ball to the field. His Pokémon was large and had brown fur. It was a quadruped with two thick tusks coming from its mouth. But Seshiru had met one before when she was in Sinnoh.
"I don't plan on giving you any advantages," Seshiru said. She threw her Poké Ball into the air, and Quagsire emerged once again, letting out a soft coo. Quagsire was hurt from his battle with Nidoqueen, but he knew that he could do some damage to Mamoswine if given the chance.
Haruto's eyes changed, and he glared at Seshiru. "We won't need any advantages. Use Rock Slide!"
"Quagsire, defend with Muddy Water!"
Mamoswine smashed his two front legs into the ground, and the ground crumbled as he lifted stones into the air. He jabbed his tucks into the stones, breaking them into small pieces before he howled, launching the stones down the field.
Quagsire groaned, and dirty water exploded around him. The stones hit the protective barrier and then slowed down, barely doing any real damage to the Water-type.
"Now attack!" Seshiru ordered.
Quagsire switched his focus. The water that encircled him shifted, and with some change, Quagsire was able to launch the water directly for Mamoswine.
"We'll dive into it," Haruto said. "Icicle Crash!"
Mamoswine's tusks started to glow light blue, and he ran forward. Ice crystallized over his face, adding sharpness to his already dangerous weapons. He barreled through the water, which slowed him down, but he refused to stop. He charged and then crashed into Quagsire, making the Water-type slide a few inches back.
"Use your momentum! Heavy Slam!" Haruto instructed.
Mamoswine didn't stop moving. He turned and lifted the left side of his body before he allowed himself to fall, landing directly on Quagsire. All motion then came to a stop, and Mamoswine paused. He slowly shifted and then stood back up, revealing the unconscious Water-type.
"Quagsire is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Mamoswine is the winner!"
"Even with a disadvantage, Mamoswine and Haruto managed to overpower and brutalize Quagsire! Haruto still has a lot of catching up to do, but this is quite the first step!" the announcer yelled.
Seshiru withdrew Quagsire, nodded, and then threw her next Poké Ball onto the field. Poliwrath emerged once more, flexing his muscles.
"Poliwrath again," Yurie said. "It's her strongest Pokémon, so it looks like she's looking for a quick win."
Sora folded his arms. "This Mamoswine is different from the first three Pokémon that Haruto used. It's almost like Seshiru is going up against an entirely different trainer."
"C'mon, Seshiru!" Himawari cheered.
Haruto grinned. "Earthquake!"
Before Seshiru could give a command, Mamoswine quickly shoved his front legs into the ground, and the field began to shake. Poliwrath slightly stumbled over, but he managed to keep his balance by holding his arms out to the sides.
"And Icicle Crash!" Haruto commanded quickly.
Mamoswine stopped the shaking and then bounded forward. The ice formed around the front side of his body once again, and he prepared to send Poliwrath flying.
"Liquidation!" Seshiru yelled.
Poliwrath put his arms together and waited. Aquatic energy surrounded him, and when Mamoswine was close, he swung. He hit the Ice-type directly in the snout, knocking him back and putting a stop to Icicle Crash.
"And if they're going to do combos, then we will too! Psychic!" Seshiru exclaimed.
Poliwrath stuck out his mitt-like hands and then focused. A purple aura radiated off of him and surrounded Mamoswine. He tried to lift the behemoth of a Pokémon into the air, but Mamoswine fought back, and Poliwrath's efforts were useless.
"We have to change things up in that case!" Seshiru exclaimed. "Dynamic Punch!"
"Keep them back with Rock Slide!"
Upon releasing his psychic grasp, Poliwrath charged explosive chakra into his fist. He started to run down the field, but Mamoswine was ready. The ground type blasted chunks of the field and rocks at Poliwrath, who tried to fight back. However, it was simply too overwhelming for the Water-type.
"Heavy Slam!"
Mamoswine charged through the remaining debris of the rocks and then swung his massive body around. Just like before, he landed directly on Poliwrath, and everything went silent. Mamoswine shifted his eyes and smiled, thinking that his full body attack had done the job once again. But then, surprise came over his face as he felt Poliwrath stir.
Everyone gasped as Mamoswine was slowly lifted into the air. Poliwrath gripped onto his opponent's back while he struggled to stand up. He held Mamoswine on his beefy shoulders, and although he felt as though his knees could buckle at any moment, he managed to stand up straight in an incredible feat of strength.
"Amazing! Poliwrath, although tired and worn down from the battle, has managed to lift the entirety of Mamoswine!" the announcer yelled.
"Now with nowhere to run, use Dynamic Punch!"
Poliwrath kept the now struggling Mamoswine balanced on his shoulders. He focused energy into his fist and then glanced. In another brilliant feat of strength, he let go with his right arm and then swung, launching the larger Pokémon into the air. Mamoswine crashed into the ground, smoke surrounding him. The referee didn't need to examine him though, as he quickly stood back up, now slightly wobbly from confusion.
This thing just won't stay down, Seshiru thought. "Use Liquidation!"
Poliwrath breathed heavily, but he stood up straight and put his arms together. It was slow to get started, but he started to run down the field as quickly as he could manage.
"I don't think so! Earthquake!" Haruto commanded.
Mamoswine didn't have to move much. He opted to lift one of his front legs, which he plunged into the ground. The field shook, and now Poliwrath fell over, unable to keep his balance.
"Don't give them any opportunities!" Haruto shouted. "Icicle Crash!"
"Liquidation! You can do it!"
Mamoswine slowly allowed his tusks to crystalize with ice. He huffed and then started a slow charge down the field. Poliwrath kept his arms together, and he stood back up. This time, he opted to stand still and wait. He held his arms up, prepared to bat when the time came. Eventually, Mamoswine picked up speed, and the two collided, causing an explosion of ice and mist, which cloaked both of them. When the wind carried the mist away, both Pokémon were left on the ground, toppled onto one another.
"Both Mamoswine and Poliwrath are unable to battle!" the referee said.
"A double knock-out, which means that Seshiru is left with three Pokémon and Haruto with two!" the announcer shouted. "Who will be their next Pokémon?"
Seshiru withdrew Poliwrath and smiled at his Poké Ball. "Relax. You did great, Poliwrath." She looked over at Haruto, who was collecting Mamoswine and thinking over his next choice. "We're going with Starmie!"
Seshiru's Starmie appeared on the field and did a cartwheel before slowly coming back down to the ground.
Haruto grabbed his next Poké Ball and threw it upward. A Torkoal materialized, and the heat in the stadium suddenly became intense.
Sora closed his eyes. "That Torkoal is strong. But, so is Starmie. With the solar energy that's running through the field right now, there's no saying how this battle will go down."
"Torkoal was originally discovered in Hoenn, which tells me that Haruto has had this Pokémon for a while. It's going to be difficult for Seshiru to pick up the win, even with an advantage," Himawari said.
"But I also think that Seshiru has had Starmie for a long time! Let's not count them out!" Yurie exclaimed.
"Torkoal, start things strong! Use Eruption!" Haruto directed.
With the heat of the field and a healthy body, Torkoal's attack was set to be one of the strongest from the tournament up to this point. He crouched, and the top of his shell bubbled with heat. With one quick heave, he launched flames and rocks from his back, directing them straight for Starmie.
"Get around it!" Seshiru commanded.
Starmie was quick. It took into the air, narrowly avoiding a direct blast from the attack. It spun around, prepared for Seshiru's order.
Hydro Pump won't do what we need it to do right now. We'll have to whittle it down for a while, Seshiru thought. "Thunderbolt!"
Starmie spun around in the air and then unleashed electric sparks from its body. The attack was fast and the sparks zapped into Torkoal, stunning him momentarily.
"And let's switch a Psychic!"
Starmie stopped spinning and then focused its energy. The red jewel in the middle of its body began to glow.
"Amnesia," Haruto commanded.
Torkoal looked up at Starmie, and the expression on his face was blank, as though he had forgotten something. He took the attack from Starmie, a purple aura surrounding his body, but he did it without flinching.
"That is a high-level Torkoal," Seshiru muttered.
"And we're about to show you how low-level your Starmie is. Use Solar Beam! Wipe them out!" Haruto commanded.
Torkoal's expression changed, and he lowered his head. The hole on his shell started to glow with yellow solar energy, and in an instant, he launched a beam of energy into the air. However, Starmie was still too fast and got out of the way. One of her limbs was hit, and she was sent into a spiral, but she managed to recover.
"If we don't do it now, then we might not get a chance," Seshiru exclaimed. "Hydro Pump!"
"Flamethrower!"
The two Pokémon launched their long-distance attacks, which met in the middle of the field. Steam filled the air as the attacks fought against one another in a battle of fire versus water. Usually, a Hydro Pump would have extinguished the flames and then connected with Starmie's target. But the solar energy fueled Flamethrower and drained Hydro Pump of its power, making them even.
"And now with you stuck in a struggle, you won't be too hard to hit," Haruto said. "Solar Beam!"
Torkoal quickly stopped his attack and then leaped into the air. He pointed his shell at Starmie and then launched his attack. It met with Hydro Pump but easily sliced through it before landing a direct hit on Starmie's red jewel. It was knocked back and smacked against the field.
"Recover!" Seshiru ordered quickly, not wanting to give Haruto any time.
Starmie remained flat on the field as it started to repair itself. It glowed with bright energy, and the cracks in its jewel slowly healed.
"Finish this! Solar Beam!" Haruto commanded.
Torkoal heaved before launching one more beam of solar power from his body, this one straight down the field.
"Dodge!"
Starmie spun around, kicking up the dirt around its body, and then took into the air. The light beam came through the dust and dirt but completely missed Starmie.
"And Thunderbolt!"
It spun around again and flew across the field. Its body cracked as electric sparks were generated. The sparks came down onto Torkoal, and the Fire-type let out a loud groan. He took a step back and stuttered as electricity pulsed around him.
"Paralyzed!" Seshiru exclaimed excitedly.
Then, everyone in the stadium breathed a sigh of relief as it began to cool down. The solar energy had finally faded away.
Seshiru snapped her fingers. "Hydro Pump!"
Starmie spun around as quickly as it could, launching a cold blast of water from its body. It engulfed Torkoal, who remained still the entire time. When the attack finally came to an end, Torkoal still stood on his four legs, making the crowd gasp. But then, he fell flat onto his stomach.
"Torkoal is unable to battle! Starmie is the winner!" the referee announced.
"How does she do it?! Seshiru managed to fight off multiple strong attacks and even the weather, which has allowed her to get this far in the battle! Haruto is officially down to one last Pokémon! Can he make a comeback?" the announcer asked while Haruto withdrew Torkoal.
"She might actually do it," Logan said with a smile. "Three Pokémon left against Haruto's last."
Maleah folded her arms. "We'll see. Best to not count your Torchic before they hatch."
"What will be Haruto's last Pokémon?" the announcer wondered.
Haruto grinned and then tossed his ball into the air. Steelix, the same one that Logan had struggled against, appeared from the light and let out a roar. Haruto was yet to use Steelix in the Indigo Conference, so the crowd was surprised by its presence.
"You've had a certain problem in the tournament, haven't you?" Haruto asked while raising his wrist.
"What?" Seshiru asked. Her eyes widened when she realized what Haruto was doing.
"Steelix, use Sandstorm, and let's mega evolve!"
Steelix roared, and the sand around the field whipped up into a frenzy. Haruto and Steelix were surrounded by ultraviolet energy, only adding to the hecticness of the attack. The energy exploded off of Steelix, revealing his new form. Shards of broken steel floated around him, and some of his spikes had turned to diamond.
"We're gonna take you down whether or not we can mega evolve!" Seshiru stated. "Hydro Pump!"
Starmie, now on the ground, lowered its top appendage before blasting another stream of powerful water forward. Steelix spun his body around, and the sandstorm intensified, allowing him to move out of the way.
"Stone Edge!" Haruto shouted.
Seshiru couldn't see what was happening, but she could hear Steelix moving around. The Steel-type jammed his tail into the ground and uplifted five pillars of stone. He launched them from the thick of the storm, and Starmie was too hurt from the battle prior to dodge. It took the whole attack before slumping over.
The referee could only keep one eye open as the sand blew violently. They raised their flag, which whipped around in the wind. "Starmie is unable to battle! Steelix is the winner!"
"Does everyone have a Pokémon that can mega evolve?" Seshiru wondered while returning Starmie. She regarded the Steel-type and took in a deep breath. "We'll work with what we have! Go, Wigglytuff!"
"Wiggly!" her Pokémon cried out. As soon as she took notice of the storm, she became irritated and puffed out her cheeks. "Tuff!"
"A Fairy-type against a Steel-type?" Logan wondered. "Is she out of options?"
"Wigglytuff, use Dazzling Gleam!"
Wigglytuff's eyes glowed and she howled. She unleashed a bright light from her body, but Steelix once again used the sandstorm to cloak himself, effectively making the attack do nothing.
"Steelix, finish this quickly with Heavy Slam!"
Steelix slithered through the sandstorm and then lifted his heavy body into the air. He spun around slightly and then started to fall, prepared to crush Wigglytuff.
"Dodge!"
"Tuff!" the Fairy-type cried out as she narrowly avoided the strike. The blast from Steelix's landing knocked her to the side, but she quickly got to her feet.
"Use Focus Blast, Wigglytuff!" Seshiru ordered.
Wigglytuff put her small arms together, and an orb of chakra emerged. She held it to the side and then blasted it down the field, blowing some of the sand to the side. The chakra continued until it hit Steelix, causing a loud clang to resonate through the stadium. Steelix's body was dragged along the ground, and he disappeared into the storm again.
"Lock them down!" Haruto shouted. "Stone Edge!"
Five more stone pillars quickly escaped the storm and crashed around Wigglytuff's body. It wasn't Steelix's goal to strike with them, but rather trap Wigglytuff, which he did to perfection.
"And finish with Heavy Slam!"
Steelix's large body slinked across the field, and he came from the sandstorm. He raised his head high and grinned at Wigglytuff before he slowly turned around and started to fall.
"I'm sorry, Wigglytuff, but it's our only option. Use Misty Explosion!"
It wasn't going to do a lot, but Wigglytuff knew to trust her trainer. She closed her eyes, and her entire body started to glow. Then, moments before Steelix could land, Wigglytuff imploded, sending pink energy around the field. It didn't put a stop to Steelix, but it also made sure that he didn't use his attack without hurting himself. Steelix slowly pulled away and grunted as he observed the unconscious Wigglytuff. The sandstorm then slowly faded away, and the crowd could see the winner.
"Wigglytuff is unable to battle! Steelix is the winner!" the referee announced.
"And just like that, these two trainers are on even ground!" the announcer shouted.
"Does Seshiru have any more tricks?" Himawari asked.
Yurie looked up into the sky, hoping for black clouds and lightning, but there was no sign of inclement weather. She cracked her fingers out of worry. She couldn't think of any of Seshiru's Pokémon that could pull off the victory against her brother's Steelix.
Seshiru withdrew Wigglytuff, regarded her Poké Ball, and then looked at the field. She grabbed her final Poké Ball, a Dive Ball, and then held it to her side.
"I was hoping to beat you with one Pokémon remaining. I've wanted to keep this Pokémon hidden until the finals, but I thought that it'd come in handy in our battle. I knew that you weren't going to be easy. So, you should know that you've pushed me to my limit, Haruto."
Haruto grinned. "It looks like your limit isn't enough."
Seshiru threw the ball into the air, and it popped open. A long and large Pokémon materialized onto the field, roughly the same size as Steelix. It let out a terrifying roar, which scared the audience.
"What-what is this?!" the announcer asked. "A red Gyarados?!"
Logan folded his arms. "Of course she has a red Gyarados. Why am I simultaneously in disbelief but not surprised at all?"
"You may think that you have me beat because of your advantage, but Steelix has won more battles for me than I can count. You're not walking into the finals, Seshiru. That's a promise," Haruto said.
"We're going to win this," Seshiru said. She snapped her fingers. "Dragon Dance!"
"In that case, we'll start up a sandstorm once more!"
As arcane energy surrounded the crazed Gyarados, Steelix started to spin and whip up sand yet again.
"Aqua Tail!" Seshiru ordered once her Pokémon stopped charging energy.
Gyarados let out a terrible cry and then started to slither down the field. He raised his large tail and surrounded it with aquatic energy. He swung, and Steelix took the hit directly, seemingly not bothered.
"Show them how weak they are! Use Stone Edge!" Haruto commanded.
Steelix dug his tail into the ground and ripped the pillars into the air. Gyarados had nowhere to run, and he was pelted with the pillars one by one, forced backward.
Gyarados' eyes were filled with rage, and he looked back at Seshiru, waiting for her command.
"Giga Impact!"
"And respond with Heavy Slam!"
The two Pokémon charged at one another. Gyarados was hoping for a head-on collision, but at the last second, Steelix lifted into the air and came crashing down. He didn't flatten Gyarados as he had hoped, but Gyarados was stopped in his tracks. And since he had used such a powerful attack, he was frozen from the energy he had to exude.
"I told you," Haruto said. "Another Stone Edge!"
Within seconds, Gyarados was berated with more stones. Although it was not of his own volition, the Water-type was forced to move backward. However, Steelix and Haruto weren't finished yet.
"Iron Tail!" he shouted. He snapped his fingers, mocking Seshiru's mannerism.
Steelix swung his body around, slamming his large tail into Gyarados. The beastly Water-type was flung into the air, and he came back down to the ground with a crash. The crowd watched in disbelief as a Pokémon that was said to be one of the strongest in Kanto was manhandled.
But then, everyone was relieved as Gyarados' head emerged from the smoke. They cheered, knowing that their home region girl had more fight in her.
"Aqua Tail!"
"Iron Tail!"
The two Pokémon swung their massive bodies, clashing in the middle of the field. The two struggled as water met steel. They pushed and fought, but neither one of them was going to give in.
Seshiru snapped her fingers. "We'll end it! Outrage!"
Gyarados didn't need to retreat to use his attack. Instead, he roared, and purple flames blasted from his gaping mouth. He glared at Steelix and started his rampage. He headbutted Steelix and then quickly engulfed the Steel-type in arcane fire. He moved his body to the side and dragged his tail along the surface of Steelix's head. The Steel-type fell backward and crashed into the thick sandstorm.
"You got this!" Seshiru shouted.
Gyarados raced forward to continue his onslaught. But then, from the sandstorm, one stone pillar shot off like a rocket. It collided with Gyarados right below the face. Another followed, hitting Gyarados in the cheek. Then there were three more, which pelted Gyarados relentlessly.
Haruto snapped his fingers once more and grinned. "Iron Tail."
Steelix groaned and whipped his body around. He smashed his tail into the middle of Gyarados' body and dragged the Water-type around momentarily. When he came to a stop, he recoiled and looked down to observe his opponent. Gyarados was unmoving.
"No," Seshiru muttered.
"Gyarados is unable to battle!" the referee exclaimed. "Haruto and Steelix are the winners!"
The crowd clapped and cheered. There was a palpable feeling of disappointment throughout the stadium, as Seshiru was the final competitor from Kanto in the tournament. Many knew of her comeback story and were hoping that she'd be able to pull off the win. But suddenly, her journey was over.
Seshiru withdrew Gyarados and sighed. She looked over at Haruto, who nodded before taking a short bow. Seshiru did the same. She waved to the crowd, who cheered for her one last time.
Seshiru came to the backroom but paused at the door before opening it. She wasn't sure what she'd say when she saw Logan, who she knew was waiting for her. She opened the door, and he was the first thing that she saw. He had a gentle smile on his face.
"I'm sorry," she muttered. "I promised that it'd be me and you, but I choked. I'm sorry, Logan."
Logan opened up his arms and then hugged her. "You're amazing, Seshiru. If you couldn't beat him, then what should make me think that I could?"
Seshiru didn't cry this time, but she hugged Logan back. "If anyone in this tournament is gonna beat Haruto, it's you."
Logan looked up at the screen. His picture was right next to Haruto's; the final battle for the Indigo Conference was set.
"You're in the finals again!" Yurie cheered as Logan and Seshiru walked into the Pokémon Center lobby. "This will be your year! I can feel it!"
"It's against your brother though," Seshiru said. "Aren't you a bit conflicted? Wait, who were you cheering for when I was battling?"
Yurie wasn't sure how to answer, so she just smiled.
"And what a way to use Manectric. I knew he'd come in handy. Didn't I do a good job raising him?" Himawari asked.
Logan held up the Premier Ball. "Thank you so much for taking care of him! He's incredibly healthy and a lot stronger than I could have imagined." He took in a deep breath and looked up at the massive screen that displayed replays of the matches from the day. It showed his face next to Haruto's, and the play-by-play and color commentators were giving their thoughts and predictions for the next day's match.
"One more battle," he muttered.
"There's always one more battle, kid," a deep voice called from behind.
Logan's eyes widened. He hadn't heard the voice in years. It was a voice he was unsure he'd ever hear again. It was a Unovan accent with a hint of the Driftveil twang, an accent that he hadn't heard for such a long time, and he almost forgot what it sounded like. It was nostalgic and relaxing to hear, but it also sent a wave of unexplained anxiety through Logan's spine. He was terrified to turn around, but slowly, he did. His friends watched in confusion as Logan had a small, but very visible, panic attack. But soon, Logan was looking into a pair of blue eyes that mirrored his own.
"Don't get relaxed just yet," the man said sternly. He was a chunky man with a thick black beard, a single stripe of grey giving it color. He had a round belly, but his arms and shoulders were massive, making him slightly intimidating. He held his arms up, and his expression changed, his eyes becoming gentle. "C'mere."
"Dad," Logan said softly as he walked forward. His arms fell to his sides, and then he collapsed into his dad's chest while he was embraced tightly. He tried to get his arms around his dad, but they weren't long enough. It didn't matter though. He hugged him as hard as he could, and no matter how hard he fought, he couldn't keep his tears back. He buried his head into his dad's shoulder, hiding the fact that he was crying. "Dad."
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Well then.
I'm going to wait for a little bit to post up the next chapter (Part 1 of a 2 part battle). I want to give everyone some time to catch up, and I'm interested in your speculation! Who is going to be taking home the Indigo Conference Trophy?!