A/N:

Hey guys! Yes, I am still alive. I sincerely apologize for the longer waiting time - almost two months. I didn't get writer's block or anything; rather, life just kinda got in the way. Hope that the longer chapter will make up for it somewhat. Nearly twenty thousand words are in this chapter, making it the longest yet. But then again, a lot of stuff happens in this chapter, so that is pretty fitting.

I don't own pokémon, or any of the franchises associated with this story. All I own are my characters.

As always, special thanks to Umix3 for reviewing the lemon scenes, and thanks to Lunar Knight Archangel (formerly Archangel2462) for beta reading the chapters. Lastly, I would like to thank each and every one of you for reading this story. Recently, this story reached a hundred followers and 16,000 views. Without you all, this wouldn't have even been remotely possible, so thank you so much.

If you enjoy reading, please consider leaving a review. I always enjoy your all's feedback.

"…" - Spoken dialogue

Italics - Michael's thoughts

'Italics' - Telepathic dialogue

/\/\/\ - Lemon Scene


"A life lived in fear is a life half-lived."

-Baz Luhrmann


Ch. 15 - The Solstice Battle

Michael stood impatiently in line, ready for the cashier to cease her conversation with the shopper. Right now, mean as it may sound, he did not care about how their days had gone, or how long it had been since they were in high school together. He knew such thoughts sounded kind of arrogant, but she was there to move people along so they could get out of the store, not converse about her personal life with customers. And he didn't have much time to do this.

He had managed to convince the girls to go off for the day after withdrawing some money from the ATM. With only two weeks until Christmas, he still had some shopping to do. For Thomas, John, and Kevin - those who he faced more difficulty shopping for, as he didn't know what they wanted - he got Ᵽ200 prepaid cards. He had taken care of Samuel's and Wesley's at the local gunsmith; for Wesley, he chose a new, custom-engraved grip for his Kimber 1911, and for Samuel he had gotten a small Ruger .380 that he had caught on sale for concealed carry. That was gonna be a hell of a time to ship. Alex had been very easy to shop for - three video games and a new headset.

Finally, the line was able to progress. By the looks of things, he wasn't the only one irritated. He set his things down on the counter, fishing out his wallet. "Hey there, did you find everything alright?" the cashier asked in a friendly tone, as though she had not inconvenienced everyone in her line.

"Yes, I found everything just fine." She rang up his items and took his payment; he wasted no time in leaving. Alright, I still gotta get something for the girls… and for Zeke. Hell, what would he even want? Maybe he could give him a prepaid gift card, much like he had the others. But then again, he was more familiar with the zoroark than he was with those other comrades. I'll have to think it over, he concluded as he walked back, bags in hand.

…..

Michael hid the girls' gifts under the unused bed in his room, fully wrapped and all. It looked as though he had done so just in time, too - he could hear the girls approaching in the hallway. He hurriedly stood up, taking care to look casual as he opened the door. "Hey, how was your all's day?" he asked.

"Great," Charlotte replied, "we went to several places."

"Oh? Such as?"

"Well, we went back out to the market. They've got this neat section that has foods from all over the world… might have bought a few things while we were there," she chuckled. Behind her, he could see Ver approaching with several bags in hand. Huh, you don't say…

"That's what I gave you all money for, babe," he laughed. "Did you… uh… see any assemblers?"

"Nope," Layla said. "I think the assholes have left the city now."

"Really? That's a relief," Michael said.

"Yeah," Ver said, "I hope their boats sink."

"Ah, I don't think we could be so lucky. Did you do anything else?" Charlotte nodded, then continued.

"We went to see a movie. Didn't have to pay for Alaina. Invisibility does have some perks, right?"

"You could say that," Alaina replied.

"What did you go see?" Michael asked curiously.

"The Girl with the Dragonair Tattoo. I thought it was pretty good."

"Wait, so you all didn't go for a romance for once?" That was kind of out of character for them.

"Why would we need to when we have the real thing?" Layla asked.

"Good point." Hopefully, this meant that movie night would be a whole lot more fun for all of them.

They went into the room without the gifts, and Michael watched as they sorted through the things they had bought - mainly poképuffs, which Alaina began to organize on top of the desk via telekinesis. Watching her, he realized that there was something that he didn't really know about her - her moveset. Granted, that would be important if she was considering doing any batting.

"Alaina, I just realized that I don't know what moves you know." It came to him as surprising that he didn't know such simple information about a legendary that had been with them for months - one that he had even slept with several times.

"Let's see… I know psychic, dragon pulse, mist ball, recover, surf, and ice beam. I've tried using draco meteor before… but it's been inconsistent…" Michael had to admit that she had a pretty solid moveset. But if we could get her to fully utilize draco meteor… damn, I don't know what would be able to take a hit like that…

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he barely realized Charlotte approach him. She had taken a bite out of a poképuff - one with thick, pink cream - and held it out to him.

"These are amazing," she said through a full mouth. "Here, try it." Michael hesitantly stared at the treat, then at her beaming expression, before taking an experimental bite. It only took him a second to hand it back. Shit… that's way too sweet. How the hell could they like that stuff? He made his way to the bathroom and proceeded to rinse his mouth out. "Aww, c'mon - you're being dramatic," she said, hopping onto the counter. He looked up at her, his face now wet.

"I don't understand how anyone could like something that sweet. Arceus, I can't get the taste outta my mouth…"

"Here, let me help with that." The braixen placed her paw to his cheek, drawing him in and pressing her mouth to his. He felt her tongue part his lips, gently forcing entry into his mouth and tracing over his larger oral member. Though he could faintly taste hints of the treat in her breathe, he was greeted with the much better taste of his vixen's essence. She swirled around his tongue before withdrawing, sporting a wide, adorable smirk. "How's that?"

"Much better," he said, stifling a laugh. "Now, I promise, I will be tasting more of you tonight, but we've all got some stuff to talk about for now." Michael hoisted her up over his shoulder and carried her into the living room, where he first noticed Elise laying on her back, nibbling on a poképuff of her own. He sat beside her, setting Charlotte down on his lap. "Alright, so I've run through the possible match-ups that we could run against Leo.."

…..

The sun had all but set beneath the waves, turning the deep waters into a radiant orange. Both Zeke and Michael were reclined on the beach chairs, casually drinking. But whereas Zeke was sipping a martini, Michael was limited to a bottled soda. Apparently Cory wasn't kidding when she said that he'd have trouble finding another bartender that would be willing to serve him. In the horizon, they could see the faint outlines of several large ships approaching Cianwood's main ports.

"You know," Zeke began, "when this is all said and done… I wouldn't mind spending a year or two down here…"

"Huh? Like the place?"

"You could definitely say that," Zeke replied. "I mean, what isn't to like? Great food, mostly friendly people, nice scenery… yeah, I think I could live here for some time. Maybe settle down with a sleek dark type - maybe an absol if I could find one. Oh, or a mightyena."

"Ha, I sure as hell hope not. Ain't too fond of those things." Plus, the idea of the zoroark choosing a quadruped kind of brought him humor, but then again, he wasn't one to talk. "I think I could see you with a weavile." Zeke laid his head back and laughed. "Yeah, but they're damn tricksters from what I've heard."

"So, she'd be a perfect dark type then," Michael jokingly responded.

"Hey…" he tried to look upset, but his wolfish grin quickly dismissed the facade. "…Eh, I've got nothing - you're totally right." Michael shook his head, shifting his view back to the scenery, before continuing with a grin.

"And plus, you look like the kind of guy that would enjoy all that claw stuff. You'd totally be the submissive one in that relationship." The smile on Zeke's face vanished, and the humor seemed to completely drain from his expression. "What is it?" Michael asked confusedly.

"I wouldn't be worrying about him being dominated if I were you," Ver said from behind him. He froze up upon hearing the dragoness only a few feet behind him, unable to comprehend how she had managed to approach them so quietly. "What time did you agree to meet with us?

"Well, 4:30…" He looked at his phone. "Ver, I'm only a few minutes late, geez." Sensing an opportunity to get back at him, Zeke piped up.

"Aww come on, Veronica - don't you think it would be nice to give your little slave a little bit of time off?" Michael blushed, though he doubted either of them could see it in the dusk.

"Can it Zeke," she said threateningly before casting her gaze back towards Michael, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "Come on, up we go." She forcibly pulled him into her, then spread her wings, preparing to take off for their balcony.

"In case you didn't know, I can walk up there by myself just fine," he said, trying to escape her grasp. He was met with a lowly growl, then decided to stop resisting.

"Have fun with the claws," Zeke said as she took off. Alright, I'm gonna make sure to give him hell for that one… In mere seconds, they reached the balcony, to which Ver effortlessly lifted him over the railing before climbing over herself.

"You and that damn zoroark," she muttered. "Alright, come on - off to dinner. The others are waiting."

Throughout dinner, Michael contemplated his course of action. By Ver's tone and the fact that it was her night with, he could tell that he had the same thing in store as the previous three times they had gone at it - complete submission on his part. He loved the flygon with everything in him, but being pounded like a human sex-toy and waking up feeling like he had been hit with a freight train was getting old. It was time that they tried something new, and he'd be damned if he would let her be the one in charge of that. No… I think it's about time that she takes the receiving end of things…

An hour later, he found himself removing his clothes in front of the dragoness, ready to enact his plan. "Come on," she huffed, "you're taking too long." Finally, he removed his briefs, standing nude before her. He placed his hand on her shoulder, then traced it up her neck, eventually cupping her cheek. Michael claimed her lips softly, without any hint of control. She reciprocated his action, gradually forcing her way inside and sweetly taking the lead. Withdrawing, he embraced her, placing his cheek to the crook of her neck. He felt her tense up slightly.

"I love you," he said quietly, looking up at her soft expression.

"I love you too, my Michael," she said, giving him a loving, drawn-out lick along his cheek. She then went on to gently rake her claws across his back. "I hope you aren't trying to get out of tonight," she laughed.

"Oh trust me, I had nothing of the sort in mind," he said. Knowing that he likely wouldn't have perfect access like this again if he didn't act now, he claimed her neck, softly biting the tender spot.

"Ahh!" she gasped, her legs almost giving out from the stimulation. Now I've got you, you crazed flygon. For the first time since he had taken time off from the service, he utilized his combat skills. He quickly escaped her hold and slipped his arm around her back. Before she could react, Michael thrust her onto the bed and, pressing down on her shoulders, pinned her down. "Wh-what are you doing?" she asked nervously. In her eyes, he could see the look of fear and uncertainty.

"I've been thinking Ver," he said as he rubbed her neck, "thinking that it's time we try something new."

"What are you… talking about?" She was trying to fight it, but with his positioning, she was at his mercy. And the fact that he was assaulting her neck wasn't helping her.

"I think you know exactly what I'm talking about," he whispered. "What's it been four, five times now? Which ever, it's the same thing every time - I get pinned down by you, and you just have at it."

"S-so? You don't seem t-to mind…" Her cheeks were flushed red; she was now getting a taste of her own medicine.

"Oh Ver, that's just it - I do mind. Yeah, it feels good and all, and I love you with everything in me, but I can hardly walk the morning after. And you know what?" He rubbed her neck, massaging her as he kept her pinned down. "I think that part of you… wants to be submissive."

"Don't be ridiculous," she growled.

"Oh trust me, I'm not." She turned to look at him the best she could.

"Well then how on earth would you get an idea like that?" He leaned in closely to her face, making her blush grow more prominent.

"Because I know my sexy dragoness very well. You're too proud to give in to what you want - to be dominated by your trainer. Isn't that right?" She looked at him like a deer in the headlights.

"I…"

"Yeah, that's what I thought." He let off of her neck, instead rubbing along the length of her wings. "In fact, I'm willing to bet that you could have turned the tables on me all this time. You totally could have overpowered me, right Ver?" She didn't respond. He released his hold on her, but she didn't move; whether out of shock or embarrassment he couldn't tell. He moved up to her side, inches away from her flustered face. "Well, no matter." He pecked her on the lips, then hugged her neck. "I'm taking over this round - I'll make it worth your while." A faint nod was his only response, but the message was received. He got back up, then walked around to the end of the bed.

. . . . .

It was now the eighteenth of December - only three more days until the Solstice Battle. Michael and the girls were perfecting their attacks, and went over countless scenarios to prepare for any possible matchup. Ver had, in one of their flights, spotted a plateau amongst the nearby mountains that faced away from the city, out of sight. Such a place proved to be the perfect spot for Alaina to hone her skills alongside the others.

The latias first displayed her mist ball to Michael. The second he witnessed her power, he knew that Leo would come to a harsh realization - that there were those out there that could present him with a challenge. Even after witnessing first-handedly what the former champion's team was capable of, he seriously doubted that any of Leo's known team could pose a challenge to the legendary. Alaina was surely stronger than the others, and nobody even came close to matching her speed. Michael was confident that, if the need arose, she would be able to take out at least one of Leo's pokémon.

By 3:00, they were all ready to call it a day. Mounting Veronica, Michael recalled the others and flew into town. Upon landing, he released them again, and they began to browse around for a place to eat. They eventually decided on a small burger joint, which had a quaint, local atmosphere about it. Inside, roughly a third of the tables were occupied, as well as some of the seats at the bar. He made his way to the edge of the diner, reserving the only table that was big enough for his whole team. They each ordered their meals, engaging in short conversation while they waited, much to the surprise of several in the restaurant. Before long, their order was brought to their table by a waiter that looked to be a year younger than Michael. He began feeding Elise, as per his usual routine. He found great amusement in how she ate her fries, taking small bites until he popped the last bit of potato into her mouth. As they ate, he couldn't help but realize that their waiter was staring at them. Michael eventually waved him over, to which he approached, seemingly embarrassed that he had been caught. "Is something wrong?" Micheal asked.

"No," the waiter, by the name of River, stated. "I just couldn't help but notice… you're Higgs, right? Michael Higgs?" Swallowing his current bite, Michael nodded.

"Yep." Another individual at the bar turned slightly in his seat.

"Well congratulations on getting so far into the tournament," River said. "Haven't seen anything like what your team has brought to the table."

"Thanks, the girls have really taken care of me as a trainer," he said. Taking a napkin from the dispenser, he dabbed a small spot of ketchup on Elise's muzzle.

"So," the man at the bar began, "you think you'll be able to beat Leo?"

"I think it's gonna be a hard battle," Michael admitted, "but I don't see us losing it. What do you think?"

"Well, truth be told, it's gonna be hard to stop that one. He's come within inches of the regional champion several times. I'd give it a few years before he manages to defeat Lance."

"So then I'm guessing you think he's got this one in the bag, right?"

"I'll say this - the odds are definitely in Leo's favor. Can't remember the last time one of his pokémon was actually knocked out. Plus, the betting pools aren't exactly favoring a win for you."

"Then I guess we're going to make a few lucky people a lot of money," Layla simply stated. River retrieved a pitcher of iced tea, then went about refilling their drinks. He looked as though he was slightly troubled by something, though.

"I guess I should go ahead and tell you this… Leo's kind of a regular here. He uh… he usually swings by about now…" Of course, why not?

"That's fine. I see no reason as to why that should be a problem." River's statement held true; a few minutes later, the highly regarded trainer walked through the doors, wearing a black leather jacket. The room went relatively silent, all conversation coming to a halt as the customers shifted their focus towards the local celebrity. Michael noticed a trio of polymer ball holders on each side of his belt, containing pokéballs of various types. River met him at the cash register to take his order, albeit in an awkward silence.

"What's wrong, Riv?" Leo asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Anyways, I'll have my usual." The auburn-haired trainer turned aside, heading towards one of the bar seats. It was then that he noticed Michael. "No freaking way." Leo shook his head, bearing a slight grin. "I'll be damned - Michael Higgs. You're bigger than I thought," he said, extending his hand.

"Uh… thanks?" Michael returned the gesture.

"Looking forward to our match?"

"We sure are; we've had a lot of fun in the tournament. Can't wait to see how we do against you and your team."

"Same. Hope that you all will be able to give us a challenge. I know that my team is ready for a real fight." His tone came across as slightly cocky, but such an attitude was not unwarranted given his skill level.

"Well, the girls here really know how to kick some ass. I think it'll be close." Leo nodded.

"Hopefully," he said, looking them over. "So, gonna introduce me? I'd show ya mine, but most of them aren't with me at the moment. I've only got Raiden here, and he… well, he ain't much of a people person," Leo stated, tapping a ball with a prominent lightning bolt on it. Michael introduced the girls one by one, all except for Alaina, who was still utilizing her invisibility. "Pretty solid team - must've taken awhile to put together."

"Actually, I lucked into each one of these girls in the matter of two years."

"Really? That is pretty lucky. Took me the better part of eight years to gather my team. Started out in Hoenn, then spent some time in Kalos before settling down here. Damn if I didn't hate that place. Only good thing that came from Kalos as far as I'm concerned is Tina. Speaking of which, she can't wait to battle you," he said, motioning towards Ver.

"Well tell her that I'm ready for her," Ver stated. Leo looked somewhat amusedly at her, then back at Michael. "You must be military - on leave, I'm guessing. Those aren't out yet for the general population. What branch?" Michael was surprised by his perceptiveness, but maybe that was why he was such an elite trainer.

"Army."

"Well then I thank you for your service." At this point, Leo's meal had been fixed, and River was about to place it on a plate. "No, that's okay - I'm taking this one to-go." River nodded, then went about placing Leo's order in a large plastic bag. The trainer grabbed his food, then made his way to the door, before turning to look at Michael and the girls once more - this time, with a much more serious expression. "Michael, you seem like a neat guy, and your team is impressive. But know this - I've never lost a match in this tournament. When we battle, I will use everything in my power to take you out."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Michael replied, with an equally stern gaze. Leo smiled and nodded.

"Good, good. I will be counting down the hours. And who knows? With any luck… you might just get to see Raiden…" With that, he was out the door and on his way.

…..

It was now 3:00, the twenty-first of December - the day of the Solstice Battle. Michael stood on the balcony, dressed in a polo and khaki pants, and kept his focus on the stadium in the distance, able to hear the bustling activity even from his location. Cars surrounded the arena for both parking and tailgating, and a large blimp circled around it. By the looks of things, there would not be an empty seat inside. Vehicles had even been parked near the hotel and on the sides of the roads, among other places, and people walked along the shoreline in clusters, making their way to the stadium.

Ten minutes later, and it was almost time for them to head out. Michael and the girls were quiet, anticipating the match that was to come. Why the hell am I so nervous? he wondered. I mean damn, I've killed people without a second thought. What's another battle compared to going to war? But yet, no matter how he tried to reason it through, he couldn't deny the fact that he was on the edge. Maybe it was because of the fact that his girls were the very same way - particularly his glaceon. "Elise, please calm down sweetie," Michael said.

"I-I can't," she stammered. "I don't know if I'm cut out for this…" He knelt before her, pulling her into a hug.

"Look at me," he said, tilting her chin up. "I know you are. I have faith in all of you. Leo is a professional… I'll grant him that. But I know he doesn't have the bond that I do with my pokémon. That's what makes us such a strong team." Elise nuzzled into his neck as he rubbed down her back, briefly savoring her sleek fur before standing up once more.

"You're right," Layla said. "We've got this. Leo may be good, but we've got the better trainer." Alaina levitated to his side, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"It's almost time," she said. Casting a glance towards the digital clock on the alarm, he knew that she was right.

"Alright, let's go get Zeke." After a few words of affection, he returned all of them besides Alaina, who cloaked herself after politely requesting not to be recalled into the sphere. Michael walked into the hallway, stopping in front of Zeke's door. Before he could knock, the zoroark pulled the door open. "All set?"

"Yep. Let's go." The two, both wearing their aviators, made their way to the lobby. Already, there was news coverage around the stadium for the big event being displayed on the large plasma screen over the stone fireplace, being watched by dozens of people. Had any of them shifted their focus away from the screen, they would have realized that the very person about to take on the local champ was mere feet away from them. Going outside, they soon merged with the crowd of people heading to the stadium. "You know," Zeke began, "it would be a real shame to lose in front of all these people…"

Michael shot him an unamused glare.

"Not helping, Zeke."

"Relax, I was just kidding. You've got this. And even if you do lose, so what? All of you still had fun doing something that you missed doing. Whatever happens, you still came out on top." He hadn't thought about it that way, but it was true. If he lost, it would kind of be a let down. But at the end of the day, they still got to relive their campaigning days, if only for a short period of time. And he wouldn't have traded this trip for anything in the world - even if Leo beat them by a long shot. After all, it was on this very trip that he had come to explore his new relationship with the most valuable people in the world to him.

"I guess you're right. I mean, the girls and I would like to win this, but if we don't… then that's alright. Second place out of seven hundred people isn't too bad, and we still had a blast doing it."

"That's the spirit," Alaina happily said from over his shoulder. They finally reached the long line leading into the nearest entrance gate. Damn… well, at least we left an hour before the match… The two of them waited in line for what seemed like hours, but in reality was only about thirty minutes. As soon as the ticket salesman recognized who Michael was, both he and the zoroark were immediately waved through.

"They must've thought that I was one of your pokémon," Zeke laughed. "Oh well, I'm not complaining." They reached the sidelines of the field, watching as the final preparations were being made for the battle. Zeke looked to the side, then nudged Michael. "Smile for the camera," he said, grinning. Michael looked up at the main screen, seeing that one of the cameras had focused on them.

"Looks like Higgs has arrived," Scott said.

"Yep, and I've gotta say, I'm loving the matching shades with his zoroark," Mary stated.

"His zoroark?" Zeke growled. "Dammit woman, I ain't owned by anyone!" Michael had to stifle a laugh.

"What happened to you not complaining?"

"That was different," Zeke muttered.

"Ah, be a good boy and return to your pokéball," Michael joked. Zeke shook his head, visibly irritated with his current situation.

"Piss off." Grinning, Michael looked away, hearing Alaina giggle nearby. "You too," Zeke added.

The bleachers were packed, the thousands upon thousands of spectators having claimed their spots and watching the playbacks of both trainers' previous battles. Michael recognized the current scene as that of Leo's tyranitar plowing through Will's team, reminding him of the strength of their opponents. Speaking of which, the screen switched to a display of Leo, who had just entered the stadium, wearing the same sleek, black leather jacket he had seen three days before. He waved at the crowd, keeping up his nonchalant mannerism before making eye contact with Michael. Leo nodded, then leisurely walked along the sidelines, stopping upon reaching his end of the field. Looks like he thinks he's got this in the bag, Michael thought. The girls are about to wipe that smug grin off his face.

The minutes sped by as Michael tried to shut out the numerous noises in the stadium. Aside from the multitude of voices in the stands, he was annoyed by how Scott and Mary never seemed to shut up. I mean seriously, the battle hasn't even started yet. But then again, they were announcers - they were paid to do this, after all. Ugh, I guess I'm just on edge right now… He noticed at this point that his hands were clenched into fists. As if sensing his mental irritation, Alaina rubbed his shoulders. "Calm yourself," she whispered. He wanted to hug her, but such an action would surely cause confusion to any onlookers. He took an impatient glance at the clock - 4:24. The battle would begin in twenty minutes. As he scanned the stands, he couldn't find a single empty space amongst the thunderous crowd.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't realize the approaching figures to his left. "Company," Alaina whispered, causing him to shift his focus to the approaching duo. It was, of all people, Will and his gardevoir.

"Ah, it's been awhile. Come to watch the battle?"

"Sure have," Will stated. "This… this is going to be an interesting match. I've never suffered such a loss as I did against him…"

"Hah, now you know how I felt the second time I challenged you." Will seemed to gather his thoughts, then nodded.

"Ah, yes - three years ago, wasn't it?"

"A little over two."

"Yeah. Ours was an intense battle, was it not? My team and I were thoroughly exhausted afterwards, weren't we Clara?"

'Yes,' a feminine voice rang in Michael's head. He concluded that it came from the gardevoir, but had not seen her mouth move at all. 'I recall the feeling of your braixen's flames even to this day.' It was nice to know that his team had left an impression on Will and his pokémon, though a victory over them would have been preferred. Oh well, nothing that can be done about it now…

"Who do you see winning this?" Michael asked, both of them watching Leo as he conversed with several in the crowd. Will shook his head.

"I don't know," he said. "I can't tell." Out of the corner of his eye, Michael noticed that Clara seemed to be staring at him, making him feel slightly uncomfortable. Will turned around, catching on to what she was doing. "Clara, you can't go around looking into people's minds," he sharply stated.

'Forgive me,' she stated to both of them. 'He is just… I don't see him losing…'

"Oh? Rooting for Michael?" Will asked.

'I'd say so. I think he will win - he has a psychic imprint on his mind. One more powerful than any other I've ever seen before.' Michael had to fight the urge to panic. The gardevoir had seemingly been able to detect Alaina's mark, something that the latias had mentioned could happen. She flashed him a subtle, suggestive smirk. 'What have you been doing, Michael?'

"Clara, mind your own business," Will said. "Look, I'm sorry about—"

"No," Michael interjected, "it's fine." He hoped that she would simply leave it at that. An awkward silence prevailed, with nobody knowing how to start again. Zeke, for one, seemed to find humor in the situation, as evident by his wide grin. Finally, Clara broke the ice.

'What species is she?'

"For the love of Arceus - Clara, lay off!" Michael felt his latias's hand lightly rest on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring rub.

"It's alright," she whispered. "You can tell them." After all, if Alaina could potentially be used in this battle, she would have to be revealed at some point.

"She's uh… she's a latias…" For a moment, they stared at him with disbelief, until Will spoke up.

"You have… a latias?"

"Yeah."

'Where is she?' Clara asked.

"Right here," Alaina answered from behind him.

"Fascinating," Will murmured. "I'd love to see her in action." For a moment, he displayed the anticipation of an impatient child, but he quickly composed himself.

"Well, you might just," Michael replied, watching as Leo pulled out one of his pokéballs. He pressed the central button, releasing his skarmory, who looked up at him curiously. He knelt down, running his hand down her neck as he began to explain something to her.

The sun had nearly reached the horizon, causing for the arena to quickly dim. The stadium lights beamed to life, compensating for the lack of natural brightness. It was almost time. In the middle of the opposing wall, a large, glass trophy sat. Michael could faintly make out the silver gleam from inside of it - the tournament ring. The referee was currently adjusting his headset.

"Looks like it's about time," Will said. "The legendaries don't choose just anyone to partner with. You must be a fine trainer, and I hope that someday we may battle once again."

"Same here. I've learned a lot over the years, and I'd say my team and I are eager to take you all on again." Will grinned, then nodded.

"Well then I wish you the best of luck."

'As do I,' Clara added.

4:40. Four minutes until the match began. Drones began to hover over the battlefield, having cameras attached to them in order to capture every possible view of the upcoming action. The referee walked out into the center of the field, standing on the large pokéball logo. "Would the two trainers please approach the center?" he asked. Michael took off his aviators and handed them to Zeke.

"Good luck man," he said as Michael turned away.

"I think I'm gonna need a lot more than luck," Michael laughed. "But thanks." Both of the trainers walked out onto the field, each coming from opposing sides, until they met in the center, right in front of the ref. "Alright you two, I want a good, clean match. You know the rules - five pokémon each, no items, and no unsportsmanlike conduct. Is that understood?"

"Yes," they both said.

"Good." He nodded towards the announcers' box.

"Please stand for the national anthem," Scott said. The stadium fell silent as everyone stood, paying their respects to their region. The region that Michael had fought so hard to protect. Now that he had willingly sacrificed his life for the nation of Johto, the song felt all the more powerful to him, all the more patriotic. But there was something that he valued even more than his country, something far more precious to him. And now, it was time to fight for them, and show everyone what they could do.

The song concluded, and the referee fished something out of his pocket - a golden coin. The side that was facing up displayed a proud dragonite. "This is heads," he said before flipping it over, revealing a pokéball, "and this is tails. Browning, you get to call the coin toss."

"Heads," Leo stated. The ref flicked the coin upwards, letting it fall to the ground, to which it bounced a few times before settling. The pokéball stared up at them.

"Tails - Higgs has won the coin toss. Browning will be sending out his pokémon first!" Leo simply shrugged it off. The referee turned around and began to make his way off of the field. The two shook hands, as was custom before the match. It was impossible for Michael not to notice the four silver rings on Leo's fingers, two on each hand. Each had the same garnet stone inlaid within the ring, surrounded with golden letters that displayed his champion status within the local tournament. Before Michael could get to his position, Leo spoke.

"I'm sure you saw me talking to Ava earlier."

"Your skarmory?"

"Yeah. She'll be sitting this one out. You know why?"

"Please, do enlighten me."

"Because, quite frankly, I'm not going to worry about setting up entry hazards. I'm not going to try to win through slow, calculated strategy. We're going all out, and we're going to run you over." His smirk was no longer there; a harsh, cold expression took the place of his usually carefree grin.

"Like hell you will." Michael walked away, towards his end of the field.

"That was kind of rude of him," Alaina said.

"He's about to eat those words," Michael simply stated. "He doesn't know who he's up against." He stopped upon reaching the end of the field, then slowly turned around. Leo gripped a great ball in his hand, ready to defend his title for a fifth consecutive victory. For a brief moment, the crowd fell silent, and the only sound was that of the distant caws of the seagulls. Michael locked eyes with his opponent. It was time to break Leo's streak. Time to show his team that they weren't the only formidable competitors in the region. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the referee give a quick signal.

"Begin," he shouted. Leo immediately threw the ball, releasing his first pokémon of the battle. Materializing in front of the trainer was his garchomp, ready for the fight. His fangs were exposed in a slight, malicious grin, and his curved fins extended outwards like rugged daggers. Michael retrieved a luxury ball from his pocket, knowing just by the temperature who was inside of it. Leo shook his head as the glaceon was released onto the filed.

"The first matchup gives a double type advantage to Higgs," Mary said.

"That's not going to help them - Stryker, use metal claw!" The garchomp sprinted towards her, ready to slice the ice-type with its long, sharp claw.

"Barrier!" Elise nodded, setting up against physical attacks with the formation of a light blue screen around her body. Stryker's attack hit its mark; the garchomp delivered a swift, powerful swipe to her midsection. The claw had only managed to ruffle her fur.

"What? Shi—Stryker, use flamethrower!" He hopped back, charging up a jet of flame before exhaling the fire towards Elise, who hopped to the side to avoid it. She was only partially successful, though. The flames scathed her back, causing her to yelp. Despite her singed backside, she landed, ready to go.

"Ice beam!"

"Protect!" Stryker extended his arms, forming a protective barrier to block the threatening blast of ice that approached him. The attack spread upon hitting his barrier, forcing him to anchor himself. He growled as he was brought to his knees; Elise kept the vicious beam coming. "Get outta there!" Leo shouted. The garchomp had no other choice. He jumped back before the ice beam could shatter his defense, only managing to leap over it by mere inches. A fierce yet confused glare was cast towards his two opponents, and it was evident that he was unfamiliar with having to play defensively.

"Is it just me, or is Higgs giving Leo's garchomp a run for his money?" Scott asked.

"Elise, hit him with ice shard!" The icy crystals formed within a matter of seconds in front of his glaceon, quickly hurtling towards Stryker.

"Take them out with stone edge!" Stryker wasted no time in summoning dozens of small, pointed rocks, and launching them at the incoming icicles. Shimmers of light were sporadically spread about as rock collided with ice and shattered it. Trajectories were thrown off course as the countless collisions occurred, but Elise's attack still persisted on through the garchomp's countermeasure. He could only try to block the spears with his fins before they smashed into him.

"Oh! Garchomp has taken a serious hit!" Mary said in shock. Leo looked equally dumbfounded. The attack died down, the last projectile crashing into his shoulder and shattering upon impact. Stryker grimaced in pain from the frigid assault, baring his fangs at the glaceon and trembling with rage.

"Outrage!" Stryker gave in to his newfound rage, dashing towards Elise and striking with his extended fin. She narrowly ducked a swipe to her head from the enraged dragon.

"Elise, get away from him!" She was way too close to use any of her moves effectively, and though she had sharply increased her defense, a hit like that would surely prove painful. She jumped back as another strike barely missed her. Stryker immediately leaped towards her, closing the gap between them as soon as it had been created.

"Leo's garchomp doesn't seem to be letting up on the glaceon," Scott commented. She tried once more to escape his proximity, dodging his vicious attacks with small leaps in each direction. Stryker, in his outrage, caught on to her timing, and, as she managed to duck under one attack, immediately followed it up with a harsh kick to her underside. Elise was sent to the ground right in front of Michael.

"Oww…"

"And now Higgs's glaceon is down! That was a nasty hit she just took," Scott said. Stryker leaped into the air, ready to deliver a harsh jab to her.

"Roll to the side and use ice beam!" She rolled over, avoiding the piercing claws that sank into the ground near her previous position.

"Stryker, use protect!" He swiftly ripped his claws out of the ground, bringing his arms in front of himself and forming another protective barrier, but it was clear that he wasn't seeing straight after his bout of unrestrained aggression. The blunt of her attack hit him straight in the chest before he could defend himself.

"G…garrr…" he growled as he clutched his chest, barely able to hold off the subzero blast.

"Get away from her!" Stryker stumbled off to the side before haphazardly dodging the rest of her attack. He had noticeable trouble in keeping his balance, the results of both using outrage and taking a hit. If she could manage to land a blizzard, then he would surely go down.

"Mary, I'm not so sure that garchomp can take another hit like that."

"I don't know, throughout all of Leo's years here, I've never seen his garchomp go down…" Well that's about to change…

"Follow it up with ice shard!"

"Counter with flamethrower!" Unlike last time, Stryker was able to completely overcome her attack, and the torrent of flame approached her. But Michael had planned for this.

"Mirror coat!" Immediately, she shielded herself with a cyan barrier, reflecting the attack straight back at the garchomp. He jumped to the side to avoid his own fire, unaware of what was about to come. "Quick! Follow it up with blizzard!" She braced herself, preparing to unleash pure devastation on the garchomp. Elise inhaled, then released a brutal flurry towards the vulnerable dragon.

"Stryker, protect!" Again? Well, he's about to get a rude awakening. Having relied on it three times within the last few minutes, Stryker's protective move was visibly losing its effectiveness. He held out the best he could, causing the blizzard to spread around him. He dug his feet into the ground, trying to withstand the attack that was quickly overpowering him. "Hold it - don't let a little cold get the better of you!" Taking everyone by surprise, the garchomp was forced to his knees. "Wh-what?!" Elise overcame him; his barrier was shattered. All Stryker could do was cover his face as the vicious winds overcame him. Leo watched as one of his pokémon was swept off of his feet, unable to rise again. The crowd seemed to go ballistic upon seeing the former champion's garchomp fall. After all, who would have expected one of Leo's pokémon to go down?

"Did… that just happen?" Mary asked. Sure enough, the screens overhead confirmed it. Leo's total dropped to four remaining.

"It's been years," Scott said, "years since I've seen a knockout against Leo…" At that moment, Michael couldn't help but savor the look on his opponent's face. Confusion and shock plastered his face as he slowly returned Stryker. He quickly regained his usual demeanor.

"Alright," he yelled from across the field, "That was just because of the type matchup! Two can play at that game!" With that, he threw out his next choice - the blaziken - who took his combat stance, engulfing his wrists in flames. Michael and Elise weren't exactly in the best of positions anymore; now, her only attack option was shadow ball, and she was already hurt from her previous fight. It was very unlikely that she would be able to last long against the fire/fighting-type.

"Elise, use shadow ball!" She charged the violet orb quickly, then released it towards her new opponent.

"Counter it with shadow claw, Apollo," Leo said. The blaziken, in turn, responded with a slash of his claws, flinging the orb aside without much effort. Damn, there goes that idea… "Good, now hit her with a blaze kick!"

"Don't let him get near you! Use shadow ball again!" She launched the attack a second time at the incoming blaziken. It collided with his chest, making him flinch, but not enough to deter him from attacking her. Apollo closed in on the weakened glaceon and planted a fiery kick right in her side. She was flung back, rolling to an ungraceful stop at Michael's feet.

"It now looks like Higgs is also down one," said Scott. "But that glaceon sure as heck put up a fight."

"Are you okay?" he asked gently. Elise slowly nodded, looking up at him exhaustedly.

"Y…yeah," she replied, barely above a whisper. He knelt down, taking out her ball.

"Would you be upset if I recalled you?" he asked, knowing fully well the answer to his question.

"Not… at all," she said.

"You did great out there. The others will take it from here." He pushed the button on her ball, returning her to its confines. "Alright," he said quietly to Alaina, "let's see how he likes this." He released Charlotte onto the field, who immediately withdrew her stick. "Char, take it away!" Leo wasn't going to wait for her to acclimate to the situation, and immediately gave an order.

"Apollo, use sky uppercut!"

"Psyshock!" Charlotte formed the crystal-like substances around her incoming opponent, crashing them into him before he could land his punch. The violet crystals struck painfully, giving of a resounding smack as they collided with Apollo's body.

"And Leo's blaziken is stopped dead in his tracks. That one looked like it stung."

"Shake it off and use aerial ace on her!" There was only a few yards between the two of them; if he managed to land that attack, then Charlotte's time on the field would be drastically reduced.

"Use flamethrower on him!" She thrust her stick forward, launching a harsh flame at her opponent, who continued to run through the fire. Michael knew that the blaziken could likely take such an attack all day, but he was trying to create a window of opportunity for Charlotte to safely put some distance between the two of them. Much to their luck, Apollo had kept his eyes shut while traversing through the heat before leaping towards the braixen; he wasn't looking where he was going. "Slide under him!" Charlotte immediately ceased the attack, running at Apollo, who had jumped towards her, and slid under him. His kick sailed harmlessly above her, leaving him surprised as he opened his eyes and found that she was nowhere to be seen.

"Now - use psybeam!" He swiftly turned around to see the bright beam take over his vision.

"Oh! He took that one straight to the face!" Scott shouted. Apollo stumbled back, almost losing his balance.

"Alright, that's it! Use quick attack!" Before Michael could give a command, Apollo quickly rammed into her with his full weight. The braixen fell on her back, moving hastily to get back to her feet. "Now use return!" Michael watched as he planted his foot into her midsection, sending her to the ground violently.

"Now it's looking like the braixen is in trouble," Scott continued. "That one really did a number on her…" Michael agreed; Charlotte looked to be in rough condition. But what the announcer hadn't mentioned was that Apollo looked to be suffering in his own regard. After having taken not one, but two powerful psychic attacks, his pain was evident in his stance alone.

"I think you could finish him off with one more psychic attack," Alaina commented. Yeah, definitely.

"Char, use psyshock!" Exhausted as she was, she materialized the violet crystals once more around the blaziken.

"Quick attack!" He rushed towards the smaller fire-type, ready to ram into her and finish the fight.

"Jump to your left!" Charlotte lunged away from Apollo's pathway, barely managing to avoid him as he sped by. He came to a sliding halt, quickly turning to face the braixen, visibly irritated. However, he seemed to forget the fact that her attack was closing in on him.

"Use shadow claw," Leo said. Apollo frantically slashed the crystals, destroying them before they could land a hit.

"Now Charlotte! Use psybeam!" She tiredly held out her stick, launching the beam out of the flame on the tip. Apollo was powerless to do anything; the beam connected with him. The blaziken's knees buckled, and he fell to the ground.

The deafening roar of the crowd resounded as Leo withdrew his fallen starter in disbelief. Not one, but two of his prized pokémon had been taken down in a battle that he had figured would be an easy win. Now he was being forced to face the ugly reality that he had not taken his opponents seriously enough.

"And that's two for Higgs! This is just… unbelievable!" Leo gripped an ultra ball in his hand, ready to release his next choice. Michael recognized the ball as that of Leo's tyranitar.

"I may have underestimated you," Leo called out, "but you won't be taking my title!" With that, he threw the ball, bringing out his feared rock-type. "They've already taken out Stryker and Apollo," Leo told his pokémon. "Don't take them lightly, Everett!" The tyranitar nodded, then scoped out his competition. It was then that Michael noticed the tyranitar's expression had changed from a look of indifference to a subtle grin.

The presence of the rock and dark-type made nearly all of Charlotte's moves useless, and her exhaustion certainly wasn't helping. Alright, we could probably get a shot or two in. I'll need Layla to take him out, though. "Char, use shock wave!" She shot a weak bolt of electricity at her opponent, clearly not far from going down. Everett took the hit without much to show for it.

"That didn't seem to hurt him at all," Mary remarked.

"Everett, take her out with stone edge!" The ground rose from around the tyranitar; sharp, stone-like structures formed from the earth before being hurled towards Charlotte.

"Dodge them!" Michael said. She leaped to the side, avoiding the first projectiles, but her sluggishness allowed for Everett to nail her in the side with a well-placed shot.

"Ahh!" she yelled, collapsing from the impact. She tried to regain her footing, but it was obvious that she was done.

"Good job Charlotte," Michael said, returning her.

"And now the score is even once again. These two are set on giving each other a hard time tonight…"

"Seems like it," Mary added. "In the years I've been here, I don't think I've seen a battle this intense before. I think that Leo may have finally met his match." Leo looked irritated with the comment, but his pokémon didn't seem to be complaining. Finally, a true challenge for someone of his capabilities.

Michael grabbed Layla's ball, knowing that she had just what it took to give the monstrous pokémon a fight. She was quickly released onto the field, standing off against the much larger opponent. "Oh, that spells trouble for the tyranitar," Scott said. "It's clear who has the type advantage with this matchup." Despite his disadvantage, Everett didn't seem deterred in the slightest.

Michael was the first to issue a command. "Alright Layla, start out with a flash cannon!" She stretched her arm out, quickly charging and releasing a silver beam.

"Thunderbolt!" Everett launched a vicious current at the lucario. The electricity zipped through the air, cutting through her attack and nearly contacting her.

"Extreme speed!" She dashed towards the tyranitar, slamming into him before Leo could say a word. He barely reacted to the move; his bulky, tough physique protected him from any real damage. Michael knew that the move wouldn't really hurt him, but that wasn't what he had in mind. "Follow it up with a power-up punch!"

"Bulldoze!" Layla landed her punch, striking her opponent in the side before receiving a harsh shove onto the ground. Everett clutched his side, and it was made evident that her attack had been far more effective than his own. She hurriedly got to her feet, regaining her stance with a new, fiery determination. "Fire blast!"

"Use water pulse!" Everett exhaled a scorching flame towards Layla, who released her own attack. The pressurized jet of water penetrated the flames, nailing him center-mass, making him stumble back. The sheer force of the blast had visibly disoriented him. "Keep it up Layla!" The tyranitar fell on one knee as his energy was quickly leaving him. Layla only intensified her assault, sending the audience into a frenzy as Leo's most infamous pokémon was powerless before her.

"I can hardly believe what I'm seeing! Leo's tyranitar appears to be going down!" Scott said, clearly surprised as the rest of the spectators. Michael looked at Leo, who simply smirked. Shit… he's got something planned… His conformation came in Leo's next statement.

"Use thunderbolt!"

"Layla, stop!" But it was far too late; Everett, despite his dazed state, launched the electric attack. Layla was fast, but she couldn't out-speed electricity. The static zipped across her water pulse, overcoming her within the second. Her shrieks of pain were enough to show that the hit had dealt serious damage.

"Wow! What a way to turn a desperate situation around!" Mary stated.

"I learned that one from you," Leo yelled proudly.

Static coursed throughout Layla's ruffled fur, causing her to wince in pain. She shook her head, trying to dismiss the burn of the current that slowly died out. "Are you alright?" Michael asked. She nodded. "Alright, then hit him with a high-jump kick!" Everett was doing all he could to keep his footing, so he was vulnerable to the powerful attack.

"Drop to the ground!" Leo warned his pokémon. The tyranitar obeyed, only a second too late - the kick that would have contacted his chest slammed into his face. Layla thrust off of him, leaving him to collapse onto the ground from the brutal move.

"Just like that, the tables have been turned again," Scott said.

"These two are full of surprises," Mary added. "This is the most intense battle I've seen on these grounds. I mean, just look at them!"

"Everett, it's time to end this," Leo stated frustratedly. "Use hyper beam!" He growled, wearily regaining his footing and opening his maw.

"Quick! Aura sphere!" She haphazardly charged the blue orb, launching it at her opponent as he released the devastating beam. Both moves met their mark. Layla took the blunt of Everett's attack and was completely engulfed in the vicious blast. The tyranitar, despite hardly being conscious, followed through with his attack, not letting up until the beam faded away from exhaustion. Layla had fainted, and was sprawled out on the ground. Shit…

"A series of smart moves on Leo's part has put him ahead of Higgs," Scott said. "But I doubt his tyranitar is gonna last much longer."

"Yeah, he looks like he could topple over at any minute," Mary replied. A lot of pressure would be placed on the flygon; Veronica would have to finish him off and fight whoever came next. Layla was quickly returned, replaced by the powerful dragon. Veronica growled, stretching her wings in anticipation. Everett did his best to take a threatening stance, but Ver saw through it, knowing that he wouldn't be able to last long.

"Giga impact." Everett placed his final surge of strength into the chaotic attack, viciously charging towards Ver.

"Fly over him and use earth power!" Ver took off immediately, avoiding the incoming tyranitar with a spiral overhead. She quickly arched downward, landing on the ground with a loud thud.

"Use stone edge!" Everett wasted no time in launching the rocks at the flygon, who abandoned her own attack. Ver hit the ground to duck the projectiles as they flew over her head.

"Now's your chance, Ver!" She sprung up and responded with an echoing stomp. A golden disturbance swiftly formed around the tyranitar; the ground rose and slammed into him. He covered his face as he was pelted relentlessly.

"Dammit!" Leo yelled as Everett collapsed.

"The score is even once again," Mary announced. "Leo won't be getting out of this without using one of his other pokémon." Everett was returned as Leo pulled out his fourth pokéball, clutching it with frustration. This battle had not gone the way that he had predicted. But, it was far from over.

"We're done playing games!" Leo said. "You've done well… much better than I would have guessed, but you will never get past Tina!" With that, he threw the ball, materializing a colossal figure onto the battlefield. Damn… that thing's huge! Large enough to make Ver look weak at easily two feet taller than her, and with a much thicker build.

"Oh…" Alaina murmured, also taking in the sight of the prehistoric beast before them. She eyed her formidable opponent, lowered her large head and let loose an ear-splitting roar.

"A tyrantrum! Arceus, that thing is huge!" Scott said. And he wasn't wrong; she likely weighed seven hundred pounds or more. Though the type matchup slightly favored Ver, she was large enough to present a serious threat.

"Start with dragon breath!" Michael instructed. Ver released an intense, blue breath towards her opponent, causing Tina to brace herself.

"Counter with dark pulse!" She exhaled her own attack, splitting through the incoming fog with a dark beam. Ver quickly avoided the attack, keeping a steady hover over the ground. "Good, now follow it up with head smash!" Tina broke out into a heavy, echoing jog, lowering her head and preparing to ram into the flygon.

"Dragon claw!" Michael said. Ver barely had time to attack, slicing at her opponent only for the tyrantrum to duck her claw. Veronica instead received a violent headbutt to her midsection. She growled in pain as she stumbled back, leaving her open to another strike.

"Ice fang!" Leo commanded. If that attack landed, it would do a number on Ver, and could even bring her to the brink of fainting.

"Use brick break!" Ver pulled herself together, responding to the approaching tyrantrum with a sharp uppercut, striking Tina's agape jaw. "Good, now use bulldoze!" She spun around, sweeping the larger aggressor's legs out from under her before following it up with a harsh kick, which sent Tina rolling. Leo's pokémon didn't stay down for long, though, and quickly regained her footing.

"That was impressive," Mary commented. "The tyrantrum managed to shake that hit off almost instantly!" Taking Tina down was going to be a chore, and would require Ver's most powerful moves.

"Tina, use ancient power!" The moment the words left Leo's mouth, Tina began to radiate white as she formed a large orb in front of her.

"Fly over it!" Michael instructed. Ver took off as Tina launched the orb, adjusting her ai to account for Ver's change in position. The flygon spun to avoid the attack, but was unable to completely evade it, getting nailed in the wing and forcing her into a haphazard landing.

"Tyrantrum has shot the flygon down. She really came in for a rough landing, didn't she?"

"She sure did, Scott. It's gonna be tough to recover from that one," Mary said. Ver was uncomfortably vulnerable to her foe - a fact that Tina was ready to use to her advantage as she ran towards the flygon.

"Quick - use dragon claw!"

"Ver get away!" She hurriedly got to her feet, quickly leaping back as the claws of her opponent raked across her chest. A trio of slim, red lines were drawn across, making her growl in annoyance. "Alright, hit her back with an earth power!" She swiftly attacked the tyrantrum, creating a rough disturbance around Tina, which immediately rose to slam into her. She roared as the harsh earth brutally contacted her, making her cringe in pain while struggling to keep her balance.

"Tyrantrum has been stunned by a well-timed earth power! And it looks like she's still suffering from it…" Scott announced. Due to her proportionately small arms, Tina had been unable to protect her eyes from the dust as it rose. She rapidly shook her head in a futile attempt to remove the debris from her eyes.

"Ver! Use superpower!" The flygon wasted no time in closing the gap between her and the defenseless tyrantrum.

"Giga impact!" Leo yelled. Tina, still unable to see, trusted her trainer's words. Lowering her head, she threw her entire body into Ver, slamming the dragoness back before following it up with a mighty charge. Ver released a startled growl as she was forcibly driven back, gripping Tina's neck to avoid being thrown down and run over. Her feet dug into the ground, she kicked out clouds of dust as she was shoved closer to Michael.

"Strength!" Michael ordered.

"Screw… you!" Ver growled, planting her feet and putting all of her strength into an upward thrust.

Tina found her feet leaving the ground as she was heaved over the flygon, who released her grip on the tyrantrum's neck by slamming her onto the ground, merely yards away from Michael.

"Oh!" Mary yelled over the crowd. "That was brutal!" Tina tried to regain her footing, having considerable difficulty in doing so. Even Leo knew that she was nearing her limit. Ver panted heavily, but treaded towards her once again. "This might just be it for the tyrantrum…"

"Like hell - Tina, use hidden power!" Still on her side, Tina opened her mouth, preparing to exhale the attack. By the light blue radiation, both Michael and Ver knew that it would be an ice type attack.

"Superpower!" Ver leaped over the frigid blast and landed beside her opponent, responding with a violent kick to Tina's side. The tyrantrum rolled over, releasing a pained bellow, and passed out.

"Dammit!" Leo yelled. His frustration was clear as he recalled his large pokémon. He looked down at Tina's ball in disbelief of what had happened.

"Higgs has taken the lead, bringing this match to Leo's last pokémon," Scott stated.

"It looks as though this battle will be settled by both trainers' final pokémon," Mary added. Though Ver wouldn't admit it, she knew that she, too, had taken several hits from the fight and wouldn't be lasting much longer.

"Michael…" Alaina whispered, "You know what she said is right…"

"Ver… well, she always lasts longer than the others. I think that—."

"Michael," she interrupted. "It's going to happen. We both accepted that this may happen… that it could come down to this…"

"…I know," Michael sighed. He felt her wrap her arms around him tightly, giving him a reassuring embrace. Leo held the ball of his final pokémon in his hand, running his finger along the lighting-shaped emblem on the front.

"I admit," he finally stated, "I didn't take you and your team seriously enough. You've won the fight up till this point… but we're shutting this down now."

"You're going to lose this, Leo!" Michael replied. "You're out of options. This is the end of the line for you!"

"No, Michael - this is just the start. You've got no idea what you're up against!"

"Looks like they're exchanging some heated words," Mary commented, unable to hear what they were saying. Leo extended his arm, lightly placing his finger on the central release button.

"Raiden… it's time to finish this!" The red beam shot out, materializing his final pokémon. A wavy, purple mane adorned his back, equally as prominent as his piercing red eyes. The large, yellow sabertooth roared out his challenge, forcing Michael to cover his ears.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me," Michael muttered. He could barely hear himself think over the noise of the crowd

"Arceus, it can't be…" Alaina was at a loss for words as she gazed at their final challenge.

"A raikou!" Scott yelled. All of the cameras zoomed in on the legendary that had captured the attention of every single spectator present. "He… he has a legendary!" Veronica looked back at her trainer with shock.

"To see one in person… wow…" Mary trailed off.

"You forced my hand on this one, Michael," Leo stated. "I'm sorry to say, but you were screwed the moment this battle started. All of them were!"

"Maybe they were… but not us! We're taking the raikou down!" Raiden growled in response, taking an offensive stance as though he were ready to pounce. Michael then addressed his flygon.

"Ver, do you think you could land an attack or two on him?" She nodded.

"I've still got plenty of fight left in me," she replied. Her typing allowed for her to resist Raiden's main attacks, but standing up against a legendary… well, that would likely result in her fainting. Though she was visibly uneasy, Ver was ready to take him on.

"Well that is bold of you," Leo said with a grin. "Stupid, but bold." She ignored his comment, spreading her wings in preparation to take off.

"The two of them are standing off," Mary said, "and to tell you the truth, Scott, I don't know how the flygon will manage to stand against such a powerful creature…"

"You've got this Ver," Alaina said aloud. The flygon briefly nodded, then focused on the task at hand. Her opponent would be both a large and a fast one, and his moves would surely overpower that of a normal pokémon's. But this was the opportunity of a lifetime - to face off against a legendary. Despite her exhaustion, she was determined do her best against the much more powerful foe. Michael would have to make use of her ranged moves; she was undoubtedly weakened after all of the close combat with Tina.

Michael was determined to get the first move in. "Ver, use earth power!" She attacked as quickly as she could, making the ground rise beneath Raiden. The raikou was too quick, though; he leaped into the air, covering half the distance between him and Veronica in a single bound.

"Quick attack!"

"Ver, fly!" A strong flap of her wings and she had propelled herself off of the ground. Raiden lunged at the dragon before she could climb high, causing her to spiral aside to avoid being nailed.

"Use shadow ball!" Leo commanded. The second Raiden's feet touched the ground, he sharply veered towards Ver, launching the purple sphere at her.

"Hit it with flame—!" He was too late; the attack was far faster than any others of its kind and had struck the back of her head. She winced in pain, doing her best to stay airborne.

"Raikou has delivered quite a blow to the flygon, and I've gotta say - that had to be the fastest shadow ball I've ever seen!" Ver had stabilized her flight once again, ready to retaliate against the powerful foe.

"Flamethrower!" She inhaled, and Raiden immediately reacted, turning around and darting away. A torrent of flame leaped from her maw, trailing Raiden by a few feet. He made a sharp turn to avoid coming close to his trainer, enticing Ver to aim ahead of him to compensate for his blurring movement. Raiden leaped over the pillar of flame without a second thought.

"Extrasensory!" His eyes adopted a violet glow; with a light growl, Raiden shot a bright beam at the flygon. She diverted her attack to collide with his, but was shocked to see the incoming light cutting through her flames. The sharp impact to her chest caused her to come in for a quick landing, and she bent forth as she clasped her stinging midsection.

"And it looks like the flygon is just about down for the count," Scott said. Her knees were shaking as she struggled to keep her footing. Leo crossed his arms, nodding towards Raiden.

"I don't know what y'all were expecting," he called out. "Raiden, go ahead and finish her off with a crunch." The sabertooth sprinted towards the center of the field, closing in to his wounded opponent. He pounced forth, his fangs nearing his target.

"Return!" Michael yelled. Veronica swiftly spun around, bringing her clenched fist to meet his neck. Raiden never landed his attack; the sharp hook sent him rolling.

"The flygon just landed a wicked right hook on the raikou!" Scott shouted.

"Way to go, Ver," Alaina said.

"Quick - dragon breath!" Ver exhaled the blue fumes at the raikou, completely hiding his entire form.

"Oh for the love of - Raiden, use quick attack!" His figure could be seen getting back up through the mist, and before Michael could give another command, he lunged towards Ver at blazing speeds. His shoulder connected with her chest, resulting in a loud smack as she hurled to the ground. Raiden slowed down, then turned to face the fallen flygon. She didn't make another movement.

"Higgs is now down to his final pokémon as well. This battle has come down to the very wire, much to the surprise of the betting pools," Mary stated. "But this battle has likely come to an upset conclusion on Higgs' part. Nobody can stand up to a legendary."

"That's right," Scott followed. "One thing's for certain, though - whoever loses tonight's battle has nothing to be ashamed about. This has been by far the most exhilarating battle that we've seen on these grounds!"

"Great job Ver," Michael said as he returned the unconscious dragon. She had definitely pulled her weight in this battle, and should be proud of her performance.

But now, the inevitable dilemma had arrived. Michael knew it could have very well happened, and had said that he was prepared to react accordingly, but now he wasn't so sure. Are we ready… to reveal her?

"Michael… you knew there was a chance of this…" He felt her hand caress his cheek as she softly spoke. "We are ready for this."

"Alaina… are you sure about this. We don't have to—."

"Yes," she interrupted, placing a single invisible claw over his lips, "I am. There is no need to hide anymore. Look at Raiden out there - he has accepted this as well. We do not need to live in fear."

"You're right," Michael admitted. He looked at his eager competition, the raikou solemnly awaiting his next challenge. "Well… you ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," she giggled.

"Who the hell are you talking to?" Leo asked confusedly. Michael simply shook his head, stifling a laugh.

"Well, go on ahead. I know you've got what it takes to win this." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek in response. Not a second later, he felt the rush of air as she flew out into the field. His foe impatiently waited for him to continue the battle. But now, he was in for a rude awakening.

"Are you gonna continue or what?" he irritatingly asked. "Throw out your pokémon!" Michael nodded.

"I already have. She's on the field as we speak." Raiden sniffed the air experimentally, tensing up upon realizing that somehow, he wasn't alone.

"What are you talking about?!"

"Leo… you're far too prideful for your own good. You thought that there weren't others out there that could match you, and you were wrong." Leo clenched his fist as he heard Michael confront him. "I'll say that you're an impressive trainer. The girls haven't fought like this in years, and a raikou is definitely something to be proud of. But guess what? You're not the only trainer with a legendary."

"What the—."

"Now Alaina!" With a flash, she dropped her camouflage, revealing herself to everyone as she hovered over the pokéball emblem in the middle of the field.

"This is unbelievable!" Mary yelled over the thunderous crowd. "Another legend has made an appearance!" Raiden bared his fangs at the latias, knowing that he would no longer be simply walking away with a victory.

"Great. That's just great," Leo said, shaking his head. "Well, no matter. I know firsthand what Raiden is capable of - and some floating swan isn't going to take him down!"

"We're gonna make you eat those words," Michael retorted. "Alaina, let's put the cat to sleep!" That was the last straw for Leo.

"Use crunch on her!" Raiden immediately lunged at her, ready to land the dark-type attack with his mouth agape. Alaina swiftly flew underneath him, causing him to harmlessly sail overhead. She spun to face him as he landed, ready to capitalize upon his opening.

"Dragon pulse!" She created a light-blue sphere between her hands and sent it flying at her opponent.

"Jump!" Leo yelled. Raiden trusted his trainer's advice and bounded up, despite not seeing the approaching threat. The latias's attack zipped underneath him, colliding with the ground and creating a sizable crater. "Thunderbolt!" His body became enshrouded in electricity, and he quickly turned to face her. A wicked bolt was launched in the direction of the latias, who dodged it with a beautiful sideways roll. "Again!" Another attack, this one avoided by a simple upward pull and leaving her flying towards the raikou upside-down.

"Now Alaina - mist ball!" A bright orb was formed between her hands, which she launched at the other legendary as she neared him. It collided with him head-on, sending his front half to the ground as she looped overhead.

"Raikou had to feel that one," Mary commented.

"I couldn't agree more," Scott said. "Right between the eyes…" Despite the hit he had taken, Raiden growled and composed himself, ready to retaliate. His opponent, though, wasn't going to make that easy - she had climbed far higher than his attacks could reach.

"Now hit him with another dragon pulse!" She diverted her flight path towards Raiden, and followed with another blast.

"Dodge it and use discharge!" The raikou avoided Alaina's attack with a leap to the side, waiting until she came closer before expelling a wicked electrical charge in all directions. A lone bolt struck her wing, causing for Alaina to freeze up involuntarily. As she tried to snap herself out of the temporary paralysis, Leo issued his next command. "Hit her with shadow ball now!" The violet distortion was launched from his mouth, and impacted Alaina not a second later. She released a sharp wail as the orb dissipated into her, causing for her to quickly lose elevation.

"Snap out of it Alaina!" She shook her head in an attempt to regain control over her body. As she spiraled closer to the ground, she broke free, pulling up before she crashed. "Are you alright?" She responded with a quick nod as she flew well out of Raiden's range. They would need to make good use of her ranged attacks since the raikou was a grave threat up close. Fortunately, she had both the speed and the diverse moveset to allow them to stay out of his proximity.

"She seemed to shake that one off with relative ease. Leo is going to have a really difficult time taking down such a resilient yet agile foe," Mary said.

"Hear that Leo?" Michael called out. "Sounds like your announcer fans are even starting to doubt you!"

"Let's see how they like this, then - Raiden, use hyper beam!" The electric-type anchored himself into the ground; with an echoing roar that made Michael's hairs stand on end, he expelled a bright white beam from his open mouth. Alaina climbed into the sky, circling the pillar of light effortlessly. Despite the situation, Michael couldn't help but revere the beautiful creature's He kept the beam as close as he could, but all he managed to do was trail her with the powerful attack. Nearly half a minute in, and the raikou's strength began to fade.

"Now's your chance - psywave! Alaina quickly looped, bringing herself into a sharp nosedive as her eyes began to glow. The raikou had to recharge his energy after such a draining attack, leaving him more vulnerable to the incoming wave of light. He stiffened up as it contacted his back, releasing a sharp growl of discomfort and squinting his eyes shut. "Nice shot - hit him again while he's defenseless!" She diverted once more, coming in for a second attack.

"Now - use thunder!" Michael could see the electrical current circulate throughout the raikou's body.

"Get away from him!" She curved upwards, hoping to fly out of the range of the attack. Fast as she was, though, there was no out-speeding electricity. The bright blue bolt overtook her body, and Michael could only watch as his latias fell out of the sky.

"That spells trouble for Higgs' team," Scott said. The crowd went silent as she neared the ground, this time unable to do anything about it.

"Now hit her with crunch!" He intercepted Alaina with a powerful bite, sinking his fangs into her. He shook his head, tossing her limp frame to the side. Two prominent wounds were visible on her upper arm, staining the white segment of her down crimson.

And she wasn't getting up. Raiden silently looked at her, waiting to see if she still had fight in her. Come on Alaina… Her eyes flickered open, and slowly, she levitated, only slightly above the ground. She instinctively clasped her bleeding arm. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Y-yeah," she weakly replied.

"I'm surprised you managed to get up after that one," Leo said, directly addressing the latias. "Guess we'll just have to make sure you stay down next time." As he spoke, Michael saw the opportunity.

"Quick - use dragon breath!" She obeyed, covering Raiden in a hazy, blue smokescreen. He closed his eyes to avoid the stinging breath's irritating effects, effectively hindering his sight for the moment. "Now get away and use recover!"

"Like hell you do! Raiden, hit her with thunderbolt!" Alaina flew towards Michael as quickly as she could, and her body started to radiate. The raikou, still under temporary blindness, launched the electrical bolt in her general area. It sailed overhead and to her right, missing its intended target by a rather large margin. Alaina's arm healed, and energy rushed back into her. She grinned as she felt the relief wash over her body, ready to continue the fight against Raiden.

"Dammit!" Leo yelled. He had come close, but now it had all been for naught. Well, not all for naught. Alaina could only do that once every so often.

"It would seem as though Leo has become a bit flustered," Mary said.

"I can see why - for a moment, it looked like he had won. Now he's going to have do it all over again." Raiden escaped the dissipating fog, opening his bloodshot eyes and glaring daggers at the latias. Victory had narrowly escaped his grasp, and he wasn't going to allow it to do so again.

"Shadow ball!"

"Counter it with dragon pulse!" As the shadowy blob closed in on Alaina, she launched her own attack. The two slammed into each other; Alaina's was neutralized completely, while Raiden's was sent off course. "Hit him with psychic!" The raikou found himself lifted into the air as a light blue aura surrounded him.

"Fight it! Use thunder" Raiden blasted through her mental hold on him, cutting through the aura with the scorching shot of electricity. She abandoned the attack, rushing to the opposite side of the field right before the bolt passed through the area she had just occupied. Well, better not try that again… If they did, the results could be far worse than a failed attack. He was uncomfortable with how repetitive their strategy was becoming, but there were no less risky options that came to mind. "Shadow ball - as many as you can!" Leo shouted. Alaina darted through the air, frantically dodging one dangerous shadow after another. Her series of perilous moves had orchestrated an ironically graceful dance as she whirled about every which way.

But it was put to a sharp, brutal halt. Raiden had carefully watched her flight patterns, and had aimed accordingly. "Now! Thunder!" The sharp crack echoed throughout the arena as the sabertooth shot a large, wicked lightning bolt into Alaina.

"Ahhhh!" she wailed as electricity coursed throughout her body. Despite her resistance to the attack, it clearly took a toll on her.

"Alaina!" She couldn't escape; all she could do was try to outlast Raiden. She writhed in place, squiring from the intense pain that overtook her. Raiden's attack began to lose its accuracy, but the damage had been done. She fell from the air once again, and this time, Michael knew that Leo would follow this through until the end.

"Things are looking bleak for the latias," Mary said. "I think this battle has come to an end."

"Damn right it has," Leo said with a smirk. "Hit her off with spark!" Static crackled through the legendary's fur; he charged the falling latias, slamming his entire body into her lithe frame.

The result was the battered latias lying on the ground in front of Michael. Her silky, beautiful down had become tarnished with dirt, and several cuts made their appearance known. Her breathing was slow and steady, and her eyes slowly flickered open. Raiden was far from untouched; no, he looked as though another hit or two could put him in a similar position to Alaina. His mane was unkempt, and it was impossible for him to hide his slight limp. But despite the ferocious beating he had managed to take - both from Ver and Alaina - he was still standing. "Are you alright?" he asked softly.

"I… I will be," she stammered.

"You put up a great fight," he said warmly. He had hoped that they could overcome the odds and defeat the cocky champion, but it appeared that it wasn't going to be so. Or at least, not this year…

"Such a bleak conclusion for such a beautiful creature," Scott said, with a hint of disappointment in his voice. "Leo will remain champion for his fifth consecutive year." As the crowd applauded the local celebrity, Michael began to fumble through his pocket in an effort to find Alaina's ball. What he was not expecting was for a widespread mumble to permeate from the audience.

"What's this?" Mary asked in shock. He soon found what their attention was focused upon. Alaina had risen, levitating slowly in place.

"Come on!" Leo yelled. "How many times do I have to beat the same damn pokémon?"

"A…Alaina?"

"I still… have fight in me," she weakly said.

"No you don't," Michael countered. "Screw this battle - I refuse to let you get hurt." He raised her pokéball, but she simply shook her head.

"And I refuse… to give up on you. I will not cave in… you didn't. If you had, I wouldn't be here…" He was touched by her perseverance, but he couldn't in good conscience allow her to continue when she would likely be struck down again. "Please," she said, flashing him a small, reassuring smile. "Please let me do this…" He lowered his hand, slipping her ball back into his pocket, then nodded.

"Alright…" She steadied herself, preparing for one final attempt at bringing the raikou down.

"I spoke too soon - Higgs and the latias aren't through just yet!"

"Raiden, use quick attack!"

"Fly to the side and use mist ball!" She barely managed to avoid the charging raikou before turning around and flinging her signature, pale orb at him. Raiden dug into the ground to avoid slamming into Michael, much to the trainer's appreciation, pivoting around quickly only to be nailed in the hip. His rear leg nearly gave way, but he made sure to hide any signs of weakness or injury, even going so far as to sprint towards her once again. We've almost got him, Alaina… They would have to shut this down quickly; Alaina would not be able to take another hit of any sort.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Psybeam!" Michael quickly followed. She launched the shimmering beam as Raiden halted in his tracks and attempted to deliver a finishing shock to the latias. Raiden's attack made contact with her psybeam, and it wasted no time in cutting through her attack, making its way to Alaina hastily. Shit… she won't be able to hold that off long…

"And the two legendaries have come to a standoff!" Mary shouted excitedly. She needed to shake off the incoming attack and respond with one of her own - something that would ensure that Raiden would not get back up. Michael mentally ran through her moveset as quickly as he could. But all he could come up with were moves that Raiden had surely become accustomed to or those that wouldn't serve any better a purpose. They were out of options, out of surprises, and they were sure as hell out of time. Unless… He remembered one final option. It might just work… no, it has to… He only hoped that she was ready.

The static was but a few yards away from her, and would be upon her in seconds. "Say goodnight," Leo said with a laugh. It was now or never.

"Alaina, use draco meteor!" She opened her eyes in shock.

"Wh…what?" She struggled to keep the thunderbolt at bay - a struggle that she was losing. "I d-don't know… if I can… It's only worked… a time or two…"

"It will work," Michael replied. "I know it - you've got what it takes, Alaina." She pushed even harder against the bolt, managing to make it recede ever-so-slightly. Before Raiden knew what had happened, she abandoned her attack altogether, flying over the center of the battlefield. Her eyes glowed a majestic, prominent blue; a vortex formed around Raiden as clusters of small stones rose from the ground, held together by a similarly colored cobalt aura.

"Raiden, stop her with a shadow ball!" As the winds whipped around him, he aimed for the latias overhead. The moment he had shot the shadowy distortion at her, the whirlwind carried it off course, sweeping it away with all the rising debris, which had now began to form into loosely solidified projectiles.

"Oh shi—Raiden, get outta there!" Alaina had several sizable clusters orbiting her wildly. Raiden knew that now he was in very dangerous territory, and he had no intentions of remaining there. Alaina released a shrill cry, letting loose the uncontrollable barrage. The blue meteors wildly bombarded the ground. The sporadic blasts overtook the field, throwing up dirt like the bombs back at the Power Plant. In the midst of it all, Raiden hurdled over the craters of the demolished field, avoiding one brutal projectile after another. Come on… "Finish her off with hyper beam!" The raikou landed, sliding to a stop and readying his final strike. Alaina knew that it was now or never, and without instruction, darted towards him for a closer shot.

"This is it!" Scott shouted over the crowd. Yards away from her opponent, Alaina blasted her final meteor at him as he opened his mouth to release the devastating beam. Raikou yowled out in pain, much to the latias's surprise. The side of his head was lightly bloodied, and the fur had been stripped away. Her shot had met its mark. For a moment, all was silent, the only noise being a light murmur from the crowd. Raiden stood still, not making a single movement.

"R-Raiden! Don't just stand there!" He didn't even look up at his trainer. Rather, the raikou's knees gave way, and he fell on his side. "No!" Leo clenched his fists, in clear disbelief of what had occurred.

"I don't believe it…" Mary trailed off. But the evidence was clear as day, right before their eyes. The referee walked towards the fallen legendary, then shook his head to confirm everyone's thoughts. Michael had to cover his ears in response to the uproar that resounded through the stadium.

"After a shocking turn of events, Higgs and his team have triumphed over previous champion Leo Browning!" Alaina flew back to her trainer, slamming into him with open arms.

"We did it!" she practically yelled as she hugged him tightly.

"Yes," he whispered, returning her embrace, "we did. That was incredible, Alaina." Over her shoulder, Michael could see Leo silently return Raiden into his ball. He grimly looked at it, then flashed Michael a blank look. He turned around, paused for a second, then walked away.

The two of them exited the field, which was already beginning to fill up with people. One of the officials motioned for him before grabbing the crystalline trophy. He nodded at the trainer, handing the cup to him. Michael gripped its cold surface tightly. The silver ring glimmered within it, reading 'Solstice Champion 2032.' Alaina telekinetically lifted it, slipping it over his finger. As he turned around, he faced dozens upon dozens of local reporters, all snapping pictures at every given second. He took her arm, raising their interlocked hands into the air. As the flashes of the cameras filled his vision, only one thought echoed in his mind. We did it…


That wraps up this chapter. Again, sorry for the long waiting time - I will do my best to ensure more frequent updates. Until next time, and Happy Easter!