Gliscor dived straight at Drapion, aiming a powerful X-Scissor at its head and at the same time dodging the hail of Pin Missiles which were flying past it. The distance between them dropped from fifty feet to twenty, then ten, then five…

But there were just too many Pin Missiles to dodge at such close quarters; Gliscor took one straight to the face, then several more struck it in rapid succession effectively stopping its attack cold and knocking it out of the air. Gliscor hit the ground hard, but fortunately it managed to get back on its feet.

Drapion, not wanting to give Gliscor any time to recover, pressed its advantage with Cross Poison; firing off a powerful, X-shaped blast of purple energy. Gliscor wasn't ready to just give up and go home though; moving at speeds that shouldn't have been possible for a Pokémon in its condition, Gliscor launched itself at Drapion. Effortlessly avoiding the Cross Poison, and taking Drapion completely by surprise, it closed in on the Ogre Scorp Pokémon and latched onto its arm with Fire Fang.

The attack dealt a massive amount of damage and, as Gliscor floated up and away to safety, the flames from the attack spread over Drapion's entire body to deal even more. That, combined with the damage Drapion had already taken, was too much; the Dark/Poison-type collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Paul recalled his second-to-last Pokémon with an unreadable expression.

Jason looked at Jack warily. "So… any thoughts on how the battle's going?"

Jack chuckled mischievously. "Oh, why don't you go first; I'm dying to hear your opinion."

Jason looked back down at the battlefield. "I'd say that Ash is hardly out of the woods yet; Paul's last Pokémon is a mystery, and all of Ash's Pokémon have taken heavy damage. Ash only has to make one wrong move and he loses; but the same goes for Paul. The battle could still go either way."

Jack leaned back in his seat. "You right."

Jason did a double-take. "I am? I mean, of course I am."

Jack furrowed his brow. "This whole time, Ash and Paul have kept within striking distance of each other; neither one pulling ahead far enough to assure their victory. They're almost perfectly evenly matched; but I think Ash is going to win."

"Seriously," Jason asked, "When did you get so good at thinking two steps ahead?"

Jack shook his head. "I'm really not; I'm pretty sure Solomon knows exactly who's going to win. In fact, he could probably tell you exactly what moves are going to be called several seconds in advance. I've picked up a lot of basic stuff from him, but I'm still hardly a master of strategy. Anyway, Ash and Paul have waited long enough for all this exposition; let's pan dramatically back to them."

One dramatic pan later, Ash was about to recall Gliscor; the Ground/Flying-type had taken a lot of damage, and probably wouldn't be able to take on a new opponent at this point. Especially one who was starting off fresh. However, for some reason Ash paused as Paul sent out his final Pokémon.

"Electivire, stand by for battle!"

Paul's last Pokémon was, somewhat predictably, his Electivire; the large, yellow Electric-type was probably the strongest fighter on Paul's team. On the other hand…

"Electric-type moves won't have any effect on Gliscor," Ash muttered under his breath. "But still…"

As if sensing its trainer's indecision, Gliscor turned around and grinned confidently at Ash.

"I'll be fine," Gliscor said, although Ash couldn't understand the words. "I can take him, leave it to me."

Ash seemed to understand, at least in part, and returned Gliscor's grin. "Alright then Gliscor, you've got yourself a deal."

"I'd call that a good move," Jack commented, "Except I'm almost certain Paul would have a plan for dealing with Ground-types. And I get the feeling we're about to see it."

Jack's guess proved to be accurate as the moment the round started, Electivire plunged its two cable-like tails into the ground and used Thunder. The powerful attack ripped up the surface of the battlefield and sent shards of densely packed dirt flying high into the air.

Gliscor barely even registered a potential threat until one of the clumps of hardened earth fell out of the sky and hit in the back of the head; followed closely by another, and another. The attack didn't do a whole lot of damage, but Gliscor was still dangerously low on health.

"Don't try to finish it with one hit…" Jack groaned.

Ash, knowing that Gliscor wouldn't be able to take a prolonged battle, decided to finish it in one hit. Gliscor launched itself into the air, and then dive-bombed Electivire with Giga Impact. Gliscor flew right into Paul's trap, as Electivire blocked the attack with its arms and then used its twin tails to grab hold of Gliscor.

Electivire raised its right arm above Gliscor's head, and then brought it down in a crushing Brick Break; simultaneously allowing Gliscor to slip free of its tails. The Fang Scorpion Pokémon hit the ground hard, and bounced several times before coming to a stop. When the dust cleared, Gliscor was out for the count.

Jack's eyes narrowed. "That Electivire is going to be trouble; it knows Thunder and Brick Break, and I wonder what else."

"Alright Gliscor, return," Ash said, recalling the defeated Pokémon to its Pokéball. "Take a good rest; I'll make sure we win this. Pikachu, I choose you."

Pikachu, rested and ready to go, ran forward into the arena. Electivire didn't waste any time, and sent a powerful Thunder attack into the ground; the same technique it had used against Gliscor. The attack once again sent a hail of rocks and dirt into the air, but Pikachu anticipated the tactic and used Quick Attack to dodge the falling debris.

Once he had built up enough speed, Pikachu launched himself into the air; jumping from rock to rock in mid-air, at speeds that even Jack found impressive. Once he was within striking distance of Electivire, Pikachu fell like a ton of bricks right on Electivire's head.

The attack did a decent amount of damage but Electivire recovered quickly and, before Pikachu could retreat to safety, sent its tails to catch Pikachu and hold it still. Pikachu tried to use Iron Tail to escape, but Electivire used its tails to slam him into the ground; but just before Pikachu hit the ground, he spun around and used his tail to absorb the impact. The shock also jarred Electivire's tails loose, allowing Pikachu to escape.

Electivire, not wanting Pikachu to catch his breath, pursued it with Brick Break; Pikachu countered with Quick Attack, and the two broke even and separated. Then Ash called probably the most unexpected move possible.

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!"

Paul was momentarily taken aback, but then he grinned. "Electivire, block it."

As Pikachu closed in on Electivire, the larger Electric-type simply held out its arms; Pikachu, his body charged to bursting with electricity, hit Electivire head on and then quickly retreated back to safety.

Electivire took the attack without even flinching, and quickly soaked up the electricity like a sponge; even while Pikachu took damage from the recoil of his own attack.

""What was Ash thinking?" Jason asked incredulously. "He knew very well that Volt Tackle would have no effect."

Jack furrowed his brow. "He must have some sort of plan… maybe."

Once Electivire had finished absorbing the energy from Volt Tackle, it utilised its newfound speed to rush in with Thunder Punch towards Pikachu.

Now it was Ash's turn to grin. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu's tail glowed with energy as he swung it to block Electivire's punch. The two attacks collided in a shower of sparks but, to Ash's dismay, they remained locked in a stalemate.

"But how?" Ash exclaimed. "Is Electivire stronger after all?"

"Don't you remember, Ash?" Paul said. "This is the exact same situation as when we battled the first time. You must have wanted to get in close so could finish the battle with Iron Tail; but now, Pikachu's stuck. And if it lets up, even a little, it will be overwhelmed by Thunderpunch."

Ash gritted his teeth; he'd taken a risk, relying on Pikachu's speed and power to get past Electivire's defences, and it hadn't payed off. But Paul wasn't even finished, and his next words hit Ash like a hammer.

"And you know, there is move Electivire can use with its free hand."

"Brick Break," Ash said, hoping he was wrong.

Paul grinned. "Correct. Electivire, use Brick Break!"

"Pikachu, get out of there!" Ash called desperately, but he could only watch helplessly as Electivire's arm came down on Pikachu's head.

The Mouse Pokémon hit the ground hard, and rolled several meters before coming to a stop. He struggled to get back on his feet, but his legs gave out under him and he collapsed; unconscious.

Ash carried the unconscious Electric-type back to the trainer's box and set him down, where he quickly woke up and looked up at his trainer; uttering an quiet "Pika pi."

"It's okay Pikachu," Ash said, understanding Pikachu's tone even if he couldn't understand the words. "You did your best. "I promise, this battle isn't over yet; just you watch. Hey, Paul," he said, calling out to his rival. "Truth is, your strategy made all the difference even though my numbers looked better. But, I'm still going to win this."

Ash grinned and pulled out Infernape's Pokéball; the spark in his eyes still glowing bright. Even more so now that it was down to the wire; Ash seemed genuinely excited to be fighting Paul, a trainer who had proved himself time and time again to be a both capable and powerful opponent.

"In that case," Paul replied with a grin that was surprisingly similar to Ash's, "Give it your best shot."

"Infernape, I choose you!"

Infernape appeared in a flash of light, and shouted in anticipation of the upcoming battle; every bit as excited, and confident, as its trainer.

"So it all comes down to Infernape vs Electivire," Jack commented. "I have to admit, I'm on pins and needles here; I have no idea who's going to win, it could easily go either way at this point."

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "I agree with you about the pins and needles; this battle has me on the edge of my seat. I can't wait to see what happens."

Jack growled. "If that author decides to end the chapter here, I'm gonna knock him into next week."

Point taken.

The moment the round started, Electivire went on the offensive with Thunderpunch forcing Infernape to counter with Mach Punch; the two attack clashed, broke even, and then exploded. The blast kicked up a cloud of dust as the two Pokémon retreated to their respective sides of the arena.

Infernape quickly followed up with Flamethrower, spitting a roaring column of fire at Electivire who threw up a hasty Protect to block it and then responded with Thunder. Infernape dodged the attack by going underground with Dig, and then coming up beneath Electivire and attacking from below; landing a powerful, and super-effective, hit which sent Electivire flying.

Infernape jumped back to its side of the arena to survey its handywork; it suffered a little damage from the ongoing effects of Toxic Spikes, but it didn't seem fazed. Unfortunately, Electivire also got up and settled back into a combat stance; seemingly none the worse for wear.

"I know I've seen battles between Ash and Paul before," Jack heard Dawn say from the next row down, "But for some reason there's something completely different about this one…"

"It may be because they're finally facing off against each other in the same state of mind," Brock said as the battle continued to rage below them.

"What do you mean?" Dawn asked.

Brock watched as Infernape and Electivire went at each other again and again with Mach Punch and Thunderpunch respectively.

"Reggie once called them 'two sides of the same coin'," Brock continued thoughtfully. "Mirrors of each other. They have the same goals, but they've always taken different paths to reach them. Now they're really battling face to face, head on, and for the first time they're both fighting for the same reason; and I think they both realize that."

Down in the arena, Infernape and Electivire had reached another stalemate; they'd been firing off attacks at each other nonstop, with neither side giving an inch. But both Ash and Paul knew the battle was going to end soon; one way or another.

Infernape lunged forward with Mach Punch once again, but this time Electivire was ready for it; as the Flame Pokémon closed in, Electivire stepped to the side. Infernape flew past it, and Electivire's tail wrapped around Infernape's outstretched arm.

Before Infernape could even try to escape, Electivire used Thunder; point blank, full power. Electricity flooded through Infernape's body for several seconds, dealing an intense amount of damage. By the time Electivire let up on its electrical assault, Infernape's body was limp and steaming. Electivire released its grip on Infernape's arm, and the Fire-type crumpled to the ground like a ragdoll.

"AND INFERNAPE IS DOWN!" the announcer exclaimed.

Jack nearly jumped out of his seat. "Is it over?"

"Poor Infernape…" Dawn said softly.

The tension in the audience was so thick you could've cut it with a knife; everyone holding their breath to see if Infernape would get up or not. Down in the arena, Infernape wasn't moving; its eyes were rolled back in its head. The referee made the obvious call.

"Infernape is unable to…"

He was interrupted by a growl; after looking around, confused, the referee realized that the growl had come from Infernape. The Flame Pokémon groaned in exertion as it forced itself to its feet; it opened its eyes, but they were unfocused and dim. Infernape was standing, but only barely.

Infernape's gaze drifted over to Electivire, who was taunting the near-unconscious Fire-type to come and get it, and then to Paul.

"If that's really the best you can do," the purple-haired trainer said, looking somewhat disappointed, "then you really are pathetic."

Infernape let out a low growl and gritted its teeth. Then, to the utter astonishment of everyone, Infernape grinned; it closed its eyes, and when it opened them again they were filled with determination. Infernape stood up straight and tall, and let out a guttural bellow; the flame on its head glowing bright and brighter, until it suddenly exploded upwards into a towering inferno that engulfed Infernape's entire body and rose high into the sky in a blinding fury.

"Blaze!" Jack exclaimed joyously. "It's Infernape's ability, the same one Sunspot used against us; the lower Infernape's health gets, the more powerful its Fire-type moves become!"

"This must have been what Ash was going for all along," Jason said with something approaching awe in his voice. "He was counting on Infernape's unbreakable spirit to keep him standing, even while he's on the brink of blacking out."

"Time for the real battle," Ash said. "Infernape, Flamethrower!"

Infernape drew in a huge breath, but when he released the attack it wasn't so much a stream of flames so much as a white-hot pillar of heat which nearly blinded anyone dumb enough to look at it directly.

Electivire had used Protect too much, and was forced to try and counter with Thunder; but Infernape's attack effortlessly overpowered Electivire and scored a devastating hit, forcing the blast shields to go up around Paul. Even before the smoke cleared, Infernape lunged in and scored a second hit with Mach Punch. Even after all that, Electivire was still standing; but it wouldn't last much longer against Infernape, and both trainers knew it.

"Let's finish this!" they both said in perfect unison.

"Thunderpunch!"

"Flare Blitz, GO!"

The two Pokémon closed in on each other; Electivire with Thunderpunch, its fists crackling with electricity, Infernape with Flare Blitz, its entire body wrapped in a raging inferno of blue flames. The two attack met in the middle of the arena; the amount of energy coming off them was so intense, it swirled into a roaring vortex of blue and yellow which blasted into the sky at least a hundred feet high. The blast shields came up against, this time around both trainers; and a good thing too, or they both would've been fried by the sheer force of the blast.

"So that's why the arena doesn't have a roof," Jack said numbly, staring at the dumbfounding display of power before him.

Even Jack couldn't see what was happening inside the vortex, but he saw the mass of swirling energy momentarily flare up almost twice as much before finally settling down. Once the spots faded from his eyes, Jack and the rest of the audience saw Infernape and Electivire standing a few meters apart with their backs to each other. Infernape flinched as the recoil from its attack hit it, but when the smoke cleared, Electivire was still standing.

Infernape turned around to look its opponent in the eyes, and the two Pokémon stared at each other for several seconds; neither willing to lose. The tension grew; both in the audience, and between the two trainers. The anticipation froze everyone in place; no one so much as breathed for fear of missing something. But eventually, Electivire crumpled to the ground in a heap; unconscious. It was over; Infernape had won the battle, and Ash had won the match.