Lilian faced the audience, palms out. "Time for an electrifying battle between the rising star of Sinnoh and the new spark of Kanto! It's Dawn against Paige!"
Both girls walked onto the stage, releasing their respective electric rodents out of their pokeballs. Pachirisu bounced on her feet, head tilted to and fro. Paige's Pikachu's tail twitched, heart shape flailing back and forth.
"Start!" Lilian yelled.
"Pikachu!" Paige cheered. "Use Play Nice!"
"Pi!" the little electric type answered.
Dashing forward, she bounced around the Sinnoh squirrel. Pachirisu, never one to refuse a chance to play, gave chase. The two electric types let out happy chatter as they did such. Dawn's points took a hit; what Paige pulled off was incredibly cute.
"Pachirisu," Dawn grumbled. Why was the squirrel so easily distracted?
Forming a heart with her hands, Paige giggled. "Use Quick Attack!"
"Use Spark!" Dawn countered.
Pachirisu began to charge Spark, bundles of blue bursting off her, but with her having just been distracted, that was the opening Pikachu needed. She was hit head-on. Dawn once again lost points.
"Ooh, that had to hurt! Dawn tried to come back from that one, but Play Nice was just too effective! Paige is doing a number on the duo, pairing cute appeal with a strategic edge!"
Paige, with her confidence mounting, ordered loudly: "Quick Attack!"
She lost points for reusing the move, but it wasn't too bad.
"Discharge!" Dawn cried.
"Chi-pa!" The Elesquirrel chattered, hopping well out of Pikahu's reach. "Chi-chi!" Crackling blue bolts sprayed across the battlefield.
This time, the burst of blue sent Pikachu tumbling back. Though Pikachu was a charmer, Pachirisu vastly outranked her with experience. After all, there was a certain other Pikachu she trained with relatively often. After dealing with him and even being able to channel his power together with her own, as she had done back during the Rocket crisis in the Fuschia forests, it was certain that her attacks were just too strong for this fledgling Pikachu to shrug off. The disparity cost Paige points.
"Ah!" Paige panicked. "Double Team!"
Pikachu took off, running around Pachirisu fast enough to create after images.
Dawn smiled, sure of herself. "Spinning Sonic Discharge!"
Knowing that particular improvised move, Pachirisu jumped into the air, rolling to incorporate the Spin technique and then brought Discharge into the mix. The effect was a bit of a vortex of electricity, not unlike the plasma balls children played with, but the electric currents soon washed over the entire field, eliminating Pikachu's Double Team and delivering a nasty shock. Dawn wasn't too upset about the points she'd knocked off Paige for aesthetics, either.
"Uh oh!" Paige mumbled. "Um… Um… Quick Attack and Nuzzle!"
Pikachu cocked her head before nodding. Her cheeks crackled and she ran forward. Dawn recognized the move as looking similar to Volt Tackle, but decidedly weaker. It was enough, combined with Pikachu's greater size, to send Pachirisu reeling, but not enough to put the little tank down. It did put them neck and neck with points, though.
"Play Nice! Quick Attack!" Paige ordered, desperate to get Dawn on the ropes.
Pikachu, leaping onto the still shocked Pachirisu, teased the smaller pokemon with her tail before slapping her with it. The audience ate it up.
Dawn's fist balled up. "Super Fang!"
Pikachu yelped in pain, feeling sharp buck teeth sink into her tail. Subsequently, she was roughly tossed with a swing of Pachirisu's head, sent tumbling across the fray.
Paige trembled. "Play Nice!"
"Chu~!" The pokemon shook off the pain, putting on a big, adorable smile. Another sprint towards Pachirisu was followed up by somersaults and teases of her jagged, heart-shaped tail. She giggled, satisfied with her maneuver when Pachirisu was helpless to the lure of chasing the adorable bolt, swatting at it with her paws.
She thanked her lucky stars that the playful state left her swats ineffective; she was actually managing to bat her tail, time after time! Just how fast was this far-off relative!?
Meanwhile, members of the audience cooed and reveled in the scene. Paige had Dawn neutralized, and it was winning her points, to boot!
"How's that, Dawn!?" Paige grinned, fluffing the ribbon tied into her locks. She had the older girl on the ropes!
A sure smirk on the Sinnohan's face was enough to eat through her nerve.
Dawn didn't look deterred in the least. She looked cunning, even. "Adorable! But, thanks for getting Pachirisu all worked up!"
"Eh?" Paige's tiny fist was clutched tight. "What do you mean, thanks!?"
"Well, Pachirisu's always been easily distracted when she has the chance to have a good time. But, it's not always a bad thing." Dawn couldn't help but think back on their first meeting. She'd been absolutely impossible to catch!
Which, right now, worked out just fine. "Pachirisu, how about we make this even more fun? Use Rollout!"
"Chiii~!" Already in a frenzy, the rodent bounced, curling into her tail to form a tiny, fluffy wheel that rolled and hopped about the stage.
"Aw, would you look at that! Dawn is giving Paige a taste of her own medicine, as Pachirisu looks absolutely adorable rolling about~!"
"Now, let's add in Spark," Dawn commanded.
The fluffy bundle of energy erupted with crackling static, bouncing about and leaving trails of blue wherever she went. Paige lost points again.
"D-Double Team!"
Pikachu separated into another bunch of clones, but desperately seeking the defensive wasn't doing her score any favors.
"Get 'em, Pachirisu!"
"Chi-chi-chi-pa~!" She blazed a trail through the copies, blurs of yellow scattering in the wake of teal. One-by-one, they disappeared.
She barreled through the last, skidding to a halt. The squirrel looked frantically about. "Chi? Chi-pa?"
"Pachirisu, behind you!" Dawn shouted out.
The Elesquirrel turned, only to get a face full of Quick Attack, knocking her skyward.
"Oooh, it looks like Paige and Pikachu weren't done, just yet! A sneaky use of Double Team gave them the opening they needed! Can they seal the deal in the short time they have left!?" Lilian bellowed into her microphone, fanning the flames of speculation.
'Lilian's not kidding! We've gotta wrap this up fast.' Dawn's blue brows furrowed. "Okay, Pachirisu, Glittering Fang!"
"Glittering Fang!?" Paige echoed. That didn't sound good at all! "Be careful, Pikachu, darling!"
"Pa-chiii!" Pachirisu chanted, diving down towards the mouse with her buck teeth exposed. Blue sparks flickered from her incisors.
Pikachu stumbled back, to no avail. Pachirisu chomped down on her side, making her hiss.
That was nothing, compared to what came next.
Discharge was unleashed, and wild bolts danced from the blinding center of the stage. Blue flickers rained like embers, and both pokemon shone like a pair of chandeliers.
Finally, Pachirisu scurried back to Dawn, shaking herself free of static.
Lilian squinted at the results. "….Oooh, and it looks like Pikachu is unable to battle! Which means that, thanks to Glittering Fang, Dawn and Pachirisu are the winners! And, what a show it was!"
"What a finisher!" Ash pumped a fist, eyes still glued to the arred field. "Man, what a way to work with Pachirisu."
"It really shows how much they've grown," Brock added. "Between this and the Ice Chandelier, they've really proven that they can make Pachirisu's nature an asset."
"How could it not be!? It's absolutely adorable! Pikachu was cute, too, but gosh!" Misty cooed, hands held to her cheeks. "Not as cute as the Pikachu, of course."
"Pikachu..." Pikachu rubbed his head. This wasn't a competition! Well… Actually, it was. But, he wasn't part of it!
"You missed a lot," Ash added. "Back when she first caught Pachirisu, he could never stay still. It took all of us just to keep up with her!"
"It made using her in contests a bit of a problem," Brock recalled. "But, they definitely understand each other now."
"Sure do," Ash nodded. "Still… I feel kinda bad for Paige. She's had it rough, and she put up a tough fight, too."
"When you coast your career on one gimmick, that'll happen." The doctor-in-training crossed his arms.
"And now, for a battle that I'm sure you've all been waiting for! Dawn, the Sinnoh finalist who's made quite a splash here, against Ryan, the Johto semi-finalist who always makes an explosive entry! Between the two, we're bound to see a breathtaking clash between their pokemon!"
A deafening round of cheers sounded for the two competitors entered the arena.
"Hey, Dawn," Ryan called across the stage. "I've heard of you, here and there, and not gonna lie, I'm impressed! Two Wallace Cups in a row ain't something to sneeze at."
As if she wasn't already giddy for the upcoming challenge. Now, she was starting to become a big name! Wouldn't Johanna be proud. "Well, it wasn't easy, but thanks! I haven't had time to keep up with Johto, but you've got to be good to get as far as you did! However this ends, no hard feelings, right?"
Ryan blinked, taken aback. "Well, yeah, duh. Why would there be?"
"Because I plan on getting to the Grand Festival, and becoming Top Coordinator!" A flick of Dawn's wrist tossed her blue tresses, a smirk crossing her lips. "So, I'm winning my fifth ribbon today!"
Dawn's bold declaration won a few excited hollers from the crowd.
Ryan had to laugh, then. "I like you, Dawn. But, I'm winning today, so yeah. No hard feelings!"
"Wow! It hasn't even started, and both coordinators are talking big! You can feel the tension in the air!"
"We'll see," Dawn countered. She made quite a show of winding up, tossing her pokeball. "Empoleon… Spotlight!"
The Emperor pokemon made his entrance, smashing his glimmering wings together. "Empol!" He was raring to go!
"An Empoleon… So, that's got to be your first pokemon, eh? Well, I'll show you mine! Raichu, let's dazzle 'em!"
"Rai~!" The mouse chanted, making a particularly cutesy entrance before standing on all fours, whipping his tail against the floor. He grinned, taunting Empoleon with a 'come and get it' gesture of his paw. "Rai-Rai!"
"Pol!" The water type cawed, standing proud. He'd make it eat those words!
"Get 'em Empoleon! Show them what a true and blue water type is made of!" Misty hollered, waving her fist in the air.
"Ryan's really got her fighting spirit boiling… Give 'em hell, Dawn!" Ash whooped.
"And she's got him feeling competitive, too," Brock noted. "This'll be an interesting match, no doubt."
"Pika, Pikachu~!" Pikachu hollered, waving his arms. He believed in Empoleon!
"Now, with five minutes on the clock, let the match… Begin!"
"Raichu, let's start off strong! Thunder!"
"Raiii… Chu!" The rotund rodent shrieked. A brilliant, booming current shot across the stage.
"Empoleon, charge in and spin!"
The large, sturdy bird sprinted forward, heading straight for the eye of the storm.
"What's she up to?" Ryan cocked a brow. Dawn wasn't stupid enough to throw the match like that.
A few gasps could be heard over the crackling Thunder.
"Now, spin!" Dawn ordered with a wave of her hand.
"Empol~!" A swift dive forward was coupled with a sudden horizontal spin. Electricity snapped at thin air, fizzling in a disappointed buzz. A crafty barrel roll carried Empoleon past the shock with barely an inch to spare, and he returned to a spirited sprint towards Raichu.
"Ooh, what a nailbiter! A risky play by Dawn, but it went off without a hitch!" Lilian narrated, sure the audience felt the same.
As did the judges, apparently, when Ryan's points dropped just a bit.
"Now, Drill Peck!"
Only feet away from his smaller foe, Empoleon became a ruthless spinning top, jabbing his sharp beak into Raichu's torso.
Raichu hissed, his posture buckling from the shock. All the same, though, it was a flying type attack. He growled, looming in Empoleon's shadow.
"Gutsy! I like it." Ryan grinned. "Raichu, Electro Ball!"
A look of mischief left Empoleon puzzled, as Raichu twisted back his hips. Golden sparks began to swirl on the end of his tail.
"Rai!" Raichu swung around, slapping the sharp end of his tail into Empoleon's plated abdomen.
A vicious orb of static slammed into the water type, sending him skidding far across the battlefield.
Empoleon dragged the steel tips of his wings across the floor, reducing his sliding to a halt. When Electro Ball faded, he huffed, brushing the residual static off of his chest. "Empol!?" Was that all Raichu had!?
"Ooh, and what a graceful counter from Raichu! That Electro Ball did a number on Empoleon, but he's hanging in there!"
Dawn's score dropped a sliver, falling in line with her opponent's.
"And, there's plenty more where that came from!" Dawn boasted. "Empoleon, Hydro Pump!"
A torrential jet fired from the penguin's mouth, intent on pulverizing Raichu.
"Raichu, let's ride that wave!" Ryan countered.
"What!?" Dawn flinched. What was that supposed to mean!?
"Rai!" Raichu all too happily obliged, making a clean jump over Hydro Pump. Rather than take the attack head-on, he grounded his feet atop his wide tail end, landing atop the pressurized jet itself.
Met with cheers and gasps of awe, Raichu surfed Hydro Pump with glee, riding the wave to the far end of the stage. Finally, he leaned to one side, sliding off of his free ride to skid to a halt. The electric type even took time to pose, flicking his tail about.
"Wow! Now, that's how you fend off an attack with style!" Lilian cheered. "Raichu really rolled with the tide on that one!"
With that smooth display, Dawn's points dropped to about three quarters.
The bluenette pursed her lips. "He's not messing around… What a way to show off!"
"Good job," Ryan praised. "Now, let's hit 'em hard! Electro Ball, back to back!"
Raichu spun about, launching four different glowing spheres in quick succession.
"You can handle that, Empoleon!" Dawn encouraged. "Knock them back with Steel Wing!"
"Empol!" Tempered wings took on a silver glow, reared before swinging at the incoming projectiles without restraint. The first two were knocked back with one wing each. And, just to show off, the big, prideful penguin spun on his feet, backhanding the third Electro Ball before swinging around to bat the fourth on its way.
Suddenly, Raichu found himself face to face with a taste of his own medicine.
"Nice one," the coordinator from Johto admitted. "But, two can play at that game! Brick Break!"
Stubby paws shone with prowess, jabbing at one Electro Ball after the next, sending them astray. The last was even smashed between the electric type's paws, crushed into little more than a fizzle.
Dawn and Ryan's points dropped accordingly, with Ryan leading by an inch or two, still.
"Let's turn the tides, Empoleon," Dawn encouraged. "Steel Wing!"
Empoleon wasn't about to go down on this note. "Pol!" He cried, charging in towards Raichu, his wings covered in a brilliant sheen. When he was within arm's length, he skidded to a halt, bringing his wing down in a merciless strike.
"Fend it off, with Brick Break!" Bryan coached.
"Rai!" Eager for a fight, the mouse beamed, swinging back with a roaring uppercut.
The two attacks clashed, letting out a loud echo of the contest between sturdy muscles and tempered steel. Raichu brushed off Empoleon's strike, leaning right to throw a haymaker at Empoleon's beak.
The stubborn penguin guarded with his opposite wing, stopping Raichu's paw in its tracks. He squawked in pain, a numbness buzzing through his extremity. That didn't stop him, though, from smashing Raichu across the face with his free wing.
Getting clocked left Raichu the slightest bit dizzy, stumbling back, desperate for balance. He didn't find relief, when his larger opponent took the opportunity to turn his assault into a one-two Steel Wing punch. He hissed, going pale under his fur when he found himself in the Emperor's shadow.
A predatory gleam shone in Empoleon's eyes, eager for glory, when he brought both wings down in unison like a sledgehammer.
"Raichu, dude, block that!" Ryan encouraged. "Don't let Empoleon fizzle you out!"
His black beady eyes narrowed. Both of his paws shot upward in a double uppercut, smashing into Empoleon's limbs. His wide hind feet pressed into the floor of the stage, supporting his weight against his larger opponent.
"Good job! Now, pummel 'im!"
Raichu's arms were already beginning to hurt. But, looking straight forward, he saw his chance. He shrugged Steel Wing to each of his sides, turning to pummeling Empoleon's unguarded torso.
"Wow! Look at the sparks fly between these two fully evolved pokemon! I'm feeling the intensity of a league battle, here, in this contest! But, as we've already seen, both of these pokemon boast plenty of style! Just who will have the finesse to come out on top!?"
"C'mon, c'mon! Whack 'im good, Empoleon!" Misty jeered, throwing jabs at the air. "Show them that they can't count on a win just because of their type!"
The fiery Gym Leader's boxing forced an unfortunate Ash to lean out of danger.
"It's really remarkable," Brock mused.
"Ain't it? What a battle!" Ash gushed, fists held tight with enthusiasm. "Dawn must be having a blast!"
"Not that." The student shook his head. "Well, yeah. But, I mean Empoleon. He's fighting completely differently than he did as a Piplup. He was always talented, but he was so clumsy. Sometimes a little scatterbrained, too focused on his own pride. Now, he's totally composed. I never thought I'd see him excel like this at close quarter fighting."
Ash could only smile, letting a belly-laugh slip through his lips. "Yeah, this journey's been really good for him. He's had so much time around Pikachu, Rosa, and the others. I think watching my pokemon gave him something to work for; hell, battling Charizard is what brought him to evolve into Prinplup in the first place."
"So, that's what changed his mind." Now, the puzzle pieces were coming together. "He must've seen that all of your pokemon remained close to you and to each other, no matter how much they evolved, or how long they were gone." Ash's smile was contagious. Pokemon really were interesting.
By now, Raichu had slipped through Empoleon's defenses with a soaring uppercut. Empoleon squawked, feeling his beak grow sore.
"Don't take that, Empoleon! Watch out for the next one!" Dawn coached.
"Raichu, knock him back!" Ryan countered.
"Raiii…!" Still airborne, the electric mouse cried, eagerly winding up a right hook.
He wasn't prepared for the clobbering that Steel Wing delivered.
Empoleon was rewarded with a disheveled, spinning Raichu, and he eagerly claimed his prize. A downward haymaker sent the rodent bouncing off of the ground.
"Oooh, it looks like Empoleon came out on top with that encounter! What tenacity!"
Dawn and Ryan's points had both been dropping during the encounter, sliver by sliver. But, Dawn's victory put her back in league with her opponent, leaving each coordinator with just over half of their points left.
"Pikaaa! Pikachu~!" Pikachu cheered, emphatically waving both of his arms. Empoleon was performing just as well as he had in their own spar! No, better!
"Now, let's keep the ball rolling, Empoleon!" Dawn goaded, smiling from ear to ear. "Whirlpool~!"
"Pol!" The Emperor raised both wings above his head, whipping up a huge, roaring Whirlpool. He tossed it forward, sweeping up Raichu in the current.
Ryan's fist tightened as he watched his points dip again. Fortunately for him, Dawn had done a great job setting him up. He grinned.
"Surf's up, Raichu! Ride that Whirlpool!"
"Shoot," Dawn hissed under her breath. She should've thought that through.
Could've, should've, would've.
Now, Raichu was standing atop his flat, jagged tail, shifting his weight left and right until he climbed the twisted arcs of rushing water.
The clever stunt earned cheers from the audience, and adversely, Dawn's points dropped.
"Now, light up that pool, with Electro Ball!"
Raichu released the electric attack into the torrent. It was tossed about through the rough waters, quickly gaining speed.
With every rotation, the vibrating orb grew, highlighting the water with golden streaks.
But, it wouldn't last long. The sphere of static was growing wild, too spirited to be contained by the waves.
Ryan's eyes shimmered, a smile spreading when he saw his opportunity. "Raichu, now!"
The Electro Ball popped out of the Whirlpool in a bound for freedom, and clinging to his tail, Raichu followed, soaring in a radical arc.
"Chu!" Raichu cried, spiking Electro Ball with a stylish Brick Break.
Dawn gasped. That thing had to be half the size of Pikachu's giant Electro Ball. "Block it, with Steel Wing!"
Empoleon swallowed heavily. This wasn't good. "Pol…!"
A falling golden comet collided with its gleaming, guarding target. Vicious crackles could be seen and heard, forcing most onlookers to guard their eyes.
Empoleon was sent tumbling and skidding across the battlefield, smoking and singed.
Dawn's points, meanwhile, dropped to around a third.
"Empoleon!" Dawn cringed, both of her palms covering her mouth. Her blue brows knit, a chill slithering down her spine.
"Wow! What a show! Ryan and Raichu really know how to use their opponent's attacks against them!" Lilian boomed. "Can Empoleon even continue!?"
"Pol…" The pokemon groaned into the stage floor, recoiling from the leftover static that nipped at him. He'd better get a facefull of Poffins, after this.
"Empoleon… Can you hear me? You can keep going, right?" The crack in Dawn's own voice worried her. Just who was she trying to convince?
"If Empoleon can't get up soon, this might be a knock-out!" Lilian's words proved all the more discouraging.
"Empol…." The penguin's body began to stir. Trembling, ashen wings pushed against the stage. His face could be seen.
When Ryan caught on, he counted Raichu lucky that he couldn't see that frightening gaze over the waves.
"I knew it!" Dawn bluffed, holding a fist to her chest. That was close. "Ice Beam, now!"
Empoleon hadn't stood yet, but nonetheless, he fired. A crackling beam shot through the air, blasting the Whirlpool.
Rushing waters were quickly infested with solid ice. Raichu panicked, riding the highest of waves to escape the cold.
Numb limbs and a solid block of ice encasing him told the rodent that he wasn't so lucky.
"Beautiful~! Empoleon put an end to Raichu's showboating by freezing his own Whirlpool solid! And what a work of art it is!"
"Surf's out for the summer, Ryan!" Dawn boasted, quickly regaining her composure. She rested a hand on her hip.
"You think you're funny, eh?" Ryan snorted. So, they thought they could put Raichu on ice…
"Buddy, let's light up the stage with Thunder!"
Misty, meanwhile, groaned. "I think I'm going to have to lecture both of them for all of these puns…"
"Hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" Ash teased.
He received no answer.
"You don't have to give me the cold shoulder over it!"
Meanwhile, Raichu grabbed back the crowd's attention with a sizzling Thunder, blasting the frozen Whirlpool to shards and glittering, crackling dust. An all-consuming, electrified hail was Raichu's backdrop as he made his safe descent, landing on his hind legs. "Rai-Rai!"
"Beautiful…" Dawn cooed, completely drawn to the aftermath. She couldn't deny being impressed.
"And, yet another comeback by Ryan and Raichu! They're putting a lot of pressure on Dawn and Empoleon, who only have a small fraction of their points remaining. And, there's barely a minute left on the clock!"
"Glad you like our work!" Ryan boasted. "I'd suggest you throw in the towel now, but I'd rather see what you have left up your sleeve!"
A smirk crawled up Dawn's lips. "No need to worry. We'll show you!"
"Just what I wanted to hear. Raichu, use Surf!"
"Raiii… Chu!" The cute, rambunctious rodent tossed his paws in the air, forcing up a current from under his feet.
"Again with the waterworks," Dawn muttered, watching what quickly became a wave looming over Empoleon.
Raichu, naturally, was coasting the peak of the tide. Dawn watched her points narrow to a sliver.
"We've gotta make this count," Dawn thought aloud. And, she was sure she had just the thing.
"Empoleon, let's carve up that wave! Steel Wing, right up the middle!"
Ryan scoffed.
"Empol…. Empoleon!" Now standing upright, the penguin leaned forward, putting faith in his footwork. His right wing shone with a lustrous silver, reinforced right to the sharp end of his crest. The makeshift blade was swung in a vicious uppercut, slicing the base of the wave.
A defined split rushed from foundation to crest, slicing Raichu's wave cleanly in half. Mist hung in the air, gifting the Steel Wing with a rainbow sheen.
"Goodness! Look at that slice! Empoleon had all the strength and precision to break Raichu's Surf cleanly in half!"
With that, the audience roared in Empoleon's favor, and Ryan's points took a dive.
"Great stuff," Ryan spared. "But don't get cozy yet!"
A single soul soared through the crashing wave. "Raiii!" Raichu cried, grinning as gravity carried him to Empoleon.
"It's done, Dawn. Brick Break!" Ryan ordered, throwing a hand forward.
A bead of sweat ran down the bluenette's forehead. There had to be a quick counter to this… If she could just observe…
Bingo!
"Empoleon! Use Ice Beam, right in front of you!"
"Pol?" The penguin was startled, but he was in no position to argue. A freezing beam was fired directly before him. It collided with a peaking splash, now free of the initial wave. Arching waters were quickly frozen over in a teal flash.
Raichu squeaked, quickly realizing his error. He flailed his arms and legs, but it was to no avail.
He collided face first with the slab of ice between himself and Empoleon.
"Oooh~ That's got to hurt! And what a fall from grace for Raichu! Talk about quick thinking," Lilian narrated.
Ryan's points narrowed again, and now, he was the one sweating.
By now, Dawn was ecstatic. "Hydro Pump!"
Empoleon was thrilled to oblige. A merciless jet smashed through the ice, sending the poor Raichu sliding across the arena.
"Less than thirty seconds left~!"
"Empoleon, let's finish this!" Dawn encouraged, holding a fist tight. She punched forward. "Ice Drill!"
"Empol!" The Emperor began sprinting, channeling a hint of an Ice Beam on the tip of his beak.
"Ice what!?" Ryan stammered. "Raichu, bud, don't give in! Thunder!"
The electric mouse groaned, crawling to his feet. A leer was sent Empoleon's way, and he shrieked.
"Now!" Dawn coached.
Empoleon dove into a Drill Peck, his body taking on a wild spin. The Ice Beam followed, creating a spinning, icy spire on the end of his beak.
Mere feet away from Raichu, it collided with Thunder.
Seats were clung to and ears were clasped in the wake of the resulting explosion. Lightning bolts strayed, ice shards rained, and smoke spread.
Dawn and Ryan alike guarded their eyes. Ryan tried to be more subtle about it.
"...Aaaand, we're out of time! Now, let's check on our competitors!"
Wisps of smoke ditched Raichu first. The bulky rodent stood, just barely, his fur damp and littered with ice crystals.
Dawn could swear that her heart had skipped a beat.
Empoleon was next. Singed, dizzy, and heaving heavily, the penguin supported himself on one wing. He met eyes with Raichu.
"Both pokemon are conscious!"
Startled gasps and controversial chatter raged among spectators, then.
"...So, we will turn our eyes to the scoreboard, then! It looks awfully close…!"
Hopeful, Dawn squinted. She almost couldn't bare to look.
"And, by just a hair, it's Dawn! Which would make her the winner of this round!"
At least half of the crowd erupted into boisterous, whooping cheers. Dawn breathed a heavy, relieved sigh. She was almost as short of breath as Empoleon!
"It was a close call, and Ryan dominated a portion of the match, but in those last moments, Dawn saw her opportunity and snatched dominance from her seasoned peer. That's the prize you win for tenacity, folks! So, why don't we give them both a hand!?"
Ryan huffed. What he thought would be frustration turned out to be amusement. "Holy hell… What a battle!"
Raichu scoffed, not quite as humble about it. He struggled, opting to fall onto his rear, rather than on his face. "Raiii…." And, they'd been so close!
He stopped his moping when he felt a gentle hand atop his head. "Hey, I don't wanna see you sulkin'. That was top-notch! You put up 'till the end!"
Well, at least his trainer thought so. Raichu relented, nuzzling into his trainer's shoulder. "Rai-Rai~!"
Ryan laughed, recalling the electric type in a flash. "Give it a rest, man. You're wiped."
When he looked across, he smiled. Dawn had pulled Empoleon into an embrace, thanking him for a job well done.
"Dawn!"
"I promise, I'll make as many Poffins as you… Huh?" Dawn turned, tilting her head.
"Good game. No one's pushed me that hard in a while!"
"Same to you!" Dawn beamed, helping Empoleon to his feet. "Sorry I had to knock you out of the contest."
"Hey, don't sweat it," he dismissed with a wave of his hand. "If nothin' else, this'll have me on my toes for the next one! I'll see you later." With a wave of his hand, the Johto native retreated.
"You can count on it!" Dawn promised, pumping a fist. "C'mon, Empoleon. Let's get you over to Nurse Joy. You look like a Poffin that's been in the oven too long."
"Empol!"
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!"
"Hoo, boy…" Ash whistled, leaning back in his seat. "What a match!"
"I couldn't even breathe before that smoke cleared up." Misty exhaled.
"Pika-Pikachu!" All of that action… He hardly had time to feel anxious!
"A real, model show between coordinators," Brock asserted. "Dawn's come a really long way."
"She sure has," Ash agreed. He was positively beaming with pride. "That's Dawn for you."
"Is someone proud of his girlfriend?" Misty cooed, poking Ash's thoroughly red cheeks.
"Hey, knock it off!" Ash shrugged her hand away. But, the tough guy act was hard to keep up. "Mm, yeah. You caught me. She looked like she was really having fun on that stage, even when things were tilted against her. That's the attitude to have when you're in a tough match!"
Brock couldn't help but laugh at their antics. "You're right, Ash. With that mindset, she's bound to win."
"Now, we'll move on to our next match! Larkspur is up against Shannon! Let's watch these two coordinators have it out!"
An auburn-haired girl, likely in her teens, sprinted onto the stage. "Golduck," she cooed, enthusiastically tossing her pokeball. "I choose you!"
The water type's appearance cooled Larkspur's nerves. He showed a hint of a smirk, adjusting his collar. "Victreebel, perform for us, please!"
The Flycatcher screeched, spinning about before landing with his sturdy vines.
"Ooh, Shannon's at a disadvantage here!" Lilian observed aloud. "Who knows how she'll handle that? We'll find out, now! Begin!"
"Victreebel, Leaf Tornado!"
The grass type swung its leafy extremities, and a grassy gust followed.
"Bust that, with Water Pulse!" Shannon countered.
Clawed hands summoned a blue orb, swirling and bubbling. It was tossed overhead.
Water Pulse got sucked into Leaf Tornado, stretching and compressing under its force before erupting in a volatile burst. Leaves were sent soaring, weighed down and washed up by the quick current.
Larkspur's points dropped just a bit.
"Good job, Golduck! Now, use Fury Swipes!"
"Gol… Duck!" Golduck sprinted, striking at the plant with a vicious swipe of his claws.
Larkspur huffed. "Pull back, Victreebel!"
Irritated, Victreebel hopped backwards.
Golduck was on it like a Shellder on a Slowpoke's tail, slashing it several more times.
"Ooh, what a combo!" Lilian enthused.
Victreebel fell back, and Larkspur swallowed. "Leaf Tornado!"
"Uh-oh! Larkspur may lose points for calling the same move twice!" The emcee warned.
And, she was right.
"It's just gonna get worse," Shannon taunted. "Disable!"
Golduck's eyes shone an eerie blue, and Victeebel was enveloped in the same.
The Flycatcher sputtered, failing to summon his assault, tried as he may.
Larkspur took a subconscious step back, insecure, as his points dropped to about three quarters.
"Shannon has a clear edge, so far! What an upset, and a treat for underdog water type lovers, everywhere!"
"You said it! Get 'im, girl! Rough 'em up, Golduck!" Misty cheered, shaking her fist in the air.
Ash's face scrunched at his friend's betrayal, leaning forward in a huff. "Don't listen to 'em, Larkspur! You can still kick their butts!"
"Ha! You're obviously underestimating the mettle of a good water pokemon." Misty smirked at her companion, flicking one of her orange bangs.
"Nah. I just know how good Larkspur is." Ash mimicked Misty in his confident gaze. His eyes turned back to the action.
"Pi…? Pikachu," Pikachu huffed, head tilted. He wanted to root for Larkspur, but it was hard not to root along with Misty! He was caught between a rock and a hard place.
"Use Vine Whip!" Larkspur countered.
Two tendrils lashed out with intensity, ready to latch and ensnare Golduck.
"Catch those vines!"
"Duck!" The ever-vigilant water type snatched both vines, suspending them in a tight grip.
Larkspur regrettably watched his score drop another sliver.
"Great job, Golduck~! Now, reel that Victreebel in!"
"Gol… Duck!" He yanked away from the grass type, pulling it in quickly.
For the first time since the match began, the timid boy bore a look of confidence. Bingo. "Toxic!"
He watched Shannon's face fall from across the stage, as volatile purple goo covered her pokemon.
"Duck…!" Golduck groaned, writhing in pain. The toxins had begun to sink into his skin.
Eager for payback, Victreebel launched Golduck with a harsh whip of his vines.
Golduck bounced off the arena floor, and Shannon lost a good deal of points.
"Talk about a comeback! In her confidence, Shannon fell right into Larkspur's trap… Or, was the grass type specialist just lucky? He'd better hope the luck continues, since he's still a bit behind in points!"
The usually composed boy growled under his breath. 'Appreciate the support,' he retorted dryly, at least to himself. "Good work, Victreebel! Now, use Venoshock!"
The plant hissed, firing a sickly green goo at Golduck.
Shannon's breath was caught in her throat. That was bad! "Confusion!"
Golduck concentrated, catching the slime in mid-air. It was suspended in a purple glow, held together much more like a solid than a liquid. The crowd cooed at the display.
"Duck!" He exclaimed. The mass of poison exploded, splattering across the field.
"What a show of telekinetic prowess! Golduck is definitely no slouch!"
With that, Larkspur fell a bit behind, once more.
"Tough luck, kid! You're not bad!" Shannon remarked from across the stage. She smiled. "Too bad I've gotta beat you, now. Golduck, Water Pulse!"
"Duck!" Golduck chucked another sphere at Victreebel.
"D… Don't pretend this match is over!" Larkspur barked. Well, as close to a bark as the boy could muster, that was. "Use Vine Whip!"
Victreebel spun about, bursting Water Pulse with a fierce whiplash. The liquid splattered, and Larkspur was neck-and-neck with Sharron again.
"Both coordinators are doing quite a good job repelling each others' attacks. But, with the clock ticking, who will slip up first!?"
Golduck writhed, hissing at the nagging sensation of poison. His posture had begun to falter.
"Hang in there, Golduck, sweetie!" Shannon encouraged. Though, her cracking voice was no vote of confidence. "Use Confusion on that Victreebel!"
"Gol…" Golduck growled, glaring daggers at the plant. A sudden exertion of telekinetic force squeezed Victreebell, tossing the poor pokemon skyward.
"Victreebel!" Larkspur gasped. "Use Vine Whip to toss Golduck, and be quick about it!"
Still soaring, Victreebel launched his vines, snatching up Golduck.
The water type squawked, breath knocked from his lungs as he was flung skyward.
Beaming, Larkspur threw a hand out. "Leaf Tornado!"
The Flycatcher pokemon shook its head, regaining its bearings before spinning again, kicking up a small typhoon.
Golduck was caught in the eye of the storm, shrieking as razor-sharp leaves struck and kept him afloat.
"Ooh, what a combo! Shannon and Golduck are caught in quite a pickle, now!"
"Says you," Shannon argued. "Golduck, Confusion, now!"
With each swipe of a leaf, an irritated growl built in Golduck's throat. Annoyance turned to fury, and that was promptly unleashed. A blue aura shone like a jewel, consuming the water type, and his surroundings with him.
The foliage that had attacked so viciously was suspended, creating a scene that could only be described as art. Golduck, a master of its domain, floating amongst the element that caused it so much ire.
Captivated chatter from the audience proved to be a rather good sign, in Shannon's mind.
"Very impressive!" Larkspur commended. "You're not making this easy at all…" It reminded him a bit of battling Dawn, even. Not quite her difficulty, but still. "Victreebel, if you don't mind, let's finish this!" Adjusting his collar, he pointed forward. "Venoshock!"
Victreebel shrieked, spitting out acidic slime that splattered and coated the suspended leaves.
"O-oh, no! Golduck, get that goo away, now!" Shannon stuttered.
But, holding his position was a feat of its own. Struggled as he may to expand his focus, the water type was trapped.
The leaves quickly withered and split, raining the poisonous substance atop Golduck.
He shrieked, collapsing onto the stage. Trembling arms held him up for just a moment.
Lilian peered forward, squinting at the downed pokemon. "Aaand, Golduck is unable to battle! It was a tough battle, but Larkspur and Victreebel will make it on to the next round! Thanks to all four of you for giving us the show you did!"
"T-that was excellent, Victreebel!" The green-haired boy praised, embracing his weary plant. He was in for a surprise when the tired pokemon collapsed against him.
"Ree…" Victreebel brushed Larkspur with an affectionate flick of one of his leaves. He was satisfied as the red light of his pokeball consumed him.
"Sh-shannon?" The coordinatot turned towards his defeated opponent.
"What's up," she answered, voice dry of enthusiasm. She'd already recalled her own.
"That was a fun match… You almost had me!"
The brunette showed a hint of a smile. "Hey, thanks. At least I lost to someone good."
"Thank you, Larkspur and Shannon, for showing us a great deal of sportsmanship! Now, if you'll kindly head backstage, we'll proceed with the next round!"
As soon as Larkspur evaded the limelight and stepped backstage, he exhaled heavily. "That was close…"
"You were awesome!" Dawn gushed, approaching the younger coordinator with a spring in her step. "Fighting back against psychic type moves is never easy, especially when they have the type advantage."
"Thanks." Larkspur smiled. The more experienced girl's approval made him smile. A moment passed, and his eyes grew wide. "Oh, wow. Then, that means…"
"We're up facing off in the final round!" Dawn finished. "It'll be our first battle since the contest in Celadon City!"
"Mhm." Larkspur nodded, adjusting her collar. "That was where we met, too."
"Oh, you're right! Gosh, it feels like it's been such a long time, since then… I'm excited to see how we both measure up, these days."
"Yeah… I doubt I'll be able to beat you, though." He looked up to the Sinnohan and shook his head. "...But, I will try! I'll do my best!"
"That's the spirit!" Dawn smirked, pumping a fist. "And, I'm going to give you everything I have. Because I know you can handle it!"
Larkspur swallowed. He was starting to get emotional on the spot! "R-right… Thanks, Dawn!" That was the best way to compliment an opponent, after all, wasn't it? "I'll give you my full efforts, too!"
"Now, it's time for the final round of this contest!" Lilian could be heard over the loudpseakers. "It's time for our last two competitors to enter the arena!"
"That's our queue!" Dawn winked. "Let's get to it!"
"Yeah!"
"Thank you, everyone, for staying with us, and thank you, to all of the coordinators who've made this event such a thrill! Now, for all your patience, you'll get to see the finale you've all been waiting for! Dawn, a rising star, will be battling Larkspur, another talented trainer! Will his expertise in grass types overwhelm Dawn, or will her flexibility be her key to success? We're about to find out!"
"Get ready, Larkspur!" Dawn challenged, gripping her pokeball in a loose hold before tossing it forward. "Typhlosion, spotlight!"
Crimson flames unfolded from the large badger's back, fanning brilliantly in tune with the pokemon's mighty roar. She stood on her hind legs, poised to battle.
"Wow! A Typhlosion! That answers my question; Larkspur's in for an uphill battle against a fully evolved fire type!"
Dawn frowned. Was it really necessary for an emcee to undercut the boy's confidence like that?
"We'll see!" Larkspur asserted, green brows furrowed. He tossed his pokeball, as well. "I think I made the right choice… Cradily, it's your turn!"
The Baranacle pokemon took root on the stage, craning its neck to threaten Typhlosion.
The Volcano pokemon scoffed, showing off her flames.
Dawn was satisfied with the boy's confidence. "We're waiting to see what you guys are made of!"
"With both pokemon present, let the match… Begin!"
"Cradily, let's start!" Larkspur ordered, holding a hand out. "Show us your Ancientpower!"
Much like Tangela, Cradily writhed, summoning several glowing stones. They were flung at Typhlosion with remarkable precision and control, chipping just a bit off of Dawn's points.
"Cut through that with Swift!" Dawn countered.
With a toss of his head, Typhlosion launched a flurry of stars, sending the glittery projectiles into the eye of the storm.
The mystical stones were slain into slabs and rubble by Swift, one cut into pieces after the next. Golden stars soared past their defeated targets and burst.
Voices from the crowd cheered, and Larkspur lost a chunk of his points.
"What a show of beauty and skill!"
As flattered as she was, Dawn quietly wished that Lilian would keep her mouth shut. "It's only just started," she muttered.
The boy frowned. "Cradily, Solarbeam!"
Particles of light began to draw to the rooted pokemon, gathering between the tendrils that surrounded its intimidating visage.
"Smokescreen!"
The flames crowning Typhlosion's neck began to spit out thick, black smoke, shrouding her side of the field in mystery.
"Go, Cradily!"
The sturdy pokemon fired the solar energy it'd quickly gathered. The burst of light made it rear and recoil; a show of raw power!
The blast exploded through Smokescreen, clearing a visible tunnel in the smog. Eventually, it exploded, leaving blinding results.
"What a powerful Solarbeam! Excellent work from Cradily!" Lilian praised, finally. "But, where is Typhlosion!?"
"Double Edge!"
Typhlosion emerged from the blackness, crashing into Cradily in a full-body tackle. She roared, roughly tossing the Barnacle pokemon behind her into the air.
Larkspur, surprisingly, looked unperturbed. "Grass Knot!"
Cradily wailed as it soared, dragging up a multitude of vines from below the stage. Just as gravity started to take hold, Cradily was caught by his own creation. The vines wrapped tightly around Cradily's body, holding it secure.
The audience, and even Dawn, gasped.
"Wow! Typhlosion showed off Herculean strength with that Double Edge, but Cradily recovered by catching itself! What a brilliant use of Grass Knot!"
While Larkspur lost another inch for Double Edge, that ingenious recovery put him back in league with Dawn.
"My goodness…!" Brock stammered, eyebrow twitching.
"Huh? What's the matter, Brock?" Ash turned to his older companion.
"The way he's using Grass Knot… That kind of strength and dexterity is nearly unheard of; let alone from the air."
"Maybe it has to do with the kind of pokemon Cradily is?" Misty ventured to guess.
"Probably. It's probably rooted to a natural talent. But, still… Ash did say that he hasn't been a coordinator all that long. He must have a real intuition for training and nurturing grass type pokemon."
"What a move… You guys have been working hard!" Dawn smiled wide. She was somewhere between proud and astonished.
"We wanted to be able to match you!" Larkspur swallowed, holding an open palm outward. "Cradily, Ancientpower!"
Still suspended by the flora, Cradily launched another volley of boulders towards Typhlosion.
This time, though, the assault came with a secondary effect. The odd violet glow surrounding the rocks drifted between the artifacts, linking together with Cradily at the center. The colored patterns on the Barnacle's body began to glow, its body invigorated with a strange energy.
As a result of the power-up, Typhlosion could do nothing to avoid the barrage. Boulders pummeled her.
"Wow, a devastating hit from Cradily! And Ancientpower has, well, powered it up! The fossil pokemon really has a ghoulish look set up, now, and it's formidable to boot! What a turnaround for Larkspur!"
Dawn watched her points dip below her opponent's. "Really impressive. Typhlosion! You've still got some fight in you, right?"
The rubble began to shift and shudder, bursting open to give room to Typhlosion. The fire type groaned, shaking her head.
"I thought you would!" Dawn was relieved, but not quite shocked. "It's time to fight back! Use Swift, and combine it with Flamethrower!"
Typhlosion kicked the obtrusive boulders to the side, twisting her body back. Growling, she built up heat around her neck.
She spun forward, launching a glimmering swarm of stars. With them came a mighty, fiery roar, weaving a white-hot Flamethrower into their path. Swift spun circling ribbons across the battlefield, carrying a fierce pattern of red and orange flames that drew gasps from the audience.
Larkspur swallowed. "Um, Cradily…! Use-!"
The boy was a bit late on the draw. Scorching stars sliced through the vines suspending Cradily, sending it plummeting.
The Barnacle pokemon braced itself when the second half of the assault became obvious. It screeched, suddenly barraged by blazing stars before it could even hit the ground. The pokemon fell swiftly and ablaze, like a comet before the crowd's very eyes.
"What a move!" Ash marveled, clutching his knees. "Larkspur didn't know what hit 'im!"
"Pi-Pika~!" Pikachu cheered, bouncing in Ash's lap. His paws were held to his cheeks in eye-glittering wonder. What a beautiful attack!
"It was like a shooting star on stage…!" Misty cooed, sharing Pikachu's sentiments. "Your gal's a real artist, Ash."
"Mhm," the trainer nodded, almost absent mindedly.
"And, what a way to undercut Cradily's advantage. She brought the spotlight right back to her with that combination. An expertly thought out move," Brock remarked. "Larkspur's going to have to think fast if he wants to even the odds."
"Wow! What a counter from Dawn! She brought down the beast with that beautiful combination, which has put her in the lead!" Lilian narrated. "What will Larkspur do to turn things back in his favor!?"
"Y-you can do it, Cradily! Stand strong!" The boy coached with trembling knees. 'I really picked the right person to tutor me.'
The sturdy pokemon screeched, craning its neck to regain balance. It stood once more.
"Wow! Cradily is still with us! Its boost from Ancientpower must have given it the guts to tough out that flaming Swift!"
Larkspur nodded without much of a thought. "Use Brine!"
Cradily threw its head forward, spewing a monstrous burst of sea water towards Typhlosion. Crashing against the arena floor, it crested, threatening to flood Larkspur's end of the field, where Typhlosion stood.
"That's dangerous," Dawn muttered. Luckily, she'd already considered a counter to water type moves. "Use Flamethrower across the field in front of you!"
Typhlosion cried in response, tossing her head about. A roaring flame traced an arc in front of her, blasting the incoming water with intense heat.
The head of the wave was foiled, bursting in a boiling, strong-scented mist before the fire type.
"Good job," Dawn called, praising her pokemon. But, she'd counted her Torchics a bit too early. "Huh!?"
Over the first wave of Brine came a second wind, towering over Typhlosion. The awestruck pokemon was swept up in a brutal wave.
"Huh? What the hell just happened!?" Ash leaned forward, eyes wide. "I thought Typhlosion had it steamed out!"
"Well, that was Brine it was using, Ash." Misty reminded.
"Yeah, so what?"
"Brine is a unique water type move, in that it does much more damage when an opponent's taken a lot of damage, calling on the user's fighting spirit to call forth a second wind of power in the form of more water. With the shape Typhlosion's in, it was invigorated," Brock explained.
"Huh… Well, what do ya know." In that case, Dawn was in a pinch.
Meanwhile, Larkspur hadn't missed a beat. "Cradily, now!"
Dawn arched a brow. "Now, what?"
When Brine began to dip away into a puddle, Dawn understood. "Typhlosion!"
Hanging above the moisture, Typhlosion hung, suspended by her four limbs above the stage. Much like Cradily had been, itself, she was suspended by Grass Knot, immobile.
"Wow! A sneaky move by Larkspur and Cradily; Typhlosion was dragged up by Grass Knot in the middle of Brine's assault, leaving it completely defenseless! I'd say that Cradily is shaping up to be a personification of the forces of nature, now! A true terror of the deep!"
The back-and-forth between the coordinators generated quite the commotion amongst the crowd. Who would win was hard to tell at this point, though, the last stunt had put Larkspur safely in the lead.
"Typhlosion, you've got to break free! You can force your way out of there!" Dawn encouraged.
The Volcano pokemon tense, yanking on the vines with her forelegs. The vines wouldn't budge, so she tried to kick her feet. The pokemon whined, finding herself in a very poor position to throw her weight around. She could hardly move!
"No luck…" Dawn grit her teeth.
"And, Typhlosion is stuck! What a bind!"
"Use Solarbeam," Larkspur ordered, once again.
Cradily began gathering sunlight.
Dawn grimaced. "Typhlosion, Flamethrower!"
The Volcano pokemon reared her head back, building up heat. But, what came out barely amounted to an ember and a puff of smoke.
"Typhlosion!?" Dawn's fist clenched. That was worrying. Was she out of the fight?
"Now, that's weird… why didn't Typhlosion attack?" Ash stared on, perplexed.
"If I had to guess… I think it was Brine. Look at Typhlosion's fur; it's wet and matted, now."
"Yeah, what about it?"
"I think I've run into this before," Misty added. "When some fire type pokemon become too wet, it affects their body temperature and affects their ability to work up a strong flame. It's happened at the gym; usually, the trainer ends up having to surrender.
"Well, that's bad…" Ash's shoulders slumped.
"Pikachu…" The electric mouse sulked. Poor Typhlosion!
"Hang on," Ash piped up. "Is that really bad for Typhlosion? Is it, like, dangerous!?"
"For pokemon that are very dependent on their flames, like the Charmander line, it could prove dangerous pretty quickly. But Typhlosion and its line don't even have their flames ignited outside combat, for the most part. So, it'd only become a problem if left untreated for an extended period of time."
Ash breathed a sigh of relief.
Dawn wasn't so at ease, when she watched a burst of solar energy crash into her suspended pokemon.
"Typhlosion!"
"Ouch! And, Larkspur lands the third move in a row! Suddenly, Dawn's in a really tight spot!" Lilian narrated.
Indeed, Dawn's points were beginning to narrow to little more than a sliver.
Things were looking grim.
One would think so, at least, if they didn't pick up on what Dawn had. Even as Typhlosion hung, weary, a faint orange glow began to take over her form. The flames around her neck began to re-emerge, dancing wildly in defiance of the damage done. Her ruby eyes snapped open.
"Is that… Blaze?" Dawn squinted. It wasn't quite the same as Infernape's, but then, nothing was. Still… Between the damaged sustained and the renewed flame… It just had to be!
A smile picked up on Dawn's lips. "Hang in there, Typhlosion! You can do this!"
"Sorry, Dawn, but I'm going to put an end to this!" Larkspur asserted. "Cradily, Ancientpower!"
Cradily tossed its head, summoning several more boulders high above Typhlosion. With a cry, it unleashed its avalanche.
"It looks like this match is all but over!" Lilian whooped.
Dawn smirked. She didn't seem convinced. "Flamethrower!"
Larkspur blinked. "But, didn't she just-?"
Typhlosion answered with a mighty roar. Turning her gaze to the falling rocks, she unleashed a brilliant, roaring hell into the air.
Ancientpower was blasted to rubble in the pillar of heat. The collision looked like an uncanny recreation of a small volcano erupting before the audience's eyes. Their gasps and hollers could almost be heard over the flames. Almost.
Dawn, back on her groove, punched into the air. "Now, blaze your way out of that Grass Knot!"
The aptly named Volcano pokemon flexed her muscles, enveloping her body in heat. The roots ensnaring her burnt and withered away, allowing her to land on all fours. She hissed, staring down with a predatory leer. She was going to recover her pride, here and now.
Larkspur's fist was trembling, and his irises with it. Once again, the match had been turned on its head in the blink of an eye. "Cradily… Use Brine!"
"Smokescreen!" Dawn countered.
Cradily belched up another wave, and Typhlosion spit out a thick fog.
"Things are coming down to the wire, here," Lillian narrated," but, just what could Dawn be up to, with that Smokescreen!?"
There was a gleam in the Twinleaf native's eye. "Flamethrower!"
A torrent of heat was added into the mix, igniting the smoke in a terrific explosion. Heat could be felt from all corners of the contest hall, forcing Dawn and Larkspur, and their pokemon, most of all, to brace themselves against the scalding, ashy winds.
Dawn squinted when she felt safe to, and threw an arm out. "Double Edge!"
The quadruped charged into the smoke, safe from evaporating waters to charge into a recoiling Cradily. Her full weight was thrown into the sturdy Barnacle pokemon, gearing it up for being tossed to the air once more.
Larkspur swallowed heavily when he spotted his own pokemon reeling above the smoke. "Brine!"
"Flamethrower!"
Cradily, lacking time to even right itself, unleashed a torrent of sea water upside-down. Typhlosion wouldn't come out of this without being drenched!
The Volcano pokemon begged to differ, tossing her head out with a final wave of flames.
Persistent fire boiled through the opposing wave, blasting Cradily with a brilliant last shot.
The fossil pokemon dropped trailed in smoke, crashing brutally into the stage. It rolled over, its eyes turned to swirls.
"Aaand, Cradily is unable to battle! That makes Dawn and Typhlosion the winners!" Lilian shouted. The crowd subsequently burst into enthusiastic applause.
"Oh, Typhlosion!" Dawn gushed, rushing onto the field. She pulled her larger pokemon into a tight hug. "You were amazing!"
The Volcano pokemon was quick to diffuse her flames, throwing her arms around Dawn. She found herself nearly collapsing on her trainer.
"Typhlosion!?" Dawn stammered, struggling to support the heavy pokemon. "I love ya, girl, but I can't exactly carry you in my arms anymore!"
The fire type whined, and her trainer suddenly felt a bit of guilt. "Aw, c'mon. I'll still brush your coat; Arceus knows you'll need it, after this."
The show of affection drew affectionate chatter from the crowd; at least, the chunk of the crowd that cared for the sentimental display.
"D-Dawn?" Larkspur had approached the victor, with Cradily nowhere to be seen. "Congratulations!"
"Larkspur!" Dawn turned her attention to the boy, holding her hand out. She smiled. "Thanks. Right back at you!"
"Huh?" The boy tilted his head, puzzled.
"That was a great battle; you almost beat me! I was actually shaking in my boots, for a minute."
"Oh, really? Well, thanks, I-"
"And now, it's time to congratulate our winner! Dawn, please meet with our judges to receive your prize!" Lilian interrupted.
Dawn side eyed the emcee. "A minute to wrap things up would've been nice." But, that was only loud enough for her peer to hear. She leaned in to whisper. "Hey, I'll catch you in a minute. We'll talk after, alright?"
The boy nodded. "Yeah. Again, congratulations!"
With that, he departed, and Dawn approached the trio of judges, with a weary, but prideful Typhlosion in tow. A small pedestal was quickly set on the scorched, drenched stage, where Dawn stood. Looking to Typhlosion, she felt a bit guilty hogging it all to herself, but then again, she still stood tall over her trainer.
"Now, I'm pleased to present the Cerulean Ribbon to our big winner, Dawn!" Lillian narrated, while the short official stepped forward, presenting an open box the bluenette. A navy blue ribbon with a teal medal was presented, and Dawn took it into her hand. It was gorgeous!
"From what I've gathered, Dawn, this is your fifth Kanto ribbon! Congratulations for participating so far, and putting on such passionate, beautiful, and even heart-stopping performances. We'd just love if we saw more of you at the Grand Festival!"
"Thank you so much!" Dawn beamed, hugging the ribbon to her chest. All of the praise was a bit overwhelming; but she couldn't complain! "You definitely will! My pokemon aren't done showing what they can do just yet!" She winked, turning her attention to her companion. "Right, Typhlosion?"
Baring her fangs in a smile, Typhlosion cried in agreement. She couldn't agree more!
"Well, there you have it! Thank you all for watching this contest, and thank you, to all the competitors who made the event possible! We hope to see you again soon!"
"Now, where did… There you are!" Dawn rounded a corner into the locker room, spotting her opponent sitting on a bench. "Sorry for the wait. Lilian really needs to learn some manners," she huffed, resting her hands on her hips. By now, the tired Typhlosion had been recalled.
"She could have chosen her words more carefully…" Larkspur nodded, hands in his lap.
"Mhm… Hey, what's that you're holding?" Dawn peered over, taking a seat beside the other coordinator.
"Oh, it's my ribbon case." He held out the box with velvet lining. All of the slots were filled, except one. "I've won four ribbons, so far… I'm so close to qualifying, but I can't quite make it." He clutched the case, turning his eyes towards the ceiling. "I wonder if I'll qualify in time."
"For the Grand Festival, right?" Dawn checked. Dumb question. "Hey, like you said, you're almost there! And you almost beat me! It's not like it starts tomorrow, you know."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Larkspur forced himself to smile. "I'll find a way, somehow… Thanks again, Dawn. Thanks for having faith in me. It means a lot, especially from a rookie."
"First of all, you're no rookie," Dawn corrected. "What you did with Cradily was something I'd expect from someone who's been on the scene for a while! And, yeah… I feel like it's the right thing to do, I guess. To look out for my fellow coordinators when they need a little push. I've hit some ruts in my career, and some really great friends backed me up. But, there's something about another coordinator giving it to you straight. That's what my first rival did for me."
"Yeah… well, I think you've done a great job! Ciara really looks up to you, too, you know. So does Paige."
"I didn't think I'd attract so much attention here… But, I'm glad I could help!" Dawn winked. She looked off, then. "Hey, I hate to split, but I should probably go meet up with Ash and the others. I'll catch you later, alright?"
"Yeah… I wouldn't want to keep them waiting. I'll see you at the Grand Festival, Dawn!"
"You know it!"
After a long, trying day of contest battles, Dawn saw a sight for sore eyes; Ash, Pikachu, Misty, and Brock had been waiting for her!
"Dawn!" Ash hollered, waving to his companion. "Way to go!"
"Pi-Pikachu!"
"You put on a great show!" Brock commended, beaming with a hand on his hip.
"Absolutely gorgeous! You did Cerulean proud," Misty added with a wink.
The bluenette felt absolutely giddy, approaching the group with a spring in her step. At first, she'd intended on stopping to accept her praise. But, with a second glance at the messy-haired boy at the forefront, she had other plans.
"You really smoked the competition!" Ash enthused, lit with his glowing charcoal eyes and a toothy grin. He felt like he was ready to burst with pride! "I knew you could… Uh, Dawn?" He hesitated, watching Pikachu swiftly leap onto Brock's shoulder. He turned back, just in time for…
"Mmph!"
Nimble fingers clutched the trainer's white collar, tugging inward to greet his lips with a swift, but forceful meeting with Dawn's own. A forward, playful kiss had been claimed before Ash could think to speak, stealing his breath away. When Dawn pulled back, he only stared, caught on her proud, smirking visage.
Only he was oblivious to his crimson, stupefied expression.
"Thanks, guys! It means a lot. And thank you, Ash." Dawn folded her arms behind her back, quickly moving past her actions.
As if.
"Just what in the world was that about!?" Misty gawked, face twisted in confusion.
"Oh, that? Sorry," Dawn waved her hand apologetically. "It was just part of a deal we had."
"A deal?" Brock's brows furrowed. "I'm a little lost."
"Oh… Yeah," Ash finally started to come to. "When she won the Wallace Cup, I think we said somethin' about celebrating like that, didn't we?"
Now, he understood why Pikachu had so swiftly abandoned his perch.
"I just took the initiative, this time," she boasted.
"Ash, you dog," Brock teased, throwing an arm around his best friend's shoulder. "Who knew you had it in you!?"
"Ahahaha," Ash laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm just as surprised as you!" Even as he said so, though, Dawn got a wink back for her efforts.
"Still," Misty interjected, squinting at the two. "Maybe you should ix-nay on the PDA."
"Huh?" Ash tilted his head. "P-D-what-now?"
Misty groaned, massaging her temples. "You're smacking lips in the middle of a contest hall, and you don't even… Argh! Ash Ketchum, you are hopeless!"
"The point is," Brock interjected, "we were thinking you should save that for somewhere more… Private," he squinted, waving his hand, as if that made this anymore discreet. He totally wasn't taking sides because he was envious. Nope, not at all.
Ash squinted at the doctor in training. "Who's 'we?'"
Dawn pointed a finger squarely towards Brock's chest. "You lost the right to say anything about PDA a long time ago, Romeo."
Ash and Misty erupted into laughter then. To Brock's dismay, Pikachu buried his face in the man's shoulder to hide his laughter in a tragic show of betrayal. Dawn even joined in, next, tickled by her own observation.
Brock grumbled, doing his very best to put on a sour face. But he, too, soon cracked. "Ahahaha!" He laughed loudly, rubbing the back of his head. "Alright, Dawn, alright. You've got me there!" She really wasn't wrong.
The group of friends enjoyed their mirth until they began to quiet, some wiping tears of laughter from their eyes.
"Excuse me," Nurse Joy called out, interrupting the group. "Is Miss Dawn Tsumura here?"
"Oh! Yes, I'm here!" Dawn chimed in, turning quickly to the nurse. Had she caused that much of a scene!? Her face was beginning to grow hot with shame.
"There's someone trying to reach you on the video phone."
"Oh," she exhaled quietly. Crisis averted. "Thank you, Nurse Joy!"
Quickly escaping her scolding, Dawn approached the closest video phone, only to be greeted by…
"Mom!?" Dawn gawked, rushing forward to lean her palms on the desk that supported the device. "Oh my gosh, hi!"
"Were you expecting someone else?" The mother hardly feigned offense long enough to come off genuine, chuckling at her own joke. "I just finished watching your contest, and I thought I'd give you a ring."
Smugness overcame Dawn as she flashed the azure ribbon in front of the screen. "Glad you tuned in! It's my fifth ribbon in Kanto! I'm all set for the Grand Festival!"
"Very nice. And, with so much time to spare, too! You handled that like an expert."
"Did I really?" Dawn's bravado quickly melted, a hand held to her chest. Johanna wasn't one to sugarcoat things at all; that was some serious praise!
"Now, you know I wouldn't lie, honey. The way you held up under pressure was no lucky mistake. And your attacks are as powerful as they are elegant, now! I'm very proud of you, Dawn."
Dawn folded her arms behind her back, normally pale cheeks dusted pink. Even if she'd stepped out of her mom's shadow… That praise was undeniably heartwarming. "Thanks a lot, Mom."
The conversation was beginning to run dry, and a tense silence came between the screens.
Johanna stroked Glameow's fur.
Dawn swallowed, averting her eyes to a nearby coordinator and his pokemon. "...Sorry I didn't get in touch with you before now."
"It's fine," Johanna dismissed, forcing a smile. "I was actually waiting, myself. I've spoken to Delia, but we thought it'd be best to… Not let any sensitive information get out." Choking on her words shocked the Sinnohan woman. She was normally tough and pragmatic to the core. But, every parent's heart could crack when their own was in peril.
Dawn nodded without a word. That made sense.
"...Besides. I was sure you needed your space. At least until you were comfortable showing your face in public. You certainly did today."
"Hey, we can't hide forever, right?" Dawn winked, reflecting on the same advice she'd given Ash. "We've all got each other, so there's no need to worry!"
She braced herself for the inevitable.
"You know that's when I worry the most." Johanna's sure blue brows furrowed. The usual playful tone in her voice was lacking. "And you know I have a reason to, this time."
Dawn pursed her lips, kicking at the floor. "I know."
"Still… You and Ash should be proud of yourselves. Your heroics led to the rescue of many pokemon, and even a couple of trainers."
Dawn swallowed, flicking her eyes left and right. The hall was busy enough with chatter, and no one seemed to be paying attention. "Did we, really!?" Back after the fact, she didn't even want to so much as look at the news.
Johanna nodded. "Hm. For all of your troubles, you saved innocent lives, and got a few crooks locked up. I can't say I'm not proud."
"Thanks," Dawn responded curtly. She was happy for that, truly. But it wasn't something she felt like dwelling on again.
"...Oh, on a lighter note. I heard you and Ash have gotten 'closer,' lately."
"Oh! Right…" Dawn turned crimson, brushing her fingers through one of her blue tresses. "That's another thing I shoulda caught you up on."
Johanna chuckled. "Please, dear. It was plain as day that it'd happen, eventually." Looking around the room, the regaled top coordinator sought out the face of the other half of the couple. "Speaking of which, where is he?"
"Right here!" Ash chirped up, his ears absolutely burning up. He knew when he was being talked about - usually. "Hey, Johanna!"
The blue haired master coordinator hummed in greeting. "Good to see you, Ash. Congratulations on your new relationship, by the way," she praised, perhaps cheekily. "Mind Dawn, though; she can be quite the handful."
Dawn huffed, about to defend herself while Ash snickered.
However, one face unfamiliar and one face Johanna knew flashed before the screen, blocking the happy couple.
"Johanna! You know Ash well enough to know they're equal!" Brock chided.
"Yeah, if anyone needs to be careful, it's Dawn! Ash is a circus all by himself!" Misty agreed. "... Oh! Right, sorry, Brock told me a minute ago that you're Dawn's mom! I'm Misty, an old friend of Ash's and a new friend of Dawn's! Lemme tell you, if she wasn't such a good coordinator, I'd snatch her to be my pupil! She's quite the talent with water and ice!"
Johanna chuckled. "Oh, I know who you are. Your sisters are, ah, a conversational topic here in Sinnoh. Quite a few coordinators take cues from their water ballets, and I can't help if they got inspiration from a certain Wallace for them… But, that aside, I simply can't let you take away Dawn." The woman winked. "She's following in her mother's footsteps, after all."
"Oh?" Misty asked. "Dang, that kinda sucks! Oh well, me an' her can play in the water all we like together!"
"Now, that would be great! Make sure to battle my daughter lots, Misty! I know she and Ash really push each other, so help out with pushing her forward, too, hm?"
On that note, Ash wrapped an arm around Dawn's shoulder, poking his tongue out. "Hey! Don't try nosing in on this! Dawn's a great battling partner; she's smart as heck and won't go down without a fight!"
"I have to be, battling you," She answered with a laugh. "You're always packing really powerful punches with your moves! Your strategy's great, don't get me wrong, but the sheer impact your pokemon have…!"
Brock coughed into his hand. "So, uh, you see, Johanna, this is how they flirt: they just compliment each other's battling style…"
The woman nodded. "Not a bad relationship. Alright, kids, I just wanted to check in. Dawn, I expect to be the first one you call after you win the Grand Festival, okay?"
Lifting a fist, the young coordinator smiled. "You got it, Mom! I'm going to bring home a trophy for sure! I'll repay that ribbon you gave me, gold for gold! You'll hold onto something for me this time!"
With that, Johanna hung up. No sooner had all four of the teens gotten up than they spotted another older woman waiting on them. It was Glenda. At her side, one of her Persians - this one with pinker ears than the others.
"So, that's your mother," the woman noted. "I wonder why I didn't see it before. You must straighten your hair, because Johanna's was much, much curlier. She wore it in an afro, actually, if I recall."
Blushing a bit, Dawn played with her hair. "I mean, yeah… Mine is kinda wavy naturally, but it's super frizzy, so…" Shaking her head, she focused on her rival. "Anyway, am I gonna see you at the Grand Festival?"
"Since you've come such a long way, then, yes, I will see you there," Glenda subtly corrected, reminding Dawn which of the two of them was the elder and therefore more experienced. Casting a sidelong glance at Ash, she tutted a warning: "I'm saying this because I like you and I don't know if your mother's given you the advice she and I and every other successful young lady's gotten, but keep your head in the matches and out of your boyfriend's face while you're preparing."
Despite turning tomato red at being called out so openly, Dawn couldn't help but think of battling Glenda again. After tangoing with Ariana's Persian, she wanted to see how she would fair against Glenda's once more. She raised a fist, smilingly wildly. "I'm gonna give the Grand Festival my all!"
Glenda nodded and walked off, leaving our four heroes in the Pokemon Center, all of their hearts ablaze. There would be a short interlude before Dawn and Ash's final tests, but they had so much training to do before then!
