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We hope you enjoy the semi-finals!
Summer was beginning to taper down for autumn, on the eve of the Grand Festival Semi-Finals. Barely past seven o'clock, the sun had already regrettably set. Indigo Village's many festivities lit up the streets; while not quite as populous and eventful as the week of the Indigo League Conference, little trinket shops and food vendors drew spectators and competitors alike into the village.
"It's good to be back!" Ash shouted, stretching his arms behind the back of his head. Pikachu was forced to sit atop his hat to stay boarded. "I missed all the commotion, around here."
"Must be nice to be here without all the pressure on you," Ciara replied, looking up to the elder trainer. Her stiff posture and her fidgeting with bow told a story.
"I guess," Ash shrugged. "I kinda liked the thrill of it. It's just nice to be around lots of people!"
"Pika!" Pikachu added.
"Right, bud," Ash agreed. "The food, too. Maybe they've still got Bouffalant wings, around here!"
Dawn rolled her eyes. "You've been hooked on those things, ever since Unova." Turning her attention away from her boyfriend and his equally gluttonous partner, Dawn laid a hand on Ciara's shoulder. "Hey, you guys have fun with that! Ciara and I are going to get something on our own."
"O-oh, okay!" Ciara nodded along. Turning to Ash, Misty, and Brock, she gave a polite smile. "Sorry, everyone."
"Don't even worry about it!" Ash dismissed with a wink. "Gotta spend time with your rival, right?"
"R-rivals!?" Ciara sputtered, feeling her cheeks heat up. Could she really be called a rival!?
"Now, now," Brock disciplined, "no need to make them nervous. You two have fun."
"We'll catch you later!" Misty waved, seeing them off.
"Pika-chu!"
"See you!" Dawn waved, taking Ciara by the hand. "Come on, let's go!"
"Alright!" Ciara sped up her pace to keep up with Dawn, lest she get dragged along. "But, where are we going!?"
"Oh, there's a really nice cafe, around here! You'll love it."
"That does sound nice." Ciara smiled, a glint in her eye. "Alright! I just hope that it's not too crowded…"
"Hey, we're in the semi-finals! I'm sure once they see our faces, we'll have no problem." Dawn winked. "...Then again, the pokemon are the stars, not us… maybe I'll just call out Empoleon!"
Ciara blinked. "Doesn't that sound a bit exploitative?"
"With Empoleon? Nah. He'll eat that attention right up!"
"What'd I tell you? We even got a booth!" Dawn cooed, setting her meal down on the table. "Even if we did need a separate chair for Empoleon…"
"Pol!" Empoleon, who sat at the end of the booth in a seat of his own, waved a wing. He was dining like a king! He was totally fine with this.
"You're just in a good mood because they praised you on the way in." Dawn rolled her eyes, amused, as she sat his plate in front of him - a bowl of pokechow, with a small bittersweet chocolate cake.
"Is it okay for Empoleon to even eat chocolate cake…?" Ciara tilted her head.
"Oh, it's made from dry pokeblocks, so it's fine!" Dawn waved her fork. "It'll be good for his coat!"
"Oh, good! Maybe I should buy some for my pokemon, on the way out." Ciara pierced lettuce and tomato on a fork, scooping it into her mouth.
She watched Dawn sip green tea, before returning to her pound cake. She certainly did like her sweets… but, maybe that wasn't her business.
Her parents did tend to tell her that she worried too much.
Dawn looked up from her treat, and blinked. Ciara was poking absently at an olive, seemingly staring off into space.
"...Ciara?"
"Yes!?" The girl quickly snapped to attention, dropping her fork.
"Is everything alright?"
"...It's just tomorrow. We'll be facing each other tomorrow, Dawn." Ciara went quiet, and went back to picking at her salad. "Sorry, I know that's obvious…"
"No, I get you!" Dawn interrupted. "Both of us go in there, one of us has to win.. That's a little nerve-racking, but as long as we go in with no regrets-"
"I'm not afraid of losing, Dawn." Ciara's eyes met Dawn's. "I've made it to the best four of the Grand Festival… if you beat me, tomorrow… I think I could be happy with that."
"Oh,.. well, great!" Dawn exchanged a look with Empoleon, who only shrugged. "...But, I'm still lost."
"...Do you think I'm good enough?"
Dawn stared at Ciara, and didn't answer.
"Good enough to face you? Ash called us rivals… but, are we? You've been at this so much longer than me…"
"It's really not that much longer," Dawn replied, waving her hand with a bashful smile. "I've only been at it for around two years, now."
"But, you've done so well… you always hold yourself together, when things get tough, and come up with something dazzling! I'm worried that… I'll choke. That I'll worry too much then, and won't stand a chance against you," Ciara stammered, absently tapping her fork against her plate, "and it'll be a total embarrassment! And- eep!"
A sudden coldness brushed her cheek, startling the girl. It was... Empoleon!? Or, his metallic claws, rather, lightly patting her face. "Empol!" He cawed, staring her down with a softness in his eyes. A look of concern.
"...Empoleon?" Ciara stared, though she made no effort to move away from the penguin. That actually felt sort of soothing. "...Thanks. I needed that."
"You really do worry too much." Dawn smiled sadly.
"I'm sorry," Ciara replied.
"No, don't…! I mean… hm. At times like these, you just need to tell yourself one thing - no need to worry!"
"With all due respect, Dawn… you don't have a reason to worry."
"I get nervous sometimes, too, you know. I've had my ruts… but, when I feel like that, I try to remind myself what an old rival of mine always said. Pokemon Contests are all about making sure the pokemon is the star!"
"Empol!" Empoleon beat his wing against his chest in agreement.
"Of course," Ciara agreed, "but, what does that have to do with me-" The lightbulb clicked. "...I guess I've been a little selfish."
"Don't beat yourself up about it," Dawn insisted. "It's easy to work up a fret, sometimes, especially when the pressure's on! That's why you have your team. Rivals are important, and your friends, too… but, sometimes, you can only turn to your pokemon, when you need answers. This big guy has pulled me out a funk more times than I can count," Dawn explained, affectionately brushing Empoleon's crown with the back of her hand.
"...So, I guess I should be focusing on them, rather than me, or even you." Ciara finished, then swiftly covered her mouth. "Sorry, it sounds rude when I put it like that-!"
"No, no, it's not at all!" Dawn insisted. "You're absolutely right. Ninetales and your other pokemon will always be more important than anyone else, just like Empoleon and the others are to me. Like how Pikachu will always be Ash's number one, too."
"But, you two are… doesn't that bother you at all?"
"Huh?" Dawn tilted her head. "No, not at all! We both think of our pokemon first, and we agree that's how it should be. That's just as true with him and I, as it is with the two of us."
"...I never thought about it like that." Ciara hummed, going back to jabbing and scooping her salad up. After taking another bite, there was a glimmer in her eyes. "I should check with my pokemon, about how they feel about this! I wonder if they're worried…"
"Well, why don't you ask them, when you bring them their treats?" Dawn chimed. "A good snack always puts me in a better mood. Then, you can air it out, and be ready for tomorrow!"
"I think I'll do that," Ciara agreed. "It's my job to make sure they're feeling well, and up to performing! I'll just focus on making sure they're ready to give everyone a show!"
"That's the spirit!" Dawn encouraged, raising a fist with a smirk. "We'll have the whole crowd's eyes glued to our pokemon, tomorrow - no need to worry!"
"Empoleon!"
"...Right." Ciara exhaled, and smiled. "No need to worry!"
"Thanks for waiting, everyone! It's time for the first of two semi-final rounds! Are you ready!?" Lilian announced, to the tune of enthusiastic applause.
"Then, get ready for our two amazing competitors! We have Ryan, from Blackthorn City, shaking things up with his stylish and powerful pokemon!"
The dark-haired trainer stepped into the spotlight, waving to the crowd.
"On the other end, the poised and cunning Glenda!"
Stone-faced in contrast to her opponent, she stepped onto the stage, opposite of Ryan.
"Raichu, Venusaur! Let's show them our stuff!" Ryan tossed two pokeballs, releasing his teammates. Raichu let out a hearty cry, pounding his chest with his paw. Venusaur croaked, stomping the field.
Glenda, in turn, grabbed two pokeballs from under her heavy jacket, tossing them backhanded. "Persian, Talonflame, if you'd please!"
Glenda's Persian with oddly pale fur appeared, stretching its body out. It meowed, craning its neck with all the confidence of a well-raised contest pokemon. Talonflame circled Glenda's end of the field, raining glimmering embers from the gaps in its soot-colored feathers.
Lilian raised a hand. "Let the battle begin!"
"Raichu, use Thunder, on Talonflame," Ryan commanded swiftly. "Venusaur, use Double-Edge on Persian!"
"Persian, use Fake-out!" Glenda interrupted. "Talonflame, cover Persian, with Flame Charge!"
"Rai…!" Raichu cried, surrounding himself with electricity. His concentration was broken, suddenly, when Persian's face was mere inches from his. Staring into deep red eyes, the mouse felt unnerved. He hardly saw a smack to the face coming, that sent him tumbling back.
"Saur!" Venusaur lunged at the sneaky Persian. He'd show it a thing or two, for those underhanded moves!
Talonflame was the last of the four to charge, surrounded in hissing flames. Propelling himself with heat, he crashed into Venusaur.
"Glenda takes an early lead, with two consecutive attacks! How will Ryan counter!?"
Ryan's points dipped a bit from the confrontation.
"Huh. Not bad!" Ryan smirked, and held a hand out. "Raichu, let's get some payback, with Brick Break!"
"Rai!" Raichu lunged at the normal type, holding his paw up high. Fighting-type energy fathered, making the extremity glow.
Persian crouched, ready to avoid the blow.
"Now, hold it with Giga Drain!"
Venusaur launched two glowing green tendrils from its back, snagging up Persian.
Persian hissed, struggling against the energy-sapping attack. A sudden strike to the head silenced it, sending it tumbling to the floor.
"Oooh, Persian's been cornered by a two-pronged attack from Raichu and Venusaur! It looks like Ryan's far from giving up!"
"There's more where that came from! Right?"
"Rai!" "Saur!" Venusaur and Raichu cried, standing beside one another. They were ready to show off, some more!
"Thunder, and Giga Drain!"
"Talonflame," Glenda addressed, watching her recovering Persian, "please take the lead."
Raichu screeched, launching a crackling flash of lightning.
Venusaur fired parasitic whips of energy from his back, wrapping around Thunder.
The striking combination reduced Glenda's points to about four fifths of her original score.
Talonflame flapped his wings, and zipped forward, covering Persian. Flashes of yellow and green cornered the bird, striking at him.
The flying type spun into a barrel roll, dodging the first of Giga Drain. With a cry, he zipped through the hazards, rolling and somersaulting his way around peril.
"Talonflame is covering for Persian, taking on both of Ryan's attacks at once! But, there's more where that came from!"
Talonflame's vigilant gaze caught a flash - a violent offshoot of Thunder, coming right for his wing. "Ay!" Talonflame turned belly-up, rolling swiftly into a backwards somersault. Residual static clung to its wings, stinging a bit.
But, it made for a beautiful sight; gold static trailed a graceful flip by Talonflame, before it slipped by the remainder of Raichu's attack.
"Excellent," Glenda commended. "Brave Bird!"
A blue blaze ignited around Talonflame, and it crashed into Venusaur with all of its momentum. He pulled back immediately, nursing the recoil damage from Brave Bird.
"How gorgeous!" Dawn clasped her hands together, watching the pokemon in awe.
"That Talonflame's amazing!" Ash cheered, leaning forward in his seat. "Those aerial moves… I'd love to catch one, someday!"
"Piiika," Pikachu agreed. What a match!
Ryan's points fell, landing a bit higher than Glenda's.
"Persian, use Captivate!" Glenda resumed.
Large, pale pink hearts surrounded Persian, swarming Venusaur before clinging to the grass type. A light blue aura surrounded it, before fading.
The coordinators' points were just about even.
"Huh." Ryan's eyes narrowed. "Trying to water us down, huh? Getting desperate, already?"
Glenda scowled. "How presumptuous."
Ryan smirked. "Raichu, Electro Ball!"
"Rai!" Raichu jumped into a spin, whipping around his tail in a spiral. Lightning followed the bolt end of Raichu's tail, gathering into a ball of electricity. With a final turn, Raichu launched it at Persian.
"Persian, use Slash," Glenda commanded.
Persian stood in the path of the orb, and pounced. Drawing razor-sharp claws, it slashed at Electro Ball, passing by it.
Electro Ball was cleaved in two behind the normal type, exploding into smoke and static.
"Persian cut through that attack like it was nothing! Despite an early lead by Ryan, Glenda's pokemon are stubbornly showing their style!"
"Persian, Swift," Glenda called. "Talonflame, Flame Charge!"
Persian sprung back, joining her airborne companion. It fired a storm of gold stars towards Raichu and Venusaur.
Talonflame ignited, and spun into Swift, lighting the glimmering stars with fiery splendor. Leading the charge, he left sparkling flames to barrage Raichu and Venusaur. Throwing out his wings, he struck both opponents before pulling back.
Ryan's points dropped below three quarters of his total score.
"Saur…" Venusaur groaned, supporting itself with its right foreleg, after taking a hit to his opposite side. Dirtied with burns and marks from the onslaught, he was hurting.
"Venusaur use Synthesis!" Ryan commanded.
"Venusaur." The grass type began to gather sunlight from above, glowing a vibrant, earthy green as his wounds began to disappear. The huge pink petals atop his back began to glow, knocking a couple points off of Glenda's score bar.
Raichu stood at his teammate's side, vigilant. He'd defend Venusaur while it was busy, if need be.
"Venusaur's taken quite a lot of damage, but he's back for more, with Synthesis! Just check out how beautiful his flower looks, under the sun's nurturing rays!"
Ryan waited for the opening to be exploited, studying Glenda. She stood on the opposite end, showing no signs of urgency. Not even a word to her pokemon. What in the world…?
'Does she think taking advantage of Synthesis would be too obvious of a move? Maybe she thinks it's a trap!?'
He smirked. He'd just let her think that.
"Well, if you won't pick this up, I will!" Ryan declared, and gestured a hand towards his opponent. "Raichu, use Surf!"
"Rai!" Raichu threw his paws upward, and summoned a wave from under him. Flipping his tail around, he stood atop the broad lightning bolt to expertly surf the upcoming current.
"Talonflame, use Me First, please."
Talonflame screeched, and beat his wings, somehow returning fire with two waves of his own, flowing together into one larger current.
"No way!" Ryan gasped, taken aback.
"Rai!?" Raichu yelped, thrown off-balance by the sudden conflicting current. Flailing his arms, he attempted to reassert balance on his tail. Swirling waters threw him off, sending the mouse into an embarrassing wipe-out.
"Wow! Me First creates a second wave of Surf, throwing off Raichu's groove!"
"Never thought I'd see a fire type using Surf." Ash blinked, rather startled.
"I've never heard of Me First, but I assume it's pretty similar to Mirror Move," Brock remarked. "I can't help but wonder how pokemon replicate moves that they could never normally learn."
"It really threw off Raichu's groove, anyway," Dawn pointed out. "That's bound to cost Ryan some points."
"Yeah," Ciara agreed. "How amazing. I agree with Ash; I'd love to catch a Talonflame, myself!"
"Now, Talonflame, Flame Charge!"
Talonflame swept into the crashing waves, coming just short of skimming Surf. Steam hissed as it gathered from the boiling water, beginning to obscure the field.
But, not before Talonflame crashed into the wiped out Raichu.
"Surf and Flame Charge combine, to create a thick cloak of steam! But, what's this!?"
A figure hovered above the steam. Persian floated even above Talonflame, propelled by stardust, raining from its paws.
"Now!" Glenda commanded. "Slash, and Captivate!"
Persian extended its claws, and they glimmered with a lovely pink aura. The Swift under its feet vanished, allowing the cat to pounce.
The normal type passed Venusaur, slashing across its side. A pink trail of light followed its claws, spawning a series of hearts. A blue aura appeared around Venusaur again.
"Check Persian out! Using cover from the steam, it lands a surprise blow on Venusaur, with plenty of style!"
Ryan grimaced, watching his points drop half his original score. "You're good, Glenda. Real good!"
The older woman showed the faintest sign of a smile, but said nothing else.
"Venusaur, let's counter attack! Giga Drain!"
"Saur!" Venusaur shook off the sting of the last attack, wrapping a green protrusion of energy around Persian.
The cat struggled, beginning to feel winded. But, there was a silver lining to this; Giga Drain's parasitic sapping felt a little underwhelming.
"Now, throw it at Talonflame!'
The cat jerked its head around. Say, what?
"Saur!" Venusaur flung his captive at the bird, causing a collision.
"Perfect!" Ryan grinned. "Raichu, Thunder!"
"Rai!" Raichu cried, striking Persian and Talonflame with a wild Thunder.
Both of Glenda's pokemon cried in pain, collapsing to the floor.
"Oooh! That's got to hurt! Glenda's got all of that flash and flare, but Ryan is awfully talented at conventional battling - but, will that be enough to cut it in the Grand Festival!?"
Lilian felt awfully silly, momentarily, when Talonflame laid in a heap, swirls in its eyes.
"O-oh, it looks like I spoke too soon! Talonflame is unable to battle, leaving Glenda with only one pokemon left!" Lilian sputtered, rather red in the face.
A flash of red light recalled the bird to its pokeball, in Glenda's palm. "Good work, dear," she'd lull, depositing the capsule. She watched Persian stand back up, shaking off the rattling sensation of Thunder. "Hm."
"She's already down a pokemon!" Ash blinked, looking between the two competitors.
"Who would've thought... " Ciara mused. "Every contest I've seen her in, she's been nearly unstoppable!"
"Dawn beat her, once." Ash looked to his girlfriend, absently stroking Pikachu's ear. Grand Festival matches were nail-biters… "But, it wasn't this easy."
"She could be done for… I don't like those odds." Ciara swallowed. She'd hate to be in her place.
"The match isn't over, yet." Dawn's brows furrowed. "Ryan's a tough opponent, but so is she."
"Raichu, Thunder!" Ryan resumed.
"Rai!" Raichu cried, firing wild electricity from his cheeks into the sky. The bolt split into many, raining down upon the battlefield.
"Persian!" Glenda addressed.
Persian answered by sprinting into the storm, face-to-face with lightning bolts that struck and charred the stage. It leapt in a zig-zag pattern, swerving out of Thunder's path. The attacks, admittedly, made Persian nervous - the crashing noise of lightning rang in the pokemon's perceptive ears.
"Use Slash!" Glenda ordered.
Persian lunged at Raichu, rearing its paw back. Razor-sharp claws grazed through downpouring electricity, coating them with static.
"Rai!?" Raichu jumped back, trying to clear himself of Persian's path.
It didn't stop a sudden sharp pain from crossing his belly.
Persian landed gracefully, facing Ryan.
Raichu collapsed behind it.
"Raichu is unable to battle!"
"...Huh." Ryan paused, recalling his pokemon. He glanced at the pokeball. "Good job, Raichu. You can sit the rest of this out." His gaze returned to Glenda, then.
How had that turned around, so quickly?
"Talk about a quick comeback," Brock hummed.
"How'd she manage?" Ciara looked to her elders, tilting her head. "It was two against one. Then again… Ryan only attacked with Raichu… I wonder why."
"She was better at keeping her cool," Ash answered simply.
"Ryan got cocky," Dawn replied. "He was shooting for ending the match in one flashy shot. If I know Glenda, she was counting on him to slip up, and give her an opening to have Persian show off. A contest battle isn't any ordinary battle."
"...Oh!" Ciara looked to the overhead screen. Glenda's actually winning!" Ryan's points had dropped below half! "So, she was counting on Slash looking cool enough to even the score!"
"Hah, what do you know!" Ryan laughed, brushing a hand through his dark hair. "You got me."
Glenda smirked. "You have a lot to learn, dear."
The clock was down to one minute.
"Use Swift, and Captivate!"
Persian meowed, summoning a swarm of golden stars and pink hearts. With a toss of her head, she launched them all at Venusaur.
Venusaur ducked its head to protect itself, grunting in pain. A blue glow overtook him again.
Ryan's points dropped again, to less than a third.
Ryan grimaced. 'Alright, it's do or die, now.' Gesturing forward dramatically, he called out, "Frenzy Plant!"
"Saur!" Venusaur let out a mighty roar, stomping his heavy legs against the stage. Gigantic, thorny vines ripped through the earth, encroaching upon Persian.
Persian hissed, backing away from the uprising. She had no such luck, snatched up in a twisting amalgamation of roots. It cried out, snatched up into the air, above the arena.
"Wow! Talk about a finishing move - a mighty Frenzy Plant snatches up Persian, rendering the stylish pokemon helpless! Could this be the end!?"
Persian howled, pinned in by Frenzy Plant's mighty roots. Those spikes were irritating… it couldn't quite shake free!
Glenda's points shot down with the display, barely reaching a third.
"Persian?"
The cat's ears perked up. It craned its neck to the best of its ability, turning back to Glenda.
"Use Slash, dear."
Pinned under the might of Frenzy Plant, Persian wriggled around, finding her forelegs pinned. She was growing sore. This wouldn't do.
Her shimmering claws extended, beneath the mess.
A glimmer of light ripped through the roots constricting Persian. A vicious uppercut slash split Frenzy Plant clean in two.
"What the!?" Ryan stared, horrified.
Persian spun in mid-air hacking away at Frenzy Plant. Thick, seemingly powerful roots were cut up into ribbons, falling helplessly into a heap on the ground. Persian landed after them, with its neck craned, proud.
"Incredible! The most powerful grass-type attack, cut to pieces! I can't believe what I'm seeing!"
"I don't know how you did it," Ryan chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "That's Venusaur's finishing move."
Glenda's features creased into a small smile. "I'm well aware."
Ding!
Glenda and Ryan looked to the overhead screen, as did the winded Persian and exhausted Venusaur.
"Time's up! Which means it all comes down to the remaining points. So, the winner is…!"
Glenda's face took over the board, booting Ryan's face off the screen.
"...Glenda! Leading in points after that last counter attack, she secured victory!"
The crowd burst into applause for the two coordinators. Neither paid the noise much mind.
"Thanks, Venusaur. You were rad." Ryan recalled his pokemon with a sad smile. With the large pokemon recalled, he watched his opponent. She'd crouched beside her Persian, whispering something or another before recalling it to its pokeball.
"Hah. I guess top four ain't too bad." Ryan turned around, retreating from the stage.
"I can't believe it…" Ash muttered.
"I could've sworn Ryan was going to win!" Ciara said.
"That Frenzy Plant felt a lil' underwhelming, didn't it?" Ash looked to Dawn.
"It was Captivate," Brock interjected. "That move's a lot like Charm - it lowers an opponent's special attack. She did use it three different times, beforehand. That was enough for Persian to hang in there."
"Pretty gutsy, to bet on that deciding the match for her. She didn't make a big deal of it, at the time." Ash beamed. He was always a fan of guts!
"Glenda told me something, a while back," Dawn replied. "After our first Contest Battle. 'Mystery is every coordinator's ace in the hole.' I think I see what she means, now; Ryan used Frenzy Plant in his appeal. A move that powerful… she had to guess that he'd use it again, in battle!"
"So, she was preparing for it, the whole time?" Ash deduced.
"Right!" Dawn nodded. "I bet she counted on him using it at a critical moment, so that Captivate…"
"She was setting up to make his finishing move weak," Misty continued.
"...and to make Persian look great, breaking out of it!" Ash finished.
"Exactly. I guess she didn't have to do anything out-of-the-world flashy, if she could upstage Ryan… what an opponent." Dawn's brows furrowed.
"An expert, to be sure," Brock agreed.
Ciara swallowed heavily. Whether she or Dawn advanced…
That would be their opponent.
"Hey, you guys should probably get going," Ash suggested. "You'll be up next!"
"R-right!" Ciara stood up out of her seat, albeit slowly. 'Here we go…'
"We'll be sure to give you a great show!" Dawn winked, standing up beside Ash.
~H-hey! Do your best!~ Rosa yipped, reaching over Ash to take Dawn's hand.
Dawn smiled, and gave Rosa's paw a squeeze. "Definitely!"
"We'll be rooting hard for you both!" Ash winked, holding up a fist, patting his bicep with his opposite hand. "You can count on us!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu crawled up upon Ash's head, waving one of his fans in support.
"B-both of us? Well, thank you Ash, Pikachu!" Ciara bowed, scooting past the rest of the crowd.
"I'll hold you to that, guys!" Dawn followed Ciara, leaving her friends in the broad sea of spectators.
"It's time for the second half of the semi-final round! Dawn and Ciara will be facing off, to decide the makeup of the Grand Festival finals!"
Shouts and whoops of excitement piled in, as the two coordinators entered the fray.
On one end, a shorter girl, with poofy lavender hair, with her usual cutesy, layered wear. She took her place on the stage, visibly taking a deep breath. Her fists tightened, and she wore a modest smile.
On the other, the elder of the two entered with a confident stride. Hair blue and flowing, eyes a bold blue, and clothes sporty, yet fashionable, Dawn stood tall, opposite of Ciara. She bore a confident smirk, eager for the fight to come.
"As soon as the contestants call out their pokemon, we can get this show on the road!"
Ciara nodded to Lilian's instructions, taking a pokeball in each hand. "Ninetales, Rapidash!" Ciara called, turning away from Dawn to wind up her pokeballs. She twisted around, throwing both pokeballs backhanded. "Charm up!"
Two flashes of light introduced the pokemon - a Ninetales, with a lustrous purple coat, and a large, sturdy Rapidash. It whinnied, standing up its hind legs. Ninetales only flicked her many tails about, glittering under the stadium spotlights.
"Ambipom, Houndoom!" Dawn smiled widely, crossing her pokeballs over her chest. Both were gracefully thrown, underhand, into the air above her. "Spotlight!"
Twirling flashes of light left the capsules, forming in front of her. Ambipom chattered, suspending herself above ground, using the hands on her two tails. Houndoom wagged his tail, spitting out flames.
"You ready, Ciara!?" Dawn grinned, running a hand through her blue locks framing her face.
Ciara smiled, vigorously nodding her head. "I'm ready, Dawn!"
With that, Lilian threw a hand in the air. "You may now begin!"
"Ambipom, use Double Hit on Rapidash!" Dawn commanded, throwing a hand out.
"Ambi!" Ambipom sprinted towards the fire type, her tails glowing purple, behind her.
"Rapidash," Ciara shouted, "counter with Megahorn!"
Rapidash stomped the field. Energy channeled into its sharp horn, giving it a lustrous shine. He charged toward Ambipom, his head tucked, and ready to counter.
"Houndoom, Flamethrower at Ambipom!" Dawn commanded.
"Hou!" Houndoom howled, spitting out a roaring flame towards his teammate.
"H-huh!?" Ciara gasped. "Dawn!?"
"Ambipom!" Dawn called out.
The monkey grinned, planting the hands on her tails onto the ground in front of her. She sprang forward, hoisting herself up. The wild heat of Flamethrower blew under her feet, passing through the arch formed by her tails.
She felt a toasty warmth grazing her secondary hands, but nothing else.
Rapidash pulled to a halt, taking the full brunt of Flamethrower.
Watching her opponent take the diversion head-on, Ambipom launched off of her tails, somersaulting through the air. She brought her glowing tails down, smacking Rapidash over the head with Double Hit.
"What a clever start, by Dawn! Houndoom backed up Ambipom's assault, but that couldn't have worked without its nifty tails!"
Ciara's points took a modest dive for the display.
"That was gutsy," Ciara thought aloud. "Ninetales, use Heat Wave!"
Ninetales spanned out its tails behind it, assaulting Ambipom with a blistering, orange gust.
Ambipom was sent tumbling back across the field, assaulted by the heat.
"Now, Rapidash, use Agility!"
Rapidash began to gallop across the stage, quickly gaining speed. Red and orange whips of heat wrapped around the stallion as it ran, whipped up from the remainder of Heat Wave. Embers picked up around the pokemon's hooves, dispersing across the dirt.
"Rapidash runs through Heat Wave, using Agility! How beautiful!"
Dawn's score dropped to match Ciara's.
"Looking good!" Dawn beamed. "Let's stop Rapidash in its tracks! Ambipom, Swift!"
"Ambi!" Ambipom had righted herself, spinning around to launch a flurry of golden stars from her tails.
"Use Agility, and get up high!" Ciara instructed.
Rapidash let out a cry, picking up the pace. His hooves were bathed in violet psychic energy, allowing him to step on thin air. Running further, he climbed the sky, moving high out of Swift's reach.
Dawn's score dropped a bit, once more.
"That's the move she used in her Wallace Cup appeal!" Ash announced, watching with awe. "Rapidash has gotten better at it."
"Piiiika," Pikachu agreed.
"Dashing through the skies… how gorgeous!" Misty cooed.
"Now, Flare Blitz!" Ciara commanded, gesturing forward.
Rapidash burst into wild blue flames, and fell into a fiery descent. Ambipom was within its sights.
"Ambi!?" Ambipom flinched, now in the stallion's shadow.
"Houndoom!" Dawn hurriedly called out.
Rapidash struck, and Flare Blitz blazed viciously, blue flames and embers galore. But, the fire type found a mighty resistance.
Houndoom snarled, bucking his skull against Rapidash's weight. Digging his paws into the dirt, he bucked his opponent with his stout, curly horns.
"What's this!? Houndoom takes the blow for Ambipom!"
Rapidash grit its teeth, shoving against its skull. Suddenly, though, he felt his immense heat leave him. The deep blue glow of Flare Blitz was draining away, wrapping around Houndoom, instead.
Soon, Houndoom absorbed the glow of Flare Blitz completely.
"That's the way to do it!" Dawn cheered, and gestured with a punch. "Foul Play!"
"Hou!" Houndoom barked, slipping his head under Rapidash's muzzle to duck under its belly. Throwing his own weight backwards, Houndoom used Rapidash's strength against it, throwing it over his head.
Rapidash landed in a heap, clouded in dust.
"Rapidash!" Ciara gasped, her hands covering her mouth.
"Houndoom's Flash Fire protects it completely from Flare Blitz! Not only did it save its partner, Houndoom, but it did so unscathed! Dawn's teamwork is looking hard to beat, here!"
Ciara's points dipped just below Dawn's, at about three quarters of her bar full.
"Good job, Houndoom!" Dawn praised. "Let's keep it up! Ambipom, charge in!"
"Ambi!" Ambipom thanked Houndoom, before sprinting towards Ninetales.
"Ninetales, Confuse Ray!" Ciara countered.
Ninetales leered at Ambipom, launching several purple rings towards the normal type.
"Double Team!" Dawn ordered.
Ambipom split into a herd of copies. Confuse Ray flew through the one in its path, making it vanish.
"Our moves won't be any good if they don't hit… for points, or for beating Dawn's pokemon." Ciara's brows furrowed. "Ninetales, Sunny Day!"
Ninetales turned her head towards the sky, firing a golden orb above her. After gaining altitude, it shone with brilliance. A harsh sunlight appeared over the arena, highlighting Ninetales' beautiful, shimmering coat.
Rapidash began to correct himself, his flames snapping wildly.
"Ninetales summons a beautiful Sunny Day! The harsh sunlight makes both pokemon look absolutely radiant!"
Dawn's points dropped to match Ciara's.
"So, the field's all set for her fire type moves, now…" Dawn gazed up at the artificial sun, and back at her opponent. She smiled. "Alright, then! We can take it!"
"Heat Wave!" Ciara gestured forward, adjusting her glasses with the opposite hand.
Ninetales howled, snapping her tails to whip up a stronger scalding wind.
"Houndoom!" Dawn ordered.
"Hou!" Houndoom rushed into action, sprinting to shield Ambipom from the incoming heat.
"G-got you!" Ciara shouted. "Megahorn!"
Houndoom squealed, suddenly feeling a sharp jab to his side. He tumbled over, whining in pain.
"...! Houndoom!" Dawn gasped. Rapidash had flanked the hellhound, knocking him aside.
Ambipom guarded herself with her tails, but it wasn't sufficient. Heat Wave sent her flying back, assaulting her with sweltering heat.
"Ciara makes a comeback, with some quick wits of her own! Now, this is a battle worthy of the semi-finals!"
Dawn's points dropped below Ciara's, to about two thirds.
"Check you out!" Dawn shouted across the field with a grin.
Ciara blushed, kicking lightly at the dirt. "I knew that Houndoom's Flash Fire would be a problem, with protecting Ambipom… S-so, I counted on you trying that again!" The girl lifted her head, forcing herself to make eye contact with Dawn. "You might be more experienced than me, Dawn, but I won't lose, that easily!"
Stunned silent, Dawn blinked. She found she couldn't keep herself from smiling. In fact, her cheeks were beginning to hurt from it! The warmth in her heart, too… was this what having a rival who looked up to you was really like!? "I wouldn't ask for anything less, Ciara! Let's keep this battle rolling!"
"Yeah!" Ciara agreed, and closed her fists. "Ninetales, Fire Blast!"
"Nine!" Ninetales howled, spitting out a tremendous heat. A blazing star the size of Ninetales launched towards Ambipom. Its flames licked at the ground below it, charring the dirt.
Ambipom stood on her feet, poised to act. "Ambipom!"
"Spin!" Dawn ordered.
Ambipom charged forward, leaping at Fire Blast. She leaned forward at the last second, twisting into a nimble spin.
"Good going!" Dawn cheered.
Ambipom shrieked. A scorching heat had crossed her side. She tumbled off to the side, hitting the dirt.
"Ambipom!" Dawn gasped in worry.
Dawn's points dropped another sliver.
"The spin technique didn't work…" Ash grimaced, tightening his fists. That was always so disappointing.
"I guess it didn't have a chance; with Sunny Day out, Fire Blast ought to be even more potent than usual. And, that's a deadly attack, to begin with." Brock crossed his arms. "It was a risky move, on Dawn's part."
"There's more where that came from!" Ciara shouted. "Rapidash, get up and use Flare Blitz!"
Rapidash galloped, once again jumping high above the stage. Whipping his head about, he lit himself up with a blue inferno. Directly under the beams of Sunny day, the pokemon shone beautifully. Blinding white and blue coated its mane.
Cheers of awe and adoration could be heard. Dawn's points dropped to about half.
"Smog!" Dawn ordered.
Houndoom turned his head up, blowing out a cloud of noxious gas.
Toxins enveloped Rapidash, making it cough and sputter. The clouds began to flicker, lit by the mighty glow of Flare Blitz.
Dawn raised an arm, bracing for the results.
A violent explosion boomed above, smoke, poison, and embers abound.
Ciara gasped, cupping her hands over her mouth. "Rapidash!"
Rapidash fell from the veil, dirtied with singes and smoke. It landed awkwardly on all fours, wincing from the explosion.
"Dawn interrupts Flare Blitz with an explosive Smog! Talk about an upset!"
Ciara's points dipped down to half.
"That was brutal," Misty remarked.
"Dawn's gotten awfully good at undercutting her opponents, lately," Ash replied. "It's great in battles, but I guess it's just as deadly in a contest."
"Houndoom, use Crunch on Ninetales!" Dawn commanded.
Houndoom sprinted forward, jowls ready to snap.
"Ninetales," Ciara replied, "Confuse Ray!"
"Nine!" Ninetales stared down Houndoom, firing disorienting rings of light towards her foe.
"Ambipom, Swift!"
"Pom!" Ambipom swung her tails around, launching golden stars about Houndoom. They circled him, bursting into glitter upon obstructing Confuse Ray.
Houndoom snapped at Ninetales, chomping into her side. The fox squealed, and Houndoom roughly tossed her aside.
Ciara's points dropped a bit, again.
Glancing at the score, the girl frowned. She felt the heat of Sunny Day beginning to fade away, too. The move had vanished, above the field.
"Houndoom, Ambipom!" Dawn called out to her team.
Both pokemon regrouped, standing side-by-side in front of Dawn.
"You're really making us work for this one, Ciara!" Dawn shouted across the field, smiling widely. "You've really gotten good!"
"Thanks, Dawn." Ciara smiled, running a hand through her afro to distract herself from a growing blush in her cheeks. "We've worked really hard to get here… I really wanted to face you, myself!"
"Then, let's go all-out! No hard feelings, no matter who wins!" Dawn challenged.
Ciara smiled, holding a closed fist to her chest. "Yes!"
Two minutes were left on the clock.
"Ninetales, charge at Houndoom!" Ciara commanded.
Ninetales sprinted towards her foe.
Houndoom crouched, preparing to counter attack.
"Rapidash, Fire Spin, at Ninetales!"
Rapidash had gotten to its feet, and spit out a roaring tunnel of flames towards his teammate.
Ninetales lunged forward, suddenly surrounded by Fire Spin.
"Confuse Ray!" Ciara shouted.
Ninetales' eyes flashed with a purple glow, sending disorienting flashes through Fire Spin.
Houndoom yelped, reflexively shutting his eyes to keep out the rays.
"Houndoom!" Dawn shouted. "Are you alright?"
A violent Flamethrower was Dawn's answer, barely missing her head. She yelped, frantically checking her bangs for burns. "Houndoom!?"
"Hou!" Houndoom snarled, firing off Flamethrowers wildly.
"Ninetales' Confuse Ray hits its mark! In tandem with that beautiful Fire Spin, it's made for a flashy show, and disoriented Dawn's pokemon, all in one go!"
Dawn's points dropped to just about half.
"Of all the rotten luck..." Ash complained, clenching his fists.
~She's only got a couple minutes, right!?~ Rosa whined, tugging at her trainer's sleeve.
"Right," Brock affirmed. "And, with a confused pokemon, in a time like this… Dawn might be in trouble."
"C'mon…" Ash clenched his teeth, closing his fists painfully tight. "Come on, Dawn! You can do it!" He punched his fists in the air, cheering his heart out.
"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu joined Ash, cheering from his lap.
"At a time like this…!" Dawn grimaced. That was bad. If she wanted a chance of winning, now, she'd have to avoid the situation becoming even worse. "Ambipom, Double Team!"
"Ambi!" Ambipom stood, battle-ready, splitting into a semi-circle of indistinguishable clones.
"Now's our chance!" Ciara shouted. "Rapidash, use Megahorn, and Flare Blitz!"
Rapidash stood up on its hind legs, answering with a fierce cry. Blue blazes burst around the equine, bathing it in heat. The horn on its head began to glow, bursting into a blazing extension of its horn. It galloped forward, stampeding towards Houndoom.
"Absolutely gorgeous! Rapidash has taken on the guise of a blazing unicorn, bathed a beautiful blue! From the looks of it, it's every bit as powerful as it is beautiful!"
The dashing combination knocked Dawn's points to just below a third.
"Houndoom!" Dawn pleaded her brows stitched upward in worry. "Snap out of it!"
The fire type snarled, chomping and spitting flames at random. His eyes were glazed over with confusion, his psyche entirely disconnected from the outside world. Rapidash's flames lit up the pokemon's bone-like adornments with a bold, blue glow, growing ever closer.
The enraged hound would be within Rapidash's shadow, were a fire to cast one.
"Ambipom!"
Rapidash tucked his head in, and struck.
He suddenly felt a great resistance, smashing both sides of his face. He cried in annoyance.
Ambipom guarded Houndoom, pressing against Rapidash's weight with the hands on her tails. "Am…!"
"What's this!? Ambipom is holding back Rapidash's assault, single-handed! But, how long can it hold on!?"
"Thank you, Ambipom!" Dawn expressed her gratitude. But, she couldn't breathe easy, yet. "Houndoom, now's your chance! You have to get with it, boy!" Dawn encouraged, then yelped.
Dawn had barely graced by the heat of a Flamethrower, swiftly ducking under it.
"Give me a break…" Dawn sulked, standing after the fire had passed. "Ambipom can't hold that forever…."
"Ambi… pom!" Ambipom struggled, forced to buckle down to her knees under Rapidash's weight. She pressed forward with her tails, with all of her might. But, the heat of Flare Blitz was singing her hands!
Ciara gawked at the scene. She was winning… she was winning! "You've got this, Rapidash! Just a little more!"
"Sorry, Ambipom… I guess it's just us." Dawn looked on, stone-faced. A hint of a smile formed, breaking her facade. "It's a good thing we've got a trick up our sleeve!"
"W-what!?" Ciara's smile was washed away, replaced with worry. "A trick up your sleeve, this late!?"
"I don't give out all of my secrets, you know!" Dawn boasted, before punching into the air. "Ambipom, use Last Resort!"
"Ambi…!" Ambipom struggled to hold Rapidash. She needed to time this perfectly. She crouched, and released Rapidash's face.
The stallion was let loose, and regained his momentum.
Ambipom immediately gripped his torso with her tails. A sparkling golden aura enveloped the pokemon from head to toe. She lunged backwards.
"Rapidash!?" Ciara gasped.
Rapidash's momentum had been used against it. Flabbergasted, the fire type found himself flipping through the air, upside down.
Ambipom had sprung back, forcing Rapidash towards the ground in a mighty submission. A golden halo in the shape of a star surrounded the two, shining with latent power.
"Ambi…!" Ambipom growled, driving Rapidash down with all of her strength. "Pom!"
Both pokemon hit the field with explosive force. Blinding golden stars flew from the impact, popping one after another about the stage.
Rosa leaned over her seat, eyes wide as saucers. ~W-what was that!?~
"It's a new move," Ash explained. "Last Resort! We discovered it by accident, when we were training for the festival."
"Last Resort is a move that you can only use when your other moves have been exhausted. But, in return, it packs a heck of a punch!" Brock continued. "In terms of power, it's only outshined by moves like Hyper Beam."
~Soooo cool!~ The Lucario cooed, her red eyes shimmering. ~And, it looked AWESOME!~
Amongst the crowd, one pair of peering eyes watched these events unfold in silence. Glenda looked to Dawn, and her Ambipom afterward. A smile lifted her aged, cherry-colored lips.
"R-rapidash!" Ciara gasped, watching the debris cleared. Ambipom stood, breathing rather heavily. She was grinning despite her exhaustion, flexing her two tails.
Her fire type opponent laid on his side, unconscious.
Ciara's points had dropped to a quarter of her full score.
"Holy moly! In a surprise turn-around, Ambipom delivers a flashy, decisive blow, taking Rapidash out of the match! Things are looking tense, and without a moment to waste! There's only a minute left on the clock!"
"Thank you, Rapidash…" Ciara recalled her pokemon, and looked across to Dawn. Her expression hardened. "It's up to you, Ninetales! Use Confuse Ray, and Fire Blast!"
"Nine~!" The elegant fire-type cried, her many tails fanning out behind her, as she launched a wild flame from her mouth. Confuse Ray's rings swirled into Fire Blast, creating a dancing, violet-tinted blaze that was quickly upon Ambipom.
"Ambipom, you know what to do!" Dawn coached. "Double Hit, and Swift!"
"Ambi…" Ambipom huffed. She was beginning to feel weak in the knees - but, the battle was almost over! She'd give this her all!
The Twin Tail pokemon's extra hands shone purple, spinning in a cycle in front of her. Golden stars were whipped up in a spiral, forming a spinning shield made of Swift.
Fire Blast crashed into the glimmering guard, spraying flames every which way, tinted with violet and gold.
Ciara's points were hardly a sliver.
"We're almost there!" Dawn cheered. "Houndoom, get in there!"
"Hou!" Houndoom barked, lunging. Using Crunch, he sunk his teeth into Ambipom.
The monkey screeched, flailing in pain.
"Houndoom!" Dawn looked on in horror. "That confusion really should've worn off, by now…!" Looking between her pokemon, she fretted. If this kept up, she just might lose!
"Uh-oh! Houndoom is still confused! Dawn's grace and creativity might suffer for this, and at such a critical point!"
Dawn's points shrunk again, matching Ciara's. Her meter was nearly empty.
"Ambi…" Ambipom growled weakly, looking to her trainer. Dawn looked to be at a loss… they could lose this. They might actually lose this.
After coming to pick her up from Vermillion City…
After all of that training… up until the semi-finals.
They'd come too far for this.
Houndoom growled, sinking his teeth into Ambipom's side.
The frenzied hound suddenly felt a smack to the face.
Ambipom hung in her teammate's grip, pressing her secondary hand into his jaw.
The frightening glaze over Houndoom's eyes began to clear, like a thick overcast parting for the shining sun.
Ambipom felt the pokemon's jaw slack, and pulled herself free. She fell to the ground in a slump. "Finally snapped out of it? Doofus."
Houndoom tilted his head. "...Snapped out of what?"
Dawn couldn't contain her gratitude, smiling widely. She even had to wipe a tear from her eye. "Ambipom… you saw the spot we were in, and took charge. I owe you one, girl."
"Fifteen seconds left!"
Dawn and Ciara alike snapped to attention.
"Ooh, and it's so close…!" Ciara fretted, gripping the woolly cuffs of her sweater. 'I don't know if I can win this… but, I have to do what Dawn said!' Throwing a hand forward, Ciara shouted. "We'll show them everything you have, Ninetales! Fire Blast!"
"Nine!" Ninetales howled, launching a fierce, blazing star towards Dawn's pokemon.
"Now's our chance!" Dawn pointed forward. "Houndoom, use Crunch!"
"Hou!' Houndoom sprinted towards Fire Blast, embracing it. The crackling heat of the star sunk right into his skin, fueling his charge. He leapt through the incoming attack, trailed by enduring embers.
He sunk his teeth into a startled Ninetales, the remaining flames delivering explosive results.
"Ninetales!" Ciara shouted, distraught.
Blown back by the fireworks, Ninetales collapsed on her side. Her eyes had turned to swirls.
"...And we're out of time! Ninetales is out of the match, and Ciara is out of points! Dawn moves on to the final round!"
Dawn watched her rival's face vanish from the scoreboard, replaced entirely by her own.
She suddenly felt exhausted. Looking at her pokemon, they definitely felt the same. She returned them both, allowing Houndoom and Ambipom some well-needed rest. "Ciara-!"
The girl had already vanished from the stage.
"...Huh." Well, that made sense. Maybe she needed a moment to herself.
"...that means we now have the participants for the final round! It's Dawn versus Glenda!"
Dawn's attention returned to the screen, where her face was shown, along with the elder woman's.
It was nice to see her face on the finalist's board, again.
Dawn smirked. This time, she'd win, for sure.
"Your pokemon will be fighting fit again soon, Dawn. Excellent match, by the way!"
"Thanks, Nurse Joy!" Dawn bowed her head absently, flashing a polite smile before turning her attention elsewhere. No, she didn't seem to be here…
"Is something the matter, Dawn?"
Dawn spun around, wearing a bashful smile, scratching her cheek. "Oh, it's nothing! I was just wondering where Ciara went."
"Oh, she's already healed her pokemon! She's at the video phones, in the next room." Joy pointed towards a door, at the end of the locker room.
"Thanks, again!"
A knob was turned, and the door opened to let Dawn through. Overhearing a voice - or was it two? - Dawn froze, not making a peep.
"You were spectacular!"
"I loved the show!"
Ciara stood in front of a monitor, with her shiny Ninetales beside her. She brushed her hair behind her ear. Dawn noticed that she was rocking gently on her heels. "Th-thanks! I- we... Ninetales and I had a lot of fun! Didn't we?"
"Nine!" The pokemon yipped, nuzzling up to her trainer's side.
"Ninetales has grown an awful lot, I see! She held up awfully well."
"Her attacks were beautiful, too!"
"I'm… really glad." Ciara twirled a finger in her curly locks, smiling awfully wide, from what Dawn could see. "Dawn told me, the other night, that our pokemon should always be our first priority… I can't really be mad about losing, after seeing my pokemon enjoy themselves."
"Your friend certainly has her priorities in order!" The voice of a woman remarked, through the video phone. Dawn couldn't quite see from her angle, but she could assume that to be Ciara's mother. "I can see how she's made it to the finals."
"...Yeah." Ciara nodded, after what looked like a deep breath. "She deserves it. She's only a couple years older than I am, but sometimes, I feel like I'm talking to an expert... "
Dawn's brows furrowed. Suddenly, her face was growing hot with embarrassment. Listening in on this praise really made her feel odd… 'Maybe I'll just come back in a couple minutes.' She pulled back to gently shut the door.
Upon being pulled, the door creaked. Awfully loud.
Ciara whirled around, and gasped.
Dawn froze, like a Stantler in headlights. Struck with sudden and utter shame, she whirled her head around, looking for an easy out. She found none, and threw her hand behind her neck, laughing loudly. 'How mortifying!'
"Eeep!" Ciara shrieked, covering her face with her hands. "How embarrassing…! I'm sorry, Dawn, that must've been-"
"Dawn's there?" A deeper voice was heard through the phone. "Why didn't you say so?"
Dawn reluctantly dragged her feet to stand beside Ciara. "Nice to meet you!" She waved to the screen, wearing a polite smile that was awfully forced. "Sorry about the eavesdropping, eheheh…"
"We saw your match, just now," Ciara's mother replied. "I was impressed!"
"Your pokemon were stellar," her father agreed. "We'll be rooting for you, Dawn, in the finals!"
"I won't let you down!" Dawn affirmed. "No need to worry!"
"I hope little Ciara hasn't been a burden for you."
"What? Oh, no way!" Dawn waved a hand dismissively, before throwing an arm around her younger friend's shoulder. "Ciara's been great."
"Well, that's a relief," the mother replied. "She seems a lot less anxious, these days."
"My journey's… helped me grow a lot," Ciara replied, holding a closed fist to her chest. " Dawn's helped a lot, too."
"Well, that's what friends are for!" Dawn winked.
Ciara's parents exchanged a look, and smiled. "Well," the father started, "we'll leave you two to your festival. Dawn, we'd love to meet you and that Ash fellow, sometime!"
"Oh, for sure! We'll have to swing by." Dawn smiled.
"See you later!" Ciara waved to the screen, until the image disappeared.
"...Sorry again, about dropping in."
"It's fine, really," Ciara excused. "Dawn?"
"Hm?" Dawn turned to the girl, meeting her gaze. Her expression was stern, all of the sudden.
Ciara suddenly took Dawn's hands. "Thank you for being my rival!"
After a brief pause, she continued. "I know that we only battled a couple times… but, having you and Ash as someone to look up to… it inspired me a lot. Especially after the Wallace Cup… Seeing you win inspired me to do better. I know that Ninetales wanted succeed, too," she scratched behind her starter's ear, who voiced her affirmation with a 'nine.' "I'm glad we got to battle, here."
Dawn couldn't stop smiling; it might actually be a little embarrassing, if she weren't too thrilled to care. This felt nostalgic… the way Ciara was describing her reminded her an awful lot of her own rivalry.
Maybe she'd give Zoey a call, soon.
"I'm glad we battled here, too, Ciara. My pokemon and I really had a blast!"
"Mine, too." Ciara released Dawn, taking a step back. "Maybe we'll face each other again, someday!"
"Definitely!" Dawn agreed. "Next time, we'll both be stronger. But, first… I have a Top Coordinator cup to win!"
"I'll be cheering for you!" Ciara chirped. "...But, I think I'm going to go. After all of that excitement, I could use a nap…"
"Don't let me hold you up!" Dawn waved her rival off. With the room empty now, Dawn hummed, holding her thumb to her chin. It was nice to meet Ciara's parents, finally.
She turned to the video phone, punching in a few numbers. The tone began to buzz, and Dawn took a step back.
"Oh, Dawn!" Johanna's face appeared on the screen. A look of surprise turned into a smile. "I didn't expect to hear from you, so soon."
"I just thought I'd say hi! I'm feeling pretty good after that last round," Dawn boasted.
"I just watched it, actually! That round was quite exciting. A bit of a nail-biter, even."
"It did get a little close towards the end," Dawn chuckled, scratching her cheek. "But, that's a rival for you!"
"Oh, Ciara's your rival, in Kanto? How nice! She seems like a talented girl."
"She is! A bit on the shy side, but she gave me a run for my money."
"She did," Johanna nodded. "Though, you could've stood to keep a steady head, when Houndoom was confused. Keeping composure in situations like that is important."
"I know," Dawn replied sheepishly, lowering her gaze. "I thought Ambipom could take it on her own, until it wore off."
"Remember that both of your pokemon have to look good," Johanna said sternly. "Luckily, Ambipom took care of the problem. You've got a great pokemon there, Dawn."
"She was fantastic!" Dawn perked right back up. "I can always count on Ambipom."
"I was impressed with Last Resort! It looked every bit as powerful as it did flashy, so the glitz didn't distract from her prowess. Saving it for a critical moment like that was a good call."
"Thanks! I was following some advice I got, a while back." After saying so, Dawn blinked.
Hadn't she mentioned her mother, before…?
"...Oh, that reminds me! Mom, have you seen the other finalist?"
"You mean Glenda?" Johanna paused, taking a sip from a cup of tea. "I'm not going to lie to you, Dawn, you're in for quite a final round, tomorrow. You'd better go in with your best."
"You know her? She did say something about you, a few months ago."
Johanna nodded. "We were acquaintances, when I was around your age. She was one of the pioneers in Pokemon Contests, back where they began, in Hoenn. She's a Top Coordinator, Dawn."
"A Top Coordinator!? Dawn gawked at the screen, wide-eyed. "She's never said anything about that! And the emcee…"
"If I remember anything about her, she probably asked the circuit to keep her title quiet. She never was one who loved drawing attention to herself."
"That does sound like her…" Dawn hummed, holding a closed fist to her chest. "A Top Coordinator as my opponent…"
"You never know what you'll see, tomorrow. That may be a reason to worry, but I know you can deliver on the same." Johanna's stern expression broke for a softer smile. "You have what it takes, Dawn. Just stay sharp, and I know you'll make me proud."
Dawn smirked, resting her hands on her hips. "No need to worry, Mom!"
A flash of light burst from Dawn's belt, taking the form of Empoleon. "Pol! Empoleon!" He slapped his wing against his chest, voicing his confidence. They had this Grand Festival in the bag!
Johanna shook her head, bemused. "You know that's when I worry the most."
"I know, I know. Jeez, Mom!" Dawn pouted, her cheek puffing out.
"Well, you get a good night's rest. You wouldn't want to wake up late, on the big day."
"I told you, no need to worry!" Dawn beamed, waving to the screen. "You'll see!"
On that note, the call ended.
"Empol!" Empoleon waved frantically to the screen, until it returned to the home screen. Once the festival was won, he'd return home with plenty of bragging rights! Then, Glameow and Umbreon would have to acknowledge him as the greatest!
"...Pol?" He couldn't help but notice Dawn's silence, and turned to her. "Empoleon?"
"...Oh, it's nothing!" Dawn jolted back to reality, petting the water type's crown. "I'm just a little nervous, you know? It'll be fine!"
"Pol…" Empoleon squinted, resting his wings on his hips. She had nothing to worry about!
"It's just, with a Top Coordinator as our opponent, we'll have to really turn up the heat! I hope what we practiced will come together… If it does, then-"
"Pol!"
Dawn shrieked, bombarded by a volley of bursting bubbles. It'd been a Bubblebeam!
"I could've used a warning, at least…" Dawn complained, wiping her eyes. Blinking the moisture out of them, she saw Empoleon staring at her.
"...You're right. I can't get psyched out, now! I almost forgot the advice I gave Ciara, for a moment… thanks, Empoleon!" She beamed, pulling Empoleon into a hug.
"Pol! Empol!" Empoleon happily returned the embrace… perhaps a bit too enthusiastically.
"Hey, hey, I can't breathe…!" Dawn whined, squirming in the strong pokemon's grip.
"Pol!" Startled, Empoleon released Dawn, and fell into a slump. He was too strong to give his trainer bear hugs, now…!
"Hey, hey. Don't you go sulking on me, now!" A hand was laid on the pokemon's shoulder. "Tomorrow, it's up to the two of us to prove just how good we are!"
The penguin's spirits were quickly lifted, and he nodded frantically. "Pol! Empoleon!"
On the horizon, an age-old story hung in the balance - a trainer and their precious pokemon, up against the odds.
