"Catch it!" Cheren shouted. He ran through the trees, keeping the Scraggy in his sights. Andrew was behind him, trying to keep up.

The Scraggy turned abruptly, heading out into a clearing.

A girl screamed.

"Uh oh." The two of them followed it.

A blonde girl was there, holding the scraggy. She noticed the boys and smiled.

"Hi, there!" The girl waved, nearly dropping the Scraggy.

Cheren blinked.

"Can we have that?" Cheren asked. Bianca considered that.

"Bianca!" A man shouted from a nearby house. "Come here this instant! Stay away from those boys!"

Bianca let the Scraggy go.

"No!" Cheren watched the Scraggy disappear into the brush.

He scowled at Bianca.

"What'd you do that for?" She shrugged and ran to her father. "Whatever." He turned to Andrew. "Let's go home." He stormed off.

Andrew followed him, glancing over his shoulder at Bianca.

Her father was gripping her wrist, shouting at her.

Andrew paused, watching for a moment.

"What did I tell you about wandering too far from the house!" Bianca's father shouted. "Stay right here!"

He glanced up, meeting Andrew's eyes. Bianca followed his line of sight.

"What are you looking at?" The man yelled. "Scram!"

Bianca sent out her pokemon, Cheren did the same. She stood firm, smiling.

"Please begin," Alder said. Dewott and Archeops immediately advanced without a word from Cheren.

"Servine, leaf tornado!" Bianca ordered. Servine whipped up a tornado between Dewott and Archeops. The two of them were pulled into it and thrown into the air. "Larvesta, ember!"

Larvesta fired several flares into the tornado. The flames spread, quickly catching up with Dewott and Archeops.

Archeops pulled free of the tornado, taking flight.

"Zebstrika," Cheren called. A bolt of lightning struck Audino, knocking it off its feet.

At the same time, Archeops dove at Servine, slamming into it. The tornado fizzled out.

Dewott recovered and moved on Larvesta.

"Servine use vine whip, hurry!" Servine lashed at Dewott with a vine. Archeops circled around, targeting it again.

Zebstrika broke into a run, heading for Servine.

"Flame charge!" Cheren ordered. Zebstrika erupted in a coat of flames.

"Larvesta! String Shot!" Larvesta fired thread at Zebstrika's legs. The thread evaporated in the fire. "Audino!"

Audino moved into Zebstrika's path. Archeops slammed into Servine again. Dewott followed up, striking Servine with its shell. Servine collapsed.

Zebstrika trampled Audino. Bianca winced. Servine was knocked out. Audino got back up. Zebstrika slowed to a stop in front of Bianca.

Archeops took flight again. Dewott readied its shells. Bianca returned Servine. Alder spoke for the first time, commenting on the first pokemon being knocked out.

"Bianca!" Cheren called out. Bianca met his eyes across the battlefield. The edge of his mouth turned up.

"Audino let's go!"

"I'm Bianca." Bianca took a bite out of her apple.

Cheren looked her up and down. She was standing by his desk, holding out a pear. The classroom bustled around them. Juniper was at the front of the room, reading a book.

"Do you want it?" He shook his head.

"He doesn't eat food." The boy sitting in the seat behind Cheren spoke up. He had green hair. "He's a robot."

Cheren rolled his eyes and took the pear. Bianca smiled and sat down in the seat in front of him.

"What's your name?" She asked. Cheren took a bit out of the pear.

"Cheren."

Audino was still standing. Archeops knocked out Larvesta.

Audino had managed a retaliation, taking Archeops down. Dewott was on the advance.

"Take down!" Bianca shouted. Audino rushed at Dewott.

Another bolt of lightning hit Audino, knocking it back.

Dewott lunged, slashing Audino with its shell. Audino went down.

Bianca stood, stunned, for a moment.

"The winner of the match is Cheren," Alder said.

Bianca returned Audino. Cheren returned Zebstrika and Dewott. Bianca lowered her head.

"Please leave the battlefield."

Cheren hesitated but crossed the damaged battlefield. He stopped in front of Bianca, holding out his hand.

"Well, this is embarrassing," Bianca said. "And I said I wouldn't lose, too."

"You…" Cheren trailed off.

"Please leave the battlefield," Alder repeated.

"I guess after all that training," Bianca said. "I still couldn't even compare to you."

"You're an incredible trainer," Cheren said. "You are my rival after all."

Bianca cracked a smile.

Cheren turned and left the battlefield. Bianca did the same.

Cheren returned to the waiting room. He sat down next to Andrew with a sigh.

"The next match will be Andrew and Burgh," Alder said.

Andrew patted Cheren on the shoulder as he stood up. He met Burgh at the door and the two of them left the waiting room.

Cheren interlocked his fingers, thinking. He thought about Bianca and Andrew. How he felt about them.

Bianca found herself standing mindlessly in the stadium hallway.

Her xtransceiver started buzzing, She opened it.

Cheren was calling her.

She stared at the screen, unsure what to make of the situation. She answered the call.

Cheren's face appeared on the screen. She recognized the waiting room he was in.

"Hey, Bianca."

"Hi, Cheren."

"I know this meant a lot to you. I just want you to know—"

"I'm glad," Bianca interrupted him. Cheren blinked. "When we were battling. I think I finally got to talk to you. I think…" She trailed off. Cheren chuckled.

"You sure are dramatic."

Bianca sat down on a bench. Cheren went silent for a moment.

Bianca saw the next match beginning on a mounted tv. Andrew was battling Burgh.

"Bianca," Cheren spoke again. "You and Andrew are the only friends I have. You know that, right?"

"Duh," Bianca cooed. "You're too mean to make any other friends,"

"What's that?" Cheren snapped.

"You scare everybody off," Bianca laughed. "With that glare of yours."

"I don't glare," Cheren said, frowning. Bianca paused, spacing out. "Are you okay?"

"Kenya and Andrew were taking this tournament really seriously," Bianca said. "Kenya seemed really sad when she lost."

Cheren nodded.

"I know you feel the same way." Bianca's green eyes met with Cheren's. "I know I shouldn't pick sides, but, you definitely better not lose now." Bianca suddenly got serious. "If you win now, it's a win for both of us!" Cheren nodded.

"Losing was never an option."