Author's Note: Sorry this update took so long! There were some other stories I had to work on, and then a whole bunch of life happened at once. The next update will not take three months to show up.

"Vileplume and Manectric are unable to battle! The winners are Kubfu and Drapion!"

The stadium roared with applause, as the crowd celebrated Ash and Korrina's win over their opponents. Kubfu concluded the match by bowing respectfully to the defeated Pokémon, his fist pressed against his palm, as was his custom. Drapion looked toward him for a moment before awkwardly bowing his head to his foes as well, not wanting to be disrespectful. His bow was interrupted by the sensation of his trainer's hand on his head.

"You did a great job, Drapion!" Ash declared. "Our training is really paying off!" His Pokémon gave a wide, fanged smile as he carefully wrapped an arm around Ash's shoulders. Beside them, Korrina was joining Kubfu in a bow toward their fallen opponents, wanting to meet her Pokémon halfway with his formal behavior.

"This victory puts Ash and Korrina into the semifinals!" the commentator announced. "We'll be seeing them again later today, but we've got three more quarterfinal matches first! We'll get the field cleaned up before bringing out our next two teams!"

The two male trainers on the other end of the arena returned their Pokémon, offering somber words of praise before turning to leave. Ash and Korrina were much more excited in their praise, but they too returned their Pokémon before exiting the arena. As they left the competitor's area and returned to the stadium proper, they were surprised to see Serena and Madison waiting for them.

"Oh, hey, you two!" Ash waved at them, jogging a bit to close the gap between them.

"Hi, Ash!" Serena replied. "Congratulations, both of you! That was a great battle!"

"Both of your Pokémon look stronger than they were last time!" Madison added. "I was impressed!"

"Thanks!" Korrina grinned wide in response to their kind words. "What are you two doing back here, though?"

"We need to head out," Serena explained. "Madison's showcase is going to be starting soon, so we came down to say goodbye before we left."

Ash nodded in understanding. He would have preferred to have Serena watching him as he battled in the final rounds, but Madison needed her support more than he did. "Good luck, Madison! That Princess Key has your name all over it!"

"Thank you, Ash! I hope so," Madison replied. "The competition's going to be really tough in such a big city, but I'll do my best."

Korrina nodded as well. "We'll be doing our best, too. The way things are shaping up, there's a good chance we'll be up against Iris and Brock in the semifinals."

"That's going to be a tough match," Ash chimed in, looking toward Serena. "If we end up going against them, you'll be cheering for us, right?" He was slightly taken aback when she shook her head in response.

"I'm not going to take sides," she explained, gently but firmly. "I care about all four of you. I wish you all the best of luck, and whoever wins, wins."

"That's fair," Korrina responded, before clapping Ash on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Ash. We're two of the best trainers in Kalos. They're the ones who will need the luck."

Serena grinned, pleased to see Korrina's confidence was sky-high as always. "We'll meet up again after the showcase, alright? Good luck, you two!"

Ash smiled back at her. "We'll see you then! Do your best, Madison!" The younger girl thanked him before departing, with Serena in tow. Ash and Korrina watched them as they made their way to the exit.

Korrina couldn't help but snicker. "You totally got shut down there. Nice going."

He bristled for a moment, before letting out a sigh. "Yeah, yeah…" He followed after her as she led them both to the stadium's Pokémon Center.

Fifteen minutes later, the two performers were walking up to the edge of a crowd that had formed around the Anistar City Showcase Theater, which both of them had come to expect. Serena looked down toward the younger Madison, ignoring the people around her mentioning her name, and studied the young girl's expression. Madison's eyes mostly shone with excitement, though there was a hint of trepidation showing as well.

"So, do you think you're ready?" Serena asked.

"I think so," Madison answered quickly. "My routine's good, my Pokémon and I are really practiced… just…" She took a breath and expelled it back out quickly, trying to shake off her nerves. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm ready to go."

Serena smiled warmly. "You're going to do a great job. It's okay to be a little nervous. It'll give you a bit more energy while you're performing." She turned back toward the performance hall. "Come on, let's go in and get you registered." The two of them started moving toward the entrance, but they didn't make it two steps before a voice in Serena's ear caused her to stop in her tracks.

"Don't you have enough Princess Keys already?"

Serena jumped a bit and turned to her left, coming face-to-face with a familiar, blue-haired performer. She felt the tension leaving her body, as she held her hand over her heart. "Miette! Stop doing that!"

Miette smirked. "You've already made it into the Master Class. How about you let the rest of us have a turn?"

"I'm not entering!" Serena huffed. "I'm here to support Madison. She still needs two more keys."

"Does she now?" The blunette stepped forward, looking down at the younger performer. "Well, it looks like we're going to be competitors again. I've been working hard on my routine for tonight, so I hope you're ready."

"I am!" Madison insisted, as Miette's words stoked a competitive fire within her. "I've been working hard, too! The showcase season's already half over. I need to try for all the Princess Keys I can get."

Miette nodded. "That makes two of us."

"How many keys do you have now, Miette?" Serena asked.

"None, yet. And not for lack of trying, either." Miette's calm voice belied the frustration she was feeling. "Today's showcase is do-or-die for me, so I'll be trying my best."

Madison nodded resolutely, not allowing herself to be intimidated. "So will I."

"Well, may the best performer win." Miette turned toward the front doors. "I'll see you two inside." She strode confidently and forcefully into the theater, not taking the time to wish Madison good luck.

Madison exhaled, a bit relieved to be out of Miette's presence. "She seems more… intense now than she was back in Brackish Town."

"She's probably stressed because she doesn't have any keys, and you do," Serena answered. "Just focus on your performance. Don't let her bother you."

"I won't," Madison replied quickly, as the two started walking toward the front door again. "I'm not letting anyone get to me. I'm just going to focus on the performance, like you said."

Serena smiled and squeezed the younger girl's shoulder. "I'm looking forward to seeing it." The pair walked through the front doors and stepped up to the registration desk, to get Madison signed up for the competition.

"We've seen a lot of great matches today, but this semifinals match is going to be on a whole different level! Everyone, make some noise for the four competitors taking the field!"

The announcer's voice echoed through the stadium, as it had done all day throughout the tournament. The crowd began to roar as soon as they saw the four trainers taking to the field, familiar with all of their faces. Both teams had been favorites to win the tournament, and so their inevitable matchup was promising to be the highlight of the entire event. The cheering for one side or another had already begun.

"On one side of the field, we have Shalour City's own Korrina, battling with the three-time Pokémon League champion, Ash!" the announcer continued. "And on the other side, we have the former Rock-type Gym Leader, Brock, alongside the Dragon-type Gym Leader from Unova, Iris!"

All of the trainers below felt the crowd's adoration washing over them, pumping each of them up, though most of them could acutely feel their nerves creeping up on them. Ash and Korrina took their places in the trainers' box, watching as Iris and Brock did the same. Pikachu was perched on Ash's shoulder, as always, ready to cheer for his trainer's victory.

"So, we stick to the plan?" Ash asked, turning toward his partner. "Take them out one at a time?"

"If they let us," Korrina confirmed. "I think if we take out Iris's Pokémon first, Brock will be easier to deal with solo. He's the weak link between the two of them. He doesn't want this the way she does."

"How can you tell?" Ash cocked his head. "Can you read minds now, too?"

"Not really, no," she responded casually, as if this was a perfectly normal subject to talk about. "It's more like I can read hearts. Emotions and stuff." She glanced back at him. "Stay focused, Ash. We've still got a tough battle to win." He nodded, turning his attention back to the battlefield. His right hand absentmindedly ran over the back of his left, feeling the Key Stone that was now embedded into his fingerless glove, as the referee made her voice heard.

"This is a two-on-two battle!" she declared, raising one arm. "Each trainer is allowed only one Pokémon! The match will be over once both Pokémon on a single team are unable to battle!" She looked back and forth between the two teams. "All four trainers will now select their Pokémon together, and send them onto the battlefield!"

All at once, Ash, Korrina, Iris and Brock reached down and grasped a single Poké Ball from their belts, holding them out in front of themselves. Each of them had carefully considered their Pokémon choices for this battle, needing to not only think about this bout, but potentially the championship battle that would follow. On the referee's signal, each of them threw their Poké Balls onto the field to release the combatants inside. Korrina had chosen her Lucario, while Ash had brought out his Absol, in a carefully measured balancing act that the two trainers had agreed upon earlier. Across the way, Iris had summoned her Altaria, while Brock's Steelix towered over the arena.

The four trainers took a moment to study their competition, all of them quickly recognizing the common link between their Pokémon. This was undoubtedly going to be an exciting battle, especially later on.

"Both teams are ready!" the referee announced. "The battle will begin… now!"

Iris responded first, calling out the battle's first command. "Altaria, use Dragon Pulse on Lucario!" Her Pokémon opened her mouth and began charging up a multicolored ball of light, but before Iris had even finished her command, Ash had already started issuing one of his own.

"Absol, stop Altaria with Sucker Punch!"

Absol dashed across the field in no time at all, raising a paw and slamming it into Altaria's stomach. The bird Pokémon let out a squawk of pain, the Dragon Pulse fading in her mouth. Seconds later, an Aura Sphere from across the battlefield exploded against Altaria's body, knocking her away as Lucario ran in, on the offensive.

"Steelix, stop that Lucario with Bind!" Brock commanded. Steelix's tail shot out with the speed of a whip, much too fast to be dodged, and wrapped itself tightly and painfully around Lucario's body. Korrina's Pokémon cried out in pain before grabbing at the steel tail on either side of him, trying to force it off. Steelix's brute strength was too much, however, and Lucario continued to be painfully squeezed from all sides.

Ash quickly turned his attention to Lucario, thinking of how to free the Pokémon. He knew that if the battle devolved into two one-on-one fights, his inexperienced Absol was going to have a very tough time with Iris's Altaria. "Absol, hit Steelix's tail with Night Slash!"

Korrina jumped in as well. "Lucario, use Force Palm and attack the same spot as Absol!"

Both Pokémon raised a paw, glowing with blue and purple energy, and slammed it into one of the kinks between Steelix's tail segments. The Iron Snake Pokémon roared in pain, its grip slackening, and Lucario was able to pry himself free. Absol and Lucario turned back toward Altaria, to find that she had just finished powering herself up with a Dragon Dance.

"Now, cover the field in Mist!" Iris called out. Altaria quickly exhaled a thick, cool, icy mist across the battlefield, covering an area several feet above the ground. Ash had to begrudgingly admit that he was impressed. Iris had taken advantage of Steelix's distraction to not only power up her own Pokémon, but to apply a Mist that would ensure Altaria kept her newfound strength. Clearly, Iris was not playing around.

"Absol, use Shadow Ball on Altaria!" he ordered. Absol quickly formed and fired a ball of dark energy from his mouth, but his opponent dodged it with ease.

"Altaria, Sky Attack!" Iris countered. Her Pokémon let out a powerful cry and dove forward at a great speed, slamming into Absol and sending both of them flying across the arena. Lucario had no time to intervene, as he had problems of his own due to the powerful Steelix.

"Hit Lucario with Iron Tail!" Brock commanded. His Pokémon reacted quickly, swinging his tail at Lucario a second time, trying to swat him away like a fly.

"Lucario, use Counter!" Korrina shot back. Her Pokémon focused himself, an orange glow surrounding his body just as the Iron Tail crashed into him. The attack did almost nothing, with Lucario barely budging, as if he were a steel pole. He quickly countered by slamming his paws into Steelix's tail, dishing out twice the damage he would have received. Steelix roared and retracted his stinging tail, and Lucario quickly pounced to follow up with a Power-Up Punch.

Ash and Korrina frowned in unison, as their "one opponent at a time" strategy was falling apart faster than they could have predicted. Iris and Brock seemed to be taking the exact opposite approach, working to keep Absol and Lucario separated as much as possible, engaging both of them in battle at the same time. They were going to have to strategize on the fly if they wanted to win.

"Look at that! Our combatants are already off and running, choosing their opponents and powering themselves up!" The announcer's voice rang out, struggling to be heard against the roaring crowd. "Which Pokémon will be the first to fall?" He watched with rapt attention along with everyone else, as both teams grappled to gain control of the battle.

"Madison? We need you backstage. You're on in forty-five."

In the hallway behind the theater stage, Madison jumped up out of the chair she was sitting in, slightly nervous but ready to get on stage. She gave a nod to the blond-haired woman who was watching her from the open backstage door. "Thanks, Paris." Serena stood up from the chair beside her, watching as Madison smoothed out her outfit, a light-brown dress with a wide tiered skirt. Madison had cleared the Theme Performance round with little difficulty, and was now about to take the stage for her Freestyle Performance, without any partner.

"Good luck, Madison!" Serena encouraged, as the two of them walked toward the backstage door. "Just relax and have fun. If you're having a good time, the audience will, too." Both girls stepped through the door to behind the stage, with Paris keeping an eye on Serena as she stepped into the darkened area.

"I will," Madison answered, her voice hushed. "I've been looking forward to this." Both of them stood and watched from a distance as the current black-haired competitor finished up her performance, a Chespin and a Beautifly dancing by her side. She curtsied to the delighted crowd as they applauded, before making her way offstage, on the opposite side of Serena and Madison.

"A lovely performance from the equally lovely Faye!" the host announced, standing on the side of the stage. "Our next performer hails from Jacore Town, and is looking to win her second Princess Key tonight! Please give a warm welcome to Madison!"

Serena gave the young girl's shoulder a quick squeeze, and Madison stepped onto the stage with a wide grin on her face, ready to dazzle the audience. She took her place in the center of the stage, reaching for her Poké Balls and summoning Swellow and Roselia. Serena watched with pride as Madison used her Pokémon to create a swirling cloud of petals around herself, which grew to expand the entire stage.

"You know you're not supposed to be back here." Serena turned at the sound of a quiet voice behind her, seeing Miette approaching with a light smirk on her face. "Only competing performers are allowed."

Serena grinned slightly. "Are you going to report me?"

"We'll see." Miette stood by Serena's side, watching as Madison continued her characteristically artful performance. Serena turned toward her fellow performer, looking over her outfit. Miette wore a short but wide indigo-and-white skirt, with a matching light-blue blouse that had several of its buttons undone, a more revealing outfit than Serena would have expected. The outfit was completed with black shoes, white gloves, a fake-diamond tiara on top of her head, and a gold necklace around her neck, complete with a pendant that drew attention to her exposed collar.

"You're really pulling out all the stops, huh?" Serena commented.

"I don't have a choice," Miette answered flatly. "I'm running out of time. If I don't get a Princess Key here, I'll never make it to the Master Class. This whole season will have been a waste of time."

Serena noticed that Miette's voice was fairly emotionless. She didn't sound as if the Master Class was all that exciting to her, which was a surprise. Years ago, when they had first competed in the final rounds of the showcase season, Miette's defeat had reduced the girl to tears. Now, it seemed like the prospect of Kalos Queen barely registered with her. Maybe months of failure - years, perhaps - had beaten her down.

"Well, I hope that you can make it to the Master Class," she offered sincerely. "I don't want you to miss out on your chance to win the title."

"Mm." Miette was unfazed. "But you're rooting for her." She gestured toward Madison on the stage, who was still mid-performance. Serena didn't answer, unsure of how to respond to that, and the two girls kept watching the display in front of them.

After a few quiet moments, Miette continued. "Why do you want to become Kalos Queen, Serena?"

"Me?" Serena blinked, surprised that Miette was asking her a question like this minutes before taking the stage. "Well… I want to bring smiles to the faces of everyone in Kalos. I want to change people's lives for the better by performing the best I can."

"That sounds nice," Miette replied, her voice contemplative. "Have you always felt that way?"

"Pretty much." Serena paused, reconsidering her answer. "Well… not always, always. At first I thought it just looked like fun to dance and perform with Pokémon. But after the whole Team Flare thing, when I performed with Shauna in Lumiose City… something changed. I saw how I could help people with my performances, and I wanted to do more of it. That's what motivates me to compete."

"Hm." Miette took a moment to mull this over. "You think Madison is the same way?"

"I think so," Serena answered. "We've talked about it before. I think it's important to have a strong motivation like that, to help guide you toward becoming Kalos Queen."

"I see." The two of them returned to silence, watching as Madison twirled with her Swellow. Serena felt uncomfortable with the silence, sensing that there was more to Miette's question.

"What about you?" she eventually asked. "Why do you want to become Kalos Queen?"

Miette's reply was quick. "Honestly, I don't know anymore."

Serena turned back to look at her, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"When I was younger, I wanted it more than anything," Miette began to explain. "I wanted to perform on stage in front of all of Kalos with my Pokémon beside me. Now I feel like I'm just going through the motions. I'm just aimlessly traveling from one showcase to the next. I don't have that burning desire anymore. I haven't for a long time."

Serena was shocked to hear such pessimistic words from her formal rival. She was even more surprised when Miette turned and started to walk away. "Miette, where are you going?"

"I'm leaving. I forfeit." The girl turned away, starting to walk toward the exit. "I don't belong here. Not the way you and Madison do."

"You what?!" Serena exclaimed, before bringing her voice back down. "Miette, you can't just leave!" She started walking after the retreating performer.

"This is for the best." Miette reached up and removed her tiara from atop her head, tugging her hair out of place in the process. "All the other performers will be better off if I'm not here. Madison will have a better chance of getting that Princess Key. That's what you want, right?"

Serena was lost for words as she watched Miette walk away. On some level, she should have been relieved. With Miette out of the competition, there was one less performer that Madison had to defeat in order to get her Princess Keys. On top of that, the two of them were less likely to run into each other at future showcases, which was a net positive for Serena's blood pressure. None of that seemed to matter, however, compared to the painful sensation of feeling her heart break for her former rival.

Miette had nearly reached the exit door when she felt a hand gently grasping her own, holding her back. She turned her head to see Serena standing behind her, a resolute expression on her face.

"You can't leave like this, Miette," she spoke firmly. "If you let your dream end this way, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life."

"My dream's already over, Serena," Miette replied, deflated. "I had my chance when we were in the Master Class together. I'm not getting that chance again."

"Even if that's true, you don't want your last memory as a performer to be you walking away," Serena responded, undeterred. "It should be a crowd cheering for you, after the great performance you gave them. You deserve that much. You don't want this one moment clouding the memory of your performing career."

Miette slumped, her stony façade falling away to reveal the pain that it had been masking. "What am I supposed to do?" she asked, her voice despondent. "How am I supposed to perform if my heart's not in it?"

"You're just going to have to put your heart into it," Serena answered, drawing on her years of experience of succeeding and failing at performing. "Put a smile on your face even if you're not feeling it, go out on stage, and perform like I know you can." She reached down and gently took the tiara from Miette's hand, placing it back on top of her head. "Give it all you've got and leave them wanting more. Give them something to remember, but more importantly, give yourself something to remember."

Miette held still as Serena fixed up her hair, putting the stray strands back in place. "You're not going to let me leave, are you?"

Serena smiled sweetly. "I'll block the door myself if I have to."

Miette took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Alright… I'll do my best."

"That's what I want to hear." Serena finished fixing up Miette's hair, taking a quick look over the performer's outfit. "You're a talented performer, and your Pokémon are, too. You'll do a great job, I'm sure of it." As she spoke, she casually reached out to button up one more button on Miette's blouse.

Miette smirked, looking down at Serena's fingers as they worked. "I thought you said to give it all I've got."

Serena smirked as well, as her hands fell away. "I also said to leave them wanting more."

Both of them looked toward the stage as the sound of applause rang out. Madison's performance had finished, and from the sound of it, the audience had greatly enjoyed it. The voice of the announcer cut over the applause, thanking Madison and praising her in the same breath.

"You're up," Serena observed, turning back to Miette with a genuine smile. "You've got this. Get out there and knock them dead."

Miette smiled and nodded back at her, before turning and walking onto the stage, just as the host began introducing her. Serena watched her for a moment before scurrying off, wanting to see her performance from the audience.

Altaria squawked as she was knocked away with a Bone Rush attack from Lucario, flapping her cotton-shrouded wings as she tried to stay upright. She fired back with a Dragon Pulse, which missed its mark as Lucario leaped backwards. A roughed-up Absol landed painfully next to him a moment later, having been assaulted by an underground Dig attack from the mighty Steelix.

After several minutes of battle, all of the Pokémon were starting to grow worn out. They had traded blows back and forth, trying and failing to gain a decisive advantage, and their stamina was starting to wear down. All four trainers took a moment to reassess the battle and decide on their next steps. Iris and Brock were the first to make a decision, looking toward each other, both of them thinking the same thing.

"Is now the time, you think?" Brock asked, allowing Iris to dictate the flow of the battle.

"Yes," she answered tersely, reaching up toward her neck. "Let's do it." She slipped her fingers under the collar of her shirt, pulling out the necklace she had worn during her performance battle with Serena. Brock did the same, pulling out a simple rope necklace attached to a Key Stone. Iris flicked open the pendant to reveal her own Key Stone, and both of them grasped the stones in their hands at the same time.

Both of their Pokémon began to glow, the light of Mega Evolution sweeping over both of them. Altaria started to grow and transform as she had during Iris's Performance Battle, assuming the same elegant, cotton-covered form as before. Steelix, by contrast, was growing even more intimidating and fearsome than it already was. The Steel-type's jaw grew even larger, jutting out of its face like a shield, as a series of crystal spines grew out of its back. A ring of floating, jagged steel around its neck completed the transformation. While Mega Altaria exhibited grace, Mega Steelix was exuding raw power.

Ash clenched the fist that bore the Key Stone on its back. He had fully expected Iris and Brock to Mega Evolve their Pokémon at some point, but the impact of seeing his powered-up opponents in front of him made their match seem like even more of an uphill battle than it was before. The only way to proceed was to even the odds.

"Well, we don't have a choice now," Korrina commented, raising her own Key Stone as she looked toward Ash. "Is Absol ready for this?"

Ash took a deep breath. "I think so… I hope so." He knew that Absol was strong, and well-trained, and eager to battle fiercely for his trainer. What he didn't know was how the Pokémon would react to his first battle in his Mega-Evolved form. If things went wrong, it might be impossible to make them go right again. As Korrina said, however, he didn't have a choice now.

"Let's do it, Absol!" He raised his left hand, the Key Stone shining with rainbow light in the sunlight, and grasped it firmly with his right hand. By his side, Korrina did the same thing.

Both of their Pokémon began to glow with a familiar light, starting to assume their new forms as the crowd cheered excitedly. Lucario retained his same general shape, but his frame became sharper, more jagged, more rough around the edges. His fur grew denser and sharper, his tail growing and extending behind him, as the dreadlocks on his head grew longer. As the light faded, the form of Mega Lucario looked more raw and muscular, his power unrestrained.

Absol, by contrast, started to assume a more regal and grand form as he Mega Evolved, due to the synthetic Absolite that hung from his neck. His matted mane swept downward across his chest, and the long lock of white hair on his head grew longer the cover his left eye. His tail grew slightly spikier, while his singular horn grew larger and curvier, and was joined by a smaller counterpart on the other side of his head. The most drastic change was the sprouting of two wings on his back, just like Athena's Absol had sported. Finally the light faded, and the crowd gasped at the beautiful, almost mythical form of Mega Absol, looking like a creature plucked out of legend.

"Would you look at that?!" the announcer called out, just as excited as anyone else in the crowd. "All four Pokémon on the field have Mega Evolved! What sort of battle are we in for now?!"

Once again, the eager Iris was the one who snatched the first move for herself, ready to show what sort of battle the stadium was in for. "Altaria, hit them both with Dragon Breath!"

Altaria reared her head back before firing off a wide, powerful beam of green energy, sweeping it across the field at both Lucario and Absol. The two Pokémon leaped backward, barely able to dodge the attack, able to feel its stinging residual heat.

"Lucario, hit it back with Aura Sphere!" Korrina commanded.

"Absol, do the same thing with Shadow Ball!" Ash followed. Both Pokémon began charging up their own attacks, Lucario between his paws, and Absol in his open mouth. The more-experienced Lucario fired off his attack first, flinging an Aura Sphere half the size of his body at an incredible speed. Altaria attempted to dodge, but the attack still managed to hit her on her side, knocking her to the ground.

Moments later, Absol finished forming his own overlarge Shadow Ball, shooting it toward Altaria with a loud cry. The sheer size and power of the attack took Absol by surprise, however, and his moment of bewilderment threw off his aim. The attack sailed over Altaria's head, impacting the invisible, psychic barriers that surrounded the stands.

"Absol, are you alright?" Ash called out, a hint of worry in his voice. Absol turned back and nodded resolutely to his trainer, not wanting to disappoint in his first battle as Mega Absol. Ash pushed his concerns down and let the battle continue.

"Use Dig underneath Absol!" Brock ordered. Steelix responded immediately, diving headfirst into the ground and burrowing his way into it. As Absol steeled himself for an attack from underneath, Iris called out an attack of her own as well.

"Hit Lucario with Sky Attack!" she commanded. Altaria, having recovered from the Aura Sphere and the whiffed Shadow Ball, flapped her large wings and took off like a bolt of lightning toward Lucario.

"Stop it with Force Palm!" Korrina answered. Her Pokémon waited until Altaria was sufficiently close, then slammed his glowing paws directly into her body. The two of them struggled against each other, pitting strength against strength, battling for dominance.

Meanwhile, Absol was starting to feel a rumbling under his feet, indicating that Steelix was close. Both he and Ash waited for Steelix to emerge and attack, but the rumbling faded not long after it had arrived. Brock's Pokémon emerged in the center of the battlefield, appearing to grin maliciously at his smaller adversary, though his new, overlarge jaw made most of his expressions look like a malicious grin.

"Now!" Brock cast his hand out in front of himself assertively. "Sand Tomb!"

Steelix growled and used his tail to kick up a sandstorm, sending the swirling sands toward Absol's feet. As the sand picked up speed, it stirred the ground underneath Absol, until it suddenly collapsed, trapping Ash's Pokémon in a quicksand-like sinkhole. Absol began to panic, struggling to pull his legs out of the churning sand and dirt, with little success.

"Oh, geez." Ash forcibly calmed himself, not wanting to panic Absol any more in his current state. "Don't struggle too much, Absol! You'll sink faster! Lean back and pull your legs out slowly, a little bit at a time!"

Absol tried his best to calm down and free himself with small movements, but his newfound strength was making the process difficult. Gentle tugs came out as massive lurches, and he only managed to entrench himself further by pulling too hard. His focus was shattered further as Steelix attacked with a merciless Rock Throw, pelting him with rocks the size of his head and making him sink even deeper into the sand. The ground seemed to loom up at him, threatening to swallow him whole and bury him alive.

"You can do it, Absol!" Ash encouraged. "Try to-"

His words were interrupted by a desperate, panicked howl from Absol, one that drew the attention of the other battlers. He quickly formed and fired off several Shadow Balls into the air, trying to take out some of the rocks flying toward him, or maybe the Pokémon that was throwing them. He was starting to lose control, just like Tyranitar had the day before. Ash could feel his heart sinking into his stomach, his worst fears starting to come true.

With a powerful lurch that nearly pulled his shoulders from their sockets, Absol managed to free his front paws from the Sand Tomb. Ignoring the pain, he growled and began clawing at the ground repeatedly with Night Slash, pulling himself free with brute force. After several desperate moments, he stood just outside the sinkhole, emitting a raw, guttural, pained sound that was half-growl and half-whimper.

"Absol, you're free! Just relax!" Ash called out, to no avail. Absol's panicked rampage continued, his immense strength taking control of his mind, as he began firing Shadow Balls blindly around him, wanting to force anything close by to back off. Altaria, Steelix, and even Lucario were forced to dive out of the way. Ash was barely breathing as he watched his Pokémon lash out at everything around him, while Korrina nearly winced from the burning sensation of Absol's inflamed Aura.

"Oh, no! It seems that once again, a Mega-Evolved Pokémon is rampaging out of control!" the announcer dutifully recapped. "Is this going to be the end for Ash and Korrina?" The crowd murmured in amazement and fear, certain that this setback spelled doom for the two trainers. Even the four combatants were unsure how Ash was going to recover from this.

Ash gritted his teeth and ran up to the very edge of the trainer's box, cupping his hands to his mouth to try and make himself heard. "Absol!" he shouted. "Listen to me, Absol! Listen to my voice! Absol!"

Ash's voice managed to reach his Pokémon during a brief break in his rampage, and his barrage of Shadow Balls came to a stop. Absol stood still, gasping for breath and trembling all over, his trainer's words bringing back a critical memory from earlier in the day, as the rest of the stadium watched.

Absol stood in the center of a spare battlefield, not far from the large, noisy stadium that was filled with noisy people. His trainer, Ash, was kneeling in front of him, slipping a metallic necklace around his neck, brushing back his fur so that his mane would obscure the blue stone set in the center of the necklace. Behind Ash was a blond-haired human girl that Absol hadn't seen before, but his trainer was friendly with her, so Absol assumed that she could be trusted. By her side was a fox-like Lucario, standing and watching with his arms folded.

"There," Ash spoke as he finished applying the necklace. "Now you'll be able to Mega Evolve, and nobody will be any the wiser. Except for Iris and Brock, I guess." Absol expected his trainer to stand up, but Ash instead put his hands on his shoulders, wearing an uncharacteristically serious expression. The Pokémon cocked his head curiously.

"So listen, Absol," he continued. "When a Pokémon Mega Evolves for the first time, it can be… disorienting. You're going to be a lot more powerful, and it will be a lot harder to control yourself. It might even be a little scary at first." Absol listened carefully, able to understand the gist of his words, the seriousness of Ash's tone making the point clear.

"If you're in battle and you Mega Evolve, you might get overwhelmed. You might start to panic and lash out. It happens to plenty of Pokémon who aren't used to Mega Evolution." He briefly glanced back at the Lucario standing behind him. "It doesn't mean you're not a great battler, alright?" Absol nodded, starting to feel nervous, as Ash continued.

"If that happens… if you start to panic and lose control… I need you to focus on the sound of my voice." Ash was as serious as Absol had ever heard, but there was a familiar compassion in his voice as well. "Don't think about the battle, or the other Pokémon, or anything else that's happening. Just listen to me and try to stay calm. I promise that I'll never say or do anything that will hurt you. I'll always take care of you, no matter what. Do you trust me?"

Absol leaned in and nuzzled Ash's cheek in response, causing the boy to laugh. He loved his trainer with all his heart, and trusted him with his life. The talk of panicking and losing control had caused him to worry, but he knew intrinsically that if his trainer was commanding him, everything would turn out all right. He looked up as Ash stood up, running his fingers through the fur on Absol's head, before taking a few steps back.

"Alright, then. It's time to try Mega Evolving for the first time." Ash raised his left hand, showing a colorful stone that had been inset into his glove. "Here we go." He grasped the stone with his right hand, and Absol could feel a bright light and a powerful strength welling up within him, unlike anything he had ever felt before. He could feel himself growing, sprouting new appendages, his current ones lengthening and becoming stronger. He wasn't completely sure what was happening to him. All he knew was that once the transformation was complete, the brilliant, excited smile on his trainer's face nearly filled his heart to bursting.

"Absol, are you alright?"

Ash's voice was distant, but it somehow managed to cut through the chaos of the moment and reach Absol's ears. Absol's breathing was harsh and ragged, adrenaline pumping through his powerful body, but the sound of Ash's voice was somehow able to calm his frayed nerves, and Absol clung to it desperately like a life preserver. After several long, deep breaths, he turned his head back to meet his trainer's eyes. Ash could see the fear in Absol's expression, but he could see signs of the Pokémon's gentleness and love, as well.

Ash sighed in relief, glad to know that Absol had regained control, just as a large, pink energy blast slammed into the Pokémon's side, knocking him across the field.

"No! What?!" Ash looked up to see Altaria hovering above the battlefield, catching her breath after a Moonblast attack. He looked across the field, aghast and incredulous, and his eyes met with Iris's. Her face was apologetic, but determined. She was in this competition to win, and she couldn't pass up a golden opportunity like this. There was only so much mercy she was willing to show.

"Wow! Iris takes advantage of Absol's hesitation with a Moonblast attack!" the announcer shouted into his microphone. "A powerful attack like that might end up sealing the deal for Iris and Brock!"

"Absol! Are you okay?!" Ash could feel his heart pounding as his Pokémon slowly got to his feet, still breathing heavily, barely clinging to his senses. Korrina was watching in horror, still taken aback, too stunned to issue a command to Lucario. Iris had no such hesitation.

"Keep up the pressure!" she commanded. "Use Dragon Pulse on Absol until he goes down!" She looked to her right, toward Brock, who quickly picked up on her unspoken command.

"Steelix, keep using Rock Throw on Absol!" he ordered. Both Altaria and Steelix began to bombard the staggered Pokémon with attacks, taking advantage of his disoriented state.

Ash called out another command, keeping his hands cupped to his mouth, wanting his voice to be loud and clear. "Absol, block those attacks with your wings for now!" Absol, trembling, did as he was told, his absolute trust in Ash managing to overcome the fear and rage he was feeling. The flung rocks and the energy ball burst against his wings, which he was barely used to using. He was growing increasingly unsteady on his feet, barely clinging to his senses, as Altaria and Steelix sent another barrage his way. Neither his mind nor his body would be able to take much more punishment.

Korrina chose this moment to intervene. "Lucario, use Bone Rush on those rocks! Hit them back against the other two Pokémon!"

Lucario quickly put his paws together and slowly pulled them apart, forming two long bones made of energy. Grasping one in each paw, he raced forward to intercept the next attack as soon as he could. He wasn't fast enough to stop the second assault, but he was able to make contact with the third, swinging at the incoming rocks with expert aim as if they were tennis balls. Most of the deflected rocks hit Steelix in his face and torso, while a handful of them struck Altaria in her wings and her chest. Both of the attacking Pokémon were sent reeling for a moment, granting Absol a brief respite.

With the battlefield clear of projectiles, and Absol no longer under assault, Ash could finally see the way forward. His Pokémon had held on, fighting through terror and confusion and exhaustion, because of the undying trust Absol had in his trainer. With his final command, Ash was going to make sure that trust didn't go to waste.

"Now, Absol! Use Payback!"

Absol gritted his teeth and focused with all of his might, before letting out a howl that seemed to split the air in the stadium. His body glowed with a bright purple light, as all of the damage he had taken was converted into attack energy. Soon, the light turned into a barrage of energy blasts that homed in on Steelix and Altaria, turning their malicious assault right back on the two of them. Both of them were sent flying backward from the intense force of the retaliatory attack, hitting the ground and kicking up two large clouds of dust.

When the smoke cleared, Steelix was lying still on his side, having reverted to his normal form, down for the count. Altaria had managed to retain her consciousness and her Mega Evolution, and Iris let out the breath she was holding as her Pokémon groaned and got back to her feet. Across the battlefield, Absol was gasping for breath, glaring at Altaria as he swayed on his feet. Seconds later, he collapsed to his side, glowing with a bright light and reverting to his normal form as well, unable to continue.

Altaria bore an expression of relief as she flapped her wings, returning to the air and floating a couple of feet off the ground. She was sore all over, her energy drained, but she was still able to battle, unlike Absol. The relief vanished from her face as an enraged Mega Lucario appeared in front of her. Neither she nor Iris had time to react before both of his energy bones caught her in the chest, sending her flying into the wall surrounding the arena. If Mega Altaria hadn't been a giant ball of cotton, the impact may have cracked the stone that made up the wall.

Iris gasped and watched as Altaria fell back to the ground. Her heart dropped as Altaria began to glow and shrink, the Mega Evolution vanishing. Even if the reverted transformation hadn't given it away, the dazed and defeated expression on Altaria's face was clear for all to see.

"Both Steelix and Altaria are unable to battle!" the referee ruled, lifting the flag she held in her left arm. "The team of Lucario and Absol are the winners! Ash and Korrina will advance!"

Ash couldn't hear the roar of the crowd as he ran out onto the battlefield, kneeling down next to Absol and lifting the Pokémon's head in his arms. "Absol, can you hear me?" Absol stirred at the sound of his trainer's voice, opening his bloodshot eyes, silently asking if he had done a good job.

Ash sighed in relief, a smile finally crossing his face. "You were amazing, Absol. I know you were scared and you were hurting, but you regained control and you never gave up. I'm really proud of you."

Absol smiled tiredly with his eyes, tilting his head and licking Ash's fingers a few times. Ash laughed and ran those fingers through Absol's fur. "You just get some rest, okay? You've done more than enough." Absol closed his eyes and slumped in Ash's arms, before the trainer retrieved a Poké Ball from his belt and returned Absol to it. Ash exhaled and stood up, turning to watch Korrina as she hugged her Lucario tightly, offering profuse words of praise.

As the announcer gave an energetic recap of the battle that had just occurred, Ash was able to barely hear the sound of approaching footsteps. He turned his head to see Iris in front of him, looking down toward the ground, a mix of emotions on her face. She was disappointed in herself for being defeated, and starting to feel guilty for attacking Absol in his moment of distress, making no attempt to hide any of this.

"Ash…" she began, though she wasn't sure how to proceed.

Ash forced a smile onto his face, extending his hand toward her. "It was a great battle, Iris. I wasn't sure we were going to win that. You almost has us."

She looked up at him with a guilty but grateful smile. "Thanks, Ash." She reached out and shook his hand. "Make sure you win in the finals, alright? One of us needs to get that prize." Beside them, Brock was shaking Korrina's hand as well.

Ash grinned and nodded, his chest swelling with confidence. "Don't worry about that. Those fossils are all ours, trust me." The four friends soon turned and walked off of the arena, as the stadium's groundskeepers began preparing the battlefield for the next semifinal match.

Serena watched from the back of the auditorium as a sea of rainbow-colored lights flew through the air. The six performers who had made it to the second round were lined up on stage, watching anxiously as their keys received their fill of the votes. Madison was watching with her hands clasped together, eyes flicking from one ball of blue light to the next, trying to count them. Next to her, Miette was taking in the light show with a wistful smile on her face. She had put on an excellent performance, just as Serena had predicted, and while the seasoned performer could tell that Miette could have done better, the audience had been thrilled with what they had seen. Her experience had more than made up for her lack of enthusiasm.

Eventually the lights settled, and Serena leaned forward to study the holographic displays in front of each contestant. There were several contestants, including Madison and Miette, who had vote totals that were very close to each other, and Serena couldn't tell who the winner was. She would have to wait with everyone else for the official tally.

"We have our winner!" the host called out after a couple of seconds. "The recipient of tonight's Princess Key is… the talented Latenna!"

Serena exhaled and sat back, disappointed, but began applauding with the rest of the crowd as the blond-haired Latenna was awarded with her second Princess Key of the season. She looked first toward Miette, who was in higher spirits than she had been before her performance, appearing pleased with the closeness of the competition. Madison, by contrast, was looking dejected. She was smiling and applauding with the rest, but Serena could tell when she was faking a smile.

As the showcase concluded and the audience began filtering out, Serena fought against the flow of people and made her way to the hallways behind the stage. The evening's competitors were standing and walking around, some of them talking with friends or family, while others were on their phones. One poor girl was sitting up against the wall and crying, and Serena took a minute to offer her some words of encouragement before continuing. It wasn't long before she spotted Madison, looking down at the floor as she slowly walked in the direction of the dressing room.

"Madison!" Serena called out, starting to walk faster. The brunette looked up, her face lighting up for just a moment.

"Hey, Serena." She resumed looking downward, her expression difficult to parse. "I gave it my best shot, but…"

"Yeah… I'm sorry you didn't win." Serena stepped up in front of her, worried about Madison breaking down again like she did in Lagoon Town. "It's just tough competition… a lot of girls are trying to get their last keys, and-"

"I know what I did wrong."

Serena blinked. "You… you do? What do you mean?"

"I don't think I did a good enough job showing off Swellow's agility," Madison elaborated. "I was showing off all of Roselia's skills, but I think I used Swellow as a tool too much, and didn't give him time to shine on his own." She looked up at the older performer with a spark in her eyes, the spark of inspiration. "I bet if he learned some new attacks, I could really make him stand out. What do you think? Do you think Ash could help me teach him some moves?"

Serena was dumbfounded for a moment, but her befuddlement soon gave way to elation, a wide smile spreading across her face. "I bet Ash would love to help you out, if you asked him."

"I hope so!" Madison's eyes flicked upward as she thought to herself. "Maybe I should take bits and pieces from old routines and turn them into something new… something that flows a bit better… get rid of the stuff that doesn't work, you know?"

Serena nodded, greatly relieved at Madison's constructive reaction to her loss. "You're starting to talk like a real performer, Madison." She was prepared to say more, but her thoughts were interrupted as a blue-haired girl appeared in her peripheral vision. She looked up to see Miette walking toward the both of them, smiling warmly.

"Oh, Miette!" She quickly reached for something to say. "Um… how are you feeling?"

"I'm doing fine," Miette answered, sounding tired out, as Madison turned to look in her direction. "I'm glad I went out there. I think the audience really liked my performance."

"They did, for sure," Serena confirmed. "You were-" Her comments were cut short as Miette stepped up and wrapped her arms around Serena's torso, leaning into her and holding her gently.

"Thanks for earlier," she spoke softly. "You definitely put a smile on my face today."

Serena was briefly taken aback, but she reciprocated quickly and hugged Miette back. "I'm glad to hear it." The hug was cut short as Miette stepped back, placing her hand on the dressing room door.

"I'm going to get changed quick. I'll see you both out front, alright?" Serena nodded, and Miette opened the door and stepped inside, closing it again immediately.

"Did I miss something?" a baffled Madison asked, looking back and forth between Serena and the door. "What was that about?"

Serena giggled. "I'll tell you later. Go and get changed. I'll be waiting outside." Madison continued to stare at her for a moment before following Miette into the performers' dressing room, and Serena turned and walked toward the exit of the theater.

Not long after, Serena and Madison were standing outside the showcase theater, the city around them bathed in the twilight of the setting sun. The two of them were in the middle of discussing Madison's performance, which Serena had missed half of, when their attention was drawn by Miette's voice calling out to them. They stopped and watched the blue-haired performer as she jogged up to them, waving one arm. She had changed back into her normal outfit, which was a casual dress with an apron sewed into it.

"Miette!" Serena smiled as she approached, noticing the renewed spark in her eyes. "You're looking a lot more energized."

"Mhmm! I'm feeling a lot better now." Miette came to a stop in front of the other two. "Thanks again for snapping me out of my funk."

"Of course." Serena nodded at her, hands clasped in front of her. "Anytime."

"So what's next for the two of you?" Miette turned her attention down toward the younger performer. "Off to earn more Princess Keys?"

"Yep," Madison replied. "I'll be competing at the showcase in Couriway Town. From there, I'm not really sure."

"Well, good luck. You're definitely talented enough to make it to the Master Class." Miette looked up, catching Serena's eyes again. "Speaking of which, what are you going to be doing now?"

Serena shrugged. "Just getting myself ready, I suppose. My routine and my Pokémon need to be in top shape."

"And spending some quality time with Ash?" Miette gave her a teasing smirk.

Serena felt her face glow red, but she kept a smile on her face. "That's the plan." She kept her eyes on Miette's, projecting confidence, even as she quickly changed the subject. "What about you? Do you know what you're going to be doing next?"

"I do," Miette answered. "I've decided that tonight was my final performance."

Serena had expected this decision, though it was still a bit saddening. "You're sure?"

"Absolutely," Miette responded. "I've thought about what you told me, how you want to bring smiles to people's faces all over Kalos. I'm going to try and do the same thing... through my baking."

"Baking?" Madison spoke up curiously. "You're a baker, too?"

Miette nodded. "I've been baking even longer than I've been performing. I've always loved watching people's reaction as they try my food, the surprise on their face as they take a bite… it's the greatest feeling in the world." Her eyes visibly lit up, as she started to grow more excited. "My new dream is to have the most popular bakery in Kalos, with customers lining up around the block to try my pastries. It'll take a lot of time, and a lot of work, but I'm willing to do what it takes. It'll be worth it in the end."

"That sounds like a wonderful dream to have, Miette," Serena replied, a glowing smile on her face, her heart touched by the sincerity and determination in Miette's voice. "Let me know when you get your bakery up and running. I'll be your first customer on opening day."

Miette's eyes widened. "You mean it?"

"Of course!" Serena answered. "We're friends, aren't we?"

Miette's face settled into a warm, heartfelt smile, a bit of pink showing on her cheeks. "Yeah… we are." The two stood and smiled at each other for a few moments, before the moment was interrupted by a tinny noise from Serena's bag. She quickly reached in, recognizing Ash's unique text message notification, and pulled out her phone to take a look. She let out a squeak of delight as she took in the sight on the screen.

"He won!" she exclaimed energetically. "Ash and Korrina won the tournament!"

"They did?!" Madison scooted closer to take a look at Serena's phone screen, and Miette followed suit. On the screen was a photograph of Ash and Korrina in the tournament stadium, triumphantly holding a pair of identical trophies.

"Oh, that's the double battle tournament!" Miette grinned, always eager to revel in Ash's success. "So he's still the trainer he's always been, huh?"

"Of course he is," Serena replied proudly. "I knew he'd be able to pull it off. Korrina, too." Madison had to suppress a snicker at her comment. She had talked a big game about being impartial before they left, but it was obvious she had been rooting for someone after all.

"We should go back and congratulate them!" Madison suggested. "And we can probably get some dinner together while we're at it."

Miette took a step back. "You go ahead. I have places I need to be," she lied. She didn't have any plans for the rest of the night, but she wasn't about to repay Serena's kindness by becoming a third wheel between her and Ash. "Good luck in the Master Class, both of you. Tell Ash congratulations for me, would you?"

"I will, don't worry," Serena responded, slipping her phone back into her bag. "Good luck with your bakery, Miette! Take care!"

The three girls parted, with Serena and Madison heading back toward the tournament stadium, while Miette began her return to her hotel room, with a warmth in her chest and a spring in her step.