Well, here it is, the 103rd part of the fourth installment in my 'Heart' series on the right day as promised. It's time, the Kalos Grand Festival final is now upon us and it's time to see who will hoist the first ever Kalos Ribbon Cup and become the newest Top Coordinator in the world. Will it be Brianna or Serena? Soon y'all will find out but that is all I really have to say here. Therefore, that is all the administrative stuff I have for this Part and there are no questions that require an answer from last week or guest reviews to respond to I will end this here. Do please do keep your reviews coming as I love hearing from y'all. Anyway, that is it for this pre-Part note which means that it is once again time to sit back which and enjoy the latest installment in Winning Takes Heart. Part CLXXXII: Win Some, Lose Some.
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.
Part CLXXXII: Win Some, Lose Some
"Folks, it's time!" Jillian said excitedly as Serena and Brianna walked out of their wings and headed towards the battlefield in the center of the stadium as the crowd roared for them. "After a long year of hyping us up for Contests to come to Kalos and then another year of Contests themselves, we've finally reached that final moment. The Grand Festival Final is now upon us and soon we will have the first ever winner of the Kalos Grand Festival!"
The crowd continued to cheer, and the cameras panned around showing Serena and Brianna as they walked out and onto the walkways making their ways to the battlefield that both knew well by this point. Both girls had hard, determined looks on their faces as the wind blew through the open-air stadium ruffling their skirt and hair as they walked. They'd had the lunch break to think and prepare for this and both of them were as ready as they could be.
This was the moment that Brianna had hoped for the moment she came to Kalos with her darling Drew, the moment she'd only dreamed of but never expected to happen. However, it was true, it was here, she was going to face Serena in the Grand Festival and in the final no less. Despite the odds stacked against the honey blonde from Kalos, she'd defied them to Brianna's pleasure and made it to the biggest match of them all. Brianna's body was positively thrumming with excitement at what was about to happen.
At long last her and Drew's long-awaited moment of justice was upon them. She, as Drew's proxy, would defeat Serena, May's proxy, so convincingly that no one would be able to doubt who was best, who was good and pure and who was the true villain of the world. Today on the greatest stage good will finally triumph over evil once again and Drew would be at last properly avenged for the heinous treacheries he suffered at May's hands all those years ago. Brianna would, with her pure and noble love, purify the evil of the world and she'd do it in record time.
There was no way that she wasn't going to win this by Battle Off. Brianna knew that she was the better one and she'd show that by not even needing half the time left to win the Grand Festival.
It was exceedingly rare for a Grand Festival to end via a Battle Off, the talents in the final were almost always too great for that, but it did happen. Only one final in the last 5 years had ended in a Battle Off, the Kanto Grand Festival final last year where Dawn defeated Kenny, so by winning this faster Brianna was going to prove that she was also better than Dawn in a way. Brianna would beat one of Dawn's sorta disciples faster than the Sinnoh girl had defeated Brianna's ally.
The only thing that Brianna had to be wary of was the whole warning she'd gotten after the Wallace Cup. She knew it was for false reasons thanks to the actions of petty, villainous, people who didn't want good to triumph but alas it was there, and she couldn't argue against it after her appeal was denied. As such she'd have to be sensible, be reserved and not call out the evil she was vanquishing for all to see. It would be hard, but she knew that she could do it. She was ready, her moment of victory was now.
Serena for her part was just as composed and prepared for the upcoming battle as Brianna was. She'd long been ready to face Brianna. Ever since she and May had spoken to Sabrina in Gloire City before the Master Class had Serena been prepared based on the real truth around this battle, but it had been Dawn of all people in the wake of the Master Class who'd shown Serena exactly what she had to do to be ready for this battle.
Of all people, her love rival and now close friend who wasn't even her Contest mentor but who she greatly admired for her Contest skills was the one who'd helped her the most and it was all thanks to how Dawn had seen the Master Class. Dawn had had the right attitude when she competed in the pinnacle of Serena's domain as a performer, Serena would now use that advice today as she competed in the pinnacle of Dawn's domain as a coordinator.
She knew what this was battle was supposed to be about, the little brat opposite her had made that clear all year, but Serena wasn't going to play that game. No, she was going to face this on her own terms, as her own woman, and make it clear that Brianna wouldn't get to her.
Yes, Serena would defend May's honor, defend Dawn's, face the twisted, dark, person she was facing but in her heart she knew the real truth. This was just an excuse for a pair of bullies who beat up on those who they couldn't control by going after the weakest of their number to satisfy what was broken inside of them.
Serena knew in her heart that she was not a coordinator, she was a performer and a damned good one too. She knew that her talents would one day allow her to best Aria and become the Kalos Queen, but she also knew that she wasn't there yet. To get to that point she needed to broaden herself and one such way was Contests. May had shown her their beauty but Serena had grown herself and learned so much from them on her own that she now had her own contest style, one that would aid her performing when she returned to that world.
For now, though, she was in Brianna's world, in the world of a brat who was talented enough to make the final in an older region, the only one in Kalos to do so which meant that she was head and shoulders above the competition in the Grand Festival which was almost unfair. Yes, she could be beaten but anyone could be. Dawn had coordinators she'd never beaten, May had them, other Top Coordinators did as well, so there was a chance and Serena knew from Ash that it wasn't over until it was over and until then she'd fight with all she had to win.
However, if it came to pass and she did lose then she'd do so with dignity and grace. Dawn had shown her that in the Master Class when she was happy with her results despite losing a tight final to Jessilee simply because she'd had fun in Showcased and the Master Class. That was the mentality Serena had to have as well, with it she could handle whatever was about to happen.
Dawn had also given her some advice the night before just in case Serena faced Brianna regarding Dawn's second finals loss in Johto so that Serena understood what it was like to lose to someone so negative towards her, and Serena understood that clearly. She knew what to do if it ended that way and was ready. No matter what happened in this battle, Brianna would not win in the end.
"At long last we are here Serena." Brianna called across the battlefield as they reached their starting boxes while the crowd continued to cheer for the upcoming final, but the girls blocked it out as their eyes locked burning with intensity. "We've come a long way since we met near Geosenge, and we faced in my first Kalos Contest there where I easily beat you. You've done well to make it this far, for all her faults May is still a Top Coordinator, as is Dawn, so you've had some good teachers to help you. Mine is better however and today I will prove it. I will end what May started with her actions in Johto."
"You may fight to be like Drew but I learned from May that I can't replicate her or anyone else in my style, I know that I must become my own person with my own style." Serena said calmly. "I've learned this year from May, from Dawn, Ash, Miette, Shauna, Tierno, Emily, Jessilina, and all those who I've faced, even you to some extent for my loss to you taught me a lot, and I will carry all but you into this battle to win. However, mark my words, I will win as my own person not as May's proxy or student. Unlike you, I am no one's puppet."
"I am not a puppet." Brianna snarled her true nature showing briefly but it was still within acceptable bounds for the final, Brianna would have to reach the same level of intensity as she had during the Wallace Cup to trigger her warning. "Don't you dare imply that I am anything but my own person. I will show that the teachings of Drew made me the best and are superior to May's, that is all that I will do, everything else I do I do as myself."
"Yes, the teachings of a fragile man who couldn't handle losing to his girlfriend, how good they must be." Serena said coolly not necessarily trying to provoke Brianna but riling her up all the same. "And of course, you're going to ignore that you've been in Contests for what, 4, 5, years now? I'm a performer, I rarely battled before this year and yet here I am in the Kalos Grand Festival final as a coordinator who shoulders the hopes of her region as they embrace Contests. The gulf in our skills is as wide as the ocean Brianna and you know it. Whatever happens, it says more that you have to come to an expansion region and beat up on me to win than it does if I lose to you."
"Stop making excuses for what's about to happen." Brianna said getting really riled now but keeping her anger in check as Drew had warned her the night before that this might happen because the weak always played mind games to compensate for their weakness and that she needed to be strong to face it with a clear head and heart of good so as to triumph over evil. "You know what this is so acknowledge it, face me and let's decide this for those who came before us. I have treachery to avenge."
"I know that I am here for myself and for those who have supported me and made me who I am today over the last 2 years or so." Serena said simply. "And I know that I am here for my region, to show that Kalos truly has embraced Contests. I am no fan of monikers other than that of Kalos Queen for that is what I strive to be but if I am to be seen as the Princess of Kalos for what I have accomplished, if I am to be my region's darling for making it this far, then I will do so with pride and stand tall until the end. You have 5 minutes, when that is over we will know who's will is stronger."
"Hiding behind arrogance I see, very well then, have your delusions but I know what this is really about." Brianna said. "Let's get this intro over with, I have a Ribbon Cup to raise."
"As do I." Serena said looking to a stunned Jillian who didn't know what to make of the initial exchange between the girls. "Jillian, if you please, we are ready for the final to begin."
"Oh, um, right, well yeah that is what we really like to see." Jillian said recovering her usual moxie as the crowd roared and raising an arm to Serena's side. "Such fiery passion, this will be a final for the ages and who else to start with than the underdog and the home region favorite!"
Jillian actually had to pause there because the moment she mentioned that Serena was the home region favorite, said home region fans let her know it by cheering so loud it briefly drowned out Jillian's words. She let them cheer though because it would hype up the battle to come even more and then when it was slightly quieter she continued.
"She's defied the odds more times than we can count be it in beating two of the Big 3 this year, winning the Wallace Cup, making the Grand Festival as a wildcard, and the biggest shock of all to this point making it to the Grand Festival final itself." Jillian said. "You all know her as one of the best performers in Kalos, if not the second best behind only the Kalos Queen herself, but today she's looking to become the best coordinator in Kalos. From Vaniville Town, give it up for the Darling of Kalos herself, Serena!"
The crowd unleashed a deafening roar at that, and Serena smiled as she waved, her smile broad, wide and genuine, as she spun slowly as she enthusiastically waving the entire time with as much pep as she could produce to thank the cheering crowd for their support. They were behind her, she knew it, she'd moved their hearts in getting here and she'd honor that by winning today, she swore it.
"Against her is the coordinator who came to Kalos a little late but immediately became the overall favorite for the Ribbon Cup after just one Contest." Jillian said sweeping her arm to the other side of the battlefield as she spoke. "This is her 5th year as a coordinator, her 4th Grand Festival, and her second true shot at the Ribbon Cup and title of Top Coordinator as she was in the Johto Grand Festival final last year. She's come into the Grand Festival with the best record and almost breezed her way to the final, but she's still got to overcome Serena to win it all. From Chrysanthemum Town in the Kanto Region, give it up for the Flower of Kanto, Brianna!"
The crowd cheered at that, but it was clearly quieter than the one it had given Serena and more for the battle to come than for Brianna herself given how little actual fan support the brat from Kanto got. Brianna herself still didn't care though, the ignorant would always look down upon the strong and good like Brianna because they didn't know any better, so they feared people like her, but she'd show them the error of their ways when she won this.
"Enjoy the praise, it will be the last you hear of it." Brianna called out to Serena. "I will silence it."
"That's fine, I have more than accomplished what I wanted to get out of Contests to help me as a performer." Serena said drawing her Poke Balls. "I've learned what I need to here and if I lose I can leave Kalos to grow once Ash is done with his own thing. This battle is just us facing off for the Kalos Ribbon Cup, Brianna, no one else, and that's it."
"It's for Drew and proving he's better than May." Brianna snapped as she pulled out her own Poke Balls. "And you know it so stop lying and deluding yourself to that fact and just accept it."
"I know that I will give it my all." Serena said calmly not rising to Brianna. "So, let's do this Brianna. Arceus has seen fit to dictate our paths so that we may meet at this point, we can't let everyone down now."
"No, we can't, I'll give you that." Brianna said a little surprised that Serena as a Kalos native would invoke Arceus but chalking it up to Dawn's influence. "Put your Pokémon where your mouth is and get ready to lose."
"Whatever happens I've already won." Serena said. "And this thing that you and Drew have started will not end with this battle so bring it. Let's start this battle."
"Yes that's it ladies it's finally time." Jillian said more excited than she'd ever sounded but that was for good reason, and it was just in time as well seeing as Brianna was now fuming so Jillian's intervention gave her a second to calm down and focus on the coming battle. "It's at long last time. Let the Kalos Grand Festival final begin!"
"Roserade, Flygon, steal the show." Brianna said tossing her Poke Balls out with a lot of aggression.
"Delphox, Rhyperior, go." Serena said showing her grace as she did.
The Poke Balls burst open, and the 4 fully evolved Pokémon burst forth from them at almost the same time to stand or in Flygon's case hover before their humans already ready for battle. The timer had started, there were 5 minutes left in the Kalos Grand Festival as the battle began.
"Delphox start with Psybeam on Roserade." Serena said immediately going for the type advantages she had on Roserade, but she'd expected that Pokémon and as she was always going to use Delphox in the final at least it really worked out for her. "Rhyperior use Rock Blast and both of you, dodge anything sent at you."
"Roserade, evade and use Shadow Ball as you get closer." Brianna said using the psychic type counter move she'd taught Roserade. "Flygon, Dragon Breath with evasive flying."
The orders were given at almost at the same time, but Delphox was the one who got a move off first leveling her stick at Roserade and firing off a peculiar blast of Psychic type energy at the grass and poison type. However, Roserade was already ready for this and had delayed her own move to prance diagonally forward with a graceful leap and twirl so that the Psybeam shot harmlessly past her, opening her mouth as she did to fire off a Shadow Ball at Delphox.
Rhyperior was slower because he was focusing on Flygon who had suddenly shot into the air and opened his mouth to spew forth his Dragon Breath as he flew around. That made the move more inaccurate and Rhyperior was able to leap forward and roll on the ground so that the powerful gust of dragon type power shot over him before popping up, left hand grabbing his right arm as he used his finger to sight in on Flygon before shooting out the maximum 5 boulders from the hole in the palm of his hand and right at the Mystic Pokémon.
Delphox had been ready and easily twirled to the side to avoid the Shadow Ball as the four Pokémon alternated move and dodge each in the opening moments of the battle. Flygon, however, wasn't as lucky in the whole exchange mainly due to the max 5 boulders being used.
He was able to fly around and avoid the first two, but Rhyperior was strafing them so the that the third one hit Flygon in the thigh causing him to spin out, which made the fourth one miss, but the 5th struck him in the side of the head, and he fell but got his wings out in time to avoid hitting the ground. Thankfully, he was resistant to rock type attacks, so it hadn't done much damage to him.
The opening salvo had been quick with only one partial hit but neither girl was giving up, they both wanted this and were already prepared as the initial moves ended. Neither would give an inch in the Grand Festival final.
"Venoshock Roserade." Brianna said grinning as Roserade had used both her own dodge of the Psybeam and Delphox's dodge of Shadow Ball to close in on her foe for what was to come. "Flygon get high to avoid any counters and use Hyper Beam from a safe height."
"Rhyperior focus on dodging that and then use Thunder." Serena said knowing that Rhyperior would understand exactly what that meant as they'd gone through this in training when she'd decided to pair her strongest two in power and if she gave this order in a battle like this then he'd know what to do. "Delphox, dodge that and counter with Scratch and then Psybeam."
Part of what Serena wanted played out as she'd hoped at least as Flygon got high enough to avoid most non beam based attacks, though Rhyperior might be able to reach Flygon with a Rock Blas not that it would do much, and opened his mouth. In moments a ball of orange light formed there before Flygon unleashed the powerful blast of normal type power right at Rhyperior.
It was a clever idea for the recharge period needed after Hyper Beam was used and it might have worked but Serena's plan was already in motion before it was fired off. Rhyperior simply waited for a second and then leapt backwards from the blast, Flygon's height giving him the moment he needed to clear it as it struck and blew up part of the stage that it hit, his horn sparking as he did.
That part of the exchange had gone as Serena had wanted, what hadn't was what was going on with Roserade and Delphox. Roserade was too close to Delphox when she opened her mouth and spewed forth a gout of poison right at Delphox. The Venoshock move struck Delphox in the face before she could move, and she howled in pain as she recoiled from it but didn't step back. Thankfully, she wasn't weak to poison type attacks, nor resistant however, she was only averagely hurt and as she wasn't poisoned it wasn't as bad as it could be.
Still, it was a hit but rather than let it affect her, Delphox pushed through it and closed on Roserade the moment she could. It had been a good idea to get close to Delphox, but it also backfired on her in that moment as Delphox easily closed and scratched her now glowing left paw claws across Roserade's face with a twist of her wrist. The moment she did Roserade wailed in pain from the normal type move and Delphox backed up with a graceful leap up and back as she leveled her stick for her Psybeam.
Brianna was ready for that and was about to give the order to dodge. What she nor her Pokémon were ready for, however, was the flash of lightning that shot down from above and slammed into the top of Roserade's head driving her to her knees from the sheer surprise of it. The saving grace was that while it did knock Roserade down briefly it was only from the force of the blow as she was resistant to electric type attacks.
At the same time and still in the air, Delphox leveled her stick on the unable to move Flygon high above the battlefield and shot off the peculiar beam of psychic power at him. The Psybeam struck him in the face just as his ability to move returned and he grunted in pain as he fell from the sky.
It was all part of Serena's plan for her team. If she gave the order to use Thunder then it meant that Rhyperior was to attack the Pokémon that Delphox had engaged and Delphox was to use whatever move she had been told to use most recently on the one Rhyperior had engaged. It was a special switcheroo they'd come up with to confuse an opponent without letting anyone know that they were changing targets until the hits happened.
The only time that this was to be ignored was if the order was to be used on a ground type if Delphox was facing one or if Psybeam had been ordered and Rhyperior's opponent was a dark type Pokémon. However, as the ground type that they were facing in this battle was the one Rhyperior had started with he was able to go for Roserade with Thunder and Delphox landed her Psybeam on Flygon.
Still, Brianna wasn't the overall favorite for nothing. Serena may have surprised her with that cheap trick, but she was the superior one and would show it in her counter that she gave as Flygon fell to the ground.
"Flygon, Steel Wing on Rhyperior." Brianna yelled as he fell. "Roserade evade whatever is thrown at you and then use Energy Ball on whoever is easier to hit."
"Rhyperior, catch that Steel Wing in your hands, it's time." Serena said grinning at the order as Flygon spread his wings and pulled out of his fall at the last second to shoot just above the ground at Rhyperior as his wings turned to steel as he flew as fast as possible at his opponent. "Delphox, preoccupy Roserade with Flamethrower."
Rhyperior just roared as he set his feet and held his arms out in front of him as Flygon approached. This was something they'd prepared for as they expected to face large, fully evolved, Pokémon in the Grand Festival at some point given how Serena planned to use Rhyperior at least twice if possible so they had developed a strategy for Rhyperior to use against such a Pokémon. It was all part of the long game and one only Rhyperior could pull off.
To ensure this, Delphox pointed her stick at Roserade as she opened her mouth and unleashed a gout of flames that she kept up and swung around to try and hit Roserade with the super effective attack. This forced her to stop her attempt at an Energy Ball and begin to leap around and backwards to avoid the Flamethrower which would cost Serena points but that would be rectified soon as Flygon reached Rhyperior.
The Steel Wing slammed into Rhyperior's outstretched hands, and he roared in pain from the super effective steel type attack, but he closed his fingers on the wings and held on for dear life as the force of the impact pushed him back several feet causing deep furrows in the ground in the process, but he never once let go of Flygon as this was happening. This was just what Serena had planned for and as the move came to an end and Rhyperior a stop his horn was already spinning in anticipation of what was to come.
"Horn Drill." Serena ordered. "End Flygon now!"
Rhyperior roared in agreement as he held onto Flygon who tried to pull back now that he knew what was coming but couldn't break free from Rhyperior's grip, his bug-like eyes going wide as Rhyperior lowered his head and then raised it his horn now spinning as fast as possible. The reason for catching Flygon like this and taking the move despite it being super effective was so that they could land this inaccurate move, a way around it in a sense and with Flygon in his grip and too surprised to do anything Rhyperior knew that he had it.
That was shown a split second later as his spinning horn slammed into Flygon's chest, the largest target before Flygon, causing the ground and dragon type to wail in pain and fall back, swirls for eyes before he hit the ground. A one hit knock out move, the inaccuracy was the tradeoff for that kind of power and Serena had just landed it to decimate Brianna's points.
However, that wasn't all that happened because as Rhyperior let go of a now limp Flygon who flopped back and landed on the ground on his back, wings splayed and eyes swirls, a ball of grass type energy shot past where Flygon had been and into the center of Rhyperior's chest. Rhyperior roared in pain from the doubly super effective grass type move and staggered back to show Serena that Roserade was standing there having danced out of the way of the Flamethrower by getting between it and Rhyperior forcing Delphox to end the attack and using that moment that to land the hit.
Brianna grinned at that, Roserade had shown her training there in her patience and waiting for her opening to present itself and now she was going to seal Rhyperior's fate and make up her lost points that Serena had dared to rob her of. She was furious at the cheating Serena had just shown in using an illegal move, well illegal in Brianna's mind as it was perfectly legal in the rule books, like Horn Drill so she was going to end Rhyperior with righteous justice for its crimes against her Pokémon.
"Petal Blizzard." Brianna ordered. "Finish it and hit Delphox in the process."
"Flamethrower." Serena ordered. "Rhyperior use Rock Blast."
Rhyperior raised his right hand as Delphox raised her stick both aiming at Roserade who raised her bouquets just before they did. This time she was the fastest as suddenly a storm of petal burst from her bouquets and covered the stage in a roaring blizzard of them that tore over the stage and at Delphox and Rhyperior. With Flygon out of the battle he wasn't affected by them, so they'd just affect Serena's Pokémon as they were engulfed by the petals.
For Delphox it was just a minor nuisance, she was resistant to the type after all, but for Rhyperior it was devastating thanks to his multiple weaknesses to grass type attacks. Between two of those attacks and a steel type one it was too much for him and him didn't even manage to get his Rock Blast off before he let out a groan and collapsed backwards crash to the ground with swirls for eyes. With his arms splayed and on his back he was a good mirror for the downed Flygon in front of him, a fitting sight now that both finalists only had one Pokémon left.
Thankfully Delphox was still standing strong, and the fire erupted from her stick and tore across the battlefield, burning away the remaining petals to slam into and wash over Roserade as she lowered her arms. Roserade let out a wail of pain as she disappeared in the fire that was super effective against her, but Brianna knew that she'd be able to handle it and was already ready with a counter attack.
"Shadow Ball Roserade, push through it." Brianna yelled out. "I know you can do it."
The fire was still going as Brianna gave the order but the moment it past to reveal a singed but still standing Roserade it showed that her mouth was open, and a ball of ghost type power shot out as fast as she could make it. The ball tore across the battlefield and before Serena could give an order to dodge it, it slammed into Delphox's chest and threw her back to hit the ground hard, but she rolled with it as Roserade ran to the side to make sure she was clear of her downed teammate and to avoid any potential counter attack that may hit her.
"Fire Blast." Serena said as Delphox used the brief moment afforded her by Roserade's dash to the side to her feet battered but still in the fight.
"Bounce an Energy Ball off the ground to occupy it and then dive as we trained for Delphox." Brianna said as Roserade came to a stop and revealing that she'd meticulously planned for any of Serena's Pokémon but Meowstic the moment that she knew that the Meowstic couldn't be used just in case Serena tried to cheat to win Brianna would be ready for anything. "Then use the surprise for a second Shadow Ball."
As Brianna finished speaking Delphox had managed to level her stick at Roserade and blasted off the 5-pointed star of Fire Blast but as Roserade was on her feet she was already ready for it. She opened her mouth, angled her head down and fired off an Energy Ball as soon as she could. Then she charged forward and at the star of fire that was rapidly approaching her.
Serena and Delphox were confused by this but that was made worse when the Energy Ball hit the ground right as the star of fire passed over it and ricocheted off it and up at Delphox. She didn't have time to process how Roserade had made the attack work before the ball struck her under her jaw and staggered her back a pace though she was resistant to the type, so she wasn't too badly hurt by it and able to stay on her feet.
As she was staggering back, however, Roserade had used that moment to leap forward and slide, arms out in front of her, on her chest under the star of flames so that it just missed her, though she could feel the heat of the fire on her back, and raised her head towards Delphox. She didn't even bother to get off the ground at that as she opened her mouth and fired off another ball of ghost type power as she slid across the ground.
Delphox had just managed to get her feet under her and lower her head when the Shadow Ball reached her and hit her full in the face. She howled in pain from the super effective attack, but she kept her eye on Roserade who was still on the ground and open, her stick pointing at her, and Serena capitalized on that.
"Psybeam." Serena ordered.
Before Brianna could get an order off the blast of peculiar psychic power shot from the stick and slammed into Roserade's back as she her slide came to a stop. She let out a wail of pain from the super effective attack and the force of the blow bounced her off the ground and into the air, her arms flailing. Serena had this thanks to the types at play, but Brianna was just a shade faster with the next order and that would be critical.
"Petal Blizzard." Brianna yelled.
"Flamethrower." Serena said as Delphox was finally recovered from the latest hit.
The moves were as key as the timing as Roserade just needed to unleash the petals as her move was an area attack, and unleash them the moment the order was given, her arms in Delphox's general direction to aid the attack. They struck Delphox and she grunted in annoyance at the hit as she leveled her stick on the still airborne Roserade and predicted where she would be.
Delphox knew that she had it now. Her opponent was helpless in the air, so it was just a matter of making sure that the fire was in the right place and the moment Delphox had it she began to form the fire at the end of her stick.
Of course, the moment that happened was the moment the buzzer sounded loud and clear for all to hear. The Pokémon knew this and Delphox let off a howl of frustration as she aborted her Flamethrower, the petals finally died down, and Roserade grinned as she fell to the ground. She'd gotten her final move off just in time and she was still grinning when she face planted the ground, but she didn't care because the battle was over and just in the nick of time because that Flamethrower would have ended her without a question.
Delphox panted from the toll the battle had taken on her as she lowered her stick, her shoulders slumping as the adrenaline left her system and she looked around the battlefield as the last of the petals gently landed on the ground while Roserade slowly rose to her feet doing the same. Both Pokémon that were still standing were battered and injured but they were still in it showing that the match had gone to the end.
The same couldn't be said for their teammates who were still on the battlefield and out cold. Both were on their backs, almost mirror images as they lay there as there'd been no time to recall them from the battle. Now it was all down to points, but the crowd was silent as they processed that the Grand Festival had actually come to an end.
As did Serena and Brianna as neither had actually been focused on the time as they'd been determined to best the other all the way to the end. However, Brianna had had some inkling of the situation, a sign of her significant experience over Serena when it came to Contests, hence her last move. Finally, after what seemed like ages but was actually just seconds, they were broken from their stupor by Jillian.
"And that is the timer, it went down to the wire with one Pokémon left on each side which means that it's going to be close, after such a final that we didn't want to end how can it not be." Jillian said as everyone began to recover from the sudden end to the Grand Festival. "We don't want to declare a winner, but we have to, and that winner is…"
Brianna and Serena, along with Roserade and Delphox who were still standing instantly looked to the board and blinked at the score. There was barely a sliver left in both the point bars on the screen, it had gone right to the wire with one bar at about 2% and the other at 3% or so. It was barely visible, but it was still there, and they could all see who had won.
"…Brianna!" Jillian said as everyone tried to process it. "The overall favorite has lived up to her billing and won the first ever Kalos Grand Festival by what has to be one of the closest margins in history. In fact, it looks like we almost needed a Sudden Death overtime to decide but we don't, and Brianna has become a Top Coordinator! I still don't believe that it could have been this close, but we can all see that it has been which just goes to show you how strong Serena was to come so close to victory. I for one hope to see her again in the future, don't let this deter you Serena, you will be a Top Coordinator one day."
Clearly a lot of people didn't either as Brianna tried to process it but it slowly registered. She'd won but somehow she had a rotten taste in her mouth from it. Not because she'd beaten Serena and proven that Drew was superior to May, no she was ecstatic about that, but because she'd not dominated it the way she was supposed to do. She'd been forced to the end of the time limit, lost one of her Pokémon first to Serena thanks to that damned Horn Drill, and barely come out on top. This was an affront to her and tainted her victory causing her to scowl at it.
"Delphox, Rhyperior, return." Serena said recalling her Pokémon with a small smile on her face and tears in her eyes but not because she'd lost to Brianna but because she'd lost by such a margin, she'd given it her all and almost won, she was proud of that and her Pokémon so naturally she'd shed a few tears. "You two were amazing out there, I couldn't have asked for more from both of you. Rhyperior, you took down Flygon, that was amazing even if you fell a moment later and Delphox, you hung in until the end and did all you could against a superior Contest Pokémon even if you had the types on Roserade. I can't be happier or prouder of both of you as well as everyone else in the team. We've come so far, and I know what is next."
With that Serena put the Poke Balls away and looked up to see that Brianna had recalled Flygon without words and was embracing Roserade and murmuring her thanks to her but still looked upset despite her win. Good. Serena had done all she could to ensure that this was a pyrrhic victory and besides this war was far from over, she knew it and she was about to ensure that Brianna did as well.
Serena also knew how to act in this situation. The night before Dawn had told her of her heartbreaking loss to Ursula in Johto and while Serena knew what happened after that Dawn didn't mention that part. All she did was tell the tale of the lose and how she handled it in the moment so that Ursula didn't get the satisfaction she clearly wanted out of it. As such, Serena knew what to do and she also drew inspiration from Aria in her plan as she too had shown Serena how to lose with grace.
In a smooth, well-practiced move, Serena stripped her gloves from her hands and let them fall to the ground as they would only dampen what was to come. She then called out loud and clear and with the stadium silent she knew all would hear it.
"Brianna." Serena said no falter in her voice causing Brianna to let go of Roserade and look at her hate burning in her eyes at how she'd not been able to win against Serena the way she would have liked, and was actually really close to losing, but her tongue was still about this grave injustice as she knew that the Contest Committee wouldn't see it as such. "Congratulations, you beat me and earned the victory in the first Kalos Grand Festival. Well done and I will be the first here to cheer for the newest Top Coordinator."
At that Serena raised her hands and began to clap, she'd removed her gloves so that it could be heard and soon the crowd got into it and began to cheer and applaud as well as fireworks went off to signal the end of the Grand Festival. True the applause was more for the great battle they'd seen and the show of sportsmanship that Serena was displaying in losing with dignity and elegance as befitted a performer like her, something that all the blogs would be running with in the days to come while glossing over Brianna's win, but it was still applause at the end of the Grand Festival and for its winner.
However, Brianna just stared in shock at Serena smiling and clapping for her, her body shaking with impotent rage that was taking every ounce of her willpower, and a lot of thinking on her love for Drew added in to help out, to prevent herself from raving about the injustice of this win. The unbridled audacity that Serena had to do this was beyond anything Brianna could have imaging and the insult was almost too much to handle, only the threat of a sudden disqualification stopped her from acting out because this wasn't how it was supposed to be.
Serena wasn't crying, she wasn't crushed, she wasn't doing anything that Brianna had wanted her to do, had imagined she'd do when she lost after Brianna crushed her in less than two minutes, which itself hadn't happened either. The pleasure it would have given Brianna would have been immeasurable as good would have triumphed over evil at last but no, Serena was standing tall despite her loss. This wasn't how it was supposed to be, and Serena wasn't done yet.
"I acknowledge you as my better Brianna." Serena said loudly to be heard over the crowd as she lowered her hands to her skirt and met Brianna's blazing eyes a small smile on her own face and knowing that Brianna understood exactly what Serena was doing but couldn't do anything about it. "And so, as I know from my Queen I will do as she would and show my humility to the first Kalos Top Coordinator the way a Kalos native should when she knows she's met her superior."
With that Serena raised her skirt and lowered herself into a deep curtsy, one deeper than any given her in the Grand Festival, and bowed her head as she did to show her respect. This wasn't really a respect to Brianna but to her victory over Serena and it would completely destroy Brianna to see Serena so accepting and proper with a smile on her face while the crowd would love it and thus still Brianna's tongue, or set it off.
"As we have done in days of old to those who have bested us in battle so to shall I like Aria did when she lost a battle to a fellow Queen in this world earlier this year did bend my knee." Serena said loud for all to hear as she gracefully finished her curtsy by falling to one knee where she stood, her head low as she knelt to Brianna and the crowd roared at her grace, the move itself inspired by how Aria had knelt to Lucy after losing to her in a Pokémon battle at Pierre's party. "As the loser, it is an honor to kneel before Kalos's first Top Coordinator, Brianna!"
Serena knelt for what was an appropriate period of time as the crowd went wild for Serena's display of true sportsmanship and Kalos honor as she kept her face controlled while looking at the ground. Any joy or pleasure that Brianna may have gotten out of this win was long gone with Serena's actions and would be forever associated with how Serena had taken control of the situation at the end to deprive Brianna of what she wanted. Serena refused to ever give Brianna that satisfaction and all this show was to ensure that.
Only when it was proper did Serena rise to her feet and smile at Brianna who she was sure was about to explode with rage and curtsied again, this time Brianna responded with a clearly forced one of her own, before she turned and left the stage. It was time to return to her friends.
Brianna was apoplectic with rage and want to explode with the injustice of this all. Serena had had the audacity to not be upset and cry as her evil was vanquished by Brianna's shining light of justice but actually accept it and then taunt her with that action. Brianna knew what it was about, it wasn't the noble gesture Serena made it out to be but the ultimate humiliation of Brianna.
Alas, there was nothing that Brianna could do about it because, well, the Committee was there. All she could do was force a smile on her face and respond with a short curtsy of her own to not lose any more face than she already had once Serena was done with this abject farce before the villain of Kalos, in Brianna's mind only, finally left the stage.
As she did, a pedestal rose in the center of the stage and on it was the Kalos Ribbon Cup that was at long last Brianna's. When it was there, Mr. Contesta rose form his chair, his hands gloved, and made his way towards the Ribbon Cup. Only then did Brianna push her humiliation from her mind, recalled Roserade, she'd thank her and Flygon later for all they'd done to help her win even if this win wasn't how it was supposed to be, and walked out to the center of the stage to finally accept her long overdue Ribbon Cup.
"Brianna, I know it has been a long path to get here, one with many ups and downs but you've overcome all of them to grow and reach the pinnacle all coordinators strive for." Mr. Contesta said to her as they met in the center of the stage a smile on his face as he spoke. "That is why it is an honor to bestow upon you the title of Top Coordinator, the first to earn it in Kalos by winning the inaugural Kalos Grand Festival, and to present you with your Ribbon Cup. You've earned it."
"Thank you Mr. Contesta." Brianna said as civilly as she could manage, her eyebrow twitching and a forced smile on her face as she held out her hands to accept the Ribbon Cup that Mr. Contest took from the pedestal and handed to her. "I have long awaited this moment and at last I can raise the Ribbon Cup and join the ranks of the Top Coordinators who have inspired me ever since I first fell in love with Contests. This is for the greatest coordinator ever who made me who I am today. I wouldn't be here without him and so I raise my Ribbon Cup in his honor."
At that Brianna turned to the crowd and looked to see a smiling Drew where he said he'd be as Mr. Contesta took a step back. Only then did she take the Ribbon Cup with one hand on the body and one on the base and raise it above her head as she'd always wanted to. As soon as it was above her head, more fireworks went off and the crowd cheered for her, her image and those of her 6 Pokémon that she'd used to win appearing under a WINNER banner on the screen as she did.
Still, despite this Brianna couldn't help but know that her win was forever tainted by the bitch who'd she'd beaten to earn it, that it was impure, and sullied by the foulness of evil. She'd not won the way she wanted to, she'd not shown her decisiveness, not truly shown that Drew was superior, and she'd been humiliated by Serena at the end with her holier than thou attitude and grace.
As Brianna pulled the Ribbon Cup down and clutched it to her chest she finally let out her tears and they flowed down her face. They were a mix of joy at winning and anger at how she won not that anyone, but Drew would know about the latter.
She swore, as she cried and cradled her Ribbon Cup, that this wasn't the end, that the war wasn't over and that she'd one day crush Serena for good for all this. Brianna would not have the last word like this, she knew it.
For her part Serena had been watching the presentation and everything else from the wings, arms across her chest and a frown on her face as she leant against the wall though she couldn't prevent a tear from rolling down her cheek at how it could have been her, not Brianna, there. Regardless, it was clear that Brianna understood the score of what had just gone down.
Brianna may have won this battle, but she hadn't won the war and she knew it. She, Drew, and Kenny if he ever returned, along with any other allies that they might gain along the way, would never get to her and her friends, they'd never win in the long run. Let them bask in this small victory that they had to punch down to win, they wouldn't have many more to come, Serena knew it just as much as she knew that the world would ensure that this war wasn't over. It wasn't going to end with the Kalos Grand Festival.
Regardless, her time as a coordinator in Kalos was at an end and Serena turned, wiped the tear from her cheek, and walked into the bowels of the stadium to get changed back into her street clothes. Then she could leave the building and meet up with her friends.
They were going to celebrate how well she'd done, how she'd almost won but still prevented Brianna from getting anything out of her win, and then get Ash, Tierno, Trevor, and Max ready for the Lumiose Conference which would be a lot more fun. There wouldn't be any negativity there, and then after that Serena knew what was in store for her. She'd talk to May tomorrow about it to make sure that she was doing the right thing, but she knew in her heart that it was.
That was for tomorrow and the far future, however, their year as a group in Kalos wasn't over yet. There was one more thing to do in the year and Serena couldn't wait for it and to support Ash with all her heart in it. The Kalos Grand Festival may now be over, but the Lumiose Conference still loomed on the horizon.
What did it have in store for them as they faced the final challenge of the year and Ash went for it all once more? Only time would tell that but at long last it was almost time for the Lumiose Conference to begin and no one could see what was about to come.
Well, I know that this is probably a surprise to many and one of my more controversial moments in this series in having Brianna actually win the Grand Festival despite her negative attitude this entire time but there are several reasons for why I opted for this path. Remember, Brianna is the only coordinator with multiple appearances in Grand Festivals before this one as this is her 4th, the same number it took for May to win it all, whereas only two other coordinators are known to have an appearance in Jessilina and Emily with one each before this one though both reached the semifinals in their previous appearances as well so they were always a threat until they lost. As such she was by far the best on paper hence why she won it but at the same time I wanted to show that the only way Brianna could win it all was by going to an expansion region where the competition was clearly beneath her and beating up on it so as to taint her victory somewhat and that is what Serena showed throughout with her attitude and even more so at the end with her class and acceptance. Another reason for this is that I wanted Serena to mimic Dawn slightly in how Dawn lost to Ursula back in Part V and grew from it which Serena will do and next Part we'll learn more about that so y'all won't be waiting long for it. Lastly, this was Serena's first attempt and she's not a coordinator so I didn't want her to do what neither May nor Dawn could do and win it first time around, this was how I opted to show it to further aid in Serena's growth and add some drama to the series with the whole Brianna thing. Remember, Serena may have lost but she did so with grace and poise and almost won which shows a lot when facing someone with Brianna's experience. This is far from the end of the war Drew and Brianna started, this is merely the end of the first battle in the war and while they won it, it was not a great victory but a pyrrhic one I'd say, at least that was what I was aiming for at least with it. I hope this explains why I made this choice and rest assured, there is a lot more still to come in this aspect of the Hearts series. That is all I have for this Part however so time to draw it and the Wallace Cup as a whole to a close and begin the transition to the final arc of Winning. As always please favorite (both this story and me in general to be notified of any new content I post), review as I really like hearing what you think of my work and your suggestions that help complete this story (and respond as best I can) and just in general keep enjoying my work. Until next time.
Stringdog