"Wooper, Aqua Tail!" Sydney commanded.
"Woop!" Wooper lunged at Quilava, striking it with his tail that was surrounded with aquatic energy.
"Quil!" Quilava rolled back from the impact, struggling to get back up.
The crowd cheered at the latest development in the second semi finals match. Jason and Sydney had Wooper and Growlithe out, respectively, while their male opponents, Caleb and Ethan, were down to their last two pokemon, Quilava and Electrike. Jason and Sydney, reflective of the tournament so far, have not had a single pokemon go down.
Valerie Bay had been blessed with crystal clear skies and overall temperate and breezy weather within the past few days. Even by mid morning, thousands of people checked into the stadium to see the semi finals matches. With many following the storylines of different teams, those who picked up that there was a chance the Kyar twins could meet up in the final round were hoping for just that.
Some could not live down the fact that a magikarp was used in Jason and Sydney's second round victory the previous day. As Jason and Sydney continued to battle in the semi finals, some people were still chanting for Jason to use Magikarp again. It was as if Magikarp became an instant hit.
Even to the audience's disappointment of not seeing Magikarp in action again, Jason and Sydney remained on course to put this match away. Wooper alone was a force to be reckoned with. Despite his funny and innocent appearance, Wooper's water and ground typing alone gave him a huge advantage against the opposing Quilava and Electrike. Caleb and Ethan chose to ignore Wooper entirely and go for Growlithe.
"Quilava, Quick Attack on Growlithe!" Caleb, the red haired trainer in a red shirt and black shorts, called.
"Electrike, Thunder Fang on Growlithe!" Ethan, the blond haired trainer in a blue and white striped shirt and blue shorts, followed suit.
"If Growlithe can keep himself safe, Wooper can help win this for us!" Sydney addressed Jason.
"Right," Jason gave a nod.
Quilava closed in on Growlithe, delivering a powerful Quick Attack. Growlithe withstood the attack, doing his best not to express any sort of discomfort from the head on attack. Electrike followed the attack, leaping into the air.
"Wooper! Now! Use Muddy Water!" Sydney called.
"Wooper!" Wooper jumped high behind Growlithe, ready to unleash a wide stream of water.
"Growlithe, turn around and use Protect!" Jason yelled.
"Growl?" Growlithe seemed confused by the command.
"Trust me! You're doing great!" Jason responded.
With no further hesitation, Growlithe did what he was asked to do and turned around, shielding himself just in the nick of time from Wooper's Muddy Water.
"Woop!" Wooper directly drenched Quilava as Electrike practically leapt into the attack. Growlithe looked on at Muddy Water surrounded him, the attack diverting around Protect.
Muddy Water quickly resided. Growlithe sprung back into action, only to see both Quilava and Electrike were both down and out.
"Quilava and Electrike are unable to battle!" the female referee declared. "The winners are Jason and Sydney!"
"Yeah!" Jason threw a fist up in the air as he cheered.
"Way to go!" Sydney jumped up and down.
The crowd exploded into a loud round of applause. The excited and victorious Wooper and Growlithe ran to their trainers.
"Good job, Growlithe!" Jason knelt down to Growlithe's eye level. "See? You're a real team player. I'm glad you've come to trust me, because you helped us get to the final round!"
"Growlithe!" Growlithe barked excitedly.
"Get some good rest," Jason pulled out his pokeball and recalled him. "You deserve it."
"You too, Wooper!" Sydney recalled her pokemon. "I'm so proud of you!"
On the other side of the field, the defeated Caleb and Ethan recalled their pokemon.
"And here I thought Quilava was the strongest pokemon in a hundred miles," Caleb cracked a smile. "We still have a long way to go."
"Sorry man," Ethan regretfully replied. "We did our best to back you up."
"You did great," Caleb faced him. "We made it this far, didn't we?"
"I suppose we are in the top four teams," Ethan laughed.
"Not too shabby if I say so myself," Caleb added.
"Well, Bran," Kristine looked on from the second row, particularly at Jason and Sydney's celebration. "It's showtime."
"Right," Bran gave a nod. "It's not going to be easy."
"No, it won't. But we can do this. We can win. No," Kristine began to correct herself. She stood up, speaking with pure confidence. "We will win."
The PA announcer began to address the crowd. "Folks, we invite you to come back for the final round at four o'clock this afternoon! The final round will be Jason Kyar and his partner Sydney Adams, against Kristine Kyar and Brandal Riken. It will be a full on six on six battle with three pokemon for each individual! You don't want to miss it!"
Kristine began to chuckle.
"Something funny, I reckon?" Bran faced her.
"I promised Jason a full battle if we couldn't get into a tournament in this town," Kristine explained. "I guess we'll be getting one, after all."
"I can't believe we're actually in the final round of this tournament!" Sydney raved as she and Jason walked down the hallway, back towards the atrium.
"I can't believe how well we did," Jason seemed proud of his pokemon's efforts. "We clean sheeted them!"
"Um."
"It's what you call it, right?"
"Well, we just phrase it 'it's a clean sheet', or something along those lines."
"Oh, I gotcha."
Sydney smiled at Jason. "I'll still give you props for effort."
A moment passed by as the two entered the atrium, using a door exclusive to stadium participants and staff.
"We're fighting Kristine next round," Jason mentioned. "She's going to be tough. Her and Bran."
"We can do this!" Sydney remained confident.
"We will do this," Jason faced her with determination.
As Jason and Sydney walked outside, they navigated through scores of spectators, all mingling and walking about the stadium grounds. It seemed a little jam packed, with the two trainers occasionally squeezing by groups of people. Many cheered for them as they walked by, and Jason surely noticed at least a couple chants for Magikarp.
"We're the talk of the town," Sydney observed.
"That's for sure," Jason responded.
Moments later, Jason and Sydney made their way far from the stadium and onto the cobblestone path. Kristine and Bran were sitting at a nearby bench, waiting for them. Kristine noticed Jason, nudging Bran to follow her to her brother and Sydney.
Jason walked along as Kristine practically hopped her way in front of him. She didn't say anything to him, and only gave him a determined, competitive look. Jason didn't reply with words, only with his expression. The two locked fierce, determined eyes on one another.
"Um," Sydney lightly waved. "Hi?"
Bran waved back. "I don't know how long this will last."
A moment later, Kristine broke her stance and silence. She gave a wave and a smile. "Good luck, bro!"
"Yeah, you too," Jason replied.
"Well then," Sydney walked adjacent to both Jason and Kristine. "Sibling rivalry, huh?"
"You can say that," Kristine faced her. "Get ready!"
"Oh, we'll be ready!" Sydney replied with full confidence of herself and her pokemon.
"We should get ready," Jason mentioned. "I guess I'll see you later, Kristine?"
Kristine gave a nod. "See you later on the field!"
Kristine proceeded back to the pokemon center, with Bran in tow. Jason and Sydney looked on as their opponents departed.
"Your sister looks ready for us," Sydney pointed out.
"Yeah, she's wearing her heart on her sleeve," Jason said. "Funny, because she would say the same about me."
"I think she's right," Sydney added. "Seeing you out there, it's um," she caught herself on what she was about to say, her face beaming red from embarrassment.
"It's what?" Jason bluntly asked, oblivious to Sydney's facial expression.
"Inspiring," Sydney finished her sentence. She faced Jason, face still red but mustering the courage to admit her thoughts. "It is inspiring."
"Oh well, uh," Jason blushed. "I just do my best out there, and so do my pokemon."
Sydney chuckled. "You were on a whole new level of communication, and you're so comfortable on the field."
"The field is my sanctuary," Jason added.
Sydney thought about that statement. "You're right. At first I loved the pitch. Then I got caught up in the stress, seeing the pitch as a process and not a sanctuary. I've been uneasy on myself but lately everything feels fluid. I feel in sync with my team. I think I've been meaning to say, well, thank you, Jason."
Sydney gave Jason a cute smile. Jason wasn't sure how to exactly respond to that.
"Come on," Sydney began walking ahead. "There's something I need to show you."
Jason followed Sydney back to her aunt's house. The two walked up the steps and entered the home.
"Oh look who's here!" Fan, who was watching television in the living area to Jason and Sydney's left, greeted. She got up to approach them. "Did you win?"
"We did!" Sydney confirmed. "Now it's us against Jason's twin sister and her friend."
"Well, congrats!" Fan cheered before facing Jason. "How does it feel?"
"Going up against her? I'm not sure," Jason lightly shrugged. "It's hard to describe."
"I wonder what it would be like. Well, it's some good old fashioned sibling rivalry, that's for sure!"
"Yeah," Jason snickered.
"So Jason," Sydney faced him, taking to steps up the stairs. "Wait here. There's something I need to show you."
"Okay," Jason gave a nod as Sydney ran upstairs.
"I wonder what she's going to show you," Fan wondered. "I should show you some of my works!" she proceeded back to the living room.
"Uh, okay," Jason followed her.
Jason scanned the room to see watercolor depictions of several pokemon, including one of a charizard firing what appeared to be Flamethrower, hanging over the television set. Right across from it was a blastoise firing Hydro Pump from its cannons, hanging over the sofa. There were smaller drawings of pokemon such as tangrowth, teddiursa, staraptor, and elekid throughout the room.
"Wow," Jason admired, looking at the charizard before scanning over to the blastoise. "You're very talented."
"Thanks!" Fan smiled. "They're all originals, but these are ones I'm keeping! I do sell copies though."
"How much do you get, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Depends on the size and materials. Something like Charizard and Blastoise? Probably five thousand for the originals. Maybe more."
Jason whistled in astonishment.
"Yep!" Fan laughed.
A couple moments later, Jason heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He heard a bounce onto the floor as Sydney entered the room.
"What do you think, Jason?" she asked.
Jason turned around. Sydney was wearing her black and yellow lined kit, shirt tucked in. She was happy to show it off to Jason, and felt proud to put it on.
"That is awesome," were the first words to come out of Jason. "You look great, Sydney!"
"You really think so?" Sydney felt her heart warm up. She caught herself. "I mean, uh, I'm glad you like it!"
"See, there was a reason you brought your kit!" Fan chimed in. "You look splendid, dear!"
"Thanks, Aunty Fan!" Sydney smiled before facing Jason. "Let's win this thing!"
"All the way!" Jason replied with confidence.
It was well into the afternoon in Valerie Bay. The talk of the town was the impending battle of twins and their respective tag battle partners. Spectators were packing the stadium and numbered in the thousands. For a stadium and event that wasn't big enough to be televised, the folks of this seaside town were treating it as such.
Jason and Kristine saw each other as they came in with Sydney and Bran. They briefly locked eyes and nodded at each other before going their separate ways. Jason and Sydney took to one hallway while Kristine and Bran took to one on the opposite side. Both teams were eagerly waiting to be called out onto the field.
Jason could hear the spectators above him. The mingling and laughter numbered immensely, he thought. He glanced upwards. "Here's the big stage."
"In Galar, the fans would be roaring already," Sydney recollected before letting out a chuckle. "Oh, some people get pretty rowdy."
"I don't know too much about Galar, but I think I'd like it there," Jason said, facing straight ahead towards the field.
"If you ever end up in the neighborhood, I'll be more than happy to meet up with you!" Sydney faced him with a smile.
Jason faced Sydney in return. "That sounds great," he smiled back.
Kristine lightly hopped up and down for a brief moment.
"Is this how you get ready?" Bran observed her.
"Just trying to let loose, you know?" Kristine replied. She stretched her arms. "We got this. We totally got this!"
"Yes we do," Bran agreed. "We stick to the plan."
"Improvise. Adapt. Overcome."
Bran vaguely muttered what Kristine said, speaking slowly as he repeated the words. He then thought about it. "Hmm, I like that."
"I saw it on the extranet somewhere the other day, to be honest," Kristine lightly laughed. "There's an old War phrase -"
"All plans don't survive contact with the enemy?" Bran finished her sentence.
"Yeah, that."
"There is truth to that," Bran pondered.
"Be ready for anything," Kristine advised.
Just then, the PA announcer began speaking to the public. "Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen!"
The audience began to cheer.
"Get ready, Bran," Kristine deeply inhaled and exhaled. "It's showtime!"
"Today's final match is the conclusion of the Random Duo Tournament!" the PA announcer continued.
Sydney began stretching her arms and legs. "It's always good to loosen up before a battle!"
Jason began hopping up and down. "That's for sure!"
"We have a pair of twins who are on opposing sides in this match!" the PA announcer added, to the cheers of many spectators. "First we have Kristine Kyar and Brandal Riken, both from the mountain regions of Inventum!"
The crowd cheered as Kristine and Bran emerged onto the field.
"Well, we're up next," Sydney mentioned.
"Going against them are Kristine's twin brother, Jason Kyar and hailing all the way from Galar, Sydney Adams!"
The crowd cheered for Jason and Sydney as they came out onto the field. Some people were chanting Magikarp's name, hoping to see him in action like in the second round the previous day.
Jason and Sydney approached Kristine and Bran at the center of the field. It hit both Jason and Kristine; it was a feeling similar to the time they faced each other in the final round of the small tournament in Fort Lexing. They were going against each other, and it felt somewhat odd to have someone else as a tag battle partner. Still, this wasn't the first time they were going against each other, and in order for them to fulfill their goals as trainers, they would have to fight each other again in the future.
"You ready, Jason?" Kristine asked, her eyes filled with determination to win.
"You bet!" Jason responded with the same fiery pose.
"Well, good luck and have fun!" Sydney added.
"Mmhmm," Bran nodded.
The four began to take to their sides of the field before the male referee could even disperse them. The crowd roared, anticipating the impending start of the match.
"Okay then," the referee took to his box. "Kristine and Bran make the first summon! Jason and Sydney make the first call!" he scanned both sides. "Are you all ready?"
"Ready!" all four trainers responded at the same time.
"Then begin!"
The crowd cheered at the start of the match. Kristine and Bran faced each other before pulling out their pokeballs and facing the field.
"Showtime, Pikachu!" Kristine threw out her first pokeball to project Pikachu.
"Pika!" Pikachu greeted.
"Come on, Honedge!" Bran tossed his pokeball, bringing out Honedge.
"Hon!" the sword-like pokemon swung itself in the air.
"Okay, Ponyta, let's do this!" Sydney called forth.
Ponyta surprised the audience with her dazzling appearance, prompting many to take to their mobile devices to look up her uniqueness. Those who were registered trainers used their pokedexes as a point of reference. Not many were familiar with the psychic variant of Galar.
"Riolu, let's go!" Jason threw his pokeball, projecting Riolu to the disappointment of some of the spectators, who wanted Magikarp.
"Rio!" Riolu greeted.
"Ponyta, use Agility! Show off your speed!" Sydney called.
Ponyta neighed, picking up speed as she galloped across the field.
"Riolu, close in on Honedge!" Jason commanded.
"Rio!" Riolu ran towards Honedge.
"Pikachu, run at Riolu with Spark!" Kristine responded.
"Fighting moves won't work on Honedge," Bran said to her.
"Riolu knows Shadow Claw," Kristine informed him. "He was gonna try to pull a fast one on you."
"Got it!" Bran nodded before facing Honedge. "Use Shadow Claw on Ponyta!"
"Honedge!" Honedge moved towards the rapidly galloping Ponyta.
Meanwhile, Pikachu leapt towards Riolu with electric energy emitting from his cheeks.
"Dodge, Riolu!" Jason called.
Riolu ducked as Pikachu leapt over him.
"Get him with Brick Break!" Jason followed up.
"Double Team! Quickly!" Kristine responded.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu projected multiple copies of himself.
Riolu chopped through one of those copies. The rest began to surround him.
Honedge began to lead into Ponyta's projected path, using Shadow Claw to try to catch her while galloping at a high speed.
"Get Honedge off with Pysbeam!" Sydney yelled.
Ponyta fired a violet beam from her horn, barely missing Honedge as it had to swerve away from the powerful attack. The beam dissipated in midair.
"Pikachu! Light Screen!" Kristine issued, seeing Honedge narrowly avoiding a super effective attack.
"Pika!" Pikachu unleashed a barrier that bounced off his copies from Double Team. Honedge swung nearby to have Light Screen pass onto it.
"Use Shadow Claw to get rid of those copies!" Jason yelled.
"Rio!" Riolu projected a ghostly claw that took a swipe at Pikachu's projections, taking out three of them.
"Use Spark again!" Kristine followed up.
The remaining copies and Pikachu himself all sprung at Riolu. Instead of waiting for orders, Riolu took it upon himself to use Shadow Claw one more time to try to eliminate the rest of the copies. He managed to take down all but two. Despite his efforts, the real Pikachu dove right at him, unleashing Spark to deal a considerable amount of damage.
"Rio!" Rio yelped, the crowd applauding at the first landed blow in the match.
"Hang in there, Riolu!" Jason cheered him on.
"Rio!" Riolu stood his ground, having taken damage but not paralyzed, to Jason's relief.
"Ponyta, use Psybeam on Honedge again!" Sydney commanded.
Ponyta fired another powerful beam, this one more precise and coming right for Honedge.
"Honedge! Protect! Now!" Bran quickly responded.
"Hon!" Honedge created a protective barrier in front of itself. Ponyta's Psybeam crashed right into it.
"We need to help Ponyta out!" Jason yelled. "Riolu, close in on Honedge and use Shadow Claw!"
"Rio!" Riolu charged towards Honedge.
"Pikachu, cover Honedge and use Electro Ball on Riolu!" Kristine commanded.
"Pika!" Pikachu ran adjacent to Riolu, conducting a frontflip to unleash Electro Ball from his tail.
"Riolu!" Riolu jumped as high as he could, barely dodging Electro Ball as he felt his feet fuzz from the electric energy below. Electro Ball fizzled in midair.
"Keep at it, Riolu, don't lose focus!" Jason continued his attack.
"Shake him off!" Kristine pressed her objective. "Use Spark again!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu lunged himself at Riolu.
"Er," Jason knew he had to do something about Pikachu. "Face him and use Brick Break!"
"Rio!" Riolu complied, meeting Pikachu head on.
Both pokemon exchanged blows, Pikachu's Spark zapping Riolu and Riolu's Brick Break striking Pikachu across the torso. Both attacks sent them tumbling back.
The crowd roared at the exchange of blows. Jason and Kristine briefly, and fiercely, locked eyes at one another as Riolu and Pikachu struggled to get up. Electric currents rippled throughout Riolu, indicating he was paralyzed, either from Spark or triggering Pikachu's special ability, Static.
"Oh no, Riolu's paralyzed!" Jason called out.
"We got you!" Sydney responded.
"Riolu's paralyzed! Now's our chance!" Kristine yelled.
"Right!" Bran focused on Riolu. "Honedge, aim for Riolu and use Slash!"
At that point, Pikachu's Light Screen had dissapated.
"Pikachu, bounce back and fire Electro Ball at Riolu!" Kristine called.
"Pika!" Pikachu hopped back with his feet before making a larger bounce with his tail. He backflipped, harnessing electric energy from his tail before unleashing Electro Ball.
"Rio!" Riolu succumbed to paralysis and was ready to embrace the attack. He was waiting for Jason to call for Endure.
"Ponyta, intercept Pikachu and use Fairy Wind to drive Electro Ball away!" Sydney yelled.
Ponyta complied, using her superior speed to gallop towards the confrontation, outspeeding Honedge to get there. She unleashed a pink gale that collided with Electro Ball. Pikachu's attack fizzled into Fairy Wind, resulting in pink electrical currents rippling in midair throughout the arena. The audience was mesmerized.
Honedge closed in on Riolu with Slash.
"Jason!" Sydney called out.
"Here we go!" Jason yelled. "Riolu, Endure!"
"Riolu!" Riolu crossed his arms before his face, emitting a blue glow as Honedge slashed across him. Riolu remained standing, but he was incredibly fatigued.
"Hang in there, bud!" Jason encouraged him.
Kristine and Pikachu briefly locked eyes at one another. Pikachu gave a slight nod and began circling behind Riolu.
"Ponyta, use Will o Wisp on Honedge!" Sydney called.
Ponyta neighed, unleashing a wispy flame from her horn right at Honedge.
Bran didn't want to call for Protect on that move. "Honedge, dodge!"
"Honedge!" Honedge attempted to swerve away from the attack, but Will o Wisp's mysterious nature followed it. It eventually caught up to Honedge, engulfing it with the burn condition.
Just then, Pikachu was in short enough distance to unleash Spark on Riolu. Spark was chosen over Electro Ball due to Honedge's previous close proximity to Riolu, and Kristine didn't want to change plans at the last second and risk alerting Jason and Riolu.
Jason did see Pikachu close in with Spark, and he knew it was too late to do something about it. "Riolu! No!"
Riolu closed his eyes. Using his feet, he shuffled one hundred eighty degrees to face Pikachu head on, unleashing an open palm. Before Pikachu could even make contact, Riolu struck him with Reversal, stopping him right in his tracks. The crowd gasped in excitement over this unexpected development.
"Pikachu!" Kristine yelled in concern.
"Pika…" Pikachu took a direct hit from Reversal at maximum damage. He collapsed his back onto the floor.
"Pikachu is unable to battle! Kristine has two reserves left!" the referee declared, under the audience's cheering roar.
How was he able to respond like that? Kristine wondered. She looked ahead to see her brother, his eyes closed and his hand out in an open palm. It was the same exact stance Riolu displayed. Is he in sync with Riolu?
"Return, Pikachu!" she recalled her pokemon. "I'm sorry. You did great out there!"
"Shake it off," Bran advised. "Riolu's not far behind."
Kristine nodded. "Gotcha!"
"Great work, Jason!" Sydney faced Jason, noticing his stance. "Uh, Jason?"
Riolu reopened his eyes and turned around to face Honedge. Jason did the same thing, only expressing a determined look. He wasn't looking to celebrate a highlight attack on Pikachu; he wanted to win this whole thing.
"I feel something with Riolu," Jason said. "All the way."
"You keep Ponyta busy," Kristine said to Bran. "I got Riolu."
She pulled out her second pokeball. "Go, Fletchinder!"
"Here we go," Jason looked on as Fletchinder took to the sky. "Get ready, Riolu!"
"Ponyta, use Psybeam on Honedge!" Sydney commanded.
Ponyta fired another Psybeam at Honedge.
"Protect!" Bran responded.
"Hon!" Honedge projected a barrier, blocking Psybeam from striking him. Just then, the flames within it ticked, causing the pokemon to suffer from Will o Wisp's burn condition.
Meanwhile, Jason followed Fletchinder's movement in the sky.
"We need to land Reversal on Fletchinder!" Jason yelled towards Riolu. "Wait for him to attack!"
Kristine smirked. "Aerial Ace!"
"Fletch!" Fletchinder dove down towards Riolu.
"Rio -" Rio didn't even have a split second to react. Fletchinder used his superior speed from Gale Wings alone to conduct a lightning fast super effective attack, striking Riolu across the chest before anyone could notice what just happened. Jason felt a sudden streak of wind go across his chest.
Rio fell on his stomach. Just like that, Kristine responded to one sudden knockout blow with another.
"Riolu is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Jason is down to two reserves!"
"Return, Riolu!" Jason recalled him. "You did great out there!" What was I feeling just now?
"Keep the pressure on 'em," Jason said to Sydney. "Sooner or later, Honedge will go down to the burn, and I got something they can't hold off."
"Right!" Sydney nodded.
"Let's go, Kirlia!" Jason tossed out Kirlia's pokeball.
"Kirlia!" Kirlia took an elegant bow.
"Sydney, just a heads up," Jason faced her. "Kirlia and I have a special bond. When I call for Future Sight, I will be in a trance. We will be communicating telepathically."
"Uh, okay," Sydney nodded with uncertainty. "We'll try to keep up with you!"
"Right!" Jason faced Kirlia. "Future Sight on Fletchinder!"
"Kirlia!" Kirlia used psychic energy to predict and forecast a powerful attack on Kirlia.
Just then, Jason's eyes glowed bright white.
Your bond with Riolu is getting stronger, Kirlia said.
That's good, isn't it? Jason responded.
Yes.
The field, to Jason, suddenly appeared much more grand in scope, as was the stadium. Both Kristine and Bran appeared slightly older, and taller, both wearing gear that covered them from the neck down. He wasn't close enough to make them out in detail. He faced Sydney, slightly older and taller but still in her galarian kit.
"Careful now," Kristine advised. "Jason and Kirlia are speaking together but we will not hear a thing."
"All focus on Kirlia?" Bran asked.
"Yes. Focus on Kirlia."
Bran faced Honedge. "Get to Kirlia and use Shadow Claw!"
"Honedge!" Honedge flew towards Kirlia.
"Fletchinder, Flame Charge on Kirlia!" Kristine called.
"Fletch!" Fletchinder charged at Kirlia, his body enveloped in flames.
Protect! Jason said.
I can shield against Flame Charge, Kirlia informed.
Kirlia projected a barrier that stopped Fletchinder in his tracks.
"Ponyta, Psybeam on Honedge again!" Sydney yelled.
Ponyta fired off another attack. This time Honedge wasn't able to dodge as Ponyta aimed and led into Honedge's movement, knocking him out of the sky. The crowd once again gasped.
"Hon…" Honedge was down on the floor. With another burn ticking off, it appeared he was out for the count.
The referee raised his flag. "Honedge is unable to battle! Brandal has two reserves left!"
The crowd cheered as Bran recalled Honedge. "Good work out there. We got this."
Just like that, Kristine and Bran were trailing Jason and Sydney.
Bran pulled out his second pokeball. "Come on, Kadabra!"
"Kadabra!" Kadabra was projected out of his pokeball.
We have a problem, Kirlia informed Jason.
What's up? Jason asked.
I can not forecast a positive outcome against Fletchinder or Kadabra.
What do you mean?
I can not find a path to victory.
We have to try! Future Sight will come down on Fletchinder any second!
"Kadabra, use Shadow Ball on Kirlia!" Bran yelled.
"Kadabra!" Kadabra unleashed a powerful ghostly sphere aimed right at Kirlia.
"Er, Ponyta, use Will o Wisp on Kadabra!"
Ponyta unleashed a wispy flame, this time aiming for Kadabra.
"Kadabra, aim and use Disable!" Bran called.
"Kadabra!" Kadabra had an open palm out. Just like that, Will o Wisp was vanquished.
Meanwhile, Kirlia managed to project a second Protect to stop Shadow Ball.
"We're gonna need to figure out something to stop Kadabra," Sydney said.
Jason could hear Sydney's words echo in his trance.
Here goes nothing! Kirlia said, as a portal opened over Fletchinder.
"Hmm," Bran looked up in the sky, seeing an impending strike on Fletchinder. "I wonder…"
He faced Kadabra. "Face up and use Disable!"
"Kada…" Kadabra faced upwards, seeing a vortex in the sky. With both hands, he reached out and focused. Then, the vortex disappeared.
Jason's vision suddenly cut out. He snapped right back into reality but the transition hit him like a whiplash. He stumbled backwards and fell to the ground.
"Jason!" Sydney ran over to him and offered him her hands without a second thought. "Come on!"
"Yeah," Jason reached out as Sydney lifted him up. "He - he cancelled out Future Sight!"
"That's not good!"
Everything is uncertain now, Kirlia informed him.
Then we give it all we got! Jason responded.
"Bran, if we keep Kirlia pinned with Disable, we can focus our attacks on Ponyta!" Kristine said. "Her hit and runs will get us in the long run!"
"Right," Bran agreed. "Kadabra, hit Ponyta with Shadow Ball!"
"Kadabra!" Kadabra unleashed Shadow Ball right at Ponyta.
"Ponyta, dodge!" Sydney yelled.
"Fletchinder, Aerial Ace on Ponyta!" Kristine quickly issued.
"Fletch!" Fletchinder picked up speed through his Gale Wings, striking Ponyta in mid gallop.
Ponyta tumbled over, to the dismay of Sydney, who encouraged her to get up. That was when Kadabra's Shadow Ball struck her head on. A dark explosion ensued, with the audience glued to the developments of what just happened. As the violet and black smoke dissipated, it became clear Ponyta was down and out.
"Ponyta is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Sydney has two reserves left!"
"That was so quick!" Sydney was shocked, recalling Ponyta. "You did amazing out there. We'll take it from here."
"Good job out there, Bran!" Kristine complimented. "Stay focused!"
"Yep!" Bran replied.
Sydney primed her second pokeball. "Okay! Boltund! Let's do this!"
"Bolt!" the nimble electric canine barked.
"I'll keep Kadabra on reserve for later!" Bran said to Kristine.
"Yeah," Kristine gave a nod. "That's a good idea."
"Return, Kadabra," Bran recalled his pokemon, to the surprise of Jason, Sydney, and the audience. He primed his last pokeball. "Come on, Ivysaur!"
"Saur!" Ivysaur roared.
"Ivysaur, huh?" Sydney pondered, thinking strategically. "Jason, I think you should focus on Ivysaur. Boltund and I will take on Fletchinder!"
"Got it!" Jason replied.
"Boltund, use Swift on Fletchinder! Draw him in!" Sydney yelled.
"Bolt!" Boltund took aim at Fletchinder, and fired a volley of stars he projected as energy from his body.
Kristine did research on Sydney's team, and had to look up Boltund on the extranet. The Dog Pokemon, as she found out, was an electric type first-and-last evolutionary native to Galar and many boltund carry the Strong Jaw special ability, meaning any jaw-based moves like Bite would be more powerful than usual.
Kristine predicted that if Scorbunny was Sydney's ace indeed, Boltund wasn't far behind. She knew Sydney was going to try to draw Fletchinder in for a potential one-shot hit from Thunder Fang.
"Fletchinder, use Agility!" Kristine responded.
"Fletch!" Fletchinder soared across the field.
Boltund's Swift zeroed in on Fletchinder regardless of his speed. Star after star struck him, but he still managed to maintain his flight.
Some had wondered why Kristine seemingly tried to have Fletchinder outspeed a move known to never miss its intended target.
"Kirlia, use Confusion on Ivysaur!" Jason called.
"Kirlia!" Kirlia harnessed telepathic energy, focusing on Ivysaur. Ivysaur's eyes glowed purple as he floated into the air.
"Leech Seed Kirlia!" Bran responded.
"Saur!" Ivysaur managed to concentrate and fire off seeds at Kirlia.
"Kirlia!" Kirlia yelped as the seeds struck her and began to take root. She managed to slam Ivysaur to the ground with Confusion, finishing a super effective attack.
"Saur…" Ivysaur struggled to get up.
Kristine and Bran looked at each other and exchanged a simple nod before facing the field.
"Ivysaur, get your health back and use Giga Drain on Kirlia!" Bran yelled.
"Saur!" Ivysaur focused on Kirlia once more. He emitted a bright green energy beam from his plant.
"Kirlia, dodge!" Jason responded.
Kirlia tried to twirl herself out of the path of Giga Drain, but she took affliction damage from Leech Seed. She grunted as she stumbled for a split second. That was enough for Giga Drain to strike her directly.
"Kirlia! No!" Jason yelled.
"Kir!" Kirlia endured the attack. She felt her energy being sucked away, that very essence coming back to Ivysaur in the form of a very rapidly moving green aura.
"Saur!" Ivysaur stood strong.
"Kirlia…" Kirlia stumbled backwards.
That was when Flecthinder soared across her back, delivering Aerial Ace with no remorse.
"Kir…" the defeated pokemon fell to the ground on her stomach.
"Kirlia is unable to battle!" the referee called as the crowd cheered. "Jason is down to his last reserve!"
Jason recalled Kirlia. "We knew they were going to be tough," he spoke.
I'm sorry, Jason, Kirlia said to Jason though telepathy.
You have nothing to be sorry for, Jason softly responded. You did great.
Jason gazed ahead towards the other side of the field, seeing Kristine and Bran exchange high fives after taking down Kirlia. In reality, it was something Kristine had not enjoyed personally, having grown quite fond of Kirlia and Jason's team as a side effect of traveling alongside her twin brother. But in the spirit of competition, Kirlia was a threat on the field, and Kristine knew she and Bran, alongside their pokemon, did a good job against her.
To Jason, it fueled his determination to win this battle. In the heat of the moment, his opponents' celebration frustrated him. He cancelled out the noise that surrounded him, the cheering and the increasingly loud chants of Magikarp's name from those who really wanted to see the Fish Pokemon in action.
Jason quickly primed his last pokeball and summoned the eagerly waiting Jolteon. The disappointment could be heard across the stadium; Magikarp really seemed to be a fan favorite. But the disappointment soon turned to cheers; those who researched Jason knew Jolteon was his ace in the hole.
"There he is," Kristine looked on.
Jason faced Sydney. "We take out Fletchinder!"
"Right!" Sydney replied. "I have a plan to take out Fletchinder and bring out Scorbunny."
"Let's do it!" Jason approved. He faced Jolteon. "Use Agility!"
"Jolt!" Jolteon began to run across the field, picking up speed.
"Boltund, use Swift on Fletchinder!" Sydney issued.
"Bolt!" Boltund fired another volley of stars at Fletchinder.
"Fletch!" Fletchinder yelped as he was struck by star after star. He began to lose altitude.
"Now!" Sydney yelled. "Boltund, Volt Switch!"
"Jolteon, Thunder Shock!" Jason commanded at the same time.
"Ivysaur, target Jolteon with Sleep Powder!" Bran responded.
"Saur!" Ivysaur prepared to fire a blue mist towards Jolteon.
Jolteon quickly zapped Fletchinder with Thunder Shock, sending the pokemon in free fall. Just then, Boltund transformed himself into pure electric energy, hurling himself at Fletchinder. He struck him directly, sending Fletchinder crashing down, unable to continue.
"Volt Switch!?" Kristine seemed shocked. "I didn't even see that on the move list!"
At the same time, Jason issued Jolteon to move away from where he was.
"Aim higher! Lead into Jolteon!" Bran yelled.
"Saur!" Ivysaur unleashed blue mist at where Jolteon would be.
"Fletchinder is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Kristine is down to her last reserve!"
"I knew teaching Boltund Volt Switch before I left home would pay off somehow!" Sydney grinned as Boltund's electric manifestation returned to her, projecting back inside his pokeball. "Good job, Boltund!"
Sydney and Kristine briefly locked eyes at one another, each displaying that fiery determination. Neither were going to back down from this fight.
"Return, Fletchinder!" Kristine recalled him. "You did amazing out there!"
As Jolteon ran away from his position, a blue mist began to cover him.
"No! Jolteon!" Jason yelled. He knew this was going to be very bad.
"Jolt…" Jolteon suddenly slowed down, emerging from the mist and walking towards Jason. He then curled up on the floor, and quickly became sound asleep. The crowd cheered immensely at the sudden developments.
"Jolteon's asleep!" Jason said in concern.
"We got you!" Sydney said, priming her third pokeball. "Come on out, Scorbunny!"
"Scor!" Scorbunny hopped up and down.
"Standby," Sydney said to him. "Kristine makes the first move."
Kristine primed her last pokeball. "Showtime, Espeon!"
"Espeon!" Espeon greeted with grace.
Both sides were down three pokemon each. With Jolteon afflicted with the sleep condition, it seemed that Kristine and Bran were slightly leading in this battle.
"Espeon, Calm Mind!" Kristine called.
"Espeon!" Espeon sat down, her eyes glowing bright white.
"If Espeon gets enough of those going, well, that won't be good!" Jason informed Sydney.
"Yeah, that increases special attack and special defense, right?" Sydney responded, before growing a smirk on her face. "Then when we focus on her, we use physical attacks!"
"Right! But you should protect Jolteon!"
"No worries!" Sydney smiled.
"Ivysaur, use Leech Seed on Jolteon!" Bran issued.
"Saur!" Ivysaur launched a flurry of seeds at Jolteon.
"Scorbunny, use Flame Charge right through those seeds!" Sydney responded.
"Scorbunny!" Scorbunny launched himself in the air, his body enveloped by fire energy. Using his shoulder, he bashed right through the seeds, incinerating them.
"Now use Agility!" Sydney followed up.
"Espeon, Psybeam!" Kristine yelled, focusing on Scorbunny.
"Dodge it!" Sydney responded.
Scorbunny twirled in midair, Psybeam missing him by mere inches. The enhanced attack fizzled in the sky as Scorbunny touched ground, picking up speed from Agility. He ran right at Espeon and Ivysaur.
"Kristine, I suggest you focus your might on Jolteon," Bran said. "He is the main prize here."
"Right!" Kristine gave a nod. "Espeon, target Jolteon and use Psybeam!"
"Esp!" Espeon began to project Psybeam, this time aiming for Jolteon across the field.
"Don't count Scorbunny out!" Sydney yelled. "Use Quick Attack on Espeon!"
"Scor!" Scorbunny quickly struck Espeon's side, causing Espeon's ensuing Psybeam to fire slightly off course and startling Ivysaur from the sudden appearance.
Espeon's Psybeam fired just a few feet shy of Jolteon. Jason and Sydney ducked as the attack flew over their heads, crashing into the steel wall behind them.
"Yeah," Sydney turned her head to glance at the impact, despite that there wasn't really much of an impact due to the sophisticated structure of modern stadiums. "We cannot allow Espeon to get off five more Calm Minds."
She turned to Scorbunny. "But Ivysaur is still a major threat. Scorbunny, Flame Charge on Ivysaur!"
"Scor!" Scorbunny hopped backwards and lunged forward, striking Ivysaur head on with Flame Charge.
"Saur!" Ivysaur yelled, taking a direct super effective hit.
"Now jump up and use Quick Attack on Ivysaur!" Sydney continued.
"Scorbunny!" Scorbunny hopped high into the air, lunging himself at Ivysaur to deliver Quick Attack faster than Kristine and Bran could blink.
"Now jump back and use Flame Charge again!" Sydney pressed her attack.
"Er, Ivysaur, use Poison Powder in front of you!" Bran yelled.
"Espeon, use Swift to drive Scorbunny away!" Kristine ordered.
"Saur!" Ivysaur managed to get Poison Powder off before he was struck by Scorbunny's Flame Charge.
Scorbunny endured the purple mist and the volley of stars from Espeon's Swift, striking the knockout blow on Ivysaur. The powerful attack tipped Ivysaur over. He could not get back up.
"Ivysaur is unable to battle!" the referee called. "Bran is down to his last reserve!"
With Kristine and Bran just down to two pokemon, Jason and Sydney all of a sudden had the lead. The crowd roared in cheers; this was becoming an intense battle.
Scorbunny retreated after his onslaught. He came out of that fatigued, taking a direct hit from Swift and suffering from Poison Powder. A purple mist began to cover him, insinuating he was taking persistent damage.
To Jason's relief, Jolteon suddenly woke up. He yawned before realizing he was still in the middle of a battle.
Kristine faced Sydney. She's real good, and made us pay for overlooking Scorbunny, even for a second.
"Return, Ivysaur!" Bran recalled his pokemon. "Get some rest. We will take care of things."
He primed Kadabra's pokeball. "Let's do this, Kadabra!"
"Kadabra!" Kadabra crossed his arms as he re-entered the field.
Kristine faced Bran. "We go defensive and fire off our special attacks as repellents. Then, we flip the switch!"
"Just like we discussed!" Bran replied. "Okay, Kadabra! Use Light Screen!"
"Kadabra!" Kadabra projected a translucent barrier that covered both him and Espeon.
"Espeon, Reflect!" Kristine followed up.
"Espeon!" Espeon did the same.
"All of our attacks are going to be mitigated," Sydney said to Jason.
"We need to ramp up our speed!" Jason replied, knowing the whole power versus speed argument would be going in Kristine's favor.
"Hit and runs might be the only thing that will win this for us!" Sydney said.
"Use Agility!" Jason and Sydney both yelled at the same time.
"Jolt!" Jolteon bolted around the field at a super fast speed.
"Scor!" Scorbunny also sped around the field, running opposite of Jolteon and occasionally intersecting adjacent to him.
"We can play that game," Kristine looked on. "Espeon, use Calm Mind again!"
"Espeon!" Espeon's eyes glowed bright white once more.
"Jolteon! Use Pin Missile!" Jason yelled.
"Jolt!" Jolteon circle around for a clean pass, firing off volleys of pins at Espeon and Kadabra.
"Esp!" Espeon yelped, taking super effective damage from the pins despite Reflect shielding her from some of them.
"Ka!" Kadabra embraced the attack.
"Good! Keep firing!" Jason continued his assault.
Jolteon kept up his onslaught, harassing the psychic types with the bug type volley.
"Flame Charge Espeon, Scorbuny!" Sydney called.
"Scor!" Scorbunny charged at Espeon. He charged in a straight line, making it easy for Kadabra to cover Espeon.
"Kadabra, aim at Scorbunny and use Disable!" Bran called.
"Kadabra!" Kadabra got an easy lock on Scorbunny. Just before Scorbunny could make contact, he lost his fiery aura and any speed he mustered from the attack. He was a sitting psyduck as far as Kristine was concerned.
"Use Swift! Get both of them!" Kristine yelled.
"Espeon!" Espeon unleashed a powerful flurry of stars.
Each one that struck Scorbunny sent the pokemon tumbling back. Scorbunny could not maintain his footing as he was pushed repeatedly to the center. Jolteon, meanwhile, was also struck by several stars. He tumbled back as well, thwarting his Pin Missile assault.
Scorbunny struggled to get up, having previously taken damage from Ivysaur's Poison Powder. When the purple aura manifested again, it was too much for Sydney's starter. Scorbunny collapsed on the floor.
"Scorbunny is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Sydney is down to her last reserve!"
The crowd cheered and many gave a standing ovation. Everyone was down to their last pokemon.
"Scorbunny!" Sydney yelled in despair. She recalled her pokemon. "You were superb out there as always."
"If Espeon gets stronger through Calm Mind, nothing will stop her Swift," Jason said.
"Maybe if we just keep harassing Espeon and not give her a chance to attack, we can knock her out and then focus on Kadabra!" Sydney suggested.
"Let's do it," Jason nodded.
Sydney primed her last pokeball. "Come back out, Boltund!"
"Bolt!" Boltund barked as he was summoned.
"Boltund, use Swift on Espeon and Kadabra!" Sydney issued.
"Jolteon, use Pin Missile again!" Jason followed up.
"Bolt!" Boltund fired a volley of stars at Espeon and Kadabra.
"Jolt!" Jolteon began to make another pass, firing off Pin Missile at his opponents.
"Ka!" Kadabra fell on one knee, suffering from the unrelenting assault.
"Esp!" Espeon held her ground, though she was fatigued.
"Keep using Calm Mind!" Kristine yelled. "As least you can mitigate Swift!"
"Esp…" Espeon's eyes glowed ever so brightly. The impact from both Swift and Pin Missile rendered her to concentrate on all four legs, as opposed to sitting down.
Kristine faced Bran. "We have to switch it up before we get overwhelmed!"
"I have an idea!" Bran replied. "Wait for my signal and focus on Boltund!"
Bran faced Kadabra. "Use Shadow Ball to stop Swift!"
"Ka!" Kadabra unleashed Shadow Ball, dissolving star after star before the ghost type attack dissolved in midair.
"Now!" Bran issued.
"Use Psybeam on Boltund!" both Kristine and Bran yelled at the same time.
"No! Boltund!" Sydney yelled in concern.
"Here's my window! I have to go in!" Jason informed her.
"Yeah, that might be our last hope!"
Boltund was unable to dodge Kadabra's Psybeam, followed by Espeon's vastly enhanced version of the psychic attack. Both beams struck him head on, causing him to fly across the floor. Boltund did not get up after that.
"Boltund is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Sydney is out of reserves!"
"No…" Sydney closed her eyes in shame and recalled Boltund. "I'm sorry…"
"Jolteon, use Wild Charge on Espeon! Hit her with everything you have! All the way!" Jason saw a golden opportunity to defeat Espeon while she was focused on taking down Boltund.
"Jolteon!" Jolteon picked up speed, charging at Espeon with electric energy pulsating throughout his body. Having used Agility twice, it would only be seconds before Jolteon would make contact with Espeon.
The time felt like it went slowly. Kristine and Bran's hearts beat rapidly. Their adrenaline kicked in, as did Jason and Sydney's. The entire match would be decided right here.
Bran took a step forward. If there was a time he would absolutely clutch in a match, it would be right here, right now, with Kadabra. Kadabra was still on one knee, and without Espeon, he might not last much longer before Jolteon would strike him too. All Kadabra needed was one perfectly timed Disable, and a lot of focus.
"Kadabra! Target fifteen feet from Espeon and use Disable! Now!" Bran yelled, unsure if Kadabra would even catch Jolteon with Disable.
"Bra…" Kadabra reached out with his spoon, gripped tightly, and targeted the spot Jolteon would pass through. A light fast anomaly zipped right at that spot.
"Ka!" Kadabra shot back up.
Suddenly, Jolteon took a leap into the air, but he had lost all power and from Wild Charge. He was in midair, no control of his velocity nor landing, right within close range of Espeon.
Nearly everyone in the crowd gasped and stood up. When they realized Jolteon was wide open to Espeon, they cheered and yelled. Jason and Sydney's hearts sunk. Kristine's heart pounded harder than ever, her hands trembling.
"J-jolt?" Jolteon looked Espeon right in her eyes, knowing he was at her mercy.
"Espeon!" Espeon smiled, her eyes glowing in vibrant colors before unleashing a devastating Psybeam.
Espeon fired a massive, beautiful Psybeam that engulfed Jolteon, a sight that was to behold from every angle in the stadium. The beam sent Jolteon flying all the way across the floor, crashing just a few feet shy of Jason.
"Jolteon!" Jolteon barked, clearly disoriented and out for the count.
"No…" Jason faced him in disarray.
"Jolteon is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Jason is out of reserves! Kristine Kyar and Brandal Riken are the victors in today's match!"
Kristine laughed in relief, causing Bran to join in. They both briefly hugged in celebration as the crowd cheered and applauded for them.
"Ka…" Kadabra fell back on one knee.
"Esp!" Espeon walked over to him, nudging his arm. Perhaps she was telling him he did a great job out there.
"Return Jolteon," Jason recalled his ace. "Don't fault yourself for this. You did awesome out there."
Sydney, meanwhile, fell on her knees, her eyes tearing up. "I've tried so hard, too!" she pounded the floor with her left fist. "I'm sorry, Jason."
"Hey," Jason said, walking over to her. "Don't beat yourself up."
Sydney continued to face the ground, tear droplets hitting the dirt.
Jason knelt down at eye level. "Sydney, you and your pokemon were amazing. I'm not mad at you. I'm not even disappointed! You have the potential to make it far in Galar, and I'm glad we were paired together."
"Yeah," Sydney sniffled. "I'm just so hard on myself when I lose."
"Yeah, me too," Jason said. "It's best to put it behind us, learn from our mistakes, and move forward."
Sydney faced Jason. "Thank you. For everything," she then lunged at Jason with a hug.
"Yeah," Jason hugged back. "I try."
A moment had passed before the two let go and got back up.
"Return, Espeon!" Kristine recalled her pokemon. "You are amazing, girl."
"You too, Kadabra!" Bran did the same. "Excellent job."
"Let's head on -" Kristine spoke, but was interrupted by a voice in her head.
You did great, said the voice of Espeon. They will come at us harder next time.
Which means we need to keep training! Kristine replied.
"Head on over?" Bran finished her sentence.
"Yeah, that," Kristine snapped out of it.
All four trainers met towards the center of the field.
"Hey Sydney," Kristine faced her. "I love your uniform."
"Thanks!" Sydney smiled. "It's a kit that I use back home during gym battles."
"Come here, you," Kristine reached out to hug her. "You're an excellent trainer."
"Same to you," Sydney hugged back. "Jason warned me about you," she then caught herself and how that could have been interpreted. "I don't mean it that way! I meant as a trainer! Oh gosh," her face beamed red.
Kristine laughed. "Oh, I know," she and Sydney then let go of each other before Kristine faced Jason. "You're a knucklehead."
"Well, I was gonna say good game, but okay," Jason laughed.
Kristine stepped over to hug him. "You have no idea how scared I was."
Jason hugged his sister back. "You know how much I respect you and your pokemon. You had me scared, too," he let go before facing Bran. "Talk about clutch."
"Yeah," Bran chuckled. "That was all Kadabra at that moment."
Jason and Bran exchanged a firm handshake. Bran also reached out to exchange a handshake with Sydney.
"It was a real pleasure battling you both!" Sydney smiled.
"Likewise," Bran replied.
Sydney then faced the crowd surrounding her, and waved with a bright smile on her face, rotating in order to have faced everyone in the stands. Jason, Kristine, and Bran took notice and followed suit, waving around for the fans. Once more, the spectators gave a standing ovation, showing their appreciation for a high class battle that came down to the wire, all fought by four young prospects with bright futures in the horizon.
That took a while to write but I wanted to make this battle intense. I had an idea for Sydney's character concept and wanted to put her in for a long time, and thought it was a good opportunity to have her hail from Galar as a way to introduce the gen 8 pokemon. With the Random Duo behind them, Jason and Kristine continue to tackle the Inventum League, with plenty more challenges in store.
