The third round of the Junior Circuit is underway. I hope you guys enjoy this one!


News of Jason and Lucario's miracle victory over Alex broke throughout Inventum. TV screens that were tuned to IPSN showcased the comeback; any public establishments across Inventum's twelve major cities and dozens of towns and villages were able to display Jason's triumph in real-time. Thus, the coverage had reached millions of people.

But it didn't stop there. IPSN's other channels and extranet analysts broke down the battle, from the first moves to Alex and Jason's habits and preferences to the miracle comeback itself. The replays ran throughout the rest of the day and evening.

International media outlets took note of the battle. Unova was quick to relate Jason and Lucario to a moment years ago when a trainer named Cameron defeated Ash Ketchum after his riolu evolved. Kalos went as far as to call Jason the next prodigy. However, some critics put a stop to that, citing Jason's use of Magikarp in the tournament's first round. They figured there was nothing to be hyped about, solely because of that fact.

Galar commended Jason's heart, effort, and refusal to quit when backed to a corner - values of high regard throughout the region. Sydney couldn't stop replaying the moment Riolu evolved into Lucario and took over the match. She had looked up to Jason before this battle, but this was something else. It made her proud she could call him a friend and a good one at that.

Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh ran highlights during the early hours of the day when it was evening in Inventum. The battle caught the attention of one trainer within the outskirts of Viridian City. He had black hair, sported a goatee, and had put on his blue vest over a white shirt. He tightened the belt holding his baggy charcoal pants, and after putting on a pair of black gloves, he was ready to head out the door of his countryside home.

The TV in his living room was on as he walked over to turn it off. His faithful companion had to seem fixated by the highlights of a battle half a world away.

"What's happening, Pikachu?" Ash turned his eyes to the TV.

Ash caught a glimpse of Jason and Lucario's moment of triumph. The two had shared an obvious bond; it didn't take long for Ash to figure that out. Jason seemed to win against someone who needed a refresher on the inner workings of being a pokemon trainer.

Jason and Lucario never gave up. They trusted one another. And because of that trust, they were able to fight through the face of defeat and win. Jason and Lucario both showed emotion following the battle. They lived to battle, and they loved to battle. While heart wasn't enough to win, they kept their focus, exploited Alex's ignorance and oversight of type disadvantages, and got the job done.

That in itself deserved respect. Ash gave a single nod at the TV screen before turning it off. He then signaled Pikachu to follow him out the door. "Shall we get started? Bet you there are more like him in Inventum."

"Pika!" Pikachu followed Ash out, both ready for the day and agreeing with Ash. The two would never shy away from competition, especially if that competition could consist of talented, passionate trainers one day.


The entire world heard Jason Kyar's name pass through, even if it was just for a split second. Echos of the battle rippled throughout, all circling back to Inventum. Just several hours after the miracle comeback, it seemed everyone in the region knew about it. Rafael was no exception.

He sat safely in his Team Order office in Redholt City to the far west. He had the entire research and administration divisions wrapped around this thumb, the others utterly oblivious to his devious plans. He knew as long as he remained in western Inventum, he would be safe from any persecution. This proved to be a challenge for Aria; she and Team Mystic suspected Rafael had enough influence to control Redholt City at will. To what extent remained unclear. Regardless, there wasn't anyone that could be trusted with information leading to Rafael's arrest.

So Rafael played the waiting game since his heist in Fearow Hill. He stuck himself with paperwork and minor research projects, often being bored out of his mind. So he naturally took to the extranet in the early evening as he waited for an email reply from a colleague. Jason Kyar's name was the first thing he saw. Curious, he watched not just the highlights; he viewed the entire battle.

Jason was backed to a corner, his kirlia knocked out in a sinister fashion. There seemed to be something beyond his friendship with Riolu, as Rafael observed. Such defiance. Resilience, no, rebellion. He was supposed to lose, but he rejected fate.

Rafael then began to realize Jason showed a message to the world. That message was one aspect, one word. A word that would incite rebellion, cause chaos against order, he thought. No. This must be stopped. The twins must be stopped. They are too loved.

He began to feel increasingly threatened by Jason just by viewing his battle. He cringed as Lucario delivered a powerful Aura Sphere that sent Sneasel flying across the field. This was beyond the opponent failing to capitalize on a clear victory, he thought. In Rafael's mind, the son of James Kyar would take this sense of defiance straight to Redholt if he could. He and Kristine must be stopped before they get any further.


The second round came to a close, with third-round matchups and times decided for the next day. All matches from here on would be in Entei Stadium, making it a little less complicated for the final eight trainers to figure out where they needed to go.

Following Julian's 3-1 victory in the second round, everyone knew for sure who they were fighting. It came time for the six friendly rivals to start clashing against one other. While Liz and Bran were fighting opponents they never met before, Amanda and Julian were going against each other. Their battle was scheduled right before the highly anticipated match between Jason and Kristine, conveniently the last ones to fight, according to IPSN's analysts.

Jason and Kristine were both in high spirits and friendly towards one another. They knew they would go against each other, and that meant only one would prevail. Nothing could be done about that. They preferred to go against each other in the final round, but such was the nature of tournaments. All they could do was enjoy each other's company for the time being.

Kristine had even stayed at the pokemon center with Jason, despite Jason's offer and brief persistence that Kristine could leave if she wanted to. The truth was Kristine was just as concerned as Jason over Kirlia's health. While Kirlia was not in any severe condition, the knockout was brutal enough to monitor for the next few days. Essentially, Jason wanted to know if Kirlia would be in fighting shape.

He and Kristine waited patiently at the lounge in the main lobby. Other Junior Circuit participants waited around, checking on status updates for their pokemon. Some of those who were defeated were present, including Kristine's second-round opponent Quentin.

"Hey guys," Quentin noticed the twins as he approached them. "Jason, that was nuts what you just did."

"Credit goes to my team," Jason responded. "I just stand there and yell."

"Your team trusts you, that's for sure," Quentin commended. "Nurse Joy just cleared my team. I guess I'll have to get going at some point."

"Don't you have your room for another few days?" Kristine asked.

"Yeah, but," Quentin shrugged before continuing, "I really want to get back at it as soon as possible. I can head north and west right to Stellarport. Though I heard Vivienne is something else as far as gym leaders are concerned."

Jason chuckled. "I'm sure all gym leaders are something else in their own way."

"That's true," Quentin nodded.

"Don't be afraid to stick around for a few days if your body or pokemon need it," Kristine advised. "You can still train here, you know. And you get a nice room and good food."

Quentin pondered Kristine's advice. "I'll have to sit on that. Maybe I'm just fresh off losing to you and want things done now."

"Take the night off at least," Kristine smiled. "Sleep on it."

"Right," Quentin acknowledged, walking away from the twins and heading towards the exit. "Well, if I don't see you back at the resort, then best of luck to you. Perhaps we'll meet again."

"Have a good one!" Kristine waved.

"Yeah, see you around!" Jason did the same.

About a minute after Quentin left the pokemon center, Nurse Joy walked over to the twins, holding a tray containing three of Jason's pokeballs. "Jason Kyar?" she addressed.

"Yep, that's me," Jason confirmed.

"Jolteon and Lucario are cleared to battle," Nurse Joy informed. "Kirlia is not seriously injured, but she'll need to take it easy. She also appears to be shaken, so be extra gentle with her for the time being. For those reasons, and I hope you understand, I strongly recommend against you using her for the rest of the tournament, no matter how far you go."

Jason remained silent for a moment. He felt terrible for the way Kirlia went down against Sneasel. Even a sense of retribution and justice delivered by Lucario didn't take away that bitter feeling. He took the pokeballs off her tray and affixed them onto his belt. "No worries, Nurse Joy. I'll sit Kirlia out."

"Good luck in the next round," Nurse Joy smiled before catching herself on the fact that Jason's next opponent was standing next to him. She shifted her eyes right to Kristine while maintaining her unbiased stance towards trainers. "And you as well."

"Thanks!" Jason and Kristine replied at the same time.

Nurse Joy began to depart when Jason caught her attention. "Just one question."

"Yes?" Nurse Joy turned around.

"Alex's sneasel," Jason wondered. "How is he?"

"Ah yes, Alex came by a little while ago," Nurse Joy replied. "I cleared his pokemon, including Sneasel. While he took a big hit, he seemed healthy and ready to go. I hope this helps."

"Thanks," Jason nodded.

"Have a good evening!" Nurse Joy smiled before returning behind the counter.

Kristine patted Jason on the back. "You're a good sport. You know that?"

"For Kirlia," Jason muttered.

"Huh?" Kristine tilted her head.

"It's what we both said before Lucario defeated Sneasel," Jason explained.

"You knew what Lucario said?"

"It's complicated."

Kristine couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah. I feel you. Liz thought I lost my marbles for a moment."

"Am I a bad person for getting back at Sneasel like that?" Jason sincerely asked.

"No," Kristine was quick to reply. "You needed to do what needed to be done, even if you got caught up in the moment."

"I suppose," Jason gave a light shrug. "At least Sneasel's okay."

"You're a good, kind-hearted person, Jason," Kristine put her hands on Jason's shoulders. "That's what makes you stronger than Alex."

Jason put his hands on Kristine's shoulders as well. "And I'm looking right at the strongest person I know. It'll be an honor fighting you tomorrow."

"I'm so happy I'm fighting you and not Alex," Kristine cracked a smile. "It'd be a shame if I had to take him out myself."

Jason smirked. "I wasn't gonna let you do that."

"Oh, I know."

The twins let go of each other a moment later. With their pokemon recovered, they headed out of the pokemon center and back towards Canon Carmesi under a night sky.

Back inside the resort's main lobby, the twins were quickly spotted by guests who welcomed them with a round of applause.

"Break the chains!" yelled a male fan from the other side of the lobby.

"Huh?" Jason was confused by what that meant.

"Hmm," Kristine rubbed her chin. "Could be something one of the commentators said on the extranet during one of our matches. Probably yours."

"Who's gonna win tomorrow?" asked a female fan.

Jason and Kristine looked right at each other.

"We're going to watch your match tomorrow!" mentioned a second male fan.

"So are we!" added a second female fan.

"Yeah!" yelled another male.

Kristine briefly observed her surroundings. At least thirty guests were surrounding them from a safe distance. She gazed over at the TVs to her left and right in the lobby. IPSN displayed Jason's miracle comeback against Alex, breaking down the fight in great detail in one of their analytical segments.

She looked right back at her brother. "Jason, you're famous," she softly spoke.

"So are you," Jason scoffed.

"No," Kristine corrected him, her face displaying a massive grin. "You just became a household name. People still call me Kirstin or think my name starts with a 'c-h'. I think IPSN aired your match on their flagship channel."

"Wait, what?" Jason looked around to see the TV screens. "Wait, that's one of those things where they break down matches play by play. But they probably did one of those back against the Donnovan twins, right?"

"Maybe, but this is all you and your team, bro."

"But," Jason looked on. His trainer profile picture then appeared on the screens.

Kristine started to see that Jason was getting overwhelmed. The guests were sporadic, giving the twins space. At least they were restraint.

"Let's head back," Kristine suggested.

"Good idea," Jason agreed.

The twins headed out the far end of the lobby under another round of applause. They proceeded towards the building where their room resided.

"I should take a lap around the lazy river sometime," Jason mentioned as the two walked over a wooden bridge over the empty slow-flowing river.

"It looks closed," Kristine observed. "Though you'll be getting a lot of attention even if you just relax on a tube when it's open."

"Guess it's something we'll have to live with," Jason tried to accept that fact. Preparing himself for cheering fans was one thing, but sacrificing privacy was another. Still, he was hoping for some compromise while projecting a positive image for fans across Inventum.

After the twins crossed the bridge, they noticed Julian approaching them.

"What's up, guys?" he happily greeted, giving the twins a high five. "Third round bound!"

"Yep!" Kristine replied.

"And Jason, my god, man!" Julian gave Jason an extra high five. "You're everywhere!"

"So it seems," Jason was still struggling with mixed feelings about his sudden burst of fame.

Amanda passed by a moment later, using a walkway behind Julian. She proceeded to bypass the group altogether, but not without Kristine waving at her. She smiled and waved back, prompting Julian to turn around. He and Amanda exchanged smiles and nods before Amanda proceeded to go on her way.

"Yeah," Julian glanced at Amanda before turning back to the twins. "She's been quiet since I won. Guess we realized we're going against each other tomorrow."

"Normally, she'd come up to us and chat," Kristine added. "She might just need to focus for tomorrow."

"I suppose," Julian scratched his head. "How do you guys handle it, anyway? You're fighting each other tomorrow, yet here you are, standing side by side."

"Eh, we're used to it," Jason shrugged.

"We've been traveling with each other since the beginning," Kristine added. "We knew something like this would happen, and it's not the first time."

"Just the first time we're doing a three-on-three in front of a crowd," Jason mentioned.

"Good luck to both of you," Julian began to depart. "I'm rooting for you all. I gotta go focus on battling Amanda tomorrow."

"Hey," Kristine caught Julian's attention. "People have their way of handling this kind of situation. Don't take Amanda's quietness personally."

"Yeah," Julian acknowledged. "Thanks, Kristine. See ya guys!"

"See ya!" Jason waved.

"Well," Kristine looked on as Julian left. "I have to prepare to face a tough trainer named Jacob or something tomorrow. Let's head back," she shot Jason an innocent smile.

Jason snickered. "Okay, Kirstin."


The twins stayed in for a little longer than usual the following morning. They figured they and their pokemon could use the extra rest to help them prepare against each other. Jason was the first to leave his room fully ready for the day. Seeing that Kristine's door was closed, he proceeded to the living room and turned on the TV.

Three people sat behind a long, black table on IPSN. Two pokemon battle experts, a male and female, joined iconic anchorman Tom on a segment. Sure enough, it was about the Junior Circuit.

"Look at the quality of play," the female expert weighed in. Jason assumed he tuned in the middle of a discussion or constructive argument. She continued, "compare that to the Junior Circuits in the past. These kids are making smart plays that define their character and don't get me started on Jason Kyar and Lucario."

It didn't take long to drop our names, Jason thought.

"Look, people think Jason's a prodigy ready to lift Inventum onto the world stage among the greatest trainers alive," the male expert argued. "Are we jumping the gun here just a little bit? The kid's got grit and heart. You and your pokemon need those to close out games. However, there are some things he needs to refine even to be considered among Inventum's elite. His twin sister seems a little sharper on the fly. And let's never forget the fact that he used a magikarp in an official Inventum League sanctioned tournament."

"His use of Magikarp was astounding!" the female expert quickly shot back.

"He. Used. A. Magikarp!" the male expert pounded his fist on the table upon each syllable to get his message across. "You get a magikarp to trust you by doing other things. Tournaments are too much of a risk, and not even the calculated kind of risks. Sorry, but Jason's got a long way to go, and I need to see more of him in action."

"Critics," Jason muttered. "I guess they all have their opinions, but using Magikarp was the right move."

Jason would be the first to say he had a long way to go, so he figured the male expert was not entirely wrong in his critique.

"We have to move on in just a moment," Tom chimed in. "Some users on the extranet are arguing Inventum is approaching a golden age of talented trainers. What are your thoughts?"

"I'd agree," the female expert optimistically replied. "As I've said, these kids are already displaying the foundations of what it takes to be a great trainer."

"I'm cautious," the male expert added. "You and I both know consistency is a key ingredient in being a top trainer. It's too early to tell because no one has had the opportunity to display the level of consistency that I'm looking for. We need more time to answer that question."

"Thanks for being on here," Tom said. "We'll likely have both of you on again soon."

The two experts shared their appreciation to Tom as the camera zoomed in on the anchorman.

"Here you go; it's that time of the week!" Tom started a new segment. "The top ten plays of the past seven days!"

Jason was curious to see if he and Lucario got in and what rank. A highlight play from Alola started off the countdown, with a native raichu using its tail to surf through the air and strike at a kommo-o with a close-range Psychic. He did so while avoiding his opponent's Dragon Claw.

"Alolan raichu can move like that?" Jason seemed intrigued.

Then the number nine play appeared, showing the Junior Circuit. Jason seemed initially disappointed when his match was covered. However, Lucario wasn't the centerpiece of the play.

It was the sequence where Alex recalled Rhydon and used Monferno to strike at Jolteon, using the pillars Rhydon had created as cover. Alex had followed up the attack by getting Monferno to use U-turn, with Rhydon mowing down the pillars with a precise Drill Run to knock out Jolteon.

This gave Jason some confidence that Lucario would be in the countdown somewhere. As Tom ran down the list, Kristine emerged from her room and walked towards Jason.

"Morning," she greeted, fully ready to get going for the day.

"Hey," Jason kept his eyes on the TV.

Kristine stood by her brother, watching highlight plays around the world as the countdown continued.

Moments later came the number one play. Jason couldn't help but wonder if they'd be in the countdown at all.

"And the number one play of the week," Tom started. "We take you back to the match between Jason and Alex in the Junior Circuit."

Jason was in relief as IPSN showed the moment Riolu evolved into Lucario. The sequence was edited, but it displayed the highlights of Lucario dispatching all three of Alex's pokemon.

"'Check out my new move,' says Lucario," Tom joked, citing the seconds before Lucario sent Sneasel flying across the field. "Blasts him away with Aura Sphere! Jason and Lucario seal the deal and complete the comeback. And that's your top play of the week!"

"Number one..." Jason muttered. To him, this was a personal accomplishment. This was a testament to his progress since the day he and Kristine became trainers. However, he had to remind himself that there was still more work to be done. First, he had to handle the talented trainer standing next to him.

Kristine was excited to see her brother earning the top play of the week. She gave a pat on Jason's back, giving credit where credit was due. Still, she remained wary of the fact she was going up against a very passionate trainer she called her brother. He and Lucario get the best play of the week, and we're going up against him today. He's coming in with all the motivation in the world. But there's no way we're going to lose.


Entei Stadium was nearly sold out as the third day of the Junior Circuit progressed. The first match was between Bran and a female trainer named Mindy. Despite Mindy being a talented trainer known for having a sylveon as her starting companion, Bran could pick apart her team and exploit type advantages. It took more than a few moments to work down Sylveon, but Honedge could do the job through multiple uses of Iron Head. This led to a surprising 3-0 sweep in favor of Bran.

Next came Liz against her male opponent Shawn. Anyone who came to contact with Liz was intimidated by her fierceness and drive. She looked like she would rip apart anyone and anything to win the Junior Circuit. Charmeleon displayed the same level of determination, taking out Shawn's galvantula, jynx, and zweilous with ease. If Shawn thought Zewilous would counter Charmeleon, he was mistaken as Charmeleon sealed the victory in less than a minute, thanks to Dragon Breath.

Liz was happy to reach the semifinals, but she was looking forward to fighting the winner of Jason and Kristine's battle even more. She knew either one of them would give her a true challenge, something she felt was lacking so far in her first three victories.

Liz would have to wait a bit longer, finding a seat in the reserved first row nearby Jason and Kristine. The next match in the afternoon was between Julian and Amanda. How they would handle this battle emotionally was anyone's guess; the two trainers became close friends during their journey.

Bran, sitting one row behind Liz, was curious to see who would come out on top. He would play the winner of this battle, and he wanted to carefully observe how Julian and Amanda carried out their strategies and tactics.


Moments later, the PA announcer addressed the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, the third of four matches is about to be underway!"

The crowd cheered in anticipation of the next match.

"Both trainers hail from the mountain subregion of Inventum," the announcer continued. "First, don't let her kind smile fool you. She's here to end your dreams, and she's here to win it all! Amanda Sanders!"

Amanda emerged from the tunnel to the twin's left, waving at fans on both sides as she approached the center of the field. She appeared cheerful and confident, ready to handle whatever Julian would throw at her.

"Next," the announcer said. "He's shown resilience, using grit to grind down his opponents. He's looking to carry that momentum to victory! Julian Varrek!"

Julian walked from the tunnel to the twins' right. He approached Amanda, appearing determined and prepared to do what it would take to win this battle. The two locked eyes on each other at the center of the field.

Julian extended his hand to Amanda. "Good luck out there," he shot a smile.

Amanda smiled back, shaking Julian's hand. She didn't say a word.

"Okay," the male referee approached the two after flipping a coin. "Julian, your choice."

"First move," Julian responded, still looking at Amanda.

The referee acknowledged. "Take to your boxes."

Julian and Amanda each walked over to their side of the field.

"Julian, you ready?" the referee asked after setting foot in his box.

"Ready!" Julian confirmed.

The referee then turned to Amanda. "Amanda, you ready?"

Amanda simply nodded.

"Here we go!" the referee declared. "Let the battle begin!"

The crowd roared in cheers. Jason and Kristine noticed it was much louder than the two previous days, with the stadium at over 90% capacity. The foot-stomping from nearby fans left a trembling effect beneath their feet. The twins wondered just how rowdy fans could get in the Inventum Cup.

"Let's do this, Staravia!" Amanda shouted, tossing her first pokeball.

"Star!" Staravia greeted as she took to the skies.

"Onix, let's go!" Julian brought out his first pokemon.

Onix roared, his eyes focused on Staravia. His height easily exceeded the first two rows as he raised his upper body.

"Use Screech!" Julian yelled.

Onix let out a loud screech that even some spectators in the first two rows had to cover their ears. Staravia couldn't dodge as she became aggravated by the non-damaging attack.

"Fight through it and use Steel Wing!" Amanda followed up.

"Star!" Staravia's wings glowed silver in color as she dove right at Onix. Then, with her left wing, she made a strafing attack, striking her opponent.

Onix roared, swerving but maintained his upright stance.

"We gotta think about the whole match!" Julian yelled, seeing an opportunity as Staravia flew away. "Use Stealth Rock!"

Onix slammed the ground with his body. Shards of rocks began popping out from the ground on Amanda's side of the field. Julian wanted to gain control of the match right from the beginning.

"Staravia! Make another pass with Steel Wing before Onix stands upright!" Amanda followed up.

Staravia made another pass, striking the middle section of Onix's body with her right wing. Onix slammed to the ground, the impact causing a kinetic effect that could be felt around the entire field.

"Woo!" Amanda cheered. "Now, one more Steel Wing, and we got this!"

Staravia circled around, preparing for another run.

"Onix! Dragon Breath! Now!" Julian commanded.

Onix seemed to get a second wind, lunging upwards and shooting violet flames at Staravia.

"Dodge!" Amanda yelled.

Staravia conducted a barrel roll to narrowly dodge Dragon Breath. The firey attack dissipated in midair.

Julian noticed Staravia broke off the attack but was flying underneath Onix's upper body. He had to capitalize here and now; he wasn't sure how many super effective hits Onix could take. Besides, there was a reason why he called for Screech to start the battle.

"Rock Slide!" Julian issued.

Onix made an intimidating roar, thrusting his upper body towards the ground.

"Get out of there, Staravia!" Amanda shouted.

Staravia quickly got out of Onix's path, avoiding being slammed to the ground by Onix's weight alone. However, as Onix struck the ground, boulders were projected from beneath the field, shooting upwards. After Staravia dodged two of these boulders, a third one hit her left wing. This caused her to spiral out of control, only to be hit in the chest by a fourth boulder. She was in free fall, crashing onto the field, and was unable to get back up.

"Staravia is unable to battle!" the referee called. "Onix wins!"

"Yeah!" Julian raised a fist in the air as thousands across Entei Stadium cheered. He just gained the edge over Amanda, and he wanted to keep it that way.

"Oh no," Amanda recalled Staravia. "It's fine. We got this!"

She faced Julian with a fierce look in her eyes, and she wasn't smiling. She readied her second pokeball. "Let's turn this around, Nidorina!"

"Nido!" Nidorina growled as soon as she was summoned.

"Let's stick this out, Onix," Julian decided to keep his pokemon in play. "Be ready!"

"Nidorina, charge at Onix, and be careful of traps from Stealth Rock!" Amanda started off.

"Nidorina!" Nidorina ran at Onix.

Seconds later, jagged stones left from Stealth Rock scraped Nidorina left and right. Yelping from the traps, she continued on, determined to take the fight to her opponent.

"Dragon Breath!" Julian yelled.

Onix fired another violet burst, causing Nidorina to jump out of the way of the attack. Nidorina maintained her footing and lunged at Onix.

"Now use Double Kick!" Amanda continued her offensive.

"Nido!" Nidorina placed herself beneath Onix, striking him with her hind legs.

Onix roared, appearing staggered. Amanda wanted to take advantage. "Venoshock!"

"Nidorina!" Nidorina spat out a stream of poison, striking Onix head-on. The damage was too much for the Rock Snake Pokemon to handle as he crashed onto the ground, unable to get up.

"Onix is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Nidorina wins!"

"Alright!" Amanda jumped. "Back in this!"

"Return, Onix!" Julian recalled his pokemon. "Great job out there. We have this battle!"


"Come on, Pandy," Liz muttered, impressed by Nidorina's persistence and Amanda's ability to follow through with a sequence. "I want you in the final round. How cool would that be?"

"So, Kristine," Jason began to ask his sister, "Who has this match?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Kristine replied. "It might come down to the last pokemon on both sides."

Julian can play both the long game and the short game, Bran observed, referring to Onix's use of Stealth Rock and his one-hit KO of Staravia, respectively. And Amanda will take advantage of weaknesses. Either one will be tough to fight.


Julian primed his second pokeball. "Come on out, Pidgeotto!"

"Otto!" Pidgeotto chirped.

"Use Quick Attack on Nidorina!" Julian promptly issued.

"Pidgeotto!" Pidgeotto soared right at Nidorina.

"Lunge and use Bite!" Amanda countered.

Nidorina leaped, trying to grab hold of her opponent. This caused Pidgeotto to fly upward and call off the attack.

"Venoshock!" Amanda yelled.

As soon as Nidorina landed, she spat out another poison stream.

"Use Agility and circle back!" Julian called.

Pidgeotto picked up speed, dodging Venoshock as he turned around, diving right at Nidorina.

"Now, Wing Attack!" Julian followed up.

Pidgeotto dove down and struck Nidorina before she knew what hit her. She tumbled over twice but got back up, ready to get back at her opponent.

Suddenly, Pidgeotto became poisoned. Nidorina's Poison Point ability kicked in at the right moment for Amanda; she knew she really needed that.

"This is it!" Amanda wanted to capitalize. "Venoshock on Pidgeotto and finish him off!"

Nidorina fired another Venoshock in hopes of taking out her opponent.

"Use Agility again and get out of there!" Julian yelled.

Pidgeotto conducted a barrel roll to maneuver around Venoshock. Fighting through a poison tick, he maintained his focus and soared towards Nidorina.

"Wing Attack! Let's do this!" Julian knew he needed to take out Nidorina soon.

Pidgeotto dove down, striking Nidorina head-on. The attack sent her tumbling back to Amanda's side of the field.

"Nidorina!" Amanda yelled in concern.

Before Nidorina could get back up, Pidgeotto struck her with Quick Attack. Nidorina tumbled back just ten feet shy of Amanda, unable to continue.

"Nidorina is unable to battle!" the referee called. "Pidgeotto wins!"

"We got this!" Julian cheered. "Let's keep our focus!"

Amanda recalled her pokemon and gave a quick peck on the pokeball. "You did great, Nidorina."

She faced Julian and Pidgeotto, who suffered another poison tick. This is it. We have to take back this match and now, or we'll go down right here, she then gave a light chuckle. Guess I'm gonna have to channel my inner Jason, huh?

Amanda pulled out her last pokeball. "This is it. Let's do this, Wartortle!"

"War!" Wartorle jumped out of his pokeball.

As soon as he did, however, jagged stones from Onix's Stealth Rock struck him. Right off the bat, he had taken some damage. Amanda knew then that Julian's use of Stealth Rock poised a lot of value throughout the match. Hopefully, it's not too much.

"Water Pulse! Let's go!" Amanda issued.

Wartortle shot out a quick, powerful stream of water at Pidgeotto.

"Dodge and Wing Attack!" Julian responded.

Pidgeotto narrowly dodged Wartorle's Water Pulse, closing on him at a lightning-fast speed.

"Quick! Rapid Spin!" Amanda yelled.

"War!" Wartortle retreated into his shell and conducted Rapid Spin just a split second before Pidgeotto made contact with him. Wartortle's defensive use of Rapid Spin successfully repelled Pidgeotto's attack, sending the Bird Pokemon ricocheting back. One more poison tick was too much to handle; Pidgeotto crashed to the ground and never got back up.

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Wartortle wins!"

"We can do this!" Amanda displayed a gleaming smile. "We can win this, Wartortle!"

"Return, Pidgeotto!" Julian recalled his pokemon. "You were awesome."

He pulled out his third pokeball with confidence. He was convinced the match was his to take; he just needed to follow through for himself and his pokemon. "Let's close this out, Grotle!"

"Gro!" Grotle roared, stomping the ground twice.

A round of cheers and applause erupted throughout Entei Stadium. Many had assumed Julian would win due to the type advantage and Wartorle taking a hit from Stealth Rock.

He went with Grotle, Amanda initially felt despair. She quickly drowned that out with resolve. This match wasn't over, and she realized she had a trick up her sleeve.

"We will win this!" Amanda shouted.

"Razor Leaf!" Julian commanded.

"Rapid Spin!" Amanda responded.

Wartortle retreated into his shell once more, spinning his way through Razor Leaf. Though some leaves scraped his underside, he was mainly able to deflect the attack.

"Go all the way!" Amanda cheered Wartortle on.

Wartorle pressed on, popping out of his shell and leaping towards Grotle.

"Leech Seed!" Julian called.

"Protect!" Amanda felt her adrenaline kick in. This was her moment to push forward and get the edge over Grotle.

"Wartortle!" Wartortle projected a barrier, deflecting the seeds that would otherwise siphon his energy.

"Come on! Let's do this!" Amanda yelled.

Wartortle landed on the ground and lunged forward at Grotle.

"Ice Punch!" Amanda screamed.

"Mega Drain!" Julian got into the heat of the moment as well. "Let's finish this right here!"

Amanda was convinced she had the battle. Wartortle powered up Ice Punch and began to deliver the attack. Grotle suddenly made the independent decision to leap backward. Everyone was surprised to see Grotle jump like that, being heavy with short legs, but he somewhat maintained the same athleticism as his predecessor form, Turtwig. Wartortle overextended his reach, leaving himself wide open to an attack.

"No!" Amanda yelled. "Wartortle! Protect!"

Wartortle tried to get a barrier going, but since he recently projected one, it took time for him to refocus his efforts and conjure another barrier. By then, Grotle fired a green beam at him, striking him dead center in the chest.

"War..." Wartortle fell on one knee, feeling his energy being drained. It was too much, but he had gotten this far. He and Amanda couldn't go down here; he had to continue on.

Julian had the opportunity to win this match. Wartortle was exposed entirely to another attack. He noticed Wartortle was refusing to quit, and Amanda, devastated, watched on from the other side. A bitter feeling kicked in; Amanda was his friend, and he hoped this battle didn't change that. At the end of the day, however, Amanda stood on the other side of the field as his opponent. Only one could emerge victoriously. He had to follow through.

"Razor Leaf!" he ordered.

"Grotle!" Grotle delivered the final attack. The sharp leaves sent Wartortle tumbling several times over until he was just within Amanda's side of the field. He did not get up.

"Wartortle is unable to battle!" the referee declared. "Amanda is out of reserves! The winner of this match is Julian Varrek!"

"Yeah!" Julian pounded his chest, taking in the moment of victory while surrounded by tens of thousands of cheering spectators. "Let's go! Let's go!"

Grotle ran over to Julian, tackling him to the ground out of excitement.

"We did it, bud!" Julian didn't mind being taken down by his own pokemon, though it did hurt a bit. "Two more matches! Let's go!"

Meanwhile, Amanda pulled out Wartortle's pokeball and recalled him. She held onto the ball with both hands. "Wartortle, I'm proud of you," tears rolled down her cheeks. "You did your best out there, and that's all I could ask for."

Amanda immediately began to wonder where she went wrong. Should I have let Wartortle take Leech Seed instead, or have him keep using Rapid Spin until he closed in? Maybe I wasn't persistent enough.

She looked up to see Julian getting up after being taken down by Grotle. He dusted himself off, recalling his companion. Amanda wiped away her tears and decided to be a good sport. She approached Julian's side of the field to congratulate him.

Julian noticed her and ran up to give her a big hug. "You were great out there!"

Amanda was startled by the sudden, tight hug, but she didn't mind. She hugged Julian back. "It was a good match!"

Julian then let go. "Be proud of yourself. Okay?"

Amanda nodded, her eyes watery.

"Okay?" Julian placed his right arm on her left shoulder.

Amanda looked at him in the eyes with determination. "Okay."

"Keep your head high," Julian continued. "You're amazing, and you know that."

"Thanks," Amanda smiled. "You too, Julian. Don't lose, okay?"

"We don't plan on it!" Julian assured her with a thumbs up.


Julian and Amanda left the field a few moments later. That was Jason and Kristine's queue to get up and approach the tunnels. Without saying a single word to each other, they exchanged fist bumps and proceeded in opposite directions.

"So I have Julian," Bran muttered. He knew he had to prepare himself for one tough match tomorrow, but he felt ready to overcome anything Julian might throw at him.

Liz was disappointed that Amanda was defeated. She considered Amanda to be her close friend and silently rooted for her to win. She decided to get up and proceed towards the lower atrium of the stadium, hoping to catch Amanda.

With three battles out of the way, the fourth battle was just around the corner. Jason and Kristine would go against each other in what many called the day's main event. Both were determined to win this battle, and both knew they were in for one tough match. Despite Jason's miracle comeback in the second round, many have noted Kristine's decisive first and second-round victories. As far as the spectators were concerned, the winner of this next battle was anyone's guess.