A/N: For any of you think Ash is going to win because he has the experience advantage, normally that would help, but consider this, my fellow readers. Ash and Dawn have been practicing with each other for just under a whole year straight. Ash has battled more way more people, but she knows all of his strengths and weaknesses. From a certain point of view, since Ash was teaching her to battle initially despite not being a Pokémon trainer, this is essentially a battle of master and student. Think about that. ;)
"Ash Ketchum... I want you to battle your fellow hero, Dawn Berlitz!" Cynthia requested, causing the whole audience to cheer at the idea.
("Me against Dawn?"/"Me against Ash?") Both of the two thought at the same time as the couple looked at each other, having the exact same expression; shock.
Later while Ash was having his Pokémon healed, Barry and Dawn entered the room and Barry appeared to be ecstatic as he ran to his rival. Zappy jumped off of Dawn's shoulder and went onto a table to watch the interaction happen.
"Congratulations Ash! After this match you're facing the Elite flipping Four! And not only that, we get to see you and Dawn here..." He said while wrapping his arm around her shoulders, "...to battle against you!" The blonde wrapped his other arm around Ash's shoulders, and the two were brought together in a sort of awkward position while he was too excited to notice. "This... is going to be... amaaaaziiiiing." He whispered the last word. Barry stayed like that for a few seconds until Ash asked,
"Uh, that's great and all, but could you let us go?" Realizing what he was doing, Barry let them go, nervously chuckling while scratching his head,
"Oh, hehe. Sorry."
"It's okay Barry. I'm excited as well... but for some reason its actually weird to think about, let alone make a battle strategy about." Dawn admitted.
"Yeah." Ash agreed. "We've trained with each other for just about a full year now, but a real battle? It's hard to wrap my head around it."
"Pikachu?" Zappy questioned, looking confused about the supposed problem.
"Aha! I know what's wrong with you two!" Barry raised a finger in realization.
"You do?" Dawn inquired, curious what he thought of since she never heard him have answers for something like this.
"Yeah! You went almost a solid year without actually battling each other! You know the techniques and strategies of each other, but not the experience and emotion of it. Dawn! Guess how long it took for us to battle after you and Rowan gave us our Pokémon back then?!"
"Uh... a few minutes?"
"Nope! I challenged him to a battle as soon as you guys left! Ash won of course, even when he was a newbie like me, but just the thrill of battling the first time was awesome! You guys interacted with each other as friends, and a couple even, but never as trainers who wanted to win to see who is the superior! It feels weird because you never applied the thrill to the idea!" He concluded. Looking at each other in the eye, the couple thought about it, and realized that Barry was right. Frighteningly, surprisingly right.
"Wow. I never realized that before." Ash acknowledged, taken aback about this revelation.
"Yeah. To think we went through nearly a whole year without doing the one thing Ash, a Pokémon trainer, does everyday." Dawn agreed.
"Chu." Zappy sighed, not sure what to make of this but was getting tired of their continuing weirdness.
"I know. Heck, even I'm surprised I'm the one that realized this! But think about it. By battling, you'll have done everything that everybody else has done, and you'll find the experience of battling to be great!" Barry told them, trying to be encouraging.
"Well, when you put it like that... the idea's starting to be exciting." Dawn said with a growing smile.
"Yeah, me too. Man, where did our normal Barry go? He's not too insightful about these things." Ash chuckled while jesting with his rival. The blonde looked mockingly offended.
"What do you mean?! I've grown just like the two of you! Oh, I should fine you for this indignant slight!"
"Even if you could I wouldn't pay it." Ash sneered as the two started to push their heads against each other, clenched smiles on their faces as they tried to assert their usual dominance.
"Boys." Dawn sighed with mellow content as she petted Zappy, whom appreciated the action.
"Pika."
It was sunset when the the coliseum was packed up again for the highly anticipated battle of two of the three heroes. The sky made the dirt battle field tinted orange, and a cool breeze kept everything from being too heated in a literal and metaphorical sense.
"How are you doing everybody!" The announcer shouted into the mic, making everyone yell. "What we've got here sure is something else! A bonus round between our Finals winner Ash Ketchum, and the only hero who has not competed in not just this tournament, but not even the gyms challenges as well, Dawn Berlitz! So, without further ado and no further interruptions from me, here they are!" Ash and Dawn walked towards the repaired field, causing everyone to cheer. But to their surprise, they looked different. Ash not too much, since he just switched his black and yellow t-shirt for a completely black t-shirt a size smaller than his normal, but Dawn was drastically different as she was wearing a dress she bought before the allotted time! It was a yellow sleeveless sundress, which flowed pretty good due to how loose it was around her body, and even showed a bit of her cleavage, though not too much. The guys in the audience went wild. For the first time in months, his nose dripped with blood from how unexpectedly hot she was. Then he realized something.
"Hey, no fair! You're trying to distract me!" He complained while stomping his foot on the ground.
"Pika Pikachu!" Zappy went along with his owner, his eyes looking mad. Dawn merely laughed and said in a sarcastic tone,
"Me, distracting you? That's your fault. I'm merely dressing up right so that I look stunning when I beat you in front of everybody." She then posed so that any cameras watching got a good, yet not scandalous look. Ash grunted in irritation before smiling.
"Lucky for me then, I have a back up plan." Zappy jumped off his shoulder Ash took a water bottle from his backpack and drank it from way above his head, letting most of the water drench his body, causing his shirt to cling to his entire torso. All his fangirls screamed for his body. Dawn was flabbergasted from the display, initially unable to believe he had a trap for her as well.
"Aw man! I thought I was the one to... get all the attention." She mumbled that part as if to cover something up.
"Yeah, whatever." Ash rolled his eyes with a smile as he took out a pokeball. "Let's make this a battle to remember, baby." He said both teasingly yet sincerely.
"Of course, sweetie." She returned with the same attitude, holding up her own pokeball. The two stared each other down for about 15 seconds before swapping for a different front runner and shouted,
"Floatzel/Lopunny, I choose you!" Starting the battle was their Sea Weasel and Rabbit Pokémon.
"Use Rain Dance!" Ash tried to go first, but Dawn yelled,
"Stop him with Dizzy Punch! Before Floatzel could form and throw the ball of water, Loppuny used her similar speed to catch him off guard and was punched in the face with a rainbow glowing fist in the face. While it hurt, the water type didn't fall as he skidded back, looking more determined.
("So she doesn't want me to be able to use Rain Dance. Alright then. He's strong without it.) Ash thought to himself. "If we can't blitz her, then we can overpower her! Use Waterfall!" The Sea Weasel surrounded himself with water and shot forth like a geyser.
"Counter with Drain Punch!" Surrounding her fist with green energy, she tried to stop the water type, even managing to stop his momentum for a few seconds, but was eventually able to overpower her as she was pushed to the side, landing on her side.
"Nice, now use Dig!" Ash ordered. Floatzel proceeded to burrow underground.
"Quick, use Reflect!" Dawn requested, but Lopunny shook its head and kept herself on the ground. This confused both the trainers. "Lopunny?" Within seconds, she used her legs to stand and hop back just as Floatzel burst out.
("She used her ears! Clever girl.") Dawn smiled in realization. "Drain Punch, let's go!" Surrounded with spiraling green energy, the Rabbit Pokémon delivered a haymaker of a punch again into Floatzel's face. But this time, something was off. From Floatzel's perspective, the Pokémon that made the attack wasn't Lopunny, but a lucario. He growled and tried to blink away the image once he crashed into the ground, but that just made his vision alternate between Loppuny and the lucario from the past. The one that disabled him. He tried to stand but fell onto the side he was deaf on.
"Floatzel?" Ash muttered in a tone of worried, wondering what was wrong. "Are you okay? Think you can do Waterfall?"
"Don't let him! Drain Punch!" The Rabbit Pokémon once again tried to attack with a green energized attack, but with the Sea Weasel suffering flashbacks, seeing a lucario come at him with what he believed was Force Palm, he yelled out as he puffed his floatation sack up, bouncing the punch off! Dawn gasped from the impromptu defense, and then everyone did when he went right up and used Ice Punch at her head while she was recovering from the recoil. She screamed intensely with pain. The referee blew a whistle while holding up a yellow card.
"Foul for ignoring a trainer's orders with unnecessary roughness! Please return your Floatzel until one of your Pokémon is knocked out!"
"R-return." Ash stuttered, unable to believe what happened. Like him, Zappy wondered what went wrong with his fellow Pokémon friend. Ash looked down at the now occupied water type Net Ball. ("What happened? He's never done this before. Let's see... it started when he was twice punched in the head with Drain-") And that's when it hit him then. That terrible week and a day in Veilstone when his Floatzel got hurt quite badly against Maylene's lucario. He then looked sadly down at the sphere. ("My most sincerest apologies Floatzel. You do so good I actually forgot that you're still suffering from that time. I'll make it up to you.") Looking back up, he yelled to Dawn, "Dawn, I know what happened, but we'll talk after the battle!"
"O-okay." The female researcher hesitantly agreed, wanting to know what happened, but trusted that he knew what just occurred.
"Dusknoir, I choose you!" With Floatzel benched, the next best choice was his ghost type Gripper Pokémon. "Dawn, I give you a free shot."
"Huh?" She asked.
"Floatzel attacked in a wrong way. He's benched, but I won't feel at ease unless you get a free shot so that we're even."
"Noir?" The ghost type spoke perplexed.
"I'll explain it later. Just brace for it."
"Well, alright. Use dig." Dawn told Loppuny reluctantly, whom nodded as she burrowed before the ground with Dusknoir waiting for the incoming attack. Within seconds, the Rabbit Pokémon hit him like a torpedo from the dirt, striking right in the center of his chest. He grunted, but wasn't too bothered.
"Use Dig once more!" She requested. Loppuny dug again into the ground, but Ash was now on the offense.
"Trick Room." Dusknoir formed a checkered room around the fighting area. And good thing since he was now fast enough to dodge the attacking bunny whom burst from the ground. "Ice Punch." His right fist glowing bright blue, he punched her right ear in retaliation, freezing it with a cocoon of ice. She hissed from the pain and the chill.
"No! Use Reflect!" Dawn cried out.
"Ice Punch. One-two combo." Even with his swapped speed, Lopunny was able to put up a blue barrier before being pummeled in the head and torso respectively, causing her to fall onto her knees with a wheeze and collapse in place.
"Loppuny is unable to battle! The winner is Dusknoir!" The referee declared. Ash smiled from that.
"Pikachu." Zappy said in glee, getting a chin scratch in return.
"Lopunny, return." Dawn said to her beaten bunny. "Good job. You've made this battle easier. Crystal, I choose you!" Many fans cheered seeing an Espeon come onto the field.
"Shadow Punch!" Dusknoir's hands glowed grey before throwing projectile punches that smacked right into her faster than she could dodge, yelling out from the impacts. However, upon falling into the dirt she just as quickly rolled onto her feet.
"Great recovery! Now, use Calm Mind!" Crystal closed her eyes and her body started to glow.
"Shadow Punch, again!"
"Counter with Protect!" While the Gripper Pokémon attacked with the same move, Crystal formed a green barrier around herself, deflecting the ranged punches away. "Now try to get close!"
"Keep her away with Shadow Punch!" Ash commanded. Dusknoir lobbed punch after punch at her, but the Sun Pokémon was evading each thanks to the Gripper Pokémon's predictable physical movements, even with the swapped speed. "Keep it up!"
"Use Shadow Ball!" Forming a ball of black energy, she jumped into the air and launched it at the ghost type right before getting hit by the super effective attack again. Unable to dodge in time at the range it was, Dusknoir tried punching away the Shadow Ball, but it merely exploded upon contact instead. Crystal fell to the ground unconscious, but so did her opponent as well, having fainted.
"Both Pokémon are unable to battle! It's a tie!" The referee announced. Everybody roared from the sight. As both trainer and researcher returned their Pokémon, they grinned from the circumstance as they shouted,
"Floatzel/Empoleon, I choose you!" Dawn was confused by his choice, since he took quite a few drain punches to the head, let alone the episode the pure water type went through, but after a few seconds of looking around in a panic, he sighed and glared determined at the Emperor Pokémon.
"I think you've had time to calm down. So let's get going." Ash told his Pokémon, in which he nodded with a grunt.
("But Empoleon should be faster with Trick Room still in effect. What's he planning?")
"Rain Dance!") He ordered, which resulted in her gasping. Floatzel threw an orb of water into the air, which created clouds making it rain.
"Quick, use Hydro Pump!"
"Counter with Dig!" Even with the swapped speed, she was still no match against the more supremely enhanced Sea Weasel as he dug underground before the torrent of water connected. With the trick room wearing off, the speed difference became even worse as Empoleon was hit nor by a Floatzel but a near invisible orange bullet from the ground. "Again!" Before Empoleon could even turn towards Floatzel, he was already gone underground, and the Reflect barrier shattered around her, allowing the Sea Weasel Pokémon to land an even harder attack. It appeared that she was done for, but she then she started to glow blue and roared her name.
"Empoleooooon!" However, this didn't bother Ash at all.
"Cool she became stronger, but she's still too slow Dawn. One more dig and she's done for. Dig, once more!" Once Floatzel went underground again, the young researcher laughed.
"Hahaha! That's what you think! Use Flash Cannon to get into the air!" Charging up an orb of silver energy from her mouth, she fired it downwards and the Emperor Pokémon shot into the air almost reaching the rain clouds."
("What is she doing?")
"Use Brine at one of the holes!" She ordered, making Ash gasp.
"Get out of the ground, quick!" He pleaded, but it was for naught when Empoleon blasted a wave of water at the nearest hole, and it only took seconds before all of the holes erupted like actual geysers, one of which was the screaming Sea Weasel as he shot up past the clouds and way above the colosseum by five times over. Everyone marveled at the display, even Cynthia.
"Beautiful." The champion whispered. Once the attack stopped, Empoleon dropped down to the ground after two seconds, and Floatzel crashed down onto it seven seconds later.
"Floatzel is unable to battle! The winner is Empoleon!"
"Alright! We got this Empoleon!" Dawn cheered for her starter.
"Pika." Zappy uttered, astonished by her power, the first time seeing it at this level of raw strength.
"Return." Ash said. "Thanks buddy. You did well. Take a good rest. Staraptor, I choose you!" Once the Predator Pokémon was out, Dawn recalled her starter.
"Return! Spike, I choose you!" Evening the odds, there were now two flying types in the air, flapping their wings in the rain. Cynthia was pleased to see her gift having grown to be so strong.
"Close Combat!"
"Counter with Psychic!" Despite Staraptor's faster speed, Spike was quick enough to catch with a blue outline around the Predator Pokémon just as he was less than a foot close in front of the Jubilee Pokémon, but couldn't move an inch closer. Sending him falling into the ground on Ash's side, gaining quite a lot of distance. Staraptor tried to get up, but he stumbled from being confused.
"No! Ugh, return." Ash groaned, having to return his bird or risk it losing too soon.
"Spike, return." Dawn said as well, perplexing the trainer.
"Wait, why are you returning him?"
"Not a lot of your Pokémon can hit a flying target. I don't want to have too easy of a time beating your butt." To hear that she thinks she could beat him easily got his blood boiling, but not from anger, but from the challenge.
"Oh yeah?! I'll show you! Throw out your Pokémon!"
"Pika Pikachu!" Zappy cried out just like his owner did.
"Fine! Cobalt, I choose you!" Her answer to his request by bringing out her blue jackal.
"Torterra, I choose you!" Now it was the grass starter's turn. "Use Seed Bomb!"
"Counter with Flash Cannon!" While the Continent Pokémon send a barrage of explosive seeds at the opponent, the constant beam of silver energy Cobalt created steadily overpowered the seeds and exploded against Torterra's head.
"Stone Edge!" From the smoke, rocks flew across the field and battered against the fighting steel type, inflicting damage from the sounds of his pained grunts.
"Aura Sphere!" Forming a blue orb of energy, he threw it which made it target no problem, a cry of pain coming from the new explosion. However, a green glow could be seen as Torterra walked out of the obscuring smoke, roaring with power.
"Tooorterraaaaa!"
"Alright! Shoot Seed Bomb into the sky!" Rearing his head up, the grass/ground starter shot neon green bombs into the air, raining down and exploding the field.
"Try to get in close for Drain Punch!" Dawn cried out. Cobalt closed his eyes and ran forward, dodging and jumping over seeds that would've hit him. With one final jump, he managed to land a spiraling green punch against the Continent Pokémon's head.
"Giga Synthesis!" The spikes on Torterra's shell glowed bright green, the tendrils reaching out and ensnaring the Aura Pokémon as he tried to escape while the tree glowed as well, restoring health as well. The green glow surrounding him disappeared as a result.
"Get away with Aura Sphere!" Even with his arms clamped together, Cobalt's hands were close together enough to form a blue orb and used his legs to jump as far as he could so that he fired further away from the ensuing explosion. The tendrils let him go as he ungracefully fell onto the ground, tumbling away until he stopped on his side. Standing up, he closed his eyes and sensed if he was finished, but detected a rising green aura.
"Seed Bomb!" From the smoke, intensely green projectiles fired from Torterra's mouth. Tried as he could to dodge them all, and he did do so for a few seconds, the concentrated onslaught was coming in too fast and he was inevitably hit by the bombs, crying out as he was pushed back by the seeds until he was on Dawn's side, falling onto his back defeated.
"Cobalt is unable to battle! The winner is Torterra!"
"Toooorterrrraaaaa!" The grass starter yelled out in triumph.
"That's right, buddy! We can win this!" Ash celebrated.
"Pikachu!"
"We'll see about that! Empoleon, I choose you!" Upon being released onto the field, her blue glow shined again and she shouted with building power.
"Empoleoooon!"
"Seed Bomb!"
"Brine!" Both charged up their currently strongest attack for a few seconds before firing, creating a stalemate in the center for a good while before the constant stream started pushing back the bombs despite their increased explosiveness and eventually overwhelmed Torterra as he was pushed back by the torrent of raging water, and smashed into the wall behind Ash. Once the water stopped, he fell onto his front, fainted from the damage done.
"Torterra is unable to battle! The winner is Empoleon!"
"Yay! I'm so proud of you, Empoleon!"
"Chu." Zappy bemoaned from the starter's loss.
"Return." Ash said before looking at the sphere. "A job well done. Thanks." Putting him in his backpack, he threw out his next Pokeball. "Staraptor, I choose you!" Returning into the sky was his Predator Pokémon. "Use Close Combat!"
"Brine, once more!" Empoleon tried to drench the bird with its super powered water attack, but Staraptor was able to fly around the attack and get in close to batter with wing and claw. Since she was already weak, the fighting type move proved to be too much and she was beaten into the ground, knocked out.
"Empoleon is unable battle! The winner is Staraptor!"
"Pika!" Zappy cheered. Ash grinned along with him.
"Return. You've done an amazing job. Rest now. Gallade, I choose you!" Released onto the field, he took an offensive battle while gazing at the flying type.
"Brave Bird!" Staraptor flew up high as he surrounded himself in a fiery aura, and then swooped down to deliver his attack.
"Stone Edge!" Dawn instructed. Forming glowing stones around himself, the Blade Pokémon launched them at the incoming Predator, but he was able to weave and dodge past every rock and nearly rammed into the psychic/fighting type, but missed as Gallade ducked at the last second once he sensed he wouldn't survive the super effective move. Dawn counted him lucky, but knew he couldn't dodge forever forever, so it was all or nothing. Ash shouted,
"Brave Bird, once more!"
"Counter with Psycho Cut, both arms!" Nodding, he let his bladed arms glow light blue while they extended. Crossing his arms into an X, he ran towards the incoming Predator, and the two collided with a clash powerful enough to create an explosion. Ash and Dawn had to cover their faces from the shockwave of said explosion, and looked at the smoke cloud. Once that dissipated, both Pokémon appear to have fainted.
"Both Pokémon are unable to battle! It's a tie!" The referee announced. Everybody cheered from seeing a rare second draw. Ash groaned. despite having two Pokémon while Dawn had one, Spike had four moves diverse enough that no type was resistant, and all were long ranged. He'd be lucky to win this. The trainer shrugged to himself with a growing smirk, figuring that if luck only let him down three times, then why so now?
"Luxray, I choose you!"
"Spike, let's finish this!" Dawn cried out, changing it up with her delivery as her final Pokémon was let loose.
"Use Charge!" Ash started, with Luxray cackling with electricity.
"Use Flamethrower!" Dawn yelled out. Spike breathed in and exhaled a plume of fire that hit Luxray, and even though he growled from the pain, the electricity helped dampen the discomfort.
"Use Thunder Claw!" Luxray formed an extra big claw of electricity, and tried to land it on the flying type when Dawn snapped her fingers, prompting Spike to evade, nearly getting hit.
"Flamethrower, once more!"
"Counter with Charge!" Shielding himself with electricity, he endured the blast of flame that enveloped him. Once the attack was done, he was about to roar with the intent of intimidation when it turned into a cry of pain as he combusted with fire, inflicted with a burn.
"No!" Ash yelped.
"Yes! Now use Psychic!" His eyes glowing blue, Luxray was picked up and thrown away onto Ash's side of the field. As if the burn wasn't enough, he staggered with confusion.
"Quick, blink then use Thunder Claw!" Ash pleaded. Blinking his eyes, Luxray could see even with the confusion the form of Spike shaded standing out amongst the grey ground and background. Forming his electric claws again, he went on the attack.
"Use Aura Sphere!" Forming a blue orb in front of his mouth, he fired it right at the electric lynx, whom counted with said claws so that it didn't connect, but the result was an explosion in his face. He was pushed back, unwilling to give up so easily when his burn acted up, tolling away the last of his health he had, and collasped on his side with a gasp, unconscious.
"Luxray is unable to battle! The winner is Spike!"
"Return." Ash said. "You did the best you could." Taking out his Ultra Ball, he shouted, "Mamoswine, I choose you!" They were down to their last Pokémon, and both were at full health.
"Use Aura Sphere!"
"Counter with Ice Fang!" Her tusks glowing light blue, she fired two chilling zigzags. One hit the Aura Sphere and exploded while the other hit the off guard Jubilee Pokémon, crying in pain from the ice attack, but not fainting. "Now use Stone Edge!" Forming glowing rocks around herself, she launched them at the flying type when Dawn placed her fingers onto her head, prompting Spike to use Psychic to stop the incoming stones, and send them back, striking the Twin Tusk Pokemon with her own attack.
"Alright! Now contain Mamoswine with Flamethrower!" Flying high into the sky, he breathed fire down onto Ash's side of the field, making it burn with an inferno and making it hard to see past the flames. Mamoswine had to back up, and so did Ash and Zappy since the heat alone was getting to them.
"(Augh, is this some sort of distraction?")
"Pi Pikachu!" Zappy called out, pointing at the sky. Ash looked up and gasped seeing Spike fly right over where Mamoswine was standing, completely out of her range.
"Now, use Aura Sphere!" Soaring downward like a comet, Spike formed a blue orb and let it drop a second before he swooped away, letting the attack crash into the mammoth's back. With one final cry, she fell forward, defeated.
"Mamoswine is unable to battle!" The winner is Spike, and the victor is Dawn Berlitz from Sandgem Town!"
"YAY! We did it, Spike!" Dawn celebrated, hugging her grown up baby Pokémon as he chirped in glee as they reveled in their victory. Smiling, Ash returned his Pokémon.
"Thanks Mamoswine. You did well. Take a good rest." Walking around the field and not across it because it was still scorching hot, he and Dawn started to stroll towards each other before running briefly just so they could embrace each other, kissing with all the passion they could muster. The entire colosseum went crazy from the display of love after such an excellent battle. Once their lips separated, Ash complimented her,
"Congratulations. You've officially surpassed the master." Dawn was so full of happiness and joy she was actually crying.
"Thank you so much Ash. This is just a wonderful day." Kissing each other again, it only lasted a few seconds when Barry came running at them, yelling,
"Hey guys! You both did great! That's probably the best battle I've ever seen!" The couple laughed as he gave them a crashing hug, enjoying what is happening right now. In the announcer's box, Cynthia smiled the entire time once the battle was over.
"You may have lost Ash, but at the same time, you've won as well for battling so well. I can't wait to face you."
A/N: And that's that! It took a little while but I say that's good. I have news! Since we're nearing the end of the main story, I am taking 5 requests if you want me to write something. 2 of those spots are taken already. The first spot is by CityLover96 with his mega reunion thing, and a guest Pearshipper with his/her review about Ash and Dawn(After some time has passed) having a romantic tour of Kalos or Alola. Leave your requests and hope to be the remain 3 I choose to pick, and I should warn you, I'll be writing the requests from easiest to hardest to some may get theirs before other. Tell me what you think of the chapter as well in the reviews and enjoy.