Right, this is the biggest 'year' out of the timeline, so I had to split it into two chapters. Another battle this time, hopefully I've done OK. Features heavy use of the word 'Garchomp'.

Enjoy!

Year 6

Laura gets a full set of ribbons, challenges and comes runner-up in the Sinnoh Grand Festival. Alan and Dave collect a full set of badges and compete in the Sinnoh Conference. They make it through to the semi-finals, where they have to battle each other again. Dave advances to the final after another close match, before having to square off against a mysterious Lady in Black…

"Return Gastrodon." I muttered as my blue, slug like creature was recalled to its Pokéball. I just couldn't believe how strong this girl was. I had one Pokémon left, she had just sent her fifth out, to instantly destroy my Gastrodon. Who knew a Roserade could be so powerful?

She had some rare Pokémon. Seriously. A Milotic, a Pokémon that any co-ordinator would kill for, and that Laura had acquired by chance, was her first choice. I managed to KO it with Luxray, before her next choice, a Gastrodon like mine, only pink, had wiped my electric-type out with unnatural speed. Torterra was my next choice, quickly disposing of the water-type with a well-placed Wood Hammer. It then fell to a Pokémon I hadn't even seen before, a strange ghost attached to a stone, identified by my Pokédex as a Spiritomb, using a wicked range of attacks. My trusty Bastiodon brought down the ghost, only to be annihilated by another rarity, a Lucario. The fighter also disposed of my Staraptor, before yielding to my own Gastrodon. And then the Roserade came out, amazingly dodging every Ice Beam we threw at it, before smacking Gastrodon with a point-blank Energy Ball. This was it, all my hopes for the Sinnoh League rested on my last Pokémon, which also happened to be my strongest…

I threw the ball at the battlefield, at the same time calling upon the Pokémon resting inside, "Heads up! Garchomp!"

My bipedal Shark-Dragon appeared on the field. I heard a lot of gasps at the appearance of the Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon, but its mighty roar silenced them all.

"GAAAAAARRAAAAAAR!" it exclaimed, ready to do battle. Everyone in the stadium, even my mysterious opponent, recoiled at this. I took this opportunity to attack.

"Let's go Garchomp! Attack with Fire Fang!" Garchomp rushed Roserade, unnerving it with its speed, and caught it with its now flaming teeth. Garchomp then threw it to the ground and leapt backward, awaiting my next command.

"Now Aerial Ace!" I shouted, and Garchomp sprang forward, almost flying, before disappearing and striking Roserade hard. The grass-type fell, incapable of battling any further.

"Roserade is unable to battle, Garchomp wins this round!" exclaimed the referee. I felt my confidence beginning to re-emerge at this, as Roserade was recalled to its ball. I thought I could do it, beat this mysterious girl, and win the Sinnoh League.

At the sight of her final Pokémon though, all that was dashed to pieces. If she hadn't been stood behind it, I'd have thought a giant mirror had been placed across the stadium. It was another Garchomp, slightly bigger than my own, and with no nick in the dorsal fin, indicating that, like it's trainer, it was a female.

But I couldn't give up, my Pokémon and I had been though so much just to throw it away in the face of a bigger 'more powerful' Pokémon of the same species. I had one saving grace, I knew most of the attacks it could execute.

"Garchomp, let's not back down now! Strike first, use Dragon Rush!" I commanded. If I could just get a solid hit in, it could decide the rest of this battle. Garchomp sped forward, surrounded in a blue aura. Just as it was about to hit the opposing dragon, the foe vanished! Garchomp turned around, looking for its opponent, when I noticed the hole where the other Pokémon had been stood.

"Garchomp, its using Dig! Hit it with an Earthquake!" I saw my opponent flinch at this, as Garchomp raised one foot, and slammed it down, shaking the entire stadium. I knew this would do extra damage on a Pokémon underground, and I could see parts of the floor caving in all over the rocky battlefield, obviously where the tunnel the other dragon had dug was.

The opposing Garchomp surfaced, looking a bit damaged, but still ready to fight. The mysterious girl I was battling was smiling again. I heard her issue a command, "Brick Break, now!" as her Garchomp rushed toward mine, its fins glowing white. I had to do something.

"Counter with Dragon Claw!" I ordered, and my own Garchomp's claws glowed yellow. As the white fin of its opponent swung down at it, the yellow claws came up, connecting. For a while they tussled, fin to claw, while people stared, mesmerised. I eventually regained my presence of mind enough to issue another command.

"Use Dragon Claw on its body with your other arm!" I shouted. Garchomp acknowledged this, and slashed at the body of its foe with its opposing claw, breaking the struggle they were locked in. I could see that the other dragon was tired, panting heavily, and her trainer had a look of seriousness on her face as she issued the next attack.

"Giga Impact!" she cried, and her Garchomp rushed at mine again, enveloped in a series of orange and purple lights. I had to dodge that move, and strike while her Pokémon recharged.

"Dodge it using Aerial Ace!" I shouted, Garchomp nodded, and built up speed, disappearing sporadically from view. My opponents Pokémon followed its every move, but could not manage to hit it.

After a while, it was obvious that this was going nowhere, I had to attack. But Garchomp had yet to master Giga Impact, so there was only one option:

"Use Dragon Rush, and charge into it, head-on!" I shouted. Garchomp turned, enveloped in the same blue aura as before, and headed directly into the opponent.

There was a huge explosion as the two dragons collided. The smoke wasn't going to clear anytime soon, so I decided to watch my opponent. I'll give her some credit, she was very attractive. About a year or two older than myself, she wore pretty much all black: black trousers, black top, black scarf, and a black overcoat. This was a big contrast from her pale skin, along with her long, flowing blonde hair, which cascaded down her back. She saw me staring and smiled at me. Despite all my professionalism until then, I could've sworn I felt my face heat up at that.

The smoke was clearing, and I could see one figure up, and one on the floor. My Garchomp was standing up! I couldn't believe it! I'd won the Sinnoh League!

At least, that was what I thought. I then saw the other Garchomp slowly get to her feet. They locked gazes, and I swore I saw them nod at each other, before, as if in slow motion, my Garchomp keeled over backwards, utterly exhausted.

I felt sick. I was so sure I was going to win, so sure I'd become something all my friends and family could be proud of, and it was snatched away at the last possible second. I recalled my Garchomp, turned, and walked back into the stadium, vaguely aware of the announcer calling out that the winner of the Sinnoh League was Cindy-someone of Somewherestic Town. I had to have some time on my own.

Guess who the other trainer is? Its obvious if you've played Diamond and Pearl. Bit of a low note at the end, but thats nothing compared to the next chapter. Hope the battle was OK. Next chapter tomorrow hopefully. Stay tuned!

Dave