Author's note: From what it says on the 'On the next chapter' segment part of the previous chapter, anyone who guesses correctly that 'Tenshi' is that certain character from Angel Beats will get a cookie. That's right, check out the second author's note at the end of the chapter for more details.

Chapter 10

Tournament Arc Part III - V for Vendetta

"And now, for the first match of the second round, it's between Iris, who wants to become a Dragon Master and Georgia, the Dragon Buster!"

The referee declared, "Alright, battle begin!"

Georgia taunted, "This is the battle I've been waiting for. I hope you're going to pick a Dragon-type Pokemon, Iris."

"In that case, you're right. Go, Dragonite!" Iris sent out her recently caught Dragonite.

Georgia responded, "Looks like Axew isn't her only Dragon-type Pokemon anymore. But I'm gonna win. Go, Beartic!"

The Dragon Buster sent out her Beartic.

Cilan remarked, "It appears Iris is at bad taste. Dragon-types like Dragonite are weak to Ice-type moves."

"Why is that?" Kyon replied.

Yuki replied, "Dragonite is a Dragon and Flying type Pokemon life form. A form of data known as Ice-type moves will increase damage up to 100% on this Pokemon."

"That can't be right, Miss Nagato."

"Yuki's right, Kyon. There are Pokemon that are extremely weak to a specific type of move, therefore knocking them out in one hit," Brendan replied.

Cilan added, "However, it depends on how Dragonite and Beartic fight. There is an outcome that Dragonite will turn the tables no matter how type-disadvantageous it is."

"I'll make the first move. Beartic, use Hidden Power!"

Beartic launches its attack on Dragonite.

"Dodge it!"

The Dragon Pokemon refused to dodge. Instead, it deflected the Hidden Power with its hands.

O'Martian announced, "Instead of dodging, Dragonite countered the Hidden Power with its hands!"

"It indicates that this Pokemon of Iris's is very strong," Alder commented.

"I wonder why that Dragonite isn't listening to Iris's command," Kyon curiously said.

Ash yelled, "Dragonite, you must dodge it!"

"Enough talk! Beartic, Focus Blast!"

Iris angrily yelled, "You have to dodge it this time!"

Once again, Dragonite disobeyed Iris and simply blocked Beartic's Focus Blast with both palms.

"It seems Dragonite is disobeying its trainer. What is that all about?" Kyon asked.

Haruhi replied, "Sometimes it's not easy to raise a Pokemon. In fact there are times when a Pokemon would stray from listening to orders by its trainer."

"It's not the first time when a Pokemon has not obeyed Iris," Cilan added and thought.

"I have had enough of games! Beartic, Ice Beam!"

"You have to dodge it this time, Dragonite!"

Dragonite refused to dodge for the third time, and as a result, it partially coated itself in Beartic's Ice Beam. Iris was shocked.

"Could this be the end?"

"This can be bad if Dragonite gets hit by that Ice Beam, right?" Mikuru asked Cilan.

The latter replied, "You're right. It is of a bad flavor in Dragonite's part."

O'Martian remarked, "It seems Dragonite is not obeying Iris's orders."

"On the other hand, it appears to be of full potential," Alder responded.

"Does this Dragonite have a problem or what?" Ash asked angrily.

Suddenly, Brendan noticed Yuki leaving the sidelines. He wondered, "I wonder what Yuki was up to." He then followed up to her.

Kyon eventually noticed that Yuki was missing. He asked Ash, "Have you seen Miss Nagato?"

"I don't know. Brendan caught up to her to check her out."

"Can I catch up after Miss Nagato?" asked Kyon.

Haruhi yelled, "Kyon, you're supposed to prepare for the next match!"

"Use Ice Beam one more time!"

"Use Flamethrower!"

With one more command from Georgia, Beartic freezes Dragonite with its Ice Beam.

Iris muttered, "Dragonite. . . "

When Yuki went outside the stadium, she noticed a girl standing in front of her. It was none other than Kanade "Tenshi" Tachibana.

Brendan followed up to Yuki. And when he noticed Tenshi standing in front of them, he asked, "Who are you?"

Kanade never said a word.

"You were actually here just to sense that silver-haired girl's presence?" Brendan asked Yuki.

"Yes."

"Don't tell me she would resemble you, Yuki?" Brendan asked her.

"No. The Data Integration Thought Entity never recognized her," Yuki replied.

Kanade introduced herself, saying, "I am Kanade Tachibana. People call me Tenshi even though I don't resemble an angel most of the time."

"What makes you want to show up here?" Brendan asked.

"I am here for Yuri Nakamura. I want to inform her something about Haruhi Suzumiya."

In all of a sudden, Kyon showed up, capturing Brendan's attention.

"What is it?" he then asked to Kanade.

"Kyon, aren't you supposed to be battling next in the tournament?" Brendan asked.

"Iris and Georgia are still battling."

"Ok, now back to the topic. What are you going to say to Yuri about Suzumiya?" Brendan asked.

"That Haruhi is not actually the God that she has been looking for in all of her life."

"So that's the reason why she wants to defeat Haruhi? She thinks that Haruhi is the one true God?" Kyon asked.

Kanade replied, "I tried to inform her once, but she refused and tried to attack me."

Kyon replied and deadpanned, "It becomes more of a mental illusion when that girl thinks that Haruhi is a deity."

"We'll help you out," said Brendan, "Once again, I feel like rubbing my Poke Balls in Yuri Nakamura's face!"

"One more thing," Kyon wondered and asked Kanade, "Who are you?"

"Once again, I'm Kanade Tachibana."

Meanwhile, back in the Junior Cup tournament, Iris's Dragonite is seen charging at Georgia's Beartic with Thunderpunch, hitting it for an effective knockout.

"Beartic is unable to battle. Dragonite wins, and the victor is Iris!" the referee declared.

"And despite Dragonite disobeying her, Iris moves on to the quarterfinals!" O'Martian announced.

"Beartic, return." After recalling Beartic back to its Poke Ball, Georgia exclaimed at Iris, "Technically, I didn't lose to you. I lost to your Dragonite! If you were to become a true Dragon Master, Dragonite would have listened to you!"

"Dragonite, that was a risky move you just did," Iris reprimanded the Dragon Pokemon as it tilted away its face from her.

Outside the stadium, a voice was heard. "Coming up next. The match between Kyon and Tamaki Suoh!"

"Kanade, do you want to watch?" Kyon asked.

Kanade replied, "Yes."

Brendan, Kanade, and Kyon then went back to the stadium as the next match was about to commence.

"Same Pokemon, same moves," Brendan replied to Kyon as he handed over to him the Poke Ball.

"Hasn't it even recovered from its injuries from the last battle?"

Brendan replied, "I sent Eelektross to Nurse Joy last night in the Pokemon Center. And it's now in full health."

When Kyon and Tamaki Suoh went out to the field, O'Martian announced, "And now, the match between Kyon and Tamaki Suoh is now going to commence!"

"Win this for the SOS Brigade!" Haruhi cheered as Kanade watched Kyon in the sidelines.

"Tamaki Suoh will make the first move. Battle, begin!" the referee announced.

"This is one of my fabulous Pokemon, Haxorus!" Tamaki Suoh sent out a Haxorus.

This caused all the fangirls in the audience to squee.

"Who's that Pokemon?" Dawn asked, attempting to scan Tamaki's Haxorus using her Pokedex.

It said, "Haxorus, the Axe Jaw Pokemon, and the evolved form of Fraxure. Its sturdy tusks will stay sharp even when they are used for cutting through steel."

"So that's a Haxorus?" Dawn asked Iris.

Iris replied, "Yes, and it's Axew's final evolutionary form, right, Axew?" Her Axew smiled, saying its name out loud.

"I don't mind if you have more supporters. Eelektross, go!" Kyon once again sent out the Eelektross Brendan loaned to him.

"Wasn't it the same Pokemon Brendan just handed over to Kyon on his match with Kamina?" Dawn asked, also scanning Eelektross in her Pokedex.

It said, "Eelektross, the EleFish Pokemon, and the evolved form of Eelektrik. Eelektross's mouth is capable of sucking in its prey and inflicting it with electric shock at the same time."

"Obviously, I'll make the first move," Tamaki said, "Haxorus, use Leer!"

Using Leer, Haxorus managed to intimidate Eelektross.

"Eelektross, use Thunderbolt!"

"Dodge it, Haxorus!"

Tamaki's Haxorus avoided Thunderbolt.

"Now use Earthquake!"

Haxorus created a shock wave by slamming the ground. The shock wave is then turned into an actual earthquake, shaking the entire battlefield.

"Eelektross, dodge it!"

Unfortunately, Eelektross gets hit by the attack and is knocked away.

Burgundy made tantrums and yelled, "When will that Kyon ever defeat that guy?"

Georgia responded, "What's up with you ranting about Tamaki Suoh anyway?"

"And Haxorus hits Eelektross with an earth-shaking Earthquake attack!" O'Martian yelled on a microphone.

Alder made a slight nod and remarked, "Then that means Haxorus must have Mold Breaker as its ability."

Haruhi wondered, "Isn't Mold Breaker supposed to enable the Pokemon to hit its opponent regardless of its ability?"

"You're correct, Haruhi," Dawn replied, "Hey, Ash. Isn't it the same ability that Roark's Rampardos just activated way back when you were still battling in the Oreburgh Gym?"

Ash thought and said, "Of course! That was the same ability that canceled Pikachu's Static!"

Back in the battlefield, Kyon thought, "Mold Breaker?"

Tamaki Suoh replied, "Yes, Kyon. Mold Breaker is an ability that enables Haxorus to hit its opponent regardless of its ability. And that explains why Eelektross got hit by Earthquake despite the fact that it has Levitate. That's the reason why Haxorus is one fabulous Pokemon."

Haruhi yelled, "Kyon, you're going to get a penalty if you lose!"

"You can do it, Kyon!" Ash yelled.

Kyon thought, "Brendan just told me that Eelektross can use Substitute. Alright, I wonder how it works."

"Your Haxorus will say goodnight with this move. Use Substitute!"

"Haxorus, use Earthquake one more time!"

Haxorus once again used Earthquake to hit Eelektross. But it ended up hitting Eelektross's afterimage of itself.

"How's that possible?" Tamaki Suoh wondered.

O'Martian remarked, "And Eelektross avoids Earthquake with a Substitute attack!"

Alder commented, "Making a clone of itself just to avoid Earthquake is a good strategy that Kyon just used."

"Eelektross, Grass Knot!"

"Haxorus, use Dragon Claw!"

Haxorus charged at the real Eelektross using Dragon Claw. Unfortunately, Haxorus tripped its feet over two blades of grass tied to each other, knocking it out before it could use its attack.

"No, not my fabulous Haxorus!" Tamaki screamed.

"Haxorus is unable to battle. Eelektross wins, and the victor goes to Kyon!" the referee declared.

O'Martian announced, "And Kyon is the second participant to move on to the quarterfinals!"

This caused most of the female crowd to frown, disappointed by Tamaki Suoh's loss.

When Yuri Nakamura was on the opposite side of the bleachers, she noticed Kanade standing beside Ash and his friends as well as the four members of the SOS Brigade.

"It's her again!" she muttered, "I don't want that Tenshi to let them find out about our mission to make sure Haruhi Suzumiya gets eliminated from the tournament!" She then left off.

Kyon approached Eelektross, who was already exhausted.

"Eelektross, you did great again," Kyon said, as he recalled it back to its Poke Ball and returned to the sidelines.

"Kyon, you just made a good thinking about when to use Substitute," Brendan said.

"Well, thanks," Kyon replied, "By the way, what does Substitute do?"

Haruhi replied, "Substitute enables your Pokemon to create a decoy that takes the opponent's attacks."

Brendan added, "For a Pokemon to use the move though, it must use up some of its health. That is Substitute's own version of equivalent exchange."

"Just when did you make an anime reference just to explain how Substitute works?" Kyon muttered.

"Well, I was just exaggerating it."

"And now, the next battle is between Trip and Cilan," O'Martian announced, "The last time the two ever met was in Nimbasa Town's Club Battle Tournament, where Cilan's Dwebble managed to defeat Trip's Gurdurr in an intense match."

Trip and Cilan both went out to the battlefield.

"Because they are pitted up once again to face each other in the quarterfinals, I want to expect the two to do their best," Alder remarked.

Trip glanced at Alder and thought, "I want to prove that I'm worthy of winning this tournament."

Cilan thought, "I see the suspicion that Trip's are going to win this match and eventually, the tournament. But he is facing a gym leader none other than me."

The referee announced, "Let the battle begin!"

"Go, Serperior!" Trip once again sent out his Serperior.

"Prepare for one of my premium brands, Crustle!" Cilan brought out his Crustle.

While the battle was going on, Haruhi Kamisaka was on the preparing for the next match when suddenly, she gets kidnapped by Yuri Nakamura and is released in an empty room.

Kyon was walking on an alley when he suddenly noticed what was going on, and so, he followed and hid into a corner near the room where Yuri just entered.

"Your next opponent is Haruhi Suzumiya, right?" Yuri asked Haruhi Kamisaka.

"Uh, yeah," the latter replied.

"I have a favor for you. If you defeat her in the next match, you will be given a reward from us. You got that?"

"Uh, I don't know. . . . . "

Yuri yelled, "I just wanted to make sure that other Haruhi loses!"

Haruhi Kamisaka replied nervously, "Uh, ok."

Kyon thought to himself, "I know what's going on, she wanted to make sure Suzumiya gets eliminated from the tournament first by letting her opponent make an alliance with that Haruhi lookalike!"

He then left off, causing Otonashi to notice.

"I wonder who was there outside?" he wondered.

When Otonashi checked outside, Kyon was already gone.

Back in the battle, Trip's Serperior is shown firing Frenzy Plant at Cilan's Crustle, effectively knocking it out.

"Crustle is unable to battle. Serperior wins, and the victor goes to Trip!" the referee declared.

"And Trip moves on to the quarterfinals!" O'Martian declared.

Burgundy was not amused when she witnessed Cilan's defeat.

"Why won't you beat Trip already!" she yelled.

Georgia replied, "Why make a rant when you just deemed Cilan as your archrival?"

"Can you imagine how Trip's Serperior was a lot powerful thanks to its Solarbeam and Frenzy Plant?" O'Martian remarked.

"Well, it seems that Trip has gone a long way," replied Alder, which caused Trip to catch his attention. The former pretended to smile as the latter left the arena.

"Whatever. I am going to convince Alder that he is misunderstood about his advice he told to me," Trip thought to himself.

In a corridor, Ash and Cilan met again.

"It's too bad you lost, Cilan," said Ash.

"No wonder Trip and his Serperior pack a powerful taste," Cilan replied.

Suddenly, Kyon rushed in front of Ash and Cilan. He said, "Ash, Cilan, both of you should listen closely. Yuri Nakamura is secretly attempting to make sure Haruhi gets eliminated!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ash replied.

"Can you two recall that one time when I let Koizumi explain about Suzumiya's powers?"

Ash and Cilan replied, "Yes."

"When Haruhi is frustrated, something bad will happen. And that's the possible outcome when she loses in this tournament."

Ash asked, "You mean, the closed spaces and celestials that Itsuki told us about?"

"Yes. If you want to cooperate and stop this, will you two help me out?" Kyon convinced.

"And now, the next match of the second round is between Haruhi Suzumiya and Haruhi Kamisaka!" O'Martian declared.

Alder remarked, "Looks like this is the second time that Haruhi Suzumiya will face off against a challenger who shares her name."

"Now that's what I call a second one Haruhi limit," O'Martian remarked.

"Here, take this Poke Ball. It's the same Pokemon that you used against Fujioka," Brendan said as he handed the Poke Ball to Haruhi.

Suddenly, he noticed Kyon, Ash and Cilan, returning to the sidelines.

"What's up? It's your best friend up against another Haruhi," Brendan said to Kyon.

"What? Another Haruhi? I wonder why do people seem to share Suzumiya's first name like that," Kyon thought.

The referee declared, "Let the battle begin!"

The second Haruhi battle has already started, but who among the two wins it is yet to be revealed. . . . .

To be continued. . . . . . .

On the next chapter:

The battle between Haruhi Suzumiya and Haruhi Kamisaka is now under way. Who among the two will win? And what else will happen in the quarterfinals? Find out in the next chapter of The Best Wishes of Haruhi Suzumiya!

Author's note #2:

For people to wonder who's Haruhi Kamisaka, she's the main character from the anime and visual novel Happiness, even though it's rather obscure compared to the likes of Ouran High School Host Club and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

And if you've been wondering from the previous chapters why Angel Beats takes the spotlight in the Tournament Arc, there is obviously one reason for that. Yuri Nakamura is thought by many to bear an uncanny resemblance to Haruhi Suzumiya.

References:

The chapter subtitle is a reference to the movie and comic book of the same name.

Fullmetal Alchemist