Theme Song
The dark has lost and peace has won (Owen and Charizard look out at Lumiose City from the top of Prism Tower)
Push ahead, go on and run (Owen hops on Charizard's back and Charizard uses Flamethrower on the camera)
Your family's gone, you must stand tall (Ariel and Catherine look like ghosts and put their hands on Owen's shoulders, and he's smiling while tears come to his eyes)
The love's still there, so you won't fall (Brooklyn and the others stand by Owen's sides, and they start running towards the championship stadium at the Kalos League/Grand Festival)
Make them proud and don't look back (A short mantage of Owen battling his rivals with Chesnaught, Greninja, and Tyrantrum celebrating)
Stay strong, go ahead and attack! (All ten of Owen's Pokemon jump in front of him)
When it's lost your bond grows strong (Gengar slowly gets off the ground and Mega Evolves)
Don't second-guess you aren't in wrong (Charizard, Feraligatr, Sceptile, Infernape, Snivy, and Greninja fade out and replace each other)
And when it's done, you'll move on... Pokemon! (Owen vanishes and a girl with gray eyes and brown hair replaces him)
Before I start my usual A/N, I'd just like to address a review (which didn't have any malicious intent, it just bothers me to no end) posted by a guest. When you ask me why I haven't updated, and it has been four days since I posted a chapter, just shut up. I actually have a life (hard to believe, I know), and this isn't the only damn thing I do. Here's a warning for future reviews: If you ask when I will update (unless it's for a new story) or why I haven't, your review will be deleted if you're a guest, or I'll block you if you have an account.
Here we go, the semifinals are here! After Greninja pulled off a narrow victory over Moe's Clauncher, Owen is now facing Tyler in what should be an action packed full battle! Also, three of Owen's old Pokemon have returned for this battle! Now let's get going! P.S: Gyarados' Dragon Dance won't carry over into other battles, assuming he wins
Blaze Falcon: It'll definitely be close. That's about all I've got XD
ShadowDragon9000: What can I say? I'm a trickster :P
SomeGuy (guest): I'm making them straightforward intentionally, because I don't feel I've focused specifically on battles throughout the story. While that's not a bad thing (depending on your stance), I'd like to make sure everything is covered. There will be some chapters not focused entirely on performing or battles, but I can't say anything else
Breana (guest): Lol, yeah I would. I mean, Owen's a fifth year trainer and this is probably one of the best teams he's had, so if he didn't make it to the quarterfinals/full battles, several punches to the face would be deserved
guest: Even though I don't like making certain things obvious, I have in the past (Tyrantrum's evolution, Slurpuff being captured, etc.). That's not to say I am spoiling, but I could be
Beastmode456: Maybe... :P
Defender31415: Once again, no. I don't want to give away all of the chapters titles because I'd like to refrain from having 15+ chapters posted, especially because I tend to change my mind a lot
Guest: I don't think I could name that few, but I'll try. (In no order) Charizard, Goodra, Butterfree, Flygon, and Zangoose are my favorite. My least favorite are (again, in no order) Feebas, Mr. Mime, Zubat, Jigglypuff, and Bronzor, who I loved writing about during Sinnoh
Shion Rasenka: Thank you! And hopefully it's just as good, if not better than the last chapter
The 6th Spectral King: Like I've said to other people, I'm not saying. While I would like to have Owen win because this is his last story, I won't intentionally do that, because most of you are expecting it. However, I don't want him to lose, so if that confuses you... meh
Guest: One, it has only been a few days, so calm down. Two, I actually have a life outside of this website, so that's "wi I wsnt updating"
thefancyaspant (Guest): No, Owen won't be catching any more Pokemon. If he does appear in my new story, then he might catch one or two, but that would be it. And they wouldn't be starters, even though I love Oshawott and wish I made that his starter for Unova
Guest: Ooh that's really tough. I'd have to say it's between Ariel fighting Frank, Owen meeting Brooklyn, or two epilogue chapters I already have done. I can't tell you what they're about, but I can say they were a lot of fun to write
Owen's team for battle
Greninja, (m), level 48, Water Shuriken, Smack Down, Round, Quick Attack, Water Pulse*, Smokescreen*
Gengar, (f), level 53, Shadow Punch, Mean Look, Dark Pulse, Confuse Ray, Sucker Punch*, Shadow Ball*
Chesnaught, (m), level 44, Mega Drain, Needle Arm, Rollout, Vine Whip, Spiky Shield*, Seed Bomb*
Gyarados (m), level 43, Hydro Pump, Dragon Dance, Outrage, Aqua Tail, Dragon Pulse*, Ice Fang*
Skarmory, (m), level 46, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, Spikes, Toxic, Sky Attack*, Drill Peck*
Absol, (m), level 47, Dark Pulse, Swords Dance, Razor Wind, Hyper Beam, Psycho Cut*, Detect*
"Owen? Owen?" a voice called. The teen slowly opened his eyes and looked at the face that was a mere inch from his, and he locked eyes with the person. "Good, you're not asleep," Brooklyn joked before sitting down next to Owen and leaning her head on his shoulder.
"Of course I'm not, it's the semifinals!" the fifteen year old exclaimed with a bright smile. He, Brooklyn, Charizard, and the others were waiting in the trainer lounge, and they were the only people there. The three remaining trainers had yet to show up, but that was because Owen was almost an hour early. "That reminds me... come on out!" In six flashes of light, Owen's Pokemon appeared in front of him and smiled as they stretched out.
"Wow, that's an interesting team," Daniel remarked, impressed by Owen's astounding collection of Pokemon. The Kantonian nodded back at Daniel with a smirk and then looked at all of his Pokemon confidently.
"Today's the big day for you, Absol, Skarmory, and Gyarados. I'm counting on you three to do some damage, because I don't think Tyler knows any of you." The three Pokemon cheered in response and were then withdrawn to their Pokeballs, except Skarmory, Greninja, and Gengar. "Skarmory, I want you know I'm going to be switching you into battle pretty often, so be ready at all times."
"Skar!" the steel type screeched before being withdrawn to his Pokeball, leaving Greninja and Gengar. Before he could say anything to his Pokemon, Owen noticed Tyler walk into the room with three other people. To his left was a girl about his age, while two younger kids - a boy and a girl - were to his right. All four were laughing, but they stopped when Owen and Tyler made eye contact, prompting the younger teen to walk over to Owen.
"What's up, Owen? Are you ready?"
"You bet! We're going to give this battle everything we have," Owen informed the younger trainer, who laughed in response while his friends sat down near Owen's traveling companions.
"Same! Hopefully we battle, because I want to see just how strong we've gotten." Owen nodded at Tyler's statement and the two began discussing what they had done over the course of their travels until two other trainers walked into the room, one being Larenz. He didn't say anything to Owen, however, as he just nodded at him. After another half hour passed, a man walked into the room wearing a headset, and he escorted the four remaining trainers to the battlefield.
"This is it," Owen thought to himself while taking a deep breath. He was standing next to Tyler while they all waited for the announcer to introduce them to the audience, and they walked onto the battlefield as soon as they were told to do so. The crowd exploded with applause while Owen, Tyler, and the unnamed trainer waved. Larenz, meanwhile, kept his head down and didn't respond to his name being chanted.
"Welcome, one and all, to the Kalos League semifinals!" the announcer screamed while pointing at Owen and the others. The crowd continued to scream in support while the announcer paused to build tension. "This year, we have four incredible trainers who are all more than capable of winning this tournament. Now let's introduce the competitors!"
The man slowly walked over to the unnamed trainer and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and began to scream.
"Please give a warm welcome to Fred! Throughout his run, Fred has been through several difficult battles while also cruising in some." One quarter of the crowd, to the left of the trainers, began cheering for Fred, who waved to his fans thankfully.
"Now, let's move on to our second trainer: Larenz!" Suddenly, the crowd began shaking at the mere mentioning of Larenz' name, and another quarter of the stadium - which was in front of the trainers - began screaming. "Larenz has flat out dominated his opponents on way to the semifinals, and has used a blend of strength and aggression to overwhelm anyone, regardless of type advantages."
After moving to Tyler, the announcer took a deep breath and cleared his throat before introducing Tyler.
"Here is our youngest trainer out of the four, and his name is Tyler!" The quarter of the stadium to the right of the trainers exploded with applause for the young trainer, who waved thankfully before regaining his composure. "Tyler has had several close calls during the league, but his creativity and confidence in his Pokemon have pushed him this far."
Finally, the man walked over to Owen, and the quarter of the crowd behind him began screaming.
"And last, but certainly not least, the most experienced trainer of the bunch: Owen! This is Owen's third consecutive appearance in a league semifinals, having reached the championship round in both Sinnoh and Unova! With a plethora of Pokemon at his disposal and unmatched confidence, Owen has pulled out several impressive victories!"
The crowd began to cheer as the announcer walked away from the four trainers and began strolling along the battlefield.
"Now let's turn to the scoreboards to see who will be battling who, thanks to the bracket set at the beginning of the league!" Everyone in the massive stadium turned to the nearest scoreboard and exploded as the two battles were displayed. "In our first battle we have Fred versus Larenz! And in our second, Tyler versus Owen!" the announcer bellowed while Owen and Tyler were escorted back to the trainer lounge. Once the two trainers were off the battlefield Larenz and Fred moved to their trainer boxes while the referee rose his arms in the air.
000
"Wow, that battle got out of hand quickly," Cynthia muttered as Larenz and Fred walked off the battlefield. "That Larenz kid is pretty strong." The four other Champions nodded in agreement before Alder began laughing heartily, and he stared at the scoreboard, which had switched to pictures of Owen and Tyler.
"Now this is going to be a good one. Hopefully Owen's as good as you two say," the oldest Champion said to Cynthia and Wallace, who both brushed off the comment and leaned back in their chairs.
"I don't get why you're so interested in him. I think I speak for all of us when I say we've seen trainers like him before. At first you think they're really good, and then they crumble under the pressure," Lance spat pessimistically. "Hasn't he lost in the Championship round the past two years?"
"What are you getting at, Lance?" Wallace inquired.
"He can't handle the big stage. Face it, none of these trainers are worth being a member of an Elite 4, let alone the Champion of Kalos." The room fell silent as Lance looked down at the battlefield, where he saw Owen and Tyler walking out of their hallways. "This battle isn't even worth watching."
"Why don't you shut up and leave?" Red snapped, catching everyone off guard. The eighteen year old didn't bother looking at the Johto Champion, opting instead to watch the referee step forward and raise his arms in the air. Lance slumped down in his chair and muttered something under his breath while Cynthia and Alder laughed at him.
000
"This semifinal battle will be between Tyler and Owen where both trainers may substitute Pokemon once! Furthermore, once all Pokemon on one side are unable to battle, the battle will be over! Trainers, choose your first Pokemon!" the announcer yelled.
"Go, Pangoro!" Tyler shouted while releasing his first Pokemon.
"Skarmory, let's do this!" Owen exclaimed. The steel bird appeared in front of Owen while a large, bipedal panda stood in front of Tyler with a smug grin. The scoreboards quickly turned on and both Skarmory and Pangoro occupied the first spots next to their trainers' pictures, and the referee spoke up.
"This battle will be between Pangoro and Skarmory! Begin!"
"Pangoro, use Sky Uppercut!" Tyler commanded while pointing at Skarmory. Pangoro grinned as his fist was surrounded by crimson energy, and he charged towards Skarmory. The steel and flying type simply waited for his trainer to counter while the large panda continued trudging across the battlefield, and suddenly Owen's voice rang in Skarmory's ears.
"Take to the sky and use Spikes before Pangoro lands!" Owen countered. Within nanoseconds of the command Skarmory zipped into the sky, and Pangoro jumped after him, which was what Owen wanted. Skarmory then whipped his wings, causing metal spikes to cover Tyler's half of the battlefield, and they disappeared as soon as Pangoro landed, making Owen and his Pokemon grin.
"Damnit! Focus Blast, Pangoro!" Pangoro quickly formed a ball of yellow energy between his hands and hurled it at Skarmory, who, once again, didn't react until Owen spoke up.
"Dodge again and use Toxic this time!" Again, Skarmory showed off his incredible speed by shooting into the air and evading the wicked fighting type attack, and he flew over to Pangoro, who appeared to be enraged by his opponent's dodging. Skarmory then opened his mouth and fired a wad of poison at the dark and fighting type. The status inflicting move struck its target and Pangoro roared in pain as his body flashed purple. Before Tyler could issue another attack, Owen quickly grabbed Skarmory's Pokeball and pointed it at the flying Pokemon.
"Skarmory, return!" With that, the pesky steel type was withdrawn to his Pokeball, and his picture on the scoreboard turned blue. "Chesnaught, you're up!" Owen yelled while hurling his second Pokeball. Once he landed on the ground, Chesnaught smirked upon seeing Pangoro, who smirked right back. The two fighting types began punching one fist into the other.
"This battle will be between Pangoro and Chesnaught! Begin!"
"Attack with Slash!" Tyler commanded, prompting his first Pokemon to run towards his equally large foe. Pangoro quickly reared his right arm back and delivered a devastating scratch across Chesnaught's face, but the grass starter refused to back down.
"Counter with Needle Arm, Chesnaught!" Chesnaught's arm was suddenly covered in dark green energy and he slammed his fist into Pangoro's face, launching the dark and fighting type back to Tyler's side of the battlefield, and he struggled to get back up while Chesnaught cracked his knuckles. Tyler cursed under his breath upon noticing the energized look on Chesnaught's face, but he let out a sigh of relief when Pangoro rose back to his feet. Suddenly, the panda's body flashed purple and he dropped to one knee in pain, making Owen smirk.
"Get in close and use Vital Throw, Pangoro!" Tyler ordered. Pangoro once again trudged towards Chesnaught, but Owen wasn't wiling to be as conservative this time around, and he threw his right arm to his side.
"Intercept with Rollout!" Owen commanded aggressively. Chesnaught quickly began to spin like a wheel before taking off towards Pangoro. The powerful Pokemon attempted to grab Chesnaught, but because of his size and speed, Chesnaught powered through and steamrolled the large panda.
"Pangoro, no!" Tyler cried as the large panda struggled to get back on his feet.
"Wrap this up with Seed Bomb!" Owen yelled while pointing to the sky. Chesnaught grinned and fired several green arrows towards Pangoro, which shot out of the spikes on his shield. The arrows crashed down on Pangoro and exploded on contact, causing large clouds of dust to shoot into the air. Once the dust settled, Pangoro was revealed to have fainted, prompting the ref to raise his arms.
"Pangoro is unable to battle! Tyler, choose your next Pokemon!"
"Thanks for the awesome effort, Pangoro. Sylveon, I choose you!" Tyler shouted, throwing out his second Pokeball. A four legged Pokemon with ribbons flying off its neck appeared in front of Tyler and occupied the second spot on the scoreboard, which was beneath Pangoro's blacked out picture. The fairy type quickly winced as the spikes Skarmory had set dug into her, but she fought through the pain.
"That looks like a strong Pokemon," Daniel said to the others as they were all sitting on the bench on the side of the battlefield. "And Chesnaught's at a disadvantage, so that doesn't bode well for Owen."
"So? A little type disadvantage doesn't determine the outcome," Brooklyn retorted, similar to how Owen would've.
"This battle will be between Sylveon and Chesnaught! Begin!"
"Sylveon, Moonblast!" Tyler ordered. Owen, Greninja, and Chesnaught watched as Sylveon fired a blast of pink energy from her mouth. Surprisingly, the attack struck Chesnaught and he grunted in pain while being pushed back by the force of the attack, but the large grass type managed to stand strong.
"Strike back with Mega Drain, Chesnaught!" Owen countered. Chesnaught nodded and pointed his hands at Sylveon, which caused a spiraling green tornado to whip across the battlefield before striking the fairy type eeveelution. Despite this, Sylveon didn't seem fazed by the powerful attack, and she charged towards Chesnaught.
"Strike back with Draining Kiss!" Tyler countered while pointing at Chesnaught. Sylveon jumped in the air and unleashed a pink heart from her mouth that struck Chesnaught, who grimaced in pain as his health was sapped and returned to Sylveon, whose bruises disappeared instantly. After seeing that, Owen bit his bottom lip and tried thinking of a way to deal massive damage, but he couldn't.
"Get in close with Rollout, Chesnaught!" Chesnaught quickly retracted his limbs and rolled towards Sylveon at a quick pace, but Tyler and his fairy type were more than ready to counter.
"Knock him back with Swift!" Sylveon opened her mouth as Chesnaught reached the middle of the battlefield and she fired a flurry of yellow stars at the grass and fighting type. They exploded on impact and sent Chesnaught rolling back towards Owen, leaving him wide open for another devastating attack.
"Chesnaught, no!"
"Finish this with Moonblast!" Tyler shouted. Sylveon nodded and unleashed a pink blast of energy that engulfed Chesnaught, causing him to cry in pain before being knocked out cold, making the crowd cheer loudly.
"Chesnaught is unable to battle! Owen, choose your next Pokemon!" the referee shouted while Chesnaught's picture turned black.
"You were awesome, Chesnaught, thank you. Skarmory, come back out!" Owen shouted while tossing his first Pokeball in the air. Skarmory appeared once again and his picture returned to its normal color before he squawked at Sylveon, who looked uncomfortable about facing the steel type.
"This battle will be between Sylveon and Skarmory! Begin!"
"Sylveon, use Dazzling Gleam!" Tyler yelled. Sylveon was suddenly covered in bright pink energy before it was flung off her body. The powerful attack then struck Skarmory, but the steel type's resistance allowed him to take it head-on with little repercussions.
"Respond with Steel Wing, Skarmory!" Owen demanded. The teen then watched as Skarmory zipped through the air while his wings turned to steel and he slapped Sylveon across the face repeatedly, making the fairy type cry out in pain before she landed on her back due to the force of the super effective attack.
"Are you okay, Sylveon?" Tyler quizzed as his strong Pokemon got back on her feet. Sylveon nodded back confidently, making the young trainer smile before issuing another command. "Great! Use Last Resort!"
"Skarmory, dodge it with Aerial Ace and use Toxic!" Owen countered. Skarmory nodded and took to the sky once again while Sylveon was covered in gold energy, and then he fired a wad of poison at his female opponent. Sylveon was then hit by the status inflicting attack, but she fought through the pain and fired a blast of gold energy at Skarmory, who was crushed by the attack. After crashing into the ground, Skarmory rose back to his feet and began panting heavily while Sylveon cried in pain as Toxic dealt a hefty amount of damage.
"Now use Swift, Sylveon!"
"Crash through it with Drill Peck!" Owen countered confidently while pointing straight ahead. As Sylveon fired several stars fro her mouth, Skarmory flew straight towards her while spinning like a drill, and his beak started to glow white while extending. He was then shrouded in spiraling white energy and he crashed through the Swift attack, slamming into Sylveon in the process.
"Stand strong, Sylveon. Use Moonblast!"
"Hurry and land a Steel Wing!" As Sylveon began charging her Moonblast attack, Skarmory zipped across the battlefield and smacked her with a vicious Steel Wing, which sent Sylveon flying into the wall behind Tyler.
"Sylveon is unable to battle! Tyler, choose your next Pokemon!"
"Way to tire him out, Sylveon, take a long rest." Tyler then withdrew his fainted Pokemon and took a deep breath while Sylveon's picture turned black. He then smiled and threw his third Pokeball forwards. "Let's rock and roll, Heliolisk!" Owen and Greninja frowned as the electric type appeared, but Skarmory squawked confidently, making Owen decide to leave him in the battle. Heliolisk's picture then occupied the third spot next to Tyler's while the bipedal Pokemon grunted in pain as the spikes appeared and stabbed him before vanishing.
"This battle will be between Heliolisk and Skarmory! Begin!"
"Use Thunderbolt, Heliolisk!" Tyler demanded, wanting to inflict major damage to Skarmory.
"Don't back down, Skarmory! Use Drill Peck and spin as fast as you can!" Owen shouted. As Heliolisk released a zigzagging bolt of electricity, Skarmory tucked his wings into his sides and began spinning as quickly as he could while his break extended. The steel and flying type then powered through the electric type attack, wowing the crowd before Skarmory slammed Heliolisk into the ground, causing a cloud of dust to shoot up into the air.
"Holy crap, that was brilliant!" Lance screamed from the Champions' booth. "I never thought that was possible!"
"You can say that again," Alder remarked with a bright smile. "That kid's got guts."
Meanwhile, Heliolisk slowly got back on his feet and screeched at Skarmory, who squawked right back before taking to the sky and motioning for Heliolisk to charge at him. The electric type turned back to Tyler and grinned when he saw his trainer nod, so he took off running before leaping into the air.
"Send all of your electricity to your tail and combine it with Iron Tail!" Heliolisk quickly flipped around acrobatically while his tail turned to metal, and it was then coated with electricity. The yellow Pokemon quickly smashed his tail over Skarmory's head, sending the flying type spiraling towards the battlefield, but he managed to recover and land on his feet.
"Way to hang in there, Skarmory. Use Toxic!"
"Dodge it, Heliolisk!" Tyler shouted immediately after Owen. As Heliolisk fell to the ground, Skarmory spat a wad of poison at him, which was impossible to dodge. Owen the watched as Heliolisk fell to one knee and screamed in pain while his body turned purple for a split second. Tyler bit his lip worriedly until Heliolisk rose to his feet, and he waved his trainer off.
"Skarmory, let's finish this! Use Sky Attack!"
"Intercept with Spark, Heliolisk!" The two Pokemon nodded at their trainers' orders and charged at each other. Skarmory was covered in a bright red energy and he tucked his wings into his sides to gain more velocity while Heliolisk's body was enveloped in electricity. The two Pokemon then collided, but an explosion of force sent them flying in opposite directions. Everyone in attendance watched as Heliolisk slowly rose to his feet while Skarmory was down for the count, and they cheered for the electric type, who cried in pain as Toxic sapped him of his health.
"Skarmory is unable to battle! Owen, choose your next Pokemon!"
"You were nothing but great out there, Skarmory, thank you," Owen said to his fainted Pokemon while Skarmory's picture turned black.
"Aw, Skarmory did so well," Brooklyn said while pouting. Braixen nodded in agreement with her trainer while Samurott simply watched Owen take a deep breath and grab another Pokeball from his belt.
"I know this is risky, but I choose you!" Owen screamed while throwing the Pokeball in the air. Much to everyone's shock, Owen's red Gyarados appeared and roared so powerfully the stadium began to shake. Heliolisk, meanwhile, grinned confidently while Gyarados peered down at him and scoffed at the smaller Pokemon. The shiny Pokemon's picture then appeared in the third spot of Owen's team, and the referee walked forward while raising his arms in the air.
"What the? Why is Owen using his Pokemon so strangely?" Daniel asked rhetorically, to which Brooklyn giggled quietly. Owen had explained his strategy to her the night before, but didn't want to disclose the information.
"This battle will be between Heliolisk and Gyarados! Begin!"
"Gyarados, use Dragon Dance and follow it up with Hydro Pump!" Owen yelled. Gyarados grinned and several spiraling blue orbs began to spin around Gyarados. Once they disappeared, a red ring of energy flew into Gyarados' body and he roared even more menacingly before. Then, he opened his mouth and unleashed a high-pressured blast of dark blue water at Heliolisk, whose eyes went wide open when he saw the power of the attack.
"Heliolisk, counter with Thunderbolt!" Tyler yelled. Heliolisk nodded and he unleashed a zigzagging bolt of yellow electricity at the powerful water type attack. Much to Tyler's dismay, Hydro Pump smashed through the Thunderbolt and sent Heliolisk rolling into the wall behind Tyler, giving Owen the opportunity to use another attack.
"Dragon Dance again, Gyarados!" Once again, Gyarados was surrounded by spiraling blue orbs that disappeared and were replaced by a red ring of energy that went into the water type's body, making him even faster and stronger than before.
"Damn, this isn't good. Heliolisk, use Electro Web on Gyarados!" Tyler commanded, knowing Gyarados was significantly stronger than before. Heliolisk nodded and fired a web of electricity at his opponent, and it landed on Gyarados, making the shiny Pokemon roar in rage as he was unable to break the web. Owen, however, remained calm and thought of a way he could help Gyarados destroy the painful attack.
"Break through it with Outrage!" the fifteen year old shouted. The entire stadium watched as Gyarados was encapsulated in orange energy, and he began to flail around violently. He then shredded the Electro Web effortlessly before flying over to Heliolisk and clobbering the smaller Pokemon with his tail, which dealt a massive amount of damage.
"Heliolisk, can you keep going?" the younger trainer asked his Pokemon. Heliolisk slowly nodded back, but Owen and Gyarados attacked once again.
"Keep it going, Gyarados! Use Outrage again!" Before Tyler could react, Heliolisk was crushed by Gyarados' tail once again, sending him flying into the air before crashing against the ground, losing consciousness immediately.
"Heliolisk is unable to battle! Tyler, choose your next Pokemon!"
"How did that just happen?" Cindy asked in disbelief while thinking of the type disadvantage Gyarados had to face. The water and flying type, meanwhile, flew through the air before smiling back at Owen, who patted his head.
"Thanks for the effort, Heliolisk, I really appreciate it. Now it's time for my own risk. Charizard, ignite the fight!" Tyler shouted while throwing his fourth Pokeball forwards. Suddenly, a Charizard appeared in front of Tyler and roared powerfully, which was matched by Gyarados roaring back. Charizard stopped roaring, however, when Skarmory's spikes stabbed him before disappearing.
"Hm," Charizard muttered while looking at the winged lizard standing in front of Tyler. "That looks a lot stronger than Maria's Charizard," he said while crossing his arms over his chest. "This is going to be interesting."
"That's right. It looks like those Outrage attacks really winded Gyarados," Blaziken stated as the water and flying type was panting heavily.
"This battle will be between Charizard and Gyarados! Begin!"
"Charizard, use Shadow Claw!" Charizard quickly zipped across the battlefield while his claws extended and began to glow black, and he roared powerfully while rearing both of his arms back.
"Counter it with Aqua Tail, Gyarados!" Owen shouted back. Gyarados flew forwards while his tail was covered in water, and he attempted to whip Charizard. The attacks collided, however, and Charizard's Shadow Claw prevailed. After Charizard slashed Gyarados across the face, Tyler gave his fire type another command.
"Keep going, Charizard! Now use Fire Fang on Gyarados' tail!" The winged lizard swooped down while his mouth was covered in fire and he chomped on Gyarados' tail, making the water type cry in pain. After Charizard flew back to Tyler's side, Owen noticed a burn mark on Gyarados' tail, and the water type appeared to wince in pain occasionally.
"Damnit! Gyarados, are you okay?" The shiny Pokemon nodded back, prompting Owen to issue another attack. "Hang in there, buddy. Strike with Hydro Pump!" Gyarados quickly reared his head back and unleashed a high-pressured blast of dark blue water that struck Charizard, making the fire starter roar in pain as he rolled across the battlefield. Despite the super effective attack dealing an immense amount of damage, Charizard stood up and flew across the battlefield, preparing to dish out another attack.
"Way to stay strong, Charizard. Now use Shadow Claw again!" Charizard reared his arms back while his claws began to glow black, but Owen was more than ready to counter his opponent's attack.
"Bite Charizard's arm with Ice Fang!" Gyarados lunged forward while his teeth turned light blue, and he chomped down on Charizard's right arm, making the fire type grimace in pain while also stopping his Shadow Claw attack. Charizard, however, still had the advantage, as his left arm was free while Gyarados didn't have the opportunity to counter.
"Finish this with Slash!" Tyler screamed. Charizard nodded and slashed Gyarados across the face with his free hand, and he knocked Gyarados out immediately, making the audience explode with applause.
"Gyarados is unable to battle! Owen, choose your next Pokemon!" the referee screamed while Gyarados' turned black.
"What!? How did Gyarados lose to a fire type!?" Eddy screamed in confusion while looking over at Charizard and Blaziken.
"It's not all about type advantages," Blaziken replied simply before Eddy sat down on the bench and waited for Owen's next Pokemon. "Gyarados was really fatigued going into that battle, and Tyler's Charizard is really strong, so there are two things.
"You were amazing, Gyarados, thank you so much." Owen smiled as he withdrew his fainted Pokemon and looked over at Greninja before looking over at his friends, who were all cheering. He then nodded at Brooklyn, who waved back, and Owen threw his fourth Pokeball. "Absol, I need your help!" In a flash of light, Absol landed in front of Owen and stood confidently as his picture appeared underneath Gyarados'.
"This battle will be between Charizard and Absol! Begin!"
"Absol, start this off with Dark Pulse!" Owen shouted, recognizing how injured Tyler's Charizard was thanks to Gyarados' Hydro Pump. Absol quickly opened his mouth and fired a spiraling ray of black energy at Charizard, and the attack landed. Charizard skidded back across Tyler's half of the battlefield before taking to the sky in order to get away from the attack, and then he swooped down.
"Use Flamethrower on Absol!" Charizard suddenly opened his mouth and a wave of fire made its way towards Absol, who took the attack head-on, much to Owen's dismay. After the fire type attack ceased, Charizard landed on the ground and continued to breathe rapidly through his nose, trying to hide his exhaustion.
"Now, Absol, run towards Charizard!" Owen commanded. Absol nodded and bolted towards Charizard, who was shocked to see Absol move at such a high speed, as was Tyler. The two were too slow to react to Owen's next order, which would deal a ton of damage. "Hyper Beam, Absol!" Absol grinned before he fired a beam of orange energy that struck Charizard at pointblank range, which sent the winged lizard straight into the air.
"Hang in there, Charizard! Use gravity to your advantage and land a Flare Blitz!" Owen watched in horror as Charizard recovered and sped towards Absol while he was engulfed in flames. The attack managed to hit Absol, and a wave of fire shot into the air due to the impact. Both Pokemon were then sent rolling back towards their trainers, but they got back up and grinned at each other.
"Absol, let's finish this with Psycho Cut!"
"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Both trainers pointed at the other's Pokemon and waited for the attacks to strike, and the crowd looked on as the two Pokemon charged their attacks. Absol quickly jumped in the air while his horn was glowing light blue and he whipped his head forward, sending a blue crescent of energy at Charizard. Charizard, meanwhile, opened his mouth and unleashed a wave of fire that collided with the Psycho Cut causing an explosion of force. Both Pokemon were hurled across the battlefield and into their trainers and they were unconscious, prompting the ref to raise his arms in the air.
"Both Pokemon are unable to battle! Trainers, choose your next Pokemon!" the ref yelled while both Absol and Charizard's pictures turned black.
"Sorry I underestimated them, Charizard," Tyler said to his fainted Pokemon's Pokeball. "It's time to show Owen just how strong we've become. Frogadier, let's change the momentum!" Tyler shouted as he opened his fifth Pokeball. A Frogadier hopped out of the spherical device and landed on his feet before placing his right hand on the ground while his left went out to his side. The Pokemon was then hurt by Skarmory's spikes, which Owen had forgot about.
"Wow, Frogadier definitely looks more confident!" Owen remarked while looking over at Greninja, who nodded in agreement. "Great job out there, Absol." Owen quickly withdrew his Pokemon and clipped Absol's Pokeball back on his belt before mulling over his decision.
"Hmm... I wonder who Owen's going to choose next. I mean, Greninja's probably stronger than Frogadier, but Gengar can actually dish out some damage," Daniel said aloud.
"I don't know, but this is going to be a very tough battle for either of them. I don't think Gengar has the speed to keep up with Frogadier," Blaziken said while leaning back in his seat.
"Greninja, let's show 'em our strength!" Owen exclaimed, so Greninja ran forward. The two water types bowed to one another respectfully while their pictures appeared on the scoreboard, but they stopped when the referee stepped forward and raised his arms.
"This battle will be between Frogadier and Greninja! Begin!"
"Frogadier, use Quick Attack to get in close and then use Round!" Frogadier nodded before bolting across the battlefield while a white light trailed his body, and he stopped in front of Greninja before humming loudly. Tyler, however, didn't factor in Greninja's quick reactions along with Owen's ability to think of counterattacks, which left Frogadier defenseless.
"Dodge it and use Smack Down, Greninja!" Greninja quickly jumped backwards before firing a boulder at Frogadier, which struck the smaller water starter and sent him rolling to Tyler's half of the battlefield. Once his Pokemon got back up, Tyler breathed a sigh of relief until he noticed the scoreboard, which displayed four fainted Pokemon on both sides while one on each team had yet to be revealed, making the younger trainer tense up nervously. Owen, meanwhile, didn't pay any attention to the scoreboard, and continued to focus on the battle.
"Hang in there, Frogadier! Land an Ice Punch!" Once again Frogadier made his way across the battlefield, but this time his hand was shrouded in icy energy. He then jumped forward and punched Greninja in the face, making the fully evolved Pokemon skid back to Owen, who was ready to issue another counterattack.
"Answer back with Water Shuriken!" Greninja grinned and quickly hurled several mini shurikens at Frogadier, all of which landed. The smaller Pokemon cried out in pain as each shuriken cut his body, and he dropped to one knee in pain.
"Frogadier, are you okay?" Tyler asked in concern before watching his fifth Pokemon stand back up. "Okay, use Smokescreen to blind Greninja!" the younger trainer ordered. Frogadier reared his head back before releasing a cloud of thick smoke from his mouth, which covered Owen's half of the battlefield, blinding Greninja and his trainer. Despite the circumstances, Owen's experience prevailed.
"Throw a Water Pulse on the ground to clear the smoke, Greninja!" Without hesitation, Greninja formed a ball of water in his hands and slammed it on the ground, causing water to shoot into the air and clear the battlefield of the cloud of smoke. This, however, was all a part of Tyler's plan, and the Kalosian chuckled under his breath.
"Ice Punch again!"
"Round!" Owen screamed frantically as Frogadier lunged forward unexpectedly. As the smaller Pokemon threw his fist forward, Greninja opened his mouth and it exploded with sound. Both Pokemon struck each other and sent the other flying, and the crowd reached a feverish pitch. Slowly, both Frogadier and Greninja rose to their feet and smirked at each other before Tyler spoke up over the deafening crowd.
"Now, Frogadier, use Quick Attack and form a Water Pulse in your hand!"
"Do the same, Greninja!" Both Greninja and Frogadier formed balls of bright blue water in their hands, and then they took off at a breakneck pace while white streaks of light trailed their bodies. As they met in the middle of the battlefield, both water starters threw their arms forward and their attacks collided. An explosion occurred immediately and both starters were hurled through the air before landing on the ground harshly.
"Both Frogadier and Greninja are unable to battle! Trainers, choose your last Pokemon!" the referee announced. Both Owen and Tyler stared in shock as both Greninja and Frogadier's pictures turned black, and they walked over to their Pokemon.
"This is so intense!" Cindy screamed while tugging on her hair. "Come on Owen!"
"Yeah, keep it going, Owen!" Brooklyn cheered for her boyfriend. "You can do this!"
"You were so great, Greninja," Owen informed his starter, who nodded with a disappointed look on his face. Owen then placed the frog against the wall behind him, and he walked back into his trainer box confidently, his sixth Pokeball in his hand. "We're gonna win this thing, I promise," he said to Greninja, his back still turned to the Kalosian starter. "Gengar, it's all up to you!" The crowd exploded when Gengar appeared in front of Owen while occupying the sixth spot on the scoreboard.
"Thank you so much for the hard fought battle, Frogadier, take a long rest," Tyler said to the fainted water type before walking back to his trainer box. "Chespin, you've got this!" the young trainer screamed while throwing his final Pokeball in the air. Owen, Gengar, and Greninja watched as the unevolved grass starter appeared in front of his trainer, was beaming with confidence, just like Gengar was. There was a brief pause on his look as Skarmory's spikes inflicted damage on yet another victim, but the confident grin returned when the spikes disappeared. The referee then walked forward after looking at both sides, and he raised his arms straight in the air.
"This battle will be between Chespin and Gengar! Begin!"
"Chespin, use Rollout!" Tyler commanded, wanting to be aggressive and set the tone of the battle. What he didn't know, though, was that Owen had a trick up his sleeve.
"Sucker Punch!" Owen screamed, wanting to get the first attack. Gengar quickly rocketed her arm forward and sent a speeding bullet of black energy at Chespin, which struck the grass type and sent him flying back to Tyler, but he managed to land on his feet and avoid further damage. Gengar cackled to herself while Tyler and Chespin looked on nervously, both noticing the scoreboard.
"Use Leech Seed, Chespin! Then use Vine Whip to fly through the air!" Chespin quickly fired a large sapling from his mouth that struck Gengar, and several vines shot out of it and wrapped around Gengar's body before the ghost was zapped by a red light. Chespin then placed his vines on the ground and used them as a spring to soar through the air, but Owen wasn't fazed by the move.
"Hang in there, Gengar! Use Night Shade to take Chespin out of the sky!" Gengar snapped out of her pain and placed her hands together before unleashing a red ray of energy, which headed straight towards Chespin.
"Counter with Energy Ball!" Tyler yelled in response. Chespin hurriedly fired a ball of green energy at the Night Shade attack, causing an explosion. Smoke covered the battlefield briefly, making Owen smirk as it presented him the perfect opportunity to strike.
"Gengar, use Shadow Punch now!" Gengar hurled her arm forward and sent a shadowy fist through the smoke. Due to its inability to miss, Gengar's Shadow Punch struck Chespin, who didn't expect an attack from his opponent, and it knocked him on his back, which made Tyler flinch.
"Chespin, get up and use Needle Arm!" The tiny grass type got up once again as the smoke cleared, and he ran forward while his arm started to glow green. He then whacked Gengar over the head and she cried out in pain as Leech Seed took away some of her health and returned it to Chespin, who needed every bit he could get.
"Gengar, are you okay?" Owen asked his exhausted Pokemon, who turned and smiled in response. Owen could tell, however, that Gengar was lying, so he looked up and made eye contact with Tyler. "Tyler, this is it! We only have one attack left," Owen informed the younger trainer with a grin.
"Haha, so do we, let's see who'll win. Chespin, use Solarbeam!" the younger boy commanded while pointing at Owen and Gengar.
"Gengar, give 'em a max power Night Shade!" Owen screamed as he punched the air in front of him. The two Pokemon quickly charged their attacks and let them loose. The attacks then collided in the middle of the battlefield and began to battle back and forth until Gengar slowly started gaining the upperhand. "Keep it up, Gengar! You can do it!" Owen cheered. Greninja slowly rose to his feet and cheered for his teammate, who overwhelmed Chespin after hearing the support. All Tyler could do was watch as Gengar's Night Shade engulfed Chespin's tiny body and sent him flying into the wall before he fell on the ground with his eyes closed.
"Chespin is unable to battle! That means Owen is the winner!"
"YEEEAAHH!" Owen screamed as he ran forward and hugged Gengar. The ghost type beamed at her trainer's actions as he pulled away, and then she laughed as Charizard tackled Owen in celebration.
"We did it!" the winged lizard cheered along with Blaziken while Owen's friends watched on joyously.
"Owen," Tyler called while looking at the ground. Owen turned his gaze to see Tyler, who stuck his hand out while still looking at the ground. "Congrats."
"Come on, Tyler, keep your head up! That was an incredible battle, and you almost won! You shouldn't be sad about that," Owen exclaimed while putting his hand on the younger boy's shoulder. Tyler slowly looked up and cracked a smile before shaking Owen's hand and nodding.
"You're right! Thanks for the compliment, and good luck in the championship! I'll be rooting for you."
000
After celebrating his victory, Owen and his friends made their way back to the trainer complex and their apartment while Charizard, Greninja, and Blaziken lagged behind and talked about their upcoming battle.
"I still can't believe you won! That's incredible!" Daniel exclaimed while patting Owen on the back.
"Yeah, and you get to battle Larenz, of all people," Cindy remarked while thinking back to Owen's battle with the aforementioned boy. "He's going to be really tough."
"Don't worry about that, I have notes on the strengths and weaknesses of all his Pokemon," Eddy informed Cindy and Owen with a grin. He then took out a notepad that was full on scribbles and wacky arrows, making Owen laugh.
"Thanks, Eddy, but I'm not going to use any of those scouting reports. I don't want to get too caught up in this whole thing," Owen informed the eight year old, who frowned in response. "I really appreciate it, though."
"If you're not going to use any notes, how are you going to make a strategy to battle Larenz?" Brooklyn inquired as the group reached the door to their massive apartment, which Owen opened.
"My strategy is to not have one," Owen answered nonchalantly. "All I'm going to do is go out there and give it my all. If that's not enough, then so be it." With that, Owen walked into the apartment and turned the lights on before nearly jumping through the roof.
"Congratulations, Owen!" CJ and Fate screamed as they walked forward and congratulated their friend.
"Fate? CJ? How'd you guys get in here?" Owen asked in confusion before Brooklyn cleared her throat, which made Owen grin and put his arm around his girlfriend. "I'm guessing she told you the news."
"We were actually in the crowd," CJ answered.
"And we'll be on the sidelines tomorrow, cheering you on."
"Well thanks, guys. I'd love to stay up and talk, but I'm really tired, so I'm calling it a night," Owen informed the group as he walked towards his room on the second floor. Greninja followed while Charizard and Blaziken stayed to talk with CJ and Fate. Once he reached his room, Owen made his way to the deck outside and he sat down in one of the dozen chairs. Greninja sat down next to his trainer and watched as Owen released the seven other Kalosian Pokemon, and he looked at all of them before turning his attention to the moon.
"I'm going to win, Larenz. I won't lose again!"
That's a wrap! Owen is now heading to his third (yes, third!) straight appearance in the finals of a league, and he will be squaring off with Larenz. Next chapter, however, will not be the battle. Instead, it'll be the buildup to the championship, and that's about it. Till next time, peace out
Next Chapter: "Reflecting on Failure": The night before the championship approaches, and Owen takes time to look back on his league losses. While doing so, he meets a big fan, who attempts to help him overcome his struggles.
Final Competition Arc (More to Come!)
Chapter 77: Go Go, Gengar! Mega Evolution Awaken!
Chapter 78: Pick Your Poison
Chapter 79: Changing Styles
Chapter 80: The Grand Festival Begins!
Chapter 81: Quarterfinal Mayhem
Chapter 82: Bowing Out
Chapter 83: Reaching for Dreams