Chapter 14: Through Thick and Thin, I'll Be By Your Side!

"There's a pattern I've noticed between the pair of those two coordinators… Dawn and Goh, was it?" Matilda's pen was nestled comfortably in her pocket, the woman feeling the metal stylus with her finger from the outside of the cloth, "And quite the fascinating history, it would seem as well."

Inside the small and private meeting room in the Hearthome City Contest Hall, the four judges convened over their decision on which of the two coordinator pairs would be moving on to the explosive and intense finals of the contest, the Battle Stage. The task, however, was quickly realized to be a difficult one as yet again, the judges had exceptionally good choreography scores for each of the contestants that had made it to the second round.

"To say that I'm at a bit of a loss on how to proceed would be an understatement," Mr. Contesta rubbed his chin with a finger as he stared at the eight portraits in front of him, "They all performed exceptionally well."

"Yes, all were quite remarkable, indeed…" Mr. Sukizo leaned back in his seat, the little man giving a quizzical expression, "If only that made this decision any easier."

"C'est très difficile," Pierre adjusted his top hat, "Do you have any differing opinions, Mademoiselle Matilda?"

The Galarian woman's notebook was filled with lines upon lines of ink as she had begun to jot down observations and musings ever since the judges had entered the meeting room. Clicking her pen, she set aside the stylus as she spoke, "I have my reserves for who should be advancing to the finals, but I fear that this will sway the rest of your votes for the sake of reaching a unanimous outcome."

Contesta shook his head, giving the floor to the headmistress, "Not at all. Enlighten us, if you may."

Matilda arose from her seat, and tapped the massive touchscreen display in front of her. Video footage of each of the four dance routines began to playback, with the judge first coming to a stop on one in particular, Kenny and Ursula's folklórico.

"Ah, yes. Such creative use of outfits and material…" Contesta nodded along. Matilda chuckled.

"It is an aspect, I agree. But there's much more happening than simply the performances the coordinators give," Matilda tapped her pen on the display.

"Whatever do you mean, Mademoiselle?" Pierre inquired.

"I feel that these coordinators are at war," Matilda responded, earning curious and confused looks from the men listening to her speak, "But not with each other."

"At war…?" Mr. Sukizo asked for more clarification.

"I can see it in their eyes, through those masks that they wore, and even before they started their first appeal. Temper and fire drive them," Matilda continued her observations, "It is what powers their creativity, and has given us some of the most unorthodox results to behold. Even for a veteran judge such as myself, never have I seen such workarounds in a dance to prevent close proximity turn into an entirely new concept and method to showcase."

Mr. Contesta, the Head Judge, drummed his fingers on the table he leaned over, "Fascinating observations. You clearly do have an eye for the finer details."

"Hmph. I'm flattered," Matilda cracked a grin at the man before tapping the next set of coordinators, "And now we come to the real enigma. Dawn, from Twinleaf Town, and Goh, from Vermillion City."

"You believe this is the other team that should advance to the finals?" Pierre asked, earning a wave from Matilda.

"Let me make my reasonings, first," Matilda stopped the Kalosian man as she continued, "This team is quite the opposite compared to the duo that we had just analyzed."

"Explain," Contesta requested.

"Both Dawn and Goh… seem to be in perfect synchronization with one another at even the most impossible of circumstances… of which we've already seen," Matilda glanced back as she revealed her most critical observation, "And I've deciphered those circumstances. Those two have been improvising."

"Improvising?" Pierre raised an eyebrow, "Surely you cannot call that magnificent dance they had performed for us to be… done on the fly? C'est impossible."

"Au contraire, Monsieur Pierre," Matilda chuckled, "It wasn't a dip that had started the second half of their routine, nor was it one that had ended it. The boy had caught the girl from a fall."

"A mistake…?" Contesta was flabbergasted at how he had missed such a critical detail.

"Yes. A mistake that somehow… became part of their dance. Together. And yet… it was seamless. Superb…" Matilda kept articulating her words, "I don't think it's luck. The talent, whether honed, or very likely in Goh's case, natural, must be exceptional in order to pull off that sort of recovery. And besides…"

Matilda gave her final thoughts, "It's very rare that the coordinators' choreography is in any way comparable to their Pokémon. For that reason, the two deserve commendation."

The judges looked at each other for a brief second before nodding one by one as Matilda took her seat once more.

"I believe we've broken past our deadlock," Contesta pursed his lips, earning similar reactions from Sukizo, Pierre, and Matilda.

The judges each touched two pairs of portraits on the screen, and the finals were locked in.

Lemonades had been downed, spirits were raised, and together, Dawn and Goh stood in front of the display screen in the coordinator waiting room along with Serena and Lisia, as well as Zoey and Nando.

The four sets of portraits on the television stood together until a brief pause in the moving graphics of the TV caused the display to stutter, until it refreshed.

Only four portraits remained from the eight.

On one end was Kenny and Ursula's.

The other consisted of-

"No way! We made it!" Dawn clasped her hands together and jumped for joy, "We actually made it to the finals!"

Goh rubbed his eyes. The moment of disbelief was quickly erased by Dawn's outburst, the boy glancing to his left to see the absolutely overjoyed girl celebrating next to him, stopping as she caught his eyes, and gave him a smile. Goh let out a chuckle as he beamed with delight, "Yeah, I can't believe it either!"

Zoey sighed, taking a step back before giving Dawn and Goh a warm grin, "Hey, 'grats, you two. You deserve it!"

Nando gave a gentle smile as he too congratulated the coordinators on making it to the last round, "You two have really surprised me. I think the judges have made the right decision to let both of you advance."

Dawn and Goh turned towards the other contestants, with Dawn giving a saddened look at her friend, "Yeah… sorry, Zoey. I really wish we could have battled in the finals, just like at the Grand Festival!"

Zoey waved her hand, "It's okay, Dawn. Really. I'm just glad that I even got to come here in the first place."

Nando blinked at Zoey's comment, then gave a reserved grin. He was thankful that with their run in the contest complete, he was able to ease the burden that Zoey had carried on her shoulders regarding her first reactions to the boy when they met.

Lisia gave a sigh as she saw the results of the bracket advancements, "Wow, beaten at our own game… huh, Serena?"

Serena glanced back at the other idol, "Aww, I think the two deserve it, honestly. You two performed such a beautiful dance~!"

Goh flashed a toothy grin as he fixed his gloves, "Ah, thanks for the compliment!"

"Thanks…~ Serena…~!" Dawn secretively glared and ground her teeth at Serena, the girl in the orange idol outfit winking and giggling at the coordinator in the white dress.

Then, the group of coordinators spotted the other finalists making their way towards the party. The first word wasn't spoken by Ursula this time, but rather by Goh, who confidently crossed his arms and gave a side-glance at their soon-to-be opponents, "Huh, surprised that someone like me would be in the finals?"

"Uh, yeah," Ursula rose an eyebrow, "With that cheap and tacky dance, I'm absolutely disgusted that the judges thought you two out of anyone should be at our level. Guess that goes to show how much of a fluke both of you are."

"Oh yeah? I think we'll be seeing who's a fluke real soon!" Dawn grit her teeth as she and Ursula glared at each other, the tension so great that the others could feel static electricity building in the air.

As Goh was about to move in to help Dawn calm herself, Kenny took a step forward, a hand on his hip as he spoke up towards his opponent in the Battle Stage, "Goh."

The boy in the white tuxedo didn't say a word to his rival in the black suit; Kenny continued anyways, "I want you to show me the reason when we're on the battlefield."

"Reason?" Goh tilted his chin up, confused at the boy's proposition.

"You know what it is," Kenny turned his back to the boy as Ursula and Dawn were wrapping up their spite towards each other, "We'll see who truly deserves to be with Dawn."

Goh's eyes narrowed at Kenny. On one hand, the boy had no clue what Dawn's childhood friend was going on about. On the other hand… there was a seed that had been planted in the back of his mind, and only just recently, it began to sprout. The feeling of Goh's obliviousness to Kenny's implications had, even if Goh himself denied it, begun to be undone.

The boy felt his fist clench.

"This isn't about that," Goh thought to himself as he saw Dawn taking a deep breath after she and Ursula exchanged vitriol, that signature smile returning to her face as she looked back at Goh, and told him that there was no need to worry about that little skirmish, "It's about her future!"

The Pokémon catcher-turned-coordinator looked down at his open palm, and tightened his fingers into it to form a fist, "And right now, it's in the palm of my hand!"

Then, Dawn gasped, grabbing the back of her hair with her fingers, "W-Wait a minute! I need to go get Piplup! Conway was watching- oh noooo!"

"P-Piplup isn't with you?" Zoey asked, "Wait, Conway is watching Piplup?! That guy?!"

Goh blew a raspberry as he scratched the back of his head, looking around, "Y'know, for a guy who makes unexpected entrances… the only time we're expecting him, and he's nowhere to be seen!"

"Hey! You can't get back there! That room is for the coordinators, only!" the staff member held his arms wide across as Conway stood in front of the burly man, the boy holding Piplup in his arms.

"This Piplup is one of the coordinator's Pokémon for the battle, so let me in! I have a backstage pass anyways!" Conway argued, his temper now overpowering his calm and collected manner.

"That pass is only for the gathering hall, not the waiting room!" the contest crew pointed out, "What are you even doing with a coordinator's Pokémon, anyway? I bet you're just lying so you can get more autographs-!"

"Rooookey!" Grookey suddenly leaped from Conway's shoulder, doing what it does best. Jumping onto the man's face and taking out its stick to bonk him over the head again and again, Conway seized the moment of opportunity to slip past the guard, running down the hallway with an astonished Piplup.

"Thanks, Grookey!" Conway called back as the little Grass-type used the man's face as a springboard to leap after the sprinting Pokémon maniac, the group of three turning a corner to burst into the coordinator waiting room, earning a surprised look from all of the contestants that were present, including May and Drew, who had just managed to make it back from the audience in order to wish Dawn and Goh luck.

Conway panted as his lungs desperately tried to fill with oxygen, "H-Here's Piplup, Dawn! Congrats on- wheeze- making it to the finals!"

"Pip-Pipluuuuup~!" Piplup leaped from Conway's hold into Dawn's arms, the little Penguin Pokémon crying tears of joy as it was reunited with its precious Pokémon trainer.

"There you are! Oh, I've missed you~!" Dawn giggled as the Pokémon snuggled into her neck, "Okay, okay! Hey!"

Goh sighed in relief. There's that problem taken care of. Now, he and Dawn really were ready to head into the fray, and face their final test together.

Before that, Goh patted the shoulder of Conway, who was doubled over and still panting from his marathon sprint, "Hey, thanks for your help, Conway. I'd gladly share some more Pokédex data with you if I get the chance."

The Pokémon maniac instantly recovered, his glasses shimmering as they reflected light, "Now those are words I like to hear! Heh… heh…"

Then, the door to the waiting room began to open once more. Conway immediately sensed who was about to barge on through, and took off towards another exit to double back into the stadium to blend back in with the crowd, waving a hasty goodbye as he sprinted off with Grookey. Dawn and Goh simply stared, flabbergasted.

"Come on… pick up…!" Chloe frantically punched in a phone number on her house's landline, waiting for the recipient to pick up. The call was answered quickly, as Ash had been watching the livestream of Dawn and Goh's contest on his Rotom Phone.

"Oh hey, Chloe! What's up?" Ash brought the device to his cheek as Pikachu could sense the incoming chewing out, opting to scurry off the bed.

The girl didn't waste any time in shouting through her phone, causing Ash to yelp in pain as his ear took the triple-decibel assault, "Ash, I just saw Goh with Dawn on live TV in a contest! There's something that he's told you that he didn't tell me, isn't there?!"

Ash rubbed his ear with his palm before recovering from the screaming blast of his phone's speaker, "Well… uh… y'see…!"

"Ash, don't play dumb with me! You're an even worse liar than Goh is!" Chloe fumed over the phone, "What on earth has he been up to?!"

The boy fell back on his bed, innocently blinking his eyes, "Well… when we were in Sinnoh, and I was having some rematches… Dawn told me that she'd help Goh out by having him enter into a Pokémon contest with her!"

"T-Together in a contest like that…?" Chloe's cheeks grew a faint red as images of the two laughing together and growing close flashed through her head. Of course, she immediately leaped to the conclusion of her two friends becoming star-crossed lovers through thick and thin, "I can't believe it… it's just like that romance novel I've been reading!"

Chloe began to gush about all sorts of details buried within the deep, dark recesses of the multi-book light novel series she had recently gotten obsessed over to the boy who, in all honesty, probably didn't understand a single word she said.

"Dawn and Goh coming out on the stage together… i-it's like book number three! The Pokémon Trainer and the Idol!" Chloe squealed in delight as she picked up her cellphone to multitask, sending yet another tidal wave of messages to Goh, "I need to know EVERY detail! W-Wait… have they kissed yet?! I must know!"

Ash chuckled, waving his hand subconsciously, "Chloe… I think you might be overreacting a little."

The schoolgirl's grip on her phone tightened as she screamed back at her friend on the other end, "Ash, I literally saw Dawn and Goh come out on stage, holding hands!"

The boy shrugged, "But… I've held hands with girls before. I don't get what the big deal is-"

"YOU WHAT?!" Chloe's cellphone and landline both clattered to the floor as she fumbled with both of the devices in pure shock.

Conway let out a heave of exhaustion as he managed to sneak his way back into his seat, glancing up towards the walkways of the stadium to find that he had left the crew member that was searching for him dumbfounded. The Pokémon maniac took off his glasses to wipe the fog that had grown on the lens with his shirt as Grookey took its seat next to the boy, anticipating Piplup's big debut in the contest. After cleaning the spectacles, Conway tapped his fingers on the armrest, and leaned forward, "You know, I really can't believe they made it this far."

"Rook!" Grookey held up its pom poms, opting to be the sole cheerleader for the upcoming Battle Stage.

Conway chuckled, adjusting his glasses on his nose, "Now I guess we'll have to see how much that training mattered for the two."

Then, a spotlight flicked on, illuminating the battlefield that had arrived on the contest grounds using a state-of-the-art field-switching mechanism, indicative of the kinds found at Pokémon League stadiums. As it was a Pokémon contest, the field opted for a perfectly smooth and flat battle area in order to minimize the clutter the zone could have that might disrupt spectacular contest combinations. Plus, it gave a nice, solid view of whatever action that would be happening on it to anyone spectating.

Both the boy and the Pokémon anxiously waited as Marian walked onto the battlefield, throwing up her arms as the crowd realized that the final round was about to start.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and Pokémon of all shapes and sizes!" the announcer smiled as she received the go-ahead from the judges that had returned to their booths, "It's finally the moment you've all been waiting for: The Battle Stage!"

The crowd erupted with excitement at the prospect of such spectacular performances being combined into an explosive battle for all to see.

"I have a feeling that a lot of you have been patiently waiting, so without further ado, let's get right into it!" Marian motioned with her hands towards both opposing sides of the field, the crowd picking up in intensity once more as the two finalist duos emerged from the stadium entrances.

"On the red side, we have the team of Ursula and Kenny!" Marian announced the arrival of the rivaling pair to Dawn and Goh, the two walking towards their place on the battlefield with solid, yet differing strides. Ursula's demeanor was one of sharp snide and focus, the girl keeping one hand on her hip as she sassily walked with her contest partner. Kenny, on the other hand, didn't bear a smile on his face. His eyes were narrowed with fierce determination and laser-sharp precision at how much this battle was going to mean to Goh, to Dawn, to Ursula, and to himself.

"With their creative concepts and interpretations of performances, it's got me shaking with anticipation on how they've managed to translate into battling skills!" Marian commented as the introduction to the red side was complete, "No doubt, we're about to see their style and wit clash with their opponents on the blue side! Give another welcome to Dawn and Goh!"

"There they are!" Conway crossed his arms at the sight of the other duo emerging onto the contest grounds, with Grookey shaking its pom poms to cheer for its trainer and his friend, "Rooook~!"

Together, Dawn and Goh approached their side of the arena, stoically grinning. They gave a quick glance at each other to silently convey, "Yeah, we're really here!"

"We've been absolutely wowed and surprised at each of the performances these two have given us, and no doubt we'll be wowed once more in the final round!" Marian gave the last bit of announcement before she turned towards each team of coordinators standing on their ends of the battlefield, "Coordinators, the time limit will be set to five minutes!"

Goh and Dawn tightened their grips on their Pokéballs. Kenny and Ursula unhooked theirs.

"Kenny and Ursula, are you ready?" the woman asked the first of the two duos.

"Ready!" Kenny replied; the boy prepared to send out his Pokémon partner.

"Oh yeah…" Ursula's finger ran over the metal capsule in her hand.

Then, Marian turned her head towards the other pair of coordinators, "Dawn and Goh, are you ready?"

"Ready!" the two sounded off at once, their eyes poised straight ahead at their opponents.

With a grin, Marian threw up one of her hands, and chopped down in one big motion, indicating that the battle for the two contest ribbons had commenced, "Battle… begin!"

"Piplup, spoooot-light!" Dawn's dress flared as she gave a spin, throwing her Pokéball up into the air.

"Inteleon, let's do this!" Goh effortlessly threw his capsule alongside Dawn's.

Together, both Pokéballs opened up, and a screen of mist burst from Inteleon's sphere. A large bubble floated up from the vaporous cloud, with the tiny Piplup standing on top, puffing its chest out in a smug and proud guise. Inteleon emerged from the haze down below, the contrails of vapor and steam rolling off its tall and slender form as it revealed itself onto the battlefield.

The bubble popped, and Piplup landed effortlessly on its webbed feet in front of Inteleon, giving a proud and confident, "Piplup!"

"Intel," Goh's Pokémon partner braced itself for whatever its opponents were about to send out.

"Dawn and Goh have sent out Piplup and Inteleon! Both Water-types, but such different energy radiating from them!" Marian called out as the crowd gasped at the appearance of two similar-typed battle partners.

Kenny took a step back, gripping his Pokéball with both hands and hurling it high into the sky, his tailcoats flying up as he followed through on his pitch, "Empoleon, let's go!"

As the Pokémon's name was called, Piplup's uppity demeanor was stripped, the little penguin steeling itself as the name of the apex of its species was announced. A gigantic waterfall roared from the Pokéball high up above the field, masking the appearance of one of the two opponents that Piplup and Inteleon would be facing, crashing down onto the battlefield in a torrential downpour.

Then, Ursula unleashed her Pokéball into the waterfall.

"Garchomp, my dear, let's win this!" Ursula gave a sideways toss of the metal sphere in her hand into the pouring waterfall, laughing as she let the little device fly, "Hah-hah!"

Dawn's smile broke as she heard the name of Ursula's Pokémon that would be joining the field alongside Kenny's Empoleon, "She evolved Gabite…"

Piplup's demeanor changed to growing concern, as Inteleon narrowed its eyes, still holding its reserved and suave posture.

From the waterfall, two hooked claws pierced through the veil, separating the massive downpour-like curtains as together, Kenny and Ursula's battle partners trudged onto the stage through the waterfall. Empoleon's bulky and solid structure heaved as the trident-horned Water- and Steel-type didn't waddle, but trudged into place. It sharpened its razor-sharp flippers as it grunted a simple, yet intimidating, "Empol…"

Ursula's Pokémon snarled, growling as the imposing dark-blue-scaled and red-underbellied Dragon- and Ground-type monster threw its finned arms to its side, roaring in might as it was finally out of its Pokéball, and loose on the stage, "Gaaaraaaahhhhhh!"

"Hmmm… Empoleon and Garchomp… quite the matchup for Piplup and Inteleon…" Conway analyzed, stroking his chin, "I do wonder if Kenny and Ursula might have suspected a third showing from Cinderace…"

"Rook! Rook! Rook!" Grookey cheered frantically.

Before Dawn and Goh could even get their thoughts together after witnessing the merging lineup of Kenny and Ursula's Pokémon partners, their opponents pulled the trigger, and made the first move.

"Empoleon! Hydro Cannon!" Kenny thrust his hand out, watching as Empoleon's beak opened wide, and a gigantic plume of energized water morphed in front of its face, glowing with unbridled power and energy.

"Piplup! Inteleon!" Dawn and Goh both reacted in response to the charging attack and relayed their order at the same time, "Dodge it, quick!"

As the two Water-types anticipated the projectile building over Empoleon to launch at them, Ursula scoffed at the display, pointing her finger in a lazy expression, "Pffft. Idiots. Garchomp, Dragon Claw!"

"Grrgh…" Garchomp snarled as it suddenly thrust its hooked claws into the conjuring Hydro Cannon, and wrenched apart the glowing orb to form two crackling and swirling battering rams of rushing water and draconic energy.

Dawn and Goh took a step back in shock as Ursula gave the command to attack, and Garchomp rushed forwards with blistering speed. Their greatest fears were realized as the combination attack connected with both Piplup and Inteleon's chests, sending them flying backwards. The crowd roared with excitement at the powerful appeal move landing, with Ursula and Kenny grinning as they already managed to get a big hit in.

"Oh no…!" Dawn grit her teeth as she saw Piplup pick itself back up, the horrendous sound of their team's points ticking away on the display monitor piercing through the sounds of battle.

Inteleon pounded a fist on the floor as it strained to recenter itself after the devastating blow, grunting as Goh took initiative, "Dawn, let's go for Emploleon! It needs to recharge after using Hydro Cannon!"

"Right! Piplup, let's go for Hydro Torpedo with Inteleon! Use Drill Peck!" Dawn seized the opportunity to strike back at the heaving Water- and Steel-type on the opposing side, watching as Piplup recovered from the first stage of damage it took and partnered up with Inteleon.

"Liquidation! Launch Piplup!" thrusting his hand towards Empoleon, Goh commanded Inteleon to activate Liquidation with its tail, coat Piplup in a surging layer of crackling water, and throw it with a spinning motion, further accelerating Piplup's watery Drill Peck.

"Ugh, and you're back to giving stupid names for your stupid appeals!" Ursula groaned, then pointed at Inteleon, "Dragon Claw, Garchomp!"

"Guuragh! In-tel!" Inteleon could only bring up one of its slender arms in a last-ditch effort to guard against the attack; Goh winced as the powerful Garchomp's Dragon Claw connected with Inteleon's limb, knocking it aside before sweeping back around and striking another blow to the side of its face.

"Luuuuup~!" the little Penguin Pokémon roared in vengeance at the sharp hisses of its battle partner's pain that reached its ears, striking with a shrill drilling noise as Kenny instructed Empoleon to hold up its flippers to defend itself.

"Looks like we're trading blows here, but we'll have to see if Piplup and Inteleon's combination can get past that Empoleon's impenetrable-"

"LUUUUP~!"

"E-Empol?!"

Marian's commentary was cut off as the Emperor Pokémon's defenses were overcome by the aquatic missile that hammered at its flippers, breaking through the phalanx and striking a devastating blow to the white chest of Kenny's Pokémon partner.

"What?!" the auburn-haired coordinator grit his teeth at the sight of his powerful Empoleon being driven back by its smaller pre-evolved form, and the points that he and Ursula began to bleed as a result, "Hit it back with Steel Wing!"

"Empoool-!" the much larger aquatic Pokémon raised a flipper, the limb gleaming in the spotlight over the battlefield as it hardened to the strength of titanium, and swung the bladed wing down towards Piplup, "-Leon!"

"Drill Peck, Piplup!" Dawn called out to her faithful partner. Piplup's beak once again elongated, and rotated at incredible speed, holding the tip up to collide with the sword-like wing that smashed down, sparks leaping from the contact point of the two attacks.

Empoleon raised its wing up again and again, striking down at Piplup who expertly played the angle of attacks to deflect and dodge the far more brutish attacks with its own hasty application of precision.

Ursula scowled, barking her command through the heat of battle "Before Inteleon recovers, Flamethrower on Empoleon!"

The crowd witnessing the spectacle of battle gawked, as did Conway and Grookey when Garchomp turned away from the straining Inteleon, and let loose a jet of fire straight at Empoleon. With a thrust of its Steel Wing, Empoleon shoved Piplup away as it brought its sharpened wings into an X-formation in front of its face, tanking the Flamethrower directly as the fire rolled off of its Steel Wing and crawled over the Pokémon's form, flickering into embers behind it.

When Garchomp shut its maw, and the Flamethrower stopped, Dawn and Goh bore witness to a horrible sight, as did Piplup as it was standing just in front of the towering Pokémon. Empoleon's Steel Wing now glowed a blisteringly-hot red, with heat shimmer searing off of its flippers as the air around the Pokémon's wings blurred ominously.

Empoleon brought its molten wings together, and ground them together to produce an ear-wrenching "KRRRRRSHHHHHHH~" as the superheated wings rasped and produced sparks.

"Empol…!" the menacing Pokémon sliced into Piplup, striking it with a monstrously powerful blow and igniting the poor little penguin, sending it flying into the air in a fireball. The crowd winced at the devastating blow, and a massive swath of points drained from Dawn and Goh's team.

"Piplup!" Dawn frantically called out as she saw her conflagrated partner barrel down to the ground, the flames flickering off of its little form as it struggled to get back on its webbed feet. Empoleon approached, its wings still glowing red-hot as it still had enough energy to make another attack.

"Such a devastating combination attack!" were the only words Marian could announce at the sight of the crackling wings of Empoleon.

Ursula took an opportunity to strike while Dawn's Pokémon partner was down.

"Garchomp, Flamethrower on Piplup-" Ursula began.

"Snipe Shot!" Goh shouted with vigor.

As Garchomp's jaws opened once more, and just as Flamethrower jettisoned out, Inteleon recovered and slid into the path of the incoming blazing torrent. It took aim with its finger, and fired.

"In-tel!" the suave Pokémon hissed as the blisteringly fast spear of water pierced down the center of Flamethrower, blossoming the fire outwards as it traveled further and further up the stream before connecting with Garchomp's mouth in a thunderous explosion.

"Raaaagh!" Garchomp writhed as its jaw expunged steam from the detonation, the Dragon- and Ground-type patting its mouth with its fins from the extremely uncomfortable taste that was in its maw.

"Nice going, Goh! You too, Inteleon!" Dawn cheered for the boy, as did Piplup as it began to recuperate from the heavy attack it had just suffered, "Pip-lup-lup!"

"Dawn, look out for Empoleon!" Goh desperately relayed to his contest partner, who snapped back to the situation at hand, and witnessed Empoleon rushing up to deliver another searing strike.

"Quick, use Bubble Beam to cool off Empoleon's wings!" Dawn ordered.

"What?! No way!" Kenny exclaimed as Piplup reared up and began to puff up its chest for its attack.

"Piiiip-lup-lup-lup!" Piplup chirped with ferocity as it blasted a volley of bubbles from its beak, each of them impacting and hissing as they collided with Empoleon's burning steel wing, throwing up a heap of steam all over the Emperor Pokémon. As Empoleon staggered back, Kenny and Ursula could hear the faint ticking of their points falling away as Garchomp fanned away the steam from its mouth.

They were still very much in the lead, however; and the rivaling duo to Dawn and Goh intended to keep it that way.

"Empoleon, Hydro Cannon into the air!" Kenny commanded, and his Pokémon began to fan away the steam so it could stagger back, charge up its most devastating Water-type attack, and fire it off into the sky.

Ursula smirked, and pointed up into the air. With her attack order, the tide of the battle would shift greatly as she yelled, "Garchomp, my dear, Draco Meteor! Let's watch them dance their way out of this one!"

"D-Draco Meteor?!" Dawn took a step back, a look of shock on her face.

"Hydro Cannon too?!" Goh gasped as well.

The audience gazed in awe and excitement as Garchomp channeled pure draconic energy from its heart, formed an orb of devastation between its teeth, and fired up along with Hydro Cannon above the battlefield. Inteleon and Piplup's eyes widened as the two attacks fused together in the air, imploded in on each other, and scattered apart.

Conway's eyes grew wide. Grookey stopped cheering. The judges stared up in morbid wonder. Matilda crossed her arms, impressed.

Raining down from the epicenter of the midair detonation came devastating meteors that were fused with energized water, double-helix contrails dancing from the comet heads. The massive shower of hissing and crackling projectiles scattered down towards Piplup and Empoleon. Dawn and Goh shouted their own orders.

"Piplup, dodge it!"

"Intercept it with Snipe Shot, Inteleon!"

Having been accustomed to avoiding rouge Draco Meteors in its life, Piplup frantically waddled around as searing devastation rained all around it. Inteleon lined up its fingers with several comets and fired off shot after shot, trying to knock the projectiles from the air.

Neither option worked.

"Luuuuup~! Intellll!" both Pokémon cried out as Piplup had never faced a Draco Meteor of this caliber, and Inteleon's Snipe Shots simply ricocheted off the intensified coating of the comets. Explosions and blasts scattered around the battlefield as hot wind battered both pairs of coordinators on their ends of the field.

Kenny and Ursula held their ground against the multiple shockwaves that bloomed out from the clustered detonations. Dawn and Goh brought their arms up to their faces as each crashing meteor sank their hearts.

The audience either roared in excitement or were rattled to their very core at the display of sheer, unbridled power that Empoleon and Garchomp sent crashing down into Piplup and Empoleon. The judges kept a watchful eye on the lingering smoke cloud on the battlefield, a massive swath of points being cut from Dawn and Goh's team.

Back in Kanto, Ash narrowed his eyes as he watched the stream on his Rotom Phone, whispering through the screen, "Come on, you guys can do it…"

"Pika pika…" Pikachu shared Ash's determination, its ears flicking.

Chloe had finally gotten off of both her landline and Rotom Phone, and sat down on the couch with a hand on her nuzzling Eevee's head, holding her breath.

Johanna stood in front of the TV in her living room, silent as she watched a camera shot of Dawn's concerned face flash on the television.

Conway's mouth hung slightly open, as did Grookey's. The Pokémon maniac was speechless, and for once in his life, was internally praying with deep concern over the well-being of two trainers and their Pokémon. Grookey held its pom poms together, fully comprehending the intensity of the situation.

As the smoke cleared, Dawn's breaths became labored. She strained to see her precious Pokémon, whether fainted or still able to battle. The coordinator desperately wanted to reach out for her contest partner's hand for any sort of comfort.

Goh's eyes widened as he could see the silhouettes of Piplup and Inteleon beginning to emerge from the dust.

"No way…" Kenny and Ursula took a step back in shock as they both muttered under their breaths at the same time.

The battlefield was littered with craters. Smoke and steam rose from the pits dotting the battlefield's landscape, with Dawn and Goh's Pokémon partners in the center of the devastated terrain. The two water types panted, visible signs of damage apparent on their bodies. Even as Kenny and Ursula had twice as many contest points remaining than Dawn and Goh, their opponents were not down for the count.

Briefly, Inteleon and Piplup glanced back at their trainers, having toughed out the absolutely devastating barrage so they wouldn't cry.

"Lup!" Piplup tightened its flipper proudly, followed by Inteleon pointing back at both of the trainers and confidently hissing, "-Leon."

Even as time ticked on by, the girl in the white dress and the boy in the white tuxedo took deep breaths, and opened their eyes once more. Smiles lined their faces.

"Piplup!" Dawn grinned as she held her hand out, "Let's turn this around!"

"Inteleon…" Goh tightened his fingers into a fist, and punched forwards, "We're not out yet!"

"Garaghhh~..." Ursula's Garchomp snarled as it dusted its fins and cracked its neck, sizing up its battered prey.

"Empoleon!" Kenny's Empoleon sharpened its wings once more as both its trainer and his battle partner shouted back fiercely.

"I am not losing to either of you!" Ursula roared as she pointed a finger ahead, "Garchomp, separate Piplup and Inteleon with Sandstorm!"

"You'll be out soon enough!" Kenny shouted, and thrust a fist out similar to Goh, "Empoleon, into the eye of the storm, and hunt with Steel Wing!"

Dawn's confidence quickly changed to hardened stoicism as she witnessed Garchomp slashing its fins across the ground in front of it, sending forth a rolling tide of sand that swallowed both Piplup and Inteleon whole. Then, Empoleon dove straight into the sandstorm, easily withstanding the fierce winds and battering sands as its Steel-typing provided it immunity to the damaging gales.

"This isn't good…" Dawn grit her teeth as Piplup cried out from within the sandstorm, being unable to see two feet in front of it and suffering the constant beatings of wind and sand.

Empoleon marched through the storm, easily getting a read on Piplup as it frantically looked around, a flipper in front of its eyes.

"Now, Empoleon!" Kenny ordered his Pokémon to bring down its bladed flipper onto Piplup, and it obeyed with precision and lethality.

It swung, and hit nothing but sandy air as a thin and slender silhouette dashed out from the side, and scooped up Piplup into its arms, Kenny expressing his surprise and frustration with a "What?!"

Dawn was equally as shocked, glancing to Goh's side. The boy had a monstrously smug grin on his face as he commanded even through the sandstorm, "Inteleon, get towards the center of the storm and away from Empoleon!"

"Impossible! How on earth can your Pokémon see in Garchomp's Sandstorm?! It's only a Water-type!" Ursula grabbed her massive screw-like pigtails and pulled in frustration over her plan falling apart.

Goh wiggled a finger, and gave a chuckle, "It's got nothing to do with typing, nor any sort of abilities at all!"

Piplup strained to open its eyes at its savior, catching a glimpse at Inteleon, who calmly and smoothly darted through the sandstorm with a blackened color over its normally sharp, yellow eyes.

Goh sneered, crossing his arms as he held his chin up, "It's just simple biology!"

Through its nictitating membrane that had come over its irises, the Secret Agent Pokémon's thermal vision easily picked out the glowing heat signatures of Garchomp and Empoleon, ducking as Empoleon attempted to slash again with Steel Wing, and Garchomp joined the fray with Dragon Claw.

"Now, Inteleon, throw Piplup into the air over the Sandstorm!" Goh yelled with an open-mouthed grin before turning to Dawn, "This is our chance! Let's go for our second combo!"

"Right!" Dawn pumped both of her fists as she extended both arms towards the little Penguin Pokémon that popped out from the top of the Sandstorm, somersaulting in the air after Inteleon launched it with its tail, "Piplup, use Bubble Beam and spread your bubbles around!"

"Piiiip-lup-lup-lup!" Piplup spun around in the air, spreading out the volatile spheres into and above the Sandstorm. More and more bubbles floated around the battlefield as Inteleon readied its part to the contest combination, waiting for Goh's order.

"Inteleon, use Snipe Shot!" the suave Pokémon's trainer commanded.

Together, Dawn and Goh pointed up into the air, and announced their appeal move's name, "Scatter Shot!"

Inteleon witnessed both Empoleon and Garchomp charging for it with Steel Wing and Dragon Claw through the howling and sandy gale. Rather than unleash its supersonic shot at either of its two opponents, it pointed its finger up, closed one eye to center its finger like a gunsight, and fired.

The projectile seared apart a tunnel straight up through the Sandstorm, and screamed past the falling Piplup as it struck its first bubble. The reaction was instantaneous. The bubble exploded, blasting out multiple intensified arcs that whistled and hissed through the air, each finding its own bubbles to collide, multiply, and amplify with.

"Garchomp! Empoleon!" Kenny and Ursula called out through the Sandstorm, "Go!"

Inteleon simply stood in place, a hand on its hip as its thermal vision detected the red-orange blobs leaping for it.

Then, the multiple blasts hit home. As if witnessing a destructive display of connect-the-dots, the Scatter Shot move began to smash into every single angle of Garchomp and Empoleon. They received strikes from in front coming from past Inteleon's shoulders, from behind straight into their backs, from above as Piplup descended down around the beams, and from the sides, completely stopping their respective attacks.

The stadium full of spectators roared as the Sandstorm was ripped apart from the hundreds of zig-zagging Snipe Shots, connecting the disappearing Bubble Beam bubbles with blue contrails that eventually came to form the image of…

The judges were flabbergasted, as well as every single audience member. Conway's mouth hung all the way open, and Grookey cheered, waving its pom poms around.

Marian held a hand to her head, trying to make sense of what floated in the air before her, "I-It seems as if the Snipe Shots that connected the Bubble Beam bubbles have made a picture of… a winking Piplup's face?!"

Dawn and Goh stumbled back in exasperation as Piplup landed on its flippers, and winked at the audience behind a massive floating and watery line-art of its face, chirping as it admired its masterpiece with the bubbles it had laid out in perfect patterns, "Piiiip-lup~!"

"Intel…" Inteleon could only chuckle. Even it didn't expect such a setup.

Ursula absolutely fumed as Garchomp was recovering from the multiple piercing salvos it endured from every direction, "Oh, that smug little gremlin~! I'm going to wipe that smirk right off of its face!"

Kenny only narrowed his eyes, "Empoleon, are you still with me?!"

Empoleon got to its feet, and nodded with a grunt.

The ugly sound of Kenny and Ursula's points being lost pierced over the stadium's speakers, the two scores starting to become much more equalized than before. Nevertheless, Dawn and Goh's rivaling coordinators still held a lead.

"Alright, Goh! Let's go on the attack!" Dawn psyched herself up next to her contest partner, "How about we try Aqua Accelerator?"

Goh blinked, mouth ajar before he recovered, and smiled back at Dawn, "Let's do it!"

"No you don't! Garchomp, use Flamethrower on Empoleon!" Ursula countered by starting up her team's own appeal move, Garchomp snarling as it turned back to Empoleon, and once again, heated up the Pokémon's Steel Wing attack into two glowing red blades.

"Piplup, Whirlpool!" Dawn shouted, readying her and Goh's most devastating combination of attacks.

"Pip-luuuuuuup~!" Piplup screamed with fervor as it brought its flippers up and channeled the massive vortex of water above its head, quickly corkscrewing to face the vortex towards Garchomp and Emploeon, the latter having gotten its wings heated up, running towards its smaller, pre-evolved form.

"Inteleon, Snipe Shot!" With Goh's order, Inteleon unleashed its attack straight into the top of the Whirlpool, watching in satisfaction as the projectile began to reflect and zig-zag around in the cyclone, gaining more and more power and emitting a harsh glow.

Kenny was about to order Empoleon to advance with its molten Steel Wing before he realized what was happening.

"It can't be…" the auburn-haired coordinator blinked his eyes as the scene before him evoked obscene amounts of deja-vu. The boy deciphered what Dawn and Goh were up to in an instant.

"They're… using my appeal move from the Sinnoh Grand Festival?!" Kenny wasn't sure whether to be offended or flattered that Dawn would even consider taking a page out of his book, even if it was a section that had been the reason why he was knocked out at the Performance Stage.

However, this proved to be disastrous for his two opponents.

"They're trying to get it to succeed… but I know how to make it fail!" Kenny scowled as he pointed at the growing Whirlpool, "Empoleon, use Flash Cannon on the Whirlpool!"

Empoleon stopped dead in its tracks, and opened its beak wide. In an instant, a blinding shot of light erupted from its face, and concentrated into Piplup's attack it was straining to channel in midair.

"Garchomp, get ready!" Ursula ordered, and Garchomp poised itself low to the ground, its fins spread to its side.

Disaster had broken out as the continuous application of Flash Cannon into the already unstable Whirlpool caused it to detonate above Piplup's head, bursting into a shimmering and sparkling display. Inteleon braced itself from the shockwave while Piplup wasn't so fortunate. The poor little Pokémon was hammered towards Garchomp, giving off a shrill cry of discomfort as it barreled into the unwelcoming embrace of the Dragon- and Ground-type.

"Dragon Claw! Steel Wing!"

Kenny and Ursula's commands translated into a double-whammy of a hook into the flying Piplup, both Empoleon and Garchomp smashing their attacks into Dawn's poor partner, sending it straight back towards Inteleon.

"Oooh!" the crowd winced as both attacks connected simultaneously.

"This isn't looking good… we need to change up our approach!" Goh grit his teeth as Inteleon caught Piplup in its arms, the Pokémon easily looking worse for wear as Dawn and Goh's points drained down to only a sliver of an amount remaining.

"It looks like Dawn and Goh are backed into a corner with their points, and with less than a minute and a half remaining!" Marian feverishly shouted into the microphone, "What a nailbiter of a final!"

"We need to come up with something new to throw them off-" Dawn gasped as she recalled all the way back in the Performance Round of the Doubles Contest. She remembered the ice sculpture that May and Drew had crafted and created, and memories of her own usages of Ice Beam to wow the crowd began to flood back, "-I've got it! Piplup, Ice Beam! Decorate the battlefield in ramps and rails!"

Goh, too, realized what Dawn was up to, and gave his next order to Inteleon as his Pokémon let Piplup back on the ground, "Inteleon, use Snipe Shot to blossom out the Ice Beam!"

"Luuuuup! Intel-tel-tel!" As Piplup began to concentrate its chilly ray all over the battlefield, Inteleon pinpointed targets to hit with its more accurate Water-type move, blossoming ice formations when Ice Beam managed to cross paths with the various Snipe Shot projectiles.

"What are those two up to?!" Ursula rose an eyebrow before realizing what lay before her. Curving and spiraling rails of ice entangled the battlefield, glimmering and shining in the spotlight.

"They're going to ride the ice rails! Empoleon, knock them down!" Kenny threw his arm to the side, and Empoleon rushed towards any sort of support pillars that held up the frozen structure, ready to bash down the foundation.

Goh wasn't having any of it as Inteleon had already leaped onto a set of rails, and ground towards Empoleon with blistering speed, "Don't let Empoleon knock it down, Inteleon! Use U-Turn!"

"Innnnn!" Inteleon's eyes shrunk to a piercing gaze as it barreled towards Empoleon from above, its winged membrane spread apart to balance itself as it slid towards the Emperor Pokémon. Just as Empoleon was about to swat aside a pillar, Inteleon launched off of its rail, and used the momentum to drop-kick its opponent, knocking even the monstrously heavy and sturdy Water- and Steel-type away, the Secret Agent Pokémon backflipping through the air as it landed onto the battlefield.

"Argh! Garchomp, use Flamethrower! Melt everything!" Ursula sneered. Garchomp spread its fins away from its mouth and bellowed fire, already beginning to torch the magnificent display of ice that Piplup and Inteleon created together. Then, out of the corner of its eye, as it laid the heat onto the frozen jungle gym, Piplup slid down a rail, already with Drill Peck charged, spiraling towards Garchomp.

"Go for it, Piplup!" Dawn cheered as Piplup impacted into Garchomp's chest, grinding against the hard scales of Ursula's Pokémon as the Flamethrower went into the air from the recoil, "Yeah!"

The audience gawked at the pillar of fire jettisoning into the air lighting up the stadium with a harsh orange glow as Garchomp strained against Piplup's critically striking move, the tiny Pokémon bouncing off and corkscrewing through the air as it took its place back at the side of Inteleon.

It was at this point that the time on the clock was dangerously low, and for once through the exhilarating match, the crowd took note of the scores.

Dawn and Goh.

Kenny and Ursula.

They were both tied right at that moment.

In a split second, each of the coordinators gasped at the score display. It felt like the longest five minutes of their lives were still nowhere near close to ending.

"Intel…" Inteleon steeled itself for what was about to become the climax of the battle.

"Lup…" Piplup panted heavily, straining to tough out the strain and pain it was feeling.

"Empol…" Empoleon tapped its chest with its steel-like flipper, clearly ready for more.

"Garahhhhh!" Garchomp roared, dragging its clawed feet over the battlefield.

"We're so close…! We can do this!" Dawn's heart raced with Goh by her side.

"We can, and we will!" Goh tightened his fist.

Kenny and Ursula glanced at each other, and nodded. They were done playing games, and for each of the two coordinators, there was more than just a ribbon on the line. There were scores to settle, and they would be doing that right here, and now.

They would get the last word, in this battle, and afterwards.

"Garchomp!" Ursula threw her open hand up towards the sky.

"Empoleon!" Kenny grit his teeth, knowing that this was his last moment to see who truly was worthy to stand at Dawn's side.

"Draco Meteor! Hydro Cannon!" the rivaling coordinators shouted with all of their might as their Pokémon's two most devastating attacks once more made their debut, blasting into the air together to combine into a cataclysmic finale for Piplup and Inteleon.

Dawn and Goh gave each other a look. It wasn't one of concern, nor was it one of dread. Together, they looked into each other's eyes with expressions of hope, and determination.

Out of instinct, Goh reached out with his hand towards his partner. Ever so gently, his fingers interlocked with the girl's at his side. She didn't jolt, nor quiver at the gesture. As the boy's eyes shined as he looked up towards the devastating combination attack about to detonate in the air above, he couldn't feel Dawn's hand tightening in his. Dawn wanted nothing more than to hold her partner's hand forever, but it wasn't the time for that gesture.

Piplup and Inteleon watched stoically as Draco Meteor and Hydro Cannon combined, melded, imploded, and blasted apart.

Goh took a deep breath in. He didn't even have to hear Dawn say a word to know what she wanted to say to him in that moment as he glanced into her eyes once more.

"I'm glad that I could be your partner."

The boy gave her a smile.

"And I'm glad that you chose me to be yours."

KER-CRACK!

Draco Meteor and Hydro Cannon detonated in the air, and one by one, hypercharged comets began to rain down towards Piplup and Inteleon. Dodging wouldn't work considering the sheer amount of falling stars descending upon them, and Inteleon's precise Snipe Shots couldn't even make a dent.

Then, Dawn, still with her hand joined with Goh's pointed up into the air at the incoming comets.

"Piplup, I want you to make the biggest Whirlpool you've ever made in your life!" Piplup's trainer relayed her Hail Mary attempt at stopping the attack, with Piplup's composure breaking at the ludicrous order, to which Dawn gave her first Pokémon partner a small smile, "I believe in you!"

Goh's eyes widened as with one flipper, Piplup roared, and conjured up the most sweltering and monstrous vortex of water he'd ever borne witness to.

"PIIIIIIP-LUUUUUUUUUUP!" Piplup screamed as it channeled all of its strength into its Whirlpool attack, holding it above its head like an umbrella in the face of the screeching meteors.

"There's no way," Ursula narrowed her eyes as Garchomp heaved from the power it had exerted for the attack, and Empoleon was down for the count temporarily as it had to recharge.

"Come on, Piplup!" Conway broke from his seat, standing up and cheering with the crowd, along with Grookey who was frantically shaking its pom poms, "Rook! Rook! Rook!"

Matilda kept her hands clasped in front of her mouth, her deep, dark eyes filled with the shining light of Piplup's full-powered Whirlpool, and the trailing stars that fell towards it.

"You can do it!" Goh shouted towards the tiny Pokémon with a smile on his face, along with Inteleon breaking its usual calm and composed character to yell its encouragement, "Leon! Intel!"

"LUUUUUUP!"

Then, the meteors crashed into the Whirlpool, fighting against the current that Piplup concentrated against the devastating orbs of destruction. Numerous glowing spheres of light swam closer and closer to the bottom of the Whirlpool, as if inching their way to crash into Piplup, who was trying to hold them all back with every bit of its willpower.

Ash remained breathless as he watched the stream along with Pikachu. Chloe's eyes never wavered from the television screen as Yamper and Eevee sat at her side. Johanna could only whisper under her breath, "My… how far Dawn and Piplup have come."

"Fight it back, Piplup!" Dawn felt like jumping out onto the battlefield to be there right at Piplup's side, encouraging her Pokémon right then and there, "Show everyone how strong you really are!"

"Pip-pip-pip-LUUUUUP!"

Then, the meteors stopped racing towards the bottom. One by one, the efforts of Garchomp and Empoleon's finishing move now began to hurtle around in the current of Piplup's vortex, helpless as the draconic and aquatic spheres of destruction were now at the mercy of the swirling undertow.

"I don't believe it…" Kenny could only gawk at the gigantic maelstrom of water that was rotating over Piplup's head, the Draco Meteors being funneled around inside.

Ursula desperately cried out to salvage the situation, "G-Garchomp! Put a stop to it with Flamethrower! Aim for Piplup-"

"Mud Shot!"

Goh had waited for an opportunity exactly like this for Inteleon to employ the move it had kept hidden from its opponents. With one swift motion, Inteleon flicked its arms, and out came a compacted bomb of grime and mud, smashing and packing onto Garchomp's face.

"Garchomp, no!" Ursula roared in anguish as the Flamethrower that had been building petered out. Garchomp tried in vain to rid the muck out of its eyes, but found its hooked claw and bulky fins to be of inadequate help for curing its blinding situation, "No, no, no, no! This can't be happening!"

Then, Dawn gave her final order of the battle to Piplup.

"Piplup, aim yourself at Garchomp and Empoleon!"

"Luuuuuuuup!" Piplup strained to wrench the entire Whirlpool on its side, keeping itself above the battlefield as it pointed the bottom of the cyclone towards the recoiling Garchomp and immobilized Empoleon. It was now clear to Kenny and Ursula what would come next.

"Inteleon, use Snipe Shot into Whirlpool!" Goh smiled with his heart pounding in his chest. Inteleon began to slowly move into position, sauntering towards the top of the sideways vortex.

The crowd held their breath in anticipation of whatever would come next. Whatever it might be, it was going to be the end as the last few seconds on the clock ticked down.

Then, Dawn and Goh, hand in hand, spoke up over the roaring of Piplup's Whirlpool.

With a beaming grin of joy and confidence on her face, Dawn shouted out to everyone watching.

"No need to worry, because this victory-!"

Goh then held out his free hand, raising it to the sky.

"-Is in the palm of our hands!"

"Piplup!"

"Inteleon!"

Pointing their free hands like Inteleon's Snipe Shot pose, the Pokémon catcher and the coordinator gave their final joint command of the battle.

"Use Aqua Accelerator!" Dawn and Goh yelled with joy, each tightening their grip on the other's hand.

In just a few seconds that felt like minutes, Inteleon walked into the frame of the eye of the storm. It was as if the Pokémon was glaring down a gun barrel as it walked just a little more until the glimmer of Piplup's eyes was caught on the other end. The swirling meteors still held within produced a dazzling display of light that kept circling around and around.

Inteleon came into frame.

Inteleon fired.

The Snipe Shot screamed into the Whirlpool, dancing and arcing around inside as one by one, it smashed apart the swirling comets held prisoner inside, absorbing their energy and empowering the rapidly growing and volatile projectile that was strengthening inside the maelstrom.

Piplup strained and strained to hold up the Whirlpool until the very last second, until that second finally came.

SHHROOOOWWWWWW!

Piplup corkscrewed away just in time as the hypersonic blast erupted from the base of the Whirlpool, deafening the Penguin Pokémon as it barreled past in milliseconds, shattering the sound barrier with a gigantic thunderclap. Multiple explosions ripped in the air from whence the projectile traveled, detonating apart in a flurry of aquatic and draconic energy from the absorbed power of Garchomp and Empoleon's combination move.

"Garchomp, d-dodge it!" Ursula desperately called out, only for Garchomp to have just gotten its eyes clear of mud, just in time to see what in a split second was inches away from its face.

Kenny exhaled through his nose, knowing the disaster that would ensure against his still recharging Empoleon, giving a simple, yet tried and true command, "Defend, Empoleon!"

Empoleon held its flippers up in front of its body, standing its ground against the unstoppable force that barreled towards it at Mach 5.

The collision was catastrophic. The explosion was immense. The crowd shielded their eyes from the blinding flash, as did the coordinators on the battlefield from the immense pressure wave that rushed past.

Piplup was thrown from the gigantic detonation of Aqua Accelerator, and fell backwards into the embrace of Inteleon, who crashed into the ground from the velocity that Piplup was hurled into it.

Dawn and Goh braced against each other from the blast as finally, the crackling and ear-piercing sounds of pressure collapse and thunderous booms came to stop, tiny pieces of smoking battlefield debris raining down all over the field in smoking and smoldering pebbles.

When the dust cleared, a gigantic crater had formed on Kenny and Ursula's side of the battlefield, with Garchomp and Empoleon within.

The cameras giving live feed to the television displays above the battlefield peered into the crater to find out the fate of the rivaling duo's Pokémon.

What came into focus first was Garchomp. The mighty Dragon- and Ground-type Pokémon was on its side. Swirls were in its eyes as it groaned in defeat, clearly unable to battle anymore. Ursula's heart sank, and a gruesome scowl grew on her face, "I… No…"

Empoleon, on the other hand, was still standing. Smoke hissed from its body as it still held its flippers in front of its face, bringing them down to reveal its badly battered visage, still staring down Inteleon and Piplup. Kenny's eyes widened as Empoleon still stood as majestic as it had when it was first unleashed from its Pokéball, standing its ground even in the face of the most devastating attack it had received in its entire existence.

"Empoleon…" Kenny could only mutter before the prideful and proud apex of its species slowly tipped over forwards, and collapsed onto the ground, fainted.

Dawn and Goh's eyes widened. Piplup and Inteleon's mouths hung open.

The last of Ursula and Kenny's points drained away, only leaving Dawn and Goh's sliver remaining on the scoring display.

The crowd was completely silent, as was Marian at the shocking conclusion to the battle.

It was then that Mr. Contesta got up from his seat, and tapped the microphone.

"Judges have ruled in favor of a viable knockout victory for the Blue Team! Both Garchomp and Empoleon are unable to battle!" the head judge shouted over the ominously quiet stadium, "Piplup and Inteleon win the battle, and the winners of the Hearthome City Pokémon Doubles Contest are Dawn and Goh!"

Ever so slowly, the sounds of applause and cheering began to return to the stadium as the two victorious coordinators could only breathe slowly, their chests rising up and down as their adrenaline began to wear off. Conway stood on top of his seat, pouring out his congratulations for Dawn and Goh. Grookey was atop his head, jumping up and down with its pom poms.

"They did it! Awesome!" Ash cheered from his room, with Pikachu chirping up with joy on his shoulder.

Chloe had passed out on the ground, with both Eevee and Yamper fanning her motionless body with paper fans.

Johanna let out a much-needed sigh of relief, sniffling as she held back tears at the sight of her daughter's victory in such a prestigious contest, still clearly chasing her goal with every bit of her heart.

The various coordinator teams consisting of Dawn's, and now Goh's, friends all celebrated in the stands of the coordinator waiting room.

Even Goh's parents had gotten wind of their son's showing in the Sinnoh event from Professor Cerise, managing to each steal a glance at a livestream through their busy work lives.

Ursula held back deathly amounts of anger and seething rage behind her guise as she returned Garchomp back into its Pokéball. Kenny could only sigh as he recalled Empoleon, giving a smile to the Pokéball as he whispered, "You did great, Empoleon. Rest easy."

Then, Piplup and Inteleon turned back towards their trainers, each of them straining to make their way back to their beloved companions.

"Piplup! Inteleon!" Dawn and Goh both shouted, running onto the battlefield to embrace not only their Pokémon in their arms, but each other as well.

"Luu-hu-hu-hup~!" Piplup cried tears of joy as it was embraced in every direction.

"Intel…" Inteleon was thankful for it all to be over, finally feeling the warmth of its friends surrounded by its arms.

Dawn and Goh couldn't even say a word. To be with their Pokémon after all of this was more than enough for the two. They felt on the verge of tears, the memories of everything the two had been through, along with their Pokémon, flooding back.

The group hug was more comforting than it had any right to be. Opening their eyes, Dawn and Goh blinked at each other, a pair of slate gray gazing into a pair of sky blue.

The two smiled at each other.

Then, they closed their eyes.

Dawn and Goh laughed.