AN:

I LIIIIIVVEE!

Hey there! Sorry for the delay; life happened, but I am back with a banger of a battle! I've done my best, so please enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon (duh)

Content Warning (CW): Haxorus vs Garchomp will have blood!

05/04/2023: Appended team info at the end.


Iris still couldn't believe it; in just a few moments, she would face Cynthia.

She took out her three pokéballs for this battle. Excadrill, Dragonite, and Haxorus. The three pokémon who had been with her the longest throughout her journey.

"Guys, let's win this, alright?"

She stashed her pokéballs and looked out on the field. After taking a deep breath, she strode out of the hallway and into the battlefield.

Her battle with Cynthia awaited.


As the two champions entered the field, the crowd erupted into cheers. Once both trainers were positioned on the field, across from each other, the referee repeated the rules, then asked the trainers to send out their first pokémon.

Iris and Cynthia prepared their pokéballs.

"Three! Two! One! Go!"

Iris chucked her pokéball. "Excadrill, I'm counting on you!"

Cynthia tossed hers. "Emerge from the waves, Gastrodon!"

Both pokémon emerged from their pokéballs and sized each other up. Excadrill sharpened his claws as he awaited his trainer's command. Gastrodon looked lax, her eyes betraying no emotion.

"Let the battle begin!"

"Gastrodon, use Rain Dance!"

Her body glowing a soft blue hue, Gastrodon called out to the heavens. Rain clouds covered the sky, and heavy raindrops started pouring down.

Iris frowned. That was going to be tricky to deal with. She motioned with her arm. "Excadrill, use Hone Claws, then Focus Blast!"

With an acknowledging cry, Excadrill sharpened his claws vigorously, causing them to glow bright orange for a moment. He felt his strength increase and his focus sharpen. Then, he brought his arms to his side and cupped his claws, forming a cyan ball of energy. With a spin, he chucked the ball at Gastrodon, who tensed as she received it straight in the chest.

It exploded, clouding her form in smoke.

"Don't let up! Drill Run!"

Excadrill clanged his claws together, shifted his stance, then spun like a drill, barreling toward Gastrodon.

"Gastrodon, use Earth Power!"

Through the smoke, Gastrodon's third eye gleamed; the ground around her exploded with orange energy, which blocked Excadrill's attack. He disengaged, then braced himself, ready to react to his opponent's move.

"Iris. As we battle on this field, we are both nothing more than pokémon trainers. Yet, at the same time, challengers aiming for the top!

"I won't go easy on you. To test my own potential, I shall defeat you and move onward!"

Iris clenched her fists, determined. "I feel the same way! You've taught me a lot, Cynthia! Your advice from back then is helping us, even now! Thanks to you, I even became a champion!

"And now, as the champion of Unova, I'm going to defeat you, Cynthia!"

Cynthia closed her eyes, smiling. "Gastrodon, use Muddy Water!"

Iris motioned. "Drill Run! Escape underground!"

Murky, brown water pooled around Gastrodon; crying out, she unleashed a mighty wave. Excadrill went into a drill formation and burrowed underground.

The water kept swirling around the battlefield until Gastrodon suddenly flew up; Excadrill had unearthed himself and drilled into her underbelly.

Excadrill kept up his drilling for a few more seconds before he broke off. He lightly skidded across the ground as he landed, splashing up some water. Across him, Gastrodon landed with a heavy splash, seemingly not too fazed.

With a quick glance, Iris noticed the hole Excadrill had gone into was filling up with water. Interesting. That could be useful for later. For now, though, they just had to keep up the offence."Excadrill, use another Drill Run!"

"Gastrodon, Acid Armor!"

Gastrodon's body seemed to melt as it emitted purple energy. A drill-shaped Excadrill slammed into her and flung her skyward. Gastrodon landed, kicking up a sizeable splash of water; she seemed unharmed.

Iris clenched her teeth. First it was the rain, and now it was this. The odds were stacking up against Excadrill. At least, the rain would end soon—on this next interaction, if she was counting correctly. "Excadrill, Focus Blast!"

"Muddy Water!"

Excadrill threw another cyan ball of energy, but it got engulfed by Gastrodon's torrent of water. The waves swallowed Excadrill, and the powerful currents slapped against him continuously. Once the water settled down, Excadrill was slouched and covered in mud.

Iris looked at the sky; the rain continued to rage on. She bit her lip. That meant Gastrodon was most likely holding a Damp Rock. "Don't give up, Excadrill! Hone Claws and Drill Run!"

"Earth Power!"

With his claws sharpened and glowing orange, Excadrill let out a battle cry, turned himself into a drill, and barreled toward Gastrodon. Her third eye gleamed, and orange energy burst out of the ground around her, but this time, Excadrill punched through it and bore into Gastrodon's chest. She slid across the ground for a few metres before she managed to repel him.

"Strike back, Gastrodon! Muddy Water!"

"Use Drill Run to dig!"

Still airborne, Excadrill became a drill again and burrowed himself just before the waves overtook the battlefield. Iris smiled. She was confident that as long as Excadrill remained underground and moving, he could stall until Muddy Water ended.

"Gastrodon, unearth that excadrill! Earth Power!"

The waves ceased. In their place, the ground erupted with magma-like energy, forcing Excadrill out of his hiding spot and damaging him. She followed this up with Muddy Water, further harming the ground pokémon by burying him under waves of murky water.

As the waves calmed themselves, the rain gave way to clear skies.

Now would normally be their chance to turn things around. However, as Iris observed Excadrill, he was breathing heavily as he struggled to stand up. He would not last much longer. Iris had to finish the fight quickly, for Excadrill's sake.

And she had an idea.

"Excadrill. Trust me on this, alright? We're going to win!"

Excadrill stood up and gave an affirmative cry.

Cynthia motioned. "Finish him, Gastrodon! Use Muddy Water!"

"Drill Run! Aim it carefully!"

Excadrill burrowed underground as a torrent of water engulfed the entire field.

This was it. The final gambit. Iris waited a few seconds before giving her next order. "Now! Come out and use Focus Blast! Aim for the hole!"

Excadrill, with a topspin manoeuvre, surged out from underneath the waves, exiting his drill form. While in midair, he brought his claws to his side, formed a cyan ball of energy, and flung it. It disappeared into the current below. A beat of silence followed before an abrupt detonation sounded; the ground below Gastrodon suddenly exploded, and a geyser of water struck her.

Cynthia gasped, momentarily surprised.

Iris was about to cheer when the water suddenly seeped into Gastrodon. An orange aura swerved out of her; her offensive capabilities were boosted.

Oh no… Storm Drain! In her rush, Iris had forgotten to keep in mind Gastrodon's possible abilities. Argh!

"I'll admit—it was a bold attempt to turn things around. A shame it didn't pay off." Cynthia motioned with her arm. "Gastrodon, Muddy Water!"

A huge wave swept over the field, too fast for Excadrill to dodge. Instead, he anchored himself to the ground as the current swallowed him whole.

Iris gritted her teeth. She was utterly backed into a corner. With no other option, her only out was to use that, although she would have rathered save the surprise for later. I made you a promise, Excadrill, and I intend to keep it!

"Excadrill, use Horn Drill!"

It took a few seconds, but Excadrill emerged from the water, his drill head growing bright orange. He went high into the sky before he tumbled down toward Gastrodon, his entire form going orange.

THWAM!

The water surged upward from the force of the impact. Excadrill jumped out of it, sliding across the wet ground before he came to a stop. Once the water settled down, the referee flew down to inspect Gastrodon's unconscious form.

"Gastrodon is unable to battle!"

A relieved sigh escaped from Iris' lips. They had won, but not without any difficulty. "Excadrill, you were amazing! Great job!"

Excadrill clanked his claws together repeatedly in triumph.

Cynthia returned Gastrodon. "You did great, Gastrodon." She seemed contemplative for a moment. However, she soon selected her second pokéball. "Spirit of water, show us your elegance… Milotic!"

The water pokémon gracefully emerged from her pokéball and gave an enchanting cry; her scales briefly glowed like an enchanting light.

Iris considered her next move. Cynthia now knew about Excadrill's one-hit knockout move, but if she could manage to land it again, it would be huge for her momentum.

However, there was also the issue of Excadrill's exhaustion. "Excadrill, can you keep going?"

Excadrill shifted into a battle-ready stance, panting but still determined.

That certainly settled it. "Alright, then! Hone Claws, then Focus Blast!"

"Disarming Voice!"

Excadrill sharpened his claws with vigour, causing them to glow bright orange; his strength and focus increased. He then chucked a cyan ball of energy, which got destroyed by an onslaught of music notes, courtesy of Milotic. The two attacks cancelled each other out.

"Drill Run!"

"Hydro Pump!"

Milotic shot a torrent of water at the incoming drill-shaped pokémon. Excadrill managed to drill through it, but his aim got thrown off. He nicked Milotic on her side and came to a stop beyond her.

Excadrill fired another cyan ball of energy, but Milotic knocked it away with Iron Head. Then, she slithered forward and fired a gush of water at point-blank range. Excadrill, stunned, failed to dodge; he sailed past Cynthia and slammed into the wall, knocked out.

"Excadrill is unable to battle!"

Iris returned him. "Excadrill… You did good hanging in there." She stashed his pokéball, then observed Milotic. Her defence was on point; she didn't let a single one of Excadrill's attacks get a clean hit.

Iris grabbed her next pokéball. "Dragonite, I'm counting on you!"

The pokéball released the glaring flying-dragon pokémon, who bellowed.

Cynthia smiled. "Oh! I haven't seen him in a while."

"Cynthia, just watch and see what Dragonite can do!" She motioned with her fists. "Thunder Punch!"

Dragonite's fists exploded with lightning; he rushed forward, assaulting Milotic with an onslaught of fierce punches. Initially, Milotic danced around his punches, but through his relentlessness, Dragonite's strikes found purchase on his opponent. He whammed, whammed, whammed, and whammed, finishing his combo with an uppercut. Milotic cried out in pain as lightning coursed through her, making her body spasm wildly.

"Disarming Voice!"

Wincing, Milotic recovered and took a deep breath. Just as she was about to release her attack, she suddenly halted as sparks flashed across her scales.

Capitalizing on the paralysis, Dragonite tensed his claws; they brimmed with draconic, green energy. He went into a frenzy of swipes. However, his attacks didn't so much as cause Milotic to flinch. Dragonite felt like he was clawing at a titanium wall!

Iris gasped in realization. "Marvel Scale‽"

Cynthia remained stoic. "Milotic, Iron Head!"

Milotic dodged around Dragonite's swipes and wrapped herself around him in a firm, immobilizing grip. Dragonite struggled in vain to break free.

Her forehead took on a metallic sheen, and she whacked him on the side of his head. Dragonite's vision momentarily went blurry as his ears rang. Milotic followed up her assault with a point-blank Disarming Voice. Her fairy-imbued vocals rattled Dragonite's ears, further destabilizing his senses.

Iris clenched her teeth. "Dragonite! Break free with Superpower!"

Dragonite tensed his body. Through his daze, he felt his rage build up; he harnessed it. His body lit up with an orange glow. He tensed his muscles and, in a single burst of strength, managed to break free of Milotic's grasp.

He grabbed her tail and flung her away. While she rolled on the ground, Dragonite staggered to one knee, panting. His muscles ached, and he felt weakness build up inside of him.

The drawback of Superpower. "Dragonite…" Iris fished up his pokéball. "Return."

A red beam fired out of the pokéball, but Dragonite, standing up, evaded it and glared at Iris.

Iris winced. Why did he have to be stubborn about this now, of all times‽ "Dragonite, you can't fight like this! You need to rest!"

Dragonite bellowed in denial. He then turned around, shifting into a battle stance. Everything about his demeanor screamed an undying determination to see things through until the end.

Dragonite… Iris nodded. "Alright! We'll keep going, then! Extreme Speed!"

Dragonite hollered a roar, then blurred into motion; suddenly, it was as if a hundred invisible strikes battered Milotic, although she barely flinched throughout. Moments later, Dragonite halted his attack, sliding back to his initial position.

"Hydro Pump!"

"Thunder Punch!"

A powerful jet of water spewed out of Milotic's mouth. Dragonite hacked away at the incoming attack, splitting the water jet before it harmed him. Then, Milotic's body locked up; sparks danced across her scales. Dragonite flew in, and he slammed his fists repeatedly into Milotic, injecting more voltage into her.

Intent on counterattacking, Milotic met one of Dragonite's fists with a metallic forehead. A brief stalemate locked the two pokémon together before they broke off from each other, returning to their starting positions. Milotic, covered in bruises, was twitching sporadically as leftover sparks flashed on her scales. On his side, Dragonite was panting, but looked relatively fine otherwise.

Iris tensed herself. Only a little more would do it.

"Milotic, use Recover!"

Milotic cried out; her body lit up in a green light, and her wounds began to heal.

Iris bit her lip. This changed everything. With Dragonite's reduced capabilities and this, there was a high risk of Milotic outlasting Dragonite. Unless he didn't get hit a single time…

Iris clenched her fists. I believe in you, Dragonite!

"Milotic! Disarming Voice!"

"Extreme Speed!"

Milotic fired an onslaught of fairy vocals, but Dragonite blurred out of the way. He reappeared behind Milotic and struck her back multiple times. Milotic, barely flinching, wrapped her tail around his arm. She turned her head around, intent on slamming her shimmering, metallic forehead into him.

A swift but panicked command came from Iris; the claws of Dragonite's free arm burst with draconic, green energy. He swiped them, barely managing to deflect Milotic's head. She came in again a few times, but Dragonite skillfully deflected her blows.

Milotic's body locked up from her paralysis. Time for a counterattack.

Dragonite swung his grappled arm, slamming Milotic onto the ground. She wheezed as the air forcefully exited her lungs. Dragonite slammed her a few more times before he pulled her in, his other arm sparking, and socked her in the cheek with his lightning-riddled fist. Milotic went flying.

"Don't let up, Dragonite! Dragon Claw!"

"Hydro Pump!"

Dragon-claws in hand, Dragonite flew after his opponent. Milotic, after a bout of rolling, righted herself and fired a huge blast of water. Yelping, Dragonite swerved upward to evade. Milotic kept firing off water blasts, and Dragonite tried his best to defend as he came closer, dodging and swiping with his claws.

However, his growing exhaustion proved to be his downfall; he ended up getting hit square in the chest. The water blast carried him higher and further back for a few moments before Milotic halted her attack. Gravity took over, and Dragonite eventually crashed into the ground, back-first.

"Dragonite!" Iris called out in horror.

"Now, Milotic! Recover!"

Dragonite wasn't out yet, thankfully, but while he staggered up to his feet, Milotic healed her wounds.

Iris gritted her teeth. All that progress. Nullified. Just like that. Well, not all of it; Milotic retained some bruises of this skirmish. But Dragonite looked…

She shook her head firmly. She couldn't think like that; she had to believe in her pokémon! "One more try, Dragonite! Third time's the charm!"

Dragonite roared, standing ready for battle despite his heavy breathing and slouched posture.

Iris punched the air. "Thunder Punch!"

"Iron Head!"

The two pokémon rushed in with their respective moves. Dragonite swung his fists, but Milotic outpaced him; he either connected with some glancing blows, or his strikes majorly lacked in impact, failing to faze his opponent. Milotic socked him right on the snout, causing him to stagger backward, his vision blurring.

Dragonite growled, refusing to give in.

WHAM!

Milotic wheezed from Dragonite's fist—no longer wrapped in lightning—suddenly impacting with her stomach. Dragonite unleashed a flurry of blows, finishing his combo with a crack! that sent Milotic flying.

She crashed into the ground, unmoving.

The referee flew down to inspect the downed pokémon.

When he raised his arm in the air, Iris sighed in relief, and her whole body relaxed. It was over.

"Milotic is unable—"

Milotic's tail twitched.

Slowly, under everyone's shocked gazes, she stood back up, her entire body quivering.

Iris gawked. "No way! HOW‽" Even after all that, she was still standing‽

Cynthia, stoic as ever, simply called out, "Milotic! Use Recover!"

Worry covered Iris' face. "D-Dragonite, quickly! Use Extreme Speed!"

Dragonite stomped the ground, anchoring himself, but then he faltered. Not enough stamina.

Iris' mind was racing. Was it over already? After coming this far, was there nothing else she could do‽

Milotic took a deep breath, then began focusing, her body glowing alight with green light.

Iris gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Her throat locked up. Dammit! She released the tension from her body, resigned to her fate.

.

.

.

.

"HEY! IRIS!"

Iris gasped and turned her attention to the stands. That voice… It was Ash's!

She located him near two other teenagers she didn't recognize. He had his hands cupped around his mouth. "You're the champion of Unova, aren't you‽ Show them what it means to be one! Show them that you've got what it takes – That you've earned your rightful place here in this tournament!

"And don't you dare give up until the very end!"

A torrent of emotion welled up in Iris' heart as she carefully considered Ash's words. He was right. The champion of Unova wouldn't resign themselves to their fate. To be a champion was to have absolute fate in your pokémon, no matter how dire the situation. How could she give up when Dragonite was fighting so hard for her? He had endured all of this, remaining strong, even when he could barely stand.

She wiped her face with her sleeve; she had found her resolution.

Iris propped herself up and extended her hand, reaching for Dragonite. Dragonite…

Dragonite perked up at hearing his trainer's voice directly in his mind.

Dragonite, thank you for fighting so hard for me. You can win this! I know you're tired, but just push yourself a little harder, okay? Show me your relentless fighting spirit!

Dragonite focused. He was tired—so very tired. But Iris' speech motivated him. He felt some hidden power welling up inside of him. It was almost as if he had no limits to his strength.

He opened his eyes; they had a new vigour to them.

Cynthia smiled momentarily. Her look then hardened. "Milotic! Finish this with Disarming Voice!"

Milotic breathed deeply before unleashing a volley of fairy-imbued vocals. They headed toward Dragonite, who stood there, motionless as he held a defiant glare.

"Dragonite, let's finish it now! Extreme Speed!"

Dragonite took one step, which cracked the ground. Then, he leaned forward, and a deafening, resounding boom rang about as he vanished, kicking up dust in his wake.

Iris recoiled, holding a nervous smile. Had Dragonite just broken the sound barrier?

In the blink of an eye, Dragonite was at Milotic's location, and he had buried her neck in the crook of his arm. Milotic choked up as her attack dissipated.

Dragonite swung his arm, sending Milotic flying past Cynthia. Dragonite vanished again, reappearing in Milotic's trajectory; he landed an uppercut that sent her flying skyward. He pursued her, racking up strike after strike as they went higher.

Iris couldn't even keep up with Dragonite's movements.

Now a few metres airborne, Dragonite grabbed Milotic's tail. He began spinning, faster and faster, until he was but a wild gyroscope. He came down and slammed Milotic into the centre of the battlefield; a mound of dust kicked up, obscuring the view.

But Dragonite wasn't done yet.

With the last of his strength, he charged his fists with lightning until they were brimming with it. He raised them in the sky, joining them together in a double axe handle. Roaring, he slammed his fists down onto Milotic, discharging all the voltage.

An electric explosion rang about, dispelling the previous dust mound.

Once the explosion settled, the referee floated down to inspect the two pokémon. Panting, Dragonite stood triumphant against Milotic, who had swirls for eyes.

This time, it was definitive. "Milotic is unable to battle!"

The crowd broke out into excited cheers.

Iris could barely believe Dragonite's display of power. She beamed. "Dragonite, we did it! You were awesome!"

Dragonite, tensing his muscles, bellowed a triumphant roar. Then, he went unmoving.

Iris frowned. "Dragonite?"

No response.

The referee inspected Dragonite. He raised his arm in the air. "Dragonite is unable to battle!"

Iris wanted to be disappointed, but this was expected. Frankly, she was more surprised at how Dragonite had held on throughout. She returned him. "Thank you; you were great out there. Haxorus and I will take it from here, so rest up."

"Milotic, return."

Iris turned her attention toward Cynthia. Thanks to Dragonite, Iris could go into this final battle with a full-health ace!

She took out her third and final pokéball. "Haxorus, let's do this!"

In a bright flash of light, Haxorus emerged from his pokéball, roaring.

"Cynthia!" Iris joined her hands together. "When I became champion, he's the one who finished the battle! He's always giving me strength!"

Humming, Cynthia briefly closed her eyes. "Iris, I admire your growth." Her look hardened to steel as she took ahold of her final pokéball. "However! My pride as Sinnoh's champion is on the line; I will be the hurdle you can't overcome!

"Take to the skies…" Cynthia tossed her final pokéball into the sky. "Garchomp!"

The pokéball flew higher into the sky until it became a tiny dot. A brief flash of light later, the tiny dot grew bigger as it came closer until Garchomp eventually touched down on the battlefield.

Iris steeled herself. "So you're finally here, Garchomp."

Haxorus and Garchomp stared each other down, each dragon ready to move at a moment's notice. The air grew thick with tension as the seconds ticked by.

Iris drowned out the crowd's muttering. Garchomp… Iris remembered when she had first battled against her; Haxorus was but a tiny axew. Weak and inexperienced.

But they had grown, now. And it was about time they showed just how much!

Iris swung her arm to the side, determined. "Haxorus! Breaking Swipe!"

"Repel it!"

Haxorus' stance shifted, and his tail lit up with a pink glow. He leapt toward his opponent, swinging his tail in a wide arc. Garchomp shifted her weight and swung her tail in the opposite direction to Haxorus.

THWACK! The tails struck each other. After a brief struggle, the two dragons jumped back to their original positions.

"Psycho Cut!"

"Crush them! Dragon Claw!"

Haxorus' tusks alighted with a pink hue. He swung his head repeatedly, firing psychic crescents at Garchomp. Her claws glowed; green energy expanded out of them, shaping themselves into shimmering blades.

Garchomp slashed the crescents, shattering them as she ran closer to Haxorus. She landed a clean X-shaped slash on Haxorus' chest, making him slide backward a few paces. Haxorus clutched his chest with his hand, nursing the stinging pain.

"Haxorus, hang in there!"

Haxorus gave her a bellow in response. He then shifted back into a battle stance, snorting.

"That's enough warming up!" Cynthia raised her arm in the air. "Shower upon us, stars of the heavens! Draco Meteor!"

Garchomp jumped back and craned her head skyward. Opening her maw, she formed a ball of energy and launched it into the sky as she cried out. The ball flew higher into the sky before exploding into hundreds of meteors, each sparking with primal, draconic energy.

Iris gasped. Time to make it or break it! "Outrage!"

Haxorus' eyes gleamed a piercing red, and that same colour tainted his vision. A primal instinct of rage overtook him; he roared as a red aura exploded out of him.

Grunting with each strike, Haxorus wildly swung his head, cleaving through the meteors with his tusks. He charged in, undeterred by the meteor rain. He successfully bridged the gap between him and Garchomp and butted heads with her.

THOOM!

The two dragons were locked in place, neither one budging a millimetre. They grabbed each other's hands—claws, in Garchomp's case—as they kept pushing against each other, ever growling.

"Do it, Haxorus!"

"Don't give in, Garchomp!"

The two dragons started headbutting each other repeatedly, each strike echoing on the battlefield.

As they did so, Garchomp couldn't bite back some wincing as her head began to throb from the repeated strikes. Haxorus, in his blind rage, seemed impervious to pain and kept increasing the force of his headbutts while Garchomp's diminished in strength.

Haxorus overpowered Garchomp, causing her to falter and rear back. Now left wide open, Haxorus capitalized; he pulled her in and, letting go of her, bashed Garchomp's face with a few swings of his tusks, which made some blood splatter onto the ground. As the final move of his combo, he slammed his tail into Garchomp's side, sending her flying, then rolling on the ground.

Garchomp picked herself up and wiped her bloodied cheek with her arm. Haxorus, still with that glaring, red gleam in his eyes, roared as he charged her again, his claws poised to strike. Garchomp snarled; close-quarter combat would not end well for her.

She stomped her foot on the ground; it began to shake, tremble, quake.

Haxorus lost his balance and fell on his belly. The ground cracked and ruptured under him; it exploded, peppering him with chunks of rock. Haxorus roared, more in anger than in pain. While he helplessly flew through the air, Garchomp, grunting, swung her arms and fired a volley of silver scales. They left countless chips as they struck against his armoured hide.

Haxorus thudded into the ground. He picked himself up, covered in scrapes, cuts, and bruises. He started panting as his rage subsided; he roared, then slumped as yellow birds circled atop his head. The confused pokémon slammed his head into the ground; his thoughts snapped to clarity.

Haxorus reared up, shaking his head before entering a fighting stance.

Cynthia seemed taken aback, but then she smiled.

Iris put a shaking hand on her chest; her heart rate was skyrocketing. She held a determined smile. "This isn't over. Nowhere close. We can and will keep fighting until the bitter end!"

Cynthia nodded. "You are truly marvelous, Iris."

Iris grinned. "Alright, let's do it! Haxorus!"

Haxorus roared in determination.

"Right." Cynthia took out a lipstick. "In that case…" She donned the lipstick. "I shall defeat you with all my might!"

She flipped her lipstick, revealing a key-stone.

Iris gasped. "No way!"

Cynthia touched her key-stone with her finger; it shone with multiple tendrils of golden light. "Garchomp…" She twirled and held her key-stone high. "Mega-evolve!"

Garchomp roared as her mega-stone descended from the heavens. It glowed and emitted its own tendrils of blue light. As the two types of tendrils connected, their shine brightened to a dazzling white.

A rainbow of colours overtook Garchomp's form. Her body features became more angular. Her armfins and claws morphed into scythe-shaped, red blades. Tooth-like spikes grew across her legs, her chest, and the back of her arms. Finally, her jawline became much more defined.

The light dispelled, revealing Mega Garchomp, imposing as ever. She sharpened her blades, then roared.

Haxorus roared back.

The true battle began now.

Cynthia shoved her arm forward. "Dragon Claw!"

Garchomp advanced with a burst of speed, her claws lighting up with a green veil of energy.

Iris hesitated briefly. So fast! She brought her arm back. "Haxorus, use Psycho—"

Garchomp sliced at a stunned Haxorus' flank, cutting through the armoured hide as if it were butter. Blood splattered onto the ground. Haxorus let out a cry of pain and staggered to one knee, holding an arm over his wound.

Garchomp retreated a few metres back.

"Iris, you've grown, but you still have a lot to learn. In battle, a moment of hesitation can make a world of difference."

Iris bit her lip. That Scale Shot from earlier. Cynthia was playing ahead to gain a massive advantage now.

She looked down at the ground, contemplating her situation. Higher speed, higher strength… Garchomp was practically monstrous now that she had mega-evolved.

Even so…

"That Scale Shot of yours…" She grinned as she looked back up. "I'll use it to turn things around!" She traded defence for speed, so this is our chance to hit them where it hurts! "Haxorus, use it now!" All they needed was one opening, one opening to tip the momentum in her favour.

Fighting through the pain, Haxorus stood back up to his full height. From behind his back, he produced a diamond-shaped, onyx-black gem—a Dragon gem. He crushed it in his palm. Its energy coursed into him, and he tensed his muscles as he roared, an indigo aura surging out of him.

"We'll bet it all on this attack!" Iris punched the air. "Outrage!"

Haxorus roared even harder. His aura exploded, doubling in size as it took on a red tint. His eyes turned into a fierce, blood-red colour and gleamed with unbounded, primal fury.

He rushed forward.

Garchomp met him head-on, unsheathing her dragon-claws.

THWACK! Blade struck tusk. A burst of wind surged from the clash. Garchomp swung her other blade; Haxorus parried it just in time, causing another explosion of wind. Struggling briefly, the two dragons separated, keeping a few metres of distance between each other.

Iris and Cynthia both gave a single command.

"ATTACK!"

The dragons moved in. Haxorus swiped his claws in a wide arc; Garchomp ducked under it and slashed at Haxorus' unharmed side, leaving a considerable gash. She moved back, only to have her arm seized and squeezed by Haxorus. Briefly stunned, she swung her other arm down, only for Haxorus to grab it as well.

His raging eyes bore into her soul as they were locked in place for a moment. With a roar, Haxorus smashed his head into Garchomp's snout. Her vision turned to stars.

Haxorus grabbed her face and slammed her into the ground, digging a small crater. Then, he grabbed her tail and swung Garchomp around.

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM-WHAM! WHAM! Back-first, face-first, then rinse and repeat. Haxorus slammed Garchomp into the ground repeatedly. She cried out in pain each time her body met the floor, which rattled her insides.

Haxorus tossed Garchomp into the sky. He spun, whirled, spiralled, and slammed his tail into Garchomp's belly when she descended. She coughed up a spew of blood before she went flying, spinning uncontrollably.

Snarling, she recovered in midair and landed on her feet, sliding. Immediately, she had to bring her blades up to her face to block Haxorus' tusk swing. She pushed him off and, reigniting her dragon-claws, slashed at his chest, cutting through the armoured hide.

Haxorus roared, but not in pain—in rage. He kept swinging his tusks relentlessly. Garchomp went on the defensive, blocking and dodging as she was pushed back. She managed to break off from him and circle around him in a burst of speed.

Garchomp swung her dragon-claws.

CRACK!

Tail glowing pink, Haxorus parried the blow.

Garchomp flummoxed. He had reacted in time‽ Inconceivable!

She jumped back. Only now was she noticing her soreness, throbbing wounds, and heavy breathing. But her opponent seemed full of energy — Did his wounds mean nothing to him?

As if to confirm her thoughts, Haxorus turned around, eyes still burning with fury. He roared.

Hmph. Garchomp had made a single mistake: letting Haxorus take the initiative. She would not repeat the same mistake twice.

She roared back, and the dragons engaged in combat once more. Garchomp took the offensive this time; she swung her blades with relentlessness, not giving Haxorus a moment to breathe. She racked up slash after slash, but then…

Haxorus started parrying more of her swipes.

Even though her speed was superior, he was adapting to her attack patterns. Or perhaps it was Garchomp's speed that was waning?

Garchomp chuckled internally. Either way, Haxorus had grown into a fierce and respectable warrior, and she grew some respect for him.

The two dragons broke off from their clash, both panting and covered in wounds, scrapes, and bruises. Haxorus' shoulders went slack; familiar, yellow birds danced atop his head.

The perfect opening for Garchomp to exploit. She leapt, her dragon-claws poised to strike. It was a shame that their battle had to end in such an anti-climactic way, but alas; c'est la vie.

The last thing Garchomp was expecting was for Haxorus to suddenly jerk his head up and open his maw, indigo fire building up in the back of his throat. A mighty, indigo pulse of energy struck her in the face before she could hit him. She slid across the ground and had to use her blades to stop herself.

Haxorus staggered to one knee, wincing. The initial wave of pain that had surged through him when Outrage faded was enough to break him out of his confusion.

His entire body felt numb, and his breathing came out in irregular shaky gasps. Haxorus felt like he was at his limits. He needed to stand up, win this battle, and prove to his idol that he had surpassed her; this was his only chance!

He needed to do this. For himself and for Iris.

But his body wouldn't respond.

Haxorus sighed. He didn't want it to end like this… Anything but this.

But then, he felt a hand on his back, and a sense of comfort washed over him.

"Haxorus." His trainer's voice rang out clearly in his mind. "This is our final attack."

He turned to look at her. Really, just like that? He couldn't, though; he didn't have enough stamina left…

"Don't worry! Let's give it everything we've got!"

Everything he had? Haxorus still had more to give? He remembered all the battles that led up to this. What was his limit? Throughout his journey, he had worked hard, always training to surpass his past self, always pushing past his boundaries.

This was no different. If he was at his limit, then he just had to break through it!

Haxorus opened his eyes, a newfound determination shining in them. He rose to his full height, no longer feeling any pain.

Garchomp took note of his demeanour and steeled herself. No doubt about it; this next interaction would be the final one.

Cynthia raised her arm in the air. "Garchomp, finish it now! Draco Meteor!"

Garchomp's body flared up with an aura as she roared into the sky. Her aura coalesced in front of her maw into a ball of energy that she fired into the sky.

"Haxorus…" Iris put her whole body in motion to point at the sky. "Use Dragon Pulse!"

Haxorus reared his head back, building up energy in his open maw. His head snapped back, and the dragon-pulse he fired soared into the sky. He put everything into it: his hope, his determination, his pride...everything.

As meteors began raining down from the sky, Haxorus' dragon-pulse split into multiple tendrils and lashed out at the meteors, destroying them; the sky turned into a cluster of explosions. Not all of them were destroyed, however; the surviving meteors crashed into the ground, kicking up a mound of dust.

A pregnant silence followed.

The two trainers remained stoic as the dust cloud parted. Garchomp and Haxorus were both standing, locked in a stare-down. Only their shaky breaths filled the silence's void. The two of them were twitching uncontrollably, and they looked as if they could collapse at any moment.

Win or lose, Iris had done all she could; she could only wait for the conclusion of this battle.

Who would fall first? Haxorus or Garchomp?

.

.

.

.

.

Haxorus silently asked his trainer to forgive him; he collapsed on his back.

The resounding thud echoed about.

"Haxorus is unable to battle! As such, the winner is Cynthia!"

Cynthia walked over to Garchomp, who returned to her base form in an orange flash of light. "Garchomp…you battled well. Thank you."

They both watched as Iris walked up to Haxorus and wrapped her hands around his neck. "You did your best, Haxorus."

Haxorus emitted a tired groan.

Iris hugged him a little tighter. "Don't be sorry. Haxorus…Dragonite…Excadrill… I love all of you."

"Iris?"

Iris looked up. "Cynthia…" She recalled Haxorus to his pokéball and stood up. "Thank you very much. I'm going to get a whole lot stronger."

Cynthia nodded, smiling. "That was an unforgettable battle. You have my thanks, too."

They shook hands, and the crowd erupted into cheers and applause.


AN:

And as such, the third battle out of seven concludes.

I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, favourite, follow, and leave a review; it's always appreciated.

My story has passed 1000 views; thank you so much for your support! It means a lot to me that you guys are enjoying this wild ride. I make no promises, but I'll do my best to write the next chapter in less than a month and a half.

Yeah, that's about it. Or have I forgotten something…?


Iris walked through the stadium's corridor, her head held low.

"Iris… Too bad, huh?"

She looked up to an unexpected sight. "Ash…" He was there with Pikachu and a sympathetic look on his face.

Emotions welled up inside Iris. She fought back tears and tried to smile. "I lost."

"You did, huh?"

"Cynthia is so amazing!" She had a great time, and it was an exhilarating battle. Not only that, she came so close to victory!

So why, despite all that, was her heart aching like this?

The tears started flowing. "She's amazing… Amazing, but…"

She couldn't keep her emotions in; she burst out sobbing. All her sorrow, she expelled it in a waterfall of tears.

She felt arms wrap around her. Ash patted her back in a soothing manner. Iris gripped his shirt and kept weeping. She didn't let up for quite some time.

Ultimately, Iris broke off from Ash and rubbed her eyes with her sleeve. "Ah, now I feel better!" Iris could finally smile. Her battle with Cynthia was the most fun she had ever had! But since she had lost… "Ash! You better win this next match and then against Cynthia; you're fighting for the both of us, now!"

Ash grinned. "You bet!"

Pikachu chimed in with a few cries of his own.

Iris grinned back. "Then get out there and win this!"

"Right!"

Iris watched him head toward the battlefield. She put her hands behind her back, blushing. "Ash… Thank you," she whispered.


I wish you all a late merry Christmas and happy holidays! See you guys!


Iris' team:

Excadrill (M)

Ability: Mold Breaker

- Horn Drill
- Focus Blast
- Hone Claws
- Drill Run

Dragonite (M)

Ability: Inner Focus

- Thunder Punch
- Dragon Claw
- Superpower
- Extreme Speed

Haxorus (M)

Item: Dragon Gem

Ability: Mold Breaker

- Psycho Cut
- Outrage
- Dragon Pulse
- Breaking Swipe

Cynthia's team:

Garchomp (F)

Item: Garchompite

Ability: Sand Veil

- Dragon Claw
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Scale Shot

Milotic (F)

Ability: Marvel Scale

- Hydro Pump
- Iron Head
- Disarming Voice
- Recover

Gastrodon (F)

Item: Damp Rock

Ability: Storm Drain

- Acid Armor
- Rain Dance
- Muddy Water
- Stone Edge