Part XLV: Out of Left Field

Zoey led them to one of the side rooms where coordinators who preferred solitude before they competed could take a moment to compose themselves and get ready for their appeal or battle. On the way they grabbed some of the lunch provided for coordinators so that they had something to eat during the break.

None of them spoke as they walked to where Zoey wanted to talk. Misty got a tense but not awkward silence out of her best friend which was odd. Whatever Zoey wanted to talk to them about was serious and that was what confused Misty, she'd never felt Zoey like this but she would be there for her best friend if she needed her to be. That's what friends were for after all.

It didn't take long for them to reach the room. None of them sat, there was only one chair anyway, as they ate in silence. Misty was going to give Zoey all the time she needed and wouldn't push her. Zoey would talk when she was ready. Ash was just confused but that was to be expected, he didn't know Zoey well and she'd asked to talk to them alone. That would confuse anyone, especially Ash who wasn't skilled in stuff like this.

"Alright, I may as well just get to the point of why I asked you two to talk in private." Zoey said as that all finished their food and she took a deep breath; it was time to finally tell Misty about her feelings for her fellow coordinator. "This, this isn't easy for me to say."

"Take your time Zoey." Misty said with a kind smile that was just one of the many little things about Misty that Zoey had fallen hard for. "You know we're here for you no matter what. We always will be."

"I know but this, this is a little different to what you're expecting." Zoey said, she shouldn't be this weak in this moment, she couldn't be, but she also couldn't just blurt it out so she had to start slow and hopefully the right moment would present itself. "Misty, do, do you remember what I told you and the other girls the night the rest of us arrived."

"I do." Misty said nodding, she remembered vividly her surprise when Zoey had told her she was gay but it hadn't changed a thing, it just explained a few things about Zoey and Misty would always be there for her friend no matter what. "But we did agree to keep everything said there between us."

"We did but this is my secret not one of the others' so I can talk about it as I see fit." Zoey said as Ash just more confused as he tried to understand the exchange, he'd assumed the girls had shared stories and wouldn't ask what they'd spoken about but this felt different somehow. "But, well, there's more to what I revealed than I let on that night, something I left out because and wasn't comfortable sharing it when the topic was briefly broached thanks to Georgia."

"Well you know you can tell me anything." Misty said supportively. "I'll listen and try and understand as best I can. I will always be here for you Zoey, that's what friends are for."

"Of course you will, that's who you are." Zoey said with a small smile as she realized that Misty had given her the perfect line to subtle reveal her feelings to. "It's one of the many reasons why I fell for you."

"Well I am always there…" Misty began before her brain caught up with what Zoey had just said to her. "Wait, come again?"

"I said I fell for you." Zoey said simply with a light laugh as Misty tried to process what she was hearing while Ash just blinked in even more confusion than before, he was totally lost at this point. "That's what I didn't add the other night when Georgia said she'd never had a crush on someone competing in the Wallace Cup. I never said my crush, I just clapped at that and refused to say. Thankfully Georgia and Iris went at it again seconds later so I was spared. Dawn knew though, she'd figured it out by then."

"Oh yeah you did." Misty said remembering that Zoey had clapped at it but it had been forgotten by her confirmation of May having a crush on Ash, and Georgia and Iris's latest round in their rivalry. "I, er, didn't think about that, there were other things on my mind. Wait. Dawn knows?"

"Yup, she's a very astute girl." Zoey said and Misty had to agree with that, Dawn seemed to be more aware of her surroundings then she let on. "She was watching all of us during the game and noting our answers. She may have done it partially to mess with you, she seems to like doing that, but also to actually get to know those of us she'd just met. She picked it up during the game and spoke to me the next day while you were with your mom. Told me to get it off my chest and well seeing as I'm facing Ash next, now was as good a time as ever to tell both of you."

"I can see that." Misty said as she thought back to that night and realized just how in control Dawn had been and how she'd used the game to get to know all of them. "Though I still find Dawn helping people alien to me but she seems to be good at it, we just didn't meet under the best of circumstances to foster a good relationship."

"I can only imagine." Zoey said recalling what she'd heard about Dawn and Misty's first interaction. "And Misty, I am sorry for suddenly dropping this on you right before the quarters when you need to focus on your next match but I just couldn't hold it in after it was confirmed I would face Ash. I wanted him to know what our battle will be about and I wanted you to know before he did so I had to talk to both of you."

"It's a lot to process for sure." Misty said, she wasn't certain what to say to Zoey but she had to say something and be tactful about it. "I mean, I, I don't really know how to respond to this as I wasn't expecting you to like girls let alone me but I promise you that won't affect my performance. This is the Wallace Cup; I know it well and can compete with this distraction, it won't affect my performance. As for the timing, that I understand as this is the best time for that given your own match."

"Misty, I know that you don't reciprocate my feelings." Zoey said with a sad smile at her crush and best friend. "I've known that for a while, before you even started dating Ash. By the time the Grand Festival rolled around it was clear that you were into him and while I always had hope, I could tell that you're straight early on. It didn't prevent the feelings from developing but it at least avoided heartbreak."

"I mean it took me a while to understand my own feelings for Ash but yeah it's just guys sorry." Misty said swallowing a little at hearing what Zoey had been through because of her. "I didn't mean to hurt you Zoey, I'm really sorry for that."

"You didn't hurt me Misty, I was more pissed at myself for falling for my straight best friend despite knowing she was straight." Zoey said with a chuckle. "Talk about a cliché there am I right?"

"I wouldn't know, I'm sorry." Misty admitted. "I'm not really well versed with that kinda thing."

"Oh well it's a bit of a trope that someone like me would fall for their straight best friend." Zoey explained. "I swore I wouldn't fall into that stereotype but then I met you and that went out the window pretty quick. I just had to accept everything about it."

"So do you…" Misty began trying to clarify everything and Zoey nodded.

"Yeah I still have feelings for you, those won't go away, at least I don't think." Zoey said simply. "You weren't my first crush, that was Miss Senior, but you are the first girl I've truly fallen for on a deep level. However, I've also accepted that I can't have you and am moving on. I'm even ready to actually date someone, I just have to find a girl like you but who's actually into girls. I would have considered asking Georgia out but that girl doesn't even know her own sexuality yet and I think Miss Senior hitting on her has her a little confused. Once she knows, then, if she's on my side, I'll give her a call."

"I think with Georgia it's a matter of her life goal being more important than something as trivial as romance, in her eyes anyway." Misty said thinking about their Dragon Buster friend. "But anyway, thank you for telling me Zoey, it means a lot to me that you're able to do this. I am flattered, don't get me wrong, and other than Ash you're the best person to crush on me but I love him and that's how it will be. This won't change anything between us though."

"Promise?" Zoey asked and for the first time Misty heard the fear in Zoey's voice and realized just how hard it had been for Zoey to tell Misty about her feelings for Misty. "It won't change anything despite knowing that, that, I love you Misty."

"Promise." Misty said before she pulled her friend into a hug and held her close but in a friendly manner deciding not to dwell on how deep Zoey's feelings were as they still wouldn't change how she saw her best friend. "No matter what, we'll always be best friends Zoey."

Zoey hugged Misty back and breathing in a sigh of relief as she held her best friend and first love tightly. She had known that she had to tell Misty how she felt but she'd always had the fear that while Misty would accept her and her feelings, even if she didn't reciprocate them, it would change their friendship for the worse and that had been the biggest thing holding her back. Zoey now knew that she shouldn't have worried. The Misty she loved, and she had to come to terms with the depth of her feelings being that deep, wouldn't let this change anything about their friendship.

Zoey broke their hug and pulled out a handkerchief she kept in her suit to dab at her now wet eyes. She couldn't really cry, not here, but she'd failed to avoid some wetness despite promising herself she wouldn't when she made up her mind to tell Misty about her feelings.

She felt like a great weight had been lifted from her chest as she looked at a smiling Misty, as she showing her full support for Zoey in her gorgeous blue eyes. She would never be with Misty the way she would want but her best friend would always be there for her and she would be there for Misty as well. Of course that moment was suddenly shattered by Ash in the most Ash way possible.

"Can someone please tell me what on earth is going on?" Ash asked still utterly confused causing both girls to burst out laughing. "I'm completely lost."

"Really Ash, you didn't get any of that." Zoey said as she tried to recover, trust Ash to lighten the mood without meaning to do so. "I thought we were pretty clear."

"No should I have?" Ash asked shaking his head. "I get that you and Misty had a moment but I didn't understand what it was about or why I had to be here for it. It had something to do with a night all the girls had but after that I lost it."

"You're going to have to just tell him in as direct and blunt a manner as possible." Misty said to Zoey. "When it comes to this topic, bluntness is the best way forward."

"I figured." Zoey said still chuckling at Ash's inability to pick up what her and Misty had been talking about. "Alright Ash here's the simple explanation. I'm gay, which means I am romantically and sexually attracted to women and not men. I also have a huge crush on Misty who, as you know, is your girlfriend. When it became clear that we could face each other in the quarters I knew that that was the right moment to tell both of you about my feelings for Misty. There was one more reason for it though."

"And that is?" Ash asked as he began to understand everything though Zoey being gay had taken him completely by surprise, he hadn't seen that coming at all let alone her crush on Misty. "I kinda get the whole needing to tell Misty, I think at least, though the whole thing is a shock to me. What more could there be?"

"We are about to face off." Zoey said with a grin. "So this is my challenge to you as a rival for Misty. She's done it to her rivals for you so now it's your turn to face one of the rivals you have for her."

"Oh you mean like her battles with Dawn and Angie." Ash said surprising Misty that he'd remembered what those had been about. "I was expecting this as Misty said I would have to deal with Kenny and Conway someday because they actively want Misty but this wasn't what I saw coming."

"You really didn't even suspect that I was into girls?" Zoey asked and Ash shook his head. "Somehow that figures and this isn't the same kind of challenge as Misty has had or as you will have with the others who like Misty. In all those cases it was all about asserting dominance or at the very least proving to the rival that they are the right girl for you. This challenge is so that you can prove to me that you deserve Misty. Even if you lose I won't hold it against you, I just want to ensure that you can hold your own when facing me. I know that Misty is yours and I will never mess with that but that doesn't mean I can't see how good you are."

"In a Contest battle?" Ash asked a little confused. "You are a Top Coordinator Zoey and you beat me the one time we faced each other in a Contest battle, I'm not exactly good at them. I've never gotten the hand of the graceful battling style required to win on points."

"You almost beat me; in fact you would have had the timer not run out as that super effective Focus Punch would have definitely knocked Glameow out." Zoey said shaking her head. "And you recently beat Misty in a Contest final to earn your first ribbon so you can do it. Plus this is my home turf, if you beat me on it then I know you're legit in your skills."

"Alright, I accept." Ash said with a smile at the challenge, he'd already planned which Pokémon had the best chance to win against Zoey and now it was more imperative that he won with it. "And I look forward to it. Get ready, you have no idea what's coming."

"I can't wait to watch, for once it will be Ash battling a rival and not me." Misty said happily. "And Zoey, thank you for telling me how you feel. I know it can't work but it does mean a lot that you're honest with me and comfortable letting me know."

"Thank you Misty for accepting this." Zoey said as a bell sound indicating 10 minutes before the first quarterfinal, which Misty was in, was set to start. "But you should probably go and get ready."

"In a moment." Misty said dismissively. "I have the time and we are near the entrance to the stage so I don't have to leave right away."

"In that case, I'll leave you with Ash for a moment so that you two can deal with this by yourselves." Zoey said before she put a hand on Misty's shoulder. "And thank you Misty, for everything."

Before Misty could react Zoey lent in and kissed her on the cheek, something she'd never done before. She wasn't going to steal a kiss or anything like that, she knew how bad Dawn now felt about that incident and she couldn't do that to Misty. This was what people did when their love was unrequired but still accepted in a way, right? Well it just felt right to Zoey so she'd done it. Before Misty or Ash could react Zoey smiled and left.

"Um well I didn't see that coming." Ash said as Misty touched her cheek in surprise at Zoey's action, it wasn't a sexual act or to mess with her, just Zoey's way of showing she was fine with the situation. "That came out of nowhere."

"No, no it wasn't expected." Misty agreed. "I knew about Zoey's orientation, she told me the other night when we all got to know each other, but the crush on me is new."

"Well we can discuss this later; you really should get going." Ash pointed out bringing Misty back to her most immediate task, her quarterfinal battle. "It's almost time for your match and if we both win we will face each other in the semis."

"Oh yeah we would." Misty said smiling at that thought as she pushed the revelations Zoey had dropped on them down and focused on the Wallace Cup and her motivation to win it. "And I have revenge to take on you for HopHopHop Town so I can't lose. Alright, we can discuss this later if we want. For now, let's focus on our battles."

"Agreed but first." Ash said before pulling Misty in and giving her a proper kiss that she reciprocated in kind enjoying the private setting to really give into her love for Ash. "Now go out there and win. Remember, I love you."

"Love you too." Misty said with a smile and a light blush before they left and headed to the starting area holding hands the entire time.

Ash would have to wait there anyway as he was up after Misty so it was best to watch her battle from the wings. Then he would face Zoey, a true challenge in more ways than one but he had one thing going for him that he knew would lend him aid to win, his love for Misty, well that and a surprise Zoey wouldn't see coming.

His first rival for Misty was about to go down. Ash was looking forward to it and shocking the Contest scene in the process with what he had planned for Zoey. This was going to be fun.


Ash watched Misty comfortably win her quarterfinal match. Despite the recent revelation regarding Zoey's feelings for his girlfriend, it hadn't seem to have affected Misty's performance in the slightest. As soon as she was in position she was focused and in the zone. It showed in her match.

Misty was up against the hotshot rookie on the Hoenn circuit this season but the guy didn't stand a chance against a seasoned coordinator like Misty. His style was clearly an aggressive one that went for a quick Battle Off while using his field to his advantage. It was an interesting strategy and one that would usually work but there was one problem with his plan.

His problem had been that he had decided to use a Whiscash in the match. As with Swampert, Whiscash was a water and ground type so a good choice in the Wallace Cup unless someone went with a grass type. That was what Misty had done because she had decided to use Gloom. All it took was a well-timed Sleep Powder and a few Razor Leaf attacks to force a Battle Off with more that 3 minutes left. It was the second fastest match of the Cup so far behind only Georgia's brutally quick first battle against a dragon type.

Misty was smiling as she walked back to head to the waiting room, high fiving Ash as they always did before as walked out and got ready for his own battle, something Misty hurried back to watch. It was time. Ash slowly walked to his position as the crowd cheered while Zoey walked to hers at the same time, smiling at him and holding a Poke Ball in her hand.

"Ready Ash." Zoey said in a taunting tone, she had prepared for this ever since she knew she would one day challenge Ash to prove he deserved Misty. "I want your all in this battle so don't hold back against me."

"I always give it my all." Ash said back as he pulled out his own Poke Ball. "And don't worry, I have something really special for this. The only way I can beat you is by pulling out all the stops so I am. Brace yourself Zoey, I'm coming for you with everything I have."

"I look forward to it." Zoey said grinning at that, this was going to be good, she knew it. "Then come get me, prove to me that Misty's made a good choice with who to entrust her heart to."

"She has mine so I will prove that I deserve hers." Ash said back. "Nothing will stop me, not even a Top Coordinator."

"Our next quarterfinal is about to start and it's already looking like it will be a good one." Vivian said into her mic interrupting them as the crowd got louder in anticipation of the battle before she gestured to Zoey. "On one side we have a Top Coordinator who won the Sinnoh Grand Festival a few years ago and hasn't lost a Contest battle in a long time but you all know her as Zoey from Snowpoint City."

The crowd cheered and Zoey waved to them getting really into it. This was what she was good at, what she loved and she was about to face off against a challenger she knew was motivated to beat her so he would give her a match to remember. This was going to be good.

"And on the other side, all the way from Pallet Town out in Kanto." Vivian said gesturing to Ash though he didn't know why she had to introduce them every time. "He's not a coordinator but he is sure good at it it seems, the surprise of the Kanto circuit seeking another stunning upset today, it's Ash."

Ash just smiled as the crowd cheered for him before he and Zoey locked gazes across the pool. It was true if he won this would be a stunning upset, probably the biggest one across all 4 circuits. Not even Misty had beaten Zoey before but Ash was motivated, both for Misty and to face her in the semis, and he had a little surprise for Zoey. He wasn't sure that she would know how to face his Pokémon. Ash wasn't lying, he was pulling out all his tricks to beat Zoey, he had to against a coordinator of her skills.

"Begin!" Vivian yelled.

"Lumineon, curtain!" Zoey said throwing her Poke Ball high into the air, a Pokémon that immediately gave Ash an advantage.

"Porygon2, I choose you!" Ash called out throwing his own ball as the crowd, Vivian, judges and Zoey gasped at his announcement.

Lumineon burst out in a flash of silver that seemed to replicated a Silver Wind attack before it flipped and dove into the water but it stayed just below the surface. It, along with everyone else, just gawked at its opponent.

Porygon2's ball seal was something Ash had had to have Dr. Akihabara specially make as it wasn't something you could buy in the stores. The ball burst open and out shot a series of 1s and 0s in long chains to represent binary, the language of computers. Seconds later the bird-like Virtual Pokémon appeared before Ash and hovered in the air in front of him ready for its first ever battle, that stuff in the Computer World didn't really count to Porygon2. This was its debut and it was going to win it for its trainer.

"That isn't a Pokémon you see every day, or ever as that's the first Porygon2 I've ever seen." Vivian said still gaping at Porygon2. "It seems Ash has some rare Pokémon in deed."

"Rare is an understatement." Zoey said amazed, Ash wasn't kidding with having something special for her, you couldn't getting more special than a Pokémon no one present had ever seen before. "I've never even heard of it but I have heard that there's a Pokémon called Porygon-Z so I assume that they're connected."

"Porygon2 is the pre-evolved form of Porygon-Z" Ash confirmed with a nod. "Though I too only recently learned that Porygon could evolve, when I first met Porygon2 it couldn't but now it can twice. I got it recently and was saving it for the right moment. This is that right moment, I need something you don't know how to face to beat you Zoey. You did want a challenge so here it is. Porygon2, Converstion2"

"What does that move do?" Zoey asked before shaking her head. "Never mind, can't get distracted now."

Ash had taken her by surprise multiple times already but she had to refocus on the battle. Porygon 2 was just another Pokémon, she could beat it, she just had to figure it out first and then let Ash treat this as a normal battle and counter with her Contest style. So long as Zoey stayed calm and dragged the battle out, she would easily win. She just needed to attack first to figure out Porygon2.

"Lumineon, get beneath it and use Waterfall." Zoey ordered. "We have no idea what move it just used but it doesn't look like an attack so let's see what status boost it received from that."

"It's a first time use in battle for me, both the move and Porygon2" Ash said as Porygon2 seemed to shimmer briefly as it activated its unique move. "Take the hit Porygon2, we know what the results could be and I have a plan for either result."

Lumineon suddenly shot out of the water beneath Porygon2 and hit it with its attack. Porygon2 flew higher into the air with a wail that took some points from Ash but not too much. Everyone gasped again as Porygon2 shimmered again as it flipped only this time its coloring turned from its blue and pink to a bright green before it righted itself and lowered to hover in front of Ash.

"What just happened?" Vivian asked into her mic, asking the question on everyone's mind as Lumineon swam back to Zoey's side of the pool just as confused as its trainer at the color change. "Why'd Porygon2 change its color?"

"Because Porygon2 just became a grass type." Ash said simply shocking everyone present. "A neat trick, right?"

"How?" Zoey asked her eyes wid. "How can a Pokémon change type like that mid battle? It shouldn't be possible."

"Conversion2 is an artificial move created especially for Porygon2 and its evolutionary family." Ash said. "At least according to its creator that is what it is, he's a little insane but he seems to be right about this as he did make it. As for how, Conversion2 allows Porygon2 to change types to a type immune or resistant to the type of the last move that hit it. In this case it could have become a water, grass or dragon type. Judging by the color I am pretty sure that it is a grass type now."

"Damn, that's really useful." Zoey said her eyes wide in surprise, Ash hadn't lied, he really pulled out all the stops for her, she was honored and already he'd proven himself to her but he wasn't done yet. "It must be a normal type when not using that move, that's the only way it could be so versatile."

"It is a normal type and you haven't seen everything yet." Ash said with a grin. "This is a little something I picked up from watching Misty battle Dawn in a very similar battle to ours. I was going to use it last round but I couldn't. Now I can and you've chosen just the Pokémon for it to work perfectly. Porygon2, use Discharge on the pool."

"That's not good." Zoey said her eyes getting even wider at what Ash was about to do. "Misty, you're a genius, shame I'm on the wrong end of it even if it is fitting that you used it on a rival."

There wasn't much Zoey could do and her shock at his actions had ensured that she couldn't think of a counter. Ash would succeed because he hadn't aimed the attack at Lumineon, he'd aimed it at the pool. It was a really clever idea, one that she was amazed more people didn't think of.

There was just no way for Lumineon to dodge it. This was the one major disadvantage of fighting in a pool, it wasn't good when facing an electric type or a Pokémon that knew an electric type move. Add in using a water type and you had a recipe for a guaranteed damaging blow that would go over well with the judges for its uniqueness.

Ash had clearly planned this for some point in the Wallace Cup, he'd said as much. Zoey remembered that Ash had faced a Swampert in the round before and realized that the ground typing of it had prevented this strategy but Lumineon didn't have such an advantage so Ash was going after her with this unorthodox attack. He really was going all out and he'd had Zoey on the back foot from the start, something she hadn't experienced in years in a Contest battle.

Porygon2 suddenly sent out a flair of electricity that slammed into the water's surface. Instantly it sparked and fizzled and they could hear Lumineon wail pain before it shot out of the charged water and into the air to get away from the electricity, flopping and spasming from the attack as Zoey lost a good chunk of points. Ash wasn't done yet; he had a small window to complete his combo and he went for it before a still recovering Zoey could react.

"Tri-Attack." Ash ordered. "We've practiced on moving targets so I know you can hit it."

"What is that attack?" Zoey asked, she was totally off her game now and hating it, Ash had come for her swinging and he was winning.

Ash just grinned at her as 3 balls in a triangular pattern formed in front of Porygon2. The one on top was red, the bottom right light blue and the bottom left yellow. A second later 3 beams of light, one in each of the colors the balls had been, shot out and slammed into a still flopping and now falling Lumineon who couldn't' defend itself right now. It was driven back down and into the water with a loud splash that took even more of Zoey's points with it.

"What a devastating Tri-Attack let's see if one of the 3 potential side effects has kicked in." Vivian said getting into the surprising match as Zoey balked at what the announcer was saying, that wasn't good. "Those 3 beams can either paralyze, burn or freeze. A very useful normal type attack to use and Ash used it to perfection there in a combo I don't think we've ever seen before."

"That was a normal type attack?" Zoey asked eyes unable to go wider as she looked down at Lumineon and saw sparking on it as it steadied itself underwater meaning that it was paralyzed so it had been affected by one of the side effects. "Damn, that Porygon2 is something else. I've never faced a Pokémon like it."

"Surprise is a big factor in beating you." Ash said with a wide grin. "Misty knows I have Porygon2 and what it can do so I can't use it against her but I can against you Zoey. Discharge again!"

"Safeguard." Zoey yelled desperately and breathed a sigh of relief as Lumineon glowed green just before the Discharge hit the pool. "Thank Arceus, I needed that."

"Not bad but I still have one more trick up my sleeve." Ash said as if he hadn't already shown all his tricks. "Porygon2, dive into the water and use Psybeam."

"It can swim?" Zoey asked aghast, she had never faced a challenger who could battle like this and she was starting to realize just how good Ash truly was, she'd severely underestimated him. "What! How?"

"Porygon2 is an artificial Pokémon created in the Computer World so it doesn't have lungs, just code." Ash said as Porgon2 dove into the water and sent off the peculiar ray from its forehead as soon as it was underwater. "Dr. Akihabara evolved Porygon into Porygon2 so that it could be used in space it doesn't need air to breath so the same logic applies to water as it does to outer space. It's not great underwater but we've been training for 2 weeks just in case."

The Psybeam cut through the water right at Lumineon just as the Safeguard ended. Zoey couldn't get another move off before the psychic type attack slammed into Lumineon's already battered body and sent it spinning away, the water ensuring that it didn't go far. Zoey gritted her teeth and knew she needed to get more time to counter Ash and she knew just the move that would give Lumineon the needed boost to fight on.

"Aqua Ring." Zoey called out. "Regain some health Lumineon."

"End this Porygon2." Ash said holding his arm out. "Discharge one more time."

Zoey knew that was it, there was no avoiding it and it would be the end of Lumineon. Porygon2 sent out electricity everywhere underwater just as Lumineon was enveloping itself in a veil of water to regain heath for another attack. It looked good but with the electricity and 3 other attacks having hit, Lumineon had nothing left. The electric type attack coursed through the pool and Lumineon wailed in pain as it was fried for the second time in the battle.

As soon as it ended Lumineon went limp and slowly floated to the surface. When it broke the surface it was clear that it had swirls for eyes. Suddenly the 4 Xs of the judges went off signaling a Battle Off as the crowd went deathly silent in shock. Zoey, a Top Coordinator and one of the favorites in the Cup this year, had just been knocked out in the quarters by someone who wasn't a coordinator and who was competing in only his 4th Contest. To top it off there was still almost 2 minutes left in the round.

"Um, well I don't think anyone predicted this outcome." Vivian said as Porygon2 surfaced and flew back to Ash, its color returning to normal, and snuggled him affectionately as Ash stroked his Pokémon's head, thanking it for the victory. "But Ash has just defeated Zoey by Battle Off and advanced to the semifinals to face Misty in the biggest upset of the Cup so far if not the biggest upset of any circuit in the last few years."

Finally the crowd broke from their stunned silence and cheered wildly at the upset while Wallace spoke about the nature of the cup and how it brought out these kind of surprises all the time. Ash wasn't listening as he returned Porygon2 before looking at Zoey. She'd already thanked and returned Lumineon and was smiling back at him.

"Well done Ash, I asked for your best and you truly brought it." Zoey said congratulating him. "It's been a long time since I lost that badly in a Contest. You didn't just beat me, you absolutely owned me from the start. No question, you were the better coordinator today."

"I had a lot of tricks and unorthodox plans for this battle." Ash admitted. "You're too good to beat on your terms, I had to take control and win how I knew best. I needed to surprise you and take the upper hand from the start and press from there. I doubt it will work again but it only needed to work once."

"Well you certainly did just that to perfection." Zoey said. "You truly showed me you're more than good enough for Misty. She won't be as easy as me though, she did lose to you before and she won't again. Plus she knows you best so your usual strategies won't work. Now I have to change. Good luck Ash, I look forward to watching yours and Misty's match."

"Thanks." Ash said as Zoey turned and left.

Ash waited a moment longer so that he could bow to the judges before he too left a smile on his face. He'd had to go all out and use all his tricks to beat Zoey but it had been worth it. He'd won, he'd beaten a rival for his love, and he was now facing said love in the semis.

It was certainly an interesting Wallace Cup so far and one that was going to get even more interesting as he passed Iris waiting to come out and face Georgia in their quarterfinal match. That was a battle he wasn't going to miss so Ash hurried back to watch it with Misty and be congratulated on his upset win before watching two bitter rivals go at it. Ash couldn't wait, this had been a Wallace Cup for the ages and it was only going to get better.


Iris and Georgia walked out after Ash's upset victory of Zoey to the cheers of the crowd as they anticipated another good match following the best one of the Cup so far. Neither girl was known to the crowd as they were both from Unova but that didn't seem to mind. This had been one of the best Wallace Cups to date and they wanted more. They were about to get it with this matchup.

"Well here we are wannabe." Georgia taunted from her side as she reached it. "Our decider, though you look ridiculous in that fancy getup. I can't believe you chose that; it takes us hours just to get your hair under control"

"Yeah well at least it's not a surprise when I actually look like a girl." Iris taunted back though she was now really regretting her outfit choice, it was way too much effort. "I never thought I'd see you actually look feminine beyond just that simple skirt you wear. You in that dress is a sight for sure, gives me chills with that childish ice theme."

"Yeah well busting dragons is dirty work; I can't look pretty doing it." Georgia shot back though like Iris she wasn't a fan of the dressing up part of the competition, it just wasn't her style even if the dress she'd gotten totally was and she'd wear it again in the right situation. "I'm all about that hands-on and practical style. I don't need to look attractive doing it, just powerful as I take down your dragons."

"Well you will get your wish to get dirty today because this dragon trainer isn't going to get busted." Iris said as she pulled out her Poke Ball. "We know who's up in this match, we know what's at stake so let's get this started."

"You read my mind kid." Georgia said with a grin as she pulled out her Poke Ball. "I've been dreaming of this ever since the Junior Cup. I can't wait to beat you on live TV."

"You're the kid!" Iris yelled back. "And same, this time it won't be a tie or Dragonite doing everything. This time I will prove to you how amazing dragon types are!"

"Now that's what I'm talking about ladies." Vivian said into her mic as the crowd cheered before she gestured to both of them. "Really get the match hyped with this clear rivalry but given your respective professions it makes. We should have expected it from our second all Unova match and what a match it will be for all our fans here and at home. On the one side we have the Dragon Buster Georgia and on the other the Dragon Master Iris going head to head in the quarter finals of the Wallace Cup so let's not wait any longer. Begin!"

"Beartic, freeze the water with Ice Beam!" Georgia yelled sending her Poke Ball into the air to start the match. "Show your strength and ensure that this battle is actually fair, don't want Iris to win because of the environment, that's cheap."

"Let her do that Dragonite." Iris said throwing out her own Poke Ball. "We don't need the ground, best let her even it up so that she can't claim that our win doesn't count."

The balls burst almost at the same time as Georgia growled at Iris but she was grateful that Iris was letting her level the playing field so that the winner won with pure skill. This way there would be no saying the match wasn't fully fair. It was a true decider between the longstanding rivals.

Beartic burst out of his ball in a blizzard of ice shards that shot everywhere and landed in front of Georgia with a roar of challenge. Instantly he opened his mouth and blasted the water with a powerful Ice Beam showing off his power and skill as the water froze in seconds and not just the surface, the entire pool froze solid. The temperature dropped causing Iris, Vivian, and the judges to shiver violently as Georgia smirked at Iris while showing no ill effects of the cold as her breath steamed in front of her.

For his part Dragonite burst out in a plume of blue dragon fire in the shape of a dragon's mouth that he flew out of. He continued to fly higher to get out of the way of the chill of the ice as he glared at his old rival, that damned Beartic that belonged to his trainer's rival. He snarled at it; it was time to beat it again though he got the feeling that this time it wouldn't be so easy.

"Warm us up with a Flamethrower!" Iris ordered now that the battlefield was set. "It's too cold for any normal person,"

"Dodge it and use Blizzard." Georgia countered as Dragonite opened its mouth and blasted out a gout of flames that would be super effective against Beartic if it hit. "Keep the temperature low just as it should be."

Beartic leapt forward and onto the ices, rolling out of the way just in time though the attack singed some of his fur so the points Iris lost for missing weren't as much as normal. Beartic then popped up and unleashed a Blizzard attack up and at Dragonite. Dragonite didn't have time to dodge so he just put his arm up to block the cold ice type attack and took a good bit of damage but Iris was already ready, she knew he could handle it with little problem.

"You've proven your toughness before Dragonite." Iris said encouragingly to her headstrong and battle loving Pokémon. "Fly through that and hit Beartic with a Thunder Punch. Show it who's the real boss here."

Dragonite instantly dove down through the still attacking Blizzard and sped at Beartic, the ice attack barely slowing him down. He was a lot faster than he had been the last time and the Freezing Pokémon did stand a chance as Dragonite encased his right fist in electric type energy and punched Beartic square in the face as hard as he could. Last time this had been a one hit KO so it should do so again.

Beartic was thrown down and into the ice with enough force to leave a small crater. It was powerful, just as powerful as he remembered it from their last battle but he had gotten stronger thanks to his trainer and that ice woman they'd trained with. Beartic slowly stood as the Blizzard ended, wiped his mouth with a paw, and spat on the ice before he glared at Dragonite and made a come at me gesture. Their dance had only just started, he had revenge on his mind and this dragon was first one the menu.

"Ice Beam!" Georgia ordered and instantly Beartic opened his mouth and shot off his favorite attack. "Show him how much stronger it has become."

"Dodge that Dragonite." Iris commanded. "Then get in close with a Dragon Rush."

Unfortunately Dragonite was just a shade too close thanks to the Thunder Punch to fully get out of the way. The ice clipped his left wing freezing it, hurting Dragonite and sending him crashing into the ice which added a little more damage in the process. He got up and stood facing his rival and sneered at Beartic. That was barely a scratch but it was defiantly stronger, it would take more to beat it this time. Good, Dragonite enjoyed a tough battle, it made him stronger when he won. He crouched and then launched himself at Beartic.

Dragonite blasted across the ice at full speed, the ice on his wing not affecting him in the slightest, as he encased himself in dragon type power and slammed into Beartic with his Dragon Rush before the other Pokémon could react. Dragonite tackled Beartic so hard that they both flew past Georgia, her skirt fluttering thanks to their speed, and into the wall below the stands behind her hard enough to create a crater and obscuring the pair in a cloud of dust. However neither girl seemed to mind.

"Throw it off with a Focus Blast then hit it with another Ice Beam." Georgia said turning to the still obscured Pokémon, just because she couldn't see Beartic didn't mean she didn't know what to do.

"Hit it with a Thunder Punch before it can get that off." Iris countered.

No one actual saw Beartic use his move. What they did see was a flash of power and the crackling of electricity before there was a loud boom and Dragonite, his fist still crackling with the Thunder Punch, was thrown out of the dust cloud. A second later a blast of ice followed it and slammed into Dragonite's chest causing him to spin and crash into the ice near Iris creating another crater in the process. It was a good combo and Iris lost a good chunk of points for it but at this point neither girl was focused on their points.

The only plus was that the landing had broken the ice off Dragonite's wing so he was able to fly up, damaged, frozen, and thoroughly pissed off as he hovered in front of his trainer. That had actually hurt, a lot. Now it was personal. This Beartic was worthy of his full power, a true rival for Dragonite and his power. This was going to be fun.

Beartic walked calmly out of the dust though it was clear that he was damaged as his fur was black in places and he had a pronounce limp but otherwise he seemed fine. None of that slowed him down though as he walked forward and jumped back onto the ice to face his rival, just as pissed off as Dragonite. This wasn't a Contest battle anymore, it was a full-scale war between two strong, fully evolved, and bitter rivals and the crowd was loving it.

"Flamethrower Dragonite." Iris ordered.

"Blizzard." Georgia countered. "Make sure that fire doesn't reach you."

Again the Pokémon attacked at the same time only this time it was from range. Dragonite opened his mouth and a blast of fire shot out at Beartic just as Beartic opened his mouth and sent out the Blizzard attack. The two attacks met in the middle of the battlefield to the expected result. The fire melted the ice and created a mist that shrouded the battlefield but the ice prevented the fire from reaching Beartic so it was a draw. Not that either rival gave an inch.

"Beartic Focus Blast again." Georgia ordered and instantly the light of the attack could be seen through the mist. "Clear that mist and hit Dragonite."

"Block it with Thunder Punch." Iris countered. "Use your sense to know when to defend it."

A crackling of yellow electricity gave away Dragonite's position and the light was shot at it. It looked like Dragonite would be hit but instead he swung his fist at the last minute and the ball exploded as he punched it. The attack exploded, the force of the blast clearing the mist almost instantly but Georgia had already planned her next attack.

"Ice Beam." Georgia called out and instantly Beartic sent out another Ice Beam at Dragonite.

"Dodge it and hit back with Dragon Rush." Iris ordered. "Show off your speed Dragonite."

"Not this time wannabe." Georgia said with a grin as Dragonite sidestepped the Ice Beam and launched himself at Beartic with another fast Dragon Rush. "We have a new move to deal with that. Beartic, counter with Aerial Ace."

Beartic responded by launching himself at Dragonite with is arms wide, his speed increasing as he skimmed over the surface of the ice at the charging Dragonite, their speed almost matching each other. It was always an odd sight watching a non-flying Pokémon using a move like Aerial Ace but for some reason it worked and the two strong Pokémon were on a crash course for one another.

Aerial Ace didn't miss and Dragonite was at full speed so there was no way the result wasn't going to be a massive collision at the center of the battlefield. As expected it was and the explosion shook Iris and Georgia, though both remained on their feet, as well as the judges, Wallace himself had to put a hand on his head to avoid his hat being blown off.

Dragonite and Beartic seemed to mirror each other as they were thrown back from the impact. Both flipped in the air and landed on the ice in a crouch with one paw and both knees on it as they slid back to near their starting positions in front of their trainers, their eyes meeting and glaring at each other across the battlefield.

The ice where they had collided was cracked and cratered but neither rival minded as they slowly rose to their full height, breathing heavily and badly injured but still in it until the end. Iris and Georgia were both about to call out another attack when the buzzer rang to signal the end of the match and remind them that there was actually a time limit to their battle.

"And that is it." Vivian declared to the confused trainers and their Pokémon at the sudden stop of the match. "The match is over and what a match, that was an all-out brawl that had us on the edge of our seats. It's rare that a Contest battle goes like that but sometimes, especially when rivals go at it, they do and they are just as good as a standard one. Now let's look to the points to see who has won."

Both Georgia and Iris had been so into their battle that they had forgotten that they were in a Contest battle that had a time limit. They had been so focused on beating the other that they had lost track of time and neither had cared about their points in the process. It wasn't something that mattered to them as they didn't understand it well and had won their last battles with Battle Offs. However both looked to the scores and blinked at what they saw.

The scores showed that both were almost out of points with only a sliver left each. That was to be expected given the hits that each had taken and the dodges that they'd managed to pull off. However, what hadn't been expected was the points themselves. They appeared to be tied to the naked eye.

Both girls looked at the scoreboard confused not sure what it meant as their Pokémon continued to glare at each other but both had the discipline not to attack without the orders of their respective trainer. The judges were conferring for a moment while the crowd murmured at what they had seen and how it wasn't over yet. Then the judges nodded and Mr. Contesta handed a card to Vivian to read.

"Well folks, I don't believe it." Vivian said her eyes going wide at the card in her hand. "We have a tie. Both Georgia and Iris have the same number of points remaining which means we have Sudden Death. A real treat for you because this almost never happens!"

"Sudden Death?" Both Georgia and Iris asked in confusion, that wasn't something either had been told about but they were both pissed at the tie even if it made sense that it was a possibility.

"Correct, a tie isn't common but it happens sometimes." Vivian said with a wide smile at the prospect of the battle continuing. "When it does Sudden Death happens. In Sudden Death there is no time limit, the scores remain as they are right now and both coordinators continue battling until one is completely out of points or a Battle Off occurs. It's been 8 years since there's been one in the Wallace Cup and only 2 have occurred this year across all 4 circuits so this is something everyone loves when it happens."

"Your Dragonite looks near the end." Georgia noted looking at the panting Dragon Pokémon. "One more ice attack should end it I would guess."

"As does your Beartic." Iris said looking at the clearly drained Freezing Pokémon. "It can only take one more hit I think so shall we end this now Georgia? It's been a good battle so this is fitting I feel."

"One attack each to settle it Iris." Georgia said with a nod. "Whoever is stronger will win out just as it should be."

"Agreed." Iris said with her own nod.

"Well ladies, you may proceeded whenever." Vivian said as the timer went off the screen. "Let the Sudden Death begin!"

"Beartic, Ice Beam!" Georgia ordered.

"Dragonite, Flamethrower!" Iris called out.

Both Pokémon knew that this was it. The attacks were going to be super effective against the other and that hit would end them as neither could take much more. It would come down to strength, power and determination to see who won this battle.

The Ice Beam shot out of Beartic's mouth at the same time the Flamethrower burst from Dragonite's. They met in the middle of the frozen stage and collided with a boom as flames went everywhere. Both Pokémon were putting their all into it but one had to break and break it did.

Beartic's ice cracked and then shattered as the flames pushed past it and slammed home, washing over the ice type and staggering him back a few paces. Beartic stood for a moment longer before he fell back and crashed onto the ice, hard, his eyes swirls and the Xs of the judges going up as soon as he hit the floor.

"And that is it!" Vivian said declaring the end of epic match that had just occurred. "Iris and her Dragonite have won in Sudden Death over Georgia and her Beartic with a Battle Off and will advance to the semis to face the winner of the final match of the day. I can say for certain that this is one battle that we will be talking about for ages and just another great match in one of the best Wallace Cups to date."

"Beartic return." Georgia said calling back her beaten Pokémon with a small smile. "You did great my friend, really hung in there this time and gave it your all. This loss is on me not you. We will get better and stronger, I promise. We won't lose to Iris again."

"Dragonite return." Iris said calling back her own Pokémon and hugging the ball to her chest smiling, she would rather hug Dragonite but he needed the rest and he wasn't really fond of that kind of affection. "We did it, we finally beat Georgia without any excuses and we did it together."

"That you did." Georgia said with a nod of respect at Iris, something she now definitely had for her rival and her skills. "You're still a wannabe and a kid but you have a lot of talent and that Dragonite is now properly trained. I look forward to getting better so I can beat you the next time we face off."

"I will be stronger as well." Iris said back, her own respect for Georgia growing after that battle though their rivalry wouldn't end anytime soon. "So I can't wait to see how much stronger you are and test myself against you and Beartic."

"I would be offended if you weren't stronger." Georgia said. "Now go and wait with Ash and Misty, I am going to change into my comfortable outfit and watch with the others who have already been eliminated. Don't lose Iris, I want to know that the winner beat me."

"I'll do my best." Iris promised as Georgia gave her a slightly mocking salute before turning and leaving as the crowd cheered the match.

Iris smiled for a moment enjoying the praise but she knew she had to get off the stage as they needed to melt it as quickly as possible. She turned and left, passing a trainer she didn't know who was about to face May in the last quarterfinal, and heading as fast as she could to the waiting room where Misty and Ash were no doubt waiting to congratulate her, as was Axew.

She wanted to celebrate with them and watch the last quarterfinal to see who she would be facing in the semis. She couldn't' believe that she had finally beaten Georgia without any doubts. Perhaps there was something to this Contest thing.


"And with that, May has booked her spot in the semis and the bracket for tomorrow is set." Vivian said as the bell rang to end the last semi, no one needing to look to see that May still had more than half her points while her opponent had less than a quarter of his own points left. "That is it for today, we will return tomorrow bright and early with the semis and then final as we decide who will take home the Aqua Ribbon."

With that Vivian signed off and began to chat with the judges as the screen was replaced by the semis bracket while May congratulated and returned her Venusaur on its win. On one side of the bracket was Ash and Misty and the other Iris and May. The semis were set, the finals were imminent. By this time tomorrow they would know who had won the Wallace Cup.

Ash, Misty and Iris looked at one another in the waiting room, as did Pikachu, Piplup and Axew, knowing what tomorrow would bring. They had all congratulated each other on their wins, especially Ash's over Zoey, but tomorrow they would be rivals competing for the Aqua Ribbon.

May arrived a second later and they all looked at each other. They were the final four standing and by this time tomorrow only one would be left holding the Aqua Ribbon. It was going to be an interesting day for sure. Tomorrow the Wallace Cup concluded.