Part XLVIII: Here We Go Again, Again
Misty and May walked out of their respective entrances to the thunderous cheers of the crowd, the loudest reception of the Cup but seeing as it was the final it was to be expected. However neither girl heard the crowd as they locked gazes across the pool and made their way to their starting position. They'd been here before each of the last two years so both knew the score. The only difference was this time Misty had a greater motivator to win and May had a greater motivator to show Misty up; Ash.
The Wallace Cup Final was upon them and both were going after the Aqua Ribbon once again, Misty to secure her third ribbon for Kanto and May to win it in her hometown and finally beat Misty in the Wallace Cup. It was the final many had wanted from the start and now it was a reality.
However there was much more to this than just the ribbon. Misty had just confronted May about her crush on Ash and while she accepted it and trusted May to not act on it, that didn't mean that she had to show everyone, especially Ash, that she was the alpha and his alone. She couldn't lose to her third rival, certainly not on this stage and in this final.
May for her part wasn't going to let Misty beat her without a fight for the ages. She knew that Misty was Ash's no matter what happened here but that didn't mean that she couldn't take Misty down and show that she wasn't as dominant as she thought she was, that one of her rivals could go toe to toe with her.
It would be tough though. May knew how much Ash's encouragement helped as she'd felt and channeled it in the past and Misty was actually dating him which meant that it had to be more but that didn't matter to May. She was here to win, to take the Aqua Ribbon at last, in her hometown no less, and beat Misty in the process. It was going to be fun for sure.
"Well here we are again May." Misty said as she smiled at her friend though it was a shade more predatory than usual given their recent discussion. "The Wallace Cup Final seems to be our spot. I doubt that anyone would have expected us to be here three years in a row but we proved them wrong."
"I wouldn't have it any other way Misty." May said smiling back and matching Misty's intensity with her own, she would not be intimidated by her friend and rival. "We have a history here but this time I will rewrite it."
"Good luck because I am here for my third, in both sense." Misty said and May knew exactly what Misty meant by that even if no one else, minus maybe Dawn, knew. "I can't let you take it from me, not when I am so close."
"Maybe but if you want it again then I'll make you earn it because I've never had it yet so I am motivated to get it this time." May said back. "But however this goes, no hard feelings Misty, on anything."
"None May." Misty said her smile softening to one of friendship. "Friends till the end, no matter what happens."
"Agreed." May said as she pulled out her Poke Ball, Misty mirroring her as she withdrew her own one. "Now let's get this started, I have a lot of redemption to make up today."
"And I have a third Aqua Ribbon to win." Misty replied. "So let's go May. Time for round 3. I assume we're keeping this the same as the last two times."
"I wouldn't have it any other way." May said. "Both of us want to beat both of you."
"This is it folks, the final of the Wallace Cup is finally here!" Vivian said interrupting May and Misty's exchange. "And as you can see, the best rivalry of the Cup is really on display today. After one of the best Cups in history with upsets and surprise runs galore, we are down to our final two and unlike the rest of the Cup, this matchup wasn't a surprise. This was what we've come to expect from the Wallace Cup, am I right?"
The crowd screamed in response to Vivian's words somehow upping their already impressive volume in the process. The MC was right, as good as the Cup had been, from the start many had expected this final. Back to back finals was one thing but three straight matchups between the same two talented coordinators was unheard of and everyone wanted to see what the result would be. Would May final have her redemption on the third try or would Misty continue her Wallace Cup dominance with a historic 3rd straight win.
"So without further ado, here are your finalists!" Vivian yelled into the mic as the crowd continued to cheer as she swept her arm toward Misty. "On this side we have the queen of the Wallace Cup, the 2-time defending champion and one of the best coordinators to still not hold the title of Top Coordinator, one she's the favorite to claim this year in Kanto, competing in her 13th straight Contest final, that's including two Grand Festivals by the way, it's the Prodigy of Sinnoh; Misty!"
The crowd got louder as Misty was introduced. She broke eye contact with May to smile and wave at them, playing it up a bit because it was the final, before settling on the front row where her Mom and Ash were cheering loudest for her amongst all her friends, though she knew Ash would do the same for May, it was just who Ash was. Still she blew him a kiss as all her friends, even Dawn continued to cheer for her. She was ready for this.
"And facing her is someone who knows this situation all too well and wants to flip the script." Vivian said gesturing to May. "She's lost to Misty in the finals of the last 2 Wallace Cups, a feat that is impressive its own right given the competition we see in the Cup but she won't be satisfied until she has an Aqua Ribbon all to herself. She's also a Top Coordinator now having won the last Sinnoh Grand Festival. All the way from right here in Petalburg City, it's the local girl, the Princess of Hoenn. Give a hometown cheer for May!"
This time the crowd got even louder and hollered for their hometown hero. Misty knew it would be the case so she would have to silence the crowd as soon as possible but May wasn't paying them any attention. She was solely focused on Misty and Misty met her friend's gaze. It was time to settle this, again.
"Begin!" Vivian yelled and Misty and May acted at the same time.
"Piplup, spotlight!" Misty yelled sending her Poke Ball into the air.
"Glaceon, on stage!" May yelled throwing her own ball out confirming that it would be the same Pokémon as the last two times.
Both balls burst open at the same time and their seals triggered. Piplup's was a field of bubbles that he spun gracefully in before landing in front of Misty ready to go, eager to remind his human that he was her best. Glaceon's seal was a ball of ice that exploded outwards to reveal the spinning Fresh Snow Pokémon before it landed in front of May with a grin on its face as it faced its old rival once again. It was time to finally beat this excuse for a bird who couldn't fly and avoid another humiliation at it, er, flipper.
Piplup narrowed his eyes at Glaceon. He knew the Pokémon well; he'd bested it twice for Misty and he would do it again for her. He hadn't had a chance to remind everyone why he was the best out there but now was that time. Misty had saved him for the final for a reason. He was the one who would bring her that ribbon and they all knew it.
Piplup wouldn't fail his best friend, no matter how much she annoyed him at him times he still loved Misty dearly and would fight to the end for her. Well that and after all he'd been through, the Thunderbolts, the humiliations because of rivals for Misty's mate, that Arceus damned Gyarados again, Piplup had a lot of pent up anger to vent and Glaceon was going to feel all of it.
"Piplup, Ice Beam!" Misty ordered to start it off.
"Oh yeah, Piplup knows that move now, well if you want ice Misty I'll give you ice." May replied though it wasn't time yet for her secret weapon she had recently discovered and prepared for the final. "Dodge Glaceon and counter with Ice Shard!"
Glaceon leapt out of the way just in time, Piplup's Ice Beam freezing the platform where it had been seconds before. Mid leap Glaceon had opened its mouth and sent out a swarm of ice shards right at Piplup. The pest could use ice moves but it was no ice type, Glaceon would show it what an actual ice type could do with ice moves.
"Whirlpool Piplup." Misty called out in response. "Block and redirect those shards."
Piplup lent back, opened his mouth and sent out the spinning vortex of water. It took a second to appear but he got it off just in time to block the ice that had been sent at him. Due to the nature of Piplup's move, the ice shards were sent everywhere as the Whirlpool tore across the water at Glaceon.
Some of the shards did get flung at Piplup and hit him but it was worth it to get the move off and the blows were glancing at best. Of course some of the shards also hit Glaceon, Misty, May, Vivian and the judges including one that struck Sukizo in the forehead and knocked him off his seat but no one paid attention to that, they were focused on the Contest battle.
"Thanks for that Misty." May said with a grin as she held up an arm and took a cold ice shard to it as if it was nothing. "It allows me to do this. Glaceon, Mirror Coat. Brace yourself!"
Instantly Glaceon's fur shimmered with a strange but beautiful hue right before the Whirlpool hit it. Glaceon was pushed back a few paces but when the water died down it was still shimmering, only this time it was grinning. Without pause, it launched the counter attack of Mirror Coat.
"Piplup!" Piplup's eyes went wide as the sudden, twice as powerful, counter hit him before Misty could react and sent him flying into the air.
"Piplup, Hydro Pump." Misty ordered as Piplup went airborne.
Piplup was in pain but he was in battle, he knew what to do and he was a professional at this kinda thing. Plus after the recent few months since his human had taken a mate he'd become used to pain so this was nothing to him.
Piplup opened his mouth and sent out a torrent of water right at Glaceon. Glaceon was gloating at the successful attack and didn't dodge in time as the blow hit it and drove it into the floor. Piplup righted himself and landed with a smug grin on his face as Glaceon got up and scowled at him.
"I think it's time Glaceon." May said as her points counting down from the hit so that she was just ahead of Misty on them. "Hail!"
Glaceon smirked as it opened its mouth and sent out a blast of ice into the sky. A second later a dark cloud appeared over the battlefield and suddenly they were in the middle of a ferocious hailstorm that was hard to see in. Just before the hail covered them, Glaceon gave Piplup a cheeky wink, still smirking, before the hail engulfed them and Glaceon disappeared from sight.
"What!" Misty exclaimed her eyes wide as May grinned at Misty's shock, she had her rival on the back foot and now it was time to press her advantage. "What just happened?"
"Snow Cloak." May said in response, barely visible on the opposite platform thanks to the hailstorm. "It's Glaceon's ability. Georgia told me the other day that most ice types have that ability so Glaceon might have it as well. We tested it with her Snover who knows Hail and confirmed it. After that I had her help me teach it to Glaceon so that I could use it against you. Useful having an ice specialist around, isn't it? I had to ask her for advice just in case we met in the final, I want Glaceon at its best for you."
Misty ground her teeth as she fought back a curse, she wasn't going to swear and get disqualified thanks to that warning she still had from the HopHopHop Town Contest and tried to see through the hail. Piplup too was looking around with fear in his eyes as he took some damage from the Hail attack.
She underestimated May during the week. The girl knew that they might face in the finals and if so they'd use the same Pokémon as the two times before because it was part of their Wallace Cup rivalry. That mean Glaceon would be May's Pokémon, an ice type and they just so happened to have an ice type expert with them, one who was only too eager to help out.
May had thought ahead and planned for this battle to maximize her chances of winning. Misty was impressed. It was just what Ash would do, hell she had done it herself but for her battle with Ash and not May. It was an oversight on her part but Misty could adapt, this was just a minor setback and Misty already had an idea of how to counter it. Of course Piplup wasn't going to like it but it would be worth it in the end
"Not bad." Misty admitted, speaking louder than usual to be heard over the hailstorm. "But as good as it is, Glaceon is still here, Piplup be alert and get ready for my order. I have a plan."
"Piplup." Piplup said setting his feet and looking around.
Misty had confidence in him so he knew that he could do this. This was annoying but he was brave and powerful, he would face it for Misty and let her guide him to victory.
"Good try but I have the upper hand right now." May said speaking as loudly as Misty to be heard. "Glaceon, Shadow Ball!"
"Trust me Piplup." Misty said as she began to look out into the ice as she thought about what would Ash do in this moment to overcome this disadvantage. "Please. This will hurt and I am sorry for that but you're brave and can handle it. It will be worth it in the end, I promise."
Piplup heard the love in his trainer's voice and knew that he had to trust right now. Misty may make her mistakes, many of them in fact, but he knew that she loved him dearly. She would never leave his side or mislead him, especially in battle. He could handle this for her. Also Glaceon's Shadow Ball was nothing compared to Dragonair's Thunderbolt or Gabite's Draco Meteor, he could take it without a problem.
The ball of dark purple and black ghost type power appeared out of nowhere and hurtled through the ice on a collision course for Piplup. Misty wasn't looking at the attack or Piplup though, no she was looking at the hail around the origin point of the Shadow Ball. Misty felt that this was something that Ash would have done this to track Glaceon's location in the hail so that was what she was doing.
The ball came from Misty's left and above her but Misty saw the hail shift as Glaceon moved through it, invisible to her eye but the hail was moving unnaturally as Glaceon, who had leapt forward for the attack was moving back towards the center and the platform. It wouldn't make it.
"Piplup Ice Beam!" Misty yelled. "Shoot it forward, up and to your left. Sweep it towards the center and you should hit it."
Piplup had been forced to take the Shadow Ball, much to his own indignation and he was sent to the side but managed to stay standing. As soon as he heard Misty's order he realized what she'd done. She'd used the color of the ball to track its origin point and from there somehow figured out where his foe was despite the hail obscuring it. She'd then ordered him to use an attack that would allow him to sweep the area and hit Glaceon even in this damned hailstorm.
"Piplup!" Piplup roared as he sent out his Ice Beam right where Misty had ordered him to attack.
The light blue ice type attack shot out of his mouth as he looked in the direction Misty had told him to attack. Piplup then swept his head back and forth as he kept up the attack, aiming for the center where the other trainer was. His trust and faith in Misty was rewarded when he heard a yell as the Ice Beam hit something that was in the air. It was followed by a splash as Glaceon, now with part of its body frozen from the ice, fell before it could return to the safety of the platform in front of its trainer.
"How?" May asked her eyes wide as she heard Glaceon struggle in the water and quickly thought of what to do, she knew that time and points were on her side, so long as the hail kept up May would win. "Glaceon stay calm, you can swim and ice floats so you are in no danger. Use your own Ice Beam to freeze the water around you so you can stand."
"You know how." Misty said as she came up with a plan while Glaceon calmed down from at its trainer's words, it was a plan that Misty had used on another rival of hers once before. "Spend enough time with Ash and his crazy rubs off on you when you need it the most. Piplup, in the water now. Use your type and the nature of the Wallace Cup to your advantage, Glaceon can't hid if it's in the water so get beneath it."
Without hesitation Piplup dove into the water. He knew what Misty had in mind now and grinned at it. She was negating the ice type's advantage in the hailstorm by playing to his own water type advantage with the pool. It was something he could do with ease. It was time to turn the tables on his own rival in this battle.
As soon as he was in the water he looked up and saw an ice platform with a darker blue, confused looking, quadrupedal Pokémon on it floating on the surface near the other platform. Despite the hailstorm and Glaceon's ability, Piplup now had the advantage and he knew Misty wouldn't squander it.
"Glaceon, Shadow Ball." May called out realizing that Misty had just removed her advantage in this battle. "Aim into the water and force Piplup to surface."
"Won't work May." Misty said shaking her head as she prepped her combo. "Piplup will be in position now. Time to experience what Dawn did during our battle. Now Piplup, Whirlpool!"
Piplup looked up from beneath Glaceon and while still underwater sent up his Whirlpool. He'd once done this against a weird purple star thing several months back and it had worked perfectly then. This was slightly different but it was the opening part of a combo that he and Misty had perfected since then. This battle was now his.
Glaceon had sent out the first of its Shadow Balls, aiming into the water as ordered to force Piplup to surface, when it felt the water shift beneath its ice block. Already it was pissed at how it had been hit in the hailstorm despite its ability as that shouldn't have been possible. Now the runt somehow knew where it was.
Before Glaceon could process what was going on, a whirlpool appeared in the water that could only be the attack that Piplup had used earlier. That was not what usually happened, the confusion prevented Glaceon from reacting and it was thrown from the ice into the water as it began to be swept into the vortex. This was not good, not good at all.
"Now Piplup, Drill Peck!" Misty ordered. "Spin with the Whirlpool for Drill Pool!"
"Um what?" May asked her eyes wide, she had no idea what was going on and the sudden shift had shorted her brain as to what to do. "If you're channeling Ash then you're doing a great job, this is right out of his playbook."
Piplup stopped the Whirlpool and leapt into it, spinning with the water as he activated his Drill Peck, his beak elongating in the process. It had started as an impromptu move but now they knew how to make it work and his Drill Peck was speeding up at a rate faster than it normally would be thanks to the Whirlpool attack. A second later he shot up and sped through the water at the unsuspecting Glaceon that was at the top of the vortex and trying to escape. It was completely at his mercy.
Moments later Piplup slapped into Glaceon from beneath it and both were blasted skywards. The soared out of the water and high into the sky. The vortex died just as the clouds cleared to reveal the odd scene to the stunned crowd. Both Piplup and Glaceon were in the air but Piplup had the control as he gracefully rose while Glaceon flipped uncontrollably in the air as they drifted apart. Both May and Misty acted at the same time.
"Piplup Hydro Pump!" Misty yelled.
"Ice Shard Glaceon!" May countered a hint of desperation in her voice.
Only one of the two was in the position to act efficiently. Piplup flipped around so that he could clearly see Glaceon, opened his mouth and sent out the torrent of water that was Hydro Pump. Glaceon tried to correct itself and get off the attack but before it could the high-powered water type attack slammed into its side and drove it fast and hard back to the surface.
Rather than the water though, the angle of attack was such that Glaceon slammed into the platform in front of May at full force. The last thing it managed to think, before the blackness took it, was that it had failed May, again.
Piplup used the force of his own attack to backflip several time, making it as fancy as possible, before he landed in front of Misty on his feet. He knew he had won and so he closed his eyes, held his head high and pounded his chest with his flipper so that the world knew who the boss was and could bask in his unending glory as he drank in their admiration like the sweet nectar that it was.
Misty heard the four Xs come from the judges before she saw that Glaceon was on its side, the floor around it cracked from its impact, and its eyes swirls. Misty's own eyes went wide when she realized that she had just won and not only that, she'd won the Wallace Cup by Battle Off of all things. It wasn't something that happened often, she was sure of that.
"It's over and with 12 seconds remaining, Misty has won the Wallace Cup by Battle Off!" Vivian screamed into the mic as the fireworks went off to signify the end of the Cup and the crowd went wild as they realized that it was over. "What a way to end the most interesting Wallace Cup ever! It hasn't been won by Battle Off in 8 years! Misty has now done that and she needed it, she was losing on points until then. So, for the third year in a row, Misty has defeated May in the final of the Wallace Cup and won the Aqua Ribbon. In the process she has become the first ever coordinator to win it 3 years in a row."
Misty recovered as she realized that she had won and scooped Piplup up into her arms to celebrate while cuddling him, Piplup enjoying the praise from his human at his win. She'd done it. She'd won her third straight Aqua Ribbon. Not only that but she'd claimed her third ribbon of the season and defeated her third rival. Today really was a day for thirds for Misty.
"Glaceon return." May said with a small, sad smile as she looked at the Poke Ball in her hand. "You did great darling, alas Misty was better than us today. We had some new tricks but so did she and hers won out in the end. Next time we will win, I promise."
May then put her ball away and looked up at a celebrating Misty and began to join in the applause and cheers of the crowd for her friends' victory, smiling widely at her. She saw that Ash and all their friends were cheering as well, even her own parents were but May knew that they were all cheering for both of them. It had been a good battle with a slightly surprising ending but she couldn't complain. She'd been beat fair and square and she would congratulate Misty on her well-deserved victory.
There was a whirring sound and the complete platform came out from the long side facing the judges to cover the pool and allow for the coordinators to walk on it for the awarding of the Aqua Ribbon. Misty heard it, it snapped her out of her celebrating by remind her that there was still something left to do in the Wallace Cup, and waited for it to finish before she walked out on it smiling at May. She noticed that her friend was applauding her the way she would have done to May if their roles had been reversed, just as any good sport would.
As soon as the full platform was in place, Misty put Piplup down and walked out onto it, Piplup at her heel, as May did the same. Both girls met in the center and May extended her hand to Misty who smiled and shook it. It was the professional thing to do between two skilled coordinators at the top of their games and who had just put on a show for the ages.
"Well done Misty." May said as they shook. "You seem to have my number when it comes down to the Wallace Cup Final."
"What can I say, this is my competition." Misty said with a shrug. "Plus I had something extra to prove this time around."
"That you did and I concede defeat there, you are the dominant female today." May said but her grip tightened and while she kept smiling at Misty her voice lowered so that only Misty would hear. "But if you ever hurt Ash."
"I know." Misty said her own grip tightening and her voice lowering as well. "You will come after me and I will deserve everything coming to me if that happens but you have nothing to fear, I'd never hurt Ash."
"Good because if you do." May said. "I'll make Dawn look like a sleeping Skitty by comparison."
"Noted." Misty said still smiling but she saw the seriousness in May's eyes and she knew that the girl meant it. "Welcome to the club May."
May laughed as they broke their handshake and then hugged each other. The last part was a little unprofessional but they were close friends and they'd been through a deeper battle than any realized, they needed this and the crowd was loving it so it was clearly fine.
"Now that is true sportsmanship." Vivian said as Misty and May broke apart. "A great battle and rivalry and better friends afterwards, exactly how it should be. However, now it is time for Wallace to say a few words as he presents our winner with her third Aqua Ribbon."
May took a few steps back to give them space as Wallace approached with his Milotic behind him. He waited for a moment and Misty knew why he was waiting. She quickly let out Ambipom, Togekiss, Gloom and Espeon to join her, all standing or flying in order of their appearances behind her while Piplup stood to her side as she waited for the presentation. It was tradition that Wallace would present the ribbon and that all the Pokémon who helped the winner win it be present for awarding of the Aqua Ribbon.
"Misty, when you first won the Wallace Cup back in Sinnoh I knew that you were a coordinator of the highest order." Wallace said to her as the crowd went silent to hear his words. "Now that you have won it for a third time in a row, a feat never before done, I know that you are one of the best coordinators that I have ever seen. Keep up your strong work and you will soon hoist a Ribbon Cup of your own. I look forward to the day that I have the honor of calling you a fellow Top Coordinator."
"Thank you." Misty said her heard beating out of her chest at the praise Wallace was giving her. "I will do my best to live up to your words Wallace."
"I know you will, let your third Aqua Ribbon help you on your path to your dreams." Wallace said as he opened his palm to reveal the special ribbon that she'd won twice before, Milotic blowing a ring of water to lift it and deliver it to Misty's waiting, slightly trembling, hands. "Cherish it, it will be the last Aqua Ribbon."
Misty didn't understand what Wallace meant by that but she didn't care as she clutched the ribbon and let it fully wash over her. She'd won it and that was all that mattered right now. She was back after her loss to Ash and on tract to qualify for the Kanto Grand Festival. This time she would win the Ribbon Cup.
"Alright I'm back because the Aqua Ribbon is mine all mine." Misty said as she struck her victory pose, her Pokémon mimicking her as the crowd cheered.
"And so ends another Wallace Cup." Wallace said once the cheering died down leaving them with a few parting words. "I will see you at the next Wallace Cup which will be the first one held in an expansion region as part of the expansion of Contests to the Unova, Kalos, Alola, and Galar regions. So join me next year in Snowbelle City in the Kalos region for the next Wallace Cup!"
With that Wallace took his leave as the crowd cheered and more fireworks went off to signify the end of the competition. Misty didn't really notice this as May came up to her to congratulate her and her Pokémon on her victory. It was time to head home and celebrate for the night with her Pokémon and her friends. Tomorrow they would all go their separate ways but tonight they partied. They had a champion to honor and honor her they would. It was time to celebrate because Misty had just won the Wallace Cup.
