Part CLV: Ballroom Battles

Ash and Miette stood on one side of the battlefield that had been under the ballroom carpet on one side of the room that had been rolled up to host the battle with Frogadier and Slurpuff in front of them. Across from them was they May and Serena with Blaziken and Delphox in front of them as the former was the only one of May's that had been out for the dance as he'd been Serena's Delphox's escort, so they'd gone with that pair while Misty looked after Sylveon and Pikachu for their trainers on the sidelines with the rest of their group.

They were all ready for this battle, so Pierre gave a nod and Brock stepped up to the ref's spot to officiate the battle. The rest of the attendees stood on the side but a respective distance back looking forward to the match that would be the first of the pair of battles that would be the peak of the entertainment for the night.

"Right, this will be a standard tag battle." Brock said to formally begin, he'd been told by Pierre of this tradition and asked to take the ref duties due to his experience as a gym leader though Pierre himself would officiate the Battle of the Queens as it was his place and Brock was engaged to one of them. "As such the team with the last Pokémon standing will win. There will be no substitutions. Understood?"

The four nodded as the teams locked eyes. Ash grinned at May who was opposite him for this which she returned, it had been too long since they'd had a proper battle, not since that unofficial Contest one in Kanto right before May left if Ash recalled correctly, so they were looking forward to this.

Next to them Miette was smirking at Serena who returned it with one of her own as they got ready for the battle as well. Even with Ash present their rivalry ran a lot deeper than just him and this was their third time battling after both the tag battle the year before and during the Coumarine Contest with Serena winning both times. That just gave Miette even more motivation to win this battle and begin catching up to her rival.

"Alright then battle begin!" Brock said starting the battle.

"Frogadier Water Pulse but aim at Delphox." Ash said. "Miette, Slurpuff is going to be better against Blaziken as his fighting type negates his fire type's fairy resistance making any fairy type attacks average effectiveness."

"Right." Miette said falling back to a secondary role as she knew this was Ash's forte, and it was very sexy to her when Ash got this focused in a battle as it had been what had caused her to first fall for him. "But to be safe, use Cotton Spore to slow Blaziken down before we us our best move."

"Clever but that is a grass type move, it can be burned away before it is even a threat." May countered as Slurpuff leapt forward to get closer to Blaziken and unleashed the spores from her mouth. "Blaziken Fire Spin to destroy it. We're up against Ash, we can't let anything impede your speed in this battle."

"Delphox block that Water Pulse with Flamethrower." Serena commanded as the ball of water formed between Frogadier's paws and the battle began in earnest. "Enough fire should evaporate it."

Almost as soon as Serena had given the order Frogadier released his Water Pulse at Delphox. She in turn raised her stick to intercept the blast with a jet of fire that burst out from the end of her stick as the ball of water neared her. The water doused the fire but there was more fire so in the end all the water was evaporated into steam but that was within Ash's expectation, so he already had a counter for it.

"Aerial Ace." Ash said with a grin as the collision of moves happened. "Use that mist to land your attack Frogadier."

"Scratch." Serena countered but it was too late, Frogadier was already charging at Delphox and was on her before she could defend herself.

Frogadier leapt into the air, his right foot infused with flying type power as he kicked Delphox in the face staggering her with a howl though she was too big to be knocked over by the attack. The move didn't miss and Delphox wasn't resistant to it, nor was she weak though, so it did a decent amount of damage to Delphox.

Meanwhile Miette had seen Ash's tactic and used it herself as Slurpuff's Cotton Spore was effectively incinerated by the vortex of fire that was Fire Spin though the move itself didn't reach Slurpuff as the moves canceled out upon the hit. The Kalos girl already had a counter though an as the attacks hit she too acted. Ash was a great role model for battles after all so why not adopt his strategy to land a hit of her own.

"Follow it up with Play Rough." Miette said and Slurpuff instantly charged forward.

"Defend with Blaze Kick." May said as the first pair of moves ended and Slurpuff leapt at Blaziken. "That's more effective than Sky Uppercut on a Slurpuff."

Blaziken didn't have the time to defend as Slurpuff was on him before he could react and playing rough with him causing him the let out a few groans of pain, but his fire type ensured that it wasn't super effective on him as it balanced out his secondary fighting type. Still, he was ready and focused on taking the blows and building the flame in his foot. Then, the moment Slurpuff finished and began to fall back to the ground he countered. All that training for that fighting tournament really helped out in being able to take and return blows effectively.

Before Slurpuff could hit the ground Blaziken lashed up with his foot, a coil of flame around it, and struck Slurpuff in the gut with it. Having one of these Pokémon as a friend and on his team really helped Blaziken understand it and he grinned as his foot made contact sending Slurpuff up and back in an arc with a wail of pain. It may be a kicking attack, but Blaze Kick was a fire type move not a fighting type, so Slurpuff wasn't resistant to it.

Slurpuff landed hard on the ground on Ash and Miette's side of the battlefield, bouncing once before rolling a few feet and instantly May pressed her advantage. She'd get one good shot with this move given its nature and she fully intended to use it. Hopefully Serena could pick up on it and aid her in taking out Slurpuff as that was the easier of the two and then they could team up to defeat Frogadier but communication was key so May wasn't leaving anything to chance.

"Overheat." May said. "Serena, help out."

"Right." Serena said as Delphox stagged from the Aerial Ace and Blaziken began to glow red. "Delphox, brace if Frogadier attacks but use Fire Blast on Slurpuff. We have a brief window to hit her in, so we have to use it."

Serena was right, Slurpuff had hit hard and a combination of two fire type attacks, one at max strength at least, would reach her before she could get up and avoid it. She may have a move to stop one of the attacks, though Serena didn't think so as she didn't think Psychic could stop raw fire, but she'd not stop the other which would give them a significant advantage. What the girls didn't take into account, which in hindsight they probably should have given who they were facing, was Ash adjusting his plans accordingly and doing something unexpected.

"Back off and get between Slurpuff and the fire." Ash said abandoning the planned Cut attack on Delphox he'd been about to order and changing it up as Frogadier was resistant to fire type attacks so this would be beneficial for him. "And block them as best you can with Water Pulse before blasting it at Blaziken if there is any water left."

Frogadier let out a croak knowing what he had to do and leaping with his powerful legs he backflipped to land between Slurpuff and the attacks as they were launched. In the process he formed the ball of water between his paws to block and braced himself for what was to come. He trusted Ash and knew that this was the right call in the battle, he was the best to protect their teammate, survive, and counter against their opponents. This was how he'd win and as he did he grinned; he could feel that the moment he'd long been waiting for was nigh.

Just as the water formed Blaziken let out a massive wave of fire from his mouth in the strongest Overheat would be while right after that Delphox blasted the 5-point star thing that was Fire Blast out of her stick at them as well. Frogadier just kept smiling as he held up his water and the gouts of flames mixed together before hitting him, steaming on impact with the water and washing over him where it couldn't be blocked.

However, between the water and his body the flames were parted enough to avoid hitting Slurpuff, so the plan worked perfectly. That said a few in the crowd did have to leap away from them fire that veered off to the side and everyone was glad that anything flammable was away from the battlefield given the Pokémon currently in the battle.

Still, the flames engulfed Frogadier as the Water Pulse was evaporated by the sheer amount of fire that he was hit with, and he was briefly obscured by the flames. When they died down they showed him still standing there panting and blackened but not out though he did fall to one knee from it. Regardless the fact that he was still standing despite his resistance to fire type attacks was shocking to say the least.

"Alright Frogadier I knew you could do it." Ash said grinning and pouring his love into Frogadier as he focused on the battle as he remembered something he should have remembered at the start and switched up tactics once again. "And I know you can still fight so let's end this. Water Pulse but on Delphox, we have something better for taking down Blaziken."

"Frogadier." Frogadier said as he slowly stood, his trust for Ash while not complete it was past the threshold he needed for the first stage which meant that it was time for the change, both of them and he triggered the first, permanent, one with one more roar as he suddenly glowed bright white. "Frogadier!"

Now everyone was staring in shock with a few gasps as Frogadier began to change as he evolved. First he grew taller, by almost a meter if Ash had to guess, and his body became more pronounced with larger hands and feet and stronger muscles appearing. His head also became more angular with more pronounced back fin things, webbing between them and finally a new middle one. Lastly the frubbles around his neck vanished as his tongue shot out to wrap around his neck before the change ended and the light faded to reveal a Greninja standing there.

As it did, Greninja's new color scheme came into view. He was now navy blue all over except for his chest, the lower portion of his face, the sides of the two fin things that came from his head and the webbing between his hands and feet that were a cream colored while what looked bulbous pads on his knees and elbows, along with his eyelids, had turned white and the webbing in the back of his head was a light blue. Of course, his tongue was pink.

"Alright Greninja you evolved." Ash said cheering with a leap ready to take out his Pokedex in a moment to scan his new Pokémon and learn more about him. "I knew you could do it and we're going to get stronger now."

As Ash had been talking he suddenly felt it, as did Greninja, and that stilled his hand before it could reach his Pokedex. He wasn't sure how to describe the feeling as it was unlike any he'd experienced, even the few times he'd Mega Evolved Charizard or the one time with Pidgeot, but it was as if he and Greninja became truly one, as if they actually shared a heart. As he spoke Greninja's eyes began to glow and suddenly he a veil of water shot up to engulf Greninja where he stood tall and proud for all to see.

All those watching just gasped in slack jawed shock as Greninja changed again. It was hard to see within the veil of water, but it looked like Greninja's chest had become bluer with only a bit of cream while the center ridge on his head and the area between his eyes became red other than triangles of white right before his now black eyelids. To add to it all the sides of his outer ridge things had turned black with what looked like black hair where his ears probably were in a style that was oddly familiar but with the water in the way it was hard to make it out clearly.

Still, it was a change unlike anything anyone had seen especially as Ash hadn't used a Mega Stone and Greninja didn't have a known Mega Evolution, no Kalos native Pokémon did that they were aware of. Everyone was confused by what had just happened and couldn't look away from the battle that had suddenly become a lot more than anyone was expecting it to be even for a battle featuring Ash Ketchum.

Ash didn't care about any of that right now as he felt himself become one with Greninja to the point that he knew what his Pokémon could do, knew the two moves he'd just learned and what they had replaced, and could even see through Greninja's eyes to view the battle from his Pokémon's perspective. That was what caused Ash to attack because this was still a battle and he fully intended on winning it.

"Now, Night Slash on Delphox." Ash called out, his fists clenching at his sides as he seemed to mimic the attack stance that Greninja took and using the first of the two moves Greninja had learned upon evolution. "We got this."

That at least got both May and Serena back into it as they snapped to the battle instinctively with May ripping her right glove off and tossing it to the side as she reached up to her throat with her bare hand to where her Key Stone was sot that she could Mega Evolve Blaziken. That was the only thing she could think of how to counter what the hell was going on. Serena meanwhile went with a ranged move to stop Greninja and the one that wasn't a fire type which he'd resist, and that maybe even be blocked by that odd water veil thing.

"Psybeam." Serena yelled. "Throw Greninja back."

Delphox had no clue what was going on but raised her stick and aimed it at Greninja as commanded, a bad feeling in her gut as blades of darkness appeared in Greninja's hands in reverse grips and he launched himself at her, the water cocooning around him as he did for some reason. This was a dark type attack which wasn't good for her, so she blasted the peculiar beam of psychic type power at Greninja right away to keep him away from her.

That was when it happened, the beam cut through the water and slammed into Greninja's face and did absolutely nothing as he just shrugged it off with a grin. It didn't affect him in the slightest as he tore through it and was on a shocked Delphox in seconds, the opening right there as he slashed her across the chest with Night Slash.

Not only was the move super effective but it had a higher-than-average critical hit ratio that triggered this time and Delphox was out cold before she was even blasted back, past Serena and into the wall beneath the stairs with enough force to crater it. She barely had time to register why her attack had failed and knew that she should have listened to her gut and altered Serena to it before it was too late.

All Serena could do though was turn in shock as she looked at Delphox embedded in the wall before she pitched forward and hit the ground with swirls for eyes. She was out of the fight, but it was still going on and by this point Blaziken had Mega Evolved. The sequence had at least altered May to what was going on which meant that now she had an edge on Greninja just as he did on Blaziken.

"Sky Uppercut." May shouted as Delphox pitched forward. "Greninja has clearly added a dark type upon evolving, that's the only explanation for that Psybeam not working, so hit it with a fighting type attack."

"That would…" Ash began before Mega Blaziken was suddenly in front of Greninja and punched him under the jaw with the fighting type attack, his fist going through the water veil in the process with no ill effects.

The moment the attack landed not only Greninja's head, but Ash's too snapped back from the hit and Greninja was thrown back while Ash staggered back and landed on his ass as Greninja hit the ground. Somehow, inexplicably, Ash had felt the blow just as Greninja had and it hurt like hell. It was a super effective attack and from a Mega Evolved Pokémon, so it made sense, but Ash didn't know why he'd felt the pain as well.

Still, the water veil thing was still in effect when to mean that Greninja was still conscious so there were still in this, and Ash again knew what to do as he rose to his feet, Greninja matching him, and slapped his thighs.

"Water Shuriken." Ash said using the other new move that Greninja had learned upon evolving and one that as far as he knew was unique to Greninja though Ash was unaware that Accelgor could use it as well. "Hit Blaziken."

Before Mega Blaziken could react as Greninja's speed was well above what it should be at the moment, roughly on par with the boost that a Mega Evolved Pokémon got in fact, Greninja seemed to pull a pair of throwing stars off his thighs made of water and tossed them at Blaziken. He spun as he did sending out a third one in the process and all three slammed home into Mega Blaziken's chest causing him to wail in pain and fall to a knee, but he wasn't out yet despite the super effective moves striking him in quick succession. That would change soon.

"Finish this with Aerial Ace." Ash said raising his hand to the sky as he began to feel exhausted for some reason, but he pushed through it to give what he knew was the final order. "We got this!"

Greninja just leapt up and at Mega Blaziken his foot glowing with flying type power covering the distance in seconds before he pivoted in the air. All Mega Blaziken could do was look up in wide eyed shock as the foot came down and struck him across the face, driving him head first into the ground and knocking him out, his Mega Evolution falling as he lay there with swirls for eyes.

With the battle over Greninja took a few steps back from his defeated opponent following finally reaching the first stage of his maximum potential as Ash let out a deep exhalation and the water veil fell away though nothing it touched was wet for some reason. As it did Greninja seemed to return to his normal appearance before he fell on his ass panting with exhaustion, Ash doing the same feeling as he himself had fought the last part of the battle personal.

"Blaziken and Delphox are unable to battle." Brock declared quickly. "Greninja and Slurpuff are the winners. What the hell just happened though?"

No one could answer that as they gapped at how the battle had ended before Misty rushed forward from the sidelines to kneel next to Ash, a hand on his shoulder, Miette doing the same having finally recovered as well and also making sure that he was ok. Misty wasn't too annoyed at that because she was here with Ash and Miette had been his tag partner, so she was allowed to make sure that he was alright after whatever the hell it was that they'd just witnessed. This was odd by Ash standards and that was saying something.

"Ash, are you ok?" Misty asked worry in her voice as May and Serena recalled their Pokémon and shakily thanked them after that shocking battle still processing the sudden changes in it. "What is going on?"

"I don't…" Ash began still panting and his jaw still stinging as if he'd been punched there before it hit him, and he recalled what he'd heard a few weeks ago in Anistar. "A battle where normally none are held, it will occur during it, and I was to be one of the participants, but I had to have Frogadier in the battle for the evolution to happen. This is what Olympia meant. We're in a place that shouldn't have a battlefield, at an event for performers who never battle when they are in a Showcase, and I was chosen by random for this."

"Holy shit." Misty said forgetting her place for a moment as she realized as well, and swearing was the only thing she could manage to get out in response to that before she composed herself enough to continue. "What was it that she called it, the Battle Bond phenomenon I think. That has to be what we just saw."

"Sycamore had said that Greninja was special, that he wouldn't bond with trainers who chose him until he chose me." Ash said as Misty and Miette helped him to his feet, Slurpuff doing the same with Greninja and thanking him for helping her, as everyone began to crowd around Ash who was now leaning on Misty a bit for support as he was exhausted. "And Olympia said that mine was generational, the once in a generation who could have this ability as a Greninja. It's happened, my Greninja has that special ability that Olympia spoke of."

"Her prediction was right." Misty said as she shooed Miette off with a look which the girl at least understood but stayed close out of concern which Misty didn't mind as they all were for Ash after what they'd just seen. "So, the first thing has happened in her vision, and this is what the Battle Bond phenomenon does."

"Wait what?" Clemont asked.

"Long story we'll tell you later." Misty said quickly.

"Yeah we are at a party and there is still one more battle to go." Ash said as he broke away from Misty and steadied himself enough to pull out Greninja's Poke Ball though it was clear he'd need help again in a moment. "We can deal with this later. Greninja, I think you need a rest, right?"

All Greninja could do was nod, he needed a rest after finally experiencing a taste of what he now knew he could become in time once he and Ash reached the final level of trust needed for it, but he smiled as he did. He knew that Ash was the right choice and now they were almost there. Soon Greninja would fully achieve the Battle Bond with his human.

Ash smiled back as he recalled Greninja and then looked around wincing at the damage in the nice wall. That didn't look good, and his reputation wasn't great on that front after what he'd done to a few Pokémon Centers this year though his level of gym destruction had been mercifully minimal compared to years past.

"Um, sorry for the damage." Ash said sheepishly to Pierre. "I didn't mean to cause it."

"Non, it is ok, damage 'appens in a Pokémon battle so it 'as been accounted for just in case." Pierre said recovering from what he'd just seen as the strange raven-haired boy spoke to him for the first time. "To witness something like zat was worth it. I do not know what just 'appened but whatever zat was it was certainly special."

"I'll say." Clemont said looking at Ash who wobbled and instantly had Misty by his side again supporting him. "Ash, if you are ok with it, I'd like to join your group on the way to Snowbelle before I continue back to Lumiose so that I can study what just happened some more. I have a few theories, but I will need more data to confirm them and the best way to do so would be to try and trigger that change again while we are together."

"I don't know what is going on so of course." Ash said with a smile. "I'll take any help I can get to figure out exactly what is going on, why I am feeling Greninja's pain, and why I'm so tired now."

"And I'll join as well, I haven't had a chance to travel with you lot this year yet and Max and Owen have a candy to find for Owen's Milcery which I'm not needed for." Bonnie volunteered. "I'll regroup with them in Snowbelle for the Wallace Cup."

"That is a good idea." Owen said with a nod. "Bonnie should have a bit of time with Clemont as they haven't had much this year and then she can rejoin our group for the trip to Anistar and Max's final gym battle there."

"Yeah I'm good with that." Max said.

"So are we." Serena said smiling glad to have Bonnie and Clemont back for a bit, after all this she felt they'd be useful to have around for a bit so that she and May could take a bit of a break from Ash and Misty as they needed it after the pain the party inadvertently caused them. "But we should get out of the way for the moment. This is a lot to deal with and the Queens do have a battle to have so let's give them their space and deal with it later."

"Agreed." Ash said as they began to move away from the temporary battlefield. "We've held up the night long enough as it is."

"While I am eager to learn more about what I just witnessed, and maybe even see if I can fact that Greninja myself, I am sure I'll hear it from you guys in Snowbelle." Lucy said as she stepped forward to take her spot where Ash had been her Seviper slithering by her side as she walked. "Aria, shall we see which Queen is best in battle at least."

"Of course, Lucy, this will be fun as I've never faced someone with the fearsome reputation that the Pike Queen of the Battle Pike has before." Aria said as she took her spot at the other end with Delphox taking a place in front of her on the battlefield and Pierre walking over to the ref's spot as only he would officiate this battle while everyone backed up again to give the women space. "I've been looking forward to this battle all night."

"Same so come at me with all you got because I'm not holding anything back against the Kalos Queen." Lucy said with a grin as everyone took their spots and tried to recover from what they'd seen so as to enjoy another epic battle to come.


Meanwhile, back in the Anistar Gym at the very moment that the Battle Bond phenomenon triggered for the first time, Olympia opened her eyes from her meditation with some of her acolytes on the battlefield of the gym with a sharp exhalation of breath. It had happened, she knew it, the Battle Bond phenomenon was once more active in Kalos.

Olympia would be the first to tell you that she didn't fully understand how her foresight power truly worked. All she knew was that the visions could come at any moment, though usually there was some kind of trigger either in her presences or in the region as a whole, and that when she had a gut feeling that told her to meditate she did so unless she wasn't in a position to be able to at that moment.

That gut feeling had happened an hour earlier during a training session for her acolytes, and she'd heeded it by calling for a psychic meditation with their Pokémon to deepen the mental bonds they all had with their psychic types. As Olympia fell away from the mundane world and began to meditate on things she realized what today was, it was the day of Pierre's Performer Party where there was always a tag battle after the group dance because performers usually didn't battle so this was an excuse to have one.

That alone was odd to realize until she also remembered that Misty, Ash's girlfriend, along with one of their friends Serena, were performers meaning that they were there. As soon as she realized that Olympia knew what was up. That vision she'd had about Ash's Frogadier had shown that the evolution would occur in a ballroom, a place where battles usually didn't occur, and that was where the party was held, a party Ash was going to be at because Misty would be invited so he'd naturally be her date.

It all fell into place and now other factors that Olympia didn't know as her vision hadn't shown them, those being Miette showing up and asking Ash to provide a Pokémon to escort her Slurpuff that happened to be Frogadier and fate choosing Miette to be in the battle as Ash's partner, had fallen into place as well. It was going to happen, and she needed to be ready for it when the moment came.

Then there was one other factor that Olympia hadn't realized was going to be connected until the others had occurred to her, Diantha. The Kalos Champion, who she'd informed of this particular vision and the potential outcome of it, was actually near Anistar filming part of her latest movie in the area so she was in position to meet Olympia and check this out if it happened.

Of course, the moment Olympia thought this was the very moment that everything happened. She felt through her foresight power that her vision had been right to allow for this moment and that the Battle Bond phenomenon had been triggered for the first time in over a century. It wasn't complete, Olympia could tell that much, but it had still happened, and things were now in motion for the rest of the vision to come true which meant that she had to contact someone right away.

"Lady Olympia, what's wrong?" Carrie asked worry in her voice at her mistress's sudden ending to her meditation. "Did you have another vision?"

"No but one I had recently has progressed to the next stage." Olympia said looking to her top acolyte Charlene. "Charlene, contact Kathi Lee, she's Diantha's manager, and tell her that I need to see Diantha right away, that what I foresaw has progressed to the next part of the potential future. Tell her that the full Battle Bond phenomenon is now but one step away from happening."

"Of course." Charlene said getting up and hurrying out of the room to do as her boss commanded.

"Mistress?" Carrie asked. "What does this mean?"

"Sorry, I needed to get that message off." Olympia said as she looked back over her acolytes who were all now staring at her with a mix of worry and concern, as were their Pokémon. "But the first necessary thing has happened, and the Battle Bond ability, the generational ability one Froakie is born with the potential to have upon reaching Greninja with the right trainer to trigger the phenomenon, has awoken in Kalos once more. There is no one better to test it out than Diantha. That means that it is time for Ash Ketchum to face the Kalos Champion as we begin to fully understand just what he and his Greninja can do together."


"So how will this go down do you think?" Ash asked the others got into position. "Who will win this battle?"

"Well right now Aria has the advantage." Serena said getting back into the event after what had happened to her own Delphox and how Ash's Greninja had changed after it evolved. "Remember Delphox is part psychic type and if I recall the one I faced in the Coumarine Contest then a Seviper is a pure poison type, right?"

"Correct." Misty said recalling Jessie's well and knowing Lucy's from her own battle with it. "So that is an advantage though if I remember correctly Lucy's knows a dark type move which is likely done to counter the weakness to psychic types."

"That will help but it will come down to the second Pokémon in a battle like this." Miette said. "Aria's is her Aromatisse, Spritzee's evolved form, and a pure fairy type as it is one of the ones that went from normal to fairy thanks to that strange change that occurred a while back and we know that poison types are strong against fairy types."

"Lucy's second will be her Milotic." Brock said. "She's already told me it will be. It's her usual second in the Battle Pike, though she does change it up from time to time with her Arbok, Dragonair, Eelektross, Serperior, and my Steelix at least. However, she's going to face Aria with her usual two seeing as Aria will use her two primary performing Pokémon for this battle. It's the correct and honorable thing to do."

"Then the types are in Lucy's favor." Owen said. "Water is strong against fire and has no weaknesses to the other types present but of course moves are the key here. Both women are skilled and as Misty said, Lucy's Seviper knows a way to counter a psychic type so I wouldn't doubt that Aria has the same for one or both of her Pokémon's weaknesses. That said if her second Pokémon is Aromatisse she's already got a good pairing if a dark, dragon, or fighting type is used."

"That won't happen, Lucy doesn't have one other than Dragonair and that's back at the Battle Pike." Brock said shaking his head. "She…"

"Alright zis will be a double battle." Pierre said once everyone is in position and had recovered from what had happened, Seviper and Delphox now in front of their trainers and awaiting their partners and cutting out any conversation between the onlookers. "Zat means zat ze Queen with ze last Pokémon standing is ze winner, understood?"

"It is." Aria said as Lucy just nodded her battle grin on her face.

"Zen send out your second Pokémon…" Pierre began.

"Milotic, I choose you." Lucy said tossing out her Poke Ball.

"Aromatisse, perform." Aria said doing the same and confirming the second Pokémon that they'd be using in the battle.

"… et let ze Battle of ze Queens begin!" Pierre said.

"Woah what is that Pokémon?" Ash asked as he pulled out his Pokedex to scan the odd bipedal, dark pink Pokémon with what looked like horns, a fluffy, lighter pink, skirt thing and a face that was just like it's earlier Spritzee form only slightly larger. "That's an Aromatisse?"

"Aromatisse, the Fragrance Pokémon and the evolved form of Spritzee." The Pokedex chimed as the battle began. "It devises various scents, pleasant and unpleasant, and emits scents that its enemies dislike in order to gain an edge in battle."

"That won't happen against me." Lucy said with a grin hearing the description of Aromatisse and ignoring it as she launched into her attack and reminding everyone else that the battle had begun. "Seviper, Bite on Delphox, Milotic, Twister on Aromatisse."

"Twister won't work." Aria said with a grin as Twister began to form around Aromatisse blocking its sight while Seviper sped at Delphox with her fangs glowing with dark type power. "Don't move Aromatisse but use Aromatic Scent to boost Delphox's defense. Delphox stop that Bite with Flamethrower."

"Oh, I know that it won't work on Aromatisse." Lucy said her grin widening as Milotic suddenly started to slither towards the Twister as fast as possible while a strange scent filled the room that boosted Delphox's defense against ranged attacks and Delphox herself pointed her stick at Seviper, the fire already forming at the end. "I just needed to distract you. Milotic Iron Tail. Seviper, leap through those flames, a hit is nothing to us."

"What the…" Aria said her eyes going wide as she suddenly saw the style that Lucy used, it was pure offense, hinged on speed and completely reckless but one that would work as was seen a second later.

That was because the tip of Milotic's tail had suddenly turned to steel, and it flipped over as the Twister ended and before Aromatisse could react the steel type move slammed into its forehead driving it into the ground with a wail of pain from the super effective steel type attack. At the same time Seviper just dove through the flames ignoring the hit she was taking and as soon as the flames passed over her doing average damage she opened her jaws and sank her glowing fangs into Delphox's arm in a Bite attack.

The Bite attack was super effective as well and as it was a physical attack the Aromatic Scent, a move that Lucy didn't know anything about but didn't care as it wasn't offensive, did nothing to stop the damage. All Aria could do was blink in shock at what had happened, but she quickly recovered and countered as best she could.

"Send Seviper back with Mystical Fire and then follow it up with another Flamethrower before she can recover Delphox." Aria ordered as the moves ended. "Aromatisse use Charge Beam. If Lucy doesn't mind taking a hit then let's see her take a super effective one."

"I'm not a fool, I can dodge when needed, and that Charge Beam won't paralyze so not worth it to take so dodge it Milotic but put yourself between Seviper and the second Flamethrower, hopefully it burns you." Lucy said still grinning as Aromatisse began to prepare the Charge Beam and Delphox opened her mouth to spew forth an intensely hot blast of fire from it. "Seviper, take the Mythical Fire then put yourself between Aromatisse and Milotic and take any hits from it as you close in for a Poison Tail."

"You're insane!" Aria said her eyes wide as the Mystical Fire hit Seviper sending her back. "What kind of style is that? Who on earth fights so aggressively?"

"The Pike Style as I like to call it." Lucy said with a grin as Seviper rolled away with the fire type attack that hit her and Milotic showed its evasiveness despite its size by leaping away from the Charge Beam and putting itself in the path of the now blasting Flamethrower that had followed up the Mystical Fire. "It's how I battle, hard and fast just ask Ash and Misty, they've face me and know it well."

"She's not wrong." Misty said as the fire washed over Milotic and the 10% chance of burning was triggered as seen by a brief combustion of flames right afterwards, but Milotic didn't let out a sound as it wasn't that painful and he'd faced worse for his beloved human in their shared desire to win battles together, this was nothing to him. "Lucy's rather, um, direct in battle."

"Good now use Façade on Delphox, that burn has powered it up." Lucy said as Seviper suddenly charged at Aromatisse, her tail now glowing purple and between Aromatisse and Milotic. "That's why we took the attack, that and your resistance to fire that is. I may not use defensive moves but I'm more than willing to take a hit for a counter or gain a nice boost to a move that is boosted in power under certain status effects."

"Moonblast." Aria said now rattled by the utterly battle crazed woman she was facing; she'd heard a few rumors about the Pike Queen and how she was an offensive challenge due to her style, but they didn't do her justice. "Sent it back before it reaches you."

"Power through and land that hit like I know you can Seviper." Lucy said. "And follow it up with Flamethrower."

What happened next was a quick series of moves that were hard to follow but not impossible. First Aromatisse called on the power of the moon to send it at Seviper in the odd fairy type attack in hopes of stopping it. All it managed to do was annoy Seviper who was resistant to it and temporarily hold her up before she broke past it, flipped, and brought her glowing purple tail down right between Aromatisse's eyes. It wailed in pain and was blasted back to hit the ground hard as it rolled past Aria.

At the same time Milotic had lunged at Delphox faster than she could react and slammed into her with Façade at double strength thanks to the burn he had suffered. Delphox grunted in pain and staggered back but she was still standing, barely but she was, and could now counter.

"Fire Blast." Aria said her composure back, but it was clear that the unusual style she was facing had gotten to her in a way no Showcase ever had. "Aromatisse…"

However, Aria didn't get to finish that as Seviper had pressed her advantage by opening her mouth and expelling a gout of flame in a Flamethrower attack that completely engulfed Aromatisse as it rolled from the Poison Tail attack. By the time the flames passed, thankfully nothing was on fire even with all these fire type moves being thrown around in both battles, a charred and batted Aromatisse was on its back with swirls for eyes and behind Aria's position.

Seviper knew her job was done and turned to face Delphox just as the blast of fire in the start shape that was Fire Blast hit Milotic and sent him rolling back from the impact. As he did his burn ignited but he was still in the battle given his resistance to fire type moves. Now that it was a 2 on 1 battle Lucy knew that she had it.

"Dragon Tail Seviper." Lucy ordered. "This will do it."

"Fire Spin." Aria said as Seviper lunged at Delphox her tail now glowing with dragon type power.

All Delphox managed to do was turn and raise her stick before Seviper was on her, flipping and bringing her tail to bear again. Seviper had been too close to miss and she hissed in triumph as her tail struck Delphox across the chest before she completed her flip and staggered the fully evolved fire type starter.

Delphox stumbled back with a groan as the blow landed and she knew that it was over. The Dragon Tail combined with a doubly strong Façade and super effective Bite was more than she could handle, and her eyes rolled up as she crashed backwards. She hit the ground on her back, limps splayed, stick to the side, and eyes swirls showing that she was out cold and thus ending the match, the first defeat Aria had suffered in a long time though it was a battle which was more Lucy's wheelhouse. If this had been a freestyle it wouldn't have been a contest.

"Delphox et Aromatisse are unable to battle." Pierre declared raising his cane to signal that the match was over. "Seviper and Milotic win. Zat means zat in ze Battle of ze Queens, Queen Lucy 'as defeated Queen Aria."

"Milotic, return." Lucy said quickly recalling her Pokémon before another burn could strike again, Brock would be looking after him tonight for sure, as well as giving her a good victory night once that was done as Seviper slithered back to her side proud with her own performance in that battle. "You did well but you need to rest after that. Thank you my friend. You too Seviper."

"Aromatisse, Delphox, return." Aria said with a smile as she recalled her Pokémon while Lucy rubbed Seviper's cheek affectionately. "You two did amazingly, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Usually, we are good in a battle, but we've never seen a style that aggressive or reckless before which completely threw us. You handled yourselves well, I couldn't be prouder."

"As did you Aria." Lucy said walking out and removing her right glove as she did. "For a performer you handled my style pretty well. Most coordinators, you are the first performer I've faced, struggle against someone willing to take a hit to counter. Misty is an exception, but she had an advantage of an unusual and rare Pokémon that I'd requested, and I still won in the end. With standard trainers either I win or lose really quickly such is the nature of my style. Thank you for this battle, you are a much better battler than I'd ever be a performer."

"True that style of yours wouldn't work well in a Showcase as defensive and status moves have important places in a freestyle, that and you might not have the mentality for it, not all women do." Aria said smiling and walking forward as well, also removing her right glove as she walked just as Lucy had. "But in a battle, it was damned impressive and really caught me off guard but that was in part the point of it."

"I have to ask." Lucy said as they reached the middle of the makeshift battlefield and held out her hand to Aria. "Why didn't you use a psychic type move on Seviper? That would have really helped you out and if you're going to engage in a double battle with a fairy type as the other Pokémon having a way to quickly take out a poison type is useful."

"Oh, well, um, that's because she doesn't know any, just fire type moves." Aria said taking Lucy's hand and shaking, the removal of their gloves was for a proper skin to skin shake out of respect for one another's skills. "They work really well in a Showcase and while I'm a decent battler I've not had the chance to really need them in one until now. I usually battle to deepen my bond with, and understanding of, my Pokémon as it helps improve my freestyle. There are certain aspects of Pokémon and their moves that can only be truly understood by using them in battle which I can then transfer over to my freestyle performances."

"I don't doubt it." Lucy said as they broke apart and began to put their gloves on again. "Battling teaches you things about your Pokémon you can't learn anywhere else and in more ways than just how the moves work. They help show how a Pokémon moves, how it reacts in certain situations, and so much more"

"Very true which is why I'm so happy that Contests are here now." Aria said as she looked around, her eyes briefly settling on Serena, Miette, Shauna, and a few others who were doing Contests this year before finally finding Misty, who she knew by appearance but hadn't yet spoken too, who was doing the reverse thus showing that the similarities cut both ways, and then looking back at Lucy. "They will learn many things from it and in a few years I look forward to the challenges to my title, I may lose it to one of them soon. They are all rivals to me, friendly ones and ones I look forward to pushing me to be better just as I do for them."

"Spoken like a true Queen who is well aware of her position, what it takes to earn it, and can empathize with those seeking to best her one day." Lucy said. "I can see why you are the Kalos Queen even from a simple battle that shook you because of how I fight. I can't wait to watch the Master Class from wherever I am and see what you can really do."

"You'll see that and more now that I've seen what one of my fellow Queens in the world can do in her own passionate arena and on that note." Aria said before surprising everyone, especially Lucy, by offering the black-haired woman a deep curtsy, deeper than she'd offer a crowd after a victory say and bowing her head to the woman visiting from Kanto. "For tonight though, in light of my defeat at your hands, I bow my head to you Queen Lucy, Queen of the Battle Pike and acknowledge you as the better Queen tonight."

"Um you really don't need to do that; I did have the advantage as this is what I do professionally and I had a few type advantages in that battle, more so now that I know that you didn't have a psychic type attack." Lucy said her eyes wide at the gesture as the crowd looked on in shock. "If we'd done a freestyle you'd have won Queen Aria."

"It wouldn't have been fair to face you in my arena as that is unique to Kalos; you don't know how to perform, but I know how to battle." Aria said as she proceeded to further surprise the whole crowd and dropping a few jaws by gracefully falling to a knee before Lucy and letting go of her skirt as she raised her hands to her head and removed the tiara she was wearing and gently laying it at Lucy's feet. "This was the fairer battle, and I am not prideful enough to discount your skill. I was the one who requested a battle with you, and I lost so please, let me do this for the night and kneel to the victorious Queen of the party, Queen Lucy."

"Very well, I will accept this because you asked for it Aria and have shown such humility towards me." Lucy said before bending down and offering her hand to the pink haired woman still on a knee with her head bowed before her. "But please stand this is a bit embarrassing for me and I think you've managed to stun a good portion of performers in Kalos into silence for the evening, which given what Ash just did is impressive. You are their ideal and you've just knelt before someone as lowly as me. I am the Pike Queen, I only reign in my domain but you are the Kalos Queen, akin to a regional Champion so please get up Aria."

"For the rest of tonight you are the Queen here Lucy." Aria said as she accepted Lucy's hand and was hauled to her feet. "And as your subject I ask that you introduce me properly to that Misty girl as you seem to know her, she fascinates me on many levels, and I really want to know more about her Spiritomb. I've never heard of that Pokémon before she used it in a Showcase and shocked the whole region with a performance unlike any I've seen in my time."

"It would be my pleasure and trust me her Spiritomb is a whole lot more impressive in person, battling it was a pleasure I will never forget, nor is the fact that I remain the only person to defeat it." Lucy said before she shocked both herself and Aria by pulling her into a hug and whispering in her ear. "You are something else Aria. Your personality, charisma, confidence, and humility to show that you aren't above everyone else, their all impressive traits. I shudder to see who can take that crown from you."

"There are a few, one in particular, who may be able to best me in a few years but for now I am the Kalos Queen and anyone who wants to take my crown will have to damn well earn it." Aria whispered back hugging Lucy. "And you are also something else yourself, that style of yours has to be unique. It's an honor to call you a fellow Queen."

"Same here." Lucy said before they broke apart and turned to the stunned crowd. "But shall we resume this party, there is still some fun to have and between what we just did and Ash living up to the stories I've heard of him from Brock that makes my one battle with him seem nothing by comparison, we're in for a long evening."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Aria said. "Now let's meet your fiancé's friends and have a good time."

Lucy nodded as Aria bent down to pick up her tiara but pointedly did not put it back on, rather she handed it to a slack jawed Pierre, an image she'd burn into her mind because of how hilarious it was, before linking her arm with Lucy's and letting the taller woman lead her to meet some new friends. The battles had been something else and now it was time to enjoy their aftermath as the party continued into the night, a good calm before the hectic storm that was to come when most of them reached Snowbelle City and the impending Wallace Cup.