"Congratulations! You were incredible!" Dawn cheered as she embraced May with a congratulatory hug. May, in return, reciprocated the hug.
"Thanks, but it got kinda tight there a few times." May mentioned.
"You looked like you were in control the whole time!" Dawn assured her. May chuckled softly and responded.
"Certainly didn't feel that way."
"Well, I guess that's where your skill comes in!" Dawn pointed out.
"Heh. Thanks, Dawn." May smiled softly in acknowledgment of the compliment.
"You win here, and you could battle Kenny! Then you'd really put me in a bind cheering-wise!" Dawn then playfully teased her. May laughed along with her friend as their conversation continued. "But before that, you have some history with your next opponent, right? Solidad is it?"
"Yeah…" May nodded and shared some of her history with Solidad. "Solidad won the Kanto Grand Festival when I was competing in it two years ago. After that, we had a battle in the Johto Semifinals that I did manage to win, but it was pretty close."
"Lots of history. If I remember correctly, you mentioned her beating you in Kanto was a big turning point, right?" Dawn recollected. May nodded and confirmed.
"It was..."
"You told me that's when you started thinking about Ash's strategy and your own style right?"
"Well, Ash had rubbed off on me quite a lot. It helped me in some ways but messed me up in others. Battling Solidad was an eye-opener to what could go wrong if I didn't learn to rely on my own steam more." May explained, recalling how that experience had influenced her.
"That's why you went to Johto?" May confirmed with a nod, and Dawn complimented her with a smile. "That's really cool, May."
"You really think so?" May inquired, blushing slightly.
"Of course." Dawn gave a reassuring nod. "You recognized there was a problem and, despite how much you wanted to stay by Ash's side, you still decided it was best for you to work on yourself for a while. I don't know many people who would be willing to do that, let alone after they fell in love." May blushed even more at the mention of love, and Dawn continued, "You wanted to get better before going back to him, not relying on him to make you better. That's incredible."
"Well..thank you, Dawn. That means a lot to me." May answered with a small smile. Dawn then gave May a tighter hug, and May gasped for air. "Ack!"
"Oh, hush. What's a little squishing between friends?" Dawn teased.
"Dawn!" May complained. Dawn laughed and squeezed her friend one more time before letting go.
After taking a minute to change out of her dress, the two headed out of the stadium and into the streets to find a place to eat. As they walked, their chat continued.
"So who do you think you'll use in the battle?"
"Against Solidad? I'm not sure yet to be honest...I'm thinking about Blaziken and Beautifly." May said.
"You are pretty close to the two of them from what I know." May smiled in agreement and responded.
"You know correctly. My very first two partners."
"I can't wait to see you three fight together. I know from personal experience how well someone can work together with their very first Pokemon." Dawn grinned.
"You're gonna get a real show, I promise you that." May confidently declared.
"That's what I'm here for!" she promised. Both girls chuckled and May, feeling her usual energy, grabbed Dawn's wrist and started running towards the restaurant. "Ack!"
The next day, May entered the waiting room once again in her full costume, where Marina eagerly greeted her.
"Hey, May! You got here just in time! Look at this!" Marina excitedly said, pointing at the monitor displaying the first match of the day, where one Coordinator was dominating the other. The Coordinator that was winning easily looked familiar to May, and Drew also noticed the familiar face on the screen.
"Seems an old competitor of ours is here too." he commented.
"You guys know him?" Marina asked curiously.
"Yeah, we do." May confirmed. "That's Robert. He was been the winner in my first Grand Festival in Hoenn three years ago."
"Whoa!" Marina expressed her amazement
"I didn't even realize he was here…" May mumbled, feeling her nerves resurfacing a little.
"I think if both he and Marina win, they'll battle each other in the semi-finals." Kenny pointed out.
"Awesome! Can't wait to battle someone like that!" Marina cheered. Despite her enthusiasm, it began to really dawn on May just how strong the remaining competition was.
"Having three Top Coordinators here is going to make it a tough competition…" she mumbled. Drew seemed to be the only one to hear her comment and placed a hand on her shoulder
"It sure will." he agreed "A tough crowd, but we didn't come here by accident either now did we?"
"Right…one battle at a time." May nodded. Taking a deep breath, she reflected on the situation as she watched Robert easily win his match.
"May Maple, your match is up next." an usher alerted her. May did her best to push her fears aside for now. Robert, Drew, and even Marina weren't her concern right now. She was going to be battling Solidad today, and they wouldn't even be an option unless she won here first. May clenched her fists anxiously, feeling the pressure building up. Drew noticed her tension once again.
"You ok?"
"Yeah... I'm fine..." she responded. Drew observed her clenched fists, a clear sign of her nervousness, and pushed a bit more.
"You sure about that?"
"I'm fine..." May insisted, maintaining her façade. Drew, even though he was still concerned for her, knew that she wasn't going to admit her nerves in front of everyone, so he offered some advice instead.
"Even still, take a deep breath before you go out there." May nodded, accepting the advice, and took a deep breath to calm her nerves as she prepared to face her next challenge.
In the heart of a bustling Pokémon stadium, the crowd buzzed with anticipation as the quarter-finals of the competition were about to begin. The spotlight was on two fierce trainers as Marian stood at the center of the arena, her voice ringing through the air.
"Alright, we're moving right along!" Marian declared, her enthusiasm infectious. "Our next match to advance to the semi-finals will be Solidad from Pewter City taking on May from Petalburg City!"
"Go for it, May! You can do it!" Dawn yelled, unable to contain her excitement.
"We've got 5 minutes on the clock! Let's go!" Marian announced. As the timer began to count down, May took a deep breath, ready to showcase her skills. She summoned her Pokémon with a flourish, two Pokéballs spinning through the air and releasing her faithful companions with a burst of fire and glittering particles.
"Alright, Blaziken and Beautifly! Take the stage!" she called out with determination. Beautifly spread her sparkling wings, adding an ethereal beauty to the arena, while Blaziken executed a flawless backflip onto the stage, exuding power and confidence. Solidad, on the opposite side of the battlefield, was equally prepared. With a swift motion, she summoned her own Pokémon.
"Pidgeot! Gardevoir! Help me out!" Solidad commanded as she released her loyal partners from their Pokéballs. Pidgeot soared onto the stage, spreading his majestic wings, while Gardevoir landed with grace, an aura of elegance surrounding her. May wasted no time, issuing her first commands.
"Blaziken, Fire Spin! Beautifly, Silver Wind!" Beautifly flapped her wings furiously, sending a glimmering wind toward Solidad's Pidgeot, while Blaziken spiraled a fiery vortex toward Gardevoir, expertly weaving between the gusts of wind from Beautifly.
"Protect now!" Soledad suddenly called. Gardevoir moved swiftly to the forefront, erecting a protective force field that blocked both of May's attacks, leaving Solidad's Pokémon completely unharmed. With a strategic advantage in hand, Solidad wasn't about to let up. "Now, Pidgeot, Aerial Ace!"
"Geot pid!" Pidgeot chirped as he proceeded to move with lightning speed, striking Blaziken with Aerial Ace before May could react. Blaziken yelped in pain as she skidded backward, and Beautifly gasped, the swiftness of the attack on her partner catching her off guard.
"So fast…" May muttered, quickly realizing the challenge she faced as Solidad pressed on.
"Gardevoir, Psychic, let's go!" Gardevoir's eyes glowed with a serene blue aura as she used her psychic powers to lift Blaziken and Beautifly into the air, leaving both May's Pokémon helpless and Solidad with ample opportunity. "Pidgeot, Aerial Ace, one more time!"
"Pidg!" Pidgeot agreed as he swooped back in, delivering another powerful Aerial Ace that struck both of May's Pokémon with a single pass, causing them to cry out in pain.
"She's trying to disorient us," May murmured, steadying herself. She understood the need to regain control quickly before she lost too many more points. "Blaziken, use Fire Spin, and Beautifly, use Psychic!"
"Ok..!" Beautifly acknowledged her trainer's command and her eyes began to gleam with vibrant blue psychic energy, and Blaziken launched spiraling flames toward their opponents. The flames were soon enveloped by Beautifly's psychic energy, splitting into multiple pulses of fiery projectiles that surged in all directions, leaving Solidad's Pokémon with nowhere to escape. Pidgeot squawked in pain, pushed back by the fiery assault, while Gardevoir gritted her teeth, enduring the barrage.
"Protect now!" Solidad called to her Psychic type.
"Voir…!" Gardevoir nodded as she summoned another protective barrier, intercepting the attacks before they could inflict significant damage to her or Pidgeot. With the forced switch from Psychic to Protect, Beautifly managed to escape the psychic hold with Blaziken, returning to May's side of the stage, while Blaziken landed gracefully on her feet. May seized on the opening she had created.
"Great work you two! Let's use Sky Uppercut and Silver Wind!" Beautifly unleashed her Silver Wind, while Blaziken leaped at Pidgeot with her fist glowing brightly.
"Feather Dance, Pidgeot!" Solidad's command echoed through the arena. "You use Shadow Ball, Gardevoir!"
"Gar!" Gardevoir agreed as she conjured a dark orb of energy and launched it forward, skillfully canceling out Beautifly's Silver Wind.
"Pidgeot!" Pidgeot squawked as he soared above Blaziken and unleashed a flurry of feathers that struck Blaziken on her way up, attempting to disrupt her ascent. Despite the barrage, Blaziken continued her ascent, determination etched on her face as she managed to still land her Sky Uppercut. Pidgeot yelped in pain, falling several feet as May put her focus on Gardevoir.
"Beautifly, Aerial Ace!" Beautifly responded by somersaulting in the air and then diving into a high-speed Aerial Ace aimed directly at Gardevoir. However, Solidad wasn't one to back down.
"Stop them with Twister!" Hearing his trainer, Pidgeot managed to straighten himself out of the fall and released a fierce Twister that swallowed Blaziken and Beautifly within its raging winds. Beautifly flapped her wings aggressively to maintain her position, while Blaziken stood her ground, enduring the tempest. May's mind raced quickly, knowing she had to get her Pokemon out of the attack before they took too much damage or Solidad had a chance to strike.
"Beautifly, Silver Wind to break the funnel! Blaziken, Blaze Kick!"
"On it…!" Beautifly strained, but nevertheless flapped her wings with all her might, using her own wind to weaken the Twister's grip, while Blaziken unleashed a fiery Blaze Kick to break through the remaining wind barriers. However, Solidad was ready for just such an event.
"Dazzling Gleam now!" she called. Gardevoir glowed brightly with pink energy and unleashed a powerful Dazzling Gleam as Blaziken and Beautifly emerged from the Twister, causing both of May's Pokémon to recoil in pain.
"She's wearing them down and cutting us off before we can retaliate...I have to do something she won't anticipate, or else this'll end just like the first time..." May realized. She clenched her fists, determined to find a way to turn the tide. Dawn, watching from the sidelines, encouraged May loudly.
"You can do it, May!" Recognizing May knew she was in a tough spot, Solidad didn't let up, commanding her Pokémon once more.
"Gardevoir, use Shadow Ball! Pidgeot, use Aerial Ace!" Pidgeot swooped down in a steep dive, flying directly at both of May's Pokémon, while Gardevoir fired off a large Shadow Ball in his path. Pidgeot sliced through the Shadow Ball, enveloping his body in a sinister yet beautiful glow of ghostly energy. His Normal typing protected him from the damage, and he hurtled toward May's Pokémon. Gritting her teeth in the face of such a combination, May strategized quickly.
"Blaziken, Overheat! Beautifly, use Morning Sun!" Beautifly stayed back, glowing with a dazzling light, which began to heal her injuries. Meanwhile, Blaziken glowed bright red and unleashed her hottest flames at Pidgeot, determined to wear down the ghostly energy and his defense while protecting Beautifly. Pidgeot winced in pain as the steam of white-hot flames struck him, but he pressed forward, unwavering in his determination to hit his mark. Realizing that Pidgeot wasn't going to hit his mark at full strength because of Overheat, Solidad called her next move.
"Gardevoir, use Dazzling Gleam on Beautifly!"
"Voir!" Gardevoir acknowledged as she moved quickly, firing off a Dazzling Gleam to disrupt Beautifly's concentration on Morning Sun.
"Dodge it!"
"Eep!" Beautifly gasped as she stopped her Morning Sun and flew out of the way of the Dazzling Gleam just in the nick of time. Blaziken, having completed her fiery onslaught, felt the impact of Pidgeot's strike. It was weaker than it would've been, but still caused massive damage. Blaziken endured the best she could as May seized the opportunity Pidgeot's strike had created.
"Now, Beautifly, Aerial Ace!" Beautifly responded and dived quickly, delivering a point-blank Aerial Ace to Pidgeot the moment the flames died down, causing the majestic bird to screech in pain. Solidad and Gardevoir were caught off guard as Pidgeot crashed into the stage.
"And Pidgeot goes down from a combination of Overheat and Aerial Ace! With two minutes left on the clock, May begins to close the gap! But can she overtake the lead, or will Solidad claim her victory?" Marian announced as the arena erupted with cheers and anticipation. May knew she still had a chance, but she had to be smart about this or she could still easily lose.
"Blaziken, Blaze Kick! Beautifly, use Psychic!"
"Right!" Blaziken agreed as she rushed forward, her fiery determination in her eyes and flames coating her feet. Meanwhile, Beautifly used her Psychic abilities to intensify the flames of the Blaze Kick, making them dance in a beautiful rhythm around Blaziken as she executed her attack. Pidgeot struggled to get up, his strength waning as Solidad was quick to react to May's combination.
"Stop them with Psychic now!" Gardevoir moved swiftly in front of Pidgeot, her eyes glowing with an eerie blue light, successfully grabbing and levitating both Blaziken and Beautifly, putting a halt to their combination attack. Solidad looked to her faithful Pidgeot with concern. "Pidgeot, can you keep going?"
"Geot…!" Pidgeot nodded as he managed to stand on his talons once more, his determination unshaken.
"Then use your best Twister!" Solidad commanded him. Pidgeot flew up to the floating Pokémon and launched another Twister, trapping them back in the funnel as Gardevoir held them still.
"Not this time! Counter it with Overheat and Silver Wind!" May yelled. Blaziken fired a slightly weaker but still intense blast of flames into the funnel, while Beautifly struck the same spot with Silver Wind, piercing through the Twister and striking Pidgeot directly. He cried out in pain and ultimately crashed onto the stage. The judges marked X's on Pidgeot, signifying his inability to continue as Marian made the call,
"And that's a wrap for Pidgeot! But Gardevoir still has both Pokemon in her grasp! Is it going to be enough?" Solidad recalled her defeated Pidgeot and offered him comforting words.
"You did great. Take a good rest." She then refocused on the ongoing battle. "Gardevoir, use Shadow Ball!"
"Garde!" Gardevoirannounced as she charged a massive Shadow Ball as she still held Blaziken and Beautifly in place, ready to unleash a devastating attack. May recognized the dire situation and her mind raced.
"No good trying to counter one that big... All it'll do is take them down, maybe both of them... Got it!" she gasped. "Blaziken, Fire Spin quick! Beautifly, use Psychic and form a wall!"
"On it…!" Blaziken grunted as she opened her mouth and unleashed a massive funnel of spiraling fire into the air. Next to her, Beautifly's eyes glowed with psychic energy as she took control of the Fire Spin, intensifying its speed and power to critical levels.
"Now!" Solidad gave the command. Gardevoir fired the massive Shadow Ball, and the impending collision between the Shadow Ball and the intensified Fire Spin created an explosive spectacle of purple, red, orange, and blue lights. The dazzling lights filled the arena, effectively stopping Solidad's attack before it could hit its mark just as the clock chimed, signaling the end of the match.
"And that's all she wrote! The winner is..." Marian began as she, along with everyone else, turned towards the monitor. The screen shifted to display May's pass photo, and the arena erupted in cheers. "It's May!"
"WAHOO! That's my best friend!" Dawn cheered along with the crowd. Down on the field, Solidad, despite the loss, sighed contentedly and smiled at her Gardevoir.
"Thank you for all her hard work."
"Garde..." Gardevoir responded, apologizing. May couldn't hide her elation, squealing with joy and wrapping her arms tightly around Blaziken and Beautifly.
"You two were incredible! Thank you so much!" Blaziken panted and smiled, sharing in the triumph. Beautifly smiled tiredly too and nuzzled her trainer affectionately. Solidad approached the victorious team, offering her congratulations.
"Congratulations, May. That was fantastic battling." May looked up at Solidad and got back up to address her properly.
"Yeah... sure was. Thanks so much, Solidad." With a nod, Solidad extended her hand as a sign of respect.
"Good luck moving forward." May accepted the gesture, shaking Solidad's hand.
"Thank you, Solidad." With smiles exchanged and a sense of camaraderie, Solidad and May left the stage, the crowd's applause ringing in their ears.
To be Continued...
