Chapter 14: Red vs Blue

- - - - - A Few Days Ago - - - - -

- - - - - Haru's Home - - - - -

The morning dew had settled on the morning grass as Haru stood outside looking at a still-growing tree. Though it stood not much bigger than a sapling in terms of size, it was the meaning behind it that held a lot of comfort for him. A memorial, no, a tribute to his fallen brother and best friend Hiro, the little tree is brushed by the soft wind of the Galarian skies above it.

Haru inhaled deep and exhaled a little as both nostrils flared. Viewing the tree was a way to help him get his thoughts out of his head and to talk to his friend. "Hey man. It's been a bit, but I wanted to update you on what's going on. Pretty soon I'll no longer be the Pokemon Champion of Galar. I believe I told you what I was planning to do but...the idea is I want to become a Gym Leader. Our region doesn't have one for the Steel type of Pokemon, so I'm going to head one myself. I already have staff picked out for my own Gym Trainers, and construction has been going smoothly for some time. Even as I am in a state where I am 'hands off' since I'm no construction worker, I still overthink about all the things that could possibly go wrong. You'd tell me to just 'not worry about it'. You'd most likely say 'It's whatever man. Anything you set your mind to will work itself out because it always has in the past' to cheer me up. Heh. Stuff like that is why I wear the number I do on my jersey: it's all cuz of you."

The champion kneels down to the grass. It's cold and wet, so he sticks with only going onto his knees: both hands laying on his thighs. "I...have been having less panic attacks thinking about having lost you. I almost was unable to move forward and do something as minor as enjoy a video game that you were looking forward to playing...like I'm giving myself a violent pity party and thinking I'm being selfish for enjoying something you can't. Cuz you're not here." He sighs. "Hop and Marnie had a talk with me at a party and helped me come to terms with my survivor's guilt. If it wasn't for people like them I wouldn't be as strong as I am now. I'm so used to being so confident in myself so often...but eh...you know."

A wind blows by, making the scarf he wore now flair a bit in the air current before Haru grabs onto it to pull it into his shirt. "Nessa has also been there for me. She's making breakfast at the moment, so I wish I could stay but I just wanted to let you know that I'm still thinking of you. We're going to be planning a move-in together soon...and don't think for a second we won't take you with us." Clasping his hands together in a prayer-like fashion, Haru bows his head a bit. "Arceus...I'm not much of a man of faith but if Hiro is up there somewhere with you please look after him."

There's a sudden gust of wind that blows through, almost knocking Haru off of his knees. He re-configures his center of gravity while standing up and puts a hand on the cap of his hat. The small sign gives him just enough of a reason to smile, and heads back inside where Nessa was at the moment.

"Tch...guess ya heard me then. Thanks."

- - - - - Present Day - - - - -

- - - - - Wyndon - - - - -

"COME ONE COME ALL FOR FRESH WURSTS"

"FRESHLY BAKED POKE'COOKIES, PASTRIES, YOU NAME IT"

"I HAVE TWO TICKETS TO THE POKEMON LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES TODAY, WHO WANTS 'EM?"

Syra had a face of disgust and annoyance walking down the streets of Wyndon. She checked into the Stadium earlier to register but the tournament itself wouldn't be starting for a bit and took to the streets to kill some time. /There's so many Ekans Oil Salesmen here selling useless pieces of shit to people and scam them out of their own money. It's one thing to get full off of concessions food, but scalpers I guess won't ever go away. Wonder if I'm really attracting that big of a crowd-/ Syra's line of thought would be interrupted walking by the Poke'Center that was in front of a large fountain and overhearing some conversations.

"Syra, no question."

"Why?"

"Well I took a look at the recent stats of the games she's done, and I think her Pokemon are all so strong that she's just going to one-shot her opponents."

"Is that the only reason you're a fanboy over her?"

"Sh-shut up! I like a girl who can kick my ass, okay?"

Hearing fans talk about her out in the open was an occurrence she was getting used to as she was advancing on her journey to be the next Galar Champion but it never got any less overwhelming. She wasn't used to being showered by praise of any kind from many sources within her upbringing, so her confidence only came from within. These exchanges and more served to be the only thing that would possibly make her face turn red and hide a little in her blue jacket. Her ears pick up a few other conversations.

"You think Haru is going to successfully defend his title?"

"Syra's going to be the one to challenge him, bet!"

"I wonder if I can manage to get a league card of her later.."

"At least this year ex-Chairman Rose won't be halting it. That was a disaster..."

The constant talk was annoying her, and eventually Syra slithered her way in the opposite direction from the talk to a line of vendors alongside the nearby river. /It's noisy here...I need to get my mind off of the damn game for just a few minutes. Today is the day I change my life for the better. I'll be able to use the prize money and upcoming sponsorships to get myself out from the home and even have Gabe come with me. I'm not sure if I can really do anything at first about Dad but...for what he's done to me I can possibly look up a lawyer and go from there. Maybe I'll be able to get in contact with Mom, too./ Even as she tried to take her mind off of things and get herself a freshly cooked meat stick to nibble on, Syra found her mind at unease. There were so many factors to take into account for the final 8 that even though she knew the levels of her chosen Pokemon, the worrying thought of 'What if I screw up just this once?' was weighing on her.

"Hey there."

"Hmm?" Syra lifts up her head to meet the voice that spoke towards her vicinity. She sees a slender, slightly dark skinned girl with short silver hair and a hairbow wearing the Fighting Type uniform before her. It was Bea, the Gym Leader of the Fighting Gym. Not expecting to meet her, Syra spoke with a bit of pep. "Oh, hey it's you, Bea!"

Bea nodded and smiled. "I've come to watch the games today. The circumstances surrounding it are a bit different than how they run; us Gym Leaders didn't really have time nor a proper means to be in the 'finale' but since the Top 8 are still as skilled as they are, there's no reason that we shouldn't be there...so we're all going to watch and cheer you on."

Syra took the compliment in stride if only to downplay her own stress and not bring attention to what was on her mind. "I'm sure I won't be the only reason people are here. I held on a strong face up to this point but I'm actually really nervous." In hearing that, Bea held up an index finger before diving into a knapsack that she carried on herself: bringing a small candy bar. "Take this then. It's one of my favorites and helps keep me in high spirits if I ever need a pick-me-up...which it seems like you may need one." A little unsure at first, Syra took the gesture in kind and smiled to the Gym Leader. The wrapper indicated it was a 'cookies and cream' flavor, to which Syra smiled softly and thanked Bea for the gift.

"You're welcome! I recall that you were an amazing opponent when you took me on, so I am really hoping to see how great of a performance you put on today in the Wyndon Stadium! No power-hungry, misled chairman is going to ruin the performances today unlike last time." Bea balled up one of her hands into a fist. Seeing Bea outside of the Gym and chatting it up made her smile upon hearing such words of encouragement. Syra bowed her head a bit with her cheeks going pink. "Yeah, that's a relief. I'm trying to relax before I head to the stadium and wait for my match. I don't know how the brackets will be organized but I already have an idea of how big of a turnout it's going to be. I heard a staffer say it was sold out seating. Is that true?"

Bea sat next to her, all the while nodding. "Yep. You've drawn quite a crowd with your reputation. Well, that's what I was told anyway...it seems the whole of the Top 8 is drawing people from all walks of life to this one event. Then again, you yourself have consistently been in the limelight during this run of the Gym Challenge."

The velvet haired challenger blinked and rubbed her head. "Is that bad? I know I've been really aggressive to...well, our Champion and some trainers along the way. There's no way that sits well with everyone. I'm a different person entirely when I fight."

"Hmm?" Bea tilted her head and looked at Syra inquisitively, while Syra looked the other way.

"I'm aware of the rumors of what they say about me, and it's led to some discourse on whether or not I should be allowed to compete at all.." She tries to play it off a little with a chuckle. To her surprise, the spunky girl who was known for her fighting spirit shook her head.

"Not at all. I was referring to the rise of your own fandom you've had since you started, and your positive influence throughout!" Bea points out. This is a complete surprise to Syra, who turns back to her. "You know how other girls here in Galar have competed in the Gym Challenge, right? Not just Gym Leaders like myself, but Nessa took on the Gym Challenge herself. Think of the other Champions from other regions who have come and gone. How many of them are girls who were talented enough to say 'I'm the best'? Not many. There's probably a few I've forgotten, but I know there's Cynthia, Diantha, and Iris...but you could be right there alongside them! While our own Nessa may not have become a Champion herself, it's always inspiring to see someone who isn't a boy rise up to the occasion you know? People like you show that it can be done." Saying all of this with the enthusiasm one could expect out of Bea, it was endearing to get some encouragement from a hardened fighter like herself.

Having heard the discussion of past female Champions had made Syra second-guess her methods on getting to this point, and her eyes narrow. /...and for all it's worth, I've practically been cheating for the majority of my progress to here. If only they knew.../

Hopping up back to her feet, Bea stood up and bowed to Syra. "I have full faith that no matter what happens, that you'll give everyone a good show! I'll be rooting for you!" The two wave to each other as Syra continued to munch on the rest of her vendor food. For some reason it helped to have some confidence reinstated from a fellow Gym Leader, and it didn't help that she found Bea to be attractive. The thought of going on an outing with her when this was all over came to her mind.

"Well that was nice. Maybe I do have a chance after all.." Syra would comment to herself, munching on her meat stick a bit in outer monologue.

"That is unless you were to run into an issue pre-tournament, Syra."

The coldness in the new voice that was heard near her put Syra on high alert immediately, almost choking on the piece of meat she was chewing. Jumping to her feet, she sees that several middle aged men were surrounding her with the figure of Ritsu coming forward in the center. He was wearing a band-aid over the part of his face that she attacked him the last time they met up, and underneath his suit he wore some wrappings around his abdomen. Taking the last piece of meat from the stick and tossing it into a nearby trashcan, Syra just locked eyes onto Ritsu.

"Oh...I see you brought some friends, Dad. What the hell do you want? I'm about to go to a Tournament to win the title of Galar's Pokemon Champion. Why aren't you home with Gabe?" she angrily growled to him. /He brought some friends with him. This couldn't have come at a worse time..!/

"Never you mind that, dear. I need you to come with me, Syra. We need to talk about...what you did last time." Walking forward, Ritsu would walk towards her as Syra found herself herded like a Wooloo being pressed to move in a direction. On her opposite, there were a few other men around the same build and age as well. Two of the men grab her by the shoulder and follow Ritsu's direction. The scene alone catches the attention of a group of people nearby.

Syra wouldn't go as quietly, but not to a point that she'd be torn apart in the open. "Hey! Watch where you're grabbing!" she barks. Annoyed, one of Ritsu's 'friends' grumbled back. "Shut it, girl and move along!"

- - - - - Some alley in Wyndon - - - - -

"Can't you just leave me alone? I told you I'm done being your personal 'toy'." Syra yelled, being pushed forward into the center of the alley. Around her the group that Ritsu had brought with him had surrounded the girl with the intention to keep her boxed in. Ritsu sighs, un-crossing his arms around each other and looked at her with a side glance.

"You roughed me up really bad last time we met, you know. This whole time throughout the year you've been sending me money, joining me for our mutual employer and taking whatever supplies were given to you with no infighting. As your father and guardian, I took care of you, raised you, and made sure you were the best daughter anyone could ask for of any man. When it came down to the stresses of life as a single dad, you went above and beyond to help your poor ol' man to get over what a failure he was at times. You did everything that I could ask fo-" Ritsu began to say with the callous lack of self awareness before Syra cut him off.

"Above and beyond to help you? As if I had any choice! You used my body for your own selfishness! The second I started growing in places that 'mattered' you di-" she was cut off in retaliation as a hand sideswipes across her cheek with a loud slap from Ritsu. Holding her cheek, Syra looked up to him with one tear budding on the edge of an eye from the slight sting of pain of it.

The lack of care for what he was doing to her weighed heavy on the tone in his voice, like a true man who wasn't a parental figure but more evil like Team Rocket. "When did you become so rebellious? If you had simply done what we agreed upon, especially from the last visit I had with you, we wouldn't be here right now. Now you've gone and are trying to humiliate me amongst friends." He gestured to the men surrounding her.

"So what is it that you aim to accomplish here then? If you do anything to me here now, I'm bringing you to the police!" Syra threatened, stepping forward and reaching towards the pocket where she had her Rotom Phone...only to go pale in the face when realizing it wasn't there. One of Ritsu's men held up the phone in question and laughed. /Fuck...one of them got it without me realizing./

Ritsu held his head up, his eyes filled with contempt and ill suited to be anyone's guardian, much less hers."Do I really have to explain myself here? You're old enough, Syra, you can figure it out. Maybe by the end of this you'll simply just forgo this whole thing and come back home: be a good big sister to Gabriel and the lady I knew you for..because I won't forgive what you did last time to me."

"Enough of this familial discussion shit, do you want us to do what we planned with her already or what?"

"Hey Ritsu, you didn't tell me she was this much of a looker. I'm already at half mast here!"

Syra winces in disgust at the comment from one of the guys looking at her and huffs. Ritsu adds in a detail upon seeing her being reviled "All of these are buddies of mine that have sparred with me much like how you did with me growing up. Do you honestly think you can fend off us all on by yourself?"

Despite how well she had fought him off last time, Syra had to give her dad that much: he completely had her surrounded. Every single time in the past with exception to the last time they met, he was able to overpower her because he knew every weakness of her physique. Hypothetically speaking, the second she tries to fight them off, they may be able to overwhelm her if they're all along the same skill level. A bead of sweat forms on her forehead as she begins to deduce the situation in her head. /I tried to end it last time and he wouldn't listen to me, so that's why I broke his nose. There's some debris here that could become weapons if I break them into pieces, and the height disparity between myself and this bald looking asshole standing to my left can easily have his elbow broken. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a bat laying around. That's...convenient. I'd have to miss being hit for a bit before pulling this off however. Shit. If I somehow make it out of this...maybe I should call for help again../

Her mind flashed through images of her brother and every single time throughout her years that she had her intimacy forcefully taken from her. All of the innocence she would have had going in was all removed thanks to him and him alone. Syra inhaled, ready to scream for help. "HAR-!" she had meant to yell for Haru, who she knew would be within the streets of Wyndon somewhere but to her surprise aid came in another form.

The sound of one of the men's bodies flying sideways and hitting the concrete is heard as a loud yell of a familiar person rockets by all of them. A figure is seen flying by the group and into several trash cans with a loud crash. Someone had put a great amount of force and speed from a kick. Landing next to Syra and getting into a defensive position, her savior would shout out. "So then in that case she won't be doing this alone then!" It was Bea, who had come to investigate after initially coming to try and find Syra for something only to see her being ushered into an alley. Biding her time before knowing she could knock out one of the men cold, the two girls were now back to back.

/Bea came back for me...? I...is this really happening?/ Syra thinks to herself.

"Hey, Syra! They didn't do anything to you yet, right? Are you able to defend yourself as well as he says you can?" the silver haired fighter smirked to the girl next to her.

Smirking widely while crouching enough to center her gravity and assuming her own defensive stance, Syra confidently replied. "Try to keep up...but leave him to me." gesturing to Ritsu with a nod of her head. With one of the men already being knocked out cold, the group was still relatively large: 9 against 2. It would be a challenge, but it could be done.

Ritsu nodded to his friends, of whom all tried to swarm the girls before the velvet haired girl grabbed the formerly fallen friend by the ankles and threw his weight towards the men. A few of them stumble back from the weight; a stun that only served as a distraction before Bea lashed out with some high knees to an assailant near her. The second the limp body lands, two men try to tackle down Syra with a charge. One of them manages to get her into a grapple, but she holds them back while shifting her own weight. Shouting loudly in retaliation, Syra rocks back before headbutting the man in front of her and reversing her position to behind him.

"Syra, behind you!" Bea shouts before ducking a punch from the opponent she had knee'd earlier, as Syra lets go of the man she grappled onto to avoid being hit with a crowbar. The loud 'thwak!' is heard making contact with her own assailant knocking him out with a trail of blood that follows. "Shit! You were supposed to duck, moron!" he says before trying to get Syra again with said crowbar. Bea is exchanging blows with one of the other men who seemed to be well versed in boxing, and would find herself turtling up in defense: tanking hits left and right. An opening is foreseen, as Bea listens to her body's instincts to duck left, left, and then under a punch before throwing the whole strength of her small form into a pincer point with an elbow strike. The man tries to correct himself when he sees the girl assume the stance but found out his speed was too slow: face-down-in-the-dirt too slow. His body is pushed back, holding onto his stomach and collapses onto the cement.

Syra is seen taking on two men: one who tries to mimic moves he's seen Hitmonlee perform in dojos with other fighters, and the other who found the crowbar from before. With the Gym Leader now paired up beside her, the group of guys remaining would try to rush the two. Without so much as a plan beforehand, the two girls felt a unison 'click' within their fists and feet. Both of them dodge what looked like mirrored punches before parrying another set. The feeling of fists flying catches them at the right time, and then a loud sound of a crack from a wooden bat is heard: Syra having broken it across one of her opponents' heads before throwing a leg sweep. An armed man carrying a crowbar falls, and the diversion of it has it sent flying out of his hand as Bea catches it in mid-air. Doing all this before dodging a few leg strikes to sideswipe two of other guys. The steel bar clashing across their hardened skin would leave bruises that would show up much later, and be tossed aside afterwards.

"What the fuck Ritsu she's too good!" one of them shouts, going into a defensive stance while Syra twirls a bat in hand.

"I don't like fighting with weapons. Do you want it?" Bea comments, to which Syra smirks. "Well I have no problem using it, but forgive me if I stick to this baby in my hand. HIYAHH!" Whether it was the height of the moment or the fact she had a weapon in hand, or support from another girl who was a Gym Leader altogether, Syra's eyes burned bright with adrenaline and malice. The sounds of her bat bashing against the other men who wore Dynamax bands as a split second defense. Opposite of her, Bea has gone on what looked like breakdancing in order to avoid so many fists going in her direction: the misdirection of her own moves causing her own opponents to clock heads and be knocked out.

"Bea watch out!" Syra yells as Ritsu attacked with a bear hug around the small framed woman in an attempt to squeeze her to unconsciousness as his arms wrapped around Bea's frame and locked hands with himself.

"Syra! Call off your friend and let us do what we came her to do or I'll break her in two!" Ritsu shouts, looking at the girl as his hands clasped over the other and tightened in grip. The remaining men who were fighting stop throwing attacks for a second to see what Syra's reply would be. "You know I can do it, you've seen what I'm capable of, now do it!"

Syra looks at Bea struggling to get Ritsu off from squeezing her from behind, as he's lifted up the little girl off her feet from his grip alone. For once in the whole fight her confidence wanes, and her grip on the bat loosens up a little. In light of the predicament Bea keeps on a positive face. Her face slightly turned to the large man holding onto her. "You're pretty strong there for a man your age and build, huh. Played college football or something?"

Her eyes briefly flash to Syra to show she had a plan without saying a word, and bit her lip. Ritsu just chuckled: proud in his own accomplishments. "You could say that."

The tanned girl didn't sound impressed with his answer and even in her position, snickered. ".a...at some cushy Sinnoh academy?"

"Try Kalos University. I could've gone pro if I didn't move here and do the Pokemon Gym Challenge! Didn't succeed, but I'll take anything as a victory, really. When I'm done here with Syra, I wouldn't mind giving you a fun time." He sneered.

The silver haired girl snickered and looked behind herself to the large man. "It's a shame you'll have to fail twice, then." confident in what Syra and her were sensing together, she used the leverage he gave with her body being held up to swing a foot backwards into his chest. It was enough force to loosen his grip, and Bea to break out, sprinting into a kick at the men who were waiting for their own opening. Taking the hint and reacting to the opening, Syra leapt off the nearby cement wall and slams one of her feet across Ritsu's face. In the brief moment, too, Bea uses her small frame to bob and weave out of the sloppy attacks from the remaining men to knock them out with rapid punches and an elbow strike to one's chin which sent him flying to the wall.

Syra used the fraction of a second distraction Bea gave her to let out a flurry of hard punches to Ritsu's frame. Every single hit she sends to him is filled with the years of innocence lost upon her that she won't ever be able to get back again. After a flurry of hits, Syra stands there with Ritsu kneeling over with an arm holding onto his stomach and slams a palm downwards across his face. The force of difference of her height to him kneeling over causes him to finally drop his guard and is 'knocked out'.

'THWAK!' goes the last sound of a kick from Bea to a remainder assailant, as she looks over to Syra who stood over the fallen figure of her dad. Walking to where Syra stood, she sees the Gym Challenger-would-be-Champion spit to the side of herself with some blood landing on the ground and wiping her nose with a thumb. "No more. This was the last straw. I'm taking you to the authorities for this and putting you away."

Bea stood there speechless. What could she even say in such a hard situation that she happened upon by chance? Knowing that one of the Gym Challengers had such a horrible situation brought upon her that would have gotten much worse, and had already been dealt a hard hand in life? /I don't understand why this even had to happen? Syra doesn't deserve to have anyone treat her like this: family or no family./ These were the thoughts Bea had made watching Syra pick up her old man up to his feet and dragged him to his feet. The intention was to bring him out of the alley and get the attention of Pokemon League staff and local authorities.

She is seen throwing Ritsu toward the ground of an open space of the road where people could see them, as Syra shouts loud enough for people to hear. "CALL THE POLICE! THIS MAN, MY FATHER, JUST TRIED TO ASSAULT ME BEFORE THE POKEMON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT!" was all she said at first, catching the attention of several groups. For now, she didn't have her phone back and would rely on this to get help for the time being.

- - - - - 3 minutes later - - - - -

Several groups of police officers and Pokemon League staff surround the area of the open alleyway where Syra and Bea stood at, with Ritsu and his men in handcuffs. Syra had someone assigned to her immediately to help take care of the bruises she just incurred, and was going to be guarded on her walk back to the stadium. After talking to some of the men who was helping to get the story from not only Syra, but Bea, Ritsu and his men would be taken away on several serious charges. The level of which these crimes would be in detail would be discussed later, but Syra speaks to one such officer and informs that she wants the best lawyer she can get with her money as she wants to punish him to the fullest extent of the law...but after the tournament. A few reporters get wind of this in lieu of the scene and try to ask Syra for answers, but she turns them down saying she will answer questions after the tournament.

While on the way to the stadium, a security guard, a shiny Machamp, Growlithe, and Bea walk beside Syra to make sure she's safe on her way there.

"Syra I had...I had no idea. I'm..I'm sorry you had to go through that for however lo-" Bea began to say, but was cut off by Syra just hand-waving it with a half-hearted smile. "It's okay, Bea. I'm just glad I had someone help defend me before things got really messy. I've lived like this for years...but today was particularly ugly. It could have been much worse..but you saved me. You're my savior. I'm grateful."

The fighting Gym Leader exhaled as if to express disdain for the recent events, and looked at her before Syra would comment again. "Hey uhm...when this is over will you be available?". A little unsure of where the conversation would head, Bea thinks it over before replying with "The Gym Challenge is an annual event, so I'll be free for awhile before needing to be absolutely required for Gym-related duties, why?". Syra's face turned a little red, looking away and almost stammering over her words. "I.. .i..i...wanted..to know if you..you'd like to go out with me some time when this is over." Bea blinked a little. "Huh?" as if not sure she heard Syra correctly. The black haired girl shook her head and started running. "Nevermind! I uh...we need to get to the stadium!".

"Hey, Miss Syra! Don't run ahead until we get to the stadium! You need protection until we can make sure you're safe!" calls the guard with the Machamp and Growlithe. The pair follows her in their heightened pace, as Bea's face suddenly goes red. /Wait...did she ask me out on a date...? But we're both.../

The thought wasn't a bad one, but considering how out-of-thin-air it came at her, the spunky girl had to admit she may not turn it down. For now, however, different priorities lay.

- - - - - Wyndon Stadium - - - - -

As predicted by a few figureheads and some Gym Leaders alike, every single seat in the stadium for the Pokemon League Tournament was filled. The VIP seats were sold out a mere hour after the date's announcement from those who were looking forward to the day's matches. Some would call it one of the most important tournaments in 'recent memory' when it comes to the build up alone. Syra herself would be one of the biggest heavy hitter competitors of the tournament, sure, but she still had to best through several other trainers to get to the end. Chairman Oleana looked out from the window looking over the stadium with her arms folded, smiling. She turns to her side as a familiar red haired man stood, silent. "Pre-tournament jitters, Champ?" she asked.

Haru made a fist, inhaling deep through his nose and exhaling slowly. "Just excitement is all, ma'am. A lot is happening today. The other Gym Leaders are all here, and underneath all of this I'm wearing what will be my Steel Gym Leader outfit. Today, no matter the result, I announce my retirement during the ending ceremony. It's going to be a very big moment." His fist shaking a little before resting at his waistline. The dirty blonde haired woman chuckled while one hand goes to her chin. "It's interesting how the last time I was here, things were very different. A lot has changed since then, hasn't it? Perhaps I should have put faith in you sooner."

He would turn to her and shook his head. "It's of no consequence, ma'am. Right now, what matters is we put on the best show for the fans: hardcore Pokemon fans and casuals alike. Civilian, or trainer. Breeder or scientist. We're here for everyone, and the globe will be watching us! To be honest...I couldn't have asked for a grander stage in my whole life, and I'm going to give them everything I have within me. The people will never see Haru the same after today!" Haru grins, before turning to walk off, as he would not be required to be out on the field until his match. For now he would be making his way to the special seating where he, the Gym Leaders, Nessa, Hop, Marnie, Sonia and Leon would be located. It would be at a room near the top with giant glass windows near one of the scrolling marquees, as Oleana would soon make the announcement in the form of the opening ceremony.

A half hour goes by and Oleana is seen walking onto the center of the large grass field to thunderous applause, with a small microphone headset for her to speak to the whole crowd. "Welcome everyone here in Galar to the Wyndon Stadium! I am proud to welcome everyone who has made it here to the Pokemon League Tournament! The time has come for the final 8 challengers to battle it out until only the greatest challenger remains! We apologize for the long wait that everyone has had to endure leading up to this moment, and thank you for your patience."

The interior of the VIP room showed all of the Gym Leaders looking in excitement and anticipation, with Nessa turning behind her as Haru was staring at one of the screens that detailed the brackets with information of the final 8 contenders. This would be the screen that the jumbotron displayed to the audience, aside from live video of Oleana talking to the crowd. Deciding to let him have his concentration, Nessa turned her attention back to the view outside, with Hop bouncing a bit in his seat.

Oleana makes a grandiose sweeping motion with one arm while maintaining the expression she was known for and shouts. "With that out of the way, allow me to say this: let the Finals matches begin!" as several pyrotechnic displays explode in display, eliciting a positive response from the fans. Several sections of the audience are already chanting names of trainers they want to see win.

Haru tips down the cap he was wearing and readjusts the scarf, looking at his belt of PokeBalls containing his Champion team. /Soon, guys. I'll be trusting you all today with my life./ Eventually, he made his way back to where everyone else was sitting quietly with both hands to his side but not taking a seat. As Oleana was making her way off the field, the jumbotron would announce the first match's contestants.

"Hey Haru...so how are ya feel-..." Hop began to comment noticing how hard his friend was staring outside the window. The air he gave off was something he hadn't seen before, even when competing for the Championship. Leon, thinking Haru merely didn't hear him at all piped up. "Hey, buddy! Hop's trying to say something to you, y'know."

Haru continued to not say anything, but turned to his two friends and smiled. It was all he gave as a response. Sonia tries her best to change the topic. "Ah...perhaps it's pre-tournament jitters, you two." The lack of a usual bouncy response from Haru got Nessa's attention as her aqua eyes had centered on Haru's profile; uncertain what to make of his sudden mood change. After a moment, the champ was seen walking off to the connecting hallway of the VIP room without so much as a word.

The other Gym Leaders and Haru's friends looked at each other, while Piers would be the first to make a comment when they figured he was out of hearing range. "So...what's up with him? Is he actually nervous or something?"

Down the hallway, Haru kept his eyebrows furrowed and both fists balled up. The only thing that he was doing was staying focused, making his way down the hallway towards where the Champion would be called within his 'quarters'. From within his own collar he reaches in with one hand and pulls out the amulet that Nessa handed to him as a good luck charm. Clutching it with one hand, he took several deep breaths and closed his eyes.

Marnie just smirked amongst the small discourse of her comrades, pointing out with a finger "I don't think we have anything to worry about guys. We're thinking about it too hard. As one of the people here who battled him multiple times, I think he just is in his own headspace." Nessa would lean forward in her seat at the first battle that was already well on its way on the field and had a flashback; imagining herself on the field battling Haru in the Finals on that day. Thinking she could take him on and the face he showed her before the match began.

- - - - - At the previous Pokemon League Tournament - - - - -

The loud speakers of the announcer is heard echoing throughout the stadium. "A TRAINER ENDORSED BY THE CHAMPION HIMSELF, CHALLENGER HARU! HIS OPPONENT IS...THE RAGING WAVE! THE MASTER OF WATER TYPES, NESSA!"

Haru walks to the middle of the stadium and sees the woman before him that he had seen once in Hulbury and the second time greeting him as he left Motostoke for the Gym Challenge.

/There she is again, that one Gym Leader who almost took out my team despite having a type advantage. If I'm off my game even for a second, she'll end my run right here and now. I can't have that.../ He posited on himself right up to the last second when they met. It had been a bit, sure, but he forgot just how much of a presence she held being physically near her.

She folded her arms with an eyebrow raised. "I can tell you've grown far stronger since you faced me in Hulbury Stadium. I've got to hand it to our undefeated Champion. He's got a proper eye for talent, too."

Haru's eyes furrowed a bit, with his left hand balling up into a fist. /Is she mocking me...or was that a genuine compliment? Bah, not everyone here is out to get you like Bede, Haru. Calm down, man../

He saw as Nessa lowered both of her arms to her sides and seemingly looked relaxed before closing her eyes. "But you're not the Champion, and you'll never become the Champion, either." The statement alone and tone change put Haru on defense as he thought back to the team that was on his belt, looking at it and then her again. She continued her thought. "Do you know why? It's because I, Nessa, am going to defeat both you and Leon!"

Her eyes opened up and her right hand made a fist as the same combative glare Haru was familiar with last time met him again. "I'm not going to underestimate you again. I'll use Dynamax to wash you out to sea and beyond the horizon!"

The two trainers eyed each other intense for a second, with Haru staying quiet before they both about-faced and walked away. Inside his head he knew the strategy for the tournament meant keeping a well varied team while trying to make sure he could account for any makeup, while also not knowing who would be his next opponent. Be that as it may, his soul burned. /Nessa, you may not like me after today but I WILL defeat you. As pretty as you are, I'm going to have to watch you make a sour face of defeat!/

The two would meet after the match ended, as Haru came out victorious and he couldn't help but have on a smile from the victory. She would be the first to pipe up, sighing a little contently despite her loss. "You and your Pokemon are just too much...even with my Dynamaxed partner, you weathered our waves and stood firm."

He looks somewhat confused, but kept up his appearance despite the thought in his mind. /Wait...she's complimenting me? Here I thought she was going to make this more awkward or something. Huh, that's something./

The dark beauty herself continued "Now that I think about it, Sonia was saying something about how amazing you were. I wish I paid more attention to what she was talking about. I bet everyone in Galar's got their eyes on you now." with a smile at the end. For a moment, deep down in his psyche, Haru had no idea that the way she carried herself even in defeat would awaken something. But to her taking the fall gracefully, he only nodded back.

"You defeated my team, so now you've got to ride that current all the way to the end!" Nessa would say, before the commentator of the match began to go over details concerning the next match.

- - - Minutes later, in the locker room where the Gym Leaders and other contestants met - - -

Haru walked around after his match with the Gym Leader Nessa and goes to where he sees her sitting. Noticing that she is holding onto a cup of some drink while looking at the screens. On it, another match was happening at the moment so it would be a little while before his own match continued.

Looking down at the cup in both of her hands, Nessa's eyes furrowed and she let out a quiet huffed sigh. /It happened again...I was defeated in the first match of the League Tournament. I can almost sense the Chairman himself making his way to come mock me again./

"H-hey Nessa!" came a voice to her left side. The tone of voice catches her attention, as it's the ruby head trainer she fought earlier, Haru. "O-oh, it's you. Hey again. I almost expected you to be someone else..."

He would preemptively apologize."Ah, well sorry but it's me." Nessa hand-waved him and pulled back one of her hair strands. "It's okay. I only mean it in jest. What was it you needed?"

She was met with the same excitement that she would expect of a fanboy from her modeling career except with no creep vibing behind it. "Okay well...listen I just wanted to thank you for a fantastic match. I don't want to admit it, but you were actually really tough to beat this time and if I hadn't pulled out what I did you probably would have..uh..w...washed me away. To be frank...it was kind of like when I first battled you."

His slow attempt at utilizing the language she herself would use tried to do what he considered 'breaking the ice'. She's seen sighing again and looked at him with her head tilted. "Thank you, but you don't have to butter me up after winning. It's okay. I'm a lady who can handle her defeats when she's out." she would begin to say but Haru interjected. "No I'm serious! I don't know what it is about you, but the way you strategize is actually something that I got surprised on both accounts. The fact you had me nearly panicking both times is really scary: you're smarter than you give yourself credit for!"

A few of the other Gym Leaders notice the energetic way he was speaking to her but carried on their conversations they were having...except for Bea who was taking note of how the two were talking.

"You do know that 'almost' only counts in horseshoes right? It's fine. I hope to see you continue onward and do what only I could dream of, Haru." she held up a smile trying to hide the pain of losing another tournament on the first round. Still not satisfied, Haru calmed down and lowered his excitement. "But I'm being honest though. It may not mean much coming from me, but I'd like to battle you again someday. I don't know how or when, or even if it's even a thing I could request if I become Champion to do for exhibition matches...w-wait, not that exhibition matches could even be the only reason we would fight."

"Huh?" she looked at him confused with her head tilting, causing Haru to blush, completely embarrassed. "Uh! I mean...it's not that..." he sighed. "Look, I'm aware of some of the struggle you may have because of what people have said...with you being a model and a gym leader."

Nessa just blinked at him, remembering for a second when Chairman Rose tried to intimidate her out of her modeling career to 'choose one over the other' essentially. The way Haru was trying to speak to her was honest and endearing to a point that made her face turn a little red. She gave an open mouth smile, as her self doubt was interrupted when Haru continued. "Ah! I'm sorry, I didn't think this through much enough and I'm not good with words sometimes. But I don't buy that bollocks personally! The fact that you can do both and still manage to get as far as you have means you're a lot better than you say...at least that's what I think! So I'd like for today to not be the last time we see each other okay? Or is...is that not proper of me?"

Nessa was caught in what felt like a Geodude and a hard place, mulling over what Haru was saying. /Does...he really believe in me? Here I thought he was only excited to meet me again because I would be an easy win, and that's what Gym Challengers want most. The Gym Challengers I've seen don't even bother to look in my direction or care about the other low tier leaders once they reach the top, but Haru's talking to me like I'm just as important as everyone else. Nobody's ever done that to me./ "H-hey, so...I'm not used to getting so much attention like this but if you'd like to talk shop after all this is over, sure. I suppose I can spare some time for you." she said continuing to smile up at him.

"Good! I'd understand if you have a busy schedule. The truth is, I want to get to know everyone here a bit better...but for some reason I think you should be the first one. There's more to being a Champion than just being some trainer with a strong team, right?" Haru began to say before lifting his head. Over the speakers within the room, he would be called out for his next match, and he sunk his head a bit.

'WILL THE COMPETITORS FOR THE NEXT MATCH PLEASE MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE STADIUM? CALLING HARU AND ALLISTER.'

"Hey 'Ruby'." she teased, making him lift his head back up with an inquisitive look. "Go knock 'em dead for me. You got this." winking. He nods in response and heads back. Though he mulls over why the nickname 'Ruby' and snaps his fingers realizing it had to do with his haircolor. /Huh...I like that nickname. First nickname I've been given that doesn't feel like it was tacked on just because I am a Gym Challenger./

- - - - - Current Day, the VIP Room - - - - -

Nessa smirks upon remembering that day, and looked to her fellow Gym Leaders and friends. "Let's all believe in Haru. Right now..." she would think back to the image of him walking down the hallway with his eyes narrowed and full of focus. "...he's got a Soul of Steel and is doing his best to keep on a strong face. To make sure he puts on the best form he has out there for everyone. Not just for himself."

- - - Elsewhere in the Stadium - - -

At the same time Haru would go off to find a quiet spot to focus for the upcoming Championship match, Oleana had made her way back to the interior halls where only security, league staff, Gym Leaders, their 'plus one's were allowed. Right behind her and following her back to the VIP seating area, Sam would be not far behind. The two had been discussing the logistics of the event and walked into an elevator to head back to the same space as the others. "Ten-fold the security you say? Ordinarily I would comment that such a measure is overkill, but considering what we've endured before, that sounds about right." she says to him. Nodding to her statement, he continued to explain.

"In general, there's no reason for us to believe that Team Rocket would do such a thing as make an attack here since the red herring we investigated before was indeed just that...and they aren't the type to pull such a stunt here since it would risk them being captured. Their goal is most likely still just to take Pokemon, so I don't have any reason to believe they could just simply be here. Taking that all into account, as well as trying to be cautious, I told Looker and others that we should be extra safe anyways. There should be no issues for the Championship Tournament this year." The elevator door opened and the two exited as Oleana's glance at him showed some hesitation; a gut feeling telling her that something would still go awry. "H-hey...Oleana. It'll be okay, trust me." he did his best to assure her, taking one of her hands into both of his own in the middle of the hallway.

The lady spoke with an unusual tone of worry that she didn't let him hear often. "Sam...you know if this gets worse or could lead somewhere dangerous...I want you to consider all options before charging in like you usually would."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why is that? You know I can handle them just fine." as the chairman looked down at him with a frustrated expression and spoke quietly. "Remember your promise, Sam. Please..." she pleaded. At the point of this conversation ending, Haru appeared from the other side of the hall. He ends up catching the two sharing an intense glare at each other that seemed romantically suggestive; handholding notwithstanding. Oleana blinked at Haru, as Sam's face turned red immediately.

"Uh...I was..-" Haru began to say before Oleana walked over to where he stood with an incredibly overwhelming aura of intimidation and muttered. "Not a word to anyone else, Champion. Not. A. Word." As several beads of sweat formed on his forehead, Haru simply nodded in affirmation. "Yy-yes ma'am. Duly noted.

- - - - - 2 hours later. . . - - - - -

Everybody was at the edge of their seats, as a Gigantimax form Duraludon exploded on the field, with a Dynamax Arcanine roaring victoriously. The giant screens displayed,to thunderous applause and confetti the final result. Haru gazed upon the screens of the jumbotron, and the commentator announced it for not just the audiences there but also anyone who was watching this match live internationally...

"AND THE POKEMON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT WINNER WHO WILL GO ON TO CHALLENGE THE CHAMPION IS NONE OTHER THAN SYYYYYYYYYYYYY-RAAAAAA! GIVE UP A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR HER AND THE OPPONENT, VALEN, WHO PUT UP A FANTASTIC FIGHT ALL THE SAME FOR YOU FOLKS!"

On the field, Syra tossed up her Timer Ball that she had housing Arcanine and caught it...flashing a grin to everyone that was watching her. There were untold thousands upon thousands of fans cheering for her, and she was relishing in it like a chef smelling a complete dish that was prepared for devouring. After shaking hands with her opponent Valen, Syra took a moment to look around and wave to everyone. Despite all of her own problems, her own struggles and challenges she came out on top and would go on to challenge Haru in the match she wanted since the day she started.

At the same time, everyone in the VIP room was on the edge of their seats cuz they knew what was about to go down. Haru had returned to the VIP room to watch the previous games with everyone else after focusing on preparing for a bit, and when Syra came out to be the one person who would come to challenge him, everyone was looking for the reaction that would come out from him. Nessa turned to Haru in her seat and held onto one of his hands. Haru looks back at her, smiling.

"Just like before..." she began to say, prompting a 'hmm?' from Haru, who was wondering where she would go with this. "go knock 'em dead, Ruby. I have faith in you." she'd say, her heart pounding in her chest before giving him a good luck kiss. He returned it in kind, and stood up as the scarf was seen following his rapid ascension from sitting to standing. Readjusting the cap with the Moltres logo he wore for this battle, it was time that Haru unzipped the sweatjacket and revealed the same Champion Uniform that Leon was known for wearing. They were now his colors, and it was time for the Champion to defend his title.

"Haru, you got this!" Hop said with a fist pump.

"I believe in you, Haru! Make your last match a good one to go out on, no matter what!" Marnie said.

"Trust in your Pokemon, bud! Leon and I are rooting for you!" Sonia said, halfway on Leon's lap during the last battle due to how intense it was getting. Assuredly she wouldn't be moving for Haru's fight either.

The rest of the Gym Leaders gave their own cheers and roots of support for Haru, as he nods to them and turns to the hallway before looking back at Sam. "Hey Sam. I think it's time you know how a Champion of Galar does battle. Keep your eyes peeled cuz you won't see this twice!" Understanding the brevity of his words, and it coming from one champion aimed at another, Sam nods. The fire in his own eyes met Haru's own, and the Galar Champion would start making his way downstairs.

The battlefield called for him.

The commentator spoke through the speakers one last time, saying "LADIES AND GENTLEMAN WE HAVE AN UNPRECEDENTED MATCH OF THE CENTURY LINED UP FOR YOU BUT STAY TUNED: THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH WILL BE UNDERWAY SHORTLY! BE SURE TO GRAB WHATEVER CONCESSIONS YOU NEED AND TAKE WHATEVER BATHROOM BREAKS BECAUSE THE NEXT ONE IS HARU. VS. SYRA!"

- - - 25 minutes later - - -

Syra was led to the same locker room that she was before that all Gym Challengers would walk through when going to the battlefield, and looked down to her waistline to her Pokemon team. /This is it...this is the team that's finally going to do it for me. In just a little bit, I will change my fate. Haru. You're mine!/

"Miss Syra? You're going on in just 5. Be ready!" says one of the logistics crew members wearing a headset and glasses to her. Syra nods in agreement and jumps a bit in place before slapping her cheeks lightly. Doing anything she can to lower the heartrate and limit the chance of a panic attack, she internalizes the goal. Focusing on nothing else but the results of a victory itself. What this means to her, and where she would go from here.

Syra shouts out loud to herself as if to blow off some excess pent up energy and throws her hands to her sides, closing her eyes to think. /This is also the moment where I get to tell him everything...because I've worked so hard to make it here and be as good as I am. Nothing is going to stand in my way. NOTHING!/

The commentator would sound off through the speakers as video of Syra would start playing of her whole career and flashbacks to earlier's battles that she won. This would be her 'hype reel' to get everyone, both audiences there and virtually attending a chance to be excited once again for the match. The lights around the stadium highlight one side of the field where she would stand as multiple laser-like strobe effects draw out the shapes of her Pokemon onto the dome of the stadium itself as her intro began. Some music would start playing as her 'theme' relating to something called 'Devil Trigger' would begin.

The logistics man gestured to Syra to the stadium field and said "Go on when the spotlight is on your side." as the commentator was heard once again. "This is it folks, you've been waiting patiently and we are finally on our way to seeing the possible match of the century with two legendary trainers about to duke it out! Whether or not we will have a new Champion is up to them to decide! May I direct your attention to the Challenger side!" the jumbotron would then start cycling just Syra's league card; one hand over half of her face in a mocking expression. "Coming from the Challenger side: a girl who studied the techniques of former champions and other trainers before her, is smashing the PokeDex entries and crushed the Gym Challenge in record time. She stands 6 feet tall, always smirking in the face of her adversary and coming to possibly be your new Championnnnnnnnnnnnnn~, Syyyyyyyyyyyyraaaa~"

The spotlight would shine on her side and as planned she began to walk towards the field with a near deafeningly loud crowd. From all walks of life they were excited to see her compete and cheer her on. "GO SYRA!" "YOU GOT THIS IN THE BAG JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE!" "MARRY ME!" "TAKE DOWN THE CHAMP!" "TEAM SYRA!" would be several of the cheers she heard while waving to the crowd and blowing kisses multiple times. On a television screen in one certain home, there would be a boy who was glued to the screen while at his desk in his room. Combing some of his maroon hair away to the side, he watches Syra on the screen while fanboying in his own right. He hears his mom call out for him. "Isaac, are you watching the game?!" He would reply "YES I AM! THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT!"

Getting to the center of the field, Syra posed right there the same way her league card was, and relished in the sensation of hundreds of camera lights flashing in her direction. Raising her chin up she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. /This is the audience I wanted. These many eyes are going to watch me...it's almost too much to take!/

Piers grins a bit, smirking as the lyrics were kicking in of the song. "I gotta hand it to her at least, she chose a perfect hype track to introduce herself to the crowd. I wonder what Haru is going to go with as his official track." he asked out loud to the ears of his sister and friends who were near him. Nessa smirked, knowing exactly the tune. Without giving any hints away she looked over to her fellow Gym Leaders. "You guys all know that Steel is a type of metal, yes? Well...it's also a type of music genre, too."

Syra turned to the other entrance where Haru would be walking from as the crowd started chanting his name. He was holding off on entering the field just to get them more hyped up; a musician that would wait an agonizingly long time before coming back onstage for an encore. The mere thought of Haru being so grandstanding pissed her off. Without warning after a few minutes of only the sounds of the audience chanting his name, all of the lights went off in the entire stadium as something akin to industry metal started to play in its intro. Onscreen Haru's name showed up and flashback reels of his battles prior to that moment, including his League battle. Lights would turn back on and start strobing as a tune named "The Only Thing They Fear Is You" started its long buildup.

On ground level, Haru was tightening up the Dynamax band he wore on his right wrist and tilted his head back. "Okay Hiro...this is the moment. I can feel you're here with me right now. Watch me, okay?"

The heavy guitar riff of the song starts as the commentator is heard once again speaking. A spotlight appears from behind where Haru stood to illuminate him in a silhouette form from his side of the stadium entrance. "And from the other side, we have a man that needs no introduction. Standing 5 foot 5 inches, he's someone who has 509 victories and ZERO losses. He is one of the two heroes of our recent Darkest Day Crisis, a man who loves to take care of Pokemon, and needs only the passion of one Raging Wave to sustain him: YOUR GALAR CHAMPIONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNnnnnnnn HARRRRUuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu~"

The main opening riff of his hype tune plays as Haru is seen with pyrotechnics exploding from the side entrance of the stadium and the stadium's volume exploding even louder than before. Walking onto the field to everyone while wearing a Champion Uniform, his Moltres cap and Steel-patterned knit scarf are on display while he held his head up high, closing his eyes and basking in the light of the stadium. Finding out where Nessa and the others are sitting from his spot from the ground, he points right at them and then pretends to 'catch' whatever kiss she blows in his direction before moving to the center field and meeting the girl who was waiting for him. Syra had never looked more irritated and pissed off; the wish to see him defeated was only rising from being near him for the 'real deal' match she so sorely wanted all this time.

/What a piece of shit he is../ she grumbles to herself in thought, watching him make his way while he waved to everyone cheering loudly for his entrance to the field.

Haru manages to move a bit to the rhythm of the music; not dancing per se but gyrating in general to it before posing like his League Card once reaching the center as the music fades off and the lights slowly all fade back in. The crowd seems to not be letting up in their cheers as the jumbotron displays both Haru and Syra staring each other down hard and the balls representing their teams show up within the headers of both screens.

The two stand apart from each other, and back home on the screen was Lana, Haru's Mom. She had hooked up with Hop's parents and grandparents to hold a big party to watch the game and was nearly leaping from her chair while seeing her son about to compete. Elsewhere in the stadium the little fangirl of Haru's, Donna, was at the game wearing a giant sound-cancelling headphone on her head so she could stand the audience with her mother by her side in the nearby seat. She wore a kid-sized t-shirt of Haru's face and his Lucario.

"Well well well...looks like you did it, Syra. You got exactly what you wanted. Me." Haru began to say, folding both of his arms together and speaking to her one-on-one. "So, how does it feel? We've both drawn a crowd together. There's more people here than when I challenged Leon. You have any idea what kind of feat that is in of itself? I hope you brought nothing short of your 'A Game', because this is where you see my full capabilities."

Syra just looked at him with disgust and unfurled her arms so they would rest at her sides. "I should say the same. I've been waiting for this moment right now for a long time to take you down myself. In front of untold thousands of others. Haru...I have to ask you something." the expression on Syra's face changed from one that felt like she would burst into anger at any given second to a more controlled, neutral glance. "Do you recall the events of when you stopped Sordward and Shielbert?"

Haru's face went pensive at the mention of something so incredibly specific. "What about them?" Syra continued onward with another question, saying "Do you recall that your help to stop them in their plans caused for not only them to be stopped, but that there was a then unknown assailant who spied on Professor Sonia while interning for her? She was the one who snuck under your nose and took what she needed. It was a woman with dark blueish hair and wore a lab coat much like Professor Sonia herself."

When Syra mentioned the woman and the very events of her betrayal, all of the memories of that day flooded back to him. A single bead of sweat formed on a corner of his forehead. "Aye. I do. When I was able to tame Zamazenta after stopping the twins, I recall that she apologized and left. I never was able to see what happened to her afterwards since the twins took on the brunt of punishment and, like ex-Chairman Rose, are doing time." the answer angered Syra as she throws an arm to her side. "That woman is my best friend, and her name is Holly! Thanks to everything you and your friend Hop did, as well as the other Gym Leaders, she got blacklisted!"

His eyebrows tensed up, and in the sound booth one of the staffers reminded the other to turn on the microphones attached to both trainers on the field; from this point onward the conversation would be heard. "Blacklisted? Are you serious?" Haru asked, which got Syra more pissed off. "Are you sodding kidding me? Why would I lie about such a thing right now? It's thanks to those events on that day, that she nearly became homeless! When things got really rough she sought help and comfort from my family. We aren't really a tightknit family and we have a lot of problems; more than most, but she is one of us! Everywhere she went, multiple employers turned down hiring her, and she nearly went bankrupt! If it wasn't for you and Hop intervening, I wouldn't have had to see her life go down the drain!"

Folding his arms together, Haru started to look irritated. "I don't know where you get this idea that I am to blame for her actions prior to the date, but she went in knowing what may have occurred. If I hadn't stopped the twins from what they were doing with the Dynamax Pokemon on that fateful day, then we may not even have a Wyndon Stadium right now to call our own. Are you so naive that you are actually trying to seek payback for me making someone take the hit for serving a pair of men with evil intentions?"

"EVIL?! Are you calling my best friend evil?! Tch. Barring that insipid comment right now, do you think this is just about her too? Do you recall combating in your Pokemon Gym Challenge a tall man in his middle ages named Ritsu? He would have been wearing overalls that were black and blue." pointing her finger at him. Haru stood there for a second trying to recall a single trainer that he fought out of the hundreds of battles he endured, and shook his head. "Well that man is my father, and as the rules of Pokemon battles go, each win constitutes a reward of prize money. But the money you won from that fight was supposed to go towards something special..."

"Look, I don't recall this man, and I am sorry for whatever this was, but the rules are as they are, and you can't hold this against me. If he fought me fair and square then he gave the prize money out of a mutual agreement. The same would have been so if I lost to him too..." Haru began to explain before Syra cuts him off. "That money would have afforded my brother a proper funeral: burial and everything for a Pokemon that YOU Surprise Traded to him!"

Haru froze in shock from that, and some of those in the audience were heard audibly gasping. Some murmurs are heard starting up. Inside the VIP room, the Gym Leaders looked at each other. "Wait is that true? Where the hell is she going with this...?" Gordie said, getting a little irritated hearing Syra's actual personality coming out. Nessa and Marnie, almost feeling validated for their bad feelings about Syra, had been leaning forward a little in their seats watching. Silently.

"What are you talking about?" Haru asked Syra slowly, both of his arms going to his side. "A long while ago, you Surprise Traded a Yamper to a random trainer who gave back to you an Eevee. It belonged to my younger brother, Gabriel. He got the Eevee in a trade as he was trying to get a Yamper: he thinks it's cuter than Eevee. That's on him...but the point is we traced the origin of the Pokemon ID to you. I say this because the stats given to that Yamper were so poor that it could hardly be considered battle worthy...and because it was so poor it developed poor health conditions."

He saw that Syra's fists were shaking, with her looking to the ground. "The Yamper died in the middle of playing with my brother, and thanks to your stupid match with my Dad we were unable to afford the proper respects. So we just had to settle with a simple dirt mound in the back of our house! Meanwhile, the report that came out of your Pokemon dying and you were able to hold a funeral posthaste nigh immediately! It's unfair."

She threw up one of her hands to stop him before he would speak again. "I'm not finished, either. You spent the whole beginning run of your Championship bemoaning the position and acting complacent. It honestly was infuriating to watch you go on live television talking and acting like you're such a big shot because of the title you hold, saying stupid things like you don't care about stats of Pokemon. Do you know how many voices you reach when speaking? How many lives you influence on the daily? You are using your powers for selfish, stupid reasons without a care in the damn world! Ever since you started the Gym Challenge, our region has been met with TWO large crisis events...but for me, it didn't start when you were a challenger. There was something before even then that linked us two together."

Confused, Haru could only look in awe as Syra was spelling out the very reasoning behind her rivalry for him: her intense dislike and why she was constantly at odds end with him every time they met face to face. Someone from the audience shouts "Start the match already!" to which Syra whiplash turns to the sound and yells "OH PISS OFF!" and looked back at Haru as if it didn't happen. "Your mother is the reason why my family fell apart because she told my mother what my dad was truly doing behind the scenes...and thanks to that, things were never the same anymore. If you only knew the rough beginnings I have been enduring up to this point, and what...controversial measures I had to take. If it weren't for these things, I probably wouldn't have had to be so, let's say, interesting in order to fill up my repertoire."

It suddenly clicked within him with the way she spoke, as Haru pointed to her. "You. YOU'RE the one who's been reported taking Pokemon...haven't you?" to which the whole audience would start to murmur louder. Syra would not confirm exactly except for a smirk that came on her face. "Listen up Haru. I did what I could; what I had to do in order to make sure my Pokedex would be fattened up and to become skilled enough of a trainer to take you down myself. When this is over, I'm going to complete it because I want only one more Pokemon." herself slowly pointing to him. "The legendary Zamazenta. I found that you and Hop were the ones who have him and Zacian. Well...okay...Hop had Zacian. Shame that you couldn't keep up that day, hmm?"

Haru grit his teeth when she said those words. /She's the one I was chasing that day! The one that got away..! Is she also the one who is working for Team Rocket?!/

"But who cares about my controversial method of getting Pokemon? Who cares about any of that at all when you, in your position, have been so blatantly a bad example of a Champion? With what I said, and your lack of regard for the balance of Pokemon livelihood and nature: you're even allowing cross breeding to occur within your own very home." Tilting her head back with disgust.

Haru's eyes widened in shock. "Wait a minute, are you referring to Mi-"

Syra cut him off. "Your Lucario and Gardevoir. Yes I am. It in of itself isn't a big deal, but considering your lack of care for stats and what it led to my younger brother, do you think it wise to just let something like that happen uncontested? Once I'm Champion, I'm going to do everything in my power to make this region forget you entirely and wipe your legacy clean. You don't deserve that position for what you've done to me, and what your image does to the nature of Galar itself.

From that alone, Haru simply folds his arms, smirking. He's in thought for the moment and Syra continues to berate him. "For my past, I've worked this hard to get to this position that will become rightfully mine. What have you done, hmm? Do you even understand half of the pain I've endured? What I've lost to get to this point? You have a caring mother who is a caretaker who was in the Pokemon Gym Challenge Finals herself, and close friends that you gained throughout the Challenge itself. You even had the audacity to romance one of them like you deserve it any."

There's a pause with the wind blowing as Haru just grins now, looking at her. The inaction of any main reply from him causes Syra to go back to a fit of rage. "Damn it! You've been standing here the whole time with that judgmental expression, and every time we've met you've been nothing short of patronizing to me. You make my skin crawl and blood boil. WHY do you act like you're so much better than me when you went through so much!? I don't get it! You could have pushed this position to get what you wanted, just like I did to get here! I did this through my own hands! People in positions of power like yourself who do nothing to use any of it but hold onto it like some fucking trophy piss me off! What's worse is you go around all nice like you're one of us! You're not! Seeing you parade every day with that smile makes me fucking infuriated. Do you not feel bad about any of this?! What you've done to me? My family? My friend?!"

Haru narrows his eyes at her like he's growing tired of her rhetoric. "Of course I do, but that's what separates us Syra. I want to make it better for you by seeking a means to resolve this peacefully. It seems the events that led you here caused you to take on whatever negativity you had and essentially let it control you. I can see it's caused you a great deal of pain. It's absorbed into your very psyche. You're choosing to lash out at me over all these things, since most of these have been mistakes I made. But say I took it out on the man that killed my Pokemon the same way you are acting now over what you have been through; that would make me look awful. THAT in of itself would be a bad example. You?" looks at her, unamused and determined

Syra raises her eyebrow, wondering what he'll say next.

"You're just a girl throwing a tantrum. You went and chose to direct that anger at the first person who would accept the full brunt of it: me. What else do you want from me? Do you want to make me beg for forgiveness after you MIGHT defeat me?" he asks.

Syra just grimaces. "I want to make a mockery out of your so-called legacy. Call it madness, call it megalomaniacal, but your very presence throws the whole Pokemon League and our lives into a bigger challenge than before, which invites conflict to our region and THAT in of itself was obvious the second your League career began. In a little over a year our whole region was almost destroyed because of your naivety! We almost lost our energy resources, and lives were almost lost permanently! YOU breed possible catastrophe. So just stand there, and accept that you don't deserve what you have, and let me take it from here. I'm going to beat you fair and square and you're going to learn what it's like to face a REAL Pokemon Master. Me."

There's silence and she goes "Nothing? How can you stand there looking smug and prideful like that?"

Haru takes a glance to the stands and makes eye contact with his friends within the VIP room. Sam takes notice that Haru is looking back up to the room, and Nessa as well. Her heart swells up with how much of a matured aura he's putting out. Haru then remembers all the positive feelings of deep very intimate love he has with Nessa, and why through anything at all in life he was dealt with, that Nessa existing and doing so little as smile at him brings him back to 100% every single time. The Champion would then look back at Syra with the same fiery determined look he had over a year ago when he faced Leon.

"Because I've heard it all before, and I chose to make myself a better person, surrounding myself with those who care for me deeply and love me. Instead of wallowing in my own filth, in my own depression, I chose to rely on them. Leon told me as a Champion that I should be open to go to them for help. As everyone here in this stadium, with Arceus as my witness knows, Nessa is my #1 in my whole life and has been THE KEY to helping me steel myself into a better person and trainer." Haru would say this before turning to blow a kiss back to Nessa's direction, grinning shamelessly: a callback to the fact she kissed him in front of everyone on a kiss-cam in her stadium as a means to pay it forward. Multiple sections of people in the crowd 'aww' at it but also rightfully cheer him on as it's growing apparent there's an actual battle of fans between who's on Haru's side and who's seeing Syra's points. Nessa has turned beet red being praised like that publicly.

/A year ago he would have never said so much of this from his position. Haru, you've really changed over the past year.../ Nessa thought to herself.

Haru looks back to Syra after rolling both of his shoulders, as they had grown a little stiff from standing there without a battle starting. "I did all of this in spite of my problems and trauma...instead of looking for blame like yourself. I lost someone very near and dear to my heart. Someone I knew for over half my life. Your brother is still with you. You can make him proud by putting all those emotions aside and doing this peacefully. Professionally. Making new friends who can understand you. Shit...if this was going any better, I'd offer to be your friend. But...it doesn't seem like that's something you want, is it?"

Syra went silent, one of her eyes twitching in response as Haru continued. "Despite this...I know with what I've done that my fallen comrade is smiling down upon me. What about you, Syra? " not backing down and acknowledging her fully that she is his mortal enemy. He goes for the jugular. "Can you say the same? Can you say that you'll come out better when this is all done, whether you defeat me or not?"

He takes one of his PokeBalls out and rolls it across his fingers like magicians do with cards, then points at her definitively as his scarf blows with a breeze. "Here's something we can agree on Syra, and I think we can put the stakes here since you're at your final step, and whether or not I win, this is mine. If I lose, I will give you Zamazenta. You can have him. Do with it as you must, because clearly you will have proven my point of perspective wrong whether or not I agree with it. In the end, the Pokemon Battle's results is what matters: my words are merely just words. But if I win..." he tosses it in mid-air and catches it, posing for his Gym Leader-to-be throw posture. The hand facing outward from the center of his chest as the other hand rests on his waist.

"Then you have to return every single Pokemon you ever stole back to their trainers. All of them, even if that includes one you're about to use right now. That includes my best friend Hop's Zacian."

The pose and Haru making such a statement showed to everyone there that the match was finally about to start very shortly, as Syra felt the ends of her hair stand up on end. He was boiling her blood internally. The last statement pushed her final button. "H...how DARE YOU ORDER AND LECTURE ME! You want to know what it means when I beat you right here in front of everyone else?! Do you know what I'll come out 'better' as? I'll tell you! I'll be the Most Powerful Pokemon Trainer in the world!"

The screen on the Jumbotron flashes to indicate that the fight is about to start, as both Haru and Syra step back before throwing their first Pokemon into the ring as the whole stadium explodes with cheers. The Big Finale has started.

Inside the VIP Room, all the Gym Leaders and Haru's friends had exploded with cheers. "HELL YEAH HARU YOU TELL THAT HARLOT WHAT'S FOR!" Marnie said, standing up on her chair. Next to her, Melony and Bea were high-fiving each other and Oleana had to admit the whole exchange, while long-winded, was a very nice build up to the fight itself. Nessa had simply sat in her seat the whole time grinning from ear to ear like she was the proudest person to be there watching this go down. There was nothing she could say to herself that would add to the grandeur before them.

"Go Goji!" "Go Kora!" Haru and Syra shout out, as Haru's iconic Cinderace popped out of his ball and a Flygon appeared on the battlefield from Syra's direction.

With Haru looking back at her carrying the hardest game face on him, Syra thought to herself. /Looks like I may be able to get an upperhand. I just need to strike hard and fast: take out his powerhouse Pokemon from the get go!/ Throwing her right hand forward and pointing. "Kora! Use Bulldoze on his Cinderace! Let 'im feel it!"

/Crap..so her Flygon had a higher speed than my Cinderace it seemed..!/ Haru braces for the impact when he sees her Flygon attack Goji as the ground beneath them shook violently. The stats shown onscreen from the jumbotron show Goji taking the attack head-on due to the accuracy and type difference. Slowly getting back up from the attack, Goji looks at Haru with a bead of sweat as if to say 'Sorry about that' as his own speed was lowered from the attack. The Champion shakes his head. "Don't worry about it much, Goji, and hit her Flygon back with a Mega Kick!" He would hope that despite the lack of accuracy in comparison that it would connect.

It was a blink-and-miss it as Syra watches in shock as Goji seemingly pumps himself up and launches itself at the Flygon with supersonic speeds. She's off her guard as her Kora takes the hit; flying more than 30 feet away from the impact as its health goes all the way to 0. The crowd explodes in excitement as the first Pokemon is knocked out and Syra withdraws Kora from the battle and keeps on a strong face.

"OOHHHH ONE IS DOWN FROM BATTLE FOLKS AS HARU'S CINDERACE LANDS THAT MEGA KICK ATTACK AND SENDS HER FLYGON PACKIN'! WHAT WILL SHE DO FOR HER NEXT MOVE?" The commentator says over the speakers, doing his best to keep the audience and radio-only listeners excited.

Haru holds out his PokeBall to withdraw Goji for another time in the battle as Syra grumbles. "Don't think that this will go like last time Haru! I've maxed out my team purely to see you fail! Caster, I choose you!" she tosses another ball into the ring as a Mimikyu pops out. Haru grins, looking at his waistline and popping off another ball he hopes may help out. Tossing it into the ring, Masako, his Gardevoir floats onto the battlefield and looks back at him. Remembering that she was one of the more important within his team, she hopes to be of service to him in this moment.

/Remember what we went over Masako, hyper training and all. Mimikyu can handle at least one attack so we will have to hope you can hold out until then. But Syra isn't going to just let me attack relentlessly without prepping for it, and I don't have any X-Special Defense on my person. In that case.../

Not wanting to waste time, Syra gestured to her Mimikyu interrupting whatever he could be utilizing at the moment. "Caster, take it down with Shadow Sneak!" with the priority taking the advantage of whatever Haru could be using to strategize, as it would hit his Gardevoir: the impact echoing in the stadium and taking him down some points.

/Okay, damn. Good one on her part.../ Haru throws out a hand and shouts. "Masako, use Calm Mind!" The command goes through as the Gardevoir hums to itself, seeking serenity within itself: clearing its mind and improving its Special Attack and Special Defenses. The Gardevoir stares down at Syra and its Mimikyu, ready for anything.

From within the VIP booth, Marnie leaned forward a bit. "This was probably a dumb move on Haru's end. I don't think he'll be able to stagger through this one unless somehow by dumb luck he sticks it out." she spoke to nobody in particular, as Leon nodded and folding his arms together. "Haru's playing with fire in a figurative sense here. If he chose a different type it probably would have helped out his case better."

"Masako! Let's not waste more time okay? You should be prepped so use Psychic on Mimikyu!" Haru shouts; the Gardevoir obeying and shooting a heavy psychic attack in the direction, if only to destroy the protective 'disguise' that Mimikyu contains. Syra smirks, having let him deal with that if only to retaliate. Both of her hands on her hips, she proudly exclaimed. "Caster, use Shadow Claw!"

The Champ hissed a bit, cursing that her Mimikyu knew a move as his Gardevoir takes the whole hit and in front of a whole stadium of watching fans his Pokemon collapses. /Shit..!/

"OHHHHH SYRA ISN'T OUT OF THE GAME YET FOLKS WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED! THE MATCH NOW SITS FIVE TO FIVE; BOTH TRAINERS DOWN ONLY ONE POKEMON! WHO WILL BE NEXT? WHO WILL SWITCH WHO?" The commentator says, carrying the crowd's hype on his shoulders while they all cheer on. Syra and Haru exchange glares that the crowd can clearly see has lightning-like clashes going on in between the two.

"Goji! Come back out and finish the job!" Haru yells out while tossing his PokeBall onto the court. Before Syra is able to retaliate with another priority move, a gut feeling hits him. One that speaks to him from previous battles when he knew to rely on his starter for other challenges in his struggle. "Goji! Pyro Ball that Mimikyu back to its ball!"

The fire hare kicked up a small piece of earth from beneath its feet, lighting it on fire after kicking it around like it was juggling for its own amusement before sending it straight to the ghost Pokemon in waiting. Syra puts her arms up to shield her vision from the bright flames of the explosive move and sees the Mimikyu she nicknamed 'Caster' wobble a bit forward, then faceplant onto the ground. Gritting her teeth, she withdraws the Pokemon.

The speakers echoed once again with another announcement, with a chant going for Syra and another for Haru. The whole stadium was lit aflame of hype, and even the VIP room exploded as Nessa leapt from her chair raising a fist. Her face blushing from watching him perform as the commentator of the match spoke again. "HARU PROVING ONCE AGAIN WHY HE BECAME OUR CHAMPION WITH A QUICK RETALIATION BACK TO THE GYM CHALLENGER SYRA! CINDERACE'S PYRO BALL WAS JUST ENOUGH TO KNOCK HER MIMIKYU DOWN AND OUT, LEAVING THE COUNT FIVE TO FOUR! WHO WILL COME NEXT?!"

Haru withdraws his furry friend Goji once again and looks at Syra. "I'll admit you have me sweating. You must really want this title, huh?" She simply flipped her hair and kept on the poker face, as her magenta eyes looked down to her waist and threw another ball out to the field at the same time Haru tossed one. "Guy, I'm counting on you!" "Optimus, it's your turn!"

The screen showed the Coalossal facing off against the Hitmonlee that was bouncing in place to keep its center of gravity, and showed onscreen that Syra herself was almost mimicking the same idle stance her Pokemon was doing. /I have to make this turn around, and he may have slipped again. I could go all out here...but if I miss it'll hurt me bad. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained./ she planned to herself before shouting out. "Guy! Use High Jump Kick and bury that Pokemon of his into the ground!" The Hitmonlee prepped itself for attack and sent itself hurling towards Haru's Coalossal. The large rock Pokemon that looked like a train car filled with charcoal perceives the attack just quickly enough however to dodge it, as the Hitmonlee's kinetic move causes itself some damage.

Cursing under her breath, Syra's left eye twitches. She hears Haru shout his command. "Optimus, give that Hitmonlee a Fire Blast!" The audience watches the powerful fire move blaze through the fighting Pokemon, causing some damage but not knocking it out. /Is he just going to keep relying on powerful fire moves to get him by? Is he mocking me?/ the velvet haired challenger thought to herself before nodding to her Hitmonlee again. "Guy, try for another High Jump Kick!". Understanding his master's intention and feeling at unison with her, the Hitmonlee once again tried for the same attack as before. Haru watches as his Pokemon fails to avoid the attack this time, however, as it flies back from strength of the hit. The screens don't lie as Haru withdraws the Pokemon back.

Another Pokemon had fainted on his side as the odds of his victory were starting to come into question: they both had lost the exact same number of Pokemon up until now. No matter what was going on, Syra was matching him hit-for-hit. Despite the tantrum behind her commentary earlier...she was actually proving her worth to him this time.

Inside the VIP room, Oleana looked over to Sam while they were watching the match together. Sam has a thumb to his chin and has barely blinked the whole time. "This is crazy...this is the strength of trainers here in Galar?" he asked. Bea perked up to reply to Sam's question, holding a neutral expression. "You'd better believe it. They're usually intense, but I'd actually say you were lucky to be here now witnessing it. The last time we had a match this intense was when Leon was facing Haru."

Sam blinked in disbelief and looked at them all. "Seriously?! So when you say Leon was undefeated...you truly meant it..." with his jaw hanging a little open in disbelief. Raihan would raise a finger to interject for a moment as they were discussing the battle. "The thing is, those fights usually were perceived one-sided; type advantages be damned because of how well in unison Leon is during battle. When Haru came to the stadium and had the fight with him, you'd better believe the place was on fire."

Nessa had her hands on her lap, with both hands interlocking with her fingers and bit her lip. "...and here we are, watching the same thing happen again. Haru is right in the moment. He's in the zone."

Haru had stood there for about what felt like a minute pondering on who to switch to, with his arms crossed and tilting his head back. Syra chose not to withdraw her Hitmonlee and was starting to get impatient. That is, before Haru brought his gaze back towards her and quickly threw another ball. "Come out, Crane!" he says as a Toxtricity flexes like it's air-guitaring. Turning her nose up at Haru's new partner Pokemon on the field, Syra thumbs her nose and then points towards the opponent. "Guy, use Focus Blast!"

The fighting Pokemon stood there, internalizing what it could of its fortitude and strength. Focusing in on one spot before sending an attack to the poison and electricity Pokemon from Haru's end. The Toxtricity leaps to the side as the blast hits the grass, causing a small explosion of dirt and dust to fly outwards. Haru smirks, throwing his left hand with a point. "Crane! Take down the opponent with your own 'fighting spirit' with Poison Jab!". Before the Hitmonlee saw it coming, the Toxtricity got up close and personal within its space; several blurs of purple shooting through its vision before the sensation of the attack registers. The leg-centric Pokemon stumbles after the Poison Jab hit registers, and faceplants. The screen shows that another one of Syra's team has fallen.

Haru's Toxtricity howls and air-guitar's for victory as the champ kept his look on Syra's face. Reading her mind the best he could and doing his best not to get riddled by whatever she pulls out next. /She's been counterpicking me really well thus far, but despite that I've been able to knock her back down each time. If I can push through to the end, I can come out on top.../

He watched as the girl across from him laughed for a small moment and comb her fingers through her hair. She's heard across the stadium saying "Haru I'll be honest. Right now I know it looks bad on me, but I've never felt more alive! You're the one opponent I wanted to test my might against to the fullest of my abilities, and I'm so glad I got here!". All Haru does in response is give her a small nod, as if approving of her spirit despite the clash leading up here. He withdraws Toxtricity for the moment before both him and Syra call out their next Pokemon with a simultaneous throw.

"Go Polnareff!"

"Go Sol!"

An Aegislash pops out from Haru's side with a shine to its metal exterior as Syra had brought out a Klinklang. Steel vs Steel. Both of them wince; not counting on the fight having a part of their battle be a dual of odds with the same type. Instead of focusing now on trying to see which steel Pokemon would best the other.

"WHAT'S THIS? BOTH TRAINERS HAVE BROUGHT OUT TWO DIFFERENT STEEL TYPE POKEMON OUT AT THE SAME TIME?! WHAT A TWIST, WHAT A CHALLENGE, BUT LET'S KEEP GLUED TO THE ACTION FOLKS AND SEE WHO COMES OUT ON TOP!"

"Well this is annoying..." Haru mutters to himself, putting both hands on his hips and shaking his head. Syra had to agree with him on that much as well, going "Tell me about it. Even so with this much, I'm not going to give up. Sol, use Metal Sound!" gesturing to the Pokemon that obeyed her every move. The gear-shifting Pokemon charged up before firing the piercing loud noise-based attack. Haru ends up wincing when the attack vibrates off of his Aegislash's body the second it hits, and notices that as a result Polnareff's Special Defense lowered. "Crap. Polnareff, use Sacred Sword!". In watching the sword-and-shield-like, Haru cringed when the blade-piercing move completely missed the opponent. The Klinklang floats out of the way of the attack and almost mocks his attempt like Syra would: imitating a laugh with the grinding of its gears.

"Aren't you done trying to stall this?" Syra says with one finger pressed to her forehead; irritated. For a moment, he doesn't respond to her call but brings out a single item and uses it on his Aegislash: X Speed. "Trying to get another edge in this? Fine. Sol use Flash Cannon!". The Klinklang revs up its gears at a violently fast speed before a beam shoots towards the Aegislash with every intention to capitalize on the lowered Special Defense. The attack misses as the Aegislash manages to float out of the range of the shot, and Haru capitalizes on the increased speed from his side."Polnareff use Sacred Sword once again!"

In a clash of steel on steel between two Steel Pokemon, the Aegislash charges the opponent wielding its blade in a favorably critical hit that is 'just enough' to take it out. The score counter on the jumbotron flashes an update: 'HARU (4) vs SYRA (2)' as the crowd once again raises its voice. Not wasting any time, Syra withdraws the fainted Pokemon and looks down. She only has a pair of balls and is mulling over what to do next. The crowd starts chanting for her regardless and she looks up to the stands, hearing her name.

Back in the VIP room, Melony makes a comment that brought everyone's attention to a different perspective of the fight. "Does anyone else feel like Syra's still holding back despite how intense the fight is going? She could be mulling over whether or not to end it all now or keep whatever one of the two left for a fight." The statement alone gets her son, Gordie to raise an eyebrow and lower the shades he wore often. "What do you mean, Ma? That Haru still doesn't have it in the bag despite the advantage of numbers?"

The snow-white haired lady nodded. "I heard that at some point she got an idea from battling you on obtaining another kind of Pokemon. One that you wouldn't be remiss to use in your own battle since you head the Rock Gym...and if Syra has that one in her team..." The conversation had caused the Raging Wave Nessa to turn back to Melony, her fiery spirit fully coming out as she had caught the hint that there may be a certain 'pseudo legendary' on Syra's team. "He won't fail! Just you watch!" and turning back to the window view. Both of her hands fold over each other. "...he has to win.

"SYRA HAS COMPLETELY STOPPED THE MATCH AND IS THINKING ON WHAT SHE WILL BRING OUT NEXT! WILL IT BE THE POKEMON SHE NEEDS TO WIN OR WILL HARU KEEP HIS TITLE AFTER ALL?! WITH ONLY A PAIR OF POKEMON REMAINING ON HER SIDE, IT'S ANYBODY'S GAME!"

Syra closed her eyes and put a thumb to her chin to take a deep breath and review the playing field. /If I bring him out now, I could end things easily. Maybe. But if I bring out the other, it could just as easily turn it back to my favor. I'd have to work hard for it and hope priority and my defense is good enough to outlast whatever he has left. I've studied him this much...so if he has who I think he may.../ Opening her eyes finally, she makes her choice and throws a ball out onto the battlefield as an Exadrill appears. "C'mon Velvet!"

/Okay that can't be good, but maybe I can tank the hit..?/ Haru ponders to himself, thinking of a move to counter her. It's not enough as Syra's gestures to her Pokemon and shouts "Velvet, take out the Aegislash with Drill Run!". The crowd goes wild as the mole-like Pokemon dives forward in a drill-like fashion, landing with one of its claws flexed outward upon landing. The Aegislash falters from its usual floating stance and the counter goes down one more for Haru; the counter reading (3) for him and (2) for Syra.

Syra begins to laugh a bit more than she usually would and eyes him. "That! THAT RIGHT THERE!" she points to Haru, who actually showed a bit of tension in his eyes. For a split second when she pulled out the move it appeared as if he was worried. "That is the face I want to see coming from you Haru! What I worked towards! Please reward me by continuing to take what I have left to give you, okay?" she would taunt, laughing. /Even if he takes out Exadrill, his run is done after this next battle./

Haru doesn't respond and tosses a PokeBall into the battlefield as Goji pops out. He notices that Syra doesn't choose to withdraw Exadrill, who responds when Syra shouts "Velvet! Rock Slide that Fire Pokemon out of existence! Take him out of the battle for me!". The crowd watches as Goji leapfrogs out of the way from Exadrill's assault, and upon landing goes to an idle state similar to when it was merely a small Scorbunny; hopping from one foot to the other. "GOJI! WE ONLY HAVE ONE MORE AFTER THIS SO HIT THE EXADRILL WITH FLAMETHROWER!" Haru shouts, feeling fired up just like his own Fire Pokemon would be in the same moment, as Goji puffs up its chest before blasting the opponent in a large torrent of flames. The blast creates a heatwave so strong that the audience near the lower seats of the stadium feel it, and with Exadrill fainting, Syra withdraws it into her PokeBall. She looks at the final ball that's left and holds it.

"SYRA IS DOWN TO HER FINAL POKEMON! WILL SHE BE ABLE TO GIVE US A TURNABOUT VICTORY OR WILL HARU RETAIN HIS TITLE OF CHAMPION AT THE END OF THIS MATCH! REGARDLESS OF OUTCOME YOU CANNOT DENY THIS WHOLE FIGHT HAS BEEN EXPLOSIVE, FOLKS!"

Parts of the crowd are chanting 'Dy-na-max' to the battle music that was playing, as Syra starts tossing the ball in her hand. Her mood has changed, and the idea of her mood change along catches Haru off his guard. For a moment, he is unnerved. "What exactly are you smiling about, Syra?"

"Just smiling because I'm right now the center of the attention right now...and with who I have left, everyone is going to watch what happens next. I'd recommend that you'd not hold this against me." she said, grinning and throwing it to the battlefield. Out of the ball popped a large Pokemon who lands with a loud thud and roars upon landing. Everybody's eyes widen as the commentator speaks for everyone.

"SYRA HAS BROUGHT OUT TYRANITAR! THIS COULD BE THE KEY TO HER VICTORY, AND WITH IT BEING THE LAST ONE IN HER TEAM, IS SHE CHOOSING TO DYNAMAX THIS BEASTLY 'MON FOR THE FIGHT?"

Syra and Haru lock eyes. The stadium surrounding them didn't matter. Nobody else mattered. Nobody else even existed. The sounds of the chants from fans were but hundreds of miles to both of their ears. She didn't even need to say a single thing before holding her arm out to the Tyranitar as her right wrist glowed a bright pink color and energy flowed to the ball upon its withdrawal. Suddenly the ball housing Tyranitar grew multiple times in size, as she uses both arms to toss is behind her. Before the entire audience and Galar itself, Syra slowly turns over her shoulder as a beastly Pokemon that was her Tyranitar grew to several stories tall. The full weight and heigth of its Dynamax'd state causes the Earth beneath them to crash as the deafening sound of its roar could be heard for miles away. Its roar is met with the louder sounds of the audience now on her side of the battle...with Haru looking at her and the new Dynamax'd Pokemon.

The VIP Room had everyone go quiet with the exception to Sam who had his own unique reaction. "Holy shit! This is bad..." he notes, as almost nobody is denying that fact alone. Nessa stood up from her seat and had both of her hands ball into fists. The intensity of the match was getting to her, and felt like yelling. Despite knowing Haru's techniques just as well as everyone else in the room, the connection shared with him put her on a different edge than her Gym Leader comrades. The chairman herself would fold her arms together. "Something about this fight reminds me of another battle I witnessed in footage I watched one time..."

Haru decided in the moment that he would not want to test the waters...and try to aim for Cinderace to do at least some damage. "Goji! Here!" using a Max Potion, Haru uses it on his Fire Pokemon. "It's no use Haru...not when I order my Tyranitar. Kars! Use Max Rockfall and bury it!"

A large pillar of rock rises up from the earth that looks intimidatingly high in stature and thick with sediment. The Tyranitar pushes it over and has it hit the Cinderace full on, causing the Fire bunny to go flying from the impact. The jumbotron updates as Haru withdraws the Pokemon: 'HARU (2) vs SYRA (1)'. The crowd goes bonkers from the fight no longer having a guaranteed victor, and Haru is now at the same point Syra was not long ago with trying to decide who to bring out next out of the pair remaining.

There's a group of fans within the stands that are chanting for Haru that has risen in volume now, as he takes a few seconds to go quiet. No quips. No jokes. Looking up to Syra and her Dynamax'd Tyranitar, he yanks on one ball and tossses it to bring out his Toxtricity once again. "Crane! I need you to do at least SOMETHING when it comes to damage! Anything please: you have the speed advantage, so use Poison Jab!" he commands. It does a tiny bit of damage, as the stat screen on the jumbotron shows the Dynamax'd Tyranitar on Syra's side only go down by a small bit. This causes Syra to laugh a bit more in an unhinged manner as she holds her stomach, wiping a tear in her eye. Her right arm shoots out before her hand balls up into a fist. "Kars, use Max Quake and take this one out! Make it regret coming out to face me!". The ground shakes as the monstrous ground-base move devastates Toxtricity with the immense, near volcanic displays of dirt shooting up into the dome from the attack. Haru's Toxtricity faints in battle and the counter now changes once again.

'Haru (1) vs Syra (1)'.

Almost every single person sitting in the stadium is standing up from their seats. Those who came here wearing fan made merchandise of either trainer is either flashing the camera, doing their best to put the merchandise on display, shouting at the other fans from the competing side, or continuing to chant. Everyone in the VIP room is also now on their feet alongside Nessa. They have moved from their seats closer to the window as Nessa had done earlier in the battle. Admittedly at this point not just to stature but from seating arrangements, the shorter folks like Hop and Marnie were towards the front. Oleana had finished her inner thought from earlier when it came to this point when Sam looked at her, with a question "What were you going to say? What did this remind you of just now?" with the dirty blonde woman looking at him commenting. "It was when Red was fighting Blue. Look at Haru and Syra. Do you not sense the same type of intense rivalry? It's so intense, I feel like if I don't put my all into focusing on it I'll pass out."

The man from Johto looked back down, sweat beading down from his forehead. It was a whole different ballgame when it came to seeing how the Galar region handled Gym Leader battles, but the difference in handling the Elite Four by eliminating them entirely for a tournament such as this, and putting it on display like a sporting event was such a colossal change-up. The excitement and energy radiating in the air reached him to the core of his person, and in that he saw Haru's stance there in the battle. For a second, he had no envy for the amount of pressure put in his position.

Haru looked at the remaining ball on his waistline and held it up as if to take into account of who was left, as his mind ventured back to earlier within the year after he became Champion.

- - - - - A few days after becoming Champion. . . - - - - -

"IVs huh? What's that even supposed to mean?" Haru was talking with Sonia after having defeated Leon in the Pokemon League Tournament. The two were taking a break from helping Haru to move into his new home, and she had made a comment about it.

The orange haired ex-journalist-turned-professor tilted her head to him with an eyebrow raise. "You're telling me that you became the new Champion and you never once bothered with the IV stats of your Pokemon?" the comment itself wasn't inherently incorrect. The friend of hers would chuckle weakly like he was a kid caught with his hand in a cookie jar. "It's not so much that, but I haven't bothered with the Battle Tower and even prior to being able to head there myself it just wasn't on my mind. Is...is it a tool to help me figure out what Pokemon of mine are better than others?"

He'd get a response in the manner of a flick to the forehead. "Ow!"

Sonia walked over to his Glaceon who was resting on the one couch that was put up at the time and took out a small electronic reader. "So you see this? This is called an 'IV Checker'. I have one just on hand for my own reasons...but you can use this to study a Pokemon you have within view of it to give you the same stats that your own Pokedex does, and more!"

Haru set down a cardboard box labeled 'movies' and looked over to his friend with one hand combing his red hair. "Ah okay...so what does it say about Nora, then? I'm not really planning on doing any serious battling until probably before my Champion Title being defended again but it would be nice to see where I can strengthen my gu-"

"HOLY MOLY!" Sonia shouted and physically reeled back like she had a bug land on her face.

"What? WHAT?! Is it broken?" Haru began to ask, walking over to Sonia, who showed him the screen. Both of them were aghast. Next to Nora's current level and numbers detailing her stats read the word "Best" alongside every single piece of information.

The ice Pokemon yawned, looking up at Haru before wagging her flat tail happily as he knelt down to her. "You know...I thought you were something special when I caught you as an Eevee. One day I may rely on you for an important win, Nora. Who knows..?"

Haru held the ball in his hand and squeezed on it before looking back at Syra who still stood across from him, ready for his final assault. "I'm sorry, Syra."

Immediately her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and her eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?" she says, almost under her breath. Haru rolls his shoulders forward a bit, and turns back towards where he knew where the VIP booth was at, and grinned. Nessa catches the fact he turned and felt her heart skip a beat. He turns back to Syra and holds up the ball."I'm sorry that it has to be this way, but I couldn't have asked for a better match: just like you said."

His hand curls around the PokeBall and tosses it forward: with Nora, his Glaceon appearing. Without saying a word afterwards, he aims the Dynamax energy that was saved up in his Dynamax band towards the Pokeball after withdrawing Nora back into the ball as it multiplies in size. Throwing it back behind him, his final move is in Dynamaxing Nora as the ice type canine lands on the ground and bellows out its own cry. The crowd, seemingly, is set to make the stadium burst with the final part of the battle set in stone. The battle will conclude definitively in the next match and nobody knows who will come out on top. Type advantage across both sides has everyone freaking out, and the commentator matches it. "THIS IS IT FOLKS! I HAVE NO WORDS! YOU WANTED A BATTLE OF THE CENTURY, AND YOU GOT IT! WHATEVER GOES DOWN NEXT WILL BE RECORDED IN THE HISTORY BOOKS!"

Cheers of the audience grow in response to that statement as Syra seems pissed off. No longer is she holding onto any form of professionalism and is purely trying to defeat Haru out of spite. /I don't have time to waste on refilling the bit of health lost from Poison Jab. I have one last move in Dynamax left and I have to use it now./ "HARU! THIS IS WHERE YOUR LEGACY ENDS! KARS! MAX ROCKFALL!" she shouts with the large slab of rock coming from the ground just like the last time it used the same attack as it slams against Glaceon. The thud alone catches everyone off guard as it shows that the Glaceon takes a lot of the damage with the counter drastically decreasing.

But it stopped. Syra's face falters completely for just a brief moment. /B...but that means my Dynamax mode for Kars will...!/

Haru points forward and feels the Earth beneath him vibrate as he commands Nora with full confidence 'Max Hailstorm'. The Glaceon calls forth giant bodies of ice that rain from the sky and slam against the Dynamax'd Tyranitar. The ground shakes as the ice itself turns into snow from the impact. Syra holds both of her arms up to shield from the crashing ice, and when the dust settles her gaze looks up to the Pokemon behind her and not only sees it standing there, but the screen behind it. The counter on its hitpoints goes all the way down. She feels her heart sink to her stomach.

Time froze solid and still as the air over the stadium echoed on the final hit.

''Critical' Hit!' showed in bright lettering across the marquees lining the stadium. Like the ice itself, the moment itself brought a cold air to Syra's lungs. Her thought process would be interrupted as her Pokemon 'explodes' with its health being brought down to nothing at all, and withdraws it. Haru's Glaceon turns back to normal size as the screen updates.

'CHAMPION HARU WIN'

Back at the house where Hop's parents, grandparents and Haru's mother were having their party, they all hooted and hollered in unison. "MY BOY DID IT AGAIN! LOOK AT HIM! THAT'S MY SON!" Lana shouted with pride and punching the air.

Donna would be there of course in the audience doing her best that she could to cheer on the fact Haru got another victory. She was as happy as could be. The crowd cheers for the win, no matter who they were hoping would come out on top before if only due to the intensity and pedigree of the battle itself. The VIP room full of Haru's friends and fellow Gym Leaders all leap upwards with them immediately all gathering in a group hug. Leon tosses his cap into the ceiling. "OUR BOY DID IT GUYS!" Nessa yells out loud with her arms flailing, jumping in place. "YOU DID IT BABE JUST LIKE YOU FUCKING SAID YOU WOULD! I KNEW IT! THAT'S MY HARU!"

On ground level, Haru kept his glance fixated on Syra as the crowd reacts to the commentator's iconic last words of the match. "LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, HARU RETAINS HIS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE. LET US GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THESE TWO MASSIVE BODIES OF TALENT TO GIVE US ONE OF THE GREATEST BATTLES IN POKEMON LEAGUE HISTORY IN GALAR! THE FIGHTING SPIRIT OF SYRA IS SURE TO BE FELT FAR AND WIDE, AS SHE DID NOT MAKE IT EASY AND WILL BE A TRAINER TO BE REVERED! GIVE IT UP, GALAR!"

Pyrotechnics would be shooting off as Haru would meet Syra at her end of the battlefield...though she had frozen in place and wasn't looking at him. Her hair was hanging a little over her face, both hands down to her sides balled up in fists, shaking. He had no malice for her left and wasn't even going to bring up the promise they made before the battle mutually. Despite the crowd cheering around him, Haru paid them no mind and focused on Syra.

"Hey..." he said with a much softer tone than he used in the whole fight. Syra didn't look at him, but he knew she heard him because her head lifted up just a little towards his direction. "You did really good okay? That's something to hold your head up for...and if it's any consolation...I'd like to help yo-"

"You don't get it..." she's heard saying, in a shaken tone.

His eyebrow raised as Syra slowly lifted her face towards him. What he saw broke him. She wore a sullen, morose expression with tears streaming down her cheeks. "I...I..needed this...to escape...not just for revenge. This was my one chance...and I blew it..."

The Ruby haired trainer softened his face immediately. /...there's more here than what she told me here. That she would show me a vulnerable state even now is something I wasn't expecting. The pressure must have finally broken her./ "Syra...hey..."

"I blew it..." she would walk towards him slowly while saying this, ignoring the initial gesture for a handshake. "H-hey, Syra wai-" Haru began to interject but couldn't do much once Syra leaned against him.

Both of her hands stayed to her side but he was able to hear her. "I can't look at anyone like this...much less myself." he heard her say, and Haru took on the gesture of hugging her. It may have been instinct or something else that told him to do it, but with him being the one who ultimately won the match he would try to go for something, anything at all that would lessen the blow of her own loss.

The stadium broke out in applause that was in support of Syra's performance as Haru seemingly would look for one of the multiple cameras aimed at him and just simply gave a 'thumbs up' gesture. He remembered back when Nessa talked to him about the support she would give to her own Gym Trainers daily, and while she herself wasn't the medically certified expert to help them at their most critical, that she was there to support them if needed. A part of Haru reached out to him seeing Syra like this and simply hugged her.

Perhaps that was something that she needed.

- - - - - END CHAPTER 14 - - - - -