"Huh?" Dawn muttered.
The three trainers just stared at the green eyed psychic, a little caught off guard by the sudden challenge, for a moment before snapping back to attention.
"Hey, if you're lookin' for a battle, how about you and me have one? Come on what do ya say?" Ash asked, seeming pumped about the prospect of battling.
"Sorry but no thanks, I'd really like to battle you Dawn." Harry said, turning back to the bluenette, then frowning when he seen the hesitation on her face. "Do you not want to?"
"What, No it's not that I don't want to. But why do you want to battle me?" She asked. That was a fair question.
"Well, I've been on my journey for a little less than a month and I've battled a good few trainers out on the road. But I haven't run into another coordinator yet and wanted to have a contest battle." Harry explained.
He might have competed in, and won, a contest before but he hadn't really had any experience in contests battles on the road. Sure he would try and incorporate coordinator-like aesthetic when he was doing solo battle training with his Pokemon. But it wasn't the same as battling another coordinator. From his experience battling normal trainers compared to battling with Kyle and Zoey, it was clear that coordinators tended to have a bit more unpredictability in their battle styles.
"Oh, you're a coordinator too." Dawn stated in enthusiastic surprise.
"That's right." Harry said with a nod "So will you please have a battle with me?" Harry asked once again, a look of patient anticipation on his face.
Dawn smirked, looking determined. "You bet."
"Come on, there's a battle field around the back of the center that we can use."
As the four trainers made there way outside they passed the hallway that Paul had gone down, not noticing as they caught the attention of the purple haired teen who had yet to leave.
He raised a curious eyebrow at the quartet as they made their way out of the pokemon center.
Outside, Harry and Dawn had taken their places on opposite sides of the field with Ash and Brock standing on the sidelines.
"Come on Dawn, give it your best!" Ash encouraged.
"Alright this is going to be a one on one contest style battle, understand?"
"Mmhmm, now let's get started. Alright Piplup. Spotlight! " Dawn pointed forward out at the field, Piplup running out from where it had been standing next to her.
"PipLup!" The penguin Pokemon enthused tapping its chest confidently.
Harry smiled at the antics of the water-type, feeling the self assured confidence coming from it. He had been around plenty of Piplup, along with Chimchar andTurtwig, while staying at Professor Rowan's lab and though not all of them had the same personality, the majority of them had the same confidence that this little guy had, if not in so much earnest.
Harry's smile soon turned into a determined smirk before he called his partner from his side.
"Alright Sylveon, You're on!"
"Sylve!"
With a cry Sylveon leap forward into the field, getting into a battle ready position.
"Alright 5 minutes on the clock!" Harry said as he set the timer on the blue pokétch he had gotten back in Jubilife City. "And begin!"
Dawn wasted no time with her first attack.
"Alright Piplup let's start off with Bubble Beam!"
"PipLupLupLup!" Piplup opened its beak and released a stream of blue bubbles at Sylveon.
The smirk on Harry's face didn't waver. "Sylveon deflect them."
Sylveon extended all four of its ribbons out into different directions, curving them at different angles, then started swinging them making a sporadic propeller like bubbles from the attack all popped in rapid succession as they hit the ribbons, exploding in blue sparkles along Sylveons rapidly moving ribbons. When the attack stopped Sylveon was left in a shower of blue sparkles and it's now still ribbons were left shimmering.
"Wow gorgeous." Dawn said in shock and a bit of disbelief at the counter-attack.
"So, cool." Ash commenced from the sidelines.
"It was definitely impressive," Brock agreed from besides him." He was able to show off his Sylveons unique characteristics and appearance while using Dawns own move to do it. Looks like Dawn's really gonna have to stay on her game."
Further down around the corner of the pokemon center Paul had come outside and was watching the battle, his eyes trained on Sylveon.
Harry smiled at the shocked expression he got. Harry hadn't spent all that time watching contest reruns with Zach for nothing. He remembered seeing a trainer use their Chikorita's Vine Whip in a similar way and had decided to try it with Sylveon's ribbons.
Back on the field Dawn had once again focused back on the battle, a confident smile returning to her face.
"All right, now Piplup let's show them what we can really do, now spin and use Bubble Beam!"
"PipLup"
Piplup jumped high into the air and used Bubble Beam while spinning around, the swirling Bubble Beam this time surrounded a now shocked Sylveon. As the bubbles whirled around the fairy-type, numerous of them flew inward hitting Sylveon from all directions.
Harry's eyes widened, shocked at the new use of the same move. "Sylveon, hang in there."
"Now, use Peck!"
"Pip."
While still in the air, Piplup's beak began to glow white and became longer, the energy being stored, before it dive-bombed back down, straight towards the still trapped Sylveon.
"Sylveon, use Fairy Wind straight up."
Fighting through the onslaught of the Bubble Beam, Sylveon lifted its ribbons and whirled them around, crating a large whirlwind of silvery pink wind around itself. The rising Fairy Wind popped the remaining bubbles in a spray of glittering blue and pink sparkles.
"Piplup!" The penguin pokemon cried out as it collided with the wind, knocking it back.
"Piplup, are you alright!?" Dawn shouted, concerned as her Piplup was sent skidding across the field.
"PipLup." It let out a reassuring cry as it got back to its feet, tapping its chest confidently before turning back to Sylveon and Harry. The confidence Harry felt coming off of it not wavering.
"Now it's our turn, Sylveon jump and use Shadow Ball." Harry called out.
"SylVeOn.
Like in the battle with Kyle, Sylveon used its ribbons as a springboard and sprang high into the air, opened its mouth, forming and firing the dark purple orb.
"Intercept it with Peck"
Once again Piplups beak began glowing and extended, before it jumped up heading straight toward the Shadow Ball. As Piplup's powered up beak and the dark orb hit, the Shadow Ball burst in a cloud of smoke as Piplup charged through, now heading for Sylveon.
"Quick grab it, then give it a toss." Harry called out in a rush.
Sylveon stretched its ribbons wrapping around Piplups beak and body, stopping it cold. Sylveon elegantly spun around, swinging Piplup, as it fell to the ground and flinging the penguin pokemon, sending it spinning head over heels, away before landing on its feet.
"Harrys doing a great job of utilizing Sylveons ribbons, both in helping in battle as well as showing off how graceful and agile it is." Brock commented to himself on the sidelines. Movement from his left caught his attention.
"Huh?" When he turned he was confused as seeing Paul standing several meters away watching the battle.
"Piplup straighten out and use Bubble Beam."
While Piplup was flying through the air, it managed to straighten out of the spin and fire off a Bubble Beam in mind air.
"Disarming Voice."
"SylVeOn~"
The heart-shaped shockwaves collided with the Bubble Beam casings an explosion of black smoke, the two move canceling each other out. Before the smoke could clear Harry heard Dawn's next command.
"Piplup, Peck."
From the still thinking smoke, Piplup came zooming out like a dart, it's beak glowing and extended. The bird like pokemon had was moving so fast and unexpected that Harry and Sylveon didn't gave time to react as the attack hit the fairy-type.
"Syl!" Sylveon cried in shock at the sudden pain as it was knocked back by the force of the hit.
"Piplup, keep using Peck."
"Sylveon, dodge it."
Sylveon jumped back and stumbling a bit, evading as Piplup advanced, beak glowing and furiously pecking away at it.
"Shadow Ball!" Just as Sylveon stopped to use the move Piplup once again made a lunge with its beak, making Sylveon Dodge back and not giving it any room to counter-attack.
"That's it Piplup, try and keep it off balance."
Piplup continued the assault, trying to hit its opponent, as Sylveon continued to stumble out of the way.
"Sylveon jump back and then up into the air."
"Syl!" The fairy-type jumped back, avoiding another attack from Piplup, before once again extending its ribbons and using them to launch itself skywards and further than the water-type could follow
"Now use Shadow Ball and then Swift."
"Syl!"
From hight in the air Sylveon fired the Shadow Ball, then swinging its ribbons causing as vally of pink coated golden stars to rain down.
"Quick Piplup dodge and use Bubble Beam straight up."
"Piplup!"
Piplup nodded before running forward, moving out of the way of the Shadow Ball, to the spot beneath Sylveon and firing a barrage of bubbles up. The Bubble Beam and Swift collided with each other and causing the stars and bubbles to burst into sparkles of blue pink and gold that showered down onto the field and around Piplup in a beautiful halo effect. Sylveon caught the glow of the sparkles as it feel back to the ground, its ribbons trailing behind it, looking elegant and graceful before landing.
"Now Piplup-"
"Sylveon use-"
"Lax! Lax! Lax!~"
As the two coordinators we're about to call their next attacks the alarm in Harry's pokétch when off, shocking the two along with there pokemon.
"Alright looks like that's time." Brock called from the sidelines. Looking to his left, just caught a glimpse of Paul turning the corner around the pokemon center.
"Oh, it's over." Dawn said sounding surprised and a bit disappointed before walking over to Piplup and bending down. "You were great, move like that and we'll be a shoe-in at our next contest." She praised.
"PipLup!" The water-type tapped its chest self assuredly.
"Great job," Harry praised Sylveon, who had walked back over to where he was standing and had wrapped its ribbon around his wrist.
"Sylve" it cried. Both Harry and Sylveon were happy at feeling the happiness that each of them could feel comeing from the other.
"That was so cool." Ash said, walking out onto the field.
"Pika" Pikachu cried in agreement
Yeah, you showed off some great moves Dawn." Added Brock.
"Really, you think so?" Dawn asked rubbing the back of her head embarrassed with a slight blush at the praise.
"Mmhmm, sure do. And you were great to Harry." Ash answered instead of Brock, before turning to the male coordinator.
"Thanks, and thank you to Dawn," Harry said, directing his attention to the bluenette."You and your Piplup where alot of fun to battle. Isn't that right?" He asked Sylveon getting an affirming cry.
Sylveon then gave a few tugs on Harry's arm looking unblinking at his waist pouch.
"Oh, I know what you want." Harry said teasingly as he reached into the bag and pulled out a familiar basket. Opening it he pulled out a pink poképuff with white icing and darker pink frosting on top.
Sylveon let out another happy cry as it reached out with its ribbon and took the offered treat and biting into it with delight.
"Hey what's that."
Harry looked up and seen that the three friends had made there way over to him. Ash was the one that had asked the question and was looking between the basket in Harrys hand and the rapidly disappearing poképuff in Sylveons ribbon.
"Oh, these are poképuffs, there a pokemon treat from the Kalos region." Harry explained, tilting the basket to show the confectionerys inside.
"Poképuffs? Wow they look so yummy." Dawn exclaimed, looking at the rows of different colored pastries."
"Pika!" "Piplup!" Pikachu and Piplup cryed in delight at the smell and sight of the treats from where they were watching Sylveon finish off its puff.
"Here, for giving me a great battle." Harry said holding out a poképuff to Piplup. "And one for you to." He added giving one to Pikachu.
"Pip~" "Chuu~" Both pokemon bit into them at the same time, crying out in surprised delight before eating them with new gusto.
"Taste good Piplup?" Dawn asked teasingly. A smile on her face at the happy way her pokemon was enjoying the snack ."Can people eat them to?" She asked Harry eyeing the puffs.
"Yes, but not all kinds." He said, handing her a sweet mocha poképuff.
Dawn looked at the pastry in her hands before taking a bite out of it, and making a squealy hum.
"It's delicious!" She said in exuberance before biting into the rest of the puff.
"I wanna try one!" Ash said excitedly stepping closer to Harry.
"Sure, I don't mind. Brock would you like one?"
"Don't mind if I do, thanks."
Harry gave the other two boys a sweet mocha poképuff to try and was met with the same reaction as Dawn and the pokemon.
It's great, I don't think I've ever tasted anything this good."
"Wow, that's the yummiest thing I've ever tasted in my life!"
"You're to kind, I'm glad you like them." Harry said blushing a bit. It was still strange for him to be complemented on his food. Professor Rowan and the assistance at the lab always praise him on his cooking abilities, but after growing up with know appreciation at the Dursleys it was still a bit of a novel experience for him.
"Harry you said these were from somewhere called the Kalos region, is that were you and Sylveon are from?" Brock asked, a contemplative look on his face.
"Yes, that's right." Harry affirmed.
" Then can I ask you something?" At Harry's nod Brock continued. "What kind of pokemon is Sylveon? Yours pokédex said it was an evolution of Eevee, but Dawn's Pokedex didn't have any data on it at all. Some of the moves it use during your battle. I've never even heard of them. Are they unique to the Kalos region like Sylveon?
"That's a pretty spot on observation. Yes Sylveon comes from Kalos and several other regions across the world. Sylveon is a fairy-type.
"Fairy-type?" Brock, Dawn and Ash all asked at once.
"Wow, a type that can't be found in Sinnoh Kanto, Johto or Hoenn." Dawn said in awe as she looked over at Sylveon who was running around with Pikachu and Piplup.
"Yeah, not something you see every day." Brock said.
"A pokemon from the other side of the world, I really wanna battle you." Ash said looking at Harry, who was seated next to Dawn on the other side of the table. Each of them nursing a cup of sweet Roserade tea.
The four had gone back into the pokemon center where Harry had then told the trio about fairy-type pokemon and the Kalos region. The three had been shocked to learn that there was a type of Pokemon that they never even heard of. Brock, whom Harry learned was a breeder, in particular had had many questions for Harry on what he did to take care of his Sylveon. Ash had been trying to convince Harry to have a battle with him almost immediately after learning that Sylveon was almost assuredly the only fairy-type in all of Sinnoh, to wich Harry had declined for the moment. Harry had even told them about some of the other things he knew about the Kalos region, Dawn had been particularly intrigued at the idea of the Pokemon Showcases and Ash had declared that he would compete in the Kalos Pokemon League, before Brock told him that he should be focused on getting the eight badges he needed to compete in the Sinnoh League before he started making plans to compete in a league on the other side of the planet.
"Maybe some other time I had two battles this morning before I even got to the center, I wanted to let my Pokemon rest for a bit at least." Harry told Ash, for the third time.
"Yeah I know, I'm just psyched for when it happens."
"Well then we'll make sure you have a hell of a battle. Won't we" Harry said calling out to Sylveon who stopped runing around to give an affirmative cry.
"Alright, but we're going to win, isn't that right buddy?" Ash said determinedly, calling over to his Pikachu.
"PikaPika!" it called back befor moving over to Sylveon and giving it a determined look and saying something to it with one tiny paw in a fist. Harry felt a jolt of determination and anticipation come from Sylveon after Pikachu's apparent declaration.
"Sylve!" It said with a definite nod of the head.
"Looks like Ash isn't the only one ready to go." Brock said with a chuckle, and makeing the others laugh.
The four trainers were all smiling at the two's antics, whe suddenly a steel net shot in to the center from the open window wrapping around Sylveon and Pikachu before pulling them out.
"Pikachu!"
"Sylveon !?"
Ash and Harry shouted in shock at the sudden abduction, quickly rising to their feet and running to the window along with the others.
"What's going on!? Wheres my Sylveon!?" Harry shouted frantically, sticking his head out the window looking around before hearing a womans voice from above.
"Listen, is that a voice I hear?"
It was then followed by a mans.
"It's speaking to me loud and clear."
Harry looked up and seen what look like a Meowth shaped hot air balloon.
'What the hell?'
A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to get this chapter done, Work has been running me ragged., but here it is. And sorry for the Cliffhanger but they're good way of ending a chapter. And also people tend to leave reviews on chapters that end with them.
Pairing suggestions for Harry Is still open, though I prefer if you have some reasoning on why Your guy should be picked.
Please Favorite, Follow and Review. And thank you to everybody who already has.