Josh watched the highlights of Jake's match against Kazuma Gamou in the morning. His match had taken much longer than the others, almost two hours, and had been a close, back-and-forth affair. Kazuma had used all kinds of strange tactics that had caught Jake off guard. A Vaporeon with Shadow Ball, a Muk with Fire Blast, and a Gyarados that knew Thunder, of all things. In the end, Jake's trusty Poliwrath had been the sole survivor, allowing Jake to advance to the semi-finals.
Josh had briefly met his brother in the VIP box before Jake headed down to the battlefield. The two brothers had made jokes about the chances of them facing each other in the grand finals. Jake hadn't asked Josh for any advice on facing Ryan, which Josh was grateful for. He wasn't sure what he would have said.
As he had the day before, Josh sat in the comfortable reclining chairs of the VIP box, but this time Ash wasn't beside him. She was a ways away, at a side table that wasn't good for looking out the windows like Josh's spot but provided a perfect spot to watch the flatscreen TV on the side. She had only waved to Josh when she had shown up. The other competitors, Asao, Kotomi, Sayaka, and Kazuma, were there as well. They cast curious glances between the two of them occasionally.
Josh wondered what may have been going through their minds. This must be the first time in history two semi-finalists at the Indigo Plateau had been best friends who had graduated from the same junior high school less than a year ago.
In that moment, watching Ash from the corner of his eye, Josh wasn't really sure how he felt about her. Would it hurt his chances if he still thought of her as a friend? Would she still be his friend if she beat him?
Ryan Oak had never shown up to the VIP box, the same as the day before. Josh hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now it was beginning to make sense. Of course, his arm was one possible reason. But Josh felt that he knew the real reason. Ryan simply didn't want to spend any time with anyone that wasn't battling.
Josh watched as the two Trainers walked onto the battlefield and shook hands. On one side, Jake, his older brother. The brother Josh had talked on the phone with almost Friday night for years, wanting to live through his memories. The brother who had been on his way to being the youngest Trainer to ever enter the Indigo Plateau — until Josh and his friends showed up. But Jake had helped Josh on his journey, and Ash, every step of the way.
And on the other side, Ryan, the person who was at once Josh's best friend and worst enemy. The grandson of Professor Oak. The one who had sworn he would make it to the Plateau, but who also had convinced his grandfather to give Josh his first Pokemon too. In just about every way possible, Ryan was the reason Josh was there.
All kinds of feelings swirled around in Josh's head as he watched them bring out their first Pokemon.
Ryan sent out Pluto, his Rhydon. Jake sent out his Electabuzz. A second later, Jake withdrew his Pokemon to save the Electric-type from the incoming Earthquake — but Ryan had used Rock Slide, probably anticipating Jake to switch to his Flying-type. Instead, Jake's Poliwrath had appeared, who still took the incoming boulders from the Rock Slide with little issue.
Jake's Poliwrath rocketed forward with Waterfall, moving across the battlefield like a jet ski over water, but Ryan switched to Janus, his Exeggutor. Jake's Poliwrath slammed into the Exeggutor's body, but the Grass-type shrugged off the attack.
The time for switching had passed, and both Trainers chose to have their Pokemon stand their ground. Jake's Poliwrath struck Janus in the face with an Ice Punch, but the Exeggutor hit back with a Psychic attack. Jake's Poliwrath went down, and Ryan scored the first knockout. But Jake wasted no time. He withdrew his defeated Poliwrath and sent in his Scyther. The Bug-type moved even faster than Ryan and his specialized Poke Ball belt could respond — Ryan's Exeggutor was knocked out with a swift X-scissor.
Each Trainer was now down to five Pokemon. The score was even. Again, Josh wondered to himself, who exactly was he rooting for in this moment?
Ryan sent in Vulcan, his Charizard. Vulcan took flight and unleashed a monstrous Fire Blast, the light emanating from his mouth briefly overpowering the lights of the stadium and blinded Josh with a burning hot light that he had to look away from. When Josh looked back he saw Jake's Electabuzz bathed in fire, his fur blackened from the Fire Blast, and collapsed on the ground. The audience went wild with cheers and applause. Ryan's Charizard had defeated a Pokemon in one shot.
Jake withdrew his Electabuzz and sent in his Sandslash, trying to catch Vulcan with a Rock Slide. But Sandslashes weren't as fast as Scythers, or Charizards, and Ryan calmly switched to Neptune, his Tentacruel. The poor Water-type was hit by multiple boulders from the Rock Slide, his gelatinous body was knocked around like a pinball, but the Tentacruel managed to survive the attack. Jake told his Sandslash to use Earthquake, trying to finish Neptune off, but Ryan and Neptune were faster. The Tentacruel used Surf and hit the Sandslash with a tidal wave. Jake's Sandslash dug her claws deep into the ground to keep herself from being washed away like a Krabby on a beach, then knocked out Ryan's Tentacruel with Earthquake.
Each Trainer now had four Pokemon each. The score was still somewhat even. But Ryan sent Vulcan back in and finished off Jake's Sandslash with another impossibly large Fire Blast. The audience cheered. From the corner of his eye, Josh saw that even Ash cracked the slightest smile. Josh wasn't questioning who he was rooting for anymore. He gave a small fist-pump for Ryan.
I have to, Josh confessed to himself. It has to be Ryan. I don't want to face anyone else.
Josh loved his brother. But he loved the idea of getting to battle Ryan and his Charizard even more.
Jake sent in his Kangaskhan and the Normal-type leapt into the air with a Thunder Punch. Vulcan dove through the air to meet Jake's Pokemon with Brick Break. The two Pokemon collided in the air and hit each other in the face with powerful punches, and then fell to the ground together. Both Pokemon quickly got up, and Jake's Kangaskhan lunged with another Thunder Punch — but Vulcan disappeared back into his Poke Ball and was replaced by Pluto, Ryan's Rhydon. The Kangaskhan rammed her fist straight into Pluto's chest, but the attack did nothing.
Jake reacted quickly, and his Kangaskhan immediately hit Pluto again with Brick Break. This time, the Rock-type did stumble back in pain, but then struck back with Megahorn, impaling the Kangaskhan in the stomach and sending the Normal-type flying across the battlefield like a kicked can. The audience cheered as Jake's Kangaskhan flew, bounced four times across the ground, and finally collided with the wall behind Jake, defeated.
The audience gasped as Jake sent in his Dodrio. It must have seemed insane to send a Flying-type in against a Rock-type like Pluto. But Josh already knew what his brother's plan was. As Pluto hurled a dozen giant boulders at the Dodrio, the Flying-type cawed and began to glow red like the coils on a hot stove. The Rock Slide hit the Dodrio, but thanks to Endure, the Dodrio survived. Then, Dodrio sprinted across the battlefield with impossible speed and slammed into Pluto's body, pushing the Rock-type back and even cracking the armor on his chest. But it wasn't enough. Jake's Dodrio had wounded Pluto, maybe even come close to knocking him out, but it also put him right in range for a backhanded swipe that finally finished off the Flying-type.
Jake's final Pokemon, his Scyther, was able to finally finish off Pluto with an X-scissor, slashing the Rhydon in his wounded chest with both his massive scythe forearms. But Ryan simply sent in Charizard. The two Pokemon took to the sky and circled each other for a moment, looking for an opening. But the moment Jake's Scyther tried to close the distance and land an attack was also the perfect time for Vulcan to unleash a Fire Blast, impossible to dodge at such close range. The Bug-type was roasted like a piece of meat on a grill, falling from the sky and crashing back into the ground.
Jake had fought hard and had managed to defeat half of Ryan's team, but he had lost. The audience cheered as Ryan withdrew his Charizard and shook Jake's hand. At the same time, in the VIP box, Josh stood up and shouldered his bag, preparing for his match. He had goosebumps on his arms. A strange, quiet anticipation had taken hold of him. He didn't have Ash by his side to shake him out of the jitters like yesterday, but it seemed he didn't need her for that today.
He briefly locked eyes with her as she left the VIP box. She gave him a tight-lipped smile before she turned and left.
#
The match began exactly as they had the day before. And yet, Josh couldn't shake the feeling of how surreal it felt to walk onto the battlefield, shake Ash's hand, and prepare to battle her. How had it never happened even once over the past year? Josh had battled Ryan more times than he could count. He had competed against him even more if you included things that weren't Pokemon battles. At baseball, in school, at video games.
But during all that time, Ash had been there. She had always been the fastest swimmer of the group — in the entire school, really — but Josh had been the faster runner. Ash had always gotten better grades, but she couldn't throw to save her life. Could Josh still beat her at Super Smash Bros. Melee? Maybe. It was always close in that game.
Josh reached into his bag and grabbed the Poke Ball containing Zeus. No matter what Ash had done and been through in the past, at the end of the way, she was standing between Josh and Ryan, which meant she had to go. Josh couldn't let the fact that she was his friend get in the way of that. And maybe more importantly, another thought had entered Josh's mind as he had shaken Ash's hand before heading to his corner of the battlefield.
She was standing on the other side of the battlefield, hard to see at such a distance, but Josh could tell she was holding a Great Ball, ready to send in her first Pokemon.
Ash had given him that tight-lipped slight smile she had in the VIP box. She had looked at him for a second before glancing away. Josh recognized that look.
She was excited.
She was trying to hide it, but Josh knew that look on her face. The same look as when he had told her Misty had been cheering for her yesterday. The same look when they had checked their Pokedexes with Professor Oak and the Professor had smiled at her — Ash had the most entries in the Dex, and they both knew it. The same look as whenever Avery, Jake, or their parents would compliment Ash. She acted like she was above liking attention like Ryan, but Josh knew that wasn't true. Not always.
So why the change? Why had Ash shown up to the tournament at all? Josh had often wondered over the past few days. But he had never asked her.
Josh clicked the button on his Poke Ball to enlarge it, and he tossed it forward as soon as the referee signaled the start of the match. On the other side of the battlefield, Ash did the same.
Josh didn't care what the reason was. Ash was battling at the Indigo Plateau, and she was enjoying every minute of it. Why shouldn't he do the same? It would be just like the countless nights spent hanging out back in Pallet Town.
"Go, Zeus!" Josh said.
"Go, Cheshire!" Ash said.
Josh's Jolteon and Ash's Gengar faced off. Cheshire grinned smugly and stuck his massive tongue out at Zeus, and he growled in response.
But their Trainers didn't waste another moment.
"Zeus, Thunderbolt!"
"Cheshire, return! Go, Bandersnatch!"
Zeus's spines bristled and he shot out a bolt of lightning, but Cheshire disappeared back into his Great Ball and was replaced by Ash's Marowak. The lightning hit the Ground-type, but Bandersnatch stood motionless as the electricity danced harmlessly across his skin and into the ground.
"Bandersnatch —" Ash began.
"Zeus, come back! Go, Hermes!" Josh said quickly.
"Belly Drum!" Ash finished.
Josh stowed Zeus's Poke Ball and threw Hermes's high into the sky, as far from the ground as possible. But instead of attacking, Bandersnatch simply raised his bone club and stuck his own stomach with it. The sound echoed throughout the entire stadium like the crack of a whip and made Josh's ears ring and his heart jump right to his throat.
Oh God, Josh thought, that Marowak is going to hit like a truck.
Josh reached a hand into his bag, but then realized — can anyone on my team take even one hit from that thing?
"Hermes, Whirlwind!" Josh said.
"Bandersnatch, Protect!"
Hermes flapped his wings, kicking up powerful gusts of wind that made the people in the audience stands on Ash's side of the field sway like wheat in a field. Even Ash had to kneel down to keep from being blown off her feet. But her Marowak stood tall, still holding his club, and the wind passed harmless around his spherical shield.
Of course, Josh remembered, Ash is going to spam that move every chance she gets.
"Now, Bandersnatch, Rock Slide!" Ash called out.
"Hermes, Sand Attack!" Josh said. "You can't let him hit you!"
The moment the wind weakened, Bandersnatch's Protect disappeared. He stood up and stomped the ground, kicking up massive jagged boulders from the broken earth. Then he whacked them with his club like a batter, sending the boulders flying through the air. Hermes dodged the first boulder, then the second, then dove and dropped to the ground to just barely dodge the third. Then, he flapped his wings again, this time kicking up a cloud of dust that flew right into Bandersnatch's face.
The Marowak squinted from the debris and growled, he batted the last boulder and it just barely flew over Hermes's head, missing him. Josh breathed a sigh of relief.
"Bandersnatch, Thunder Punch!" Ash said.
Bandersnatch wiped the dust from his eyes. Then, instead of his club, he raised his fist. It glowed bright yellow, and sparks of electricity began to fly off of the fist like it was a Tesla coil. The air crackled and popped with every spark. Some of the people in the audience screamed. Josh could feel the electricity gathering in the air from a move more powerful than any Electric-type could achieve. It was the power of the Belly Drum, it was going to supercharge up all of Bandersnatch's moves.
Bandersnatch charged forward. Hermes squawked in panic. Josh felt every hair on his body stand on end as the electricity in the air grew stronger. He reached into his bag and searched desperately for the right Poke Ball. If he didn't make the right choice, Ash's Marowak could end the entire battle right here.
"Go, Pan!" Josh said.
Josh did it just in time. At the last moment, as Bandersnatch jumped in the air and brought down his lightning fist, Josh's Pidgeot disappeared into his Poke Ball and was replaced by Josh's Venusaur. Bandersnatch slammed his fist into Pan's face. The ground cratered beneath them from the impact. Giant sparks of electricity danced all over Pan's body and into the air. Josh squinted as the light from the attack hurt his eyes, the air crackled, and he smelled burnt grass as his Venusaur endured the attack.
Finally, the attack died down. And the audience gasped at what they saw.
Pan was smoking and the entire front of his body was blackened from the attack. The attack had nearly roasted him as if it was a Fire-type attack. But he was still standing. Not only that, but Pan had wrapped three vines around Bandersnatch — two around his wrists, one around his neck. Josh grinned. His first Pokemon had held on through that attack and had known exactly what Josh was going to need him to do next. Immediately, Ash realized what was going to happen.
"Bandersnatch, return!"
"Pan, Sleep Powder!"
Ash had reacted quickly, but it didn't matter. With Pan holding Bandersnatch in place, he had nowhere to run, and the beam from Ash's Great Ball took too long to reach her Pokemon. Pan lifted Bandersnatch by his wrists and shot a puff of gray smoke directly into his face. Bandersnatch tried to hold his breath, but Pan tightened the vine around the Marowak's neck to force him to breathe in — and he did. Just as Bandersnatch disappeared back into his Great Ball, Josh saw his eyes shut from the Sleep Powder. Ash's Marowak had been neutralized. For now.
"Chesh, Shadow Ball, quick!"
Josh didn't get a second to celebrate. As soon as Bandersnatch had disappeared, Ash's Gengar had thrown a Shadow Ball that hit Pan and knocked him down.
The audience cheered. Josh winced. He had just lost his starter.
"Pan, return," he said. He held Pan's Poke Ball close to whisper to him. "You did amazing."
Josh stowed Pan's Poke Ball, and then threw out Dionysus's Ultra Ball.
"Earthquake!" he said.
But Ash withdrew her Gengar and sent out her Blastoise.
Of course, Josh grumbled as he watched Pat stand defiantly while Dionysus's Earthquake shook the stadium. She can send her starter in now that mine is gone.
"Dionysus, Body Slam!" Josh said.
"Use Skull Bash!" Ash said.
Dionysus ran forward and then hurled himself at Pat head-first. But the Water-type leaned forward in preparation. At the last second, Pat withdrew his head into his shell just as Dionysus hit him. Incredibly, it was Dionysus who recoiled and stumbled back, groaning in pain and rubbing his head. Then, Pat lunged forward, popping his head back out of his shell and smashing into Dionysus's face like a battering ram, sending him stumbling back again.
Josh stared in disbelief. He had never seen a Pokemon bully his Snorlax like that. But then again, was there anything in the world tougher than a Blastoise's shell?
"Dionysus, Body Slam, again!" Josh said. "Don't let him hide in his shell!"
"Pat, Roar!"
Dionysus charged forward again, Pat got down on all fours again to face him, and the audience cheered in anticipation. But this time, Pat opened his mouth and let out a deafening roar that drowned out the audience and sent Dionysus back into his Ultra Ball. Then, the other Ultra Ball in Josh's bag snapped open, and his Lapras came out.
Josh grinned.
Bad luck for you again, Ash, he thought.
"Poseidon, Thunderbolt!" Josh said.
"Pat, return! Go, Dinah, Wish!" Ash said.
The split-second it took for Ash to make the switch was all the time Josh needed to remember that Ash was the one who gave him the TM for Thunderbolt, and that Josh had even asked her if teaching it to his Lapras was a good idea. Of course Ash would know his Lapras knew that move.
Even so, Ash's Clefable yelped in pain as the attack hit her. She sprang back to her feet, her tiny wings fluttering slightly, and she sent a star into the sky.
Josh grimaced. He knew exactly who that Wish was for.
"Keep it up, Poseidon, Surf!"
"Dinah, Metronome!"
Ash's Clefable closed her eyes, sang a high note, and she held both her hands in the air. The tips of her fingers began to glow a brilliant white. She waved her hands back and forth once, twice, and then a third time. The wave from Poseidon's Surf hit her, but not before Dinah opened her eyes and they flashed yellow. The light from her eyes was so abrupt and ugly that even Josh jumped when he saw it. But he also saw his Lapras tense up as if something had hit him.
"Poseidon?" Josh said.
Poseidon turned his head stiffly to look back at his Trainer, but he was moving incredibly slowly.
Metronome was a move that could make a Pokemon do, well, anything. There was no telling what move Ash's Clefable had drawn. But after a year of battling, Josh recognized the exact kind of movements his Lapras was doing — he was paralyzed.
Josh wanted to withdraw his Lapras — but he couldn't. That Wish was going to land soon, and he couldn't let Ash heal her Marowak. Otherwise, Pan's sacrifice would have been for nothing.
Josh looked up. It was a cloudy day, so he wouldn't get much warning. But he had gotten lucky — he saw a tiny speck of light in the sky slowly descending. The Wish was coming.
"You've got to push through, Poseidon, Surf!" Josh said.
"Dinah, Protect!"
Poseidon growled in frustration, but he launched another Surf. The attack was too slow, and Dinah blocked it easily. But Josh had killed enough time. Instead of switching her Marowak in, Ash let the Wish land on Dinah.
"Okay, Poseidon, return!" Josh said.
"Dinah, Wish, again!" Ash said.
Josh thought hard as he watched Ash's Clefable send another star into the sky. With Wish and Protect, Ash could stall as long as she wanted. If he didn't think of a way to break the cycle, she was going to land a Wish on Bandersnatch eventually.
"Go, Dionysus!" he said.
Josh's Snorlax reappeared and stared down Ash's Clefable. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, Josh spoke.
"Dionysus — "
"Dinah, Protect!" Ash said immediately.
"Yawn!" Josh finished.
Ash's Clefable surrounded herself in a spherical shield. But instead of attacking, Dionysus opened his mouth wide and let out a yawn. A small, white cloud emerged from his mouth and floated across the battlefield. Dinah squeaked in panic and Ash fumbled around in her bag — but it was pointless. Protect was an amazing, all-powerful move, but it had one fatal flaw. Pokemon couldn't move while they used it, they couldn't be withdrawn, and they couldn't bring the shield down as quickly as they brought it up. You were locked in as soon as you used it. Ash's Clefable was trapped in her own protection as the cloud slowly floated to her and hit her just as her shield came down.
Ash's Clefable was hit, and she was going to fall asleep any second. Josh could see her ears and eyes start to droop.
"Dinah, return!" Ash said. "Go, Pat!"
"Dionysus, Body Slam!"
This time, Ash's Blastoise had no time to prepare. As soon as he hit the ground, he was hit by the full-body force of Dionysus smacking him with his belly, sending the Blastoise tumbling head over heels backward.
Josh looked up again. He saw the second Wish in the sky, starting to descend.
"Pat, come back!" Ash said.
She withdrew her Blastoise before he even got a chance to get back up, and threw out a Great Ball. Josh knew exactly which Pokemon was in it, and he reacted quickly.
"Hermes, Whirlwind!" Josh said.
Just was Josh had thought, Ash's Marowak popped out of her Great Ball and appeared on the field, face down and fast asleep. Josh Pidgeot emerged and flapped his wings to kick up a blast of wind. Against any of her other Pokemon, Ash would have just blocked the Whirlwind with Protect to keep her Pokemon on the field. But Ash's Marowak was asleep, so there was nothing he could do. As soon as he appeared, his body was lifted off the ground and sent flying backward, back into Ash's Great Ball. Before she could do anything, Ash's Clefable popped back out of her Poke Ball.
"Brave Bird, Hermes, quick!" Josh said.
"Dinah, Moon Blast!" Ash said.
Dinah pointed to the sky and brought down a glowing pink orb that sped toward Hermes, but Josh's Pidgeot nimbly dodged it by doing a barrel roll in the air. Then, he tucked in his wings and dive-bombed Dinah, hitting her and sending both Pokemon into a crater in the ground. The audience roared in excitement.
Josh squinted to see through the cloud of dust created from the impact. He saw a pair of pointed ears poking out from the lip of the crater — the ears of Ash's Clefable.
"Finish her off, Hermes, Brave Bird!" Josh said.
Josh's Pidgeot unfurled his wings and ascended into the sky. His body glowed bright blue as he turned and rocketed back down to the ground for another dive-bomb attack.
"Now, Cheshire, Thunderbolt!" Ash said.
Before Josh or his Pokemon could react, the silhouette that Josh had thought was her Clefable grew a long, fifth appendage — a Gengar's tongue. The Gengar fired a lightning bolt into the sky. It hit Hermes dead-on and zapped him out of the sky. Instead of hitting Ash's Pokemon, Hermes landed with a plop at the Gengar's feet. The dust cleared, and Ash's Gengar was fully revealed, still sticking his tongue out, and cackling gleefully like a madman.
The audience laughed too. Incredibly, Josh heard one voice in the crowd that he recognized.
"That's it, Delaney, let's go!" Misty cheered.
Josh withdrew his defeated Pidgeot. When had Ash made the switch? Had the sound of the cheers drowned it out?
It didn't matter.
"Go, Zeus, use Thunderbolt!" Josh said quickly.
Ash's Gengar was faster than Josh's Pidgeot, but Josh's Jolteon was even faster. Zeus hit Cheshire with a Thunderbolt even more powerful than the one Cheshire had used to defeat Hermes, and Ash's Gengar went down.
Finally got a knockout, Josh thought to himself. Then, he cooled his excitement with a grim reminder. Now I just have to do that five more times.
Ash withdrew her Gengar and stowed his Great Ball. Then, she pulled out an Ultra Ball and threw it.
"Let's go, Vorpal!" she said.
The Ultra Ball in Ash's hand clicked open, but what appeared was nothing Josh had ever seen before.
At first, he thought he recognized the pink thing that was materialized from the white light of the Ultra Ball. But as it took shape, Josh saw that it wasn't the Chansey he had seen in Ash's last match. It was a strange, pink, gelatinous… blob. It jiggled as it moved. Its face, consisting of just two black pinpricks for eyes and a wide, thin smile for a mouth, stared back at Josh's Jolteon. To Josh, it looked like a piece of jello that a child drew on with a marker.
Zeus barked at the strange Pokemon, and it stared back. It's paper-thin mouth opened, but it only gave a strange burbling noise in response. The audience settled into a dull murmur of confusion.
Josh looked at the referee. He shook his head at Josh.
"The match continues," he said.
Josh looked back at the Pokemon — but it was changing. Josh's jaw dropped as he watched it. It's pink, slimy exterior expanded, changing shape, growing four legs, a head, and two ears. It's gelatinous body prickled and grew a thousand small, needle-sharp bristles. It's skin changed color from pink to white to bright yellow.
Suddenly, impossibly, there was another Jolteon on the battlefield. An identical copy of Zeus facing Josh's Pokemon. Josh was too stunned to speak.
Zeus whimpered in panic and shrank back, his ears tucked down close to his head. The other Jolteon growled and stepped forward, the spines on his body stiffening to make him seem larger.
"Zeus, snap out of it!" Josh said, partly to snap himself out of it. "We have to keep fighting! Use Th— no, use Signal Beam!"
Zeus planted his feet and fired twin beams of bright green and red energy from his eyes, which twisted around each other like a strand of DNA as they flew forward.
"Dodge it! Use Dig!" Ash said.
In an instant, Ash's Jolteon disappeared into the ground, leaving only a puff of dust in his wake. Zeus's Signal Beam hit nothing but air. An instant later, the ground beneath Zeus erupted and Ash's Jolteon popped out, headbutting Zeus and knocking him into the air.
Josh couldn't believe what he was seeing. That was Zeus's own move. He had told Zeus to dodge and counterattack with Dig in that exact way plenty of times. And Ash had just done it to him.
Josh watched as his Jolteon fell back down to the ground, then clumsily scramble to his feet. He knew his Pokemon couldn't take another super-effective move like that.
"Zeus, return!" Josh said, "Dionysus, Earthquake!"
"Vorpal, return!" Ash said. "Go, Jabberwocky!"
Josh threw his Ultra Ball high in the sky and let his Snorlax drop down to the ground, shaking the entire stadium with his attack. But Ash's Jolteon had disappeared well before the attack hit him. Ash threw her own Ultra Ball high in the air.
An ear-piercing screech hit Josh's ears before he looked up and saw it. A Pokemon with gray skin, massive wings, a jaw full of serrated teeth, and a tail with a tip shaped like an arrowhead. It was huge, bigger than Josh's Pidgeot, Ryan's Charizard, even bigger than a Dragonite.
Again, Josh's jaw dropped as his brain failed to process what he was seeing.
"Use Aerial Ace!" Ash said.
The Pokemon screeched again and began to dive. Three trails of blue-white light streaked across the sky as he flew, two from the tips of his wings and one from the tip of his tail, like a fighter jet leaving contrails. The audience screamed as he dove, as if they thought they were the target. But they weren't. And that was all Josh needed to snap himself out of his second shock of the battle.
"Dionysus, Body Slam!" he said.
Ash's Pokemon dived through the air even faster than Hermes did, too fast for Josh's eyes to even track, but his Snorlax jumped into the air with a full-body tackle to meet him. The two Pokemon collided, Dionysus's shoulder hitting the tip of the Pokemon's jaw, creating a deafening crack that Josh immediately recognized as the sound of a Rock-type Pokemon. He looked closer at the Pokemon. Sure enough, now that it was closer, Josh could see small folds and jagged cracks across the skin, near the Pokemon's armpits and joints.
Dionysus crashed back into the ground, landing flat on his back and creating another crater. Ash's Pokemon floundered in the air for a moment before spreading his massive, leathery wings and catching himself before he hit the air. He quickly ascended again, already preparing for the next attack. It moved impossibly fast for a Rock-type. But more importantly, Josh realized, this Pokemon had the speed and power to sweep his entire team.
He had no choice but to keep attacking.
"Dionysus, Body Slam, again!" Josh said.
"Jabberwocky, Double-Edge!"
The two Pokemon collided in the air again. This time, Ash's Pokemon headbutted Dionysus instead of ramming him with his beak, and Dionysus was sent flying back into the ground. This time, Josh's Snorlax didn't crawl back out of the crater he created when he landed. But at the very least Ash's Pokemon also crashed ungracefully to the ground.
"Dionysus, return," Josh said. "Helios, Quick Attack!"
"Jabberwocky, Rock Slide!"
Josh's Arcanine sped across the battlefield as nothing more than a red-white blur of motion, but he hit Ash's Pokemon in the center of his chest and knocked him back down as the Pokemon tried to take flight. So instead, Ash's Pokemon swept his massive tail into the ground, sending a series of boulders flying up out of the ground and at Helios like a shotgun blast. One hit Helios square in the face, and he was sent flying back to Josh's side. He landed limply at Josh's feet.
Josh withdrew his defeated Arcanine. He thought for a moment.
"Go, Poseidon!" he said, tossing out his Ultra Ball.
Josh's Poseidon reappeared. Josh could see the tension in his Lapras's body from the paralysis that was still affecting him… But hopefully, that wouldn't matter.
"Poseidon — " Josh began.
"Jabberwocky, return!" Ash said.
The audience let out a collective groan in disappointment. They had been screaming in terror at first, but now they were disappointed the mystery Pokemon was being withdrawn. But Josh grinned. He had spooked Ash with his switch, and she had fallen for his trap.
"Go, Vorpal, Thunderbolt!" Ash said.
"Return!" Josh said quickly, withdrawing his Lapras. "Go, Zeus!"
Josh had timed it perfectly. Just as Ash's strange, imposter Jolteon reappeared and sent a Thunderbolt across the field, Josh's own Jolteon appeared and was hit by it — and absorbed it. The bristles on Zeus's body stirred as his body lit up from the attack, but instead of pain, the electricity healed his injuries.
Jolteons were Pokemon that could quite literally live off of electricity alone. That Thunderbolt hadn't just healed Zeus, it had given him a power boost. Josh could tell just by sensing the static charge in the air. If he was ever going to beat Ash's Jolteon, it was going to be now.
Ash realized her mistake immediately. At the exact same time, both Trainers called out the same attack.
"Use Dig!"
Both Jolteons dug into the ground with their front paws and dove into the holes they created faster than you could blink. For a moment, nothing happened. The stadium was dead-silent with anticipation. Thick beads of sweat formed on Josh's face as he prayed.
Finally, the ground in the center of the stadium erupted and a small puff of dust and dirt was sent flying into the sky. A Jolteon crawled out of the hole, holding an identical Jolteon in his mouth by the scruff of his neck. Josh stared at the Jolteon. He needed to know which Jolteon had won. But he had no idea how he was supposed to tell them apart.
The Jolteon dropped his defeated counterpart to the ground and gave a long howl of victory. The crowd burst into cheers. That was when Josh knew.
Zeus, Josh thought with a smile. You showoff. Only you would do that here.
"Vorpal, return," Ash said.
"Way to go, Zeus," Josh called out, "but stay focused. We still have four more to go."
And I've only got two, Josh finished in his head. And one of them is paralyzed.
As if reading his mind, Zeus nodded grimly to Josh and faced to the opponent, legs spread wide, ready to pounce.
Ash thought for a moment before sending in her next Pokemon.
"Go, Dinah, Wish!" Ash said.
"Stop her, Zeus, Thunder Wave!" Josh said.
It was a gamble, but Josh didn't know what else to do. If Ash managed to heal and wake her Marowak, it would all be over.
Dinah was paralyzed the moment she appeared on the battlefield, but she still managed to conjure another Wish and send it flying into the sky.
"Thunderbolt!" Josh said.
Ash told Dinah to use Protect, but it was useless. Her Clefable was too slow from the paralysis, and she was hit, sent tumbling backward and rolling limply to Ash's feet.
"Dinah, return," Ash said. "Go, Pat!"
"Thunderbolt, again!"
"Use Protect!"
Josh knew that Ash was trying to buy time, even if it meant sacrificing her Blastoise. Pat blocked the first Thunderbolt that Zeus fired. But Zeus sent another lightning bolt the moment that Pat's Protect ended, and the Water-type was defeated.
Josh didn't dare take his eyes off Ash as she withdrew her Pokemon. Of course, he wanted to know if the Wish was coming down. But if he was too slow to react, Ash might beat his Jolteon without even healing her Pokemon. This next moment was a coin flip.
"Jabberwocky, Earthquake!"
Josh's heart skipped a beat.
"Jolteon, run forward!" he yelled. "You've got to beat him to it, Thundrebolt!"
The audience roared in anticipation. What Josh had commanded his Jolteon to do must have seemed like madness. Jolteons weren't physical attackers, they had no reason to run at their opponents — especially if they were about to use Earthquake.
But they were just fans. They weren't Trainers. Josh knew there was one advantage to closing the distance — a guaranteed hit. Even lightning takes time to travel through the air. The closer his Jolteon got to his target, the sooner his Thunderbolt would land. And Josh had seen how fast Ash's flyer was. He needed to shave off every millisecond.
What happened next almost seemed to happen in slow motion to Josh. Ash's Pokemon flew to the ground and Zeus raced across the field to meet him. The Pokemon unfurled his wings. He swung his lower half forward, throwing his feet at the ground to use Earthquake. He was almost there. But Zeus had arrived first. Standing right in the Pokemon's shadow. His body lit up. His bristles stood on end. A stream of jagged light connected to the two Pokemon, lighting them up like Christmas lights.
Ash's Pokemon hit the ground right at Zeus's feet. But there was no quake. It was unconscious.
The audience cheered, and Josh wanted to cheer with them. But he knew it wasn't over.
"Go, Bandersnatch!" Ash said.
Just as Josh had expected, the Wish fell at the exact same time Ash's last Pokemon appeared on the field, flat on the ground and asleep. The Wish landed on the Marowak. But that was only half of Ash's problem solved.
"Bandersnatch, you've got to wake up!" Ash yelled, clapping her hands at the same time. "Come on! I need you!"
The Marowak's eyes fluttered open. Josh's heart skipped a beat.
"Zeus, Signal Beam!" Josh yelled.
The Marowak lifted his head off the ground. Zeus blasted Bandersnatch with a pair of beams. The Marowak growled, scrambling to his feet and snatching his club off the ground.
"Bonemerang!" Ash said.
Zeus continued to blast Bandersnatch with Signal Beams, but the Marowak still threw his Bone Club with deadly precision. Zeus dodged it, ducking under the bone just as it flew over his head. But the bone was coming back.
"It's still coming! Behind you, Zeus!" Josh called out.
"Grab him, Bandersnatch!" Ash said.
Zeus looked over his shoulder to see the bone complete its arc in the air and start to return. But the moment he did, Bandersnatch dashed forward and grabbed Zeus by the tail. The Jolteon yelped and tried to run, but Bandersnatch lifted him up, swung him around, and threw him in the air. Josh pulled at his hair in desperation as he watched his Jolteon get sent flying directly into the path of the bone. The bone hit Zeus with a deafening crack and Josh's Jolteon fell to the ground, defeated.
Josh couldn't believe it. There was no way his Lapras could beat Ash's Marowak. Poseidon was still paralyzed, he was too slow. And Bandersnatch was just too strong.
Thunk.
The sound of Bandersnatch's bone hitting the ground interrupted Josh's thoughts. It had landed a ways away from Bandersnatch. In an instant, both Trainers realized the same thing and reacted.
"Poseidon, Ice Beam!" Josh said. "This is our only chance!"
"Bandersnatch, forget the bone!" Ash said. "Thunder Punch!"
Josh clenched his fists as he watched. Instead of trying to retrieve his bone, Bandersnatch ran forward, his first crackling with electricity. His Lapras appeared, raised his head, his normally soothing voice strained and breaking from the exertion of trying to move while paralyzed. An orb of blue-white energy formed at Poseidon's wide open mouth. Bandersnatch lunged. His firt held forward. An inch away from Poseidon's body. But a beam of light and snow hit Bandersnatch in the head, pushing him back, freezing his skull, and he landed flat on his back.
Ash's Marowak tried to get up. He gave one last gasp, then his body gave out.
"Holy crap," Josh breathed out. "… Did I — "
"Winner!" the referee called out, as if he had heard him.
The audience didn't just cheer. They went wild. They stood on their feet. They started throwing things at Josh, which landed on the ground near him. Flowers, commemorative coins, and even stuffed Pokemon. A stuffed Jolteon landed at Josh's feet much in the same way that Zeus had when he had been knocked out — all four legs straight up in the air. Josh chuckled and picked it up. He looked up, but of course it was impossible to spot who specifically had thrown it.
"Thanks!" Josh said to no one in particular.
He turned to meet the referee and Ash in the center of the battlefield. It seemed Ash had gotten the same gifts. There was a pile of flowers, coins, and stuffed Pokemon where she had been standing. She was holding a bouquet in her arms.
Before the referee could instruct them to shake hands, Ash flung herself at Josh and hugged him tightly. Josh hugged back. Among the cheers, Josh heard some in the audience give a collective "Aww!"
"That was an amazing battle," he said, still holding Ash.
"Yeah," she breathed out.
They let go and stepped back. Ash's face was red as a tomato. She shyly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'll, uh, see you later?" she asked.
"Of course," Josh said.
"Please withdraw your Pokemon," the referee reminded.
"Oh, right. Sorry," Josh said, withdrawing Poseidon.
The audience continued to clap and cheer as Josh and Ash left the stadium, leaving a field full of scattered praise strewn across the ground.