Note- As December and another year come to an end here in reality, Chris finds himself only a couple weeks behind us on his calendar! Whether it's summer or winter where you are, I hope these words find you well! This time of year can be tough for many people, but it's so important to remember how much we're loved and how many blessings we've been bestowed with. When I reflect on this story, it's amazing to think that I first published it to this website nearly six years ago. Over 27,000 views later and with almost 60 chapters, I can't express how happy I am now and how excited I am for the story's future! But with the ghosts of Fanfiction 'Past' and 'Future' visited, how about we take a look at the present (Give me just this one Christmas pun please)? Chris and his team find themselves in the third round, but trouble is in their midst. Scyther seems unhappy with his performance in battle and perhaps something else. And the challenges in each round will only get tougher from here! With powerful trainers like Sarah, Seth, and even Dobbs still in the tournament, Chris' path to his first tournament championship won't be easy! Let's see how he handles the growing pressure and difficulty in today's exciting installment of Heart and Soul! Hope you enjoy! Please Review and Subscribe!

Chapter 47

Dark Pulse dissipated against the golden veil that coated Magnezone. At Seth's command, an electric pulse rippled out from the Magnet Area Pokémon. Aerodactyl shot into the sky to avoid the widespread attack. As the opposing Honchkrow attempted to do the same, the Fossil Pokémon dropped like a meteor toward him. Too late, the Big Boss Pokémon's trainer called for a counter. Sparks burst from Aerodactyl's open mouth as the Rock/Flying-type bit down on his opponent's nearest wing. With a shriek, the Big Boss Pokémon went limp. The judge raised both flags as Aerodactyl gently set his unconscious opponent back on the ground.

That prompted Chris to scan the other battlefields. His eyes halted on the battle nearest to him. After less than twenty seconds of watching, Chris couldn't turn away. Like Seth's, this battle had come down to a 2-on-1 affair. Slowbro and a bipedal lizard faced off against a Ninjask. The two teammates, who already looked to be slow, moved like syrup compared to their opponent. It was all Chris could do to follow the Ninja Pokémon's movements. The Bug/Flying-type zipped toward the lizard, his arms crossing into an 'x' as he approached. The battlefield was close enough for Chris' Pokédex to identify the would-be victim as a Scrafty. The Dark/Fighting-type brought his palms together the instant before the attack landed. Ninjask's glowing arms delivered a solid strike… but not to Scrafty. A brown doll resided where the lizard had just stood. Ninjask found himself surrounded by a pink aura. The air seemed to swirl and rush in to press against him. Chris looked back and found Slowbro surrounded by the same energy. With a lackadaisical gesture, Slowbro telekinetically bounced Ninjask off the ground. Just as the Ninja Pokémon had fought free of the psychic grip, Scrafty appeared beside him. The Hoodlum Pokémon pounded the side of Ninjask's face with a glowing, white fist. As the Bug/Flying-type spun through the air, Slowbro opened his mouth. A steaming stream of water exploded out and smashed into his target's wings. The current lifted Ninjask even higher into the air. The Ninja Pokémon's trainer had returned his teammate before Scald had even finished. The judge raised a flag toward the trainer standing nearest to Chris. As he reached for something in his jacket, the side of the trainer's face became more clear. His olive skin and wide, narrow eyes were apparent from the relatively short distance.

"It's not Waz," Chris muttered. Despite similar physical features and a shared skill for battle, it clearly wasn't the young man Chris had spent several days with. "Maybe that's—" he cut himself off at the sight of Seth passing through the crowd. "Hey, Seth!" The long haired trainer didn't turn to him right away. He kept his gaze straight ahead until Chris called after him again. When he turned, Chris jogged the short distance to meet him.

"Sorry, man. I wasn't trying to ignore you."

"Still in the zone?"

Seth gave him a small smile. "I forgot you knew about that."

"Aerodactyl knowing Thunder Fang is something I didn't know. Me and Gyarados would have been in trouble if you'd busted that out."

Seth shook his head. "We couldn't even if we'd wanted to. I taught Aerodactyl that move because of our battle. You and Gyarados showed us a weakness that we needed to patch up."

"Guess I should be thankful I didn't go with Gyarados for this tourney."

Seth nodded and turned away from him. "I better get my team healed up. I'll see ya later."

"See ya, man."

As he turned to look back over the battlefield, he realized his teammates had never even turned away. "See anything interesting?" he asked once he'd returned.

Scyther said nothing, but Typhlosion gestured at a nearby battlefield. It took Chris a moment to catch on to his starter's choice. The battle had become a 2-on-1 situation. A Hitmonlee and Sudowoodo were racing toward a stationary Machoke. The situation seemed hopeless for the latter, until Chris caught sight of his trainer squatting low to the ground. Once Machoke mirrored the move, the trainer's identity became abundantly clear.

The Superpower Pokémon pounced forward like he had had springs in his feet. His sudden attack surprised his foes, who just managed to shield themselves from two quick karate chops. Hitmonlee was the first to recover; he sprung forward and delivered a jumping kick to Machoke's exposed side. The Superpower Pokémon grimaced and began to recoil, but his trainer yelled something and proceeded to do a weird spin. At that, Machoke latched onto Hitmonlee's leg. With a spin and a shout of his own, the Superpower Pokémon launched the Kicking Pokémon back the way he'd come. Sudowoodo had no time to avoid his out of control partner. Hitmonlee crashed into him, and the force of the Kicking Pokémon's momentum sent both creatures sprawling onto the ground. When it became clear they were unable to battle, the victorious trainer speed walked over to his teammate and…

Chris rubbed his eyes. Did they just… bump their biceps together?

Dobbs, for who else could it have been, was off the battlefield an instant later, having said nothing to the judge or his opponent. Chris considered swinging over to speak with him, but something told him to hold off. He turned back to his occupied teammates. "I have enough going on here," he muttered.

As the remaining battles came to a close, Chris was surprised to see the battlefields remain empty. The speakers had gone silent. The only sound that remained came from the rustling of the wind, murmur of the crowd, and faint echoes from the last battles. This strange ambiance lingered for several minutes. Then, once the remaining battles had wrapped up, the speaker came back to life.

"There will be a one hour intermission period before the day's final round," the male voice announced. "Take this time to eat, rest, and plan. Good luck to all the remaining trainers!"

Chris' wasn't sure whether to be relieved or stressed about this. On one hand, Scyther still wasn't in a good place mentally. After watching several battles, his scowl had only deepened. They could use this extra hour to refocus and game plan around the info Sarah had told him. But if things with Scyther weren't worked out, they'd just be prolonging the inevitable.

Chris motioned to his teammates. "Let's get away from the crowd for a bit."

He led them back to their previous talking point, but found it occupied by a couple dozen trainers. His eyes scanned the shoreline east. "Guess we'll have to find our own spot." With that, he took off at a brisk jog. It took a couple seconds before he heard a pair of hurried footsteps behind him. They zigged and zagged through the lounging tournament goers, none of whom paid the three much attention. They passed the buildings on the opposite side of the battlefield and kept moving. The structures and their lingering crowds slowly faded into the distance. Just as they reached the foot of the Pokémon Center-topped hill, the trainer veered left. They went down a short, muddy embankment and emerged onto a stone covered portion of the bank. The rocky flat extended well to the east, even reaching the bend of the lake itself. During periods of heavy rain, as this area was prone to, this stone path probably didn't exist. Someone sat between the bend and where they stood now, but Chris paid them no mind. The small waves lapping against the rocks would block out the majority of his words.

"We can use this break to our advantage. Let's figure out how we're going to handle our next opponents."

The fire starter nodded. "Ty'."

Scyther didn't speak.

"So we know they'll have a type advantage over Scyther," Chris continued. "That means our opponents will be some combination of…" he paused. "Fire, Rock, Ice, or Flying. Oh… and Electric."

Scyther looked as though he might throw himself into the freezing water.

"'Phlosion."

"That's right. We've already overcome type disadvantage twice today. We had Ice-, Electric-, and Rock-type attacks thrown at us in the first round. We saw your other two weaknesses last match. And we won both."

Scyther jabbed a scythed appendage at both of them. "Scy'."

Chris felt his face begin to warm. "Listen, we can't sweep every opponent. Our training with Kiyo doesn't magically make us better than all these other trainers. Some of these people have years of experience." Scyther nodded, but the creases in his face didn't soften. Chris took a step toward him. "And I said it earlier—part of this is also my fault. You've had to overcome type disadvantages so many times and I've done a poor job of keeping you out of harm's way today."

Scyther bashed his blades together, sending an echoing clang out across the water. "Scyther!" He put an arm up to the crown of his head and made a stabbing motion. He pounded his chest with the flat side of his other blade.

Embers had begun to spark from the back of Typhlosion's neck. The Volcano Pokémon let loose a snarl.

Chris held up a hand. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Reaching into the side pouch of his pack, he withdrew the metal cylinder that Jasmine had given him. "This is a Metal Coat," he said. "All this built up frustration about your typing, your strength, and your durability… this could remedy that." Scyther's eyes grew to the size of saucers. Chris kept him silent with another wave of his hand. "But it would come at a cost. One of your greatest strengths—your speed—would be sacrificed in the process."

Scyther stared down at the metal in his trainer's hands. His head tilted to the left. Then to the right. His body slowly twisted, until he'd turned his stare to the lake. His eyes seemed to track the waves as they ebbed and flowed across the top of the water. Chris was willing to wait as long as necessary to hear his answer, but a low pitched squawk drew all their attention to the hill behind them. A green bird stood halfway up the slope, her white wings spread wide, and her body completely still. A pair of red eyes looked to be printed on her torso.

"My apologies," a soft voice spoke. Looking down the rocky bank, the distant individual they had seen now stood before them. The shorter man wore a beautiful blue coat over what appeared to be a maroon vest. His pants and boots looked to be equally as immaculate, but it was the black and white mask that grabbed Chris' attention. "I hope she didn't scare you."

"Oh, wow." Chris brought a hand up to his mouth. He took a deep breath, set the Metal Coat on the ground, and brought a quivering hand forward. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

The man gave his hand a polite shake. "Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?"

"C—Chris, sir."

The man beamed back. "Will," he said.

"Oh trust me, I know one of the strongest Elite Four members when I see one."

The man's smile faltered. "One of the strongest? You don't think I'm the best?"

Chris let out a nervous chuckle. "I mean, you're great. It's just that, uh, I think… maybe Karen is stronger."

Will's purple hair shook as he reared back and covered his mouth. "Oh, my. An insult as your first impression."

Chris brought both hands to his head. "No, sir. I didn't mean that as an insult. I just am… a little shocked to see you here."

"So you don't think I should be here? Well, I can make that a reality."

An audible groan passed through the young trainer's lips. "I'm just going to shut up now."

Will burst out into a fit of melodic laughter. It took several seconds before he'd composed himself. "I must apologize again. I'm merely teasing." He opened his arms wide. "Will you accept this second admission of guilt?"

Chris' nod came so quickly he nearly gave himself whiplash. "Of course!" He turned back to his teammates, who had yet to hide their confusion. "This man is one of the most powerful trainers in the world," he eagerly explained. At that, their confusion turned to shock. Chris brought his attention back to Will. "I can't believe I've met two members of the Elite Four."

The Psychic-type master tilted his head. "Who was the other?"

"I met Lance in Violet City. Have—have you heard how he's doing?"

"He's been… busy these past few months. We've missed him at HQ, but Blue has done well to fill his role—snarkiness aside."

"So that's true?"

"The rumors don't do it justice."

The two shared a round of laughter. When they'd gone quiet again, Chris rubbed at his shoulder. "I am curious, sir, and again, I mean no offense, but what brings you to this tournament?"

Will brought up a pair of fingers. "That question has two answers," he said. "You may not remember it, but I used to be an Ice-type specialist. My love for the element hasn't changed, and so I hoped to see some strong performers in this chilly atmosphere."

"I remember reading about you changing types. I don't think I ever read why."

"Another question with two answers." Will pointed to the white patches that covered his eyes. "This mask isn't just an elaborate piece of my wardrobe. My eyesight has always been poor. I used to struggle mightily to even tell the members of my stuffed doll collection apart! And with each passing year, it only seemed to get worse. I used to wear glasses, but it got to the point that lenses just weren't cutting it. I'd already been a member of the Elite Four for a while at that point, and so I used my pull and income to have the Silph Company design these visual enhancers for me. Even more help came in the form of Psychic-types, of which I already had several. Their telekinetic powers and mental connection helped me see the battlefield in ways I never could have imagined. That made it a very easy decision to switch type specialty."

"Oh, wow." Chris exhaled. He'd never known about the Elite Four member's extreme impairment. To be able to achieve so much in spite of it... "You said there was a second reason?"

Will fidgeted. Then, despite his short stature, the trainer's back straightened and he stood taller than he had before. "Before switching to Psychic-types, I made a big change in my own life. I… discovered myself. And in the process of making my own transition, I found it only fitting that it be reflected in my change in type specialty."

Chris nodded. "That's pretty cool." He looked back at Scyther. "I have a friend right now that's struggling with his own identity."

Will's gaze fell to the piece of metal that lay at Chris' feet. "I heard the tail end of your discussion with Scyther." He nodded at the Metal Coat. "It sounds like you're still in the process of weighing the benefits of evolution."

"Any advice you can give us?"

Will shrugged. "Every case is different. I, personally, have never been in this kind of situation. The closest things I have for comparison are my Snorunt and my Slowpoke. For them, it wasn't a question of evolving, but what they should evolve into."

Chris looked back and received a nod from the Mantis Pokémon. "I think any advice would be good advice for us right now."

"We came to different conclusions in each case. Hopefully you can find your answer between them." Will took a deep breath and ran a hand through his angular hair. "My Snorunt decided to evolve into a Froslass. She chose specialty over the jack-of-all-trades pathway that Glalie would have provided her. My Slowpoke decided to bulk up her physical defense to cover for the numerous physical attackers that had picked on her to that point." Lines appeared on Will's forehead. "But I want to reiterate that these situations are not the same as what your teammate now faces."

Scyther had turned toward the lake once more. He had his jaw clenched tight enough to crack an Everstone.

"Just like Will's Pokémon, this is your choice. Don't think about what I want, what your other teammates want, or what would best help us in this tournament. This is a choice that only you can make and that you will have to live with. We're with you no matter what." And with that, Chris took a knee.

The Mantis Pokémon kept his eyes fixed on the water. Patches of sunlight burst through the cloud cover, coating the bank with its golden glow. Scyther slowly brought his arms down. His jaw relaxed and his wings began to slowly beat. He looked at Will, and then turned to Typhlosion. Finally, he knelt down beside his trainer. He didn't look Chris in the eyes, but instead kept his gaze fixed on the Metal Coat that lay between them. After a long moment, Chris scooped up the item and held it between them. When his teammate made no move for the cylinder, the trainer pulled it back. That's when Scyther's blades dropped gently onto the top of the round item.

"Scy'."

"You're sure?"

The Bug/Flying-type nodded.

Chris returned the gesture. "Then let's find a trading partner." As they both stood up, Will took a step forward.

"Congratulations on your decision. I know the day's final round is about to begin, so you might want to hurry on finding someone to trade with."

"I'm guessing you aren't a viable option?"

Will shook his head. "I'm afraid I'm heading in the opposite direction. Sorry."

Chris gritted his teeth. "That's alright. I'm sure we can find somebody. We're also close to the Pokémon Center, so that helps."

"I'll let you be off then," Will said, giving a short bow. "Thank you for allowing me to aide in your choice."

"I should be the one thanking you. Seems like Scyther may have gotten some wisdom from your words. And Arceus knows it's always just, man, so cool to meet a member of the Elite Four!" As Chris returned the man's bow, a spike of intrigue prodded at his subconscious. "One last thing, sir. If that's alright?"

"By all means!"

"You said you had two reasons for being here. What was your second?"

"Xat'!"

Chris nearly jumped into the freezing lake. He'd completely forgotten about the motionless green bird above them. Looking up, he found her beaded gaze fixed on Scyther. The etched, red eyes on her torso stared at him.

"Xatu is a Pokémon with access to the future and the past. She can't see things exactly as they were or will be, but she can gather insight into the thoughts and feelings of others at those times." Will let show a lopsided grin. "When we arrived this morning, she informed me that someone would need our help here."

Chris saluted the Psychic/Flying-type. "I will never find your species weird again."

Will chuckled. "We're all a little strange. Now, you best be on your way."

"Yes, sir!"

The trio sprinted across the bank without a second's delay. As Chris barreled up the dirt path and emerged back onto the grassland, he nearly shoulder checked Sarah.

"What the—"

"No time," he cut her off. "I know this is a huge favor, and I know we don't have a lot of time, but would you care to make a quick trade with me?"

A smirk appeared on her lips. "So you decided to evolve him, huh?"

"We need to get this done now."

She blinked. "You're doing it before your next battle?"

"Yes!" Chris bounced on his toes. "But we need to get to the Pokémon Center ASAP."

She dropped her hands to her hips. "What do I get out of this?"

I would have been better off asking a complete stranger, Chris silently bemoaned. "Listen, we don't have time to negotiate right now. Could you just, for now, do this out of the kindness of your heart?"

Sarah turned to face Scyther. The Mantis Pokémon managed to keep his stoic demeanor intact, but he couldn't hide the nervous twitch in in his wings. Sarah brought up a finger. "You'll owe me one."

"Yes, we will!" Chris grabbed her arm and sprinted up the hill. The center was mostly empty when they arrived. They found the trading machine on the far end of the lobby. The silver device had two branching pipes, both of which ended in small, transparent chambers.

Chris gave Scyther the Metal Coat and wrapped him in an embrace. The Mantis Pokémon kept his arms at his side and awkwardly waited for his trainer to let go. He did manage an affirming nod before Chris returned him to his Poké Ball.

The Cherrygrove City native turned to Sarah. "You ready?"

"I don't know. I'm still trying to decide which Pokémon to send."

"It doesn't matter. You're going to get it right back."

Sarah fidgeted with a Poké Ball on her belt for a painfully long amount of time. When she'd finally freed it, Chris quickly guided her hand to the open chamber. When both Poké Balls were in place, the trainers simultaneously flipped a switch on the capture device holders, and pressed matching buttons on the main machine. The Poké Balls dematerialized into a red, molecular glob, before being sucked into their respective pipe. The devices reappeared a moment later in the same fashion. As Chris went to repeat the process, Sarah held up a hand.

"Are you sure you don't just want to keep my mystery Pokémon. I assure you it's well trained."

"You do realize our battles start at the same time, right?"

Sarah's expression turned grave. "Fair point."

The two carried out the trading process once more. The instant his Poké Ball had fully materialized, Chris grabbed it and sprinted for the door. He slowed just enough to shout his thanks, but Typhlosion nearly ran him over in the process. He managed another quick string of words he hoped would suffice, then hightailed it back down the hill. They didn't meet a soul on their way, only adding to Chris' stress. To distract himself, and to satisfy his building curiosity, he activated the release mechanism on what once was Scyther's Poké Ball. The following white flash of light faded to reveal a completely different creature than the one that had entered the device. Scyther's green skin had been coated in a red armor. His face and body had smoothed and twisted to become more round. The trio of spikes atop his head had grown and shifted to the back of his skull. The biggest change became evident once Chris' teammate lifted both crimson arms. Two, large pincers now resided where his blades had been.

"Scizor," the creature muttered.

Chris caught his starter frowning at his newly evolved teammate. It took a moment for him to notice Typhlosion's craned neck. Their crimson teammate was tall. Standing at nearly six feet, he only measured a few inches shorter than Chris himself.

"How do you feel?"

Silver wings slid out from the two protruding appendages on Scizor's back. As they fluttered to life, they cast a metallic shimmer that nearly blinded his trainer. The Bug/Steel-type went to raise his pincers higher, but stopped. Lines appeared on his forehead. He tried again, and managed to bring them over his head with an effort. He swung both arms out and nearly fell flat on his face. He repeated the movement and managed to stay balanced this time. But when he'd gathered himself, a scowl had clouded his expression.

"It'll take some getting used to," Chris explained. He motioned toward the the distant battlefield. "We can talk and practice later. We don't want to get booted from the tourney for no-showing our next battle!"

"Ty'!"

"Scizor!"

The three took off down the hill at a sprint. It took several seconds for Chris to realize that only Typhlosion still ran with him. Turning, he found Scizor half hovering, half stumbling well behind them. Chris called for his starter to slow, allowing the Pincer Pokémon to reach them a few moments later. Scizor motioned for them to go on ahead. "Sciz'."

Chris went to object, but a playful voice cut him off.

"Don't be late, boys."

A blur shot past the trio. Chris turned in time to see a Heracross racing down the hill in front of them. Sarah rested on his back, an arm wrapped around his horn, and waved at them with her free hand.

"Ty'!" The Volcano Pokémon went to take off, but Chris stepped in front of him.

"We have to stay calm. Let's just focus on making it to the battlefield." Chris brought out two Poké Balls. "If it works for you guys, I'll return you and send you back out when it's showtime." He did just that after a quick agreement from them both. As he took off down the hill, he heard the echo of a voice from the loud speaker. The voice continued as he reached the grassland. A dull throbbing started in his knees as he weaved around bystanders and reached the first set of buildings. As he rushed through an alley and emerged into the battle zone, he could see that trainers had already taken their positions. He thanked Arceus when he found the only empty trainer box just three battlefields over. His legs nearly gave out when he came to a stop inside his designated corner.

"Chris Aedan?"

"Yes, sir," Chris said between sharp breaths. He dropped his backpack to the ground and brought out his teammates' capture devices. "Sorry for being late."

The official typed away at his pad without response. The trainer on the other side of the box looked to have her two Poké Balls ready as well.

Sarah said the Pokémon we'd face would both have a type advantage over Scyther, Chris silently mused. Maybe this evolution can flip the script.

"You may release your Pokémon."

Four simultaneous flashes heralded the combatants' appearance. Chris' stomach bottomed out at the sight of the flaming steed opposite him. The winged scorpion next to her didn't do much to lift it back in place. Two Pokémon that hold type advantages over Scyther. Those had been Sarah's words. She hadn't lied to him, but she sure as hell hadn't made the situation any better. Despite his improved defenses, Scizor wouldn't be able to handle many Fire-type attacks. The trainer took one look at his teammates and saw the realization on their faces. At least Rapidash is a physical attacker, Chris thought. That would take a bit of the umph off those doubly super effective fire assaults. Looking over at Gligar's evolution, he noticed something resting against the bottom of the purple creature's circular torso. It looked to be an orb, nearly the same color as Gliscor himself. It hung from a black strap that wrapped around the Fang Scorpion Pokémon's broad shoulders. Even from this distance, and even though it nearly blended in to the creature's skin, it wasn't hard to identify the held item as a Toxic Orb. Chris could only speculate what purpose it would serve. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of two raised flags.

"Are both trainers ready?" He paused to examine each trainer's response. "Then you may begin!"

Chris wasted no time in taking the initiative. "Let's close the gap!"

Typhlosion took off on all fours as flames ignited around his shoulders. Even though they'd begun their approach at the same time, it was disheartening to see how quickly Scizor fell behind his teammate. The Pincer Pokémon's wings beat furiously as he half sprinted, half glided toward his nearest opponent.

The opposing trainer had called out an attack for Rapidash not long after Chris' own command. The clouds overhead parted, bathing the battlefield in a warm, golden light. The radiant glow felt great against Chris' face, but he knew Sunny Day could spell disaster for Scizor. As for his partner…

"Hit Gliscor with Flamethrower!"

"Earthquake!" came the opposing trainer's command.

Gliscor slammed both his pincers into the ground. An underground shockwave rippled out just as Typhlosion let loose a stream of fire from his mouth. The flames washed over Gliscor, but the attack ceased a moment later, as the ground around the Volcano Pokémon suddenly exploded. Earthen debris blasted Typhlosion's exposed torso, sending Chris' starter staggering backward. The trainer noted that Rapidash wasn't spared from the widespread assault either—an audible grunt escaping her as the mobile earth struck her legs. Despite his awkward movement, Scizor managed to power through the ground assault without falling. He took one last, long step toward Gliscor.

"Wing Attack!" Chris called.

Scizor launched himself at his vulnerable opponent. He twisted his body and swung out with both of his glowing wings. It looked as though he couldn't get the second wing around in time, but the whack that followed still made Chris' jaw drop. The echo rippled across the grassland like a thunderclap. Scizor put so much force into the landed strike that he wound up on the ground beside his opponent. That sent the opposing trainer and her Rapidash into action. As the Fire Horse Pokémon burst into a gallop, her fiery mane expanded, surrounding her entire figure in a ball of inferno.

Chris turned back to Typhlosion, who had recovered, and was already racing forward. "Intercept with Quick Attack!"

The speed of Typhlosion's stride doubled upon command, bringing the Volcano Pokémon into the opposing Rapidash's path. Chris' starter launched himself at the flame coated horse. The clash didn't last long.

"Roll to break your fall!" Chris shouted as his teammate was launched backward. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gliscor had made it back to a vertical base.

"Facade!" the opposing trainer directed.

As Gliscor took to the air, a white glow overtook his entire figure. He had already begun his approach before Typhlosion had hit the ground.

Chris turned back to Scizor. With Rapidash suffering from Flare Blitz's recoil, his Bug/Steel-type wouldn't have to worry about his major weakness for now. But even though the Pincer Pokémon had made it to his feet, Chris knew his teammate would not be able to carry out his next command in time. "Cut him off with… X-Scissor!"

Scizor wasted no time in charging after his teammate's would-be attacker. His wings hummed with a metallic whine, punctuated every other second by his heavy footfalls. But with each step, Scizor only fell further behind his target. Typhlosion had just rolled to a stop—his mind and body clearly in no shape to fend off another assault. And wearing the Toxic Orb, Gliscor's Facade would hit with double its usual force.

Chris tasted blood on his lower lip but he ignored it. "You have to beat him there!" He swung a fist at the air. "Beat him to the punch!"

A silver aura poured over Scizor's wings and pincers. As he took another step, his feet became encased in the same light. Then, Scizor vanished.

"Watch out, Gliscor!"

There was a flurry of movement near the Fang Scorpion Pokémon, followed immediately by the sound of a crash. Scizor now hovered where Gliscor had been a moment earlier. One of his glowing pincers now stuck out as if he had thrown a punch. Chris found Gliscor tumbling end over end, hurdling away from where the Bug/Steel-type now hovered. His spinning slowed and he finally came to a stop at the left edge of the battlefield. His glassy eyes and befuddled expression mirrored that of both trainers and their Pokémon. Chris had only just enough time to figure out his recently evolved Pokémon's newest move before the opposing trainer called Rapidash in to action.

"Hit Scizor with Flare Blitz!"

Chris turned back to his starter, and found that Typhlosion had already risen onto his hind legs in preparation for his trainer's command. "Focus Blast!"

A golden glow sparked to life between Typhlosion's paws. As Rapidash surged forward to tackle their prone teammate, Chris gave his starter the go-ahead. The opposing trainer had only just gotten out her words of warning when the yellow orb found its mark. The energy exploded against Rapidash's side, knocking the horned creature off her feet.

Chris turned back to Scizor, who had only now managed to regain his balance after his first, unexpected use of Bullet Punch. "Let's go with X-Scissor on Gliscor!"

It looked as though they would make it back-to-back successful attacks for the first time that day, but both Gliscor and his trainer had managed to recover. As Scizor closed in with his crossed pincers, sparks burst to life inside of the Fang Scorpion Pokémon's open mouth. Snapping his jaw shut, Gliscor's electrified fangs clamped down on Scizor's outstretched pincers. The two pushed against one another, with Scizor stumbling awkwardly as Gliscor surged forward. The Pincer Pokémon managed to regain his footing before the Flying/Ground-type could fully take advantage. Swinging both arms out, Scizor managed to repel his foe, but the Bug/Steel-type once again found himself off balance.

"Help him out with Quick Attack!" Chris called to Typhlosion.

As the Volcano Pokémon raced forward to attack the vulnerable Gliscor, Rapidash swept in to catch both trainer and Pokémon by surprise. More sparks rained down on the battlefield as the steed tackled Typhlosion with her electrified body. A crack of thunder echoed out from the collision. Typhlosion tumbled away from the impact. Seeing Rapidash recoil as Wild Charge's pain struck her, and seeing his starter prone, Chris knew what was coming.

"Hit Typhlosion with Facade!"

The young man from Cherrygrove found Scizor's determined stare. "Stop him with Bullet Punch!"

Scizor shot toward his target as a streak of silver light. His timing looked a bit better on this attempted punch. With his trainer's aide, Gliscor managed to bring his arms up to absorb the blow. The punch knocked the Fang Scorpion Pokémon off his path, but he managed to stay upright.

"Morning Sun!"

The golden rays of sunlight intensified as the air around Rapidash began to shimmer. Several of the bruises around the steed's legs and side disappeared as the sun poured over her. Chris glanced over at Gliscor, who stood in a face off with Scizor. The Fang Scorpion Pokémon stood on his tail, his toothy grin only confirming what Chris had feared. That Toxic Orb is healing him. It only made sense when the species could potentially have the Poison Heal ability. And after taking multiple attacks and self inflicted damage, Morning Sun would have Rapidash feeling rejuvenated as well.

One look at his teammates told Chris all he needed to know. Typhlosion had made it back to all fours, but the sweat pouring off his forehead and the rapid rise and fall of his stomach revealed the truth. Scizor still looked in good shape, but that wouldn't help with the newly evolved Pokémon's awkwardness. We're going to have to go after one of these guys, Chris decided. It only took another second for the target to become painfully obvious.

"Wing Attack on Rapidash!"

"Meet him with Flare Blitz!"

Chris gritted his teeth and forced his eyes off his newly evolved teammate. "Prepare Focus Blast, Typhlosion!"

"After Rapidash strikes," the opposing trainer added, "hit him with Facade, Gliscor!"

He can take it, Chris told himself. This was one of the main reasons they'd considered evolution. And if he can tough it out…

Scizor's glowing wings met Rapidash's flaming figure. Despite the intense heat, the Pincer Pokémon managed to deliver both strikes of his attack. But with an extra effort, Rapidash powered through and launched Chris' teammate toward the approaching Gliscor.

"Prepare a Wing Attack and brace yourself!" The young man from Cherrygrove City turned back to Typhlosion, who now held a glowing orb in his paws. "Fire!"

The Volcano Pokémon let loose the concentrated energy. The attack found Rapidash, who had only just recovered from Flare Blitz' recoil. The energy exploded against her snout and knocked her onto her hindquarters.

Meanwhile, Gliscor had just finished striking Scizor. The Pincer Pokémon now found himself hurtling back the way he'd come.

"Now's the time to strike!" Chris shouted.

Having already prepared the attack, and with Gliscor's fierce tackle giving him the needed velocity, Scizor slammed into Rapidash back first. The Pincer Pokémon's glowing wings smacked into each side of the Fire-type's face, knocking her completely over. Scizor skidded across the grass past her, but managed to roll back to his feet as he slowed. Rapidash, on the other hand, remained motionless.

It took several seconds for the judge to find the required words. It took even longer for Rapidash's trainer to return her to her capture device. Her eyes seemed fixed on Scizor. The judge spoke up a moment later, giving neither trainer a real chance to process the sudden knockout.

"The battle will now resume."

"Earthquake!"

"Shoot," Chris hissed. He hadn't planned on jumping back into the battle this quickly. He hadn't even expected to find himself in this advantageous position. But with Rapidash gone, Gliscor would be free to dish out as many widespread Ground-type assaults as he could muster.

A wave of heat blasted Chris' face. Golden flames poured from his starter's back. The long, wavy streaks looked like golden locks beneath the intense sunlight. The sight sent a surge of adrenaline through the trainer's body. For better or worse, Typhlosion's biggest attack was at hand.

"Into the air!" Chris directed. As drained as his starter was, jumping wouldn't save Typhlosion from Earthquake's wrath. It would however provide him with a clearer target. "Flamethrower!"

As the moving earth rumbled toward him, the Volcano Pokémon pounced as far up as his fatigued legs would let him. The flames on his back momentarily vanished as he disappeared into the brilliant light of Sunny Day. There was a flash, followed instantly by a river of fire. The flames poured from Typhlosion's maw, cascading through the air until they had encased their target in a white hot blaze. But even as Gliscor disappeared beneath the fiery wave, the ground around Typhlosion and Scizor suddenly exploded. Scizor, still fatigued from his risky maneuver, could only cross his arms and wait for the launched debris to cease. Typhlosion found himself in a much more prone position. Compacted dirt and rocks erupted straight into the Fire-type's stomach. The collision launched him even higher into the air. End over end he spun, finally landing back-first on the ground beside his trainer. The starter's blank expression revealed the outcome long before the judge spoke.

Chris knelt beside his teammate. "Way to go out fighting," he whispered. "Thanks for giving us a chance." When he'd returned his teammate, he stood back up and surveyed the battlefield. On the bright side, he'd managed to avoid the worst case scenario. He and his awkward, newly evolved Scizor would have been screwed had Rapidash still been in the battle. But even with a one-on-one, neutral-typing situation, Chris didn't love their chances. With Gliscor's self healing and long range attack, we can't let this battle drag on, he told himself.

"The battle will now resume!"

Both trainers simultaneously called out their moves. Scizor sprung forward, his body wrapped in the silver glow of Bullet Punch. He'd nearly reached his target before the earth rippled out to meet him. Rocks stabbed upward and dirt pelted his body, scuffing and slashing his armor further, but the Bug/Steel-type pressed on. That quick, violent turbulence provided Gliscor just enough time to rise onto his tail and get his arms up. A metallic clang echoed across the grassland as Scizor's outstretched pincer found both of Gliscor's. The impact drove the Fang Scorpion Pokémon back several feet, but the Poison/Ground-type remained balanced on his tail.

"Facade!"

"X-Scissor!"

Scizor only managed to take one step before Gliscor was on top of him. The Bug/Steel-type's crossed pincers served more as a shield than a strike in the exchange. Scizor managed to hold his position, but found himself nearly bent backward in the process.

"Fly back and use Earthquake!"

Separation would almost certainly spell the end for Scizor and his trainer's hopes. As Gliscor leapt into the air, Chris turned to the only move he'd yet revealed in the battle. "Pursuit!"

Despite the fatigue, and in spite of the unfamiliar weight he now packed, Pursuit's tracking nature gave Scizor the boost needed to chase after his retreating foe. At his trainer's command, Gliscor managed to raise his arms to intercept the dark energy infused tackle of his foe. The two sides clashed high above the center of the battlefield.

When it looked as though Gliscor would hold back the tackle, Chris added, "Use your wings!"

Scizor's grey wings stretched to their full length as the Pincer Pokémon began to beat them. The opposing trainer called for Gliscor to bring his tail forward. The call came just in time, as the Fang Scorpion Pokémon's arms were thrust back a moment later. Gliscor's bulky tail withstood Scizor's final push, but the Ground/Flying-type's shifting position turned him upside down, and killed his remaining upward momentum. As he began to fall, his trainer directed he glide back to the ground, no doubt itching to strike with Earthquake the moment Scizor landed.

"Retract your wings and curl into a ball!" Chris called. Scizor wasted no time in doing so, despite the lack of explanation. "Now, fall."

Physics would tell you that in a vacuum, with no air resistance, two objects of any size would be equally impacted by the acceleration of gravity. But between the cool breeze, Scizor's aerodynamic frame, and Gliscor's parachute-like wings… things would play out much differently. As Gliscor drifted gracefully back toward earth, Scizor fell like a crimson meteor. When the Ground/Flying-type's trainer saw what was occurring, she called for her teammate to alter his flight path.

"Bullet Punch!"

A silver glow encompassed Scizor's body once more. The Pincer Pokémon unraveled and twisted his body so that he faced the earth. He had only just pulled back his clinched pincer when his body jolted forward. He never had a chance to deliver the punch, instead colliding chest-to-chest with Gliscor. Their bodies twisted together. And then they struck the earth.

The impact shook the ground and kicked up a cloud of dirt and lingering dust. When the cover faded, the dwindling sunlight revealed a pair of motionless figures. Scizor lay still atop the splayed out Gliscor. Both trainers' eyes rose from their teammates, to each other, and then to the judge.

"Both Pokémon are down," he announced, to the shock of no one. "By tournament rule: a battle may not end in a draw. The first Pokémon to stand will score the victory for their team."

As if in response, both Pokémon began to move. Scizor pressed his pincers into the dirt but could only get his chest a few inches off the ground. Gliscor, still under Chris' teammate, began to swing at Scizor's torso. Encouraged by his trainer, the Fang Scorpion Pokémon continued to punch away at the struggling Bug/Steel-type. It was clear that Gliscor had more energy. If he managed to get free, he'd no doubt beat his heavy, sluggish foe back to his feet. Gliscor reared back for his biggest swing yet.

"Fall back to the ground!" Chris called.

Scizor relaxed his arms, spreading them wide, and let gravity take over. He dropped the short distance back to earth in an instant. His armored torso found Gliscor's face, drawing a muffled cry from the Ground/Flying-type. The winged scorpion's movements slowed, and then stopped. After nearly two minutes of failed attempts and shouted encouragement, Scizor finally staggered back to his feet.

"Chris and his team are the winners!"

The trainer bolted onto the battlefield to catch his teammate as he toppled over. The creature's increased weight nearly brought Chris and his tired legs crashing to the ground with him. As the trainer guided Scizor to the fractured earth, he caught sight of something unusual.

"I didn't know your mouth could make that shape."

Scizor turned his face away, but the damage to his stoic aura had already taken the hit.

"Don't worry. I won't tell the team."

Battles and drama—this chapter had it all! Chris finds himself in the fourth round with a new teammate of sorts. Despite the continuous adjustment, it seems the evolution has helped silence the Pokémon's inner struggle. Seth, Dobbs, and Sarah have also advanced, with the latter now stepping forward as Chris' next roadblock! And who is this new trainer that exhibits such high level strategy and skill? The battles and high drama continue in one of the longest, most action packed chapters of Heart and Soul yet! I hope you all have a fantastic New Year that sees you tuning in next time for another thrilling installment of Heart and Soul! Please Review and Subscribe!