Note- You COULD HAVE booked a chapter in December... but you would have bet on a liar! Apologies for this coming out OVER A MONTH passed when I had foretold. The loss of a pet and getting dumped twice have delayed my finishing and release of this chapter. But I am pumped to be back in the great region of Johto once more! I hope you are too! When we last left our favorite trainer, he had recently discovered he'd be battling with a not-so-friendly rival for his not-so-unimportant eighth badge! As a self proclaimed weakling when it comes to the art of the double battle, how will he and a less-than-enthusiastic Sarah handle two more experienced trainers? We'll get to find out today! Hope you enjoy! Please Review and Subscribe!

Chapter 53

"To the right!"

"No, you go left, now!"

Two electrical blasts met one another, creating a violent, spiraling discharge. Acid splattered against the ground and began to simmer as the dirt within began to dissolve. Gyarados and a stout, furry creature with tusks smashed into one another, driving the non damaged earth beneath them into the wind. A massive purple scorpion slashed at Crobat, who danced around the blows and struck back in a flurry.

"Let's take lunch," Sarah's voice called over the controlled chaos.

The Pokémon at hand slowed and came to a halt. They backed away from one another and looked toward their separating trainers.

"Meet me over by the bridge!" Chris called to them.

Upon seeing his food set out, Gyarados nearly beat Crobat back to his trainer. As those two chowed down, Ampharos, upon arriving, turned her attention on Chris.

"Her Luxray is pretty strong, isn't he?"

The Light Pokémon wiped at her forehead. "Amph'."

"I'm glad you're getting to battle against a physical attacker," he said. "Kiyo may have toughened us up, but we aren't going to see too many Fighting-type moves in this battle. Beside their own Dragon-type attacks, Electric-, Fire-, Water-, and Flying-type moves tend to be the most common."

Ampharos nodded before taking a seat next to her teammates. Chris heard a commotion further down the road and caught sight of a dust cloud. Fire leapt from the brown haze, followed by a black ball of energy.

"I'll be right back," Chris told his teammates, before bursting into a jog. As he drew closer, he could make out three figures in the scuffle. Taking a deep breath, Chris prepared to dive into the fray. An explosion of fire rent the dust cloud and threw the trainer flat on his ass. The heat forced his eyes closed, but two nearby thud caught his ear. He jumped back to his feet the moment the air cooled and cracked open an eye. Eevee and Weepinbell lay sprawled out in front of him, the former nearly knocked out and the latter very much so. Looking up, he managed to catch sight of what fire remained. Despite having nearly faded, the flames still stretched out to hover over the canyon to their right. Following the flaming trail back to its source brought Chris's attention to his starter.

"I see you guys decided to spar without me," he said.

Typhlosion shrugged.

Chris dropped to a knee beside his two weakened teammates and reached for his backpack only to find air. He clicked his tongue and brought out their capture devices instead. "We'll get you guys healed up in just a bit."

"'Vee!" The Normal-type shook her head and fought her way back to her feet.

"Okay, you can walk back with us. We'll just need to hurry. Sarah will probably want to start back up here in a couple minutes."

After returning Weepinbell, the trio returned to their feasting teammates. As Chris handed out vitamins to his team, he stopped beside his starter. "You don't want to show that move off around other trainers," he told him. "We want to be able to surprise tough trainers like Sarah. Gives us the edge early."

"Ty'?"

"We'll use Flame Wheel and probably Infernape's Overheat to simulate Fire-type attacks. Let's keep that one hidden, especially while we're still learning to control it."

"'Phlosion."

Even hearing her approaching footsteps, Chris couldn't prepare a clever response fast enough for his fellow trainer's snark.

"You guys having a slowest eater competition over here?" Sarah asked.

"Maybe. How's your… biggest b-word competition going?"

"B-word?"

"Yeah. You know what I mean."

Sarah smirked. "I bet you were the coolest cat in your little town. Can't see how you weren't, especially with all those puns you love to dish out."

"I've lived in two different places, both of which were cities, thank you very much."

"Were they Olivine or Goldenrod?"

"No."

Sarah shook her head. "Those are the only real cities in Johto."

Chris scowled. "So Oreburgh is some metropolis then?"

"I never said I came from one of those." She lifted her head but kept her gaze fixed on him. "I just grew up street smart. What 'city' did you live in before starting your journey?"

Chris tried to hide his grimace. "Cherrygrove City."

Sarah let loose a belly laugh. "I take it back! Oreburgh is huge compared to that tiny spot."

Chris wished he could argue but Cherrygrove was in fact the smallest city in the region. "Besides mocking us, is there another reason you swung over?"

Sarah's grin faded. "I wanted to talk strategy before we jumped back into things. Feel like now is as good a time as any after seeing each other's Pokémon in action."

"I'm just amazed you let me see two new teammates."

"I like the coverage Ampharos and Gyarados provide," she said without flinching. "Their movesets will hit hard on just about any secondary type these dragons possess."

"Just wish we had a better matchup for Kingdra." Chris found himself rolling up his sleeves. Even winter in the mountains couldn't stop the sweat from rolling after an intense training session. "I don't have a Pokémon on my team with Dragon-type or Fairy-type moves."

"You think one of them will use a Kingdra?"

"Absolutely. That's the Pokémon Clair is known for. I'd bet anything she made sure one of them had it to represent the Gym."

"I don't have anything for it either, but Ice- and Electric-type moves will still hit pretty hard. And we both have a Pokémon with Earthquake to handle Charizard."

"About that," Chris gingerly added, flapping his arms. "You do know Charizard isn't affected by Ground-type moves, right?"

"He normally isn't."

Chris brought his thumb and index finger to his lips. "And on top of them needing to use Dragon-types, I think I see what you're getting at."

"I don't know if the name Pitch came before or after they had Mega Evolution, but I can guarantee you that lizard will be turning black at some point."

Chris turned his face skyward. "You think he's scoping us out up there?"

"We're on the opposite side of town," Sarah said with a shrug. "It's still possible, but I wasn't about to get myself lost in the mountains to the south or fight a frozen army in Ice Path again. If they want to fly all the way over here to see us, so be it."

"I doubt they'd see anything too extraordinary anyway."

Sarah looked over his shoulder. "We still need to decide who's starting out the match. And by we, I mean you."

"You've decided?"

She jabbed a thumb back at the massive mound of fur and tusks.

Chris grinned. "I like the idea of starting with Ice. Any of their dragons that are part Flying-type will get steamrolled."

"That is in fact the idea."

"And with Earthquake, you'll have our ground assault ready should Charizard Mega Evolve."

"He will."

Chris stifled a yawn. "Then I'll go with Ampharos. If they do hold off on Mega Evolving, I can still pick him out of the sky with super effective shots."

"And both have you have recently battled a Charizard," Sarah added. "Granted, that particular Pokémon and trainer combo aren't nearly as polished as what we'll see."

Chris gave a solemn nod but a silent reply stirred within him. Hopefully that won't be true for much longer.

The rest of the day's training went about as smoothly as either trainer could have hoped. Snarky remarks and sarcastic retorts gave way to more constructive commentary and suggestion. They wrapped up their session just as a wave of snow-filled clouds covered the evening sun. Both parties retreated to their camps on opposite sides of the clearing.

As Chris packed, he caught quick movement out of the corner of his eye. He found a purple blur cutting through the air—down toward his awaiting Eevee, who rocked on his toes in anticipation. Chris opened his mouth to call off the exchange, but the Normal-type had pounced before he could do so. A flurry of swinging wings met the jumping creature, spiking him back into the dirt with shocking speed. The aerial creature came to rest on the ground beside Chris's fallen teammate, revealing himself to be Crobat.

Chris stepped over and knelt beside both of them. His attention went first toward his downed comrade. "You good, Eevee?"

The Normal-type furiously nodded, though his wobbly legs wouldn't let him fully stand.

"I can't believe you guys still have enough energy to spar."

Eevee grinned at his attacker, prompting Chris to shift his focus.

"I think you've gotten even faster," he told the Bat Pokémon.

"Cro'."

"Now that I think about it, when was your last Gym—" he stopped short as a previous conversation emerged from the back of his mind. In Ice Path, he and Crobat had discussed their final Gym battle, with Chris telling the Poison/Flying-type that he'd be participating. That had been before he'd known the stipulation, and with the idea that he'd at least be battling with three companions. But despite the unexpected, Chris had told his teammate he'd be battling. And though the Bat Pokémon would not cause a fuss if his trainer went back on that, Chris found any will to stick with this change quickly draining from him.

"I'll be right back."

Sarah's head snapped around at the sound of his hurried footsteps.

"You must not have worked hard enough if you still have that much energy."

"I'm swapping Gyarados out for Crobat."

Sarah's eyes narrowed. "You're… what?"

"I had told Crobat he'd be in this Gym battle," Chris explained, clearing his throat. "With everything going on, I'd forgotten that until just now."

"You can't just tell him that you've changed your mind?"

"I could… but he hasn't had the chance to compete for a badge since our fifth. I'm going to give him the chance to earn this last one."

"And in doing so, hurt both our chances at winning."

"You haven't seen Crobat battle."

Sarah jabbed a thumb toward her congregating team. "I caught a bit of his sparring with Drapion."

Chris grinned. "And what did you think?"

"I mean, he's pretty quick."

"He's faster than any other Pokémon out here."

"But we've already spent a day working on our combinations and lineups."

"I'll still use Ampharos. That keeps our starting strategy the exact same. With Crobat in alongside Drapion, we'll have a real good chance at poisoning them. C'mon. You know how good I am at adapting."

Sarah rubbed at her eyes. "Fine. But we're going to meet tomorrow at dawn to start incorporating him."

"Deal. Crobat will appreciate not having to train in the middle of the day."

"Who's to say we don't go all day?"

On his way back to camp, Chris caught an unusually anxious expression on Crobat's face. Once he'd joined the rest of his team, the trainer had them circle up around him. "So… we've altered things a bit." He cast a guilty smile up at the towering water serpent. "I may have another one of our teammates battle with Ampharos."

Gyarados's head fell but he didn't vocally object.

"Don't worry. You'll still get to train with us."

"Amph'?" the Electric-type asked.

Chris looked back at the rest of his team. "A friend that hasn't gotten to earn a badge since Cianwood."

Crobat's integration into the lineup took center stage from the get go of their final day. With his added speed, Chris managed to convince his double's partner to focus on dividing up the battle into separate singles encounters if the following day's Gym Battle were to go sideways.

"You're sure you're better at singles?" she had asked.

"Without question," he'd answered.

The sun followed their practice as it rose above the surrounding mountain peaks and took its place atop the city. Even so, after a short lunch break, the reluctant pair and their Pokémon got back to business. The blinding orb of light had just crept behind the tallest rocky spire when the sparring creatures made their final advance.

Sarah jabbed a finger at her wobbling Infernape. "He's confused! Strike now with Cross Poison!"

Drapion charged ahead with his pincers aglow. The ground shook as Gyarados slid over to impede the Poison/Dark-type's advance.

"Now, Chris!"

"Already on it!"

A purple blur darted passed Gyarados's wide skull. As Drapion's crossed arms met Gyarados's icy fangs, the speeding Crobat struck the dazed Infernape with rapid fire wing strikes. The second blow sent the starter Pokémon sprawling. After a poison-induced roar, the ground shook as the Atrocious Pokémon joined him.

Chris arrived by his fallen foe just a few seconds after Crobat. Chris gave the Bat Pokémon's head a soft pat as he dug through his backpack with his free hand. He placed the revive in his teammate's gaping maw and convinced him to swallow it. He didn't like using the more expensive medicine unless they were actually stuck in the middle of a route without access to a Pokémon Center. But after attacking and being attacked for nigh on eight hours, the water serpent had more than earned the fast acting treatment.

"You two have been absolute gladiators today."

A slowly reviving Gyarados frowned at his trainer but Crobat nodded in understanding. The bruises across the Bat Pokémon's body didn't extend up to his unusually wide eyes. As he rose with his recovering teammate, Chris realized that he'd shown no visible signs of discomfort throughout the sunny day. Despite the lack of elevation his beaten wings would allow him, Crobat moved as though he could go another couple of rounds. And as his trainer looked on with fascination, it slowly dawned on Chris that this had been the first real opportunity for Crobat to show him the full spoils of their training in Mt. Mortar. I wish I'd thanked Kiyo a couple more thousand times, he thought.

"You guys ready to quit?" came Sarah's distant voice.

Chris sighed but didn't immediately respond. He gave Gyarados another soft pat and then slowly rose. It took him long enough that Sarah felt compelled to repeat her question.

"Wow," Chris said, stretching his arms behind his head, "you must be really tired to ask me that twice."

Sarah let out a snort and tucked away the two capture devices in her hand. "And here I thought you were too exhausted to hear."

"What's that? Did you say something?"

"Your ears better be working tomorrow."

"I'll be sure to turn off selective hearing just for you."

Following suit with his fellow trainer, Chris withdrew his team and began packing up. By the time he'd zipped up his pack and thrown its straps around his shoulders, Sarah was long gone, leaving him alone as he set off for the Pokémon Center. He took it in stride and turned his wondering focus on the rugged beauty and quiet of Blackthorn.

A cool breeze blew in now that the sun had dropped below the peaks, but Chris hardly felt it. Despite Sarah's confused protests, he'd managed to get a decent run and sparring session in with his team before the day's training. They'd gone straight into Gym training after, leaving Chris's body with no chance to cool down. That left him steaming even up until this moment, though he knew his sweat would turn into an icy chill if he didn't get inside soon.

Passing beneath a rocky arch connecting a home and business, Chris's feet found the smooth, stoned streets of downtown. He passed a handful of people working outside, many of them tinkering with overloaded carts of random supplies.

I'd probably be getting everything in order too if I knew Clair would be back soon, Chris silently acknowledged. The few interviews Clair gave didn't paint her as the most forgiving individual. Growing up in a family full of Dragon Tamers, with Lance as your cousin, would undoubtedly leave someone expecting a great deal of responsibility from others. A small, embarrassed part of Chris was actually relieved when he heard Clair wouldn't be his opponent. It wasn't a slight against his teammates, but more so the slightest respite after his grueling mountain training, grind in the Winter Classic, emotional seventh badge, and harrowing escape of Ice Path.

Then again, he thought, stepping into the Pokémon Center, a double battle with Sarah might be just as challenging.

"And here I thought I'd get a break before tomorrow."

Chris's head snapped up to examine the empty lobby. Standing at the distant counter was Sarah, with a poorly concealed smirk to greet him. He wasn't sure what expression his own face made in return. "Wh—why didn't you just walk over here with me?"

"I guess I'd already reached my Chris quota."

Chris rolled his eyes. "So then you're not feeling an extra strategy session over dinner?"

Sarah's eyebrows rose a fraction. "Only if you paid."

"And didn't talk?"

"I can feel our bond deepening already," she said with a smile.

"That's not happening."

"Fine, you can talk. In fact, you can chat away and I'll be quiet. I'd be very curious about your team construction for the Silver Conference."

Chris laughed and shook his head. As he approached the counter, Sarah slid away and plopped onto the same couch she'd rested on only two days prior. Chris set down his six Poké Balls and instantly a shadow fell over him.

"Fifteen minutes," came the neutral tone of the woman behind the counter. It didn't take long for Chris to identify her.

"Hey, how's it going?"

Amalia shrugged her wide shoulders and placed his teammates into the healing device.

"Guess it makes sense that you'd work here too. I think I can trust you not to sabotage my team before our battle tomorrow."

That didn't draw even the faintest smile. "You can wait for your team in the lobby area. Plenty of seats."

"Oh, gotcha." Chris nervously shuffled away and found himself in a grey chair next to Sarah, who had her nose dug into her Pokétch.

"Real bundle of joy," she said without looking up.

"Can you really blame her when we're the company?"

Sarah snorted but didn't answer.

Chris took the proceeding silence and used that time to send out an update to his parents. When he looked back up, nothing had changed.

"So… where are we eating?"

"I'm eating nowhere."

"Really?"

Sarah looked up with a scowl already firmly entrenched across her face. "I'm going to eat what's left of my supplies and turn in for the night."

"C'mon. Our battle isn't till almost noon."

"To battle like a pro, you have to prep like one."

"Fine," Chris said, rolling his head back to stare at the ceiling, "but after we win, you and me are having a civil meal together. And you'll be paying for my sandwich."

Sarah's lips ticked up. "Holding a grudge? How remarkably ungoody two shoes of you."

Amalia cut off Chris's retort. "The first team is ready."

Sarah gave a mock farewell wave and made for the counter. Chris watched her scoop up her team and say something to Amalia. The woman's normally composed expression darkened. She said nothing, but kept her eyes on Sarah until the Sinnoh native had vanished into the night air.

"I'm sorry we haven't been able to practice as a team these past few days."

Chris and his team stood beneath a small ridge on the eastern edge of the city. A handful of light poles behind them provided just enough light for the group to see, but not enough for them to be noticed by others.

"But I'd say you guys probably understand with what's about to go down tomorrow." The Cherrygrove native pulled up on his jacket's zipper. "And even though it's freezing, I knew we couldn't break tradition. From now until the battle tomorrow, whether you're battling or not, I need all the energy this crew has to give."

"Gya'!" Gyarados's tail slapped the embankment behind him, showering the group with pebbles.

Chris held up a hand. "That's, uh, kind of the energy I was looking for. Let's just make sure we follow Ampharos and Crobat's lead and aim it at the right target."

Eevee danced around the clearly embarrassed Electric-type and let out a shout. "'Vee!"

Chris gave Ampharos a thumbs up and stepped then stepped over to Weepinbell. "We also have to make sure we show our newest teammate what we're all about." The moment his hand touched the Flycatcher Pokémon, Chris could already feel him shaking. The trainer did his best to shift his freezing teammate closer to Typhlosion's smoldering shoulder flames. The shaking seemed to be slowing the closer Weepinbell got to the heat, but that quickly changed once the Grass/Poison-type caught sight of the nearby flame. Chris finally gave up and focused back on the battle. "We're going to battling with Sarah tomorrow." Even in the dark, Chris could see the fur on his starter's head bristle. "It's going to be completely different from any Gym Battle… or really any battle that we've ever been in. We'll have new teammates that you'll be able to cheer for." He made sure he had Gyarados and Typhlosion's eyes when he added, "But you have to promise not to get mad at them or Sarah if they make a mistake. If anybody is gonna mess up in a double battle, it'll probably be me anyway." He stepped between a dancing Eevee and his electric friend and motioned for Crobat to land beside him. Chris dropped to a knee to better speak with them. "We know that things aren't going to go as perfectly as we practiced. With another trainer and Pokémon to worry about, we'll just have to be ready to adapt." He felt something brush his back and found Typhlosion leaning over his shoulder. Something flashed in the low light to his left and there was Eevee, rocking on his toes as though the battle was five minutes away. The shaking ground preceded the arrival of a familiar, towering silhouette. Chris could even make out Weepinbell's unique figure, coincidentally on the opposite side of the huddle from Typhlosion.

"Remember this moment," Chris managed to squeak out through his tightening throat. "We're so much stronger together than we ever could be apart. Let's prove it tomorrow."

The huddle broke and Chris stepped away to gather his Poké Balls. As he fumbled in the dark, almost wishing he'd just done this in the Pokémon Center, regardless of whether one of their opponents was there, he felt the cold mountain breeze vanish.

"Ty'."

All eyes shifted back to Chris's starter. The Volcano Pokémon's attention still lay on tomorrow's combatants. He rose onto his hind legs and nodded, first at Ampharos, and then at Crobat. The crackling flames around his neck flickered to life and lit up the entire space. The air temperature spiked as a blast of hot air rippled out, prompting Weepinbell to do a slight backward shuffle. The light, temperature, and flames had all dwindled an instant later. The Fire-type dropped back to all fours and didn't say another word. None of them did.

"It'll be in the back," were the first words Chris heard when he stepped into the Gym. Sarah stood near the back of the stone entrance, her body leaned against some sort of glass statue of an unrecognizable dragon.

"How long have you been here?"

"Long enough to worry about being left high and dry."

Chris let an oversized grin show. "I'm sure a great trainer like yourself could have handled these two anyway."

"That's true, I suppose," Sarah replied, her grin as chilly as Ice Path. "But that's a situation neither of us can create at this point."

"I could always le—."

"Let's go."

They'd been in a hurry with Luke during Chris's only other visit here, so he hadn't taken the time to appreciate the facility's rugged decor. Much like the city itself, the Gym lived in the naturalistic and practical. Stone made up the entirety of the entrance floor and gave way to brick and mortar walls. Torches lined the room and proceeding hallway. Markings and pictures covered every flat surface like a tattoo. Dark wooden support beams lined the walls, appearing like a bloody wound in the red glow of torchlight. It was the first time in Chris's journey he'd felt uncomfortable and out of place.

They passed through an opening and found themselves in the same domed room from their prior visit. Beams of daylight streamed through the openings in the walls. Accompanied by the many lit torches, this room couldn't have been made brighter if they'd installed fluorescent lights.

"There you are!"

Cody and Amalia stood on the opposite side of the open room. The former waved them over and brought both trainers into a surprise, three pronged embrace.

"I'm so happy you guys agreed to battle with these conditions. It's going to be so much fun!"

Sarah was the first to wiggle herself free of the hold. "I wish I could say I was as enthusiastic."

"I trust you guys used these past couple days wisely?"

Chris patted the man on the back and stepped away once he'd released his hold. "I think so," he said.

"As ready as we can be given the circumstances," Sarah added.

Amalia stepped over to loom behind her Gym associate. "My team can go ahead and take care of the roof."

Cody shook his "Have them get the right side. Pitch can handle the left." The dark skinned trainer stepped over to a lever on the wall and reached into his pocket. He brought out a Poké Ball and triggered the release mechanism. A flash of light revealed the same Charizard Chris had seen Amalia riding only a couple days prior. He realized, with some level of humor and horror, the significant size difference between this creature and Luke's. It reminded Chris of the epic figure struck by Blue's own Flame Pokémon… with one noticeable exception. A metallic chain now lay around the fire lizard's neck. A small blue orb hung from the end of the gold links. That sent Chris's eyes to Cody's hand, which now lay atop a lever against the closest wall. Something gleamed in the fire light on the back of his glove. Chris could see Sarah's grin without even looking in her direction.

The lever snapped down with a rickety whine, prompting Charizard to make for the center of the ceiling. A white flash by Amalia gave way to a long, limbless creature of unmatched beauty. The horned dragon drifted up to float beside Cody's Fire-type companion. The winged lizard gripped a now-visible crease in the roof's center and began to push, while Amalia's majestic Dragonair did the same with her horn. A cool gust whipped against Chris's clothes as the rounded sections slowly split apart and slid into the lower wall's rounded base with a teeth-rattling thud. A grey cloud dropped in to replace the absent ceiling, its icy precipitation a soft greeting for the trainers.

"Is the power couple ready?"

Despite her best effort, Sarah's Sheer Cold stare had no effect on Cody's Meowth-like grin. She still held her position even as Chris made for the far side of the field.

"You gonna make my team have to fight around you?" he called back to her.

"No." She didn't move until her fellow trainers had actually reached their corners. Her pace back to Chris was slow and she kept her eyes locked on the dirt. Once the young man from Cherrygrove caught sight of her shaking figure, he actually grew concerned she might be ill. But once her chin lifted, and her eyes found Chris's, everything became clear. "Let's whip their asses."

"Are you ready to bring out your teammates?" came Amalia's booming question. Even though Cody's Charizard had vanished back into its capture device, the co-leader's Dragonair remained out.

"We are," Sarah answered. She nodded ahead, though Chris presumed it was meant for him.

The two trainers launched their Poké Balls into the air, revealing Mamoswine and Ampharos. Cody had also launched a capture device of his own, its revealed content being that of a Kingdra.

There it is, Chris thought. A part of him thought about seeking validation from Sarah for a correct prediction, but he decided instead to just let a small smile show.

"You guys ready?" Cody asked.

"Oh, wait."

All eyes turned to Chris as he fumbled with his right pocket. He finally managed to retrieve four Poké Balls from the pocket.
Sarah's eyes narrowed. "What are you—"

Four bright flashes placed the noncompetitors from Chris's crew on the sideline.

"Why in the hell did you bring the rest of your Pokémon?"

"To support us."

"You don't think showing them your other Pokémon might give them some insight into what your last teammate will be?"

Chris shrugged. "It's not like my type distribution is so wide that it really narrows it down."

"Why didn't you tell me you'd be bringing your whole team?"

"You didn't?"

"No."

Chris did a double take. "Why... does it matter?"

Sarah squeezed the bridge of her nose. "We're facing off against Dragon-types." She lowered her voice to a whisper before continuing. "Do you know what move a lot of Dragon-types like to use?"

"Enough stalling," Amalia cut in. "Make your first move."

"Just be ready to adapt," Sarah hissed.

Chris found his grin again. "That's my primary strategy."

"If you stall anymore, I'll be forced to issue a one Pokémon penalty," Cody said.

"Stealth Rock!" Sarah screeched, mostly into Chris's ear.

Provide cover fire. The thought just managed its way through the ringing in his ear. "Hit Kingdra with a Thunderbolt!"

Dragonair was already on the move before Chris had even finished his command. She slithered through the air toward Mamoswine, her tail wrapped in a watery vortex. Chris pulled his attention away from Kingdra, who had just dodged Ampharos's attack, and focused their next strike on this approaching foe. "Now, go for Dragonair!"

The second bolt of electricity branched through the air just in front of Amalia's teammate, who had pulled back at the last second. Chris knew that Ampharos wouldn't be fast enough to follow up on their stalled foe, but an available ally just might. Mamoswine's energy-infused rocks had finished taking their positions at each corner of the battlefield a couple seconds prior. Normally, a slow creature like the Twin Tusk Pokémon couldn't hope to move again so soon after an attack, but Sarah's teammate wasn't quite so lumbering.

"Ice Shard!"

The furry creature smashed into the stalled dragon with his pair of ice-tipped tusks. The surprising collision sent the smooth skinned serpent spinning across the moist dirt.

Wait, why is the ground—Chris's head snapped up. The light grey clouds had darkened into a menacing purple. The light snow flurry was quickly developing into a chilly rain storm. That drew Chris's attention back to its likely creator, and the target of Ampharos's next Thunderbolt. The bolt of lighting zigged and zagged its way to Cody's teammate, striking him before he could carry out his trainer's command. The team's goal of having Amapharos pin one opponent down at a distance had started off perfectly. But before they could celebrate landing their first strike, another collision snatched Chris's attention away.

Somehow Dragonair had used the slick ground to redirect her momentum, bringing herself back around to strike a surprised Mamoswine with her original Aqua Tail attack. The clubbing blow landed atop the the Ice/Ground-type's skull, driving the mammoth back along the soaked ground.

"Don't let up!" Sarah shouted.

"Right!" Chris shouted back. He took another second to gauge their distant opponent. "Power Gem!"

As Ampharos charged her swarm of energy shards, Mamoswine took off once more. Chris risked a glance at his fellow trainer and noticed her balled up fists. Was this going to be the moment they pulled off their first strategic maneuver?

"Swing around the attack and strike with Slam!" Amalia directed.

The rocks had finished forming around Chris's teammate, who wasted no time in firing them. Mamoswine had reached Dragonair at this point, but his trainer still hadn't called a command. The Dragon Pokémon swung through the air, ready to drop her full weight onto the passing creature.

This is it, Chris realized.

"To Kingdra!" Sarah roared.

The precipitation around Mamoswine tusks instantly froze over as the creature planted his massive paws into the soil. With one massive leap, the Ice/Ground-type sprung away from Dragonair's strike and bounded toward the stationary dragon, Ampharos's rock barrage not far ahead. Kingdra would have nowhere to run.

"Protect."

The jagged stones peppered a green orb that suddenly took shape around Cody's teammate. Mamoswine arrived a moment later, shoving his frozen tusks into the energy cocoon, but with no more success. The stalemate sent Mamoswine stumbling back into the oncoming Dragonair's Aqua Tail. That sent Sarah's teammate back toward Kingdra, who had just dropped his energy shield.

They've taken our 2-on-1 strategy, Chris silently acknowledged. They'd be down a Pokémon if Ampharos didn't even the odds soon. "Use Thunderbolt as you charge in!"

Ampharos firing an attack accurately on the move would have been laughable even a month prior. But Chris felt a small smile creep across his tense cheek as the Light Pokémon's electrical bolt arced directly toward Kingdra's location. At least, it had been the Dragon/Water-type's location just a second prior. The Dragon Pokémon had now slid across the slick ground toward Mamoswine, leaving the bolt of lightning to discharge into the unoccupied dirt. At the same time, a white pulsating aura burst from Kingdra's mouth and found its oncoming, surprised target.

"Don't back down Ampharos!" Chris encouraged as the concentrated energy wave battered his teammate.

"Strike Kingdra with Icicle Crash!" Sarah called.

With Dragonair having just finished an attack, nothing would stop Cody's occupied Pokémon from being hit by the oncoming ice assault.

Sarah let out an uncharacteristic shriek as Kingdra twisted away from the icey bombardment, his prolonged strike against Ampharos still ongoing. The Sinnoh trainer seemed to gather herself, as her following question to Chris came in the form of a hiss. "How is he that fast?"

"Kingdra must have the Swift Swim ability. I'd read that Clair's Kingdra didn't have it, so I didn't even think to game plan for it."

"That would explain why he set up Rain Dance first," Sarah added. She called for Ice Shard to help Mamoswine get out of the corner he had found himself in. That didn't stop Kingdra, who had just finished his attack, from quickly firing off a Hydro Pump after him. The concentrated blast of water smashed into the ground beside the retreating Twin Tusk Pokémon, pelting the creature with an eruption of blackened dirt.

Amalia called for a Slam on Chris's teammate—the closer of her two opponents now. She must have expected another Thunderbolt in retaliation, because she had her Pokémon strike from above.

"Cotton Spore!" Chris directed.

With a quick shake, Ampharos let loose a wave of fur into the chill air. Much of the yellow residue found Dragonair's descending figure, clumping together to almost completely change the color of her skin.

"Now jump back!"

Ampharos managed to half shuffle, half hop back, just in time to avoid Dragonair's Slam.

At least we've slowed the other one down to balance things out, Chris thought.

"Hydro Pump at Ampharos!"

Cody's call snapped Chris from his thoughts. Dragonair had backed off to give way to the already oncoming torrent.

"Move out of the way!" Sarah shouted.

The rumbling ground must have given Ampharos just enough warning to avoid being trampled by the charging Mamoswine. The Twin Tusk Pokémon still side swiped his partner as he passed, knocking her down onto a knee as he rampaged on.

"Icicle Crash!"

The frozen spears returned to meet Kingdra's Hydro Pump head on. The concentrated burst nearly brought Mamoswine's forward progress to a halt. But with each churn of his stout, furry legs, momentum returned. Suddenly, he was driving forward once more.

"Give chase!" came Amalia's command.

Dragonair swung around and slithered after Sarah's charging teammate. Even slowed down by Cotton Spore, it looked as though Dragonair was gaining ground on Mamoswine.

"Stop her with Thunderbolt!" Chris directed.

A surge of electricity surrounded the grounded Light Pokémon as she lifted one paw. With a shout, a bolt of lightning pulsed from her outstretched appendage and caught the weaving dragon in her back, momentarily halting her movement.

"Fight through it!" Amalia encouraged.

With a hauntingly beautiful cry, Dragonair's body unwound and the Dragon-type pushed ahead. Mamoswine had fought his way through Hydro Pump at this point, having just delivered an ice barrage strong enough to put Kingdra on his back.

"Now," Sarah said, one clutched fist now in front of her face, "put him in the dirt with Earthquake!"

Mamoswine rose onto his hind legs, his weight sinking them several inches into the muck below. Dragonair remained out of striking distance as Sarah's teammate brought his front paws back down at his prone foe.

"Protect!"

Mamoswine's stomping came to a crashing halt as the familiar green orb of light appeared. The light bent in as Sarah's teammate pressed down, a screeching whine reverberating out as the protective coating strained to hold.

"Dragon Tail!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Chris noticed Sarah take a quick step forward. "Watch out!"

She could have issued the warning ten seconds earlier and it still would have done no good. Mamoswine didn't even have a chance to turn around as the Dragon-type whipped the end of her snake like frame into the furry creature's back. A glowing purple light instantly spread from the contact point, encapsulating Mamoswine in a matter of seconds. The massive creature's frame split apart an instant later, and the dissociated particles shot back into the capture device in Sarah's pocket. A second Poké Ball lifted from her other pocket and burst open.

"It's a good thing you only brought…" Chris stopped as Sarah's scowl turned on him. "I, uh, I get it now."

"Whatever," Sarah said, turning back to face her newly emerged Drapion. "Like I said before, just be ready to roll with the punches."

"You already know I—"

"Slam!"

"Dragon Pulse!"

The challenging trainers were forced to summon quick counters to the dual strike. Drapion managed to swat away Dragonair's physical assault with Knock Off, while Ampharos just managed to divert Kingdra's energy assault with a well placed Thunderbolt.

"Pivot and strike Ampharos with Dragon Tail!" Amalia calmly directed.

"Chase after her with Ice Fang!" Sarah countered.

Drapion's diverting strike had inadvertently already pushed Dragonair in the direction of the Light Pokémon. Even being pursued by a faster opponent, and being slowed down by Cotton Spore, Dragonair would reach Ampharos before Sarah's teammate could catch her.

"Cotton Spore!"

As Dragonair began to bring her slender frame around, she found herself surrounded and peppered by another round of fluffy fur. She pushed through, the glowing tip of her purple tail slicing through the soft, rain-soaked shedding. Her momentum came to a sudden halt as a pair of icy fangs latched down onto the back of her neck.

"Dragonair!"

Drapion snapped his head back, his wide maw still latched firmly onto Dragonair's body, and spiked the Dragon-type straight into the ground. Just as Chris went to celebrate the sure knockout, a concentrated stream of water slammed into Ampharos, knocking her off her feet. A tense silence filled the arena as all four trainers assessed the situation.

Cody broke it with a whistle. "Well," he said, "I think Dragonair is definitely down for the count."

"Yes," Amalia replied dryly. "And so is Amph—"

"C'mon, Ampharos!"

The Light Pokémon had managed to sit up. She slid her legs back and pushed off with her visibly shaking arms. With a grunt, she brought herself back to her feet.

"Shit," Cody muttered, loud enough for the entire room to hear him. He cleared his throat and spoke so that everyone could intentionally hear him. "Looks like they have the advantage. Go ahead and bring out your next teammate, Amalia."

"Right," she replied as she summoned Dragonair back to her capture device. As she threw out her next Pokéball, Chris noticed the woman tilt her head toward each side of the battlefield.

A Flygon burst from the device and landed as soft as a feather.

"Brace yourself," Amalia calmly warned.

Movement from the corners of the battlefield grabbed everyone's attention. Jagged stones blasted upward and immediately converged on the newly revealed Pokémon. Flygon brought his thin, uniquely shaped wings up to block the projectiles headed for his face. A soft grunt was all that escaped the creature's lips.

"Any damage is good damage," Chris said, just loud enough for Sarah to hear him. "But I'm going to pull Ampharos."

"Okay."

Chris activated the recall device on Ampharos's Poké Ball and gave the creature a quick burst of praise as she dematerialized. Switching hands, he triggered the release on another Poké Ball, prompting Crobat's appearance an instant later.

"Heads up!" Sarah shouted.

It was the challenger's turn be ambushed, as a pulsating burst of energy slammed into Crobat's torso. The Bat Pokémon spun backward, but managed to regain his bearings in time to avoid hitting the ground.

"You have to be careful about when you switch," Cody said. "You never want to give your opponent a free shot."

Chris grinded his teeth together. He had always waited to make a switch until his teammate had either been knocked out or their opponent had been in the process of switching Pokémon. Though it had always been for this exact reason, when compounded with his less-than-stellar double battle ability, he'd just have to accept the collateral blow. "We'll get you back," he finally replied. "Charge in!"

The newly revealed Pokémon slashed forward like he'd been shot from a cannon. Kingdra's Hydro Pump found nothing but air as the Bat Pokémon zipped to the left. Crobat's wings were a blur against the flurrying grey sky. The sky, echoed around in Chris's mind. It wasn't raining anymore.

"Wing Attack!"

As Crobat swooped low, Chris caught sight of Drapion whiffing on a strike. Flygon wasted no time in lashing into Drapion's side with a Dragon Claw.

As if Sarah had somehow sensed Chris's distraction, she shouted, "We have to knock out Kingdra! That's priority number one right now!"

Chris's gaze returned to his teammate, bringing no doubt with it. Crobat had been training and patiently waiting three months for a moment just like this.

Cody threw a hand up. "Stop him with Protect!"

"Strike now!"

The glow on Crobat's lower wings vanished as the Bat Pokémon beat them profusely. The white light around his top wings shone all the brighter as he slammed into the prepping Kingdra.

"Shit!" Cody howled as his teammate slid several feet across the slick battlefield. "That fucker is fast."

"And they've noticed the weather change," Amalia added.

A screeching whine quickly followed as Drapion's frozen fangs bore down on Flygon's outstretched claws. With those two preoccupied, Crobat and Chris would be free to battle one-on-one; a realization that prompted a near heart-stopping adrenaline spike in the young man's chest.

"Dragon Pulse!" Cody directed.

"Not a chance!"

With another flap of his wings, Crobat arced over the pulsating energy wave. The Bat Pokémon instinctually swung back toward his attacker, setting up Chris for their next assault.

"Hydro Pump!"

He actually could have gotten Protect off this time, Chris thought as a grin slid onto his face. Facing overwhelming speed was a natural catalyst for doubt. Flygon had managed to get out from under Drapion's dangerous assault, but would not be able to make it over to stop what came next.

"Cross Poison!"

Crobat circled Kingdra's concentrated stream of water like soap in a draining sink. By the time he'd closed the distance between them, he'd gotten close enough to the high powered attack for the trailing mist to coat his wings.

"Let 'em have it!"

Crobat's four wings surged forward like daggers, each wing tip coated in a purple hue. The Bat Pokémon found Kingdra's exposed torso and looked to put all his weight into his shot. The force of the collision sent both creatures spinning in the same direction, with Crobat's wings still locked around Kingdra's body. They both spilled onto the ground, with the Water/Dragon-type's rigid body flopping to a quick halt. Crobat fell to the ground with him, all-the-while beating his wings furiously to get free. He did so, but not before his head had taken a hard bounce off the soaked ground.

"We're not off to a hot start," Cody said with a sigh.

"Perhaps we should have worked on our teamwork before creating an impromptu double battle," Amalia countered.

"Eh, maybe." Cody returned his fallen teammate and brandished another Poké Ball. "This guy will help us finally bring the heat."

Chris felt his entire body lean forward. "I hope to Arceus that's a pun."

Cody cackled as he launched the capture device high into the air. The winged lizard emerged with a deep roar. He circled the battlefield, surveying the situation from what he must have thought was a safe distance. The four spiked rocks that emerged from each corner of the battlefield thought otherwise.

"Brace yourself!" Cody warned.

Charizard just managed to get his wings up in time to prevent the projectiles from finding his torso. It did not prevent the painful collision that followed, nor the meteoric drop Charizard experienced now that his wings had stopped beating. His feet slammed into the dirt, but they managed to withstand the rest of his weight.

A red light found Crobat and dematerialized him back into his capture device. Ampharos had reappeared a moment later.

"What's your reasoning?" Sarah quickly asked.

Chris made sure to drop his voice. "Ampharos can hit hardest while Charizard isn't Mega-Evolved. And if Drapion could hit Charizard before then with—"

"Alright."

We just have to pray he doesn't Mega Evolve immediately, Chris silently added.

"Steel Wing," Amalia directed.

"Knock Off!" Sarah countered

As the two clashed once more, Chris waited anxiously for Charizard to make his move. With Ampharos's condition, they couldn't afford to attack first and miss.

"Air Slash!"

The blue-green membrane in each of the lizard's wings snapped to life as the appendages were drawn back. The spiky wings swung forward, popping like the crack of a whip. Two, visible slices of concentrated air appeared from the action and honed in on Chris's stationary teammate.

Another rush of adrenaline cascaded through Chris's veins. They wouldn't get a better chance to deal major damage. "Give them the strongest Thunderbolt you can!"

The red orb at the end of Ampharos's tail surged with electricity. The visible static branched up the rest of her figure, coating her in a golden aura. She extended both her paws to either side and dipped her head. The incoming gusts of wind met a large, blue-tinged bolt of lightning. The electrical stream clashed with Charizard's attack, but ultimately broke through. An audible growl rang around the battlefield as the electrical bolt found the grounded Flame Pokémon.

"Let's get them back!" Cody howled, even as the electrical assault wore on. "Dragon Rush!"

Come in close, Chris silently replied. That would give Ampharos time to deliver an even bigger blow. "Let's get Power Gem ready," he softly directed, before turning his attention to the other battle. Drapion and Flygon had just split apart after another stalemate. That gave Chris a chance to further his plan. "Try to bring Drapion over to Charizard. This may be our chance to knock that Mega Stone off him before he can use it."

"You'll have to cover us when we go for it," Sarah replied.

"Ampharos can do it."

The Light Pokémon had summoned up the visible energy particles at this point. A bright blue, draconic aura surrounded the incoming Charizard. He flew low to the ground in a surprisingly straightforward approach. This prompted Sarah to subtly direct her Pokémon closer to the oncoming collision. Flygon remained immobile, with Amalia seemingly content to see what would play out. The energy around Ampharos had now materialized into the jagged stones that would fill the nightmares of any Fire/Flying-type.

"Let 'em have it!" Chris called.

The ground beneath Chris's feet suddenly shifted. The trainer's eyes didn't need to look down to figure out what was happening, as the rest of the battlefield had already followed suit. Charizard had peeled off and swung higher into the air now, the energy covering his body having already vanished. The earth spiked up to catch a distracted Drapion square in the back. As the rolling earth planted the Dark/Poison-type square on his face, Chris's eyes followed the trembling earth back to its epicenter.

Despite the earth ebbing and crashing like the angry sea, Flygon stood as still as the calm, cracked dirt beneath his feet. They pulled the same trick that I used on Kamon, Chris begrudgingly acknowledged. Even so, he should have expected a Ground-type move. He winced as the rock-filled tidal wave rolled over Ampharos, launching the Electric-type toward the left edge of the battlefield. The red light of Chris's capture device caught her before she could collide with the re-solidified earth.

"Looks like we're all squared away," Cody stated with a smile.

"I've got to give you credit," Sarah spoke with a politeness that surprised her fellow challenger. "I thought you were a moron for not immediately Mega-Evolving Charizard."

"Who's to say I'm not? We're capable of surprises too."

"I guess that's fair."

Chris had brought Crobat back out now. The creature's Flying-type ensured that there would be no more Earthquake surprises, but the psychological damage might have already been done. Whatever confidence and advantage Chris had felt had vanished the instant the earth had trembled. They had never had these co-leaders on the ropes.

A brilliant pink light pulsed from Cody's right wrist. As he brought that arm into the air, an identical light began to pour from the stone around Charizard's neck. The energy spread until it had encased the creature in a trembling cocoon. A roar, deeper and louder than any Chris had heard from the species, emanated from beneath the solid orb of light. Jagged, dark blue wings smashed out of either side of the blinding light. Another roar shattered the remaining cocoon, violently launching energy into the earth and sky.

Having never witnessed Mega Evolution in person, Chris was finding it difficult to breath. Whether from the arrival of more intense flames or the explosion of energy, a river of sweat now flowed down the trainer's forehead, forcing one eye closed.

As the black dragon landed, blue fire began to pour from either side of his mouth. As he turned his red eyes on Chris, the young man felt his legs shuffle clumsily backward. Whatever well of optimism he drew from during battle felt as though it had finally dried up.

"Hey!"

Chris snapped his gaze away from their menacing foe and toward his fellow trainer. "W-what?"

"The board's reset."

"Yeah?"

"It is." She turned to face the opposing Pokémon. "We've put damage on both of them, including some big shots on that overcooked dragon."

"We have."

"And I've felt hotter flames from Typhlosion."

"You have?"

Sarah gritted her teeth. "Just remember our strategies. We knew we'd be facing this."

Chris took a deep breath. She's right, he told himself. He exhaled sharply as another bead of sweat dropped off an eyelash and stabbed his eye. They still had the advantage. They would win this.

"Ice Fang on Flygon!" Sarah commanded.

The Mystic Pokémon's wings beat hard as he pushed off the ground, narrowly avoiding Drapion's freezing maw. That didn't stop the Ogre Scorpion Pokémon from continuing his assault. Crobat had silently already begun his approach as well. Charizard took flight not long after, but it was clear he wouldn't catch him.

"Wing Attack!"

"Turn and counter with Steel Wing!" Amalia countered.

Flygon's thin wings took on a metallic sheen as he swiveled in the air. The dragon had actually already begun to swing his right wing out before he'd even caught sight of Crobat. That helped make Chris's next command much easier.

"Dive beneath his extended wing and strike!"

Crobat did just that, using Flygon's outstretched appendage as a shield from his other glowing weapon. The Dragon/Ground-type did manage to twist his body just enough to keep Crobat from landing the strike with all his weight, but that would still allow Drapion to follow it up with Ice—

"Get in front of Crobat with Cross Poison!"

Chris went to turn to Sarah, but a burst of heat blasted his cheek and kept his gaze on the action.

A blue fireball hurdled into view—its target a very unaware Crobat. The ice around Drapion's fangs dispelled as he pounced between Crobat and the incoming flames. He just managed to get his energized arms up in time to catch the incoming meteor.

"Keep moving, Crobat!" Chris warned.

A quick flap of his wings brought the Bat Pokémon out of the way of his blown back teammate. The blue inferno pursued Sarah's Pokémon as he fell, but she never gave it the chance to follow up. Drapion disappeared into a burst of red particles that vanished inside his outstretched capture device. The flaming ball dissipated upon striking the ground, revealing the dark skinned dragon. His red eyed stare found Chris, who nearly let Crobat get caught by a swipe from Flygon's claws.

"I'm going to need you to cover us," Sarah mumbled. "You know what we've got prepped."

A small smile broke through Chris's tightly clenched jaw. "You got it."

Mamoswine burst from his capture device straight into a charge.

"Ice Shard on Flygon!"

The fur covered creature launched himself at Amalia's teammate, his tusks already coated in a thick layer of ice.

"Earthquake!" Amalia directed.

A shockwave rippled through the ground around the Mystic Pokémon. As Mamoswine swung his tusks up at the enemy's torso, an earthen wall shot up to block him.

"Break through!"

Mamoswine continued the arc of his attack, stabbing through the rising earth, and sending dirt a dozen feet into the air. His swinging tusks next sought their original foe, but found nothing but air.

That led to simultaneous commands from Chris and Cody.

"Swoop in, Crobat!"

"Hit Mamoswine with Dragon Rush!"

The Bat Pokémon reached Mamoswine's side a couple seconds ahead of Charizard's energy-filled charge. Even with time to call for a move, Chris didn't love Crobat's chances in a clash. That reluctance proved justified when Charizard blew right through Crobat's double wing assault. The Bat Pokémon spun away from the collision and nearly smacked into the uplifted earth. He managed to stay airborne with some furious flapping from his back wings.

Which is the most important thing, Chris reminded himself, while calling for Crobat to pursue Flygon.

"Now's the time!" Sarah called to her Pokémon.

With a grunt, Mamoswine rose onto his back legs. Flygon was in the air, moving quickly away from the Twin Tusk Pokémon. That and a Mega Evolved Charizard had been the desired set up from the beginning. But as Mamoswine prepared to drop his front paws, a chill ran up Chris's spine. Despite Crobat's attempt to stall him, Charizard had already nearly reached Sarah's Pokémon. The light blue draconic aura still surrounded his body. His dark, spiked wings beat furiously against the air as Mamoswine's paws began to drop. The newly-typed dragon extended his neck, prompting a pair of energized fangs to reach out toward his target.

The uneven dirt blasted upward as if propelled by an erupting volcano. Rock and soil were thrown into the grey sky, peppering the trainers as gravity took hold. A large, dark mass flew back from the epicenter and skidded across the ground.

"We got him." Sarah growled.

Chris forced his attention back on his pursuing teammate. "Cross Poison on Flygon!"

The Mystic Pokémon had begun to drift back toward Cody's recovering dragon, opening himself up to a quick strike from Crobat. Flygon let out a hiss and batted Crobat's crossed wings off his torso with one of his own. A Dragon Claw counter just missed the Bat Pokémon as as he swung back toward Chris. The Ground/Dragon-type dropped himself onto the ruined earth and winced. Even from across the battlefield, the challengers could see a dark purple liquid ooze from his torso.

Meanwhile, Charizard's blue flames had flared up now that he was back on his feet. The creature had a fierce look in his red eyes to match the intimidating light show.

"Let's get back in the air," Cody told him.

"Ice Shard!"

Charizard dropped low and prepared to leap skyward. But as he went to take off, the ground gave out from under him. Mamoswine was on him a moment later, driving his frozen tusks into the dragon's sky-blue underside.

"Power through with Dragon Rush!" Cody called.

Even as he recoiled through the mud, Charizard managed to grab ahold of Mamoswine's outstretched tusks. This mega evolved form gave the creature stronger arms, which helped hold the shaking mammal in place. Two flaps of his wings got the Flame Pokémon airborne, with his entire body taking on a light blue aura as he rose.

"Fight through!" Sarah encouraged.

"Dragon Claw on Crobat!"

Chris whipped around and just managed to get his counter command out. Flygon pounced up at Crobat with both sets of glowing claws extended. Crobat caught them on his front set of wings. His back set beat furiously to try to halt Flygon's momentum, but the heavier creature forced him to back off.

It was Mamoswine's turn to lose his footing as his heavier frame failed to gain traction in the mud. The slippery ground only seemed to worsen as the flames from Charizard's body heated moist ground. With a howl, Mamoswine spilled over backward as the Flame Pokémon pressed forward, his aura completely overtaking Sarah's teammate. The earth splintered again beneath the mammoth's pressed figure—a large crevice snaking out to nearly divide the battlefield in half. As Charizard rose away from the crater, it was clear his work had been done.

"You did fantastic," Sarah told her teammate as she returned him to his Poké Ball. Drapion returned to the battlefield after a quick snap of her other arm. She directed his attention to the remaining Pokémon. "This is all that's left. We've got to end it here."

"Drap'," the creature hissed.

"Two Poison-types for the win," Chris added, prompting both a nod and a glare from the other challenger.

"Let's finish this with a bang!" Cody howled.

Amalia shook her head. "Don't lose your focus."

"Let's go for another Cross Poison on Flygon," Chris directed.

"Charge between our opponents," Sarah added.

Cody motioned for Charizard to rise. "Do it now, Amalia!"

"Alright," she replied with a sigh. "Earthquake!"

The Mystic Pokémon dropped toward the ground like a stone.

"Don't let him reach the ground!" Chris warned. "Switch to Crunch!"

As Crobat pursued, Drapion also took a sharp turn toward the falling creature. The progress of both Poison-types was nearly stopped by a pair of wind gusts. One concentrated burst of air found the top of Drapion's back, staggering the creature. The other blast sliced between the descending foes, narrowly missing Crobat's outstretched fangs.

"Put everything into this landing," Amalia directed.

"Ice Fang!" Sarah directed.

Flygon swung his feet down with Drapion still too far away to catch him. He winced and grabbed at his chest as his more liquid seeped out, but his recoil only lasted a fraction of a second. Sarah's teammate still wouldn't make it in time. The Mystic Pokémon's round soles never met the earth, though. A dark pair of fangs held tight to the tip of Flygon's right wing.

Chris's triumph roar quickly turned into a shriek as another burst of wind whipped Flygon's wing away from his Pokémon's grip. Crobat spun to the ground, his wings flopping uselessly around him.

"Now!" Amalia shouted.

As the Mystic Pokémon dropped to the ground, he found another pair of fangs awaiting him. Drapion's frozen maw crunched down onto one of Flygon's legs, drawing a shrill cry from the Ground/Dragon-type. A thick layer of ice spread up from the bite and had encompassed the green creature before either Gym Leader could form a counter. Drapion released his hold and the frozen block toppled into the dirt beside him.

Cody shook his head. "I had a feeling I'd have to carry all the weight in this battle."

Amalia gave him a glare not unlike Sarah's, but said nothing.

Chris turned back to his grounded teammate. "How are you, Crobat?"

The Bat Pokémon beat gave a weak flap of his wings, but couldn't get off the ground. He tried again and got the same result.

"You've given me everything you got. Go ahead and take—"

"Cro'!"

"But you can't fly!"

The Poison/Flying-type tapped his torso with one wing and an eye with the other. Chris shook his head in confusion. At that, Crobat closed both eyes and weakly jabbed a wing back at his trainer.

"Oh, Ecruteak," Chris murmured. The challenger had been forced to rely on the Bat Pokémon when Morty had shrouded the battlefield in darkness. Now, even without the use of his wings, Crobat could still be trusted to play his part. He'd waited long enough and trained too hard not to have earned it. "Okay. Let's do this!"

"I think you're making a mistake," Cody said, shaking his head, "but I'll allow it. Just don't blame us for taking advantage."

Chris let a smirk show. "You're welcome to try."

They tried to end it with a quick Air Slash but Drapion intervened with Knock Off.

"Fine. We'll get in close and take care of business. Hit him with Dragon Rush, Charizard."

Sarah's request to Drapion was cut off by a quick wave from Chris.

"You want Crobat to get bulldozed again?" she asked.

"Have Drapion pursue after he passes."

Charizard swooped past Sarah's stationary teammate, who immediately gave chase at Sarah's begrudging request.

"Let's line up our shot," Chris directed.

Crobat brought his limp front wings up to point at his incoming foe. They wouldn't have to worry about hitting Drapion, who still looked to be half a world away in his pursuit.

"Make them pay!" Cody shouted.

Chris's eyes fell shut, and for a moment, he felt as though he were back in Ecruteak's Gym. "Confuse Ray."

When his eyes opened, he caught sight of the ghostly aura dissipating against the brilliantly lit Charizard. The dragon came barreling at Crobat… and missed wide right. His large frame crashed into the uplifted earth, but didn't remain still.

"Take advantage!" Chris shouted.

"We're trying!" came Sarah's retort.

Cody had a similar message for his teammate. "We need to get in close while he's still down. Let's go with Flare Blitz this time!"

"Get there!" Sarah directed.

Drapion scurried with all his speed, but he wouldn't get there in time. Charizard was too close and moving too quickly.

But attacking first will leave Charizard wide open for Drapion, came Chris's silent realization. Why would they open themselves up to that kind of shot, especially after Flare Blitz' recoil damage?

"Spread your wings out as far as you can!"

Chris's hurried call came just as Charizard had reached Crobat. The Flame Pokémon gave a quick flap of his wings and swooped right over the top of the challenger's stationary teammate. With Crobat cleared, a shocked Drapion would receive the most powerful blow of the contest.

"What the hell?" Cody screamed.

Crobat's left wing had managed to pierce the vortex of fire and grab hold of Charizard's foot. The move hadn't stopped the Flame Pokémon's trajectory, but it had thrown him somewhat off balance.

"Kick him off!"

With a violent shake, Charizard managed to kick the Poison/Flying-type back to the ground.

"Now!"

The Fire/Dragon-type turned to drive himself into his surprised target… and found nothing.

"Below you!"

With his four legs and stomach hugging the ground, Drapion exploded upward like he was shot from a cannon. His crossed arms sliced through Charizard's flaming aura and found the dragon's chin. He drove his energized forearms up and out, snapping his enemy's skull back and completely halting his forward progress.

"Charizard!"

The flames around the starter vanished as he toppled to the ground. The same pink energy that had appeared upon his Mega Evolution surrounded him once more. When it faded, the immobile creature had returned to his regular appearance.

Cody slammed his palms together. "Fuck!"

"We lost," Amalia calmly stated.

"No shit."

At that, Chris took off toward his grounded teammate, a potion already in hand. He slid down beside Crobat and immediately began to spray the ointment. He waited to speak until he'd caught this Pokémon's gaze. "So that's the toughness you'd been wanting to show me."

"Cro'."

"Well, color me impressed." A shuffling sound behind him nearly caused the trainer to fall onto his downed teammate. The rest of the crew had come to stand behind them. "I'll be honest," Chris said, scratching the back of his head, "I forgot I brought you four out."

"You forgot a lot of things during that battle."

Chris whipped back around and found Sarah kneeling beside Crobat. She held Drapion's capture device in one hand and a Burn Heal in the other, with the latter currently being used on Chris's teammate.

"Guess I remembered enough," Chris finally replied.

"Unfortunately for us."

Cody had joined them, with Amalia not far behind. Charizard was nowhere to be seen.

"Surprised to see you smiling after that outburst at the end," Sarah said.

"If you hang around Clair long enough, you learn to get over an ass whipping."

"Speak for yourself," Amalia added. Despite her calm tone, her jaw looked tight enough to snap a Conkelldur's pillar. "I'll never get used to losing."

"I'm with you," Chris agreed, unsure of whether that came from a place of understanding or fear.

Sarah tossed him the Burn Heal and stood back up. "Then what are you going to do when I knock you out of the Silver Conference?"

"That's not going to happen."

"It did at the Winter Classic. Who's to say it won't again?"

Chris motioned to the rest of his team. "We will."

Cody stepped between the two trainers and threw an arm around each of them. "Easy there," he said, crushing several of their ribs as he squeezed. "The Silver Conference is still nearly three months away. You don't want to burn through that passion so soon."

Sarah pulled away from his grip and flashed an open palm. "I'll be taking my Gym Badge, please."

Cody dug into his back pocket and tossed out the black signifier. Sarah caught it and turned away all in one motion. She had nearly reached the door before Chris found something to say.

"What about our meal?"

"I never agreed to that," she replied without turning.

"Not even to celebrate us winning our last Gym Badge?"

She gave a half wave back as she reached the door. "Maybe another time."

A hand fell on Chris's shoulder. He found Cody at the other end. "You can do better."

"It's not like that."

"Of course." Cody brought up his other hand and revealed a second badge. "By the way, would any of your Pokémon like to learn Dragon Pulse?"

A couple hours later, Chris stood in the Pokémon Center, having just received two Poké Balls from an unfamiliar nurse. He'd seen no one he'd recognized on his way over or during his wait. He'd been riding high after leaving the Gym, and had nearly sent out a not-so-subtle update to everyone in his contacts. But Sarah's Silver Conference prediction had reentered his mind and put an end to that. I can't brag and then lose when it really matters, he reminded himself.

As he went to shut the cover of his Pokégear, the device buzzed to life. For a fraction of a second, some part of his psyche gave hope to a message of gratitude from Sarah. That thought died before he'd even checked the name of the sender. The name on the Skarmory-carried envelope animation did give him pause. That surprise quickly turned to humor. It was just like him to respond to Chris's previous update after it had already become outdated. He opened the message and had already prepared a chuckle at the 'good luck' message inside. A one sentence response greeted him. He read it once. Then a second time. He wiped at an eye and went to close the cover, but decided to read it one more time, letting the words pass out of his parted lips.

"Congrats on the eighth badge, champ."

Hopefully you'll find it in your heart to forgive me for the delay, when the outcome was this big ol' chapter! And what a big win this was for Chris and Sarah! Though their relationship hasn't seemed to improve due to the win, both trainers can take solace in knowing they overcame the final hurdle for entry into the Silver Conference! So what awaits Chris now that he's finished his Gym challenge? What will he do with the two and a half months that remain before the Regional tournament? We'll begin to piece the answers together in the next eventful chapter of Heart and Soul! I hope to see you there! Please Review and Subscribe!