"We have just reached the halfway point in the back half of the Semi-Finals! Jimmy from New Bark Town is down to three Pokémon, after Politoed fell to their own Perish Song."

Jimmy snorted at that last detail. "Y'know, I'm still a little mad about that, by the way."

"Ash Ketchum, meanwhile, currently has the lead with four Pokémon remaining! While Sceptile, Glalie, and Mismagius have seen action, none of them have taken damage!"

Ash grinned. He'd walked into the battle sure of himself, but maintaining such a lead with little trouble to show for it made him even more confident.

"Don't get overconfident," Peeks warned, as Ash's voice of reason. "We know how that goes."

"I know." He nodded to Peeks, and turned a roguish smile back on Jimmy. "Yeah? If you're mad, do somethin' about it. I told you that Swellow's here to bring the heat. No more tricks!"

"You better have some good, fresh meat ready for me, Ash!" Swellow squawked.

"No more games!" Jimmy agreed. "Just an all-out rumble!"

Togekiss's eye twitched. "Hey, what is this, babes? Am I an opponent or an appetizer?"

Swellow's eyes narrowed. "Come at me, and see for yourself."

"It seems like tensions are rising, out on the field…!"

"Quick Attack!"

With a flap of her wings, Swellow shot like a bullet, trailing a blazing silver path.

She cried a tune of victory when she smashed brutally into Togekiss, sending him tumbling.

"And, Swellow opens with a brutal Quick Attack!"

Togekiss continued rolling backwards through the air, before flapping his wings to bring himself to a halt. "Kiss!" He hummed, casually brushing his wings off.

"It didn't do anything!?" Ash exclaimed in surprise. "And, Swellow hits like a truck."

"Not for long," Jimmy replied. "Use Charm!"

"Togekiss!" The Jubilee pokemon chanted, gliding towards Swellow without care. As he came close, he turned into a gentle horizontal spin, both wings at full span.

"Kiss!" Just short of crashing into Swellow, he halted, throwing one wing out, another crossed over his chest. He winked at Swellow, flashing just about the smuggest smile a Togekiss possibly could.

Two pink hearts circled Swellow, enveloping her. Consequently, the bird flustered, backing up from her opponent. She'd be mortified to notice the streak of red over her beak. But, that strength and speed… he was sort of cute.

"Swell!" Sweating, the flying type shook her head, reclaiming her composure. She was in a match, right now! She couldn't afford to lose focus!

"Now, that's just about the most dramatic use of Charm I've ever seen," Misty remarked.

"Of course~!" Marina boasted, folding her arms with conviction. "Togekiss only learned from the best! To dishevel your opponents, you need a healthy dose of confidence, and then some; really let yourself shine!"

"It really worked wonders on Swellow." Brock held a hand to his chin, nodding and humming in thought. "Hm. Togekiss has the right idea. A proper gentleman, who uses all of his charm to go for broke!"

Koda shot a look at Brock. "Whose side are you on?"

"Now that we've weakened 'er, let's fight back," Jimmy continued. "Ancient Power!"

Togekiss backed up to give himself some distance, throwing out his wings. Several huge boulders floated about him, enveloping the Jubilee pokemon in a mysterious flash of light.

Ash's brow twitched. "It looks like Ancientpower boosted Togekiss." That, on top of Charm, could spell trouble. "Dodge those, with Quick Attack!"

Togekiss launched his barrage, and Swellow took off, swerving past the first boulder with grace.

She startled when, passing the first, she found herself face to face with a second rock.

Ash threw a hand out. "Steel Wing!"

Glimmering silver overtook Swellow's wings. She spun, striking at the boulder with her limbs.

Large dents and cracks were busted into the mass, but it persisted, slamming into Swellow.

"She should be plenty strong enough to break that…" Ash's fists tightened. "It must be Charm… Come on! Give it another try!"

"Swellow!" Still pinned to Ancientpower, Swellow sounded her cry, relentlessly battering the boulder as it plummeted closer to the ground.

Ash didn't dare breathe. At the last moment, he watched Swellow bust through. "Great! Now, combine Steel Wing with Quick Attack!" He roared, pointing towards the air.

Swellow shook out her feathers, zipping forward quickly enough to kick up dust.

The few remaining rocks were cleaved in two by Steel Wing, bolstered by Quick Attack's momentum.

"Not bad at all!" Jimmy grinned, brushing his thumb over his nose. "Togekiss, Double-Edge!"

Togekiss smirked, barreling towards Swellow with a full-body tackle.

Not guarding himself at all, Togekiss left itself open to be smashed by Swellow's Steel Wing.

But, Charm had done its work. Togekiss pushed on, throwing himself into Swellow's torso.

"Spin off that," Ash coached, "then, Quick Attack!"

Swellow grunted, pushing herself to spin off to the side. Togekiss soared on by.

"Swellow!" The flying type cried, shooting forward with a silver gleam.

Togekiss cried, irritated, as he felt a painful blow to his back. He turned to face Swellow.

"That's the moxie I like to see," Jimmy praised. "Now, use Metronome!"

Togekiss began to lull rhythmically, back and forth. After a moment's rest, he was surrounded in a crackling, golden aura.

Watching from below, Ash gasped. He knew that glow anywhere. "That's Volt Tackle!"

"What're the odds," Peeks muttered, blinking at the sight. "Watch yourself, Swellow!"

"Kiss!" Togekiss cried, throwing his electrified body at his opponent.

"Swellow's too close," Ash cursed. "We can't outrun that - Double Team!"

Togekiss smashed into Swellow - or, at least what he'd thought was Swellow. The Flying-type vanished, leaving several floating copies of herself surrounding Togekiss.

"Now, Air Slash!" Ash ordered.

Each clone raised their wings, conjuring a contained twister, roughly the size of a beach ball.

Togekiss was ambushed, struck by several illusions, and one very real assault that crashed into his right wing. He recoiled, shaking some of the soreness out of the extremity. "Kiss…!"

"Let's see how your Swellow likes this!" Jimmy pointed towards Swellow. "Metronome!"

Togekiss recovered, raising each of his wings to rhythmically shake from side to side. "To…. to… togekiss~!" With a chirp, he threw his wings forward. A loud, crackling storm of blue and violet flames shot forward, plowing through Double Team's clones.

Consumed by heat, Swellow squawked in pain.

"What's that move!?" Ash quickly reached for his Pokedex.

"Inferno: A powerful Fire-type move. This move always leaves a burn on the opponent."

"...Hah." Ash laughed, adjusting his cap. "You know, you've really done it now, Jimmy." "Huh?" The Johtonian trainer looked at Ash, raising a brow.

After a flash of fire snapped at Swellow, burning her feathers, it was consumed by a strong, crimson aura. She threw her wings outward, defying the pain with a loud battle cry. "Swellow!"

"What's this!? Togekiss' Metronome struck Swellow with a burn, but Swellow only seems to have gotten stronger in response - this must be Swellow's Guts ability!"

"I didn't know Swellow's ability was Guts!" May gasped, clutching her fists in awe.

"I didn't either," Max agreed. "But, I guess it makes sense… It'd explain a lot about Swellow."

"Maybe that was what allowed her to put up such a great fight against Peeks, when Ash first caught her," Brock thought aloud. "She always took electric attacks surprisingly well."

"Go, Swellow!" Dawn cheered. "You've got guts, you've got spunk, show 'em up until they're sunk!"

"Empol!"

"Guts, huh? Right on!" Jimmy flashed a thumbs-up. "But, we've got plenty of guts, ourselves! Togekiss, Metronome!"

As Togekiss began to wave his wings about, Ash threw a hand aside. "Double Team!"

A crackling green orb formed in between Togekiss' wings.

"So, that's Zap Cannon… Togekiss, don't throw that, just yet," Jimmy cautioned.

Ash raised a brow. "What's he up to?"

"Togekiss had the fortune to summon up a Zap Cannon! But, with Double Team, Swellow has left Jimmy and his Pokémon stumped!"

Each image of Swellow floated in sync, completely identical. Suddenly, a burst of flames interrupted the charade. One of the Swellow cried in pain.

"Bingo!" Jimmy grinned. "Do it!"

"Togekiss~!" The Jubilee pokemon raised Zap Cannon above his head, chucking it at Swellow.

"Dodge that!" Ash shouted in desperation.

Swellow flapped her wings, only just recovering from her burn. She only saw Zap Cannon coming when it was mere inches away.

A shrill, pained cry drowned out Zap Cannon.

All eyes were on Swellow, as she tumbled out of the sky, her limp body hitting the ground with a thud.

"Swellow!" Ash gasped.

Swellow laid in a heap, motionless. A wing raised briefly before falling flat.

"A devastating Zap Cannon from Togekiss has dealt a decisive blow! Is this the end for Swellow!?"

Ash clenched a fist. "Come on… I know you've got more fight in you."

Ash's hopes were trampled when the referee raised a hand. "Swellow is unable-"

"Don't you dare!"

Wings pushed against the dirt, even as a numbing charge crackled among their feathers. Swellow cawed, pushing herself onto her feet. "I'm… still kicking—"

Another burst of flames consumed her.

"Swellow is still hanging in there, by a thread! But, with that burn, the situation doesn't look good!"

Ash winced, watching a wisp of smoke die away from his companion's hide. "Hey, are you feeling okay…? I know you'd never want to give in, but whatever happens, don't worry about it."

The avian threw her wings out in response, boasting her crimson aura. "I'll be damned if I give in! Not in the League you're to win, and not ever!:

She shot a gaze at the coasting Jubilee Pokémon. "Especially after being made a fool of by him." He barely even seemed to acknowledge her presence at this point. He'd regret that.

Ash grinned. "Sorry, Jimmy, but we're not done yet! Swellow's still got plenty to prove!"

"Hey, if you want to apologize, then do it by giving us your all!" Jimmy smirked, jerking a thumb towards himself. "But your Swellow looks like she's running on empty, now. She's still hurting from Zap Cannon!"

Ash looked to Swellow, who was preening her feathers that were bothered by static. He smiled to himself. "Jimmy, you've got a lot to learn about Swellow. She's never been one to go down to just a little electricity!" With glee, Ash pointed forward. "Use Steel Wing!"

With a caw, Swellow flapped her wings, ascending with a burst of speed.

"I was hoping you'd go for broke!" Jimmy beamed, throwing a hand out. "Ancient Power!"

"Kiss!" Togekiss sing-songed, tossing several magical boulders towards Swellow.

Ash clutched a fist. "Cut right through!"

A shining coat of metal covered Swellow's wings. Stray static flocked to the conductive material, allowing the extremities to glitter with a golden charge. Falling into the shadow of a much larger rock, Swellow narrowed her eyes.

"Swell!"

A narrow line ran through the rock mass, splitting it in two. Swellow burst through, turning into a barrel roll to avoid the brunt of another rock. She left a dismissive slash, leaving a large dent.

"Now, that's something I've never seen." Jimmy smiled, ignoring the sweat trickling down his forehead. "There's no helping it! Use Double-Edge, and go for broke!"

"Kiss!" The Jubilee pokemon's eyes narrowed. He threw himself at the last of Ancient Power, not at all surprised when it crumbled.

A gleam of gold and silver crossed him, soaring past.

The crowd held its collective breath as the two crossed.

Swellow winced, shaking off the remaining static from Steel Wing.

Togekiss looked up to his afflicted pokemon and smirked. "Not bad. Not bad at all."

With that, the Jubilee Pokémon plummeted.

Seeing the swirls in his eyes, Jimmy recalled Togekiss before he hit the ground.

"You're… you're damn right." Swellow looked at his falling form, smirking. "Congrats, you big ball of feathers. You worked your way up from appetizer to entr—" Before she could finish her thought, Swellow too dropped unconscious and out of the sky.

Ash recalled her as well before she hit the ground.

The referee watched both trainers return their Pokémon, and raised both hands. "Both Togekiss and Swellow are unable to battle! This match comes down to a draw!"

"What a photo finish! The aerial showdown came to high octane, high altitude fighting, with a clash of cleverness and wit pushing both competitors forward! With a picture-esque, climactic draw, the count comes down to two Pokémon for Jimmy, and three for Ash!"

"What a beautiful Steel Wing!" Misty marveled, clasping her hands together.

"Woo-hoo!" Dawn whooped, shaking her fists. "Good job, Ash! Way to go, Swellow!

"Ash has always been one for those come-from-behind victories," Professor Oak remarked.

"There was no way Togekiss was going to survive that one," Max whistled. "Boosted by Guts, and doubly super-effective. With the electricity hurting their Flying-type, and Steel Wing being strong against their Fairy-type, piled on top of Guts…"

"That's killer," Koda finished.

"So, how's that?" Ash boasted, resting a hand on his hip, closing the other into a fist. "Now you've seen what Swellow can do!"

"Awesome stuff, Ash! I can see how you made it this far." Jimmy smirked, placing Togekiss's Poké Ball back on its holster. "But, there's more where that came from! Typhlosion!"

Typhlosion stood up from a hunched gait, roaring loudly. His neck and back burst into a blaze.

"Typhlosion again, huh?" Ash's eyes narrowed. "With that kind of power, I've only got a couple of options." He juggled a Poké Ball, and tossed it overhand. "You're up again, Mismagius!" The Magical Pokemon swept down from above, floating in front of Ash. "Oh, what fun! I get to have a third act! I hope you're not too sour about our last rendezvous, my fiery friend!"

Typhlosion snorted. "If I have anything to say about it, it's curtains for you."

"Let's do this," Ash resumed. "Mismagius! Trick Room!" Mismagius's eyes started to glow, once more.

"Oh, no ya don't! Flamethrower!" Jimmy waved a hand.

Typhlosion spewed white-hot flames at Mismagius.

The Ghost-type was forced to duck, putting an end to her attack. "Not your stage of choice?"

Ash grit his teeth. "So, they're not gonna let us pull it off so easily, this time."

"Not a chance." Jimmy grinned. "Now, use Flame Wheel!"

Mismagius had only had time to duck under Flamethrower's heat, when a rolled up demolition wheel blazed her way, forcing her back towards the edge of the field. Even if she'd pulled up, Typhlosion was simply too large to avoid.

"She can't dodge, with the size of that Flame Wheel!" Ash exclaimed. "Use Phantom Force!"

Mismagius backed up into a portal of her own creation, and vanished.

Typhlosion came to a halt, skidding across the dirt on all fours. The embers around him scattered away with the dust clouds he'd kicked up. Before he could process where Mismagius went, he felt something smashing into his gut. He stumbled backwards, growling. "Tyahh…!"

Mismagius surfaced from a portal in the ground, grinning at the effect she'd had.

There wasn't much to celebrate, though, Mismagius found. Typhlosion held his ground, dusting off his abdomen. He craned his neck up, grinning mockingly at the ghoul. "Tyyy-phlooo."

"Typhlosion doesn't seem to be feeling the effects at all! What a beast!"

"Phantom Force didn't even scratch him!" Ash grimaced. "Give him a Thunderbolt!"

"Maaag~!" Mismagius backed off into the sky, and summoned a bolt of lightning.

Thunderbolt hit Typhlosion, making him tense. He bore his canines, gritting through it.

"We'll take that off your hands, thanks!" Jimmy asserted. "Typhlosion! Thunder Punch!"

Typhlosion cried, flexing both of his arms. The electricity from Thunderbolt channeled into each of his paws, isolating the scorching lightning entirely within them. "Phlo!" He roared, and lunged.

"Oh, my!" Mismagius gasped, as Typhlosion jumped right into her airspace, with both fists reared. He twisted his body around, executing a full spin to deliver a crackling right hook.

Thunder Punch spiked Mismagius down, with a trail of lightning following. She bounced off of the earthy field, unable to focus for intangibility. She groaned, slowly pulling herself up.

Lightning danced off of her. Her ghostly body felt numb. "I'm afraid I'm… a bit stunned, here!"

"Shoot. She's paralyzed!" Ash swore.

"Another power play by Jimmy's Typhlosion! He took the wrath of Thunderbolt for himself, only to bring it thundering down upon Mismagius! Now, she's paralyzed!"

"My, my… That is one strong Typhlosion!" Delia clasped her hands. "Ash has his hands full!"

"Indeed. Perhaps the largest and most imposing one I've seen," Professor Oak agreed. "Mismagius is in quite a bind, and Ash's only remaining Pokémon are Glalie and Sceptile… I can't say that those are ideal match-ups to face this titan."

"You're right, but Ash and battle theory have never quite gotten along," Brock replied.

"We're in a bind here," Peeks muttered to Ash.

"We are," Ash agreed. "But we're not out. Trick Room! Now!"

The downed Mismagius exerted her influence over the field, once more. A strange cube of light flickered around the arena before disappearing. She had the speed advantage, once more. "Aw, you pulled it off! I let my guard down." Jimmy laughed, slapping his forehead.

"Yup, and you're gonna pay for it!" Ash said, pointing forward. "Let's go! Thunderbolt!"

Mismagius shot into the sky, moving with blinding speed. She suddenly slowed to a near halt.

"Mismagius…!?" Ash's eyes widened. "She's movin' like molasses, now. Is it paralysis?"

"I don't believe so! I don't feel even a tingle," Mismagius denied, shaking her head.

"...I get it." Ash blinked. "She must've gone past the boundaries of Trick Room!"

JImmy's eyes glimmered with curiosity. "Well, as long as you're taking things slow, Typhlosion! Use Flame Wheel!"

"I stumbled off the stage! Silly me!" Mismagius dipped back into Trick Room's influence, and fired off a Thunderbolt in the blink of an eye.

But, it was a little too late. A spiral of fire consumed Typhlosion. Thunderbolt crackled off of it harmlessly, dispersing into sparks in the air.

"He's holding our attacks off with Flame Wheel…" Ash's eyes widened. "That's Counter Shield!"

"It's a pretty handy technique, you've got!" Jimmy winked, confirming Ash's suspicions. "Hope you don't mind if I borrow it."

"I don't," Ash replied, "but my girlfriend might."

"Jimmy is using Ash's own technique against him to prevent damage!"

'This is bad. With Typhlosion moving that slow under Trick Room, that Flame Wheel's going to last. And we have no way of getting through.' Thinking over his limited options, Ash decided on the only one he seemed to have available. "Let's take cover, Mismagius! Phantom Force!"

"Yessir!" Mismagius agreed, dropping towards the field below her. A portal opened in the field, which she started to sink through. To her confusion, though, as her body sank halfway into it, she started to move far more slowly. "What in the next world…!?" She could hardly even will herself to close her portal. It shrank at a snail's pace.

Jimmy grinned. "Now, we gotcha. Typhlosion! Blast Burn!"

"What!?" Ash exclaimed.

Flame Wheel unraveled and burst into flames. Typhlosion lunged towards the Phantom Force, seemingly free of any sluggish movements he'd been damned to, moments before. "Phlooo…!"

His fist reared back, sparking with volatile flames. He cried ferociously, and punched into the retreating Mismagius's portal, moments before it closed. Volatile fire shot out of the closing gap.

Phantom Force violently exploded. Gasps could be heard from the crowd, as scalding winds shot across the stage, forcing Ash and Jimmy alike to guard themselves from it.

A second portal opened in the air, leaking smoke, cinders, and ashes. Mismagius fell to the ground, charred and unconscious. Her signature crooked smile betrayed her state.

"Mismagius is unable to battle! Typhlosion wins!"

"Return, Mismagius!" Ash recalled the Ghost-type. "Thanks, girl. You carried this match, up until now. I'd give ya a standing ovation, if you were conscious." He chuckled at his own joke, believing she'd enjoy it if she could, and placed her on his belt. He turned his eyes to Jimmy.

"So, what was that about? The way Typhlosion sped up and Mismagius slowed down…"

"You didn't notice?" Jimmy grinned, brushing his index finger over his nose. "You showed me yourself, Ash. When Mismagius dipped out on Trick Room, she slowed down. Remember?" "Yeah, I remember." Ash blinked. "Wait! So when that didn't work anymore… The same thing must've happened when she went into Phantom Force! I didn't even think of that!"

"I don't know where Casper the Theater Nerd heads off to when she uses that," Jimmy replied, "but it's not within bounds of Trick Room. And guess what? That means there's no one on the field who's slower than Typhlosion. So it wasn't hurting him anymore, either!" The young man boasted, as he recalled his own Pokémon. "Take another break, big guy. You're gonna need it."

Ash's eyes widened considerably. "...Oh, that's good. You're something else, Jimmy!" Ash laughed. "But I thought we agreed that we're done with the tricks."

"You're the one who brought out Trick Room," Jimmy countered. "It was nice to meet your Mismagius and all, but I'll be happy to get back to the action… Which means it's this guy's turn!"

Jimmy gestured a hand forward, winking at the Pichu on his shoulder. "Get on out there, Pichu!"

"Pi-chaaah!" Pichu grinned, then sprinted down Jimmy's arm, hopping to stand before him.

"For his next Pokémon, Jimmy has sent in Pichu! An unorthodox choice for the League Semi-Finals, but if we've learned anything at the Pokémon League, it's to expect the unexpected!"

"You've got that right, emcee!" Jimmy pointed towards the crowd, which was mirrored by Pichu. "So do yourself a favor, and watch and learn!"

Ash laughed, exchanging a look with Peeks.

"Like looking in a mirror, huh?"

"You read my mind," Ash nodded, smiling. He picked a Poké Ball off of his belt, and tapped its center button so it expanded to fit his palm. "We know better than to underestimate a 'chu." Ash tossed the Poké Ball, calling out Ash's Glalie a second time. "Glaaaalie!"

"Ash has chosen Glalie! With each trainer down to two, this is the penultimate match!"

"Let's get this show on the road!" Jimmy shouted. "Pichu, use Charge!"

"Charge…?" Ash raised a brow. 'I guess he hasn't forgotten that Trick Room's still kicking. But, does he think that Pichu is faster than Glalie? Is he?' Ash shook the thought off. "Use Blizzard!"

"Glaaa!" Glalie unleashed a frosty storm upon the notch-eared Pichu.

"Chuuuahhh…!" Pichu put up his stubby arms. His cheeks started to crackle, but even so, the cold front sent him tumbling back before he landed on all fours, wincing ."Piiii!" Lightning crackled across his body, giving it a golden, protective aura. It allowed him to outlast Blizzard.

"Blizzard went first… He is faster!" Ash exclaimed. "Glalie, quick, use Gyro Ball!"

"Glaaaa-aaa…!" Glalie spun towards Pichu, zipping across the field in no time at all, thanks to Trick Room. .

"Use Wish, now!" Jimmy commanded.

Pichu could do nothing to stop the silver bullet from knocking him brutally into the air. He spun and tumbled, due to Gyro Ball's centripetal force. Finally, he landed on all fours, and stumbled about, dizzy from the fall. "Pi… chu…!"

"Oooh! Glalie has taken an early, devastating offensive!"

Just then, a fuschia light flickered around the field, before fading away entirely.

"There goes Trick Room! It seems that its weird properties had been giving Glalie the edge in speed, meaning that Pichu actually has a leg up! How will this affect the battle!?"

"Oh, you're about to find out." Jimmy grinned, and pointed forward. "Pichu! Volt Tackle!"

"Pi-cha!" Pichu shook his head out and started sprinting, rapidly gaining speed. "Pipipipipipi…!"

The little bolt of lightning shot across the field, crashing into Glalie. Lightning crackled and flashed at the point of impact, making Ash and Jimmy alike guard their eyes.

"That power…!" Ash held his cap down to guard his eyes. "And he was so fast!"

"That's no amateur's Volt Tackle," Peeks warned. "Charge put it on another level! But the recoil should be even worse. Now's our chance to counterattack."

Glalie groaned, bouncing off the field before catching himself in front of Ash. He groaned, nursing a few bundles of static dancing off of him. "Urgh… That smarts!"

Pichu, surprisingly, wasn't worse for wear. At least, he wasn't when a golden star descended from the heavens, and tapped his head. A warm glow enveloped Pichu, and many of his scratches disappeared. He stood upright, flexing his stubby little limbs with gusto. "Pichu!" "What was that…!?" Ash pulled out his Pokédex. "I think Jimmy called for 'Wish?'"

"Wish: A Normal-type move. One turn after this move is used, the target's health is restored by half the user's maximum."

"Woah… I see, now." Ash put Dexter away. "It's like Recover with a bit of wait time! Awesome!"

"Now, use Charge, lil' dude!" Jimmy coached. Rejuvenated and reinvigorated, Pichu flexed his body, surrounding him in gold, one more.

"Powering up again? Well, bring it on!" Ash challenged. "Glalie! Gyro Ball!"

Ready for more, Glalie spun his way towards the charging Pichu, knocking him into the air.

"Follow it up with Ice Shard!"

Glalie chilled the air to form a slab of ice, and fired. It smashed into Pichu, and shattered.

Pichu cried, tumbling back down across the field.

"A nasty one-two combo! And it looks like Ash is ready to continue the onslaught!"

"Now, use Blizzard!" Ash waved a hand.

Another howling freeze blew across the stage, courtesy of Glalie.

"Use Iron Tail on the ground, in front of ya!" Jimmy shouted.

"Chuuuu… Pi!" Pichu somersaulted forward, coating his jagged tail in steel. With a high-pitched cry, he split the field in front of him, kicking up a slab of earth that caved in under his weight.

It provided shelter from the coming cold front. He ducked, tucking in his tail. Winds howled above him, and subsided shortly afterwards. When he perked up, the field immediately before him was coated in ice, including the ramp he'd created with his own Iron Tail.

"A quick save, from Jimmy and Pichu! That was a close one!"

"Not bad," Ash praised, smirking. "Glalie! Gyro Ball!"

"Glalie!" Glalie roared, and started to spin. Silver bands of steel coating orbited him.

"You haven't seen anything yet!" Jimmy brushed his thumb over his nose. "Volt Tackle!"

"Piah!" Pichu cried, jumping atop the height of the frozen ramp. He burst with electricity, shooting down the ice with even greater spin. "Pipipipipipipi…!" He cried, lunging at Glalie.

Gold and silver collided in a magnificent clash, forcing the audience to guard their eyes.

"I can't lie," Koda said, folding his arms. "This battle's pretty awesome."

"It is! They're both lashing out at full power," Dawn praised happily. "But, there's something… funny about this battle. I can't put my finger on it, but something is topsy-turvy about it."

"I believe that it's because this particular match is a bit of a mirror of Ash's usual battles," Professor Oak posited.

"A mirror?" Dawn asked.

"I think I get what you mean," Brock said, nodding thoughtfully." Usually, Ash is the one sending out Pikachu, or even any other small, but fast underdog out against an overwhelming opponent, and taking advantage of the terrain to hold his own. In this case, Jimmy and Pichu are the ones facing an overpowering foe in Glalie to beat the odds with only wits and raw determination."

"That's a big part of Pichu's appeal!" Marina winked, wagging her index finger. "Everybody loves an underdog!"

"It's weird to say it," Misty replied, "but I don't think we can call Ash an underdog, anymore."

"Glaaa… Glalie…!" Glalie grunted in his gravelly pitch, putting all of his effort into overpowering Pichu.

"Pichaaah!" An extra push of effort behind Volt Tackle pushed Pichu forth. Glalie was sent flying, and the burst of lightning that broke off of his aura sent the mouse tumbling back, too. Landing on his rear, Pichu shook his head. The recoil of Volt Tackle was numbing.

"Pichu has overpowered Glalie! But, that Volt Tackle is a double-edged sword!"

"Use Wish, little guy!" Jimmy urged. "Pi-chu!" Pikachu cried, linking his paw together. A golden star shot into the sky.

Meanwhile, Glalie groaned. "Gla-lie!" Lightning danced off of him, until he shook it off. "Hang in there, Glalie!" Ash encouraged him. He smiled. "Not bad, you guys…"

"Hey, Ash. I think I've got an answer to your Charge problem," Peeks whispered to him.

Ash raised his hand up to his ear. "Oh, yeah? Let's hear it, Buddy."

"I don't know what you're up to," Jimmy said, squinting at Ash. "But as long as you're chatting, let's get this show on the road! Use Charge, Pichu!"

Just as told, Pichu started to surround himself with an electric charge. "Bad move, Jimmy," Ash taunted. He wore a wide, self-satisfied smirk.

"Huh!?" Jimmy raised a brow at Ash. "What's that supposed to mean, bro?"

"I was hoping you'd use Charge! Glalie, Water Pulse, now!"

A bubbling mass of water appeared before Glalie's mouth. It fired towards Pichu, wrapping him up in its currents.

"Hah! A lot of good that'll do after all those Charges," Jimmy boasted, shrugging. "You really think you'll hit us with that confusion status, again? There's no way you're that lucky."

"Oh, I don't need that to happen," Ash said, grinning. "You know a lot about Pichu, don'tcha?"

"Uh, yeah? Why?" Jimmy raised a brow.

"Then you know that Pichu have a rough handle on their electricity!" Ash pointed towards the Water Pulse with Pichu within. The Electric-type was stumbling dizzily, surrounded by static. "And guess what happens when you put 'em in something that conducts it?"

"Eh? Oh, no!" Jimmy exclaimed, as he put the pieces together. "You weasel!"

"It seems Ketchum's time with electric mice has given him a clue on how to turn Pichu's strengths and weaknesses against him! It's hard to tell from this distance, but Pichu seems to be overcharged with his own electricity! No matter how tough he is, that little body can only handle so much!"

"Right! And, that's our chance!" Ash pointed towards Jimmy and Pichu. "Glalie! Use Blizzard!"

Howling winds were summoned by the Face Pokémon, freezing Jimmy's half of the field in a sheet of ice. Pichu in particular was frozen in Water Pulse, crackling and shimmering. It reminded Ash a bit of Dawn's Ice Chandelier, with a golden tint rather than blue.

"Pichu is frozen solid! This may or may not be it for Jimmy's tiny rabble rouser!"

"That's the perk of having a Pikachu as a partner," Ash boasted, lifting his arm to elevate Peeks. "He remembers enough about bein' a Pichu that he was able to give me that hint!"

"Woah, Peeks told you that?" Jimmy asked. "Just how well can you understand that lil' fella?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Peeks cut a petty smirk at Jimmy. "You two aren't the only ones who can orchestrate a scheme, y'know."

"What'd he say?" Jimmy asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Ash replied with a toothy grin.

Before Jimmy could be antagonized further, a golden star fell back down to earth, and enveloped his frozen Pichu. The little ice sculpture shone, before cracks started shining through.

"And, there it is!" Jimmy laughed. "Let's battle now, and chat later. Pichu, Volt Tackle!"

Muffled cries built steadily, as geysers of gold light started to shine through the orb of ice. Suddenly, it burst into sparkling shards, propelling an angry Pichu towards Glalie. "Pi–pi-pi-cha!"

Ash's eyes widened. "We can't overpower that… Dodge it, Glalie!"

"Roger!" Glalie grunted, zipping away from Pichu and veering to the right.

"Pi-pi!" Pichu exerted a bit of effort, and propelled himself into a sharp right turn towards Glalie.

"He can move it," Ash gasped.

"A bit like…" Peeks trailed off.

"Yeah," Ash nodded. "Keep on the move, Glalie! You can fly wherever you want!"

Glalie made several jagged turns, trying to throw off the tiny menace. But everywhere he went, a zig-zagging bolt of lightning followed him. The Face Pokémon was struggling to pull away.

"You've got 'im cornered!" Jimmy punched the air with gusto. "Drop it, for Iron tail!"

"Chah!" Pichu used the bulk of his Volt Tackle charge to propel himself out of its aura at blinding speeds, launching him at the retreating Glalie like a bullet. "Piiii…!" He spun his body around, coating his tail in steel. "Chu!"

Pichu's Iron Tail collided with Glalie's skull, smashing him with all of his built up momentum. Glalie cried, plummeting to spike off of the field, bouncing towards Ash. Pichu pumped his fist, grinning. "Chuh!"

"Alright, Pichu!" Jimmy cheered, giving him a thumbs up. "You rock, and you rule!"

"That Iron Tail was insane…!" Ash gasped. "All of that power with none of Volt Tackle's recoil!"

"You have to admire their moxie," Peeks praised. "And I'll have to remember that move."

"You doing okay, Glalie?" Ash checked. "You good to continue?" "Course I am, Boss! Urgh…" Glalie groaned. despite his bravado, he was covered in scratches and a few burn marks, from the consecutive Volt Tackles. "The hell's gotten into that mouse?"

"He and Jimmy are just like us," Ash laughed. "I'm really impressed!"

"Despite being larger and having more firepower, Glalie finds himself on the back foot! Metaphorically speaking, of course… What will Ketchum do against Jimmy's tenacity!?"

"Well, that's simple!" Ash grinned. "We just have to kick things up a notch!"

"Oh, can you do better than this?" Jimmy taunted. "Kicking your tail was starting to get boring."

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up!" Ash replied. "Okay, Glalie! Let's chow down on an Ice Shard!"

"...Say, what?" Jimmy stammered.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Glalie replied with his usual low gravel. A cool breath froze a chunk of ice in front of his mouth. He chomped into it without hesitation, calling on all of its frigid power.

Spires of cold erupted from the black grooves in Glalie's ice, all over his body. A low, grumbling growl chilled the air immediately around Glalie, and even sent a cool breeze over Jimmy and Pichu's end of the field. Sharp icicles now covered the majority of Glalie's body, giving him the appearance of a horned, frozen specter. "Glaaa….!"

"What in the world is this!? Glalie has eaten his Ice Shard, seemingly transforming him!"

"Woah… That's sick as hell!" Jimmy laughed. "How did you even do that!?'

"It's a technique I came up with by accident, and Dawn helped me polish," Ash boasted, brushing his thumb over the bridge of his nose. "We call it Ice Armor! Now, get ready!" He gestured a hand forward. "Use Ice Shard, one more time!"

"Glaaa…!" Glalie quickly charged a much larger Ice Shard. He fired it towards Pichu.

There was no time to dodge a move that fast, Jimmy judged. "Use Iron Tail, Pichu!"

"Chuuu…!" Pichu sprung and swung towards Ice Shard, striking it with his tail. It only showed a dent this time, however, and the slab of ice smashed Pichu into the ground under its weight.

Ice Shard shattered, and Pichu was sent tumbling. The mouse grunted, forcing himself to stand.

"Yo! That's some power!" Jimmy exclaimed.

"There's more where that came from!" Ash threw a hand in the air. "Glalie! Use Blizzard!"

A larger, more ferocious, and more bitter storm swallowed the battlefield. More dense flurries of snow obscured the crowd's view of the onslaught.

"Ice Armor makes Glalie a ferocious foe! Can Pichu even endure this one!?"

"Sure, he can!" Jimmy raised his hand, guarding his eyes from the cold. "Use Charge, dude!"

A flicker of gold sparked before Blizzard hit, before vanishing into the storm.

Jimmy grinned, as he guarded himself from the bitter flurry. He was staring into what seemed like a snowstorm, with an eerie, barbed, blue-eyed ghoul blocking their path. Behind him, a red-cloaked trainer stood strong, with that signature Pikachu on his shoulder.

He'd be lying if he said that he ever felt more thrilled for a battle in his life.

"Now, use Volt Tackle!"

A shooting star of gold propelled itself into the brunt of Blizzard. It flickered and pushed against harsh winds, shining so brightly that even the audience could see hints of it… before dying out.

Finally, Glalie's Blizzard ended. "Glah…" Glalie grunted. He'd left the entire battlefield gilded in ice. Spires and stalagmites of ice jutted out of the contained tundra; a testament to his power.

"That was a ferocious Blizzard, like few we've seen in the history of the Pokémon League! It's hard to imagine it wasn't enough to bring that stubborn Pichu down!"

"Wait a sec…" Ash narrowed his gaze. "Pichu… Where is he!?"

Peeks's eyes scanned their surroundings. He didn't see any signs of him on the ice, or even within it, after a closer look at the frozen figures they'd made out of the field. "I don't see him."

Jimmy only smirked. "Pichu? Use Wish."

A wishing star dropped down from the sky. It hovered, seemingly uncertain, before doing loops around Glalie. Ultimately, it slid under the befuddled Face Pokémon, before popping under him.

Ash gasped. "Wait. Don't tell me, he's…! Oh, you tricky son of a gun."

Wedged between two of Glalie's icicles on his underside was a sly, notch-eared Pichu. Clinging to the cold spires, he stuck his tongue out and pulled his eyelid at Ash and Peeks. "Pi-chuuuh!"

"There he is! Pichu seems to be hiding under Glalie! What's the meaning of this!?"

"He's under Glalie! Tricky lil' guy… It's not as if Glalie can reach him, there!"

"Nope! That was our plan all along," Jimmy boasted. "You're not the only one who can scheme."

"I guess not," Ash chuckled. "But, you can't attack either, with only Iron Tail and Volt Tackle. Let's shake 'em off, Glalie! Gyro Ball!"

Glalie hovered up high, and started to spin wildly. Silver light glimmered about him and coated his icy spires. He looked like a demonic frozen wrecking ball, quickly picking up speed.

PIchu grit his teeth, holding on for dear life. His ears whipped around in the wind, and to make matters worse, holding onto Glalie's body was starting to make him feel numb. "Pi-chuuu…!"

"Okay! Here we go!" Jimmy punched the air. "Let's take that speed, and use Volt Tackle!"

Lightning crackled and wrapped around Pichu, just then. Before Glalie could stop spinning, he let go, firing off into the air. "Chu!" He cried, using the centripetal force he'd built up.

Ash gasped. The small rodent shot around into a violent orbit, picking up more and more speed. "He tricked us!" Trails of lightning crackled off of Pichu, boxing in Glalie. "Well, nothin' to do from here, but try. Hit 'em with Gyro Ball, Glalie! Full power!"

Glalie kept spinning, pulling into tighter and tighter turns to boost his speed.

"Go, Pichu!" Jimmy cried.

Pichu pulled into tighter and tighter turns as well, until their collision was all but inevitable.

"Gla!"

"Chuuu!"

Lightning and ice collided in a blinding flash. Gold and silver swallowed the icy field, reflecting off its fractured mirrors with such intensity that Ash, Jimmy, and the audience had to look away.

"What a clash! I can't see a thing, folks!"

The sound of shattering ice hit Ash's ears. He forced himself to squint at the results.

Glalie's Ice Armor had shattered. He laid on the icy field, unconscious.

Pichu laid on the field, facefirst. He was, as well.

"Pichu and Glalie are unable to battle!" The referee shouted. "This match is a draw!"

"A double knockout! And what a climactic one it was; an uphill battle on behalf of Jimmy and Pichu, and an equally trying test for Ash and his powerhouse Glalie! Can anyone call this ending unsatisfying!?"

Jimmy recalled Pichu, whispering words of encouragement. "You rock and you rule, little guy. Thanks for doing your part."

"You'd be remiss to even try; and you'd be forgetting one vital detail — there's still a final round left before the Semi-Finals come to a close, between two powerful Pokémon!"

"Thanks, Glalie." Ash recalled his own Pokémon, smiling upon the Poké Ball. "Win, lose, or draw, that battle was amazing." He placed him back on his belt, looking across to Jimmy. "I can't believe how cool Pichu was! That felt like one of our battles, y'know? Actually reminds me of this face-off we had, at the Battle Pyramid…"

"Yo, the Battle Pyramid? I've heard stories about that place," Jimmy said, grinning. His excitable grin dipped into a devious smirk. "You're gonna need that experience, for what's coming next."

"Yeah, I've seen your Typhlosion," Ash replied, smiling. "We're ready for him!" "Are you?" Jimmy challenged, as he chucked his last Poké Ball backhanded.

A bruised and battle-frayed Typhlosion appeared, hunched over. "Typhlooo…!"

"He's already fought my other Pokémon," Ash warned. "Is he up to the challenge?"

"It's funny you should ask," Jimmy replied. Just as he did, a shimmering star hovered down.

"Huh…? That's Wish!" Ash exclaimed. "Shoot, I forgot he ordered that!"

"Funny thing about that last Wish," Jimmy replied. "It was never meant for Pichu. That was supposed to be a double knockout!"

The last whim of Pichu bathed Typhlosion in light. The scratches on his pelt faded away. Any light bruises that could be seen lost their color. Any ash still clinging to his body gave away. He stood upright, letting out a bellowing roar that kicked up winds. Some of the ice closest to Typhlosion melted away in his presence. "Tyyyh…!" He growled, grinning.

"He's back at full power…!" Ash grit his teeth. "All that effort we put in."

"All of it for zilch. Nada." Jimmy grinned. "That was always Pichu's role. He's there to go down swinging, and undo all the damage my ace player's taken while wearing down your team!"

Typhlosion snorted embers, waving a paw to goad Ash on.

"Typhlosion's been my go-to guy since he was a Cyndaquil. He's the one that won us our first Silver Conference! Every adventure I've been on, we've gone it together. That's why he's strong enough to clean house the way he does now!"

"Do you hear that!? That's just the sort of ferocity and cunning you'd expect from New Bark's best! Every advantage Ketchum has accrued through this battle is made null!"

"Jimmy… You're really incredible." Ash laughed. He clicked Sceptile's Poké Ball, growing it to fit his palm. "You, Pichu, Typhlosion… Your whole team's been a lot of fun!" The Pallet Trainer's eyes narrowed. "But, we're still winning this. I've still got one more guy I can really count on!"

He tossed the ball up. "Sceptile, I choose you!"

Entering the scene by landing crouched, ready to strike, Sceptile's yellow eyes narrowed as he spotted Typhlosion. The Hoenn starter moved slowly, muscles tense and coiled in anticipation of the battle coming soon. He chewed on his favored twig, in the meantime.

Typhlosion, seeing his opponent's fighting form, crouched over, all four paws on the ground. He snorted with delight.

"The final round comes down to Typhlosion versus Sceptile! Jimmy's ace sweeper is about to come head-to-head with one of Ash's most decorated and dominant fighters!"

Meanwhile, in the stands, another match was brewing.

"This is it… Ugh, I really wish my cheerleading outfit had come in, today!" Dawn groaned.

"Not to pry, but don't you already have one?" Brock asked.

"I do, but I ordered something special for the League…" She grumbled. "I'll just have to make do!" She stood up in her seat, waving her fists, sans pom-poms.

"Ash, Ash, he's our man, if he can't do it, no one can! Kanto's brightest, Kanto's best, he'll put Jimmy to the test!"

"Hey!" Marina huffed. "Hmph. Well I may not carry cheer garb on me at all times, but I can at least improvise!" She rolled up a magazine she had on-hand and put a foot on the railing before them, throwing up an arm to yell down at Jimmy. "You can do it! Show 'em that old fashioned Johto spunk!"

Not taking kindly to being out done, Dawn looked to Empoleon before scrambling on top of his shoulders. "The moon! The stars! The sun! Ash Ketchum, he's number one! His team, his strategy, his skill; if anyone can do it, he will!"

A low frustrated growl rumbled in Marina's throat before she got out a roll of ribbon. It was meant just to tie her hair back, but she quickly got out a black pen and wrote the word "determination" on it before tying it on her head and beating the railing with her rolled up magazine. "Jimmy! You've already won this before, so there's no way you can lose to someone who's never been where you have!"

"Excuse me?!" Dawn demanded from on top of Empoleon. "What's that supposed to mean!?" She leaned down towards Marina, to the penguin's chagrin. Of course, he had to root for Ash.

"Pol! Empol!"

The idol put her hands on her hips, glaring up at Dawn. "You know what it means! Jimmy's the best of the best, and he's totally gonna whoop Ash's butt!"

"Yeah right!" Dawn fired back. "Ash is stronger than anyone, definitely!"

"What would you know?" Marina said with a shrug. "Your favorite's Wallace! He can't even win out against Steven Stone."

Dawn gasped. "You take that back! You… You… Two region leadership hoarder lover!"

"Is that supposed to be an insult towards Lance?" Marina yawned. "Sounds like envy."

Dawn was red in the face. "Oh, that does it, you…! Ah!" Before she could continue, Dawn slipped off Empoleon's shoulders and crashed into Marina, knocking them both into the aisle. The two groaned, laying together in a heap.

Brock shuddered. "... Misty, May, didn't you say that they were friends?"

"Well, they did almost come to blows when they met," May chuckled, scratching her cheek. "But, I think they've warmed up since then! …Probably."

"If this is getting along, I'd hate to see them fight…"

'We've seen how strong Typhlosion is, and he has the type advantage,' Ash considered quietly. 'We're going to need to make use of his speed.' He couldn't ignore the thumping of his heart. The adrenaline pumping his excitement up to eleven. The nervous sweat dripping off his brow.

"Sceptile! Leaf Blade!"

A green blur, Sceptile tore across the field. In a breath's pace, Sceptile's glowing green blade cut across Typhlosion's face, leaving a gleam of emerald in its path.

After the initial blow, Typhlosion smiled, smiling down mockingly at Sceptile.

Sceptile grit his teeth in frustration, proud as ever.

Jimmy grinned. "Nice try, but it's not enough. Flamethrower!"

Ash's face tightened in a grimace. "Leaf Blade!"

The Fire-type's head swung towards Sceptile, jaws opening to reveal a throat full of fire; the flames along Typhlosion's neck danced higher in his exertion.

Sceptile raised an arm, once again glowing with vibrant natural energy. The stream of fire billowed out, but Sceptile's blade cleaved it in half. Like a river splitting around a rock, the Flamethrower parted on either side of Sceptile, melting and then scorching his surroundings.

Jimmy hollered, ever the excitable good sport. "Aw, you're kiddin' me! That was sick!"

"He always is," Ash nodded, eyes trained onto Typhlosion. "But, still. Typhlosion absolutely tanked that first Leaf Blade. This won't be an easy battle." The Kanto native smiled.

"Would you have it any other way?"

"Nope!" Ash's expression hardened. "Use Rock Slide, now!"

Sceptile lunged back several paces and roared, summoning an avalanche of boulders.

"Typhlosion, knock 'em back with Thunder Punch!"

As they fell, Typhlosion swung his fists. The smaller stones were sent flying across the battlefield as debris. The larger stones, however, were shattered, having too much mass to simply change direction. As powerful as Typhlosion was, he only had two forepaws and was only so fast. The Rock Slide quickly outpaced the Fire-type, burying it under the rubble.

Ash threw a hand out. "Leaf Storm!"

Sceptile ran forward, turning his back to the rubble to conjure a storm of emerald winds.

"Flame Wheel, now!"

Bursting out from the rocks, Typhlosion lunged for the Grass-type. The Fire-type suffered the tempest, but he pressed on to pounce upon Sceptile in a blaze. The two tumbled across the battlefield, Sceptile sliding out of Typhlosion's grasp and range in the turmoil.

"Flamethrower!" Jimmy ordered.

Deciding it had worked against Beedrill, Ash fell on old tactics. "Rock Slide, defensively!"

This time, rather than forming a long, punishing drop of rocks from above, the Rock Slide was summoned so that the mass of rocks was laid out horizontally, falling in a protective shield both before Typhlosion and, hopefully, on him. Flamethrower splashed against the solid rock.

Jimmy wasn't going to let Typhlosion get hit, though. "Climb 'em with Flame Wheel!"

Typhlosion focused on the task at hand. Kicking off the few already fallen boulders, the fire pokemon tucked into himself, practically throwing himself onto one of the still falling boulders. He raced across them, positioning himself to be able to pounce on Sceptile again.

"Crap, he's tryna get the drop on us! Sceptile, get up there!" Ash's heart hammered in his chest. The battle was incredibly fast. Sceptile's second Rock Slide hadn't even finished executing and they were moving onto other tactics!

Sceptile climbed into the air, making sure to position above Typhlosion with the falling rocks. The grass type smirked at its opponent, cocking its head. Typhlosion snorted, feeling thoroughly challenged.

"Flamethrower!" Jimmy called.

"Dodge it!"

Sceptile leapt out of the way as Typhlosion's fire consumed the rock the grass type had just been standing on.

Ash noticed Sceptile's positioning and smiled. "Perfect! Leaf Blade!"

Jimmy frowned. "Dodge it!"

Unfortunately, their fast-paced aerial battle was coming to an end. A streak of green sliced under Typhlosion, and the rock he stood upon split in half. Plummeting, he landed with a skid on the battlefield below.

Sceptile stood on top of the second pile of rocks, watching Typhlosion closely.

Ash considered the field. He could make use of it. "Hey, Sceptile. How much do you know about baseball?"

Sceptile looked over his shoulder at Ash, and shrugged. "Not a thing. Why ask that, now?"

"Okay, we've got a lot of Pallet Town culture to catch you up on, after we win," Ash chuckled. "But for now, just follow my lead. Knock those boulders at Typhlosion!"

"Well, you could've said that from the start." Sceptile tutted. He kicked up a boulder behind him on his tail, and struck it towards Typhlosion with the dull end of his Leaf Blade.

"Hey, hey! We're at the Indigo League, not a Magikarps game!" Jimmy shouted. "Dodge that!"

The Typhlosion began to run circles around Sceptile, dodging the numerous 'boulder' balls Sceptile was launching towards the Fire-type. Unfortunately for him, Sceptile was faster than Typhlosion. After a few tries, the Hoenn starter correctly judged his target and struck true.

Typhlosion was swept off its feet at the impact, stunned so that it landed on its side.

"Now, let's go for a home run!" Ash threw a hand forward. "Send 'em all off, with Leaf Storm!"

Sceptile lunged backwards off of the pile and pointed his tail towards it. "Tiiile!" He roared with effort, firing a grassy tempest out of the fern. It was significantly weaker than the last, but for Sceptile that meant little. Howling winds and cutting leaves swept up a tunnel of boulders, shooting them towards the recovering Typhlosion one after another.

The Volcano Pokémon braced himself, suffering another boulder to the dome. Another came in afterward and broke the first, battering him. Debris and cutting gales beat him back in succession.

"What a nasty follow-up from Sceptile; a Leaf Storm and Rock Slide combination! Typhlosion is on the back foot!"

"Awesome stuff, but we can do better!" Jimmy boasted. "Use Flame Wheel to break through!"

Typhlosion cried and lunged over the storm, tucking himself into a fireball. He bounced off of the nearest boulder, storming across the combination attack with a trail of flames behind him.

"He's going right over it!?" Ash exclaimed, in awe at Typhlosion's strength.

Sceptile croaked in shock. Just as Leaf Storm petered out, Typhlosion uncurled from the Flame Wheel he'd maintained until that point. Even his momentum had been worn down, fighting Sceptile's assault. Despite this, he loomed over Sceptile, grinning widely. He snorted ashes.

"Flamethrower, head on!" Jimmy cried.

"Leaf Blade to split it again!" Ash ordered.

Once again, Sceptile deflected the flames with a slice down the middle.

"Gotcha!" Jimmy taunted. "Flame Wheel!"

"Block it!"

The behemoth Typhlosion rolled up on Sceptile, fiery form grinding against Sceptile's Leaf Blade, reinforced by a cross formation with both arms. The attack, however, could only last so long against fire. It soon burned up, sending Sceptile stumbling back. He grunted in frustration, and he was sweating.

"Nothing does this guy in…!" Ash swallowed heavily. If they were allowed to press the advantage any further, this fight could very quickly be over for him. 'I don't think I have a choice!'

"One more Flamethrower!" Jimmy cried. Typhlosion drew his head back.

Ash assessed the fight before him in the blink of an eye. Sceptile was backed towards him, in a corner. His forearms were raw from blocking one fiery attack after another. It wouldn't work again.

"We've got no choice!" Ash cried passionately, clenching his fists. "Sceptile! Use Outrage!"

Sceptile's eyes snapped open. Their golden coloration turned to a passionate reddish pink. His entire body tensed and convulsed with a furor, reaching deep into his genes for a dormant power. He howled, consumed by a roaring pinkish aura.

Typhlosion threw his head forward to spit flames — only to have his jaw socked shut in an uppercut. It was such a surprise that he expelled the flames through his nostrils.

Sceptile spun around, smashing his foot into Typhlosion's gut in a roundhouse kick. Typhlosion doubled over, coughing up smoky ash from the failed Flamethrower. Before he could collect himself, Sceptile's claws slashed across his face, drawing blood. Another kick made him stumble back.

"It's a risky move…" Ash grit his teeth. "But that power is our best shot, right now!"

"I had no idea that Ash's Sceptile knew Outrage!" Max exclaimed, leaning forward in his seat. "Or that Sceptile could even learn that move in the first place…"

"There are theories that the Treecko line has some Dragon-type roots," Professor Oak replied. "What has my attention in this case is Ash making this gambit at such a critical point."

"Gambit?" Delia prodded for more information.

"Outrage is a very powerful move that launches the user into a draconic fury, attacking brutally and without tact or remorse. It's very powerful, but puts the user in a confused stupor after a bit."

Delia cupped her hand over her mouth. "Then if this doesn't finish the battle…!"

"Then, Ash will be wide open. And we've seen the firepower that Typhlosion is capable of."

"Which means it's curtains for Ash and Sceptile~!" Marina winked, raising a finger. "Sceptile hasn't dealt that much damage, and there won't be a thing they can do to stop that Blast Burn!"

Dawn gripped the railing. "They'll make it, somehow… I'm sure of it!"

"Sceeeiyaaagh!" Sceptile roared, leaping above a stumbling Typhlosion. With a vicious twist of his body, he smashed Typhlosion over the head with his tail, sending the Volcano ricocheting off the ground.

"Tyaaah…!" Typhlosion roared angrily, pushing himself off. He was dusty and bruised, but he still gestured his paw toward himself, provoking Sceptile.

"He still hasn't had enough, yet!?" Ash exclaimed. "...And, it looks like Sceptile has."

The Forest Pokémon gripped his head, snarling and shaking about with rage.

"Outrage has put Typhlosion on the back foot, but it hasn't done enough…! Now, Sceptile is wide open!"

"Sorry, Ash. It's been a lot of fun," Jimmy grinned. "But, it's game over! You ready, big guy?"

Typhlosion roared in response.

"Good!" Jimmy took on a far more fierce expression. "Now, use Blast Burn!"

Typhlosion's pupils narrowed to pin pricks. He roared. The audience fell to a hush. There was something primal and ancient about that roar, a cause for a pause of reverential observation. The Fire-type slammed his claws on the ground. It shook before yielding to fountains of fire bursting all over the field, snaking out from Typhlosion's position all the way to Sceptile.

It was too bright. Ash squinted before looking away. His teeth rattled as the ground shook. When the move was over, he looked at the field. The rock piles from the previous moves were gone. Crouching on one knee was Sceptile, arms crossed over him.

For a moment, Ash's breathing hitched.

Had they lost?

"What a terrifying Blast Burn! Sceptile just might be down for the count."

"No… He's not." Ash muttered. This wouldn't do Sceptile in."

"You're… you're damn right," the reptile growled. Wisps of black smoke trailed off of his trembling body. He felt the sting of raw skin all over. Despite it, though, Sceptile was very much conscious. He forced himself upright, dusting the ashes off his body. "We came here to win."

Between his teeth, his signature twig shifted about as it often did. Now, though, it became brittle and broke, falling into a pile of ashes at his feet. Sceptile's golden eye peered down at it.

"...You burnt my favorite twig to a crisp." He pointed at Typhlosion.

The Volcano huffed and gasped for breath, unable to reply.

"You've signed your own death warrant with that."

"...Oh, I wish the crowd could understand Pokémon, because that was so cool," Peeks marveled, with stars in his eyes.

"Sceptile is back up! Looking scorched and sour, but he's still very much in the battle! Given that type disadvantage, it's just about unbelievable. This is the Pokémon that took down Tobias's Darkrai, one year ago!"

"Aha ha…" Jimmy laughed nervously, wiping sweat from his brow. "Well, that's friggin' awesome and all, but this is not good."

"It sure isn't!" Ash grinned. "For you, at least. Let's get him, Sceptile! While he's down! Outrage!"

"He's using it, again!?" Misty exclaimed. "He just got lucky with the last one. What's he thinking!?"

"My guess is, he's not thinking," Max said flatly.

Down on the battlefield, Sceptile had lunged the distance between himself and Typhlosion, beginning to batter him with repeated slashes, strikes, and kicks. Pink light trailed his form.

"I don't think so," Dawn said. Even as she gripped the railing, her eyes were steady and certain. "If Ash just wanted to do a lot of damage, he could have just used Rock Slide. He thinks outside the box, but he's not dumb. If he's going in with the same move twice, he has a reason!"

Brock hummed thoughtfully. "You may be right… I hope."

"You're real gutsy, you know!" Jimmy goaded from across the field. "Comin' in with the same move, after it almost cost you the battle?" Sceptile elbowed Typhlosion across the face. He stumbled back, falling down on one knee.

"I can afford it," Ash said, smirking. "Can you, though?"

Typhlosion huffed, wiping spit away from his jaw. He, himself, was starting to feel woozy.

Jimmy turned his eyes on Typhlosion. They trembled.

Sceptile was looming over a tired and battered Typhlosion. One claw was drawn back, glimmering under the afternoon sun. His rampage hadn't ended, yet.

"Gh… Dang it. Well played, Ash!" Jimmy shouted, laughing. Sweat flew off of his brow as he waved a hand through the air passionately. "Be careful what you wish for! Typhlosion, Blast Burn!"

"Tyyy!" Typhlosion forced himself up, holding one paw over his head. It crackled with fire.

May cupped her hands over her mouth. "If that Blast Burn hits…!"

"He's toast," Koda finished.

A battle-crazed Sceptile hissed, ready to strike down his foe in a stupor. But before he could act, Typhlosion bashed his fist into the earth. Molten cracks started to spread, treading towards him.

"Tiiirrryagh!" Sceptile struck with a feral cry.

Blast Burn detonated violently, making the entire field tremble. Volcanic fire and passionate reds burst into the sky, before thick smoke and ash flooded the field, forcing Ash and Jimmy to guard themselves. In fact, both trainers were thrown off of their feet, falling back from the vicinity.

"Buddy!" Ash cried, catching a flying Peeks in his arms. He hit the dirt on his side, cradling him.

"That power…!" Peeks coughed, covering his mouth with his tail.

"It's insane," Ash hissed through grit teeth. "Now we just need to pray that it worked."

"A titanic eruption! This has to be it, everyone! No one is walking away from that!"

"Jeez… Talk about a finisher!" Jimmy laughed. "At least it's over, now…"

"It seems the referee can't see a thing, so please wait patiently until the smoke clears!"

A thick, inky fog lingered for what felt like a minute. The air was hot and irritating, which was enough incentive for Ash and Jimmy to stand above the thick of it to avoid breathing it.

It was hard to make out either Pokémon, at first. The smoke was too tall for either to stand out. But, there was something curious about the shroud. Vibrant lights flickered from within its midst.

"What's this!?"

An emerald glow cascaded from Ash's end of the field. Vibrant and violent, but steady.

Opposite, a fiery light combusted and crackled. It shone bright enough to illuminate the dark.

Sceptile stood out among the retreating smoke. A lively aura surrounded his body; Overgrow.

"Didn't think I was out of the fight, did you?" Sceptile growled.

Ash laughed, pumping his fists in excitement. "Not at all! I knew that'd work out!"

Typhlosion stood upright with a deluge of flames roaring around his neck; a hissing furor. Blaze.

"There's my main man!" Jimmy laughed, flicking sweat from his brow. "Aha, wow. Alright. I'm stumped. How'd you pull that off, Ketchum!?"

"Oh, that's simple!" Ash grinned. "When I used Outrage, it was 'cause Typhlosion backed Sceptile into a corner, and we needed loads of power. So I knew that if we went for a second Outrage, you'd have no choice but to bring out the big guns! We were going for Blast Burn!"

"Alright, alright. A lil' psychology in there. I see it!" Jimmy replied. "But still, why'd you want it, and how'd you survive it?"

"Well, it's all about Outrage," Ash explained. "It puts you in a frenzy, attacking whatever's in front of ya! I know that much for training the move with Sceptile. But the glow of Blast Burn is pretty hard to miss. Of course Sceptile was gonna attack it! So, all that dragon power was gonna go right into it, like when you plug a faucet with your thumb," he continued. "So all of that power was gonna explode right in front of ya! It looks like it pushed both our guys to their limits, so that's good enough for me!"

"Was that your plan?" Jimmy laughed. "You're something else, Ash."

"So're you, Jimmy!" Ash replied, smiling.

"Hm. So, that was Ash's plan!" Oak hummed, cupping his chin. "A bit of reverse psychology and exploitation of physics in one! Quite advanced, for such a seemingly brute force strategy."

"See? I told you!" Dawn boasted, with her head held high. Then, she started to flail her fists, cheering. "What'd I tell you? Who's in the know? Sceptile's back with Overgrow! He's the best, he's the swiftest. Let's make this a photo finish!"

"Pol! Empoleon!" Empoleon cheered in unison.

"I've gotta admit. Ketchum's something special," Marina whistled. "But, that doesn't mean Jimmy's giving up, either! Fight your heart out there, boys!"

"Whaddya say, Ash? One last charge?" Jimmy challenged.

Ash pumped a fist. "You're on!"

"That's what I'm talking about! Now, Typhlosion! Use Flame Wheel!"

The fiery collar around Typhlosion's neck burst threefold in volume and heat, before wrapping into a dome around his body. Passionate oranges and reds spun wild, forming a Flame Wheel twice as massive as the last. It burnt the ground below to ash, and charged forth.

"You've got what it takes to win, Sceptile! Leaf Blade!" Ash roared, punching the air.

Sceptile crossed his forearms, focusing the whole of his overflowing natural power into the dual leaves on his arms. They shone with earthly vitality, and burst with a harsh 'shink!'

The hooked scythes of Leaf Blade bloomed violently, each blade dwarfing Sceptile in height.

"Go!"

"Go!"

Sceptile crouched, building his center of gravity, and then lunged at the Flame Wheel. Striking green cut its way into the inferno, slicing into its blaze before hitting a more stubborn wall of flames. He hissed, forced to buckle onto his knee. Flame Wheel licked at his already hurting form. The heat was enough to push him towards exhaustion. His eyes started to narrow.

"Sceptile! You've come so far since you were just a little Treecko!" Ash cried, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Remember when we spent all night protecting your tree? Your home?" The trainer smiled. "I got you. I knew you wanted to be stronger — stronger so you could protect anything precious to you!"

Sceptile's golden eyes snapped open. The heat exhaustion's fog withered away into a wisp.

"That's you, now! You're strong enough to beat anyone! You can do it!"

"Tiiiile…!" Sceptile hissed through his teeth, reinforcing his Leaf Blade with his opposite arm. He forced himself onto his hind legs, carving into the Flame Wheel.

"Woah… He's still pushing!?" Jimmy exclaimed.

Candles burnt brightest before going dim. Flame Wheel sputtered and roared, pushing harder against Sceptile before it started to bounce and lose steam. Smoke and ashes flickered from it.

"Now!"

"Scep-tile!"

Sceptile slashed outwards with both arms of Leaf Blade. The scythes cleaved deep into the earth on either side of him, slashing a streak of verdant into the sky. Flame Wheel was sent sputtering and flying back, flying far past Jimmy to collide with the wall behind him in a fiery finish.

"Typhlosion!" Jimmy cried, guarding himself from the smoke and flames.

"What a ferocious clash of signature moves! But it seems Ash's determination has reached Sceptile in the moment of truth!"

True to his nature, the Fire-type was stubborn, back slumped heavily against the wall with rubble and scorch marks all around him. His upper lip trembled in a growl as he glared at Sceptile. For a moment, the Pokémon locked eyes, an intense rivalry brimming between them.

But, there had to be a winner. Fighting exhaustion and failing, Typhlosion's flames went out first. Then, he slumped over, eyes shut. He was knocked out.

The stadium erupted into cheers. Ash ran out towards Sceptile as the announcer spoke.

"Typhlosion is unable to battle! The battle goes to Sceptile, and Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!"

"Talk about a heart-stopping conclusion! Both Typhlosion and Sceptile went all-out in a final clash, with their prides on the line! Typhlosion fought the good fight, but Sceptile was just a bit stronger! What a conclusion to the Semi-Final rounds!"

"Yes!" Dawn whooped, punching both of her hands in the air, before throwing one forward with a wink and a grin. "I told you all there was no need to worry!"

"Ugh, they were so close." Marina pouted, collapsing into her seat to rest her cheek in her palm. She huffed, standing back up after a moment. "But, they went out in style! And, part of being a great trainer is accepting defeat with grace! And I have to hand it to your guy, Dawn!" She beamed, clapping a hand on the girl's shoulder. "You found the perfect guy to root for!"

"Well, duh!" Dawn proudly puffed out her chest. "But hey, look at you and Jimmy! You found a top-class guy, yourself! Like, I could totally understand rooting for that fiery candor!"

"Let's just say we both have amazing taste!" She boasted, throwing an arm around Dawn.

A sweat drop ran down the group's foreheads, collectively. "Weren't they at each other's throats, a minute ago?" Misty said flatly.

"…Anyway," Brock picked up, "what a battle. Two great trainers walked in, but only one could walk out a winner. And, Ash earned his way to his highest rank in a conference, yet."

"That's right!" Delia gasped, cupping her hands over her mouth. "This is his first time in the finals!"

"He and Sceptile look really happy, right now." May observed, looking fondly on the scene.

Ash caught Sceptile under his arm, supporting the prideful Pokémon.

"Those were some risky plays. Thanks for backing them 100%."

Bruised and exhausted, Sceptile let down his guard, leaning into Ash's shoulder. "If I didn't trust your plays as a trainer, I wouldn't be here right now to begin with," he admitted.

"I'll take that as your 'tough guy' way of saying that you're on board with us," Ash chuckled.

Sceptile didn't answer. He'd fallen asleep, supported by his trainer. A sure sign of trust, if there was one.

"I think he's earned his rest," Peeks said, already sitting on Sceptile's shoulder.

"Yeah." Ash briefly waved to the audience before clicking Sceptile with his Poké Ball, putting him away. Catching Peeks in his arms, he made a quick getaway to see Nurse Joy.

Ash jogged through the backstage halls of the stadium. He had the path memorized, by now.

"Hey, man, wait up!"

Ash looked over his shoulder, watching Jimmy jog to catch up with him.

"What? You gonna gimme one of the greatest matches of my life and not even gimme a fist bump after? What kinda mess is that?" the Johto trainer chided.

Ash laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Sorry! Sceptile's got a bit of an ego, and I figured he wouldn't wanna see anyone if he's all shaky and stuff!"

Jimmy nodded. "I get ya, I get ya. So, let's walk and talk!"

The two young men fell into step with each other.

Ash whistled. "So… That Blast Burn, huh? I beat it and all, but I really wasn't sure if it'd work!"

Jimmy smiled. "Ya like it? It's somethin' we picked up from this real serious, exclusive old geezer off on the Sevii Islands. She has a rep for handing out the Ultimate Moves, if you're good enough."

"Ultimate Moves?" Ash echoed.

"Blast Burn, Hydro Cannon, Frenzy Plant," Jimmy recited, raising one finger for each. "They're those types' answers to Hyper Beam, or Giga Impact, whatever. Same power, same drawback." He folded his arms behind his head. "Honestly, I'm lucky she bothered with me. She almost told me to buzz off!"

"She's got high standards, huh?" Scratching under Peeks's chin, Ash considered this information. "Sevii Islands, huh? That's just off Kanto's coast."

"Yep." Jimmy looked over to Pikachu. "Hey, speakin'a Kanto, isn't Peeks here your signature? Why didn't ya use him?"

"Well… The truth is," Ash said, rubbing his neck. "We were saving him for the final round."

Jimmy, clearly mocking the fact he could have been insulted, put on the theatrics as the two approached the nurse's station. "Oh, I see! I see! I'm not good enough for your starter, huh? Yeah, yeah, you country guys are all the same! Think you're too good for us streetwise guys."

"You're from New Bark Town." Ash rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah." Jimmy waved his hand. "He was good enough to give you advice," He said pointedly, pointing his index and middle fingers at Peeks, as if to say he was watching him.

A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead. "I'm just the Team Captain."

Ash rolled his eyes. "Truth is, I have just enough Pokémon to use everyone once in this League. So I have to give everyone their limelight! Otherwise it just isn't fair, you know?"

"Hold your Horsea." Jimmy blinked, wide-eyed. "You have… uh… " He counted on his fingers.

"Thirty-three," Ash finished. "Already counted. Sixty-two if you count all my Tauros."

"...Holy crap. And you managed to get your guys this strong with those numbers? You're a pisser, Ketchum."

"I've been told I'm pretty talented," Ash said smugly, floating a hand and puffing out his chest.

He'd finished boasting, luckily, by the time they reached Nurse Joy. She took both of their teams, promising a thorough check-up before disappearing behind her booth.

"So. The finals, huh?" Jimmy asked. "Looks like it'll be on your shoulders to deliver on our bet."

"Oh, shit, yeah. You're right," Ash laughed. "I almost forgot about that."

"Her whole team," Jimmy goaded, poking Ash's chest. "Not one less."

"I'll do you one better," Ash replied, swatting Jimmy's hand. "I won't just see them. I'll beat 'em!"

"Now that's the attitude I wanna see!" The Johto native smiled at the two. "Well, you've got a day off tomorrow, before the finals. You'll have time to unwind. I think you're gonna need it."

Ash didn't seem as excited about this news. "... Right, there's a whole day." He wasn't sure what he was going to do with all that excitedly anxious energy. It was like waiting for Christmas. He shrugged. "We'll find something fun to do, I'm sure."

"Well, I dunno about you," Jimmy replied, grinning. "But since I don't gotta be fresh faced during the finals, I think I'm gonna go out and party."

Intrigued, Ash raised a brow.. "A party? What kind?"

The conference winner smirked. "Oh, man, Ash, buddy, if you've never been to a mid-conference block party, you haven't lived, man. You haven't lived."