Indigo Stadium was packed, roaring with commotion under the afternoon sun. After what Ash understood to be a one-sided battle from earlier this morning, the crowd was bustling in anticipation for the coming clash.

"Looks like we've got a heck of a crowd to impress." Ash took his first steps onto the battlefield, adjusting his cap to guard his eyes from the sunlight. "Let's give them a real show, bud." He cast a smirk at his companion, who was nuzzled securely into his shoulder.

"Counting on you!" Pikachu nodded, his own adorable visage brimming with confidence. He had total faith that Ash would carry him onto the final round. "Take this one home for the team, Ash."

With that, Ash stepped onward, taking his place on the field.

"The Indigo Plateau Conference is heading into its final stretch! The first battle of the Semi-Finals was a bit of a lopsided victory on behalf of Deidra Agrona. But here, we have two Pokémon League veterans sure to deliver a promising performance!"

The crowd roared as the play-by-play successfully stirred them up. But, to Ash, that was just background noise, right now. His gaze was cast across the field, locked onto his opponent.

Jimmy made eye contact, and sent a cocky smirk Ash's way.

Ash smiled, in turn. His heart was already racing.

"On one end, we have Jimmy, from New Bark Town: A former victor of the Silver Conference from our sister region in the Johto League. After coming short against the Elite Four, he seems to be back with a vengeance! Will he earn himself a second try?"

Parts of the crowd roared with excitement for Jimmy, as he flexed and waved to the crowd. He showboated shamelessly, knowing fully well Lance was up there shaking his head, somewhere.

"On the other, we have a hometown hero: Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town! Although Ash has yet to win a regional conference, he comes closer with every attempt; most recently placing in Sinnoh's Lily of the Valley as a Semi-Finalist! Will this finally be his year!?"

"Hope you're ready to trade places," Ash challenged. "Because, I'm winning this one!"

Jimmy belly-laughed, sliding one of his hands into a pocket on his sweatshirt. "You'll have to beat me, first. So, good luck!"

"This will be a full, six-on-six battle," the referee interrupted. "The battle will end when all of one trainer's Pokémon are knocked out. Both trainers can switch pokemon at any time!"

"Then, I'll go first." Ash grinned, tossing a Poké Ball. "Crawdaunt! I choose you!"

"Craw!" The Rogue Pokémon appeared before Ash, snapping his claws.

"A Crawdaunt, eh? This'll be fun." Jimmy smirked, juggling a Poké Ball in his palm. He tossed it forward with gusto. "You're up first, Sudowoodo!"

"Sudo!" The Imitation Pokémon appeared in a flash of light, afterwards, wiggling his body back and forth in irregular patterns, almost as if in a trance. "Sudo-woodo!"

"A Sudowoodo, huh?" Ash smirked. "We've got the type advantage, but I know that doesn't mean anything at this level. Especially if he's leading with the fella."

"Those guys can be tricky," Peeks warned. "Be careful."

The referee raised a hand. "You may begin!"

"The first to attack is the first to win!" Ash shouted. "Crawdaunt! Use Crabhammer!"

Crawdaunt scuttled and leapt at Sudowoodo, striking with one of his massive pincers.

"Jumping right into the action! I like it!" Jimmy grinned. "Sudowoodo! Focus Punch!"

"Su! Do!" Sudowoodo sprinted at Crawdaunt with a comical gait, drawing back one of his tree-like limbs. Orange energy coated his arm as he focused his power.

The two Pokémon met center stage, each drawing back their limb of choice for a wind-up. Crabhammer smashed into Focus Punch with a forceful follow-through, sending a shockwave bubbling across the stage.

Crawdaunt grunted with effort, trying to force his claw past Sudowodoo's guard.

Sudowoodo, by contrast, maintained an eerily blank expression. "Sudo!" He seemingly tripped, stumbling off of Crawdaunt's claw to awkwardly spin on his foremost foot. This left the crustacean to stumble forward clumsily, maintaining the forward momentum he'd given.

"Craw!?" Crawdaunt bashed his claw into the ground with no more resistance against him, thrown off-balance.

A mischievous glimmer shone in Sudowoodo's eye. He spun around, swinging his Focus Punch directly into Crawdaunt's underbelly. The uppercut launched Crawdaunt into the sky.

"Crawdaunt!" Ash exclaimed. "Fight back!"

What goes up must come down, and the same applied to Crawdaunt, who dropped back down to earth. He cried mightily, bashing his claw over Sudowoodo's head in retaliation.

"Two super-effective moves land head-on, right away! Those have got to hurt!"

"We're just getting started," Ash said, smirking. "Crabhammer, back to back!"

Crawdaunt landed at the doubled over Sudowoodo's feet, kicking up dust with his landing. He swept at the Imitation's feet, aiming to knock him off-balance.

"So!" Sudowoodo tumbled over the sweep in a somersault, landing behind Crawdaunt. He spun around, swinging a backhand at the other. Crawdaunt bashed his claws against the ground, forcing him into a handstand… or, clawstand, perhaps! In any case, he hung upside-down, making eye contact with Sudowoodo.

The two eccentric Pokémon stared each other down with intensity.

"Now, this is what I'm talking about!" Jimmy cheered. "But, I don't like those eyes you're giving us. This is a bro-to-bro showdown."

"What's wrong? Can't handle the heat?" Ash challenged, smirking.

"No, we just like to save the stares for the ladies. Sudowoodo! Mud Slap!"
With a swipe of his arms, Sudowoodo slung mud at Crawdaunt.

"Bubble Beam!" Ash countered.

Crawdaunt shoved off of his claws to gain airtime. Still hanging upside-down, he fired explosive foam from his claws. The Bubble Beam intercepted the coming mud in the miniscule distance between the two.

In fact, the Mud Slap coated the bubbles, leaving a flurry of mucky suds that kept their momentum, bombarding Sudowoodo. The Imitation cried, stumbling back and wiping away at his face. His eyes were obscured by the mud.

"Dude! Turning that Mud Slap back on us? Not cool," Jimmy said, frowning.

"Don't dish it if you can't take it," Ash taunted. "Now, while they're blinded! Use Crunch!"

"Craw!" Crawdaunt crushed Sudowoodo's arm in an iron grip. He cried with effort, swinging around before flinging the Rock-type into the sky.

…Or, at least he'd tried to. Sudowoodo was soaring skyward, alright, but his arm was still in Crawdaunt's grip. It was just stretching. Stretching to a great length, as if the Imitation was being pulled back like a slingshot, ready to launch.

"What the!?" Ash stammered, bewildered.

"Okay, that's just creepy," Peeks said, squinting.

"You like that?" Jimmy taunted. "Sudowoodo can do all sorts of weird tricks."

"Not particularly," Ash replied.

"What is that about!?" Dawn exclaimed. "Should Sudowoodo even be able to do that!?"

"Sudowoodo is a strange Pokémon," Brock remarked. "They look like a Grass-type, have the properties of a Rock-type, and have some traits that allow them to maintain that charade, beyond just looks."

Professor Oak nodded sagely. "It's a phenomenon that's still being studied, but the fact that their bodies are mostly made of minerals allows them to modify their cellular structure on a whim and extend their bodies, much like a Grass-type's Vine Whip. It's quite peculiar, but it helps explain their use of the move 'Mimic.'"

"Woah…" Max leaned forward in his seat, eyes sparkling with awe. "That's so cool!"

"Yup, yup!" Marina nodded, arms folded proudly. "Sudowoodo's won Jimmy plenty of battles with his weird tricks!"

"Well like it or not, you're bringing the fight back to us!" Jimmy shouted. "Use Focus Punch!"

"Sudo…!" Sudowoodo drew back his opposite arm, building fighting strength within it. Then, without warning, his arm quickly retracted, yanking a confused Crawdaunt along for the ride.

" Hey-hey! What is this!?" Crawdaunt protested. "I didn't buy a one-way ticket to—"

Focus Punch crashed down upon the star adorning his skull, sending the Rogue plummeting.

He hit the ground with a crash, just barely supporting his claws. "—Clobbering Town…"

"Crawdaunt!" Ash exclaimed. "You doing okay there, big guy?"

"Hey, hey! I'm doin' fine!" Crawdaunt protested. "Just… just peachy."

"This battle continues to be dead-even! Crawdaunt's atypical movements and gumption and all of Sudoowodo's bewildering properties are proving to be quite a sporting match!"

"They're right. It's dead even," Ash thought aloud. He furrowed his brow. "If we don't do something different, it's hard to say who'll win… Good thing we've got an ace up our sleeve!" Grinning, Ash waved his arm outward. "Crawdaunt! Dragon Dance!"

Crawdaunt started to shuffle with pep and spirit, building his drive to fight.

"Hey, you didn't tell me we were boogieing in this battle!" Jimmy hollered. "Mind if we join in?"
"Huh?" Ash asked, raising a brow.

"Use Mimic!"

Sudoowodo's plant-like bulbs started to glow a golden hue. Simultaneously, he started to wiggle his hips and dance, parading his arms with spirit and gusto. The same red aura that enveloped Crawdaunt surrounded him. Both of their speed and attack stats had increased.

"You're powering up with us?" Ash asked.
"And, what of it?" Jimmy challenged.
The two trainers met eyes. Neither could fight the goofy grins taking over their faces.

"Dragon Dance!"
"Mimic!"

Sudowoodo and Crawdaunt started to dance again. In fact, the two Pokémon met eyes in an intense stare… and then started to dance around each other in tandem.

"Craw! Daunt! Craw!"

"Su! Do! Woodo!"
The two even resorted to twirling each other with their claw and arm respectively.

"Dragon Dance!"
"MImic!"

"What's this!? I'm afraid this battle has turned into… um, a dance-off!? Just what are our two competitors and their eccentric Pokémon up to!?

"Oh, that looks like so much fun~!" May cooed, swaying her hips in rhythm with the two Pokémon. "I want to get down there and groove with them!"

"Oh, those… meatheads." Misty groaned, pinching her temple. "They're playing a game of stat chicken."

" Stat Chicken?" Delia asked. "What's that?"

"It's a game only the most hard headed of trainers play," she explained. "When both Pokémon have a move that can power them up, they both keep using it until they've reached their maximum. So the dynamic between those two Pokémon is the same, but once one of them is knocked out, there's a good chance the rest of that person's team will be swept."

"Oh! So it's like gambling… kind of. I didn't think Ash would get into such bad habits…" Delia feigned a sniffle, blotting at her eyes with a handkerchief. The rest of the group bore sweatdrops in quiet exasperation.

"Hey, gambling's not that bad!" Dawn protested. "As long as you know when to call it quits."

"...Pol." Empoleon shot Dawn a look, sitting between her and Marina. He'd been too focused on the match so far to join in the commentary, but there was no way he'd let that one slide.

"I do know when to call it quits!" She defended. "I only lost a few thousand Poké!"

"Empoleon!"

"I don't see what you guys are hollering out. Stat chicken is fun!" Marina cooed. "It boosts ratings. Makes your heart pound! Everyone's going to have their eyes glued to their screens!"

"Dragon Dance!"

"Mimic!"

Crawdaunt and Sudowoodo wrapped up their dance, finally backing off. The two took a moment to regain their breaths, after doing so much dancing that seemingly even they were tired of it.

"Well, I guess that's that!" Ash grinned, adjusting the brim of his cap.

"Looks like it." Jimmy brushed his index finger over the bridge of his nose. "The stakes are high, and I'm ready to roll! What about you, Ash?"
"I've never been much of a gambling man," Ash laughed. "But I like my odds!" He punched the air. "Crawdaunt! Crabhammer!"

"Woah, woah!" Jimmy blinked. "Focus Punch!"

The Rogue and Imitation both stretched into blurs before the audience's very eyes; crimson, blue, and gold, and brown and green respectively. Without warning, the entire field trembled.

In the center of a shockwave bubble, claw and branch alike collided, pressing against each other with gusto. Both Pokémon grunted with effort, before drawing back their opposite arms.

A second crash forced them apart, tearing the field under them apart.

"Did anyone even see that, just now!?" The emcee cried, as both Pokémon slid back towards their trainers. kicking up clouds of dust. "This dancing gambit has born fruit. It's a shame that they're too swift for us to follow, but Crawdaunt and Sudowoodo still seem dead even!"

"Man, not an ounce of patience!" Jimmy wagged his fingers. "You just jumped right into it!"

"Of course I did!" Ash answered, smirking. "Don't tell me you're chickening out on me."

"Not at all, not at all!" Jimmy waved his hands in front of him. Pichu did the same with his stubby paws. "I was just getting around to explaining something to you."

Ash raised a brow.
"You said you're not a gambling man. In that case, you best keep your eyes peeled for a dealer who stacks the deck." Jimmy flashed a roguish grin. "Sudowoodo, let's show 'em! Swagger!"
"Sudo! Sudo! Sudowoodo~!" Sudowoodo started to boogie again, before beckoning Crawdaunt with a taunting wave of his branch. A mischievous red gleam shone in his eyes, as he provoked Crawdaunt.

"Hey-hey! What'd you just say to me!?" Crawdaunt fumed, waving his claws in anger. "Craw! Craw! Crawdaunt!" Crawdaunt cried, flailing about in anger.

Curiously, Ash could no longer hear Crawdaunt's words coherently. "Crap… He's confused!"

Crawdaunt lashed out, bashing a claw into the field without regard for his surroundings. Dirt and debris flew every which way, as the field trembled under him. "Craw! Craw! Crawdaunt!"

"Oh, what a nasty pivot! Swagger has left Crawdaunt confused and in a frenzy, after his attack power has been boosted to the maximum! With no more benefit to be had from boosting Crawdaunt's attack power, Ash is only left at a loss, here!"

"It's like I was trying to warn you!" Jimmy shrugged. "The house always wins."
"Pi-pichah!" Pichu chirped in agreement, nodding.

"Now, time to wrap this up! Use Focus Punch!" Jimmy shouted.

Within a blink, Sudowoodo was upon the tantrum-throwing crustacean. With one arm wound back, he cried mightily, and swung for the killing blow.
That killing blow never came, as Sudowoodo's arm was now wedged between tough pincers.
"Sudo!?" The Imitation cried, yanking away. It was to no avail. Crawdaunt had caught him.
"Craw!" Crawdaunt cried furiously, hoisting up Sudowoodo before smashing him into the field. He didn't stop there, flailing his claws angrily. Sudowoodo was lashed against the field without relent.

"Yo! What's going on, here!?" Jimmy balked. "Ain't he confused?"

"You know a lot about Pokémon, and a lot about gambling," Ash taunted, wagging his finger. "But what you don't know, Jimmy, is your opponent! This ain't Crawdaunt's first time being confused. And, when he is? It usually doesn't end well for our opponents."
A fact that was being demonstrated as Crawdaunt lasso'd Sudowoodo over his head, before chucking him away. The Imitation was sent flying past Jimmy, crashing into the wall.

Sudowoodo fell out of a crater he'd been embedded in with swirls in his eyes.

"Sudowoodo is unable to battle! Crawdaunt wins!"

"Well, well, that was… certainly an interesting match-up! That gambit didn't work out for Jimmy, putting Ash in a lead! Although, his Crawdaunt is still confused!"

Even free of Sudowoodo, Crawdaunt continued to fuss and stomp about.
"Well, what do you know, Jimmy?" Ash grinned, pointing towards his opponent. "It looks like the house doesn't always win!" A moment passed before he fretted, waving towards the audience. "Uh, hey Mom! If you're hearing me out there, I promise I'm not out there gambling, okay!?"

Jimmy chuckled as he recalled Sudowoodo, thanking him. "Trying to keep Mom from getting a heart attack over your habits, huh? You're a good kid." He threw his next Poké Ball. "Alright. The slots are done. Time to get down to business — this win is guaranteed!"

"Poli…!" A Politoed appeared on JImmy's side of the field.

"Jimmy's next Pokémon is his dangerous Politoed! An interesting choice!"

"Dangerous…?" Ash raised a brow.

"You may have beaten my pal Sudowoodo," Jimmy continued, "but Crawdaunt is still out of whack. That works just fine for us. Use Hypnosis, Politoed!"

"Poli…!" Politoed droned hypnotically, projecting a pisonic wave towards Crawdaunt.
"Crawdaunt! Dodge that!" Ash urged. Unfortunately, the Rogue was still bashing his claws and angrily stomping, unable to comprehend his trainer's orders.

Hypnosis struck, and Crawdaunt started to stumble sleepily. His fury subsided, and he fell on his face, sound asleep.

Ash grimaced. "Out of the frying pan, and into the sleeping bag, huh?"
"Sure. We can call it that." Jimmy shrugged. "Now, use Perish Song!"

Politoed held a hand to his belly and one outward, singing an eerie, haunting tune.

"Oh, crud." Ash put both of his hands over Peeks's ears. "Tune that out, Buddy!"

"There's the haunting siren song of Perish Song! Both Pokémon are set to faint, soon!"

The haunting melody finally ended, and Ash released his partner's ears.

"Thanks, Ash," Peeks smiled gratefully. "Now, hurry!"

"Right!" Ash scrambled for Crawdaunt's Poké Ball and tapped its center. "Return!"

"Uh-uhn. Not happening!" Jimmy retorted. "Use Whirlpool!"

A blue glow outlined Politoed as he conjured a raging Whirlpool over his head, and lobbed it towards the dozing Crawdaunt. The Rogue was sept away in its current, spinning about.

The Poké Balls calling light bounced off of the Whirlpool.

"Darn it!" Ash cursed. "We're too late."

"I think I've taken enough chances for now," Jimmy said. "So I'm going for a guaranteed win!"

"Oh, guaranteed, huh?" Ash challenged. "Come on, Crawdaunt! Wake up!"

No response. The crustacean continued to be washed about by the current.

"Whirlpool, Hypnosis, and Perish Song… I'm almost jealous I didn't think to teach Politoed those moves," Misty thought out loud. "That's devious."

"I don't think you need anything like that," Brock said flatly. "Your Gym is already infamous."

Misty flicked her hair with pride in response.

"This isn't a position I'd envy for any trainer," Professor Oak grumbled. "As long as Crawdaunt snoozes, Ash can only wait until he loses."

"That's Jimmy for you~!" Marina giggled. "There's a time to be Chansey and there's a time to be Craw-tious!"

"Was that a pun?" Max squinted. "That was terrible."

"Come on, Ash… Come on, Crawdaunt! Rise and shine!" Dawn cheered, pumping her fists.

"Come on, Crawdaunt! Up and at 'em!" Ash pleaded.

"This is no time to be taking a nap!" Peeks agreed.

Jimmy looked down at his Pokétch. "...Well. It's about that time! Return, Politoed!"

Politoed clapped as he disappeared in a flash.

Finally, the Whirlpool died out. Crawdaunt washed ashore on the battered field, unconscious.

"Crawdaunt is unable to battle!" The referee cried. "Politoed wins!"

"Ash takes his first loss, with Crawdaunt falling to Perish Song! Talk about a frustrating first loss of the battle!"

"Return, Crawdaunt." Ash recalled the Rogue, smiling at his Poké Ball, despite the loss. "You did a great job, carrying our first win. Sleep that off for a while, while we take care of things!"

"That was annoying, but it's only one-to-one," Peeks reminded his trainer. "We've still got plenty of room to stage a comeback!"

"You bet you do. And we might as well lead with our best foot forward!" Ash smirked, winding up before pitching his next partner. "Sceptile! I choose you!"

"Tile…" The Forest Pokémon stood, putting his signature twig in his mouth.

"That's a rad-looking Sceptile!" Jimmy praised. "But we can do better."
Ash brushed his index finger over his nose. "Oh yeah? Prove it."

"With pleasure! Beedrill, let's get 'em!"

A flash of light spawned Beedrill, who hovered above the battlefield with a quiet, constant buzz.

"Jimmy has chosen Beedrill against Ash's Sceptile! The Grass-type titan, last he was seen, felled even the mythical Darkrai! Meanwhile, Jimmy's Beedrill is known for pressuring foes with fierce attacks! Will that, and type advantage bridge the gap!?"

"You're kidding! A Darkrai!?" Marina exclaimed, leaning forward in her seat.

Dawn took on a smug expression, seeing an opportunity to boast. "Oh, you didn't know? There was this guy at Lily of the Valley with a Darkrai who cleared the whole Sinnoh region without any other Pokémon! And our Gyms are no joke. Ash was the first and only one to beat them, with Sceptile!"

"Well, I can't say that's not impressive… But, Jimmy's tangled with a legendary Pokémon, too! So don't go resting easy, just yet!" Marina winked, playing to her boyfriend's defense.
"Oh yeah? Well, what about two? His Pikachu went on to tie with the guy's Latios!"

"Uh, ladies?" Brock interrupted. "Maybe let's focus less on boasting and more on the match."

Dawn giggled bashfully. Marina shrugged. "Suit yourself! You'll see it all with your own eyes!"

"Let's get this show on the road!" Jimmy shouted. "Close in, and use Pin Missile!"

Beedrill took to the air, zipping erratic patterns swiftly towards Sceptile. One he'd closed most of the distance, he fired a barrage of poisonous needles that closed in on the Grass-type.

"Dodge that!" Ash ordered.

A barrage was already flying towards Sceptile. He swiftly jumped out of harm's way. But, to his horror, a field of Pin Missile wedged in the field laid in his path.

"That's bad… Knock those out, with Leaf Blade! And, keep running!" Ash coached.

Sceptile laid low as he continued to sprint, severing the needles with clean swipes of his energized blades. A hazardous row was mowed down, in no time.

"Look out!" Ash shouted. "They're coming right for you!"

Sceptile's amber eyes went wide, as a pointed storm rained down upon him. "Tile!" He cried, leaping into an agile backflip. Pin Missile came within inches of scraping his hide.

With a grunt, he landed on all fours.

"Good, we've got him on the defensive!" Jimmy cheered.

"Not for long!" Ash argued. "Use Rock Slide!"

Sceptile stood up from his center of gravity with a feral roar. The earth beckoned to him; several huge boulders levitated and shot towards the attacking Beedrill.

"Yo, make some distance!" Jimmy warned.

Huge boulders closed in on Beedrill with the potential to crush him. He backed off quickly, zipping agile patterns through the barrage. Above, below, and around, he avoided harm.

"Just look at that speed! We're dealing with two blinding battlers here, and it's hard to tell just who is more nimble between them! Neither of them has taken a single hit!"

"Good! Now, use Toxic Spikes!"

Beedrill fired a storm of poisonous projectiles from his stingers, ambushing Sceptile.

"Not Toxic Spikes!" Ash grimaced. "Sceptile! Outta the way!"

"Tile!" Sceptile grunted, sprinting out of the path of the field hazards. They sank into the field, bubbling before seemingly vanishing. Luckily, he seemed to be too far from them to suffer it.

"Oh no, ya don't!" Jimmy shouted. "Box him in! Twinneedle!"

Beedrill was built for predatory charges. He zipped in with a moment's notice, appearing in front of Sceptile within a blink, stinger poised. He buzzed, stabbing at Sceptile.

A glimmer flicked in the grass type's eye. He leaned left, cleanly avoiding the strike.

Beedrill persisted, jabbing relentlessly with both of his needles.

"Tile! Scep! Tile!" With quick footwork, Sceptile weaved and dodged, backing out of every Twinneedle attack as it came to him. In a blatant show of confidence, the grass type didn't even bother to raise his guard.

Beedrill hissed, furious, and stabbed forward with both of his arms.

"Well I can always count on him in terms of speed," Ash thought aloud. But, he was quick to notice just where Sceptile was being herded. "Beedrill's trying to push him into the Toxic Spikes. If he stays on the backfoot…" Ash vigorously waved a hand. "Make some distance! Leaf Blade!"

"Tile!" An emerald crescent slashed across Beedrill's abdomen. The Bug-type was forced away.

"You caught us red-handed, Ash!" Jimmy admitted, raising his hand. "Let's up the ante. Toxic Spikes!"

Beedrill fired another round of poison to compound on the first. The ground below sizzled.

"Okay, double Toxic Spikes will be a problem," Ash muttered. 'Sceptile's a powerhouse and he's fast, but he needs his footing. If we're walking on pins and needles, we'll stay on the backfoot.'

He held a Poké Ball out, calling on Sceptile. "Return!"

Jimmy lit up, immediately. "Pursuit!"

Beedrill shot forward like a Zubat out of hell.

A pitch-black shadow snatched away the beam's target.

Sceptile croaked as he was knocked into the air. Coming very close to the bed of Toxic Spikes, he flipped over, digging his Leaf Blade into the field to pull himself to a halt. He flipped back onto his field, scoffing in annoyance. "Your opponent has a lot of nerve, Ash."

"Nice try," Jimmy taunted. "But Beedrill never lets opponents get away that easily! Even your Sceptile."

"You don't know the half of it." Ash frowned. "Well, this time… Sceptile!" Ash thrust out the starter's Poké Ball, once more.

"Still not gonna work! Pursuit!"

Beedrill zipped in, barely more than a shadow.

"...Rock Slide!"

Beedrill struck, but he didn't hit flesh. His needle was embedded in solid rock, jerking him back with its momentum. He buzzed, struggling to yank his arm from the solid surface.

Meanwhile, Sceptile used the falling boulders to gain footing, leaping higher and higher.

"Now! Return!" Ash hurriedly recalled the Grass-type, smiling. "You can rest for now."

"Well, what do you know?" Jimmy smirked, as Beedrill jabbed at the boulder, breaking his stinger free. "I should've known you were the type to play mind games, Ash."

Ash smiled, brushing his thumb over his nose. "Had to get out of that, somehow!"

"Very clever," Professor Oak remarked, a hand held to his chin. "Pursuit can result in some very nasty locks - sometimes even worse than harder locks, like Mean Look, purely for the element of uncertainty. But, Ash feigned falling for it again to plot an escape."

"And, Ash was always so straightforward, growing up…" Delia smiled to herself, getting a look at a particularly nice shot she'd taken - of Ash successfully recalling Sceptile, while Beedrill was struggling with Rock Slide. He looked proud of himself.

"That speed is going to be an issue, and Toxic Spikes, too… If I just had a safe way to…"

Peeks listened to his trainer trail off in his speech, and smirked at him, levying a brow. "You have an idea, don't you."

" Oh, yeah." Ash chuckled. "Just wait and see." His hand reached for yet another Poké Ball, and he tossed it into the air. "Mismagius! I choose you!"

A dark purple swirl orbited Ash's side of the field before taking shape. "Ohoho~!" Mismagius cackled, floating in front of Ash and Peeks. "'Tis my hour in the spotlight, at last!"

"Ash has sent out Mismagius — A Pokémon who can't suffer Toxic Spikes, thanks to their ability, Levitate!"

"Alright, alright. That's shrewd. I like it," Jimmy praised. "Now, what's she got for us?"

"You're about to find out." Ash's lips picked up for a devious smirk. "Mismagius! Trick Room!"

Mismagius's eyes flashed an eerie purple. Within moments, a fuschia box of light appeared around the confines of the battlefield before vanishing, exhibiting odd effects on its captives.

"Well, this is a surprise! Ash Ketchum, a trainer known for taking advantage of speed, is using Trick Room against his opponent! What sort of twists will this lead to!?"

"Trick Room… Wait just a minute." Jimmy squinted. Then, his eyes went wide. "Wait a minute! You had this in your back pocket the whole time! Back when we played Stat Chicken… You had a brainy out! You were holding out on me!"

"Who, me?" Ash dramatically held a hand over his chest, feigning shock. "Did I do that?"

"Man, I'm hurt. I can't lie." Jimmy folded his arms. "We were having a real meathead moment. Bro to bro. You went behind my back! Did those Dragon Dances mean nothing to you?"

"Pi-chu-Pi- chu." Pichu agreed, wiping at his eyes.

"Aw, c'mon!" Ash waved his hands in front of him. "I'm… sorry? It wasn't… Hey! You had Politoed waiting, too! I wasn't the only one playing games!"
"No, no, I see how it is." Jimmy raised his hands in feigned distress. "You had that Trick Room waiting for you. I don't need to see anymore."

"Pi-chah!" Pichu folded his little paws, sharing in his trainer's outrage.

"My, oh my!" Mismagius chortled. "I never thought that I would be enabling such behavior!"

"It, erm…" The emcee snorted audibly. "...seems we're witnessing something of a lover's quarrel!" Laughter from the audience rolled in. They seemed to be enjoying the antics and sense of humor of the two competitors as much as they did, themselves.

"Heads up, Dawn. I think you might be the other woman." May joked, elbowing her friend.

Dawn smiled, rolling his eyes. "No need to worry. When It comes to battle strategies, Ash will always come right back to me!"

"Well, you have to admire her confidence," Brock grumbled.

"First gambling, and now being unfaithful.." Delia held the back of her hand over her forehead, pretending to be feign. "Where did my golden boy go wrong?"

Ash flicked a tear away from his eye, laughing. "Alright, alright. I've still gotta use this Trick Room while it's around. Return, Mismagius!" He held out her Poké Ball.

"Oh no, ya don't!" Jimmy shouted back, stifling his laughter. "Beedrill! Pursuit!"

Beedrill zipped in towards Mismagius… Or, at least he'sd meant to. He found he was now moving at a snail's pace, unable to do a thing about Ash's shift in tactics.

"To upheave a happy relationship, only to immediately depart… What a sour fifteen minutes of fame!" Mismagius lamented, before disappearing into her Poké Ball.
Ash snickered, placing her back on his belt. "Easy, Drama Queen. There'll be a second act!"

"I'm not entirely sure if this is a battle or a stage play at this point," Peeks remarked.

"Don't worry." Ash replied, choosing his next. "We're about to get back to battles. Torkoal!"

Torkoal appeared in mid-air, after Ash had thrown his Poké Ball quite high. "Koalll!"

"Quick, Torkoal! Gyro ball, before you hit the ground!"

"Roger!" Torkoal cried, retreating to his shell. He suddenly started to spin, orbited by several bands of silver. He rapidly picked up speed before touching ground, grinding into the field's surface at once.

He did so just in time for Toxic Spikes to surface, shrouding around his shell. However, none of it could permeate his tough armor, swirling about Torkoal in a futile attempt to poison him.

"What's this!? Gyro Ball is keeping Toxic Spikes at bay, presumably with the move's Steel-typing! A clever move, but how long can Ash keep it up!?"

"Don't need to," Ash said, smirking. "Now, use Heat Wave!"

Hot gusts of air expelled from each gap in Torkoal's shell. Sweeping, blistering heat scorched the toxins all at once.

Beedrill, meanwhile, frantically buzzed to a higher altitude, narrowly avoiding Heat Wave.

"Woah!" Jimmy held his hat down, guarding Pichu with his hoodie. "What kind of strat is that!?"

"I did something a lot like it at Lily of the Valley," Ash explained with confidence. "And again in our battle against Samurai. We burned away the Toxic Spikes!"

"Is there no end to Ash's command of the battlefield!? He's rid himself of Toxic Spikes!"

"There's more to it than that," Ash boasted. "Y'notice that it's getting awfully hot, here?"

"Huh? Dang, yeah." Jimmy guarded his eyes from the sun with his hand. If only he had a hat. "What's with this sunlight? You didn't use a… Yo! Is that Drought!?"

"Sure is!" Ash boasted. "Torkoal worked awfully hard to master it, with Blaine."

"I did my best, I sure did!" Torkoal chirped happily.

"And you did great. But there's more where that came from! Gyro Ball!" Ash ordered.

Torkoal launched his shell again; this time directly at Beedrill.

"Beedrill!" Jimmy called. His word of caution was all he could utter, though, as gleaming stone and silver ripped through the air like a spinning top out of control, bashing into Beedrill.

"Yo, yo! Beedrill, return!" Jimmy held out the Bug-type's Poké Ball.

"Now, Heat Wave!" Ash ordered.

The metallic coating disappeared from Torkoal's shell. Instead, scalding winds burst from him once more, this time hitting Beedrill dead-on. Beedrill was blasted out of the path of Jimmy's Poké Ball.

Torkoal finally stopped spinning, landing on all fours.

Beedrill laid in a pile, idly flicking his wings. Otherwise, he didn't move.

"Beedrill is unable to battle! Torkoal is the winner!"

"Wow! A ruthless takedown by Ketchum! Gyro Ball and Trick Room is a classic combo among high-level trainers who are on the more cerebral end!"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Ash squinted.

"Now, Jimmy can no longer lay Toxic Spikes, and he's up against a steaming hot powerhouse who maintains priority against any Pokémon who's faster than him! What will he do!?"

"What'll I do?" Jimmy chuckled, juggling a Poké Ball in his palm. He couldn't hold back his grin. "I'll tell you what I'll do. I'm gonna fight fire with fire!" He threw the capsule with gusto.

"Typhlosion! You're up, my man!"

In a beam of light, Typhlosion appeared. The behemoth seemed larger than most, more muscular. Ash wasn't quite sure if even his own matched it in mass. The Johto starter's ears were pinned back and a frantic smile crossed his lips. He looked eager.

"Alright! That's what I want to see!" Ash cheered. "To be honest, there was a move I was holding onto that I thought might be a bit harsh on Beedrill, especially in the heat."

"You were holding back on us?" Jimmy emphasized. "Aha, Ash. Buddy. You're not going to want to do that here. Especially when we've got our own fiery finishing move. One that even other Fire-types can't stand up to!"

"Oh, yeah?" Ash grinned. "Bring it on!"

"Tensions are sizzling here in the stadium, as Ash and Jimmy both claim to have a white-hot finishing move, ready to go! Hold onto your hats, folks, and for those of you with handheld fans and water bottles, consider yourself lucky!"

Ash shifted his weight to his first foot forward, punching the air. "Eruption!"

Jimmy snapped his fingers. "Blast Burn!"

Torkoal drew his head back. Every red groove in his shell ignited with a passionate glow, supercharging the glowing orb that was coalescing in front of his open mouth. "Torrr…!"

Typhlosion snarled, his eyes turning to pin pricks. He pivoted one foot behind the other, bringing back his arm with it. His paw clutched and tensed, fingers igniting with a blinding fire before it was squeezed into his palm.

Torkoal threw his weight forward, spitting a solid blast of magma that dwarfed him in size.

Typhlosion smashed his closed fist into the ground before him. Cracks ran through the field, just as Eruption approached him. Fountains of fire burst from the field and climbed the sky, breaking through Eruption's stream. Seconds later, it erupted in a tower of fire under Torkoal.

What remained of Eruption blasted Typhlosion.

"Oooh, that is scalding! A raging firestorm under the harsh sunlight leaves the field absolutely burning! Hang onto your hats, and maybe bring out your sunscreen, folks!"

Ash planted his feet down with grit teeth, struggling not to be blown away. Even the air near him was sweltering. "It's… like a volcano…!" Ash tugged his jacket off, using the billowing fabric to guard himself and Peeks from the heat; the mouse clung to his shirt for safety. "What's that move even made of!?"

It reminded Peeks of Moltres's Burn Up. He hadn't wanted to see heat that intense again, anytime soon. "Stay steady! It feels like the ground's shaking under us!"

The crowd was loud with exclamations of shock and muttered discomfort, depending on their proximity to the field. The lightshow had been blinding. But, it finally started to calm down, to everyone's relief.

Instead, black smoke had swallowed up the battlefield. With a bit of luck, a light breeze came through, starting to carry the smoky ichor away.

"It seems to have calmed down! But, what of Typhlosion and Torkoal!"

Typhlosion stood out from the shroud first. He breathed heavily, covered in ashes and several burn marks. "Phlo… Tahhh…!" He looked damaged, but still very much conscious. Tired, perhaps, but he showed no signs of losing his footing beyond being hunched over.

Next, Ash's end of the field became visible. Amongst the craters from Blast Burn, Torkoal laid facefirst, unconscious.

"In one attack…!?" Ash's face twisted in a blend of fear and awe.

"Torkoal is unable to battle!" The referee shouted, as they blotted their forehead with a handkerchief. "Typhlosion is the winner!

"Incredible! A one hit knockout! This is the true power of a Silver Conference victor!"

"Allllright!" Jimmy flashed a thumbs-up and a wink at his Typhlosion. "You rock, and you rule!"

"Thanks, big guy." Ash recalled Torkoal, smiling upon the ball. "You pulled your weight already."

It was currently too hot to wear his jacket again, which was already hot to the touch in some places. He folded it up into a bunch, and Peeks tucked it into Ash's shoulder under his own chin.

"But, I don't get it…"

"What was that move? I've never seen a Fire-type attack be that powerful!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Of all the offensive moves currently documented, there are a distinct several that stand above all else in raw power," Professor Oak explained. "Excluding those that knock out the user, like Self Destruct and Explosion, the most commonly known are Hyper Beam and Giga Impact: two moves that require the user to recuperate afterwards, in exchange for expending that much energy. What most people don't know is that there are, as of now, three type variants of it."

"Hydro Cannon, Frenzy Plant, and Blast Burn," Brock named off.

"RIght!" Oak affirmed, smiling. "They're hard to come by, as so far, they've only been able to be taught to various regions' starter Pokémon for reasons unknown, and tutors for those moves tend to carry very high standards, and are few and far between."

"So, this Jimmy's really gotten around," May remarked.

"I was wondering why I never saw a Fire-type version of those moves," Dawn hummed. "But if it's like them…"

"...If it leaves Typhlosion tired, then I have to act fast!" Ash said, closing his hand into a decisive fist. Even short of an explanation from Jimmy, Ash could read the writing on the wall.

"Glaaalie!" The horned Face Pokémon appeared; his icy body shimmering under the harsh sun.

"Quick, use Water Pulse!" Ash ordered.

A blue, contained mass of water built up in front of Glalie, swirling and churning with undercurrents under its surface. It didn't look quite as impressive as it might have otherwise, under Drought, but Glalie fired it at the recuperating Typhlosion, nonetheless.

Water Pulse swallowed the upper half of Typhlosion, battering him with its roaring waters. Shortly afterwards, it exploded into a fine, shimmering mist.

"Y'know, going for a super-effective move might've been a better idea if you didn't set up the sun first," Jimmy taunted. "You might as well have used any other against us!"

"Yeah, I wasn't going for type advantage," Ash said, smirking.

That answer was enough to make Jimmy do a double take. After Water Pulse dispersed, Typhlosion was found to be stumbling blindly. "Hey! Typhlosion! Big guy. Up and at 'em!"

"It appears Water Pulse has left Typhlosion confused! Was that Ketchum's aim!?"

Rather than answer, Ash simply recalled Glalie, favoring a second Poké Ball in his opposite hand that he threw into the fray. "Mismagius! Use Hex, now!"

"Aye, aye, Cap'n!" Mismagius cooed. In contrast with her jovial personality, an eerie, horrible magical eye spawned in front of her, leering at the disoriented Typhlosion. Ghoulish tendrils lashed out at Typhlosion, wrapping around his arms. Hex pulled itself in, and exploded violently.

"Confusion straight into Hex! That's a nasty one-two on Ketchum's part!"

"That's a set-up that me, Glalie, and Mismagius planned together, just for them!" Ash boasted, pointing a finger at Jimmy with puffed up confidence. "You've just had a taste of their Couple Combo!"

Immediately after finishing his sentence, Ash deflated, his pointed finger falling lamely along with his expression. "Arceus, that sounded so lame."

"But, you said it, just as I asked! Ohoho!" Mismagius cackled behind one of the frills of her dress, as if it were a ghostly hand. "And that is why I adore you."

"Yeah, yeah. Love you too."

"Yeah well, as much as I'm loving this maze of corny dialogue right now," Jimmy interrupted, "our time in the sun is up, so I think Typhlosion's gonna sit this out for a while." He recalled his confused partner, placing him back on his belt. "I think getting Hex'd is enough punishment."

Indeed, now that Ash paid attention to the skies, the harsh sunlight was vanishing.

"Torkoal's Drought has expired! Jimmy's done taking advantage of the sun, particularly with his ace Typhlosion suffering from that status affliction! What will he do next!?"

"I think I'll pack up your bag of tricks!" Jimmy declared. "Politoed, you're up again!"

"Poli, Poli!" Politoed clapped his hands jovially, as if he weren't in the middle of a battle.

"After his last singing stunt, Politoed is back for an encore!"

"You've got that right! Now, use Perish Song, one more time!" Jimmy ordered.

Politoed sang another haunting tune, which Ash covered Peeks's ears for, once again.

"Oh, I do love a last reprisal before the curtain call~!" Mismagius cooed, despite being put under the move's merciless spell. "I just have one question for you, my dear froggy friend." She stared down Politoed, ruby eyes gleaming to highlight her eerie, jagged smile.

"Will it be your last show, or mine?"

The Politoed stared at her, unflinching. No fear? No fright?

"Excellent! I like your unshakable bravado! Let's make this fun until the end~!"

"Sorry, Jimmy. But we're not out of tricks yet," Ash continued. "Mismagius! Trick Room!"

A second Trick Room was cast on the field, flickering before disappearing.

"I had a feeling you were gonna pull that," Jimmy said, grimacing. "Let's make sure they can't do that again, Politoed. Use Hypnosis!"

Red light flickered in Politoed's eyes. A red ring of hypnotic influence crossed the field towards Mismagius… very, very slowly.

"As slow as molasses on Silver's heights!" Mismagius chortled, before zipping circles around Politoed — nay, around the entire field! Her ghostly, wispy body trailed behind her, hardly keeping up. "I'm afraid you won't be putting me to bed anytime soon, at this rate!"

"Thunderbolt!" Ash grinned, clutching a fist closed.

"Mag~!" A golden flash surrounded Mismagius, as her precious gems shone with her concentration. A powerful Thunderbolt shot down from above, electrocuting Politoed.

Politoed croaked, shaking off the damage. Wisps of smoke trailed off of his body where he suffered mild burns, but he was far from out. "Poli!" He cried defiantly.

"I can tell that'll get old quick," Jimmy said. "But you won't be lasting long. Politoed, Whirlpool!"

Politoed summoned a Whirlpool over his head, and lobbed it at Mismagius. Unfortunately, just like Hypnosis, it was moving very, very slowly. It gave Ash just the inspiration he needed.

"Bingo." A glimmer shone in Ash's eyes; one Peeks knew meant he was up to something.

"Have you found our answer to this song? I'm kind of sick of hearing it."

"Way ahead of you, Buddy," Ash answered, grinning. "Mismagius! Fly up towards it!"

"What's that about!?" Jimmy asked, raising a brow.

Mismagius coasted leisurely up towards the sluggish Whirlpool. "The stage is set!"

"Ketchum has told Mismagius to approach the slow moving attack! But, what for!?"

"Now, use Phantom Force!"

Mismagius summoned a ghostly portal directly below her, and dove into the tear in space. That left the Whirlpool to teeter its way into Phantom Force, spinning down the divide like a current being pulled down a drain.

"What in the world…!?" Jimmy made a face at Ash. "Hey man, what gives?"

"Wait and see." Ash shot his opponent a cocky smirk. Simultaneously the portal opened again, this time under Politoed ."Alright, Mismagius! Up and away!" He pointed towards the sky.

Mismagius soared past Politoed and up above. Following shortly afterwards was the Whirlpool, which pulled Politoed into its unforgiving tides. "Ha~! Are you feeling washed up?"

"Oh, crud… What kind of move was that? Now, Politoed's stuck!"

"That's the idea!" Ash grinned, adjusting the brim of his cap.

"Oh, oh! Captain!" Mismagius cooed. "I believe it's about time to exit stage left."

"Oh. You're right!" Ash held out the ghoul's Poké Ball. "Return for now, Mismagius!"

The ghost bowed before disappearing in a red light, retreating to fit in her trainer's palm.

"Mismagius used to run Perish Song herself," Ash explained. "So, she's got a pretty good sense of when it runs out. Unfortunately for you and Politoed, that means this is the last Perish Song!"

Subsequently, Ash threw his next Poké Ball. "Now, it's your turn, Swellow!"

Swellow appeared, fanning her wings to accompany her mighty cry. "Swellow!"

Falling neatly in time with Ash's boast, Whirlpool petered out, leaving Poliwhirl unconscious.

"Politoed is unable to battle!" The referee called. "Swellow wins!"

"Good work, Politoed. You gave it your best." Jimmy returned Politoed, smiling. His lips parted for a sneer of frustration. "Y'know, I think I'm getting sick of all these tricks and stunts. Where's the bro-to-bro kind of battle that I came here for, Ketchum?"

"It's funny you say that, Jimmy!" Ash replied with a smirk. "I agree. Playing head games is fun, but when you get down to it, there's nothing better than a good ol' fashioned brawl!" He jerked a thumb towards Swellow. "But, don't sweat it. With Swellow, here, it's all about the action!"

"Beaks, wings, and nothing but!" She cried in tandem.

"That's what I like to hear! Because my Togekiss agrees!" Jimmy threw his next up into the sky.

"Toge~!" Beautiful white wings spanned, carrying the Jubilee pokemon high above in but the blink of an eye. He coasted the skies with ease, skating patterns with swift turns and dips. After his little airshow, he swept in to float beside Jimmy, opposite of Swellow, wearing a smirk.

"Great," Ash replied, more than okay with this outcome. "Then, the real fight starts now!"