Episode 162: Force of Will

It's the middle of Brenda's battle against Michelle. Wispirit is pinned down by both Carapice and Poliwrath and is sustaining continuous damage from a point-blank Hydro Pump, while Lupine looks on helplessly. It barks, "Lup, lup, lup!"

Brenda also looks worried. Her points are draining, and it won't be long before Wispirit can no longer withstand the attack.

Brenda is a mere three battles away from the Ribbon Cup and title of Top Coordinator. But if she wants to make it that far, she'll need to figure out a way out of her current predicament, and fast.

Brenda shouts desperately, "Lupine, please, you have to free Wispirit! Try Energy Ball!"

"Pine!" Lupine fires a glowing green orb of energy at Poliwrath.

Michelle declares, "Not happening! Carapice, Frost Breath!" Much like the last time Lupine tried to interrupt things, Carapice's counterattack stops its attack cold.

Lupine cowers back slightly. "Lup…"

Seeing Lupine so worried has an impact on Brenda. In that moment, she decides she has to put on a brave face for Lupine's sake. "Lupine! You can do this! I know it! Your friend is counting on you! I'm counting on you too! Get in there and help Wispirit!"

This seems to change Lupine's mood. It looks forward with determination and barks fiercely, "Lup! Lup!" As it runs forward, a white aura surrounds its body. Pink hearts fly from it as it runs.

Brenda gasps in surprise. "What's this?"

Carapice uses Frost Breath again to deter Lupine, but Lupine charges straight through the attack and rams its whole body into Carapice and Poliwhirl. At the point of impact, a giant heart explodes as the two Pokémon are flung away.

Ash asks, "Was that a new move?"

Brock nods excitedly. "It was. That had to be Return."

Serena questions, "Return?"

"Return is a move that converts friendship into power. Brenda hatched Lupine from an egg, so the two of them are quite close. I'm also sure that Lupine's friendship with Wispirit is also helping things."

Serena grins. "That's so sweet."

Michelle smirks at Brenda. "I really thought I had this match won. But you never cease to surprise, Brenda."

Brenda smirks back. "There was no way I was going to just hand you a win."

Michelle thrusts a hand forward. "But we haven't lost yet! Poliwrath, Mud Bomb! Carapice, Frost Breath!" The two Pokémon combine their moves to send frozen hunks of mud at Lupine and the still recovering Wispirit.

Brenda urges, "Lupine, get Wispirit out of the way!"

Lupine nudges its nose beneath Wispirit and flips up onto its back. Lupine jumps up to leap over the frozen Mud Bombs. But Poliwrath and Carapice keep up the attack and change their aim.

Brenda shouts, "Wispirit, I need you to use Flame Burst to get you two out of the way!"

Wispirit is still weak, but it manages to aim a Flame Burst off the side of Lupine's back. Like the thrust of a rocket, the fire forces Lupine and Wispirit in the opposite direction and clear of the icy Mud Bomb.

Michelle objects, "No fair! That's my move!"

Brenda giggles. "Did you forget that it wasn't just you who made up that game with Poliwag? We both came up with it together!" As her Pokémon land on the ground, she encourages, "If we're going to have any hope of winning this, we've got to give it one more big combination! Magical Leaf and Flame Burst!"

Much like Poliwrath and Carapice, Lupine and Wispirit combine their attacks, creating a storm of burning leaves that trail rainbow lights.

Michelle orders, "Carapice, block it with Frost Breath!"

But Brenda was ready for that and promptly orders, "Wispirit, Pyromancy!"

With its control over the fire, Wispirit causes the burning leaves to fly in all directions just moments before they would hit the Frost Breath. The entire stage is quickly filled with the burning, glowing leaves dancing in every which direction.

Brenda glances at the scoreboard and notices there's less than thirty seconds left, and her points still trail a significant amount. "Form up again! Lupine, use Return! Wispirit, Flame Burst!"

Wispirit gets back on Lupine's back, and this time uses Flame Burst backwards as Lupine runs forward and becomes cloaked in energy for Return. Once again acting like a rocket, the Flame Burst boosts Lupine right off the ground as it propels forward at Carapice and Poliwrath. As they fly, Wispirit pulls in the burning leaves to create an ever-shifting barrier of them around itself and Lupine.

Michelle orders urgently, "Hydro Pump!"

But Wispirit doesn't even need to be ordered to use Flame Burst to move them around the Hydro Pump and then back on course."

Brenda declares, "Michelle, you and I share a strong friendship, but so do my Pokémon and I, as they do with each other! In this battle of friends, it is that friendship that will win this battle for me! Go!"

Lupine and Wispirit crash into Carapice and Poliwrath. Both the burning leaves and the giant hearts of Return explode outwards from the point of impact.

But it's not enough to knock out Michelle's Pokémon. Though weak, both manage to stand back up.

Seeing there's still a chance to return the attack, Michelle grins and orders, "Poliwrath, use—!"

"That's time!" Gillian interrupts. "What a battle!"

Brenda and Michelle both trade glances, and then nods. They wordlessly agree that either of them could win and it would be okay. Together, they look up to the scoreboard. Edging out the other by a slim margin is Brenda.

Gillian announces, "Brenda will be moving on to the quarter-finals of the Grand Festival!"

Brenda stumbles forward and nearly collapses from the combination of surprise and relief, but Michelle has run across the stage and catches her before she falls. Michelle smiles broadly at her friend and says, "Good job. That was a great battle. You deserved to win it."

Brenda smiles back. "Thank you, Michelle. You were great, too." They hug each other as the audience applauds.

In the following battles, Will uses Reuniclus and Cryogonal to defeat a coordinator with a Mossolith and an Onix, and Moira uses her Yin-Yang-Xing and Glimmora against a Tangrowth and Ivine. Both win their respective matches.

Then there's the quarter finals, where Will first battles against a Florges and Lilligant with Vipyre and Necrow, and Brenda uses Glitterfly and Frostcicle against an Arcanine and Quagsire.

After they both win, Brenda finds Will backstage as Moira's battle begins. Will is watching his mentor closely as she uses Cosmet and Yin-Yang-Xing in a battle against an Alakazam and Tennoan Metagross.

Brenda asks, "The further we make it, the more likely it is one of us are going to have to face her. We've been lucky so far."

Will glances at Brenda before looking back to the screen. "Call it luck if you want, but I don't think it matters. Moira is the favorite to win the Ribbon Cup. If either of us is to win it instead, then we'll have to face her at one point or another. It's inevitable."

Brenda shrugs as she sits down next to Will. "I suppose that's true. But if I'm going to lose to her, I'd rather it be after I made it as far as possible."

Will looks at Brenda with curiosity. "Do you assume you're going to lose to her?"

Brenda hesitates to answer. "That just kind of came out. I guess I hadn't thought too hard about it before. But if she beat you, then I don't know what chance I stand against her."

Will asserts, "Well, I don't plan on losing to her. I've come so far since I lost to her last year. I refuse to let history repeat itself."

Brenda nods. "I understand. I wouldn't want to lose either."

Will shakes his head. "No, you misunderstand. I don't mean that I don't want to lose, I mean that I can't lose. If I have any value as a coordinator, then I have to surpass the one I once called my mentor."

Brenda is surprised by the seriousness of his tone. Then she considers something. "Actually, I do understand that too. That's how I feel about a potential battle between me and you. We haven't actually battled each other for real since that first contest I entered when you beat me. Beating you is an obstacle I have to overcome to prove that I've grown."

Will nods. "I suppose we are in a similar boat, in that case."

Brenda looks back to the battle, only to find that it's already ended with a double knock out. She shakes her head in disbelief. "No way." The camera focuses on Moira waving to the audience. The Dovine on her shoulder is also waving. Brenda looks back to Will and his Necrow. "Why do you two do that thing with the Pokémon on your shoulder?"

Will is caught off guard by the question. He shakes his head and chuckles in slight embarrassment at the question. "To tell the truth, Necrow and I started doing it because we thought Moira and Dovine looked so cool." A slight blush appears on his face.

Brenda is surprised to see Will show a different side from his usual calm and collected mannerism. "Hey, I think it's cool too. Don't sweat it."

Will laughs. "Of course not."

After another moment of thought, Brenda asks, "Is Dovine Moira's strongest Pokémon, like Necrow is yours? I haven't seen her use it yet."

Will nods. "It is. And if I had to guess—and given how well I know her, it would be a good guess—she's holding back on using it until she has to battle me. It's her trump card. She doesn't want me able to gauge its strength before we battle."

Brenda considers this. "But that would mean that she's worried you could beat her. With how good she is, could she really be thinking like that?"

"Moira may be good, but she's not arrogant. And I know her better than anyone else in this contest, so I'm the one most likely to beat her." He pauses, then points to the screen. "Look, they just announced the semi-final matchups."

Brenda looks to the screen and gasps. Her portrait has been paired up with Will's. She looks at Will, whose face betrays no emotion.

Will calmly says, "Well, I guess only one of us is going to have a chance to achieve our goal. Either you defeat me, or I move on to try to defeat Moira."

Brenda steps back. "I'm sorry…"

Will gives her a lopsided grin. "There's nothing to apologize for. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to battling you as well. I've been watching your growth since the very beginning. I've seen the ups and downs. The highs and lows. I've watched as you've blossomed into one of the finest coordinators I know. Show me now firsthand how much you've grown. Show me that you're no longer the naïve young girl who wandered into her first contest without a care in the world. Show me the fine coordinator you've become. You gave me a run for my money in that first battle. Let's see how you can do now."

Brenda nods as her face shifts to a look of determination. "I'll show you everything I've got. Whether I win or lose, you're going to be proud of how much I've grown."

Will nods.

Who's That Pokémon!?

This Pokémon's soul once belonged to a person who was killed a long time ago by the sword that makes up its body.

Brenda and Will now stand opposite each other on the stage. Both look at the other straight in the eyes.

Serana comments, "Wow, I can feel that these two have history."

Brock explains, "Will has been Brenda's greatest mentor, harshest critic, and strongest supporter all rolled up in one. This battle has been a long time coming."

Gillian announces, "Let's kick things off!"

Brenda and Will throw their Pokéballs at the same time. Brenda sends out Kappaqueous and Rabbolt while Necrow flies off from Will's shoulder and the Pokéball he throws sends out a Pokémon that bears a resemblance to Heliolisk.

The new Pokémon is larger and has a stance that is more hunched than Heliolisk, giving it a dinosaur-like appearance. The crests above Heliolisk's eyes have grown forward, extending out to its nose. The black around its neck that was Heliolisk's frills now have a pattern like rays of light that fan outwards.

Upon appearing, the Pokémon extends its frills as it shouts, "Ophosaur!" Unlike Heliolisk, its frills do not go all the way around its neck, and instead are two fan-like shapes on either side of its head. While spread, the patterns on the frills are more apparent and striking. Much like Heliolisk, when spread, the frills give the impression of a sun. Sparks fly from the open frills.

Ash pulls out his Pokédex as he comments, "It looks like Will's Heliolisk must have evolved."

"Heliophosaur, the Generator Pokémon and an Electric and Light Combo-Type. Its frills act as solar panels which are far more efficient than anything man-made. This Pokémon can spit a highly conductive fluid up to thirty feet and electrify the stream to act as a sort of taser. Evolves from Heliolisk by leveling up while knowing Photovoltaic Charge."

Brenda looks over Will's Pokémon and nods. She says to herself, "Will's going with his light and dark contrast combo. Those are the very same Pokémon he used to show me how double performances work." She glances at her Pokémon. "And by pure coincidence, I'm using the two Pokémon that I first tried a double performance combination with after that demonstration." She announces for Will to hear, "Will, you're going to see how far we've come since that day you taught us about double performances."

Will laughs. "If I recall correctly, you did absolutely perfect on your first try, but I know what you mean." He thrusts a hand forward as he gives the opening command. "Heliophosaur, Solar Force! Necrow, Nightstorm!"

Heliophosaur spreads its frills and absorbs the sunlight before firing a golden beam. Necrow flaps its wings and creates waves of shadows that spread out and surround the light. As the two attacks travel at Brenda's Pokémon, nothing can be seen of the light for several moments, but halfway there, rays of light pierce through the shadows, creating a brilliant purple glow.

Brenda shouts, "Out of the way, you two!" Both of her Pokémon leap in opposite directions to avoid the attack. Brenda grins. "I remember that combination from your demonstration!"

"Who says it's the same combination?" He snaps his fingers with perfect timing to the combined light and dark attack exploding midway between Kappaqueous and Rabbolt. Two pulses, one of darkness and one of light, both rip outwards and strike both of Brenda's Pokémon at once. Brenda is the first to take a hit to both her Pokémon and her points.

Brenda urges, "Get up and attack back with Aqua Bomb and Shockwave!"

Both Pokémon quickly recover and each attacks as ordered. Rabbolt's blue electricity electrifies the Aqua Bomb, causing sparks to fly from the orb of water as it flies towards Necrow.

Brenda thinks, I already know that if I try to use direct Electric attacks on Necrow that Will will use Heliophosaur to block and absorb the electricity, but the added Aqua Bomb makes that impossible to do without taking damage from the water instead.

But Will has a different plan in mind. "Ominous Wind and Razor Wind!"

Once again, Necrow spreads its wings to flap. In doing so, it whips up an eerier purple windstorm that blows about in all directions. Simultaneously, Heliophosaur creates blades of wind from its frills that get caught in the Ominous Wind as to also move about in all directions. Several of the wind blades pass through the electrified Aqua Bomb and tear it shreds before it can hit its mark.

But that's not the extent of the attack. Kappaqueous and Rabbolt also get caught up in the wind. They're both forced back and swarmed by the wind blades. This steadily drains Brenda's points.

Brenda quickly orders, "Use Aqua Bomb and Hidden Power! Get yourselves free!" Her Pokémon try to attack Necrow and Heliophosaur to stop the onslaught, but their attacks are also shredded before making it halfway across the stage.

Brenda looks slightly panicked for a moment, but then notices something. Droplets of water from both failed Aqua Bombs are still being blown about in the wind. This gives her an idea. "Kappaqueous, more Aqua Bombs! As many as you can manage!"

With some struggle in the windstorm, Kappaqueous throws Aqua Bomb after Aqua Bomb. All are turned to mist and droplets before hitting anything.

Will asks, "What game are you playing? Those moves are clearly failing."

Brenda shakes her head. "No, they're setting the stage for something bigger! Rabbolt, Shockwave!"

Rabbolt doesn't have the range with Shockwave to hit Will's Pokémon, but the electricity does spark from droplet to droplet. The electrified water blowing about in the purple gusts makes for a dazzling spectacle but doesn't do anything practical for Brenda.

"Now Kappaqueous, Hydroshock!"

Will's eyes widen as he realizes Brenda's plan, but he has no time to think up a counterstrategy. A psychic pulse rips outwards from Kappaqueous, which carries each droplet of water it passes with it, creating a wavefront of electrified water. This wavefront also carries energy from the Ominous Wind and Razor Wind with it as well. Both Necrow and Heliophosaur are quickly overwhelmed by the attack and Will's points take a massive blow.

Will glances at Brenda momentarily with a look that imparts nothing but respect. But without missing a beat, he transitions to ordering, "Let's take things in close, now! Necrow, Reaper Slash! Heliophosaur, Thunder Strike!"

Necrow flies at Rabbolt with its beak glowing an unsettling purple and red. Heliophosaur rushes at Kappaqueous with its entire body becoming cloaked in electricity.

Brenda shouts, "Dodge in unison!"

Both Rabbolt and Kappaqueous jump up and perform a front flip as they allow Will's Pokémon to pass beneath them. Their movements are in perfect sync.

Serena grins. "That's one of the techniques I worked on with her. Even in a battle she's using them!"

"Hidden Power and Water Gun!" Right as they land, Kappaqueous and Rabbolt launch attacks at Heliophosaur and Necrow. Both attacks land square on their backs. This scores a hit to Will's points.

Will quickly shouts, "Heliophosaur, Thunder Wave, now!" Able to resist the attack against it better than Necrow, Heliophosaur quickly recovers, pivots around, and sprays a fluid at Kappaqueous which courses with electricity.

Kappaqueous is caught off-guard by the sudden attack and is unable to dodge. The stream connects and Kappaqueous convulses for a moment as electricity courses through its body. "A-a-a-a-a-aqueous!"

Rabbolt shouts in worry, "Bolt!"

Brenda orders, "Rabbolt, use Bounce!"

Rabbolt lunges at Heliophosaur and lands a powerful stomp from above. This forces an end to the Thunder Wave.

Brenda follows up, "Kappaqueous, Water Gun!"

Kappaqueous is about to use Water Gun on Heliophosaur while it's still down from the Bounce, but sparks of electricity fly from its body and it finds itself unable to move.

Ash realizes, "Oh no, Kappaqueous has been paralyzed!"

Will orders, "Reaper Slash!" Necrow, having now fully recovered, dives on the stunned Kappaqueous from above and prepares to use its beak-scythe to slash at it.

Brenda instantly knows that Kappaqueous has no chance at either countering or dodging. Instead, she orders, "Rabbolt, intercept with Bounce!"

"Raab booolt!" Rabbolt jumps up with as powerful a leap as it can manage and is about to throw its entire body into Necrow.

"Solar Force!" From below, Heliophosaur hits Rabbolt with a burst of light. Rabbolt is struck by the move and loses all control over its trajectory. Necrow uses its beak's blade to slice at the helpless Rabbolt, sending it plummeting back to the ground.

Brenda shouts, "Rabbolt!"

Rabbolt slams into the ground and lies there still. It makes no attempts to get up. The judges unanimously declare a knockout. Brenda's points also take a drastic hit.

Gillian shouts, "Brenda has lost one of her Pokémon! Can she possibly turn this around with a one-against-two disadvantage!?"

Brenda recalls Rabbolt. "Thank you, Rabbolt." She glances at the scoreboard. She has less than a fourth of her points left, while Will sits comfortably at half of his. A little more than two minutes remains on the clock. She looks worried. "I've…I've never trained for a one-on-two battle… I don't know if we can do this…"

Brock shakes his head. "This does not look good for Brenda. This could be it for her."

Brenda says again to herself, "I…don't know what to do… Haven't trained…" She looks to Kappaqueous, who is still struggling to move. She looks to Will's Pokémon, who still look strong and able to continue. Slowly, Brenda's hand begins to move towards Kappaqueous' Pokéball on her hip.

Will demands, "Brenda, what are you doing!?"

Brenda shakes her head in dismay. "I don't know… I don't know what to do… I haven't trained for this!"

Will runs a hand through his hair with frustration. "Why would you say that!?" He barks this with a degree of anger.

Brenda is caught off-guard. "Huh?"

"If there is anyone in this entire Grand Festival who can take on a situation they haven't trained for, it's you! That's your greatest talent!"

Brenda is taken aback. "B-b-but that's how I screwed up my first double performance…"

"You can't train for every eventuality! Yes, training can avoid mishaps like that, but you still have a special talent for coming up with everything on the fly! Show it to me! Show me what makes you unique! Show me why I decided to teach you everything I could!"

Brenda is amazed by Will's words. She looks towards Kappaqueous. The Pokémon is able to move just enough to look back to her, give her a confident grin, and show her an encouraging thumbs-up. Its confidence seems contagious. Brenda's face undergoes a transformation from hopeless to determined. "Kappaqueous, let's do it!"

With Brenda on its side, Kappaqueous is able to force itself to stand full up. "Kappa appa aqueouuuuuuuuus!" An intense glow envelops the Pokémon.

Brenda gasps. "No way…!"

As it glows, Kappaqueous grows larger and its limbs grow longer. The crest atop its head expands. Its head grows more elongated. It confidently thrusts an arm off towards its side as the white light bursts off of it to reveal its new form. "Kappa appaquarius!"

Ash cheers, "Yeah! Kappaqueous evolved into Kappaquarius! That's amazing!"

Brock comments, "When Brenda decided not to give up on Kappaqueous, Kappaqueous returned the favor by evolving. Those two share a strong bond indeed."

Brend grins, "We've got some ground to make up, Kappaquarius! Use Water Gun, sweeping motion on both of them!"

"Kappa appa appa!" Instead of a simple Water Gun, Kappaquarius attacks with a spiraling torrent of water. It sweeps its head as it attacks in order to try to hit both Necrow and Heliophosaur. Both Pokémon try to dodge, and had this been a regular Water Gun, they would have managed it. But the more powerful water attack has a wider range and strikes both of them.

Brenda cheers, "That was Hydro Pump! Amazing!" She glances back to the scoreboard. Kappaquarius' evolution and new move has diminished the gap between her and Will, but she still needs to work to pull ahead.

Will declares, "That's the Brenda I know! Heliophosaur, use Thunder Strike! Necrow, Ominous Wind!"

This time, Heliophosaur leaps forward as it cloaks itself in electricity. Necrow's burst of wind propels it forward even faster. Kappaquarius attempts to dodge, but its paralysis kicks in and slows it just long enough that Heliophosaur crashes into it.

Brenda says to herself, "We're at a significant disadvantage now. Even ignoring battle strength in numbers, Will can still combo the moves of his Pokémon together. I don't have that option." She grins as an idea comes to her. "So, we'll just have to combo with something else."

Heliophosaur leaps backwards to Will's side of the stage. Will orders, "One more time, Solar Force and Nightstorm!"

Just as they began the battle, Will's Pokémon combine light and darkness into a single attack.

Brenda grins. "Thanks, Will, that's exactly what I needed!"

Will is taken aback by Brenda's proclamation. "What!?"

"Kappaquarius, Hydro Pump! Give it all you got!"

"Appaquariuuuuus!" Kappaquarius attacks with the strongest blast of water it can manage. The spiraling water surrounds the light-dark beam just as it begins it dazzling display of shadowy light. The purple rays now pierce the water as well.

"And Hydroshock!"

"Kappaaaa!" Simultaneously, Kappaquarius stops the Hydro Pump and thrusts its arms forward as its eyes glow purple. Hydroshock's pulse of energy travels up through the Hydro Pump and into the Solar Force/Nightstorm combination. For just a moment, the combination of the four moves seems to hang motionless in midair, but then they explode outwards in a violent shockwave. Drops of water, glimmers of light, and ribbons of shadows expand outwards with the shockwave for a glorious spectacle. Heliophosaur and Necrow are unable to withstand the shockwave, which is much stronger than a typical Hydroshock, and are both forced back by it.

Gillian shouts in amazement, "Incredible! Brenda just pulled off a three-Pokémon combination attack with only one Pokémon on her side!" Will's points take a sizable hit.

Brenda orders, "Now follow up with double Aqua Bomb!"

Kappaquarius creates an orb of water in each of its hands and leaps forward at Will's Pokémon, who are still on the ground from the previous attack. Right above them, Kappaquarius crosses its arms to fling each Aqua Bomb down onto Necrow and Heliophosaur.

Will orders, "Razor Wind!"

Heliophosaur flings blades of wind at Kappaquarius before the Aqua Bomb can hit it.

But Brenda knows exactly what to do and orders, "Out of the way with Hydro Pump!"

Using Poliwrath's strategy, Kappaquarius uses Hydro Pump to propel itself backwards without first landing, allowing it to avoid the Razor Wind altogether. As it moves back, the Aqua Bombs hit their targets and explode.

And just as Will's points take the hit, Gillian declares, "That's time! This thrilling battle is over! I don't know about any of you, but that match had me on the edge of my seat! Either side could have won!"

Ash says with confidence, "Brenda won that. She had too."

But Serena isn't so confident. "She was trailing by a good amount. She pulled an amazing comeback, but was it really enough?"

Brenda closes her eyes tight as she mentally prepares herself to see the final score. Then she looks up. As far as she can tell, it's a tie. "But…who won…?"

Gillian announces, "If I may have your attention, I am pleased to announce that winning by the slimmest of possible margins, the coordinator moving on to the final round will be…Brenda!"

Brenda's jaw drops. "I…won…?" After a moment of disbelief passes, she shouts ecstatically, "I won!" She runs out on to the stage and hugs Kappaquarius, who is now taller than she is. Her first Pokémon hugs her back.

Will steps out to meet her on the stage. "Well, Brenda, you did exactly what I couldn't in your position. You beat the one who mentored you. Congratulations. I'm proud of you." He offers her a handshake.

She takes it. "Thank you, Will. Thank you for everything. I don't know where I'd be right now if it wasn't for you. In fact, I only even had a chance at winning that match because even during the battle, you still had a lesson to teach me. Thank you."

Will chuckles. "You could say that I was asking to be beaten by helping you past that rough spot, but I couldn't help myself. I wanted to battle you at your best. Nothing less. I suppose that's the real reason I've been helping you along the way. I saw your potential, and I wanted to face you when you fully lived up to it. So no, thank you, Brenda. Thank you for giving me a match the likes of which I don't expect to ever experience again. Now, promise me that you'll go on to beat Moira for me. I know you have what it takes."

Brenda nods. "I'll do my best. With everything you've taught me and everything else I've learned along the way; I think I can do it."

It's Honedge!

Brenda watches as Moira wins her next battle. She says to herself, "That's it. It's official. I'll be battling against Moira in the final round. She's the only one standing between me and the Ribbon Cup." She takes a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"I hope you plan on doing everything you can to win."

Brenda turns around with surprise to see Jessie, still dressed as Jessileia, standing behind her. "Oh, Jessileia, I thought you had left."

"I did, but no matter how unfair that last battle was against me, I'm not going to miss the finals. You better win this, Twerpette. I'll never forgive you if you don't."

Brenda chuckles. "I'll try as hard as I can, Jessileia." She pauses. "Wait… 'Twerpette?'" Brenda squints at her. "Jessie?"

Jessie laughs. "Jessie would never root for a Twerpette…"

Brenda looks at her and questions, "But…?"

"But Jessileia would. Even as a Twerpette, you have Jessileia's support." She turns to leave but pauses with her back still turned to Brenda. "I suspect this is the last time anyone will be hearing anything of Jessileia. Or Jessica, or Jessibella, or Jessilina, or Jessilee. This is my retirement. Honor my final wish."

Brenda nods in understanding. "I'll do everything I can, Jessie. Thank you." She grins broadly.

Jessie walks out without another word. James, Meowth, and Wobbuffet are waiting for her outside the dressing room. James asks, "What was that about, Jessie?"

Jessie answers, "I had one last bit of personal business to take care of before putting Jessileia to rest."

Meowth asks, "Is that really it? Are you done with Pokémon Contests?"

Jessie nods. "I think I am."

James questions, "And you're okay with that?"

Jessie nods again. "I think I am." They've walked outside. Jessie looks to the blue sky above. "The world is my stage now. Team Rocket is where I belong. Pokémon Contests were a distraction. Maybe someday, I'll go back, but for now, I've made peace with being done with them."

Meowth comments, "Wow, Jess, that's really…" He fails to find the right word.

James supplies, "Mature?"

Meowth mods. "Yeah. Mature. Surprisingly so."

Wobbuffet agrees, "Wobbuffet!"

Jessie grins, then casts aside her Jessileia costume to return to her regular uniform. The dress and adornments fly away in the wind. "So long, Her Royal Majesty, Princess of the Stars and Sovereign of the Galaxy, Princess Jessileia the First the Gorgeous." She's short on breath by the time she finishes the goodbye. "Wow…that name really is too long…"

"Wobbuffet!"

"Here we are! At long last, the Grand Festival finale is here! In just five short minutes, we'll know who will be taking home the Ribbon Cup and the title of Top Coordinator! Will it be Moira, already a Top Coordinator and the winner of last year's Ribbon Cup? Or will it be Brenda, the relatively new but massively talented coordinator? There's only one way to find out, and that's to have them battle it out with everything on the line!"

Not only are Ash, Brock, and Serena watching from the audience, but Will, Michelle, and Damien watch from a separate section set aside for contestants. Blaise is staring straight at Brenda and seems to be watching with more interest than the other judges. Watching the holovision at home, Brenda's mother leans in closely, as if it would allow her to see the match better. Even in other regions, the contest is on television. May and Max are in a Pokémon Center lobby watching the TV. Drew and Harley are there too. Elsewhere, Dawn, Zoey, Nando, and Kenny also watch. Even the Contest Master Wallace is watching.

Moira shouts, "Brenda, after watching how you beat William, I'm looking forward to this battle more than ever. Show me everything you've got. Show me why William took so much interest in you!"

Brenda nods. "I will, but I want you to show me what the person who mentored Will is capable of. I want to see why Will is as good as he is!"

Moira nods back. "I will."

Gillian declares, "With five minutes on the clock, let's get this final show on the road! Here we go!"

Both coordinators throw their Pokéballs. Brenda shouts, "Kappaquarius, Glitterfly, centerstage!"

Moira throws one Pokéball, while thrusting her opposite arm forward to indicate Dovine to fly forward. "Debut, Dovine and Vespiquen!"

Brenda says to herself, "That's it, Moira is finally using Dovine." She glances at the Vespiquen. "And that Pokémon is new too. She was holding them both back for the final round." But something stands out to her about Vespiquen. Atop its head is a tiara and set in that tiara is a brilliant yellow and black gemstone. Brenda gasps, "Is that…?"

Moira grins. "Brenda, I want you to know that I'm taking this battle completely seriously. I am going to give it my absolute all." She holds up a hand to reveal a ring that she had not previously been wearing. Set in the ring is another gemstone. "I am pushing myself to do what no one else has ever done! And I will give it my absolute all! Go, Vespiquen! Mega Evolution!" She taps a finger from her opposite hand to the ring and it begins to glow. A storm of energy erupts about both her and Vespiquen. Tendrils of energy connect her ring to Vespiquen's tiara. "Vespiquen, Mega Evolve into Mega Vespiquen!"

"Veeeeeesp!"

Ash gasps, "No way! Moira can Mega Evolve her Pokémon!"

Serana watches in awe. "Mega Evolution… It's amazing…"

When the light encasing Vespiquen shatters away, its new form is revealed. It has become a far more regal Pokémon. Its abdomen is much wider, making it look like an even larger and more extravagant dress. A large stinger emerges from the bottom of it. Its bottom two wings have grown larger and hang down, looking like a cape. Around its neck is a frill-like structure made from honeycomb. Each of its arms now features a ring of honeycombs around the wrist, which look like puffy sleeves. The structure atop its head looks like a tall beehive-shaped crown.

Brenda says in disbelief, "Mega Evolution…she really is going all out." She clenches a fist. "But that doesn't change anything! We're still going to give it our all! Kappaquarius, Hydro Pump! Glitterfly, Signal Beam! Aim for Vespiquen!"

Brenda's Pokémon fire a stream of water and beam of shimmering light at Vespiquen. As they travel, the light from the Signal Beam, reflects off the water of Hydro Pump.

Moira calmly orders, "Vespiquen, Defend Order."

Vespiquen raises its arms and angles its abdomen forward. From the darkness within the honeycombs, eyes appear. It turns out those eyes are attached to a group of Honbee that are perfectly slotted into the honeycombs. The small bee Pokémon fly out from their hiding place and form up in front of Vespiquen. Their hexagonal bodies line up together to form a wall between Vespiquen and the attacks. Once their formation is complete, an energy barrier is projected immediately in front of them. The barrier easily withstands the two attacks.

Once the attacks subside, the Honbee separate and begin to fly in circles around their queen.

Ash shouts, "Hey! No fair! This is a double battle! Moira's using…" He pauses to count. "Too many! She's using too many Pokémon!"

Brock explains, "Those Honbee are a part of Mega Vespiquen. Its entire body serves as a hive for them. Also, their minds are all connected. For all intents and purposes, they are one Pokémon."

Ash crosses his arms. "I still don't see how it's fair."

Moira announces, "Now for a combination of our own! Dovine, use Star Daze! Vespiquen, use Power Gem!"

With a powerful flap of its wings, Dovine summons an array of twinkling stars that are flung at Brenda's Pokémon. Vespiquen fires a red beam of light from the jewel on its forehead. The lights of the two attacks mingle together and mix, creating a shimmering light that casts a red glow across the entire stage.

Brenda orders, "Out of the way, you two!"

Glitterfly flies up, while Kappaquarius leaps to the side. However, the width of the attack suddenly increases drastically at the last moment as it spreads at an explosive rate, catching both of them in it. This leads to a strike against Brenda's points.

And Moira doesn't give them a chance to recover. She quickly follows up by ordering, "Dovine, Silver Wind! Vespiquen, Attack Order!"

Vespiquen thrusts out its arms and abdomen. In addition to the Honbee already flying about, even more emerge from hiding within Vespiquen. The swarm flies forward towards Brenda's Pokémon. At the same time, Dovine flaps its wings to whip up a mighty gale of sparkling wind. This wind catches the Honbee and propels them forward even faster.

Brenda is able to think fast and urgently orders, "Glitterfly, you use Silver Wind too!"

"Glittererererfly!" Glitterfly flaps its own wings with as much power as it can muster. The Silver Wind generated is enough to subdue the incoming wind and slow the Honbee swarm.

"And Kappaquarius, clear them out with Hydro Pump!"

With the Honbee slowed, Kappaquarius is able to use Hydro Pump in a sweeping motion to knock them away before they can do any damage. Not only that, but it manages to land a quick hit against both Dovine and Vespiquen, which is enough to stop both of their attacks. Moira's points take their first hit.

Noticing an opening, Brenda takes it. "Kappaquarius, let Glitterfly's Silver Wind carry you forward and use Ice Punch!"

"Kappa appa!" Kappaquarius leaps forward and once in the area is thrust forward by the force of the Silver Wind. Its fist becomes coated in glowing ice as it prepares to deliver a punch directly to Dovine.

Moira orders, "Double Team!"

Just before the Ice Punch lands, Dovine uses extreme speed to split itself into multiple duplicates. Kappaquarius' punch travels straight through one such duplicate.

"And Star Daze!"

The real Dovine appears behind Kappaquarius for a point-blank attack.

Brenda shouts, "Glitterfly, pull Kappaquarius out with String Shot!"

"Glitterererer!" A shot of silk from Glitterfly's mouth adheres to Kappaqua's back just in time for Glitterfly to yank it out from underneath Dovine in order to avoid the attack entirely. Both coordinators receive a point loss from the previous actions.

Brenda orders, "Now give Kappaquarius a spin! And let's try Ice Punch again!"

Using the existing momentum from pulling Kappaquarius away, Glitterfly spins about and whips Kappaquarius around such that it flies back at Moira's side even faster than before. Kappaquarius comes in with so much momentum that it's able to first strike Vespiquen and then Dovine with the same punch.

As Kappaquarius skids to stop on the opposite side of Moira's Pokémon from Glitterfly, Brenda orders, "Hydro Pump and Signal Beam!"

The Pokémon each attack from both sides, leaving Moira's Pokémon with little room to dodge.

But Moira orders, "Defend Order! Widespread!"

"Vespiiii!" Vespiquen summons its Honbee to create a defensive ring around it and Dovine. The ring of Honbee protects them on both sides from both attacks.

Brenda complains to herself, "As long as she has those Honbee, she's at a significant advantage. I have to do something about them."

But before she can come up with any plans, Moira orders, "Vespiquen, Bug Buzz!"

Vespiquen, along with all of its Honbee, vibrate their wings in unison to create intense shockwaves of sound. Both Kappaquarius and Glitterfly fall to the ground from the pain in their ears caused by the extreme buzzing. They shout out in pain.

"Now Dovine, Double Team and Lightray Pulse!"

"Doviiiiine!" Dovine climbs up high, duplicates itself, then spreads its wings to create an intense flash of light, which is multiplied by each duplicate. Kappaquarius and Glitterfly are now struck by a combined audio-visual assault. Brenda's points begin to drop quickly.

Brenda shouts, "Glitterfly, you have to use Silver Wind! It's the only attack that can disrupt them both!"

"Glit…ter…" Glitterfly struggles to get back up, but manages to persevere just enough to flap its wings and summon a Silver Wind. As Brenda predicted, the attack disrupts Moira's Pokémon just enough to stop their assaults.

And Brenda instantly ceases the opportunity. "Glitterfly, pick up the pace on the Silver Wind! Kappaquarius, spin around and use Hydro Pump everywhere!"

This command perplexes Moira. The Hydro Pump is blown about in Glitterfly's Silver Wind, but becomes so diffuse that it can't do anything against her Pokémon.

But then she recalls Kappaquarius' use of Hydro Pump combined with Will's Ominous Wind. She quickly orders, "Defend Order, now!"

Brenda grins at something. "Kappaquarius, Hydroshock and Ice Punch!"

Moira questions, "Ice Punch?"

"Kappa appa quarius!" The Pokémon envelops both of its fists in icy energy at the same time that it releases a psychic shockwave into the water around it. The shockwave carries the icy energy with it and flash freezes the water as it passes through. Despite all that, the Honbee defend both of Moira's Pokémon.

Moira shakes her head. "Sorry, Brenda. Not even that creative thinking was enough to break through my defenses."

Brenda grins. "I think you're speaking too soon."

"Oh?" Moira looks again to see that the Honbee shields have been frozen solid. One by one, frozen Honbee fall from the wall and tumble to the ground. She grins upon seeing how her shield had been broken. A significant chunk of her points are taken away. Both sides are now down to the last of their points.

Seeing the scores, Brenda shouts, "Now! One final push! Our best combination to take out the last of her points while her defenses are down! Glitterfly, Silver Wind and Sparkling Flare! Kappaquarius, Hydro Pump and Hydroshock!"

A grin comes to Moira's face. "Yes! One last combination on which to stake it all! The better combination wins! Vespiquen, Power Gem and Bug Buzz! Dovine, Double Team and Lightray Pulse!"

Glitterfly flaps its intensely glowing wings to summon its strongest wind yet. The sparkling scales that fly on the breeze of the Silver Wind shimmer even stronger when Glitterfly unleashes a truly dazzling display of sparkling lights from its wings.

Also caught in the wind is the water from Kappaquarius' Hydro Pump, which is immediately exploded into tiny droplets that disperse through the Silver Wind by Hydroshock. These droplets continue to carry the force of Hydroshock with them, making them glow with purple energy while also reflecting the light of Sparkling Flare.

At the same time, Vespiquen attacks with a sharp beam of red light from its jeweled crown. Then the pulses of sound from the Bug Buzz disrupt the light into an explosion of dazzling particles.

Dovine, meanwhile, has surrounded Vespiquen with duplicates of itself, each of which open their wings to generate an intense burst of golden light. The sheer brightness of the light makes only a sillohette of the two Pokémon visible. In fact, nothing at all from Moira's side would be visible, if not for the sharp points of dark crimson created by the Power Gem and Bug Buzz, which contrast the bright gold of the Lightray Pulse.

Both extreme combinations pass by the other without interfering with each other. Both sides are struck by the onslaught of the other. But despite all the power, all four Pokémon manage to endure the blows.

But Gillian shouts, "And that's our match! We have a winner!"

Everyone's eyes go to the scoreboard. All four Pokémon are still standing, and just over a minute is still on the clock. Either Brenda or Moira has run out of points, and it could be either.

Brenda gulps nervously as she looks up. And there she sees that her own point gauge is empty.

"Moira has done the impossible! She's won two back-to-back Ribbon Cups! Look out Wallace, you've got a contender for Contest Master!" The crowd erupts into a cheering standing ovation.

Brenda hangs her head.

Serena says, "Oh no… Brenda…"

Ash shakes his head. "No. Brenda is strong. She knows she did everything in her power. She knows that this wasn't really a loss. This was a victory."

Sure enough, as Kappaquarius and Glitterfly approach Brenda questioningly, Brenda looks back up to them, grins, and says, "You two did great! Come over here!" She embraces them in a tight hug.

"Kappa appa!"

"Glittererer!"

Brenda is backstage. She's taking deep breaths as she calms herself off the adrenaline rush of the finals.

"How are you holding up?" It's Will's voice.

Brenda turns to see not only Will, but Ash, Brock, Serena, and Michelle as well. She grins at them. "You know, I thought I would be devastated. I thought I would feel like I did after that first double performance, but for some reason, I just feel proud of myself and my Pokémon."

Will grins. "That's because you did everything you could to win."

Ash adds, "And you put up one heck of a show doing it. That was amazing, Brenda!"

Michelle nods emphatically. "Just as I thought I knew exactly how good you were, you just blew me away again!"

Brenda nods. "Yes. You're all right. I knew from the beginning that defeating Moira was going to be an insurmountable goal, but I didn't let that stop me from trying, and I came closer than I ever thought would be possible." She chuckles. "In that sense, I think I'm a winner today too."

Will nods. "Not only did you come close to beating her, but you also came closer than I ever did. Brenda, I may have been your mentor, but today, you've surpassed me. You are a winner."

The statement shocks Brenda. "I've…surpassed…you…?"

Will nods again. "I have nothing left to teach you; I can say that much for certain."

"Wow…" Brenda is speechless. She grins. "Then yes. I did win today in every way that matters."

Brock says encouragingly, "That's the spirit, Brenda!"

Brenda glances over to the screen, which is showing Moira accepting the Ribbon Cup. She says, "You hear that, Moira? Back when I started this journey, I was nothing. But today I've surpassed my mentor. My next step is to surpass my mentor's mentor. I won't let things go down the same way next time we cross paths."

The next morning, Ash, Brock, Brenda, and Serena stand at a crossroad. Ash says, "Well, we've got to be on our way back to Kanaveral City, so I can take a boat to Cosmic Island for the Cosmic Conference."

Serena points down the other path, "And this is where I've got to travel to take a plane ride back to Hoenn." She sighs regretfully, "I guess it's time for us to go our separate ways again."

Brenda clasps each of Serena's hands. "Serena, thank you so much for all your help and inspiration. My performance in the Grand Festival was so much better off thanks to you."

Serena smiles back at her. "Watching what you did with my demonstrations was more than worth it. I'm so happy I was able to make a difference for you."

"But still, I owe you. So, you're welcome and sorry in advance." Brenda walks behind Serena.

Serena is confused. "You're welcome and sorry in—?"

Brenda lets out an obviously fake, "Oops!" As she pretends to trip and pushes Serena.

Serena gasps as she falls forward, but Ash is in front of her and catches her in both arms.

"You okay, Serena?"

Serena's entire face turns red the moment she realizes what happened. She quickly stands straight up and brushes herself off. "Yeah. I'm fine. Perfectly fine." But the blush doesn't go away. She looks back to Brenda and glares at her.

Brenda mouths silently, "Tell him."

Serena looks back to Ash and gulps nervously.

Brock looks at them with a mixture of intrigue, curiosity, and jealousy as he realizes what's going on.

"Hey…um…Ash…?"

"Yeah, Serena? What's up?"

"There's something I need to tell you…"

"Well, what are you waiting for? You don't need my permission to tell me something."

Serena takes a deep breath in, then exhales. As if one word, she shouts, "Iloveyou!" Instantly, the red on her face grows several shades darker.

Brock thrusts a fist forward in silent celebration for Ash. Brenda grins broadly.

Ash smiles back at Serena. "Yeah, you're a great friend too, Serena. Thanks."

Serena nearly collapses upon hearing that. Brock is shaking his head in disappointment. Brenda rolls her eyes.

Ash looks back to the road. "Well, I suppose we'd better go our separate ways again."

Serena sighs. The blush has begun to subside. "Yeah. I guess so…" She takes a deep breath and banishes the remainder of her blush and embarrassment. "Ash, I'm going to keep on working on that promise I made to you last time we parted ways. I'm going to keep on getting better."

Ash nods. "Then that makes two of us. The next time you meet me, I'm going to be that much closer to being a Pokémon Master."

Serena chuckles at him. "Okay, Ash. It's been great seeing you."

"You too, Serena."

Serena turns and walks down her side of the path. But then she stops. She clenches a fist, pivots around, runs up to Ash and kisses his cheek, before marching off again without a single word.

This time Brenda pumps a fist in celebration, while Brock is practically foaming at the mouth as he passes out from the sheer shock.

Ash puts a hand to his cheek and watches with a hint of confusion as Serena walks away.

And so ends another chapter in this grand Tenno journey. The Grand Festival may be behind Brenda, but her journey is far from over. Just like Serena before her, there's still a world's worth of adventure ahead of her, and she'll never stop getting stronger. So really, this isn't an ending. This is a beginning. Stay tuned.

To Be Continued…