Last time we left our heroes Trixie and Taylor's several year-long battle had finally commenced! But with all of Taylor's tricks already out in the open, Trixie has the upper hand. Now it's time to see if Taylor's dynamic duo can handle Trixie's surgical strike team.

Taylor POV

I should be tense right now; I should be angry and maybe even a little panicky. And yet even with the literal worst start imaginable, I was calm as could be. Because even with all-new Pokemon and all new tricks, she was still the same old Trixie. I could see it in her eyes that she came here to dominate not win, but she is about to learn that I am certainly not the same Taylor from Twinleaf. Still, I couldn't deny she had me in a box. Disarming Voice has perfect accuracy, combining that with the teleportation and Ziggy's movements, and it was like shooting Basculin in a barrel. But I trust Ziggy's speed more than anything, and I think I just about got it. Upon Ralt's 6th disarming voice, I commanded Ziggy to use his new move (courtesy of Roark). A split second baby doll eyes cut the attack's power just enough to keep him in the game.

In typical Ziggy fashion, he didn't even let the attack stop him, instead getting faster as he charged in with another headbutt that almost hits. Ralts once again teleported away, but by then, I already knew the pattern, simply using another swift sand attack that changes Ziggy's trajectory just enough to turn around. With Ralt's vision obscured, Ziggy's anticipation grew even more as he finally landed his Covet in one fatal blow! Judging from her reaction, I could tell the hit was critical but still not enough as Ralts countered back with another fierce confusion! The move finally stops Ziggy in his tracks, leaving him a confused and defenseless mess. This means that I had to watch Ralts suck the remaining life out of him with a draining kiss.

And it was at this moment that I finally felt a hint of dread, as I saw Ziggy's lifeless, limp body. Almost in tandem, Trixie's dominant aura grew all the greater. Still, once again, I didn't feel any fear from her paltry. Instead, my Speelogy curiosity just got even stronger in return. It's exactly what I said before when this whole mess first started. I've got nothing to prove to her anymore, but I still wanted to prove myself to every person who believed I got this far in the first place. So in the most decisive return that I ever made, I put all my faith in one last Pokemon.

"You sure know how to pick 'em, Taylor. Maybe you should-."

"I didn't come all the way here to talk, Trixie. I came here to battle. So I suggest you for once you shut up and see for yourself, how far I've come. NADIA SHOW YOUR STUFF!!"

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With all my heart, I threw my ace in the hole, an all too familiar beam of the light burst from the ball, swirling the ground below to reveal Nadia in one of her signature extravagant poses! Amid my final stand, Trixie's rage grew into cold, intense wrath.

"You're right; seeing is believing. So maybe this will finally knock some sense into you, Ralts confusion now!"

Too bad for her Ziggy's earlier sand attack was more effective than Trixie though, turning her telekinetic blow into a wasteful strike. Combined with Nadia's being just a tick faster and I was able to unleash the mother of all Poison stings. In instant purple lighting riddled Ralt's body as the toxin worked its way up. I was about to finish this with a powerful bite attack, but even while poisoned, Ralts still teleported away at the last second. It was her mistake, though, because I already knew where she would be ahead of time, which caused Ralts to appear right in front of a brutal double kick to the head! Or so I thought because as soon as Nadia's legs made contact, Ralts vanished in a shimmer of light (courtesy of double team). The realization hit far too late as soon enough Nadia was in the grasp of another draining kiss! Dread once again seized my body, but it left as soon as it came. Nadia's potent poison was already doing its job, interrupting the kiss halfway.

Normally this would have been a done deal, but Nadia's pride got the better of her, instead of being too flattered to move. Which meant for once I had to thank Trixie for knocking some sense into her in the form of a weak confusion. Unfortunately, the attack left Nadia even more confused, to the point where even she didn't know what was where. Taking the opportunity in stride, Ralts unleashed another disarming voice that disoriented her further. Before another chipping strategy could happen, I decided to try something unexpected.

"Nadia, get off your lazy, useless, ugly butt now!!!"

With her feelings gravely hurt, Nadia flew into an incomprehensible rage! Her flurry of attacks was so great and unpredictable that Ralts was eventually overwhelmed, finally meeting her end in the form of a vice-like bite. When she finally broke out of her confusion, wondering who had said the phrase in the first place. But this was easy to answer.

"Hey, don't look at me, it was that girl over there that dared to challenge your majesty."

In that instant, Nadia once again flew into a rage, giving Trixie an icy stare. At this reaction, Trixie's looked at me in utter dumbfounded. This shock soon became an unrestrained giggle. And this giggle soon turned into an uncontrollable, emotional laugh that sent tears streaming down her face. Like before, I didn't feel a hint of fear, instead of feeling nothing but a sense of distasteful sadness. Eventually, Trixie got control of herself, returning her Pokemon in a shaky motion. She then pulled out a second ball and gripped it so hard I almost thought it would break. Trixie then gave me a look that left me awed as she said these final words.

"This is all I've got left Taylor; this is everything I have! Stand your ground, make your mark, and win it all, Piplup!"

In one graceful throw, Piplup finally made her appearance, giving a look that forced both me and Nadia tense up for the battle that will decide it all!

With Trixie and Taylor both at their limits, it's time to answer a question that plagued their minds for years. Who out of 2 was truly the better trainer?! Find out the answer to this question next time, as the journey continues ever forward!