"It's been a while since you got here early enough for breakfast," Gary spoke casually, approaching Angelina from behind as her blue pigtails came into view.

The girl perked up as his tray was set next to hers. "Yeah, I… hadn't realized that until I got here, actually."

"Any reason for the change?"

Biting into her pumpkin muffin, Gary's friend made a face realizing it was somewhat overcooked. Setting it aside unpleasantly, she shifted her attention to opening her cereal. "I guess I'm just a bit eager. I've been out for the past week, and the Exam's right around the corner." her giddy grin was a bit infectious. "I know it's not gonna be an easy test, or anything, but I am getting that grade!"

Gary offered a split second chuckle before turning to his own food. Of all his friends, Angelina was one of the most eager to get her license. And she was projected to have one of the stronger chances of passing the Exam; she'd had some of the most consistent grades throughout class, even if she did not necessarily excel at anything. "Speaking of the Exam, have you figured out your topic for the essay yet? I think most people are still considering."

But to his surprise, the blue-haired girl firmly nodded. "Fossils, duh. You really thought I needed to think that long?"

Blinking a moment, Gary almost mentally kicked himself. Of course it would have something to do with prehistoric Pokemon, that was Angelina's favorite subject! Her eyes would always light up like a treasure trove of gems whenever a particular lesson focused on the long forgotten era. "You're right, I should have guessed."

"Heh," she lightly smirked for the briefest of seconds before her grin turned more even. Speaking of fossils, there has been talk about a big expedition being planned for Grampa Canyon this year! Can you believe it? If I pass the Exam and become a trainer, I might be able to join in on it! I'll just be a rookie, but I'm sure they'd take my help in some form."

"...I might be able to ask Gramps to vouch for you." Gary said after a moment of thought.

Her spoon froze in midair on its way to her mouth. "Wait… you mean it?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, why not? And if you do good on your essay he could maybe use that to get you favor with whoever's running the thing."

The girl beamed at him. "That'd be awesome! You're the best." after taking a few spoonfuls, she wiped her mouth. "All the more reason to do as good as possible, then." having a thought, she turned to him. "Do you know what you're going to be writing?"

The question lit a fire in his eyes. "My essay's going to be on Blastoise. Why I think the Squirtle line is the best of the three."

"So ten pages worth of fanboy gushing?" she teased. "Bold move, great Oak."

He just rolled his eyes.

/

"Wow," Angelina spoke up as the two put their trays away and turned to head out of the cafeteria. "I guess we both have a lot we can cover, huh?"

"Definitely," Gary nodded in agreement. "A ten page essay may sound daunting, but they're expecting us to choose a super meaty subject to compensate for that. There's so much you can write about to dissect Blastoise's usefulness and how it compares to Venusaur and Charizard, and that's not even getting into all the ways it can be applied! And your fossils are pretty much an entirely different world; those ten pages are gonna be overflowing by the time we're done with them!"

His friend giggled. "They might as well just hand those licenses to us now, this'll be cake for us." Patting his back, she added. "By the way, Sarah told me that Ms. Starrid was super impressed about that rundown you gave on the Squirtle line's defenses in class."

Gary's eyes flashed fiercely at the memory. "You should have seen her face. I said that a Squirtle that masters its defense almost has no weakness. As a pure water type, Squirtle, Wartortle, and Blastoise only have two weaknesses in typing, but the best of them have shells that no grass type moves or electricity could ever-" he was cut off as Angelina tapped his shoulder. "What is it…?" following her finger, his eye landed on the subject of her attention, and his expression shifted. "Oh…"

Ash Ketchum was eating alone as usual. Judging by the amount of food on his tray (and the fact he had not even bit into his muffin yet), it seemed like he had just arrived. The boy was doing his best to ignore his surroundings as he opened his cereal.

A nudge from Angelina's elbow brought the Oak boy's attention back to her as she leaned in to speak quietly. "While I was gone, I also heard the loser was thinking of skipping the Exam altogether. Probably for the better, right?"

A tinge of amusement sparked in Gary's chest at the thought. "Smartest thing he ever did, if that's the case." motioning for her to follow him, he changed direction and headed to the other boy's table.

Ash had not noticed their presence until Gary's hands rudely planted themselves on the other side of the table from where he was sitting. Somewhat startled, the boy's heart sank as he looked up to see the approaching duo.

"Mornin', Ashy boy," Gary's head tilted a bit as Angelina came to his side. "Nothing like a nice tray of breakfast to get ya ready for the school day; not that it's ever done you any good."

The other boy only felt half his size under the gazes of his two peers, and almost scooted back on instinct, quickly remembering that he was sitting in an open seat with nowhere to go. So instead he squirmed, body language undermining his frustrated tone. "What do you want, guys?"

"Weeeell," Gary stretched the beginning. "It just so happens Angelina and I were having a fascinating discussion on the upcoming Qualification Exam. It's an exciting time, right? If we can pass it, the past few years of hard work will finally pay off. All of this has been building up to our Opening Day. When it's our turn to finally become Pokemon Trainers."

Angelina nodded, lips curving ever so slightly upwards as she scanned Ash. "You don't have as much to look forward to, of course."

Gary hummed an agreement as his fingers drummed the table in front of Ash. "What about you, Ashy boy? Planning on taking the Exam?"

Ash did not say anything. He simply looked between his two peers for a moment or so before his gaze traveled down to his tray. He wanted to ask them to go away, but his mouth would not open.

"Why?" The Oak boy asked simply. "Why even consider it? How many times have you embarrassed yourself already? You already know you're not going to be a trainer anytime soon; you really wanna torture yourself by bringing more disappointment?" When Ash didn't move, Gary tapped the table a bit harder. "Well? I'm asking you a question, Ash."

"..." taking a breath, Ash paused for a moment longer. "I…" finally, he looked back up at them. 'I'm still thinking about it."

Gary rolled his eyes. It was the expected answer. "Look, Ash, I don't know what kind of fancy exposure therapy you're trying to test out for yourself, but it's not worth it. My advice is to not even touch the Exam this year. You'd be safer cuddling up in a blanket with your mom than getting eaten alive on the road anyway." his lips curved up. "Of course, I'm sure your eyes will be glued to the TV when I reach the six on six rounds. The famed Top 16. Can you believe no rookie's ever done that before? History is about to be made at the end of the year, and at the four hundredth Conference no less. We're all just on the cusp of something big this Season; I'm sure you're looking forward to seeing it."

It was like Gary and Angelina's gazes were lasers digging into the other boy's skull. Shrinking further in his seat, as squirmed as the blue-pigtailed girl's eyes twinkled with a cheeky smile. After a couple moments of silence, her arm reached out and plucked the untouched muffin from his tray.

"Hey-!" Ash's almost-outburst was cut off as he froze in place, only halfway to rising from his seat as his eyes fell on Gary. All three children were still for a moment, both pairs of eyes still drilling into him before he finally sat down in defeat.

Removing the paper from the muffin, Angelina looked it over for a moment before her attention fell back on Ash. "Banana nut isn't really my favorite, but my muffin was burnt this morning. You don't mind, do you?" After a few more frozen moments of Ash saying nothing. She slowly brought the food to her mouth and took a bite, chewing methodically as her gaze never left the boy.

"Alright," said Gary, pushing himself up from his position leaning against the table. "Good chat. We'll be seeing you in class then." he nodded to the tray. "Enjoy your breakfast."

As the duo walked off, and Angelina took a second bite, still within earshot, Gary nudged her with his shoulder. "You know, you could've offered me a piece first."

"Oh, hush."

/

Images Lavender Tower flashed through Ash's mind as his eyes shot open, feeling the unpleasantly familiar cold sweat as he climbed out of bed.

The clock only read 6:35 AM; and unsurprisingly his team was still asleep. Unbeknownst to the boy, Pikachu watched him with one eye open as he entered the bathroom for a shower. About twelve minutes later, Ash felt his mood somewhat shoot up as his starter greeted him on his way out.

"Hey, buddy." His smile was not forced as the electric type climbed his way to his shoulder, rubbing his forehead against his trainer's cheek for just a moment before receiving a quick head pat in return. "I'm going to get some breakfast from the lobby, you wanna come?"

Gravity slowly but surely took hold of the young rookie's thoughts as he and the mouse exited the room. Sometimes, when you first wake up, you know what is in store for the day, but you don't fully process it until moments later. Especially when the agenda is not the most positive. It's a feeling that lingers in the back of your mind, before slowly starting to gnaw its way to the front.

2:00 PM. The scheduled time. It felt like it was an eternity away, something that would never be reached, leaving the suspense to continue gnawing at him until he was finally devoured whole. Yet it also felt like it would pass in the blink of an eye, something that he would reach far sooner than could be prepared for, whether he was ready or not.

He had, not requested, but outright demanded a six on six battle; a format he had never done before, against an opponent he had never beaten before. It was seven hours away, much too long yet much too soon. Anticipation, dread, and a fast moving blend of much else swirled through him as he opened the door and entered the hallway. Glancing at Pikachu's face, Ash could see his starter looking forward with a content expression. He was not sure what was going on in the mouse's mind, but he appreciated the sight. It made his thoughts easier to control.

There was not too much activity as they entered the lobby; a couple of older trainers (albeit none from the previous night) were present, drinking what Ash presumed to be coffee whilst paying attention to one of the TV monitors. The lobby had two: One for television channels, and another (as he and Gary had both learned last night) that allowed those in the lobby to watch whatever was taking place at the Lodging's public battlefield. The two trainers from Pallet had requested their battle take place in private, but he wondered if anyone would be watching from the lobby…

Pikachu's face lit up as the duo spotted Janine sitting at a sofa near a table, a plate of waffles and a bagel about halfway done, and Ash felt his mood lift yet again. The poison specialist had looked up to see them coming about halfway there, and quickly made sure there was room for him to sit next to her. After giving her a quick greeting, Pikachu hopped off his trainer's shoulder to where Ivysaur and Golbat were eating nearby, taking the opportunity to have a peek at the Lodging's Pokemon food before chatting.

The girl's familiarly analytical eyes fixed themselves on Ash as he took a seat beside her. "How did you sleep?"

Making easy eye contact, Ash found the words with little difficulty. "I had a nightmare."

Mild concern shifted onto her features for a moment as she lightly nodded. "How are you feeling now?"

"I'm fine," he said evenly, head turning to where Pikachu was talking to Ivysaur and Golbat. "I'm ready."

/

"We know of six Pokemon on Gary's team so far," Though he was not looking at his trainer, Pikachu's ears soaked in every word as the electric mouse dug into his food.

Janine had finished her meal at this point, and though she remained nearby, she gave her friend just enough space so as to not be intrusive as he went over his morning brainstorm. She sat in a recliner reading one of her books as Ash and Pikachu ate their breakfast together. He would bring more food back to the room for the rest of the team afterwards; it was still fairly early.

"Wartortle, Meditite, Eevee, Weepinbell, Growlithe, and Skarmory." Ash subconsciously spoke the list in the order he had first seen them. "We don't know if he's caught anything else since." It had been a long while since they had last battled, and even then, Ash had seen more from certain members of Gary's team than others. It would be hard to predict how each of them had grown, although he could make educated guesses. The big sticking point, however…

"Our Eevee is evolved now," he pointed out, tapping his fork against the plate. "For the sake of argument, we'll have to assume his is too. If we could get our hands on a stone, then there's no stopping him either." the mouse nodded in agreement. "It could've been Growlithe he evolved, but they usually take longer before they're ready." The Oak boy was far too smart to ever evolve a teammate prematurely. It was not as unheard of for an Arcanine, but the possibility of him evolving Eevee was definitely the safer bet.

That thought brought Ash's mind to Glaceon. Without a doubt, she was their ace for the time being. Using her too early could be as much of a tactical mistake as it could be an opportune way to take the lead. But how would Gary play his hand? They had no way of knowing if the Oak boy had been in a six on six match before, or if he was as inexperienced with them as they were. Battles of this format were not overly common with trainers at their current level, after all. Some trainers, not unheard of, would not even see such a battle until the Top 16 of the Conference should they make it that far. Such a position was uncomfortably disadvantageous, however: The Indigo Conference, especially the Top 16, was when stakes were at their highest. Lacking experience in the prestigious six versus six format could cost a trainer on its own. Figuring out which structural strategies and gameplans to use for which battle against which opponent, according to Patricia and a good number of other top contenders over the years, was far more exhausting and complicated on its own than one might think. Being thrust into such a battle unprepared could prove overwhelming, especially in such a gigantic stadium.

Taking a breath, it occurred to Ash that having such a battle now, at this early of a point, may have been a smart move on the long term, even if it was hardly what was on his mind at the time.

And even now, he couldn't afford to let anything else take up his mental attention span. Thoughts on future high level competition could wait: They had a battle to win right now.

/

Sitting in the lobby, Janine's eyes occasionally shifted to the TV monitor displaying the battlefield. The scheduled match was still shy of twenty minutes away, but Ash was already there right now, having talked to his team one final time. Seeing him at the bench, through the camera, caused her brow to furrow. Her book was open in her hands, but whenever she attempted to get engrossed in the pages, her gaze would always find its way back to the monitor. She wanted to huff in frustration, roughly close it shut, and shove back into her backpack, but treating a book like that would be such repulsive behavior.

"Oh, hey there."

Surprise gave way to relief as she looked up to see Patricia approaching her. The older girl scanned the poison specialist for a moment, silently checking for permission before Janine caught on and nodded for the brunette to sit next to her.

"I saw this morning that there was a match scheduled soon," she nodded to the monitor. "That's why you're here, right?"

"Yes…" Janine spoke after a moment or two, closing her book (gently) to return it to her backpack. "I was trying to read before the battle started but…" she sighed. "I can't focus on anything."

It was infuriating. She could only imagine the words her father would have for her if he ever caught wind she had lost concentration this badly. She tried to block it out, but the image of his scolding face nonetheless found its way into her mind. When was the last time she had struggled this much with collecting her thoughts (in times of peace, at any rate)?

"Hmm…" Patricia frowned. "If you don't mind, do you know why the battle was requested to be private? I would've thought you'd be out there with your friend."

Janine hummed. That was it, after all… "I would… like to be, on some levels." she admitted with some hesitance. "But…" she bit her lip. The words that would come out of her mouth next were not her business; she needed to be careful what she divulged. "Ash is facing somebody from his hometown. It's a… personal affair."

Understanding washed over the teen's face. "I see, makes sense you'd give the guy some space."

Even as she nodded in agreement, Janine's eyes still flickered over to the monitor. "My… father would not want me forcing my way into something like this." Even as she spoke, she felt a slight hesitancy on her tongue when mentioning her father. Tanner had somehow known who she was, did Patricia as well? She was of equal status to her rival, after all. She made sure to be careful just in case, and her next statement came out more smoothly as she crossed her arms. "Ash deserves the chance to fight his own battles."

The older trainer nodded steadily. "Well, there's nothing wrong with showing a friend your support, even if it's none of your business." she tilted her head with a small grin. "We're trainers aren't we? Companionship is the game. I'm not saying you're wrong, though. Sometimes there are things that are better off if you handle them on your own." With some caution, she reached over and tapped the younger trainer's shoulder. "Hey…" as Janine's head turned to her, Patricia's grin shifted more relaxed, reassuring. "There's no need to feel so conflicted, okay? It's about finding the right balance. I've paired up with all sorts of travelers in my career."

After a moment or so, the purple haired girl felt her body relaxing a bit, easing a few nerves that she had not fully realized had been as tense as they were, offering the brunette a grateful nod. They sat in patient silence for a few moments before Janine spoke again.

"Oh, by the way Patricia," suddenly remembering something, she got the older trainer's attention. "Ash and I ran into Tanner when we were in Saffron."

"Oh," Patricia's brow raised in surprise. "So he wasn't disguised this time?"

The memory of the Tanner's prankish Slowbro removing his trainer's disguise right in front of them played in the girl's mind, but she chose not to bring that part up. "It's a long story." Maybe long wasn't the right word, but she did not dwell on that. "Anyway, he told us that you said something about this Season's Indigo Conference being the most stacked in years. Is that true?"

Perking up, the brunette nodded. "Yup, that's what every big analyst is projecting, and we're already seeing it, too. The competition's set to be super stiff this year."

Janine tapped her chin. "Any specific reasons why?" She was finding that this conversation was a great way to pass the time before Ash's battle, and getting what would likely be important information straight from a top competitor would certainly be helpful in the long run.

"Well," Patricia started. "You're obviously aware that this is the four hundredth Indigo Conference, correct?" the younger girl nodded. "That's why. This entire Season is a huge milestone for Indigo, and people all over the world want to be a part of it. There has been a surge of foreigners coming in specifically to compete. My cousin among them."

"Cousin?" Janine recalled Patricia mentioning a cousin from Kalos last night, but the thought of asking about it had passed her by.

"Have you heard of Annette Racewood?"

"Annette Racewood…" the poison specialist repeated with a thoughtful glint in her eye. "Hmm… Oh! I think I remember an Annette is a top competitor in Kalos right now."

"Runner up of the last Lumiose Conference," Patricia confirmed. "Lost only by the skin of her teeth, too. She came to Indigo this Season specifically because this was going to be the four hundredth Season." her face scrunched just a bit. "And of course, she's just dying to beat me on my home turf. Not that I'd ever let that happen, of course."

"Have you two ever battled before?"

The older trainer shook her head. "No. It's been on our agenda, but it never happened. We've been following each other's careers super closely though; there aren't many ways we can catch one another off guard." Glancing at the clock for a moment, she added, "Annette's going to be a VIP guest on the S.S. Anne cruise if it still happens. Along with Horace Bluewall."

That name quickly sparked Janine's recognition. "Wait, you mean the runner up of the Ever Grande Conference? He's here too?"

"Yup, in the flesh. Annette told me the moment she found out, and I've been researching in advance."

"Wow…" Janine blinked, suddenly feeling a minor tension setting in. "So… your cousin and Horace, they're basically like you and Tanner, right?"

"Mhm," Patricia agreed. "They're names are just as big in their respective Regions as Tanner and myself are here in Indigo, and that extends to their prowess in battle as well. Honestly, I wouldn't be comfortable battling either of them." she chuckled a bit. "Like I said, Annette and I have been following each other religiously ever since we first started out. Even Wallace himself would be proud of her Milotic, and the rest of her main roster lives up to that hype."

'And all four of them are going to be at the Conference.' Janine told herself. That alone explained the projections.

"Anway," Patricia continued. "Annette and Horace are just the two biggest ones. There are a lot of other worthwhile contenders coming in from numerous Regions to take part. Hoenn and Sinnoh have never been unheard of, but also Unova and Kalos, and even a couple from Galar if I'm correct. Indigo and Sinnoh are the most historic League's in the world; the thought of winning this Conference in its four hundredth Season is an opportunity too good to pass up. A lot of foreign spectators are buying tickets to watch as well, and even more on their screens at home." she leaned back in her seat, a thoughtful gaze. "It's always the biggest event of the year, but the buzz and activity surrounding it this year are second to none." She gave Janine a mildly sly look. "You and your friend picked a hell of a year to start out."

Unable to help humming in agreement, Janine made sure to mentally pocket all of this information. Surely Ash would want to know.

"Yo, it's almost time right?"

Janine could not help the somewhat unpleasant furrowing of her brow as Jordan came into view, although such a reaction did not stretch to Beth or Josh, who were closely behind the blonde boy.

"I wanted to keep looking for that green Oddish I spotted yesterday," Beth admitted while taking a seat next to Josh. "But I'll admit I was too curious about this."

"Course you were," Jordan snorted. "When was the last time a couple of first years were stupid enough to half a six versus six this early? Ahead of the curve or not, it's ludicrous."

Josh tried to pointedly ignore the other boy's comment, eyes on the clock before his head turned back towards the TV monitor. "I'm interested in seeing just how this kid got four badges in fewer months. Was planning to challenge him myself, but this will do. For now."

"Ignore the boys," Patricia nudged Janine with a mild sigh. "Seeing is believing; I'm sure the peanut gallery will quiet down halfway through."

"They best," a brief shifting of her purple eyes was the most attention the poison specialist offered the subtle pair of hecklers before her gaze rested on the monitor.

/

1:56 PM. Ash's heart rate quickened a tad as he looked down at the time on his Pokedex.

Four minutes…

Four minutes.

He knew Gary wouldn't be late. Enjoying the fresh air had proven to be the best way to clear his thoughts.

Last night's storm was a thing of the past, but the moisture it left behind was still lingering in the air. The battlefield was as dry as could be however; no puddles in sight. More than ready to be used. Pikachu sat next to him on the bench, having taken a peek at the Pokedex himself for a brief moment.

The door opened, and Ash quickly stood up from the sound. Gary emerged from the doorway, immediately stopping in place as his and Ash's eyes fell on one another.

"I better not be late." The Oak boy's face tightened.

"I was early." Ash shook his head.

Gary made no verbal response, the only acknowledgement he offered being a forceful exhale through his nostrils. Ash's eyes followed his rival on his way to his side of the battlefield before looking back down at Pikachu. His starter was still locked on Gary, tail fully erect behind him, with a gaze far more steel than most outsiders would stereotypically expect from his species.

Pikachu's attention returned to his trainer as Ash knelt down in front of him. The boy and his starter held each other's gaze in their eyes for a moment or two before he unclipped the mouse's Poke Ball. "I'm returning you for now, but I'll see you soon, buddy."

Even as Pikachu smiled, the steel expression in his eyes remained as he nodded, the Poke Ball tapping against his forehead and sucking him in with a spark of familiar red light. Ash lingered for just a moment before returning the orb to his belt, and taking his position on his side of the battlefield.

It was the fourth time he had stood across from the Oak boy just before a battle. There was no smugness in Gary's expression, no grinning or sly posture. The spiky-haired boy stood, calmly glaring ahead into Ash's eyes. Ash's face tightened as their gazes locked, feeling his own eyes narrowing just ever so slightly, vision turning focused and purposeful as he stared down his rival. His hand reached down for his belt, but did not grab any of the capsules just yet.

"I'm sure you at least remember your own terms." Gary started, sarcasm only mildly leaking through his tone of voice before being drowned out almost immediately, venom taking its place..

"Six on six," Ash confirmed without a nod. "Conference and Gym rules, we both select our first at the same time."

"Well then what are you waiting for?" the other boy spat, already holding up a ball. "Don't test my patience."

Ignoring the venom that remained, Ash removed the first Poke Ball from his belt. He had already decided this morning over breakfast which teammate he would be leading with, and had informed all six members of the team in advance.

Valiant appeared in front of him, no surprise on the Kirlia's features as his eyes opened to take in the battlefield. Not a moment later, Meditite appeared in front of Gary, viewing Valiant for just long enough to register him before turning around as her trainer crouched in front of her to talk.

Ash and Valiant both mimicked their actions, finding each other's gazes as naturally as breathing as the boy placed a hand on the young psychic's head. "You've already beaten her once, after she battled Tempest, but I doubt either of you are going to be fighting the same after all this time. Remember: she's a fighting type who might have the same ability you do. You're not beating her up close. Be careful with however she tries to approach."

Valiant nodded back at him, not saying a word, even telekinetically. As he turned back to face his opponent, Meditite was already doing the same, the two young psychics walking forward a few feet before stopping and sinking into their stances. Were it not for their different species, both Pokemon may have looked almost exactly the same, their seamless body language and tranquil expressions reflecting off of one another as each of them stared the other down: Peacefully, without disturbance, but beyond ready to start moving.

"Psybeam!"

After a few moments that could not have lasted any longer than a minute, Gary mirrored Ash's first call, both Pokemon firing the narrow, rainbow blasts from their eyes. As the two attacks collided halfway through, Meditite had already sidestepped to begin her advance the fighting/psychic type sprinting at a much greater speed than Valiant knew he'd be capable of matching. Sinking into Shadow Sneak, Valiant traveled diagonally opposite to his opponent for just a few seconds before remerging with a Shadow Ball that he chucked the second his hands were once again exposed. His opponent's momentum was cut off for just a moment as she rolled out of the way with near-perfect execution, but Meditite took off in another sprint without missing a beat, every movement, from the first run, to the dodge, to the second run all chained together with dexterous grace.

"Aqua Swift!"

Without slowing down her pace, Meditite fired a barrage of stars coated in what looked to be the orbs of a water type Hidden Power. The homing stars guided themselves and the water to their target, who took a small hop back as he fired a Magical Leaf in response. Though the leaves easily tore through the watery layer, they still exploded against the stars themselves, triggering a stalemate as Meditite abruptly picked up speed. Before Valiant could fire a second Shadow Ball to deter her, she had already hurled one of her own, and just after lunging out of the way, the Kirlia found his opponent almost on top of him.

"The throat!"

Thanks to his Telepathy ability flashing through his eyes, Valiant already knew where his opponent was aiming even as Gary first gave the order, which therefore felt more like a reminder than a command. Straining himself just a bit, he surrounded himself in an erected barrier of almost invisible, yet shimmering psychic energy that absorbed Meditite's Poison Jab with ease. No more than a second later, however, he found himself straining as that same barrier cracked against the Ice Punch that she had thrown at his head with her other hand.

Not wanting the barrier to break, Valiant lowered his shield in preparation to counter her, but Meditite was already striking again, a Low Sweep taking the Kirlia off of his feet. Catching him with ease, Meditite swung his body backwards over her head, slamming his back onto the pavement behind her. The impact drew the air from his lungs, eyes closing for a moment before opening to stare directly into hers. Crouching over him, Gary's partner wore a steel expression laced with tranquility as her arm stretched over her opponent's head, hand firmly (and somewhat painfully) pressed against the Krilia's chest as she raised her free arm for another strike. The glow of Poison Jab reflected in Valiant's eyes as she plunged her fist downward.

Despite reeling from the impact, Valiant's eyes flashed a deep purple, and Meditite's toxic fist froze in place just shy of an inch away from him as Confusion held her in place. Even as she strained against the binding hold, Valiant too strained to act, tossing her off of him before his eyes flashed pink to launch a Dazzling Gleam in her direction.

"Zen Headbutt!"

Meditite landed in a crouching position, shielding her eyes as she rolled away from the flash of fairy type energy. Seamlessly pushing herself back up with her hands, she charged forward and lowered her head, shining with a deep blue energy as she plowed headfirst into Valiant's abdomen. Even as the Kirlia briefly wheezed for air, he fought to grip his opponent's sides as she tackled him to the ground. His hands sparked with electricity just long enough to make her wince, seizing the opportunity to toss her off of him.

"Stay at a distance!" Ash reminded. Rising back to his feet, Valiant only clutched at his stomach for a moment or two before he sank back into Shadow Sneak, traveling just a foot or two away before quickly remerging to toss another Shadow Ball in hopes of delaying his opponent's pursuit. Both psychics had long since gotten fairly good at using the technique, and both needed to be wary of the other's usage at all times. One hit from either side would inflict decisive damage that could and most likely would turn the tide of the bout.

Bracing herself for just long enough to be prepared, Meditite rose over the ghostly projectile with a backflip that granted her surprising height. Even as she reached her peak, she fired a second round of Swift, this time not coated in water, to which Valiant responded with another Magical Leaf. The moment she landed, she was sprinting again with a Poison Jab ready.

"Thunder Leaf!"

To her mild surprise, Valiant lunged forward while firing the barrage of electrical leaves. Slowing her abrupt advance to a noteworthy degree, Meditite's eyes flashed a deep blue as she destroyed the leaves with Psychic, only to quickly realize that Valiant had teleported away. Turning around while coming to a stop, she found him further away than before from a different angle, just in time to catch her foe chucking yet another Shadow Ball.

Sidestepping the distorted projectile, Meditite once more gave chase while Valiant ran back in retreat. Though she was faster, Valiant continued hurling ranged attacks that slowed her progress as she was forced to avoid them.

"Keep running, spread Swift!" At Gary's command, the fighting/psychic type held out her hands and fired a series of golden stars in multiple directions in front of her. Though they all locked onto Valiant to home in on the Kirlia, they were approaching the Kirlia from different angles.

Even as Valiant gritted his teeth, however, Ash did not. "Spread Magical Leaf, then Shadow Sneak!"

Now holding out his own hands, Valiant continued his retreat whilst turning around to fire a barrage of leaves to block Meditite's Swift. Seizing the opportunity, Meditite picked up speed through the small cloud of smoke left behind by the collision, a Shadow Ball in her hands just as Valiant began sinking into Shadow Sneak. As fast possible, she chucked the orb at him, only for it to strike the ground mere instants after the Kirlia's shadow had already snaked away. Turning her head, Gary's partner glared as her eyes remained firmly on her target, who popped back up several feet away, just in time to fire a Thunderbolt which she dodged.

"Double Team!"

Ash could not help but wince as their target split into four, all rushing at Valiant from different angles, but he remained composed as the Kirlia teleported once more, firing a second Thunderbolt into one of the clones just as he reappeared. The remaining three Meditite gave pursuit once again, the real one revealing her position with another spread out Swift that was promptly blocked by the same Magical Leaf maneuver. Just as before the stalemate gave her time to pick up speed and fire a Shadow Ball as the distance between both psychics began to close. Valiant winced as he swerved to the side, feeling the round projectile of distortion painfully clip his skin, but still fired a slightly weaker Shadow Ball of his own, mostly undeterred.

Just before the ghostly sphere could strike her, Meditite smiled in mild satisfaction as one of her two remaining clones jumped in front of her to take the attack. Now running at full speed, she raised an icy fist with her right arm…

Which Valiant's Telepathy quickly told him was a feint. The real attack was the Poison Jab coming from her left arm. Focusing his attention on that, he prepared to dodge to the side…

But Meditite's own Telepathy already read Valiant's muscles as he prepared to respond to her poisonous strike, and a fast Low Sweep had suddenly taken him off of his feet. As his opponent grabbed onto him, preparing to spike him straight down into the pavement, he began sparking his hands with electricity whilst holding onto her arm. To his surprise, however, Meditite seemed to see that coming, immediately letting go and roughly kicking him to the side as she took a step back.

From his corner of the field, Ash's eyes widened as he noticed the green aura briefly outlining Meditite's body. 'She's using Detect!' Detect was an exceptional move that heightened a combatant's senses to their fullest possibility, allowing them to focus their sense of touch, hearing, and sight to do just as the name of the move implied; although the latter two usually required more practice than the former. Of course, it could only remain active for so long before usage would become taxing for the user, but when put to good use, a Pokemon could boost their fighting instincts to pivotal degrees whenever they were using such a move. Particularly useful for evasion and countering.

With the combination of Detect, Meditite's fighting typing, and what was most likely also Telepathy at play, Valiant would not just be at a disadvantage in close quarters; he'd be outright doomed. Almost cupping his hands, Ash prepared to call out a warning, but suddenly paused himself. Should he be letting Gary know that he knew what Meditite was doing? Normally, it would be a poor decision to not warn his teammate…

But Valiant was an observant combatant, and a precise thinker, even in the heat of battle. And he knew of Detect and how it functioned. Ash was hesitant to stay tight-lipped on the matter, but if there was anyone on the team he could trust to figure this out, it would be him.

As Ash made his choice, Valiant took a small hop backwards and fired a Magical Leaf that was quickly intercepted by Meditite's last remaining Double Team clone. Even as it was, a new clone emerged as Meditite broke into another run.

"Zen Headbutt!"

Ash could not help the tightening of his face. In addition to being stronger and faster than them, Meditite had proven quite dexterous in her movements, and even more adroit than expected at hand to hand combat. He knew she could not keep at it forever; sooner or later fatigue would kick in and her dodges would begin growing more sloppy. Valiant could easily suffer the same problem however, in his effort to keep his distance from their persistent opponent. Keeping the fight going at its current pace would be a risky endeavor, yet a head on exchange would be playing the game on Gary's terms.

Valiant considered blocking the Zen Headbutt with Reflect, but quickly decided against it. If she were to switch to Brick Break whilst closing in, it could be disastrous for him. Instead he leapt out of the way, a bit closer for comfort than he'd have liked, and quickly turned to blast the new clone with Dazzling Gleam. His eyes widened at the mistake, however, as Meditite ceased the opportunity to kick off the ground and aim an Ice Punch at the back of his head.

Turning around as fast as possible, Valiant met the Ice Punch with a Fire Punch The two psychics' fists clashed, the flames from Valiant's fist sizzling against the cold touch of Meditite's own. The contrasting heat from the Fire Punch sent a burning pain shooting through her fist, but Valiant was not without his own recoil, the superior force behind his stronger opponent's strike leaving him to feel a much greater blunt force impact than she did. As both combatants staggered back from the exchange, Meditite halted her retreat to lunge forward again, this time aiming a Poison Jab with her other arm. Though Valiant had not fully recovered yet, he tried to move and doge the blow, but as Medidite's eyes flashed with the familiar glow of Telepathy, her arm curved, and her toxic fist found its way into the Kirlia's abdomen.

"Get back!" Ash hollered a little louder than he was proud of as Valiant doubled over, hands covering his sore stomach as his body folded from the impact of the blow. Meditite's fists were hard as rocks, and her strikes had the force to match. Just one direct punch felt devastating, at least in the short term, but as he grit his teeth, the psychic/fairy type locked as with his foe one final time before teleporting away, just a few feet in front of Ash.

Meditite did not immediately advance, the action finally catching up to her-for whatever brief moment- as she paused to take a deep breath. In front of Ash, Valiant's own breathing had grown somewhat heavy, one hand still on his now-burning stomach as a visible bead of sweat rolled down his head.

Fatigue was setting in for his friend; not much was obvious to Ash. What was not immediately obvious was how consequential Meditite's Poison Jab would prove in the long term. He was dealing with both at once, and was only going to have so much time to recover before Gary's partner was finished catching her breath.

But even as the thought crossed his mind, so did an idea, and the slightly reassuring tone of voice he spoke the command in matched Ash's small, subtle smile. "Valiant, Calm Mind."

It only took his trusted psychic an instant longer than usual to register the command as Valiant clenched his teeth while keeping his hand on his burning stomach. The moment the order was processed, however, his eyes flashed again.

The lingering pain from Medite's Poison Jab, and perhaps more importantly, the burning it had left behind, was still there. The first signs of fatigue were still there, and still slightly felt in his breathing, but the soothing sensation passing through him washed over such feelings. All of a sudden, everything felt less… debilitating. He could still feel the pain in his stomach, or the first signs of tiredness in his muscles, but as he stood up straight, he felt focused. Somewhat less hindered.

Just by looking at Valiant, Ash could see the difference. It was not the same as healing; his partner was in still in the same shape as before, but only physically. Mentally, he was ready.

'Going in close is playing by Gary's rules.' Ash reminded himself. 'We can make him think that.'

"Go for it, Meditite!"

Ash's face tensed as Gary's partner sprinted for them once more. There was no more time to plan, the small window having now already closed as quickly as it had been opened, but his gambit was decided, and needed to be relayed to Valiant without their opponent understanding.

"Valiant… what move has he been teaching you?" Subtly, the Kirlia's head rose just a little bit higher. Message received. "Charge her!"

Meditite's eyes narrowed as Valiant broke into a sprint, the two now on a collision course. As they approached, another Shadow Ball appeared in her hands, not slowing her pace as she tossed it at Ash's partner. Maintaining his own momentum, Valiant ducked under the attack with Shadow Sneak. The moment he began to resurface, his hands turned frigid to the touch as he fired an icy Wind right at the ground in front of her. Meditite cried out in startled surprise as her foot slid over the ground it landed on, taking her off balance with both legs in the air. Immediately, Valiant had teleported directly in front of her, fist reared back before striking her face with Thunder Punch.

"Moonblast, Valiant!"

Focusing Calm Mind once more, Valiant put his hands together to charge the lunar blast. Although he had not fully mastered such a strong move yet, the usage of Calm Mind helped the process, as did the precious moments it took Meditite to pick herself up off the ground…

He fired just as she was almost fully standing. Meditite's eyes widened like plates at the blast ripping through the air towards her, with no time to try and dodge. Hastily, she surrounded herself in psychic energy just before it hit, and the attack exploded against her barrier. The fighting/psychic type cried out as the blast easily shattered her shield, the concussive force sending her tumbling away.

Gary's face was as pale as a white cloud. "Meditite, stand up!"

As his partner struggled to push herself off the ground, Valiant teleported just a few feet away, and fired a Shadow Ball into her. The blast once again sent her tumbling before she lay still.

Meditite did not get up.

As Gary recalled his teammate, Valiant returned to Ash's side of the field, greeted with a nod of approval.

"Excellent work," the boy knelt down to gently pat his head. "One down, five to go." Saying the words out loud was almost like an unintentional reminder to himself; the victory they had just obtained could still very easily prove to be short lived. This battle was going to be the longest they had ever fought.

As the duo turned their attention back to Gary, the Oak boy stared at the unconscious Meditite's Poke Ball for a moment, face darkening as he raised his head to look back at them. Ash almost expected a complaint, or a frustrated comment about how they had only won with a fluke. Perhaps more unsettlingly, his rival remained somewhat eerily silent as he reclipped the capsule to his belt and exchanged it for a new one. Without a word, he released his Growlithe.

The fiery canine's head rose from the flash of light with a regal posture. As her full body came into view, she sank into a stance that half-resembled a pouncing position, tail fully erect as she stared Valiant down with competitive vigor in her gaze.

After thinking for a moment, Ash took Valiant's Poke Ball from his belt. "I'll call you back for now, see you soon." the Kirlia nodded as while disappearing in a flash of red light that was quickly sucked back into the orb. The boy's hand danced around the belt for a few seconds before gripping another Poke Ball.

The next moment, Nebula was in front of him, turning to greet her trainer with a quick chirp and a raised wing before hovering just a few feet above the battlefield to face her opponent.

"The battle's still young, Nebula. You ready?" The nod from the bird was all he needed. "Then Aerial Ace!"

"Fire Swift!"

Bathed in white light, Nebula shot forward, flying somewhat low as she aimed her beak for Growlithe's face. The fiery dog leapt to the side, rotating her body in midair to keep her mouth aimed at Nebula. The Swift that erupted from the canine's jaws was cloaked in flames, locking onto the bird. Unintimidated, Nebula flew upwards at an angle, looping above the battlefield and back down to the other side. The flaming stars tried to follow her, but lost their way halfway through as she charged Growlithe with a second Aerial Ace. The dog lashed out at her with a fiery Iron Tail, to which Nebula quickly responded with a Steel Wing. As the two attacks struck each other, the Staravia quickly grimaced uncomfortably from the heat of Growlithe's combo, but her momentum still sent her fire type opponent sliding backwards.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"Swift!" Ash spoke the command just as Nebula had pushed Growlithe back with her Steel Wing, and the golden stars were already exiting her beak before the fiery canine came to a stop. Growlithe leapt to the side as the projectiles approached her, but was struck anyway as they angled to match her trajectory.

"Flame Charge!"

Eyes widening just a tiny bit, Ash quickly shouted for Nebula to shoot up as Growlithe cloaked herself in fire and dashed forward to nail the Staravia head first. Moving at an alarming speed, she barely missed her mark, the flames from flame charge dancing against Nebula's talons her wings carried her above her attacker.

Flame Charge was like a literal missile of fire that the user transformed themselves into. It was a fast attack that packed a punch, but particularly skilled users saw a dangerous boon: The longer they maintained the form, the faster they got. They would keep gaining more and more momentum the longer the move was being used, so those capable of holding it together for a good while would reach exhilarating velocity.

Growlithe did no such thing, however. With Nebula out of her reach, she slowed her pace and dissipated the Flame Charge, focusing her fire into another Fire Swift that trailed after her flying target. Nebula turned to meet the flaming projectiles with an Air Cutter as Gary shouted "Agility and Burn Tail!"

The blue light that Ash often saw outlining Pikachu's body now wrapped its way around Growlithe's fur as she quickened her pace once more, running at a speed most likely comparable to his electric type starter. Ash she leapt off the ground, her momentum carried her barley above Nebula, who was still mid-rise as Growlithe swung the fiery iron tail downward towards her head. Quickly, the yelping Staravia crossed two Steel Wings together to block the attack, feeling the flames of Burn Tail heating against her metallic wings. Gravity worked against her, unfortunately, and she was pushed downwards, catching herself just before striking the pavement, only for a Flamethrower to smash against her at the next second.

Nebula screamed as the blast of fire bathed her, and as she staggered in agony, Growlithe landed and immediately shot forward again, her eager paws closing the distance as her jaws became coated with lightning.

"Ominous Wind!" Gary's face lit up in surprise as Nebula fired the gust of purple wind into her would be assailant. Rising back into the air, she took a moment to charge up an Air Slash before firing it down towards growlithe, who quickly dashed to the side, activating Agility once more.

"Use Swift," Ash commanded. "Move around, but stay above." Even he doubted Nebula would be able to hit her target, Growlithe will eventually tire herself out if she held onto Agility for too long. It was a mentally taxing move, and although Pikachu had gotten quite good at it, he still could not utilize it long term without pushing himself. At her current level, Growlithe would most likely be the same. She'd tire herself out far faster than Nebula simply firing attacks from above.

Of course, Ash was certain that Gary knew this, which was why the Oak boy would be forced to change tactics sooner or later. They'd keep him and Growlithe on their toes for as long as they had the chance beforehand.

It only took a moment or two for Gary's face to tighten into a smirk. "Flame Wheel."

Curling her body, Growlithe morphed into the wheel of fire, rolling across the battlefield and making a sharp turn as she reached one end. All of the stars that struck her were deflected, bouncing off as the momentum of Agility propelled her form.

"Flame Charge, and jump!" Seamlessly exiting her wheel form, Growlithe remained cloaked in fire as her body was propelled yet again, now at an even greater speed than she had been rolling before leaping upwards. Lightning coated her jaws once more as Ash called out to his partner.

"Wind Blast!"

Before Growlithe could reach her, Nebula fired the blast of condensed wind into her attacker. The attack struck the fire type directly and sent her back towards the pavement as intended, but even as it hit, Growlithe curved her body to avoid getting hit in the face, a barrage of golden stars let loose and curving to strike Nebula in the side. Caught by surprise, the Staravia was knocked out of the air just like her opponent. As she descended, Growlithe swung an Iron Tail into the ground to break her fall. Nebula did the same with Steel Wing, but the canine was already running forward, Agility activated once again as she aimed her Iron Tail straight for the bird's beak.

Just in time, Nebula swung her Steel Wing to meet the attack, but Growlithe's speed had put far more force behind her blow compared to the flying type's stationary position. As the two metallic attacks clashed, the impact sent Ash's partner rolling away, although she managed to flip onto her feet by driving another metallic wing into the ground. As she landed, now far closer to her trainer, Ash got a view of the burns and singes left behind on her feathers by the Flamethrower from earlier. She could certainly look a lot worse, but the attack had done its damage for certain.

He remained undeterred by the sight, however. "Swift, then Whirlwind."

Still planted on her feet, Nebula let loose another barrage of golden stars as Growlithe tried to rush her once more. Stopping in place, Growlithe quickly held out an Iron Tail in front of her body, using the metal coating as a shield for the projectiles to bounce off of. This was quickly followed by Nebula kicking off of the ground and rising just a few feet above the battlefield, however. As she approached her fire type opponent, the Staravia's rapidly flapping wings unleashed a strong gale that blew Growlithe back. The gust only lasted for a second or two, however, and as Growlithe's body somersaulted in midair, Nebula found herself with no time to dodge the Flamethrower fired in response.

On instinct, she crossed two Steel Wings together to intercept the blast of fire. Though she was offered partial protection from harm, she still squawked in pain as the flames pounded against her now overheating wings and licked her cheeks. Eyes widening, she realized a second too late that she was now falling from the air.

And Growlithe's dashing form was there to meet her, swinging an Iron Tail into the side of her head and sending her bouncing painfully across the pavement. As Nebula rolled to a stop, the canine paused her movements, taking in a deep breath that was let out in an exhale that almost echoed across the battlefield.

Now lying down on her stomach, Nebula had once again stopped in front of her trainer, who looked down at her in concern as she pressed her wings against the pavement to pick herself up. Staggering back for just a moment, Ash's feather partner steadied herself and her balance before she could fall onto her back. The bruise on the side of her head was on full display for the boy's eyes to see, and her feathers had been somewhat dirtied by the pavement. Much like Growilthe, she took a moment to take a breath too, although Ash could not quite tell how much of that came from fatigue compared to immediate pain.

'Growlithe's too fast. She reacts to everything so well. Nebula can't easily win any exchanges because her own momentum keeps getting shut down.' Ash's face tightened in hesitation for just a moment. "Nebula, Reckless."

Nebula's eyes perked at the order, but no questions left her beak as the crimson sparks surrounded her body and overtook her eyes. Her squawk was the loudest noise to occur yet in the battle as she bellowed her challenge to the fiery canine.

The color momentarily drained from Gary's face as images of Wartortle being battered across the battlefield flashed through his mind. Straightening himself, his orders grew slightly louder. "Flame Charge, in a circle!"

Ash immediately knew, just from the one sentence, what Gary was hoping for: To have Growlithe gain as much momentum as she conceivably could; maintaining Flame Charge for as long as possible to produce the amount of force necessary to combat Nebula's strength and speed.

Hell no.

"Whirlwind, full blast!"

With another loud, bloodcurdling battle cry, Nebula was kicking off the ground, lining herself up to meet Growlithe's fiery form head on. Even as the canine attempted to make a sharp turn and avoid the contact, the raging Staravia was flapping her wings, sending the wailing dog flying through the air and off the ground, where she could not run.

"Now Aerial Ace!"

The white aura cloaking Nebula's body mixed beautifully with the crimson light as she tore through the air in Growlithe's direction. Though the fiery canine swung an Iron Tail in response, she was still launched back with a startled cry as Nebula crashed head-first into the steel type attack. Gary cried out in panic as his fire type companion was sent on a collision course for the barrier, and suppressed his sigh of relief when she slammed a second Iron Tail into the barrier to save herself from the impact. On her way back down to the pavement, she turned her body to face the circling Staravia and let loose another barrage of fire-coated golden stars. Unintimidated, a series of strikes from Nebula's Steel Wing smacked all of them away.

As Growlithe began to pick up speed once more, Ash's face tightened again. Nebula could keep picking her off the ground, but they could no longer play the war of attrition game. Reckless was using up all of her reserves at once to skyrocketed her capabilities, and once that ran out, she would have nothing left. They needed to go for the kill. "Double-Edge!"

Nebula shouted to the sky once more as a far fiercer pale aura wrapped around her crimson-glowing body. Angling herself like a missile, she prepared to charge downward with her ultimate attack.

But as Ash's eyes widened, Gary's next command was the only warning he would get.

"Supernova Dash!"

Nebula tore through the air with the speed, momentum and power that, for the longest time, was unrivaled by anyone else on the team. Her Double-Edge, coupled with Reckless, although rarely used, was the offensive magnum opus of their group, and the ultimate trump card beyond even Reckless itself. One direct hit would leave nearly any opponent they'd face with certain defeat, whether it be by immediate knockout or the shape they would inevitably be in after taking such an attack.

The form Growlithe took on, however, was concentrated. Precise. Agility and Flame Charge came together as one as the Growlithe ripped through the field at a speed not even Pikachu and his own Agility could match. A speed in a class of its own, unrivaled by anything Ash and his team were capable of.

And with the force to back it up.

Growlithe struck Nebula's lethally charging form square in the chest, and the powerful bird's shock was palpable as the air left her lungs. Both combatants fell to the ground, but Growlithe's headache did nothing to stop her from catching herself with Iron Tail, and pouncing just as Nebula picked herself up.

"Thunder Fang!" Gary spoke the word at the exact moment Growlithe had sprung into action, vindictiveness glazed over his features as his friend's electrified jaws wrapped around Nebula's upper back, just below her neck.

Ash called out to his friend as Nebula wailed in agony. The electricity from Growlithe's lightning-filled teeth coursed through her as she thrashed about the ground, but Growlithe clenched her teeth even more tightly, fighting to maintain her grip at all costs as her flailing enemy pounded the fire type's body against the pavement. As Ash and Gary both called out in encouragement, the two combatants committed as though their lives and trainer's lives depended on it, and what may have only been slightly over ten seconds felt like a minute before Nebula's movements slowed.

Growlithe was bruised, and perhaps worse for wear, but she had strength left, and used it to deplete the rest of Nebula's own. The Staravia could feel her muscles failing her as her movements grew weak and sluggish, no longer able to fight back against her opponent's devastating, electrical hold.

"Burn Tail!" Gary's voice carried the satisfaction of a gleeful executioner as Growlithe finally, voluntarily released her lethal grip, leaving Nebula in a sitting position as she took off running with Agility, immediately performing a sharp turn and running back twice as fast with the fire-coated Iron Tail.

It was a hollow pit in Ash's stomach as Nebula was bashed in the head, flopping across the pavement before lying still on her back.

Nebula did not get up.

Ash allowed himself no more than a small sigh as he returned his friend to the safety of her Poke Ball. Rubbing the orb almost subconsciously, he suppressed the urge to bite his lip.

"You fought a good fight, it won't be a waste." Reclipping the ball to his belt, he set his narrowing eyes on the pair of Gary and Growlithe. The fire type's speed was certainly equal to Pikachu's, or close at the bare minimum… until that last combo she had revealed. It was not quite like anything he had ever seen, and it had completely shut down Nebula's greatest attack. They had thrown all of their eggs in that basket, as was inevitable whenever Nebula activated her Reckless Ability, and especially when she used Double-Edge on top of it. The failure of the move had left them with nothing else, like a kiss of death.

Gary had just finished petting Growlithe as he stood back up to lock his eyes onto Ash's form. His posture was a bit more relaxed now as his fire type friend turned back towards their opponent and retook her position. The canine was certainly bruised, but it did not seem as though she was on her last legs.

"I never forgot that bullshit you and the Staravia pulled back on Mt. Moon, Ashy boy." Gary started, and then his face slightly darkened as his eyes narrowed. "Did you really think I was going to allow another close call like that?"

Without a word, Ash's hand gripped his belt. Last time, Pikachu had taken Growlithe to a draw, but he would not send his starter out just yet. That left him with four other options, all who would have to deal with Growlithe's fire and speed in tandem, but not all that he had been planning to use just yet…

… Was this what it was often like in six on six battles? He had only been in two five on fives to even try and prepare for something like this. The amount of options and timings to consider…

…As he thought harder, his eyes narrowed a bit further as an idea formed into his mind. It was not as ludicrous as it sounded on paper. Not at this stage.

"Well, what's wrong?" Gary's voice carried itself across the battlefield. 'Where's this so-called 'new and improved' Ash Ketchum I've been hearing so much about?"

Ash's hand curled around his Poke Ball of choice as he locked eyes with his rival. "You'll regret asking."

One moment later, Glaceon was in front of him. As the light from her capsule dissipated, her head rose, her chin elevated as she took in the sight of Gary and Growlithe. She focused her attention on them for just long enough before turning to her trainer.

Ash greeted her with a light nod and smile. "It's still early. Valiant took out Meditite, and Growlithe took out Nebula." Glaceon's eyes moved to the side to briefly glance at the fiery canine once more. Just after she did, however, Gary, with some thought, returned his partner.

Ash and Glaceon paused for a moment as Skarmory took the fire type's place. The metal bird was quite a bit larger than she had been back in Celadon, and although not quite the size one would expect from the average member of her species, was definitely a good deal bigger than Nebula. The steel/flying type's head rose in a diagonal angle as a hostile cry sounded from her beak. With irritation, Glaceon's face scrunched up as she turned back to face her new opponent in full, firing a series of barks in rapid succession.

"Calm down," Ash quickly spoke as Skarmory turned to Gary for instructions. Glaceon's verbal aggression subsided immediately as she turned back to her trainer, her face only mildly apologetic as he looked her in the eye. "That Skarmory's a steel type, and that means her defenses are going to be very high. You've had all the power you've ever needed since evolving, and you hit much harder than anyone else on this team, but this might be the first fight where your opponent isn't strictly vulnerable to direct hits alone." Kneeling down, he quickly patted her head, although the cold touch ensured that his hand did not stay there for long. "But I'm sure you'll be fine. Let's topple her."

A combination of cold and joy flowed through his senses as Glaceon lovingly licked his hand before turning back and walking forward to look the metal bird in the eye. Standing up straight, memories played through Ash's mind as his eyes fell on the Skarmory. It was the Pokemon that had beaten them back in Celadon, the moment they had come so close to beating Gary before. No doubt she'd be very hard for most Pokemon on their level to topple with brute force alone.

From the moment she had evolved, Glaceon's attacks had carried more power than anything her teammates could match. Now, that strength was being pitted against what was certain to be Skarmory's beyond impressive durability. Pikachu's electricity and Glaceon's excellent offense were likely to be the best options to overcome those defenses, yet Skarmory's own attributes were surely one of Gary's best counters to the latter.

This would be a contest.

"Alright Glaceon, start out with Ice Beam, then Super Tail!"

"Flash Cannon, Iron Defense!"

Glaceon's legs kicked off the pavement and carried her across the battlefield, not going at top speed, but still at a comparable pace to Pikachu when he was not using Agility. The jagged beam of ice that exited her mouth was not entirely stable, but any flaws were also not to a noticeable degree. In just a few days, she had already picked up on the move fairly well, and it would only grow much more potent by the time they had reached Fuchsia City proper.

As the ice type approached, Skarmory's wings lifted her body above the battlefield, just high enough to narrowly avoid the Ice Beam as a silver blast erupted from her mouth. A quick sidestep from Glaceon, doing very little to cut off her momentum, was all that was needed to avoid the Flash Cannon as her tail became bathed in the supercharging light of Focus Energy, and encased in the metal of Iron Tail. Even as the distance between the two combatant's closed, Skarmory crossed her wings together, and the metal bird's body was quickly covered in a chrome layer, her already impressive durability stacking on top of the respectable shield that was Iron Defense.

Glaceon hollered as her Super Tail struck her protected opponent right in the crossed wings. The sound of metal against metal rang across the battlefield at what would have most likely been a painful volume had it not been for the barriers. The attack inflicted no visible harm to its target, but Ash's eyes still lit up in catharsis as Skarmory was sent sliding back several feet at the minimum. Gary's face lost some of its color at the sight.

'That helps us gauge things right out of the gate.' Ash told himself as Glaceon dodged an Air Slash with a sideways leap.

"To the skies, Skarmory!" the authority in Gary's voice glazed over the lingering traces of anxiety.

"Trace her with Swift!" Ash quickly responded.

With impressive speed, Skarmory rose higher into the air while Glaceon jogged after her. Ash knew the stars his friend was firing weren't likely to do much to the armored bird, but they could be an annoyance, primarily with their homing ability.

As the stars reached their target, Skarmory began swatting them away with little difficulty as Glaceon continued trotting after her. A second Flash Cannon erupted from the steel bird's beak, but was promptly avoided just before Glaceon fired another Ice Beam on Ash's command. Skarmory swerved to the side to avoid the attack before firing a new, blackish-purple beam of energy that Ash's eyes quickly identified as a Dark Pulse. Glaceon avoided that as well.

"Remember this one, Ashy boy? Missile Drill!"

Ash's fists tightened for just a moment. He did remember. "Glaceon, Super Tail now!" It was probably the urgency in his voice that had Glaceon prepared even faster than she normally would have been.

Cloaked in the aura of Agility, Skarmory angled her body in a downward-diagonal form with her glowing beak pointed straight for her ice type opponent. With her wings spread out, she resembled the spinning blade of a helicopter as her body rotated at a speed far too great to properly make out her form. And then she struck.

Glaceon struck as well, however. Leaning to the side as though her fully erect tail was a baseball bat, she let out another, even louder holler as she swung forward. Super Tail smashed into Drill Peck as Skarmory charged straight into the ice type's strongest blow, and Glaceon's teeth immediately grinded under the pressure. She could feel her paws sliding backwards at a slow, yet slightly increasing rate as the still spinning bird's momentum grinded her beak against the powered up Iron Tail.

Eyes flashing, Glaceon dug her paws into the pavement as much as her muscles would allow. Her backwards sliding halted as her tail strained against Skarmory's beak, and then, pushed back, sending the steel/flying type tumbling across the battlefield.

"WHAT!?"

Ash ignored his rival's shock as Glaceon, without missing a beat, gave chase. "Shadow Ball, then Iron Tail!"

Gary snapped out of his state just before the ghost type attack left Glaceon's mouth. "Try this one you prick, Titanium Wing!"

Skarmory had not yet picked herself up when the Shadow Ball struck her, sending her back a little bit more with a sharp squawk. As Glaceon closed in for her Iron Tail, however, the bird suddenly pushed herself off the ground, just barely swerving away from the metallic strike as she activated Steel Wing. Before she struck, that same wing glowed with the familiar chrome.

Steel Wing strengthened by Iron Defense. Ash's warning was cut off as Skarmory's eyes flashed with aggression, swinging the attack directly into a yelping Glaceon's face.

"Glaceon!" Ash's fists tightened again. He knew his partner could take a hit; her durability was on a completely different level from her time as an Eevee, but he doubted she'd be unscathed from an attack like that.

Indeed, Glaceon's left cheek was reddened as the strike sent her bouncing uncomfortably away from her attacker, but the distance did not last as Skarmory gave chase.

"Talon Frenzy!"

Picking herself up, Glaceon lifted her head with growing frustration-turned anger in her eyes just in time to see Skarmory on top of her. Her adversary was cloaked in Agility once more as her feet lashed out at the quadrupedal ice type in a flurry of rapid-fire slashes. She could not suppress her scream for long as the talons carved against her cold, sturdy exterior, inflicting superficial cut after superficial cut; the threat of breaking the skin growing with every strike.

"Fight through it!" Ash encouraged. There wasn't really much else to say until she had escaped the onslaught.

"Keep the pressure up, then another Titanium Wing!" Gary pressed further.

The first signs of blood dripped from just a slight distance away from Glaceon's shoulder as Skarmory reared back, preparing to send her reinforced wing straight down to spike the ice type's skull into the pavement. The bird squawked in surprise irritation as her target spun around to meet the strike with an upwards Iron Tail, teeth grinding and sweat forming on her face as her tail shook unsteadily against the downwards pressure of the far harder wing. She could feel her knees beginning to bend, as though she were sinking.

'She'll collapse,' Ash quickly told himself. "Focus Energy, turn it into a Super Tail!" Even as he spoke the words, he knew it would be easier said than done. Glaceon was under more than enough pressure as it was, and activating Focus Energy to concentrate it into her tail would require effort she may not be able to afford. Doing nothing would be far worse than making the attempt, however.

The sweat on Glaceon's face increased, cold against her fur as she clenched her eyes shut. Her tail began flickering with light, like a bulb turning on and off as it was about to burn out, and her knees buckled further. A few moments later, however, and the flickering light was turning more frequent, until her Iron Tail was finally shining with the familiar, amplifying aura, and her legs grew more steady as she pushed upwards against the Titanium Wing.

The skin on Gary's face was a sheet of snow as the surprised Skarmory found her wing shaking, and slowly being forced upwards. "Wha-"

With a loud grunt, Glaceon overpowered her attacker, pushing the Titanium Wing away and sending her attacker staggering back. Though the combination of efforts caused her Focus Energy to briefly dissipate, the Iron Tail itself remained intact, and with a final surge of concentration, the Super Tail reignited as she lunged forward and swung it into Skarmory's wide-open abdomen.

"Yes! Ice Beam!"

The absurd, devastating force of Glaceon's Super Tail collided with the iron hide of Skarmory's stomach with a might unmatched by any attack prior. Skarmory's eyes bulged as the tail grinded against her now dented outer armor, and she was launched away a good distance onto her bottom. While her opponent still reeled from the sharp ache in her stomach, Glaceon took a leap forward and fired the Ice Beam.

"Flash Cannon!" Gary's encouragement seemingly gave Skarmory the strength she needed to power through the pain as the silver beam collided with and shattered the jagged blast of ice. Glaceon swerved to avoid the incoming attack before quickening her pace into a sprint and striking with another Iron Tail. Forcing herself to her feet, Skarmory tried to meet the offense with a Steel Wing, but the two attacks collided mid-rise, before she was fully up, and after a brief struggle the armored bird was sent tumbling away again, this time using the momentum to return to the air as she righted herself, a Steel Wing deflecting the upwards Shadow Ball that Glaceon had fired in pursuit, sending the ghostly projectile right back towards her.

Memories of their battle with Sabrina's Espeon flashed through Glaceon's mind as she swung a Super Tail into the incoming Shadow Ball, deflecting it back to Skarmory far faster than the metal bird could respond. Eyes widening, Gary's partner was further upwards as the distorted orb exploded against her.

"Great work!" Despite still feeling some of the pain from her opponent's previous onslaught, Glaceon could not help the grin that crossed her face at her trainer's praise. Clearly, Ash had remembered too.

Sucking in some air, the knuckles on Gary's fists whitened. "Flash Barrage, then Talon Frenzy!"

For a few seconds, Skarmory circled her opponent from above, every movement followed without fail by Glaceon's glaring eyes. Then, she struck, opening her beak and firing a series of silver orbs in fast succession. Darting around the battlefield, Glaceon dodged each of them, leaving the projectiles to harmlessly explode against the pavement just before the metal bird let out a shrill, spine-chilling cry, followed by a speedy divebomb. Her body once more became coated with Agility as her raised talons prepared to slice into Glaceon's skin yet again. Glacoen had picked up speed, however, wincing with briefly clenched eyes as one of her opponent's slashes grazed an already existing cut, causing blood to squirt, but avoiding the charge nonetheless. As Skarmory returned to the air above, she reared her head back to fire a Flash Cannon, which was once more avoided.

"Air Cutter, then Missile Drill."

"Dodge again, Glaceon."

A similar process was repeated; still circling her opponent from above, Skarmory's wings unleashed a barrage of windy blades that descended to find their target, only for each of them to be cleanly dodged as Glaceon remained in motion, now breaking into a sprint. When Skarmory's spinning form ripped through the air with the intent on tearing into her, Glaceon avoided her assailant with greater ease this time, before dodging another Flash Cannon as Skarmory returned to the air above.

'Glaceon has the speed advantage.' Ash thought to himself with some satisfaction. 'Now to take care of their aerial advantage.'

Another memory played through his mind: Their second battle against Misty in Saffron, where Eevee had overcome Togetic.

"Ice Fang! Launch yourself with Super Tail!"

Taking a leap while still running, Glaceon somersaulted in midair to slam the attack down onto the pavement, using the momentum of her speed coupled with the strength of her tail to launch herself upwards after Skarmory. WIth a startled squawk, the metal bird only had time to swing a Steel Wing at her fast approaching attacker, even as Glaceon's bared teeth became coated in ice. The ice type's eyes bulged as her Ice Fang clamped down onto the Steel Wing, the burning pain in her jaw almost causing her to lose her grip the moment she had acquired it. Her teeth remained clamped onto Skarmory's wing, however, even as her forward momentum carried her painfully into her opponent's strike. She now held onto the metallic bird several feet above the battlefield as her legs dangled into the air.

"Big mistake," Gary shouted. "Point-blank Flash Cannon!"

"Hyper Voice!"

Glaceon's eyes did not widen as the silver sphere of energy began forming in Skarmory's opening beak, although the glow right in front of her face briefly caused her to squint. Skarmory did not even have time to charge the attack halfway before the shockwaves erupted from Glaceon's mouth, teeth still firmly clenching her opponent's wing. As the wing rattled and vibrated from the point-blank impact, Glaceon immediately released her grip to avoid damage to her teeth as Skarmory was knocked off balance, head angling backwards as the incomplete Flash Cannon prematurely left her beak. It did not take long for Gary's partner to register that she was now falling, her flight disrupted from the unexpected force.

Ash's eyes shone with competitive fire. "Super Tail, NOW!"

Skarmory caught herself in midair halfway to the ground, but Glaceon was already descending after her. In the split second before collision, the two combatants locked eyes; one a mixture of surprise and frustration, and the other of hostility and vigor. Somersaulting again, Glaceon brought her tail downward, spiking it into the side of Skarmory's head and driving her face first into the pavement with a loud crash.

As dust erupted around the two Pokemon, Glaceon deftly leapt off of her fallen foe, slowly walking away with a raised chin and relaxing tail. The cloud parted to reveal Skarmory's bruised form lying motionless behind her as she returned to her trainer's spot.

Skarmory did not get up.

Ash's eyes sparked with elation as Glaceon trotted forward to close the remaining distance between them, kneeling down to quickly pat her head, cold touch be damned. "Amazing, girl! You punched right through her!" It seemed as though his icy friend's evolution was bearing more fruit with each passing day; this had to have been her most demonstrable victory yet.

As Glaceon soaked in her trainer's words, Gary silently stared at Skarmory's fallen form without any motion, forgetting for a good five seconds to remove her Poke Ball from his belt before returning her.

With the mild excitement dying down. Ash motioned for his friend to take a small step back as he examined her a bit more thoroughly. Her face was clearly bruised from where Skarmory and hit her, and although most of the cuts from Talon Frenzy had not pierced, they were still plentiful, and there was still blood, some of the red liquid seeming to frost over in slightly disturbing fashion. The boy figured this wasn't too uncommon for when an ice type was wounded, but he still hadn't had a chance to get used to the sight.

Before he could speak up, a flash of light redirected their attention back to Gary, who had sent Growlithe back out after another several seconds of pause. Ash's eyes narrowed in thought at the sight of the canine's arrival.

"What do you think?" Glaceon turned back to lock eyes with her trainer. "Should we keep this up?" Despite her typing, Glaceon's strength and speed gave her the tools to oppose Growlithe, based on what the fire type had demonstrated so far against Nebula. Using her would keep Pikachu, Phenom, and Tempest fresh for later. At the same time, the thought of Growlithe's fire interacting with those cuts almost gave him pause. "Your wounds aren't too bad, but she's still a fire type. And she has a really fast attack that took out Nebula's Reckless Double-Edge."

Glaceon actually thought about it for a moment, instead of immediately nodding her head. Nonetheless, that was still her answer, the bark she offered feeling almost non-negotiable.

"Alright then," Ash's grin was small, his eyes determined. "Let's avenge Nebula and get this to 3-1."

For an ice type, the look in her eyes was even more fiery than his, although her lips mirrored his small, steady grin significantly more. With a final bark, she turned back and trotted onto the battlefield, crouching down into what somewhat resembled that of a pouching position as a low growl rumbled from her throat. Growltihe's face tightened in response, tongue lapping the exterior of her jaws before matching Glaceon's position. A couple of low barks were offered in response as the fire type exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Fire Swift, then Flame Charge!"

The fiery projectiles that Growlithe spat out curved in response to Glaceon's attempt at evasion, trying to chase after their target. As she prepared to deflect them, Growlithe was already rushing her, cloaked in flames. Leaping over her fast approaching opponent, Glaceon activated Iron Tail and batted away the remaining stars still tailing her.

"Keep it up, Growlithe! Loop around!"

Growlithe maintained Flame Charge as approached the end of the battlefield, taking a sharp turn to resume running, but this time not specifically towards Glaceon.

'We can't let her build up speed.' Glaceon could outrun Growlithe for the moment, but the more momentum Gary's canine friend stockpiled, the less true that statement would become. They needed to cut her off now. "Intercept her with Shadow Ball and Iron Tail!"

Glaceon appeared to be having similar thoughts to her trainer as she kicked off the ground with haste. The Shadow Ball she fired missed its mark, but with a sharp curve, she was able to position herself in Growlithe's path as her tail lashed out. Growlithe responded in kind, her Iron Tail molten hot from the heat left behind by the flames. The two attacks clanged together in an effort to push one another away, but it did not take long for Glaceon to win out, roughly shoving Growlithe several feet away. The fiery dog bounced for a moment or two, but quickly regained her balance to fire a Flamethrower at her opponent.

Glaceon showed no signs of fear towards the fiery blast; she straightened herself and let loose a Hyper Voice that destroyed the attack as it approached her, forcing the flames to part and dissipate from the shockwaves and leaving her unharmed. Growlithe offered only a frustrated snarl before activating Agility.

"Supernova Dash!"

Ash's breath almost caught in his throat from the familiar name. He only had a split second to make the decision; did they dodge? Or try to overpower it where Nebula failed?

Glaceon decided for him. Growlithe was already charging her, and Super Tail was not fully ready by the time the ice type needed to lash out. For a moment, Glaceon growled in pain as the Iron Tail intercepted her charging assailant yet did nothing to stop the fiery assault. A moment or two later, however, the light of Focus Energy was once again flickering around her tail before finally strengthening it in fully. Baring her teeth, the fresh snow Pokemon continued to push forward, almost halting Growlithe's advance, even as the flames surrounding her charging opponent licked at her wounds.

Fists in front of his chest, Gary glowered at the resistance. "Keep pushing, Growlithe!"

"Hyper Voice, again!" Growlithe's eyes widened as the shockwaves erupted from Glaceon's throat once more, this time at point blank. Normally, the Supernova Dash would have certainly ripped right through them, but with Super Tail restraining her, the fire type was a sitting duck. With a pained yelp, Growlithe was launched away, but fired another barrage of flame coated stars in midair moments later. Glaceon's Iron Tail batted them away as the fire type landed.

"Agility and Burn Tail!"

"Parry, then Shadow Ball!"

Growlithe zipped effortlessly through the distance between the two combatants, Glaceon meeting her with Quick Attack. The ice type's iron Tail struck against Growlithe's flame-coated equivalent, but after a brief struggle began to push back.

Gary sneered. "Roar!"

Ash's eyes widened as Growlithe opened her mouth and, with a loud shout befitting the name of the attack, let loose her own shockwaves. He yelled in vain for Glaceon to get out of there, but it was too late; she was already forced backwards, stumbling on her hindlegs as she struggled not to fall on her back.

And then Growlithe struck. With Burn Tail still activated, she lunged forward and struck Glaceon clean in the abdomen. The air left the ice type's lungs even as the fiery metal scorched her stomach, and she was sent tumbling back. Now lying on her stomach, she suppressed a cough as her belly continued to burn.

Gary's eyes had lit up the moment the blow landed. "Finish her, Flamethrower!"

"Block it, Glaceon!" Even as Ash gave the order, his hand had already wrapped around her Poke Ball.

But he let go a moment later, as Glaceon, only halfway to a standing position, fired another Hyper Voice, once more stopping the Flamethrower in its tracks.

"Wha-Wha…" Gary's face was once more drained of roughly half its color. How was she still fighting!?

Dissonantly, Ash's eyes lit up in excitement, but concern nonetheless glazed his voice. "Are you okay, girl?"

Luckily for them, Growlithe seemed to be catching her breath as Glaceon stood up in full, letting out a light, somewhat uncomfortable cough before turning her head back to nod at Ash with a bark.

"She won't be okay for long!" Gary chimed in. "Fire Swift, move around!"

"Do the same, Glaceon." Ash quickly responded as Growlithe's paws kicked off the ground. Both quadrupeds ran in almost opposite directions, spitting out the homing projectiles, many of which collided with one another in tiny bursts of flames. The two combatants must have circled around each other roughly two and a half times before Ash gave his next command. He wondered if Growlithe still had enough left in her to safely use a third Supernova Dash, but they would have to end the fight before they had a chance to find out. Glaceon herself could only use Super Tail so many times before diminishing returns came into play, and Ash was not confident about what the outcome could be if they were faced with that technique again. "Get in there, point blank!"

Running at full speed, Glaceon continued to fire the Swift as she jumped through the miniature storm of flames. Growlithe barely had time to react to the rapidly closing distance, changing direction to swing an Iron Tail at Ash's partner, who avoided it and forced a Shadow Ball into her side. Gary called out for Growlithe as the fire type tumbled away, but Glaceon was already in pursuit, bashing an Iron Tail into the canine's jaw moments later and launching her away yet again, mouth slightly hanging open as she came to a stop.

Growlithe did not get up.

Ash nodded in approval as Glaceon began making her way back to him, but as his eyes briefly glanced back at Growlithe's fallen body, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

They were halfway there.

They had beaten three of Gary's Pokemon… and they were still leading by two.

It was a thought that didn't fully process, even as it passed through his mind. He had gotten a similar feeling back in Celadon, after realizing that Gary only had one Pokemon left. But this was not entirely the same thing.

All of a sudden, Ash felt a lump in his throat, and he was pretty sure his heartbeat was speeding up, if the feeling in his chest was anything to go by. He found that looking at Gary or Growlithe made the sensation worse, and so averted his eyes, unsure of what to look at.

A bark stole his attention downward, and he realized that Glaceon had probably reached him a good few seconds ago, now looking up at her trainer. Blinking, he regretted that it took an additional second or two to register her, but then it felt as though the world was slowly returning to normal. The nerves in his muscles were almost binded, and he had not fully grasped how it felt until they had started easing up, bit by bit, second by second. The breath he let out was further relaxing. It stopped there, however, not allowing itself to fully go away.

"Good job, girl." he offered, to which the ice type smiled. "That's three down now, but keep your eye on the ball." as he spoke, he was not entirely sure who the words were for. She nodded nonetheless as he looked back over to Gary. The now returned Growlithe's Poke Ball was still in his hand, but apart from that, he had not moved yet.

Staring at the orb, Gary squinted for a moment. The capsule was shaking…

No, it was his hand, and the realization caused it to shake more. He almost lost his grip on the Poke Ball, hastily reclipping it to his belt as he clenched his hand into a fist, hoping to steady the motion. Almost involuntarily, the fist tightened until the knuckles turned white.

"This…" he muttered to himself, but at first it was all he could get out. This was not right. This was not supposed to be how it would go. For a moment, a memory of Celadon flashed through his mind. "It has to be a fluke…"

It was the only explanation. This was Ash Ketchum. But then why the hell was he leading 3-1!?

The Oak boy hissed through his teeth as his hand instinctively grabbed at his belt once more, eyes uneasily falling on the Glaceon, who had finished speaking to her trainer and resumed her position on the battlefield. She was crouching again, this time silent as she stared him down. It was not an appreciated sight, especially with the holes it felt she was staring into his chest.

The spiky-haired boy did not notice at first that his face had scrunched, but by the time he did, he did not care. Instead, he pulled another orb from his belt and released his next teammate.

Both Ash and Glaceon perked up at the next arriving opponent. It was a yellow quadruped easily familiar to just about anybody, and the spiky coat of fur on its own was equally recognizable.

A Jolteon.

'So his Eevee did evolve.' Ash had figured, even before seeing it. The only truly uncertain element was which, but that mystery was now resolved.

Jolteon were a statistically favored evolution of the Eevee line, known for their beyond impressive speed, and of course, the numerous ways their spikes (an otherwise defensive attribute) could be weaponized. Every evolution option of Eevee's had its potential, but Jolteon were among the most consistent to reach high level combat in professional arenas, and were certainly an appreciable option for an electric type team member.

"Careful, Glaceon." Ash spoke just loudly enough for his friend to hear him. "You're really fast, but he might be faster than you. It's one of a Jolteon's most consistent qualities."

Glaceon offered an understanding nod, and her tail erected as she and her counterpart locked eyes. Jolteon did not mirror her stance, but nonetheless bent his knees as tiny sparks appeared at the tips of his spikes.

"Shadow Ball!" both trainers called out at once.

The two projectiles collided in the middle of the battlefield, exploding against one another while Jolteon slipped into Quick Attack. Curving to the side and not immediately rushing Glaceon, the spiky electric type galloped across the pavement at a rate that immediately vindicated Ash's suspicions. Not wanting to be circled, Glaceon took off as well in the opposite direction. Her actions provoked Jolteon to fire a Swift after her, which in turn provoked her to fire one of her own as she curved to avoid the incoming projectiles.

Glaceon's Swift angled their way through the air to reach Jolteon as he changed direction to face them. Leaping over the first several stars, a blast of electricity from his spikes destroyed the remaining projectiles as Glaceon used Iron Tail to bat away those that reached her. The ice type perked up in alert when Jolteon now began charging for her directly.

"Super Kick!"

The distance between the two quadrupeds closed almost faster than Ash could fully register. Rearing back his hindleg, which now glowed a fierce white with the surging light of Focus Energy, Jolteon fired a powerful kick straight for Glaceon's jaw. She managed to duck just in time, raising her tail to strike back, but Jolteon suddenly whirled around to face her in full, firing a close-up Hyper Voice that sent the ice type back with a pained wail. Quickly regaining her footing, she took a leap backwards to put more distance between Jolteon and herself, to which Ash nodded in approval.

"Again!" As Gary called out, Jolteon began running after Glaceon once more, no doubt planning for his Super Kick to actually connect this time.

"Freeze the ground!" The small patch of ice left behind Valiant had long since been done away with by Growlithe's fire, but Glaceon could freeze the pavement a lot more easily. Ash knew he could not be overzealous with doing so, lest he make things more difficult for the rest of his team when the time came for them to fight, but it would prove effective in moderation. "Then Iron Tail!"

Jolteon did not have time to properly react as the ground in front of him froze over. As his paws landed on the icy surface, he immediately felt a shift as his legs gave out, slipping out from under themselves and forcing him to collapse. With momentum maintained, he involuntarily slid across the ice, face-first into Glaceon's Iron Tail. The blow sent him rolling away from the ice, but with impressive dexterity he was back on all fours in what felt like a blink of an eye, and fired a retaliatory Shadow Ball. Glaceon simply narrowed her eyes, swinging her metal tail again to deflect the ghostly orb back where it came from. Jolteon's eyes widened with a yelp just before his own attack crashed into him, sending him sliding back again.

"Keep it up, girl!" Ash encouraged. As Jolteon regained his bearings, the boy's attempt at inspection noticed that his ice type friend seemed to be breathing harder than before. He could not see it from this distance, but her sweat was increasing. Nonetheless, it did not take too long for her breathing to be back under control, albeit not as easily as usual; despite her waning energy she was still ready for a fight.

As if on cue, Glaceon's head rose, and her chin turned upwards with a quick series of barks towards her electric counterpart. Having sunk into a fighting stance, Jolteon returned the gesture.

"No more Shadow Balls," Gary started. "Thunderbolt!"

"Get in closer and freeze him, Glaceon!"

Jolteon's spikes began to crackle. At first, the electricity was just a spark at the tips, but in a split second, had spread all throughout. Just before firing, he took off in a light jog, lunging forward to launch the Thunderbolt. Glaceon was running at a greater speed, a quick turn dodging the blast of electricity before firing another Ice Beam that her opponent leapt away from. Hoping to knock him off balance, she began firing Swift as she drew closer, but yelped in surprise as she lunged away to barely avoid the Hyper Voice the electric type fired, destroying the golden projectiles.

"Double Kick!" Now Jolteon was running faster. Glaceon coated her tail in metal, but was only mid-swing when her opponent drove the first kick into her shoulder. It did not leave much of a bruise, but was enough to break her momentum with a pained grunt. A second, more painful kick to her head knocked her on her side as Gary's gaze turned to that of a predator. "Body Slam, then Thunderbolt!"

As Ash yelled for his friend to get up, Jolteon's powerful legs carried him into the air just above the fallen ice type. As he reached the peak of his jump, he rotated his body so that the spikes on his body were pointing downward, aimed right for Glaceon. The realization that passed through Ash's mind was his only warning, just before the electric type plummeted downwards.

Glaceon's body was very durable, to a deceptive degree. Creatures like her did not look as capable of taking hits as they were, but their inner structure transcended the aesthetic. Nonetheless, the series of spikes that cannonballed down to her stabbed into the ice type's skin with enough force to truly pierce. Even as the fresh snow Pokemon let out a holler that chilled Ash's spine, Jolteon's spikes began to spark, while still embedded and pressing into her skin.

Glaceon's hollering turned to shrieks of true, unmatched agony as her opponent pumped the lightning directly into her. She could feel the spikes in her skin, digging through like a barrage of tiny blades, pressed in under the pressure of the rest of Jolteon's body and the momentum of Body Slam. The wounds and cuts created by the impact of the still digging spikes were set ablaze by the point-blank lightning as Jolteon continued to dig in, forcing himself downwards as much as his strength would allow as he held onto the Thunderbolt for as long as he could.

In a situation like this, Ash wasn't sure what he was supposed to say. Giving Glaceon advice or commands certainly would not help. Even yelling something like "get him off you!" would not only be totally unnecessary, but most likely fruitless. Instead, generically calling out in concern was all he could manage, even as the cries of his friend and the sight of the attack made him sweat, treating him to a mental image that was going to find its way into his mind and stay there indefinitely. With just one maneuver to knock Glaceon off balance, Jolteon had completely shifted the fight to a point beyond repair, mere moments after they had gained the upper hand.

Just a second or two after Glaceon had all but run out of energy to cry out, the sparks subsided, Jolteon no longer able to continuously force them out without hurting himself or excessively wasting energy. The battle was from over, after all, especially from his and Gary's perspective. With a deep breath, he pried himself off of Glaceon, treating Ash to the sight of the blood stuck to his spikes, a good deal of it burnt from the lightning of the Thunderbolt that he had just fired. With a deep breath, the electric type took several steps back as all eyes fell on Glaceon.

The side of her body that Jolteon had targeted was immediately distinguishable was the mostly superficial wounds previously inflicted by Skarmory. Though not crippling on their own, the cuts and wounds were fairly deeper, having pierced through the deceptively durable exterior of the ice type's body, and scorched by the Thunderbolt. The otherwise gorgeous beyond belief winter-blue coat was blackened and charred in the worst of these spots.

Ash's disturbed eyes may have froze on the sight if it weren't for a separate detail that astonished all three parties:

Glaceon was still conscious.

Even as Jolteon managed to catch his breath, successfully recovering from the exertion he had just put himself through, his eyes widened as Glaceon began to rise. She stumbled as her effort to stand put pressure on her injured side, beginning to favor the other one as she pressed her paws into the pavement and forced herself back up on all fours with grinding teeth. Stumbling again as she rose to full height, she steadied herself at a quicker rate than any Pokemon with such an injury had any business being able to do so.

She was huffing, breathing deep and drawn out, the slight signs of tears in her eyes turning cold against her wintry coat of fur. She locked eyes with Jolteon, managing a low growl as the electric type's own eyes returned her gaze with an entirely different tone. Surprise, bewilderment, and respectful acknowledgement all laced the spiky quadruped's features as the two foes stared one another down.

Gary's face had nothing of the latter. "Oh for the love of- Super Kick the bitch!"

With a grunt, Jolteon's back leg lit up with Focus Energy just before he lunged forward, striking clean and hard into Glaceon's chin. The sound of the impact, loud and forceful, would have been quite satisfying if the roles were reversed, and Glaceon was not the one dropping like a stone.

Glaceon did not get up.

Ash felt no defeat as he recalled his fallen friend, speaking into the Poke Ball almost the moment she was fully returned. "You're fighting on a completely different level, especially today. We're going to win, because of you." Even by his own standards, he meant every word and then some before reclipping the capsule to his belt.

On the other side of the battlefield, the sight of Glaceon's unconscious body disappearing in the familiar crimson light triggered a deep, heavy sigh from the Oak boy, his chest and shoulders growing lighter as the ice type's fallen form departed from the battlefield. His hands clenched into fists for just two or three seconds before he breathed again, this time through his nose, and his eyes only fell on Ash for an instant before the approaching Jolteon drew his attention.

The electric type smiled as Gary nodded in approval. "Way to shut her down, keep that up and this battle is ours." As Jolteon returned the nod, Gary's eyes turned back to Ash, his voice stealing the other boy's attention.

"I'll never let you get in the way of my dream, Ashy boy." unable to suppress a light glare, Ash's eyes drifted back to his rival as Gary called out to him, the hand in front of the Oak boy's chest once more tightened into a fist. "You think you're an obstacle? Gym Leaders are obstacles. Real trainers are obstacles. Letting a failure pull ahead of me is the same as giving up, like you should have done instead of taking that Exam. You've had your time in the sun, you've gotten more good luck than you deserve, you've humiliated me enough, but now it's back to reality, and as usual, I'm gonna have to be the one to put you there."

Ash did not respond right away. Instead, his eyes simply froze in place, locked on Gary for a few seconds before his hand made its way to his belt.

'Jolteon isn't a very ideal matchup for us,' Ash confessed to himself. He did not want Pikachu or Tempest anywhere near the speedy electric type that most likely had access to Volt Absorb. With Glaceon out of the picture, that left him with two options.

Phenom was fresh, and his Strong Jaw would undoubtedly be enough to pierce through Jolteon's defensive spikes. That did not mean trying would be a wise move; the inside of the young Tyrunt's mouth could still be injured biting through them. Nonetheless, Phenom's leaps and bounds over the recent period had spoken for themselves, and his typing and specialties made him a more ideal opponent for the evolved Eevee than two of the other three remaining members of the team.

Then there was Valiant, another option who, much like the dinosaur, was not advantageous, but safe. Phenom was the fresher combatant, however…

…

'If I send Valiant out now, Phenom could be saved as a trump card.' thoughts began creeping into Ash's mind. They still had the lead, and three of his teammates had yet to fight. This gave him a chance to keep it that way, and also…

Another thought entered his mind as he took out Valiant's Poke Ball, staring at it for a moment as his other hand rubbed the capsule containing Phenom. 'Yes…'

Satisfied with his choice and thought process, Ash enlarged the orb and his eyes fell back on Gary. "Maybe I'm not the one who needs a reality check, Gary. And I'm not sure if anyone's put you there before." He did not give his scowling rival a chance to respond, immediately releasing Valiant. The Kirlia's eyes fell on Jolteon, who sunk back into a fighting stance in response to the young psychic's arrival, before turning back to look up at Ash.

"Hey pal," Ash greeted Valiant with a small smile that was quickly returned. "A lot has happened, but there's still a ton left to do. Glaceon just got knocked out by Jolteon; he knows Shadow Ball and is really fast. And he weaponizes his spikes with Body Slam." as Valiant nodded along to his trainer's words, the emotion Pokemon perked up as Ash's face grew serious. "He probably has Volt Absorb. Do not use any electricity. Not a spark, okay?" After a more emphasized nod this time, the Kirlia turned back and assumed his position across from the electric type. He had only just sunk into a stance when Gary's voice signaled the start of the next round.

"Shadow Ball and Thunder Fang!"

Valiant dodged the ghostly orb fired his way while Jolteon sprinted forward with Quick Attack. Baring his teeth, the spiky Pokemon filled his jaws with electricity before leaping at the Kirlia, intent on clamping down on his head. Swerving away, Valiant reared his fist back for a Fire Punch, only for Jolteon's body to suddenly shift; the electric type's head moved out of view, leaving only the spikes in the path of the young psychic's incoming strike. Fearing injury to his fist, Valiant canceled the Fire Punch and lunged away a second time, this time dodging a kick aimed for his head.

In a quick flash, Ash's partner had teleported several back. Somewhat frustrated, Jolteon turned and fired a Thunderbolt, but Valiant was already prepared, and met the streak of lightning with a Magical Leaf. The grass type properties acted as a picture perfect shield against the electricity, which was easily blocked by the attack. Gary quickly alerted Jolteon as the Kirlia next tried to approach with Shadow Sneak, and the electric type bolted away, taking off at a much greater speed than his psychic opponent could manage.

"Get out of Shadow Sneak for now, Valiant!" Shadow Sneak was a great move for approaching, but Jolteon's speed Valiant would only be using up energy. As his friend rose back up from his shadow, Ash could not help but bite his lip in realization.

In a general sense, Jolteon's speed was their biggest hurdle, at least in this particular situation. Although not as fast, Glaceon was the only member of the team who could at least attempt to contend with that mobility aspect, whom Ash was also comfortable using against the spiky electric type. Pikachu was still the fastest member of the team when using Agility (Glaceon had greatly shrunk that gap), but the high probability of Jolteon having Volt Absorb would make him a terrible matchup for Ash's starter. And Nebula (who was already out) lacked the means to deal with electricity. With Glaceon out of the picture, Jolteon had become a highly troublesome opponent to tag, and the way he currently ran circles around Valiant had caused such to truly sink in.

"Stay put, and spread Magical Leaf."

Stopping in place, Valiant took a deep breath before firing the glowing leaves in every direction he could manage, rotating his body in the process. None made contact, Jolteon either dodging or countering with Swift rushing straight towards the Kirlia. The electric type flew straight over Valiant's head as the psychic ducked under a kick.

"Hyper Voice!" Gary called out.

Turning in midair, Jolteon's retained momentum had him sliding backwards for a second or two as he landed and took aim at Valiant, firing the blast of shockwaves from his mouth. Valiant quickly surrounded himself in a psychic barrier that absorbed the Hyper Voice, but Jolteon was already lunging forward and taking aim again. The tips of the spikes surrounding the electric type's body began to glow as a barrage of needles were fired at the emotion Pokemon. The Pin Missile pierced through the barrier, leaving what resembled bullet holes in Valiant's psychic shield as he was painfully pelted by the barrage.

"Shadow Ball!" Gary called out next.

But Ash saw an opening. "Teleport and Fire Punch!" Just as the ghostly projectile was about to strike him, Valiant had vanished, reappearing right in front of Jolteon with a reared back, flaming fist that struck Gary's partner in the face. "Psyshock!"

Jolteon was knocked back onto his side by Valiant's strike as Gary yelled for him to get up. With a deep breath, Valiant channeled Calm Mind and took a leap to aim his attack, before firing the powerful blast of psychic energy. Jolteon just barely returned to his feet soon enough to dodge, but not soon enough to escape the concussive force of the blast; the explosion only barely missed him, and he was sent tumbling a second time by the shockwaves.

"One more!" Ash encouraged. If they could just get a direct hit in…

"Double Team and Shadow Ball!" Gary's voice carried frantic haste.

Valiant was halfway through charging the second Psyshock as Jolteon split in two. The surprise on the Kirlia's face had probably only lasted a single second or so, but just as suddenly, the Shadow Ball slammed into him. With a yelp, he was knocked onto his back, a nauseating discomfort overtaking his muscles as the ghostly energy seeped into him. Grinding his teeth and pressing his hands against the pavement, he was halfway to standing up again when a Thunderbolt hit him from behind, bathing his body in lightning as he screamed in pain. Sparks continued to roll over his body as Jolteon ceased the attack. Now on his knees, he could almost feel sweat as he struggled to lift himself up, growling in frustration when it felt as though his muscles were locking on him, the act of rising feeling as though it were a great strain. His knees just barely left the ground before he collapsed face first into the concrete.

Valiant did not get up.

Jolteon's short-lived Double Team clone disappeared as Ash recalled his friend. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't more than a little frustrated with the outcome; had he gotten carried away at the last second?

"You did good, Valiant. Rest up now." After reclipping the Kirlia's ball to his belt, his hand immediately landed on Phenom's next. The Tyrunt was the last remaining Pokemon that Ash wanted to use against Gary's troublesome spiky teammate, but much like Valiant had his own share of disadvantages.

"What's the matter, Ashy boy?" Over on his side of the field, Gary seemed a bit more relaxed than he had been going into the round. "Choking up now that you've lost your lead? What happened to all that momentum? I thought you said you were gonna give me a reality check." As Ash's face tightened, the Oak boy crossed his arms. "You heard what I said, no more flukes. From here on out, we're picking you apart." As Gary finished his sentence, Jolteon bent his knees into a stance, and the spikes surrounding his body almost appeared to become more pronounced, pointed outward. For a split second, the tiniest of sparks appeared on the tips, but they were gone as soon as they had appeared. Ash almost wondered if he had imagined them, but knew that he had not.

Ash allowed his eyes to examine Jolteon for a moment or two longer before glaring at Gary. 'He's not wrong about our lead being gone… but…' Chewing his lip, he allowed everything to play through his mind. On some levels, this was a fresh slate. Both sides were down to the second halves of their teams, and Pikachu, Phenom, and Tempest were all fresh for what was to come. Wartortle and Weepinbell were certain to be Gary's remaining two, yet to be revealed Pokemon, and if they could just get Jolteon out of the way, Ash couldn't help but feel more confident in his current lineup's chances. Not that either of them would go down easily (the battle at Mt. Moon was not easily forgotten, and for the best), but he had faith in how his team could equipped for them.

He'd worry about that after Jolteon was no longer on the battlefield, however. Right now, he had one final chance to put the spiky electric type down before things started looking bleak.