"Master, are you alright?" Lucario questioned when he saw his friend beginning to visibly shake.

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine, Lucario," Ash muttered. "I just need to figure out how to get through this match, that's all." Ash froze when he reached for his next Pokéball.

His fingers danced across a few of his potential choices, but none seemed to satisfy him. Lucario and Pikachu viewed their trainer, for what seemed minutes, before Ash was finally awoken from his thoughts.

"Use me, Master!" Lucario exclaimed through their aura connection. "Let me battle against Paul!"

Ash mulled the idea through his head, for a moment, before shaking it off. "No. Not now, Lucario. I think I got my next choice."

Lucario grunted in frustration but nodded his head. "As you wish."

Ash whispered a thank you, before revealing his next choice. Now standing before him was one of his most talented Pokemon. Heracross housed a lot of potentials and Ash knew it was up for the challenge. The single horn Pokémon was navy blue, with the only other color coming from its white claws and yellow eyes. From the middle of its eyes, came a large horn and split in two at the top. From either side, came two antennas. Its yellow eyes were slanted in, as it showed the determination and raw strength that Ash knew it housed.

Paul smirked once again. "Well, aren't we cocky?!" he yelled across the stadium. "You have already seen my Honchkrow's power, and now, you're giving it an opponent with a type disadvantage? You must really want to lose today, Aaron!"

Paul quickly exchanged his Weavile for the big boss Pokémon that had previously eliminated Ash's Snorlax, two rounds ago.

"If you're so confident, then make the first move!" Ash challenged.

"Gladly. Honchkrow, Sky Attack! Now!" Paul commanded. Again, the dark and flying type ascended into the air, before beginning to glow white. It started its descent at a rapid pace.

"Heracross, use Stone Edge," Ash responded. Heracross nodded, before a circle of rocks, appeared around it. It then sent a volley of rocks at the oncoming attacker.

Honchkrow was able to impressively dodge the first wave, but as it tried to duck one of the rocks, it was clipped in the wing. It momentarily lost its balance and was further struck with the volley of rocks.

Ash felt a surge of confidence overtaking him. It was his turn to set the pace. "Heracross, get in close and use Close Combat!"

Suddenly, the shell on Heracross' back split in two and wings began to produce a buzzing sound. In a blink of the eye, it had closed the gap and struck the stunned crow-like Pokémon, with a barrage of jabs, kicks, and knees.

"Use Dark Pulse to get away!" Paul shouted.

Honchkrow released the attack but didn't obtain a direct hit. Still, the exhausted Pokémon managed to created space, as Heracross was sent back a bit. "Great, now use Wing Attack!"

Its wings began to glow, before again, rushing the bug and fighting type, who hadn't recovered from its skid. Honchkrow hit its opponent on its first pass, causing a grunt. It then quickly turned and made a second pass, followed by an even louder grunt. This process continued until Heracross finally found its footing.

"Dodge, and then, use Pin Missile!"

Heracross jumped to the side and quickly turned. As the big boss Pokémon began its turn, the bug and fighting type sent a volley of glowing arrow-like projectiles. The attacks caught Honchkrow off guard, and soon, the dark and flying type was enveloped in a smoky haze.

Out of the haze, came Honchkrow. It flew up to the sky before leveling off and hovering above the still smoky battlefield. Paul looked on in frustration, as his Pokémon began to breathe even heavier than it had in its last battle.

"Alright, quit messing around and end this, Honchkrow! Use Sky Attack!"

As previously, the Pokémon dove at its target, while glowing white, and again, Heracross didn't flinch.

"Heracross, Iron Defense!" Ash commanded.

The single horn Pokémon was then encased in white, as a silver outline of the Pokémon could be seen. Honchkrow landed the attack. When the two pokémon collided though, neither moved. Heracross grinned as it held its position.

"Nice work, Heracross! Now, use Megahorn and hold it on the ground!"

The white aura that was around Heracross suddenly disappeared, while its horn glowed a bright white. The bug and fighting type used its horn to hit the big boss Pokémon, in the back and pinned it against the ground as commanded.

"Now, use Hyper Beam!"

Paul looked on in anger, as the beam of energy, from its opponent's mouth, blasted his trapped Pokémon.

As the dust cleared, Heracross was seen standing, in a victorious pose, above an unconscious Honchkrow. Paul growled as he returned his fallen Pokémon to its device.

"Alright, I'll finish this half of the battle, right now!" Paul yelled as he threw his next choice out. "Weavile, stand by for battle!" Out came the sharp claw Pokémon again. It raised its claws in the air and cried out. Heracross responded with its own cry.

"Weavile, use Blizzard! Let's go!" Paul shouted.

"Heracross, sidestep, and then, use Aerial Ace!" Ash countered.

Heracross dashed quickly to his left, before turning and flying toward its opponent at a blinding speed, with white streaks passing by him. Weavile turned the attack to hit the bug and fighting type, head on, as the flying type move landed.

Weavile got up to see a frozen Heracross. Its grin mirrored that of was on its trainer's features.

"Weavile, use Giga Impact!"

The sharp claw Pokémon rushed its opponent as a pink energy encased its body. The dark and ice type hit the frozen Heracross, breaking the ice, and sending the Johto Pokémon flying.

Heracross struggled to get up but quickly responded to another of Ash's commands, asking for another Megahorn. Somehow, the single horn Pokémon launched itself at its immobile opponent and struck its attacker with its glowing horn. The attack struck and was repeated. The sharp claw Pokémon staggered back, in pain, before finally regaining its mobility. It sidestepped another onslaught and created space, distancing itself from Heracross.

Both Pokémon breathed heavily, feeling the countless attacks that they had taken. Weavile grabbed its shoulder, where Gliscor had previously bitten it, while Heracross fell to a knee and winced in pain. Both trainers mirrored their Pokemon. They were breathing heavily as the match began to eat away at their energy. Ash hadn't felt this tired in a while. Even with his battles, against his own Pokémon, he had energy, but today, it all felt depleted. He felt like he had nothing left, in the tank, to give and was beginning to sputter.

"Weavile, Metal Claw! Now!"

"Heracross, defend with Megahorn!"

Both attacks clashed again and again. Each time that the combatants would hit the other's attack and be pushed back, only to regain their footing and go at it again. The sound of metal clanging against the hardened horn, of the Johto bug type, echoed throughout the stadium. The speed at which the two attackers traveled was faster than the eye could catch. The only thing that could be seen were the sparks that flew, whenever the two warriors would meet.

Finally, exhausted by the onslaught, both Pokémon came at a rest, in front of their respective trainers. Both had the same look in their eyes. They both wanted to finish the battle then and there and take an advantage into the break.

"Go Weavile! Giga Impact!" Paul cried out. The ice and dark type ran at its opponent, as the same pink energy began to encase it.

"Heracross, use Hyper Beam with everything you got!" Ash commanded.

The bug and fighting focused its energy into a ball, which is held in its mouth until it finally found enough energy and sent the beam right as its attacker got into its position.

The two attacks connected, resulting in a massive explosion, which caused Ash to be pushed back by the amount of energy it let off. Clouds of soot and dirt raced up the stadium's seating, as onlookers were forced to cover their eyes. Paul and Ash were coughing, as they had to cover their mouths from the debris.

Ash and Paul raised their head, which was now covered in dirt, to see that both Pokémon were lying on the ground. Both, on the inside, screamed for their Pokémon to rise from the ashes, of the battlefield, to claim victory.

Amazingly, Weavile rolled from its back to its stomach. It placed both hands onto the ground and slowly pushed itself onto its knees, before turning to see his still motionless opponent. Heracross opened an eye and groaned in pain. It slowly lifted its head to see that dark and ice type gasping for air. They made eye contact. Heracross gave a smile, before groaning once more, and then, succumbing to the unconscious that it had been resisting.

Ash looked on in stunned silence. One of his toughest Pokémon had fallen. He felt his confidence disappearing, along with it. The crowd's roars were drowned out by the thoughts that were racing through his head. If this isn't even Paul's strongest Pokémon . . . Could he really be as strong as me?

Whatever mental image he had on Paul, he knew that it had evaporated. He absentmindedly reached for Heracross' Pokéball and raised it up. The red beam of light hit the fallen warrior, returning it to the ball, for a well-deserved rest.

He felt both Lucario and Pikachu begin to dust off their master. They were chirping about something, trying to comfort their trainer, as their platform began to lower into the corridors below. Ash exited from his platform, while still in stunned silence. He walked to his locker room door and slowly opened it. He slogged inside and sat, with a thud upon the bench.

"Master, you can't give up!" Lucario pleaded.

"Pika pi, pi, pi Pikachu. Pikachu pi pikapipi, Pikachu, Pikapi." Pikachu said in a comforting tone, as he rubbed his cheeks against Ash's.

"Thanks, guys," Ash mumbled. "But it doesn't feel the same." A tear began to make its way down his cheek. "If Serena won't forgive me, then what of the others? Without them by my side, then what's the point?"

"The point is to save the world." Pikachu nodded with what Lucario had to say.

"But guys," Ash whispered, "she is my world . . ."

---

The occupants, of the elite suite, sat in shock. The power that both Pokémon displayed astounded those, who had seen Paul and Ash fight earlier in the tournament.

"I didn't know that they were capable of so much raw power," Max said in awe wonderment.

"That was incredible!" Bonnie shouted as she got over her shock. "I have never seen two attacks collide with that much force before! It was a miracle that either Pokémon was still conscious after that. I mean, just wow!"

"The power, that both Pokémon displayed, showed their connection to their trainers," Diantha said as she surveyed the damaged field. "You could see that both Pokémon fed off their trainer's emotions; although, there was almost a feeling of desperation in Aaron's commands."

Lance hummed in agreement. "Yeah. We're finally seeing Aaron being shaken a bit. It'll be interesting to see if he can come back from this deficit."

"I doubt that," Dawn said with a happy chirp. "Paul knows how to go for the kill. This is over."

"We'll see about that," Cynthia responded. "I don't think Aaron has shown his true power yet."

"Yeah, it would be interesting," Bonnie added with enthusiasm. "What do you think, Serena? You have been awfully quiet throughout the entire battle." Bonnie turned and a curious look appeared on her face. "Um, guys . . . Where's Serena?"

The group turned to the back, where Serena had stood alone, to see no one there. Their eyes moved to the door of the box and noticed that it was wide open while revealing the atrium of the stadium.

Trevor grinned at this turn of events while maintaining a serious look across his face, as his thoughts were racing. Serena, you know what you have to do. Go and restore Ash's fighting spirit!

---

Serena raced through the atrium, as she heard the sound of the referee, calling for the fifteen-minute intermission. I don't have a lot of time.

She ducked and dodged through the crowd before she found the stairs that led to the corridors below. She dashed down the stairs and was about to round the corner, which would take her to Ash's locker room.

When suddenly, an arm appeared in front of her. Serena looked up to the security guard, who was blocking her route.

"Can I help you?" he said as he tilted his head forward and looked at her from the top of his glasses.

"Yes please!" Serena panicked. "I-I need to see Aaron!"

"Sorry, ma'am. I cannot let you do that," he said while he maintained his position, in front of the girl. "No one is allowed to see the tournament participants, while they are competing."

"But I-" Serena was interrupted as she heard a voice, behind her, speak up.

"Chuck, let her pass." Serena turned to see the green haired Gym Leader of Saffron City. "Don't you recognize the Kalos Queen? Let her do as she pleases."

"Uh . . . yes. Yes, of course, Sabrina. You may pass," the guard cleared the way for Serena to get through.

Serena took off but turned to wave back at Sabrina. "Thank you, Sabrina," she said before turning back and frantically searching for Ash's door.

She didn't slow down until she found her destination. She took a deep breath before exhaling. She raised her hand up in a closed fist and knocked on the door. She heard a mumble, from the inside, and took it as permission to enter. She slowly opened the door, to see Ash looking at her. The expression, on his face, went from anxiety to shock. Lucario and Pikachu also looked on Serena, with their mouths ajar.

"Se-Serena?"