The noise was deafening and Ash wasn't even in the main part of the arena yet. He was about to split off from his friends, but of course, was receiving the well wishes of his companions before his big match. Well, everyone but Mairin, who was off with Alain at the other end of the arena. Ash kind of felt bad that he had the big group with him and Alain was only supported by Mairin, but he also got the feeling his opponent was far more comfortable that way.

"You're ultimate match, Ashy boy," Gary said, although there was no joking or sarcasm in his voice. In fact, if Ash didn't know any better, he'd almost think Gary was...proud of him? "Go out there and win this thing, alright?"

"You know I will, Gary," Ash answered confidently, showing his old friend a classic fist pump. "I can't lose with all of you cheering me on." He couldn't help but glance a little nervously at Serena, saying that, but looked away immediately when he saw her narrow her eyes suspiciously.

The elder Oak decided to speak up next. "Ash, you've come a long way since showing up late and receiving a misbehaved Pikachu." Ash just looked back at the Pokemon professor, not really knowing what he was getting to, but still happy he was there, like everyone else. "I was always doubtful of you in the beginning, trailing behind Gary and the others, however, you've proved that was foolish. Ash, I'm proud of you."

Ash looked away a little uncomfortably and coughed. He felt a sting in his eyes and barely managed to control himself. Then, he looked up and smiled at the friendly old, professor, who had been somewhat of a father or grandfather figure to him over the years. "Thanks, Professor. I...I won't let you down."

After that, everyone continued to say words of encouragement. Cilan told Ash to, "Have an exquisite battle." Iris told him to make sure, "the little kid doesn't come back." Dawn, of course, said there was, "No need to worry." All of them had their unique ways of showing their support. A dance from Tierno, a picture of Pikachu fighting Chesnaught from Trevor and just a hug that meant just as much as anything else from his mother.

Finally, after a few minutes of all this, it was just Serena who hadn't said anything. "Time to go find our seats," Bonnie said quickly, holding up her hand and pointing the group away. Nobody hesitated and suddenly, within a couple of seconds, Ash and Serena were alone, with Pikachu hopping off Ash's shoulder and heading a little ways off to give them privacy. The only noise was the drumming and cheering from the arena. The hallway had actually become quite empty, with everyone being in the arena now.

"So this is it. It's finally here," Serena said quietly, smiling a little, fiddling with the ribbon on her chest with one hand, and making a fist with the other one at her side, showing her nervousness.

"Yeah," Ash answered, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, it finally is. It's really weird, isn't it. After all this time. Even for you, probably."

She nodded and took a hesitant step forward. "You'll be ok, right?" She asked. "I...I don't want you to be distracted. You should be having fun."

Ash pursed his lips and looked away. He knew that she knew he was nervous and distracted. This match meant so much to him. It meant being with her forever. It meant they would truly be able to accomplish their dreams together. "I'll be fine," he muttered.

Suddenly Serena had her arms wrapped tightly around him, actually making it very difficult to move. Ash was a little alarmed at the strength she possessed. He couldn't deny it was comforting, though. The cold feeling of doubt was replaced by the warmth of Serena's encouragement. "I won't leave," she whispered. "Win or lose, I'll never leave." She pulled back and looked Ash in the eyes. "Understand?"

And just like that, all of Ash's doubt, all of his worries and all of his nerves, were gone. Then, in seconds, it was replaced by the familiar feelings of confidence, joy, excitement and determination. Ash smiled and chuckled a little, amazed at Serena's ability to spark his resolve like that. "You're amazing," he whispered.

They stood like that for a few minutes, not speaking and just looking at each other. Ash didn't worry if it was going to make him late. He knew he'd be able to get there in time. The match was secondary at the moment, anyways. His attention was on Serena, the girl with the straw hat. The girl that inspired him to do what he could never do before. The girl that he'd win for.

Eventually, Serena sighed and took a step back. "I guess you should go," she said quietly.

"I guess so," Ash agreed. "But, one more thing." He pulled Serena close once again, and kissed her. His heart started pumping like never before and he felt the energy course through his veins. Once again, it was like a friendly Thunderbolt from Pikachu, with the warmth of a loving Charizard Flamethrower. Heat rushed to his cheeks in a blush, but Ash didn't care. He needed Serena to know how much she meant to him. Maybe she knew already and maybe it was clear enough without saying it anymore or showing it through a kiss. However, Ash felt like he could never express it enough.

When they broke apart, Serena was blushing as well, but smiling. She didn't say anything else as she turned around and started to walk away. Ash smiled to himself, and also turned away. As he walked, Pikachu ran up to him and hopped onto his shoulder, looking just as confident as Ash was now feeling. As he was about to step through a doorway towards where he would be going towards the field, he glanced back and saw Serena looking back at him.

"Remember what Aria said?" Ash called out.

Serena nodded and laughed, although Ash couldn't hear, now that they were pretty far away from each other and the noise of the arena was so loud. But, as she laughed, it didn't matter whether she'd heard or not, because she did exactly what Ash wanted. She smiled, and just like Aria said, that smile gave strength. The strength to win.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!" the announcer shouted, getting an eruption of noise from the crowd. "Welcome to the Championships of the Kalos League Lumiose Conference!" Serena winced as the crowd once again roared in excitement. They just seemed to get louder and louder each round, and now, they were screaming so loud, Serena's ears were on fire.

As the field started to rise up between the trainer platforms, Serena noticed it was a rock field and that something, no three somethings, three someones were in the middle of it. She gasped, recognizing not only Diantha and President Goodshow, but Aria as well. "What's Aria doing here?" she asked.

Shauna, who was on Serena's left, giggled a little. "Didn't you know? The Kalos Queen is responsible for crowning the Kalos League Victor. I thought you would've known that, since it could have been one of us giving Ash his trophy."

That made Serena feel pretty bad, actually. That would have been a really special moment if she was the Kalos Queen. If only she had won. If only she could have been stronger. The image of being the one to give Ash his trophy was now so vivid in her mind. She would have much preferred it to be Diantha.

"Greetings Pokemon trainers, Pokemon lovers and the friends and families of those competing today," Diantha called out, silencing the roaring crowd just by speaking. "I'm sure you are all excited for what is about to take place on this very field within a few moments. Am I correct?" The crowd screamed and clapped, signalling she was, indeed, correct. "Now, I would like to first congratulate all of the trainers who challenged the gyms throughout Kalos. Whether they managed to secure eight badges, seven badges, one badge or none at all, you all fought hard to reach your goal, and I congratulate you on that." She paused as the crowd applauded and then quickly started speaking again. "And next, I would like to congratulate the sixty-two competitors of this league, who fought so hard, but ultimately fell short. Do not be disappointed, though. You competed hard, as did your Pokemon. I applaud all of your efforts."

"Yay! Tierno and Trevor!" Shauna shouted, clapping Trevor on the back, who was sitting in front of her.

"And finally," Diantha said, once the crowd quieted once more, "we have two very special and very worthy trainers to congratulate next. I would like you to all put your hands together for the Kalos League Lumiose Conference finalists, Ash and Alain!" And just like that, the arena was buzzing with the noise of the crowd. Serena didn't hold her hands over her ears this time, though. Instead, she joined in, showing her support for Ash. "Now let's welcome them to the field!" Diantha shouted.

"Representing our own Kalos region," the announcer shouted, "we've got Alain, the mega evolution expert and former assistant of Professor Sycamore!" Mairin was probably the loudest person in the arena, shouting and screaming her lungs out while Alain stepped out onto the field. He looked serious, but Serena could also see a smile on his face as he must've somehow heard Mairin and looked up at them all. "And next," the announcer called, the crowd seemingly taking a deep breath to prepare another cheer, "we've got Kanto's representative, all the way from Pallet Town, Ash, the hero of Lumiose City!" Clapping, cheering, pure screaming and horns were heard all around the arena. Serena could barely take it, but she cheered her best for Ash as he and Pikachu calmly approached their spot on their platform. He was ready. Serena could see it.

"Welcome Alain and welcome Ash," President Goodshow greeted the two trainers. "I'm very excited to see what the two of you have in store for us all." He paused and Serena noticed Ash and Alain both nod in answer and then the crowd cheered some more. Goodshow then held up his hands and the crowd quieted a bit. "Anyways, I believe we should introduce our guest, the one responsible for awarding the victor's trophy. Please welcome the Kalos Queen, Aria!" Apparently performances were not ignored by battle enthusiasts, because everyone roared and cheered at Aria's introduction, clearly quite pleased to see her.

Aria then spoke next. "Thank you all very much," she announced, turning and smiling around to the crowd. "I'm honoured to be here as Kalos Queen. And, I am honoured to be here to see a great battle between two fantastic trainers. I look forward to the moment when I can be the one to declare one of them a Kalos League Champion!" On that last note, her gaze shifted towards where Serena and her friends were sitting and Serena got the feeling that the Kalos Queen was looking right at her.

The trio on the field made a few more announcements and pumped up the crowd a bit more, before finally wrapping it up and beginning to make their way off of the field. When they left, Serena noticed the referee approaching his spot and then hold up his flags in preparation to signal the beginning of the match. He started speaking the rules to Ash and Alain at the same time the announcer spoke them to the crowd.

"This will be a six versus six Pokemon battle between Ash and Alain. Substitutions are permitted. Once three Pokemon are unable to battle for one trainer, there will be a brief intermission to allow for a field change and for the trainers and Pokemon to have a brief rest. Once all six Pokemon for one trainer are unable to battle, the other trainer will be declared the winner. And, the winner of the match will be declared the Kalos League Champion. Do both trainers agree?" Each word made Serena's heart beat a little faster and she almost didn't want to have the match continue. She was so nervous.

However, when she looked at Ash and saw his confident smile and his nod, before answering a determined, "Yes," she couldn't help but let her excitement return. It was Ash's big moment. His dream match. His chance to beat one of his toughest rivals and his chance to emerge the victor of a Pokemon League for the first time in his life.

"Trainers," the announcer called seriously, "please select your first Pokemon. Alain, you have the first selection."

Serena instantly turned her gaze to Alain. She wondered if he would choose any Pokemon besides Charizard or Metagross. None of them had ever seen him use another one besides them. It almost seemed to go in slow motion as he pulled out a pokeball, enlarged it and then threw it out. A flash of light shone from the pokeball, and then a large, green, two-legged dinosaur-like Pokemon. A Tyranitar. It was massive, and its roar ripped through the stadium, making Serena and her friends shake a bit in uneasiness.

Ash didn't even flinch, though. Serena saw him glance down and instantly knew his choice. It made perfect sense, too. "Pikachu, I choose you!" he shouted and pointed ahead.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted, and leaped onto the field, ready to continue right from where he'd left off against Chesnaught. He was undefeated after five tough battles throughout the league thus far, so who better than to go out than him, Ash's loyal Pokemon who got the team to this spot in the first place.

"This looks interesting already, folks," the announcer said excitedly. "To open the Kalos League Finals, we've got Alain and his Tyranitar up against Ash and his Pikachu!"

The crowd roared once again in excitement, desperate for the match to start. Serena saw the referee hold up his flags higher, and then whip them down. "Let the match begin!"

Ash wasn't going to hesitate for one second. Pikachu's speed was an advantage over Tyranitar, and they were going to use it. "Quick Attack, let's go!"

The electric mouse was off like a bullet, shouting "PIKA!" as he bolted off. He streaked across the field, leaping over a stone and then kicking off from another. He was slamming into the side of Tyranitar's jaw before he or Alain could even register that Ash had made the order. It showed just how in sync they were.

And Ash wasn't going to let up. If Alain couldn't keep up, that was his problem. Ash wasn't going to worry about it. "Iron Tail, back to back!" he shouted. And as Tyranitar roared from the pain of the initial strike, he staggered back, while Pikachu used the momentum from hitting his jaw, to spin around and slam upwards and then downwards with his tail. The massive armour Pokemon's head jerked up and then down as the metallic tail struck. "And now Thunderbolt, full power!" Ash yelled, thrusting his fist up into the air.

"Piii-kaaa-chuuu!" Pikachu roared out, the electricity shooting out of his cheeks in a straight line towards the staggering opponent that was Tyranitar. It made contact immediately and the armour Pokemon roared in pain. Pikachu landed swiftly on the ground and braced himself for whatever counterattack was about to come.

The counterattack came quickly. Ash saw Alain narrow his eyes, and then his order came. "Sandstorm!" he shouted quickly. Ash and Pikachu tensed up in unison as Tyranitar roared and spread out its arms. Suddenly, from what seemed like out of nowhere, gusts of wind started swirling around the field, quickly turning brown and blocking all sight of what was happening. There was a bit of booing from the crowd, but Alain obviously didn't care. He was proving that this match was all about winning. "Dragon Claw!"

"Pikachu, get out of there!" Ash yelled, not even knowing where his loyal partner was in the swirling mess of the sandstorm. He heard a roar from Tyranitar and instantly knew the electric mouse was in trouble. Then, another roar pierced the air, and Ash just saw a brief flash of green light from a Dragon Claw.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out in pain, shooting into the air, just a little above the sandstorm. There was no opportunity to get out of it, though. He fell right back down, into the den of the swirling sand and towards the beast within it.

"Hyper Beam!" came Alain's next order, and Ash knew from the roar he heard within the streaming sand, that Tyranitar had already locked onto his target. Well, Ash knew Alain wasn't going to be an easy opponent. If he wanted to win, he had to be able to beat strategies like this.

Ash closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He'd been Pikachu's eyes in battle before, but how would that work when he couldn't see what was happening, either? Focus...focus, he thought. And then he realized he could hear the whistles of the wind and the scraping of the sand on the rocks. He could almost hear the sound of the sand hitting Tyranitar, and then, more faintly, Pikachu. It wasn't like seeing through the aura vision, or whatever that had been, but in a way it was similar. Ash didn't know if those abilities would ever return, but he realized he just needed to rely on his own instincts and his bond with Pikachu, and they could get out of this predicament.

"Quick Attack to the left!" Ash suddenly shouted. He heard the quick swishing sound as sand was kicked and Pikachu bolted to the side. It was just in time, too, as Tyranitar roared loudly and then Ash opened his eyes to see a bright yellow light blasting through the sandstorm. As bad as the swirling sand had been before, it seemed to go crazier with the explosion from the Hyper Beam impacting with...something. Dirt exploded upwards and a loud cracking sound was heard as a rock shattered.

However, nobody had any idea what had happened to Pikachu. The arena was silent. Everyone was likely sure that Pikachu had been hit. Tyranitar knew how to place attacks within a sandstorm. Pikachu was lost. Was there any way he stood a chance? Ash smiled. He knew full well what Pikachu was capable of. And he knew to trust his partner Pokemon.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled suddenly, causing the crowd to gasp and mumble in surprise and confusion, somehow doubting him despite his proven record.

There was silence for a moment, and then a shadow showed at the top of the sandstorm, from something small leaping upwards. Then, a yellow shape appeared in the sky, cheeks sparking. "Piii-kaaa-chuuu!" he yelled out, the jet of electricity firing down. Another roar came from Tyranitar and his shape staggered back, a little, his shape lumbering through the sandstorm.

"Earthquake, quick!" Alain shouted quickly. With a roar, Tyranitar hit the ground, or at least that was what Ash assumed he had done, as the ground suddenly vibrated. Ash saw Pikachu start dropping to the ground and knew it was too late. As the ground shook rapidly, Ash heard his faithful partner Pokemon hit the ground and then cry out as the ground shook him violently. "Now use Dragon Tail!" Alain ordered. Ash again saw brief movement and then heard the collision and Pikachu's cry of pain. Pikachu went flying in the air again.

Ash saw his opportunity at that moment. "Electro-Ball!" he shouted. As Pikachu spun the air, he quickly started to right himself, stretching out his tail and beginning the chant.

"Pika-pika-pika-pika-pika-pika-CHUPI!" he yelled, and the sphere of electricity rocketed downwards. The explosion against Tyranitar could be heard throughout the stadium. The electricity shot outwards and crackled through the sand. However, Tyranitar was still able to fight, his roar of pain signalling he was still good to go.

Ash knew he needed to end this quickly, though. Pikachu could beat Tyranitar, he had faith in that, but he needed Pikachu for more than that. If he let this battle drag out, Pikachu would be too tired out for some of Alain's other powerful Pokemon. They needed to keep up with the speed and power strategy. That's how they started and that's how they'd end. "Pikachu," Ash called, "let's wrap this one up, alright?"

"Pika!" came the confident call of the electric mouse from within the sandstorm.

"Quick Attack!" Ash yelled.

"Dragon Claw! Alain countered.

Ash heard it as Pikachu kicked off with all his might. He closed his eyes once again and focused on the sounds. He could hear Pikachu rushing towards Tyranitar, leaping up off the ground and quickly approaching the armour Pokemon. Tyranitar roared loudly, and Ash knew the Dragon Claw was coming. However, there was no impact, and then a loud smacking sound reached Ash's ears and he knew Pikachu had dodged and landed the hit, before leaping back and getting ready for the next order.

"This is the finisher. Get ready, Pikachu. Use Iron Tail!" Ash yelled, punching the air in triumph, as though he'd already won the battle.

"I don't think so, Ash," Alain cautioned. "Tyranitar, counter with Dragon Tail!"

Then, both Pokemon cried out and then rushed towards each other, tensing up their tails, or so Ash assumed. He heard the loud thud as their attacks collided and even felt the rush of energy emanating from the collision. He could sense the surprise of Alain and the crowd for his much smaller Pikachu being able to match the hulking Tyranitar power for power.

"Now let's finish this," Ash said, smiling as he knew this part of the battle was over. "Electro-Ball!"

There was the sound of something hitting the ground hard, presumably Tyranitar's tail as Pikachu released it to gain leverage for his attack. Then, the chant began and Ash sensed the mini-victory. "CHUPI!" Pikachu finished, and Ash could somewhat see the yellow sphere rush through the sandstorm, strike a massive shape that was Tyranitar and then explode.

Instantly, there was a loud roar of pain, followed by a crash to the ground and then the sandstorm quickly cleared up. Tyranitar was revealed to be face down on the ground, not moving, a light moan coming from him. The referee raised his flag up high towards Ash and a proud looking Pikachu. "Tyranitar is unable to battle. Pikachu is the winner!"

"Yeah!" Ash yelled happily, as Pikachu came bounding back towards him. "Great job, buddy, you were awesome!"

"A great start for Ash," the announcer shouted. "He and Pikachu show of their teamwork once again and take down a powerful Pokemon to get the early lead."

Ash looked down at Pikachu and his expression grew serious. "I want you to take a break now, alright? I'm gonna need you for later."

Pikachu nodded and gave a confident fist pump. "Pika!" he shouted.

Ash smiled and then unclipped a pokeball from his belt as Alain also prepared to throw out his next pokeball. "Alright,"
Ash said quietly, "let's see what else Alain's got." He threw out his next pokeball, yelling, "Talonflame, I choose you!" With a flash of light, the powerful fire-bird emerged, spinning through the air, and then hovering in front of Ash.

In answer, it seemed as though Alain had known Ash would select Talonflame, because he called out a male Unfezant. It spun through the air in similar fashion to Talonflame and hovered at the opposite end of the field.

"It looks like we've got a sky battle for this one," the announcer called, voice shaking with excitement, showing to be just as much a fan of battling as those in the crowd.

When the referee made the signal, Alain ordered the first attack. "Unfezant, Steel Wing!"

Ash was quick to counter, though, perfectly happy with close combat. "Talonflame, you too."

With one hard flap of each Pokemon's wings, each were off. As they approached each other at full speed, their wings glowed white and shone in a silvery gleam. There was a brief moment of silence before they clashed, and then the screeches and thuds of clashing metallic wings were heard.

Talonflame dipped low before striking, but Unfezant read the move perfectly, slashing down with his wing to counter as the fire-bird brought his own upwards. Within seconds, it was a fierce fight as wing hit wing, causing sparks to fly over the field. A few times, the flying types would break apart and then fly back to gain momentum, before launching forward and slashing at each other once again.

Ash knew he needed to change things up, though. This evenly matched battle could go on for ages, and he wanted the edge now. Their specialty was speed, and Ash knew exactly how to get more of it. "Talonflame, use Flame Charge, quick!"

"Taaalllooon," Talonflame shouted, landing one more hit with Steel Wing, before shooting back. He soared high into the sky and then quickly started to descend. "Flllaaame!" he shouted, as he descended, body completely engulfed in fire. Unfezant had no opportunity to dodge, as his fiery opponent slammed into him with full force. He spun away, screeching in pain, a few of his feathers smoking.

"Don't let up!" Ash ordered forcefully. "Keep up the chase."

"Quick Attack! Match its speed!" Alain shouted.

The aerial dance started up once again, but this time it wasn't a furious, up close battle of swinging wings, but a chase through the air, as both birds tried to prove their speed. Ash was impressed with Alain's Unfezant. It kept pace with the fiery Talonflame quite well, even staying away long enough to slam into the fire-bird at one. However, Talonflame's buildup of speed from the continuous Flame Charge eventually prevailed. He slipped past a dive from Unfezant, and then gave chase. The opposing bird couldn't evade this time, and Talonflame struck hard with Flame Charge once again. Unfezant screeched in pain and then spiralled to the ground, smoking a bit from contact with the flames.

Ash was sure that Talonflame had won the fight, but then suddenly, Unfezant got to his feet, flapped his wings, and shot back up into the sky. Alain had clearly expected this, because he made his order without any hesitation. "Sky Attack!" Unfezant's speed quickly picked up, and a light glow started to surround its body as it shot around through the air, building up energy for the attack.

"Don't let it charge up. Flame Charge!" Ash yelled.

"Flaaame!" came the determined reply of the fire-bird. The flames around his body flared up wildly and he shot towards his zigzagging opponent. The flaming rocket that was Talonflame moved so quickly it seemed impossible he would miss his target. But somehow, Unfezant spun away, dodging the charge by mere inches.

Ash instantly realized Talonflame was in trouble. Unfezant had just enough built up speed and energy now to land a powerful strike, and the fire-bird was vulnerable after the missed attack. Unfezant shot upwards after spinning away, and then he cut back quickly. Talonflame was just turning after his miss, and then his opponent struck him with full force. He screeched in pain and was launched towards the ground, smashing into a rock with a painful crunching sound.

"Talonflame!" Ash yelled in concern, not sure if a dust cloud was hiding a fainted Talonflame or not. Luckily, the dust was quickly whipped away, as the fire-bird flapped his wings hard, and then shot back up into the sky, ready to resume the battle. "Awesome," Ash yelled, praising Talonflame's determination. "Alright, let's get that one back. Brave Bird!"

"Sky Attack!" Alain countered. "Fly up high and then go down with speed."

"Flaaame!" Talonflame shouted, flapping his wings hard once again, covering himself in a blue light, and then shooting upwards like a rocket. The use of Flame Charge earlier made Talonflame move faster than ever, but Ash could see he was too far away to reach Unfezant before his attack was charged. Just as Talonflame was nearing the opposing bird, Unfezant spun and then changed course, heading downwards to meet head to head. For a second, there was silence, and then they crashed together with massive blast of energy which shot outwards towards the crowd and the field below, making Ash grab onto his hat before it could blow away.

Both flying types whipped away from each other, wincing in pain from the impact with each other. However, Ash noticed Talonflame look a little more winded, having taken recoil damage from the use of Brave Bird. They needed to wrap this up quickly. "Talonflame, dive down and up with Flame Charge and then use Steel Wing!"

"Unfezant, Quick Attack and then Steel Wing to counter!" Alain shouted, eyes narrowing as he watched Talonflame engulf himself in flames to shoot down towards the ground. Ash realized that each move Alain was making for this battle, was to counter exactly what Talonflame did. Quick Attack was almost completely taking away the advantage of Flame Charge, and Sky Attack had matched Brave Bird power for power.

Ash smiled at his own frustration. This was exactly what Alain had talked about, in thanking him by giving him a tough battle. This was exactly how he wanted his opponents to battle. Identify his own strategies and counter them quickly, forcing him to come up with new ways to win on the spot. He trusted his current one, though, even if Alain was mimicking it. "Now fly up!" he ordered.

"Taaallloon!" Talonflame shouted, cutting up quickly, showing off his incredible aerial skills. The flames around his body flared up and he increased his speed as he shot up, spreading out his wings, which glowed brightly in preparation for a clash of Steel Wings.

Unfezant shot up and then spun around at a similar speed, though, a white glow around his body as he sped downwards. His wings extended outwards in a mirror image of Talonflame, preparing to strike them forward. Both birds tensed up as they rapidly approached each other, and then they quickly shot out their wings as they clashed. A shower of sparks sprayed around as the metallic wings hit each other.

After a few exchanges of Steel Wings, both Pokemon flew away from each other, desperate to get another breather. They flew lower to the ground, hovering in front of their trainers as they gasped for air. Talonflame was ready to keep going, though, as he quickly turned his head and gave Ash a nod, ready for his next move. Unfezant was no different, giving a hard flap of his wings to signal his own readiness.

"Brave Bird!" Ash yelled.

"Sky Attack!" Alain countered.

And suddenly, both birds were shooting up into the sky once again, ready to clash head to head one more time. They soared higher and higher, building up speed. Then, they spun around, diving towards the ground. Ash was almost wondering if both Pokemon had forgotten they were attacking each other, but then, as they approached the ground, they pulled their bodies up and whipped forwards, towards each other. They crashed together with immense speed and power, emitting a shock wave twice the size of the one from their last clash. It shook the ground, showing the pure strength from impacting Pokemon. They seemed to strain against each other a moment, and then one of them fell.

It was like watching in slow motion, as the one flying type sagged a bit, but managed to keep itself from falling, but then the other dropped like a stone. Then, the losing bird hit the ground and rolled over on its side, a light moan coming from it. The referee raised a flag, and then held it towards Alain. "Talonflame is unable to battle. Unfezant is the winner!"

Ash gritted his teeth and recalled Talonflame to his pokeball as the announcer exclaimed about the now finished aerial battle. "Thanks Talonflame, you did a great job. You showed you were worthy of being here." He hesitated a moment as he prepared his next choice. Pikachu would make sense based on type advantage, but Alain was too smart for that. Unfezant was trained well enough to be able to avoid electric attacks, he was sure. No, he had to match Unfezant in a sky battle. He pulled the pokeball from his belt and threw it out. "Noivern, I choose you!"

"Vern!" came the bat dragon's roar, as he emerged in a bright flash of light and landed in front of Ash, tensed up in excitement and ready to fight.

"Interesting choice, as Ash opts not to go with Pikachu for the type advantage. However, he seems keen on finishing this in the air, so Noivern's a wise choice for that," the announcer rambled out. "Let's see how this one goes."

The referee signalled for the battle to continue and Ash was quick to get to work. "Acrobatics, let's go!" he yelled, pointing forward.

"Quick Attack to dodge and then use Sky Attack!" Alain ordered quickly, again looking extremely focused as he watched Noivern tense up, ready to move.

"Noivern!" Noivern screeched loudly, and he kicked off the ground hard, shooting into the air, He started to zigzag through the air quickly, his body starting to glow in a blue light, and then he shot forward towards Unfezant. However, just as he was mere inches away from the opposing flier, Alain's plan was put in motion.

Unfezant shot up, narrowly avoiding the attack, and then sped upwards, building up speed and beginning to glow white in preparation for his attack. Noivern quickly gave chase, the blue light leaving his body, but his speed still impressive. Ash smiled at the bat dragon's eagerness to strike a blow. He was no longer a crying Noibat, but a fierce fighter, just as eager as Ash and the others to fight to the top.

However, Ash realized too late how dangerous Noivern's eagerness was. Alain shouted for Unfezant to act, and then it spun through the air and rocketed towards Noivern. The dragon type stopped his charge, but it was too late. Unfezant smashed into him with incredible force and he rocketed towards the ground, crashing hard into a rock and exploding it on impact.

"Noivern, you ok?" Ash asked quickly, as the dust cleared away and Noivern was revealed, shaking his head as he regained his bearings. Noivern looked at his trainer and gave a quick nod, signalling he was ready to go. "Alright, good," Ash encouraged, "but we've gotta be more careful, alright?" Another nod, this time quite serious, made Ash realize how much Noivern wanted to win. "Ok, well then let's use Acrobatics again, and this time, I know you won't miss!"

"Vern!" Noivern shouted, and he was in the air in an instant. This time, Alain and Unfezant couldn't make a plan to dodge, and Ash knew it wouldn't have worked anyways. Noivern was psyched up and ready to fight and his speed couldn't be matched in this moment. He zigzagged through the air, covering himself in a blue light, and then smashed into Unfezant with full force, sending the opposing bird spiralling away.

"Keep it up, Noivern," Ash encouraged. "Boomburst!"

"Steel Wing to deflect!" Alain countered.

Noivern screeched loudly, spreading out his wings to prepare his strike. He straightened up his ears, aiming carefully towards Unfezant, and then the blast of energy fired out, rocketing towards the flying type. Unfezant was ready, though. He spread his wings and they glowed brightly, shining as they glowed in a silvery gleam. Then, crossed them in front of himself as the Boomburst waves made contact. Ash could see Unfezant straining against the attack, barely able to hold it back, but unfortunately, Boomburst wasn't breaking through.

Then, Ash could see there was an opening. "Acrobatics, now!" he yelled. Noivern didn't hesitate, instantly ending his attack and shooting upwards, already bathed in his blue light. Again, he zigzagged through the air, building up incredible speed as he whipped upwards. Unfezant was too winded from holding back the Boomburst attack to properly defend himself. He tried continuing the Steel Wing defence, but Noivern powered through it, breaking through and driving his body into Unfezant with incredible power and speed. "Now strike down with Dragon Claw!"

Noivern shot up quickly, and then spun and spiralled back down towards a staggering Unfezant. "Noivern!" he screeched, pulling back a glowing green claw, and then slashing it outwards. It made contact with a satisfying thump and then Unfezant rocketed towards the ground, hitting it hard and then skidding along until rolling over, but then miraculously managing to struggle back up to his feet.

"Sky Attack, one more time," Alain ordered quickly, obviously hoping Unfezant could manage one last powerful blow, despite his exhaustion at this point.

This battle had dragged on too long for Ash anyways. He needed Noivern fresh for the next opponent, so being tired out from Unfezant, who Talonflame had already battled hard, was not something he wanted to happen. "Acrobatics! Show him who's stronger!" Ash ordered.

Unfezant flapped his wings hard and then shot into the air, folding in his wings and shooting up like a missile. Noivern positioned his body similarly, zigzagging through the air first, and then folding his wings as his body glowed blue and he dived towards his opponent. They sped towards each other like rockets, and then in an instant, they slammed into each other at full force. Suddenly, as shape fell away, and Ash smiled, seeing Noivern shoot up into the sky, looking quite pleased, while Unfezant dropped to the ground once again. This time, when it landed, it didn't move again.

"Unfezant is unable to battle. Noivern is the winner!" the referee shouted, waving his flag towards Ash and Noivern, who was landing happily in front of his trainer.

"An impressive barrage of attacks from Noivern, followed by an incredible showing of his nerve in head to head combat. Incredible!" the announcer shouted.

Ash narrowed his eyes and smiled, excited for Alain's next choice. He watched as his opponent recalled Unfezant and then pulled out another pokeball. He threw it out with full force and then a bright light flashed, revealing a two-legged weasel like Pokemon with red feathers extending out of its head. A Weavile. This would be a tough one for Noivern, but Ash clenched his fists and nodded, as he saw Noivern brace himself for a fight, obviously wanting to continue.

When the referee made the call to resume the match, Ash and Alain were both quick to act. Alain immediately ordered a Double Team from Weavile, while Ash ordered Noivern to take to the skies, in preparation for an initial strong strike.

As Weavile copies started to spread all over the field, Ash smiled, perfectly happy to let Alain think he was safe with the defensive move. Ash and Noivern had a move that would easily counter it. "Boomburst! Hit the ground with everything you've got!"

"Noi!" Noivern shouted, spreading his wings and aiming his ears down towards the ground. "VERN!" he screeched, as the shock waves of energy fired towards the Weavile copies down below. Ash narrowed his eyes, watching closely. He saw some of the copies disappearing instantly, as the loud sound waves struck them. However, it was a little hard to spot the real one, as some of the copies moved away defensively, to avoid Boomburst. Finally, though, Ash was just barely able to spot a quick glance upwards from one of the Weaviles, making him sure it was the real one.

Ash waited for one more Boomburst to shake the ground, and then pointed. "Dragon Claw, straight down!" Noivern once again moved like lightning, shooting down with a glowing green claw and slashing out in the direction Ash pointed. He spotted the correct one immediately once close, his supersonic hearing identifying his target. He slashed out at the startled Weavile and the dark weasel Pokemon was sent flying through the air. It crashed into a rock hard, making it wince as it got to its feet. "Acrobatics, now!" Ash yelled.

"Ice Beam, quick!" Alain countered.

Noivern moved so quickly on Ash's order, it was impossible to pull him back. Ash could see that they'd put themselves in a vulnerable position, though. Noivern was weak to ice attacks, so ordering a close range charging attack put him right in front of Weavile for the weasel Pokemon to land an attack. He tensed up as he watched Noivern rush forward and Weavile lean back. Just as Noivern looked like he'd land the strike, Weavile exhaled and the icy beam of energy struck the incoming bat dragon. Noivern screeched loudly in pain and missed Weavile completely. He crashed hard into the ground, skidding along it, the ice on the bottom of his body breaking off as he slid.

"A costly mistake from Ash and Noivern, allowing a super effective hit to strike," the announcer explained to the crowd. "In such a tight match, all moves need to be precise."

Ash ignored his urge to abandon the match and throttle the announcer and instead made his next order. "Noivern, turn and use Boomburst, quick!"

Despite being winded, Noivern acted quickly once again, spinning around, still on the ground, and firing out the loud sound waves from his ears. An unsuspecting Weavile was launched off its feet and sent flying across the field. It skidded along the ground just like Noivern had.

"And just as we talk about Ash making a mistake, he uses those quick instincts of his to take advantage of Alain and Weavile being too comfortable with their successful strike. These two trainers know just what to do to take advantage of the few opportunities they get."

Ash was ready to make another opportunity happen. "Noivern, up in the air and use Acrobatics!"

"Ice Beam!" Alain shouted. "Get ready!"

Ash was surprised Alain was expecting him to use the same move in the same way, but he couldn't worry about that. If Alain was going to fall for it, that was fine. He watched closely as Noivern darted through the air, body bathed in a blue light. Then, Noivern shot down and darted quickly towards Weavile. Just as he neared and it looked like Weavile was about to open its mouth for an Ice Beam, Ash saw his chance. "Up and over!" he yelled.

"Now!" Alain suddenly shouted. Ash's eyes widened and he clenched his fists in frustration as Noivern did as commanded and darted up quickly, which would have been perfect for avoiding an Ice Beam and landing a hit on the downward hit. However, Alain had planned for this, clearly, and Weavile suddenly aimed up and behind itself and fired off the Ice Beam at the incoming Noivern.

"Vern!" Noivern screeched out in pain, staggering away from the landed attack. Ash noticed a few patches of ice on his wings and body, and knew he needed to end this.

Ash focused on the two Pokemon and then immediately noticed that Noivern was close enough to get in before Weavile could use another Ice Beam. "Noivern, Dragon Claw, quick!"

"Metal Claw!" Alain countered.

Noivern immediately rushed down, claw extending out and glowing green. He slashed outward with full force, just as Weavile slashed up with a glowing white claw. The attacks struck each other hard and sparks showered around both Pokemon. Ash could see Noivern tensing up, doing his best to force his attack through.

"Quick, use Boomburst at close range!" Ash yelled, seeing the opportunity available.

"Ice Beam!" Alain shouted quickly, no panic in his voice, apparently not worried about the close range Boomburst.

Suddenly, both Pokemon were charging their attacks, releasing their holds of Dragon Claw and Metal Claw. Then Boomburst and Ice Beam fired out at close range, impacting immediately and exploding against each other. The blast of energy ripped through the field, sending rocks flying in all directions. Ash even had to dodge a couple, while shielding his eyes from the dust and wind flying towards him.

Finally, after the dust settled, the result of the impacting attacks was revealed. Ash sighed, seeing Noivern face down in front of him, while a panting Weavile stood in front of Alain. The referee held his flag up towards the latter. "Noivern is unable to battle. Weavile is the winner!"

Ash pulled out Noivern's pokeball and then hesitated. He plucked another one from his belt first and then tossed it out. "Hawlucha, I choose you!" With a flash of light, the showy fighting type emerged, punching the air a few times in excitement. Then, he looked to his left, and noticed his downed friend. "Hawlucha, make sure Noivern's alright for me, ok?"

"Lucha!" Hawlucha shouted in answer, running over to Noivern and kneeling down next to him. Ash saw Noivern raise his head and look up. He growled out something and Hawlucha nodded, before Noivern lay his head back down. Hawlucha glanced up at Ash and gave a confident nod.

Ash held up Noivern's pokeball and recalled the bat dragon as Hawlucha turned around. "Thanks Noivern," Ash whispered, "you did a great job." He looked out at the furious looking Hawlucha and narrowed his eyes. It was time to show Alain another level. "Ready to go, Forest Champion?"

Hawlucha leaped into the air, spun around with a kick, landed and punched the air a few times. He finished with a confident pose, getting a large cheer from the crowd. "Haw! Hawlucha!" he shouted out, lowering himself and bracing for the coming fight with Weavile. Ash smiled. Alain was definitely in trouble now.