Ash stared at Charizard's pokeball for a moment after recalling him. He'd done well, and he'd made a difference. Ash wasn't going to let Gardevoir's victory get in his head. "Thanks Charizard, you were awesome. We're gonna win this, and you're going to have been a crucial part of it."

"Ash, your Charizard is very strong," Diantha called towards him, as she pulled out her next pokeball. "Almost any other opponent would have been defeated by that Blast Burn attack." She then smirked, as she held up the pokeball. "But I'm not any other opponent, and neither is Gardevoir." She threw out her next pokeball and a light flashed, revealing her Gourgeist in front of her.

"I can still beat you," Ash assured the Kalos Champion. He glanced down to Pikachu and smiled. "Ready to go, buddy?"

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

"Good, then I choose you!" Ash yelled, turning and pointing ahead. Pikachu nodded and leaped forward, sliding a couple of feet on the dirt, before stopping and bracing himself for battle. He was pumped up for this just as much as Ash. They'd come so far together since that first day in Pallet Town, and now they were finally having a true battle against a Champion.

Diantha looked quite interested as Pikachu stood ready for battle. "Interesting," she said calmly, "I hope Pikachu's better prepared than last time."

Ash narrowed his eyes, feeling a little insulted by that. "Pikachu's always ready," he assured the Champion. "And we haven't forgotten last time. We're winning this battle for sure."

Diantha just nodded in return and then both trainers looked towards the referee, eager to get the match going again. Ash's fists were clenched, and he could see Pikachu's tail swishing back and forth, apparently feeling just what he felt. If Diantha was going to say Pikachu wasn't prepared last time, they were going to show her just how ready he was now. When the referee waved his flag, Pikachu's speed was their weapon of choice, once again.

"Iron Tail, now!" Ash yelled, thrusting his fist forward as Pikachu took off, a dust cloud trail going up behind him as he ran towards Gourgeist. Diantha even looked startled by the speed, and had now chance to order a counter move as Pikachu leaped up towards Gourgeist.

"Chuuu-PIKA!" Pikachu roared, as he launched forward, spinning around and then slammed his metallic tail into the pumpkin Pokemon. There was a loud smacking sound, and then Gourgeist rocketed to the ground, dust shooting into the air from the collision.

"Now, use Thunderbolt!" Ash ordered quickly, quickly forgetting about proving Pikachu was ready, and instead focusing on winning the battle.

As Pikachu descended to the ground, he aimed his head low, then pulled it back up, cheeks sparking as he charged up the electricity. "Piii-kaaa-CHUUU!" he shouted, a massive bolt of electricity shooting down and hitting the ground where Gourgeist was still winded from the Iron Tail.

"Geiiist!" Gourgeist shrieked, as the electricity coursed through its body. Ash felt a rush of satisfaction, as Pikachu landed, ready for his next order, looking just as satisfied. If Pikachu had whatever abilities Greninja had, Ash knew they'd be syncing up into a special form at that moment. Right now, they were at their best.

Diantha was ready to make her counter, though, and Ash knew that he and Pikachu couldn't let their guard down. Even at their best, Diantha was still strong enough to make them pay for any simple mistake they made. "Well," Diantha said, chuckling a little, "it looks like Pikachu's ready." She then narrowed her eyes, as Gourgeist straightened up. "Don't think I don't have a strategy, though. Pikachu may be fast, but can he see a hidden ghost?" Ash stared back, not having any clue what Diantha was talking about. Gourgeist was completely visible. The answer came fairly quickly. "Gourgeist, use Phantom Force!"

Once Diantha made her order, Gourgeist vanished in an instant, immediately making Ash nervous. It had disappeared so quickly, that there was no way to plan for it. He couldn't hear anything, or see any slight movements. Pikachu was just as lost, ears perked up and staring around wildly. Neither of them knew what to do, and Ash could see that Diantha was fully aware of it.

"Pikachu won't be able to find Gourgeist until it's too late," Diantha assured Ash, confidence clear in her voice. "Phantom Force is a move that keeps the Pokemon using it completely hidden until it attacks."

Ash didn't say anything and just kept his eyes wide, searching for anything that could help him and Pikachu. He didn't care what Diantha was saying. There was always a way to get out of these situations. Or at least, there was always a way to use it to your advantage. Ash knew this move wasn't flawless. Whether Diantha was a Champion or not, it looked like she still had to learn that.

His attention immediately went to Pikachu as a shape appeared behind the electric mouse, rushing forward, covered in a black mist. It crashed into Pikachu and sent him flying backwards, where he landed hard and rolled along the ground, before stopping in front of Ash. Ash gritted his teeth in frustration, but was relieved as Pikachu quickly got back up, shaking off the pain. Not bad, Ash though, but I see a way to counter that already.

Ash wasn't going to put his plan to work yet, though. He preferred if it wasn't necessary, as it likely involved another painful Phantom Force for Pikachu. "Pikachu, Iron Tail, now!" he yelled quickly, seeing Gourgeist briefly stopped after its attack.

"Use Seed Bomb!" Diantha yelled in answer.

Pikachu bolted ahead immediately, tail stretched out behind him as he charged towards Gourgeist. As he closed the gap, his tail began to glow in preparation for his strike. Gourgeist was just as prepared, though, rising up into the air quickly, its mouth glowing green as it prepared its attack. Then, just as Pikachu got underneath it, Gourgeist began to fire, seeds shooting out rapidly.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted confidently, not backing down one bit. He leaped up by slamming hard onto the ground with his tail, and using it to spring himself up faster. The seeds hit him, but he didn't seem to care as each exploded against him. Ash wasn't expecting the recklessness, but understood it. Pikachu didn't want to waste any time deflecting the attacks. He needed to strike now. He managed to barrel through the seeds, and then, after bursting through a cloud of smoke, emerged right in front of Gourgeist. "Chuuu-PIKA!" he yelled, spinning around and slamming his tail as hard as he could into Gourgeist. The pumpkin Pokemon seemed to gasp for a moment, and was then launched to the ground, hitting it hard.

As Pikachu landed softly on his feet on the field, Gourgeist slowly managed to rise up, and Ash saw Diantha smirk as she called her order. "Gourgeist, Trick or Treat!"

Ash had been expecting another Phantom Force, so this one caught him off guard. Once again, Gourgeist disappeared, but it reappeared very quickly, this time to Pikachu's side. It then grabbed Pikachu's arm and quickly shot forward, a black mist forming in front of them. Gourgeist seemed to be singing or humming as it slowly dragged a now dazed Pikachu through the mist. Then, both disappeared briefly, before reappearing in front of Ash, where Gourgeist dropped Pikachu, before returning to the opposite end of the field.

Ash stared in shock at Pikachu, who was now slowly rising to his feet. The electric mouse was mostly the same, but Ash could see something different about him. Black mist was around his body, and every time he breathed, Ash could almost feel a chill go through the air. "What did you do?" he asked angrily, looking at Diantha.

"Trick or Treat makes those it is used on become a ghost type," Diantha explained, calmly. "Don't worry, it isn't permanent. However, I must ask, are you aware that ghost types are weak to ghost type moves?"

Ash narrowed his eyes. Of course he knew that, and he now knew what Diantha was up to. "Pikachu, don't worry. You're stronger than Gourgeist no matter what." Pikachu straightened up and nodded, bracing himself for the next stage of the battle.

"We'll see," Diantha said darkly. "Gourgeist, Phantom Force, once more!"

Ash narrowed his eyes as Gourgeist disappeared. He knew this was risky, but unfortunately he saw no other way. He needed to have faith that Pikachu could handle it. "Pikachu, get ready with Iron Tail."

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded, his tail straightening out behind him. The cold air and the black mist was making Pikachu's ghost-like presence more noticeable. He wasn't shivering like he had been before, although he did look uncomfortable, knowing that it was likely going to be a more powerful strike this time.

Then, Gourgeist suddenly appeared, right behind Pikachu, covered in a black mist and making the air feel like ice. It slammed into Pikachu with full force and Ash heard Pikachu cry out in pain. It wasn't over, though. Now was the time for their plan. "Lock onto it with Iron Tail, quick!" Ash yelled.

It nearly didn't work, as once Ash made the call, Gourgeist did its best to let go of Pikachu. However, the determined electric mouse wasn't going to give up that easily, flinging up his tail so quickly it struck Gourgeist hard in the back, before Pikachu was able to hold it in place.

"Now, Electro-Ball!" Ash ordered, pumping his fist as he saw Pikachu holding on tight. He could see that Diantha was noticing trouble, but there wasn't really anything she could do. It was up to Gourgeist and Pikachu now.

"Pika-pika-pika..." Pikachu started chanting, as Gourgeist whipped up and down and desperately tried to throw him off. "Pika-pika-pika..." the chant continued, the electrical sphere at the tip of Pikachu's tail continuously growing.

"Let it rip!" Ash shouted, punching the air as Pikachu spun Gourgeist around, now completely overpowering it.

"CHUPI!" Pikachu roared, as the electrical sphere exploded against Gourgeist and Pikachu thrust down with his tail. Sparks and smoke flew up from the attack and Gourgeist rocketed to the ground. There was a crunching sound as it hit, and Ash watched closely as the dust and smoke started to fade.

The call was easy for the referee to make. "Gourgeist is unable to battle. Pikachu is the winner!"

"Well done, Ash," Diantha called out, as she recalled Gourgeist to its pokeball. Pikachu's definitely far stronger than last time."

Ash nodded, as Pikachu looked back at him proudly. "Pikachu is always far stronger than last time. We're always getting better."

"Well, let's see if you can improve on the last result against my Goodra," Diantha said confidently, throwing out her next pokeball. The light flashed and her Goodra emerged and stood up straight, looking incredibly intimidating in front of the much smaller shape that was Pikachu.

Ash wasn't going to back down from this challenge, though, and he knew that Pikachu wouldn't either. "Are you ok to keep going, buddy?" Ash asked his loyal partner.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted, giving a fist pump before turning around and facing Goodra. He couldn't have looked more ready. Rather than tiring himself out with the battle against Gourgeist, he'd only warmed himself up. He wasn't going to stop now.

When the referee made the signal to continue, Ash and Pikachu were quick to make use of their speed advantage. Ash knew full well from his time with his own Goodra, that it was a skill that the large dragon type lacked, so if he and Pikachu managed to avoid its powerful strikes and chip away at its defences, they'd have a good chance. "Quick Attack!" Ash yelled quickly.

Diantha was quick to counter with the same move she'd ordered to counter Sceptile's speed against Goodra. "Muddy Water!" she shouted, as Pikachu bolted forward.

It wasn't fast enough this time, though. As Goodra roared and raised its tail, Pikachu seemed to double his speed and then leaped forward. "PIKA!" he shouted, as his body struck Goodra's chest with all the force he could muster. It was almost comical as the massive dragon type fell backwards from the impact of the much smaller Pokemon, its back hitting the ground hard.

"Now, Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled, seeing Pikachu quickly spinning around in midair, ready to strike again immediately. His cheeks immediately started to spark with electricity. However, just before he unleashed the attack, Goodra shouted out, and then dark water sprayed upwards towards Pikachu. The Thunderbolt immediately stopped and Pikachu shielded his eyes and hit the ground, wiping them furiously. "Pikachu!" Ash called in concern.

"Pika..." Pikachu answered back, blinking a few times and then lowering himself to the ground to brace for his next attack. Goodra was up as well, and Pikachu wasn't going to let some mud get in his way of fighting back.

"Just like with Sceptile, Pikachu's got the speed advantage over Goodra," Diantha explained, watching Ash closely, "but don't forget, speed needs accuracy." Her eyes quickly shot towards the two Pokemon who were staring each other down. "Fire Blast, now!"

"Electro-Ball!" Ash quickly shouted.

"GoooooDRA!" Goodra roared, the five pronged fire attack quickly forming in front of it, before launching forward.

Pikachu was just as fast as he prepared his attack. He leaped in the air, stretching out his tail, and shouted his chant at full speed. "Pika-pika-pika-pika-pika-pika-CHUP!" he roared, flinging his tail out with full force. The two attacks launched towards each other and then exploded against each other on contact. Fire, sparks, smoke and dust shot out in all directions and the ground and the air shook with the vibrations of the colliding attacks. Ash had to shield his eyes as dust shot out towards him. He gritted his teeth, knowing Pikachu was already having a hard enough time seeing with the previous Muddy Water attack.

Diantha was quick to take advantage of the lack of sight, obviously thinking the same as Ash. "Goodra, use Dragon Pulse!"

"Pikachu, focus with your ears and use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted quickly. He didn't want to engage in a battle of power with Goodra, but it looked like that was how it was going to have to go. Not to mention, Pikachu's sight would be an issue as well.

As the dust began to settle from the previous exchange of attacks, Ash saw the blue light of the Dragon Pulse forming within Goodra's jaws. He felt a bit of panic within him, though, as he wasn't able to see Pikachu's electricity. He couldn't even hear Pikachu. Then, all of a sudden, Goodra roared and the shiny dragon-shaped beam of energy shot forward. The dust was just cleared enough that Ash could see where it was heading.

The Dragon Pulse hit nothing but dirt, and exploded against the ground, shooting up another cloud of dust. Ash smiled, seeing exactly where Pikachu was. Diantha seemed to notice as well, although it was too late. "Piii-kaaa-chuuu!" Pikachu shouted from the air, as he landed on Goodra's head. The electricity completely covered the dragon type's body and it roared in pain, thrashing wildly about, desperately trying to get rid of Pikachu. It didn't matter if Pikachu's eyes were trying to see through mud, now. He didn't need to look to know that he had Goodra right where he needed it.

"Pikachu's very determined, that's for sure," Diantha admitted, and Ash couldn't help but feel satisfied that he and Pikachu had the Champion looking frustrated. They were really doing it. They were battling a Champion, and not only that. They had her on the ropes. At least with this battle.

"You've got that right," Ash assured her. "And now it's time to show just how much that determination means. Pikachu, Electro-Ball!"

"Counter with Focus Blast!" Diantha ordered quickly. "Don't think you've got Goodra completely trapped, Ash. My Pokemon are determined as well."

As Pikachu began his chant from Goodra's back, Ash saw the dragon type's arms close together and an orb of blue light appear in between them. It grew at the same speed as Pikachu's electrical sphere, and Ash could already sense the danger coming. Just as Pikachu's Electro-Ball was ready to go, Goodra managed to do one last push and spun around, breaking free of Pikachu's hold. Neither of them wasted any time in worrying about it, though, and swung forward with their attacks. Unfortunately for Pikachu, the Muddy Water attack managed to get to him this time. The Electro-Ball barrelled past Goodra as it moved its body left, and then the Focus Blast hit Pikachu squarely in the middle of the chest.

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted in pain, as he was launched high into the air, spinning around as the blast carried him up. Then, after a few seconds, it exploded with a cloud of smoke, and then Pikachu began to fall.

"Despite Goodra's lack of speed, it can still avoid an attack from a Pokemon who can't aim straight," Diantha explained. "And Goodra can definitely aim straight. Dragon Pulse!"

Ash narrowed his eyes. Pikachu wouldn't let Muddy Water decide the outcome of this match. He was far too smart and really just far too powerful for that. Ash could see him as he approached the ground. The electric mouse wasn't backing down. His eyes were narrowed in determination, and he was ready to fight back. "Iron Tail!" Ash shouted. "Power through that Dragon Pulse!"

The electric mouse immediately spun around, aiming his tail downwards. It immediately started to glow white, before a silver gleam passed over it. As the Dragon Pulse shot upwards towards him, Pikachu didn't flinch at all. Ash saw him blink a few times, eyes squinting so he could see. Then, he swung down with all his energy, his tail smashing against the incoming Dragon Pulse. "Chuuu!" Pikachu yelled, as the attacks strained against each other. For a moment, he was still, but then he started to descend, powering through the attack and gaining speed as he did so. As he started to get closer to Goodra, Ash could tell both Pikachu and the dragon type were putting all their energy into the struggle.

Ash knew just how they were going to finish this. "Pikachu, finish this with Electro-Ball! Put everything into it!"

Diantha could clearly see her Goodra was in trouble, and was desperate to fight back. "Break off Dragon Pulse and use Fire Blast!" she ordered quickly.

As Goodra broke of the Dragon Pulse, Pikachu immediately started to fall quicker. This didn't change his focus, though. He kept his tail straight, and the Electro-Ball was quickly forming. The flames appeared in Goodra's jaw and quickly expanded as Pikachu sped towards the dragon type. The attacks quickly expanded, becoming complete seconds before they made contact. As they struck, Ash heard a loud, "CHUPI!" from Pikachu and a loud, "DRA!" in response. Flames and sparks shot outwards and Ash heard a loud thud and another softer one through the sound of rushing wind in his ears. He shielded his eyes as smoke blew at him. After a few moments, he was able to look, and the result was shown before him, with one Pokemon down in front of their trainer, and the other standing upright, looking proud.

"Goodra is unable to battle. Pikachu is the winner!" the referee shouted, waving his flag towards Ash. Ash nodded to Pikachu and signalled for him to come back. He was proud of his loyal partner, but he definitely needed to rest. There was still a long way to go. Two more Pokemon to beat, and one of them was Gardevoir.

"He might actually do this..." Clemont whispered very quietly, barely heard with the buzzing of the crowd. "Ash might actually beat a Champion."

Serena nodded, not bothering to answer. She'd come here with the mindset that Ash was going to win. Sure, she was getting nervous whenever Diantha landed an attack, or whenever Ash looked trapped, but she'd been confident from the start. Ash had earned this match. Ash was capable of winning, and she was glad he was proving it.

She turned her focus towards the battlefield again, and saw both Ash and Diantha pulling out their next pokeballs. This match was crucial for Diantha. If Ash managed to win this one, she would be down to just Gardevoir, while Ash would still have four Pokemon. Of course, both Pikachu and Infernape had already battled, so it was going to be tough for Ash no matter what.

Diantha called hers out first. "Hawlucha, come on out!" she shouted, and a flash of light from her pokeball revealed her fighting hawk Pokemon, who flipped through the air and then landed softly, before bracing for battle.

Ash didn't hesitate to call out his next Pokemon, apparently perfectly willing to go with the matchup he could see would occur. "Snorlax, I choose you!" he shouted. When the light flashed, the enormous, always hungry Pokemon emerged, standing upright and ready for battle. Serena smirked, amused at how serious Snorlax looked. Ash had promised him that if he won, Snorlax would get a huge meal to celebrate. Of course, Snorlax knew Ash well enough to know he was probably getting the big meal no matter what, but he was still willing to work for it, as evidenced by him emerging standing up, which was definitely a plus with what Serena had heard about some of Snorlax's past.

Serena got the feeling that Ash had planned for this specific battle. It was probably a little strange for him to have to go up against two Pokemon he had himself, but it also gave him an advantage as to knowing their weaknesses. Ash had learned in his battle against Sawyer, that Hawlucha's quick striking style wasn't enough to wear down Slaking before the heavy strikes were returned. Perhaps Ash was thinking Snorlax could do what Slaking did.

As the referee raised his flag to signal for the match to resume, Serena clenched her fists. She was about to find out about Ash's strategy with Snorlax now, and hopefully it was just as effective. She was aware that Diantha likely had something planned as well, though, and that was what worried her.

Diantha was quick to make the first move, and Serena wasn't surprised that Ash allowed it, given what his apparent strategy seemed to be. "Hawlucha, Poison Jab!" the Champion ordered quickly.

Ash made the counter move quickly, though, clearly not willing to give Hawlucha a free strike so easily. "Snorlax, use Protect!" he shouted, holding out his hand as though blocking the attack himself.

"Lucha!" Hawlucha shouted, pulling back its fist as it crouched low, running towards Snorlax. As it ran, Serena saw the fist beginning to glow in a purple light, and she knew that if it landed, it wouldn't be good news for Snorlax. The massive Pokemon stood straigher, then puffed out his belly, which briefly glowed white. Then, as Hawlucha lunged forward and smashed its purple fist into the belly, nothing happened.

Ash didn't hesitate, and Snorlax seemed more than ready to make his move. "Ice Punch, let's go!" Ash yelled, punching the air, as though he was the one attacking.

"Snorrr-laaaxxx!" Snorlax roared, pulling back his fist, which glowed white while moving back. It started to glow blue as it was thrust forward towards a startled looking Hawlucha. Serena could see the bits of ice coming off of the fist as it sailed towards Hawlucha. As the fist struck, Serena heard the thud it made, and then Hawlucha went flying across the field, crashing hard into the ground and sliding a few feet before coming to a stop.

"What a hit by Snorlax!" the announcer shouted. "A perfect block to set up the strike, and then Hawlucha gets sent flying!"

"Clever move, Ash," Diantha admitted, watching Hawlucha carefully as it got to its feet. "Don't forget that Hawlucha is trained for fights like this, though. Its not only capable of fighting with speed, but also brute strength. She smirked, as she made a fist in front of her face. "Hawlucha, use Swords Dance!"

"Haw-hawlucha!" Hawlucha shouted, quickly straightening out, and then folding its cape-like wings over its face and spinning around. Suddenly, little, glowing red sword images started spinning around it as though dancing. They then shot up into the air and Hawlucha unfolded its wings and spread out, looking noticeably more intimidating. Its eyes showed that it was ready to fight.

"Now, X-Scissor!" Diantha ordered quickly.

"Ice Punch again!" Ash shouted. Serena was a bit confused why he wouldn't use Protect again, but then remembered that there was an increased chance of it failing if used back to back, which had happened against Remo.

As Hawlucha rushed forward, it crossed its arms across its chest. Serena could see the determination in its eyes. It was desperate to show its increased strength and it clearly didn't like Snorlax's previous attack. Snorlax wasn't going to give in though. He had his fist pulled back and it glowed with both icy energy and raw power. He was going to strike back with everything he had. Finally, Hawlucha reached its hulking opponent and leaped up, uncrossing its arms and lunging forward. At the same moment, Snorlax thrust forward with his frosty fist, striking right in the middle of the X-formed blast of light that rushed forward from Hawlucha. The two attacks clashed together and Serena was shocked to see Snorlax struggling against the power. Clearly Swords Dance had done its job and Hawlucha was matching Snorlax power for power. Eventually, neither side could take anymore, and they each shoved outward one last time, sending both Pokemon skidding a few feet backwards.

This was where Hawlucha's speed advantage showed itself, with a quick recovery. "Poison Jab, let's go!" Diantha shouted quickly. As Snorlax started to stand up straighter, he had no opportunity to act. Hawlucha was too quick in rushing forward, pulling back its fist, and then thrusting it into Snorlax's large belly.

"Snorlax!" Ash shouted in concern. Serena's eyes widened as Snorlax fell backwards, roaring in pain while Hawlucha flipped back, seemingly admiring its work. Serena could already see the purple smoke coming from Snorlax's nostrils. He was poisoned.

"I told you I wouldn't go easy on you, Ash," Diantha said seriously. "And forcing you to deal with a poisoned Pokemon is part of that. Hawlucha, hit it with Flying Press!"

"Snorlax, try and use Protect!" Ash called, although the doubt in his voice showed that he knew Snorlax wouldn't be able to do it.

"Lucha!" Hawlucha shouted, leaping high into the air and gliding into position above Snorlax. Serena clenched her fists tightly as she watched it pose. It looked so much like Ash's Hawlucha in that moment that it was almost painful for her to watch it attacking Snorlax. As it aimed and then launched towards Snorlax, Serena was praying for Ash to come up with a counter. He needed to find a way to get rid of the poisoning. Hawlucha didn't mind the poisoning, though, as it struck Snorlax with a loud smacking sound and again, Snorlax roared in pain, while Hawlucha quickly leaped back.

"It's risky, but we've gotta do it, Snorlax," Ash called out, voice surprisingly calm. "Use Rest!" There was a quick growl from Snorlax, and then Serena focused in on the giant Pokemon. She squinted in confusion as she saw him close his eyes, and then immediately her eyes widened again as he glowed white briefly. The purple smoke that had been coming from his nostrils immediately disappeared. It was a great move, having healed the sleeping Pokemon. However, there was a problem. Waking up Snorlax would definitely be an issue.

"Very well," Diantha said, sounding both impressed and curious with Ash's move, "if Snorlax is asleep, I guess we'll just have to keep attacking. Hawlucha, Flying Press again!"

"Snorlax, listen to my voice. I know you can hear me," Ash started calling, cupping his hands around his mouth as he called, so his voice echoed carried further towards Snorlax. "Just stay calm and listen to me. You can wake up!"

It was too late for the first Flying Press, though. As Snorlax gave a big snort through his sleep, Hawlucha descended like a bullet. There was a brief moment where Snorlax's arm came up, but it was just so that he could scratch his belly in his sleep. Hawlucha then slammed hard into Snorlax, and quickly flipped away, while Snorlax growled painfully in his sleep.

"Flying Press, one more time!" Diantha shouted, while Snorlax moaned in his sleep.

"Lucha!" Hawlucha shouted in answer, once again launching itself high into the air, before posing and then bolting towards the ground, and Snorlax. It rapidly descended and, once again, Snorlax didn't budge, the speeding hawk Pokemon slamming into him again. He roared in pain again, and Serena could see from Ash's posture that he was getting frustrated.

"Come on, Ash, you can do this," Serena whispered, clutching her ribbon as she watched Hawlucha flipping backwards.

Diantha once again ordered another Flying Press and this time it was apparent that Ash needed something to happen. Despite Snorlax sleeping, he had definitely taken some heavy damage here, and it was risky to let him get hit one more time. "Come on, Snorlax, you can do this!" Ash shouted, as Hawlucha started posing in the air. "Wake up, Snorlax! You've got a big meal waiting for you after this battle, so wake up!"

The final shout came just as Hawlucha started speeding to the ground, but Serena could see that it had the desired effect. Snorlax's eyes suddenly shot open and they seemed to lock onto the fighting hawk Pokemon speeding towards him. With incredible agility, he held up his legs and then rolled forward from his back and got to his feet. "SNORRR-LAAAXXX!" he roared loudly, as the startled looking Halwucha sped downwards.

"Ice Punch, let's go!" a confident Ash yelled, punching the air in triumph. Snorlax was quick to act. He pulled back his fist, with a pure look of determination on his face. It glowed so brightly that Serena was sure he was somehow doubling the power in the punch from last time. Then, just as Hawlucha reached him, Snorlax thrust forward with his fist, and he smacked it hard into the incoming fighting hawk Pokemon. This time there was no straining for power. Snorlax completely overwhelmed Hawlucha, and within a second, it was sent flying backwards, hitting the ground hard and digging into the dirt, before continuing through the ground and leaving a paved path behind it.

"Yes!" Serena shouted, surprised by her own display of excitement. She supposed it was because she had been sure Snorlax was about to lose, so this turn of events was definitely exciting.

"Now, use Hyper Beam!" Ash shouted, clearly ready to finish this match off. From the match against Remo, Serena knew just how much power Snorlax could get into a Hyper Beam, and he also seemed particularly motivated.

"Snorrr..." Snorlax growled, taking a deep breath and then locking his sights on Hawlucha, who was still struggling to get up. Serena could just see the orange energy forming around his jaws.

"Hawlucha, counter with X-Scissor! Let's finish this up!" Diantha shouted, sounding surprisingly confident herself. Serena supposed she had enough reason to. Hawluch had carried much of this battle so far, despite the heavy hits it had taken.

It was definitely going to be close. As both Pokemon braced themselves, Snorlax forming his Hyper Beam, Hawlucha crossing its arms and preparing to run, Serena could see their determined looks. Each attack would take everything they had.

Suddenly, Hawlucha was running full speed, arms crossed in front of it, head bowed low. Serena had to admire its bravery. When she'd had Giovanni shoot a Hyper Beam at her, she definitely would never have imagined running towards it, so seeing Diantha's Hawlucha running towards Snorlax's was somewhat impressive. Snorlax watching the incoming fighting hawk was also impressive. It was clear enough at this point that despite the size difference, Hawlucha's attacks packed a great deal of power too.

Eventually, the two Pokemon were within reach, though, and the exchange of attacks was imminent. As Hawlucha leaped forward, uncrossing its arms and releasing the X-formed blast of white light, Snorlax roared one more time and the massive jet of yellow and orange energy shot outwards from his jaws. As the attacks made contact, there was a moment of silence as they pushed against each other, Then, with a massive explosion that rocked the stadium, smoke, dust and wind burst out in all directions. Serena shut her eyes and held tightly to her ribbon, desperate to keep it on more than her hat, which luckily stayed on as well. After a few moments, the wind and smoke settled, and Serena was able to look towards to field. She wasn't even that surprised at what she saw.

"Both Snorlax and Hawlucha are unable to battle. It's a draw!" the referee shouted, holding up both flags, towards both trainers.

"You know what this means, right?" an excited Gary asked, turning around and looking at everyone in the group.

Serena felt her heart start to race as she started to realized what Gary was noticing. Her friends all started to mutter excitedly as well, also apparently realizing. In fact, the whole crowd was buzzing at what was happening. Despite it being a draw, that result had put Ash in an extremely good position. Diantha was down to just one Pokemon, now. Ash still had Infernape, Pikachu and Greninja. The advantage was his, no matter how strong Gardevoir had proven itself to be against Charizard. Ash was ready to beat the Champion.

"Don't think that you have this match won yet, Ash," Diantha said seriously, as she recalled Hawlucha and pulled out her next pokeball. "I'm aware of the numbers, but Gardevoir is my strongest, even without mega evolution. This match is far from over, Ash."

"I know," Ash answered, putting away Snorlax's pokeball and pulling out his next one. Serena wondered if it was Greninja's, or if Ash was going to try to hold off on using him for now. "We've come this far, though, and we're not stopping now. Infernape, I choose you!" he shouted, throwing out the pokeball, which flashed open and revealed the flaming monkey Pokemon, who looked more than ready to fight again. "Bring it on, Diantha!"

Diantha smirked in answer and held up her pokeball. "Here we go, Ash. You beat Gardevoir, and you're the winner. Come on out, Gardevoir!" Again, as the pokeball hit the field, it flashed brightly, before revealing Gardevoir. She looked determined to fight, and even glanced over at the screen at the side of the field, which showed Diantha with just Gardevoir remaining. She had no interest in losing this match for her trainer. "Now, let's see if Infernape can do what Charizard couldn't."