The next morning, the four semi-finalists and their friends, sat together in the hotel lobby while enjoying a breakfast that was prepared for them. The matches would start within a few hours and they needed all the energy they could get.

"Can you believe it? We're in the semi-finals! This is awesome!" Tim exclaimed, chowing down on a plate of eggs.

"Can't argue with you there, though you do realize that only one of us walks away with the trophy right?" Katrina added, taking a bite of her pancakes.

"Eh, a trophy is nice, but winning that isn't exactly what I came here for. I came to have fun, a trophy is a bonus for me," Brendan shrugged.

Courtney chuckled slightly at Brendan's remark. "Come now Brendan, I know you want to win as badly as they do. I can see it in your eyes every time you battle," Courtney snickered.

"True, I do want to win. But if I make it all about that, I'll lose sight of the importance of it all which is to have fun and bond with my Pokémon. That being said, yes, I do want to win," Brendan admitted with a smirk.

"Well, you're gonna have to get through us first. It's the semi-finals, which means full battles! I don't know about you guys, but I'm pumped!" Tim grinned.

Brendan chuckled and then looked over at a silent Wally. "Everything okay over there Wally?" He asked curiously.

Wally blinked and looked up. "Oh, yeah! Sorry, I was a little spaced out there. I was awake most of the night figuring out a strategy is all. I think I'll be okay once I finish eating," Wally said with a smile.

"Cool, you're not the only one who was up late. I think we all were," Brendan laughed.

"Yeah, no kidding. Considering who I'm against," Tim gestured to Katrina, "I needed to brainstorm."

Katrina raised a brow. "Same goes for me too. I've seen your Pokémon in action and I had to come up with strategies for all of you. We don't know how this is going to go down. All I can say is that I look forward to our match, Tim. So bring your A game because I'm not pulling any punches. But you already knew that, right?" Katrina smirked.

"Trust me, I'm well aware," Tim laughed.

"Let's all do our best and give trainers out there matches they won't ever forget," Brendan proposed, getting affirmative nods from his friends.

"Well," Tim began, patting his stomach in satisfaction, "I'm stuffed. I think I'm gonna go for a walk. See you guys in the stadium!" Tim said as he got up and walked out the door.

"I think I'll head out as well. I need some time to think," Wally added, waving to Brendan with a smile. "Meet you on the battlefield. I promise to give it everything I've got," Wally declared with a confident expression.

"I have no doubt you will, Wally. See you soon," Brendan replied with a grin.

Katrina stood up and stretched. "I'm off to meet with my sister. Her and I are going to look around for a while before the semifinals start. Catch you later Brendan, Courtney," Katrina said as she escorted herself out of the lobby.

Brendan leaned back in his chair and sighed. Today was the last day of the Ever Grande Conference. All of his training had lead up to this day. He too had been thinking up a strategy for his battle against Wally and should he win, Tim or Katrina. Courtney slid int his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"So, what have you got going on in there?" She inquired, lightly tapping his head.

Brendan laughed and looked up at her. "Just thinking about the match. I know it's a few hours away, but I'm excited," Brendan replied.

"And you should be. You're up against one of your friends. It'll be fun to watch," Courtney grinned.

Brendan nodded and pulled her close, pressing his lips to hers, lingering before pulling away. "And I have you to thank for helping me get prepared for this," Brendan said with a faint smile.

Courtney nuzzled her nose against his and kissed it. "It was a pleasure to help you out. Now, I need to take a shower. Meet you down here afterwards?" Courtney asked, fluttering her lashes at him in a cute manner.

"You bet!" Brendan replied.

Courtney nodded and kissed his lips once more before sauntering away. Brendan smiled contentedly as he sat back in his chair. His mind went back to the night before.
____________________________________

Brendan was wide awake, pouring over possible strategies for his battle against Wally. It wasn't just Wally he had to plan for, however. It was Tim and Katrina as well. All three of them were great trainers and would be tough to bypass in order to secure a spot in the championship round. He ran his hands through his hair and gave an exasperated sigh. He looked back at Courtney who was sound asleep. A smile crossed his face as he beheld her. He had mostly her to thank for getting as far as he had.

She had been with him through several battles, a worldwide crisis, and now she was here, cheering him on at the Ever Grande Conference. How was he to thank her for it all? He stood up and pushed his chair in and walked away from the desk. He made his way over to Courtney and sat beside her as she slept. Despite the disturbance, she didn't wake up. He ran a hand through her hair and watched as she smiled in her sleep.

"I'll find some way to pay you back for all your help. I'll do my best for you," Brendan said quietly as he leaned down to gently kiss her lips.

With that, he crawled back into bed and pulled the covers over himself and turned to pull her close. As he fell asleep, Courtney's eyes slowly opened. She'd heard him clearly and was delighted by his statement. She smiled giddily and closed her eyes, rolling over to press her body into his as they slept.
_____________________________________

Courtney stepped out of the shower and began to dry off. It was the final day of the Conference and she wanted to look her best. She was also nervous about it considering what she had planned for Brendan. Shaking the nerves from her mind, she proceeded to look through her suitcase to find an outfit for the occasion. She picked out a cute red blouse that was sleeveless and had a bow sash that could be adjusted. She also chose a suede skirt with a studded belt and black and red boots to go with it.

After getting dressed, she slipped on a pair of earrings and grabbed her purse. She sat in front of the mirror and finished getting herself ready for the day. A lot was weighing on her mind. But she wouldn't let any of it show. Today, she was going to be there to cheer Brendan on in one of the biggest matches of his journey. With the finishing touches in place, she made her way out of the room and down to the lobby.

She saw Brendan sitting on a sofa, his eyes closed as if he were meditating on something. She smirked and sauntered towards him, the heels of her boots clicking against the ground as she walked.

"Ahem," she cleared her throat, gaining his attention instantly.

Brendan's eyes widened at the sight of her. "Wow...you look...amazing," Brendan stated, drinking in her appearance as she stopped in front of him, leaning down to cup his face and place a kiss on his lips.

"Thank you. I wanted to look nice for your big match. And I think I succeeded," Courtney grinned.

"You most certainly did," Brendan chuckled, standing up to take her hand.

"Glad to hear it. Now, shall we go for a walk before your match? It starts in an hour and I want to see a few things beforehand," Courtney said with a smile.

"I think that's a great idea. Let's go," Brendan replied, leading her out of the center.
____________________________________

Time seemed to fly by, and soon, the stadium was filled once again with spectators for the semifinal matches. The crowd began to murmur as Mr. Goodshow took to the arena floor and grabbed the microphone. Everyone quieted down as he began to address the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" He began with enthusiasm. "Welcome to the semifinals of the Ever Grande Conference!"

The crowd exploded into cheers as Mr. Goodshow made the announcement. He quieted the crowd again and cleared his throat.

"We've witnessed several astounding battles leading up to this point, and we are pleased to bring you more! So let us welcome our first semifinalists, Brendan and Wally!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed.

Brendan stood at the end of his tunnel and took a deep breath. Hearing his name being called, he made his way out of the green tunnel and onto the platform. Wally was just walking out of his tunnel as well, a determined look on his features as he faced Brendan. It was time for their final confrontation to begin.

"These two have been doing well in the conference and have proven that they are serious trainers. If you are watching this from the stands or if you are sitting at home, then you are very familiar with our two contenders. And if you are, then you know what to expect from gifted trainers like these two!" Mr. Goodshow bellowed. Once more, the crowd cheered.

"So, if you are ready, let's begin the first round of the semifinals!" Mr. Goodshow exclaiimed.

"This will be a six on six matchup. After three Pokémon have been eliminated from either side, there will be a field change! Now, with the use of our newest technology, we will start this off on a rocky terrain!" Mr. Goodshow declared.

A circular platform rose up from below the stadium and paused as it was locked into place where both combatants were. The judge had stepped onto the platform before it rose. Once secured, the judge gestured to both combatants.

"Trainers, send out your first Pokémon!" The judge commanded.

"Skarmory, take flight!" Brendan shouted, thrusting the sphere into the air to release the steel avian from her ball.

"Magnezone, you're up!" Wally cried out releasing his first Pokémon onto the field.

"You may begin!" Proclaimed the judge.

"Skarmory, Tailwind!" Brendan instructed.

"Thunderbolt!" Wally commanded.

Skarmory spread her wings and summoned up a powerful wind current. She then dove into the current and soared above and around the stadium. Blasts of lightning sizzled past her as she flew, forcing her to barrel roll left and right to avoid getting her wings clipped. Skarmory soon changed her flight pattern and swooped down towards Magnezone, opening her sharp beak to fire a Flash Cannon in its direction. Magnezone answered with a Thunderbolt that canceled out the attack and snapped off another one that Skarmory gracefully avoided.

"Stealth Rocks!" Brendan called out.

Skarmory screeched and dove towards the ground on Wally's side and formed several rocks in her talons. With a swift motion, she dropped them on the ground around Magnezone and rocketed upwards to avoid a harsh Thunder attack that just missed her right wing.

"Now use Spikes!" Brendan cried out again.

"Lock-On and use Zap Cannon!" Wally commanded, not wanting Brendan to get any further with his plans.

Skarmory soared along the air current and released a load of spikes which scattered along the ground and hid themselves in the rocks. Magnezone caught Skarmory in its cross-hairs and fired off a powerful blast of electricity. The blast was met with a green globe of protection which shattered after the blast made contact, leaving Skarmory unharmed. Skarmory fired off another Flash Cannon which was deflected by a Flash Cannon from Magnezone. Meanwhile, Skarmory took the time to drop another layer of spikes during the explosion.

"Skarmory, Agility and use Drill Peck!" Brendan commanded.

"Thunderbolt!" Wally countered.

Skarmory dove towards Magnezone at an accelerated rate, tucking in her wings as she closed in to gain more speed. Blasts of lightning snapped by her as she closed the distance. Getting in range, she unleashed a fury of Drill Pecks on Magnezone's steel frame. Magnezone, annoyed with the pecking, pointed its magnets at Skarmory and fired off a Thunderbolt that struck Skarmory in the chest and sent her airborne. Skarmory glared challengingly at Magnezone and loosed a Whirlwind that blew the mechanized magnet back a considerable distance due to the heavy gusts.

Using the oppportunity, Skarmory dove, wings coated in steel as she took advantage of the remaining moments of her Tailwind.

"Steel Wing!" Brendan commanded.

"Discharge!" Wally ordered.

Skarmory closed in only to be blasted by a powerful, widespread electric attack that blew her away. Try as she might, she couldn't regain altitude. She plummeted towards the ground and crashed hard into the rocky terrain.

"Skarmory is unable to battle! Magnezone wins!" Declared the judge.

Brendan smirked as he returned Skarmory to her ball. "Thank you Skarmory, get some rest girl, you did great."

Brendan reached down and snatched up his next partner and enlarged the ball.

"Sandslash, battle's on!" Brendan called out, releasing his spiky friend.

A shower of sparkles heralded his arrival as the crimson spined Sandslash materialized onto the battlefield, brandishing his claws in an intimidating manner.

There's that Sandslash. Lucky for me, I came prepared for it. Wally thought with a smirk of his own. "Magnet Rise!" Wally called out.

Magnezone charged its body with magnetic current and relieved itself of its vulnerability to Ground-type attacks.

Brendan seemed unfazed by the new development. He chuckled and shook his head. "Boy Wally, you really did prepare didn't you?" Brendan stated, cracking his knuckles as he prepared to spring into action.

"I analyzed your team all last night, Brendan. I came prepared," Wally stated with a grin.

"Good, now let's see just how prepared you are! Sandslash, Swords Dance!" Brendan called out.

"Magnet Bomb!" Wally cried out.

Sandslash crossed his claws and thrust them outward. Ethereal swords danced around his frame and a crimson aura surrounded him for a moment right before the bombs were launched. Sandslash batted them away, creating a series of small explosions behind him. Channeling the power of his element, Sandslash conjured up a fierce Sandstorm that tore through the rocky arena. This was Sandslash's turf, and he was ready to do battle.

"Flash Cannon!" Wally cried out.

"Brick Break!" Brendan countered.

Magnezone powered up its magnets and unleashed a stream of silver light that tore through several boulders in front of it. Sandslash powered up his claws and swung at the attack, connecting and batting it away and behind him. Sandslash then rushed Magnezone at surprising speeds, his claws laced with violet energy as he swung, slashing Magnezone across his metallic frame. A blue glow surrounded Magnezone, indicating a defensive drop.

"Quick, use Mirror Shot!" Wally hastily commanded.

"Dig now!" Brendan countered.

Magnezone aimed his magnets an fired off several thin beams of light towards Sandslash who dove underground before the attack could reach him, blasting a hole in the spot he previously stood. Wally looked around frantically for Sandslash. He wasn't too worried about the attack itself since Magnezone was immune to the effects. However, this was Brendan he was battling. And he was known for sneaky tactics like this.

"Brick Break!" Brendan called out.

The ground beneath Magnezone cracked and then burst open. Sandslash exploded out of the hole, his claws laced with white aura as he struck Magnezone from the top, smashing the oversized magnet into the ground with tremendous force, creating a small crater. When the dust settled, Magnezone remained unmoving.

"Magnezone is unable to battle! Sandslash wins!" Declared the judge.
________________________________

"Looks like Brendan isn't messing around," Cynthia mused as she watched from her seat behind Brendan's friends.

"You're right about that. His Sandslash is one of a kind," May said with a smile. "It looks like it's gotten a few new tricks too."

"True, though that's not exactly what I was getting at. Take a look at the field," Cynthia chuckled.

May blinked and turned around to see what Cynthia meant. Her eyes caught sight of barely visible spikes that were protruding from the ground. Her eyes widened in realization.

"I see what you mean now. I don't think I've seen Brendan pull out a strategy like that before," May replied, glancing over at Courtney who sat with them.

Courtney chuckled slightly to herself. "Well, he was determined to come up with something good. I merely...helped him along," Courtney said with an innocent smile. Of course, I came up with the idea. He merely added on to it.
__________________________________

"Roserade! Let's battle!" Wally called out.

The masquerade Pokémon erupted from her ball and landed on the rocky terrain only to feel the sting of the layers of spikes that Skarmory had left behind. To top it all off, stones crashed into her, and the storm buffeted her, making her stumble all the more. Wally cringed at the damage that was done. Already he was behind in the fight and it had barely begun. He needed to get to work.

"Roserade, Petal Blizzard!" Wally commanded.

"Dig!" Brendan countered.

Roserade swept her arm outward and launched a barrage of razor sharp petals towards Sandslash. No fool, the spine covered Pokémon dove underground, utilizing the added speed he'd gained from the sandstorm that was still raging. Roserade cringed as the storm buffeted her once again. The ground beneath her trembled and out of it rose Sandslash, his claws laced with green energy as he swung upwards in an attempt to strike. Roserade managed to avoid the assault and fire back with a Magical Leaf that slashed across Sandslash's chest and face, causing him to stumble a little.

"Roserade, use Sunny Day!" Wally commanded.

"X-Scissor!" Brendan commanded.

An orb of orange light shot out of Roserade's bouquets and exploded in the sky, clearing up the sandstorm in a flash of brilliant sunlight. Sandslash struck a devastating blow with his claw, but was avoided after attempting a second strike which turned out to be a mistake. Roserade pointed her bouquets at Sandslash. A bright golden glow surrounded them.

"Solar Beam!" Wally commanded.

There was a very loud boom that resounded as the beam was fired. Sandslash was sent crashing through several boulders before being driven into the ground by the attack. The judge's hand went up.

"Sandslash is unable to battle! Roserade wins!" The judge declared.

"Good work Sandslash," Brendan said as he recalled his friend. "You deserve some rest," Brendan smiled, reaching for his next Pokémon.

"Arcanine, let's turn up the heat!" Brendan cried as he fired his companion onto the battlefield.

Arcanine surged onto the field and stood nobly beside his trainer, giving off a gutteral growl, causing Roserade to shrink back in fear of the fiery canine.

"Roserade, Sludge Bomb!" Wally commanded.

"Flamethrower!" Brendan countered.

Roserade formed a ball of toxic sludge before her and then launched it towards Arcanine. The canine braced himself and unhinged his jaws to loose a stream of flames that was further powered by the sun. The blast ripped through the ball of toxins and crashed into a panicking Roserade. A small, fiery explosion occurred. The smoke faded and Roserade was down for the count.

"Roserade is unable to battle! Arcanine wins!" Declared the judge.

Arcanine turned and walked back to his trainer and nudged his head into Brendan's hands. "Good work Arcanine. Let's get ready for the next one," Brendan replied, scratching Arcanine behind his ears affectionately before sending him back out.

Wally returned Roserade and contemplated his next choice. Coming to a decision, he tossed his next partner into the air. "Carracosta, let's do it!"

The fossil turtle erupted from his ball and stood up to face the massive hound before him. Arcanine stared him down and lowered himself into a crouching position.

"Carracosta, Aqua Jet!" Wally called out.

"Extreme Speed!" Brendan countered.

Carracosta blasted off towards Arcanine, shrouding his body in aquatic energy as he charged. Arcanine flickered from view just as Carracosta reached where he stood. Carracosta gave chase, not willing to let the speedy canine get away easily. Large stones were flung towards Arcanine who deftly avoided them as he sped along. Arcanine looped around and fired a blast of flames towards Carracosta who countered with a stream of high pressure water which was turned to steam due to the heat of the sun.

"Stone Edge!" Wally commanded.

"Fire Blast!" Brendan riposted.

Carracosta became surrounded with many large stones that crisscrossed around his body. In a fluid motion, he launched them towards Arcanine who answered with a blast of flames that eviscerated the stones upon impact. Carracosta took the chance to race in, cloaked in water and ram into Arcanine, sending the massive canine skidding along the ground.

"Hydro Pump!" Wally commanded.

"Extreme Speed!" Brendan countered hastily.

Carracosta loosed a stream of heavy water towards Arcanine who blurred out of sight as the blast shattered a boulder behind him. Almost instantly, Arcanine was in front of Carracosta with his jaws a gape, a golden orb charging within.

"Solar Beam!" Brendan ordered.

Arcanine fired a beam of intense solar energy at point blank range, blasting Carracosta into the far wall of the arena. Carracosta fell face first into the ground after crashing into the wall. The intensity of the sunlight dimmed.

"Carracosta is unable to battle! Arcanine wins!" The judge declared. "We will now change the field!"

Arcanine leapt over to his trainer's side as the arena lowered itself into the ground, giving both trainers a brief reprieve from the action.

"You're awesome Brendan. I wasn't expecting that outcome at all," Wally complimented with a bright smile.

"Thanks Wally, you're doing great as well. You have some really tough Pokémon!" Brendan replied with a grin.

The field came back up revealing that it was now a forest-like arena, complete with trees and shrubbery of all kinds. Brendan nodded to Arcanine who hopped back onto the field and stood ready for the next fight.

"Altaria, let's go!" Wally bellowed.
____________________________________

"Would you look at that? He's got an Altaria just like you," Derrick said to Lisia who grinned with delight.

"And it looks strong too! This is gonna be good!" Lisia beamed.

"This is so hard! I don't know who to root for!" May despaired, sulking a little as she watched her friends compete.

"It really doesn't matter who wins. What does matter is that they're giving it their all and battling it out with no regrets," Lisia pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right. But still!" May groaned, sighing as she watched the battle take place.
__________________________________

"Altaria, use Dragon Pulse!" Wally commanded.

"Dragon Pulse as well Arcanine!" Brendan countered.

Two streams of draconic energy clashed in midair, creating an explosion that caused a smokescreen in the forest surroundings. Wally frowned slightly at this. Arcanine now had some cover. Suddenly, a stream of ball of hot fire bursted through the smoke and exploded in the sky. The sunlight became brighter and began clearing the smoke. Altaria aimed another blast of draconic energy towards where the ball came from only to be taken off guard by a stream of fire from behind. The stream connected and sent Altaria sprawling through the air. She recovered nicely and looked around for her adversary.

"Arcanine, Fire Blast!" Brendan cried out.

"Dragon Pulse again!" Wally commanded.

A blast of all consuming fire erupted from Arcanine's mouth and barreled towards Altaria. The fluffy dragon roared and loosed a draconic blast of energy towards the oncoming attack and canceled it out. Arcanine took cover under the smoke and began weaving around trees as Altaria fired repeated beams of energy towards him. Trees began to topple over with each strike. Arcanine flickered out of view of the last blast and pushed off the ground with his powerful hind legs.

"Wild Charge!" Brendan called out.

"Draco Meteor!" Wally counter-attacked.

Arcanine lunged at Altaria, his body crackling with electricity as closed in. Altaria reared her head back and an orange orb of intense light formed. Altaria released the orb which exploded outwards, shotgun style, before making a solid connection with the airborne canine. Arcanine crashed into the ground and pushed himself to his feet only to be greeted with a Dragon Pulse that forced him to run.

"Earthquake!" Wally shouted.

Altaria roared and then flapped her wings with tremendous strength, causing the ground to shake violently. Arcanine was sent stumbling and crashing along the ground only to skid to a stop. Arcanine was out of the fight.

"Arcanine is unable to battle! Altaria wins!" The judge proclaimed.

"Way to go Wally!" Brendan said with a laugh as he returned Arcanine. "You've really improved since our first battle," Brendan commended him.

"I have you and May to thank for that. The both of you helped me so much. And this battle is the only way I can think to repay you guys for it," Wally said with a smile. "And I plan to win!" Wally declared.

"Well don't go counting your Torchics before they hatch. Because this match is far from over! Mightyena, let's go!" Brendan shouted fiercely.

The dark canine immerged onto the field with a challenging howl. He snarled at his opposition, causing the dragon to become slightly nervous.
_______________________________________

"There's that Mightyena of his," Norman stated, remembering the capabilities of the dark hound quite well.

"That Mightyena happens to be the first Pokémon my son caught for himself. I first discovered it when we were out doing research. It was rare to see a Poochyena that knew how to conduct an elemental attack, and I was interested in having it. However, Brendan's Treecko was still a hatchling at the time and wasn't as experienced in battle as that Poochyena. We tried several times to catch him, but he always ended up getting away," Professor Birch informed Norman.

"I see. It must have been a pack leader. It certainly has the scars to prove it," Norman replied, indicating to the scar over one of Mightyena's eyes.

"That's what I had guessed. He's quite vicious. It took us several tries and then one day, Brendan caught him on his way to his first gym battle," Professor Birch explained.

"And now he's a Mightyena, and a powerful one at that," Norman observed.
_________________________________________

"Altaria, Dragon Pulse!" Wally cried out.

Altaria reared her head back and prepared to fire her assault, only to be sprang upon by Mightyena at unprecedented speeds. The dark canine raked his claws across Altaria and sent her spiraling towards the ground from the force of the blow. As he descended, Mightyena loosed a blast of dark energy towards Altaria who regained her balance and countered it with Dragon Breath.

"Mightyena, Dark Pulse!" Brendan commanded.

"Moonblast!" Wally shouted.

Darkness clashed with light, causing both combatants to skid back from the collision of power. Mightyena snarled at Altaria in a menacing manner. A crimson aura surrounded Altaria as she became flooded with massive amounts of energy at once. Altaria struggled to maintain her sanity. Seeming to remain in control, she loosed a blast of draconic energy towards Mightyena who leapt aside to avoid it before taking off along the ground. Mightyena cloaked himself in dark energy and leapt high, raising a claw and bringing it down upon Altaria's head, sending Altaria plummeting towards the ground. Altaria crashed into the ground and struggled to rise. Mightyena soon pounced onto Altaria, pinning her down, his teeth crackling with electricity.

"Thunder Fang!" Brendan commanded.

A flash of lightning lit up the arena as Mightyena bit down upon Altaria's neck, sending a powerful electric current through her, knocking her out of the match.

"Altaria is unable to battle! Mightyena wins!" The judge declared.

Wally recalled Altaria and silently thanked her before clipping her back to his belt.

"That was an awesome combination Brendan. Your Mightyena is still as strong as ever. But I don't plan on letting that last loss go unanswered! Talonflame, take flight!" Wally exclaimed.

"I don't expect you to, Wally. Bring it on!" Brendan encouraged him.

"Consider it done! Talonflame, Flamethrower!"

"Mightyena, Dark Pulse!" Brendan countered.

Talonflame burst forth and unleashed a stream of fire which clashed with a dark stream of energy. Talonflame quickly dove towards the ground to go on the offensive. Mightyena jinked around cones of fire that were blasted his way, turning to launch an occasional Dark Pulse at his foe. Mightyena then whirled around and braced himself as Talonflame closed in.

"Aerial Ace!" Wally commanded.

"Thunder Fang!" Brendan riposted.

Mightyena leapt towards Talonflame, his jaws clamping nothing but air as the swift predator of the skies avoided him in a flash only to ram into him a second later. Mightyena hit the ground with a thud and forced himself to his feet and snarled at his adversary.

"Acrobatics!" Wally ordered.

"Double Team!" Brendan deflected.

Talonflame dive-bombed Mightyena, weaving in erratic patterns of flight in an attempt to confuse the hound. Undeterred, Mightyena duplicated himself making it so that Talonflame would have to guess about the original. The acrobatic attack effectively eliminated the copies. This only served as a distraction as Mightyena was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, Mightyena burst through the ground, teeth crackling with lightning. In a hasty move, Talonflame loosed a Fire Blast forcing Mightyena back into the ground.

"Mightyena is unable to battle! Talonflame wins!" The judge announced.

A crimson beam of light absorbed Mightyena into his ball. Brendan hitched Mightyena to his belt and reached for the next one.

"Milotic, battle's on!" Brendan shouted in a commanding tone.

The large, elegant water serpent immerged from her ball and towered above the arena floor, her scales shimmering in the sunlight. Wally sweat-dropped at her appearance. He became slightly nervous. Milotic were known for their power and defensive capabilities as well. He needed to be on top of his game if he was going to pull a win here.

"Talonflame, Aerial Ace!" Wally called out.

"Coil!" Brendan countered.

Talonflame swooped down and shot towards Milotic at intense speeds, white streaks forming behind him as he raced along, his wings spread wide, ready to clip Milotic on her right flank. Milotic coiled her body and took the brunt of the assault, increasing her speed and power in the process. Talonflame circled around for another strike with the same result. Milotic took the second one, maintaining her coiled state.

"Brave Bird!" Wally commanded.

"Aqua Tail!" Brendan deflected.

Talonflame's body surrounded itself with a bright blue aura as he took a dive and shot off towards Milotic. The serpentine Pokémon didn't have to wait long for her prey to be within range. With a surprisingly fast swing of her tail, Milotic slammed her water empowered tail into the bird of prey and sent him reeling through the air. Talonflame panted as he struggled to maintain flight. A white glow surrounded Milotic, a sign that she was recovering from her wounds.

"Talonflame, use Solar Beam!" Wally called out desperately.

"Mirror Coat!" Brendan countered.

Talonflame opened his beak and gathered in solar energies before firing a massive beam of light towards Milotic. The serpent simply remained where she was, waiting for the blast to get within range before she powered up. The blast struck her only to be absorbed and fired back at double the force. The beam powered into Talonflame and knocked him out of the sky, sending him crashing into the arena floor.

"Talonflame is unable to battle! Milotic wins!" The judge announced.

Milotic snaked her way back to Brendan and coiled around him, leaning down to nuzzle his face affectionately. Brendan reached up and gently stroked her smooth scales before directing her back to the arena.

"Brendan. This may be my last Pokémon, but you can rest assured that I will be coming at you with everything I've got! Gallade, let's battle!" Wally exclaimed.

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Brendan shouted back.

The noble knight immerged onto the battlefield, brandishing his blades for his foe to see.

"Gallade, Close Combat!" Wally bellowed.

"Ice Beam!" Brendan hollered.

Gallade exploded from his stance and darted along the ground, ducking and dodging several beams of ice as Milotic fired them off. As he closed in, he batted away a close range beam before swinging hard at Milotic, only to be met by a green barrier, halting his attack. Gallade jumped back as Milotic let loose a Hydro Pump that tore up the ground before him.

"Gallade, use Leaf Blade!" Wally commanded.

"Aqua Tail!" Brendan riposted.

Gallade's blades began to glow a vibrant green as he thundered across the battlefield towards Milotic. The mighty serpentine Pokémon swung her tail hard and clashed with Gallade's blades which struck multiple times and were parried as well. Gallade ducked an Aqua Tail and jinked to the side of an Ice Beam and landed a solid Leaf Blade across Milotic's body, sending her skidding back. Milotic retaliated with a Scald, pushing Gallade back as well. Gallade shook off the assault and readied himself for another command.

"Gallade, Psycho Cut!" Wally commanded.

"Ice Beam!" Brendan countered.

Gallade charged up his blades and swung them to the side, unleashing a wave of disks towards Milotic. The serpent reared her head back and loosed a beam of icy aura which clashed with the psychic disks, creating an icy smokescreen. Milotic swept the icy haze aside with her tail only to be set upon by Galllade who charged in with glowing green blades extended. Gallade lashed out on the way by and landed behind Milotic, the glow receding from the blades as Milotic fell over.

"Milotic is unable to battle! Gallade wins!" The judge declared.

"Alright! We did it! Just one more Gallade!" Wally called out excitedly.

Brendan smiled as Wally celebrated the latest knockout. He earned that win, but it was far from over. Brendan reached up to his necklace and snapped off one of the balls on the necklace. His eyes flashed with determination as he primed it.

"Wally, you've done an awesome job. This battle has been so much fun! What do you say we kick it up a notch and really give this crowd a battle they won't forget? Latias, time to fly!" Brendan called out.

The crimson Eon Twin exploded onto the field, causing the crowd to grow even more excited.

"I don't believe it folks! First we witnessed Latios in the qualifiers, now we're seeing his sister, Latias! This is amazing!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed.
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"Another one?" Norman asked in shock.

Courtney chuckled slightly at Norman's reaction. "I guess he didn't mention he had them both. According to him, they offered to come along on his journey," Courtney clarified.

"I see. I wonder why he didn't use them in any gym battles," Norman said as he scratched his chin.

"He wanted to earn his badges with the team he began with before giving the Eon Twins a battle. He didn't want people to think he just used an instant win button to get his badges. The trainers here are far stronger than your average trainer, so he thought it would be better to use them here where the competition was tougher. Also, given that they had little to no battle experience under a trainer, he had to train them as well," Courtney explained.
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"Wow! You've got Latias too!" Wally said with wide eyes.

"Yep! She agreed to come with me as well," Brendan said with a goofy grin.

Hello there my friend. Wow! Look at all these people! This is exciting! Latias squealed.

"You and Latios had nearly the same reaction. Only his was less enthusiastic," Brendan laughed.

That's because I'm the fun one of the two of us, Latias grinned.

"No arguments there. Anyway, this is your fight, so let's get to it!" Brendan stated.

Right! I'm ready! Latias said happily, turning to face her opponent.

Wally couldn't contain his excitement much longer. He reached for his keystone and gripped it tight. Brendan raised his gauntlet and tapped his keystone as well. A blinding light flashed through the arena, causing the crowd to cover their eyes until it died down. When it cleared, Mega Gallade and Mega Latias were born.

"Latias, Dragon Pulse!" Brendan commanded.

"X-Scissor!" Wally ordered hastily.

Latias opened her jaws and loosed a violet beam of draconic energy that roared towards Gallade. The valiant knight crossed his blades and deflected the hungry jaws of the violet dragon and sent the attack back at Latias. The jet dragon rolled out of the way and darted downward, her claws glowing green. Gallade charged forward, crossing his blades in X formation. The two clashed on the way by and turned to face each other.

"Psycho Cut!" Wally shouted.

"Psyshock!" Brendan countered.

Gallade launched a barrage of psychic disks which were decimated by a shower of violet and pink orbs that canceled them out. Latias bolted towards Gallade and loosed a beam of draconic energy towards him, forcing him to put up his blades and block once more. Latias surged forwards again and connected a glowing green claw to the right flank of Gallade who retaliated with an X-Scissor strike to the left side of Latias who experienced a bit of turbulence during the fly by.

"These two are really going at it folks! It's getting down to the wire here and I'm not sure who will come out on top! You can feel the passion of these two trainers, it's unbelievable!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed.

"Gallade, Shadow Ball!" Wally commanded.

"Latias, Dragon Pulse!" Brendan countered.

Gallade placed his blades together and gathered in ghostly energy in the shape of a sphere before him. He then hurled it at Latias. The mighty dragon roared and loosed a draconic beam towards the oncoming ball of darkness. The beam roared loudly and unhinged its jaws like a dragon and clamped down on the ball, exploding along with it. Gallade and Latias rushed each other and clashed once again, knocking the other back several feet.

"Shadow Ball!" Wally cried out.

"Mist Ball!" Brendan exclaimed.

A sphere of dark, ghostly energy formed once again between Gallades blades before being flung towards its target. A blue ball of mist began forming in front of Latias mouth. Once ready, she hastily fired the ball, watching as it punched through the Shadow Ball and dispersed it, sailing on to explode on top of Gallade with a mighty BANG! The sound of a body hitting the ground was heard after the explosion. Gallade had fallen.

"Gallade is unable to battle! Latias wins, which means the battle goes to Brendan!" Declared the judge.

"It's OVER! Brendan has done it! Our first semifinalist has been decided!" Mr. Goodshow exclaimed excitedly.
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"That was amazing!" Wanda said with excitement.

"I know, even though he lost, Wally fought hard. And to place fourth in the Ever Grande Conference is quite an accomplishment," Wally's father said with a nod.

"That's our Wally!" His mother exclaimed.
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Wally looked up to see his family cheering, even though he lost. He had no regrets. The battle was a good one and he was satisfied to be able to battle as hard as he did. He looked up to see Brendan had crossed the field to meet him.

"Congratulations Brendan," Wally said with a smile.

"Thanks, you really battled hard out there," Brendan said with a grin.

"Yeah, and even though I lost, I don't feel bad about it. I guess it's because I finally got to stand before you and battle you to the best of my abilities. It really felt how a rival battle should feel, you know?" Wally laughed.

"I agree. It was a fun match Wally," Brendan chuckled, reaching out to high-five Wally who reached out to do the same.

"I'll be rooting for you in the finals Brendan. Good luck!" Wally said as he turned to head back into his tunnel.

"Thanks Wally, I'll do my best!" Brendan called back as he ran through to his tunnel as well.

Mr. Goodshow tapped the microphone and cleared his throat.

"I don't know about you all, but that was one spectacular battle. And now, it's time for the last match of the semifinals! This will be between Katrina and Tim! And if you've followed these two, you know it's going to be an intense battle! So why don't we get this match underway!?"
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That concludes the first round of the semifinals! Brendan will now have to wait to see who he fights in the championship matchup. Will it be Tim, or will it be Katrina!? Stick around if you want to find out! Ciao!