Author's note: Heya!

I do hope people are enjoying this fic so far! It's not actually as much of a slow-burn as it looks, but there still needs to be some level of development for something to happen.

For everyone who's rather impatient, though, don't worry. I've got you covered with this quick alternate ending.

Yes, right here.

Ahem...

...

'Pikachu watched Dawn's second battle in awe. Against Harley's pokémon, Buneary was doing spectacularly well. Better than the last round, even! All of her moves were bright, sparkly and beautiful, and her acrobatics were putting his own to shame!

He'd never seen her shine so brightly...

As he continued to watch, his heart did somersaults and backflips, all while pounding relentlessly in his chest. Just what was this feeling?

... Wait. Now that he'd stopped to think about it, he realised something. He knew exactly what it was.

He closed his eyes in understanding. He'd been trying so hard to deny it, but here they were. His feelings. They were plain as day, and he didn't know why he'd ignored them for so long.

Acknowledging them, and accepting them, felt like a breath of fresh air to his lungs. Like he'd been born anew. It was the happiest he'd felt in years.

A big, beaming smile crossed his face. He needed to tell Buneary. He needed to contact her immediately and tell her that he was in love with Ash.'

...

Okay, now on with the real chapter. Lol. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter Twenty-three: Fearsome Foe

Buneary was buzzing with excitement. The first battle round had gone incredibly well! Now she was going to be competing in the next battle round, too!

She was so ready, she could burst!

Of course, she wanted Dawn's friends, Drew and May, to do well, too! They were nice people, who deserved to get second and third place!

Well, they probably deserved to get first place, too, but only one person could have it, darn it! And she wanted that person to be Dawn!

... Heh. Speaking of Drew and May, it had been kind of funny back in the waiting room, listening to May tell Drew not to glare at some 'silver-haired guy' who'd been flirting with all the girls. It was rather cute that he was getting jealous over his low-key girlfriend.

At the time, Buneary had briefly wished that someone would flirt with her, too, but no! Now was not the time to focus on that! Now was the time to battle that Harley guy, and get one step closer to winning Dawn the aqua ribbon! Then they'd hop on a plane and make their way to the Hoenn Grand Festival! Wow, she was getting pumped already!

But yes, first things first. She had to win this match against Harley!

As she materialised from her pokéball, onto the edge of the pool, she smiled brightly. "(Yeah, let's go!)" she said excitedly.

"Oh, my~!" Harley said from across the pool. "Aren't we feeling cocky? Using the same pokémon twice in a row~!" He sneered. "That can often be a death wish, hon~!"

"Well, I have faith in Buneary!" Dawn said proudly. "I know she can pull through!"

Buneary beamed. Of course, she knew that wasn't the only reason she'd been chosen a second time. The other reason was that Dawn well and truly wanted to help her beat back her sadness. Well, if she pulled off another win like last round, then that might not be a problem!

Across from her, Harley smirked. "We'll see about that." He enlarged the pokéball in his hand and threw it. "Pikachu, darling, front and centre~!"

Pikachu's eyes bugged. Had he heard that right? Had Harley said 'Pikachu'? Since when did Harley have a pikachu?!

From next to him on the couch, Ash sounded just as confused. The mouse watched as the pokéball burst open, the white light forming a shape on Harley's side of the pool. When the light faded, in its place stood a male pikachu, with what had to be the world's most menacing death glare on his face.

... Well, this was a new development. This pikachu oddly reminded him of Harley's other strange pokémon: that wigglytuff with the sinister smirk. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd be in the tournament, too.

As the camera briefly switched to show Buneary, he could see a mixture of shock and horror on her face. So, apparently, she hadn't been expecting a male pikachu as an opponent, either...

Buneary stared, unable to believe what she was seeing.

A pikachu. A male pikachu. Her opponent was a freaking male pikachu!

Okay... okay, it was fine... This wasn't her pikachu, after all, was it? Well... he wasn't hers, sadly, but yeah. Still. It wasn't him.

She stared. The pikachu's gaze was unmoving.

... Yeah. Just because he happened to look a lot like him, it didn't mean it was him. Just because he was glaring at her with intense hatred in his eyes, it didn't mean...

She faltered.

... It didn't mean...

"AAAAnd..." the announcer said, "begin!"

She blinked, snapping out of her trance. Oh, shoot! She had to battle now!

"Now, Pikachu!" Harley called out. "Fly high with Brick Break~!"

Pikachu's tail glowed orange. With a short hop, he slammed it into the ground underneath him, propelling himself high into the air above the pool. Doing several somersaults, he fell back down towards Buneary.

She stared. It reminded her of Ash's pikachu, the day she'd met him. The day he'd grabbed that potato that Croagunk had thrown. The day that she'd first gotten her crush on him...

"Buneary, dodge it!" Dawn cried.

She blinked. Huh?

A second later, she felt his tail connect with her face. Yelping, she flew backwards, landing on her back and sliding across the floor.

"A strong start for moi~!" Harley sang. He sneered. "I like it! Pikachu, follow up with Feint!"

As Buneary clambered to her feet, Pikachu disappeared into thin air. She rapidly looked around for him. Then something slammed into her back, launching her forwards. She landed in the pool with a splash.

... Oh, this was not going well.

As she sank, she heard the voice of Dawn, distorted through the water in her ears.

"Buneary! Bounce out!"

Allowing herself to sink a bit lower, she made her feet glow white. Touching the bottom of the pool, she launched herself upwards. When she hit the surface of the water, she broke through, still sailing through the air.

"Now down!" Dawn called out.

Spinning around in mid-air, Buneary launched herself down towards her opponent.

"Block it with a Brick Break!" Harley called out.

Pikachu's tail glowed orange again. Swinging it around, he blocked the attack from Buneary's foot. The two pushed against one another, the pressure keeping Buneary suspended in mid-air.

She couldn't help but look at his face again in that moment. That hatred-filled face. It brought to mind when Ash's pikachu had found out she'd learned Thunderbolt - his signature move, his thing - and he'd given her the cold shoulder.

He'd angrily turned away, glaring at the pellet in his paw. Squeezing it slightly.

... She faltered again.

Pikachu watched, his mouth open in shock, as Harley's pikachu overpowered Buneary and flung her straight back into the pool with a splash.

... Why was she doing worse in this round? Was Harley's pikachu really that powerful?

"Electroweb!" Harley called out.

Jumping high above the pool, his pikachu formed a ball of electricity on his tail. One that looked just like Pikachu's Electro Ball. It grew and grew, until it was a fairly large size, then the pikachu swung his body around and flung it. Turning into an electric web on the way down, it covered the entirety of the pool, sending an electric current through it.

The camera briefly shifted underwater, where Buneary was trying her hardest not to cry out in pain. Probably so that she didn't inhale any water.

"Buneary!" Dawn called out in panic.

The camera shifted back to the surface, showing Harley's smug smirk. "How do you like that?"

His pikachu landed on the web, bouncing slightly, but not even remotely being hurt by the electric current.

... Oh dear. That had lost Dawn quite a few points.

"Buneary, Thunderbolt!"

A bolt of lightning shot through the middle of the web, barely missing Harley's pikachu and ripping a hole in the webbing.

"Now Bounce!" Dawn continued.

With a splash, Buneary emerged from the water. Her fur looked a bit singed, but she otherwise seemed okay.

As she landed back on her side of the pool, Harley smirked.

"Oh, a battle of electricity, is it?" he asked. "Fine then! Pikachu, darling, use Shock Wave!"

Still standing on the webbing, Harley's pikachu charged electricity in his cheeks. As he did so, the yellow fur on his body glowed a much brighter shade of yellow.

"Buneary, counter with Thunderbolt!"

Buneary charged up electricity in her fluff. As she released a bolt of lightning, so did her opponent. The two attacks clashed into one another above the pool.

They pushed against each other for a few moments, then exploded into a small cloud of smoke.

"Now, sweetie, Feint!" Harley called out.

His pikachu ran forwards, disappearing into thin air. When he reappeared, he was behind Buneary, where he rammed his head into her and sent her flying over the pool. She was falling straight towards the electrified web.

"Buneary, Ice Beam!"

Powering up an Ice Beam, Buneary fired it downwards, hitting the web and completely freezing it. No longer electrified, it was now harmless to her as she landed on it.

Pikachu nodded in approval. Nice.

Harley's pikachu scowled deeper. "(You just won't quit, will you?)" he snarled.

Pikachu expected her to give a peppy response. One filled with confidence and vigour.

Instead, she faltered. "(Uh...)" she replied, looking awkward.

... What was with that response?

Harley also looked angry. "Pikachu, give 'em a special Shock Wave!" he called out.

"(Gladly,)" his pikachu snarled.

Glowing a bright, luminescent yellow again, he ran forwards, skidded to a stop and slammed his paws on the icy web. Shockwaves of electricity radiated from his body, spreading across the web and temporarily re-electrocuting it.

"Buneary, dodge!" Dawn called out.

With each electric wave that approached, Buneary hopped over it. Thankfully, she was avoiding them, but they were also making the icy web glow brilliant, beautiful colours, which were making Dawn's points drop.

"(Why can't you just take the hint already?!)" Harley's pikachu snarled.

... Jeez, what was that grouch's problem? Had he fallen out the wrong side of the bed that morning?

Pikachu watched as Buneary faltered for a second, causing her to get hit by one of the electric waves. She briefly cried out in pain.

His eyes widened. Just what was with her right now?! She was getting so distracted in this match! Was it just because this guy was being a jerk for no reason?

"What's up with Buneary?" Ash asked.

"Her appetiser was perfect," Cilan replied, "but her main course is a bit lacking..."

Pikachu watched as a second electric wave hit Buneary. Dawn called out her name in shock.

"Why would she be in perfect form last battle, but not now?!" Iris cried.

"Hmm..." Cynthia replied.

"Hit her with Brick Break, hon~!" Harley called out.

Racing forwards, his pikachu's arm started glowing orange. He stopped on the icy web, but the momentum made him slide forwards. He stood on his hind legs, readying his arm to strike.

"Dizzy Punch!" Dawn called out.

The tips of Buneary's ears glowed rainbow colours. Quickly, she swung one ear forwards, blocking the Brick Break.

They stared into each other's eyes as they pushed, harder and harder, both trying desperately to overpower the other.

The pikachu's glare was unwavering, yet Buneary was gritting her teeth, seemingly straining to hold him back.

"Give us a Feint!"

Disappearing, Harley's pikachu appeared behind Buneary again, slamming into her and sending her flying forwards. She landed on the icy web and slid across it.

"Get up, Buneary!"

"Don't let her! Electroweb!"

Jumping into the air, Harley's pikachu formed a ball of electricity on his tail. Swinging his body around, he flung a small electric web at Buneary. It wrapped itself around her, trapping and electrocuting her. She cried out in pain.

"Buneary!" Dawn called out in distress.

Harley burst out laughing as his pikachu landed back on the web. "Wow! I had no idea battling you would be this easy, doll! And May said not to underestimate you~!" He wiggled his hips tauntingly.

"Yeah? Well, she was right to say that! Buneary, time to pull out the big guns! Spin and use Thunderbolt!"

Sparking from inside the electric web, Buneary spun around on the spot. Electricity shot out of the web, snapping the webbing and sending it flying away from her.

Once it was all gone, she stopped spinning and faced her opponent.

"What... what... what in the devil was that?" Harley asked, looking flabbergasted.

Dawn gave a light smirk. "That's called a counter shield," she replied.

Pikachu smiled proudly. It seemed even Buneary had mastered counter shields! Something Dawn had picked up from Ash, who'd originally picked up her spinning technique. It had been a complete three-sixty of picking up techniques!

Harley scowled. "You little sneak!"

His pikachu also scowled. "(More like freak,)" he said.

Buneary visibly flinched.

"Alright, Buneary," Dawn called out, "now charge up an Ice Beam!"

Shaking it off, Buneary nodded. "(R-Right,)" she replied, before forming a light blue ball in front of her mouth.

"Be on guard, hon!" Harley called out.

His pikachu readied himself.

"Now swallow it!" Dawn called out.

Harley paused. "... Wait, what?"

Buneary clamped her mouth over the blue ball, swallowing it. Immediately, the fluff around her waist and on the tips of her ears became coated in ice. Solid, glittering ice.

Pikachu's eyes widened. She'd learned how to do that?! The same technique that Torterra and Mamoswine had mastered?!

Wow.

"What in the-?!" Harley cried out, looking disturbed.

"Okay, Buneary! Bounce!"

Her feet glowing white, Buneary shot into the air, high above the pool.

"Now spin and use Thunderbolt!" Dawn continued.

Spinning in place, Buneary's fluff began to spark underneath the icy coating. It glowed beautiful rainbow colours all across the icy web below.

After a few moments, the ice on her fluff began to crack. Then it shattered, and many electrified shards shot downwards, straight towards where Harley's pikachu was standing on the icy web.

"Dodge!" Harley yelled.

His pikachu jumped back and forth, trying to avoid the falling shards. Some of them struck him, however, causing him to cry out in pain. Others broke holes in the icy webbing.

Once she was done, Buneary did a mid-air somersault and came down for a landing.

Harley scowled angrily. "You little freak!"

Buneary flinched again.

"You think that's weird?" Dawn asked confidently. "Then watch this! We've saved Buneary's best moves for this battle!"

"Less talking, more getting your tiny butt whooped! Pikachu, darling, Feint!"

"Buneary, Thunderbolt towards the ceiling!"

As Buneary began building up electricity in her fluff, Harley's pikachu dashed forwards and disappeared. He immediately reappeared again, directly in front of her, and smashed into her, causing her to fly backwards. She hit the icy web, bouncing across it.

"Come on, Buneary!" Dawn called out. "Try again!"

Buneary quickly scrambled to her feet, charging up electricity in her fluff again.

"Feint!" Harley called out.

His pikachu raced forwards, disappearing and then appearing again before Buneary was given the chance to attack. He slammed into her from behind. She hit the ice, then flipped herself onto her back to see him directly above her.

The pikachu glared down at Buneary. "(What the hell do you think you're doing, you freak?)" he asked coldly.

Buneary's surprised expression turned to one of shock and... distress?

Harley grinned sinisterly. "Brick Break."

All five of his pikachu's limbs glowed orange. "(I thought I told you...!)" He slammed his paw into her. "(To quit...!)" He slammed his other paw into her. "(And stop...!)" He slammed his foot into her. "(Wasting...!)" He slammed his other foot into her. "(My time!)" He spun around and slammed his tail into her.

With every slam, the icy web beneath her cracked a little bit more. Once he stopped, she appeared to be holding back tears.

Pikachu's eyes widened. What?!

"Buneary!" Dawn called out. "Use Ice Beam!"

Buneary opened her mouth. She held that pose for a moment, but nothing happened. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Buneary?!" Dawn asked, her own eyes wide. "Uh... use Thunderbolt!"

Buneary clenched her paws into fists, concentrating. Nothing happened. She looked even more shocked.

Pikachu couldn't believe what he was seeing. What was going on? Sure, that pikachu had been an utter jerk, but he'd met far worse. Plus, he knew Buneary could handle a little taunting from a guy she didn't even know, so... why?

Why had her moves stopped working again?!

Harley smirked. "... Finish her."

With a determined nod, his pikachu made his tail glow orange again. With a full-body swing, he slammed it into her. The icy web underneath her shattered and she fell straight down into the pool with a splash.

"AAAAnd time's up!" the announcer called out. "And the winner is..."

Everything was a blur for Pikachu as the camera slowly panned up, showing the coordinators' score board. Just like in the last round, there was a very clear winner.

"Harley!"

... But it wasn't Dawn.