Chapter 28 - Dear Friends, Once More

"Cynthia," the reporter reached across the interview table with a broad smile to shake the Champion's hand, "Thanks so much for joining us today to talk about these last few enormous Conference matchups. First things first; your thoughts on the Conference thus far?"

"Well," the former Pokémon Master chuckled, "It certainly has not disappointed. We've had all the drama we could ask for and more."

"What stands out most to you from this year's Conference?"

Cynthia folded her hands neatly, appearing to consider the question carefully, though she knew her answer in a heartbeat;

"Hmm...I'd say this Rookie class has impressed me most, at every level."

"They've certainly done themselves proud. Any chance we'll see one or two of the four Super Rookies on next year's Sinnoh roster?"

Cynthia grinned as she went full diplomat with her answer, "Their quality is undeniable, but my roster is short on space at the moment. Unfortunate, I know, but it's perhaps best for their careers to seek greener pastures before looking to make it big here in Sinnoh."

"A candid answer there," commented the reporter, "One final question before we take a break - the one I think most of Sinnoh is asking right now; Milo or Amaya?"

"That is the question of the day, isn't it? Personally, I think any of the semifinalists could go all the way. Let's not discount Damion Parr or Mr. Montgomery. If you're specifically asking about Milo and Amaya, though…"

She tried to answer, but frowned;

"Goodness, I can't make up my mind. Only yesterday I was convinced Amaya was the stronger of the two, but after Milo's display of adaptability and variety in the quarterfinals, I had to reconsider...then again, sometimes raw power really does win the day. Who knows? As I see it, they're neck and neck right now, with all of Sinnoh watching."

-o-

"Well," Kara gave a wry grin as the channel went to commercial break, "Looks like Cynthia's on Team Amaya, even if she doesn't want to say so."

Marcus sat back in his seat, arms crossed lazily over his chest;

"Nah, she knows better than to pick sides. She's just trying to contribute a bit more to the hype. Not that it really needs any more contribution; people are losing their minds trying to figure those two out as is. How's Milo? Hard at work and shutting out the world, I presume?"

The Performer and the Leader were relaxing in a local cafe, basking in the early afternoon sunlight seeping through a nearby window. The pomp and circumstance surrounding the Conference meant that most passersby weren't too surprised to see a Gym Leader like Marcus around Lily of the Valley Island, and most of them just pointed excitedly and kept walking. They were easily ignored.

Kara rolled her eyes, answering with a grin and a sigh;

"Yeah, he's got about a dozen notebooks laid out all over his training field, and every millisecond of footage he can get his hands on – from Ark as well as 'Maya. How's she shaping up, by the way? You were with her this morning, right?"

Now that the dream of a Milo vs Amaya Conference final was just two semifinals away from reality, the pair of 'Super Rookies' had agreed on mutual radio silence for the rest of the Conference. They were not speaking, meeting, or interacting with each other at all. If (and it was still an if) they met in that hypothetical final...they would meet as rivals, adversaries in an epic showdown. Anything less would be a disservice.

Marcus crossed his arms and sat back with a frown;

"I think Amaya's already mentally put herself in the final. I've reminded her three times today that she still has to beat Damion tomorrow to make it happen, but she pretty much blew me off each time. She's totally focused on beating Milo."

"That sounds like her," laughed the Floaroma girl, "Poor Damion. He's a Super Rookie the same as them, but he's kind of been lost in the shuffle."

Marcus was, however, legitimately concerned about this;

"He might've gotten short-changed by the media, but I've been reviewing his Conference battles so far – he's improved. A lot. I'm worried that if Amaya doesn't shape up, he could surprise everyone and win. I mean, this is basically his final."

"How do you mean?"

Kara slipped into her 'Milo mode' as she listened politely to the answer. She still didn't understand the subtleties of tournament dynamics, or the many high-level factors that went into big battle events. Still, she'd long since learned how to listen politely when Milo started spouting about it, and Marcus wasn't so different after all.

"Well, for Damion, this battle is his chance to prove everything he's been building for a year now. He's not expected or projected to win, so the pressure's off. He knows he's already gone further than anyone thought he would, but this is his chance to prove in front of the whole region that he deserves to be considered even with the other two."

"Whereas 'Maya is just trying to get to that final against Milo."

"Right. He doesn't care what happens after this, and she only cares about what happens after this. In my experience, that's a recipe for disaster."

By the end of lunch, they had gone over this same conversation about a dozen times, but it was hard to talk about anything else, really. Eventually, Kara left to go shopping with Milo and Amaya's mothers and Milo's young sister. With all the stress around them, they'd decided to set it aside for just a few hours and have a 'girls only, no Trainers' outing.

This left Marcus free to check in on the two Trainers. Milo was first.

"Hey. Hey, Milo."

The Leader had to step purposefully into his brother's field of vision and wave his hands exaggeratedly to get his attention;

"Whu – huh? Oh, hey Marcus."

Milo hardly did more than glance up. He was sitting cross-legged in the corner of his personal training field, with no less than five sets of notes surrounding him.

"How goes it?"

Still not looking up, Milo sipped hurriedly at his fourth coffee of the day before responding;

"Frustrating. I can't freaking figure out what Ark's sixth Pokémon is! I've looked everywhere, but I can't find anything besides the five he's already shown!"

"Are you sure he even brought a sixth? He might just not have bothered. I mean, it's Ark Monty, he thinks differently from most people."

"Yeah, I thought of that, but he registered a full six for the tournament – I checked. He's got something in that last slot, but he hasn't used it and I can't find a record of it anywhere."

"Hmm. You've got everything else planned out, though, right?"

Milo threw down his pencil and ran a nervous hand through his hair;

"As well as I can with that big fat question mark, yeah. Still, not knowing ahead of time leaves a lot of holes in my plans."

Marcus took a seat across from his younger sibling. His goal was to make enough casual conversation for Milo's no-doubt ragged brain to cool off just a bit.

"Yeah, I can see how that would be tough. Anything planned for the final?"

The JPTA grad at last looked up at his brother, not ready for that particular question;

"The final? Umm, I have a few basic ideas, assuming it's 'Maya. If Damion wins I'm back to the drawing board, though."

The young man tapped on one of the notebooks, where he seemed to have scribbled out his 'basic ideas'.

"May I?" Marcus reached for this notebook and, at Milo's vague nod, picked it up to inspect it.

At the top were two hastily formed columns listing Milo and Amaya's Pokémon respectively. These were connected with several lines detailing a careful one to one ratio that appeared to have been subjected to quite a bit of erasure and re-drawing.

Underneath the two columns, Marcus saw the words 'Just win one' underlined and emphasized heavily. An arrow was drawn from this phrase to a one-word question below it; 'First?'

Shaking his head, Marcus gave up, carefully replacing the notebook before standing back up. Despite his efforts, Milo was clearly in too deep to be distracted.

"Good on coffee? Need a snack?"

"I'm good, thanks." Milo replied offhandedly.

I guess that runs in the family, thought the Leader as he moved to observe Milo's team, training lightly out in the middle of the field;

I'm pretty sure I get the same way before a big match.

He soon left Milo and his team to their business, heading out to make sure the other Super Rookie was alright.

Amaya was a different story altogether. She, too, was seated in one corner of her training field, but she had no notes, no scribbles, no coffee, and no frantic sense of urgency about her. She just sat and watched her team batter one another into the ground, offering an occasional compliment or piece of advice.

"Hey again", Marcus leaned against a pillar next to her, "All good?"

"...Yeah."

"Penny for your thoughts. What's going through your head besides whatever you've got in those headphones?"

Amaya opened her mouth, probably to give some generic response, but then she frowned;

"...Johto or Kalos. I still need to choose."

"Ah", Jenks had filled him in on the girl's indecision, so he was prepared for this delicate conversation, "Worried about next season, eh? Want my advice?"

"Sure."

"Technology is great," winked the Leader, "We have phones and digital messaging. Friends can be friends across regions. On the flip side, you only get one shot at your career as a Trainer. You need to consider what's best for you in the long run."

"I know", she gave a heavy sigh, "At this point, I know what the right choice is. I just...don't know if I'm strong enough to make that choice."

"I understand. For now, though, it's probably best to just focus on the Conference."

"Uh huh. Hey, did Jenks tell you we're commentating each other's semifinals?"

"Say what?"

"Yeah", the Twinleaf girl cracked a smile, "Apparently SBBN specifically requested that Milo and I appear as guest commentators for one another's battles tomorrow."

"Wow. Should be fun."

"Hope so."

Silence fell between the two. Amaya had more than enough to think about, and Marcus grinned as he reminisced his own younger days, rising through the ranks with Absol at his side.

This feeling – occupied silence where there might otherwise be conversation – became the theme of break day for both the Rookies and their friends and family. As per the self-imposed 'protocol', Milo and Amaya ate dinner separately, did their evening training separately, and had no interaction whatsoever the whole rest of the day.

Battle Day Six

The next day was Friday, the day of the semifinal round. There were hours of final checks, warmups, preparations, and logistics to get through before the battles were scheduled to begin that evening. Milo and Amaya went through the day in something of a fog.

"Milo?"

He'd been isolated now for hours, preparing and waiting for his battle, the first of the two semifinals, which would take place at 5:00 that evening.

There was no response from the JPTA Rookie as he stared off into space, concentrating on something or other.

"Hey! Milo!"

He blinked and looked around, slightly disoriented;

"Oh, hey. What's up, Kara?"

"Umm, it's time for us to head up to our seats, so…"

"Wait, already? We just got here a while ago, it can't be...oh man, when did it get to be four o'clock?"

His girlfriend chuckled, "You've been spacing in and out all afternoon. You alright?"

"Yeah", his eyes slid away once more as his brain refused to slow down, "Yeah, I'm good…"

Kara gave him a quick peck on the lips, drawing at least a smile from the young man, before she turned and strode out of his warmup space.

It's time. Just me and my team now, he told himself, Let's earn our spot.

A season's worth of work had come down to this, for both Rookies – one fight each, vying for the right to partake in the mythical Lily of the Valley Conference final.

Up in the commentator's booth, Amaya settled into one of the swiveling seats overlooking Lily Stadium. Adjusting her headset with Jenks beside her, she gave a thumbs-up to one of the cameramen to show she was ready whenever they were done tinkering with...pretty much everything.

It felt odd to be prepping for a big battle in the evening, but it was all about television times. The Conference semifinals were held Friday night, so that most people would be able to tune in after work. That also ensured that the finalists could take Saturday as one last break before the Sunday evening final.

I guess you have to think about that kind of thing at this level, she mused, This is my first taste of what professional Trainer life is like under the hood.

Her wonderings were cut short by Jenks, who tapped her shoulder and gave her a nod. She checked her watch – Milo's match was due to start any minute now. She gave herself a shake to focus up, and before she knew it a small red light flicked on, and they were broadcasting live all across Sinnoh:

"Hello!" Jenks was, as usual, bright and chipper, "Thank you for joining us here on SBBN for the semifinals of this year's Lily of the Valley Conference. I'm Robert Jenks coming to you live from Lily Stadium, and I'm joined today by a special guest; Amaya from Twinleaf – better known, perhaps, as The Hammer!"

"Hey Robert", she made sure to flick between Jenks and the camera with her trademark deadpan stare, "Good to be here. Should be a good battle."

"That's for sure", nodded the journalist, "On one side, we've got Milo – the latest prodigal talent out of the miraculous Jubilife Pokémon Trainer Academy, and a great personal friend of yours. He'll be up against a rather enigmatic man in Archibald 'Ark Monty' Montgomery."

Amaya nodded, "It'll be interesting to see how Milo handles Ark, given that he's so difficult to predict."

"Speaking of unpredictability," Jenks' experience with all things media shone through, "These two have been touted as very similar battlers throughout the tournament, since they both fit that 'wild card' descriptor pretty well. Amaya, what do you think of that comparison?"

"It's easy to think that," the Twinleaf Trainer got a thoughtful look on her face, "But Ark's team has a clear focal point that Milo's doesn't."

"By focal point", prompted Jenks, "I assume you mean one Pokémon that is clearly the biggest threat?"

"Yeah", Amaya nodded, "I mean, who is Ark's strongest Pokémon?"

Jenks knew where she was going with this, and played along;

"Well, it would have to be that male Lucario, Anubis."

"His fastest?"

"Anubis again."

"Yep. He's also the toughest, the smartest, the all-around best on that team. Milo can't be Pidgey-holed like that."

"But surely Milo's Umbreon is the standout battler on his team, just like Anubis on Ark's team?"

"It's different", Amaya frowned as she tried to explain her thought process, "Azura – the Umbreon – understands him best, but his Infernape actually has the most raw power. Garchomp is his toughest, but Floatzel is the most unpredictable. Glaceon is the hardest to pin down and his Lucario is by far the most versatile."

"I see what you mean", nodded Jenks. Behind the camera, one of the studio assistants held up a sign – there had been a slight delay in the broadcasting schedule, and they had another five minutes before the battle started. The expert journalist turned smoothly back to his Rookie guest and delved deeper;

"So, what does that difference mean for this battle?"

"It means Milo has more options. He can pick and choose any strategy at any time. With Ark, you can at least force him into a tight enough spot to draw out his ace and plan from there. Milo's got no default, no corners you can back him into."

"I see what you're saying", Jenks sat back and nodded sagely, "It seems like battling Milo and his mind games is like playing poker against someone with no tell."

He was about to go on, but the same studio assistant gave a frantic (but silent) wave; the delay had been resolved and the battle was to start immediately.

"Alright", Jenks leaned forward once more and rubbed his hands together excitedly, "Looks like we're finally ready to see some action!"

"Looks that way", nodded Amaya, "We've got both Trainers on the field, just waiting on the ref to give the go-ahead."

She'd never say it out loud, but Amaya could tell her friend was doing everything in his power to avoid freaking out. After a year travelling with him, she could see it in his narrowed eyes, his tense stance, and the way he steadfastly refused to look up at the tens of thousands of fans screaming his name.

"BATTLE….BEGIN!"

Archibald Montgomery, still in his 'traditional' Lucario garb, got things started;

"Ani, we need momentum!"

Perfect, thought Milo, I knew he'd go for Ani first.

"Blaze! You're in, pal!"

"Nice", said Amaya into her microphone, "That's a classic Milo counter-pick. He knew Ark would hold Anubis back, but would also try to start strong. Guessing he'd open with his other Lucario was a safe bet."

"Show them speed, Blaze! Mach Punch!"

Alert to the danger, the wily Ark wasn't waiting for an invitation to make his own play;

"Aura Sphere, Ani!"

"Double Team, Brick Break!"

Blaze's form seemed to dissipate as his Double Team rendered Ani's single Aura Sphere useless, hitting nothing but empty copies of the very real Infernape that came crashing in to land a big Fighting hit on the half-Steel type.

"A nice bit of vintage Milo strategy there as well", commented Jenks, "Always one step ahead."

"Double Team was his plan from the start there", agreed Amaya, "He's trying to gauge Ark's responses while he's got a safe matchup. He's getting a feel for Ark's instincts."

"A strong start then, from Milo. Wow! Now there's a brutal combo!"

Blaze had just taken a leaf from Jet's playbook, flashing out wide to draw Ani's attention before using another Quick Attack to hit her from her now-exposed front side with a vicious Blaze Kick before she could react.

"Crunch, now!"

Dang it! Milo cursed his own ambition, We got drawn in again. It's always that same opening that gets me…

He was forced to roll with the punches as Blaze took his first damage of the battle, and Ani and Ark came roaring back into the fight, anxious to pay back some of the damage.

"Follow him, girl! Use Aura Sphere until you can get close enough for a Close Combat!"

Milo's Flame Pokémon was stuck on the defensive now, but all of his training came in handy. The Rookie held his nerve, refusing to panic at the sudden reversal of pressure;

"Just like our drills, Blaze! Block those hits with Fire Punch!"

Adrenaline sharpened the Fire type's focused senses as he kept himself one step ahead of the onrushing Lucario, dodging this way and that, meeting each attempted Aura Sphere with a Fire Punch to cancel out most of the damage.

"This is turning into a game of nerves", commented Jenks, "It's all about who is going to flinch, or make the first mistake."

"My money is on Milo to take this round", answered Amaya, "Bla – Milo's Infernape does this kind of thing in training almost constantly, and he's taken much less damage so far."

Silently, Milo waited until the bout had developed a pounding rhythm before he saw a window to disrupt that rhythm;

"NOW!"

Needing no further instruction, Blaze made his move;

"Where's he – oh, he – WHOA! IT'S OVER!"

Jenks was actually out of his seat, yelling into the microphone. Blaze had used one last Fire Punch to break through the last Aura Sphere before firing off a quick Flamethrower and pushing off with a blinding Quick Attack. Just as Ani fell back with the damage from the Flamethrower, she was punished by a Flare Blitz that left her unconscious. Just like that, Milo took round one.

Good job, pal, Milo communicated mentally in order to be heard over the cheering fans, I can't switch you out, so you're going to have to just go for it, whatever comes next.

As if I'd have it any other way, snorted Milo's starter, Bring it on.

"Boulder, I need you now!"

There was a collective gasp around the crowd as Ark Monty inexplicably brought out an Onix to fight Milo's Infernape. Only Milo himself seemed to understand what was going on;

"Get in, Blaze! Now! Mach Punch, Low Kick!"

To most people, it looked like an inexcusable lapse in judgement from the Aura Protector of Eterna, but Marcus had (as usual) a more complicated opinion.

"He tried to do the same thing Milo did in with Aurora against Evan. I think that Onix knows Earth Power; he was probably hoping to get that in while Milo was wondering what he was doing."

"Didn't quite work", noted Alexander, "I guess Milo was smart enough to just pull the trigger."

Ark grimaced as his bluff was called – Marcus had been spot on. Without enough time and space to launch an Earth Power, Boulder would never be able to match the raw power Blaze commanded. Still, he was determined to make sure Milo earned this victory.

"Come on, Boulder! Long roll!"

"Blaze", Milo's mind was racing, "Back off, pal!"

What the hell is 'long roll'?

They didn't have to wait to find out. Blaze retreated warily, and Boulder flung himself horizontally across the field, landing with his body stretched out, and began literally rolling across the field towards Blaze.

Uh, that's new, the Flame Pokémon hadn't quite encountered something like this before, Milo? A plan would be nice...he's coming in hot…!

Milo was in...well, full Milo mode. He could think of at least four different ways to dodge this wacky rolling tactic – Boulder had now crossed midfield and Blaze was still just backing off – the problem was figuring out what Ark had planned after his dodge. What did Ark expect him to do? How could be beat the next plan, or at least determine what it was?

Milo!

He was out of time, "Jump over, Blaze!"

"Stone Edge!"

Milo could only grit his teeth at Ark's unconventionally brilliant maneuver. Blaze was easiest to predict when he was airborne, unable to adjust his trajectory until he landed. As long as Boulder was quick enough (he was), Milo's Fire type was helpless to dodge the strong Rock move and he took the full force of Stone Edge.

"Hang tough, pal", Milo knew his Infernape could at least finish out the round, "Another Mach Punch!"

"Boulder, Earth Power!"

"Geodude!"

Up in the booth, Amaya actually laughed, "That's another classic Milo trick. Wide ranging Ground moves like that never strike the Pokémon that launched them, so that's the best place for an agile Pokémon like Infernape to dodge."

Down on the field, Blaze executed the tactic to perfection, giving a mighty leap to latch onto the Rock Snake's long body. He held on just long enough to avoid the Earth Power, and was already in motion once more as Milo called out;

"Now Close Combat and away!"

Don't follow, warned the Trainer mentally, That should do it, but if not we'll need a buffer zone.

To Milo's great relief, it was enough. Boulder was knocked out, and while Blaze was on his last legs for sure, he had a savage grin on his features that the crowd loved.

"We couldn't have asked for a more scintillating opening to this semifinal round", said Jenks in the commentary booth, "Milo, behind a gutsy performance from his Infernape, finds himself with an early lead."

"I think this is where Ark begins to gain some ground, though", noted Amaya as Ark Monty released his third Pokémon, "Blaze is exhausted, Milo can't switch him, and – yep, Ark is going to call in his Aegislash."

Blaze did his best, giving a fine account of himself despite his innate disadvantage in fighting a Ghost.

"Hmm", noted Amaya, "Those Fire moves are coming in handy, but Blaze has only one real counter for a Pokémon like that."

That counter was Heat Wave. Milo had already called for three of them.

You're doing great, he assured his starter, Let's just rack up whatever damage we can here, bud. Do what you can, and let the team handle the rest.

I can...do this...all day, huffed the Infernape gamely, his chest heaving with exertion as he fired off yet another Heat Wave, striking Ark Monty's evasive Aegislash for only the second time.

"Well", Amaya stated the obvious, "We know what Milo's plan is; Heat Wave or bust. If Ark has a counter plan, he'd better do it soon. If he doesn't take this round, I think it already starts to look unwinnable for him."

Finally, Ark and his Aegislash found the opening they'd been desperately waiting for. Blaze had emptied his tank, and his next Heat Wave was just too weak and too slow.

"Now, Sword! Shock Wave, then Aerial Ace!"

It was a neat little change-up play, and it did precisely enough. As he took the extra-painful Flying type hit, Blaze at last allowed himself to stay down.

The crowd got to their feet now, applauding the heroics of Milo's loyal starter Pokémon, eager to see what magnificent creature the Rookie would call upon next.

As Milo recalled Blaze, he took a breath to steady himself before making just his second call;

"We don't take defeat lightly. Azura, show them what we're capable of!"

"YEEEESSS!"

Marcus was on his feet; all of Lily Stadium exploded in cheers of anticipation as Milo's now-famous ace Pokémon took the field, her blue rings shining fiercely under the lights of Lily Stadium.

"There it is", Amaya shook her head with a rueful grin, "Ark can kiss that Aegislash goodbye. Milo's about to hit a whole new level."

"Sword! Snipe her, use Shadow Ball!"

"He's vulnerable! Pursuit!"

"Predictable", Ark shot back, "Turn and fire another Shadow Ball!"

Oh, Milo thought, I'm predictable, am I? Let's see, Ark.

"Protect! Dark Pulse, then out!"

True to form, Milo seemed to flip some inner switch once he and Azura got down to business, and the crafty Umbreon made Sword's clever secondary attack look like a joke with her preemptive Protect. Before the Aegislash or his stunned Trainer could react, the Royal Sword Pokémon took a massive hit from Dark Pulse, and the Ghost's instinctive counter struck only thin air as Azura got to safety.

"Stay with me, Sword", counseled the Aura Guardian, "They can't Protect forever. Use Aerial Ace!"

"We don't need to hide, Azura. Feint Attack."

It was a clinically perfect move, and the chemistry between Milo and his Moonlight Pokémon was on display yet again. She had launched into the move before he was even done saying it out loud. It was timed to perfection, and Sword took another big hit, as Milo's Dark type once again retreated to keep her buffer space.

Still, they weren't done yet. The Aegislash bravely hauled itself upright, ready to continue.

"Hmm. Try a Shock Wave!"

"Cut a hole and use it, Azura. Confusion, Shadow Ball."

The Dark type needed every bit of her considerable speed to direct a Psychic blast into the onrushing Electric wave. Sword was, of course, hardly affected, but Azura was able to slice a hole through the Shock Wave through which she fired an inch-perfect Shadow Ball. Finally, the damage caught up to Ark Monty's Aegislash. Two big Fire moves, plus the pounding Azura had dished out, and he was down.

As the older Trainer recalled his third downed Pokémon, the crowd was already chanting;

"MI-LO! MI-LO!"

Shut them out, the Rookie told himself, You're only halfway done. We still don't know what his sixth Pokémon is. Focus up.

In an effort to preserve the tactical advantage, Milo proactively recalled Azura, keeping her safe for later, in case she was needed again.

"Clever boy", conceded Ark, "Let's see whether you can close this out. Pierce! You're up!"

Milo took one look at the intimidating Pangoro and knew who he needed. He reached automatically for his most fearless Pokémon, and made the call;

"Drake, time to shine!"

Hehe, Drake set himself up quickly, Bring it, big guy.

"Pierce", Ark was not wasting time, "Lead with a Hyper Voice!"

"That's a wide move, Drake. Down-up-down."

Like a flash, Drake was gone, leaving only the telltale hole in the ground to indicate Milo's latest trickery.

"That's a great dodge from Milo," Jenks was trying his best to keep up with the rapid-fire action below, "He avoids what might have been a devastating Hyper Voice! There's a Dig counterattack! Pangoro tries to strike back, but...oh, wow! Garchomp reads it perfectly with another Dig!"

Milo had unveiled another one of his tricks – Drake had executed the 'down-up-down' perfectly.

"Pierce", Ark was prepared to demonstrate his own adaptability, "Go for a Hammer Arm, right in front of Milo!"

The Pangoro wasn't particularly fast, but Ark's plan made up for that. Just as he predicted, Drake's second Dig attack brought him shooting out of the ground in front of Milo...just in time to receive a big Hammer Arm to the face.

CRAP! That freaking hurt!

My bad, Drake. Stay with me.

Oh, he is going to regret pissing me off!

Drake was still on the ground where he'd landed after being hit, and as Pierce lumbered towards him once again, Milo's wily Garchomp looked up and fired a swift Flamethrower which caught the Daunting Pokémon by surprise and sent him stumbling backwards.

"There you go, Drake! Pepper him, use that speed!"

"Perfect adjustment", commented Amaya above, "Garchomp took that hit because Milo let him get too close, so now he'll keep his distance. Pangoro is way too slow to keep up."

"I see what you mean", nodded Jenks as Drake landed a Stone Edge before dashing out of Pierce's range yet again, "Ark will have to find another answer. Milo is also doing a good job denying him time and space for another Hyper Voice."

On the field, Milo could all but feel the heat rising from his overworked brain as he encouraged his Garchomp;

"Come on, Drake! Keep after him!"

Pierce was an absolute tank. He had now taken the initial Dig, a Flamethrower, a Stone Edge, and then another Flamethrower, but he still came barreling as fast as he could manage towards the speedy Mach Pokémon.

"Play it careful", warned the Rookie, knowing this victory could provide him a critical advantage.

"Pierce", Ark switched strategies on a dime, "Find him and use Gunk Shot!"

"That's it!" Amaya actually stood as she watched, knowing all too well what was coming, "Milo wins!"

Just like so many times before, Milo was one step ahead. He'd known all about Pierce's devastating Poison attack, and Drake was ready.

"Counter, Dragon Rush! Then Dig out, and Earthquake!"

Drake actually ran towards the Gunk Shot before nullifying it completely with a well-timed Iron Head. The Steel move rendered the Gunk Shot useless, and Drake had already launched into a fearsome Dragon Rush that slammed into Ark's Daunting Pokémon. Just as Milo predicted, Pierce struck back with a Slash, but hit only thin air.

Drake wasn't waiting around, and his Dig took him safely out of range. Before the bewildered Ark Monty could react to any of this, the Dragon reappeared and fired off a massive Earthquake that at last brought Pierce to his knees, and finally face down in the dirt.

"WOOOO!"

Kara screamed until her lungs felt like bursting, adding her enthusiastic voice to the deafening reaction of the crowd. Milo was beginning to feel like an untouchable well-oiled machine. With plays of that complexity and brutal effectiveness ready to go at the drop of a hat, who could stop this one-of-a-kind team?

Oddly, Milo and Drake seemed the least excited about their massive victory. Both Pokémon and Trainer were thinking along exactly the same lines.

He's got two left, Milo noted, And we know Anubis will anchor the team.

That leaves just the wild card, finished Drake, Time to see what he's got.

It was easy enough to guess that Ark would finally reveal his mystery sixth Pokémon, but guessing that didn't help Milo at all. He readied himself as Ark recalled his fallen Pangoro.

"Time for a bit of a surprise, Milo. I've made a new friend I think you should meet – Otta, it's show time!"

With a red flash and a truly staggering roar...a Tyrantrum burst onto the field, drawing gasps of shock from the watchers.

He is one massive sucker, admitted Drake.

Milo just blinked. He knew very little about Tyrantrum, given that they were rare even in their home region of Kalos and had almost never been seen or used anywhere else. Ark Monty quickly realized he finally had Milo at a loss, and acted quickly;

"Otta! Rock Slide!"

"Drake, down!"

Milo was scrambling, and it cost him;

"Earthquake!"

"Drake, NO!"

There was nothing he could do. He watched in slow-motion as the monstrous Despot Pokémon let loose a staggering Earthquake that was all the more powerful because Drake was in the midst of the underground phase of his Dig attack.

Already damaged and exhausted from his extended bout with Pierce, Drake emerged shakily back onto the surface of the field, already staggering.

That...freaking...sucked…

The proud Garchomp sank to his knees, but as he began to collapse he shot a last-gasp Stone Edge into the face of Ark's wild card, taking the Tyrantrum by surprise. It was a parting shot, and didn't do all that much damage, but it was more of a symbolic statement – a final 'screw you' to the opponent who had beaten him so quickly.

The crowd was in an uproar at this sudden reversal of momentum – Milo was still up 4-2, of course, but Ark's Tyrantrum had just laid waste to the Rookie's fearsome Garchomp with one fell swoop.

"Wow", even Amaya couldn't find the words, "I did not see that coming."

"I think most of us would agree", nodded Jenks, "Most importantly, Milo didn't see it coming."

Milo felt his hand moving almost before he knew what exactly he was doing. Looking down, he stopped himself;

I...Why am I already going for Azura? Take a breath, Milo. Think. Now is not the time to press the panic button.

He shut his eyes for a moment, doing his best to ignore the pressure of the screaming battle enthusiasts packed in to watch him.

Keep it simple, he thought determinedly, Be myself. How do I take down a big Dragon-Rock type?

Just like that, a new plan appeared, one that was much more elegant than just throwing in Azura and hoping for the best;

"Aurora! You're in!"

He was momentarily satisfied to see Ark Monty's eyes narrow, his adversary's mind struggling to work out just what Milo hoped to accomplish with a Glaceon against a Tyrantrum. The Aura Protector of Eterna was clever, though; he had seen Milo's previous fights, and he knew better than to let this Glaceon get herself set up. With the protection of Hail, she was a tough opponent no matter what the matchup.

"Otta, Earthquake!"

"Protect, then Hail!"

"Ha!" Amaya was clearly amused as she gave her thoughts to the television viewers across the region, "That's downright disrespectful from Milo. Ark knew what he wanted and had a plan to stop it, but Milo just used Protect to make space for Hail anyway."

"Agreed", nodded Jenks, "Milo's message here is clear; you might know what I want, but it doesn't matter. You still can't stop me."

Below, Ark's frustration was evident in his screwed up face and clenched fist. He, like so many before him, was now faced with the daunting task of tracking down Aurora in her natural element – with a bulky Dragon type, no less.

"Try another Earthquake, Otta!"

It was a taxing move to use repeatedly, but with limited options the Aura Guardian was prepared to take that risk.

"Stop him, Aurora! Quick Attack, Ice Fang!"

Actually, this was a much closer call than the Jubilife Rookie had intended. Aurora was barely able to get into close range in time for her Ice Fang to prevent the large Ground move.

"Recover quickly, Otta! Use Rock Slide in front of you on the left!"

"Momentum, Aurora!"

Milo wasn't going to make the same mistake again. He had an exit strategy this time; Aurora was already charging forward, and had only to keep herself moving to carry her run safely behind the Despot Pokémon and out of harm's way, as Rock Slide came crashing down behind her.

"Now turn and hit him! Then move again!"

Exposed by his attempted Rock Slide, Otta the Tyrantrum was helpless to avoid the Blizzard attack that rocked him for even more super-effective damage.

Frustrated and hurting, Otta gave a deafening roar as Milo kept his barrage up;

"Keep that rhythm going, girl! Make him find you!"

Twisting and turning, the Dragon in the midst of Milo's expertly managed hailstorm simply presented too big a target. Aurora couldn't miss. Now an Ice Beam from the left, a Water Pulse from behind, Blizzard from the other side, there seemed no end to it.

"This is maddening", Ark muttered, "I'm not even making progress. How could he counter a Pokémon he didn't even know about? I was so sure my little surprise would work..."

Up above, Amaya and Jenks were reaching a similar conclusion;

"This is, to me, what sets Milo apart", observed the media expert, "Milo, like most JPTA alumni, has stores upon stores of knowledge. What differentiates him, though, is his adaptability."

"Not quite", Amaya thought carefully, as Otta screamed and began launching Rock Slides anywhere and everywhere he could, "Adaptability is great, but what fuels that is how he processes and analyzes all that stuff he knows. He can make 15 plans, consider them all, and choose the best one before most people have even one plan."

Things on the field took yet another twist, and the crowd gave a round of 'ooh's as Aurora at last struck gold with a quick Ice Beam. It had become rather difficult for her to find any space to launch her moves, given that she was now dodging Rock Slide attacks right and left. This final Ice Beam was the last straw for the furious Otta, who sank to his knees before keeling over in defeat at last.

Milo felt a huge weight lift from his shoulders as Ark's wild card Pokémon hit the dirt. Only one more foe now stood between him and a spot in the final; Anubis.

"That was incredible", Ark nodded in acknowledgement, "But you know what's coming next, Milo. It's all or nothing and I've got one shot to turn this around."

Silently, Milo returned Aurora. She had done a fantastic job, but all her running and exertion had no doubt exhausted her.

Besides, he reasoned, This one will be personal. There's only one Pokémon I can realistically call on here. She's earned it.

As Anubis took his place starkly on Ark's side of the field, the pressure and anticipation inside Lily Stadium took a noticeable hike. There was no way this final bout could be anything but epic – it would take nothing less than that to defeat this magnificent Lucario.

Milo pulled the requisite Pokéball from his belt;

"It's time. Ferra, bring it home!"

The cheers and excited chattering grew only louder at this; a Lucario-on-Lucario battle!

Across the field, Ark Monty gave a solemn nod of approval;

"Fitting", he said.

There was a breathless pause. Neither Trainer and neither Pokémon moved a muscle for several long seconds. Even the crowd fell into a hush, and Amaya and Jenks didn't speak in the commentary booth as the tension built and built like a pressure cooker.

It was Ark who broke the unexpected deadlock with a single word;

"Go."

There was a burst of activity, too fast for anyone to follow. Before anyone could tell quite what was happening, Anubis had crossed the field, and there was a cry from Ferra before another blast sent Ark's Lucario sprawling.

"WHOA!" Jenks did his best to provide some idea of what had just transpired, as the crowd exploded back into life, "I think...in that split second both Lucario landed solid hits on one another!"

"I guess Anubis has Agility", contributed Amaya, "and there was a flash in there somewhere that looked like Detect. That's all I got, though. It does look like they both got hit."

Two people in the whole stadium knew exactly how it had gone down, and they were standing on opposite sides of the field.

That was a good Detect, Milo encouraged his self-appointed daughter, He got a Bone Rush in, but your Force Palm was stronger. Focus up, he won't stay down for long.

Ferra blinked, not quite sure herself what exactly she'd done besides trust her instincts. Nevertheless, Milo was right, and her uncle didn't stay down very long.

"Anubis", Ark was more serious than Milo had ever seen him, "Don't hold back."

Papa…!

Ferra was caught completely off guard as the older Aura Pokémon used Agility once again from his prone position on the ground. With no time to react, Milo's eyes shot wide open as Ferra was subjected to a relentless series of massive attacks. She just spun away from a Bone Rush, only to take a Drain Punch to the chest. She stumbled back, but not far enough to escape Anubis' brutal Close Combat. She took two, three, four hits – and then Ark called from across the field;

"Finish this, Anubis."

The Aura Pokémon took a step back to set himself before landing a blistering Aura Sphere. Milo's heart was in his throat. He had suspected that Ferra might lack the experience to compete with her uncle, but the beating she'd taken was...merciless. He reached for his belt to recall her, but a pained voice echoed in his mind;

No...I won't lose. He thinks...I'm down…

Are you sure? I can let the rest of the team wrap this up.

NO! I...AM...STRONG!

With a roar, Ferra came sprinting back at her unsuspecting uncle, her Quick Attack culminating in a Blaze Kick that connected solidly with his side.

"Come on, Ferra! Keep moving, get around him!"

A desperate Milo urged his 'daughter' onward as the crowd gasped, shocked that she had survived Anubis' onslaught.

"Unbelievable!" Jenks was yelling into his commentator's microphone, "After taking a staggering amount of damage, Milo's Lucario is back up with a vengeance!"

"This could be the end of the battle", said Amaya, disbelief evident in her voice as Ferra wailed on the stumbling Anubis, a Cross Chop forcing him further back, "When Ferra gets like this there's no stopping her."

Anubis did his level best to dodge and weave between the hits that were raining down on him, or use Agility to back off, but Ferra wouldn't give him the chance.

Ark was speechless. He knew there was nothing he could say – this was a battle between the two Lucario, and they alone would decide the outcome.

Anubis was starting to gain traction once more, using close-range Aura Sphere and Bone Rush attacks to deflect some of Ferra's wild hits. Still, he was getting pummeled back and forth across the field, and Ferra was only gaining momentum as the seconds ticked by.

The cheers of delight and disbelief rose in a mighty crescendo as Ferra's rampage stretched on and on.

Milo felt his own energy boiling over, and somehow he sensed that this insane bout was coming to a head one way or another. As if from afar, he heard his own voice screaming;

"FERRA, DO IT!"

With a final yell of effort, the younger of the two Lucario smacked a clean Force Palm into her uncle's body, her other hand already charging an Aura Sphere that she fired into his flailing form. He went spinning like a rag doll to land across the field in a heap.

Now, at long last, she stopped.

Ferra's chest was heaving, her breathing was heavy and labored. She blinked, and saw Anubis laid out before her, utterly spent and defeated.

Somewhere, a muffled voice proclaimed;

"Lucario is unable to battle, so – erm – Lucario is the winner! The battle goes to Milo of Jubilife!"

What...just happened?

"FERRAAA!"

Milo's voice called jubilantly to her, and she turned to him, still a bit confused, as her uncle's voice echoed in her mind.

You are...truly...a worthy daughter of Fenrir…

Finally, the noise of the frenzied crowd reached her through the haze of adrenaline, just as her beloved Trainer reached her and wrapped her in a fervent embrace.

"Ferra", Milo was choking up, "That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen! You did it! You beat Anubis; you absolutely crushed him! I'm so, so proud of you!"

Papa…? I don't even – I don't remember what happened…

"In all my years," Ark Monty had crossed the field to congratulate them, "I have never seen such absolute determination. It was an honor to witness, and I will never forget it, as long as I live."

The Aura Protector's dramatic streak shone through, and he raised Milo's arm to the crowd as if declaring him a boxing champion.

Up in the stands, Milo's friends and family could scarcely contain their excitement;

"He's done it! Oh my little boy, oh Milo", Zoe was beside herself with motherly pride, shedding tears of joy. Alexander wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders, pumping his other fist in the air;

"AHA! That's right; our boy is in the Conference final! Way to show them how it's done, son! Way to go!"

In the commentary booth, Amaya seemed to have short-circuited, staring wide-eyed at the field. Jenks was still trying to recover his own breath, but he did his best to offer commentary on the surreal scene;

"Folks, we've just witnessed something truly special! With a singularly heroic effort, Milo's Lucario takes down the one and only Anubis and secures a convincing 4-0 victory in this first semifinal. Milo has earned himself a spot in the Lily of the Valley Conference final!"

"'Earned' is right", Amaya was ready to speak at last, "That battle was much closer than the final result would suggest. At the end of the day, I think Ark was more powerful, but Milo's team was more versatile. His adaptability and team diversity won him this battle."

"I won't argue that", Jenks kept things moving along, "With that, we'll send it back to the studio for further discussion – Amaya, thank you again for joining us, and best of luck in your own battle coming up shortly!"

Contrary to what Milo had felt going into his battle, Amaya was almost bored as she concluded the live broadcast, disentangled herself from the mess of wires and equipment that kept everything running properly, and headed down to get prepped for her latest fight against Damion.

She wasn't even bothered by their personal history. Sure, there had been that moment of...well, something in Snowpoint, but she had thoroughly shut the door on that.

I won't even be in Sinnoh next season, she reasoned, so it's not worth even considering. Too little too late, Damion.

She sat in her staging room, head bobbing to the music in her signature black headphones, whiling away the time while all the news folks were frothing at the mouth over Milo.

That, she knew, would be a much more stressful fight – the final against Milo. Damion was just Damion, but...Milo had come a very long way recently, and he'd had a head start on her from the get-go. She had no doubt that she could beat her friend and rival, but only if she and her team had an absolutely perfect performance.

As the one hour break ticked slowly by, Marcus felt a buzz on his watch. He looked down, wondering who might be calling him now, of all times –and he felt his face darken. It was Grimsley.

His brain was whirring as he stepped over to a relatively secluded corner to take this call in private.

"Go ahead."

"Marcus, it's good to see you. I'm here with Sidney and Nanu."

The Hearthome Leader's brow scrunched as he stated the obvious;

"Sidney and Nanu...but not Karen?"

Now it was Grimsley's turn to wear a sour expression as he sighed and addressed the Donphan in the room;

"Look, Marcus, we found out about what happened – what she did. That's…why we're calling."

"What about it? Milo already quit the Order, but that's not news to you either."

The Unova Elite took a few seconds to pick his words carefully before responding;

"Does it feel to you, Marcus, like Karen perhaps planned for his departure from our organization?"

"What are you implying?"

"You know her. If she planned this far ahead, she would've known Milo wouldn't stay with us. That means all anyone has done is play into her hands and prove her right."

"What's your point?"

The real reason for this sudden call was coming. Marcus could feel his colleague building carefully towards whatever it was that he wanted. Grimsley took a small breath and lowered his voice before speaking;

"She's out of control, Marcus. That kind of strategy, putting your brother at risk like that, it's not the way this Order should operate."

"I...won't argue that."

Marcus' short, guarded responses were buying him time to figure out Grimsley's intentions; he didn't want to show any kind of reaction until all the cards were on the table.

"Marcus", insisted Grimsley, "The Order was made to defend society, not to fight an all-out war. We can't, or shouldn't, beat the League and the Tribe by stooping to their levels."

"Spit it out, Grimsley. Come on."

"I – we – would hate to see our proud Order lose its purpose after centuries of work to reach this point. Karen has to face the consequences of her disregard for those under her command. A...A change in leadership is needed, to preserve the Order of Shadows as it should be."

"Are...you proposing that Karen be removed as Shadow Master?"

A nod.

"Someone would have to take her place. Which of us would take charge?"

Grimsley just raised his eyebrows pointedly.

"Ah", suddenly it all came together, "That's why you're all calling me together. You want me to overthrow Karen and take her place as Shadow Master."

"We'd all support you, of course. It would have to be done extremely carefully", cautioned Grimsley, "We would only get one shot at it. What do you think?"

"I'm in."

"...Wait, really? Just like that?"

All of Marcus' pent-up fury came boiling quickly back to the surface, as the chance for genuine revenge at last presented itself. He knew he could restore the Order, redirect it just as Ziron had. He agreed in full with Grimsley's assessment – Karen had to go, and he was the most logical successor.

"She used me, and she almost got Milo killed. Someone like that isn't worthy of being the Master of this Order. I'm in."

"Figures", snorted Nanu in the background, "After we planned a big freaking speech and all that crap. Whatever."

Grimsley's surprised face melted into an eerie grin;

"Excellent. We'll be in touch about the details...Shadow Master Marcus."

As the other members of the Inner Circle hung up, the Hearthome Leader felt only a cold sense of readiness. This needed to happen, and he would see it done no matter the cost.

Change is coming, Karen, he thought, Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not for a while, but...you will face the consequences of your actions. Mark my words.

For now, though, he returned to his seat to watch Amaya take on Damion in the evening's second semifinal.

Cheers of "HAMMER, HAMMER!" were already ringing out as the two 'Super Rookies' stepped out and shook hands in the middle of the field. No words were exchanged – they had too much history for that.

Up in the commentary booth, Milo and Jenks kicked off the live broadcast.

"We're about to get underway here", began the expert journo, "Milo, congratulations on your victory earlier – can you sum up this second battle for us? What's the underlying question here?"

"Thank you, Robert, good to be here. Can I sum this battle up…? Hmm, well the deciding factor here will be Damion. The expectation here is that Amaya wins this easily, so anything more, even a close defeat, will feel like a win for him. I guess the question here is – does Damion have the guts and the right plan to finally take down Amaya?"

"An interesting assessment, Milo. What kind of odds do you give Damion to pull off something like that?"

"Truthfully, I'm not expecting too much. Amaya is just too far ahead, too powerful. She's had his number all season at the Rookie tournaments, and I see no reason for that to change now."

"Well, we're about to find out. The referee has made the call...and we're off! Our first round will be Amaya's Milotic against Damion's Crobat!"

The crowd roared in approval. This battle, it seemed, would begin with a bang – Coral was one of the single most powerful Pokémon in the whole Conference. In the stands, however, Marcus was far less impressed.

"Why, Amaya? Now she can't use the rest of her team until Coral goes down. That makes zero sense. Ugh, she's not taking this seriously…"

"Lead with Ice Beam!"

"Evade, Crobat! Supersonic!"

For all her power, Coral had always been weak to the status game, and she couldn't do much as the slippery Crobat ducked out of the way of her Ice Beam to launch the confusion-inducing Supersonic.

"Yes!" Damion was eager to press his advantage, "Now get in there and use Poison Fang!"

"No! Coral, Twister!"

The big Dragon move was the perfect counter for a fast Flying type like Crobat, but…

"Oh wow", Milo shook his head and explained, "Amaya tried to get that Twister in as a blocking move, but Coral just wound up damaging herself."

"Looks like Poison Fang was perfect as well", added Jenks, "Amaya finds herself in a tough spot here. Her ace Pokémon is confused and poisoned in the very first round."

Down on the field, Damion had ordered his Bat Pokémon to back off, wary of The Hammer's next move;

"Coral, Water Pulse!"

Too late, the resilient Milotic shook off the confusion from Supersonic, and her wide-ranging Water Pulse struck home, leaving the relatively flimsy Crobat open for a beat-down the Twinleaf Trainer was only too happy to dish out.

"Ice Beam, Coral! Then Twister!"

Damion's Bat Pokémon had no chance against the furious onslaught. The Ice Beam, the Twister, and a Hydro Pump for good measure all smashed into it at full force. In the midst of it all, Damion yelled;

"Fight through, Crobat! Venoshock!"

It was a kamikaze play – the Veilstone Super Rookie knew as well as anyone else that his Crobat was done for. Still, his insistence on endurance just paid out as the Poison type landed a Venoshock that was particularly damaging, due to Coral's poisoned state.

"Wow!" Jenks re-situated himself in his seat, trying to catch his breath, "After a brutal first round from both sides, Damion takes the first loss of the battle – his Crobat is down for the count."

"That'll still feel like a win for him," Milo contributed, "Amaya's Milotic is by far the biggest threat on her team and now she's damaged and poisoned. If he can finish the job quickly and efficiently, this battle might be closer to an even match."

"Get in there, Empoleon!"

It was the perfect tactical play from Damion. His starter was the epitome of his defensive, never-say-die attitude, and Coral had a hard time limit on her ability to continue.

"Quick, use Drill Peck!"

"Damion's taking no chances here," Milo nodded, "He'll take Coral down as fast as he can to avoid some kind of miracle play. Amaya won't get any mercy this time."

"Destroy him, Coral! Dragon Tail, Bulldoze!"

It was a tactic the Veilstone boy was intimately familiar with – he'd been on the receiving end of Coral's Dragon Tail more times than he wanted to count.

"Pull up, Empoleon, PULL UP! Bubblebeam!"

The Emperor Pokémon was tough, but not exactly agile. He saw the danger but couldn't cancel his Drill Peck in time to escape the Dragon Tail. His sluggishness left him wide open when Coral came barreling forward in a remarkable Bulldoze that struck Empoleon for super effective damage.

Still, Damion's strategy shone through yet again – Empoleon grimaced, but was back up and raring to go. He fired off the Bubblebeam his Trainer had ordered, just to prove he could.

There was a pause as both Pokémon glared at one another, damaged and exhausted.

Amaya bit her lip before making a risky play;

"Coral, Water Pulse, then Recover!"

"Aqua Jet! Drill Peck! Metal Claw!"

Milo actually stood up, awed as the battle changed pace abruptly.

"What a play!" He wasn't one to praise Damion, but he had to recognize the genius of his adversary's move.

Instead of going wide, which was Amaya's plan, Empoleon's Aqua Jet brought him safely underneath the Water Pulse as Coral fired it from on high. He then switched smoothly into the more effective Drill Peck – Coral was unable to block as she was trying to buy more time with Recover. For good measure, as the Tender Pokémon cried out, Damion's starter added his Metal Claw, a savage blow.

"Back off, now, back off!"

Wary of Coral's arsenal of heavy-hitting moves, Damion watched Amaya's Milotic with wide, unblinking eyes, holding his breath as Empoleon retreated to a 'safe' distance.

"Coral…" Amaya could see her first-ever Pokémon going down, but there was time for one last, desperate play;

"Use Return!"

The Normal move wasn't very effective against a half-Steel type, but such was Coral's raw power and absolute love for her human that the blinding, ferocious blast, summoned by the intensity of the Milotic's feelings, knocked Empoleon out cold, just like that. Then, at long last, Coral succumbed to the damage and poison leeching her energy away, and went down.

As the dust settled, the roar from the crowd nearly drowned out the referee as he made the call;

"Both Milotic and Empoleon are unable to battle! Trainers, please call your next Pokémon!"

"WHAT A MOVE!" Marcus and his father were both losing their minds in the stands, "That was INSANE!"

"It does worry me that she lost Coral so early," cautioned Amaya's father, "Still, if all of her team have that kind of devotion and heroism ready to go, she'll pull through okay."

Down on the field, Amaya had made another...interesting choice. Granted, she'd had precious little time to consider her options, but she had called for Granite just as Damion released his Machamp. Grimacing visibly at her lapse in judgement, she decided to put herself on the front foot;

"Granite, Earthquake!"

"You got this, Machamp! Vital Throw!"

Amaya's Iron Snake produced an Earthquake that was nothing to sniff at, but Machamp just hunkered down and began closing in for the Vital Throw. Granite was left exposed by Machamp's startling display of sturdiness, and found himself laid out painfully on the ground by the Fighting move.

"Now get in and wail on him, Machamp!"

"No! Granite, twist and Flash Cannon!"

"Block with Focus Blast!"

As Machamp's Fighting type blast nullified Granite's counterattack, Jenks commented;

"Damion is absolutely on fire today! Numerically, he's losing, but his Machamp is moving in with type advantage on the second of Amaya's powerhouses! If he can close this out here, all the hardest work will already be done! No doubt Amaya was counting on her Milotic and Steelix to put up at least two or three wins each."

"I'm not sure she was counting on much of anything," Milo responded with a nervous shake of the head, "This battle really feels like she just walked in with no plan, expecting to roll over Damion like usual. She's approached this match too casually so far."

By this time, Machamp had successfully overwhelmed Amaya's downed Steelix, and she numbly recalled Granite.

"It's hard to see," Milo noted, "But Amaya is absolutely in shock right now. Damion has been at her throat from the get-go, and now he's actually fought this back to a tie, four Pokémon each."

Amaya's confusion was only compounded when Damion recalled his victorious Machamp, electing to save the Superpower Pokémon for a later matchup.

Damn, thought the Twinleaf Rookie, He knew I would call Spirielle if he left it in.

She was struggling now to recall what other Pokémon her Veilstone rival had left. She knew all about his Empoleon, but she hadn't bothered to prepare anything for the rest of his team, assuming they'd pose no threat. Now, with the pressure weighing heavily on her small shoulders, she flicked feverishly through her frustratingly hazy memories, to battles past...

Come on...Come on, 'Maya, think! What does he have left?

She had precious little time to make a call, she knew, and she could only think of one of Damion's Pokémon she hadn't yet seen.

He's got a Staraptor. That would make sense; he wants to press his advantage with a fast attack-based Pokémon. Okay, so I need…

"Leon, get in there!"

"Golem! Magnitude!"

Amaya could only watch in horror, heart in her throat as her Luxray burst bravely onto the field only to be met with a staggering Magnitude attack from Damion's Rock type.

"Move in, Earthquake!"

It was a lot of exertion, using two such moves back to back, but Damion had set his sights on a quick and brutal victory, knowing how deadly Amaya could be when allowed back into a fight she was losing.

Sure enough, Leon couldn't set himself after the Magnitude, and he cried out in pain as the damage poured in mercilessly.

"Leon, NO! If you're still with me, get in there with Ice Fang!"

"Finish him, Golem! Stone Edge!"

It was a terrifying sight to see for Damion and Golem as the furious Leon came barreling out of the dust cloud raised by Earthquake. He was scraped, bruised, and heavily damaged, but he had a raw rage in his eyes that defied all explanation.

"How is he still able to continue?"

Jenks couldn't believe it as Leon came flying forward. Despite his obvious advantage, Damion's Golem faltered at the haunting sight of the crazed Luxray. The Ground type's Stone Edge was late and off-target, and he took an Ice Fang to the face for his lapse in concentration.

Unfortunately for Leon and Amaya, Golem's pain broke the spell of intimidation, and he surged forward, striking the brave Gleam Eyes Pokémon with an unbidden, full-force Giga Impact. This time there could be no doubt about the result.

"Luxray is unable to continue! Golem is the winner!"

By now, Amaya was struggling to control the tremble in her hands as she recalled her downed Electric type.

I'm losing, she realized, I'm losing to Damion. Damn it, what's wrong with me? Come ON, Amaya! Okay, okay – take a breath.

Looking up at the referee, Amaya called sullenly for a timeout. In most high pressure six on six matches at big tournaments like this one, both sides were usually granted one timeout call to use at any point during the battle.

"That's a smart call," noted Milo above, "She won't have liked using a timeout, but I think this is a turning point. This will ice Damion's momentum and give her a chance to get her head on straight and make an actual plan."

Milo knew his friend all too well, it turned out;

"Damn it," she sank into a seat the instant the door of her staging room closed behind her. Head in hands, she stared at the floor for several seconds, waiting for her brain to cool off enough to function properly.

"Okay, what are we up against here?"

She didn't much care, at this point, that she was talking to herself. Anything to help her work through this.

"Machamp is still there at some point, so I can't lead off with Glacius. He's got that Golem, the Staraptor, and...what was it? Umm, Toxicroak? Yeah! His sixth is a Toxicroak."

With her mind once again firing on all cylinders, she felt that familiar spark inside her. For the first time since the battle started, she felt her face twist of its own accord into that confident smirk she usually wore.

She relished the feeling, diving headlong into her newfound sense of grounded confidence.

"There we go," she told herself, "It's just Damion, after all. Focus up and win."

Contrary to popular belief, Amaya was a much more emotional battler than Milo. He was no doubt the more expressive of the two in battle, but her strategies, her tactics, everything about her and her team was guided by a deep-seated passion. Now she felt it blazing hot inside her. She allowed herself to feel furious that Damion had caught her off guard. She savored the need for revenge for the way he'd eliminated Coral.

Ding!

A light flashed above her. Timeout was over – the battle was ready to resume.

"HAM-MER! HAM-MER!"

The chants ringing down from the crowd washed over her as she stared with cold eyes across the field at Damion Parr. His eyes were narrowed and focused on her. On his face was the scowl she had been wearing for the first half of their fight.

That's right, she thought briefly, You don't know what I'm up to anymore. No more games.

"Battle...begin!"

"Spirielle, you're in."

"Golem, get back in there!"

In the commentary booth, Jenks couldn't wait to get back into the action;

"We're ready to continue at last! A smart pick from Damion, trying to create some continuity and build back the momentum he took into that timeout. He's also got something of a type advantage here."

"True," Milo added, "But Amaya's pick is more about a tactical shift than a type-based play. Her Gengar has a different style of fighting than her powerhouses. This is a change of pace."

Damion, unfortunately, did not recognize this, and tried to utilize his type advantage;

"Go for an Earthquake, Golem!"

"Stop him with Psychic."

The speedy Gengar easily got her attack in before Earthquake could trouble her. Amaya had set herself up for a rampage;

"Now Hypnosis!"

Once again, speed made all the difference, and suddenly Damion's Rock type was a very large and very vulnerable sleeping target. The most obvious follow-up would have been Dream Eater, but Amaya had other plans;

"Energy Ball, rapid fire!"

The prone Megaton Pokémon took one, two, three, four big hits from the doubly super effective Grass type move before waking up, only to collapse, unconscious, to the ground.

"HAMMER! HAMMER!"

The crowd absolutely loved the shift in momentum, as Amaya laid waste to Damion's Golem in no time flat.

Jenks offered his thoughts on what he considered a critical juncture in the battle for both Trainers;

"Damion really needs to be bold here. He's lost his rhythm, but if he wins the next round he can keep his lead, and force Amaya to come up with another big play."

Amaya fans around the stadium were in full voice, so much so that it was difficult to hear Damion call his next Pokémon as his voice rang out over the loudspeaker;

"Toxicroak, get in there!"

It took the Twinleaf Rookie all of half a second to spot the obvious flaw in her rival's plan – Toxicroak's crippling weakness to Psychic attacks;

"Spirielle, use Psychic!"

"Pursuit, quickly!"

Suddenly, Amaya's newfound confidence looked a bit like overconfidence as her Gengar took a big hit from the Dark move.

"An interesting turn here," Milo frowned in concentration, "Damion is going out on a limb, counting on Toxicroak's off-type Dark moves to damage Gengar."

"Well, that does sound like the kind of bold play we said he needed."

"Again, Spirielle! Psychic!"

"Pursuit."

The result was the same as the first exchange, and Amaya's Shadow Pokémon went spinning as the damage quickly began piling up on her.

"What is she doing? Why go for the same thing again?"

Marcus was almost as frustrated as Amaya herself at her lack of tactical awareness.

"Come on, 'Maya!" Kara couldn't do much but cheer, so she was determined to cheer as hard as humanly possible for her Twinleaf friend.

Damion, meanwhile, never imagined his brain could move this fast for this long. Frankly, he was amazed that he had kept up this long.

Don't freak out now, he told himself sternly, Just keep it together. Come on!

He blinked, realizing almost too late that Amaya was trying to switch tactics;

"Shadow Ball!"

"Toxicroak, dodge!"

Needing no second bidding, the Toxic Mouth Pokémon dashed to his left, just as Amaya sprung her trap;

"Get in with Lick!"

With no time to throw together an effective counter, Damion just screamed;

"RIGHT!"

Toxicroak barely managed to set his feet and launch horizontally to the right, avoiding the paralyzing Lick attack by mere inches.

"Hit him, Spirielle! Shadow Punch!"

"Sucker Punch!"

The words slipped out before Damion had a chance to really process what he was thinking, but his instincts had served him perfectly. The Dark move slammed into Amaya's Ghost and Toxicroak scrambled frantically away, buying time and space as Amaya became more and more frustrated.

"Use Hypnosis!"

"Pursuit!"

Same strategy. Same result. There were any number of things Amaya could have done to break Damion's simplistic tactic of using his only two Dark moves to counterattack (Milo was frantically outlining at least three of them from the broadcasting booth), but she was not graced with her friend's adaptability, and had a strong case of tunnel vision. Over and over again she tried to bludgeon the stubborn Toxic Mouth Pokémon into submission, and each time she was repulsed.

Finally, after what had become a rather dismal performance from her normally untouchable Gengar, Amaya was forced to watch Spirielle give in. The Shadow Pokémon let the mounting damage overtake her, and she stayed down.

Despite all her momentum coming out of the timeout, Amaya was now once again behind, losing 2-3 to the best performance anyone had ever seen from Damion Parr. Not only that, but she had already used her only timeout, so she could do nothing more than take a short moment's pause, hardly enough for a deep breath, and continue.

"Glacius," she snapped, "Get in there."

What she lacked in adaptability, Amaya was determined to make up for in raw determination. What she was missing in tactical precision she compensated for with team chemistry.

Glacius felt in an instant that something was off. The alert Weavile read her Trainer's body language in a heartbeat, and reflected it instinctively. Her eyes narrowed, her clawed feet dug into the battlefield, and her body tensed up.

"Milo," Jenks prompted the concerned young man, "Let's get your thoughts here; I don't think very many people could have predicted the way this battle has gone, what might we expect from here?"

"Well," he was trying desperately to be impartial, "Amaya has dug herself a pretty deep hole, but let's not forget that she's only one Pokémon behind, and she has one of her strongest yet to come – her Torterra. If Damion wants to close this out, he needs to double down and keep his head. It's not impossible, but you never know with The Hammer. The closer she is to defeat, the harder she'll fight it, and this is no exception."

On the field, the next round had begun rather cautiously from both sides. Amaya was doing everything in her power not to jump in rashly. She wanted so badly to order Glacius in close to rip this thing to shreds, but trying to move in for a blitz cost her the previous round.

Just...just take safe shots, wait for an actual opening…

"Icy Wind, Glacius."

"Dodge, Toxicroak. Pursuit!"

"Quick Attack away, go forward."

It ended in a stalemate. None of the attacks landed. It was another 'safe' exchange from both battlers. Now both Pokémon stood opposite their Trainers, circling slowly. Even the crowd had now fallen into a tense hush. This round felt like an explosion, just waiting to kick off at the drop of a pin.

Damn, Amaya was still struggling to control herself, I can't rush in like last time. If I do, he'll just...he'll...wait a minute…

The Twinleaf sensation came to a sudden realization at the same time Marcus outlined it excitedly in the box seats;

"She actually should jump in here. Weavile is a much better matchup in the close range than Gengar was. The problems and type weakness that ruined her last round are gone. She needs to get aggressive before this Toxicroak wears her down."

Damion went for another cautious attack, and Amaya made the change she'd been so fervently looking for;

"Toxicroak, try a Poison Jab, then back out."

"Feint Attack! Wail on this thing!"

BAM! In a flash, the tense standoff-ish battle lit up. Damion's Pokémon had no chance to react as Glacius used his own attack against him. The Feint Attack pushed him awkwardly back before an Aerial Ace smashed him to the ground.

"Get up, Toxicroak! Up, and get away!"

"Keep him running, Glacius. Slash, Quick Attack, another Aerial Ace."

"Stand your ground, Toxicroak! Wait it out, then Sludge Bomb!"

The Hammer's eyes narrowed, but she had faith that not even Damion could withstand the physical blitz from her Weavile.

Sure enough, the Poison type grunted in pain as Slash struck home, and again as the Quick Attack forced him backwards. With a final cry from the super effective Aerial Ace, Amaya allowed herself to breathe.

Okay, we're tied back up. Just Machamp and -

"NOW, Toxicroak!"

Out of nowhere, Damion's Toxic Mouth Pokémon came lunging out just far enough to aim and fire a Sludge Bomb.

Amaya and Glacius were caught absolutely flat-footed, and could do nothing as the powerful attack struck home and left Glacius clearly poisoned. Toxicroak hit the dirt a couple seconds later, unconscious, but it was still a brutal sudden twist in this dramatic battle.

"Wow," Milo was struggling to wrap his mind around this unexpected turnaround, "The back and forth just won't stop, regardless of the timeout. We're back to a tie now at two Pokémon apiece, but Amaya is going to lose her Weavile to that poison sooner rather than later, so Damion probably has his nose in front right now."

Not wanting to waste his momentum, Damion confidently called for his best chance at taking out Glacius;

"Machamp! You're back in!"

Damn it, Amaya couldn't deny the reality of her situation, At this point, I have to start preparing for a last stand. I've got Terrus fresh…

"Alright, Glacius, give me whatever you can!"

"Hunker down, Machamp," Damion's heart was in his throat, knowing how close he was to finally, finally earning the victory he'd been hungry for all these months…

"Wait for your chance, it'll come!"

The big Fighting type felt the pressure of the moment, but held his ground bravely, as Glacius all but disappeared, so fast did she flash around, using Quick Attack repeatedly to look for an opening.

"Watch in front of you," Damion counseled his Pokémon, "I'll keep an eye out – BEHIND YOU! NOW!"

Blindly, the Superpower Pokémon threw two of his four arms behind him in a hopeful Karate Chop that somehow connected solidly with an onrushing Glacius. The big Fighting hit was incredibly effective against the Dark and Ice type, and Glacius went spinning like a rag doll across the field to land in a heap. Damage, exhaustion, and poison combined to keep her there.

As the referee made it official, a new chant arose from the crowd;

"VPC! VPC!"

Amaya was numb. She was in shock as she returned her fifth fallen Pokémon.

We're actually...evenly matched. He's caught up.

She reached for her belt to grab hold of her last hope as a counter-chant came from the staunch Amaya supporters in attendance;

"HAM-MER! HAM-MER!"

"Terrus," Amaya just managed to keep her voice level as she called on her starter, "Lead with Grass Knot."

Machamp was big and tough, but he was far too slow to dodge Terrus' vicious swinging ball of grass as it took his feet from under him painfully.

"Follow with Earthquake."

"Tank it, Machamp! Use Low Kick!"

Having weathered an Earthquake from Granite in his first victory, the Superpower Pokémon grimaced in discomfort at this second massive hit, but tank it he did, and Amaya was dumbfounded as he launched a perfect Low Kick that brought Terrus tumbling awkwardly down.

"That goes to show what defense-focused training can accomplish." Jenks nodded sagely up in the commentary booth, "Amaya is never quite ready for the perseverance of Damion's team."

"I agree," Milo said, "That's been plaguing her all battle long. She's running out of chances to get it right. Still, that Torterra is the second best on her team, after Coral the Milotic. He'll take a lot more beating than the last few Pokémon she's used."

Amaya had the same thought, and took a shuddering breath as Terrus forced himself upright, despite the Karate Chop follow-up delivered by Machamp.

"Knock him back. Energy Ball."

Once again, the mighty Continent Pokémon went above and beyond; he struck hard with the first Energy Ball, but was not satisfied until he landed another three, just for good measure. He gave a mighty roar, in defiance of this opponent who had the audacity to try and overpower him.

"Finish this, Terrus! Another Earthquake!"

This time, Amaya had calculated perfectly. Not even the stalwart Machamp could withstand three huge Ground moves as well as the Energy Ball blitz to which he'd been subjected. He hit the dirt, and the stage was set for one last bout;

"Here we go!" Milo resituated himself, leaning forward in anticipation along with the whole crowd, "This is it! One final round, winner takes all!"

Damion could feel his heart banging wildly in his chest.

I am SO DAMN CLOSE!

"Come on, Staraptor! FINISH IT!"

For Amaya, tunnel vision kicked in, and time seemed to slow.

I promised, she told herself firmly, I promised Milo I'd meet him in the final, and I'll be damned if I let this idiot take that from me. I won't lose. I can't lose. Not to him.

So strong-willed was the Twinleaf phenomenon that she felt all the pressure suddenly melt away. This was the same as the first round she'd ever contested with Damion – when it was Terrus the Turtwig versus Damion's Starly outside Jubilife City. She got a feeling, a dangerous feeling.

I'm the freaking Hammer. I can do no wrong.

"Start a Giga Drain, Terrus."

"Show me that speed, Staraptor! Aerial Ace!"

"Now Crunch and throw!"

With a flawless bait and switch, Terrus clamped down hard on the incoming Predator Pokémon and flung it mercilessly to the ground.

"Now that is a bold move!" Jenks all but screamed into his microphone as Lily Stadium roared its approval of Amaya's daring play, "What a statement by Amaya to pull out a trick like that in the final round of a Conference semifinal!"

Milo could only nod dumbly in agreement. He was wide-eyed, wearing a massive smile as he watched his best friend, his closest rival, bring everything she had to this all-important battle. He had to make sure he didn't start tearing up with emotion.

Meanwhile, Amaya was far from finished;

"It's exposed, Terrus! Use Rock Tomb!"

Staraptor cried out in pain – it was far less durable than Machamp or Empoleon, and Damion had been hoping to use his type advantage to force himself onto the front foot and close out the battle safely.

"Now get charging, Terrus!"

"Up! Staraptor, get UP! That's Solarbeam, you have to MOVE!"

With a harsh scream and a lot of effort, the Flying type forced itself up and just out of harm's way as Terrus finished charging and launched the staggering beam attack.

"YES! Great, Staraptor, now Wing Attack!"

"Tank and use Return!"

Up in the booth, Milo leapt to his feet, yelling as he did so;

"THIS IS IT! One way or the other, it's over!"

It was a gamble from Amaya, a gamble with the highest possible stakes. Terrus bore the damage from Machamp, as well as the exhaustion of two hard-fought rounds, and Wing Attack would be strong and super effective...but if he could pull through and land the large Normal type move, surely Staraptor would be done for…

Everything happened so fast.

Staraptor came streaking in at breakneck speed with Wing Attack at the ready. It struck home just as the furiously determined Terrus unleashed a blinding blast of energy representative of his unwavering commitment to his Trainer.

It took several breathless seconds for the chaos to subside enough for the field to be visible. When it was at last clear, the referee made the call;

"Staraptor is unable to continue! Torterra is the winner and the battle goes to Amaya of Twinleaf!"

"YEEESSSS!"

Amaya's father was literally jumping around the box seating section, pumping his fist furiously in the air as he lost his mind over his daughter's success. The whole of Lily Stadium erupted with ecstatic noise – they had just witnessed a classic Lily of the Valley Conference match, one that would live long in the memory, noted among the most thrilling matches in the tournament's proud history.

In the commentary booth, Milo did not trust himself to speak, so Jenks gestured broadly to the screaming fans packed into Lily Stadium and said;

"Just listen to that. Listen to the noise coming from this crowd! I swear we've never seen anything like this! So watch it, drink it in! Amaya takes the win in a battle for the ages! Oh, I can hardly believe what we've just witnessed!"

Down on the field, regardless of the insanity around them, the two combatants met in the middle of the field;

"How?" Amaya frowned as she shook Damion's hand, "How did you do that? You nearly had me."

"Still couldn't close it out," his voice was low, his eyes averted, "I figured I had a shot if I went all out. I mean, you've never cared about me before, so it was a safe bet you wouldn't start now. Doesn't matter, Milo's already won this."

"...We'll see about that."

Amaya whirled on her heel, intending to leave that as a stinging last remark, but Damion called after her;

"Umbreon beats Milotic in the last round! Just watch!"

He yelled this loud enough that the stadium's army of microphones caught and projected his call-out, sending a fresh shockwave of gasps through the crowd. The Hammer stiffened, her eyes narrowed...but she kept silent and just walked off the field.

Screw him, she told herself sternly, What does he know?

Only one thing mattered to her now; their shared dream had at long last become a reality. Milo and Amaya would be squaring off in the Lily of the Valley Conference final. Somehow, it still felt like a dream. The weight of that fact was so stark that her brain struggled even to accept it.

Despite the enormity of the occasion, there were no celebrations for either finalist that evening. Milo and Amaya stuck to their self-imposed isolation policy, each now working furiously to find an answer to the other's team and tactics.

The assembled family members (and Kara, of course) held their own mini-party, despite the absence of the two Super Rookies. At least, it was supposed to be a mini-party. As soon as someone turned the television on, it became a silent gathering as they huddled around, anxiously tuning in to what every expert under the sun thought of the upcoming final.

They were not alone. In fact, it seemed as though the entire Sinnoh region was now holding its collective breath in anticipation of the spectacle to be delivered by these two prodigal young Trainers. Experts from near and far debated the topic hotly on every channel, every news outlet, in print and online.

"Surely, Amaya is too powerful to lose now," said some. She was now battle-tested, proven under pressure, and had momentum from her tough win over Damion. Milo's Pokémon weren't as tough as the VPC graduate's, and they would only be able to scheme and trick their way out of so much.

"Clearly," others argued, "Milo has demonstrated that he is much more confident, more in tune with his team. His experience and maturity will carry him to a strong victory." This, too, had reason. Amaya had barely scraped her way through the tournament, almost losing several times before last-ditch efforts secured the wins she needed. Milo, on the other hand, had shown his fearlessness and confidence time and again. He'd swept his group and handled each knockout opponent without too much struggle.

"This is one final that is truly too close to call," claimed many. This became a popular stance for those who didn't want to risk their reputation by guessing incorrectly, or those who were nearing commercial break and wanted to move the discussion along.

Thanks to the constant news cycle, articles, discussions and predictions flew thick and fast the rest of Friday evening, all through the night, and easily into the Saturday break day.

"Man, I feel like the whole world is going in circles waiting for this battle," said Zoe tiredly at the breakfast table that morning.

"Technically, it is." Marcus couldn't resist, and earned himself a playful whack on the shoulder from his mother.

"Oh lay off, smarty-pants. Don't sass the woman who brought you into this spinning world."

There was a general chuckle around the table at the Leader's antics before Marcus spoke up, more seriously this time;

"I should go check in with them – make sure neither of them is going to work themselves to exhaustion before the big day tomorrow."

Kara shot out of her seat at this, unable to sit quietly on the eve of such an occasion.

"You go check on 'Maya, I'll make sure Milo's okay."

When Marcus got to The Hammer's private training space, he found he wasn't the only one checking in on her. As the Leader walked in, Robert Jenks was collecting some papers and shaking the girl's hand as he made to leave.

"Jenks? What's up?"

"Ah, Marcus!" The two longtime friends exchanged a firm handshake, but the experience media expert couldn't stay, "Just wrapping up some business, you know how it goes. I wanted to catch Amaya before she got too far into her training rhythms. I've got plenty to do, though, so I'll be going! See you later!"

Marcus watched silently as the busy man went on his way. Turning back to Amaya, he ventured a guess;

"You just signed one of those contracts, didn't you? For next season?"

"Sure did."

"...Which one?"

"You'll find out soon."

The Hearthome Leader frowned, but this soon melted into an exasperated grin;

"Never one to lose focus, are you? How goes your preparation for the final? What's the plan?"

He received no answer for a few seconds as the Twinleaf Rookie watched her team with laser-sharp eyes;

"The plan is victory. We'll fight our way, not his. I'm not playing Milo's mind games this time. If he wants this win, he'll have to come and take it from me."

"That's smart," nodded Marcus, "Forcing him to adapt to you instead of the other way around. Nice and simple; I like it."

"Simple? That's a joke, right?"

Amaya gave a dry chuckle before continuing, "You know there's nothing 'simple' about fighting Milo. Honestly, I give myself about a one in eight chance to pull this off. If we're absolutely perfect, and I can keep it together, we should just barely be able to make it."

This time, Marcus' frown was genuine;

"That sounds a bit defeatist, 'Maya. Give yourself some credit – you're The Hammer, after all."

That trademark dead stare fixed itself icily on the Leader as she responded harshly;

"The Hammer, huh? That's a bunch of crap. Someone made that up, and it stuck; it doesn't mean I have superpowers. Milo's the only one I've never beaten, and for good reason. I have to be perfect to win this battle. Mark my words, though – we will win this battle. My team and I will give everything we've got, and if that's not enough then we deserve to lose."

-o-

Elsewhere, Milo was also deep into preparation mode, though it looked quite different from Amaya's preparations.

"Hey Milo!"

A bright-eyed Kara walked into her boyfriend's training space to find him simultaneously supervising three training bouts while poring over seven sets of notes.

"Hey," he answered briefly without looking up. Not easily deterred, Kara walked right up and wrapped her arms around him from behind;

"Talk to me, Milo. What's the plan?"

That question put a glint in the young man's eye, and he eagerly gestured to the longest (and messiest) set of notes;

"Here's the deal. Trying to beat Amaya's whole team is a crazy hard problem, so I figured it'd be best to break it up. We as a team only have to win six rounds. If each of my Pokémon wins just one round, we'll win the battle."

Kara raised an eyebrow;

"So...your battle plan is basic math?"

"Sort of," Milo was only too willing to explain, "It's using that basic math to my advantage. Since each of my team only needs to win one matchup, I can plan out which fight each of them will be best suited to win. That means we can focus on training today for that one matchup. For example; Azura's one job will be taking down Coral. Blaze is responsible for Terrus. Aurora can handle Granite, Drake gets Leon, Jet gets Spirielle, and Ferra can take Glacius."

"I think I get it," nodded the Performer, "But that assumes that you'll always know what Pokémon 'Maya is going to bring in before she does."

"Yup. That's my one job. It won't be easy, but...well, it's 'Maya. I know her, I know how she thinks. As long as I can get out to a good start, I can stay one step ahead, and give my team the matchups they're training to win."

It was a great theory, but Kara knew enough to be wary, "That's a bold plan, Milo. I hope you're prepared for it to go off the rails. You can bet 'Maya won't play perfectly into your hands for the whole battle."

"I know that," Milo's confident smile refused to budge, "We'll have to be absolutely perfect to win this thing – that includes adapting when things get messed up, but...well, if we lose that just means Amaya deserved to win. Either way...I can't wait."

The Performer just shook her head.

"You're both crazy. Anyway," she released him and smiled, turning to leave, "have fun getting ready! Give me a shout if you need anything!"

As both young Trainers prepared for their impending showdown, neither hide nor hair of either of them was seen until dinner time. Amaya ate with her parents, Milo with his own family, plus Kara. Both families made sure they had the television on; there was something they were eager to see.

"Hello," said a smartly dressed reporter on screen, "I'm your Pokémon battling news anchor here on SBBN, Gina Simms. Tonight we bring you a special bit of news regarding Sinnoh's so-called 'Super Rookies'."

"Hey!" Kara called to her boyfriend through a mouthful of food, "Milo, get in here! It's on!"

The young man in question looked up from the umpteenth review of his notes and hurried over to the couch with his family to catch the report.

"I have with me an expert panel, including leading Trainer reporter and media agent Robert Jenks as well as the Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia Shirona."

The camera panned over, showing a few former professional Trainers, along with Jenks and Cynthia. The expert panel shared a round of nods and brief introductions all around before Gina Simms continued with the actual news.

"Now, for those who maybe haven't been following the Conference quite as closely, the term 'Super Rookies' refers to four standout Trainers who have made quite a large mark on the League this year, despite it being their first year as official Trainers. To sum up, they include Nova – the best graduate from Sunyshore in recent memory, Damion Parr – a defensive juggernaut from the Veilstone Pokémon College, Amaya – also known as The Hammer, from Twinleaf Town, and last but not least is Milo, the strategic mastermind from the storied Jubilife Pokémon Trainer Academy. Any initial thoughts from our panel before we get into tonight's fresh news?"

Cynthia spoke up first;

"This is at least the third time I've been called on for comments about these young Trainers, which shows that they've done a lot to deserve the recognition they're getting. It's also worth noting that, excluding the group-stage battles, none of these Super Rookies have lost to anyone except other Super Rookies. Nova was knocked out by Milo, and Damion Parr only just lost to Amaya."

"A very promising sign from them," nodded Gina Simms, eager to break her piece of news.

"Now, the reason we're here this evening is to reveal the future plans for each of these four Trainers. We'll start with Nova of Sunyshore, who will be plying her trade next season...in the Unova League. Thoughts?"

Jenks spoke first this time;

"I think that's a good fit for her. She's always demonstrated a certain willingness to defy convention just for the sake of doing things her own way. Her quirky, unique approach to battling, combined with her obvious talent and potential, will be a great addition to Alder's roster."

In Milo's room, Marcus nodded along somewhat impatiently;

"Yeah, yeah...come on, guys. What about Amaya?"

He was forced to wait still longer as the broadcast continued;

"Next, we have news from Damion Parr. He has apparently decided to sign on with Lance Waturu as a member of the Johto League professional roster."

This announcement actually drew a fair bit of discussion from the panel, but it meant very little to Milo.

"Meh," he shrugged, "As long as it's not Kalos. I've gotten more used to Damion, but I'd still prefer us to be in different regions."

As it happened, Milo's plans were next on the list, and there were knowing nods from around the panel when his future in the Kalos region was officially confirmed.

"That's another move that makes logical sense," commented Cynthia, "Milo's battling has always had a certain glossy elegance about it that is quite reminiscent of that Kalos flourish."

"Last, but not least on this list is The Hammer."

Milo leaned forward in his seat. He knew that his best friend's decision was her own, but...he was scared of what that decision might mean for the two of them.

"Amaya will be the second of Sinnoh's Super Rookies heading to...the Johto Region."

There it was.

Amaya was going to Johto.

Milo sat back, staring blankly at his lap.

Johto? She picked...Johto?

He knew it was selfish of him to feel sad, to feel betrayed. He knew that, but...he couldn't help it. Vaguely, he realized that the room around him was silent. He glanced up.

Marcus had muted the television, and all eyes were on him.

"You...okay, bro?"

"W-we knew this might happen," he muttered unconvincingly, "Johto made the – the most sense for her career. It's just...I'll be…"

He took a long shuddering breath, cursing his own inability to hold his emotions in check;

"I'll b-be fine…"

"Son," began Alexander softly, "It's only natural to-"

"I said I'm fine."

He stood abruptly, grabbed his belt, and shoved the door open.

"I'm going to get more training in before the battle."

With that, he was gone. Kara shot out of her seat, but Marcus cut her off;

"I'll go after him."

The Floaroma girl bit her lip, but realized that the Leader was probably better suited for the tough talk that Milo clearly needed.

As it happened, this worked out perfectly. Not two minutes after Marcus hurried after his younger brother, Kara received a text from The Hammer herself.

Yo, it read, How'd he take the news? -A

Pretty much like you'd expect, was Kara's honest answer.

A slight pause, and then;

That bad, huh?

He walked out. Marcus is going after him. How are you holding up?

Another pause, long enough to let Kara know the question wasn't an easy one for her friend to answer. Finally;

You know me. I'm fine. As always.

The Performer rolled her eyes and texted back immediately.

Meet me in front of the hotel. We're taking a walk.

...Thanks.

-o-

"Milo."

"I'm busy training."

"Milo!"

"Leave me alone!"

"No! Sit down and talk to me instead of sulking like a ten-year-old."

Milo stiffened at Marcus' rebuke, but had no comeback. One by one, his team stopped banging away at each other and turned to see what was going on between the two brothers.

"What's to talk about? She made a choice, I made a choice. It's done."

"You're an open book, little bro. You're pissed because she didn't choose Kalos. That's a selfish reason to be mad and you know it, so you're also pissed at yourself for not being okay with her choice. So far so good?"

"Why are you here, Marcus?"

The Leader sighed. This was classic Milo, acting prickly to shut down conversation on an unwelcome topic.

"Is it so wrong to make sure my brother's head is on straight for his Conference final?"

The Dark type master was leaning against the door frame with a light frown as Milo held his head in his hands.

"Milo, listen to me-"

"I already know, Marcus, so don't bother. She made the right choice, I need to get over it, I need to figure myself out before the final or I'll lose. Did I miss anything?"

"...Why are you mad? Tell me that."

Milo opened his mouth for another snappy retort, but...he couldn't find an answer.

Why am I mad? I know all those things, I just said them, but…

"Now will you listen, bro?"

Marcus stepped forward and put a hand on his brother's shoulder;

"This is part of being a Trainer. It's not all battles and strategies and knowing about Pokémon. You have to be tough off the field as well. Like you said, Amaya made the right choice. That hurts you, as her friend, and you don't have to deny that."

He stepped back now, and his voice shifted from soft to serious;

"I'll tell you this, though; if I see anything but a smile on your face tomorrow, I will be very disappointed."

This brought the younger sibling's head snapping up, with a flash in his eyes at Marcus' challenge. The Leader continued;

"I know you're bigger than this. Have your moment now, feel sad and mad and bad, whatever you want, but know that this is a training moment for you – a huge one. Sometime before you step onto that field, I expect you to buck up, accept this for what it is, and give this final every last inch of effort and quality that you can muster. Amaya deserves nothing less from you. Understand me?"

Milo's whole body was shaking with emotion now, but he held his head high and stared determinedly back at his older brother;

"I...I understand. Thanks, Marcus."

-o-

Glad I thought to bring a jacket, thought Kara as she hurried down to meet Amaya, It's actually kind of chilly out here at night.

The Hammer wasn't difficult to find. Her baggy hoodie and sweatpants stood out just as much as they always did, and Kara fell into step silently beside her. They started off down the lamp-lit streets of Lily City.

For the first few blocks, neither one spoke. Then Kara ventured;

"You...know you don't have to feel bad or anything, right?"

"...I know."

"I mean, Johto makes the most sense for you, just like Kalos makes the most sense for us. We can still talk and everything, not that much really has to change. Right?"

"...Yeah. Honestly – I'm just scared."

"Scared?" Kara could hardly believe it. Amaya was admitting to feeling afraid?

"Scared," nodded the Twinleaf girl. She bit her lip and hesitated before continuing;

"I...I know I'm kind of a rock when it comes to feelings and all that crap, but – well, you guys are...I mean you two have done so...damn it, you know what I'm trying to say!"

Kara whirled around and threw her arms around her friend;

"I do, 'Maya. The feeling is mutual. It's going to be tough, and we'll miss the hell out of you, but don't you dare ruin it by going easy on Milo tomorrow, okay? If this is going to be some kind of sappy farewell, then you better make it the best battle you two have ever had! Got it?"

Both girls were now sobbing into one another's shoulders, and Amaya whispered back;

"I promise."

Battle Day Seven

Finally. The long-awaited day had come at last. All weekend had been building up to this – heck, the whole Conference seemed to have been one long, inevitable buildup to this moment. Those with a dramatic flair would even suggest that the entire battling season had been one gloriously chaotic preparation for this battle.

The Lily of the Valley Conference final had arrived.

Cynthia, seated in the commentary booth for this momentous occasion, listened eagerly to the stadium announcer;

"Our first finalist today is a fresh graduate of the renowned Jubilife Pokémon Trainer Academy! His brains, his guts, and his heart have been tested and proven time and again! He's dispatched each and every opponent this Conference has thrown against him, and he is one match away from sealing the ultimate victory! Give it up for...MILO!"

The cheer from the sold-out crowd in Lily Stadium was deafening. The young man had made quite a name for himself. Now he emerged, a big smile on his face as he waved to the tens of thousands of people gathered to watch.

He'd picked out his favorite jacket for the occasion, white on top and fading to black at the bottom. His black cargo pants cut off at the shins, above his black sneakers. His short, dark hair shifted smoothly in the light breeze as he set his face across the field, his confident grin awaiting the arrival of his opponent.

"His challenger for this epic final is a product of the remarkable Twinleaf Trainer School! She has more than earned her reputation as The Hammer, battering her way through one foe after another with staggering amounts of sheer power! She's here, she's hungry, and she can't wait to take her shot at glory! Put your hands together for...AMAYA!"

The noise now threatened to shake the very ground as The Hammer emerged. The trademark black headphones were firmly in place. There were no waves, no smiles. She refused to acknowledge the multitudes screaming for her;

"HAM-MER! HAM-MER!"

Her ragged, dull red hoodie only added to her edgy, dangerous look. Her frayed, gray sweatpants scuffed the ground with each step she took. Her long, straight black hair reached down past her chest, making her already small frame seem that much more diminutive. Still, despite her slim figure, what stood out above all else...were those eyes. The intensity of her sharp, electric blue eyes seemed to pierce through people effortlessly. They were locked firmly on one person now.

Milo and Amaya, Conference rivals, met in the middle of the battlefield for the customary handshake. The confident grin held firm against the intense blue eyes.

"Whatever happens," said Milo, "We kept our promise."

"Damn straight," agreed Amaya, "The Conference final. Let's make it a good one."

With that, they retreated to their places for the fight.

The stadium held its breath as the referee raised the green flag…

"Battle...BEGIN!"

Alright, thought Milo as he readied his first team member, Time to see if I guessed right. Come on, show me Granite…

"Aurora, let's get started!"

"Leon, time to go!"

Right off the bat, Milo's pulse quickened as his incredible mind was forced to reconsider and adapt his plan. Aurora had put all her training effort into defeating Granite; she was totally unprepared for Leon.

"Alright, girl," Milo attempted to recover, "let's adjust. Get ready for Hail!"

Let him come to you, he cautioned his Ice type mentally, We'll have to force our opening.

Accordingly, the hyper-focused Glaceon readied her Hail move...and paused, one eye on Amaya's Luxray. For the tiniest moment, nothing happened – and it threw Milo for a loop. Seeing that she was being provided the opening she sought, Aurora let loose with Hail, and the familiar icy conditions kicked in.

Still, Amaya said nothing. Leon stood by, watching with a smug grin.

"Alright," said Milo, trying to press the advantage Amaya seemed strangely ready to give him, "Get moving, girl! Find a window for Ice Beam!"

"Dodge, Thunderbolt."

Milo was left flabbergasted as Leon effortlessly sidestepped the Ice Beam and fired a Thunderbolt, landing a direct hit to the Fresh Snow Pokémon. As Aurora was sent spinning to the ground, her body still crackling from the electricity, Leon's eyes flashed.

That's it! Milo realized, His eyes!

"Aurora," he called frantically, "Drop the Hail!"

Up in the commentary booth, Cynthia narrowed her eyes and explained;

"What a development. It seems Milo has been truly out-predicted for the first time all Conference. Luxray have impossibly perfect vision, so Glaceon's Hail cover was rendered useless. Milo was forced to call it off, because the only one whose vision was impaired was his own."

Yes! Amaya betrayed nothing outwardly, but she was beside herself on the inside.

I can't believe that actually worked! I had one shot to counter his Hail crap, and we did it! Let's freaking go!

"Chase her down, Leon! No escape! Give her a Thunder Fang, then Toxic!"

"Come on, Aurora! Get set, then Protect and Return!"

Even without her camouflage, Aurora could still frustrate and unnerve opponents with her maneuverability. Instincts from her days as an Eevee kicked in, and this neat little turnaround combo was smooth and seamless.

Eager to score the first victory of this landmark final, Leon's reckless Thunder Fang struck only the protective shield produced by the elusive Glaceon. Before Amaya's Electric type could process his miss, a massive impact from Aurora's Return sent him tumbling painfully head over heels.

"Damn," Amaya realized she'd rushed her opening and quickly devised something more sophisticated, "Leon, up quickly, and use Shock Wave!"

"Counter it with Water Pulse, Aurora!"

"Perfect, now follow in, Leon! Thunder Fang! Toxic!"

This time, the Luxray would not be denied. He charged heedlessly straight through the Water Pulse and Milo's Glaceon could only brace herself for the Electric hit that left her on the ground, vulnerable to the Toxic that instantly seeped unforgivingly through her body.

Still, she forced herself upright, refusing to accept defeat until it was forced upon her.

I'm sorry, girl, Milo's voice was gentle but serious, I miscalculated. Still, we can just about keep this even. We'll go for a blitz here, so our next teammate can finish him quickly.

I'm in, Milo.

"Alright," he called aloud, "No more playing around! Icy Wind!"

"Back off, Leon! Go around!"

Amaya was alert to the danger – she was no stranger to Milo's kamikaze tendencies when a round wasn't going his way.

"He's on the move, show me Ice Beam!"

"Brilliant!" Cynthia was moved by the quick-fire play by the young man, "Milo forced that Luxray to dodge, so his movements would be more predictable! Icy Wind was a setup to make the Ice Beam easier to aim!"

It worked like a charm, and Ice Beam scored a direct hit. However, this did nothing to mitigate the damage from Toxic – Aurora could feel her energy draining faster and faster.

I've got...time for...one more play…

Milo understood perfectly, and chose a rather bold approach;

"Leon," called his Twinleaf rival, "Show them we're still in this! Thunderbolt!"

"Take it, Aurora! Mirror Coat!"

She cried out as the Thunderbolt left her all but unconscious, but the Fresh Snow Pokémon held firm just long enough to reflect the power of Leon's move back at him with a brilliant blast.

When the action at last came to a halt, the referee made the call;

"Glaceon is unable to continue! Luxray wins! Milo, call your second Pokémon!"

Don't freak out, Milo commanded himself sternly, I made a mistake, and I need to compensate. Just focus and get back to the plan.

Since his initial one-to-one matchup scheme had been thwarted, he now called on the Pokémon who was meant to defeat the now heavily damaged Luxray.

"Drake, we need you, pal!"

Hell yeah! The Garchomp was raring to go, as usual, Here's the fight I've been waiting for!

Across the field, Amaya's eyes narrowed. Since the Gleam Eyes Pokémon was her first of the battle, she could not switch him, however much she wanted to. He was far too exhausted to put up any kind of fight against a fresh and eager Drake...

With the crowd's roaring still reverberating through the stadium from Amaya's first round victory, Milo shouted aloud;

"Earthquake! Let it rip, Drake!"

With a scream born of draconic rage, the Mach Pokémon launched the most devastating Earthquake he could recall ever producing. Cheers of approval turned to shocked gasps in an instant, as the referee was called into action again;

"Uh, L-Luxray is down! Amaya, call your second Pokémon!"

"Incredible!" Marcus was out of his seat, applauding his brother's one-hit (sort of) knockout, "All that momentum she built by winning that first one, and he just wrecked Leon with a single Earthquake! That was nuts, bro!"

Damn. Too easy, commented the fearsome Dragon to his Trainer, I guess Aurora did a real number on him, huh? Thought he'd take more than one hit, at least...

She did her best. Stay in it, pal – we may need you again. We'll have to account for Granite somehow.

Leave it to me.

"Milo refuses to be held down for long," said Cynthia's co-commentator, "Just like that he's evened things up, and they each have five Pokémon left! Let's see what Amaya can bring to the table against Milo's brute of a Garchomp!"

With a fierce glint in his eye, Milo felt that spark flaring to life inside him, that swagger that made him a truly terrifying opponent.

He caught another break, as Amaya made a questionable choice in her attempt to keep him off his rhythm;

"Try one-hitting this! Granite, get in there!"

Drake, Milo conveyed his thoughts quickly as the huge Iron Snake appeared, You have to win this round. Cover for Aurora.

Count on it.

"Another big Earthquake!"

"Tank and Ice Fang."

Milo had been hoping to get his move in for free against the much slower Steel type, but as Drake finished his big Ground move, Amaya's Iron Snake got down low to deliver a brutally effective Ice Fang to Milo's Dragon.

"Well," Marcus frowned, "I'm not sure why 'Maya would put Granite in against a fast Ground type, but I guess he's got some good counter moves. I don't think even Milo was counting on this much aggression from Amaya."

Nevertheless, Granite had only been able to get his move in by taking a very big hit from Drake's Earthquake. The Hammer's aggression had consequences.

Damn, Drake cursed his bad luck as he hissed in pain from the Ice Fang, He got a cheap shot in. Let's not do that again…

Agreed. Lesson learned; speed is our best friend. Don't stop moving for more than a couple seconds, no matter what I call.

Out loud, Milo switched tactics in a heartbeat;

"Use that speed, pal! Around, Flamethrower! Keep your distance!"

Wary of the Steelix's Iron Tail move, Drake launched his Fire move from far enough away that the big Steel type would have to come out to catch him.

Granite just roared and didn't bother moving as the Flamethrower hit him. Amaya's brows creased as another big, nastily effective move hit her second battler;

"He can't dodge Earthquake."

The Twinleaf girl was correct, but Milo had another surprise in store. The much nimbler Blaze could have escaped the dangers of Earthquake, but Drake stood firm against the onslaught as Milo called;

"Amaya tactics! Tank and use Flamethrower!"

The mighty Garchomp roared in defiance as Earthquake struck him, before launching his second Flamethrower. This was quickly turning into a punch-out.

I got this, the Mach Pokémon told himself, I won my match, and with this win I'll have covered for Aurora. If I just push through this, I trust the team to finish it off.

Milo hadn't called a follow-up move, but by Drake's own estimation, Granite couldn't have much more left in the tank. The Dragon took matters into his own hands, and in a flash he disappeared.

Still reeling from the second Flamethrower and the effort of using Earthquake, Granite couldn't piece together exactly where his slippery opponent had gone.

"That's Dig!" Amaya had worked it out, "Slam on the ground!"

"NOW, Drake!"

The massive speed gap between the two made the final difference as Drake came smashing in from below his adversary. Granite crashed to the ground with an almighty thud, and could not cling to consciousness any longer.

The crowd was screaming deliriously; the energy and tension of this battle was absolutely off the charts.

"This is fantastic," cooed Cynthia from the commentary booth, "Milo's earned his first lead of the battle by countering Amaya's versatility with some brilliant improvisation! I could watch this battle all day!"

"Hmph," Amaya was not impressed, "Enough playing around. Coral, take him down."

You good to stay? Milo checked with his Garchomp, You did your job – want to see what you can do to Coral?

Let's freaking go, Drake answered immediately.

"Alright, Dragon Rush!"

"Dragon Tail, Coral. Smack him away."

"Dig, Drake! Time it!"

No other Pokémon on Milo's team could hold their nerve as well as the Mach Pokémon. Drake held his Dig attack until Coral's notorious Dragon Tail was swinging at full speed towards him. At the last possible second he dove down into the ground, and before Amaya's ace Milotic could react he struck her vulnerable underside, flinging her awkwardly sideways.

"He's too close. Hydro Pump."

"Wow!" Cynthia's co-commentator was almost salivating at the intensity of the battle below, "Shrugging off that huge hit like she barely felt it, Amaya's Milotic finishes off Garchomp in one huge move! We're tied up once again, at four Pokémon apiece!"

The Twinleaf Rookie glanced intently at her rival as he processed the loss.

Come on, Milo, she willed silently, I just decimated your Garchomp, I know you're cracking under there. Show it. Come on.

Still, if he was perturbed in any way, the JPTA graduate showed nothing. He merely nodded and recalled his fallen Dragon with a tiny grin, as if this were just…

...As if this was part of his plan. Damn, I should've known! He's got a plan for the whole battle! He's got counters laid out for every move I make! Shit!

Feeling a sudden need to be unpredictable, Amaya extended her arm, Pokéball in hand;

"Coral, return. Let's keep you fresh."

Across the field, that ghost of a grin refused to vanish from Milo's face.

"Jet," he called, "Keep us on track!"

Amaya paused. Her instincts told her Terrus was the right choice here. His stamina and his plethora of Grass moves were perfect for fighting Jet.

But if he planned this far out, she reasoned quickly, He probably expects me to call Terrus. Time to throw of his scheme.

"Spirielle," Amaya finally made her choice, "Take this one."

As the tens of thousands sat on the edge of their seats, ready for another high stakes round of this slugfest of a battle, Marcus held his head in his hands, explaining with no small amount of incredulity;

"Now that is a next-level read. Milo's had Jet prepping for days to win this exact matchup! Amaya tried to break his plan by avoiding Terrus, but she played right into his hands again! He called it perfectly!"

Still convinced that she had the upper hand, Amaya took action;

"Energy Ball, Spirielle!"

Milo just nodded, and his Floatzel took action. Coolly, Jet sidestepped the dangerous Grass move, and launched an Aqua Jet before Spirielle's attack even reached the spot he'd just vacated. Amaya's Gengar couldn't escape the lightning fast counter, and screeched as she took the first hit of the round.

"Back him off. Shadow Punch."

"Again, Jet."

The Shadow Pokémon lashed out with a somewhat blind Shadow Punch, but to no avail. Spirielle was slammed a second time as Jet read her perfectly and positioned himself for an Ice Beam that left the Ghost reeling.

Furious, panicked, and a bit desperate, Spirielle did something not even Milo had counted on. Still flying backwards from the impact of Ice Beam, she twisted her ethereal self in midair and fired an unbidden Confuse Ray that miraculously found its target.

No! Milo had based all of Jet's training around avoiding the status game, knowing Spirielle would never go down if she could incapacitate the Water type.

Okay, time for Plan B. Or C. Or whatever we're on now.

"Jet," he called to his hopelessly confused Floatzel, "Don't attack! Just close your eyes and get moving!"

Just close my...what? The Sea Weasel couldn't make out Milo's exact words, but he latched onto "don't attack" and began running around at random.

"You've got him now," it was Amaya's turn to smirk, "Track him and Lick, before it wears off."

It proved slightly more difficult than expected to chase down the speedy Water type, but Amaya's Gengar was no slouch herself, and by the time he recovered from the effects of Confuse Ray, Jet could feel the telltale spasms in his muscles as they seized up and refused his demands. He had been paralyzed.

Crap! Milo, plan?

With Spirielle bearing down to take full advantage of Jet's helplessness, Milo responded the only way he could think of;

"Throw everything you've got! Now!"

Azura will be next, added the Trainer mentally, make her job easy.

Sure thing, Jet replied grimly, Sorry, Milo.

With one last heroic effort, the brave Floatzel staved off the effects of paralysis long enough to smash a Blizzard into the onrushing Ghost type.

With a hiss, Spirielle recovered almost instantly and fired off a quick series of Energy Ball attacks. Jet, powerless to dodge, or even move, could only roar defiantly as he disappeared in a cloud of dust and damage.

When the field cleared, the official had to yell into his microphone to be heard over the chants of 'HAM-MER, HAM-MER' ringing around Lily Stadium.

"Floatzel is unable to continue, Gengar wins! Milo, call your next Pokémon!"

"Azura," the young man said without hesitation, "Even the score."

Suddenly, all Amaya's momentum from defeating Jet vanished. A tired and damaged Spirielle found herself confronted with the ever-dangerous Azura, blue stripes glowing brightly at the prospect of a thoroughly winnable battle.

Hmph, she spoke smugly into her Trainer's mind, A nice warmup round couldn't hurt, I guess.

Make it quick, he answered, We need you to stay fresh.

Leave this to me.

Not waiting for a move call from Milo, the Umbreon fired a quick Shadow Ball before leaping to one side.

"Left, and use Focus Blast!"

Amaya had seen this countless times before. She knew as well as anyone that Shadow Ball was just a cover for the next move.

Milo grinned, his arms crossed over his chest. He said nothing, trusting his ace Pokémon to deal with her Ghost type opponent efficiently and mercilessly.

Make it a double fake, he advised silently, Just to be sure.

Accordingly, another Shadow Ball collided with the Focus Blast, and Azura changed directions on a dime, sprinting off until she heard Amaya yell eagerly;

"There! Energy Ball machine gun, go!"

A mass intake of breath rang around the onlookers as the Grass attacks began pouring in thick and fast. There came a cry of pain, but...not from Azura. Despite all her offensive pressure, Spirielle had taken the first hit, as Azura timed her Pursuit attack to perfection, giving the half-Poison type no chance to escape.

Good, nodded Milo, Finish it fast or she'll recover.

Quit nagging.

The Jubilife Rookie actually chuckled as Azura employed her ruthless finishing tactics to keep Amaya's Gengar off-balance, confused, and on the back foot. The shiny Dark type called her own moves rather wistfully;

Dark Pulse, another Pursuit, Shadow Ball, and...Feint Attack to block the desperate counterattack. Easy.

She made it look easy, too, as the crowd screamed in disbelief. The Gengar that looked so strong in the last round had just gotten completely dismantled by an almost casual display from Milo's insane Umbreon!

Show-off, he reprimanded the glowing Dark type, Keep your head in the game, you've got more to do later.

Seeing her commentary partner speechless, Cynthia chimed in with her thoughts;

"Amaya is getting the wins she needs, but Milo's obvious forethought and planning is keeping her from actually pulling ahead here. Each time she gets a lead, he's perfectly positioned to put in a strong battler with type advantage against a Pokémon from Amaya that's strategically outmatched and carrying lots of previous damage."

Marcus, in the VIP box, had a similar thought;

"That win from Azura was just like Drake's one-hit win over Leon. Still, no matter how good he is at catching back up, Milo's going to have to do more to actually win. He has to actually take the lead at some point, and he's running out of chances to do it."

Indeed, tied once again at three Pokémon apiece, half the battle was now gone. Amaya could continue trading knockouts and win, but Milo essentially had two more chances at most to reverse the momentum of the fight and come out on top.

Looking to make another perfect read, he recalled Azura, and readied his next Pokémon.

Wait, something clicked in Amaya's brain, If he recalled Azura, he's not allowed to put her straight back in. Besides her, he's only got Blaze and Ferra left...this is perfect!

"Ha," she called across the field, "You thought you had me, Milo! Coral, get back in there!"

Milo blinked, forcing himself not to show anything. Inwardly he knew Amaya was right;

Crap! What was I thinking? I made that so easy for her, and now I'm trapped! I can't expect Blaze to do anything to Coral...I've only got one choice, and she knows it. Oh well, here goes nothing…

"Ferra," his voice was noticeably subdued, "Let's do this."

The loyal Lucario deduced the danger in a heartbeat, and read the situation perfectly;

Plan went wrong? Don't worry, Papa, I'll do what I can.

Thanks, Ferra. We're going blitz-style, be ready to move.

"Alright!" Milo set his face and set to his work, setting his panic aside as he made the most of what he had, "Strike and shift! Lateral axis!"

'Lateral axis' was just Milo's fancy term for horizontal, and Ferra set to it with gusto. She fired off an Aura Sphere and dashed immediately off to her right, as Amaya reacted;

"Water Pulse."

"Close in!"

Amaya's eyes narrowed;

A classic Milo fake. Aura Sphere was just drawing us out. Has he forgotten how I deal with morons who try to close in on Coral?

"Hmph. Dragon Tail."

"Detect! Cross Chop!"

A gasp shot through the crowd – Milo had not only faked his opponent out, but he'd done it twice in the same play! A play of that complexity, pulled off at the drop of a hat by a Rookie in a high stakes Conference final?

"Unbelievable!" Cynthia's co-commentator was almost drooling as Coral cried out in surprise at the hit, "MIlo's ingenuity is just staggering!"

On the field, Amaya had stumbled on an idea of her own;

"Bulldoze. From there."

"Ferra, MOVE!"

Milo knew this moment was his biggest vulnerability – the moment after he landed a big hit. It didn't take much of an opening for Amaya to turn it to her advantage. Praying that he'd acted fast enough, the Jubilife Rookie all but held his breath as Ferra cut a mad dash away from the twisting Milotic.

"Got you. Hydro Pump."

Rearing her elegant head, Coral fired a savage blast of water that smashed into the back of the retreating Ferra, try as she might to escape.

As the Tender Pokémon made to close in, Amaya just smirked,

"You know how this works, Coral. It's just Ferra – take her down."

The arrogance of his friend's statement rankled Milo, but...actions spoke louder than words, and right now the actions favored The Hammer. Ferra jumped frantically to one side, trying to regain a foothold in the match, but Coral coolly met her with a Scald that left a nasty burn and put the Lucario back in the dirt.

Try a counter, Milo urged desperately.

Without bothering to stand back up, Ferra flung an Aura Sphere blindly in the direction of her Water type opponent, but Coral would have none of it. As Amaya had so bluntly pointed out, the Milotic had gone through this exercise hundreds of times over the past year in training – she knew how to beat the Aura Pokémon.

Coral's Water Pulse blasted straight through the Aura Sphere and further bludgeoned Milo's hapless 'daughter'. Gritting her teeth, Ferra came up with a plan of her own;

Papa, she informed her Trainer, I'm going in hard. The more I can do, the better chance Azura will have to take her down.

"Ferra!" He tried to think of an alternative, he hated asking his team for these kinds of kamikaze charges, but… "Ferra, thank you."

She knew as well as he did that there was no other way to play this out.

"RRAAAHHH!"

A collective gasp rose from the crowd as Ferra rose to her feet, barely sidestepping another Scald attack from Coral. Suddenly the Aura Spheres came flying in thick and fast as the Aura Pokémon threw everything she had into an all-out offensive to pile up whatever damage she could on Amaya's ace.

Several of the Fighting type attacks struck home, and Amaya could see her advantage slipping away;

"Respond, Coral! Mirror Coat, then pummel her until it's over!"

Taking no prisoners, Coral gave a cry and released a massive blast of energy upon the vulnerable Lucario. This did plenty of damage – but more importantly, it left her open long enough for The Hammer to prove the validity of her nickname.

Escape was out of the question for Ferra. Hydro Pump, Scald, Aqua Tail, another Hydro Pump...at last Coral stopped long enough to allow Milo's fourth fighter to crumple to the ground. Amaya smirked as the crowd predictably launched into another round of cheers in her honor. Coral straightened up, tired but satisfied with her latest victory, and allowed herself to be recalled.

Well, thought Milo, Here it is. I've got Blaze and Azura against the last half of Amaya's team. She recalled Coral...so her only options are Terrus and Glacius...she'll expect me to bring Blaze. I guarantee she's got a plan for him, too.

"Alright, Azura! You're back in! Tie it up again, girl!"

"Glacius. Let's see that speed."

Amaya gave the tiniest hint of a frown. She had indeed been waiting for Blaze, waiting to pull out Terrus, with his big Ground moves and massive stamina. Azura vs Glacius wasn't a great matchup for her, but she was left with little choice.

Damn, she cursed as Glacius shot away like a bullet, trying to confuse Milo's ace Umbreon, No matter how much I control the individual rounds, he's dominated the mental game every step of the way. He even knows my adjustments in advance.

This round was a perfect example. Despite her lead, she was locked into Glacius now, against the best Milo had to offer. Glacius was good, but realistically...only Coral could match Azura one-to-one. Milo's response, the Twinleaf Rookie had to admit, was inch perfect.

Never mind, The Hammer blinked hard, forcing herself back into the battle at hand, Let's do what we can.

"Glacius, that's great," she called, "Now hit and run! Use Icy Wind!"

"Block it, track it, then move in. Set the timer."

Seeing Milo and Azura interact in battle was a privilege to behold. Their chemistry in these kinds of do-or-die situations was almost frightening.

Milo felt focus running like ice through his veins, keeping him laser sharp with not one ounce of panic. He was in his element.

Like clockwork, Azura used Protect just as the 'surprise attack' Icy Wind approached from behind her. The instant she was clear of the Ice attack, she launched into a Pursuit, using the direction of the attack to deduce Glacius' position. The shiny Umbreon's Dark move sent Amaya's Weavile crashing forward, off-balance and helpless to dodge as Azura's Toxic spread poison through her body.

"Unreal," Cynthia murmured, more to herself than the commentary microphone, "That was brutal. I've got chills."

Suddenly, a strange but hypothetically even match became almost pitiful. Azura looked imperious as she employed simple dodging tactics to thwart the now desperate Glacius' every move with ease. Even Amaya herself began to lose her cool at the masterful display from the only rival she'd never truly bested.

"Gah...Put some kind of damage on her, Glacius! Do whatever it takes! Blizzard!"

"Preempt it, Azura. Dark Pulse."

Dark Pulse was far more direct than the bulky, cumbersome Blizzard, and the Sharp Claw Pokémon grimaced as yet another hit compounded the damage stacking up against her.

"Stay with me, Glacius! Flash in, Brick Break!"

For one critical second, Milo said nothing.

Hold, Azura. Just hold.

Poisoned, furious, and pained, Glacius came sprinting forward, intent on hitting the unflappable Azura with something.

At the last, the last possible second, Milo made his move.

"Now! Feint, then double! Another Dark Pulse!"

The Moonlight Pokémon's Feint Attack was perfect, but Glacius' instincts told her the next attack would come from behind.

She whirled on her heels, unbidden by Amaya, and spat an Icy Wind into the space behind her.

"NO! Glacius!"

Amaya had been purposely silent. Milo's words – 'then double' – had clued her in to his plan. The only one on the field who fell for the trick was Glacius herself as Azura's Feint Attack was followed immediately by her signature Pursuit, carrying her safely away from the well-intentioned Icy Wind. One final Dark Pulse ended the round without question.

Damn it! Amaya clenched her teeth as she recalled the defeated Weavile, If you'd just continued with that Brick Break, it would have worked. Now we're back where we started. It's two on two. Blaze and Azura versus Coral and Terrus.

Struggling to clear her mind, Amaya reverted to her tried-and-true fallback strategy; save Coral for last.

"Bad move," Marcus said as the Twinleaf girl released her trusty Torterra, "Milo had already recalled Azura, so she could've trapped him by putting in Coral against Blaze. Instead, she gave him exactly what he wanted. Again."

Cynthia, in the commentary box, went a step further as Milo indeed called upon his eager Infernape;

"Incredibly, this battle is now Milo's to lose," the Champion noted, "He's put on an absolute exhibition in battling from behind here – his composure has kept him on level terms despite Amaya's insane raw power, and now he looks set to take the lead at exactly the right moment."

Rivals from the very beginning, Terrus and Blaze now glared across at each other on the battlefield of the hallowed Lily Stadium. There was a single, curt nod between the two starters, and then the battle kicked back into gear with more blistering pace than ever.

"Earthquake!"

"Jump, Blaze!"

"Now Giga Drain!"

"Heat Wave!"

Not one person was left sitting down, as the crowd's collective jaws dropped. Such power, such technique, such intensity…

"This is it!" Cynthia summed up the feeling in a heartbeat, "This is what Pokémon battles are really about!

After using Earthquake to force Blaze into his predictable jumping tactics, Amaya's Torterra struck out with the energy-sapping Giga Drain, only for his move to be washed away by the wild rage of the Flame Pokémon's Heat Wave attack.

Not stopping for an instant, Terrus struck back, using Energy Ball like a cannon. He struck the still-airborne Blaze one, twice, thrice before Milo provided an escape.

"Mach Punch!"

"Grass Knot!"

"Double Team, Low Kick, Flamethrower!"

"Frenzy Plant!"

This time, the two adversaries traded blow for blow, as their lightning fast moves played out like a high-speed game of chess.

Blaze's Mach Punch was intended only to draw an attack out of the Continent Pokémon, and Double Team was the perfect getaway move, giving time for Low Kick, which in turn opened a window of opportunity for the devastating Flamethrower.

Still, the indomitable Terrus was back on his feet much faster than his size would suggest, and Frenzy Plant just managed to catch Blaze off guard.

"Holy crap!" Marcus' hands were on his head in disbelief, "Is this a fireworks show or a battle? This is insane!"

Close in, do it now, Milo urged his Fire type, giving him the shorthand version of the plan in a split second, We're baiting a Ground move to go top, then finish it before he shakes you.

Done, answered the Infernape, using a particularly indirect Quick Attack to circle around to one side of his longtime rival.

"He's on the run, Terrus, something's up! Grass Knot!"

"Up and Blaze Kick!"

"Energy Ball!"

A stalemate. Energy Ball and Blaze Kick proved equal and opposite, and Blaze took off again, hoping to draw out the key to their victory.

Come on, not that one, 'Maya, Milo desperately willed his friend to make the play he needed, Come on, you know how to make Blaze quit running...Just call it…

"Grr...Make him respect us, Terrus! Earth Power!"

"DO IT!"

Like lightning, Blaze skidded to a halt, gathered himself, and gave an almighty leap just as the ground beneath him began heaving and churning. Amaya's Torterra tried to block his trajectory with more Energy Ball attacks, but a mid-air Double Team got the Flame Pokémon safely onto his Grass-type opponent's vulnerable back.

Knowing he had precious little time, Blaze gave a roar of concerted effort and pounded down on Terrus for all he was worth.

"FRENZY PLANT! RETURN! GET HIM OFF!"

Amaya shrieked, but to no avail. Blaze connected three rapid Fire Punches and unleashed a second mighty Heat Wave to finish off the round.

Almost inaudible over the tens of thousands of screaming voices, the referee waved his flag;

"Torterra is unable to battle; Infernape is the winner! Amaya, call your final Pokémon!"

"CRUSH HIM, CORAL!"

Amaya had finally snapped, as she watched the lead she had painstakingly fought to maintain slip away at the last crucial moment. Now, with two Pokémon left to her one, Milo had his nose in front as the pair of Rookies stared down the barrel at the finish line.

Not waiting around for a particular move, Coral came out swinging from the start. A Hydro Pump smashed into the flat-footed Blaze, who quickly signaled his intentions to Milo;

CRAP! Okay, I did my job, I got through Terrus. I'll do what I can here and leave the big finale for Azura!

With a defiant roar, the tired and damaged Fire type shrugged off the staggering Water hit and came sprinting at the equally furious Milotic.

"Dragon Tail, Coral!"

Milo's heart was in his mouth, but he said nothing as Blaze let his instincts take over. Not entirely conscious of his actions, the wily Infernape mitigated the damage from Dragon Tail by twisting himself acrobatically to meet the attack with a flying Blaze Kick. It wasn't all that effective, but it kept him on a collision course with Amaya's ace Pokémon.

"NAAAAAAPE!"

He flung himself forward with a Close Combat attack, pummeling any inch of Coral he could reach for as long as he could.

Still, the famous Milotic would not be so easily brought down. Despite the huge amounts of damage she'd taken thus far in the battle overall, she swatted Milo's starter away like a rag doll with a fearsome Aqua Tail that was followed immediately by a Dragon Pulse, which settled the battle.

"WOW!"

The man beside Cynthia was now all but screaming over the live broadcast;

"Milo's Infernape is out cold! It's down to this – Milotic versus Umbreon, one final round! Winner takes all, right here right now!"

For Milo, everything went silent – the world itself seemed to slow to a crawl as he recalled Blaze. The nerves, the pressure, the tension...it all vanished in that one instant.

Azura versus Coral. It was always going to come down to this.

In that one split second, the memories he'd made over the past year came flashing through his brain. Memories of the strange girl who'd forcefully introduced herself on the practice fields of the Twinleaf Trainer School. The friend who'd stood by him when he challenged the Rocket poachers in Oreburgh Gate. The rival who'd fought with him in their first ever tournament in Hearthome. The companion who'd saved his life when the Primal ambushed them outside Pastoria.

Amaya.

She'd been with him through thick and thin, every step of the way. Now, as their Rookie career came to its dramatic close, they were here on the biggest stage of them all for one last bout between Coral, the amazing Milotic, and Azura, the blue Umbreon.

"Azura, go."

Kara was already in tears as the final round got set to start.

"This is it," she whispered, "Both of you...are so amazing…"

Amaya made the first move;

"Let's get it started! Coral, use Twister!"

"Azura, let's move! Dodge and Shadow Ball!"

Amaya knew exactly what was going through Milo's brain. 'Dodge' could only mean one thing.

"It's Pursuit! Coral, use Dragon Tail!"

"Protect, and Psychic!"

Coral was most definitely nearing her limit. She'd fought and won three rounds already, and each had taken its toll on her. Azura had sustained much less damage over the course of the battle, and the difference at last began to show.

Still, victory would never come that easily.

"Get up, Coral! Give me a big Hydro Pump!"

"MOVE!"

"There she goes! Ice Beam!"

A dozen escape strategies zipped through Milo's brain as Azura sprinted away from the icy attack bearing down on her, but somehow...somehow he just knew what to do.

"Azura, STOP! Take it, and use Dark Pulse!"

The impact of Coral's Ice Beam sent the brave Umbreon skidding across the field, but she kept her feet and fired back with every ounce of Dark energy she could muster.

The attack struck home. Coral cried aloud, as the fans held their breath.

Not even Milo and Amaya could speak, as the mighty Coral began to fall, coming down with a solid thud onto the dirt field of Lily Stadium.

The Lily of the Valley Conference final...had ended.

"Milotic is – is unable to battle! Umbreon is the winner, and the match...the match goes to MILO!"

Presumably, at that moment, the tens of thousands packed into the stadium made some kind of noise. Probably quite a bit of it. Milo and Amaya didn't hear them. They didn't see them.

The two Rookies could only across the field at one another.

One step at a time, they approached each other, meeting in the middle of the field. Numbly, they clasped hands. Milo, his voice shuddering with emotion, ventured;

"...M-'Maya, I…"

"Not here," she cut him off, a tremble in her own voice, "D-don't do this here. Not with everyone watching."

"A...Agreed."

Not trusting themselves to speak any further, Milo and The Hammer finished their handshake and waved ceremoniously to the delirious fans before simply turning and exiting the field. Just like that.

There were interviews, of course, and ceremonies and award presentations. Still, the raw emotion, the reaction that the whole region waited for...never seemed to come.

"It was a good battle," said Milo to one reporter, "My team and I made our fair share of mistakes, but we adapted well and got the job done."

"It showed me what I need to work on," said Amaya to another journalist, "Power alone isn't enough if I don't have the experience to use it properly."

Through all the pomp and circumstance, Milo and Amaya interacted cordially. Normally. As if nothing special at all had happened out there on the battlefield. Just another round between friends.

Kara texted them as the last of the official 'stuff' was wrapping up;

Hurry up, you two! We've got a party waiting in Milo's room! - K

Before they got there, though, something had to happen. The reaction, everything they'd been avoiding since the referee had called and end to the match...it all had to be let out.

Amaya pulled Milo aside into her own hotel room before they got to the party;

"Milo…"

"Amaya, I -"

"Thank you."

The small girl flung her arms around her best friend fiercely, and at last allowed her sobs to eke out. Her body began to tremble, and he returned the embrace fiercely as his tears joined with hers.

There they stood, the two of them, hugging and crying about – about everything. Milo and Amaya. Never before had there been anything quite like the two of them, and now...now at last it had come to a brilliant conclusion, worthy of their incredible accomplishments.

"This year," the Twinleaf Rookie whispered, "It's been the best. It's meant...everything to me."

"I know," Milo whispered back, "Me too. Everything we've done and shared...I'll never forget it. Promise me...Promise you'll keep growing stronger in – in J-Johto. Promise me our next battle...will be even better."

"I promise."

It took a few minutes for the pair to work through their tears. Each had the same thought running through their brain;

How could it end? How could they bring themselves to say goodbye?

No further words were exchanged. When the tears stopped flowing at last, they made their way to Milo's room for the party.

"WOOHOO!"

Kara jumped on them immediately, and Myrian wasn't far behind. Immediately, the cloud of despair that hung over the Rookies dissipated, and they threw themselves wholeheartedly into their celebrating.

Eventually, once the Pokémon were brought out, things got so out of hand that the whole affair moved down to the training space so as to avoid trashing the poor room.

Hey! Azura barked over her shoulder as a wayward Water Gun struck her from behind, interrupting her polite conversation with Verdante, Jet, keep yourself to yourself for once!

Ha! Tell that to Drake the cowardly Dragon! He's the one running away!

Technically, it was the truth; the Water Gun had been aimed perfectly for the spot that Milo's Garchomp had only just vacated.

"TERRAAAA!"

Azura wasn't the only one disturbed by the impromptu sparring match – Terrus' 'rematch' against Blaze had been impeded as well, and the Continent Pokémon was giving the Floatzel an earful, as usual.

"Heh," Milo just chuckled as he watched the proceedings, having not the heart (or the death wish) to get in the middle of it, "Some things never change, I guess."

"RAAHH!"

Jet's roar of victory drew all (or at least most) eyes to him yet again as Drake crashed to the ground. Like a flash, who should appear at the Mach Pokémon's side but Florence. Kara's Gardevoir forcibly held the Dragon to the ground as she looked him over;

Hold still, you fool! You could be injured!

Gah, get off me! Why the hell do you care?

Is it so hard to believe that perhaps I cannot abide the thought of you injuring yourself?

That certainly raised a few eyebrows, not least of all Drake's. Milo and Kara exchanged knowing winks as they turned to watch;

Uh...what? I mean...thanks. I guess.

Taken aback by an expression of genuine gratitude, the Embrace Pokémon's cheeks flushed, and she stepped back.

Finally! The oblivious Jet just wanted to get on with their little bout, and fired of a Water Gun to get Florence out of the way so they could resume, Quit messing around and let's fight already!

NO! Like a flash, Drake shot off the ground and jumped into the path of the (admittedly rather weak) attack, taking it with a grunt before it could hit the Fairy-type.

"Whoa," Milo couldn't help but speak up, "Drake, you cool, pal? We all good here?"

You watery punk! Don't you dare attack her!

S-Sir Drake, mumble Florence confusedly, her cheeks now bright red, Why would you do such a thing for my sake?

Still facing away from the half-Psychic, Drake responded roughly, forcing the words out one by one;

Maybe I...I just don't...want you to...to get hurt...either.

"WOO! Finally!"

Kara could restrain herself no longer, and the young Performer leapt forward to embrace the embarrassed Pokémon duo. Amazingly, not even this romantic development could derail the raucous celebrations that were now in full swing.

Amaya wound up having to pay a small repair fee – Coral versus Granite proved rather destructive – but still the party went on for hours as the Rookies celebrated not just the amazing final they'd contested, but their star-studded Rookie year altogether.

They partied for the first battle they'd ever fought, on the fields behind the Twinleaf School. They partied for their many Gym badge victories, and even the few losses. They partied for all the Rookie Challenge tournaments they'd crushed. Just for good measure, they partied for Kara's success on the Rookie Performer circuit. They partied for friends, for family, for hardships overcome, and for friends gained.

Hours and hours later, when all their not-quite-limitless energy was at last spent, they slept like logs. After all, they'd certainly earned it.

Milo

"Here. Looks like we're in terminal B, down this way."

"Same. International departures."

The next morning, it came time at last to set off. For Milo and Kara, Kalos awaited. For Amaya, Johto held the next challenge. The partying and contagious joy of the night before had ebbed gracefully into a thoughtful silence amongst the three young people as they made their way to the international flights departure terminal at Lily Island's airport.

After a minute or two, Amaya stopped.

"This is me. Gate B7."

She and Milo locked eyes. For better or worse, the moment had come. The flight to Johto was already boarding.

The Twinleaf girl took a deep, shuddering breath.

"Here I go."

"Amaya…"

Milo wanted to say something, but there were too many words, all jumbled together in his brain. Too many words to say. He could only stare at his friend, his mouth hanging open.

"...I get it, Milo," The Hammer said softly, "Me too. Just...keep in touch, yeah? And remember that promise."

"I will," he responded, "Next time...we'll both be stronger."

Amaya nodded, and then turned to Kara;

"Good luck with this kid. Kick some ass in Kalos."

Teary-eyed herself, Kara hugged her friend tightly, "I will, 'Maya. The same to you. Johto won't know what hit them."

With one last breath to set herself, Amaya seemed to flick a switch within herself. She picked up her bag, turned on her heel, and strode firmly to the boarding gate. Within seconds, she vanished from view, and Milo and Kara stood watching.

"She'll do great," said Kara firmly.

"Yeah."

Milo wiped away his own tears with a smile, "I just...have to make sure I can keep up. Let's – let's go, Kara. Let's do it, let's go to Kalos. Our Rookie year may have ended, but...but I know there's plenty to come!"

His smile grew fierce now, and he picked up his own bag. Hand in hand, Milo and Kara made their way confidently to their own flight. Before they knew it, they took off.

As they left the Sinnoh region far below them, Milo grew more and more excited. He sat back, letting the plane's gentle motion lull him to sleep, and thought to himself;

My dreams haven't changed. My team and I...we WILL be the best!

Many Trainers before him had aspired to this goal, but...but there was something special about this young man. All those who had met him along the way agreed. A new star was on the rise, and the world would soon know the name – the name of Milo and his Blue Umbreon!

-Fin-

Author's Notes

Hands up if you got the classic literature reference in the chapter title! Ditto for the football (soccer) reference at the end of Amaya's semifinal!

The more I write big battles, the higher my self-standards get and the more difficult they feel to write well. Nowadays, I can usually only write one or two rounds of a battle in one sitting, just because of how much goes into every detail. I also do my best to actually feel the emotions I'm writing. That means, for huge battles like this, I put myself in the same hyper-pressure mentality as the Trainers, which is exhausting. But hey, no regrets! When I read back through these scenes after the fact, I'm convinced that the result is worth the effort, no question.

As far as the subdued ending of the Order of Shadows business - it's purposely quiet. The Order has been shrouded in some degree of mystery and questionable motives all along, and I figured it would be fitting to give that subplot a muted, open-ended signoff, while still suggesting an answer to people's concerns about Karen 'getting away' with her actions. Not satisfied? Consider that a reason to read the sequel! Hehe...shameless plug, shameless plug...

Alright, since this is the final chapter, here's the emotional sign-off. Brace yourself.

At the very beginning, Milo and the Blue Umbreon was just proof to myself that I could write a standard OC Trainer story like any other. Fortunately, my ambitions for this story grew dramatically as I received guidance, criticism, and inspiration from this fantastic community, which has helped me understand concepts like pacing, character depth, portrayal of emotion, tone and tension, and many more.

This is all to say, thank you. Thank you.

I'm immeasurably grateful to you, readers both new and old, who have joined me on this journey, have watched it (and me) develop, and have followed along from meeting Milo and Azura in Chapter 1 through the grand finale of Chapter 28. It really does mean so much to me as a writer.

I hope you'll accompany me once more as I transition to a much more ambitious undertaking; the sequel to Milo and the Blue Umbreon, which should be up by the time you read this - Milo and the Big Six.