Everyone woke up the next day feeling somewhat nervous, especially Ash and Leaf, who barely ate breakfast due to nerves. Today everything would be decided: the winner and the loser, the Pokémon League champion and the runner-up. How could they not be nervous? It was normal, even for Ash and Leaf, who were almost never nervous. But today was different. Today was a very special day.
After breakfast and receiving encouragement from everyone, Ash and Leaf separated from the group and headed straight to the battlefield while the others went to the VIP box, where they would witness the final battle of the Pokémon League and its winner.
…
The roar of the stadium was deafening.
Not a single seat was empty. Everyone was standing or leaning forward, eyes fixed on the field. After all the battles that had taken place… only one remained.
In the VIP box, the girls watched the battlefield attentively, not taking their eyes off Ash. They didn't want to miss a single thing about this battle. In the stands, Verity and Neesha also watched the field seriously, especially Ash.
In Johto, Lisa had bought all kinds of snacks and sweets to watch the battle, eager to see the outcome of this Pokémon League.
In Paldea, Hana had woken up super early, had breakfast, and along with her mother was sitting in front of the huge television currently focused on the entire battlefield, waiting for the final to begin.
In Kalos, Serena was with her mother watching television. Just like Hana, she had also woken up early, had breakfast, and went straight to watch TV while her mother finished some household chores before joining her.
Back to the battlefield.
Ash stood on his side of the field with Pikachu beside him. His posture was firm but not completely relaxed. There was some tension in his shoulders, a slight nervousness that was hard to hide at a moment like this.
Pikachu noticed.
"Pikapi…" it said softly, placing its paw on his shoulder.
Ash let out a breath through his nose and smiled slightly.
"I'm fine… thanks," he murmured.
On the other side, Leaf stretched her arms a little, as if trying to release the built-up tension. She had her usual light, almost carefree smile… though her eyes said otherwise.
She was a bit nervous, but she was sure the heat of battle would make it pass. At the beginning, when she started as a trainer, she also felt those nerves when battling the first Gym Leaders, but during the fight she forgot about her nerves and gave it her all. It was just a matter of getting started.
"WELCOME TO THE GRAND FINAL OF THIS YEAR'S KANTO-JOHTO POKÉMON LEAGUE!" Bob shouted.
"THE FINAL BATTLE OF THE TOURNAMENT! THE ONE THAT WILL DECIDE WHO WILL BE CROWNED CHAMPION!" Carl added.
"ON ONE SIDE OF THE FIELD, PARTICIPANT ASH KETCHUM, WHO HAS OVERCOME EVERY ROUND WITH AN IMPRESSIVE PROGRESSION!" Bob continued.
"AND ON THE OTHER, PARTICIPANT LEAF, A TRAINER WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED OUTSTANDING BATTLE CONTROL AND INTELLIGENCE!" Carl added.
The stadium roared even louder.
"THE WINNER WILL TAKE THE POKÉMON LEAGUE TROPHY AND THE TOURNAMENT'S CASH PRIZE!" Bob shouted.
"AND, IN ADDITION, THEY WILL EARN THE RIGHT TO CHALLENGE THE ELITE FOUR!" Carl continued.
"AND IF THEY MANAGE TO DEFEAT THEM… THEY WILL BE ABLE TO FACE THE CURRENT CHAMPION OF THE REGION!" Bob finished.
The stadium roared in response, excited and eager to see the battle already. No one wanted to keep waiting.
The referee advanced to the center of the field and raised both flags.
"It will be a six-on-six battle!" the referee said. "The first participant to defeat all six of their opponent's Pokémon will be declared the winner of the Pokémon League!"
He looked to both sides of the field.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
Ash nodded.
"Ready!" he said.
Leaf raised her hand with a light smile.
"Ready!" she responded.
The referee lowered one flag.
"Then…" he said.
The second one fell.
"Let the battle begin!" he announced.
Ash and Leaf didn't hesitate.
"Blastoise, go!" Ash said at the same time as —
"Garchomp, I choose you!" Leaf said.
Both Poké Balls opened almost simultaneously.
Blastoise appeared with a deep roar, adjusting its cannons as it planted itself firmly on the field. Garchomp landed with force, digging its claws into the ground and immediately adopting an offensive stance.
For a few seconds, neither attacked.
Blastoise maintained a low and solid position. Garchomp, on the other hand, looked ready to explode in any direction at any moment.
Leaf had it clear: Blastoise was a wall. Forcing it without testing first would be a mistake.
"Garchomp, use Dragon Claw!" Leaf ordered.
Garchomp launched forward with brutal acceleration, its claws wrapped in greenish energy.
Ash didn't back down and instead went straight on the offensive.
"Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!" he responded.
The torrent of water shot out with tremendous pressure.
Garchomp spun mid-charge, passing through part of the attack while shifting its trajectory just enough to reduce the impact. Still, the hit grazed it hard on the side, but it didn't stop.
The claws collided violently with Blastoise's shell, pushing it back several meters. The ground cracked under its feet, but Blastoise held firm. That blow was nothing to it.
"WHAT AN INITIAL EXCHANGE!" Bob shouted.
"PARTICIPANT LEAF HAS BET ON SPEED, BUT PARTICIPANT ASH HAS RESPONDED WITH AN IMPRESSIVE DEFENSE!" Carl added.
Ash felt it clearly: that Garchomp wasn't weak — it was extremely powerful.
"Blastoise, use Ice Beam!" Ash ordered.
The attack fired with almost no reaction time.
Garchomp couldn't dodge it completely. The beam hit its arm and part of its torso, freezing the area for an instant before the dragon broke the ice with a sharp movement and retreated.
Leaf observed the scene quickly.
Staying there gave her no advantage. Blastoise wasn't going to fall quickly, and forcing that exchange would only wear Garchomp down prematurely and it might even weaken.
Decision made.
"Garchomp, return!" Leaf said.
The dragon disappeared in a red flash.
"FIRST SWITCH OF THE FINAL!" Bob shouted.
"PARTICIPANT LEAF DECIDES TO SAVE GARCHOMP FOR LATER!" Carl added.
Ash narrowed his eyes. It seemed Leaf knew Garchomp wasn't a good choice against his Blastoise.
"Magnezone, go!" she said.
The air vibrated as Magnezone appeared floating, its magnets spinning slowly.
"AND MAGNEZONE ENTERS THE FIELD!" Bob said.
"A HIGHLY POWERFUL ELECTRIC-TYPE POKÉMON THAT ALSO HAS A CLEAR ADVANTAGE AGAINST BLASTOISE!" Carl added.
Ash reacted immediately. Magnezone against Blastoise was unfavorable. While Magnezone wasn't a particularly fast Pokémon, neither was Blastoise, and on top of that it was at a type disadvantage. Leaving it on the field would be a mistake he simply couldn't make.
"Blastoise, return!" Ash said.
The red light enveloped it and it disappeared from the field.
"Venusaur, go!" he continued.
"PARTICIPANT ASH DECIDES TO AVOID THE DIRECT CONFRONTATION AND OPTS TO SWITCH OUT HIS BLASTOISE. WISE DECISION!" Bob said.
"VENUSAUR RESISTS ELECTRIC ATTACKS VERY WELL, BUT IT ALSO DOESN'T HAVE MANY MOVES THAT CAN SERIOUSLY AFFECT MAGNEZONE!" Carl said.
"BUT DON'T FORGET THAT PARTICIPANT ASH NEVER DOES ANYTHING WITHOUT HAVING A STRATEGY IN MIND. HE HAS PROVEN IT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE POKÉMON LEAGUE!" Bob said.
Venusaur appeared with a deep roar, the flower on its back opening as a heavy pressure spread across the field.
Leaf observed the switch carefully, trying to devise a strategy to deal with Venusaur.
Venusaur and Magnezone remained facing each other for a few seconds, measuring distances without moving more than necessary. Unlike the first exchange between Blastoise and Garchomp, this wasn't a contest of strength or endurance, but one of control. Magnezone was in no hurry to approach, and Venusaur wasn't going to rush either while it didn't see a clear opening. The battle had completely changed pace.
"Magnezone, use Thunderbolt!" Leaf ordered.
"Venusaur, use Protect!" Ash responded.
Yesterday, while celebrating with the others, he found a free moment after realizing he might need Protect on all his Pokémon. Unfortunately, he only had one Protect TM left, which, after much thought, he decided to use on Venusaur. He removed the move Growth since he hadn't used it much and the battles in the Pokémon League were very frenetic, so there was almost no time for that type of move. After thinking about it, Protect seemed like a good option. Who would have thought it would be useful so soon.
The barrier appeared in time and absorbed the discharge, dispersing sparks around Venusaur. Ash didn't counterattack immediately. He simply observed how Magnezone kept its distance without moving from its position, as if it wasn't so much looking to damage as to force him to react in exactly the way Leaf wanted.
"PARTICIPANT LEAF HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED THE PACE OF THE BATTLE!" Bob shouted.
"SHE'S FORCING PARTICIPANT ASH TO STAY CONSTANTLY ON THE DEFENSIVE!" Carl added.
Ash understood immediately. Venusaur could hold there, yes, but continuing that exchange would mean accepting an uncomfortable, slow, and unfavorable fight. He wasn't losing, but he wasn't imposing himself either, and in a final like this, allowing the opponent to set the pace was starting to give up too soon.
"Venusaur, use Leech Seed!" Ash ordered.
The seeds shot toward Magnezone, but Leaf reacted instantly.
"Magnezone, use Flash Cannon!" Leaf ordered.
The shot hit in front of Venusaur and raised an explosion that completely deflected the seeds before they could get close to Magnezone. That confirmed what Ash had already suspected. She wasn't going to let him play his game. Any attempt to build pressure would be cut off before it started.
After thinking it over carefully, he realized this wasn't a battle suited for Venusaur. Not if Magnezone remained intact and had space to move in the air. If he wanted to break that blockade, he had to do it with a Pokémon capable of erasing the distance before Leaf could think two moves ahead.
And he only had one for that.
Besides, if he waited too long, Magnezone would start dictating the entire battle. No. He had to cut it off at the root.
Determined, Ash took out Venusaur's Poké Ball.
"Venusaur, return!" Ash said.
The red light enveloped Venusaur immediately and returned it to its Poké Ball.
"NEW SWITCH FROM PARTICIPANT ASH!" Bob shouted.
"IT SEEMS HE REALIZED VENUSAUR HAD LITTLE TO DO AGAINST MAGNEZONE!" Carl added.
Ash already had the next Poké Ball in his hand.
He didn't hesitate for a second.
"Lopunny, I choose you!" Ash said.
Lopunny appeared on the field with elegant lightness, barely touching the ground as it fixed its gaze on Magnezone. Leaf raised her eyebrows slightly. She had expected a switch to break the distance, yes, but not that one. For an instant she thought Ash would test the new matchup first before switching or leaving Venusaur on the field.
But none of that mattered. If Magnezone managed to reestablish its zone of control, it didn't matter what Pokémon Ash brought out — she would always have control. She had to break the battle before Leaf could rebuild it. And to do that, she couldn't hold anything back.
Her left hand rose to the glove.
Her fingers brushed the activation stone.
"Lopunny… let's not waste time and end this. Mega Evolve!" Ash ordered.
The stone in the glove shone intensely and, at the same time, Lopunny's Mega Bracelet responded. Beams of pink light burst from both points instantly, intertwining in the air like living threads of energy before completely enveloping Lopunny. The glow suddenly intensified, covering her in an intense and vibrant light that made a good part of the stadium hold its breath.
"MEGA EVOLUTION SO SOON?!" Bob shouted.
"PARTICIPANT ASH HAS USED MEGA EVOLUTION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE! A TRUMP CARD LIKE THAT IS USUALLY NOT USED UNTIL THE CLIMAX OF THE MATCH!" Carl added.
"WHAT IS PARTICIPANT ASH THINKING BY USING HIS MOST IMPORTANT TRUMP CARD SO EARLY?!" Bob exclaimed.
The light dissipated. On the battlefield, Mega Lopunny appeared, exerting an invisible pressure.
Leaf was truly surprised this time. Not by the Mega Evolution itself, but by the timing chosen. Ash wasn't one to waste a trump card like this without reason, much less so early in a final. That could only mean one thing: he had something in mind, a strategy she hadn't managed to see yet.
Leaf pressed her lips together, regaining her composure almost instantly. Fine. If that was his response, she had her own prepared as well. She had anticipated that Ash might resort to a faster Pokémon. That was precisely why one of Magnezone's moves was there.
"Magnezone, use Lock-On!" Leaf ordered.
Magnezone's central eye shone instantly, trying to lock onto Lopunny or at least attempt to.
"Move, Lopunny, don't let it see you!" Ash exclaimed.
Upon hearing that, Lopunny moved at a speed impossible for a normal human to perceive, let alone a very slow Magnezone. While floating gave it an advantage, Lopunny's speed wasn't something it could track.
It wasn't a simple dodge. It wasn't a jump or an easy sideways step. Its speed was so absurd that Magnezone couldn't stabilize its visual position long enough to lock on properly. Every time it seemed to have her, Lopunny had already changed position.
"MY GOD, PARTICIPANT ASH'S LOPUNNY IS MOVING SO FAST THAT MAGNEZONE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE TO LOOK!" Bob shouted.
"THE SPEED OF PARTICIPANT ASH'S MEGA LOPUNNY IS INHUMAN! IF SHE DOESN'T DO SOMETHING, PARTICIPANT LEAF COULD BE IN REAL TROUBLE!" Carl added.
Leaf clicked her tongue. She already had a strategy in mind for fast Pokémon like Lopunny, but she had completely underestimated the power of the Mega Evolution and how much it improved a normal Lopunny. She simply couldn't predict that it would move so fast.
"Lopunny, use High Jump Kick!" Ash ordered.
"Dodge it and use Flash Cannon!" Leaf exclaimed.
But it was too late. Lopunny appeared in front of Magnezone in an instant, as if it had emerged directly from the air, and delivered a powerful kick to Magnezone.
Magnezone was sent flying backward and crashed into the ground, completely losing stability before it could even regain control of its flight.
The stadium fell silent for a second.
The referee raised his hand.
"Magnezone is unable to continue!" he declared.
"ONE-HIT KO!" Bob shouted.
"PARTICIPANT ASH HAS USED HIS MEGA EVOLUTION TO DEFEAT A POTENTIAL THREAT IN A SINGLE BLOW!" Carl added.
"THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE AND I'M ALREADY SUPER EXCITED!" Bob exclaimed.