The time had finally come. Despite it only being two days, it felt like getting to this moment had taken weeks. The Hoof Cup's final battle between Flash and Doc was about to happen.
Up in the stands, Twilight had joined the others to watch and see who was gonna take home the title of champion and the six IV raising candy jars.
"Sure has been a wild ride, hasn't it?" Rainbow asked.
"Yes indeed," Rarity replied.
"Ah'm sure glad ah entered," Applejack added.
"Me too, me too!" Pinkie exclaimed. "It's been so much fun!"
Fluttershy did a small nod, "Yes, and we got to meet a lot of new friends."
Trixie chuckled at this, "I can't wait to see who's gonna win."
"Well, Flash beat Doc the last time they had a serious battle," Spike pointed out.
"But that doesn't mean he'll win this time," Twilight told him. "They've both grown a lot, so this could really go either way." She turned to look down at the field, "Only one way to find out though."
Down in the commentators box, Present Mic stood up. "ALRIGHT BATTLE FANS! It's time for the long awaited final match of this year's Hoof Cup!" He pointed at the red side of the field. "In this corner, we have the number one unpredictable knuckle head trainer, Flash...SENTRY!" The crowd cheered as Flash and Springer waved at them while Mic turned to the blue side. "And in the other corner, we have the pride of Trottingham City! The Gym Leader, Time...TURNER!" Doc also waved at the crowd.
"Giving their thoughts on the battle will be the Professors, Celestia and Luna! Tell me ladies, what are your thoughts on the upcoming match?"
"All I can say is that this will definitely be a match to remember," Celestia replied.
Luna nodded in agreement. "I look forward to seeing which Pokémon and what strategies they'll use to try and claim victory."
On the podium, Flash turned to Doc. "Alright, this is it! Don't you go giving me any less than your all, as I know I am! I'm gonna come at you hard and fast, right from the start!"
Doc chuckled back, "Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way."
"ALRIGHT! It's time to see who'll be selecting their Pokémon first!" Everyone looked up at the megascreen as the roulette wheel appeared, the professors soon turning it on. The roulette then slowed down, landing on the blue section. "It's blue, so Time Turner will be up first!"
"Very well," Doc pulled out his Pokeball. "Higear, come on out!" He tossed the ball into the air, a spiral of red energy taking form to reveal the floating gear Pokémon.
"Higear!"
"Higear, huh?! Alright..." He pulled out his Pokeball, "Its revenge time! Riptide, I choose you!" He tossed the ball into the air, the sphere soon opening to show Flash's Aquana.
"Aquana!" He exclaimed before seeing Higear, glaring at it.
"What did he mean by revenge time Twilight?" Rarity asked.
"In their first battle, Flash used Riptide against Higear and they lost. Looks like Flash wants to give Riptide the chance to show how much he's grown."
"But has he grown strong enough to beat Higear?"
"Only one way to find out."
"Are both trainer's ready?" Mic asked, the two nodding. "Then battle...BEGIN!"
"Riptide, use Echoed Voice!"
"Ak!" Riptide roared as he leapt into the air before taking a deep breath. "AQUANA!" He unleashed the soundwave, striking Higear as discomfort quickly appeared on his face.
Doc smirked, knowing Higear could take it. "Use Shift Gear!"
"Gear!" Higear levitated into the air, the gear ring around its body beginning to spin. Despite the pain it was feeling, it's speed and attack began to increase.
"Echoed Voice again!" Riptide took another large breath before unleashing another sound attack, hitting Higear again as pain started to show on his face.
"Shift Gear!" Doc ordered again, his Pokémon spinning its gears more and more.
"Can't let him use Gyro Ball," Flash growled, "Riptide, Echoed Voice again."
Doc smiled as he watched Riptide take another deep breath. "Tackle!"
"Hi!" Higear stopped spinning his gear and rushed at Riptide, moving at high speeds as it drew close.
"Gotcha! Use Water Gun!" Riptide breathed out, spitting out a blast of water aimed at the ground. This made Riptide fly safely above the attack.
"What?!" Doc yelped as Higear flew under Riptide, who was now beginning to fall back to earth.
"Rock Smash!" Flash ordered as Riptide's fist started to glow.
"Ak-" Riptide threw a punch, which struck Higear in the face. "WANA!"
"Higear!" The metallic Pokémon cried as the punch made impact, sending it flying back.
"Wow!" Pinkie exclaimed. "You girls see that?!"
Everyone nodded as Rainbow commented, "It's almost like Flash knew Doc was gonna use that move."
"He did." They all turned back to Twilight, who was smiling as she turned to Spike. "Didn't you notice? The moves they were using before were the same ones they used at the beginning of their first battle."
"They were?" Spike asked before thinking back, "Oh yeah...."
"Flash must have known that repeating what happened before would make Doc do the same thing, so he laid a trap."
"He played me," Doc whispered as Flash smirked.
"Just repaying the favor from a long time ago," Flash replied before pointing at Riptide. "Water Gun!" Riptide fired the blast of water, which headed straight for Higear.
"Gear Grind!" Higear tossed its gear hands at the water stream, blocking it with ease.
"Rock Smash!" Riptide rushed past the gears and leapt at Higear, smashing it in the face. This made Higear yell in pain before hearing Doc tell him to use Gyro Ball.
"Hi!" Once its's gear returned, Higear started spinning at high speed and shot the sphere.
"Pound!" Flash ordered, Riptide spinning to slam its tail into Higear, but the speed of Higear's Gyro Ball was too much.
"AK!" Riptide flinched as the attack knocked him away, "Ak...wan...ah!" He moaned while bouncing along the ground, soon landing on his hands and knees.
"Shift Gear!" The mechanism Pokémon spun its gears to increase its speed and power while Riptide started to regain his balance.
"Water Gun!" The water blasted out of his mouth, but Higear easily evaded it. Riptide then fired several more bullets, but the floating gear dodged each one. "Echoed Voice!"
Riptide leapt into the air and inhaled. "AQUANA!" The soundwaves filled the stadium, forcing everyone to shield their ears. Higear tried to do the same, but it still wasn't enough to block out the scream. In fact, the attack was so loud that it couldn't hear Doc as he tried to give his next command.
"Rock Smash!" Flash yelled as Riptide landed, rushing ahead to sock Higear in the face. "Again, back to back!"
Both Riptide's fists started to glow before throwing punch after punch at Higear. "Ak, ak, ak, ak, ak, ak!" The last punch pushed Higear into the air, only for Riptide to jump onto his tail to use it as a springboard, launching him. "AQUANA!" With all his strength, Riptide punched Higear down, rocketing him back to earth.
"HIGEAR!" The clanging of metal on dirt rang through the stadium, Riptide using his Water Gun to land safely at the same time.
Mic: "Seems Higear's having trouble keeping up, even with that increased speed."
Celestia: "Flash's earlier trick must have thrown the two off."
"Don't count us out just yet! Higear, Gyro Ball!" Higear began spinning on the ground, floating back up before shooting it at Riptide like a discus.
"Water Gun!" Riptide fired the water at Higear, but the spinning gear created an air cushion that knocked the water away. Seconds later, the spinning projectile smashed into Riptide and knocking him back into the air. "Not good," Flash commented as he watched Higear spin back around, heading straight towards Riptide.
The little Aquana had just picked itself up, only to see the incoming buzz-saw. "Rock Smash!"
"Ak!" Riptide pulled his fist back and called upon as much energy as he could, thrusting at the Higear. The two collided and pushed for several seconds, but Higear's attack overpowered Riptide's, knocking him back again. "Aqua!"
Flash groaned, about to order Riptide to use Echoed Voice, but got the feeling even that wouldn't work. "How? How do I beat something like..." he looked up and saw the now flying around Higear, spinning in a diagonal trajectory, which caused a light-bulb to go off. "That's it!"
"Aquana," Riptide heard this and prepared to act.
"No Riptide, not yet." Riptide blinked at this, but did a small nod as he stood still while keeping an eye on his oncoming opponent.
Mic: "What's he planning?"
Luna: "I'm...not sure."
Celestia: "Probably something unexpected."
"Hold it...hold it..." Flash said as Higear got closer, the Pokémon only seconds away. "Almost...." They were now only inches away from one another, "Now! DOWNWARDS WATER GUN!"
"AQUANA!" Riptide launched the water stream straight into the dirt, blasting it up while Higear barely missed the lizard and started to hit the ground.
"Yes!" Flash cheered before looking down at Higear, seeing what he had hoped would happen happen. Higear, who was still spinning, was grinding at the dirt and actually digging into it. By the time it stopped spinning, half its body was submerged.
"Hi?" Higear yelped as it tried to move, only for no results. "Higear!"
"No way..." Doc gasped.
"So way," Flash replied before looking up at Riptide. The Aquana was now falling, picking up some major speed. "Rock Smash!" Riptide pulled back a glowing fist, aiming right at Higear.
"Oh no! Get out of there!" Doc yelled, but it was too late.
"DO IT!"
"AQUANA!" Riptide thrust his fist, the force of the attack creating a burst of wind that knocked him away and pushed everyone back into their seats.
Once the wind died down, everyone turned to see Riptide pick himself up and look over at Higear. "Higear..." the now fainted Pokémon let out.
Mic: "Higear KO'd. The winner, AQUANA!"
The crowd went wild as the little Aquana let out a cry of happiness. "Way to go bud!"
"Ri!" Springer added in agreement while giving him a thumbs up.
"Alright!" Spike cheered.
Twilight giggled at the results. "Considering how little Riptide was able to do against Higear last time, this is a big win for him."
"That's one down Flash!" Trixie added.
"But he shouldn't git cocky," Applejack finished. "Doc's just getting warmed up."
Doc sighed as he pulled out his Pokeball and pointed it at Higear, "Thanks for the hard work Higear." The red beam recalled the Pokémon back into the ball, "Take a long rest." He then swapped out his Pokeballs and held it up, "Not bad Flash. It's clear how much stronger Riptide's gotten since our Gym battle. But this fight isn't over yet. Tockwork, come on out!" He tossed the ball into the air, unleashing the red energy that revealed the mechanized Pokémon.
"Tock..." it said slowly.
"Tockwork, huh?" Flash asked before looking down at Riptide, "Can you keep going?"
"Aquana!" Riptide nodded.
"Alright, let's do it!" Flash replied while Mic stood up.
"Alright battle fans, let's get this next battle underway. Are both trainers ready?" The two nodded. "Then battle...begin!"
"Overclock!" Doc ordered, the gears on Tockwork's body beginning to spin as it charged at Riptide.
"Use Water Gun!" Riptide fired the water jet at Tockwork, who raised his gun arm to block it as he got closer. Once within striking range, Tockwork swung around and kicked Riptide in the stomach.
"Ak!" He yelped as he was thrown into the air.
"Echoed Voice!" Everyone in the stadium covered their ears as Riptide unleashed his sonic attack, hitting Tockwork but barely did any damage.
"The same move won't work every time. Tockwork, Bullet Punch!" Tockwork pulled its fist back before thrusting, sending a fist shaped burst of energy up at Riptide.
"Rock Smash!" Riptide did the same and punched the Bullet Punch, only for it to explode, sending him crashing head first into the ground.
"Psywave!" Tockwork pointed its gun at Riptide and fired a single blast at the Aquana, who was still recovering from its headbutting of the ground.
"Ak?" Once Riptide's vision stopped being double, he went wide eyed as he saw the blast coming at him. "Wana!" The blast hit his stomach before exploding, sending the little guy flying.
"Damn it!" Flash growled.
"Overclock!" Doc yelled without giving Flash a moment to think. Tockwork's gears span faster as it rushed ahead, reaching Riptide and punching him in a split second. "Sorry Flash, but whenever you're in trouble, you have a nasty habit of finding a way out. As such, I'm not gonna let that happen."
Tockwork continued to slam into Riptide, moving faster with each hit. The audience flinched at every blow, knowing they had to hurt. "Aqua!" Riptide yelled as he was uppercutted into the air.
"Psywave!" Tockwork aimed its gun at the airborne Aquana and quickly fired.
"Water Gun!" Riptide unleashed the water stream, connecting with the Psywave...only for it to be cut down the middle before the bullet exploded in Riptide's face.
"AQUANA!" He screamed while falling once again.
"Bullet Punch!" Tockwork raced to the spot Riptide was gonna land, rearing back his fist to launch a punch right into his stomach.
"TOCK/AK!" Riptide was send flying across the field, hitting the ground rolling before coming to a stop, face up to show swirls in his eyes.
Mic: "Aquana KO'd, so the winner is Tockwork!"
The crowd began to go wild again.
Celestia: "An excellent comeback. Doc knew to keep the pressure up once he had Flash in a corner."
Luna: "But can Flash make the same comeback?"
"Great work out there Riptide," Flash said as he held out his Pokeball and returned Riptide. "Come back and take a break." Once Riptide was returned, Flash swapped the Pokeball out for another one. "Viper, I chose you!" He tossed the ball into the air, soon revealing the fire snake.
"Scor," the Hisscor let out a puff of smoke as it stared its opponent down.
Mic: "Its a Hisscor! Looks like Flash is going for the Type Advantage."
Celestia: "Though Tockwork's Heatproof ability won't make it easy."
Luna: "Let's not forget how many times Doc used Overclock in that last battle. One of two more times might end up burning it."
"She's right," Doc commented as he rubbed his chin. "We may need to hold back on that attack. But even so, Viper isn't at a one hundred percent advantage. None of his Poison attacks will effect Tockwork."
Mic: "Alright! Are both trainers ready?" They nodded, "then battle...BEGIN!"
"Use Flamethrower!" Flash ordered as Viper quickly unleashed a stream of fire, which shot across the field and struck Tockwork before it could react.
"Tock!" It cried as the flames heated its metal body, its form slowly jumping out of the stream.
"Use Psywave!" Tockwork pointed its gun at Viper and shot a psychic bullet, only for the Hisscor to flail its ribbon like body around to dodge the attack. Tockwork started firing several more shots, Viper managing to wiggle each one. But as it dodged a fourth one, a fifth finally struck him, making it cry out as it was flung across the field.
"Scor!" It hit the ground, only to bounce back up instantly.
"Fire Spin!" Viper jumped onto his tail and springboarded into the air, its tail tip igniting before it flipped and flicked the fireball at Tockwork. Once it hit the ground in front of Tockwork, the fireball exploded into a spiraling column of flames.
Tockwork could feel the heat doing damage, which got worse every time it got to close to the flames. "Bullet Punch!" it heard Doc order. "On the ground!" Tockwork nodded before lifting up its fist and pointing it down.
"Tock...WORK!" It thrusted the fist into the ground, unleashing a powerful wave of air in all directions, pushing away the flames to dispel the Fire Spin. "Now Overclock!" Tockwork sped up once again and rushed ahead, punching Viper before Flash had a chance to order a dodge.
"Scor!" Viper yelped as it hit the ground while Tockwork leapt back, only to suddenly burst into flames.
"TOCKWORK!" It yelled in both pain and surprise.
Mic: "Ouch! Looks like they overdid the Overclock, and now Tockwork's been burned!"
Celestia: "With all the Fire-Type attacks they were facing, that probably would have happened eventually."
Luna: "But how will Time Turner deal with this situation?"
"Bullet Punch!" Tockwork charged again and slammed its fist into Viper before he could react, the Hisscor flinching in pain....only to then wrap his tail around Tockwork's arm.
"Nice Viper! Now use Bite!"
"Scor!" Viper bit down on Tockwork's arm, the sound of metal crunching in its jaws filling the air. The Steel Type began to yell out in pain, swinging its arm around to try to dislodge Viper. As it was doing this, the Burn Status flared up again, making it scream out in pain while Viper remained curled up around its arm.
"Get it off you!" Doc told Tockwork, only for a bulb to go off in his head. "Wait...that's it! Tockwork, remember our battle against Lizash!"
Everyone raised an eyebrow at this. "What's he talking about?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight gasped as her memories struck her brain, "He's gonna blind Viper!"
"Tock..." Tockwork raised its arm in front of its clock-face. This made Flash remember Doc's battle again Heath and quickly caught on.
"Not good! Viper, close your eyes!" Viper wasn't sure why Flash wanted him to do that, but did so anyway. Seconds later, Tockwork's clock-face unleashed a blinding light, one so bright that even with his eyes closed, Viper had to stop biting on its arm and move behind Tockwork's head.
"Dang it! I was hoping you wouldn't remember it in time."
Flash just smirked, "Hard to forget a battle like that. Use Flash all you want, but as long as Viper's eyes are closed, he'll be fine." He pointed at Tockwork, " And at that range, he'll be double good to roast your Tockwork! Flamethrower!" Viper, eyes still closed tightly, pulled its head back and pointed it at Tockwork's clock-face.
"Hiss..." it breathed in before unleashing a stream of fire, "SCOR!" The flames hit the clockwork Pokémon point blank, making it cry out as it swung its arm around to try and get the fire off. But Viper held firm, flame continually striking the clock-face. Eventually, Tockwork slammed its arm into the ground, causing Viper to lose his grip before it swung the arm up, knocking Viper upward. "Scor!"
"Fire Spin!" Viper's tail ignited before he flicked the fireball at Tockwork, recreating the fire tornado.
"Tock!" It cried as the flames scorched it, along with the Burn flaring up again. Doc then ordered another Bullet Punch, "Tock!" It slammed its fist into the ground, dispelling the fire tornado as it saw Viper land.
"Flamethrower/Psywave!" Viper unleashed the stream of fire while Tockwork fired its psychic bullet. The two attacks met with the Psywave flying through the flames as they headed for Tockwork. The Psywave flew out the end of the Flamethrower, hitting Viper while the flames struck Tockwork.
"Scor/Tock!" They both yelled as they were sent back, both rolling on the ground and skidding to a stop before turning to the other. The two glared at each other, until Tockwork's Burn kicked in again, dealing another burst of damage. "Tockwork!" It screamed until the flames vanished, its form falling to its knees before collapsing face down.
Mic: "Tockwork KO'd, so the winner is Hisscor!"
"Yes!" Flash cheered while Viper looked at Tockwork smugly.
Celestia: "An impressive display. I think Viper's fire attacks being stronger was what allowed it to take down Tockwork."
Luna: "And the fact that Tockwork had taken some damage from its battle against Aquana."
Mic: "And now Time Turner is down to only one Pokémon."
"Return Tockwork," Doc recalled Tockwork and smiled at the Pokeball. "Great work. You did well against an opponent who was a tough match-up," he swapped Pokeballs and enlarged it. "It's up to you now. Steeledge, come on out!" The ball opened up and unleashed the red energy, which took form midair before fading to reveal the metal bird.
"Steeledge!" It squawked while flapping its wings.
Mic: "So Time Turner's last Pokémon is Steeledge! Looks like Flash still has the advantage."
Celestia: "We'll see. If this tournament as proved anything, it's that Type Advantage isn't always the deciding factor."
Mic: "No kidding. Are both trainers ready?" They nodded, "Then battle...begin!"
"Flamethrower!" Flash ordered, Viper unleashing another stream of fire at Steeledge.
"Air Cutter!" Steeledge beat his wings, launching several air blades at the Flamethrower, dispelling in on contact as Steeledge got closer to Viper. "Fury Attack!" Steeledge's beak started to glow before he thrusted it back and forth, quickly striking Viper in quick succession.
"Scor!" Viper flinched with each stab, eventually managing to jump onto the tip of his tail before bouncing into the air.
"Fire Spin!" Viper flipped as his tail ignited, flicking the fireball at the ground.
Steeledge saw this and quickly flew up as the fireball hit the dirt, exploding. The spiraling flames flew upward and surrounded Steeledge, who flinched at the intense heat until he managed to fly out of the top. "Ledge!" he squawked while trying to flap the sweat off of him.
He looked down and saw Viper land as Doc gave his next command. "Drill Peck!" Steeledge spun in air before dive-bombing towards Viper, spinning into a drill like projectile.
"Flamethrower!" Viper spat the fire stream at Steeledge, hitting him and covering the spinning bird in fire. Steeledge flinched at the heat, though the air wrapping around him managed to shield him from most of the flames. As such, he kept going until he reached Viper, striking him with full power.
"Scor!" Viper went flying while Steeledge flew back into the air, soon stopping as the pain from the Flamethrower finally kicked in and made him twitch.
Celestia: "Amazing resilience. Being able to fly right through a Flamethrower attack isn't something a Pokémon at a type disadvantage can easily do."
Luna: "The Steel-Type is known for their incredible defensive power."
Mic: "And Steeledge is gonna need those defenses if it wants to defeat both Hisscor and Flash's third Pokémon."
"Steel Wing!" Doc ordered before Steeledge flew down, his wings now glowing.
Viper picked himself up and saw Steeledge coming as Flash gave his next command. "Dodge it, then Bite!" Steeledge reached the Hisscor and tried to slash, but Viper managed to bend his flexible body back to make the wing fly overhead, barely missing the tip of his nose.
"Hiss!" As soon as the wing shot over him, he jumped up and wrapped around Steeledge's neck. Once there, he bit down on the bird's shoulder and locked his jaw.
"Ledge!" Steeledge squawked before shaking its body around, trying to dislodge the fire snake.
"Get back in the air! Then use some erratic flying!" Steeledge nodded and beat his wings, flying up before moving at high speed. At random points, he quickly changed direction, making Viper shift around in surprise.
The Hisscor tried his best, keeping his fangs tightly pressed into Steeledge. But as this happened, the high speed shifts started to force his fang's grip. Eventually, Steeledge flipped himself in midair, making enough force to knock Viper right off. "Scor!"
"Steel Wing!" Steeledge quickly flew after the falling Hisscor with glowing wings, spinning around and slapping Viper with it.
"Scor!" Viper cried as he fell to the ground, Steeledge flying back up before arcing around.
"Flamethrower!" Flash ordered, Viper picking himself up before firing a fire burst at Steeledge. The armored bird saw the attack coming and managed to dodge it, Viper frowning before firing several move flame blasts. One by one, Steeledge managed to outmaneuver the streams as he got closer to Viper.
"Drill Peck!" Doc yelled when Steeledge was close enough, the bird beginning to spin as fast as he could.
"HISSCOR!" Viper unleashed the biggest stream of fire he could make, which hit the spinning Steeledge dead on. But Steeledge managed to drill right through the fire, the air cushion around him keep most flames back and reducing the damage until he struck the fire snake. "SCOR!"
Everyone watched as the Hisscor fell back form the blow, curling into a heap that remained still as swirls replaced his eyes. "Hiss..."
Mic: "Hisscor KO'd, so the winner is Steeledge!"
Celestia: "Being able to push through that Flamethrower twice...that's truly incredible willpower."
Luna: "But it must have caused a lot of damage. Steeledge might have won this battle, but the match may have just been decided."
Doc looked up at Steeledge and saw he was reeling from the Flamethrower, making him grimace as he stared back at Flash. "That's not good..."
"Return Viper," Flash said as held out the Hisscor's Pokeball before it sucked Viper back inside. Once that happened, Flash put the ball away but didn't pull out another one. Instead, he looked down at his number one partner. "It's all up to you now Springer. You up for this?"
"Riolu!" Springer nodded while already stretching out his body.
"Alright!" He pointed out to the battlefield, "Then Springer...I CHOOSE YOU!"
"RIOLU!" Springer ran out onto the battlefield, Steeledge landing on the ground. The two stared each other down, knowing their trainer's victory was now in their hands...paws...wings...you get the point.
Mic: "A Fighting-Type, huh?"
Celestia: "An interesting choice. Springer's Fighting-Type won't be as effective as they are on other Steel-Types, but then again, this Riolu is known for breaking the mold."
Luna: "He'll need to watch out for Steeledge's Drill Peck and Air Cutter attacks, while Steeledge will need to keep an eye out for his Aura Sphere and Drain Punch. Plus the fact that Steeledge has already taken a bit of damage, I'd say puts this match on an even level."
Up in the stands, everyone watched carefully as Rarity commented, "This is it."
"The final battle," Trixie added.
Pinkie started to shake up and down, "Oh goody! This is gonna be so good!"
"A battle between their strongest Pokémon," Twilight continued. "There's no doubt this'll be the most intense match. But even so, I'm not sure who's gonna win it."
"It's whoever wants it more," Rainbow said before standing up. "Go guys! I don't wanna see any wimpy attacks! Give it everything you've got!"
"GO GUYS!" Spike yelled.
"TERRA!" Peewee roared.
"Shows us why ya'll are in the finals!" Applejack cheered.
"And don't forget to make it fun!" Pinkie nearly screamed.
"We believe it you," Fluttershy said in a more quieter tone.
"Go guys!" Trixie followed.
Twilight watched as the two trainers she had travelled with and learned so much from, prepar for their final battle. "Flash...Doc..." She stood up, "DO YOUR BEST!"
The rest of the crowd let out their own cheers, making the trainers and their Pokémon smirk as Mic spoke up. "Are both trainers ready?" The two nodded, "Then battle...BEGIN!"
"Quick Attack!" Springer charged, zigzagging around the field as he got closer to Steeledge. Once he got within a few feet of the metal bird, who raised his wing defensively, he suddenly disappeared.
"Steel?" He yelped, only to feel something strike the other side of where he was focusing. "Ledge!" He cried as he fell back, looking around to see Springer with his foot jammed into his side, only to spread its wings and fly up into the air.
"Drill Peck!" Steeledge arced around before flying at Springer, spinning back into his drill form.
"Double Team!" Flash ordered before Springer multiplied into several copies of himself, Steeledge shooting through one to make it disappear. It stopped spinning next as it stared down at the army of Riolus, all who were now running at the bird. "Aura Sphere Barrage!" Each Riolu created a small energy orb, all leaping in the hope of hitting Steeledge with them.
"Air Cutter!" Steeledge beat his wings and unleashed several air blades, dispelling the Riolu army while knocking the real Springer back.
"Ri!" He yelped as he hit the battlefield, Steeledge now flying down at him.
"Steel Wing!" Steeledge's wings started glowing as he reached Springer and slashed at him, Springer barely raising his arms in defense.
"RIi!" He roared as he was pushed back, Doc now ordering Steeledge to use Fury Attack. Steeledge's beak started to glow as it readied to peck the small fighter.
"Drain Punch!" Springer threw his now glowing green fist at the Steeledge's beak, pushing it back. The two began to throw punches and pecks at one another, each one hitting the opponent in a flurry of blows. "Double Team!" Springer stopped his attacks and multiplied again, the one in front of Steeledge disappearing when he impaled it. "Now Aura Sphere!"
"RIOLU!" All but one of the Riolu disappeared, that one quickly creating his best attack before launching it at the armored bird. The bird was still reeling from the surprise of the Double Team, only to turn and see the Aura Sphere coming right at him.
"Ledge!" It cried while the orb exploded into its chest, sending it flying back. And as it reached the edge of trainer field, it managed to spread its wings and retook to the sky.
"Air Cutter!" Steeledge beat its wings and unleashed the air blades again, the attack heading straight for Springer.
"Aura Sphere!" Springer created his signature attack and held it up, the Air Cutters slamming against it and fading away before pushing Springer back several inches with each hit.
"Lu..." he growled under his breath while trying to keep his attack going. But eventually, the Aura Sphere broke apart, allowing the next Air Cutter to pass through and hit him. "RIO!"
"Springer!" Flash watched as his partner fell back, Steeledge now flying at him.
"Drill Peck!" Steeledge spun into the tornado like drill, which flew at Springer while the Riolu was still regaining his balance.
"Aura Sphere again!" Springer saw Steeledge coming and created his orb, holding it up like a shield as the armored bird's spinning beak made contact.
"Ri/Ledge!" The two let out as the spiraling attacks met head-on, pushing for several seconds before the Drill Peck pierced the Aura Sphere, causing it to explode. This sent the two flying back, both rolling in the dirt before jumping back onto their feet.
Once steady, the two charged. Steeledge took to the air and flew low, while Springer ran ninja style. "Steel Wing!" Doc ordered, Steeledge's wings glowing while Springer expected Flash to give an order...only for nothing. Thinking Flash had a plan, Springer connected their auras and suddenly felt what Flash wanted him to do.
"Ri..." he smiled as the two got closer.
Mic: "Flash hasn't given an order. What's he planning?"
Celestia: "Knowing Flash, something you wouldn't guess in a million years."
Luna: "Let's see."
The two Pokémon got within striking distance as Steeledge tried to slash at Springer, but he and Flash were ready. "NOW!" Flash yelled before Springer leapt up. Everyone watched as the Riolu flew over the Steeledge's wing and actually landed on his back. "Drain Punch!"
"Ri!" Springer slammed his fist into Steeledge's, causing damage and draining away his energy. He repeated the attack again and again as Steeledge tried to shake him off his back.
"You gotta get him off of you!" Doc yelled, only for an idea to appear in his head, "Fly up as high as you can!" Steeledge shot straight up, Springer now needing to hold on tight, making him unable to use Drain Punch. "Now, Drill Peck!"
"Ledge!" Steeledge began to spin around as fast as he could, Springer barely managing to hold on. But eventually, the centrifugal force was to much for the Riolu, making him lose his grip.
"Riolu!" He howled while falling, the Steeledge now stopping his spin and looked back at his falling opponent.
Flash growled at the sight, only for a bulb to go in her head, "Aura Clap!" The audience all looked confused at this, but watched all the same. Their confusion doubled when they saw Springer create a pair of Aura Sphere, then smashed them together once he was a few feet from the ground. This created a force that pushed Springer back into the air, slowing his descent enough to let him land without issue.
"Ri!" Springer cheered.
"Air Cutter!" The Riolu's joy quickly vanished when he heard that, spinning around just in time to see the wind blades flying at him.
"RIOLU!" Springer yelped as he was sent flying from the attacks, hitting the dirt as Steeledge flew lower.
"Spinning Steel Wing!" Doc announced, not wanting Springer to jump onto Steeledge's back. Steeledge began spinning as his wings glowed, aiming straight at Springer.
"Double Team!" Flash ordered, Springer multiplying into another small army. Steeledge shot through one and made it disappear, but Flash wasn't gonna let it use Air Cutter again. "Quick Attack!" The Riolu all started running in different directions, picking up speed as they zigzagged around the battlefield.
Mic: "Looks like Flash is trying to keep Steeledge confused. Are we gonna see a surprise attack?"
"Aura Sphere!" Three of the Springers leapt at Steeledge while creating their attack, the armored bird turning to them as they got close.
"Air Cutter!" Steeledge beat his wings and fired the air blades, hitting them all before they faded from view. "They were all fake..." Doc noted before the sound of Steeledge's pained cry filled the air. He looked up and saw his Pokémon fall into to dirt, as the real Springer had slammed his foot into its stomach.
"Ledge!" Steeledge cried while Springer landed and again ran around to blend in with the rest of the Riolu. As Steeledge picked himself up, he was suddenly bashed by a fast moving object. He was then hit again, unable to defend himself as he was unsure which of the Riolu coming at him was real.
"Spin, and then use Air Cutter." Steeledge jumped on one foot and span around, quickly picking up speed before slashing the air with his wings, sending wind blades in all directions. The blades shot across the field, cutting through the many Riolu, leaving only one as he jumped into the air to avoid them.
"There you are! Drill Peck!" Steeledge shot off the ground, flying at Springer with such speed that he didn't have time to react. As such, the Riolu was struck in the chest, slamming into the ground while Steeledge stopped spinning. Springer quickly jumped back onto his feet and looked up at Steeledge, the two panting as they drew close to being out of energy.
"Aura Sphere/Drill Peak!" The two trainers ordered before their Pokémon charged, Springer creating the orb in his hand while Steeledge began to spin into a drill.
Time seemed to slow down as the two drew closer, each second feeling like it lasted hours until they were within a few feet of each other. "RIOLU/STEELEDGE!" Springer thrusted his attack into Steeledge's, the two pushing at one another with everything they had. And as they pushed, one of the attacks overpowered the other. But as this happened, an explosion covered the battlefield, dust consuming the arena and blocking everything from sight.
"Springer/Steeledge?" Flash and Doc both yelled as they tried to look through the smoke, but could see nothing. There, the dust began to fade, the cloud now vanishing to show one Pokémon laying on the ground while its opponent stood over it, but barely managed to stay upright.
Mic checked the downed Pokémon and confirmed they had fainted before announcing it to the crowd.
Mic: "Riolu is KO'd! So the winner of the match, and tournament victors, are Time Turner and his STEELEDGE!"
The crowd all cheered as the two trainers rushed over to their Pokémon, Flash picking up Springer while Doc helped keep Steeledge up. "Springer! You okay?!"
Springer opened his eyes and smiled up at his trainer. "Ri..."
Flash smiled back at him. "Your battling was amazing. Thanks for all your hard work," They shared a quick hug before looking over at Doc.
The gym leader was checking his Pokémon for any serious injuries, smiling when he saw nothing a long rest wouldn't cure. "Thank you Steeledge," he patted the armored bird on the head. "You did incredible."
"Ledge," Steeledge nodded, Doc nodding back before turning to see Flash walking up to him, Springer in his arms.
"Congratulations Doc. You really deserve it," he held out a hand. Doc smiled and took the hand, shaking it.
"Thanks. You sure didn't make it easy for me. I'm sure that battle ended up making us both stronger." They nodded at one another before feeling something grip their wrists. They turned to see Present Mic had grab them before raising both arms into the air.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Let's give one more massive round of applause to our two finalists, who gave this battle everything they had!" The crowd did so while Flash and Doc both waved at them. They spotted their friends cheering just as much. It was clear to everyone in the stadium that these two both deserved to be where they were.
Outside the stadium, there was a certain someone who was not so happy about the outcome.
After getting his Pokémon healed up, Lightning had headed to the edge of town towards his next Gym Battle. Once he reached the edge, he heard the announcement that Doc had won. Most people would be glad that the one who had knocked them out of the contest was the overall winner, but Lightning wasn't like most people.
"Next time..." he said in almost a growl. "Next time it'll be me on that podium. And when I am, I'll make sure they know what a true winner is, and not some pathetic losers like them." With that, we walked off into the horizon.
Back in the stadium, Doc and his Pokémon were now standing on a podium. Celestia and Luna were both holding a tray, which had six jars that were each filled with a different colored triangular candy. "Congratulations Doc," Celestia told him as the two held the tray out. "You've earned these. A full set of AV raising candy jars, including Courage, Health, Mighty, Quick, Smart and Tough candies."
"Take them with pride," Luna added as Doc took the tray.
He smiled at the jars before looking down at his Pokémon. "This isn't just my prize," he told them before kneeling down to their eye level. "I never would have got this far without them, so these also belong to you three." The Pokémon all cheered in joy before they grouped up, a photographer taking their picture to hang up in the stadium's hall of fame.
With that, the crowd gave one last cheer for the winners of the Hoof Cup.
That evening...
As the excitement of the Hoof Cup came to an end, the stadium filled out with both Flash and Doc needing to keep a low profile to avoid the press. Once out of the stadium, everyone met up and headed to the Pokémon Center to get their Pokémon healed up.
Now the sun was beginning to set as everyone stood outside the center, their bags packed in preparation of their journey. "Well, this certainly has been an experience. And I can safely say I'm proud of each and every one of you for how far you've come." Celestia added as she patted Twilight's shoulder, "Especially you Twilight."
"Thank you professor." she responded before turning to the others, "So what's everyone's plan now?"
Luna was the first to speak up as she moved over to Trixie. "Well, Miss Lulamoon and I have a lot of training to do. If you're still interested, that is."
Trixie nodded rapidly, "Of course Trixie is interested! And don't go easy on me. I'll learn everything you have to teach me, even if it kills Trixie!"
Luna chuckled at this, "I like that attitude." She turned to the others, "What about the rest of you?"
Rainbow smirked as she punched her fist into her hand, "Back to training for me. This tournament's shown me just how much stronger I gotta get. Next time, it'll be me on that winner's podium." She turned to Fluttershy, "You still with me?" Fluttershy just smiled and nodded in response. "Sweet!"
"Mind if I come with?" Pinkie asked while skipping over to them. "I think it'll be fun to travel with you guys for a little while."
Rainbow shined a big cocky grin, "Sure. I'd love to face off against that awesome battle style of yours."
"YAY! This'll be fun!"
"I should get back to lab," Celestia added next. "Sunset might be a good assistant, but its probably not a good idea to leave her there on her own for too long."
"It's back home for us," Applejack said while pointing at her and Rarity. "Applewood City's not to far from here, so ah'm sure our families would want to see us."
"Indeed," Rarity replied before turning to Flash and his friends. "What about you darlings?" The six all shared an unsure look, knowing that was a good question.
Flash rubbed the back of his head as he responded, "Not sure. Wherever we're heading, it should be some place where I can get my next Gym Badge."
This made Applejack and Rarity smile as Applejack spoke up. "Well then, why don't you come to Applewood City with us?" This made them all hop in place, only to remember that Applejack's grandmother was a Gym Leader, so it would make sense that their hometown would have a Gym.
"That's a great idea," Twilight added.
"It would be the most ideal course of action," Doc agreed.
"Yeah!" Spike cheered before smiling over at Rarity, "And that means we get to travel together for a while..."
Rarity smiled back while nodding, "It sure does." That seemed to settle it for Spike and the others as they all turned to Flash.
He smirked at the thought of his next Gym Battle and pumped his fists. "Alright! Next stop, it's Applewood City! And then, I'll get my fourth Equestria Gym Badge for sure!"
"YEAH!" Twilight, Doc, Spike, Applejack, Rarity and their Pokémon all cheered in agreement. After that, the groups all said their final goodbyes before splitting up, all ready to head to their various destinations.
The Hoof Cup Tournament, with all our heroes as skilled participants, ends with Doc claiming victory while the rest of them have all shown to have grown in many ways. But the Equestria excitement is just starting, so you've got to stay tuned. As for this journey, it will continue.
<The End>