//------------------------------// // The Best kind of Battle // Story: My Little Pokémon: Grander World // by Amarvax //------------------------------// Equestria. Manehattan. The Battle Carnival. The Battle Frontier. Day. The second battle between Rainbow Dash and Nadya would take place once more. After taking a rather crushing defeat from Lightning Dust, Nadya's spirits were rather low but it as Rainbow Dash who lifted them once more, resulting into the two of them being eager to have their second match. And this time, Rainbow Dash was staring victory in the eyes, wanting to win this Frontier Battle. Mienshao was already out and ready to try this battle once more. And this time, she wouldn't let the slot machine throw her for a loop. Speaking of the Slot Machine, the Carnival People and Pokemon had gathered up to repair it after Lightning Dust's Toxtricity blasted through it. With so many Pokemon of different species, seeing them fix the Slot Machine with such speeds, precision and skill was impressive. "Wow, that was quick." Starlight Glimmer pointed out, as the Slot Machine had been fixed in minutes. "Go, Delphox!" Appearing once more was Nadya's trusty Delphox. "Delphox!" "Last chance, Rainbow Dash!" Nadya shouted. "Wanna use the Slot Machine?! It could be fun to see what could happen to me. Just saying~" "Nah. I'm good!" Rainbow Dash stuck to what she wanted. "It does sound tempting but I'll battle how I want to battle." "Alright then. More for me. And this time, I won't hold back and play with my food." Nadya said with a bit of a serious tone. After her loss to Lightning Dust, she was going to make sure that victory was as easy as breathing. "Battle Start!" "I'm using this from the start!" Nadya would jump off the Slot Machine, stepping on the massive lever and getting the first effect off. The symbols spun and spun, deciding on which random effect would occur. On the slot machine, the symbols of Beartic's face showed up. All three slots were Beartic's face, making this a perfect spin. "Beartic! You can probably guess what that means!" Much like the Sunny Day effect from yesterday. the magical energy would affect the area and the weather itself, emanating from the Slot Machine. Rainbow Dash and Mienshao gasped as the atmosphere was getting colder all of a sudden. The blue skies above would change colours, taking on a grey appearance. A snowy effect had arrived, summoning snow from above. This was similar to that of Hail but without the hail. It was just pure snow but it had the same chill as the Hail effect. Ash held his hand out, feeling the snowflakes drop on his hand. This was a brand new weather effect that he had never seen before but by all accounts, it should be something that was to be expected. "Gyhhhh!" Rainbow Dash's teeth were already starting to chatter. Her body felt the immediate change in the temperature as snowflakes were falling on her face. "A weather effect already?! But this doesn't feel like Hail..." "M-M-M-Mienshao?!" "That's because it's not! This is Snow! It's different from Hail. While I don't get that damage over time, it does give a boost to Ice-Types, making them bulkier than before. Of course, Delphox isn't an Ice-Type but he's resistant thanks to the heat!" "Delphox~" Delphox stood there, completely unphased by the cold. Already, Mienshao gained a disadvantage by feeling the chill. The Slot Machine was once again favouring Nadya. "That's fine." Rainbow Dash grinned while her teeth continued to chatter. "We're still going to win! Let's go, Mienshao! Close Combat off the bat!" "Mien!" Mienshao would stomp on the ground before taking off at full speed. The Martial Arts Pokemon was about to get up close and personal with the Fox Pokemon, preparing a beatdown for him. "Stop her at once! Psychic!" "Del...!" Delphox twirled his wand, charging up his Psychic power into it. From the tip, an invisible blast of Psychic energy would be unleashed, moving through the air. But even though it was invisible, by now, Rainbow Dash has already seen that move play out plenty of times from friends and opponents. It was natural that she'd find a way to stop an attack that was rather difficult to deal with. "Now should be the time it reaches us! Jump Mienshao!" "Mien!" Suddenly, Mienshao would lunge, taking to the skies. By doing so, she managed to avoid the invisible energy. Even though it was invisible, the ripples of Psychic were seen pushing the air away after missing its mark. "Shao!" After dodging the attack, Mienshao would dive downwards, delivering a powerful ace kick to Delphox's head. "D-Delphox!" Delphox grimaced as the impact of the axe kick made his head vibrate. Mienshao was about to continue from there, preparing a fierce flurry of attacks. But the chilling effect of the snow got to her at that moment, making her shudder. Mienshao would then drop the ground, removing her foot from Delphox's head. She would stumble back, nearly slipping. And speaking of slipping, the snow had already decorated the floor, slowly transforming it into a snowy wonderland. Everyone gawked at how much snow covered the area. The slot machines were soon covered in snow, especially the massive one as it was the biggest target here. "M-Mien! Mien?!" Mienshao nearly slipped, trying to keep her balance while she was freezing. For Delphox, it wasn't a problem for him as he recovered quickly, holding the top of his head. "S-Stay sharp, Mienshao!" Rainbow Dash said while shivering. "We've got this!" "Doesn't look like it. Watch this! Delphox, use Fire Blast repeatedly!" "Brace yourself, Mienshao!" "Del...!" Delphox would wave his wand around, forming a spiral of flames that would soon condense into a tiny spark. Mienshao braced herself as the spark would then shoot out multiple Fire Blasts. In succession, Fire Blats were flying out of Delphox's wand. However, as soon as Mienshao was ready to retaliate against these flames and Rainbow Dash was about to shout out the next command, all of a sudden, they just stopped. Dead in their tracks, the Fire Blasts came to a halt. "Mien?" The Martial Arts Pokemon looked around her as the Fire Blasts were static. There were plenty of them but they did not strike at Mienshao. It was almost as if Delphox missed on purpose. There was one Fire Blast that was right up in Mienshao's face, only warming her up in this chilling atmosphere. "Okay, what's this all about?" Rainbow Dash questioned. "Do you think he's trapping Mienshao?" Fluttershy wondered. "Get a load of this! Psychic!" "Delphox!" But there was more to it. It was all part of Delphox's trick. With a flick of his wand, he would control every single static flame, making them move once more. And the one flame that was right in front of Mienshao's face would crash into her, combusting. "M-Mien!" Very soon, all the other flames would fly into Mienshao, rapidly bombarding her. Mienshao screamed as her body was being lit up with consecutive flaming explosions. The crowd gawked as never before had they seen Pokemon moves act in such a way. Mienshao would be sent flying by the explosions, having fire trailing out of her body. She certainly didn't see that coming. The Fighting-Type grimaced before recovering by sliding on the snowy floor. "That Psychic Control Delphox has is way better than I thought! It was already super impressive yesterday!" Pinkie Pie gasped. "Yesterday, he flew around by using Psychic on himself. He also used it to control the Fire Wall he made. Looks like Delphox takes that Psychic part seriously." said Spike. "My father is a Psychic-Type specialist and Nadya learned a lot from him. It's only natural that some of the things he taught her would show themselves in her battles." Luca commented. "She didn't get a chance to show most of them off with her battle against Lightning Dust but with Rainbow Dash, it looks like it'll be different." "That was tricky alright. But it's not gonna get us again. I'll make sure of it!" "Are you sure? You're not looking too hot with all of this ice." Nadya snickered. "Guess Delphox's Fire Blast didn't heat you up enough." "Mienshao. We can use this snow to our advantage. I know it." Rainbow Dash spoke to her partner. "I'm guessing there's a new effect coming. So whatever it is, let's strike at the opportune moment." "You're right. It's high time we used another effect. So let's see-" Nadya would try and leave the slot machine with grace, only for her to slip on the snow. "Wah!" Immediate danger hit the area as Nadya could potentially suffer a hard fall from this height. "Del!" Quickly, Delphox would use Psychic, catching Nadya in time. A Psychic Energy surrounded her body, keeping her static. Everyone went from a gasp to a collective sigh. "Oooh...Thanks for the save, Delphox." Nadya thanked as this time, it would be Delphox who brought down the lever. He would use Nadya's shoes to push it down, beginning to the process. With a scrunched face, Rainbow Dash prepared herself. With the slots spinning, the new symbols had been shown. Two Sableyes and a Dusk Ball. "Oh, this one is all kinds of fun!" "How fun are we talking about?" Rainbow Dash questioned, wondering what a Sableye and a Dusk Ball meant. Her answer would appear in a heartbeat as all of a sudden, everything went dark. All the colour and flair in the room just vanished. Everyone was hit by this as an abundance of darkness filled the Battle Casino. "Huh?! Hey!" "It's so dark in here!" Rarity bellowed. "Did the lights shut off when the machine finished spinning?!" "This doesn't feel like an effect..." Applejack commented. "This one makes things tricky for both sides. I got messed up when I used this on Lightning Dust. It was pretty hard for me to battle in this." Nadya revealed that this effect had already gone off in the previous battle against Lightning Dust. Her Furfrou struggled. "No dice for Toxtricity though. It just used itself as a lightbulb." "Well, this is gonna be tough for me too, ya know! I can't see anything!" Rainbow Dash roared as not even her multi-coloured appearance was visible. "Are you alright, Mienshao?! It's still freezing too!" "M-Mien!" Mienshao cried out. Not only was it still chilly but it was also hard to see. Compared to yesterday's battle, this had an equal amount of difficulty in its own unique way. "But for Delphox...that's not an issue." Nadya's smile was invisible in the dark. But what wasn't invisible was Delphox. Thanks to being a Fire-Type, he would generate fire. But not from his body. His wand is what generated the fire. Delphox had a temporary torch with him, using it to battle in the dark. And as a bonus, just a few seconds later, she made his entire body light up, increasing his body heat. "I can see you too, ya know!" That simply made Delphox visible to the eyes as Rainbow Dash saw him. "Yeah. But can you react to any moves fast enough? Such as Shadow Ball!" "Delphox!" In the dark, Delphox would use his other move. Shadow Ball. This was a move that perfectly fit in the darkness as it was hard to see. A blob of shadows appeared but it was completely invisible. Mienshao shifted her eyes, instinctively dodging to the right. However, so did the Shadow Ball. Mienshao was struck by the shadows, failing to predict them. "Mien!" "Bullseye! I can tell I hit my mark! I can't see what's going on but I can still see Delphox." Nadya laughed. "How are you gonna get out of this one, Rainbow Dash?" "Even for their second battle, the effects are always against Rainbow Dash." Rarity commented. "She hasn't managed to take advantage of the battle yet." "And I can't see a darn thing!" Applejack groaned. "What's going on?! All I see is Delphox!" "Keep a sharp eye out, Mienshao! Don't let Delphox get the jump on you!" "Mien!" Mienshao nodded, taking on her signature stance. But no one would be there to see it. Just then, Delphox would turn off his body heat, diminishing the one bit of light that was visible to everyone. The crowd gasped after seeing Delphox vanish. Rainbow Dash made a face that could only be described as 'Pure Panic'. With Delphox gone, keeping a sharp eye out would be impossible. "Shao..." "He's gone. But not his movements. Try hearing his footsteps, Mienshao! And use Reversal if you feel like he's near!" Everyone stayed silent as Mienshao focused on Delphox's footsteps. She could at least use that to her advantage. It was all a matter of patience for this part of the battle. This truly did feel like different stages and Rainbow Dash was going through every single one of them. However, to Mienshao's surprise, she couldn't hear any footsteps. Try as she might, there was no pitter-patter, not a scurry, nor a stamp. No footsteps were heard at all. Not even Audino could hear anything. It was as if Delphox was not even here at all. Mienshao had a sweatdrop leave her head, nervous as to why she couldn't hear Delphox. Even still, Delphox would try and sense him. "Mien!" MIenshao felt like Delphox was near her at the moment, prompting her to use Reversal. Channelling all of the damage she has taken so far into an attack, Mienshao threw a punch to the side, hoping to hit Delphox. But she hit nothing. She didn't even feel anything. "Mien?" "Delphox~" Suddenly, with a chilling voice, Delphox appeared behind Mienshao, heating himself up to become a light source. Mienshao felt this blazing heat behind her as her heart skipped a beat. Everyone would soon Delphox once he brought the heat back. Some of them were even startled, especially Mienshao. But before she could turn around, Delphox had used Psychic on her. "Mien!" Mienshao bellowed as she was given a super-effective hit to the back. And right after that, Delphox turned off his body heat, fading into the darkness once more. "S-Shao..." "I saw it for a moment! So that's what he's doing!" Ash gasped. "He's using Psychic to move himself. That way, Mienshao can't hear him." "Pika!" "That's rather clever. And completely troublesome for Rainbow Dash!" Rarity bit her hoof. "Is there no end to these surprises? It feels like they are getting worse with each passing minute!" "Mien!" Mienshao would try swinging again, trying to see if she could pick up his Body Heat in time. This time she would perform an uppercut, believing that Delphox was in front of her. Instead, he was above her and using Psychic to ascend, reappearing just to startle Mienshao. A Shadow Ball from above was unleashed. "Shao!" Mienshao was knocked over by this aerial Psychic, trying to recover instantly. She would stumble, barely recovering in this darkness. Delphox would reappear once more, this time from the side as another Pscyhic was unleashed. This was truly troublesome for Mienshao in every possible way. Back and forth, Delphox would keep appearing and disappearing, shooting at Mienshao with Psychic. Every time Mienshao would swing her Reversal, she would miss and take a super-effective hit. Mienshao's approach to hitting him if she sensed him nearby was failing horribly as all she was receiving was a beatdown in the darkness. At least no one could see it but they could most certainly hear it. "This isn't good...Any more of those Psychics and that could be the end for Mienshao!" Pinkie Pie screeched, pulling her playful mane down to cover her eyes. "I can't watch!" "What's worse is that I think this effect is permanent until the battle is over. So she might be battling in the dark until she loses." Starlight Glimmer feared that the darkness would last forever, making it impossible for Mienshao to retaliate in any way. "This is bad. I really wish I had Luxray out here. He would've been fine even in the dark." Rainbow Dash groaned. But at that moment, she soon remembered there was one option for Mienshao. It was something she had learned a lot about and seen in action plenty of times. And ever since her evolution, Mienshao has gained access to it. "But...there is one thing I still have!" "Here's multiple! Shadow Ball!" "Del! Del!" Taking advantage of this darkness once more, Delphox would unleash a repeated barrage of Shadow Balls. And since the move blended in with the darkness, a bombardment of them would be difficult to deal with. And poor Mienshao would find that out the hard way. "M-Mien!" Mienshao was hit by another Shadow Ball. And another. There was no break between them as another batch of Shadow Balls would crash into the Fighting-Type. Soon, Mienshao was being viciously pelted with Shadow Balls that were impossible to see in this all-encompassing darkness. "I don't know what's going on but I know it's not good for Mienshao!!" Pinkie Pie blurted. "Maybe she's knocking some of them back! Oh, how I wish these Fairy Eyes could see in the dark," said Fluttershy, trying to use the Fairy Eyes she possessed. "Hang in there, Mienshao! It's time to tap into Aura!" "Did she say Aura?!" Rarity gasped. The power that Rainbow Dash thought about was Aura which is something Mienshao could now access ever since she evolved and learned Aura Sphere. "Shao!" Mienshao's eyes would flash blue while she was being struck by the Shadow Balls. Her blue flash would pierce the darkness as everyone would see it appear. And once she tapped into it, Mienshao would perform a swift leap into the air, avoiding the other Shadow Balls. She managed to land elsewhere, getting far away. However, Delphox could still see her. "Hmm...You're using Aura now?" Nadya said. "Not bad. "Alright, then. Delphox, use Psychic and catch her off guard again. I know you'll hit your mark for sure!" "Mien." With the Aura, Mienshao could now battle in a different way. And after avoiding the Shadow Balls, Mienshao would gain a new perspective. With the power of Aura, Mienshao would detect the Aura of her opponent, finding another way to sense her. She may be struggling, but her options were not low. Not in the slightest. Delphox was now visible. His Aura, to be exact. Mienshao saw a blue visage of Delphox as well as Nadya as she now had the means to battle in the dark. She would no longer have to rely on his body heat to spot him. And speaking of which, Delphox was on the move, preparing to surprise Mienshao once more. But now, Mienshao could see his movements. "I can't see him but I'm counting on you to strike him, Mienshao! Close Combat!" "Mien!" Seeing Delphox hover with Psychic, Mienshao was fully aware of his movements, tracking his Aura. Mienshao saw that Delphox was approaching from behind, using Psychic to boost his speed. But now that Mienshao could see him, he wouldn't be ale to get a back hit. "Mienshao!" "Mienshao would quickly swing her legs, striking at Delphox the second he went for her back. Delphox had just raised his Body Heat as well, preparing to reappear. And the second he did, he was seen leaning his head back, narrowly avoiding the kick that Mienshao delivered. Everyone saw it for a moment, how Mienshao nearly struck Delphox. The Martial Arts Pokemon would even show a grin, knowing that she startled Delphox. The Fox Pokemon would then disappear but without the means of truly concealing himself now that his Aura was visible. Mienshao would run, following Delphox's movements as she wouldn't let him get away from her. Delphox currently couldn't see anything when hiding his own body heat as he needed it to view his opponent. So, when hearing Mienshao's rapid footsteps, Delphox gasped, knowing that she was nearby. "D-Del!" Everyone heard Delphox cry out as a strong blow to his face was delivered from Mienshao's paws. Delphox would try shooting out a Psychic, only for Mienshao to knee his arm, interrupting him from pulling the attack off. The Fox Pokemon saw that Mienshao now knew where he was as his Darkness Tactic was failing him. He would try to fire off Psychic Blasts from afar, growling at the Martial Arts Pokemon, only for them to completely miss Mienshao. Without his Body Heat, he couldn't see where he was firing. Delphox would try his best to shoot at Mienshao, only to miss as the Martial Arts Pokemon was reading him like a book. Evasions were completely free for Mienshao who now had the advantage in the dark with this one power. "Mienshao!" Mienshao then delivered a punishing knee to his chest, sending out shockwaves that momentarily pierced the darkness. Delphox, knowing he couldn't hit her in this condition, was forced to raise his body heat. He reappeared in the eyes of everyone as they all witnessed the devastating knee that Mienshao delivered. "D-Del...!" Delphox staggered, moving back. But he didn't get the time to recover as Mienshao would then rush in, delivering a fierce flurry of strikes. Delphox was soon struck by multiple hits, resisting it because of his typing but the hits were still heavy. "Nice! We came back to Mienshao winning!" Pinkie Pie said with glee as the battle was available to everyone's eyes. "Retreat, Delphox! Quick!" "Delphox!" Delphox barely managed to avoid the next incoming hit from Mienshao. And once he did, he used Psychic to push himself away, evading the rest of the attacks. "Fine then! Use a little bit of your Body Heat, Delphox! That way, you can still see!" "Phox!" Delphox had the power to raise his body heat to a certain amount and he would do just that. He made himself dim but still able to see Mienshao. Meanwhile, everyone could barely see Delphox in the darkness but Mienshao still had Aura on her side. "Don't let up, Mienshao! Close Combat again!" "Shao!" Another assault of Close Combat would be delivered as Mienshao ran in as the battle was raging on, taking a very different turn. "Psychic!" "Delphox!" Delphox would shoot at Mienshao with Psychic, only for Mienshao to leap to the side, evading the attack. Delphox would receive a sharp blow to the face by Mienshao's punch, gasping for a moment. The Fox Pokemon would then use Psychic again on himself to fly away. But this time, he would fly around Delphox, attempting to hit her from behind yet again. "Mien!" Sensing him in the darkness, Mienshao would deliver a roundhouse to Delphox before he could land Psychic from behind, befuddling the Fire-Psychic-Type. Once more, Delphox tried another angle. He would get in front of Mienshao this time, however, Mienshao had the perfect response for that as well. "Del?!" Anticipating his next move, Mienshao did a sideways backflip kick, striking the Fox Pokemon on the top of his head. That one surprised Delphox, unlike the rest. It was at this moment that he found out why Mienshao was known as the Martial Arts Pokemon. It was her speciality. "Mien...Shao!" Mienshao would then deliver the last Close Combat assault by socking Delphox's jaw. The Fox Pokemon was flabbergasted by the beatdown she received. It was just as bad as yesterday's beatdown as she went rolling across the floor. "It's no use! With Aura, Delphox can see you clearly! So much for that plan!" Rainbow Dash snickered. "Mmrrgh...!" Nadya grumbled, annoyed that her plan didn't fully pan out. It worked for a moment, only for Rainbow Dash to reverse it. "Lights!" By shouting, the lights suddenly came on via Nadya's command. Battling in the dark wasn't really working out for her. The effect suddenly died out once Nadya spoke. "Del...Del..." Delphox breathed in and out. But so did Mienshao. "Mien...Mien..." With the lights back on, both Pokemon were equally burning themselves out in this fierce battle. It has already surpassed their previous battle as they were both once again on equal grounds. "This is familiar, isn't it?" Nadya smiled. "They're both looking pretty rough at the moment. This has been a fun battle, Rainbow Dash!" "It has." Rainbow Dash smiled back at Nadya. "Lightning Dust missed out on a lot. And even without that Slot Machine, you're a great trainer for your age, Nadya." "Pssh. I told you. I'm not that young." Nadya chuckled. "And as for this battle, I've always wanted something like this. For the longest, I've just been watching from the sidelines, seeing others battle. I only did practice battles with Luca's father and other teachers in my life. When I started out my career as a Pokemon Trainer, I was finally able to take on some real opponents but I never got the chance to really have a battle this enjoyable!" "Really?" "Really! These are the kind of battles I was told about that were the best. When both Trainers are neck and neck with each other. That's what I love!" "I feel the same way too, Nadya. Being stronger than your opponent can be fun but being on the same level is a new kind of feeling altogether!" "I'm glad I got to join the Battle Frontier. I get to experience so many fun battles that I've always wanted. And with such a fun gimmick too." Nadya's smile then turned soft. At that moment, she started thinking about her parents. "It's what my parents wished for me in the beginning. And they'll be so happy knowing that I'm getting my wish. If i can see them..." "Hm?" Luca's eyes widened. Those words fully caught his attention. He knew that Nadya was a bit off earlier today but soon regained her spirits as the battle went on. But now, he knew that something was up with her parents. "So, let's finish this, Rainbow Dash," "Got it. And I'm ready for whatever effect you have to offer. Pull that lever!" "Actually...This time! I get to choose what effect I get!" Nadya rubbed her hands together. "Wait...Choose?" Rainbow Dash repeated. By judging Nadya's sentence, it sounded like Nadya was free to pick the effect she wanted to occur and that could not spell good news for Rainbow Dash and Mienshao. "With this!" Nadya would then slide down the slot machine, going the other way. Aside from the massive lever, there was something else on the slot machine. It was hard to see but there was an actual slot that has not been used yet. And by taking out a Bit, Nadya would enter it, having the choice of which effect would be next. The slot machine would spin in response to the Bit being entered as the option had already been chosen for Nadya. And it was something no one was ready for. The Slot Machine would show the symbols of three Wailords. "W-What does Three Wailords mean...?" Rainbow Dash gulped. "It means...I get to enlarge one thing. But I'm not gonna grow Delphox. I'm growing his wand! And it's going with the biggest Psychic you'll ever see! "Del...!" Delphox raised his wand as the magical energy would surround it. Everyone gasped as not only was the wand growing but Delphox was channelling every single bit of Psychic energy into it. The ceiling would open up just for this wand as a powerful purple energy could be seen forming. The Psychic Energy was also affected by the Slot Machine, growing in strength. Mienshao backed away as the wand's shadow cast over her, Rainbow Dash and everyone here. This was by far the biggest Delphox wand in the world. At least, temporarily. And with this size, Delphox was about to unleash the biggest Psychic attack ever. The energy it was giving off shot out purple lightning that would crack in the facility and the skies themselves. Ponies from Manehattan could not ignore this as they had no idea what was going on inside of Battle Carnival. "Not good! This also boosts Psychic's power by a wide margin!" Luca gasped. "How is she going to deal with that?!" Starlight Glimmer's jaw dropped. "If that Psychic lands, it could do more than just blow Mienshao away! The whole facility could be blown back!" "Remember what she said yesterday?" Ash saw a way to overcome this, however. "She's got her ace in the hole. And it can deal with big targets." "Now's our chance. I wanted to use this yesterday but never got the chance. So I'm not gonna waste it!" Digging into her saddlebag, Rainbow Dash would reveal her Z Crystal. The Fightium Z. "Mienshao!" Rainbow Dash would then begin striking a series of poses, drawing out the power of the Z-Crystal. The Power of Alola emerged from the crystal, flowing over to Mienshao who was also pulling off the same poses. The Z Power would erupt from MIenshao's body, correlating with the Psychic Lightning. The crowd watched as it looked like a heavenly event was going on with all of this noise and pressure. "With this, I win! Use Psychic!" "Delphox!" With ease, Delphox unleashed the full power of Psychic in the form of a massive purple wave that would set to eclipse everything. "Mienshao! ALL-OUT PUMMELLING!" "Mien...SHAO!" After building up all of her Z Power and letting it erupt, the Martial Arts Pokemon would jump into the air, approaching the massive Psychic Wave instead of staying where she was. Mienshao then repeatedly strikes the air with his paws, sending a massive orange, hand-shaped mass of energy from each of them at the opposing attack. The paws would strike at the wave, rapidly beating against it. Sparks were flying everywhere as the wave would pulsate each time the paws hit it. It was actually being held back by Mienshao's fierce assault, amazing everyone. The wave stayed in one place, struggling to move forward as the pressure of it was starting to lift the furniture. The chairs were being raised by the Psychic pull as the hairs of everyone here would swish and sway. "Go, Mienshao!" "Mien!" Screaming at the top of her lungs, Mienshao was starting to push through, approaching the Psychic Wave. And with each strike, a hole was beginning to open up. Delphox gasped, feeling this hole form even though he couldn't see Mienshao's body. And by opening this hole, Mienshao would pull her fist back, delivering the strongest blow she could. Delphox would put more power into his attack as well, creating a greater Psychic pressure. As soon as both Pokemon gave it their all, the energies would combust, resulting in a bright white outburst. Everyone shielded their eyes as the explosion as all the furniture had been blown away or absolutely crushed. But as soon as the light faded, the effect of the slot machine ended, returning the wand to its normal size. No longer was it standing up in the air and going through the ceiling. However, not only was it not gigantic anymore, it was no longer in Delphox's hands. "D-Del...?" Delphox shuddered as his pupils dilated. He did not feel the wand in his hands anymore as the smoke was also starting to clear. He did not drop the wand at all. Instead, it had been stolen. By Mienshao. She had swiped the wand from Delphox right after the explosion went off, choosing the best time to take it. She was even thinking of doing it while in the dark. "No way!" Nadya gasped, removing her hat in disbelief. "She took Delphox's wand!" Fluttershy sat up as the entire crowd had their jaws on the floor. "Now it's our turn to use it! Mienshao, use Aura Sphere!" "Mien...!" And to make it wilder, Mienshao was about to use it as her own weapon. She would aim it at Delphox while in the air, charging up the power of Aura. Something that no Delphox was capable of doing. But this was not a Delphox and this wand did not belong to a Mienshao, making this a rarity. "Shao!" "I don't think so! Fire Blast!" "Delphox!" Even without the wand, Delphox could still use his attacks. From his hands, he generated a powerful burst of fire, ready to fire it at Mienshao who would use his own weapon against him. In unison, both attacks were launched. But only one of them would emerge the victory. Mienshao's Aura Sphere, which was powered by the wand, would pierce the Fire Blast, destroying it. Delphox gasped after seeing his attack lose. The Aura Sphere hit its mark, delivering an azure explosion. Flying out of the explosion was Delphox, who was unable to recover in any way. He would fall on his back, landing near Nadya. "Delphox..." Delphox had fainted. "Delphox is unable to battle! Mienshao wins! Which means the winner of this battle is the challenger Rainbow Dash!" "Oh, finally!" Rainbow Dash sighed, feeling a tad exhausted as that battle would certainly drain anyone with how exciting and fierce it was. And after the victor was called, the crowd erupted with cheers and applause. That surpassed the battle from yesterday and once again made them see what the Battle Frontier could truly offer. "We did it, Mienshao..." "Mien." Mienshao smiled, with her eyes half open, looking back at Rainbow Dash. A victory well earned after a battle hard fought. "Way to go you two!" Ash stood up, cheering for his friends. "That was awesome!" "Pikachu!" "All that food from earlier did nothing to keep my energy up...I'm already tired." Rainbow Dash laid on her back, needing some time to rest. "I lost. But that was so much fun!" Nadya grinned, excited about the battle even if she lost it. It was technically her job to test the challengers after all. "Thanks for the hard work, Delphox. We lost this one, unfortunately." "Delphox." "But I feel like I got a lot of fortune battling here," Nadya added, looking at Rainbow Dash. "Thanks, Rainbow Dash." After all was said and done, Rainbow Dash would be rewarded with her first ever Frontier Symbol which was offered up by Nadya herself. For Rainbow Dash, she earned a golden symbol. "Here, Rainbow Dash. For defeating me in battle, you've earned this. The Silver Fortune Symbol." "Woah..." Rainbow Dash stared at the silver symbol. Seeing this symbol was the start of something new. A new path in her career as a Pokemon Trainer. "And this is just the Silver one. There is a chance to earn a Gold one if you battle me again." "Gold? Oh, you have to battle her again, Rainbow Dash. Imagine how it would look like if you had Gold and Silver Symbols as your portfolio." said Rarity, enamoured by that possibility. "That goes for the other Frontier Brains, I'm assuming." "Good to know." Rainbow Dash would then have the symbol dropped on her hooves. "Yes! I got a Frontier Symbol! My first one!" "Thanks for everything, Rainbow Dash. And if you ever wanna receive the Gold Fortune Symbol, I'd love to battle you again. Honestly, I would. You're the most fun Trainer I've ever battled." Nadya bowed. "Hey. I'd love to take you on again. But...another time. I've got other things in mind. The rest of the Battle Frontier is waiting for me and soon, the Equestria League." "Right. See you next time then. And I'll be sure to see your next Frontier Battle. At least, if I'm availabe." "You got it. Right now, I'm gonna head home and relax." Rainbow Dash was ready to depart with her friends. She had a good time here as always and it was further elevated by her victory. Rainbow Dash and Nadya had a greater level of respect for each other. And that kind of respect was universal for Pokemon Trainers. Friend or Foe, every Trainer can connect somehow, no matter what it may be. Whether it was friendly competition, a fierce rivalry or fated enemies, that connection was impossible to avoid. Nadya would be able to go home smiling knowing the connection she's made. But without her parents knowing. However, now Luca was too curious not to ask, worried about Nadya. The future for Nadya was uncertain, just as how Rainbow Dash's future as a Pokemon Trainer was up in the air as the journey continues. Chapter 235 End.