My Little Pokémon

by Amarvax

Nearing the finale with a Mega display

Equestria. Canterot. Equestria League Stadium. Day.

"Mega Evolve!" Twilight cried out. She had just initiated the process for Absol's Mega Evolution. The quarterfinals of the Canterlot Tag Battle was underway and with high octane energy everywhere. Looking to put an end to this, Twilight brought upon Mega Evolution against Ash's Lucario and Fluttershy's Chikorita. And of course, Twilight was teaming up with Aria's Ledian.

With the red, blue and golden lights enveloping him, Mega Absol emerged from the lights with the Mega Symbol shining. Mega Evolution had arrived once more.

"Absol!"

"Oh. Now I wish I had Audino out for this." Fluttershy gulped. "Absol in his Mega Evolved form is dangerous."

"Yeah. The best opponent to go up against." Ash grinned. He loved a challenge. And so far, Mega Evolution has always proven to be the greatest challenge for him. However, Dynamax is seemingly closing that gap soon someday.

Thunderous applause filled the area as Mega Absol was sort of a fan favourite amongst many ponies in Equestria. Considerably Twilight's Absol since that is the only Mega Absol they've ever seen. Everyone was excited to see what Mega Absol could bring today.

"Let's wrap this up, Absol! Do me proud as always! Use Dark Pulse!"

"Ab...Sol!" Absol got the ball rolling by smashing feet on the ground. And by doing so, he summoned a massive field of darkness that expanded. Far from the usual mouth blast that he uses with Dark Pulse.

"Block it and protect Chikorita!"

"Luca!" Lucario stood in front of Chikorita as a shield, putting his arms up. With his resistance to Dark, Lucario blocked the massive field of darkness as Ledian even had to move away from it for safety. Lucario was slightly staggered by this amazing power, but he remained steady as Chikorita had been protected. "Rio...!"

"That some power..." Aria was amazed by Mega Absol and what he was capable of. She was trembling by how big of a leap this was from regular Absol.

"Count on Absol's strength to help us. Absol, Night Slash!"

"Ledian! Bug Buzz!"

"Sol!" Faster than before as well, Absol leapt off the ground, running straight for the Aura Pokemon with his horn being coated in darkness. Ledian would stay back as support by emanating red soundwaves from his body, aiming for Chikorita.

"Force Palm!"

"Chikorita, use Magical Leaf!"

"Lucario!" Lucario also rushed in as he and Absol growled at each other, meeting face to face. Lucario's palm clashed with Absol's horn as they both stayed there for a while. They separated as Absol began swinging his horn wildly. Lucario backed away, dodging and deflecting each incoming Night Slash that Absol attempted. The soundwaves from Bug Buzz were also being combated by Chikorita's Magical Leaf.

"Change Night Slash to a far range!"

"Sol! Absol then used the second variation of Night Slash that Farfetch'd seems to always use with his leek. Absol quickly jumped into the air, swinging his horn as white waves came flying out. Night Slash was now being used as a ranged attack for better usage.

"Ca!" Lucario gasped as he used Force Palm to deflect the incoming white waves. But, Absol was throwing an obscene amount of it, forcing Lucario to stay on his feet. But he couldn't for long. Eventually, Lucario was overwhelmed by all the Night Slashes as he had been pelted and bombarded by them. "L-Lu!"

"Oh! Lucario!" Ash gasped as Lucario was pushed back until rolling on the ground. The Aura Pokemon got back up via a jump, but that overwhelming number of Night Slashes caught him off guard. Chikorita and Ledian ended their struggle as well.

"This isn't over yet! Reversal!"

"Luca!"

"Help, Lucario! Use Body Slam!"

"Chiko!" Chikorita immediately jumped on Lucario's head, using him as a platform for a higher height. And with that platform, Chikorita leapt through the air, gaining impressive airtime as she was actually going for Absol.

"You don't get to switch opponents! Ledian, Thunder Punch!"

"Led!" Ledian quickly turned around, zooming towards the Leaf Pokemon with sparks of electricity.

"Absol, Night Slash one more time!"

"Sol!" Absol then raised his horn for another ranged Night Slash instead of an up-close and personal one.

"Oh no you don't! Double Team!"

"Lucario!" Before using Reversal, Lucario split himself into multiple afterimages. But not only that, he affected Chikorita in the process, making Chikorita afterimages.

"Absol?!"

"Led?!" And clearly, Absol and Ledian were thrown back by this. They didn't expect multiple Chikorita as their heads navigated the area.

"Look at that!" Scootaloo gasped. "How's he making Chikorita appear a bunch of times!"

"Double Team works in two ways. Either you make clones of yourself or you move so fast you leave behind afterimages. Lucario's using the second one while holding Chikorita, so it looks like she's using Double Team as well." Spitfire explained.

"W-Which one is the real one?!" Aria stuttered.

"We just have to do what we did before! Dark Pulse, Absol!"

"Ledian! Comet Punch!"

Just like how they cleared the effects of Double Team before, Dark Pulse and Comet Punch were the way to go for clearing these afterimages. However, things were different. This time, the afterimage of Lucario and Chikorita were moving, making it harder for the attacks to connect since they weren't standing still.

"Wait for it..." Ash was biding his time, waiting for Lucario and Chikorita to strike at the right moment. They couldn't be too hasty as each variant of Lucario and Chikorita were being blown away.

"Wow! I didn't think Double Team could get this confusing!" Barry gasped. "How long is gonna take until the real ones are there?!"

"Ash and Lucario are playing the waiting game here." Rarity observed. "Is there any trick he won't perform in a Pokemon Battle?"

"Now! Go!" Ash balled his fist before calling to Lucario with an Aura sync.

"Lucario!" And that's when the real Lucario and Chikorita showed themselves. But not before using an afterimage as a means of tricking Absol and Ledian. Once the afterimage in front of them had been blown away by Absol's Dark Pulse, the real versions struck.

"Chiko!" Lucario had tossed Chikorita off, allowing her to perform Body Slam. And he would go for Reversal as his palm was glowing. Chikorita actually targeted Absol for Body Slam, throwing the Disaster Pokemon off guard while Lucario had a double plan in mind. "Rita!"

"Sol!" Absol cried out as Chikorita performed Body Slam on his back. His weight was greater than hers as Chikorita didn't get the paralysis. But she dealt damage either way and bounced off Absol.

"Luca!" After that, Lucario struck, smashing Reversal onto the face of Absol. The Disaster Pokemon was launched back by that attack. And not only was he sent flying but right into Ledian as well.

"Led?!" Ledian gasped as he had been hit by his teammate thanks to Lucario's sneak attack.

"Counter!"

"Ab...sol!" Absol growled with his eyes flashing. He managed to recover by keeping his balance in a bipedal position, but not Ledian. Despite that hard hit to the face, he could give out another attack. He immediately swung his horn at the first Pokemon close to him. And that was Chikorita.

In a blink of an eye, the Dark-Type swung his horn onto Chikorita, knocking her to the side as Ledian fell. He wasn't the only one that fell. Chikorit was knocked away like a fly being swatted. She flew past Lucario, only for the Aura Pokemon to lunge and grab her. "C-Chiko!"

"Lu!" Lucario caught her in the nick of time. But, that time had some delay as the damage had already been done to her. And the same went for Ledian. In a shocking outcome, both Pokemon gained the same result.

They had each fainted.

"Chikorita..."

"Ledian..."

"Both Chikorita and Ledian are unable to battle! Lucario and Absol win!" The referee announced. A double K.O from both sides, leading only two Pokemon remaining. Naturally, the crowd loved suspenseful battles such as this as they spark so much enjoyment. Especially when it's unknown how certain matchups will turn out.

And with Chikorita's defeat, Reflect had ended. Meaning that Lucario's physical resistance to Abso's Counter and potentially Giga Impact have been wiped out, reverting things to normal.

"Bummer..." Aria sighed. "Not the best first look for Ledian. Sorry, pal."

"Led-Led." Ledian sat up before flying towards Aria.

"You and Ledian did great, Aria," said Twilight. "Don't worry. Absol and I are still here. We'll patch things up from here-on."

"Absol."

"Sorry I lost, Ash." Fluttershy picked up Chikorita from the ground. "You did your best, Chikorita."

"Chikori."

"It's all up to now, Ash. Do your best."

"I always give it a 100%. No need to worry. Lucario and I will take things from here." Ash grinned, staying optimistic as always.

"Lucario."

"Do you think Lucario can make it through? Mega Absol hits way harder than any Pokemon here." Scootaloo wondered.

"Yeah, but Lucario is resilient and quick enough to deal with all of that. Plus, all his moves go well against Absol." Rainbow Dash replied. "But Mega Evolution's no joke."

"Can't believe I'll have a chance to beat Ash. Feels like I'm dreaming." Twilight chuckled. She then started thinking to herself. "I guess sometimes you can defeat those you admire in the long run. Like you, Ash. I know that I can't let my feelings for you overrule everything else. And I wanna try and win this as much as you enjoy Pokemon Battles."

"Come on, come on!" Ash turned his hat backwards. Whenever that hat turns backwards, Ash amps everything up. "Lucario and I want you two at your best!"

"Oh! I've heard of this!" The announcer sat up. "The Hat Turn! I don't know why it's so special but apparently, it's supposed to signify some sort of adrenaline or power boost? How does that work with a hat?"

"Absol! Let's go! Use Night Slash!"

"I'm all fired up now! Lucario, Force Palm!" And with no time to waste, both of their Pokemon leapt into action. Lucario's palm and Absol's horn, once again, entered a slight encounter as if they were swords. But this time, Absol managed to push Lucario back by forcing his horn forward.

The Aura Pokemon staggered a bit before lunging in. Lucario then returned the favour by swinging his Force Palm onto Absol's face instead of his horn. Absol went flying before recovering mid-air. He then used the ranged variant of Night Slash, sending cutting white waves after his recovery.

"Rush in and knock 'em away, Lucario!"

"Lu!" Lucario used Force Palm to destroy or deflect them while heading for Absol. He aimed to close the gap between them. And he managed to do so by deflecting every Night Slash. Afterwards, Lucario gave out a puncturing Force Palm that knocked Absol off his balance as he was plummeting downwards, making a hard crash on the ground.

"Now! Aura Sphere!"

"Lu...Cario!" Lucario, still in the air, held his arms up as he formed a crackling Aura sphere in both hands above his head. The Fighting-Steel-Type then launched them all down in an enormous rain of Aura Spheres, aiming to overwhelm the Dark-Type.

"Counter! Quick!"

"Absol!" But Absol could retaliate against this. He covered his body in an orange energy before using it to form a temporary shield. The continuous Aura Spheres bombarded the battlefield as Absol used his temporary shield to rush in as his horn was glowing. "Sol!"

After breaking and charging through all Aura Spheres. He then gave Lucario a nasty slash to the chest with a strong Counter via his horn. Lucario staggered once more in the air. And to bring him to a lower level, Absol then swung his horn again, forcing the Aura Pokemon back to the ground.

"Dark Pulse!"

"Ab!" Absol wasn't finished there. While in the air, he used the opportunity to perform Dark Pulse from above. Lucario tumbled on the ground before rolling to the side. He managed to avoid Dark Pulse at the last second.

"Reversal! And make it long!" Ash put his fist out, indicating an alternate approach for Reversal with that command.

"Lu...!" Lucario then stood up, holding his arm back. But instead of jumping in with Reversal, he concentrated all of the Infinity Energy into his palm for an alternative variant. Similar to how Galarian Farfetch'd and Absol can use Night Slash in a ranged variant despite it still being a physical move.

And Lucario would do the same with Reversal. "Ca!" He thrust his arm forward, sending out an orange beam from his palm. This was Reversal conjured in a different shape.

"S-Sol?!" Even Absol was taken aback by this as he was shot out of the sky by this faraway Reversal. Just like Lucario, he too tumbled on the ground. And of course, given how he and Lucario essentially share the same stubborn and resilient nature, Absol wasn't down yet. But his limits were showing. "Absol!"

"This is amazing!" The announcer stood up, geeking out at this battle along with many others.

"AH, I missed out on my chance of battling Ash!" Spitfire groaned. "This is so cool!"

"It is cool!" Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo agreed.

"It's not over yet! Absol and I still have more to give out! Absol, Giga Impact!"

"Sol!" Absol got up from the ground, creating cracks beneath him. These cracks were made by the force of Giga Impact's buildup. And speaking of buildup, it was instant as Absol immediately charged with the invisible aura already forming around him. He was ready to use the full force of his body.

"Double Team, then use Force Palm!"

"Lu!" Lucario's eyes flashed blue with Aura as he instantly multiplied himself into fake clones. Right as Absol came close with Giga Impact, causing the attack to fail. That meant recharge for Absol as he missed the real Lucario.

"Ab?!"

"Ca!" All the Lucario then rushed Absol, using Force Palm simultaneously. Absol was being pressurized by incoming Force Palms via the many Lucario that ran by him. Whether it was from the side, top or bottom belly, he had been hit.

But thankfully, as all of those Lucario attacked him for seconds, his recharge time with Giga Impact had come to an end, allowing for Twilight to strike.

"Now! Counter!"

"Sol!" Absol howled into the morning sky, creating an orange shockwave that blew all the clones away. This also struck the real Lucario, dealing super-effective damage.

"Reversal!"

"Ca...! Rio!" The real Lucario slid before lunging in. He returned the favour to Absol via a Reversal as all of the clones had faded away.

"Counter!"

"Absol!" Absol did the same. After being hit by Reversal, he also used a retaliation move in the form of Counter. And this time, he skidded on the ground, lunging in to headbutt Lucario. Another super-effective move struck as they just kept coming.

But at this point, both Pokemon were on the verge of fainting. They may have the stamina to run, train and exercise for hours, days, weeks, possibly even months, but their bodies have limits to how much damage it can take. They're not invincible.

"L-Lucario...!"

"A-Absol...!"

"Let's finish this!" Ash and Twilight both said.

"Giga Impact, go!"

"Aura Sphere!"

"Absol!" Absol gave one last Giga Impact for this. All he had left in him as the invisible aura became more visible with this last ounce of energy left.

"Lucario!" As for Lucario, he had one last Aura Sphere yet. Both Pokemon were about to make it count. Everyone ducked for cover after Lucario's Aura Sphere and Absol's Giga Impact came into contact. A paroxysm of blue and white explosive Infinity Energy was caused by this.

But this light wouldn't last long. They all looked ahead, seeing the light fade with the smoke clearing. And out of the smoke, someone emerged. By the skin of his teeth, the one Pokemon to almost fall over was Lucario.

"Lu." He got on his knees, barely able to stand. But he managed. And as the smoke was clearing, Absol's eyes were glowing as he was struggling on standing up. Everyone was surprised to see how both of them could still carry on despite what they've been through.

Talk about resilience, stubbornness and persistence. But only one of them could carry on. And thanks to the benefits of super-effective hits, it was Lucario as Absol fell to the ground, fainting.

"Absol..."

"Absol is unable to battle! Thus, the winners of this battle are Lucario and Chikorita!" And with that, the first battle of the Quarterfinals had ended with Ash and Fluttershy being the victors. They would be moving on to the finals.

"Yeah-haha!" Ash raised his arms as Fluttershy flew up in excitement. Lucario walked over with Ash supporting him, just so that he wouldn't fall. "Awesome job as always, Lucario."

"Lu."

"So much for making it to the top." Aria sighed before forming a smile. "But...that was a lot of fun."

"Wasn't it?" Twilight laughed as she helped Absol up. "That's what Pokemon Battles should be all about. Fun. I, well actually, we, learned that from Ash."

"Absol."

"And this just means I have a lot to learn from Ash. I may not be battle heavy but it doesn't hurt to learn some more, does it?" said Twilight. "Thanks for the amazing match, Ash. Fluttershy.

"It was a blast," Ash replied with his signature thumbs up.

"Pikachu!"

And now, with that battle over, the second battle of the quarter-finals could begin. Barry and Applejack vs Rarity and Ember. And whoever wins that would end up in the final match.

"Boy, that Ash sure knows how to make things entertaining! Okay! Now it's us!" Barry exclaimed. "Let's 1UP him and make one heck of a show, AJ!"

"We're sure to make it to the finals with our teamwork, aren't we, Ember?" Rarity said to Ember.

"I didn't think I'd make it this far." Ember chuckled. "I'll have something to tell back at the Dragon Lands. Makes me look like a greater Dragon Lord, doesn't it?"

"Gible."

---

The lounge.

Over at the lounge, Ash, Fluttershy, Twilight and Aria healed their Pokemon as a courtesy of Nurse Joy. Now Ash and Fluttershy were off to the Canterlot Gardens to practice some more.

"Where are you two going?" Twilight asked.

"To train. Gotta workup before we face the final two, ya know." Ash answered.

"Pika-Pikachu."

"That does sound like you but...I didn't think you'd wanna do the same, Fluttershy. Especially multiple times during this whole competition." Aria spoke.

"Oh, you know, when it comes to Pokemon Battling, something comes over me." Fluttershy grinned with a light squeed as she put her wing over her face.

"Let's hurry and try something new. Maybe a new move combo's staring us in the face," said Ash as he and Fluttershy rushed off to the Canterlot Gardens. And speaking of rushing off, after having some time to think, Barry rushed off to the field with Applejack similar walking to.

"Good luck on you match you all!" Twilight waved at Applejack and the long-gone Barry. Rarity and Ember passed by as well as they were off to the field.

"I needed a break after that..." Meanwhile, the announcer took a deep sigh after the previous battle. It had everyone's adrenaline pumping. "Uh, anyway. The second battle of the quarter-finals can begin. Whoever wins this goes to the final two."

"Both sides, please bring out your Pokemon."

"I know who I'm choosing for this one! Go! Heracross!" Barry's choice was Heracross in this endeavour.

"Heracross!"

"Golett it is. Get in there, Golett." Applejack looked down at the Automaton Pokemon.

Gol!" Golett nodded before running ahead, standing beside Heracross. "Golett!"

"Thought you would choose Golett for the next match. Which is why I choose Milotic!" Rarity smirked before using her magic to send out the Tender Pokemon Milotic.

"Milotic!"

"Still only two Pokemon, but I can always count on Gible." Ember threw out her trusty Gible for this.

"Gible!"

"Weren't there any rental Pokemon for this one? How come Applejack and Ember keep using the same two Pokemon a lot?" Scootaloo wondered.

"Sadly, no rentals for this competition, unfortunately." Twilight shrugged. "But they've done well to work with what's been given to them."

"We'll end this in a few hits. No one hits harder than my Heracross." A confident Barry pointed his thumb at his chest.

"Just back me up, okay? Golett won't do so good against Milotic and all that," said Applejack, knowing how vulnerable the Automaton Pokemon was with Milotic in the fray.

As the battle was about to begin, with both sides ecstatic, Celestia had gotten new information about the Sea Temple and how Daybreaker and the Empress were both searching for it. A guard had come over after receiving said info.

"News from the Universal Alliance spies. The temple has yet to be found, your majesty. But apparently, their next approach is underwater, where it may most likely be." The guard informed.

"That would make the most sense." Celestia nodded. "Alright. Keep investigating. I should also ask someone who might know a thing or two about the Sea Temple. Perhaps Ash?"

"Battle Start!"

"Go-go-go, Heracross! Stone Edge!"

"Golett, use Shadow Punch!"

"Hera...Cross!" Heracross and Golett went first. The Single Horn Pokemon surrounded himself in an orbit of stones while Golett extended out shadow arms as if he was made of rubber.

"Milotic, use Dragon Tail!"

"Gible, Dragon Claw!"

"Milo!" Milotic made a beautiful cry as she and Gible would dual Dragon-Type moves. It started with Milotic coating her tail in a green draconic aura as she started swinging it at the incoming stones. With her precision, she was able to knock away the stones.

And the same went for Gible. He managed to knock away Golett's incoming Shadow Punches with the swipe of his draconic aura claws.

"Go! Use Night Slash!"

"Hera!" Heracross then rushed in, going for an up-close encounter. What he's best at. His arm was trailing out a black aura with red in it.

"Golett knows more than Shadow Punch now that I ain't got any Flying-Type Pokemon here to mess things up!" Applejack smirked. "Use Dig!"

"Gol!" Golett could finally use other moves. With no Flying-Type Pokemon around, he had versatility now as he burrowed his way underground via a simple punch.

"Follow after it! You use Dig as well, Gible!"

"Gible!" Gible did the same. Also burrowing through the ground to follow after his fellow Ground-Type Pokemon.

"Hm! Milotic, Wrap!"

"Milo!" Milotic allowed Heracross to approach her. But as a way to bait him in. She used her serpent-like and slim body to swiftly avoid Heracross' Night Slash swing.

"Cross!" But Heracross' speed was nothing to scoff at or ignore. Because right as Milotic dodged it, trying to go for Wrap in this instance, Heracross instantly turned around, giving the Tender Pokemon a surprise Night Slash to the face, knocking her aside.

"Lotic!" Milotic cried out as her Wrap approach didn't pan out so well so far.

"Ah!" Rarity gasped as that plan failed.

"Don't underestimate my Heracross's speed! Now, Megahorn!"

"Heracross!" With his horn growing just a bit longer, Heracross followed up with another physical move to deal some heavy damage.

"Push Heracross back with Hydro Pump!"

"Milo...Tic!" Milotic opened her mouth as she was able to grant herself some distance thankfully. And at the right moment as Heracross was close. Out of her mouth, a high volume blast of water came rocketing out. It had successfully pushed the Single Horn Pokemon away while also dealing big damage.

"H-Hera!"

As for Gible and Golett, they had eventually encountered each other underground. Applejack and Ember looked down, wondering when the two of them would pop out and who would win this Digging battle.

"Gib!" Down below, Gible and Golett were partaking in a strength competition. They locked hands, or rather claws, trying to push each other back.

"Gol!" But in terms of raw strength, Golett was the winner by a smidge as it had headbutted Gible, breaking his focus. After doing so, the Automaton Pokemon swung its fist, knocking Gible upside his head as h rolled through the underground.

"G-Gib!" But Gible retaliated, rushing through the ground and headbutting the Ground-Ghost-Type from the side. After that Golett was also sent back, but not before retaliating.

"Golett!" Both Gible and Golett ended up hitting each other at the same time. And that simultaneous hit, they knocked themselves out of the underground, finally coming back to the surface.

"There you are! Use Twister, quick!"

"Gib!" Gible slid on the ground before holding his hand out. Out of it came a giant purple spiral of draconic energy with enough power to carry a mountain.

"Stomping Tantrum!"

"Gol-Gol-Golett!" Golett had then stomped on the ground aggressively to counter Twister. And it did. Massive white shockwaves along with some dust emerged from all of its stomping, just enough to cancel out Gible's Twister.

"So far so good." Barry crossed his arms, keeping that grin on his face. "Let's end this in a few hits, why don't we?"

"Let's swap for a bit, Ember. I'll go for Golett and you can handle Heracross. How does that sound?" Rarity questioned.

"I know I shouldn't take on Pokemon bigger than me, but that's what I'm all about. Okay. Let's do it." Ember and Gible took the risk. But they knew one good Water-Type attack from Milotic would end Golett. "Gible, use Double-Edge!"

"Milotic, Hydro Pump!"

"Gi...Ble!" Gible suddenly used a move that was a double-edged sword as it was aimed at Heracross. The Land Shark Pokemon generated a greenish energy surrounding him as he left the ground to use this attack.

"Quick, Heracross! Close Combat!"

"Golett, use Dig!"

"Hera!" Heracross prepared for Gible's approach while Golett dug underground, evading Milotic's Hydro Pump at the last second.

"I think not..." Rarity smirked, knowing a way through this. "Now, fire through the hole Gible made!"

"Milotic!" Milotic turned her head to the hole that Gible made earlier when using Dig. The approach was simple and easy to understand. The Tender Pokemon unleashed Hydro Pump through the hole, allowing high amounts of water to travel through.

"Gol?" And Golett saw this coming. It witnessed a gigantic stream of water appearing underwater. Not what it was expecting as the water flooded the underground. "L-Lett?! Gol!" Golett immediately tried burrowing out of here but it was too late.

The water was faster than him as it had grabbed the Automaton Pokemon without mercy. And afterwards, Hydro Pump emerged from the second hole that Golett dug earlier, not the one it dug just now. As for Gible, he met with Heracross' fist as Double-Edge and Close Combat were tied with brute force. The result was Heracross being pushed back while Gible took recoil damage, rolling on the ground.

"Ah! Golett!" Applejack gasped as Golett was blasted out by Hydro Pump. Afterwards, the Automaton Pokemon fell to the ground. But this time, his gutsy nature wouldn't help. A powerful attack like that from a powerful Pokemon against a fairly fragile Pokemon like Golett only had one outcome.

Golett had fainted.

"Golett..."

"Golett is unable to battle! Milotic wins!"

"One down." Rarity said with an approving nod as Applejack's family pouted with sadness.

"Sorry about that, Barry." Applejack lowered her hat as she picked up Golett from the ground. "Guess it's all you now."

"Ah, it's fine. I'm still pretty awesome when riding solo!" Barry exclaimed as he would take things from here.

"Now Heracross should be easy to defeat with both of us combined," said Rarity to Ember as Gible held his head from Double-Edge. "Let's make these final moves count."

"Wish I had a hat to turn." Barry patted his head, imagining that he would have a hat like Ash. But he had something. A scarf. He could at least tug on that. And so he did. "Let's go Heracross! Stone Edge!"

"Cross!" All on his own Heracross would have to handle everything. He summoned multiple stones around his body, launching them afterwards.

"Knock them away with Dragon Tail!"

"Do the same with Dragon Claw!" Just like before Milotic and Gible were able to just knock the stones back with their physical Dragon-Type moves. No problem.

"Switch it up!"

"Hera!" Unless Heracross had a different approach. He had used the second variation of Stone Edge. The one involving the crystals. He instantly smashed his fist onto the ground, causing the giant blue crystals to erupt from below as they rushed towards the opposing Pokemon.

"Gib!" Gible had swung at the last flying stone before being hit by the erupting crystal from below, taking surprise damage. Milotic managed to hit the first incoming crystal by the inch of her scales.

"Milo!"

"Megahorn!"

"Heracross!" Heracross revealed his wings, flying towards his opponents with a glowing and slight elongated horn.

"Now, let's try Wrap one more time!"

"Gible, help her out with Dragon Claw!"

"Milotic!" The Wrap plan wasn't done with just yet. Milotic stayed there as Gible went in for Dragon Claw. He and Heracross had butted heads with Heracross's horn meeting Gible's claws. In terms of power, Heracross was the victor was he easily overpowered Gible's physical strength, knocking him away with Megahorn.

"Gible!"

"Think I'm gonna come close!? Think again!" Way back, Heracross!"

"Hera!" Just like what Absol did today and a bit of Lucario, Heracross had used the second variation of Night Slash much like the second variation of Stone Edge. He had ascended into the air, not only keeping his distance from Milotic and Wrap but also attacking her from afar.

"Milo?!" Milotic gasped as she closed her eyes, being bombarded with raining Night Slashes as Rarity was also agape.

"Clever...!" Rarity growled with her teeth showing. "Use Hydro Pump!"

"Gible, Twister!"

"Milotic!" Milotic and Gible performed a double attack. A combination of Hydro Pump and Twister as they flew side-by-side towards the air.

"Let's make a sick divebomb with Close Combat!"

"Heracross!" Heracross ascended high into the air, evading the incoming move combo. He had all the airtime in the world thanks to those wings. Afterwards, he dived down while evading the attacks, heading straight for Gible.

"Here it comes! Dragon Claw!"

"Milotic! Turn around and use Hydro Pump once more!"

"Milotic!" Milotic quickly turned her head, aiming at the diving Heracross in order to protect Gible. One more Hydro Pump came out.

"Okay, Heracross! Give 'em what for with some good old fashioned friendly fire!"

"Cross!" Heracross ducked his head once Gible swung his claw, avoiding it. The Single Horn Pokemon then whacked his horn, smacking Gible to the side. And in the right position towards Hydro Pump.

"G-Gib!"

"Oh! Pull back! Pull back, darling!" Rarity gasped, pulling on her mane. But it was too late for Milotic to change the direction of Hydro Pump as the attack had struck Gible. The Land Shark Pokemon received the full force of it coupled with Close Combat from Heracross. Not a great feeling.

And as the explosion of Hydro Pump occurred, Gible fell to the ground, accumulating too much damage in this battle. Thus, the outcome was simple. He had fainted.

"Gible..."

"Gible is unable to battle! Heracross wins!"

"Wow! Just by himself!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "Barry's something!"

"He's Ash's rival so that's to be expected." Twilight nodded. "He seems empty-headed but when he battles, his mind moves at lightning speed. Just like Ash."

"Espeon."

"My bad, Rarity. Didn't see that coming." Ember sighed.

"Nopony did Ember. Don't feel so bad, darling. I'll finish things from here." Rarity put her game face on.

"Milotic,"

"We're on a roll! And let's keep it that way! If I'm gonna have a chance to get back at Ash for a rematch, it's today! Heracross, Megahorn!"

"Hera!"

"Dragon Tail, Milotic!"

"Milo!" MIlotic and Heracross entered a close-quarters clash with their horn and tail. Sparks flew from the back and forth hits. But it looked like Heracross had the advantage on account of Milotic needing to turn to the side to make this attack work. Thus, the Tender Pokemon was being pushed back.

"Now's our chance...!" A sparkle emerged in Rarity's eye as she found an opportunity. "Wrap!"

"Milotic!" Milotic cried out as Heracross went for another horn swing. Just in time for Milotic to end Dragon Tail and raise her tail. By doing so, she ended up wrapping around Heracross' body halting the Megahorn. "Tic!"

"Heracross?!"

"Oh!" Barry pulled back.

"H-Hera...!" Heracross tried breaking free, but his body was trapped as he wriggled. And as Milotic tightened her grip, the Single Horn Pokemon took damage as well.

"Darn. Moves like Wrap are hard to get out of." Rainbow Dash kissed her teeth. "That's a problem."

"It's just like Bea's Grapploct and its Octolock. But just like that move, there's a way around it somewhere." Twilight observed.

"Let's end this quick, Milotic! Hydro Pump!"

"Milo...!" Milotic opened her mouth, charging up one final Hydro Pump to end this battle off.

"Rule one of battling a Heracross, Rarity!" Barry suddenly cried out, raising his arm as he was giving advice to Rarity and the crowd. "Never leave the horn exposed. Give 'em a Galar Kiss!"

"Galar Kiss?" Everypony repeated as trainers from Galar knew what meant.

"Hera...Cross!" With instant speed, Heracross gave a sudden headbutt to the face with his horn, flinching Milotic. A Galar Kiss was essentially a surprise headbutt. And it was an effective one as Milotic's grip had ended.

"M-Milo!"

"Of course! The horn!" Rarity faced hoofed. "It isn't over yet! Dragon Tail!"

"Milotic!"

"Right back at you, buddy! Grab it and enjoy those skies!"

"Hera!" Once Milotic swung her tail, Heracross had grabbed onto it. He wanted to pay Milotic back. And after grabbing her tail, he revealed his wings, ascending into the air.

"M-M-Milotic?!" Milotic gasped, wriggling about. And for her, it was successful. Milotic actually managed to slip out of Heracross'' clutches once he went into the air.

"Huh?!" Even Barry was surprised by how easy that was. "How come it didn't work me!?"

"I always give my Pokemon the best moisturizing cream! It makes them silky smooth! Hahahaha!" Rarity chuckled after giving that surprise. "Now, Hydro Pump for the final time!"

"Megahorn!"

"Milotic!" Miotic released her final Hydro Pump to the air once she touched the ground. As for Heracross, he was going in at full force with his horn glowing. Everyone leaned in to see how this would end.

"Hera...Cross!" And with pure strength, Heracross used Megahorn to since through the blast of water as if his horn was a butterknife and Hydro Pump was butter. With that slice, he managed to push through the attack and reach Milotic's level. With one final swing, he smashed his horn onto the Tender Pokemon, flying back afterwards.

"Milotic, no!" Rarity cried out as her partner fell to the ground with droplets of water falling after Hydro Pump had ended. Milotic had gone through quite a lot in this battle. Thus, she had no more strength left.

She had fainted.

"Milotic..."

"Milotic is unable to battle! Thus, the winners of this battle are Heracross and Golett!"

"And with that, we have our final two teams! Finally!" The announcer exclaimed with applause filling the atmosphere. Rarity helped Milotic up afterwards.

"Thank you, Milotic. You were stunning."

"Milotic."

"Not a bad battle." Barry went up to them with his Heracross. "I got goosebumps. You sure are trained well by Ash. Felt like I was battling him for a while there."

"Shame we didn't make it to the end." Ember pouted. "Oh, well. This was fun. Way better than just sitting around in the Dragon Lands all day. Pokemon Battles are the best!"

"Aren't they? And here I thought they were barbaric in the very beginning." Rarity chuckled. "I wouldn't try any other sport than this one! Well...maybe Pokemon Contests. Oh and good luck in the finals, Applejack. Well done for making it this far."

"Thanks, Rarity. Next, Sceptile and I are gonna win this." Applejack adjusted her hat as Sceptile nodded.

"Sceptile."

"And I get to battle Ash one more time." Barry got all giddy. "Get ready, Ketchum! This time, I'm gonna-" He pointed at the crowd, only to see that Ash was not here. "Huh?! Where is he?!"

"Oh. He and Fluttershy went to practice while our battle went on." Rarity explained. "You were so eager to get out there, you missed him."

"Grr...No watching my battle...!" Barry growled. "I'm gonna fine him when he gets back!"

And with the final two tag teams, the last battle of the Canterlot Tag Battle Competition was about to end. But this would be a day to remember. Only one winner is due for this with both teams aiming to give it their all as the journey continues.

Chapter 576 End.

Comments

[ArcticAce01]

"He's Ash's rival so that's to be expected." Twilight nodded. "He seems empty-headed but when he battles, his mind moves at lightning speed. Just like Ash."

YES! Back to back FT references!

Amar my good friend you showcase so much stuff I am happy about

Especially a certain thing last chapter which I’m definitely looking forward to his appearance and meeting sonata

But we got 2 FT in a row! And it’s another Natsu one at that!

My good friend this right here keeps having me enjoying the chapters more and more with each and every new chapter!

[ArcticAce01]

Amazing battles!

And we are now into the finals of the tag team tournament

Ash and Fluttershy Vs AJ and Barry

This is gonna be a fun and amazing battle!

[Amarvax]

11038804
No problem.

[Magic135]

Great battles. But I never like Barry when he does the fine thing.