Ten minutes... that was all the time that Seth had to prepare for his semifinal match. Excitement filled him as he looked up at the board in the lounge to see his picture right next to Felicity's. They had always competed against each other and now, after four years of it, they would meet to settle the score. She'd always pushed him to his limits and he had a feeling that this time would be no different. Thus far, he'd only seen a few members of her team, making the rest of them completely unknown.

He could only hope that the six teammates he'd selected would be enough to overcome her, considering she was even more of a challenge than Jamie was even after he and Bisharp saw eye to eye. He could only imagine how much stronger she'd become over the past few months. Part of him was glad that they were meeting in the semifinals instead of the preliminaries or even the quarterfinals. As far as he was concerned, she was more of a threat than most of the others because she knew him far better than anyone else that remained.

Jamie was strong, but even he didn't hold a candle to Felicity's team's tenacity and resourcefulness in a match. The doors to the lounge opened and Felicity quietly walked inside and sat down.

"It's been a wild ride hasn't it?" Felicity said after about a minute of silence passed between them.

"It sure has. It's hard to believe we're here, just like we said we'd be."

"To be honest, if it weren't for you and Jamie, I might've never decided to go on a journey at all."

Seth quirked a brow at this statement.

"Why's that?" Seth asked.

Felicty gave a nervous chuckle in reply.

"To be honest, I always found the idea of a journey exhausting and somewhat pointless. According to the rules of the Pokémon League, entrants can either use their graduation certificate as proof that they are eligible for entry into the conference without collecting a single badge, or collect all eight badges prior to the start of the conference. I always thought my grades would carry me to that point, but after spending time with you and Jamie... well... I guess my view shifted."

Felicity held up her badge case and smiled brightly. Seth could tell that they all meant something to her and that this journey had an impact on her as well. It took Jamie and Seth about a year to get Felicity to loosen up and not be as rigid as she was. Now that Seth looked at her, she was like a completely different person to him. She was still as determined and serious as ever, but she laughed more and was way more open than she used to be.

"I guess what I'm trying to say... is thank you. Both you and Jamie brought a lot of joy into my life and are the reason why I strove to be the trainer I am today. I'm going to come at you with everything I have so I suggest you not hold anything back during our match. You may have been able to pull a fast one on the others but don't forget, I know you Seth. You're going to have to show me no mercy because I certainly won't be showing any."

Felicity fixed Seth with a serious stare, a smile curving onto her face as Seth gave her a look that she'd always loved seeing whenever they squared off. The burning desire to beat her was seen clear as day in those icy blue eyes of his. It was enough to give her chills every time she saw it.

"Don't worry," he said, dawning a smirk as he strode toward her, "I'll give you my best. I'd be insulting you if I didn't."

Seth and Felicity bumped fists and departed from the lounge, walking a few more feet before splitting up to head toward their respective tunnels.

The roar of the crowd signaled that the semifinals were about to begin. Former participants had relocated to the stands in order to cheer on those that they knew while the contenders waited in their tunnels for the matches to begin. During the break, the field had been sectioned off into two different arenas, meaning that both matches would be held at the same time. Two giant screens just above the stadium lit up to show each matchup.

"Welcome back everyone, to the Lumiose Conference semifinals!"

The crowd erupted into cheers and applause as the announcer shouted into the mic.

"As you can see, the field has been split in two so that we can carry out both semifinal matches at once! Up on the screen, you'll be able to see what's transpiring with the other match if you are unable to see it from where you sit. Now, without further ado let's bring out our semifinalists!"

The tunnels lit up on either side of the field, prompting all four competitors to make their way to their designated field as per screen instruction.

"Over on field number one we have a fierce young woman who fought brilliantly through each match she faced, cementing herself as one of the toughest trainers we've seen in a long time! She, along with her opponent are both graduates of Kalos Academy, a place known for producing truly many talented trainers. She's strong, determined and is by no means an easy opponent to overcome. Let's hear it for Felicity!"

Several cheers for the ginger rose up from the stands as she confidently stepped into her box, her eyes fixed on the brunette standing across from her.

"Facing off against her is a trainer whose cunning tactics seem to know no bounds. He fought tooth and nail to get to where he now stands and has shown that, with a well placed strategy, anything is possible. Not only is he a graduate of Kalos Academy, but he's also one of the three remaining young men in Princess Allie's competition for her hand. Like his opponent, the strength of his team is nothing short of impressive! Let's hear it for Seth Da Silva!"

Once again, the crowd broke out into thunderous cheers before the announcer was able to continue making the introductions of each participant. By the time it was over, two judges were finally able to make their way onto the battlefields. The field was set up as a rocky terrain.

"This will be a full battle! Each trainer will use six Pokémon per side. The winner of this match will move on to the championship round!" The judge explained. "Both trainers, send out your first Pokémon!"

"Metagross, stand by!"

"Pyroar, engarde!"

There was no doubt that Seth was impressed by what she chose to lead with. It was evident that she was determined to make this as difficult for him as possible, a challenge he was more than happy to accept. As the judge shouted for them to begin, Seth issued the first command.

"Fire Blast!"

"Charge through it with Meteor Mash!" Felicity countered.

Pyroar snarled as flames crackled in her open maw. Rearing her head back, she lurched it forward and shot a fiery kanji-shaped blast of all consuming fire. Metagross's body lit up in a blazing blue aura, shaking the ground as it shot forward like a missile toward the flames that converged upon it. Breaking through the flames, Metagross hammered into Pyroar, knocking her into the air. Within seconds, several pink spheres of energy surrounded Pyroar as she fell and with a flex of Metagross's psychic power, they all crashed into Pyroar, slamming her harshly into the ground.

Pyroar shakily got up and shook the dust from her fur. A menacing growl could be heard as the smoke cleared, revealing a rather ticked off feline.

"Flame Charge!" Seth called out, not willing to give Felicity any time to capitalize on her previous assault.

"Knock her down with Hammer Arm!"

Flames flickered in Pyroar's mouth and soon her entire body was surrouned by fire as she broke into a sprint. As she neared, she veered off to the right as a heavy leg came crashing down, the attack narrowly missing by a few inches. Utilizing her increase in speed, she accelerated toward Metagross, willing to meet it head-on, something Felicity appeared to be hoping for as she gave the next command rather swiftly. Metagross entrapped Pyroar in a psychic bind and lifted her into the air just a few feet away from its position.

"Slam her down and use Earthquake!" Felicity roared.

"Flamethrower!" Seth retaliated.

Fire expelled from the mouth of the beast just moments before she was roughly thrust into the ground by the metallic behemoth. Metagross groaned as the flames licked his frame, his loss of concentration allowing for Pyroar to capitalize on her attack by launching a stream of fire once again at the steel beast. Pyroar immediately leaped aside as a large claw shot through the smokescreen created by her attack, only to be blasted off her feet by an explosive Earthquake that was ordered in quick succession. As Pyroar passed out, the judge's hand shot up.

"Pyroar is unable to battle, Metagross wins the round!"

A crimson beam of light retracted Pyroar to her sphere. Seth quietly thanked Pyroar for her hard work and smiled at the results of her efforts. He could see that Metagross, despite how much it had endured, was still in decent shape with the exception of one thing. Metagross winced as it took a step forward and then raised a limb to see that it had been burned rather severely. It would be difficult for it to perform as wounded as it was and, judging by the look Felicity was giving him, Seth could tell she wasn't too happy about it.

"You did well girl, now rest up," Seth praised his companion before reaching for his next Pokémon. "Staraptor, you're up!"

A piercing screech echoed through the sky, announcing the sky predator's arrival. Felicity bit her thumb slightly as she considered her next course of action. Reaching down to her belt, she opted out of keeping Metagross in and returned him.

"Crawdaunt, stand by!" cried Felicity fiercely.

The crimson crustacean brandished his pincers and stared down the bird of prey before him.

"Aqua Jet!" Felicity called out.

"U-Turn!" Commanded Seth in retaliation.

Surrounding itself with water, Crawdaunt shot forward at breakneck speeds, pincer aglow with a bright white light as he charged the incoming Staraptor. With no intention of avoiding an inevitable crash, Staraptor rammed into Crawdaunt with the full weight of his body. The force of the blow was enough to knock Crawdaunt onto his back while Staraptor was quickly returned to his ball. Bursting out of his sphere, the Lightning Pokémon crouched into position, sparks flying from his body as he set his sights upon his opponent.

"So that's how he wants to play it huh? Fine with me, I have a way of dealing with things like this... Crawdaunt use Dragon Dance and then Crabhammer!"

"Keep him at bay Jolteon! Thunderbolt!" Seth countered hastily.

Lightning tore through the air as Jolteon launched bolt after bolt of electricity toward the swiftly moving crustacean. As Crawdaunt closed in, Jolteon leaped sideways as Crawdaunt lashed out at him with a succession of pincer strikes. Hearing the call for Agility, Jolteon sped up his reaction time as Crawdaunt gave chase with his pincers. Ducking a pincer swipe, Jolteon blurred forward and rammed himself into his foe. Crawdaunt dug his back legs into the ground and pushed against the force of his adversary in an attempt to prevent himself from being slammed into the wall behind him.

"Crawdaunt, Night Slash!"

"Pin Missile!"

Crawdaunt's pincer slammed down heavily on Jolteon's back, knocking him to the ground, causing his attack to missfire into the air. A burning hot burst of water knocked Jolteon away as he pulled himself to his feet, sending him sliding along the ground, unable to keep his balance. Steam rose from Jolteon's body as he finally managed to stand. Jolteon's ears perked up upon hearing the sound of the fast-approaching crustacean, the danger it posed prompting him to swerve out of his path, barely avoiding the pincer that crashed into the ground, creating a small crater where he had previously been. Fur crackling with electricity, Jolteon blasted Crawdaunt as it turned around and launched him off the ground.

"Aqua Jet now!" Felicity hollered.

"Thunderbolt!" Seth called out.

Crawdaunt launched himself toward Jolteon at full speed, water wrapping around his body as he practically warped to Jolteon's location as lightning split the air with a loud crack. A loud explosion echoed through the arena as a dust cloud rose up from the ground. When the dust settled, two bodies were seen to be unconsciously lying on the ground.

"Jolteon and Crawdaunt are unable to battle, therefore this round is a draw!" The judge announced.

In a flash of crimson, both Pokémon were returned to their respective spheres before new ones were released. Two piercing cries filled the air as Staraptor and Talonflame took to the skies and began circling one another, both sizing the other up as their trainers determined the first course of action. After a moment or two, the silence was broken by the shouts of their masters.

"Agility and start climbing!" Felicity called out.

"After it with Quick Attack!" Seth shouted.

Talonflame gave a mighty flap of his wings and bolted upward, Staraptor hot on his heels and body aglow with a bright white light. Felicity smirked as both avian's kept climbing. As Talonflame turned himself to look down upon his incoming adversary, Felicity gave a commanding shout that set her plan into motion. Just then, an orb of bright light was launched into the sky, erecting an artificial sun that blinded Staraptor, causing him to panic and flap his wings in a flustered manner.

"Flamethrower, now!" Felicity ordered.

Talonflame adhered to the command and opened his beak to loose a stream of flames that blasted Staraptor toward the ground, sending him into a tailspin. Struggling as he fell, Staraptor barely managed to pull up, his underbelly barely skidding along the arena as he steadily rose up from the ground, smoke trailing from his tail feathers as he took to the skies again.

"Not bad Felicity, but we're not going down that easily, right Staraptor?" Seth said, grinning as Staraptor gave an affirmative screech in return.

"Good, because I would have been disappointed if he went down to something like that. You had me worried for a sec," Felicity laughed, her voice shifting back to a serious tone as she gave her next command. "Acrobatics!"

"Aerial Ace!" Seth countered.

Staraptor had little time to react as Talonflame rushed him with his superior speed. Talonflame was like a blur across the sky as he clipped Staraptor from the left and right flank followed by a strike from above and below that put Staraptor in a dizzy spell. As Talonflame circled around for another strike, Staraptor's body began glowing a bright gold right as Talonflame approached again. Staraptor braced for impact and immedately body-checked Talonflame with a full force Revenge blow, followed by a series of claw strikes that sent the fiery avian into a downward spiral.

"Brave Bird!" Seth called out hastily.

Staraptor's body was set ablaze with an azure light as it rocketed downward in pursuit of his adversary. As he approached, Talonflame opened his beak and scorched the air with fire. The sound of a body hitting the ground in a fiery heap was heard, causing the judge's hand to shoot up.

"Staraptor is unable to battle! Talonflame wins the round!"

Felicity gave a relieved sigh as Talonflame landed safely on the ground. Even though she'd obtained victory in that matchup, Felicity could see that Talonflame was worn out significantly.

Had that been any other Flying-type, they wouldn't have lasted long in the air with that Staraptor. He took a Flamethrower to the face and withstood several direct wing strikes without losing the will to fight. Hell, Jamie's teammates don't last long against that combo... just what kind of monsters are you raising Seth?  Felicity thought nervously.

Seth glanced up at the board and took note of the score. As it stood, Felicity retained five of her Pokémon while Seth was down to three of his. While he thought of a new strategy, the field suddenly began to sink into the ground as it opened up and new, forest-like terrain, rose up from the ground. Trees towered above the field, something that Felicity had hoped for but was not entirely expecting as the fields are selected beforehand without the knowledge of the trainers competing.

"Hey Cerise... think you can take him?"

The sentient blade materialized beside Seth and looked up at the threat soaring above her. Though a smile wasn't something she could accomplish, it was evident in her response that she would be doing just that while saying, "without a doubt. Let me at him..."

"He's all yours then, engarde Cerise!"

Detaching herself from her shield, Cerise shot into the sky, blade aglow as she focused on her mark.

"Charging in recklessly like last time huh? I didn't think you'd try the same thing twice, Seth! Talonflame, Flamethrower!" Felicity roared.

As the fire erupted from Talonflame's beak, Cerise's body shifted around it effortlessly due to the increased speed she obtained after sharpening her bladed body as she climbed. An azure glow surrounded her frame as she raised the point of her blade high.

"Head Smash!" Seth cried fiercely.

Cerise brought her blade down harshly upon Talonflame's back, the heavy blow instantly incapacitating the fiery falcon upon contact, sending him plummeting toward the ground, smashing tree branches on the way down before finally crashing in a heap on the forest floor.

"Talonflame is unable to battle! Aegislash wins the round!"

Felicity winced as she saw the shape that Cerise had put her Talonflame in. Of course, she had expected Seth to have found a way around the obvious weakness that most of his team had which made it all the more difficult for her. One of Seth's most worrisome Pokémon was now staring her in the face and there were very few strategies she could form with the four remaining teammates at her disposal that would dispose of the threat that was Cerise.

"Looks like I'm going to have to wear her down," Felicity said to herself as he retracted Talonflame and readied her next Pokémon. "Metagross, stand by!" Felicity shouted confidently.

The Iron Leg Pokémon hovered back onto the field and carefully analyzed its opponent upon sight. Without wasting time, Felicity sprang into action with a hasty Shadow Ball command. The X on Metagross's face began to glow with ghostly energy as a sphere of darkness was formed and launched from it. Diving into the shadows, Cerise shot off toward the metallic arachnid, zipping around orbs of darkness as they phased through the ground in an effort to stop her in her tracks.

The sound of steel-on-steel resounded as burst through the shadows and slashed in an upward arc that sent Metagross sliding backward, its legs scraping along ground before it crashed into a tree, the force of the impact causing it to shake and nearly topple over. As it shook off the blow, Metagross looked up to see Cerise converging upon it, blade aglow with a violet aura as she closed the gap.

"Agility!" Felicity commanded hastily, relief washing over her as Metagross jinked to the right as Cerise carved straight through the tree and sent it airborne and crashing to the ground.

Metagross took the opportunity to return fire another Shadow Ball which Cerise met with a Shadow Claw that slashed straight through it. Metagross, using its boost in speed, rocketed forward, its body encased in an azure aura as it rammed into Cerise and pushed her through several trees. Managing to peel away from Metagross, Cerise angled her blade and slashed downward with purple and black aura shrouding her frame. Her blade made a solid impact and with a heavy thud, Metagross was forced to the ground. The judge quickly made the call as Metagross fell and Felicity recalled it before making a switch.

"Looks like it's down to the final three for each of us isn't it?" Felicity stated as she expanded her next sphere. "I've been looking forward to this part of the match where we can really kick things into high gear. Pangoro, battle time!"

The towering panda growled as he took his first step onto the forest battleground. Seth looked upon his friend's first companion with elation evident in his eyes. Truth be told, he hadn't expected her to use him as early as this. Pangoro was the biggest threat to the rest of his lineup, and gave Seth more reason to worry than anything else she might have in store for him should Cerise manage to subdue him.

"Be careful out there Cerise, that Pangoro's trouble. Use Iron Defense!" Seth cautioned her.

Cerise slid herself back into the slot on the back of her shield and bolstered her defenses significantly. She could feel the strength coming from Pangoro and years of fighting experience in her past life were telling her that this would be an uphill battle.

"Pangoro, let's start this off with Night Slash!"

"Counter with Brick Break!"

Both combatants charged toward one another and clashed in the center of the arena, lashing out in a series of blurred strikes that were difficult to follow. Cerise slashed across Pangoro's chest and was met with a swift counter-slash, both attacks pushing the other back a few feet. Without hesitation they flew at each other again, Cerise's blade wrapped in wind as she came down upon Pangoro's wrist.

"Fire Punch!" Felicity shouted.

Pangoro's legs buckled under the pressure of Cerise's heavy blade as it bore down on his arm. Cocking back his ignited fist, he swung hard and rammed it into Cerise and successfully knocked her away before giving chase, his fist still set ablaze by the flames. Cerise quickly sheathed herself as Pangoro's heavy blows met with her shield in a succession of fast punches.

"Reversal!" Seth called out.

"Sucker Punch!" Felicity retaliated.

As Cerise unsheathed herself, Pangoro's fist flashed forward and smashed into the flat side of her blade. The blow sent her sprawling through the air for a moment before she was able to regain control of herself as Pangoro converged on her location, his fist glowing with a dangerous orange light as he swung hard and connected once again with devastating force. Cerise could feel energy being sapped from her body directly after the strike was made. Seth's eyes widened as he realized that Pangoro had just rejuvinated himself meaning that it's ability could only be one thing...

There's no mistaking it. That Pangoro's ability is Scrappy! Seth thought, a nervous sweat trickling down the side of his face as he watched Cerise narrowly avoid a Fire Punch that was aimed at the ground where she was prior to sinking into the shadows to dart away. I guess I don't have much choice but to go for broke here...

Cerise dampened the impact of another Fire Punch, the activation of King's Shield aiding in powering down her foe. Being on the defensive, she knew she was left with only one option, and while it wasn't anything she was particularly fond of, she knew her duty. A ghostly energy outlined her body as Pangoro rushed in and raised his arm high and swung down the moment she let down her guard. As his heavy fist met with the flat side of her blade, a dark violet aura surrounded Pangoro's body, sapping his strength causing him to collapse into an unconscious heap on the ground just moments after Cerise fell victim to a Hammer Arm.

"Aegislash and Pangoro are both unable to battle, therefore the round ends in a draw!"

"Once again these two combatants end a round in a stalemate! Felicity appeared to have the upperhand at first but Seth has shown in the past few rounds that he isn't willing to leave it that way! It's getting down to the wire as both fields are vying for that spot in the finals. I can hardly contain my excitement folks and I'm sure you all feel the same!" The announcer shouted over the noise of the crowd as the battles continued on.

"Salamence, stand by!" Felicity roared, releasing her next—and possibly more intimidating than the last—Pokémon onto the forest floor.

The menacing dragon roared ferociously as she materialized, her battle cry shaking the ground. Salamence was, like Metagross, an unexpected obstacle to face, especially at this point in the match. Thus far, her two strongest candidates for Mega Evolution showed no signs of being able to do so which meant that Seth could rest somewhat easy for the time being. Taking a deep breath, Seth reached down and grabbed hold of his next ball and launched it.

"Tyranitar, you're up!" Seth cried out, thrusting the rock behemoth into action.

A fierce sandstorm accompanied Tyranitar's arrival. Seconds later, Seth and Felicity's commands echoed through the stadium, the movement of the beasts whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

"Tyranitar use Stone Edge!"

"Salamence, get moving with Dragon Rush!"

Massive jagged stones began bursting out of the ground as Salamence took off toward Tyranitar, her body glowing with azure light. Tyranitar swayed away from Salamence as she shot passed him and soared into the air. Whirling about, Salamence opened her maw and bathed the ground in violet flames that carved a trench into the ground as Tyranitar leaped away to avoid it. Spreading her wings, Salamence shot downward and raced toward Tyranitar who braced herself by digging her feet into the ground. As Salamence approached, Tyranitar caught her by the shoulders and then opened her mouth.

"Dark Pulse!" Seth commanded.

A thick beam of black and crimson energy erupted at point blank range from Tyranitar's jaws, sending Salamence rocketing into the sky with the beam driving her higher and higher still. Salamence slid off the beam just as it exploded in the sky and rounded on Tyranitar with a Dragon Pulse that punched into her adversary and sent her stumbling backward from the impact.

"Dragon Dance and then Dragon Rush again!" Felicity cried out, seizing the opportunity that had been presented.

Power roared through Salamence at her trainer's command and with a flap of her mighty wings, she shot downward toward her target, her body wrapped in azure flames once again. Upon impact, Salamence forced Tyranitar through multiple trees and tore up the forest floor as she used her raw power to force Tyranitar along the ground. Tyranitar struggled to dig her feet in due to the increased strength of her opposition. It wasn't until Seth called for a boost of her own did she find the strength to retaliate and slam Salamence into the ground. Salamence looked up into the jaws of Tyranitar who was gathering draconic energy into her jaws.

"Dragon Pulse!"

Krackathoom! A loud explosion rocked the stadium as both beams connected, one overpowering the other by a longshot. When the dust settled, a trench as deep as it was wide could be seen extending from the middle of the forest field to the far end of it. Smoke rose from all sides, and at the end of the trench one could just make out the still, fainted form of Salamence. Tyranitar gave a triumphant roar the moment the smoke disappeared.

"Salamence is unable to battle. Tyranitar wins the round!" exclaimed the judge.

In a flash of crimson, the great dragon was returned to her sphere and housed once again on the belt of her trainer. While most trainers would worry over the outcome, the look on Felicity's face suggested that she had expected such a result.

"I guess it's time," she murmured, a smile forming on her face as she grabbed hold of her final Pokémon's ball. "Venusaur, prepare for battle!"

The moment Seth laid eyes upon the Seed Pokémon, he reached down to his belt and recalled Tyranitar back into her ball. A smile formed on his face as he hitched her back onto his belt and grabbed the other remaining ball and primed it.

"I have to say Felicity, this match has been a blast. You've always been my toughest opponent and I don't think there's any other way to express my gratitude to you than by beating you with my absolute best," Seth declared boldly as he drew his arm back. "Bisharp, engarde!"

The metal bandit shifted into a battle ready stance upon being summoned, his eyes trained on the presence of his bulky adversary. Felicity's eyes lit up at the sight of Bisharp. She wasn't entirely certain of the reason behind the course of action that Seth took in bringing out his eace, but she was certain that she knew of a way to defeat it.

Seth must think he's got the match sewn up if he's using Bisharp now. This is perfect! Once I take out Bisharp then Tyranitar will be easy pickings and I'll win for sure!

"You sound really confident that you'll win, Seth. I'm not surprised considering how strong your team is, but if you think you've got this in the bag then you're going to be disappointed! I'll show you just how wrong you are right here and now!" Felicity declared as she reached for the necklace she wore and activated the keystone within the locket.

Venusaur's body began to glow brightly as it underwent the transmutation process. The flower on her back began to grow larger and additional leaves and stems supported by vines started growing around the flower. Two small pink flowers blossomed on her forehead and another bloomed on her rear. Dark markings materialized onto her forehead. Seth let out a long whistle as the grassy behemoth finished her transformation.

"She looks fierce Bisharp. Kinda gets you excited doesn't it?" Seth said, closing his eyes and grinning as he spread his legs shoulder width apart and moved his arms slightly to the side while clenching his fists. 

A bright azure aura began to pour from Seth's body and seeing this, Bisharp mimicked his trainer and concentrated on the power that was springing up inside of him. A bright red aura erupted around his metallic fame as his power synced with Seth's, hiding him from view as his transformation overtook him. His helm began to extend beyond his chin and the golden crescent blade that rested atop his helm grew longer. His shoulders widened and his right arm transformed into a silver, red-tipped spear while his left formed that of an oval-shaped shield with a massive blade jutting out of the top.

"Would you look at that! Amazing! I-I don't even know what I'm seeing right now folks, but Seth appears to have Mega Evolved Bisharp without the use of a stone! I wasn't even aware such a thing was possible and yet there it is!" the announcer exclaimed excitedly as all cameras zoomed in on the phenomenon that had just taken place.

Since when was he able to do that at will!? Felicity thought nervously. Last we spoke, Seth said he hadn't gotten complete control over it yet... so when did he—Felicity stopped herself as soon as the answer came to her. Seth had mentioned going off to train with Mathilde prior to the conference which could only have meant one thing.

Of course he'd train with her... I guess he took my advice earlier. That's just like him, Felicity thought with a chuckle. "Alright Seth, since you're so confident that this is the last stand, let's see how you handle this! Earth Power!"

Venusaur  raised a single vine upward and then another, slamming them—one after the other—heavily onto the ground, causing it to crack in a straight path toward Bisharp. The golden light began to radiate from within the cracks that formed beneath Bisharp who leaped backward to avoid it. As soon his feet touched down the ground beneath shook and then erupted. Felicity watched the smoke intently to see the results of her tactic and when it cleared, she gritted her teeth at what she saw.

Bisharp, who had been supposedly lying on the ground, suddenly exploded in a puff of smoke. Somehow—during that exchange—he'd managed to erect a substitute to get away. Felicity shifted her attention to the far right to see Bisharp standing tall, perfectly unharmed.

"Power Whip!" Felicity shouted.

"Night Slash!" Seth countered.

Multiple vines extended and lashed out at Bisharp who stood at the ready, his spear shrouded in darkness. Racing forward, Bisharp began cutting through vine after vine as it encroached on his position. Several spheres of verdant energy whizzed on by as he closed the distance, his spear radiating a violet and pink glow.

"Psycho Cut!"

"Energy Ball!"

The green orb shattered the moment Bisharp's spear tip made impact with it, creating a smokescreen for a brief moment. Sensing trouble, Bisharp raised his shield in time as two thick vines came crashing down upon him. His knees buckled under the pressure. He could feel an increase in heat in the air around him and as he looked in front of him there was a flash of green and gold materializing in what he could see was Venusaur's bulb. Slashing upward, he carved through the vines that pinned him and leaped high into the air as a massive beam of light passed beneath him, tearing up the ground as it traveled.

Bisharp got a brief glimpse of his adversary before needing his shield once again. Another beam of light blasted the sky and bore into his shield and sent him plummeting to the ground.

"Gotcha! Now Venusaur, use Frenzy Plant!" Felicity commanded hastily, not wasting the opportunity to continue her momentum.

Venusaur roared as she raised her front legs and slammed them down heavily, creating a massive quake that shook the stadium. Enormous, thorny vines came up from the ground and converged upon the falling form of Bisharp. As he fell he began to spin in the air, remembering the maneuver he'd practiced as a Pawniard when he had his first gym battle. The blades on his body all lit up with Psychic energy. Suddenly, crescent blades were launched from his abdomen and began slicing through each vine as Bisharp spun toward the ground, his shield held ahead of him to brace for the impact.

As he landed, he pushed off his shield and launched himself backward and then took off into a sprint, all the while avoiding a hailstorm of Seed Bombs that were launched his way. The ground began exploding while he ran as Venusaur attempted to keep him at bay. Batting away another Energy Ball, he gradually sped up after a swift Rock Polish order from Seth, the command enabling him to finally close the gap, leaving both sides no choice but to engage in close quarters.

"Right where I want you! Solar Beam!"

"Psycho Cut!"

Venusaur planted her feet, aimed and fired. Another trench was carved into the ground as the solar attack tore through the grassy battlefield, blasting holes in trees and toppling them over in the process. Everything was quiet when the blast subsided. The judge began looking around for any signs of Bisharp in the steaming wreckage. Perplexed, Venusaur began looking around, unaware that the ground behind her was begining to crack. Suddenly, Bisharp burst through the forest floor and into the air, his spear arm aglow with supercharged Psychic energy.

"Behind you! Power Whip quick!" Felicity cried out.

Before Venusaur could turn to see her opponent, Bisharp's spear arm was already in motion. An oversized crescent blade was launched from Bisharp's spear at high speed, leaving little time for Venusaur to launch a counter attack. The blade struck a decisive blow, creating an explosion that sent Venusaur crashing to the ground on her side. The judge's hand shot up immediately as soon as they saw that Venusaur was unconscious and that her mega form had been depleted.

"Venusaur is unable to battle! Bisharp wins the round which means that Seth is the winner and will be moving on to the final round!"

At the same time, the judge on the opposing field could be heard declaring Grayson the victor of his match.

"It's over! The finalists have been decided!" The announcer exclaimed as the fans cheered wildly. "Weren't those matches just spectacular folks!? Such passion, such ferocity! These are just the kinds of things you'd expect to see here at the Lumiose Conference!"

After returning their teammates, Seth and Felicity met in the center of the arena. Although she was disappointed, Felicity graciously accepted the defeat she'd been handed.

"Well, I guess that's that," Felicity sighed, placing her hands on her hips as she shook her head. "Here I thought I'd finally be able to best you. You just had to go and kick my ass again didn't you?" she said with a playful huff.

"To be fair, you did tell me not to show any mercy," Seth pointed out. "I wasn't going to insult you by not giving you my best."

"I did tell you that didn't I? Should've kept my mouth shut," she joked. "Still, it was a good match and I don't regret a thing. Now do me a favor and win this thing would ya? I'm tired of looking at dresses to wear to the big day," Felicity teased.

Laughter broke out between them as they marched off the field together so that the crew could prepare it for the final round which was to be held in half an hour. It was finally time for the big dance where Seth and Grayson would lay all their cards on the table and put it all on the line.