Author's Note

Writing this battle was rough for both Trainers but one is clearly going to feel the pressure a lot more for obvious reasons.

A Legendary Couple

Equestria. Canterlot. Equestria League Stadium. Day.

As Ash and Celestia's battle continued, appearing on to the scene as Celestia's 6th Pokemon was Cobalion, the leader of the Swords of Justice. Ash was down to 4 Pokemon and so was Celestia, the two completely even now. But now, the scope of this battle had changed with Cobalion's presence, Celestia's tea looking stronger than ever.

"You got Cobalion to show up for this battle?!" Ash bellowed.

"On our most recent date, I asked him if he would battle alongside me. But not against a threat like we usually do. Just for fun and to my surprise, he actually agreed to it." Celestia explained. The way she got Cobalion here was fairly simple.

"I was lucky to have prevented a disaster earlier today and the night before. It gave me enough time to show up here and battle as her 6th Pokemon." Cobaliion spoke. "I hope that my sudden appearance doesn't throw your balance off, Ash."

"Not at all." Ash was quick to answer, his focus staying strong. Even though he wasn't anticipating Cobalion, he's never had a surprise appearance greatly break his balance. Photos of Cobalion's appearance were being taken as the crowd was in awe. Naturally, since this was being filmed, the ratings on this battle were constantly shooting through the roof. "You've seen what I'm capable of and now you'll see what I can do against you."

"Excellent. I expect nothing less." Cobalion let out a light smirk. "Although...the two of you should be more careful. I understand you are enjoying your battle, but do not put others at risk. At least reinforce that barrier of yours."

"S-Sorry." Celestia nervously laughed, her cheeks a bit red. "Ahem. Anyways, I'm more than ready to continue with Cobalion on my side. Ash?"

"Right." Ash nodded in understanding, looking at Pikachu. "Alright, Pikachu. You're up next. Let's take down Cobalion together."

"Pika!" Pikachu ran forward, getting back into the battle.

"If I am to be honest, a part of me has actually been thinking about this." Cobalion closed his eyes. "You've come a long way, Ash. To think that our first meeting was simply a brief one and in a dangerous situation. Meeting you has actually been a benefit to my life, just as much as it was for Keldeo."

"Really?"

"Indeed. Mewtwo was right. Being around you is intoxicating and changes others. In the best way possible. You've made an impact, Ash. And that is what you will always be remembered for. An impact." Cobalion smirked. "It is a reason why I have no hesitation in facing you, just to see your growth for myself. This will be an exhilarating experience."

"Thanks, Cobalion. Then I'll keep this battle going right now! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Pika...Chuuuu!" The powerful lightning bolt would shoot from his body, charging at Cobalion, who was already in position.

"Counter with Sacred Sword!"

Cobalion's sword would manifest on the top of his head, the sword gleaming a bright white as the steel collided with the lightning, the clash resulting in an explosion. Celestia and the others watched in awe as the dust settled. The audience was amazed by the speed at which the battle was progressing, the two combatants not wasting a single moment.

"Let's make it Steel against Steel! Use Iron Tail!"

"Pika!" Pikachu leapt forward, his tail hardening with a silver glow. He would fly through the air, the tip of his tail ready to slash.

"Sacred Sword!"

"Cobalion!" Cobalion's horns glowed a bright white, a powerful aura surrounding him. He would throw his swords forward, unleashing a massive crescent-shaped beam of energy. The attack would rush towards Pikachu, clashing with his Iron Tail.

The two would remain in the air, trying to overpower the other. However, it was clear that Cobalion was far superior in this category, his movements more refined when it comes to these up close and personal exchanges.

"P-Pi!" Pikachu slid back, being sent flying backwards by the sheer force, almost losing his balance.

"Close in on him, Cobalion!" Celesta was more than ready to take advantage of Cobalion's expert swordsmanship. The Iron Will Pokemon charged forward, raising his horn high to slash the Mouse Pokemon, but he would jump out of the way at the last second, barely avoiding the attack. The impact on the ground was great, the shockwave shaking the stadium.

"He's fast..." Silverstream observed, her eyes wide.

"He's amazing! Cobalion's not wasting a single movement." Ocellus added.

"He's so strong." Smolder's eyes were sparkling.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu would have to play keepaway, narrowly avoiding Cobalion's slashes, the Iron Will Pokemon moving at incredible speed, each slash creating a shockwave, the dust and dirt being kicked into the air. Pikachu's eyes would turn into stars, his cheeks sparking with electricity. "Chaaaaa..."

"Huh?" Cobalion saw Pikachu charging up, preparing a Thunderbolt. Cobalion immediately dashed towards the mouse, ready to end the attack.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Pika!" Pikachu released the attack but aimed it at the ground instead of Cobalion. A powerful burst of lightning erupted from the impact, not exactly flinching Cobalion since he could not be flinched, but pushing back a bit while also kicking up dust. Pikachu took advantage of the cover, using his small form to slip past Cobalion.

"Now's our chance! Sweep his leg with Iron Tail!"

"Chu...Pika!" While Cobalion was looking at all the dust, Pikachu would spin around, his tail slashing at the Fighting-Steel-Type's hoof. However, the second he came into contact, Pikachu felt his body tremble and vibrate, a long clang sound coming from the collision. "Pi-i-i-i-i-k-k-a-a-a!"

"Ahh, Pikachu!" Ash gasped, watching as his buddy was sent flying, rolling on the ground before coming to a halt. "Are you okay?!"

"Pika!" Pikachu groaned. He shook his head, forcing himself to stand. This was his first time landing a hit on Cobalion and he finally felt how durable he was. His body was so firm and solid. It was like hitting a steel wall. No wonder he was able to battle for so long despite how many hits he took.

"Don't let my defence deter you." Cobalion said, pulling his head back, his horn glowing a bright yellow. He would thrust them forward, unleashing his strongest slash yet. Pikachu was still staggered by from the attack but he had enough time to use Iron Tail as a means of defending himself. He raised his tail up, clashing with the Sacred Sword once more.

The ground rippled, the shockwave hitting the magic barrier around the crowd, making it shake. Everyone cried out in awe and thrill, feeling the force of the barrier being shaken once more. It was similar to how rollercoasters feel when there's a sudden jerk, but even stronger.

"Wow, wow, wow! This is like being at the amusement park!" Pinkie Pie's mane was frizzled, her eyes in stars as she giggled. She was enjoying this.

"Man, no way we're beating Cobalion like that...Unless..." Ash narrowed his eyes. "Pikachu! Come back for now!

"Pika!" Once more, Pikachu was brought back. He managed to avoid any serious damage from Cobalion's attacks, avoiding the heaviest ones or even blocking them. But it was clear that any longer and Cobalion would've struck him down.

"Thanks, Pikachu. We're gonna need to match Cobalion with our own sword." Ash faced his best friend before looking back at Cobalion. He knew of the perfect Pokemon to take him on. The same Pokemon that Cobalion had a hoof in training. "Sirfetch'd, I choose you!"

"Sirfetch'd!" Sirfetch'd emerged from the Poke Ball, aiming his leek at his opponent. But as soon as he saw who he was taking on, it shocked him for a moment. "Sir?!" He was facing one of his mentors.

"Hm." Cobalion let out a small chuckle, seeing the expression on his face. "This is something I expected to happen when challenging Ash. I'd like to see your progress, Sirfetch'd. To see how far you've come. I've already seen how far Shining Armor and Aegislash have come, so it's your turn."

"Sir!" Sirfetch'd was ready, gripping his leek. He was determined to make Cobalion proud and give him a run for his money.

"Great job, Sirfetch'd. Let's match him, strength for strength! Fury Cutter!"

"Sir!" Sirfetch'd flew in, his flightless wings flapping quickly, his body surrounded by a green glow, the edge of his leek glowing a green colour. He would slash his leek at the Steel-Fighting-Type, clashing with his horn.

"Sacred Sword!"

"Fight on, Sirfetch'd! Keep the pressure!" Ash cheered, watching as the two swords clashed. However, it seemed like Cobalion was overpowering Sirfetch'd, but the Wild Duck Pokemon was able to keep up, making sure the gap between them was minimal. The clash was intense, sparks flying as they were fighting against each other.

"Keep going, Sirfetch'd!" Ash encouraged him. "Now, use Night Slash!"

"Sirfetch'd!" The glow changed from green to purple, Sirfetch'd was able to force Cobalion back, slashing the steel Pokemon before he could counter, the impact leaving a small crack in the battlefield. Cobalion moved back slightly, shaking his head.

"Nice! Keep it up!" Ash clenched his fist, a smirk on his face.

"Cobalion, Zen Headbutt!"

"Sir!" Cobalion was quick, flying towards the Wild Duck Pokemon, his forehead glowing a bright blue colour. The horn would crash into Sirfetch'd, a heavy and hard-hitting attack that pushed him back and left him stunned. Sirfetch'd was sent flying, his feet dragging across the field.

"Night Slash!"

"Fetch'd...! Sirfetch'd!" Charging up his leek, Sirfetch'd used the ranged option of Night Slash, swinging his leek wildly to summon blades of darkness that were sent flying towards the Iron Will Pokemon.

"Counter it with Sacred Sword."

Cobalion would slice and deflect each and every slash, sending the Dark-Type energy back at Sirfetch'd, striking him and pushing him back further. Sirfetch'd kept up his barrage, using Night Slash repeatedly, but none of the slashes landed as Cobalion was easily dodging the attack, deflecting the energy and not allowing it to land a single hit on him.

"Oh! Oh!" The crowd tried keeping up, their eyes shifting left and right when viewing this battle. All of a sudden, this battle had sped up greatly, making it hard to keep up.

"Sir...!" Sirfetch'd was trying to find an opening, a way to successfully land his Night Slash, but he had to keep his guard up. Cobalion's defences were impeccable, and his speed was something else, making him a tough opponent to beat.

However, Ash was able to find an opening by observing the pattern that Sirfetch'd was following. "There's your shot! Use Night Slash, and don't aim at Cobalion!"

"Sir?!" Sirfetch'd blinked at this, but he trusted his trainer. As soon as he got a glimpse of the opening, he was quick to act, unleashing another barrage of slashes, each dark blade flying towards a different direction. Cobalion was swift and managed to deflect most of the Night Slash.

"Ha. Excellent." Cobalion commended the Wild Duck Pokemon. He was not about to get hit, however, and was quick to counter the last few blades that were headed towards him, slashing through each and every one. But that was when Sirfetch'd struck. He would launch himself forward, his leek outstretched and ready to pierce his target.

"Now! Brutal Swing!"

"Sirfetch'd!!" With a burst of power and speed, the Wild Duck Pokemon was able to catch Cobalion off-guard, his attack landing squarely on the Steel-Type. Cobalion's eyes were wide, but before he could recover, Ash would have Sirfetch'd launch another attack while he was this close.

"Night Slash!"

"Sir!" With an even greater thrust, Sirfetch'd slashed Cobalion with an energy of darkness. The Iron Will Pokemon was sent sliding, but he didn't look phased.

"Cobalion! Metal Burst!"

Cobalion's eyes would flash white, his counterattack being initiated. He would absorb the impact, turning it into a blast of light and energy, an aura surrounding him as the attack was charged. The aura would shoot forward, taking the form of a massive ball of light and steel. Sirfetch'd gasped, his entire body being engulfed by the light, a tremendous force that felt as if it could rip him apart.

The Fighting-Type was launched at high speeds, the ground cracking under him. He was thrown into the air, rolling across the battlefield, groaning and wincing. He managed to recover, stabbing his leek into the ground to maintain his balance. "S-Sir...!" He groaned.

"Success! Now, Sacred Sword once more, Cobalion!" Celestia was about to keep the momentum going, the Iron Will Pokemon charging up his attack. This Sacred Sword was looking to be bigger than the rest, the size of the sword growing larger than normal.

"Sirfetch'd! Use Detect!" Ash commanded.

"Fetch!" Sirfetch'd leapt away at the last second, barely managing to avoid the Sacred Sword, a shockwave erupting from the attack, blowing back Sirfetch'd. Cobalion then galloped foward, ready to bring the sword down.

"Block it, quick!"

"Sir!" Sirfetch'd had no choice but to block. He wouldn't have enough time to dodge or counter. Instead, he would block the blow with his leek shield, a loud clash and clang being heard. There was now a struggle as Cobalion attempted to push through, Sirfetch'd having no choice but to resist the pressure.

"S-Sirfetch'd..." Sirfetch'd let out grunts and groans, pushing his leg against the ground. "F-Fetched..." "Cobalion!" Cobalion increased the strength, slamming his Sacred Sword against Sirfetch'd's shield, trying to push through. The ground was beginning to crack from the force, dust being kicked up, and a powerful wind picking up.

But more importantly, Sirfetch'd leek shield was slowly being cut through, a small hole forming in it. Sirfetch'd felt and noticed this, his eyes widening. And right before his eyes, his leek shield suffered great damage, almost being cut in half as the shockwave of Cobalion's attack would launch the Wild Duck Pokemon away, skidding across the field.

"His shield" Twilight Sparkle gasped along with many others. To their shock, Sirfetch'd shield was almost in two, the Wild Duck Pokemon staring at his shield.

"S-Sir?!"

"How's he gonna defend himself if his shield's almost in two?!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Any strong hit on it in that state will surely ruin it!" Rarity was horrified at this, knowing Sirfetch'd wouldn't last without his best means of defence.

"F-Fetch'd..." Even Sirfetch'd was shocked by this, his eyes locked onto his damaged shield.

"Well? What will you do now?" Cobalion questioned Sirfetch'd and by extension, Ash. "I hope you weren't always thinking of your sword. Your shield is always an important part of you, a way to even things out in battle. Now that it has suffered this kind of damage, what will you do?" Eve during this battle, Cobalion was teaching Sirfetch'd a lesson.

"Sir...!" Sirfetch'd growled, closing his eyes as he could feel his shield wobbling now, ready to fall apart at any second. It was a big disadvantage to have.

"More importantly, what will you do against the rest of my teammates?" Cobalion had an excellent point. If Sirfetch'd could somehow manage to get past him, he would still have to deal with Reshiram, Alcremie and and Passion. The scope of this battle had greatly elevated all due to this one strike.

"I've got an answer." Ash spoke, grabbing the attention of Sirfetch'd and Cobalion as he held onto his hat, a grin forming on his face. "We'll do what we always do. When all else fails and it looks rough, we charge in and throw everything we have at full force. Right, Sirfetch'd?!"

"Sir!!"

"An expected answer." Cobalion closed his eyes before smiling. "But one I am not disappointed in. After all, you've proven that you're more than jut headstrong."

"Aren't they?" Celestia giggled, agreeing with him.

"Win or lose, we'll do our best and pave the way for Pikachu and the others!" Ash declared. He knew that even if Sirfetch'd were to fall here, he could leave the rest to his teammates to face these powerful foes. "Let's go, Sirfetch'd! Fury Cutter!"

"Sir...!" Sirfetch'd aggressively held onto his leek sword, digging his feet into the earth as his body became enveloped in a green glow.

"Sacred Sword!"

Cobalion prepared his sword as Sirfetch'd lunged at him, his body flying at incredible speeds, his body surrounded by a green energy. Sirfetch'd would swing his leek at the Iron Will Pokemon, and the Steel-Fighting-Type would respond, the two weapons colliding, producing a tremendous impact.

"Fetch'd...!" Sirfetch'd would put as much power and momentum into his first, pushing against the Iron Will Pokemon, his weapon being pushed back, his wings flapping faster, the wind whipping. Cobalion would be pushed back a few feet, his horns ringing a bit. He could sense the power behind the attack.

"Use Night Slash!" Ash encouraged, not wanting this to end so quickly. Sirfetch'd would follow-up with the ranged option of the Night Slash, the black crescents flying towards Cobalion, who would deflect each one, sending the crescents flying. However, Ash had Sirfetch'd anticipate this. "Now! Brutal Swing!"

"Fetch!" Sirfetch'd anticipated it, ducking and dodging the Night Slash before following up with his Brutal Swing, which clashed with Cobalion's headbutt, causing a small explosion. A clash of two powerful and hard hits.

"Throw your shield! Ride!"

"Sir!" To the shock of Cobalion, Sirfetch'd threw his weakened shield at him but not before getting on it himself. Sirfetch'd was now riding his shield as it soared towards Cobalion, who could see that it was about to smash into him. He would raise his horn, a white energy surrounding it, ready to unleash the attack.

"Detect!"

"Sirfetch'd!" Right as Cobalion swung his sword, Sirfetch'd managed to envelop himself and the shield in a bright energy, evading the attack by leaving an afterimage, appearing above the Iron Will Pokemon and throwing the shield down, the tip of his shield pointing towards Cobalion.

"!" Cobalion looked up, gasping in surprise, and then Sirfetch'd would bring the shield down, the edge crashing into Cobalion. There was an intense impact as Sirfetch'd would bring his shield down once more, and then again. He would then slash downwards, creating a burst of energy, a cloud of smoke engulfing him and Cobalion.

The ground cracked, the earth was split apart, and a shockwave rippled across the stadium, shaking the audience once more, causing them to cheer in exhilaration and awe. It was amazing to watch a Pokemon and a person do their best against an opponent who seemed invincible, and everyone was feeling the thrill.

As the dust cleared, a small crater was seen, but no one had been downed. However, Cobalion did manage to hit Sirfetch'd's chest, the tip of his spoke poking through his shield. The same goes for Sirfetch'd, who's sword poked the top of Cobalion's head. Both Pokemon managed to get their attacks through, but only one of them managed to fully withstand it.

Both would be sent back, but Cobalion managed to recover. However, that was it for Sirfetch'd as he fell on his back, breathing heavily, his entire body shaking. The same can be said for Cobalion, who also felt his body shake from that devastating collision. It left him a bit winded, his head shaking.

"Sirfetch'd..."

"Sirfetch'd is unable to battle! Cobalion wins!"

As the crowd roared, it was clear that even though he had lost, Sirfetch'd had greatly damaged Cobalion, leaving it to the rest of his teammates. Ash would bring Sirfetch'd back to his Poke Ball, thaning him. "You were awesome out there, Sirfetch'd. Pikachu and the others aren't gonna waste what you left for them."

Cobalion smiled, obviously being proud of Sirfetch'd. Even if he didn't win, it was the fact that he tried and got that far. He has very much grown but still had some ways to go.

"So that's Ash down to just 3 Pokemon." Fluttershy pointed out.

"Yeah! And now, the real fun can begin!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "I know what's coming next! It has to be Mega Evolution! Or even a Z-Move!"

"This is rough though...Has Ash ever had to face two Legendary Pokemon back-to-back?" Rainbow Dash asked, realizing what Ash was up against. Reshiram and Cobalion were the heavy hitters of this team, but then there was Passion, who had immense power as well. His friends were starting to wonder if he could actually pull off a win against two Legendary Pokemon in the same battle.

All those who bet on Ash were starting to worry while all those who bet on Celestia's team were confident.

"Man, you're tough, Celestia." Ash spoke. "But this is just what I wanted. The kind of battle I love. I've got no regrets, but I'm not about to let myself go down so easily."

"Likewise, Ash. It's no secret, well, to many it was always a secret that I love excitement. Meeting you, Passion and Pikachu was one of the best things that could ever happened. I'm not sure if I would have had the drive to continue as Equestria's Ruler. Deep down, I've always been a sucker for anything thrilling and this is just what my life needed."

"Okay...next up! Dragonite! I choose you!"

"Dragonite!"

"Alright. If I'm gonna reach Reshiram, Alcremie and Passion, I gotta get past Cobalion. Easier said than done." Ash said to himself, knowing what was at the end of this battle. Either Passion at her full power or Reshiram. Or even a Gigantamax Alcremie. He knew that Celestia wouldn't waste any chance to have her Pokemon battle at their fullest and the only one way he was going to see that if is he keeps pushing forward. "Ready, Dragonite?!"

"Dra!"

"Then...ascend and use Hurricane!"

"Dragonite!" The Atrocious Pokemon began flapping her wings, kicking up a strong and powerful storm. A tornado formed and flew towards the Iron Will Pokemon.

"Cobalion, counter with Metal Burst!"

"Iron Will." Cobalion's body became cloaked in a white light, disappearing within the Hurricane. He reappeared above the Dragon Pokemon, slamming into him with his horn. Dragonite cried out, the hurricane dying down.

"Use Dragon Claw!"

"Rrr!" Dragonite spun through the air to recover, her claws glowing white, slashing at Cobalion with a fierce roar.

"Meet it with Sacred Sword!"

Blocking the slash with his sword, he entered clash with Dragonite, the two forces meeting, their attacks pushing against each other. Their bodies would soon be pushed apart, but not before Dragonite would try and grab the Iron Will Pokemon.

But, all it took was Cobalion headbutting Dragonite to get her off. Both backed away from each other, gaining their distance, staring each other down. Ash was about to change his approach, aiming to unleash an onslaught of ranged attacks on Cobalion. And what better way to do it than by using Draco Meteor?

"Use Draco Meteor!"

"Dra!" Dragonite opened her mouth, summoning massive energy, a sphere of power forming before her. She would swing her head upwards, the sphere travelling through the air. Everyone looked up, seeing this sphere fly higher and higher, almost reaching the clouds, and then, the sphere began cracking, breaking apart.

From it, large meteors came crashing down, a meteor shower starting. The crowd gasped, their eyes wide as the meteor shower would begin hitting the battlefield, creating explosions, the wind picking up, the ground quaking. Cobalion was caught in the middle of it, but he wouldn't have to deal with the meteor shower for too long.

"Counter with Metal Burst!"

All it took was the power of Metal Burst to blow the rest of these meteors away. Cobalion's body exerted an aura, absorbing the rest of the meteor shower, before a blast erupted from him, blowing the rest of the meteor shower away. This caused a giant cloud of smoke and dust to be kicked up, a strong wind picking up.

"Now, use Hurricane!"

"Gonite!" Dragonite continued to keep her distance from Cobalion, flapping her wings to summon a great gust of wind, a strong gale forming. She would then flap her wings, summoning a cyclone. But Ash wasn't about to let Cobalion get a chance to counter this at all. Right before Celestia could make the command, he would scream.

"Hurricane again!"

"Dra!" Dragonite would add another layer of force to her attack, a tornado that was far bigger than the first, spinning next to the other Hurricane.

"Counter with Metal Burst!"

Cobalion would have the energy stored within his body, exerting the power in one huge burst, unleashing the Metal Burst. However, with there being two Hurricanes active, he couldn't just target one. He would have to spread the attack to both of them, unleashing the Metal Burst upon both of them.

"Again!" But being completely reckless, Ash opted for a third Hurricane.

"Draaaa!" Dragonite would do just that, summoning a third Hurricane just to pressure Cobalion further. This was something the Iron Will Pokemon had not expected, his eyes wide. His attack would hit the first Hurricane, exploding on contact, a massive wave of energy and wind, but it wouldn't be enough to break through.

Not only that, but the Hurricane had grown to such an intense level that it rivalled some of the fiercest storms, the pressure attacking the barrier. Parts of the barrier cracked open as the wind pressure would start affecting the crowd. They shrieked as some of them were being carried by the winds, spiralling and lingering in the air.

"Aaaaaassshhh!" Twilight bellowed while being carried. She expected Ash to do something so reckless as always.

"Heh." Ash grinned while holding onto his hat, knowing he had Cobalion in a difficult spot. How was he supposed to deal with these Hurricanes? And what was stopping Ash from unleashing a fourth one?

"Goodness! Quite the approach!" Celestia uttered as her crown would fly off due to this pressure, her mane flailing about. "But, even this is not enough to slow me down, Ash! Cobalion! Cut through it all! Sacred Sword!"

For this, Cobalion would have to put his all into this next Sacred Sword. His entire body would glow a blazing orange colour as his horn kept growing. His sword would grow as well, a giant blade that rivalled the size of a truck. This was an amazing sight, something the crowd hadn't expected.

"What the?!" Ash blinked, his mouth agape. Cobalion was actually straining, this much power taking some strength out of him. He had been using a lot of it during this battle and now the effects were beginning to show. Even against large threats, he's never had to do this much. Usually, he's always battling alongside someone else, so he could always ensure that he could converse his strength in small instances.

"Now, unleash it all!"

Cobalion would then shoot forward, his sword ready to slice through the first Hurricane, and when it did, it blew it apart, a strong wind being sent in the direction of the Hurricane. The force was enough to break the second Hurricane, and even the third, causing the crowd to be blown back by the incredible force of Cobalion's attack.

The Hurricanes were all cut in half, dispersing right away due to Cobalion's amazing strike. However, this allowed Ash to quickly intercept him, hold his arm out and returning Dragonite. "Return for now, Dragonite!" He made a quick switch, opting to give Dragonite some time to rest before throwing the next Poke Ball upwards. "And leave it up to Lucario!"

"Rrrr!" Lucario emerged above Cobalion, surprising the Iron Will Pokemon.

"Aura Sphere!"

"Lucaaaa!" While still in the air, Lucario raised his arms, a ball of Aura forming in his paws. He would throw his arms down, sending the aura sphere flying.

Cobalion tried cutting through this but it was too late. The Aura Sphere crashed into him, the force of the attack sending him sliding across the ground. However, he was able to recover, taking a moment to breathe before preparing his next attack. "Metal Burst!"

"Aura Sphere!"

The two attacks would clash, the force of the impact producing a loud bang. Lucario would start descending, ready for another attack while falling. From his other paw, a second Aura Sphere would form, and he would unleash it, the attack heading towards Cobalion. The Iron Will Pokemon would jump back, but that wouldn't stop Lucario from following up with an attack. "Double Team!"

"Rrrr!" Lucario's afterimages would surround Cobalion, confusing him. He swung his sword in all directions, but he would miss. He gasped as Lucario would appear in front of him, striking him with an aura-covered fist.

"Counter with Sacred Sword!"

He would unleash his attack, swinging his sword around him. He managed to clash with Lucario's attack in the nick of time, the clash enveloping them both. Lucario closed his eyes while Cobalion narrowed them. Both Fighting-Steel-Types found themselves being staggered, their bodies shaking and vibrating.

"Rrr..." Lucario would find himself being pushed back, his feet digging into the ground. He couldn't allow that, not when he was so close to bringing down Cobalion.

"Ngh..." Cobalion shook his head. For the first time in his entire life, for the first time in all of his battles, he was starting to feel a strong sense of pressure. Never before has he had to struggle this much in a battle. "My...What a Trainer..."

"Cobalion! Are you alright?!" Celestia could see Cobalion shaking, worried for his well-being.

"Yes...I am fine, Princess." Cobalion nodded, assuring her that he could keep going. "However, this is the first time I've ever experienced this kind of pressure. And I must say, I can see why you and Ash get enjoyment out of it. It's thrilling." Cobalion had to admit, he was actually enjoying this, experiencing this kind of thrill.

"I suggest pulling back for now, Cobalion." Celestia opted to bring him back to let him gather his strength for the time being. The Iron Will Pokemon would turn around, walking over to Celestia with his horn smoking from that last strike. He would stand by her, and Ash would take a moment to assess the situation.

"Okay...We didn't take him down, but we weakened him a bunch." Ash slapped his face, catching his breath. "So that's Passion and Cobalion with some damage on them. It's just Reshiram and Alcremie we gotta remember. Those two are at full strength.

"Pika..."

"Yeesh...Are these battles always this intense?" A Griffon asked, wiping the sweat off her forehead. "How do you all breathe with something like this going on?"

"You get used to it..." A pony said as many of the crowd were still in random positions thanks to the wind pressure. Luna managed to repair the barrier, making it anew. But at this rate, the battle will fully destroy the barrier, especially considering which three Pokemon were remaining and how destructive they can get.

"I must say, I forget that you behind all that amazing speed and up-close battling style, you are excellent at playing defence, Ash." Celestia said, holding out her next Poke Ball. "In that case, I'll have to fully focus on offence if I'm to get past you. Arise! Reshiram!" At last, Celestia had done it. By throwing her Poke Ball into the air, she summoned the Dragon of Truth himself.

Reshiram.

As soon as he emerged, Reshiram would spin in the air before landing on his feet, shaking his body before looking at his surroundings, and then at Ash. He snorted, lowering his head towards the ground, his eyes locked onto him. "Let this be a fair battle," Reshiram spoke to him.

"Hm." Ash knew this was coming and now it was time to fully confront the Vast White Pokemon. Everyone held their breaths, ready to see Reshiram fully in action. Ash then looked at Lucario, who looked back at him. The two of them knew what had to be done next as Ash looked at his Mega Stone.

However, even Ash knew that if he did not play his cards right, this could turn out sticky for him. Reshiram was a force to be reckoned with and Passion has yet to even Mega Evolve or use the Harmony Phenomenon. Ash had to admit it. Celestia was, by far, without a shadow of a doubt, his toughest opponent yet. And Celestia thought the same. In both their eyes, they were the toughest they've ever had to take on.

Their battle was reaching a boiling point now as Ash was more than ready to try and take control of the battle's flow. And to do that, he had to get past Reshiram as the journey continues.

Chapter 612 End.