Author's Note

Know this, by the end of it all, both sides will come out better than ever.

Against the Truth Dragon

Equestria. Canterlot. Equestria League Stadium. Afternoon.

As Ash and Celestia continue their friendly match, Reshiram had finally appeared. Arguably the most dangerous Pokemon Celestia's team. Absolute firepower and the natural strength of a Dragon combined made him a formidable foe. All the dragons in the crowd were in awe at this stupendous creature.

Ash nodded his head, knowing that he needed more than Lucario's standard power for this. He needed Mega Evolution.He raised his arm high, and shouted at the top of his lungs. "Lucario! Mega Evolve!"

"Rrrr!" Lucario would take a step back, his body enveloped in a bright light, his silhouette changing as he burst out in his Mega Evolved State. With a loud battle cry, he stood before Reshiram, ready to continue fighting.

"Getting past Reshiram won't be easy..." Ash started stretching his arms, thinking about the best course of action. "It's going to be difficult, but I think it's possible. We'll have to play it safe, and rush in when the timing is right. What do you say, Lucario?"

"Rrrr." Lucario nodded.

Just like how plenty of photos were taken of Cobalion, Reshiram received twice, if not even more as the crowd was excited to see him, many of them having not seen a legendary Pokemon before. Many of the Legendary Lovers were having a field day, and those who weren't, were amazed by his appearance.

Many had the same thoughts in their minds. Could Ash get past Reshiram? The struggle of fighting two Legendary Pokemon was certainly something no one had expected but to see it happen was something. It was what many thought would happen once the match got underway. The bigger question was if Reshiram could be brought down.

"This is it! The make or break for me!" Nessa exclaimed while watching this battle with Sonia. "If he can't get past either Reshiram or Cobalion, then it proves I have a chance of beating him one day." She was hoping to one day face him again for a victory.

"Well, he's gotten this far, hasn't he?" Sonia replied. "The fact that he fought that hard against Cobalion should be a bit concerning."

"Not at all. Anyone can push a Legendary back if they try hard enough." Nessa thought otherwise, wanting to believe she had a chance against Ash. Seeing how he would take on Reshiram would decide it all.

Viewing this battle as well was Luna's Zekrom, who hovered in the sky, watching his brother from above. He was eager to see what he could do when he isn't battling for the sake of the world.

"I hope you don't feel too intimidated by Reshiram, Ash." Celestia put her crown back on, her eyes flashing for a moment. "If not, then we'll make the first move. Reshiram! Use Fusion Flare!"

Taking a deep breath and pulling his head back, Reshiram would open his mouth, unleashing a huge stream of fire. This was something Ash was prepared for and something he saw coming.

"Lucario! Meet it with Aura Sphere!"

"Rrrr!" Lucario would raise his hands, creating a sphere of aura. He would then throw it at the incoming Fusion Flare, causing a fiery explosion. Reshiram would then try and launch another one, but Lucario would counter it with a second Aura Sphere. This was followed up by Reshiram trying a third time, but once again, Lucario would counter it with his own attack.

"Go, Lucario! Bullet Punch!"

"Ca!" Rushing through the smoke once the two attacks blew up against each other, Lucario appeared before Reshiram with his fists surrounded by a blue energy. He would unleash a series of punches, striking the Dragon of Truth in the chest. The Vast White Pokemon would roar, his body being pushed back.

"Mm?!" Celestia's eyes widened in surprise. And yet, Ash's Mega Lucario was always a great powerhouse, so this wasn't too surprising. As Reshiram was pushed back, he would unleash a quick-fire Fusion Flare, only for Lucario to narrowly dodge it by jumping back, the attack going off the barrier.

Everyone in the crowd grimaced as a great blazing explosion rippled the barrier, the glow of the fire reflecting off them. They could even feel the heat, the ground beneath them rumbling.

"Trying to keep your distance from us? Not this time! Chase him down, Rehsiram! Use Dragon Pulse!"

Reshiram would give chase to his opponent, taking flight, his jaws glowing blue. He would unleash a powerful Dragon Pulse, the blast of energy heading towards Lucario. Ash was about to command Lucario to dodge but by the time he was able to react, it was too late. "Rrr!"

Lucario was hit with the full force of the Dragon Pulse, causing him to fall back, rolling across the ground. But by flipping up, he managed to recover, and was able to avoid a follow-up Fusion Flare, Reshiram missing him. Ash could tell that the Vast White Pokemon was definitely not about to let Lucario have the advantage.

"Double Team!"

"Lu! Ca!" Lucario's body was covered in a white light, before vanishing. Multiple clones of him would appear, confusing Reshiram. He would start slashing at the illusions, but he missed each time. This left him open to attack as the real Lucario would reappear, advancing towards the Dragon of Truth.

"Aura Sphere!"

"Rrrr!" Lucario would raise his paws, summoning a ball of aura. He would swing his arms, throwing it at Reshiram. But all it took was Reshiram flapping his wings to create a powerful gust of wind to blow the Aura Sphere away and by extension, blowing Lucario away as he was sent hurtling through the air.

"Now, use Extrasensory!"

Reshiram's eyes let out a beautiful blue glow as he unleashed a wave of psychic energy, which would surround Lucario. The Aura Pokemon's body glowed blue, his body trembling as he was suspended in the air, struggling to break free. "L-Lucario!"

Reshiram would start dragging Lucario across the barrier, slowly crushing him, and it was only a matter of time before he would slam him into the ground, a cloud of smoke rising. This would leave a crater in the barrier, one that would cause a ripple effect as the barrier was beginning to crack. Reshiram would pick Lucario back up, only for Lucario to let his Aura burst out, breaking the Psychic Hold on him.

"Reversal!"

"Lu...Caa!" Throwing his arm back before thrusting it forward, Lucario would an orange beam forward, striking Reshiram's neck. Reshiram felt that one, a strong ripple going through his neck as all the damage Lucario had taken in this battle was sent back to him. And yet, it only pushed him back a bit.

Reshiram shook his head, his neck smoking a bit. He faced Lucario once more, a smile forming on his face. Reshiram was having fun and he wasn't about to let this moment escape from him.

"Reshiram's barely phased from those hits!" Rainbow Dash commented.

"If Reshiram lands either Fusion Flare or Blue Flare, that could be it for Lucario." Twilight said.

"Come on, Lucario! Just get in his face and wail on him!" Diamond Tiara roared as many of Ash's supports started babbling, cheering him on.

"Alright. Looks like keeping our distance's not gonna be the best approach either." Ash uttered. "Neither is getting up close and personal. So...we'll just keep doing everything until we push through! Go, Lucario! Bullet Punch!"

"Lucario!" Lucario would advance towards the Vast White Pokemon, his fists glowing blue.

"Intercept him with Blue Flare!"

From his body, Reshiram, released a great blue flame.

"Rrrr!" Lucario kept charging in, the flames flying in his direction. He would have to withstand these flames for the sake of pushing through and reaching Reshiram. He had a feeling he would have to pull out every single stop to stand a chance against the Dragon of Truth. Lucario would flip over the flames, only for Reshiram to unleash a second burst.

"Lucario, use Double Team and Aura Sphere!"

"Ca!" The Aura Pokemon would vanish into thin air, his afterimages appearing as he would move about, evading the Blue Flare. He would then reappear, his paws glowing white as a ball of aura formed, the energy pulsating. "Rrr!" He would swing his arms, sending the sphere of aura flying.

"Extrasensory!"

Heeding Celestia's command, Reshiram blocked the attack with a Psychic Field, the sphere exploding in front of him. But Lucario would then appear, rushing towards Reshiram. He would unleash a series of strikes, his body surrounded in a blue energy. Each blow would pummel Reshiram's face, causing him to stagger and step back.

"More!" Ash shouted, his Aura flaring from his body. And that was what powered Lucario. The more Aura Lucario exerted, the stronger his attacks became. His strength and speed were doubled, making his punches even more devastating, his blows faster and stronger than the last.

"Push back with Fusion Flare, Reshiram!"

Reshiram would try and push Lucario away with a strong stream of fire, but Ash's Lucario wasn't backing down. Not when he had so much power flowing through his body. He would keep up his onslaught, his fists clashing with Reshiram's flames as his Aura would expand around him, the power of his moves getting stronger, his muscles growing and his body changing.

The Aura was so strong that it started affecting his surroundings, the ground trembling and the wind picking up, blowing the crowd away, a strong gust of wind blowing. Not only that, but the crowd was starting to sweat thanks to Reshiram's flames, the heat growing some more.

"T-Too hot!" Rarity screeched, covering her face with her hoof.

"And too windy!" Sweetie Belle whined, holding onto her big sister.

"I see! To match Reshiram's flames, you'll increase your Aura even further!" Celestia commented as this fierce wind pressure went on, blowing the crowd back some more, the barrier shaking some more.

"This is so out of control! It's so crazy, I love it!" Rainbow Dash hollered, grinning as she could feel the intense Aura radiating from Ash and Lucario.

"Ya'll think we should get the others outta here?! The barrier might come crashing down any minute!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Are you kidding me?! This is too good!" But Pinkie Pie and practically everyone else here wanted to see this from start to finish, no matter how wild it gets.

"Go, Lucario! More!" Ash let out more of his Aura, pushing his body even further. And by doing so, Lucario's Aura was starting to push back against the flames, much to Reshiram's surprise.

"Lucaaaaa!" Lucario let out a powerful cry as he burst through the flames, landing a shattering blow to Reshiram's face. The punch was so great that not only did it make Reshiram turn his head, but it sent shockwaves that broke a chunk of the barrier.

Everyone was shocked to see Reshiram receive such a blow, actually looking winded and bewildered by it. He shook his head, his eyes flashing a bright blue. He had felt that one.

"Tag out, Lucario!" After that, Ash quickly brought Lucario back, swiftly throwing the next Poke Ball forward while Reshiram was staggered. "And take it from here, Dragonite!"

"Drago!" Dragonite emerged, spinning through the air.

"Now's your chance! Dragon Claw!"

"Gonite!" Dragonite accelerated towards Reshiram, her claws surrounded by a dragon-like aura. And while Reshiram was still staggered by Lucario's attack, he would be slashed across the chest. And not only that, but a follow-up would also connect, Dragonite smacking Reshiram's chin with her tail, sending him flying back.

Reshiram finally took truly significant damage, a huge cloud of smoke surrounding him. However, once the smoke cleared, he would let out a ferocious roar, his eyes glowing a bright red. The flames that he was spewing out were even more intense than before, his flames growing bigger.

Reshiram, use Dragon Pulse!"

"Dragonite, use Hurricane!"

In response, Dragonite would create a tornado, a huge vortex. It would collide with Reshiram's Dragon Pulse, the two attacks meeting. Dragon Pulse found itself spinning within the vortex, while the Hurricane would spin around the Dragon Pulse, trying to contain it.

However, Reshiram would push the Hurricane back, causing it to break apart, and then strike Dragonite, sending her flying back. She managed to land on her feet, shaking her head, but the attack did deal some damage to her. She wasn't out of the running, not yet.

"Blue Flare!"

Following up that attack was Reshiram, who would breathe a plethora of flames towards the Dragon Pokemon, the flames so intense that the temperature was beginning to increase. "Gonite!" She tried flying up, only for the flames to envelop her, surrounding her.

Dragonite was now fully surrounded by these mighty flames, trapped as they would swirl around her, the heat rising, the pressure building. Her eyes were shut as she held her breath, her scales starting to turn a fiery blue colour. She wouldn't be able to concentrate if this were to keep up.

"Increase your flames, Reshiram!" Celestia opted to increase the intensity of the flames, hoping to overwhelm Dragonite. And if this were to keep up, Dragonite would surely faint. The barrier was also starting to catch on fire, the ground burning up.

"We're not about to let this stop us! Dragonite! Use Hurricane inside the flames!"

"Rr...Drago!" Dragonite opened her eyes, intensifying them. The flames would surround her, but she was able to spin around, using her wings to create a vortex. Right before everyone's eyes, the Blue Flare was beginning to spin, gradually transforming into a vortex as it was beginning to be spun in the opposite direction, the flames spinning within it.

"Now, ascend!"

"Dragonite!" Dragonite made the Blue Flare her own, flying up with the Blue Vortex around her.

"Reshiram, intercept her with Fusion Flare!"

Reshiram would open his mouth, breathing a great amount of flames towards the incoming attack. However, his attack wasn't strong enough, the Fusion Flare being swallowed by the Blue Vortex. Dragonite would then descend, the flames trailing her. "She's using my flames as her own..." Reshiram said in awe.

"Dragonite! Draco Meteor!"

"Drago!" While surrounded by the Blue Flare and the Fusion Flare, Dragonite would launch a large ball of flames towards Reshiram, the attack spinning in mid-air. And before long, it would explode, unleashing a multitude of meteor-sized fireballs towards the Vast White Pokemon.

"Protect yourself, Reshiram!"

"Mm?!" Reshiram would be bombarded with these meteor-sized flames, the impact shaking the barrier, causing a ripple effect. Everyone's eyes widened, their bodies shaking from the explosion. Even Reshiram was left surprised, the meteor shower striking him, leaving a huge crater in the ground, an even bigger one in the barrier.

"Dra...Dra..." Dragonite panted, her body covered in smoke. Her entire body was smoking, and her body was a bit burnt. And yet, she had pushed through the flames, not letting herself be beaten by them. She would start descending, her body still surrounded by the blue flames and the Fusion Flare, albeit the remains of them.

Reshiram grunted, the smoke rising, and just as it cleared, everyone could see the Vast White Pokemon panting. Both Pokemon took major damage but it looked Reshiram took more. He was left wide-eyed and a bit confused by Dragonite's display of strength. He had to admit it, but he was impressed by her.

"Here goes! Let's go in with a Dragon Claw!"

"Use Dragon Pulse, Reshiram!" Celestia didn't hesitate to continue, and neither did her Pokemon, who would fire a beam of draconic energy. It was strong enough to push back the incoming attack, forcing Dragonite back. Dragonite tried to slash through, but failed to do so, Reshiram managing to overpower her.

Dragonite was sent flying to the ground, hitting it hard with some dust rising. And once the smoke cleared, the out was revealed. Dragonite had fainted, her body lying on the ground, steam rising from her.

"Dragonite..."

"Dragonite is unable to battle! Reshiram Wins!"

"Alright, Dragonite. You did a great job. Come back!" Ash called her back, looking at the Poke Ball. The rest of his Pokemon would be waiting for their time to shine, which were now just Lucario and Pikachu. Ash was down to two while Celestia was sitting pretty with four. Just like that, Celestia was in the lead.

"Pika..." Pikachu shook his head, watching Reshiram stand tall.

"For anyone supporting Ash, Pokemon Battles can often go either way." Luna commented. "It isn't time to panic just yet."

"I agree. I have faith in Ash. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous...!" Chrysalis grimaced.

Ash then looed at Pikachu, who nodded in understanding. Ash would bring him forward.

"Alright. You ready, buddy? Let's make sure Dragonite and Lucario's efforts don't go to waste."

"Pika! Pika! Pi!" Pikachu was all charged up, electricity sparking around his cheeks. His tail was swaying and he had his ears perked, his body tingling. He was ready for action.

"Then let's do it. I choose you, Pikachu!"

"Pi!" Running forward, Pikachu appeared. He raised his paws, his cheeks sparking. It was now him against Reshiram. "Pika! Pika!"

Reshiram looked down at his opponent, ready to see what Pikachu was capable of. It was no down to just Pikachu and Lucario against Reshiram, Cobalion, Gardevoir and Alcremie. A tall task indeed, but there was no backing down. Not for the two.

"Alright, Pikachu. Here we go! Quick Attack!"

"Pika!" At lightning speeds, Pikachu took off, appearing before Reshiram in the blink of an eye. Reshiram tried to block the attack, but it was too fast. Pikachu landed a blow on the Vast White Pokemon's body, bouncing off him right afterwards.

"Fusion Flare!"

"Hm!" Reshiram pulled his head back, taking a deep breath before unleashing a great stream of flames. Pikachu used the speed of Quick Attack to dash out of the way, the flames barely missing him.

"Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!"

"Chu...Pika!" Pikachu jumped, sparks of electricity flowing from his body. He would send a stream of electricity, the attack striking the Vast White Pokemon. He would take a step back, the electricity surrounding him.

"Blue Flare!"

Quickly, Reshiram would breathe out a stream of azure flames, prompting Pikachu to start running, dodging the flames, and when he couldn't, he would jump, flip and duck, evading each one. The stadium floor was being absolutely torn apart by this attack, and it was only a matter of time before the Blue Flare would tear everything apart.

"Iron Tail!"

"Pika!" Jumping through the air, Pikachu's tail glowed white, and he would land a direct blow on the underside of Reshiram by moving past the Blue Flare, using his size to his advantage. This caused the flames to disperse as Reshiram staggered bit from the attack. "Pikachu!" Pikachu didn't stop there. He would strike Reshiram's stomach a second time, pushing him back, and then again, and a fourth time, a fifth and sixth.

"Grab him, Reshiram!" Celestia called. Reshiram grunted, attempting to grab the Mouse Pokemon, who moved about, evading his large claws. Pikachu then ran back as Reshiram chased after him. The two dashed across the stadium, Reshiram trying to snatch him while Pikachu did his best to keep moving.

"Electroweb!"

"Chuuu!" Pikachu turned around and released an Electroweb, which wrapped around Reshiram's claw when came close to grabbing him, shocking him. Reshiram tried pulling his arm back, but the webs were incredibly strong.

"Use Iron Tail next!" Pikachu would then run along his arm, heading towards the Vast White Pokemon's shoulder and landing another Iron Tail, only for his fist to be caught in his large claws.

"You're a swift one, aren't you?!" Rehsiram spoke to him while holding him.

"You've got him now, Reshiram! Use Extrasensory!"

"Thunderbolt!"

"Pikaaa....Chuuuuu!" Right before Reshiram could surround Pikachu in a Psychic field, the Electric-Type managed to quickly fire off a stream of electricity. This caused Reshiram to let out a sudden cry, shaking a bit, releasing Pikachu. He would try again, but Pikachu would leap into the air.

"Get on top of Reshiram!

"Ka!" Pikachu descended, landing on Reshiram's head. "Pikaaaaa..." He would begin sending electricity through his entire body, shocking the Vast White Pokemon from head to toe, and he did so without letting go.

"Grr....Rrrgh!" Reshiram shook his head, but Pikachu held on tightly.

"Shake him off, Reshiram! Fly up!"

Reshiram roared, spreading his wings, and taking off. Pikachu hung on as Reshiram soared, and Pikachu wouldn't dare let go. He felt the winds blow against his body, his grip on Reshiram's fur incredibly tight. "Pii....!"

Reshiram went higher and higher, trying his best to force Pikachu off his back. But he wasn't able to, and Pikachu had no intention of letting go, not yet. And as he held on, he kept using Thunderbolt, continuously shocking him.

Reshiram was struggling, not used to being attacked this fiercely by such a tiny Pokemon. It was impressive, seeing that Ash had his own style of battling and that his Pikachu had plenty of power behind his attacks. It wasn't something that was easy to do, but Ash and Pikachu were masters of it.

"Turn up your body heat, Reshiram!" Celestia suggested.

Reshiram's body began glowing a bright orange as the air around him became much warmer, making it hard for Pikachu to breath. He was also beginning to sweat, not liking how warm it was becoming. However, he knew this wouldn't stop him from continuing.

"Pikaaa...chuuu...!"

"Jump off, Pikachu!"

"Ka!" Pikachu leapt off Reshiram's head, soaring through the air, and landing on his feet. The moment he did, the two Pokemon would lock eyes.

"Now to finish him! Blue Flare!"

Reshiram would put his all into this next attack, making sure he would hit his target. He manifested a massive blue orb of fire in front of him, building up its power. Everyone marvelled at the size of this attack while Ash was prepared for such a scenario.

"Go for it, Pikachu! Use Electroweb on the Blue Flare!"

"Ka..." Pikachu generated a web of electrifed silk, firing it forward. This web of electricity would wrap itself around the Blue Flare, holding the attack once it was sent towards him. But he did more than just hold it. Pikachu's tail was connected to the string of Electroweb, as he held onto the Blue Flare, his time in the air coming to an end.

"Now, send it back!"

"Pikaa...Chuuuu!" Holding nothing back, Pikachu spun in the air, releasing the Blue Flare and detaching the Electroweb from his tail. With great power, he sent the Blue Flare directly at Reshiram, the attack coming straight for him.

"Quick, Reshiram! Counter with Fusion Flare!"

But it was too late. The attack came flying down at great speeds, slamming into the Vast White Pokemon's entire body, a grandiose explosion occurring, smoke surrounding the entire battlefield. The Vast White Pokemon was surrounded by a cloud of dust, a loud crashing sound.

A moment of silence followed, the audience waiting on edge. Pikachu descended, landing on all fours as he breathed in and out. The dust finally settled, Reshiram had fainted. Pikachu had pulled it off.

"Well done..." Reshiram said with a smile before finally fainting.

"Reshiram is unable to battle! Pikachu Wins!"

"Pi-Pikachu!" He raised his paw, pumping it. The crowd exploded, amazed to see Pikachu's performance. He actually managed to take down Reshiram despite how difficult it all looked. But it was all thanks to his teammates who added to this victory.

"Reshiram, you fought valiantly. Rest." Celestia brought him back, and he was happy to return, her work being done. With a smile on her face, Celestia was down to three Pokemon now, but she was still in the lead. However, even Celestia knew not to take Ash for granted. He was known for making strong turnarounds in tough spots and she was going to make sure that wouldn't happen.

"Hah...I need a drink..." Rarity felt like passing out, the tension killing her.

"I-It was...a lot more exciting than I imagined." Cheerilee was a little stunned. She was surprised by how much she got into the fight.

"It was fun watching Ash's Pokemon work their tails off to defeat my sister's, especially after what happened with Cobalion and Reshiram. That's what I love about them. They keep getting up, no matter the odds." Luna commented, keeping a straight face, but her tone showed that she was proud of her sister's team.

"I don't know how he keeps doing it. I think my heart is about to give out at this rate!" Roseluck commented, covering her chest.

"It's your turn to shine! Alcremie!" Up next was Alcremie as Celestia brought her forth. She would stand proudly in front of the audience, ready to battle.

"Alcremie!" Alcremie cheered.

"And with this..." From her long mane, Celestia whipped out one more item just for Alcremie. A Dynamax Band. Ash was waiting for this, and Celestia had no plans of holding back. She put the band on her hoof, letting it fit snugly. After placing it on, she would return Alcremie to her Poke Ball, the item let out a pinkish-red glow. "Alcremie!" Gigantamax!"

As the Poke Ball was launched upwards, Alcremie would emerge in a burst of red energy, a powerful surge of pink, white and red light would surround her as her appearance changed. Out emerged Gigantamax Alcremie, in all of her delicious glory.

"ALCREMIE!"

"Pika...!" Pikachu narrowed his eyes, needing to get past her if he was to take on Cobalion or even Gardevoir. That battle he had with Reshiram took quite a lot out of him, no doubt, his body shaking a bit. It was looking rough for Ash's Pokemon, but the Alola Champion always had something in store.

"Pretty beat, Pikachu?" Ash asked his partner, who nodded in confirmation. "In that case, you know what to do. Only one way to get our strength back up. The way we always do. Take a bite out of Alcremie!"

"What did he say?!" Celestia's eyes widened in disbelief. She thought she heard wrong. Everyone thought they heard something else, but Ash did in fact say what he said. And Pikachu would do just that.

He ran towards the Cream Pokemon, getting in close, and chomping on her cream filling, taking a huge chunk. The taste was amazing. Sweet, creamy and tasty, making him squee. Alcremie was in shock at what Pikachu had just done, but it wasn't without a reason.

"Oh!" Twilight put it together. She recalled when Pikachu battled Opal's Alcremie in its Giganatamax State. And when one of the cream dropped on him, a shocking outcome came from it and now, Ash was about to take full advantage of that.

By eating a piece of Alcremie, since every part of her was flowing with Dyanamx Energy, his body would let out that same glow. Ash grinned as he had found a way to bypass the limit of Dynamax. His band couldn't activate again, but thanks this action, Pikachu was flowing with Dynamax Energy as his body started glowing, his body growing and growing. No one could believe what Ash had done. He Dynamaxed his Pokemon twice even though there was only a one-time usage for them.

And from the light, Gigantamax Pikachu had appeared.

"PIKACHU!"

"W-Well...! I didn't expect that!" Celestia exclaimed.

"Is that even allowed?!" Someone in the crowd shouted but there was nothing in the rules that opposed it. In fact, they didn't think about adding such a rule because they never thought that this could've happened.

"He's cheating! He has to be! Right?!" One Griffon questioned, but no one could confirm this at all. As it stands, Ash was simply using everything to his advantage. That is exactly what made him a powerful trainer. His method of adapting and using his opponent's traits against them.

Everyone watching this, whether from here or from other regions, especially Galar, had no idea this was even possible. But since Pikachu never returns to his Poke Ball he was a special case. Now that he had some energy back from getting a good bite and was now in his Gigantamaxed state, the Mouse Pokemon was ready to keep on going.

"Hm-hm. You have to admire Ash for being innovative in his strategies. He always manages to find a way. Even if it is a little odd." Chrysalis stated, watching the action.

"I can't believe we've never considered a rule like that!" Nessa exclaimed. "He can just bypass the one-time usage?!"

"Hm. Smart thinking, Ash." Speaking of Opal, from her home, she was also watching this match, smiling at Ash's performance. She was already being reminded of when this tactic was first discovered by pure accident. She could see why she and the others chose him.

"Alright, Pikachu. I need you to be extra careful. We'll take this as slow as you need to. Don't overdo it, okay?" Ash requested.

"PIKA." Pikachu gave a thumbs up. He felt his energy was still pretty high, but it wasn't 100%, not by a longshot. However, he felt that it would be enough to get him through Alcremie, or maybe Cobalion and Gardevoir.

"I'm always a fan of you wild tricks Ash. But I won't let you win regardless! Alcremie! Use Max Flare!"

"CREMIE! AL!" Alcremie's eyes would begin to glow bright red, as would the rest of her body, a large beam of crimson flames firing towards Pikachu.

"Pikachu! Use Max Steelspike!"

"CHUU!" Pikachu released a massive stream of giant steel spikes from his body, each one larger than the previous ones. And while Alcremie was sending a large stream of fire at Pikachu, his stream matched the flames, the two attacks stopping each other. Both Pokemon now had just two uses of their Gigantamax forms left.

"Alcremie, use Max Starfall!"

"Alcremie!" A burst of golden sparkles were unleashed from Alcremie's body, shooting into the sky. And as they ascended, massive stars began falling, ready to crash into Pikachu.

"Now, Pikachu Grab onto her and use G-Max Volt Crash!"

"PIKA" Pikachu chargd forward as a few stars crashed into the ground, the stadium starting to get damaged, but the barrier around the field was protecting it, thankfully. The Mouse Pokemon would then grab onto Alcreie, who couldn't really move from her spot due to her Gignatamax For, allowing Pikachu to grip her. With the stars falling, Pikachu would take some damage as some of them landed on his body, the area being filled with a misty and magical aura.

"C-CREMIE?!"

"Now, Pikachu! Fire off everything you got!"

"PIKA.....CHUUUU!" Pikachu was glowing in a yellow aura, as a giant sphere of yellow lightning and white lightning surrounded them, and then a great bolt of white lightning descended downwards from the heavens. The thunderbolt would hit the ground with great force, releasing a tremendous wave of electricity throughout the battlefield.

"AL-CREMIEEE!" The Gigantamax Alcremie screeched, her body being instantly paralyzed as a result of G-Max Volt Crash's effect, which would immobilize the opposing Pokemon.

"Shake him off, Alcremie! G-Max Finale!"

"Pikachu! G-Max Volt Crash again!"

Both Pokemon would use their final moves as Gigantamaxed Pokemon, attacking at the same time. At least, one of them could. Alcremie paralysis meant that she was stunned, jittering and unable to get her attack off at the same time. But Pikachu could.

"PIKACHU!" He fired the great lightning bolt, and with it, the Alcremie be struck once more, being unable to take the damage, and she fell over, crashing to the ground, and reverting back to her original size. Both Pokemon would revert to their original sizes, but only one of them would stay active.

"Alcremie..." Just like that, Alcremie was down, having fainted.

"Alcremie is unable to battle! Pikachu wins!" Surprising everyone, Pikachu made a comeback by using Alcremie as a way to gain some extra strength, just to pull through.

"Pikachu! Way to go!" Ash jumped for joy as Pikachu sighed, hearing the cheers from the entire crowd. Everyone here already respected Pikach, but no their respect had skyrocketed to new heights, especially his most adoring fans.

"I'm sorry, Alcremie. Next time, you'll get your shine for much longer. I promise." Celestia said to Alcremie, returning her to her ball. "That Pikachu...what a force of nature. Cobalion! It's up to you!"

Cobalion appeared once more from the stadium as Celestia was down to just two Pokemon now. Just like that, Ash evened it out once more and now both only had two Pokemon. On top of that, each of them have taken damage, some more than others. Without a shadow of a doubt, the climax of this battle between friends was approaching and everyone held their breath for what was coming next as the journey continues.

Chapter 613 End.