Going forward and beyond {Path of the Aura Ranger: Book I}

X Pikachu's P.O.V

"Yes, she is right. Dawn is no longer the rookie she used to be, she has grown and I owe it to her to treat her as such," Ash answered in a very mature way.

"Wow... therapy makes miracles," I commented, only half joking.

"Shut it!" Ash snapped back without any heat and with a carefree chuckle.

"We better go too!" James exclaimed, jumping off his seat and rushing away with Meowth on his tail.

"I hope they never change," Riley chuckled shaking his head and Lucario took his seat back. "Oh, Zoey and Nando's battle is about to start!"

Mismagius and Leafeon come out in a shower of stars, while Kricketune and Lopunny are released in a shower of song notes.

"Leafeon, Energy Ball! Mismagius, Shock Wave!" Zoey commanded, and the Shock Wave fused with the Energy Ball to create an electrifying meteorite.

"Starting strong," I commented, watching Nando's points being deducted.

"Lopunny, Jump Kick!" Nando commanded, and his pokemon knocked Zoey's attack away. "Kricketune, Bug Buzz!" The attack was used to both, immobilize Leafeon, and created wraps and streamers, under which Lopunny danced around, creating an elegant effect. It took away a portion of Zoey's points. As the electrified Energy Ball started to, shoot straight down, Kricketune blasted it away creating a shower of rainbow sparks. Lopunny jumped and posed cutely in the middle of the whole thing, costing Zoey even more points.

"Nando is going all out," Riley murmured in awe.

"Kricketune, use Sing!" Nando did not stop and continued with his appeals. Music notes spiraled around Kricketune and Lopunny, while the bunny pokemon continued her dance. Which left Zoey with only half of her total points left.

However, Zoey did not take it laying down, she seem to have been expecting Sing and tells Mismagius to use Lucky Chant. The gems on Mismagius's body glow as Mismagius soars into the air. Purple tendrils then appear out of the gems and knock away the music notes created by Sing and Nando's points drop to a little bit less than two-thirds points left.

"Leaf Blade, Leafeon!" Zoey followed on, slashing through Lopunny's counter Focus Blast.

"Kricketune, X-Scissor!" Nando tried against Leafeon, but Mismagius intercepts it with a Psywave. "Lopunny, aid him!" At Nando's command, Lopunny leaped in the air and carried Kricketune out of danger, causing Psywave to miss.

"Leafeon, use Leaf Blade again!" Zoey used the time it gave her to counter the X-Scissor.

Kricketune and Leafeon then collide several times with neither of them giving an inch.

Both sides lose an eighth of their original point total.

"This is a clash between two coordinators and their pokemon in one of the purest and most amazing forms of contest battling I have ever witnessed," I smiled at Ash's awed comment, feeling the same thing as he did.

Down to the thirty-second mark, things got intense.

"Silver Wind and Blizzard!" Nando commanded, and Lopunny used Blizzard while spinning around Kricketune. The Blizzard and the Silver Wind combined to form snowflakes that float gently down to the ground while Lopunny continues to show off her elegant dance moves.

It was beautiful and so Nando, but Zoey was not backing down. She commanded Leafeon to use Aerial Ace, while Mismagius unleashed a Psywave. The combination gave Leafeon beautiful wings, and the leaf on Leafeon's head glowed white in preparation for a blade attack.

"Magnifique!" Fantina murmured on the microphone in awestruck, not that I blamed her, I was awed as well.

"Lopunny, Bounce!" Nando ordered ready to intercept Leafeon. However, Mismagius got in the way with Shock Wave. Lopunny's kick collides with Mismagius's shield of thunder, the crash caused an explosion that knocked both Pokémon back. "Kricketune, X-Scissor!" Nando was not giving up either.

The two pokemon collided and orange sparks flew off. The orange sparks caused Leafeon's psychic wings to disappear, but neither Kricketune nor Leafeon budged. The power level reached an apex and an explosion occurred that left the stadium dark as bright sparkles fell to the ground.

We could only stare at the... clash of titans in awe. It was marvelous! Magnifique! As Fantina was mostly thinking.

The time was up.

The lights are returned.

Both coordinators grinned at each other.

The difference in points is slim... but Nando won the round and will be advancing to the finals.

"Nando's advantage from the beginning of the battle sealed this win for him," Lucario commented, as we watched Zoey congratulate Nando on his win and wish him good luck in the finals.

"Magnifique!" Touched by the beautiful performance, Fantina jumped on the stage and raised both Nando and Zoey's arms up in victory.

The crowd went wild.

They deserved it.