A New Dream

In Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Dawn's POV

"Machop, break it up with Karate Chop and Roggenrola use Headbutt to break through!" Trixie said, sounding angry. Shaking my head slightly I smiled.

"Drop it, Ribombee." 

Immediately the rocks began to tumble down onto the startled Machop and Roggenrola. Several rocks battered them as they scrambled away from the pseudo rock slide.

"Piplup use Hydro Pump and Ribombee use Fairy Wind to split it in two!" I ordered. 

Piplup released a massive stream of water and Ribombee flew over top of it, using a directed blast of Fairy Wind to split the water which caused it to smack into both Roggenrola and Machop. Roggenrola instantly fainted as the stream of water hit it dead on and Machop shook his head, clearing water from his eyes.

"Ribombee use Draining Kiss," I instructed as Trixie yelled, "Use Rock Tomb!"

"Piplup use Whirlpool to catch the rocks!" I said quickly. 

Ribombee flew forward fearlessly as rocks began to form above her. Piplup created a whirlpool and tossed it just as the first rocks began to fall. Ribombee dodged the two rocks that escaped the current of Piplup's Whirlpool and flew right up to Machop's face. She quickly pecked him on the cheek and then buzzed away, trailing pink sparkles as she made her escape. Machop stumbled dizzily forward and just then Piplup's Whirlpool disintegrated, allowing the trapped rocks to fall all around Machop and knock him down.

"No!" Trixie yelled when Machop didn't rise and my shoulders slumped in gratitude. 

Ribombee and Piplup both raced over to me, Ribombee flitting around my head while Piplup hugged my leg happily.

"You both were wonderful! But just because we won the battle doesn't mean we won the round," I said nervously, looking over at the judges who were still discussing. After another moment Olivia stood, hushing the crowd and smiling at both Trixie and I.

"A truly stunning battle. Dawn, even though your pokemon didn't use any rock type moves themselves you were able to turn your opponents attacks back on them and you did it in a beautiful way. Because of this, Dawn is our winner!" Olivia announced with a grin and I let out a sigh of relief. 

Trixie turned and marched off the stage without a backwards glance and I felt a little bad that I had beat her twice now.

I followed her off the stage and whispered a quick "good luck" to Leia as she walked past me. Once I was back in the tent I walked over to the area in front of the TV and watch her battle against Maleah. Maleah seemed to be in my own circumstance where she didn't have any rock type pokemon. She released an Abra and a Snubbul while Leia released a Rockruff and a Carbink. Their battle lasted much longer than mine and Trixie's, but it was interesting to watch. Maleah used the same trick I had with Psychic to steal Leia's rock attacks, but as the battle progressed it was obvious that Carbink and Rockruff worked much better as a team.

At the end of the five minutes neither side had lost a pokemon and Leia was proclaimed the winner. Keanu came back on and said we would have a five minute break for Leia and I to heal up our pokemon before our final match. I had already slipped both Ribombee and Piplup a few poffins to re-energize them and they both looked ready for another battle. To my surprise Leia didn't come back to the tent, instead she went behind the stage to take care of her pokemon.

After the five minutes were up, I went to the stage with Ribombee and Piplup following behind me. To my embarrassment I heard several people calling out my name, but I felt better when the crowd called out Leia's name as she climbed the stairs to the stage as well. I smiled over at her and she grinned at me.

"No hard feelings for whoever wins?" she yelled across the stage to me and I flipped an okay sign at her.

"Let's have a great battle!" I yelled back and she smiled, releasing her Rockruff and Carbink.