It's been over a year since the last update, and for that I apologize profusely. A lot has happened since the last update, I'm close to graduating from college, and I'm hoping to finally start getting paid for what I do. I started a brand new project, which many of you are aware of, and I've been mostly inspired to write about that...and uh, I've had some rather personal battles to fight. I won't get into that though. Time to respond to anon reviews.

Poke shipping: I realize that Pokeshipping is the main pull of this story, but the thing about relationships? They're not always filled with cute moments, sometimes there's also just the mundane everyday life to go through lol. I'll try to give them some time to themselves soon, probably after this chapter.

Blade Warrior: Nope, this is a different Gible altogether. This Gible just liked to fight, it wasn't an eater. Khoury caught one before Ash got his hands on one. As usual, we'll see about more returning Pokemon lol.

Guest (both): Glad you like it, and here's the next update at last!

Alright, with that out of the way, let's get started. I own nothing except the story.

Chapter 75

Misty's POV

It's been an eventful several days with Lyra and Khoury, but all good things must come to an end. Now that the Lilypad Contest is over and done with, it's almost time for them to head back home to Johto, or so Khoury tells us. They'll have to meet up with Khoury's father at the airport later today, so we're gonna do what we can to make their last day here in Sinnoh a memorable one. After breakfast, Brock pointed out that there was a landmark on the outskirts of Lilypad Town that would be terrific for sightseeing, and so we decided to go and spend the day there.

But even though I said I wanted to avoid talking about relationships for a while, I still couldn't help but notice Kenny's recent behavior. Now more than ever, he seems to be holding something back. Even Dawn seems to be picking up on it now, as she's acting a little strangely too when it comes to him...and this time there's no excuse like pre-contest strategizing, now that Kenny's won his fifth and final ribbon. That was quite a battle he went through to get it, too. Dawn lost control of Mamoswine and lost her battle against 'Jessilina' - who we now know is just Jessie or James in disguise - and Kenny took James on in the final round, managing to pull off a K.O. victory when Prinplup evolved into Empoleon.

It was impressive to say the least, and Kenny even admitted afterwards that it had everything to do with keeping a promise he made to Dawn. I suspect that something happened between them before Kenny's battle, and Dawn's being tight-lipped about it. Maybe it's nothing, but I'm gonna be watching to see what happens. If I'm right, Kenny's going to cave very soon and finally tell Dawn how he feels about her; the attraction he has for her is so painfully obvious now, even total strangers would probably be able to tell.

For now though, we'll just worry about where we're headed. The landmark that Brock was talking about are the ruins of an old coliseum, and we're almost there now. Should be quite a sight to say the least, and I'm looking forward to seeing what it has to offer!

Normal POV

As the group walked under one of the massive arches leading inside the coliseum, they gasped in awe at the sight of the enormous battlefield, with the stands surrounding them cracked and worn from all the time gone by. "Whoa...so this is the coliseum," Ash said with a grin. "Pretty amazing."

"In Sinnoh's ancient times," Brock read from his guidebook. "This is where true champion trainers worked with their Pokémon to strengthen both body and spirit."

"Wow," Lyra hummed. "So...maybe if I battle here, it would help me to earn my third badge!"

"My last day in Sinnoh," Khoury added almost to himself. "I think it'll be a day I'll remember forever."

"Love the positive outlook, Khoury." Lyra beamed at her best friend. "Let's make sure you're right and make today a memorable one!" she grabbed onto his hand and squeezed it as she leaned up to his face. "We don't have much time before we'll have to meet your dad at the airport, so let's have a tag battle right now! You and me versus two of them!"

"Hey, great idea!" Ash pumped a fist and grinned at the thought of a battle, then he turned to his girlfriend. "Whaddya say, Mist? Care to show this Johto team what a couple of Kanto veterans are made of?"

"Actually," Kenny spoke up suddenly, catching the attention of the others and causing him to blush slightly. "Um...if you don't mind, Ash, I'd like to battle with Dawn instead."

"Oh," Dawn pipped softly before a small smile formed on her face. "Sure, Kenny, I'll battle with you."

"Hold on," Now Brock chimed in, and he uncrossed his arms as he addressed his younger friends. "Before we do that, we should pay our respects."

"Oh," Dawn again was caught off guard, though this time her corresponding smile was more pronounced. "You're right, Brock."

"Pay our respects?" Lyra blinked cluelessly and glanced over to Khoury, who just shrugged and followed the others to a large pedestal that had two even larger stone figures resting atop it. "Whoa...are those Pokémon?"

"It's Dialga and Palkia," Dawn replied. "They're legendary Pokémon from the Sinnoh region."

"Legendary? Really?" Lyra's eyes widened. "Cool!"

"We've actually met Dialga and Palkia a few times ourselves," Misty grinned at the stunned expression on both Lyra and Khoury's faces. "I'm just glad we survived to tell the tale."

"You're pulling our legs!" Khoury exclaimed defiantly. "There's no way you actually met these Pokémon in person!"

"No, it's true." Brock nodded and then looked back down to his guidebook. "And this coliseum is apparently very important for them...there's a legend that goes with this statue. It says that trainers and breeders' wishes come true when they touch the statues, then train Pokémon."

"Really?" Kenny's eyes widened and he looked up at the statues in awe, his mind suddenly racing with possibilities. "I...wonder if it's real." he whispered to himself, and then in a burst of hope, he placed one hand over his heart and the other on the foot of the statue, his eyes closed tightly as he mentally made his wish with all his heart. Once he allowed himself to open his eyes, he saw that the others had followed his lead, and were also apparently making wishes of their own. "So...what'd you guys wish for?"

"Well my wish is pretty obvious," Ash chuckled. "To become a Pokémon Master! But before that, I'll have to keep working hard to win the Sinnoh League!" he then glanced at Misty and nudged her with his shoulder. "How 'bout you, Mist? What'd you wish for?"

Misty clicked her tongue and smiled mischievously. "Oh you know, aspirations of being a water-Pokémon Master...and also another thing you can probably guess," she giggled when Ash blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "How about you, Lyra? What's your wish?"

"Well duh! To go back and win the Johto League of course!" the girl then winked and raised a pointed finger. "But...there's one more thing."

"What's that?" Dawn asked.

Lyra's smile turned coy as she looked slightly behind her so she could see Khoury in her peripheral vision. "After I get back to Johto...I'd like to go on a journey with a reeeeeally good friend of mine."

"Huh?" the forest-green haired breeder was taken aback by that statement, and a smile slowly stretched across his face until he was beaming so brightly that he could practically be seen from a mile away. "Hey...you were really thinking about that Lyra?" His heart sped up even more when Lyra looked all the way over her shoulder and fixed him with a soft smile and a nod, her eyes expressing her utter sincerity. "Wow..."

"There's nothing quite like going on a journey with people you care about," Ash said. "You can cheer each other on and help each other grow and get stronger on your journey when you're with a friend."

"So, Dawn," Brock glanced down at the female coordinator. "I bet you probably wished you'd win your next contest."

"You'd bet right! Don't you feel the same way, Piplup?"

"Pip plup!" (You bet!)

"And you, Kenny?" Dawn turned to her best friend, who suddenly looked somewhat nervous as he suddenly became the center of attention. "I bet you wished that you'd win the Grand Festival, right?"

"Uh..." Kenny shrank into himself a bit as he looked away with a blush on his cheeks. "Not...exactly."

"Oh?" Dawn tilted her head a bit and frowned. "Then...what did you wish for?"

Kenny squeezed his eyes shut and then forced himself to look at his fellow coordinator in the eyes, which caused her to gasp quietly at the intense expression. "Dawn..."

Then all hell broke loose.

"What's going on?!" Ash shouted. The ground behind the group of teens suddenly erupted into a cloud of dust and dirt, and two huge pincers shot out from underground and snagged both Pikachu and Piplup right from where they were next to them. "Oh no! Team Rocket's here!"

Then out of the ground came the rest of the evil trio's latest machination: a giant Drapion-shaped mech that had extra long arms built just for surprise attacks like the one they'd just accomplished, and their signature cackle rang out moments later as they were lifted up and out of a hatch at the top of the robot's head.

"Asking dumb questions is a waste of my time!"

"Though you have set us up for a good rhyme!"

"On the wind!"

"Past the stars!"

"It's your dime!"

"Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace!"

"Dashing hope, putting fear in its place!"

"A rose by any other name's just as sweet!"

"When everything's worse, our work is complete!"

"Jessie!"

"And James!"

"Meowth! Dat's a name!"

"Putting the do-gooders in their place!"

"Cause we're Team Rocket!"

"And we're in your face!"

"Wobbuffet!"

"Mime mime mime!"

"You guys again?!" Lyra shook her fist at the trio in anger. "That sad excuse for a motto is what's a big waste of time!"

James made a face and started stomping his feet in indignation. "Silence! The only sad excuse is a talking twerpette like you!"

"Besides," Meowth smirked as he pulled a small white remote out from behind his back. "Our elegant prose is what sets da mood for our rock and rollin' robot of de hour!" He pressed a button on the remote, and the robot's mouth opened up as it tossed Pikachu and Piplup inside before closing again, much to the horror of Ash and Dawn.

"Pikachu and Piplup have got a new ride!" Jessie sang.

"Stylish!" James barked. "In our turbo-charged, fuel-efficient digital Drapion!"

"WE'RE GONE!"

As the robot began to sink back underground, another dust storm was kicked up, and Ash put up an aura shield to protect everyone from the dirt coming at them. Once it died down again, Ash dropped his shield and grabbed a Pokéball. "They're not gettin' away, I'll get 'em back! Monferno, let's go!" Monferno emerged from the ball and immediately dove into the massive hole left behind by the robot to chase the poachers down. "Let's go too! We're not gonna let them slip away!"

"Right!"

As the teens followed the visible tunnel trail out of the coliseum, Pikachu and Piplup were currently in the belly of the best, trying everything they could to break free themselves. "Alright, let's see how well-built this one is!" Pikachu leaped up and unleashed a powerful Iron Tail on the wall of the robot, but the attack didn't even leave a dent, much to the electric-type's disappointment as he slumped in defeat. "Oh great, they splurged for the tough stuff."

"Let me give it a shot," Piplup patted his chest with his flipper before opening his beak and unleashing a Bubblebeam attack...that bounced off the wall and landed right at the feet of Pikachu.

"Hey hey hey! Stop!"

"Aaah!"

Piplup stopped firing, and Pikachu stopped his impromptu tap dance and fell on his tail as he sighed in relief. "Close one."

"Sorry about that," Piplup rubbed the side of his head awkwardly. "So, we're stuck."

In the cockpit of the robot, the trio was watching their futile escape attempts with much amusement. "Try all you like, we didn't skimp on this one," Jessie cackled. "We may not have been able to finger the Lilypad Ribbon, but pilfering a pair of primo Pokémon is an excellent consolation prize!"

"Wait!" James exclaimed as his console began to beep, showing a bogey incoming from behind. "I believe we're being twerp-tailed!"

"Dat's da twoip's Monferno I bet!" Meowth smirked and looked down at his own console. "But dat twoip ain't seen nutin' yet!" the Scratch Cat Pokémon pressed a button, and the back hatch of the robot opened up and let a smaller Drapion-tank out. Then Meowth pressed another button, and the tank activated and turned to dig a new tunnel in another direction. "Dat oughta throw dat mangy monkey for a loop!" Meowth cackled.

It was at that moment that Monferno reached the point of the tunnel where it became a fork, and the fire/fighting-type stopped and looked back and forth in confusion. "Huh?! Wha-where? Which way do I go?!" Monferno leaped up and burst through the ground with Dig, trying to see if a new vantage point might help, but all he saw was two different trails that looked virtually identical. "Oh no...I lost them."

"Monferno!" The fire-type turned to see Ash and the others coming up to him. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Mon ferno..." (Just look...) The monkey pointed at the fork in the path, and the teens gasped at the sight.

"It looks like they split up!" Ash exclaimed.

"Oh no, then which way did they go?!" Dawn glanced at Ash. "Are they close enough that you can figure it out?"

Ash reached out with his aura for a few moments, but it wasn't long before he lowered his arms and shook his head. "I don't sense them, they must have already gotten out of my range. We'll just have to split up too! Monferno, return!" Ash put the disappointed monkey back in his Pokéball before raising a determined fist. "Misty, Dawn, let's go this way! Brock, Lyra, Khoury, Kenny, you go that way!"

"Sounds good, Ash." Brock nodded.

"Ash," Misty grabbed her boyfriend's shoulder to hold him back for a moment. "Leave them Lucario so they can have someone who can sense their aura just in case."

"Good idea, Mist." Ash grabbed Lucario's Pokéball off his belt and tossed it to Brock. "He's still a little sore, but he should be able to track Team Rocket down if you get close enough since I healed him a little with my aura."

"Wait, you healed Lucario with your aura?!" Lyra exclaimed in shock.

"I'll explain later!"

"Here, Ash, take this!" Khoury tossed the black-haired trainer his Pokégear. "Keep in touch!"

"Right," Ash handed the little device to Misty and nodded at Khoury. "Be careful guys!"

"You too!"

They split into two groups, and it didn't take long for Ash, Misty and Dawn to spot the sight of new tracks being made underground. "Hey look, it's them!" Ash burst into a sprint with the others trailing right behind him. "Stop, Team Rocket!"

"Give us back Pikachu and Piplup!"

They panted as they sped up even more and managed to get in front of the tunnel before it could continue to be dug, and they took defensive stances as they looked down at the suddenly stopped tracks. "You can't go any further you clowns!" Misty exclaimed. "Come on out and fight like a woman!"

The ground suddenly burst open, and the trio jumped back in shock as a much smaller Drapion robot than the one they saw earlier emerged, grinning at them with a malicious smile, and the sound of Jessie's voice making a buzzer sound echoed out of it before the voice began mocking them. "Wrong answer! Tough break!"

"Shoot!" Misty smacked her palm against her hip. "We've been duped!"

"Correct, tall twerpette!" James' voice echoed out next. "You've been duped by our Drapion decoy!"

"Now you twoips go boom while we're in another room!"

"Ash!" Misty shouted urgently. "Shield up!" Just as she said that, the decoy's eyes lit up and a moment later, it exploded. Fortunately, it was a small one. "Little...late on the draw there, Ash." Misty coughed as she shook her head to get regain her bearings and dust herself off. "Let's pretend this never happened, okay?"

"Agreed." the other two replied with a nod.

Misty then activated the Pokégear and called the others. "Lyra, this one's a dead end! We're doubling back and coming your way!"

"Got it, Misty! We're hot on their trail!" Lyra closed the Pokégear and placed it back in her pocket as they ran along the tunnel trail. "Looks like we picked the right one! Misty and the others found a decoy!"

But then they were forced to stop in their tracks by a raging river in their way. "Oh no!" Kenny gasped. "They must have used this river to make their getaway!" Kenny pulled a Pokéball off his belt and held it a moment. "We can't give up, Piplup and Pikachu need our help! I'll call out Empoleon and he'll swim down the stream and try to pick up their trail!"

"Hold on," Lyra grabbed Kenny's arm and stopped him from finishing his wind up. "There's two directions they could have gone in! If you send out Empoleon and send him the wrong way, he'll just keep swimming forever and we may never find them if we choose the wrong path!" Lyra glanced at Brock. "Why don't you call out Lucario and see if he can sense them?"

"We may not need to do that," Khoury replied. "Ash said that Lucario is still kinda sore from yesterday, so let's see if we can think this through logically and scientifically before we call out Lucario to help us."

"But, Khoury," Lyra shrugged helplessly. "We really don't have any clues to go on."

"Hmm," Khoury rubbed his chin with his thumb for a moment, but then he noticed a line of Pokémon suddenly popping out from holes along the riverbank...in a specific direction. "There's our clue! Team Rocket must have gone upstream!" The green-haired breeder started running in that direction, and the others followed along as best they could, dodging water-type Pokémon as they continued popping out of the ground.

"Khoury, I don't understand!" Lyra squeaked as a Wooper suddenly gushed out of a hole to her right. "How are you so sure we're going the right way?!"

"It's obvious that these Pokémon are using Dig to get away from something, I think that's evidence that Team Rocket must have passed right through here!"

"You know, you may be right, Khoury!" Brock replied. "And that's a very clever theory!"

"Ace detective right before our very eyes!" Lyra giggled. "Is there anything you can't do, Khoury?"

"Right now? I feel like I'm on top of the world!" Khoury laughed as he looked over his shoulder. "Why don't you call the others and let them know where we're headed?"

"Got it!"

As Lyra activated her Pokégear, Ash, Misty and Dawn had finally reached the riverbank themselves, and they were just as confused as the others had been when they first got there. "Anything, Ash?" Misty asked as she watched her boyfriend strain to get some kind of idea of where they should go.

But after a few more moments, Ash puffed out an exhausted exhale and put his hands on his hips as he caught his breath. "Nothing, they're out of my range." the boy sighed and hunched over. "Add that to the list of things I need to work on."

Just then, a beeping noise sounded from Misty's pocket, and the redhead pulled out the Pokégear and answered it. "Lyra, that you?"

"Of course it's me! Listen, we're hot on Team Rocket's trail! They went upstream, so just follow the trail of water-types trying to get away! My guess is they're at the top of the falls!"

"Got it, we'll be right there!" Misty pocketed the Pokégear and glanced over to Ash. "Time for some aerial support, Ash."

"You got it! Staraptor, I choose you!" the Predator Pokémon emerged with a squawk and flew in place above her master. "Head upstream and find Team Rocket, Staraptor! Pikachu and Piplup need a rescue!" Once Staraptor flew off, Ash took off running himself, hoping to catch up to the others before things got too heated.

But as it turned out, things were anything but heated, as the trio was currently enjoying what they assumed was their clean getaway by the riverbank, a single cookie held in Jessie's hand. "Down to our last nosh...but from now on we'll never be hungry again! So let's munch our way to riches!" Jessie doled out the cookie pieces as she deemed it fit.

Which of course led to some skepticism and suspicion on the part of her teammates. "It seems I've gotten the short end of the cookie stick..."

"Yeah!" Meowth yowled in protest as he held out his tiny portion. "What a gyp!"

"Now children," Jessie took their pieces from and waved them at the two males like a disapproving mother. "If you don't want it then I'll just eat it myself."

"Wait! Don't jump to conclusions!" But James was too late as Jessie didn't hesitate to gulp down the last crumbs herself. "One of these days I've got to learn to keep my big trap shut."

"There you are!"

James felt his blood run cold at the familiar voice. "Then again, perhaps my big trap is better served as a sentry! Jessie, twerpish company!"

"It's over, Team Rocket!" Lyra exclaimed. "You guys are through!"

As the trio got up from their rocky cushions, Meowth growled at the teens as he extended his claws for Fury Swipes. "So how'd you lugs tail us witout a trail? Cheated usin' dat aura voodoo?"

"You wish it were that complicated!" Khoury shot back with his fists clenched. "We watched the Pokémon along the river, you caused quite a ruckus back there and it led us right to you!"

"Now give us back Pikachu and Piplup!" Brock grabbed a Pokéball and wound up to throw it. "Or we're gonna take them back!"

"Sure, just as soon as you stop being twerps," Jessie smirked and looked down at their Pokémon companion. "Meowth, I think it's time to fire up plan B-1!"

"What fun!" Meowth grabbed his remote and pressed a button on it, and the Drapion-tank's tail came down to grab the cage that Pikachu and Piplup were trapped inside. "You're done!" The tail lifted the shouting Pokémon into the air and was about to toss them right back into the machine's belly.

And then the shrill cry of a Pokémon echoed from above, as none other than Staraptor swooped in using Aerial Ace, slicing the tail's end off and causing a shower of sparks to fly out where the appendage had been chopped. Then the machine exploded, and Pikachu and Piplup's cage started falling to the ground, until Staraptor again flew in close and unleashed a swift swing of her wing to chop the cage open with Close Combat, effectively setting them free.

"Great going, Staraptor!" Ash and the others suddenly appeared from behind, and he and Dawn ran to catch their free-falling Pokémon safely in their arms. "You okay, buddy?"

"Pika chu." (Am now.)

"You know..." James groaned as the smoke from the explosion cleared, his entire body covered in smoke and soot. "When certain saps get unstuck and twerps roam free, things aren't as they should be."

"I've had it with this!" Jessie screeched as she threw a temper tantrum and shook all the grime from her body. "That's enough! Come on, Seviper, do your stuff, show 'em you're tough!"

"Carnivine, follow their lead!" James' Pokémon of course went back for the usual routine of biting on his head. "It's a battle, not a dinner dance!"

"You're way over the line, Team Rocket!" Ash exclaimed. "If you want a battle, you've got one!"

"Ignore them, Seviper, and use Bite!"

"Carnivine, Vine Whip!"

As the two enemy Pokémon closed in, Ash and Dawn nodded at each other and issued their own commands.

"Piplup, use Bubblebeam now!"

"Quick, Pikachu, you use Thunderbolt!"

And of course, as per the usual, the combination of water and electricity sent Seviper and Carnivine flying backwards, which caused them to crash into their masters, which led to the inevitable.

"WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

*Ping*

"And that's that." Ash brushed his hands off somewhat dramatically and turned to face the others. "Nice job you guys. So you didn't need Lucario's help after all?"

"Nope," Brock grinned as he tossed Lucario's Pokéball back to its proper owner. "Ace detective Khoury here figured it out all on his own."

"And he figured it all out just watching the river Pokémon!" Lyra exclaimed as she grasped onto Khoury's arm. "Khoury to the rescue again! It was awesome!"

"Aww," Khoury blushed and chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with his free arm. "You guys are too much...I'm just glad everyone's safe."

"Well..." a gleam appeared in Ash's eye as he raised a fist. "Now that the crisis is over...there's a tag battle that's still waiting to happen back at the coliseum, so let's get over there! It's Sinnoh versus Johto and I'm pumped to see who wins!"

"Hey yeah!" Kenny exclaimed and zipped over to Dawn's side. "Dee Dee and I still have to show these two a thing or two about what it means to take on a pair of superstar coordinators!"

"Don't call me Dee Dee!" Dawn narrowed her eyes at Kenny briefly before her expression shifted back to a smile. "But you're right!" she turned her attention to the Johto natives. "Hope you two are ready for the battle of a lifetime!"

"More than ready!" Lyra grinned with excitement, bouncing on the tips of her toes with anticipation. "You're goin' down!"

Once the group finally made it back to the coliseum, the two teams took their places on the field and stared each other down while Brock took his place as the referee, leaving Ash and Misty as the lone spectators. "Whaddya think, Mist? Who's got this?"

"I'd personally give the edge to Dawn and Kenny just because they have more experience as trainers, not to mention just having more powerful Pokémon." Misty crossed her arms over her chest. "Lyra and Khoury's best chance is probably for Khoury to unleash his new Gible's brute strength and let Lyra act in a supporting role while Gible does most of the damage."

"Makes sense to me," Ash nodded. "Course, it depends on what Pokémon Dawn and Kenny decide to choose."

"This battle is between the Johto team of Lyra and Khoury and the Sinnoh team of Dawn and Kenny!" Brock shouted authoritatively. "The rules are, each trainer gets one Pokémon, the tag team battle will be over when both of one of the team's Pokémon are unable to continue...alright...begin!"

"Okay, Breloom, let's go!"

"Cyndaquil, go!"

The two Pokémon burst out of their Pokéballs, the latter igniting his back as soon as he realized he was being thrown into battle. "So they're using a fire-type and a grass-type, we'll have to be careful about how we handle this..." Khoury said quietly as he glanced at his partner before grabbing a Pokéball of his own. "Alright, Totodile, come on out!"

"Chikorita, your turn!"

As the two small Pokémon appeared, Khoury turned to look over at Lyra with a puzzled expression. "Wait a minute, Lyra...why Chikorita? Isn't she a terrible matchup against Dawn's Cyndaquil and Kenny's Breloom since none of her attacks will do that much damage?"

"Nah. See, my Chikorita's tough!" the girl closed her eyes and raised a knowing finger. "Besides, I've got an idea."

"An idea?"

"Mhmm!" Lyra opened her eyes and turned to face Khoury head-on. "The point is, Khoury, as long as you and I work as a team, we've got to win this tag battle!"

Khoury smiled as Lyra's never-ending optimism leaked into him. "You're right, Lyra. Tag team partners have to believe in each other! Doing that is the key to success!"

"You bet!" Lyra turned back to their opponents. "That's what it's all about!"

"Glad you think so!" Dawn smirked. "Because I hope you realize that Kenny and I aren't about to hold back! Alright Cyndaquil, use Swift!"

"Breloom, Energy Ball!"

"As the two opposing Pokémon fired, Lyra smirked and waited a few moments before finally calling out her counter. "Alright Chikorita, use Light Screen!" The small grass-type leaped in front of Totodile and activated the protective field, deflecting the attacks without so much as flinching. "Just like I planned it! There was barely any damage taken from those moves! Alright Khoury, your turn to make a move!"

"You got it! Totodile, use Water Gun on Cyndaquil!" Totodile leaped up and fired, and Cyndaquil took a direct hit, squealing as he landed on his back after the super-effective move struck. "Great start!" Khoury turned to glance at Lyra. "I take it you chose Chikorita just so you could use that Light Screen, huh?"

"Yep, and it turned out to be a great choice from the looks of things!"

"Light Screen again." Misty laughed derisively and shook her head. "Seriously, with as often as we've seen this move lately, we should write a book on just that move."

"Can't argue with its effectiveness." Ash chuckled in response.

"Cyndaquil, are you alright?!" Dawn's baby Pokémon shook the water off his body and his back ignited as he built up his determination. "Alright then, let's get back in this! Swift, one more time!" Cyndaquil fired again, but once more the barrier went up and the two opposing Pokémon barely felt it, stunning the poor little fire-type who stumbled backwards in shock at how ineffective his move was. "Cyndaquil, calm down!"

"Alright Chikorita, let's press our advantage! Use Razor Leaf on Cyndaquil!" Chikorita swung its head and sent sharp leaves at the fire-type; while the attack didn't do much damage on its own, it did do plenty to further fluster the inexperienced Pokémon as he raised his paws up to shield himself.

"Totodile, follow that up with Aqua Tail!"

"Oh no you don't! You're not gonna get away with that! Breloom, intercept that with a Mach Punch!"

Totodile was confident going in, but the Big Jaw Pokémon blinked and immediately tried to abort when it saw Breloom barreling towards it with its arm reared back to punch. Unfortunately for Totodile, there was no avoiding it, so it simply braced itself as Breloom smacked it away and stepped in front of Cyndaquil to act as a body guard. "Totodile, are you alright?!"

"Thanks Kenny!" Dawn winked at her partner and then turned to Cyndaquil. "Shake it off Cyndaquil! Remember, we're working as a team. This battle is just getting started!"

"It looks like Cyndaquil still has some progress to make on getting used to being in battle," Misty observed somewhat sympathetically. "Poor thing got all freaked out when his Swift attack failed to do any damage."

"No better teacher than experience," Ash replied. "At least he's taking his lumps during a friendly match and not a contest."

"True."

Back on the battlefield, the trainers were preparing their next strategy. "We're gonna have to do something about Breloom, Lyra." Khoury said thoughtfully. "With it standing over Cyndaquil like a bodyguard, Cyndaquil's gonna get a chance to catch its breath."

"We're gonna aim for Cyndaquil one more time," Lyra whispered back. "I'll have Chikorita get ready while you have Totodile get Breloom's attention!"

"And if Kenny counters back with a grass-type move?"

"Then tell Totodile to dodge, just buy us some time!" Lyra pointed towards the target. "Now Chikorita, use Solar Beam!"

"Totodile, use Bite!" The Big Jaw Pokémon rushed forward in a full sprint to get up close and personal, while Chikorita closed her eyes and soaked up the sun into the leaf on her head.

"Don't think so! Breloom, Energy Ball!"

"Dodge it!"

Breloom fired, and Totodile was able to sidestep the attack and continue on its path unhindered.

"Cyndaquil, use Smokescreen!"

That is until Cyndaquil jumped in front of Breloom and blew out a cloud of black smoke that blinded the water-type and stopped it in its tracks. "Now, Energy Ball again!" Kenny shouted.

The attack made contact this time, and once more Totodile was sent flying backwards, this time by a super-effective move that put the small Pokémon on its back and struggling to get back up. "Totodile, no! Lyra, a little help here!"

"Don't you worry Khoury!" Lyra exclaimed as Chikorita's leaf started glowing brightly. "We're all charged up! Chikorita, fire!"

"Breloom, grab Cyndaquil and get outta there!" The Mushroom Pokémon grabbed the baby Pokémon off of the ground, but the blast came in so fast that the best thing it could do was turn its back and take the Solar Beam for its partner Pokémon, crying out as the move struck and dropping Cyndaquil back onto the floor. "Hang in there Breloom! You can handle that!" Breloom growled and looked over its shoulder to glare at its opponents; they seemed to be celebrating their success. "Alright, we'll make them regret counting their Torchic before they're hatched. "Breloom, hit Totodile with a Mach Punch!"

"Cyndaquil, Flame Wheel on Chikorita!"

With the extra resolve, Breloom seemed to disappear as it unleashed a vicious Mach Punch that Totodile had no time to react to, stunning Chikorita and her trainer, which left them open for Cyndaquil's attack to make a direct hit on the little grass-type. Both Pokémon fell back and groaned after the quick retaliation.

"They both took so much damage Lyra!" Khoury exclaimed worriedly.

"Don't lose hope Khoury! Remember, we'll win this battle as long as we believe in each other and our Pokémon!" Lyra looked down at where her Johto starter was still down. "Come on Chikorita, you can do it!" Sure enough, after a few moments, the Leaf Pokémon pushed herself back to her feet, fixing her opponents with a determined glare, much to their surprise.

"I'll give them this, even after all that damage, they're still alive and kickin'." Kenny said with eyes wide.

"Lyra, you were right!" Khoury turned his attention to his Pokémon. "Totodile, I believe in you too!" And just like with Chikorita, the Big Jaw Pokémon got back up to face its opponents...with an added bonus tacked onto it. "Huh?! Totodile's evolving!" As the evolution light transformed Totodile's body, Khoury's eyes shined brightly as his Pokémon became more powerful than ever, shouting out its new name as soon as the light vanished. "Wow, Totodile evolved into Croconaw, amazing!"

"So that's a Croconaw!" Lyra pulled out her Pokédex to scan it, just as Khoury did the same thing.

Croconaw, the Big Jaw Pokémon, and the evolved form of Totodile. Once it bites down on something, it won't let go until it loses its fangs. But new fangs grow back quickly...the moves Croconaw is able to use are: Crunch, Aqua Tail, Superpower, and Hydro Pump.

"Croconaw, you can use lots of great moves!" Khoury looked up from his Pokédex to beam at his newly-evolved Pokémon. "Which means this battle just got a new lease on life! You ready, Lyra?!"

Lyra stared silently for a brief moment, the spark in Khoury's eyes igniting a flame in her soul. Was this really her Khoury? The same boy who when he came to Sinnoh, was afraid of his own shadow and expected everything to go wrong at the drop of her hat? She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face, she loved this new and improved, confident Khoury Jamison...and she wasn't about to disappoint him. "I'm ready, Khoury! Let's do it!"

"Alright!" Khoury grinned and pointed towards their opponents. "Croconaw, Hydro Pump, let's go!" Croconaw grinned and then opened its mouth to unleash a huge burst of water at its two opponents.

"Breloom, protect Cyndaquil!"

But even as Breloom leaped in front of the water-type attack, the sheer pressure of the move was enough to knock Breloom over, and Cyndaquil ended up taking a hard hit anyway. "Oh man...it's obvious with that kind of power, Croconaw's a lot more powerful than Totodile was." Dawn sweat-dropped.

"You said it." Kenny nodded with a grim expression. "There's something about them that's making this harder than it should be."

"It's their chemistry." Dawn said as she watched her two opponents interact. "They're getting into a rhythm, they know how they react to each other, play off each other. Khoury's feeding off of Lyra's energy, and Lyra does the same with Khoury's ability to stop and think. It's amazing how different they are with each other now."

Kenny glanced at the two, seeing Lyra laugh and Khoury join in with her, the excitement and joy on their faces...it was so natural, so easy for them...it reminded him of how he and Dawn used to be, before they were rivals. Screwing on a determined expression, Kenny whipped his head around to look at his crush. "Yeah well, you know what? We're just as in-sync as they are! Together, there's nothing we can't overcome, so let's put these Johto rookies back in their place!"

Dawn stared back in stunned silence, the conviction in Kenny's voice, she hadn't expected it...but it did the trick, as a smile spread across her face and she felt a new resolve ignite in her. "You're right, Kenny! Let's show them what we're made of!" Dawn turned back to her opponents. "You hear that?! We're takin' you down!"

"I wouldn't say that!" Lyra exclaimed victoriously. "Let's finish this up! Okay, Chikorita, use Tackle on Cyndaquil!"

As the little grass-type started running forward to put on a finishing blow, Dawn growled to herself and suddenly whipped her head around to gaze at Kenny. "Kenny, tell Breloom to do what he did in the contest! Spin around really fast!"

"Huh?! But why?!"

"Just trust me!"

"O-Okay!" Kenny turned to Breloom. "You heard 'er, Breloom! Use Mach Punch and spin around in a circle!"

As soon as Breloom started going so fast it was spinning like a top, that's when Dawn made her move. "Now, Cyndaquil, aim just inches away from Breloom and use Flame Wheel!"

"What is Dawn doing?!" Ash exclaimed in shock.

Cyndaquil rolled up into a ball and zoomed forward, and as soon as he started passing by Breloom, the split-second timing made it so that Cyndaquil was launched like a cannonball, sending Chikorita flying back as the tiny grass-type screeched from the damage taken. "That did it!" Dawn smirked.

Once Chikorita came to a stop, it rolled over and revealed the swirls in its eyes, signaling that its time in the battle was over. "Chikorita is unable to battle!" Brock raised an arm up. "If Croconaw goes down, the match is over!"

"What an unbelievable plan by Dawn!" Misty said with wide eyes. "The timing on that had to be pixel perfect or Breloom and Cyndaquil would've just punched each other out...and the level of trust Kenny had to have to let Dawn do that on the fly, that's really impressive."

"And now it's two against one," Ash nodded. "Khoury's got his hands full now, I dunno if Croconaw can beat Cyndaquil and Breloom."

"I'm not giving up yet!" Khoury's determined shout got everyone's attention. "We made it this far and I'm not gonna let Lyra down!"

Lyra's eyes sparkled a bit. "Khoury..."

"Now, Croconaw, use Aqua Tail on Cyndaquil!" The Big Jaw Pokémon rushed forward with water swirling around its tail, and it leaped into the air just as Cyndaquil was uncurling from his previous attack, leaving the baby Pokémon frozen in place as he was unable to decide what he should do.

"Cyndaquil, dodge it, quick!"

That prompt snapped the little fire-type out of his haze, as he leaped out of the way just before Croconaw could slam its water-endowed tail into him. "Alright, Breloom, let's wrap this up! Energy Ball!"

"Dodge it, Croconaw!" But it was already too late, Breloom launched its attack and the grass-type move struck, exploding in Croconaw's face and sending the Big Jaw Pokémon hurtling to the ground, where it opened up its eyes to show that it too had fainted right next to where Chikorita was still motionless. "Croconaw..."

"Croconaw is unable to battle!" Brock pointed towards the winning side. "So the winners are Dawn and Kenny!"

"Yes! We did it, Kenny!"

"Yeah, we really did!"

The two coordinators laughed in victory while the losers consoled their Pokémon. "Chikorita, hang in there."

"Croconaw, are you okay?"

The two Pokémon slowly got up and gave weak smiles to their trainers, and seconds later they were returned to their Pokéballs to rest and recover. "That was some battle." Lyra hummed.

"I'm sorry, Lyra." Khoury said with his head hung low in disappointment. "I did my best."

"Don't feel bad, Khoury." Lyra placed a hand on his back. "This was our first real battle working as a team, I'm sure we'll do better next time." Then out of nowhere, Lyra's stomach started to growl, earning a chuckle from Khoury as Lyra blushed with mild embarrassment. "Guess that battle took more out of me than I thought, I'm starving!"

"Luckily for you," Brock grinned as he walked up to them with the others right behind him. "I foresaw that happening and prepared a nice lunch for everyone. Sandwiches all around, guys!"

"Brock, you read my mind!" Ash raised his fist in the air in excitement. "See you guys in the bleachers!"

The group watched Ash and Pikachu run up the steps to wait for the others, with Misty just shaking her head in exasperation. "This is the life I'm choosing," She sighed good-naturedly. "A man who will forever be a slave to his stomach."

Once they finally met the black-haired trainer up in the stands, Brock opened up his backpack and started handing out plastic-wrapped sandwiches to everyone along with a can of soda to wash it down. It took seconds for Ash to devour his own, which left Misty giving him an annoyed smirk as she passed along a second sandwich that Brock had made, anticipating this would happen. "What would you do without me?" Brock laughed as he took a bite out of his own meal.

"Starve, probably." Ash sweat-dropped with a chuckle of his own. "But I gotta say," he turned to the battlers of the day, "you guys did a great job. And as for you, Khoury, the way that Croconaw evolved to rise to the challenge, that takes a special connection between trainer and Pokémon. You should be proud!"

"I guess," Khoury rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "But it was Lyra who really carried us through most of that battle." Khoury turned to address his friend directly. "Using Light Screen to weaken their attack and then counterstrike? I thought it was a good strategy...too bad it couldn't get us the win."

"Don't forget, Khoury, we were up against a team of coordinators who have nine ribbons between them!" Lyra turned to face her opponents. "I'm proud of the strategy, disappointed we lost, but I'm not necessarily upset with how it turned out. Considering who our competition was, I'd say we did pretty darn well!"

"You did!" Misty nodded in agreement. "Dawn and Kenny's teamwork was something special, but you and Khoury were just as impressive! To be honest, I wasn't sure who was going to win until Brock made the final announcement."

"I'd say this was good for everyone," Brock said after taking a chug of his soda. "Cyndaquil hasn't had much battle experience, so this was good for him. And you two got a feel for how you mesh as battle partners. Lyra, there's no doubt that you're going to be a great trainer, and Khoury, a great breeder one of these days. Just make sure to keep working together and supporting each other just like today."

Lyra looked over to Khoury. "Together?"

Khoury opened his mouth to respond, but then a beeping sound from his back pocket caught his attention. "That must be Dad." He pulled the Pokégear out of his pocket and opened it up. "Hello, Dad."

"Nice to see you, Khoury! I've just arrived here at the airport and so I wanted to give you a call and see where I should meet you when you two get here!"

Khoury's eyes widened in horror as he jumped up to his feet. "I totally forgot!" He turned to the others. "The Johto flight is leaving any minute!"

"Oh no!" Lyra started shoving things into her backpack. "We gotta move!"

The teens packed up and broke into a sprint towards the airport, with Khoury watching the clock the entire way there. It took them about ten minutes of running before they got there, and fortunately for the exhausted group, Khoury's father was right there waiting for them. "Khoury!" He waved at them. "Over here!"

They ran over to meet the man, hunched over on their hands and knees as they desperately tried to catch their breath. "Made it," Khoury huffed.

"And got in just under the wire, too." Lyra added as she leaned against the wall. "Let's never be late again."

Khoury's father just chuckled sympathetically. "Well, we should be boarding soon. You guys ready to go home?"

"Honestly, Dad?" Khoury smiled sadly. "No, not really." Khoury took his place next to his father and turned to face his new friends. "Hey, Brock? Thanks for everything. There's still so much more I wanna learn, though!"

Brock chuckled and shook Khoury's hand. "I understand, I still feel the same way myself when I have the chance to learn from someone. Just remember the number one job of a breeder is connecting with Pokémon and..." Brock stopped talking as two beautiful flight attendants walked by. "And uh...connecting with..."

"Brock," Misty flicked the breeder's ear with a sharp glare. "Focus! Your mentee needs mentoring!"

"Right, sorry..." Brock chuckled with embarrassment as he rubbed his now sore ear. "Anyway, just connect with Pokémon. All you need is more time to meet with different types, and trainers and coordinators, y'know?"

"Right, I'll do my best...and...I think I know just where to start."

"Hey, I know!" Lyra suddenly spoke up, cutting off Khoury's train of thought. "When we get back to Johto, Khoury, let's go on a journey together!"

Khoury's jaw dropped. "Huh?!"

"You said so yourself that it's great to be around friends...right?" Lyra beamed up at the budding breeder. "Think of you and me together, we'd really be able to help each other sharpen up our skills and keep our spirits up, y'know?!"

"I...I don't know what to say..." Khoury stared at the girl, stunned by her proposal. "This is such a surprise...I-I can't believe you'd ask me to do that..."

Lyra's smile dropped as she shrunk in on herself, her excited gleam fading from her eyes. "Does that mean...no?"

"N-No, of course not!" Khoury shook his head resolutely. I-It's just that...I was about to ask you the same thing!"

"R-Really?!"

"Yeah..." Khoury smiled softly at his best friend. "The reason Totodile evolved when it did...I believe it was because of you, Lyra. I think...the intense way you believe in your Pokémon got transferred over to Totodile somehow...and it...it's made me stronger too."

Lyra's eyes began to water as she smiled back at him. "Khoury..."

"I'm sure of it." Khoury's smile and confidence grew after seeing her reaction, and he placed his hands on her shoulders as he stepped closer. "When I'm with you, Lyra, I feel like great things are going to happen all the time...and so, of course I want to go with you!"

The Johto girl squealed giddily, lunging forward to wrap her arms around Khoury after his confession, snuggling into him when he reciprocated the gesture. "This might just be the best day of my life!"

"Mine too."

The others just watched silently, their hearts full after seeing that heartfelt exchange between the two friends. "Now that you two are partners," Ash finally spoke up. "I'm sure there's nothing that'll be able to stand in your way. Lyra, I just know you'll be getting your third Johto badge real soon."

"Just don't get complacent!" Misty wagged her finger at them with a wink. "Remember, your job as partners is to push each other to be great! For Lyra to get her third badge, she'll be facing some tough competition. Whitney from the Goldenrod Gym may seem a little ditzy, but she's a strong battler with a Miltank that made even Ash have to get a rematch with her."

"Wow, really?" Lyra asked in shock.

"It wasn't one of my best moments." Ash chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. "You could also end up facing Morty from the Ecruteak Gym. He knows a lot about ghost-types, and you'll probably have an audience since he teaches classes about ghost-types and he lets his students watch his gym battles."

"No problem," Lyra grinned and pumped a fist. "With Khoury backing me up, I'm sure that all I'll need to do is do my best and everything will be alright!" Lyra then turned to Dawn. "And Dawn, I'm sure that the same will go for you as long as you keep Kenny close by!"

"Uh..." Dawn blinked in confusion while Kenny seemed to cringe and take a couple steps back. "Thanks, I guess?" She finally smiled and let her determination get her back on track. "I'll be getting number five next time for sure, and that's gonna get me to the Grand Festival!"

"It's obvious that my son owes you a lot for all the help you've given him." Mr. Jamison spoke up finally. "I'm grateful to you all..." He smirked and looked behind him for a moment as he reached into his back pocket. "And so...please accept this little gift."

Khoury's father pulled out a blue Pokégear and handed it to Brock, and that got Lyra to slap her hand against her forehead. "Oh man! The Pokégear! I almost forgot!" Lyra started rummaging through her backpack while the others watched in confusion. "I know it's here somewhere...ah ha!" Lyra grinned and turned to Misty. "So remember when you told me about your old Pokégear?"

Misty narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "You didn't."

"I did!" Lyra pulled a brand new pink Pokégear out of her bag and presented it to the redhead. "Ta da! The latest model of Pokégear just for you, all customized and ready for you to use! And don't worry, you can always change the settings whenever you want!"

"Wow, Lyra, thanks!" Misty took it and opened it up to test it out, and the device gave a chime as it turned on and awaited instructions. "You really didn't have to do this, y'know, but I'm grateful all the same!"

"It's the least I could do!" Lyra got up close and whispered to her. "It's thanks to you that I was able to see Khoury in a whole new light, and now I might have more than a partner soon, I might have a boyfriend!"

Misty giggled and just whispered back. "Well you're welcome, but try to take it slow with him, okay? He's obviously become more confident thanks to you, but he's still a little fragile. Handle him with care."

"I will. Thank you again."

Suddenly the attendant's voice came over the speakers, signaling their flight was making the final boarding call. "That's our cue!" Khoury quickly turned back to Brock. "Brock, could we exchange numbers so I can call you if I ever need any help?!"

"Oh yeah, me too please! I want all your numbers so we can stay in touch!" Lyra turned to Dawn and Kenny. "Do your Pokétches have a call function?!"

"Yeah, it's an added application, I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out, just call Misty or Brock and we'll get things set up." Kenny said with his composure regained. "It's been nice hangin' with you guys, I wish you luck back in Johto!"

"Thanks!"

With that said, the teens exchanged Pokégear numbers just before their flight prepared to take off, and the remaining members of the group all waved up into the sky as Lyra and Khoury took off to head back home to their native region. "Man, what an adventure it's been with those two," Ash chuckled once their new friends were out of eyeshot. "But the adventure's not over yet! It's time to head to Sunyshore City and get my last badge!"

"And I still have one more ribbon to get!" Dawn then turned to Kenny. "Are you gonna come with us, Kenny?"

Kenny blinked, stunned by Dawn's sudden question. "I..." The poor boy's heart began to race as he stared into her azure blue eyes, feelings that were still so unfamiliar to him rushing through him; he wanted so badly to embrace those feelings, finally finish what he'd started during the contest and before they started chasing Team Rocket at the coliseum. "I love you."

"Kenny?"

But...he just couldn't do it. "Actually..." He said slowly as he looked away in shame. "I think...I might head home for a while, recharge my batteries now that I have all five ribbons." He forced a smile onto his face, his heart lurching in his chest in protest at the thought of leaving Dawn. "After all, gotta start getting ready for the Grand Festival, right?"

"Oh." Dawn frowned a bit before giving an understanding nod and smile. "Well then, it's been great having you with us for a while." She suddenly leaned in and placed a quick peck on Kenny's cheek before pulling back. "I'll see you soon, Kenny, take care of yourself!"

"Y-Yeah...you too." He turned to look at the others, and the pang he was feeling grew stronger as he saw both Misty and Brock looking at him sympathetically. Even Ash seemed to realize something wasn't right, though he looked more confused than anything. "Thanks for letting me tag along you guys, it's been a lot of fun!"

"Yeah, it sure has." Misty stepped up and held her hand out to Kenny for him to shake it. Once he did, she pulled him in and whispered into his ear. "I know how you feel, I've been there before. You'll get another chance." She pulled back and stepped back to Ash's side, her boyfriend giving her a strange look after her action.

"Well, I'll seeya." Kenny turned to leave. "Ash, good luck with your next gym battle...and Dawn..." He turned to look at her again, and his reluctance only grew. But after all that, there was no way he could change his mind, it'd be just too humiliating. "I know you're gonna be amazing in your next contest, I'll be watching you!"

"Thanks, Kenny. Have a safe trip home." As Dawn watched Kenny leave to go get a ticket back to Jubilife City so he could walk the rest of the way to Twinleaf Town, she took a few steps back so she was standing next to the taller girl. "Misty...was he...was he about to-"

"I think you know the answer to that." Misty replied without looking at her. "He just wasn't ready. I know that feeling well."

As Kenny turned around to give one last wave before leaving, Dawn returned the gesture with a tiny, barely there smile as her heart also started to ache, partly in sympathy for Kenny, and partly because she didn't want him to leave either. She lowered her head and looked down at the ground, whispering as if she was telling herself a secret. "Next time, Kenny."

And now across the airport, a tearful Kenny looked down at his feet as he walked, his heart furious with his decision as it beat painfully in his chest to let him know how dumb his mistake was. He grit his teeth with determination as water drops landed on his shoes as he walked, whispering a vow to himself. "Next time, Dawn."

A/N: And so ends the arc of Lyra and Khoury, as well as Kenny's time with the group. I'd like to give a major shout out to zdbztumble, who literally took a red pen to this chapter and pointed out some major weaknesses with it. I did my best to address them, but frankly, I was tired of Lyra and Khoury, I'm glad they're gone lol. As for Kenny, well, it was his time folks. But this is not the last we'll see of him! Stay tuned!

I do want to get back to Robin Rising, it's been where my passion is for some time, but I'm going to do my best to make sure this doesn't get neglected for so long again. I know you all love this story, and knowing that brings some much-needed joy to my heart. I hope to make you all proud. Until next time.