"Thunderbolt!"
"Pin Missile!"
After Elekid evolved, the joint attack launched with Heracross became increasingly intense.
However, their target was Audino, who had turned to act as support.
Because they knew that as long as they finished off Audino, who could use Sunny Day, Life Dew, and help, this tug-of-war would end immediately.
"Roar~"
"Heracross~"
Suddenly, a brilliant Thunderbolt and the Mega Horn from the great rhinoceros beetle, Heracross, struck Grotle in unison.
But Grotle, acting as a meat shield, withstood them all.
This was naturally due to Grotle's own practiced resistance, but one support move also played an indispensable role—Curse!!!
It allows non-Ghost-type Pokémon to lower their own Speed to increase their Attack and Defense, making it quite suitable for Grotle, the tank.
"Audino, Life Dew!"
Throughout this tug-of-war, Dawn kept commanding Audino from the sidelines to use Life Dew, and every so often, she would have it maintain the Sunny Day condition on the field.
As a result, Grotle's health remained mostly above half, effectively wearing Electabuzz and Heracross down to near-zero health.
"Hera~"
Heracross was in the most exaggerated state, because Grotle had also used Leech Seed to drain its health, and it had now reached its limit.
If Grotle hadn't been unable to learn Toxic, the battle would have ended long ago.
"Paul, we must make one final attempt!" Conway said, clutching his glasses frames.
"Electabuzz, Thunder!"
Hearing this, Paul didn't waste any words and decisively ordered Electabuzz to use its final ultimate move.
"Vi~"
The conductor-like things on Electabuzz's head began to slowly charge up, and with all its might, it unleashed its most powerful bolt of Thunder.
"Heracross, use Mega Horn at maximum power!"
At this moment, Heracross's health had reached its limit, successfully triggering its Swarm ability, which, when combined with its Bug-type ultimate move, Mega Horn, could deal massive damage to the Grass-type Grotle.
This was Conway's greatest hope for Heracross.
As long as they took down the absurdly tanky Grotle, only the nearly attack-incapable Audino would remain.
They could successfully turn this match around.
Facing the pincer attack of Thunder and Mega Horn, Ash chose to let Grotle take the Thunder coming from above head-on again.
After barely resisting the first wave of attacks, Grotle quickly deployed a shield to withstand the Mega Horn, avoiding being one-shot by the Bug-type ultimate move from a Heracross that had triggered Swarm.
Zzzzt~
Just as the situation was deadlocked, golden electricity flashed across Grotle's body, immediately causing the expressions of everyone present to change.
"Can we finally win one!" A smile appeared on Paul's lips, for he saw the Dawn of victory.
"Heracross, increase the intensity!"
Because Grotle had triggered the low-probability paralysis, the energy output for Protect began to weaken, and Conway immediately shouted, hoping Heracross would break through the flickering shield.
"Come on, Ash! Dawn!" Brock, on the sidelines, couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.
"Audino, Healing Wish!"
But with Dawn's clear and moving command, the situation on the field changed instantly.
"Audino~ Audino~"
Audino, which had been protected behind Grotle all this time, showed an expression of determination and unleashed the ultimate move engraved in its genes.
It clasped its hands together, its eyes like sapphires, and whispered its Healing Wish in its heart—to restore Grotle's condition.
The next second, it collapsed to the ground, its sapphire eyes spinning, having lost the ability to battle.
"Audino is unable to battle!" the sharp-eyed referee immediately shouted.
But Paul and Conway's expressions turned ugly.
Because half of Audino's energy had transformed into a glowing green orb of energy that merged into Grotle's body.
"Grotle~"
In an instant, the paralysis on Grotle disappeared, and the strength within its body was restored to over half.
"Rock Climb!"
From beginning to end, Ash's expression showed no panic, because the combination of skills had all been planned by the two of them.
So, after blocking the Mega Horn, Grotle extended its sharp claws from its front paws and struck Heracross in the face, taking its second knockout with Rock Climb.
"Leaf Storm!"
It unleashed sharp leaves, using the Grass-type ultimate move to finish off the exhausted Electabuzz.
"Heracross and Electabuzz are unable to battle, Grotle wins!"
"The match is decided! The winners are Ash and Dawn!" the mayor, acting as the host, immediately shouted.
What followed was the most enthusiastic applause from the entire battle arena, along with the poker-faced Paul calmly exiting the stage.
"Yay, we won!"
Dawn first stretched out her hands and gave Ash a familiar high-five.
This was a tacit understanding and habit they had developed through many victories.
Only then did she hug the now-awake Audino and shout happily, celebrating their hard-won victory.
"Well done, Grotle!" Ash stroked Grotle's head in praise, then looked at the newly awakened Audino and said, "Audino, you worked very hard too!"
"Pikachu~"
Pikachu, on his shoulder, agreed with a chirp.
After all, the victory in this match was largely thanks to Audino's final Healing Wish.
Although the match wouldn't have been turned around even if Protect had been broken, Healing Wish saved them a lot of trouble.
"Grotle~"
Grotle kindly praised the little sister in the team, finding her more and more pleasing to the eye.
"Audino~"
The continuous praise made Audino very happy, and after being healed by a burst of Viridian Power, it was returned to its Poké Ball by Dawn to rest.
After it was over, the two stood on the podium to receive their reward for being the Double Battle Champions—a Soothe Bell!
This item, which could increase the closeness with Pokemon, was, for him, better than nothing, as there were plenty of them in the exchange shop.
Only Dawn accepted it happily, as a souvenir gift.
It was the subsequent photo session that caught his eye.
They sent out all the Pokémon that had participated in the battle to stand around them.
Grotle and Steelix, the two big guys, stood behind them, while Staravia and Buizel stood in the front along with Dawn's Pokémon.
A total of eight Pokémon and the two Trainers took a spectacular group photo.
"Sir, could you take a picture of just the two of us!"
When it was over, Dawn, having obtained Ash's consent, shyly asked the photographer.
"It's so good to be young!"
Taking a look at the young girl's posture, the photographer couldn't help but exclaim, and immediately agreed.
Dawn, blushing, hugged one of Ash's arms, and the two made a "V" sign at the camera.
Click~
The photographer pressed the shutter, and at that moment, a photo of an adolescent girl leaning close to a young boy was preserved forever.