Though Josh wasn't happy with Eris side-eying him, perhaps turning away from him completely, it had little to do with the match itself. "That's all we can do is our best," he nodded in agreement as the yellow thundercat sized the Wooper up. Only time would tell which would win out.

From the word go, Raikiri circled Reiner like a prowling cat, ready to pounce at any moment. The Zeraora was close enough to Josh that he could sense Eris' apprehension through him. Rather than having a violent contest of strength and speed, what if they did something more... playful?

With great AGILITY, the electric-type swerved toward the Wooper. A split second later, he made a right-angle turn, kicking a hefty pile of snow toward them in an effort to bury them in the cold, white powder!

If Eris and Pips wanted a snowball fight, a snowball fight they would get. The aftermath of their match would certainly be a lot easier on the venue's healing equipment. No matter how hard Raikiri threw snow into the ground-type, there would be no cuts. Maybe a bruise from being hit with a densely-packed snowball at high speed, but nothing that would cause either of them to bleed.

With another powerful swerve, Raikiri zipped out of the way of the Wooper's counterattack, maintaining his speed and distance from Eris' partner. Circling his foe again, the Zeraora looked like he could pounce Pips at any moment. That pounce never came; instead, the electric-type dug his claws into the ice beneath the snow, producing a screeching noise akin to squealing tires. Slamming his PLASMA PAWS into the ice, the electric explosion sent a miniature avalanche of snow flying toward his fellow combatant!

Though Raikiri had incredible speed, the Zeraora could not teleport. Speed would be little use against a FRENZY PLANT-powered wave too tall for Josh's Pokémon to jump over. Were he a Zeraora that moved like most did, he could easily leap over the wave of snow that absorbed his own. His quadrupedal running style traded jump height for even more speed, the overspecialization getting him caught in Pips' avalanche.

The snow piling up around him, Raikiri was simply in too deep to hurl any more snowballs at the Wooper in the way he had before. Instead, he detonated an ELECTRO BALL around himself to clear as much of it around him as possible. Even if Pips was nearby, it was extremely unlikely for the ground-type to suffer harm from the electric move. The explosion of white powder may have been a different story, though!

Eris and Pips had Josh backed into a corner. The snowball the Wooper was about to hurl at Raikiri was enormous. He had to make a stand now. That meant using a Z-Move. But which one? Hypersonic Plasma Charge was strictly off limits, Josh picking up on the child's fear. Other speed-based ones, such as one fueled by a pure Quick Attack, would also scare her, he thought.

As he pondered which one to use, the enormous snowball struck Raikiri in the noggin, causing him to collapse. Barely mustering the strength to continue the battle, Josh had to make his decision, or Pips would walk away with a win. He briefly considered not using a Z-Move at all, but would holding back be equally disrespectful?

In his eyes, yes.

The Gym Leader raised his Z-GLOVE skyward, Raikiri's FIGHTINIUM-Z glowing as he raised his paws and reared like an angry Rapidash. Landing, the Pokémon bucked and kicked rapidly and mercilessly, meeting the Wooper's large snowball with a dense volley of smaller snowballs that seemed unavoidable. It may have been the snowiest ALL-OUT PUMMELING Hoenn had ever seen.

The Z-Move delivered a tremendous blow to the Wooper, though it left Raikiri equally tired. Both seemed on their last legs, the Zeraora's four legs shaking as they struggled to hold his weight. "Come on, I know you have one more in you! Raikiri, QUICK ATTACK!" Josh commanded.

With a prideful roar, the tired Pokémon summoned every bit of energy he had left, zooming wide of Pips as though he were sprinting across the final few hundred feet of a race course. The electric-type never intended to strike the Wooper directly. It was the snow that flew outward from the Zeraora's wake that was the true attack. He collapsed in the corner after the desperation attack. Were the Wooper to remain standing, they would get a free shot with their best attack!

Raikiri was simply too exhausted to move, stuck in the snow. All Josh could do was watch Pips' snowball fly toward his tired partner. It sailed through the air, the Zeraora doing his best to brace himself for impact...

...when the shot landed just short.

The electric-type saved by the buzzer, the match would go to a judge decision. After a lengthy review, the officials gave the match to Josh. Withdrawing his exhausted Pokémon, the Gym Leader extended a hand as though he were offering a handshake to Eris, though he did not approach the child. If she wanted to, he would let her come to him. "What a close match. This was a lot of of fun, Eris. You'll make it far in the tournament if your Wooper is that strong."