"Even if I'm not in the top cut yet, I've clinched a spot for day two," the Gym Leader bragged. While Kyle didn't seem to care about his rank, Josh had quite the competitive spirit. He took great pride in tournament performances and his high Gym Leader metrics. Perhaps it was part of the reason he had burned himself out chasing Raikou all that time ago, and why the Top Champion had seemed so concerned about Josh's physical and mental health.

"Of course. Gotta save the real show for Ever Grande. Can't show too many of my tricks here!" he smiled as the horn sounded. Keeping his distance for now, the thundercat circled the edge of the arena's bounds, being careful not to step out. He built up a fair bit of speed before firing an ELECTRO BALL in the Poochyena's direction. Having spent a lot of time with the Zeraora, both under Josh's ownership and his own, Kyle may have been aware just how much faster he could get.

Even the smallest of the Top Champion's Pokémon were menacing, having tricks up their sleeves. The Poochyena was wily, using the Gym Leader's own tactics against him. It was Kyle's hallmark, able to mimic virtually any opponent's strategy. Anything one could do, Kyle could do better.

It was why he was Top Champion, and why only Melody Miro and MATIAS SILPH were Hoennian Champions. They could adapt to such a malleable battle style. Josh was still in the process of proving himself to the League's finest.

The Poochyena was prepared for blistering speed, perhaps by training with Roy, Kyle's own Zeraora, Josh thought. It was the only way he figured the dark-type could avoid such a speedy attack and strike the unsuspecting Raikiri from behind. If he wanted to sling unavoidable attacks, so could Josh. But now was not the time.

The snarling, purring feline about-faced, pouncing the small, grey dog. Were his DRAIN PUNCH to land, he would attempt to flip the foe onto his back and use his strength to wrestle with the lighter Pokémon.

Josh's familiarity with his own Sygna Suit made him respect, perhaps even detect, the Infinity Energy flowing between the Top Champion and his Poochyena. It is that energy that causes Kilo to overpower Raikiri, gaining control of the grapple and somehow pinning the larger creature down.

Josh needed to get distance between Raikiri and the Poochyena. Now. It wouldn't be pretty, and it would leave his ace in the hole unusable, but what other choice did he have? Raising his Z-GLOVE, whose crystal glinted alongside the Zeraora's FIRIUM-Z, the feline's paws slammed together, creating a Z-Powered explosion around them both.

INFERNO OVERDRIVE.

With no more snow surrounding them, Josh and Raikiri were fully in their element: a wide-open court with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. It would be an advantage even the Top Champion may have had difficulty overcoming.

Or would be the case if the overexertion didn't leave the Zeraora dizzyingly tired.

Josh's Pokémon bounded about the arena at high speed with the grace (or lack thereof) of a drunk driver, unlikely to trample over anything with his sparking PLASMA PAWS. With how haphazardly the electric-type moved, it would take a small miracle for him to avoid Kilo's next attack, let alone strike with the white lightning he discharged from his four sets of claws.

Josh pumped a fist as Raikiri at last got the upper hand. The clashing fields of electric and dragon energy left the Zeraora reeling, but he was still on his feet. So was Kilo. The Gym Leader could not tell whether Kyle's remark was serious or in jest. Admittedly, wordplay and humor of the situation was one quality the Top Champion had and he didn't. Perhaps that was part of what kept Kyle so cheerful, yet so balanced. A balance that proved to be a struggle for the hardworking Gym Leader to learn.

"Hurry, Raikiri! QUICK ATTACK! Time's running out!" Josh cried, the thundercat disappearing into a lightning fast, claws-first charge as the final seconds wound down. Instant replay could be needed to determine the outcome of this one!

The Zeraora and the Poochyena's shadow shot toward one another with incredible speed, the Top Champion matching the Gym Leader's aggression in the final seconds of the match. Raikiri looked tired after the brutally fast exchange of blows, and Josh anticipated Kilo would be, as well. With the horn blaring just as the two sliced at one another in their speedy attacks, it would come down to a judge decision.

After lengthy deliberation, the red flag was waved in Kyle's direction, and the green in Josh's. the challenger collapsing to his knees. "I...I won?" he gasped. "I...I beat you, Kyle?" He was shaking. Perhaps MATIAS SILPH 's assessment of him wasn't true, and that he really was Champion material, after all!