- “At this point, I don’t know anymore. I feel better than when I was at the Wallace Cup, that’s for sure, and I felt fine before I realized Ian was apart of this Contest. Our rivalry used to be pretty intense even as we traveled together. Now, here I am wondering if I’ll even make it to the Grand Festival with an obstacle like him in my way. I don’t want my hard work to fail me now of all times.”—Aaron, the most stressed he's ever been
The long-awaited reunion between Aaron and Ian happens in this one.
This chapter contains examples of:
- Acceptable Breaks from Canon: A Pokemon Contest wasn't ever held in Sunyshore City, but it's reasonable to assume one could happen there. Also, by Word of God, the Grand Festival will come after the Lily of the Valley Conference as opposed to the other way around in the actual anime canon. He admits it was initially an oversight but became so ingrained into the story timeline that it'd too be inconvenient to fix. This chapter makes the slight canon divergence.
- Blood Knight: Ian's Spiritomb is vicious and bloodthirsty. Ian himself also shows shade of this.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Aaron receives one courtesy of Emilia.
- Feed It with Fire: The Ability of Aaron's Lucario is Justified, whereupon its attack power gets increased every time it clashes with a Dark-type. Spiritomb and Honchkrow have been doing that all throughout the contest.
- Good is Not Nice: This chapter clearly establishes Ian as someone who's nice when he meet wants to be, not on a normal basis.
- Heroic BSoD: Between trying to get his final ribbon to enter the Grand Festival and knowing an apparently stronger Ian is around, the pressure gets to Aaron so much he almost suffers a panic attack. Ash, Brock, and Dawn get him out of it.
- Hidden Depths: Yes, Aaron is a normal human being with his own flaws and worries.
- Knight in Shining Armor: Aaron's Lucario. He's righteous, fearless, brave, and a protector of the weak with an iron will to match.
- Knight in Sour Armor: Ian's Spiritomb. A Determinator who's loyal to Ian but is morally grey and aggressive.
- Mythology Gag: The "white hand" joke from Lavender Town is used by Ian on Dawn.
- Nightmare Fuel Station Attendant: Ian's contest combinations and performances aren't geared toward wowing the crowd with bright lights, sparkles, and the like. He uses themes of darkness and horror to provoke reactions out of the crowd and the judges. So, he winds up frightening people as much as, if not more than, he mystifies them. And it works.
- The Prankster: Spiritomb terrified Pikachu for the sheer heck of it and then menaced him, Piplup, and Croagunk to satisfy its lust for combat. Ian approves. He himself later engages in some pranking on Dawn.
- Pyrrhic Victory: Aaron claims victory against Ian, but he and his Pokemon are so burnt out they suffer a Curb-Stomp Battle in the finals, rendering their overall efforts meaningless.
- Shout-Out: Ian's Appeal Round performance is him narrating the tale of the Black Fog. You know, from The Electric Tale of Pikachu?
- Took a Level in Badass: Remember that childlike Riolu in the very first chapter? He's back as a give-no-fucks, battle-hardened Lucario. With all the power and might that implies.
