Alola, everyone! We're back with two straight chapters of "The Challenge of a Lifetime" for the next quarterfinal match between Hau and Gladion. When I initially thought up this battle, I was a bit concerned, especially since it'd be between two rivals. Eliminating one would feel bad for me, since that one in particular would have to be pushed to the side for the remainder of the arc.
Not to mention that either one wouldn't get to battle Erika or Calvin. So the best course of action here was to have either of them go out in a blaze of glory in their last battle of the tournament, giving them a satisfying conclusion. I'm sure some of you might know the outcome, but you're going to see an amazing battle nonetheless. Welcome back to "The Challenge of a Lifetime"!
POKÉMON SUN & MOON
THE CHALLENGE OF A LIFETIME
"Ah…" Lusamine exhaled as her eyes started to flutter open.
"Mother!" her daughter's voice exclaimed. The Aether Foundation president's vision was blurry, as she could only make out so much of the person beside her. She was lying in a hospital bed, having an I.V. strapped to her right arm as she blinked slowly. Once she regained her focus, she saw Lillie clear as day, smiling at her warmly.
"Lillie…" she uttered out.
"I'm here, Mother," she assured, holding her right hand firmly in both of her own.
"Have I been asleep long…?" she wondered aloud.
"You've been in and out," her daughter replied, "We were looking to figure out how dispel the neurotoxins from Nihilego in your body," she told her.
"Yes… I remember now…" she said, lying down and exhaling a sigh, "I'm so sorry…" she apologized quietly to Lillie's surprise, "This whole crusade I was on should've been for my whole family, not just myself…" she pointed out, "I neglected you and Gladion so selfishly, even though you were only trying to help…" she mentioned, managing to grip her daughter's hand, "Thank you for reminding me of that," she added gratefully.
"Of course," Lillie responded. Lusamine took another deep breath before looking around the room.
"Where… is your brother, by chance?" she inquired curiously.
"Oh, that's what I was hoping to tell you if you woke up today!" her daughter answered excitedly, "He's taking part in Alola's first-ever Pokémon League!" she pointed out.
"Really?" her mother questioned as she blinked, "I had no idea he was such a battler…" she noted in admittance.
"He's made his way up to the quarterfinals, too," Lillie mentioned, "I think he's actually supposed to battle next!" she added, getting up and grabbing the remote on the dresser beside the bed, clicking the power button. The TV at the other end of the room turned on, showing quartet of Dahlia, Argenta, Thorton, and Darach at an analyst desk.
"That first match was absolutely incredible!" the former of the group admitted excitedly, "Erika pulled herself through some tough spots, especially with Primarina helping out!" she noted.
"I believe that her results were more based on luck than skill, at least until Primarina came into battle," the Factory Head proclaimed in response, "Her Clefable just happening to use Rapid Spin at precisely the right time to remove the Stealth Rock from her side of the field?" he recalled in question.
"While she may have had lady luck on her side, I don't doubt her and her team's drive to be victorious," Darach chimed in, "I think it's fair to say that she is one to watch now, especially after beating Pyrrha," he pointed out seriously.
"I hear you, Darach," Argenta concurred with a grin, "But now, I think it's time we get ready for the next match," she advised of her fellow Frontier Brains, "Who's winning for you?" she inquired of them.
"It seems obvious, but I'm inclined to think that Gladion comes out on top here," Thorton answered, folding his arms over his chest.
"I dunno…" Dahlia admitted as she shrugged, "Between you and me, I think Hau has a team with a better variety…" she noted.
"That's true," Darach agreed with a nod, "Nonetheless, I feel as if Gladion's a much stronger candidate than Hau when it comes to how well they've battled through the tournament," he told his colleagues.
"I'm thinking it'll be Gladion, too," Argenta confessed, "But we'll see," she remarked.
"Yep!" Dahlia exclaimed, "We'll be sending things back up to Jim and Tom in just a moment, folks!" she confirmed before the broadcast cut to commercial. Lusamine looked on with awe before she smiled.
"So Gladion's in the quarterfinals against sweet little Hau, hm?" she noted. Lillie nodded.
"To be honest, I don't know who I would want to win more…" she confessed, "They're both important to me…" she pointed out with a blush on her cheeks.
"Whoever wins, you'll be happy," her mother affirmed, getting her attention as she blinked in surprise, "Seeing both family and friends be happy is the most important thing," she mentioned warmly. Her daughter smiled, sniffling a little before she went over to hug her. Their relationship had been mended well. And now, they would bond over to spectacle of the Lanakila Conference.
OPENING
Insert "Rise Above" by Rainych
Opens with the sun dawning over Mount Lanakila. In spite of its freezing air, Calvin and Erika stand firm alongside their full teams of Pokémon as the wind rushes by. Near the base of the mountain is the site of what will be Alola's first ever Pokémon League, where Kukui stands with an excited grin on his face.
A rainbow of flower petals washes over the logo as we cut to Calvin lamenting on the boardwalk of the Seafolk Village, sitting alone and wondering if he can really take on the rest of the island challenge. At the same time, Erika is lying on her bed upon her side, thinking about the exact same thing. They both clench their fists determinedly, ready to see things through.
We cut to Calvin flying aboard a Charizard, while Erika's aboard a Pelipper. They fly throughout each of Alola's islands, smiling all the while. They see Ilima, Lana, Kiawe, Mallow, Sophocles, Acerola, Mina, Hala, Olivia, Nanu, and Hapu along the way as they arrive at the Pokémon League.
There, they're greeted by their parents and their big sister, who encourage them as they enter through the doors into the stadium. Inside, they find Hau, Pyrrha, Paige, Trent, and Gladion there. Others like Ryuki, Plumeria, and even Guzma are present. The Ketchum twins both grin excitedly, prepared to engage in some amazing battles.
The scene changes to Calvin commanding his Toucannon to use Beak Blast to take down a Machoke, while Erika has her Lurantis use X-Scissor to down an opponent's Bisharp. Hau's Decidueye goes up against Gladion and Silvally. The Synthetic Pokémon evades his foe's arrow quills before landing a powerful Fire-type Multi-Attack. Decidueye endures it, while Hau prepares a green Z-Crystal with a symbol similar to his partner, cracking a smirk.
We cut to Paige revealing a Key Stone around her neck as she uses it to Mega Evolve her Blaziken, who speeds out to attack Pyrrha's Typhlosion with a Blaze Kick. He counters by using Flamethrower. In the meantime, Trent commands his Alolan Ninetales to use Blizzard on Ryuki's Turtonator. The Blast Turtle Pokémon endures the freezing winds, unleashing a Flamethrower that appears to engulf his foe.
Calvin and Erika are then facing off, with Incineroar and Primarina battling for them. The two collide via a Flare Blitz/Aqua Jet, resulting in a powerful blast. As it clears, we witness Lycanroc slamming his clenched paws against the ground for a Stone Edge aimed to take down Araquanid. However, the Water Bubble Pokémon blasts the incoming stone pillars apart with Liquidation. Oricorio in her Baile Style comes out to unleash the searing fireball of a Revelation Dance toward Toucannon, who endures the attack and retaliates with Hyper Voice.
As the dust settles, we see Lurantis enduring Trop Kicks from Tsareena, gathering sunlight to unleash a Solar Blade onto the Fruit Pokémon. Mimi comes out from the dust, unleashing Shadow Claws onto Starbright, who endures them. She then strikes back with a Meteor Mash, merely busting the costume of the Disguise Pokémon as she chases after her opponent. Finally, we have Marowak using Shadow Bone to bash the incoming icicles of Sandslash, who dives down at him with an Iron Head.
The dust clears again, revealing the Ketchum twins staring at each other confidently with their teams. They're prepared for whatever else is ahead for them as they stand outside the stadium as the sun sets…
END OPENING
Z-zing the Moment!
"Congratulationzzz, Erika!" Rotom complimented as the now semifinalist had arrived in the stands to meet up with her family, being caught off guard by a sudden hug from her mother.
"Oh, I'm so proud of you!" she exclaimed, holding her tight.
"M-Mom…!" she gasped out as her face turned blue. Fortunately, Mirajane had the insight to let her go, giggling happily.
"Jahng!" Jangmo-o yipped as he leapt into his trainer's arms, much to her surprise as she caught him.
"Jangmo-o…" she uttered.
"Jah, jahng!" the Scaly Pokémon chirped happily, making her grin.
"Way to go, Erika," Leslie complimented, getting her attention.
"Yeah, that battle was amazing!" Ash affirmed on.
"Peekah!" Pikachu excitedly squeaked.
"Thanks, Dad. Thanks, Les," the semifinalist replied gratefully, "Now we've just gotta wait to see who comes out on top next, huh?" she pointed out.
"And it'll be the person you face in the semifinals," Mirajane mentioned, sitting down in her seat, as did her youngest daughter.
"Hau or Gladion, yeah…" she confirmed with a nod.
"I'm not sure who would win a battle between them, zzt…" Rotom admitted.
"I think it's all going to come down to if Hau has a strategy for battling Gladion's team…" its user noted in reply, narrowing her eyes.
"Welcome back to the quarterfinals of the first-ever Alola League!" Jim exclaimed over the broadcast, "We just finished an exciting first battle between Erika Ketchum and Pyrrha Eucliffe, with Erika emerging the victor and being the first to move on to the semifinals!" he told the audience, "Now it's time for the second match, which'll be between Hau Hughes and Gladion Aether!" he announced, making the crowd cheer. Both boys ventured out from their respective tunnels, having determined looks upon their faces.
"Good luck, Hau!" Sawyer cheered from the stands.
"Do your best!" Lisanna added loudly. Their son wasn't his usual, happy-go-lucky self. He actually seemed serious, having his fists clenched as he stepped into his box on his side of the field.
"Both these boys have shown a masterful display during their runs in this tournament," Tom pointed out through the loudspeakers, "Gladion with a team helmed by the amazing strength his Silvally, and Hau's team with versatility amongst Pokémon of many different types," he mentioned.
"Quite right, Tom!" Jim agreed, "Now it's time to see which of these two will be the one to challenge Erika in the semifinals!" he noted excitedly. On the field, Dan stepped out in between the two competitors.
"Trainers, this is a six-on-six full battle!" he announced, "Each side may make substitutions at any time!" he mentioned on, "When all of one side's Pokémon are unable to continue, the battle will be over!" he declared, "Now please select your Pokémon to begin the match!" he requested loudly, throwing his arms up. The big screens of the stadium with both trainers' images, along with six Poké Ball symbols underneath them. Gladion enlarged an Ultra Ball in his right hand, while Hau readied a Poké Ball, pressing its center button.
"Raichu, let's go!" the latter of the two trainers yelled, throwing his spherical container forward.
"Weavile, go!" the former exclaimed, firing his own Poké Ball out. They popped open, with their lights shooting out and forming, dissipating to reveal the Sharp Claw Pokémon and the Alolan Mouse Pokémon respectively.
"Wee!" the former exclaimed as he landed upon the ground, while his foe floated upon his tail.
"And it's Weavile against Raichu to start things off!" Jim exclaimed into the microphone, "Now who'll make the first move?" he wondered aloud as the images of both Pokémon appeared on the big screen under their respective trainers.
"Raichu, Quick Attack!" Hau ordered, sticking his right hand out.
"Ryy!" the Alolan Mouse Pokémon responded, outlining himself in a whitish light before zipping out at his opponent.
"Night Slash!" Gladion commanded. Weavile formed a purple energy blade in his hands, holding it in his right before swinging it out at his incoming foe. They collided, gritting their teeth as they tried to push each other back. Ultimately, Raichu was forced away in a yelp. He managed to regain his balance in midair, shaking his head.
"Darn…" Hau grumbled out under his breath.
"Weavile'zzz a Dark-type, so he'zzz got an advantage over Raichu…" Rotom noted from the stands.
"I'm sure Hau knows that," Ash chimed in, "I bet he's trying to see what other kinds of moves Weavile might have…" he inferred, narrowing his eyes a little.
"Shadow Claw!" Gladion ordered with a swing of his right arm. A dark, shadowy aura outlined in violet shrouded both of the Sharp Claw Pokémon's arms in the form of claws. He rushed toward his foe.
"Quick Attack to dodge!" Hau instructed.
"Ry, ryy!" Raichu responded, outlining his body in white before zipping around speedily to evade his foe's attempted swipes.
"Raichu's doing everything in his power not to take a super effective hit here!" Jim pointed out over the broadcast, "This battle definitely looks like it'll come down to speed!" he added excitedly. At that moment, another failed swipe from Weavile ended up with him struck squarely in the back by the Alolan Mouse Pokémon, causing him to go flying before he hit the ground on his stomach.
"Weavile!" his trainer cried out.
"Nice going, Hau!" Lisanna cheered from the stands. Sawyer looked with a smile, as did Hala.
"Now Thunderbolt!" the ponytailed boy ordered. Yellow electricity sparked from Raichu's cheeks before it enveloped his body. He unleashed a powerful bolt of lightning down onto Weavile just as he got onto his feet, zapping him as he screamed with pain.
"And Weavile takes a direct hit from that Thunderbolt!" Jim noted through the loudspeakers as an explosion of dust enveloped the field, "Will that be what does him in?!" he wondered loudly.
"Weavile, use Ice Shard!" Gladion commanded as he swung his left arm out. From within the cloud of dust, the Sharp Claw Pokémon prepared a ring of icy shards in front of his body, which glowed light blue. He threw them out through the dust, heading for Raichu.
"Quick, Psychic!" Hau called out. The Alolan Mouse Pokémon's eyes glowed a bright pinkish-purple. That same light shrouded the ice shards, which were psychically halted before they could reach him. In that very moment, they shattered.
"Night Slash!" Gladion ordered on. Weavile leapt out from the remainder of the dust cloud, preparing another purple blade of light in his right hand. Raichu had no time to react.
"Weee… VY!" the Sharp Claw Pokémon exclaimed as he slashed past his foe in an instant.
"Ryyy…!" he squeaked out in pain, floating toward the ground as his opponent landed behind him.
"Raichu!" his trainer cried out.
"Oh, and Raichu takes a super effective hit from that Night Slash!" Jim noted over the broadcast.
"That Weavile's pretty good…" Trent commented from the locker room.
"We all haven't really gotten a chance to see Gladion's team in action, so it's a good opportunity to see what he's capable of," Paige mentioned thoroughly.
"Yeah…" Calvin agreed, clenching his fists.
"Raichu, you okay to keep going?" Hau asked of his partner back on the field.
"R-Ryy!" he stammered out assuredly, taking on a determined expression.
"Okay, then Quick Attack!" his trainer commanded, swinging his right arm out. A white light outlined the Alolan Mouse Pokémon yet again before he shot forward, heading toward his foe.
"Dig!" Gladion ordered.
"Vyle!" Weavile responded, burrowing into the ground just before his opponent could reach him, much to his surprise.
"Weavile goes for a surprising Dig, leaving Raichu wondering where he might pop up!" Jim pointed out through the loudspeakers.
"Watch your back, Raichu!" Hau called out. Unfortunately, his warning came too late as the Sharp Claw Pokémon shot up from the ground, swiping at his foe from behind as he yelled in pain. "Raichu!" the ponytailed boy screamed.
"Now Shadow Claw!" Gladion commanded, sticking his left hand out. A dark, shadowy aura shrouded Weavile's arms in the shape of claws, outlined in violet.
"Raichu, Focus Blast!" Hau ordered quickly. In spite of his pain, the Alolan Mouse Pokémon whipped around, preparing a yellow sphere of energy in his stubby hands. He had it collide with his foe, resulting in a fierce blast that blew them both back.
"Raichu's Focus Blast comes in the nick of time, saving him from taking another bad hit!" Jim excitedly pointed out into the microphone.
"Raichu, use Thunderbolt!" the ponytailed boy commanded with a pump of his right fist. The Alolan Mouse Pokémon made his cheeks spark with yellow electricity, becoming enveloped in it.
"Night Slash!" Gladion ordered.
"Wee!" Weavile responded, readying another purple blade of light in his hands. He lunged out at his foe, only for him to unleash the electricity surrounding him in the form of a lightning bolt. It struck the Sharp Claw Pokémon, zapping him as he shrieked, falling onto the ground afterwards. Dan ran over to assess his condition. He groaned as swirls were in his eyes.
"Weavile is unable to battle!" the referee announced as he raised his right arm, "Raichu wins!" he confirmed. The crowd cheered.
"Weavile's the first to fall, leaving Gladion with just five Pokémon left for this battle!" Jim noted over the broadcast as the image of the Sharp Claw Pokémon was greyed out upon the screen.
"Nice going, Hau!" Erika cheered from the stands.
"Having Focus Blast really helped turn the tide," Leslie pointed out, folding her arms underneath her chest.
"Things are already looking good for our nephew," Mirajane added over to her husband, who nodded in agreement. Back on the field, Gladion returned his Weavile to his Ultra Ball in a beam of red light.
"Thanks for your hard work," he said in gratitude, "Take a good long rest," he advised, putting the spherical container away after he shrunk it.
"Ryy… ryy…" Raichu breathed out exhaustedly as he floated in front of his trainer. He looked at him in concern before taking a deep breath and sighing. He pulled out the Alolan Mouse Pokémon's Poké Ball.
"Raichu, take a rest for now," he requested, causing his partner to perk up in surprise, "It's okay, I promise," he assured with a small smile. Raichu seemed reluctant, but he allowed his trainer to return him to the spherical container in a beam of red light.
"So Hau decides that the best course of action is to switch in wake of Raichu's victory," Jim noted through the loudspeakers.
"I think that's a smart call, especially since you don't know what Pokémon your opponent will send out next," Tom added thoroughly. As the ponytailed teen put the Poké Ball away, he pulled out another one, enlarging it with a press of its button.
"You're up, Crabominable!" he exclaimed as he threw it out. It popped open, with its light pouring onto the field and shaping into form. After a moment, it dissipated to reveal the Woolly Crab Pokémon.
"Crahhhh…!" he bellowed out.
"Hau's made the switch to Crabominable, one of the most interesting Ice-types here in Alola!" Jim pointed out into the microphone. The image of the Woolly Crab Pokémon appeared on the big screen underneath his trainer, while Raichu's had been moved aside. Gladion readied what looked like a Friend Ball in his hand.
"Lucario!" he called out, having it open up. Its light shot onto the field, dissipating to reveal the Aura Pokémon.
"Rah!" he barked, standing firmly.
"Whoa, he's got a Lucario?!" Erika exclaimed in question as her eyes widened.
"And Gladion decides to use his Lucario to turn the tide, hopefully!" Jim noted over the broadcast.
"So it's a battle between two Fighting-types, huh?" Hau realized as he grinned.
"And they're both weak to each other…" the former enforcer mentioned.
"In that case, we'll get things started!" the ponytailed boy declared, "Crabominable, Icy Wind!" he commanded, pointing forward. The Woolly Crab Pokémon opened his claws and mouth, releasing a chilling wind with blue sparkles that went toward his foe.
"Extreme Speed!" Gladion yelled. A greenish light shrouded Lucario before he zipped forward instantaneously. He evaded the wind before slamming into Crabominable, pushing him back a few feet.
"Yowza!" Jim exclaimed through the loudspeakers, "Lucario's Extreme Speed already goes ahead and gives Crabominable a rude awakening!" he pointed out, "Looks like speed could be the deciding factor here!" he mentioned excitedly.
"Aura Sphere!" the former enforcer ordered, sticking his left hand out. The Aura Pokémon landed down, preparing an orb of blue energy upon his forepaws. He fired it out toward his foe.
"Quick, Stone Edge!" Hau shouted. Slamming his claws against the ground, Crabominable had light blue stone pillars erect, blocking off the incoming orb in a fierce explosion.
"This doesn't look good for Hau…" Trent admitted from inside the locker room, getting Calvin's attention as he blinked in surprise.
"Yeah, Crabominable's just too slow to deal with Lucario…" Paige noted in agreement. The Ketchum boy grimaced, looking back at the TV with confidence in his expression. He was sure that his cousin had a plan.
"Now Flash Cannon!" Gladion commanded. The Aura Pokémon prepared a white ball of energy in between his forepaws, having it grow slightly. Hau grimaced.
"Use Icy Wind!" he ordered. Opening his claws and mouth, Crabominable released a chilling air with light blue sparkles. It washed over Lucario, though it failed to really hinder him as he fired off a beam of white and light-blue luminosity, which struck his target squarely in the chest.
"Crahhh…" he groaned out, stumbling back a step.
"Ooh, and Crabominable takes a really bad hit from that Flash Cannon!" Jim winced out into the microphone.
"He's already had to take quite a few heavy hits so far…" Tom mentioned.
"Crabominable, Icy Wind!" Hau commanded again. The Wooly Crab Pokémon opened his claws and mouth again, expelling another chilling wind onto his foe. He crossed his arms over his face to endure it, gritting his teeth.
"Extreme Speed!" Gladion ordered. Lucario cloaked his body in a greenish glow once again, dashing forward to collide with his opponent to push him back. However, the ponytailed boy cracked a grin afterwards.
"Now Power-Up Punch!" he yelled. Crabominable regained his composure, rearing his right claw back as it became surrounded by a golden aura.
"Dodge it!" Gladion called out. To his surprise though, the Aura Pokémon wasn't quick enough to get away as his foe struck him squarely upside his head, making him slide back.
"One more time!" Hau instructed as he pointed forward.
"Crah!" the Woolly Crab Pokémon responded, having both of his claws became surrounded in the golden aura as he punched at his opponent over and over.
"And Crabominable goes on the offensive, bombarding Lucario with a series of Power-Up Punches!" Jim noted over the broadcast.
"Whoa, no way…" Erika uttered from the stands, "He's using the same kinda strategy I did against Plumeria!" she realized, recalling the time when her Primarina's Icy Wind had slowed down Salazzle, thus leading to her team's victory back in the third round.
"By slowing Lucario down enough, Crabominable can fight on equal footing now," Leslie mentioned.
"And thanks to Power-Up Punch, his other moves are getting a lot stronger, too," Ash added.
"Rah!" the Aura Pokémon on the field yelped as he slid back, breathing heavily.
"I didn't expect you pull off such a strategy…" Gladion admitted with a grin toward his opponent, who smirked back.
"Things aren't going to go the same as they did last time!" he affirmed confidently, "Now Ice Hammer!" he ordered. Crabominable held his right claw up, cloaking it in an icy blue light that had mist wafting off from it.
"Lucario, Ice Punch!" the former enforcer commanded. The Aura Pokémon clenched his right forepaw, cloaking it within an icy blue light. He thrusted it out, having it collide with his foe's claw in a powerful shockwave, followed by a burst of mist.
"A collision of Ice-type moves leaves the field shrouded in mist as both trainers wait to see the results of it!" Jim yelled through the loudspeakers as the crowd kept cheering.
"Lucario, use Extreme Speed!" Gladion ordered, swinging his left arm out. Within the mist, the Aura Pokémon cloaked his body in a greenish aura once again, dashing out instantaneously. He rushed and struck his foe over and over before he could properly, making him stumble back.
"Hang in there, Crabominable!" his trainer called out, "Use Ice Hammer!" he commanded. An icy blue light shrouded the right claw of the Woolly Crab Pokémon as he raised it up again, letting mist waft off from it. Lucario closed in on him again, enticing him to swing his claw down on him, but he flipped over him as he struck the ground fiercely instead. "Ah!" Hau gasped.
"Now Aura Sphere!" the former enforcer commanded. Lucario prepared a blue orb of energy in his forepaws, throwing it down. Crabominable turned too late as he was struck squarely on the head in a burst of smoke. He toppled over onto the ground, having swirls in his eyes. Dan ran over to assess his condition.
"Crabominable is unable to battle!" he announced, raising his left arm, "Lucario wins!" he declared.
"Rah," the Aura Pokémon huffed proudly.
"And Lucario pulls out the first win of the battle for Gladion, taking down Crabominable in what seemed like a close match!" Jim noted into the microphone as the Woolly Crab Pokémon's image on the big screen was greyed out.
"Oh no…" Lisanna uttered worriedly, while her husband clenched his fists over his knees in frustration. They watched as their son returned his Crabominable to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"Thanks for all your hard work, Crabominable," he said with gratitude, "Take a good rest," he advised, putting the spherical away after shrinking it by pressing its button.
"Lucario, return," Gladion said, recalling the Aura Pokémon to his Friend Ball.
"Wait, he's switching too?" Erika inquired out of surprise as she blinked.
"Just like Hau did before, zzt…" Rotom noted curiously. They watched as the former enforcer pulled out a Heal Ball, enlarging it with a press of its button.
"You're up next!" he called out, throwing it out toward the field. It popped open, with a pink light spewing out and shaping into form. After a moment, it dissipated to reveal a Pokémon whose head was fuchsia and ovoid in shape with a short, blunt antenna protruding upwards and a blue bill similar to that of a duck. Its eyes were yellow and had black rings, similar to a bullseye. The head was completely detached from the body and floated slightly above it. Its smooth, ovoid body was fuchsia with a blue ring connecting its arms. Two arms were loosely connected to their upper body and, other than their blue color, had no features. The tail was also blue and featureless but slightly resembled a paddle.
"Zee, zee!" it buzzed as it floated out in front of its trainer.
"What the heck…?" Hau uttered in surprise, while everyone marveled the sight of the newest Pokémon that Gladion had brought out.
"Oh my!" Jim exclaimed through the loudspeakers, "Gladion calls upon a Porygon-Z to take the reins in place of Lucario!" he noted excitedly.
X
"Porygon-Z?" Erika repeated upon hearing the play-by-play commentator's words, "I've never seen that Pokémon before…" she admitted.
"Neither have I…" her older sister chimed in.
"Me either…" Ash admitted with narrowed eyes of curiosity. Everyone looked at him in surprise. He was the last person they'd expect to not have some knowledge on a Pokémon.
"Leave it to me, zzt!" Rotom buzzed, bringing up an image of the Virtual Pokémon upon its screen, "Porygon-Z, the Virtual Pokémon," it began, "Porygon-Z had a program installed to allow it to move between dimensions, but the program also caused instability in its behavior. Some say that additional program made this Pokémon evolve, but even academics can't agree on whether Porygon-Z is really an evolution," it explained thoroughly.
"Sounds so weird…" Erika admitted, sounding nervous.
"Porygon-Z'zzz a Normal-type, which would've been good for Hau if he still had Crabominable to battle with, zzt…" the Pokédex noted.
"So what'll he do now?" Leslie wondered aloud. On the field, the ponytailed boy sweated a little. He couldn't think of who would be best to battle the Virtual Pokémon looming in front of him. Ultimately, he took out a Poké Ball from his belt, enlarging it with a press of its button.
"Counting on you, Noivern!" he exclaimed, throwing it up into the air. It burst open, with its light streaking up into the air and forming before dissipating to reveal the Sound Wave Pokémon.
"Nuuoooiii!" he screeched, flapping his wings as he remained airborne.
"And Hau calls upon Noivern to try and counter Porygon-Z!" Jim noted over the broadcast, "How will that plan fare?" he wondered aloud.
"Use Dragon Pulse!" the ponytailed boy commanded. Opening his mouth, the Sound Wave Pokémon released a multicolored beam of light in the shape of a dragon's head, streaking toward his foe.
"Counter it with Tri Attack!" Gladion called out. Porygon-Z zipped about, preparing orbs of yellow electric energy, blue icy energy, and orange fiery energy in front of itself. Each fired off a beam of lightning, ice, and fire respectively. They collided with the multicolored ray, resulting in a fierce blast.
"Ergh…" Hau growled out, "Noivern, Air Slash!" he ordered. The Sound Wave Pokémon's wings glowed a bright blue before he swung them out, unleashing several disc-shaped blades of air through the smoke.
"Psychic!" Gladion yelled.
"Zeezee…" Porygon-Z buzzed, having its eyes glow a bright pink. As the air blades were close to reaching him, they suddenly halted, having become encased in a pinkish energy. They burst like popping balloons.
"Oh my!" Jim exclaimed through the loudspeakers, "Porygon-Z already goes ahead and shows its strength in comparison to Noivern!" he pointed out excitedly.
"Now Ice Beam!" the former enforcer commanded. The Virtual Pokémon prepared a light blue ball of energy at the tip of its bills, unleashing several zigzagging rays.
"Dodge it!" Hau cried out. Noivern was quick to fly away from the beams as they streaked past him into the sky. However, more were shot his way by his foe, forcing him to roll and evade them.
"Tri Attack, Psychic, and now Ice Beam?" Leslie listed off from the stands, "What else could Porygon-Z know?" she wondered aloud.
"I've got no idea…" her little sister responded, grimacing out of worry.
"Noivern, use Boomburst!" Hau commanded. The Sound Wave Pokémon rolled away from another set of zigzagging beams before making his ears glow white. He fired off a powerful blast of sound toward his opponent below.
"Counter with Psychic!" Gladion instructed. Porygon-Z had its eyes glow a bright pink once more. The sound waves crashed onto him in a burst of dust.
"Yes!" the ponytailed boy exclaimed excitedly with a pump of his left fist. However, his joy faded once he saw the dust settle, revealing that the Virtual Pokémon's psychic power had blocked off the sound waves.
"Now Tri Attack!" the former enforcer ordered. Porygon-Z readied another trio of energy orbs, unleashing lighting, ice, and fire all at once.
"Dodge it!" Hau cried out. Unfortunately, Noivern wasn't quick enough to evade the beams as they struck, blowing him down toward the ground below. He luckily managed to flap his wings to regain his balance in midair, shaking his head.
"Verrrrnnnn!" he screeched out.
"Noivern takes a direct hit from Tri Attack, but still looks ready to keep on the pressure!" Jim noted into the microphone.
"Okay, use Dragon Pulse!" Hau commanded.
"Ice Beam!" Gladion roared. The Sound Wave Pokémon unleashed another multicolored beam in the shape of a dragon's head toward his foe, while Porygon-Z retaliated with zigzagging rays released from a ball of blue light formed at the tip of its bill. The attacks struck in another explosion of smoke, enveloping the field again.
"Noivern, use Fire Blast!" the ponytailed boy ordered, pumping his right fist forward. The Sound Wave Pokémon flew up a bit higher, opening his mouth as flames billowed inside of it. He released them in the shape of a five-pointed star, searing through the smoke.
"Dodge and use Psychic!" Gladion instructed, swinging his left hand out. Porygon-Z floated over the fiery star as it crashed against the ground in a fierce blast, going up to same height as its foe. It then made its eyes glow a bright pink as it concentrated intensely. A pink light outlined Noivern, who grimaced before finding himself forced downward, crashing into the ground.
"Noivern, no!" Hau screamed.
"Uh oh!" Jim yelped over the broadcast, "Looks like Porygon-Z finally got ahold of Noivern with Psychic, taking him down to the ground!" he pointed out excitedly.
"Now Tri Attack!" Gladion commanded. Orbs of energy formed around the Virtual Pokémon again, unleashing beams of yellow lightning, icy blue rays, and orange fire down at its opponent.
"Quick, dodge!" Hau cried out. Unfortunately, Noivern wasn't quick enough as the beams struck him in a smoky blast, making him tumble back. Yellow electricity crackled around his body as he winced with pain.
"Whoa, what just happened?!" Erika yelped in question.
"Tri Attack can either burn, freeze, or paralyze a target after it hits," her older sister explained as a response, "Looks like Noivern got the latter…" she noted with a grimace.
"Finish him off with Ice Beam!" Gladion ordered. A blue ball of light formed at the tip of Porygon-Z's bill.
"Noivern, Fire Blast!" Hau yelled desperately. The Sound Wave Pokémon tried to open his mouth, but found himself immobile thanks to the electricity sparking around him. That allowed for his foe to unleash zigzagging rays of light from the glowing blue ball. They struck, making him screech with agony as ice formed along his body. He fell over onto his right side. Dan ran over to him, assessing his condition. There were swirls in his eyes as he groaned.
"Noivern is unable to battle!" the referee announced as he raised his left arm, "Porygon-Z wins!" he confirmed. The crowd cheered as the image of the Sound Wave Pokémon on the big screens greyed out.
"Porygon-Z manages to make quick work of Noivern, bring Hau down to just four Pokémon to choose from!" Jim pointed out over the broadcast.
"Oh man…" Calvin uttered from the locker room, shocked by just how powerful the Virtual Pokémon was. Back on the field, the ponytailed boy returned his fallen partner to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"Sorry about that, Noivern…" he apologized, shrinking the spherical container with a press of its button, "You take a good rest, okay?" he advised, putting the Poké Ball away before grabbing another one, enlarging it as he pressed its button, "Raichu, you're back in!" he called out, tossing the spherical container forward. It popped open, with its light forming in midair and dissipating to reveal the Alolan Mouse Pokémon.
"Ry!" he exclaimed, floating out in front of his trainer.
"And Hau decides to send in Raichu again, hoping to turn things around!" Jim noted through the loudspeakers.
"Raichu did get the ball rolling earlier against Weavile, but…" Leslie started to say from the stands.
"It's difficult to tell if he'll be enough to handle Porygon-Z…" her father finished for her.
"Ryy… ryy…" the Alolan Mouse Pokémon breathed out, evidently still tired from his earlier battle. His trainer understood that, clenching his fists tightly.
"Raichu, Focus Blast!" he commanded, pumping his right fist forward. His partner prepared an orb of yellow energy upon his hands, rearing it back.
"Tri Attack!" Gladion ordered.
"Zeezeezzeeeee!" Porygon-Z buzzed, making orange, blue and yellow orbs appear around itself. As its foe launched the energy orb, it fired off beams of fire, ice, and lightning from its own. They collided with each other, resulting in a powerful blast that engulfed the field in black smoke.
"Now Quick Attack!" Hau yelled. Outlining his body in a whitish light, Raichu sped through the smoke before ramming into his foe, sending it flying back. However, it recovered in midair as its head twitched slightly.
"Use Signal Beam!" its trainer commanded.
"What?!" the ponytailed boy on the other side of the field exclaimed. Porygon-Z had a mass of pink energy form at the tip of its bill before unleashing a streaky beam with blue shapes around it. Raichu had no time to avoid it as it struck him squarely in the stomach, sending him flying back. "Raichu!" his trainer cried out.
"Oh, and Raichu takes a super effective Signal Beam from Porygon-Z!" Jim yelled into the microphone, "Is there anything it can't do?!" he wondered loudly.
"That Porygon-Z is scary strong…" Erika admitted, shuddering a little.
"Now Tri Attack!" Gladion ordered, enticing the Virtual Pokémon to prepare another trio of orange, blue, and yellow orbs in front of itself.
"Dodge and use Focus Blast!" Hau yelled quickly. Just as Porygon-Z fired off beams of fire, ice, and electricity, Raichu flew off to evade them, preparing another orb of yellow energy in his hands. He sped over behind his foe and flung the energy orb toward it.
"Stop it with Psychic!" the former enforcer instructed. The Virtual Pokémon whipped around, having its eyes glow a bright pink. As the energy orb closed in, it was suddenly halted by Porygon-Z's psychic power, bursting like a balloon.
"Shoot!" Hau yelped, while Gladion cracked a grin.
"Looks like Porygon-Z has no trouble stopping yet another Focus Blast from Raichu!" Jim noted over the broadcast, "So what happens now?" he wondered aloud.
"Psychic!" both trainers commanded. The two battlers had their eyes glow a bright pink, capturing each other in their psychic holds. The Alolan Mouse Pokémon gritted his teeth as he endured, trying to overpower his foe. The same applied to the Virtual Pokémon. Eventually, after a few more moments, they blew each other back, crashing into the walls on opposite sides of the field.
"Raichu!" Hau cried out, seeing that his partner had gotten embedded into the wall. It was the same case for Porygon-Z, but it was slowly starting to remove itself. The ponytailed boy grimaced. "Raichu, use Quick Attack!" he ordered. With his eyes shooting open, the Alolan Mouse Pokémon burst out from the wall, outlined in a white glow as he sped toward his opponent.
"Signal Beam!" Gladion commanded. Porygon-Z prepped another mass of pink energy upon the tip of its bill, firing a streaky beam with blue shapes surrounding it. Raichu had no chance to stop himself as the beam struck, knocking him down onto the ground.
"Raichu, no!" his trainer screamed. His partner did manage to float back up, but he seemed rather dizzied.
"Uh oh!" Jim yelped through the loudspeakers, "That last Signal Beam left Raichu confused from what it looks like, folks!" he pointed out.
"Now Tri Attack!" Gladion ordered. The Virtual Pokémon prepared another trio of orbs in front of itself. Hau grimaced.
"Quick Raichu, use Focus Blast!" he yelled out.
"R-Ryyy…" the Alolan Mouse Pokémon stammered out incoherently, unable to abide by his trainer's wishes. That allowed for Porygon-Z to fire off beams of fire, ice, and lightning respectively, all striking its target in a powerful blast. Everyone watched on at the cloud of dust that erupted from the attack, waiting for it to clear. When it finally did, it revealed Raichu lying upon the ground on his back with swirls in his eyes.
"Raichu is unable to battle!" he announced, raising his left arm again, "Porygon-Z wins!" he confirmed. The image of the Alolan Mouse Pokémon on the big screens was greyed out.
"And Porygon-Z brings Gladion another big win, putting him up three-to-one!" Jim noted into the microphone excitedly as the crowd cheered, "With that victory in check, we'll now be taking a brief intermission to give everyone in the audience a chance to recharge from those exciting battles!" he mentioned on.
"Hau…" Erika uttered worriedly from the stands, seeing her cousin sadly lower his head before returning his Raichu to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"Sorry, Raichu…" he apologized simply before putting the spherical container away. He watched as Gladion returned his Porygon-Z to its Heal Ball, giving it time to rest as well. The ponytailed boy clenched his fists tightly. He remembered the first time he battled the former enforcer, recalling what he said about his grandfather not battling him seriously. He wanted to prove him wrong. And he would do that here and now.
X
"That Porygon-Z is an absolute threat to Hau's team so far," Argenta noted to her fellow Frontier Brains during the intermission analysis, "Taking out both Noivern and Raichu singlehandedly was quite a sight…" she mentioned.
"Don't forget, Raichu had already battled earlier against Weavile," Darach chimed in.
"And both trainers still have three Pokémon each who've yet to battle," Dahlia added, "Still, I can't really see Hau's team pulling off a clutch victory unless there's a way for whoever's left on his side to take out a few of Gladion's Pokémon like Porygon-Z did," she pointed out in admittance.
"Indeed," Thorton agreed. As the Frontier Brains kept talking, Calvin was sitting down on the bench with his hands tightly gripping his knees. His cousin was in a bit of tailspin in this battle thus far. His opponent had just been far more adept and cunning.
"You okay?" Paige asked, getting his attention.
"Oh, uh, yeah…" he responded with a stutter, "I'm just… worried about how Hau could win…" he admitted.
"Same," the silvery-haired girl agreed as she sat down next to him, "Gladion's team is just way too strong, and we've only seen half of it!" she pointed out emphatically.
"Yeah…" Calvin said. Back on the field, his cousin was taking deep breaths to calm himself. A lot was going through his head, yet he wasn't about to waver.
"Trainers, we'll now be resuming the match!" Dan called out with both of his arms raised into the air, "Please select your Pokémon!" he requested of them. Gladion readied a Great Ball in his right hand, while Hau prepped a Poké Ball in his own.
"Crobat, go!" the former yelled, firing his spherical container out.
"Ariel, you're up!" the latter exclaimed as he tossed his Poké Ball forward. The two bounced off of each other before lights spewed out from them, forming in midair. On Gladion's side, the Bat Pokémon appeared, while on Hau's, his Vaporeon had arrived, landing on the ground.
"So the second half of this battle starts with Crobat against Vaporeon!" Jim noted over the loudspeakers, "Folks, I think we're in for quite a brawl!" he affirmed confidently.
"Cross Poison!" the former enforcer commanded. The Bat Pokémon's wings glowed purple as he soared down toward his opponent.
"Dodge and use Aqua Tail!" Hau yelled. His Vaporeon had water swirl around her tail as she took on a ready stance, seeing her foe close in. As he approached and folded his wings inward, attempting to slash her with them, she leapt over him, slamming her tail against the back of his head to make him crash against the ground.
"Oh my!" Jim exclaimed in surprise through the loudspeakers, "Vaporeon gets the drop on Crobat with a powerful Aqua Tail!" he noted excitedly.
"Nice one!" Erika cried out from the stands.
"Peekah, pika!" Pikachu squeaked as a cheer.
"Now Aurora Beam!" Hau commanded, pumping his right fist forward. Opening her mouth, Ariel unleashed a multicolored beam of light that shined like an aurora. It closed in on the downed Bat Pokémon, who was pushing himself back up.
"Dodge it!" his trainer called out, causing him to perk up as he flapped his wings to push himself up into the air as the beam struck the ground instead, "Acrobatics!" Gladion ordered. A blue glow shrouded Crobat as he zipped down at his foe again.
"Aqua Tail!" Hau yelled. Water swirled around the Bubble Jet Pokémon's tail as she swung it out to counter her foe. They collided, blowing each other back to opposite sides of the field. "Now use Hydro Pump!" the ponytailed boy commanded with a pump of his fist. His Vaporeon reared her head back, unleashing a powerful jet of water from her mouth.
"Acrobatics again!" the former enforcer instructed. Crobat glowed a bright blue once more as it zipped down, evading the water jet before striking at his opponent multiple times, making her grimace.
"Vayyy…" she growled as her foe flew behind her, flapping his wings to remain airborne.
"Now X-Scissor!" Gladion ordered. The Bat Pokémon's wings glowed a bright yellowish-green as he closed in on his foe, folding them inward in an x-shaped pattern. However, Hau cracked a smirk.
"Last Resort!" he commanded, causing Gladion to blink in surprise. Ariel became outlined in a golden aura as orbs of energy were being absorbed into her body. As Crobat closed in, she leapt up, having the aura surrounding her form into a massive star in front of her body. She fired it out, striking him in a powerful blast.
"Yowza!" Jim yelped into the microphone, "Vaporeon catches Crobat by surprise with a powerful Last Resort!" he noted excitedly.
"Last Resort is a move that doesn't work unless the user's used each of their other moves in battle," Tom explained, chiming in. The smoke cleared, revealing that Crobat was evidently shaken from the blow, breathing heavily
"Crohhh…" he growled out.
"Use Cross Poison!" his trainer commanded. The Bat Pokémon had his wings glow a bright purple as he dove toward his foe again.
"Aurora Beam!" Hau ordered. Ariel opened her mouth and released another multicolored beam of light. Her opponent evaded it though, swiping her with his sharp wings as she yelped in pain. A purple glow appeared upon her body with sparks and bubbles to follow, indicating that she had been poisoned. However, she steeled herself, whipping around and firing off another multicolored ray from her mouth. It struck her foe in the back, making him fall and crash onto the ground in a heap.
"Crohhh…" he groaned as swirls were in his eyes. Dan jogged over to assess his condition.
"Crobat is unable to battle!" he announced, raising his right arm, "Vaporeon wins!" he confirmed. On the big screens, the image of the Bat Pokémon was greyed out. The crowd cheered.
"Vaporeon, in spite of getting poisoned, is able to score a solid victory over Crobat!" Jim noted over the broadcast.
"But with her poisoned now, I don't know how things'll turn out for Hau…" Tom mentioned.
"A win's a win at least…" Erika remarked from the stands.
"But Hau still has to deal with four more of Gladion's Pokémon," her older sister pointed out, "two of which haven't even battled yet," she added seriously.
"What's Hau going to do now?" Mirajane wondered. Her husband hummed in thought, closing his eyes. Meanwhile, the former enforcer returned his fallen partner to his Great Ball in a beam of red light.
"You did well," he noted with a small smile, "Take a good rest," he advised, putting the spherical container away after shrinking it with a press of its button.
"Ariel, are you okay to keep going?" Hau asked of his Vaporeon, who winced as the glow of the poison reappeared for a moment.
"Vay!" she yipped determinedly.
"He's sticking with Vaporeon even though she's poisoned…" Trent noted from the locker room.
"That might be a bad call…" Paige chimed in, crossing her arms over her chest. Calvin clenched his fists over his knees, hoping that his cousin would be able to prevail. In the meantime, Gladion prepared a Heal Ball in his right hand, enlarging it with a press of its button.
"Porygon-Z, go!" he called out, throwing it out onto the field. It burst open, with its pink light shaping into form in midair, dissipating to reveal the Virtual Pokémon.
"Zeezee!" it buzzed.
"Not again…!" Hau grumbled out as he clenched his teeth.
"Porygon-Z comes back into the battle, looking to nab its third victory of the match!" Jim pointed out excitedly through the loudspeakers.
"Signal Beam!" Gladion commanded. A pink mass of energy started to form at the tip of the Virtual Pokémon's bill.
"Ariel, Aqua Tail!" Hau ordered. His Vaporeon made water swirl around her mermaid-like tail as she dashed forward, leaping up and swinging it to strike her foe. It hit, knocking it back. However, Porygon-Z managed to fire off a pink beam of light with various blue shapes surrounding it. The Bubble Jet Pokémon had no way to evade it as she wound up struck, getting sent crashing against the ground.
"Now Ice Beam!" Gladion roared out. The Virtual Pokémon formed a blue ball of energy at the tip of his bill, unleashing several zigzagging beams of light from it.
"Dodge and use Last Resort!" Hau yelled, enticing Ariel to quickly jump back to avoid the zigzagging rays as they struck the ground, creating patches of ice. She then leapt up as she became outlined in a golden aura as orbs of energy were being absorbed into her body. A massive star of golden energy formed in front of her, which she fired out.
"Counter it with Tri Attack!" Gladion instructed. Orbs of orange, blue and yellow energy appeared around Porygon-Z. It fired off rays of fire, ice, and lighting, each striking the incoming star. A massive explosion occurred, engulfing the field in smoke.
"Porygon-Z continues to prove its power, stopping that Last Resort!" Jim noted into the microphone loudly. Hau tightly clenched his fists.
"Hydro Pump!" he ordered. Within the smoke, his Vaporeon aimlessly unleashed a jet of water from her mouth. It tore through the black clouds, actually heading for the Virtual Pokémon.
"Dodge and use Psychic!" Gladion yelled. His partner dashed up to evade the water jet as it streaked by. Hau gasped as Ariel winced from the glow of the poison reappearing on her person with bubbles and sparks. In that moment, Porygon-Z made its eyes shine a bright pink. A pink outline glowed around its foe below before she found herself psychically lifted into the air.
"Ariel, use Aurora Beam!" her trainer commanded desperately. Unfortunately, the Bubble Jet Pokémon was unable to do anything while trapped in her opponent's psychic hold. She felt her body contort and twist before she was flung onto the ground hard.
"Vayyy…" she groaned as she slowly stood back up, whimpering a little.
"Now Signal Beam!" Gladion ordered. Porygon-Z floated back down, releasing a pink beam of energy from the tip of its bill with various blue squares surrounding it.
"Quick, Hydro Pump!" Hau yelled out. But it was too late. The beam struck his Vaporeon right in the face in a burst of grey smoke. Everyone gasped. Dan ran over as the smoke started to clear. When it did, it revealed the Bubble Jet Pokémon lying on her side with swirls in her eyes.
"Vaporeon is unable to battle!" the referee announced as he raised his left arm, "Porygon-Z wins!" he confirmed. The crowd cheered. Vaporeon's image on the big screen greyed out.
"No way…" Erika uttered in disbelief. Her cousin's eyes shook.
"Just like that, Porygon-Z pulls out another solid win, giving it three in this match!" Jim pointed out over the broadcast.
"Two of those matches it won were all by itself, too," Tom mentioned.
"With Hau now left to just two Pokémon to Gladion's four, will he be able to pull off an upset victory?" the play-by-play commentator wondered as the ponytailed boy in question returned Ariel to her Poké Ball in a beam of red light. Hearing their words, he hoped that there would be a miracle. He looked to the stands, seeing his parents and his grandfather seated there. Looking back on his life, he wondered where things had ultimately changed for him…
ENDING
Insert "Who Are You?" by PELICAN FANCLUB
Opens at Aether Paradise as Lillie is with her bedridden mother, sleeping by her side. In her dreams, she's imagining becoming a Pokémon Trainer herself, journeying through regions with her Pokémon by her side. She starts running along the pathway, excitedly smiling all the while.
Throughout her journey in her dream, she comes across many great things. She encounters amazing Pokémon, strong trainers to battle, and memorable sights. Her Pokémon of choice is a Clefairy which she happily lifts in her hands.
All of a sudden, the area around them darkens as a shadow looms over them. Lillie looks up in horror to see a giant version of Lusamine engulfed by Nihilego overhead. She cowers in fright momentarily, but then notices a bright light shining up above.
It turns out to be Solgaleo, who comes down with Calvin and Erika aboard. They both offer their hands to Lillie, who happily accepts them as she climbs onto the Sunne Pokémon. They hurry off, avoiding the giant rocks Lusamine chucks their way. One is about to strike, but it's destroyed as Gladion appears aboard Silvally, slashing it apart.
Together, they lunge up to attack the Aether Foundation president, engulfing her in a shining, golden light. Lillie opens her eyes, lifting her head. She finds her mother awake in bed, giving her a weak, yet thankful smile.
Lillie smiles back, gripping her hand tightly. As Wicke wanders in to check on them, they turn on the TV as the Alola League is starting. Lillie giggles at the sight of the Ketchum twins in battle once again, happy that they're seeing their dreams through…
END ENDING
And that wraps up the first half of the Hau V.S. Gladion battle! Hope you all got to enjoy that, as I was really excited to not only write some awesome action, but also get to use Pokémon you probably weren't expecting, like Porygon-Z! Still hoping that it'll someday get an actual anime appearance, but who knows?
Anyways, here's a summary for what's on the way next week!
SUMMARY
Hau reflects on his past as he tries to overcome the odds of having just two Pokémon left! Can he still find a way to victory?!
END SUMMARY
See you all next time! Take care!