Alola, folks! We're back with more of "The Challenge of a Lifetime"! The Alola League is heating up as we're still in the quarterfinals, with Hau and Gladion's match continuing at a fever pitch! Already, our malasada muncher's down 4-2 against his foe, so things aren't looking too good for him.
Can he overcome the odds? Well, let's find out! Welcome back to "The Challenge of a Lifetime"!
POKÉMON SUN & MOON
THE CHALLENGE OF A LIFETIME
FLASHBACK
"Now what type of Pokémon is Pikachu weak to?" Sawyer asked of his young son.
"Uh, Ground-types!" he answered quickly, earning a nod in response from his father.
"And what about an Ice-type like Bergmite?" he questioned, showing him an image of the Ice Chunk Pokémon.
"Um… Fire… Fighting…" Hau listened off, trying to remember the others. Sawyer exhaled a sigh and smiled.
"It's alright," he assured, reaching his right hand out to put atop his son's head, "When you figure it out, you'll be able to be a great trainer," he affirmed. The ponytailed boy beamed, grinning happily. A lot of his time had been spent studying Pokémon, much like his father had. He enjoyed it, especially with getting to learn about the various kinds of creatures around the world. And one day, he would find himself visiting another region with his family.
"Alola!" Hala greeted as he saw Sawyer, Lisanna and Hau disembark from the ship they had traveled on.
"Tutu!" the little boy exclaimed as he ran over to hug his grandfather, who laughed.
"I'm so glad you're finally getting to visit me for a change!" he pointed out happily.
"It feels like we owe you that much," Lisanna noted with a giggle.
"And there's the festival that's coming up, too," her husband mentioned.
"Hm, exactly!" the Melemele kahuna responded, putting his hands onto his hips, "Hau, are you ready to experience Alola firsthand?" he inquired of his grandson.
"Yeah!" he responded excitedly. With his grandfather, he got to see many sights of the island. Hau'oli City, the Mantine Surfing, Verdant Cavern, and especially Iki Town were all etched into his memory. But as much as he did enjoy it, he still had his studying left to do.
Hala didn't notice much until he saw Hau refuse to go with him on another excursion around the island. It wasn't out of malice, but rather that he didn't have time. Learning more about Pokémon was becoming more important to him. And seeing that worried the Melemele kahuna. It led to a night where he needed to talk to his son.
"Why aren't you letting Hau forge his own path?" he asked of Sawyer, getting his attention as he was clearing down the dinner table.
"What do you mean?" he questioned back, arching an eyebrow.
"Huh…" his father sighed, "I remember saying that you could go on your own journey as a trainer, and it's led you to become as strong as you are now," he pointed out, "I don't see why you're not giving Hau that kind of luxury…" he admitted, leaning against the counter in the kitchen.
"I just want him to be as knowledgeable, if not more than me before I started back in Hoenn," Sawyer replied, "Is there something wrong with doing that?" he wondered. Neither of them realized that Hau had caught wind of their conversation, listening on curiously as he peeked out from behind the corner.
"I remember you telling me that you were having trouble, especially with trying to keep up with all your notes," Hala pointed out to his son, folding his arms over his chest, "If Hau ends up going the same way as you when he becomes a trainer, it'll be a while before he can really pose any kind of challenge…" he noted.
"Y-You don't know that!" Sawyer stammered out as an argument, raising his voice as his son blinked in surprise, "I'm raising Hau the way I see fit, and he'll be an amazing trainer!" he affirmed confidently.
"Even so, I can't accept the idea that he'll learn from books and not his own experiences," his father retorted, shaking his head as he stood up, "That's why I want to help," he mentioned, putting his right hand over his chest.
"Are you saying… that you could do better than I could?" his son inquired, narrowing his eyes.
"No, of course not!" Hala responded, "I'm saying we should help him experience these things over trying to just study them!" he told him, now taking on a more angered tone.
"It's dangerous, though!" Sawyer argued, "What if he gets hurt?!" he shouted in question.
"Sawyer, please…" the Melemele kahuna pleaded.
"We told you about Ash's daughter, right?!" his son pointed out in recollection, "Will you be responsible if Hau gets himself into that kind of trouble?!" he inquired on angrily.
"Sawyer, stop it…" his father growled out.
"You always think you know what's best for everyone!" he accused, "But Hau doesn't need you or your experiences to make the right choices!" he proclaimed fiercely.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Hala boomed suddenly, silencing Sawyer. The ponytailed boy watching on became suddenly frightened. His grandfather's expression had drastically darkened as he had his fists clenched and his teeth grit. "Whatever choice Hau makes should be his own, not determined by anyone else…" he told his son, "No one should dictate how he'll make it…" he added firmly.
"T…Tutu…?" his grandson's voice stammered out, causing both him and Sawyer to look over and see him peering out from the corner. Tears of fright were welling up in his eyes. In just a matter of moments, he ran away, crying profusely.
"Hau…" the Melemele kahuna uttered, realizing that he had heard the whole conversation. From there, he never showed any kind of malice around Hau. When he learned that his grandson would be attempting to participate in the island challenge of Alola, he was overjoyed… but also worried.
Hau wasn't someone he could fight seriously. Not when it could remind him of how scary he had been when shouting at Sawyer that night. Tough as it was, Hala had to persevere for his family's sake.
END FLASHBACK
'Hau…' the Melemele kahuna uttered inwardly, seeing his grandson looking towards him and the others in the stands.
"With Hau just down to two Pokémon against Gladion's four, it looks like he's gonna need one heck of a miracle to pull this off!" Jim noted over the broadcast. Taking a deep breath, the ponytailed boy looked out towards his opponent. He clenched his fists, not willing to waver for a single second.
'Tutu… Dad… Mom…' he listed off inwardly, reaching to grab another Poké Ball off of his belt, enlarging it with a press of its button, 'I promise I'm not going to let things end like this!' he declared through his thoughts.
"Tauros, let's go!" he exclaimed, throwing his Poké Ball out onto the field. It popped open, with its light shooting down and forming upon the dirt, dissipating to reveal the Wild Bull Pokémon.
"MOAAAAAAARRRRR!" he bellowed, standing on his hind legs before bringing his front ones down hard in a threatening manner.
"And Hau brings in his Tauros to try and turn the tide!" Jim exclaimed through the loudspeakers as the image of the Wild Bull Pokémon appeared upon the big screens around the stadium.
"He has a Tauros?" Lisanna questioned as she blinked in surprise, "Didn't he say that he was scared of them?" she wondered over to her husband, who seemed just as shocked.
"Yeah…" he replied with a nod. Hala looked on in awe at the determined expression in his grandson's eyes.
"This battle's not over yet, Gladion!" he yelled to the former enforcer, getting his attention, "We're gonna pay you back for sure!" he proclaimed with a confident grin. His opponent smirked.
"Then bring it on!" he challenged.
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
The Right of the Fight!
"Tauros, Wild Charge!" Hau commanded. The Wild Bull Pokémon began his charge toward his foe, cloaking himself in yellow electricity.
"Ice Beam!" Gladion ordered, sticking his left hand forward. Porygon-Z formed a blue ball of energy at the tip of its ball, unleashing several zigzagging beams from it. They struck Tauros, but he charged through them, tackling his target to send it flying back.
"Tauros charges through that Ice Beam to land a solid hit on Porygon-Z!" Jim yelled into the microphone, "Looks to me like pure power may be the way to go for Hau!" he mentioned excitedly. Sparks of yellow electricity crackled around the Wild Bull Pokémon's body as he winced for a moment.
"Tauros, you okay?" his trainer asked, getting his attention.
"Hrrf," he replied with a nod of confirmation.
"Then use Zen Headbutt!" the ponytailed boy ordered, pumping his left fist forward. The Wild Bull Pokémon galloped forward, having a purple energy form in front of his forehead before turning into a shining ball of blue light.
"Stop him with Psychic!" Gladion instructed quickly. Having recovered, Porygon-Z made its eyes glow a bright pink before it telekinetically took hold of Tauros, holding him in midair just as he lunged toward it.
"Mrrr… Mrrr…!" he grunted out, trying to break free of his foe's grasp as the ball of energy over his forehead faded away.
"Tauros!" Hau screamed.
"Now Signal Beam!" Gladion commanded. A pink mass of energy formed at the tip of the Virtual Pokémon's bill, followed by it firing a beam with various blue squares around it. Tauros wound up struck by it at his underside, getting sent flying back. Everyone gasped, but then saw the Wild Bull Pokémon land on his hooves, sliding to a stop. He gritted his teeth.
"MOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" he bellowed angrily again.
"Tch," the former enforcer scoffed, "Still not enough, huh?" he assumed, grimacing a little.
"Tauros ends up taking a couple of tough hits there, but he's still standing!" Jim noted over the broadcast.
"Tauros, Megahorn!" Hau commanded. The horns of the Wild Bull Pokémon glowed a bright yellowish green as he charged forward again, aiming them towards his target.
"Dodge and use Tri Attack!" Gladion yelled, enticing Porygon-Z to zip away from its incoming foe, preparing three orbs of orange, blue, and yellow energy in front of itself. It fired off three beams of fire, ice, and lightning respectively, all heading for its opponent.
"Giga Impact!" the ponytailed boy ordered. Tauros brought himself to a stop, leaping over the incoming beams as they struck the ground in a burst of dust. He then became surrounded by a purple aura with yellow streaks of energy spiraling around it, diving toward his foe.
"Psychic!" Gladion called out again. The Virtual Pokémon again attempted to stop its opponent, making its eyes glow a bright pink. Unfortunately, it was too late as the Wild Bull Pokémon slammed into him, crashing into the ground in a burst of dust. It settled moments later, revealing Porygon-Z lying on the ground with swirls in its eyes as Tauros loomed over it. Dan ran over to assess the result.
"Porygon-Z is unable to battle!" he announced as he raised his right arm, "Tauros wins!" he confirmed.
"Moaaaarrrrr!" the Wild Bull Pokémon mooed.
"Yes!" his trainer exclaimed as he pumped his right fist. The crowd cheered.
"Tauros brings the score back down a little, giving his trainer some breathing room!" Jim noted through the loudspeakers as the image of Porygon-Z on the big screens was greyed out, "Now Gladion's down to three Pokémon of his own, two of which have yet to be revealed," he mentioned on. The former enforcer returned the Virtual Pokémon to its Heal Ball in a beam of pink light.
"Thanks for your hard work," he said gratefully, "You were amazing out there," he added, putting the spherical container away. He then pulled out a Friend Ball, enlarging it with a press of its button. "Lucario!" he called out, tossing it toward the field. It burst open as its blue light formed upon the dirt, dissipating to reveal the Aura Pokémon.
"Rah!" he yipped, taking a ready stance.
"He's going for Lucario again, huh?" Leslie noted from the stands.
"Makes sense with a Normal-type like Tauros on the field," her father pointed out in response. Meanwhile, Hau aimed his own Poké Ball forward.
"Return for now, Tauros," he requested, recalling the Wild Bull Pokémon to the spherical container in a red beam of light.
"Hau decides to make the switch as well, hoping to save Tauros for later," Jim stated into the microphone.
"Smart call on his part, especially with only him and whatever other Pokémon he has," Tom added. The ponytailed boy pulled out another Poké Ball, enlarging it with a press of its button.
"Let's go, Decidueye!" he called out, flinging the spherical container forward. As it opened up, its light spilled onto the ground, shaping into form before dissipating to reveal the Arrow Quill Pokémon.
"Sidge!" he squawked out. His image appeared on the big screens underneath his trainer's picture.
"So Decidueye's his last choice, huh?" Paige noted from the locker room.
"Lucario's Extreme Speed and Aura Sphere won't work on him since he's part Ghost-type," Trent pointed out, "Though I bet Gladion's taking that into account…" he mentioned grimly.
"Get ready, Decidueye!" Hau instructed of his partner, "We're gonna keep up the momentum!" he declared as he clenched his fists, "Let's start off with Spirit Shackle!" he ordered.
"Deh sidge!" the Arrow Quill Pokémon responded, grasping one of his arrow-like feathers and nocking in against the vine he held in his right wing.
"Dodge with Extreme Speed!" Gladion called out. A green light cloaked Lucario as he zipped forward, evading the arrow quill shot toward him. Hau grimaced. "Now Ice Punch!" his opponent ordered. An icy blue aura shrouded the right forepaw of the Aura Pokémon as he clenched it into a fist. He lunged out at his foe, rearing his arm back.
"Counter with Leaf Blade!" the ponytailed boy yelled. The leaves at Decidueye's tail shined a bright green and sharpened before he whipped around to meet Lucario's fist with them. They were at a firm deadlock, trying to push each other back. Ultimately, they blew themselves away, with the Arrow Quill Pokémon flapping his wings as he took to the night sky.
"Sidge!" he squawked to his trainer.
"Yeah!" he responded with a nod, "Spirit Shackle!" he commanded, pumping his right fist forward. Decidueye readied a trio of arrow quills on his right wing, nocking them all back with his left.
"Flash Cannon!" Gladion shouted. Lucario held his forepaws out, forming a ball of white light over them. He then fired off a beam of white and light blue energy, while his opponent unleashed his trio of arrow quills. The attacks collided in a powerful blast, engulfing the field in smoke.
"Already we've got ourselves quite the match between Lucario and Decidueye!" Jim pointed out through the loudspeakers excitedly, "Neither side's willing to give an inch!" he mentioned on. The former enforcer on the field grimaced a little.
'At this rate, we might have to use that…' he concluded through his thoughts. He looked to his partner, who nodded to him.
"Decidueye, Brave Bird!" Hau ordered. Flying through the smoke, the Arrow Quill Pokémon appeared to engulf himself in a flaming aura, which then transformed in an orange, bird-shaped light as he spread his wings.
"Use Extreme Speed to dodge!" Gladion instructed. A green light cloaked Lucario again as he sped away from his incoming foe, evading his attempted strikes each time.
"Ah, come on…!" Erika grumbled in frustration from the stands.
"Even though Extreme Speed won't affect Decidueye, Gladion's having Lucario use it in a way that'll still be effective…" her older sister pointed out.
"I wonder what else Gladion'll do, zzt…" Rotom buzzed.
"Now Flash Cannon!" the former enforcer commanded. Bringing himself to a stop in front of his trainer, the Aura Pokémon held out his forepaws again before firing off a beam white and blue light from them toward his foe.
"Decidueye, watch out!" Hau screamed. The Arrow Quill Pokémon was quick to fold his wings over his face, taking the beam as he was then caught up in a blast. Fortunately, he flew out of the smoke a moment later, landing in front of his trainer.
"Now it's our turn!" Gladion declared, crossing his arms over his face as the Z-Crystal upon his Z-Power Ring flashed brightly.
"Ah!" the ponytailed boy gasped, while everyone widened their eyes.
"Oh my!" Jim exclaimed into the microphone, "Looks like Gladion's gonna pull off a Z-Move to try and finish off Decidueye!" he noted as the former enforcer swung his arms around in conjunction with Lucario, knocking his fists together before thrusting them forward. The silvery aura that had been building up around him shot out to his partner, merging with his body before the Z-Move symbol flashed in front of his body.
"Show them how unbreakable steel is!" his trainer yelled, "Corkscrew Crash!" he roared. The Aura Pokémon leapt up, spinning around rapidly as his body shaped into a blue drill that shot forward, heading for his opponent.
"Counter with Leaf Blade!" Hau yelled quickly. Decidueye quickly whipped around, having the leaves of his tail shine a bright green and sharpen. He clashed them against his foe, making sparks fly wildly around the field. Both trainers gritted their teeth, hoping for their respective partners to break through. Ultimately, the Arrow Quill Pokémon held on long enough to fly over Lucario, whose move had ended as he landed on the ground upon his feet.
"And Decidueye endures the Z-Move spectacularly!" Jim yelled over the broadcast, "Now Lucario might be in trouble!" he added.
"Spirit Shackle!" Hau commanded. Turning around in midair, the Arrow Quill Pokémon set a pair of his arrow quills onto his left wing, nocking them back with his right. He fired them down, striking the ground where his foe's shadow was cast. He didn't even have a moment to react before they exploded, making him cry out in pain as he flew back and hit the ground hard.
"Lucario!" Gladion cried out. He quickly pulled out the Friend Ball he had, attempting to return his partner to it. However, it proved to be a fruitless attempt as the red beam from the special Poké Ball merely bounced off of the Aura Pokémon. "What?!" the former enforcer exclaimed in shock.
"It looks like Lucario can't be brought back into his Poké Ball now!" Jim noted through the loudspeakers, "What in the world happened?!" he wondered aloud.
"That's an added effect of Spirit Shackle, Decidueye's signature move," Tom chimed in, "Like Mean Look, it traps the opposing Pokémon on the field until the battle is over," he explained.
"In other words, Lucario's stuck!" Jim remarked.
"Now Brave Bird!" Hau commanded with a pump of his fist. The Arrow Quill Pokémon dove toward his foe, engulfing his entire body in a flaming energy. He then spread his wings, becoming enveloped in an orange, bird-shaped aura.
"Quick, Ice Punch!" Gladion ordered. Grimacing as he stood back up, Lucario clenched his right forepaw as it became encased by an icy blue light with mist wafting off from it. Unfortunately, he was too late to swing it out as his foe collided with him in a fierce blast. As the smoke settled, Decidueye flew out from it, landing out from it as he winced from the blue sparks that crackled around his body. Dan ran over to find that the Aura Pokémon was lying upon the ground with his eyes in swirls.
"Lucario is unable to battle!" he announced, raising his right arm, "Decidueye wins!" he confirmed.
"Sidge!" the Arrow Quill Pokémon squawked as the crowd cheered.
"Alright!" Erika exclaimed happily.
"Jah, jahng!" Jangmo-o chirped in her lap. The image of the Aura Pokémon upon the big screens was greyed out.
"And just like that, the remainder of Hau's team has evened the score!" Jim noted over the broadcast, "It still seems like anyone's game with this big of a shift!" he pointed out excitedly.
X
In a beam of red light, Gladion returned the fainted Lucario to his Friend Ball.
"You did great," he affirmed, "Take a good rest," he requested before putting the special Poké Ball away. He then pulled out a Dusk Ball, enlarging it with a press of its button. "Zoroark, go!" he yelled, tossing it onto the field. It burst open, with its dark violet light spilling forth onto the ground, forming and then dissipating to reveal the Illusion Fox Pokémon.
"Rawrrrr!" he snarled out.
"Zoroark, huh?" Trent said from back in the locker room, "That one's definitely a lot of trouble…" he noted, remembering how the Illusion Fox Pokémon had defeated him the last time. On the field, Hau took out Decidueye's Poké Ball.
"Take a rest for now, Decidueye," he advised, returning him to the spherical container in a beam of red light. He shrunk it with a press of its button, putting it away before grabbing the other one he had. "You're up again, Tauros!" he called out, flinging the Poké Ball forward. It burst open, with its blue light forming upon the ground and dissipating to reveal the Wild Bull Pokémon.
"Moaaaarrrrrr!" he bellowed, brushing his front left hoof against the ground, preparing to charge on his trainer's command.
"As Gladion brings in Zoroark, Hau switches from Decidueye to Tauros!" Jim noted through the loudspeakers.
"Decidueye is part Ghost-type, so that was a good call on Hau's part to make the change," Tom mentioned.
"Tauros did take some damage against Porygon-Z…" Leslie remembered, "So I don't know if he wins this…" she admitted as she narrowed her eyes with concern.
"Well, we'll see," her father said, letting off a little smile.
"Tauros, Megahorn!" Hau ordered. The Wild Bull Pokémon made his horns glow yellowish-green as he galloped forward, aiming them towards his foe.
"Grass Knot!" Gladion commanded. Zoroark's eyes flashed a bright green. All of a sudden, green-glowing vines emerged from the ground, binding around the hooves of his opponent as he tripped onto his stomach.
"Ah!" the ponytailed boy gasped.
"Now Night Daze!" the former enforcer ordered, thrusting his left hand out. The Illusion Fox Pokémon's body became surrounded by a crimson aura as his eyes glowed light blue. The aura around his arms grew thicker as he raised them up, bringing them down hard onto the ground. A pink-and-crimson-glowing force field erupted from the impact, expanding outward to strike Tauros as he tumbled back.
"Oh, and Zoroark's Grass Knot not only keeps Tauros at bay, but also gives him a chance to land a direct hit with Night Daze!" Jim pointed out into the microphone.
"Tauros, you okay?!" Hau asked of his partner, who stood back and shook his head.
"Hrrrfff!" he huffed, puffing out steam from his nostrils.
"Okay, then use Wild Charge!" his trainer ordered. The Wild Bull Pokémon encased his entire body in yellow electricity as he charged forward, heading for his foe yet again.
"Zoroark, Night Slash!" Gladion commanded, enticing the Illusion Fox Pokémon to have his claws glow a bright purple and sharpen. He rushed forward, colliding with his foe before they blew each other back. "Night Slash again!" his trainer yelled again.
"Rah!" Zoroark responded, keeping his claws glowing and sharp as he charged in again.
"Megahorn!" Hau called out. As the electricity around him dissipated, Tauros had his horns glow a yellowish-green again. He swung them out to counter his foe's claws, making sparks fly everywhere.
"Tauros rages against Zoroark, trying to give his trainer another key victory as they close in on the last of Gladion's Pokémon!" Jim pointed out excitedly through the loudspeakers.
"Zoroark, Flamethrower!" the former enforcer ordered. Jumping back, the Illusion Fox Pokémon had orange flames billow within his mouth before firing off a stream of fire toward his foe.
"Giga Impact!" Hau commanded.
"MOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Tauros bellowed, engulfing himself in an orb of purple energy with yellow streaks spiraling around it. He galloped through the fire, slamming into his opponent hard to send him flying back.
"Yes!" the ponytailed boy exclaimed. However, Zoroark managed to land on his feet, sliding to a stop as he growled.
"Ah, that should've done it!" Erika complained from the stands.
"And that's not good…" Leslie pointed out, getting her attention as she looked over to her older sister in confusion.
"Hm," Gladion chuckled out, "Zoroark, Night Daze!" he commanded. A crimson aura built up around the Illusion Fox Pokémon as his eyes glowed a light blue. He raised his arms as the aura thickened around them, much larger than before, slamming them down against the ground. A pink-and-crimson force field erupted, expanding out and striking Tauros as he had no way to defend himself. He tumbled back along the ground, coming to a stop as he got back up onto his hooves.
"Mrrrr…" he growled out.
"Just hang in there a little longer, Tauros!" Hau insisted of him.
"As Tauros' Giga Impact wasn't enough to take Zoroark down, now he's left as a sitting Ducklett for a barrage of attacks!" Jim pointed out over the broadcast.
'Come on, Hau…' Calvin pleaded inwardly from the locker room.
"Now Night Slash!" Gladion ordered. Making his claws glow a bright purple and sharpen again, the Illusion Fox Pokémon dashed forward, slashing past his opponent from all directions. The ponytailed boy clenched his teeth together, hoping his partner would manage to hold on just a little longer.
"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Zoroark roared with a mighty swipe of his claws against his opponent, sending him sliding back. However, he withstood the blow as his eyes flashed red.
"MOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" he bellowed as a reddish aura shot up around his form.
"What?!" Gladion exclaimed. Hau cracked a grin.
"What is that?" Mirajane wondered aloud from the stands. All of a sudden, Erika gasped, shooting up from her seat.
"It's the same ability that Mister Hala's Mankey had back when I battled him in my grand trial!" she recalled.
"Anger Point, zzt!" Rotom buzzed as it floated beside her, "You've got a good memory, Erika!" it complimented, making her giggle.
"After taking a critical hit in battle, Tauros' attack power gets increased to its maximum potential," Sawyer explained from his section of the stands.
"Was Hau counting on that?" his wife wondered.
"Who knows?" Hala questioned back, grinning under his moustache, "Either way, it's good to see him smiling like that," he noted as he looked at his grandson.
"Tauros, Megahorn!" the ponytailed boy commanded back on the field. The Wild Bull Pokémon had his horns glow a yellowish-green before galloping forward.
"Night Daze!" Gladion ordered. A crimson aura shrouded Zoroark as his eyes glowed a bright blue. He brought his arms up as the aura thickened around them, slamming them against the ground. A pink-and-crimson-colored force field expanded outward from the impact, heading for his foe. However, Tauros managed to not only endure it, but also charge through as he closed in and struck his target with his horns. That sent the Illusion Fox Pokémon flying back before he landed upon the ground on his back.
"Incredible!" Jim exclaimed through the loudspeakers, "Tauros retaliates with a fierce and super effective Megahorn!" he yelled out excitedly. Dan ran over to assess Zoroark's condition. He had swirls in his eyes as he groaned.
"Zoroark is unable to battle!" he announced, raising his right arm, "Tauros wins!" he confirmed. The crowd broke out into a huge cheer.
"This is completely unreal!" Jim shouted into the microphone, "Down four Pokémon to his two, Hau manages to bring him and his team back to a two-to-one lead!" he noted as the audience kept on cheering.
"Way to go, cuz!" Erika yelled excitedly.
"He's really amazing," Trent noted from back in the locker room.
"Yeah," Calvin agreed as he nodded, smiling all the while. In the meantime, Gladion returned his fainted Zoroark to his Dusk Ball in a beam of purple light.
"You did your best, thank you," he said gratefully, putting the spherical container away, "You've really changed since we last got to fight," he commented, getting his opponent's attention, "Before, I just saw you as the kid who was barely even trying to take battles seriously," he pointed out in admittance.
"I took your words to heart and wanted to improve!" Hau responded, putting his hands onto his hips, "I was excited and scared about taking on this island challenge, especially when things were getting so much tougher…" he confessed, closing his left hand into a fist, "And I know my grandpa never wanted me to feel scared, but…" he continued as he lowered his head, "I still have to face those challenges, no matter how hard they are!" he declared, "Tauros here's proof of that firsthand!" he affirmed on.
"Moaaaaarrrrrr!" the Wild Bull Pokémon bellowed in response. Gladion cracked a small grin.
"So that's it…" he uttered, readying a Premier Ball in his right hand as he enlarged it with a press of its center button, "Then I'll give you your toughest challenge yet!" he vowed, rearing his arm back, "Silvally!" he yelled as he threw the spherical container onto the field. It burst open, with its blue light forming upon the ground before dissipating to reveal the Synthetic Pokémon.
"Sivahhh!" it exclaimed. Its image appeared on the big screens, with all of its teammates' greyed out next to it.
"And Gladion finally brings out the mysterious Silvally!" Jim noted over the broadcast, "Just what can we expect from such a powerful beast against Hau's remaining two Pokémon?!" he wondered loudly. The ponytailed boy blinked in surprise upon spotting the orange-red eyes, spikes, fin membrane, and drives of the Synthetic Pokémon. He cracked a grin.
"Tauros, let's start off with Zen Headbutt!" he ordered. The Wild Bull Pokémon had a shining purple ball of light form at his forehead, becoming a shining blue sphere of energy as he charged forward.
"Iron Head!" Gladion commanded, sticking his left hand. Silvally enveloped itself in a whitish aura, rushing out as well. It collided with Tauros head on, pushing against him as he pushed back. Ultimately, they blew each other back.
"Now use Wild Charge!" Hau yelled out. However, his partner appeared to be flinching as he grimaced from the recent blow he had just taken.
"Oh, and that Iron Head must've rendered Tauros a bit frightened!" Jim pointed out through the loudspeakers.
"That is a common side effect from that move," Tom added.
"Crush Claw!" Gladion ordered fiercely. The claws at Silvally's insectoid front legs glowed a bright red. It charged forward once more, raising them up before slashing at the Wild Bull Pokémon fiercely, blowing him back.
"Tauros, you okay?!" Hau asked immediately in concern.
"Moaaarrrr…" the Wild Bull Pokémon groaned out as he managed to stand up fully.
"Use Giga Impact!" his trainer commanded. Tauros charged forward, enveloping himself in an orb of purple energy with yellow streaks spiraling around it.
"Silvally, Multi-Attack!" Gladion yelled out. The Synthetic Pokémon became cloaked in an orange-colored aura before it lunged out at its incoming foe. They collided, resulting in a powerful blast that engulfed the field.
Everyone watched on with bated breath, wondering what the outcome was. When the dust settled, it revealed that both Tauros and Silvally were still standing. However, the Wild Bull Pokémon let out a wince before toppling over onto his left side. Dan ran over to assess his condition, seeing the swirls in his eyes.
"Tauros is unable to battle!" the referee announced as he raised his left arm, "Silvally wins!" he confirmed. The image of the Wild Bull Pokémon on the big screens greyed out as the crowd cheered.
"Well, Silvally finally manages to take down Tauros, evening the score at a critical moment!" Jim noted through the loudspeakers, "Both Hau and Gladion are now down to their last Pokémon each!" he pointed out as the ponytailed boy on the field returned his fallen partner to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"You did great out there, Tauros," he assured, "We'll handle the rest from here," he vowed, putting the spherical container away before pulling out another one, "Time for us to get back at you for our loss on Akala!" he declared, enlarging the Poké Ball with a press of its button, "Decidueye, let's go!" he called out, tossing the spherical container up into the air. It popped open, with its light spilling forth onto the ground, dissipating to reveal the Arrow Quill Pokémon as he stood up.
"Sidge!" he squawked, taking a ready stance.
"Be ready, Silvally," Gladion advised of his partner.
"Sivah," it responded with a nod, staring down its foe in what would be the final battle of the match…
X
"It's Decidueye against Silvally for all the marbles, everyone!" Jim pointed out into the microphone, "Earlier, we thought this match was all but won for Gladion," he recalled, "but then Hau's final two Pokémon shocked us all by defeating three straight opponents combined," he noted on, "Though that streak ended with Tauros' loss to Silvally, it's given Hau a fighting chance for victory over what was happening earlier," he mentioned.
"I'm just as impressed with Hau's tenacity to claw himself and his team out of that big hole they were in," Tom chimed in, "That said, Gladion's Silvally is tough," he added seriously, "With it taking down Tauros, I'm worried that Decidueye may not be enough for Hau to win," he admitted.
"Guess we'll have to watch and see what comes of this final stand!" Jim remarked over the broadcast as Lusamine and Lillie watched on intently from the room they were in.
"X-Scissor!" Gladion ordered. Silvally made its claws at its insectoid front legs glow a bright yellowish-green as it charged forward.
"Leaf Blade!" Hau commanded, enticing Decidueye to make the leaves at his tail shine a bright green and sharpen before he zipped forward instantaneously. He whipped around to swing his tail toward his foe, while he slashed at him with his glowing claws in an x-shaped pattern. They were at a deadlock before blowing each other back.
"The battle starts off with a flourish as neither Decidueye nor Silvally are willing to grant either an edge!" Jim remarked through the loudspeakers.
"Now Spirit Shackle!" the ponytailed boy ordered, sticking his left hand out. As he landed down, the Arrow Quill Pokémon drew a few of his arrow quills from his left wing, setting them onto the vine he pulled out and nocking them back.
"Dodge!" Gladion called out. As Decidueye fired off the arrow quills with a ghostly aura at their tips, the Synthetic Pokémon jumped and flipped away from the first two, letting them strike the ground in small explosions. However, once it landed upon the earth, the third arrow quill pierced into his shadow on the ground in front of it. An explosion erupted, blowing Silvally back as it grimaced. Hau grinned.
"Thought so…" he said.
"Silvally, Iron Head!" the former enforcer commanded. A whitish light enveloped the Synthetic Pokémon before it charged forward.
"Dodge and use Smack Down!" the ponytailed boy instructed quickly. With a mighty flap of his wings, Decidueye took to the sky to avoid being struck by Silvally, who even leapt up at him. As it landed upon the ground, it looked back up at its foe, who opened his mouth. A metallic gold orb of energy formed in front of it, surrounded by an orange energy. He fired it down at his opponent, striking him in a powerful blast.
"Ah!" Gladion gasped.
"Yowza!" Jim yelped into the microphone, "Decidueye lands a surprise Smack Down that really seems to do damage to Silvally!" he pointed out excitedly. As the smoke settled, it revealed the Synthetic Pokémon shaking its head as it turned to see its foe land upon the ground.
"You really are taking this seriously…" the former enforcer noted to his opponent, who chuckled.
"We're not done yet!" he affirmed, holding up his Z-Ring, which had a green Z-Crystal that featured a symbol that was shaped like the head of the Arrow Quill Pokémon.
"Uh oh!" Jim exclaimed over the broadcast, "It looks like Hau's ready to unleash Decidueye's full power with a Z-Move!" he noted.
"Silvally, X-Scissor!" Gladion ordered. The Synthetic Pokémon lunged out at its opponent, making the claws at its front, insectoid legs glow a yellowish-green. However, he flew over it, gliding over and landing down in front of his trainer.
"Deh sidge!" he squawked to him with a firm nod.
"Yeah, let's do it!" the ponytailed boy exclaimed, crossing his arms over his face as the Decidium Z flashed upon his Z-Crystal. As he swung his arms around, his partner mimicked his motions. "This is all we've gained on our journey packed into one awesome move!" he declared, placing his hands in front of himself before crouching down as slinking back up like a wispy ghost. The green aura that had been building up around his body shot out in streaks to the Arrow Quill Pokémon, merging with his form before the Z-Move symbol flashed in front of him.
"Sidge!" he exclaimed, spreading his wings.
"Go for it, Decidueye!" his trainer cried out, enticing him to take to the sky. An arc of arrow quills appeared from his wings, each with a ghostly aura at their tips. "Here's our Sinister Arrow Raid!" Hau yelled. His partner dove toward his target alongside the arrow quills he conjured.
"Silvally, stand your ground!" Gladion shouted.
"Sivah!" the Synthetic Pokémon responded, digging the claws of its front legs into the earth to maintain its footing. His opponent swooped by, letting the arrows strike his foe in a powerful blast.
"The Z-Move lands!" Jim yelled through the loudspeakers, "Is it enough to take down Silvally?!" he wondered loudly. The smoke had yet to settle as everyone watched on anxiously. As it finally did, they all found themselves shocked to see the Synthetic Pokémon still standing firm in spite of the numerous scrapes along its body.
"Sivaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!" it roared out.
"Ergh…" Hau growled, "Not enough, huh?" he noted in frustration. Gladion grinned.
"Multi-Attack!" he commanded. An orange aura flared up around Silvally as it whipped around and lunged toward its foe. He didn't even have a moment to properly react before it swiped him with its front left claw, sending him crashing onto the ground below.
"Decidueye!" the ponytailed boy cried out.
"Sidge…" the Arrow Quill Pokémon squawked out, bringing himself back up onto his feet as he grimaced.
"Silvally withstands the Z-Move and retaliates with a devastating Multi-Attack!" Jim noted into the microphone, "I can only imagine how frustrated Hau must be with not sealing the deal with that last attack…" he mentioned.
"He had made sure he knew Silvally wasn't a Normal-type beforehand and then attacked with the Z-Move…" Leslie told her family back in the stands.
"So he did it too early?" her mother assumed.
"Or maybe Silvally's just that strong…" Ash inferred, narrowing his eyes.
"Peekah…" Pikachu uttered in amazement.
"Decidueye, Smack Down!" Hau commanded, pumping his right fist out. Opening his mouth, the Arrow Quill Pokémon formed a metallic gold orb of energy with an orange glow, firing it forward.
"Dodge and use Iron Head!" Gladion instructed. Silvally charged ahead, leaping over the incoming orb as it struck the ground in a fierce blast. The Synthetic Pokémon then cloaked itself in a whitish aura as it dove toward its foe.
"Leaf Blade!" the ponytailed boy yelled, enticing Decidueye to make the leaves at his tail glow a bright green and sharpen. He whipped around, meeting his opponent in the nick of time as their attacks collided. They blew each other back, with the Arrow Quill Pokémon wincing as he breathed heavily.
"Deh… deh…" he gasped out. All of a sudden, a greenish aura started to build up along his body. "SIIIIHHHHHDGGGEEEEE!" he screeched loudly.
"Overgrow, huh?" Gladion noted.
"Seems as if Decidueye's still got one last trick up his sleeve!" Jim remarked excitedly over the broadcast.
"That light looks familiar…" Erika said from the stands as she blinked.
"That'zzz Decidueye'zzz Overgrow!" Rotom buzzed, "It'zzz like Blaze from Calvin'zzz Incineroar or Torrent from your Primarina, zzt!" it pointed out.
"So that means Decidueye's Grass-type moves are boosted…" Leslie noted aloud.
"And that also means that this is probably his last stand…" her mother added.
"We're not gonna lose!" Hau declared, clenching his right fist tightly and pumping it forward, "Leaf Blade!" he commanded. The Arrow Quill Pokémon flew forward, making the leaves at his tail glow a bright green again and sharpen.
"Silvally, Multi-Attack!" Gladion ordered. An orange arrow blazed around the Synthetic Pokémon as it lunged out. As its foe whipped his tail leaves toward it, it swiped with its claws. They went past each other, landing on the ground with their backs turned. Their respective trainers grimaced nervously, wondering who had dealt the decisive blow. Everyone watched on with bated breath.
"Sihhhdgggee…" Decidueye suddenly groaned, falling over onto his stomach. Dan ran over to assess his condition, noticing the swirls in his eyes. He raised his left arm.
"Decidueye is unable to battle!" he announced, "Silvally wins!" he confirmed, gesturing over to the Synthetic Pokémon, "And therefore, the victory goes to Gladion!" he declared as he turned to the former enforcer. On the big screens around the stadium, Hau's image and team were erased away as his foe's moved to the center, with a big 'WINNER' icon appearing underneath him with firework effects. The crowd cheered.
"And there it is!" Jim exclaimed over the broadcast, "Gladion avoids defeat thanks to two straight wins from Silvally, pushing him to the semifinals!" he pointed out excitedly. The Synthetic Pokémon went over to his trainer, giving him an affectionate lick as he chuckled. He then looked out to see the ponytailed boy going over to help pick Decidueye back up onto his feet.
"Sidge…" he squawked apologetically.
"It's okay, Decidueye," Hau affirmed in response, "We both did our best," he noted, "And we brought it down to the wire in the end, too!" he mentioned with a cheeky smile.
"You did," Gladion admitted as he approached, causing his former foe to blink in surprise, "That was a good battle," he complimented, extending his right hand out to the ponytailed boy, "I hope you'll give us another one like that someday," he mentioned. Hau smiled.
"Yeah!" he replied, "And next time, we'll win!" he vowed, accepting his opponent's hand into his own for a handshake. The crowd applauded the sight.
"A great show of sportsmanship and vigor from our two competitors!" Jim exclaimed through the loudspeakers, "Gladion will be up against Erika in the semifinals as of this result, so we've got one match set!" he mentioned as the Ketchum girl being spoken of tensed up slightly in the stands, "Now it's time to determine who else'll be in the semifinals with the next match!" he declared on.
"Guess that means you two are up," Trent remarked to Calvin and Paige back in the locker room, getting their attentions.
"Um, excuse me…" another voice chimed in, being one of the female tournament organizers, "I'm so sorry, but the third match is actually supposed be you against Ryuki…" she pointed out, causing him to blink in surprise. Meanwhile, the star-studded man grinned wickedly.
"Alright," he said, sounding excited, "It's time to show the world what a star I am!" he proclaimed passionately. The others stared at him blankly, though Trent did take on a firm expression of determination. Back in the stands, Lisanna sighed as she wiped her teary eyes.
"And he was doing so well, too…" she noted with a sniffle.
"We can be proud that he made it this far," Sawyer assured, putting his arm around her comfortingly, "Isn't that right, Dad?" he asked of Hala. However, the Melemele kahuna wasn't in his seat. "Dad?" his son repeated, looking around for him.
After returning Decidueye to his Poké Ball, Hau was heading back through the tunnel to the locker room. On his way though, he saw his grandfather standing ahead of him. He blinked in surprise, but then smiled.
"Guess I caught a tough break!" he remarked, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, "To be honest, I thought I was gonna have a tougher time against Gladion…" he admitted, not noticing Hala walking up to him, "But my team really did the best they could, didn't they?" he inferred, "In the end, I'm just glad we got as close as we did," he confessed with a bright smile. He then saw that the Melemele kahuna was right in front of him. He raised his right hand, placing it atop the ponytailed boy's head.
"You were amazing, Hau," he complimented. In that moment, his grandson's eyes shimmered with tears. He tried to keep himself composed, but ended up bawling into Hala's belly as he smiled at him underneath his moustache. In the end, his son had done extremely well.
"Folks, we have a sudden change in the match order," Jim noted over the broadcast as everyone perked up in surprise, "Apparently, the third match of the quarterfinals is actually going to be between Trent Brady and Ryuki Maho!" he pointed out. Hearing that, most of the audience murmured in surprise.
"Aw, we still have to wait for Calvin's match?" Erika complained, letting out a groan, "I mean, it's not like I don't wanna see Trent battle, but…" she continued, slumping in her seat.
"Was it really a mistake?" Mirajane wondered aloud.
"Who knows…" her husband responded with a shrug. Up in the V.I.P. section, Rose watched on with a grin as Oleana stood beside him. They watched as both Trent and Ryuki took their places on the field, with the cheering audience roaring excitedly.
"Trainers, this is a six-on-six battle with substitutions allowed on either side," Dan explained to the competitors, "When all six of one side's Pokémon are unable to continue, the match will be over," he mentioned, "Now please select your Pokémon at the same time!" he instructed, raising his arms. Trent readied a Premier Ball, while Ryuki prepped an Ultra Ball. Simultaneously, they threw the spherical containers out onto the field. They popped open, with their lights spilling forth onto the ground. On the former's side, the luminosity dissipated to reveal an Alolan Ninetales, whose tails waved with the cool Lanakila breeze. From the latter's side, the light shaped into the form of a Dragonite.
"BRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he roared out. The third quarterfinal match was ready to get underway…
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
Well, now we're cooking with gas! Sorry for the sudden shift in terms of battles. I didn't realize that in my outline, I planned to have Trent and Ryuki's match before Calvin and Paige's, so I made the switch here. But I've already thought up a good explanation for it in the next chapter, so I hope you're excited for it!
Anyways, next up is Trent and Ryuki's battle! But before we get to that, we've still got another chapter of "Reality" to get through next week! Until then, here's a summary to hold you over!
SUMMARY
Trent and Ryuki face off in the third match of the quarterfinals! The rockstar's team of Dragon-types proves to pose quite the challenge! How will Trent overcome them?!
END SUMMARY
See you guys next time!