Alola, everyone! We're about to end the quarterfinals in this chapter! It's been a wild ride, but it's also been a lot of fun! I love writing about Pokémon, and getting to do this story while we're riding the Scarlet & Violet saga, at least that's what I'm presuming at the time I'm writing this, it's really special.
So anyways, the score's tied 3-3 between Calvin and Paige. We left off with them switching to Mimi and Electivire respectively last chapter, so let's see where that match leads!
Welcome back to "The Challenge of a Lifetime"!
POKÉMON SUN & MOON
THE CHALLENGE OF A LIFETIME
"With Mimikyu coming in and Electivire returning, things look pretty interesting in terms of who's fighting whom!" Jim noted excitedly over the broadcast.
"Keep in mind that Calvin still has a Pokémon he's yet to call upon just yet," Tom mentioned. On the field, the Ketchum boy took a moment to think amidst the murmuring of the crowd.
'Paige is probably gonna have Electivire set up that Electric Terrain again…' he noted inwardly, narrowing his eyes, 'There's no way for us to fight against that, so we've gotta work around it somehow…' he added through his thoughts.
"Mimi, get ready!" he called out to the shiny Disguise Pokémon.
"Mee!" she squeaked in response.
"Elek, vyre!" the Thunderbolt Pokémon exclaimed, smacking his fists together to make sparks of electricity fly off from them.
"Between Electivire and Mimi, I don't know who's got the advantage here…" Hau admitted, folding his arms over his chest.
"It's all gonna depend on how Calvin decides to use Mimi here…" Leslie pointed out.
"Come on, Mimi!" Erika cheered.
"Jah, moh!" Jangmo-o chirped.
"Time we got this started!" Paige decided, closing her right hand into a fist and pumping it forward, "Iron Tail!" she commanded.
"What?!" Calvin yelped out. The two tails of Electivire glowed a bright silvery-white as he charged forward.
"Electivire gets the ball rolling again with what'll be a super effective Iron Tail on Mimikyu!" Jim exclaimed through the loudspeakers. Grimacing, the Ketchum boy clenched his fists.
"Dodge and use Mimic!" he instructed. As her foe approached, Mimi leapt back, evading his right tail as it struck the ground where she once stood. A glint appeared in her eyes as she memorized the attack. However, it left her distracted as her opponent's left tail came up and smacked her down onto the turf.
"And Mimikyu takes a hard hit to start this matchup!" Jim yelled into the microphone.
"Mimi, you okay?!" Calvin immediately asked of the shiny Disguise Pokémon.
"Keeoooohhh…" she hissed, getting up as her costume remained intact.
"Not that much, huh?" Paige noted aloud, "Okay then, Electric Terrain!" she called out.
"VYYYYYRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEE!" Electivire screeched, unleashing bolts of electricity randomly around the field, making it and himself glow yellow as sparks crackled about.
"Once again, Electivire sets up that Electric Terrain, prepping for some devastating electric attacks!" Jim noted over the broadcast.
"Though as of this moment, he can only use Thunder Punch and Iron Tail to attack," Tom pointed out.
"Mimi, Shadow Sneak!" Calvin commanded. The shadow underneath the shiny Mimikyu darkened, with a pair of glowing red eyes upon it. It extended out past the Thunderbolt Pokémon, coming up from the ground and drawing its claw-shaped appendages.
"Thunder Punch!" Paige yelled. Orbs of yellow electricity crackled around Electivire's fists as he turned to counter the shadow's attempted swipes. The Ketchum boy grimaced, while the silvery-haired girl smirked.
"Amazing!" Jim exclaimed through the loudspeakers, "Electivire fights against Mimikyu's shadow before it can strike!" he pointed out excitedly.
"With Electric Terrain powering up that Thunder Punch of his, there's probably no way he'll let anything strike…" Lisanna added from the stands.
"What'll you do, Calvin?" Ash wondered aloud. His son, who clenched his fists, was wracking his brain for any ideas. Then, he blinked in realization. Since Electivire was facing away from Mimi as he had to battle her shadow, his back was seemingly wide open.
"Mimi, use Play Rough!" he ordered.
"Keeooohh!" the shiny Disguise Pokémon responded, running forward. At that moment, Electivire managed to punch her shadow away, causing it to dissipate. He turned around to see his opponent approaching.
"Iron Tail!" Paige commanded, enticing the Thunderbolt Pokémon to ready his tails as they glowed a silvery-white. As his foe got closer, he swung them out to strike her. To his surprise though, she endured them as the head of her costume popped off, followed by lunging out and striking her target over and over with her shadowy appendages and tail-like stick, making him stumble back.
"Oh, wow!" Jim yelped out into the microphone, "Mimikyu sacrifices her disguise to land a solid blow on Electivire!" he pointed out excitedly.
"Meee…" the shiny Disguise Pokémon whined, trying to reset her head with her shadowy appendages.
"I'll fix in a bit, Mimi!" Calvin promised, getting her attention, "Now use Shadow Claw!" he commanded.
"Mee!" his partner squeaked in response, having her appendages becoming encased in a shadowy aura outlined by purple light. They extended out towards Electivire, who was still recovering from the last blow he had taken.
"Quick, Thunder Punch!" his trainer ordered. Perking up, the Thunderbolt Pokémon smacked his fists together, engulfing them both in orbs of yellow electricity. He thrusted them forward to meet the shadowy appendages coming towards him, resulting in a deadlock. Both he and Mimi fiercely glared at each other as they tried to break the stalemate between them, with sparks flying all about.
"Mimikyu holds her own as she and Electivire meet in a fierce clash!" Jim exclaimed over the microphone, "Which one of them will break the tie?!" he wondered loudly.
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 My Mega Evolution!
"Meeee…!" Mimi hissed out determinedly as she pushed against Electivire.
"Vyyyy…!" the Thunderbolt Pokémon growled, holding his ground as much as he could. By all appearances, they seemed evenly matched. However, that was about to change. As soon as the shiny Mimikyu retracted her right appendage, her foe's electrically charged fist sailed right over her head. He gasped in realization too late, taking a powerful swipe to his chest from the Disguise Pokémon as he stumbled back.
"Nice one, Mimi!" Calvin complimented, while Paige grimaced a little.
"Woohoo!" Erika cheered from the stands.
"Man, Electivire's taking more damage than I thought he would…" Hau noted aloud, "I thought he'd be able to beat Mimi head-to-head at least…" he mentioned in admittance.
"It's probably because of that last Play Rough," Leslie chimed in, getting his attention as he blinked in surprise, "There's a chance Play Rough can lower a target's attack when it lands," she explained.
"Did Calvin know that, zzt?" Rotom inquired curiously as it floated over.
"Probably not, to be honest," the Unova Champion Master replied, folding her arms over her chest, "But you know, I think Calvin's just trusting Mimi in this situation," she mentioned, letting off a grin.
"Mimi, Shadow Sneak!" the Ketchum boy ordered. The shiny Mimikyu had her shadow darken again as a pair of red glowing eyes appeared upon it. It extended out toward her foe, who was seemingly still reeling from the last hit he had taken.
"Thunder Punch on the ground!" his trainer instructed. Cloaking his right fist in an orb of electricity, Electivire slammed it down onto the incoming shadow before it could get past him, causing it to dissipate.
"Electivire's Thunder Punch does away with Mimikyu's Shadow Sneak in a flash!" Jim yelled through the loudspeakers, "This battle's far from over, folks!" he pointed out excitedly.
"Now Iron Tail!" Paige commanded. The Thunderbolt Pokémon had his tails shine a bright silvery-white as he lunged forward.
"We'll use Iron Tail, too!" Calvin called out, swinging his right hand forward. With her tail-like stick glowing a silvery-white as well, Mimi leapt up and swung it out at her incoming foe. They collided, making sparks fly between them as they tried to push each other back.
"A collision of Iron Tails stuns this crowd of thousands as neither Electivire nor Mimikyu are willing to back down!" Jim noted over the broadcast.
"Come on, Mimi!" Erika cheered.
"Peekah, pika!" Pikachu squeaked loudly.
"Jahhh!" Jangmo-o screeched. Ultimately, the Thunderbolt Pokémon won the deadlock as his opponent was knocked back onto the turf.
"Meee…" she groaned out, struggling to stand back up.
"Hang in there, Mimi!" her trainer cried out.
"Heh," Paige chuckled, "Now Thunder Punch!" she commanded, thrusting her left fist forward. Electivire encased his fists in orbs of crackling yellow electricity as he charged in again.
"Quick, turn and use Shadow Claw!" Calvin instructed. Perking up instantly, the shiny Mimikyu whipped around and drew her appendages from underneath her costume, cloaking them both in a shadowy aura outlined in purple. She thrusted them out block her opponent's fists, much to his shock, as well as his trainer's.
"Oh, what's this?!" Jim yelped into the microphone, "Seems like Mimikyu's not willing to go down that easily, folks!" he pointed out. At that moment, the electricity around the field fizzled out, with its yellow glow dissipating. Mimi pushed back against Electivire, causing him to stumble as the electricity around his fists shrunk a little.
"Now Play Rough!" the Ketchum boy ordered. The shiny Disguise Pokémon lunged forward, striking her foe multiple times and enveloping him in a cloud of grey smoke.
"Electivire!" Paige cried out. With one last smack to his face thanks to her tail-like stick, Mimi knocked the Thunderbolt Pokémon down onto the turf upon his stomach. The smoke cleared, allowing for Dan to run over and assess his condition. Swirls were in his eyes as he groaned.
"Electivire is unable to battle!" he confirmed, raising his left arm. The crowd cheered wildly.
"And there you have it, everyone!" Jim exclaimed over the broadcast, while the image of the Thunderbolt Pokémon upon the big screens greyed out, "Mimikyu downs Electivire, ending that downhill slide her trainer was on!" he noted excitedly.
"Alright, way to go!" Hau yelled from the stands.
"Yeah!" Erika cheered.
"Nice going, Calvin," Ash said with a small smile.
"Huh…" his son sighed with relief back on the field.
"Meeee…" Mimi whimpered, getting his attention as he saw her waddle up to him, struggling to put her costume back together.
"Sorry to have to make you wait, Mimi…" her trainer apologized, crouching down and reaching out to her, "Here, I got it," he offered, going ahead and setting the head of her costume back on properly.
"Mee!" she squeaked happily, hopping affectionately into his arms to nuzzle against him as he laughed.
"Are you still okay to keep going?" he inquired of her.
"Meemee!" she responded with a nod. In the meantime, Paige returned her fainted Electivire to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"Great work out there," she noted gratefully, "Take a good rest," she advised, shrinking the spherical container by pressing its center button before putting it away, "You really are something, Calvin," she remarked, getting her rival's attention as he set Mimi down, "It's not that you're Ash Ketchum's kid, it's that you're such a determined guy," she pointed out, "That's what makes me all the more excited to beat you," she added with a big grin.
"Paige…" the Ketchum boy uttered, smiling himself, "I feel the same way," he confessed, "But we're not going to lose here," he vowed.
"Mee, keeoohh!" Mimi agreed, taking on a serious expression as she stood in front of her trainer. The silvery-haired girl chuckled, readying another Poké Ball in her right hand.
"We're not losing either!" she declared, rearing her arm back, "Let's go, Bewear!" she called out, firing the spherical container out onto the field. It burst open, and its light formed upon the ground, dissipating to reveal the Strong Arm Pokémon.
"Keeeeeee!" she screeched out.
"Bewear, huh?" Calvin said, sweating a little.
"Mee…" Mimikyu uttered, somewhat nervous herself.
X
"So now it's down to Bewear and Blaziken for Paige…" Leslie noted from the stands, putting her hand onto her chin, "I honestly don't know if Calvin really has the edge here…" she admitted.
"Huh?" Erika uttered in surprise.
"What do you mean, zzt?" Rotom asked.
"Aside from Mimi taking a lot of damage from Electivire, she could only use Iron Tail or Play Rough here," Leslie explained.
"Yeah, but Bewear's Fighting-type attacks won't work on Mimi!" Erika pointed out, "Plus, she got paralyzed from Togedemaru's Discharge earlier!" she remembered, "If anything, she's the one in the most trouble," she affirmed confidently. Her older sister hummed in thought, wondering if that was truly the case.
"Bewear returns to battle against Mimikyu!" Jim noted over the broadcast, "Will she manage to even the score once again… or will Mimikyu get a second straight victory?" he wondered aloud. Sparks of electricity emitted from the Strong Arm Pokémon's body as she winced.
"Don't worry, Bewear," her trainer assured, getting her attention, "We'll be fine," she promised with a thumbs-up.
"Kee!" the Strong Arm Pokémon squeaked in reply, taking on a ready stance.
"Get ready, Mimi!" Calvin called out.
"Mee!" the shiny Mimikyu responded.
"Use Bulk Up!" Paige instructed. A reddish-orange aura shrouded Bewear as her muscles tensed up and tightened.
"Mimi, Iron Tail!" the Ketchum boy ordered. With her tail-like stick shining a silvery-white, Mimi dashed forward.
"Bewear focuses on increasing her physical attack and defense, while Mimikyu charges in to get a head start!" Jim pointed out through the loudspeakers.
"Stomping Tantrum!" Paige commanded. The Strong Arm Pokémon's body was outlined in orange as she started stomping the ground repeatedly, making dirt build up with her added momentum. She then struck the ground hard, causing splinters to shoot up and out towards her incoming foe.
"Block them off with Shadow Claw!" Calvin instructed, enticing Mimi to draw her appendages from underneath her costume, cloaking them in a shadowy aura outlined in purple. She swiped at each of the incoming splinters of earth, slashing them away.
"Mimikyu charges through Bewear's Stomping Tantrum!" Jim exclaimed into the microphone, "She's a fierce one, folks!" he remarked excitedly. The shiny Disguise Pokémon closed in and leapt up, swinging her tail-like stick out at her foe.
"Bewear, Brutal Swing!" Paige ordered. With both of her front legs shining a dark pink, the Strong Arm Pokémon crossed them to block off her opponent. She then swiped fiercely to blow Mimi back, sending her tumbling over the turf. She managed to bring herself to a stop, standing up with her costume intact.
"You okay, Mimi?" her trainer asked in concern.
"Keeeoooh!" the shiny Mimikyu responded.
"Now Brutal Swing again!" Paige commanded. With her front legs still glowing in a dark pink light, Bewear charged forward. However, she ceased moving as electricity started sparking around her body again.
"Oh, it looks like Bewear's still dealing with the paralysis she was dealt in her last battle against Togedemaru!" Jim noted over the broadcast, "Will she be able to pull through and beat Mimikyu?!" he wondered loudly.
"Mimi, Play Rough!" Calvin ordered, pumping his left fist out. The shiny Disguise Pokémon charged forward, leaping up and smacking her foe in the face with her tail-like stick. She then continued to bombard her with strikes, making her stagger back a little.
"That's it! Way to go, Mimi!" Erika cheered.
"Yeah, you got it!" Hau yelled. However, Leslie was seemingly apprehensive. Though it didn't look like, Bewear was enduring the barrage of attacks quite well. The electricity sparking around her body disappeared for a moment, causing her to perk up.
"Kee!" she squeaked to her trainer, making her crack a grin.
"Brutal Swing!" she ordered. Making her front right leg shine a bright dark pink, the Strong Arm Pokémon swung it out at Mimi, who had no way to dodge. She was struck aside in an instant, crashing into the turf.
"Mimi!" Calvin screamed in shock. As the dust settled, Dan ran over to assess the shiny Mimikyu's condition. She lied in a small crater, having swirls in her eyes.
"Mimikyu is unable to battle!" he confirmed, raising his right hand. The image of the shiny Disguise Pokémon greyed out upon the big screen, making Calvin grimace.
"Mimikyu falls to Bewear, but not before managing to deal at least some damage to her!" Jim pointed out through the loudspeakers.
"It may have not mattered, considering that her ability is Fluffy," Tom mentioned. Back on the field, Calvin returned his fainted partner to her Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"You did a great job, Mimi," he affirmed, holding the spherical container in his right hand as he looked at it, "Rest up, okay?" he advised, shrinking the Poké Ball with a press of its button before putting it away.
"Aw…" Erika moaned out, "Calvin could've been up three-to-one against Blaziken…" she noted, putting her left hand up against her cheek.
"You're really pining for him to win, huh?" Leslie pointed out.
"Well, duh!" her sister responded, "I wanna get the chance to battle him myself!" she declared, closing her right hand into a fist, "We haven't had a match against each other since the Aether Tournament all that time ago!" she recalled, "It's the best way to see how far we've both come!" she affirmed, letting out a giggle.
"So folks, who'll Calvin's next Pokémon be?" Jim inquired over the broadcast. Readying a Poké Ball in his right hand, the Ketchum boy reared his arm back.
"You're back in, Incineroar!" he called out, firing the spherical container out onto the field. It popped open, and its light formed upon the ground, dissipating to reveal the Heel Pokémon.
"Raaawwwwrrrr!" she bellowed out.
"Incineroar returns!" Jim exclaimed into the microphone, "Knowing how valuable of a player she's been in this tournament, it's only natural she's back in the battle!" he affirmed excitedly.
"And she'll be especially helpful against Bewear here," Tom added. The Heel Pokémon looked towards the scoreboard to her right, grimacing a little. Though they were still tied, her trainer's team was being handled quite well by their opponents. Even so, Calvin still had the advantage of having one Pokémon that had yet to appear.
'So he's going for Incineroar first, huh?' Paige noted inwardly, 'Well, I guess he really wants to save whoever's left as his trump card…' she mentioned to herself.
"Bewear, Bulk Up!" she called out.
"Keee!" the Strong Arm Pokémon responded, tightening her muscles again as a reddish-orange aura emitted from her body.
"Bewear once again takes the opportunity to increase her physical attack and defense, which'll definitely be helpful going up against Incineroar!" Jim noted through the loudspeakers.
"Incineroar, use Cross Chop!" Calvin ordered. Crossing her arms as they glowed a bright orange, the Heel Pokémon lunged forward. She swiped at her foe squarely at her foe, making her falter back a step. However, she steeled herself.
"Superpower!" Paige commanded. An orange aura shrouded Bewear before she slammed both of her front legs into Incineroar, sending her flying back in an instant.
"Ah!" the Ketchum boy gasped.
"Ooh, my goodness!" Jim yelped over the broadcast, while Incineroar tumbled over the turf, "Incineroar's Cross Chop is outdone by that Superpower from Bewear!" he noted excitedly as the Heel Pokémon managed to bring herself to a stop upon her hands and knees.
"Incineroar, you okay?!" her trainer cried out.
"Sehhh… rawrrr…" she responded, managing to get back onto her feet.
"Yikes…" Erika uttered from the stands.
"Since Incineroar'zzz weak to Fighting-type attackzzz, she'zzz at a big disadvantage here, zzt!" Rotom pointed out.
"And with Bewear using Bulk Up, it'll be even harder for her to land a solid enough hit!" Hau added worriedly. Back on the field, the Strong Arm Pokémon smacked her front legs together, ready to continue the battle, even as sparks of electricity were crackling upon her body.
"Stomping Tantrum!" her trainer commanded. With an orange glow appearing around her body, Bewear started stomping the ground repeatedly, making dust build up.
"Incineroar, Darkest Lariat!" Calvin called out. As Bewear stomped the ground hard, making splinters shoot out, her foe had dark red flames ignite upon her hands. She spun around rapidly, breaking the incoming shards with ease.
"Incineroar's able to keep on kickin' with a Darkest Lariat to counter Bewear's Stomping Tantrum!" Jim pointed out through the loudspeakers.
"Bewear, use Brutal Swing!" Paige ordered.
"Keeeeeee!" the Strong Arm Pokémon screeched, having both of her front legs glow a dark pink as she charged toward her spinning foe.
"Keep using Darkest Lariat!" Calvin commanded. Incineroar came to a stop and started to spin counterclockwise. Her opponent closed and swung her arms out at her, only for them to be caught by the Heel Pokémon.
"Keee…" she growled out.
"Rrrrrrr…" her foe growled back.
"We've got ourselves quite the deadlock here, folks!" Jim yelled into the microphone, "Who'll pull through first? Incineroar? Or Bewear?" he questioned on.
"Superpower!" Paige commanded fiercely, pumping her fists forward. An orange aura shrouded the Strong Arm Pokémon as she raised her front legs again.
"Quick, Cross Chop!" Calvin ordered, sticking his right hand out. Making her arms shine a bright orange, Incineroar swiped at her target's stomach in an x-shaped pattern, causing her to wince. However, it didn't seem to hinder her in the slightest as she swung her front legs down. What did stop her was the electricity crackling around her, right before she could strike her opponent.
"Ah, no!" Paige cried out.
"Bewear's paralysis kicks in before she can land another super effective blow onto Incineroar!" Jim noted through the loudspeakers, "This could be Calvin's chance here!" he mentioned loudly.
"Incineroar, Flare Blitz!" the Ketchum boy commanded. Hopping back, the Heel Pokémon surrounded herself in light red fire with orange streaks, lunging out and slamming into her paralyzed foe.
"KKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" she screeched in agony, struggling to endure the blow.
"Bewear!" Paige screamed. The Strong Arm Pokémon perked up upon hearing her trainer's voice. The orange aura that surrounded her body returned. She lifted her front legs in spite of being pushed back several feet, bringing them down hard onto Incineroar's back in a powerful explosion of dust.
"Ah!" Erika and Hau yelped from the stands.
"Peekah…!" Pikachu gasped out, while Jangmo-o's mouth was agape. The dust was slow to settle as both trainers watched on with bated breath. When the rubble cloud finally did clear, it revealed Incineroar lying upon her hands and knees, grimacing with pain. Bewear was standing over her.
"Looks to me that second Superpower might've done the trick!" Jim exclaimed into the microphone, "What an incredible effort from B—!" Before he could finish his remarks, the Strong Arm Pokémon suddenly fell backwards onto the turf, much to everyone's shock. Dan ran over to see the swirls in her eyes as she groaned.
"Bewear is unable to battle!" he confirmed, raising his left arm. The crowd erupted into huge roar of cheers as the image of the Strong Arm Pokémon was greyed out on the big screens.
"Unbelievable!" Jim yelled over the broadcast, "Bewear held out as long as she could, but ultimately can't seem to stay on her feet as she falls to Incineroar!" he noted, still sounding shocked.
"With her ability being Fluffy, she could handle a lot of Incineroar's physical attacks," Tom pointed out, "However, that ability also makes any Fire-type attacks twice as strong when they land," he mentioned, "Calvin made it close, but he certainly made the right call in having Incineroar battle Bewear," he told those watching.
"And now, Paige is down to just her Blaziken!" Jim added.
"Huh…" Erika sighed with relief, "After that second Superpower, I thought Incineroar was done for…" she admitted, slumping in her seat.
"Yeah, same…" Hau admitted.
"A little too much intensity for today, huh?" Leslie assumed of them, earning an annoyed glare from her little sister.
"Rrr… rawhhrrr…" Incineroar grunted as she slowly got back onto her feet.
"You gonna be okay to keep going, Incineroar?" her trainer asked of her, getting her attention.
"Rahwr," she responded, shooting him a thumbs-up of reassurance, even as she winced. He gave off a worried look, but steeled himself. He watched as Paige returned her fainted Bewear to her Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"Thanks for hanging in there 'til the bitter end, Bewear," she said with gratitude, "We're gonna win this match for sure," she promised, shrinking the spherical container and putting it away before turning to look at her rival. She gave a confident smile, much to his surprise. He would've figured that she would be feeling nervous by now. She was, but it was more of her being excited.
'I finally get to debut this trick of mine…' she noted to herself, readying a new Poké Ball in her right hand, pressing its button to enlarge it.
"Blaziken, you're up!" she called out, throwing the spherical container out onto the field. It burst open, and its light took shape upon the ground, dissipating to reveal the Blaze Pokémon.
"Blayyy!" she bellowed out, igniting the flames at her wrists.
"Blaziken returns as Paige's last Pokémon to stand up against Incineroar and whoever Calvin has saved for last!" Jim noted into the microphone.
"Rawwwrrrr…" the Heel Pokémon, taking a ready stance.
"Hey, Calvin!" Paige called out, getting her rival's attention as he perked up, "Thanks for the wake-up call earlier," she said with gratitude, "Really helped me get back on my game," she affirmed.
"Yeah, no problem," the Ketchum boy replied.
"You know… I did a lot of training after finishing up all my trials," the silvery-haired girl admitted, "I wanted to take everything that I learned from the island challenge and all the battles I had…" she continued, clenching her right fist determinedly, "and bring it all here!" she declared. Incineroar blinked in surprise upon noticing the brace over Blaziken's left arm, which had a peculiar stone that was cream-colored with a red-and-black curved marking upon it. "I trained a lot with the trial captains before the league," she mentioned, pulling out a fingerless glove from her pocket and setting it onto her left hand, "And if I remember, you fought Ilima a couple days ago, right?" she inquired, revealing that there was a Key Stone upon her glove.
"No way…!" Calvin gasped out.
"Heh," Paige chuckled, raising her left hand up, "He taught me a lot about Mega Evolution, and my partner here's more than ready to let loose with it!" she yelled out, "Here we go, Blaziken!" she called out, tapping the Key Stone with her fingers, "Mega Evolve!" she exclaimed. Streaks of golden light shot out from her trinket, which extended towards the Blaze Pokémon. Her Blazikenite unleashed red streaks of luminosity, connecting with those of her trainer's. They turned bright white as a multicolored aura shrouded Blaziken, whose body started to transform.
She gained a horn upon her head, and her hair-like feathers pointed upward, while the flames at her wrists grew longer. When the aura dissipated, it revealed that she had lost her yellow markings and gained black ones on her upper legs and chest. Her hair-like feathers took on a wing-like shape, and the portion around her chest was rough around her shoulders. The crest on her head had changed into a flat horn that curved backward.
"BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" she bellowed out proudly. Both Calvin and Incineroar were stunned.
"Oh my goodness!" Jim exclaimed over the broadcast, "Paige pulls out probably the biggest surprise of the tournament, having her Blaziken Mega Evolve to face off against the rest of Calvin's team!" he pointed out excitedly, "Things are heating up, everyone!" he added while on the field, the Ketchum boy grimaced.
X
"No way!" Erika yelped from the stands as she shot up to her feet, "Paige can use Mega Evolution?!" she exclaimed in question.
"But that means she can't use a Z-Move," her sister pointed out, getting her attention as she blinked in confusion, "You didn't know that?" she inquired of her, much to her embarrassment as her cheeks went pink a little.
"Basically, Z-Moves and Mega Evolutions are considered to be one-time power-ups for trainers in official battles," Ash explained, "If a trainer uses one, they can't use the other," he mentioned.
"Well… Mega Evolution still seems really unfair!" Erika complained, "Even if it's only used once, a Pokémon stays that way until they've lost!" she noted on, "That's totally different compared to a Z-Move!" she argued.
"She'zzz got a good point…" Rotom concurred as it floated over.
"Don't forget, Cal beat Ilima's Mega Kangaskhan back in the third round," Leslie reminded, folding her arms over her chest, "I doubt this'll faze him too much," she affirmed confidently. Looking back toward the field, Erika watched her twin brother take a deep breath, prepared to continue the battle.
"With Blaziken's Mega Evolution now in play, will we see a Z-Move in retaliation from Incineroar?" Jim wondered through the loudspeakers. Hearing that, the Heel Pokémon looked back to her trainer. He didn't seem to be keen on using a Z-Move just yet.
'Incineroar dealt Blaziken a lot damage earlier…' he recalled inwardly, 'All that's left to do is finish her off…' he affirmed through his thoughts.
"Incineroar, Flare Blitz!" he commanded. Engulfing in a torrent of red flames with orange streaks, the Heel Pokémon lunged out at her opponent, who took a ready stance.
"Bulk Up!" Paige called out. Tightening her muscles, Blaziken crossed her arms over her chest to block her incoming foe. A reddish aura flowed up her body before she unfolded her arms, blowing Incineroar back as she slid back along the ground.
"Drat…" Calvin muttered out.
"Blaziken easily takes Incineroar's Flare Blitz, increasing his attack and defense with Bulk Up in the process!" Jim noted excitedly into the microphone.
"And that might not be all Calvin has to worry about…" Tom mentioned.
"Huh?" Erika uttered upon overhearing the commentators, "What does he mean?" she asked of her sister, who narrowed her eyes in thought.
"Cross Chop!" their brother commanded back on the field. Incineroar crossed her arms over her face, lunging forward as they glowed a bright orange. However, Paige smirked.
"Dodge and use Blaze Kick!" she instructed. Rather instantaneously, Blaziken sped away just before her opponent could reach her.
"Rah?!" she gasped in shock, while her trainer widened her eyes in disbelief. With the end of her right leg engulfed in red-orange flames, the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon kicked her foe fiercely, sending her flying back as she tumbled along the ground.
"Incineroar!" Calvin cried out, seeing her come to a stop with a pained grimace upon her face.
"Sehhh… rawrr…" she groaned, slowly pushing herself up. Her foe loomed ahead, readying her legs as the flames at her wrists waved about like streamers.
"Blaziken overwhelms Incineroar with a powerful Blaze Kick!" Jim exclaimed over the broadcast, "I think it's safe to say that's she in a bit of a bind now!" he pointed out.
"Oh man…" Erika uttered worriedly from the stands. Getting onto her feet, the Heel Pokémon gritted her teeth determinedly.
"Now Acrobatics!" Paige ordered. A blue shrouded Blaziken as she lunged forward, zipping about rapidly.
"Counter with Darkest Lariat!" Calvin instructed. Incineroar had dark red flames erupt upon her hands. Before she could spin though, she was met with the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon striking her multiple times, not relenting for even a single moment.
"Blaziken continues to keep Incineroar on her toes, pummeling her with a rapid Acrobatics!" Jim noted through the loudspeakers, "Her speed's become incredible!" he mentioned.
"Thought so…" Leslie said from back in the stands, catching her little sister's attention, "When Blaziken Mega Evolves, her ability becomes Speed Boost," she told those around her.
"Speed Boost?" Hau repeated in confusion upon overhearing her.
"It'zzz an ability that increasezzz a Pokémon'zzz zzzpeed with each move they use, zzt," Rotom explained.
"And it's already bad with Blaziken having used Bulk Up earlier…" Leslie mentioned with a grimace.
"Come on, Incineroar!" Erika cheered, "Don't give up!" she insisted loudly.
"Pika, peekah chu!" Pikachu cried out.
"Jah, moh!" Jangmo-o screeched. On the field, Incineroar was having a difficult time enduring all of the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon's attacks. It was coming to the point where she was starting to stagger a little.
"Hang in there, Incineroar!" her trainer cried out. Hearing his voice, the Heel Pokémon let out a roar, making the dark red flames at her hands burn even more brightly. She started to spin around, deflecting Blaziken as she flipped back.
"Incineroar manages to push back against Blaziken, in spite of her power and speed!" Jim yelled into the microphone.
"Darkest Lariat!" Calvin commanded. The Heel Pokémon spun forward, heading toward her foe.
"Blaze Kick!" Paige ordered. Flames erupted at the ends of the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon's legs as she lunged out, colliding her right one with her opponent in a flurry of embers and sparks. She started kicking rapidly at the spinning Incineroar, but each blow was deflected by her hands.
"Amazing!" Jim exclaimed over the broadcast, "Even against a Mega Evolution like Blaziken, Incineroar manages to hold her own!" he pointed out excitedly.
"Sky Uppercut!" the silvery-haired girl commanded, thrusting her left hand out. The Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon made her left fist glow a bright orange as she hopped back. She lunged in at her spinning foe from below, landing an uppercut that managed to strike her squarely in the stomach.
"RAAAHHHH…!" she gasped out.
"INCINEROAR!" Calvin screamed, seeing her go flying up into the air. Her flame belt brightened before a red, flaming aura burst to life around her body.
"RAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" she roared, clenching her fists determinedly.
"What's that…?!" Paige exclaimed in surprise.
"It's Incineroar's Blaze!" Erika remembered excitedly.
"Now her Fire-type moves are gonna be even stronger!" Hau added as he shot up from his seat. The Heel Pokémon landed upon the field, breathing heavily with exhaustion.
"Sehh, rawr!" she called out to her trainer, getting his attention.
"Yeah, I know," he responded, clenching his fists determinedly, "This is our last chance…" he confirmed, "Use Flare Blitz!" he commanded. Red-orange flames erupted around Incineroar, with orange streaks about them. Blaziken took on a ready stance in response.
"So this is your last stand with Incineroar, Calvin?" Paige assumed, letting off a grin, "Blaziken, Sky Uppercut!" she ordered. With both of her fists glowing a bright orange, the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon rushed forward. Her opponent lunged out at her, roaring all the while.
The two collided, with Incineroar striking Blaziken head first, while she jammed her fists up against her stomach fiercely. A fiery explosion engulfed them, with the ensuing smoke spreading throughout the field. It was slow to settle as everyone watched on with bated breath.
"With such a powerful exchange, it's hard to tell who had the edge there…" Jim admitted over the broadcast. At that moment, the smoke finally settled to reveal both Pokémon still standing. However, that only lasted for a moment before Incineroar collapsed onto the ground in a heap. Dan ran over to assess her condition, seeing the swirls in her eyes.
"Incineroar is unable to battle!" he confirmed, raising his left hand into the air. The crowd cheered, while the Heel Pokémon's image on the big screens was greyed out.
"And Incineroar ultimately falls, even with Blaze boosting that last Flare Blitz of hers!" Jim noted through the loudspeakers.
"Flare Blitz is a double-edged sword with its recoil, so that might've been what ultimately did Incineroar in," Tom pointed out. On the field, Calvin returned the fainted Heel Pokémon to her Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"Nice work out there, Incineroar," he complimented, "Take a good long rest, okay?" he advised, putting the spherical container away after shrinking it. He then pulled out his last Poké Ball, adjusting his cap.
"Now down to his last Pokémon, who's Calvin relying on to take him to victory?" Jim wondered aloud into the microphone. Enlarging the spherical container with a press of its button, the Ketchum boy reared his arm back.
"Marowak, you're up!" he exclaimed, firing the Poké Ball out onto the field. It burst open, with the light from it spilling out onto the turf, shaping into form and dissipating to reveal the Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon. He opened his eyes to see his opponent, clutching his bone tightly before rubbing both ends against the marking upon his head, igniting them with pale green flames.
"Mah, wak!" he exclaimed.
"So Marowak's his last Pokémon?" Erika noted aloud, somewhat surprised.
"He helped him beat that Allister guy back in the second round," Hau remembered.
"And since he's part Ghost-type, Fighting-type moves won't work on him," Leslie pointed out.
"Don't forget, Calvin's still got the chance to use a Z-Move," Ash mentioned, getting their attentions.
"Yeah, but which one would he go for?" Erika inquired in response.
"Marowak turns out to be Calvin's last Pokémon for today!" Jim noted over the broadcast, "A Pokémon well-known here in Alola for their traditional dances and their unique forms from their Kantonian counterparts!" he told the audience.
"Being a Fire/Ghost-type, Marowak's got a bit of an advantage over Blaziken at the moment," Tom added, "However, with her current speed and power, I'd say Blaziken still has the edge," he admitted.
"Well, we'll see who's stronger right now!" the play-by-play commentator pointed out excitedly.
"Blaziken, Bulk Up!" Paige called out.
"Blay!" the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon responded. She had her muscles tighten again before a reddish aura flowed up her body.
"Use Shadow Bone!" Calvin ordered. The flames upon Marowak's bone turned purple before he charged forward. He lunged out and slammed it against Blaziken, making her slide back a few feet as she winced.
"Oh, is Blaziken still feeling the effects of that last hit she took from Incineroar?" Jim wondered aloud through the loudspeakers.
"Now Bonemerang!" the Ketchum boy commanded, thrusting his right fist out. The Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon spun his weapon before flinging it out.
"Knock it away with Sky Uppercut!" Paige instructed. With her right fist glowing a bright orange, Blaziken punched the incoming bone up into the air before it could strike her. However, Calvin smirked.
"Now Shadow Bone!" he ordered. Leaping up to grab his weapon, Marowak ignited both ends with purple flames again, rearing it back as he came down toward his foe.
"Blaze Kick!" she commanded, swinging her right leg out. With the end of her right leg igniting in flames, the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon brought it up to counter her foe's bone, resulting in a flurry of sparks and embers.
"We've got ourselves another deadlock between determined battlers, folks!" Jim noted excitedly into the microphone, "Even against a Mega Evolution, Marowak isn't backing down!" he mentioned.
"Marowak, Aerial Ace!" Calvin ordered. Hopping back, the Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon lunged forward again. White streaks of light surrounded his body as he rammed into Blaziken's chest, making her gasp with pain.
"Yeah!" Erika exclaimed from the stands.
"So Marowak learned how to use Aerial Ace…" Mirajane noted aloud, "Our son really knows how to pull off some interesting tricks," she remarked, sharing a giggle with her husband.
"Is it just me, or is Blaziken not moving as fast as you'd expect her to?" Hau inquired, getting the attentions of his cousins.
"Yeah… you're right!" Leslie exclaimed in realization, seeing Marowak ignite his bone's ends with purple flames before lunging out at the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon, who was backing away in order to dodge his attempted swipes, "By now, she should be running circles around Marowak…" she pointed out.
"It must've been Incineroar!" Erika concluded, "Her Flare Blitz must've weakened Blaziken to the point where her Speed Boost won't work anymore!" she inferred, letting off a big smile, "You got this, Marowak!" she yelled out. Back on the field, the Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon kept swiping at his foe, forcing her to fall back. Paige grimaced, knowing that the situation wasn't in her favor, especially with how her partner's mobility had seemed to decrease. She had to think of something, and soon.
"Blaziken, Acrobatics!" she ordered. Leaping up, the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon cloaked herself in a sky blue light before zipping about around her opponent, who struggled to keep track of her.
"Stay calm, Marowak!" Calvin advised, "Use Flare Blitz!" he commanded. Making pale green flames ignite upon the ends of his bone, the Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon spun it around before cloaking himself in fire. As Blaziken zipped down toward him, he lunged up at her, colliding in a fierce blast, blowing them both back.
"Another fiery exchange between these two as we get closer to the conclusion of this incredible match!" Jim pointed out through the loudspeakers, while both Pokémon slid to a stop upon the field.
"Now Aerial Ace!" the Ketchum boy ordered. Rushing forward again, Marowak had white streaks of light surround his body as he lunged toward his target.
"Knock his bone away with Sky Uppercut!" Paige instructed, much to her rival's surprise. Blaziken made her right fist glow a bright orange. Once her opponent collided with her squarely in her chest, she landed an uppercut to send his weapon flying out from his left hand.
"Mah?!" he gasped out, seeing it fly off and land off at the other end of the field.
"Now Blaze Kick!" the silvery-haired girl commanded. With the ends of her legs igniting with flames again, the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon kicked at her opponent multiple times, making him tumble back along the turf.
"Marowak!" Calvin cried out, seeing the Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon fall onto his stomach, groaning with pain.
"Uh oh!" Jim yelped into the microphone, "Without his bone, Marowak's seemingly left defenseless up against Blaziken!" he noted aloud.
"Now Acrobatics!" Paige ordered. A sky blue light shrouded the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon's body as she leapt up, zipping about in midair.
"Mahh… roh…" Marowak groaned as he stood up.
"Marowak, get to your bone with Aerial Ace!" Calvin instructed with a swing of his right arm.
"Roh!" the Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon responded, lunging out and having white streaks of light surround his body as he was heading to reclaim his weapon. However, Blaziken suddenly appeared in front of him, kicking him aside.
"Marowak!" his trainer cried out, seeing him fall upon the ground on his back. As he tried to bring himself back up, he found himself pinned to the ground by the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon's right leg, as she loomed over him.
"Oh no!" Erika gasped out as everyone in the stands watched on with widened eyes.
"Blaziken gets Marowak pinned down at a crucial juncture!" Jim noted over the broadcast, "Could this be it?!" he wondered loudly.
"Mah… mah, roh…!" the Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon grunted out, trying to break free from his foe's hold.
"Heh," Paige chuckled out, "Now Blaze Kick!" she commanded. With the ends of both of her legs igniting in flames, the Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon leapt up into the air. She then came down like a flaming arrow, striking her foe fiercely in a flurry of dust.
"Mahhhh…!" Marowak gasped in pain. Calvin grimaced, knowing that the situation wasn't ideal. The Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon was the only one left on his team. Losing here meant he wouldn't be able to continue. He wouldn't be able to face any of the other three semifinalists. He'd just be left watching.
"Marowak…" he uttered out.
"Blaziken's Blaze Kick deals a hefty amount of damage to Marowak!" Jim yelled through the loudspeakers, "Will he be able to withstand it?!" he inquired aloud.
"Mah… roh…!" the Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon, managing to bat his eyes open even as his body was being pressed against the ground. At that moment, an orange outline shrouded his form as he started banging his arms and legs against the ground, causing dirt to build up.
"Huh?" Calvin and Paige uttered in confusion upon noticing, while Blaziken appeared just as perplexed.
"Marowak starts to thrash about while still pinned to the ground!" Jim noted into the microphone, "What might he be doing?" he wondered.
"Maroh… WAKK!" the Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon exclaimed, slamming his limbs against the ground. Splinters of earth shot up, much to his foe's surprise as she was suddenly struck by them, stumbling off of her opponent as she grimaced with pain, clutching her chest with her left hand.
"Blaziken!" Paige cried out.
"Whoa, what was that?!" Hau asked from the stands out of shock.
"That was the same move Bewear used before, right?" Erika inquired of her older sister, who nodded and grinned.
"Stomping Tantrum's a Ground-type attack that gets even more powerful if the last attack the user performed failed somehow!" she pointed out excitedly, getting up from her seat, "You've still got this, Calvin!" she cheered.
"Yeah, go! Go!" her little sister yelled on. Reclaiming his bone, Marowak spun it into his grasp before looking back to his trainer.
"Mah roh," he insisted.
"Yeah, it's time for our big finish!" he declared, taking out the Groundium Z he had and setting it onto his Z-Power Ring. Noticing, Paige cracked a smirk.
"I don't think so!" she yelled, "Blaziken, Acrobatics!" she ordered, sticking her left hand out. The Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon had a sky blue light shroud her body, zipping about toward her opponent.
"Knock her away with Shadow Bone!" Calvin instructed. Leaping up, Marowak ignited the ends of his weapon with purple flames, spinning it before slamming it against his foe's head, sending her sliding back along the ground. She came to a stop, falling to a knee as she grimaced.
"Blaziken!" her trainer screamed.
"Let's do this!" the Ketchum boy yelled as his partner landed in front of him. He crossed his arms over his face, making his Z-Crystal flash brightly. Marowak mimicked his movements as he waved his arms around. "After having such a great battle, this is the only way we can really end it!" he affirmed, pirouetting before pressing his right hand against the ground. The orange-colored aura that had been building up around his body shot out in streaks towards the Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon. They merged with his body, with the Z-Move symbol flashing in front of him.
"Mah, roh!" he exclaimed, raising his bone and spinning it rapidly.
"Now! Tectonic Rage!" Calvin yelled out. Marowak took his bone in both hands and slammed one end of it against the ground, causing it to crack. The fissure opened up beneath Blaziken, causing her to fall in.
"WHOA-HO-HO!" Jim exclaimed over the broadcast, "Calvin has Marowak go for a last-ditch Z-Move to try and pull off an implausible victory!" he pointed out excitedly, "Can he do it?!" he wondered loudly. The Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon engulfed himself in an orange light as he dove into the fissure, heading after his falling foe.
"Blaziken, use Blaze Kick!" Paige commanded. The Mega Evolved Blaze Pokémon had the ends of her legs ignite with fire as her foe approached, readying his bone. The two roared loudly before they collided, resulting in a massive implosion. Both trainers on the field were knocked down onto their bottoms by the force of the blast, while everyone in the stands watched on in complete awe.
Smoke billowed into the sky. Calvin and Paige stood up, waiting for it to clear. As it finally did, it revealed both Marowak and Blaziken still standing a few yards apart from each other. The former seemed evidently exhausted, while the latter stood firm. However, she suddenly faltered, falling down onto her side. A bright flash of multicolored light enveloped her body as she transformed back to normal. Dan ran over to assess her condition. After a moment, he raised his right arm.
"Blaziken is unable to battle!" he confirmed, "Marowak wins!" he declared, gesturing toward the Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon, "And therefore…" he continued, looking over to Calvin, "the victory goes to Calvin!" he announced. As the Blaze Pokémon's image upon the big screens greyed out, they all shifted, wiping away Paige and her team to show the Ketchum boy and his team in the center, with a large 'VICTORY' sign underneath them. He looked around in awe.
"And Calvin takes the victory!" Jim exclaimed over the broadcast, "He'll be joining his sister, Gladion, and Trent in the semifinals!" he declared excitedly as the big screens showed images of the four remaining trainers in question.
"We… won…" he slowly realized. He looked out to Marowak, who shot him a thumbs-up. He smiled brightly. "Marowak!" he exclaimed, running over to hug him, "Way to go!" he complimented, sounding very proud.
"Mah, roh," the Alolan Bone Keeper Pokémon responded humbly, though he did have a prideful expression upon his face. In the meantime, Paige walked over to Blaziken as she sat up, looking away ashamedly.
"Hey, don't go giving me that look," she advised, seating herself down beside her, "You and I both know you did your best out there," she affirmed as she reached over to pet the Blaze Pokémon's head, "Keep your chin up," she insisted.
"Blayy…" Blaziken huffed, getting onto her feet with her trainer.
"Hey, Paige!" Calvin called out, catching their attentions as they saw the Ketchum boy jog up to them alongside Marowak, "Thanks for the battle!" he exclaimed with gratitude, much to the silvery-haired girl's surprise.
"I felt like I wasn't giving it my all at first…" she admitted in response to his surprise, "Sorry about that…" she apologized, "And I honestly should be thanking you," she confessed on.
"Paige…" Calvin uttered. His rival then held her right hand out to him.
"The next time we get to battle, I'll be a thousand percent ready to take you and your team on," she affirmed confidently, clenching her left fist.
"Blay, ken!" Blaziken agreed. The Ketchum boy smiled, grabbing her hand with his own.
"We'll gladly take that challenge," he promised. The crowd cheered at the sight of such sportsmanship.
"So folks, that concludes the Lanakila Conference's Quarterfinals!" Jim noted through the loudspeakers as many in the crowd turned their attentions onto the big screens, "Now, we'll be randomly selecting tomorrow's matchups!" he confirmed, with the cards of the four remaining trainers flipping over and shuffling about so that no one could keep track of them. Erika, Gladion, Trent and Calvin watched anxiously, each wondering who their next opponent would be. Two pairs of the cards were set on either side of the video boards. After another tense moment, they flipped over.
"Peekah…" Pikachu uttered in shock. The first match of the semifinals would be Erika against Gladion, leaving the second match to be Calvin against Trent.
"There you have it folks!" Jim exclaimed over the broadcast, "Four trainers looking to claim the title of Alola's first champion, but only two'll remain after tomorrow's round!" he pointed out excitedly, "Who'll come out on top?" he wondered. All four trainers were mentally preparing themselves for what was ahead. And they were wondering how things would go starting tomorrow…
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 the quarterfinals have been completed! I'm so glad to be writing this. At the time this is drafted, the anime's been kinda stagnant with a bunch of recaps late into the series before the battle between Ash and Leon. Writing this makes me feel a lot better about Pokémon and such.
Anyways, the semifinals are up next! So here's a summary for when that'll start!
SUMMARY
The matches for the semifinals have been decided! With Erika and Calvin up against Gladion and Trent respectively, the two prepare for their matches! However, is Incineroar going to be able to battle?!
And Erika's match against Gladion begins with a flurry! Will she be able to gain an early advantage over him?!
END SUMMARY
See you all next time for more amazing battle action, folks! I know you're looking forward to it!