The Alola Pokemon League has finally begun and our heroes were right in the center of all the excitement! First up, they took part in the Battle Royale Preliminary Round where they ended up amongst the 16 trainers chosen to enter the main tournament. And so, at the end of much intensive battling, those same sixteen trainers advanced to the next round of the Alola League!
"Alola, all you Poke-Homies! Today, we dive headfirst into our tournament Round of 16! And, here in Manalo Stadium, we've got ourselves a giant crowd gathered for the first match of the day!" Caster announced to the audience with Sarah and her friends along with the Poms, Buddies, the Vikings, the dragons, and their Partner Pokémon while Kukui smiled from his spot as he watched Ash and Faba preparing to battle each other. "For our first momentous Round of 16, please welcome Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and Faba! Ash is a young man from Pallet in Kanto who has already passed the four main Grand Trials of our Island Challenge!"
"Let's win it, Pikachu!"
"Yeah!" Ash and Pikachu grinned brightly, preparing to battle Faba and his chosen Pokémon.
"Opposite Ash, we have Faba: a member of the prestigious Aether Paradise team from the Aether Foundation and an expert in Psychic Type Pokémon!"
"Now, face your opponents and bring out your Pokémon for your match!" Hala announced, being the referee for the Round of 16 matches as Faba chose Hypno to battle Pikachu.
"It's time, Master!" Hypno said as he braced himself and Pikachu prepared to enter the field.
"Let's go, buddy!"
"You got it, Ash!"
"Use Psychic, now's our chance!" Faba whispered hurriedly to Hypno as the Hypnosis Pokémon discreetly used Psychic on one of Ash's Pokeballs to cheat while he prepared to choose Pikachu, the ball opening to reveal Meltan as he took to the field instead.
"Hmm?" quipped the Hex Nut Pokémon.
"Meltan/What?!" Ash and Pikachu gawked in total surprise and bewilderment at what happened.
(Theme Song: Pokémon League Arc - Moon Pride (Sailor Moon Crystal ft. Momorio Clover Z))
MOON PRIDE! Anata no chikara na naritai (I want to be your strength)
The opening begins with an overview of Sarah, her friends, Asha, and Race standing together with their Partner Pokémon in the midst of a floral field and the full moon before the camera pans forward and passes Sarah upward before the main titles appear in a flurry of light, electricity, and snow.
POKEMON SUN & MOON: Pokémon League Blues!
Nine lights (red, gold, yellow, green, blue, white, crimson, cyan, and an orange/yellow/violet mix) flew around the main titles before passing by and the final light showed Asha, Race, Ash, Kiawe, Lillie, Lana, Mallow, and Sophocles standing in a circle with their backs to each other and looking out on the horizon (with the Alola girls having a tear fall from their eyes, the boys looking determined as they glared hard, Race looks contempt yet determined as a flash of lightning streaks by him, and Asha looks out to her right worriedly and with heartache)
Namida wa hono wo tsutai (Tears roll down my face)
Hitomo wa akaku moeru (My eyes are burning red hot)
Inazuma no yo ni hageshiku (Being just as violent as lightning)
Dareka ga ai wo sakeru (Someone cries out for love)
We then quickly pan over to Sarah as she holds her hands in a prayer position with her eyes closed as if she's in some sort of slumber before she eventually wakes up and the camera pans to the moon in a blissful space of wonder.
Tatoe Don'na (No matter what) Kurayami Demo (Dark it is)
Hitori janai yo ne? (You're not alone, you know?) Watashitachi Wo (We're together)
Terasa Moonlight (Shining in moonlight) (AH)
Sarah is then shown in Ula'Ula's Malie City on a rainy day (while in a hand-painted/CGI background and holding an umbrella over her head) where she turns and suddenly sees a person that looks like Dia with a Shiny Zeraora at a tree while holding an umbrella over his head and reading a book before they took notice of her. The little princess gave a brief yet nostalgic sigh before she was joined by Blitz and Curly and then her boyfriend, sister, and friends as they got together and cheered, throwing their umbrellas up in the air.
On'nankoko ni mo yuzurenu kyoji ga aru (Girls, don't give away your self-respect)
Sore wa ouji-sama ni unmei nagazu (Don't throw away your destiny for a prince)
Mizukara Tatakau Ishi (Fight for yourself)
Soon, Sarah's friends and Asha along with their Partner Pokémon start to fight against other trainers in the Alola League's elimination and quarter rounds as they climb their way to the Top 16 spots for the official tournament. Sarah and Race stand together as their Pokémon fight before they face each other and they order Blitz and Robbie to go at each other and see who's the better trainer and Pokémon between them.
Shiny Make-Up! Kagayaku yo hoshizora wo atsumete (Keep shining as you collect the starry sky)
Tada mamorareru dake no kayowai sonzai ja nai wa (We aren't weak girls who need man's protection)
In the midst of the competition, Team Skull appears to crush the competition and win in their own right with the most prominent of its members showing themselves as follows: Tupp, Zipp, Rapp, Plumeria, and Guzma (the main head of Team Skull preparing to compete himself). Kukui, Lusamine, Wicke, Faba, Burnet, Doug, Delilah, David, and Doug are shown together as they nod to wish everybody participating in the Alola League good luck and we even get a glimpse at an unknown Pokemon appearing from an Ultra Wormhole. Sarah reappears and draws Cosmic Grace before she holds it out and its light shines for all of Alola to see.
Shiny Make-Up! Tatakau yo hoshizora wo matotte (I will fight in the starry sky)
Atarashii densetsu ga ima koko kara hajimaru (A new legend begins from here)
La la, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
The opening ends with quick shots of the main group of nine as they and their Pokémon reappear together and do poses, ready to face the Alola League head-on and have fun no matter who wins or loses the entire tournament.
(Pokémon League Arc Opening Ends)
Ash and Pikachu were completely taken aback by Meltan being called out to battle. And, when he realized he would be taking part in his first-ever Pokémon League match by battling Faba and Hypno, Meltan was ecstatic, "Ooh! A Pokémon League battle? I get to battle here, too?! YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!"
Ash had to smile as he realized how much his Hex Nut Pokémon wanted to battle and replied, "Wow, Meltan! I completely forgot, this is your first time ever in a Pokemon League. You really want to battle that much, huh?"
"Ash, are you sure? I mean, Meltan was never used in many battles beforehand and he has no idea how powerful Faba and Hypno truly are. How do we know if he's even ready for this?" Pikachu pondered, concerned for Meltan.
"I'm sorry, Pikachu. But, Meltan's having a lot of fun and I want to help him battle Faba. Could you sit it out just this one time until later?"
"Oh... Okay."
Ash sheepishly smiled at his disappointed partner as he got off his shoulder and watched from the sidelines, "Sorry..."
Meltan continued to squeak determinedly, ready to show Hypno and Faba what he could do since it would mean making Rowlet proud if he could see him right now which got Ash pumped up regardless of the unexpected summon.
"Alright, Meltan, I choose you!"
"PARTY!"
"It looks like Ash has chosen Meltan as his Pokémon fighting against Hypno. According to Prof. Kukui and Prof. Oak, it is a Steel Type Pokémon that has only recently been discovered."
"He-he-he-he-he, just perfect! All according to my plan," Faba thought cheekily as he recalled what he had done the night before to give him the advantage.
(Flashback)
The previous night, Faba snuck his way into the restaurant where Ash and his Pokémon were having dinner. After finding out that he was to battle against him in the first match, he needed to see which Pokémon he could use against him and get him booted out of the competition.
"Right, now which one among you is the weakest of them all?" he mused as he scanned Pikachu, Torracat, Lycanroc, Rowlet, and Meltan until he had his eyes fixed on the Hex Nut Pokémon while he was eating some screws in his bowl.
As he was eating his dinner, Meltan fell into his bowl and flailed around in panic before a surprised Rowlet saw what happened and helped him back up. Despite his tiny appearance, Ash, his team, and their friends all knew how formidable the Steel Type was after everything he went through (especially after his adventure of searching for his hex nut head with the Grass Quill Pokémon which made them brothers). But, Faba didn't know that and he saw him as the weak link in the chain despite that which he thought would give him a leg-up in the match.
(Flashback End)
"Nothing personal, Mr. Ketchum. It's just that I simply must be the one to face off against the Masked Royal in that exclusive one-on-one!"
"Wow, I'm surprised Ash didn't go with Pikachu for this one," Sophocles admitted.
"Unexpected, for sure. But, does he have some sort of plan regarding Meltan?" Rotom-Dex questioned curiously.
"Call it a hunch from me but I think Faba's so desperate to battle the Masked Royal that he's resorted to cheating by putting Meltan out there for him just so he can win the match without even trying," Sarah replied suspiciously. getting shocked gasps from the rest of the group.
"That big cheat!" Astrid snarled in disgust.
"That's not fair!"
"Then, Faba should be disqualified for not playing fair here," growled Mallow and Lillie.
But, Sarah chuckled as she found a fatal flaw in Faba's little scheme which left everybody confused as the Poms asked, "What's wrong, Sarah?"
"What's so funny?"
"Why are you laughing?"
Sarah smiled as she then said, "I wouldn't worry too much. Besides, I bet Faba didn't think this one through, as usual; anybody among us remembers what's so unique about Meltan and why he and his friends gave us headaches back then?"
Kiawe, Lana, Lillie, Mallow, and Sophocles thought back to their first series of meetings with Meltan and his friends and upon remembering a small catch they noticed about them, they (and their Pokémon who also recalled their first misadventures with the little Hex Nut Pokemon and his friends) couldn't help but snigger over Faba's little oversight which left everybody else in the dark and confused.
Even Liberty couldn't help but laugh as she recalled what went down several weeks prior and replied, "Oh! You mean-!"
"What?" the Poms asked, still stumped.
"What are you talking about?" Rosebud quizzed, also feeling clueless.
"Watch Meltan while he and Hypno battle and you'll find out."
"Our Quarterfinals will be single 1-on-1 Pokémon battles! As Ash and Faba will demonstrate in today's first match, whichever Pokémon gives up or is knocked out will lose while the other moves on with his trainer to Round 2 of the Quarterfinals!"
Hala nodded as he prepared to start the battle as he faced Faba and Ash, "Are the competitors prepared?"
"Yes!" Ash and Faba concurred.
"On your marks, ready, and...….battle, begin!"
"Meltan, Flash Canon! Let's go!"
"Here I come! FIRE!" Meltan squeaked as he fired Flash Cannon at Hypno.
"Dodge it, Hypno!" Faba ordered, allowing his Psychic Type to dodge Flash Cannon just in time.
"Attack using Headbutt!"
"Hypno, Reflect!"
Meltan then went on the offensive with Headbutt but Hypno used his psychic powers to summon a transparent shield to block him. But, as Reflect was canceled, however, the Hex Nut Pokémon took note of his coin and his eye twinkled with delight while his stomach growled.
Faba didn't notice this as he smirked, feeling sure of his victory, "Just as I predicted, now I know that I can win without putting up much of a fight. Hypno, use Hypnosis!"
"Meltan, don't look!" Ash cried but Meltan's hunger got to him as he lunged forward and grabbed onto the shocked Hypno's coin, greatly surprising both him and Faba.
"HEY! Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey-hey-hey! No! No, no, no! Don't y-! Get off! My coin! That's not your meal! My coin's n-AGH!" Hypno freaked.
Fe flailed his coin and managed to shake Meltan off but whimpered as he soon discovered that half of his coin was eaten as he only said "…..Mommy."
The entire crowd howled with laughter at what had just happened and even Caster couldn't help himself as he cackled, "Take a look at that, folks! Now, is that the funniest thing you've ever seen or what? Meltan has eaten Hypno's coin, how embarrassing!"
"AAAAAAHHHHHH! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT, YOU LITTLE METALLIC MENACE?!" Faba exclaimed as he threw a temper tantrum while Meltan sighed with contentment over his surprise meal.
Ash and Pikachu were also embarrassed by this as they chuckled sheepishly but they quickly recomposed themselves (and Pikachu got over his disappointment) as the Kanto Trainer recomposed himself and called out, "Meltan, use Flash Cannon again!"
"Bye-bye!" Meltan cheekily quipped as he fired Flash Cannon once more and defeated Hypno with one shot.
"Hypno is unable to battle! Meltan is the winner!" Hala declared, handing the battle to Ash who smiled as Caster confirmed the results, "Hypno is out of the big leagues, and thanks to his hungry Meltan, Ash wins and will move on to Round 2 of the Quarterfinals!"
Sarah's group in the audience cheered and howled with laughter as well with the Poms, the Vikings, their dragons, their Partner Pokémon, and the Buddies finally understanding what the little princess was talking about.
"Alright!"
"Yeah! He won, he won, he won!" Sophocles and Mallow's Shaymin cheered.
"HA! That cheat didn't see that coming!" laughed Seth.
"Heh! You think he'd learn by now that even little guys like Meltan can pack a big punch," chuckled Keldeo.
"Especially when he's got a bottomless pit of a stomach to match his bark and bite!" Terrakion added as he cackled.
"Loser!" the evolved baby Jungle Pokémon taunted.
"By Odin's Breeze, that little fella eats metal!?" Gobber gawked, unable to control his shock and laughter.
"Yep. Even though it was funny seeing him battle just now, I don't recommend getting one if your life depends on metal," Race confirmed, chuckling.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, noooo! Hala! There's got to be some rule against this!" Faba screamed in dismay at Hala.
"As far as I'm concerned, Hala, that was definitely within the scope of Meltan's powers. And, you can't blame the little guy for being hungry for anything metal," Hala replied matter-of-factly, leaving Faba to sob in disappointment as he missed his chance to battle the Masked Royal and his sneaky trick backfired in his face.
"You were great out there, Meltan!"
"Yeah, nice going there even though you were hungry!" Ash and Pikachu praised their friend proudly.
As Ash exited the field to join his friends on the front row seats they were in, he was joined by Ilima who applauded for him and his battle with Faba as he said, "Ash, how wonderful! Congratulations on winning the first match of the Alola League!"
"Thanks, Ilima! You're next, right?" Ash smiled.
"Yes, I'll give it all I got. By the way, Ash, is Sarah going to be battling with us today?"
"I don't know; she wasn't given an opponent in the battle roster last night for some reason when the matches were announced. But, I'm sure she'll battle soon and we'll get to see her in action again. Good luck in your match with Guzma."
"Thanks, Ash. No matter if I win or lose, I'm honored to have participated and helped make Kukui's dream come true!"
True to form, Ilima joined Guzma for their match in the second bout as they prepared to face each other down with their chosen Pokémon.
"And, now, for our second match of the day, it's Ilima vs. Guzma!" Caster announced while Ilima's fan club cheered him on from the audience. "As Ilima's most loyal fans already know, he took part in the Kalos Region's Pokémon League and is a favorite to win here."
Then, Caster turned his attention to Guzma as he commented, "Although Ilima's opponent, the infamous leader of Team Skull: Guzma, isn't projected to win the tournament, he made it through the preliminaries without taking any damage once. Let's see what they're made of as they select the Pokémon of their choice now!"
"Ugh, that pretty boy jerk! I can't stand the guy just by looking at him!"
"Yeah, he doesn't look so tough! He's less than zero!" Tupp and Zipp sulked.
"OOH, ILIMA!" Rapp and the Team Skull girls gushed, fawning over Ilima as well much to Tupp's growing annoyance and displeasure.
"HEY, HOW DARE YOU MUPPETS FALL FOR THAT JERK!? Why don't you just wise up and cheer for the boss, okay?! He's gonna destroy that guy, Guzma Style! Take it away, boys!" Tupp snapped angrily as he directed his male friends to pull off what they call the "Guzma Stomp".
"Yo, yo, yo! The wounded world is ready to crash! Time to clean the house and take out the trash! Full power, turn it up, Guzma rules! That's whaddup!"
Soon, it was time for Ilima and Guzma to choose their Pokémon with Ilima going first as he revealed his choice for the big match, "Now, my choice."
Tossing his Pokeball, he revealed his Pokémon to be an adult Kangaskhan and her baby which popped out of her pouch.
"I'll destroy you, for sure, Ilima. GO!" Guzma huffed, tossing his own Pokeball and bringing his Scizor back out to fight against Ilima's Kangaskhan.
"It's a contest of speed and strength as Ilima brought out Kangaskhan and Guzma brought out his Scizor," Caster reported.
"Hmm, interesting considering that bad cat carved out his path to the big leagues earlier," Rotoscope mused as he scanned Guzma's Scizor. "Scizor, the Pincer Pokemon. A Bug and Steel Type and the evolved form of Scyther, when the hot sun beats down or when a battle gets really fired up, Scizor can release heat through its wings and keep its metal body from melting and its steel-hard pincers can deliver merciless blows."
"You two, play fair now. I want a fair and clean battle from you, understand?" Hala warned as he looked between the two, directing his warning mainly to Guzma.
The Team Skull leader snarled before he gave off an irritated but compliant scoff which Hala nodded at as the Melemele Kahuna announced, "Ready? And...… Battle, begin!"
"Kangaskhan, Power-Up Punch!"
"Scizor, Bullet Punch!" The Normal and Bug & Steel Types charged at each other with Power-Up Punch and Bullet Punch but as Scizor tried to land a hit on the adult Kangaskhan, he missed and was barely able to take the Power-Up Punch attack when he held up his claws to defend himself.
"That Power-Up Punch is strong and it raises its user's attack strength every time it's been used!" Rotom-Dex informed.
"Go, Ilima!" Ash cheered, having high hopes for Ilima's victory.
But, Sarah didn't share his enthusiasm which was rubbing off on everybody else as she watched Guzma and Ilima duke it out with a concerned look in her eyes despite her determined glare.
"Alright, once more!" Ilima called to his Normal Type, allowing Parent Pokemon to unleash Power-Up Punch again.
"Same old trick, huh? Use Agility, now!" Guzma scoffed.
"Check," Scizor replied in agreement, building up his speed as he charged forward and dodged one Power-Up Punch after another.
"I must say, I'm impressed. But, still, what do you think of this?" Ilima admitted with an impressed smile before he revealed to Guzma his Keystone in the form of a bracelet.
Guzma was puzzled, "Huh?"
"If you don't mind, I will now use: Mega Evolution!"
Using his Keystone and with his Kangaskhan activating her Kangaskhanite as she revealed it, the Parent Pokémon and her baby channeled the Mega Evolution energy through their bodies with the baby jumping out of its mother's pouch and preparing to fight together in their Mega Form.
"Use Power-Up Punch!" Ilima began, allowing both Kangaskhan parent and baby to use Power-Up Punch together at the same time.
Guzma grunted in annoyance as his Scizor stood on his feet after taking such a heavy hit but Ilima wasn't done yet as he issued another attack, "Use Rock Slide!"
The Adult Kangaskhan fired off Rock Slide as she targeted the Johto Pincer Pokemon, forcing Guzma to shout, "Use Agility again!"
The Bug and Steel Type increased his speed once more with Agility to dodge the Rock Slide and he managed to break through the Rock Slide attack being fired by the Baby Mega-Kangaskhan only for Ilima to call out another attack.
"Use Low Kick!"
Both Mega Kangaskhan attacked with Low Kick and they forced Scizor back despite still being on his feet but like Guzma, he was getting frustrated that he was being bested by a Mega Pokémon that is two supercharged Pokémon in one package.
"Ilima's not letting up on Guzma and he's not even giving him a moment to breathe with all of that Mega Evolution tenacity!" Caster declared.
"Time to finish this up, Power-Up Punch! One more time!" Ilima called once more just as both Mega Kangaskhan heeded his order and went on the attack.
"Jump back and dodge!" Guzma snapped, making Scizor jump back and dodge the baby Mega Kangaskhan's Power-Up Punch but just as the adult Mega Kangaskhan was about to attack next...…
She froze and noticed something off which gave Guzma a chance to make a comeback as he smirked, "Gotcha, now! Scizor, use X-Scissor!"
Smirking as well, Scizor went on the attack as he struck the adult Mega Kangaskhan only for Ilima to be undeterred and call out, "Not quite, Power-Up Punch!"
"Dodge again but to the right and use X-Scissor again!"
Guzma and Scizor repeated their newly found strategy as the Johto Pincer Pokémon moved to the right to dodge the baby's next Power-Up Punch and the same story happened twice as the adult froze and was forced to take X-Scissor head-on again.
"What's going on?" Lana asked.
"Scizor's attacks are finally starting to connect."
"I wonder what could've happened," Sophocles and Mallow puzzled.
Sarah looked at the battle and immediately saw what was going wrong for Ilima, "It's Scizor's current location."
Everyone was surprised as they turned to her, "Huh?"
"Did you see how Guzma and Scizor connected their perfectly executed dodges and attacks just now? Also, look at where he's standing; Scizor is making sure he has both of his opponents lined up in front of him while they battle. The adult Mega Kangaskhan is worried about hitting her baby so if it had taken her Power-Up Punch in the process, her strength would have been cut in half. Compared to the baby, she's a moment too slow on the draw. And, having used Agility twice, Scizor's speed is doubled."
"I get it. As long as Scizor has speed on his side and he makes sure the baby always attacks first, the adult won't be able to connect her attack in time to stop him," Kiawe grimly confirmed.
"No way!" Fishlegs gasped.
"So, the little Kangaskhan is made into his shield. He and Guzma turned their and Ilima's greatest strength around and are now using it against them," Lillie realized.
"Son of a...…! Who does that creep and his giant bug face think they are? I get that they're fighting fair from what we're seeing but this is a new low. Mother, can't we do something?" Silvally seethed before he turned to Sarah who just shook her head grimly and said nothing.
After the flurry of missed Power-Up Punches and after taking in so many X-Scissor attacks from Scizor, the adult Kangaskhan was feeling worn out and her baby was starting to become worried for its mother as Caster noticed, "What's going on here? It looks as though Ilima is now in an unexpectedly difficult bout!"
"Oh, no, Ilima!" Ilima's fangirls screamed, looking deeply concerned for their idol.
"What's wrong, pretty boy? Ready to pucker up already? I'll make your day, then," Guzma taunted the former Trial Captain as he smirked triumphantly. "Okay, Scizor, time to put those two powered-up windbags out of their misery! Use X-Scissor at full power!"
"Dodge it, Kangaskhan, quick!" Ilima shouted.
But, it was too late; despite her best effort, the adult Kangaskhan couldn't muster up the strength she needed to dodge Scizor's final X-Scissor attack and took it head-on once again. The blow was more than enough to knock her out as she fell on her right side in defeat and she and her baby reverted to their normal forms, the distraught baby Kangaskhan rushing over to its mother and returning to her pouch to comfort her.
"Kangaskhan is unable to battle. Scizor wins and the match goes to...… Guzma," Hala declared reluctantly as the crowd threw scathing boos toward the Team Skull leader despite his team cheering him for his victory.
Ilima's fangirls cried for their idol but the former Trial Captain was not upset by the loss as he felt as though he learned a great deal from the battle and returned his Kangaskhan with a soft smile, "You battled hard, Kangaskhan. I thank you."
Despite his victory, Guzma's smirk fell as he noticed Sarah glaring at him from the front row seats (while the others looked on in shock and dismay over his victory and Ilima's loss). The Team Skull leader was a little unnerved by her hardened stare as well as the boos he was garnering (which completely drowned out his team's cheers) as he scoffed, returned his Scizor, and went out of the stadium to await his next match in the second half of the Quarterfinals.
"Well, it's been said that anything can happen from here on out. And, as we all just saw, Ilima was expected to make it further into the competition but Guzma had taken him out on the first round," Caster informed.
However, the following match had the heroes and everybody else in brighter spirits as Hau and his Alolan Raichu faced off against Principal Oak and his Alolan Exeggutor. Now, it was Olivia's turn to be the referee as she oversaw their battle, keeping a watchful eye on them both to see who would join Guzma and Ash in the Quarterfinals second half.
"Raichu, use Thunderbolt!" he directed, allowing his Alolan Raichu to shoot Thunderbolt and get a direct hit on the Alolan Exeggutor despite it still standing on its feet.
"What staying power! Principal Oak's Exeggutor has managed to withstand Raichu's Thunderbolt attack!"
"You truly are my chief, Exeggutor! You will not treat us like a Tyrant-itar! Exeggutor, use Dragon Hammer!" Principal Oak smirked, having his Alolan Exeggutor prepare to throw down its Dragon Hammer attack.
"Dodge it with Quick Attack," Hau countered as his Alolan Raichu surfed out of the way just in time and saw an opening her opponent made. "Use Focus Blast!"
Firing Focus Blast at full power on the Alolan Exeggutor's face, Hau and his Alolan Raichu were able to beat Principal Oak and his Dragon/Grass Type as it tumbled to the ground in defeat.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whao-kay!" Principal Oak yelped before he jumped aside just in time before he could be crushed, seeing his Pokémon with swirls for eyes and unable to battle further.
"Exeggutor is unable to battle! The winners are Hau and his Alolan Raichu!" Olivia declared, causing the crowd to cheer for Hala's grandson.
"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! Ha-ha!" Hau screamed happily, getting proud and happy smiles from Hala and Sarah (the latter looking forward to her eventual rematch with him more than ever).
Now, it was Mallow and Lana's turn to battle each other as they made their way through the hallway they were in over to the stadium, knowing that this would be the ultimate test of their friendship as they heard the crowd cheering for Hau.
"Sounds like the match is over," Lana smiled, feeling that either Hau or Principal Oak won the previous match.
"Um, yeah... Uh... Yeah, right," Mallow gulped, still anxious about fighting against her first best friend early on.
"Mallow, what's wrong?"
"I think, I'm just a little bit nervous."
"But, if you battle like you always do and have fun, you'll be just fine!"
Mallow thought for a moment before she remembered the promise she and the others made in the preliminaries and smiled, "Yeah, you're right."
They stopped for a moment as they gave each other knowing and determined smiles before they went to their respective sides for the match, "Let's give it everything we got! But, just know I'm not going to be holding back because we've been best friends for so long."
"I know. I don't expect you to but I'm not going to back down either for the same reason."
"Good luck, then!"
"It's a deal!"
In the shopping center, Ulu and his Lickitung were scrambling to get to the stadium in time; the two of them found out that Mallow and Lana's match was starting and they had to close up their Pinap Juice stand for the time being so they could see Mallow and whichever Pokémon she chooses in action and cheer them on.
"Outta the way! Coming through! The battle's about to begin! Oh, man! Wait for me, Mallow!" cried Ulu as he and Lickitung tried to reach the stadium before the battle could begin.
"Our fourth match of the day will now be a face-off between Mallow and Lana!" Caster announced as the crowd cheered for both the Water Type and Grass Type students and Lana and Mallow took their places.
"Let's go, Primarina!"
"Tsareena, you too!" they shouted to their partners as they brought them out to fight.
"Ready!"
"Let's dance!"
"These two girls were close friends long before they met Lillie and our princess who studied together at the Pokémon School so I wonder what kind of battle they and their partners, Primarina and Tsareena, will be waging for us today."
"Mallow!"
"Lana!"
"Battle hard, you two!" the boys cheered heartily.
"Let's cheer for both of them!"
"Yeah! Go, Mallow and Lana!" smiled Lillie and Shaymin as Kukui watched with a proud smile from his spot.
"Best of luck, Mallow, Lana. And, remember to have fun," Sarah thought, giving off a bright smile for two of her best friends from the Pokémon School.
"Good luck today, Mallow!"
"Thanks, you too!" the girls in question wished.
"Ready? Alright, battle begin!" Olivia began, beginning the match.
"Now, Tsareena, use Magical Leaf!" Mallow shouted, making the first move as Tsareena unleashed her most powerful Grass Type attack.
"Primarina, use Sparkling Aria!" Lana countered, allowing her partner to use her species' signature attack to break through Magical Leaf.
"Quick, Tsareena! Dodge!" Mallow cried in alarm, getting her partner to dodge the Sparkling Aria attack only to get blasted by one of the water balls throwing her down to the ground.
"Using those water balloon from Sparkling Aria for offense and defense?"
"And, while Primarina's at a disadvantage on land? Lana's amazing!" Kiawe and Sophocles gasped in surprise as they watched Tsareena try to get to Primarina only to be blasted back by another water balloon.
"That means that despite her handicap, Tsareena won't have a chance against Primarina that easily," Lillie added, concerned.
"But, look! There's still a chance she can win it; if Tsareena is able to get close enough to do damage, she might have it in the bag!" Rotom-Dex informed, grinning broadly.
"Go for it, Ms. Tsareena! Go, Mallow!" Shaymin cheered again.
Tsareena was doing her best to dodge Primarina's Sparkling Aria attacks as she tried to get close but no matter how close she got to her best friend and rival, the Soloist Pokémon was able to throw her back with her water balloons even though the Fruit Pokemon was able to stay on her feet.
"I knew it was going to be tough but I never thought Lana and Primarina would be this good after so long," Mallow griped with a slight sweat drop of worry.
"Now, Sparkling Aria, again!" Lana continued with Primarina using her signature attack once more.
"Alright! Time to change things up, Tsareena! Use Trop Kick!" Mallow countered, using Trop Tick to defend herself and get close to Primarina, much to her shock and surprise by the sudden turnabout.
Mallow grinned as she saw her chance, "Yes! Tsareena, close in and use Stomp!"
"Use Icy Wind!" Lana countered again just as Tsareena jumped up and prepared to use Stomp.
It was a massive folly that could cost Mallow and her Fruit Pokémon the match as Primarina used her Icy Wind attack and Tsareena covered herself before she noticed her feet completely frozen to the ground as she landed.
"Huh?!"
"Oh, no!" the two cried in shock and alarm.
"Whoa!"
"Did you see that?!"
"Lana's Primarina knows how to use Icy Wind!" Hiccup, Astrid, and Fishlegs balked in surprise.
"Cool Dudette Lana's trained her groovy Primarina well; that Icy Wind is a sick Ice Type move that causes Tsareena to lose a chunk of her speed while causing her massive damage at the same time," Rotoscope informed, impressed.
"So, Lana made sure they could counter an opponent with a Type advantage!"
"Lana's amazing!" Lillie and Ash beamed.
"ASH!!" Blitz (who was with his mother and her friends along with Curly in the audience) snapped as he grabbed Ash's left ear and yanked it hard, making him scream in pain and scare Pikachu as he watched his fellow Mouse Pokémon lash out at his human partner while flinching. "Can't you be more sensitive to Mallow?! Lana's not the only one battling, you know!"
But, Sarah didn't share the others' enthusiasm for Lana as she realized that the battle was becoming one-sided on the spot, "Wait, something's not right. This is all too easy for Lana; she and Primarina are pushing Mallow into a corner she and Tsareena can't get out of. I knew they would be a formidable team coming into this competition but even I wasn't expecting them to best Mallow and Tsareena that easily, especially having learned Icy Wind beforehand. Come on, Mallow, didn't you two tell me earlier that you promised to battle with all your hearts today? Are you really going to break your promise to her? You can't give up on her and Tsareena now! Please, Mallow, you have to keep going!"
"Use Icy Wind!" Lana shouted again, allowing Primarina to fire Icy Wind once more and throw Tsareena back.
"Tsareena, no!" Mallow screamed in horror as her partner landed on her feet again but fell on her knees soon after, feeling exhausted.
This left the Grass Type student disappointed as she then said to Lana, "Tsareena... Lana, you were great! When did you have time to learn that move? Did Sarah and Aqua teach you beforehand?"
This wasn't the response Lana was expecting as she looked worried for her best friend and simply said, "Wait, Mallow...?"
Sarah gasped and widened her eyes in shock and horror, realizing that after seeing Tsareena being beaten early on thanks to Primarina's Icy Wind and being unable to take a shot at her, Mallow was going to withdraw and hand over the match to Lana on the spot. She couldn't believe that the sight of Tsareena losing after everything they went through to get to the main tournament was more than enough to shoot Mallow's confidence to pieces and consider surrendering just like that.
"Huh?"
"Sarah?"
"What's the matter? Aren't you happy Lana's gonna win?" Ash, Lillie, and Rotom-Dex puzzled, confused by her response.
Feeling like she has no other options left and wanting to put Tsareena's well-being over the competition first, Mallow brought out her partner's Pokeball and prepared to forfiet the match, "Tsareena, return now. You've earned it."
"What?!" Tsareena gasped in shock, turning to her partner.
"What's going on here?! It appears that Mallow's brought out her Pokeball! What could she be trying to do?" Caster puzzled.
Mallow tried to return Tsareena to her Pokeball but to her shock and surprise, she didn't go in and remained on the field. "Huh?! What are you doing, Tsareena? Return, now!"
"NO! I don't want to return to my ball, Mallow! I have to keep going! I've got to keep fighting, for you and Lana! Please, Mallow, don't break your promise!" Tsareena snapped with pleading and determined eyes.
As if she had heard Tsareena speaking to her in fluent English for a moment (despite not understanding Pokémon Speak), Mallow gasped in shock as she couldn't understand why she would want to keep on fighting for her sake and Lana's, "Tsareena?!"
Realizing what's going on as well, Lana remained silent and thought for a moment before she spoke her heart out to her best friend, "Please, Mallow... Let's continue our battle until the end just as we promised."
"But! But... I-It's just that I-I don't, uh...!"
"Could your wanting to surrender the battle to me and Primarina be that you don't want Tsareena to keep fighting a losing battle? Do you really want to run away when things are getting down to the wire for you two?"
"Huh?!" Mallow couldn't muster up a response as Lana saw right through her just as Tsareena did.
"Do you really think Tsareena wants to quit while she's still ahead? You always have a way of knowing exactly how everybody feels! You always helped them in times of great need and that's a part of you that I always loved! But, now, you're wrong...… This time, you're wrong about what we wanted! You're wrong about what Tsareena wanted the moment she was let out; she doesn't want to stop battling! She wants to battle with you for this match alone! Everything you've been through together, all the battles, all your time cooking together, the fun times you shared, the joys and sorrows between you, it all led to where we are now! She wanted to fight with you in the tournament!"
Tsareena, grateful for Lana helping her get to the truth of the matter, nodded to Mallow as she confirmed everything she said, "Yes!"
Mallow gasped in shock again, recalling everything she and Tsareena went through ever since she was once a young Bounsweet; from practicing for the Pokémon Pancake Race, to when they trained with Teacher when she was a Steenee, to fighting against Team Eclipse to protect Sarah, to fighting Necrozma to save Poipole's kingdom and their world...
At that moment, Mallow realizes how much of a fool she's being right now; because she was putting Tsareena and her well-being over her own, after losing her confidence from seeing her being beaten down without putting up much of a fight, she felt as though she didn't want her partner to suffer anymore and cut her losses while there's still time. That, in turn, left her oblivious to Tsareena's greatest wish which was to fight on behalf of her and Shaymin and their family (especially her partner's late mother) and wanting them to be proud of the two of them if they could see them now.
"That's right..." she sighed in realization, beating herself up and seeing where she was going wrong with her greatest strength this time.
"I've no intention of stopping right now but given your current state, there's something Primarina and I need to do to get you back on track. If we don't, then there's no point of being here in the Alola League anymore and it's through our match," Lana finished as she pointed at her best friend and made her proclamation from the heart and in honor of their friendship. "You and Tsareena against me and Primarina, Mallow; a Pokémon League battle at our full strength right here, right now! And, we'll do it as the best friends that we are for our families, our friends, Professor Kukui, and all of Alola! But, most importantly, for Sarah since one of us and our friends will be battling against her soon!"
Realizing that her best friend was right and the time has come for her and Tsareena to finally fight with all their strength until the bitter end, Mallow steeled herself and renewed her determination as she turned to Tsareena, "Mmm...… Then, I'm not going to give up! Tsareena, this battle is far from over, are you with me?"
"Yes!" smirked Tsareena, now feeling immensely proud of her partner and sister figure.
"Mallow!" Lana grinned brightly, seeing Mallow finally ready to battle her and Primarina at her full strength with Tsareena by her side.
"Here we go, Tsareena! Let's try again from the top, use Magical Leaf!"
"Use Sparkling Aria!"
The crowd cheered loudly as Mallow, Lana, and their partners were finally going at each other with their full strength thanks to the pep talk and moment of realization the Grass Type student got from her best friend. Now, with nothing holding them back, Mallow and Tsareena were able to match and fight at their full strength as Magical Leaf and Sparkling Aria finally made contact and gave the pair an opening.
"Tsareena, use Stomp!"
"Dodge it!" Mallow and Lana bantered as Tsareena prepared to use Stomp only for Primarina to dodge the attack and leave them in another stalemate.
"Lana and Primarina are still as formidable as ever. And, what's worse, Tsareena's reached her limit with her strength. She won't be able to withstand another attack which means we'll have to finish this with one shot. But, how...?" Mallow thought, gritting her teeth until she noticed a green glow coming from her Grassium Z and her Z-Ring just as Tsareena managed to dodge another Sparkling Aria.
Tsareena noticed the glow as well and she smiled from within her veil as she looked at Mallow, "Mallow...!"
"Uh..."
"…..We can do this! It's time!"
Mallow blinked in surprise before she smiled with determination and shared a loving hug with her partner, realizing what was happening and deciding to take a chance, "Yeah, you're right. Come on, Tsareena, let's do this together!"
The heroes looked on in shock, seeing Mallow and Tsareena get together as the Grass Type student activated her Z-Ring and they prepared themselves to finally use Bloom Doom.
"A Z-Move!"
"Can they pull it off?" Lillie and Kiawe gawked.
"Go for it!" Mallow's Shaymin hollered ecstatically.
"Wow, Mallow!" Lana gasped.
"I feel it! A different power unlike anything I've ever felt before..." Mallow breathed as she felt the Z-Power she was charging up flowing through her body as she transferred it to Tsareena.
Sarah couldn't help but smile proudly at her third best friend and Tsareena as she thought, "Excellent, Mallow; you've finally done it. And, you too, Tsareena; along with Lana, you were able to help Mallow open her eyes to her greatest flaw and why she couldn't fight alongside you against her best friend and Primarina at your full strength. By learning to open your heart more to the true wishes of your family and friends and combining the intensity of your love for them and others and your emotions, you pushed past your self-imposed limits and into new uncharted levels of power! This, in turn, will enable you to finally learn and use the Grass Type Z-Move: Bloom Doom, to its greatest potential!"
"Let's go!"
"Let's, Sister!" Mallow and Tsareena shouted determinedly as they performed the poses for Bloom Doom while the former recited with all her heart.
"Feel it! The breath of nature, the grasslands, and the forests! Now...…. It's time to use Bloom Doom!"
While Kukui looked down at Mallow with a proud smile from his spot, the little princess nodded proudly as she proclaimed, "This is what...the true Z-Moves of Alola are like!"
"Wow! Mallow, you did it! But, just like you, I'm not gonna lose! Come on, Primarina!" Lana smirked proudly, activating her Z-Ring as she and Primarina performed the Water Type Z-Move poses as they prepared to use Oceanic Operetta. "Embraced by the sea! Past the ocean's horizon! Use Oceanic Operetta!"
With no more fear and doubts holding them back, Mallow and Tsareena unleashed Bloom Doom while Primarina sang as she and Lana used Oceanic Operetta, the Soloist Pokémon using her signature Z-Move to shield herself from the Grass Type Z-Move's power.
"It's a clash between opposing Water and Grass Type Z-Moves as Mallow and Tsareena's Bloom Doom goes up against Lana and Primarina's Oceanic Operetta! Such astonishing power coming from both teams but who will emerge victorious in the end?" Caster shouted ecstatically.
The Z-Moves pushed each other back as hard as they could but eventually, both Bloom Doom and Oceanic Operetta canceled each other out as the Primarina Z-Move exploded and it started to rain water.
"Look at that! Both Z-Moves have canceled each other out but that left Primarina and Tsareena with enough strength for one final attack! It all comes down to Mallow and Lana's final calls so don't blink!"
"You were great, Mallow! But, now it's all over! Primarina, use Aqua Jet! Go!" Lana smirked as she called out one final attack for Primarina who coated herself with water and charged forward with Aqua Jet.
"You too, Lana! But, I'm gonna be the one to win it! Let's do it, Tsareena! One last Trop Kick, now!" Mallow agreed, allowing Tsareena to use her signature move only for her to fall on her knees out of exhaustion and take the Aqua Jet head-on, falling to the ground in defeat.
The battle was over; ecstatic and moved over everything she witnessed throughout their battle, Olivia cried as she wiped away her tears and proudly gave the battle to Lana, "...Tsareena is unable to battle! Primarina wins the match! The victory goes to, Lana!"
The crowd cheered loudly for Lana's victory (the Water Type student letting out a surprised gasp at the results) but they also gave a hearty cheer for Mallow who managed to make a stunning comeback before she and Tsareena slipped up on their final Trop Kick.
"What a rollercoaster, folks! Power vs. power, Z-Move vs. Z-Move, and determination vs. determination out of the bond of friendship! And, at the end of it all, the winners are Lana and Primarina! Not even friendship will slow those two rambunctious souls down and Mallow and Tsareena put up a great fight, too!"
Mallow was devastated but she was happy as she went over to her defeated partner and helped her up, "You were great, Tsareena. Thank you, I'm so sorry I tried to quit earlier. Forgive me?"
Tsareena had to smile, "Of course, Mallow, dear. I already have..."
"HEEEEEY! MALLOW!" cried Ulu, getting her and Tsareena's attention as they saw Ulu and his Lickitung cheering happily for them. "Lickitung and I saw the whole match! You and Tsareena were fantastic!"
"You rock, girls!" agreed an ecstatic Lickitung.
Mallow smiled at her older brother, feeling happy that he saw her battle Lana and Primarina, "Thank you, Ulu."
Lana and Primarina approached the defeated pair before they helped them up and smiled in gratitude for the best battle they had with them as Lana said, "You were great, Mallow! You and Tsareena battled so well toward the end!"
"Yeah, but you and Primarina were great as well! And, Lana, thanks; if it weren't for you and Tsareena, I would've thrown in the towel already and broken my promise to you and Sarah with this match between us. It really means a lot to me..."
"And, it means a lot to me as well, thank you," they bantered happily, clasping their hands together while remembering their friendship.
"Primarina, you were great. Thanks for the battle out there."
"You too. I really look forward to battling with you again should we be back in the Alola League next time," Tsareena and Primarina smiled at each other.
"Hoo-wee! Lana and Mallow; even after such a fierce battle that resulted in Lana and Primarina moving on to the second half of the Quarterfinals, their friendship has grown stronger with the ever-popular hand of friendship! Let's hear it one more time for these two best of friends and their Partner Pokémon!" Caster announced proudly as the crowd cheered even louder for them, Tsareena, and Primarina.
Despite everything, there was one thing Mallow had to get off her chest as she told Lana, "Hey, Lana? It was a lot of fun to battle you at your full strength but..."
"Hmm?" questioned Lana.
"...…..Well, it's just so frustrating when you lose!"
"Yeah, I agree..."
"That's Mallow and Lana for ya," Asha smiled.
"Never doubted them for a minute given their friendship," Race agreed.
"Wow, both of you... THAT WAS SUPER COOL!"
"That was a first-rate battle between friends!" Ash and Rotom-Dex congratulated.
"I'll tell you what, none of us better lose in our matches coming up."
"Right!" Sophocles and Kiawe concurred.
"You can count on me, guys!" Lillie agreed determinedly.
"Excellent, both of you!" Kukui smiled proudly.
Sarah had to smile proudly at her two best friends as she thought again (while a proud tear fell from her left eye), "The struggle of doubt and fear is over for you, Mallow. I'm so proud of you and Lana as well as Tsareena and Primarina for everything you did throughout this battle. You've put everything you had within you on the line to give the crowd a battle of friendship for the ages and despite your worries for Tsareena, through her and Lana, you were able to find the courage you need to keep going until the bitter end and finally use Bloom Doom. I thought I was a good trainer but I can honestly say that through such an incredible display, you and Lana have surpassed even me in terms of morality, heart, mind, and spirit. With this battle, you started all over and renewed your game when you were at your lowest low. When it's my turn to finally battle, I'll be sure to follow your example."
Without a doubt, the Alola Pokémon League will be known for its passionate battles from the heart. So, stay tuned to find out what's in store for our heroes as the journey continues!