The inaugural Alola Pokémon League has been generating nonstop action and excitement for days with no end in sight! The first match in the Tournament Round of 8 went to Gladion, and although she was sorely tested, Sarah won the second match against Hau. Then, in the third match, against Asha and Ziracon, Ash and Lycanroc were put to the test but eventually, the pair emerged victorious! The fourth match ultimately pitted Lana and Primarina against Guzma and Golisopod to which the latter pair brutally claimed victory. And, now, the Tournament Round of 4 Semifinals matches are about to get underway!


(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)


It is the day of the Semifinals matches and we find Sarah and her family in their recreational area preparing for her upcoming battle against Guzma that was to take place after Ash and Gladion's match. The little princess knew that she had to keep her promise to Kukui and Hala to battle Guzma and why he became such a jerk that led him to create Team Skull and demean Kukui and his dream of the Alola League in the first place but she also knew that if either Gladion or Ash won their match, she would have to battle one of them in the Finals (which was why she and her family were training as hard as they can).

In the Alola League Semifinals, the Top 4 trainers are now permitted to use two Pokémon instead of one so Sarah is battling Mew and Zorua (both of whom are masquerading as Golisopod and Scizor) with Kaji and Silvally (choosing them specifically for her match against the Team Skull leader).

"Here we come! Here's my Agility!"

"Liquidation time!" Zorua and Mew began as they made the first move.

"Kaji, use Metal Claw! Silvally, stop her with Quick Attack!" Sarah countered.

"RAGH!"

"HYYYYYYAAAAH!" the Flame and Synthetic Pokémon roared as they charged at Mew and Zorua with Kaji managing a perfect counter to Mew's Liquidation with Metal Claw and Silvally matching Zorua in her Scizor form with speed using Quick Attack.

After getting into a stalemate, Zorua and Silvally broke off from each other as Sarah made the next move, "Okay, Kaji, Dragon Tail, don't give Golisopod an inch! Silvally, take out Scizor with Air Slash and burn it up with Fire Fang!"

In her Golisopod form, Mew blocked Dragon Tail as she covered her face with her front claws (getting Sarah's attention as she studied her movements) while Silvally went at Zorua in her Scizor form with Air Slash and forced her to come at him for a counter.

"Gotcha!" Silvally smirked, seeing an opening as he used Fire Fang on her at close range.

The others and the rest of her family watched as she, Kaji, and Silvally continued to train hard with the New Species and Tricky Fox Pokémon, laying down a game plan she had in mind for Guzma, Golisopod, and Scizor in the second match. Despite being disgusted and rattled by his and Golisopod's straight-laced and brutal battle style during their and Lana and Primarina's match in the second half of the Quarterfinals, they were in brighter spirits, knowing that Sarah and her chosen pair team were about to give them a good Poke-bashing on behalf of everyone pestered by Team Skull (including Hala and Kukui).

"Wow, look at them go," Hiccup commented as he watched Kaji and Silvally battling Zorua and Mew.

"They're both teaming with energy," Rotom-Dex beamed, seeing how in sync they were with Sarah along with Mew and Zorua in their Golisopod and Scizor forms.

"A good thing, too. The lass and her powerhouses there are gonna have a ball battling that Guzma shtick and his speedy bug and Golisopod," Gobber concurred.

"Momma's definitely planning to keep her promise to find out what that goggle-head's beef from earlier is about," added Appletun.

"That's why our daughter has been working on a few things since dawn. She's currently working on countering Golisopod's shell defense, trying to pinpoint a weak spot in it that Primarina couldn't find and penetrate last time," Doug explained to the group.

"You got that right, Dad. Speaking of which, I may have found a weak point we can use to our advantage," Sarah nodded as she finished her, Kaji, and Silvally's training, all while they and the rest of the heroes were unaware of Plumeria eavesdropping on them from afar.

"I'm so psyched, Sarah! I can't wait to see you two battle! I can hardly stand it knowing what you'll do to him!" Ash beamed excitedly.

"Kick Guzma's ass while you're at it!" Pikachu agreed.

"You're not the only one pumped up for the Semifinals, Ash. We're excited for you and Gladion since you'll be battling each other in the first match," Snotlout reminded the Kanto trainer.

"He's right, Ash. You and Gladion will be the first ones to battle today so you better come up with something and choose which two Pokémon you're going to battle him with," Asha put in.

"I agree; now that you've passed both halves of the Quarterfinals, you're allowed to choose two Pokémon in a 2-on-2 match for the best 2/3. Between his Umbreon, Lycanroc, and Silvally, Gladion will go for either of them in a pair team but you need to figure out who you're going to pair up until then," agreed Race.

"Regardless, we can't wait to see you two go for it and I know Gladion's wishing you good luck, too," Sophocles said.

"I want you to win, both of you!" Lana smiled.

"Yeah, but...… Guess I'm not sure about who I should cheer for. Sarah I can get, but between Ash and Gladion, well...…?" Mallow admitted, leaving Lana confused as she turned to her best friend.

"Gladion's an awesome trainer given what we've seen out of him and Race but I'm gonna have to go with Ash," Kiawe replied, smiling.

"I think it'll be best if we all cheer for both you and Gladion, Ash. But, despite that, I'll also be cheering for my big brother with all my heart," Lillie grinned, getting agreeing nods from Mallow, Lana, and Sophocles.

"Hey, kiddo," called a voice, getting everybody's attention as they saw Nanu approaching them much to their surprise.

"Oh. Hi, Nanu," Sarah said, not expecting the Ulu'Ulu Kahuna to show up.

"Mind if we talk in private for a minute? It's about your match later today. Call it a little, uh, 'Coaching 1-0-1', shall we say..."

"Um... Sure," the princess replied, nodding as she went to follow Nanu to a secluded location where they could talk about her match with Guzma as everyone else was left to wonder what he had to say to her.

When he was sure they were in a private spot where nobody would eavesdrop on them, Nanu nodded and turned to Sarah as he began, "So, kiddo, your match with Guzma begins today after Ash and Gladion had their duel, right?"

Sarah nodded as she replied, "Yeah, 2-on-2 for the best 2/3 for the Semifinals. But, what did you want to tell me?"

"Have you chosen which Pokémon you want to fight him with?"

"Kaji and either Star or Silvally, why do you ask?"

Nanu turned to Sarah as he gave her a proposal that took her by surprise, "I think, judging from what I heard from Hala and Kukui, you can give Guzma a real test that might change him for the better *with the right cards at hand*. Those Move Cards you used in conjunction with your battle-ready lizards and against Team Rocket could throw him for a loop since you made them compatible with your Pokémon, right?"

Sarah blinked as she replied, "...….Well, yes, as long as my Pokémon of choice knows a relative move of their Types; like Oshawott using Hydro Cutter with one of his Water Type Moves or one of my Grass Types using Emerald Green if they know a healing move such as Aromatherapy and Heal Pulse. My family did make inquiries on whether or not I'm allowed to use them but I didn't want to use them, knowing it wouldn't be fair to the other trainers...…. What do you mean?"

"Unfair to most trainers, yes. But, you've had your fair share of trainers fighting dirty, though; you and that kid from the Kanto Region went up that creek with me during my Grand Trial in a Master Triangle Battle, remember?"

"Oh, yeah..."

"So, the Kahunas and I have agreed to this; we want to see what you and your Pokémon can do using those Move Cards against Guzma. How would you like it if I, with Olivia, Kukui, Hala, and Hapu's approval, make your match with him interesting by permitting you to use them against him and his team with three Pokémon of your choice rather than the approved limit of two?"

"...…Wait, three? You want me to battle Guzma, with, *three* Pokémon?" Sarah spluttered, taken aback by Nanu's proposal.

Nanu nodded as he continued, "That's not all, however; would you mind if I also make your match against him a Master Triangle Battle, 3-on-3 at the same time? Like the Master Triangle battle you and Olivia agreed to during her Grand Trial?"

Sarah was surprised; Nanu, with the approval of his fellow Kahunas and Kukui, was offering her a Master Triangle battle against Guzma and three of his Pokémon in exchange for the originally regulated 2-on-2 Semifinals match with the use of Move Cards to boot. The little princess realized that it had been a long time since she had a Master Triangle battle of sorts and she hadn't done one that involved a 3-on-3 match since her Grand Trial with Olivia. But, regardless, not wanting to upset him and pass up on such an opportunity if it meant getting through to Guzma and knocking some much-needed sense into him, she nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, Nanu... I accept," she obliged, getting a small approving scoff out of the Ulu'Ulu Kahuna as he also gave her a soft smile.


"YOUR MATCH IS A MASTER TRIANGLE BATTLE NOW?" the others gasped in total shock once they were told everything.

"And, Nanu also approves of you using your Move Cards with your Pokémon?!" Ash added.

"Sure did, even I wasn't expecting that coming from him. It was out of left field but how could I refuse?"

"Wow, that was nice of him."

"He's cool."

"I didn't think Nanu of all people would do that," Mallow, Lana, and Lillie breathed in awe of Nanu.

"Me, neither," Kiawe admitted.

"That was cool. But, since he had to watch over Team Skull once to make sure they didn't go over the top with their crazy stunts before you came along, he must want you to teach Guzma a lesson that badly, right?" Sophocles suggested.

"Maybe. Especially since he knew about them more than the other Kahunas apart from Hala with Guzma," Sarah replied with a nod.

"A Master Triangle Battle could work wonders for the princess; if Guzma is put in a battle he knows nothing about, it might allow the princess to uncover his ploy and why he wanted to destroy the professor's dream of holding this Pokémon League. Master Nanu is truly a clever man despite his character and appearance," Virizion put in thoughtfully, seeing the logic in Nanu's proposal.

Terrakion, Cobalion, and Keldeo nodded in agreement before the Cavern Pokémon asked Sarah, "Well, kid, it won't be long before your battle with the big bad bug man. Who are you going to go for with your team of three?"

"I've already decided on having Kaji and Silvally before Nanu's proposal but since I'm now going to do a Master Triangle Battle, I'm also thinking of bringing in Star for the job," Sarah replied, surprising her Aura Pokémon daughter.

"Me?! Why, me?" blinked Star, taken aback.

"Because, out of all my Pokémon, you have a hidden ability that Golisopod and Guzma know nothing about. And, I'm sure they nor Masquerain and Scizor will expect that coming from us. I wouldn't be surprised if he's already going with them; it'll make sense since Masquerain wants to settle the score with us after Mudsdale, Silvally, and I defeated her before while we were rescuing Dusk and Luna's parents."

"It's true since they are primarily Bug Types but Scizor is also a Steel Type, Golisopod is partly a Water Type, and Masquerain is also a Flying Type. All of them are Dual Type Bug Pokémon and apart from Scizor and Golisopod, Masquerain had probably been training hard, wanting payback after all this time," Rotom-Dex interjected.

"And, don't forget; with your current limbo line, girlfriend, you're pitting those three buggy Dual Type jackrabbits against a Fire/Flying powerhouse, a Fighting/Steel Type mediator, and an unpredictable Normal Type bodyguard," Rotoscope pointed out in agreement.

"Sounds tricky with that lineup," Mallow frowned, considering Sarah's chances.

"Nah, if I know Sarah, she's got this. Guzma's beaten by her once, she can do it again. Besides, she and her Pokémon haven't been training this hard like the rest of us for nothing, right?" Ash reassured confidently.

"And, how!" Pikachu smirked in agreement.


Meanwhile, at Team Rocket's end, Jessie, James, their Pokémon with them, Meowth, and Wobbuffet are as happy as they can be; after their recent string of successful sales of their Manalo Masaladas following Guzma and Lana's battle the previous day, and after completing the morning breakfast rush, they decided to take a break, feeling proud of their work.

"Our Manalo Masaladas were flying off the shelves like crazy! That blue Twerpette's battle with the Team Skull bigshot was something, alright," grinned Meowth.

"Who knew we'd be sold out before lunch today and the afternoon beforehand after all that excitement?" agreed James, feeling satisfied.

"To another Team Rocket & Friends success!" Jessie cheered, proposing a toast with her cup of Pinap Juice.

"Yes, yes, YES!" the three of them cheered before they took a sip of their drinks, sighing in satisfaction.

"Oh, yeah... Nothing like a good glass of cold Pinap Juice after feeding the foodie flock of days of red hot Pokémon League battles," Meowth continued, beaming from ear to ear.

"Hard work... It totally pays off," agreed James.

"True, true... So, what do you boys think? Today, the royal twerpette's goin' up against that big-shot Team Skull boss in the second round," Jessie put in.

"Are ya kiddin'? She'll knock the pants off that dude, big time. Girl never goes down without a fight," Meowth replied.

"That's right!"

"Hear, hear!" Wobbuffet, Gorgiest, Inkay, and Mime Jr. cheered as they drank the cups of Pinap Juice they had on them.


With Bewear and her son, at their hot spring pool, the older Flailing Pokémon continued to enjoy herself as she relaxed with a happy sigh while Stufful swam about. They soon got hungry and decided to get out of the pool to find a bite to eat but the Oranguru robot returned and opened its mouth to reveal a bowl of berries and showed them some honey nectar it picked out for them which leaked out of its nose. Bewear, satisfied with the meal for her and her son, graciously took the bowl as they indulged in their meal without a care in the world.


"We are the worst type of blue, Team Skull! We are the best type of mad, Team Skull! Yeah!"

Back at Manalo Stadium, Team Skull was practicing their latest cheering session for Guzma's match in the Semifinals with Sarah, unaware of the surprise changes made by Nanu, Kukui, and the rest of the Kahunas. They were all unaware of what kind of battle they would be having later as they continued to practice their cheering rounds just as the Team Skull leader in question arrived.

"Hey, the boss!" the grunts noticed as they approached him.

"The best and the worst Team Skull has to offer, just in time for the moment of truth. You all ready to make trouble?" Guzma smirked at his teammates.

"YEAH!" the grunts answered proudly with Tupp, Zipp, and Rapp more than eager to start making trouble for everybody.

"I'm the worst kind of blue today, Boss." "And, we're the best kind of mad!" the Team Skull stooges declared wholeheartedly.

"OH, YEAH!" agreed the grunts.

"Hey! Boss, I just remembered! Today's your match in the Semifinals against the princess, ain't it?" Tupp quizzed.

"Yeah. Honestly, what trash... I don't care if it's in the Semifinals or the Finals, it's all just a baby's game."

"That's our Guzma!"

"Victory is as sure as can be!"

"Go and lay waste to that royal spoiled brat!"

"And, that's not all... Once I finally crush her and get to the top of the victor's podium, I'll not only trash that so-called Masked Royal in front of everybody...… I'LL DESTROY EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE WHO DARES TO GET IN MY WAY!"

The grunts all cheered for Guzma, feeling that his victory was surefire and secure but not before Plumeria decided to voice her thoughts on the matter as she joined him from her place on the stairs (being surprisingly thoughtful after eavesdropping on Sarah and her family and friends during her morning training session).

"Hold on, boss," she objected, getting everybody's attention as they listened in.

"You better not underestimate the princess as you did before which resulted in us being kicked out of Alola and put on our own private island and when you met up with her the first time after she and her friends returned from their first trip to Galar. Don't you remember the last time you went toe-to-toe with her? That Shiny Lucario on her is no slouch on the battlefield given the bond between them and how in sync they were with each other. Her other Pokémon are no pushovers, either; even that Silvally hanging around her is no laughing matter, especially with those Memory Drives that allow him to change Pokémon Types in battle. It's best if you have a plan for dealing with her. Otherwise, there's going to be serious trouble for us..."

Guzma thought about his admin's words but he simply scoffed at her, immediately brushing her concerns for him off as he bragged, "Huh! Maybe you forgot, Plumeria, that I've never been defeated. It doesn't matter what that royal bug throws at me out there, she won't be so tough once I'm through with her and destroy everything that stupid teacher of hers ever dreamed of."

Plumeria wasn't convinced but Tupp, Zipp, and the rest of Team Skull didn't share her feelings as they interjected, "You got that right, Boss!"

"Boss Guzma has never tasted anything but victory!"

"YEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Plumeria remained silent as she grimly thought, "I was afraid of this; they're all completely clueless. They had no idea why Guzma had never been beaten for so long...…."


Meanwhile, Gladion along with his Lycanroc and Silvally were all preparing for their match against Ash in the Semifinals on another part of the stadium. They were intrigued to know that they'll be fighting Ash early on and not in the Finals and knowing that he'll likely be a tough opponent to beat no matter which Pokémon pair team he goes with, they decided to get in a little sparring session before they would report to the stadium for the match.

It was during that time when Lycanroc and Silvally were just wrapping up their little sparring match as Gladion nodded and told them, "That's enough! Good job, you two."

Silvally and Lycanroc nodded in satisfaction just as Mohn, Lusamine, Lillie, and Snowy arrived with his mother smiling at him, "Hard at work as usual, I see."

"Mother, Father, Lillie," Gladion grinned.

"Since your match is the first one today, don't you think you should give yourself and your Pokémon a little rest?" Lillie asked.

Gladion smiled as he told her, "It's a very important battle between me and Ash and I wanted to see how much he and his Pokémon had improved so I like to be as prepared as I can be."

Lusamine couldn't help but chuckle at him as she told her son, "You are so alike."

Lillie and Gladion were surprised as they turned to her, "Huh?"

"You and your father; yes, he got so worked up before a battle that he'd even forget to sleep. We were almost late getting married because he got so involved with training on our wedding day!"

Mohn chuckled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head and confirmed (feeling embarrassed), "And, I would've lost my head that day had Bones not reminded me at the eleventh hour. He wouldn't let me hear the end of it."

Lillie and Gladion sniggered as Lusamine continued, "You're looking forward to your match with Ash, aren't you?"

"...…Of course."


Before long, it was time for Ash and Gladion's match to begin and it came sooner than expected as Caster made the opening announcements, "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Pokémon of all ages, welcome back to Manalo Stadium where we will witness our remaining two matches in our Final Four! Our first match for the day will be between Ash Ketchum and Gladion! As two very capable opponents and and well-rounded trainers, what kind of battle will Ash and Gladion have in store for us?"

For Gladion and Ash's battle, Olivia was standing in as the referee again as she made the announcement (thankfully, without tripping on her heels), "This battle between Gladion and Ash will be a 2-on-2 Pokémon battle for the best 2/3. Trainers, bring out your Pokémon!"

"Go, Mighty Beast Silvally!"

"'Kay, buddy, it's up to you!" the two trainers called, both choosing to start with Silvally and Pikachu for the first round.

Nodding in satisfaction, Olivia gave the all-clear for the first match of the Semifinals to commence, "Alright, then. Battle, begin!"

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash began, making the first move as he allowed Pikachu to strike at Silvally with Quick Attack only for Silvally to move his head left and make him overshoot. "Use Iron Tail!"

Acting quickly, Pikachu made a U-turn and jumped into the air, flipping as he turned his tail into iron and slammed it down towards the older Synthetic Pokémon.

"Use Crush Claw!" Gladion countered, having his main powerhouse use Crush Claw to match Pikachu's Iron Tail as they struggled to push each other back (the Kanto Mouse Pokémon not realizing that Silvally and his human friend had another attack ready for him). "Air Slash, let's go!"

"Pikachu, move!" Ash gasped, watching Pikachu dodging Air Slash in time before he tripped and fell, causing Silvally to pounce at him once he had him in his sight.

"Now, Crush Claw!"

"Haaaa...! Here, dimwit!" smirked Silvally as he prepared to use Crush Claw again.

"Dodge him using Quick Attack!"

Deciding to take a chance at using speed to throw Silvally off, Pikachu agreed as he used Quick Attack to avoid him only for Sarah's Silvally and Tou-Tou's brother to chase him down, making it a contest of speed for everyone to see whether or not Pikachu will escape from his pursuer and get another chance to attack him again.

"Silvally is now up against Pikachu in a battle for speed but he seems to be catching up no matter how fast Ash's partner goes!" Caster commentated as Silvally managed to cut the Kanto Electric Type off, startling him as his eyes widened.

"AAH!"

"Uh-uh-uh, you're going the wrong way, kid!" Silvally continued to smirk at his flustered opponent.

"That's amazing! Silvally's able to keep up with Pikachu despite him using his Quick Attack!" Wicke beamed, amazed by Silvally's speed.

"I would expect nothing less from Silvally since my crew and I created him and his brothers! Never a wasted moment with them; of course, I should praise Master Gladion, the princess, and her lover for training them well," Faba bragged proudly, only getting groans and sighs from everybody else with him.

Ash had to smile back as he realized how strong Gladion had gotten throughout his journey, "Gee, Gladion, you're great. You and Silvally have gotten stronger while you were doing the Island Challenge but Pikachu and I are ready for you, too! Now, get a load of this; Pikachu, use Electroweb!"

"HAAA! You're...…GROUNDED!" Pikachu roared as he fired Electroweb at the older Synthetic Pokémon (with a new plan Ash had in mind that'll allow them to continue to match Silvally).

"Dodge it!" Gladion cried, having Silvally jump up and dodge Electroweb as the attack landed at his original spot. "Electroweb can cover a particularly large area but if we can use your speed, Silvally, it's not impossible to dodge."

"Electroweb again but fire it in front of you!" Ash continued as Pikachu fired again and Silvally dodged him once more.

"The same thing will happen every time," Gladion smirked, finding Ash's latest tactic amusing.

"Now, Quick Attack! Let's go!"

Ready with their latest plan of attack, Pikachu charged at Silvally again (the older Synthetic Pokémon now unaware that he and Ash had developed a workaround to surpass him in speed).

"I thought so. Silvally, dodge again!"

True to his human master's orders, Silvally smirked as he dodged Pikachu and his Quick Attack. But, just as Pikachu landed on the first Electroweb he used before, Gladion suddenly became aware of what he and Ash had done and what they planned to do with the Electroweb attacks they fired beforehand.

"What?!" he balked.

"Let 'er rip, Pikachu!" Ash signaled as Pikachu bounced off of the Electroweb he was on, using it as a springboard as he darted towards Silvally who held his ground and braced himself for another attack. "Use Iron Tail!"

"GOTCHA!" Pikachu smirked as he finally landed a hit on Silvally.

But, to his surprise, the Kanto Mouse Pokémon gasped as he saw Silvally tanking his Steel Type attack like it was nothing. Seeing how shocked his little opponent was over his and Ash's unexpected dud of an assault, Silvally chuckled as he immediately countered Iron Tail with Double Hit.

"WHA-Pikachu!" Ash screamed in shock, his jaw quickly dropping as he saw Pikachu being flung back before he rolled across the ground and got back on his feet.

"How did he-?!" Pikachu spluttered, sharing his best friend's shock.

"Not bad but it's nothing new compared to how Sarah and her crew would do it," Silvally said to him, unimpressed.

"Nice try, Ash, but your out-of-the-box strategies will have to be more creative than that. I can imagine Sarah pulling this off but she and her Pokémon would put their own twist on it, something that I won't expect on their end. Don't forget that Silvally and I fought against them before so we expected this sort of thing," Gladion remarked, making Ash grit his teeth in realization.

Deciding to continue the battle, Gladion called out Silvally's next attack, "Crush Claw, go!"

Growling in agreement, Silvally pounced at Pikachu again, sending him rolling across the ground with a hard Crush Claw before Gladion continued, "Now, Tri-Attack!"

"AHH! Pikachu, look out! Dodge it!" Ash shouted to his partner, realizing that Gladion's Silvally now knows Tri-Attack (just as Sarah's Silvally and Tou-Tou do) as he watched Pikachu dodge the fire beam in time but left himself wide open before the thunder and ice beams knocked him back down.

"Use Air Slash!"

"Dodge with Quick Attack again, buddy!"

With Silvally on the offensive again as he fired his Air Slash attack, Pikachu was forced back on the defensive by using Quick Attack to dodge the Flying Type attack coming at him, unknowingly setting himself up for another assault as Silvally eyed him within range.

"Double Hit, now!" Gladion called out, having Silvally attack again as he charged up his tail fin and head scales with pure energy and he smacked Pikachu twice, dealing him more damage than before.

Ash grunted in frustration as he realized that Gladion and Silvally had trapped him and Pikachu in an offensive-defensive loophole, thinking to himself, "Ugh! This is not good! Pikachu and I keep falling for that same trick in the book Gladion and Silvally are using! Okay, if individual attacks have no effect on Silvally, I'll have to bust through his defenses with a combo attack, something Sarah would've done if she was battling me. Well, here goes!"

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!" he bellowed, having Pikachu use his strongest Electric Type attack as he became a thunderbolt comet. "Now, combine Volt Tackle with Iron Tail for our new combo move: Volting Iron!"

"A combo attack? I see, taking a page out of Sarah's playbook now... Well, then, two can play at that game. Silvally, use Multi-Attack plus Double Edge for our new combo attack: Multi-Edge!" Gladion retorted knowingly, seeing where Ash was going.

With his own combo attack at hand, Silvally charged at Pikachu and the two of them collided with each other as the force of their Volting Iron and Multi-Edge combos created a giant explosion, covering the field in a veil of smoke that made it hard for anybody to see who would be the only one standing.

"A meeting of two combination attacks has left the field in a cloud of smoke but what happened to Pikachu and Silvally?"

Several tense moments passed as everybody watched the smoke clear to see who would win the first round but when the smoke finally cleared, they were all taken aback to find Silvally and Pikachu knocked out (the latter having swirls over his eyes and the former having his eyes closed as they groaned in pain).

"Silvally and Pikachu are both unable to battle!" Olivia declared, seeing them unable to get up.

"Double OW! Silvally and Pikachu's combo attacks are too much for either to handle so our first round ends in a draw for both Gladion and Ash!"

"You're kidding!"

"Unreal!" Blitz and Curly gawked in surprise.

"Whoa!" the Poms winced in amazement at the results at hand.

"Aww, no way! Did they really end up in a tie?" Fennekin remarked in disbelief.

"It lookssssssssss that way," Medusa replied.

"Huh. What do you know? That lousy little rat does have a backbone when push comes to shove," Eternatus commented as he watched Ash carrying Pikachu back to his side of the field while Gladion returned Silvally to his Premier Ball (giving him his congratulations for a fantastic battle against Ash's best friend).

"…Sorry, Ash. I almost had it back there," Pikachu groaned as he came to.

"You were great, pal. Thanks a lot," Ash praised warmly as he put Pikachu down next to him before he turned back to Gladion. "Hey, Gladion! That was awesome, you and Silvally were completely in sync throughout our battle!"

"I didn't think anybody but you could handle Silvally's power like that but we still have a battle to finish," Gladion smiled at him.

Knowing that their match will now be decided by their final Pokémon for the unexpected tiebreaker, Ash took out a Pokeball while Gladion nodded at his Midnight Form Lycanroc (who had been standing beside him throughout the first half of the match) to take to the field.

"So, your Lycanroc's up next, huh? Then, I know just the Pokemon to match him! Lycanroc, I choose you!" the Kanto trainer remarked, calling out his Dusk Form Lycanroc to do battle with his old rival.

"Hey, Lycan..." Ash's Lycanroc called.

"So, we meet again. I've been waiting for this moment ever since the news of the Pokémon League was announced but never did I expect we'd have to do it in the Semifinals rather than the Finals. I was looking forward to battling Young Dusk again and seeing how he fared after all this time but I also wondered how you've been doing yourself so I won't mind if you keep me entertained," Gladion's Lycanroc chuckled as they smirked at each other.

"Me, too. And, believe me, like Dusk, I'm not the same Lycanroc as I once was. I wanted to fight him, too, but I think I see a good warm-up in you now that I know you're in the Semifinals. If you want to take a crack at him should Sarah make it to the Finals, you'll have to go through me. Just know that I won't be holding back throughout our fight."

"I don't expect you to. Just make yourself comfortable when I'm the only one left standing."

"A Midnight Form and Dusk Form Lycanroc as Ash and Gladion's final Pokémon; this match has now turned into a Battle of the Lycanrocs which will surely have the sparks flying! How exciting!"

As Blitz, the Pokémon, and the dragons cheered for both Lycanroc, the heroes remained silent as they watched with anticipation, eager to see which of the two Lycanroc would emerge victorious on the field. Even Kukui couldn't help but smile as Ash, Gladion, and their Lycanroc readied themselves for the final push.

"I wonder which one of them will make the first move," he pondered.

As Ash looked between Gladion's Lycanroc and his own, the Kanto trainer couldn't help but think back over everything the pair had been through together since his Wolf Pokémon was still a Rockruff when they first met and his adventures in Alola began. He was feeling sentimental as he smiled, recalling when Lycanroc (as a Rockruff) first battled Gladion's (Midnight Form) Lycanroc as the older Rock/Dark Dual Type threw him down before he used Stone Edge against his Rock Throw, forcing him to run as Stone Edge closed in.

"Lycanroc, when you were still a Rockruff that day, you couldn't make a dent in Gladion's Lycanroc's defense," he thought as he remembered his and Rockruff's first battle with Gladion's Rock/Dark Dual Type partner vividly, also recalling how Gladion's partner used his speed to cut him off and get him hit by Stone Edge before he ended up in his mouth, defeated.

"The day you and Dusk evolved into Dusk Form Lycanroc, Gladion's Lycanroc was right there with you...… And, from that moment on, you were accepted by him as a real rival."

He then recalled when Rockruff and Luna's brother were subjected to the Green Flash on Akala Island and they both evolved into Dusk Form Lycanroc with Gladion's Lycanroc amongst the witnesses present as they and Olivia's Midday Form Lycanroc howled together in the glowing sunset.

Gladion had similar sentiments of his own as he recalled everything he and his Pokémon went through since they first met the little princess along with Ash and he couldn't help but think back to when Dusk, Sarah's Silvally, his Lycanroc, and his Silvally ended up in a draw on Poni island (which they didn't mind as he and his Lycanroc shared a fist bump), "Sarah, Ash, you and your Pokémon have shown and taught me and my team battle strategies that I didn't know where possible. They have a lot to do with how far we've come, where we are, and where we're going!"

Then, when they were ready, he and Ash shouted, "So, let's do this, Lycanroc!"

Their Lycanroc agreed wholeheartedly as they both howled proudly and Ash's Lycanroc's eyes turned red, the two of them ready to fight in the greatest battle of their lives between them, knowing that one of them and their respective partners would be the ones to move on to the Finals with Sarah or Guzma (should either of them win the second match).

It's Gladion vs. Ash in the first match of the Semifinals! Who will emerge victorious between them? And, speaking of the Semifinals, how will Sarah and Guzma's rematch take place after that? The story will go on and the answers will come in time as the journey continues!