In the first match of the Semifinals between Gladion and Ash, Silvally and Pikachu were equally matched and were promptly eliminated from the competition after a grueling opener. With only one Pokémon left on either side in the form of their Lycanroc, who will win and move on to the Finals? Will it be Ash or will it be Gladion? We'll soon find out in this Battle of the Lycanrocs!


(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)


Picking up where the previous episode left off (halfway through Ash and Gladion's match in the Semifinals), we see Ash's Dusk Form Lycanroc and Gladion's Midnight Form Lycanroc ready to do battle to see who would go to the Finals between them and their human friends.

Everybody amongst the heroes (including the Pokémon, Mysticals, and dragons) and the adults' viewing panel watched with worry and intrigue as they knew that Gladion or Ash's place in the Finals would come down to this final fight between them and their Lycanroc. Faba, Wicke, Mohn, and Lusmaine, in particular, watched Gladion and his Lycanroc anxiously to see if they would make the cut against Ash and his Dusk Form Lycanroc.

Then, without warning...… "...….Lycanroc, use Stone Edge!"

Both Lycanroc started off with Stone Edge as they unleashed their Rock Type power at each other and their attacks collided, ending in a stalemate.

"And, both Lycanrocs kickstart the second half of Ash and Gladion's match with an equally matched Stone Edge! Hold on to your hats, folks, 'cause this match is gonna get hot, hot, hot!"

"Lycanroc, Accelerock! GO!" Ash called, having his Rock Type charge at his older Wolf Pokémon rival with Accelerock.

"Use Counter!" Gladion barked, having his Midnight Form Lycanroc use Counter to stop him (using one paw) before hitting him back at twice the power.

Ash was shocked as his Dusk Form Lycanroc crashed onto the floor while Gladion smirked, prompting the Kanto trainer to tell him, "We gotta get past that Counter, Lycanroc!"

"Right, Ash!" his Lycanroc grunted.

"Now, it's our turn. Use Stone Edge, again!"

Gladion and his Midnight Form Lycanroc were not going to give their rivals an inch as the older Wolf Pokémon used Stone Edge again, essentially repeating the same strategy used against Ash and Lycanroc over two years ago when the latter was still a Rockruff during their first meeting.

"Circle around to the side!" Ash cried, his Dusk Form Lycanroc circling around to avoid his rival's Stone Edge thanks to his increased speed and his growth through battle experience. "Okay, Lycanroc, use Bite!"

Seeing his chance, Ash's Lycanroc charged at Gladion's Lycanroc again with Bite but the two of them were able to see him glow red as he prepared to use Counter, allowing the Kanto trainer to immediately change his strategy on the spot, "He's ready to go with Counter! Lycanroc, hold up!"

"Wrong move, Ash! Use Stone Edge!" Gladion smirked as his Lycanroc used Stone Edge once more while Ash's partner started skidding to a stop.

But, the joke's on Gladion as Ash's Lycanroc smirked while he stopped and jumped back, dodging his rival's Stone Edge and landing perfectly on his paws (leaving him and his rival shocked by the sudden turnabout as they gasped).

"Lycanroc attacked but Ash's Lycanroc dodged at the last minute! It looks like all those battles he had beforehand increased his reflex speed!" Gladion realized.

"That was close. It's not going to be easy but we got to try to get past Stone Edge and Counter if we're going to win. We just need to find a way to use them against him with our speed," Ash thought as he thought back to how Gladion's Lycanroc was able to force his partner back before that previous last-minute dodge.

He then smiled as he decided to wing it, "Alright, we'll just do it our way. What do you say, Lycanroc? Let's show them how we do it, Ash Style; Attack, attack, and attack some more!"

"I'm with ya, buddy! We'll just hammer them down until they go home crying!" Lycanroc smirked as he charged forward.

As she watched him and Gladion and their Lycanroc fight, Sarah smiled at Ash in amusement as she thought, "*Of course, typical Ash; always one to hit first and think later while getting down and dirty in Pokémon battles.*"

"You're not getting off that easily, Ash! Lycanroc, Stone Edge again!" Gladion ordered knowingly, having his Lycanroc use Stone Edge again to cut off his rival.

"Dodge it, quick! Then, use Accelerock!"

"Yeah!" Dodging Stone Edge again, Ash's Wolf Pokémon charged at his Dark/Rock Type rival again with Accelerock with a howl.

"One more time! Stone Edge!"

"Sit down and go home!" Gladion's Lycanroc barked as he used Stone Edge yet again, hoping to hit Ash's Lycanroc before he had a chance to hit him.

"Jump up, go!" Ash smirked, seeing his and his Rock Type's chance as his Lycanroc jumped up and over his rival's Stone Edge attack, surprising Gladion as he saw him hitting his Midnight Form Wolf Pokémon and driving him to the ground before he got back up.

Ash grunted as he realized what had happened, "Rats, we would've hit him harder with a little more speed than that."

"Only a trainer like Ash would use Stone Edge as a stepping stone for a greater plan of attack. But, he and his Lycanroc won't be making fools out of us with a move like that again. Lycanroc, another Stone Edge!" Gladion smirked, having his Lycanroc use Stone Edge for the umpteenth time as Ash's Lycanroc rushed him again.

"Use Accelerock after dodging to the left!" Ash cried, seeing Lycanroc (Dusk Form) dodging to the left and charging with Accelerock again.

"Repeat!"

"To the right and close in!"

"Come on, Ash, Gladion and his Lycanroc got you two in a bind. Use your head AND your heart to trip them over," Sarah thought, frowning at Ash as she saw his Lycanroc dodging to the right and closing in on Gladion's Lycanroc before the Dark/Rock Type smirked and he glowed red, using Counter as he came within range (shocking Ash who was too late to react in time).

"Too late, Ash! Use Counter!" Gladion sneered with a smirk, his Lycanroc sharing his smirk as he used Counter on his younger Dusk Form counterpart in the stomach after dodging him.

"GYAAAAAIEEEEE!" Ash's Rock Type screamed as he hit the ground.

"Lycanroc!" Ash cried, speechless.

"Well, Ash? Want to pack it in?" Gladion quizzed as his Lycanroc panted, nearly reaching his limits.

"No way! We'll never back down! Hang in there, Lycanroc! You can do it!" Ash spat back as he encouraged his Lycanroc to keep on fighting, his partner thankfully stirring from his short daze and struggling to stand on his paws again despite the pain before he got back into his battle stance.

Gladion gasped in surprise at this; Ash's Lycanroc was able to recover after the beating he took and not even his Lycanroc's last Counter was enough to put him down and win the match for him.

"Whoa! It's been nothing but 'Never Give Up Central' for Ash's Lycanroc; even after all those attacks from Gladion's Lycanroc, he keeps finding the strength to pound along on his paws!" Caster gasped, flabbergasted.

"You-!" Gladion's Lycanroc balked.

"Grr...… I'm, not, finished yet!" Ash's Lycanroc grunted, doing his best to fight the pain which got a smile out of Ash.

Gladion shared Ash's determined smile as he also saw his Lycanroc as a worthy opponent for his Midnight Form Wolf Pokémon (and was enjoying every single minute of it throughout their match as he clenched his left hand), "Even after taking that Counter, he's still standing... Incredible, that's Ash's Lycanroc for you! This is what it's all about!"

"Agreed, this will indeed be a battle to remember. He-he-he-he-he...…." grinned Lycanroc in agreement, feeling entertained.

Ash and his Lycanroc couldn't agree more, "It sure is! Right with you and your Lycanroc, Gladion!"

"And, I wouldn't trade this battle for anything else! Getting to fight you like this in the Alola League... This is the HAPPIEST moment of my life!"

Then, both Lycanroc rivals (sharing determined grins and feeling second winds on them) charged at each other again with Ash's partner attacking first with Accelerock and Gladion's partner fighting back with Stone Edge before the younger Rock Type retaliated with Bite.

Gladion's Lycanroc jumped back as his partner called, "Good but are you ready to turn it up a notch? Lycanroc, use Swords Dance!"

Howling proudly, Gladion's partner boosted his Attack Stats as transparent swords danced around him in a circle before they disappeared, the older Wolf Pokémon glowing a bright orange-red from the increase in his attack strength.

"One Swords Dance later and Gladion's Lycanroc is supercharged! Will his power increase cut the mustard in our ongoing Battle of the Lycanrocs?"

"Now, time for Outrage and ignite yourself with the raging crimson fury of the werewolf!" Gladion recited, his partner using Outrage as his eyes glowed bright red, roaring as he charged in front of Ash's Lycanroc with intense speed.

Ash's Rock Type was shocked as he realized that if he ended up being hit by his rival's Outrage, it would be all over for him and his human friend.

Ash gasped before he quickly issued to his Wolf Pokémon, "Use Stone Edge!"

His Lycanroc quickly fought back with Stone Edge as the glowing train of energized stones shot from his side of the field and toward Gladion's Lycanroc who was still coming at him.

"A waste of time and energy against Outrage! Now, break through it!" Gladion scoffed as his Lycanroc broke through Stone Edge and reached his rival in no time flat.

"Here it comes, Lycanroc! Be careful!" Ash warned his Wolf Pokémon.

However, before he and Ash could do anything, the younger Rock Type saw his rival becoming confused as Outrage wore off and he ended up confused as he did before during his battle against Sarah's Silvally and Dusk. There was silence for a moment before he lifted his paw and bit on it, surprising Ash while a knowing Gladion remained silent.

"What's happening?! Outrage just wore off before Gladion's Lycanroc could attack and now, he's biting himself after being confused!"

"He bit himself?!" Sophocles balked in surprise.

"But, why would he do that?" Mallow gasped.

"It looks like he became confused after he failed to end the match with Outrage. He must know something that can wear off his confusion," Kiawe explained, seeing what Gladion's partner was trying to do.

"You're right, Kiawe. Looks can be deceiving and it appears Gladion and his Lycanroc knew how to offset his confusion after using Outrage whenever possible," Sarah nodded, knowing where her fellow student was going.

Lillie nodded in agreement as she replied, "You both might be right. My brother and his Lycanroc always come prepared whenever they learn a new attack so they must have figured out what to do if Lycanroc was to become confused with every use of Outrage in battle."

"What do you mean, you guys?" Hiccup quizzed.

Sarah answered while Kiawe and Lillie nodded in confirmation to her words, "Watch Gladion's Lycanroc carefully when Ash and his Lycanroc make their next move and you'll find out."

"Heads up, buddy! Use Bite, and quick!" Ash shouted, having his partner charge in to use Bite again, however...….

"Counter!"

"HUH!?"

Ash was shocked as Gladion's Lycanroc snapped out of his confusion the moment his Lycanroc closed in, releasing his bitten right paw from his mouth and striking back with Counter, roaring as he did so. The younger Lycanroc yelped in shock before his order rival's Counter nailed him on his left cheek, sending him straight back to Ash as he smirked at him for falling for his and Gladion's latest ploy.

"HOLY SHIELDS!"

"By Odin's might!"

"How'd he do that?!"

"But, how!?"

"NO!" Zenna, Snotlout, Astrid, Fishlegs, and both Tuffnut and Ruffnut gawked, aghast.

"That was Gladion and his Lycanroc's plan; he bit himself to prevent himself falling victim to the confusion aftereffect of using Outrage," Sarah said.

"Island Girl's right, guys. From what we told you, in every battle he participates in, don't Ash and his Pokémon usually start by using a string of speed attacks?" Race questioned, nodding in agreement to Sarah's words.

"Yeah," the Viking Teens replied, nodding.

"The one fatal flaw in using Outrage is that when a Pokémon uses it, as it is so powerful a move, the user would become confused for a short while. Normally, when something like that happens, it'll work in Ash's favor since he and his Pokémon can react quickly before the Pokémon that used Outrage beforehand snaps out of its trance and allows them to gain control of the battle. But, it doesn't work with Gladion and his Lycanroc since they know how to offset his confusion whenever he uses Outrage. No matter what kind of speed or power attack Ash tries, Gladion's partner will gauge his younger rival and attack according to his friend's orders and game plans. And, because of that, it gives them the ability to control their battles at any pace they choose and get the drop on their opponents when they least expect it which is why they were able to play Ash and his Lycanroc for fools like that."

"How much training does it take for them to get up to that level? They're incredible!"

"A true commitment to victory," Sophocles and Lana breathed, amazed.

"Amazing!" agreed an awestruck Mallow.

"Your brother is remarkable, Lillie. He may be cool and calm as a cucumber on the outside but his internal temperature is hot as fire," Kiawe concurred as Lillie gave a happy smile for Gladion.

It seems Ash came to the same conclusion as he gritted his teeth again, beating himself up for not realizing it sooner as he grumbled, "I should've known; Gladion's Lycanroc bit his paw as he did so he could shake off his confusion caused by Outrage. And, because we attacked first without realizing it, Lycanroc and I fell for it, big time."

"Exactly, Ash! We thought of everything and that means victory!" Gladion smirked at him.

"This is turning out to be quite the Battle of the Lycanrocs we're having, folks! No matter what Ash and his Lycanroc try to do, Gladion and his Lycanroc are taking no prisoners with their careful battle plans and pulling off one fakeout after another at every turn! Now, the only question is: will Ash's Lycanroc be able to stay in the battle?"

"Lycanroc! Are you okay? Can you still go on?" Ash called out to his Wolf Pokémon.

"N-Ngh...! Ugh, ngh... I-I'm alright, Ash. I can, still-ngh, fight!" Lycanroc (Dusk Form) reassured, grunting as he struggled to get back on his paws and stand again but with a little insight from the string of Counter attacks he took from his rival. "But, n-n-ngh, needless to say, I-I-ugh! I think, we, m-might have, found, a way, t-t-to, b-beat them...!"

Ash was relieved but in the moment, as if he could hear Lycanroc's thoughts, he gasped in realization and nodded in agreement. He recalled his and Sarah's Grand Trial with Nanu and realized that their only chance of winning the match and reaching the Finals lies in using Counter back at Gladion and his Lycanroc in a precise moment of vulnerability.

"Alright, on my mark!" he called, ready to put their last-ditch plan of effort into action.

"One final push to end it all! Stone Edge, let's go!" Gladion began, his Lycanroc using Stone Edge yet again.

"Now, use Bite!"

On his mark, Ash's Lycanroc charged forward and countered Stone Edge with Bite, breaking through the glowing rocks as best and as fast as he could. But, Ash gritted his teeth and grunted, realizing that they needed to be faster and they needed to get closer so they could get their last hit in on the older Wolf Pokémon.

"Use Stone Edge, one more time!"

"Use Accelerock, full power!"

As Gladion's Lycanroc used Stone Edge one final time, Ash's Lycanroc darted past Stone Edge as he smashed through the glowing rocks with all the power and speed he could muster, making his way toward his rival for the final push.

"GOOOOOOOO!"

"Finish him off with Counter, now!"

Gladion's Lycanroc smirked in agreement, glowing red as he gathered his remaining energy to issue one final Counter at his younger Rock Type rival. As soon as Ash's partner came into view and was within range of him yet again, the older Midnight Form Lycanroc unleashed his last Counter as he landed an uppercut on his head, stunning him once more. But, this turned out to be a big mistake as Ash looked carefully at his Lycanroc and saw him opening one eye before he smirked at him.

He smiled back and winked before he issued his surprise final attack, "This is it, you're going down! Lycanroc, use your Counter and put him to bed!"

"AH! No way?!" Gladion gasped in shock, not expecting such a development from Ash's Rock Type.

His Lycanroc was also shocked as his eyes widened and he saw his rival snapping out of his shock and smirking at him before he arched himself back and did a backflip. Using his momentum, he raised his front right leg as a red aura covered him, it glowed a mix of bright green and orange, he howled loudly, and did a hard uppercut as he unleashed his Counter back at Gladion's partner. The older Dark/Rock Dual Type was forced to take his species' own attack to the chin as he was sent flying straight to the entrance doors his human friend went through and crashed, sliding back down to the floor.

And, just like that, it was over; Ash's Lycanroc landed back on his paws and his eyes returned to their normal shade of green while Gladion's Lycanroc was down for the count, knocked out cold and having swirls over his eyes. From his spot in the stands, Kukui was greatly surprised by the unexpected turnabout but he smiled and nodded at Ash and his Lycanroc.

Olivia was also surprised before she nodded and handed the match to Ash, "Gladion's Lycanroc is unable to battle! Ash and his Lycanroc win by a knockout! Ash Ketchum is the winner of Semifinals Match 1 and will go on to compete in the Finals!"

"What an upset! A tremendous battle from both trainers! In a battle as powerful as the Alolan Sun with all its shining power and majesty, despite being outfoxed and outclassed by Gladion and his Lycanroc at every possible turn, Ash and his Lycanroc pulled off a last-ditch maneuver and emerged victorious! Our two trainers of the hour have given us a roaring good time so let's hear it for our contestants for Match 1 of the Semifinals: Ash Ketchum and Gladion!"

The crowd went bananas as the announcement was made and cheered loudly for Ash, Gladion, and their Lycanroc, congratulating the quartet on such an incredible battle following Pikachu and Silvally's defeat in the first round. Even Rowlet, Meltan, and Torracat couldn't help but cheer along with the rest of the heroes' Pokémon for Ash and Lycanroc's victory and even Pikachu approved as he woke up and saw them still standing.

"YEAH! We did it, Lycanroc! We did it!" cheered Ash as his Lycanroc laughed heartily and rushed over to him, rubbing his rock mane on him in a painful victory nuzzle just as Pikachu came over and smiled broadly.

"You did it, Lycanroc! You and Ash won!" he screamed excitedly as he took his place on Ash's shoulders again.

"We did it, Pikachu! All of us!" Lycanroc laughed again, still on cloud nine regarding his and Ash's victory.

"We did it, Lycanroc! Thank you so much!" Ash thanked his Rock Type again as he hugged Lycanroc just as Gladion went over to his Lycanroc and smiled.

He gently petted his Wolf Pokémon as he woke up and realized what had happened when he saw his rival, Ash, and Pikachu celebrating their victory. He smiled along with Gladion; despite having lost the match and ending up in the Top 4, they knew they put up a valiant fight and they had found a worthy opponent or two in Ash and his Lycanroc. They reaffirmed their admiration of the Kanto trainer and his Rock Type as they went over to the pair and Pikachu to extend a word of congratulations of their own.

"Ash? Congratulations," Gladion smiled. "Let's battle again some other time, what do you say?"

"Of course! It would be an honor!"

"**Totally!**" Ash and Pikachu grinned as Lycanroc (Dusk Form) gave them a playful nudge and scratched his human friend's back, making him laugh while the others continued to cheer for him and Gladion.

From within the shadows in another part of the stands, Guzma looked at the results of Ash and Gladion's battle and he couldn't help but growl in disgust. He scoffed and turned his back on Ash, Gladion, and everyone else in the stadium before he walked away, Plumeria following him as she looked worried. As they left, she couldn't help but think back to a moment in Po Town when she discovered the truth about why Guzma became the cold-hearted and undefeated trainer that he is now.


(Flashback)

In one part of Team Skull's old mansion abode, the young admin came across a cluster of trophies that caught her attention.

"Ugh, we got a real mess over here," she admitted as she went to pick up the trophies until she noticed something on one of them, a small plaque stating that it was a trophy for a runner-up. "Huh? Wait a minute... A runner-up, Second Place?"

At that moment, Plumeria noticed that all of the trophies she found that Guzma won for Pokémon battles he had taken part in some time ago were for Second Place and Third Place. And, right away, she realized what was driving her friend and superior to become the best trainer he could be in his own way without respecting Alola's customs and culture: Guzma hated losing and being second best to trainers more skilled and stronger than he is. Because he always ended up being second best, he

threw away the trophies he won as a result of his frustration.

"Oh...… If only you all had been victory trophies for First Place, then I know you wouldn't have been treated this way," she sighed sadly to the trophies before she got a bruise from one of them. "Ah! That hurt!"

(End Flashback)


Despite wanting to voice her concerns for him again, Plumeria kept her thoughts to herself as she continued to follow Guzma, remaining deep in thought over his greatest weakness.

Back with Bewear and Stufful on Melemele Island, the pair continued to enjoy themselves in their little hot spring but they soon decided to go out for a drink. But, the Oranguru robot came over again and presented them with another pair of Pinap Juice cups as it opened its mouth and dropped two straws in the cups for them.

As the robot handed the cups to them, Stufful grew excited as his mother took the juice cups and they took a sip, both of them looking very pleased.

"Stufful, Stuff!" Stufful grinned thankfully.

Soon, they returned to their hot spring and Stufful sang happily until he grew hungry. They were just about to leave the spring again when the Oranguru robot returned and gave them some fruit it picked out from its mouth while pouring some honey from its nose before handing their meal over to the pair. Satisfied, Bewear and Stufful went back inside the spring and relaxed once more before they tried to get out for a third time for another drink until the robot returned with another helping of Pinap Juice. Throughout their duration in their hot spring bath, the mother-son Flailing Pokémon are as happy as can be.


"Break it down, stir it up, tear it down, mix it up! Solid steel, break the seal! Do the deal, make it real! Yo, yo, yo!"

Back at Manalo Stadium, it was time for the second match of the Semifinals between Sarah and Guzma. Tupp, Rapp, and Zupp were practicing their team's cheering session for the upcoming match between Guzma and the little princess in the trainer's lounge as they looked for their leader.

"Hey, Boss! Where are you?"

"We're here to help you get pumped up for before your battle with the princess!"

"Guzma!"

With the princess, she was with her friends and the others inside the main lounge as they all came to wish her luck in her battle with Guzma.

"Well, guys, this is it. My battle with Guzma is about to begin; soon, we'll find out what Guzma's been trying to run away from and why he's so desperate to become the winner of the Pokémon League before he destroys Kukui's dream," Sarah sighed, bracing herself for what was to come as Kaji, Star, and Silvally joined her.

"You're right, this may be your only chance to find out the truth before he tries to do you and your Pokémon real harm," Lillie nodded.

"Good luck, Sarah."

"Just don't let your guard down and expect the unexpected with him even if he does deal with a straight deck like before with Lana."

"Beat that bully for all of us and show him who's in charge here," Mallow, Kiawe, and Lana encouraged determinedly.

"Don't worry, guys. The Master Triangle Battle Nanu, Kukui, and the other Kahunas planned for us will be something out of left field for him, he won't know what hit him and neither will his Pokémon."

"Regardless, we know you'll do your best against him, sweetheart."

"Show that bug-man your true strength and he won't take you, Kaji, Star, and Silvally down to Timbuktu and back with a one-way ticket to pain," Nikki and James added.

"...I will."

Sarah then looked at Ash as he gave her a determined nod (which she returned as they shared a final handshake) as she prepared to leave and take her place in the stadium with her Pokémon of choice.

"Hold it right there!"

As Sarah, Star, Kaji, and Silvally made their way out, everybody saw Tupp, Rapp, and Zipp coming over and blocking the way to the stadium.

Sarah groaned; arguing with them before the match could begin was not what she had in mind, "Alright, Tupp, spill. What do you, Rapp, and Zipp want now?"

"You know what, you spoiled little brat. We heard everything you said just now; whatever you have in mind, there's no way Guzma will be losing to you again! Got it?" Tupp sneered.

"You're that deaf from earlier, are you?"

"The boss has never lost a battle, not once!" Zipp and Rapp added.

"I've beaten him once, you guys, and I'll do it again. Guzma may be undefeated but he's not invincible as you already know."

"Who cares? Guzma's gonna wipe the floor with ya when he's through with you!"

"Like taking candy from a baby! You won't know what hit you when you take center stage and he walks all over ya!" Rapp and Zipp taunted as they laughed.

Sarah rolled her eyes in annoyance as she simply retorted, "Look, just because Guzma had a ton of battles and won them by playing fair or fighting dirty doesn't give you the right to declare him as a winner in an instant. He and his Pokemon may be good but they have no idea what my Pokémon and I are truly capable of. We haven't been fighting them at our full strength back then and I can tell you now that our match will be far different from what you've seen from Ash and Gladion during their battle earlier today."

"Is that so, Princess...?" Guzma stated as he and Plumeria finally appeared.

"Boss!" Tupp, Rapp, and Zipp gasped.

"It should be obvious, Guzma. You wanted to settle the score with me just as Eterantus said, didn't you? We'll do it on the battlefield and I can assure you, things are never what they seem in our battle. And, my Pokémon and I will prove it to you."

"...….Hmph, fine by me. Too bad it'll be your last when my Pokémon and I are through with you," Guzma vowed as he left, leaving Plumeria even more worried for him as she followed from behind and Tupp, Zipp, and Rapp trailed after them.

In the stands, Kukui met up with the Kahunas and turned to Nanu, "Nanu, it's time. Please prepare for the match."

Nanu nodded as he then said to Kukui, "So, it's been arranged, huh? The kiddo against Guzma; I have to say, I was surprised when she came out alive with her puppies' parents following her first encounter with those bumbling punks. She's got guts but I hope this match doesn't turn out to be a problem."

"Right."

"Anyhow, the Kahunas and I have decided to switch it up a bit with your approval."

Kukui was puzzled, "Switch it up?"

The Kahunas nodded as Olivia explained their plan for Sarah and Guzma's match, "We talked it over and we decided that instead of a 2-on-2 match, we want Sarah and Guzma to have a Master Triangle Battle akin to my Akala Island Grand Trial with her two years ago."

Now, the Alola Professor was shocked as his jaw dropped and he spluttered, "A-A, a Master Triangle Battle?! Really?"

Hala nodded as he continued, "We all agreed that Guzma needs to know the true meaning of being a Pokémon trainer in Alola and realize he can't become one let alone live on strength alone. Also, Kukui, do you remember telling us about those things called Move Cards Sarah had been using as of late after she obtained them? We're very curious to see what she and her Pokémon can do with them which is why we're permitting her to use them just for this match."

Of course, Hala couldn't help but laugh as he saw how shocked his old student had become when he pulled off a Ditto face and told him, "Oh, Kukui! We meant no harm in that but as we all know, out of all the students in your class, Sarah was the most creative out of all of them. Even more so than Ash, wouldn't you agree?"

Kukui quickly calmed down and nodded at his old teacher with a smile, remembering how bright and smart of a student Sarah throughout her time with him and her friends, "That's true."


Finally, the moment had arrived; while Sarah and Guzma took their places on the battlefield and the crowd watched in anticipation, apart from the little princess, Kukui, and the Kahunas, nobody had any idea that the final match of the Semifinals between the two was going to be a little different.

"Ladies and gentlemen! For our final match of the Semifinals, this will be a Master Triangle Battle! The princess and her challenger are permitted to use three Pokémon at the same time and the contest will thus be decided only when all three Pokémon from either side are unable to battle further!" Nanu explained.

The entire crowd was taken aback and even the heroes couldn't help but gawk when they heard the arrangements. But, Guzma took it the worst; he was expecting to crush Sarah in a 2-on-2 match but true to the princess' words to her friends and family back at the trainer's lounge, a Master Triangle Battle was something out of left field and a battle he had no experience in. Not even the rest of Team Skull can process this as Tupp, Rapp, Zipp, and their friends voiced their surprise, shock, and annoyance over the unexpected change (especially if it meant for their leader to use his Masquerain as well) despite Plumeria keeping silent as she continued to look at Guzma, feeling worried for him still.

"What, was, that...…?" Guzma began as he glared at Nanu, snarling quietly and trying to repress his shock and anger over the arrangements.

Nanu, however, remained indifferent as he looked at Guzma and told him, "I'm sorry, Guzma, but that's what the other Kahunas and I agreed on beforehand. Don't like it? You're free to drop out and throw in the towel if you like."

"...Urgh, fine. But, I'll get to enjoy tearing the girl apart as we battle," the Team Skull leader grunted as he reluctantly brought out Scizor, Golisopod, and Masquerain for the Master Triangle Battle.

The Ulu'Ulu Kahuna nodded as he looked at Sarah and she nodded back, bringing out Kaji, Star, and Silvally and bracing herself for what would be her toughest battle to date.

"Here we go..."

"This is it."

"Yeah, Sarah vs. Guzma."

"Even with his Masquerain joining in, Sarah's going to have to be careful."

"Guzma may play by the book but like the rest of Team Skull, he's proven to be a bona fide cheater."

"Whatever the case, Guzma's going down! He doesn't have a chance!" Ash and the gang remarked as they, the rest of the heroes, the Pokemon, the mythicals, and the dragons watched. The royal family and adults along with Asha and Race could only watch in silence, praying for Sarah and her team's victory.

"Ready? Battle, begin!" Nanu declared as the crowd cheered.

"Come on now, let's get this party started. Scizor, give that jackal a taste of your Bullet Punch! Masquerain, time for some payback with Air Slash on her Frankenstein Jr.! Golisopod, reintroduce yourself and your power to that overgrown lizard with Liquidation!"

All at once, Guzma's team of three charged at their opposing team with Scizor targeting Star, Masquerain setting her sights on Silvally, and Golisopod preparing to slice and dice Kaji respectively. Despite the Hard Scale Pokémon's previous rocky relationship with his master throughout their match with Lana and Primarina, the Water/Poison Type was determined not to make a fool out of himself again for the sake of his boss as he readied his Liquidation attack on the Flame Pokémon. The same can be said for Masquerain as she waited a long time to redeem herself in Guzma's eyes as she came at Silvally and fired her Air Slash attack at him.

"Hey, Fire Tail! Feel like getting soaked?" Golisopod taunted as he charged at his chosen target.

"No, want a roast for dinner?" Kaji retorted, his taunt toward Golisopod signaling Sarah to begin attacking.

"Kaji, Dragon Tail! Silvally, use Tri-Attack! Star, Power-Up Punch!" the princess shouted, her three Pokémon fighting back as they met their respective opponents.

With Kaji, he blocked Golisopod's Liquidation attack with ease using his Dragon Tail attack before he knocked him back; Star met Scizor's Bullet Punch with her Power-Up Punch before they were blown back to their respective trainers after they reached a stalemate; and, finally, Silvally managed to cut through Masquerain's Air Slash attack using Tri-Attack and struck her hard, the Eyeball Pokémon already taking the first hit as she was knocked back hard.

"Stand your ground, knuckleheads! Golisopod, get at Charizard again with Liquidation, and don't stop! Masquerain, Scizor, change of plans; stop the other two with Bug Buzz!" Guzma seethed.

Heeding their master's orders, Golisopod went at Kaji with Liquidation again but Scizor and Masquerain stayed back as they used Bug Buzz to try and disorientate Star and Silvally before they'd have a chance to counter again.

"Star, use your Aura Shield to defend Kaji and block out Scizor and Masquerain's Bug Buzz!"

Nodding to her mother's next call, the Shiny Lucario amplified her Aura to create a shield that stopped Golisopod dead in his tracks and canceled out Scizor and Masquerain's combined Bug Buzz attack before it could touch her, Silvally, and Kaji.

"What?!" Guzma balked in angered shock as his eyes bugged out.

"'Ey, what gives?!"

"Guzma's slipping!"

"How could Guzma fall short against the brat's Pokémon with stunts like that?!" Tupp, Zipp, and Rapp gasped in disbelief.

"Now, Kaji, Silvally! Twin Dragon Claw!" Sarah continued as Star canceled her shield and allowed Kaji and Silvally to attack before they ambushed all three of Guzma's Bug Types with Dragon Claw (unable to react in time once they closed in).

"I'm not finished yet, runt...… I've already come this far, I'll make sure I won't lose to anybody else again. Not even you," Guzma vowed quietly, seething in his anger over what would be an impending loss (if he didn't do something) as he issued his next orders to his Pokémon. "Don't give up on me, you numbskulls. Golisopod, keep at 'em with Liquidation! Scizor, use Agility! Masquerain, use Air Slash again!"

"Got it, Boss!"

"With pleasure!"

"Oh, yeah!" his Pokémon complied as they went on the attack again.

"Dragon Rush and Tunnel, go!" Sarah countered as her Pokémon burrowed underground, avoiding their opponents' latest assault. "Now, spring up with Twin Thunderpunch and Thunder Fang!"

The evolved Flame Pokémon, Synthetic Pokémon, and Aura Pokémon took their chance and emerged from the ground but within close range of their adversaries as they used Thunderpunch and Thunder Fang to shock Glisopod, Scizor, and Masquerain at once.

"Hey, wha-?!" Guzma gasped again as his Pokémon were forced to take the pain and skid back a few feet, all of them still holding their own but just barely given what they were dealing with.

"Come on, Guzma, is that all you got? I thought you were supposed to be unbeatable according to your team, mainly Tupp, Rapp, and Zipp given how much they preached about your battling," Sarah remarked, looking unimpressed as her Pokémon returned to her and got back into their battle stances. "I was hoping for a challenge but I'm mainly the one giving it to you from what I'm seeing and my Pokémon and I aren't even trying. Are you sure that you being the strongest trainer out of everybody in all of Alola was a done deal from what I heard beforehand?"

Guzma gasped in shock as he remembered the previous words that he spat at Kukui when he finally made himself known to his former friend following the heroes' original trip to Galar. He had not forgotten them but he didn't expect the little princess to have a clear memory of his declaration to her teacher when he vowed to destroy the Pokémon League he planned after he heard about it just to prove that he's the strongest trainer of all.


(Flashback)

"Island Challenges and Grand Trials, I'm sick and tired of all of those customs and I get why you want to replace them with something new. But, I'm not allowing any Pokémon League because the strongest trainer is already a done deal!"

"Then, why not just join the league? I like to see you try and prove to be the strongest at anything other than talking."

"No way! I'm not interested in that, cancel the league or I'll cancel you!"

(End Flashback)


Guzma growled but Sarah didn't flinch as she continued, "I'm not stupid, Guzma. I know what you're thinking; you think the Pokémon League is a waste of time but Prof. Kukui put all of his heart and soul into making this league for everybody in Alola. Do you want to talk about why you want to end it for your own gain or fight?"

The others were surprised by what Sarah was doing as they saw she was trying to reason with Guzma after he wasn't making a dent in Kaji, Star, or Silvally, already putting her plan of getting the truth about his need to destroy Kukui's Alola League into action instead of later in the battle.

"She's doing it."

"Yes, Island Girl's fighting with her heart already with both her and Guzma's teams already in a stalemate," Asha and Race commented, hoping Sarah knew what she was doing right now.

"Oh, why now? She already had Scizor, Masquerain, and Golisopod on the ropes so why doesn't she, Kaji, Star, and Silvally take them out now and ask questions later?" Sophocles sighed.

"You're exactly right, Sophocles, but Asha and Race do have a point. This is all part of her plan but in normal battle circumstances, because Golisopod, Scizor, and Masquerain are mainly Bug Types, Kaji had the Type advantage against them should Sarah have used him alone or in a tag team attack alongside Silvally if she had given him his Fire Type Memory," admitted Rotom-Dex.

"But, still, given that Masquerain and Golisopod initially went back to their Pokeballs after Pikachu was on his last legs the first time they duked it out with him and Star during your first big show with the bad cat from what you all told me, he's going to go the whole way now. But, he's going to do it according to these new battle conditions the Kahunas made for him and my girl. That's in addition to the fact that his Golisopod and Scizor know U-Turn in their move sets and since they're forced to battle together along with Masquerain, they can't use it to switch each other out so she's got that blessing," Rotoscope noted.

"I see. That explains why Masquerain and Golisopod returned themselves to their Pokeballs that day when Pikachu was at his limits after being poisoned," Mallow breathed in realization.

"He stays calm and lets their U-Turn throw his challengers off under normal battle conditions," Lillie nodded.

"And, also, because Golisopod, Masquerain, and Scizor are partly Flying, Water, and Steel Types, while they're at a lessened Type disadvantage, they're pretty well trained so they must have something to help compensate for their weaknesses," Kiawe noted in agreement to their observations.

"That Guzma, he's pretty shrewd and an expert trainer despite his bad disposition," Lana remarked.

"So, Guzma, what do you say? Shall we get this show on the road?" Sarah demanded, wanting to see more of Guzma at his full strength without running away as he and his Pokémon had done before.

Guzma was quiet for a while but he recomposed himself and sneered as he told his Pokémon, "Let's wrap this up and show that bratty princess what we're made of, you guys. Use Liquidation, Bug Buzz, and Air Slash!"

"Kaji, use Dragon Rush! Then, all of you dive back down with Tunnel again!" Sarah shouted.

"Right!" Kaji called as he rushed at Golisopod, Scizor, and Masquerain with Dragon Rush while they tried and failed to hit him with their respective attacks.

"Catch us if you can, chumps!" Silvally taunted as he smirked and he, Kaji, and Star jumped back into the ground while using Tunnel to make a new underground passage, dodging Golisopod's Liquidation, Masquerain's Air Slash, and Scizor's Bug Buzz in the process once they attacked again.

"Urgh! Not again, they're gone!"

"Where'd they go?" Scizor and Masquerain spluttered indignantly as they looked around the field.

"Keep your eyes peeled, fellas! They couldn't have gone far!" Golisopod called.

"This is turning out to be a crazy back-and-forth between both teams as they trade one attack after another and neither one seems to give up! My eyes could barely keep up with this Master Triangle Battle as Sarah and Guzma kicked it off with a bang! But, now having used Dragon Rush to distract Scizor, Masquerain, and Golisopod and diving underground using Tunnel, where will Kaji, Star, and Silvally turn up on the battlefield?"

"...Now, guys!" Sarah shouted, signaling her Pokémon to take Golisopod, Masquerain, and Scizor by surprise as they erupted from their current spot in the middle of the battlefield before they faced down their respective opponents.

While Star faced off against Golisopod, Silvally was squaring off against Scizor, and Kaji was now duking it out with Masquerain before they all got into their battle stances (Kaji getting into a Tiger Style stance akin to Ching Wan's stance) after a few moments of fighting in melee combat.

"Golisopod, use Throat Chop on that Lucario," Guzma continued, allowing his Hard Scale Pokémon to aim for Star and he charged at her for the kill.

"Gauge him and attack on my mark, Star!" Sarah cried out, allowing her Shiny Lucario to brace herself as Golisopod struck her and she was enveloped in an orange aura.

Guzma smirked as he then said, "Gotcha, now. Scizor, end her with Bullet Punch!"

"I got 'er, Leader," nodded Scizor as he knocked Silvally off of him and he went at Star with a fully powered Bullet Punch.

Sarah watched carefully as though Scizor was moving in slow motion as she tapped into her Aura and telepathically called to Star, "Steady, wait for it...…."

Star held her ground against Golisopod as Scizor drew closer and closer to them, ready to unleash his Bullet Punch and knock her block off so she would be down and out and Kaji and Silvally would be the only ones left standing against them and Masquerain. That was until...

"...…NOW, KAJI!"

On her mother's signal, Star quickly grabbed Golisopod and dodged Scizor's Bullet Punch before she grabbed him as well. The two Bug Types were startled as Kaji (who heard Sarah's cry) appeared faster than they expected and grabbed them by a claw, taking them out of Star's paws before he flew into the air.

"Golisopod, Scizor!" Guzma cried in shock.

"LET GO! LET GO, YOU FIRE BELLY GELUTANT!"

"PUT US DOWN!" Scizor and Golisopod wailed as Kaji flew higher and higher.

Guzma gritted his teeth before he regained himself and looked at Silvally and Masquerain as he ordered his Eyeball Pokémon, "Masquerain, go after Silvally! Use Ice Beam!"

"Coming right up!" Masquerain nodded determinedly as she fired her Ice Type attack at the Synthetic Pokemon.

"Dodge it, Silvally!" Sarah called, allowing Silvally to jump forward and avoid being frozen as he went at her. "Use Tri-Attack!"

"Energy Ball!" Guzma countered as both Pokémon use their respective attacks at each other before they exploded upon contact, revealing that Masquerain has gotten much stronger and she is now evenly matched with her mismatched opponent. "Go get him!"

"Heads up, Silvally! Use Ice Fang!" Sarah barked, having her Synthetic Pokémon charge at her again with Ice Fang before she demonstrated her improved speed by dodging his own Ice Type attack.

Silvally was baffled and his moment of hesitation allowed Masquerain to fight back immediately with Air Slash, firing her Flying Type move and finally getting a hit on the powerful Normal Type as he grunted from the blast which stirred up a cloud of dust.

Guzma sneered at this while Sarah shield herself and quietly cursed herself for not being fast enough to react to Masquerain's speed, "Damn it!"

When the dust settled, Silvally was still standing but he was starting to sport some bruises from the unexpected assault he went through from the Eyeball Pokemon, "...I didn't expect you to improve so much from that little eyeball butterfly I crushed two years ago."

"Time and a little training do strange things to people and Pokémon. And, while you and your family were lollygagging about, I was doing all the work and it paid off. Our boss does his research, you know. And, while this battle may be out of our league, that doesn't mean my friends and I are out of our depth," Masquerain replied, sneering.

"Then, let's settle this as soon as your 'friends' come back from their little trip from Outer Space."

"Gladly."

"*lPUT US DOWN, LIZARD LIPS!"

"DON'T MAKE US CLIP YOUR WINGS OFF!" shouted Golisopod and Scizor as Kaji held onto them while he went higher.

"Okay, whatever you say," the Charizard smirked as he swung them around like two clock tower pendulums (while they screamed like babies) and he threw them back down into the arena, making the impact greater than it was.

"What incredible strength and power! Kaji sent Golisopod and Scizor tumbling back down to good ol' terra-firma with a powerful Seismic Toss! He may be handicapped by a Type disadvantage but he makes up for that in his training by the princess!"

In fact, the timing was impeccible as Silvally and Masquerain were in the middle of their own struggle and they both bashed each other back in a tackle fight, separating just in time to see Golisopod and Scizor crashing back down in front of them. All the while, Star, Silvally, and Kaji (returning from the skies) regrouped while their opponents hastily got back together with the Johto Pincer and Hard Scale Pokémon rushing to get back on their feet and regroup with Masquerain.

"What are Sarah, Kaji, Star, and Silvally going to do now?" Kukui wondered as he watched, seeing Guzma starting to gain ground as Masquerain managed to get a hit on Silvally despite Kaji managing to send Golisopod and Scizor crashing back down to earth with a powerful Seismic Toss attack.

"I told you three to wrap this up quick! Use X-Scissor, Energy Ball, and Liquidation!" Guzma spat at his Pokémon, starting to get impatient.

"Trust us, Boss! We got it!"

"They're history!"

"They won't last long, count on it!" Golisopod, Scizor, and Masquerain reassured as they charged at Star, Kaji, and Silvally while letting out battle cries (Masquerain deciding to fire Energy Ball at the last minute as she charged up her Grass Type move).

"Not so fast, Guzma! Try this on for size! Star, Kaji, Silvally, Aura Blade, Focus Punch, and don't forget, Multi-Attack!" Sarah countered.

Star, Kaji, and Silvally charged at their opponents with their own attacks as well, meeting Golisopod, Scizor, and Masquerain as they ended up in a stalemate and pushed each other back to their respective trainers despite both sides taking damage from their own frontal assaults.

"Now, Guzma! Let's see what happens when I turn up the heat a little! I hope you're ready for some fireworks because with this Master Triangle Battle, this match of ours is now on a whole new level which makes this a whole new game! And, thanks to Nanu and the other Kahunas for putting my family and I in our element, because they've put all of their faith in us to see why you've become such a monster towards everybody, with every surprise I pull, you and your Pokemon will just have to take them as they come! And, for this match, they don't come any better than something like this!"

The little princess then pulled out an Attack Burst Move Card from her Dino Gadget but the card's appearance left Guzma confused, he wasn't expecting something like that coming from his greatest rival and nuisance. This unexpected trick seemed to worry Golisopod as he flinched a little while Masquerain and Scizor braced themselves.

"What is that? I've never seen anything like it," the Team Skull puzzled, trying to figure out what it does as Sarah brought out her Dino Bracer and slashed it through its card reader to activate it.

"Ability, activate: Attack Burst!"

"Use Liquida-huh?!"

Silvally, Star, and Kaji roared proudly as a flurry of dust swept over Golisopod, Scizor, and Masquerain, getting their attention as they were soon lifted into the air before they could attack, surprising Guzma as he couldn't call out to his partner to use his main attack in time.

He then noticed his Pokémon being struck with large amounts of electricity and flames as Caster announced, "WHOA! This is beyond amazing, folks! That move known as Attack Burst is dealing Guzma's team a lot of damage, guess he wasn't expecting that!"

Golisopod wailed in pain as he was forced to take in the power of Attack Burst while Scizor and Masquerain gritted and grunted in determination, determined to not be beaten for Guzma's sake. However, they noticed Star, Silvally, and Kaji jumping towards them and just before they punched them into the ground, they made the ultimate sacrifice as they used all of their remaining strength to push themselves towards Golisopod and push him out of the Attack Burst as they took the blast themselves.

"NOOOOOOO!" Golisopod cried, seeing Scizor and Masquearain land back on the ground but looking like they were on their last legs as they strained themselves with whatever strength they have left to stand and/fly again. "Scizor, Masquerain!"

"Wait! I get it now! That's one of those stupid Move Card things the brat has that I heard about! They can't be legal here! This battle doesn't count! The rules didn't say that those things could be used in battle and she oughta be disqualified right here!" Guzma snapped in annoyance and realization.

Nanu just smirked with his usual deadpanned look as he retorted, "The Move Card the princess used is compatible with her Pokémon as they resemble many of their moves. The cards she has on her are perfectly legal for her to use in battle because of that. It is upon the judgment of myself and the other Kahunas and with Kukui's blessing that our fair lady shall use them, after all. I suggest you get used to it, Guzma, because you're going to have to play the game her way from now on. So, are you game?"

Guzma seethed as Sarah then quipped at him, "We're all ears, Guzma. So, do you have the courage? Can you and your Pokémon last with my Move Cards at play, even if you end up with only Golisopod as your remaining Pokémon against one of my own?"

"Sarah's doing great!"

"Yeah, she's got him now!" Snotlout and Ash grinned.

"But, why did Star glow like that after Golisopod attacked her with Throat Chop?" Lillie pondered curiously.

"Oh, now I get it! Lucario's Hidden Ability is actually our Justified ability!" Keldeo gasped in amazement as he and his teachers recognized the glow and knew what the ability was.

"So, that's why the kid glowed after she took that Throat Chop from that water-logging punk! The princess changed her original ability to ours during her training!"

"Yes! Justified activates when a Pokémon is hit by a Dark Type move, effectively boosting its attack power based on its heightened sense of justice!"

"So, that's it; Star shared her mother's strong sense of justice when she took that Throat Chop head-on since it was a Dark Type attack. Then, she held Golisopod at bay while Scizor came at her while using Bullet Punch before she trapped them and Kaji took them off of her to use Seismic Toss on them," Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion explained, impressed by what they saw.

"Amazing!"

"By Thor's might, Sarah thought of everything!" Hiccup and Gobber breathed in fascination.

"Fire Spin plus Aura Sphere! Take aim!" Sarah continued, having Kaji and Star charge up their respective attacks as they prepared to take aim at Golisopod, Scizor, and Masquerain again.

But, as this was happening, an unusual change began to occur; while Scizor and Masquerain braced themselves once again as they prepared to fight until they drop, Golisopod was now starting to get a little nervous. He was beginning to realize that things were far different compared to his and Masquerain's previous battle with Ash's Pikachu and Star at the Pokémon School and even his team's original match during the princess' first encounter with the entirety of Team Skull and his master.

The Hard Scale Pokémon was now seeing the end result of whatever training and escapades Sarah and her family had been through that led them to the Pokémon League and he was beginning to wonder if he and his team could ever win against them.

"Now, use Fire Spin on Golisopod and Aura Sphere on Scizor and Masquerain! FIRE!"

"BURNING AROUND TOWN, HAAAAAAAH/See ya, RAGH!" Kaji and Star roared, shooting Fire Spin and Aura Sphere at their respective opponents.

At that moment, Golisopod suddenly froze in panic, unsure of how to counter Fire Spin despite having a Type advantage against the Flame Pokémon. Scizor and Masquerain saw what had happened and gasped, realizing that their comrade is in trouble and they needed to do something if their team was going to stay in the game despite being backed into a corner they couldn't get out of.

Looking at each other and sharing a mental debate as they blocked out the rest of the world, they weighed their options and eventually, they nodded in agreement as they came up with a plan to help turn things around for them as best as they can.

Snapping back into reality, the Johto Pincer and Eyeball Pokémon acted quickly as Scizor rushed to Golisopod's defense and Masquerain took a leap of faith as she charged up her energy to create another Energy Ball. But, just as she formed the ball, she held onto the attack and continued to transfer her energy into it which caused it to grow bigger.

As the Aura Sphere drew closer and she kept her eyes on it, Scizor was using every bit of his remaining strength to run towards Golisopod. At this point, he and Masquerain knew it was all over for them as they no longer had the strength to fight on as they are now thanks to Sarah and her family's Attack Burst Move Card. So, the plan they had in mind was to have Golisopod end the battle against either Kaji, Silvally, or Star if they can take out two of them and even the odds out so they have a better chance of winning. It does mean they'll be taking out of the running but they didn't care as they placed all of their faith and hopes of winning the match and having Guzma continue onto the finals on the Hard Scale Pokémon.

Finally, Masquerain charged at the Aura Sphere, screaming proudly as she collided with the attack and broke through, making her way to Star.

Along with the Shiny Aura Pokemon (who was astonished by what Masquerain had done), Guzma and Sarah were shocked at what they were seeing as they saw her and Scizor pulling off their own plan that they knew nothing about. Even Kaji and Silvally were taken aback as they had no idea what they had in mind just as Scizor ran towards Golisopod and Masquerain continued her charge with her Energy Ball at hand.

"Star, look out!" Sarah screamed.

"Oh no, you don't! Don't move another inch!" Silvally shouted as he charged at Masquerain and tried to jump her.

"Out of my way! RAAAAAAGH!" she roared, firing Air Slash at point-blank range and sending him rolling along the ground hard as she continued towards Star.

"Wait! What are you doing?!" Star called out in alarm.

"This one's for Guzma and Golisopod!" Masquerain declared, straining herself as she closed in on the Shiny Aura Pokémon and finally hitting her with her Energy Ball while she let out one final determined scream before she and Star were enveloped in a cloud of smoke after an explosion.

"AHH!"

"MASQUERAIN!" Sarah and Guzma gawked in shocked astonishment just as Scizor finally reached Golisopod and pushed him out of the way, taking on Kaji's Fire Spin himself and summoning the last of his strength to use X-Scissor and increase his speed with Agility.

Golisopod was knocked out of his petrified trance as he noticed Scizor rushing at Kaji while continuing to endure Fire Spin with his X-Scissor attack at full power, "SCIZOR!"

Scizor looked back momentarily at Golisopod and smiled warmly before he turned back to Kaji and continued on his way as he told his comrade, "Win it for Team Skull, Guzma, and us, Brother!"

Finally, the Johto Pincer Pokémon reached Kaji and slashed at him before he unleashed a final Bullet Punch, the three attacks causing an explosion that also engulfed the two of them in a cloud of smoke before they both fell to the ground and kicked up a dust cloud after landing.

Golisopod could only gasp in horrified surprise as he watched Masquerain and Scizor knock themselves out and take Star and Kaji out of the running with them with their brave sacrifices just so he could be the only one among them left standing to take on Silvally (who was also the only one left standing on Sarah's team). When the smoke and dust cleared, everyone was shocked and amazed by what had just happened; by an unexpected miracle of friendship and trust on Scizor and Masquerain's end, the two of them took out Star and Kaji while taking themselves out of the running for Golisopod to finish the battle for Guzma. Now, the match was riding on either him or Silvally, and if one of them falls, either Guzma or Sarah will move on to the Finals.

"**….S-S-Scizor, Masquerain,**" Golisopod gasped, astonished.

"Oh, man..." Sarah gasped in complete awe, having heard what Scizor and Masquerain said to Star and the Hard Scale Pokémon before and realizing what they did in the spur of the moment.

"I-I-I... I don't believe it!" Silvally spluttered in shock as Nanu went over to the four unconscious Pokémon and looked them over, the Ulu'Ulu Kahuna seeing all of them out cold with swirls over their eyes as he made his decision.

"Star, Kaji, Masquerain, and Scizor are unable to battle! The match will now continue as a sudden-death 1-on-1 Pokémon battle!" he announced much to everyone's astonishment as they gasped and muttered amongst each other.

Even the heroes couldn't believe their eyes as their jaws dropped and their eyes bugged out before Rotom-Dex said what they were all thinking, "AHH! No way! This is not possible! How could this have happened?! Masquerain and Scizor had taken both themselves AND Star and Kaji out of the battle! This should've been Sarah's moment of triumph! How did they do it!?"

However, Guzma was the most shocked out of all of them as Nanu's words repeated in his head and he just stared in utter shock at what happened to two of his Pokémon.

The words "unable to battle" rang in his head over and over and he began to experience a whiplash in his memories as he recalled the battles he went through that led him to winning Second Place and Third Place in his previous battles and during his time as Hala's student. It didn't make any sense to him as he was supposed to be the best trainer in all of Alola by default; he was about to strike back at Sarah and her team despite the odds that were against him and his Pokémon and he wasn't going to let her permitted use of her Move Cards stop them. But, his hopes were shot to pieces as Scizor and Masquerain took matters into their own hands and performed an act that allowed Golisopod to continue fighting while taking out two of their opponents out of the running.

He seethed with fury as Sarah and Silvally rushed over to Kaji and Star and quickly brought them over to their side of the field again and rested them next to the former's spot. He then returned Scizor and Masquerain without another word but he would soon break his silence as he then turned his anger over the unexpected losses he endured from their sacrifice on his main partner.

"GOLISOPOD!" he raged, getting Golispod's attention as he looked at his master.

"B-Boss, I... Y-You, you must understand, I was-!" the Hard Scale Pokémon began despite knowing that Guzma couldn't understand Pokémon Speak before he was cut off.

"Why are you acting like this? Why did you freeze up and not hear me earlier?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"But, Boss!"

"You could've taken back control of the battle and finished it when you had the chance! But, you stood there and made a fool out of yourself and now, our team's down to just you! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE, GYAARGH!"

In the stands, Team Skull was now starting to look worried as they saw how badly Guzma was treating his partner and losing his composure after Scizor and Masquerain made the ultimate sacrifice just for them.

"Calm down, Guzma, please," Plumeria begged.

"It's your fault they got Scizor and Masquerain! If you hadn't been a big baby at that moment and carried on as we always had done, we wouldn't have gotten into this mess! Now, what?! How will you fix this?!"

"What an astonishing turn of events! In a last-ditch effort, Scizor and Masquerain have taken out Star and Kaji with the ultimate sacrifice! Now, the only ones left standing on both sides are Golisopod and Silvally..."

Sarah remained silent as she watched Guzma lashing out at Golisopod and slowly started to piece together why Guzma turned his back on Kukui and Hala and became the trainer he is now. She noticed that he was taking the loss of Scizor and Masquerain after they pulled off the ultimate sacrifice for their friend to win the match very hard and he was taking his anger out on Golisopod as a result.

"….You know, I'm beginning to understand now," she mused thoughtfully as she turned to an equally thoughtful Silvally. "Silvally, are you getting this?"

"Yeah. I mean, I hate to say it but...… The way that creep was ranting and going at the poor guy he has left and after that giant warrior bug and the floating eyeball did the unspeakable, placing their hopes of winning this thing on him, unreal...… I guess even Goggle-Head is no different than everybody else, he can't handle losing in any way..."

"Yeah, I think if we keep dragging this out, we'll know why he hates losing. It's crazy, I know, but what else can we do now that we got a new lead?"

"I don't like it but if it's possible, I'm with you, Mother."

The princess nodded as she looked at Guzma and said to him, "Guzma, I think I'm beginning to get the picture now."

The pair turned to her as she continued, "I don't know exactly why you hate losing so badly but why I do know is that we still have a battle to finish. This may no longer be a Master Triangle Battle but that doesn't mean we should throw in the towel! Come on, can you guys last until either Golisopod or Silvally fall at the end?"

"Looks like Island Girl's giving Golisopod and Guzma nowhere to run now. If anything, I think she's on the right track," Race remarked thoughtfully.

"Huh?"

"On the right track, Race?"

"What do you mean?" puzzled Lana, Sophocles, and Ash in confusion.

"He's right. Guys, didn't you get what Guzma was saying when he was lashing out at Golisopod? Seeing him snap like that made Sis realize something; when you guys told me how he went up against dozens of trainers, you also said that he only went up against weak trainers and ran away from stronger opponents while making excuses not to battle them. That means he only fights battles he knows he can win; he picks and chooses what fights to have and passes up on opportunities to take on more powerful trainers. I couldn't figure out why that moron would pull such a stunt like that but now that I think about it and recall Hala's story from earlier, it all makes sense! Guzma proved himself to be a powerful trainer in his own right when in reality, he's only projecting himself as a powerful trainer just to cope with whatever losses he had which forced him to betray Kukui and Hala that day! He's in complete denial of being a coward!" Asha explained in realization, immediately getting what was going on with Guzma as everybody on the heroes' side gasped in shock.

"Young Race and Ms. Asha are correct; it's the moments when you face opponents stronger than yourself despite the odds presented against you that show your strength of heart and character."

"The princess has shown her character and her strength of heart time and time again against all of the enemies you've faced including Team Eclipse, Kyurem, Dr. Zin, Evox, Goldar Maximus, and Eternatus before she brought him to the light."

"And, right now, she's showing her true character and strength of heart to Guzma and Golisopod. She's starting to understand why Guzma is the man that he is and wants to know why he hates losing," Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion stated.

Ash and the gang gasped in awe as the Kanto trainer recognized what Sarah was doing, "So, that's it... She's acting like a gym leader to him; she's presenting her challenge to him, a test of his strength of heart."

"Amazing!"

"Incredible!" agreed Pikachu and Lana's Primarina, awestruck.

Lana was impressed as she prayed for her best friend, "Be careful, Sarah, don't let your guard down."

"It's clear to me that losing is something of a sore spot for you, Guzma! But, I won't be able to understand why unless you and Golisopod show me and Silvally your strength of heart; if you want to beat us, you need to prove your mettle here and now! After all, we'll find out who's the strongest between us and in all of Alola between our remaining Pokémon. A sudden death match between Golisopod and Silvally, same rules as before; do you have the courage?" Sarah dared, waiting for Guzma's answer.

Guzma held his face, stewing in his own anger before he looked at Sarah and gave her his answer, "Losing, isn't an option."

"…Right, Boss. Let's go," Golisopod agreed, finally steeling himself as he thought back to his friends' sacrifice, deciding to honor their efforts the only way he and Guzma knew how. "Scizor, Masquerain, don't worry. I won't lose to Silvally; I'm going to fight him and the princess to the end with the courage you gave me!"

Sarah nodded as she and Silvally readied themselves for their next clash with Guzma and Golisopod, the princess bringing out the Electric Type Memory Drive for her Synthetic Pokémon.

"Mighty Beast Silvally, accept your Electric Type Memory and become the beast that brings eternal thunder and lightning!" she recited as she threw him the Memory Drive and Silvally accepted it, his tail fin, eyes, and head scales becoming yellow again.

So, now, who will advance to the Finals? Will it be Sarah or will Guzma be the victor? The fierce battle between them will not be decided until next time as the journey continues...!