A week had passed since Sarah's 17th birthday and after being turned into Patronuses, Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and the Mane 6 were back in the fray as they and the survivors along with Spike had returned to Equestria and even Discord decided to return home to be with his love. Sarah couldn't be happier for them all, especially Discord despite his short time with her family ending on a somewhat bittersweet note. However, there was a silver lining as they did promise to pop by for frequent visits whenever possible should they want her help in restoring Equestria (Discord more so as he was still indebted to her and her family as well as the Six Spirits for giving him a second chance in life).
Of course, this also meant that the Mane 5 had to tread on a fine line when introducing everybody to the Patronus Ponies, Discord, Spike, and the rest of the survivors of Equestria's forgotten age. This had naturally come as a great shock to everybody living in Maretime Bay, Bridlewood, and Zeyphr Heights given their lack of knowledge of their land's ancient history and of Twilight and Celestia and Luna's eras.
Nevertheless, they were all greatly honored and happy to have them return to Equestria, providing them with new homes and lives in any of the three known locations present in the land (at least, until they would be able to restore the other lost kingdoms):
- Rain Shine and the Kirin decided to return to the Peaks of Peril (as it had been their home for several moons)
- Discord, the Student 6, Spike, Thorax, Pharnyx, the Changelings, Skystar, Novo, the Hippogriffs, and the Seaponies would make their homes at Maretime Bay
- Grandpa Gruff (who had long since accepted Gallus as a Griffon in his own right) and his fellow Griffons would join Pipp, Haven, Zipp, the Mighty Ones, and their Pokemon at Zephyr Heights
- For the time being, Rutherford and the Yaks would stay with the unicorns in Bridlewood
- Twilight, her friends, Celestia, Luna, and Cadence (now Patronus Ponies) are all tasked with keeping watch over the three areas and the creatures dwelling within them while also assisting the Mane 5 with their new mission to help themselves and their fellow ponies learn how to control their returned magic. They knew it would be tough as magic hadn't been used or found in years and they had been warned about the ramifications that came from the war with Opaline years ago before the events of A New Generation
- And, finally, Discord, now at full strength following his period of recovery with Sarah's family and the Six Spirits, had regained his sense of picking up magical disturbances and decided to keep watch over the stability of Equestria's magic. In doing so, he would be on the lookout for Opaline should she eventually show herself again once she learns of his friends and his beloved's return.
As for the Six Spirits, after they and the Vikings parted ways to return to Berk and Dragonstone, they managed to keep things under control. All the while, the little princess was getting back to her normal life on Alola with her part-time job as a Pokemon/Dragon Nurse coupled with her new duties as an honorary Quest Team member (with her new job offering her some financial benefits as she set to work). With her family's help, she was able to track down and put away an animal smuggler, releasing the wild animals captured into an animal sanctuary stationed in Africa for their recovery and eventual return to the wild (unless they're deemed to stay under certain conditions they're in).
Things seemed to be going smoothly for her now that she was settling into another new daily routine with her real parents back in the fray but our chapter here doesn't pertain to her but to Sophocles and his Vikavolt and a crucial event they would soon partake in which led to another bout between them and some old rivals; it was a beautiful Friday morning at the Pokemon School and Sophocles and Vikavolt (they and Togedemaru being the first ones to arrive for class at this time) were wearing special goggles designed specifically for them, the pair feeling very excited about them.
"Yeah!"
"This is awesome!"
"Hey, Sophocles. What are you two wearing?" Sarah asked as she and their friends caught the trio's attention and they turned to see the group arriving for class.
"Whoa, cool-looking goggles you guys have there," smiled Kiawe, taking notice of Sophocles and Vikavolt's new goggles.
"Whatever kind of goggles those are, they're awesome!"
"Totally!" Ash and Pikachu commented happily.
"Thanks, the stuff that Vikavolt's wearing here is called VR Armor and there's a camera built into it that's leveled with his head," Sophocles thanked as he explained about the equipment he and his Stag Beetle Pokemon are wearing. "The images from that camera show up on my VR Goggles so I can see everything from his POV."
"So, that means you would be able to see everything Vikavolt sees wherever he flies?" Rotom-Dex clarified.
"That's right and I can give commands to him through this mike attached to it. And so, I was thinking about us using our new equipment from Sophocles' Lab in the upcoming Vikavolt Race!"
"Hey, that's right! The annual Vikavolt Race is taking place this Saturday on Poni Island and that's tomorrow," Blitz realized in surprise.
"And, you and Vikabolt are the returning competitors from that last race you guys told us about chosen to take part in it," Curly added in amazement.
"Hey, that sounds like a lot of fun!" Ash gasped in surprise.
"A Vikavolt Race, isn't that like the Charjabug Race you two were in before?" Mallow questioned curiously as she, Lana, Lillie, and their Pokemon joined in on the conversation (the three of them holding the female Shaymin, Sandy, and Snowy in their arms respectively).
Sophocles smiled brightly as he confirmed Mallow's thoughts and showed everyone a poster of the Vikavolt Race on his phone, "Yeah, except the Vikavolt Race operates on a much larger and grander scale. There will be tons of amazing Vikavolt Racers coming from all over the world along with their Vikavolts competing and this year's competition is going to be the biggest ever with over 200 participants and Vikavolts entering in the Adult, Youth, and Children's divisions as well as the main race!"
"It says, 'Vikavolt Trainers, step right up for a chance to enter the Vikavolt Race Fini Cup. Top Prize varies for each competition with the main prize being a Buginium Z!'," Lana read as she looked at the poster.
"Wow! I know you already have a Buginium Z on you after you cleared Nitro's old Island Challenge trial months ago but if you didn't have one on you already, you would've had a chance to win it!" Mallow grinned happily.
"Yep. I haven't been able to get a Z-Ring of my own just yet but one of these days, I will earn one. And, once I do, Vikavolt, Togedemaru, and I will be sure to use a Z-Move like Gigavolt Havoc or Savage Spin Out," Sophocles nodded, a determined grin on his face.
"Do you want Ash and I or even Sarah to help you out again with your training?" Kiawe offered.
"There's no backup team for this year's Vikavolt Race so it'll be just Vikavolt and me for the competition. But, you're welcome to come on over and cheer for us, okay?"
"Yeah, it'll be great if you can come to Poni Island and lend us your support. We're really gonna need it, there's lots of competition going on this year once we hit the racetrack tomorrow," Vikavolt smiled.
"You know I'll be cheering you on!" Ash grinned.
"Me, too!" Pikachu added with a nod.
"Sure thing, buddy. You keep an eye out for us on the stands before the competition starts and we'll have your backs in spirit," Blitz promised as Curly gave an agreeing nod, Vikavolt giving an appreciating nod to them.
"In that case, I'll make us a little lunch first to celebrate you both entering the contest!" Mallow offered happily.
"We'll all be cheering for you!"
"Mm-hmm!" Lana and Lillie agreed.
Even Race gave a supportive nod and smile as he said, "Blow everybody away with your racing, you two."
Kiawe agreed with passion as he told Sophocles with all his heart and soul, "Count me in. But, since you're asking us all to cheer for you two as you race...Your only goal at the moment is to achieve total victory!"
"You can count on it!" Sophocles nodded knowingly before he turned to his Stag Beetle Pokemon and asked him, "What do you say, partner? Ready to shock everyone with our skills for the big race tomorrow?"
"I am READY, buddy!" Vikavolt cheered proudly, accidentally using Thunderbolt on everyone in his growing excitement as they all screamed in pain and bewilderment (Togedemaru, Blitz, and Sarah being the only ones unaffected by the attack due to the Roly Poly Pokemon and the Alolan Pikachu's Lightning Rod Ability and Sarah's lightning manipulation training).
"THIS IS NOT WHAT HE MEANT, VIKAVOLT!" Rotom-Dex screamed incredulously.
[New Theme Song - Drunken Lives (Young Hero Fong Sai Yuk - ft. Johnny Ip) {Roughly Translated Ver.}]
(The new opening begins when we see legions of Pokemon trainers and their Pokemon training in a giant stadium and amongst them, Sarah, Ash, and the Pokemon School gang are training with their own Pokemon, preparing for the most important chapter of their lives before the trainers and their Pokemon stood at attention and the gang got into a group fighting pose as the song begins. They will eventually take part in the finalized Alola League to determine who is the top Pokemon trainer in the entire Alola region)
When life is rough and too dark to see, my regrets wash over all of me~
Pain is immense but don't you cry or pout, you'll very soon find your way out~
(In small snippets and previews of what's to come or will be happening now, Sarah and her friends are living out their normal lives again after the demise of Lothor and Team Eclipse including Sophocles and Vikavolt taking part in a Vikavolt Race, training for the upcoming Alola League, the arrival of a little Pokemon looking like it's made from metal, and Mallow, Lana, and Lillie along with Sandy, the female Shaymin, and Snowy taking part in a TV program)
Live a life worth living, make it beautiful, and work hard to be strong and happy~
In the mortal world, your life is so meaningful, so go and prove your own mettle~
(All the while, at specific points in the last volume of the story, Race and Sarah reaffirm their love for each other while Gladion continues his family's mission to uncover more about their father, Mohn, and to determine his current whereabouts, hoping to reunite with him once again as the Alola League was finally completed and approved)
So, who would you connect with to meet up with me as friendly voices cut through the peaceful sunny crest~
Your heart is now mine forevermore, your sincerity shines at its best~
(The opening ceremonies kick off before Race and Sarah stand together in the midst of a fireworks celebration during a festival as their love continued to blossom and the gang takes up a bit of a sport called Pokemon Golf while helping a famous golfer and her Toucannon out of a slump they're in)
So, who would you connect with to meet up with me as friendly voices cut through the peaceful sunny crest~
Your heart is now mine forevermore, your sincerity shows me your love I can't detest~
(Guzzlord somehow enters Sarah's world along with other Guzzlords to join him after the Alola League reaches its climax, forcing everybody in the region to try and stop them from destroying Alola and repeating the tragic history of Dia's world. In the short instrumental, the gang takes part in battling at the Kantonian Gym in Malie City on Ula'Ula Island as short snippets of the gang getting themselves into scrapes throughout their misadventures are shown)
So, who would you connect with to meet up with me as friendly voices cut through the peaceful sunny crest~
Your heart is now mine forevermore, your sincerity shines at its best~
(Lana is then shown facing the toughest challenge of her life as she and Brionne come across a Kyogre and she has to do her utmost to tame it as she reels it in when its life is in danger. Sandy, Mallow's Shaymin, Sarah's Shaymin, the metal-like Pokemon, Breezeon, Sho, and Donka explore Malie City unsupervised after trying to recover a hair ornament before coming across Team Rocket again. Pikachu (and his entire team) and Blitz (with some of his brothers and sisters) go on an adventure to find Ash, Torracat, Sarah, and Silvally disappeared on them when the quartet traveled back in time and meet a younger Kukui as he starts out on his Pokemon journey that leads him to become a Pokemon Professor in studying Pokemon moves)
So, who would you connect with to meet up with me as friendly voices cut through the peaceful sunny crest~
Your heart is now mine forevermore, your sincerity shows me your love I can't detest~
(Finally, snippets of the Ultra Rescue Rangers' final missions involving Evox with their and the Beast Morphers Rangers' final clashes with him and his followers, the return of Necrozma and their efforts to restore him as the Bright One, the gang all taking part in the Alola League including Sarah or Ash facing off against Guzma and learning how he became the trainer and punk he is now and why he was running away, and a final battle with either one facing off against Kukui and Tapu-Koko in a final full 6-on-6 Pokemon battle and a match for the ages in Alola are shown. The intro then ends with Sarah reviving Necrozma in his true form and standing with him along with Cresselia, Zygarde (10% Forme), Zacian, Zamazenta, Xerneas, Giratina, and Rayquaza while she turned into her Lion Form and roared proudly as the titles appeared above the group on the ground)
Pokemon Sun & Moon - The Warrior Princess
It's Vikavolt Race preparation time! And, Sophocles is jumping headfirst into some special racing training for his and Vikavolt's big day!
After finishing school for the day, Sophocles had begun his and Vikavolt's training for the race in earnest; their first test was to determine if their VR Goggles and VR Armor are in tip-top shape that will allow them to see what was ahead of them while they're on the racetrack. Through Vikavolt's camera, the Electric Type student was able to easily see what the normal-sized Stag Beetle Pokemon was seeing from his perspective. As the competition would be a Vikavolt Race, Sarah joined them with Nitro at the helm to act as Vikavolt's personal judge (upon his request) to determine what they'll need to do to improve their game or if everything's in working order for the race.
"Visuals looking good, all clear and ready for takeoff," Sophocles confirmed, seeing everything from Vikavolt's POV clearly from his VR Armor camera. "Okay, Vikavolt, are you ready?"
"All set, Soph! Let's get it on!" Vikavolt replied determinedly as he started to show his paces.
However, his determination to prove himself in the Vikavolt Race caused him to start to shake about as he flew, quickly disorientating Sophocles as he tried to keep a good view of everything within his Bug/Electric Type partner's sights.
"You've gotta take it slowly!" he gently admonished, prompting Vikavolt to stop and control himself.
"Your partner is right. Vikavolt, I know you're excited to race but the annual Vikavolt Race demands one thing from competitors such as you and Sophocles in addition to a wild heart and a cool brain, that's good teamwork from you two," Nitro buzzed as he began to observe the pair. "You are allowed to race to your heart's content but you must remember that in order to win, you must first work in unison with Sophocles. So, the more you get yourselves in gear as you work together, the more likely that you'll be able to pull this off."
"Yes, Teacher," Vikavolt nodded, composing himself as he got himself ready.
"Thanks, Nitro. Right, now that Nitro's got you back up to speed, it's time to get serious. First, I want you to fly over to Togedemaru, okay?" Sophocles continued, giving his thanks to Nitro before pointing Vikavolt to Togedemaru, the normal-sized Stag Beetle Pokemon flying over to his Roly Poly Pokemon sister as she chirped happily at his successful first test run.
"Yeah! That's great!"
"Hey! How about having him fly over to me next?" Kiawe offered, waving at Sophocles to signal him.
"Alright! Vikavolt, now I want you to fly on over to Kiawe," Sophocles ordered, pointing to Kiawe next and allowing Vikavolt to fly over to the Fire Type student.
But, to everyone's surprise, Vikavolt started to speed up and he flew right past him and into one of the nearby trees. They soon found out why he took a detour to the tree he eventually perched himself onto; it turns out that there was some sweet tree sap that he could see from a mile away from the tree, seeping out and getting him hungry as he flew over and ate the sap. Vikavolt looked as though he was having the time of his life as he ate what is essentially a delicacy or candy to Bug Types such as himself, much to poor Sophocles' dismay as he faltered and grew annoyed.
"Come on, Vikavolt! You gotta focus!" he snapped in disbelief.
Nitro could only chuckle sheepishly as he sweat-dropped at his student's love for tree sap, "Yeah, that's the problem with us Bug Types; we have quite the addiction to the sweetest tree sap found anywhere in the world and once there's some sap around, there's no stopping us once our hunger pains kick in..."
Later, it was announced that due to the influx of competitors and Vikavolts that were registered and had to be signed in, it was announced that the Vikavolt Race would be delayed to accompany them all for a few days. Sophocles didn't mind as he knew he and Vikavolt got extra time training for it.
Throughout that time, Sophocles and Vikavolt worked hard to be ready for the Vikavolt Race after it was rescheduled to take place in five days' time on Wednesday (and assisted by Sarah and Nitro whenever possible). Vikavolt worked his hardest as he did his best with his partner to keep himself focused and not be distracted by other things around, first soaring through the air and the grassy battlefield before he flew up and zoomed towards Hau'Oli City as Nitro oversaw their progress.
In class on Monday, Vikavolt was flying beside Sophocles at his desk when his curiosity got the better of him as he flew closer to Professor Kukui as he writes on the board, much to the Alola Professor's chagrin as he gave a heavy sigh. Then, while they were in town after finishing up school the following Tuesday, Sophocles and Vikavolt were on their way home when Sophocles sniffed what smelled like food. His mouth watered in delight as he realized they were passing by the local donut shop and was about to get inside for a quick snack only for a bewildered Vikavolt to stop and pull him away to focus on completing their training for the Vikavolt race, much to his poor partner's dismay as he gave a small pout.
That night, after a long day of training, the pair was in his lab at home, checking out the results they'd obtained on his computer to determine what had to be done or if they were satisfied with everything they did. Togedemaru was already fast asleep on her spinning wheel as she quietly snored away.
"If I compare tomorrow's weather forecast for the big day with previous weather data and the complex weather patterns we had prior to the race being rescheduled... Now, maybe I just need to do more research on the conditions of the sea, hope it's calm and there won't be a storm to cancel it or make it choppy..."
"Hey, buddy?" Vikavolt buzzed, getting Sophocles' attention. "No matter what happens or what the top prize is for this year's race, let's give it our all."
"Yeah, we're gonna win this tomorrow as long as we learn to work together and have fun no matter what, right?" Sophocles smiled.
"You know it!" Vikavolt smiled back, he and Sophocles sharing a fist-bump (with the former using his long horns) as their determination to win was renewed and they both went to his bedroom to go to sleep after getting Togedemaru after she fell off her wheel in her sleep.
Finally, the moment Sophocles and Vikavolt had been waiting and training for arrived the following Wednesday despite the unexpected rescheduling setback; the annual Vikavolt Race on Poni Island was about to go full steam ahead. True to their word, Ash, Mallow, Race, Kiawe, Sarah, Lana, and Lillie arrived along with their Pokemon and the princess' family along with Race's dragons, all of them at the starting line as they saw the crowds gathering and cheering loudly along with the competitors that registered to sign in for confirmed attendance.
"Wow!" Poipole chirped in awe.
"This place is amazing!" Bella cried in amazement.
"Oh, I hate crowdssssssss!" grumbled Flameaconda with a grimaced hiss as the other Pokemon and the dragons watched in bewilderment at the sheer volume of people flooding in.
"Do you think they're all competing?" gasped Brawleon.
"Well, challenge one to a practice lap and, see," gulped a startled Robbie as his eyes bulged from under his cloth.
"Okay, little ones, just stick close to us and make sure you follow us to the stands while keeping together in your groups. Don't get lost staring at this magnificent sight," Calyrex (in Ice Rider Form) warned to the younger Pokemon and dragons.
"AWESOME! This is a big arena for a race," Ash cried in amazement, looking around.
"Sophocles, you're not nervous at all if this race is as electric as it sounds!" smiled Mallow to her fellow student (who surprisingly was looking worn out and tired as he had small bags under his eyes and despite his excitement for taking part in the race).
"No, I got this! I'm ready no matter what happens, we both are," Sophocles replied determinedly, looking like he was about to yawn.
"Even if you did stay up late but I'm sure you're prepared," Lillie smiled sheepishly.
"Oh, Sophocles, please tell me you and Vikavolt didn't get a wink of sleep last night while preparing for today," sighed Sarah, concerned as she saw how exhausted her fellow student is despite Vikavolt being ready and eager to finally race.
"Ooh! A feast for the eyes as a race for little bugs to determine who's the best is at play? Sounds perfectly chaotic and buggy if you ask me," a familiar voice rang up as Discord (decked out in racing gear) appeared and startled everybody (even knocking off a bit of Sophocles' exhaustion as he did so).
Discord!" the gang and Ash gasped.
"Oh, hi, Discord," Sarah replied causally. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, Fluttershy was helping Hitch with some lessons on animal kindness and communication as well as giving flight lessons to the younger Pegasi at Zephyr Heights so with nothing else to do, I decided to pop by and join in on the fun you're having. And, since your little friend, clearly on the wringer with those baggy eyes of his, along with his beetle are going to charge headfirst into the competition, I'm interested to see how they would blow away the contest on their own."
"Yeah, well, just make sure you keep your chaos down to a minimum or do none at all, okay? I don't want us getting kicked out and leaving Sophocles on his own along with Vikavolt. This race is absolutely personal to them and it would be a disaster if you should try to stir up trouble around here."
"Me, cause trouble? Why, Sarah, dear Sarah, perish the thought! Do either one of us have the heart to even know that would cause trouble under your wing, sweet little moi?" Discord peeped cutely, feigning innocence as he grew angel wings and a halo atop his head as a light shone down on him and a choir sang in the background.
"It's him!"
"Incredible!"
"Astounding!"
"He's here!"
"In person!" a few voices from the crowd rang up, drawing everyone's attention when they saw five news reporters and several spectators surrounding a man in a red tracksuit along with his own Vikavolt.
"Who's that?" Kiawe asked, seeing the man.
Sophocles' exhaustion was thrown out the window completely as he gasped, recognizing who the man and his Vikavolt are once he saw the tracksuit and the red VR Armor on the other Stag Beetle Pokemon, "It's De Rosa, he and his Vikavolt were the champions of last year's race and they've come back to take part and win their 2nd consecutive tournament! Boy, there really are a lot more accomplished Vikavolt racers like him taking part this year. I've got to be careful not to get too starstruck whenever I see him."
"Huh, if you're scared now, I don't know how this is gonna turn out for you," a second familiar voice sneered, the owner revealing itself to be Sophocles' old rival, Horacio, flanked by his two brothers and two best friends.
"Oh, no," groaned Sonic as she gave an annoyed huff.
"...Here we go again," signed Nitro in exasperation.
"It's Horacio with the red Charjabug!" Rotom-Dex spluttered in shock.
"Well, Horacio, I must say, we didn't expect you to join in on the Vikavolt Race yourself. Did you also sign up to participate in it as well?" Sarah snorted suspiciously.
"That's right, Toots. And, as before with that stupid stone months ago, I'm here to win it! 'Course, me and my Vikavolt will trump your pal and his little stag in the big leagues, you know," Horacio smirked deviously, his partner coming forward and revealing that he had also evolved since their last clash with Sophocles and Vikavolt.
"Whoa! Your Vikavolt is white?" Ash gasped in surprise.
"Ash, his Charjabug from before was red for a reason and it evolved into a white Vikavolt for a reason, too," Nyasi explained to the Kanto trainer. "That's a Shiny Vikavolt he has on him."
Horacio nodded before he explained, his smirk never leaving his face, "After last time when your friend's Charjabug one-uped us with his evolution, I stayed on Poni Island and we trained for the next several months, knowing we'd settle things between us in this very race. Before, my Vikavolt was the Red Comet. But, after all that training, he has now become the White Comet."
"The boss really went above and beyond to get his Charjabug to finally evolve!"
"And, when it comes to skill, nobody can touch the boss! Not even you, Sophocles," Yansu and Dana bragged.
"'Oi, I've seen others training and fighting harder better than you," Rotom-Dex deadpanned as he then irked Horacio when he quipped, "I bet Sarah and Race with any Pokemon of their choice can touch him in circles just fine."
"Grr, is that so?! In that case, why aren't you two competing, then?"
"I've competed against far stronger and faster trainers and gym leaders compared to the likes of you, kid," Race snorted, unimpressed.
"And, in case you didn't know, I've already won a Buginium Z courtesy of two Trial Pokemon I have on me months ago on Ula'Ula Island's Hokulani Observatory," Sarah retorted in agreement, holding out her own Buginium Z and prompting Nitro and Sonic to join her side.
Horacio grumbled before he pouted and crossed his arms before he sent his taunting smirk to Sophocles, "Whatever, that doesn't prove anything. And, by the way, Sophocles, today's the day when we finally settle the score and I prove to you that the newly-evolved White Comet is untouchable, unlike your buggy friend, once and for all!"
Sophocles didn't take it lightly as usual and he glared with a determined frown as he spat back towards his rival, "Alright, Horacio! If that's how you want it, I'll show you what my Vikavolt can really do!"
"May the best Vikavolt win, squirt," the White Comet sneered tauntingly to Sophocles' Vikavolt.
"My buddy and I intend to," Vikavolt shot back determinedly.
But, Horacio and Sophocles and their Vikavolt aren't the only ones competing alongside the best including De Rosa; nearby, Team Rocket was eavesdropping in on the group as well as Horacio and his gang and they had come up with another Pokemon-catching scheme to wrangle in all the Vikavolt competing in the Vikavolt Race, their plan involving Meowth piloting a Vikavolt drone and passing himself off as another Vikavolt manned by James (the latter wearing an orange tracksuit for his disguise).
"From the looks of it, I'd say a twerp or a twerpette would be competing in this year's competition," James noted.
"Perfect, just what we need; it also means more Pokemon to steal. As they always say, the more the merrier," Jessie sneered with a smirk. "It's all a part of our grand plan to present the boss with his own Rocket Sled so what better way to start it off than to swipe all of those primed racing Spikabolts at their competitive finest?"
"The name's Vikavolt, Jess," James corrected.
"He's got that right," Wobuffett chimed in.
"Anyway, I'd say it's about time to go ahead and get that Vikavolt stick. Just don't mess up on your part, both of you," Jessie warned Meowth and James before she and Wobuffett left for them to join in on the race.
"Please."
"We know it all by heart," James and Meowth replied, both of them unaware that out of their line of sight, Discord had eavesdropped on them, Jessie, and Wobuffett.
"Hmph, of all the nerve, screwing things up for fun was initially my plan," Discord huffed quietly. "If those stooges get the drop on those racing beetles, the race will be ruined. I can see now why Sophocles would be so passionate about this..."
But then, the Dragonequus got a sneaky idea on how to keep Team Rocket from interfering with the Vikavolt Race as he sniggered cheekily, "Although, he and his fellow racers won't mind if I even out the odds for them regarding those muppets... I'm sure Sarah won't mind him having a little help from moi..."
Soon, it was time for the Vikavolt Race to begin as the registered competitors took their places and prepared to begin the race (De Rosa, Sophocles, and Horacio amongst them with their Vikavolts primed and ready). Everybody in the audience clapped and cheered as they eagerly awaited for the competition to begin and go out with a bang while hitting the ground running.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Pokemon and Pokemon trainers of all ages, welcome to the 34th Annual Vikavolt Race Fini Cup!" the announcer began to the continued rapturous applause from the excited crowd as the Island Kahuna and the gang's old friend, Hapu, appeared on the stand with Mudella by her side. "Before we get things started, we would like to kick off the festivities with a few words from our honorary Poni Island Kahuna, Hapu!"
"Check it out!"
"Look, there's Hapu on the stands!" Ash and Lana cried.
"It looks like she's going to be the main judge to determine the winner for this year's race," Sarah smiled.
"Ahem, I expect each and every one of you to treasure the honor to participate in this grand occasion and give it everything you got. Thank you for coming and good luck to all of you!" Hapu praised, the crowd cheering for her simple yet powerful message to the racers before the announcer continued with the briefing, going onto the route for the Vikavolt Race.
"Thank you for those wonderful and inspiring words, Kahuna Hapu! And now, I would like to explain to you what our racing route for this year would be; as always, the race will start at our own specifically built arena, and from there, it moves out directly to the sea. Next, we move onto the forest and then the caves before streaking through the beach with checkpoints in between. And, finally, they will complete the loop with our chosen route for them that will take them and their Vikavolt back to the arena. The first ones to cross the finish line or the ones to do so as one of or the only competitors still standing wins!"
"The whole course is like a marathon," Kiawe realized, impressed.
"Gee, that's a lot for this amount of racers competing to take in even in less than a minute," Freezeon remarked.
"This isn't gonna be easy given how tight this course is-bzzt," Manteon commented, concerned for Sophocles and Vikavolt.
"Don't worry, you two. I'm sure they got this," Lana reassured, smiling confidently.
"They had been training for days when the race was rescheduled so they're ready for this," Lillie agreed warmly.
"You're right," nodded Mallow.
"Our goal in every race held is to have their trainers and their Vikavolt work together as one unit. Teamwork is the key to success for both the trainers and their Vikavolt to cooperate and be in sync with one another so we're providing them with a special racing system," the announcer continued, two staff members presenting the registered contestants with VR Vikabolt racing simulators shaped like a Vikavolt in their specially designated VR booths which Sophocles marveled when he saw them. "These VR Vikavolt Cycles move in sync with the moves their Vikavolt make, thus giving the trainers the actual feeling of riding on their backs."
With that said, the competitors quickly chose their booths and prepared to begin the race with James also picking out a booth and attaching a wheel that connected Meowth's Vikavolt drone to his chosen VR Vikavolt Cycle. All the while, Discord stalked the pair while he was invisible and kept an eye out for whatever trouble they may cause, his cheeky smile never leaving his face.
"Preparations complete, what about you?" James informed Meowth who confirmed, "Locked and loaded."
"You leave the driving to me and when the time comes, we'll vacuum away all those Vikavolt from behind as we planned. There's no room for error here, Old Chum," James smiled deviously.
"But, I don't suppose you have room for a little chaos, my boy?" Discord chuckled, already concocting ideas to stop James and Meowth from cheating.
"Gentlemen, take your positions and start your engines!" the announcer finished as the gathered Vikavolt racers all prepared themselves to start the race.
"This is it, partner," Vikavolt quietly buzzed, knowing what he and Sophocles must do.
Among the racers, De Rosa, Horacio, and Sophocles braced themselves as they breathed, "Here we go."
"Alright, stand by!"
"Let's do it!"
The Vikavolt hovered in the air with their wings buzzing and primed as the lights flashed and counted down, prompting the audience to join in on the countdown and a flagman preparing to wave the green flag to signal the race to begin once the green light flashes.
"Alright, ready, steady... 1, 2, 3, GO!"
The green light flashed as everybody reached "1" and the flagman waved his green flag, the Vikavolt Race kicking off with a bang as the Vikavolt charged out of the arena and onto the course with their trainers primed and riding their VR Vikavolt Cycles.
"And, they're off to a rousing start on this exciting Vikavolt Race! When the competition heats up, we'll be able to see who takes the early lead!"
"Vikavolt!" Sophocles called as his VR Vikavolt Cycle allowed him to join his partner via Virtual Reality on his back even though he was wearing his VR Goggles now.
"Forward, buddy!" Vikavolt buzzed, getting his game face on as they raced along.
"A great start!" Kiawe smiled brightly.
"Full speed, Sophocles!"
"Go, go, go!" Ash and Mallow cheered.
"There they go, Dad. You think Sophocles and Vikavolt will be okay on their own in this race?" Veneon questioned as he and his family watched Sophocles and Vikavolt take off and disappear out of sight.
"They will, son. They've been training for days since this event was pushed back and are ready for anything. They'll be alright," Guardeon reassured.
"But still, there will be some cunning swine trying to make trouble for them today. If that happens to be the case, then those fools would've set up some trap," Cobalt replied grimly.
As the race was getting underway, De Rosa and his Vikavolt were already pulling ahead and sticking true to their champion status as they took the lead, "And, De Rosa and his Vikavolt pull away from the pack to take the lead, as expected from last year's Vikavolt Race champions. If they keep up this blistering pace of theirs, they'll be unstoppable!"
Flying across the path to the sea, Sophocles' Vikavolt managed to slowly pull away from some of the other racers as he tried to keep his eye on De Rosa's Vikavolt, "Come on, buddy, we can do this! Let's try to pull ahead see if we can catch last year's champions!"
"Slow down, partner. This position's good for now, remember, we have to work together," Sophocles adviced, getting his Stag Beetle Pokemon to slow down a bit and remain in their current position.
"A-Are you sure?"
Sophocles smiled with a knowing nod as the racers reached the first checkpoint and buzz through the stalagmites jutting out in front of them from both sides, "Don't worry about a thing, Vikavolt. Trust me."
"The next part of the course sends our racers from one side of the course to the other; a test of split-second reaction time and technique for them and their Vikavolt will be on full display to see who's the most proficent in these conditions and De Rosa and his Vikavolt still hold the lead with perfect timing and technique!"
As the Vikavolt racers showed incredible technique and timing as they blazed through, Meowth's Vikavolt drone was skidding along and thrusting itself at full speed and it looked set to try and overtake the other racers and reach De Rosa and his partner.
"Wow, look at that dazzling technique, just what you expect from a rocket racer such as that Vikavolt!"
But, Mewoth wasn't having fun at all; the g-force he was experiencing was at terminal velocity and he was barely hanging on for his life as he tried to keep himself calm.
"It's Pedal to the Metal Time," James stated, staying completely focused on the race.
"Maybe a little breeze fun will get them off of Sarah's buddies' tails," Discord sniggered, waiting ahead a few feet from the second checkpoint and still invisible so nobody, not even De Rosa, Sophocles, Horacio, and their Vikavolt can see him.
Catching sight of the racers charging towards the next checkpoint as they continued to bob and weave with grace and excelling technique and seeing James and Meowth's Vikavolt Drone, he pushed past a few of them including James and Meowth, so fast that a strong updraft came in from the left side. This caused some of the racers to lose control as they were thrown off course and they fall into the water below, the sudden surprise making them and their trainers lose the race as a few of them accidentally crashed into each other.
"Uh-oh, it looks like we have an accident, ladies and gentlemen! A powerful seaside wind current just blew in and it's throwing the main group in chaos!"
This also meant that De Rosa and his Vikavolt were amongst the racers that were struggling to get ahold of themselves after accidentally getting themselves in trouble after Discord pulled off his little scheme to stop James and Mewoth from cheating as he struggled to keep himself and his partner together.
Sophocles, realizing that he and his partner are in trouble, quickly thought of an idea to save them from being knocked out of the sky, "Quick, Vikavolt! Use your String Shot!"
"Got it!" Vikavolt nodded, firing his String Shot attack and attaching it to one of the checkpoint cones, allowing himself to push through the winds as he held his ground before they made it through and continued on their way.
Surprisingly, the two of them had no idea that Discord was behind his unorthodox method of giving them an advantage in the race. But, even if they did, they counldn't bother to wonder what had happened and simply put it down to the elements of the weather pattern of the day they've looked at the previous night being more in their favor.
"Boy, is it true? This time of day is prone to wind gusts and they're at their strongest with the sea currents into play. This is it, Vikavolt, let's make our move!"
"I'm with you, Soph!"
And, with that, Sophocles and Vikavolt continued on their way as Discord, still invisible, hid behind one of the stone pillars and watch them fly by as he gave them a supportive smile and a nod, mentally encouraging them to keep going and win it for him and their friends. Even the others back at the stands had no idea about Discord's ploy to give Sophocles and Vikavolt a winning advantage as they broke it down to them having perfect technique and being quick to react to that heavy gust of wind.
"Good going, Sophocles!"
"You're doing it, Vikavolt!" Kiawe and Pikachu praised.
"You can do it, you guys!" Togedemaru screamed in delight from Ash's lap.
"Keep it up, you two," Blitz smiled.
"Win it for Melemele and don't look back! WHOO-HO-YIKE!" Yamper barked excitedly, jumping up and down before he nearly fell and Ponyta, Wooloo, and Scorch had to reign him in as they yelped in panic.
"Completely unfazed by the sudden gust of wind and with brilliant use of that String Shot, Sophocles and his Vikavolt charge on ahead past the second checkpoint and are now poised to take the lead!"
"Not so fast, squirt!" the White Comet spat, drawing the annoyed regular Stag Beetle Pokemon's attention as he and Horacio managed to catch up with him and Sophocles. "You don't know when to quit, do you?"
"I can say the same about you since you got through that gust just fine as we did!"
"We're note letting you two one-up us again while the iron's still hot!" Horacio snapped, frowning at Sophocles.
"Oh, a challenge, is it? Took you long enough," Sophocles smirked, seeing that their rivals finally caught up with them and they were now heading for the forest area.
"Rival, sorry for the wait."
"Now, this is where the race..."
"...Really begins."
"Now, for the halfway point and one of the most difficult sections of the course; this dense forest is tight and the pathway leading to the next checkpoint is linear and the trees don't give them much room to navigate. It all comes down to a test of coordination and patience as their teamwork is really put to the test as they'll need to keep an eye out for any other hazards that could throw them off course. And now, Sophocles and Horacio and their Vikavolt are trading the lead but don't take your eyes off the rest of the pack 'cause here they come!"
Despite losing previous time thanks to Discord's little prank on James and Mewoth, the other racers and their Vikavolt including De Rosa and his partner picked themselves up and darted off as fast as they could to catch up with Sophocles, Horacio, and their Vikavolt. As they darted through the forest, Sophocles and Vikavolt were really making the most out of their training and the results were beginning to show; they weaved through the forest with ease as they dodged nearby trees, evaded incoming Pokemon coming into view, and kept an eye out for any other hazards that could trip them up.
Back at the arena, from the judge's stand and on the top seat, Hapu was carefully monitoring the race as she studied each and every racer and their Vikavolt as well as the teamwork they each put up throughout the race.
"Wow, look at 'em go!"
"They're really flying!"
"They race like the wind!" squeaked the Night Lights as they saw how well Sophocles and Vikavolt are racing.
"It's like Sophocles and Vikavolt are one giant, well-oiled machine!" Rotom-Dex buzzed ecstatically. "If they keep this up, they'll beat Horacio and his Vikavolt and win the race in no time!"
Then, there was trouble; the racers were on their way to the next part of the course which is a cave. But, they weren't the only ones there as Jessie and Wobuffett were preparing to get the drop on them as they waited at a switch that turns on the lights inside.
"Hit it!" Jessie ordered, allowing her Wobbuffet to throw the switch and shut off the lights, leaving the racers and their Vikavolt in pitch-black darkness.
Everybody watching from the audience gasped in shock, worry, and bewilderment over the unexpected turn of events as the announcer could only explain in growing concern, "We got a major problem here, folks, something's happened to the lights in the cave and now, our racers are left in the dark with little to no hope of getting out in one piece! I hope our camera crew and our technicians can get our picture and the lights back up soon and show us that there's been another accident out there."
"**Vikavolt...**" buzzed Nitro with great concern, worried for how Vikavolt and Sophocles would do in the dark.
As they were stuck in the dark, Horacio and the White Comet were forced to slow down, knowing how dangerous it really is to race blindly and recklessly in the dark which would ultimately cause trouble. Despite being cocky and eager to win for personal revenge on Sophocles and Vikavolt, even they knew how serious of an emergency these conditions are despite not knowing about Team Rocket's involvement.
"Okay, easy does it? Now, stay calm, a tiny setback such as the dark won't stop us from winning," Horacio shuddered, only to realize that something was wrong as he didn't see his rival and his Vikavolt anywhere. "Huh? Hey, where'd he go? Sophocles?"
Poor Sophocles had not only lost the lead as he screamed in panic (his cries going unheard by Horacio and the other racers) and his intense fear of the dark finally got to him. He had not been expecting himself and his partner to be stuck in the dark after Team Rocket knocked off all the lights and he was trembling badly as he whimpered. Realizing that it was too dangerous for them to race in the dark at the moment and because his human partner couldn't control his fear of the dark, Vikavolt wisely decided to stop for a minute and comfort him as best he could.
"I'm sorry, Vikavolt! I hate the dark, I should've seen this coming but it's too scary in here and I panicked!" Sophocles whimpered pathetically as he cried and held his head, his fear washing over him.
"Oh, Partner," Vikavolt buzzed, deeply concerned.
"They never told me anything about this happening, I should've had us done nighttime training in the dark beforehand so that we'd be ready for when the lights here would go out in an emergency! But, it completely slipped my mind and I didn't think about it until now when we ended up being stuck here after they went out!"
Above them, the other racers were already passing them after picking themselves up from Discord's prank on James and Meowth. But, because the lights were still out thanks to Jessie and Wobbuffet's meddling, they and even De Rosa were forced to fly slowly and have their Vikavolt exercise caution to make sure they were on the right path and they don't get themselves lost trying to find the way out.
Meanwhile, James and Meowth were trailing behind the other racers on purpose, making sure to stick to the plan they, Jessie, and Wobbuffet have in store for the Vikavolt racers. Despite being played by Discord, even if they didn't know about him and his part in their previous humiliation, they were undeterred as they realized that they now had an advantage of taking the racers by surprise by coming up in last place on purpose.
"I like what I see, the Vikavolt racers all clueless in the dark and with nowhere else left to fly," James smirked deviously. "All set with Operation: Racer there, Jessie?"
"The Vikavolt parade should be on their way to you-know-where, pretty soon," Jessie replied through a communicator, smirking.
"Copy that, be ready to drop. Meowth, ready with the Vikavolt Drone?"
Meowth smirked back as he said, "Are you kiddin'? I've got made in the shade."
Back at his and Vikavolt's original spot, the poor Electric Type student was still freaking out as his fear of the dark continue to wash over him. But, just as he did before when he was only a Charjabug, Vikavolt took the initiative to once again look after his human partner and used Thunderbolt to light up the cave for him.
"Ah, that's better," Sophocles smiled but then he blinked in realization as he noticed Vikavolt focusing on his personal safety instead of the race. "Vikavolt, you'd do that for me like before...?"
"We've been together for many months and I've never left your side as well as Togedemaru's once ever since you found me and brought me into your family," Vikavolt replied, despite knowing Sophocles can't speak to him fluently.
"You haven't forgotten why we were here in the Vikavolt Race, did you? We're here to do our best and have fun, not win it for the sake of winning. Another Buginium Z and the top prize for this race don't compare to my real treasure and my real prize, my family: you, your parents, Togedemaru, and all our friends. Even if we do lose and even if we don't conquer your fear of the dark immediately, there's always next year and we have plenty of time to do so because I can't imagine my life without you all by my side..."
Then, as if he had heard his partner's thoughts as Sarah could and the more he thought about it, Sophocles couldn't help but feel touched.
"Gee, thanks, Vikavolt. That was so nice of you," Sophocles smiled as he wiped away his tears of joy. "I'm sorry I made you worry but I'm fine now."
"You are?" Vikavolt questioned, stopping his night light effect.
Sophocles gave a determined nod and smiled as he regained his confidence, "Since you're trying so hard to win this for my sake and our friends, this is no time for me to be afraid. I thought that someday, I'd have to face my fear of the dark. After all, I've dreamed of becoming a world-class Pokemon Astronaut someday. Ready, Vikavolt? Let's fly!"
"Well, let's get it started!" Vikavolt smirked back as they got back to the race to catch up with the other racers and Horacio and the White Comet.
With Sophocles no longer running away from his fear of the dark and knowing he had Vikavolt to thank for his restored confidence needed to face it, the pair were brilliantly making up for the time they lost prior as the Stag Beetle Pokemon sped up. But, as they drew closer to the cave exit according to the race route along the way, they were surprised to find a light shining from up ahead, forcing themselves to stop to figure out what the source of the light was until they saw Team Rocket causing trouble as they managed to capture the other racers' Vikavolt including De Rosa's partner.
"Oh, no way! You again?!" Sophocles barked in shock and annoyance at Team Rocket.
"I can't believe you!" Vikavolt buzzed angrily at the quartet capturing their fellow racers.
"Oh well, I guess Team Rocket didn't learn the first time that winning isn't everything. But, what can you do with cheaters like them?" Discord smirked knowingly as he appeared and made himself known to Sophocles and Vikavolt, making them jump in surprise.
"Whoa, Discord! What are you-you know what, never mind... It doesn't matter but if you mentioned Team Rocket just now, I guess you know that they're trying to steal the Vikavolt racers, too," Sophocles said, continuing to glare at Team Rocket.
"Then, I suppose you won't mind me helping out," Discord grinned, the trio quickly making their way as Sophocles and Vikavolt nodded to his offer.
Quickly, they soon arrived at the scene of the disaster (with Discord turning himself invisible so nobody would notice him) and it was just as they expected; when they weren't expecting them, Team Rocket had managed to get the drop on the other Vikavolt racers including Horacio's White Comet. Speaking of the White Comet, he had just managed to escape but an utterly pissed-off Meowth was trying to snag him back.
"Not today!" Sophocles declared, he and Vikavolt managing to intervene in time as the latter clamped onto Meowth's drone's robotic arm.
"Horacio, are you okay?"
"Sophocles!" gasped Horacio when he saw his rival's Vikavolt saving him and the White Comet.
"Hurry, fly away!"
"R-Right, thanks! Come on, Vikavolt, let's go!" Hurriedly, the White Comet buzzed away in time before Meowth could grab him meaning that his attention was now on Vikavolt and Sophocles.
"Now, look what ya did, ya meddling twerp of a bug!" growled Meowth as he tried to grab Vikavolt as he struggled to hold the robotic arm back, even with Discord's help as he tried to pull it back (without using his powers so as to keep himself hidden and out of sight).
"Don't let it get to you, Vikavolt!"
"I got it, buddy!" Vikavolt reassured as he and Discord continued to struggle.
"Hey, watch i-DAH! Get your stinkin' claws off this thing!" Meowth barked again before he let out a frustrated yell. "ALRIGHT! I've had enough, it's time for you to buzz off, once and for all!"
Just when Meowth was about to unleash his wrath on Sophocles and Vikavolt after he managed to shake off Discord and make him crash into one of the cavern walls, disorientating him and leaving him down for a couple of minutes, who should come to their rescue but the White Comet as he and Horacio returned to save them. They still had a grudge match to settle with their rivals and they weren't going to let Team Rocket get in the way of determining who and which Vikavolt is the best between the two.
"Now, what?!"
"I'm not going to let you dirtbags get between us and our little grudge match of the year! Vikavolt, use Charge Beam!" Horacio commanded, the White Comet gladly using his Charge Beam attack to shock Meowth and his Vikavolt Drone.
This allowed Sophocles and Vikavolt the time they sorely needed to rescue the captured racers including De Rosa and his Vikavolt, the latter cutting the net just in time. "Now! Hurry up, fly away!"
Team Rocket was horrified by what had been done to their so-called foolproof plan as Jessie screamed, "They were meant to be a present for the boss!"
"Lots of presents to boot!" Meowth exclaimed in agreement.
But, Meowth and Jessie didn't have any more time to come up with a backup plan because something entered the cave and slammed down on the drone. It was Bewear and Stufful, the latter having landed on the drone and looking happy to see his extended family again as he cheered, wanting to play with them again (both of whom were teleported from their jungle home and brought to Team Rocket by the recovered Discord as he smirked at the baddies present).
"What are you doing here?!" Jessie questioned, baffled.
"No, Bewear's here!" Wobbuffet panicked in horror, realizing that Stufful's presence meant that Bewear isn't too far behind.
Jessie grimaced as she asked her Patient Pokemon despite not being able to speak with him fluently as well, "Does she know that by now?"
"I think she did when she got wind of the event happening today," Wobbuffet fretted as he sweatdropped in fear.
Wobbuffet's fears were well-founded because not only was Stufful present thanks to Discord but he was also responsible for bringing Bewear to Poni Island as well, the giant and powerful Normal Type barging in after managing to find and grab a flustered James from the arena to take Team Rocket home to Melemele Island.
"So, what else is new?!" Jessie panicked again, Bewear leaving no time to waste as she grabbed her, Meowth, and Wobbuffet as her son joined them, and they made their way home with what Stufful thinks of as his new toy, leaving Team Rocket to moan in despair, "We're off with a new blast..."
Back in the arena, the audience was concerned about the racers as they hadn't made it out of the cave. Even Sarah and the others were starting to get worried when they saw no sign of Sophocles and Vikavolt being the racing team to make it to the cavern checkpoint.
"I'm getting worried, we haven't seen any hyde nor hair of Sophocles and Vikavolt after the lights in the cave went out," Nova fretted.
"You think they somehow got lost inside that cave with Sophocles' fear of the dark?" questioned a worried Charger.
"If that's the case, I don't know what to do to help him," Sonic fretted as Nitro could only watch the monitor showing the cavern exit and the final checkpoint, his hopes for Sophocles and Vikavolt's safety the one thing on his mind.
"What's going on in there?" Kiawe asked, slowly getting worried himself.
"They had been in there for a while," Lillie agreed, sharing Kiawe's worries.
"What happened?" Lana quizzed with a grave look on her face, everybody else looking tense as their worries were seeping in.
"Hey, look!" Blitz gasped, pointing at the monitor and seeing Vikavolt, the White Comet, De Rosa's Vikavolt, and their fellow racers preparing to take off from the final checkpoint.
"What's this? It looks like the racers are all lining up at the final checkpoint to start all over again after that unexpected setback," the announcer informed in intrigue.
"Alright, shall we?" Sophocles asked his fellow racers as they gave him agreeing nods and cheers to finally finish what they started and even Horacio gave a knowing smirk and nod towards his rival.
"Right!"
"Three, two, one, GO!" By Sophocles' countdown, the racers were all charging towards the finish line as they made their way towards the beach with the Electric Type student and Horacio once again neck and neck with Vikavolt and the White Comet.
"And, they're off again, ladies and gentlemen! What a photo start, the racers are all making the final stretch together while trying to see who would come out on top! But, the top two racers trading the lead and fighting it out for first place are Sophocles and Horacio! They're neck and neck again heading for the finish line!"
"We're going to win it!"
"Go for it, Vikavolt!" the two rivals cheered.
"It's down to the wire as these two trainers and their Vikavolt are still trading the lead and refuse to back down!"
The White Comet and Horacio did everything in their power to keep their lead as they raced along the beach and were making the final stretch toward the finish line where the flagman was waiting with a checkered flag at hand. But, as they and Sophocles and Vikavolt went past the very last checkpoint and returned to the arena, the latter pair team slowly but surely were edging out in front as Vikavolt made the final push towards the finish line with the White Comet not far behind. Everybody cheered the loudest for Horacio and Sophocles as they arrived back while the latter's friends cheered for him and Vikavolt and even Hapu was on the edge of her seat as she anticipated what the outcome would eventually be.
"Ha! I'm finally winning now, squirt!" the White Comet taunted smugly.
"Not, this, TIME!" Vikavolt shouted, eventually moving inches in front of his rival and making it past the finish line first as the flagman waved the checkered flag for the pair and their trainers, the crowd cheering like mad for him and Sophocles as Discord quietly returned to the others and smiled proudly for them.
"An incredible upset, Sophocles and Vikavolt make an amazing comeback to win this year's Vikavolt Race Fini Cup!"
Vikavolt was stunned beyond belief once he was able to get his bearings; he and Sophocles had actually won the Vikavolt Race and they even beat Horacio and his rival again. The Stag Beetle Pokemon was silent for a few minutes as he took in the cheers for him and his partner until he gave the brightest smile he ever had and he buzzed excitedly just as Sophocles exited his booth to celebrate their victory.
"We did it, Vikavolt! We won!" Sophocles cheered, prompting Vikavolt to buzz ecstatically again and hugged him in his own way and make him laugh, "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Vikavolt, you know that kinda hurts, right? Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
"You did it, Sophocles!"
"Excellent racing there, you two!"
"Wonderful, both of you!"
"That was really cool!"
"You were great out there!" Ash and the others praised as they joined them.
"That was first-class teamwork and coordination from you and Vikavolt right there, Sophocles," smiled Sarah as she rubbed his head, making him laugh.
"Thanks, guys! I still can't believe we won that one but this time, with Vikavolt having evolved months ago!" Sophocles smiled brightly.
"I always knew you both had a 100% chance of winning this one no matter what the odds are, Vikavolt. I'm proud of you," complemented Nitro to a proud and happy Vikavolt.
"Thanks, Nitro! I mean, my and Sophocles' first-ever Vikavolt Race and we won it! It feels as though I've come full circle from my first race when I was only a cute little Charjabug and won it, too!" Vikavolt replied, still ecstatic about his and Sophocles' victory as he smiled at Discord and the Draconequus returned it with a cheeky wink.
"Hey, Sophocles," called Horacio as the humbled Bug Type trainer came over with his brothers, friends, and partner and gave an accepting smile, his third defeat by Sophocles and Vikavolt's hands and pincers having finally humbled him and the White Comet. "You were great out there, I did lose but I'll be ready for you next time and when that happens, I'm gonna win."
"Give it everything you got," smiled Sophocles, accepting a handshake from his former rival, having now made a new friend in him to the sound of the rapturous applause from the audience. "But, I'm not good at losing."
Even Vikavolt and the White Comet made friends with each other from their ongoing rivalry that ended with the Vikavolt Race as they shared a fist bump with their pincers. And, as the Vikavolt Race Fini Cup came to a close, it's safe to say that the rivalry between Horacio, Sophocles, the White Comet, and Vikavolt finally came to an end with Sophocles and Vikavolt winning the event and earning new friends.
That evening, it was time for the gang, Sarah, and her family to head home as dusk fell upon Poni Island. As promised by the judges, Sophocles was given the top prize for his and Vikavolt's victory but instead of another Buginium Z (after revealing he already has one thanks to Nitro and his Island Challenge Trial), while the Buginium Z was passed down from him to Horacio as a gift in honor of his and the White Comet's incredible sportsmanship, he was given a Soothe Bell which is vital to strengthing a trainer's relationship and friendship with his/her Pokemon.
Sophocles was in awe of the Soothe Bell he was given as he held it in his left hand along with his Buginium Z from Nitro as he contemplated everything that led him to get the Z-Crystal and the prize he deserved.
"Wow, I can't believe I've managed to earn a Soothe Bell. And, to think, I even got myself a Buginium Z months ago from Nitro after clearing his trial," Sophocles grinned happily.
"Since you already had a Buginium Z on you, all you need now is a Z-Ring," Mallow noted with a grin.
"It's nice of you to give the Buginium Z you've won to Horacio, Sophocles," Sarah complimented. "With your sportsmanship and his, I'd say you're qualified to have a Z-Ring of your own."
"Yeah, well, I'm not sure if I can convince a Kahuna to give me one after all this," Sophocles monologued in reply.
"I think you can just as we had after earning them, Sophocles," Ash encouraged.
"Yeah!" Pikachu added.
"He's right, buddy! We earned one, too!" Vikacolt concurred eagerly, making the Electric Type student smile brighter.
"Gee, thanks a bunch, you guys."
"I've been waiting for you, Sophocles," a voice called proudly, everybody turning to see Hapu smiling at the gang and Sophocles and waiting for them.
"It's Hapu!" Ash gasped again.
"Hi, Hapu, what's up?" Sarah greeted.
"Oh, nothing much, just here to deliver something for Sophocles," Hapu replied before turning her attention to Sophocles. "I've heard about all the wonderful things you and Vikavolt did for the other racers when Team Rocket attacked them and they're very grateful to you both."
"Huh?" Sophocles blinked in surprise.
"They said that when you found Team Rocket capturing them, you two risked your lives and worked tirelessly to save them all from danger. And, for that act of selfless courage from you two," Hapu trailed off as she happily awarded her friend with a Z-Ring of his own.
"A Z-Ring," breathed a shocked and amazed Sophocles before he gave his brightest smile and said to Hapu, "Thank you, Hapu! Thank you so much!"
Hapu smiled with a nod before she finished, "I expect great things from you, your friends, and your Pokemon when you all take part in the Pokemon League coming up. Good luck, my friends."
Soon, Hapu left to return home as everybody bid her goodbye and they made their way to the pier to catch their ferry home to Melemele Island but not without Discord popping up and giving off a small pout.
"Hey, what about me? I deserve a reward, too, you know," he moaned as he crossed his arms.
"Discord, did you have something to do with what happened at the race behind my back?" Sarah frowned suspiciously as they all reached the pier, Discord suddenly catching himself before he gave an innocent whistle, leaving her to sigh at him before she looked back at her Z-Power Ring and came to a realization.
"Uh, guys... Would you all hold out your left arms, I want to check something," she requested, getting her friends to do so as they looked at the Z-Rings they all have on them.
"Now that you mention it, this can't be a coincidence," Kiawe replied, also getting a funny idea in his head about their Z-Rings.
"Yeah, doesn't it seem strange that we all have Z-Rings now?" Mallow agreed.
"Well, Ash and Sarah got their Z-Rings from Tapu Koko, Kiawe got his after completing his Grand Trial with Olivia, I got my father's Z-Ring, Mallow earned hers after helping Teacher at his cafe, Lana got her Z-Ring after finding some Z-Ring Ore two years ago, and Sophocles just earned his after saving Horacio and their fellow racers from Team Rocket earlier today," Lillie recapped.
"So, we all have Z-Rings now," Ash gasped.
"So, does that mean...?" Sophocles trailed off in wonder.
"We did it?" Lana put in before they all smiled brightly at the realization before them and cheered, "WE DID IT!"
"This is amazing, now we all have Z-Rings on us!" Lillie commented excitedly, looking at Mohn's Z-Ring.
"Yeah, just like you guys, I got a Z-Ring now and it's all mine!" Sophocles cheered as Togedemaru and Vikavolt also celebrated the momentous occasion with hearty cheers of their own.
"Lillie, Sophocles, I think you're right!" Mallow concurred.
"Sophocles, isn't it great?" Lana squeaked joyfully.
"I'm all fired up!" Kiawe smirked proudly.
"Yeah, me too!" Ash said, showing off his own Z-Power Ring from Hala.
"And now, with all of us having Z-Rings and Z-Power Rings together, we're just about ready to start training for the Pokemon League!" Sarah finished, showing off her Z-Power Ring from the Island Guardians.
"YEAH/YEAH/YEAH!"
And so, not only have Sophocles and Vikavolt managed to defeat Horacio in a photo finish but their courageous actions have earned them a Z-Ring which means that all of our heroes each have their own Z-Ring! Next up, some special training for the Pokemon League coupled with future adventures along the way as the journey continues!
Occurred Events
- Sophocles earns a Buginium Z from the Vikavolt Race and a Z-Ring from Hapu for his bravery