We're halfway through the Alola Pokémon League Quarterfinals second half! The first match went to Gladion and Silvally despite an impressive pushback from Race and Tou-Tou but they were soon joined by Aqua and Sarah who both came out triumphantly against Hau and Decidueye in the second match after. Now, it's Asha and Ash's turn with Lycanroc and Ziracon but already, Ash and his Wolf Pokémon were outclassed and outfoxed by Sarah's sister and her Humming Pokémon from the get-go! The pressure is now on Lycanroc as he will need to figure out how to win against his more fine-tuned and battle-ready friend using only his street-smart battling! Will he be able to fight back and win it for Ash or will he fall before Ziracon should he and Asha move on to the Semifinals? Let's find out!
(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 Ash and Asha's battle left off, Zircon shot his Dragon Breath attack at the wounded and battered Lycanroc. After taking three attacks from him in succession, the Wolf Pokémon wasn't sure if he could be his Dragon Type opponent's match now that he realized he and Ash severely underestimated him and Asha going into the battle. Worried that he had let Ash down in battling against their greatest challenge yet, he closed his eyes tightly and was about to take the Dragon Breath attack in when...….
"LYCANROC!"
"(?!) Ash!" Lycanroc gasped in his thoughts as he heard Ash scream for him, opening and widening his eyes in shock and realizing that he had to win for him and the rest of his friends. Digging deep within himself, his eyes turned red for the first time in a long time as he found the strength he needed to jump into the air and dodge Dragon Breath with a loud and determined growl.
"AH/HEY!?" Asha and Zircon balked in shock when they saw this.
"And, it's a last-minute dodge by Lycanroc and-! What's this?" Caster gasped, seeing Lycanroc's front claws glowing red before he slashed at Zircon three times in succession.
"HYAAAAAAAAAAAA/DAAAAAAAHHHH!"
"(?!) Ziracon, no!" Asha cried in total bewilderment.
"Lycanroc?" Ash gasped, seeing what had happened as the crowd cheered.
"Incredible! Lycanroc has not only managed to come through and dodge Dragon Breath but he's also displayed a newly-learned Crush Claw attack! This match is not over yet for him and Ash!"
Zircon, completely winded by Lycanroc's renewed will to win as well as his newly-learned Crush Claw attack, could only skid on the ground before he was covered in a blue glow, feeling his Physical Defense weakening greatly after he was struck three times.
"Zircon, are you alright?!" Asha called to her Dragon Type who gave her a reassuring nod.
"No way! Not only did Lycanroc learn Crush Claw at the last minute but he was also about to land a hit on Zircon three times in succession! Crush Claw has a 50% chance of lowering a Pokémon's Physical Defense when it hits and because Lycanroc was able to make his mark three times, Zircon's Physical Defense went down by 150%!" Rotom-Dex balked in awe.
"150%?!"
"By that much?"
"That's amazing!"
"I didn't know he had it in him!"
"Not bad for a weird wolf!"
"But, how was he able to do it?" Fishlegs, Lana, Mallow, Hiccup, Astrid, and Lillie remarked in shock.
"It's simple, really; Ash's bond with him allowed him to finally learn Crush Claw. It's a move that Dusk Form Lycanroc would learn after evolving but he wasn't able to use it for so long," Sarah explained, smiling.
"But, why wasn't he able to use it until now?" Kiawe asked, amazed.
"I guess Lycanroc realized he and Ash completely underestimated my sister and Ziracon and was about to pack it in at the last minute. He needed to feel the complete confidence Ash had in him as well as the need to not want to let the rest of his friends down after coming so far in the Pokémon League. Because of that, Lycanroc was able to overcome his self-doubt and muster up the last of his strength to finally learn Crush Claw."
"Heh, how about that? The Kanto turkey brain does have a few new tricks of his own," Silvally admitted.
"And, there's life in that old dog yet," agreed Tou-Tou, grinning at Lycanroc.
"Yeah! ALRIGHT! That's the way, Lycanroc! WHOO-HOO!" Ash cheered as Lycanroc smirked and nodded at his human friend.
"Finally...… There's the Ash and Lycanroc pair team I want to see," grinned Asha, finally happy that Ash and Lycanroc were ready to battle at their full strength after the latter learned Crush Claw. "Better late than never, Ash! Now, Zircon, let's turn them to the cold! Use Ice Beam!"
"Time to chill, dog!" snarked Zircon as he shot Ice Beam at the Wolf Pokémon.
"We'll see! Ash?" grinned Lycanroc to Ash, now more determined and eager to battle Asha and Zircon after gaining a second wind from finally learning Crush Claw.
"Yeah! We can do this, Lycanroc! Use Accelerock to dodge and hit him again!" Ash smirked, having Lycanroc dodge Ice Beam with speed via Accelerock and finally hit Zircon as the Humming Pokémon grunted (the attack made possible by his lowered Physical Defense from Crush Claw). "Now, Rock Throw!"
"Feeling rocky, Ziracon? Here's an offensive avalanche! BOMBS AWAY!" snarked Lycanroc, continuing to smirk as he conjured up a series of rocks and threw them at Zircon, initiating his Rock Throw attack (causing the Hoenn Dragon Type to gasp in surprise).
"Look out, Zircon! Use Steel Wing to knock them back!" Asha boomed, having Zircon use his Steel Wing attack to destroy the rocks being thrown at him only to realize too late after he broke through that he fell for Lycanroc's bluff as he disappeared. "He's gone!"
"Where'd he go?" Zircon cried, trying to find Lycanroc.
"Up here~!" Lycanroc boomed cheekily, shocking Zircon and Asha as he smirked from above.
"Now, Accelerock! Dive straight down at Zircon!" Ash called, his Rock Type partner howling as he dive-bombed at Zircon and collided with him, sending them to the ground.
"Whoa! Ash and Lycanroc are finally turning the tables on Asha and Ziracon, using Accelerock directly and from above after gaining a second wind from a powerful three-point Crush Claw attack and a Rock Throw fakeout!"
"Yes!" grinned Ash as Lycanroc emerged from the smoke back on their side while a winded Ziracon stood up and shook his head, not about to pack it in just yet.
"…Finally, you're putting up more of a fight than I thought," the Humming Pokémon mused.
"If I weren't so serious now after you and Asha pushed Ash and I into a corner we can't get out of so much, how can I expect to take myself seriously as I did with him and my friends? This isn't over until one of us is left standing," Lycanroc smirked back as the crowd cheered for them and their trainers.
"Now that you have nothing left standing in your way, if you really feel confident about winning now, then come at me and Asha once more...…"
"Then, we'll end this battle our way and that's through an out-of-the-box Z-Move showdown!" Lycanroc decided before he turned and smirked at Ash again, ready to end the match. "Ash, let's show them how it's done."
"Alright! Here we go, Lycanroc!" Ash nodded, immediately getting what Lycanroc was saying as he activated his Z-Power Ring (which had a Rockium Z on it instead of the Lycanium Z he got from Nanu) and recited while he did the Z-Move poses for Continental Crush, "Full power!"
The Wolf Pokémon howled as Ash transferred his fully charged Z-Power to him, their actions convincing Asha and Zircon to do the same as Asha activated her Z-Ring and they prepared to use Devastating Drake in response.
"You want a Z-Move showdown, Ash? You got one," Asha smirked as she and Zircon did the poses for Devastating Drake and transferred her Z-Power to him while reciting, "Eye of the dragon, heart of the dragon, roar out and hear my cry! Fly and be free from the heavens and grant your everlasting power to my Zircon, my Hoenn dragon of the skies!"
"Use Continental Crush/Devastating Drake!"
Meeting each other in the air, Zircon and Lycanroc performed Continental Crush and Devastating Drake at each other, the two Z-Moves pushing against one another as the Wolf and Humming Pokémon braced themselves. They knew it would take either of their Z-Moves or a final attack after to determine who the winners would be as they pushed back against each other hard, knowing that there was room for only one pair team between them to make it to the Semifinals.
The two of them are in a Z-Move deadlock as the heroes and the rest of the audience gasped in awe and fascination as Hiccup blurted out, "Whoa!"
"Look at that!"
"Continental Crush and Devastating Drake!"
"Zircon and Lycanroc are in a Z-Move stalemate!"
"Incredible!"
"Lycanroc's using Continental Crush but Zircon's holding him back with Devastating Drake!"
"One of those cool cats up there is liable to crack with all that power on them!"
"Come on, Zircon!"
"You can do it, Lycanroc!" Sophocles, Kiawe, Astrid, Lana, Rotom-Dex, Rotoscope, Lillie, and Fishlegs cried out.
Before long, everybody could see Devastating Drake beginning to destroy Continental Crush as the volume of power became too much for Lycanroc and Zircon to handle. Soon, both Z-Moves cut out and exploded in mid-air, forcing Lycanroc back on the ground while he landed on his paws and Zircon being forced to hold his ground so he wouldn't be blown away while rocks flew down from the destroyed Rock Type Z-Move (of which he's trying to shield himself from).
"Both Z-Moves have canceled each other out! But, who's going to follow up on them now that they're on their last legs?" Caster announced, watching in anticipation between Zircon and Lycanroc to see who would finally win.
"Now, Lycanroc! Accelerock!" Ash blurted, seeing his and Lycanroc's chance as the Wolf Pokémon charged forward and struck Zircon hard, catching him off guard as he fell onto the ground and promptly passed out.
Asha was stunned as Hala looked between Lycanroc and the defeated Zircon before he nodded and made his announcement, "Zircon is unable to battle! Lycanroc wins, the victory goes to Ash Ketchum!"
"What a comeback! Our Pallet Town contestant and Lycanroc has devastated Asha and Ziracon with a final surprise Accelerock attack, Zircon's going to be feeling that in the morning! Let's hear it for our Match 3 contestants and their Pokémon including our latest entry for the Semifinals: Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"
"I did it...? I did it! I did it, we won!" gasped Lycanroc before he grinned happily, letting his and Ash's victory sink in as his partner approached him.
"Way to go, Lycanroc! You did it! You got us into the Semifinals and you finally learned Crush Claw!" Ash cried happily as he hugged him, prompting Lycanroc to laugh heartily in response.
The crowd cheered loudly for Ash and Lycanroc but they also extended their cheers to Zircon and Asha as the latter rushed over to her Humming Pokémon and helped him up.
"Aww, man...…" groaned Zircon, feeling miserable despite his weakened state.
"Thanks, Zircon. You fought hard and you got us into the second half of the Quarterfinals, I'm very proud of you...…" Asha reassured, getting a warm nuzzle from him as Ash and Lycanroc (who was still worse for wear despite his second wind) approached. "Hey, Ash, thanks for you and Lycanroc finally battling me at your best. I was worried for a second when you two didn't fight back earlier as I hoped..."
"You were amazing, too, Asha. But, it's too bad you and Ziracon lost," Ash smiled humbly.
"It builds character and I wanted to fight you, my sister, or your friends when you and your Pokémon are at your best. I didn't care about winning, I just wanted to see how you guys fared as Pokémon trainers compared to my sister. And, apart from her, I can see now that you're the best among them. When we battle here at Manalo Stadium again, Zircon and I won't lose."
"Yeah, and if that happens, my Pokémon and I will get stronger so we can keep up with you," Ash concurred as they, Zircon, and Lycanroc slapped hands, paws, and wings in a double handshake to solidify their promise for another Pokémon League battle between in the future.
After everyone took a short recess to cool down after the excitement of the previous three battles in the second half of the Alola League Quarterfinals, it was time for the final match in the Tournament Round of 8 between Lana and Guzma. Before she and her Primarina took to the field, Sophocles and Kiawe quickly went over to wish her luck in her battle with the Team Skull leader.
"Go get 'im, Lana!"
"You'll leave Guzma in the dust, for sure!" they grinned.
"Thanks, you guys! And, once Primarina and I are through with him, we'll be home free! Semifinals, here I come!" Lana grinned back, eager to do the best she and Primarina could to win the match.
"Ha! You don't have a chance, Water Logger! I doubt your little mermaid will last long against Guzma!" Tupp snarked smugly as the trio saw Tupp, Rapp, Zipp, Plumeria, Guzma, and the other Team Skull recruits coming over to taunt them. "Why, it'll take an instant for him and his next Pokémon to destroy you in the upcoming match! And, one of your friends will be next should either of them be paired with him for a Poke-bashing!"
Lana, undeterred yet annoyed by Team Skull, could only retort, "A battle is like water, who knows what shape it takes?"
"Right, the end is the only thing that comes after you give your all. That's something Guzma should know if he hadn't been running away like he had before you all came back here for the Pokemon League," Kiawe frowned in agreement.
Guzma glared hard but remained silent in his previous defiance of Alola's customs and culture as Tupp seethed at them, "Don't get all high-and-mighty just so you brats and your princess can use Z-Moves! You know that crap means less than nothing to Guzma! Isn't that right, Boss?"
"Z-Moves, huh? Garbage, don't make me laugh," Guzma snorted, ignoring Tupp (as he recalled everything he went through since the day he turned his back on Hala and Kukui) and coldly passing by Lana, Sophocles, and Kiawe with Plumeria following behind him as they prepared to take their respective places.
Tupp, Rapp, and Zipp quickly trailed after them as they prattled, "Hey, Guzma! Wait for me!"
"Yeah! Wait up, Boss!"
"Don't leave us with these meddling bozos!"
"I don't like this, you guys. Out of all of us, Sarah is the only one who's truly fought Guzma before in a Pokémon battle and we, Ash, Mallow, and Lillie don't know what he's capable of," Sophocles frowned worriedly.
"Yeah, I can imagine Race and Asha also being sitting ducks on that end, too. We all know Guzma is a strong trainer but we all know he's a cheater and would do anything to win," Kiawe nodded suspiciously as he turned to Lana with a final tippet of advice for her. "Lana, you be careful out there. I don't think he deals from a straight deck the way he goes about Pokémon battles so I'd keep my eye on him as best you can."
Lana nodded as she promised Kiawe, "Don't worry, Kiawe. We'll be careful, I promise."
"After that short recess to recharge our batteries, it's time for us to witness the final match of our Tournament Round of 8! Match 4, for your viewing pleasure, will be Lana vs. Guzma! Whoever wins this match will join Gladion, Ash, and Sarah in the Semifinals! That means a once-in-a-lifetime battle against our own Alolan Sun Princess before the big finale in the Finals, folks!" Caster grinned as Lana and Guzma took their places on the battlefield.
Olivia was to be the referee for the final Quarterfinals second half match as she looked between Lana and Guzma, ready to begin the battle as soon as they chose their respective Pokemon, "Contestants, your Pokémon, please!"
"Primarina, let's go!"
"Destroy them, Golisopod!" they shouted, sending Primarina and Golisopod out into the field.
"It's yet another Battle of the Water Types, but this time, with Lana's Primarina against Guzma's Golisopod! How will Lana and her little mermaid go about the match against Golisopod and his hard shell?"
"Golisopod, huh?" Lana frowned, remembering the Hard Scale Pokémon's primary move used against Pikachu and Star. "Heads up, Primarina, this match could get ugly and fast once he moves."
"I know," Primarina reassured with a knowing nod, glaring at Golisopod warily as she readied herself for battle.
"Got 'em! Big time!"
"Take him and Golisopod down hard and fast, Lana!"
"You too, Primarina!" Ash, Astrid, and Fishlegs cheered just as Meltan was passing by them, catching the Kanto trainer's attention.
"Huh? Hey, Meltan! Lana and Primarina are battling out there, let's cheer for them along with everyone else!" he told his Hex Nut Pokémon who agreed and then walked off with Pikachu and Torracat watching them along with Sandy as they, the other Pokémon, and the dragons all cheered for Primarina.
But, the only ones who aren't cheering for Lana are Sarah and her entire family; they are all looking at Lana and Guzma along with their chosen Pokémon intensely as if they have a bad feeling that Lana and Primarina wouldn't stand a chance against Guzma and Golisopod. They knew that Guzma was a cheater and Kukui and Hala's tragic story of him running away because of his lack of understanding of Alola's culture in Pokémon battles from the perspective of an Alolan Pokémon trainer. However, they knew that if Guzma somehow played fair throughout his and Golisopod's battle against Lana and Primarina and chose not to run away from the battle as he did before, then either the little princess herself, Ash, or Gladion would be paired up with him in the Semifinals.
With Team Rocket, they were watching the match beginning to play out from their Masalada truck as James said, "Oh, my! It's the blue Twerpette against the Team Skull boss; that means it's the last match of the day."
"And, that means we're gonna have ourselves a whole horde of hungry spectators ready for a hearty snack!"
"Get ready, it's time for us to prepare for the masses while we still have a chance!" Meowth and Jessie concurred as they prepared for the upcoming afternoon snack/dinner rush as soon as Guzma and Lana's battle ended.
"HAPPY DANCE!"
Obviously, Team Skull was cheering loudly for Guzma as they repeated the same cheer they did for their boss when he squared off against Ilima and his Kangaskhan, "Yo, yo, yo! The wounded world is ready to crash! Time to clean the house and take out the trash! Yo, yo, yo! Guzma makes it so!"
"You two, play fair now. I want nothing more than a nice, clean Pokémon battle from you and your Pokémon. That means you and Golisopod, Guzma," Olivia warned before she gave a searing glare at Guzma, knowing how dirty of a trainer he could be.
"Right!" Lana nodded in agreement with Guzma giving off an indifferent scoff.
Nodding but vowing to watch out for trouble, Olivia stepped back and kickstarted the match, "Battle, begin!"
"Get ready, Primarina!" Lana called only to blink in surprise as they saw that Guzma and Golisopod weren't attacking first for a change.
The Water Type trainer was stumped by this and the other heroes in the audience couldn't help but share her confusion over Guzma's change in tactics. But, Sarah and her family stayed silent as they continued to watch intensely; they realized right away that something wasn't right.
"If he won't attack first, then I will. Primarina, use Sparkling Aria!" Lana called again, deciding to make the first move only for Guzma to smirk slyly as he saw his opportunity to get the drop on her and Primarina.
"Gotcha! Use Throat Chop!" he sneered, allowing his partner to jump Primarina and use Throat Chop on the Soloist Pokemon's throat.
"DACK!" Primarina choked.
"PRIMARINA!" Lana cried in utter horror.
"I knew it," Sarah thought, gritting her teeth as she saw what Guzma's plan was.
"Primarina dudette!"
"Primarina!"
"Her voice, she can't use Sparking Aria now!"
"She won't be able to do Golisopod damage with her throat badly hurt!" Sandy, Ash, Mallow, and Rotom-Dex exclaimed in horror.
The rest of the heroes gasped in shock and horror as Primarina tried to use Sparkling Aria again but realized she couldn't pull it off with her voice as her throat was now badly damaged, "M-My voice! But, how? It can't be...…"
"Aww, what's the matter, Primarina? Feeling a little under the weather with a sore throat? Too bad your concert runs have been washed out," mocked Golisopod, chuckling evilly as Primarina realized what he did to her and growled furiously as she held her throat.
"You slimy son of a...…"
Eternatus silently watched the battle as he glared at Golisopod and Guzma with utter hatred while Keldeo frowned, "I see, so he has gotten smarter. That Guzma jerk did his research this time; he knew that a Primarina relies heavily on its voice to attack its opponents. So, by using Throat Chop to damage Primarina's throat just as she was about to attack, she wouldn't be able to sing throughout the entire battle and use any of her special attacks that required it."
"Well, kid, looks like your mermaid won't be performing any more solos today. You want to keep going? Feel free to humor us further," Guzma smirked smugly, making Lana glare at him as she realized her folly in attacking first.
"Okay, then... Aqua Jet!" Lana spat as her equally annoyed Primarina charged forward with Aqua Jet.
"Stop her and use Poison Jab as much as you want, Golisopod," Guzma barked knowingly, allowing his partner to grab Primarina and strike her with Poison Jab, making her scream in pain as she desperately fought against Golisopod and his hold on her.
"No, Primarina!" Lana wailed as Golisopod struck her partner again as the poison from his attack kicked in.
"Come on, is that all you got?" Golisopod snarked as he struck Primarina a third time.
"YOU LEAVE MY BIG SIS ALONE!" roared Sandy as he tried to go into the field to stop him only for Boltund to hold him back while glaring at Golisopod.
"Hurry up! Don't let her go!" snapped Guzma, wanting to end the battle fast.
"Come on, kid! You've no chance! Surrender, surrender! SURRENDER!" snarled Golisopod at Primarina, growing tired of her continued resilience despite being poisoned.
"I'm...not, finished, YET! RAAAAAAGH!" Primarina roared back defiantly as she grabbed onto Golisopod with all the strength she could muster, stopping him from using Poison Jab a fourth time and holding him within point-blank range.
"'EY! Get off of me, fish brain! QUIT IT! AGH!" Golisopod barked as he tried in vain to make her let go but to no avail as Primarina turned to her human friend.
"Lana, now!" she screamed, getting a surprised but determined nod from Lana as she made the call.
"Alright, Icy Wind then Aqua Jet!"
Getting into Golisopod's face, Primarina used Icy Wind at him which forced him to let go of her and allow her to retaliate with Aqua Jet, sending him back to Guzma after hitting him twice before she returned to Lana's side of the field.
"It took everything Primarina had to break free but finally, she got away from Golisopod! Although his Poison Jabs had done the work with regard to her being poisoned, she still got the strength she needed to fight on! It's going to be a contest of wits and vitality from here on out in this match!"
Guzma was furious at Golisopod and turned to him before he lashed out at the Hard Scale Pokémon, "What exactly do you think you're doing, you nitwit?! Quit fooling around and use Poison Jab again! Don't make me tell you twice!"
"I know that!" Golisopod spat back before he went for the kill again with Poison Jab.
"Hang on, Primarina! Use Icy Wind to blind him!" Lana reassured, having her wounded partner use Icy Wind to hit Golisopod and blind him so he couldn't see where they'd attack.
"The first thing she needs to do now is to stop Golisopod from moving," Kiawe stated, seeing where the match is going now.
"But, Primarina's still poisoned by his Poison Jab attack and it did major damage to her three times, Kiawe. You guys know that Fairy Types such as her are vulnerable against Poison Types like Golisopod from what you told us," Fishlegs reminded.
"After the damage done to her and that smart play by Guzma earlier in having Golisopod damage her throat to keep her from singing and using Sparkling Aria, even I don't see how the match is going to turn up," Astrid admitted, frowning.
"Don't say that, they're gonna be just fine as long as they keep calm and keep fighting!" Sophocles reassured, still feeling confident in Lana and Primarina.
"You can do it, Lana, Primarina!"
"Win it, you two!" Lillie and Snowy cheered in agreement.
"Don't give up, Lana!" Mallow encouraged her best friend as the Pokémon and dragons continued to cheer for her and Primarina except for Sarah and her family who remained coldly silent and kept their eyes on the battle.
Golisopod continued to hold his ground as he withstood Icy Wind despite not being able to see and his claws were starting to become coated in ice. But, on Lana and Primarina's end, they supposedly saw their chance and moved in to attack again.
"Aqua Jet, go!" Lana commanded.
"Time to let it go, Golisopod!" Primarina bellowed as she charged at the Hard Scale Pokémon again with Aqua Jet.
"I don't think so!" Golisopod retorted as he used Poison Jab again and managed to hit her once more with perfect timing and patience despite his claws being covered in ice.
Primarina rolled back to Lana as Golisopod shattered the ice off of his claws while Caster gasped, "Talk about patience and nerves of steel; Golisopod managed to shield himself during that Icy Wind attack from Primarina! And, when she came in with another Aqua Jet, he was able to respond to her in time when he saw an opening on her!"
"Hurry, Primarina! Run!" Lana called frantically.
"Don't let her escape! POISON JAB!" Guzma screeched with a furious frown, forcing Golisopod to seize Primarina and use Poison Jab repeatedly on her.
"Break free!"
"Give up! Come on, admit it! I'm going to crack you like an egg!" seethed Golisopod, seeing how much Primarina's fighting and resilience had been getting to him (making him unable to finish the match as quickly as he and Guzma wanted).
At this point, Primarina realized she would have to stay strong for Lana and her friends as she glared back at Golisopod and endured the Poison Jab attacks thrown at her while she spat out, "Do, your, worst, bug brain...!"
"Yo, yo, yo! 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! Guzma makes it so!" Tupp and Team Skull bragged with sheer arrogance while Olivia watched with worry and concern over how violently Guzma and Golisopod were battling.
"Use Icy Wind to break free!"
"Oh no, you don't! I'm not falling for that again! THROAT CHOP, YOU SCALLY OX!" Guzma roared at Golisopod, having him strike Primarina at her throat again.
Guzma sneered at this before he extended it to an angry yet resilient Kukui and Raine as they and the latter's Primarina silently glared back at him, "See that, Kukui? This is what I'm gonna do to you and the rest of the competition even if I have to barrel through your royal stooge and break her to do so!"
"GYAAAAAAHH!" The Team Skull leader was thrown for another loop as the weakened but still resilient Primarina once again broke free from Golisopod's hold and struck him hard, getting back up to her normal position despite her current state.
"You see that, Guzma? This match isn't over yet until one of us falls!"
"That's right!" Lana and Primarina spat at their opponents defiantly, leaving Guzma seething as he was no longer smug about winning and was about to take the match personally.
"Go, Lana!"
"Yeah! You show them what's what!"
"There's no giving up with you and Primarina!"
"Yeah! You can do it!"
"You're just getting started, Lana!" cheered Mallow and the rest of the group along with the dragons and Pokémon as they still felt confident about their impending victory.
But, as always throughout the entire battle, Sarah and her family remained silent; they knew the match would only end one way as they saw how exhausted Primarina was becoming throughout the battle. Golisopod was feeling worn out as well but he looked as though he could keep the match going without a shadow of a doubt yet Guzma was seething like mad over what was happening. The Team Skull leader wanted to crush Lana and Primarina in an instant after having the Hard Scale Pokémon use Throat Chop to damage her throat but despite that, their persistence and resilience meant that the battle dragged on for several minutes and he hated it. He wanted to win in no time flat but his battle with Lana proved that something like that is no longer possible against a skilled trainer and the strong bond one has with his or her Pokémon such as the Water Type student and her Primarina.
Realizing that his hopes of destroying Kukui's dream were hitting a roadblock, he kicked the ground in anger as he lashed out again at Golisopod, "YOU IMBICILE! STOP WASTING TIME AND USE PIN MISSILE TO DESTROY THEM!"
"Alright! Alright! Whatever you say, Boss! Don't have a Pikipek!" snorted Golisopod as he fired his Pin Missile attack.
"Surf, let's go!" Lana called, allowing Primarina to use Surf to counter Pin Missile and even surprise Guzma in the process.
"Huh? W-What's going on here?!" the Team Skull leader balked.
Golisopod saw this and tried to escape but as he tried to make a break for it to get another chance to shoot her, he realized that he couldn't move until he found his legs covered in ice as he blurted out, "Hey! I'm trapped! Boss, my legs are iced up! I can't move! I'm stuck!"
"Too bad! He was just too patient," Lana smirked, finally able to make a comeback.
"So, that's it! I get it now!"
"Golisopod couldn't stop that last Icy Wind attack completely!"
"Because he was forced to hold onto Primarina when she used Icy Wind at him again, his legs ended up frozen!"
"Yeah! Now's your chance, Lana, Primarina!"
"Go!"
"Finish him, dudette Sis! Go, go, go!" Hiccup, Kiawe, Sophocles, Lillie, Mallow, and Sandy cheered heartily.
Lana nodded as she saw her and Primarina's chance and activated her Z-Ring (housing the Primarina-Z she got from Ida), planning to use her Soloist Pokémon's personal Z-Move to end the match in their favor.
"Primarina!" she called to her partner, Primarina nodding in agreement as they performed the Water Type Z-Move poses while Lana recited and transferred her Z-Power to her, "Embraced by the sea, here we go! Past the ocean's horizon! Use Oceanic Operetta!"
Getting on her tail fin, Primarina managed to use her species' personal Z-Move as it healed her throat and she began to sing again which Caster was amazed about as he commentated, "Amazing! It appears that by using Oceanic Operetta, Primarina's throat completely recovered! Is it game over for Guzma and Golisopod?"
"Yeah! Alright, Primarina! Go, go, go!" cried an ecstatic and thrilled Sandy.
"You got him!"
"Wrap it up!" Lillie and Ash cheered loudly.
"You're wrong, all of you. You don't understand how things are going right now; look at Golisopod and Guzma and see what they're doing right now. Then, you'll know what's really happening," Sarah finally spoke up, sounding cold and directing everybody's attention to the Hard Scale Pokémon as he looked scared and tried to get away despite his frozen legs.
Guzma seethed with rage as he finally let loose his anger and hatred for Kukui and his dreams and snapped, "I'll destroy every last Z-Move no matter what kind they are! Even if I have to play dirty to do so! Now, Golisopod! USE LIQUIDATION!"
"...I gotcha," Golisopod realized, seeing what his master was thinking as he used Liquidation and powered up two water blades from his claws before he took aim at Primarina and Lana's Oceanic Operetta and sliced the Z-Move in two.
Lana and Primarina gasped in shocked horror as their Z-Move was destroyed, the disruption brought on by Golisopod's Liquidation resulting in its destruction as both Pokémon took on the full blast with Primarina finally brought down to the ground, leaving her battered, bruised, weary, poisoned, and beaten.
Lana gasped in shock as Olivia took in the sight and reluctantly called the match, "Primarina is unable to battle, Golisopod and Guzma are the winners."
Everyone else in the crowd was shocked and horrified by the unexpected turnabout (despite Sarah knowing that her second best friend and Primarina couldn't match up to their adversary) but while Team Skull cheered for Guzma, the TS leader wasn't through yet as he glared at Primarina and pointed at her while issuing his final order to Golisopod.
"Finish her!" he spat just as Olivia was about to check on Lana's partner, shocking both the Water Type student and the Akala Kahuna as they saw Golisopod preparing to use Poison Jab to kill Primarina in a show of strength.
"PRIMARINA!" Sandy screamed in horror.
"He wouldn't!"
"He is!"
"Oh, no!" cried an equally horrified Ash, Kiawe, and Lillie, expressing everybody's shock and horror as Golisopod and Guzma were about to murder Primarina.
"AH!/GUZMA!" Kukui and Raine gasped in shock, seeing what was going on.
However, just before Golisopod could kill Lana's partner, much to everyone's disbelief and growing shock, who should come to her rescue but Eternatus as he blocked the staggered Hard Scale Pokémon (the Poison/Water Type unable to say anything as he was face to face with the former Darkest Day as his Poison Jab attack was canceled on the spot). Then, without warning, Eternatus pushed him back hard, leaving Guzma shocked.
"What the-?!" he began as Eterantus hovered over Lana and Olivia as they checked on the downed Primarina.
"You...… You make me sick; you're the worst of all the cowards in the world, thinking you can murder an innocent Pokémon who did nothing but put up a good fight against your so-called 'partner'," the Gigantic Pokémon spat, unimpressed.
"...…What?"
"You heard me; you're not only a coward but you're also a wimp thinking that killing your opponent's Pokémon just to give yourself pleasure would do anything sweet for you. Well, guess what, Goggle-Head; if you're trying to prove a point to my pipsqueak, her island home's big cheese, and this region's masterful brainiac, you're pathetic and you don't deserve to be here!"
"Eternatus...?" gasped Lana, lost in complete shock over his actions and fierce defense of Hala, Kukui, Sarah, and everything they worked for.
"Grr... Hmph, whatever, Big, Tall, and Ugly. Besides, that battle was nothing but a dud. I'll soon fight your so-called tamer or one of her other friends in the Semifinals and we'll see who's pathetic," Guzma snorted as he prepared to leave.
"So, you're gonna run away like the big baby you are after stomping my pipsqueak and her friends out just as you and your Antman tried to do with this little mermaid here?"
That triggered Guzma as he stopped and slowly turned towards Eternatus, mentally daring him to repeat what he just said to him as he was seething with rage from within. He expected to hear that from Sarah or Kukui but not once had he been spoken those words by a Pokémon of all things let alone the former Darkest Day.
"Do you really think you're the only one who deserves to win by any means necessary when it meant trampling over the rest of humanity just for your own personal happiness? Do you want to feel satisfied stomping over everybody else just so you don't want to learn through losing a battle? As I've learned time and time again, losing is an important part of life including my own..."
"Shut up...…!" Guzma seethed quietly.
"My pipsqueak stomped you out herself before and by the looks of it, I know she can do it again. Take my word for it; I've been on the receiving end of her vigilance and persistence more times than I can count since she and her friends beat me over a year ago back in Galar. I highly doubt you and your bug men have what it takes to crush me as she did, though. But, what does it matter? My pipsqueak, when you two finally battle, is gonna knock your damn block off soon. I suggest you get ready until then; once you finally fight her, you'll see why she had to banish you and your so-called punk team...…"
Eterantus' proclamation and scathing words towards Guzma earned him a string of prideful and happy cheers from the entire audience and even Kukui and Raine along with her Primarina couldn't help but smile proudly at him. Even Hala approved from his spot with Hapu and Nanu as he gave the former Darkest Day a thankful nod, knowing that a battle with Ash, Gladion, or (preferably on account of her promise to him and Kukui) Sarah would help straighten him out and learn why he's acting the way he is.
The Team Skull leader looked like he was about to blow his top off until he looked at Sarah again and noticed her giving him a searing and disappointed glare, one that he could've sworn mirrored Kukui's gaze after they met each other for the first time in years since he ran away from him and Hala.
Growling quietly, Guzma returned Golisopod and left the stadium in a huff (his entire crew and Plumeria looking a little unnerved at him as they stopped cheering for him, unsure of what to say to him following Eternatus' proclamation). But, not before he and Kukui shot a glare at each other as he left.
"Hey! Guzma! Stop right there, a Pokémon battle isn't finished until both trainers acknowledge each other!" Olivia demanded.
"Forget him, lady. He's not worth it right now, let him settle things with my pipsqueak later," Eternatus told her.
Olivia sighed as she knew Eternatus was right; for now, Guzma could only be stopped through a Pokémon battle and most importantly (after hearing everything from Hala and Kukui), she knew that the only one who could make him see sense was Sarah. What's more, they and everybody else would have to wait until Caster and the rest of the judges (including her fellow Kahunas) would confirm and announce the battle roster for the Semifinals so that her eventual battle with him could become a reality. At the moment, it is more important for Lana and her Primarina and everybody else to recover from the ordeal and the following day, things will be different going into the Semifinals.
Later, in the Pokémon Trainer's lounge, Lana and Primarina were doing their best to recover from their loss and their near-miss with Guzma and Golisopod after Eternatus saved the latter from death. While she was taking care of her partner, Lana couldn't help but think back to Eternatus' previous actions when he protected her partner and what he said to Guzma before he left.
Even though the Darkest Day gradually settled down into his new life in Alola following his capture and confirmed lease on life with her best friend, the Water Type student still had some misgivings about Eternatus in the back of her mind that she held back for so long given his previous crimes against humanity. She wasn't sure if he could change even though he was never in cahoots with Rose and his former organization and on account of his hot temperament and his initial hatred of humanity and distrust of Sarah and everybody else tied to the little princess including her.
But, now, after seeing him save Primarina from Golisopod and how he fiercely defended Kukui, his dream, Hala, Sarah, and all of Alola in support of them and Kukui's hopes as a whole at the end of their battle with them in front of Guzma, she was now starting to realize that Eternatus was no longer a terrible Pokémon and he is now a good friend, after all.
Soon, the sound of running feet coming towards them grabbed her attention and she looked to find all of her friends coming over to her and Primarina, looking worried at the two of them.
"Mallow, Sarah! Everyone!" she began, unsure of what to say as Aqua went over to Primarina to help comfort her.
"...….How is she?" Sarah asked, concerned for Primarina's condition.
"Primarina's okay, but...….."
"You gave it your all," Ash reassured sadly, feeling bad for Lana despite finally knowing she and Primarina didn't have a chance after what they'd been through.
"You may not have had a chance against Guzma and Golisopod but you two are real troopers out there," added Asha.
"Just don't scare us like that again, okay? Primarina was rag-dolled out there and it could've been worse if she continued to fight or Eternatus hadn't saved her bacon in time before that bug face killed her," Fishlegs begged.
Lana nodded with a sad smile, knowing better now than to worry her friends as she and Primarina did.
"...Lana," Primarina grunted, the poison from Poison Jab coming at her stronger than ever.
Lana, Ash, and Mallow gasped in shock, realizing that the poison coursing through Primarina was starting to take its toll on her and she could still die if she wasn't saved in time.
Sarah gritted her teeth before she looked at Mallow, knowing the Pokémon they needed to help Lana's partner, "Mallow?"
Mallow nodded in agreement as she turned to Shaymin, "Quick, Shaymin, Aromatherapy!"
Sarah turned to Seth and Ponyta as she ordered them to do the same, "Ponyta, Seth, use Aromatherapy and Heal Pulse and help Shaymin rid Primarina of the poison in her!"
"Got it!"
"Right!"
"Okay!" the three Pokémon agreed as they went over to Primarina and used their respective healing moves on Primarina, ridding her of all the poison running through her body as her face no longer turned purple and she was back at full strength again.
"Lana," she smiled, feeling better once more.
Lana gasped happily as she turned to her two best friends, "Mallow, Sarah! Thank you so much, Seth, Shaymin, and Ponyta saved her!"
"Thank goodness!"
"Don't worry about it, we're just glad she's alright now," Mallow and Sarah smiled back, both of them feeling relieved for Primarina as well.
"You should have Nurse Joy take a look at Primarina right away. I have a feeling your battle with Guzma and Golisopod may have done a greater number on her than we first thought," Kiawe suggested gravely.
"Right. You were great, Primarina, the best," Lana agreed as Sandy rejoined her and she praised her partner before returning her to her Pokeball.
Everybody else smiled with relief but Mallow couldn't help but ask her best friend, "But, why did he have to be so rough with you throughout the battle, even going so far as to try and kill Primarina when it's clear he won despite his and Golisopod's dirty fighting?"
"Really!" Lillie concurred.
"He didn't break any rules, right, Sarah?" Lana replied, getting a confirming nod from Sarah while surprising Lillie and Mallow.
"Lana's right; before he snapped earlier and Eternatus saved Primarina, he stayed calm when calling out his attacks for the most part and Golisopod technically used all of his moves legitimately and with no dirty tricks," Kiawe added in agreement.
"I have a feeling everything he did was to intimidate Master Hala, Master Kukui, and the princess; he wanted to show why he was superior in his twisted mind and he wanted to destroy Master Kukui's dream of this Pokémon League by battling straight with no strings attached," Guardeon clarified.
Sarah nodded as she grimly told everybody else, "And, he was playing by the book the whole time before the end of that battle. He was playing it straight because he has a score to settle with Prof. Kukui which is why he wanted to make his victories as poetic as possible."
"I don't think I could ever stand having a battle like that!" Lillie frowned, not liking Guzma's style.
"Way over the top!" agreed Sophocles, having how Guzma and his Golisopod battled.
"Me, neither!"
"Count me out!"
"Yeah, I'm not following that freakshow's example!"
"Of all the battling styles I've seen, Guzma's is the absolute worst!"
"Ditto!"
"I sure would like to rip him and Golisopod a new one!"
"Me, too!" Hookfang, Barf, Belch, Toothless, Styrka, Stormfly, and Meatlug scoffed in agreement.
But, Lana was undeterred as she gave a determined smile and she vowed to everyone, "I gave my all...…. But, out there, Guzma gave a bit more, much more than Primarina and I realized. And, you know what? No matter what happens... I'll train, my Pokémon and myself! And, when we stand here again, we'll show everyone what we're truly made of!"
That evening, the heroes arrived at the Pokémon Center to see how Primarina was doing after her and Lana's battle with Guzma and Golisopod and after Seth, Shaymin, and Ponyta's successful efforts in healing her. To their relief, Lana's partner didn't suffer too much damage and everything else that left her battered and bruised was thankfully taken care of. The Nurse Joy Sisters were also able to find and remove any excess poison from Golisopod's Poison Jab attacks that Shaymin, Seth, and Ponyta were unable to get, and now, Primarina has a clean bill of health again.
"We've restored your Pokémon to full health," they informed as they gave Primarina back to Lana.
"Alright, she's better again!" Sandy smiled, reaching out to touch Primarina's Pokeball.
"Thanks so much, all of you!" Lana smiled ecstatically at the Nurse Joy Sisters.
"You're very welcome!"
"I wonder what the battle roster for the Semifinals would be like," pondered Nyasi.
"I sure hope Auntie Sarah's paired with that Guzma creep! I oughta see her pound that ugly bug face!" Tyrunt urged, wanting to see Guzma get his just deserts.
"How dare he call himself a Pokémon trainer the way he heartlessly battles!" Kommo-o agreed.
Luckily, the heroes won't have to wait as Caster reappeared from the TV screen with the battle roster for the Semifinals, "The moment you've been waiting for has finally come, ladies and gentlemen! Here are the confirmed matchups for tomorrow's battle roster for the Semifinals! Match 1: Ash vs. Gladion!"
"Hey! That's my brother and you!" Lillie gasped in amazement, seeing Ash and Gladion paired up for the Semifinals.
"Yeah... And, I have no complaints at all!"
"Same here!" Ash and Pikachu grinned, eager to battle Gladion again.
"If you want fireworks, their matchup is a must-see! But, if you're looking for a real show-stopper of a match that'll truly set everything ablaze, Match 2 will be between...… Who else? Sarah vs. Guzma!"
The heroes gasped at the arrangements, realizing that the little princess' promise to battle Guzma on behalf of Kukui and Hala was coming to fruition as they turned to her in surprise.
"That's you, Sarah!"
"You're going to battle Guzma, again!" Lana and Sophocles gawked.
"Win it for all of us and Lana, okay, Sarah?" Mallow urged.
"Take him down with everything you got!" Astrid nodded in agreement.
Sarah gave her friends a determined nod as she replied, "I won't let you down, all of you. Not even Kukui and Hala; I promised them I would battle Guzma and find out why he's been running away, I won't let him go without a fight..."
With that, the rest of her family nodded in agreement, knowing that no matter who fights with her against Guzma and Golisopod in the Semifinals, they will see to it that Guzma faces justice and they would know why he is the man and Pokémon trainer he is now.
Even Nanu was intrigued as he watched from his and Acerola's room and pondered, "Hmm... The kiddo against Old Guzma, huh?"
It won't be long before we see who advances to the Finals amongst our Final Four; it's Ash vs. Gladion and Sarah vs. Guzma! We'll see how these two battles in the Semifinals play out as the journey continues!