After becoming the Alola Pokémon League Champion alongside Ash, Sarah is battling Prof. Kukui in a special exhibition match! It's a major whirlwind of Pokémon from both sides being switched in and out so far; facing off against Prof. Kukui's most powerful Pokémon, our princess with her chosen Pokémon are rising to the challenge with bold and daring moves to cope with their impressive strength and battle tactics! In the second half of the match with Single Battles, Sarah pits Naganadel against Kukui's Lucario in the first of three remaining battles that'll decide it all between them!

(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)

"Let's go, Naganadel! Use Dual Wingbeat!"

"Close Combat!"

As the exhibition match between Kukui and Sarah rages on, Lucario and Naganadel's turn to fight is now. Kicking off their battle upon their human mother/trainer's orders, the two charged with Duel Wingbeat and Close Combat, darting left and right while they tried to throw each other off before they finally clashed.

The Aura and evolved Totem Poison Pin Pokémon traded blow after blow, showing how equal they are in strength before they forced each other back while Caster remarked, "*Through a short series of Close Combat and Dual Wingbeat attacks, Naganadel and Lucario are showing each other what's what!*"

"You okay, Naganadel?" Sarah called.

"I'm alright, I'm not finished yet!" Naganadel nodded as she held her ground.

"That Naganadel, she's very open to Sarah's guidance even after evolving," Wicke smiled as the other adults watched from the viewer's lounge with her.

"It was all because of Sarah; she taught her the true meaning of friendship ever since she was a Poipole. And, now, in her current state, Naganadel is battling on Sarah's behalf and in her kingdom's honor," Lusamine smiled warmly.

"Friendship is what it's all about! Friendship is the very basis for the most emotional battles, after all!" Faba cried awkwardly, feeling touched by Naganadel and Sarah's friendship.

The others looked at him awkwardly while Bones just facepalmed and groaned in annoyance at the Aether Foundation scientist.

"Don't let your guard down, Lucario! Your first move worked well but Naganadel is unpredictable and I should know given the time my students and I spent with her when she was a Poipole," Kukui warned his Lucario who nodded in agreement.

"I gotcha, master," he replied.

"Okay, Naganadel! Now, Air Slash!" Sarah shouted, allowing Naganadel to fire Air Slash at the Fighting/Steel Type.

"Dodge it, quick! Then, use Dragon Pulse!"

Avoiding the Poison Pin Pokémon's Air Slash just in time, Lucario jumped into the air and readied his Dragon Pulse attack. However, he was taken completely by surprise as Naganadel swiftly moved out of the way after he fired, confusing him before she appeared from behind him at point-blank range.

"GAH!" Lucario balked, seeing her behind him too late.

"Dragon Claw!"

"Gotcha!" Naganadel smirked, striking him with Dragon Claw and making him fall back onto the field before he landed on his feet.

"Use Close Combat again!" Kukui ordered as Lucario immediately jumped back up and prepared to hit her with Close Combat again.

"Now, Peck!" Sarah countered, having Naganadel use Peck to strike him in the chest and get a painful "DACK!" as he crash-landed on the field again.

"Grr... Lucky shot," Lucario grunted, picking himself up and snorting in frustration.

"Yes!"

"She's doing it!" Curly and Blitz cheered.

"That's it! You can do it, Naganadel! That's my baby!" Sarah hollered excitedly.

"Naganadel!"

"She's amazing!"

"First-rate reflexes, just like Duke's! But, she's much more fine-tuned in her battling now that she's a Totem Pokémon!" Rotom-Dex exclaimed excitedly.

"The kid's not missing a beat compared to her time as a Poipole and she's got more power to back up her groove from her evolution and larger size!" Rotoscope agreed, becoming more intrigued by Naganadel's battle performance.

"Cool, cool, coolio," Zayto smiled in approval.

"She's doing wonderful! That's the power of a royal Ultra Beast right there!" cried Solon, laughing heartily.

"Keep it up, Sarah!"

"You too, Naganadel!"

"You're really into the rhythm of the battle!" Sophocles, Lana, and Kiawe beamed in encouragement.

"You know what? It looks like the match is even now," Burnet grinned, eager to see what Kukui and Sarah would do next.

"Yes!" Donna (former queen) nodded in agreement.

"Extreme Speed," Kukui smirked, having his Lucario use Extreme Speed to boost his speed in battle as he darted toward Naganadel.

He moved so fast that he even went as far as to zip from side to side as he ran, surprising Naganadel since she didn't know where to strike him at first.

Sarah could see that she was trying and failing to follow Lucario's movements because of his Extreme Speed move as she called to her Totem Ultra Beast, "Keep calm, Naganadel; that's the first thing you should do against something like this! He may be fast but you're just as fast, if not, faster than him! Show Lucario the speed of your subjects and species and go at him!"

"Right!" Naganadel nodded, using her species' natural speed to move in sync with Lucario as they clashed.

"Incredible! It's now a contest of speed as Naganadel's natural speed allowed her to match up with Lucario using his Extreme Speed move!"

"Do it!"

"Peck plus Fury Attack for: Fury Peck!"

Clashing once more after several exchanges, Lucario and Naganadel struck each other with his Extreme Speed and her Fury Peck combo attacks and they pushed each other back, withstanding each other's moves as they returned to their respective trainers.

"Extreme Speed is frighteningly effective against Poison Types like Naganadel but the combined power of her Fury and Peck attacks for a combo move combined with her natural speed has allowed her to match Lucario through blinding momentum! That means both hit their targets but they're still standing!"

"That's crazy!"

"Naganadel and Lucario were moving so fast there!"

"They're even faster than me!"

"I didn't see a thing while they were fighting!"

"Lucario didn't waste a single movement while he was battling!"

"Neither did Naganadel!" Ash, Javi, Izzy, Mallow, Kiawe, and Lana breathed in stunned shock.

"In terms of offense, defense, and speed, everything that Lucario and Naganadel just demonstrated is in perfect balance!" Rotom-Dex noted in awe.

"Yes! Get 'im, Princess! Knock 'im dead, you got this! Take 'him out! That's right! Knock that aura-reading jackal's block off, GO!" Duke screamed in excitement for Naganadel, spooking the other Pokémon and Rotom-Dex as they saw how enthusiastic he was for his princess.

"They knew just how we're gonna move and how we attack before we can stop them! In that case...…"

"Knowing you, Prof., I'm sure it's gonna be...…." Sarah and Kukui bantered, trailing each other off before...

"...DRAGON PULSE!"

Lucario and Naganadel, sensing the thoughts of their trainer and human mother, fired Dragon Pulse as both attacks met in a stalemate and created a large explosion of wind which prompted Caster to cry out, "It's now a Dragon Pulse showdown! Their speed and power are phenomenal but their combined power is off the charts!"

"Now, Naganadel!" Sarah screamed, prompting the royal Poison Pin Pokémon to come at Lucario again.

"Here she comes, Lucario! Use Close Combat!" Kukui shouted as Lucario readied himself.

"Use Peck!"

Naganadel aimed her needle directly at Lucario but just as she was about to strike him, he managed to block her with his right arm, "Uh-oh! Lucario has just met Naganadel's Peck attack head-on; he knows where her Peck attack is coming from an-hey, wait!"

Caster stopped himself as he noticed Naganadel smirk and point her two remaining needles at Lucario, shocking him and Kukui as he cried, "Oh, it was a feint! I see what Naganadel did just there with her remaining needles! This is gonna hurt!"

"Flamethrower plus Dragon Pulse!"

With that call from Sarah, Naganadel fired her next combo attack as Flamethrower and Dragon Pulse landed squarely on Lucario, causing him to fly back in pain and tumble into the ground.

"It's a homer as Naganadel scored a direct hit with Flamethrower and Dragon Pulse together! And, that's all she wrote for Kukui's Aura Pokemon!"

Kukui was shocked as he saw his Lucario defeated by Naganadel, the Fighting/Steel Type trying to push himself up to continue fighting until the damage he took by Flamethrower and Dragon Pulse was too much for him to bear, causing him to collapse.

"Lucario is unable to battle, Naganadel wins!" Hala declared, handing the battle to the Totem Ultra Beast.

"It's over and done! Naganadel defeated Lucario in her first official Pokemon League battle!"

"You did it! That was great, Naganadel!" Sarah cheered as Naganadel flew back to her and they shared a happy embrace.

"That was your first Pokemon League victory!"

"You did it, Naganadel! You won!"

"You've made us and your entire kingdom proud with that one, Naganadel!"

"We gotta say, Kid, you did okay," Blitz, Curly, Goodra, and Tyson congratulated.

"Ha-ha, ha, ha, ha! WHOOOO! I'm so brilliant!" Naganadel hollered as she gave an excited twirl.

"Yes, you are!"

"Victory, well done!" cheered Aqua and Kaji.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Some things never change!"

"That's so you, Naganadel, always one to go for a victory twirl!" Blitz and Sarah laughed as Naganadel went over to the other Pokemon and dragons including the rest of her family and did her Happy Victory Twirl with them.

"Wow! Amazing, they won!"

"And, this is her first Pokemon League battle, too!"

"What a battle! And, it's a good thing I've updated Naganadel's battle data!"

"And, how! This oughta make great battle data 1-0-1 for Duke when this is over!" Rotoscope and Rotom-Dex grinned as they updated their data file for Naganadel and Duke's species.

"Remarkable work from a royal Ultra Beast!"

"That's a win for Naganady!" grinned Prof. Oak and Delia.

"Naganady?" Burnet puzzled at Ash's mother.

"That's my nickname for her, cute, ain't it?"

"Lucario, return. Good work," Kukui smiled, returning his Lucario to his Pokeball before he looked at Sarah and Naganadel and smirked at them. "I'm impressed, Sarah. I never thought you'd choose Naganadel of all Pokémon and Ultra Beasts to go up against my Lucario. You blazed a trail past us with a Flame Charge and pulled a fast one on us when we least expected it."

"I had no choice and she was itching for a battle. I knew she would be the perfect match-up against Lucario with her natural abilities," Sarah replied.

"Being able to switch strategies based on circumstance with Pokémon who can adapt with you; that's what I call amazing on your part!"

Sarah nodded as she turned to Naganadel and said, "Take five, Naganadel. I'll need you later."

Prof. Oak was surprised when he and the other adults saw Naganadel floating back to Sarah and her Pokémon on standby for a break following her first league win, "Really, is Sarah already done using Naganadel?"

"Something tells me, Prof., that our daughter will need her again later. Incineroar is the last Pokémon she knows they and the rest of their team are going up against and we have no clue as to what will be Mr. Kukui's last Pokémon," Doug remarked as Naganadel floated above her caretaker.

"But, from what our baby told us regarding her previous adventures, there is a certain Island Guardian who will want to test her strength once more if he is watching out for her already," Delilah agreed, alluding to Tapu Koko.

"Now, for our fiery vow. The 'end' result of the promise we made two years ago, ready?" Kukui smirked, taking out Incineroar's Pokeball and getting a nod from the little princess.

"Let's go!" she replied, snapping her fingers and allowing Keldeo, Goodra, and Aqua to face Incineroar again as he was brought back out.

"And, it's Part 2 of our first Master Triangle Battle rumble with Incineroar vs. Keldeo, Aqua, and Goodra! But, now that our original four kick-starters are back in the ring, will anything change between them and can Sarah's powerhouse Water/Fighting/Dragon/Fairy Type trio finally break the Battle Royal King and knock him and Kukui off of their victory thrones?"

"Time flies by so quickly with them!"

"I can feel the tension between them radiating!" Lillie and Lana stated eagerly, seeing Aqua and Goodra exchange knowing smirks with Incineroar.

Then, the Alolan Marowak belonging to Kiawe and his family appeared as he danced while twirling his bone like a parade/band/cheerleading squad baton much to Kiawe's amusement as he remarked, "You sure are psyched for Incineroar's next number, aren't you, Marowak?"

"Yeah! Let's see him get it on!" Marowak nodded eagerly.

"Go get 'im, Aqua, Goodra, Keldeo!" Mallow cheered for Sarah's team.

"Ever since their initial appearance at the beginning, it's been nothing but instantaneous fireworks between these four juggernauts but in our second half of the exhibition match, what has changed between them during the break?"

"Ready? Battle... Begin!" Hala declared, commencing the next round.

"This is it, you guys! Incineroar will have something up his sleeve this time; keep your eyes on him and every move he makes!" Sarah warned her Pokémon who agreed and stepped forward with the Heel Pokémon as they circled each other to see who would make the first move again.

"...…Use Darkest Lariat/Twin Aqua Jet!"

Incineroar used his signature move as he charged at Aqua and Keldeo who used Aqua Jet in response, planning to meet each other in a head-on collision.

"And, it's Darkest Lariat vs. Aqua Jet from both sides but as this is Fire vs. Water as well, which element will stand strong and emerge victorious?" Caster announced as a familiar Island Guardian arrived and watched the battle with intrigue while he was out of sight.

Finally, when they did meet, Keldeo and Aqua used their Aqua Jet attacks to intercept Incineroar and cancel his Darkest Lariat, causing him to stop spinning.

"Aqua, Liquidation! NOW!"

"Use Throat Chop!"

With Darkest Lariat canceled, Incineroar met Aqua and her Liquidation attack with Throat Chop as they ended in a deadlock, the Soloist and Heel Pokémon trying to push each other back and overpower the other. However, as Aqua had him in a deadlock, this left Incineroar open to an attack as Keldeo and Goodra appeared from behind him.

"Goodra, Keldeo, now! Scald plus Chilling Water!"

"Right/Yeah!" the Colt and Dragon Pokémon nodded, combining their respective Water Type attacks and hitting Incineroar in the back.

However, Incineroar only smirked at them as he finally saw Keldeo and Colt, chuckling slyly as he was covered in a blue aura for a brief period before he finally pushed Aqua back.

"It looks like they're testing each other's strengths and weaknesses but will Keldeo, Goodra, and Aqua still be able to pull off the impossible?"

"You know, Sarah... Even while I'm watching from here, I can sense Aqua, Keldeo, and Goodra's raw power from a mile away," Kukui smirked.

"What did you expect? This is how we fight and we're just getting started," Sarah replied, sharing his smirk.

"I can imagine given how hard you've been working. Incineroar, use Bulk Up! Now!"

"We'll take that, come at us if you can! Keldeo, use Psych Up!"

"Gotcha!" Keldeo smirked, using Psych Up to gain Incineroar's stat changes for himself.

"Now, Triple Hydro Pump!"

Aqua, Keldeo, and Goodra fired their combined Hydro Pump attacks but Incineroar continued to smirk as he took them head-on and barely managed to break the combo attack.

Sarah grunted as she gritted her teeth while Caster announced, "In another head-to-head clash, Incineroar trumps Triple Hydro Pump with Bulk Up! Looks like our water girl is about to be dried up by his invincible flames so she better think fast!"

Keldeo, Aqua, and Goodra also felt uneasy as Incineroar smirked smugly at them, practically daring them through his eyes to attack him again and see if they could knock him down this time.

"Aqua, Keldeo, Twin Aqua Jet again! Goodra, Aqua Tail!"

Charging at the Heel Pokémon again, Aqua and Keldeo went first with another Twin Aqua Jet attack. As they approached him, they managed to hit him in the chest before they darted back to Sarah, allowing Goodra to follow through and speed past him moments earlier before striking him in the back with Aqua Tail.

"What speed! You can hardly tell how fast Aqua and Keldeo are from a short distance being blue flashes of light in combat!"

"Now, Aqua! Acrobatics, go!"

"Right!" Aqua nodded as she lunged forward and prepared to hit Incineroar with Acrobatics but the Battle Royal King smirked as he dodged to the right and bent back, turning on his heels as he did so and grabbing onto her ponytail, shocking both the Soloist Pokémon and the princess. "AACK!"

"AHH!"

"AQUA/No!" Keldeo and Goodra screamed in horror.

"Gotcha!" Incineroar sneered victoriously as he stood back up and gave a hard tug, getting a loud shriek of pain from his best rival as she tried to make him let go of her hair.

"Whoa! Incineroar faked Aqua out and has her locked in a tight grip by her hair and he doesn't seem to want to let go no matter how hard she tries to fight him!"

"Oh, no! Aqua's trapped by her hair!" Ash balked.

"No way!" Pikachu cried in alarm.

"She can't fight like that!"

"He has her in a bind now!" Lillie and Lana breathed.

"It'll take a lot for her to break free and get away at this point! Incineroar's pretty strong from what we gathered so it's not gonna be easy!" Kiawe frowned, recalling how he, Sarah, and Ash fared against Kukui and Incineroar previously.

Race and Asha, however, remained silent as the others voiced their opinions, knowing that their sister and girlfriend were much smarter than they thought.

"Race, Asha, aren't you two worried it'll be over for Aqua?" Ollie puzzled, realizing that they were not worried in the slightest.

"Aqua's gonna be toast if she doesn't break free somehow!" Izzy put in frantically.

"Just watch," Asha replied calmly.

"Island Girl's got a trick up her sleeve there; something in our hearts tells us she and Aqua are playing up and she got her trapped on purpose," added Race, confusing everybody with them.

"On purpose?"

"You mean what they did and that failed Acrobatics attack was a fluke?" Astrid and Fishlegs puzzled in confusion before the heroes turned back to the battle at hand.

"Go ahead and make your move from here, Sarah. I warn you, though; very few Pokémon have ever broken free out of Incineroar's deadlock grip before he attacked," Kukui smirked, feeling as though he had the round in the bag.

But, to his surprise, he saw Aqua relaxing and Sarah now starting to smirk as she cheekily replied, "...Okay, then. Now, Aqua, Hydro Cannon! FULL BLAST!"

"AHH!"

"Psyche out!" Aqua quipped as she turned to the equally shocked Heel Pokémon and unleashed her Hydro Cannon attack at full power.

"OH, SHI-DAAAAAAGH!" Incineroar cursed as he was blasted within point-blank range and forced to let go of her ponytail, making her fly back before Keldeo went after and caught her in time.

Then, as he saw Incineroar being blasted towards him, Goodra struck him with Aqua Tail as he swung like a professional golfer and knocked him back to Kukui before he saw Keldeo return with Aqua and he gently took her off his back before setting his Water Type sister down alongside him from his right. The three Water Types stood together as they panted wearily but grinned from the success of their and Sarah's surprise fake-out while Incineroar slowly picked himself up, completely winded.

"Aww, no way!"

"How did they-?"

"You're kidding!"

"Great Odin's shield! Did they plan that, seriously?!" Aiyon, Javi, Tuffnut, and Snotlout balked, aghast.

The crowd went bananas for Sarah and her Water Types as Caster voiced their excitement, "It's a Hydro Cannon FAKEOUT! Amazing! Sarah and Aqua toyed with Kukui and Incineroar with that feint, and after they let their guard down after the Battle Royal King caught her, one fully-powered Hydro Cannon later and it's Splashdown Central for our Battle Royal stars!"

"Oh, now I get it! Sarah's a genius! She must've known that some of Aqua's most powerful moves required her to be at close range for them to be effective and she took into consideration the possibility of Incineroar using Throat Chop to cut her long-range attacks," Solon deducted in amazement.

"So, by getting herself captured after fooling him and Kukui with Acrobatics, Aqua was able to use Hydro Cannon at point-blank range and give them no time to counter with Throat Chop!"

"Unreal!"

"And, dealing him twice the damage after he was hit with the bonus of Goodra's Aqua Tail as he was blasted toward him!"

"That's so cool!" Fishlegs, his Dratini, Ruffnut, and Amelia gasped in awe.

"Gotcha now! Hit 'im again with Aqua Tail, Goodra! Aqua, use Charm! Keldeo, Focus Blast!" Sarah smirked deviously as the Colt, Soloist, and Dragon Pokémon continued their assault.

Despite his best efforts to fight back, Incineroar couldn't catch up with his opponents as Goodra charged at him and smacked him again with another Aqua Tail attack while Keldeo came at him and shot a Focus Blast without warning. Soon after, Aqua used her Charm to lower the Heel Pokémon's physical attack stats while making his legs shake at her as he felt himself getting weaker. The damage done to him by the Hydro Cannon at point-blank range, his cut physical attack stats by Charm, and Goodra and Keldeo's Focus Blast and Aqua Tail attacks were starting to take their toll on him as he fell on one knee and started to pant in exhaustion.

"That's it, we almost got him. We got to keep going or he'll recover faster than we can hit him," Sarah thought.

"Incineroar is now down on one knee, finding himself in the biggest pinch of his life as his stamina's finally giving out! Will he have enough strength to stand and keep on fighting?" As Caster made the announcement, Incineroar slowly started getting back on his feet before he let out a proud roar, activating his Blaze ability as he coated himself in bright red and orange flames and channeled his remaining energy to keep him going for one final push. "And, Blaze has entered the scene! Watch out, ya'll; when Incineroar ignites his flames to maximum power through his fiery spirit, his Blaze ability activates and he sets himself up to end his matches with a bang!"

Incineroar and Kukui exchanged knowing smirks and nods as the Alolan Professor brought out his Z-Ring housing a Firium Z, deciding to end their fight against Aqua, Goodra, and Keldeo in a Z-Move showdown.

At that moment, upon seeing Kukui bring out his Z-Ring and nod at her, Sarah realized what was going on and she nodded back, replacing her Dragonium Z with her Waterium Z on her Z-Power Ring before activating it. Nothing else needed to be said; it was time for them to officially end Goodra and Aqua's rivalry with Incineroar the only way they knew how.

"With flames that hot... It's time to end this! Right, Sarah?"

"I agree," the two bantered as they, Incineroar, Goodra, Keldeo, and Aqua took their places and prepared to use their respective Z-Moves.

"Look out, folks! Sparks are flying like mad as we prepare for a Double Z-Move showdown!"

"Good luck, Kukui! You too, Sarah!" Burnet prayed, watching anxiously as Sarah, Kukui, and their Pokémon prepared for their Z-Move showdown.

"All set, Incineroar?" Kukui called to his Starter Pokémon.

"Ready, buddy! It's time to turn up the heat on these kids and burn our way to victory once again!" Incineroar smirked as he readied himself.

"Here we go!"

"This is gonna be rough!"

"Here they come!" Astrid, Hiccup, and Javi cried out as they grinned.

Soon, Kukui and Sarah activated their Z-Ring and Z-Power Ring, building up their Z-Power as they performed the Z-Move poses for Inferno Overdrive and Hydro Vortex for a final clash between fire and water. Once ready, they transferred their Z-Power to their respective Pokémon (Kukui with Incineroar and Sarah with Keldeo, Aqua, and Goodra).

"From across the waves, within the beautiful briny sea, our strong hearts will unite and rise to the surface of a new day!"

"Incineroar, here we go...! Get fired up and incinerate the ring!" the Alolan Professor and the little princess recited as their Pokémon roared and prepared to attack, all of them charged with their trainers' respective Z-Power.

"Use HYDRO VORTEX/INFERNO OVERDRIVE!"

"Soak this, Incineroar!"

"Come on!"

"We're taking you, DOWN!" Aqua, Keldeo, and Goodra screamed, creating their and Sarah's Hydro Vortex and throwing it directly at Incineroar.

"Bring it! HAAAAAAH!" Incineroar roared, firing his giant and fully energized Inferno Overdrive in retaliation as both Z-Moves ended up in a deadlock in the form of a vortex of flames and water.

"Holy mackerel! Inferno Overdrive and Hydro Vortex are on a collision course via a fire-water vortex in the middle of the field! At this rate, unless something happens without warning, anything goes!"

Amid the collision between their Z-Moves, Incineroar, Goodra, Aqua, and Keldeo braced themselves for the inevitable explosion as Sarah's friends and family looked on in shocked amazement.

"What power!"

"This one's gonna be close!" Gladion and Raine shouted as they and their party held their ground from the power backlash created by the Z-Moves at play.

"This is gettin' crazy!"

"Great Odin's Ghost!"

"Awesome!"

"Whoa, this is it!" Hiccup, Stoick, Tuffnut, Ruffnut, Snotlout, and Zenna cried.

"This is it, guys! We've got to make this shot count! Liquidation, Aqua Tail, and don't forget, Secret Sword!" Sarah shouted to her Pokémon.

Nodding in response, the Soloist, Colt, and Dragon Pokémon braced themselves as they jumped into the fire and water vortex for a final assault.

"So, that's how it is...… Incineroar, use Throat Chop!" Kukui called to his partner, getting a knowing nod and smirk as he also jumped into the vortex.

The four Pokémon roared as they met each other in the middle of the vortex and unleashed their chosen attacks, the added power and pressure causing the fire-water vortex to explode and a plume of smoke covered the field. When the smoke plume cleared, Incineroar, Aqua, Keldeo, and Goodra were shown at the end of their ropes as they panted heavily, leaving everybody anxiously watching which team would come out on top. The seconds ticked by but it felt more like an eternity had passed as the Heel, Colt, Dragon, and Soloist Pokémon waited to see who would fall first.

Eventually, Aqua gritted her teeth as she did her best to hold her ground despite nearly collapsing. Incineroar gave an impressed grunt as he smirked at her before he passed out and fell onto the ground in defeat, shocking Kukui as he was left stunned by what had happened.

"Incineroar is unable to battle!" declared Hala.

Incineroar's photo on the stadium monitor turned gray as Caster announced, "It's done! Incineroar finally falls before Aqua, Goodra, and Keldeo; the princess has ended the victory streak of the Masked Royal and the Battle Royal King!"

"We did it...…"

"It's over," gasped a stunned and awestruck Keldeo and Goodra.

Aqua was shocked when she saw her rival fall but after the results of the battle sank in, she couldn't help but pump her arms into the air victoriously, "….WE DID IIIIIITTTTT!"

Sarah smiled proudly as she shed a tear for Aqua and nodded but her Pokémon with her, the rest of her family, and their friends in the audience were ecstatic, "**You did it, guys!**"

"You won!"

"YES!"

"He's out of there!"

"Yeah!"

"They did it!"

"They won!" the Poms cheered.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-HA! Yeah, girlfriend! That's what I'm talkin' about!" grinned Liberty as the Poms jumped up and down ecstatically.

"They were totally on fire!"

"They're blazing hot!" Ruffnut and Tuffnut grinned as they banged their heads together.

Aqua, Goodra, and Keldeo panted heavily as they smiled over their victory but their moment of happiness was short-lived as they soon collapsed Keldeo and Goodra fell asleep with Sarah rushing over and catching her Soloist Pokémon. The little princess couldn't be happier for them as she looked over her three Water Types, looking proudly at all of them for the hard work they've put into beating Incineroar, once and for all (particularly with Goodra and Aqua).

"Goodra, Keldeo... Aqua, you all did great. I'm so proud of you," Sarah began as she turned her attention to Aqua while she struggled to stay awake, looking into her human mother's eyes. "You've been through more than enough today, you deserve a good rest...…"

Aqua had no strength left to nod and all she could manage was a proud and happy smile, satisfied that she finally defeated Incineroar and avenged Raine and her Primarina's loss along with her species. With that, she joined Keldeo and Goodra in slumber, battered, bruised, and completely exhausted but unbeaten as she kept her satisfied and happy smile on her face.

Sarah gasped but she gave a soft smile in return as she turned to Hala (who was watching the short exchange) and the Melemele Kahuna nodded in response, declaring to everyone, "Keldeo, Aqua, and Goodra are unable to battle!"

Everyone gasped in surprise despite the ongoing applause as Caster remarked in disbelief, "What a stunning crowd shaker! Aqua, Goodra, and Keldeo collapsed and are unable to battle mere moments after finally defeating Prof. Kukui's Incineroar!"

"Are you kiddin'?!"

"No way!"

"How?!"

"And, after they defeated Incineroar!"

"Impossible!"

"How did this happen?"

"Dudes!" the gang and Kiawe's family's Marowak gawked.

"Thanks, guys, you all fought hard," Sarah sighed soothingly as she returned Keldeo, Goodra, and Aqua to their Pokeballs before returning to her side of the stadium. "Just leave Prof. Kukui's last Pokémon to me and the others...…"

"Okay, return... Excellent battling, old friend," Kukui praised Incineroar warmly as he returned him to his Pokeball. "Alright, Sarah, you've one five so far but you should know that I've one Pokémon left and it'll be over if you can Play Rough with my final player!"

"I'm looking forward to it, Prof.!"

"We all are!" Sarah and Blitz replied, determined to win the match.

"Now, Sarah and her family with her are just one Pokémon away from claiming the exhibition match against our region's Pokémon professor! But, as we've seen him and Incineroar do before during their Battle Royals at the Battle Dome as he posed as the Masked Royal, Prof. Kukui has saved his best trick for last!"

"We will now resume our battle! Trainers, bring out your Pokemon for our final round!" Hala declared just as a rainbow light appeared above everyone.

Everyone turned towards the light and to their shock and amazement, Tapu Koko finally appeared as he descended from the heavens to meet with Sarah and Blitz, his eyes firmly trained on them as he had something of a special request for them.

"Tapu Koko...…"

"I knew he'd show up," Sarah and Blitz gasped in awe.

"It can't be!"

"Mother, look!"

"Brother Koko's coming down from the heavens!" cried Mizuara, Houratta, and Tsuchowl.

"Son?" blinked Spherialla, surprised.

"It's Tapu Koko!"

"What's going on here?" Wicke and Lusamine puzzled, wondering what Tapu Koko would want.

"Oh, no! I hope he isn't mad at me!" Faba panicked.

"Hold your horseas, Four Eyes. He's not going to pummel you to kingdom come," James rebutted.

"He's descending towards our daughter."

"I wonder what he wants with her given how you and everyone else mentioned his interest in our baby girl," Delilah and Doug pondered.

"Whoa..." breathed a stunned Izzy and Javi.

"Tapu Koko!"

"He's back!" Ash and Pikachu cried out, shocked.

"That's Tapu Koko?"

"Is he one of your region's Island Guardians?" Amelia and Aiyon quizzed.

"Yes, we knew him well since he helped us out on a number of occasions!"

"He's also challenged Sarah to a match twice throughout the last two years and he extended one of his matches to Race and his Pikachu! But, both times she never won against him."

"But, why would he appear here?" Lillie, Mallow, and Sophocles added.

"He wants to challenge her a third time."

"Yeah, Sarah lost two of his challenges previously and she did mention the possibility of him challenging her for a third time. He must've stayed behind behind our backs and watched the whole battle play out until now," Lana and Kiawe noted knowingly.

The crowd and the rest of the heroes muttered in awe and fascination at the Melemele Island guardian as Tapu Koko finally came face to face with Sarah and Blitz for the umpteenth time, wondering what he wanted with her.

"Hello, Princess, Blitz," he greeted.

"Tapu Koko?" gasped Sarah before he turned to Kukui and approached him.

"Professor," he continued before looking at the Pokeball in his right hand.

"Uh, is something wrong?" Kukui asked before the Melemele Land Spirit Pokémon gently took the Pokeball and casually tossed it away.

"I wish to make a proposal with you and the princess for this final round of your exhibition match," Tapu Koko replied before he turned to Sarah and Blitz with his request, one that the pair knew all too well as he pointed at them. "Princess! As you've already guessed, I have a request; I wish to battle you and Young Blitz once more but as our good professor's final Pokémon!"

"...…I guess you knew what I was thinking, did you?" Sarah sighed knowingly with a small smile.

"You, battle Sarah as my final Pokémon!? You can't be serious, Tapu Koko! Are you?!" Kukui balked, flabbergasted at Tapu Koko's request.

Hala, however, laughed heartily at the idea as he voiced his own thoughts on the matter, "It appears Tapu Koko and the princess have a brilliant idea in mind! I believe he wants to team up with you so he can battle Sarah and her Pokémon for a third time! And, from what you two and her friends told me regarding his previous challenges with her, he wants to test her one final time to see if she and her family can finally match up to a true Island Guardian."

Tapu Koko chuckled as he nodded and turned to Kukui, "Yes, it's time for us to see if the princess and her Pokémon have what it takes to truly stand up against an Island Guardian or Pokémon as powerful as me and my brothers and sisters. Kukui, I want you to fight alongside me for my final challenge; nothing would make me happier than to see if the princess can finally overcome me with you at the helm as I hoped."

"Seriously? Us and you, Tapu Koko? With Kukui as your partner, for the last round?! ALRIGHT! I've been waiting for this, Tapu Koko! It's time to test our luck against you and your own luck, once and for all!" Blitz grinned wholeheartedly.

Sarah grinned as she replied, "I couldn't agree more; fighting you again but with Kukui as your partner is an honor not to be taken lightly, Tapu Koko. Challenge accepted! Let's fight!"

At this, Kukui smirked brightly as he agreed to Tapu Koko's proposal and put his final Pokeball away before he called out to the audience, "There's never a dull moment in Alola whenever you're around, Sarah. So, shall we? What about all of you, DO YOU WANT TO SEE TAPU KOKO BATTLE?"

The crowd and the heroes went nuts with the greatest uproar of cheers and applause, all of them wanting to see Tapu Koko go up against Sarah and her Pokémon in the final round of the match as Kukui's final Pokémon.

"It's amazing!"

"This is a first rate battle of legends we'll be having!"

"I've gotta see this!"

"I've never read anything like this in any book ever!"

"What an exhibition match!"

"ALRIGHT, SARAH! TAPU KOKOOOOOOO!"

"Come on, everybody! Let's cheer with all we got for them!" the gang shouted as the Pokémon, dragons, and mythicals roared, jumped, growled, and howled ecstatically.

"The team of Kukui and Tapu Koko for the final round? EEEEEEEEEEE! I'M BESIDE MYSELF WITH JOY!" Burnet squealed as she saw her husband and Tapu Koko prepare to battle against Sarah and her remaining Pokémon.

"Our baby girl against one of our region's Island Guardian angels...…"

"My beautiful, little Sarah...…" breathed a happy Doug and Delilah as the latter started to shed proud tears from her eyes.

"This is it..."

"Her final rematch against the head honcho of Island Guardians..." put in Asha and Race, knowing what's about to go down.

"This is incredible! An Island Guardian working with a Pokémon Trainer, this is true Pokémon history in the making!" Prof. Oak remarked excitedly.

"I can't wait for this, Tapu Koko! Now, show Sarah and her Pokémon your true fighting spirit with a well-deserved Dazzling Gleam!" Kukui smirked.

"Guardian's Honor, Prof. Kukui!" nodded Tapu Koko as he hovered above the field after he went forward just as Naganadel hovered in front of the others.

"I see, you want to see how he fights first?" Sarah said to Naganadel who just nodded. "Alright, go for it, girl."

"Right..." With Sarah's blessings, Naganadel went up against Tapu Koko as the two of them prepared to fight.

"It's a battle to behold as Naganadel is squaring off against Tapu Koko in a battle of the Ultra Beasts and Island Guardians! Which of these two fighters will reign supreme?" Caster announced as the crowd continued to cheer.

"An Ultra Beast vs. an Island Guardian? What a wonder, a fascinating sight!" Faba cheered.

"I'm so excited!" Wicke grinned as Tapu Koko activated his Electrical Surge ability, using Electric Terrain from the get-go.

"Electric Surge."

"You're on, Tapu Koko! Come and get us!" Kukui and Sarah grinned.

"I intend to. Now, Ms. Naganadel, let's see how you fare in your current form. Prepare yourself!" Tapu Koko replied as he got into a battle stance.

"Bring it!" retorted Naganadel as she got into her battle stance and the final round of the exhibition match began.

Our heroine and Kukui's exhibition match has led to an unexpected twist in the form of Melemele's Island Guardian! But, what strategies will Sarah use against Tapu Koko for their final battle? The answers to come as the journey continues!