Alola! We're back for what's bound to be an incredible finale to the final match of the Lanakila Conference! I've had such a blast writing this story, doing battles and developing original characters through such ordeals. At times, I've felt as if I'd never get this story up to this point. I remember even pushing it aside enough at one point that people were asking about updates, that being before I put myself on a schedule.
But now we're here. I'll talk more about what's to come in the future for this story, but I'd like to express a sincere thank you to everyone who's read this story. You've helped make me build it up to such an experience, and I want to make sure it's the best one possible in the end.
So without further delay, let's wrap up the Alola League once and for all. Welcome back to "The Challenge of a Lifetime"!
POKÉMON SUN & MOON
THE CHALLENGE OF A LIFETIME
"Magmortar, Focus Blast!" Erika commanded. Holding out his right arm and retracting his claws, the Blast Pokémon prepped an orange orb of energy over it.
"Toucannon, use Hyper Voice!" Calvin ordered. The Cannon Pokémon had the tip of his beak glow a bright white before he opened his mouth, releasing a powerful screech as waves of turquoise energy rang out. His opponent fired off his energy orb, having it collide with the sound waves in a fierce explosion. The smoke quickly cleared, revealing both Pokémon glaring at each other.
"Things are down to the wire as Magmortar and Toucannon exchange blows!" Jim noted excitedly over the broadcast, "Only time will tell who's going to come out on top!" he added. In another section of the stands, Primarina was watching on alongside Drifblim and Sandslash, while Gumshoos, Araquanid, and Marowak were there as well. Their respective trainers were giving it their all. But only one would be able to attain victory in the end.
"Toucannon, Bullet Seed!" Calvin commanded, swinging his left arm out. Opening his beak, the Cannon Pokémon unleashed a flurry of gold seeds shrouded by a light green luminosity.
"Clear Smog!" Erika advised quickly. Puffing his chest, Magmortar expelled a greyish smog from his mouth, veiling him from view as the seeds flew in. The Ketchum boy across the field blinked, wondering if his partner's attack had actually landed. He was looking around for a sign of his opponent as the smog spread.
"Quite a tense battle, isn't it?" Geeta remarked from the V.I.P. section, getting Ash and Leslie's attentions, "I haven't gotten to see a match like this since witnessing my protégé practice at the academy in Paldea…" she mentioned in admittance as she chuckled.
"Erika's really bringing it as usual," Leslie pointed out.
"And so is Calvin," her father added.
"Pika, pee…" Pikachu squeaked in agreement.
"In the end, it's all going to come down to who's best suited to handle the pressures of being a Champion," Geeta affirmed. Back on the field, Toucannon looked around for a sign of his opponent in the smog.
"Now Flamethrower!" Erika commanded fiercely. All of a sudden, the Cannon Pokémon took notice of an orange glow emitting to his left.
"Quick, dodge!" his trainer called out. He unfolded his wings and flapped them to take flight, while a stream of fire rushed through the smog. It managed to graze him, making him wince in pain. "Toucannon!" Calvin yelled.
"Too… kah!" he squawked out reassuringly, still airborne.
"Okay, Rock Smash!" his trainer ordered. The tip of the Cannon Pokémon's beak glowed a bright reddish-orange as he dove down toward his opponent, with the smog having cleared.
"Fire Punch!" Erika shouted. The Blast Pokémon had orange flames envelop his right arm as he charged in, attempting to strike his foe first. Unfortunately, Toucannon was just a little faster, managing to jab his beak against his stomach to send him sliding back in a grunt.
"Magg…!" he groaned out as a bluish aura flowed down his body.
"Magmortar!" his trainer cried out.
"Uh oh!" Jim yelped through the loudspeakers, "Looks like Magmortar's defense dropped as of taking that Rock Smash!" he pointed out, "Toucannon continues to show such great resilience, even after having a close match against Oricorio earlier!" he mentioned. At that moment though, flames erupted around the Cannon Pokémon, causing him to cry out in pain.
"Toucannon!" Calvin screamed. The fire subsided, with his partner breathing heavily.
"Oh, and Toucannon winds up burned?!" Jim exclaimed into the microphone out of shock, "Did Magmortar land a Fire Punch after all?!" he wondered loudly.
"No, that's definitely not it…" Paige noted from the stands, putting a hand onto her chin.
"But then what happened?" Hau inquired.
"It wazzz Magmortar'zzz Flame Body!" Rotom buzzed, "When a Pokémon makezzz direct contact with him, there'zzz a chance they could get burned!" it explained.
"Was Erika counting on that happening?" Trent wondered aloud, arching an eyebrow.
"Either way, she's got a chance to bring this home!" Pyrrha proclaimed excitedly, "You got this, Erika!" she called out.
"Yeah, go!" Nemona cheered.
"Magmortar, finish him off with Focus Blast!" the Ketchum girl on the field instructed.
"Mag!" the Blast Pokémon responded, retracting the claws of both arms before bringing them together, prepping an orb of orange energy over them.
"Toucannon, Beak Blast!" Calvin commanded.
"Too kah!" the Cannon Pokémon squawked, heating his beak as it started glowing a bright orange. As he readied himself, his foe reared his arms back, firing off the energy orb toward him. His eyes jolted open before he opened his beak, unleashing a searing beam of orange light. It collided with the orb, with both trainers flinching from the brightness of the impact. The light enveloped the field completely, as no one yet knew what was to come of it…
OPENING
Insert "Rise Above" by Rainych
Opens with the sun dawning over Mount Lanakila. In spite of its freezing air, Calvin and Erika stand firm alongside their full teams of Pokémon as the wind rushes by. Near the base of the mountain is the site of what will be Alola's first ever Pokémon League, where Kukui stands with an excited grin on his face.
A rainbow of flower petals washes over the logo as we cut to Calvin lamenting on the boardwalk of the Seafolk Village, sitting alone and wondering if he can really take on the rest of the island challenge. At the same time, Erika is lying on her bed upon her side, thinking about the exact same thing. They both clench their fists determinedly, ready to see things through.
We cut to Calvin flying aboard a Charizard, while Erika's aboard a Pelipper. They fly throughout each of Alola's islands, smiling all the while. They see Ilima, Lana, Kiawe, Mallow, Sophocles, Acerola, Mina, Hala, Olivia, Nanu, and Hapu along the way as they arrive at the Pokémon League.
There, they're greeted by their parents and their big sister, who encourage them as they enter through the doors into the stadium. Inside, they find Hau, Pyrrha, Paige, Trent, and Gladion there. Others like Ryuki, Plumeria, and even Guzma are present. The Ketchum twins both grin excitedly, prepared to engage in some amazing battles.
The scene changes to Calvin commanding his Toucannon to use Beak Blast to take down a Machoke, while Erika has her Lurantis use X-Scissor to down an opponent's Bisharp. Hau's Decidueye goes up against Gladion and Silvally. The Synthetic Pokémon evades his foe's arrow quills before landing a powerful Fire-type Multi-Attack. Decidueye endures it, while Hau prepares a green Z-Crystal with a symbol similar to his partner, cracking a smirk.
We cut to Paige revealing a Key Stone around her neck as she uses it to Mega Evolve her Blaziken, who speeds out to attack Pyrrha's Typhlosion with a Blaze Kick. He counters by using Flamethrower. In the meantime, Trent commands his Alolan Ninetales to use Blizzard on Ryuki's Turtonator. The Blast Turtle Pokémon endures the freezing winds, unleashing a Flamethrower that appears to engulf his foe.
Calvin and Erika are then facing off, with Incineroar and Primarina battling for them. The two collide via a Flare Blitz/Aqua Jet, resulting in a powerful blast. As it clears, we witness Lycanroc slamming his clenched paws against the ground for a Stone Edge aimed to take down Araquanid. However, the Water Bubble Pokémon blasts the incoming stone pillars apart with Liquidation. Oricorio in her Baile Style comes out to unleash the searing fireball of a Revelation Dance toward Toucannon, who endures the attack and retaliates with Hyper Voice.
As the dust settles, we see Lurantis enduring Trop Kicks from Tsareena, gathering sunlight to unleash a Solar Blade onto the Fruit Pokémon. Mimi comes out from the dust, unleashing Shadow Claws onto Starbright, who endures them. She then strikes back with a Meteor Mash, merely busting the costume of the Disguise Pokémon as she chases after her opponent. Finally, we have Marowak using Shadow Bone to bash the incoming icicles of Sandslash, who dives down at him with an Iron Head.
The dust clears again, revealing the Ketchum twins staring at each other confidently with their teams. They're prepared for whatever else is ahead for them as they stand outside the stadium as the sun sets…
END OPENING
Victory!
The luminosity was enough to even make those in the V.I.P. section squint their eyes. The orange orb of energy was at a deadlock with the beam as both Toucannon and Magmortar were still standing. All of a sudden though, the orb dissipated, allowing for the beam to sear through.
"Mah…?!" the Blast Pokémon gasped out before winding up caught in the blast, resulting in a burst of black smoke. His trainer flinched, covering her head with her arms.
"Magmortar…" she uttered out worriedly. The smoke was slow to settle. As it did though, it revealed the Blast Pokémon lying upon the ground in a daze as swirls were in his eyes. Dan ran over to assess his condition. He then raised his right arm.
"Magmortar is unable to battle!" he confirmed. The crowd erupted into cheers as the Blast Pokémon's image upon the video boards was greyed out.
"What a turn of events!" Jim exclaimed over the broadcast, "Magmortar, who took on Incineroar and Mimikyu earlier, now winds up falling as the final battle's on the horizon!" he noted excitedly. Erika lowered her head for a moment, returning her partner to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"Thanks for your help, Magmortar," she said gratefully, "We'll take care of the rest," she vowed, shrinking the spherical container with a press of its button and putting it away. She then readied her next one, taking a deep breath. "This isn't over yet, Calvin!" she declared to her brother's surprise, "We're just about to hit our stride!" she proclaimed on, rearing her arm back, "Let's go, Lycanroc!" she yelled, throwing her Poké Ball out onto the turf field. It popped open, and its light formed upon the ground, dissipating to reveal the Wolf Pokémon.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHKKKKKKKKK!" he howled mightily into the air.
"Lycanroc returns, once again being Erika's last Pokémon to call upon!" Jim noted aloud through the loudspeakers, "Between Toucannon and Incineroar, Calvin's remaining Pokémon are at a severe type disadvantage!" he pointed out, "That said, it's still anyone's game!" he affirmed on.
"Toucannon, Bullet Seed!" the Ketchum boy ordered. Opening his beak, the Cannon Pokémon fired off a flurry of gold seeds cloaked in a light green aura, heading for his foe.
"Stone Edge!" Erika commanded. Clenching his forepaws, Lycanroc swung them up before bringing them down, slamming them hard against the ground. Light blue rock pillars sprang up, blocking off the seeds as they trailed towards Toucannon.
"Dodge!" Calvin yelled, enticing his partner to unfold his wings and take to the skies, avoiding the rock pillars before they could strike him. However, embers started flickering from his body, making him wince.
"Seems Toucannon's still reeling from the effects of being burned thanks to Magmortar's Flame Body," Tom pointed out into the microphone.
"That's going to be a huge factor into how this fight'll end!" Jim proclaimed.
"Lycanroc, use Crunch!" Erika ordered, sticking her right hand out. The teeth of the Wolf Pokémon shined a bright white and sharpened as he rushed forward, hopping onto the stone pillars as he closed in on his opponent.
"Toucannon, Rock Smash!" Calvin commanded. The Cannon Pokémon made the tip of his beak glow a bright reddish-orange as he dove toward his foe, who leapt up at him. He managed to jab his beak against his target's back, making him gasp with pain. But he steeled himself, managing to chomp on the left wing of his opponent.
"KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screeched with agony.
"Now throw him down!" Erika instructed from below. Spinning around, Lycanroc tossed Toucannon, sending him tumbling through the air before he crashed upon the ground in a flurry of dust.
"Toucannon!" his trainer cried out. The dust settled, revealing the Cannon Pokémon trying to bring himself back up onto his feet, only to flames to flicker about his body yet again. He toppled over onto his stomach, letting out a low groan. Dan ran over, taking notice of the swirls in his eyes as he lied upon the ground.
"Toucannon is unable to battle!" he confirmed, raising his left arm. The crowd cheered, while the Cannon Pokémon's image upon the video boards was greyed out.
"Even with Toucannon's incredible efforts thus far in this match, it only seemed like a matter of time before he went down!" Jim noted over the broadcast, "So now, we're down to the last Pokémon for each side!" he mentioned excitedly, "How will this final matchup unfold?!" he wondered aloud. Meanwhile, Calvin returned his fainted partner to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"Thanks for doing your best, Toucannon," he said gratefully, "We'll handle the rest from here," he vowed, putting the spherical container away.
"So now it's one-on-one…" Trent noted from the stands.
"Both Incineroar and Lycanroc took a bit of damage in their fights earlier…" Paige mentioned in remembrance, "Incineroar especially had a tough time dealing with Magmortar and Palossand…" she added on.
"That Incineroar's pretty resilient though," the dark green-haired boy pointed out to her surprise, "You and I both saw that firsthand," he mentioned. The silvery-haired girl chuckled in response.
"Jahng…" Jangmo-o uttered with amazement, wagging his tail excitedly while still in Mirajane's lap. She giggled.
"I'm sure you'll get to battle like Lycanroc someday," she assured, petting the Scaly Pokémon. Up in the V.I.P. section, the various Champion Masters watched on curiously.
"It's all come down to this, hm?" Diantha noted, putting her left hand onto her chin.
"Battles can be quite intense when they come down to the wire like this," Steven pointed out, folding his arms over his chest.
"Indeed," Lance agreed, "But that's what makes them all the more exciting," he mentioned, "Isn't that right, Ash?" he inquired of the Pokémon Master standing by the window, getting his attention.
"Yeah," he agreed with a nod.
"Peekah, pika!" Pikachu squeaked in agreement, while Leslie giggled. Back on the field, Calvin enlarged the Poké Ball in his right hand by pressing its button. He stared at it for a moment in thought.
'It feels like it's been forever since we both started our journeys…' he admitted to himself, 'Even though it's only been a few months…' he added inwardly, looking out at his twin sister, who was grinning confidently, 'Back then, neither of us wanted anything to do with Pokémon…' he remembered, 'We wanted to just ignore all that because it didn't speak to us at first…' he recalled on, 'But when we finally got a chance to be trainers, we wound up embracing it…' he added further, 'And now, here we are, on the biggest stage imaginable…' he finished inwardly, smiling a little. All of a sudden, his Poké Ball burst open on its own, causing him to yelp in surprise as its light formed upon the ground, dissipating to reveal Incineroar.
"Rah!" she huffed, punching her left hand determinedly.
"Incineroar…" her trainer uttered out. She looked back at him, giving him a confident smirk. He blinked before grinning back. "Hey, Erika!" he called out, getting his twin sister's attention, "You've really given us a great battle so far!" he affirmed, clenching his fists tightly, "Even so, we're far from finished!" he proclaimed.
"Sehhh RAAAAAAWWWWWWWRRRRR!" the Heel Pokémon roared mightily. The crowd cheered
"Incineroar returns to a triumphant fanfare!" Jim declared through the loudspeakers, "Even though she's been put through the wringer herself, she's still raring to go!" he proclaimed.
"Calvin…" Erika uttered. She thought back to when she and her brother were brought to Alola on vacation, not really caring what would come of it. And even after they received their first Pokémon, she wasn't as interested in partaking in a journey like Calvin.
Thinking about how arrogant, uncaring, and selfish she was before coming to her senses, the Ketchum girl wondered if she even deserved this opportunity. But then she remembered how Tapu Koko provided her the stone that would become her Z-Ring, which then further became her Z-Power Ring. She looked down at her trinket, smiling a little.
'Hard to believe that it was only so long ago that I was such a big brat…' she noted to herself, exhaling a quick breath as she smiled, 'But after all this time…' she continued through her thoughts, 'I'm glad I went on this journey… and met so many friends!' she proclaimed inwardly. Glancing back at her, Lycanroc cracked a smirk.
"Rahk!" he barked out, taking a ready stance.
"Calvin!" his trainer yelled, getting her brother's attention as he blinked in surprise, "Don't think we're finished, either!" she insisted, sticking her right fist out, "After coming this far, we can't just slow down right before the finish line!" she declared, "We'll keep going all out!" she vowed.
"RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHKKKKKKKKKKK!" Lycanroc bellowed in agreement.
"Sounds like both Calvin and Erika have exchanged a few final words before this last matchup!" Jim pointed out, "And now, we're about to witness a finale to remember!" he affirmed on.
X
"COME ON, ERIKA!" Nemona and Pyrrha cheered from the stands.
"YOU GOT THIS, CALVIN!" Hau and Hop yelled out. Every kid was standing on their feet, including Gladion and Trent as they were shouting out their cheers towards the field. Mirajane smiled, standing up herself with Jangmo-o in her arms.
"You've really come a long way, you two…" she affirmed aloud. On the turf field itself, both Incineroar and Lycanroc stared each other down. Their trainers had yet to issue a command. And then…
"Cross Chop!" Calvin ordered.
"Reversal!" Erika yelled. Both Pokémon lunged at each other. Incineroar's arms glowed a bright orange as she crossed them over her face. Meanwhile, Lycanroc had an orange aura swirl around his body before concentrating into a mass over his front right paw, which he clenched tightly. He reared it back, thrusting it out to counter his opponent's attempted swipe. A burst of wind rang out from their impact, making their respective trainers flinch upon feeling its force.
"We're kicking this battle off with a collision of Reversal and Cross Chop!" Jim pointed out excitedly, "It doesn't seem like either of them are going to back down!" he mentioned. After another moment, the two Pokémon blew each other back, sliding to a stop along the turf.
"Now Stone Edge!" the Ketchum girl commanded.
"RAAAAHHHHHH!" the Wolf Pokémon roared, slamming his front paws against the ground. Light blue rock pillars shot up, trailing towards his opponent.
"Use Darkest Lariat!" Calvin instructed. Dark red flames erupted upon the hands of the Heel Pokémon. She spun around rapidly, shattering the incoming pillars. Erika grimaced, while her brother cracked a confident grin.
"Incineroar's Darkest Lariat does away with that Stone Edge without too much of a problem!" Jim noted into the microphone as the Heel Pokémon came to a stop, smirking wickedly, "Things are already looking pretty intense, folks!" he added excitedly.
"Now Cross Chop!" the Ketchum boy commanded, swinging his right arm out. Incineroar made her arms glow a bright orange again as she lunged forward, crossing them over her face. Her opponent stood his ground.
"Lycanroc, Howl!" his trainer called out, causing Calvin to blink in surprise.
"RAAAAAHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the Wolf Pokémon howled mightily into the night sky. A reddish aura flowed up his body before Incineroar closed in, swiping her arms across his chest to send him sliding back.
"Whoa!" Nemona yelped out.
"Why didn't she tell him to dodge that?" Pyrrha wondered aloud.
"That was super effective, too…" Trent added, quite surprised by Erika's current strategy.
"Rrrrr…" Lycanroc growled, standing firm as he glared at his opponent.
"Now Stone Edge!" his trainer ordered, crouching and slamming her right fist against the turf. With both of his front paws clenched, the Wolf Pokémon swung them down, striking the ground hard. Light blue stone pillars erupted from the turf, trailing again towards Incineroar.
"Darkest Lariat!" Calvin commanded. Dark red flames ignited upon the Heel Pokémon's hands again. She started spinning around, but wound up getting knocked away as the rock pillars crashed into her. "What?!" her trainer exclaimed in disbelief.
"And this time, Incineroar's the one to get knocked flat by that Stone Edge!" Jim yelled over the broadcast.
"That Howl was a risky move that seemed to pay off!" Tom mentioned excitedly.
"Rrraaaahhhh…" the Heel Pokémon groaned as she brought herself back up onto her feet.
"Nice going, Lycanroc!" Erika complimented of her partner, "Now use Crunch!" she ordered.
"Rahk!" the Wolf Pokémon barked, making his teeth shine a bright white and sharpen before dashing forward, closing in on his foe.
"Incineroar, Outrage!" Calvin commanded. The Heel Pokémon's eyes flashed red as she roared into the air, followed by a reddish aura flaring to life around her. As Lycanroc chomped on her left arm, she retaliated with a swipe to his head, knocking him off of her. She then furiously bombarded him with a series of kicks and swipes, making him stumble back.
"Lycanroc's Crunch ends up putting him in a bad spot as an Outraging Incineroar continues pummeling him!" Jim noted through the loudspeakers. The Heel Pokémon charged in again, while her opponent was struggling to regain his footing.
"Lycanroc, Reversal!" Erika commanded, pumping her right fist out. An orange aura burst to life around the Wolf Pokémon, who concentrated the energy into his right forepaw as he clenched it tightly. As Incineroar closed in on him, he thrusted his extremity out to counter hers, resulting in a powerful shockwave. Both of them wound up blowing each other back again, sliding to a stop. The Heel Pokémon's eyes then stopped glowing. She staggered around with fatigued, evidently discombobulated.
"Incineroar…" her trainer uttered in worry and frustration.
"Fatigued from that Outrage, Incineroar's left confused!" Jim pointed out into the microphone, "This gives Lycanroc quite the opening here!" he mentioned.
"Lycanroc, Stone Edge!" Erika ordered fiercely.
"RRAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHKKKKKKKKKKKK!" the Wolf Pokémon roared, slamming his clenched forepaws against the ground again. Light blue stone pillars erected from the turf, trailing towards Incineroar.
"Quick, dodge it!" Calvin cried out. Unfortunately, the Heel Pokémon was still stumbling about. She wound up struck from below as a pillar collided with her stomach, sending her flying back as she gasped. Those in the crowd and in the V.I.P. section watched with awe, wondering if that would ultimately decide the match. However, Incineroar's eyes shot open.
"RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRR!" she roared as a flaming red aura flared around her body. She landed upon the ground on her feet, growling angrily.
"Incineroar's still standing!" Jim exclaimed over the broadcast, "Even after taking a direct hit from that Stone Edge, she's still raring to go and win this battle!" he noted on excitedly.
"Incineroar…" Calvin uttered with shock.
"RAAAWWWWRRRR!" the Heel Pokémon bellowed, raising her fists. She then slammed them mightily against the ground, causing orange lights to spew out as a wave of energy rushed through it, trailing toward her opponent.
"Rah?!" he yelped in surprise, stepping back nervously.
"Wait, that's…!" Erika started to realize, widening her eyes as she remembered seeing Incineroar use the exact same attack during her battle against Guzma's Golisopod, "Lycanroc, watch out!" the Ketchum girl screamed to her partner, getting his attention. Unfortunately, it was too late as the orange lights converged around him, followed by a massive explosion. Everyone in the stands braced themselves.
"THERE IT IS!" Jim yelled through the loudspeakers, "Incineroar's Blast Burn returns as she lands a devastating blow onto Lycanroc, retaliating for that Stone Edge!" he pointed out excitedly, "Is that enough to settle things?!" he wondered on. The smoke had yet to settle, though Dan was prepared to make a call as soon as he could see what had happened to the Wolf Pokémon. Everyone watched on anxiously, wondering if the battle was in fact decided. The smoke settled… and Lycanroc was still standing.
"Rahhh…" he breathed out, snickering as a wicked smirk was upon his face. Even though burn marks were present along his body, he was still ready to fight. "RAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" he bellowed out.
"INCREDIBLE!" Jim exclaimed into the microphone, "Lycanroc withstands the Blast Burn and now looks to be ready to make a counterattack!" he confirmed as the crowd cheered.
"Oh man… this is so intense…" Nemona admitted as she trembled a little, "Pokémon battling's the best!" she proclaimed as her eyes sparkled.
"But it's close to over now," Sunset pointed out.
"Yeah, I doubt either of those two can handle one more attack…" Sawyer noted in agreement.
"Which means…" Gladion continued, narrowing his eyes, "there's only one thing left to do," he affirmed. On the field, both trainers breathed heavily. The battle had reached such a fever pitch that they hadn't realized it was close to ending. All it would take… was one last attack. Calvin went ahead and placed his Incinium Z upon his Z-Power Ring, while Erika readied the Lycanium Z upon hers.
"It all comes down to this, Calvin!" the latter of the two proclaimed.
"Yeah!" her brother agreed.
"Let's do this!" they exclaimed simultaneously, crossing their arms at the same exact time. Their Z-Crystals flashed brightly before they started waving their arms around, performing their respective dances.
"And now we're finally to the point where both trainers are using their Z-Moves at the exact same time!" Jim noted excitedly over the broadcast, "Which of these two'll come out on top now?!" he inquired. Leslie watched on from the V.I.P. section with nothing but a small smile upon her face. She felt great pride in her twin siblings. Both had matured to the point where they were battling upon the greatest stage imaginable. And now, they were about to decide which of them was stronger.
Calvin raised his arms up like a zombie, while Erika posed sturdily with her arms flexed. The auras that were enveloping them shot out in streaks to their respective Pokémon, merging with their bodies. Afterwards, the Z-Move symbol flashed in front of them.
"MALICIOUS…" Calvin began mightily.
"SPLINTERED…" Erika started to echo.
"MOONSAULT!" her brother roared.
"STORMSHARDS!" his sister yelled. A dark red, flaming aura enveloped Incineroar as she leapt high into the air. At the same time, Lycanroc howled, breaking the ground around himself. Shards of rock were thrown up into the air, as he leapt after them. He and his foe came to a stop in midair, sharing a look with each other. They then dove downward, intending to meet just above the ground, as the shards of rock fell as well.
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" both trainers bellowed. The two Pokémon roared before colliding fiercely in a powerful blast, causing everyone to brace themselves from its impact. It was enough to knock Calvin and Erika down as they yelped. The smoke billowed high into the night sky as everyone in the stands watched on in awe. Those in the V.I.P. section looked on, just as amazed by the final collision. The remainder of the twins' Pokémon were just as shocked, wondering who would still be standing. When the smoke finally settled, Dan blinked in surprise.
"Ow…" Calvin grunted before standing back up.
"Ergh…" Erika groaned, getting onto her feet as well. She looked out and widened her eyes. So did her brother. Both Incineroar and Lycanroc were standing behind each other, riddled with scrapes and bruises from their intense battles up to this point. They started staggering at the same time, using every bit of their willpower to stay up on their feet.
And then, they both faltered. But where the Heel Pokémon toppled over onto her stomach, her foe managed to catch himself in a grunt, lying upon his left knee as he breathed heavily. Everyone looked on in shock. Dan closed his eyes for a moment, having made his assessment. He raised his left arm.
"Incineroar is unable to battle!" he announced, "Lycanroc wins!" he confirmed on, "Therefore," he continued, gesturing toward Erika as she blinked in surprise, "the winner of the Lanakila Conference and now the Alola Region's first-ever Champion is Erika!" he finished thoroughly. The crowd cheered.
"And it's decided!" Jim yelled over the broadcast, "In the end, Lycanroc stands long enough to outlast Incineroar, giving Erika Ketchum the victory and the recognition as Alola's first Champion!" he pointed out excitedly as on the video boards, the Heel Pokémon's image was greyed out before she and her teammates were erased from the screens with their trainer. The Ketchum girl moved to the center with her team of six, with a 'VICTOR' sign appearing underneath them. She stared up at the screen as fireworks were going off up above.
"I… won?" she inquired as her eyes started shaking.
"Rahhh…" Lycanroc groaned out, getting her attention as she saw the Wolf Pokémon staggering as he tried turning around.
"Lycanroc!" she exclaimed, hurrying over to him as quickly as she could. On the way, she started laughing, realizing what had happened. Her partner was about to fall over, but she caught him, hugging him warmly as she smiled. "Thanks a bunch, Lycanroc!" she said gratefully, "We did it!" she pointed out as tears of joy pricked her eyes. The tired Wolf Pokémon grinned a little, nuzzling against his trainer as she giggled.
Meanwhile, Incineroar managed to bring herself up onto her knees, exhaling a deep breath. She looked up at the video boards, narrowing her eyes onto the result of the match. A look of frustration crossed her face as she clenched her fists. However, she suddenly felt a hand come upon her left shoulder. She looked over to see Calvin there.
"Don't be upset," he insisted of her as she blinked in surprise, "We might've not won in the end, but…" he continued as he looked at the video boards, "we had a great battle, didn't we?" he presumed with a smile. The Heel Pokémon thought for a moment before cracking a grin of agreement. With her trainer's help, she was able to get back onto her feet.
"SHE WON! SHE WON!" Pyrrha and Nemona cheered from the stands excitedly.
"Now that was incredible," Sunset admitted aloud.
"I'll say," Rumi agreed with a chuckle. Bea merely nodded, giving off a small smile.
"Cal…" Hau uttered out, somewhat disappointed. But at the same time, he was happy that Erika had won.
"Those two really gave it their all down there," Trent noted with crossed arms.
"And it could've gone either way," Paige added.
"Hm," Gladion huffed as he grinned, "Yeah, you're right," he agreed. He looked over to his sister, who was tearing up, though she smiled all the same.
'I'm so happy for you two…' she confessed through her thoughts.
"I can only imagine what Ash is thinking right now with all this," Lisanna remarked, sharing a laugh with her husband, "What about you, Mira?" she asked of her older sister, only to blink in surprise to see the Take-Over wizard wiping her teary eyes.
"Oh, sorry…" she apologized with a sniffle, "I'm just… so proud of those two…" she confessed happily. Ash and Leslie watched on from the V.I.P. section with the other Champion Masters, smiling at the sight below. Calvin and Erika approached each other with their respective Pokémon being held up by them.
"Heh!" the latter giggled, "We really went all out, didn't we?" she assumed sheepishly.
"Yeah…" her brother agreed, "But it was all worth it," he affirmed, looking around at the huge crowd. Most of them were starting to stand up and applaud the twins for their efforts. Their Pokémon that they had left out from the battle were also cheering happily, regardless of the result. "Erika," Calvin said, getting his twin sister's attention as she saw him hold his right hand out to her, "I hope you'll battle me again someday," he told her. She smiled brightly.
"Of course I will!" she affirmed, taking his hand with her own and shaking it firmly to seal their vow. The crowd applauded the twins. No matter who wound up victorious, they had both done their best to show an amazing battle.
Watching from afar were Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, and Tapu Fini. The former of the quartet nodded its head, contented by what it had seen. The pair it chose to take on the sparkling stones it gave them had made themselves into fine trainers. Now, there was only one thing left to do…
X
"Everyone, thank you so much for coming!" Rose exclaimed into the microphone as he, Oleana, and the Champion Masters were all gathered on the field, "Tonight's battle marked the end of the Lanakila Conference, but the beginning of a new era as well!" he pointed out excitedly, "Alola now has its first-ever Champion!" he declared, gesturing toward Erika. She was amongst all of her Pokémon: Primarina, Lycanroc, Oricorio, Lurantis, Drifblim, Magmortar, Palossand, Starbright, Sandslash, and even Jangmo-o. Calvin was also there alongside his Pokémon: Incineroar, Gumshoos, Toucannon, Araquanid, Marowak, Tsareena, Poliwrath, Togedemaru, and Mimi.
The crowd was cheering excitedly, watching an emerging from one of the tunnels was Kukui, who carried a massive, gold trophy with a Poké Ball emblem upon it over a coat of arms. The Alola League victor awed the sight of the trophy as the professor got closer with it. He approached, grinning all the while.
"Congratulations, Erika," he complimented, making her giggle. She accepted the trophy, yelping a little from its weight as she struggled to hold it up. Fortunately, Primarina and Lycanroc supported her, while those in the audience applauded.
"There you have it, everyone!" Jim exclaimed through the loudspeakers, "The first-ever Alola League ends with a brand new Champion in Erika Ketchum!" he confirmed, "A huge accomplishment indeed!" he added excitedly. As the award ceremony slowly came to a close, the crowd dispersed. Elsewhere in the stadium, the trophy was set aside as Mirajane and Jangmo-o arrived on the field with Sunset, Rumi, Bea, Pyrrha, Nemona, Hau, Hop, Trent, Pyrrha, Sawyer, and Lisanna in tow.
"Mom!" Erika cried out, hurrying over to her. The Take-Over wizard opened her arms, allowing her youngest daughter to jump into them happily for a warm embrace.
"I'm so proud of you…" she commented sweetly. Everyone smiled at the sight, though Calvin found himself tipping his cap over his eyes. His father took notice, hearing him sniffle. He let out a sigh and smiled.
"No need to feel bad about losing," he noted, placing his right hand atop his son's head to get his attention, "You fought with all your heart out there, didn't you?" he inquired.
"Y-Yeah…" he stuttered out, wiping his eyes.
"That was amazing, Erika!" Pyrrha complimented as she went over and hugged her friend, making her yelp, "You really are one of the strongest!" she affirmed.
"Yeah, for real!" Nemona agreed as she approached, "I've never gotten to see such an amazing battle before!" she proclaimed, while her eyes sparkled.
"Eh-heh…" the Ketchum girl chuckled out, "Thanks…" she said gratefully.
"Seeing that match in full really fired me up!" Leon admitted as he clenched his fists, "I kinda wanna battle right now, too!" he pointed out additionally.
"It's the same for me," Lance chimed in, "On a stage like this, you can't help but be enticed to battle," he noted.
"Indeed," Cynthia agreed, while Diantha giggled. With a curious grin, Rose looked out to the array of Champion Masters and other strong trainers, having an idea slowly form in his head.
"Is something wrong, Chairman?" Oleana asked of him.
"Perhaps I thought of something that could happen in the future," he responded with a shrug, "But for now, I'll let everyone here celebrate," he decided, seeing the happy faces of those before him.
"So what happens now?" Hau wondered aloud out of curiosity.
"Well, you all need some rest after such a long night," his father confirmed in reply as he approached.
"Now that you mention it…" Pyrrha chimed in, letting out a long yawn of exhaustion. Her mother giggled.
"Let's save the real celebration for tomorrow," she insisted, going over to help hold her daughter up by her shoulders.
"Good call," Rumi agreed, "This little bunny's about to pass out, too…" she mentioned, noticing Bea leaning tiredly against her.
"Please… don't call me that…" she begged exhaustedly as she blushed. Erika and Calvin grinned, but then realized something. Lillie and Gladion were nowhere to be found, having left the stadium. The two of them were standing at the edge of the mountainside, with the latter of the two turning off his phone.
"So… that's the situation, huh?" he noted, sounding somewhat surprised.
"I didn't know it was going to get so bad…" his sister admitted, clutching the straps of her pink bag, "After seeing her at least wake up and talk…" she continued.
"You still want to help her get better, right?" Gladion assumed of her.
"Of course," she replied with a nod.
"Then you know what we have to do," her brother said, causing her to tense up as she looked back at the stadium. She was happy for Calvin and Erika. And she didn't have the heart to tell them about what the situation was, at least not yet…
X
"Welcome to Alola's first-ever Champion!" Hala exclaimed, gesturing toward Erika as she stood upon the wood stage in front of a crowd of people in Iki Town the next day, with the dusk orange sky looming overhead. The people cheered for the girl who was once inept and uninterested in Pokémon. She chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.
"It's not just me you should be cheering for!" she called out, causing those in the crowd to blink in surprise, "Come on up here!" she beckoned, enticing her brother to make his way onto the stage as well.
"Yeah!" Hau cheered, while others like Paige, Pyrrha and Trent clapped.
"Remember, the island challenge is open to all who wish to partake in it!" Hala declared as he gestured towards the twins, "Perhaps one of you may be like these two someday!" he suggested, causing them to giggle as they waved. Meanwhile, the rest of the family was watching on from afar.
"They're making the most of this for sure…" Leslie noted, folding her arms behind her head.
"I don't blame them," Ash chimed in, watching as Kiawe took the stage with some dancers and Baile Style Oricorio for a performance, "We had quite a celebration ourselves when I first won a tournament," he pointed out, "At least, once chaos died down," he corrected, earning a giggle from his wife.
"Pikah…" Pikachu sighed.
"It certainly proves how trainers like that are cultivated," another voice chimed in, belonging to Geeta as she approached with Nemona beside her.
"Oh, Miss Geeta," Leslie greeted with a smile.
"I'm surprised that you're still in Alola…" Ash admitted as he blinked, "You do have duties to your championship in Paldea, don't you?" he inquired on, arching an eyebrow.
"I've taken my leave of absence well in advance," the Paldean Champion Master affirmed in reply, "And also…" she continued.
"I really wanted to get the chance to battle you, Mister Ketchum!" Nemona exclaimed as she zipped up to the Pokémon Master, making him and Pikachu yelp in surprise, "Won't you please?" she requested as her eyes sparkled.
"Uh…" Ash uttered nervously, rubbing the back of his head. Geeta sighed with a smile.
"While I appreciate your enthusiasm, Nemona," she began to the ponytailed girl, getting her attention, "I don't think you're quite up to the level of a trainer such as Ash," she pointed out.
"So what?!" Nemona yelled in response, "The way I see it, win or lose, we still get a lot of experience out of it!" she argued, "Me and my Pokémon!" she added. The Paldean Champion Master chuckled.
"I suppose you do have a point…" she admitted, "However, I'd like to take the chance to challenge Ash here," she confessed on to everyone's surprise.
"You… want to battle me?" Ash inquired as he blinked.
"I'd be remiss if I didn't take the chance to battle one of the strongest trainers known through the world," Geeta replied, "As much as I wouldn't want to overshadow the celebration for your child…" she continued.
"No, that's totally fine!" the Pokémon Master assured to her surprise, "I'm sure Calvin and Erika would love to see me battle someone strong like you!" he affirmed.
"Pika, peekah!" Pikachu squeaked determinedly as his cheeks sparked with electricity. The Paldean Champion Master let out a laugh.
"Well, if that's how you feel…" she began, "then we shall battle," she declared. Nemona's eyes sparkled with excitement, while Leslie and Mirajane smiled. Meanwhile, the Ketchum twins were seated off to the side, watching Kiawe's performance with the Oricorio and the other dancers. They looked to each other and smiled. Everything they had worked for had led to such a thrilling conclusion.
"Calvin? Erika?" a familiar voice chimed in, getting their attentions as they saw Lillie approach.
"Lillie!" the Ketchum girl exclaimed, shooting up onto her feet and hugging the blonde-haired girl tightly, "Thanks for coming!" she said gratefully, letting her friend go, "Where's Gladion?" she asked, looking around for the former enforcer.
"He's not one for parties…" Lillie replied, "And he had to head back to Aether Paradise for something," she mentioned, while Calvin got up himself.
"Why? Did something happen?" he questioned in concern. The blonde-haired girl tensed up momentarily.
"Well, you see…" she began to respond, only to shake her head, "First, I think we should go up to the Ruins of Conflict," she requested to the surprise of the twins, who looked to each other in confusion.
"Nice going up there, Kiawe!" Mallow complimented as her fellow trial captain came down from the stage, putting down the staff he had been spinning during his dance.
"Thanks," he replied gratefully as Ilima, Lana, Sophocles, Acerola and Mina gathered amongst them, "After all this celebrating, we're going to have to adjust our trials for the future," he noted seriously.
"You're right," Lana agreed as she nodded, "It's not that anyone could do them," she pointed out, "It's just after seeing how well kids like Calvin and Erika did…" she continued, "I think it's only fair we try even harder for the next time," she affirmed.
"I concur," Ilima agreed with a nod.
"Trying to adjust my trial's gonna be complicated…" Sophocles admitted.
"I'm sure you'll figure something out, Soffy!" Acerola assured with a smile.
"If I may have your attention!" Hala's voice boomed, causing everyone gathered to look over to see him standing upon the stage, "We're going to have a special event to help commemorate Erika's victory," he told the crowd, "Her father, Ash, will be challenging another Champion Master, Geeta!" he confirmed to the shock of those around, who watched as the two made their way onto the stage.
"She's a Champion Master?" Mallow inquired aloud.
"That's the first time I've ever seen her…" Sophocles noted curiously as he blinked.
"I wonder what kinda Pokémon she uses…" Trent mentioned, while Pyrrha and Paige were standing beside him. The former of the two girls looked around, somewhat confused.
"Where did Calvin and Erika go?" she wondered as her fellow trial-goers lightly gasped in surprise. Up on the stage, Geeta adjusted the gloves on her hands before readying a Poké Ball, enlarging it in her hand with a press of its button.
"Forgive me if we don't hold back," she remarked to her opponent.
"We wouldn't have it any other way!" Ash responded, "I choose you, Pikachu!" he declared, enticing the Mouse Pokémon to hurry off of his shoulder and leap onto the stage.
"Peekah!" he squeaked as his cheeks sparked with electricity.
"Hm," Geeta huffed with a grin, "Glimmora, take the stage!" she yelled, firing her Poké Ball into the air. It burst open, with its light forming in midair before dissipating. Ash and Pikachu blinked in surprise to see that it was a coned flower Pokémon. She had three light green crystalline petals as a tail. The tail was connected to four light purple crystalline petals with light green lines each. The head was black with yellow eyes and a transparent black cone. The six head crystalline petals were colored dark blue with light green lines and four light green rectangles shapes at end of each petal.
"Morrrr…" she hummed out.
"Glimmora, huh?" Ash noted, letting off a grin, "Been a while since we've fought something new like that!" he admitted, clenching his fists, "Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" he commanded, thrusting his right hand out.
"Peekah!" the Mouse Pokémon responded, making his tail shine a bright silvery-white before lunging out at his foe. Meanwhile, Calvin and Erika were following Lillie up the Mahalo Trail. Memories of the night where things had completely changed for the Ketchum boy flashed through his mind. Thinking back to when he protected Nebby from the flock of Spearow, only for it to shatter the bridge with its power, thus leading to them needing to be saved by Tapu Koko; it was all a lot. But it had led to something amazing. As the trio reached the clearing leading to the bridge, the twins blinked in surprise.
"They fixed the bridge?" Erika noted, seeing the newly designed structure before the group, with an archway installed as way.
"Mister Hala had mentioned to me that they had fixed it up a while back," Lillie told the twins, "I wanted us to go and pay our respects to Tapu Koko for what it's done for us," she pointed out, "More specifically, for you," she added to their surprise.
"Us?" Calvin said in confusion.
"It saved you, didn't it?" the blonde-haired girl questioned back, "And I know Erika wants to thank it for helping her come to her senses," she mentioned as the Ketchum girl blinked in surprise.
"Got me there…" she admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. The trio traversed the bridge together, finding that it was sturdy the whole way across.
"By the way, where's Rotom?" Calvin asked curiously, "I didn't see it back at the party…" he pointed out.
"It's been hanging out with Professor Kukui to study all the moves used during the Alola League," his twin sister replied, "I'm glad it's having fun looking at all the data it can!" she mentioned with a smile.
"Yeah," her brother agreed. Lillie listened to the twins despondently, trekking on towards the ruins. Eventually, they arrived, heading inside.
"It's hard to believe it was only so long ago that I was here…" Erika noted, looking around. She frowned a little as she remembered how her selfish attitude had led her to almost getting killed by Tapu Koko, with her Pokémon getting caught in the crossfire. "If it wasn't for Leslie…" she continued, letting out a sigh and smiling. The trio then arrived at the shrine room.
"It's beautiful," Lillie commented. She then walked up the steps, approaching the statue. Her hands were held together as she closed her eyes and bowed her head. "Great Tapu Koko…" she began, "It was because of your help that Cosmog was able to live and become Solgaleo," she noted, "Please allow me to thank you from the bottom of my heart on its behalf," she requested.
"Lillie…" the Ketchum twins uttered out.
"Would you two like to show your appreciation as well?" the blonde-haired girl inquired of them, getting their attentions.
"O-Of course!" Erika stuttered, approaching the statue as she put her hands together, "Hey, Tapu Koko…" she began, "I'm not really good at this whole… honoring you stuff…" she confessed sheepishly, "But thank you," she said in gratitude, "You helped me learn to look past myself and quit acting so selfish," she pointed out, "Thanks to you, I got to be someone I should've been a long time ago," she mentioned.
"It's the same for me," Calvin chimed in, coming over and holding his hands together, "I didn't know what to really do when it came to being in Alola at first," he admitted, "But after all this time, I figured out just who I want to be," he affirmed with a smile, "Thank you so much, Tapu Koko," he finished gratefully. His twin sister giggled, as did Lillie.
"Kohhhh…" a familiar voice squawked out, getting their attentions. They looked up to see the very Land Spirit Pokémon they expressed their thanks for descending towards them. Gasping in surprise, stepping back for it to descend in front of its statue. "Koh, koh," it said. Calvin and Erika blinked in confusion, wondering what it wanted. All of a sudden, a bluish light shot out between them, shaping into form before revealing none other than Nebby there.
"N-Nebby?!" the twins stammered out, looking back at Lillie.
"I-It came out on its own!" she stuttered, quite surprised herself.
"Solll…" the Sunne Pokémon huffed, taking on a battle ready stance.
"Kokoh…" Tapu Koko responded, readying itself as well. It then looked expectantly towards the twins. Erika blinked before realizing something.
"You… wanna battle us?" she inquired. The Land Spirit Pokémon stared at her and her brother intently. After another moment, Calvin grinned.
"Yeah…" he said, "What better way to thank you than with a battle?" he presumed rhetorically.
"Koh," Tapu Koko chirped simply, nodding its head.
"Well, alright then!" Erika exclaimed, readying a Poké Ball in her right hand, while Calvin did the same, "Get ready, Tapu Koko!" she insisted, "This battle's gonna be a show of all our gratitude!" she declared firmly, "Mine, Calvin's, and Lillie's!" she listed off.
"M-Me?!" the blonde-haired girl stammered.
"Nebby's your partner, isn't it?" Calvin questioned of her, giving her a smile. Her eyes shimmered, but she smiled back with determination.
"Let's do it!" she yelled, ready to engage in her first battle against the guardian deity of Melemele. Though she still had a conflict in her mind about what she needed to do next, she set it aside. Now, she was just happy to be alongside the pair that helped her through the turmoil she faced before…
X
It was well into the morning at the Ketchum vacation home. Leslie was already gorging away on her pancakes, while Ash was looking up the local news for the day on the TV in the living room. Mirajane had just finished washing a few dishes before glancing over toward the door to the twins' bedroom.
"Those two really tuckered themselves out, huh?" she presumed with a small smile.
"They didn't even watch Dad's battle with Geeta last night," her eldest daughter noted, "Where the heck did they even go?" she wondered aloud.
"Peekah…" Pikachu squeaked in confusion, trying to think.
"We shouldn't worry about that," Ash affirmed from the living room, sitting down on his couch, "Although…" he continued, glancing over to the large trophy sitting atop the nearby dresser, "we're gonna have to figure out how to get this thing back to Pallet Town…" he noted. His wife and daughter giggled, while Pikachu snickered. Just then, there was a frantic knocking at the door.
"Huh?" Mirajane uttered out.
"Who could be here this early?" Leslie wondered aloud, swallowing her food before going over to the door. She twisted the knob to open it, allowing for Hau to bolt inside.
"Cal! Eri!" he cried out, "Where are you guys?!" he yelled in question.
"H-Hau?" his eldest cousin stammered, getting his attention.
"Oh, hey cuz!" he greeted, "Wow, breakfast looks great!" he pointed out upon seeing the food on the table. However, he blinked in realization. "Ah, there's no time for me to be thinking about food!" he yelled, rubbing his head frantically with his hands.
"Whoa, what's going on?" Leslie asked as she approached, "You look like the end of the world's about to happen…" she noted worriedly. At that moment, the twins' bedroom door opened, with both Calvin and Erika sauntering out, rubbing their tired eyes.
"What's with all the yelling…?" the former inquired, yawning loudly.
"Can we get some more sleep?" the latter pleaded in question.
"There's no time for that, guys!" Hau exclaimed as he hurried over to them, "It's an emergency! Lillie's about to leave Alola!" he emphatically told the twins, who blinked in surprise, widening their eyes.
"She's what?!" they simultaneously shouted.
ENDING
Insert "Who Are You?" by PELICAN FANCLUB
Opens at Aether Paradise as Lillie is with her bedridden mother, sleeping by her side. In her dreams, she's imagining becoming a Pokémon Trainer herself, journeying through regions with her Pokémon by her side. She starts running along the pathway, excitedly smiling all the while.
Throughout her journey in her dream, she comes across many great things. She encounters amazing Pokémon, strong trainers to battle, and memorable sights. Her Pokémon of choice is a Clefairy which she happily lifts in her hands.
All of a sudden, the area around them darkens as a shadow looms over them. Lillie looks up in horror to see a giant version of Lusamine engulfed by Nihilego overhead. She cowers in fright momentarily, but then notices a bright light shining up above.
It turns out to be Solgaleo, who comes down with Calvin and Erika aboard. They both offer their hands to Lillie, who happily accepts them as she climbs onto the Sunne Pokémon. They hurry off, avoiding the giant rocks Lusamine chucks their way. One is about to strike, but it's destroyed as Gladion appears aboard Silvally, slashing it apart.
Together, they lunge up to attack the Aether Foundation president, engulfing her in a shining, golden light. Lillie opens her eyes, lifting her head. She finds her mother awake in bed, giving her a weak, yet thankful smile.
Lillie smiles back, gripping her hand tightly. As Wicke wanders in to check on them, they turn on the TV as the Alola League is starting. Lillie giggles at the sight of the Ketchum twins in battle once again, happy that they're seeing their dreams through…
END ENDING
And so ends the Alola League. I had a lot of fun writing these chapters, and to be only ten more away from completing this story really feels like a dream. I remember that it was only so long ago that I wasn't sure if I could get this all done, or if I even wanted to. With all of the things that are happening in the Pokémon series these days as of the time I'm writing this, there's a lot still to unpack.
But that's an ordeal for another time. For now, we go into the final arc of this story. No trailer nor a summary just yet though, I do want to keep some surprises secret.
Thanks for reading, everyone!