"Alright competitors as a reminder that for the Clubsplosion tournament you are required to use the same Pokemon for every round. If you need to heal please do that now." Don George informed to the remaining eight trainers.

"Looks like I've got a bit before my match, might as well get Riolu healed up just in case." Ash said calmly.

"Why are you scared you can't beat me?" Stephan teased.

"Please, in case you forgot, I won our last match." Ash pointed out.

"That was last time with Blitzel, you will need a miracle to beat me and Sawk." Stephan gloated.

"Alright you two, save it for the battlefield." Rosa reminded.

"Hey guys, the first match of this round is starting." Elliot pointed out.

Round 2 Match 1

Georgia vs Montgomery

"Bisharp come out!" Georgia called out.

"Throh take to the arena!" Montgomery exclaimed.

"Well Georgia is out." Stephan commented.

"How so?" Ash asked.

"That's last years winner Montgomery and his Throh is the counterpart to Sawk." Stephan pointed out.

"Meaning that it's a tough fighting type. But still I feel like Georgia has to have had a plan if she brought a steel and dark type into a fighting type competition." Ash said.

"Bisharp use Aerial Ace!"

"Throh use Circle Throw!"

Bisharp moved with incredible speed striking Throh and getting out of the way before it could grab the steel type.

"So that's her strategy quick and precise." Ash said intrigued at the battle unfolding.

"Throh use Seismic Toss!"

"Use Iron Head!"

Bisharp launched forward, slamming the blade of their head into Throh's body, as the fighting type grabbed both of Bisharp's shoulders before slamming it to the ground.

"Throh use Bind!"

Throh quickly picked Bisharp back up, wrapping and squeezing it tightly.

"Bisharp use Iron Head!"

Bisharp slammed its head down on Throh's, knocking themself free and sending Throh recoiling backwards.

"Now Bisharp use Aerial Ace!"

Bisharp rushed forward, towards the still recovering Throh, slicing through and knocking out the fighting type.

"She just beat the previous champion." Ash said in surprise.

"And at a huge disadvantage too." Elliot commented in shock.

Round 2 Match 2

Dino vs Getty

"Druddigon come out!" Dino called out.

"Let's go Simisear!" Getty exclaimed.

"Druddigon use Dragon Claw!"

"Simisear use Flamethrower!"

Druddigon trudged through the flames, the heat doing little against his scaly hide before slashing at Simisear, causing the fire type to recoil back.

"Simisear use Low Sweep!"

"Druddigon use Dragon Claw again!"

Druddigon slashed at Simisear once more, knocking it off balance as its kicking attack went into the air, causing them to land on their back.

"Druddigon use Crunch!"

Druddigon bit down on Simisear as the fire type flailed about.

"Simisear use Fury Swipes!"

Simisear scratched at Druddigon, each swipe hurting the fire type more and more.

"Druddigon use Revenge!"

Druddigon slammed both of its fists down, knocking out Simisear for the victory.

"So who wants to place bets on who will win their fight." Hugh commented, having watched both terrifying, now semi finalists of the first half win their matches with impressive strength.

"Don't you have your own match to worry about right now?" Rosa asked.

"Right, I should get down there." Hugh said in realization.

Round 2 Match 3

Hugh vs Betty

"Simipour come on out!"

"Pignite I choose you!"

"Simipour use Scald!"

"Pignite use Flame Charge!"

Pignite engulfed himself in flames, rushing forward at Simipour as he was hit by water along the way before finally striking the water type for minimal damage.

"Pignite's at a disadvantage just from the matchup." Elliot remarked.

"True, but this is Hugh we're talking about, he learns a lot from every battle. I'm sure he has a plan, plus he's training a Panpour that has to give him some knowledge on how to fight Simipour, right?" Rosa asked.

"Hard to say, one doesn't always mean the other." Ash admitted. "But I'm sure you're right about him having a plan."

"I have absolutely no idea how to get close enough to that Simipour to hit it without using a fire type move." Hugh thought to himself. "Pignite use Rollout!"

"Simipour use Ice Punch!"

Simipour slammed their fist into the ground, covering the immediate area in a sheet of ice, sending Pignite veering off course.

"Pignite use Flame Charge!"

"Simipour use Scald!"

Simipour took the opportunity as Pignite struggled to get up to strike the fire type with a super effective blast of water, pushing the fire type off of the ice completely.

"Come on Pignite you've got this!" Ash cheered.

"Pig. Pig." Pignite said, struggling to keep up.

"Dew Dew!" Dewott cheered.

"Serv!" Servine cheered along, both supporting their friend and rival.

"Nite!" Pignite roared, flames spewing from his snout.

"When'd you send out Servine and Dewott?" Rosa asked.

"I didn't, they came out on their own choice." Ash admitted.

"Pignite!" Pignite cried out as a glow enveloped him.

"Oh no." Elliot said as Pignite grew.

"BOAR!" The newly evolved Pokemon cried out.

"Alright Emboar! Use Flame Charge!" Hugh called out.

"Simipour use Scald!"

Emboar rushed forward, engulfing themselves in flames, ignoring the heated water and leaping into the air before crashing down on the water type.

"That was Heat Crash!" Elliot exclaimed.

"Meaning?" Ash asked.

"The heavier a Pokemon is in comparison to it's opponent, the stronger it is." Elliot said in shock.

"And that Emboar looks pretty heavy." Rosa commented.

"No kidding." Stephan said in shock.

"Emboar use Arm Thrust!"

"Simipour use Brick Break!"

Emboar slammed an arm into Simipour's gut, sending the water type flying into an arena wall, knocking it out before impact.

"Well, it looks like whichever one of us wins our match, gets to fight that." Ash said in disbelief.

"No kidding." Stephan said, still in shock.

Round 2 Match 4

"Riolu I choose you!"

"Come on out Sawk!"

"Riolu use Force Palm!"

"Sawk use Karate Chop!"

Sawk slammed down his arm at Riolu, the smaller fighting type managing to stop and hold the arm in place at the last moment.

"Riolu use Bullet Punch!"

"Sawk use Bulk Up!"

Sawk flexed as Riolu struck him multiple times with quick fists.

"Riolu use Blaze Kick!'

"Sawk use Brick Break!"

Riolu kicked at Sawk, the larger fighting type blocking with his fist.

"Riolu use Blaze Kick again!"

"Sawk, counter with Karate Chop!"

Riolu flipped onto his hands, sending a series of Blaze Kick's at Sawk as the larger fighting type blocked each time with his arms, sustaining a series of smaller burns up and down his arms from the interaction.

"Riolu use Bullet Punch!"

"Sawk use Close Combat!"

Riolu and Sawk traded a series of blows as Riolu was sent tumbling back from the encounter.

"Riolu!" Ash called out as the small fighting type got up.

"Ri!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Alright use Rock Slide!"

"Sawk use Close Combat to counter it!"

Riolu summoned a storm of rocks, flying at Sawk as the larger fighting type struck each one, sending the shards flying as he tried to keep up.

"Riolu use Force Palm!" Ash called out.

Riolu rushed forward, slamming his palm into the center of the recovering Sawk's chest, sending them crashing to the ground.

"Sawk! Can you still get back up?" Stephan exclaimed.

"Saw." Sawk began to say before collapsing back down in defeat.

"Alright Riolu!" Ash cheered.

"Hey good match Ash." Stephan said.

"You to Stu." Ash replied.

"Come on, you know it's Stephan." Stephan groaned. "But more than that, you know you and Riolu have some tough opponents for the semi finals right?"

"Yeah, I know, but I'm here to win this time." Ash said, thinking of the other finalists. Georgia and her Bisharp. Dino and his Druddigon. And last but not least his next opponents Hugh and the newly evolved Emboar.

Authors Note

Before any of you comment on Georgia's Bisharp not knowing Aerial Ace in the anime, you are right, her Bisharp's fourth move was Metal Sound, you know the attack that harshly lowers Special Defense, for all of her Bisharp's Special Attacking moves, of which there are none.