"Ryuki is the winner! No other participants remain! That means he's won the Alolan Pokemon League and has become Alola's first ever champion!"
Ryuki grinned as he waved at the roaring crowd. He turned to look at Hau, his feral grin wide. "You never could stand up to me. If I could defeat Zeno, then you were cakewalk."
He began laughing, a sound that spiraled through Hau's head like a never ending roller coaster.
...
Hau jerked awake, bathed in sweat. He clutched his head and shut his eyes tight. That dream. It felt too real.
"No," he whispered, opening his eyes. "I can do this. I've become stronger than ever. I won't lose. Not to him."
...
The crowd roared as Hau and Ryuki took their places at the ends of the battlefield.
"Trainers," yelled the ref. "Send out your first Pokemon!"
Hau narrowed his eyes. "Come on out, Garchomp!"
"Ah," Ryuki said, claws gripping on his Ultra Ball. "We're going that route huh? Fine then. Let's meet him head on! Show him your raw strength, Garchomp!"
He sent out a Garchomp of his own and he roared at his double. Both glared at each other, fangs bared and claws raised.
Hau shot out his hand as soon as the ref called for the battle to begin. "Start this off with Dual Chop!"
Hau's Garchomp's claws glowed and he shot forwards.
Ryuki flexed his claws in front of him. "Slash upwards."
His Garchomp swung his claw up so hard, he split the air and sent Hau's Garchomp flying backwards.
"You know what," Ryuki said, holding up a dragon's tooth with a glowing orb in it. "I was thinking about going easy on you, but nah."
He gripped it tightly and a bright light emitted from it, connecting to his Pokemon. "Let me show you Alolans how weak Z-moves are in comparison to the sheer power of Mega Evolution. Now, let us roar mightily to the heavens as our claws gouge into our enemies! Garchomp, Mega Evolve!"
Garchomp roared as he mega evolved, sneering at Hau's Garchomp.
"Now," Ryuki said, swing his hand around. "Dragon Claw!"
Mega Garchomp roared, his scythes glowing blood red. He burst forwards, scythes swinging.
"Use Dragon Claw as well," Hau ordered.
Garchomp roared and struck at the same time as Mega Garchomp, however, the power of Mega Evolution proved to be greater. Garchomp's claws slipped and he was struck in the chest and sent backwards.
"Come on," Hau yelled. "Don't give up. He's no match against our bond! Use Dragon Rush!"
Garchomp's body was enveloped in a blue aura and he slammed into Mega Garchomp. The Mega barely flinched.
"Pah!" Ryuki grinned evilly. "Pathetic! Now let me show you a true Dragon Rush! Garchomp!"
Mega Garchomp snarled and an even greater aura surrounded him and he rushed forwards, slamming Garchomp into the wall behind Hau. Hau's face was one of shock as dust filtered by him. He turned around to see Garchomp struggling to stand.
"Is that all you can manage," Ryuki taunted. "I've seen better. Much better."
He scowled. "I grow bored of you. Dispose of Garchomp with Dragon Pulse!"
Mega Garchomp reared back his head and unleashed a beam of blue energy. It struck Garchomp and he slumped forwards, fainted. Hau's eyes widened in disbelief, before they hardened and returned Garchomp. He turned back to face Ryuki, grabbing a second pokeball.
"Ah," Ryuki grinned. "I like that face. Are you about to get serious?"
"There's a difference between you and me Ryuki," Hau said, meeting his rival's gaze. "Unlike you, who focuses on power and strength, I battle alongside my Pokemon, our will able to overcome even the strongest foes. That's why you'll be beaten here."
Ryuki's grin turned into a smirk. "Now that sound's as if you could actually hope to stand a chance against me. So, come at me. I have no doubt your words are but a show. But still, give it your best effort."
"You may have lost last battle," Hau whispered into his pokeball. "But you and me, we'll show him just how strong we are. So come on! Glaceon!"
He threw out his eeveelution and she crouched, waves of frost flowing from her body.
"What a pathetic looking Pokemon," Ryuki laughed. "Garchomp, use Slash."
"Use Protect!" Hau shouted.
A dome of energy surrounded Glaceon and Mega Garchomp's attack bounced off of it.
"Now then," Hau yelled, clicking a clear white Z-crystal into his Z-ring. "Let us show him what we Alolans can do!"
Energy connected him and Glaceon, her eyes narrowing at her opponent.
"WE'LL SHOW HIM JUST HOW POWERFUL Z-MOVES ARE!" Hau roared. "SUBZERO SLAMMER!"
Glaceon shot upwards atop a pillar of ice and she towered over mega Garchomp.
Ryuki flexed his claws. "Dragon Claw! Bring her down!"
Garchomp struck the pillar as Glaceon breathed in the air around her, the battle arena freezing in ice. Then she fired a beam of freezing wind at Mega Garchomp. It blasted him backwards onto the frozen earth, encasing him in ice. Giant spikes burst from the ice, before the whole thing exploded.
Glaceon jumped to the ground, the pillar of ice crumbling away. When the dust and ice particles cleared, Garchomp was back in his basic form and had fainted.
"What!?" Ryuki's eyes were wide in shock. "Impossible!"
"No," Hau said, eyes narrowed. "This is our strength. As a team, as partners, as friends. That's how we were able to defeat your Mega. Now, bring it. We're ready for whatever you have to throw at us."
Ryuki growled and he clenched his fists. "Why you little punk! I'll destroy!"
He returned Garchomp and threw out a Haxorus. "Outrage!"
Haxorus roared as a red glow enveloped him and he rampaged towards Glaceon.
"Dodge," Hau commanded and Glaceon leaped to the side and avoided Haxorus' swinging tail. "Now use Ice Shard!"
Glaceon cried out and shot several chunks of ice at the Dragon. Haxorus stepped backwards upon impact and roared.
"Keep at it!" Ryuki roared along with his Pokemon.
Before Hau could react, Haxorus managed to knock Glaceon aside with his tail, but the Ice type hardly seemed hurt.
Hau grinned. "Don't you realize you're up against an Ice type! Blizzard!"
Glaceon slammed her front paws on the ground and a freezing wind slammed into Haxorus. The Dragon roared in pain as frost gathered on him, slowing him down.
"Fine then," Ryuki growled. "Guillotine!"
Haxorus' blades on the sides of his head grew to enormous lengths and he charged Glaceon.
"Get beneath him," Hau yelled. "And use Ice Fang!"
Glaceon ran and avoided Haxorus' swinging head, then bit onto his leg. Ice spread across his leg, freezing him in place. Glaceon jumped back, rolling to avoid his blades.
"While he's frozen," Hau shouted. "Blizzard!"
"Dragon Rage!" Ryuki yelled.
Just as Haxorus broke through the ice, the Blizzard slammed into him. He collapsed when the wind died down, fainted.
Ryuki's face twitched, anger evident as he returned Haxorus. "That's it! You're going down here!"
He threw out a Kommo-O and shouted, "Close Combat!"
The Kommo-O rushed forwards, battering Glaceon with a flurry of punches.
"Sky Uppercut!"
The Dragon smashed the Ice type into the air and held back a fist.
"Last Resort!"
Glaceon's body glowed and she slammed into Kommo-O. The Dragon stumbled backwards, but slammed his fist into the Ice type.
Glaceon landed at Hau's feet, fainted. He returned her and sent out his third Pokemon.
"Alright Primarina," Hau said, in a battle stance. "Let you and me finish the rest of his Pokemon, alright?"
Primarina cried in agreement and Hau shouted, "Moonblast!"
Primarina stood on her tail and fired a ball of pink energy at Kommo-O. He was blasted backwards and struggled to get up.
"Get up and use Clanging Scales!" Ryuki roared.
"Let him," Hau said.
Kommo-O got up and jangled his scales, a sound that struck Primarina, but had no effect.
Ryuki's eyes widened. "What!?"
"You're letting your anger get the better of you," Hau said. "You forgot that Dragon moves have no effects on Fairy types. Now, use Encore!"
Primarina clapped her hands and Kommo-O flinched, stuck using Clanging Scales.
"Now let's finish him off," Hau grinned. "Disarming Voice!"
Again and again Primarina struck Kommo-O with her deadly voice, and after the fourth hit, he fainted.
Ryuki quickly returned him and sent out a Dragonite. "Thunder Punch!"
Dragonite's fist sparked with electricity and he zoomed towards the Water type.
"Use Icy Wind!" Hau commanded.
Primarina blew a cold wind straight at the Dragon type and his wings frosted over. He crashed to the ground near Primarina, his Thunder Punch grounded out.
"Now use Moonblast!" Hau ordered.
Primarina shot the Fairy move at close range and Dragonite was sent flying backwards.
"Hurricane!" Ryuki roared.
Dragonite hovered a dozen feet from Primarina, his flying slowed due to the frost. He blew up a powerful Hurricane and Primarina was sucked into it.
"Now Thunder Punch!" Ryuki shouted.
Dragonite roared and flew towards the raging winds and drew back his fist.
"Hyper Voice!" Hau shouted over the roaring Hurricane. "Dispel the winds!"
The Hurricane shook and the winds were blown away, sending Dragonite crashing to the ground once more. Primarina continued to sing her heart out before she fell earthwards.
"Aqua Jet!" Hau yelled.
Water streamed around her and she burst towards Dragonite.
"Hyper Beam!" Ryuki shouted.
"Flip over it!" Hau commanded. "Then use Moonblast!"
Primarina flipped out of the Aqua Jet, water flinging from her body. The Hyper Beam blasted beneath her as she fired the Moonblast. It struck Dragonite and the Hyper Beam was cut off. He collapsed and fainted on the spot.
"This can't be happening," Ryuki shook his head in denial. "It can't."
"Now do you see," Hau said. "You can't win on the strength of your Pokemon alone."
Ryuki snarled. "You're wrong! I'll show you!"
He returned his Dragonite and sent out a Drampa. "Use Hyper Voice!"
Drampa reared his head back and unleashed a ear-splitting cry.
"Show him what a true Hyper Voice looks like!" Hau shouted, now covering his ears. "Full power!"
Primarina opened her mouth and at first it looked like her nothing was coming out. Then a louder, more painful cry began drowning out Drampa's. Ryuki slammed his hands over his ears as Primarina's voice crashed into the Dragon.
"Keep it going!" Hau shouted. "End it on a good note!"
Primarina's voice grew and grew until she finally ended it on a opera note. Drampa was stumbling around, dizzy from the attack.
"Moonblast!" Hau shouted.
The Fairy move struck Drampa in the neck and he fell forwards, fainted.
As he returned his fallen Pokemon and sent out his last Pokemon, Turtonator, Ryuki looked scared. "I can't be losing. Not to a runt like you."
"Let's show him just how powerful our bond is Primarina!" Hau shouted. "Let's beat him here and move onto the Final Round! Sparkling Aria!"
Primarina gave a cry and splashes of water slammed into Turtonator.
Ryuki seemed to have lost all his battle spirit. "Overheat!"
A blast of fire erupted from the Dragon type and cascaded towards Primarina.
"Cut through it with Hydro Pump!" Hau commanded.
Primarina shot a blast of water that turned the fire into steam and it blasted into Turtonator.
"Moonblast!" Hau shouted.
"If I'm going to lose," Ryuki's eyes burned with fury. "Then I'm going out my own way! EXPLOSION!"
Hau's eyes widened as an explosion ripped up the ground in front of Turtonator, the blast sending Primarina flying. As Primarina got up, Turtonator lay in a crater, fainted and smoking.
The ref raised his hand. "Ryuki is out of usable Pokemon. That means Hau is the winner and will advance onto the Final Round!"
Hau whooped with joy along with his Primarina as Ryuki just stalked away after returning his Pokemon. Hau stared after him, relieved he beat him, but also hoping he would realize what it truly meant to battle with your Pokemon.
Hau turned his head to look where his friends would be seated. He saw Zeno get up, nod at Hau, and turn to the stairs. Gladion followed him after nodding at Hau as well. This was it. Soon Hau would know who he was battling in the Final Round.
Next chapter, the long-awaited rematch between Zeno and Gladion. Time for you all to see who is stronger since Akala Island. Then, we move onto the Final Round. Also, just three more chapters till this story comes to an end. In other news, I passed my finals with mostly A's and one B. So basically, Summer Vacation has begun! You all know what that means. More time for me to crank out chapter after chapter for all you wonderful readers. And once I get started on the sequel, things are going to come out fast. I can almost guarantee that. So till next chapter. Toodles