"Ritchie's Pikachu is unable to battle! That means Xiao Yan advances to the semifinals!!!"
Xiao Yan's Pikachu returned to his shoulder, looking completely relaxed.
Once again, Xiao Yan shook off the reporters blocking his way at the tournament entrance and went to the Pokémon Center to get the Pokémon who had just battled settled in.
"Umbreon and the others who fought in the quarterfinals are almost at their limits. Who should I send out for tomorrow's semifinals?"
The contestants no longer needed to draw lots at the selection venue for the remaining matches. The matchups would be announced that afternoon, and the two semifinal matches would take place simultaneously.
"Hey, Xiao Yan!"
Gary walked over to Xiao Yan.
"Looks like we both made it to the semifinals. There's a good chance we'll face each other next."
"Yeah..." Xiao Yan was studying the list of Pokémon he had on hand.
"Xiao Yan, look!"
The semifinal matchups appeared on the Pokémon Center's big screen.
"Why do our opponents look exactly alike?"
Xiao Yan pointed at the photos of his and Gary's opponents on the screen.
Gary's expression turned serious when he saw the matchups.
"What's wrong?" Seeing his reaction, Xiao Yan felt something was off.
"Our opponents are the twin granddaughters of Agatha, a current member of the Elite Four. When she was young, she was our grandpa's rival."
Xiao Yan held out his fist to Gary.
"Whatever happens, we absolutely can't lose."
Gary held out his own fist and bumped it against his brother's.
"We have to win!"
After saying goodbye to Gary, Xiao Yan returned to the hotel.
"Agatha mainly uses Ghost Pokémon in the games, so her granddaughters probably do too."
By then, Xiao Yan's Pikachu was already fast asleep on the bed.
"Wait! This is reality, not a game. Nobody can predict what'll happen next. I'll go with them after all!"
Xiao Yan set six Pokémon Balls on the table, then returned to bed and fell straight asleep.
"Good afternoon, Pokémon fans! The semifinals are about to begin! On the left, Field A will host Xiao Yan and Xiao Tao's match, while Field B on the right will host Gary and Xiao Ying's match."
Xiao Yan and Gary were already in their battle positions, staring straight at their opponents.
They really do look alike...
"First, let me introduce this fascinating matchup! Xiao Tao and Xiao Ying are the twin granddaughters of Agatha, one of the current Elite Four. Their opponents are Professor Oak's grandsons. Though the boys aren't twins, they're both equally handsome!"
"They're up against Little Agatha's granddaughters. Looks like they're in for a tough fight..." Professor Oak watched the matches on the television in his laboratory.
"All right! Without further ado, let the matches begin!"
As soon as the referee lowered the flag, the contestants each sent out their first Pokémon.
"Go, Gyarados!"
"Let's do this, Feraligatr!"
A starter Pokémon from the Johto Region, huh...
"Bite!"
"Feraligatr, use Bite too!"
The two Pokémon collided fiercely, neither giving an inch.
"Thunderbolt!"
Gyarados unleashed a powerful electric shock at Feraligatr.
"What?! It can use Electric-type moves too?"
Feraligatr endured the Thunderbolt.
"Feraligatr, use Dynamic Punch!"
Feraligatr's fist slammed into Gyarados, leaving Gyarados confused and liable to attack itself at any moment.
"Gyarados, use Thunderbolt at full power!"
Lightning flashed and thunder roared across the field, with the bolts striking both Pokémon.
"Feraligatr!"
"I'm sorry... Gyarados."
"Feraligatr and Gyarados are unable to battle! Both contestants, please send out your next Pokémon."
"Machamp, Mega Kick!"
Machamp leaped into the air and kicked toward Aerodactyl.
"Dodge!"
Before Machamp's attack could land, Xiao Yan's Aerodactyl had already flown high into the sky.
"Hyper Beam!"
Aerodactyl's Hyper Beam struck Machamp on the ground, but Machamp still didn't fall.
After firing Hyper Beam, Aerodactyl could no longer move and fell from the sky.
"Now! Mega Punch!"
Machamp rushed toward the immobilized Aerodactyl and punched it to the ground.
"Aerodactyl is unable to battle! Xiao Yan, please send out your third Pokémon."
Xiao Yan recalled Aerodactyl and sent out his next Pokémon.
"Xiao Yan has sent out Suicune! It looks like this battle is going to be intense!"
Looks like Gary's having a tough fight too, Xiao Yan thought as he watched Gary battling on the adjacent field.
"Sheer Cold!"
The temperature plunged instantly. Ice covered the ground, and Machamp slowly froze solid from its feet to its head.
"Machamp is unable to battle! Xiao Tao, please send out your third Pokémon."
"Don't think you're the only one with a Legendary Pokémon!"
"Xiao Tao has sent out Articuno, one of the legendary birds! A legendary bird faces a legendary beast-which will win this clash of Legendary Pokémon?"
"Articuno, Ice Beam!"
Articuno attacked Suicune with Ice Beam, but Suicune swiftly dodged it.
"Come on, Xiao Yan! Let's see whose Blizzard is stronger!"
Snow immediately began falling from the sky, coming down so fast that it formed a blizzard that swept toward Suicune.
"Too bad I'm not the hot-blooded type."
After the Blizzard swept over Suicune, it remained standing on the field, while Articuno had already frozen into a motionless block of ice.
"Sheer Cold again?!"
"Articuno is unable to battle! Xiao Tao, please send out your fourth Pokémon."
Suicune's breathing is a little labored after using Sheer Cold twice in a row.
"Thanks for your hard work, Suicune!" Xiao Yan recalled Suicune and sent out Arcanine.
Arcanine growled at Persian as though it had spotted its natural enemy, while Persian calmly licked its paw.
"Awooo!" Arcanine charged before Xiao Yan could give a command.
"Wait, Arcanine!!!"
"Scratch!" Persian easily dodged Arcanine's attack, then turned and slashed a claw across Arcanine's face, leaving a wound.
Arcanine kept howling in pain.
"What an idiot! Haha!" Xiao Tao mocked the howling Arcanine.
"Shut your mouth!!!" Xiao Yan glared fiercely at her.
"Arcanine! We're partners, right?" Arcanine turned back and nodded to Xiao Yan.
"Then this isn't a battle you're fighting alone. It's our battle."
Arcanine looked at Xiao Yan and gradually calmed down, waiting for his command.
"Extreme Speed!"
Before Persian could react, Arcanine slammed into it and sent it flying.
"Fire Spin!"
Arcanine launched a Fire Spin at Persian before it could get up. Persian was swept into the swirling flames and couldn't escape.
"Persian, get out of there!"
Xiao Tao was growing frantic.
"It's over!"
Exhausted within the Fire Spin, Persian had already passed out.
"Persian is unable to battle!"
Arcanine swiftly defeated the next two Pokémon Xiao Tao sent out...
"Xiao Tao's Beedrill is unable to battle! The winner is Xiao Yan from Pallet Town!!!"
At that moment, the battle on the other field seemed to have ended too.
Xiao Yan flashed a victory sign at Gary on the adjacent battlefield, and Gary smiled back at him.
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