Regaining his composure, Max quickly followed after the four trainers, making sure to keep a small distance form them as he began to think of how he could change Ash's mind - a quest he knew wouldn't be easy.

So how far is the trial site?" Ash asked after walking for a few minutes, already growing impatient, "I-its not far from here...its inside a giant cavern" Zack answered slowly, not turning to look at Ash, still feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt over the whole situation. Ash just nodded, not caring that the blond haired boy refused to look at him as he took a second to think, "Maybe where i caught that Growlithe is where the trail site it..."

It didn't take long before Ash, Nicole, Darwin and Zack were stood outside the giant cavern that was the first site of the trials in Alola, "So this is the trial site? Will the captain be in here?" Ash voiced his thoughts, watching as the triplets all nodded in confirmation, "I will indeed be in there!" A voice suddenly exclaimed, making Ash grunt at the sudden loud voice as he turned his head to the side, noticing a young man approaching him and the others.

"Ah! Nicole, Darwin and Zack! Good to see you again!" The young boy voiced happily, making the three trainers smile slightly as they looked at him, "Good to see you again Ilima" Ilima grinned widely, his eyes sparkling slightly as he looked from the trio towards Ash, "Ah! So you must be the fourth chosen one that Professor Kukuie told us at that meeting! Its nice to meet you - i am the first trial captain, my name is Ilima, whats your name?" He said as he held his hand out for Ash to shake.

Ignoring the outstretched hand, Ash stared at the young captain with a blank look, "His name is Ash...sorry Ilima he isn't much of a talker" Nicole quickly explained as Ilima awkwardly withdrew his hand before nodding towards Nicole, his grin reappearing on his face, "Well! Let's not waist any time! Lets get your first trail going!"

Ash just nodded in confirmation, glad to finally be getting the first of however many trials that were started, "Well Ash, since this is your first time taking the trial, i guess i should probably start by explaining it" Ash rolled his eyes at the captains words - it was obvious that he would need to explain the trail, how else would the raven-haired boy complete it if he didn't know how?

"Its really quiet simple - you have to defeat me in a pokemon battle, then you have to defeat what is known as the totem pokemon - which is a pokemon fair larger than its normal species and far stronger" Ash just nodded as he watched Ilima pull a poke'ball out of his brown knee-cut trousers, "Fine. How many pokemon are we permitted to use?"

"Well I have three pokemon, but you may use as many as possible" Ilima explained smoothly as he threw his first poke'ball into the air, revealing a pokemon Ash had yet to see, "Darwin. What pokemon is that?" Ash asked as he looked form the small brown and cream pokemon and towards the dark haired boy, who blinked at the question as he pulled his pokedex out and pointed it at the pokemon that was new to Ash's eyes.

Yungoose, The Loitering Pokemon.

With its sharp fangs, it will bite anything. It did not originally live in Alola but was imported from another region.

"Hm." Ash stated as he listened to the pokedex, looking at Pikachu and nodding, "Go for it." Pikachu grinned at the possibility of finally getting to battle as he leaped from Ash's shoulder, landing on all fours with static electricity crackling from his cheeks.

"You get the first move" Ash once again rolled his eyes - so far this was nothing more than a miss-titled gym leader battle, giving that he had to defeat the so called captain in a battle, "Thunderbolt" Ash stated, watching as Pikachu grinned, taking a deep breath before he shot his signature move towards the normal type in front of him.

"Use Dig to dodge!" Ilima commanded, watching as the small normal type quickly burred its way under ground, the electric attack firing past where it had once stood and hitting the cavern wall, shattering the rocks that made up the wall and sending debri flying up and over the battle field.

"That thins a fast little fucker...but this won't take long" Ash thought as he narrowed his eyes, easily seeing through the debri whilst Ilima was busy coughing and wafting at the air in an attempt to see the field, "Iron Tail" Pikachu, who was seemingly unaffected by the surrounding debri falling around him jumped into the air, swinging his silver glowing tail until it hit the gorund with a loud crush, sending the small Yungoose flying up into the air with large segments of rock following it.

"Thunder Punch" Leaping across the large rocks that had been thrown into the air, Pikachu darted towards Yungoose, his left fist raised and crackling with electricity as he swung, directly hitting the normal pokemon in the chest and sending it flying backwards. Were it crashed againest the same wall that Pikachu had destroyed before, the sharp spikes on the damaged wall piercing into the weak pokemon's body before it slid down, swirls in its eyes.