Poni Island was, in fact, the most different island of the 4. We landed in Seafolk Village last night and immediately went to sleep.
This morning we took a bit of a stroll through the port village. The people are very nice, more so than in any other town. It's also very calm here. The sea breeze adds to that calming effect as well. The people aren't in a rush either. It's sort of like a resort.
However, as we stretched further into the island the aura changed significantly. There were a lot of trainers on this island. More and more trainers were present the further we walked until the Ancient Poni Path.
That is where we met Hapu who introduced herself as the Kahuna of Poni Island.
"So you are trial-goers huh?"
"Yes'm" Caleb responded.
"Lana, I didn't know you were with these two?" Hapu said looking at Lana.
Lana shrugged. "Ran into them on Ula'Ula island so I decided to follow them to pass the time."
I peered over to her and said, "I thought you hadn't finished the trials."
Lana chuckled and admitted she did. That's when Caleb scoffed.
"Cam, she just tagged along to see our Pokemon and our strategies. Why do you think we haven't seen her Pokemon?"
Hapu laughed hysterically at the suggestion, but it made sense. Somehow I figured that as well but I didn't care.
"That's not true," Lana exclaimed almost too defensive.
"Then lets battle. 3 on 3. Right now, Lana." There was a sense of defiance in Caleb's voice. His stare was concrete as his words were.
Lana huffed and puffed and agreed.
"Oh this should be fun," Hapu said excitedly.
Cam sent out his Hakamo-o and Lana sent out Komala.
Hakamo-o initiates the battle with a headbutt. Komala successfully dodges and uses rollout as directed by Lana. Hakamo-o is hit but not affected much. When Komala comes for a 2nd hit Caleb tells Hakamo-o to use Dragon Tail.
Lana takes this opportunity to tell Komala to jump out of the rollout and use slam. The tactic works as Komala gets a boost from his rollout in the jump and connects with Hakamo-o's upper body.
"Thrash!" Lana yells in order to take advantage of a rattled Hakamo-o.
"Hold your ground Hakamo-o," Caleb says calmly.
"Well that's a strange tactic," Hapu whispers near me.
Komala thrashes about and hit Hakamo-o twice. The contact looks significant but Hakamo-o continues to stand looking unaffected by the brutal attack.
"How..." I see Lana mutter.
That's when Hakamo-o slams into Komala hard. When Komala tries to get up Hakamo-o is standing over it. It lifts it's arms in the air on crashes down on Komala.
The victory seems to stun Lana.
Then Hakamo-o begins to light up. It's evolving into Kommo-o.
Kommo-o stands tall and elegant in the middle of the battlefield. That is one imposing Pokemon, I think to myself.
Caleb decides to call back Kommo-o and waits for Lana to send out her Pokemon. Lana is staring at Caleb with a straight face until she smirks.
"Go, Primarina."
Hapu chuckles again.
Caleb sends out Vikavolt giving him the type advantage.
He has Vikavolt take charge quickly as well using a myriad of different attacks like air slash and Spark. Primarina largely escapes the attack only being hit by air slash once.
Caleb is clearly using Vikavolt's speed to battle Primarina but Lana doesn't seem discouraged.
Primarina lands a bubble beam as Vikavolt tries to dodge, frustrating Caleb. Caleb gives Thunderbolt a go and lands it.
Lana looks on at her embattled Primarina as Caleb tells Vikavolt to use Double Team.
"Ice Beam!"
Of course Primarina knows an ice attack.
I don't know about you but I hate when a water type knows an ice attack. It can completely limit grass Pokemon with one hit.
Even though Vikavolt was using Double Team, somehow Primarina was able to hit it with the Ice Beam attack. Vikavolt falls to the ground with ice on it's wings and backside.
"Moonblast!" Lana orders her Primarina.
Vikavolt is finished.
Although Caleb and Lana are even in Pokemon Primarina has looked better. It is looking tired and was hit a few times by Vikavolt.
Caleb could go to Kommo-o but Primarina is also a fairy-type.
Lana chuckles as she waits for Caleb to pick his next Pokemon. Then she returns Primarina making Caleb even more flustered.
"She's just toying with him now," Hapu said clearly entertained by this battle.
Caleb tosses out Tsareena and Lana sends out Primarina.
"Wait why did she even recall Primarina in the first place?" I ask Hapu.
"I told you, she's toying with him. Caleb is good, but he's not there yet."
I look at Caleb who stares intently at Primarina and Lana.
Caleb orders Tsareena to use Razor Leaf showing he is going to continue to be aggressive in this battle. Primarina uses Ice Beam to take care of the Razor Leaf but it misses Tsareena completely.
Tsareena connects with a Magical Leaf attack, however. Primarina winces in pain but attacks with a moonblast attack that hits Tsareena in critical fashion.
The battle is really beginning to run in the favor of Lana. Primarina is a lot tougher than it looks. Lana has also taught it a Psychic attack rendering another one of Tsareena grass attacks useless.
With one Ice Beam attack Tsareena faints to the ground leaving Caleb down to his final Pokemon, Kommo-o.
Caleb looks more frustrated than I've ever seen him as he can sense the odds are not in his favor. He sends out Kommo-o and initiates the battle first, again.
By now the strategy is clear for Caleb. He is differing from his typical strategy because he knows Lana has seen him used several times. Pretty unfair if you ask me.
Just as Caleb seems like he is going to keep at this losing strategy until he switches it abruptly when he tells Kommo-o to use headbutt. Lana doesn't give Primarina an order. Instead she is waiting for Kommo-o to get closer and Caleb knows it.
Caleb snickers and tells Kommo-o to pull up and use Noble Roar. The roar is piercing and stuns Primarina. Kommo-o powers up a Hyper Beam attack and uses it just as Primarina composes itself.
It's too late. Primarina falls.
Lana sends out Araquanid a water and bug type Pokemon. I wonder if it knows an ice attack as well. Would put Caleb at a severe disadvantage.
Caleb starts off, again, with a Dragon Tail attack and hits Araquanid.
Caleb keeps up the aggressive pressure on Araquanid but with a new tactic. He is feigning aggression to get Lana to call out an attack. Then he adjusts and has Kommo-o use a different attack and it is working.
All is going well for Caleb and Kommo-o until Lana uses Ice Beam. The attack misses a direct attack but clips Kommo-o's leg slowing it down.
"Well that was fun," Hapu says as if the battle is over. I look at her confused but she smirks.
"Spiderweb attack!" Lana bellows. Araquanid spews out a web that ensnares Kommo-o.
"It's over Caleb. Araquanid, Ice Beam!"
"I don't think so. Flamethrower!"
The Fire attack melts the web surrounding Kommo-o and destroys the Ice Beam attack before it hits Kommo-o. Lana panics and calls for a bubblebeam attack to douse the fire attack before it hits her Pokemon.
Lana then tells Araquanid to lunge. the attack barely misses as Kommo-o jumps out of the way. Lana keeps on the pressure with another lunge attack. Araquanid misses. Lana doesn't stop, but Araquanid keeps missing.
"Oh!" Hapu exclaims.
Caleb with a broad smirk on his face doesn't order Kommo-o to dodge the latest attack. Just as Araquanid is about to hit he orders Kommo-o to use Sky Uppercut. Kommo-o connects with Araquanid sending it flying. Kommo-o jumps in the air as Caleb calls for a Dragon Tail attack. The attack sends Araquanid crashing to the ground at a high velocity.
And with that the battle is over. Caleb has won. Both Lana and Hapu are shocked at the result, but I'm not. Hapu quickly smiles and congratulates Caleb. However, Lana does not. She stands in disbelief and recalls her Pokemon. She walks without saying a word.
"Lana!?" Caleb yells out.
Hapu sighs and tells us that Lana doesn't take losing very well and that was probably her first loss in a very long time. She assured us she'll come down from the anger and disappointment but I still think it's pathetic. If she wants to sulk, fine, I'm in no position to criticize her for that. But at least congratulate Caleb.
Hapu invites us into her home and gives us some snacks and water. She proceeds to tell us how some of the best trainers in Alola come to Poni Island to get better. She insists that people from all over the world come here to train whether it be at the Battle Tree or Poni Gauntlet.
Then she talks about the last trial. She says it is run by a girl named Mina. The last trial used to take place in the Canyon but it has been moved to Poni Gauntlet and it's a lot harder than any other trial we've faced. She also said there are no Totem Pokemon for this trial. It used to be a Kommo-o but Hapu didn't like disturbing the Kommo-o in the canyon that protect the Altar.
When I asked what was at the Altar she said it is where the legendary Pokemon are revered. If trouble comes to Alola they appear there. They haven't appeared in 4 years.
...
After relaxing for a little bit Caleb and I decide to head out and go to Poni Gauntlet.
On the way there we cross paths with many trainers. I battle a little bit to train my Pokemon, specifically Toxapex who continues to not listen to me. Dartrix not listening to me is one thing, but Toxapex is another. Toxapex outright defies me where Dartrix gets caught up in his own frustration.
We finally reach Poni Gauntlet around 4PM where a young woman in a white tee walks up to us.
"Are you trial-goers?" she asks.
"Mhm, we sure are," Caleb responds delicately.
The girl smiles and introduces herself. "I'm Mina. I'm the trial captain here on Poni Island. Would you like to know what your challenge is?"
We both nod our heads.
"Pick one of the trainers on this Gauntlet and battle them. 1 on 1 battle, that's it. You win, you complete the trial and can go face Hapu."
This is much better than having to find ingredients for soup, that's for sure.
Caleb doesn't exactly have a full healthy team especially with Torracat still incapable of battling, but he had called Kukui to send his Salazzle to him this morning. We walked up and down the Gauntlet and found a young couple to battle.
Caleb and I hadn't battled as a duo since the beginning of our adventure. So battling as a couple now should be quite interesting.
Caleb sends out his Salazzle while I send out Dartrix. The young couple sent out Tsareena and Lurantis.
Lurantis starts out with Leafage in the direction of Salazzle. Dartrix jumps in the way and covers it's face with it's wing absorbing the ineffective hit. Salazzle jumps over Dartrix and uses Flame Burst. The opposing Pokemon successfully dodge the attack and use Razorleaf.
Dartrix takes a hit and charges Tsareena and connects. Lurantis powers up an energy ball attack and sends it hurtling towards Dartrix. This time Salazzle jumps in and takes the shot. The attack is more effective than it would've been on Dartrix. I look over at Caleb and he winks bringing a smile to my face.
"Dartrix, Air Cutter." Dartrix takes flight and swipes Tsareena critically injuring it. Meanwhile, Lurantis is using synthesis to power up. Caleb tries to attack Lurantis but Lurantis counter the attack with a slash attack on Salazzle who is beginning to waiver a bit.
I tell Dartrix to use Air Cutter again but Tsareena tackles him and then begins to dance in front of Dartrix.
"Cameron, that's a teeter dance!"
Crap.
Datrix begins to dance and refuses to attack when I tell it too.
"Solar Beam!" the young woman yells. Caleb tries to attack the woman's Lurantis but Tsareena gets in the way taking the hit instead. Lurantis levels Salazzle with a powerful Solar Beam attack.
However, Salazzle isn't finished. It staggers to its feet and looks at Lurantis and Tsareena as they charge at Dartrix.
I yell at Dartrix to snap out of it but he doesn't. Just as he is about to be hit Caleb calls for a Flamethrower attack on Dartrix's position. I don't know why he would attack Dartrix.
But then I realize that he isn't. Well, not quite.
I watch as Lurantis and Tsareena hit my dizzied Dartrix and send him slamming into the hillside. That's when Salazzle's flamethrower continues on it's directory to where Dartrix was standing before he was hit; where Tsareena and Lurantis are now.
The attack hits both of the Pokemon, but only Tsareena faints. Then Lurantis begins to power up for another Solar Beam attack when Caleb tells Salazzle to tackle Lurantis before it gets it off.
Salazzle won't make it.
I look at Dartrix who is struggling to stand up. "Brave Bird!"
Dartrix looks up and finds Lurantis. It flies off quickly and hits Lurantis before it can get its attack off. Dartrix staggers to it's feet and looks down at Lurantis who fainted.
The Young couple approach us with a smile on their face.
"That was a great battle. You two battle wonderfully together," the woman said.
I looked at them as they held each other's hand. They were happy, very happy to battle together. I then looked over at Caleb, who was smiling, and grabbed his hand. The young woman looked at our hands and smiled. She then reached into her bag and handed us a Rage Candy Bar each.
They left us as Mina came over and congratulated us. She didn't give us an emblem, she just told us to go face Hapu.
...
Back at Seafolk Village we saw Hapu speaking to a man. When she saw us she asked us if we'd ever been to Exeggutor Island?
We both shook our heads. Caleb smirked as I looked at him. Why is their an island for Exeggutor?
When we arrived I found out why.
"Why are they so huge?!" I exclaimed looking up at the towering Pokemon.
"It's an Alolan Variant Pokemon," Caleb said.
So I did the natural thing and captured me an Alolan Exeggutor. It's pretty badass and looks much better than the original variant.
Meanwhile, Caleb and I walked up the small mountain on the island and peered out into the sea.
"It's looks amazing, doesn't it?" Caleb asks as he looks out to sea. The sun is
We could see every single island of Alola. Melemele Island is closest and we can see the bright lights of Hau'oli city very clearly. I actually miss being home on Melemele Island and I can't wait to get back there tomorrow after I face Hapu.
Beyond that the ocean has that orange hue to it due to the setting sun.
"Yeah," I say still looking at the sea. I watch a group of Pelipper glide along the ocean and gobble up some of the water as I feel Caleb's hand grab a hold of mine. I look down and smile when he kisses me on the cheek.
He rests his head on my shoulder and with Skitty on my lap sleeping we just sit there. We sit there and watch the sun set, watch the Pelipper fly, and the Tentacruel swim. This is what an adventure is all about.