Chapter 18 - "Get Into The Air!"

"Today's the day!" Cyan said. It was the morning the day after the duo arrived in Konikoni City. He had woken up early, put on his pink t-shirt, white khaki shorts, and new white shoes. As usual, he wore his regular hat, but his brown hair, which was bushy when it was long, was starting to grow, and it made him uncomfortable.

Kala groaned as she pulled the blanket over her head. Only a few strands of her short pitch black hair poked out.

"Wake up!" Cyan yelled.

Kala groaned again.

Cyan sighed and looked around the room. Kala's Jangmo-o was awake, and he pranced around the room happily. Cyan picked him up and held him in his arms before lightly dropping him onto Kala. The baby Pokémon bounced around playfully on his trainer before she finally relented and removed her blankets.

"You suck."

Konikoni City was a quiet place that was cooled by the breeze from the sea. Most of the merchants in the area sold their goods outside in stalls, which allowed Cyan and Kala to look at some specialized goods around the area.

Cyan held a stone with an image of a leaf imprinted on it in his hand. He looked at it closely, trying to smell it without making it clear that's what he was doing.

"It's a Leaf Stone!" the merchant exclaimed. "It can make Grass-type Pokémon evolve!"

"Like my Ivysaur?" Cyan wondered.

"Some Grass-type Pokémon," Kala added while she took the stone from Cyan's hand. She put the stone back with the collection, and they observed the other stones. "Since Konikoni City is so close to the mountains and tunnels, people find a lot of specialized stones. Most of the merchants here sell stones that can evolve Pokémon, increase their powers, and other things."

"Other things?"

"Other things."

"Whoa."

"I don't want to tell you exactly what you're getting into with your grand trial, but I think you'll be able to figure it out by what kind of city we're in."

Cyan looked around. He got quiet and listened to the seabreeze. "Water-types?"

"Your battle will take place at the Ruins of Life," Kala explained as the two left Konikoni City. "We have to walk through Memorial Hill, which is where a lot of Pokémon are laid to rest. I hope it doesn't freak you out too much."

"Laid to rest?" Cyan wondered. "I guess it'd be okay to pay our respects."

Kala nodded. "Your battle with Olivia will not only be seen as an offering to Tapu Lele, but it will be a gift to those who have passed. The idea is that you should fight with all of your heart."

"I definitely will!"

The two made their way through Memorial Hill which was a graveyard that appeared to be built from ancient stone. The locals had let mother nature do what it wanted, and tall grass grew around the stone, vines made their way up some of the graves, and moss found a home in the cracks.

There were many trainers, tourists, and locals who were visiting the hill, and as was tradition in Alola, people were battling to honor those who had passed on. Cyan, wanting to maintain his Pokémon's health for the upcoming battle, declined any invitations.

And soon enough, they found themselves standing in front of the Ruins of Life. It was also built of grey stone with multiple pillars surrounding the area. Most of them appeared to be destroyed from battles hundreds of years ago, and foliage grew around them. But what Cyan focused on was the large dark entrance to a cavern.

"Do we go in?" Cyan asked. He took a step forward, but Kala put her hand on his shoulder.

"We're not allowed to. You can once you finish the Island Challenge," she explained.

"You're here for a battle?" a voice called from the darkness. A teenager revealed herself. She had a cocky smile on her face, long dark hair, and her skin was tanned. She looked at both of the trainers and then folded her arms.

Cyan smiled. "My name is Cyan Kokura from Kanto! I'm here to beat the Island Kahuna!"

The teenager grinned and then focused on Kala. "Long time, no see, Kala. How's your grandpa?"

Kala gave her a thumbs up. "He's as healthy as ever! Cyan, this is Olivia."

"So, this is Cyan Kokura?" Olivia wondered out loud. "I've heard about you from the other trial captains, and even Hala had some nice things to say about you. You're quite the trainer."

Cyan nodded and grinned. "I do my best!"

Olivia motioned around the area and took a few steps forward so she was completely out of the cavern. "This will be our battlefield. It's directly in front of Tapu Lele's home, so they will be watching closely. Does three on three sound good to you?"

"Sounds perfect!"

"Kala, would you mind acting as our referee?" Olivia asked.

"Me?" Kala wondered. "I guess I can."

"As long as you call it down the middle."

The three all got into their positions, and when everyone was ready, Kala made her referee announcement.

"This battle will be a three on three battle for Cyan Kokura's grand trial on Akala Island. Begin!"

"We'll start off our battle with Nosepass!" Olivia yelled while throwing her Poké Ball onto the field. A Pokémon as still as stone materialized. It pointed its large nose at Cyan, sending chills down his spine.

"So, I'm taking that this is a Rock-type?" Cyan wondered. "I guess I was wrong before."

Kala sighed.

"No matter! I'm sticking to my original choice! Go, Brionne!"

Brionne emerged from the Poké Ball and then landed on his front legs. He did a twirl and then happily clapped his paws together while smiling at his opponent. Nosepass remained still, and eventually Brionne came to a stop. He glanced cautiously at the Rock-type.

"I should probably warn you, Cyan. The three Pokémon that I use today are really strong. They're more resilient than Wishiwashi. They're faster than Marowak. And they hold more surprises than Lurantis. They won't go down easily."

Cyan grinned. "Then I should warn you, Olivia. We've learned from our battles with the Totem Pokémon. Our patience outmatched Wishiwashi's resilience. Our technique outmatched Marowak's speed. And our ability to adapt outmatched any surprise that Lurantis threw at us."

Kala smiled. "Sure are confident, eh?"

"My Pokémon are a great team, so yeah. I'm a little confident," Cyan responded.

"Let's get started, shall we? Nosepass, use Rock Slide!"

Nosepass' eyes started to glow as the ground began to rumble. Dozens of stones emerged from the earth, and with one forward motion, Nosepass sent them barreling forward.

"Knock them back with Bubblebeam!"

Brionne leapt backwards before unleashing the barrage of bubbles from his mouth. The bubbles connected with the stones, but they weren't strong enough, and the stones continued forward.

"Plan B! Jump!"

Brionne twisted his body and then used the strength of his front legs to send himself into the air. He narrowly avoided the stones before falling downwards at Nosepass.

"Aqua Jet!"

Aquatic energy surrounded Brionne, and he shot like a rocket. But Olivia was ready.

"Thunder Wave!"

Nosepass absorbed the blow from Brionne, and the two Pokémon fell over onto each other, but using its magnetic force, Nosepass stayed in a standing position. It raised its two arms before unleashing a wave of electric energy from his body. The wave washed over Brionne, and the Water-type groaned as his movements became slow.

"What?!" Cyan yelled.

"Your Pokémon won't be able to move so fast now that I've paralyzed it," Olivia said. "Rock Slide!"

Nosepass hummed, and the stones from before startled to rumble once again. They shifted and then started their roll the opposite way from before. They crashed onto Brionne, and he cried out from the pain.

"Spark!"

"What?!"

Nosepass' movements were sporadic from the previous damage that it took, but it still bounded forward, electricity exploding off of its body.

"Bubblebeam!" Cyan ordered desperately.

Brionne tried to open his mouth to release his attack, but the electricity surged through his body, and he came to a stop. Nosepass continued forward, and it crashed into the Water-type. There was a small explosion of electric energy, and Brionne flew backwards. He landed weakly in front of Cyan before his body went completely limp.

"Brionne is unable to battle!" Kala declared.

"Brionne!" Cyan yelled. He ran onto the field and knelt down to check on his Pokémon. "I'm sorry, Brionne."

"Bri…"

"What happened to your confident demeanor?" Olivia asked. "Maybe you weren't properly prepared?"

Cyan gritted his teeth and then withdrew Brionne before walking back to his original position. "We'll still win. I know we will." With that, he quickly pulled his next Poké Ball from his belt and then tossed it forward. Ivysaur exploded out of his Poké Ball, did a flip, and then landed onto the field. The grass that grew from the stones tickled his feet, and he relished in the feeling.

"Nosepass, let's use Thunder Wave!"

"We can't let it hit!" Cyan called. "Get into the air!"

As Nosepass released the wave of electric energy, Ivysaur drew out his vines and then smacked them into the ground. The force of his attack sent him soaring through the air, easily avoiding the electric attack.

"Subarashi! Now blast 'em with Razor Leaf!"

Ivysaur twisted his body and pointed downwards before he unleashed leaves from his body. They rained down on top of Nosepass in a flurry, and once the attack ceased, Nosepass fell to the ground, its body crashing with a hard thud.

"Nosepass is unable to battle!"

"Yatta!" Cyan yelled as Ivysaur came back to the field. "That's one down!"

Olivia withdrew her Pokémon and quickly drew out her next Poké Ball. She tossed it into the air, and a dark blue Pokémon made from rocks appeared. Unlike Nosepass, this Pokémon had some movement to it, although it was jittery. It continuously and rhythmically jabbed its front legs into the ground as it looked at Ivysaur.

Cyan put his hands to his hips. "Never seen that one before…"

"This is Boldore. They're most commonly found in Unova," Olivia explained.

"So, that explains it. Ivysaur, let's be quick! Use Razor Leaf!"

"Fight back with Rock Blast!"

As Ivysaur released his mass of leaves into the air once again, Boldore charged energy within itself. It unleashed a giant boulder that formed from energy. The two attacks clashed, cancelling each other out and sending smoke into the air.

"Now Mud-Slap!"

Ivysaur and Cyan couldn't see what Boldore was doing, but mud suddenly emerged from the smoke. It blasted Ivysaur in the face, getting in his eyes. He screeched as he tried to get it out of his face, but the attack had done its damage.

"Now one more Rock Blast!" Olivia's voice called.

As the smoke died down, Boldore released another ball of rocky energy. The stone collided with all of Ivysaur, and he flew backwards. He landed hard against the ground, but was quick to get back up. He managed to open up one eye, and he looked out onto the field.

"Razor Leaf!" Cyan yelled.

Ivysaur took aim with his one eye and then released his attack. But the mud had done its job, and the leaves blew past Boldore, missing completely.

Olivia smiled. "Rock Blast!"

Boldore repeated its attack from before, and Ivysaur was blasted directly once again. He rolled backwards, and his legs started to shake as he forced himself to stand back up.

Cyan observed the field and started to think. Razor Leaf was a strong enough attack to take down Boldore, but the problem was that he couldn't hit it from afar. And to this point, Boldore only used attacks from the distance.

"We gotta keep it still," Cyan said. "Vine Whip!"

The vines emerged from Ivysaur's back, and they reached out wildly. One of them was able to grab ahold of Boldore, and it held the Pokémon in place.

"We're not dodging your attacks, Cyan. That's not the problem. The problem is Ivysaur's aim!" Olivia explained with a cocksure expression on her face.

"I know!" Cyan replied. He turned to his Pokémon. "Ivysaur, sumimasen! Razor Leaf!"

Ivysaur nodded and then did his attack once again. The leaves followed the path of the vine, ripping into Ivysaur's own appendage. The Grass-type cried out as he did damage to himself, but the strategy was successful, as Boldore was repeatedly hammered into by the barrage of leaves. Ivysaur loosened his grip, and his vine collapsed to the ground.

"That should do it," Cyan muttered. He looked at Boldore who was showing no signs of consciousness.

Olivia grinned. "I don't think so."

Suddenly, Boldore lit up, and it looked out onto the field. Although it appeared heavily damaged by the attack, it was somehow still able to move, even if it was jittery.

"What the?" Cyan yelled.

"Boldore's ability is Sturdy, which means that it can survive a one hit KO attack by the skin of its teeth. We're gonna finish this now! Boldore, Headbutt!"

Boldore, as though its adrenaline had just shot throughout its body, bounded forward, blasting energy from behind its body.

"It'll take one more hit! Give it all you got! Take Down!"

"Ivy!"

The two Pokémon crashed into one another in the middle of their battlefield, sending out a wave of energy. They paused as they struggled against each other, and in due time, Boldore collapsed. Ivysaur stood above it with his teeth gritted. He forced open his eyes and then howled.

Kala smiled. "Ivysaur has an amazing fighting spirit. Boldore is unable to battle!"

Olivia nodded. "It looks like you were still able to beat me." She returned Boldore to its Poké Ball. "But your Ivysaur has paid the price. I'm not sure if he has much left in him."

Cyan looked at his Pokémon. Olivia was right. Ivysaur was strong, and he was much more willing to push himself to the limit than Cyan's other Pokémon, but he was almost done for in this bout. He slowly took a few steps back as he retreated towards Cyan's side of the field, limping with every movement that he made.

"Murishinaide," Cyan muttered.

Olivia drew out her final Pokémon and grinned before throwing it into the air. From the ball emerged a canine-like Pokémon, but it stood on its two hind legs, hunching over menacingly while staring at Ivysaur through blood red eyes.

"This is your final challenge on Akala Island, Cyan. Meet Lycanroc."

Cyan looked on in fear. The Pokémon that stood across the field was terrifying, and the way that it looked at Ivysaur made it look like it was born to fight.

"That's the midnight form of Lycanroc," Kala said. "They evolve from Rockruff at night."

Cyan looked into the sky. The sun was starting to descend, and it painted the ocean orange. He glanced over at his opponent one more time. The thought of seeing this Pokémon at night sent chills down his spine.

"You ready, Ivysaur?"

"Saur!"

"Let's go, Lycanroc! Use Rock Throw!"

"Give it all you got into a defensive Razor Leaf!"

Lycanroc smashed her foot into the ground, making a stone appear, and then she kicked it, tossing it into the air at Ivysaur. But Ivysaur's response was quick. He surrounded himself in leaves before blasting them forward. They shredded into the stone, destroying it completely. The two Pokémon then glared at one another.

"Bite!"

"Razor Leaf!"

Ivysaur was worn down from the battle, but as Lycanroc bounded across the field, he prepared his attack. The leaves from his move blasted into Lycanroc, but she was able to press on, and soon, she latched her dark energy jaws down onto Ivysaur's neck. Ivysaur let out a blood curdling cry before his body went limp and he collapsed to the ground.

Kala sighed while she held up her hand. "Ivysaur is unable to battle. Lycanroc wins."

Lycanroc slowly backed away from Ivysaur, and then she glanced at Cyan, making him nervous. He walked onto the field and knelt down to pet Ivysaur, but he never broke his gaze from Lycanroc, her bloodshot eyes filling him with fear.

"You did great," Cyan whispered to his Pokémon before returning him to the Poké Ball. He walked backwards while selecting his next Pokémon.

Salandit would be at a disadvantage. Oranguru still seems angry with me. And Rockruff is at a lower level. What do I do? He wondered to himself.

"Do you forfeit?" Olivia asked after awhile of Cyan's silence.

Cyan shook his head and then drew out his Poké Ball. "Never. Go, Rockruff!"

Rockruff materialized on the field. She stretched her neck and then looked up, noticing her evolved form standing only a few feet away. Unlike Cyan, she wasn't intimidated. Instead, a smile came across her face, and she prepared for the fight of her life.

"If you're feeling the fighting spirit, then I won't give up either!" Cyan said. "Rockruff, use Rock Throw!"

Olivia laughed. "We'll finish this with one attack." She crossed her arms, and the Z-Crystal in her bracelet started to glow.

"Oh no…"

Energy surged through Olivia, and it connected with Lycanroc. The two howled as they started to strike their synchronized poses. And then, the field started to rumble. Rockruff, not scared to strike, attempted her Rock Throw, tossing a stone into the air. But then Lycanroc finally used her attack, and multiple stones emerged from the ground. They easily destroyed Rockruff's attack before they crashed downwards, raining onto the field. Rockruff was struck hard, but she continued to move, attempting to dodge as many as she could.

"Keep dodging!" Cyan yelled.

Rockruff followed orders, but her speed wasn't. One after another, she was pelted with stones, and eventually, she collapsed to the ground. The raining of stones stopped, and everything went silent. A smirk came across Olivia's face.

Kala closed her eyes and then raised her hand. "Rockruff is-"

"Ruff!" the Pokémon barked. She started to shake as she forced herself back to a standing position.

Cyan smiled. "Yeah! We're still in this!"

"It doesn't matter. We've already done enough damage," Olivia snapped.

"Rock!" the smaller Pokémon screeched before energy started to illuminate her body. Soon, she was completely engulfed in a white light, and her body started to shift. She grew in size, and the energy exploded off of her, revealing a new form. This Lycanroc was not the same as Olivia's. Instead, she stood on all fours, and her mane was orange in color. Her eyes were light blue, and she appeared to be much more gentle in demeanor.

"I thought the Dusk Form was just a rumor… I've never seen one in real life," Kala muttered.

Cyan looked around with a confused look on his face. "What? What happened? Is my Pokémon broken?"

Olivia smiled. "No, Cyan. Your Lycanroc just took a very rare form. You're very lucky."

Cyan grinned. "Well then. I guess this isn't over yet! Lycanroc, use Rock Tomb!"

"Let's use our Rock Throw!"

The two Pokémon stomped into the ground, making a stone appear before they kicked it forward. The stones collided and exploded onto each other, but Olivia was ready for her next order.

"Accelerock!"

Small stones surrounded the blood red Lycanroc, and then she bounded forward. She tackled into Cyan's Pokémon, but she quickly recovered. The two glared at each other, and the orange Lycanroc turned to her trainer and nodded.

"I'm taking it that you know that move too?"

"Rock-"

"Then use Accelerock!"

Before Olivia was prepared to make her command, the two Lycanroc crashed into one another. The blood red Lycanroc fell backwards, but she quickly recovered. She was now hunched over even further, breathing heavier than before.

Olivia put her hands on her hips. "Accelerock is one of Lycanroc's key moves. Rock-type Pokémon are generally seen as slow, but with something like Accelerock, it puts those notions to rest."

"I see," Cyan said. So, now she knows Accelerock. She really has a decent variety of attacks. Even if we're at a lower level, I'm sure we can win this one.

"Accelerock!" both of the trainers yelled.

Once again, the two Pokémon charged at one another. They collided and then were knocked backwards. At the moment, their speed was even.

"Rock Tomb! Give it all you can!"

"Rock Throw!"

Both of the Pokémon kicked stones into the air again, but this time, Logan's Lycanroc tossed a few extra ones. Two of the stones connected, cancelling each other out, but then the rest fell onto the field, surrounding Olivia's Lycanroc. She howled as the stones jabbed into her body, but then, as if the pain fueled her, she glared at Cyan and his Pokémon.

"Don't be intimidated," Cyan told himself. "Howl!"

As the smoke continued to clear, Cyan's Lycanroc let out a howl. Red energy formed a veil around her body, and she was fueled by the heat of the battle. She glared back at Olivia's Lycanroc, her eyes now filled with the same bloodlust as her opponent. Olivia's Lycanroc was taken aback, and she froze in place.

"Accelerock!" they both yelled.

The two Pokémon charged again, but this time, Olivia's Lycanroc was slow to start, tripping over the stones that she was trapped within. They crashed into one another, but Cyan's Lycanroc lowered her head. She jabbed her stones into the underbelly of the blood red Lycanroc, and with one heave, sent the Pokémon flying. Olivia's Pokémon crashed down onto the ground as the Dusk Form Lycanroc howled.

Kala observed the field and then raised her hands. "Olivia's Lycanroc is unable to battle. Cyan and his Lycanroc are the victors!"

"Yatta!" Cyan yelled out. He ran onto the field, and his Lycanroc collapsed into his arms. Although the stones poked and prodded him, he still hugged his Pokémon as tightly as he could. "I'm so proud of you!"

Olivia let out a heavy sigh before she returned her Pokémon. "You really beat me at my own game…"

He keeps coming really close to losing, but when he's on the ropes, that's when he fights the hardest. Him and his Pokémon fight with all of their heart and souls. But why can't he do a Z-Move? Kala thought as she looked out at her friend.

Olivia approached the middle of the field where Cyan and his Pokémon were celebrating. She turned to look back at the ruins entrance. "I'm sure our battle was a joy for Tapu Lele."

Cyan smiled. "It was fun!"

"Can I see your amulet?" Olivia asked.

Cyan looked down at it and removed the amulet from his neck. Olivia stamped one of the triangles with a small piece of wood and then handed it back over.

"Congratulations on your win today!"

Cyan took the amulet in his hands and looked at the two stamps that he had already received. He sighed with relief before putting it back over his head.

"Keep battling, and keep at your Island Challenge," Olivia said. "We're keeping our eyes on you, Cyan. Everyone wants you to succeed."

Cyan smiled and then bowed. "I'll do my best!"

The three turned to leave the ruins, but standing at the entrance was someone with a sinister look on their face. A girl, only a few years older than Cyan and Kala stood there with her arms crossed. She wore baggy black pants, a cutoff black top, and her hair was colored pink and yellow.

"Are you here for a battle?" Olivia asked.

The girl shook her head. "I'm here to send a message."

"A message?"

She pointed out at Cyan and Kala. "To those two. Stop messin' with Team Skull. Or else."

"Team Skull?" Kala wondered. "Those dorks?"

She lowered her hand. "I'm one of the bosses of those dorks. If you continue to get in our way, then I'll have to step in, and that won't be good for ya."

Cyan looked at the girl. This member of Team Skull gave him a different vibe. She didn't seem like someone that would be easy to beat in a battle. Her demeanor was more threatening and serious. Maybe Team Skull weren't as harmless as he first expected?

"You got it?" she asked.

Kala shook her head. "If Team Skull continues to make a mess in Alola, then we'll continue to fight back. How about you stay out of our way?"

The girl glared. "Then so be it. This is simply a warning. I'm kind enough to give you the chance to think it over. But the next time we meet, I won't be so nice."

Kala glared back. "And we'll be ready."

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Taking a small break from Logan and Yurie's adventure to get on a more consistent schedule with Awakening Alola. AA will become the main focus on my account for a couple of months until its finished.

The next two chapters will be a little bit more relaxed. Not a lot of (if any battling). I kind of like writing chapters like that. Gonna focus a bit on the Z-Moves. Maybe Cyan will finally be able to do one.

Subarashi - Excellent/Amazing/Fantastic

Sumimasen - I'm sorry.

Murishinaide - Don't force yourself.