Disclaimer: This story, the OC -main, secondary or otherwise- don't belong to be but to a dear friend of mine who decided not to share it here. So I took it upon myself to do it for her.
However as to not be accused of plagiarism, I still made a few changes so it was more in my style than in hers (but that's about all that'll be changed). If anything, think of it as a remake.

Regarding the main cast from Pokemon, they belong to Game Freak or whoever own them.

I had to cut the chapter into two parts as it was much too long (over 3,500 words) compared to the 2,300 words (or so) I try to have for these chapters.

First Grand Trial

part 1

"Thank you for taking me to the Ruins of Conflict, Kahuna Hala." I tell my soon-to-be-opponent as we make our way back over the recontructed rope bridge that had been cut the other day. Today is the day for my Grand Trial and I had asked the Kahuna if I could come here to ask for Tapu Koko's blessing. In truth, I wanted to see how the Island Guardian was doing after the fight against Team Skull and that other Team whose name I couldn't remember. I also had asked Kahuna Hala if he knew what they were trying to achieve for I couldn't believe they really thought they could catch Tapu Koko. He had suggested that there may have been something valuable for them to gain in return for the attempt, but he couldn't fathom what.

"My pleasure, Jade." he replied. "I have to say that I am surprised that Tapu Koko didn't answer to your prayer." He went on, voicing my own disappointment. "It did so to Ash." He added, almost absentmindedly. So absentmindedly that he didn't even seem to listen to my gasp of surprise at his announcement but instead spoke more. "On the other hand, you got your Z-Ring from Tapu Bulu, so I suppose it didn't want to bless its fellow guardian's protege."

"Yes, I suppose," I mumbled, nodding in agreement, though I couldn't help but feel disappointed. And some resentment too. Ash had never told me that Tapu Koko had given him his blessing. In a way, it came as a surprise given that Ash sometime didn't seem to have a filter. And especially for such a case.

"You seem upset, Jade." Kahuna Hala said, kicking me out of my own thought. Looking up, I saw that his eyebrows had narrowed a bit.

"You can say that," I admitted.

"And why is that?" He asked in a gentle voice. "Is it because of Ash?"

"And his blessing, yes." I answered quietly, looking down at my wrist and the Z-Ring around it. The Kahuna smiled and placed his large tanned hand on my shoulder. I didn't shiver or get tense this time.

"Jade, it certainly is a great honor for anyone to receive our guardian's blessing, don't get me wrong. But the guardians follow their own path. You shouldn't consider the absence of his calling as a sign of disapproval. I am sure that Tapu Koko still heard you." He assured me with a warm smile. I cracked a faint smile at this.

"Thanks." I replied. The tone in my voice still hinted much disappointment, but I managed to get most of it under control and Kahuna Hala laughed jollily.

"Don't dwell on it," he advised me as we reached the outskirts of Iki Town and the town square where our battle will take place.

Once there, I found a major surprise that I didn't expect. Huddled in a small circle are Ash, his classmates and Professor Kukui and all seemed to be talking about something exciting. I knew that people would come to witness the Grand Trial, Kahuna Hala told me there always were attendance to these, but I didn't expect they'd come too. My curiosity being stricken I decided to go to ask them why they were even here in the first place.

"Turta!" Kiawe's massive Turtonator 'spoke' out in its deep voice, catching everyone's attention who took a quick look at him before turning around to me.

"Hey, I thought you had class today!" I said as I got near them.

"And they do. I thought it'd be a nice idea to take them here to watch someone from another region battling." Professor Kukui explained.

"Where is the egg?" Lanna asked. "You didn't lose it, did you?"

"I left it at the Pokemon Center," I informed them. "I feared I could break it so I asked Nurse Joy if she could watch over it while I was having my Grand Trial."

"How was the ritual?" Ash asked with a wave of his hand.

"Could have been better," I replied shortly, shrugging my shoulders. "And don't you think you had forgotten to tell me something?" I added, frowning.

"What do you mean?" He blurted, his elated voice had morphed into a rather light one. I narrowed my eyes.

"You never told me that Tapu Koko gave you its blessing," I growled, my face only half an inch from his.

"Sorry," he quickly said with a sheepish laugh, taking a step back and rubbing the back of his head. "I guess I… forgot?"

"So, shall we begin?" Kahuna Hala intervened before I could give Ash a piece of my mind about withholding information. With a stretch of my arms, I turned to face Hala.

"Yes!" I hollered loudly so that I was sure I had everyone's attention. "Let's start!"

"Awesome!" He made his way to the wooden platform as I went to Mallow and gave her one of my Pokeball.

"Hey, would you mind to look after Gaïa?" I asked her. "I am not battling with her this time around." I informed them. Hardly had I spoken those words that my Snivy decided to leave her Pokeball. But instead of appearing on my shoulder or in my arms, she was in Mallow's, to everyone's astonishment.

"Are you sure?" Lillie said with a worried tone. "I'd have thought you'd want to have Gaïa for your first Grand Trial."

"Well, Lillie, none of my Pokemon have an advantage against Kahuna Hala's Pokemon. And as Sabretooth is new to the team, I wanted to see how he managed in a real battle. And as for Marie… I guess she sorta won her place in the battle when she helped defend Tapu Koko."

"You seriously thought that?" Mallow exclaimed. I didn't answer but ran my hands through my hair as I laughed nervously. Of course they thought my reasons were foolish. "Jade, you shouldn't base your choices on such things." Mallow sighed.

"Yeah. We're taught that victory and loses are more about type matching and skills in certain situation." Sophocles said in a dogmatic voice.

"And that's what I have been taught too," I nodded. "Yet, I am still sticking to my choice. And don't worry, it won't be for nothing." I ensured them with a wink before I proceeded to walk to the wooden structure where the Kahuna had been patiently waiting for me. The group hustled away a bit so they were in a safe range and yet close enough to witness the oncoming battle and receive every ounce of excitement. When I am on my side of the field, Kahuna Hala pointed at Kiawe.

"You're the grandson of Akala Island's former Kahuna, aren't you?"

"Yes." Kiawe nodded. I was taken aback by this news. I had no idea that Kiawe was related to a Kahuna. I thought he only was a delivery boy, I thought, staring at him wide eyed.

"Would you like to be our referee for this battle?"

"Who? Me?" Kiawe asked, pointing at himself, causing Hala to nod his approval. "Yes, I'd be honored." He said with a bright smile, almost running to the referee place in one side of the field, between the Kahuna and me. With a nod of approval and what I presumed to be a good luck sign, he raised his hand to the sky.

"Attention!" He announced with a booming voice. "The Grand Trial with Jade from Unova and Kahuna Hala of Melemele Island will now begin. It'll be a two-on-two battle and it'll end when two Pokemon on one side are unable to continue. Let the battle… begin!" He declared.

I quickly swiped one of my Pokeball with a grin.

"Alright! Let's get this party started! Marie!" I shouted, tossing her ball into the air. Marie croaked out happily when she appeared in mid-air. She did a vertical flip while airborne, she landed on the ground and happily hopped, eagerly awaiting Hala's Pokemon.

"Crabrawler, come out!" He shouted with a happy and confident smirk on his face. When his Pokemon, a blue crab with large boxing gloves shaped fists moved side to side. It punched those massive fists in a rapid pace. And I did the same, punching my right hand as a fist onto the palm of my left hand. We weren't going to get flustered by this. I had made my researches on Alola's fighting Pokemon and if I could have thought Crabrawler was also a water type, I knew it was only fighting.

"Alright, Marie! Start it off with a bang! Bubblebeam."

"Counter with your own Bubblebeam, Crabrawler!" Hala hollered out. Marie flipped up and shot out dense bubbles that the Crabrawler managed to nullify with its own, just like what its trainer had asked.

"Use Facade!"

"Block and use Power-Up Punch!" Hala fired out at the same time I should my command, thrusting his hand outwards.

Following my order, Marie surrounded herself with a white energy aura and attacked when she was completely covered in that aura. She moved left and right as if to feint her opponent then pounced on the Crabrawler. To my surprise, it blocked her attack, seemingly with ease and taking zero damage. And, following its master's instruction, he countered with a Power-Up Punch, launching Marie across the wooden square battlefield and to my feet. It then hustled backwards, its glare focused on my Tympole and its skin (or shell) on its fists glowing red for a split second.

Attack increase.

"Damn it!" I shouted out. "Marie, you alright girl?" I asked my little Pokemon, kneeling to her. With a jitter, she returned to her attack stance, vibrating the cups on her cheeks as a growl to taunt Crabrawler. I was pleased to see she wasn't done yet. "Alright, nice endurance there, Marie." I congratulated her. "Now let's keep this offense up. Water Pulse." I boomed out happily. With a bit of luck, it'd be confused.

Marie quickly formed and launched a Water Pulse. Yet, once again, it doesn't do any damage as the Crabrawler jumped right on time. Gritting my teeth, I yelled for Marie to charge. She leaped off her stomach and hopped rapidly to her opponent. I could see Kahuna raising a brow. He surely hadn't expected this.

"Power-Up Punch again!" he commanded his Pokemon.

"Marie! Mud Shot onto its face!" I yelled. Just like during our training when we thought about this tactic that had come to be one of my favorite to use with my Pokemon, Marie bounced off of her tail. She used the momentum to launch herself into the air with the bonus of dodging the attack-increased Pokemon's punch. With a grin, my Tympole fired blobs of mud, yet Hala called for a Bubblebeam to cancel it. Of course, it worked. Perfectly.

"Facade! With full strength!" I shouted out as white puffs of smoke appeared from the collision between the mud and the bubbles, blinding me for a few seconds.

When a gentle breeze blew the white smoke away, I could see that Crabrawler had its Brutal Swing attack prepared. Unfortunately for it, Marie had the momentum of her fall on her side and she could strike fist. The impact caused Crabrawler to be crushed down into the wood where it remained still.

"Get up!" Hala commanded.

"Not this time!" I said as Marie landed near the dazed boxing Pokemon. "Water Pulse!"

"Pole!" Marie answered, quickly launching an orb of water that looked much denser than before. The battle certainly had her determination rose up to its maximum as well as her battling spirit. Even though Crabrawler was fighting to get out of the hole and stand on its little feet, it was too late and it got hit full force.

"Brawl…" it moaned as it landed on Hala's feet. Kiawe took a second to assess the situation and lifted his hand up. He directed it at me.

"Crabrawler is unable to battle." He announced. "Tympole is the winner!"

"Awesome! Yes!" I celebrated. "We rocked that one hard, Marie!" She leaped into my arms and I spinned her around then nuzzled her vibration cups that… vibrated on my cheeks, like a purr.

"Well done," Hala said, clapping his hands. "I see your Pokemon have some spirit! Yet, that won't win you the battle. Hariyama, you're next." Hala tossed the Pokeball of what I believed to be the 'star of his team'. Hariyama landed on the intact part of the wooden square battlefield with a bang from its massive bulky body. To be honest, I was surprised the wood hadn't cracked under the weigh. Marie trembled a bit when she noticed the huge Pokemon's glare on her.

"Pole…" she whined, not looking so sure of herself.

"Don't worry about the size," I said to reassure her. Or try to anyway. "We're still gonna win this! Use Mud Shot." I commanded with an ever so slight shaky tone of voice. I had to admit that I wasn't very thrilled about the gigantic stature of the opponent either.

"Hariyama! Fake Out. Then, Knock Off!" Hala shouted. Effortlessly, the fighting type Pokemon clapped his hand, just like his trainer had done a few moment before. The air from the clap sprayed the mud away. Not only that, but Hariyama's disturbingly massive hands caught Marie who was in mid-air and chucked her down into the wood. A loud crack rang through the square and when Hala's Hariyama opened its hand, I could see that Marie had fainted.

"Tympole is unable to battle!" Kiawe announced firmly. "Hariyama wins." With a slow nod and a small smile, I returned Marie to her Pokeball.

"Nice job, my girl. That was somethin' else." I said in a scared whisper. Slowly, I took out my remaining Pokeball and chucked it. Once he was revealed, Sabretooth puffed out his furry chest with ahiss from its sharp teeth. The tip of his fur on his back flared up and simmered with heat.

"Looks like this Litten is asking for some battle." Hala said with a grin. "Let's see what it's made of. Hariyama! Knock Off!"