Today, Sarah and her friends were at Paniola Town and class was about to begin. "Over here, Sarah..!" Mallow called.

"Coming." Sarah smiled as she came over.

"What do you think we'll do today?" Sivally asked.

"Don't know..." Sarah stated. "We'll find out." Then Blitz and Lolita perked up, "Pika?"

"Meowth?"

"Blitz? Lolita, what is it?" Sarah asked. Then the group heard,

"Barr...!"

"Hey, Dragonite!" Sarah called, recognizing her father's Dragon Type. She then noticed he was wearing a mail pouch as it came to the group and hugged his trainer's daughter before he handed her a letter from her parents. "What have you got there, buddy?" she asked curiously as she took it and opened the envelope.

Of course, as she predicted, the letter was from her parents.

"Dear, Sarah,

"We just heard that you've arrived in Akala Island for a field trip with Kahuna Olivia along with your friends and Professor Kukui. We think it's wonderful for you to visit the island during your trip. There's a lot of people and Pokemon to meet and stuff to do that are different from how everyone in Melemele Island does things," the note read from James' voice as she read it.

"We even heard that you all helped rescue a Wailmer from a Bruxish. Just be careful around Pokemon like that Bruxish, honey, not all Pokemon are friendly and will take some getting used to for them to trust you," Nikki voice said in the note.

Sarah chuckled, and rolled her eyes, "I know that already, Mom." she said to herself with a smirk.

"Above all, have fun and don't forget to write or call us!" Yours truly, Mother and Father," the letter finished. Everyone watched as she read the letter and they smiled, knowing how Sarah and her parents are like. "Sounds like Nikki and James didn't waste a single moment when I told them about us arriving here and the detour we took," laughed Professor Kukui.

"Well, you know me. Whenever something goes AWOL whenever I'm around, it's how things roll and we just go with it," Sarah responded before she turned to Dragonite.

"I'm okay, buddy, really," she soothed to the Dragon Pokemon's relief and happiness. She then pulled out a letter she prepared and handed it to Dragonite. "Can you give this to then and let them know I'm fine?"

"Barr..." Dragonite bellowed happily before he widened his eyes as he remembered something. He quickly dug into his mail pouch and pulled another letter but there was also a rolled piece of paper with it, both of which are addressed to her.

"Hey, what's that?" she asked.

Sarah took the rolled up piece of paper and unrolled it. "Barr, Barr," Dragonite shrugged as he handed also handed her the letter that came with the rolled up paper. She took the letter and opened it to find another envelope that said, "Do not open until you find the discs". There was also another piece of paper that had a message for her as she took it and read it, "Follow the map and it'll show you the way to the keys of Silvally's true power. It was time they were given to you to protect those you love, use them well," she read quietly.

Sarah was surprised, was there something else about Silvally that she didn't know about? Was it not detailed in Rotom-Dex's databanks? What kind of object would act as keys to Silvally's true power? Wasn't his true power already revealed after his evolution? All of these questions swirled in her head as she looked at the paper detailing a map as the little note said. After reading it, she rolled it back up and placed it in her backpack.

"Something like a treasure map, I presume?" Olivia guessed, with a smile.

Sarah nodded and she turned to Dragonite, "Thanks buddy." Dragonite nuzzled Sarah before he flew back off to Melemele Island. Then she heard Olivia's voice, "Well that's good because today you all will be participating in a treasure hunt today."

"Really?" Ash asked, earning a nod from Olivia. Soon, the group found themselves in a small barn where there were Scoutland Ride Pokemon.

"Today's the day your lessons in Akala Island finally begin and it starts with these fellows right here," Olivia told the group. Dragonite had left the group to return home and tell James and Nikki that their daughter's alright.

"Wow, there are so many!" Ash marveled.

"Check out all the Stoutland gathered here!" cried Mallow, amazed.

"Yeah, and look at all the Herdier and Lillipup!" added Kiawe with a smile.

Soon, they arrived inside the barn where they found several Stoutland, of the Ride Pokemon variety, waiting patiently for the group.

"We're going to use Stoutland as a Ride Pokemon and go on a treasure hunt!" Olivia declared.

"A treasure hunt?" Ash asked.

"That's right," confirmed Professor Kukui. "The Stoutland here in Akala have an uncanny talent for finding all sorts of buried treasure."

"Rare ingredients, rare stones, or even Pokemon fossils," Olivia clarified to everyone's joy as they gasped in wonder. Sarah gasped, maybe a Stoutland can help her find those "keys" to Silvally's true power.

"So, get to know your Stoutland and see if you can put their sniffers to the test, that's the assignment for today. And, the first person or people to find the rarest and best treasures will get a full five hundred points and be our winners."

"Now, to start things off, your first task is to find a Stoutland that best suits you," Professor Kukui told the group when Olivia finished.

"Right!" everyone agreed. But, as they went to pick a Stoutland, nobody noticed the strange stone inside Sarah's necklace glowing as if it was responding to something nearby.


(Opening 2 - Power Rangers Beast Morphers)

(The Ruins of Conflict are shown before Sarah and her Pokémon appear, jumping from a cliff to fight their enemies)

Pokemon!

(Sarah, Blitz, Silvally, and Mudsdale are shown first. Then, the Puppy Pair and Ponyta and Wooloo are featured. Finally, Lolita, Aqua, Milotic appear, all of them being shown in the order detailed)

Go, Go, Pokemon!

(Sarah, Blitz, and Silvally attack enemy Pokémon while Lolita uses her Scratch attack to protect her young Galar charges from Team Skull. Aqua and Milotic dive in the water to battle while the Puppy Pair does a Twin Rock Throw)

Go! Go!

(Sarah and the Puppy Pair are introduced first before Silvally, Blitz, and Mudsdale shown together. Then, Ponyta and Wooloo are featured before the introductions round off with Lolita, Aqua, and Milotic)

It's Battle Time!

(Sarah summons a Pokémon from a Cherish Ball she was given before transitioning to Silvally's evolution to his true form. Lolita unsheathes her claws before shifting to a darkened silhouette of a Pokémon that looked like a bipedal tiger with glowing light blue eyes in a battle stance)

For justice, we fight! With Pokemon Light! Together, we rise!

(Team Skull and Team Rocket appear with their Pokémon. Sarah and Silvally use Devastating Drake while Ash and the others are seen with their Partner Pokémon unleashing their attacks)

Go, Go, Pokemon! Go, Go, Pokemon!

(Sarah and her fully-assembled team appear in front of the Tapu Guardians)

Pokémon: Sun & Moon!

(Sarah and her entire team look out towards the horizon over a cliff on Alaka Island as the titles appear)

Pokémon Alola Journey - The Trials of Sarah


Pokemon POV

Out in a beautiful field of flowers somewhere in Akala Island, there was a flock of Mareep grazing and playing with their parents or fellow Wool Pokemon. It looked as though they don't have a care in the world and they're enjoying themselves immensely.

One Mareep, an orphaned Shiny Pokemon, was different from the others in a way as it broke from the flock and wandered around. Lately, it had been hearing something strange and nobody else in its flock could hear it, almost like something was singing and it was calling out to the little Wool Pokemon.

"Where is that voice coming from?" it asked as it looked around. "Where are you? I know you called me!"

"Ah-ah-ah-ah~" the noise rang again as the singing was getting clearer.

"Alright," sighed the Mareep. "I'm not going back to tell everyone, they'll think I'm crazy and brush me off as they always did."

It sighed sadly, "It's never easy without you and Dad, Mom..." The voice rang up again as if it begged her to follow it, "Ah-ah-ah-ah~"

The Shiny Mareep took a deep breath and grew determined. It heard the voice for a reason when it heard it sing the first time and the Wool Pokemon was going to find out what it is. "Okay, Mareep, you can do it. Just remember the song that Mom taught you and you'll get far. But, not too far or you'll drown... Whatever that means," she mused before she continued to hear the voice as it rang. The Shiny Pokemon didn't realize it but it was as if destiny had other plans for the Wool Pokemon when it was born the way it is and that fate would lead it to a meeting with a young girl and a group of Pokemon with her that will become its new family.

End Pokemon POV


Back with Sarah and the others...

Back at the Stoutland Ranch, Sarah and the others were just beginning to find the Stoutlands that best suits them for their treasure hunt assignment.

Ash eagerly went up to a Stoutland that gazed at him curiously before looking at the others, "Wow, I like you a lot! And, you're really cool! And, you too, and so do you! You're all so great!"

Sarah sighed with a smile as she shook her head at Ash, it looks as though he wanted to take all of them.

Kiawe looked towards a Stoutland that sent him a determined "ruff" and a red seat, he was satisfied. "I think I'll take this one," he smiled.

The Stoutland holding the green seat barked eagerly at Mallow. "Then, I'll take that Stoutland!" she cheered with Bounsweet.

"Then, I'll be picking this Stoutland," Sophocles decided while Togedemaru cheered, referring to a Stoutland with an orange seat, giving him a determined bark, too.

Lillie and Snow looked to a Stoutland with the pink seat sleeping peacefully and they were pleased, "I'm going to pick this one!" "Vul!"

Lana looked around for a Stoutland that suits her until she came across one with a blue seat. "Let's see, who do I want?" she mused thoughtfully. The Stoutland she looked at, however, was different as it looked at her and turned away with a huff like it was not impressed with its chosen rider. Lana didn't think much of the rejection and was curious of it. But, Ash was excited and thought it was friendly like the other Stoutland.

"Wow, you look awesome, too!" he gushed as he petted it. "And, look at that fluffy fur!"

Sarah looked around for a Stoutland that best fits her with her Pokemon's help but heard Ash and turned to him as he approached the Stoutland with the blue seat. She then saw its eyes as it grew annoyed from him simply touching it.

"Ash, wait! Get away from that Stoutland!" she cried.

But, it was too late. The Stoutland used a small Tackle attack to bash Ash away from it in the face as he landed on his back before getting up and rubbing his face in pain.

"Oh, man! That hurt!" he groaned miserably. Sarah came to Ash and Lana just as Olivia saw everything and joined them, smiling awkwardly at the Stoutland Lana found.

"That Stoutland there is the wildest of them all," she explained. Lana gasped as she and the Stoutland eyed each other, one of them in astonishment and the other like it was glaring at her.

Sarah was curious, "The wildest of them all, what does that mean?"

"Throughout it's time here in the ranch, its skills as a Ride Pokemon are a little underdeveloped, so-" Olivia tried to explain but Lana cuts her off in excitement.

"That's it! I pick that one," she decided, much to Sarah and Olivia's surprise.

"Are you sure you want that Stoutland, Lana? Even if it would reject you?" Sarah asked, worriedly.

"Yes, Sarah, I'm sure," Lana replied firmly. "Look at its eyes, so clear, so sharp. It's just the kind of Ride Pokemon I'm looking for to help me find buried treasure."

She approached the Stoutland and greeted it warmly with Popplio, "Nice to meet you." "Pop!"

The Stoutland turned away but Lana wasn't deterred, she knew that this Ride Pokemon was the one just for her.

As Ash finally found his Stoutland, despite a near embarrassing moment it had with it when the Big-Hearted Pokemon of his choice pulled down his pants, Sarah looked around for her own Stoutland until she found one with a yellow seat out of its stall looking out through the open barn door in a calm and curious manner.

She looked at it curiously as she quietly approached the Ride Pokemon, unsure of what to say to it. When Olivia saw this, she smiled and came to her.

"Have you taken a liking to this Stoutland?" she asked. Sarah nodded as the Akala Kahuna began to explain what she knew about it.

"That Stoutland is the oldest of the lot and its the most seasoned scavenger of them all," she told her. "It's always had an eye out for looking for rare and unorthodox treasures that most people think won't find any value in."

"Really?" asked Sarah in awe.

Olivia nodded, "Every treasure hunter knows the best treasures to find are things that most people take for granted or don't know about. This Stoutland was taught that by its original owner before he died and it was brought here as per his will. It took his words to heart as it found some of the rarest treasures you'll find on the island. To that Stoutland, what one person thinks and sees as trash is another one's treasure and it always looked forward to pairing up with someone who wants to find the most unexpected of treasures anywhere just as it does."

"Awesome! I'll take that one, Olivia!" Sarah decided, satisfied with the Stoutland she saw.

"I had a feeling you'd pick that one," the Kahuna chuckled.

Sarah nodded before she and her Pokemon approached the Stoutland with the yellow seat. "You like hunting for rare treasures, don't you?" she asked.

The Stoutland nodded as it looked to her as she brought out her map, "I'm wondering if you could help me and a friend of mine out." Stoutland saw the map and was intrigued before it agreed to become her Ride Pokemon.

Later, everyone and their Stoutlands were instructed that they'll spend the day looking around for whatever treasures they can find but must return by the first bell for a progress report and their treasure hunting will end when the second bell rings. When the gang agreed, Olivia gave the go-ahead and they all split up to look for their own treasures, even as Lana struggled a little with her Stoutland.

"Okay..." while everyone else was off on their Scoutlands, Sarah took out the map, letter and envelope. "Let's see where this map will lead us, Scoutland and everyone."

"Scoutland..."

"Okay."

The trio searched through the jungle as they followed the map, keeping in mind that they need to return for a progress report by the first bell. While Stoutland was sniffing around through her map's instructions, Sarah told Silvally about the note and the map detailing the path to the "keys" to his true power.

"Do you think the map someone gave you will lead us to wherever these 'keys' are?" he asked.

"If the map given to us doesn't lie, it sure isn't right now," she nodded. "But, who else would know about you besides everyone on Melemele Island?"

"I don't know," replied the Synthetic Pokemon. "But, our battle with Hala did create quite a stir around Melemele. I wouldn't be surprised if Olivia or Nanu found out or if anybody from Iki town got the word out about our victory."

"I gotcha. Hey, Silvally, what do you know about these 'keys' to what is your true power?"

"Not a clue, but I heard that they're small circular things that will allow me to change Pokemon types before I escaped the lab I was from."

"Change your type?" Sarah echoed, surprised. Silvally nodded and the other pokemon were surprised too.

"...Can you do that?" Sarah gasped in awe.

"Of course," Silvally answered as they continued on towards the jungle. "At least, that's what those humans told me before they did who knows what to me before we met..."

As they and Stoutland continued to search for what was at the end of the trail on the map, the strange stone began to glow brighter, like it was responding to something that was coming closer to it and its human owner. The two of them had no idea they were about to find not one but TWO treasures, what they're looking for and a particular Shiny Pokemon.


Pokemon POV

The Shiny Mareep was now in another part of the jungle as the voice kept calling out to it and getting louder as it drew closer to the source. It didn't know exactly where the voice was coming from but it was determined to know where it came from.

"Ah-ah-ah-ah~" the voice rang out. It sang two more times as the Wool Pokemon looked around.

"Where is that voice coming from..?" Mareep asked.

[Into The Unknown - Frozen 2 (belongs to Disney, ft. Idina Menzel & Aurora)]

Mareep: I can hear you, but I won't. Some look for trouble but others don't. There's a million reasons I want to go through my day and ignore your reasons that I wish would go away, oh-!

Voice: Ah-ah-ah-ah~! Ah-ah-ah-ah~!

Mareep: You're not a voice but just a ringing in my ear! And, if I heard you (which I don't), I've spoken for I fear. Everyone that I once loved was here all through these fields! I'm sorry, Poke-Siren, but your calls to I'll never yield! I don't want adventure, why would I want something new? I'm afraid of what I'm risking if I follow you...

Into the unknown~! Into the unknown~! Into the unkno-o-o-o-own~!

Voice: Ah-ah-ah-ah~! Ah-ah-ah-ah~!

Mareep sighed as the voice kept calling out to her but she was still a little afraid of what her choice to follow it could do to her after she made it.

Mareep: What do you want? Why are you calling out to me? Are you to distract me, to save me from more mockery? Or, are you someone out there who's a little bit like me and who knows deep down I'm not where I'm meant to be? My days are hard as everyone's fear of me has grown, don't you know there's part of me that wants to go...

Into the unknown~! Into the unknown~! Into the unkno-o-o-o-own~!

Voice: Ah-ah-ah-ah~!

Mareep: Are you out there? Do you know me? Can you feel me? Can you show me~?

Mareep & the Voice: Ah-ah-ah-ah~! Ah-ah-ah-ah~! Ah-ah-ah-ah~! Ah-ah-ah-ah~! Ah-ah-ah-ah~! Ah-ah-ah-ah~! Ah-ah-ah-ah~! Ah-ah-ah-ah~!

As Mareep continued to follow the voice calling out to her, she had no idea that it's leading her straight to the source of the voice and a familiar trainer.

Mareep: Where are you going, don't leave me alone! How do I follow you... Into the unkno-o-o-o-o-o-o-own~!

She jumped towards the source of the voice as she finished singing and found a surprised Sarah instead as she rammed into her and knocked her off of Stoutland, surprising the Big-Hearted Pokemon and her other Pokemon.

End Pokemon POV


"Ow... that hurt..." Sarah groaned, rubbing her head,

"What the-? Is that a pink sheep?" Silvally asked,

"Meow, Meow, Meowth, Meow!" Lolita cried, gushing over how adorable Mareep looked. Stoutland was in awe of the little Wool Pokemon as it sniffed her curiously before barking in confirmation to its rider that it's indeed a treasure.

Sarah blinked and immediately picked herself up as she looked at who rammed into her. To her surprise, she saw that it was the little Shiny Mareep baaing at her happily and her tail was wagging in excitement.

"Whoa," she awed as she looked at Mareep. Of course, she had never seen a Shiny Pokemon before so to see one in front of her was an understandable once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for anybody. "Hello there, what are you doing here?"

"Mudsdale, Mudsdale, Muds..." Mudsdale pondered, wondering what the Mareep could be doing here in Akala Island.

The Pokemon shrugged, they had no idea why a Shiny Mareep would be on Akala Island in the first place. Ponyta neighed, thinking she got lost from her flock but Wooloo disagreed, not sharing his sister-figure's opinion.

"Mareep, reeep reep..." the little Mareep said to them all.

"You heard a voice calling out to you?" Silvally asked incredulously as the other Pokemon looked dumbfounded. "You must've been hearing things."

"Well, it must've found us for what reasons she knows and Stoutland did confirm that it's a treasure," Sarah put in. "I mean, Shiny Pokemon are extremely rare and it's always hard to find them unless you're an expert treasure hunter."

"I guess you're right," Silvally nodded and so did the others.

"How did you find us, anyway?" asked Sarah.

"Mareep, Reep, Mar, Mareep, Reep," Mareep told Sarah before she went to her backpack, which fell off after she rammed into the girl, and dumped her stuff out until everyone saw the strange stone glowing. The sight of the stone glowing around Mareep amazed everyone. "Why is your stone glowed around Mareep?" Silvally asked.

"Reep, Mar, Mareep, Mar, Mareep, Reep!" Mareep said, jumping in excitement as she found the source of the singing she was hearing, which is the stone Olivia gave her.

"I don't know," Sarah gasped in awe as the stone glowed before she turned to the Shiny Wool Pokemon. "Is this what you've been hearing, you're hearing this stone singing and calling out to you?"

"Reep!" the Wool Pokemon cried again, excited to see the girl finally understand why she found them.

Sarah laughed, "You're obviously some lively treasure if you could hear the stone on my necklace. Just wait 'til Professor Kukui and Olivia see you, they'll totally flip! I wonder how the others are doing right now?"

Then, the first bell rang, telling Sarah and her Pokemon that the first part of the treasure hunt is over. "Don't know, but we better head back before they send out a search party!"

Sarah agreed with a nod before she took a white cloth she brought with her and carefully covered the curious Mareep with it and got her stuff together. "Now stay under here until you're revealed, alright?" Sarah cooed, earning a nod from Shiny Mareep. She hopped back onto Scoutland, "Come on gang, we'll look for the dics the next round." she said and the group headed back.


Back at the ranch, the group was able to return safely and with their treasures in tow. Lillie was, unfortunately, unable to mount Stoutland when the lesson started (due to an irate fear of Pokemon she had for some reason, which she revealed to Sarah sometime before the Akala field trip began) so the gang continued without her.

"Good, everyone's back safe then," Professor Kukui confirmed, once he was sure everyone was accounted for. "Olivia, appraisal, please."

Olivia agreed as she judged everyone by their current progress. She first started with Ash, whom she awarded 15 points for blue, red, and green shards. Mallow was awarded with 20 points for finding rare Tiny and Big Mushrooms. Olivia was surprised that Sophocles and Lana didn't find anything yet but she was curious as to what they'll eventually bring back, landing them with 0 points, for now. Everyone turned to Lillie as she tried to mount her Stoutland again, cheering her on.

"And, before we move on to Sarah, Kiawe's next," Olivia declared. She unveiled the cloth covering his treasure, revealing what looked to be like a Pokemon fossil.

"What's that thing, a rock?" Ash asked as she and Mallow gawked at it.

"Oh no, you're looking at what looks to be a Pokemon fossil," Olivia smiled as she picked it up. "It looks like its of a Cranidos' head!"

Ash and Mallow gasped in shock. "One hundred points! Kiawe's on top!" announced Olivia.

"What do you think of that?" smirked Kiawe to Ash, as the Kanto trainer went pale.

"Not so fast, Kiawe, we still have one more trainer to see what treasure she has right now," Professor Kukui smirked back, looking towards Sarah.

"And, finally, Sarah is last," she announced before she noticed something peculiar. "Oh, what did you and your Stoutland find, Sarah?"

Sarah giggled, "Just a new friend whom Stoutland, my Pokemon, and I found. And, a rare kind of Pokemon, at that."

Olivia was intrigued and so were they others as they looked towards her. "Really, well, let's see what it is," Olivia said as she removed the cloth. But, she and everyone else were in for the shock of their lives when they discovered what Sarah's treasure was.

Out of the cloth, came the Shiny Mareep as it baaed happily at Sarah's friends and teacher and the Akala Kahuna. Everyone gasped in complete shock at the Shiny Pokemon that was Sarah's first treasure.

"WHA-?!" Mallow and Ash gawked.

"UNBELIEVABLE!" Rotom-Dex cried in shock and panic. "THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT! IS THIS FOR REAL? IS IT, IS IT?!"

"Is that a Mareep?" Lana asked in surprise.

"I've never seen a Mareep of that color before!" Sophocles gasped, stunned.

"AH! How did you find that?!" paled Kiawe.

"Professor! Is that what I think it is?" Olivia gasped in amazement as she gave the brightest smile anybody had seen out of her.

Professor Kukui was also amazed before he smiled brightly as well at Mareep as she looked at him curiously. "It is! It really is, a Shiny Mareep! That's something you don't see every day!"

"SHINY MAREEP?!" repeated Ash, Rotom-Dex, Mallow, Sophocles, Lana, Mallow, Kiawe, and Lillie (who heard everything and came to see the Shiny Wool Pokemon). Professor Kukui and Olivia giggled at the gang's reactions to Sarah's first treasure before they explained about Shiny Pokemon. "Shiny Pokemon are a special breed of Pokemon that differ in different shades of color from their normal counterparts. Like black Charizard to Kiawe's Charizard and gold Pikachu to Ash's Pikachu and Blitz," Olivia began.

"And, some have special quirks that allow them to perform differently in battle. They are extremely rare and not many people have seen them more than once," Professor Kukui added.

"How in the world, Sarah, did you come across a Pokemon like this?"

"Well, while we were following the map Dragonite gave me, we kept our eyes and ears open for anything else that is a treasure along the way," Sarah began. "Then, we heard something like it was singing as we went on and it got closer until we found Mareep. Or rather, it found us." She then took out the necklace holding stone that began glowing around Mareep when she held it near the Wool Pokemon. "Silvally told me that it heard something singing and calling out to it and we think it's through this stone you gave us."

Everyone was amazed but nobody had an answer for what it means.

"What do you think it means, Olivia?" Sarah asked.

"I don't know but it looks like you've got a new mystery on your hands and its worthy from this incredible find," Olivia praised as she smiled brightly at Sarah and petted Mareep.

"And, you'll help her figure that out, would you, my little pink sheep?" she cooed at the Wool Pokemon, getting a happy 'Reep'.

"Does that mean...?" Sarah asked as she looked to her Pokemon and Stoutland before turning back to Olivia.

"That's right, Sarah. That means you're the head of the pack!" the Akala Kahuna declared proudly. "300 Points for the rare find of a Shiny Pokemon!"

Ash, Mallow, Lana, Kiawe, Sophocles, and Lillie gawked at Sarah before they all fainted. They were all well behind her by so many points just because she found a Shiny Pokemon of all things.

Sarah giggled sheepishly as Olivia and Professor Kukui laughed at her fallen friends, "Oh well, I guess you can't always hunt them all."

Mareep smiled happily at the scene, "Mareep, Reep, Reep...!"

"Now onto the second half of the treasure hunt. " Olivia said with excitement.

After Olivia gave the go-ahead to Round Two of the Akala Treasure Hunt, everyone (barring Lillie) mounted their Stoutlands and scrambled to find rarer treasures around the area. They were determined to beat Sarah and come out on top of the class no matter what.

Sarah and her Pokemon, on the other hand, returned to the path the map showed, leading to the keys to Silvally's true power. But now, they had a new friend joining them on the hunt with Mareep riding with Lolita on Mudsdale. But, Sarah's mind sometimes wandered off to Mareep and the stone Olivia gave her; it was obvious she had a mystery on her hands concerning the two but she didn't know how to put them together or where to start. She decided to put it off for another time and continue the treasure hunt before she had to return by the second bell.

"What do you suppose Olivia meant when she said we have a mystery on our hands involving the pink sheep?" asked Silvally.

"Don't know, but it's something we'll have to figure out ourselves."

She looked to Mareep, who was happily hearing Lolita tell her some of Sarah's previous escapades while rode on Mudsdale's back.

"At least somebody's enjoying herself," she quipped.

"That, I can't deny," Silvally agreed.

Scotland, remembering the map Sarah showed him, followed the directions of a small cave. But then, Stoutland suddenly stopped as it then began to sniff around heavily and turn sharply around, as if its treasure hunting senses were heightened. "Whoa, hey! Easy! Stoutland, slow down! What is it, boy? Hey!" Sarah cried as she held onto her seat.

Mudsdale, realizing what Stoutland could be on about, asked if the Ride Pokemon found something, "Muds Mudsdale?"

"Stout, Stoutland! Stout Stoutland, Stout, Stout!" Stoutland replied as if finally pointed northwest towards a small cave. Everyone looked at the cave in surprise before Sarah pulled up the map and looked at the cave drawn on it, it was the location of the "keys" to Silvally's true power as detailed in the map.

"Way to go, Stoutland!" Sarah praised. "Charge!"

Stoutland barked as it charged towards the cave entrance with her other Pokemon following. They finally arrived at the cave, wondering if this is where the "keys" are.

"Okay, Silvally, you come with me and Stoutland. Those keys are obviously related to you," ordered Sarah. "Got it."

"Mudsdale, Blitz, Lolita, Red Eyes, you guys keep an eye out for anybody coming to the cave and keep an eye on the little ones. Shout if you see the others or a stranger coming. I don't want them to get the jump on us."

The four mentioned Pokemon agreed and stood guard with the younger Pokemon while Stoutland, Sarah, and Silvally went into the cave to find the "keys". Taking out a flashlight from Stoutland's seat pack, the trio looked around the cave for the treasure they're looking for... Until, they come across something that drew amazed gasps from them. There, at the far end of the cave, there were remnants of a human camp. But, the equipment was ransacked and shredded as if something attacked the inhabitants living in it before their arrival. They cautiously tressed towards the campsite as Stoutland sniffed around for the "keys" or any clues with Sarah and Silvally lending a hand in the search.

"Hmm..." Sarah said until she lifted a piece of the tent, "Woah..." She found a small rectangular container with 18 dics inside, each a different color. She picked up the container and looked at it in awe until Stoutland barked at Sarah and Silvally to come to its current location. The two joined their Big-Hearted Ride Pokemon friend over to what he found and they found what looked to be a message carved on the rock that was supposedly directed to them.

Sarah read the message carefully as she shone her flashlight on it, "To anyone who finds this desolate campsite, long after we left after our battle after they found us, we leave the 'keys' to the Pokemon of this region, 'Type: Null', should it ever achieve its true form, of its name we don't know."

Sarah was in awe as she read the message. "What else does it say?" Silvally asked.

She shone the flashlight at the rest of the message and continued to read, "On that fated day, when the Black Beast of the Ultra Dimension appears to swallow the Light of Alola, the fated heroine, her Pokemon, and everyone she loves and cares for will rise against the darkness of the beast and use her heart and the Sword of the Sun Lion to restore life into its heart. The light will expire if the beast continues to run rampant while unchecked or allow a being with an evil heart to control it but will be brought back by the goodness of her heart and the love she carries for everyone."

"A sword?" she questioned. Sarah, Stoutland, and Silvally turned to find what looks to be a sword handle sticking out of a large stone. Curiously, Sarah approached the stone while Silvally and Stoutland stood by. She carefully grabbed the handle and slowly pulled it until it was out and its full form came into view. The handle looks to be about seven inches long from pommel to hilt with a yellow tassel hanging from the pommel.

The blade was a different story; it was at least 39 inches long from the hilt (simply shaped like a T) to the tip and looked as though it was made from gold steel. It was also wavey in the shape of a snake with the tip shaped like a serpent's tongue. It also had the image of a sun painted on the blade near the hilt. She looked at the stone it was in again to find a metal scabbard that fits the blade.

"What's this...?" she gasped in awe before she heard a call from Lolita and Blitz, drawing her, Silvally, and Stoutland's attention to the cave entrance and see them jumping and pointing outside frantically.

"Someone's coming?" Sarah realized and her two Pokemon nodded in agreement before calling them over to come out.

Having found what they were looking for and more, Sarah nodded to Silvally and Stoutland that it's time for them to leave. The two Pokemon agreed and, grabbing the scabbard, she sheathed the sword and held onto the container carrying the discs she found as they ran out of the cave.

Rejoining with the rest of her Pokemon family, Sarah boarded Stoutland as she secured the sword and put the container in the seat pack. "Come on, everybody, let's get out of here!" she called.

With that, Sarah and Stoutland ran ahead and took the lead while the others followed behind. It was getting late, anyway, and they had to return before the second bell. Not long after they left the cave on the path they took to reach it, a small group of four people in advanced technical suits shielding their identities were approaching the cave from the other direction. They quietly went into the cave and looked inside to find what's in it... Only for four panicked screams to ring out, like they have been robbed.


That evening, it was time for everyone to present their final treasures to Olivia and Professor Kukui. Ash, Mallow, Kiawe, and Sophocles have returned after finding their own last treasures but Kukui noticed that Sarah and Lana are still out.

"Lana and Sarah are still not back yet," he said, sounding worried for them. Then, Olivia looked out in the distance and saw two familiar Stoutland running towards them, she knew it was Lana and Sarah returning from their treasure hunts.

"Here they come!" she shouted happily and everyone turned to see them making the last bend.

"Hey, Lana, did you find anything?" Sarah asked as they met.

"Yeah, and did we ever! But, we're so late, come on! Hurry up!" she called. Sarah agreed and together, followed by Sarah's Pokemon family, they rode their Stoutland back to the ranch just in time.

Finally, Lana arrived soon after and soon, everyone was back together. "We made it, Lana!" Sarah cheered as they shared a high-five. "Yeah!"

Taking their places again with their treasures hidden under their cloth sheets, the students stood in line in the same order as previously. "Well, Olivia, care to share the final results?" Professor Kukui announced.

Olivia agreed as she began the judging. "Ash, you're up first," she told the Kanto trainer as she pulled back the cloth to reveal a small gold piece. "A small gold piece, huh? A beauty like that is worth 20 points."

Ash started crying, he was landed with only 35 points out of the required 500 for his treasures. Mallow found a humongous Lancid Berry that awarded her with 75 points, bringing her to a total of 95 points. Sophocles was lucky enough to find a Comet Shard which gave him 150 points.

"And now, it's time for Lillie's treasure, look!" Professor Kukui announced, pointing to Lillie.

Everyone watched as Lillie took a deep breath, calmed her nerves and finally, she mounted on her Stoutland without breaking down.

Everyone cheered for their friend, ecstatic to see her finally get on her chosen Big-hearted Pokemon.

"Alright, Lillie! You did it!" Mallow cheered.

"That was awesome!" agreed Sarah.

"You got on board Stoutland!" cried Ash with joy.

"You really did it, Lillie!" Lana put in, delighted.

"You look so cool riding on it!" Sophocles said happily.

"Good job!" Kiawe congratulated.

"I sure did! Thanks, guys!" Lillie smiled.

"With all of her hard work, she sure gave it a lot of love," Olivia complemented as she and Kukui watched.

Then, it's time for Kiawe's results and he scored 200 points from an Arcane fossil, bringing him up to 300 points.

Finally, it was time for Lana and Sarah's results. It was actually Sarah's idea to have her and Lana be judged together as they felt that whatever treasures they found would bring them together to a shared total of 500 points.

"Okay, Lana, Sarah, are you ready to share your final treasures?" Olivia announced.

"Yes, M'am," they agreed. Olivia nodded and pulled their sheets back, "Alright, let's see what you have here!"

Everyone gasped in awe and shock at what their two friends individually found. On Lana's box, there was a sparkling stone that could be carved and made into a Z-Ring. On Sarah's box, there was the "Sword of the Sun Lion" fully sheathed and the container carrying the 18 discs that were the keys to Silvally's true power.

"Olivia, what are those things?" Ash asked.

"That thing Lana found is called Z-Ring Ore!" Olivia replied, smiling brightly again from Lana's treasure, much to everyone's intense shock.

"So, that means... Is that Z-Ring Ore, FOR REAL?!" Ash paled again.

"Lana earns the full 500 points!" announced Olivia before she turned to Sarah. "And, Sarah, would you like to show us what your treasures are?"

"Sure, Olivia," she said, nodding as she first took out one of the discs for Silvally. "The discs I found were at a ruined campsite in a cave at the end of the path detailed in my map and with them is this strange sword that's called the 'Sword of the Sun Lion'. I think the discs are for Silvally, which are said to be the keys to his true power."

She took out a pink disc and called to Silvally, "Silvally! Would you step forward, please? I want to test this disc out first!"

"Alright!" Silvally replied as he stepped forward. Sarah aimed the disc at Silvally's head and threw it, "Here, buddy!"

Silvally took the disc into the mechanical slot on the left side and after inserting it, some parts of him changed from his normal colors to pink specifically, the feathers on its head, eyes and back fin. Everyone was gob-smacked by his changed appearance.

"Whoa, what happened to Silvally?!" Ash gasped.

"Did you just see what I just saw?!" Kiawe gaped.

"I hope not!" Mallow faltered.

"Amazing! How did it become like this, Sarah?" asked Olivia, still in awe.

"I know this sounds crazy but Silvally did tell me that he was able to change his Pokemon Type from a Normal Type just by inserting one of these discs into his memory slots," said Sarah.

"CHANGE HIS POKEMON TYPE!?" cried her friends in bewilderment.

"UNBELIEVABLE! INFORMATION UPDATED! INFORMATION UPDATED!" Rotom Dex exclaimed. "Now it says Silvally's a fairy type Pokémon after she gave him the disc! This is incredible!"

"Yep, and that's not all," she continued as she picked up the sword. "I also found this with the discs, do you think it has anything to do with what is called the 'Sun Lion', Olivia?"

She handed it to Olivia who proceeded to pull it out but not all the way to examine it until her eyes landed on the sun insignia painted on the blade. Her eyes widened in wonderment as she showed the sun symbol to Professor Kukui who was stunned from seeing it. Smiling brightly, they both nodded and she sheathed the sword before giving it back to Sarah.

"Well, class, it's settled!" Olivia told everyone. "In addition to the Shiny Mareep she found, for those Pokemon discs for Silvally and the sword, Sarah earns her remaining 200 points giving her a total of 500 as well! Which makes her and Lana the winners of the Akala Treasure Hunt! Congratulations, girls!"

"You two won the whole thing!" Lillie cheered.

Ash couldn't help but join in, "Yeah, Sarah, Lana! Way to go!"

"Congrats!" agreed Sophocles and Mallow.

"You beat me," Kiawe congratulated.

"Well, it was our Stoutland that did all the work," Lana denied modestly.

"We couldn't have done it without them," agreed Sarah bashfully as she looked to Stoutland who was telling the rest of her Pokemon about their findings in the cave along with Silvally as they awed his changed appearance.

"I think I'll make a Z-Ring out of this ore," Olivia marveled at the Z-Ring Ore Lana found, to which the Water Type user was amazed. "Make a Z-Ring, do you mean like make it for me?"

"Yes, of course!" Olivia confirmed proudly.

Everyone congratulated Lana for the chance of having a Z-Ring of her own and Sarah and Lana shared their congratulations to Lillie for her big accomplishment, it couldn't get any better for all of them, indeed. Sarah knew she would have to look at the letter she was told not to open until she found the discs for Silvally at some point. For now, though, she'll be living in her moment of glory with Lana.

And so, the Akala Treasure Hunt ends with Sarah and Lana as the winners. However, the friendships and family love our heroine and her friends forged with their Stoutland make them all winners. With two mysteries to solve and a peculiar treasure fated to be hers under her belt, Sarah and the gang's Pokemon school field trip in Akala Island is in full swing as the journey continues!


Sarah's Team:

1. Pikachu

Moves - Thundershock, Tackle, Thunderpunch

2. Rockruff

Moves - Rock Throw, Bite, Tackle, Rock Slide

3. Lycanroc (Midnight Form)

Moves - Rock Throw, Bite, Tackle, Protect, Rock Slide

4. Silvally

Moves - Crush Claw, Air Slash, Hyper Beam, Swords Dance, Dragon Claw, Multi Attack, Tri Attack

5. Mudsdale

Moves - High Horsepower, Double Kick, Mud Slap, Bulldoze

6. Wooloo

Moves - Wild Charge, Tackle, Electro Ball

7. Ponyta (Galar Form)

Moves - Dazzling Gleam, Moonblast, High Horsepower, Heal Pulse

8. Meowth (Alola Form)

Moves - Thunderbolt, Scratch, Iron Tail, Dark Pulse

9. Popplio

Moves - Pound, Water Gun, Icy Wind, Bubblebeam

10. Milotic

Moves - Dragon Pulse, Ice Beam, Twister, Mirror Coat

11. Mareep (Shiny)

Moves - Thunderbolt, Confuse Ray, Power Gem, Signal Beam