Well, this is awkward. It all started after our return to Melemele Island.
When Ash battled Hala for his Grand Trial in the anime, they had the class and Kukui as an audience.
Right now though, as I stared at Hala's amused face, I could see close to fifty people surrounding the normally deserted arena. Amidst the crowd, I could see my friends waving tiny flags with my face on them.
"Why are there so many people here?" I blurted out. I was never the type of person to be comfortable in front of an audience in my first life and the mass of souls that made up Jack suffered and died before they even knew the concept of a social life.
Hala just belted out his now familiar belly laugh.
"When you weren't at the school or hanging out with your friends, you usually follow me around asking questions and helping out with my duties. You're practically Melemele's Kahuna in Training."
Beg pardon?
"Wait, what?"
"The Island Kahuna is chosen by the Island's Tapu and trained by the current Kahuna for their duties." He explained before nodding up at the yellow pain-in-the-ass floating above us. Said pain-in-the-ass just watched me with those familiar, judgmental eyes.
"But I'm thirteen! What about my Island Challenge?"
Because ten is a bit too young for me, and as no one actually knows how old I am here, I decided that I'm just an abnormally petite teenager.
Hey, if Ash could do it, so can I.
"Hahahaha, don't kill me off just yet little missy, I'll be Kahuna for a good few decades still. Enough time for you to gallivant around the world, learning everything you need."
I stared slack jawed at him for a moment.
"Put that thought out of your head, it's a long while from now and the Tapus are whimsical enough to change their minds. For now, we have a battle to start."
Right. Right, a Pokemon Battle. That's better than thinking about the fact that a battle hungry War God practically nominated me to be the next mayor/shaman hybrid of an entire island.
Kukui, who was the acting referee, watched us for a moment, probably to see if we would be continuing our conversation.
"The Grand Trial battle between the Challenger Jackie Giles and Kahuna Hala, with each combatant allowed up to two Pokemon, begin!"
"Go, Crabrawler!"
I sent out Litten in response to the appearance of the coconut sized crab.
"Crabrawler, Bubble!"
Litten darted off to the side, narrowly dodging the explosive bubbles. He glared at Crabrawler, hackles raised before turning to me questioningly.
Right, trainers give orders. I'll have to teach him to fight independently later.
"Litten, use Ember!"
The spray of embers was met with another spray of bubbles, colliding between the comabatants.
"Get in close and Bite!"
Without even a hint of hesitation, Litten dashed through the smoke, maw wide open...
"Power Up Punch!"
"Mraaaaw!"
...and was sent flying back by a fist-claw thing.
"You'll have to do better than that, missy! Crabrawler, Dynamic Punch!"
That's not good. Litten and I barely trained together since we first met, mostly because I spend most of my time hanging out with my friends instead of properly training. While it's good to know of a problem so it can be fixed, it's not really helping us right here and now.
"Litten, fight like you usually did before I caught you!"
Litten was already a scrapper being mentored by Stoutland before I caught him. A minimal interference policy would probably be our best bet right now.
The arena floor exploded as Litten jumped back, avoiding the Dynamic Punch. Through the dust, I could see the crater created by Crabrawler's claw-fist.
A large fireball erupted out of Litten's mouth, exploding in Crabrawler's face.
"Oh, a bold strategy."
Are you seriously twirling your moustache with your finger right now? You look like an anime antagonist!
Wait a minute.
"Hey, Professor Kukui," I started while watching Litten dart around the battlefield to avoid Crabrawler's admittedly devastating punches, "I can send out another Pokemon as long as they don't actually battle, right?"
Kukui looked confused but nods at me.
"Yes, your Pokemon can watch if they want to."
"Great, Stoutland, you tell Litten what to do."
I grinned at Kukui and Hala's flabbergasted faces as Stoutland barked orders at Litten in my stead. Ohhhh, was that a Flare Blitz? Litten must have been practicing that for a bit.
Ah, that looked painful. I winced as a flame covered Litten crashed into Crabrawler's fist.
"Both Pokemon are knocked out! Trainers, send your next Pokemon!"
Well, that was cliche.
Recalling Litten, I picked up Ralts in my arms.
"Are you ready?"
With an adorable nod of determination, Ralts hopped off my arms and faced off against Hala's Hariyama.
To put things in perspective, Ralts was around half my size. Hariyama was more than four times my height and triple my width. It kinda looked like if Mowgli was staring down Baloo.
"Begin!"
"Hariyama, Arm Thrust!"
Before Hariyama could even take a single step, thick, pinkish mist exploded into being, covering the entire arena.
With a mental nudge, I directed Ralts to spam Teleport and Confusion like there's no tomorrow.
"Hariyama, Whirlwind!"
Wot?
I barely had time to brace myself before a massive gust of wind nearly blew me off my feet, dispelling the mist in the process.
Okay, that's just unfair. I bet Grassy Terrain and Electric Terrain doesn't have this problem with wind moves.
"Raaaaaalts!"
I saw Ralts tumbling back, her tiny frame too physically frail to withstand the wind.
"Now, Arm Thrust!"
"Mo- Ralts, Teleport away, now!"
The first strike, from a palm that's as big as Ralts, hit Mommy with the force of a freight train. Then came a second. And a third.
I clenched my fists as Jack's rage boiled over, the sound of Ralts' pained yelps driving the collection of children into a berserker rage.
I could see the Mist pooling at my feet, barely restrained from spreading by what willpower I could muster.
She's going to be fine, there's no need for knives to come out...
Blood for Mommy's Tears! We are rain, we are fire, we are power, let there be a...
My Light, I'm sorry for being weak...
A blinding light covered the battlefield, Hariyama stumbling back while covering his eyes. I could feel Mommy's psychic signature growing stronger, sending me feelings of calm and peace.
Mommy, you're here with us?
Ahhhh, I feel the Presence of my Light. Such love!
Let's punish him, Mommy! Let's bathe in his warmth!
The heathen who dared make My Light cry? Your will be done, my Light!
We are Rain...
...we are Fire...
...we are Power...
Let there be a Slaughter!
I raised an eyebrow as Mommy, somehow, used Maria the Ripper as some kind of Psychic Battery, unleashing psychic blasts well beyond what a newly evolved Kirlia should be capable of bringing to bear and batting Hariyama around like a tennis ball.
I ignored how she would occasionally turn to look at me, give me a smile and start wiggling in a way that made me feel like she was offering me candy.
Who could have corrupted my sweet, precious Cinnamon Ralts like this?