Track 13 - "It's Tricky"
Leinani wasn't sure what she was expecting when she would arrive at the Hano Grand Resort. She was so used to the environment at the Malie City's gym, that anything else felt unnatural. Uhuli had taken his job as a gym leader very seriously, and he wanted those who came from outside of Alola to respect his gym. He ensured that he always had the best referees, a clean gym, the rules were well defined, and it was a place where young trainers could go for advice.
The gym in Po Town had been attached to the city hall, and there was a quietness to it. The lights on the actual battlefield were dim, as she remembered, and it lacked an overall welcoming vibe like she had trained herself to expect.
The Hano Grand Resort's gym was also wildly different. Everyone in the resort appeared to be wealthy. They wore business suits and fancy dresses, which Leinani thought was odd because of how hot Alola was. Surely it was uncomfortable under the suits. Outside of the resort, people laid down on beach chairs which were shaded with oversized umbrellas. But they still were on the resort's property, well away from the beach.
Everything felt off for Leinani, and it didn't seem like she was going in to challenge for her third badge but instead to get a spa treatment.
"Do you have a reservation?" the teenager at the front desk asked. He had neat black hair and wore a fancy pink vest.
"Nah. I'm here to challenge Xerxes."
"Ah, so you're here for our promotion!" the teenager exclaimed while pulling out a pamphlet from under his computer. "Win a badge, stay a night for free! Let me show you what we offer here."
Kaiko took the pamphlet. "All you can eat buffet! Leilei, you gotta win!"
"I'm not interested in staying at some snobby hotel, Kaiko. We're gonna get in, win, and get out."
"But, free food?"
The teenager behind the desk handed over a card key to Leinani. "Take the elevator to the roof, and that's where you'll challenge Master Xerxes."
"Master Xerxes? They have you whipped," Leinani said while taking the card key. "Let's go, Kaiko."
"There's also a hot tub and sauna, Leilei!" he exclaimed while following her to the elevator.
The elevator ride seemingly took minutes. Every few floors, new people dressed in suits would get on or off. Leinani thought over her strategy to fight against Xerxes, knowing that he used Psychic-types, and Kaiko made sure to peruse the entirety of the pamphlet, so they rode the elevator in silence.
When they finally reached the top and the elevator doors opened, they were blasted by the Alolan sun. Leinani adjusted her hat to cover her eyes, and Kaiko used the pamphlet.
The roof was filled with people who were staying at the hotel, all in swimsuits. They were diving in and out of the pools that surrounded a regular battlefield that had been marked with chalk. On the other side of the field was the boy that she saw on television, Xerxes. He was leisurely sitting in what looked like a throne. Teenage girls who wore traditional Alolan dresses fanned massive leaves over him.
Everyone stopped partying, and they went silent as Leinani walked to the trainer's box. "Sup, numbnuts."
"So, we have a challenger," Xerxes said while standing up. He adjusted his hair and then walked to his trainer's box. The teenagers followed him, continuing their fanning. "What might your name be? How many badges have you earned so far?"
"Leinani Koa. I'm from Malie City, and I'm here to stomp your rich butt into the ground to earn my third badge!"
Xerxes laughed and then snapped his fingers. One of the teenagers stopped fanning and then walked over to the referee's box.
"It'll be a three on three battle. You ready?" Xerxes asked.
"I'm more than ready!" Leinani exclaimed.
"Oh yeah! I'm the Mystical Playboy! I'll be your host this evening! Everyone, sit back and relax as we battle it out in hot action tonight!"
"Cowabunga!" Kaiko yelled. He had grown bored with watching Leinani and Xerxes talk, and during that time, he changed into his polka dot swimsuit. He jumped into the air and dove straight into one of the pools, flustering some of the guests.
Leinani stared at Kaiko, blood filling her eyes with hatred. "Very not cool!"
"But the water is so nice!" Kaiko said while peacefully swimming. "You can threaten me all you want!"
Leinani cracked her neck and then focused back on Xerxes. The rich boy was laughing.
"The following battle will be between challenger, Leinani, and Gym Leader, Xerxes. It will be a single style three on three battle! Only the challenger is allowed to make substitutions!"
"I'll show my hand first!" Xerxes said. One of the teenagers held out a small pillow with a Luxury Ball on it. He gingerly took the ball and threw it forward. A Pokémon that Leinani and Kaiko were now familiar with, Oranguru, emerged. This one lacked the cigarette like the one that they met in Konikoni City, but it did have a serious expression on its face.
"DJ, you're up!" Leinani said. She pointed and then Rowlet flew from her hat. She landed on the field and then trilled.
"Begin!"
"DJ, use Peck!"
Rowlet took into the air and twirled her body around. After gaining some momentum, she dove towards the ground.
Xerxes ran his fingers through his blonde hair. "Brutal Swing 'em, baby!"
Oranguru stuck out his long arm and grabbed Rowlet, putting an immediate stop to all of her momenta. He then spun around in circles while waving the smaller Pokémon into the air. Then, with one quick toss, he threw Rowlet into the field, making her crash hard. She slid against the ground but was quick to recover and was back into the air within seconds.
Xerxes laughed. "Oh yeah! That's what I'm talking about! Your Rowlet has quite the fight in 'em! Let's match that energy, Oranguru! Nasty Plot, baby!"
Oranguru put his hand to his chin and gathered his thoughts. He then looked towards Rowlet and grinned sinisterly.
"You get my little DJ out of your head! We need a new approach," Leinani said. "Use Shadow Sneak!"
Rowlet trilled before shooting down the field. Her body was engulfed with the ghostly energy, and then she suddenly disappeared. When she came back to the field, she appeared behind Oranguru, her claws now encased in darkness. She swiped them at Oranguru's back, but the attack phased through the Psychic-type, doing no damage.
"What? How?!" Leinani yelled.
"It's simple, baby. Oranguru is a Normal-type. He's not going to let some Ghost-type move get in the way of his jive and groove!" Xerxes explained. "Oranguru, hit 'em with Mega Kick, baby!"
Oranguru fell onto his arms and did a handstand before pushing and then kicking out with his right leg. The entirety of his foot connected with Rowlet, sending her far into the air. She flew back to her side of the field and then landed on the ground, unable to stay airborne.
Leinani looked at the field and examined the two Pokémon. So far, he's had perfect counters for two of DJ's attacks. He also used Nasty Plot, so when he decides to use whatever special move he's got in store, it's going to be really killer. DJ won't be able to handle it, so I've gotta pull her from this fight.
"Too much for you to handle?" Xerxes asked.
"DJ, come back. Take a small break," she directed.
Rowlet nodded and then waddled back to Leinani's side. She collapsed on her backside and then panted heavily. Leinani chose her next Pokémon, opting for the Great Ball that was connected to her belt. "Go, Vinyl!"
Leinani's newest Pokémon, Sandygast, emerged onto the battlefield. The two had only been together for a week, but they enjoyed training together, and Vinyl took to the team rather quickly.
"A black Sandygast?" Xerxes said while regarding the Pokémon. "How much? I'll buy it off of ya."
"Not for sale! My Vinyl is priceless!"
"Vinyl?" he wondered, still not picking up that she had given her Pokémon nicknames. "What if I bestow you with the Kinetic Badge? No need for battling."
"You'd give me the badge for Vinyl?" she asked.
"And a kiss!"
With that, Leinani knew that she had to refuse. She glared and then pointed at Oranguru. "Sand Tomb!"
Sandygast howled and then straightened out her body as much as she could. What little sand that was in the area whipped up and shot forward, taking on a funneled form.
"Psychic!" Xerxes commanded.
Oranguru's eyes started to glow, and the tornado of sand stopped moving. He breathed through his nose and then shot the tornado back, making it collide with Sandygast. It then broke apart, but that gave Xerxes enough time to make his next command.
"Alright, baby! Use Brutal Swing!"
Oranguru jumped forward and started to run on all fours.
"Slow him down with Bulldoze!" Leinani directed.
Sandygast remained still and howled again. The field started to shake and crack, and Oranguru's right arm buckled. He rolled and fell into himself.
"Yes!" Leinani exclaimed. "Vinyl, you're doing great! Now Mega Drain!"
"Sandy!" the Pokémon cried out. Her body started to glow green, and she released orbs that made their way through the air. They surrounded Oranguru before latching onto his body and absorbing his energy. He cried out as his health was sapped, and then he fell to one knee.
"My king! My baby!" Xerxes yelled out, feigning concern. His cocky smile then returned to his face, and he cocked his head. "Use Psychic one more time for the people!"
Oranguru looked up, his eyes glowing with a sinister purple. The same purple aura appeared around Sandygast's body, and she was lifted into the air. She began to panic and squirm; never before had she been picked up. Oranguru roared and used his energy to throw her back at the ground. She splatted, black sand spreading across the field before it came back to her like a magnet.
"Again!" Xerxes said. He clapped his hands and jumped up and down. "Again! Again!"
Oranguru repeatedly lifted and dropped Sandygast onto the battlefield. Every time, Leinani watched helplessly as her Pokémon splattered like a pancake.
"C'mon, Leinani," Kaiko said, most of his body submerged in the water.
"When the fight gets tough, we fight dirty!" Leinani said, not able to handle one more splat. "Sand Attack!"
As soon as Sandygast hit the ground, she released her attack, tossing part of her body straight forward. It blasted Oranguru in the eyes, making him howl from the pain. He broke his psychokinetic connection and flailed about.
"One more Bulldoze, baby!" Leinani ordered, mocking Xerxes' pose and diction.
Sandygast shook the field again, creating cracks on the field. The cracks continued until they reached the blinded Oranguru. He slipped and fell, landing straight on the back of his head. His body went limp, and everyone in the pools was silenced.
"Oranguru is unable to battle! Sandygast is the winner!" the referee declared.
"Alright! We did it!" Leinani yelled. "Great job, Vinyl!"
"Sandy."
Xerxes withdrew Oranguru and put his Luxury Ball back onto the small cushion. He snapped his fingers, getting a new cushion with a second Luxury Ball presented to him. He grabbed it and then held it between his thumb and index finger.
"I'm world traveled. Before I was called back to Alola four years ago, I visited many places. That allowed me to catch many interesting and rare Pokémon, some of which you'll probably never see in your lifetime," he bragged. "However, I'll give you a small taste of the outside world. I'd like you to meet Exeggutor!"
His Pokémon materialized on the field. It was a plump Pokémon with three heads and leaves sticking out from the top of its body. It didn't look anything like the Exeggutor that Leinani was vaguely familiar with though. It rocked back and forth, stomping its legs rhythmically.
"Exeggutor, the Coconut Pokémon. Kantonian Form. It engages its enemies using psychic powers. Each of its three heads fires off psychokinetic energy, tripling its power," Leinani's Pokédex buzzed.
"A regional variant," Leinani said. "It looks weird."
"Don't you insult the beauty of my Pokémon! People like you are so rude," Xerxes exclaimed.
"Whatever. Vinyl, use Bulldoze!" Leinani commanded.
Xerxes laughed. "We can handle a little bit of a shaky environment! Exeggutor, use Sunny Day, baby!"
As Sandygast caused more of the field to shake and crack, Exeggutor danced. He sent a ball of light into the air. It exploded, increasing the light and heat around the field. The people in the pool all groaned before sinking their bodies farther. Exeggutor then took the attack directly from Sandygast. It stopped dancing and tilted its body slightly. When the shaking stopped, Exeggutor looked back up before smiling and resuming its dance.
"It just shook off Bulldoze like it was nothing!" Leinani yelled.
"Of course, dear. Exeggutor is a Grass-type. Things like a weak Bulldoze aren't going to do nearly enough," Xerxes said with his perfect smile.
Leinani closed her eyes. "I was taught in school that every inch of your journey counts. The same goes for battling! Vinyl, trap him with Sand Tomb!"
Sandygast howled and whipped up the small storm, sending a tornado of sand towards Xerxes' side of the field.
"Oh, baby! Yeah! Exeggutor, use Solar Beam!"
Exeggutor launched himself into the air with his massive legs. He spun his body around and pointed the top of his head at Sandygast. He then launched a straight beam of pure solar light at the Ghost-type. It blasted through the funnel of sand and then connected with Sandygast directly, flattening her body. When the attack stopped, Sandygast remained still.
"It was so fast," Leinani muttered.
"Sandygast is unable to battle! Exeggutor is the winner!" the referee yelled.
Leinani withdrew Sandygast and then tucked the Great Ball away onto her belt. She looked down at Rowlet, who had been able to regain her breath during her short break. "You're up, DJ!"
Rowlet trilled before hopping onto the field. She stretched out her wings and then bobbed back and forth, as though she were ready to box with the armless Exeggutor.
"Interesting," Xerxes said. "It's a Grass-type versus a Grass-type, a match made in heaven!"
"Shut up," Leinani muttered. "DJ, hit 'em with Steel Wing, and hit 'em hard!"
Rowlet flew forward and spun her body in circles. The energy on her wings changed, morphing into a metal. She swiped, colliding with Exeggutor's midsection. The larger Pokémon looked down, a look of evil forming on its three faces.
"Stomp!" Xerxes ordered. "Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!"
Exeggutor turned around and lifted one of its massive legs. It was incredibly fast, and before Leinani or Rowlet could do anything, it put its weight onto the smaller Pokémon's back and then stomped. Rowlet was crushed under his foot, and soon as she could, she escaped and retreated to her end. Although she did have that small break before, she now breathed heavily once again.
One more hit, and DJ's done. We have to make whatever we do next count. We can't let Exeggutor get the better of us, Leinani thought.
"If you're not going to attack, then I will! Exeggutor, use Extrasensory! Oh yeah!" Xerxes commanded.
"Dodge it with Shadow Sneak!" Leinani ordered. "Feel the rhythm, DJ!"
Exeggutor focused, and the energy around the field started to shift, as though he were messing with reality. But Rowlet wasn't bothered. She flew forward and then disappeared into her own shadow. She emerged from underneath Exeggutor, who looked down at her.
"Oh no, baby! I don't think so! Stomp!"
"Peck!"
Leinani was prepared for Xerxes' dangerous attack. She knew that it was coming. Rowlet swung around Exeggutor's thick leg and then collided with its middle face. Exeggutor reeled back before falling onto its backside.
"One more Peck! Put the rest of your energy into it!" Leinani ordered.
Rowlet flew high into the air, well past the solar mist that Exeggutor had created before. She then dove back towards the ground, picking up speed with every second. Her beak surged with energy, and she prepared to deal the final blow.
"Solar Beam, baby!" Xerxes commanded.
Exeggutor kipped up from his downed position. He then immediately blasted the straight beam of solar light into the air. It collided into Rowlet, who appeared to be fine momentarily. She fought back against the beam, but it soon became too much. Her body went limp, and she fell towards the field.
"DJ, no!" Leinani yelled. She exited her trainer's box and then ran onto the battlefield. She jumped and caught Rowlet, saving her from crashing into the ground.
The referee observed the situation before raising her flag. "Rowlet is unable to battle! Exeggutor is the winner!"
"You did wonderful, DJ. You did wonderfully," Leinani said. She withdrew Rowlet back to her Poké Ball and then returned to the trainer's box. She sighed and then pulled out her last Poké Ball. "Boombox, it's on you!"
Grubbin emerged and snapped her jaws together repeatedly. The Exeggutor towered over her, but she wasn't afraid. She was used to fighting Rock-types to make her food. A Grass-type with three dopey looks on its faces wasn't going to scare her.
"What a little thing. How cute!" Xerxes exclaimed.
"Also not for sale!" Leinani snapped.
"Not worth buying."
"Oh, I'll end you! Grubbin, use X-Scissor!"
Grubbin scuttled quickly across the field. She raised her massive jaw into the air, and it started to glow with dark green energy.
"Stop it with Extrasensory, baby!" Xerxes directed.
Exeggutor focused and began to change the energy around the field. But Grubin wasn't bothered. She plowed through the areas where the energy was shifting, slicing them with her jaws. Then, she latched onto one of Exeggutor's feet, making the Grass-type yelp.
"Stomp! Stomp that bug!"
Exeggutor lifted his free leg.
"Get away!" Leinani commanded.
Grubbin let go at the last second, and then Exeggutor stomped, missing barely. He fell over slightly, losing his balance from the missed attack.
"And now, tie 'em up with String Shot!" Leinani ordered.
Grubbin released the thick string from her mouth, attaching it to Exeggutor's side, and preventing him from falling. Then, she began to scuttle in circles, surrounding the Grass-type. She tied up his midsection and then his legs, leaving only the top of his body poking out. Exeggutor hopped around helplessly and looked back towards Xerxes, begging for directions.
"Finish this with X-Scissor!" Leinani ordered.
Grubbin howled and then raised her jaws into the air once more. She snapped forward and sliced, removing all of the webby substance around Exeggutor with one fell swipe. Grubbin landed on the ground and glared up at Xerxes before Exeggutor collapsed.
"Exeggutor is unable to battle! Grubbin is the winner!" the referee announced. She looked slightly excited at Xerxes' loss.
Grubbin raised her body and then waved around her jaws. She started to glow with blue energy. Her body shifted slightly, and she changed form, becoming a rectangular Pokémon.
"Charja!" she cried out.
Leinani grinned. "Did my Pokémon just evolve?"
"Charja-bug!"
"Yeah!" Leinani said. She drew out her Pokédex and flipped it around to scan the new Pokémon.
"Charjabug, the Battery Pokémon. Its stout shell provides excellent defense from attacks. It uses electricity on persistent opponents."
"I see," Leinani said while playing with the touchscreen to get more information on her new Pokémon.
"You got lucky!" Xerxes exclaimed. He withdrew Exeggutor and snapped his fingers. They brought him another pillow with a Luxury Ball on top. He took it and then grinned. "My next Pokémon will be impossible to battle!"
"And why's that?"
With his free hand, Xerxes snapped again. The field started to shake, and random areas sunk in. Water filled up some of the field, taking over roughly half of it and leaving Charjabug on her own small island.
"Because you can't battle what you can't catch!" he yelled. "Bruxish, my beautiful darling, go!"
The Poké Ball burst open, and Xerxes' Pokémon took form under the water. Leinani couldn't make it out perfectly, but she saw a purple Pokémon with what appeared to be wickedly sharp teeth. She readjusted her Pokédex and scanned it.
"Bruxish, the Gnash Teeth Pokémon. It stuns its prey with psychokinesis and then grinds them to mush with its strong teeth. Even Shellder's shell is no match for it."
"Oh boy."
"Your little Grubbin stands no chance against my beautiful Bruxish!"
"Alright, so first off, beautiful? Secondly, it's Charjabug now, and her name is Boombox. And thirdly, we can beat anyone, so check yourself," Leinani said.
"You've been a very entertaining challenger, but at the end of the day, it's my duty to test and defeat challengers. I'm not here to make it easy on you. I'm gonna send you back to the Pokémon Center with your tail in between your legs, little girl."
"Let's draw 'em out, Boombox! Use Mud Shot!" Leinani directed.
Boombox carefully leaped from her island and shot some mud from her mouth.
"Aqua Jet, my darling valentine!"
The water erupted, and Bruxish emerged. She rocketed through the air and dodged the mud. She then collided against Charjabug and cackled with laughter.
Leinani smiled. "There ya go, numbnuts. Spark!"
Charjabug withstood the blow from Bruxish, but she knew exactly what Leinani had been planning. As soon as she heard the command, she started to spark. Before either of the Pokémon could descend, Charjabug lunged forward and zapped the Water-type. Bruxish screeched loudly, making everyone on the roof cover their ears. They both fell back to the ground, and Bruxish's cries were muffled by the water.
Xerxes grinned. "I'm world traveled, Leinani. But I'm also an expert in Alolan Pokémon. I know that whenever Grubbin evolves into Charjabug it's capable of Electric-type attacks. So actually, you fell into my trap! Bruxish, use Disable!"
Bruxish came out from under the field and looked at Charjabug directly in the eyes. She mashed her teeth together, creating a small wave of psychic energy. Then, she screeched, making the colors around her warped momentarily, appearing inverted. When the colors went back to normal, it appeared as nothing had happened.
"Disable?" Leinani wondered.
"That means that Boombox won't be able to do Spark anymore!" Kaiko warned.
Leinani stepped back. "That's not good!"
"Bruxish, use Aqua Jet, baby!"
Before Leinani couldn't respond in time, Charjabug was struck directly. Before he could counter-attack, Bruxish dove back into the water and swam out of sight.
"Another one, darling!" Xerxes yelled.
Bruxish now came out from behind Charjabug. She rocketed towards the smaller Pokémon, but this time, Leinani had a counter.
"Bite!"
Charjabug quickly spun around and clamped down her small jaws onto Bruxish. It didn't stop the Psychic-type, but it did slow her down. She tried to retreat into the water, but Charjabug held on tight, creating a struggle. But Charjabug was too small, and she was soon pulled into the water. Both Pokémon disappeared.
"Boombox!"
"You're in our territory now, little girl!" Xerxes said with a grin. "We can tear you apart, and you won't be able to do a thing about it!"
If we could do Spark, then we could fry that fish and eat her for dinner. It looks like I'll have to be patient though and see what happens next. We have to be reactive, Leinani thought.
"Psychic Fangs!" Xerxes called while pointing to the sky.
The water started to rock back and forth with kinetic energy. Then, the two Pokémon emerged. Bruxish held onto Charjabug, who squirmed in her jaws, and then she tossed the Bug-type downward. Charjabug crashed into one of the islands, her body sliding against its rough surface before Bruxish plopped back into the water.
Everyone waited patiently for something to happen, and then, Charjabug started to stir. Although breathing heavily, she stood back up as high as she could on her stubby legs (which wasn't very much), and then she screeched, letting Bruxish know that she wasn't finished.
"You know, you may be really annoying, and I can't stress the word 'really' enough, but I have mad respect for people that can make a Pokémon that's bound to the water work," Leinani said, remembering what Kaiko had said about Pokémon that live in the ocean. "However, I'm still gonna crush you and get that badge!"
"All I heard is that you respect me, Leinani, and I appreciate it," Xerxes said with his perfect grin.
Leinani unplugged her headphones from her music device and then set the device on the ground. She pushed a button on it, letting the rooftop fill with her music. The song was well-known, being one of the most popular rap songs from over thirty years ago. The party-goers in the pool started to dance and splash around as they sang the song with one another. Leinani was happy to see their enthusiasm, but they didn't know the lyrics well enough. Kaiko and Togedemaru didn't appreciate the splashing.
"Whatever," she said. "Boombox, get ready!"
"Charja!"
"So, now you want to party? Bruxish, let's finish this! Use Psychic Fangs!"
Bruxish came out from the water and used her psychic abilities to keep her floating in the air. She targeted Charjabug and then darted across, moving her body as though she were swimming.
"X-Scissor!" Leinani called.
The two Pokémon collided in the air, and they held out for a while.
Leinani grinned. "Give in!"
Charjabug did as told, and stopped her attack. She let Bruxish overpower her, and then both Pokémon fell to the ground. Bruxish flopped once she hit the surface, and she looked around desperately, trying to find a way back to the water.
"You tricked us!" Xerxes exclaimed.
"Charja! Charjabug!" Boombox exclaimed. She sparked with energy.
Leinani furrowed her eyebrows. "Oh yeah? Boombox is disabled no more! Hit 'em with Spark!"
Charjabug howled before standing up on her hind legs. She then chugged forward like a bus with a turbo engine. She collided into Bruxish, zapping the Water-type Pokémon, and filling the air with her shrieks. When the light from Charjabug's attack dimmed, Bruxish forced herself back into the water.
Xerxes held up his arm, revealing the black band around his wrist. "I think it's time that we end this battle with a Z-Move!"
Leinani grinned. "I'm glad you brought it up! Why don't we give it a go too?"
The energy around the area started to shift. Leinani's wristband glowed dark green while Xerxes' turned purple. Both of their Pokémon got into position, and then the two trainers started to strike their poses, building up energy.
"Bruxish, use Shattered Psyche, baby!"
"Boombox, Savage Spin-Out!"
Bruxish glowed purple with energy, and she formed a ball of psychic power in her mouth. She leaped out of the water and then released the ball forward. It crashed into Charjabug, taking over her body in a purple mist. Everyone watched on in shock. Xerxes grinned. But his smile soon faded whenever a thick string shot from the inside of the psychic energy. It wrapped around Bruxish before she could fall back into the water and then hardened.
The psychic mist faded away, revealing Charjabug who was now on her last legs. She heaved, pulling Bruxish into the air. Then, she yanked the string from her opponent's body, forcing Bruxish to spin wildly. She came crashing back to the field, landing on one of the islands and kicking up smoke. When the smoke faded away, the crowd was left quiet.
"Bruxish is unable to battle! Boombox is the winner! The victory goes to the challenger!" the referee declared. She pointed her flag at Leinani and grinned.
Xerxes dropped to his knees and looked out at his fainted Pokémon. He half-heartedly withdrew the Pokémon, and this time, he chose to put the Luxury Ball back on his belt. "You beat me."
He snapped his fingers, and then the field returned to its normal setting. The pools drained away, and then the ground came back, allowing for both trainers to walk onto the field. Leinani stood next to Charjabug and grinned.
"You did great," she said.
Xerxes walked onto the field with his assistants following him closely. He snapped his fingers, and two of his assistants emerged holding two pillows, one with a Z-Crystal and one with a pink badge.
"You've earned the Psychium Z," he said. "It'll allow you to use Shattered Psyche."
Leinani took it and put it into her pocket.
"And this here is the Kinetic Badge," he said while taking the badge from the pillow and holding it out. It had an hourglass shape to it with two perfect circles on both ends.
Leinani held it between her fingers and grinned. She raised it into the air and let the sun shine off of it.
"Dope!"
"You and your brother have earned the right to stay here for one night. Enjoy yourselves while you can. I assume that you haven't defeated the other gym leader on Akala Island yet, correct?"
Leinani nodded.
"Since you now have three gym badges, your last three won't be easy. Gym leaders are asked to step it up once trainers meet that halfway point. Your other gym challenge is on the other side of Akala Island near Route 8 and Lush Jungle. You should do as much training as you possibly can," Xerxes warned. His stern expression then shifted, and he smiled before wrapping one arm around Leinani's shoulders. "But take it easy tonight! Enjoy the pools and a massage!"
Leinani glared. "I'll break your thumbs if you touch me again."
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
What's everyone's opinions on "curse/bad" words in Pokémon fanfics? In Leinani's rematch against Guzma, he used the word 'damn.' And in this chapter, I wrote Leinani calling Xerxes 'numbnuts' because I thought it was extremely funny. I've rated this fanfic T because I wanted to be safe, and with that rating, I think "bad" words are okay, but not sure if it fits the tone I've established for all of the stories I've written. Thoughts? I don't plan to overdo it.
Also, Leinani has her third badge! Yay! She's halfway done, but the next three badges aren't going to come easily (and this story is planned to be well over 50 chapters)! Any guesses on the types of Pokémon that Leinani will be facing off against? I'm gonna try to reduce battles (in favor of slice of life and fun training segments), but when I do write battles, I'll try to make them have a similar impact as the past couple of gym battles.
This does it for chapters this week! (Two day break) Next week will be two Blizzard King chapters, one Ascending Alola, one Orange Islands, and the finale to the current chronicles that's going on. Thanks for reading!
REVIEWS:
UKEagleClaw - "Liked the comment about homesickness early on and actually how Kaiko alleviates it, showing off Leinani's softer side nicely. Leinani's reaction to the 'chain-smoking' Oranguru was spot-on, haha. Like how you're showing off Konikoni City with interactions with the locals. I can't remember if it's a reference to Logan or Cyan (maybe Cyan), but that's definitely a reference from Olivia to something. Liked that she was the shopkeeper. Didn't pick up the hint, apart from wondering whether the necklace could have meant something, until her name was revealed." - It was a reference to Cyan! Both of them Lycanroc, but only Cyan has the dusk-form.
CrescentApple - "The smoking Oranguru threw me off. I think this is the first character I ever read in any of your stories that smokes, and it first came from a pokemon haha. Before then i wasnt even sure if it existed in this series. Kudos the old lady tried to sell them some. She is very lax." - I think the first direct alcohol/drug/tobacco reference was in your Clint chronicles! However, it's slightly hinted in the last chapter of Healing in Hoenn, that Yuta's father died from alcoholism
wisdom-jewel - "I wonder if someone would do both the gym battle and trail challenge just to test their abilities. It would be interesting to see if that would happen. I can even see Noami doing it because to test her abilities. But it would be fun if Leinani and Keiko meet anyone who is doing both besides Naomi. Or is that not allowed. But I love it. It is interesting to see how the both the gym leaders and trail captains are dealing with the change. I want to see this shown more. Like I mentioned before, do they say how many people both groups met and challenged." - Naomi is taking them both on. I'm not sure if I'll introduce any other characters like that though. However, I'll introduce a rival to Leinani who is taking on the Island Challenge.
