Off to Route 2 then. Alex followed her map to the next area. "Oh! Wait for me, Alexandra!" Lillie called out from behind her. "Oh, I'm glad to see a familiar face. I always get lost so quickly..." Lillie sighed softly. "I can't figure out the roads here... I can't even buy my own clothes..." Alex frowned. Lillie sounded disappointed with herself... Poor girl. "But you... You're moving on to your first trial? You're going to Verdant Cavern?"

Alex nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it."

Lillie nodded and closed her eyes. "I read something in an old book once. It said that the island challenges were once a journey made to prove yourself and gain the strength to battle against the guardian deities of Alola. Like Tapu Koko..." So there was more than one origin to it? I remember Hala saying something about protecting the land from the darkness... "The people of Iki Town said that Tapu Koko loves Pokemon battles, didn't they?" Alex nodded. Iki Town performed Pokemon battles to honor it. "If we could meet Tapu Koko once more, do you think we would find the answer to why it saved you and Nebby that day, Alexandra?" From inside Lillie's bag, Nebby cried out.

Alex giggled. Nebby sure did know its name. "Yeah... it would be interesting to learn, huh?" It had no reason to save her and Nebby, really. She was still thankful it didn't let her plummet to her death, though.

"Oh yes, please take these," Lillie said, holding a small bag out to Alex. "They are called Revives. If you use one on a Pokemon that has fainted, it will recover and feel a little better."

Alex smiled and took the bag. "Thank you so much, Lillie! These will really come in handy for the trial, I'm sure."

"Alexandra..." Lillie smiled warmly. "Good luck on your first trial. I hope that it goes well for you."

Alex smiled back. "Thank you, Lillie. I will definitely do my best." Alex looked up the road and took a deep breath.

Up ahead, Hala and his Tauros stood in the road once again. Now what is that Tauros up to? She walked up to Hala, who turned when he heard her approach. "There! Alexandra, I've got this ornery creature calmed down again, for now. Want to try giving him a little pat again? That's the only way he'll get used to you."

Alex grinned and walked over to the Pokemon. She was actually starting to like the mischievous Tauros. "You silly thing... Making it hard for the Kahuna, huh?" She moved her hands up and rubbed its horns. It growled contently, its three tails swaying.

"Maybe old Tauros here can feel your love for Pokemon," Hala said, walking over to the Tauros. "He seems happy to know you. And yet..." He rubbed his chin. "It still seems to me like Tauros wants to stretch his legs on his own island challenge! Ha!" Before Hala could come any closer, the Tauros ran off, disappearing down Route 2. "What? You want to play tag now? The Melemele kahuna never loses, friend!" He ran off after it, leaving Alex to laugh. Hala and that Tauros really get along. That Pokemon must know how loved he is to cause his trainer such trouble.

"What a silly Pokemon..." Alex sighed and followed after them up the road to Route 2.

Route 2 was a place that had a full of pathways climbing up the hill and, of course, the regular patches of tall grass. To the right, another pathway stretched. "Which way to go first..." She looked around and went to follow the path to the right. A sign was posted near a hill wall that read "Hau'Oli Cemetery".

A cemetery... Was it a human one or a Pokemon one? She thought of Lavender Town and the Pokemon Tower, where many people laid their passed away Pokemon companions to rest. Cemeteries were always such a sad and somber place... Alex went inside, wanting to at least bow her head to those, human or not, who were no longer in this world.

While wandering the cemetery, the egg she had been carrying started to shake and wiggle. "Oh what?" She put the egg down, and cracks started to form. She gasped and squatted down. "Oh, are you finally coming? Come on, little friend!" The lines continued to move jaggedly along the shell before a Pokemon's head finally burst forth. A little dragon like Pokemon with a big, yellow, heart shaped scale on its forehead. "What is this little guy, Rotom?" she took the Dex out, which brought up a page of information on her new Pokemon. "Jangmo-o..." She looked at the little Pokemon, which broke its shell enough to crawl out. "So you're a dragon type?" She looked up at Jangmo-o, which was looking at her curiously. "Wow, you're going to be super strong! Welcome to the team, little guy!" She held out an empty Pokeball, and the Pokemon disappeared inside it. She squealed excitedly and hugged the ball to her chest. "We'll get you super strong, I promise!"

How strange... A new life born in a place to honor the dead. Alex stood up and looked around the cemetery. "I hope you don't mind this place being my new friend's birthplace," she whispered, then left the cemetery.

Up the hill was a hotel, the hotel overlooking another beach and more ocean. Alola must have a lot of tourists. Why else would they have so many hotels? Overlooking the beach and ocean was definitely a good way to get people to stay there. "Mom would be one of those people," Alex mumbled and walked over to the hotel. She wanted to look over the edge at the ocean.

When she approached the hotel, a man standing outside called out. "We're right by the sea! That's right! Welcome to my wonderful seaside motel!" What is the difference between a hotel and a motel? I really don't know. The man looked over at a Pokemon standing by the light post. "My Crawbrawler sure is something, ain't he?" Alex looked at the crab like Pokemon and tilted her head. "He nabs passerby to bring them to me, so I can send them down by the bay!" The man chuckled. "Though he's actually been a little too good at his job, so I've got no vacant rooms to offer you. But that doesn't mean you've come for nothing!" He turned and waved his hand. "Here, follow me this way."

I didn't really need to stay at the hotel anyway... She shrugged and followed after him. Going to the bay wouldn't hurt.

The beaches and the waves lulling along the sand was always such a peaceful thing. There were tents set up against the stone wall and surf boards. Alex approached the shore, and a girl in a yellow bikini called out to her. "Hey little cousin! Welcome to Big Wave Beach! You've come to exactly the right place if you're looking for some Mantine Surf!"

"Mantine Surf?" Alex looked at the girl, then to the bay. A Mantine lay in the water by the shore with what looked like a platform on its back. "What is that?"

"Mantine Surf is just what it says on the box. You climb up on the back of our Mantine... and then you surf! Surfing is the best sport, where you can enjoy traveling across the ocean waves!" Alex stared at the Mantine with wide eyes. That sounded so cool, but she was sure she would just fall off immediately and get swept away by the waves. "Though youngesters like yourself who want to get into Mantine Surf have to toughen up and show that they can handle it first. Surfing is a dangerous sport, to be fair."

Alex nodded and laughed nervously. "Yeah, the idea of getting swallowed up by the sea is a pretty scary idea."

The woman nodded. "Come back when you're as tough as a real kahuna, okay?" She smiled encouragingly. "Me and Mantine will be holding our breath in anticipation till you do!" She cocked her head to the side. "Wait, do Mantine breathe? Can they even hold their breath?"

Alex giggled and nodded. That girl seemed like the type to get distracted easily. As cool as Mantine Surfing seemed, she definitely felt she wasn't ready for it. Watching the ocean was one thing, but gliding across it in open waters was far more intimidating. She could swim fine, but it was never swimming in anything like that. With nothing left to do with the beach, she turned to the path to leave.

"You'd better be ready for the mischief masters of Team Skull to do some Mantine Surfing, too!" a boy shouted from behind her.

"Oh man, not these guys again..." Alex sighed and looked back to the bay. Two Team Skull grunts appeared from a small hill by the shore, doing their weird hand gestures.

"Oh, Team Skull," the girl in the bikini said blandly, sounding just as enthused as Alex was. "You know you guys can't ride here."

"What's up with that?!" the first grunt shouted. "We look like kids to you or somethin?!"

The girl sighed. "No... The real reason is..."

The second guy folded his arms. "Yeah? The real reason is?"

"Every time you try, you keep up those ridiculous dance moves even on Mantine's back. And then you end up in the water." Alex groaned. So they suck at it.

"You want us to stop dancing?!" the first guy barked. "That's our identity, yo! It's all we've got!"

"Man, forget her, B!" the second said. Were these the same guys she took down in Hau'Oli?

"We're Team Skull! No one can stop os from acting hardheaded!" Alex groaned. Being stubborn like that isn't a good thing, you dingus.

The two ran over to the shore and started harassing the Mantine near the shore. "Somebody! Please help keep these numskulls away from Mantine!" the girl cried.

"Hey!" Alex shouted, running towards them. "Leave that Pokemon alone, you jerks!"

One of them turned. "What're you looking at, short stuff?" he sneered, then paused, staring at her face. "Huh? Huh..." He widened his eyes. "Wait, huh?"

"What?" Alex growled.

"You're that kid!" he said, pointing at her. So it was the same guys from before.

The other turned to face her. "You wanna scrap, tiny trainer? A battle, yo?" He snorted. "You might've beat us in Hau'Oli City, but we'll put our heads together to beat you this time!"

Then bring it, you doofus!

"Ugh, seriously, home slice! You're way too strong for a kid!" the Grunt cried. "Arhg! I gotta go make someone else miserable to feel better! Let's go mess with Ilima again, B!"

"I'm down with that. Verdant Cavern's pretty close by anyway." The grunt thrust a finger in her direction. "Hey, you! You better listen to what my homie says and drill it into that thick skull of yours! Seriously! You'd better not forget, numbskull!" The two ran off, disappearing up the path. Alex couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Nice one, kid!" Bikini girl grinned. "Mantine won't be subjected to their terrible surfing skills thanks to you!"

Alex nodded. "No problem. I wanted to make sure they didn't hurt it with their stupid acts."

"You're a decent trainer. Just like I'd expect from a trial-goer on the island challenge!" The girl smiled and put her hand on her hip. "I bet you could take on Captain Ilima's trial when how well you handled that battle. Even Kahuna Hala would probably say you're ready to take on all of Alola!" Alex could help but blush and look away. These were such big compliments. There was no way she was that exceptional. "If he says you're ready, come back here and we'll get you up on Matine in no time!"

"Y-yeah, no problem." Alex rubbed her face, hoping to make the blush go away. Hopefully by the time she finished the trial, she would feel more confident about doing the Mantine Surfing. Her first desire would be to pet it. Oh well... it was time for her to keep going up the route.

Just as the path began to turn to the right at the top of the hill, the strange, pale duo stood in the path. "Verdant Cavern..." the woman said, looking at an unseen object in her hand. "It's showing very high numbers."

The man nodded. "It would. In the heart of this cave lies an item that has an undeniable connection to the Blinding One. I certainly would like to investigate this place."

The woman nodded as well. "Shall we go in then?"

The man shook his head. "No... It seems that people are not allowed within this Verdant Cavern without specific reason. We should ask the president to arrange for some special accommodations on our behalf. We don't yet have the means to capture Pokemon on our own, after all."

Alex cocked her head to the side. Did their world, then, not have things like Pokeballs? Did they even have Pokemon then? The woman nodded, and the pair continued up the path. Alex shrugged and continued along after them.

At the very top of the hill stood a Pokemon center, and at there was Hau, who stood at its entrance, and turned to face her when she approached. "Howzit, Alex? Your Pokemon doing all right?

"Ah, well... My Jangmo-o needs to visit the center... He's brand new so he's a little behind my Yungoos and Rowlet."

Hau gave his usual chuckle. "Same here! I know Popplio and the rest of my team have seen better days, for sure." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "Come on, Alex! Let's stop by the PMC!"

"Yeah, that sounds perfect." The two walked into the building and approached the counter.

"You know that Verdant Cavern place, right?"

"Yeah, I've heard of it at least."

"I guess it's kinda, like, sacred to Tapu Koko." Since Tapo Koko was the protector of the island, she wasn't too surprised to learn that it had places that were deemed important to it. "You aren't even allowed go into it unless you're on your island challenge." He paushed. "Oh yeah! Almost forgot! I have something pretty amazing to share with you, Alex! You lucky thing!" He held out his hand and handed her Revives.

"Ah, thanks! These are super helpful!" She happily took the medicine and placed the items in her bag.

"Revives are solid items to have! If your Pokemon faints in battle and can't go on, then a Revive will perk 'em right back up!" He chuckled again. "But you probably won't find Revives here. Didja know that Poke Marts sometimes sell different things? And not just that! Two clerks at the counter even sell different things from one another!"

Pokemon Center were such helpful places. She was glad that Alola was dotted with them. She placed her Pokeballs on the counter for the Nurse to handle and cure them. After re-stocking her items at the Poke Mart counter, she stepped back outside and saw the cavern entrance right ahead of her.