Alex smiled excitedly, snapping a picture with Rotom. Her Rowlet was the first Pokemon of her team to evolve... and it was now a Datrix! "Great job Row- I mean Dartrix!" She chuckled nervously. "I guess I'll have to get used to calling you that now, huh?" The Pokemon cooed, and she returned it to its Pokeball. "All right..." she mumbled, returning the ball to her bag. She continued along the path, seeing one of the trial barricades. The man posted there removed a panel, and she walked through it.
The familiar area spread out before her, making her smile. It was so strange; when she last saw this route, she was far less confident than she was now. She had more Pokemon by her side, and she grew closer and closer to them. She could do this. She turned at the fork in the path that lead towards Iki Town.
She climbed up to the steps of the town, and Kukui and Lillie stood at the top. "I'm lookin' forward to seeing what you and your Pokemon will pour your soul into... now that you've gone and cleared your first trial, Alex!" Kukui said in a surprisingly calm voice, when she reached them.
Alex smiled. She supposed that clearing the trials of your first island was a big deal. "Thanks, Professor. I'm excited to see what else I can do!"
"It's true... I'm not a trainer, so I'm sure I don't really understand how hard it must have been... but even I think it's a great achievement", Lillie said in her usual soft voice. Nebby cried out from inside her bag, as if in agreement.
Alex couldn't help but chuckle. "Thanks Lillie, Nebby. It means a lot coming from you."
"The Melemele kahuna is strong, cousin!" Kukui said, returning to his regular, energetic tone. "He's a trainer who uses Fighting-type Pokemon to the fullest, yeah." So Yungoos wouldn't be the best choice against him... "Might not be a bad idea to work on those Flying or Psychic type moves!" Alex nodded. The advice was helpful. Kukui stepped to the side, and Hala stood at the base of the steps that lead up to the plaza, his back turned to her.
Alex closed her eyes. I can do this. I'm not the scaredy cat I was when I first left Iki Town on my trials. I can do it! She opened her eyes and approached him.
Hala turned towards her and smiled. "Congratulations on clearing your trial in Verdant Cavern. Good work. I suppose you are here to battle the kahuna? You think you and your Pokemon are ready for me, Alexandra?"
Alex nodded, looking at him with determination in her eyes. "Definitely."
Hala paused, then burst into a grin that reminded her very much of Hau. "I have been waiting for this!" He lead her up to the platform in the middle of the plaza. Lillie and Kukui stood at the sidelines, ready to watch. Hala stomped one foot and struck out a fist. "Ho!
"I've been expecting you," Hala continued, taking on a more serious tone. "Allow me to greet the young adventurers embarking on their island challenge. I am Hala, the kahuna of Melemele Island. Shall we begin? The final trial here on Melemele Island will be a Pokemon battle against me, the kahuna! It is known as the grand trial!
"Well, Alexandra! You have been entrusted with the Sparkling Stone by Tapu Koko! Now show me you and your team's full power!" Hala raised up and stomped his leg, like a sumo wrestler. "Old Hala here will also be going all out! Let the grand trial begin!"
"Whoa! Well played!" Hala said with a hearty chuckle. "Hmmph! The results come as no surprise to me. What a fine trainer... and what fine Pokemon, too!" Tapu Koko cried out from the distance, as though it was acknowledging Alex's victory. "Ho! And our mighty Tapu Koko agrees! Perhaps Tapu Koko is hoping that a day may come when you will grow strong enough to battle it as well..."
"Really?" Battling a deity Pokemon... That sounds like stuff that only happens in old fairy tales. Maybe it really is waiting for me, though? It saved my life and left me this stone, after all...
Hala nodded and held out his hand, a new Z-Crystal sparkling in the light cast from the torches. "Accept this Z-Crystal! It allows trainers to share their power with their partner Pokemon!" Alex gingerly took it from his hand and looked down at it. She truly did it... She cleared the trials of Melemele Island!
"Observe, Alexandra," Hala said, turning to the side. "If you wish to use the Fighting-Type Z-Power, move your arms like this... and bend your hips like this and pose!" He sent our rapid punches, showing her the pose he spoke of. Once done, he turned towards her again. "Now then, Alexandra! With this victory... you have cleared all the trials of Melemele Isdand, the first of Alola's islands! The Melemele stamp is proof of your accomplishments." He smiled. "The moon in the daytime... The sun at night... Now to see if you pour your heart into something that cannot be seen but is very much real." What does that mean? "As you continue your island challenge, consider what makes up the people and Pokemon that you meet: both what you can see and what you cannot. You will surely meet Tapu Koko again someday."
Alex nodded and looked down at the Sparkling Stone on her wrist. Perhaps the deity Pokemon was right, and sensed something in her that she herself didn't. There had to be a good reason for its acknowledgment, right?
Those who had gathered around the platform began to disburse. Alex followed after Hala to step down from it when Tauros cried out and rushed towards the plaza.
"Whoa there, Tauros!" Hala called out to it and approached it. It cried out again. "I've got an idea!" Hala said, suddenly turning back to Alex. "How about I set you up so you can ride my Tauros whenever you'd like? No reason why he shouldn't get to enjoy the island challenge, too!" The Tauros cried again, stomping a hoof excitedly.
"Wait, what?" Alex said, lost as to what Hala was talking about. "What do you mean? Ride him?"
"I'll take care of all the little things you'll need in order to ride a Pokemon, Alex!" He held out a little device on it with a small screen and a button.
"What is this for?" Alex asked, turning the little device over in her hands.
"Why don't you hop on there?" Hala said, pulling over a harness with a seat on it towards Tauros. He strapped it to the Pokemon, which then knelt down beside Alex.
She stared at the Tauros with wide eyes. She was actually going to be able to ride it? She carefully climbed up onto its back, strapped herself into the seat, and the Tauros began to rise back up. "Whoa!" She gripped tightly onto the seat, expecting it to sway with the Pokemon's body. Instead, it stood in place, perfectly stable.
Hau laughed and jumped excitedly when Alex took the reigns to direct the Tauros. "The world looks a bit different from atop a mighty Tauros, eh?" Hala said with warm smile.
"See Alex, here in Alola our Pokemon lend us their strength and let us ride about on them!" Hau explained enthusiastically.
"Let me explain some of the gear I gave you..." Hala said. "Your Ride Pager," he pointed to the little device still in her hand, "is a tool that lets you summon a Ride Pokemon. According to the instructions, you only press the button to turn on your Ridge Pager!" He looked up at her. "Have a little romp around Alola with Tauros here. I'm sure you'll be charmed by him!"
Alex giggled, leaning over to stroke its mane. "I already kind of am."
"When you use your Ride Pager, Ride Pokemon will kindly come running to help you wherever you may be!" Hala added. Alex nodded, climbing down from Tauros' back and patted its nose. She would ride him about later.
"Congratulations, Alexandra," Ilima said, who appeared at the stairs leading back down to the town. "Your performance has been a delight ever since I first laid eyes on you at the Trainers' School." He smiled kindly and walked towards the group. "I'm amazed that you won without even using your Z-Power." Alex nodded. I didn't use it because I still don't quite understand it... "Oh, I know! Why not stop by the Alola Photo Club for a commemorative photo? With Tauros, you can be down to Hau'oli City in no time at all." Riding on Tauros definitely would be a lot faster than traveling on foot, like she had been. "Very well then, off on your island challenge you go! May the future bring you happiness!" He waved, turned, and walked away.
"With a little help from Tauros, Alexandra, you'll be able to smash right through those big rocks on Route 1!" Hala said, drawing Alex's attention back to him.
Kukui grinned and put his hands on his hips. "All right, I got a little something for you, too!" He held out a small box to her. She looked inside, frowning at what looked like a CD. "It's a TM! False Swipes is a move that will leave your opponent with low energy when you attack. Keep on catching more and more Pokemon, yeah, and let Rotom learn all about 'em!" Alex nodded; she did like learning about the new Pokemon she encountered. It was nice knowing Rotom was learning right along with her.
Kukui held up one finger. "But first, you've gotta go let your mom know what you're up to. When you're done with that, head on down to the Marina in Hau'oli City. Oh yeah!"
"Of course! I have a lot to tell my mom anyway." Alex was eager to see her again, show her all the Pokemon she had seen, her Pokemon and how they have grown, tell her about her adventure around the island...
"Oh! If you're heading into Hau'oli City, you should totally check out the Shopping Mall! And the Alola Photo Club, too!" Hau said.
"What do you mean?" Lillie asked, looking to Hau. Nebby ask cried curiously.
Hau grinned widely. "You know, the one Ilima mentioned! He totally had the right idea. You should go to the Alola Photo Club and take a special photo to remember clearing your first grand trial!"
Alex nodded and grinned back. "Yeah, that sounds like an awesome idea, actually. After all, you can't repeat your firsts!"
"Good thinking, Hau!" Kukui said in agreement. "And once you finish your grand trial, you'll be doing the same thing, yeah?"
Hau chuckled and nodded. "I sure hope so, but first..." He turned towards Hala. "Come on, Tutu! Don't go too easy on me now!" Hala nodded, and the two walked to the platform.
Kukui nodded. "You're all getting so strong already, yeah... I can't wait to see how much more you'll grow," he said with a sentimental glint in his eyes. He looked over to Lillie. "All right, time to get the boat ready. Lillie, you gonna help me clean it?" Lillie nodded, and the two walked down the steps towards the town.