"Alright the rules for this race are simple, first one to Anela's stand, grab a berry, bring it to Hobbes and then return back here is the winner." Mallow said.
"Is this even a fair fight, I mean Charizard and I make deliveries far bigger than this all the time, and you three, well." Kiawe said, looking at his competition. Ark's Toucannon, Mallow's Dartrix, and Sophocles's Vikavolt.
"Size isn't everything, Toucannon is faster than you might think." Ark said.
"And I've been working on utilizing Electivire's Ion Deluge to power up Vikavolt and Togedemaru too." Sophocles said.
"I think Dartrix is asleep." Lana said, seeing the Pokemon almost fall over.
"Stop everything!" Lillie called out, running over.
"Don't tell me you plan on entering Magearna." Ark said in surprise.
"No, there's a call for you Ark." Lillie said, "It's important."
"Alright, come on let's go." Ark said, "You guys have fun without me."
Lillie led Ark into Principal Oaks office where on screen he saw a few familiar faces, Professor Oak, as well as Kahunas Olivia and Nanu. In the room was also Principal Oak, Professor Kukui and Kahuna Hala.
"Why do I feel like I'm in the world's worst amount of trouble?" Ark asked.
"Ark, before we begin, I want you to know, we have all been trying to figure out what has been happening to your Electrium Z." Professor Kukui said. "You aren't in trouble, at least we don't think you are."
"You don't think I am?" Ark asked.
"Ark, how much do you know about Z Crystals?" Principal Oak asked.
"I know that they are tied to all of Alola, and grant us its gifts of power." Ark said, looking at the Normalium Z in his Z Ring.
"That's what we say is true, as Z Crystals are only found here in Alola, but it is so much more than that." Kahuna Hala said. "Each crystal is solidified energy of what it represents, hence why when used in combination with moves, they get an increase in power so great they have a seperate name altogether."
"Like how Passimian's Close Combat is All Out Pummeling." Ark said.
"Precisely, now normally Z Crystals are handed out by one of us Kahunas, and on seemingly now more common occasions, Totem Pokemon." Olivia said.
"Ark, can you tell us exactly how you acquired your Electrium Z?" Professor Oak asked.
"Of course, I remember it like it was yesterday." Ark said, scratching Pikachu's head. "It was how I became partners with Pichu."
Flashback
"Pichu, where are you!" Ark called out.
"Pichu!" Pichu cried out.
Back in the present
"Ark, we don't need to hear how you met Pichu, we need to know how you aquired your Electrium Z." Nanu said sternly.
"I'm getting to it, besides I already knew Pichu at this time, but this was my first ever trial." Ark said, reminiscing.
Flashback continued
"Ready to work together again?" Ark asked, seeing Pichu nod, "Alright use Nasty Plot!"
Pichu rubbed his cheeks, creating static electricity in large quantities as he leapt into the air.
"Now Pichu use Thundershock!" Ark called out.
Back to the present
"And that was it?" Professor Oak asked.
"For the most part yeah, but I didn't actually get my Z Ring and Electrium Z until later that night." Ark said.
Flashback
'Tick tick tick'
Ark turned to see Tapu Koko outside of his window, opening it up quickly for the island guardian.
"Tapu Koko, what are you doing here, if Hobbes finds out about this, I'm in big trouble." Ark whispered.
"Kokoko!" Tapu Koko cried out, opening his arms to show Pichu nuzzled inside, holding onto a white band.
"Pich!" Pichu cheered, leaping onto Ark's shoulder.
"Wait, whats going on?" Ark asked.
"Pichu Pichu!" Pichu cheered excitedly.
"Are you saying you want to stay with me?" Ark asked.
"Pichu!" Pichu exclaimed, nuzzling into Ark's neck.
"Wait, what's this?" Ark asked, grabbing the white band as it fell, a small yellow crystal in the center of it.
End of flashback
"And that's all there was to it, I got the Electrium Z from Tapu Koko, and the next day I went to Professor Kukui with Kiawe to learn about it." Ark said.
"Ark, you never said you got it that long after the fact." Professor Kukui said.
"I didn't think it mattered." Ark admitted.
"It's possible that the delay between trial and earning of your crystal is causing it to break." Olivia commented.
"But that wouldn't make sense, I mean I was using it almost immediately." Ark recounted.
Flashbacks
"Alright Pichu use Giga Volt Havoc!" Ark called out, making his poses quickly.
Electricity built up around Pichu before shooting outwards like a cannon, blowing up the training dummy Professor Kukui had set up.
"Incredible!" Professor Kukui exclaimed.
"I've never seen a young trainer and Pokemon so quickly execute a Z Move like that, not before or since." Professor Kukui said with a smile.
"And you're certain the damages weren't there?" Nanu said.
"I mean, I don't think so, but I didn't notice them until you pointed them out recently." Ark said.
"Can you think of anything that would have caused it to be damaged before that happened?" Olivia asked.
"Well." Ark said thinking back.
"KoKo KoKo!" Tapu Koko chanted, swinging back and forth before tossing Ark's Z Ring to Tapu Lele.
"Lelele Lelele!" Tapu Lele said, spinning around before tossing it once more, now to Tapu Bulu.
"Bu Lu Bu Lu!" Tapu Bulu chanted, bouncing up and down, tossing Ark's Z Ring again, now over to Tapu Fini.
"Fininini Fininini!" Tapu Fini giggled, twirling about, splashing water around from her, before passing it back to Tapu Koko.
"You're saying that the Island Guardians gifted more power to your Z Ring?" Olivia asked in surprise.
"Yeah, and I think my Electrium Z was in there at the time." Ark admitted.
"I wonder, now this is just a theory, but is it possible that the surge of energy going into Ark's Z Ring is the very same thing that caused the crack to appear initially in his Electrium Z and as time went on it grew." Professor Oak said.
"So are you saying that my Electrium Z is breaking?" Ark asked.
"It's possible it's breaking, or even evolving just like your Z Ring did." Professor Kukui said.
"We've never heard of anything like this, the guardians taking so much interest in you is odd even by Kahuna standards." Nanu said.
"The only other trainer to have been taken interest by all four guardians was the legendary hero Ola himself." Olivia commented.
"We've always known to trust in what the guardians do, and if they gave you the Electrium Z, it is possible that they worked together to start upgrading it as well." Hala said.
"Do you hear that Pikachu, pretty soon we'll have a SUPER powerful Z move, we might even get to name it!" Ark said excitedly. "How about Super Ultra Mega Thunderbolt!"
"Pika!" Pikachu cheered excitedly.
"Keep up the enthusiasm Ark, and you'll have that new move in no time." Professor Kukui said. "Now if you'll excuse us, I'd like to discuss something while I have the Kahunas here, you are free to go though."
"Okay Professor, thanks again everyone!" Ark said, leaving the office.
"So what do you guys think of what I brought up?" Professor Kukui asked, pulling up a model.
"It would put us on the map, and give something for every trainer to look forward to." Hala said.
"But how will you regulate who can enter, most regions require badges to enter these." Professor Oak said.
"That's the beauty of it, I want to give every trainer a chance, just like my class does." Professor Kukui said, seeing other students join in the flying races outside. "Regardless of young or old, experienced or brand new, I want to see the toughest trainers in all of Alola have a chance to fight it out to earn the title of our Champion!"