After healing up at the Pokemon Center, the group finally found Verdant Cavern with Captain Ilima standing in front of it.
"Oh, hello." She said as she spotted the group. "Welcome to Verdant Cavern and my trial. Your trial begins here. The Pokemon here are quite fierce compared to the average Pokemon in the grass. You better have some potions and revives, because once you enter, you cannot leave until you've completed the trial and all outside help are not allowed. Only one person can take a trial at a time."
"You can go first Ash." Hau told his friend. "You have more Pokemon while I don't. I need to make up for that by making them stronger."
"Oh, thanks." The trainer nodded in appreciation.
"Also, take these." Ash was then handed six revive crystals and three potions from Hau, Lillie and Misty. "Now go beat that trial!"
"Thanks you guys. This means a lot." Ash laughed. The girls nodded while Hau gave a big smile and a thumbs up.
"Very good. Through attempting the trials during the Island Challenge, one can exceed his or her own limitations. That is what the Alolan people believe. I'll be waiting for you." Ilima went into the cavern.
"Good luck Ash!" Hau encouraged him.
"You can do this." Misty added.
"Do your best." Lillie softly laughed. Nebby tried to give its support too, though Lillie shushed it. "Nebby's rooting for you too."
"Thanks. See you after I'm done." And with that, he entered the cavern. The cavern inside was beautiful in that natural cavern way. Moss, dripping water, luminescent plants. So cool. Catching up to Captain Ilima, she began to explain.
"Here are the basics of my trial. What you should attempt to do is defeat three Pokemon here." An Alolan Ratatta scurried into a hole as she said that. "Then you'll reach the pedestal deep within the cave and collect your Z-Crystal. You'll need to be completely in sync with your Pokemon to succeed.
"Ki-ki-ki-kiiiiii!" A Pokemon was loudly heard from the other part of the cavern to Ash's shock as he jumped back.
"Oh right, one more thing. Many strong and fierce Pokemon in this cave, but an Alpha rules it all. It's called a Totem Pokemon. It'll be your greatest obstacle to face as you attempt to clear my trial. There's only one rule on what not to do; don't catch the Pokemon. This is just the first of eight trials you will face during your Island Challenge. And it begins now! Go on!" Captain Ilima pointed towards the rest of the cavern, prompting Ash to just start running.
"Okay, let's test this trial out with my new Pokemon! Hawlucha, I choose you!" Sending out his newest Pokemon, the Wrestling Pokemon flexed as he was ready to show his stuff. "Let's show these Pokemon what you're made of!"
"Haw!" It replied as they took on the challenge. Hawlucha was able to beat two of the Alolan Ratattas in one hit easily thanks to his Karate Chop, but unfortunately, he and his owner were ambushed by the two Team Skull members.
"Yo, it's your bad beach boys, back... back again!"
"Oh no, not you guys again!" Ash complained.
"We about to mess your trial up! Time for my revenge against you! Go, Drowzee!" Seeing the same Pokemon again, Ash was ready.
"I'm ready for you this time! Use Wing Attack!" His red and green wings glowing white, Hawlucha sprinted with incredible speed and bashed into the psychic type with a mighty blow. The Hypnosis Pokemon honked in pain as it was pushed back.
"Use Hypnosis!"
"Dodge and use Wing Attack again!" Leaping high into the air, the fighting/flying type was out of reliable reach for Drowzee as his wings glowed again, and then dive bombed towards the enemy and both crushed into the ground from the impact, up-heaving some dust. Hawlucha jumped back while Drowzee was knocked out.
"How can I be in Team Skull if I'm this brittle?!" The grunt exclaimed. "I mean, what's up with that?!"
"For real, though?! I can't get my skull around it! This kid's mad strong, yo!"
"Nah, it ain't even like that! This kid is straight up dangerous homie!" As they talked, Ash began to yawn as he got bored listening to their lingo, and started playing a lottery game on his Rotom Dex. Hawlucha was getting bored too as it took a nap on his side, resting his head in his right hand.
"Hey! You straight up ignoring us man?!" Ash looked up with a disinterested look as one of them glared angrily, looking insulted.
"Oh, I'm sorry what? Did you say something of importance?"
"Man dog, check it! This trainer's not just dangerous, but he's rude as all get out! I said if you knew of a mad strong Pokemon lurking around back, right?!"
"Yeah, it's one of the trial things. Ilima explained it to me already." Ash replied as he went back to his game.
"Yeah? We'll I'd run if I was you's!"
"Nah, we ain't going down like that!" The other grunt objected. "Even if we can't beat him, we can still mess with the challenge! Go catch that skulking Ratatta in that den, yo!"
"For real?! Fine! I got no bones to pick with you!" As they went to harass whatever was in the cave, the Pokemon Ash was trying to find revealed itself. It's an Alolan Raticate, with black fur instead of brown and had really chubby cheeks.
"Alright! Hawlucha, use Hone Claws!" But before he could, the Raticate used Quick Attack and rammed into the fighting/flying type, sending him back with a grunt. It was then he let his claws grow, and jumped into the air to power up with a red and orange aura surrounding him as he powered up. The Mouse Pokemon leapt into the air with glowing white fangs, using Hyper Fang.
"Use Karate Chop!" Although the normal/dark type was faster, Hawlucha's flying type gave it better maneuverability in the air, allowing him to dodge the attack and gave a critical blow to its midsection. It went flying just as the two were coming back to taunt Ash more, and thus were bashed into and crashed against the wall, knocking the two punks out before they could respond with their lingo along with the defeated Raticate.
"Good work Hawlucha!" Ash complimented his Pokemon, whom flexed in his victory. "Let me heal you up with a potion." After spraying the bruised part of his body, a worker walked up to Ash.
"Fantastic! You've proved your strength! You can now face the Totem Pokemon when you're go to go!"
"Thanks." Ash replied as he and Hawlucha went to the back of the cavern. As he entered the next chamber, he felt a piercing gaze cut right through him. But he couldn't tell where it was coming from. That was when Hawlucha sensed something dangerous and pulled Ash back, causing him to yelp as a giant Raticate crashed down, defending a totem. It was nearly as tall as Ash! It glowed orange as its physical defense went up.
"Alright, we'll just treat this thing like we have with the last Raticate! Brace for its attack!" Hawlucha nodded to his order by crossing his arms and planting his feet firmly. But rather than attack immediately, it shrieked which echoed throughout the cave, to which a single Ratatta jumped in to aid the Raticate. "Oh. Well, we can still do this!" As the two Pokemon went on the attack, Ash requested, "Jump up into the air!" Leaping high, the two Pokemon saw it try and keep a distance, so Ratatta went and climbed up and jumped off Raticate to get close. "Use Karate Chop!" With a strike to the head, the fighting/flying type sent the little Pokemon down to the ground, but that left him vulnerable to Raticate as it used Hyper Fang to chomp down on him, and the Wrestling Pokemon was in sheer agony as he was chewed up by the giant Mouse Pokemon. "Oh no! Use Hone Claws to escape then Brick Break!" Letting his claws grow, Hawlucha struggled as he opened up the normal/dark type's jaws, glowing in an aura just like the Totem Pokemon's and got out so that he could retaliate and give a powerful chop to its stomach. Despite its bulk, the super powered move along with its 4X weakness to fighting type moves resulted in the giant Pokemon to screech one last time before collapsing. Weakened, it sulked back into the shadows of the cave. "Wow, you were great Hawlucha!"
"Hawlucha!" He replied in triumph, though winced from his bite wound. Another potion healed that up.
"What an incredible trainer you are!" Captain Ilima called from behind as she walked towards him. "For you to be able to beat a Totem Pokemon I've trained in one move, this has never happened before! I don't know what I can say! Working in harmony with your Pokemon, you have cleared my trial! You're a phenomenal trainer!"
"Oh stop, I don't need all that praise." Ash chuckled.
"Don't be so modest! You handled this trial the easiest by far! You may not need it, but you certainly deserve it. The Z-Crystal is yours." Turning to the totem, Ash saw the white crystal in it, and took it. "Now you possess a Normalium Z-Crystal."
"Normalium?" Ash was confused by the name choice.
"Yes I know. It's gimmicky and there's a formal name for each crystal but it's more marketable for tourists if we just put a 'ium' at the end of the type. Hala probably told you that already. But let's talk about why Z-Crystals are so great. They enhance a move of a certain type a Pokemon may have. You just pose like this..." Ilima showed as a certain way of posing before forming her arms into a square. "...And you will be able to strengthen the power of normal types with Z-Power! You'll probably need it for every Totem Pokemon you'll meet as you complete the Island Challenge. As you saw, they're able to summon allies, which isn't a common tactic in other regions. Perhaps Alolan Pokemon are more inclined to help each other? Well, since you proved yourself, you can catch anything here if you wish. In fact, here's some Great Balls." Handing Ash his additional prize, Ash smiled.
"Thank you for all that."
"You're welcome. Come, let me show you something on Route 3." As she went to show him something, Rotom whispered,
"Hey, you passed the trial! Great work my love muffin."
"I do feel rather proud actually. I had fun."
"And you zzzhould me love! You didn't even break a zzzweat!" However, Ash was stopped by the two white and blue colored people he saw earlier.
"Ho! So he claimed the light of the Z-Crystal as his own, with the help of Pokemon!" The man exclaimed.
"The people of Alola overcome these trials willingly to obtain this mysterious power. To gain access to Z-Power. Is that it?" They then personally approached Ash and the man 'tried' to give an Alolan greeting but did it all wrong.
"Depending on no one and nothing but yourself... that is a fine aspiration. Quite different from our technological dependency to solve everything."
"It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Soliera."
"I am Phyco."
"We are investigating the Z-Crystals found here in Alola for our own particular reasons. And your own Pokeballs are most intriguing. Perhaps we can find reason to work together in the future." Waving a goodbye with a square, the two left. Ash was seriously creeped out. He felt like he wanted to run away but he was just so confused about what they were talking about.
"Zzz, that was zzzcary!" Rotom spoke up. "I wouldn't talk to them if I were you. They could be trouble." Ash took a few seconds to respond with,
"R-right." Shaking his head, Ash went to find Ilima. His friends weren't around when he did.
"There you are. What kept you?" She asked.
"Uh, I was held up. What did you want to show me?"
"Well, see that barrier?" She pointed to a low barricade. "As you travel around Alola, you'll see those here and there. You'll find particularly strong Pokemon in those kind of areas. Only strong trainers and those escorted by them can enter. And those strong trainers are those that clear the trials. I'm the only Captain here on Melemele Island so my trial is the only one here. Now that you have cleared my trial, please inform Kahuna Hala.
"Hey there Ash!" Professor Kukui called as he spotted the young trainer and Captain as he was leaving Route 3. "Ah, based on the expression of Ilima's face, you cleared your first challenge, yeah?"
"Not just cleared it, but he defeated the Totem Pokemon in with one Karate Chop from his Hawlucha." Kukui was flabbergasted.
"Seriously! One Karate Chop! Awesome work Ash! You're doing so well at an incredible rate! And that must also mean you now have the Normalium Z then. I guess I should show you first hand how to use Z-Power so that you have an idea. Woo! Watch and learn, cousin!" Ash was amazed when he saw with his own eyes the Z-Move Breakneck Blitz, the Rockruff running over the poor Pokemon effortlessly. However, he and Rockruff appeared to be pretty winded.
"Whew! Z-Power heaps all of the trainer's feelings onto the Pokemon, yeah. It totally wears you out. Once per battle every few hours is what most people can handle, yeah."
"So, is that why you're looking ragged then before coming here?" Ilima questioned. Professor Kukui gasped.
"No, that's not it! It's like I got hit by amnesia! I forgot I've lost Lillie somewhere on Route 3 while she was helping me with something! Your friends are out searching as well!"
"Huh?!" Ash was terrified. "I've got to help her!" Ash ran ahead before Kukui could ask.
"I'll help too." Ilima volunteered.
"Thank you. Let's split up then."
A/N: Uh oh. Lillie is missing! Ash had better get to her pretty quick.