Ash was running through Route 3, trying to find his lost friend when he found himself at a crossroads. One lead to a beach down below while the other rose up towards a rocky path.
"Where could Lillie have gone to?" Rotom wondered.
"Well, I'd imagine that Misty went down to the beach to search. Maybe with Hau. So I'll look in the rocky path.
"Oh, good thinking my clever Prince Charming!" Ash rolled his eyes as he soon found himself at a meadow. Good thing too, he was just getting physically tired of running.
"Nebby! Nebby, come back!" The blonde girl yelled out into a field of blue and purple flowers.
"Lillie!" She turned to see it was Ash. "Thank goodness. You had us worried when we lost you."
"I'm sorry. It's just that... Nebby got out again. And I can barely see where it is with all these flowers helping it blend in. It's like a needle in a hay stack. And right after it got into so much trouble after the bridge, too. What if a wild Pokemon attacks it? It doesn't have any moves to defend itself!"
"Don't worry, we'll find them. Come on out!" Popplio, Hawlucha, Buneary, Pikipek and Grubbin were sent out. "Guys, we need to find Nebby. It's like a floating gaseous Pokemon with stars. Let's help find it. All of his Pokemon have understood as they all went in separate directions. Each Pokemon combed the area, looking for the Pokemon in question while calling out for it, but there was no response, and the flowers weren't being very helpful trying to distinguish where it was either.
"Haw! Hawlucha!" The Wrestling Pokemon called out for Ash as he had found a small cave.
"Good work Hawlucha!" Ash complimented his Pokemon. "You guys keep looking! I'll go with Hawlucha!" Going to where the fighting/flying type was, they crawled into the small cave which turned out to be bigger inside.
"Oh, Nebby!" Ash called out, seeing the small Pokemon. He and Hawlucha went to it, though they also spotted the two white and blue people.
"An elusive target, indeed." Phyco said. "Ah, it's you! Soliera, test this one. "I would like to check the functionality of the Pokeball we tried making in the image of the devices used by these Alolan people. Now that we succeeded in capturing an Alolan Pokemon."
"Yes sir, I will do so at once. You, let us duel with our Pokemon!" Throwing a dark blue ball with yellow lines, the woman sent out a Furfrou. A dog like Pokemon with white fur.
"Oh, alright. Stay put Nebby. Hawlucha, let's show them what we're made of!" The Wrestling Pokemon jumped forward and flexed for battle. "Use Hone Claws!" Letting his claws grow, the fighting/flying type grew in power as he glowed orange with power.
"Use Headbutt!" Soliera ordered. The Poodle Pokemon went and rammed into the powered up Wrestling Pokemon, but Hawlucha stayed on his feet as he skidded back. "Headbutt, again!"
"Counter with Karate Chop!" With a glowing hand, the fighting/flying type gave a powerful blow to the normal type's head, though the attack was dampened by the fluffy fur. Still, the attack hurt as Furfrou was sent back across the ground, shaking its head before growling.
"Headbutt, again!"
"Use another Karate Chop!" The two Pokemon charged, but the Wrestling Pokemon proved to be faster as he sidestepped to the left and have a right Chop to the Poodle's side. the normal type yelped as it fell to the ground, defeated.
"Hmm, fighting together with your Pokemon. It is not something had considered ourselves." The woman said as she returned her Pokemon.
"So that's a Pokemon battle!" Phyco chuckled. "I suppose if there are strong trainers like yourself running around, we may not need to play any great role in this endeavor."
"So we don't need to bother with the girl, I assume?"
"Girl? What's your deal?" Ash questioned, ready to defend Lillie if necessary.
"What our deal is is none of your concern. That Pokemon you've come to collect... you must know it can teleport away in an instant when threatened."
"It does?"
"So you don't know? Peculiar. You should know then that the holes that are created when it does so leaves a path for dangerous beings. As long as that thing is in your company, and others with it, we'll never be gone for long." And with that, they left without another word.
"Those guys must be up to no good." Ash uttered as he picked up Nebby and exited the cave. "Hey, we found Nebby guys! Soon, all of Ash's Pokemon returned back to him, cheering that their friend was found. Reaching the relieved Lillie, he gave the mysterious Pokemon back to her.
"Oh, thank you so much Ash! Thank you all for helping. Now, back into the bag please, Nebby."
"Pew." It replied with disappointment.
"I know there aren't many people around to see you here and it's hard to find you, but that's hardly an excuse! We should get going now. Our friends are so worried. And the professor..."
"I'm sure things will be fine." Ash tried to reassure her. Leaving the meadows, that's where Hau spotted them.
"Ash! Cool, you found Lillie! Glad you're safe!"
"Thanks. Hopefully nobody was too worried."
"Well, we were assured you wouldn't be attacked given that you have all sorts of repels in your bag, thanks to Kukui telling us."
"R-right. One can't be too careful in the wild." The blonde girl agreed.
"Hey cousins!" Professor Kukui with Misty and Ilima called out to them. "I knew I could count on you, yeah! You all good and safe?"
"Yes Professor."
"Good! Once Hau also beats the Trial as well, both you boys will be elegible for taking on the Kahuna of Melemele, Hala! Ash, what you took was a captain trial, but the one with a Kuhuna is called a Grand Trial. It's one of the most fierce Pokemon battles Alola can give! Let's head back to our homes. Let's catch the Tailwind and blast through the bridge on Route 3! Woo!"
"In that case I'll head home then." Captain Ilima said. "Going to get some good sleep and prepare Hau's challenge. Till tomorrow." She went her way while the rest of the group went South.
It was around sunset, and both Ash and Misty were watching TV while Delia was making dinner when a knock was heard at the door.
"Coming." Ash said as he got up and opened the door to find Lillie. "Oh, hey Lillie."
"Oh Lillie, I've heard about you getting lost! I'm glad you're safe!" Ash's mom called out.
"Th-thank you, Mrs. Ketchum."
"Please dear, call me Delia." She said in response.
"A-Ash, there's something I'd like to show you. If you don't mind that is."
"Mom?" Ash asked.
"It's okay, just don't take too long."
"Alright then, lead the way." With a nod, the blonde lead Ash out of the house. Misty wondered where the two would be going. Heading up to route 3, Lillie showed Ash a tall cliff face which glowed a orange tinted grey thanks to the sunset.
"So, what are we doing here?" Ash asked Lillie.
"Just wait." She replied, and the two waited a few minutes before something jumped off. And what landed on the ground was a Bagon as it landed on its grey head! It was bruised quite a bit and very disoriented.
"You might want to throw a Great Ball at it. By now it's jumped nearly a dozen times and should be nice and weakened for capturing."
"Oh, weird. If you say so. Go, Great Ball!" throwing a blue and red colored Pokeball, it absorbed the little creature, and with three shakes it clicked. "Alright!" Rotom went and scanned the new catch before it teleported away.
"Bagon, the Rock Head Pokemon; Some theories suggest that its behavior of forcefully bashing its head into things stimulates cells that affect its evolution. It must getting a rocking headache." Lillie closed her eyes and shook her head while Ash straight up booed his Dex. "Eh, you can't win them all. Nice catch." Strangely, it went back into Ash's bag without an affectionate nickname.
"At least he didn't say anything weird." The trainer chuckled. "Say, how did you know that was going to happen?"
"The professor and I have known this Pokemon for a while. Bagon are the rarest Pokemon on Melemele, especially its parent Salamence. Every other day at sunset it would jump off this cliff so that it will evolve into a Shelgon, then Salamence. We believe it was doing so at sunset for the dramatic element. Professor Kukui thought you were the best candidate as its trainer... when I suggested it."
"You did?" Ash was surprised by that.
"Y-yeah. I wanted to express a thank you for saving Nebby again. I thought this seemed perfect for a trainer like you."
"Aw, thanks Lillie." Ash expressed, very grateful for giving him the chance to battle with something strong. Lillie smiled.
"You're welcome."