Ash soon met up with Hapu on Exeggutor Island, whom was standing in front of the alter where the moon flute was.

"So, do you want to take me and my Pokemon on at full strength?" The kahuna asked.

"Yes. To be honest, I'm surprised it took this long for us to finally battle. Even though we haven't interacted that much, it's like you've periodically been with us since Akala Island."

"It does feel like our acquaintanceship is long lived despite your challenge not being that long. Now, allow me to show you the power of the kahuna chosen by Tapu Fini itself! I am Kahuna Hapu! And with the sparkling stone entrusted to me by the tapu, I have made this Z-Power Ring! Ash, having Z-Power means that we battle with the tapu beside us. This is my first battle as kahuna. I will battle you with everything I've got!" Dusting herself off, Hapu threw out her first Pokemon, a blue Automaton Pokemon, Golurk. Ash was somewhat intimidated by the 9 foot tall ground/ghost type, but with a gulp the trainer steeled his nerve as he threw out his water starter.

"Primarina, I choose you!"

"Golurk, use Stomping Tantrum!" The kahuna ordered.

"Gooluuuurk!" The Automaton Pokemon yelled as it glowed with yellow energy, stomping on the ground before proceeding to punch it with enough force to send rock fragments flying towards Primarina.

"Counter with Sparkling Aria!" Ash requested. Singing a note, she created an orb of water before launching it. Due to the superior power of the aquatic attack, whatever rocks that splashed into it were completely absorbed and stuck in the sparking water as it splashed against the huge body of Golurk. Despite its mighty girth, the giant was toppled over and crashed onto its back, down in one shot.

"So this is your strength." Hapu remarked as she returned her Pokemon. "Well, let's see if out-speeding Primarina will work. Go, Dugtrio!" Sending out the three little nubs that are perpetually sticking out of the ground, Ash snickered before proceeding to laugh at the Alolan variant, along with Misty. "Huh? What's so funny?"

"When did Dugtrios start raiding the wig stores?!" The Kantonian born trainer asked out of amused hysteria from the fact Alolan Dugtrio has blonde hair on the top of their three heads.

"Wig store?" Hau asked, confused.

"Haha, Dugrtio in Kanto don't have hair." Misty told him through her giggles.

"Interesting." Hapu heard that. "Well, this is news for you new-folk, the hair that Alolan Dugtrio aren't really hair, but golden whiskers, used to help it detect sounds underground up to several miles, and its whiskers make it part steel type.

"Cool." Ash was impressed with what this version could do. "Well then, show me what it can do then!"

"Alright. Dugtrio, Sandstorm!" Saying its name several times, the Mole Pokemon dug underground, before a ton of sand and dirt flew out, causing the area to become heavily obscured.

"Augh, we can't see anything!" Ash complained.

"That's the idea. Stone Edge!" Hapu ordered. Ash then heard rocks slamming into his starter as she backed away towards him enough to see. "Now use Iron Head!"

("Wait, I just got an idea.") Ash thought. "Sparkling Aria, straight up!" While it was difficult to sing a note with all the sand flying around and even somewhat hurting her, she was able to form a ball of water and tossed it into the air straight up before the ground/steel type slammed into her with their grey shiny hair covered heads. Primarina fell out of the battlefield, knocked out. "Primarina, thanks for the good work." Ash complimented his Pokemon. Just as it seemed like Dugtrio definitively won, the Sparkling Aria that was thrown up by the Soloist Pokemon soon came down and doused the ground/steel type with murky water. Since it wasn't bulky despite its secondary typing, they cried out from the indirect attack since Hapu couldn't see the attack and order them to dodge.

"So this one's a draw." Hapu said as she withdrew her Pokemon as well. "Go, Flygon!" Throwing a pokeball high into the air, the kahuna sent out a green dragon/ground type, soaring through the sand filled air.

"Salamence, I choose you!" Summoning his dragon/flying type, this really showed that the two were serious with a battle of two dragons.

"Dragon Dance!" Both trainer and Kahuna ordered as their dragons flew around the air, moving with increasing speed and ferocity as they each roared or screeched with aggression.

"Dragon Claw!"

"Dragon Rush!" Ash and Hapu commanded. Flygon glowed with an intense blue light while Salamence manifested green aura claws. The two dragons clashed, stalemating each other as they tried to overpower one another before the collective energies exploded with enough power to blow away the sand storm with a strong shock wave, prompting the humans to brace against it as sand were blown at them. From the smoke high above, both Pokemon have fallen, both too strong to tank each other's attacks as they crashed into the ground.

"Guess our dragon types were equal." Ash shrugged as he returned his Pokemon along with Hapu doing the same.

"When defense isn't proportional with strength, any Pokemon can become a glass cannon of sorts." The kahuna nodded. "I'm sure though that if our Pokemon haven't used Dragon Dance, yours would have been the victor. Our last Pokemon will decide this match." Hapu held up an ultra ball.

"Yeah. Hawlucha, I choose you!" Ash sent out his Wrestling Pokemon, whom flexed upon being released.

"Go, Mudsdale!" And there it was, the Pokemon he saw along her side every time they met. "Use Rockslide!" Neighing loudly, she formed grey rocks around herself, before flinging them up into the air, which began to rain down towards Hawlucha.

"Use the rocks to use Flying Press!" Nodding, the fighting/flying type leapt towards the rocks, using them as floating platforms to get in closer and once the stones were out of the way, the Wrestling Pokemon spread his arms wide as he fell like the rocks behind him to slam into Mudsdale's, whom grunted from how strong he was.

"Counter with Heavy Slam!" Rearing back to buck Hawlucha off before using her back feet to kick Hawlucha away, whom tumbled across the ground due to the kick being strong enough to knock the air out of his lungs, the Draft Horse Pokemon galloped around before jumping up, surrounded by shimmering grey and white energy.

"Dodge with Acrobatics!" Ash pleaded. Taking a deep breath and shaking his head, Hawlucha disappered just before Musdale smashed down where her target was. The slow ground type was overwhelmed by after images of the fighting/flying type she could never hope to outpace. For the second time, Hawlucha slammed into her back, causing her to whine and take a step down.

"Musdale!" Hapu gasped.

"Now use Brick Break!" Obeying Ash's command, Hawlucha, made his arm glow white, before chopping into the ground type's neck. She took too much damage now to keep herself up as the Draft Horse Pokemon tipped over and fell to her side, falling heavily as Hawlucha stood above his win. With the sound of her ace Pokemon thudding against the ground, that when Hapu used a fist to lightly smack her chest.

"Thud! That's the sound of your strength rocking me to my core!" She then smiled and nodded. "You have succeeded in your final grand trial! Here you go!" Hapu tossed Ash a light brown crystal similar to the rockium-Z crystal, but the emblem inside was layers of dirt instead. Performing her initial Z-pose, she spun around before planting her right hand on the ground while raising her left into the sky. "This is how you use Groundium-Z. Woo, you are undoubtedly a prodigious trainer Ash. In the past, any trainer who completed the island challenge would take a pilgrimage to Mount Lanakila to battle the kahunas once more. In these battles alone, the kahunas would no longer hold back in any way. But this year, you will face a different sort of final trial on Mount Lanakila. That will be your next destination, but let us return to Poni Island first. You'll begin the trek from the Northern way of Tapu Village on Ula'ula Island."

"Thank you. I can't wait to see what's up there. I'm totally stoked." Ash told her. Upon returning, Hau and Misty congradulated their friend upon learning his beat Kahuna Hapu.

"Woo! You've beat them all!" Hau cheered. "I can't wait for when I complete my challenge!"

"Poipole poi!"

"I certainly can't wait for when I do the challenge." Misty agreed. "This is going to be so cool."

"Yeah. Let's go early in the morning though so that we can get a good night's sleep and not miss out on anything tomorrow." Ash suggested. Indeed, for Mina's and Hapu's trial took up the whole day, so they had to rest up and be prepared for what's to come tomorrow. By daybreak, the heroes made their way to Ula'ula Island, towards Tapu Village. Going North from there, they found a lift where Gladion was descending down from, in his dramatic pose.

"I've been waiting for you." He said.

"No way... how long have you been waiting there? And how did you we'd arrive by now?!"

"I sent word that I should be informed when you complete your island challenge. I was then only a matter of time before you came. I wanted to thank you. For what you did for Lillie. For our mother. I appreciate it. More than you know."

"Ah, it wasn't all me." Ash laughed. "Everyone who's friends with Lillie helped out too." Gladion closed his eyes.

"Hmm, I guess so." Opening them, his eyes were now filled with determination. "Now the only thing I can offer you as thanks is a great battle. So I'm going to show you my full power. My real full power this time!" Showing Ash he had a Z-Power bracelet, he made another pose before sending out a Crobat.

"Careful Ash!" Misty warned. "Those things are dangerously fast!"

("Faster than even Hawlucha? Well, I wouldn't use him against a poison/flying type anyway. So there's one option left.") "Thanks Misty. Salamence, I choose you!" Sending out his dragon/flying type, Gladion smirked.

"Even he won't be able to keep up. Use Poison Fang!" With its fangs glowing purple, the Bat Pokemon zipped across the field in no time flat, and bit down on the Dragon Pokemon's neck. He roared from the discomfort as he shook the poison/flying type off, but staggered from the fact it was poisoned.

"Power up with Dragon Dance!" In spite of the poison now flowing through him, Salamence took to the skies and glowed with power as he soared through the air.

"Get it with Venoshock!" Gladion ordered. Crobat tried to spray Ash's Pokemon with a stream of purple liquid, but Salamence was flying too fast even for it to keep up. "No way! Salamence is faster after only one Dragon Dance?!" He gasped.

"Yep! Now Salamence, use Dragon Claw!" Soaring downward like a comet, the Dragon Pokemon used his green aura claw to slash into the Bat Pokemon before it could attempt to dodge. And even though that didn't take down Crobat itself, being slammed into the ground by an over 200 pound dragon did as the ground cracked around him. Floating back, Salamence saw that Crobat was unable to continue. He roared as his Moxie effect kicked in, glowing with energy.

"Whoa, what's that?!" Ash gasped. Rotom came out to explain.

"It'zzz the ability Moxie! Whenever it defeatzzz a Pokemon, itzzz phyzzzical attack power risezzz!"

"Wow, that's awesome Salamence!" Ash complimented his Pokemon, whom nodded with an appreciative look before cringing from poison. Gladion wordlessly returned his Pokemon before sending out Zoroark. But before Ash could say a word, Gladion prepared his Z-Move. Completing it, Hau shouted,

"Black Hole Eclipse!" Zoroark roared as its glowing body glowed brightly. Putting its claws together, it formed an orb of black and red energy before throwing it up high into the air. Everyone could feel a pull as the dark type Z-Move lived up to its name as leaves, grass and rocks started to get pulled in. Salamence roared as he tried not to get too caught up in the gravitational force.

"Grr... alright! A Z-Move for a Z-Move! Here we go!" Ash did his initial posing before thrusting his arms out with his hands like claws before spreading his arms apart. "Use Devastating Drake!" With Ash and Salamence sharing their Z-Power, the Dragon Pokemon roared a blast of purple energy which morphed into a flying dragon. Flying into the black hole, the artificial gravity well bulged and began to glow purple as it tried to contain the power it absorbed before it couldn't take it anymore and erupted with a mighty powerful explosion, shining super brightly as a shock wave blew Gladion off his feet as he yelled from the force, falling on his back while Zoroark was forced down on his knees from being underneath the shock wave. Hau and Misty were blown over as they screamed from such a high powered blast while Salamence used his wings to gain some distance by catching the shock wave with his wings. This also allowed him to suffer from poison damage without worry of being hit. Even Ash was blown back, but he managed to stay on his feet and recovered with a fist pump. "Yes! Now use Brick Break!" His wings glowing white, the dragon/flying type went back on the offense by swooping down, catching the Illusion Fox Pokemon off guard by how quickly he recovered before being decked by wings imbued with fighting energy. It howled from the strong impact as he slammed into a cliff, losing consciousness in the process. Gladion picked himself up and dusted himself as he panted from how extreme that was, and saw that his Pokemon was defeated in the confusion.

"Wow, that was epic." Hau uttered as he trembled.

"Yeah, a little too much if you ask me." Misty shivered.

"Poipole." The Ultra Beast said, coming from its hiding place since it sensed how much that was going to be overwhelming.

"Eevee." Misty's normal type shook her ears to get the ringing out. Wordlessly returning his Pokemon, Gladion spoke to Ash,

"I have to admit, I was not expecting you to cancel my Z-Move so effectively."

"I imagine the Dragon Dance and moxie boosts helped." He laughed.

"Hmm." The emo expressed before sending out a blue and black jackal, Lucario. "Use Flash Cannon!"

"Dodge and use Brick Break!" Thanks to his enhanced speed, Salamence was able to easily evade the opposing stream of grey and silver energy the Aura Pokemon tried to hit him with. Once the poison damage took its effect this turn, the Dragon Pokemon took the opportunity to swoop down once again with white glowing wings. Even when coming in contact with the Flash Cannon, his power was so strong the steel type attack was sliced through no problem. Lucario gasped just before being smashed into the ground by Salamence. Once the dragon/flying type backed up to reveal a knocked out Lucario, Gladion returned it.

"It's time I showed you what all my training has accomplished. Go, Silvally!" Expecting Type: Null, Ash was caught off guard to see its evolution as it screeched. Shape wise it was mostly the same, but the helmet stuck on its head was gone, now letting the neck and head of the Pokemon reveal a thick, silver mane with disk drives for ears. Its axe shaped feather crest was now fully flourishing rather than restrained. However, some part of it seems to have ice blue accents like it was now part ice type. "Let's finish it. Use Swords Dance!" Gladion ordered, to which the Synthetic Pokemon roared as swords surrounded the Pokemon before clinking their tips above it, drastically raising its power.

"Yeah! Use Dragon Dance!" Ash commanded, wanting his Pokemon to become even stronger and faster than before. "Dragon Claw!" With giant claws of green aura, the Dragon Pokemon made his move.

"Multi-Attack!" With claws glowing icy blue, Silvally screeched as it leapt and the two Pokemon were in a head on collision until they clashed with such power, the space between them flashed before exploding. Skidding across the ground, Salamence rolled off the path they were on and crashed into a rock while Silvally smashed into the cliff just like Zoroark did.

"Salamence, are you okay?!" Ash went to see if his Pokemon was alright while Gladion looked annoyed, but not too peeved.

"Hmph, how annoying, but there's nothing more to say." Returning his Pokemon, Gladion did what he rarely did; give a genuine smile. "Thank you Silvally. Ash, you've got good Pokemon." The emo blonde told Ash, whom just now noticed what he was saying.

"Huh? Oh yeah, thanks! My team really is awesome!"

"Well, I know what kind of trainer you are now. And what kind of journey you've been through. The last time I saw Lillie, she was heading up Manalo Trail. It seemed like she had something on her mind. She's... gentle enough to be able to feel how much pain Pokemon go through. I guess that's a kind of strength too."

"Yeah, Lillie's amazing!" Hau spoke up, running to the two with Poipole following, along with Misty.

"You really have changed." Gladion told Hau. "I've no doubt you'll complete the Island Challenge. You too Misty." The redhead smiled.

"Thanks."

"You are all going to get stronger, so I guess I can't let my guard down yet. I know we aren't friends, but we're not enemies anymore either."

"Well what's stopping us from being friends, huh?!" Hau questioned.

"I still prefer my solitude and quiet, which I wouldn't get hanging around you loud trainers."

"Hey!" The native boy complained.

"Hmm, you two can be somewhat obnoxious anyway." Misty agreed, snickering that she got a jab in.

"Hey!" Hau and Ash cried out at once. Gladion gave a dry chuckle.

"Keep winning. Maybe we'll see each other again if you all do." He then left the three.

"Geez, even saving the world doesn't make him believe we're friends." Hau puffed in irritation. "He thinks he's soooo coool."

"Well, not everyone is obligated to be friendly just because they've worked together." Misty reasoned. "You'll be too loud and he'll be too cool. That's enough of a deal breaker to make a real bond regardless of what's done." All Hau could do in response was turn his head.

"I wonder what Lillie is doing at Manalo Trail?" Ash pondered. "Hmm, the top of the mountain can wait. I want to talk to her about something."

"Why do you want to do that?" Misty inquired. Ash dug into his bag and pulled out the Destiny Knot she gave him.

"Misty, I've been thinking extensively after Lillie left with her mom, and I was wondering..." He blushed. "...What do you do with a destiny knot to show you return the sentiment?" Misty gasped with sheer joy.

A/N: Yay! Ash wants to return the favor! Question though, what should he do with it? The only thing I can think of is he uses part of it to tie his finger and makes another for her finger, but finger knots are for remembering something you don't want to forget, right?