Alola readers, Brav back a bit later than usual with the next AHHK update. This was supposed to be out on its usual biweekly between chapters, but a case of keratitis, birthday stuff and parents in town kinda kept me busy. Regardless, here's the next chapter for you guys to enjoy! One last regular trial!
Here we were. The final trial of Elio's Island Challenge. He's so close.
The trial captain's name is Mina. She's one of the oldest in the League, though her trial was relatively new. I couldn't wait to see how Elio would conquer it!
Kia'i Point had been one of the visible spots Elio and Lillie saw on their trek east towards the Ruins of Hope. The jutting rock outcropping extended more than half a mile out to sea with an angular indentation right above the waterline. When it was viewed from a particular angle, it resembled the bow of a mighty ship cruising through the ocean.
Like the dark obsidian they had seen around the area where the ruins were located, the point had little to no vegetation growing on its slopes. What little rain fell would similarly slick the path due to the lack of plants available to drink, so several sluicing channels were laid out or carved to help drain excess runoff into the ocean or back onto land.
The highest point was the furthest out and visitors who made the journey up were rewarded with a breathtaking view of a jewel of an ocean.
In ancient times during the era of the ka haku control of the point was crucial as it provided a highly strategic vantage lookout that could easily spot a fleet of a rival commander approaching with their forces. Details weren't always clear, but the warlords who fought amongst one another during the darker ages fought fiercely for control of the very rock they were scaling. Fewer details were known for said fighting, but Elio imagined with people and pokemon partaking in the fray and the incredible destructive power of Z-Rings that the ka haku possessed that any such clashes were bloody.
And now here he was with a ring that the ancestors had carried…or whatever they used to wear in battle back then. That same destructive power. Reading about the Point's bloody history made him shudder slightly in the Alolan heat. Ordinary people like him gone mad or entitled to the gifts bestowed by the Tapu, subjecting those less fortunate to their tyrannical rule as slaves and subjects to be ruled.
It was crazy to him again, that this region that was among the world's most popular tourist destinations, filled with sunshine, pristine beaches and the casual five o'clock somewhere vibe masked a violent history of suffering and war.
It's not like Feudal Era Kanto's scat free from it either. Anywhere we have people disagreeing on something is a place where people have paid in blood.
Now the mantle had been passed onto the island kahunas, four particularly powerful warlords on each of the major islands who had eventually cast off their poisonous, dictatorial decrees and worked together to stamp out the others' corrupted and selfishness. The Z-Rings and the power they held were not banished, but repurposed to those worthy of wielding it for good and responsibility, rather than abusing it for self-interests.
Thus a manner of tests for the youth of Alola on who was worthy of wielding such power, turning into the trials and eventually the modern island challenge.
Elio saw the carved gates of a trial site along one section of the point as he and Lillie continued their climb. Off to the left was the normal entrance where tourists could come and go. Aside from a middle aged couple that had a Sevii accent just returning from admiring the view, they were alone.
The open gates meant that the captain was present, so they proceeded in together. Upon closer look, they saw that the path that ascended to the top of the point curved around the base like a corkscrew. There was one section in the trial zone where they would be facing the outside sea, completely exposed to the violent waves battering the shore
"Alola!"
Elio and Lillie looked up to see a girl in her late teens waving at them from a perch on top of a particular rock that had a good vantage of them approaching. She had stuck her hands in an "L" shape and squared them with opposite index fingers and thumbs as if to frame them in an image.
That must be the captain.
"Now that's a great composition! I could just paint a picture of you two, the great visitors to Poni!"
He got a better look at her as they met up on the rocky trail. She was a few inches taller than either of them, a long shirt made up of a rainbow of pastel colors. Smooth hands brushed a lock of golden blonde hair out from her face.
She's kind of pretty.
"I guess I should go ahead and introduce myself. I'm Mina. The trial captain here at Kia'i Point. Let me guess, you're Elio? Hapu told me you were coming."
"Y-yeah. I'm here to take it on. The last one."
"The last one indeed. So in the process, you've managed to collect and hold onto six other petals, correct?"
"Right." Elio unfolded his trainer passport, showing a small plastic pocket that contained all of the petals he had received from all the other trial captains once completing it.
"Well, you're probably wondering what they were all for. The wait's over! They're for this trial, the last one you get to do!" She gestured up to the top of the Point, which loomed impossibly above. "Your trial is to find the last petal and defeat the Totem pokemon that draws it out! Both are at the very top."
Elio's eyes were drawn to the path in front that snaked around the rocky outcropping. "But it's the long way up."
Mina's smirk told him everything he needed to know. "The trial is less labor intensive, you might say over the others, but since this is the last of the regular ones, it's also a bit of-"
She paused, probably because she was about to spill what the trial was meant to do or teach. "I think it's best if you go and see it for yourself."
"Fair enough."
"So are you ready? We can get the blessing done."
Elio nodded and both the trainer and trial captain faced one another, leaning their foreheads gently together so that they touched. Watching them, Lillie felt an undeniable sense of jealousy seeing Elio that close. To another girl.
No. This is just a formality.
"E mālama ka tapu mai ka lani mai. A alakaʻi iāʻoe i loko o ka hoʻokolokoloʻaneʻane e kokokeʻoe e piʻi." Mina had whispered softly before they separated. She gave a lopsided grin. "Well then, your last trial…begins now!"
She turned to Lillie in the meantime. "Now we get to watch and take the quicker route to the top of the Point! And maybe you model for me while I paint!"
"O-okay." Lillie looked a little nervous, but followed suit as Mina sent out a large lilac colored dog pokemon with big jowls and sharp lower fangs. Despite its fearsome appearance, it sniffed and moved behind Mina in a sociable and friendly manner.
"New pokemon detected! Bzzt!" Rotom Dex flipped its screen to a matching render. "Granbull. Fairy Pokémon. It is the final form of snubbull. Despite its fearsome appearance, it rarely bites unless startled. This Pokémon still inadvertently intimidates others with its large jaws. Granbull is a fairy type. Additional information is available upon catching this Pokémon."
"In addition," Mina had gestured to her pokemon. "The path up to the top of the point can be confusing, but also a chance to witness one of the best views in all of Poni Island. Niko here will show you the way. Lillie and I will meet you at the top."
He nodded. "Got it." And I'll be prepared to defeat the last totem pokemon.
Lillie bounded forward, wrapping her arms around Elio and causing the boy to blush. It warmed her heart when he similarly clamped his arms and returned the embrace.
It feels so comforting and safe, in his arms. Just like when we slept next to one another.
"Good luck." She stepped back and threw him a wink over her shoulder. "Not that you'll need it though." Off to the side, Mina had a smirk very similar to Hapu when the newly anointed kahuna noticed their closeness. No doubt Lillie was going to get grilled on it too.
Niko sniffed the ground eagerly as he equaled Elio's pace on the trail. For now, it had remained fairly level, but up ahead he could see that it began a gradual slope before snaking around the far end, disappearing on the left.
Nothing seemed out of place, yet Elio felt like he was supposed to do something. All the trials had him in action, whether it was fire dancing in front of a crowd or spelunking in an abandoned superstore to find pictures of ghost pokemon. Aside from a rather wet kiss from Niko's tongue, the guide remained focused on his job.
It wasn't until they came across a carved totem situated in a bulging semicircle that he stopped. Niko nudged the totem and Elio noticed a small pedestal at chest level. Taking a step back, he could see the outlines trimmed in a pearly white sheen, mixed with long whiskers and dark matted fur.
The totem raticate from the Verdant Cavern. He blinked in surprised recognition.
To an even bigger surprise; Rotom buzzed with in incoming message. It was Mina.
How does she know?
He clicked to answer.
"Alola! So you've reached the first totem! I took a little bit of inspiration from my dear friend Ilima whom you met back in Hau'oli City and he had some mighty fine praise with how you cleared his trial at the Verdant Cavern. So you got the White Petal from him? Place it on the pedestal."
Elio did as he was instructed. The petal seemed to take an ethereal glow as he took it again.
"Here, located just by the Ruins of Hope, a place where life's journey ends and another begins. I chose this as the final trial site because of its significance and location. Once you reach the top, you will be able to see the very western edge of Melemele Island, the place where your journey began."
Mina went on. "Hapu told me that you were a stranger to our shores, how you had a chance encounter with Tapu Koko. How you blitzed through all of your trials. Even Ilima has something to say to you."
Moments later, her voice was replaced with the first trial captain's smooth tone.
"Greetings Elio, Captain Ilima here. First off, a much needed ho'omaika'iana for reaching the end of your island trials. One more lies before you and I have little doubt you will encounter any trouble and not succeed. In the first trial of the Verdant Cavern, you showed your prowess in the fundamentals and knowledge you gained while taking your beginning steps as a trainer. The island challenge is a daunting task, even more so when the youth like us take it at the age we do. However I believe that this tradition passed down from our ancestors will be what enrich the young boys and girls of Alola into adulthood."
Niko grunted and pawed at the path ahead. Elio took it as a hint, slipping the White Petal into the sleeve and continuing the trek.
Now the path began to slope, a small slant as they closed to the bend. More birds, mostly wingull kept to the skies, their shrill cries echoing in the air.
It wasn't long, nearing the face of the point before they came across another totem. Unlike the stout raticate blocking the way, it depicted a school of fish following a larger one.
The totem wishiwashi.
"Ah, now you're at the next one. The Blue Petal, if you please. The one you received from Trial captain Lana."
Elio found it and placed it on the pedestal at the same height. Like the white petal, it began to glow and shimmer as if infused with the power of the water. Looking around, he saw that this one was just a few feet above the sea as it curled ashore and splashed against the breaker rocks below with a white fury of foam.
He recognized Lana's voice from Rotom Dex.
"Alola is surrounded by water. Thousands and thousands of miles in every direction. The ocean surrounds the islands, embracing it as its lifeblood. From the way of life to providing us sustenance, Alolans learn that the water is to be respected as the storms, waves can be just as dangerous as it is revered in a place of happiness like the surf on a beach or the calm still of a lake on a cloudless day."
Like the wishiwashi. Picked on easily by themselves, but they are much more formidable foes when together.
"As the island challenger, you rose to that task of defeating the diabolo ke kai, the demon of the sea. Like the ocean, you learned that a small and insignificant minnow has the potential to be much bigger and dangerous. Not only did you clear the trial, but you used that same power to your advantage and respected the sea for it."
Elio was starting to understand the trial. Rather than actually take action into doing something, he was here to climb the trail and reflect on everything that brought him here. Every win, every loss, every moment of elation and those of the hardships. The scarring on his left was a reminder of the recent one.
Niko led him further up the trail where the slope began to steepen gradually again. Small spots formed a sort of stairs as he finally reached the section on the bend where he could finally see the front, just underneath the highest point that extended out even further.
Each climb brought him up more and more, with the breakers looking like a longer drop. To his right, he could see the Seafolk Village off in the distance, just the outermost string of boats in the small town. Beyond out to the ocean was azure blue water as far as the eye could see. Only a few clouds dotted the skies.
Now Kia'i Point looked even more like a ship rising out of the ground, with a hook in the prow section being a part where he would pass directly underneath and ascend on the other side. Another totem sat directly beneath the gigantic rock slab. As he expected, this one was red in color, carved with dancing flames and the feminine slender body of the totem salazzle he had faced in the fire dancing ceremony.
No pokemon have elected to battle me. Strange. This isn't like any of the other trials. To his credit, Mina hadn't mentioned any rule or regulation of catching pokemon. Either that meant she had forgotten, or he wouldn't be confronted by any. If he had to guess, it was the latter.
This time, he removed the Red Petal, sliding it onto the pedestal. It hummed while coalescing with smoky fire power that was bright enough he expected it to shrivel up in flames. However the glow died down just as the thought left his head and he was allowed to retrieve it.
"Trialgoer Elio Northstar." It was Kiawe Iokua speaking. "Only a matter of time before you reached this point. The last trial and it felt like just yesterday when you and I were on the slopes of the Mauna Wela rehearsing the traditional dance of our people. Fire is just as abundant as water in our region and though one is strong against the other, the fact that they aren't anything alike couldn't be further from the truth. Like water, fire and heat are crucial to sustaining us and both can be heralded as symbols of life and creation or destruction and ruin. The mo'owahine; the very symbol of fire in Alola submitted to your will. You found a path ahead just like how a fire finds a way, regardless of how unpredictable it may be. There will always be a way forward and all you have to do is find it."
Elio continued on his walk, Niko keeping a good pace to lead, but also keeping his distance to allow the trainer to stay in thought.
Ever since he had finished Kiawe's trial and played in the Pro Day with Ed, it had been a struggle as he mulled over his decision to move away from basketball and focus on being a trainer. Could he have done both? Possibly. Could he have overcome the injuries he had sustained during his school career and gone pro? Also possible.
The injury was a freak. He didn't expect it to happen and the other point that had indirectly caused it didn't expect or intend for it to happen either. Elio held no ill will and by now had hardly even remembered the kid's name.
But how great it had been to be back on the court one last time with Ed at the Battle Royal Dome.
He wondered what or how different his life would've been if he stayed with basketball. Sure, the injury was one thing holding him back, as his coaches had told him his "draft value" was said to plummet upon suffering an ending season at that age. It didn't matter whether the surgery that took place made his knee just as good as before.
Then the entire plans changed and he was whisked away to Alola to live with his mother. The door and opportunity to become a pokemon trainer was suddenly thrust open.
Would I trade a career in basketball for this? He smiled to himself. No. I wouldn't. In a way, getting hurt and coming to Alola is the best thing that could've happened.
Life had a funny way of throwing unexpected surprises at him.
The next totem was situated on the far side looking back towards the rows of plantations that they passed earlier in the day. The trim on this one was a vibrant green, depicting a striking lurantis with two massive scythes in solar blades. The Green Petal was next, pulsing with nutrient rich energy and slid back into the sleeve as soon as the process was done.
"Oh hehe, I can't believe it's actually happening!" Mallow's cheerful voice and grin carried over the airwaves. "When you started, you were just a little seedling, fragile, but ready to take on all of Alola. Your turn through the trial to make the Mallow Special taught two things. One…that simple ingredients are well on their own. Each having their own unique flavor, texture and even consistency. But when mixed and prepared together; it can create something more. Even something different. Your pokemon you carry with you can be strong on their own, but together you can become even stronger."
Mallow laughed slightly. "Two. The trial at the Lush Jungle proved to be a bit of a challenge. The totem is a tricky one and when you're just a little sapling, it's easy to get swept aside. But your persistence came through, you sunk your roots a little deeper and emerged triumphant."
"Huh." Elio almost had forgotten that the totem lurantis was his first real loss where he had been outplayed. It was a learning experience for sure and he was determined to let it be only a temporary deterrence. He studied the film he had, just like basketball and adjusted his strategy. Sunk his roots a little deeper.
Now the memory of losing was just another stepping stone under his belt. He was also beginning to see a pattern with the totems and the reflection of the trials he had taken.
They were also life lessons and many of them encouraged adaptability, flexibility and the willingness to change.
Not too far now.
The next totem was back facing the inner section of the island. As Elio had rounded the far side, he was now a couple hundred feet up from where he originally started. The trial gates they had passed through upon entry looked incredibly small and he had to squint to pick them out.
This totem was yellow and gold in color, showing off a life sized vikavolt with near-realistic crystalline sheen of electricity shimmering in its long hooked mandibles.
Elio didn't have to be told what to do as he removed the Yellow Petal from the sleeve and slid it onto the pedestal. Like the others in their element, he swore it crackled with arc energy for a couple seconds before he had taken it back.
Sophocles' voice came over Rotom Dex's speakers. "Wow. I uh…I didn't expect my trial to even work out on the first go around. But yeah. We made it work and it was pretty darn cool! I guess that's kind of the whole thing I think I can build off as a captain. You're not gonna ace everything you do or try and even if you do, it could be a matter of luck. Important thing is to keep an open mind and an even tempered approach whether it's your first attempt or your hundredth."
These are all the captains looking back at when I first went through their trials.
If he was counting right, there was one more just before he would reach the top.
Sure enough, he was right. The trail sloped up again and Niko was waiting for him next to the pedestal right as he would get to the point's summit. Clouds began to form in the sky, blocking out the sun for a pleasant bit of shade as a breeze nipped the air.
He had to be seeing things, but was it actually getting foggy?
One petal left, he had taken out the purple petal to place it on the pedestal. It surged with energy for a few seconds and he slipped it back into the sleeve.
"Oh awesome! You're finally here, the penultimate trial done and now on the final one. I remember it like it was almost literally yesterday when you came to the abandoned MegaMart. Ghost pokemon can be scary and confusing for people who don't quite understand their quirks. Sometimes that unknown and uncertainty is scary on its own. You could've chosen to abandon the trial and give into that fear, but you should feel especially proud of yourself for both acknowledging that fear and choosing to remain steadfast to conquer it. Elio, you rock! And I can't wait to see what amazing things you as an island challenge champion can do! It's only a matter of time!"
Elio stifled a laugh. Even over a recording, Acerola kept that high energy spunk she was known for.
"Oh good!" Mina's voice came over the speakers after Acerola had finished talking. "You're finally just about here at the summit. That should be all the petals. Come on up to the top!"
Niko growled softly and led the way. Elio watched him go before taking a deep breath to follow. It took him several minutes and the gradual slope up began to steepen to the point where it moved at an angle upwards. His heart pumped and he stopped once to take a long drink from his water bottle in a quick break. Now even closer and seeing the simpler concrete steps for the tourist made him swear any more visits here were going to be on the easier ascent.
Lillie and Mina were waiting for him right at the top where one could be rewarded with a breathtaking panorama of the southern end of Poni Island. Off to their left; the Seafolk Village looked so far off, just as distant as the Breaker Coast to their right.
"One final pedestal." Mina pointed to it at the end of the area. Elio crossed over and examined it, seeing a bright pink petal in the center.
"Now take all of your others and place them with the Pink Petal."
Elio did as instructed. Their different glows began to meld together when he begun to spread them out. As if having a mind of their own; they swirled together, forming an intricate pattern that overlaid one another in a perfect rainbow.
Mina stepped forward, watching intently. "This final obstacle is what stands between you and clearing each of the trials and will allow you to finally challenge the Poni island kahuna for the last grand trial."
She smirked at him. "Send out your pokemon. I hope you're ready for the toughest totem yet!"
Elio looked around as a sense of unease began to creep on him. "What totem? I don't see anything."
"The totem is here."
She also said that each trial had sort of a life lesson that we recapped on. What's this one? I'm already at the top or the end.
Unless this isn't the end.
Not wanting to pander those thoughts any more, Elio tossed out his first pokemon, Arclight. It had been some time since he had last used her in a fight, their first together since she had evolved and recovered from her injuries. As soon as the big stag beetle emerged from her ball, her stance immediately tensed and she scanned the skies after sensing the powerful foe nearby.
Elio's eyes shifted to the fog that surrounded them and looked as if it were folding down to envelope them in its misty veil. The sun was blotted out from above, providing a coolness that set him on edge that would've been otherwise pleasant in the warm weather.
Arclight heard it coming first and she zipped to the side to avoid a greenish ball of energy that seemed to emerge out of nowhere from above.
Holy shit! The energy ball attack slammed into the ground, throwing up dust and bits of rock into the air. Arclight stopped at a rate he thought was impossible, eyes continuing to scan above where she had suspected that their foe was hiding.
"You're here at the top!" Mina shouted. "You can see so much!"
Another energy ball shot out from the blanket of fog, this one flying in at a much faster velocity. Arclight again dodged, throwing herself in a loop that went up and around.
Elio figured the totem was hiding in the fog that accumulated above the point's summit. Clearly it had a way to see his position, trying to use Nani to throw up a cover of mist would be useless. They'd blind themselves even more.
Unless it was using the sound of Arclight's wings to triangulate her location. No longer the small charjabug that he had last seen her, she emitted a distinct noise that sounded like the props of a VTOL gunship from science fiction. Anyone with any tuned sense of hearing would be able to pick it up and anyone able to track things by sound would home right in.
"Let's give it a bigger target shall we?" Elio asked his pokemon and launched into his orders without waiting for a response. "Bug buzz!"
Arclight complied immediately, opening the top of her chitinous shell to beat her wings at an even quicker frequency than before. The soundwaves were now slightly visible by a slight distortion as they traveled up and around. Almost immediately, another orb came hurtling in almost directly from above without warning. This one scored a successful hit and Arclight hissed, knocked from her stationary flight as a fine powdery substance exploded on impact. She quickly extended a pair of dragfins to stop her drift to barely avoid scraping the ground.
"You found it?" Elio didn't wait for a reply. "Hit it! Discharge!"
She thrust out her large mandible tusks and blasted a growing wave of electricity that coned upwards to where he suspected it was hiding behind the fog. He could see the attack arcs zigzagging into the air and spreading out to cast a glow and illuminate the fog and-
There.
Several of the arcs of electricity homed in on a large flying creature in the mist and struck it dead center. Parts of the fog parted as it plummeted towards the ground, but like Arclight had done, it righted itself to stand off directly across.
Elio now could see that it was a small insect-like pokemon with a golden yellow body, small dark arms and legs and wings that beat almost as fast as Arclight's. It stared back with large brown eyes.
"New pokemon detected! Bzzt! I juzzt had to wait until the totem revealed itzzzeelf! Even my alertzzzz were offline and unable to detect it! Bzzt! Ribombee. Bee fly pokemon. It is the final form of cutiefly. It rolls up pollen into puffs that are highly nutritious. Ribombee hates rain and shows itself only on clear days. Ribombee is a bug and fairy type. Additional information is available upon catching this pokemon."
"Hold on, it hates rain and moisture?" Elio asked out loud. "So why is it the totem here?"
The totem countered Arclight's horizontal movements, circling above. Despite the species' supposed dislike of moisture, Elio swore it was longing to go back into its makeshift cover to shoot at them. He had gotten lucky with a discharge hit, but it would only work so many times.
They sprung into action. Arclight spewed a mud shot which the totem effortlessly dodged and formed another ball of the pollen that it threw like a baseball. Again both attacks were dodged. The pollen puff exploded once it struck the ground, throwing up another cloud of fine yellowish dust into the air.
Arclight launched another discharge that was unavoidable despite the totem's best efforts to weave between the bolts of lightning. It flinched from the hit and spun around.
Hold on, where's the totem aura it normally has?
The ribombee buzzed its wings a little harder and Elio realized it was calling for help. Moments later, he heard something jump out of the fog to stand underneath its partner.
He recognized the species right away, having seen it in Kanto's water bodies many times before. A bipedal pokemon with elongated blue limbs, tail and webbed appendages with a flat beak and a crimson gem directly centered on its forehead.
"New pokemon detected! Bzzt! Golduck. Duck pokemon. It is the final form of psyduck. Golduck's webbed hands and feet allow it to swim faster than the most athletic of humans and to hunt down fish. The gem on its forehead is said to have psychic, supernatural powers. Golduck is a water type. Additional information is available upon catching this pokemon."
Now upon summoning its ally, the totem's aura began to blaze to life. He heard the snapping sound as the stat flare activated and boosted all of its stats. It was as if it was testing to see how much of a threat he was before showing its hand accordingly.
I can see why this is touted as the toughest totem.
The golduck made an attractive target for Arclight and he wasted no time in going after it. With the ribombee still circling across, she launched another discharge towards its new ally pokemon. Moving was a little slower for the duck pokemon and it growled in pain as it was hit by the electric attack. The totem used the opportunity to fire another pollen puff that was swiftly dodged. Arclight was not going to take a shot in the back so to speak.
Elio kept an eye on the fog, which strangely was held at bay. He wondered why.
The totem and its golduck ally attacked again, launching another energy ball and a massive torrent of water. Arclight was able to move away from the former, but the latter's hydro pump had widened in a spray where she wouldn't be able to avoid it no matter which way she cut.
To his surprise, his pokemon acted on her own instinct, launching herself into the ground. Instead of hitting the surface, she burrowed through and tunneled quickly underground.
Hold up, she knows dig?!
Perhaps he'd been away from Arclight longer than expected if she had moves he didn't know. It dawned on him that he had forgotten to check both her and Rufflet's summaries. The little eaglet was another pokemon he was considering to use in the battle.
Digging underground gave her another advantage too. There was no way for the ribombee to locate her vibrations and he doubted that the golduck had the innate ability.
Instead, both his opponents seemed to focus on each other. Lillie saw the totem form another ball of pollen puff, but it threw it at the golduck who had made no attempt to dodge it. The pollen particles look to be as if it was getting absorbed into its skin, rejuvenating the damage sustained to the super effective electrical attack.
Did that just heal it?
On the other hand, the golduck has closed its eyes and focused on the totem. Elio could see the small red gem on its forehead glowing slightly and a reddish rising stat flare had surrounded it.
That's psych up. It just copied all the boosts the totem had. Arclight learning dig was a wild card, but they used the chance to regroup. I have to figure out something otherwise this is gonna be a short battle.
The golduck screeched as Arclight suddenly emerged from the ground, slamming herself into it from below. She easily zipped out as it attempted to use fury swipes, mindful that the totem was likely preparing for another attack.
Instead, it was in a frenetic dance to ignite another stat flare. Elio realized the longer he didn't attack the totem gave it more time to set up. The quiver dance could then be copied by the golduck with another psych up.
He couldn't focus on one pokemon without the other being able to intervene.
At least the fog isn't coming back.
Arclight seemed to want to go after the golduck more than the totem since her electric attacks did far more damage. She faced it, keeping the totem out of the corner of her eye as it tried to flank. Elio did one better by focusing on it. Her nimble flight could make dodging a rather easy task.
The golduck lunged again, raking her belly with a series of fury swipes before she managed to beat her wings to knock it off in a bug buzz. As it fell back to the ground, she moved in to deliver another discharge that would surely knock it out.
However the totem finally had made its own move as she kept her focus on its ally. Instead of using its pollen puff or energy ball, it blew something out of its hand.
Elio's blood ran cold when he realized what it was.
"Arclight look out!"
Too late, the draining kiss struck her in the back and she twitched as the health draining attack sapped her energy away. The totem shook itself, now a little more rejuvenated from siphoning Arclight's own health.
Elio cursed under his breath, draining kiss had been a low blow in more than one competitive championships he'd seen on television. Most notably was in the battle royale style of the Hoenn League, where Brendan Maple and his gardevoir Gwen had snatched the win from his rival Wally and his gallade Sam, with a literal kiss.
A gushing noise of a hydro pump brought him out of his own thoughts, Arclight swiftly looping around and using another dig on her descent for a quick escape. He had to thank something that she was able to remain capable enough to battle on her own without his constant guidance. Sometimes he was wrong and others, he'd be distracted just like this.
Out of curiosity, he pulled out Rotom Dex and scanned Arclight's summary along with the moves that she had been recorded capable of using.
One stuck out to him and an idea sprang to life in his head.
The golduck was as good as done.
He looked back at the duo opposite him. The totem flitted overhead and judging by how frantic, it clearly didn't know what they were up to. Similarly, the golduck was following suit.
"Bug buzz!" Elio shouted. It was time to execute.
Moments later, he felt the ground tremor slightly as the distorted sound waves burst out in several different directions. The other pokemon reacted immediately, the totem gathering another pollen puff and flinging it towards the center while the golduck found the section of ground that was weakest.
Wait for it.
Seeing that the ribombee hadn't found its target, the duck pokemon reared its head back for another hydro pump. Arclight had limited mobility and means to escape, so she'd be caught right in a kill box.
Elio saw the totem going for another quiver dance, likely assured that it wouldn't be interrupted while doing so.
Not to worry. It wouldn't be. The same couldn't be said for its partner.
It launched the hydro pump with incredible accuracy. Now was the chance.
"Zap cannon! Nine o'clock!"
So while the bug buzz did telegraph its location underground for the enemy pokemon, it also gave Elio an idea of what orientation his own was facing so he could tell her where to fire. While he hadn't expected it to try and attack while she was underground, the discovery that she could use the move he just shouted gave him that same idea back when he battled Guzma's forretress. Nani had been on the victim's end of the high velocity shell of electricity bypassing and accelerating through the continuous stream of water.
He hadn't been sure if she was able to hear his command as the ally pokemon attacked. But moments later, he heard a loud snap and the golduck was thrown back into the air, landing in a heap close to the edge of the point. Wicks of electricity crackled down its slender form as it struggled to stand. His gambit had worked.
Paralyzed. Perfect.
Arclight emerged from underground, though the totem must've sensed her coming since it looped in a circle at a much faster speed. It floated in front of him before stopping its wings and emitting a powerful flash that damaged and stunned Arclight. In her haste, she flung a mud shot just as it fired another pollen puff. Both attacks collided, though the vikavolt fared far worse, entering a tailspin and crashed hard on the ground.
Come on, get up! She did, but at a pace far too slow for his liking. It was only a matter of time before they attacked again.
After everything she had been through, being short circuited and hospitalized, he couldn't help but admire her resilience. She had gone through an ordeal just like him.
Her wings buzzed and she lifted up off the ground. Battered, but not out of the fight. Not yet. Across the way, the paralyzed golduck attempted to attack again, but the electricity crackling around its body had flared up and canceled whatever it was about to do. It was one on one…for the moment.
Elio's hand was about to go to Arclight's poke ball to switch her out when the two combatants launched into their next attacks. Ribombee launched more pollen puffs, as Arclight unleashed another discharge. The first two were burned into ash that easily disintegrated while she was hit with the third. He blinked, noticing that the totem had positioned itself so that if it missed his pokemon, it would be able to hit its ally slowly moving behind them to rejoin the battle.
I think it's best we finish off the golduck.
Still trying to destroy incoming pollen puffs, Elio had her maneuver around with her deft agility so that she wouldn't have to potentially fight on two fronts. It would allow the totem to protect its ally as a drawback. However in this position, if it wanted to use the pollen puff to heal, it would need to rotate around and turn its back on her to do so.
He was hoping it wouldn't want to take that risk.
The golduck was nearly at the totem's side when it spun in midair again. Arclight prepared to evade another incoming attack, but both her and her trainer were surprised when a soothing aroma began to waft through the area.
Mina and Lillie had closed their eyes in content at its slightly sweet scent while Elio almost coughed. The aromatherapy did little effect to Arclight, except maybe perk her up slightly, but he noticed that the golduck was no longer suffering from paralysis.
Oh no. It can heal that too?
Arclight saw the opportunity to regroup and initiated a charge attack. She bristled with more electricity, using another bug buzz to provoke a counter attack. Seeing that she was setting herself up, the totem began another one of the quiver dances as the golduck straightened. It was using psych up to copy the stat boost for itself.
Arclight was done quicker. "Zap cannon on the golduck!"
Her charging sequence of a shell of energy between her long mandible jaws was far quicker than the pollen puff and hydro pumps that were about to be unleashed. Elio had seen electric attacks have some of the quickest velocity out there.
The zap cannon was fired and traveled the distance faster than the blink of an eye, aided by the earlier charge. It was completely recoilless, allowing her to shoot it whilst on the move or airborne. Elio saw the golduck hit again and careened into the ground. There would be no getting back up from that one.
Victory was short lived though. Upon the ally's defeat, the fog suddenly closed in as if held back by an invisible dome Within moments, it enveloped the field and limited visibility to just a couple yards in front.
Geez, it's one problem after another.
"Golduck had the ability Cloud Nine! Bzzt!" Rotom buzzed from his side. "Azzzz long azzz it'zzzz on the field, it can remove any weather effectzzzz! Bzzt!"
"You couldn't have told me that earlier?!" Elio asked in disbelief. No longer able to see where the totem had gone, Arclight had to stay on the move. She saw a flash above, an incoming dazzling gleam and quickly vectored to the side to shoot back a bug buzz that hit nothing.
It can't use pollen puff. Not in this soup.
"Discharge Arclight, let's find it again!"
She gathered more electricity and fired it into the air. Elio searched as she did, trying to help his own pokemon locate their foe hidden in the fog.
Nothing. The lances danced in the air, crackling like miniature booms of thunder and illuminating the fog, but he could find no trace of the totem.
No way she had knocked it out like that.
Unless it wasn't hiding in the fog above.
Arclight appeared to have shared his thoughts as her own gaze turned to the ground level.
"Look out!" The cry barely left his lips when the energy ball attack soared out of the fog from her blind side. Arclight hissed in agony as she crashed to the ground again, flipping belly up as her small legs curled limply inward. She was out.
Elio let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. She had given it her all in taking the golduck down and he was left wondering if he should've pulled her sooner rather than the beating she had taken.
"I'm sorry girl." He whispered, taking out her ball and recalling his defeated pokemon. "I'll make sure your efforts weren't for nothing."
And the only way to do that was to press on with the trial battle. The totem was somewhere in the thick of it, waiting for his next pokemon.
And I've got the one to deal with this.
"Let's go Rufflet!" Elio cried, throwing the great ball out and releasing his small eaglet. Like Arclight, he hadn't been battling since his injury at the behest of Null. While he figured Strongside would be another worthwhile choice for his fire moves, Elio wanted someone airborne to take on a flying opponent. If he was stuck to the ground like the remainder of his pokemon outside of Rufflet, he wasn't sure how he was going to work things out.
Best I finish it here.
Rufflet looked confused as he flapped his wings and gained a little altitude to see if he could get a better vantage. He squawked in protest, clearly not liking the situation.
"I know buddy. It's the best we got right now. Be careful, the totem is out there and it's not afraid to hit you on the blind side."
A realization came to him. "Hold on, try a tailwind. Let's see if we can clear this up."
Rufflet flapped his wings forward, creating a steady gust that blew from behind. Sure enough, the veil of fog parted and widened like a gyre up to where Lillie and Mina were watching and above where it almost looked to clear the top.
The totem was quick to react when its cover was blown, emitting a series of flashes from its wings in another dazzling gleam attack. Boosted by the tailwind, Rufflet was able to roll out of the way as what he presumed to be a projectile impacted the ground and threw up a cloud of dust. The eaglet spread his wings and Elio was very glad to see the broken one healed save for a distinct scar.
Not that it would deter him. His type would wear that marking with pride.
Rufflet's wings solidified into a metallic sheen and he moved faster than the totem could even dodge with its own boosted speed. Ribombee cried out as it lost control of its own flight, plummeting to the ground and regaining altitude just before it had hit the ground. It began another quiver dance, seeing that now it was getting out-sped.
"Don't give it that!" Elio cried. "Keep the pressure up with steel wing!"
Truth be told, he wasn't sure what kind of strategy he was going to come up with this time. When the golduck was around, the totem seemed to function more as a support with the psych up feeding off its own stat boosts and acting almost like a second totem he'd have to contend with.
But now that he had knocked it out of the fight, it no longer needed to set another up and could focus solely on fighting one opponent. Rufflet had the speed advantage for a limited time. He and the totem weaved and chased another, diving in close to try and use steel wing. At one point, the Ribombee had turned around mid-flight and threw a pollen puff while spinning. Rufflet was nearly caught off guard, but lashed out in a crush claw to intercept the soft projectile and tear it in half as if it were paper. However he had to slow down to do so and thus allowed it to gain a comfortable distance.
An aerial ace was what provided him the necessary reprieve and it dazed the totem. But as he was about to give a follow up attack, the tailwind had begun to peter out. Rufflet fell behind as the ribombee's unrivaled speed began to show. The fog began to close in.
Aerial ace can still catch it.
Elio saw it disappear into the thick blanket as Rufflet was left once again having to scan his surroundings. He was about to cast another tailwind when it begun that whole shooting at him from behind cover. Rufflet squawked loudly, stopping flapping his wings as he ducked under an energy ball. His eyes narrowed as he locked onto something and dove into the fog, leaving a vortex trail behind him.
Elio could barely make out the figures as they curved, dipped and dodged one another. Rufflet's steel wings parried several shots, but he couldn't get close enough to get a hit. He had lashed out with another crush claw to dissipate another pollen puff.
In doing so, he realized his mistake too late.
The totem had spun around, flanking him in his own cut speed to hit him in the back with another draining kiss. Rufflet screeched in agony as he tumbled to the ground, just barely visible to his trainer.
"Rufflet!" Elio cried. His hands fumbled for his ball, determined not to let him suffer the same part of keeping Arclight out there for too long.
"Stop! I'll send in a substitute!"
Rufflet's caw caused him to halt himself. He flexed his wings, facing the weary totem with a gaze of pure defiance. Elio had to trust his pokemon. Let it fight the battle on his own.
No way he was going to lose. Not when he overcame his broken wing. Not when he let his own trainer down. Not like this.
Another glow illuminated the point, harshly enough that it had cut straight through the afternoon fog around the point. Elio saw the strain as his little eaglet…
Was evolving.
He couldn't see it right away, then he flapped his wings that had grown several times their size to kick up a tailwind that parted the fog as if drawn back by a hand. Rufflet's evolved form let out a bloodcurdling challenge cry, facing the now-smaller totem with poise.
Gone was the small feathered little bird that constantly loved to pick fights with pokemon much larger than it.
He's the giant now.
"You," Elio cleared his throat. "You actually evolved!"
"And I'm here to record the new data! Bzzt!" Rotom Dex popped in front of him, shifting to a dossier. "Braviary. Valiant pokemon. It is the final form of Rufflet. Braviary fights fearlessly for its allies and friends. Scars on their front are considered heroic as its innate qualities of valor and leadership are well respected. Ancient Alolan people called it 'aeto, or the warrior of the sky. Braviary is a normal and flying type."
Braviary stood incredibly tall, with a beautiful array of crimson, yellow, navy and white feathers. The reddish pattern was along his back and he stretched his full wingspan in a show of intimidation. His younger eyes had narrowed into that of a hardened veteran and his beak looked all the more powerful, elongated and a downward curve that was perfect for tearing into his preferred diet of raw meat. Most striking was the crest of feathers that adorned the top of his head, a mixture of red and white trim that was like that of the ancient Alolan ka haku.
My food bill to feed all these guys is gonna go way up now. Elio thought to himself. But that was for another time. He and his new braviary had a battle to win.
The totem seemed unimpressed with the evolution, already spinning to attack as soon as the process was complete. Braviary took to the skies, his wing strokes surprisingly silent despite the much bigger size. He leaned forward and accelerated, casting another tailwind behind that allowed him to easily catch up with the ribombee. He was now way faster than before, leaving a tailwind boosted Rufflet in the dust.
"Alert! Bzzt! Braviary hazzz learned a new move!" Rotom Dex chimed in. "Superpower! It'zzzz a very powerful fighting type move!"
"It has?" Okay, let's see what he can do with it. "Hit it with that superpower!"
Braviary veered up into the air before swooping down and gathering energy around him like a crashing meteor. He thrust his gigantic claws out, slamming into the totem with incredible force. Though the attack was resisted by its bug and fairy typing, the sheer power of his attack had definitely rattled the creature. It was on its final stand and Elio figured it would be damned if it didn't put up a fight. He did see that a lowering stat flare surrounding his bird, glancing at the Rotom Dex's analysis app. Superpower lowered physical attack and defense every time it was used, a costly tradeoff for its higher than average damage power.
Braviary climbed again, easily dodging a dazzling gleam and went in on the attack of an aerial ace. The totem screeched and dipped, clearly disoriented.
It was time to finish this off for good.
"Aerial ace again!"
Ribombee had one more trick up its sleeve. As Braviary lunged for another looping attack, it had launched another draining kiss in a last ditch effort to survive.
To everyone's surprise, Elio's bird barreled straight through despite it being perfectly aimed. He grimaced as the health siphoning attack had drained away some of his energy. As the ribombee absorbed the last of it to brace for a final blow, Braviary struck.
Elio heard a slashing sound as the fog finally parted for good, allowing the beginning of a setting sun to cast a light over Kia'i Point. Braviary softly landed in front of his trainer, head on a swivel as he vigilantly surveyed their surroundings.
The totem ribombee lay sprawled limply on the rocky floor. There wasn't need of a judge to declare it was unfit for battle.
Elio blew out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
The trial was over.
The last trial. Done.
"Yes! Let's gooooo!" He whooped and jumped up, running up to Braviary and throwing his arms around the giant bird's neck, almost having to jump up to him. Though it had a fearsome appearance, the valiant pokemon nuzzled Elio's side softly as he accepted the praise.
"You were amazing out there! Bravo!"
Braviary's eyes sharpened as he had said that. Trainer and pokemon separated as he stroked the same spot where he enjoyed being petted as a little rufflet.
"You like that? Don't you? The nickname, Bravo."
He swore he could see an imperceptible nod. He approved of it.
"Bravo it is." Elio held out a fist and Bravo curled his claw to gently tap it. "You definitely pulled your weight in this battle. You and Arclight."
The sound of the totem's wings buzzing got his attention and he saw that it had regained consciousness. Ribombee's movements were a bit sluggish, but the challenging hostility it had when facing them was mostly gone.
"Here," Mina threw him an object. Elio caught it with a single hand, turning the sitrus berry in his hand. "This will help it perk up."
He kept his eyes on the totem as he cautiously approached. "Thanks for giving us the amazing battle out there."
Not sure if it had heard his words; the small bug hovered gently above his palm before small brown limbs grabbed the berry and its mouth took a bite out of the top fleshy part. Ribombee spun in midair before looping up and disappearing around the corner.
When it was gone, he noticed Mina, Lillie and Niko the granbull approaching. The trial captain grinned from ear to ear.
"Well whatdya know? The whole praise all those other captains were throwing at you on celebrating your journey wasn't a fluke after all! Not like I thought otherwise! Sometimes, you can't see everything, even when you are at the top of the mountain."
Elio blinked and stared at her. That was the lesson?! Perspective?
"Yet you still triumphed, found a solution and powered through with a flash of inspiration though the fog. Oh man, if only you were a painter!" Mina made a fist. "Maybe one day I can convince you."
"Painting? I guess so. It's not really my thing, but to each their own."
Mina smirked at him again. "Lillie was just gushing all about you during your battle. I see all of it is well placed and well founded." Next to her, the blonde in question averted her eyes and fought a bright red blush on her cheeks.
"In any case, I consider this trial passed with flying colors!" The trial captain reached into a small pouch on her side. "The fairium Z crystal is now yours!"
Elio accepted the offered crystal, which shimmered a bright pink in the sunlight.
"It's time for the pose again!" He laughed, spinning around and holding it high above his head. "Trial complete!"
I don't care if I'm too old to be doing something people would consider rather childish. I'm only young once in my life.
"Alright, here's a live demo of how to do the fairium Z crystal stance!" Mina formed that same X with her hands, pulling them back to form a heart with her fingers, crossing them again and then bending her elbows at her side while tilting her body slightly to the left. Her hands almost looked like they were mimicking a small bird pokemon's stubby wings.
Elio tried not to laugh. That's definitely one of the silliest poses I've seen. But I bet it's probably harder than it looks to master.
"I guess I should be glad I don't have many fairy type pokemon or moves to have to do that."
"Not a fan?" Mina asked him. Beside her, Lillie stifled a giggle. "Yeah I can see that. It looks more girly than boy-y."
"If I have to swallow my pride and look like that to win a battle, I might do just that."
The three of them burst out into laughter. Next to them, Bravo stared at the humans with an amused expression across his face.
After the journey back down from the point; this time through the easier tourist path, Mina informed Hapu that Elio had finally cleared the fairy type trial and was ready to take on her grand trial whenever he desired. She got a reply just minutes later, telling him the message she had gotten from her phone.
"I'll be ready."
"So will I." Elio looked at Lillie next to him. They were still holding hands since making their way to their rented room at the Seafolk Village's pokemon center. It had just been a couple of days, yet he felt all the more comfortable doing it. Holding hands with a girl had its own taboos back when he was younger, but he wasn't a kid anymore and the societal pressures of school didn't quite matter.
He'd just have to figure out how to approach it if her brother caught them in the act.
We'll deal with that too.
Mina parted ways with them as they arrived back at the Seafolk, going to her own home that was down the street from the boardwalk. She informed them that chief Marv was able to take them out to Exeggutor Island in their quest to find the flute. After confirmed with kahuna Hapu that they had permission to go, he had been more than happy to offer them a boat ride over.
He did say that the island was still quite large and narrowing down a search of where the Moon Flute could be located would save a lot of time spent combing the entire place.
"The pokemon there are no joke, let me tell you." He had said that night before they split off.
So Lillie busied herself with a map on the Rotom Dex while Elio snagged a couple of bento boxes from the center's cafeteria and jumped into the shower. It was slowly going into the evening and they would be having a busy day going to Exeggutor Island.
She flicked past several news updates, the latest on various Pokemon Leagues around the world, the upcoming inauguration of the new League about to open right there in Alola. The incident of mysterious powerful Ultra Beasts was still battling it out for being the latest trendy topic and many analysts had been suspect of who had been responsible for unleashing them. Other evil teams or crime syndicates.
The Aether Foundation was mentioned once in passing, though the same article had stated that President Lusamine was confirmed to have disappeared following the incident with her whereabouts unknown.
Mother really must've done a lot to deter suspicion away. Lillie thought to herself. Putting herself as a victim, subjecting Nebby and everyone else in Alola to danger. I wish I could figure out why.
More articles were dismissed. A particular headline did catch her eye covering the distant region of Paldea. One Professor Nestor Turo had recently discovered a phenomenon known as Terrastalization where the power of mysterious crystals only found in that area were capable of rapid conjoining and could be synchronized to alter a pokemon's typing.
She sent the article to her own phone, flagging it for a future read. Only having been there once when she was barely able to walk, Paldea was a region she had always longed to visit again with its beautiful weather, rich history, amazing food and vibrant culture.
There were also messages on her phone from Gladion and Wicke, both saying that agents of Interpol had arrived from the organization's Lumoise headquarters in Kalos to assist with the incident investigation. The latter assured her that they would be helping the best they could in assisting them for whatever they needed. Her hands would be tied trying to put out the fires.
"Wicke, how do you know Elio's father?"
"She what?"
Lillie gasped as Elio was standing next to her in his sleeping clothes, a pair of plastic wrapped bento boxes in hand that he set on the table along with some disposable flatware.
"Hope you're hungry," he slid one in front of her. "One's poultry and one's fish. I'll eat whichever one you don't."
"I'll take the poultry."
He nodded and grabbed them two bottles of water from the fridge, sitting down with a sigh.
They ate in silence, both tired and wanting to enjoy the calmness before what presumed to be an exhausting journey to Exeggutor Island.
"Elio," Lillie started. "I'm sorry if I overstepped. It's just that…Wicke…she knows your father. Somehow."
To her surprise, Elio's expression didn't change. He ate thoughtfully while pondering the information. She knew that it was a very touchy subject, he had seemingly bitter feeling towards his father, but did notice that his stance had softened over time.
Maybe that apology call he made on Akala Island was getting to him.
"My dad knew a lot of people." He finally said after a while of them eating. "I tried to think of anyone even resembling Wicke or related to her. But I don't know. It's been so long."
"Could it have been someone he saved?"
"I don't know." His voice grew distant. "He saved a lot of people. More than I could ever count. Some people he kept in touch with, even though he constantly said there wasn't a need to thank him. As if saving a life was just another ordinary part of the job."
"Your father is a brave man."
"He always told me that he woke up and went to the job every day because he wanted to make a difference for the betterment of people. Some can't do it all themselves, either they're too weak, scared or for any other reasons. He wanted to be that one person people could turn to, when they couldn't turn anywhere else."
Lillie looked at him, somewhat pleasantly surprised that he still talked of him that way.
"I hate my dad for a bunch of reasons. Like messing up my mom's life and mine. But he's still my dad. Nobody else can change that. And I do think…that I was a bit harsh when he called. It was out of the blue and I hadn't heard his voice in years."
Elio looked like he didn't want to talk about the subject any more, so Lillie nodded her satisfaction even though she really didn't get an answer.
Truth be told; Elio himself was now wondering how exactly Wicke knew Cal. Was it a fellow firefighter from another station? Someone he had rescued in the past? An acquaintance?
There was little talk as they finished up dinner and turned in early. It was going to be a long hike around Exeggutor Island, though Lillie had combed through the online maps and narrowed it down to two possible places where the Moon Flute could be located. That would shave down a trip that could take the whole day to a matter of hours.
As he laid down in bed with Lillie opposite him, he continued to wonder.
"Lillie?"
"Hmm?" Her eyes were closed, but she had snuggled up next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. He felt incredibly content.
"Did Wicke know my dad from a male relative of hers?"
"Maybe?" It came out as a murmur and Elio hated trying to pry this information out of her right as she was drifting off to sleep. "Could have been her husband or fiancee?"
"What was his name?"
"Xander?"
Her breathing steadied as she finally settled into a peaceful slumber. He remained awake, annoyed at racking his brain to remember if his father had mentioned a Xander before.
No. No way. It can't be.
That'll put an end to the chapter there. Finally an evolution I've been meaning to get at for some time and the last of the regular island trials is done! We've got the long-awaited Exeggutor Island next as well as the last grand trial and the trek across the Vast Poni Canyon! Stay tuned, because there's a lot more coming!
Translations:
Ka haku - Warlord
E mālama ka tapu mai ka lani mai. A alakaʻi iāʻoe i loko o ka hoʻokolokoloʻaneʻane e kokokeʻoe e piʻi. - May the tapu watch over from the heavens and guide you through the trial you are about to surmount.
Ho'omaikai'ana - Congratulations
Diabolo ke kai - Demon of the sea
As always, mahalo for reading and reviewing. You give my writing purpose. I'll see you on the next chapter.
Brav