Chapter 39:

Rocky Road

Location: Route 12

"Look!" Hau said, pointing up a large hill with what looked like a power plant on top of it. Smoke was billowing from the chimneys. "That is the Geothermal Power Plant that is on top of Blush Mountain!"

"Geo what now? Roto?"

"Geothermal," I replied. "It's where energy is harvested from the earth's core. It's effective but… maybe not the most environmentally friendly." I saw the smoke going into the air, thinking about the damage it is doing to the Ozone Layer (poor Rayquaza). "We can have a look though!" I walked forward, but almost sprained my ankle when I saw the road ahead of me was rocky.

"We can't walk across that," Hau said.

"But you can gallop!" From behind us, riding on Mudsdale, was Hapu!

"Alola!" I said. "Long time no see! What you been up to?"

"Finding you of course!" she said. "I reached Ula'ula Island and found Lillie and Acerola. They said that you had already started heading over to the next Trial site so I galloped over to you as fast as I could! Good timing to; you can't cross over this without Mudsdale. So, I think it's time to add it into your Ride Pager."

"Great!" I responded. Hau and I handed our Pagers to Hapu, who inserted a chip in.

"There we go!" she said.

"Let's try it!" I said, holding it up. We both did, and we were dressed in our uniforms upon Mudsdale.

"Good luck!" Hapu said. "I'll see you when you reach Poni Island, that's my home!"

"Gotcha!" I replied. "Okay Hau, I'm gonna head on! See yah!"

I galloped ahead with Mudsdale. I also went through some tall grass. This, of course, meant that I came across a Pokémon. It was orange with a black shell. From its nostrils and shell, smoke spewed out.

Torkoal (コータス)

#287

Fire Type

Coal Pokémon

1'08" (0.5 m)

177.3 lbs (80.4 kg)

If the fire burning within its shell goes, it will die. Those who wish to raise one in their home must always keep something flammable at hand.

Torkoal has no known evolutions.

"Slowpoke, go!" I shouted. Torkoal started with Body Slam by jumping up and landing on Slowpoke. "Use Water Pulse!" Slowpoke fired a ball of water at Torkoal for Super Effective damage. Torkoal then started calling for help, and help arrived. Sure enough, help arrived. It was an Alolan Geodude. Torkoal then used Lava Plume, which spewed lava everywhere. It missed Slowpoke, but also hit Geodude. Geodude then used Thunder Punch, almost knocking out Slowpoke. "One last Water Pulse!" Slowpoke fired another water ball at Torkoal, knocking it out. "Great job," I told Slowpoke. I recalled it. "Okay Hariyama, go!" Hariyama was sent out to take a Thunder Punch. "Now Fake Out!" Hariyama clapped in front of Geodude, causing it to flinch. "Now use Force Palm!" Hariyama clenched Geodude and tightened its grip for Super Effective damage. Geodude came back with a not very effective Smack Down. "One last Force Palm!" That did the trick. Geodude was down.

I continued to ride Mudsdale. I didn't watch where I was going though and ran in front of two punks. Not Team Skull, but similarly dressed.

"We're not part of Team Skull, don't worry!"

"Even they are two low for us!"

Elliott Vs. Punks Lane and Yoko

"Go Krokorok!" Lane shouted, sending out a tan Pokémon with black stripes and a long jaw.

Krokorok (ワルビル)

#302

Ground/Dark Type

Desert Croc Pokémon

3'03" (1 m)

73.6 lbs (33.4 kg)

Krokorok really hates it when its body gets cold. On nights when the temperature drops, it digs deep into the desert sands.

Sandile -Lv 29- Krokorok

"Pancham, go!" shouted Yoko, sending out her Fighting Type.

"Toucannon, Hariyama! Go!" I replied. "Hariyama, Fake Out!" Hariyama clapped in front of Krokorok, making it flinch. Toucannon's beak also started heating up.

"Pancham, Vital Throw!" Pancham grabbed Toucannon, but its beak was so hot that Pancham got burned. "Now!" Toucannon blasted beak power at Pancham, knocking it out.

"I've got this! Krokorok, Crunch!" Krokorok chomped down on Toucannon.

"Hariyama, Force Palm!" Hariyama hit Krokorok with its palm. It was finished. "Toucannon, use Drill Peck!" Toucannon started spinning round and rammed itself into Pancham. This defeated it.

"We're not Team Skull!"

"No, we're really not!"

I continued riding on Mudsdale. I could see why it was so useful; its hooves were easy to get in the groves of rocky paths.

Another round of tall grass, another Pokémon. This was a Graveler. Well, an Alolan Graveler. It was blue and had black parts all over it.

Graveler (ゴローン)

#299

Rock/Electric Type

Rock Pokémon

3'03" (1 m)

242.5 lbs (110 kg)

When two Graveler fight each other, it fills the surroundings with flashes of light and sound. People call it the "fireworks of the earth."

Geodude -Lv 25- Graveler*

*Evolution method the same for Ground Type variant.

"Okay Incineroar, go!" I shouted. "Use Double Kick!" Incineroar kicked Graveler twice. It was a Critical Hit! Then, Graveler used Thunder Punch. It punched Graveler with its galvanized fist. "Okay Incineroar, let's do it!" I put both hands in front, then upwards. "You are about to have a KO Graveler! MALICIOUS MOONSAULT!" A wrestling ring appeared, and Incineroar jumped up. Then, it landed on Graveler, knocking it out.

Eventually, I got to an opening with a road that led up Blush Mountain, so I jumped off Mudsdale.

"Nice to get back on the ground again," I said.

"Alola!" I looked up Blush Mountain to see…

"Samson Oak!" I said. "Alola!"

"How are things?" he asked. "Last time I checked, Hala told me you conquered the Grand Trial!"

"Make that two now!" I replied. "So, what brings you here?"

"This!" Oak replied, as a Geodude hopped over. "I've noticed that Geodude from around here are exposed to electricity from the Geothermal Plant and became Electric Type. It's strange considering the fact that Ground Types are immune to Electric Type moves! Additionally, Pokémon like Charjabug and Magneton evolve because of the magnetic field around the area! It's fascinating!"

"Sure is," I said, pretending to know what that meant.

"Another thing I want to show you!" said Samson. "Come on, I want to show you the beach!" With that, we headed south.

Location: Ula'ula Beach

Samson Oak showed me a beach with lots of tents set up that had rentable equipment. In the sea were multiple navy Pokémon with wing like fins. They had a red saddle on them.

Mantine (マンタイン)

#146

Water/Flying Type

Kite Pokémon

6'11" (2.1 m)

485 lbs (220 kg)

Postcards and posters featuring Mantine leaping elegantly above the waves are popular souvenirs of Alola.

Mantyke (B) -Lv up with Remoraid in Party- Mantine

"A new project?" I asked.

"That's right!" he said. "It's called Mantine Surfing! It's a fun way to get from island to island! It's become a sport in the Alola region!"

"Mummy can I have a go?" asked a young girl.

"Okay," said her Mum, going up to one of the Mantine Trainers.

"You're a bit too small for the Mantine, but we'll let you ride one of our Mantyke!" They brought out a smaller blue Pokémon with two antennae and black eyes. It was clearly Mantine's pre-evolved form.

Mantyke (タマンタ)

#165

Water/Flying Type

Kite Pokémon

3'03" (1 m)

143.3 lbs (65 kg)

It's highly friendly and easily tamed. Tours that take people swimming with Mantyke are a super-popular beach activity.

Baby Pokémon.

"We'll have to try that at some point!" I said. "For now though, I'll take a breather. I'm a Hoppip, Skiploom and Jumpluff away from the next trial after all!"

"Have a rest then my boy!" said Oak.

Rotom's Move Dex!

Roto! We got to see Mantine today! Mantine are Water Type, but alzzo Flying! Flying Type time!

Wing Attack!

Wing Attack izz a move where the Pokémon hitzz the opponent with their wing and… that'zz it.

Pokémon that can uzze Wing Attack include Crobat, Archeops and Noivern.

Am I running out of movezz? Roto?