The next day found Ash staring intently at the screen from his spot backstage. Sophie and Clint were quite the pair. Sophie was used to her Pokémon being too fast to hit, but Clint's had the best aim Ash had ever seen. Sophie's entire strategy was falling apart.
Her Voltorb was tricky, but Clint's Gligar, who he'd kept hidden until now, made quick work of the speedy Electric type. But Gligar couldn't hold off Sophie's rare and cunning Pinkan Scyther, taken down by a few back to back Fury Cutters. Scyther went on, in a battle that shocked the masses, to tie with Clint's Unfezant. It seemed the Orange Island native at least trained defense into one of her Pokémon. In an incredible display, the Bug and Flying type suffused Steel Wing energy through its entire body in a mimicry of its evolution to endure attacks.
But the final battle was by far the most impressive. Braviary versus Dodrio. Brute strength versus pure endurance. The battle lasted for what felt like hours, but in reality was only 20 minutes. Braviary was bleeding from a multitude of puncture wounds courtesy of Dodrio's beaks. But Dodiro had deep slashes from the Unovan bird's powerful talons. In the end, Braviary unleashed a devastating Superpower that knocked the Dodrio out cold.
Clint has secured his spot in the finals.
Even though Ash had come far in just a few weeks, it was still incredible what a year or less of training could achieve. Fully evolved Pokémon with amazingly powerful attacks.
Though how Clint evolved his Rufflet within a year was anyone's guess. Only the strongest, most battle-scarred Rufflet evolve into Braviary. Perhaps he got help from his cousin? It's not like Styx would be a Zweilous right now if he had gotten her as a young Deino.
No matter, it was Ash's turn now.
Hau was still grinning like the sun, but there was an undercurrent of trepidation. "Good luck, Ash, let's make it a good one!" He shouted across the field.
Ash returned the challenging smile with a nod. "Without a doubt." With twin powerful throws, Poliwhirl and Hemlock landed on the field. With a good night's rest, Hemlock was raring to go, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Poliwhirl punched his fists together in response.
"Widespread Bubble!"
"Dark Pulse." The thin membranes burst with the slightest brush of Dark type energy, and the attack rushed unimpeded to knock the Water type back just a step.
"Rain Dance!" Ash didn't bother trying to disrupt the Poliwhirl. Instead…
"Feint Attack." Already small droplets were falling onto the field. The Dark tackle hit, but Poliwhirl was ready with a charged Mega Punch that caused Hemlock to stumble back. Hemlock danced around another fist to land a Draining Kiss, and Ash pursed his lips in thought.
He watched as his Morgrem dipped and wove around fists and winced from Bubble Beams, holding on to drain as much energy from the Water type as possible.
"Water Pulse the ground!"
Dammit. The wave of water pushed the flailing Devious Pokémon away, making him sputter and cough. He didn't expect Hau to give him a second to breathe, so he was annoyed but not surprised when Poliwhirl blasted Hemlock back with a Water Gun.
Absolutely seething now, the Galar native shook to get rid of the droplets hanging from his prickly hair. But the next second, the anger was replaced with a purely diabolical look. A quick shine of energy wavered around the Morgrem before he fell to his knees and honest-to-Mew bowed. The Poliwhirl pulled up short and looked positively baffled before he started swaying.
Hemlock learned Flatter. Ash barked a laugh.
"Good job Hemlock, give it all you got!" Not needing to be told twice, Hemlock exploded into motion, decking the tadpole across its face with one, two, three Drain Punches. Water Guns and Brick Breaks missed by a mile in the Water type's confusion.
As a finishing touch, Hemlock theatrically batted his eyes and tossed his 'hair' and landed a powerful smooch on the Poliwhirl's head, sapping the last of its strength. Tipping forward, the Water type face-planted in the dirt.
Cheers rose from the audience as Hau swapped out his Pokéball. "Nalu is going to be so embarrassed when he wakes up." Ash innocently smiled at Hau, who just shook his head with a smile. "Well, let's see how you handle her!"
Ah, that's where she went. Pikachu was now Alolan Raichu, levitating on her tail and waving with enthusiasm reminiscent of her trainer. The crowd went nuts, Alolan Raichu being a regional favorite.
The rain petered out without Poliwhirl to power it.
"Alright, Sada, Thunderbolt!"
"Keep moving." Despite his exhaustion, Hemlock was fluid in his movements. Thunderbolts scorched the ground inches away from his feet, and all the while he got closer and closer to the mouse.
"Thunder Wave!"
"Dark Pulse." Even though the Dark attack was weakened before striking the mouse, the part Psychic type still flinched from the wrongness.
Hemlock landed a Sucker Punch and danced away before multiplying into half a dozen clones.
Unfortunately, Hau saw the opening and responded accordingly.
Shockwave tore through the clones and Hemlock was caught in the debilitating Electric attack. He fell to his knees, arms shaking, keeping his torso up. He looked up at the approaching Electric and Psychic type, eyes pleading.
Sada tilted her head and her only warning was the narrowing of Hemlock's eyes before knife-like hair slammed into her. Her eyes bugged out as she was thrown away, landing harshly on the ground.
Neither got up.
Ash was in awe. Hemlock had put everything into the False Surrender and it had paid off. Sada was strong, but her stamina needed work. Both downed Pokémon were returned to their balls. Ash now had a decision to make.
Every time he used Bane, he risked outing him on live television and Sagitta didn't have strong enough attacks for Dartrix. On the other hand, not using Styx would make Hau think he was pitying him. Ash brushed his fingers over the two Pokéballs before deciding.
Dartrix landed on the field across from Bane. The 'Torracat' swishes his tail and crouches in preparation. When Ash looked at Hau, he saw relief.
He didn't know what to make of that.
"Okay bud, let's go all out! Seed Bomb, then Steel Wing!" Ash smirked, so that's how it's going to be.
"Agility, wait for an opening." Bane was his best dodger, he had great spatial awareness and speed, and Ash loved watching him work. He weaved between explosive seeds and rolled away from metal wings. Every time Dartrix darted down with a Steel Wing, Bane coughed out a stream of flames.
Hau, realizing his strategy was doing more harm to Dartrix than Bane, switched tactics. "Ominous Wind!"
"Dark Pulse." Yes, Ash realized he used Dark Pulse as a shield all the time, but it worked so he'd keep doing it. Naturally disrupted by Dark Energy, the Ghostly wind was devoured until it was nullified. The Tricky Fox followed up with a Swift that put distance between the two battling Pokémon.
Dartrix really didn't appreciate that, and without prompting sent a flurry of sharp leaves at the 'Torracat'. Bane gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, focusing on keeping the illusion steady. It took awhile for the attack to die down, and by then Bane was annoyed.
The Zorua was still young, and even though his control over his illusions had come far, he still had to put incredible focus into maintaining them through damage. So if he got struck, he was a sitting Ducklett trying to keep his facade from dropping.
Before Dartrix or Hau could blink, Bane was putting his new move to good use. A streak of light could be seen before Dartrix cried out. The Bug attack was uncomfortable and invasive, sinking beneath skin. The downed owl was then bathed in flames that looked slightly stronger than a normal Incinerate.
Hau's bond with his Pokémon was on another level, because all signs pointed to Dartrix being knocked out. But the Alolan starter pushed himself to his feet. And then the green glowing started.
"Damn Overgrow." Ash groaned. The Leafage forced Bane back, but he would not be overwhelmed. Enhanced with Agility, Bane ran circles around the owl, knowing the Pokémon was on his last legs.
Dartrix put all his energy into one last Seed Bomb, but in a truly impressive move, Bane managed to divert multiple away with his tail that would have caused some serious damage. He picked up speed until he slammed into the owl with a full body tackle. Dartrix rolled across the field, the ref calling the match.
"And Ash Ketchum moves on to the finals, defeating Hau Keli'i with only two of his Pokémon!" Ash returned Bane and met Hau in the middle, clasping each other's forearms.
"Your Pokémon are something else, Hau. You have an incredible bond with your Dartrix."
Hau grinned and tugged on Ash's arm, pulling him in for a quick hug. "Thanks for the battle. Now you better win." Hau stepped back and winked, causing Ash to roll his eyes. They walked off together.
Hau definitely took losing better than Ash did.
The two chatted while they healed their Pokémon. "Your Morgrem is one sneaky Pokémon, that act he put on to take out Nalu would make an actor jealous."
Ash shrugged and lowered his voice. "I was hoping to save that little strategy for the finals, but we still have a few tricks up our sleeve."
The two grabbed their freshly healed Pokémon and Hau made to head into the stands. "I know we all got dinner together last night, but could we do it again tonight? I'm not sure what Gladion's plans are, but I'm hoping he sticks around."
"Yeah he better stick around, he's got my Eevee." They shared one last laugh before Hau left. There was a short intermission before the final battle. Clint wasn't backstage, so Ash had a few minutes to himself to think.
Clint had trained his Pokémon well, and they rarely wasted a shot. Most Flying types weren't very durable, but they were fast and hit hard. Gligar was an exception, having good defenses but poor speed. Unfezant, being female, had better stamina. Braviary, on the other hand, was well rounded, but wasn't as fast as Unfezant. Plus, Clint was the most experienced trainer here with a year under his belt.
Clint returned with a few seconds to spare. The TV lit up with Olivia's arrival to center field. "Are you ready to have our winner?" The booming voices of the stadium could be felt backstage. "Then let's bring out our finalists!"
Ash and Clint shared a nod before they walked out opposite doors. Taking their places in the trainer boxes, they waited for the ref to set them loose.
"Three-on-three battle between Clint Bishop of Mistralton City and Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town! Substitutions are allowed! The battle is over when all three Pokémon on one side are unable to battle. Begin!"
The Unfezant materialized a few feet above the ground. Sagitta grinned and giggled at her opponent, excited for an aerial battle. Huh, he had expected Gligar.
"Air Cutter."
"Double Team." Laughter multiplied, and soon it echoed around the field as clones popped up all over. Clint grimaced. Guess he didn't like Double Team, (to be fair, no one did). The Togetic had taken to Double Team astonishingly fast.
"Echoed Voice, then Heat Wave!" That was clever. The sound wouldn't destroy any clones, but the bird could see which one flinched. A blast of superheated air targeted the Happiness Pokémon and knocked Sagitta back. Her recovery was quick, luckily, and a wave of electricity caused the Unovan bird to cry out and hurry to correct her flight.
"Scatter." Half the clones hadn't been destroyed in the heat, and thus they started zipping around with no apparent pattern. The Unfezant's head was whipping around, trying to find the right clone, and distractedly drifted closer.
"Yawn!" Unfezant clumsily tried to stop her forward dive, only to fall straight into the cloud of sleep-inducing energy. It took a few seconds, but Unfezant grew so sleepy she had to land. Sagitta didn't waste a second. The clones descended around the grounded bird, and rocky arrows rained down. The bird shrieked in pain and squeezed her eyes shut.
"Detect!" The bird's eyes snapped open and she moved in the perfect way to dodge the remaining rocks. Her head was drooping something fierce. "Roost."
"Shit." Ash scowled as the Unfezant ruffled her feathers and crouched down, recovering some of her lost energy. He hated recovery moves. Sagitta couldn't risk closing the distance, and Shock Wave was endured with surprising success.
"Agility and Steel Wing!"
"Wait." Just as Unfezant dove, Sagitta threw up a Protect. The poor, poor bird went splat against the dome. The energy disappeared, causing Unfezant to thrash her wings, but ultimately fall directly into the path of Sagitta's charged Shock Wave. The Happiness Pokémon managed to keep repeating the attack, pulse after pulse.
Unfezant smacked Sagitta under the chin with a weak Steel Wing so she could scramble away. Before she could get too far, a single rocky arrow pierced a couple tail feathers, and it was like she was nailed to the ground. A supercharged Fairy Wind, which looked closer to a Dazzling Gleam, took the rest of the fight out of her.
"Amazing! Ketchum's Togetic takes down Bishop's Unfezant! Togetic took some damage, but she definitely dished out a lot! She's looking a bit knackered there!"
Ash frowned. 'Gee, thanks for pointing that out, Olivia.'
Instead of the expected Gligar, a pom-pom style Oricorio took to the field. Interesting choice. This style of Oricorio loses its ability to fly.
"Revelation Dance!"
Neither Ash nor Sagitta were prepared for the speed of the attack. The Electric attack struck the part-Flying type harshly, seizing her muscles and wings.
Sagitta fluttered weakly, dipped, and collapsed. The Togetic was returned, and Hemlock appeared on the battlefield.
"Flatter." Ash knew Hemlock was tired after his last battle, But he was still an actor at heart with Prankster as his ability. Glowing slightly, the Devious Pokémon clapped and clasped his hands in 'awe'. Honestly it was a bit of ironic karma. Pom-pom style Oricorio were known to hype up their opponents then attack when their guard was down.
The Oricorio started swaying and tossing its wings around to the background music of Clint's cursing.
"Make it count, Hemlock." The Morgrem did just that. The quick strike of 'hair' opened up a long gash on Oricorio's side, and the two Sucker Punches he managed knocked the Alolan bird down temporarily.
Before the bird could regain its bearings, Fire exploded from the Devious Pokémon, Burning Jealousy scorching yellow feathers. A final Dark Pulse took it out.
Hemlock yawned, and Ash seriously thought Clint would murder him with his eyes if possible. It wasn't his fault Oricorio were naturally fragile.
Okay, yes, it was his fault for embarrassing Clint by completely incapacitating his bird. But still, all's fair.
Ash had to wonder what Clint's strategy was with the Alolan bird. Maybe he wanted to give Ash a taste of his own medicine?
Clint launched his last Pokéball with a little bit more force than necessary. The giant Braviary screeched upon being released to the discomfort of Hemlock.
Ash called out to his Morgrem and raised the Pokéball. "Hey, I'm going to let Styx take this one." Hemlock shrugged and was recalled.
Styx landed heavily on the field and bared her teeth at the large avian.
"Brave Bird!" Woah okay, right into the offensive.
"Dragon Rush." Fight fire with fire. Clint was obviously angry, and that meant he wasn't thinking things through. If he had, he would realize that Zweilous are all hard scales and dense muscles. So even if Braviary had more speed on his side, a Zweilous would win.
Styx was grazed by the powerful Flying attack when she flexed her hind legs, and Braviary was decidedly more than grazed when Styx propelled herself up into his stomach. A choked squawk escaped his beak as he was sent flying back.
The Dragon glowered when she saw her fur and feathers were sheared off on her side.
"Rock Tomb! Trap it!" Hm, he hadn't thought of a good counter to damn Rock type attacks yet. The battle with Silvally as Exhibit A.
"Work Up, top Protect." Due to her age and experience, Styx was much better at manipulating Protect's energy than Bane, Hemlock or Sagitta. Muscles bulged, and a wide translucent square appeared above her, protecting her from most of the stones.
Rock Tomb was a strategic attack, utilizing four to eight stones to surround a Pokémon. Even though some struck her, it didn't do much damage, and it failed in its task to trap her.
Even as the large rocks pelted her hide, she charged up a Dragon Pulse that struck the heavily focused bird. It took a lot to control boulders for non-Rock types.
Braviary's wings beat to keep him upright, chest feathers scorched from the Dragon attack. He had barely looked up when he was struck across the temple with an Aqua Tail.
Now he was as pissed as his trainer. Braviary jumped and raked his talons across Styx's back, causing her to roar in pain from the gouges.
That was vile, Ash realized. Braviary just attempted to give Styx wounds of weakness.
See, scars were badges of honor to Braviary. The more they had, the more respected they were in the flock. However, that wasn't the case for scars on the back. Scars on the back implied a Braviary tried to run from a fight, and nothing was more dishonorable.
And this Braviary just attempted to scar Styx like that.
"LATCH!" Ash was livid, and Styx could feel it. Quick as a coiled Seviper, both heads whipped around to latch onto feathered ankles. Once teeth were buried in flesh, volts of electricity were dumped into the bird's body. Braviary shrieked and flapped his wings, trying to get away.
Which would win, a bird's wings, or a Dragon's jaw strength.
Take a guess.
Upon realizing he couldn't fly away, Braviary tucked his wings and buried Peck into Styx's back.
Ash snarled, knowing his eyes were wild but not caring. "Dark Pulse!" The energy exploded from her body and Styx released the charred and bleeding ankles.
"Fly high!" The Valiant Pokémon didn't need to be told twice. He flew away like a Zubat from the Nether to get a moment of reprieve.
Both Pokémon looked rough. Sluggishly bleeding wounds, missing feathers and fur, but Styx was undoubtedly in better shape.
"Superpower!"
"Distract." Braviary dove to land its finishing assault, but never reached his target. His ear canals were viciously assaulted by an all-encompassing caterwaul that sent him careening into the unforgiving ground when Styx took a leisurely step out of the way.
The bird twitched weakly, the crash landing taking it out of the fight.
"Braviary is unable to battle, Ash Ketchum is the winner of the sixth annual Konikoni City Tournament!" The tension drained from Ash's muscles and he rocked back on his heels to keep his balance. He quickly wiped away a bead of sweat that had formed at his temple.
He wanted so badly to scar that Braviary for what he'd attempted to do.
But he wasn't important right now.
Styx limped over, moving gingerly due to the pain on her back. Her heads had to tilt down a little to meet his eyes.
"You were fantastic. Rest, I'll get you healed up." Styx didn't even pretend to complain, and she welcomed the stasis of her Dusk ball.
Ash could see Clint's severe frown, but he walked over anyway and held out his hand. "I know what your Braviary tried to do." He could see the conflict in Clint's blue eyes; be an ass or concede gracefully?
The latter won and Clint clasped his hand. "I know." There was something resembling regret in his voice, and Ash took a deep breath and released his anger. They shook hands once before turning away from each other. There was a 10 minute respite before the award ceremony.
Soon enough, Ash found himself up on the highest pedestal of the bunch. It was decided by a panel that Sophie would get the third place spot.
"Let's give it up for our winners!" Olivia walked with three carts being wheeled out behind her. Whatever was on the carts was covered by a dark sheet. "Our third place winner, Sophie Ivy!" Sophie leaned over so the bronze metal could be looped around her neck. Dodrio stood beside her with its three beaks lifted imperiously.
"Third place prizes include $10,000 and a voucher for one evolutionary stone of your choosing! Your options include Leaf, Fire, Thunder, Water, and Sun!" The crowd clapped and Sophie looked pleased, accepting the check and the voucher.
"Second place prizes include $15,000, a voucher for one evolutionary stone of your choice, and a voucher for a reusable TM of your choice from the Thrifty Megamart!" Clint held his silver medal with one hand and took the check and vouchers with his other, giving a brief smile to Olivia.
"And finally, our winner! You, Mr. Ketchum, will get $20,000, a voucher for three reusable TMs of your choice, and a Dusk Stone!"
'Dammit, so close.'
Honestly, he couldn't be too upset about getting a Dusk Stone instead of a Shiny Stone. Dusk, Shiny, and Dawn stones were the rarest evolutionary stones. Rare like Pseudo-Legend rare. Zinnia, the Florges back at the ranch, was the only Pokémon he's met in person that needed one of the three to evolve. Ice were a close second, while Moon stones fell somewhere in the middle, leaning more towards uncommon.
He would probably never use the stone, but he could sell it for a lovely chunk of cash. Maybe even trade it.
He was more excited about the TM vouchers.
Olivia turned around and threw her arm in the air. "If you haven't gotten your fill of battles yet, stick around! The exhibition match starts in 20 minutes!"
Ash blinked. He had forgotten about that if he was being honest. The three prize winners followed Olivia backstage. Ash stuffed the Dusk Stone and papers into his bag while Sophie and Clint gathered their belongings and left with a nod and a salute respectively.
Which left Ash to the sole scrutiny of the Akala Island Kahuna.
"I gotta say, Ash, Brock was right about you." And wasn't that a statement he didn't expect.
"You know Brock?" He was weirded out when Olivia slapped her hands to her cheeks and blushed.
"Oh yes, we met a few months ago and have visited each other a few times since." She then waved her hand like she was pushing that topic aside. "But he said you were someone to look out for, and he hit that nail on the head."
"Thanks."
The Rock trainer giggled. "He also said you were a man of few words." Ash shuffled and shrugged. "Anyway, our battle is a one-on-one, I know you're probably looking forward to relaxing. But tell you what, if you beat me, I have an item you might be interested in." Olivia winked before heading back out to the battlefield. He pretended he didn't notice her trip on a step on her way.
Ash's eyebrows furrowed, what item? Before he could think on it more, he felt his Pokédex ding from his pocket. Digging out the device, he flipped it open and paused when he saw who had sent him a message.
Professor Kukui
Received 08/02/xxxx 14:39
Congratulations, Ash. You did very well. Good to see you know Hau.
Anyway, I wanted to apologize for how I treated you. There might be some substance to your accusations. Just wanted to let you know I'm looking into it.
Good luck in your match against Olivia.
P.S. She likes to use either her Magcargo or Solrock for exhibition matches
Ash had mixed feelings after reading the messages. It was pretty cool that he apologized, but he had gotten so defensive before and tried to shut Ash down. He forcefully expelled air, looked back at the message, then sent back a short 'thank you' before pocketing the device.
Olivia had almost been chosen for the Alola Elite Four, but declined due to her duties as Kahuna. He knew he couldn't defeat her if she was using her ace team, but neither Magcargo or Solrock were Pokémon associated with her.
He got the alert over the intercom to head back out to the field. He had expected an obvious number of people to leave, but it seemed like almost everyone stayed for the match. Olivia was in her trainer box, tossing a Pokéball in the air in anticipation.
"This is a one-on-one exhibition match between Olivia Shale and Ash Ketchum! A timer is set for 5 minutes and whichever Pokémon is cleanest by the time the clock hits zero will be declared the winner!" Ash looked between the ref and Olivia in visible alarm. Olivia laughed boisterously as the ref called for both to release their Pokémon.
Her Solrock materialized levitating in the air while Styx slammed into the dirt field.
"Styx, it's not about beating it, you have to get it as dirty as possible while trying to stay clean. Got it?" If Dragons could groan in petulance, Styx would have done just that. But she nodded and got ready. This would take all his available creative juices.
She had been mostly healed, but the shorn fur on her side would take a few days to fully regrow.
"Sunny, use Rain Dance!"
"Dark Pulse, rhythmic, kick up some dirt." Each wave of Dark energy tore up another layer of dirt until the steadily increasing droplets started mixing with it.
Soon the whole field looked like a mud bath.
"Sunny, use Sand Tomb!"
"Distract and Aqua Tail, send it a gift." High-pitched wailing made Solrock lose concentration and droop a little in the air. Styx's thick tail swept the ground, kicking up a surge of mud at the Rock and Psychic type. Unfortunately, a wave of Psychic split the mud down the middle and left Solrock spotless.
"Again, but Dark." Waves of Dark energy rolled off the Dragon and the next splash of mud hit some of the craggy spines when Psychic couldn't latch on. Ash looked at Styx's muddy feet and tail and had an idea.
He didn't only have to get the other Pokémon dirty.
"Use Aqua Tail again, clear your area and wash off!" With a great spin, Styx forced the mud away, creating a clean circle for her to stand in. The Rain had already started to wash the filth off her hydrophobic fur and scales.
"Use Psychic, give 'em a mud bath!"
"Protect!" Ash glanced at the timer and saw there were less than three minutes left. His mind raced as the globs of mud were blocked by the protective dome. He stared at Solrock, staying clean as it floated above the mud, and he got an idea.
"Get close and Radiate!" Styx crossed the short distance between her and her opponent and started radiating pure darkness. A few Rock Blasts tried to intercept her, but she ducked and skidded in the mud. One particularly memorable moment was when she caught one of the rocks in her mouth and crushed it in her jaws. As she got closer to Solrock, the Meteorite Pokémon seemed to fall a few inches before regaining its height.
Just as Styx skidded beneath the sun-shaped Pokémon, its Levitation failed from the waves of Dark aura. Ash felt like he was watching in slow-motion as the Solrock plummeted to the ground, and face-planted into the mud with a big splash as the timer beeped.
Ash crossed his arms, looking down, and mouthed 'what the Nether' to himself.
He almost missed when he was declared the winner. It was comical when Styx got far enough away and Solrock had to lift itself back into the air, face covered in mud, with not a shred of dignity left.
Styx happily trotted over, feet caked with gunk. That's going to be fun to clean.
Instead of walking through the field of filth, Ash and Olivia met off to one side and shook hands, both Pokémon safely returned.
"Your face was hilarious."
Ash rolled his eyes. "That was the oddest challenge I've ever had."
Olivia beamed. "I'm glad, I'll hold that prestige with honor."
They stood and let the crowd's cheers wash over them one last time before the Akala Kahuna walked with him out the back door where he was supposed to meet up with Hau and Gladion, if they ever made it out of the wave of spectators.
It was heading into late afternoon, and Ash closed his eyes and let the warm rays wash over him.
"So, that item." The trainer opened one eye to look at Olivia. She was holding out a violet disc to him with a smirk.
Ash frowned and took the TM, jaw dropping when he saw the name.
"Oh my Mew."
Olivia grinned devilishly and cocked a hip smugly. "I don't have a use for it. Figured you'd like it. If not…"
Ash quickly stepped back, protectively hugging the Draco Meteor TM to his chest. "No, back off, it's mine."
Olivia's bright laughter infused the area with good vibes. "That's not even available on the market yet. When the last move tutor found out they had terminal cancer, she finally agreed to work with Silph Co. and Champion Lance to make that happen. I won a lottery to get it, but obviously don't need it."
He fell back against the side of the stadium and stared at the ground in a daze. "Wow, thank you. I have no idea why you wouldn't just sell it or trade it for something." Olivia's smile softened and she put a hand on his shoulder.
"Brock said you're a good kid. I'm just trying to help out." Ash sent her a grateful smile that he could feel down to his bones. No one but Professor Oak and Bill had ever been so generous with him before.
It'd be a while before even Styx was ready for Draco Meteor, but just having access to Champion Lance's signature technique was more than he could hope.
Ash was broken from his feelings when he heard his name being called. He turned just in time to get a chest-full of Eevee. He caught Mirae and the little fox didn't hesitate to start chattering at him in what he assumed was a mixture of excitement and congratulations. Ash nodded along to the kit's chatter and glanced at Hau and Gladion.
"Hey, Olivia, how've you been?" The Rock trainer reached out and ruffled Hau's hair, messing it up and causing him to pout.
"All good here, Hau. Who's your friend?"
Hau beamed and pulled Gladion in by the arm to stand next to him. "This is our friend Gladion! We all met on Royal Avenue a few days ago."
Olivia smiled as she and the blonde shook hands. She turned back to Hau and said, "Remember that guy I told you about last month?" She waited for a nod before pointing a thumb at Ash. "This guy here knows him. Brock was pretty impressed with this kid." She nudged Ash in the ribs.
Hau looked happily bewildered. "Wow! Small world! Anyway, want to join us for dinner later?"
Olivia smiled but shook her head. "Nah, I gotta head to the Ruins for a ceremony. Thanks for the invite though!" The group of three teens waved goodbye to Olivia as they headed back towards the main part of the city.
"How are you feeling, Ash? You must be so pumped!" Hau was beaming. That's something Ash admired about him, he didn't fault other people for their success.
"I feel great. We needed a good win like this. I know I shouldn't be upset about receiving a Dusk Stone, but Sagitta is really worried about never being able to evolve." Hau and Gladion made sympathetic noises, Hau patting him on the back.
"If you don't want it, I'll take it." Ash shoved the laughing teen and rolled his eyes, Gladion sighing from the side.
"Come on, losers, let's go get food." Gladion walked away without waiting to see if they'd follow. They followed, unsurprisingly.
"How much longer are you staying in Alola?"
A week later found the group of three in Heahea City. Ash was waiting for his ferry to Poni Island, Gladion was heading north, and Hau was heading for Paniola Town to take the Fire-themed Island Challenge.
Ash shifted in thought. "Well, I've been here almost a month. I might stick around for another couple weeks. Thanks to you guys, I got to explore every corner of this island." They all shared grins. "I've seen all of Melemele, but I left 'Ula'ula quickly before I could see it all. So yeah, probably three weeks. Need to make sure I see all four islands."
He didn't mention his 'mission' from Tapu Koko. He's somewhat hit a deadend with it.
The three had traveled all over Akala, seeing Brooklet Hill, Lush Jungle, and Ash even let himself be dragged to the Ruins of Life. No Tapu, thank Mew. He was able to stop at the Thrifty Megamart again and use the vouchers he won. He picked up Thunderbolt, Toxic, and Thunder Wave.
In a remarkable stroke of luck, Ash was only accosted by one Ultra Beast, another UB-Blade, but it had shown up while he was training with Mirae. The tiny UB had spun around him a couple times before another wormhole appeared, taking it back to wherever it came from.
Ash remembered Burnet said something about UB-Blade being able to create its own wormholes.
He had dipped out of there as fast as possible before Aether could show up.
The two Alola natives nodded before Gladion spoke up. "I need to check in with my friends, but maybe we could meet up on Poni."
Hau groaned. "Come on, guys, I can't go to Poni until I've completed the Trials on the other three islands. Don't have fun without me!" Ash and Gladion rolled their eyes at his theatrics.
Being exposed to Hau's endless cheer the last week had both inoculated and overwhelmed Ash.
A loud horn disrupted their bantering and they turned to see the ferry to Poni pulling up. Ash refused to feel sadness and instead held out his fists to the two teens. "Hey, just message me. I'll make sure to see you guys before I leave for Unova."
Hau brushed the fist aside and instead pulled Ash into a hug. He didn't try to force Ash to reciprocate, just a quick squeeze and he stepped back.
"Don't expect a hug from me." The tension was broken with Gladion's words. The two shared a fist bump, and Ash waved and headed for the ferry. He flashed his ticket and claimed a spot on the bow, saluting his two friends.
The week spent traveling with them was fun, but Ash knew he was meant to go solo. He was able to train, but not dedicate himself to it like he had been. As much as he liked Gladion and Hau, he was looking forward to being on his own again.
Styx's heads had started fighting again, worse than ever before. He knew he had to let them fight for dominance before she could evolve, but he was so on edge she would murder herself before that.
Even worse, her coordination has gone to shit over the last week.
Her forelegs would randomly spasm, collapsing beneath her weight or jerking in every direction. Ash could see how her frustration was only feeding into her aggression and brutality.
Walking was even becoming a chore for her, unable to find her balance or control.
Ash had called Oak in a panicked haze one night, the man setting his mind at ease.
Her forelegs were gaining sentience.
Hydreigon had three heads, but the primary was a fusion of the two heads from the Zweilous stage. Right now, her two forelegs were laying the groundwork of neurons and various connections to become her secondary heads. Styx was eating more than ever, and Ash had even started to supplement her food as her hunting success rate had plummeted.
Of course she was downright wild with wrath.
On the other hand, Bane was also close. His fur was growing out, the roots now a bloody red. Ash still had to find an accessory for it.
Atop all that, he was about to get a sixth teammate.
He couldn't get an Alolan Vulpix. He couldn't get a Turtonator.
He'd be damned if he couldn't get a Jangmo-o.
The timing of it all was rough; he'd potentially be dealing with two evolutions atop a new teammate all within a short timeframe.
But there was a reason he had traveled all the way to Alola afterall.
Vast Poni Canyon was in the center of Poni Island and was a hotspot for Electric and Steel types due to the odd electrical fields surrounding it.
Anyone with a Charjabug, Nosepass, or Magneton can evolve them there. It's a fascinating phenomenon. But Ash had to wonder how there was a Vikavolt at the Ruins of Conflict.
Brushing off the thought, Ash pursed his lips as he dug his Pokédex out of his pocket to send a text to Bill. He was curious how an Eevee would react to that environment. Would they evolve into Jolteon? To be safe, Ash would temporarily give Mirae an Everstone.
The ferry pulled into Seafolk Village alongside boats of all shapes and sizes. He stepped off the ferry and walked down the wide docks, seeing a Wailord boat, a Steelix ship, a Magikarp tug, a Whiscash vessel, and a catamaran decorated with Huntail.
He wondered if Lana ever came here.
Each ship was wide open, with signs and billboards listing the wares and food they were selling. Some sold pearls of various colors, others sold steamed Corphish and Bruxish filets. He was tempted to buy some filets for Bane and Styx to try.
The sun was at its highest point in the sky, but there was a strong breeze that kept him from overheating. He slowed as he passed the Pokémon center, but waved it off. He was a man on a mission.
There was a large warning sign on the enormous fence separating the village from Poni Wilds.
WARNING
Strong Pokémon ahead
Enter at own risk
As of 07/30/xxxx
6 dead from wild Malamar
Ash winced. Malamar were probably the most sociopathic Pokémon in existence. It hypnotizes prey, be it Pokémon or human, and digests them alive with fluids. Team Rocket didn't even have to drug them for the Overturning Pokémon to wreak havoc. Each Admin, Elite, and mission leader was equipped with one.
Shedinja had shot to #4 on the all-time favorite Pokémon list the year Team Rocket was taken down. The empty husk of a Bug type was the perfect counter to the squids; there was nothing to digest.
He grimaced and released Styx. She would scare off most Pokémon, and others she could take down. "Be on the lookout, there are some aggressive Pokémon where we're going." Styx looked ecstatic at the possibility even as her right foreleg buckled.
This was one of the hard choices of being a trainer. Styx would never forgive him if he kept her cooped up in her ball. She'd rather fight through the frustration and potential pain than stay locked away.
So, with a deep breath and braced shoulders, the two dove into Poni Wilds.
Within the first minute, Styx had the ultimate test against a charging Granbull. Her new Iron Tail came in handy, and forced the canine to retreat, lest it become food for something else in its weakened state.
Things continued in that vein, Styx getting more and more riled up after each win and successive escape. More than once, Ash had to break up a fight between heads after they got too bloody. He was hopeful the right would submit eventually to avoid any more violence.
He made it to Ancient Poni Path, much to his relief, after two hours fighting through the wilds. His luck had run out when another wormhole opened up, this time an absolutely massive shape coming through.
Ash hadn't realized how enormous UB-Blaster actually were until one plopped down in front of him and just… stared.
It loomed over him, its shadow extending too far and allowing Ash to crane his head back without being blinded by the sun.
The longer he stared, the more the metal covering its body looked unnatural. He couldn't point out exactly what it was. Maybe it was the curve, maybe it was how it melded with the main body, maybe it was how the two colossal 'arms' on either side of it glowed with power, but radiated a deep cold.
He really had no idea what to do when Aether swarmed. Even more of the white-uniformed employees gave him intense stares than last time. Luckily Faba wasn't with them, but Ash could feel their interest, their suspicion, their immoral curiosity.
UB-Blaster didn't fight, didn't flinch at the Flamethrowers that bathed its steel hide, instead staring down at Ash until it was pulled into a blue capsule.
It took him a while for that interaction to fade from his mind.
Once on Ancient Poni Path, there were a few houses, both new and crumbling, scattered around the clay-infused land. He gave a wide, wide berth to Poni Breaker Coast. He was not encountering another Guardian.
He tossed two sitrus berries to his starter, even though she didn't really need it, just to be safe. The extra energy would only help. Vast Poni Canyon would be one big maze with plenty of strong opponents sprinkled in. He was sure there'd be strong trainers to challenge.
He hated being right.
Two hours later, he had already revived Styx, Bane, Hemlock, and Sagitta once or twice. The trainers here were insane. Out of his nine battles, he lost four.
Maybe he had gotten a little overconfident.
Especially with how many trainers here had Fairies. Primarina, Shiinotic, Carbink, Granbull, and Ribombee gave his Darks and Dragons more than a workout.
But this was the best case scenario to remedy it. He was learning so much from these powerful trainers. He even got to battle a Flygon, and Styx had pulled through by the skin of her teeth.
She'd been very proud of that win. Losing to a Dragon would have severely impacted her honor. And it was a very critical time in her development, any lingering emotions could carry over in evolution and be multiplied.
By late afternoon, he had made it to the top, and was watching Styx's nostrils flare. They had found a Jangmo-o scale, and now it was up to his starter's incredible olfactory capabilities to track it.
The left head was high in the air, swiveling to find the correct direction, while the right was pressed to the ground, limp and lagging.
The right head had finally submitted 45 minutes ago. In another bloody clash Ash was seconds away from diffusing, the right had become petrified before slowly, slowly, lowering down until its snout was touching the ground.
Which meant… she was close. The left had almost bitten through the right's snout, but Ash had only just been able to stop her.
Ash startled when Styx growled and sped away. Grinning, he raced after her. It really seemed like the left head was the only one now, the right dragging along like a paralyzed limb. It was rather disconcerting.
He followed his starter through tall grasses, under arcing rocks, and through too-tight spaces until he found her standing in the center of a great chasm, as still as the stone surrounding her.
Ash was about to step out from behind the large boulder that halfway blocked the entrance, when he paused and looked at his hand resting on the boulder.
He felt… vibration?
Then he felt it through the soles of his shoes and he looked around in confusion when the intensity picked up. Getting stronger.
Getting closer.
Clanging echoed around the chasm, bouncing off stone like a harsh cacophony.
Styx was facing the other side of the chasm, where the enormous mouth of a cave gaped ominously. She winced with every clamorous clash of sound.
Then something came out of the cave and into the light.
Ash almost pissed himself.
Totem Kommo-o dwarfed Styx.
The massive armored Dragon had to be ten feet tall and weigh two tons, at least. The Alolan Dragon shook, forcing Ash to throw his hands up to cover his ears, Styx thrashing at the noise.
Oh Mew.
He was stuck. If he tried to pull Styx away, she'd never forgive him. Running away? Ha, there was nothing more dishonorable to a Dragon. Especially right at the cusp of evolution.
He could do nothing but watch.
Styx's tail was thumping the ground, creating spider web cracks. Forelegs were spasming more than ever, but she stayed upright. The left head was snarling louder and more viciously than he'd ever heard before. The Kommo-o looked amused at her nerve, like it was cute.
Anything going on around him was inconsequential when the battle started. Because Styx was holding her own.
Everytime the Totem used Clanging Scales to immobilize her, she used Hyper Voice, like back at Cerulean Gym, to protect herself. Yes, the Kommo-o had Soundproof as its ability, but Styx was playing this smart. She didn't have the strength to defeat this massive Dragon, but she might have the stamina to outlast it.
All the odds were against her, but she was defying them. Kommo-o's typing, use of sound, and overall sheer strength should have taken her down in seconds.
Even Kommo-o couldn't wrap its head around what was happening. It looked confused every time Styx grit her teeth through an attack or landed a hit that actually hurt. Anger crossed its face every time Styx slipped from the crushing palms that tried to close around her.
The Scaly Pokémon was a close range fighter, so when Styx wasn't in range, its only option was Clanging Scales… but she already had a counter for it.
It was driving Kommo-o nuts.
Ash had pulled out his Pokédex ten minutes ago to record this absolutely incredible fight. This is what it meant to be a Dragon. Being too stubborn to back down with viciousness in the face of adversity.
A quick succession of three hyper-dense Dragon Pulses finally pissed Kommo-o off enough that it roared, shaking the chasm with its intensity. Ash had to brush dust from his hat and hair.
When the Totem Pokémon rushed Styx, she realized she was backed into a stone wall. Fear gripped both trainer and Pokémon when the Kommo-o powered up Close Combat.
He felt detached from his body and the world grew quiet as he watched punch after punch after kick after kick connect with his starter's body. When the Close Combat ended, Kommo-o was panting and drooping.
But Styx didn't move, a broken, crumpled heap on the chasm floor.
Ash's heart stopped when he didn't see movement.
The Totem scoffed and turned to head back to its cave when a bright light infused the chasm.
Not a drill
Remember how the Orange Islands anime had regional variants before it was cool
Silly exhibition match. Not so silly TM
Bit off a bit more than they could chew when looking for a Jangmo-o