Alola region

The challenger was shivering, the intense winds of the Akalan Mountain Peak making him colder than he had ever been in his life.

To her it was nothing. She could stand here in a black tie-knotted black shirt and white tube top with jean shorts and a pair of sandals and not feel a thing. Maybe if this place had snow it would be cold to her, but that was Ula'ula Island's unique feature, not this place. Honestly the most this place would do to bother her is dislodge her glasses in an occasionally harsh wind gust.

"So you've come to the trial of Captain Iolani have you? Here in the blustering winds up high, one must face factors more than a simple exchange of attacks," she explained as her challenger rubbed his native brown hands together desperate to try and regain some warmth.

If he was having this much trouble, perhaps he should have prepared a bit better. But it couldn't be helped, could it?

"L-li-ike this c-c-cold?" He shivered out as she shrugged.

"Cold, wind, elevation, 360 degrees of movement without Dig, and limited space: I think you get the idea." She listed off all the major factors she could think of as she whistled. Seconds later a Ride-equipped Pelipper flew down and landed before them.

"Easy for you, you're a Haole. This cold doesn't even bother you."

In response to his comment she adjusted her glasses so that, from experience, she knew that the light would reflect off them. She couldn't help but be amused about how the little fool was flinching.

"Yes, it doesn't. My skin's so white I don't even feel cold. But this isn't about me, it's about you proving yourself able to pass my trial and show yourself to be a well-treated member of society afterwards. After all, your father failed his trials, as did your mother and older brothers. Someone has to pass after all."

The challenger backed away as she couldn't help but smirk a bit. This eye trick wasn't just something she copied from her mother for intimidation purposes after all.

It really did help when looking at a person's vulnerabilities.

"How...how did you know..."

"I read books," she simply stated. It was both truth, and a lie. She gestured to the sky as she adjusted her glasses again so he could see her gray eyes.

"Now, your trial. Riding this Ride Pelipper, soar through the sky and get me four feathers. Let's see...a Trumbeak feather, a Fletchinder feather, a Wingull feather, and an Oricorio feather. By the time you do that, the Totem Pokemon should be up and ready to fight you. Go, go!" She waved him off as he darted towards the ride Pelipper, muttering to himself on how he would possibly get feathers.

As he took off into the sky she heard footsteps behind her. Closing her eyes to listen to them she knew exactly who was coming.

"First time coming all the way out here?"

Turning Iolani found herself face to face with a woman in many ways her opposite in appearance.

Native dark skin vs her pale white skin with strange marks on her face that led to jokes about her Z-ring that were funny only the first time said.

Brown eyes to her gray eyes, one of the few parts of Iolani that show that half her blood was Alolan.

Both attracted stares wherever they went, but for the arrived one it was for her status and hips. For her it was her height (she stood over this woman by a good few inches), and her bust.

A lot of stone jewelry to her only extra adornment being her glasses.

A fondness for Rock types vs her preference for Flying-types.

"Heh. Well, I only just got appointed Kahuna. Honestly with all the paperwork I've had to do so far I'm amazed I was able to see anything but a desk after so long." Olivia, new Kahuna of Akala Island, grinned at her as she sighed.

"Yes, paperwork and a lot of pay." As opposed to trial captains, who got paid little and needed side jobs. Jobs that were not easy to hold or find, even if one looked normal.

Olivia lost her grin at that comment, but she continued.

"Anyway now that we managed to catch up here on Akala after the backlog that always comes between Kahunas we need to start getting things back to normal. You've been the sole captain on Akala for long enough, so I've decided to appoint a second captain. I was wondering if you could show him the ropes."

"After I'm done making sure he doesn't die I take it?" Iolani quipped. The distant sounds of a Rockruff barking was heard above, followed by the sounds of a Wingull being hit with rocks.

"Of course. Now I take it you want to know who and where he is right?"

"Duh," Olivia stated publicly a few times that she wanted to be treated as 'an average girl' she was going to have to handle being treated as one.

"The grandson of my predecessor, currently a student over on the school on Melemele Island. Kiawe."

Meanwhile at the Pokemon School

Kiawe's educational experience had been a eventful one, and to think it was nearly at an end.

His friends all had more time, a year, but once this semester was over he'd be done here. It was a odd pill to swallow.

He'd miss it all really. He didn't get to so readily enjoy the bustle and hustle of Hau' oli City. He wouldn't get to enjoy Mallow's cooking, Lana's good jokes, the Principal's bad jokes...

"Kiawe!"

And of course, those two. He remembered when they first arrived at the school like it was yesterday.

..

With a bang several Pokemon were sent flying. They crashed into their trainer's arms, regardless if they were Makuhita, Growlithe, Crabrawler, or Grubbin.

The perpetrators were laughing, even as Kiawe ran towards them.

"Ya know boss, I'm starting to wonder if you were overthinking things?" one of the bikers questioned in a foreign accent.

"I have ta 'gree. Kids man?" A second biker questioned a third, much larger biker with a shaved head. Said bald biker shook his head.

"Do you want to leave a bunch of kids not afraid of us running about? Do I have to break out the history vids again?"

"The only thing history here is you. Leave now," Kiawe demanded. In the corner of his eyes he saw the gratuitous classmates of his back away with their injured partners.

The bald one turned to his four compatriots with an 'I told you so' expression, before looking back at him and grinning wickedly.

"See, this is what I mean. A criminal enterprise comes around, and it's a kid half the time that deals with it. The Jennies are too busy with jaywalking, parking tickets, and domestic violence while the Gym Leaders are always being battled. Kids are the perfect combination of brave, self-assured, and stupid to bother us members of the underground economy."

"I think ya' using that term wrong boss."

"Quiet! The kid gets what I mean when I say that. So, here's the deal twerp. I'm a guy with ambitions, ambitions of a great criminal empire, but pickings are slim back home. So I thought I'd go abroad, and this place is practically open. All you guys have to compete with us are a bunch of rejected rappers, we'll corner the market faster than those bitey things did with your island's ecology! But I'm a student of history: I am well aware the role children played in breaking the Golden Age of Crime back during the last war."

"And Gligarman."

The bald one looked rather unamused at another underling interjecting into his speech.

"Yes, and Gligarman. But there are kids here, and no costumed nutjobs. So we're going to beat all of you up, regardless of the lack of costumed vigilantes, so you won't think about standing up against us."

"Are you done yapping?" Kiawe questioned as he held a Pokéball in hand. That had gone on long enough for all the defeated to get out of here, so it at least served a purpose beyond giving him a headache.

"Yeah, it's time to whup your ass kid. It's 'bout time you learn the power of the future Team Catastrophe!"

"New World, Black Baron, and The Arm were better names," a Biker moped as he and all the other bikers threw out Pokemon.

"Grim!" a pure purple Grimer trio shouted in unison.

"Mach!" Three Machop flexed their muscles.

"Koffing!" a trio floating purple Pokemon declared. Kiawe assumed it was called a Koffing.

"Drow." Three Drowzee posed.

"Machoke!" "Weezing!" "Charbok!" A Machoke, what looked like an evolved Koffing, and a large snake Pokemon came out last from the leader.

"Go!" Kiawe threw out his first choice: releasing the massive form of his Turtonator. Upon a moment's thought Kiawe reached for his two other Pokéballs and sent out his Fletchling and Marowak as well.

"Well isn't this kid smart: first one to think to do that."

"Boss, that Marowak is a different color than normal, and on fire."

"Didn't you watch the documentary vids again? Those weren't optional before we came out here. Gah...attack!"

At that command the Grimer and Koffing began spitting sludge, the Machop jumped into the air with glowing hands, the Drowzee fired Psybeams, and the evolved trio followed with glowing rocks, electricity, and a hyper beam respectively.

It was an impressive barrage, all things said.

"Dodge it!" Kiawe ordered. Fletchling flew to the left, and Marowak darted to the right.

Turtonator turned around and stood firm between the blasts and Kiawe himself.

They struck, and while Turtonator grunted from the impact it wasn't serious.

The Machop reached Turtonator and struck the shelled back: only to get a firsthand account of why that was a bad idea via explosion.

"It blew up!?"

"It does that!?"

"Damn it, when I say 'watch the documentary vids, I don't say that just because I think the limeys have the best documentary voiceovers!" the leader complained as Fletchling and Marowak appeared behind the Koffing and Drowzee.

"Acrobatics and Shadow Bone!" Kiawe shouted. Before either trio of enemy Pokemon could react they were struck by a blue bird and a purple bone and knocked to the ground.

"Focus Punch and Shadow Ball!" Only for his Pokemon to join them courtesy of a glowing red fist from Machoke and a dark ball spat out of Weezing. The leader chuckled as Fletchling and Marowak found themselves surrounded by the unevolved mons they had only just struck, all looking at them menacingly.

Worse still was the fact that he could see that Fletchling's wing looked off, as if it was off center. His newest Pokemon must have landed on it badly, and Kiawe was pretty sure that flying out was no longer an option.

"Clever kid, but not clever enough. I hope you like the thrashing we're about to give your Pokemon here, hope it's educational," the leader declared as Kiawe reached for his Z-Ring.

Fletchling and Marowak saw what he was about to do, and nodded. Kiawe frowned, he really wasn't going to enjoy getting them caught in the crossfire of Inferno Overdrive...

"Wait, wasn't there a little tweety bird down there moments ago?" A biker exclaimed as in fact Fletchling had gotten out of there.

"Row!"

Bikers and Kiawe alike turned to a nearby tree, where a round Pokemon was perched with Fletchling.

"So spherical: is that an Alolan Jigglypuff?" A Biker whispered loudly to another.

"No you fool that's a damn Rowlet!" The leader shouted as Marowak began to fade out of existence before being replaced with an apple.

From where Kiawe knew there was a planted apple tree he heard the sound of a Marowak shaped object hit the ground.

"Switcheroo is a success!" a girl's voice declared as three shapes approached them from the woods on the roadside. One of the shapes was Marowak, the other two human.

"Goodie, more kids we can teach the meaning of fear." The leader declared as the two other shapes came fully into view, Rowlet flying over to one of them and landing on his arm.

"Meaning of fear? Is that a required class, or an elective?" said Rowlet arm perch asked.

"No Frax, I think that was an insult. I checked: smelly, loud, and diseased bikers aren't on the curriculum outside of health and safety class," a girl's voice replied.

"Hey, I am not diseased: I use condoms and gingivitis fighting mouthwash!" a biker responded to that comment more than was really necessary.

The boy who had emerged from the forest was dressed in a blue and white striped T-Shirt and red and black shorts, blue and black backpack, blue shoes on his feet and a red hat atop his head. His skin was native colored, with black hair and gray eyes and marks under his eyes. He was a rather tall kid, Kiawe was probably one of the few students taller than him here. As the Rowlet perched on his arms Kiawe noticed the Pikachu perched on his shoulders, cheeks sparking in eagerness for battle.

The girl with him appeared to be about the same age, an inch shorter than the boy but Kiawe was sure she'd still be one of the tallest, if not the tallest, girl at the school. Her hair and skin tone were the same, but she had red eyes instead of gray ones. She had flower earrings, red shoes, light green shorts, and a white tang top that Kiawe was going to have to put on his list of 'generous things not to look at for too long'.

That fact, and the eyes she had made Kiawe wonder if she had some foreign blood in her. Red eyes were not native to Alola.

On her arm perched a Rattata, and a Meowth was at her side looking down on the bikers, and Kiawe, and the school, and everything that wasn't itself.

"Well, seeing as we're late to school I guess we do have to take out the trash. Come on Frax." The girl declared as the boy grinned.

"I don't see any trash, but I do see a Pokemon battle. Come on Velvet: whoever takes out the fewest Pokemon has to explain to the professors how we managed to get so lost on our first day!"

The two leaped into the fray even as Kiawe wondered if he should tell them that the teachers here were really accommodating now, or later.

…

That had been the first meeting of two good friends, and two rivals. Particularly when they showed up the next day for class (in the Advanced Class he was in no less) with something new they didn't have the previous day.

…

"Where did you get those!?" he had demanded in shock as the two held up their rings with nervous grins: each with Electrium Z inserted.

"Tapu Koko. It broke into our house last night and gave us them," Velvet stated in a honest tone, followed by a yawn further suggesting a stranger had barged into her room late at night and given her a sacred object.

…

Z-Rings, gifted from Tapu Koko itself. Kiawe was aware this was not unheard of, and they had completed a few trials since gaining them, both from trial captains and Hala testing them further before a Grand Trial was warranted, but there was a part of him that was annoyed that someone could so easily obtain the power of Z-Moves.

He had to prove himself worthy before he was allowed to use his grandfather's Z-Ring. Tapu Koko stealing them from the Melemele Island Kahuna and breaking into people's homes to give them away seemed a bit like cheating to Kiawe.

They could have easily proved themselves worthy of Z-Rings without Tapu Koko's intervention.

Regardless of his personal opinion on how they got them, they were still good opponents with or without the rings.

…

A double team barrage of Magnemite surrounded Marowak, before streams of electricity shot out from all sides and bound his dance partner in place as Velvet grinned.

A flame charge crashed into Rattata as his Fletchinder defeated her rodent.

Marowak struck Pikachu with Bone Club, winning him a round against Frax.

Frax getting a win on him with his Rockruff, tackling his Fletchinder.

…

Though when they did use the rings it did lead to a noticeable oddity with the two.

His Firium Z was the same one his grandfather used. It went back generations in his family to when it was said to have been created by King Kahele himself for his ancestor, a brave warrior who had earned the king's respect.

The fact it was given by the King was a historic fact, it was if the King himself had created the crystals that were unknown. He was the first one to use them, and the first one to give them to people, but where he had gotten them from was unknown.

There were only so many Z-Crystals around, all gifts from King Kahele and his children before they were all brutally murdered generations ago. If they disappeared they tended to be found by Pokemon and eventually find their way to the Kahuna, and it was a legal requirement for pawn shops, police stations, and debt collectors to the Kahunas to hand any over anyway.

The fact that so many Buginium Z's had been going missing was rather alarming for that reason.

It was said that the Guardians could create fake Z-Crystals to aide people with single attacks, after which they disintegrated. That had been proven the case with Frax and Velvet's initial crystals.

However when the two fought their first Totem Pokemon: a Gumshoos for Frax, and a Raticate for Velvet to prevent 'Totem clashing' later.

…

"Check it out. Gumshoos and Raticate gave us new Z-Crystals!" Frax grinned as he and his sister showed off to the class. No one had noticed his stunned face amidst the excitement of their classmates for a good 10 minutes.

…

That was not normal. Not only did Pokemon never give Z-Crystals to non-Kahunas, but both the Yungoos and Rattata line were not known as being prone to sharing anything but bites.

And yet, that was not the only thing that came up with them that was odd with them and Z-Crystals.

…

As the Team Skull members fled in defeat from Frax and the exhausted Rowlet Kiawe looked at his friend oddly.

"When did you get a Grassium-Z? I've never heard of a Totem Grass Pokemon on Melemele Island, and I saw the news reports about that Totem Muk." Which Velvet found and fought by accident, apparently somehow related to Sophocles getting stuck in a sewer.

Frax scratched the top of his head in embarrassment, Pikachu jumping down to give Rowlet some support before the little bird collapsed and rolled off again, just sans Lana's Popplio this time.

"I…don't know."

Kiawe gave the boy a flat look.

"You don't know?"

"I know, funny story really. I saw Velvet doing so well with that Dark Z-Move I really wanted to have something of my own like that. I went off to train with Rowlet to see if I could teach him something cool like a Z-Move, like Solar Beam or something. We worked really hard and just as I thought Rowlet was glowing, it just appeared between us. It sort of reminded me of something falling out a vending machine: ker plunk."

He had later been told that his face after seeing that looked like one of his eyes had risen higher on his face than the other, which apparently gotten even higher when Sophocles commented that he didn't see Muk give Velvet the Dark Z-crystal.

..

It was only because Lillie screamed at seeing him and hit him with her new duffel bag that his face wasn't frozen like that.

Still the entire thing didn't make any sense. Frax and Velvet seemed to make things act strange just by being around them, and the idea of two Z-crystals just appearing out of nowhere just boggled his mind.

Then there were the misadventures that happened with them around.

….

"I am the Rotom Dex, zzt!" a floating red entity declared as it floated around the two siblings in class for introduction.

"I am the vessel of all knowledge in the universe. I am machine and living life form in one, zzt."

…

"How do you like my stew? The cook books says they used electrified ingredients…" Mallow asked, only to stop as she realized her dish had knocked all her friends out.

…

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?" Lillie blushed as Frax cocked his head in confusion.

"Lana said we were learning about Alolan Sumo today, and that we weren't supposed to wear shirts in class. I mean, Professor Kukui and Kiawe never wear shirts…"

"Lana!" Mallow scolded amidst blushing.

…

"I got it I got it I got…" Frax pulled in his fishing rod fast, and took something from the sea.

The sea didn't like what being stolen from, and thus the Magikarp just hit him the head before splashing back into the sea.

"You got it..." Velvet snarked about her brother, only for her own catch to come out of the water and use splash on her face.

….

"Bananas?" Lillie questioned the broadcast via the Rotom Dex of a line of Team Skull grunts definitely consume bananas in surprising sync.

"It's a cultural and generational thing tied in old traditions currently being phased out but held stubbornly by some." Kiawe facepalmed over the entire thing. He added a second hand to facepalm when another student noticed Velvet eating a banana and gave her the finger. Then her Meowth lunged at the passerby with opened claws.

…

"Help," Sophocles whimpered, his backside the only part visible as he had gotten stuck in a log.

…

"How do you walk with those things?" his sister innocently asked Velvet, causing all in the room to stare at his little sister in stunned horror.

"Walking is easy: running not so much." Velvet had a pained smile on her face in response. "Thank goodness for international shipping or I couldn't even do that."

…

"My Malasada!" the Kahuna's grandson snarled as he and Frax's recently captured Munchlax had a tug of war over a take-out bag of the delicacy.

…

Perhaps he was just putting too much stock in the idea that it was those two were bizarre and liked to dance over his accepted facts of life. Maybe life itself was prone to doing things to confuse him or cause him headaches.

…

Seconds after the school bell signaled the end of the day, Kiawe was behind the school at the battle field.

He didn't have any work today, neither delivery nor farm work nor dance lessons, so he had a free afternoon. That meant it was time to settle something.

"Looks like they really are serious about fixing their tied 'problem', again." Mallow voiced her amusement, and slight annoyance, as Kiawe and Frax stood on opposite ends, ready to battle.

"Yes, then tomorrow the loser will be after fixing the problem that they aren't tied," Velvet noted with some amusement.

"The logic does not compute, zzt," Rotom Dex beeped.

"Give me everything you've got Fraxinus! Let us battle as equals!" Kiawe declared as Frax looked back at him with a annoyed look.

"I could have lived with you guys never knowing my full name," he muttered before he looked contemplative about something, before his face began aflame with conviction.

"Equals huh…" Frax promptly reached for the bottom of his shirt and dramatically yanked it off, flinging it to the ground before flexing his muscles. His Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and promptly added to the flexing.

"Not quite what I meant…" Kiawe nonetheless responded with his own muscle flex in response. He was not going to lose, even if outnumbered.

"What….are they doing?" Lillie blushed so red one could mistake her for having been hit with a Will-O-Wisp."

"It's a rivalry, and a friendship, born of solid muscle," Velvet observed with a tone that Kiawe couldn't decipher as either amusement or annoyance.

Neither party moved however, even after Pikachu dropped the act and started tapping her foot impatiently. Both pairs of toned and distinct muscles all but roared at one another in an immobile contest of prowess.

"I do hope Kiawe and my brother remember this is a Pokemon battle, not a Muscle Battle," Velvet snarked.

Oh shit, that was the point of this wasn't it?

Both battlers ceased the muscle show off and reached for a Pokéball.

"It's over, really? A few more minutes and they'd start glistening…" Kiawe didn't need to see Mallow smack Lana upside the head for that comment.

"But this battle has only begun. Go Fletchinder!"

"Rockruff, go!"

The flaming bird that patrolled Wela and the best friend of many Alolan stared down each other.

"This best of three is going to be over in two! Rockruff Rock Throw!" Rockruff's collar rocks began to glow before white lights flew out of them. Said lights rapidly turned into large stones and fired right at Fletchinder.

"Double Team!" The stones flew right through the Fletchinder after-image as dozens of Fletchinder found themselves surrounding the canine.

"Ember!" Kiawe called as a storm of fire sparks flew from all sides, though only one source was solid. The attack struck though, and Rockruff was knocked down.

"Now Acrobatics!" The Double Team flock flew down, all glowing blue to the stone dog.

Frax's jaw was clenched tight, before his face lit up in a way that Kiawe was well familiar with. He had an idea.

"If Gumshoos can do it, so can we. Rockruff, Sand Attack!" Rockruff yipped in response, before jumping up and stamping the ground.

A plume of dust shot up from below, wiping out all the double team and leaving only a single, rapidly approaching Fletchinder.

"Now Tackle!"

Rockruff yipped before bouncing straight up, head-butting right into Fletchinder. Fletchinder was knocked back and fell on its back, while Rockruff landed with some grace on it's feet.

"Let's end this: Tackle!" Rockruff barked in agreement as the dog charged right at Fletchinder.

Frax's confidence was clear on his face, until Kiawe let a smile crack his face. That dissolved a bit of it away.

"Steel Wing!" Kiawe declared as Fletchinder's wings glowed.

Just as Rockruff got into range, Fletchinder slashed at it with the attack.

"Rockruff!" Frax called in shock as his puppy was knocked on its back.

Fletchinder hopped back on her legs as Frax returned his puppy.

"W was that about two battles being all he need? Sounds like Kiawe only needs two battles now" Sophocles quipped as Kiawe returned Fletchinder.

"Nice one. I didn't know Fletchinder knew that move." Frax congratulated as Kiawe grinned.

"We learned from the last time Fletchinder fought Rockruff."

"Then I'll have to learn from this one. Let's go, Munchlax!"

"Marowak!"

Frax's newest Pokemon and his dance partner were up next. A part of Kiawe was sad that this probably meant he wouldn't be fighting Rowlet, given that was usually a pretty safe win.

Another part was glad that he wasn't, because that usually meant a pretty safe win.

"Let's get this started, use Odor Sleuth!"

"Munch." The Munchlax began sniffing the air. Kiawe wasn't sure if that was the move, or Munchlax was smelling more Malasada to eat but regardless he would not leave this opening for long.

"Marowak, Bone Club!"

"Maro." His partner charged at the sniffing creature, ready for a good old fashioned bonk on the head.

"Tackle!" Frax countered. Munchlax stopped sniffing and charged, colliding with Marowak before the club could be swung.

Marowak was sent tumbling as Kiawe struggled to figure out how smell allowed Tackle to work. He'd have to ask Professor Kukui about it. But in the meanwhile…

"Flame Wheel!" Marowak began spinning his bone faster and faster, the bone adorned in a massive blaze. Marowak charged straight towards the bottomless pit that was Munchlax.

"Block it with Lick!"

Munchlax opened its mouth wide, before releasing a massive tongue out, mostly energy based as per the move. The tongue wrapped around Marowak's bone, snuffing the Flame Wheel and causing all present, including Marowak but not including Frax or Velvet, to look rather unnerved.

"That image….is going to haunt my dreams tonight." Lillie shuffled her new duffel bag audibly.

"Who came up with that….thing?" Sophocles had no better word for snuffing out flames with one's tongue.

"I did."

Kiawe had to resist the urge to look at Velvet like she had just grown a second head.

As the tongue retracted Marowak shook the bone off to remove any saliva, even as he glowed purple.

As the tongue returned to its proper place Munchlax coughed as it also glowed purple. Cursed Body at work, so at least that tongue would be where it belonged for a while.

"Let's try that again: Flame Wheel!" Marowak grinned as the bone was once more spun faster and faster, before it slicked across the skull for a powerful flame.

"Alright Munchlax, let's counter it!" Frax declared. Kiawe wasn't sure what the plan was, given that Munchlax should not be able to use Counter, but then he realized what Frax meant when he entered the first stance and Munchlax mirrored it.

"Breakneck Blitz!" Frax declared as Munchlax was surrounded in a powerful aura, before charging right at the Flame Wheel.

The massive white charge ran through it like a train, sending Marowak flying.

Marowak crashed next to him, bone impacting into the ground to his left upright.

As Munchlax ceased the Z-Move the creature was panting, still learning how to properly handle such power. While not showing it, like any trainer Frax would be similarly exhausted.

"Good job Munchlax, that's one to one!" Frax declared. Munchlax gave a tired thumbs up before being recalled.

Marowak was also returned as Kiawe grinned.

"That was early Frax. You used your Z-Move too quickly, now this match is mine."

"Don't be so sure." Frax wiped sweat off his brow as Pikachu darted onto the field, her cheeks sparking.

"Turtonator, let's end this!" Kiawe responded with his own powerhouse as the deciding battle began.

"Flamethrower/Thunderbolt!"

The two attacks launched at once, collided at the exact median, and exploded with neither giving an inch.

Both trainers were grinning.

"Swift!" Pikachu's tail glowed as she jumped into the air and swung it, releasing a barrage of stars.

"Hidden Power!"

The stars were met by glowing spheres orbiting around Turtonator before firing. The two attacks collided once more, and both were cancelled out.

"You can't overpower my Turtonator's ranged attacks, and your speed means nothing when you don't have the power to overcome my defense. You can't beat us, not without your Z-Move."

"Two more minutes."

"What?" Kiawe questioned why Frax just muttered that.

"If we can hold out for two minutes we win: speed around Turtonator just out of range for flail Pikachu!" Pikachu nodded before glowing with Quick Attack and speeding towards Turtonator. Just before impact however the quick attack became a game of ring around the Turtonator.

"That trick won't work on us a third time," Kiawe pointed out as Turtonator, with some momentary twitches of instinctual response, didn't move.

That trick had put Frax ahead of him before.

"One more minute."

"I don't know what you expect to happen: neither of our mothers will interrupt us today. This might interrupt Pikachu though: Turtonator stick your tail out!"

Turtonator's tail jetted out, stiff as a log. Pikachu hopped over the tail, but lost crucial speed as a result.

She jumped back, no longer circling the great beast as Frax grinned.

"Guess what; I recently managed to teach Pikachu Mega Punch."

"Very good, but that is going to change things how?" Kiawe questioned.

"Punching Turtonator isn't going to win you this fight."

"I don't know…" in front of his shirtless abs Frax presented his Z-Ring.

"…That won't work. Z-Rings are once per battle." Kiawe wondered why Frax would make such a foolish mistake.

Only in legends did anyone, specifically one of the sons of King Kahele named Lokela, manage to subvert that rule. That was a legend however, there was no proof beyond oral tradition that he had used multiple Z moves in battle with his eventual wife's father for her hand. It was probably added just to make his eventual victory seem even greater.

"Per Pokemon anyway. Munchlax is too tired to do another Z-Move and I'm hardly in a state to run to Iki Town. Pikachu however hasn't exhausted her energy yet. Sure I'd have liked a bit more time to regain some of my own energy, but I think I have enough left over, and regained in the last few minutes, that we can win this with one more Z-Move before I pass out again."

"Is that why everyone keeps finding you passed out in the middle of fields!?" Kiawe demanded in horror. The fool, people died trying to do that. Did he think he was something different?

No one had ever managed to pull off multiple Z-Moves in the span of a few minutes. No one had done so in any time short of several hours and live!

Amidst gasps of concern from their friends and the Rotom Dex letting out a loud siren noise to emote 'danger', he heard something face palm.

"Brother… I am not dragging you home this time." She didn't, however, sound that surprised about what her brother just confessed to doing. Did she know about this idiocy!?

Why didn't she stop it? '

"Ready Pikachu…"

"Pika!"

"You fool!" Kiawe shouted, readying his own Z-Move. He was still the veteran Z-move user: if he could move faster he could knock out Pikachu before Frax killed himself.

The answer to if the idea would have worked was forever lost however, for a Ride Mandibuzz landed between the two of them, shortly followed by a Ride Braviary.

Unlike the Mandibuzz however, it didn't have a passenger on board.

Even as the Z-Power faded away as he and Frax both held off their planned attacks, the passenger stepped off the Mandibuzz and began to stand up.

And up, and up, and up.

"She's tall…" Mallow stated in surprise.

"She's hot," Sophocles commented with a blush.

"….I am envious," Lana stated without amusement.

When the girl was finally fully upright, Kiawe realized with a sudden shock that she was taller than he was.

This was the first time that had happened since he had outgrown his mother, though it was apparently a bet among some of the other students if Velvet would pull ahead of him (she had claimed the title of tallest girl in school a few months ago, and Frax had recently pulled ahead of him in height. )

The second thing that struck him about her was that she, frankly, looked like Frax and Velvet. The glasses were different, true, and she had pale skin like Sophocles and Lillie, but there was more to it than just height.

Her eyes were gray like Velvet's, and there was something to be said about the fact that this girl would probably have caused his innocent little sister to ask the same question as she had Velvet back then about her ability to walk, while she had marks on her face he had seen only on the two twins. All three pairs of ears between them were unattached at the lobe, their eyes had a similar shape to them that was distinct from his eyes (and Lana's, and Sophocles's), and while he might be overthinking it there was something to be said about their similarly shaped chins.

He stopped trying to try and figure out if they looked similarly anywhere else (as that would involve foot measuring for starters) when the girl looked all them over. She stopped when she saw Frax, and then Velvet, before resting on him.

"You’re Kiawe, right?"

"Uh….." He was, but why was she asking for him?

"You've been selected as a Trial Captain. My name is Iolani, and I am here to show you the ropes. Get on." She gestured to the Braviary.

…

Kiawe did not need to look behind him to know Charizard was following. His Charizard was well trained, a partner of his family for many years. If he had to leave by any transportation other than it a far distance, Charizard would always follow.

"That Charizard," Iolani stated as they continued to fly over the watery expanse between islands, "it used to be the ace of Koa, am I right? I've seen a few Charizard in my time, mostly foreign competitors at the Battle Royal Arena, and none of them look as old as his then or now."

"Yes, Charizard used to be my grandfather's strongest Pokemon, though the onslaught of time means Charizard is no longer suited to the rigors of battling," Kiawe confirmed, before he felt a surge of curiosity come forth.

"However, I must admit I am curious. Most people don't realize it at first, even when they knew my grandfather as a Kahuna. How do you know that they are one and the same, and that this is not some other aged Charizard?"

Iolani was silent for a moment before answering his question.

"Because that Charizard was with Koa when I first met him years ago, and I wouldn't be who I am today if we never met. I remember that day clearly, everything about it. That includes Koa's Charizard."

That was… an interesting statement.

Kiawe was aware that among a Kahuna's job description (which included, but not limited to, choosing Trial Captains, solving problems on the island they were chosen, ensuring the Guardian Deities were happy, and helping promote inter-island comradery during times of island sectionalism) was the inspiring and guiding of others. That was something they did and strived to do as much as possible.

Iolani however, seemed unusually affected. It wasn't the average inspired child who remembered the meeting so clearly as to distinguish another's Charizard so easily.

"Those two with you back on Melemele: the shirtless kid and the tall girl, who are they?"

The question was innocent enough, but for some reason he felt as uneasy as someone walking along a partially cooled lava flow.

It was tricky enough sometimes asking Lillie about her family, given that the part she was most willing to comment on was her father vanishing one day.

"Fellow students, good friends and rivals. Their names are Fraxinus and Velvet Lono, though he prefers to go by Frax. Their mother is a clerk at a local department store."

"And their father?"

Kiawe would like to pretend that question didn't make the Principal flash before his eyes, doing one of his bad impressions and shouting 'BEWEAR' loudly. But he wasn't sure of how he could possibly avoid this loaded question without being rude to a future co-worker and possible supervisor.

All the job fairs the school had told him that was a bad idea, as did years of morality lessons from his parents.

"No one knows. I've always gotten the impression that they met one night and…"

"They daycared?" Iolani deadpanned.

If Kiawe had been walking he probably would have fell on his face from that one. Still his motions did cause his ride Braviary to shriek in protest.

That was… one way of putting it.

Though with how she delivered that line Kiawe couldn't help but be concerned he had just thrown fuel on a fire. Did he just confirm to her that her father was unfaithful to her mother on top of Tapu knows what else he, in her eyes of, was guilty of?

"Same here, just my mom was lower on the pecking order than a store clerk. Here I was hoping you could point me in the direction of someone who I could give a well-deserved punch to. Pity, I was getting my hopes up."

Kiawe was suddenly preferring he had just verifying a case of marital infidelity. This was awkward, particularly as he suspected he'd be pressed about this tomorrow.

"So, trial captaining," Iolani changed the subject so fast from family Kiawe could hear Professor Kukui talking about U-Turn or Volt Switch, "So, do I need to go over any of the basics, or are you already well aware of them?"

"Trial captains are appointed by the Kahunas and hold the job until they were 25 or incarcerated. Each trail captain is allowed to set up a trial to their own specifications and personal ideas as long as it involves a Totem Pokemon the captain can at least influence if not control."

"You forgot that the pay is low. Part time jobs are recommended." Iolani noted.

"I'd suggest avoiding working at the Thrifty Megamart if you can. The hours suck even more than the pay, the bosses there are jerks, and the uniforms are itchy and run on the small side for the taller part of the population."

Kiawe filed that away for later. He was, after all, tall.

...

Landing on the trial site Kiawe couldn't help but shiver. The moment Charizard landed he would see if he could stand close to his favorite fire tipped Pokemon for warmth.

Iolani noticed his shivering, and gave him an empathetic look.

"Don't worry, we won't be here long. I probably should have mentioned I would be this high up, I'm so used to the wind chill it barely affects me anymore, which is good seeing as I honestly find it too hot in Alola to wear more than what I currently am, but I doubt you had any idea that we'd be this high up. You live on this island so we probably could have stopped for a jacket."

"I just want to show you a bit of what I've done for my trial, then we can track down Olivia and see if any old trial sights are in a place you'd be more comfortable with before we have to resort to moving anything…" Iolani trailed off as she got a better look at the trial sight.

It was littered with graffiti tags: skulls and inflated letters (with such choice quotes as 'frag the system', 'you suck' and 'Rangers are swagin'), and what looked like Olivia's head licking the underside of a Zubat wing with a long, inhuman tongue.

Iolani's hands balled up into fists, trembling with rage. She had, at some point while Kiawe was trying to comprehend 'Rangers are swagin', adjusted her glasses so light hit them in way that made it impossible to see her eyes.

It wasn't to hide tears: he had a little sister he knew what that was like.

A Pikipek flew over, landing on her shoulder and tweeted at her, even as Charizard landed behind him and idly began clawing at a graffiti tag, as if wanting to erases the thing.

Or just ensuring that a sponge bath would be in the future. One of the two.

'While Pokemon can rarely be understood like when we exchange words, someone whose heart is one with a Pokemon can understand the message they have if not the words' His grandfather had once said something along those lines, and Kiawe believed him. He liked to think that he was getting better every day with picking up Marowak and Turtonator's intentions when they spoke.

Iolani's mouth curled into an expression that made him shiver in unease, though it caused his grandfather's words to ring in his ears again.

Iolani seemed to be comprehending the Pikipek rather well, better than he could with his Pokemon. While it could be partially experience differences, something about it felt off to Kiawe.

She seemed to understand too much of what Pikipek was saying.

Said little bird flew off, and she turned to him with an expression that gave him the distinct feeling of an angered Island Guardian.

"Well I guess you've seen enough to improvise later, huh Kiawe. We're going to be taking a detour to teach a rather vital, if understated part of the job of Trial Captain."

"Punishing Team Skull."

South at the Battle Royal Park, a few minutes later.

The two black dressed punks were given a wide berth by all who passed by their park bench: a male punk with blue hair and a slightly battered yellow device on his hip that was blaring loud music, and a female with black hair and a uniform stained with multiple paint splatters.

Both were licking ice cream cones, legs stretched out like they owned the place.

"What I tell ya Sketch. It may have taken me some time to get back from Hoenn after that Gallade punched me, but I managed to take back some neat trinkets. This old PokéNav might be a few years past the point geeks and trendies waited days on end for, but it plays a mean song. That Pokéblock machine is a piece of junk now though." The male grunt stated after a cocky lick of his sprinkles and vanilla.

"You put a potato in it Odlaw." Sketch waggled, nearly sending bits of Rocky Road onto her fellow Team Skull member.

"Well I wanted French Fries. Say, think Big Sis is done winning the prize money yet?"

Sketch shrugged before taking a bite out of her cone.

"How would I know? The Battle Royal can take forever if people don't gang up on each other, and most of the time that happens it's on one of us."

"Jerks I know. Still can't believe that banned Guzma after that one time. Three Hyper Beams at a Masquerain warranted that stool toss. Still wish I knew where the boss got that stool to toss at the fool: I'd love to be able to manifest furniture on command to throw at people. Like you do Sketch."

Odlaw's comment caused his fellow teammate to face palm with her non-cone-holding hand. She retracted it a moment later, her forehead now having slight stains of paint on it.

"My fingers generate paint dummy, not recliners. Seriously, how hard is it to understand…"

Sketch's rant was interrupted by a Charizard landing in front of them with a massive roar, followed by two smaller ride Pokemon with passengers on them.

…

Leaping off the Braviary Kiawe immediately reached for Turtonator's Pokéball and pointed it at the two Skulls in front of him.

"Why you pointing at us? What, you think you're wearing one of those dumb blond wigs or somethin'?"

"…You do remember that Guzma and Plumeria like that show, right?" the female grunt muttered as both stood up, the male taking one massive bite of an ice cream cone to free up his hand.

"You vandalized my trial sight," Iolani snarled. The male grunt blinked.

"Oh yeah: man they weren't kidding, you are freaky tall. Ya related to the boss?"'

A sudden chill ran through Kiawe's head at that comment. It was going to be uncomfortable enough when Frax and Velvet confronted him for anything about the girl who looked a lot like them: he did not need to add the leader of Team Skull into that possible familial quagmire.

"Stupid question, I know, back to gloating. Why yes, Sketch here did mark your place up good. I just kicked a few rocks off the edge and harassed those birds that like it up there."

"Best artist in all Team Skull, no all of Alola." The female grunt, probably named sketch, waggled her paint stained fingers. Oddly Kiawe was sure they looked fresh, as if she had just been in contact with a paint can.

What, did she do all that graffiti with her fingers? Well if she was so determined to declare herself the best finger painter in the land, why burst her bubble about what her competition would be for that position.

"What did you think would be accomplished by your little stunt?" Iolani growled as the male grunt posed, as Team Skull liked to do for reasons that made sense only to them.

"Ta get back at ya. You trial captains are always putting' people down, down, down. I mean really, ya probably responsible for half the cases the therapists get. Ya the bad guys, while we're that guy in the tights and the bow."

"Wrong metaphor." Iolani adjusted her glasses, once again making it impossible to see her eyes.

"That's one for someone who steals from the rich to give to the poor. Ignoring the fact that if you were doing that you'd be giving me things, let's break down just how wrong you are shall we? One, it's not the trial captain's fault if a person fails. We don't find normal people failing amusing or enjoyable. Assholes are only mildly enjoyable to fail, and only every so often. Trial captains aren't unfeeling sociopaths: the last captain who fit that description is currently in jail for setting a building on fire in Iki Town. Second, I see no reason for you to go after me of all Trial Captains. You both failed in Ula'ula, long before you'd have come to face my trial."

Both Skulls backed away after Iolani made that comment that even Kiawe was looking at her for. Where did she pull that one from?

"How'd ya know that!?"

"Statistical probability. Most of you idiots come from that island. The toxic combination of politics and population on that island breeds a bunch of idiots who wallow in their misery, i.e. Team Skull."

"I do not wambo in it! My belt doesn't have that feature."

The male grunt got looks from everything present, even his partner, for that one.

"Wallow means 'rolling in something, generally for comfort'. Many Pokemon do it to protect from sunlight and for comfort." Kiawe would know, his family raised Mudbray.

"How do you wallow in an emotion?"

"Simple: you put on a stupid face mask, talk like an idiot, and spray up my trial sight." Iolani deadpanned as Sketch clenched her fist.

"What do you know about us?! What gives you the right to say that we can't be upset about stupid, unfair trials? Don't you know that no matter what people say about life being what you make it, that jerkoffs are always standing over you waiting to beat ya down? What, did some smelly old guy tell you that if you work hard enough you can improve your life, 'cause if so that's Mudsdale cra…"

"Kahuna Koa did not smell any worse than firewood does." Iolani stated with severity.

The male grunt stared at her in shock.

"Oh what, this is rich. This is richer than that animation company with all the singing Pokemon and those creepy pink Donphan hallucinations poppin' like bubbles. What, did that senile stripper of a Kahuna tell a little girl that grew up to be you that you could be anything if you work hard for it, and you believed him?"

"He hasn't been proven wrong yet," she stated, though Kiawe only heard part of it due to his burning rage and the resulting punch to the Skull's face for insulting his grandfather.

"Wimpod g…"

"Archen!"

The grunt named Sketch was pinned down by a ancient looking bird Pokemon, which promptly bounced on top of the grunt with narrow, angry eyes.

Before Kiawe could comment on when she had managed to become one of the first in Alola to use the fossil restoration technology that Sophocles had gushed about a few weeks ago, or where she had gotten a fossil in Alola to begin with…

"Hey!"

A fifth person entered the fray: and she wasn't on their side.

"I don't know what you two think you're doing to my dumb little bro and sis, but I am not having it." Putting down a sack of money that Kiawe was willing to bet a 'Malasada on me' trip with Hau wasn't legit, the yellow eyed older girl threw an Ultra Ball.

"Turtonator!" Kiawe was ready to finally release his partner, only for a sudden pain to shoot from his ribs.

After that, darkness.

….

The darkness vanished seconds later, with the Akalan skies once again visible.

However they were closer than before, and also colder.

The Pikipek on his chest was also new.

"Wha….what happened."

"You got hit by that skull woman's Crobat. Right in the chest." Iolani informed him, the girl crossing her arms and looking a bit ashamed at something.

Pushing himself off the cold stone Kiawe was surprised to find that his body didn't flare up in pain. He should have broken ribs.

"Your ribs got busted up. I found a Chansey who used Heal Pulse on you, after Koa's Charizard tried to cook that Skull bitch for hitting you like that. You were still out cold for a hour, but it's better than a clinic."

"You mean hospital."

"Not in my price range." She stated darkly, before returning to frowning.

"Look, I probably didn't handle that all that well. I…can get angry. Really angry. I see red, and I don't think all that straight. I should have shut the Skulls up quicker, I just, really, wanted to give them a piece of my mind before driving them off with a thrashing, they just…even when they don't vandalize my trial they infuriate me."

"Team Skull can make anyone see red, even if they don't mock my grandfather," Kiawe mused, before he decided to push a question that had been forming before he got a Crobat to the ribs.

"You respect my grandfather a lot, what is the story behind that."

Iolani turned and walked a few steps away from him before she talked again.

"My mom was born poor, and she died that way too. She never had it easy, and I didn't help matters at all. Honestly with how tight money was if I ever ended up in another world and found that her alternate self had an abortion I would completely understand. Don't get me wrong; she loved me and I loved her, I just know basic math. Life always seemed like a struggle, a rather unfair one at that. When my mom….well life seemed to be rock bottom. I met him not long afterwards, in a park."

She turned, and had a wistful smile on her face.

"He spoke, and he was the wisest person I had ever heard speak, then and now. He was also as kind as he was wise. He helped me move in a direction that would help me get out of the hole I was born in, and from there I was able to eventually become a Trial Captain. Sure I never did have enough to go to any fancy school on Melemele, but compared to what I had before I'm practically as rich as the people in those gaudy hotels."

"He gave me the way to do better for myself, even if he didn't give me a house. He helped me realize that I had talents, and how to use it to get me a place to live. Sort of like that old saying about giving man a cooked Magikarp vs teaching him how to fish for, and cook, Magikarp. It's people who don't take advantage of people helping them, or what talents they have, to get out of bad situations that I can't stand. Team Skull…is filled with people just like me if I never met Kahuna Kao and was shown that I could better myself, or simply chose not to."

"I see…" Kiawe nodded. That was a lot like his grandfather. He was good at teaching people things without just giving to people.

"Don't apologize, you don't need to. You didn't expect that an actually competent Skull was around, and had no way of knowing. I suppose it was better I learn that a Trial Captain shouldn't run off on a Skull hunt recklessly, and I'd rather do it when I have someone watching my back."

Iolani gave a small smile at the forgiving, and Kiawe was ready to simply pretend that the entire thing with the Skulls never happened. It would be best for him, her, and his mother's status as not graying. Though one thing was still bothering him.

"How did you get away from that Skull's Crobat anyway? Those things are fast; Charizard is not the Pokemon to fight one of those things these days, and the Ride Pokemon couldn't have gotten away from it easily. "

Iolani frowned as she gave an answer. Clearly whatever happened with the Crobat was something she wasn't happy about.

"I'm, rather good with Flying Pokemon. Even those who others capture, I have a way with. Now, let's see if we can deal with the non-Skull related part of the job and find you a Trial Site. Those Skulls shouldn't cause us any more trouble today, and what's to worry about here other than them and Mother Nature?"

Meanwhile in Canalave City: Sinnoh

"….Aboard the seas of the world, and the oddities above and below the waves, many more abound in the world. I have learned but one: the ability to have the bond of man and Pokemon crystalize and unleash a single burst of great power."

"Yeah, we know that. Z-Moves, that thing Alolans do. Just dodge them and bam, they're out of juice and you can swat them like flies." Sitting in a seaside café with a pitcher of Coronet water between them, to odd figures talked among themselves.

The smaller figure in white armor, his helmet off his head and at his side. The other tall, with black hair and red eyes. A book in his hands as he waited for their meal, from which he was quoting earlier.

The red-eyed one looked down from his book and eyed the other with a smirk.

"Perhaps, Naps, but allow me to quote from this excellently written book on the Alolan King Kahele's great sailing expedition. Yes, 'In the land where I first landed, heralded by the wandering giant, they possessed the ability to have their Pokemon evolve beyond their limits for battle. In raw power it exceeds my discovery of what would be called 'Z-moves', but it's a power limited to only a few, while mine may be used by any.' The true danger of Z-moves to us is that they are not limited to a single Pokemon like a Mega Stone. You can take a Z-Crystal and have any Pokemon unleash its power. A Lucarionite isn't going to do anything for a Banette. Of course, they are hardly the only options for additional power: you have that Shadow Pokemon of yours, while Kahele's tale makes mention of not only our old familiar concept of Bond Phenomenon…" Naps rubbed his arm, apparently still feeling the spot where a Ninja broke his arm "…but also he speaks of 'Blazes that burn beyond regular Blazes, and of Pokemon surpassing their limits shrouded in gold, the power to Break their foes by cloaking themselves in light and thunder.' I must admit that last part peaks my interest: this book was well too written to capitalize Break for no reason."

"Yes, clearly your research on Alola for our big operation there has truly went well if you've had time to speculate if my Slakoth can go 'Break Gold Super Slakoth 2.65 Divine Thunder Star' or something silly like that. Though I must ask why you had us come all the way out here of all places. The Canalave Library is digital, you hardly need to actually visit it Capriccio."

"Well, for one think I happen to like reading physical books. E-Books don't feel right if you ask my personal opinion. Second, I have a boon I wish to ask our leader for, and I feel I need something to warrant it beyond my current string of successes and my own reputation."

"A boon for what, shoving tall kids with black hair into the water and drowning them? Seriously, what was with that freak out last night?" Naps frowned, remembering how the Admin had randomly, upon seeing a trainer with dark hair and red eyes walking by him across a deserted street, shoved him into the canal and had his Ferrothorn blast him until he stopped coming back up for air.

"Some people, are not supposed to exist," Capriccio stated with a tone so dark it could faint Nascour's Metagross.

"Regardless of what I request permission to use Cipher's vast resources to fix what one of my brothers dared to break, I plan to pay for my request with something one can get here and few places else. Tell me Naps, have you ever heard the reason why Canalave has a reputation for Insomnia? You see, the people here have had a long problem with having rather bad dreams." (*)

….