Night was lonely on Poni island, and with as late in the night as it already was, the lack of noise from any wild Pokémon made it even more so. The only light that helped guide Burnet, Sam, Alice, and Dexio were the stars above in the cloudless sky and the sparse amount of torches that were fastened to the walls of the clay houses that were settled on the hilly lands of the Ancient Poni Path.
The dirt path then jutted to the left and divided the homes up. Burnet and her three captives were then met by a steep uphill slope that led them to a canyon pass at the very top of it. Alice grimaced as she took an exhausted breath out.
“It’s all the way up there?” she complained.
“And at least another couple of miles further,” Burnet answered sternly and matter-of-factly. “Keep moving!”
Walking upwards, Sam and Dexio followed and with a defeated whine, Alice followed as closely behind as she could. Her pace was still far slower than the others, her mouth open as she tried to breath in as much fresh air as her lungs could allow. Sam then heard a yelping and a fall to the ground, and once he turned around, he saw Alice on her hands and good knee, twisting her other leg to get it as comfortable as possible.
“Alice!” With a couple of quick steps, Sam nearly lost his balance and slid the rest of the way down. “Is it your leg?”
Alice nodded with a saddened frown as she lightly massaged her leg on both sides of her scar. As she continued relaxing herself, Sam reached for her bag and rummaged around inside.
“What’s going on?!” Burnet briskly walked over and stood with one foot beside the inside of Alice’s leg. “Do I have to drag you the rest of the way?”
“Her leg is hurting!” Sam spat.
“Tough! I won’t let a little cramp slow me down!”
“No, you don’t understand!” Alice explained. “I broke my leg a few years ago, and it still hurts if I walk on it for too long!”
“Got ‘em!” Sam pulled out her bottle of painkillers and handed it to her sister. “Let me see if I can find something you can take that with.”
Burnet, seeing the severity of the situation, crossed her arms, agitated. “Hurry up. We need to keep moving.”
As Alice shook two of the pills into the palm of her hand, Sam pulled out a bottle of purple liquid, holding it in his hands forlornly. “All we have is the Payapa Juice Molayne gave us.”
Alice snatched it from his grasp. “Well it’s not useful to anyone but me now!”
After tossing the pills into her mouth, she unscrewed the cap and took a large swig. With an audible gulp, she screwed the top back on and put it in her bag.
“Okay,” Burnet spoke, “you got your medicine, now stand back up! Our journey is far from over.”
“Why do I get the sneaking suspicion that isn’t true at all?” Dexio sardonically wondered aloud.
Burnet swung her hand up near Dexio’s chin, the aura-surging tips of her clawed gloves coming within an inch of it. “If you’d like your journey to end here, just say the word and I’ll be happy to oblige!”
Dexio stayed silent as he looked at Sam and Alice, who were too nervous for their friends safety to consider getting up. With Burnet looking to them, they got to work, Sam shooting to his feet and offering Alice’s hand. With her good foot against Sam’s, he pulled her up to stand straight.
“Hold on now…” Sam spun around and put his back to his sister.
Resting on his back, he grabbed her at the bottom of each thigh and hoisted her and himself up to piggyback her.
Burnet looked indifferent to his act. “Just don’t hold us up, or the fate I proposed to Dexio will come onto you too.”
She turned around, Dexio quick to follow her. Sam then jogged up the hill after them, huffing with each push upward.
“You remember when we did this when you were a little girl?” Sam whispered to her.
“Yeah…” Alice fondly thought back to those simpler days. “I also remember you running a lot faster too.”
“Noted.” Sam quickened his pace until the two of them were only a foot or so behind Dexio and Burnet. “You were also a lot lighter.”
Alice let out a chuckle, feeling her brother deserved the last word on that one. Reaching the top, the canyon pass was narrower than its entrance, but still wide enough for the four of them to walk side-by-side if need be. There were no torches to light the way, but the starlight above still seemed more than enough. Burnet rose her right hand up, and it glowed a bright white, further illuminating the area before them. Even with the extra light, Alice looked about her, nervous over what possibly lurked ahead or even within the walls of this canyon.
“What kind of Pokémon live here?” she wondered, trying to sound as genuinely interested as possible.
“If you’re worried about being ambushed like your friends ambushed my grunts, you needn’t worry.” Burnet continued looking forward. “At night, the Pokémon won’t bother you if you don’t bother them. Just stay quiet and let them sleep.”
The next several minutes of walking were filled with an eerie, uncomfortable silence, but what did give Sam, Alice, and Dexio some odd solace was that they were certain it’s exactly what Burnet wanted from them in this moment. Soon after, the canyon began to open up into a wider area, a dead tree standing in the middle of it with a small grassy area just behind it. At the end of their path was the entrance to a cavern, which was kept lit with two torches on either side of it.
“Is this it?” Sam asked. “Is this where this altar is?”
“No, we are still a ways away. Now, come on.”
Upon entering into the cavern, Sam and Alice were immediately taken aback by how much brighter it was inside than out. Small fluorescent lights were hung around the walls to give the interior more color and reveal its entire space. Ladders were bolted to the cliff walls that led to the higher leveled paths, which crossed over in long winding bridges over to the other sides, one of which rounded a waterfall pouring from the corner of the ceiling into a small pool and stream below. It was truly a natural wonder to behold.
“Okay,” Alice scoffed, “you really aren’t going to expect Sam to climb up a ladder with me on it, are you?”
“Hopefully not, but there is a shortcut through here.” Burnet continued walking forward until she came across a large chasm where the water from the pool flowed into far below. “Dexio, if you would, please.”
With indignation, Dexio detached one of his balls from his belt and held it over the ravine. “Come on out, Metagross.”
His Pokémon formed from the Poké Ball’s energy and floated over the gap, only slightly perturbed by the height of the fall above it. It then docked itself at the front end so that the top of its head was level with the cavern floor.
“Alright,” he said to her, “aren’t you going across?”
“Hmph.” She turned away from him to face Sam and Alice. “Cute, but no. You’ll have the honors.”
“I don’t understand. Cute?”
“You want to send me across so we’ll become separated so that you and the siblings can make a run for it. This way, no matter what, I’ll always be by someone; neither of you will be able to leave without the other.”
Dexio frowned; the idea never crossed its mind, but it was a sound one. “Or I could return my Metagross back into its ball any time you want to cross. No matter to me.”
“You won’t do that. My powers may not be as strong right now, but I can still float myself up. Can you?”
The last question was icy enough that the threat against Dexio was loud and clear to him. With a nasal exhale, he stepped onto Metagross’s head before it carried him across. Stepping off to the other side, he allowed Metagross to return back as Burnet awaited it. Sam and Alice continued standing as Burnet walked onto Metagross’s head, prompting it to ferry her over as well.
“Can you stand again?” Sam asked her. “The pills kicking in yet?”
“Let me down so I can check.” Alice straightened her legs as her brother crouched down.
Pressing her foot onto the floor, she kept her eyes closed, expecting some kind of shooting sensation. She then slid off Sam as her eyes relaxed themselves, standing up slowly and tentatively.
“Feeling better?” he questioned.
“Still feels a little sore, but I should be good for now.” Metagross appeared before the two, extending two of its legs out to create more surface.
Understanding, Sam and Alice stepped on with one foot on the flat surface of Metagross’s head, while they stepped the other onto its arm. Once they were securely standing, the disk Pokémon gently carried them over to the other side, neither one of them waiting until it stopped before hopping back to solid ground with Dexio and Burnet.
“Feeling better?” Burnet turned toward the exit before Alice even had a chance to answer. “Good. We have a little bit more to go.”
Coming back out into the mild darkness, Sam and Alice were greeted by yet another tree that dwarfed the first they came across. What surprised them even more was how the branches were strewn about to form a winding ramp that connected to the cliffside paths high above them. However, it was clear that wasn’t their destination. Facing them just up ahead was another canyon pass with two triangular totems on each side of its entrance that Sam and Alice immediately recognized.
“Hold on,” Alice said, “this is a trial site?”
Burnet nodded once. “The oldest one on Alola too. In ancient times, those who wanted to wield the full power of the dragon had to pass through and obtain the Z-Crystal from the pedestal at its end. This is said to have inspired similar trials on the other islands until they became the Island Trials. And lucky for you and your brother, you will be challenging it now.”
“What?!” Sam and Alice both shouted.
“You both cleared your Grand Trial on Ula’ula, and this is in fact meant to be your next trial in your Island Challenge.”
“And like Dexio implied,” Sam spoke in, “I have a bad feeling this will end up being our last.”
Burnet scowled, her softer demeanor having been exhausted. “Our destination is on the other side of this pass, and if you don’t want me using you as shields against the Pokémon awaiting us in there as I’m very much prepared to do, then you get in there and clear the way yourselves!”
Sam and Alice looked into the narrow path, trying to let Burnet’s words drown out in their heads.
“On the bright side,” Alice said, “if we somehow manage to live through this, at least that’ll be one less trial for us to complete.”
Sam, even with the flurry of dread running through him, couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “And do you think we’ll need to heal our Pokémon before we do this?”
“She said something about ‘power of the dragon.’ If that’s the case, all the Pokémon I need were healed back at that village.”
Sam looked to his belt and felt through his balls contemplatively before facing forward again. “Yeah, me too. Let’s do this.”
The two stepped past the totems, and as the canyon walls closed off more of the starlight, they were stopped by the presence radiating inside them, like a dragon’s roar that they could feel. Uncertain if they were imagining things, they glanced about and waited for whatever they would be facing to attack them. Upon meeting Burnet’s icy stare, they focused back on the way ahead.
Walking deeper inside, the canyon got precariously wider and more illuminated as a Z-Crystal pedestal stood right before the exit. Even with the faint light they were given, the gem inside the pedestal sparkled brightly enough to be clearly seen. Despite the obviousness of the trap, there was no sound to be heard, sowing seeds of doubt in Sam and Alice’s minds.
With one last glance to each other, they put their hand on a Poké Ball on their belt and took another step forward. Immediately, the sound of rock crumbling off the cliff beneath the weight of something sounded from high above. Looking up, another higher-pitched breaking sound was made as whatever had expected them leapt off the top. Falling down to guard the pedestal was a massive Kommo-o and another smaller, similar dragon Pokémon with a stubbier nose and only a gold plate atop his head.
Upon them landing on the ground, another Pokémon flew in from the other side of the top of the canyon, appearing as a metallic, bipedal red insect with two large claws shaped like heads with yellow eyes, taking the side of the Kommo-o’s right. Recognizing the metal bug Pokémon as Scizor, Alice and Sam strangely could only focus on the newer dragon to Kommo-o’s left.
“I’m guessing that what Kommo-o used to be,” Sam said, fishing his Pokédex out, “but still, what is that thing?”
“Hakamo-o,” the device dictated, “the Scaly Pokémon. It sheds and regrows its scales on a continuous basis. The scales become harder and sharper each time they're regrown.”
Putting his Pokédex back, he threw out his Poké Ball with his free hand. “Go, Absol!”
“Let’s go, Mimikyu!”
Both Pokémon burst forth from their Poké Balls and landed on the ground together at the same time, rearing up to make their first hits.
“He’s sending a Dark-type up against a Fighting-type?” Burnet then put her hands to her chin. “He must have his reasons.”
Dexio stayed quiet, just wanting the match to go quickly and smoothly.
“Alright Mimikyu,” Alice shouted, “let’s start this thing off right! Hit the Kommo-o with–”
Immediately, the Scizor warped before Mimikyu and punched it in the neck of its disguise and sent it toppling back, breaking it. Once Scizor flew back to its spot, Mimikyu trembled with rage as the Hakamo-o crossed its arms, the scales on them brightening up until they were a brilliant white. Throwing them out, two metallic beams were hurled off the backs of its hands, the first of them blasting Mimikyu in its actual body and the second hitting the ground before it, exploding it up into the air.
“It knows Flash Cannon?” Alice gasped.
Absol looked out to his injured partner as the Totem Kommo-o charged it, winding its right arm in and upward. Absol looked back forward as the muscular dragon uppercutted Absol up into the chin, sending it flying up into the air with a cracking boom. Alice and Sam kept their eyes on their airborne Pokémon, Burnet and Dexio also looking uncertain if either Pokémon survived either attack. Both Pokémon crashed back onto their sides, the Totem Kommo-o taking two safe steps backward, awaiting either Pokémon’s awakening.
“Guys, get up!” Alice cried. “We really need you here!”
“Absol!” Sam balled his fists. “Don’t give up now!”
Burnet folded her arms. The trial Pokémons’ strategy was incredibly well executed, though what appeared to eat at her more was her desire for Absol and Mimikyu to not have been defeated.
“Come on, guys,” Dexio whispered. “Come on, you guys…”
To Sam and Alice’s immense relief, both Pokémon stirred awake, emboldened by the words of their trainers and friend. Mimikyu slunk back upright as Absol rolled itself onto all fours, both of their pairs of eyes trained on the now worried Totem Kommo-o.
“That’s it!” Sam threw two excited, reactionary punches at the air. “You got this!”
“Ready, Mimikyu?” Alice pulled her arms in.
“Attack the Totem Kommo-o with Play Rough!” they both shouted at the same time, pointing their fingers and arms out.
Both Pokémon ran at it, and the Totem Kommo-o tried to back up to rejoin Hakamo-o and Scizor, but both Absol and Mimikyu were both too fast for it. Absol bit down on its scaly dreadlock and slammed it onto its back. As it bounced up, Mimikyu unspooled its shadow arms from beneath its disguise and spun them around the Totem Kommo-o many times over before it could hit the ground.
With a shriek, Mimikyu hoisted the dragon up and pulled its arms in, rapidly spinning it around in the air. Before it could land again, Mimikyu brought its arms up and clobbered them down onto the Totem Kommo-o, the extra downward force and the turning of its body slamming its face into the ground, throwing a thick cloud of dirt and dust in the air. Absol and Mimikyu rushed into the cloud, which was so heavy that neither Sam nor Alice could see what was going on inside. However, from the sounds of the Totem Kommo-o’s roars and the repeated strikes and thuds coming within, it sounded as though they were winning.
Absol and Mimikyu leapt out of the front of the cloud before spinning back around to see their progress. The dust began to slowly settle, and Sam and Alice squinted through to try and see if their dual attack had been successful. Once the silhouette of it was visible, so soon was the rest of its body. The Totem Kommo-o was lying still on its stomach with its head turned sideways, it’s still open eyes looking off in different directions. Sam and Alice took a deep breath, their most difficult hurdle in this battle now cleared.
“Yeah,” Sam breathed out. “I knew that would–”
Scizor appeared once again before Mimkyu and slammed the blunt end of its claw into its stomach, sending it flying back. As it rolled to Alice, the form underneath its disguise became slimmer and less full, stopping with the costume twisted lightly. Hakamo-o sprinted at Absol with its arms held out behind itself. Once it got close, it swung its right arm deep down and then up, socking Absol upside the chest. It’s hangtime was far less than with Kommo-o’s hit, but it tumbled harder back to Sam than before.
Sam breathed out through his pursed lips as he retrieved Absol’s Poké Ball. “That’s okay, girl. We got through the worst of it.”
The red beams of Sam and Alice’s Poké Balls brought Absol and Mimikyu back inside. Alice then quickly replaced the ball with another.
“Okay, Sam,” she said. “I’ll handle the small fry and you torch the metal bug?”
Sam nodded as he pulled a Poké Ball off his belt. “You read my mind. Let’s go, Salazzle!”
“You’re up now, Noivern!”
Both of them threw their Poké Balls out, Sam’s flame salamander and Alice’s wyvern bursting out from them. Both Pokémon landed confidently before the remaining Scizor and Hakamo-o, the former of whom looked particularly nervous about Salazzle’s appearance.
“Alright!” Alice shouted. “Let’s see you try and get the jump on us now! Noivern, hit Hakamo-o with Dragon Pulse.”
“Salazzle, use Flamethrower on the Scizor, now!”
Filling its mouth with a swirling blue energy, it then fired it out as it traveled at the Hakamo-o like a comet, striking into its stomach hard enough to throw it off its feet and slammed its back against the canyon wall. Fires spilled out of Salazzle’s mouth as it tried to contain the fire it was packing inside its maw. Unable to withhold it any longer, Salazzle shot a marvelous, hefty stream of fire that also threw Scizor into the wall, the unrelenting blaze pinning it there as it cried out in pain.
Dexio was aghast as Sam and Alice’s Pokémon made short, simple work out of the remaining trial Pokémon. “My god, those kids… Look at how strong they’ve become.”
Burnet tightened the cross of her arms and frowned. “Truly Pokémon Master material…”
Finally, Salazzle stopped to finally breathe, freeing the Scizor as fell to its knees and just barely managed to catch it by the ends of its claws. Hakamo-o hopped back onto its two feet and rushed out at Noivern with its claws glowing bright blue.
Alice gasped, recognizing the attack. “Noivern, dodge it!”
Noivern beat its wings, beginning to get airborne. Looking down at the still-approaching Hakamo-o, it bent its legs and pushed off the ground hard, soaring up at Noivern faster than it could fly away. Swinging down, the Hakamo-o slashed down across Noivern’s stomach, the harsh sting and extra push sending it falling back down directly over Alice. With quick feet, she hopped back just as its back collided with the ground, and it writhed its gut upward as the pain shot up its spine.
“Noivern!” Alice reached to her Noivern as it scrambled to get back to all fours. “Are you alright?”
The Scizor focused on Salazzle and with a push off the canyon wall, it shot out at Sam’s Pokémon in an imperceptible blur. It punched its closed right claw out, a black energy forming off it as it slammed into Salazzle’s chest. Salazzle was quick to roll into its fall before getting back to its feet. The Scizor then looked to Noivern as it stood up straight on its two legs, recovered from the Hakamo-o’s attack. With a fast enough motion to appear as though it warped in front of it, it punched Noivern in the face and knocked its head to the side.
Alice smirked as her Noivern quickly recovered and brought its face down to its nearby foe. “Noivern! Finish the Scizor off with your own Flamethrower!”
Noivern’s mouth glowed hot and bright just as Scizor leapt back to avoid a point-blank attack, and Noivern washed its fiery breath over Scizor faster than it could escape it. With its feet landing, it couldn’t muster the strength to stand before collapsing onto its side and was rolled back into the still fainted Totem Kommo-o.
“Salazzle!” Sam shouted. “Hit Hakamo-o with Sludge Bomb!”
Rolling its stomach in, the bile accumulating inside of it went through its neck before Salazzle spat it out, lobbing it in a perfect arc before it splattered all over the dragon, covering it in the sticky, purple glop that weighed down on it. With an angered shriek, it tore from the stringy, pasty liquid and charged once again at Noivern.
With the distance between them, Noivern knew that it could not get away and simply closed its eyes as the Hakamo-o swung its glowing claws into Noivern’s body from the lower neck to the waist. Noivern limply fell back and slammed onto the floor, its eyes closed and his body completely exhausted. Before Noivern could lay completely still, the red beam from its Poké Ball returned it inside. Alice tapped the ball to her forehead before returning it to her belt.
Before she could reach for one of her other Poké Balls, she glanced up at the remaining Pokémon, who looked steadfast and determined as ever despite its desperate situation. With an assured nod, she reached back a couple of balls and plucked it off her belt.
“Let’s finish this, Gyarados!”
Throwing her ball out, the energy that spilled out expanded the entire length between her and the Z-Crystal’s pedestal and settled along the floor before it formed into her red, serpentine fish. Without water to swim in, Gyarados felt incredibly flustered as it squirmed about, uncomfortable about its surroundings.
Burnet and Dexio were both shocked by this choice, but refrained from commenting as Alice ran to her Pokémon as she pulled her backpack apart. Sliding beside Gyarados’s underbelly, she pulled out the magnet plates that Sophocles had given her.
“Okay,” she cooed, stroking its belly, “just hold still for a second.”
Examining the plate, she found one side that had a white box outline on it, and she placed that side onto one section of its snake-like undersection where it clung like a strong magnet would, forming around the curves. Sam, Salazzle, and Hakamo-o watched as Alice placed another plate on the other side of the ridge, where it clung perfectly too.
With only one plate left for her, Sam dug into his own bag and pulled out the remaining three plates. As Alice finished affixing the last of hers further up its chest, she heard a clatter behind her as the other three plates were tossed by her feet. Looking back as she picked them up, she gave her brother a nod and placed the fourth plate on the other side. Finally, she placed the final two closer to the end of its tail, and once they formed on, the borders of the plates began to whir and glow yellow.
Much to Gyarados’s sudden fright, it then began to float up off the ground, uncertain of how it was doing it. Once it got within five inches off the ground, the lights went from yellow to green. Gyarados could only now instinctually move its body, but it stayed in place like it would have had it been underwater. Elated at this new experience, the Gyarados let out a roar and looped backward in exaltation, though its fixed open-mouth grimace didn’t make it appear so.
Alice relaxed her head and let out a content sigh. “Thanks, Sophocles.”
With Gyarados now in fighting form, its stare, along with Salazzle’s, filled the Hakamo-o with incredible dread.
“We got this now!” Sam shouted. “Salazzle, hit him with another Sludge Bomb!”
“And then finish it with Dragon Rage!” Alice bellowed.
Salazzle spat another large glob of phlegm that splashed onto the Hakamo-o and strung down to the ground, the weight and damage it had already taken making it impossible for it to shake it off. It could only become calm and resign to its fate as Gyarados’s mouth filled with blue light that shot at the dragon in a smaller ball of aura.
It was just enough, however, to push the Hakamo-o out of its sickly bonds where it rolled into the Totem Kommo-o and Scizor, the last of them to lie still and remain unconscious. With the three Pokémon fainted, Sam and Alice suddenly felt a tense chill leave their bodies, as if the very ground which they stood on had announced their victory and bid them congratulations.
“I… I think that was it,” Sam breathed.
“I’m certain it was.” Alice then walked up beside her Gyarados and stroked as much of its side as her arm and hand could allow. “You did great, Gyarados. Can’t wait to see what we do from here.”
“You too, Salazzle. Keep up the good work.” Salazzle let out a low-pitched screech in appreciation.
As Alice and Sam returned their Pokémon into their balls, Dexio and Burnet came in from behind. “That was a spectactular battle indeed,” Burnet added, “but you aren’t going to look forward to what comes next. Now, let’s keep moving. Our destination just beyond this canyon.”
As Dexio followed behind, Sam and Alice hesitated for just a moment before they resolved to stay with them as well. They stopped again as they came close to the pedestal, the royal-blue Z-Crystal inside shimmering tantalizingly at them. Sam quickly took two steps past it, no longer able to see the prize inside.
“Sam?” Alice wondered.
He then glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. “You made the finishing blow. Plus, that seems like a far more fitting Z-Crystal for your Noivern than it would for any of my Pokémon.”
“Really? I mean, your Drampa could–”
“Just take the crystal. I won’t lose sleep over it. There are worse things to worry about right now…”
Alice waited just a few seconds as Sam continued to go where Burnet and Dexio did. Knowing that Burnet would be angry with her and her brother’s absence, she grabbed the crystal out of the slot and jogged to catch up with Sam. Soon, she and her brother made it to the pass’s exit, and what awaited them was stunning beyond all words.
They were standing in the middle of a large open area surrounded by towering plateaus and a steep drop on either side of them. The path then led down to a wide massive stairway that led to a large mesa with a triangular formation jutting high up behind it with an ornate, circular stone structure placed inside of it. While it was an impressive sight to behold, the majesty gave way to the daunting climb up its incredibly lengthy stairs.
“Incredible, isn’t it?” Burnet, clearly having seen the site many times before, sounded just as breathless as if it was only her first. “The very place where the ancients called on the power of the sun and moon to spread prosperity throughout Alola. And now, I shall use them to regain the remaining powers Necrozma lost long ago.”
Burnet began to take the steps, her stride far quicker and more energetic as the end of her journey was now within reach.
Dexio took a few steps up before stopping to ensure Sam and Alice’s coming-with. “It’s not much further, guys. Let’s get this over with.”
Going up every two steps, Dexio was quick to catch up. Sam crouched down as Alice mounted him once more, knowing for certain that her leg would not be strong enough to climb on her own.
“Ready?” he huffed.
“Mmhm.”
With one last breath in and out, Sam jogged up the stairs, hoping that he’d be able to catch up to the two before they reached the top.