//------------------------------// // Chapter 91 – On Solid Ground // Story: Pokémon Eclipse // by moviemaster8510 //------------------------------// Sitting upon the seats upon the shells of their Ride Laprases, Sam and Alice could finally better see the features of an island just a quarter mile or so away from them. The island was a mostly flat plain except for a wide, short, natural spire of a mountain at the northernmost point of the island. The rest of the island south of the landmark seemed to be densely populated with groups of palm trees. Sam looked out over the island for the best place to dock, and it was then that he noticed once of the trees shift sideways from behind another. “Hah, Alice!” Seeing his brother pointing at the tree that he spotted, Alice looked in his general direction, watching with matched surprise as it waddled its away around its group of trees toward the eastern side of the island. It was then that she noticed the three faces on the coconuts that hung just beneath the leaves, realizing that this was one of the Pokémon for which the island received its name. “Wow,” Alice exclaimed, “how tripped out do you think someone who’s never heard of this place would feel upon seeing that?” “Probably very!” Sam shouted back. “I have a feeling our Kahuna’s going to be on top of that mountain, let’s try and dock there!” “Reading my mind again!” Alice’s Lapras veered toward the mountain. “To think, you may have been Team Prism’s secret ace in the hole!” “What, are–” Sam began to grumble. “I’m not the one with a Psychic Pokémon.” “But it is the only one who knows a Psychic attack, you know.” After a moment of silence, Sam scoffed, not wanting to delve deeper into his sister’s mean joke. “Whatever, we’re almost there.” Following Alice’s Lapras closely, Sam made his way to the Exeggutor Island mountain, neither he nor his sister able to ignore more of the native Pokémon as they frolicked about their stomping grounds. With their Laprases staying still upon the rocky beach at the base of the mountain, Sam and Alice returned their Pokémon into their metal balls before sending them back through their Ride Pagers. The two then picked their feet up through the rocks their feet sank into as they made their way to a small ledge where they could see a path spiral its way up the mountain. Alice reached the ridge first, feeling her hands for a good place to put her fingers and toes on. Sam, upon reaching a solid surface, got a running start and ran up the wall enough to grab a hold of the edge and pull himself up. Alice, sighing and shaking her head, began to climb up, and once she was near the top of the ledge herself, Sam reached down to offer his hand. Alice nonetheless took it, Sam quickly pulling her up to allow her to crawl up onto the surface. “Showoff.” Sam chuckled. “One thing us Prism guys know is to be one step ahead of our enemies.” “Sam, just drop it!” He shrugged, happy to have this victory. “You’re the one who brought it up.” “So now I’m dropping it. You should too.” Following the winding path up, Sam and Alice looked out along the sea as they hiked, getting a wonderful view of the western face of Poni Island and the Seafolk Village. The path forced them to look out to the north and the vast sea, making them keep their attention on the path ahead. As they continued the trail as it bent around to the west, they finally reached the top of a grassy, plateaued surface with newer manmade stone ramparts guarding most of its perimeter. Upon stepping onto the flat surface, they saw Hapu standing in the center of it, facing them. “Looks like you found your way okay.” “To be fair,” Sam said, approaching with Alice, “it’s not that big of an island.” “True, but you made it all the same, and for that, I’m glad.” Now standing only a couple feet from her, Hapu had to look up at Alice, making Sam appear even more towering by comparison. Her determined frown turned a bit squeamish, a change Sam noticed fairly quickly. “Is something wrong?” he asked. Hapu hissed through her teeth, realizing the pointlessness of keeping her feelings a secret. “I’m not going to lie, I feel incredibly anxious about facing you two. From the stories I’ve heard about your trials thus far, your skirmishes with Team Prism, and how you helped everyone in Hau’oli, I’m almost confident that I will not defeat either of you…” After bowing her head in a show of vulnerability, she picked it back up, her determined glare returning. “But that shouldn’t matter now. I am the Kahuna of Poni Island, and now that you two have completed both of its trials before mine, it is time that I faced one of you. Now, which one of you shall it be?” Sam immediately raised his hand. “I’ll go. Let’s do this.” Alice grabbed his arm and leaned into the corner of his vision. “Sam, are you sure about this?” “Pretty sure. Why, did you want to go first?” “Well, yeah, but–” “Then you should have spoken up sooner.” Alice let her brother go and stepped aside. “Hapu, I’m ready.” Hapu smiled, feeling a bit more confident now. “I like your determination. Alright, Alice, you can face me after your brother.” “Ugh, fine!” Alice made a brisk walk to the edge of the plateau, leaning back against a rampart. “This better be worth the wait!” Sam and Hapu began to back away until their own backs hit the wall, stepping forward a couple paces to give themselves and their first Pokémon room to battle. With Alice standing off at the midway point, the combatants and the sole member of their audience were set. “I bet you haven’t gotten tired of hearing this, but I still gotta’ do my job,” Hapu called out. “Sam, are you ready to take your final Grand Trial?” “About as tired as you are from hearing this.” He nodded. “I am ready.” “Then send out your first Pokémon!” Hapu removed the first of four Ultra Balls from her belt and tossed it underhand in a fast, straight line. “You’re up first, Dugtrio!” With the energy of the ball slamming into the ground and creating a hole, Hapu’s three brown, red-nosed, blonde-haired moles emerged bouncing and sniffing in anticipation. Sam kept this eye on the familiar Pokémon. “Much different than our Dugtrios,” he silently commented. “And its hair is pretty shiny. I wonder…” He then took out his own Poké Ball and tossed it. “Let’s go, Aegislash!” With its ball opening up, Aegislash emerged from its energy and faced Dugtrio with its sword held snugly in the enarme of its shield. Hapu’s eyes widened and her lips parted in surprise over this interesting first choice. “You sent a Steel-type against a Ground-type first? Perhaps I was wrong about worrying myself.” “Type’s not the reason I chose him,” Sam replied, “but go on ahead and take him on if you think it’ll be that easy!” “With pleasure, Sam. Dugtrio, attack Aegislash with Earthquake!” With a collective shift downward, the three moles audibly broke the earth beneath them, cracks appearing upon the surface of the ground as they spread out toward Aegislash. The Dugtrio then quickly moved forward, blasting large chunks of rock and dirt at both Aegislash and Sam. “Aegislash!” Sam commanded. “Block it with King’s Shield!” Holding its stance firm, Aegislash pushed forward, its hexagonal aura barrier appearing in front of it. The chunks of the earth that were levied at Sam and his Pokémon crashed into the barrier before they settled back down to form a wall from the length of one end of the plateau to the other. “That didn’t seem to do very much!” Hapu boisterously shouted. “Dugtrio, Earthquake again!” The Dugtrio was already ready, moving forward and shaving off more of the plateau off at Aegislash, this time picking up some of the leftover pieces from the last attempt, all of which slammed hard into Aegislash this time. Aegislash stood its ground well enough to keep any pieces from hitting Sam while the rest blasted away beside him, demolishing the ramparts and sending everything that toppled off the edge into the sea below. “That King’s Shield must be a nifty ability,” Hapu taunted, “but it won’t protect you forever.” “Yeah, you’re right,” Sam coarsely admitted, “but now it’s time to get on the offensive! Aegislash, attack Dugtrio with Sacred Sword!” “Sacred Sword?!” Hapu was taken aback by this. “Of course, the only non-legendary that knows such a move…” With Aegislash’s blade glowing bright blue, it hopped out from the handle of its shield and caught it in the hand of its cloth arm. Shooting out tip-first, it spun its body in a wide arc, slashing across all three of Dugtrio’s bodies. Hapu gasped as her Pokémon was pushed back against the earth toward her. As Dugtrio struggled to pick up its heads, Aegislash swung back toward Sam, ready for his next order. “Good job, buddy!” Aegislash let out a metallic groan and banged on its shield with its free arm. “I gotta’ agree with Hapu on one thing, and it’s that King’s Shield won’t work all that well against her Dugtrio. So what’s say we go ahead and finish her right off? Aegislash, attack again with Sacred–” “Sucker Punch!” Immediately upon Hapu’s call, Dugtrio appeared to vanish underneath the ground. As Aegislash’s blade turned blue again to attack, Dugtrio popped up out from the ground and butted up into it with all three of its heads, sending it flying up into the air with a blast of black energy. Caught completely off guard, Aegislash relinquished its hold on its shield as it limply tumbled about before falling back to the ground. “Aegislash!” Sam jolted in horror upon his Pokémon’s shield loudly clanging to the ground, followed by Aegislash itself. “Dammit…” Sam slowly pulled out Aegislash’s ball, hoping against hope that it would get back up by the time he pointed it at it. With his Pokémon lying as still as before, Sam hissed through his teeth as he let the red beam of his ball connect with Aegislash, its body and its shield turning into energy before they merged together and receded back inside. “Your Aegislash put up a hell of a fight,” Hapu admitted, “but when Steel meets Ground, there’s only one clear winner.” Sam breathed out gently, surveying his situation. “Yeah, that may be true, but how about Fire and Poison?” Hapu blinked, uncertain if she heard Sam correctly. “Don’t tell me you’re–” “Yep, you’ve got it!” Sam threw his next ball straight from his belt. “You’re on Salazzle!” With the ball’s opening, Sam’s large salamander hopped out from the energy, facing Hapu’s Dugtrio with unflappable confidence. Alice straightened herself out, eager to see the result of this matchup. Hapu settled down, having figured Sam’s strategy out. “Of course, Salazzle is still faster and partially stronger against it.” “Okay, Salazzle!” Sam yelled. “You got this now. Finish off Dugtrio with Flamethrower!” “Sucker Punch, quickly!” Dugtrio vanished once again at Hapu’s word. As Salazzle breathed in to breathe its fire breath out, Dugtrio emerged beneath it, shooting it up into the air with a butting of its heads into its lower waist. Sam kept his eyes on his Pokémon as it spun and flipped through the air. “Don’t give up, girl! You still have it!” Straightening itself out, Salazzle began to dive headfirst toward Dugtrio from overhead, putting Hapu back on edge. “Dugtrio,” she shouted, “get out of there!” Dugtrio receded back into its hole, disappearing under the cover of darkness. Sam, however, was not deterred, the widening of his grin only serving to make Hapu even more nervous. Sam scooped his arm upwards before pointing his finger downward. “Get your Flamethrower ready and then flush it out!” Alice was even compelled to gasp at this, watching as Salazzle breathed in as its hands and feet landed upon the ground, the fire in its mouth spilling over. With a loud screech, Salazzle shot flames down into the hole, the panicked screams of Dugtrio able to be heard deep inside. “Dugtrio!” Hapu stepped toward her nearest hole and looked down, already seeing the fire’s light fill it as it suddenly appeared to rise out. Hapu hopped backwards just as the flame pillar erupted from the hole, shooting several stories upward. Looking back on Salazzle, its face broke out into a sweat as it struggled to let out as much fire as its lungs could possibly squeeze out. Finally, it took a sharp breath in, stumbling over backwards with the sudden burst of oxygen filling its body. Once the fires of Hapu’s hole petered out, she crawled over toward the edge of it, looking over to see three heads slowly rising out from it. “Dugtrio! Are you alright?” The faces on each of its heads strained as they tried to get each one above the surface. Once they did, they each finally let out a single sigh before slumping over, allowing unconsciousness to take hold of them. “Woo!” Alice began to clap. “Nice one, Salazzle!” With a proud nod and chin-up toward her, Salazzle took its trainer’s sister’s compliment in stride. Standing back onto her feet, Hapu took out Dugtrio’s Ultra Ball and returned it back inside. “Well, looks like we each lost one,” she said, “but now that you’ve used up your special strategy, it’s time to finish it off. Let’s go, Gastrodon!” With a toss of her next ball, her giant blue slug plopped onto the ground upon forming from the energy within it. Sam, recognizing the creature with a grimace, soon pulled off a slight smirk. “Still, we’ll at least get one more hit! Salazzle, hit Gastrodon with Sludge Bomb!” Salazzle cleared its throat, and with a hefty spit, it launched a large ball of mucus right into Gastrodon’s face, where it splashed all over around its head, neck, and upper body. While mewing in discomfort, it managed to wiggle and shake most of the slime off its body. “That’s the stuff, Gastrodon!” Hapu called. “Now, take it out with Mud Bomb!” With its cheeks puffing up wide, Gastrodon also spat up an equal-sized ball made of wet, compacted dirt right in Salazzle’s direction. Still exhausted from the attacks it both made and took, Salazzle was unable to avoid Gastrodon’s attack, the mud splattering over every inch of its body in a thick, immobilizing layer. With Salazzle immobile inside the mound it was buried under, Sam slid over and began digging away. “Salazzle! Salazzle!” Finally unearthing its head, Sam was quick and gentle to free it and lay it back down, giving it room to breathe. Though able to sigh with relief over his Pokémon’s safety, there was still tangible disappointment in his huff to note its defeat. Standing back up, he pulled out Salazzle’s Poké Ball and returned his Pokémon in it, the mud laying atop it sinking under the now vacant space. Sam looked back up to Hapu and Gastrodon, each of whom stood strong and ready for whatever he would bring out. “Those are some pretty confident looks you’ve got there, especially considering you’ll only have half your team left by the time my turn’s over.” With their mouths coming open again, neither Hapu nor her Pokémon could withhold their surprise over such a claim. Trying their best to appear unfazed, Hapu and Gastrodon bared their teeth and awaited Sam to prove his point. “Alright, Lurantis,” Sam shouted, throwing his next Poké Ball out toward its next opponent, “your turn now!” With it opening in midair, Lurantis soared out from the energy that shot out from its ball and slid to a graceful, yet threatening stop. Hapu pursed her lips. “So now he sends out his Grass-type. And of course it’s even faster than Gastrodon.” “You better believe it!” Sam threw his arm forward. “Lurantis, attack Gastrodon with Petal Blizzard!” With both of its scythes glowing, Sam’s Pokémon swung them out to the right, creating a tremendous whirlwind that pulled many bright-pink petals out from under its arms, spreading out until they got near Gastrodon. Hapu backed away as the flowery cyclone threatened to engulf her. She and Alice then watched in amazement as Gastrodon was completely pelted in the entirely of its left side by Lurantis’s attack. Hapu’s Pokémon whined loudly as half its body was feathered with the petals, and they still wouldn’t let up. Finally, just as the twister began to settle down, Gastrodon laid its head down, unable to continue fighting. “Gastrodon,” Hapu whimpered. “No…” “Yah! Nice one, Lurantis!” Hearing Sam’s compliment, Lurantis crossed its arms and put its legs together, keeping its eyes on Hapu as she returned Gastrodon to its ball. “So yeah, Hapu! How’s about that?” Hapu clutched Gastrodon’s ball tightly in frustration before placing it back onto her belt. “Yeah, Sam, that’s pretty great. You’re halfway there now. But…” She pulled her next Ultra Ball off her belt. “I want this to be the point where it starts getting hard for you, and the rest of my Pokémon and I are going to make sure that’s the case!” Sam clenched his fists as Lurantis sharpened its scythes against each other. Hapu threw her ball forward. “You’re on, Flygon!” With her ball thrown low to the ground upon opening, her green insectoid dragon soared out just as low before pulling up hard and fast enough to just barely avoid hitting Lurantis or Sam. Twirling about, it kept a spot in the air right above its trainer, looking down at Lurantis with sheer focus. “Okay, Flygon, you got this one!” Hapu threw a pointed finger at Lurantis. “Hit Lurantis with Dragon Rush!” Flygon took to the air several lengths, and with a tight bow in its arc, it shot back down to the ground at tremendous speeds, a cone of red aura trailing around its head. Lurantis ran out at it to meet it in the middle, Flygon adjusting its flight accordingly. Crossing its scythes in front of its body, Hapu’s Pokémon crashed into them, slamming Lurantis down into the ground and dragging it along toward Sam, spraying chips and chunks of rock out. Sam turned away and covered the back of his neck with his hands as the stones fell onto him. Sam glanced back as far as he safely could. “Lurantis, get ‘em with Poison Jab!” Sliding its right scythe out from under the weight of the Flygon’s body, the tip began to glow purple before it swung its arm back in, digging the point into the base of the dragon’s neck. With a pain-riddled screech, Flygon rolled off of Lurantis, allowing it to roll away and get some space between them. Alice sidestepped as Flygon backed up toward her corner. Lurantis supported itself with its arms on its knees, panting tiredly as it awaited Flygon’s next move. “You have her on the ropes now, Flygon,” Hapu called, “now finish it off with Steel Wing!” Hopping back, Flygon pushed off the wall and shot out at Lurantis with its wings shimmering bright. Lurantis began to break into a run straight at its target. “Lurantis,” Sam shouted, “attack with X-Scissor!” Holding its arms behind it, Lurantis kept its eyes on Flygon as it began to weave, preparing to shift at any point. With a wider lean of its body, Flygon began to bank to its right, Lurantis hopping to the left, hugging its arms in as it prepared to slash them out on Flygon’s face. To Sam and Lurantis’s surprise, Flygon changed direction once again, turning hard enough to the left to direct the top bar of its wing at Lurantis’s body. Flygon’s attack hit right where it needed to, racking Lurantis over the surface of its wings before flinging it back into the wall, its back hitting the rock and sliding down before it crumpled into an uncomfortable pile. “Lurantis, no!” Sam reached for his Pokémon, but quickly let his arm drop, knowing there was nothing else to be done for it. With an upward spiral, Flygon returned to its position above Hapu, watching with her as Sam aimed Lurantis’s Poké Ball at it, the red beam connecting to its body and having it recede back inside. Sam blew an uncomfortable sigh. “Well, looks like we’re both halfway done now.” Hapu crossed her arms haughtily. “And don’t think that that free Poison Jab you got on Flygon gives you a bigger advantage. Like I said, this is where your battle gets hard, and if this keeps going, you’re not going to be having the best of times.” Sam let out a snicker that turned into a weak chuckle, intriguing Alice and Hapu. “So you’re putting the rest of your faith into your Flygon and Mudsdale, huh? That’s just fine with me, I think I can manage with the rest of my team.” Sam detached his next Poké Ball, and with an upward toss, he sent it high over the tallest ramparts still standing. “Archeops, let’s go!” With the ball opening up and spilling the white energy inside skyward, Archeops likewise made its way toward the clouds before surveying its space, towering above even Flygon. “Alright, Archeops,” Sam exclaimed, “show Flygon your best Dragon Claw!” Archeops tucked its wings in and began to nosedive down at Flygon’s head. Though its speed was tremendous, Flygon squinted as it awaited the proper moment. With Archeops refusing to pull up or slow its descent, Flygon suddenly turned nervous as it moved its neck and head, watching in sheer confusion as Archeops whizzed by, about to soar down outside the plateau. Upon being outside of the battlefield, Archeops finally opened its wings and bent its body out, looping halfway back as it began to fly back toward Flygon, who could only see the prehistoric bird through the corner of its vision. With a clockwise barrel roll, Archeops sped between two of the ramparts before turning upright upon reaching Flygon. With its momentum aiding its movements, Archeops slashed its red-hot right claw along the side of Flygon’s face, the added force slamming it back into the ground in front of Hapu, blowing a pulse of dirt and powdered rock across the plateau. “Yeah!” Sam yelled with a punch and pumping of his fists. “Nice one!” As Flygon pushed itself up by its claws, its arms trembled as Archeops landed upon the ground, flicking its right wing to stretch its joints. Flygon glanced over at its foe with disdain, certain that the next hit from it would not be one it would withstand. “Flygon,” Hapu shouted, “don’t give up! We still have two more Pokémon to battle.” With a yelp and push off the ground, its wings helped carry it up before it set its feet down, fully facing Sam’s Pokémon and awaiting its next move. “You got this now, Archeops!” Sam called out. “Finish it with another Dragon Claw!” With a screech, Archeops ran along the ground, holding its wings out to glide over Dugtrio’s leftover hole on its way to its target. Flygon frowned and bared its teeth, hoping to hear its trainer’s voice soon. Finally, Hapu reacted. “Flygon, get it now with Stone Edge!” With another beat of its wings, Flygon got airborne before its swung its tail out and up in Archeop’s direction. Sam’s Pokémon leapt over the hole right as a long, pointed rock jutted out from the pit, jabbing right into Archeop’s gut as it continued to shoot up, taking Archeops up with it. With a weakened gurgle of a cry, its wings, legs, and head began to drift in the breeze. Hapu breathed from her nose and nodded at what her Pokémon had done. “That’s it…” Sam and Alice watched his Pokémon intently as it reached the apex of its ascent, waiting for the moment when it would finally come to and continue fighting. With Archeops falling as limply as it rose, Sam clenched his teeth, knowing he needed to do something. “Archeops, you still got it! Finish it with Dragon Claw!” Archeops's eyes finally came open, and with a panicked recalibration of its body and wings, it finally began to dive down above Flygon. With Archeop’s right claw curled in preparation for its attack, Flygon could only look up to see its foe a few feet above it. Archeop’s claw hooked into the side of the base of Flygon’s neck, and with its speeds, it slammed Flygon headfirst back into the ground, another explosion of dirt and rock following. Archeops quickly hopped and scurried out from the dust, standing before Sam to watch the fading of the cloud together. As expected, Flygon’s body was quickly revealed to all present, laying still and placid as if it were in a deep sleep. Hapu grunted as she pounded the side of her leg with her fist in frustration. “Nicely done, Archeops! That was awesome!” Elated to hear such compliments from Sam, Archeops threw its arms up and loudly cawed. Hapu returned Flygon into her Ultra Ball, her last one already held in her right hand. “Dammit…” Sam and Alice settled down their smug grins as they looked out at Hapu, who could hardly even bear to look them or Archeops in their eyes. “Hapu?” Sam softly asked. On hearing her name, Hapu jerked her head up, revealing her trembling eyes and pouted lips. Realizing she’d been found out, she turned her entire body away from them. “I’m sorry, you two,” she spoke to them, “but it’s just so hard.” “What’s so hard?” Sam responded. Hapu worked up the strength and courage to stand in front of them again. “Did you know that you two are the first trial-goers to make it to this point in literally years?” “Huh? For serious?” She nodded. “Most gave up even before they made it to Nanu, but look at you. You powered through to this point in nearly a week’s time. I know I didn’t come to battle you and expect to win, but I was still hoping to give the first trial-goers I’ve battled in years some kind of a challenge.” Alice crossed her arms. “You still have one more Pokémon, don’t you?” Hapu’s eyes widened in slight devastation. “What are you–” “Who cares how well your opponent is doing? I guarantee you that right now, Sam couldn’t care less how many more Pokémon than you he has left, and he and his Pokémon are going to continue on as if you still have a full roster. I get that you wanted this battle to go differently, but if you don’t drop that defeatist attitude soon, Sam’s Pokémon are going to completely cream your Mudsdale.” Hapu clutched the Ultra Ball in her right hand tighter. “You really think I have a shot here?” “I think the question is if you think you do, Hapu. Now, finish this battle and fight my brother like it’s the end of the world again!” Hapu blew a calming breath through her pursed lips, Alice’s words beginning to kindle her fire. Looking up at her Ultra Ball, she seemed to envision her Mudsdale looking back up at her inside. “That’s right… I know you can do this.” Hapu reeled her arm back and threw her ball out. “Let’s finish this Mudsdale.” With her ball bursting open, Hapu’s massive earthy horse landed its hooves upon the ground, shaking the plateau and nearly knocking Sam and Archeops off balance. With Hapu appearing more passionate than ever before, Sam smiled wide. “Alright, now that’s the stuff.” Sam threw his pointed finger forward. “Archeops, hit Mudsdale with Bulldoze!” Archeops screeched in delight as it took to the air and looped backwards for extra momentum. Zooming past Sam, it flew low to the ground, beginning to pick up a wave of mud. “Is that all?” Hapu said to herself. “Mudsdale, finish Archeops off with Heavy Slam!” Hapu’s Mudsdale galloped forward, keeping its eyes on the low-flying bird and the mud that it carried beneath it. It headed right for Flygon’s Stone Edge tower seemingly as if it wasn’t there. Soon, Archeop began to pull up, a tsunami of brown rising up with it. Hapu’s Mudsdale leapt up, breaking apart the tower with the front of its head and its leading hoof. With its other hooves stepping upon the now flat lower surface, Mudsdale was now able to jump higher to reach Archeops’s altitude. Along with the pieces of rock still pressed against its body, the Mudsdale crashed through Archeops’s Bulldoze and slammed its full weight into it, taking it downward. Archeops tried to shimmy itself away, but the Mudsdale’s fall pinned it to its body, sandwiching it between the hard ground and its massive body upon landing. While Mudsdale was able to gracefully roll back onto all fours, Archeops laid upon its back with its wings and legs splayed flat on the floor, it tongue hanging lazily out of the corner of its mouth. “Hot damn…” Sam didn’t need to wait for his Pokémon to get back up, already returning it back into its ball. “Now there’s the Kahuna battle I came for!” Hapu had her arms proudly at her hips as her Pokémon cantered back to her. “And Mudsdale will be your hardest Pokémon yet. Let’s see if your final two can take her down.” “With pleasure!” Sam put Archeops’s ball back onto his belt before taking out another ball and throwing it out. “You’re on, Absol!” The ball burst open, the energy inside streaming down onto the ground as it formed into Sam’s black and white long-furred feline. “If you think Alice was bluffing when she said I was taking this battle seriously…” He then brandished his Z-Ring, the Key Stone inside of it seeming to shimmer in reply. “…maybe this will convince you!” Hapu and her Mudsdale both gasped. “A Key Stone?!” She then looked down to see the Absolite necklace hanging from the Pokémon’s neck. “Where did he get…” Sam placed his fingers onto the rainbow marble in his Z-Ring, both it and the Absolite starting to shine brightly. “Respond to my heart, Key Stone! Beyond evolution! Mega Evolve!” The light within the Key Stone radiated like a sun as colorful DNA-shaped tendrils of light spread out from it and snaked their way toward Absol’s Mega Stone. Upon making contact, Absol trembled as it tried to withstand the energy slowly engulfing it. From the Absolite out, an aura colored the same as the bands of light began to cover all of Absol’s body until it was blazing with energy. At once, a pair of wings shot out from its sides and spread out, followed by the lengthening and waving of its horn, followed by a slight growth in its fur, particularly the bangs over half of its face. With its added features having appeared, the aura covering Absol turned a bright white before it shattered and burst off of it, Mega Absol now taking Absol’s place. “You had that hidden on me the whole time?” Hapu hissed. “Not exactly!” Sam guffawed. “Sorry we couldn’t keep fighting on the same half of Hau’oli that one night, but she was a beaut then, and she’ll be twice as beautiful now.” Mega Absol barked at Sam, wanting nothing more than to be given a command. “Right, sorry! Mega Absol, attack Mudsdale with Psycho Cut!” Hapu’s determination returned as Mega Absol’s horn began to glow a bright magenta. “Mudsdale, weather through it and then attack with Double Kick!” The Mudsdale began to gallop forward as Mega Absol launched its psychic bow. The Mudsdale leap over Dugtrio’s hole as the bow hit its face. Though it hit it hard enough to falter its limbs and push back its trajectory, the Mudsdale stuck its landing and continued forward. Stunned over the Mudsdale’s stamina, Mega Absol stayed still as a statue as Hapu’s Pokémon swung its back half around and stuck its leg out, kicking Mega Absol hard enough in the face to knock it off its paws, leaving it crashing to the floor. “Absol!” Alice shouted. As Mega Absol sprung back onto its fours, it was suddenly met by the Mudsdale’s backside quickly approaching it, its other leg reeled back in before it drove it out, striking Mega Absol upside the chin and throwing it toward the top of the ramparts. Flipping back, Mega Absol managed to catch its front claws on the edge of the wall, flapping its wings to keep itself level before it managed to perch itself and its back paws along the top of the wall like a gargoyle. “Mega Absol, are you okay?” Sam’s query was met back with a drawn-out dual-toned mew. “That’s good. I don’t think that Mudsdale’s going to want you to stick around for much longer, so let’s try and finish this now! Hit her with Megahorn!” Mega Absol leapt off the wall and began to charge at the Mudsdale, its horn now turning a brilliant yellowish-green. Seeming to sense its trainer’s judgment, the Mudsdale kept its stoic eyes upon the approaching Pokémon and awaited Hapu to respond. “Mudsdale, jump!” Bending its legs down, the Mudsdale pushed off the ground at the exact right time, the tip of Mega Absol’s horn grazing the bottom of its front hoof as it continued rising above it to let Sam’s Pokémon pass underneath. Mega Absol swung itself around to a stop just as the Mudsdale landed back onto its hooves, quickly spinning around to face Mega Absol head-on. “That was amazing, Mudsdale!” Hapu shouted to it. “Now finish it off with another Double Kick!” The Mudsdale galloped at Mega Absol, Sam closely watching the former’s body language. “Mega Absol, up and avoid it!” On its trainer’s command, Mega Absol hopped up on its front paws and stood upright on its hind legs just as the Mudsdale turned around and tucked its legs in. Then, to Sam and Alice’s surprise, the Mudsdale twisted its legs about so that they were now squarely aimed at Mega Absol’s body, the left one jamming into its gut while the right blasted into its face. The dual kick was strong enough to send Mega Absol soaring to the wall of the ramparts, its back slamming against it and breaking the brick behind it. As it peeled off from the wall, the broken pieces began to tumble down, falling off the edge of the plateau or landing in a pile on the ground. Upon tumbling to the ground itself, Mega Absol’s body began to shine bright with the Key Stone’s energy before the light broke away from it, returning Absol’s body back to normal. Despite the loss of his next Pokémon, the corner of Sam’s mouth couldn’t help but curl upward in a silly grin. “Son of a bitch…” Alice was too stunned by what Hapu’s Mudsdale had managed to accomplish, but none were more surprised than Hapu herself. “YEAH!” Hapu leapt up into the air, flailing her limbs about. “Mudsdale, you absolute legend!” Her Pokémon stamped and whinnied joyfully to match its trainer’s excitement. As Hapu and her Mudsdale continued celebrating, Sam aimed his Absol’s Poké Ball at its motionless body and returned it inside. Sam then clasped the ball with both hands and placed his forehead upon it. “Don’t worry,” he breathed out, “we can’t win them all.” He then placed the ball back on his belt before grabbing the ball of his last viable Pokémon. “At least we get to cap it off with you.” Sam threw his ball out. “Let’s end this, Drampa!” An explosion of white energy burst from the ball, spreading out to form his furry dragon. Drampa roared at Hapu and Mudsdale, bringing them back to attention. Alice also began to smile, feeling hopeful for her brother once again. “Oh, here we go…” “Down to our last Pokémon now, aren’t we?” Hapu held up her Z-Ring for her Pokémon to see. “Alright Mudsdale, you ready for this?” “Hold on there!” Sam exclaimed. “Drampa, attack Mudsdale with Ice Beam!” Drampa’s mouth began to turn cold as a layer of ice formed inside it. It then shot out a bright, cold beam from its maw that hit the Mudsdale hard in the chest, pushing it back toward Hapu, who stood in stunned silence as her Pokémon cried out in immense pain. “Incredible!” she gasped. “Mudsdales are typically faster than Drampas, unless… of course, that damn Archeops!” Drampa could no longer maintain its beam, and with the last of it pressing into Mudsdale, Hapu’s Pokémon swooned. Hapu clenched her fists as she waited for her Mudsdale to keep its balance, and as it began to fall, it managed to catch itself on one of its forelegs before pushing back onto its hoof. “Good job, Mudsdale!” Hapu crossed her arms in front of her face, activating her Z-Ring as its energy connected to her Pokémon. “Time for the big finish!” Hapu put her arms down to her side and crossed them out alone, though her Mudsdale seemed to be flexing its muscles in synch with her movements. Throwing her arms to the left, she then spun to the right with her arms hugged to her chest. Upon facing Sam and Drampa again, she pulled her right leg back to fall into a lunge, supporting herself with her right hand and holding her left fist up. Z-Power shot from Hapu’s arm and back as it flew straight into her Mudsdale’s body. As the Mudsdale’s aura began to flare up, it jiggled its body so that it could transfer the sudden warmth through every inch of its body. “I have to thank you Alice for the kind words!” Hapu shouted back. “I could have never done any of this without you!” Alice frowned as she kept her eyes on Sam’s Drampa. Sam likewise glared at this Pokémon from behind as if trying to fill it with extra willpower. “Come on Drampa, you got this. Come on, Drampa!” “Mudsdale!” Hapu shouted. “Attack Drampa with Tectonic Rage!” Bellowing out a whinny, Hapu’s Mudsdale hopped up off its front hooves, the Z-Power coursing through it beginning to move there. Stomping back on the ground, the space between Dugtrio’s two holes began to implode in. Drampa, sitting on the edge of the one closest to Sam, found the ground break beneath it as well, and as it fearfully honked for its life, it slipped into the newly formed crater. “Drampa!” Sam shouted. Before it could claw and fly its way out, the Mudsdale leapt into the crater and fell atop of Drampa, its weight pressing Drampa harder into the surface and breaking large cracks all along it. Sam looked into the crater with horror as the cracks began to glow hot and bright before a volcanic eruption shot high up into the air, engulfing Drampa and the Mudsdale with it. Hapu’s Mudsdale sprung out of the magmal pillar with its Z-Power aura keeping its body safe, landing back on Hapu’s side of the crater to watch the rest of the attack play out. Sam watched as Drampa was pushed out from the plume before arcing up to fall back down toward him. Landing hard upon the ground, Drampa let out a weak groan as it bounced to a stop. The lava too fell back down into the crater, filling up the space that Hapu’s Mudsdale’s Z-Move left to mend what the rest of battle had broken. Through the steam pouring through the newly made spot, Hapu and her Mudsdale gazed upon Drampa as it slowly began to lift its head up off the ground. Sam, seeing his Pokémon struggle to stay up, gasped repeatedly as more of its body inched up off the ground. “You got this, buddy,” Sam loudly whispered. “Come on, Drampa, you got this!” Drampa continued to rise, never once faltering or swooning as it pulled itself up straight. Hapu was astounded by the sight. “Ho… ly… crap.” Finally, Drampa found itself back on its belly, now able to hang its head down and pant as it regained its stamina. “Yes!” Alice screamed. “Yes, bro, you got this!” Sam giggled, feeling more confident than ever. “Hey, Drampa! Don’t tell me you’re too tired to hit back with a Z-Move yourself!” Looking back at its trainer with a furrowed brow, Drampa let out moo and smile to permit his request. “Alright then, let’s finish this!” Sam removed his Poisonium Z from the face of his Z-Ring before pulling his Dragonium Z from his pocket and placing it inside. “That Z-Crystal,” Hapu stammered. “Is that really–” “And I thank you for it, Hapu,” Sam theatrically bowed to her. “I wouldn’t be able to do this without you!” Straightening himself and widening his stance, Sam crossed his arms in front of his face, his Z-Ring and the Dragonium Z inside it flaring to life. As Sam brought his arms down, his Drampa did the same, also crossing its arms out as Sam was doing behind it. The two of them then brought their balled fists to the right of their heads before thrusting them out as far as their arms could allow. Finally, Sam and Drampa pulled their arms apart with their fingers pointed at each other. From Sam’s chest, Z-Power billowed out like a dragon’s fire-breath, engulfing Drampa in it before it was absorbed into its body, the aura now dancing off its skin like a raging flame. Hapu bared her teeth, knowing her next words were her only slim chance at a victory. “This is your last shot, Sam! The next attack my Mudsdale makes will be the winning one!” Drampa angrily honked at Hapu before snuffling out a dry spit, Sam fully aware of what it said to her. “Yeah, he’s not going to let that happen.” The Mudsdale’s expression now mirrored Hapu’s, ready to try and survive this final shot. “Go, Drampa!” Sam bellowed. “Finish Mudsdale off with Devastating Drake!” The aura on Drampa’s body began to turn a royal blue and burn hotter in its intensity. Hoisting its upper body up, Drampa let out a deafening roar as the aura melded into the shape of a winged serpent and pull itself forward off of Drampa’s body like its very soul was leaving it. Finally, it shot out and soared upward, now turning a bright shade of purple. Sam, Alice, Hapu, and her Mudsdale looked up as the dragon-shaped aura spiraled and danced through the sky before it went into a wide, backward loop before shooting straight down right above Hapu’s Pokémon. With nowhere to run, Mudsdale bowed its head as Drampa’s attack finally rained down on it, exploding out in a fiery, smoky blast, that swept all dust and fragments of rock off the ground and outside the walls of the plateau. All three trainers shielded their faces with their arms and hands while Drampa stood patiently in the gales, waiting for them to subside. When the warm winds finally died down, Sam and Alice uncovered their faces and looked out to where Hapu and her Mudsdale were standing, a thick blanket of dust now hanging there. With a large inhale, Drampa pursed its lips and blew hard, subsiding the cloud and revealing Hapu and her Pokémon, who was laying still on its side unconscious. Sam breathed in through his tightly pressed lips, keeping himself from celebrating until he finally heard Hapu’s word. Hapu solemnly walked over to her Mudsdale and knelt beside it, patting its belly a few times before taking out its ball and returning it to it. Standing back up, she looked back to Sam and his Drampa, who still held their breath as they awaited her declaration. With a smug smile, she put her hands to her hips. “Not sure why you’re staring at me like that. Are you waiting for me to say you cleared your Grand Trial? Okay, well, you cleared your Grand Trial, Sam!” Sam beamed wide before letting out a shrill shout, running to his Drampa and swinging himself on the base of its neck, his Drampa honking out in both surprise and elation. Sam dropped himself back down and put his hands and arms across as much of Drampa’s chest as he could, his face nuzzling into its furry center. As Alice came to Drampa’s other side and pet down its back, Drampa hugged the bottom of its chin into Sam’s back to push him in farther. “Good job, you two,” Alice whispered softly. Hapu then approached the two trainers, Drampa noticing her and mewing to get Sam and Alice’s attention. The three of them looked down at her as she readied herself to speak. “That was a truly amazing battle, Sam,” she said, her eyes getting a bit misty. “You definitely deserved that win. And Alice, I meant what I said when I thanked you for those words. I don’t think I would have came as close as I did without them.” “I… you’re welcome,” Alice said, glancing her eyes over to her brother. “I’m sure Sam really appreciates it too.” “Yeah,” Sam agreed with a nod. “Even after all the crap we went through before this point, you still pushed me to edge. You’re a fabulous trainer yourself, Hapu, and I’m really looking forward to watching you completely destroy my sister in your battle with her.” Alice reached up and slapped Sam hard in the back of the head, making him grunt out his laughs. “Sam, what the shit?!” “Sheesh,” Sam gurgled, his head still stinging, “take a joke, why don’t ya’!” Hapu hummed to herself, amused by their familial chemistry. “As of right now, none of my Pokémon are fit for any kind of battling, but if you give me a second, I have a portable healing bed locked up somewhere on this island, and once I can get my Pokémon on it, Alice and I will be ready. That is, unless you need to do some last minute preparations yourself?” Alice shook her head. “Nope. Sam and I did all that before we got here.” “Excellent. Now, if you don’t mind waiting up here, I’ll be off and be back in a few!” Hapu walked over to the spiraling path down the mountain and made her way down, Sam instinctively waving to her. “Okay, see ya’!” With Hapu out of sight, Sam and Alice stood around idly for a few moments before he nonchalantly turned his back to Alice once again. Alice took the opportunity to smack Sam in the exact spot as before, this time nearly knocking him over. “Alice! Stop it! Damn!” Alice pointed a threatening finger at him. “You better hope I kick her ass!” “I’m sure you will, stop worrying!” Alice began to pace about, trying to shake off the nerves her brother instilled in her. As Sam rubbed the back of his head, which now began to throb, he suddenly felt a large pair of lips suckle where his hand was. Feeling Drampa’s warm drool seep into his hair as its soft lips massaged his scalp, Sam gently patted the side of Drampa’s face appreciatively. “You did good, buddy,” he cooed to it.