Chapter 178 (Patreon)

Tropius crashed into the ground, leaving a wide crater in his wake. He peeled off the cracked and broken dirt underneath him, stepping back from a flattened mushroom—a Shiinotic.

"Shiinotic is unable to battle. Please send out your next Pokémon," I announced.

Mallow, Akala's Grass Type Trial Captain and warden of the Lush Jungle, stared on, repeatedly opening and closing her mouth in a failed attempt to say any words. Her second of three Pokémon had been so utterly defeated that Tropius had taken more damage from his ability, Solar Power, than from any actual moves.

After a few seconds, she managed to pull her gaze away from the fainted Shiinotic, returning it as she did. Her gaze lingered on Hope as she stared in a gobsmacked silence. Tropius, almost as if to add insult to injury, flicked his head upwards and flung a Sitrus berry that had been growing from his neck right into his mouth.

The berry started to grow back immediately after he ate it, too.

"T-Tsareena," Mallow called out, sending her final Pokémon out onto the field.

This Pokémon was clearly Mallow's ace, as it stood with a level of confidence her other Pokémon had not reached. Obviously, it had been watching the previous two curb-stomps from within its Pokéball, and its imperious sneer made its annoyance clear to all.

“Play Nice, Tsareena,” Mallow ordered once the battle resumed.

Tsareena was another Grass Type, as that was Mallow’s specialization. The Pokémon resembled some form of human nobility, in that it stood with a regal presence and even had a small growth on its head that resembled a crown, but it was clearly composed of plant-like material. With its recently received orders, Tsareena shifted its stance and casually brushed back the long leaves that served as its hair. Then, as per Play Nice, it gave Tropius a sickly sweet smile in an attempt to bring Tropius off guard, but it seemed that Tropius didn’t care in the slightest.

“Let’s finish this off! Outrage!” Hope screamed.

Earlier in the match, Tropius had used his ability to fly to use Growth several times over from the safety of the air. Mallow’s first Pokémon, Trevenant, couldn’t fly, and all of its attempts to bring Tropius down were either resisted or completely ineffective. The dinosaur Grass Type that was Tropius was at the top of his game; Growth had allowed him such a store of energy that even the weakest of his moves came out with the force of a bomb.

He hurtled towards the floor, glowing with Dragon Type energy, and Tsareena tried to hurriedly bring up one of its legs to kick him away. Unfortunately, Tropius simply had too much power behind his attack, and he crashed into the Grass Type head on, sealing the match.

After bouncing over the muddy field, Tsareena came to a halt with its eyes spinning at the base of Mallow’s feet. Mallow’s expression had shifted from so far into incredulity that it now lacked any emotion at all. She returned her Pokémon as Tropius rampaged around, but a brief shout from Hope helped Tropius snap out of his confusion.

The dinosaur held his head up high out of pride.

“Captain Mallow has no more usable Pokémon. The winner of this battle is Hope,” I announced.

Mallow gained the thinnest of smiles as she returned her Pokémon, unable to say anything else. Tropius was quickly returned to his ball, as well, and Hope didn’t even shake Mallow hand. Instead, she immediately ran up to Lillie, where upon arriving Hope grabbed Lillie’s hand, and she started to drag the younger girl towards a gap in the trees that would lead into Lush Jungle proper.

“GottagocatchPokémon! Thatwasagreatbattle! TalktoyouwhenI’mout!”

Lillie yelped, and she tried her best to say goodbye, but the fervor Hope displayed was too much to resist. All I heard was a strained shout that could maybe be interpreted as a word or two before she was dragged into the jungle and disappeared between the trees.

“Man, that was...” Mallow said quietly.

“Sorry about that. It’s, uh, hard to explain just how much Hope has been looking forward to this,” I replied, scratching the back of my head.

Mallow slumped down and stared off towards the jungle. Vines hung down from wide-leaved trees, and several thick bushes served as a natural barrier save for an opening on a single side.

She chuckled sadly before turning her gaze to the ground. “I can see that,” she said. “Will this reflect badly on my report?”

My lack of response was all she needed to know.

Unfortunately, when it came to Trial Captains, most tended to retire in their twenties, which meant the people who filled the role were younger more often than not. The three primary Trial Captains of Akala Island were all relative newcomers to the game, so their core teams weren’t as trained up as a result.

Mallow here only had her team rated at seven stars. It was a high seven stars, almost eight, but when compared to what Hope could bring out, she hadn’t been able to put up a decent fight.

"The unfortunate part of this for the region’s Gym Leaders, we're looking for experienced trainers that can field teams at all levels," I explained to her. "That means having a team of eight stars at your disposal, too. You talked about being able to recruit from Lush Jungle to serve as Pokémon for your lower tier challengers, which is great,” Mallow perked up at that, "but you have to be able to perform at the highest level, too."

"Then, how long do I have?" she asked.

"Have for what?" I replied.

"Have to improve."

Out of all of the questions she could have asked, that one was probably the best. Mallow wasn't a bad trainer, she just didn’t have the strength needed to face Hope. She had the skill, from the little I had seen, and considering her immediate reaction wasn't to accept defeat but to decide to get stronger, my opinion of her was more positive than not. It didn’t even hurt her that much that she had lost, too. The Alola League needed time to be created. She had a while to get stronger, and I could tell that after this crushing defeat, she’d likely strive to make up for the difference in strength.

“You have at least until the end of the season, if not that, the end of the next,” I said, giving Mallow the exact news she wanted to hear. “That should give you plenty of time to train your team, and once Hope comes out, I'm sure she’d be more than willing to exchange some advice."

Mallow smiled, and her gaze turned back to the entrance of the jungle as she seemed to become lost in thought. Of course, I recognized that Hope had gone overboard, and I would make note of that in our report, but Hope had proven herself as the superior Grass Type specialist over Mallow. No matter what, Mallow stood to improve from this exchange. I had no doubts she would come out of this stronger overall.

"But, uh, Lush Jungle," I continued. “They'll be safe in there, right?"

"What? Oh, yeah. There are plenty of Grass Types. I'm sure Hope will catch several Pokémon if she wants.”

"And what about Lillie?" I asked.

"Her? I'm sure she'll do well in her trial, too."

I immediately snapped my head towards Mallow, who hadn’t noticed my sudden surprise. A choking noise left my throat, and she looked my way and froze.

"W-what? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Did you say her trial? Lillie wasn’t supposed to take on the Grass Type trial today. Her team was still in the process of training up!”

"...What? But you said she was entering the jungle to catch a Pokémon, right? As a Trialgoer, she can't catch any Pokémon until she defeats the Totem."

I looked back to the darkened space beneath the trees and bit my lip nervously. I couldn't just rush in to inform her—that would technically count as cheating and disqualify her before she even had a chance. But, I'd only had so much to teach her so much these past few days. Sure, her team was stronger, and I knew she’d have her own plans, but after being caught off guard in there, would she really win?

"Don't worry! Lurantis will make sure she won't come to any harm!" Mallow said.

I sighed.

"Hope will too, but that isn't what I'm worried about. It's more about having her win after the surprise."

As much as I could have spent my time staring off into the darkness with worry, I instead chose to simply believe in Lillie in an attempt to preserve my sanity. I’d stress until I hear any news, of course, but there wasn’t anything I could do for help. I simply had to trust in her and trust that she’d been trained. She was quickly becoming an incredible trainer. Likely, she would do just fine.

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Hope and Lillie crouched in a bush, staring at a small group of tottering Pokémon.

"These are Bounsweet, and they're all being led by that wild Steenee," Hope pointed out quietly.

Several small, red and white, bouncing fruits—Bounsweet—walked around a space beneath a tree while the sole Steenee looked on and supervised. The evolved form of the Bounsweet resembled a young girl in a way, as it stood on two legs and had a pair of leaves sticking out of its head that resembled a set of ponytails.

After a minute of observation, Hope and Lillie watched a second Steenee show up to stand with the other one on guard. Hope nodded to Sunflora next to her at that, and she exited the bush.

"Steenee! I challenge you to a battle! I want you to become my Pokémon if we win!"

The group of wild Pokémon froze at her voracious shouting, and that first wild Steenee gained a hard glare. The one that just arrived started to hurriedly wave, and it corralled the Bounsweet off and out of the way.

Hope saw that, and a grin appeared on her face.

"Trust me. You'll like it on my team."

Rather than use the much stronger Sunflora, Hope sent out her Rowlet and began to issue commands. From the back, Lillie watched in silence. She kept Cleffa in her arms, the small Pokémon looking on in awe.

"You and me, Cleffa,” Lillie whispered. “Once we find the species we’re looking for, we'll do the same.”

The little, pink Pokémon cheered quietly in her arms, and the pair continued to watch to match, still hidden.

Rowlet made the most of his mobility for this battle, flying high and avoiding any attempts at ranged attacks. A few times, Steenee tried to get close for a clearly unpracticed Stomp, but it always stumbled during the last step and failed to properly land its foot.

Eventually, Hope called for Rowlet to move in, and one last crash knocked the Steenee out. Peck was super effective, allowing Hope the win, and she quickly threw a Pokéball before the Steenee got up and escaped.

One shake.

Two shakes.

Then a third, and it clicked.

"Yes!" Hope cheered. "We did it, Rowlet! We finally expanded our team!”

Hope ran over to pick up the Pokéball, Rowlet perching on her shoulder while Sunflora raised its leaves in a shout. She smiled at the now filled ball, holding it in her hand, and Hope shook her head in mild disbelief.

“Can’t believe it happened so easily. Now comes the hard part—negotiation so Steenee actually stays,” she mumbled.

Lillie left her hiding space to walk on over. By now, the rest of the Bounsweet and the second Steenee had disappeared.

"Congratulations," Lillie said. "Do you plan on catching any more?"

"Of course. Alex has four Pokémon they’re currently training up, and it'd be wrong of me to not do the same. This jungle’s the perfect hunting ground for new members of my team. With Rowlet here..." she patted his head. “I want to get at least one more.”

Lillie covered her mouth in a giggle as Hope walked back towards her. Truthfully, Lillie was excited. This was a chance to catch her first Pokémon. Sure, she already had three Pokémon on her team, but two of them had been gifts, and her “starter,” Nebby, didn’t even have his own Pokéball!

"So," Hope said, stretching her arms behind her back. "What kind of Pokémon do you want to catch?"

Lillie hurried to catch up, the pair moving through a thin, cleared path through the dense foliage of the jungle. In response to Hope’s question, Lillie didn't even need to think; she'd been planning this for a while. When it came to new team members, for all the Types she could get, there was one that stood out overall, and that one was the one she’d always liked the most.

"A Fairy Type, for sure," Lillie said.

Hope almost seemed to slump in disappointment.

"I've always wanted to have a team of the Type, and I've worked with them a bunch in the past,” she continued. “When Alex offered to take me in like an apprentice, well, it was like a dream come true."

"So you don't want a Grass Type?" Hope asked, morose clear in her voice.

"Maybe? I heard there's a species here that’s Typed to have both.”

What initially drew Lillie to the Fairy Type was how they looked cute yet could hold their own. No matter how harmless they appeared, Fairy Types always managed to have strength of their own. She also really liked how Fairy Types could stand up to Dragon Types, which were commonly thought of the strongest Type of Pokémon out there. The idea of such cute Pokémon being able to handle Pokémon of such overwhelming strength...

Well, Lillie wanted to be like that. She wanted to be as brave as a Fairy Type Pokémon.

"Alex taught me that looks aren't everything, but I still want something cute,” Lillie said. “But, even saying that, I also know there’s different forms of being cute. There’s soft and fluffy, pastel colors, and having those big eyes, too—all which I love—but I think that when it comes to Pokémon, something appropriately creepy can be considered cute as well.”

It took a moment for Hope to understand what species Lillie was talking about, and when she did, she shook her head.

"Man, you're learning too much from Alex if you’re explaining your reasoning without naming the species first."

Lillie giggled, and she decided she’d take Hope’s complaint as a compliment instead.

"Thank you. But yes, I'm trying to find a Morelull! I'm sure one would get along great with everyone on my team!"

Each step felt lighter when Lillie announced that, and she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. This was what it meant to be a trainer—to travel from home, explore new places, and meet new people and Pokémon. It was nice to have such an explicit objective.

Lillie and Hope pressed deeper into the jungle. The canopy grew thick, and the space around them grew dark. With Sunflora's help to light it up, Hope led the way. At times, Lillie had Popplio or Cosmog fight off the weaker Pokémon that ended up blocking their path, but most wild Pokémon avoided the group in general.

Before she had entered, at Alex's prodding, Lillie had done her research. She had learned that Morelull were common here, and the species liked to lead travelers off the main path. To find one, she’d need to follow any ghostly lights that tried to lure her off her path. Those lights would likely lead to Morelull, so she kept an eye out while Hope focused on talking with her freshly caught Steenee.

"Man, you're really demanding, huh?" Hope asked the Pokémon.

The Steenee crossed her arms and huffed, and it took several more minutes for Hope to acquiesce to the Pokémon’s demands.

Meanwhile, Lillie followed in silence, totally dedicating herself to her search. It didn't take long after the area darkened around them before she noticed a faint, distant light.

"There! That's one!" she called out.

On the branches of a tree, three pastel-colored lights glowed in a single cluster.

Lillie ran. Hope stumbled out of surprise before briefly catching up. The lights Lillie saw on the branch disappeared, then another set lit up just down a side path.

"You just said they're bringing us off the main road. Are you sure you want to follow?!" Hope yelled as they ran.

"Yes! Their home will be at the end, and if I talk to them there, they won’t feel as threatened and will be more likely to join my team!"

Light after light from the Morelull went on and off, and Lillie eagerly followed. Logically, she knew this was a risk, but this was a risk she was willing to take. At any point, she could have stopped to catch one of the Morelull that went dim, but, secretly, she also wanted to see their home, which was likely a grove lit up by Fairy Type lights.

Eventually, the end of the path came into view, and an opening of a sun-lit clearing sat a short distance ahead. Lillie grinned a wide grin and hurried to enter that space. There, beyond that exit, was the open clearing Lillie had been expecting. However, any lights from Fairy Type mushrooms were conspicuously absent, and upon emerging into the clearing, it seemed to lack any wild Fairy Types at all.

"Huh?" she asked. Cleffa wiggled in her arms in response.

Ahead, a buggy, pink Pokémon waddled forward. Upon seeing Lillie, it held up blades of leaves it had as arms.

"A Fomantis!” Lillie quickly identified. “Hope, do you want to—" Lillie turned her head. There was no response to her words; Hope was gone, still in the woods, and it was just her, Cleffa, and Fomantis in this empty clearing.

"I, uh, I think I should go," Lillie suddenly said.

The area was too silent; the jungle was far too still. She had been so caught up in the moment she hadn't stopped to realize just how dangerous of a trap this might have been.

She took a step back, but it was already too late. A call rang out, and a warbling screech caused the leaves of the plants around Lillie to shake. She turned her head upwards to the source of the noise, and a darkened silhouette appeared before leaping off a branch.

It was tall. More so than an average Pokémon. It stood on two striped legs that landed on the ground without making any noise in the slightest. Upon revealing itself in the thin beam of light that illuminated the clearing, it took a step forward to let itself reach its full height, demonstrating just how much it towered over Lillie’s head. A pair of insectoid eyes stared down, and the creature's pink carapace made of leaves shook as if it prepared itself for battle.

"A-a Lurantis! Look, I'm sorry to bother you! I'm just heading out, I really didn't mean you or Fomantis any harm, and I really didn’t mean to intrude on your territory!"

Lillie bowed her head, but that was a mistake. Lurantis stabbed its scythed arms into the ground before crying out in a signal to start a fight.

She wouldn’t be able to leave without a battle.

"Cosmog! Popplio!" Lillie yelled.

As much as she wanted to escape, Teleporting an unknown distance away in a dangerous jungle would be a mistake. Lillie had no clue where Hope was, and to get through this, it would better to stay in one, easily locatable place than to run off to where she couldn’t be found.

To Lillie's surprise, it wasn't the Lurantis that attacked. Instead, it pushed that Fomantis from before forward, and the Pokémon’s pre-evolved form let out a chitter.

Of course, Lillie thought that was strange, but her expression fell when she realized what was going on. Through some sort of effect from Lurantis, the Fomantis gained an aura of energy, and the small, fake bug suddenly looked like it had gained a significant amount of strength.

"This is the trial," she said with dawning horror. For all of her wishes to have time to prepare beforehand, it seemed her and her team would be going in now.

"Popplio, Icy Wind! Nebby, distract!"

Popplio released a burst of freezing wind, a move Lillie specifically asked for Ninetales to help teach. The attack coated the Fomantis in a layer of frost that the small Pokémon tried and failed to slice through, taking super effective damage.

Lillie’s main objective, however, was to slow it down. A Teleport from Nebby brought him right into the Fomantis’s face, where he hopped around with Splash to goad it forward. Annoyed, the faux-mantis tried to slash down with Fury Cutter, but even with that anger fueling its slash, it couldn’t match the boundless energy the Cosmog was displaying before it.

Lillie was feeling good about this matchup—Nebby couldn’t attack, but he was great at baiting foes and avoiding damage. His presence would let Popplio freely attack from range, allowing her team to handle any buffs the Lurantis had given its spawn.

Unfortunately, she didn’t stop to think about why the Totem Lurantis was allowing her to use two Pokémon at once until it was far too late. From the bushes to the side, there was a shuffling, then a ring of flowers floated forward.

“Oh no,” Lillie whispered.

This wild Pokémon was a Fairy Type, which would have garnered Lillie’s interest, but, as this was an Island Trial battle, this Pokémon wasn’t available to catch. Called in as support, the wild Comfey rushed forward. The species was almost completely dedicated to healing and support, meaning her chances to defeat Fomantis were rapidly approaching zero.

As Popplio unleashed another Icy Wind, Comfey’s flowers shook and it flowed through the air like a serpent, its body unfurled. Within seconds, it reached the Fomantis, where it wrapped around the fake bug’s neck to be worn like a lei.

The two Pokémon glowed after that, and all the effort Popplio had spent dealing damage to Fomantis went to waste. Floral Healing combined with Comfey’s ability, Triage, made it so Fomantis was back to full health. Even more, Icy Wind wouldn’t be able to lower Fomantis’s speed any further. This was a combination straight out of an expert’s playbook—Comfey’s ability, Flower Veil, would prevent Fomantis from becoming any weaker at all.

Lillie didn’t call her Pokémon back, however. She didn’t even change up her strategy. She sat back and watched, keeping an eye out as Popplio sent forward a third Icy Wind.

This time, Fomantis’s bladed arm struck, cutting Nebby’s side with a beefed up, melee Leafage. Nebby, a Cosmog, might have had a nigh-endless amount of energy, but his actual defenses were low.

He crashed to the ground, injured, and the Icy Wind finally struck. The Ice Type move dealt super effective damage to Fomantis, but the Comfey’s Floral Healing negated any damage.

However, Lillie realized she did have a chance. She had assumed Comfey had its ability trained to prevent any forms of weakness, but the Icy Wind caused the Fomantis to become even more slowed. That meant Flower Veil wasn’t in play, and that meant Fomantis was vulnerable to status conditions, too. Her mind working a mile a minute, she grabbed a Pokéball, and she prepared to send another Pokémon forward.

“Cleffa—”

Lillie’s command was interrupted by Lurantis letting out a firm chip. She quickly realized her mistake: if she wanted Cleffa to take part in this battle, Lillie needed to call a Pokémon back.

“Nebby, I’m sorry but I need you to step out of this battle.”

The weak-but-still-a-Legendary Pokémon slumped slightly at Lillie’s command, but he still did as asked. There was a flash before he was back at her side, climbing up to recover in her pack, and then Lillie threw her arms forward to send Cleffa, who had been watching this entire time, hurtling through the air.

“Sing!” Lillie yelled.

Cleffa giggled, enjoying her brief flight before touching down softly on the ground. She opened her mouth to breathe in before releasing a lulling melody aimed towards the pair of opposing Pokémon on the field.

Fomantis, the Pokémon Lillie needed to beat to win, wobbled in place as the song caused it to become drowsy. Comfey let out a yawn, too, becoming similarly tired from the move.

“Keep it up, Cleffa! And Popplio, don’t stop using Icy Wind!”

Lillie smiled when the Ice Type move successfully hit its targets, but then she frowned when she realized the biting temperatures served to wake them up. An offensive like that wouldn’t work—if Lillie wanted to put the pair of Pokémon to sleep, she needed to do something else.

“Popplio, I know we haven’t practiced the move much, but I need you to Sing, too! Join with Cleffa! Put both Pokémon to sleep! Deafen them with your lullaby!”

Popplio gained a firm expression and nodded once to confirm Lillie’s order. The Pokémon opened her mouth, took in a breath, then, rather than sing, she hummed.

The sound of Popplio’s low, hanging notes resonated with Cleffa’s repetition of her name. A chorus flowed over the air, a beautiful lullaby filling the field just as Lillie requested.

Comfey did its best to stay awake, but it fell asleep first. Then, Fomantis began to stumble, and it really looked like Lillie’s Sing-strategy would succeed.

However, that was when Lurantis seemed to decide enough was enough, and the Totem Pokémon stepped in. It held up its two massive claws, formed a bright ball of light, and tossed the ball of fire high into the sky. That move was Sunny Day, allowing it to set up a beneficial weather for this match. At first, Lillie thought that was pointless, but when Fomantis stood up, she realized what happened.

Hope had taught her about this ability—it was Leaf Guard, an ability that protected a Pokémon from status conditions in the sun. The initial energy infusion from Lurantis at the start let Fomantis resist the song for a bit, but it would have eventually succumbed if it wasn’t for the sun.

Now properly awake, Fomantis charged forward, not even reacting to Cleffa and Popplio’s continued combined Sing. It raised up a claw, readied itself to slash down, and—

“Time out! Pause the match!” Lillie yelled.

Fomantis stumbled on the field, its claw jabbing down into the dirt. Popplio and Cleffa ceased all noise, and they loyally froze in place to wait for a further command.

In the back, the Lurantis let out an annoyed, chittering noise, and it narrowed its eyes. Lillie huffed and crossed her arms, giving the much larger Pokémon a glare.

“There are rules in place for what constitutes an Island Trial, which generally involve fighting a Totem Pokémon or their stand-in. Yes, you’re allowed to call a Pokémon for help, but you can only call a Pokémon in at once. Sure, Comfey fell asleep, but stepping in yourself like that is a flagrant violation of all agreed upon standards.” Lillie pointed right at the Lurantis’s chest, who seemed shocked by the move. “If it wasn’t for you using Sunny Day, Fomantis would have been put to sleep, and we would have won! By interceding in the battle on its behalf, you’ve forfeited its right to win the match, therefore, victory is rendered to be in my favor!”

Lillie grinned, smug and satisfied with her argument, crossing her arms once more. The massive Lurantis—a Pokémon which should have terrified her—stared down at Lillie, but she easily met its eyes.

The clearing was filled with a tension so thick that it could have been easily cut with a knife. A battle of moves between Pokémon and Pokémon shifted to a battle of wills between Pokémon and trainer. By the end of it, neither side was yet to give up, but that was when Lillie’s savior finally arrived.

“I watched the match. She’s right, you know,” Hope said as she pushed into the clearing. “That match was clearly in Lillie's favor, but you broke the rules by stepping in. Sure, Fomantis might be your progeny, but if you don’t want him to lose, don't send him into a match."

Lurantis glared at Hope, but she didn't back down, either. Sunflora was still out next to the member of the Wandering Elite, except Steenee and a new Pokémon were also at Hope's side.

Somehow, while Lillie was battling, Hope seemed to have caught a Tangela, a Pokémon that was nothing more than a mass of vines and a set of bright red feet. It burbled in agreement with Hope's words, and Steenee huffed in support, too. Lurantis turned back to Lillie, clearly mad, but it made no further moves that would support the battle.

Finally coming to a conclusion, the Totem Pokémon shifted its head around in a mimicry of someone rolling their eyes, and it pressed its clawed hands together. A flash, then a green crystal was produced between those claws and tossed forward, which Lillie scrambled to catch.

Lurantis then reached for the Fomantis and the sleeping Comfey before picking them up and jumping back into the woods. The sounds of the jungle returned, and Hope sauntered over, grinning, proud.

"Man, when Alex hears about this..." Hope shook her head. "You said you wanted to be a Fairy Type specialist, right? There's nothing more Fairy than arguing about the rules to carry a win in your favor."

Lillie blushed at the compliment and wasn't able to respond. She hadn't even thought about what she was doing, she kind of just did. Honestly, she half attributed that mindset to years of being with the Aether Foundation. Their lawyers were something else, and it was easy to pick up a basic sense of “legalese” without realizing what was going on.

But, she’d rather contribute this win to her recent training. Hope was right that Alex had a certain mindset about things. Though, having won through discussion rather than battle...

Well, her Pokémon would have won if it wasn’t for that Lurantis’s interference. She was proud of her team all the same.

"So!" Hope said, bringing a hand down to pat Lillie on the shoulder. "We still need to catch you a Pokémon, right?"

"Right!" Lillie readily agreed.

"Then let's take as much time as we need. The longer we wait, the more freaked out Alex will be when we finally return. Imagine the look on Alex’s face. Funny, right?"

Some of the Pokémon giggled at Hope's idea, but Lillie stared at her, aghast. As the pair moved back into the more shrouded parts of the jungle, Lillie did her best to try to convince Hope that it wouldn’t be funny, but her argument came out more like a rant than anything else.Tropius crashed into the ground, leaving a wide crater in his wake. He peeled off the cracked and broken dirt underneath him, stepping back from flattened Shiinotic.

"Shiinotic is unable to battle. Please send out your next Pokémon," I announced.

Mallow, Akala's Grass Type Trial Captain and warden of the Lush Jungle, stared on, repeatedly opening and closing her mouth. Her second of three Pokémon had been so utterly defeated that Tropius had taken more damage from the wear of his Solar Power ability than from any actual moves.

She slowly pulled her gaze away from the fainted Shiinotic, returning it, and stared at Hope in a gobsmacked silence. Tropius, looking as confident as ever, flicked his head upwards and flung a Sitrus berry growing off his neck into his mouth.

It started to grow back immediately after eating, too.

"T-Tsareena," Mallow replied.

This Pokémon was clearly Mallow's ace, as it stood with a level of confidence her other Pokémon had not matched. Obviously, it had been watching the previous two curb-stomps from within its Pokéball, its glare making its annoyance clear to all.

“Play Nice, Tsareena,” Mallowe ordered once the battle resumed.

Tsareena was another Grass Type, as that was Mallow’s specialization. The Pokémon resembled some form of human nobility, in that it stood with a regal presence and even had a small growth on its head that resembled a crown. With its recently received orders, it shifted its stance and nonchalantly brushed back the long leaves that served as its air.

Then, it gave Tropius a sickly sweet smile. Tsareena did its best to try to convince Tropius that this match wasn’t worth putting his entire effort into, using Play Nice.

Unfortunately for it, it seemed Tropius wasn’t paying attention.

“Let’s finish this off! Outrage!”

Tropius had already beefed himself up far past what Mallow’s team could handle. The first Pokémon she sent out, Trevenant, couldn’t fly, and Tropius’s Grass Type made him resistant or immune to most of the tricks the Pokémon could have used to lure him to the floor. Tropius spent that time setting up the sun as well as stacking up Growth, building up a store of energy to enhance his moves, which was being used to make quick work of the rest of Mallow’s team.

Tsareena, seeing Tropius coming in so quickly, tried to bring up one of its thick legs to kick him away, but when such a powerful flying dinosaur came forward like that, there was only so much one could do to escape.

Tropius hit it head on, and that sealed the match. The sheer power behind that Dragon Type move meant Tsareena was knocked off its feet, and the follow-up knocked it out.

By the time Tsareena fainted, the move had ended, and Tropius wobbled in the air, confused. With a celebratory shout, Tropius was able to be brought back into alertness by his trainer’s call, and he puffed up his chest in pride.

“Mallow has no more usable Pokémon. The winner of this battle is Hope,” I announced.

Mallow’s lips pressed together into a thin smile as she returned her Pokémon, unable to say anything else. Tropius was quickly returned to his ball, Hope ran up to Lillie, and she started to run towards the gap in the trees that lead into Lush Jungle proper.

“GottagocatchPokémon! Thatwasagreatbattle! TalktoyouwhenI’mout!”

Lillie yelped when grabbed, and she did her best to say goodbye, but the fervor Hope was displaying was too much to resist. All I heard was a strained shout that could maybe be interpreted as words as she was dragged into the jungle. I watched the pair disappear between the trees.

“Man, that was...” Mallow said quietly.

“Sorry about that. It’s, uh, hard to explain just how much Hope has been looking forward to this.”

Mallow rubbed the back of her head and glanced towards the jungle. Vines hung down from wide-leaved trees and several thick bushes blocked all entry outside of one gap.

She chuckled sadly, turning her gaze to the ground. “I can see that,” she said. “Will this reflect badly on my report?”

I looked away from Mallow, and that was all she needed to know.

Unfortunately, when it came to Trial Captains, most tended to retire in their twenties, which meant the people who filled the role were younger more often than not. The three primary Trial Captains of Akala Island were all relative newcomers to the game, so their teams weren’t as trained up as a result.

Mallow here only had her team rated at seven stars. It was a high seven stars, almost eight, but when compared to what Hope could bring out, it wasn’t anything she could resist.

"The unfortunate part of this is we're looking for experienced trainers that can field teams at all levels," I explained to her. "That means being able to field teams of eight stars, too. You talked about being able to recruit from Lush Jungle to serve as Pokémon for your lower tier challengers, which is great,” Mallow perked up at that. "but you have to be able to perform at the highest level, too."

"Then, how long do I have?" she asked.

"Have for what?"

"Have to improve."

Out of all of the questions she could have asked, that one was probably the best one. Mallow wasn't a bad trainer, she just wasn't at the peak we expected. Considering her immediate reaction wasn't to accept defeat but to choose to get stronger was a point in her favor. The Alola League needed time to be created, after all. She had time to get stronger, and that meant her “weak” team wasn’t actually much of a detriment to her chances.

“You have at least until the end of the season, if not that, the end of the next,” I said. “That should give you plenty of time to improve yourself, and once Hope comes out, I'm sure she’d be willing to exchange some advice."

Mallow smiled, and she stared off towards the entrance in thought. Of course, Hope had gone overboard, and I would make note of that, but she had proven herself as the superior Grass Type specialist. No matter what, the pair stood to improve from this exchange. I had no doubts Mallow would come out of this stronger overall.

"But, uh," I continued, "Lush Jungle. They'll be safe in there, right?"

"What? Oh, yeah. There are plenty of Grass Types. I'm sure Hope will catch several Pokémon if she wants.”

I smiled in response, but then I noticed the omission.

"What about Lillie?" I asked.

"Hm? I'm sure she'll do well in her trial, too."

My eyes snapped to Mallow, who hadn't noticed my sudden panic. After a moment, she looked my way, where she froze.

"W-what? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"We didn't know Lillie would face the Grass Type Trial today."

"Why?" Mallow asked. "You said she was entering the jungle to catch a Pokémon, right? As a Trialgoer, she can't catch any Pokémon until she beats the totem."

I glanced back to the darkened space beneath the leaves and bit my lip nervously. I couldn't just rush in to inform her—that would technically count as cheating and disqualify her before she even had a chance to continue. But, I'd only had time to teach her so much these past few days. Sure, her team was stronger, but would she really win?

"Don't worry! Lurantis will make sure she won't come any harm!" Mallow said.

"Hope will too, but that isn't what I'm worried about. It's more about having her win despite the surprise."

As much as I could have spent my time staring off into the darkness worriedly, I instead chose to simply believe as an attempt to save my sanity. I’d nervously wait for news, of course, but there wasn’t anything I could do for help. I simply had to trust in her and trust in her ability to win. She was quickly becoming an incredible trainer. I knew she would do just fine.

_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Hope and Lillie crouched in a bush, staring at a small group of tottering Pokémon.

"These are Bounsweet, and they're all being led by that wild Steenee," Hope whispered.

Several small, bouncing fruits of Pokémon walked around a space beneath a tree while the Steenee looked on and supervised. The evolved form of the Bounsweet resembled a young girl in a way, as it stood on two legs and had a pair of leaves sticking out of its head that resembled a set of ponytails.

A second Steenee soon showed up to stand with the other one on guard. Hope nodded to Sunflora next to her and exited the bush.

"Steenee! I challenge you to a battle! I want you to become my Pokémon if we win!"

The group of wild Pokémon froze at her voracious attitude, but then the wild Steenee gained a look of challenge. The one that was there at first took a step forward, and the second one that had just arrived led the Bounsweet off.

Hope smiled.

"Trust me. You'll like it on my team."

Rather than use the overly powerful Sunflora, Hope sent out her Rowlet and started to issue commands. From the back, Lillie watched in silence. She kept Cleffa in her arms, the small Pokémon looking on in awe.

"You and me, Cleffa. Once we find the species we’re looking for, we'll do the same," Lillie said.

The little Pokémon cheered quietly in her arms and continued to watch to match.

Rowlet made the most of his mobility for this battle, flying high and avoiding ranged attacks. A few times, Steenee tried to get close for an unpracticed Stomp, but it seemed to stumble at times and failed to properly land any moves.

Eventually, Hope called for Rowlet to move in, and one last crash knocked the Steenee out. She threw a Pokéball, sucking the Pokémon in. After a few shakes, it was caught.

"Yes!" Hope cheered. "We caught a Steenee!"

Rowlet perched on her shoulder, and Sunflora raised its leaves in a shout.

"Congratulations," Lillie said. "Do you plan on catching more?"

Hope waved a hand in response.

"Psh. Of course. Alex managed to get four in training their team, and it'd be wrong of me to not do the same. This jungle’s the perfect hunting ground for me. With Rowlet here..." she hummed. “I want to get at least one more.”

Lillie covered her mouth in a laugh as Hope walked back towards her. Truthfully, Lillie was excited. This was a chance to catch her first Pokémon. Sure, she already had three Pokémon on her team, but two of them were gifts. Not only that, but her “starter,” Nebby, didn’t even have his own Pokéball!

"So," Hope said, stretching her arms behind her back. "What kind of Pokémon do you want to catch?"

Lillie didn't even need to think; she'd been planning this for a while. For all the Types she could get, there was one that stood out overall.

"A Fairy Type, for sure," Lillie said.

Hope almost seemed to slump in disappointment.

"I've always wanted to have a team of the Type, and I've worked with them a bunch in the past. When Alex offered to take me in like that, well, it was like a dream come true."

"So you don't want a Grass Type?" Hope asked, morose clear in her voice.

"Maybe? I heard there's one species here that has a Type of both.”

What initially drew Lillie to the Fairy Type was how they looked cute yet could sustain a fight. No matter how harmless they appeared, they always managed to have strength all the same. She also really liked how Fairy Types could stand up to dragons. The idea of being able to courageously weather such intimidating Pokémon's attacks...

Well, Lillie wanted to be like that. She wanted to be as brave as the Fairy Type.

"Alex taught me that looks aren't everything. I know I want a cute Pokémon, but there's different levels of cute," Lillie said. "Sure, cute is usually soft and fluffy—which I like—but sometimes something creepy can be cute, too."

It took a moment for Hope to realize what species Lillie was talking about, and when she did, she shook her head.

"Man, you're learning too much from Alex if you're starting to explain your reasoning without naming the species first."

Lillie giggled, and took Hope’s complaint as a compliment, instead.

"Thank you. But yes, I'm trying to find a Morelull. I'm sure they would get along great with everyone on my team!"

Each step felt lighter when Lillie announced that, and she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. This was what it meant to be a trainer—to travel from home, explore new places, and meet new people and Pokémon. It was nice to have her own purpose.

Lillie and Hope started to press deeper into the jungle. The canopy grew thick, and the space around them grew dark. With Sunflora's help to light it up, Hope led the way. At times, Lillie had Popplio or Cosmog fight off the weaker Pokémon that ended up blocking their path, but most wild Pokémon avoided the group.

Previously, at Alex's prodding, Lillie had done her research. She had learned that Morelull were common here and liked to lead travelers off the main path. What she had to do was follow any ghostly lights then try to convince the Morelull to join her team. She was the one who kept an eye out while Hope stayed to the right, distracted by chatting with her freshly caught Steenee.

"Man, you're really demanding, huh?" Hope asked her Pokémon.

The Steenee crossed her arms and huffed, and Hope soon acquiesced to her newest team member’s requirements.

Meanwhile, Lillie continued to move through the jungle, totally dedicating herself to her search. It didn't take long after the area darkened before she found a revealing light.

"There! That's one!" she called out.

On the branches of a tree, three pastel-colored lights glowed in a single place.

Lillie ran. Hope stumbled briefly before catching up. The lights on the branch disappeared, then another set lit up just down the way.

"You just said they're bringing us off the path. Are you sure you want to follow?!" Hope yelled as they ran.

"Yes! Their home will be at the end, and if I talk to them there, they'll feel less threatened!"

Light after light from the Morelull lit up, and Lillie eagerly followed. Logically, she knew this was a risk, but she was willing to take it. At any point, she could have stopped to catch one of the Morelulls going dim, still hidden on the darkened tree’s branches, but, secretly, she also wanted to see a grove lit up by Fairy Type lights.

Eventually, the end of the path came into view, and an opening of a sun-lit clearing sat a distance ahead. Lillie grinned a wide grin and hurried to exit. There, beyond that entrance, was that open space she was looking for. However, the lights from Morelull were gone, and upon emerging into the clearing, it seemed to lack any wild Fairy Types at all.

"Huh?" she asked. Cleffa wiggled in her arms in response.

Ahead, a buggy, pink Pokémon waddled forward, and it held up blades of leaves it had as arms.

"A Fomantis!” Lillie quickly identified. “Hope, do you want to—" Lillie turned her head. There was no response to her words; Hope was gone, still in the woods, and it was just her, Cleffa, and Fomantis in this empty clearing.

"I, uh, I think I should go," Lillie suddenly said.

The area was too silent; the forest was far too still. She had been so caught up in the moment she hadn't stopped to realize just how dangerous of a trap might have been.

Then, a call. A warbling screech echoed above her. Lillie didn’t get a chance to step back before the silhouette of a thin figure suddenly jumped down from above.

It was tall. More so than an average Pokémon. It stood on two striped legs and towered above Lillie's below-average height. A pair of insectoid eyes stared down at Lillie, and the creature's pink carapace looked to be made of petals rather than chitin.

"Lurantis! I, um, I'm sorry to bother you! I'm just heading out, I really didn't mean you or Fomantis any harm."

Lillie bowed her head, but that was a mistake. Lurantis swung its scythe arms into the ground and cried out in a signal to start a fight.

She wouldn’t be able to leave without a battle.

"Cosmog! Popplio!" Lillie yelled.

As much as she wanted to escape, Teleporting an unknown distance away would be a mistake. Lillie had no clue where Hope was, and to handle this, it was better to stay in one, easily locatable place than to run off to where she couldn’t be found.

To Lillie's surprise, it wasn't the Lurantis that attacked. It pulled an arm back to grab that Fomantis from before, and it pushed its pre-evolved form to a spot forward.

Lillie thought that was strange, but her expression fell when she realized what was going on. The Fomantis gained an aura of energy, and it suddenly looked like it had gained a significant amount of strength.

"This is the trial," she said with dawning horror. For all of her wishes to have time to prepare beforehand, it seemed her and her team would be going in now.

"Popplio! Icy Wind! Nebby! Distract!"

Popplio released a burst of freezing wind, a move Lillie specifically asked for assistance from Ninetales. The attack coated the Fomantis in a layer of frost that the small Pokémon tried to slice through to avoid the damage.

However, it failed, and it was slowed. Then, a Teleport from Nebby brought him right into the Fomantis’s face, where he hopped around with Splash to taunt it into attacking. Annoyed, the faux-mantis tried to slash down with Fury Cutter, but even with that fury fueling its slash, it failed to hit once more.

Lillie was feeling good about this matchup—Nebby couldn’t attack, but he was great at luring foes and avoiding damage. His presence would let Popplio freely attack from range, bringing the battle solidly into her favor.

Unfortunately, she didn’t stop to think about why the Totem Lurantis was allowing her to use two Pokémon at once until it was too late. From the bushes to the side, there was a shuffling, then a ring of flowers burst out.

“Oh no,” Lillie whispered.

The wild Pokémon was a Fairy Type, which should have garnered Lillie’s interest, but as this was an Island Trial battle, this Pokémon filled her with dread instead. Called in as support, Comfey rushed forward. The species was almost completely dedicated to healing and support, meaning her chances to defeat Fomantis were rapidly becoming slim.

Quickly, Comfey’s flowers shook and it flowed through the air like a serpent, its body unfurled. Within seconds, it reached the Fomantis, where it wrapped around the fake bug’s neck to be worn like a lei.

The Pokémon glowed after that, and all the effort Popplio had spent weakening Fomantis went to waste. Floral Healing combined with Comfey’s ability, Triage, made it so Fomantis was back to full health.

The one good thing about Popplio’s attacks is that the frost from Icy Wind lowered its target’s speed, but even with that, the move wasn’t strong enough to outpace Comfey’s healing. Not only that, but Comfey seemed to not bother attacking in order to focus on keeping Fomantis up. Even with Nebby’s Legendary reserves of energy, he wouldn’t be able to outlast the combined pair.

“Cleffa—”

Lillie’s command was interrupted by Lurantis letting out a firm chip. If Lillie wanted Cleffa to take part in this battle, she needed to call a Pokémon back.

“Nebby, I’m sorry but I need you to step out of this battle.”

The weak-but-Legendary Pokémon slumped slightly at Lillie’s command, but he did as asked. There was a flash before he was back at her side, and then Lillie threw her arms forward to send Cleffa hurtling through the air.

“Sing!” Lillie yelled.

Cleffa giggled, enjoying her brief flight before nimbly landing on her feet. She opened her mouth to breathe in before releasing a lulling melody aimed towards the pair of Pokémon on the field.

Fomantis, the Pokémon Lillie needed to beat to win, wobbled in place as the song caused it to become drowsy. Comfey let out a yawn, too, becoming similarly tired from the move.

“Keep it up, Cleffa! And Popplio, don’t stop using Icy Wind!”

Lillie smiled when the Ice Type move successfully hit its target, but then she frowned when the frost failed to form. Fomantis’s speed wasn’t lowered any further. In fact, nothing changed at all.

Flower Guard. I can’t believe I forgot Comfey’s ability!

Lillie briefly berated herself for failing to recognize a key detail for this fight. Comfey’s ability prevented any allied Grass Types from being weakened, so she quickly changed her orders.

“Popplio, I know we haven’t practiced this move much, but I need you to Sing, too! Join with Cleffa! Put both Pokémon to sleep!”

Popplio gained a firm expression and nodded once to confirm Lillie’s order. The Pokémon opened her mouth, took in a breath, then rather than sing, she hummed.

The sound of her low, resonant notes joined with Cleffa’s repetition of her name. A chorus flowed over the air, a beautiful lullaby filling the field.

Comfey did its best to stay awake, but it fell asleep first. Then, Fomantis began to stumble, and it really looked like the strategy would succeed.

That was when Lurantis seemed to decide enough was enough, and the Totem Pokémon stepped in. It held up its two massive claws, formed a bright ball of light, and tossed the fire into the sky. That move was Sunny Day, allowing it to set up a beneficial weather for this match. At first, Lillie thought that was pointless, but when Fomantis stood up, she realized what happened.

Hope had taught her about this ability—it was Leaf Guard, an ability that protected a Pokémon from status conditions in the sun. The initial energy infusion from Lurantis at the start let Fomantis resist the song, but it would have eventually succumbed if it wasn’t for the sun.

Now properly awake, Fomantis charged forward, not even reacting to Cleffa and Popplio’s continued combined Sing. It raised up a claw, readied itself to slash down, and—

“Time out! Pause the match!” Lillie yelled.

Fomantis sputtered on the field, its claw jabbing down into the dirt. Popplio and Cleffa stopped singing, and they stared at Lillie in shock.

In the back, the Lurantis let out an annoyed, chittering noise, and it narrowed its eyes. Lillie huffed and crossed her arms, giving the much larger Pokémon a glare.

“There are certain rules for what an Island Trial consists of, and generally it involves fighting a Totem Pokémon or their stand-in. Yes, you’re allowed to call Pokémon for help, but stepping in yourself like that is a flagrant violation of all previous agreements.” Lillie pointed at the Lurantis. “If it wasn’t for you using Sunny Day, Fomantis would have been put to sleep, and we would have won! By interceding in the battle on its behalf, you’ve forfeited its right to win the match!”

Lillie smiled, satisfied with her argument, crossing her arms once more. The massive Lurantis, which should have terrified her, stared down at Lillie, but she easily met its gaze.

The clearing was filled with a tension so thick that it could have been easily cut with a knife. A battle of moves between Pokémon shifted to a battle of wills between Pokémon and trainer. By the end of it, neither side were yet to give up, but that was when Lillie was finally saved by the person she was waiting for.

“I watched the match. She’s right, you know,” Hope said as she pushed into the clearing. Both Lillie and the Lurantis turned face towards the member of the Wandering Elite. “That match was clearly in Lillie's favor, but you broke the rules by stepping in. Sure, Fomantis might be your progeny, but if you didn't want to risk him, don't send him into a match."

This time, Lurantis glared at Hope, but she didn't back down. Hope still had her Sunflora out, except Steenee and a new Pokémon were at Hope's side.

Somehow, while Lillie was battling, Hope seemed to have caught a Tangela, a Pokémon that was nothing more than a mass of vines and a set of bright red feet. It burbled in agreement with Hope's words, and Steenee huffed in support, too. Lurantis turned back to Lillie, and stared at her once more.

Finally coming to a conclusion, the Totem Pokémon rolled its eyes and pressed its clawed hands together. A green crystal was produced between them and tossed forward, which Lillie scrambled to catch.

Lurantis then reached for the Fomantis and the sleeping Comfey before picking them up and jumping back into the woods. The sounds of the jungle returned, and Hope sauntered over, proud.

"Man, when Alex hears about this..." Hope shook her head. "You said you wanted to be a Fairy Type specialist, right? There's nothing more Fairy than arguing about the rules to carry a win in your favor."

Lillie blushed at the compliment and wasn't able to respond. She hadn't even thought about what she was doing, she kind of just did. Honestly, she half attributed that mindset to years of being with the Aether Foundation. Their lawyers were something else, and it was easy to pick up a basic sense of legalese without realizing what was going on.

But, she’d rather contribute this win to her recent training. Hope was right Alex had a certain mindset about things. Having won through discussion rather than battle—

Well, her Pokémon would have won if it wasn’t for that Lurantis. She was proud of her team all the same.

"So!" Hope said, bringing a hand down to pat Lillie on the shoulder. "We still need to catch you a Pokémon, right?"

"Right!" Lillie agreed.

"Then let's take as much time as we need. The longer we wait, the more freaked out Alex will be when we finally return."

Some of the Pokémon giggled at Hope's idea, but Lillie stared at her, aghast. As the pair moved back into the more shrouded parts of the jungle, Lillie began to rant on why not freaking someone out like that was in everyone’s best interest.

====================================================
Author Note:

I really enjoyed writing this chapter. It just feels fun.

Pokémon (and people) mentioned in this chapter (contains spoilers):
Bounsweet / Steenee / Tsareena
Cleffa
Comfey
Fomantis / Lurantis
Morelull / Shiinotic
Sunflora
Tangela
Tropius

Mallow

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