Alola once again! It's been quite a while (if two weeks is a while) and I'm sure you've all just been waiting on tenterhooks to see how the next installment of The Alola Trilogy unfolds and unfurls (mmhmm, let your ego talk, Epicocity). Well, it's finally here. A little darker, hopefully a little better. The normalcy is gone, kind of. There's no synopsis here, so let's just remind you where Love in the Time of Tropics ended: the portal to the Ultra Space caused problems in Heahea City, Ash mastered Z-Moves, the League has sent three Champions, Gary and ARC to Alola…and your boy Guzma has decided to get more involved. How will it go from here? Well, it's time to find out.

Author: Epicocity

Rating: T for violence and innuendo

Pairings: Amourshipping (I mean, come on…), mentioned Laserbladeshipping

Cover art by my ever amazing friend Captain Luky Greace!

DISCLAIMER: Another book, another chance to say I don't own it.

Love in the Time of Trials

Book Two of the Ancienverse Alola Trilogy

Chapter 1

A Hatching

"Welcome back, Madam President!"

Lusamine's heels clopped onto the metallic surface of the docks at the Aether Paradise. Assembled before her were a number of her employees, likely those sent as a welcome contingent by Wicke. The thought was a kind one, but completely and utterly unnecessary. Nevertheless, the blonde woman smiled at them all as she made her way over.

"Everything has been running smoothly, I take it," she spoke. The apparent leader of the group saluted quickly, falling into step beside her as she walked off. Shifting her eyes back, making them appear like slits, she noticed Faba scrambling off the ship.

"We've recovered a record number of Pokémon after the incident in Heahea City. Injured Wingull and the like," the man informed her. "They've all been taken to the conservation area."

"Excellent," Lusamine said, offering him a smile. The man blushed a little. "Return to your duties, then."

"Yes, ma'am!" The man saluted once more and he returned to his subordinates. Almost as soon as he had departed, Faba finished shuffling up to her, sniffling a little. Lusamine's displeased gaze slid over to him, a slight scowl on her face.

"Please wipe your dripping nose, Faba," she sighed out, hands on her hips as she watched him. Her hair billowed back as Faba reached up with a handkerchief to blow his nose. She wasn't sure how much good it would do, but it gave her some peace of mind.

"Hello, Madam President!"

"The President's back!"

"Oh, I'm so glad…" The sounds of her employees and volunteers met Lusamine's ears and she smiled towards those who were speaking. Many of them were waving, and one female employee was actually crying a little, likely tears of sheer joy, at her safety.

"Obviously, the news of what happened in Heahea City has spread quickly," Faba said with a slight bit of annoyance. She knew her branch manager was unhappy with himself not being greeted as enthusiastically (or indeed, at all). His sense of self-importance was far more skewed than Lusamine ever thought.

"Clearly," the blonde woman drawled. She wasn't surprised; it hadn't left her mind, either. The portal to the Ultra Space…it was like an inexorable force that pulled on her mind. A smirk crossed over. They were close. Closer than ever before to dissecting and discovering that beautiful world. It made her giddy inside to feel that it was so close within her reach. "So beautiful…"

"Hm? You say something, Madam President?" Faba asked. Lusamine shook her head, her voluminous hair moving around with it. Giving off another wave to her employees, the woman and her branch manager stepped onto the elevator to carry them up to the very top floor of their manmade island.

Traveling upward, the duo began to pass through the shining windows. Lusamine breathed in, pressing her forehead against the cool glass. Dealing with people crying over her was annoying. Closing her eyes for a second, she felt she could hear a little girl crying for her, but she ignored it. She didn't need a wretched thought like that in her head when there was so much more to do. Her eyes snapped open once more and she looked out over the conservation area before glancing out to the sea beyond the Paradise. All her work. It was beautiful.

The elevator rolled to its stop, opening out on the pure white walkway that led to the mansion on the top floor. Heaving a slight sigh, she pulled her head away from the glass and proceeded ahead of the goatee-stroking scientist with her. Her heels clicked and clopped against the walkway as the sun streamed down on her figure. Some milling gardeners and Pokémon were about the garden out front, waving to her like those below. She never could have imagined how happy they were to see her, but it hardly mattered very much. Nor did the woman in front of her mansion, to be honest, but she still appreciated her efforts.

"Welcome back, Madam Lusamine," the woman said, her bushy hair jiggling a bit as she bowed. Lusamine dismissed the greeting, striding past the woman. "How was the trip to Heahea? Informative?"

"Very," Lusamine answered, striding up to the doors and pushing them open with both her hands. Faba and the woman both followed after her as she stepped into the foyer, breathing in. "Were there any messages while I was out, Wicke?"

"Yes, there was one," Wicke answered, but she didn't elaborate on what it was about. Lusamine didn't need the answer; she already had a decent idea of what it was about, deciding to return it later. Running a hand through her hair, she made her way towards her office, only to stop at its threshold.

Screaming pain entered her head for a second and she felt her heartbeat double…no, triple. There was a haze, flashes of red. A hand was reaching out as it screamed into inky blackness. And those eyes…those eyes… "Stop it…stop looking…at me…like that…"

"Madam President!" Faba's voice was heard, but she waved him off violently.

"Did she have any episodes in Heahea?"

"None at all…which is quite the surprise, considering…" There was a loud noise, almost like a shuffling around in the desk nearby. Hurried footsteps followed and Lusamine could see that Wicke's feet were in front of her, even with the haze in her mind. In the woman's hands were two blue pills.

"Madam Lusamine, you need to take your medicine," Wicke told her insistently. The eyes still hovered in front of her face pleadingly. It was almost taunting, the way they wanted to break through.

"No…I'm doing this for you, too. Can't you see that?" she whispered. Wicke's hand wavered a second, but then she continued to be quite insistent in pushing the blue pills forward. The sight of them repulsed Lusamine and she slapped the hand away, sending the medicine down to the floor. "I'm fine! Get that away from me!"

"S-sorry…" Wicke mumbled apologetically. The pain vanished from her, finally, and Lusamine realized she was on the ground, knees touching it as her dress traveled up her thigh. Realizing where she was, the woman picked herself up with grace and faced Wicke with a smile.

"Nothing to be sorry for. I overreacted," the president assured her. Wicke continued to look concerned, while behind them it appeared that Faba was speaking with an employee who looked to be filling him in on some news. "Thank you, Wicke."

"Not a problem, madam," Wicke assured her. Lusamine dusted off her dress and walked into her office now, glancing at the bookshelf against the back wall. A smirk traveled over her face as she whipped around to sit upon her chair. "You should be more careful, though, Madam Lusamine. I know you haven't had an episode for six months, but…"

"No time for caution, Wicke," Lusamine spoke. She tapped the ends of her fingers together, looking to the photo on her desk. Well, it looked more like half a photo now, one end of it viciously ripped off from what Wicke would deem as one of her "episodes". Yet her mind was clear as could be at the moment that it happened. "The Day is almost here. We need to be more earnest in our discovery."

"Then perhaps it might have helped had you told Professor Burnet more," Faba said, still with that infernal sniffling nose. She let the issue slide this time. The woman leaned to the side, elbow on the arm rest as she cocked her head against a fist.

"Why bother?" Lusamine indicated to the scientist. Wicke looked between the two worriedly. Perhaps she worried that one of her episodes would approach again, making her lash out. Truth be told, she was surprised to have not experienced one back in Heahea, being so close to ground zero. Not that it changed things. In fact… "Telling Burnet wouldn't have changed a thing. Yesterday and six years ago were the biggest breakthroughs we had when it came to the Ultra Space. That other pockets appeared to have opened up beforehand, or that Mohn reached in when he shouldn't have is negligible and irrelevant. What we find now, or make sure they find, is of far more importance."

"Which means the RKS System is further delayed…Damn that brat…" Faba snarled out. Lusamine laughed. She enjoyed seeing Faba struggle to find any meaning that he could attach to his work. It was adorable.

"The RKS System…I'd scrap it if it wasn't a contingency, but it's hardly important if we don't recover it. In the end, it's all under control, he's assured me," Lusamine spoke. Wicke seemed to shudder at those words, but said nothing, drawing closer to the door at the exit from the room.

"Ah, which reminds me, Madam President, apparently the brat was sighted in Heahea," Faba said. It was clearly the news that he had received moments earlier. She rolled her eyes at it, genuinely not caring about that child. "He was pursuing Lillie."

"Was he?" That garnered her interest quickly. "And how has Lillie been doing since we last saw her?"

"The details are unknown, but it seems she's traveling with some friends." Lusamine's nails dug into the armrest that her elbow was not upon, grimacing lightly despite her slouched position. "Those children we met at the Dimensional Research Lab."

"Interesting…" Lusamine purred out. They had seemed familiar to her, yet she couldn't truly be bothered with any of their names. She considered things a moment, but began to chuckle lightly under her breath. "Well, I hope they continue to take good care of her. No doubt after what happened, they'll grow stronger and stronger. After all, we need them to keep it safe until it's time. Right, my sweet?"

"Er…yes?" Faba said, cringing a little, like he didn't understand why she was calling him that. It was fine by her, of course, and she ignored it as she stood, brushing aside a paper on the desk.

"Come, Faba, there's work to be done. His plan won't work itself out, and the Day is fast approaching." With that, she swept across her desk and for the bookcase behind it. It was time for the Aether Foundation's latest project.

"All right, time for a little training!" Ash's voice echoed across the battlefield that was next to the Heahea City Pokémon Center. Much to his surprise upon finding it that morning, the place wasn't damaged in the slightest. Well, there were a few pockmarks here and there, but those could have been caused by anything, he realized.

"Pika!" Pikachu led his entire crew in cheering. After a good night's rest, the previous day's battle seemed to be little more than a dream, including the dream or nightmare or whatever it had been from the evening before. A good night's sleep had done both his mind and body some good, putting him in the right place for the road ahead.

"Do your best!" Serena called out from her placement near the battlefield. She was seated with Bonnie and Clemont on a bench, gripping at her softly glowing egg. Ash turned to her, offering a grin, given that he was pleased she was watching. Not that it was hard for her to. Spending a night together made it difficult for either to wonder where the other was.

"Show us your Z-Moves, Ash!" Bonnie and Dedenne cheered together. Clemont said nothing, a fact that Ash ironically appreciated, the boy's mere observant nature helping himself to focus. No matter the other unanswered questions in his brain, Ash was determined to put his best foot forward and show them the resolve he had come to.

"Then let's do this double-time!" Ash said. He gave a few squats, stretching liberally to shake out some of the sores and kinks he had suffered in the battle the previous day. As he did so, he looked over to Greninja, the frog looking as fit as ever despite the beating he had taken, as well. Having his team fully pumped up and ready to go, Ash slammed his fist into his hand. "Dartrix, you and I are going to practice Z-Moves. Trumbeak, I want you to practice Flame Charge with your speed while trying to avoid it, and Rockruff, we'll see if we can block it with Rock Throw."

"Rrruff!" Rockruff barked out. Ash looked over to his other three team members, who were scrambling off to one of the other battlefields outdoors. The second they seemed to touch down upon it, Greninja and Passimian began sparring. Somehow, Ash wasn't surprised that Passimian managed to perfectly hit Greninja with a Shadow Ball, even with the Ninja Pokémon using Double Team.

"Okay, let's get started. Get on the move, you two!" Ash commanded, throwing his fist out. Rockruff and Trumbeak took off along the ground and in the air respectively. Trumbeak sailed up, spinning at a sheer angle to pick up speed. Dartrix watched his two opponents dart about the battlefield. Trumbeak reached a zenith in the air and then plunged back down. Likewise, Rockruff bent low to the ground, stones quivering around her neck. "Then let's do this!"

"Darroh!" Dartrix cried. At his partner's consent, Ash reached forward, crossing his wrists. That feeling of them both protecting the people they loved filled them, shared between them in a bond. More than that, Ash remembered his initial connection with Dartrix. He grinned, a green glow coming from his Z-Ring as the Grassium-Z appeared to surface. His hands moved back, clasping together before he raised them up and separated them. Power began to flow into Dartrix.

"Now, you guys! Flame Charge and Rock Throw! Dartrix, Bloom Doom!" Dartrix cried out as Rockruff pranced on the ground. The stones fired out, but they didn't form a large rock. Instead, they landed on the ground, points in before a large and jagged stone slab fired up from it. Ash was surprised to see it, recognizing it as Stone Edge. At the same moment, Trumbeak's body almost lit ablaze from the steep descent, but the fire petered out before anything could be done. "Pull up!"

Trumbeak acted instantly as Dartrix flapped his wings, seeds scattering out into the battlefield. They formed a flower field that stopped at the edge of Rockruff's stone. Then a singular bloom blasted outward while Trumbeak escaped from its range. Her speed wasn't quite what Ash had hoped, but he was grateful she was at least out of harm's way as the bloom exploded, sending pollen all over the battlefield. Clemont sneezed from it. Ash even tilted his hat down from the blast, while his other Pokémon watched the blast leave behind displaced dirt. Rockruff shook her fur from it, yipping loudly while Ash ran forward.

"You guys all did great! Rockruff learned Stone Edge; you're almost there with Flame Charge, Trumbeak, and Dartrix pulled off Bloom Doom! We're really making progress!"

"It was soooo cool!" Bonnie cheered. Still, Clemont seemed to say nothing, folding his hands as he stared at the battlefield, prompting Ash to look at his inventor friend. Bonnie appeared to notice her brother's gaze, as well, nearly blank and glazed. In the wake of that, she seemed to frown, herself recalling something. Ash wondered if it had to do with what Bonnie had mentioned last night at dinner about Squishy.

"Why don't I try another one, then?" Ash asked with a grin. This time he looked at Serena. His girlfriend was sitting there lazily, looking over at Pikachu intervening with the battle between Greninja and Passimian. Ash, too, saw his best buddy taking a note from Passimian about perfect accuracy, managing to bat away Greninja's Water Shuriken like it was nothing. Serena seemed lost in thought, like they all were, but she quickly noticed him watching and smiled.

"I wouldn't do that, cousin," called Kukui from the door to the Pokémon Center's interior. Out in the town proper, the sounds of people and Pokémon working together to patch things up could be heard. As much as he wanted to help, the professor had insisted he didn't that morning. "Z-Moves take a tremendous amount of energy. The crystal helps serve as a conduit for that energy, taking on the burden of the exchange between trainer and Pokémon. That's what allows its quick regenerative properties. If you use a Z-Move more than once in a single battle, you'd probably rip your body and your Pokémon's apart."

"Oh…definitely don't want to do that," Ash laughed out. Kukui laughed with him as he walked to Rockruff and scratched her behind the ears. She barked happily and Ash glowed at his three gathered Pokémon. They were all making such strides in improving, and he couldn't be prouder. It made him feel more than ready to take on Kiawe's trial. He felt it would be proof of him moving forward. Suddenly his stomach grumbled. "Man, I'm hungry…Lillie said she was making lunch, right?"

"Yes," Clemont spoke, finally jerking out of whatever seemed to be holding him confused. "She said she had something to tell us and wanted to make lunch."

"I gave her some pointers, too. She was really set on making sure I wasn't in the kitchen," Serena noted. She stood now, her skirt flaring out a little before she tamped it down. Bonnie was the only one of the three to look remotely concerned.

"Am I the only one that doesn't like the idea of Lillie cooking on her own?" the lemon blonde asked. Dedenne appeared to not care so much, returning to her pouch in order to sleep.

"I'm sure whatever it is, it'll be fine," Ash admitted, patting at his stomach. "Once we eat, we can get moving, too. The roads out of the city towards Wela Volcano should be clear by then, right?"

"That's the point," Kukui chuckled out. "Shame my sweet little honey can't join us, she's so wrapped up in her work. But we can still have a nice farewell lunch before then."

"Sounds good to me!" Ash cheered, pumping his fist as his Pokémon did the same. Eating among friends felt like the best idea in the world, not only to stop his growling tummy, but also because it returned things to normal after their battle to save Heahea City. He liked normal. It was the reason he wanted to be traveling again. Even if it doesn't actually feel normal…

"Bzzt! Rotom is here to deliver a message from Lillie!" the Pokédex suddenly cried out, zipping out of the Pokémon Center with an image of food on its screen. "Lunch is served!"

"Yes! Let's go, you guys!" Ash said to his Pokémon. Rockruff completely abandoned Kukui to follow Ash and the others inside of the Pokémon Center. The first thing that the raven-haired trainer saw was the table that was set up for their group, a multitude of food splayed out upon it. Lillie was next to it, placing the last of the plates down. It actually looked very good, drawing the attention of many patrons of the Center who were staying there after the incident.

Dartrix flew ahead to go and grab some food, only to have his feathers slapped aside by Trumbeak's own. That didn't stop Chespin from snaking a vine up to grab a roll. Naturally, Pancham was right at his side, scolding him for taking the roll. Ash and Serena couldn't help but laugh at that as all their Pokémon gathered around the table excitedly. Lillie caught sight of this, and she quickly and silently finished putting food down for all of them. Kukui walked up to the blonde girl and put his hands on her shoulders.

"It looks like a delicious meal, Lillie," the professor said. She beamed at him, still not saying anything, even when Nebby appeared on the table and seemed to open his mouth wide. He sucked down an entire roll, though Ash had genuinely no idea where it went. The boy didn't care much either, sitting at the table, next to Serena and across from Kukui, as they all set about to eat. Rotom landed on the table in a huff, unable to eat, before peering suspiciously at Bonnie.

With their plates soon loaded, the group all dug into their food. On the floor, the Pokémon all chattered about excitedly, with Dartrix and Chespin causing the most trouble in trying to snag others' food. Passimian, to Ash's surprise, had evenly layered his, and though he constantly kept his food even, it was gone almost faster than Chespin's. Ash turned back with a smile, noticing that Lillie was sitting there, but not eating.

"Lillie, is everything all right?" he asked of the blonde. She looked over to him, continuing to smile at him. It felt just a little creepy, especially with how downcast and upset she'd been the day before. Ash exhaled and placed his fork down, staring at her insistently. His own action prompted the others to do so as well, starting to worry about her. Lillie then unclasped her hands and placed them on the table, uncrossing her legs at the same time.

"I want to be a Pokémon Trainer!"

It was a bold statement, one louder than any clinking forks, chattering Pokémon, or even the whooshing of the door opening. They all stared at her, Pokémon included. Nebby bounded back across the table into her arms, or rather lap, because at the same time, Lillie held up the pokeball that Ash had given her what felt like so long ago.

"Lillie," Serena said, sounding a little surprised. She grabbed her napkin and wiped at her mouth. "You're sure about this?"

"Absolutely," Lillie said with confidence. Gone was the meek and timid girl from the day before, replaced with resolve. "Yesterday, I felt so helpless. I couldn't protect Nebby, and all I could do was stand there and cry. I…I don't want to feel that way again. I know there's always the possibility I'll break down, but I think that if I become a Pokémon trainer, I can at least try to protect Nebby."

"Pew!" Nebby chimed out, agreeing. Ash looked at Serena while she looked back at him. They considered each other for a second before grinning.

"I think it sounds like a great idea!" Ash concurred happily. "Any idea what you want to catch for your first Pokémon?"

"No…not really," Lillie said. "But I want something fierce and strong! One that's dependable and will never let me down!"

"I like that plan," Kukui laughed out boomingly. "In fact, I think that choosing to be a Pokémon trainer is probably the best idea in general. Living and working together with Pokémon is a truly great joy of life. But remember, Lillie, when it comes to being a trainer, it's not about having a Pokémon that won't let you down, but about the both of you being there for one another."

"I know," Lillie agreed. "I see Ash, Serena, Clemont, and even Bonnie getting along with their Pokémon, each moving forward together and being there for each other no matter what. That's why it's something that I want to do with my life."

"Aw, man! Even Lillie's gonna be a trainer before me!" Bonnie pouted out, but she couldn't deny the little smile that was on her face. Rotom snickered out at her.

"You still plan on traveling, I'd suppose?" Clemont asked her. It was clear that he was asking more than just in general. Lillie nodded, gripping the pokeball up to her chest.

"I would, if you'll let me."

"Of course!" Ash said. The girl hardly needed to ask. She'd already spent so much time with them, that the thought of Lillie leaving before their journey through Alola was over seemed entirely ludicrous. Kukui reached over and patted Lillie on the back.

"Like I said, I think it's wonderful. You and Nebby will certainly grow a lot, traveling with Ash and the others," the professor told her. She beamed up at him and nodded happily. "Speaking of, Ash, you guys are heading for Wela Volcano soon, yes?"

"Professor, you already know that! We plan to set off this afternoon, right?" Ash asked of his friends. Clemont nodded, pushing his glasses up as he returned to his food.

"Right after lunch was the plan."

"Good to know," Kukui sounded out, throwing a malasada into his mouth and chewing it whole. Once he'd swallowed, he grinned at them. "On that note, why don't you take a different path? It won't take you out of the way, really, and I think you'll get a real kick out of it."

"What are you talking about, professor?" Ash laughed out. He ate a little more off his plate before the man could give his rather swift answer.

"Ever heard of the Battle Royal?" Ash leaned back on his chair, chewing at the steamed broccoli in his mouth as he thought. Now that he had the time to ruminate on it, he realized that he had seen that poster, on his first trip to the city, that had advertised the Battle Royal.

"Sure. What is it?" Ash asked of the man. Kukui leaned across the table and Ash chose to emulate him. Serena shook her head while Lillie giggled a bit, the two girls reaching forward to clasp hands, as if glad to be continuing in their journey together.

"The Battle Royal is a big event held on Royal Avenue, which is on the way to your next trial," Kukui began to explain. Clemont became intrigued and he leaned in to listen as well. Bonnie also seemed excited, but remained in her chair. Rotom listened intently, like he was logging the data in. "They hold battle sets pretty much once a day there and it draws people from all around the island and the region. To the person who wins the battle set, they receive a prize…well, they get to choose from one."

"So, it's like a tournament?" Ash asked. He could feel his blood pumping as Pikachu leapt onto the table. He was clearly finished with his lunch and just as excited about the prospect of a tournament.

"Not quite." Ash deflated a bit at that. He really thought a tournament could help get his blood pumping against trainers. The Kalos Team Tournament had certainly helped that when it took so long to get to Snowbelle City, though he tried to ignore what happened afterwards. "There're only two rounds: preliminary and championship. But there's a twist."

"A twist?" Clemont asked. Both trainers were hanging on the professor's every word.

"Four trainers!" Kukui announced, holding up four of his fingers proudly. "You enter the ring with three others as a way to pay homage to the four islands of Alola and our guardian deities. In the old days, trainers used to battle with a three-on-three setup, with the battle ranging points and such until one trainer was out three Pokémon, but the organizers decided the rule was too complicated. Now, each trainer calls one Pokémon out, and the last in the ring is the winner."

"Kind of like the last battle of the Peace Tournament, then…" Serena noted. Ash nodded, now feeling even more excited. At Serena's reminder, he could recall his battle against Sawyer and Rocky during the KTT, and knew that something like this was just as exciting.

"I bet there are a lot of strong trainers there," Ash said wistfully.

"You betcha, cousin," Kukui said, reaching up to scratch at his chin. "The only caveat is that Z-Moves aren't allowed, but for skilled trainers like yourselves, that should be no problem. Plus, I hear the pool of prizes is very…interesting this time around, including a little stone which seems to be a Z-Crystal that no one has been able to use."

"What makes you think we could use it then?" Clemont asked him. Kukui grinned and chuckled at them.

"Just a feeling. Tapu Koko was interested in you, after all, so maybe this crystal is interesting, too, eh?"

"So, does that mean you battle there from time to time?" Ash asked, now coming back from his leaning position in order to spread his legs out comfortably. Kukui wore a rather sly grin as he, too, leaned back.

"I've dabbled in it from time to time, and the wife takes an interest in it," Kukui told them. His teeth were showing from his grin as Serena, Lillie and Bonnie struck up conversation irrespective of them. "She really likes the top battler of Royal Avenue: the Masked Royal! He's the undisputed top battler of the Battle Royal Dome, though lately he's only been doing exhibition matches. Only one challenger has been close to toppling his reign, and that's Kiawe."

"Aw, man! That just fires me up even more, even just to see him in action!" Ash cried out, wobbling around on his chair enthusiastically.

"Pika pika chu!" Pikachu agreed with him, stamping his feet a little.

"Whoo, yeah, heat it up like a Blast Burn, huh?" Kukui chuckled out. Ash grinned at Clemont, the inventor also looking positively fired up. "Too bad I'm going to be staying in Heahea for a while. Spending time with Burnet before her research takes her away. Plus, being such a popular city allows me to really get things moving for the Alola League. The Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia, left it in my hands after she departed for the Battle Tree this morning."

"You ran into Cynthia?" Ash asked, blinking. Then the first part of Kukui's statement hit him like a freight train. "Wait, that's right! She mentioned something about the League! So did Looker! It's true, then?"

"The League? Yeah, I got the official paperwork filed and all. Just need to set a date," Kukui informed Ash. The raven-haired trainer could see the little glint entering into the professor's eyes at the conversation about it. "I've even got the format figured out, so I think there'll be some fun surprises."

"How can I enter?" Ash asked as he and Pikachu slammed their fists on the table. Clemont jumped back and Serena looked over to him in surprise. Only Kukui didn't react with surprise, his grin widening all the further.

"Complete your trials," was the simple response. That took Ash by surprise and he sat back a little. "We had hoped to open it up only to those who complete their Grand Trials, but since not everyone completes all four of them, for the first League we're opening the pool up to those who complete the seven basic trials with the captains. In that case, we may have to run some preliminaries for the final rounds."

"Is that why you've been collaborating with Miss Akela?" Serena interjected. Kukui turned to her, giving her that same puzzling grin, like he was holding all kinds of secrets that he wasn't just going to let out for free. Serena seemed like she wanted to ask more. "Oh? !"

Ash, and everybody, as a matter of fact, turned at the sound of Serena's voice. The egg in her arms was glowing brightly, reaching a zenith that was almost blinding as cracks appeared along its snowflake-patterned surface. Serena reached up, moving her dish and other foods aside to place the egg on the table as it began to hatch. Out of all of them, Rotom seemed the most excited, preparing its camera for action. Then the egg shattered (or disappeared was more like it) to reveal the tiny Pokémon that had hatched from it.

"Shrew…?"

"It's…a Sandshrew!" Ash exclaimed. The little one that had hatched jumped and tried to roll himself up into a ball. Instead, he just looked craned over, limbs moved interior. "Ah, sorry…didn't mean to startle you…"

"Rew?" Sandshrew squeaked out, poking his head out a little. Serena leaned down a bit, a smile on her face as she moved some of the hair out of her eyes. The Sandshrew seemed to notice her, but remained in his somewhat rolled-up state. He did observe her, though, eyes flicking between the couple innocently.

"It looks different," Clemont commented. "Another Alolan form?"

"Yes," Rotom explained proudly. "In Alola, due to the Sandshrew's natural habitats near Mount Lanakila, they have developed into being Ice and Steel types!"

"Wow, he's so cute!" Bonnie exclaimed, diving forward as if to hug the little Sandshrew. Ash instantly knew that had to be one of the worst ideas the little girl had ever had.

"Shreeeew!" the Sandshrew shrieked, suddenly spinning around like a top and shooting off the table. Bonnie was the one that got smacked in the face with a crystalline dusting of ice cementing her look of pain onto her features. As soon as she fell back, Lillie crying out at her, Sandshrew was gone. Some of the trainers around the Center seemed surprised as the little one rolled around and seemed to disappear, moving so fast with his rolling that it was impossible to tell where he went.

"Ha ha, Bonnie looks funny," Rotom commented, snapping a picture of the girl's face before she could thaw and retaliate. Lillie leaned down to pick Bonnie up as Serena stood from her chair.

"Bonnie, it was just a baby," Clemont scolded his sister. "You startled him."

"I'm sorry…he just looked so cute…" Bonnie pouted out sadly. She could clearly move her facial muscles again, given she was talking, but Ash was more predisposed to finding just where the little Mouse Pokémon had gotten to. The chaos from Sandshrew's rather abrupt departure appeared to have settled down, making it difficult to find him.

"Well, he's an energetic one," Kukui laughed out. "Looks to know some good moves, too. Pretty sure he exhibited Rapid Spin just there."

"Whatever it was, we need to find him," Serena stated. Ash had to agree with that notion. "He must be scared, and I don't want him to be too frightened."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Ash stated, pushing his chair out, himself. Packing for the departure from Heahea could come later; for now, the little one was more important. "Pikachu, can you look for him?"

"Pi," Pikachu confirmed and he slipped from the table. The other Pokémon also seemed to get the idea that a search party was being formed, since they all split to other areas of the Center. Ash remained where he was standing, looking around for where the little Sandshrew could have gone as Serena fretted a little next to him.

"Don't worry about it," he whispered. She nodded, but said nothing.

"Pika! Pipika!" Pikachu finally called from a corner of the Center, near what looked like a cushioned seat. Serena was off even faster than he was, running over to where Pikachu was. Her Pokémon were all right behind her, except for a slower Brionne that Ash picked up to bring over. As they approached, Ash noticed that there were some ice crystals on the seat. Serena bent low, while Ash did the same, depositing Brionne to the ground with the rest of Serena's team. While doing so, he looked underneath the seat to see Sandshrew there, staring up at Serena with big eyes. The Sandshrew sneezed a little, and a medium-sized chunk of ice flew out, scattering across the floor.

"It's okay," Serena said softly. Ash was taken aback; she sounded so much like a mother with a child, similar to how she'd sometimes spoken to Lillie. That made him smile and his mind wandered to some far-off future for a second. "You're okay. We're not here to hurt you, okay?"

"Shrew?" Sandshrew squeaked out, tilting his head. Ash finally noticed the small case in Serena's arms as she opened it up to reveal the pokepuff inside. She took one with Oran Berry frosting atop it and held it out tentatively.

"You must be hungry," she said, still quiet in that intimate little moment. Sandshrew shuffled forward a little, intrigued by the pastry before him. Serena pushed it slightly forward with a smile and finally the little mouse reached forward to grab it. The whole time, he looked up at Serena before drawing it back to his mouth and nibbling on it.

"Sand!" Sandshrew cried out, his eyes alighting with joy. Serena breathed with obvious relief as Ash held back his laugh. Pikachu walked a little forward to greet the little one.

"Pika!" he said. Sandshrew looked at him, a slight bit of fear in his eyes, but Pikachu turned around, offering his tail. The little one stared a moment longer before finishing the Pokepuff and reaching forward to touch Pikachu's tail. Pikachu yanked it slightly out of reach, causing Sandshrew to jump before he lowered it again. The process continued a couple more times until, finally, Sandshrew caught hold of the tail and cheered.

"Shrew! Shrew!" he cried happily; so happily that he began to spin around, little particles of ice flying in the air from his action. Eventually he stopped as Pikachu patted him on what seemed to be a hard-shelled back.

"It's like they're brothers," Ash finally laughed out at the sight. At the sound of this, Pancham stepped forward. Sandshrew watched him warily for a moment, but Pikachu's consistent patting made him relax.

"Cham pan," Pancham said proudly. Sandshrew tilted his head, watching curiously as Pancham slipped onto his back and began to spin around. It very quickly became a dance, one that Sandshrew was enraptured with. "Panpanpan!"

"Sand? Shrew!" Sandshrew responded with, clearly liking the rhythm that Pancham was showing. Pikachu began to back away as his fellow mouse began to spin himself, showing the same kind of Rapid Spin he had shown earlier. Serena leaned back, clapping her hands together as the two Pokémon finished their dance. By this point, the others had finally approached them, watching the duo's routine come to an end.

"Oh, that's interesting," Clemont commented, adjusting his glasses. "He's like a natural born dancer right out of the egg. Tierno would be fascinated if he ever saw this."

"I think Pancham and Sandshrew look just as much like brothers as Pikachu and he," Serena giggled out, ignoring the latter part of Clemont's observations. Ash nodded, agreeing with the statement.

"Um…" Bonnie said, and both Ash and Serena turned to look at the younger girl. She was clutching Dedenne with sad eyes. "I'm sorry for scaring Sandshrew…"

"I'm sure he understands," Serena assured the girl sweetly. "You do, don't you, Sandshrew?" The Ice and Steel type stopped his movements and turned, looking up to all the humans that were before him. Ash watched his eyes widen, as though the little one had suddenly figured out that he had attracted an audience with his dancing. Yet, despite his timid demeanor earlier, he didn't seem to mind the attention now. It was like Pancham and Pikachu's own interests had broken him out of whatever figurative shell had still been left from his hatching.

"Sandshreeew!" he exclaimed. Bonnie's eyes alit with happiness and she seemed to want to lunge towards him again. Lillie, however, managed to put a hand on her shoulder, indicating for her to restrain herself. She did so, and opted for smiling softly at Sandshrew's acceptance of her apology. That matter settled, Ash turned back to Serena.

"Well, Serena, what do you plan to do?" he asked. She didn't look over at him or answer, though he could tell she'd made her decision by the soft smile that was gracing her face. Once more, she brushed the hair out of her eyes and behind her ear before placing her hands down on her knees.

"Sandshrew?" Serena asked aloud. Her voice was still soft and quiet, to the point that only those surrounding her could actually hear her speak, but that seemed to suit her just fine. Sandshrew, at the very least, was paying attention, and that was all that really mattered. "My name's Serena, and I'm a Pokémon Performer."

"Sand?" Sandshrew decided to ask, once more emulating Pikachu in turning his head to the side in that curious manner.

"A Pokémon Performer works together with their Pokémon to do routines like you and Pancham just did," she continued to inform him. The idea seemed to have held the Mouse Pokémon's ears and Ash continued to flick his eyes between the two of them. "Is that…something that would interest you?"

Sandshrew continued tilting his head before looking to Pancham. The Playful Pokémon thumped his chest proudly, as if indicating his own preference to the little one. It took a moment of waiting, a moment replete with Clemont restraining Chespin from trying to assert himself as Luxray shook his head, but after a moment, Sandshrew seemed to bounce. "Shrrrrew!"

"It would? That's wonderful!" Serena stated once more, clapping her hands together yet again. She looked positively enthused at the prospect of a new partner to her team. Sandshrew seemed to find it the same, for he bounded upward and into Serena's arms. It weighed just a little on her, judging by the way her arms sagged a bit, but she still kept the smile. "You're certainly cold. We'll have to buy lots of foods to keep you that way."

"Sandshrrrew…" Sandshrew shivered out, once more sneezing out the ice balls just a little. Ash looked down to Pikachu and grinned, both of them happy for her.

"Then, I'm glad you're joining my team," she said gleefully in response, taking out a pokeball. "We work hard, but have lots of fun and…bring smiles…to everyone." Her words seemed to waver on the tail end of her sentence, Ash noticed almost immediately. He wanted to reach out and reassure her, but considering that her smile hadn't faltered, he realized there was no need to.

"Shrew!" Sandshrew called, scrabbling a little against her arms as he reached for the pokeball still in her hand. She lowered it a little, so it was right at his level, and the little one pressed on the white button in the center. Red light surrounded him and he was sucked inside. The pokeball rocked on Serena's hand for all of a second before sounding out with a ding, stars flying from it. She stood.

"Ta da! My new team member…is Sandshrew!" she yelled, drawing a little attention. Most of it was from her own Pokémon, however, glad to have earned a new friend and family member to their ranks. Bonnie and Lillie clapped their hands furiously, all while Ash shoved his hands in his pockets with a grin as Pikachu returned to his shoulder.

"Congratulations, Serena," Clemont spoke, his own gaze turning back to Charjabug crawling all over his backpack. When Ash saw that, he noticed that they had surprisingly managed to complete their lunch. As Serena thanked the inventor, Ash returned to his own team, all of them looking over at him proudly. Kukui was still seated at the table, leaning back with his hat over his head. He was grinning.

"Well, guys, we'll be heading to Wela Volcano," Ash spoke as he stood before his prepared team. Passimian was hunkered low, staring intensely. "Before then, we'll take that detour to Royal Avenue for some extra training. We might only need the regular trials to aim for the Alola League, but we're gonna make sure we clear those Grand Trials and win it together! What do you all say?"

"Koo!" Dartrix cried, raising his wing up. The others all followed with equally enthusiastic responses, even Pikachu. Only Greninja opted for a nod instead of the cheer.

"You'll all do great," Serena admitted, finally coming back over. Her entire team seemed to be returned to their pokeballs now, as was Clemont's, sans Charjabug. "We'll all cheer you on, every step of the way we can."

"And this time you'll win it all!" Bonnie said, her and Dedenne jumping up into the air. Lillie looked over, placing Nebby back into her bag as she adjusted the floppy hat on her head.

"You've battled in a 'League' before?" she asked, walking over to join them all. Ash turned to face them all, smirking just a little as he folded his arms, his Pokémon displayed right behind him with their own little smirks.

"He battled into being runner-up at the Kalos League last year," Clemont answered. Lillie looked absolutely surprised by this particular revelation. Ash continued smirking a little. He didn't like resting on his laurels, or boasting about his achievements these days, but seeing Lillie shine with admiration and hearing Clemont's pride made him feel glad. For a second, all of his losses made him realize he was getting somewhere, step by step.

"Well, that's interesting…" Kukui mumbled, but Ash was sure he must have misunderstood the man. He was still grinning, though, leaning forward with what seemed to be a battle-starved expression. "Better get moving, then, huh?"

"Right!" Ash said. He whipped over to his Pokémon, all of them giving one more cry of confidence before he took out his pokeballs and called them back except for Pikachu. Each one of he and his friends then made sure to grab their bags, slinging them over their shoulders as they dashed out of the Center.

Emerging into the sun of Heahea City, Ash could still hear the banging sounds of reconstruction in the city. However, despite whatever damage seemed to have been done in the city, the smell of the salty breeze still tickled his nostrils as people cleaned up on the beach. There appeared to be some round, little Pokémon resting there that Rotom took pictures of while Bonnie grabbed on to the railing, overlooking the sands. Ash tilted his head up, looking right at the noon sun. His hand reached outward, like he was trying to grab ahold of it, but did little more than notice the Z-Ring on his wrist.

"Professor Kukui, thanks for everything," Ash said, back still to the professor. The ocean breeze ruffled past his hair as he looked down now, gazing out at the sea. He felt his resolve trying to strengthen itself. The questions in his head tried to break through it, but with Pikachu on his shoulder and Serena by his side he pushed them away to face the professor. "I guarantee that I'm going to complete all my trials and Grand Trials and win the Alola League."

"I'll be looking forward to that, cousin," Kukui said, reaching forth to clasp Ash's hand. "Maybe one day, we'll battle, too. In the meantime, you guys all succeed at whatever you try."

"We will," Serena confirmed. Ash could hear the fire in her voice, ready to take on her next Ceremony as soon as possible. It made the fire stir within him even further.

"Lillie, you and Nebby take care on the road," Kukui continued on. Lillie responded by clasping her fists together and pulling them up against her chest positively. "When you're done, stop back by before you head off to Konikoni to face Olivia. I'm sure Burnet would love to see you and fill you in, assuming she doesn't call you first. One thing we have in common: we're real talkers."

"Will do," Clemont said, hitching his bag up a little more, though it weighed right back down all over again. He seemed to still be a little lost in thought, like he had before lunch, but Ash just walked over and slung an arm around him so they could all walk off together. Serena gave a wave while Bonnie quickly hugged Kukui.

"Take care, professor!" she cheered loudly, herself waving before Lillie silently ushered her along, offering one last nod to the professor as she clasped the pokeball in her hands.

"Ah, wait for Rotom!" Rotom cried, flying off from the beach rapidly. "Extra tricks to play, now that Rotom was almost left behind."

"Come on, Rotom, you're a real Slowpoke!" Bonnie teased as Ash's foot finally reached the border from the city. He grinned, wasting no more time in taking a breath as Serena, Lillie and Bonnie caught up to them and they stepped forward onto the next phase of their adventure, together.

Author's Note: And there's the first chapter of Trials! Was it as explosive as the opener of the second book of The Kalos Trilogy? No, not at all, but I don't think it needed to be after the way the first ended. In either case, things have clearly moved forward, and that first scene is very important, obviously. Otherwise, our heroes are experiencing currently minor problems, despite their successes. More importantly, Lillie has decided to become a trainer! What Pokémon will she catch? Furthermore, Sandshrew has hatched! I find it hilarious how many people thought for certain, not a single doubt, that it was Vulpix. It was like there wasn't any other option! Funny to me, because I laid tons of hints for why it wasn't Vulpix…like Keoni having one…and the pattern on the egg being different from the anime on purpose. Ah well, don't worry, I had my reasons. But I won't let this go for a while, ha ha!

Well, regardless, as this is technically the first chapter of the new story, there's no one to thank here, ha ha, so I'll settle for a blanket thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed the last story! Let's keep it up into this one! So, until the next chapter, please Review and Dare to Be Silly.