"Now that I think about it, a ponytail might have been better..."

"Moon, this is a Trial, not a freaking fasion show." Arvo sighed.

"Did you just say 'freaking'? I think that's the closest I've heard you come to swearing."

"Shut up." The two finally came upon the entrance to a large cave system.

"Well well." Ilima began as he stepped out from the mouth of the cave. "Moon, I should say you look eager to begin your Island Challenge."

"You bet. Feels like I've been waiting six months for this." Arvo sighed, pulling out his phone. "What are you doing?"

"Paying for a new Forth Wall."

"Anyway," Ilima began. "Your Trial differs depending on the Captain running it. For my Trial, there are two Pokémon waiting for you in the Verdant Cavern. Simply defeat them in battle, and the Totem Pokémon will come to battle you."

"That's it?"

"That's it. Oh, but you should know, the Pokémon you'll be fighting will come as a great surprise to a Kantonian like yourself." Moon cocked her head. "Now, the Trial will start as soon as you step through this gate here. Keep in mind though, if you leave the Trial area without defeating the Totem, the Trial will reset." He gave a quick nod. "Whenever you're ready."

"Kay," Moon handed her bag to Arvo. "Arvo, hold the space fart bag."

"I heard that!" Cosmog snapped.

"You were meant to!" Moon retorted as she sighed, taking a step through the gate and into the cavern. She came upon a large stone room with many crevices and small tunnels. Looking around, she saw that she and Popplio were the only ones standing in in the cavern.

"So... Do I just stand here or-"

"TATA!" Moon shrieked, ducking just in time to feel something brush her hair just where her head had been.

"TICA!" Popplio used Pound to slap away a second figure, and two shaped landed in front of Moon. She squinted at them.

"Wait... Rattata, and Raticate?" The two Pokémon she knew of looked different. Black fur, and, in Raticate's case, fatter. Rotom popped out.

"Rattata: Alola Form: A Normal and Dark Type: Alolan Rattata is mostly nocturnal, scavaging food by breaking into homes at night.

Raticate: Alola Form: A Normal and Dark Type and the evolved form of Alolan Rattata: While incredibly greedy, it is also quite lazy, having its Rattata underlings gather food for it."

"Wait, Alola Form?"

"Yes, some Pokémon take up different Typings in certain regions due to different climates."

"Certain Regions? I doubt there are any Type variants in other regions."

"First of all, it's Regional Variants, second:" A black and white Pokémon appeared on Rotom's screen. "Zigzagoon: Galarian Form: A Dark and Normal Type:-"

"Ok I get it!" Moon snapped, turning back to Rattata and Raticate, who for some reason were polite enough to wait through her banter with Rotom. "Let's go Grubbin!" Moon released her Bug Type on the field, who chittered aggressively upon seeing her opponents. Popplio jumped up to Grubbin's side, ready to battle as well. Rattata fired a Dark Pulse while Raticate ran in with a Quick Attack.

"Alright, Popplio, use Bubblebeam, Grubbin, use Poison Jab!" Popplio leapt into the air, blasting Raticate in the face with a pressurized stream of bubble, while Grubbin slammed her poison covered pincers into Rattata's stomach, only to be abruptly countered with an Iron Tail that knocked her into the air. "Quick Grubbin, hit Rattata with Dig from that position!" Grubbin righted herself, her pincers glowing as she began spinning like a drill, diving toward Rattata and slamming into his stomach, leaving a small crater in the ground. "Popplio, use Pound!" Popplio slammed a glowing flipper in between Raticate's eyes, causing the Pokémon to stumble back. Raticate growled, lunging forward and using Bite, sinking glowing fangs into Popplio's flipper. "Popplio, Scald, Grubbin, Spark!" Raticate was hit in the face with scalding hot water, while Rattata was knocked back by an electrified tackle. The two Dark and Normal Types stumbled back, bumping into eachother. "Grubbin, use Dig to launch them into the air!" Grubbin burrowed her way into the ground, quickly erupting from under Rattata and Raticate and knocking them into the air. "Now Popplio, Disarming Voice!" The heart shaped beam caught both Pokémon at once, engulfing them in an explosion and allowing their unconscious forms to fall to the ground. "All right! I'm on top of the world!"

"Moon!" The girl blinked, turning to see Ilima and Arvo standing on a higher level of the cave. "I would advise you not to get cocky. You haven't even fought the Totem yet." The Trial Captain called.

"Yeah, and where is this big bad Totem Pokémon?" Moon sassed. She stiffened as a loud crash sounded behind her, causing the ground to quake briefly. Moon slowly turned around, coming face-to-face with a Raticate that was as big a her.

"...My... You're big..." Moon quavered. Raticate roared, kocking Moon onto her rear as she scurried backwards. "Ah! Popplio, use Scald!" The small Water Type let loose a jet of scalding hot water, nailing Raticate in the cheek. The Totem roared again, this time an orange aura erupted around him.

"Huh!?"

"Oh yes, I forgot to tell you!" Ilima called. "Totem Pokemon have this special aura that boost some of their stats."

"I freaking hate you!"

"I get that a lot."

"Really?" Arvo asked.

"Well, mostly from new challengers... And previously Team Skull Members... And most recently Rainbow Rocket... Actually, now that I think about it, there's a strange man on Route 15 who seems to have it out for me for some reason." Back down on the battlefield, Moon and her Pokémon were frantically dodging everything Raticate threw at them.

"Popplio, Disarming Voice. Grubbin, Spark!" Popplio's heart shaped beam caused Raticate to stumble, while an electrified tackle to the head from Grubbin caused him to crash to the ground, laying flat on his back. The cavern was silent as Moon and her Pokémon stared at Raticate.

"...D-did we win?" With a loud roar, Raticate bolted up, using Hyper Fang to grab onto Popplio's tail and swing the Water Type around wildly, slamming him into the cave walls in the process. "Is that even legal!?" Moon squeaked, right before Popplio's unconcious form landed at her feet. She stared at her starter, then looked up at Raticate as the massive Pokémon stomped up to her.

"...Hello..." Raticate roared in her face. "Mommy!" The ground beneath Raticate exploded as Grubbin slammed into a particularly sensitive area. Raticate let out a squeak that was more akin to a scream as it hopped around in agony. Moon blinked.

"A-alright then! Grubbin, use Spark over and over!" The small beetle covered herself in electricity as slammed into Raticate multiple times. Just as she launched one more attack, Raticate's paws shot out and grabbed Grubbin, holding her in place as the Bug Type squirmed, unable to do anything.

"Grubbin, String Shot!" Grubbin spat fluid-like webs into Raticate's face. The large Pokémon growled, shaking Grubbin violently. "Grubbin, do something!" In response, Grubbin was surrounded in a bright blue glow. Everyone in the cavern stared as Grubbin's form shifted into something more rectangular. The glow faded, revealing a green, beetle-like Pokémon. "Well...that was something..." Rotom popped out and began scanning.

"Charjabug, The Battery Pokémon: An Electric and Bug Type and the evolved form of Grubbin: As it digests food, electricity is generated thatbis stored in a special electric sac."

"Hey, she's got new moves!" Moon replied, looking at Rotom's screen. "Alright Charjabug, Discharge!" Bolts of electricity flew wildly from Charjabug electrocuted Raticate, forcing him to drop her from the pain. Raticate snarled and charged, Hyper Fang at the ready. "Iron Defense!" A silver shine ran across Charjabug's body as Raticate bit down. There was a loud clang as Raticate's teeth cracked and tears welled up in his eyes. "Poison Jab!" Charjabug slammed her pincers into Raticate's stomach, sending him flying back into a wall, this time definitely unconcious. There was silence before clapping echoed through the cavern. Moon turned as Ilima walked up.

"I apologize for Raticate's aggression. He tends to do that when he feels Trial Goers are getting cocky. But either way, congratulations Moon! You've passed the Melemele Normal Type Trial!" Moon slapped him. "I deserved that. I'll admit it." Ilima stated as he rubbed his cheek. "Anywho." He produced a small crystal. "For completing my Trial, I present you with Normalium-Z. A Z-Crystal that can turn Normal Type moves into the Z-Move Breakneck Blitz." Moon took the Crystal, slipping it into her Z-Power Ring. To use it, just preform this little dance." He went through a series of motions as Moon picked up Popplio, who had regained conciousness.

"Do I really have to do the dance?"

"Yes, but don't worry. Z-Moves are common enough in Alola that you don't have to be embarrassed about it." She looked to Arvo, who shrugged. "Now that you've completed my Trial, you can now return to Iki Town to battle Kahuna Hala in the Grand Trial."

"Yamp! Yamper!" The group jumped as a dog-like Pokémon limped toward them. It was heavily bruised and bleeding a little. With one final heave forward, the Pokémon collapsed into unconsciousness.

"Who is that Pokémon!?" Moon questioned.

"I can't find in anywhere in my database!" Rotom yelped.

"It must be from a Region outside of Glacias ownership then." Arvo concluded. Ilima knelt down to the Pokémon.

"It looks like it was wounded in battle. But then... Where's its trainer?"

In a nearby meadow just West of Route 3, a young girl, about five years old with fiery red hair had crawled into a small burrow, her lip bleeding, her body bruised, and tears running down her face as she kicked at the several bird Pokémon aggressively trying to force their way in.

"G-Gran! Yamper!" The girl sobbed.