“The tournament is about to begin!” Came a booming voice from Iki Town, probably a speaker or megaphone! “Oh! Looks like we’ll have to talk later. But before I go, isn’t your name Lillie? Said Star. “Why, um… yes, yes it is. H-how did you know?” Lillie responded shyly. “Professor Kukui told me to come up here to find you! He said he wanted me to meet you.” Explained Star. “My name’s Star, by the way. Nice to meet you, Lillie!” “Nice to meet you too… um… Star…” responded Lillie in her still shy voice. As Star raced down to Iki Town, he was able to make it just in time to sign up and sit with his friends, Sun, Moon, and Hau, and listen to the announcer. “The features of this tournament are a 1 v. 1!” Boomed the announcer through a megaphone. “Since there are eight contestants, there will be three rounds, until the last person stands! Are you ready? Good! The let’s go! The first matches are as follows: Ilima vs. Ryuki! Gladion vs. Hau!” “Oooh, I wonder how strong this Gladion character is?” Said Hau in an excited voice. “Sun vs. Moon!” The two siblings looked at each other and gasped. “And finally, Star vs. Professor Kukui!” Finished up the announcer. Him fighting Kukui? It was impossible! Kukui was a full-on Professor, and to defeat him would be incredible! “Let the matches… begin!” And with that, everyone went to their match and started fighting them. “Looks like I’ll get to test your skills after all, eh, kid?” Said Professor Kukui. “Rockruff, I choose you!” “Rock! Rockruff!” Yapped the Puppy Pokémon playfully. “Ok, Star, keep your cool. Remember: Rockruff is a Rock type. So use Divine!” Said Star to himself. “Divine, go!” He said, and his partner stepped up to the ring. “Hmm… let’s see… ah! Yes! Divine use Vacuum Wave!” Star ordered, and his little Pokémon did exactly that. “Rio!” Cried Divine, and a space-distorting energy wave quickly formed and was thrown at Rockruff. “Rockruff, dodge it!” Commanded Professor Kukui. And Rockruff did that, perfectly. “You’re going to have to do better than that if you want to win!” Said Kukui. “Rockruff, Rock Throw!” And with that, Rockruff threw rocks at Divine, damaging it. “I’ll have to think faster if I’m going to defeat him…” Said Star. “Aha! Riolu, use Vacuum Wave… on the ground!” “What?” Puzzled Kukui. But Divine seemed to understand and did so, and Divine was launched into the air! “Now, successive Vacuum Waves!” “Rio!” Divine cried in acknowledgement, and fired multiple Vacuum Waves, each one making contact with the Rockruff. When the dust cleared… Rockruff fainted! “Winner, Star and his Riolu!” Announced the announcer. “Yes!” Exclaimed Star with joy. “Now, for the results of the matches: Ilima and Yungoos vs. Ryuki and Gible-Ilima and Yungoos are the winners! Gladion and Zubat vs. Hau and Pikipek-Gladion and Zubat are the winners! Sun and Grubbin vs. Moon and Popplio-Sun and Grubbin are the winners! Star and Riolu vs. Kukui and Rockruff-Star and Riolu are winners! The next results are: Gladion vs. Ilima and Star vs. Sun! The next round will go shortly, after the Pokémon are healed.” Exclaimed the announcer. “You. Were. Amazing! I can’t wait to face you in the next match!” Exclaimed Sun to Star. “I guess I’m no where near as good as my older brother… especially when your Grubbin just straight-up immobilizes my Popplio!” Exclaimed Moon in annoyance. “Not my fault you’re so slow!” Countered Sun. “Actually, String Shot does lower the opponent’s Speed! Woo! One sticky move, eh?” Said Kukui, walking into the conversation. “So ha! It was your fault!” Said Moon triumphantly, sticking her tongue out at Sun. “One of these days, I’m gonna get her.” Swore Sun. “Hey, Hau! How did your battle go?” Said Sun, calling out to Hau. “Horribly! That Gladion guy just beat me with his Zubat, nice and clean! And I could tell he still had tricks up his sleeve!” Replied Hau. “Well, that’s my brother for you.” Said Lillie, walking in. “Woah, woah, woah! You mean that dude is your brother! Crazy! He’s, like, the exact opposite! You’re soft and gentle and serene, and he’s… tough and… scary!” Said Hau. “That’s just him on the outside. He’s really soft on the inside!” Said Lillie, defending Gladion. “Not true, Lillie. You know that. Why are you here, anyways?” Said the person they were talking about. “Gladion! Hey! I’m here because I’m hanging out with Professor Kukui and his wife, Professor Burnet! Why are you here?” Asked Lillie. “None of your business.” Said Gladion, and with that, he walked away. “Prickly type, eh?” Said Sun. “Yes. He’s been like that ever since our father… Our father died…” Said Lillie sorrowfully. “My father died, too. He was an awesome dad.” Said Star, comfortingly. “The next round is about to begin! May the contestants please go to their respective battles!” Said the announcer. “Ok, Sun, let’s battle!” Said Star challengingly. “You’re on!” “Let the battles… start!” “Go, Synthetic!” “Go, Rowlet!” Both Pokémon came out of their Poke Balls, ready to fight. “Good luck! You’ll need it!” Said Sun boastingly. “Hmm… a Rowlet… This could get ugly if I’m not careful…” Pondered Star. “Rowlet! Fly up high and rain down Gusts!” “Row, row!” Replied the Pokémon, and up it went to do that. “Agh! The attacks are coming in so rapidly! How am I supposed to hit it up there?” Pondered Star once again. “Haha! My Rowlet comes from Hisuian descent! It’s special and stronger! Haven’t you noticed how big it is?” Boasted Sun. Now that Star looked at it more closely, it did look bigger… and was that a fleck of red in its eye? “This Rowlet is the descendant of an Alpha Pokémon! The Alpha breeds are extinct now, but they were massive, powerful Pokémon with blazing red eyes! This Rowlet is just as strong as an Alpha of old! That’s why it inherits it’s nickname, Alpha!” Boasted Sun yet again. “Let! Rowlet!” Cried Alpha. “A big Pokémon, eh?” Said Star. “I might be able to use that to my advantage… Synthetic! Throw rocks at it!” “Null!” Replied the Synthetic Pokémon, and off it went doing so. “Wha-what are you doing!” Exclaimed Sun. “You’ll see!” Replied Star. Eventually, one of the rocks hit Rowlet in the wing, and it couldn’t fly as well! “Ok, Synthetic, time to end this! Aerial Ace!” Said Star. “Aerial Ace?!? It knows that?!?” Exclaimed Sun. Synthetic jumped into the air, and skillfully slashed with its claws, making the opposing Rowlet faint! “The winner is Star and Type: Null!” Said the announcer. “I…I lost…” Said Sun soberly. “Don’t worry, Sun!” Said Star! “We always lose one sometime! Even the best of us!” “Thanks, Star. You’re a good friend!” Said Sun more happily. “The results of the matches: Gladion and Zubat vs. Ilima and Smeargle-Gladion and Zubat are the winners! Star and Type: Null vs. Sun and Rowlet-Sun and Type: Null are the winners! Now we have a special final 2 vs. 2 battle, governed by our pride of the island himself… Kahuna Hala!” Said the announcer, giving the microphone to another person-presumably Hala. “Thank you for having me here in my hometown! I’m sorry I couldn’t be here earlier; a pair of Rockruffs had a real tussle haha! Anyway, now that I’m here, I have rewards to those who participated in the tournament, win or lose: An Island Challenge Amulet and a Z-Ring! Now, we shall start the battle between Gladion and Star immediately. Are you two ready?” Exclaimed Hala. “Yes!” Said Star. “Hmph. Sure.” Grunted Gladion. “Then let the battle… begin!” “Go! Synthetic!” “Zubat!” “Null…” “Bat bat bat!” “Zubat, Supersonic!” Exclaimed Gladion. Zubat fired the move, and it hit! “Null… Null?” “Synthetic! Urgh. How do I do this? Now it’s confused, and it’s mask only makes it worse thanks to it resonating in there… Aha! Synthetic! Shake your head towards Zubat!” Shouted Star! Synthetic did so, and thanks to the resonation, it confused the Zubat, and Synthetic snapped out of its confusion! “Now, Tackle!” “Null!” And with that Type: Null lunged and hit the Zubat, making it faint! “Ah! I. Won’t. Lose!” Shouted Gladion. “Zorua! Go clean this mess up!” A little black fox Pokémon came out of the Poke Ball. “Ok, Synthetic, this’ll be easy! Tack-“ “Zorua, Sucker Punch!” The little fox Pokémon then attacked Synthetic quite quickly, knocking it out! “Synthetic! Ok, buddy, take a rest.” Said Star, returning Synthetic to its Poké Ball. “Ok, Divine, it’s all up to you!” Exclaimed Star. “Rio!” “Hmph. I don’t think so.” Said Gladion. After that, he clicked something on his wrist; a Z-Ring! Star read about this before he left Goldenia, when the Pokémon and Trainer join hearts and unleash a devastating attack! This was bad; Star needed to think quickly. “Zorua, Black Hole Eclipse!” “Zoooooooooooooruaaaaaaaaa!!!” Exclaimed the Pokemon in a surge of power, shooting a black hole forward. “Let me see, let me see! What do I do!?” Fretted Star. Then he and Divine locked eyes, and then there was a moment of calm in the storm. Their hearts and minds were bonded, they were one. Riolu’s power increased drastically! “Riolu! Vacuum Wave!” But what fired wasn’t a Vacuum Wave; it was a burst of pure aura! It devasted everything! The land, the trees, even the black hole! But most of all, it devastated the Zorua, making it faint. “No! How? How could I have lost?” Said a very confused and angry Gladion. “Because you don’t have a bond with your Pokémon, Gladion. That’s why.” Answered Star. “The winner of the battle is Star!” Shouted Hala. “Now, for the prize: ¥500,000 and a Z-Ring! And for everyone who wants it, an Island Challenge Amulet!” Said Hala, as he was giving out the rewards. “What is the Island Challenge?” Asked Star. “Four islands. Four islands in Alola, each having its own trials. The Island Challenge is defeating these trials, and then defeating the Island Kahuna at the end of the trials for that island!” Explained Kukui. “Wow!

I think I’d like to do that!” Said Star. “Hey there! If you’re doing the Island Challenge, then meet me in Hau’Oli city!” Said Ilima, one of the contestants. “Ok! I’ll be there!” Said Star. “So will we!” Said Sun, speaking for himself, Moon, Hau, and Lillie. “If it’s ok with you, Star, we’d like to travel with you. Can we?” Asked Sun. “Sure!” Responded Star. “I’m going to Route 1 for some training! Let’s go!” And with those words, Star’s journey as a Pokémon Trainer began!

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