Upon arriving in Ula'ula, Hau challenges Luna to a battle immediately (after healing). It's... actually a step up from his last few battles, I'll admit.
I think I might need to replace Carrera with something faster. Magneton going slowly and not resisting Psychic attacks is becoming a hindrance. Maybe I'll get an Alola Raichu?
Luna heals up at the Center and talks to some random people, as per usual.
"S-seriously?! I just got a Mewtwo through Wonder Trade!!!" says a Youngster, reminding me that I deposited something on the GTS.
After that, Luna and Hau head to Malie Garden, Luna gaining some EXP in the process of looking for Kukui. A few Pokemon, particularly Aranaquid, are captured. With some extra being captured for GTS trading!
Anyway, it's time to prepare for our next trial, so we go to catch a bus. Some nearby NPC mentions Malie Garden was made by people from Johto, and Hau goes to eat more donuts.
Lillie then mugs for screentime and talks about ruins or something. I dunno.
Anyway, time to explore this overly huge town and catch some Pokemon. Wooooo.
Soprano evolves into Primarina as Luna catches a Fearow, and an Alola Grimer is caught as well.
We also meet a guy who wants me to battle his Alolan Muk, which ate 10 tons of garbage today and he says it might have had a bit too much to eat.
It's a possibility.
After helping him with his father/son stuff, Luna gets a Friend Ball from the regional variant of Prof. Oak. She also removes Sparkling Aria from Soprano after an unfortunate accident with Toxica in a double battle.
Scald it is.
Toxica evolves not long after, unlocking the entry for Salazzle in the Pokedex.
"It creates a reverse harem with the males it lives with."
A family game.
Anyway, continuing back to the library, some strange ghost-like girl named Acerola shows her a book about Solgaleo. Luna leaves afterwards to head to the next trial, and in the process helps a lady reclaim her lost Stufful.
Some Team Skull Grunts also decide to battle us at the bus stop because, uh... passing the time, I guess?
"I don't know if you care, but that bus stop weighs about as much as a Golem!" says the Grunt as he's defeated.
Informative!
Team Skull always gives back to the community.
Anyway, the grunts run off to make it rain, or whatever the kids are doing these days, and Kukui shows up to wait for the bus. Luna finds the last two Stufful and gets some money and Nevermelt Ice for her trouble.
Next, we head up to the peak on the bus and discover that Kukui intends to make the Pokemon League.
I suppose that makes him our Champion.
Anyway, some battling occurs on the lower route, and Lotus evolves into Lurantis. Now Luna's whole team is fully evolved!
Well, aside from Magnezone, but details. Magneton was a final evolution once!
Heading inside after battling a Steel-type trainer named Molayne, we find Sophocles, who blows the fuse summoning the Totem Pokemon. Good job. We then have to pass some audio cue tests to escape, though getting them correct results in battles, of course.
Following four easy questions, Luna does battle with a Totem Vikavolt. This would probably be hard if she didn't have an Alolan Dugtrio, though Levitate prevents Earth Power from hitting.
Annoying!
Fortunately, it can't do much to Willow at the moment, save for nibble at it ineffectively with Bug Bite. As such, it opts to just use Charge, while its Charjabug friend lowers Willow's speed and accuracy with String Shot and Mud Slap.
Ultimately, it dies to a combination of Sucker Punch and Metal Claw. The Charjabug is finished by Earth Power.
In the end, I get the Electrium Z and Sophocles proves himself a worthy Trial Captain... to his cousin. Nepotism, huh?
Molayne gives the Steelium Z (but doesn't show the dance that goes with it!?) and also hands over the Masked Royal's mask, saying we should give it to Kukui.
I bet the Defenders of Kalos would hate Molayne.
Anyway, heading back to the Garden, we find Kukui and some Team Skull Grunts, who tell him that he can't handle their phresh beats.
So Kukui tells them that Kukuimania is about to run wild on them, brother, and they start to panic now that he's throwing salt in their game.
But it's okay, because suddenly, their boss is here!
"It's Guzma..." says an awed onlooker, no doubt aware of the countless memes this man has spawned even before the release of this game.
Truly a hero worthy of Team Skull.
On a serious note, as I look at the interactions between Kukui and Guzma, it reminds me of a Face and Heel in professional wrestling. Guzma's kind of hamming it up for the onlookers, it seems.
Anyway, Guzma gives some backstory about how he and Kukui were friends and both of them failed to become Trial Captains and are now well past the age range.
Kukui says that he actually just spent a lot of time research moves so he could Hala Hala, get the dollar, and now he's intending to make a League to let other people reach the same conclusions he has. Guzma doesn't think there needs to be a League, but also doesn't like the current method of handling things with kahunas.
Kukui decides to bring Luna into this personal dispute for... some reason, and Guzma seems upset upon noticing the Z-Ring. He notes that Luna doesn't look like Hala's grandchild, so I assume he's familiar with Hau to some degree.
In any case, he asks Luna why she's doing the trials and... to be honest, I have no idea. Kukui just kinda told me to and I say as much. Guzma is less than impressed.
Nonetheless, it seems that he has a bone to pick with me either way.
"You wanna see what destruction looks like? Here it is in human form! It's your boy, Guzma!"
And then he drops the hottest mix tape of 2016.
Guzma's first Pokemon is the evolution of Wimpod, Galisopod (or something like that), which I feel gives an interesting aspect to Guzma's character. He took something weak and cowardly and made it strong.
Anyway, it's... surprisingly tough for this stage of the game. After getting off a Swords Dance, it one shots Tink with Razor Shell before Lotus forces it out with Aerial Ace triggering its Emergency Exit ability.
Ariados is next and uses Fell Stinger to damage Lotus, taking little damage from Aerial Ace. Switching to Toxica, Flame Burst takes care of it nicely. Galisopod is then finished off by Lotus.
Afterwards, Guzma... actually wasn't as upset as I expected, and even compliments Luna before leaving with his grunts.
Is there anyone who can even remotely control our boy, Guzma!?
Anyway, Kukui sends us to do our next trial after we finish listening to Guzma's mix tape on YouTube.
Which might be a while yet.
Team:
- Tink/Ribombee (F) [Honey Gather] @ Big Root (Pollen Puff, Draining Kiss, Stun Spore, Dazzling Gleam)
- Lotus/Lurantis (F) [Leaf Guard] @ Miracle Seed (Leaf Blade, Leech Life, Growth, Aerial Ace)
- Carrera/Magneton (-) [Sturdy] @ Eviolite (Volt Switch, Flash Cannon, Thunder Wave, Tri Attack)
- Toxica/Salazzle (F) [Corrosion] @ Poison Barb (Flame Burst, Smog, Nasty Plot, Leech Life)
- Soprano/Primarina (M) [Torrent] @ Mystic Water (Scald, Disarming Voice, Work Up, Psychic)
- Willow/A-Dugtrio (F) [Tangling Hair] @ Amulet Coin (Earth Power, Metal Claw, Rock Tomb, Sucker Punch)
