AGHR: Alolan Adventures- Ch. 12

Ch. 12- The Trial of Verdant Cavern

 After several battles with passing trainers, defeating Team Skull yet again (they were trying to rob a poor man of his berry farm and steal his Delibird flock to boot), had several close encounters with wild Pokemon (and getting chased and pecked on by a flock of angry Spearow), and stopping at the Pokemon Center for a quick check-up, Kaya and Goldie had finally reach their goal: the Verdant Cavern.

 "Finally...!" Kaya panted, using a walking stick for balance. Her arms, face, and legs were bandaged in several places and her clothes were a bit tattered, but other than that, she was beaming with joy upon seeing the trial gate, and what's more, Ilima was standing right in front of it.

 "Ah, Kaya," Ilima greeted. "There you are. I was starting to think you wouldn't get here."

 "Wouldn't miss it," Kaya replied before she looked to the entrance. "So...is this it?"

 "Indeed, child," Ilima replied. "My trial takes place in here. Oh, and I must advise you...the Pokemon living within here are quite fierce, so it is highly advised you pack plenty of Potions and the like."

 "Oh, don't worry," answered Kaya. "I've come well-prepared. I got Potions, Super Potions, and some Berries from the nice farmer!"

 "Good, quite good," Ilima nodded. "Now then, through attempting the trials during the island challenge, one can exceed his or her own limits. That is what we, the people of Alola, have always believed."

 Kaya and Goldie both nodded their heads at this.

 "Once you enter this cavern, young Kaya," Ilima began, "you will not be able to leave until you have completed it. Now...are you ready?

 A pause. Kaya glanced at the Verdant Cavern, then back at Ilima, who stared at her, awaiting her answer. She felt her heart begin to thump loudly in her chest and sweat start to bead down her face...but then she felt a gentle nudge on her calf, causing her to glance down and see that it was a Goldie, who smiled and wagged her tail at her. Then the shiny Riolu nodded her head at her, which caused the brunette to smile back before she turned to Ilima with a serious expression and nodded her head.

 "I'm ready," she said.

 "Excellent," Ilima replied before he entered the cavern. "Follow me."

 Kaya and Goldie soon followed him...but not too far from them, a shadowy figure made its way out of the tall grass, silently stalking after them.

XXX

 Kaya gaped in awe at the environment around her: a cave with moss-covered rocks and ferns growing out of the crevices, and old wooden planks used as makeshift bridges to get across wide gapes. The only light that came in was the sun as it shone through the holes in the cave roof.

 "I guess it wasn't called 'Verdant Cavern' for nothing," Kaya mused.

 "Lu-lu...!" Goldie whispered in amazement.

 "Let me explain the basics," Ilima spoke up before he pointed at a nearby Yungoos. "You see that Yungoos there?"

 As he said this, the Yungoos noticed before it quickly scurried away into its den, making a hissing sound as it did.

 "All you have to do is defeat the three Yungoos that are hiding away in their dens," Ilima explained before he pointed to a light at the other side of the cavern. "Once you do that, head towards the other side of the cave, approach the pedestal, and voila! The Z-Crystal will be yours! But you'll need to be in perfect sync in order to succeed."

 "Just like that?" Kaya queried. "Well, that sounds easy!"

 "GUUUUUUUMSHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSS~!!!" a deep roar suddenly reverberated throughout the cavern.

 "EEP!!" Kaya yelped while Goldie leapt into her arms. "W-WHAT WAS THAT?!!"

 "Ah, yes," Ilima replied, nonchalantly. "I forgot to mention one thing. Many strong Pokemon make their home here, but none are more strong or more fearsome than the Totem Pokemon."

 "T-Totem Pokemon?" Kaya repeated.

 "Indeed," answered Ilima. "It guards the Z-Crystal on the other side of the cavern. Many have tried, but only few have succeeded, and this is only the first of seven trials you will face on your island challenge."

 "Seven...?!" Kaya squeaked.

 "Oh, and one other thing," Ilima pointed out. "Until you complete the trial, you cannot catch any Pokemon here in the Verdant Cavern. Understood?"

 "Y-yes, sir," Kaya replied.

 "Well, off you go then!" Ilima exclaimed. "The trial of Captain Ilima begins...now!"

 "Let's go, Goldie!" Kaya called, causing Goldie to nod before they went to go flush out the Pokemon hiding in their dens. The first one was easy, since it was hiding right in the very first den in the entrance of the cave. Once it realized that it had been caught, the Yungoos inside came out, hissing ferociously as it prepared to fight.

 "Not a problem for us, right, Goldie?" asked Kaya. "Now, use Headbutt!"

 "Lu!!" Goldie barked as she charged at the Yungoos, slamming her head against the Yungoos', who was immediately sent flying, due to its effectiveness. However, it proved to be rather tenacious for it got right back up and bit Goldie right on her paw, causing her to yowl in pain before she pulled away. It didn't hurt much. More of an annoying tingle, if anything.

 "Stubborn, are we?" asked Kaya. "Goldie, use Focus Punch!"

 Goldie growled as she clenched her paw, which began to glow a bright light as it built up energy, then as she threw a powerful swing, it ended up being just the hit that knocked the wild Yungoos out cold.

 "Yes!" Kaya cheered. "One down, two to go! Oh, and thanks for the battle, little guy."

 The wild Yungoos, shaking off its pain, turned to Kaya before nodding its head and returning to its den. On that, he brunette and her Riolu continued on, but not before Kaya happened upon a rather useful item: a Super Potion.

 "Well, this is lucky!" Kaya exclaimed as she pocketed the medicine, then spotted another den not too far from her. "Oh! That must be the next one!"

 As the two approached it, though, whatever was inside had decided to face them, itself, and sure enough, it was another Yungoos, and this one seemed more tenacious than the last, for it was charging right at Goldie.

 "Eager, aren't we?" Kaya asked. "Fine by me! Goldie, use Focus Punch!"

 Goldie responded by throwing another charged punch at the Yungoos, but it quickly strafed around her and used Tackle on her right side, causing her to fall down.

 "Use Aura Sphere!" Kaya ordered, prompting Goldie to stand up and leap over the Yungoos, hitting it with an Aura Sphere as she did. The Yungoos wobbled dizzily, the Fighting-type move being effective on it. "Now, finish with Quick Attack!"

 Goldie growled before she ran at top speed and tackled the Yungoos, who hit the ground with its eyes in a swirly daze, defeated.

 "Yes! Just one more!" Kaya exclaimed, and that's when Goldie seemed to spot something on the ledge above them, but it was so fast, they couldn't see what it was. "Quick! After it!"

 Goldie nodded before she and her trainer ran up an incline, but before they could go to the den, the Riolu stopped and spotted something off to her left, which prompted her to go up and pick it up in her mouth before she brought it back to Kaya.

 "What's this?" Kaya asked as Goldie dropped the item in her hand: some sort of disc. "Oh, wait! Isn't this a TM? It's a sort of disc that helps a Pokemon learn a new move! I think this one is...TM31: Brick Break!" She then stashed it away. "Well, I think I know what I'm doing, later. Anyway, come on, Goldie!"

 Goldie nodded her head before they went across the plank of wood to chase after the next Pokemon, but upon reaching the next den, they found it was a bit higher than they thought it was, and it seemed there was no other way up.

 "Well, now what?" Kaya asked, before Goldie got her attention with a nudge to her ankle and then led her up another incline, where there was an opening, just big enough for her and Kaya to crawl through. "Oh! Good job, Goldie!"

 Goldie smiled at her trainer's praise as Kaya crawled through the tunnel, and that's when she found another Super Potion. After picking it up and putting it in her pocket, Kaya approached the den and took a look inside...but the Pokemon within wasn't there.

 "That's strange," Kaya muttered. "I swore I saw something go in there."

 "Rio! Riolu!" Goldie piped up as she pointed up at the ledge above, which prompted Kaya look up and see the shadowy figure again.

 "There it is!" the brunette exclaimed as she ran up another incline, but when she went to take a look inside, once again, she found nothing. "Darn it. Where is it?"

 "Lu-lu!" Goldie called, once more, pointed to a den on the other side, where the shadowy figure was seen crawling inside.

 "Now we've got it!" declared Kaya as she ran towards the hole and looked inside...but once again, she found nothing. "Again?! Man...this next Pokemon must sure love hide-and-seek."

 Goldie glanced back to the den that was back the way they came, and once again, the shadow had crept inside.

 "We're not gonna lose it, this time," Kaya said. "Let's go, Goldie!"

 "Lu!" Goldie nodded before they began to make their way across the wooden plank, but before they could reach the other side...

 "Yo, yo, yo! Hold up, fool!"

 "Oh, no," Kaya bemoaned. "Not again."

 Sure enough, it was a pair of Team Skull grunts: the same pair that Kaya had actually chased off from the berry farm, earlier.

 "It's your berry thief boys, back, back again!" one of them exclaimed. "Remember us, homie?!"

 "...I'm sorry," Kaya started, "but...who are you guys, again?"

 The grunts both went slack-jawed behind their masks while Goldie snickered, knowing that her trainer was really pulling one over on them.

 "Oh, I get it," said Grunt B as he and Grunt A switched places. "Just because we switched positions, you can't tell who we are anymore?"

 "Of course I recognize you thugs!" Kaya answered. "I just can't be bothered. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a trial to complete, now get outta my way!"

 "Ah, nah, girl," Grunt A answered as he began to approach in a posturing manner. "Y'all ain't goin' nowhere until you had yourself a beatdown! And after that, we be takin' the Pokemon in this cave AND yours, b!"

 "I don't think so," Kaya replied while Goldie growled in agreement, bearing her fangs at him.

 "Let's go, Drowzee!" Grunt A shouted as he tossed a Poke Ball, from which a Drowzee emerged.

 "Waiwai, you're up!" Kaya called as she tossed a Poke Ball, summoning Waiwai, who hissed at the Psychic-type. "Waiwai, use Bite!"

 "Mroooowwth!!" Waiwai yowled viciously as she lunged at Drowzee and bit down on his snout, leaving painful puncture and causing a critical hit, due to the type advantage. However, he quickly shook her off.

 "Use Pound, homie!" the Grunt A ordered, which prompted the Drowzee to try and slam Waiwai with an arm, but she leapt out of the way and circle around behind him.

 "Use Bite, again!" Kaya commanded, causing Waiwai to leap at Drowzee's behind and CHOMP!! The Hypnosis Pokemon was met with a sharp pain in his rear, causing him to yelp in pain before he fainted, while Kaya grinned.

 "Looks like we win again," she smirked before she held up her Poke Ball. "Waiwai, return!"

 She then summoned the Alolan Meowth back in.

 "Uhh..." Grunt A murmured as he forked over 352 Poke Dollars. "Is it okay for me to be in Team Skull if I'm this brittle?"

 "For real, though?!" questioned Grunt B. "This kid's mad strong, yo!"

 "Naw, it ain't even like that!" replied Grunt A. "It's like this girl's straight up dangerous, homie! Or maybe this whole place is trouble!"

 "Must be, homie!!" cried Grunt B.

 "...Are these two serious, right now?" Kaya muttered, while Goldie only rolled her eyes.

 "Hey! If you were gonna try and face that Totem Pokemon," Grunt A started, "you'd be mad scared, too, dawg! That's why we're only going after those little guys, you feel me?"

 With that, they ran off to the other two dens to find its inhabitants...leaving only one unblocked, which caused Kaya to grin before she and Goldie went to inspect it...but when they did, something else leaped out. Instead of a Yungoos, it was something bigger, with a dirty brown coat, almost like an open trench coat, with a yellow chin and underbelly, as well as a yellow stripe going down from its forehead to its tail, and it glared at the duo with squinted eyes and a menacing snarl.

 "That doesn't look like a Yungoos," Kaya muttered. "Rotom! Scan!"

 "Scanning!" Rotom answered replied as it pointed its lens at the Pokemon. "Scan complete! Name: Gumshoos-zzzrrrt! Classification: Stakeout Pokemon. Egg Group: Field-bzzzztt! Height: 2'04"-vrrrrm! Weight: 31.3 lbs. Ability: Stakeout-bzzzzzzrrt! Description: The evolved form of Yungoos-zzzrrrrt! When it finds a trace of its prey, Gumshoos will patiently stake out its location-zzzrrrrrt! But it will always be sleeping by nightfall. It enjoys eating Alolan Rattata and Raticate for dinner, but since it's diurnal-kzzzzzzt, it hardly encounters them. It boasts incredible patience-zzzzzzrrrrt!"

 "Gumshoos, huh?" Kaya queried before she pulled out Tapper's Poke Ball. "I think Tapper should have a go at this one."

 "Lu-lu!" Goldie nodded.

 "Tapper, you're up!" Kaya exclaimed as she tossed the ball, causing Tapper to emerge.

 "Piki-piki~!!" Tapper chirped.

 "Use Rock Smash, Tapper!" Kaya commanded, prompting Tapper to fly up and punch the Gumshoos with his curled toes. It had an effective hit, but not enough to knock it out. That's when the Gumshoos used a Bite attack on Tapper, who squawked in surprise as he narrowly avoided its fangs.

 "Use Peck, Tapper!" Kaya called out, which caused Tapper to fly up and then dive down before repeatedly pecking the wild Gumshoos on the head. The Gumshoos responded by trying to bite him again, but he still avoided it.

 "Pikipek!!" Tapper cried as he flew up high.

 "Use Rock Smash!!" Kaya ordered, once more, causing Tapper to dive down and slam his feet against the Gumshoos, who was soon knocked out cold. "Yes! Did it!!"

 "Piki~!!" Tapper chirped, spreading his wings triumphantly.

 "Lu-lu!" Goldie exclaimed, happy for her friend's victory...but then, Tapper's body suddenly began to glow a bright light, which caused Kaya to gasp. As the light grew brighter, Tapper's body started to grow slightly in size, and then, once it dispersed, it showed him with his usual black and white feathers, but now, he had a collar of red feathers around his neck, he had an orange beak with a red and black tip, and two thick eyebrows.

 "T...Tapper...?!" Kaya whispered in disbelief.

 "Trumbeeaaaaak~!!" Tapper trilled as he spread his wings.

 "Trumbeak?" Kaya repeated. "Rotom! Scan!"

 "Scanning!" Rotom answered as it pointed its lens at the newly evolved Tapper. "Scan complete-zzzzzzt! Name: Trumbeak. Classification: Bugle Beak Pokemon-zzzzzrrrt! Egg Group: Flying. Height: 2'00"-kzzzzzzt! Weight: 32.6 lbs. Ability: Skill Link. Description-zzzztt: The evolved form of Pikipek. It eats berries and stores the seeds inside its beak-bzzzzzzzt! When it encounters enemies or prey, it fires them in a burst. Its beak is flexible-zzrrrrrt, so it can produce a variety of calls and brand itself a noisy nuisance to its neighbors."

 "Wow!" Kaya exclaimed. "I can't believe it! Tapper, you evolved!"

 "Trum-Trumbeak~!!" Tapper chirped excitedly as he flew up and perched himself on Kaya's arm, allowing her to gently tickle his chest, causing him to coo pleasantly.

 "I'm so proud of you," Kaya smiled as she nuzzled Tapper, who affectionately returned the gesture.

 "Rio! Riolu!" Goldie piped up before she pointed to the exit of the cave, reminding her trainer what she had to do.

 "Oh, right!" Kaya remembered. "Thanks, Goldie."

 Goldie nodded as Kaya held up Tapper's Poke Ball.

 "Tapper, return," she told him as a red beam of light pulled him back inside. Then, she looked to the exit of the cave with a serious expression. She then took a deep breath, steeling her nerves, before she sighed. "Let's go, Goldie."

 "Lu," Goldie nodded before they both headed out.

XXX

 "...Huh," Kaya muttered as she found herself in an open clearing, filled with rocks, trees, and other plant life. "Well, this isn't so bad. It's rather peaceful. I was half-expecting something more foreboding."

 "Lu-lu! Lu!" Goldie chirped as she pointed at a wooden pedestal...and inside was a white, diamond-shaped crystal with a circle in the middle.

 "The Z-Crystal!" Kaya exclaimed as she approached...but as she did, Goldie's sensors suddenly rose up, which caused her to freeze. As Kaya reached in to get the Z-Crystal...she suddenly felt a piercing gaze coming from somewhere, piercing right through her. That's when Goldie suddenly looked up and gasped, prompting Kaya to do the same: there, towering right above them, was another Gumshoos...but this one was much bigger. About as big as Kaya in height!

 "SHOOOOOOOOSSSSS~!!" it hissed as its body blazed with a golden-yellow glow!

 "Whoa...!" Kaya whispered as she stepped back, clearly taken back by its size. "This must be the Totem Pokemon that Ilima talked about!" However, she quickly regained her composure and put on a determined expression. "Okay...time to get serious about this!"

 "Lu!!" Goldie growled as she stepped forward, prepared to take on the Totem Gumshoos, who growled back at her with the utmost ferocity. The two Pokemon stared each other down, one anticipating a move from the other.

 "Goldie! Use Focus Punch!" commanded Kaya, prompting the Riolu to charge at the Totem Gumshoos, but to her surprise, the burly beast side-stepped her and then clamped its powerful jaws down on her back, using its Super Fang move, which, while not entirely effective due to its typing, did deal quite a bit of damage on the Fighting-type.

 "Goldie!" Kaya cried as the Riolu fell at her feet, but she quickly stood right back up and growled, which told her trainer that one little bite wasn't going to put her down, just yet. "Okay, Goldie! Use Headbutt!"

 Goldie responded by charging at the Totem Gumshoos, but before she could make impact, it suddenly let out a powerful roar, and not long after, Goldie was suddenly tackled from the side by a Yungoos!

 "What?!" Kaya questioned as Goldie was once again thrown to the ground. "Hey, wait a minute! I thought this was a one-on-one battle!"

 The Totem Gumshoos let out a hissing laugh, as if to mock her. However, Goldie did not let this go unchallenged, for she soon got back up and growled at the brute.

 "Okay, Goldie," Kaya said. "Looks like we have a two-on-one thing going on, but we're not gonna let that stop us. Now, use Aura Sphere!"

 "Luuuu...!!" Goldie growled as she tried to form an Aura Sphere in her paws, but before she could, the Yungoos jumped at her and bit her left arm, causing her to yowl in pain and stop the charge-up for the attack. Then, the Totem Gumshoos bit Goldie with another Super Fang, which sent her to the ground.

 "Oh, no, Goldie!" Kaya cried, but again, the Riolu stood up and shook her head, determined to beat back this duo. The damage was visible, but not enough to stop her, apparently. All she did was have Kaya call out a move.

 "Use Headbutt, again!!" Kaya commanded, which prompted Goldie to charge at the Totem Gumshoos, but again, the Yungoos got in her way, and this time, it threw a ball of sand right in the shiny Riolu's face, causing her to cry out in pain as bits of rock and gravel got into her eyes, which made Kaya gasp with worry.

 "Goldie!!" she cried as Goldie struggled to rub the sand out of her eyes, but as she did, she failed to notice the Yungoos slinking toward her. However, as it lunged to give another bite, something leapt up and tackled it from the side, causing them both to roll on the ground, and that's when Kaya gasped upon seeing it who it was.

 "Kaulu?!" she questioned, which caused said Rockruff to turn to her with a grin on his brown muzzle. "What are you doing here?!"

 "Ruff-ruff!" Kaulu barked, wagging his tail happily. However, the moment was short-lived when he heard a familiar hissing sound behind him, causing him to turn and see that the Yungoos had not given up. It charged at the Rockruff its jaws open, but Kaulu growled as the rocks around his neck began to flash, then they shot out, hitting the Yungoos as it approached! Then, while it was still reeling from the attack, Kaulu ran up and tackled it!

 "Wow!" Kaya exclaimed. "That was Rock Throw!" That's when she realized something: the Totem Gumshoos was vulnerable. Now was her chance! Wasting no time, Kaya grabbed a Potion and sprayed it on Goldie's wounds, then used some bottled water to wash out the sand in her eyes.

 "Lu...?" Goldie murmured.

 "This is your chance!" Kaya said. "Now that Kaulu's keeping that Yungoos busy, we can beat the Totem Gumshoos!"

 Goldie gasped before she turned to look at the Totem Gumshoos, then gave a determined grin before she went to confront it.

 "Now, use Headbutt!!" Kaya ordered, which caused Goldie to slam her skull against the Totem Gumshoos' stomach, causing it to let out a cry of pain as it was sent crashing backwards. However, that seemed to only enrage it even more, for it roared as it charged at Goldie, trying to use another Super Fang attack.

 "Dodge, and use Focus Punch!!" Kaya called out.

 "Rio!!" Goldie barked as she effortlessly jumped over the Totem Gumshoos, then slammed her fist against its crown. However, it wouldn't give up, for it slammed its paw into Goldie's side, sending her down to the ground, once again. However, like before, she stood right back up and dodged yet another Super Fang attack.

 "Focus Punch, again!" Kaya commanded, and Goldie slammed her glowing white paw against the Totem Gumshoos' cheek, sending it flying into the rock wall. "Now, finish it with Aura Sphere!!"

 "Luuuuuuu...!!" Goldie growled as she charged up an Aura Sphere in her paws, then, once it grew big enough, she threw it at the Totem Gumshoos, which gaped in shock as it realized...there was no escape.

 KABOOOOOOOOM!!! The Aura Sphere exploded upon making impact...and when the smoke cleared, it revealed the Totem Gumshoos, lying against the rocks...its eyes in a swirled daze.

 Kaya gaped...before a wide smile spread across her face.

 "YES!!!" she cheered. "WE WON~!!!"

 "Riolu-lu!!" Goldie yipped as she jumped into her trainer's arms.

 "Ruff-ruff! Ruff!!" Kaulu barked, happily, as he stood near the defeated Yungoos, which caused Kaya to smile at him.

 "Kaulu," she said as she knelt down and opened her arms, which prompted the Rockruff to run up and lick her face, affectionately. "Thank you so much for helping us out."

 "Normally such a thing would be against the rules."

 Kaya turned to see Ilima approach her.

 "...But, in a case like this," Ilima began, "I'm sure there are exceptions."

 "Oh, Captain Ilima!" Kaya said.

 "To think, you and Goldie were able to defeat the Totem Pokemon that I had trained myself," Ilima mused. "I must say, that is quite impressive! Not only you were in perfect sync with your Riolu, but you have touched Kaulu's heart so much, that he was willing to help you!"

 "Aww...shucks," Kaya said with a blush. "It was nothing."

 "In any case," Ilima started, "you have cleared your trial! Now...take the Z-Crystal from the pedestal. It is yours, now."

 Kaya gasped in delight before she approached the pedestal and took out the Z-Crystal from within: the Normalium Z.

 "The Z-Crystal...!" she whispered before she held it up proudly, as it shined in the Alolan sun. "I got it!!"

 "Lu-lu-lu~!!" Goldie cheered as she threw a paw up in the air.

 "Rockruff-ruff!" Kaulu yipped as he jumped in the air, as well.

 "Kaula," Kaya said as she knelt down in front of him. "Goldie and I may have fought the Totem Pokemon, but it's because of you helping us that we managed to win...so...I was wondering...would you like to join me?"

 "Ruff-ruff!" Kaulu barked.

 "I take it that's his answer," Ilima grinned, "but Kaya...you should know he won't make it easy for you."

 "...Oh, I know that," Kaya grinned as well, as did Kaulu, as if knowing what was going to happen next.