1. Ash's Story (Part 9: Alola)

Chapter 68

Our Ground Manor is located near the Ruins of Abundance, so we decide to seek out Tapu Bulu. As we climb the same cliff, we encounter Tapu Bulu, who is willing to engage in a battle. I start by sending out Salazzle, leveraging its Poison-type moves to gain an advantage. The Grassy Terrain is set, and we engage in a fierce battle. Utilizing a series of Poison-type moves, we steadily wear down Tapu Bulu. Finally, we conclude the battle by unleashing the powerful Acid Downpour Z Move, ultimately defeating Tapu Bulu.

Impressed by our strength and determination, Tapu Bulu not only plants more Oran Berry trees for us to enjoy but also presents us with a Customized Poke Ball, indicating its desire to join our team.

Tapu Bulu: The Land Spirit Pokemon: Grass and Fairy Type. The guardian deity of Ula'ula is a lazy Pokémon. It commands plants to immobilize its foes and then deals them a savage blow with its horns.

As we make our way to the Sushi High Roller, we unexpectedly encounter Nanu there. While ordering various sets of items including a Ninja set, a Samurai set, a Geisha set, and a Ronin set, Nanu casually invites us to join him, saying, "I'm buying, so come and eat. Hey, Sensei, bring me the usual."

Throughout the meal, Nanu surprises us by being more talkative than usual. Once we finish eating, he apologizes, saying, "You done? Sorry for talking with my mouth full like that. Heh... Good, right?"

Upon settling the bill, Nanu hands us 8 Heart Scales, remarking, "Here. I've got no need for this nonsense." With a nonchalant farewell, he adds, "See ya, kids."

Upon our arrival at the Aether House, we are greeted by Acerola, who is overjoyed to see us. I notice Serena and Alice wearing smirks, which slightly annoys me. Acerola then shares, "Nanu said maybe he can't refuse a tapu choosing him to serve as kahuna... But he'd be darned if he had to serve as one of the Elite Four just because some guy asked him! So I guess I'll just have to battle hard enough to make up for his not being here!"

"So Ghost Types. That's not surprising," I remark.

However, I'm taken aback as Mimikins chooses not to battle and instead stays with Lillie. This means that Acerola has prepared five other Pokémon for our battle. Acerola begins the battle by sending out Banette, prompting me to choose Persian as my Pokémon for this match.

Banette starts off the engagement by unleashing a powerful Shadow Claw, aiming to strike fear into my Persian. However, Persian swiftly dodges the attack with its nimble movements, showcasing its agility and quick reflexes. Responding swiftly, my Persian counters with a dazzling display of Throat Chop, creating a shockwave that lands a solid hit on Banette, leaving it momentarily stunned.

Eager to maintain the momentum, Persian seizes the opportunity and follows up with a strategic Feint Attack. Banette attempts to retaliate with a Feint Attack, but Persian cleverly anticipates the move and evades it skillfully, maintaining its dominance in the battle. With graceful finesse, Persian executes a final decisive move—a devastating Night Slash that capitalizes on its enhanced critical-hit ratio. The attack lands flawlessly, overwhelming Banette and causing it to faint, securing victory for my Alolan Persian in an impressive display of prowess and tactical finesse.

The battle escalates as Acerola switches in her Drifblim to face my Alolan Persian. Drifblim begins by employing a strategic tactic, executing two consecutive Amnesia moves, significantly bolstering its Special Defense. Sensing the impending threat, my Persian launches a series of Power Gem. However, before Persian can make a significant impact, Drifblim swiftly executes a Baton Pass maneuver, seamlessly transitioning and bringing Dhelmise into the battle.

"Wait, it can use Baton Pass?" Alice gasps.

"That's not good." Serena frowns.

Capitalizing on the advantage gained from Drifblim's stat boosts, Dhelmise wastes no time in unleashing a powerful combination of Energy Ball and Whirlpool. The combined assault overwhelms my Persian, exploiting its weaknesses and dealing substantial damage. Despite Persian's valiant efforts to withstand the onslaught, the relentless barrage of attacks from Dhelmise proves too formidable, ultimately leading to Persian's defeat in this intense showdown.