A Warm Heart For Hoenn (Part 2)

Steven's First Z Ring

I slept upstairs with all my Pokémon and Emolga and Steven while the others slept downstairs. The entire night, I can hear Cilan train and get stronger.
It was pretty loud too meaning that I was experiencing a stadium force big enough to knock me out of the bed. Steven's hair would catch moonlight and I'd slowly stroke it, feeling as if I was about to fall off.
He looked less excited about the Alola whenever he is asleep which I have to admit, kind of grateful for.
Believe it or not, even Emolga was asleep by that time. I know, very surprising. I thought about Kyogre. The horrors of my past still come to me and I hate it.
Gives the vibe to me where I want to wreck everything and sweep stuff off desks. I'm mad but I don't know at what.
And that is called jealousy, my subconscious said.
Shut the heck up subconscious I'm tryin' to think, I shot back.
Weird though since my subconscious doesn't talk. I make it talk sense. Slowly, I sat up and brushed my fingers against Steven's cheek. Where did that voice come from?
I crept around Kukui's house, seeing Hau sprawled all over the couch with Decidueye and Raichu. Iris was taking a sleeping position on the chair and Professor Kukui was asleep on his laptop.
On and all.
I opened the door and snuck outside. Even Cilan was asleep on the sand. The guy must have tired himself out. Popplio and him were probably bonding through all this alone time because they were curled up together to form a shape of a heart around Pansage.
Awww.
I looked up into the sky and almost toppled over. Tapu Koko floated down steadily, his mind connected to mine, his voice speaking clearly into my head.
"Tapu Koko!" I gasped.
I see you have grown quite much since the last time I saw you, he murmured through my head.
"Why are you here?" I asked.
Because I have seen you fight, train and battle all those Pokémon out there in the Alola. I have never seen anyone like you. And then came this young Steven Stone, he said, I see something very special in him.
"Like what?" I whispered.
The power of the Alola Region, Tapu Koko replied, he feels it just like certain people do here. That man is capable of many here on the Melemele Island. Just test him.
"What does that mean? Test him?" I said.
Open at the close Amy, you need to get him to open at the close, he said.
That made zero sense to me. Well opening is something but closing is just the opposite. When did doors get involved? Maybe it has something to do with the Alola.
I will watch him battle tomorrow and you will know what I mean, he said in my head, floating off.
"Wait!" I called.
"Amy? Kukui moaned from inside, "What are you doing out here?"
Well that talk will be inside my mind for a while. The next morning, I woke up pretty late since I was down to negative one percent on battery scale.
"Oh man, what time is it?" I groaned, shifting.
"It's ten, Kukui made cereal for all of us, come on," Steven's voice whispered gently to me.
"Come on, three more minutes," I muttered, rolling to one side.
"What can I do to get you to wake up then?" He asked me.
I swear I can tell he is smiling. If he can't wake me up, Emolga will. And you know how she is when it's her turn in getting people active. I guarantee it, if she can get Sceptile out of bed, she can do anything to get me to move.
"I dunno..." I felt Steven's lips kiss mine softly and I opened my eyes a little, smiling, "Yeah, thank you."
Before Steven can get off me, Emolga got bored and zapped us both. Well that sure kept me going.
"Are you guys excited? I sure am! Today I'm going to take the Trial for my Decidium Z! And Cilan will work on his Z Ring Trial with Steven! It's like Trial Day or something! Man I hope I get that Z Crystal! Decidueye is so excited! Aren't you Decidueye?" Hau kept talking and Steven almost fell asleep.
"Decid," Hau's Decidueye gave a small shrug in a dismissive sort of way and examined one of his arrows.
"I take that as a YES!" Hau went on.
I swear, anyone who didn't get used to his talking would have bet that his motormouth would have turned Mother Teresa or Malala Yousafzai into axe murderers.
This sunset was Steven's trial and I hoped to see at least a glimpse of Tapu Koko's face so I wouldn't think he was stalking.
"Man..." Steven gulped on our way to Mahalo Trail, "I'm so nervous..."
I held his hand and Emolga chomped into a Cookie on my shoulder. I can feel his pulse going super fast.
"I know how you feel and trust me, exactly how I felt when I took my first Trial," I assured him.
Cilan and Hau were walking ahead with their Pokémon by their sides. Rowlet was on his shoulder and Todegemaru was squirming in his arm.
"Man how fast can your pulse go?" I joked with him.
"I have no idea," Steven let out a slow and shaky breath.
Kissing his cheek, I told him that he will be fine and inside, I saw something in him. Alola power like Tapu Koko must have said.
"I know you'll win," I nodded, "I believe in you."
"Thanks," he smiled.
Rowlet let out an angry 'ROO!' and Steven rubbed the side of his head against its body. Rowlet on roost mode is dangerous when it is on your shoulder because you never know when it will fall off.
Good thing Rowlet got its sleep all well because it had no unfortunate naps on Steven's shoulder to Mahalo Trail.
A few people were there and that made Steven extra nervous.
Cilan was filled with excitement and his Popplio kept bouncing around. With the correct type Advantage, Steven doesn't need critical hits.
"Okay, here we go Rowlet," Steven whispered.
"Roo!" Rowlet cawed and floated down to the ground.
"This Pokémon battle is between the first two Island Challengers of the Alola Region in Melemele island. Cilan and Steven Stone. May this battle be an offering to our Island guardian, Tapu Koko! You are allowed to use two Pokémon only," Hala said formally, "What will they be?"
"Rowlet and Togedemaru," Steven decided.
"Popplio and Pansage!" Cilan grinned.
"Very well," Hala nodded, "Let the Trial begin!"
"Rowlet, let's go!" Steven said.
"Pansage!" Cilan yelled.
The two Pokémon took the field and I clenched my fists. Steven was going to win and I'm sure of it.
"Use Peck! Now!" Steven ordered.
Oof, Flying Type Moves have strong effects against Grass Types as well. Rowlet dove down hard towards Pansage and started to tackle him so it would get a hit.
"Quick Pansage! Counter it with Vine Whip!" Cilan shouted.
Pansage thrusted his arms forward and two vines stretched out of its arms, slapping Rowlet aside.
"Rowlet!" Steven called, "Use Tackle!"
Shaking its head, Rowlet took off to the sky and gave Pansage a powerful kick that sent him flying. But that wasn't enough to take down Cilan's level twenty something Pokémon.
"Now Pansage! Use Seed Bomb!" Cilan said.
Pansage took in a sharp breath and blasted three shots at Rowlet.
"Dodge them! Then use Peck!"
Flying up, Rowlet veered off left then took a swift turn to the right, avoiding the first two shots, then it dove down so the third flew right over its head.
Rowlet spread its wings and glided fast over the ground, nailing Pansage over the head with a sharp slam with the beak and then flew in a loop so it will go for another shot at Pansage.
"Finish it off with Tackle!" Steven shot.
As fast as speed itself, Rowlet extended a claw and slammed Pansage to the ground, lunging into the air again.
Steven let out a heavy breath of relief and just then, Rowlet decided to go into sleep mode and he yelped, jumping onto the floor to catch it.
"WAKE UP ROWLET! WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BATTLE!" Steven yelled, shaking it up.
"Row?" Rowlet yawned and opened its eyes.
"Pansage is unable to battle!" Hala called out.
"Phew, he got past the first with a tight one!" Kukui sighed, smiling and crossing his arms.
"Alright then, here we GO! Popplio!" Cilan told his Pokeball, throwing it out.
The tiny Sea Lion Pokémon barked happily and stood in battle mode. Now that Popplio took the field, it was Togedemaru's turn.
"Rowlet, take a rest...you look like you need it. Now it's your turn! Togedemaru!" Steven said.
"Toge!" Togedemaru squeaked, "Maru-Maru!"
"Now battle RESUME!" Hala told the crowd.
"Togedemaru Charge!" Steven commanded.
"Use Aqua Jet!" Cilan countered.
The two Pokémon went bouncing off each other, not only taking damage from the impact but also on the recoil. But Popplio didn't give up. It rebounded and slammed Togedemaru into Steven. They both flew into a tree and groaned an 'ow'.
"Steven!" Cilan yelped, "Are you okay?!"
"Ow, that hurt," Steven stood up, "I'm good. Togedemaru?"
"Toge-Maru!" Togedemaru smiled.
"Then go! Use Nuzzle!" Steven said.
The area exploded with electricity as Popplio backpedalled to Cilan's legs. Neither of them gave up though which showed how hard they trained.
"Alright Popplio, it isn't over yet! Use Water Gun!" Cilan told it.
Popplio gave a little bark and on his cone shaped nose, a ball of water shot out into Togedemaru. It didn't effect him as much though.
"Finish him off using Thunder Shock!" Steven said.
One last squeak and Togedemaru let out a big ball of thunder blasting Popplio back into Cilan. He caught Popplio and it was obvious he didn't have any way of bringing him back.
"Looks like Popplio is unable to battle!" Hala announced.
Steven groaned with relief and fell on his back, having Rowlet sit on his chest. It cocked it head and he gave it a thumbs up. Togedemaru and Emolga met and they started to rub their cheeks together. Electric types do that whenever they admire each other so whenever two electric types meet, just back away.
"That was so cool Steven," I laughed gently, rubbing his shoulder so he'd sit upright.
"Thank you," he nodded.
"Looks like you deserve this."
Me and Steven looked up and Hala handed him a black Z Ring. Cilan day next to us and he gave Steven a big smile.
"Thanks for the awesome battle," Cilan said, "I wanna have one like that some other time."
"Congratulations Steven and I wish you good luck for next time Cilan," Hala chuckled.
"Ko-ko, KOOOOO!"
Well, looks like Tapu Koko kept his promise. He watched the battle.