📓 Evan's Journal
Month 1, Day 29 — Entry 2
Location: Hau'oli City
Time: 08:30 PM
I need to jot this down before I forget. It's strange — being in Alola, walking through these cities and interacting with real people — everything feels so vivid. Yet, I still recall everything from my past.
I used to immerse myself in those games, you know? Pokémon Sun and Ultra Moon. I spent countless hours grinding, training, hunting for shinies, and repeatedly going through the Island Challenge. And now... I'm living it.
Here's a complete info dump from my gamer memories. It's likely to be more helpful than I anticipate.
In the games, Alola didn't feature traditional Pokémon Gyms. No eight Gym Leaders or badge system. Instead, there was an entirely different spiritual trial challenge, closely linked to the local culture.
This was called the Island Challenge, more of a rite of passage than a mere competition.
There are four major islands, each with:
Several Trial Captains (essentially mini-bosses testing your creativity, battle skills, or problem-solving),
And a Kahuna, the island's top champion, chosen by its guardian deity.
Upon completing the Captain Trials and defeating the Kahuna, you're deemed worthy to progress to the next island.
📍 Melemele Island — Currently, where I'm stationed
Trial Captain: Ilima
Normal-type user. Who I have already met.
Kahuna: Hala
A strong Fighting-type grandpa. Not just Hau's grandfather — he's genuinely formidable. Defeating him awards you a Z-Crystal.
(I've already cleared Ilima's trial and earned his approval — that's why Prof. Kukui mentioned he's taking me to Hala tomorrow. Seems like game logic is aligning.)
📍 Akala Island — Next stop
This island features three Trial Captains and ramps up the challenge.
Lana — Water-type. Quiet and deadpan. Her trial involved totem Wishiwashi in the game — I hope I don't need to fish in real life.
Kiawe — Fire-type. Passionate and dramatic. Enjoyed volcano dances. The Fire Trial here is no joke.
Mallow — Grass-type. She had us cook for Totem Pokémon. Seriously. I hope I still remember how to make that stew.
Kahuna: Olivia
Rock-type, stunning yet powerful. I recall her Lycanroc sweeping through my team on my first attempt.
📍 Ula'ula Island
Things get darker here, in terms of theme and difficulty.
Sophocles — Electric-type. Nerdy and awkward, but smarter than he seemed.
Acerola — Ghost-type, cute and friendly. However, her trial in an abandoned supermarket? Totally haunted. No joke.
Kahuna: Nanu
Dark-type and constantly tired. He appeared uninterested but was quite sharp. Easy to underestimate — big mistake.
📍 Poni Island
The final island. In the games, it was more of a "prove yourself" zone. No Trial Captains at first.
Kahuna: Hapu
A young yet fierce Ground-type former champion. She took over as Kahuna during the story. I still remember her Mudsdale charging into battle.
Z-Crystals
After each trial or Kahuna battle, you earn a Z-Crystal. You can use only one per battle, and it must correspond to your Pokémon's type while holding the right crystal.
I already possess my Normalium-Z, and tomorrow I'll likely qualify for another one. Today, I'll meet the Melemele Kahuna: Hala, to get my Fightium-Z.
Well, it's time to sleep.
-----------------------------------------------
Join my Discord https://discord.gg/9xWy3cdv