A Quickie before Two Island

After completing the Grand trial, Kahuna Hala stamped my trainer passport as certification and handed me Fightinium-Z as a prize.  He also said that I would be allowed to ride around his Tauros.  He gave me a Ride-Pager so that I could summon Tauros out of the ether when I so please.

Illima was there to watch the match (apparently) and congratulated me on my victory, asking me to rematch him (apparently Ilima is a "him")
when I get the chance someday.  As I recall, that Smeargle was a pain in the ass, so this might end up being farther in the future than he would prefer.

The Office Supply Bandit Lillie mentioned stalking me a little longer until she can deliver her annoying plot-device pokemon “Nebby” home to its family.  I’m so happy that this partnership of absolute one-sidedness can continue to be crucial to the development of the story.  What new trials will I have to overcome next?  Will Nebby get caught in a tree?

I was told to go to the marina in Hau’oli City when I was ready to take the fairy to the next island and my next adventure.

I’m not quite ready.

As it were, this game lacks HM moves.  I know, right?  How am I going to teach Pako Pako Surf?  That’s my standard starter master-level move!  I always teach my starter Surf!!  The alternative to HM moves is this Pokemon Ride system.  Tauros apparently has the ability to smash rocks whilst you ride it.  

This means it’s time to explore Melemele a bit more.

I had battled trainers with the pokemon before, so I knew where they were.  It was time for me to seek out a few remaining pokemon for my pokedex.  Bonsly was on Route 1 in an area separated by rocks.  I had spoken to a few different trainers who had each talked-up Ten Carat Hill as being a great place to catch really rare and powerful pokemon.  I saddled-up my trusty Tauros steed and made my way through the cave.  I found the adorable rock-typed Rockruff, the dizzy Spinda, the creepy Sableye, and Carbink and Roggenrola.  I'm less excited about catching those later two.

Current Squad:

Popplio/Pako Pako/lvl 16
Crabrawler/Ppunches/lvl 14
Trumbeak/Pip Pip/lvl 14
Pikachu/Rai Rai/lvl 15
Misdreavus/Missy/lvl 15
Growlithe/Growlie/lvl 14
On Rotation:
Oricorio/Ori-Chan/lvl 17
Grimer/Sludj/lvl 14
Slowpoke/Pokey/lvl 15
Yungoos/Chompy/lvl 15

Pokedex: 45 caught

Bottoms-Up Training

Next on my list of destinations was the Pokemon Trainer's School.  In my moments of level-headedness, I have found that I am becom

ing increasingly more worried that this is going to turn into the "Pokemon Sight-seeing Tour" given the density of unstoppable dialogues and cutscenes.  Hau (the  Litten trainer and grandson of the Melemele Kahuna) and Lillie haven't left my side for more than a few minutes so far this game and, while I admit that I'm still not exactly sure of what I should be doing on these Island challenges, I hope this game cuts out the handholding sooner rather than later.

And then, I catch something new and weird and I forget all about my doubts.

On my way to my first day of Pokemon school, I managed to bag Spinarak and Grubbin.  I like Grubbin (this little pinchers are precious) and its pokedex entry specifically discusses electric pokemon, but I opted to stick with my current lineup of six.  Slowpoke is currently the weak link considering its wide move pool of absolute garbage support moves (yawn, growl, and curse in addition to tackle), but I'm not quite ready to give it up.  It must learn headbutt soon...

At the Trainer's School, I was tasked with finding and battling four specially chosen trainers.  They used pokemon local to that specific area including Bonsly and Grimer (in its cool green and yellow Alola frome).  On the school grounds, I bagged my own Grimer and Magnemite.  I decided to give them my 7th and 8th team slots and put my rapidly growing Yungoos in the box for a spell.  I like using an eight-pokemon rotating squad, but I'm noticing an over-reliance on dark-type pokemon and moves.

Whilst I'm on the subject, the pokemon storage system has really been streamlined and improved.  I'm quite impressed with how it has been fixed up.  Moving pokemon, items, and selecting teams for battle is all done from the same menu now by toggling different options at the top of the screen, so rather than navigating into and out of different box modes from the PC startup screen, all you have to do is tap one button to switch from moving pokemon to moving held items.

It is the little things in this game that are really warming me up.  Like how trainers are visibly giving their pokemon orders in the background in battle. Or like how when you try to pet your Alola Grimer your hand gets stuck in its goopy goopiness.

"You mean here...now?"

After I took out the head student's Alola Grimer, a Poison/Dark type in this game, I was challenged by the teacher.  At this point, I realized what exactly I was up against.  Crew of underlings, boss battle at the end: I was basically up against my first gym leader.  Teacher Emily carried Magnemite and Alola Meowth, both of which were actually surprisingly tough.  At this point, I realized I really had no answer to steel/electric.  Joy.

Ultimately, I had to sacrifice two pokemon in order to debuff the magnetite enough that I could take it out with Grimer's STAB Bite.  Alola Meowth was a lot easier to defeat--after I realized it was Dark-type.
__________________
Newly graduated from Pokemon School, I was escorted to the next part of town by my two annoying friends: Hau the Litten trainer and Lillie the Office Supplies Bandit.  I immediately bactracked to the school when I realized I could snag my own Alola Meowth there.

Current Squad:
Popplio/Pako Pako/lvl 10
Yungoos/Chompy/lvl 9
Pikipek/Pip Pip/lvl 8
Pichu/Rai Rai/lvl 8
Slowpoke/Pokey/lvl 8
Rattata/Snackers/lvl 8

On Rotation:
Grimer/Sludj/lvl 8
Magnemite/Mags/lvl 8

Pokedex: 14 caught