My eyes flew open and I pushed myself up, wincing as my pulled shoulder muscle twinged at the sudden movement. Ignoring the pain though I glanced around in disbelief as I realized that I was laying in Mrs. Jun's guest bed still dressed in my traveling clothes. Scrunching my eyes closed I sat down on the bed and tried to recall what happened last night. The last thing I remembered was calling my mom and crying like a baby as Piplup tried to comfort me. 

I'm pretty sure I fell asleep outside... so how?

"Piplup lup!" 

I opened my eyes to see Piplup looking at me from the doorway. He quickly waddled over to the bed and jumped onto the edge, wobbling precariously as the mattress dipped from his sudden weight. I reached out a hand and caught one of his pinwheeling flippers to keep him from falling.

"Are you alright, Piplup?" I asked in concern and he immediately launched himself into my stomach, gripping me in a huge hug.

"Lup lup pip," he peeped into my stomach and I smiled sadly down at him as I stroked his back.

"I'm really sorry if I worried you last night," I apologized. Piplup let me go, sitting on my lap and looking up at me with a serious expression.

"Piplup lup piplup pip." Piplup pointed a finger towards himself, then towards me, and stared at me, obviously expecting an answer of some kind. 

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and Piplup sighed. Suddenly he looked up at me with a smile and hopped off my lap, waddling up and to the edge of the blanket that was still covering me up to my waist and wiggled underneath it, appearing to swim under the blankets towards my hip where he pulled at my belt.

"Piplup, what are you doing?" I asked with a laugh, flipping the blanket off of him and then freezing when I saw that he had taken his Pokeball off of my belt and was holding it with a serious expression. 

Fear gripped me but I said nothing as Piplup continued looking at his Pokeball. After a few seconds, he looked up at me and took a few steps closer to me, holding his Pokeball up towards me. Moisture began to gather in the back of my eyes and I felt my fingers begin to tremble.

"Are you saying... that you want me to keep being your trainer?" I asked quietly and Piplup nodded emphatically, still holding his Pokeball up at me. "Even though I keep failing?" I asked through trembling lips.

Piplup lowered the Pokeball so he could hold it against his side with one flipper and the other one tapped his chest firmly.

"We did not fail because of you, it was my fault! If I had better strategies and combinations then we wouldn't have lost so many times!" I said bitterly and suddenly my face was blasted with a stream of bubbles. 

Coughing from the shock I wiped the water out of my eyes as I looked down at Piplup in surprise. He looked genuinely angry at me as he once again held his Pokeball up and shoved it against my stomach. Guilt riddled me as I realized that Piplup was crying as he pushed his Pokeball against me.

Pushing my sopping bangs to the side of my forehead to keep streams of water from running into my eyes, I gently reached out and took Piplup's Pokeball into both of my hands. Piplup watched me with tears streaming down his round cheeks and I clutched his Pokeball against my heart.

"Thank you, Piplup," I whispered, knowing that the water dripping down my cheeks was tears and not residue from Piplup's Bubblebeam attack. With a happy peep, Piplup jumped up and down in excitement and I laughed, shrinking the Pokeball and clipping it securely on my belt. "I'll find a way to apologize to everyone when we get back to Sinnoh, but for now will you help me in the Luau Showdowns, Piplup?"

Piplup puffed out his chest in his signature proud look but I saw moisture glistening in his black eyes as he tapped his chest and nodded emphatically. With a sigh I flopped onto my pillow only to yelp and sit back up, having dropped down into a small puddle.

"Oh, Piplup! We're going to have to wash all of this or it'll start to smell," I said with a groan, quickly swapping the soaked pillow off the bed and making sure the mattress hadn't gotten too wet underneath me. 

Piplup tapped the side of his head in an awkward apology. I frowned slightly as I once again looked around the room.

"How did we even get back? Did I sleepwalk?" 

Piplup jerked back in obvious shock but then looked up at the ceiling. Trilling his version of a whistle he 'casually' turned away from me and began waddling towards the edge of the bed.

"Piplup," I called in an accusing tone and he froze with one foot still lifted in the air. "You know something don't you?" I asked suspiciously.

He whipped around and shook his head so violently that he made himself bounce gently on the mattress.

"I don't believe you," I said with a scoff.

He took a step back, looking like he was trying to see what the chances were of me catching up to him if he made a run for it. Apparently, he decided his chances were good because he sprang off the bed and out the open door.

"Hey!" I cried, flinging the blanket off me and jumping off the bed. 

Even though I instinctively gripped my left shoulder as it twinged, I barrelled full-steam out of the room as I chased after my partner. As I ran down the hall I caught a glimpse of my reflection from a small mirror on the wall and I grimaced at the state my hair and clothes were in. As I burst out of the hallway chasing after Piplup I came to a screeching stop right before I collided with Paul's chest. My eyes flew open wide in shock and I instantly started backtracking toward the hallway. 

Why on earth is Paul here? And why didn't I take a second to brush my hair? I thought to myself, both embarrassed and angry.

"What are you doing? Are you trying to hurt yourself again?" Paul asked angrily, following me as I continued to walk back down the hall. 

Instantly I dropped my hand from my shoulder and tried to glare at him, but knowing that I looked like a drowned rat was not giving me much confidence at the moment.

"N-no. Piplup was hiding something from me, so I was chasing after him," I said, continuing to walk backward and trying to resist the urge to hide my face from Paul. I HATED when I looked like a mess and knowing that Paul could use it to fuel more insults was not improving my mood. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you left," I said in the gruffest voice I could manage but when I glared at him he quirked an eyebrow at me mockingly and I felt my cheeks turn red from embarrassment.

"It's almost noon, Dawn. I came to get my Z-stone back," he said with a superior laugh, still following me as I moved back. 

Just then I stepped in line with the bathroom door. With relief, I flung open the door, rushed inside, and slammed the door behind me before locking it swiftly.

"I'll deal with you later!" I yelled through the closed door before crouching down on the ground and running a hand through my soaking hair; wishing with every fiber of my being that it didn't get all clumpy and scraggly when it got wet. 

Why did Paul have to see me like this? I wondered in anguish, devising ways of how I could avoid him for the rest of my life so he could never insult me for being a wreck in the mornings.

My hackles raised as I heard Paul chuckle mockingly through the door but I sighed with relief when I heard his footsteps retreat. After a few minutes of silence, I quietly opened the door, peeking down the hall to make sure Paul really had gone. I tiptoed into my room and grabbed my spare pair of travel clothes, then tiptoed back to the bathroom and locked the door once more. 

Removing the gauze from my legs and arms revealed that I was almost completely healed, except for my left shoulder where the edges of my purple bruise were starting to turn a sickly yellow. After a quick shower and using the hair dryer I found underneath the bathroom sink, I felt like a real person again. I left the room, bracing myself for whatever insults Paul was going to throw my way.

As I walked into the living room my entire body relaxed as I glanced around and realized that Paul was nowhere to be seen. A note on the dining table caught my eye though so I walked over and picked it up. It was from Mrs. Jun saying that she would be home just before the Luau Showdown would start and she asked me to save her a seat. 

A movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention and I turned, folding my arms sternly as I watched Piplup tiptoeing towards the front door. "Eh-hem," I cleared my throat loudly. 

Piplup instantly froze, tensing up so bad I thought I could see the sweat dripping off him. 

"Want to tell me why you didn't warn me that Paul was around the corner?" I asked darkly.

Piplup turned around and knelt down onto his little knees, bringing his flippers together in front of his beak and giving me the biggest Bonsly eyes I had ever seen. My anger melted away in an instant and I laughed, causing Piplup to look up at me hopefully.

"I forgive you, Piplup. And I won't ask you about how we got back last night either," I said soothingly and he slumped to the floor as if he was melting from relief. 

Chuckling at his dramatic nature I walked up to him. Tucking my foot underneath his belly, I rolled him over onto his back to see that he was smiling like he had just been saved from a fate worse than death.

"Have you eaten breakfast or lunch?" I asked, remembering that Paul had said it was past noon.

Piplup nodded, still sprawled out on the floor. I left him to his weirdness and opened the fridge to find the plate of onigiri that Mrs. Jun had mentioned in her note to me. Piplup soon came to sit in the chair next to me, chattering happily up at me as I ate. I smiled, wishing that I could understand everything that he said. 

After nearly eight years of traveling together, I got the majority of what he was saying to me. Although I wondered how he could understand everything I said, and yet no one had been able to learn how to translate pokemon speech.

"Dawn!" Hau's voice rang out from the backyard. 

I looked out the window to see him pressed up against the living room grinning widely. I chuckled quietly, replacing the plastic wrap on the last two onigiri to keep them fresh before placing them back in the fridge. Piplup waddled up to me holding my sandals and I slipped them on my feet before opening the door and walking out to see what Hau wanted.

Hau was walking around the side of the house as I stepped out the front door, closing it behind me once Piplup waddled out. My attention, however, was drawn over to the front yard where a rotund older man with the same hairstyle as Hau, although his hair was completely white, stood talking with Paul. They seemed to be deep in conversation but as he glanced over and smiled at me I could instantly see that Hau didn't only get his hairstyle from this man.

"Hello," I greeted, walking up to the man with a smile and sticking out my hand. "You must be Hau's grandpa."

The older man laughed loudly, straight from his belly. He clasped my hand in both of his, giving it one firm shake.

"You would be right, young lady. The name's Hala," Hala said with an easy smile and I instantly liked him. He had a caring yet laid-back vibe that seemed to be a standard for most of the locals that I had met so far.

"Are the Z-rings finished, Gramps?" Hau asked as he came to stand next to me.

"That they are. Would you like to see them?" Hala asked me and Paul and we both nodded. 

With a flourish, Hala dug into the pockets of his huge overcoat and pulled out two bracelets. One of them was black and shiny and identical to Hau's, while the other was the same design but the bands that forms the bracelet portion was smaller and pearlescent white.

"Oh wow," I said in awe as Hala handed me the one with the white band.

"Hau told me that you are planning to enter the Luau Tournament if you win enough pins. I figured you'd look a little out of place with the normal black band," Hala said before I could even ask and I grinned widely, slipping it onto my wrist eagerly. The band stretched to go over my hand and then settled snugly on my wrist; the perfect fit.

"Thank you so much! I love it!" I squealed, bowing politely and then kneeling on the ground to show it off to Piplup. He peeped excitedly and walked over to Hala, holding his flipper up as if expecting one for himself.

"Sorry little one, I don't have anything for you. But once you get a Waterium Z come see me and I'll fashion a special holder for you, alright?" Hala said with a grin. Piplup gave him a happy salute before waddling off towards the flower patch around the edge of Hau's house. "What about you, Paul?" Hala asked, looking over at Paul who had slipped his on without comment.

"It fits. Thank you," he said, bowing stiffly while fingering the large stone that now clearly showed a Z etched in white in the middle of it. "Where can the Z-stones that the pokemon need to hold be found?" 

Hala laughed and clapped a large hand onto Paul's shoulder, which looked a little strange since Hala was a handspan shorter than him.

"You'll have to earn them during your island challenge. Some of them can be found after defeating totem pokemon, others will be the prize for defeating an island Kahuna, and others are kept in special places around the island that can only be reached if you know where to look," Hala explained, throwing a wink towards me and I smiled uncertainly.

"And you have to defeat all of the trials on an island before you can challenge the island Kahuna?" Paul asked, giving Hau a brief, icy glare.

"That's right. Melemele only has one trial that is facilitated by Captain Ilima," Hala explained and Paul nodded, turning on his heel and beginning to walk towards the forest.

"And where are you off to, young pup?" Hala called after him and Paul stiffened. 

I had to press my hand as tight as I could against my mouth to keep from laughing as he slowly turned with a barely concealed look of disgust, but his black eyes were shimmering dangerously.

"To go to the first trial zone," he said through slightly clenched teeth. Hala laughed his booming laugh with Hau joining in.

"You can't go to the trial without the captain there," Hau said with an unconcerned shrug. Paul frowned, turning completely around.

"What do you mean? Where is the captain?"

"He's on his way here for the Luau of course! He and Hau are going to be the guest judges and Ilima won't be heading back to his trial grounds for at least a few days," Hala explained with a grin at Hau. I watched as Paul rolled his eyes and shoved his hands into his jacket pocket.

"Then I'm going to go train," he declared, sliding his gaze over to me. I gulped when our eyes met but stubbornly refused to look away. "You should train too if you think you can take on the island challenge," Paul said flatly before turning and walking purposefully away from town.

"What a jerk," I growled, gripping my hands into fists as I watched him walk away. 

I wanted so badly to challenge him to a battle and show him that I was stronger than he thought, but I immediately dismissed the idea. If I couldn't win a Grand Festival then I doubted I would last very long against Paul.

"You two seem close," Hau said as he watched Paul walk away and I laughed with disbelief.

"No way. He hates my guts," I said, turning my back to his retreating form. Hau shrugged, seeming unconvinced. "I didn't know you were going to be a judge at the Showdown," I said to change the topic and Hau beamed.

"Yah, I get to be a judge for all of the Showdowns that happen on the island! I'm super excited," he said and Hala pounded his back, making him stumbled three steps forward with a grunt of pain.

"Make sure you don't lose your head and give high marks to the prettiest girl you see," Hala advised with a boisterous laugh and I wasn't sure whether to laugh with him or ask Hau if he was okay.

"I know, I know. Hey, Gramps, you should sit with Dawn during the Showdown so she doesn't get lonely," Hau suggested, reaching back and rubbing the spot Hala had hit, but still smiling as bright as ever.

"Watch the Luau with a beautiful young trainer? How could an old man resist that?" he asked, turning his happy smile on me and I felt myself blush.

"I would be happy to sit with you. Mrs. Jun asked me to save her a seat too," I said glancing over towards the platform and blinking in surprise as I saw dozens of people moving around it. Some were setting up decorations while others worked on setting up a large tent a few yards away from the platform.

"Are you sure you don't want to enter the Showdown? You still have time to register," Hau said while coming up to stand next to me.

"No, I haven't ever seen a Luau. I wouldn't have a clue what I need to do to prepare," I said, vigorously shaking my head. 

Piplup, who had apparently gotten bored with the flowers, came up and wrapped a flipper around my leg.

"They are super fun to watch. Do you know how to dance?" Hau asked and I cocked my head to the side.

"I... guess?" I asked hesitantly and both he and Hau laughed happily. "What?" I asked as they continued to laugh.

"You'll understand after you watch one," Hala stated with a grin. "I think I'll go visit Tapu Koko's shrine before the Luau starts. Would you like to come with me Hau?"

"Sure thing, Gramps. Did you want to come, Dawn?" 

I quickly shook my head and gestured for them to go on. They both waved as they started towards the trail that Hau took me and Paul on to find Litten. I glanced towards the forest, wondering what they were doing to train before looking down at Piplup who was still holding my leg while leaning against me quietly.

"Should we do some training too?" I asked. 

Piplup instantly perked up and dashed towards the steps that led away from Iki Town. I followed him and we walked down the trail and forged our way through the forest until we found an open field that was perfect for practicing flashy moves. 

For the next several hours Piplup and I practiced our battle moves. A few years ago I realized that it was silly to rely on the moves that Piplup learned naturally through gaining experience. Throughout our journey, we had spent months learning from different move tutors and now Piplup and my other main pokemon like Togekiss and Typhlosion had an arsenal of moves that I could choose from.

Not that it helped me in the end, my pessimistic side whispered. I shook my head firmly and encouraged Piplup to concentrate as he once again attempted to make his drill peck smooth and precise. Piplup's stomach growling as loud as an Ursaring's startled both of us out of our practice modes though and we took a break, eating some berries and travel bread from my backpack.

After our impromptu snack, we made our way out of the forest and as we came to the path I was surprised to see a small stream of people making their way towards Iki Town. Some of them were riding Tauros, but the majority were walking and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Piplup and I shared a surprised look but left the forest and followed the small crowd. As we walked up the steps to Iki Town my eyes widened, amazed at the transformation the workers had created in just a few short hours. A white skirt was attached around the edge of the platform that draped down and hid the bare underside (making it look more like a stage) and beautiful pots of tropical flowers were placed every few feet around the bottom of the platform. The large tent I had seen being set up was now bustling with people and pokemon walking in and out, some already dressed in their performance costumes. From what I could see there were more girls preparing, but there were a few boys and young men walking in and around the tent.

A small crowd had already gathered and were sitting on the grass all around the platform. I scanned those sitting and soon spotted Hala who was right next to a long table with four comfortable chairs that I assumed was the judges' table. Weaving my way through the groups of people sitting on the grass I made my way to Hala, who noticed my approach and waved at me.

"There you are, I was just telling Ilima about you," Hala said, gesturing towards the smartly dressed man beside him. His skin was much lighter than Hau's and Hala's, but darker than my own pasty white skin. He had dusty pink hair and as he turned to look at me I thought his brown eyes looked very kind.

"Ah, the trainer who was given a Z-Stone directly from Tapu Koko?" he asked, giving me an appraising look. "I look forward to seeing how you fair in my trial." 

I smiled hesitantly and Hala laughed, clapping Ilima roughly on the shoulder.

"She's going to do great things! She and the boy," Hala said with confidence and I could feel my cheeks heat up at the praise.

Hala and Ilima continued their discussion and I sat down next to them, placing Piplup a little way to the side of me to save a spot for Mrs. Jun. As it came closer to the time for the Showdown to start more and more people began filling in the available space around the platform.

Just as I noticed Hau walking out of the contestant's prep tent a beautiful woman, with the characteristic caramel brown colored skin of the locals and thick black hair that reached to the small of her back, walked onto the stage holding a microphone. She was wearing a sleeveless blue dress that reached to her ankles and had a circlet of flowers around her head. Everyone who had been chatting as they waited hushed immediately as the beautiful woman spun in a slow circle to look over everyone in the crowd.

"Alola everyone!" The woman called and almost as one the audience responded with an enthusiastic 'Alola'. "My name is Keanu, I will be your host tonight. Are you all ready to see some amazing performances?" 

A loud cheer erupted at her question and I clapped enthusiastically, feeling my excitement growing by the second. If the audience is this invested from the beginning then these Showdowns are going to be really fun! I thought happily.

"Well, then I won't keep you any longer. Our first round will of course be the Ka hula round, and since it is the first Luau Showdown of the season the contestants will only be allowed to use one pokemon for each round. To start us off will be the reigning Tournament Star, Kailani!" A massive cheer rose up from the audience as Keanu walked off the stage and a short young girl walked out of the tent with her head held high.

I watched the girl as she made her way up the stage and I was amazed at how graceful she was. She had the locals coloring with her dark brown hair braided and left hanging down her back, and she was wearing a flowing pink knee-length dress. As she took her spot in the middle of the stage she dipped into a lady-like curtsy and nodded toward a man standing next to a large speaker. He flipped a thumbs up and then pressed a button on the speaker. 

A rhythmic drum beat began to play through speakers that had been set up around the entire town center. Kailani held up the Pokeball she had in her hand and I gasped in delight as a shower of sparkles burst from the Pokeball, revealing a vaporeon. The vaporeon flipped once and landed lithely on its feet next to Kailani and without even looking at each other the two began to sway. Beautiful vocalizing began to be weaved in with the drum beat of the background music and I watched in fascination as Kailani and Vaporeon danced in perfect sync.

"Vaporeon, use Aqua Ring," Kailani called out in a sing-song voice, matching the mood of the song perfectly. 

Vaporeon began humming as she weaved around her trainer, who never stopped swaying to the beat, and I watched in amazement as a shimmering band of water encircled Vaporeon. But instead of disappearing as I had seen Aqua Rings do in the past, Vaporeon somehow made the ring expand until it created a thin loop of sparkling water around both her and Kailani as they spun slowly in the center. With a small pop, the aqua ring dissolved into small droplets that fell gently to the stage. The song began picking up the tempo slightly and Kailani extended her hands out to her side just as Vaporeon jumped, flipping elegantly through the air and landing on its trainer's extended arm.

"Now finish up with Hidden Power," Kailani said, once again in her sing-song voice, before bringing her arms together and tossing Vaporeon into the air. 

Twinkling orbs of light appeared all around Vaporeon and then shot up towards the sky, crashing into each other and creating small explosions as Vaporeon fell back to the platform. Kailani and Vaporeon twirled amid the firework display and as their song came to an end they struck a final pose and smiled towards the judges' table.

I joined in the thunderous applause as Kailani curtsied and she and Vaporeon walked off the stage without receiving their scores. They must announce the winners of the round after seeing all of the performances, I thought as I watched the beautiful petite girl walk towards the tent with her head held high.

"Kailani has won the tournament two years in a row," a voice whispered in my ear, startling me out of my thoughts. I glanced over to see Mrs. Jun picking up Piplup so she could sit in the spot we had reserved for her.

"That doesn't surprise me, her dance was really beautiful," I whispered back as Keanu came back on the stage to announce the next performer.

"It was very traditional," Mrs. Jun responded as we clapped to welcome the next performer. "She has a knack for adapting traditional Alolan songs and creating new and beautiful dances with them, which is why the audience loves her so much."

I nodded to show I had heard her but turned my attention to the performer, a decidedly more edgy girl who brought out a machop to stand next to her before the music started. Once the music did start I nearly clapped my hands over my ears from the shock. It was a loud techno song and the girl and Machop immediately launched into a breakdancing routine. It was so opposite from Kailani's elegant performance I didn't know how to react at first; but I soon found myself cheering her on as she and Machop did one crazy move after another.

All of the performers had a different interpretation for the Ka hula (dance) round and I watched closely, noticing when the audience was most enamored with a performance and when they seemed bored. My personal favorite of the dances was one of the few guys that performed. He walked on the stage with no shoes and only wearing a pair of red pants, showing off his incredibly muscular torso and his black as night skin. When his music started it was the same drum-heavy style of Kailani's dance, but the beat was much more powerful and when he released his pokemon a cascade of flames shot out of the ball and a black Marowak with a flaming bone club materialized out of the column of fire. Their dance was sharp, strong, and it had gotten my pulse racing as the trainer and his Marowak went through the dance steps while incorporating Marowak's fire attacks fearlessly.

After the last of the dozen performers finished, the judges (the Nurse Joy from Hau'oli City, Hau, Ilima, and a woman named Alani who was the very first Luau Tournament "Star") all began discussing in hushed tones. A few tense minutes went by before Nurse Joy stood up with an envelope in her hands and Keanu took it with a bright smile.

"For the battle round only four of our contestants will get to participate and those lucky four are.... Kailani, Samantha, Maleah, and Traavi!" 

I cheered loudly as the boy with the strange Marowak walked forward with Kailani and two other girls. The other performers with varying looks of disappointment, sadness, and anger walked off the stage and I clapped loudly for them, feeling my heart clench as I watched them walk away.

"The theme for the battle round is 'Taste of the Ocean', and the theme type is water," Keanu announced after the audience settled down. I frowned in confusion and touched Mrs. Jun's arm gently to get her attention.

"What does she mean by that?" I asked her as she announced the first pair to battle would be Samantha and Maleah.

"Every battle round has two themes. The first theme can be what the judges want to see or experience as they watch the battle, or it could be a play on words of some kind. This one is fairly straightforward. The judges will base the battle on how much their pokemon can use moves that remind us of the ocean," Mrs. Jun explained as the two girls faced off on opposite sides of the platform.

"And what is the type theme?" I asked as both girls released pokemon I had never seen before.

"If the performers use a move of the theme type then they will get bonus points," Mrs. Jun explained. "From what I understand contest battles give you a bar of health and then you lose points as your opponent uses more beautiful moves than you do, correct?"

I nodded my agreement as I watched the girls call out moves to their pokemon and I was surprised that neither of them chose an attacking move. Instead one of the pokemon used Rain Dance to create a drizzling rain over just the platform and the other girl ordered her pokemon to use Sing.

"Well, with Luau Showdowns you start with zero points. The first one to get 100 points wins, or if they run out of time then the one with the higher score will win," Mrs. Jun explained, apparently not finding the battle interesting because she had completely turned away from it as she continued explaining the mechanics of the Luau Showdown battle round to me.

"So, what if one side's pokemon are beaten?" I asked.

"If one of the pokemon becomes unable to battle then the battle stops and whoever had the higher score will win, regardless of which pokemon fainted," Mrs. Jun said and my mouth dropped open in shock.

"Really?" I whispered in amazement, never having heard of a rule like that.

"Really. It's too bad your first experience is here in Iki Town. Usually Luau Showdowns are held in special buildings where there are gauges that the audience can see as the trainers earn points, but Iki Town isn't big enough to have something like that so we won't know who won until the end of the battle," Mrs. Jun said with a sigh. "And this theme is really quite tame. Most battle rounds the trainer has to participate as well."

"The trainer participates in the battle? How?" I asked in shock and Mrs. Jun shrugged.

"It depends on the theme. There was one Luau Showdown that I saw where the battle was an obstacle course and the trainer and three of her pokemon all had to make it to the end of the obstacle course while trying to sabotage the other trainer and her team with their pokemon's moves."

My mind reeled at this new information. I had never heard of anything so random in my life! Although that actually sounds like a lot of fun, I thought to myself as I turned my attention back to the battle. 

The girl with a pokemon that looked almost plant-like with a purple body and blue frond-like growths that were as long as its body used Poison Sting. The other trainer's pokemon went down and didn't get back up.

I felt a little bad that I had missed the whole battle, but as the girl called Samantha was declared the winner and the rain stopped falling on the platform I leaned forward with anticipation as Kailani and Traavi came onto the stage for their battle. Kailani brought out her Vaporeon, which made complete sense to me, but I was surprised when Traavi brought out a Braviary.

"Wasn't the theme water type?" I whispered to Mrs. Jun as the two waited for their signal to start the battle.

"Yes, it was. But it's also 'Taste of the Ocean'. I'm sure he has a plan," she whispered back.

The timer started and Kailani instantly held her hand out calling out for a Hydro Pump attack. Vaporeon aimed and let loose a powerful stream of water but Braviary swooped up, dodging the attack beautifully.

"Braviary, use Tailwind!" Traavi called and I watched with amazement as Braviary flew back and forth as at first a gentle wind whistled by, but soon it picked up speed until it was obvious that Vaporeon was having a hard time keeping its balance. As the gusts of wind blew over the audience I was surprised to smell the saltiness of the ocean on the wind and I looked at Traavi, wondering if he had planned this.

"Use Aqua Ring," Kailani called over the sounds of the wind and Vaporeon instantly began forming her beautiful ring of healing water.

Just as the Aqua Ring dispelled Traavi called for an Air Slash from his Braviary and to my surprise Kailani called for a Hydro Pump again. I watched as the attacks met each other and as the slashes of condensed air blew the hydro pump apart a beautiful shower of water fell onto the stage. The two fought back and forth and in the end, neither of the pokemon fainted before the time was up. I held my breath but wasn't surprised when Kailani was named the winner. Braviary's tailwind bringing the scent of the ocean to the audience had been incredibly clever, but with all of Vaporeon's attacks being water-based, it made sense that Kailani won in the end.

The battle between Samantha and Kailani lasted all of two minutes, with an overwhelming victory for Kailani and Vaporeon. All the audience stood up and cheered as Keanu presented Kailani with a blue pin in the shape of a water droplet. 

After the Showdown was officially over Mrs. Jun ushered me away from the stage, saying she wanted to check on my wounds right away. I felt a little disappointed that I wouldn't be able to go talk to the performers, but I allowed her to lead me away because I knew one thing for sure. I wanted to be a part of as many of these Luau Showdowns as I could.

A/N Sorry this was such a long chapter, but I hope you liked the introduction of Luau Showdowns. This is a new type of contest that I have thought up on my own, so hopefully it was interesting for you!