Once by Sun, Twice by Moon (Sun and Moon)

Exploring Akala Island up through the first trial was nearly identical between the two versions, so it goes into a single post.

Arriving on Akala Island, Kukui, Lillie, Hau, and the character are greeted by Olivia and Mallow, and explain about the first trial beyond the Paniola Ranch.

After they leave, We go through Heahea City on the way to Route 4, but first a stop at the Tide Song Hotel, where we meet Sina and Dexio. 

The PokeFrench are weird 

In Sun, I battled Dexio and got the Zygarde Cube and in Moon I battled Sina. 

Battling through Route 4, we reach Paniola Town. At this point in Moon, everthing has evolved and is in its second stage. In town, we battle Hau and is two Pokemon in Sun and four Pokemon in Ultra Moon. 

I'll show you, newbie! 

After beating Hau, we traveled through the Paniola Ranch and Route 5 to reach Brooklet Hill, the sight of the trial. 

The Trial functions the same, chase the Wishiwashi down to the bottom pool to summon the Totem Pokemon. What's interesting, in Ultra Moon as soon as you enter, Lana introduces herself as the Trial Captain and the trial starts right away. In Sun, she introduces herself like this... 

...giving no indication that she's the Trial Captain until right before the Totem Pokemon. Time to battle the different Totem Pokemon of Brooklet Hill! 

eep 

These guys are certainly bigger than the last set of Totem Pokemon, but you know what they say! The bigger they are, the more they scare me! 

Anyway, Rattata in Sun evolved before the battle with Wishiwashi, which helped in that battle. Against Araquanid, Grovyle Leach Seeded it and then Jolteon electrocuted it. 

Hopefully the games diverege a little bit more moving forward, otherwise I might do more combined posts of the games. 

Big Cities and Big Caves (Moon)

Moving into the city proper, I caught a Meowth and Grimer and traded them for two more Eevee's.

There's those two. Eventually. Maybe 

Continuing further into the city, Hau pops out of the Malasada shop and tells me how good Malasada is. 

After he leaves, Ilima approaches me and we are attacked by Team Skull! I beat the pair of them, and then I prove to Ilima that I am indeed worthy of his trial. Afterwords, its off to Route 2 and the Trial! 

While most of the route is the same as in Sun, the trainers in the graveyard are different, and there's the whole beach thing with Mantine, instead of the berry farmer. 

These guys are just everywhere

Continuing to the Verdant Cavern, Torchic evolved into Combusken! 

Now we are ready for the Totem Raticate! 

Going through the cavern and defeating the Rattata's, Raticate and Team Skull got Combusken up to a decently high level, and made it possible to one shot the Totem Raticate. Yay anti-climacticism! (Yes, I just made up a new word)

Finishing up Melemele is very similar to Pokemon Sun, the only differences being that I used Dartrix to sweep Hala and Mantine surfed off the island.

On the game play level, I traded for a Treecko.

Another one for the rotation!