A Trio of Trials

Before continuing, I decided to hatch the second Eevee egg so that I can evolve it into an Umbreon. In continuing throughout the Island, it evolves! But that's not all, while working on hatching the egg, Zubat also evolved, first to Golbat and then very quickly into Crobat!

On Route 6, we meet Hapu and we protect a helpless Drifloon from being bullied by Tweedledee and Tweedledum. 

After chasing them off, I enter Royal Avenue and the Battle Royal with Hau, Gladion, and Kukui. I used Larvitar and Rock Slide, which hit everyone but was super effective on Hau's Dartrix and took it out. 

Moving past Royal Avenue and up Wela Volcano, we reach the Island's second Trial Sight, Kiawe's Fire Trial! 

Between the dancing and battling, Larvitar swept the entire trial by herself! 

Heading back down the volcano and onto Route 8, we meet Colress, who tells us of his own previous adventures in the Unova region. 

I guess in a kids game, there's not 

a whole lot of room for subtlety 

At the end of the Route, we meet up with Mallow and enter the Lush Jungle to start her Trial. 

While looking for the ingredents for her chili, the first thing I encounter is a Shiny Parasect...

Remember, Shiny encounters are roughly 

1 in 5,800

...that I can't catch because of the rules of the Trial. 

I continue to gather ingredients throughout the Trial, and when they are all together Kiawe and Lana arrive but the Mallow Special is too spicy for them and they run off, before we are attacked by the Totem Pokemon! However, it and its allies where no match for the might of Quilava and Crobat! 

With the regular Trials out of the way, its time to find Olivia for the Akala Island Grand Trial! I head through Diglett's Cave, where Team Skull is causing what they call trouble. I send them off with no trouble to myself. After exiting the tunnel and going to Olivia's store, we learn that she is out at the Ruins of Life, so its off through Memorial Hill! 

After the Cemetary, we see some Aether Foundation goons trying to protect a Slowpoke from some Team Skull goons. I send the Team Skull goons packing and move on to the Akala Outskirts, where I meet Team Skull's big sister, Plumeria! 

She falls easily, and I can move on to the main event, the Akala Island Grand Trial! 

However, she falls to the might of Bayleef and Slowking, and the Second Island in our challenge is conquered! 

With her defeated, we head off to the Hano Grand Resort to meet Faba, who then takes us to the Aether Paradise and the next leg of our journey. 

How many evil scientists are 

on these islands?