I Got Two Tickets To (Aether) Paradise

Before going into the Resort itself, I decided to explore the beach! At one end I caught a Sandygast.

Like this, only possessed by a ghost. 

Apparently Pokemon wasn't weird enough 

Anyway, I traded it for a Grubbin, which is going straight in the box. 

Back in the hotel proper, we run into Mad Scientist Guy again. 

Specifically this one 

Hau show's up, and off we go to the Aether Paradise! 

No way anything ominous is happening here 

After exploring a little bit, I meet Lusamine, and discover that she's Lillie's mother! 

And such a nice lady, too! 

When suddenly a rift opens up in the space-time continuum and out comes a horrific monster! 

Prisoner Zero has escaped! 

Luckily, our dimension has a defender against such incursions, a hero amongst heroes! 

High Horsepower! 

After clobbering the inter-dimensional beast and sending it back home, the Ultra Recon Squad shows up. 

Along with that glorious mustache 

They tell us about the Ultra Beasts, and Ultra Wormholes and all sorts of other Ultra Science. After that, we are off to Ula'ula Island and the adventures that await us there! 

Rock-y Road

We are almost done on Akala Island, and the last leg of our journey here starts by entering Diglett's cave.

In the cave, I caught not a Diglett, but a Zubat and traded it for a Magikarp...

If only...

After beating up a cop, we make a quick pit stop in Konikoni city to heal and get a letter from Olivia's Probopass telling me about the trial site. Off we go! To get to the trial site, we must first pass through Memorial Hill. On Memorial Hill, I caught a Phantump, which I traded for...

Again? 

Another Magikarp. Since I just got one of those (and even have a Gyarados) off it goes again! In return, I got a Growlithe, which I already have, thus the fun part of Wonder Trading. The second Growlithe is also sent back into the wild blue wonder. And out of that blue, I got a Skarmory. At least I don't have one of those! 

Moving past Memorial Hill, we find Team Skull about to face two members of the Aether Foundation. 

Including Mad Scientist Guy 

And somehow I end up battling one of the Team Skull thugs. After sending them packing, the Aether Foundation people say something about something, I wasn't paying much attention. 

Anyway, continuing on to the Akala Outskirts I caught a Stufful and traded it for a Morelull. 

This thing 

At the gate for the Trial, I encounter Plumeria, which is surprising because I was expecting her to interrupt the trial. 

Pictured: Someone who knows not to interrupt 

After beating her, Olivia and Lillie arrive, and Olivia mentions that she found Lillie. I didn't know she was lost, but I'm not super surprised. 

Anyway, the battle with Olivia was annoying because Gyarados refused to listen, so Mudsdale was sent in to clean house, which it did handily. 

Who knew this guy would be so useful? 

Hau show's up for his Trial, and Olivia says something about visiting the Aether Paradise. So we are off to the Grand Resort. 

If only....

I'm not interested in Gyarados not listening anymore, even if beating the Island Kahuna would now give me that ability. So it goes in the box. I don't have anything in my box that's jumping out at me to replace it, so we'll just move forward with five for now. Those five are Helioptile, Petilil, Mudsdale, Turtonator, and Mimikyu.