Alola.

The region was made up of a series of tropical islands located just north of this planet’s equator, where it’s summer year round. Four islands served as its main sections of habitable land.

Melemele, Akala, Ula’ula, and Poni.

There were a few, scattered, smaller islands here and there, but when people discussed the region, it was generally one of those four islands being mentioned.

The humidity of the region hit me first when I was close to arrive. It was more humid than Hoenn, which was already warm by itself, and each breath felt like I was inhaling solid air. But, as our ship moved closer, the waters turned a beautiful crystal clear, and the sky turned a cloudless pure blue.

In the distance, the islands started to form on the horizon, revealing a chain of tropical islands with sprawling cities built onto almost every one.

Our ship had traveled here quickly enough. Rather than fly, I decided to take a cruise to give my team something fun to do on the way there. Rotating everyone in and out to experience it took a lot of careful planning on my part, but in the end, it was worth it.

Dedenne spent most of his time scurrying across the main deck and nabbing scraps of food, Whimsicott and Altaria sunbathed on the ship’s roof. There were areas near the bottom of the hull with open spaces dedicated to battles, and Azumarill and Gardevoir spent most of their time sparring with other passengers there.

The rest of my team lingered around me, with Eevee and Ninetales staying next to me the most. Eevee was nearly overwhelmed by just how much there was to do in the ship, and Ninetales disliked the prevalent warmth that built up as we got closer and closer to the islands.

Ninetales might have been an Alolan Ninetales, but her species generally lived in chilly mountains or freezing caves. Outside of the central mountain on Ula’ula, the region felt extreme to her, so she ended up retreating to her Premier ball more often than not.

Our cruise ship’s destination was Melemele island, where it docked quickly enough. With the help of Pokémon, the boat was led right into Hau’oli docks, giving us a bright view of the city and wilderness around it. There was something different about seeing a towering metropolis surrounded by pure white beaches and a dense jungle. The islands were somewhat small, but they were still large enough to allow this place to be considered an entire region.

I returned my team—save for Eevee—and packed up my stuff. My outfit was changed and my backpack was slung over my shoulder. For my time in Alola in particular, my clothes had changed to match the humid environment. No longer was I wearing the thick jackets and multiple layers designed for the cold of Sinnoh, but I now wore a loose lavender button down that hung over my sides, a pair of billowing, black pants with wide legs that were kept airy and free, and a dark pink top made out of cotton that let my skin breath. Valerie’s genius struck again, giving me a loose and comfortable outfit that looked stylish while also keeping me exceptionally cool.

Also, I wore sandals. My ugly boots were kept in storage, where they belonged.

The crowds of people made it hard to leave the boat, and I was forced to carry Eevee in my arms. Eventually, he shifted around to sit on my head, his hind legs bracing himself on top of my shoulders.

Eventually, pushing forward, we managed to reach the city proper and escape the people filing into hotels and resorts. People dressed for the beach meandered around us, despite the fact it was currently fall. The streets were wide yet empty of most people, as the city lacked the considerable rush that was likely to be present in the summer months.

Slowly, I used my Holocaster to navigate the city, and I found my way to the location I was told to meet my guide. He saw me first.

“Alex! Alola! Ah, and I see you brought a friend. Alola to you, too!"

Professor Kukui raised a hand to wave at us as he stood up and hopped over a small railing. Abandoning his outdoor cafe table, he reached back to grab a small box of pastries and jogged over to approach us. As he ran, his long lab coat was pushed back, and a set of chiseled abs and grey swim trunks were exposed underneath.

He tilted his hat back to get a proper look at my face.

"Glad to see you could make it!" he said. "Hopefully finding me wasn't too hard. Malasada?"

"It’s nice to meet you too, but I’ll have to decline the malasada for now. We just got off the boat and need a bit to recover." Eevee let out a low whine on my head. "Okay, maybe just one."

I set the cuddly Pokémon on the ground to not get crumbs on my head. When Kukui offered the treat to him, he basically snatched it out of his hands and ate it in one gulp. A satisfied sigh marked the end of that treat, and after laughing about it for a moment, we started to head off down the street, Professor Kukui leading us to the edge of town.

"I'll bring you to my lab to update your Pokédex, but keep in mind you have free rein to go wherever on the islands," Kukui said. "Kahuna Hala would have been here to greet you, but he's still setting up the festival for tonight."

"A festival? I didn't know there was one."

"Yeah!” Kukui casually kicked a pebble forward as we walked. “It's a kick off to the Island Challenge tomorrow, but you should know Alola's circuit is a bit different. Beginners and children take on the Island Challenge, but people from out of region and more experienced trainers fight the Kahunas.”

I chuckled.

"The same Kahunas being tapped for a role in the Elite Four?"

Kukui let loose a feral grin as we exited the city. Ahead of us, small red and white woodpecker Pokémon nested in trees, and what looked to be a yellow-haired mongoose darted between some bushes.

Pikipek and Yungoos, I identified.

"The very same," Kukui replied, smirking. "Woo, man I’m so excited! It’s been ages since I’ve first started trying to get a Gym Circuit set up here. The Trial Captains and Kahunas make do—they’re basically our equivalent of Gym Leaders but with a little less support. Other than the Kahunas, they can’t really field too many different levels of teams, so the challenges tend to be linear. But the Kahunas? They actually get to fight. At your level, I expect them to be just as Elite as you think.”

He snorted, remembering something clever.

"But of course, actually earning the right to challenge them is a different story. You'll learn more about that once the season starts up tomorrow."

Up ahead, built into this jungled hillside, dozens of houses sat under the shadows of tropical trees. The outskirts of Hau'oli were filled with the houses of locals built throughout a curving path, creating a small, peaceful community away from the crowded city proper.

Here, it was clear that the nature of the island had been intermixed with the constructions of humans. Signs of Pokémon were everywhere, and a few kids laughed and pointed out Pokémon that were obviously wild.

I kind of wanted to just walk around and enjoy the scenery, but the area was private and not meant for tourists. Instead, Kukui brought us down a sloped path that led to the beach.

(At this point, Eevee was getting tired from walking so long, so I ended up returning him to let him rest.)

"My lab is ahead, and, preemptively, sorry about the mess. I'm temporarily hosting a guest that's caused things to be a bit tighter than expected. That plus my Pokémon make things a bit rough."

"Everything alright?" I asked.

His smile tensed for a moment, but it soon returned full blast.

"Yeah! Don't you worry. Focus on reviewing potential Gym Leaders like you're tasked. Your partner's already arrived."

My feet stalled.

"Partner?"

Professor Kukui must have missed my question, because he kept walking down the road. Our conversation didn't resume, so I dashed forward to meet him at the entrance of his lab.

Kukui’s lab, on the outside, looked like a beach home or a large shack. However, large windows were built into its wooden frame, which revealed a rather fancy, high-tech interior. Even from out here, I could see a large fish tank and a ladder leading to a second floor. Not only that, but there were desks covered with computer parts and disabled Pokédexes.

"Gimme a moment," Kukui said. “My guest is out, but your partner is in. I want to make sure she’s properly decent.”

He waited a few moments after he knocked before he seemed satisfied enough time had passed and swung the door open. We stepped inside into a spacious interior, where a canine Rockruff ran up to Kukui with a happy bark.

My eyes weren’t looking at the dog. Instead, they were locked with the familiar person standing only a few feet away.

"Hope?"

"Alex?"

This meeting felt familiar. In fact, we'd had this exact exchange before. This was the second time I’d unexpectedly run into Hope in a Professor’s lab, except this time, I’d actually gotten to know her in the past.

"Man, Alex, it's been a while since I've seen you in person. Not since we traveled through Kalos together. Your Conference win was insane, by the way, Congratulations on your win."

"Thank you. And congrats on your own placement, too. Placing second in the Kalos Conference is an impressive feat."

She gave me a proud smile, not even upset at all she had lost in the finals. Her League Challenge had been kind of rushed, starting late in the season and moving through all the Gyms. Honestly, I thought she had the potential to make it to the end, but her Venusaur had exhausted itself Mega Evolving the day prior, and she lost access to one of the strongest members of her team that would have won her the match.

Honestly, I wasn’t too surprised to see her here. We chatted on the phone occasionally, and while she didn’t mention Alola specifically, I did know she planned to head to another region.

"Wait a second," I said. "Kukui said I had a partner for this. Are you—"

"A Wandering Elite? Yeah, I got granted the role. Apparently since Gurkinn ‘trained’ me I was first place on the list, and then my help against Team Flare and apprenticeship under Ramos is what sealed the deal."

I blinked at her comment, having not heard any of that at all. The way she talked about it made it seem like it was a new development, as she seemed almost frustrated it had happened.

"So if you're here, I imagine we'll be traveling together," I said.

"That’s at least one good thing coming out of this.” Hope let out a sigh. “While it was nice to be chosen, I didn’t apply for the job. I would have liked a bit more time to prepare, I guess. Alola has some good Grass Types, at least. I do need to expand my team.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

I chuckled.

“I need to do the same.”

With our conversation petering out, Hope glanced over to Kukui, who had just set down his Rockruff after a session of furious pets. When he glanced back up, he saw that we were waiting, and he brought his arms up for a casual stretch.

"Yup, yup! I'll go over what you’ll need to do. I know I'm supposed to be the League rep for these islands, but it's been a while since I've acted on that with any official capacity."

He opened up a desk drawer to pull out some sheets which he pushed our way. We took them, looked them over, and he started to narrate the specifics of what we needed to know.

"Essentially, you're free to do what you want, but the League wants you to test our Trial Captains and Kahunas. We're going to expand the classic Gym Circuit down here, but we have to make sure we have the proper roles in place first. So, don't just battle with your strongest teams! Test them at all strengths! The captains know you're coming and have prepared for battles. Hopefully, you'll see they're up to par."

This is actually perfect. It’ll give me the chance to battle with my less experienced team members.

Hope and I settled down on a couch while we read through the rest.

There were other details on the sheet, mostly talking about the divisions of the island and the people to look out for. Personally, I appreciated the fact this served as a refresher, as a lot of these names, I knew as characters in a game.

But, one detail suddenly stood out to me. Outside of our Kahuna challenges, we were supposed to be testing Trial Captains to see if they had what it takes to make it as a Gym Leader. The issue was that something was missing.

"There's only seven listed here," I stated.

Kukui scratched the back of his head in response.

"Well... There are a few people we're still considering for the last spot, but that’s something we’d figure out later. A few names had been thrown around: Molayne, Kahili, me—" he cleared his throat. "Not perfect solutions, but we have options."

I flipped to the back of the paper where there were personality assessments for everyone listed. They were fine, but there were a few spots that caused me concern.

Namely, it seemed a lot of these trainers were rather young. I wasn’t too familiar with what the youngest—Lana and Sophocles—were like, but it did make me doubt they had what it took to run a full time Gym.

Then again, there are exceptions. I mean, Tate and Liza are even younger and they get along just fine.

"We'll check out the ones you mentioned earlier along with the rest, " I said, picking up a pencil and writing their names down. "Can you send us their information?"

"Yeah! That's no problem at all."

"Then..."

I bit my lip, considering if I wanted to go through what I was about to say. It relied on my knowledge of the games a lot, and I wasn't even sure if the person I had in mind would be anything like how he was in the games, but I knew he had the potential to serve as a Gym Leader just as well as anyone else.

I put the file down and looked Kukui in the eye.

"I want to add Guzma to the list."

Kukui had chosen the wrong moment to pick up a mug of water.

"What?!"

"Wait. Who's Guzma?" Hope asked.

I could have answered that question, but I knew Kukui was more familiar with the topic. I stared at him in a silent offer to let him explain, and, eventually, he sighed and rubbed his head.

"He's an ex-apprentice of Hala's. He used to be one alongside me," Kukui said.

I did my best not to react. I didn’t realize they had been that close.

"Back in our heyday, he was a great trainer, even better than me, but that got to his head. He abandoned the island challenge, abandoned the chance to become a trial captain, and he took over a local gang when its last leader fell. Now, he runs Team Skull and their harassment campaign over the island. It's basically because of him that Alola's taken so long to gain a proper league." Kukui's eyes narrowed, and he locked them with my own. "And you want him as a potential Gym Leader?"

"Yes,” I said. My expression was kept perfectly level.

In response to my words, it was almost like a cold chill emanated out of Kukui’s body. The friendly attitude he had before seemed to almost fade away at the mention of his once childhood friend. I only had bits and pieces of who Guzma was, but the memory of him helping out the main character in the postgame stood clear in my mind.

That, and Team Skull might have been an “evil” organization, but it was a pretty low-level one at that. It was possible that the games had interpreted events much more goofily over how they were here, but there was a loyalty in his gang that few people could properly inspire.

"Look, Guzma is strong, and there’s something to be said about how he leads Team Skull. I wouldn’t consider it if he actually committed any major crimes, but they’re all misdemeanors at best.”

“Alex, he took over a town.”

I stayed quiet for a few moments, reconsidering my decision.

“He’s rude, quick to anger, and is literally a criminal, but I do want to give him the chance,” I said. “I won’t make any commitments now, but I do want to at least talk to him. I’ll challenge him to a match, have a discussion, and we’ll see how it goes from there.

"Besides," I said, shrugging and leaning back in my seat. "Even after we review everyone, the Alola League will still take a while to set up. That should be enough time for at least one session of therapy."

I only received a shallow grunt from Kukui in response. We had more to talk about, but he kept his lips shut. I didn't mean to hit such a personal topic for him, but it was better to breach it now than to surprise him with it later.

Though, this conversation would have gone better if Hope hadn’t been watching it as if it were a particularly interesting afternoon drama.

"I kind of want to meet Guzma now," Hope said.

"He's a Bug Type specialist," Kukui replied.

"Oh. Maybe not."

----------------------------------------

I couldn’t blame Hala for missing out on the greetings. He had stepped away to help set up the festival, and his work had created an incredible result.

Hidden away beneath a loose canopy of vines and jungle trees was a wooden stage and a few buildings set up like a village’s town square. The space on its own implied only a small settlement, but the sheer number of people here made it clear this event was something more.

Children ran around with puppies—Rockruff—and a few teens tossed fruit up to the birds. On a table, an aged Oranguru played a stringed instrument to the delight of a pair of dancers. The sight made me recall the one I spoke with, and my thoughts briefly drifted off to a woman back in Petalburg.

Orange light from the sunset blanketed this event, and the sounds of laughter matched the warm hues. Kukui was off setting up the starters, and Hala was still busy preparing for the event itself. That left me with just Hope in the corner.

“You know,” I started, breaking our small silence that had grown over a pair of drinks, “I think I’m looking forward to a peaceful region.”

“Alex, you were just talking about the Aether Foundation. And what about Team Skull?”

“I know, I know. It’s just... What are they going to do? Attack me? I have the authority of the League behind me, and my Pokémon are pretty strong, too.”

My boasting was met with a roll of the eyes from Hope. I knew I sounded arrogant, but that was the point. The atmosphere of the festival was infectious. The casual mood made me feel a little silly.

“For someone I haven’t met with in a year, you sure changed a lot.”

“Yeah, and I used to be afraid of the government, too. Look at me! I’m working for it!”

I laughed, but Hope didn’t. She just casually sipped her drink instead. Around us, I had a few of my Pokémon out, but not my entire team.

Dedenne ran around with children, tricking them into thinking it was fun to give him food. Eevee had located a pair of young Rockruffs to dance around and play. Tinkatink was eyeing the metal screws of a chair, but Togepi held her back.

I’d have sent more Pokémon out, but releasing the rest of my team would have been rude. The other Pokémon I brought with me were large and would have stood out in the crowd.

I’ll be able to make this up to them later. We have an entire region to explore, after all.

As music played and conversations drifted throughout the crowd, I let my eyes linger on the notable individuals here. For starters, I saw Hala on stage—a jolly man with a loose Hawaiian (Alolan?) shirt and a protruding stomach that hid his raw strength. He wore white hair in a short ponytail at the top of his head, and his mouth was obscured by a bushy mustache. Next to him, Kukui was setting up Pokéballs that likely contained the starters for today’s children. Each one was marked with a drop, a leaf, or a flame, allowing for easy identification for whoever they contained.

A few of the younger members of the festival stood next to him, eyeing the balls with anticipation. I’d almost say the atmosphere felt tense, if excitement could be tense. For many, this was the start of their journey. I would have envied them if I wasn’t in the process of my own.

“Hope, yes? And Alex, too?”

A new voice called out to us, and I almost choked on my drink when I saw who he was. While I never met him, his face was extraordinarily familiar. After all, there wasn’t anyone around who didn’t recognize Professor Oak.

Except, this man wasn’t the Professor Oak. His skin was tanned, and his hair was lightly blonde instead of a salt-and-pepper grey. He had a sharp face but kind eyes, and he was dressed casually with a shirt decorated with flowers and fish.

“You’re... Samson Oak, correct?” I asked.

The approaching man blinked at my words, but then they caused him to laugh.

“Why, I didn’t expect that in the slightest!” he cheered. “Everyone always mistakes me for Samuel! It’s rare to have a foreigner know who I am.”

He offered a hand to us, which Hope and I gladly shook.

“Professor Samson Oak,” he said. “I study regional forms here in Alola and run the local Pokémon school. It’s nice to meet the two of you.”

“Likewise,” Hope and I replied almost in unison.

There was a bit of small talk between us. Professor Oak asked us about our journeys, and we asked him about his work. He seemed interested in checking out Ninetales, as he wanted to see any differences to an Alolan Pokémon raised outside the region. Additionally, he promised Hope a chance to interact with an Alolan Exeggutor, which was remarkably different to the Exeggutor back in her home.

“But I have to ask,” he said once given the chance, “both of you are some of the foremost experts on your selected Types. You might not have the academic knowledge, but your intuition when it comes to battling with them is near the peak. Would you be interested in giving a lesson at Pokémon School? It’ll only take a few short minutes of your time, and I’ll make it worth your while.”

Hope and I exchanged a glance, going through a silent conversation as we did.

She shrugged softly as if to say she didn’t mind.

My eyes glanced over to the stage as if to say we had other things to do.

A casual twist of the hand reminded me we had the time, and I took a sip of my drink to say I agreed.

“I think it sounds fun,” Hope said. “Alex, do you have any objections?”

“None at all. Though, when you say you’ll make it worth our time—”

“You are a Grass and Fairy Type specialist respectively, aren’t you?” he said.

The man had a rather mischievous smile on his face. I could not decipher any meaning.

Our conversation wasn’t able to continue after that, as our attention was brought over to the stage. The Kahuna of this island, Hala himself, was the sole person on top, with Professor Kukui standing at the ready off to the side.

“Alola!” his deep voice boomed, interrupting the festivities.

The audience cheered “Alola!” right back at him. His laughter echoed over the audience.

“It’s wonderful to see so many bright and smiling faces ready to start their journey. It greatly pleases me to see such eager new trainers. Today marks another year’s passage and another start to our annual island challenge!”

The people around us cheered. Professor Oak leaned in to whisper over the crowd.

“Historically, Alola used to start their calendar years around this time. They’ve long since shifted over to the Kantonian calendar, but some aspects still remain.”

“Interesting,” Hope said.

“With all of you waiting here, you have an important decision to make,” Hala continued. “You must choose your partners, your companions, your starter Pokémon that will be with you for the rest of your journey! Professor Kukui has supplied the Pokémon, but now, you must supply the spirit!”

I flinched when a loud boom rang out. Hope snickered, and Professor Oak shifted in place, amused. Loud drum beats started up to add a sense of drama to the event, and Hala walked backwards to move to the edge of the stage.

“I would request the children to please approach the stage. Everyone else, make some space to not cause the Pokémon to be overwhelmed.”

The crowds shifted to do as he said, and like streams of water running through cracks in a rock, a decent sized group of children ran up to approach as requested. As they did, Professor Oak explained that they weren’t just from Melemele, but there were visitors from every island. Other islands had their own starter ceremonies, but Melemele’s was the most grand.

“Audrey!” Hala boomed.

A teen stepped up the small staircase onto the stage. Earlier, Professor Kukui had said the island challenge was for children, and now it was clear he wasn’t kidding. At most, she had to be a young teen, with my estimate placing her around twelve or thirteen. That was generally the youngest new trainers started in other regions, but from what I had seen, most tended to start when they were a few years older.

What happened next, I couldn’t hear, but I was able to watch. Hala said a few words to her quietly and was handed a trio of Pokéballs from Kukui. He released the Pokémon on the stage to let her make her first choice.

A Litten, a Popplio, and a Rowlet appeared on the wood. The fire cat licked its paw, the seal clapped its hands, and the grassy owl turned its head to scan the crowd.

“Hard to believe Rowlet becomes a Ghost Type,” I murmured.

“You’re still uncomfortable with Ghosts?”

“Phoebe tried to wean me off of it, but when she found out she could taunt me with them, she started using them to scare me constantly, instead.”

I liked Banette, but I couldn’t forgive him for standing in the bathtub when I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Being half asleep in a darkened room did not beget a good reaction from me when I saw his glowing red eyes over my shoulder in the mirror.

With the three Pokémon on the stage, the girl slowly approached each of them individually. The Popplio was extremely affectionate, the Rowlet didn’t seem to care, and the Litten was about in the center of those reactions—it reacted to her movements, but it didn’t act overeager.

It was for that reason I wasn’t surprised when she made her choice.

“L-litten,” the girl said.

She kneeled down to invite the cat over, which didn’t move immediately. The feline stared at her with unblinking eyes, then, almost regally and proud of this outcome, it stood up and strutted over to her open arms, where she brought it up into her embrace.

The crowd clapped their hands respectfully. The Popplio on the stage hung its head in disappointment.

After giving the girl a Pokéball marked with a flame, Hala returned the other two Pokémon, and Kukui exchanged their balls. I wasn’t sure why all three had to be replaced, but I got the sense that the Pokémon would have their turn again eventually.

“Next,” Hala boomed, “Ma—”

“Me next! Me next!”

A young man’s voice shot up over the crowd. A few amused murmurs broke out in reaction. I heard Hala sigh as he shook his head. Then, he glanced over the children and waved one on stage.

“Fine, Hau. Come on up.”

The name caused me to freeze.

Dashing onto the stage was a teen whose resemblance to Hala was clear. He had the same basic facial structure, and his hair was worn in the same way. The difference was his hair was a dull green instead of white worn away by age, and his body was still young and thin.

He pumped both his arms, which made his black shirt bounce up and down in the wind. Hala tried his best to keep a straight face, but the corner of his lips quirked up ever so slightly up into a grin.

Hope nudged me with her elbow.

“You okay, Alex?” she asked.

“Yeah, it’s just...”

I looked around. Too many people had the potential to listen in. Instead, I signed “familiar” with Ace Trainer handsigns to send Hope my point.

She had been informed I possessed otherworldly knowledge. Me sending her that turned her expression grim.

Hau excitedly chose Rowlett without much thought at all, picking up the bird in his hands without a single hoot. He laughed and held his choice up to the audience for the world to behold, then, without grabbing the Pokéball, darted down the stage.

Kukui had to run after him to give Hau’s Pokémon its home.

More and more children were called up and given a chance. Kukui had started with a small pile of Pokéballs that decreased over time. By far, Litten was the most popular, with Rowlett at a close second. Personally, I was a bit disappointed to see the sole Fairy Type go so unloved.

“Don’t worry. The remaining Pokémon will be shipped across the region to be handed out as other children’s starters. The ones that are left over either go up for adoption or wait for next year,” Professor Oak said.

I nodded halfheartedly, but my growing concern was elsewhere.

Slowly, as the children received their starter Pokémon, my vision still remained on the stage. I was waiting for something specific, waiting for a more unexpected sign, that something from the games might start here and now.

Then, it happened. Hala called up a name, and a boy stepped onto the stage.

No more than fourteen or fifteen, a pale young man in a red bucket hat ascended the steps. He wore bright white shorts and had a loose sky blue tank top over his body. His expression was blank, but there was determination in his eyes that few ever had.

It was his name that was called that echoed in my ears. I wasn’t familiar with it, but its obvious connection to the sun made it clear who he was.

“Elio.”

That’s the protagonist of the video games. I couldn’t really get a normal circuit this year, could I?