AN: The events of this story take place after Pokemon Sun and Moon. The player character is the champion and Guzma has disbanded Team Skull. For reference, the setting of this story would be a decade or so Gold/Silver/HeartGold/Soulsilver. There may be a few errors as this is my first time submitting to this website. Other than that, enjoy.

Stinkin' boat. Stinkin' Hala.

Guzma stood on the ferry, arms folded, a frown plastered on his face, staring with disdain at the happy, smiling faces. He couldn't believe Hala had convinced him to go on this trip. He was Guzma, the big, bad boss of a big, bad gang!

Or he used to be. Guzma's frown deepened, then became a toothy scowl. He let loose a small growl as he fixed his eyes on the twerp responsible for beating down him and his boys, standing there down on the dock. He was even younger than that Gladion kid, yet he beat Guzma three… no, four times! Guzma didn't care that the kid was the champion, he hated it when anyone beat him down.

All these people were here to see off the old man, Hala. That day on the beach, a month or so ago, Hala had said he wanted to make a "fine trainer" out of Guzma. Guzma didn't know why he didn't just leave after hearing that. Maybe it was because he just wanted something to do after disbanding Team Skull… but seriously, being told what to do by someone else blows.

"Guzma, smile. It's a beautiful day!"

The old man's constant smiling and cheeriness really got on Guzma's nerves. It was always "Smile, Guzma" and "stand tall, Guzma!" How was Guzma supposed to smile after everything that had happened recently?

Guzma looked to the people gathered on the dock. He didn't know them all by name, but he could at least hazard a guess as to whom most of them were. First, the kid with that rage-inducing toothy grin. Guzma remembered him as Hala's grandson. What was his name? Hugh? Howie? Guzma didn't care. He almost got beat by that kid, that time in Aether Paradise. Guzma didn't care to remember it. It freaked him out every time he thought about that day.

There was some old woman next to that Howie kid. Guzma didn't recognise her, but she had the same eye-gouging smile. There was a whole bunch of other people too. A young woman, a creepy-looking little girl, some teenager with a golf club. There was an old man next to the little girl, arms folded, a bored look on his face. Guzma felt like he recognised him and also really liked the look of him for some reason. There was also some girl riding a Mudsdale.

And then there he was. The twerp. The guy Guzma could never beat down. Just standing there… smiling. Guzma hated that. Not once when Guzma lost to the kid had he gloated, taunted, celebrated, or just shown any emotion like a damn normal person! Guzma swore to defeat him someday.

All these people were shouting and yelling and saying goodbyes, all to old Hala. Guzma's scowl faded and he found himself wondering: Why was no one here to see him off? Why wasn't anyone there happily waving off big bad Guzma, the hated boss who beats you down and beats you down and never lets up?

…Perhaps he answered his own question.

Still, over a hundred numskull grunts and not one showed up. Guzma felt strange. Not angry... but different. He didn't like it.

"Come on now, Guzma," it was Hala, nudging him, "give our friends a smile! And stand up straight! This is the last time you're going to see them for a while, after all."

Guzma continued to slouch. "They ain't my friends, old man." he sheepishly slid his hands into his pockets, "and I don't care. Alola's getting old anyway."

Hala gave a chuckle. "Come on, get excited, my boy! Have you ever been outside of Alola before?"

"Nah."

Hala thumped his hand on Guzma's back, causing Guzma to growl again, "I'll make a fine trainer out of you yet! A fine young man, too." He slid the hand off, and started waving to the crowd below, "You've got everything you need, right?"

Guzma put his hands on his hips. "Stop talkin' to me like I'm a kid. I packed everything, alright? I don't know why I even said yes to going on this trip in the first place… much less with someone like you."

Hala put his hand on his chin, smiling and looking down at Guzma. Guzma was not a particularly tall nor short man, but his persistent slouch made him appear the latter. "Did you remember your toothbrush?"

Guzma threw his arms out, "Seriously?!"

"Hahaha, I'm just messing with you, boy!"

They both felt a jerk as the ship began to take its leave. They rode a cruise ship, so it was not a fast departure. Hala continued to holler as they left. Guzma rolled his eyes and started towards the interior of the cruise ship.

Hala finished up his farewells and started to follow. He called over to Guzma, "Don't you worry, my boy. You're going to have a lot of fun in the Kanto region. More fun than you ever had in that gang of yours!"

Guzma replied without turning around, "Yeah. Right." Guzma turned around one last time, "and stop calling me boy!"

Dinnertime on the S.S Star was in session. Hala had ordered for the two of them when Guzma had refused to.

"Fine ship, isn't it?" said Hala, "Have something to eat, Guzma." Eating in fancy restaurants had never been a favourite thing of Guzma's. In fact, he freaking hated it. "You asked me earlier why you agreed to come with me?"

Guzma fixed the old man with a scowl. He put his elbows on the table and spoke, "I already figured it out. It was because I was bored, plain and simple. Team Skull was all I did, I dedicated all the time I got to my boys. I got thinking that Kanto could be interesting, I could make a new Team Skull, maybe. Recruit some new guys."

"So why did none of them show up to wave goodbye to you?"

Guzma raised his voice a little, stung by the remark, "That's because they were all busy! Probably, I dunno."

Hala picked up the glass of wine next to him and took a sip. He frowned and rolled his tongue a bit, mumbling something, before setting the glass back down. "I think what you said is somewhat the truth, you joined me because you were "bored". But I think it was a more deep-seated boredom, more in the vein of lacking real purpose in life."

"Are you dissing Team Skull? My boys gave me plenty o' purpose, old man!"

Hala spoke with certainty. "You do seem conflicted. You agreed to hop onto a boat with me after I happened across you trying to "beat down" the champion of the Alola region and now you're acting all moody and not eating anything. Did you even realise who you were up against? You need to listen to me, Guzma. Respect your opponent's strength, regardless of their age or anything else. You gave that lucky charm of yours to the champion the last time you lost to him. Surely that was the beginning of respect for your opponent's strength, why else would you do that?"

Guzma folded his arms, leaning back in the chair and causing it to creak, "Y'know nothing. I'm just bored, that's all. You'll see."

Hala chuckled. He picked up the wine glass as if to take another sip, then put it down again with a quiet groan.

A silence filled the table. Guzma looked at his gold watch, one of his proudest items of bling, along with his necklace. It was 8:30. He missed staying up late partying like when he was younger, but Team Skull had been more active in the daytime. Most of the boys had always been burned out in the evenings from stealing Pokemon and beating down fools all day.

"So Guzma, did you ever consider taking on the Pokemon League?"
Guzma snapped out of his thoughts. "I told Kukui we didn't need a freaking Pokemon League. I was already the strongest trainer in the region, we didn't need to prove anything."

"Oh, but were you really? I think the current league champion would disagree."

"Look, old man. You got a point? I ain't challenging no crap-sack league."

"You know what I was thinking? With time and patience, I think you'd make a really good member of the elite four." Guzma raised an eyebrow. "I myself am a member, as you know. Hapu's filling in me for the time being, though."

"Eh?"

"Hapu. She was the girl riding the Mudsdale as we left. The Ground-type Kahuna of Poni Island."

"The one with the weird nose?"

Hala ignored the remark, "The Alola Elite Four lacks a Bug-type user such as yourself. I think someday you could be a valuable addition. Maybe take over from me after I cark it, HAHAHA!"

Guzma winced a little. The old man's laugh was loud, and they received a few stares. "Quiet, will ya? We're in a restaurant here!" Hala's chuckles faded, "and I'm not being no damn elite four! Not in Kukui's league."

"But a bug-type elite four! There aren't many of those. It would make it very interesting. Besides, you'd be surrounded by pretty, young women. You're a single man, are you not, Guzma?"

"I ain't interested right now."

"But Guzma, the joy of love! Perhaps I'll set you up with our ghost-type elite four member, HAHAHAHA!"

"What? I don't get it."

Hala shuffled in his seat a bit, "Heh, perhaps that jab was a bit too far. For now, I suggest we eat. Do you know how to use a knife and fork?"

Guzma flashed his "What did you just say to me?" look. "I don't get your sense of humour, old man! Nobody makes fun of Guzma!"

"If Guzma bites, then Guzma will get made fun of more often."

Guzma sighed and picked up the knife and fork. His meal was a steak of some sort.

Bored, he was just bored, that was all it was. That was the only reason. "That's why I'm here", thought Guzma. "That's why I'm here, with an old man who gets under my skin."

This was gonna be a long trip.

Hala inhaled deeply, then sighed. "Vermilion City. Look, Guzma."

Guzma gazed at the admittedly pretty city before him. The night-time lights shone over the ocean water to create a pretty reflection. Guzma looked into the illuminated water below to see the millions of Tentacool bobbing through the water. He didn't like Tentacool, though he had to admit, it was a pretty cool sight.

"Our hotel for the night is this way," said Hala, "follow me."

Guzma found himself smirking a little as he moved towards his home for the night. Nobody would know who he was here. Maybe this trip wouldn't be so bad after all. He could start a new gang, maybe. Make some new friends, make a new Team Skull and go and take over Kukui's stupid Pokemon League! Or maybe take over this Pokemon League. Guzma was going to find some way to make this trip good, whether Hala liked it or not. Guzma had only one thing to say at a time like this.

"Here I come, Kanto region, say hello to ya boi Guzma!"