"I have a letter for you. A certain... interesting party is interested in you."
I stood idly, eyes focused on the unmarked envelope resting gently in the palms of my hands. Whoever sent this prioritized me and my strength above every other trainer in Alola. I was never going to get used to that—being Alola's greatest interest.
The morning breeze almost blew the delicate letter out of my hands as I stood out on my lawn. The lightness of the envelope was off-putting; I was used to letters coming with some sort of gift inside. The message must have been a request for my assistance, rather than something written by an obsessive fan. My curiosity was piqued, and I felt obliged to give the letter some attention.
I thoughtlessly moved to open the envelope, but quickly stopped. Scolding myself under my breath, I eyed the neighborhood while hastily shoving the letter into the pocket of my sweatpants. If this message was important, I couldn't risk having some stranger—or worse, a spy—reading it over my shoulder. It was entirely possible that the author had kept it vague to avoid that, but taking that risk was pointless when my house was mere feet from me. I scanned my surroundings suspiciously once more before turning around and re-entering my home.
From the front door, I spotted my mom resting on the back porch, gently stroking the Meowth snoring on her lap. After travelling across Alola for upwards of ten years, it felt odd to see her Meowth's crème fur against my Persian's Alolan lavender fur. Whenever our Pokémon were near each other, the contrast was strong enough for me to think, for a split-second, that my mom's Pokémon was shiny. I knew that was ridiculous, since living beings naturally change and adapt to different environments, but I still occasionally found myself questioning her partner.
I looked away from my mom and walked into my bedroom, collapsing onto my unkempt bed with a gentle thud. The mailman had caught me only minutes after I had woken up, so I hadn't had the time yet to tidy my room. After laying for a moment, I stood back up and lazily made the bed. I didn't focus on making it look perfect, because I wanted to get to the letter as quickly as possible. Finally, sitting on the still slightly messy bed, I carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the crisp white paper, folded perfectly into thirds.
My eyes ran over the neat cursive letters. Please grant us your power again; the situation is once again out of hand. Please visit detectives Looker and Anabel in the motel on Route 8.
My eyes widened in realization as I reached the names at the bottom of the letter. I had almost expected the letter to be from them; the delivery was almost identical, if not exactly the same as, the first time they had summoned me.
I sighed, realizing they wanted me to meet up with them in person. That day was supposed to mark the beginning of my first vacation after five years of being Champion. Though, I knew that if members of the International Police were personally requesting my presence, something serious must have happened. I begrudgingly picked myself up, heading to the closet and pulling out a blouse and a pair of dress shorts. I quickly changed from my cozy pajamas to the constricting outfit, then grabbed my shoulder bag off of the desk chair next to my bed and threw it over my shoulder. I grabbed my belt off of my desk, wrapping it around my shorts and making sure all of my Pokéballs were secured tightly in the loops of my belt.
I stepped out, looking around for my mom. She was still on the porch, petting Meowth and watching wild Pokémon play in the tall grass just beyond our house. My mom laughed sweetly as she noticed two Rockruffs playing rough with each other, her soft chuckle bringing a smile to my face.
Considering how unbearably busy I was as a Champion, I thought it was a blessing to still be living with my mom. I loved her dearly, and would never see her otherwise. Working as much as I did and going home to an empty house would kill me.
I frowned again, remembering the letter. If something big enough for the International Police to request my assistance had happened, I would probably be gone for a while. This was supposed to be my vacation, my time with my mom.
Groaning, I shuffled towards the glass sliding door and opened it just enough to stick my head through. "Mom?"
My mom turned to face me, smiling sweetly. Her earth-brown hair cascaded down her back, catching my eye as it rustled gently in the breeze. Her emerald green eyes glowed with a happiness I hadn't seen in her for a while—a happiness I only saw when we spent time together. I frowned, hesitant to break the news to her.
"Good morning, gorgeous!" she started, pulling Meowth closer to her and cuddling with him. "Are you excited for your week off?"
My eyes snapped away from hers, focusing on the ground. I opened the sliding door the rest of the way, stepping onto the porch. "Arceus, I wish that was the case. My vacation has been revoked, apparently. The International Police needs my help, which means something serious has happened."
My mom's mood plummeted. She sighed, dropping her gaze. "How important is it?"
"The last time the International Police needed my help, it was because the Ultra Beasts were terrorizing Alola. If this situation is anything like that, then that means lives are at stake. I wish so bad that I could blow this mission, but I can't risk innocent lives for the sake of my vacation."
My mom stood up slowly, placing Meowth gently on the ground. He immediately ran off of the porch, galloping towards the wild Pokémon to play with them. I smiled softly as I watched him play tag with a wild Pikipek.
My mom looked up at me, smiling weakly. It was a fake smile—I could tell by the cloud of misery drowning the green in her eyes—but it was a smile that told me everything would be okay. I would finish the mission, then I would take my vacation and give my mom the mother-daughter week that she deserved.
My mom put her hands on my shoulder. "I know you don't have a choice in this matter," she said quietly, doing her best to mask the sadness in her words, "so please protect Alola. Do whatever you need to do to keep your region safe, but you're going to take a week off the moment this mission is over."
I smiled gently, hugging my mom tightly. "Of course. I'll keep you updated, and will hopefully see you soon." I didn't let go of my mom for a few seconds—I didn't want to ever let go—out of fear of the time I'd spend away from her. I eventually released her from my tight grasp, waving goodbye sadly before heading back into the living room. I closed the sliding door behind me, watching my mom's gaze stay on me for a few moments as she sat back down in her seat. Meowth, noticing that, stopped playing with the wild Pokémon and ran ecstatically back to her lap. I would miss that Pokémon.
I turned around once my mom starting petting him again, rummaging through my bag to make sure I had everything I needed. I grabbed a protein bar from my pantry, eating it quickly and throwing the wrapper into the trash next to me. I shut the pantry door quietly, careful not to grab my mom's attention, before heading back out to the front lawn. I'd have loved to make a big, tasty breakfast, but I knew I didn't have that kind of time.
I gave myself a second to stretch, appreciating the temperate summer morning. I watched as the trees blossomed in the morning light, their vibrant green leaves rustling in the breeze. It wouldn't be long until the life in the leaves died, replacing the green with brown. Some leaves were already beginning to show traces of brown, as if they were infected with some contagious disease. I would miss the summer.
I took one more look around the peaceful neighborhood, as more of a goodbye than a suspicion, before calling my Ride Charizard.
When I had first met Charizard, he had no experience as a ride Pokémon. He was slow, he didn't always show up when I called him, and he got lost frequently. I began training him in both speed and accuracy, and after two years of pushing his limits, he had grown to be one of Alola's top Ride Pokémon. His newfound talent was especially critical in times of need, when I needed quick transportation during a mission. I knew I could count on him for anything, then.
He didn't disappoint me, arriving in front of me in less than a minute. I didn't know where he flew in from, but I knew that even from Poni Island, his immense speed would have him here in minutes.
I hastily hopped onto him, wrapping my arms firmly around the base of his neck. "Route 8, Akala Island," I requested immediately.
He nodded silently, shooting off of the ground the moment he knew I was secure. My entire body tensed as he took off, surprised by the sudden change of speed and altitude. That must have been a new record for him.
I stared into the distance as he flew, watching the world fade to gradients of blue and green, or blue and grey when we passed over cities. The harsh whistle of the wind Charizard's flight created drowned out the sound of the morning rush—a commotion that was loud even on the weekend. It felt as if everything beyond Charizard and I had ceased existing, being replaced with a world or vibrant gradients. It only lasted for a few moments, however, as Charizard crossed islands quickly and slammed seconds later onto the ground in front of the Route 8 Pokémon Center. I was left momentarily dazed from the sudden impact, staying on Charizard for a moment to collect myself.
I slid off of Charizard, watching silently as he flew away without so much as a "goodbye". That was just how Charizard was—our relationship was technically professional, and I doubted that he felt any sort of personal bond towards me. Once the orange blur had disappeared over the horizon, I turned to my right and began walking towards the motel barely peeking over the horizon. It wasn't a long walk—it took only a couple of minutes to reach the motel.
Now, the only challenge was determining which room Looker and Anabel were in.
It wouldn't be an overwhelming challenge, as there was only a small row of available rooms, but I wasn't keen on knocking on every door and hoping for the best.
Those two were part of the International Police's top force for a reason—they were smart, and always one step ahead. I knew they must have left some sign for me, something beyond the letter to hint at which room they had rented.
I eyed each room, searching thoroughly for any small details and discrepancies. I knew it wouldn't be too subtle, so I could eliminate things like scratches on the doors from my list of possible clues. It didn't take me long to find the now obvious culprit—a blue doormat where the rest were green. Praying that I had found the actual clue, and that I wasn't completely overthinking this, I walked up to the door and knocked gently.
The door swung open almost immediately, my skeptical gaze melting to one of relief as my eyes met Looker's. A broad, almost child-like grin grew on Looker's face as he turned his head to face Anabel. She was still in the back of the motel, barely standing up from her seat at the small kitchen table. "I told you she would figure it out. That's ten bucks you owe me."
Anabel rolled her eyes playfully, pushing her chair in and walking towards the door. "But did she actually find your clue, or was it just luck?" Anabel asked, staring forcefully into my eyes. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Leilani. Tell me, how many doors did you knock on before this one?"
I looked whimsically towards Looker, realizing what was going on. It was a bit unprofessional of him, but I didn't think much of it. "This is the first door I knocked on. Is this about the blue doormat."
Looker chuckled triumphantly, crossing his arms. "See, she figured it out, just like I said she would. Pay up." He uncrossed his arms only to hold out an expectant hand towards Anabel.
Anabel couldn't hide the traces of annoyance laced in her face as she pulled the money out of her pocket and place it slowly in Looker's hand. He smiled as he carefully folded the bill and slid it into his wallet, eliciting a vague smile from Anabel.
I let them have their moment, waiting a moment before interrupting them.
"Anyways," I started cautiously, pulling their gazes towards me. "The letter was vague, but I assume that was for safety reasons. Is it fine if I ask some questions?"
The two nodded simultaneously, Looker stepping away from the door to give me room to walk in. He gestured towards the circular table Anabel was previously sat at, having Anabel and I follow him towards it.
As the door shut behind me, a familiar feeling swept over me. I glanced back and forth between Looker and Anabel, feeling meek in comparison to them. They were so much older than me—Anabel in her late-thirties and Looker in his mid-forties—and I felt inferior to the them because of it. It didn't matter that I was apparently the strongest trainer in Alola, their wisdom and experience felt more meaningful than my Pokémon's strength. I couldn't shake the feeling that I didn't belong, and slouched down in near-shame.
We took our seats silently, but I wasted no time before beginning my interrogation. "For starters, the letter stated that 'the situation is once again out of hand'. Does this mean that Ultra Beasts have something to do with why you guys need me? Also—"
Looker stopped me. "One question at a time, kid." I shot him an irritated stare at 'kid', but said nothing and let him continue. "Yes, the Ultra Beasts are back. We don't know if they just started reappearing, or if they were never gone to begin with, though. They're just... back. We suspect they were gone, but somehow came back, but we have no supporting evidence."
I nodded. "Understandable. Next, how big is the issue? How many Ultra Beasts are confirmed in Alola?"
Looker and Anabel shared an uneasy stare before Looker answered the question. "We're not sure. It's hard to tell before we're at the scene. Remember, during the first mission, when we thought there was only one UB-02 Beauty, but there was actually four? This situation is similar to that. We can't confirm anything besides how many different typed of Ultra Beasts we've spotted."
I nodded, mildly irritated. I didn't know why they decided to call me when they don't seem to have any information I could work with. If they had waited a bit longer, I could have gotten at least one day of vacation time. "Why did you call me with so little information? I can't do much with this."
Looker nodded nervously. "Yeah, I understand your frustration. However, despite our limited knowledge, action is needed now. At least one UB-04 Blaster is rapidly approaching Konikoni City, and we don't have much time to stop them. We must act with what information we currently have in order to protect the citizens of Konikoni City."
I nodded, the irritation leaving me when I realized it wasn't their fault. I continued with the questions, asking more specific 'what-if' questions. I knew I didn't have much time to waste, but I wanted to have a clear strategy going into this battle. I couldn't risk being unprepared when innocent lives were at stake.
Eventually, Looker interrupted me. "Leilani, we need to get going soon. Do you remember Wicke, the woman working for the Aether Foundation?"
I nodded, unsure of why he brought her up. "Yeah, I know her. Why?"
"She's going to be helping us," Looker explained. "but you can't tell anyone about that."
"Why not?" I asked, shifting uncomfortable in my seat. "We were open about her manufacturing Beast Balls for us during the first mission. Has something changed since then?"
"The International Police doesn't trust her anymore," Looker revealed. "They've banned her from even interacting with us because she worked for Lusamine, but we can't catch Ultra Beasts with normal Pokéballs. She's working secretly to improve the Beast Balls for us, giving these balls to a new employee that will take the credit for her invention. The International Police believe that this employee created a more powerful Beast Ball, so we've got this lie covered."
I nodded hesitantly. It seemed cruel that Wicke would be deemed a villain when she was the biggest help to the team, but I knew we had no choice. All I could do was make sure I gave her the thanks she deserved.
"That's rather unfair," I replied, staring blankly at the wall. "But I understand their suspicion. She didn't stop or report Lusamine, so I guess that can arouse suspicion that she supported her and would turn on us later on."
Looker nodded solemnly. "Exactly the International Police's belief."
I groaned, trying to change the subject. "When will we receive the Beast Balls?"
"Today," Anabel interjected, turning to read the clock across the room. "In fact, Looker's right. We need to hurry; we've lost precious time."
I nodded, wasting no time in standing up and pushing my chair in. "Let's go now, then."
Looker nodded, standing up quickly. He winced as he pushed his chair in, resting his hand on his back as if in pain. The moment he noticed me staring, he dropped his hand and tried to act like he hadn't been doing that.
We held eye contact for a moment, but he quickly shifted his gaze to meet Anabel's. "You ready?"
"Whenever you two are," Anabel replied, straightening her shirt. I nodded, heading hastily outside while the other two trailed behind me.
Looker chuckled as I called for Charizard. "I wish I still had the kind of energy you have, Leilani." I laughed awkwardly, unsure of how to reply.
Charizard took no time to get back to me, ready to fly us anywhere within seconds. I climbed quickly onto Charizard, Looker following somewhat clumsily behind me. Anabel climbed onto the back of Charizard, wrapping her arms around Looker's waist. Looker wrapped his hands around my waist, clutching me tight. He had always been afraid of the speeds my Charizard reached.
"To the Aether Paradise," I instructed. "You remember where that is?"
Charizard nodded, rocketing off as he did before. Looker cried out in shock, making me laugh. If Anabel laughed as well, I couldn't hear it over the win crying around us.
"He goes fast, huh?" I shouted over the shrieking wind. I looked behind me and saw a pale Looker nodding in confirmation. "Are you okay, Looker? You look like you're about to throw up."
Looker gave me a feeble thumbs up, his lips pinched tightly shut. I chuckled and turned back to face forward again. We were moving too fast to figure out where we were, but it seemed we were already above the ocean seeing as the world around us was mostly shades of blue.
"Don't worry," I shouted back to Looker. "We'll be there soon."
To Looker's relief, I assumed, I told no lies. Our feet were on the stark white ground of the Aether Paradise less than a minute later.
Looker ran to the edge of the Aether Paradise, vomiting violently into the ocean. I shook my head and chuckled quietly, feeling sympathetic towards him. I decided that next time, I would have Charizard slow down a bit to spare mercy on his stomach. He hobbled back to us, holding his pale face down in embarrassment.
I laughed, patting his back gently. "It's okay, I almost threw up this morning for the same reason."
"But I did throw up," Looker said jokingly, weakly raising his fists towards the sky. "I'm a failure of a passenger!"
We all shared a laugh, the tension from our shared stress disappearing momentarily. Once we settled down, we all took a moment to watch Charizard fly into the distance before trekking into the Paradise.
