The sun shone hot and harsh on Kala'e Bay that morning. Professor Magnolia had to squint and shield her blue eyes from the glare off the water, even with sunglasses.
"One of the top 100 views in Alola…" she muttered to herself. "Would be nice if I could actually see it!" She checked off an item on a list on her tablet, and then slipped it back into her messenger bag. "Well, I'll count this one as seen. Now to explore!"
Professor Magnolia was a rather odd Pokemon professor. Rather than live at a lab, most of the time she traveled throughout the world, exploring to learn more about Pokemon. Lately she had been researching the Alola region, which was full of brand new Pokemon species, fascinating places, and interesting experiences.
She was eager to reach Heahea City and meet the famed Professor Burnet, who was doing some really interesting research on Pokemon from other dimensions, but for now, Magnolia wanted to focus on seeing the traditional top 100 views in Alola, one island at a time, starting on Melemele Island.
Magnolia pulled her brown fedora lower over her eyes to provide her pale skin further shade, and then wandered out of the shelter of Seaward Cave, her boots crunching on the sandy beach that led to a glittering bay. Her long brown braid swayed behind her, and she wore sturdy traveling clothes in a variety of browns. Her well-worn messenger bag was fitted with patches and pins from all of the different places she had been on her travels.
The Charjabug on her shoulder chittered as he looked around at the landscape. "Wondering if there's a strong enough magnetic field around here, Fermi?" Magnolia asked, reaching up to pat him. "I'm not sure there's anything here that would generate the field necessary for you to evolve."
She'd met Fermi as a Grubbin, back when she first arrived on Melemele Island. He had been wandering around Iki Town, seeming to seek out sources of electricity. According to the research Magnolia had done before traveling to Alola, Grubbin's evolution, Charjabug, tended to evolve into Vikavolt when exposed to special magnetic fields. So Magnolia had promised Fermi that she would help him find that field.
The bug Pokemon drooped a bit at her answer. "Sorry," Magnolia said. "I didn't mean to be pessimistic. We can sure have a look around while we're here! I hear there's an Electric-type specialist on Ula'ula Island, so maybe he might be able to give us some pointers."
Suddenly the ground beneath them rocked with a tremor. Magnolia staggered to keep on her feet, while Fermi tumbled from her shoulder and Magnolia caught him. "Whoa, what was that?" the professor asked. "I don't recall hearing about any active volcanoes on this island."
The ground shuddered again, and small rocks dislodged from the cliff side above, clattering into the sand.
"Yikes… probably not safe to be around here right now," Magnolia said, and Fermi chittered in agreement. She looked back at the dark cavern. "But I'm not sure I want to be in a cave during an earthquake, either." As if to reinforce that point, the earth shook and dirt sifted down from the mouth of the cave.
Then she heard the cry of a Pokemon. "Bagga!" said a scratchy little voice. "Bag—!" Another tremor rumbled through the cliff and the sand.
Magnolia looked down at Fermi. "That Pokemon could be in trouble! C'mon, let's go!" Holding the bug Pokemon tight in the crook of one arm, Magnolia jogged across the sand. As she ran, she reached into her bag for one of her other Pokemon, just in case Fermi needed backup, or they needed something larger to help.
"Bagon!" The dull thud of two hard things colliding rang through the air, and the ground shook again. Magnolia turned a corner and saw a little blue Pokemon reeling away from the cliff side, teetering across the sand.
She reached out a hand. "Hey!" she called. "Are you okay? Be careful, this place is dangerous right now—"
The Bagon shook his head, snorted, and then lowered himself into a charging position. Pawing at the sand with one of his feet, he let out a snarl and rammed the cliff.
Magnolia flinched as his hard head left a dent in the rock and sent another tremor through the bay. "What's he doing…" she muttered to herself. Fermi let out a questioning chirp as well.
Letting go of the Poke Ball, the professor instead fished around in another pocket and pulled out her Pokedex—a vintage Kanto model, the first ever produced by Professor Oak. In fact, he was the one who had given it to her, long ago when she turned eleven and began her lifelong Pokemon journey. Over the years, she had accumulated vast amounts of data on Pokemon in various regions.
As the Bagon headbutted the cliff again, Magnolia flipped open her Pokedex and scrolled through to the list of Pokemon usually found in Hoenn. "Here we go… Bagon. Hm…" She glanced over at Fermi, who was staring at the Pokedex curiously. Magnolia wondered if he was trying to read it or if he just liked the magnetic field it was emitting.
"There's a common thread running through all these Pokedex entries, Fermi," Magnolia said. "Apparently Bagon headbutt rocks because they're frustrated about not being able to fly—because they want to evolve into Salamence." She looked down at her Charjabug. "You can relate, huh?" Fermi nodded.
Magnolia looked back up at the tiny Dragon-type Pokemon. "But if he keeps ramming the cliff like that, he could do serious damage to the bay," she said. "Not to mention possibly cause a cave-in at Seaward Cave." She frowned. "And, well, seeing him so helpless and frustrated is just sad."
Clutching Fermi under her arm, she made her way over the treacherously trembling terrain. "Bagon!" she called. "Stop! I can help you!"
"Bagg!" The dragon Pokemon turned away from the cliff and eyed her suspiciously.
Magnolia was used to wild Pokemon being wary. "We're not here to fight you," she said. "But I think I can help you—"
"Baggaa!" The Bagon lowered his head and charged at them.
Magnolia was used to this from wild Pokemon, too. "Fermi! Use X-Scissor!" She tossed the Charjabug at the rampaging Pokemon. For whatever reason, many Pokemon just needed a good battle before they were ready to talk.
Fermi chittered as he tackled the Bagon and latched on tight with his jaws. The Bagon flailed about, trying to get the bug Pokemon off.
"If you would just please listen to me—" Magnolia said.
"Bargh!" The Bagon slammed his head into the sand, and Fermi went flying.
Magnolia winced. Clearly this called for more firepower. "Good job distracting him, buddy!" she said as she held out Fermi's Poke Ball. As the small Pokemon disappeared in a wisp of energy, Magnolia flung another Poke Ball. "Aurorus, your turn!"
The ball popped open, and out spread quite a bit of energy, which quickly solidified into a large sauropod Pokemon. "Auuu!" he cried, stomping the sand with his front feet. Magnolia had resurrected this fossil Pokemon in the Kalos region a few years back. Not only was he quite useful against Dragon-types, but he often served as her mode of transport when she got tired of walking.
The wild Bagon let out a snarl and charged at this new, much larger Pokemon. Aurorus watched him in confusion.
"Pretty tenacious little guy," Magnolia said. "Aurorus, Ice Beam!"
The twin sails down Aurorus's long neck glowed in a rainbow of colors. The crystals on the sides of his body flashed, and then launched a volley of streams of freezing cold.
The attack caught the Bagon off guard as ice pelted his body and froze the sand around him. He let out a strangled cry as he was encrusted in ice, struggling to move.
"Good job, buddy," Magnolia said, patting Aurorus's side before crouching down in front of the Bagon. "We're just trying to help you," the professor said to the little dragon Pokemon. "Would you listen to me, please?"
The Bagon glared at her. "Bag! Bag-bagga!"
Magnolia smiled. "I know what might sweeten the deal." She reached into her bag and pulled out a smaller pouch. Opening it up, she poured a few Poke Beans into her hand. "Here, catch!" Not willing to get too close to the Bagon's toothy mouth, she tossed a bean toward him.
He snapped it up, and then stared at the sand for a moment, blinking. Then he looked back up at the professor, straining to free himself from the ice. "Baaaagh!" he cried, lunging for the rest of the Poke Beans.
"Sure thing, buddy," Magnolia said, setting the beans down on the sand and fetching an Ice Heal from her bag. She sprayed it on the Bagon and the ice melted. As she had hoped, he was too distracted by the Poke Beans to be aggressive anymore. "And of course you get some too," she said to Aurorus, giving the saurian Pokemon his own handful.
Then Magnolia turned back to the Bagon. "You're upset because you want to fly, aren't you?" she asked.
He glanced up at her, and then his gaze moved to the sky. "Bag," he said. "Bag-on."
"I'm sorry you can't fly right now," Magnolia said. "But I think that's a wonderful dream. Don't give up on it. And I can help you with it, if you'll let me." Opening her bag, she pulled out a Heal Ball. "What do you say? Want to come with me? I can help you get stronger. You can take out your frustration in battles, not by destroying the scenery."
"Baggg…" the Bagon said, sniffing the Heal Ball. He took the ball in his paws and stared at it thoughtfully. Then he knocked its head against the button on the ball. The Poke Ball opened, and absorbed the Pokemon in a flash of light. When it clicked shut, the ball remained motionless.
Magnolia picked it up and grinned. "Welcome to the family, kiddo," she said. "Now you need a sweet nickname. I didn't nickname Aurorus here because I thought his species name was already awesome. But for you, I'm thinking Slawomir. It's a strong name for a strong dragon like you."
Tossing the ball in the air, she caught it again and then climbed onto Aurorus's back. "Now let's go earn you those wings!" She fished a brochure out from her bag and unfolded it. "I hear the next top view in Alola is Melemele Meadow—apparently it's covered in yellow flowers. I hope nobody has hay fever!"
Aurorus let out a bellow of agreement, and then began to plod down the beach. Poke Ball firmly in hand, Magnolia looked ahead, to whatever adventures might await them next.