Welcome back to the story of my adventures through Alola. It took me a while to organize things, which is why this is coming out later than I promised. However, I hope the sheer length makes up for it. Enjoy!
" " = Speech
* * = Pokémon Speech
italics = Thoughts
"italics" = Telepathy
As I slowly come to, I'm aware of three things. First, the light is muted, even though I could tell it was midday because of the heat from the sun on my fur. Second, I'm in my ninetales form, as I could feel Niles, my other self, assessing my body for any lingering side effects from the portal. Lastly, I can hear voices in the distance, human voices. I'm too stunned to make out any words besides 'eclipse' and 'island challenge'.
I open my eyes to sand, suddenly brightening as the darkness fades, and a seemly rundown building side. To my left is the ocean, sparkling blue and devoid of pollutants; wherever I am isn't on Earth, I assume. I slowly get to my feet, just as a pair of white sandals round the corner and enter my vision.
"Now, what do we have here? A Kanto ninetales, here of all places? Are you lost, brother?"
The accent is unfamiliar, but if this was Earth, I'd say it was Hawaiian. I look up at a well-built man in white shorts and shirt, with a pair of sunglasses on his head. His skin was uniformly tanned, like he's been in the sun regularly. He extends a hand, reaching for me. However, a growl deep in my throat stops him.
"Whoa, buddy. We're all friends here; no need to be mean. I just want to know why you're so far from your usual habitat. Do you have a trainer? Did Sun bring you and not tell me?"
I didn't know who Sun was, but I certainly didn't have a trainer! If anything, I'm my own trainer, but that's another story. "I'm not your average ninetales, sir," I decide to reply, breaking my desire to remain unnoticed.
"A talking ninetales?" he shouts, surprised. "You're definitely special, brother…"
"Can we please talk inside? I'll explain in a more private setting," I reply calmly, shaking some of the sand from my fur.
"O-of course. This way." He leads me around the corner to the front, holding the door open for me. Walking in, I take note of the few furnishings, as well as a couple of Pokémon chatting in the corner. Only one of them I recognize, a snubbull; of the other two, one looks like a gray puppy with stones around its neck, while the other looks like a stripped bear plushie.
"Can they keep a secret?" I ask the man, pointing at the three Pokémon.
"Of course, brother," he replies. "Rockruff is a good friend of mine, and the other two are close friends of his. They help me research battle moves."
"So, you're the local professor? All the better; I might need some help acclimating to this area."
"Um…okay," he replies, a little confused.
Throwing caution to the wind, I shift back into my natural form, my clothes and illusion quickly covering me so I seem to be human. He jumps back with a cry, and the Pokémon stare at me.
"Forgive me, professor," I speak slowly. "I didn't mean to frighten you. You see, I possess Pokémon DNA, which allows me to shift between human and ninetales forms. I can also use moves like a normal Pokémon, so if you have any questions about moves, I can help."
I immediately regret saying that, as he overcomes his surprise and proceeds to bombard me with questions like 'How does this move work?' and 'Where does the power of that move come from?' Meanwhile, the stone-gray puppy walks up to me, totally ignoring the professor, and sniffs at my leg.
*He smells like a Pokémon…* he yips, more to himself than to me, since he doesn't know I can understand him.
"You know, it's rude to talk about people when they're in the room, you know," I say glibly.
*Y-you understood me?* he starts incredulously. *My name's Rocky; I'm a rockruff. Please forgive the professor; he always gets like this when he researches our moves.*
I notice that he's slowly fallen silent, probably noticing that I was talking to the rockruff, so I manage to interject. "Professor, before you ask, I can understand Pokémon, even as a human. I could even act as a mediator between you and other Pokémon. However, I would rather spend my time exploring this region, if you don't mind. Where am I, exactly? And what is the 'island challenge'?"
"Oh, well, this here is the Alola region, and I'm Professor Kukui," he replies, introducing himself in the process. "As for the island challenge, it's a ceremony that trainers go through in this region, travelling all around the islands and proving their skill against the trial captains and kahunas. Would you like to participate as well?"
"Yes please," I reply. "I have a trainer ID as well. Are the trials like gyms, and the kahuna gym leaders?" I hand him my ID as I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me. He starts to answer, but then stops and stares at my trainer card. "What's wrong?" I ask.
"You're Taylor Jones?" he asks, incredulously. "The former Johto Champion that disappeared a few years back? The one who conquered the Challenge with only one Pokémon remaining?"
"I am, yes," I reply, hiding a pained expression. "Wait, has news of that travelled all the way here?"
"No," he answers. "I left the Alola region and toured around Kanto, because I wanted to see how my team faired against their Elite Four. Needless to say, I got stomped! Couldn't even make it to Lance, let alone the Champion. However, they did tell me about their last challenger. How he came out of nowhere, struggling to keep his team alive until he only had one left to face Lance. And yet, he won."
"Yes, I did," I interrupted him, a bitter note in my voice. "However, I lost so many friends, including one…who was very dear to me. I only beat Lance through sheer anger, fighting him directly as the last of my team. Had I died, it would have been the end anyway."
He could tell I didn't want to talk about it, so he changes the subject. "Anyway, no one said you were also a Pokémon. How did that happen?"
"I kept it a secret from everyone but my team," I reply. "Basically, I was chosen by a mystical artifact called a Destiny Stone; mine looked like a fire stone, so I became a ninetales. However, an accident occurred, and the DNA became fused to my own. As such, I am actually a fusion of human and Pokémon, though I choose to hide that fact with my illusions." To demonstrate, I drop my illusion and show them my true form.
*So that's why you can understand me?* Rocky barks, again sniffing at my fur. *You don't smell like a normal ninetales.*
"Is it because of my human side?" I ask.
*There is that,* he admits. *But you also smell warm. The few ninetales I've seen all smell cold.*
"Really?" I ask, intrigued.
"What's he saying?" Professor Kukui asks me.
"He said that I don't smell like the other ninetales he's met, since I have a warm smell and they were cold. What does he mean by that?"
"Oh, that's because he's only seen Alolan ninetales," he replies simply. "Certain Pokémon that were native to the mainland have developed different forms on our islands. Because the packs of vulpix and ninetales around here reside in the snowy mountains, they turned into ice-type Pokémon."
"Now THAT I've got to see," I exclaim. "Where can I find them again?"
"Typically on Mount Lanakila, but that's on Ula Ula, the third island. You'd need special permission from the kahuna to go there directly." He pauses, then smiles. "OR…you can take the island challenge, and make your way there eventually; the final trail is always atop that mountain. What do you say?"
I can tell he is really eager to get started, and to be honest, I am as well. So, I nod and say, "Sign me up, professor!"
'Great!" he exclaims. "I'll have you processed in a jiffy…wait, are you going to fight as yourself, or do you want a starter? I happen to have one left; Sun and Hau took the other two."
"I'd rather not fight if I have to," I admit. "Why didn't he get picked?"
"I'm…not sure. Why don't you ask him?" He pulls oput a Pokéball and releases an odd blue seal-like creature. "This is Popplio, he's a water-type."
*Um…hello?* he mutters, staring at me. I realize I'm still visible, and quickly put my illusion back up.
"Sorry about that," I apologize. "Don't worry, I'm not dangerous, I promise. Now, what's your name, and why don't you want to have a partner?"
*Well…I don't really have a name. As for why I don't want a partner, it's because I don't want to evolve. All my evolutions look girly, even though I'm a guy, and…the other starters made fun of me for it.*
"Really? What do they look like?" Popplio just shrugs and points a flipper at the Professor. "Professor Kukui? Do you have any pictures of Popplio's evolved forms?"
"Of course," he replies, pulling out a weird-looking Pokédex and tapping on it. He then shows me two pictures of what look like ballerina-like Pokémon that resemble Popplio. Sure enough, I think to myself. Those certainly look very feminine.
"I think I know just the solution," I comment aloud, for Kukui's sake. "I'll take Popplio here as my starter and help him overcome his apprehension over having a partner. In return, you get me signed up to do the island challenge. Okay?"
*I told you, I don't want a partner,* Popplio complains. *I'm not going to be the butt of any more girly jokes.*
"I promise you won't be," I reply. "Look, I'll explain once we're alone, okay? Just trust me for now." "He sighs, but nods. "All right then. Now, I can't just call you Popplio. How about…Paul?"
*I…guess that's fine. Sounds a little too close to 'Paulie', though,* he grumbles as he recalls himself back into the Pokéball. I make a mental note not to call him that in the future. Professor Kukui just watches this in slight amusement, then hands the ID back to me.
"I'll talk to receptionist at the town hall, and see about getting you a trainer's passport," he comments. "In the meantime, why don't you visit the Trainer's School? I know you're already well versed in how to be a trainer, but my assistant is there teaching another boy the ropes. His name is Sun, and he just moved from Kanto; maybe the two of you can travel together on your challenges."
"Having a travel companion would be nice," I admit, reminded of the friend I made back in Johto. "Sure, I'll go. What's your assistant's name?"
"Lillie," he replies. "She shouldn't be hard to recognize. The school is just up the road, once you leave the lab."
I nod, give Rocky a quick pat on the head, and head out. However, as I walk away from the lab, something twinkles in the corner of my eye. Lying right where I woke up, something is reflecting the setting sun. It looks like an odd rock, with some sort of symbol inside it. When I bend down to pick it up, a weird figure with what looks like horns appears in my mind. Whoever or whatever it is, it has an aura of respect around it, so I keep the figure in mind and pocket the stone.
And so it begins. I have my starter, Paul the popplio, and I'm about to meet my travelling companion Sun. I will admit, a lot of the events will mirror what happens in UltraSun, but this is an original experience. Also, I have heard some debate about whether Pokemon species names should be capitalized or not; my stance is that they will not, unless someone is addressing them by their species name. I hope that will calm the dissenters. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and stay tuned for the next chapter! May your Embers never fade!