The Pokemon Center really was right next to her house. Alex stood on the spot where the dirt road turned into asphalt, in front of the Pokemon Center, looking down the path where her house stood. How did she not notice this before? No wonder Mom's trips to the store was always so fast.

"Here, let me show you the Pokemon Center," Lillie said, who was standing on the sidewalk in front of the building. "Follow me." Lillie walked to the pair of red doors, which slid open, and walked inside.

There were three counters inside the building: the one to the left looked like a cafe, the one in the middle had a woman in a nurse's outfit and a flat machine behind her, and the one on the right looked like a shop where you could buy Pokemon supplies. "If you talk to the woman at the counter, she can restore your Pokemon to perfect health," Lillie explained. The woman behind the red counter smiled and bowed her head. "It's amazing, isn't it? I can't seeing Pokemon in pain..."

She pointed to a little machine on the red counter that looked like a laptop. "You can also deposit Pokemon in the PC here or take them out." She pointed then to the counter on the right. "And at the Poke Mart you can buy all kinds of items that should help you during your trials. I'd take a look, if I were you." Alex nodded, intending to see what she had in her bag and if she had to restock.

Lastly, Lillie pointed to the counter on the left. "Over there is the cafe area," she said. So it was indeed a cafe. "I like to relax there sometimes with a frosty glass of Moomoo Milk." Alex sighed contently. Moomoo Milk was absolutely delicious... "I read something in a travel guide about Alola once... Apparently each Pokemon Center in Alola offers a different selection of drinks. I wonder how they pick what to serve?" Alex looked at the cafe. I'll have to try all of them! "The cafes may also offer more than just drinks. I've heard they also sell special treats and that sometimes the staff have tips for trial-goers." Alex nodded. The whole Pokemon Center sounded helpful, and in multiple ways.

Lillie looked back to Alex. "We should head to the Trainer's School next. But have your Pokemon taken care of first if you think they need a little aid." Alex nodded and watched Lillie leave.

Alex grinned and turned towards the cafe. "First, I gotta see what they have here."

As she approached the counter, a man in overall stood up from one of the tables and approached her. "Excuse me, little lady," he said and tipped his straw hat. "Hope I'm not troubling you, but I have a question. Are you a new trainer?"

Alex stared at him cautiously. I'm in the Pokemon Center though, so I should be safe, right? "Yes... I'm just starting on the island challenges."

The man gave her a wide smile. "Fantastic! I got a favor to ask of you." He opened the bag he was carrying with him and pulled out a large egg. Alex stared at it with wide eyes, and he chuckled at her reaction. "This here is a Pokemon egg. I waited here and hoped to meet a fresh faced trainer such as yourself. Here's my request now, little lady." He held out the egg to her. "Would you take this egg with you? I'd love the little Pokemon inside here to grow with someone as new to the world as you are."

Alex looked at the egg, then back at the man. "Are... Are you sure? That seems like a big thing to just give away."

He shook his head. "Like I said, I want this little Pokemon to grow with a new trainer, so they can both get strong together. It's no trouble at all."

She gently put her hands on the egg, feeling the smooth shell. "When it hatches, do you want it back?"

The man shook his head and pushed it into her hands, and she gently took it. "Nope. I want the little guy to bond with you. Just love him and treat him well, right?"

Alex nodded slowly and looked at the egg. "Yeah, of course! I only have two Pokemon right now, but I'll happily add this one once it hatches. We can both explore Alola together."

The man tipped his hat again. "Thank you, little lady. Good luck on your island challenges!" With that, he left the Pokemon Center, leaving the egg in Alex's arms.

Alex sat down at one of the tables with a bottle of Moomoo Milk and looked at the egg she had been left with. "Pokemon eggs were first discovered in Johto, if I remember right..." she said, gently stroking the shell. "I wonder what you're going to be? There's so many Pokemon in the world, I can't even make a guess!" She leaned back in her chair, opened the bottle, and enjoyed her drink. After she was done, she stood up and held the egg close to her chest. "Well, let's explore for a bit!" She left the Pokemon Center.

Alex walked further down the road, and Lillie stood in front of the driveway of the school. "Here we are," Lillie said. "You see, the Trainer's School is..." A loud, aggresive cry erupted from behind her. She wiped around to see what the source was. "It's a... a... What in the world?!" Down the road, near a fork, a Tauros was stomping on the street.

"Well, it looks like we won't be going that way anytime soon, thanks to that Tauros there..." Lillie paused. "But we were only planning to go as far as the Trainer's School anyway." Lillie faced the school. "We'll just leave that for someone else to deal with. Come. Follow me."

Alex paused, staring down the road at the Tauros. What was it even doing here? "So they're here at Alola, too..." The only place she remembered ever seeing one was in the Safari Zone. She always wanted to touch its mane, but that one obviously was not going to be that one. She shrugged and follow Lillie into the entrance for the school.

At the entrance's courtyard stood Kukui, Lillie, and another woman. "Hey there, Alex!" Kukui said while she approached. "I must've passed you two somehow, yeah?" Kukui chuckled. "But welcome to the Trainer's School, the place to learn how to be a Pokemon Trainer!"

Did Kanto have a trainer school? Alex couldn't think of one at all. If there was, she bet that it was probably in Saffron City. That place was huge.

"Professor Kukui! Is this the child you told me about?" the woman asked.

"Yeah. Alexandra's a real tough one, too. Put her through the wringer good, Teach!"

"Hey, what did you volunteer me for?" Alex barked.

"Four Trainers!" Kukui said, holding up four fingers and ignoring her question. "You've got to beat four Pokemon Trainers here at the school, Alex! The experience will surely help you and your Pokemon grow stronger, yeah."

"The trainers who will take part in this lesson may be inside or outside the school," the teacher explained. "You may also want to visit our classrooms. You'll learn things there that will help you on your journey, I'd say.

"All right. Let the lesson begin!" The teacher turned and disappeared into the building.

"She may not look all that tough, but that teach trains her kids right!" Kukui said. "One of her students is even a captain!" A captain of what?

"If you want a bit of advice from me," Lillie interjected, "here's something that might help. Once you've fought a species of Pokemon once, you can easily see what types of moves will work best on it in your next battle."

"Wandering about in tall grass to meet lots of different Pokemon'll help with that! Battle all the time, oh yeah!" Kukui finished energetically.

Alex nodded. "Right... so get a lot of exposure to learn more about how to battle better. I can do that." She looked up at the school building that towered before her, and began to explore the grounds to find the students she had to battle.

Alex beat the fourth trainer. Her Pokemon beat them down and were stronger for it. Lillie walked over to them, and the school bell rang. "Oh, that's the school bell," she said, looking up.

"Attention, all students," the intercom rang out. "Would Alexandra please come to the office on the second floor? Alexandra to the second floor office, please."

Alex felt her chest tighten. Why was she being called to the office? "What terrible thing did you do to get called to the office so soon?" Lillie asked wearily.

"Nothing!" Alex snapped. "All I did was battle the trainers I was told to!"

"That's what you say..." Lillie mumbled.

Alex groaned and dragged her feet to the building. Why was she being called to the office? How could she even be in trouble? All she did was battle who she was told! She slowly climbed the stairs to the office, dreading whatever was before her. The teacher was waiting for her at the top of the stairs.

"Alexandra..." she said sternly. "I can't believe you..." she cracked a smile and laughed, "beat all of my students! Fantastic!"

Alex blinked and stood up straight. So she wasn't in trouble? "So I'm not in trouble?"

The teacher shook her head. "After seeing such a performance, I think I'd like to battle you myself! What do you say? Are you ready to take me on?"

This certainly wasn't what she was expecting, but all Alex could do was sigh in relief. "You really had me scared for a minute there. I was trying so hard to figure out what I did wrong!" She smiled at the teacher. "Of course! Let's do this!"

The teacher smiled back. "Good. I heard about you from Professor Kukui. I'll be challenging you with a Pokemon that has a type advantage against that Rowlet you chose for your partner!"

So the Litten wound up with the teacher. Alex was glad to see that it was with a trainer that would train it well. "That battle was definitely tough, like Kukui said..." Alex mumbled.

"Nice! Maybe you'd like to take over as teacher here for me!" The teacher chuckled lightly. "All joking aside, though, I do want you to take these from me... It's a little reward for beating me." She held out a small bag that held five Great balls in it. "They're Great balls. Great balls are better at catching Pokemon than normal Poke balls." Alex nodded and put them in her bag.

Kukui came up the stairs. "Know your Pokemon and know their moves. Those are the basics of being a trainer! How about it?"

A younger man was standing behind Kukui. Alex tilted her head to the side. That is such a pretty person. "Greetings!" he said, waving to her. "Captain Ilima here. I couldn't help but observe your battles. You looked so very delightful in battle that I had no choice but to summon you here." Summon me? Was he the one who set up this little test then?

"This is Alexandra, who moved to Alola from the Kanto region," Kukui told Ilima. "She's got a real sense of how to use moves, and I think she's gonna go far as a trainer, yeah!"

Alex was surprised by the compliment. Was she really that good of a trainer? She was just doing what seemed like the best strategy in battle, and caring for them when they weren't.

Ilima folded his arms and nodded. "I see! Then welcome, newcomer. I look forward to seeing the brilliance of your moves in my trial." Alex gasped, and he smiled from her reaction. "Indeed! We captains are the ones who conduct the trials you will face on your way to challenging the island kahuna. My trial is held in Verdant Cavern. The trial of Captain Ilima. You can find Pokemon living everywhere, even in the patches of tall grass in Hau'oli City. Perhaps you'll want to fill out your team a bit before attempting my trial?" Alex pursed her lips, thinking of her two Pokemon and an egg. "I sincerely look forward to your challenge." Ilima waved again and walked down the stairs.

"Oh yeah!" The teacher said, and Alex turned to her. "I reported to the folks upstairs about that Tauros blocking the road out front again." Is this a common thing that happens then?

"That guy's Tauros is pretty much a celebrity here on Melemele, you know?" Kukui responded. Wait, Tauros is someone's Pokemon?

"Well, I guess it's time that we dismiss you from school, Alexandra," the teacher said.

Overhead, the bell rang again. "Attenion, all students..." the voice on the intercom came after the bell. "Alexandra has completed her lesson at the Trainer's school!" Alex blushed deeply. Now everyone knew.

Outside the school, the teacher and all the students gathered with Alex and Kukui. "Be good to your Pokemon!" the teacher said, smiling. "And try to follow through with those status conditions, too!"

"Good luck with your island challenge!" the girl Alex battled said.

"Have fun! And give your Pokemon any Berries you find!" said another one of her opponents.

"Alexandra! Enjoy your island challenge, and be sure to use the skills you learned here at Trainer's School! Good luck, future champion!" the teacher cheered.

"Show 'em what you're made of, Alex!" Kukui added.

Lillie walked up to her. "You seemed to be in perfect sync with your Pokemon, weren't you?" Lillie fidgeted. "Um... Since we've come this far together, why don't I show you some more of the city?"

"I'd love that," Alex said and smiled.

"Come on. There's lots to see!" Lillie walked out of the school entrance and Alex followed. "You know..." Lillie started while she started walking down the road. "I was really impressed seeing how you battled with your Pokemon at the Trainer's School..." She turned her head to look at Alex. "It feels like you're really giving it your all for your Pokemon's sake..." She smiled. "I think that's why you were able to save Nebby that time, Alexandra."

Alex smiled back. "Do you think so? I want to work just as hard as my Pokemon do!"

Lillie stopped in her tracks and gasped. "Oh! I forgot about Tauros!"

The Tauros was still ahead in the road, but Hala and Hau stood on either side of it. It was no longer stomping or thrashing around. Since things seemed calm, the girls approached. "Ho! If it isn't Lillie and Alexandra!" Hala greeted them. "Sorry for scaring you, friend. I guess it's time I get old Tauros back home." Alex stared blankly at the Tauros. Why am I not surprised that this unruly Pokemon belongs to Hala? It seems fitting... "Oh, but I've got an idea... Why not give him a little pat, Alexandra?"

Alex jumped. The Tauros seemed calm now, but would it actually let her touch it? She slowly moved closer towards it. She held out her hands and gently stroked its face. It closed its eyes and enjoyed being pet. Alex couldn't help but laugh. "You're not that bad after all, huh? Just a trouble maker."

Hala belted out a laugh. "You see that? This rascal already loves you! Pokemon become happier when we show them some care." Alex nodded. Hala began to walk off with the Tauros at his side, laughing again. "Oh the places you'll go, child!" He stopped and turned back around. "And as you do, you will surely meet more Pokemon and people who will enrich your life." He nodded his head and resumed walking away with the now calm Tauros.

Hau waved as his grandfather walked away. "The kahuna sure are something eh? Able to calm a raging Pokemon without even needing to battle... Now that's something!" He sighed and crossed his arms. "I mean, I like Tauros plenty and all... but it is pretty scary! I don't want to ride on it!"

"Riding a Tauros does sound pretty scary..."

Hau shrugged and looked at the two. "So where are you two off to now?"

"I was thinking I should show Alexandra around Hau'oli City a bit," Lillie replied.

A big grin spread across Hau's face. "Nice idea! You're always on top of things, Lillie! Alex just got here to Alola, huh? Then let me tag along, too! I wanna go get something good to eat!"

"I don't mind," Alex said. "Sounds like fun!"

Lillie nodded. "All right, let's all go together."

Hau threw a fist into the air. "Then what're we waiting for! This way, come on! He ran off down the road, turning right at the fork.

Lillie sighed and smiled lightly. "Oh, Hau... I guess we should go catch up with him before he gets too far, Alexandra. Hau'oli City is the biggest city in all Alola. "

"Yeah, I bet that guy could run miles without tiring out. We'd lose in super fast, huh?" The girls walked together, following in Hau's dust.