The ride to Ilima's house was filled with the kind of awkwardness that Moon had come to expect. People knew what she looked like, they knew what her status was, and that meant everyone she passed had their eyes set right on her. Some gave her a little wave, or a greeting of "Alola!", and one part of her felt it was nice to be respected.
All the other parts wanted to shy away from them and find a tree to hide under or a Pokemon to train. But she couldn't do that any more, especially not with the kids on their way to Trainer's School. When she'd started thinking of them as kids, despite not being much older, she didn't know, but they were. And they'd have been disappointed if she just went on her way without so much as a smile.
So she smiled, nodded her head, and went on her way. Her neck muscles were probably going to be as strong as her legs before she was a month into her reign.
Eventually, the grey roads gave way to Ilima's house. It was by far the nicest building in all of Hao'uli city, at least, in her opinion. Even aside from all the luxurious things within and its sleek gray architecture, the hedge walls gave him some privacy and he had a swimming pool. Something about having a pool, when he lived right beside the beach, tickled Moon.
She grabbed a hold of Hemwick's mane with one hand and balanced herself with the other for a quick hop off of the mighty Pokemon. Just as her feet hit the ground, she heard clapping just beyond the gate.
"An excellent dismount." Ilima was stood there, lowering his hands to open the gate. He looked as pretty as he ever did, which was said made him the envy of the girls in the Trainer's School. "I take it Hapu taught you her technique?"
"She did." Moon fed a Pokepuff to Hemwick for her service, then bowed her head to the boy. "Good morning, Captain Ilima."
"You don't have to do that for me." Ilima smiled softly as he stepped through the gate. "Not before, and certainly not know. In fact – do boys bow in Kanto?"
"Yeah. All the time."
"Then good morning, Champion Moon." Ilima bowed to Moon and stood upright. "I'm on my way to the Trainer's School. You're welcome to join me, if you'd like." He said, and he was already walking. Moon glanced to see if Hemwick was done with her Poke Puff before recalling her to her Pokeball and hurrying back to Ilima's side.
"You don't have to bow to me either." Moon said. "I don't even know why I did it."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were nervous." Ilima said with a smile, as they stepped onto the sidewalk. "But Champions never get nervous, do they?"
"Uh. No?"
"And I suppose they never lie, either." Ilima said. "What's troubling you, Moon?"
"I've got to give a speech in a month." Moon said it quietly. There were still people around, and walking with the local Trial Captain wasn't going to make her less conspicuous. "I haven't done that before. So. It will suck, unless I get good at it."
"That's perfectly normal. How are you planning to get good at it?" Ilima cocked an eyebrow at her.
"By asking you." Moon said.
"What makes you think that I will be able to help? You had just as many difficulties talking to me, as I recall," Ilima mused as he tapped a finger to his chin. "Until it came time to take on the trial. I'd say there was more fire in you then than in the Wela Volcano. Have you considered beating up the crowd?"
"Tha..." Moon frowned. "Are you teasing me?"
"Perhaps a little." Ilima laughed.
Moon stuck a spiteful tongue out at Ilima. "You're a Trial Captain. And you help at the school. And you're always...composed." She said. "And you're not too old. So you've got to have some good advice."
"I see your point, and I'll be happy to help." Ilima said, and Moon felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "I can't say that I have all the experience you need, but I can give you some tips. And perhaps somewhere to start. Would you like to help me at the Trainer's School today?"
"The Trainer's School?" Moon looked down the street, where the building had just started to come into view. "I don't know..."
"They're not going to be so scary as a crowd full of adults, and to them, you're the coolest person in all of Alola. They'll forgive your missteps and lap up whatever you say next. And if it still goes poorly...well, we can cheer them up with a Pokemon battle. I'm assuming you've not lost any confidence there."
"Nope." Moon shook her head. "Is it a good idea?"
"I can't see why it wouldn't be. As long as we stick to some simple strategies, they might even be able to learn something new. Keeping their interest is the most important part in teaching, and what's more interesting than the Champion?"
Moon watched her shoes as she considered it. Everything Ilima said was true, and he wasn't the type to trick her into doing something stupid. There was still the chance of something going wrong...but there was also a chance of her getting torn apart by inter-dimensional travel, and that hadn't topped her before.
"Okay. Let's do it." Moon smiled.
"Wonderful!" Ilima returned it with gusto. "Have you any plans to talk with someone else about this problem?"
"Not yet. I only decided to do it at breakfast." Moon shrugged. "Who do you think?"
"Professor Kukui is ideal." Ilima said. "He has confidence enough to fill a canyon."
Moon's mind flashed back to Professor Kukui standing at the top of a snow-covered mountain, bare-chested but for his lab coat flapping in the wind.
"Yeah, true." She nodded.
"And seeing as the Pokemon League was his idea, he'll be more than happy to put his research on hold. I've no doubt about it."
"Okay. Got it." Moon paused as they arrived outside the Trainer's School. "Is there anyone else?"
"Let me see..." Ilima tapped his chin. "Mina is confident in her own way, but I don't think she's good at speeches. Kiawe is good at performing, but that's mostly in dances. Perhaps Olivia, although she may make you take her out on a date before she'll give you advice."
Moon blinked. "What? I'm just a kid!"
"According to her, it still counts."