Acerola
Mist hung low over the ground, the air still and calm. Dew clinging to the short grass lining the pathway brushed her socks and shoes. The moon lay low on the horizon waiting for the sun to rise. Dark blue skies dotted with the remnants of early morning stars hung over the land. In the absence of the wind, the whole world had become like a painting overnight.
It was her favorite sort of morning, when the entire island felt empty. Hau`oli City had been deathly quiet when she passed through earlier. That was the perk of a late night ferry ride: landing in the early hours of morning, when the black of night still engulfed Alola's capital. The tourist centers and red light district would have been very active, but she steered far away from there.
She brushed her black hair back with her hands, wrapping it up into a ponytail.
"Maybe I should dye it purple again?" she wondered to herself. Ilima had always told her she looked good with purple hair.
The hike was shorter than she remembered, even traveling this early. Or maybe because it was so early. There were no trainers out at this time – those that had opted to camp in the wilderness were all sleeping soundly in their tents about now. Nevertheless, her feet were sore by the time she was running her hands along that familiar rock wall.
"He's still got that spooky rusted gate." She snickered, flicking the dull iron with one finger. It rang out softly in protest.
"It's too expensive to replace," a voice called from behind. She jumped, gasping in shock, and turned. Ilima hovered about at the opposite side of the dirt road, nearly hidden from view by the tall monkeypod tree.
"Damn it, Ilima," she coughed out, her heartbeat fluttering as she calmed herself down. "Of course you'd try something like that."
"It's fun." Ilima smirked at her. "Welcome back to my home, Acerola."
Acerola huffed, turning her head in mock anger.
The anger was quickly replaced with a sudden reluctance. She looked over the small property. The house hadn't changed a bit, with the same old grassy walkway leading up to a quaint little door. Ilima ushered her inside, his footsteps beside hers bringing more memories to mind than she wanted to deal with.
When she stepped inside the house she felt like time itself had stopped. The small kitchen took up one corner and the bookshelf took up another, just like they always had. The couch where she usually crashed was pushed against one wall now, a small coffee table that she'd never seen before in front of it. Made the room seem larger, but also a bit emptier. The same little old washer and dryer sat idly in one corner.
Two years is a long time, Acerola thought to herself as she slipped off her black sneakers, the odd feeling in her stomach nesting itself there. Maybe I should have come back earlier.
She walked over to Ilima's room and peered inside. She smiled a bemused smile. Its layout hadn't changed in the slightest: white and brown floral print curtains and plain white bedsheets. He still had the jacket she'd given him years ago, though now it was well worn. It hung over the back of his desk chair.
Acerola ran a hand over his desk, her fingers brushing a picture frame. She picked it up, examining it. It was Ilima and a small group of people she didn't recognize, all of them smiling and laughing – even Ilima. They were at some beach she didn't recognize and the picture looked fairly recent.
"Good for him," Acerola said to herself, smiling softly.
Behind her, the light rattle of pots and pans grabbed her attention. She walked back into the living room as Ilima rummaged through a cupboard. Acerola found herself grinning as she struggled back the beginnings of a laugh.
"Are you serious?" Acerola chuckled as quietly as she could when Ilima pulled out a deep metal pan and a wooden spoon. "You still do that?"
"Never stopped," Ilima said, winking at her.
"You are literally a horrible person." Acerola punched him lightly in the arm.
"I did it yesterday but I still think they're not expecting it," Ilima whispered back. "The boy, Hau, he's gonna fall off the bed. Just watch. It's gonna be hilarious."
"This is the real reason you're the first captain." Acerola padded after him.
"They face the fire," Ilima grinned at her as he opened the door, quietly tip-toeing into the room, "but neither of them know how much it burns."
Acerola rolled her eyes and stepped after him.
The loud clanging of the wooden spoon in the wide metal pan echoed through the room, shattering the peaceful quiet of the early morning. The boy flipped out, arms and legs flailing everywhere. Just like Ilima said, the boy fell right off the bed, landing on the hardwood floors with a solid thud. He shouted something incomprehensible.
The girl's reaction was much more muted. She shot up in bed, staring at them with wide, jade eyes.
Acerola laughed, clutching her stomach as the chaos unfolded. Ilima stood tall and proud, ignoring the carnage Hau caused as the boy struggled to get to his feet, but even the normally stoic captain was holding back a heavily bemused smile. Eventually Hau stood at attention – in only his boxers, of course – and the girl clutched her jacket around her frail body to fend off the cold.
She's very pretty, Acerola thought to herself.
"Hi there! Ilima called me here to help both of you not suck at being trainers!" She gave them her best smile, brushing some hair out of her eyes. "My name's Acerola!"
"Hurry up already!" Acerola demanded, legs swinging while she sat on the kitchen stool.
"I can't make it cook faster!" Ilima threw his hands up, an exasperated gesture. Acerola laughed, her hands gripping the seat between her legs. It had been so long since she'd harassed him like this. She'd forgotten how easy it was.
"You have to try harder, Ilima!" She ribbed at him. "You need to want it! You have to make sacrifices!"
Ilima growled back at her.
Hau was lounging over the sofa, his popplio playing with his hands lazily. Lillie kneeled in front of her bagon, hesitantly holding out a piece of raw meat in front of it. It backed away from her, growling, until mustering the courage to reach out and nip at it. Lille yelped, dropping the meat, and the bagon whipped it off the floor, retreating to eat.
Oh boy, Acerola mused, they might be a bit of work.
"Hey what's for breakfast?" Hau demanded, petting his popplio with one limp hand. He scratched behind the pokemon's ears and Poppy closed its eyes. It curled its body, batting at him with its tail.
"You'll find out!" Ilima called back in frustration.
She stared at Ilima's back as he labored over the oven, remembering all the times he'd cooked for her. A feeling crawled her way through her stomach, the edges of it strained. In the back of her mind the memories seemed to sting.
Maybe the weird feeling was nostalgia.
Maybe.
I didn't think I'd be back, Acerola thought, swinging herself off the stool. I didn't expect him to want my help.
It wasn't like she was doing much back home. Watching Hunter and the other kids at the Aether House was how she spent most of her days now. Even so, when Ilima's name lit up on her phone back on Ula`Ula Island, she almost let it go to voicemail.
Lillie sat cross-legged on the floor, staring at Koa as the bagon chewed on his treat. The girl seemed almost sad, slumping her shoulders and wringing her wrists. She wore board shorts and a loose t-shirt that she kept fiddling with, the clothes oddly familiar. Lillie grabbed the white baseball hat off of her head, worrying away at its edges. She seemed very small, weak.
Despite that, there was something elegant about her. Maybe it was the way her bright blonde hair shone in the morning sun, or how her clear green eyes welled up with uncertainty every time she stared at her pokemon. When she moved, every action felt deliberate. When she spoke, it was like each word was considered carefully.
Acerola grinned. She was like a modern day princess.
Girls like that don't last long.
Hau, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. As soon as he realized that he wasn't going outside to do work for Ilima immediately, he'd collapsed onto the sofa, complaining about this and that. His dark hair was wild and untamed, falling over the pillow he rested his head against. He'd managed to get dressed since Ilima's little prank, so that was fortunate. Even so, his shirt was riding up, exposing a stomach that the boy scratched at casually. His popplio fidgeted, grooming itself constantly even as Hau continued to muss up its fur.
Aerola turned around. Ilima flipped the eggs in the frying pan effortlessly as she walked up behind him. She gently laid a hand on his back, leaning in and speaking quietly.
"I want to work with Lillie," she whispered.
"Any particular reason why?" Ilima asked as he fiddled with the breakfast pans, cracking open two more eggs.
"Because I think Hau is the only one who can handle your crap." Acerola smirked at him and Ilima rolled his eyes. She watched Lillie from across the room, the girl's attention fixated on the obviously disobedient bagon.
"She's arguably the one that needs more work," Ilima whispered. "Her bagon responds to commands only half the time, and even then he needs to be pushed and prodded. It also apparently has a dangerous streak."
"The bandage on her leg?"
"Right."
"If we can't train her bagon, we could get her another pokemon," Acerola mused. She leaned back against the kitchen counter, conscious of the fact she was merely a foot away from Ilima. She deliberately ignored the instinct to pull away from him. "Something easy to train, like a pikipek or a growlithe."
"If we have to help her catch pokemon, she shouldn't even be here." Ilima sighed. "And besides, I had a hard time with my pikipek." Ilima shot her a look. Acerola grinned. "Even now he's a bit ridiculous sometimes."
"That's because you're always running around with that stupid yungoos." Acerola watched the little pokemon scamper over to Koa, hissing and snarling at the dragon. Koa, to his credit, didn't back away, instead baring his fangs. "Aren't bagon supposed to make clicking sounds when they're agitated?"
"Right?" Ilima slid the eggs off the frying pan, cracking open two more. "I've never heard of a quiet bagon before. Might be because he's the runt of the litter."
"He's a runt?"
Ilima turned to the girl sitting cross-legged on the ground. Lillie glanced up at them, then blushed and quickly looked away. Acerola smiled at that. She's shy. Adorable. Ilima didn't seem to notice or care. He pointed at the bagon.
"See the scars on his body?" Ilima gestured and Acerola nodded. "Bite marks from other bagon. Usually the only injuries they have at that age are head wounds from leaping off cliffs. Koa was bullied by his siblings, which means he was likely the runt. Maybe it also has to do with him not making those clicking noises."
"Improper socialization due to an inability to communicate?" Acerola giggled, reaching a hand up and flicking Ilima's nose. The man recoiled, his expression horrified. "You're so smart, Ilima!"
"It's not like–"
"Also," Acerola cut him off, "why is she wearing my old clothes?"
Acerola stared at Lillie's t-shirt from across the kitchen table. Hau had wolfed down his food and was now chattering on and on about Kahuna Hala while Ilima listened absentmindedly. Lillie, however, barely touched her food. The girl fiddled with her rice, her expression downcast.
That is definitely my shirt. Acerola remembered leaving clothes here two years ago, but she didn't realize she'd left one of her favorites! It was grey with a very stylized pokeball soaring through the air. Why is she wearing it?
Ilima hadn't really given her an answer, instead changing the subject quickly when Acerola had brought it up. They can't be… together, right? Is that why he's working with such an inexperienced trainer?
Acerola sighed, pushing her plate away. She shot a nasty glare to Ilima and he coughed, interrupting Hau.
"So this is how today is going to work," Ilima started. "Yesterday we did basic maneuvering and commands training, mainly so that I could see where you two are at. Hau, you're going to work with me on battle training here at the house."
"All right!" Hau shot a fist in the air, his grin stretching across his entire face.
"Lillie, you'll be with Acerola on…" Ilima arched an eyebrow and Acerola smiled, "…whatever she has planned for you. I'll leave it up to her judgment."
"R-Really?" Lillie looked from Ilima to Acerola, wringing her hands.
Disappointed she's not working with her boy?
"Acerola's very competent," Ilima assured the girl.
"Acerola's very competent," Acerola mocked Ilima's voice as she sauntered down the beaten dirt path. Lillie trudged along beside her, boring holes into the ground with her gaze. The sun shone on them both, the air warm and humid.
The girl had barely spoken a word since breakfast. Well, really the whole day. Acerola stepped past her a few paces, turning to look at the novice trainer. Lillie glanced up at Acerola, expecting some sort of comment. When Acerola didn't immediately give her one, the girl wrung her hands and looked away.
Acerola paused, examining her. She was slender, so much so that she looked like the breeze could knock her over. Obviously very young, but pretty. If Ilima was gunning for her, it wouldn't come as a surprise, really, though the age difference would be scandalous. Her meek demeanor left a lot to be desired, though. Maybe Ilima liked that in girls, though Acerola would never have guessed it. Lillie wasn't Alolan, but maybe Ilima had moved past that particular fixation?
She's wearing my clothes.
Board shorts and that grey t-shirt. Great for the weather perhaps – much better than the hoodie Lillie was sporting earlier – but even that didn't quite excuse the clothes.
Ilima gave her those.
Her initial impression still held. She was like a princess, frail and shy, meant to be looked at and appreciated. The thought nearly made Acerola gag. She spun about on one foot, stepping back down the trail. Lillie quickly followed after her, still silent.
"We're gonna try to get you a new pokemon today, Lillie," Acerola called back. "While your bagon is certainly going to be our focus while you're staying with Ilima, you will need to get some real trainer experience."
"R-Right."
Acerola went quiet. Lillie maintained her pace a few steps behind, as if refusing even the attempt of making conversation. To their right, the ocean was shining, fading from a bright turquois into a deep blue as the water stretched further away. Waves crashed up and over the rocks of the cliffs, shooting spray into the air.
"Your bagon," Acerola said, stopping. Lillie promptly froze in her tracks. She glanced to Acerola then immediately looked away. "Why don't you let it out?"
"It's… it's dangerous." A very unconfident refusal.
"I won't let it attack you." Acerola put her hands on her hips. "And didn't Ilima work with you already on controlling him?"
"But if Ilima isn't around, how am I supposed to make sure he doesn't cause trouble?"
This is the girl trying to undergo the trials?
"I guess I can't force you," Acerola said, spinning back around.
"Wait!" Acerola glanced back at the girl, who finally met her eyes, her gaze level. "I'll let him out. I just… I just don't know what's going to happen."
Acerola shrugged. "You take control. He's only two feet tall."
"A…Alright." Lillie fumbled with the ball at her belt. "Koa! I choose you!"
"You don't need to say that every time," Acerola quipped, and the blonde girl went red in the face, her hand stopping short of releasing her bagon. "Wait, sorry, go ahead and release him. I'm just being a jerk."
Lillie nodded, clicking the center button. Koa appeared on a rock in between the two girls, an annoyed expression on his face. At least he wasn't growling anymore. The pokemon looked back and forth among the two girls before plodding off towards the cliff looking out over the ocean. The two girls watched the pokemon as it walked towards the water.
"Bagons like cliffs, don't they?" Lillie asked, turning to Acerola. "I think I read something about that before."
"Yeah…" Acerola furrowed her brows, then a sudden seize of panic. "Wait! Return him to your ball! Bagons jump off cliffs!"
Koa stopped at the edge, peering over. Lillie panicked, fumbling with her pokeball, struggling to press the center button again to return him. Acerola stared at Koa, expecting the pokemon to disappear over the side at any second. After a long, long moment, Koa turned around, walking towards them.
"Here!" Lillie looked up again, her ball at the ready. She stopped, noticing Koa casually strolling back.
"I guess he doesn't feel like jumping." Acerola sighed, her words crisp and sharp. "Crisis averted. Return him to his ball anyway, please. We'll worry about him later."
Acerola frowned at Lillie. The girl stood over her bagon, the two locking eyes for a long moment. Eventually, Lillie pressed the central button on the pokeball and Koa disappeared into a red mist.
Lillie takes this seriously, at least.
"A… Acerola?" Almost too quiet to hear.
"Hm?"
"Do… do you not like me?" Lillie said.
Acerola stopped, reexamining the skinny girl standing in front of her. She was wringing her hands heavily, like even asking the question had been a harrowing experience for her. Acerola bit her lip, a surge of guilt running through her.
"I… It's not like that." Acerola chuckled uneasily. "Sorry. I didn't mean to give you that impression. Here," Acerola slapped the girl on the back and she yelped in surprise, "I've got the perfect idea of where we're gonna get your new pokemon. C'mon!"
