Chapter Eight
Alola Mele'Mele!
In terms of how large mele'Mele was, it really wasn't that grand. Though there was still a trial and a Kahuna, and there was still Ruins for the Tapu. So one didn't just write off Mele'Mele, beginner Island or not when it came to the Island Challenge. Noelani at her side, Anahita wasn't completely nervous, though it wouldn't stop her from nervously tapping her feet on the ground.
"Well. First up, I want to go get some rooms at the Pokemon Center. After that, we can go ahead and get to the Caret Hill. Wild Pokemon will be out, but, I'll be there." There was something in Noelle's voice, though, Anahita couldn't quite figure out what it was. Just followed her wordlessly as they passed the road by the Trainer's school. It brought back bittersweet memories. After all, her mother once lived on Mele'Mele before moving to Akala with Auberon.
She had only been a little girl then, and she could still remember the Pokemon that hid in the tall grasses at the school.
Magnemite that floated about, contently buzzing to themselves as they stayed out of the grasps of younger children, sassy Meowth that would come to you or flee at the sound of footfall, fickle cats. Grimer were easy to find, and even easier to befriend if one offered their leftover lunches and trash, the sludge Pokemon happily dining on the remains, their vibrant colors easily causing a child to burst into giggles. There were Zorua too, dark-furred foxes that would snicker into the fur around their necks, eyes gleaming like ice chips in the dark.
A tug at her hand brought Anahita back to the present, Noelani's golden eyes gazing into her, silver brows furrowed with concern. She must have spaced out a little there.
"Sorry, I just... I remember going to school here." There's a half-crooked smile at her mouth, followed by a careless shrug.
"A lot of us did."
Noelani twists the belt at her hip, Pokeballs minimized as she looked over the school. "We all had our favorites here. I came back for a Meowth you know. He's all grown and evolved now." Nostalgia taints the air, and it is both pleasant and sharp. Shrugging it off, Anahita kept walking on ahead.
"You know, if there's a Pokemon here you wanted to see again-"
"No. It would be much older by now, we wouldn't see them." Zorua were mischevious and loved playing with children when they were younger. But they never stayed long, and Anahita had no doubts that the one she knew had since moved on, evolved, and fled the Islands. Her words alone gave Noelani enough information to leave it be. After all, if one didn't capture their companions, Zorua especially, it was likely they would grow wary of children and humans over time. Upon evolution, they normally seemed to disappear off the face of the earth, though every now and then someone would say they saw one. Even if they had, there was never any way to find them.
"Besides, I can't add anyone else until Absol is okay again." Soft words, as the red roof of the center slowly came closer and closer. The Ten Caret Hill was only south of there, and from what she heard Noelle speak of in the past, a Pokemon Professor lived there now. She wondered who it could be, whoever it was, they would have had to been cleared by the Police and Kahuna.
Once they reached the inside of the Pokemon center, she shadowed close to Noelle, eyes kept to the floor as she watched her feet shuffle along the ground. There are a few people here today, the noise making her ears ring. It wasn't anything she wasn't used to, but Anahita hadn't stepped inside of a Pokemon Center as a trainer before. When Noelle had her flash the Trainer's License, the Nurse, Jocelina, smiled, jotting down a room number before handing them both their own pair of keys.
"Try to let us know if you need to stay longer than three days, that way we can rotate rooms and trainers." Her voice was sweet, baby blue eyes twinkling as the fluorescent lighting gave her pink hair a glimmering shine. Immaculate. All nurses who worked in the centers were, but, she had never really paid much mind to them. Their worlds were far from intertwined. Not so much anymore.
"Thank you Nurse Jocelina." Noelle didn't miss a beat, stashing the keys away into her pocket, prompting Anahita to do the same, before dragging her to the room.
"Alright. We've secured a room, when do we go to the Ten Caret Hill?" Anahita was impatient, to say the least, she really wanted to get the Challenge started already, and before that, she wanted to bond with Absol a little better.
"We can go now. Besides, you may be an official Trainer, but, we'll want to run by the Professor to pick up the packet for the Island Challenge. Unlike other regions, as you know, we use stamps instead of badges." Said packet was produced seemingly from midair, as Noelani flipped her's open. Unsurprisingly, the stamps for Mele'Mele island were already there, as well as a couple more that Anahita didn't recognize. Noelle was already so much further than her...
Wait, why did it even matter? Noelani had been on the Island Challenge since she was young, of course, she would have a headstart. Though it begged the question that was always dodged, why had she stopped?
"Right... well, I can bring my small bag." Reaching down, she removes the side bag from the traveler's bag, slinging it over her shoulder. The jewelry box weighed it down, as did some of the Pokemon care items, and the few Pokeballs she carried. Even the beds here were immaculate, a distant barely there thought that she brushed away.
"Yeah! Let's get going, the Professor, I think we went to class with him at one point? Anyway, he tends to run all over a lot lately, so we don't want to miss him." Already back at her feet, Anahita really had to wonder just where Noelle got so much of her energy from. Regardless, it didn't take much for her friend to grab onto her wrist again, dragging her down the path of Hau'oli outskirts, through route one as a, not quite old, but certainly beat up house came into view.
A pause, as Noelani stood stock still by her side, glancing over the house with her head tilted. A wide smile broke across her face before she nudged Anahita in the side.
"This is your Journey Annie. It's only right you go and take the first official steps." There was that trace of something in her voice again, her golden eyes flashing brilliantly in the light. A heavy sigh and Anahita slowly makes her way up the steps of the porch, wincing every time a board creaked a little too loudly. She hoped they wouldn't splinter under her weight, that would be a great way to end the day.
After a moment's pause in front of the door, she raised her hand to the wood, knocking once, twice, before it suddenly swung open. There's silence for a moment, as dark brown eyes peered down, blinking confusingly at her. The man went without a shirt, which wasn't strange so much as the lab coat that he wore instead. A name tag was pinned on said coat, and a smile slowly took over his face.
"Yes?" Kukui. The tag read Kukui. Why was that name so familiar? Noelle mentioned they went to school together... ah, she had spaced out.
"I... wanted to get a packet for the Island Challenge." Voice ran painstakingly quiet, seafoam eyes darting down to her feet again. Another long pause stretched across the air, and she could hear the shuffling of movement, a Rockruff running up around her feet, sniffing her shoes curiously. Bluebell eyes seemed to glint under the sun's light as the pup began yapping, curled tail wagging excitedly as he backed up onto his hind legs, balancing there without leaning onto her. It set the tension out of her shoulders, she was familiar with Rockruff thanks to Noelle.
"I know I'm a little late but, it was just-"
Laughter, soft and warm interrupted her, as did his placing a hand onto her shoulders. Seafoam eyes darted up to meet his face in a flash, uncertain now with his laughing. Was he laughing at her? Or?
"You don't need to explain to me Cousin, we all start at our own times." He withdraws his hand from her shoulder, placing it at his chin. "I admit it's later than most, but you have your reasons, and I won't turn down anyone from taking the challenge. Though I hope you weren't aiming to be a Captain, not to step on your toes but, the age limit might prevent you. There's always something to take away from the challenge though."
He raised a hand, to give him a moment before he disappeared back into the confines of the wrecked house. She could hear shuffling, as well as Kukui talking with someone, a girl from the sounds of it.
A moment later, he returned. A girl in white shadowed his coat, blending it if not for her vividly green eyes peering out from underneath her hat.
"Here we go." The booklet wasn't too large, and was clearly, thankfully, waterproof. He handed it over with a grin, and it was really, while the man was definitely calm, he seemed rambunctious around children. So really, it was almost painfully jarring. His demeanor changing so quickly. Regardless, she didn't say anything, simply nodding where it was appropriate to do so, and giving answers to questions he asked.
"So, who is the next Trainer going on the island challenge? I'd like to keep in touch since I would imagine the Trial Captains will be a little more difficult on you due to your age." Which made sense, Anahita was older, so, it wouldn't be fair to set the same pace for children to her. She really hoped she could live up to that expectation.
"Anahita Feray. I came from Akala."
Noelani chose that moment to join them, her eyes darting to the girl hiding behind Kukui, though she said nothing, instead easily sliding into the conversation as though she had been there from the start.
"Alola Kukui!" Had he really not seen her only a few long strides away?
"Noelani! I haven't seen you in what feels like ages, how have you been? The Challenge treating you well? What about Litten?" How excitable the man was. Enough to let Anahita step back and let them talk for a moment, rolling Absol's Pokeball between her fingers on the cord. They really did seem to get along like old friends.
"Actually, Aelan is a Torracat now. She evolved maybe a couple of weeks ago? She's very excited. But it doesn't seem like she's too much interested in evolving past a Torracat." A shrug from Noelle, and Anahita nearly tunes them out, if not for Noelle gesturing to her.
"You remember Annie though, don't you? She's the friend we had before her parents pulled her out of Trainer's school?" Kukui's brows furrowed together, confused. Then he began to look at her, staring as he tried to piece together what Noelani had told him, which really had Anahita rooted to the spot. She hadn't really wanted to bring that up-
"Ann? Is that really you?" A start. Anahita hadn't heard that nickname since she had been pulled out. They had all been so young, she's surprised anyone except for Noelani remembered her at all.
"I... yeah that's, that's me." A half-hearted shrug, she's becoming increasingly uncomfortable, and suddenly Kukui is right in front of her, offering a hand with a wide, half-crooked smile. The silence hung thickly in the air, and, she supposes she really doesn't have a choice, gripping onto his hand in a tight handshake that was more gripping of a hug that wasn't quite there yet.
"I wondered if that was you, not too many Feray I remember... what put you on the path of being a trainer again?" Out of the corner of her eye, Anahita could see Noelle coaxing the white dressed girl from out of the house, talking in soft whispers. Soft enough she couldn't make it out.
"I don't think the reason why is appropriate for children. But as the Professor, I... I think you heard about the trainer with the Absol. I'm helping him now." Something dark flitted across the Professor's eyes, quickly gone in a blink as he released her hand from his grip.
"That's very just of you. Noelani is helping I presume?" A nod and she can almost see the gears ticking, grinding away in that head of his.
A few moments later, and he whirls around to the green-eyed girl, asking a quick question so quiet no one could hear. Uncertainty flashed along her face, before a subtle, almost barely there nod. That done, the Professor was quick to turn around again, facing Anahita and Noelani both, a rather guarded look to his expression now.
"Well, Ann, Lani, I have a proposition for you. Both of you have good hearts, and I know you'll both be very strong trainers. Could you help me out, and escort my assistant here to the ruins of the islands on your Island Challenge?" His arms were folded, as he stood with his back straight. Rockruff sat by his heels, panting with his tongue lolled out, chipper as can be despite the seriousness of his trainer.
"I..."
"It's Annie's Journey, not mine. So it's up to her. Eventually, we're going to separate paths, once I know Annie can handle it." A wink that has the sudden pounding of her heart calm down, Anahita hadn't realized she had been holding her breath until Noelle stole it away from her again. A deep, shuddering exhale.
"I... it's... it's dangerous. Absol, he's scared of humans and his old trainer may still be here in Alola... it's not... like a tour?"
Only then did the green-eyed girl step forward, hands twisted around each other nervously as she looked up to meet Anahita's gaze head-on. Determination seemed to roll off her in waves, despite the tiny girl's obvious trembling. She must not like strangers all that well, which begged the question of why she wanted to go to the ruins, why she was with Kukui as an assistant.
"I'm... I'm Lillie. I have someone I want, I want to protect to so please!"
It really was hard to say no to broken things.
Authoress: Woo! That one was a little long! But we've certainly gotten a good first impression on Kukui and Lillie! So as a note, this story clearly doesn't follow canon, so some characters may seem ooc as I try to flesh them out with more human traits and flaws. Very prominent here is Kukui being more level headed around young adults and older, but trying to be excited and encouraging for teens and younger. Also yes! Anahita and Noelani once attended school with Kukui and Brunet and Guzma! You'll see some links here from that with their interactions, but this won't be an 'I know you!' situation that is overly friendly and forced. Also! To help keep track, I will be listing the Pokemon on each oc's or character's ( should they be a major influence ) team!
Noelani: Aelan - Torracat female, Vana - Lycannroc Female, Kaiko - Shiny Wimpod Male, Kanuha - Alolan Persian Male
Anahita: Shiny Absol Male, Unnamed
