Zinnia awoke groggily, eyes fluttering as she looked around for a clock. One laid upon the nightstand beside her; it read 3:27 PM. Aster remained slumbering in the chair. To Zinnia's right was Brendan, who was still asleep, snoring softly. She decided against waking him up, and opted to take a shower in the meantime. It had probably been twenty-four hours since her last one, she figured.
The bathroom was absolutely pristine, and massive. It was nearly as large as Brendan's bedroom, the shower bigger than a walk-in closet. The walls were painted light ocean blue, in keeping with the hotel's theme.
There was real soap provided instead of the normal generic crap, Zinnia found, as she stepped into the shower. Palm Tree scented, the packaging said. I didn't know palm trees had a smell, Zinnia thought as she scrubbed herself with the bar. A similarly scented bottle of shampoo rested on a shelf, and she used that as well.
The water pressure was good, and it wasn't a pain to start the shower, or to find the right temperature. Now would be a good time to think about where to go this afternoon. Going to the beach was enticing, and there was bound to be a restaurant on it. I'll see what Brendan thinks. She shut off the shower, and spotted the towels, some of which were beach towel-size. Zinnia wrapped herself in one, and dried off her hair with a smaller towel.
Exiting the bathroom, she saw that Brendan was awake, likely due to the sound of the shower. He rubbed his eyes, and rose from the bed.
"I feel like a teenager again, waking up at quarter of four." He almost started walking towards her, but stopped. "I was going to kiss you good afternoon, but I think my breath stinks." Brendan grabbed a candy cane, and began eating it.
"I'm going onto the balcony. You want to come after you put on clothes? Or before, that's fine by me too" he said with a sly grin. She returned it, and walked onto the balcony still wearing just the towel. Brendan followed, and shut the sliding glass door slowly, so as not to awake Aster.
The view of the beach and the sea from the balcony was brilliant. The sun reflected off the turquoise blue water, causing it to glimmer. Palm trees dotted the beach, providing shade. Zinnia could spot Melemele Island in the far distance.
"I bet it looks even better under the sunset" she commented. Brendan nodded in agreement, still eating the peppermint stick. "What do you think about going out for a late lunch at a beachside restaurant, then going to the beach?" Zinnia asked.
Brendan swallowed the last of the candy cane, then answered. "Sounds good. I want to take a shower before we leave, though. But before I do that…". He grabbed her by the waist and locked his lips with hers, and Zinnia responded enthusiastically. His tongue tasted of minty sweetness, and she savored every second.
He broke away first, smiling. "Better stop now, or we'd be here all day." She shoved him away playfully.
"Then get showering, lover boy." Brendan grabbed his swim trunks and clothes out of his bag and headed into the bathroom. Zinnia grabbed a black bikini from her own suitcase and put it on, then put on a top, shorts, and her cap. She roused Aster, and gave the Whismur a snack.
"We're going to the beach, sweetie. You want to come with us?". The little pink Pokémon hopped up and down in excitement. "Now, who else should we bring? I bet Swampert would love to go. Trapinch too, though it would be best if he stayed in the sand."
Zinnia decided to pass the rest of the time waiting for Brendan by putting away some of her clothes. She was about to take out her favorite dress when the bathroom door opened. Quickly putting the dress back in her suitcase, she turned around to see if Brendan had spotted it.
But he seemed oblivious, as he was busy toweling off his hair. Relieved, she asked "What do you think of bringing Swampert along? I bet he'd love the water here."
"Not a bad idea. I'll take his ball along. I'll take the others as well, just in case there's less people there than expected. Or if someone tries to battle me. You should probably do the same. You're a famous Trainer now, like it or not." They grabbed their Poké Ball belts and beach towels, and left the hotel.
Heahea Boardwalk
Brendan and Zinnia walked along the boardwalk nestled on the beach, searching for a restaurant. Even approaching winter, the sun was still fairly high in the sky. It gave the two an excuse to wear their sunglasses, as not to be easily recognized. The tournament fervor had yet to come in full effect, so it worked for the most part.
The smell of fryers was carried by the breeze, and following their noses, they found one of Alola's signature malasada shops. Entering, they were greeted with a happy "Alola!" by the cashier.
"Alola" Brendan said back. "Could we have two cokes, and two big malasadas with powdered sugar please?". The cashier began putting in the order, but looked down at Aster.
"Our malasadas are for people and Pokémon. Would you like to order one more that cutie?".
"Sure" Zinnia piped up. "And twelve to go." The cashier nodded, and put in the order.
"That'll be 3000 Poké dollars." Brendan paid, and the three sat down at one of the tables while they awaited their food. The shop was largely empty, excepting a couple of other people. A few minutes later their food arrived, and the three dug in.
The malasadas weren't too different from doughboys, only rawer. Just as sweet he found, and filling. Aster couldn't finish hers, so Brendan cut off some of her malasada to eat himself. As he was polishing of the last of the malasada, two men a bit younger than him walked in.
One was dark-skinned, lean, average height. Definitely native Alolan. He had big grin that seemed permanently etched to his face, and black, tied back hair. The other man was a bit taller, though not as tall as Brendan. Also lean, tan, longer dark hair, and brown eyes. They both had the look of Trainers.
"Ace' and 'Low will be here soon, right cousin? I'm hungrier than an ornery Tauros!" the darker one exclaimed.
"Hau. When aren't you hungry? I'm tempted to have you and Guzzlord enter a hot dog eating contest. I'm not even sure who would win, and Guzzlord eats concrete. And yes, Mallow just texted me. They'll be here in a few."
"Awesome! And barely anyone in here, too! I don't have to hear anyone fawn over the great Champion Elio" Hau said in light-hearted mockery.
The Champion? Brendan hadn't recognized him. At one time, he would have jumped at the chance to battle another Champion, but now he simply wanted to sink into his seat to avoid being seen.
Elio shot back. "Shouting it out won't help any." He began looking around the shop, to see if anyone was looking at him. Brendan quickly averted his eyes.
"What's up with you?" Zinnia asked. "Don't you want to meet the champion?". She looked perplexed.
Brendan answered in a near whisper "He might challenge me to a battle. And I can't back down if he does." She scoffed at his concern.
"So what? Just tell him you don't have time, that we're planning to head to the beach. If backing down hurts your pride that much, just fight." He grumbled in response, and sipped his soda. Zinnia was right. I guess years of isolation have made me socially awkward.
Feeling eyes on him, he looked up instinctually. Elio was looking at him, seemingly trying to place the face. To hell with it. Brendan stood up and introduced himself.
"You do know my face. Brendan Ahlgren." He extended his hand, and Elio shook it. He kept it firm, and maintained eye contact the whole way through.
"Elio Luciano, though I'm sure you figured that out already." Elio side-eyed Hau, who grinned even wider, putting his hands behind his head. Hau dropped his hands back down.
"Alola, cousin! I'm Hau Kekoa." He shook Brendan's hand with excessive force, though it seemed more due to his exuberance rather than an attempt to be tough.
"Alola. Do you call everyone cousin, or are we somehow related?".
Hau laughed. "Just what we do here. Elio isn't my cousin, but he's like my brother!". He ruffled Elio's hair, who swatted his hand away in mock annoyance. Hau looked at Zinnia, who had been watching the exchange while remaining seated. "Oh, you're the girl that was with him in the interview! Come on over! Zinnia Sarcophagus, right?".
Brendan guffawed, and Elio facepalmed. Zinnia was mildly amused, and corrected him. "Zinnia Sarkany." Hau's face dropped, and he looked mortified. The door opened behind him.
He hastened to apologize, stumbling over his own words. "Oh! Sorry! I'm not… not good with names." A voice came from behind Hau, belonging to a short, fair skinned young woman with purple hair wearing a patchwork dress. Beside her stood a taller girl with tan skin, long green hair adorned with a flower, and wearing a pink top with white cutoff shorts. Both appeared to the same age as Hau and Elio.
"Hau, are you pestering this nice lady?" the short woman asked. She reached up and flicked his ear, causing him to recoil and rub his lobe dramatically. "You forgot your wallet at my place" she sang to him, handing Hau said wallet. She looked towards Zinnia and Brendan. "Alola! I'm Acerola, Elite Four member, Hau's girlfriend, and his minder. Don't worry, I already know your names, unlike some" she teased.
The green-haired woman gave a two-handed wave. "Alola! I'm Mallow, a Trial Captain, and Elio's girlfriend." She sidled up next to Elio. "You two are here for the tournament, right? A little early, don't you think?".
Brendan answered. "This is when the League decided to send us. No obligations, unlike the Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and Champions. More time to see what Alola has to offer, which is perfectly fine by me."
Hau jumped in excitedly. "We could help you guys with that! Elio and I know every nook and cranny because of our island challenge. Every malasada shop, too! Speaking of which, I'm getting hungry." Hau glanced towards the fryers longingly, then looked back towards Brendan and Zinnia.
"But Ace is always saying how I should earn my calories, unless I want to be fat like my gramps! So, why don't you two take on Elio and I in a quick double battle? Just one Pokémon each. I want to see how you Hoenn trainers battle!".
Brendan wanted to decline, but he couldn't think of an excuse not to. He glanced at Zinnia, who nodded to indicate she was up for it. "Alright. Double battle it is. Let's go outside."
The group did so, and Elio and Hau sent out two Pokémon Brendan had never seen before, at least in person. Elio's was a large, green-hooded and brown winged owl-like Pokémon, with red coloration around its eyes that looked like glasses. A Decidueye, most likely. Hau's Pokémon looked like a cross between a mermaid and a seal, with a blue and white hide. Its nose was pink, its tail blue, pink starfish for ears, and long turquoise blue hair. Primarina.
Zinnia naturally sent out Salamence, though Brendan still debated in his mind who to pick. Sceptile, he decided. Zinnia could take on the Decidueye, while Sceptile handled the Water-type Primarina. He would have to be careful, though. It would be foolish not to expect Hau had taught Primarina Ice Beam, or some such move.
"Never seen either of these guys before!" Hau exclaimed. He only seemed to have one volume. "What about you, Elio?". Elio shook his head.
Acerola took charge as the referee. "Ready everyone? 1, 2, 3… Begin!". Brendan started to tell Zinnia to send Salamence after Decidueye, but she was one step ahead of him.
"Salamence, use Fire Fang on Decidueye!". The Dragon-type took off after the Grass-type. Elio shouted for the owl to dodged vertically, and Decidueye barely managed it. Salamence recovered with a sharp u-turn, and gave chase, jaw ablaze.
Hau commanded Primarina to help its ally. "Primarina, use Moonblast on Salamence!". The Water-type began to form a ball of fae energy. Brendan had been waiting to see what Hau would do, and he had showed his hand. "Sceptile, take the Moonblast" he said quietly into Sceptile's ear.
Primarina let the Moonblast loose, and Sceptile timed his dive perfectly, getting in between the attack and Salamence to take the brunt of the blast. The lizard slid back, smarting from the hit.
"Nice, Sceptile. Now, rush Primarina, and use Leaf Blade!". The Grass-type got on all fours, and sprinted towards his opponent, tail aglow. Hau wasn't going to just let it happen, though.
"Primarina, Hyper Voice!". The seal prepared its attack, but it didn't see Decidueye and Salamence approaching, still in a chase. Zinnia shouted at Salamence to change targets.
"Salamence, Fire Fang on Primarina!". The dragon swooped in, and bit the Water-type. The attack inflicted little damage, but it caused the seal to flinch. It could not recover in time to brace for Sceptile.
Sceptile spun, bringing the full force of his tail into Primarina's stomach, sending the other Pokémon backwards. Quicker than the eye could see, Sceptile front flipped, bringing his tail down once more onto Primarina, smashing it into the floor. The Water-type attempted rise, then collapsed, out for the count.
Decidueye was keen to avenge its partner, however. Elio shouted "Spirit Shackle, Decidueye! On Sceptile!" Still in flight, the owl formed a bow of ghostly energy, and fired at Sceptile. The arrow impacted the lizard, and he stood firm, holding his arms in front of his face to brace against the barrage. More arrows flew, and Sceptile faltered under the storm. "Now, finish it with Leaf Blade!" Elio commanded.
The bird's wings became green and glowing, and it swooped in for the kill. It didn't make it though; Salamence caught it by the feet with Fire Fang. Decidueye squawked as the dragon slammed it on the ground.
"Sceptile, help out with Night Slash!". Salamence flung the owl towards Sceptile, who clotheslined the hapless bird with his claw. Decidueye fell back to the ground, unconscious. Hau, Elio, Mallow, and Acerola looked shocked. Brendan could hear murmuring around him, and saw that a crowd had formed without him ever noticing.
Hau recovered first, and congratulated Brendan and Zinnia jubilantly. "It's rare anyone beats me, let alone Elio! That was one heck of a battle! You guys were more in sync than my mouth and I!". A few laughs came from the crowd, and it erupted into cheering for the battle they had witnessed. The four recalled their Pokémon, and Elio stepped up to Brendan, as the crowd dispersed.
"It's been a long time since I lost. Thanks, to both of you. Hau's grandfather Hala always told us that victory can defeat you. I suppose this is what he meant by that. We'll have to have a rematch someday." The two exchanged numbers.
"We'll be sure to take you up on that" Zinnia replied. "And we'll ask you first if we need any help going around the island." Elio nodded.
"Of course, Hau, Acerola, Mallow, and I would be happy to help. So would any of the captains and kahunas. You guys might be interested in talking to Professor Kukui, my mentor. He's an expert on Pokémon moves. You can find him on the southeast beach of Melemele Island in a ramshackle house." Elio said farewell, and joined his friends, who waved goodbye from afar.
Heahea Beach
"See? That was fun!" Zinnia said, as they walked across the beach, looking for an optimal spot. "They seemed nice. This place feels so welcoming. More so than any other region I've been to."
Brendan had to agree. He had never battled alongside her before, but he and Zinnia fought together perfectly, as did Salamence and Decidueye. Though he was little too loud for Brendan's liking, Hau came across as very genuine, someone who enjoyed every second of life. Elio wasn't originally from Alola, as Brendan could hear the more rigid Kanto accent buried in his voice. But even still, he was a bastion of Alolan hospitality.
"You're right about all of that." Brendan admitted. "Battling is fun again, but it might just be because of you." Zinnia smiled, and threw down one of her beach towels, satisfied with the spot. Brendan threw his down beside her. The two stripped down to their swimwear, and released Swampert and Trapinch from their Poké Balls.
Swampert immediately took off for the water, scooping up Aster in his hands, and placing her on his back. Trapinch burrowed into the sand, delighted by its fine texture. Brendan and Zinnia laid upon their towels. He wore blue swim trunks, while she wore a black bikini.
Zinnia looked him over, biting her lip. "You should be legally barred from wearing a shirt. Ugh, if only you were wearing a Speedo!" she lamented.
"I actually do have a Speedo" Brendan said thoughtfully. He dashed her hopes by adding "I'm never wearing it on the beach, though. I'd rather not see pictures of myself online wearing one." Zinnia pretended to pout.
He found himself admiring how she looked in a bikini. It perfectly accentuated the curve of her breasts, and revealed the faint outline of the muscles of her stomach. Zinnia acted as if she didn't notice him staring, and got on her belly, facing the sea. His gaze wandered to her backside.
"How does it make my butt look, kedves?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the waves. His body got hot at her use of her pet name for him.
"Fantastic. But that's not saying much. It'd still look good in a pair of baggy sweatpants." Zinnia giggled.
"Maybe one of these times you'll compliment me on something besides my looks or my battling skills" she teased. "Name three things you like about me, that don't have to do with my body or battling."
"Hmmm." Brendan thought for a bit. "You're easy to talk to. I'm never afraid of being judged by you, and it feels like you'd be willing to discuss nearly anything I could bring up. You're empathetic. You care a lot about how I feel, and you know how I feel. And… you're so strong." She cocked an eyebrow at that one. "Mentally, I mean" Brendan elaborated. "You were, what, sixteen when Aster died? Your people gave up on you. You had big shoes to fill, and an even greater problem to solve, without any support. But you managed it anyway. I've never met anyone with your kind of grit."
Zinnia smiled. "You're going to make me cry, you big softie. Well, I suppose I should do it too. It's only fair." She thought silently for a while.
"First thing" she began. "You're smart. No, that's an understatement. You're brilliant, Brendan. Your memory is incredible, and how easy it is for you to learn new things is impressive."
"Second thing. You're super talented. Wood carver, chess player, maple syrup maker, cook, champion trainer… masseuse." She said the last one with a chuckle. "You're a real renaissance man."
"Third thing. You're charming. I don't mean just the romantic way, either. People and Pokémon seem to gravitate around you. When that barber met you, I swear he left the encounter an even bigger fan than before. Every single one of your Pokémon would give their lives for you." She rolled over to lay on her back again, resting her head next to Brendan's.
"I never realized it before" she said. "But I know now why I could never hold down a relationship longer than a couple weeks, in between Aster and you." Zinnia paused for a moment, seemingly choosing how to say the rest of her thought. "I compared everyone I was with to Aster. I suppose I was holding them to too high a standard, but I'm glad I did." She looked at Brendan. "Because you met it. Exceeded it, even."
Brendan was at a loss for words. Coming from Zinnia, there was likely no greater compliment. "Thank you" he managed, with as sincere a tone as he could muster. "That means a lot." He looked at the sky, which had turned pink and orange as the sun set.
"It's funny feeling I have" Brendan started. "We've been dating just a month, but it feels like it's been much longer." He looked back at Zinnia. "Do you get what I mean?".
"Yeah, I do" she replied. "It's not surprising, if you think about how often we are together. In one month, we've spent as much time together as most couples do in a year." They watched as Swampert swam through the water, Aster the Whismur gleefully riding on his back. Trapinch had dug a trench around the towels, only a foot wide, but several feet deep.
They watched the rest of the sunset, then packed up their towels, vowing to go into the water some other time, as the air had gotten too cool to swim. Swampert and Trapinch were returned to their Poké Balls.
Before they left the beach, Brendan took one last look at the sky, upon which he could begin to see stars. A faint flash of green light caught his eye, but it disappeared before he could even blink.
Tide Song Hotel
Brendan and Zinnia picked up pizza to go on the way back to the hotel, and they sat out on the balcony to eat. He got bacon topped pizza, while she ordered an Alolan pizza, with pineapple and ham topping. Brendan had looked at her in horror, to her delight. Before they ate, they treated their teams to the take home malasada.
The starry night seemed to have a profound effect on Brendan, as he actually took his time eating, savoring his food for once. When they finished the pizza, he turned to Zinnia, something clearly on his mind.
"What is it, kedves?" she asked. She could see the internal debate in his own thoughts written on his face, his brows furrowed, his mouth forming a slight frown.
"Do you mind if…" he started, shifting in discomfort. Zinnia beckoned for him to go on. "Do you mind if I talk about… talk about May right now? Never mind, it's not something I should-". She cut him off by placing her hand on his.
"Brendan. I don't mind at all. I want you to, in fact." She stroked the palm of his hand with her thumb, giving him her most supportive smile.
He inhaled and exhaled deeply. "Okay." He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "I'm not from Hoenn, as you know. I moved there from Johto. Dad had been hired as the new Gym Leader for Petalburg. Better pay, but at the cost of moving and losing all my friends in Olivine City. May was the first new friend I made."
"She was a bright ray of sunshine. Nothing could keep her down for long, and just being around her was invigorating. No matter how far we were from each other, May would always be sure to tell me about her day, and ask me about mine. Never took 'fine' for an answer. Annoying, but endearing at the same time."
"I thought I was going to marry her, to tell you the truth. I got her one of those promise rings teenager get each other." Brendan scratched his cheek, voice cracking slightly. "I broke that promise, when I wasn't there for her, when she needed me most." Zinnia opened her mouth to object, but he spoke up again before she could.
"May was in Lilycove for a Contest. I was going to go, but I had league business. Challengers, and a bunch of them. I ended up not being able to make it. And of course, that was the day those Gyarados attacked." He hung his head, sniffling.
"I was on the phone with her, when they showed up. I could hear them roar. She dropped her phone, and rushed in to help defend the city. I found her, crushed under Swampert. He had nearly been killed fighting on of the Mega Gyarados, and he must have fallen on top of her after being flung by a Hyper Beam or something."
"May's ribs were broken, and they punctured her lungs. She was coughing up blood when I found her." Brendan's head rose, and he wiped away tears. "And did I rush to her rescue as soon as the phone call ended?" he asked with rhetoric anger.
"No. I just sat there in shock. Seconds wasted, lives wasted. Snapping out of it, I put on the Aqua suit. Minutes wasted, lives wasted." Swallowing, he looked Zinnia in the eyes. "That day, I wasn't a hero, the gallant, unflappable Champion. I was a scared, stupid kid. I thought my duty as Champion was to battle whatever Trainer made it to me, so I did that instead of going to May's contest. But my duty was to protect people, at which I failed miserably."
He looked away from her, ashamed. Zinnia gently grabbed his chin to make him look back at her. "You were a kid, Brendan. Just nineteen years old. The fate of thousands and millions of people shouldn't rest on the shoulders of teenagers. Yet they did, on both of us."
"We did what we could, and that's all that can be asked of us. You may not see yourself as a hero, but I do, and so do countless others. We wouldn't be here, if weren't for you. If that meteor hit, half the world would have been destroyed. And if weren't for you, Lilycove would not be standing right now."
Zinnia continued. "If not you, then who? Who could possibly be better? Wally, as good as he is, has never beaten you. He's overcome a lot, but he's never had to look death in the face, like you have done at least three times. You're the best Hoenn has. You're not perfect, no one is. But you're the closest damn thing."
"But I could've been better." Brendan retorted weakly.
"Maybe you could have. Everyone could have been better. Whoever sent those Gyarados could have been better people, instead of human refuse. Maybe I could have been stronger, so Aster wouldn't have died saving me." Zinnia shook her head.
"We could sit here all night, thinking about where we could have been better. Or we could resolve to be better, for the future. The past can't be changed. Let it lie."
Brendan was silent for a moment. "I suppose you're right. Like usual." He gazed back towards the starry night. "I think I'm going to sleep out here tonight. Care to join me?".
Zinnia smiled. "Of course." They cuddled together on the reclining sofa, and before she drifted off to sleep, Zinnia wasn't sure if her eyes were deceiving her, because she saw a faint green streak of light pass by the moon.
Author's Note
GENERATION 8 HYPE WHOOOOOOOO!