January 7, 2017

I spent Thursday morning training with my Pokémon. I made special care that my new Tirtuouga felt safe and welcome with the rest of us. So far, Crunch appeared easy going and quick to learn. I took a break for lunch, and then I started for the library to meet up with Lillie.

The library was situated in the far end of the city, and I could see my friend standing outside as I neared I smiled and gave her a small wave. "Hi, Lillie. Did you find this place okay?"

Lillie gave me a soft smile and shook her head. "No, I ended up getting lost, yet again. I wandered around completely lost until I ducked into the apparel shop. And then I saw this outfit, and they said it was the last one they had in stock, so I bought it even though I don't think I'd ever have the guts to wear an outfit like it. But the woman working at the store did tell me where to find the library! So, I guess you could say it was all for the best. Though the library was actually right past the apparel store, if I'd just kept going..."

I chuckled. "You would have eventually found it. You need to have more confidence in yourself, Lillie."

"I - I guess so." Suddenly, a Mudsdale ran up to us, causing Lillie to jump and cry out in alarm. She calmed down when the Pokémon's trainer approached.

Hapu stroked Mudsdale's mane and smiled at me. "Been a while, friend. Looks like your island challenge is coming along favorably. That must be pleasing to the tapu." She glanced at Lillie. "So, Selene, who might this be?"

Lillie straightened up. "Oh! Hello. My name is Lillie."

"This is Hapu," I said. "We met on Akala Island."

Hapu nodded. "My apologies if Mudsdale spooked you just now. Doesn't seem like you're a trial-goer. What are you up to?"

"Oh, I'm actually, um, studying the tapu's ruins for...various reasons of my own," said Lillie.

"Well, that's some fine initiative. I'd be happy to show you the way whenever you'd like to go. My Mudsdale here is as sturdy as all get-out. She can easily carry two."

Lillie politely bowed to her. "Thank you for your offer." She turned to me. "Shall we check out Malie Library first though, since we're here?"

I nodded. "Good idea." I followed her into the library. There were two floors, and both were filled with books. I enjoyed reading, and I was tempted to sit down and enjoy myself. However, I was here for a mission.

"The book that I'm looking for is a very old one," Lillie said. "It's a book that contains old myths and legends that Professor Burnet told me about. Those tales seem to suggest that Alola's Legendary Pokémon came from another world."

That did sound interesting. We split up to search for the book. I quickly discovered the books were organized according to topic. The first floor seemed to focus on Pokémon trainers and battles, so I decided to search the second floor. Lillie soon joined me, but neither of us had much luck. I wondered if there was a computer or librarian that could help us out.

"It must be a very valuable book, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to take it out of the library," Lillie said.

"Is this what you're looking for, princess?"

We turned to see a girl holding an old, worn book, which she held out to Lillie.

"Give it a read!" she said.

Lillie took the book, relief washing over her face. She confirmed that this was the book she had been looking for. She sat down at the table and opened the book to read it out loud. The book talked about a beast that appeared from another world and defeated the island guardians. The beast of the sun and moon combined to bring new life.

"Isn't it great?" the girl said with a smile. "My dad's books are all great!"

"What?" Lillie said. "I mean, yes, it is. But when you say your father... Isn't this book...very old?"

The girl nodded. "Yeah, it belonged to my dad. I know I don't look it, but my family used to be pretty much royalty. I had to have all my dad's books moved here so they didn't get ruined by the Pokémon. I can tell you lots of other old stories about Alola, too! You interested?"

Lillie brightened. "Well, that would be wonderful! I would be delighted, if you did." She looked up at me. "I think I'll stay here. You should train for your next trial."

"Sure, have fun," I said. I waved at the two girls and then made my departure.

I spent some time exploring the city before returning to my training. The following day, I used a similar structure. I did make sure to check out the malasada shop. The spicy malasadas were amazing! I did not see Hau around anywhere, so I hoped he was training hard. My own Pokémon were coming a long way.

Something amazing happened that afternoon. Sun finally evolved into an Incineroar! He now stands on two feet and has bulging muscles and a fire belt around his waist. And now he's a part dark type! He seems almost intimidating to strangers, but to me he's still a sweet kitty. It thrills me to think about how strong he's gotten, and I am confident that the two of us will go far together.

That evening, Lillie and I sat on our beds in our hotel room chatting with each other. My friend appeared impressed by my accomplishments so far, while I was glad she was getting somewhere in her research for Nebby.

"Oh, Selene," she said suddenly, "I wanted to ask you something if it's alright with you."

"What is it?" I asked curiously.

"Hau mentioned you came across an Ultra Beast on Aether Paradise..."

"Oh, yes! It was very weird but kind of cool."

Lillie frowned. "That is what Hau said." She appeared troubled about something. Was she expecting a different reaction?

I placed my hands behind my neck and leaned against the wall as I became more thoughtful. "It was kind of odd. It almost seemed like it was something intentional." I paused to gouge her reaction and saw her listening attentively. "I know Professor Kukui and Hau seem excited about wormholes and Ultra Beasts, but it honestly scares me a little. There are some things we shouldn't mess with, you know?"

A small smile appeared on Lillie's face, making her seem almost relieved. She nodded. "That is what I think too." She paused. "I wonder... if Nebby is connected to this."

"Pew!" The purple Pokémon darted out her bag and started to roam the room.

"Oh, you!"

I laughed. "Hello, Nebby." That little Pokémon did make everything more entertaining. "Well, if this is all connected, I'll help you in any way I can." I did not want to get involved in unnecessary struggles, but I had to help my friend.

Lillie smiled. "Thanks, Selene. I'm glad to have met you."

"Same here. I'm going to get some rest now. I'm taking my next trial tomorrow."

"Oh, of course you are. Good luck! I'm sure you'll do great."

I smiled. "Thanks, Lillie." I had good dreams after I drifted off. I have really gotten used to Alola. It almost seems like home. I could not wait to see what the next day would bring.

This morning, I set out for Route 10 to catch the bus at the end of the route. I ran into a lady who had lost her Stufful in the grass. Of course, I had to help her out. I managed to find all eight of the little bear Pokémon. Those pink bears could certainly be wily little fellows! The lady was grateful for my help, and I was pleased to have been of service.

Upon reaching the bus stop, I came across a new problem: Team Skull. For some unknown reason, they were trying to steal the bus stop itself, although it appeared too heavy for the two of them to carry alone. They had officially reached a new level of ridiculousness. What kind of criminals are these guys? Their boss either has no real ambitions or no standards for hiring.

After defeating the grunts, Professor Kukui showed up. He generously offered to accompany me on the bus up to Mount Hokulani. The ride was actually an interesting experience. It was fine riding all the way up a mountain, and I could not wait to see the view at the top.

The air felt thin and cool as Kukui and emerged from the warm vehicle. A building towered over us, and there was a Pokémon Center to the right. Kukui motioned for me to follow him to a lookout area along the edge of the cliff.

"Mount Hokulani is the second tallest mountain in Alola," the professor said as he turned to face me. "And the tallest... It's a sacred spot, yeah, the closest you can ever get to the legendary Pokémon of Alola, said to be the sun incarnate." He turned and pointed into the distance. Through the thick fog, I could just make out a mountain peak. "That's it! Right there. On the peak of Lanakila! That's where I'll establish our Pokémon League!"

"A Pokémon League?" The view took my breath away, leaving me in awe. The majestic mountain reminded me how small and insignificant I am. But it also confirmed my need to protect the people and Pokémon I love. I barely noticed the cold air on my skin as I gazed straight ahead. Something about nature seemed to purify the soul.

"We'll get everybody who's finished their island challenges, yeah, and up there on the peak of Mount Lanakila, they'll battle against the kahunas to become the island challenge champion! I've always valued our old traditions here in Alola, but it's time to make a Champion the whole world will recognize. It's time to get our own Elite Four and make our own Pokémon League. To think that, someday, the kiddos in Alola will be able to go from being the island challenge champion to the world Champion! And then, when we have our own Champion, they can show the rest of the world what's so special about Alolan Pokémon and their Trainers, yeah!"

I smiled. "That sounds amazing, professor." And once I complete my island challenge and the League is ready, you can bet that's where I'll be.

Then I remember my next trial. I reluctantly tore my gaze away from the view and followed Kukui to the entrance of the building. The professor introduced me to an old friend of his, Molayne, who worked in the building. The man challenged me to a battle to see if I was ready to face the next trial, and I gladly accepted.

His Pokémon were pretty tough, but I managed to beat him. He told me I would face my trial inside the building and gave me brief directions to the trial captain, Sophocles', room. Kukui then bid me farewell and said he would be back in Malie City.

The observatory was obviously a high-tech building. I did not love science, but I could appreciate this place's accomplishments. It would be neat to come back here at night and observe the stars. I bet it gets freezing cold though.

I wandered through the building until I came upon an open room. The room was messy with several beeping machines lying around. A boy stood before me and introduced himself as Sophocles. He appeared young for a trial guide and seemed almost nervous. I introduced myself and gave him a friendly smile to put him on ease.

"Let's get started," Sophocles said.

I looked around the room and blinked. "Right here?"

He nodded. "Right now, right here."

I shrugged. "Alright then." It was his trial.

"You summon the Totem Pokémon and prove your strength to it. That's what every trial boils down to, right? So, I thought... Why not just call the totem here from the start? So, I tried a bit of this and that, and I think I've whipped up a little device to call the Totem Pokémon."

"Okay, but why build a machine?"

"Here at the observatory, we also monitor sounds that we detect from outer space. There are some sounds that are inaudible to people, but Pokémon can hear just fine. We broadcast the sounds we have gathered terrestrially and monitor the reactions of Pokémon. The machine that summons the Totem Pokémon makes use of this technology. Utilizing other sounds we have gathered, we also developed a security system here, but that was actually Big Mo's invention. Just so you know, this will actually be my first time trying it out, so I'm glad you came. I needed a test subject."

I pushed down my nervousness with a smile. "O-Okay." Why did I not like the sound of that? Alola sure had... unique challenges for trainers.

Sophocles pushed some buttons to turn on the machine. "Ping Totem Pokémon 2.0, engage!" The machine made loud noises. "Now the totem should-"

"Vwoon!"

The loud noise startled me, but the sudden darkness caused me to shout in surprise.

"Gyargh?! No way!" Sophocles exclaimed. "Did I blow a fuse?!" I heard a bang. "Oww! Did the door close?! Let's see, we'll need to turn off the security system to get the door open. You'll have to pass an audio quiz!"

I focused on my breathing as I stood still in the darkness. I was not afraid of the dark, but I didn't want to hurt myself by moving around. "That's alright. Sorry about your machine."

"I-it's fine. I definitely feel a powerful presence. It's coming now. The Totem Pokémon is coming. So, let's get this trial going, okay? My trial is about to begin!"

A mechanical voice asked me an easy question, and the door opened when I answered. Just then, a Pokémon ran into the room. It was a Grubbin, and it wanted to battle. I sent out Mander to take care of him. It was difficult fighting in the dark, but we still managed to defeat the bug type.

Sophocles was not quick enough to catch the door, so I had to answer another question. This time, a Charjabug scurried through the door. I chose Helium to battle her. We were almost overcome by the tough little Pokémon, but then Helium evolved into a Drifblim! He now looked just like a hot air balloon. With his new power, he won against the bug.

Of course, the door closed again, and I answered a third question. Another Charjabug made its way inside, and I defeated him with the help of Kiku and Crush. Sure enough, Sophocles did not catch the door, and the quiz continued.

This time, however, the Totem Pokémon finally made it through. The Totem Vikavolt was an impressive dual bug and electric type. I was highly impressed with his abilities and the way he defeated Michio. In fact, I think I want a Vikavolt of my own. If I had known what it would eventually evolve into, I would have caught a Grubbin a long time ago. Anyway, it took the full power of Sun's newly evolved form to bring him down.

The lights suddenly flickered on, and Molayne sprang into the room. "Soffy!" he exclaimed.

Sophocles smiled at him in relief. "Big Mo!"

"Nice work, captain! You helped Selene here through her trial, and your experiment was a success! It seems that your Ping Totem Pokémon 2.0 uses too much electricity. If we can get a little assistance from Charjabug, we should be able to make some improvements."

Sophocles nodded. He turned to me and held something out in his hand. "Here, Selene. I'll give you this electrium z to reward you for beating the Totem Pokémon."

"Thank you!" I said upon accepting the crystal.

"You watching?" He demonstrated the moves to activate the z move. When he was done, he shifted uncomfortably and bashfully gazed at the floor. "I was fine when the power was off. Geez... Now that you can see me, I feel all nervous... I'm not sure what to say. Thanks? Or, uh, congratulations? You passed my trial. That is all. You really are a fine trainer."

I chuckled lightly. He was kind of cute when he was nervous. "Thank you, Sophocles. That was actually a fun trial."

He nodded in response but did not look at me again.

Molayne congratulated me as well and then gave me steelium z. He also said Professor Kukui had forgotten his Battle Royal mask and asked me to return it to him. I promised I would and then made my departure.

I explore the mountaintop for a bit while my Pokémon healed up in the PMC. Then I caught the next bus back to Route 10. I could have flown on Charizard, but I was in no hurry and enjoyed the ride. Soon, I was back in Malie City, and I headed straight for the garden.

I immediately ran into more trouble. The two Team Skull grunts from earlier stood in front of the bridge, facing Kukui. The professor calmly engaged them in conversation, probably realizing they were not a huge threat. I stood nearby in case he needed backup. A crowd of people watched on in interest.

"Battle Royal, huh?" said a new voice. "Nice idea there, Kukui. You can beat down three Pokémon at once, huh?" A man dressed in black and wearing gold chains and sunglasses sauntered over to the grunts and faced Kukui with his arms crossed.

"It's Guzma," said the first grunt.

The second grunt grinned. "The boss has graced us with his presence!"

"The hated boss who beats you down, and beats you down, and never lets up," said Guzma. "Yeah, big bad Guzma is here!" He looked around at the group of people with a wicked smirk. "Greetings, cowering public! We have an exciting bout for you tonight! In the opposing corner, the Pokémon professor Kukui! And in this corner, the boss of Team Skull and the hardest guy around, Guzma!"

So, this was Team Skull's boss. He was... not as expected. He did not appear particularly evil, but this was still something downright intimidating about him. It impressed me that Kukui stood his ground, his smile never leaving his face.

"Here we are, Kukui... Fellow rejects who never could become captains," Guzma said haughtily. "We've got all these moldy old traditions in Alola: the kahunas, the captains... It's about time we cut out all that silly garbage and make something new for ourselves. Trust me, I get that. Don't get me wrong, though, Kukui. We've got no need for a Pokémon League. After all, everyone already knows who the strongest Trainer is on these islands!"

Kukui shook his head. "Speak for yourself, Guzma. It's not like I couldn't become a captain. I chose not to. I had other dreams, see? I wanted to figure out which moves would be strong enough to beat old Hala, and I finally found what I was looking for. The strongest moves you can use are the ones a Trainer and their Pokémon choose together in the heat of the moment, when it really counts. That's when I knew I had to make a Pokémon League, yeah, to give everybody a chance to be pushed to the limit with their team and find that perfect move! Let's see it, Guzma! Show me your moves and prove you aren't just all talk! If you really can, that is." He looked over his shoulder and noticed me for the first time. "Right, Selene? Don't you agree?"

I was surprised he addressed me, but I nodded. "That's right."

Guzma looked at me with a frown. "So, you're one of the kids on her island challenge? You don't look like Hala's grandson."

"This here's Selene," Kukui said with a note of pride in his voice. "She just moved to Alola recently. Discovery! New experiences! Adventure! She's loving every minute of it! Selene and her Pokémon can unleash some real powerful moves. So, if you think you're the strongest trainer on these islands, Guzma, why don't you battle her?"

"Tch! This move fanatic is getting me all riled up!" Guzma's eyes landed on my wrist. "You've got a z-ring, huh, kid? Why even bother with the island challenge? What's the point of it?"

"It'll make me strong," I said.

"No, it won't, you dumb kid! Watch closely, Kukui. Someday I'm gonna destroy you. But first, I'll destroy everything you care about!"

There had to be a backstory about Guzma and Kukui. There was way too much venom in the Team Skull boss' voice. And how could Kukui be so confident? I wished I could question him, but this was not the time.

Guzma released a Pokémon that I had never seen before. I decided to play it safe and go with Sun. The fire type's moves were effective against the Golisopod, but the opposing Pokémon used a move that allowed it to be switched out in battle. Now I faced an Ariados. Luckily, Sun did not have any trouble defeating him. He looked tired after that round, so I called out Mander to finish off the Golisopod. Guzma was definitely stronger than his underlings, but I could still see through his strategy and win.

The Team Skull boss placed his hands on his head and stomped his foot in frustration. "Guzma! What is wrong with you?! Now's the time for your vaunted team to let loose and destroy everything!" He glared at me. "It was Selene, right? I'll remember you...as someone I'll be happy to beat down anytime!"

I shook my head as I watched him run off with his grunts. I did feel slightly afraid of him, but if Kukui did not seem too worried, I would not be either. It seemed like he was someone who had nothing better to do than to try to make everyone around him as miserable as him.

"Team Skull will have to go lick their wounds now!" said a member of the crowd. "Getting beat by a child just doing her trials."

"Aue, Selene!" another person said. "You are one righteous trainer!"

I felt humbled by their praise. I was just doing what any trainer would do. I smiled and nodded at everyone who cheered for me.

Kukui clapped his hands together and grinned. "Woo, Selene! Those were some nice moves! I can feel my soul shaking!" He paused. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot to give you something super important. Here you go, cousin." He handed me a small object. "This is the z-crystal for Incineroar, the evolution of the Litten you chose." His eyes darted around, finally landing on my bag. "And, uh, about that mask you've got there, Selene... Molayne gave you that, yeah?"

I blinked. I had almost forgotten about the mask sticking out of my bag. "That's right." I grasped it and held it out to him.

"I'll take it, if you don't mind. I can make sure it gets back to the Masked Royal safe and sound."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Who did he think he was still fooling with that Masked Royal gag? Well, maybe Hau.

"So, what happened to Lillie?" Kukui asked. "You lose her somewhere, Selene?"

Before I could respond, Lillie appeared with the girl we had met in the library. "I'm right here," she said.

"And so is Acerola!" said the girl.

Kukui smiled. "And Hau is...probably at a malasada shop somewhere, yeah?"

I chuckled. "You nailed that one on the head, professor."

Lillie turned to me with a concerned look. "You and the professor fought those horrible Team Skull thugs, Selene? Just thinking about it makes me worry. They sound like a scary group."

Kukui blinked. "You think? I don't know. Exchanging a few moves in battle is the quickest way to get to know someone in my book."

I watched him with a small frown. Did he have no sense of danger? Or did he know Guzma enough to realize he was not a true threat? "Maybe..."

Kukui shrugged. "Well, I'm going to head up Mount Lanakila. I've gotta make sure the Pokémon League gets finished and everybody has the chance to find their own perfect move. Keep training hard on your island challenge, Selene, and one day you'll make it there!"

I smiled and nodded. "Thank, professor. Good luck." I turned to Lillie and Acerola. "I think I'm going to rest after my trial and head out tomorrow. What are you two up to?"

Acerola grinned. "We're going shopping!" She took a surprised Lillie by the wrist and dragged her to the road.

I chuckled as I watched them depart. I am glad Lillie found another friend. Now I will not have to worry about her so much. I returned to the Pokémon Center to get some much-needed rest. Tomorrow will be a big day!

Selene