"Here we are the Ruins of Hope!" Ash said hopping down another step.

Professor Cerise had asked them to look into the different homes of Alola's Island Guardians. Ash had made a special trip back home to get his Z-Ring for the trip.

"It's so wet." Chloe said a bit uncomfortably.

"Well this is home to Tapu Fini, it's all about most and water." Ash said turning back towards them.

"Ash, I advise you to keep with caution. The Tapu's may have helped you before, but they are a difficult group to fully understand!" Hapu shouted a ways off.

"So, what are we hoping to find." Goh said walking with them.

"First, traditions. These are sacred areas, and guardian pokemon. We have to pay our respect." Ash said kneeling in front of the altar.

Unsure of what to do otherwise, Goh and Chloe joined him. After a minute of Ash appealing to Tapu Fini, they began looking around.

"Be careful, Tapu Fini has a lot of power with emotions, it lets you see people and even pokemon that have passed." Ash said, then remembered an idea. "That's it, Dawn said Serena came here to Alola looking for me! If anyone knows where she is, it's probably one of the Tapus!"

"Ash, that's great and all, but we need to actually see one." Chloe said, comforting Ash.

"I've gotten the hieroglyphs copied, are we all set here." Goh asked.

UlaUla island

"Here we are Ash, the Ruins of Abundance." Acerola said with a smile.

"This isn't where we met Tapu Bulu last time." Ash said surprised.

"Of course not, that meadow is where Tapu Bulu likes to relax but this is what many consider his home." Acerola said.

"Hold on, something doesn't feel right." Ash said cautiously. "Mudkip use Whirlpool!"

Mudkip came out and used Whirlpool behind them revealing four Claydol.

"Sobble use Water Gun!"

"Rookidee use Thief!"

"Greedy Rapooh use Shadow Ball!"

As the Claydol were hit, they came spinning back towards them glowing.

"Rowlet now! Use Bloom Doom!" Ash said.

Rowlet flew out of his backpack, as Ash readied a pose. The resulting attack stopped all the Claydol at once.

"Pokeball go!" Goh shouted, catching a Claydol.

"It's fairly similar to the one on Poni Island." Chloe said looking around.

"Maybe, but this is an altar. It's a place for the people of Alola to pay their respects and to give thanks." Ash said carefully making his way in.

As they walked around, Ash felt a presence, quickly turning around he only saw some sand blow past him.

"Is everything alright?" Acerola asked.

"Yeah, I just am a bit jumpy I guess." Ash replied, getting back to work.

Akala Island

"I'll be honest Ash, I don't know how much more there is to learn about the Guardian Deities." Kiawe said, helping lead the way.

Kiawe had been training more with Olivia, and had been asked to help bring them safely to the Ruins of Life.

"Remember to be careful, Tapu Lele enjoys playing around, but it's not that good at holding back." Kiawe warned. "Ash hold back a minute."

As Goh and Chloe entered, Ash turned back towards Kiawe.

"Is everything alright?" Ash asked.

"I was about to ask the same thing. You seem distracted, as if you are on guard." Kiawe said sternly.

"I've got some problems I'm trying to solve." Ash said a bit glumly.

"Ash, we're your friends. If you need our help, I'm sure we'd all try our best." Kiawe offered.

"It's hard to explain, but I'm not even sure how you can help. I don't even have a clue towards the next step, and I've had weird feelings all day." Ash explained.

"When you find a lead, don't hesitate to ask for help. You don't have to do everything on your own." Kiawe reasoned.

"Thanks Kiawe." Ash said happily.

Melemele Island

"There it is. Across this chasm is the Ruins of Conflict. I'm surprised you of all people have never been here Ash." Hala said with a hearty chuckle.

"Tapu Koko usually found me, I don't think I ever went looking, and found him." Ash said fondly.

"Well, I'm sure if you find him in there, he'll be happy to see an old friend." Hala said, turning back towards the village.

"Ash, are you sure this is safe?" Chloe said looking at the rickety bridge.

"Positive, if it wasn't, Hala would have stopped us." Ash said. "To prove it, I'll even go first."

Chloe and Goh watched carefully, as Ash recklessly made his way across the bridge.

"You two better hurry up, or I'll be done by the time you get over here!" Ash shouted.

"One at a time?" Chloe asked.

"Oh yeah." Goh responded, frightened at the drop.

"TAPU KOKO! ARE YOU HERE!" Ash shouted after paying his respects.

There was a slight breeze, but nothing else.

'ash'

Ash turned around, looking everywhere but there was no one else in the ruins.

"Pika?" Pikachu said before running off behind the altar.

"Come on Pikachu this is no time to…". Ash stopped.

Pikachu came back from behind the altar, holding a familiar Red Bowler Hat.

"No! No, it can't be!" Ash rushed behind the altar to find nothing else.

"We're going." Ash said angrily. "We're going, and we're going to find Tapu Koko and make him take us to Serena!" Ash shouted leaving the ruins.

Chloe had barely made it onto the bridge, as Ash began making his way back across angrily.

"Ash, hold on." Goh said trying to stop him.

"He knew! Tapu Koko knows where Serena is! And now I'm going to find him!" Ash said angrily making his way towards the bridge.

"Ash, I don't think the bridge can hold two people." Goh pleaded.

"Goh! Don't you get it! She's gone! Serena is missing and I finally have a lead! Why aren't you supportive of this!" Ash yelled.

"I am! But I'm also trying to not get us killed!" Goh yelled.

As soon as Chloe had backed off the bridge. Ash began going across.

As Ash was halfway, they all heard it. A loud twang rung through the air, as the bridge began to break. A second twang resulted in Ash plummeting downwards.

"ASH!" Goh and Chloe yelled.

"PIKA!" Pikachu joined in.

"KOKO!" A voice cried out over the mountains as a yellow blue flew down the cliff.

'Splash!' 'Splash!'

Tapu Koko flew out of the gorge, water pouring off of him. He had been too slow, Ash had fallen into the river. Looking down, he saw the somewhat familiar trainer, holding the odd hat. Tapu Koko had found the hat one day, and had held onto it, hoping to one day find its owner. He flew off still holding Ash's unconscious body towards someone he could trust.

"Tapu Koko, long time no see." Kukui greeted warmly, as the guardian descended carefully. Opening up his arms, Tapu Koko laid Ash on the beach, a tear falling from his face. "Oh no. Don't worry I'll do everything I can." Kukui said, going to grab a phone.

Back at the gorge

"Don't let it escape Goh!" Chloe shouted.

A Rotom, presumably the one from Ash's phone was flying off in the same direction that the blue went.

Later that night at the Haouliou City Hospital

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Chloe asked looking into the room.

"It's hard to say, the doctors said he's been hurt pretty bad." Kukui said.

"All because of that hat. He saw it and went crazy." Goh said angrily.

"What happened is over. All we can do right now is wait, and hope he wakes up." Burnett said.

"Pika." Pikachu cried out worridley, at the foot of Ash's bed, clutching Serena's hat.