Kiawe's Ghostium Z – a gift from a powerful ghost type trainer named Agat – thrummed with energy as he bonded with his Pokémon. "I call upon the shadows of Alola to power up Shadow Bone."

His opponent – Serena – was equally determined. Her pale yellow top, shades lighter than her short, honey-blonde hair, billowed around her torso. "And I call upon the fires of Alola's passion to power up Fire Blast."

"Marowak, use Never-Ending Nightmare!"

"Delphox, use Inferno Overdrive!"

Firelight and shadows swept toward each other, encompassing all of Alola in a spectacular display. Kiawe's heart sank. He could sense his Alolan Marowak tiring after giving it his all and more. When the battlefield cleared, both Marowak and Delphox had fainted.

Kiawe walked over and picked up his Pokémon. "You fought hard, Marowak. You deserve a good rest."

Serena wrapped her arms around Delphox. "Thank you for that wonderful performance, Delphox!"

Kiawe shook Serena's hand. Their Z-rings gleamed, reflecting the setting sun's rays. "Good battle, Serena. You're an awesome Pokémon coordinator and trainer."

Serena blushed. "Thanks, Kiawe, but I still have a lot to learn." She smiled at Kiara, the young dark-type Pokémon trainer who wanted to specialize in Pokémon musicals in Unova.

Professor Kukui had a feast laid out for everyone in the Pokémon school's basement. Professor Burnet beamed as Munchlax handed her dessert before the main course. Her husband raised a glass to toast his students and their guests. The trainers lifted their glasses of orange juice and chorused, "Cheers!"

Professor Kukui addressed the guests. "Thanks for coming to introduce my students to Pokémon contests, ladies. What are your plans now?"

Kiara spoke first, latching onto Serena's arm. "I'm bringing Serena with me to Unova! Her darling Pokémon will join my Vully and Meowy to be stars in Pokémon musicals."

May dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, acting delicate—but Kiawe hadn't missed how much food she'd scarfed down. He glowed with pride that she enjoyed Alolan cuisine. He didn't have a lot of close friends who could battle at his level – only Ash and Gladion, and they both had their own journeys – and he found himself wishing she could stay a little longer. "I'll be returning to Hoenn. We have some villains on the loose." She glanced down at her hands, clenched tightly into fists. "I let the leader get away. If I'd been faster, or stronger—"

"You're plenty fast and plenty strong," Kiawe told her.

May smiled at him.

"What about you, Dawn?"

Dawn twirled her fork. "I'm not sure. The new contest season is only just beginning, so I guess I could get a head start, but most of the advanced contests take place later."

Kiawe looked at her. "Want to come with me to Fifth Island? I want to return the Ghostium Z to Agat."

Before Dawn could reply, Serena hopped from her seat. "Oh! Should I return the Firium Z to you?"

"No, you can keep it. It's a gift."

"Isn't the Ghostium Z also a gift?"

"It is, but I think Agat needs it more than I do. I'm a trial captain, so I have access to lots of Z-crystals. As far as I know, Agat only has this one."

"That's very kind of you."

Dawn beamed. "I'll come with you."

"So will I," Serena added. Kiara pouted.

"Me too," May declared.

Kiawe raised his eyebrows. "Don't you have villains to catch?"

"Hoenn has plenty of strong trainers besides me. An extra day here won't hurt. Besides, I have a really strong feeling that I should go to Fifth Island again."

"A really strong feeling?"

"In my gut."

"Are you sure it's not just from eating thirds?"

May stuck her tongue out at him. Kiawe laughed; he was glad May could join them. He was glad that he had a lot of strong friends who'd accompany him to the uncharted island.

The next morning, the four of them borrowed Lana's boat. Dawn had learned how to steer it. In her white sunhat and sundress and with Piplup at the helm, she was in her element. May leaped off the boat first, followed by Kiawe, who turned to offer a hand to Serena and Dawn. Piplup kicked his forehead as though to declare, My trainer is a strong independent girl who don't need no Helping Hand!

Kiawe's Turtonator and Dawn's Rowlet would guard the boat again. May surveyed the island. "It looks like all the ghost type Pokémon are sleeping, since it's daytime. It might be tough to find Agat right now."

Serena hugged Popplio tightly; trainer and Pokémon shivered. "It's too quiet. What if something happened?"

Kiawe sent out Charizard. He and May leaped on, while Dawn and Serena rode Dawn's Togekiss. Within seconds, they found out why Fifth Island was dead-silent.

"Twerps!" cried a familiar voice.

In unison, Kiawe and his friends groaned, "Team Rocket."

Jessie wagged a finger at them. "We'll introduce ourselves! To protect the world from devastation!"

James placed a hand on his forehead like he was thinking. "To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

Jessie twirled. "Jessie!"

James bit the stem of a thornless rose. "James!"

A non-Alolan Meowth popped up between them. "Meowth—that's my name!"

Wobbuffet appeared out of nowhere and cried out, "Wobbuffet!"

Pesky Team Rocket rode on a Meowth balloon, carrying a cage crammed with ghost type Pokémon. Kiawe blinked. "Why don't they just go through the bars on their own? They're ghost types."

"Look down there!" May exclaimed.

A massive Bewear had Agat trapped in a fierce Bewear hug. May tapped Kiawe's shoulder. "You battle Team Rocket—I'll handle the pink Ursaring."

"Bewear."

"I'll be careful."

"No, I mean, that Pokémon is called Bewear."

May's eyes widened. "Cute." She leaped from Charizard's back. Beautifly slowed her fall like a parachute. "Litten, use Fury Swipes!"

May's spitfire fire type Alolan starter unleashed his fury, scratching at Bewear's face until she let go of Agat.

Jessie clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Pokémon..."

James finished her sentence. "...Gacha!"

On cue, a Pelipper flew toward them and dropped a rocket-shaped vending machine into Team Rocket's balloon. James and Jessie held Meowth upside-down so his coin would fit into the vending machine's slot. Dawn and Serena exchanged a bewildered glance.

"Go, Pokémon!" Jessie sent out an adorable electric type Pokémon that resembled Sophocles's Togedemaru, albeit smaller. Meanwhile, James sent out a Munchlax that turned around and bit his head.

Dawn huffed. "I can't believe you'd have a Pachirisu on your side. My Pachirisu is much cuter, though."

Jessie fumed until Kiawe thought her head would burst. "How dare you! Pachirisu, use Discharge to zap those twerpish flying types!"

"And Munchlax, use Metronome!"

Meowth shook James. "What are you thinking? Metronome could end up being anything—even Explode!"

Kiawe and Dawn stood on top of their Pokémon, maintaining perfect balance. They nodded at each other.

"Buneary, spotlight! With Ice Beam, if you please."

"Marowak—Shadow Bone!"

Buneary's Ice Beam froze Pachirisu's electricity and the whole Team Rocket balloon in a giant ice block, which sparkled from the Discharge. Just before the frozen structure could plummet into the trees, Marowak's Shadow Bone whacked it like a baseball and sent Team Rocket blasting away.

"We're blasting off again!"

As the ice block flew up, up, up into the sky, Munchlax's Metronome must have finished, because the ice block exploded, bursting into a thousand sparkles that shimmered on the pine trees.

Below, May's Blaziken sparred with Bewear. It was a close battle, but when Bewear noticed that Team Rocket had blasted off, she spun and sprinted away. Kiawe imagined her running over the water to return to Alola's main islands.

Agat looked at Kiawe with surprise. "Thanks for your help—but what are you doing here? If you're gonna try to convince me to be a trial captain—"

"I came here," Kiawe interrupted, removing the Ghostium Z from his Z-ring, "to return this."

"I gave it to you. It's a gift."

"And I'm giving it back. As a slightly more aggressive gift. Really, dude, if you're gonna protect Fifth Island and all the Pokémon here, you need this more than I do." He tossed the Z-ring at Agat, who caught it in one hand and inserted it back into his own Z-ring.

"Thanks, but I feel bad that you came all this way just for that." He looked at May. "Your Blaziken is incredibly powerful! What moves does he know?"

"Flame Charge, High Jump Kick, Protect... ooh, and Thunder Punch to surprise flying types!"

Charizard and Togekiss didn't seem to like that. Agat grinned. "How about Shadow Claw to surprise psychic types?"

The five young teenagers spent the day training together. As they took a break for lunch, Dawn announced, "I've decided—I'm gonna return to Sinnoh. It'll be interesting to explore the region again, but with all the experience I've gained."

Serena startled, as though remembering something. "You were there recently too, right? You said you were going to tell us a story..."

Piplup hopped around, excited. Dawn crossed one leg over the other and began her story.