AN: This chapter was missing on the first crosspost lol. My bad. Fixed now.
Back in my previous life, my favorite female characters from Pokemon media were Serena and Lana. I had phone wallpapers, laptop wallpapers, even Figma and Nendoroids. So it should come as no surprise that during our 'exploration day', as Professor Kukui called it, I immediately agreed when she asked me if I wanted to come with her.
"What are you guys doing?" Ash asked as he approached us in the Pokemon Center's lobby, taking a moment to glance over where Ralts and Pikachu were playing with Popplio's bubbles.
"Performing maintenance." Lana replied, casually checking her fishing rod for any problems.
"Doing my duty as the President of the Lana Fan Club." I intoned solemnly. Lana snorted while Ash just looked confused.
"Anyway, I'm going to go and fish out a Mega Gyarados in the wild!" Lana announced.
"A wild Mega Gyarados! That's so cool!"
"Just kidding!"
I sighed as Rotom told Ash that Mega Gyarados can't be found in the wild. Experienced trainer or not, Ash was still as gullible as ever.
"But we are going fishing." She continued. "This is my first time on Akala Island so I'm going to fish for the biggest possible catch here!"
I clapped.
"Oh, as expected of Lana-sama."
"Sama?" she tiled her head in confusion.
"Fishing, huh?" Ash mused. "We all did that together before."
"Yeah, but Jack wasn't part of the class back then so I'm taking her with me."
I nodded.
"She's gonna pop my fishing cherry." Ash looked even more confused, if that was even possible.
"What's a cherry got to do with fishing?"
I stifled a laugh seeing Ash's confused face and Lana's beet red one.
"Well, Kiawe and I are going to have a whole day training session up on the volcano! Pikachu and I have to be at our best when we get back and battle Kahuna Hala! Catch a big one for me, okay?"
"Pika pika!"
And with that, the two battle nuts were off.
"Guess it's just the two of us." I said.
As we walked out the automatic doors, I grabbed Lana by the waist and pulled her back just in time to avoid the Tauros that skidded to a halt, throwing off its rider in the process.
"Ah, Miss Olivia, are you okay?"
The woman who just got faceplanted into the ground stood up as though nothing happened and brushed herself off.
"I'm fine, I'm fine." She gave us a knowing grin. "Going on a fishing date, are you?"
I nodded enthusiastically, cutting off what would probably have been Lana's embarrassed denial.
"That's right! Lana's gonna teach me how to fish and she's gonna catch the largest fish in Akala Island!" I spread my arms wide, like an actual child would have while explaining how big something is.
"Oh, that's nice," Olivia leaned in conspiratorially, "but if you really want Akala's largest catch, I suggest you go and check out Brooklet Hill."
Brooklet Hill. A hill with a massive inland lake where, in the game, Trial Captain Lana gave the player one of the Island Challenges.
"They say that one of the island's Totem Pokemon lives in that lake." she continued. Beside me, Lana perked up, her frame radiating with excited energy.
"A Totem Pokemon!"
Olivia gave me a conspiratorial wink as Lana practically dragged me off, Popplio and Ralts hot on our heels.
"Woah..." we mumbled simultaneously as we stared at the massive lake in front of us.
"This place is amazing! Do you really think there's a Totem Pokemon here?" Lana asked me excitedly. I bit my lip, considering how to answer her. I didn't think there was a Totem Pokemon here. I knew it, not because of metaknowledge but because I could practically feel Alola's presence covering the entire lake, just like it did in Gumshoos' cave.
"Well, the only way to know for sure is to catch it." I replied, fumbling with fishing rod she lent me. I went fishing a grand total of once in my previous life and that was more than a decade before my isekai moment.
"Just one moment, young 'uns." A grizzled voice behind us punched through our excitement.
"Oh, hello. Who are you?" Lana asked the shady, old man that emerged from behind a big rock. I watched him suspiciously. I think he showed up in the anime, but I can't recall if he's a good guy or not.
"I'm called the Master Fisherman of Akala Island." he replied, noticeably not giving us his name. Suspiciouuuus~
"I've spent the past forty years trying to catch that Pokemon and it's never been caught even once." he continued.
"Some master fisherman you are..." I mumbled as he bragged about his failure. Lana seemed enraptured by his story though so I bit back my scathing retort.
"It will not battle anyone it does not deem worthy, so I am here to judge your worth!" he finished. I scoffed.
"Judge us, please!" Oh Lana, you sweet, summer child.
"Very well, the first task is to catch, right here and now, a Feebas." I sighed. Feebas were notoriously annoying to fish out in the games, if that proved true here as well, we'd be better off trying for the Totem Pokemon immediately. I suddenly found a finger pointed at my face.
"You were just thinking that it's easy, aren't you? This is why I hate amateurs!"
You wanna repeat that to our face, you bastard! I grasped my twitching right hand as a knife almost materialized in it.
"In the fifty years that I've been a master fisherman," I raised an eyebrow at the change, "I have only caught one! Regardless, this isn't a Pokemon a mere amateur could catch!"
"I caught one!"
Both of us stared at Lana who was casually holding a Feebas half her size in her arms, my murderous urge and his showboating replaced by honest confusion.
"How in the world?"
"Sasuga, Lana-sama..."
After a moment of silence, Lana innocently asked, "So, can I battle the Totem Pokemon now?"
The fisherman coughed and straightened himself out.
"In the sixty year career I've had as a Master Fisherman, this was the first time I've seen someone catch a Feebas with such effortlessness and ease. Good, you may proceed. But you're gonna need a boat, and my rental fees are expensive."
The conniving look on his face really makes us want to stab him right then and there, but for Lana's sake, we held back.
"Unless of course, you trade that Feebas for it."
The Feebas, surrounded by psychic energy, darted up and rammed into the fisherman's face. I felt Ralts hug my leg, as though trying to comfort me. Right, empath. She must have felt my annoyance. I pat her head.
"Good girl."
Amidst the fisherman's struggling, I saw Lana bend down to inspect a small pool of water.
"Wishiwashi?" she said, and true enough, I could see a panicking white form splashing in the pool. Gently, she picked it up and walked over to the edge of the lake.
"Here you go." she said as she released the fish into the bigger body of water. The Wishiwashi glanced back for a second, before diving down with a small splash.
I grinned. This was going to be interesting.
This was not interesting at all.
Either I had no talent in fishing whatsoever or the Pokemon here, who had no time to get used to my presence, was reacting the same as the Pokemon on Melemele Island initially did. That is, with unadulterated terror. Lana pat my head.
"Don't worry, Jack, you'll catch one soon." she said, her tone a mix of amusement and sympathy.
"Why don't you try to catch one, then." I grumbled.
"Now, now, fishing requires patience and proper timing." Her eyes narrowed. "And right now, I sense a big catch!"
With little apparent effort, she cast her line out. At the same time, a massive presence announced itself. I didn't see or hear anything, but it was as though the lake itself was alive and willing to fight. This was, undoubtedly, one of Alola's guardians. Without thinking twice, I wrapped my arms around Lana's waist, just in time to prevent the sudden lurch from dragging her off the boat. Even with my Servant level strength, it almost pulled me along with it.
"Tapu Fini, you all-knowing bitch." I mumbled as I grabbed Lana's hand and backed away. This was not my fight.
"Good luck, Lana-sama."
"I don't know what sama means but-" She looked down in confusion, at where I attached the extra Z-ring to her right hand. Before she could question me further, the entire boat was suddenly speeding away, dragged by the Pokemon on Lana's line.
For a tiny girl with noodle arms, Lana was surprisingly capable of holding her own. With a grunt of effort, Lana tugged the rod upwards, and we caught our first glance of the beast as it leapt into the air. A massive, bulky body, more than thrice Lana's size, colored in different shades of blue.
"Lana, watch out!"
The fish surged forward and started dragging the boat along with it. With a sharp swerve, it darted out of the boats path leading the boat, and us, crashing into a tiny island. It was a simple matter to hop off the boat and onto my feet but I was surprised to see Lana tumble into a crouching position, fishing rod still firmly in hand and the Totem Pokemon still hooked to her line.
I mean, I knew future Lana could fish out a Kyogre from a whirlpool while being attacked by bad guys but for her first actual meeting with a pseudo-legendary, this is just insane.
"Popplio, use Bubblebeam to distract the Totem Pokemon!" With a sharp nod, Popplio dived into the water. Ralts stepped up, ready to help however she can but I grabbed hold of her.
"Not our fight, dear one. Let's just cheer them on, okay?"
It took nearly five minutes of constant battle before Lana started showing signs of exhaustion, stumbling toward the water's edge each time her opponent gave a sudden tug. Each time it happened, I darted forward to help only to be stopped by Lana herself.
"I-I can do this, Jack. I'll fish out the Totem Pokemon!" She declared, struggling all the while. I could see the iron determination in her eyes as she set her feet and gave one last mighty pull. The fish leapt out of the water toward our little island as Lana fell onto her butt.
"Graaaawr!" The massive fish let loose a rumbling roar, and I moved, positioning myself in front of Lana's prone form, a knife in each hand.
It was over in an instant. A blue blur flashed straight into the Totem Pokemon's mouth and bursting out of the other end. The massive Pokemon exploded into thousands of tiny fish, dropping from the sky into the lake, saturating the area with splashing sounds.
"Wishiwashi?" Lana asked numbly, looking around at the tiny forms falling around us. I nodded.
"They've been known to school together like that, but this one was abnormally huge."
"Arf, arf!"
A blue form emerged from the water, tiredly hopping towards its trainer.
"Popplio, that was Aqua Jet!" Lana exclaimed giving her Pokemon a hug. I simply stood there, idly wondering what the heck this world was going to throw at me next.
"Is that?"
"It looks like it."
"Congratulations, Lana!"
Lana was proudly showing off the Waterium-Z that one of the Wishiwashi gave her during our little adventure's conclusion.
"Hehe~ I got it by fishing out a Mega Gyarados!"
Amidst the cries of shock, I sat there, my head on Lana's shoulder. My old life may be gone, but with new friends and a new family, this new life of mine is looking up.
Far above the Pokemon Center, a lone figure zipped across the night sky, glittering pink dust trailing in its wake.