Legends Never Die

by WhiteArrow17

During his efforts to establish a Pokemon League in Alola, Kukui is targeted and captured by an international crime ring, threatening everything and everyone close to him and sending Alola into chaos. While Ash and his students, as well as a few others fight to rescue him, Kukui takes a stand to defend everything he's worked and fought for, even at the cost of his own life.

2. Just Another Friday Night

Chapter 2: Just Another Friday night

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, that same photo had been out of sight for most of the day, much to the distress of one Professor. His Research Work ID card had gone missing earlier that day and he'd spent the better part of two hours looking for it after getting home from a meeting with two representatives from Aether.

"Hey Ash, is that you?" Kukui called up from the basement after hearing someone come in the door and hearing Ash's voice. He stepped out of his office and into the stairwell, looking up to see his nephew peering down over the railing.

"Yeah it's me." Ash responded, Pikachu on his shoulder looking down at the professor.

"Pika Pi?" Pikachu tilted his head, noticing the professor's distress.

"How was your day? Kukui asked, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"It was great! We were all training at Kaupoli Park. You were right about the playground there, it actually is good for agility training, plus all to Pokemon have fun on it."

"I had a feeling it would help you out, just as long as you weren't getting in the way of other kids playing."

"It all worked out. A few other kids actually helped us." Ash said, taking his hat off and wiping his brow. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"It looks like I lost another ID." Kukui said with a sigh. "They almost didn't let me in to Aether's offices downtown. Luckily Lusamine was there."

"Oh boy. Sorry to hear that." Ash turned away from the railing towards the loft. "Let me put my backpack away and I can help you look."

As Ash climbed up the ladder to the loft, he felt Pikachu leap off his shoulder. Pikachu paused for a moment in the living room, looking around as Kukui climbed up the stairs.

"That's nice of you, but I've looked everywhere. I might just have to get another one."

"Don't feel bad. Look how I am with socks!" Ash called down from the loft. Kukui let out a chuckle as he turned towards the kitchen, and next to the counter stood Pikachu, holding a small white card.

"Hey, My ID! Thanks Pikachu!" Kukui exclaimed, crouching over and reclaiming the card and petting Pikachu on the head. "Hey Ash, Pikachu found it!"

"Aw man! How come you never help me find my socks, Pikachu?"

"Probably because my ID doesn't smell as bad as your feet!" Kukui said with a laugh, which got Ash and Pikachu laughing too. "Hey Pikachu, where did you find this?"

"Pika!" Pikachu pointed towards the kitchen counter, and just then Kukui flashed back to earlier that morning when he'd had it out just after he came home from his morning run.

"For that, you get an extra treat tonight after dinner!" Kukui said with a smile to Pikachu, who responded with a big smile and glossy eyes.

"Oh, that's right! It's pizza night!" Ash yelled from the loft, pumping his fists. He always remembered what day of the week it was by what was for dinner. Friday was pizza night, when all Kukui's students spent the night, a tradition started after Kukui and Burnet's wedding.

"That's right. Is everybody still coming tonight?" Kukui asked.

"Sophocles has a dentist appointment and Mallow has to help with the dinner rush, but everybody should be here by 6."

"Well, then we'd better get everything ready. I've got a lot to share with you guys tonight!"

"Hey, Kukui!" Ash called again as he climbed down the ladder. "Whose this girl?"

Kukui looked over to see Ash holding a photo of a girl with black hair and pink highlights wearing a black shirt covered in white gems emulating a starry night sky.

"Oh wow, where did you find this!" Kukui laughed as he took the photo in his hands. "I haven't seen this in years!"

"Should Burnet be worried?" Ash asked, folding his arms.

"Not at all." Kukui responded slyly. "That's your mom."

"WHAT?" Ash squawked in bewilderment as Kukui handed him back the photo. "Th-That's Mom? That's MY Mom?"

"Yeah. That was when she was about your age, going through what she called her Pink Lightning phase."

"Pikachu, look!" Ash said, looking to where Pikachu stood at the top of the ladder to their loft. "That's my mom when she was my age!"

Pikachu's eyes widened with bewilderment and it froze in position for a few moments before falling back in a fake faint.

"Yeah, I feel that way too, buddy!" Ash said with a laugh. "Can't wait to ask her about it. Come on, let's go outside for a bit!"

Pikachu rose from it's playful faint act and followed Ash outside, while Kukui put his ID back in his wallet.

"I just know I'm going to get hell from Lia about that later." Kukui thought to himself with a soft chuckle.

Within a few hours, as the sun sank lower to the west, distant clouds were illuminated with brilliant hues of pink and orange which shined over Alola. On the beach, flocks of Wingull and Pelipper pecked at the sand for chum washed up from fishing waters, and a gentle warm breeze from the south skirted the hills and bluffs along the coast. Kapu'ii road was not too far from the main highway into Hau'oli City but it was still far enough to provide a little tranquility. The 1927 fishing cottage had been his home for almost seven years, and he'd made numerous changes over the years, from the skylights and solar panels he'd installed in the roof, the rain barrels he had situated at each corner of the house to collect rainwater, the large aquarium in the rear corner by the stone fireplace, all the way down to the reinforced concrete walls fortifying the basement against the pressure of the sandy clay ground outside. Most of the road's residents were older, retirees from the mainland with grandchildren visiting during the summer holidays. The Nishikawa residence was the exception on Friday nights, as with eight people and more than a dozen Pokemon, the studio cottage was full to the rafters.

"My dentist is a really nice guy, and so is his assistants, but I just can't help being scared silly every time I go there!" Sophocles said with a grunt as he kneaded pizza dough on the table. "No matter how cool the prizes are."

As she was walking by, Lana gritted her teeth together and imitated the sound of a dental drill.

"Knock it off, Lana!" Sophocles cried. Everyone chuckled, including Sophocles after a bit, and Lana playfully stuck her tongue out as she returned to the table with another bag of flour. Across the table, Kiawe was hand shredding five large blocks of various kinds of cheese he'd brought from Akala Island, where his family provided milk to more than a dozen dairies and creameries.

"Don't worry, Sophocles. It'll get easier once you get older." Kiawe said, sweeping the grated cheese up with his hands and scooping it all into a big bowl. "I used to be afraid of the dentist too."

"Didn't you have to have three teeth pulled when you were younger, though?" Mallow called from the kitchen.

"You're not helping, Mal!" Kiawe called back as he carried a large bowl full of grated cheese to the kitchen counter. "Do we still need more?"

"We're making six jumbo pizzas." Kukui said from across the kitchen where he was chopping raw ham and bacon. "Shred it all."

"You got it, Professor." Kiawe noted with a grin as he returned to the table. "Mal, that sauce smells heavenly!"

"Thanks!' Mallow responded as she leaned over a large cooking pot on the stove full of pizza sauce, while Shaymin watched on gleefully from a spot on the counter. "Burnet gave me a few tips she learned when she lived in Italy and it turned out fantastic!"

Mallow took a wooden spoon and scooped up a spoonful of sauce. "Lillie, here try this!"

Lillie turned away from dicing onions and pulled her hair back as she took the spoon from Mallow. As soon as she tasted it, a large smile swept across her face.

"It's like I can actually taste Rome!" Lillie exclaimed. "We used to visit Rome every year to see my grandmother when Gladion and I were younger. One year he had a terrible cold when we arrived, and hotel keeper recommended a certain type of pizza for him to eat. I can't remember what kind, but he ate it and the next morning he was all better."

"Vul! Vul! Vul!" Lillie turned around to find Snowy behind her on her hind legs, gently scratching at the back of her leg.

"Hey Lillie, there's a jar of Poke Biscuits in the cupboard to your left, if you like you can give Snowy a taste of the sauce with them." Kukui suggested as he picked up his cutting board piled with diced meat and swept it into a waiting skillet on the stove next to the sauce.

Lillie quickly opened the cupboard and found the jar while Mallow scooped some sauce into a bowl. She dipped one in the sauce, leaned over and fed it to the waiting Pokemon.

"Vul! Pi! Pi! Pi!" Snowy cheered the tasty snack with glossy eyes. Within a few moments, Pikachu, Lycanroc, Brionne, Rowlet, Tsareena, Togedemaru, Sandy and Torracat had lined up behind Lillie for their snacks.

"Is it alright if everybody gets a small taste?" Lillie asked her classmates. They all consented, and Lillie proceeded to reward each with a sauce dipped biscuit. "Where's Marowak?"

"Outside." Kiawe said, returning with another bowl of shredded cheese. "This is when he likes to sit and brood about everything."

Just then, everyone heard the front door open and footsteps coming in the door. Ash appeared carrying a stack of firewood, and behind him came Burnet with Munchlax.

"LAX! Lax! Lax! Lax!" Munchlax excitedly made a dash for the kitchen upon smelling all the food cooking, causing everyone to brace for the possibility of him eating everything in sight. Before he reached the table though, Burnet withdrew him back into his Poke Ball, ushering a sigh of relief from Kukui and the students.

"Hey everyone! Oh wow, this smells wonderful!" Kukui moved the skillet full of meat from the burner briefly and exited the kitchen to greet his wife.

"Bueno sera, mio Amore…" Kukui swooned in a low voice as he kissed her forehead and put his arms around her. She blushed a little bit as she slipped her arms under his and clasped his shoulders. She'd been staying at Aether Paradise for three days for an advancement on her research and managed to finish her work just in time for Friday night.

"Yes, I missed you too." Burnet said with a soft laugh. "Wow, this brings back memories!"

"Memories?" Ash asked, the firewood still in his arms.

"Here, put the firewood down next to the wood oven." Kukui said as he pointed to the red brick fireplace in the back corner of the cottage.

"The Di Lucia San Marco research center in Rome." Burnet answered. "That's actually where Kukui and I first met almost 10 years ago."

"Really?" Lana asked.

"That sounds so romantic!" Lillie exclaimed, clasping her hands.

"Well, it wasn't quite as romantic as it sounds." Kukui said as he returned to the stove to finish browning meat for the pizzas. "We were both working incredibly long hours at the center, but at the residence hall we both volunteered to work in the kitchens."

"Oh, now I remember!" Ash said. "When I was little, my mom had a ton of cookbooks from Italy that she couldn't get enough of, and now Mr. Mime is obsessed with them."

"Yeah, I sent those to her." Kukui responded. "Speaking of whom, when you were chopping wood, you wore safety glasses, right?"

"Yeah." Ash sighed. "Why do I need them just for chopping wood."

"Because if you strike a piece of wood just right, splinters go flying. One could catch you in the eye, and then your mother would gouge out both of mine with a screwdriver."

Ash paused for a moment. "OK, now that makes more sense."

"Plus we don't want you getting hurt either." Burnet added. "Hey, where's Rotom?"

"Still at the repair shop." Kukui said with a sigh. "They messed up the order for its new casing and so now it'll be another week or so."

"It's alright, I can still bring Rotom up on my phone if needed." Ash said.

"Alright, the meat is ready, we just need to get the dough divided up." Kukui said as he turned off the stove and emptied the contents of his skillet into another large bowl. "I've got to step out for a minute so just get it divided up."

Kukui wiped his hands on a towel hanging off the oven handle and exited the kitchen. He made a beeline straight for the basement stairs, eagerly pulling Burnet behind him.

"Come quickly, I need you to see something!" Kukui whispered as he and Burnet reached the basement door.

"OK…" She said as she followed him through the door, which he promptly closed behind them.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted you to be the first to see this!" Kukui said with a beaming grin as he reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out an envelope bearing the seal of the Alolan government council. Without hesitating, Burnet eagerly grabbed the envelope and emptied its contents, which consisted of a three-page letter.

"Dr. Nishikawa.." Burnet read aloud. "The Alolan council, under representation of the Prime Minister of Alola has approved your request for a session to speak on the floor of the Alolan Cabinet in regards to Bill No. XZ2w984, also known as 'The Alolan Pokemon League Referendum'. The council has also been in contact with representatives from the Aether Foundation and numerous other supporters looking to speak on your behalf as well. The scheduled hearing date will be November 12 in the Great Hall at the Alolan Capital Building in Hau'oli City at 2 PM." As she read, her voice became higher pitched in a more excited tone until she burst into a cheering scream, jumping into his arms and causing him to stumble backwards and land on his back on their bed.

"I knew you could do it! I just knew it!" Burnet cried as she pressed her head against her husband's chest.

"Well, a lot of people contributed to this, don't forget Lusamine and the Kahunas."

"You know, this hyper-modesty thing is why all my brothers think you're a con artist." Burnet said jokingly, drawing a chuckle from Kukui.

"With something like this, it really doesn't matter who does what, as long as it gets done and benefits everybody."

"Regardless, I couldn't be prouder of you, and I know Ash and Lia will be too."

"Wait, Delia lets you call her that?" Kukui asked with a raised eyebrow. Burnet's response was a simple wink.

"Professor Kukui!" Sophocles called down the stairwell. "We might need your help with something!"

Kukui sighed, predicting what he'd just missed. "Is there pizza dough stuck to the ceiling again?"

"No, this time it's on the skylight!"

"That Ash." Kukui chuckled. "He is his mother's son."

"Here, come on, we'd better help finish dinner before the kids starve." Burnet said as she climbed off Kukui and headed upstairs. "Of course, you're not the only man in my life with a modesty addiction, after all."

Kukui paused nervously as Burnet headed upstairs, as he always did whenever she mentioned the Masked Royal in that context, often to contemplate telling her the truth about him. He knew it was wrong to keep something like that from her, but given how smitten she was with him, he didn't want to ruin it for her. Once again, he put his own feelings aside and let her have her dream as he headed upstairs.

Within less than an hour, the pizzas had been baked two at a time in in the brick oven Kukui had installed above his fireplace, and everybody had gathered around a brand new dining table Kukui and Burnet had built themselves.

"Sorry about the skylight." Ash said with a blushed face as he sat down. "I was trying to spin the dough like you and Burnet do."

"That just takes practice, Ash." Kukui said as he set the last of the pizzas on the table center. "In Italy they practically make a sport out of it, and they even train Pokemon to do it too."

"Wow that must be really cool!" Sophocles said as he sat next to Ash. "Which Pokemon do they use?"

"Any kind of Pokemon with good hand-eye coordination can do it." Burnet noted as she sat a pitcher of juice in the center of the table and started passing around glasses. "At the research center we were at they had two Machoke demonstrating the tossing."

"Wow! Are the Machoke in Italy a different variant?" Mallow asked.

"Yes." Burnet responded. "In southern Europe, Machoke are fighting and fire types. They've got dark purple skin with red scales, and they breathe fire to light the ovens."

"Hey, I'd like to get a look at how well you've all been studying." Kukui said, folding his arms. "Can anybody tell me how Pokemon relations played a role in the collapse of the Roman Empire?"

"Ooooh, that's a good question." Burnet said excitedly, looking up and down the two sides of the table at the pondering students. After a few moments, Lillie raised her hand.

"Yes, Lillie?" Kukui asked.

"The Romans failed to value their Pokemon as partners, but instead viewed them as just property, thus making them ineffective in fighting off invaders in battle."

"That's right! Very brilliantly put!" Kukui said with a grin. "Brings back memories of studying in Rome."

"It sure does!" Burnet added. "But of course not as much as the food!"

"Is that why you built the fireplace like you did?" Kiawe asked.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Kukui said with a nod. He'd built the new fireplace as a wedding gift for Burnet after she moved in with him and Ash.

"I'm glad you did!" Lana exclaimed, gazing hungrily at the pizzas. "These pizzas we make are the best I've ever had!"

"I'm glad you feel that way." Kukui said, nodding at Burnet. "Now, let's eat!"

The table was a rectangular shape, with Kukui and Burnet at opposite ends, with Ash, Sophocles and Kiawe sitting on one side; and Mallow, Lana and Lillie sitting on the other side. In the next room, the Pokemon all enjoyed two more pizzas Kukui and Burnet had prepared using various kinds of Pokemon food, while Munchlax had two more pizzas all to himself. The table had become a rather special place in the cottage, as Kukui had drawn plans for the table based on the table Burnet's parents had when she was growing up, only this time she offered to help him build it, which was in itself a memorable experience. By the time they were done, Burnet had smashed two of her fingers and Kukui had dropped a heavy board on his foot.

"Hey, did you and my mom have a table like this when you were kids?" Ash asked.

"Uh, yeah kinda. Ours was a bit smaller though." Kukui said with a hesitant tone in his voice which Burnet noticed.

"Eating like this with all of you is great! It's way better than it was with my brothers." Burnet said as she took another slice of pizza. "I guess you could say they didn't have the best manners."

"I hear you on that." Lana added. "At my house dinnertime is a little chaotic, with Harper and Sarah being as hyperactive as they are, they act like two Mankeys running around the table in circles and climbing around under the table."

"Oh, I'm sure that's just how kids are at that age." Kukui said. "I can remember another youngster who was a little ball of chaos not too long ago." He glanced at Ash, whose face turned as red as the pizza sauce, but then proceeded to laugh at the memories.

"I guess it's a good thing you were there back then, otherwise I'm pretty sure my mom would have skinned me alive." Ash remarked as he scarfed down another slice of pizza in just two bites.

"Yeah, you were a handful, but you grew out of it." Kukui said with a nod. "Well, mostly anyway."

Everyone laughed, including Ash, as the food dwindled and the stories kept coming for another hour or so, and once everyone was finished eating, Kukui cleared his throat for a special announcement.

"I've received some exceptionally good news today that you'll all want to hear."

The kids all looked eagerly from their empty plates as Burnet looked on with a building smile. Kukui reached into his pocket and retrieved the letter he'd showed Burnet earlier.

"Lillie, I promised your mom I'd let you be the first in the class to see this." Kukui said as he handed Lillie the letter. She opened it and with a few seconds her face lit up with a brimming smile.

"Ah, Professor! You're speaking before the cabinet about the Pokemon League referendum! That's wonderful news!" Lillie cried as she leapt from her seat and wrapped her arms around Kukui's shoulders, while Ash and the other students followed excitedly cheering. They circled their teacher for a group hug, which humorously sent him tipping backwards on his chair and landing on his back, turning the hug into a dogpile ringing with laughter. Burnet watched on with a smile as Kukui's feet stuck into the air amid the pile of kids laughing and cheering.

Typically, Friday night sleepovers with Ash and the other students involved trivia or board games, ending with a movie in which various lessons about relationships with Pokemon would be explored and debated on, which was altogether an effective method of teaching Kukui had perfected since he'd been teaching at the school. That night was different, as the prospect of the formation of a Pokemon League in Alola was the only topic on everybody's mind at the Nishikawa house.

"I wish my grandfather could be here to see you speak." Kiawe said, leaning over with his elbows on the table. "I remember he often mentioned it was such a shame we didn't have the system like other regions on the mainland do."

"I'm sure he'd be thrilled." Kukui said with a beaming smile.

"Why hasn't Alola started a league before?" Ash asked, scratching the back of his head.

"For a long time, most people have been content with the Island Challenge." Kukui explained. "While the challenge has it's benefits to the people and Pokemon in Alola, it really falls short in many areas."

"Falls short?" Mallow asked.

"Our traditional trials are really just meant to enable trainers to use Z-Moves, and although it is an effective method of educating people about the importance of maintaining strong relationships with Pokemon, it's isolation from the rest of the world's leagues really stymies it's influence." Kukui explained.

"That makes sense when you put it like that." Ash said as he poured himself another glass of orange soda. "I remember when I first competed in the Indigo League, there were hundreds and hundreds of trainers competing from all over the west Pacific. In my first elimination round I fought a trainer who had journeyed all the way from New Zealand!"

"So, the better organized Pokemon Leagues attract more trainers to compete." Lana noted.

"They also attract HUGE crowds!" Ash exclaimed, thinking back to the championships he'd competed in over the years. "At the tournaments I've competed in, there have been tens of thousands of people watching live, and millions more on TV and online."

"Wow! Will ours be on TV and online too?" Sophocles asked.

"That is one of the initiatives I'll be pushing for." Kukui said. "That way, skilled trainers can display the effectiveness of their techniques of raising and training with their Pokemon."

"They also showcase top trainers and gym leaders for TV specials to dig deeper into their talents at working with Pokemon." Ash noted with an excited tone. "Year before last I competed in the Hoenn League, and they did full documentaries on their gym leaders."

"Exactly right." Kukui added. "That way the lessons learned can be shared with anybody who views it in person, online or on TV."

"Weren't you friends with one of the gym leaders from Hoenn?" Lillie asked.

"Yeah, kinda." Ash said with a laugh. "Norman Sanka of the Petalburg City gym. My first day in Hoenn I ran into a bit of trouble, and that's when I met his daughter May. After we decided to travel together, she introduced me to her dad, and after that her little brother Max joined us in traveling. Then Brock joined back up with us too."

"That must have been fun." Kiawe said. "Do you still talk to them?"

"I just spoke to May a few days ago." Ash said. "She's in Tokyo right now competing for another ribbon."

"Ribbon?" Lana asked.

"Oh, instead of competing in the Pokemon League, she decided to specialize in Pokemon Contest Spectaculars." Ash explained, finishing another glass of orange soda. "Since we parted ways she's traveled as far away as Singapore for contests."

"What about her brother?" Mallow asked.

"Max returned home and went back to school to get ready for his own Pokemon journey." Ash said. "He's turning 10 in April and he'll be setting out with a few friends from his neighborhood."

"That must be exciting for him." Kukui said, thinking back to the stories Delia told him of when Ash left Pallet Town for the first time. "Ultimately what I'd really like to do is not replace the experiences with the Island Challenge, but add to it so it provides all the same benefits as the league."

"That sounds great!" Ash said. "But I'm still confused about the cabinet and what they have to do with this."

"Well, that's a little more complicated, but still very important." Kukui mentioned with a soft chuckle. "Under international law, regional Pokemon Leagues are required to be federally mandated and overseen by a committee which works in conjunction with the local government."

Ash paused in confusion. "Um, could you explain that to me like I'm really slow?" Everybody in the room burst into laughter, including Ash.

"It's really simple." Mallow explained." "You know how Principal Oak is in charge of the school?"

"Yeah?" Ash responded.

"Well, the Alolan government would do the same for our own Pokemon League that he does for us and the school."

"Oh, I understand!" Ash said.

"Well put, Mallow!" Kukui said with a smile. "When leagues are managed by local governments, their focus of operations can be on advocating fair battling practices, and on a wider spectrum than the island challenge, promoting healthy relations between people and Pokemon."

"That is the ultimate goal, after all." Burnet chimed in. Kukui smiled at his wife and crossed his arms.

"You've been awfully quiet, Burnet." Kukui noted. "Would you care to give some input?" He asked with a slight wink.

"Absolutely." Burnet said with a smile. "What I'm really looking forward to is the sleuth of new services a Pokemon League will bring to the island."

"Services?" Ash asked.

"You see, when they're federally managed, Pokemon Leagues are allotted a significant portion of a region's tax base." Burnet explained. "Those funds collected through taxes will go towards constructing a regional stadium, a new challenge facility for each of the island Kahunas, and several new Pokemon centers and trainer accommodations."

"Mother mentioned that the Aether Foundation is looking to sponsor construction of a stadium on a manmade island near Aether Paradise!" Lillie mentioned excitedly.

"They are indeed, and with a lot of enthusiasm." Kukui said. "If the referendum passes, construction could begin within a month of the chamber meeting."

"Now that sounds great!" Lana exclaimed.

"Leagues generate an incredible amount of revenue." Burnet noted. "Part of that will go back to the Alola tax base, while the rest goes into a League Trust aimed at supporting a wide variety of other Pokemon related programs."

"Really? Like what?" Kiawe asked.

"Well, more Pokemon schools for example." Kukui said. "Ours is funded by the Oak Institute and can host up to 240 qualified students. But Alola now has a combined population of almost one million people, so there are thousands and thousands of kids like you eager to learn more about Pokemon than is taught in public schools. My hope is that in time we can build more schools modeled off ours here in Hau'oli City and in every city and town in Alola."

"Oh wow, that's incredible!" Ash said, rising from his chair with gleaming eyes.

"Plus we can expand services even for people who aren't trainers." Burnet added. "Everything from child care centers to nursing homes with programs in place for Pokemon can apply for grants to improve and expand those services."

"Yeah, I get it now!" Ash said with a smile. "This all goes past just battling. This could really change a lot of lives!"

"Exactly right." Kukui said. "Hopefully this will bring Alola into a new era of relations with people and Pokemon."

The kids all clapped and cheered while Burnet looked on with a smile. "I'm sure with you leading the charge, convincing the cabinet shouldn't be too difficult."

Kukui blushed slightly and chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. "Well, I'm just one person involved in this, after all."

"That's my husband." Burnet sighed, shaking her head. "Modest to a fault."

"Holy crap, look at the time!" Kiawe blurted out as he pointed to the clock mounted above the aquarium at the front of the cottage. "It's almost 1 AM!"

"Oh wow. I guess time flies when you're making history!" Ash said with a laugh. He rose up from his chair and looked towards the front room, where much to his surprise he saw all the Pokemon fast asleep in a circle on the floor. Pikachu, Togedemaru and Rowlet were all leaning against Lycanroc, while Torracat was laying in front of Lycanroc as it always did, always keeping his teammate within his sight. Towards the lattice wall which supported Kukui's entertainment system, Tsareena was curled up with Shaymin and Sandy, while Brionne was closest to the window, blowing bubbles from her mouth in her sleep. Snowy completed the circle, curled up with her tails covering her face.

"Hey Sophocles, where's Vikavolt?" Ash asked with a yawn. "I haven't seen it all night."

"Wow, your attention span does shrink whenever there's food around." Sophocles laughed. "It's at the Pokemon Center tonight."

"Everything OK?" Kukui asked.

"I'm afraid I made the mistake of falling asleep with it loose. It went exploring in our attic through a vent and apparently breathed in something from the insulation that made it sick." Sophocles said with a sigh at the thought of his newly evolved Pokemon. "Nurse Joy said it should be fine after a few days of antibiotics, but I still can't help but feel bad."

"That's nothing to feel bad about." Kukui said in a reassuring tone. "It's a new Pokemon that you're still learning to take care of. It takes time to learn everything."

"Yeah, I'm dealing with the same thing with Turtonator." Kiawe added.

"Oh, what happened?" Kukui asked.

"He got into some spray chemicals my parents use to fumigate the barns on the farm." Kiawe said. "He's staying at the Pokemon Center until Monday."

"Thanks, Professor." Sophocles said with a smile as he laid out his sleeping bag on the floor. "You too, Kiawe."

Every weekend, the six students traded sleeping quarters between the main room and Ash's loft. This weekend the boys got the main room floor, and the girls would be up in the loft. As Ash descended from the loft with his own bedding, he saw Kiawe come in from outside carrying a fast asleep Marowak.

"You know, whenever there's a full moon, I always find Marowak sitting outside staring up at the moon." Kiawe said as he laid Marowak on the couch in front of the TV and covered it with a blanket.

"It's said that is a sign that it's mourning for it's mother." Kiawe explained from the Kitchen where he and Burnet had started washing dishes. "Cubone and Marowak are known for very intense parent-child bonds, and unfortunately for many reasons, females of both breeds usually have very high mortality rates in the wild."

"It's very sad." Burnet added, drying a pot with a towel. "That's why they're often called the lonely Pokemon."

"Do you two need any help cleaning up?" Mallow asked.

"No, we're good." Kukui said, draping a washcloth over his shoulder. "I'm sorry for keeping you kids up so late. You'd all better get to bed."

Lillie scooped Snowy up from the floor and proceeded to carry her up the ladder to the loft. "Thanks for dinner, Professor!"

"You're welcome, Lillie." Kukui said with a smile. "Be sure to call your mother in the morning, she's been really anxious to tell you about what she's contributing to the league referendum."

"I'll do that for sure!" Lillie said with a slight yawn. "She must be so excited!"

Lana withdrew Brionne into her Poke Ball and scooped Sandy off the floor before retreating upstairs. "Thanks again, Professors!"

"Good night, Lana." Burnet said as Lana sleepily climbed up to the loft. She then watched on as Mallow tried to pick up Tsareena and Shaymin together in a struggle, trying not to wake them up.

"Here, Mallow, let me help you." Burnet dried her hands and went to help. "I'll take Tsareena up and you can carry Shaymin."

Burnet took Tsareena in her arms and watched as Mallow slowly climbed the ladder with Shaymin under her arm. Once Mallow was clear she stepped up high enough for Mallow to reach down and retrieve Tsareena.

"I'm so glad you made it back in time for dinner." Mallow said with a sleepy smile.

"Me too, Mal." Burnet said with a soft smile. "Now you get off to bed."

"Lights out in 10 minutes!" Kukui announced as he finished drying the last plate from dinner and stacked it gently on the shelf. As he turned around, he suddenly saw Pikachu sitting on the counter staring eagerly at him.

"Oh, that's right!" Kukui said, snapping his fingers and reaching into a jar on the counter. "Can't forget your reward for finding my ID!"

He handed Pikachu a brown and red biscuit from the jar which were special treats for Pokemon. Pikachu smiled gleefully as he extended out his hand and offered the treat. Pikachu took it graciously and chomped it down in one bite.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu said with glossy eyes. Kukui placed his open palm on Pikachu's head and scratched between his ears, causing the Pokemon to hum in delight.

"Alright, you'd better get to bed now too." Kukui said, patting Pikachu's head. "See you in the morning."

Pikachu scampered off to join Ash as Munchlax appeared at Kukui's feet, reaching out and hugging Kukui's leg. He crouched down and patted the Pokemon on the head.

"I'm glad you're home too, buddy." He whispered softly.

"Well, I'm ready for bed." Burnet said with a yawn. "I'll just unpack in the morning."

"Same here, I'm beat." Kukui sighed, looking over his now spotless kitchen and putting his arm around Burnet's shoulder. "Glad you made it in time."

"Me too." Burnet answered sleepily as she put her arms around Kukui's waist. "I love it when all the kids are over."

"Ugh, hey, what's that smell!" Lana called out from the loft.

"Hey, who cut one!" Ash yelled, covering his face with his blanket.

"It's like that time we went away for a weekend and the freezer shut down while we were gone!" Mallow cried as she stood up to open one of the skylights as all the kids whined and grimaced for a few moments.

"SOPHOCLES!" Ash, Kiawe, Mallow, Lillie and Lana all cried out in unison.

"It wasn't me this time! I swear!" Sophocles cried with his nose pinched.

"Oh no, I'm sorry guys, It's Marowak!" Kiawe said as he rose to his feet and rushed to the couch where Marowak was fast asleep.

"Marowak?" Lillie asked. "Is he sick?"

"He was yesterday, forgot to give him his medicine." Kiawe explained as he shook Marowak awake, to which the startled Pokemon responded by swinging his bone club and striking Kiawe in the forehead. Kiawe stumbled back and landed in front of the TV, reeling in pain. "He get's a bit gassy when he gets a stomach ache."

Holding their noses, Kukui and Burnet descended down the stairs to the basement. "Good night, everyone!" Kukui called back in a high pitched voice.

"Good night, professor!" The kids all called back in a similar tone.

The basement had changed a lot in the eight months since Kukui and Burnet's wedding, as he'd transformed it from his 'bachelor pad' to a sanctuary where they could both meet and retreat after a long day's work. The pullout sofa he'd been sleeping on since college was replaced with a double sized bed and matching nightstands, to the right of which was their research area. Two u-shaped desks filled one end of the space with bookcases built underneath, crammed with books and papers for their various research projects. A flat screen TV Burnet brought with from her old apartment was mounted on the wall in front of their bed, and to the left Kukui had sacrificed part of his workout space to build a new bathroom for the two of them, effectively allowing Ash to invade the one upstairs. What remained of his home gym was a new set of weights, a workout bench and a frame pull-up bar.

That night, Kukui's white lab coat hung on a hook by the stairs, leaving him in his shorts, hat and sneakers. Munchlax had crawled into his bowl-shaped bed at the foot of Kukui and Burnet's bed while Kukui did his quick end-of-day workout after lighting some incense.

"Is that lavender I smell?" Burnet called from the bathroom, where she had just gotten out of the shower.

"Yep." Kukui responded with a slight yawn as he hung upside down with his feet balanced on the frame. He remained as stiff as a board as he closed his eyes and folded his hands.

"Just be careful not to set your hair on fire again!"

"Burnet, I'm trying to balance!" Kukui said with a chuckle as he tried to remain still. "Don't make me laugh!"

Burnet laughed to herself as she got ready for bed, going through her messages on her phone. Kukui could hear her phone pinging as she was actively texting someone.

"Who are you texting?"

"Cher."

"Huh?"

"It's Lia." Burnet said with a laugh. "She knows you showed Ash that photo of her with the pink highlights."

"I didn't show it to him, he found it!"

"Well, either way she said next time she's in town, you're dead meat."

"Tell her I'm shaking in my boxers!" Kukui said, still trying to keep still and meditate. "What's she doing up so early? It must be 5 AM in Pallet Town."

"She and Mr. Mime are driving up to Viridian City for some shopping." Burnet explained. "They like to leave early to get a good parking spot."

"I can only imagine how much that town has changed since I was last there." Kukui said, taking one last deep inhale before reaching down to the floor and allowing his feet to fall from the pull up frame.

"That's right, you lived with her in Pallet Town for a while." Burnet said as she dried her hair off with a towel, exiting the bathroom wearing loose gray pajama bottoms and a blue tank top. "When you did the fellowship at Samuel Oak's lab."

"That's right." Kukui answered with a grunt as he worked through a round of pull-ups. "There's actually a photo album from back then in the bookcase on the left of my desk."

This peaked Burnet's interest, as she quickly turned off the bathroom light and flew across the bedroom, climbing over the bed and landing on her feet on the other side without making a sound. In the dim light she followed the line of books and journals until she came across a light green binder. "Is it light green?"

"Yeah, that's it."

Burnet pulled it from the shelf and sat back in Kukui's office chair as she opened the cover, and it's contents revealed something she wasn't quite expecting. She'd known for years that he had accepted a fellowship at the Oak Laboratory in Pallet Town, but she'd never asked why he had taken the position, when he'd been offered much better jobs back in Alola. "It's all photos of you with Ash and Lia!"

"Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't show it to you sooner." Kukui said as he released the pull-up bar and fell to his feet. "I know how much you love stuff like that."

As Kukui finished his workout with a set of push-ups, Burnet flipped happily through the pages of family photographs. Most showed Ash as a young boy of no more than five or six years old doing various things with Kukui. One showed them painting Ash's room together, with Ash on Kukui's shoulders with a roller in his hand spreading light green paint on the slanted ceiling, while a small collection showed the two of them grocery shopping together, with Ash grabbing various things off every shelf and asking Kukui what they were. Another showed Kukui in an armchair reading the local newspaper, The Pallet Ledger, with Ash in his lap pointing out different things to him.

"No wonder you two are so close!" Burnet said with a smile as she looked down on a photo of Kukui asleep face up on Delia's sofa, with Ash asleep face down on Kukui's chest. "It looks like you two were inseparable."

"Yeah, it was a good time, for the most part." Kukui said in a labored voice as he stood up, having finished his workout. "Lia went through a photography craze where she'd have dozens and dozens of disposable cameras laying around to be developed."

Burnet looked on as she found another set of Kukui putting together a bicycle for Ash, and then showing him how to ride it down the dirt road in Pallet Town, and concluding with Kukui bandaging up Ash's scraped knees and elbows in Delia's kitchen. There were a few of them playing video games together, working with Delia in her garden, fishing together, and swimming at a beach together.

"Hey, how long did you live there?"

"About three years." Kukui said. "I learned a lot about Pokemon, and a lot about myself in that time." He walked around behind the back of the chair and leaned over Burnet to look at which page she was on.

"The photos with the newspapers, that's actually how Ash learned how to read." Kukui said with a smile. "He was already reading well ahead of the other kids when he started primary."

"Yeah, that sounds like Ash." Burnet said with a soft giggle. "Wait, what's this?"

Kukui looked as Burnet pointed to a photo taken from around the corner of the hallway by Delia's living room, showing Kukui and Delia in strange poses in front of her TV.

"Oh, that's when I showed her how to play Dance Dance Revolution." Kukui said with a soft chuckle. "Ash actually took that one."

"Must have been a very happy time."

"Yeah, but it had it's hard times too." Kukui said with a sigh, which Burnet looked up at him for. "After Bobby died, Lia was such a mess. She was devastated, all while working two jobs and taking care of a little kid."

"What happened to him?" Burnet asked in a cautious tone, curious but trying not to overstep.

"Uh, he'd joined a research team for a four month trip to Siberia to study mating rituals of native ice type Pokemon." Kukui explained in a low voice. "He caught a cold while working out there, which very quickly turned into something serious."

Burnet looked up at her husband in silence as he kept talking. She'd always wondered about Ash's father, but had waited for the right time to ask about him.

"They thought it was pneumonia when they put him on a flight back to Tokyo…" Kukui paused as his voice broke. "..but he died before they got there."

Burnet paused as she kept looking up at Kukui standing behind her, paused with his eyes closed.

"That's why I took the fellowship at Oak's lab, so I could be there with her and help look after Ash."

"I'm sorry." Burnet whispered, reaching up and putting her hand on his. "How old was Ash?"

"It was two months before his fourth birthday." Kukui said. "I don't think Ash even remembers him."

"What was he like?"

"Bobby?" Kukui asked, his face changing in thinking about his late brother-in-law. "He was a warrior."

"How so?"

"Just the way he did everything." Kukui explained, cracking a smile. "He was very bold in researching Pokemon. He could engage with almost any type of Pokemon, tame or wild."

"Really?" Burnet asked in a lighter tone. "Sounds impressive."

"You really would have liked him." Kukui said. "Probably would have made me jealous as hell."

Burnet snickered sleepily before releasing a long, hollow yawn. She looked at her watch and saw it was already almost 3:30 AM, which Kukui noticed as well as he leaned back and stretched his back.

"Thank God we can sleep in a bit." Burnet said as she rose from the chair, leaving the photo album on the desk. Kukui nodded sleepily as he took off his shoes and shorts and reached for his gray pajama bottoms, which he pulled up over his boxers before reaching for his light red nightshirt.

"Thank you for sharing that with me." Burnet said as she sleepily crawled into her side of the bed. "I things like that can be hard to talk about."

Kukui nodded silently as he shuffled around to the other side of the bed, where he flopped down face-down briefly sending Burnet bouncing off the bed, startling her briefly. She looked up from the floor and saw he was already fast asleep, his snoring muffled by his pillow. She giggled softly as she crawled back into bed, her mind still awash with curiosity about her husband's past. As long as she'd known him, there was a great deal about his past he was very guarded about, which she did her best to respect but couldn't help but wonder about. She thought of something Hala had mentioned to her about him shortly after their wedding.

"Kukui might not always show it, but he's a very complicated person with a very checkered past, as there are things both he and Delia had to work very hard to put behind them. I'm sure when the time is right, he'll open up to you about those missing pieces of himself when the time is right, but in the meantime you just need to be patient."

That night felt like a big step forward for them, as she learned one more piece about the journey he'd taken which resulted in him becoming the man she'd fallen in love with. She yearned to learn more, but as she drifted off to sleep she kept replaying Hala's words in her mind over and over.

Barely an hour later, the cottage was completely dark and silent, while outside the moon shined brilliantly over Melemele Island. The glow from the lights of Hau'oli City were not enough to dim the night sky filled with stars on this clear autumn night. Unknown to all however, something was afoot that night.

A dark unknown figure of a middle-aged man shrouded in black had been slowly working his way down Kapu'ii Road, checking the wooden post markings at the foot of each driveway looking for 362. He watched each house cautiously as he passed, listening for any people or Pokemon who might be out and about. Earlier a man on a bicycle had been out riding on the side of the road, forcing the man in black to duck into a culvert until he passed by. He'd done this many times before, but never in such a heavily populated area. Luckily most houses he passed had a distinct marking on their post boxes which in Alola indicated they were only seasonal residences-a red strip of tape wrapped securely around the post box bearing a stamp from the Alola postmaster noting the date when the box was taken out of service, as well as the date when it was expected to be put back in service. He'd passed by nearly a dozen houses before he finally came across a green post with white fluorescent stickers showing 362.

He looked up and took notice that the house behind the marker matched the description he'd been given, but it wasn't the house he was looking for, but rather the vehicle of the owner and designated target. As he crept up the short drive, he could see the shape of a jeep parked next to the front porch, and as he got closer he pulled from his pocket a sticklight which glowed a fluorescent blue so as to not attract any attention. He viewed the license plate, which just as the data he'd been given showed a Melemele issue plate with a blue background and green border, numbers AGN496, confirming the vehicle was registered to Dr. Nishikawa. The man crouched down and rolled onto his back, and slowly slid himself underneath the rear end of the vehicle. Holding the lightstick in his teeth, he slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box, which he gently held up against the vehicle's lower frame. As he did this, he held down both sides until two red lights appeared, at which point a magnet within the device was activated and securely held it against the steel frame.

Looking up, he then saw a blue wire directly above the frame he'd just mounted the device on. He gently rubbed the side of his gloved finger until a small blade protruded from his fingertip, which he used to gently splice the wire. Knowing it to be connected to the vehicle's power supply, he retracted the blade into the finger of his glove and pulled out a small pin protruding from the top of the device, which in turn pulled out a thin wire. The pin folded open into a clip, which once attached to the wire caused the two red lights to turn green, the left of which synched into a continuous blinking. This indicated the tracking device was active and would report to Mongke's crew it's exact location and when it was in motion. Turning the sticklight off, the man gently slid out from underneath the jeep, slipped back down the driveway and disappeared into the darkness.

To Be Continued…..