The two strolled back down to Iki Town, Jacky keeping the towel over his cut as they moved quietly. "What a first day," he said. He sighed with an exhaustive chuckle as they reached the bottom of the hill.
"Hey, cousin, you're back!" Kukui rushed in, saying, "I was just about to come find you." After getting a closer look at Jacky, he stepped forward. "Woah, what happened to you?"
"He tried to save Nebby from some Spearow," Lillie spoke up. As Kukui gently pulled the towel away to see the cut, the blonde-haired girl felt a chill roll up her spine. "Kukui, maybe you shouldn't-"
"Woo! That looks like it really smarts," he chipped in with a whistle. "Bet you wish you had some serious Foresight, huh?" Jacky scowled up at Kukui, finding the pun in poor taste, giving the professor a laugh. "Well, you look fine now."
"He's better than fine, Kukui! He's gained a new experience!" A stout man with tan skin closed in on everyone. He seemed to be open and relaxed, looking at Jacky's cut, which had stopped bleeding a few minutes ago. "I presume you're Jacky?"
He nodded and looked the man over a bit before asking, "And you are…?"
"Ah, yes! Pardon me, I am Kahuna Hala!" he answered. "I apologize for making you wait, but I am here now." He pulled out three pokeballs and tossed them up, out of the balls emerging three Pokemon. "Let's get right down to it. Which will you choose? The grass-type, Rowlet?" Rowlet cooed as his feathers ruffled out a bit. "The water-type, Popplio?" Popplio clapped her paws together happily as if it appreciated the attention. "Or the fire-type, Litten?" Litten was...asleep.
Jacky couldn't help but chuckle, thinking of the small Pokemon as a funny little guy. His laugh seemed to make Litten stir, a bright yellow eye opening up to look at him. "You love to nap, don't you?" he said with a smile as he crouched down and reached a hand out, waiting for a moment before petting Litten.
"So, I assume you wish to take Litten?" Hala asked.
"Hm…" He looked between the other choices, Rowlet looking at them curiously, and Popplio seeming a bit upset. "Sorry, you two, but I think I'll choose Litten." Litten let out a small meow and got to his feet, hopping onto his shoulder.
"Very well then! With that, I bid you and Litten good luck!" Hala stated firmly.
Kukui smiled at the pair of them, as did Lillie. "Well, Jacky, wanna go show off your new friend to your mother?" he asked. Jacky nodded and pet Litten again, giving him some chin scratches, feeling a bubbly sensation as Litten purred delightedly.
"He seems so happy," Lillie commented. "I'm glad you chose such a nice Pokemon! Remember to take good care of him!"
"Yeah, I promise! I'll make sure not to fall into any ravines too," he said, trying to be coy. Lillie seemed genuinely distressed though. "I was just joking!"
"Ravine? What are you talking about, cous-" Kukui started before being interrupted.
"Hey, hey, hey! Tutu!" A dark-skinned boy with black hair came barreling in as if the chase was on! "Sorry I'm late! I got super caught up on Route 1! But I'm here for my Pokemon now!" He rushed over to the pokemon still available and looked them over, quickly scooping up Rowlet and holding him up. "Hey, hey, you wanna be my partner?"
Rowlet cooed joyously spanning his wings out enough to fly up to the boy's shoulder. Now perched there, Rowlet eyed Litten closely seeming eager for something. Litten seemed to share that intent as his tail waved around and a small flare lit up on his back.
"Wow, looks like they're raring to go! Wanna have a Pokemon battle?" the boy asked Jacky. Forget the Pokemon, this kid seemed more excited than Rowlet and Litten combined.
"Uh, sure...But, mind if I get your name first?" Jacky replied slowly. He wasn't expecting a battle this soon. Still, maybe it'd be for the best!
"Oh, right! Name's Hau! You're that new kid, Jacky, right?" he replied. "Old Tutu and Kukui have been talking about you all the time lately!" If Hala really was as close with Kukui as he seemed, that wasn't a surprise. Jacky and his mother had been in contact with Kukui for a little while before their flight to Melemele Island.
"Yeah, that's me. So, how do we do this? Should we just start now?" he asked a bit cautiously.
"Let's get some distance first," he said. "I've watched old Tutu do this a lot!" He backed away from Jacky a bit, Rowlet flying off his shoulders and onto the ground, Litten doing the same. "Alright, let's do this!"
"Litten, use Ember!" Jacky commanded, little Litten's back flaring up as he shot a small fireball at Rowlet. The little owl got hit dead on and shook his feathers a bit in response, flying in on Hau's command, shooting off several leafs at Rowlet and scratching him up a bit. With Rowlet having spent time to focus on his aim, Litten unleashed another Ember on the bird, knocking him out of the air and ending the fight.
"Whoo, that was quicker than I thought," Hau laughed heartily. "Nice job!"
"Not really, I just kept using Ember," Jacky said, smiling in spite of his words. "C'mere, boy!" Litten turned around and hopped into his arms. "You did good!" He looked over to the rest of the group and said, "Well, if that's all, I'll be heading home now!"
However, just as he turned to leave, Hala caught something in his sights. "Hold on, Jacky. May I see that Sparkling Stone?" Jacky was surprised that he noticed it, but pulled it out of his back pocket regardless and handed it to him. After a brief examination, Hala looked up from the stone and asked, "Where did you get this?"
"Oh right, I never mentioned that part. See, when I was trying to help Nebby, the bridge collapsed underneath us and Tapu Koko saved us. When Lillie and I went to leave, I found this stone on the ground." Everyone but Lillie seemed shocked by this new information, as Hala seemed to contemplate something.
"Why didn't you mention that first?" Kukui asked incredulously. "Almost falling into a ravine is pretty big stuff, yeah?"
"Sorry, I didn't think it mattered anymore," he stated. "It happened, and that was it."
"More importantly, you were saved by Tapu Koko. Though he is our guardian, he is somewhat fickle," Hala informed the boy. "And for him to even grant you something like this...Forgive me, Jacky, but I must ask that you allow me to keep this for now. Do not worry, I swear to you that I shall return it tomorrow."
"Um...okay, go ahead." It was rather strange and Hala seemed to stress the importance of the stone. "What exactly is it?"
"Ho, ho! You shall see!" he declared boisterously. "For now, may you return home safely, and have a good night.
"Here, Jacky, why don't Lillie and I escort you home, yeah? Wouldn't want you to go falling into-" He caught a pout from Lillie as the professor echoed the joke Jacky made earlier. "Yeah, let's get going!"
Jacky smiled and stifled some laughs, if nothing else than to not upset Lillie, though he had to admit, she looked really cute in a kind of funny way. "Sure!"
Within roughly fifteen minutes, the trio arrived at the house. "So this is where you live? It looks pretty cozy!" Lillie said.
"Yeah, it's good, I guess. I mean, I'm gonna miss Kanto a lot, but this is a good place," Jacky replied with a small sigh. "Wanna come inside?"
"Oh no, I don't want to intrude," she quickly stated.
"Pfft, that's why I'm inviting you, it's no intrusion!" he laughed. Either she was very proper or not too social. Could be both.
Kukui stepped forward, his nose twitching a bit, smelling the air. "Well, if I can get some of whatever it is that is, I'll take that invite faster than a Quick Attack!" He stepped towards the door and let himself in...again. "Hey, what's up, Mary!"
"Kukui, do you have to let yourself in every time," Mary responded from inside the house.
"I was Attracted by that tasty smell, I couldn't help myself! It's like you know Aromatherapy, yeah!" As the conversation went along, Lillie and Jacky just watched him disappear into the house with some time to process the professor's complete lack of restraint.
"Well, the professor probably won't be leaving any time soon, so come on!" Jacky smiled as he stepped towards the door, looking back and waiting for Lillie to follow. After a moment's hesitation, she finally accepted the invitation and entered the house.
As Lillie politely closed the door behind them, Litten hopped out of Jacky's arms to explore the house. "What a little cutie!" his mother exclaimed, watching Litten trot around the house, hopping onto the table to get a vantage point. "So that's the Pokemon you chose? What's his name?"
"Well, he's called Litten, and-"
"No, I mean, what are you going to call him?" she reiterated. "You don't expect to just go on a journey with him and call him that, are you?"
"Oh, well I never thought about it...I guess…" He looked at Litten, watching him roam the house before settling on thinking it over later. "So, what are you making, mom?"
"Shepherd's Pie!" she said slowly, giving him a knowing smile as Jacky's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "I figured since you'll be a trainer from now on, we could celebrate a little!" She looked to Lillie and smiled at her. "I assume you'll be joining us for dinner?"
"I suppose I will be," she said politely, shooting an accusatory glance to Kukui, who was just breathing in the aroma of the dinner. The cheese, the mashed potatoes, the beef and lamb, the spice~ "Thank you for having me, Mrs…."
"Ray! Mary Ray! It's good to see my boy making friends already," she answered. "And such a nice girl too. What's you're name?"
"Oh, of course! My name is Lillie, thank you, again, for having me, Mrs. Ray!" As Mary pulled out a few extra plates for Kukui and Lillie, the latter took her seat at the table, watching Jacky as he opened the fridge, tilting her head in confusion. "Aren't we about to have dinner? Why are you…" She stopped herself, however, as Jacky pulled out a big mug of coffee, bringing it to the table with him after shutting the fridge door. "C-Cold coffee…?"
"Mhm. I like my coffee cold," he answered. From looks alone, his beverage had quite a bit of cream inside and there was the undeniable swirl of cinnamon inside as well, however with the coffee so cold, guessing the flavor would be difficult with the lack of aroma. "You want some coffee too?
"No thank you," she said. "I'm not a big fan of coffee." As the Shepherd's Pie was brought in and split among plates, she noticed Litten hop up onto the table again and look at Jacky's coffee. The moment it took a single lick while Jacky wasn't paying attention, it's expression softened at it seemed eased. "Um...Jacky?"
"Huh? GAH! Litten, what are you doing?" Jacky swept Litten into his hands and dropped him gently onto the floor. After inspecting his coffee, Jacky groaned and muttered, "He managed to get all the cinnamon... " As he quietly accepted his coffee's fate, he drank some before stopping, setting down the cup, and looking back at Litten. "Cinnamon...Actually, that doesn't sound bad!" He leaned over and scratched the little furball under the chin and asked, "How does the name Cinnamon sound, little guy?"
"Mrrroww!"