(So yes, I am dividing these chapters up into days and parts, I feel like it's a bit more interesting that way. Anywho, we've got a party to party hard at.
The Reviews
Jacob9594: Why yes, I do think that adding elements from both games makes this more fun, thanks.
Megan Romero: Well, Aubrey did mention a partner of her's. So maybe we'll be seeing her messaging this person? Either way it should be interesting.)
After they went down the steps from Iki Town, Aubrey stretched a bit. "Alright. So, where to begin…"
Jake also did some stretching, twisting his body around and some graceful leg stretches a danseur might do. "Well, normally on Pokemon journeys people start by training, having battles, collecting supplies, catching new friends..."
"I was actually gonna ask you about that," Aubrey confided. "You said you were originally from Hoenn, right? What's it like over there?"
"Beachy keen, full of contests, rich lore about titanic Legendaries, space races, crazy psychopathic dragon-loving girls... you know. Typical stuff." Jake wryly stated. Rowlet seemed to chuckle at his owner's sense of humor. Aubrey cracked a smirk at that.
"Man, sounds like a party town," She mused. "Though...I have to wonder about that last thing. Are we talking dragon-loving as in worship, or...what exactly?"
"Apparently she was like 'ahhhhh, meteor is coming to kill us all. Ya'll dum dumbs. Get Rayquaza on the line. Oh wait, only I can do that so I'll use it as an excuse to be a criminal.'" Jake exaggerated this with jazz hands and impressive expressions and poses. "She was like a Caller or Summoner or something too. I think her name was Zinnia?"
"Rayquaza, huh? Certainly sounds reckless to try and get a legendary to do your bidding...but I guess it smashed that meteor, given how you're still kickin'," Aubrey mused. Her Popplio couldn't help but clap his flippers together to give Jake props.
"Well I'm fairly certain given the pattern someone might eventually try the same thing here in Alola. I hope it wouldn't be one of those Ultra Beasts they are trying to control... ugh..." Jake shivered at the thought. "But yeah, it all worked out though Zinnia skillfully evaded jail time for her crimes and went back home somewhere."
Aubrey rolled her eyes at that last bit. "I'm almost afraid to ask but uh...what crimes exactly did she pull?"
"Arson, breaking and entering, destroying property of Mossdeep's Space Station, sabotage, blackmail, threatening people..." The ranger paused at the laundry list of criminal offenses Jake listed.
"...Yeah, if Van or I were there, she'd have been sent off either to prison or a therapist. No offense to her, since I don't know her deal but...wow." She shook her head.
"Whatever, must be great to be a princess or shaman or whatever title she was. She came from a long lineage." Jake sighed. "Still, it just means that there shouldn't ever be anyone like her again at least."
"And if there is, I'll put a stop to their plans right quick. Especially since from the stories I've heard...trying to control legendaries to do villainous deeds never worked out for the bad guys," Aubrey remarked, chuckling. "Now...what do I name you..." She was looking at her Popplio.
"Popipopipopipo!~" Jake laughed as he did a very hyper and enthusiastic dance that seemed to be a reference to something.
Aubrey laughed with him, as did Popplio. "Mmm...well, judging by my battle with Hau, it did like to use singing in between attacks."
"Ariel?~ I heard it turns into a mermaid and that is very much a mermaid name! Ooh or Coloratura! Or Songstress! Or Dubstep!" Jake's list of names grew more and more erratic as Popplio didn't seem to approve of that last one. If Popplio could talk, he would say that he didn't like dubstep.
"Well Popplio's a boy...oh, I know. Guys have two ranges they can sing in choir, right?" Aubrey asked. "How about Tenor?"
Jake's eyes lit up with excitement at that last name. "YESSSSS! That'd be very iconic and fitting for him!" Popplio agreed too, doing a flip in the air to show his approval.
"Alright! Tenor it is!" Aubrey smiled. "We're gonna get along just fine."
"As for my Rowlett... hmm." Jake softly picked up Rowlet and gazed into its eyes, eyes of which a thousand universes existed all at once. Eyes of which gazed upon its trainer fondly if slightly frazzled at the melodrama Jake was displaying right about now. "It must be a name of dignity of class, of sophistication, and in character. How about... Forrest?"
"Forrest is a nice name," Aubrey mused. "Fitting for a Grass type."
"Yes, I truly believe this epitaph is perfect!" Jake clenched his fist passionately as Forrest flew out of his grasp and perched onto Jake's head. Forrest nodded with great satisfaction to have an original name that wasn't a joke name. Tenor clapped in approval, looking eager to get this adventure started.
"Alright! Let's get warmed up for the festival!" Aubrey exclaimed. "I know I'm gonna need it for facing Hau."
"You sound awfully chipper about Hau." Jake raised an eyebrow, a comically suspicious eyebrow. "You must really want to see him again don't ya?" Jake sounded suspiciously implicative. It was apparent right away to the Ranger that Jake was probably only trolling her to see what answer she would give and unveil some truths about the relationship she had with the young, feisty firecracker of Alola. The answer he would get...was quite blunt and to the point.
"Dude, I'm like nine years older than him. I'm just amped for the festival," Aubrey answered, shaking her head with a chuckle. "I've never done anything like this before."
"Ok, you passed the safety test." Jake put his hands together and nodded with a respecting and deeply appreciative expression. Forrest wingpalmed. "Hoenn does have its own fare of partying but you are right that this is going to be entirely different from anything I've experienced. I heard they do have a rich cultural scene here," His trainer continued. "Which probably explains all the creepy urban legends too to be honest."
"Makes sense to me. Alright, Tenor! Our first mission together - we gotta get prepped for the festival tonight. Let's roll!" Aubrey went ahead and did her Ranger pose, Tenor deciding to join in too with a handstand and a smile. "Mission Start!" Jake and Forrest applauded Aubrey and Tenor for an impeccable trick. "All Rangers got a pose. It's how you know it's us," Aubrey smirked as she went into the tall grass with Tenor.
Jake sees the Yungoos and not only looks deeply disturbed but even gives an 'I'm watching you' motion to the very unfortunate looking Pokemon. Forrest on the other hand enjoyed training and getting the hang of combat, striking down Pokemon with consistency and focus.
Tenor quite liked the warm-up that he was getting, having a ball as he battled with Aubrey. She did find a Pokemon that she wanted to catch - a Grubbin!
"Ooh, this one looks promising," Aubrey mused. "Think I read some guide online when on the boat here suggesting new trainers get a Bug type, since they grow quickly."
"They aren't ever really strong enough to last the whole way through the journey though are they?" Jake frowned as he recalled the tragedy of knowing Beautifly was not truly viable in the mind of Hoenn's trainers. "Although that Grubbin is a cute little grubber."
"Yeah...but I could use something to help Tenor against Grass types," Aubrey responded. "I also heard the Bug types of Unova were all strong in their own ways."
"Hmm... maybe I just need to find the right bug to add to my posse then because as cute as these ones are, they aren't what I'd think would keep me alive against an Ultra Beast... or a really intense Ace Trainer."
After softening up the Grubbin enough, Aubrey took an empty Poke Ball she found on Route 1, and threw it to catch the little grub.
1...2...3...
Click!
Aubrey approached the Poke Ball, tossing it up in the air, doing a spin on the ground before jumping up to catch the ball. "Pokemon get!" She exclaimed.
"YEAH!" Jake jumps up in celebration and happiness for Aubrey's successful capture! "You got your new best friend! Sweet!"
Sticking the landing just fine, Aubrey had a smile. "Thanks!" She'd call out the little Grubbin, who looked at Aubrey curiously. "Now..." The ranger tended to the Grubbin with a Potion. "What kind of Pokemon are you, little thing?"
"Grub! Grubbin!" The Grubbin answered.
"Grubbin, huh? Pretty cool," Aubrey mused. Tenor would start conversing with his newly obtained team member, and after some talk, Tenor would try and communicate what he found out to her. "Okay, so it's a girl...good to know."
"Garbage Girl! In a good way!" Jake winked.
"Grub!" Grubbin responded in a sassy manner. Clearly she didn't want to be called garbage.
"Okay, so...you were using Vice Grip a lot when Tenor and I were looking to catch ya..." Aubrey put a hand to her chin before coming up with something. "Alright, this might sound silly but...how about Nom?"
The Grubbin stared at Aubrey for a good long moment, almost judging her for such a silly, childish sounding name...but eventually started laughing in approval.
"Well, Nom's got a lot of personality I can tell! She's going to be a really good fighter for us." Jake asserted. Forrest waved hello to Nom in as friendly a manner as he could, perhaps a bit intimidated by being type-vulnerable to her and her strong impression.
"Grub!" Nom responded in a cheery way.
"Well, we might as well get her up to scratch with Tenor, yeah?" Aubrey asked Jake. "We've got time before the festival."
"Of course! The more grinding the merrier I always say." Jake said. He really was an agreeable sort of person as Aubrey was soon discovering.
While Aubrey and Jake went off to train the ranger's new Pokemon, two individuals were right outside Iki Town, wearing what seemed to be futuristic attire. One was a man, and one was a woman who was swaying her head side to side.
"So this...is what they call a festival!" The woman said, watching the townsfolk getting things set up. "It does look like the people are having fun…"
"Not that they should!" The man responded. "As though this was any time to celebrate…"
The woman giggled. "You don't have to try so hard to act like you're not interested, you know? Maybe a festival isn't so bad sometimes. The aura measurements are pretty high, too!"
"Are they?" The man asked. "It is only thanks to the Blinding One that Alola is overflowing with such brilliance." He turned to face his companion. "Though the Blinding One is left in such a state now, so dark and enfeebled.
The woman responded with, "We've just gotta make sure the Blinding One can shine like it used to again, right!" She certainly sounded peppy. "So let's get started by having a look around!" With the man nodding, the two would go off and start their look around. They passed by the duo as they were headed to the festival, though they didn't greet each other. Once they passed though...
"...Is it just me, or am I getting weird vibes from those two?" Aubrey asked.
"Weird vibes? Aubrey, they look like they should exist in Star Trek!" Jake raised his arms as he was more stupefied than creeped out by these weird individuals. "Seriously, who dressed them to go like THAT to a festival?"
"If it was a festival for that...show?" Aubrey scratched the back of her head. "I dunno, I'm not all up on that kinda culture, my guy."
"Likewise, it's absurd. They were also talking like aliens from another planet." Forrest nodded in agreement at the sheer weirdness of it all.
"Well they certainly aren't from Alola, that's for sure," Aubrey commented, then shrugged. "Eh. I don't think it's any of our business right now." She headed towards Iki Town while Tenor and Nom seemed to be wondering what the heck that was all about.
"Maybe we can say they are very dedicated LARPERs and call it a day..." Jake trailed off.
"Yeah. Let's go with that," Aubrey curtly responded.
By the time they returned to Iki Town, the townsfolk were all ready for the festival. Everyone was chilling with each other, there was a nice spread of food near the wooden platform stage, and a few Pokemon were enjoying the party. Hala would approach the two.
"Yo!" Aubrey waved.
"As I'm sure you two know, the Alola region is made up of four islands. And each island has its own guardian Pokemon," Hala spoke.
"Kukui told me about them. Lemme see...Tapu Koko guards Melemele, Tapu Lele guards Akala, Tapu Bulu guards Ula Ula, and Tapu Fini guards Poni," Aubrey replied.
Hala smiled, impressed. "Correct on all four! Our festival today is held to express our thanks to these great Pokemon deities for always remaining by our side."
"How lovely! What traditions and rituals do they perform to honor them?" Jake asked curiously.
Hala chuckled. "Well, we may call it a festival, but it's just this little thing you see here. There may not be many of us, but at least every last one of us here goes all out."
"I'm under the impression he means by that, everyone goes all out on partying," Aubrey mused. "My kind of festival!"
"Yeah but when everyone 'goes all out' that usually means a lot of people to pick up off of the floor..." Jake muttered in embarrassment. "And I don't drink alcohol so hopefully everyone knows how to keep the partying to a moderation."
"Oh, there's no need to worry about that, Jake," Hala assured with a warm smile.
Hau was ahead with his Litten, who Aubrey approached. "Ho! Howzit, Aubrey?" He greeted.
"It goes great, Hau!" Aubrey responded. "I got my feet wet as a trainer from battling on Route 1."
"Man, I never thought you'd make it! Me and Litten have been waiting for ages!" Hau teased.
"Trust me, it's worth the wait." The ranger folded her arms with a smile.
"Mrawr!" Litten chimed.
"Row!" Forrest chimed in as well, excited for this party.
Soon coming onto the scene was Kukui and Lillie, the professor looking eager for the evening's festivities. "Oh yeah, right on time!" He cheered.
"But to what exactly?" Lillie tilted her head to the side. She knew it was a festival, but not sure about the specifics it seemed.
"Pew!" Nebby jostled around in Lillie's bag, forcing her to get it under control right quick.
"A full-powered festival for Pokemon battling!" Kukui explained. "We battle in the name of Tapu Koko, pitting our best moves against one another in friendly competition to please our guardian! Woo!"
Aubrey looked at Kukui slack-jawed. "Are you...man, if I had known, I would've asked Van to send over Skarmory!"
Jake smirked. "So are the best of the best trainers in Alola here?"
"So, you two will be taking part in the battle?" Lillie asked, referring to Aubrey and Hau. She managed to indirectly answer Jake's question. "I don't like seeing Pokemon fight one another, since they so often end up getting hurt. But...I'll be sure to watch you both."
"Much appreciated, Lillie," Aubrey hummed.
"Yeah, what she said!" Hau beamed.
"Well then, break all the legs and tails and paws then you two! The gods demand SATISFACTION!" Jake accentuated the last word in a dramatic faux-French accent.
Aubrey couldn't help but laugh at that. "Alright then, we're ready to go Hala!"
"Then let's go!" Hala would lead Aubrey and Hau to the platform stage, both of them looking eager to get this started.
"On your mark...get set...GO!" Jake shared in their enthusiasm as he stood among the townsfolk spectating.
Hala stood on the center of the platform, acting as the official for the battle. "For life on all islands...and for those who undertake the island challenge with joy in their hearts...we pray for your protection...for them and all Melemele." He spoke. "May this Pokemon battle be an offering to our island's guardian deity - Tapu Koko! Before you stands Hau - grandson of the Kahuna."
Hau would step on stage, ready to battle.
"Let's have fun with this, Litten!" He warmly said.
"Before him stands Aubrey - one who has met with Tapu Koko," Hala then introduced as Aubrey got on the stage too.
"What?! Is that...a Pokemon Ranger!?" One person in the crowd exclaimed.
"What a curious little thing Tapu Koko is! Hah, that's just typical of it!" Another giggled.
"Bring it, my boy," Aubrey confidently stated to Hau.
"As long as we both have a good time, then I think we can call it a great battle, eh?" Hau mused.
Aubrey nodded in agreement. "Couldn't have said it better myself."
"Aubrey! Hau! Bring forth the power of your Pokemon!" Hala exclaimed.
Hau would lead off with a Pichu, Aubrey going for Nom's Poke Ball. She did learn a new trick that might help her out here, hoping it would work. "Alright Nom, let's show 'em what you can do!" She exclaimed.
"Grub!" Nom was at the ready. Needless to say, Aubrey's preparations certainly paid off against Kahuna Hala's grandson. With Nom packing Mud-Slap, it made dealing with Pichu easier, but taking it down with Vice Grip came at the cost of being paralyzed. But it was no concern to Aubrey at the moment, since she called Nom back and sent out Tenor. With Water type moves, the battle would end decisively for the ranger.
"What? It's already over!?" Hau sheepishly smiled, rubbing the back of his head.
"That is it, Hau," Aubrey responded, tending to Nom.
"Great job you two! You were totally LIT!" Jake hi-fived the two of them graciously. He thought their battle was very ceremonious and special, truly a well-fought endeavor that the Tapu Pokemon couldn't resist.
The two gladly returned the favor for Jake.
"Hoo-ee! Another great battle this year!" A spectator cheered.
"I bet Tapu Koko liked it too," Another onlooker remarked.
"Phew...that was awesome, Aubrey!" Hau complimented.
"Yeah, you're not too bad yourself," Aubrey returned the mutual feeling.
"It was a good battle," Hala remarked. "With this, even Tapu Koko..."
"Ko-ko-kooo!" Tapu Koko's voice was heard in the distance.
"Ho! You heard it yourself! Tapu Koko's song of approval," Hala laughed heartily. Jake smiled, happy to hear the Legendary Pokemon god's melodic tune.
"Oh! I nearly forgot!" Hala approached the ranger. "I think it is time you take this, Aubrey." He would hand her some sort of white bracelet with a design on the front that looked like the sparkling stone she got from Tapu Koko earlier in the day.
"Wow...what is it?" Aubrey asked, sliding it on.
"Your Z-Ring, a mysterious armband that can draw out the power that lies deep within Pokemon...it can bring forth their Z-Power!" Hala explained. The ranger was still lost on this.
"I...take it this is a concept foreign to literally every region not Alola," Aubrey wagered.
"It's a Mega Ring!" Jake looked super stoked about it. "I left mine at home because I heard Alola...ostracized it..." Then he looked upset. Aubrey could tell it's a difficult topic for Jake.
"Well...I've read lots of entries since I've been here on Pokemon and they said Mega Evolution was an archaic and evil practice. It didn't empower Pokemon, it corrupted them and there was never a strong bond between a trainer and a Mega Evolved Pokemon, only an abusive power fantasy. Mega Pokemon are too powerful, too dangerous, berserk and sometimes even hurt by the transformation. It...it felt like a gut punch to me when all I heard from Hoenn was how it was a new and revolutionary way of invoking your Pokemon's true potential and was a symbol of unity and connection..." Jake explained, looking sadly at Aubrey.
The ranger rubbed her temples at hearing this. "Alright, I'm gonna level with you. If The Union got word of Mega Evolution being like this at all, we would've launched a full scale investigation if this concept of Mega Evolution truly did hurt Pokemon. Honestly, it just sounds like some stupid conspiracy theory by individuals who hate it," She responded, sounding a tad bit irked at the thought of such a thing being a reality. Of course, she didn't buy it for one single second.
Jake nodded in agreement, looking frustrated and opened up an inquiry with a shout, "Then that's part of the reason I think this region is increasingly delusional and even scary! Why would they spread this horrific fable out to the people here?! Like they don't think Ultra Beasts is enough so they vilified Mega Evolution too?!"
Hala flinched, looking a bit upset and saddened at this explosion of emotion. As if they themselves hadn't thought about the guidelines and rulings of Pokemon in that fashion.
There was suddenly a murmur among the townsfolk at Jake's outburst. Ultra Beasts? What was he talking about?
"Uh...I think this might not be the best place to mention this," Aubrey advised.
Jake gave a long and tired sigh. "Sorry."
"Everyone, please remain calm!" Aubrey called to the crowd. "It's nothing more than a bunch of nonsense spread by misinformed online groups. Though if there are any reports of Ultra Beasts out there, on behalf of the Union, I'll take care of it." Jake could tell she was only saying this to get the festival goers to simmer down, having sensed that the air in the town grew tense. She wasn't doubting his claims at all, but something had to be done before panic started to set in.
And thankfully, with her air of authority, it worked out just fine. Aubrey let out a sigh of relief. "Sorry for having to do that man..." She spoke in a low voice. "You didn't do anything wrong." Hala and Kukui, with Hau and Lillie going with them, opted to give the two some space.
Jake offered a sheepish expression, Forrest eating a Malasada on his head. "Thank you Aubrey... I just... don't understand why a region would go so far in... this." He looked at the Z Ring upon Aubrey's finger with an expression of disillusionment. Was this 'Z-Power' deemed better or trendier than Mega Evolution and that's why they made Mega Evolution a pariah of a concept? Did they pay for any damages they did to any Mega Evolution specialists for the damage and harm their rulings and claims caused? Heck, would anyone who advocated for it be arrested or not allowed to visit? It just seemed all too political for his liking, all too strange like he feared the region was all too much of.
"The festival was lovely at least, I can enjoy that side of Alola while I am here." Jake said quietly.
Aubrey then asked Jake something she thought about, which might explain his outburst. "I'm gonna take a shot in the dark here...you have a Pokemon that can Mega Evolve, don't you?"
"Well... back in my PC I do have two from Hoenn at least. I wanted to start from scratch here like any sensible trainer would." Jake explained. "So I didn't bring 'em on my team."
"That's what I thought. It's only natural you'd get upset at some...imbecile calling your bond with your Pokemon that can Mega Evolve fake and a power fantasy." Aubrey rubbed his shoulder, empathy in her eyes. "Heck, I'd probably have done the same if someone said that to my face. Except...y'know, with a fist instead of words. Or a kick. Whatever I'm feeling like."
Jake chuckles, showing the idea of seeing her do that appealed greatly to him. "Yeah... and it just makes me worried what'd happen if I tried using this 'blessing' here where it's not socially accepted. And that I have to use this Z thing that's literally not much different from what I gathered just to fit in like I'm being discriminated against." Aubrey could tell he called the power a 'blessing' to emphasize how important and how much he admired the original concept of Mega Evolution.
"Well, I guess we'll find out once we see this 'blessing' in action, yeah?" The ranger mused. "And hey, if it's anything like Mega Evolution, more credence to the theory of it's just some crackpot spreading lies because they were salty by way of losing to Mega Evolution."
"... Yeah, that's a valid point." Jake nodded. Aubrey's sage advice but patient and neutral tone made it so much easier to understand rather than feel lectured or patronized. "I just know that I would only express the truth and appreciation for any battling style as long as it wasn't illegal or harmful. And if it held significant meaning or made users of the battling style grow and mature and feel confident, then that's something to celebrate. Not to tear down."
"Couldn't have said it better myself." Aubrey smiled. "You're talking to someone who loves Pokemon as part of her job to take care of and make sure they're doing okay. Those bonds trainers have with Pokemon, they're valid. As are everyone's bonds with Pokemon, whether they be companions in battles for glory, or companions in their everyday lives. I don't know what someone's deal in life is until I get to know them, so that's why I try to remain partial...though all bets are off if my buttons get pushed." She shook her head. "I swear, if I have to deal with another person who abuses a Pokemon by having it go up an escalator until...I don't know when, I'm gonna lay them out."
While she definitely had a neutral and supportive attitude, Jake could clearly tell that Aubrey's passion for Pokemon could send her into a bit of a fit at the sight of Pokemon abuse, or even selling them off for profit.
"Well I would sooner stop the escalator for repairs than walk away, so you don't have to worry about me being anyone who would do something atrocious or cruel like that. The Rangers in Hoenn are a lot like you in that they DEFTLY care for all Pokemon and all nature. They lack the fancy technical gadgets and abilities that you do, but they are cool people to talk to and the Weather Station teaches you a lot about the weather and respecting Pokemon and nature." Jake explained. "We'll definitely visit there if you ever take a field trip to Hoenn."
"Well any crazies that HAVE come my way, yeah I lay them out on the ground like a BOSS." Jake was obviously exaggerating as he flexed his arms but it made Forrest laugh.
Having seen the two feeling better, Kukui took a seat next to them. "If it makes you feel any better Jake, my wife's researching the Ultra Beasts," He mentioned. "I wanted to tell you that earlier, but...I wasn't too sure. My bad, cousin."
"Huh. She's a brave soul. Has she found anything?" Jake asked.
"Well, when you two get to Heahea City on Akala Island, be sure to hit her up and find out," Kukui answered with a grin. "Now, about Z-Powers. In order to use them, the main component to those are the Z-Crystals you get for completing the Island Trials. Once you beat an island's trials, you then face the Kahuna in a battle we call the Grand Trial. Beat 'em all on your way to becoming the island challenge champion! Woo!"
"Sounds easy enough, professor," Aubrey mused.
Kukui shook his head. "It'll be tough, but if you're able to bring out the best in your Pokemon, they'll certainly feel that way!"
"We'll definitely do it Professor. If you stop now, you are just holding yourself back, right?" Jake said.
"That's right!" Kukui gave Jake a supportive pat on the back. "Once the festival's over, swing by my lab. I'll get you two set up to take on the island challenge. Till then, you two enjoy yourselves."
"Thanks Professor! Make sure to have a blast and stay clear of the vodka!"
"Will do!" Kukui stood up and walked off.
Aubrey did the same. "I know I'm supposed to be on paid leave and all...but it seems like I'm working on my off-time. No biggie." She didn't seem too bothered by this development. "But Tapu Koko approved of my battle with Hau, so I think it's safe to say..." With her flashy ranger pose and Tenor doing his little handstand, she would proudly say, "Mission clear!"
"Mission Success!" Jake exclaimed. Forrest did a pose of his own which looked like a dab.
Aubrey was quite amused by this. "You wanna try and make your own stylish pose?" She offered. "Well go on, strut your stuff!"
Jake, ever the lover of posing and looking stylish and epic, nodded in agreement. He twirled around, did a little shuffle to the left and a little to the right, and then flamboyantly shook his hips. Then as he pulls the weight of his body up, he makes a heart with his hands and cocks his hip to the right as he gives a playful wink.
The ranger gave a thumbs-up of approval. "Love it!"
"Thanks!" Jake squeed.
It'd be a few minutes later that they'd be greeted by that same pair of strangely dressed individuals from earlier. Aubrey had a glass of Pinap Juice in hand as they approached.
"That was a most mysterious event..." The man remarked. "A festival to celebrate drawing forth one's power..."
"Can I help you?" Aubrey asked, taking a casual sip of her drink.
"You looked like you were enjoying the show," The woman giggled. "Did you want to take part in the battles, too?"
"Don't be silly...we're here to investigate and learn," The man responded. "How much do you two know about Ultra Beasts?"
"Not... enough." Jake hesitantly said.
Seeing as it might be best for her to do the talking, Aubrey answered the man with, "At most all we've heard is hearsay and rumors. Nothing more, nothing less."
"I see. Even with all of our technology, we cannot control the Blinding One's light. Thus we are left with no choice but to stop it by force." The man remarked.
"But that's not what the captain wants to do," The woman reminded her companion. "He wants to try and use the Blinding One's light for- oh sorry, where are our manners? I'm Zossie! This super serious guy is my coworker in the Ultra Recon Squad, Dulse."
"Aubrey Bradford," Aubrey greeted. "You probably already guessed, but I'm a Pokemon Ranger, and I assure you my duties seem to be in line with yours...except for the whole 'stop it by force' part."
"Zossie and Dulse..." Jake repeated their names more out of disbelief than courtesy.
'Further adding credence that they're out of this world...' Aubrey thought to herself. "Anyway, what's all this about a Blinding One?"
"We were sent here on behalf of the captain to find how to-" Zossie would've finished had Dulse not interrupted her.
"Zossie! Are you sure we should be telling them about our mission so openly?" He reprimanded.
"Aww, but they seem so nice!" Zossie responded. "If this Aubrey lady is wielding this Z-Power Ring...look at it, the aura readings are off the charts! If this is how humans in Alola can control auras, maybe she can help us!" She had a smile. "Ah, Alola is such a wonderful place!"
"That may be true...but she had only just obtained it. I'm positive she doesn't know how to use it," Dulse reasoned.
"Yeah..." Aubrey trailed off. She wasn't entirely sure what these two were going on about. "Well uh...you two have fun with whatever it is you're doing. If you need assistance, y'know...I stick out like a sore thumb around here."
"Noted..." Dulse responded.
"Yup, see ya! C'mon Dulse, to the next site!" Zossie took off with her teammate, and once they were gone...
"...So wanna meet up with my partner over video call when we get to Kukui's lab?" Aubrey offered. "Because I have no clue what they were talking about."
"I'm tempted to call the police and report those nutjobs." Jake said with disgust and Forrest nodded in agreement. "But yeah, let's get over there and meet your partner in crime-solving."
"Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but...as far as I'm concerned, they're not doing anything illegal," Aubrey rolled her eyes, finishing her drink and properly disposing of it. "C'mon, the festival's winding down and it's getting dark." She'd lead the way to Kukui's lab, which was due south down Route 1.
"...When they said Auras...they meant the Lucario Auras right?" Jake's reasoning mind was at work once more as they approached the Lab. "Is Aura energy related to Z-Rings you think?"
"Pretty sure it's the second thing," Aubrey answered. "Since that Zossie kid was talking about my Z-Power Ring."
"More like Z-Dour Ring." Jake snarked. "So there's two different Auras then huh?"
"Seems to be the case...though what kinda aura was Zossie alluding to if not Lucario's auras..." Aubrey thought on it as they approached Kukui's lab which...well, what they heard was quite interesting.
They heard sounds of Pokemon fighting inside...and Kukui's voice too.
"Oh yeah, Rockruff! Let's go! Give it everything you've got!" He was heard saying.
"...Judging by the state of the lab, I'm assuming he researches Pokemon moves by the Pokemon using the moves on him," Aubrey deadpanned.
"It'ssssssssss not punishment time I take it?" Jake laughed as he made a charismatic sound like he was announcing something only to cut to the chase.
"Well if someone only heard that, it could be very misconstrued. I'm gonna go see if he's okay." Aubrey would go to the door and head on inside.
"Hey there, you two!" Kukui greeted. Lillie was there too, making sure that things didn't get too destructive.
"Ooh, very museum lobby room. But hey Kukui. Lillie. Soooo uh... is this how you get all the negativity out or what?" Jake chuckled.
"It's how he researches Pokemon moves," Lillie explained. "He had his lab here by the tall grass for research purposes."
"Yeah, Rockruff's moves here were just so stylin', and I was making good progress with my research," Kukui added. "Now, about your Pokedexes...Lillie, mind getting those for me?"
Lillie nodded. "I'll be right back." She went down the stairs into the basement to go fetch them.
"Say professor? Can we ask a favor?" Aubrey requested.
"Sure thing, cousin. Whatcha need?" Kukui asked in response.
"Do you have any way I can contact my partner Vanessa? We need to talk to her about some things," Aubrey informed.
"I don't see why not. I'll get my PC set up so you can call her over video, once we get your Pokedex situation sorted," Kukui agreed.
"Great!" Jake sure sounded relieved.
Lillie would soon return with a pair of Pokedexes for Aubrey and Jake. "Here you are."
"Alright, now that it's here...Aubrey and Jake will have a little buddy to guide them around Alola, since they're new here!" Kukui proclaimed. "Though I only have one...see, you know of this Pokemon called Rotom?"
Aubrey paused, shaking her head. "Oh, I remember Rotom..."
"Um...it wasn't a pleasant experience, was it?" Lillie asked.
"Try becoming a target to clear where it took control of a refrigerator and turned me into a human popsicle," Aubrey answered. "Of course it wasn't pleasant, Rotoms are known to be pranksters. But I still care about 'em. It was just one bad apple."
"The one you've got Aubrey is a next generation of Pokedexes, but it's only complete when Rotom has gone into this body specially developed for it!" Kukui explained.
'Oh. Joy.' Aubrey groaned mentally, but put on a happy face. "Alright, hook me up professor!"
Jake now looks at his Rotom Dex with a nervous expression and gulps. "I... think I'll leave this to Forrest." Jake hands it off to Forrest, who reluctantly bites onto it but finds it uncomfortable.
"From the sound of it, I'm the one getting a Rotom in my Pokedex," Aubrey remarked.
"Yeah, that's right. Yours can function just fine without Rotom," Kukui mentioned. "In order for Rotom to work with this Pokedex of Aubrey's, I just need to upgrade it with the parts I just got in...So you'll be fine!" Out came a Rotom!
"Zzt! Zzt!" The Rotom buzzed.
Jake sighs in relief and pulls the Pokedex out of Forrest's beak, much to their own relief.
"Hey now! Sorry about that, Rotom. Guess I surprised you?" Kukui chuckled. "Here boy! I powered up your favorite 'Dex! Give Aubrey here a Helping Hand, yeah?"
The Rotom obliged happily, going into the Pokedex as it started to power up, except this time with its face partially appearing on the screen.
"Kzzzzzzzt! Nice to meet you, pals! Gentle on the goods, OK?" Rotom greeted.
"...Oh Arceus this is honestly kinda cool," Aubrey chuckled. "We finally have a way to have humans and Pokemon speak with each other."
"Wait, it's not the device talking, it's the Pokemon talking? Sweet! I'd like to talk to that Slowking someday though that can talk..." Jake admitted.
"That'zzzz right, buddy!" Rotom cheerfully chimed. "I'll be your guide to the beautiful Alola region!"
"Once tomorrow rolls around-" As Kukui said this, suddenly the light of night...went completely pitch black outside.
"What in the world..." Aubrey looked outside. It didn't last for long, as the natural light outside returned after a moment.
"...Ok uh...that was either a sudden freak power outage or a Pokemon flew overhead or... well, anything else." Jake pointed out.
"Pew…" Nebby sounded scared from where he was.
"Don't worry, Nebby - it's okay," Lillie assured.
"A long long time ago, Alola was cloaked in darkness, yeah...but people say that's when Alola's people and Pokemon blasted all that darkness away with light!" Kukui explained. "And they also say that's why people started gathering Z-Crystals, and that custom turned into the island challenge."
"Thanks for the info," Aubrey responded.
"That... sounds too anime for me to be buying it, I'm afraid Professor." Jake shook his head. "If it is happening again, guess we'll do some research then!"
"Yeah, if you could help us get a call set up with my partner, that'd be great," Aubrey added.
"Sure thing! Follow me, you two!" He didn't seem bothered at all by Jake's disbelief, leading them down to his PC and getting things set up for them.
After waiting a little bit for the call to get picked up, they'd get a response from the Kanto region, Pewter City to be precise.
The woman in question was feeding her Gastrodon and Aubrey's Skarmory when she got the call. At 19 years old, she stood five foot six and weighed 140 pounds, with medium length purple hair, fair skin, and bright blue eyes. She wears a customized uniform like Aubrey, with a green vest, the top half of the torso being a yellow color, and the rest of the ensemble was a light blue. She had the watch Styler and pouches on the belt containing various medical supplies and a specialized tech device, as well as the standard tools one would expect from a Pokemon Ranger.
"Van!" Aubrey started the call with her nickname for her ranger friend. "It's me, Aubrey! And boy, am I glad to see you."
The ranger on the other end perked up noticeably. "Oh hey Brey! How's the vacation so far?"
"Where do I begin?" Aubrey answered. "Well, I can begin with the new friend I've made here."
"Oh?" Vanessa was curious.
"Wanna introduce yourself?" Aubrey offered to Jake.
Jake graciously took to the phone call. "Hello, Jake Hagguire here and very happy to meet another new face and friend of Aubrey's."
"Oh, hello there Jake," Vanessa greeted. "I am Vanessa Parker and her partner. I'm currently keeping an eye on her Skarmory while she's on break."
"Skarr!" Aubrey's Skarmory was sure glad to see her.
"Skarmory! I missed you too, boy," Aubrey smiled. "So uh, we could use some help in figuring things out. Because today's been quite...eventful, for me. I already met one of the Tapus!"
Vanessa chuckled. "Well that is being a Ranger for ya. We seem to be magnets for Legendary Pokemon. But sure, what do you need?"
"Well, you're the tech expert. Jake has a photo I want to send to you," Aubrey explained. "Something about these 'Ultra Beasts', and I don't know much about them."
"Ah. Let me take a look," Vanessa requested.
"Do you mind if I borrow your phone real quick?" Aubrey asked her companion.
"Of course, go right ahead." Jake handed it over to the ranger. So taking Jake's phone, she would get the photo he showed her before and started sending it to Vanessa. "It's a bit blurry, so if you can find out how to make it more clear, that'd be nice."
"Sure," Vanessa agreed. "Let me get this on a computer and I can work on enhancing it."
"Thanks Van. There was also this pair of individuals saying they belonged to some...Ultra Recon Squad, Dulse and Zossie." Aubrey crossed her legs in the chair. "They were going on about some Blinding One, and I have no idea what that means."
"Also there was a moment of DARKNESSSSSSSS." Jake said dramatically. "While we were at the lab and apparently it happened in Alola's history and they were like 'lol bye dark hi light'."
"Hmm…" Vanessa closed her eyes in thought. "That sort of lines up with a legend from Alola."
"That's probably the same legend Kukui was telling us regarding the Z-Crystals," Aubrey mentioned. "Jake thought it sounded too anime to be true."
"Could be…" Vanessa responded as she was fixing up the picture. "Okay, sending it your way."
Once they get the photo back, they can view that there is a vortex in the near distance of the image that the Ultra Beast is striding towards. Something mystifying and powerful-looking. And that more of the physical features of the Ultra Beast are more distinguishable like it's face, features, and appendages. Vanessa paused, staring at the enhanced image before something clicked in her mind.
"Waait...I have seen that before…" She realized.
"You have?" Aubrey sounded surprised. "Where'd you hear about this?"
"The International Police," Vanessa elaborated. "Ten years ago something like that opened up in the skies above Poni Island in Alola. Officers...Looker and Nanu were on call and all they found was a young woman who had next to no memories about herself. All she recalled is that she guarded a tower and was a fairly powerful trainer. There is more here but it's redacted."
Aubrey looked at Jake. "So...they are real after all..."
"There are a lot of Towers out there in the Pokemon world." Aubrey's words didn't reassure Jake strongly on the matter. Jake had already been long convinced of their existence after all. "Yay. #AlolaPride." He said sarcastically.
"Some of the Pokemon she owns are no jokes either. Raikou, Entei, and Latios are the standouts," Vanessa added.
"So wait. We're pretty positive that the Ultra Recon Squad are not from Alola. And if these Ultra Beasts are coming out of these portals...it's safe to say that the Ultra Beasts are also from another world," Aubrey realized. "...Hoo boy."
"Yeah...seems like interdimensional Pokemon are a thing now…" Vanessa responded. "...if they are Pokemon."
"I'm pretty sure they can be Capture Styler'd just like the rest," Aubrey said after composing herself. "But yeah...to think I came here on paid leave, but now I've got my work cut out for me in investigating this stuff. The Union's really gonna want to hear about this..."
"Yeah. You want me to do that?" Her partner offered.
""Yeah, just send a message to the Union that I'll investigate the matter with Jake here, and write a full report when I get back to HQ," Aubrey answered. "It's getting late, we gotta get to bed. Hey...before I go, do you think we could call you before bed so you can help us out in this investigation?"
"I have no problems with that." Vanessa had a kind smile saying that. "I was actually asked to see the professor in the morning. So I will tell you what that is tomorrow."
"Alright, take care! Love you Skarmory!" Aubrey waved to Skarmory, who gave her a caw before having to hang up.
"So now what do we do...? We know that those freaks of nature exist, Alola is biased and scary, and things are happening that may or may not be related." Jake rambled, a deep frown on his face.
"That's what I'm here for, remember?" Aubrey reminded Jake. "That'd I keep you safe from the Ultra Beasts. I'm gonna make sure we get to the bottom of this, no matter what it takes on my end." She shook her head, but had that smile again. "Come to Alola for vacation, but now I'm back to work...ah well, doesn't mean I can't enjoy it, yeah?"
Jake gave Aubrey a clean, kind handshake of gratitude before taking a deep breath and recomposing himself. He wasn't helpless on Hoenn so it was time to start being helpful on Alola. "Ok. So the next item on the agenda is to do the Island Kahuna Challenge then."
"Right. And to start with that, we'll need to beat the trials on Melemele, then battle Hala. Though..." She'd let out a yawn, stretching her arms out. "We really gotta hit the hay, man. I don't mind sleeping on the floor." She'd go into her duffel bag and come out with a sleeping bag, clearly meant for her.
"Are you sure Aubrey?" Jake asked to make sure. "I don't mind a sleeping bag and you could have the bed. Besides, you have more Pokemon than me who could use the nice rest."
"Nah, it's all good. I was anticipating having to camp out here at least once or twice," The ranger assured him. "I'm used to it."
"Ok then. I'm going to go get ready for bed and then it's lights out... not literally all lights but the local lights." Jake chuckled as he went into the bathroom.
"You do that!" Aubrey herself would get dressed for bed, rolling out the sleeping bag and getting comfy.
All of this wasn't what she had in mind when she thought of the word 'vacation', but upon reflection...this might be more exciting than what she anticipated. An out of this world mystery, an enigmatic creature named Nebby, and extraterrestrial beings known as Ultra Beasts...as her paid leave vacation to Alola ended its first day, Aubrey could hardly wait for what tomorrow brought her and Jake. So much so she fell asleep with a smile on her face. The hype was real with this ranger.
(And with that, the first day of Aubrey's 'paid leave' begins. Couple things to say, first of which being that Vanessa isn't my character, that belongs to Cody the Worldwalker. Though considering he writes in script format, I didn't have much of a challenge writing it to fit the format of the story. So shout-out to him, we'll see more of Aubrey's partner in the future.
Also, the Ultra Recon Squad, I have plans with these guys and their role in the story, but I won't spoil that for ya. It's a secret till later~!
Day 2 is gonna be a lot of stuff going into it, so it'll have quite a couple parts since that day is based around getting through all of what Melemele has to offer, so look forward to that. Bye for now!)