After a brief stop in with her mom, Alex returned to Hau'oli City and entered the Alola Photo Club building, which was near the dock. "I wonder what this is all about..." she mused to herself while she walked inside.
"Oh! Hello trainer!" called the woman behind the counter. "Looks like you've got a Z-Power Ring." Was that a requirement to get in here? Alex wondered and approached the counter. "Here at the Alola Photo Club, you can take photos with your favorite Pokemon as you strike your favorite poses! You should give it a try. After all, you came this far already!"
Alex folded her arms and looked at her bag. Which one should she take a picture of? After all, she would be just taking these pictures for her mother. "Maybe Dartrix? After all, he was my first partner..." She took the ball from her bag and shrugged. "Sure, why not?" She took her photo with her Pokemon.
"Oooh! I like your photo!" the girl said, holding out the photo to Alex once it was printed. "I'll give you a little something special so you can check out your photos anytime, too!" She reached under the counter and held out a small photo album.
"Wow, this is perfect!" Alex said, and took the book. This would be even better than just the pictures on the Poke Finder she was keeping for her mom.
"And as you visit more places, Rotom will help you out with capturing more backgrounds that you can use when you're taking photos, too!" the girl continued with her explanation. "Definitely come take more photos as you explore the islands during your island challenge!" Alex nodded and smiled, putting the album in her bag.
With that, she left the Photo Club. "Hey, there you are, Alex!" Hau called out as soon as the door closed right behind her. She saw him across the way, waving to her, with his newly evolved Popplio, now Brionne, by his side. Alex waved back and crossed the street to see him.
"I bet you and Dartrix got a great shot together at the photo club, right?"
Alex nodded. "I think so. I got a photo album, too; I'm going to save a lot of pictures for my mom."
Hau grinned. "Now it's time for our next stop! Akala Island, here we come!"
Alex cocked her head to the side. "You're not taking a photo before we go?"
Hau chuckled and put his hands behind his head. "Man, once I get started with all the poses and the stickers and things, I can't stop myself! I'll spend ages making sure Brionne is looking awesome, so I should hold off on taking any photos of my own for now. Wouldn't want to leave you bored and hanging!"
Alex chuckled as well. So it wasn't the lack of interest, it was a too much enthusiasm. "Well I hope you get time to later."
"Just think... I wonder what kind of trials we'll face next!"
"Good timing, Alex and Hau!" Kukui said while he approached with Lillie in tow. "I've just got the old girl all ready to set sail. "
"Oh, yeah. So, about that, Professor..." Kukui looked curiously at Hau. "I was thinking that I'd really like to head to Akala Island with Mantine! And I want Alex take a shot at Mantine Surfing, too!"
Alex blinked. "Wait, what? Mantine?"
Hau nodded, smiling enthusiastically. "Shoots, yeah! The Mantine from Big Wave Beach on Route 2. You saw them, right?" Alex nodded and remembered she had to chase of a pair of Team Skull goofs that were harassing the poor Pokemon.
Kukui shrugged. "Right... Well, Hau, it's all up to you! The island challenge is all about journeying together with Pokemon, after all!
"Yeah! So I'll see you on Akala Island, Professor! Alex!" Hau turned his enthusiasm to her now. "If you wanna go together, I'll be at Route 2's Big Wave Beach!"
Alex frowned and watched Hau run off. She did feel a little guilty that the Professor got the boat ready to take them to the next island, only for she and Hau to take a different way. "Um... I was hoping to ask a favor of you, Alexandra? If that's all right?"
Alex turned around to face her. "What is it?"
"You see... Nebby is..." she started, looking down at the little purple poof, which was floating by her feet. "Its real home is far away from here. And I want to get it home. It's like I told you before... Nebby saved my life once when I was in trouble. Now I want to save it!" Alex nodded; she could understand that. "I feel like there's not much I can do on my own, since I'm not a Pokemon trainer... but if I had a real trainer like you helping me, Alexandra, then maybe..." Lillie sighed and shook her head. "But I probably shouldn't ask a near stranger to help, right? I know it's just my own wish and it has nothing to do with you..."
"Of course I'll help!" Alex said and smiled. "I'll do what I can!"
"Oh, thank you so much. I'm so glad! I really didn't know what else to do!" Lillie paused. "Then, I suppose... The two of us will get to see one another on Akala Island next, too!" Nebby cried in agreement. She walked over to the dock, where Kukui left to.
Alex sighed to herself. So she wasn't going on the boat to Akala Island... Instead, she was there on a Mantine. How exactly was that going to be? She wouldn't know unless she went there, so she headed off to Big Wave Beach.
Once at the hotel that stood above the beach, Alex slowed her steps across the parking lot and stopped. The man ahead of her... he looked so familiar. Was that... a very tan Professor Oak?
"You have an island challenge amulet! Plus Normalium Z and Fightinium Z!" he said, looking at the Sparkling Stone on her wrist when she reached him. "So it would seem that you've cleared that trial of Ilima's, have you? And even battled Hala? Congratulations!"
"Um... who are you?"
"Oh! Well hello there. Nice to meet you. I'm Oak- Samson Oak."
Alex furrowed her brow. "Samson... Oak?"
He nodded. "I'm a Pokemon researcher, and I'm looking into the Totem Pokemon found around here."
She blinked. "You're studying the Totem Pokemon?"
"Yes, Totem Pokemon... Why are they so large? What gives them that burning aura? Don't you find yourself wondering as well?"
Alex nodded. "Yeah, actually..."
He smiled. "Precisely my point! In that case, let me tell you this... I want you to collect certain stickers for me, to recieve a totem-like Pokemon for yourself!"
"Wait." Alex dug into her bag and pulled out one of the totem stickers she had found. "Do you mean these?"
He looked at the sticker and nodded. "That's right, I mean the Totem Stickers! You can find Totem Stickers here and there. Peel them off whenever you find them, and try to collect them all. If you collect 20 Totem stickers to show me, I'll give you a fine Raticate! Don't let me down, young Alexandra!" Wait, how did he know my name? "After all, you are the trainer that Professor Kukui entrusted with Rotom there!" Oh, that was how. At being mentioned, Rotom zipped out of her bag to greet Samson Oak and disappeared back in. "I'll be around Heahea Beach on Akala Island, if you need to ever find me! You can reach it with a spot of Mantine Surfing." He smiled at her once more and left.
If she brought enough stickers, she would be able to get a totem-like Pokemon? They would be interesting to have, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to add them to her team. She could think it over, after all.
Down on the previously visited beach was Hau, standing by the instructor girl she had met before. She ran over to approach them and waved. "Hey!" Hau gave her a big smile and waved back.
"Oh? So the two of you were friends?" the instructor asked when Alex reached them.
"That's right, we are!" Hau announced proudly. "We're doing our island challenge together! And next up, we want to go to Akala Island!"
The girl nodded. "So I take it you beat old Hala? Our Mantine would be thrilled to have a couple of able trainers like you riding them!"
Alex nodded and looked over to the shore. Now she felt more confident in herself that she could take on the Mantine Surf. Hau rushed over to where a Mantine was waiting. "Great! So, like... How do we actually do Mantine Surfing?"
"Just go up to a Mantine and introduce yourself."
It couldn't be that easy. After changing clothes, Alex approached the shore to another Mantine and crouched down to it. She remembered she wanted to touch it the last time she was there. She carefully approached the Mantine, climbed onto its back... and it began to swim into the ocean!
After some coaching, Alex finally felt comfortable enough to try surfing to the next island. She moved along the waves, though a little roughly, and finally reached Heahea Beach on Akala Island.
Hau jumped off of his Mantine once the two reached the shore. "Land Ahoy! Or land ashore? Whatever you say!" Alex climbed off her Mantine and walked onto the shore beside him. "All right, we made it to Akala Island!"
The two turned to face their Mantine. "Mantine are the best!"
Alex smiled and crouched down, letting its slick and wet back. "Thanks for getting us here safely! Get back safely too, all right?" With that, the two Mantine turned and swam away into the ocean.
"So, do you think the professor and Lillie are already here, too? Let's split up and see if we can find them in town anywhere, Alex!"
Alex nodded. "Sounds like a good idea." Hau grinned and ran off, kicking up sand while he ran.