Any Color You Like Chapter 4: Welcome to the Machine, a pokémon fanfic

Chapter Four – Welcome to the Machine

The first thing Serena did when she and Ash returned home was lock herself in the bathroom and take a long, cold shower. By the time she turned off the water, she was shivering. She continued to shiver as she changed into her pajamas and buried herself beneath the covers of Ash's bed. She shivered herself to sleep.

When morning came, for a few blissful moments she did not remember the previous night. Then, a wisp of a memory crossed her mind, and her heart throbbed.

She stood in front of the window and stared. The peaceful, idyllic scenery outside was a mockery of a backdrop for her life, an ironic counterpoint to what was going on inside her head. It was another perfect day in Pallet Town, and everything was wrong.

She kept it to herself as she dug into another massive, delicious breakfast made by Delia. The more she thought about the night before, the less obvious it became who she could talk to about it. Ash was out of the question, and for more reasons than having his mouth crammed full of food. There was no way he would be able to help her. He was part of the problem.

What other option did she have, though? Delia was out of the question, for obvious reasons. The same was true for her own mother. Clemont? He wouldn't know what to tell her. As it was, he was already in over his head with Korrina. What about Korrina, maybe? No, they weren't close enough to talk about something so personal. That, and Serena had a suspicion that Korrina would fail to see the problem since she was so much more forward. Bonnie? She was too young.

Of course, there was one person whose advice she wanted more than any other. Her heart twitched at the thought. She couldn't do it. There was no way she could talk to Aria about this. It would be an even bigger slap in her face than begging for money. She already had withheld the truth that she wanted the money so she could reunite with Ash. How could she ever ask Aria for advice with her relationship with him?

There was no choice but to try to talk to Ash about it. As the two of them walked hand-in-hand to Professor Oak's lab for another day on the ranch, Serena resolved to herself that she would speak to him about her feelings about last night before the end of the day. It was the right thing to do. She knew it.

Her endless train of thought was derailed when they arrived at the lab. As soon as they entered the door, Tracey informed them that Professor Oak wanted to speak with them in his office.

Tracey led them to the office and knocked on the door. While they waited, Serena dreaded why they were summoned here. She envisioned Professor Oak giving them an earful for making out so much on his property. When the door opened, though, Professor Oak looked as jovial as ever.

"Ah, Ash! Serena! Please, come in. Thank you, Tracey," he said.

Tracey returned to the front desk, and Professor Oak welcomed Ash and Serena inside.

"Please, have a seat. Make yourselves comfortable," he said, closing the door behind them. He gestured to two squashy armchairs in front of his desk.

Ash sat in one, and Serena sat in the other. She sank so deep into the chair that it reminded her of Muk, as if it were going to swallow her whole.

Professor Oak sat in his own chair on the opposite side of the desk. He leaned forward to face them, his arms resting on top of it.

"So, it certainly seems like you two have been having a grand time here for the past few days," said Professor Oak.

Serena hoped that didn't mean what she feared it meant.

"Yeah, you could say that!" Ash said, laughing as he scratched the back of his neck.

"I must say, I've never seen all your Pokémon so full of energy, and that's saying something," said Professor Oak. "Plus, getting a chance to study the Kalos Pokémon you two brought with you has been a fascinating experience. Especially your Greninja, Ash. Truly, a remarkable Pokémon."

"Yeah, he really is," said Ash.

"Indeed, it is clear to many researchers that the things you have achieved with Greninja are extraordinary in the literal sense. That is, beyond ordinary. Unusual."

Serena had a sense that she knew where this was headed.

"Well, yeah," said Ash. He nodded like it was obvious.

"I spoke to my cousin Samson the other day. He is a researcher studying Pokémon in the Alola region. When I told him about you and your Greninja, he expressed great interest. He told me he has a colleague who studies Pokémon moves, and that he had no doubt this colleague would be interested in meeting you."

Ash was doing a poor job of containing the grin on his face.

"I've been in touch with Samson again since then," said Professor Oak. "He put me in contact with Professor Kukui, his move-studying colleague. I told Kukui that I would be more than happy to encourage you to pay him a visit if it interested you. He, in turn, offered to provide you with airfare and with accommodations at his laboratory throughout your stay, should you decide to go."

Ash's grin grew wider by the moment, but Serena wasn't smiling. Her mind raced.

Another invitation out of nowhere, this time to a place halfway around the world. Another offering of free accommodations, this time without any need for it. No one else was aware of her fortune, though. In three days in Pallet Town, it had never come up. Ash, nor anyone else, ever questioned how she made it there.

Now, thanks to her silence, she would be imposing on someone yet again, taking from them when she had nothing to give in return.

That was, if she was even welcome. She spoke.

"Professor?" she said.

"Yes?"

"Does this include me going with Ash?"

"Indeed, it does, as long as you are willing," said Professor Oak. "I made it clear that Ash had a rather close friend without whom he was unlikely to agree to go."

Serena forced a smile onto her lips, but her heart twitched yet again. She was nothing more than part of a package deal, it seemed. She was an accessory bundled along with what the Alolan professor really wanted.

She shook her head. It was not what she meant to do.

"Is there a problem?" said Professor Oak.

"Oh! No, not at all!" said Serena. She shook her head harder. Ash gave her an odd look. She hid her eyes from him.

"Are you sure?" said Ash.

Serena's heart twitched yet again. Did Ash notice her reticence? Did he care enough to put aside his own desires in favor of her unfounded fears? She couldn't ask such a thing of him. She couldn't do that to anybody.

"I was just trying to think of a reason to say no to the offer," said Serena. "I couldn't think of one."

It was fine, she decided. It was all fine. What did it matter where they went, and when? They had all the time in the world. The world was their playground now. The only thing that mattered was that wherever they went, they went together.

Forget secrets. Forget impositions, forget invitations, forget expectations. No matter what, they had each other. That was enough.

She hoped.

"Now, there's no need for you two to make your decision right this minute," said Professor Oak. "As long as you get back to me in a few days, it's no trouble at all."

Serena looked Ash in the eye. There would be no waiting. She already knew his answer.

A flurry of activity unfolded. There were so many preparations to make, and Serena found herself in the unfamiliar position of not needing to make any of them. It was like she was standing still in the middle of a hurricane.

Through a convoluted series of phone calls, Professor Oak made arrangements with Professor Kukui to send them to Alola on a flight the very next day, and he made further arrangements with his cousin to pick them up from the airport.

Delia busied herself with preparing a new set of traveling clothes for Ash. Serena watched in awe as she transformed some scraps of fabric into a complete outfit in the course of an afternoon. Delia was a magician with a sewing machine. Serena decided she would have to get some tips from her one day.

Ash's new clothes looked like they took some pointers from Serena's. Everything was loose, baggy, and designed to be cool. His shirt was slightly oversized such that it would blow in the wind, lined with blue and white stripes. His pants were almost shorts, the legs coming to a stop below his kneecaps. His hat, bag, and shoes were all accented in black, blue, and white. The entire outfit made it look like there was a gentle breeze blowing on him at all times.

Serena could only shrug. It was like she hit the jackpot with selecting her new outfit. She wasn't even preparing for anything specific, and it just so happened to be perfect for where they were headed. It made her wonder if luck was on her side for once and not merely teasing her.

Delia's weepy goodbye, complete with a reminder for Ash to change his underwear every day, was awkward beyond belief, in particular when she hugged Serena and told her to take care of her little boy. However, Serena did not find it nearly as excruciating as the goodbye which followed.

She knew it was coming. As she and Ash walked to the lab one last time, her hands went cold. A feeling of dread settled in the pit of her stomach like an ice cube. It was the ugly, unspoken truth behind everything she had experienced here, the inferred injustice which she knew had happened several times and was certain to happen again.

They went out into the paddock behind the lab. Right away, she knew all of Ash's Pokémon could sense it. There was a change in their body language, perhaps brought about by his change of clothing, or perhaps because they had seen him give the same speech enough times that they knew it by heart.

Dejected before he said a single word, all his Pokémon gathered around. Pikachu stood among them, looking embarrassed beyond words, his cheeks even redder than usual.

Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon all broke away from the pack and approached Serena, confused as to what was happening. At least, Pancham and Sylveon were. Braixen did not seem to be. She knew.

Either way, Serena was not going to let them watch. She returned all of them to their balls. Then, after a painful silence, Ash spoke.

He sounded feeble. It was obvious that his words were hollow even to him, but he said them nonetheless, staring at his feet like a man condemned to walk the plank. Serena wanted to look away, but she was right next to Ash, too close not to watch. She couldn't even bear to hear it, but there was nothing she could do.

Ash explained to his Pokémon that once again, he was leaving on a new adventure with Pikachu. What caused an uproar, though, was that Pikachu would not be the only Pokémon he took with him. Greninja was coming, too.

Protests erupted. It appeared to be unprecedented that a Pokémon other than Pikachu got to join Ash on a new journey. Greninja looked like he wanted to vanish. The remainder of his Kalos team was shocked beyond words. Some of Ash's older Pokémon walked away, among them Bayleef, who gave Serena a bitter glare before leaving. Others simply stood and stared. Bulbasaur struggled to maintain decorum.

Ash went on to explain the situation in greater detail, saying there was a faraway professor who wanted to meet Greninja, and that he was going to come back once they were done working with him. The damage was already done, though. The group hug they all shared was an empty gesture.

Serena knew that every single one of Ash's Pokémon, from the most anonymous to the most distinguished, felt as though they had been forgotten. Or, even worse, as though they had been thrown away, left behind forever.

As they left, Serena clutched her three Poké Balls inside her bag. No matter what, she was never leaving any of them behind.

Serena found her return trip to Viridian City much more enjoyable than her trip from Viridian City. She was eager to forget the awkwardness that unfolded at the lab, and so was Ash. Though their long walk began in silence, by the time Pallet Town was out of sight, they were chatting like old times. It was all too easy to pretend nothing was different, to fall back on old habits. It felt so good. It felt fun. It felt right.

After a day-long journey and a night at the Pokémon Center, Serena found that what she enjoyed most of all was being in an airport with Ash and not having to say goodbye to him. As awful as the prospect of a twenty-four-hour flight was, knowing that she would get to spend it with Ash made her feel almost giddy.

It was just the two of them. They were going to a tropical paradise together. How could she not be all smiles? She held Ash's hand the entire time while they waited at the gate. This time, there was no final boarding call, nor irritated attendant, nor oblivious onlookers. They were together, as they were meant to be. This was their future, and it was glorious.

When they boarded the plane, Serena found it was not as cramped as she had expected. If anything, it was the most comfortable she had ever been on an airplane. Unlike every other flight she had ever experienced, she and Ash were able to share the space rather than huddle by themselves. Serena put up the armrest between their seats and found herself with more space than she ever could have imagined. They cuddled up together for hours on end, Pikachu sleeping either in Ash's lap or hers. When it got dark, she rested her head against Ash's shoulder and fell asleep. She spent the entire night that way.

When she woke up, she found that Ash had done much the same thing. He was sound asleep with his head resting against hers.

A few times, when she felt like nobody was looking, she kissed him.

Hours and hours later, long after the plane had ceased to be comfortable even with their circumstances, the endless ocean outside became dotted with a few distant patches of land.

Then, they landed on one of them.

Exiting the plane felt as though it took forever. Everyone, the two of them included, was moving at half speed, sore and stiff as a board from being crammed inside for so long. After far too long, they got their turn to stand up and then join the masses in shambling up the aisle and then down the jetway.

When they passed through the gate, Serena found herself in a wonderland.

The airport terminal was made of glass from ceiling to floor. Not a single light fixture was on, yet it was the brightest place she had ever seen. The sky was visible above, with only a few wispy clouds amidst a sea of perfect blue. All around, colorful flowers and exotic plants decorated every available surface.

Craning their necks to see everything, they meandered their way toward the terminal exit. A woman wearing a grass skirt and a circlet of flowers around her neck approached them.

"Alola!" she said. "It looks like it's your first time here."

It took a moment before Serena realized she was being addressed. She blinked and noticed that several other people dressed like the woman were all standing behind a kiosk with a large sign which read Alola! Welcome to Paradise!

"Um, hello?" said Serena.

Ash scratched his neck.

"Yeah, it is our first time here. How'd ya know?"

The woman smiled.

"It's always obvious when people don't know how we say hello here!" she said.

Serena's eyes widened. Had she committed some sort of terrible faux pas? It had only been a few minutes and she was already in violation of local customs.

"You have a different way of saying hi?" said Ash.

"We do!" said the woman. "We say Alola!"

As she said it, she swept her hands in a wide, semicircular arc. It reminded Serena of a rainbow.

Right away, Ash mimicked the gesture. Less eager, Serena tried it, too. She felt silly, so clearly out of place.

"Looks like you've already got the hang of it!" the woman said to Ash. "We give everyone a big Alola both to say hello and goodbye."

"Cool!" said Ash. "Easy to remember, huh?"

Serena bit her lip. She nodded.

"Here," the woman said. "Take these!"

She pulled two necklaces made of flowers from a box and handed one to both Serena and Ash. Ash did not hesitate to slip his over his neck. Serena simply stared at hers. No matter how pretty they were, the flowers were fake, made of cheap plastic.

"Now you've really been welcomed!" the woman said. "Enjoy your stay! Alola!"

As they began to walk away, Ash waved his arms in a huge circle and shouted.

"Alola!"

Serena cringed. All around, heads turned to stare at them. She kept her head down, grabbed him by the wrist, and dragged him onward.

"Oh man, I'm so pumped," he said. "What about you, Pikachu?"

Pikachu agreed. Serena did not. It was hard to be excited when Ash kept loudly saying Alola! to random strangers as they passed them in the terminal. She wasn't sure what to say, though. How could she tell him he was embarrassing her when she had been so vigilant for any sign of him being embarrassed by her? It wasn't fair to him. He was excited. He was being Ash.

And when she took a quick break in the restroom to recollect herself, she took the circlet of flowers and fashioned it into a bracelet around her wrist. It gave her time to think. She could not help but admit that this was all pretty funny. It was day one, and Ash was already convinced he was a local. When she met him in the hallway again, he was doing a more enthusiastic job of being a greeter than any of the people being paid to do it.

They continued their walk toward the exit. The terminal was huge. After a few more minutes of saying Alola! to passerby, Ash seemed to wear the word out and lost interest in it. Meanwhile, Serena found a new concern.

She squinted up at the glass ceiling. She felt the sun's rays beaming through it, beating against her face. To her, it felt oppressive. No one else seemed to mind, though, not even Ash. That was when a strange realization occurred to her. She was much, much paler than everyone else around.

She pulled Ash into a souvenir shop near the end of the concourse.

"What are you doing?" said Ash. "The signs say we're almost at the exit."

"I need a hat!" said Serena. "I can't believe I forgot to get one before now."

Ash looked upward as if trying to look at his own forehead. He lifted his own hat off of his head, then dropped it down on top of Serena's head. Slightly oversized, it sat lopsided atop her ruffled hair.

Serena folded her arms in mock frustration, but a smile was on her face.

"Now you need a hat," she said.

"Awesome! It looks like they have a bunch of them in here," said Ash. He pointed toward the back wall, which was occupied by a large rack of hats. He walked toward it.

Serena followed behind him, but she was in no hurry. She caught sight of herself in a mirror.

Ash's hat was ridiculous on her. It was a horrific match with her outfit. It was all the wrong colors, and it was much too large. Despite this, she smiled at what she saw. It reminded her so much of the time she put on Ash's clothes and pretended to be him.

She lifted the hat from her head and smoothed her hair back down. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ash in front of the hat rack, stacking hat after hat on top of his head. Pikachu stood next to him, peering up at the monstrosity he was creating, looking concerned about the structural integrity of the thing.

Serena laughed, and she approached them.

"What do you think?" said Ash, turning to look at her.

Serena counted no less than seven mismatched hats in all colors and styles in a precarious pile atop his head. She reached up and stood on the tips of her toes, taking away the topmost one.

"Don't get us kicked out of here," she said. "I really need a hat!"

She stuck her tongue out at him from the corner of her mouth, then placed the hat she took from him on top of her head.

She looked in the nearest mirror. It was an awful match. She stuffed it back in its place on the rack.

Ash reached blindly above the top of his head, trying to deconstruct his tower of hats.

"Why do you need a hat, anyway?" he asked.

"Because I'm as pale as a sheet, and the sun here is going to fry me to a crisp if I don't protect myself," said Serena.

Ash shrugged.

"Who cares about a little sunburn?" he said. "It's no big deal."

"I care," said Serena. "You will, too, when my face starts peeling off after three days here."

Ash grimaced.

"I'm getting a hat," Serena said, definitively.

While Ash worked on placing all his hats back where they belonged, Serena continued her search. Her results were discouraging. Nothing felt right on her. Every hat she tried was either too sporty, or too kitschy, or too something. Or not enough something. Nothing worked.

But then, as she was about to give up hope, she found something intriguing. It was a straw hat, with a wide brim and a red ribbon tied around the center, the loose ends of the ribbon trailing in the air behind it.

She put it on. It fit.

She found Ash and walked up to him, her hands behind her back.

"Does this remind you of anything?" she said. She watched the gears turn inside Ash's head for a moment, and then his eyes lit up with recognition.

"The girl in the straw hat," he said.

The two of them watched each other for a moment, smiling in silence.

Serena knew how sappy it was going to sound, but she said it anyway.

"I'm your girl in the straw hat."

She leaned in and gave Ash a peck on the cheek, then backed away. The look in Ash's eyes was all she needed to see.

"I'm buying it!" she said.

A few minutes later, Serena left the shop with the straw hat on her head. She could not have been more pleased.

The two of them headed into the baggage claim area. It occurred to Serena that they were supposed to be meeting a person who neither of them had ever met. She hoped that Samson Oak thought to bring a sign.

Before she had any time to worry about it, Ash pointed to a man standing near one of the exit doors with his hands in his pockets.

"That's gotta be him!" said Ash.

Serena looked at the man, and her mouth dropped open. The family resemblance was more than uncanny. It was absurd. He and Professor Oak had to be more closely related than mere cousins. The man looked like Professor Oak's over-tanned, long-haired, long-lost identical twin.

When Ash ran up to him and said Alola! at an inappropriate volume, the man laughed. His voice, his mannerisms, and even his expressions were exactly the same as Professor Oak's. It was surreal.

Serena's head swam with disbelief the entire time they were in Samson Oak's presence. She couldn't decide what bothered her so much about it. The outrageous family resemblance shared by the Nurse Joys and Officer Jennies of the world had never seemed this odd. Maybe it was because she knew Professor Oak a bit more personally? She figured that had to be it. Regardless, she remained very quiet for their entire drive from the airport to Professor Kukui's lab.

However, part of Serena's silence came from her newfound appreciation for seatbelts. Samson's car was one in which a roof and doors were optional. Serena spent the entire ride in the back seat clutching her hat with one hand and her seatbelt with the other, convinced she was going to roll out of the car at every twist and turn of the winding coastal road.

The road they traveled ran parallel to the coast. As they drove away from the city, their surroundings became greener. Then, they slowed down as the paved road ended altogether. A signpost marked the unpaved road ahead of them as Route 1.

A few minutes later, they came to a stop in front of an unassuming building that stood a short distance from the shore. It looked like it had seen better days. It was covered in makeshift patches and jury-rigged repairs. Serena doubted that it was their destination, but Samson confirmed it.

"It may not look like impressive, but this is it," said Samson. He stepped out of the car.

Serena was eager to do the same. She released her death grip on her hat and seatbelt and scrambled to get her feet on solid ground again. Before she could take in her surroundings, a voice called to them.

"Hey there, Samson! You got them here in one piece, yeah?"

A man stood on the front porch of the building, a man like none Serena had ever seen. He was tall, dark, and handsome, but most of all, he was bizarre. He wore a nonsensical collection of garments, among them a pair of safety glasses, a hat with a rainbow logo, a pair of training sweats with the drawstring cinched in the front, green rubber sandals, and a massive white lab coat.

But no shirt.

"Naturally," Samson replied. "I'm glad to see your lab is still in one piece!"

Samson and the man on the porch shared a laugh. Serena and Ash shared a confused glance. Was this the professor?

"Ash, Serena, I'd like you to meet Professor Kukui," said Samson.

Yes, yes it was. Serena's jaw dropped.

"Alola!" said Professor Kukui. He stepped off the porch and into the sunlight, walking toward them.

"Alola!" said Ash.

Not wanting to risk being impolite, Serena forced herself to say it, too.

"Alola!" she said. She felt silly saying it. Ash made it sound so natural. She did not.

"You're Ash, I'm sure of it!" Professor Kukui said as he approached Ash. "What's up, cousin?"

Professor Kukui shook Ash's hand, then turned to Serena.

"And you're Serena, yeah?"

Face to face with him, Serena was paralyzed. She had no idea what to make of him. It took her a few seconds to realize he was offering her a handshake. When she came to her senses, she quickly accepted.

"Right on," said Professor Kukui. "You guys want to head inside, I bet. You came a really long way to get here, didn't you?"

"Yeah, from Kanto!"

"Woo! That's about as far away as you can get," said Professor Kukui. "Come on in and I'll show you the ropes."

"I'll let you take them from here," said Samson. "It's time for me to get going. Alola, you two!"

"Alola!" Ash called, waving as Samson got back in his car and drove away.

Serena was not as enthusiastic about saying goodbye. It was in part because Samson had spoken maybe ten total words to her, but it was also because of how distracted she was by their strange host.

Professor Kukui held the front door open for them.

"So, I'll show you around, yeah?" he said. "It's not much, but it's home."

While Ash lingered on the front steps, waving to Samson for longer than was necessary, Serena passed him and stepped through the door first.

The interior was in better condition than the exterior, for the most part. It looked more like a house than a laboratory. Were it not for the aquarium which spanned from ceiling to floor, Serena would not have believed it to be a lab at all. There was a small kitchen, with a living room adjacent to it. A ladder led from the common area up to a loft, which towered over everything else. Beneath the loft were a few rooms with closed doors. A staircase near the front door led to a lower level.

It was well-organized and well-kept, not including several large holes in the drywall and an obvious patch in the roof.

Ash stepped inside, and Professor Kukui closed the door behind him.

"Let's get you two settled in," he said. "This way!"

He led the way deeper into the building. Following him, Serena's eyes were fixed on Professor Kukui. His appearance from behind was as much of an enigma as from the front. The way he carried himself was more dignified than he looked. There was something powerful about the way he walked. It was so poised, yet so casual at the same time. Precise and controlled, yet somehow free and easy.

Serena shook her head. She had to let it go.

Professor Kukui stopped in front of the ladder which led to the loft.

"We've only got a couple of rooms here," he said. "I stay in the one all the way on the end. The bathroom is the middle one, and the guest bedroom is this one here."

He knocked his knuckles against the wall. Then, he pointed up above his shoulder with his thumb.

"My assistant stays up there, in the loft," he said. "Serena, I've put an extra cot up there for you. You'll be rooming with her."

A pang of disappointment shot through Serena's stomach. She felt like a fool for it. Of course she and Ash weren't going to be allowed to share a room. She wondered why she expected anything different.

"Ash, you're in the guest bedroom."

Professor Kukui led them to the door of the first room. He turned the knob and opened it.

"Not much, but at least it's a place to lay your head, yeah?"

When Serena saw it, her disappointment disappeared. The guest bedroom was little more than a closet with a cot and a nightstand in it. One entire side of the room was filled with boxes from floor to ceiling. Given the state of the rest of the building, Serena wondered if the boxes were concealing yet another hole in the wall. The patches of dust all around made her suspect that the room literally was a closet until very recently.

There was no way the loft could be any worse, even sharing it with someone else. At the very least, she knew someone would have tidied it up in recent memory, and there were no walls which could have holes in them.

"So yeah, kick off your shoes, put your stuff down, and relax!" said Professor Kukui. "I'll rustle up some grub later on. Til then, I'll be downstairs in the lab. Feel free to check it out if you want!"

Professor Kukui headed down the stairs, Ash went into his room, and Serena returned to the common area. She mounted the ladder and climbed up to the loft.

As she expected, whoever lived up there was a better housekeeper than the professor. In addition to the lack of holes in structural surfaces, the loft was spotless. There was a sofa bed with a crisply-folded blanket and a lightly fluffed pillow on top of it. The papers on the dresser were organized in tidy stacks. The objects on the desk were all in a particular place. There was no clutter, nor a trace of dust anywhere.

Serena spent a minute examining the bookshelf and confirmed what she suspected. The books were alphabetized.

She slipped her bag off her shoulder and set it down on top of her cot. It was butted up against the railing, overlooking the common area. Next to her cot was a small, squashy object on the floor which she recognized as a Pokémon bed. It looked like it was new, as though it had never been used.

In contrast, a Clefairy doll sat on top of the bookshelf. It had seen much better days. The pink fabric was covered in discolored splotches, and the whites of the eyes were stained a faint shade of gray. Some of the limbs looked like they had been reattached, possibly more than once.

The object that captured Serena's interest the most, though, was on top of the desk. It was a journal, neatly positioned right in the center, with nothing else touching it or even near it. It was thick, and much like the Clefairy doll, it was well-worn.

There was a lock on the front cover. Though the metal of the lock's casing was well worn, bearing scratches from what she assumed were years of sliding the key in and out of it, it looked sturdy.

For a moment, Serena wondered whether or not the journal was locked. She thought better of attempting to find out. It was in such a particular place that it felt wrong to even think of moving it.

She folded her arms and gave the loft another good look. She tilted her head while she thought. What kind of person lived up here? What kind of person would both organize their life like this, yet also agree not only to work for, but to live with Professor Kukui? She couldn't imagine it.

She shrugged to herself and sat down on the edge of her cot. She slipped off her shoes and slid them underneath with her bag. The cot was lumpy, but after traveling so far, its rough comfort beckoned her. From where she sat, she examined the floor below. The lab was a strange but charming place.

A window on the lower floor was visible. Outside, a palm tree swayed in the breeze. The gentle ocean waves rolled over the white sands. A flock of Wingull pecked around on the shore.

Serena leaned back and pulled her legs up onto the cot. She allowed her body to sink into the rough mattress, and she shut her eyes. She sighed.

In a matter of minutes, jet lag pulled her into the clutches of sleep. The last sensation she was aware of was a faint buzzing sound.

Serena slept like a brick.

When she awoke, she struggled to process all the sensations she experienced. There were too many at once. At first, she had no idea where she was, nor when it was. It was bright. Very bright. Light shone through every window. There was a voice. Someone was speaking to her. Someone was touching her, shaking her awake.

She blinked the sleep from her eyes and realized that Ash was leaning over her, jostling her shoulder.

"Ash?" she said.

"Hey there, sleepyhead!" said Ash. "You were sound asleep, huh? That took a while."

Serena blinked again as she stared at Ash, squinting in the bright light. She tried to sit up, but only made it halfway before she groaned and sank back down onto the mattress.

She yawned. She received a buzzing sound as a response. She looked up. Perched on the railing, looming over her was a tiny Pokémon that looked like someone had crossed a Fletchling with a Scatterbug.

"Oh!" said Serena. "Hello there."

The tiny Pokémon chirped at her and buzzed its wings. It was adorable.

"What kind of Pokémon are you?" said Serena.

"That's Cutiefly," said Ash. Serena back at him. "Professor Kukui told me last night that it lives here at the lab."

"Last night?" said Serena. "What time is it? How long was I asleep?"

"Since we got here yesterday."

Serena's eyes shot open.

"I thought I just took a nap!"

"Nope, you were out cold all night," said Ash. He scratched the back of his head. "I, uh, came up here to say goodnight, but you were so asleep that I didn't wanna wake you up."

Serena's face fell.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I had no idea. I wish you had woken me up, though. I would have loved to share a goodnight kiss."

Ash looked away.

"I didn't know what to do," he said. "I just kissed you on the cheek and left."

Serena's lower lip jutted out.

"Ash."

"Sorry if that was weird!"

"Come here."

Serena reached out from under the covers and took hold of Ash's arm. She pulled him in close, then closed her eyes.

For a moment, she wondered if maybe she should brush her teeth first, but she decided it would ruin the moment if she interrupted it. So, ignoring Cutiefly's excited buzzing behind her, she kissed him.

They parted, and Serena opened her eyes. She giggled when she saw Ash's face. That dumb, adorable, breathless face, with those big brown eyes.

"Good morning," she whispered to him.

Ash gave her an awkward look.

"Uh, good afternoon," he said.

"Afternoon?" said Serena. She made another attempt to sit upright. This time, she succeeded.

Ash rubbed his nose.

"Yeah, you slept all morning," he said.

Serena looked around. It was no wonder it was so bright. It was the middle of the day. An odd blend of sweet and savory smells wafted up from the kitchen to greet her. She turned her head toward the source and saw Professor Kukui standing in front of the stove, stirring a pot.

He still was not wearing a shirt.

"Professor Kukui is making lunch," said Ash.

"What is he cooking?"

"I think it's the same thing he made for breakfast," said Ash. He looked puzzled. "He called it an Alolan Plate."

"I've never heard of it," said Serena.

"Me neither. It was good, though."

Serena had many more questions to ask. What was in an Alolan Plate? Was it normal to have it more than once in a day? If her difficulty with the local greeting was any sign, it seemed like she was having trouble adapting to the local customs. Before she could voice any of the things on her mind, something else occurred to her.

Ash was with her in the loft. As pleasant a surprise as that was, she had expected someone else. There was no sign of anyone else, though, Cutiefly not included. The loft was exactly as it was when she arrived the day before. Either Professor Kukui's mysterious assistant was such a fastidious housekeeper that they kept everything exactly the same way every day, or they had never come up to the loft at all.

Or, even worse, they had come up, seen her up there, and left. Serena was intruding. She was imposing. She hated the thought.

"Where's the professor's assistant?" she said.

"Dunno," said Ash.

"Did you meet them last night?" said Serena. As the words left her mouth, heat rose on her face at the thought of some stranger watching from a few feet away as Ash kissed her goodnight.

"No," said Ash. He shook his head. "Professor Kukui said she was out doing some research on her own."

Serena paused to think, attempting to fit all the information into place. Of course Ash had not met whoever it was last night. She knew him. There was no way he would have come up here and shown such a display of affection if he was going to be watched. He wouldn't have been comfortable with it. He was the bravest person she knew, but he wasn't brave enough to bear his feelings to the world.

Then again, neither was she.

Another thought stuck in her head, though. Ash referred to the mystery assistant as she. It made perfect sense. In fact, it was obvious. Of course Professor Kukui's assistant was a girl. That was why she was sharing living quarters with her. Plus, Serena couldn't imagine what kind of guy would keep a room so meticulously arranged, nor keep a journal with a lock on it.

Still, Serena struggled to picture her would-be roommate. She tried to conjure an image in her head of someone who would be so organized. She settled on a rather annoyed librarian, who she imagined adjusting her horn-rimmed glasses and shooting judgmental glances at Professor Kukui while he loafed around like a slob.

Oddly, the imaginary librarian bore a strong resemblance to Aria. Or rather, Ariana. It must have been the glasses.

Serena's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't understand why. There was no way Aria was here. Even with all her resources, and all of her reasons to run away, there was no way she was here. It was impossible. She couldn't be Professor Kukui's assistant. For one, Serena remembered the interior of Aria's yacht. It was a mess.

Then again, Aria was a master of disguise. Maybe the neatness was part of the act.

Before her mind went out of control, Ash spoke again, and Serena realized how long she had been staring into space.

"Professor Kukui says we've got big plans tonight," said Ash.

"Oh? What's happening?"

"A festival! We're invited!"

An Alolan Plate, Serena discovered, was a combination of foods she never would have expected to taste good together, but somehow did. Also, it was very large. Both Ash and Professor Kukui scarfed theirs down with wild abandon, but Serena struggled to finish hers. After the meal, she felt heavy all over, like she could fall asleep again.

She resisted the urge and instead forced herself to step outside. It was a brilliant, cloudless day. Ash held a practice skirmish between Pikachu and Greninja on the beach, with Professor Kukui and an adorable little Pokémon called Rockruff cheering on every move from the sidelines. While Cutiefly continued to buzz around her, all the excitement gave Serena an idea. She went back inside, retrieved her Poké Balls from her bag, and let her Pokémon out on the beach.

Right away, it proved to be a good idea, if only because Cutiefly zoomed directly to Sylveon and engaged her in animated conversation. Pancham was quick to begin roughhousing with Rockruff. Braixen, as ever, stood by and watched Greninja and Pikachu battle.

Left by herself, Serena ducked inside once again. She shut herself in the bathroom and took a long, hot shower. It felt wonderful. She took her time with washing and styling her hair. She even put on a touch of makeup. Not much, but enough that maybe, just maybe, Ash might notice if they got some time alone.

Her heart fluttered at the thought that perhaps if they could get some alone time, this festival might be like a date. Their first real date. It was strange to think of it that way, but it was true. They had not yet gone out together by themselves. Their last day in Monego City didn't count, either. There was too much to figure out that day. Nor did any of their alone time in Pallet Town count. They didn't go out. They hung out. This had the potential to be different, though.

For the first time since arriving in Alola, it felt like a new beginning.

Late in the afternoon, Professor Kukui said it was time to get going. The festival was in a nearby village called Iki Town, they learned, and it would be a bit of a walk to get there. Rather than force their Pokémon back into their balls, both Serena and Ash let their Pokémon walk with them, enjoying the salty sea air and the spectacular weather.

Professor Kukui led them along an ascending path, parallel to a cliffside. As they walked, the path found its way inland, and the terrain changed from sand and rocks to a wispy grassland, dotted with palm trees. Rockruff ran ahead of everyone else, familiar with the path. To Serena's surprise, Cutiefly followed her. Every so often, the buzzing of wings caught her attention, and she found Cutiefly hovering much closer to her face than she would have liked. Every time, Cutiefly chirped and buzzed away.

After a while, they reached the top of a hill and found themselves in a village with buildings constructed from logs, and roofs made of thatch. It bustled with activity. People dressed in colorful attire milled about, their conversations drowned out by the sounds of music and their faces lost in a sea of unfamiliar sights. Exotic smells hung in the air, the delectable scents of confections Serena never could have imagined.

Professor Kukui guided them through the crowd and led them to the center of the village, where an elevated wooden stage stood. Standing next to the stage, a gigantic man spoke with several people.

When the giant man caught sight of Professor Kukui, he stepped away from his conversation. The two of them embraced.

"Kukui, my boy!" he said, clapping his hand against Professor Kukui's back.

The man's eyes moved, focusing on Ash, then on Serena. He released Professor Kukui and stepped forward toward the two of them.

"And Alola to both of you!" he said.

His voice was deep, and it boomed through the noise of the crowd loud and clear. He wore an unbuttoned yellow shirt over top of the rest of his clothes, with a white sash tied around his massive belly. His long gray hair was drawn up into a wild bun atop his head.

"Alola!" said Ash.

Pikachu echoed the greeting from his place on Ash's shoulder. A moment later, Rockruff barked, wagged his tail, and disappeared into the crowd. He set off a chain reaction. Pancham ran after him first, then Sylveon ran after Pancham. Before Serena knew what was happening, Cutiefly zipped away, Pikachu hopped down from Ash's shoulder, and all their Pokémon were gone.

Pikachu said a few words to Ash, and Ash laughed.

"You all have fun!" he said, waving as Pikachu ran off.

Then, it was just them, Professor Kukui, and the giant man. Serena gulped. It looked like everyone was waiting on her. She had no choice.

"Alola!" she said. She waved her arms in a half circle, like a rainbow. It was so awkward.

"And who do we have here, Kukui?" the man said. "Not from Alola, I bet!"

Serena's cheeks burned red.

"This is Ash and Serena," said Kukui. "They flew in from Kanto yesterday! They're staying with me for a while to help me with my research. They're both talented trainers."

The giant man laughed.

"Dahahaha! If you take in any more wayward youths, you'll have a boarding school on your hands!"

Professor Kukui laughed as well, and he clasped his hand on the giant man's shoulder. Standing next to him, he introduced him.

"Ash, Serena, this is Hala. He's the kahuna of Melemele Island!"

Serena still had no idea what a kahuna was, but what alarmed her more was that this was the first time it occurred to her that the island they were on had to have a name, and she was only now learning it.

"Kahuna?" said Ash.

Serena was relieved she wasn't the only one with that question.

"The kahunas are powerful trainers who oversee the Island Challenges on each island here in Alola!" said Kukui.

Serena felt a snap of electricity on the back of her neck. She knew it wasn't real, but she felt it just the same. It came from Ash. Before he said anything, before he gave any sign of reaction, she felt his excitement. From a distance, she sensed the spike of adrenaline in his veins.

"Island challenge?" said Ash.

Professor Kukui stuck out his hand and held up four fingers.

"Four islands! Four kahunas! Hala is the kahuna of this island, and trainers here face him as the final part of their challenge. That means he's pretty much the strongest trainer around!"

Ash vibrated with excitement. Paralyzed, the spike of adrenaline Serena sensed shot straight into her heart. Her pupils narrowed. Something was very, very wrong. There were some more words exchanged about trials, captains, and other things Serena couldn't hear. The world around her went quiet. The crowd around her ceased to exist.

Her mind raced, connecting the dots. It was too similar. It couldn't be a coincidence. A free trip to paradise. A powerful trainer met on their first outing.

Serena already had visions of Ash training on the beach late into the night. Soon, he would become nocturnal and refuse to talk to her. She knew it would tear them apart this time. She could see it unfolding in her mind.

Who tricked them this time? Was it Professor Oak? His cousin? Professor Kukui? Who owned the lab? Was it Palermo? Diantha? Who was going to appear out of nowhere and offer her cryptic warnings and advice? It couldn't be Aria, could it? Serena's eyes darted around, expecting some lost soul to come out of the woodwork and pull her away for a series of late night heart-to-hearts and an eventual unrequited declaration of love.

She was not going to let this happen again. She would not allow it. She grabbed Ash's hand with both of hers and interjected herself in the conversation.

"I'm hungry," she said.

Ash stopped mid-sentence and looked at her. Serena felt Professor Kukui's and Hala's eyes on her, as well.

"I'm really hungry," she said. She pulled on Ash's arm, dragging him in the direction of the food stands.

"Oh- okay!" Ash said, startled, but eagerly following her.

There was a pause, and Hala laughed.

"Haha! The girl knows what she wants!"

Whatever else was said was drowned out by the crowd as Serena pulled Ash through it. At first, Ash followed without hesitation, but he began to pull back on her when they passed a food stand.

"Hey! Where are we going?" he said.

"Not there," said Serena. She looked around. She needed somewhere quiet, somewhere calm. She needed anywhere she could talk to him.

She pointed at a gap in the trees.

"There," she said.

"But there's no food there!"

"I know."

"But you said-"

"I know."

"What's going on?"

Despite her firm grip, Ash ripped his hand away from her. Serena turned around and saw him staring at her, his eyes begging for an explanation.

"We need to talk," said Serena. "Right now."

Ash's face was blank.

"Okay?" he said.

Serena approached the gap in the trees, and Ash followed. When she stopped, she saw a sign in the distance.

Mahalo Trail

They were standing in the middle of a trailhead. It would have to do. She took a moment to take a deep breath.

"What's up?" Ash asked her.

"Does this remind you of anything?" she asked him in return.

Ash's eyes shifted to her hat.

"Your hat again?" he said.

Serena sighed. That was exactly what she asked him when she tried on her new hat. At least he was trying to listen.

"No, I mean where we are right now, and what we're doing," said Serena.

Ash thought for a moment.

"I dunno," he said. "We've never been here before."

Serena shook her head.

"I mean the setup for all of this," she said. "Can you see how similar it is?"

"To what?"

Serena tried not to sigh again. She didn't want to be the one to say it. She didn't want to say it aloud. That would make it real.

"Monego City," she said.

Ash tilted his head.

"Huh? How?"

"Everything is the same!" said Serena. "We got invited here for free, we're staying in a place on the beach, and you immediately ran into a powerful trainer who I know you want to battle."

Ash scratched his head.

"I guess I see what you mean," he said.

"I'm waiting for someone to come and throw themselves at you and taunt me while they do it, or for someone to come along and tell us that Professor Kukui is actually living some secret double life and we were invited here as part of his master plan or something. It all feels too perfect. It's so similar."

Ash rubbed a finger under his nose, then shrugged.

"I dunno, I think it's all pretty different," he said. "I don't think Professor Oak would trick us, and Professor Kukui seems like a really nice guy."

"Aria seemed completely innocent until she told me what she did."

Ash got quiet.

"Well…" he said.

"No."

"No?"

"No."

Serena pressed her fingertips to her temples and shook her head. She stared at her feet.

"No," Serena said again. "This isn't happening again. This isn't what it looks like. It can't be. It just can't. Right?"

She looked up at Ash.

"Right?" she said.

"Uh…"

"Please tell me you see all this, too!"

"I-"

"Don't. No. I don't want to know."

"Huh?"

"Just tell me that everything is okay."

Ash narrowed his eyes. His mouth opened, but he didn't say anything. Serena shook her head vigorously.

"Everything is okay," she said. "No one is trying to trick us. Nothing is going on. This isn't real. I'm just imagining things."

"Serena?"

"But I'm not crazy! I-"

"Serena!"

Ash grabbed her by the shoulder. The look in his eyes froze her in place. He was so concerned, so confused, so Ash.

"What's going on?" said Ash.

He had no idea. There was no way he could. It was like the faces in the crowd back in Lumiose City. It was all in her head, and he didn't have a clue what it was like to be inside it.

Serena bowed her head, hiding behind the brim of her hat. She whispered.

"I'm scared."

Her near-silent words brought a hush over the two of them. In the terrible silence that followed, Serena felt like a castle made of sand, ready to crumble at the slightest touch.

But then, Ash lifted the hat from her head and pulled her into a hug.

"Everything's gonna be okay," he said.

Serena remained frozen for a moment. As she felt the warmth of his body pass into hers from the touch, she relaxed against him. The tension drained from her as she exhaled and leaned her head on his shoulder. She breathed deeply, immersing herself in his scent. He smelled like comfort.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Sorry?" said Ash. "What for?"

"For freaking out."

"You didn't freak out."

"I pulled you away from the professor and the kahuna to do… this."

"It's okay."

Serena lifted her head from his shoulder and met eyes with him.

"I'm sorry," she repeated.

"You didn't do anything wrong."

"I'm still sorry," she said. She shook her head once, paused, then shook it again. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his.

When she ended the kiss and opened her eyes again, Ash looked even more confused.

"You don't have to be sorry," he said.

"I am anyway. You shouldn't have had to deal with this."

"With what?"

"Me freaking out!"

"But you didn't freak out," said Ash. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because-"

Serena had so many reasons, but there was only one that mattered.

"Because you deserve better," she said.

The look on Ash's face said so many things, but what it said the loudest was that he couldn't believe her words. Serena covered her eyes and groaned.

"I shouldn't have said that," she said.

"Yeah, because it's not true," said Ash. "None of this stuff is true. No one is planning anything. You're not crazy."

Serena took a deep breath. When she let it out, she uncovered her eyes.

"I know," she said.

She looked around. The last thing she wanted to do was to throw herself back into the crowd. Where they were was peaceful, and she wanted it to stay that way.

She noticed the sign for the trail once again.

"Why don't we go for a walk?" she said.

Several minutes into their walk, Serena remained ill at ease. Mahalo Trail was beautiful - an easy climb up a winding cliffside path toward a canyon, with a wonderful view of Iki Town and the sea beyond it on the horizon - but something still felt wrong. She didn't understand why. There was nothing wrong. She knew it. Ash reassured her of that, in words and in spirit and even in body. Their whole way up the trail, he never let go of her hand, not even once.

It was a sweet gesture, but by the time they reached a level area at what appeared to be the top of the cliff, Serena felt like her hand was going to turn pruney from bathing in sweat. When they stopped for a short break, Serena was the one to pull her hand away. She wiped it on her skirt while Ash wasn't looking.

The area was lined by rocky walls. Serena leaned against one of them while she caught her breath. Up ahead, the trail disappeared around a bend. Back where they came, the sun approached the sea, soon to disappear for the night.

"How much further do you want to go?" she said. "It looks like this trail goes on a lot longer than I thought."

Ash shrugged.

"You wanna check out this area up ahead and then turn back?" he said.

"Sure."

Serena took one last deep breath, then stood up straight again. She adjusted her hat, gazing at the evening sky. Everything was peaceful.

And then, she heard a voice.

"Stop it!"

She and Ash both looked at each other.

"Did you hear that?" she asked.

For an instant, she expected Ash to say no. Instead, he nodded. He stood still, listening.

It went quiet again. Serena took a step toward him.

"What was that?" she whispered.

"I dunno," said Ash. "I think it was from up ahead."

"No!"

Serena's eyes shot open wide and a pang of fear shot through her heart.

"It was!" said Ash. He broke into a sprint. Serena followed him.

A few seconds later, they entered an open area on an overlook above a deep gorge. A bridge of rope and wood connected their side to the far side.

A girl stood at the foot of the bridge, alone. As they approached, she did not appear to notice, focused on some sort of commotion taking place on the bridge.

As always, Ash was faster. He ran up to the girl first.

"What's wrong?" he said.

The girl gasped and turned around. She was dressed in white, with a gigantic, floppy, wide-brimmed hat atop her head. Long blonde hair framed her frightened face. Her pleading eyes left no doubt that she was the source of the voice they heard.

"You have to help it! Please! Save Nebby!"

Serena caught up with Ash and ran up to the girl. She saw feathers flying up ahead. In the center of the bridge, a small, dark figure cowered as a flock of Spearow pecked at it.

The girl spoke again. Her knees knocked together.

"My legs feel like they might give out…"

Serena looked the girl over again. It was difficult to imagine why she would be in this place. Her outfit was better suited for a tea party than a hiking trail.

Ash stepped past the girl and onto the bridge. It swayed under his weight. Serena sucked in a breath through her teeth and held it. The bridge was old and dilapidated, bereft of maintenance for many years. The ropes were frayed. The boards were crumbling. It was doubtful that it was fit for use by anyone.

Ash took another step. There was a sound of splintering wood. Ash grabbed hold of the ropes on both sides and braced himself. One of his feet went through the bridge. The remains of the board which should have held his weight tumbled into the ravine.

It was a long way down.

"Ash!"

Serena wanted to say many things, but all she said was his name. Ash looked back at her over his shoulder.

"I'm okay!" he said. "I just gotta take it slow!"

He pulled his foot up through the hole and placed it on the next board. He straightened up. The board held.

The cowering figure let out a high-pitched cry.

"Please, hurry!" the girl said.

Serena glanced at the girl. Could she not see that Ash was endangering himself?

Another board crumbled away from beneath Ash's feet. Serena couldn't stand it. She wanted to call him back, but she bit her tongue. None of their Pokémon were with them. What else were they supposed to do?

Ash reached the center of the bridge. He threw himself over the cowering figure, shielding it. The ropes quivered from the impact. Angered, the Spearow pecked him instead.

"Ash! You have to get out of there!"

Serena bit her lip. She wanted to drag him back to safety, but she knew it was a terrible idea. There was no way the bridge could support both of them.

As she had that thought, violet light emanated from beneath Ash.

"Nebby, no!"

The violet light erupted. The explosion blew away the Spearow, and also the bridge. The ropes snapped, and splinters of wood scattered.

Ash rolled over in the air. He had a small, puffy, purple Pokémon clutched against his chest. For an instant, his eyes met Serena's.

And then, he tumbled into the chasm.

Serena screamed. She dropped to her knees and looked over the edge. A great distance below, the water awaited him.

Except it wasn't a great distance. He was almost at the bottom.

He was going to die.

From the corner of her eye, Serena noticed a blur, a mere figment of color. Under any other circumstance, it would have been the type of thing that one ignored, nothing more than a trick of the eye.

But the blur of color caught Ash.

It moved impossibly fast. It defied the senses, beyond all notions of what was physically possible. It shot straight up out of the ravine in a mere instant. Before Serena could so much as blink, it dumped Ash onto the ground at her feet.

Serena found herself face to face with the strangest creature she had ever seen. The colors of its body clashed violently, yellow and orange on black and white. Its head was covered in something resembling a plume of feathers. Its arms led to a pair of vicious claws with large shells attached to the wrists. It hovered in the air, motionless. It glared at Ash with its fierce eyes.

Ash propped himself up with one hand and sat upright, still holding the puffy Pokémon to his chest. With his mouth hanging open, he stared.

There was a tense moment. No one moved. No one spoke. Ash was the first to find his voice. It was quiet, hushed with awe.

"Thank you," he said. "Whoever you are."

The girl whispered.

"Tapu Koko…"

The strange creature dropped a sparkling object onto the ground at Ash's feet. Then, it rose into the air at an otherworldly speed.

In an instant, it was gone.

The next several minutes were a blur to Serena. She attached herself to Ash like an anchor. She was never going to let him move again if that was what it took to keep him safely on the ground.

Ash relinquished the strange, puffy little Pokémon, and the girl wrapped it up in her arms, begging it never to do that again. Based on what Serena overheard, it was not the first time that Nebby had gotten itself into serious trouble. While the girl hugged Nebby, switching back and forth between scolding it and expressing her relief, her legs really did give out. She sank to her knees.

Serena sympathized. She shook like a leaf while Ash examined the sparkling stone the creature left behind. She wasn't even the one who fell into the ravine. She wondered if Ash was still in shock, or perhaps if she was. He almost died. He really, truly, actually almost died. If that thing had not swooped in at that exact moment, Ash's dead body would have been floating down that river right now. Watching him allow himself to be swallowed by a tidal wave was child's play compared to this.

When Serena's nerves began to calm at last, she caught sight of the girl unzipping the bag over her shoulder. She attempted to stuff Nebby inside it. Serena couldn't help but think that it seemed like a bit of an overreaction. Then again, maybe it wasn't so inappropriate, considering what had happened. The way the girl scolded Nebby gave the impression that it had a habit of disregarding its own safety.

When she zipped up her bag, she sent a nervous glance in the direction of Serena and Ash. At last, she spoke to them.

Or to Ash, anyway.

"Thank you," she said. She bowed her head. "I am so grateful to you for helping us out of that dangerous spot."

Now that she wasn't in distress, the girl's voice was poised. Her words were articulate and proper. Serena was unsure, but Ash laughed.

"Don't mention it!" he said. "I'm glad I could help."

The girl looked even more nervous now. She bit her lip. Her bag shook like it was possessed.

"Actually… not mentioning it is what I wanted to talk to you about," she said.

"Huh?" said Ash.

"Please, don't tell anyone about this," the girl said. "About seeing Nebby. It's… it's a secret, okay?"

Ash looked at Serena. He appeared just as confused as she felt. He hesitated before he spoke again.

"Okay," he said to the girl. "Sure."

"Thank you," the girl said. "I… I suppose I should head back to town now. It will be dark soon. So, um… thank you again."

The girl gave Ash a nervous smile, then headed toward the trail, back in the direction of Iki Town. Before she disappeared around the bend, she stopped. She turned around.

"Um… I'm worried we might get attacked again by wild Pokémon or… or something. I know it's too much for me to ask, but-"

She trailed off. She looked embarrassed.

"Do you think you could see us back to town?"

Ash smiled.

"Yeah, sure!" he said.

Serena wasn't sure how Ash broke free of her grip, or how she rose to her feet. All she knew was that a couple of minutes later, the three of them all headed down the trail together.

Their descent was slow. As Serena suspected, the girl did not appear to be a seasoned traveler. Her shoes were not at all appropriate for a place like this. If anything, though, Serena was grateful for the slow pace. She was weak in the knees. She held Ash's hand not for comfort, but for support.

What she really wanted was five more minutes to hold him, to feel the reassurance that he was still there, still alive and well, but there was no way that was going to happen at the moment. Instead, they were having an awkward walk with a girl whose name they didn't know.

Things were quiet for a while, but then Ash spoke up.

"So, that thing that rescued me," he said. "What did you call it?"

The girl looked surprised to be spoken to.

"Oh!" she said. "That Pokémon is known as Tapu Koko. It is the guardian deity of Melemele Island."

"That was a Pokémon?"

"Yes. A legendary Pokémon."

Glad she was not the center of attention at the moment, Serena rolled her eyes. It was ridiculous. If what the girl said was true, they had barely been in Alola for a day, yet Ash had already encountered a legendary Pokémon. It was not a coincidence. It couldn't be.

Then again, meeting legendary Pokémon was typical Ash.

"Huh," said Ash. "Why did it drop this stone, then?"

The girl shook her head.

"There is no way of knowing, unfortunately," she said. "Tapu Koko is infamous for its… capricious nature."

"Its what?" said Ash.

The girl thought for a moment.

"Tapu Koko appears before people from time to time, but it does not always help them," she said.

Ash appeared alarmed by this.

"Does it hurt people?" he asked.

"It has been known to when Pokémon are threatened by people. All of the tapu are like that. They are concerned with the wellbeing of Pokémon, not people. For someone to receive assistance from Tapu Koko is a very rare occurrence."

"But it didn't just help me," said Ash. "It left me this stone, too."

"It can be difficult to tell the Tapu's intentions, but I think you are right that it left that stone specifically for you. I am not certain what to make of it, though."

Serena knew what to make of it. She had seen it too many times. It was Ash's destiny to endlessly become entangled in conflicts involving legendary Pokémon. All she could do was hope that whatever he got involved in this time wouldn't be as dangerous as the last.

She kept her thoughts to herself as they continued down the trail. The sun drew closer and closer to the horizon, certain to disappear any minute. After a few more minutes, they went around one last bend and found themselves at the beginning of the trail again.

The festival in Iki Town continued. There were even more people there now.

"Oh, goodness," the girl said. She sounded apprehensive. "I forgot this was today."

Before anyone could say another word, Pikachu came running up to them.

"Hey buddy!" said Ash. "Sorry we were gone so long. Hope you guys didn't worry! What's up?"

A moment later, Rockruff burst through the crowd, followed by all of their other Pokémon.

The girl appeared startled by the oncoming stampede. She backed away a few steps. Ash laughed.

"It's okay!" he said. "They're our friends! They won't hurt you."

Serena knelt down to greet Pancham, Sylveon, and Braixen. Greninja joined Ash by his side. Rockruff ran around, yipping with excitement.

Then, Serena saw Cutiefly zoom past, and she turned around. Cutiefly came to a stop right in front of the girl's face, buzzing and chirping excitedly.

Serena's jaw dropped. It was impossible.

"Woo! You found 'em! Right on, good buddy!"

Professor Kukui emerged from the crowd ahead.

"Were you looking for us?" Ash asked him.

"Yeah, I lost track of you all for a while there. The crowd is wild! But it's all good, cousin."

"Did anything happen while we were gone?" said Ash.

"No, not at all," said Kukui. "I was just looking for you two so I could introduce ya to the kahuna's grandson before the main event tonight."

"The main event?" said Ash.

"Yeah, it's coming up in a bit. But it looks like while you were gone, you all took care of some introductions without me!"

Both Serena and Ash stared at the girl, their mouths hanging open. She stared back at them, looking every bit as surprised.

"Did ya find anything interesting at the ruins, Lillie?"

Professor Kukui's question was met with awkward silence. Cutiefly landed on the girl's shoulder.

"Well, not exactly… We, um, actually have not been properly introduced."

Professor Kukui jammed both of his hands into the pockets of his lab coat and laughed.

"Haha! Sounds like you all still need some more practice saying Alola!"

"I've practiced a lot!" said Ash.

Serena would have rolled her eyes, but she was too busy staring at the girl. She was hiding her big green eyes behind the brim of her hat. The light from the rising moon made it clear how pale she was. She was ghostly, almost ethereal.

"This is my assistant, Lillie. Lillie, this is Ash and Serena, the trainers who are staying with us for a while."

Lillie's eyes shot upward and wide open.

"What?" Ash and Serena said at the same time.

"Woo!" said Kukui. "Now that's a surprise, yeah?"

Serena met eyes with Lillie. The two of them stared at each other for several seconds.

This was her mystery roommate.

"I- I had no idea!" said Lillie. "I thought it was another day at least before they were supposed to arrive!"

"Yeah, everything just fell into place out of nowhere while you were gone!" said Kukui. "They got here yesterday."

"I see…" said Lillie. She looked at Ash and Serena. "It is nice to meet you both, even if it is a bit late for an introduction."

"Did you all go up to the ruins?" said Kukui.

"We did not make it that far, actually," said Lillie. "We ran into some trouble along the way."

"Oh yeah? What happened?"

"It was amazing!" said Ash. "We saw-"

Lillie stepped in front of Ash, waving her arms.

"I am not sure that this is the best place to discuss it!" she said.

"Huh? Why not?" said Ash.

"There are so many people around!" said Lillie. "And… Nebby."

As if on cue, Lillie's bag shook.

"Hey, no worries," said Kukui. "As long as you all are good, I'm good. We've got plenty of time to talk about it later. Right now, we've got bigger things happening! The kahuna's grandson is about to offer a battle to Tapu-"

"Ah, there you are!"

A booming voice cut through the crowd, and Hala waded his way through it. He was not alone. Behind him was a boy who bore a clear resemblance to him. His dark hair was tied up in the same style. He wore what looked like swim trunks in the same color as Hala's oversized shirt. He held the straps of an orange backpack over his shoulders. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Good, you found them!" said Hala. "Just in time. We're about to get started."

Hala placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Ash, Serena, this is my grandson, Hau," he said. "He is beginning his island challenge here tonight!"

Hau stepped up and held out a hand.

"Alola!" he said. "Nice to meetcha!"

"Alola!" said Ash. He shook Hau's hand.

Serena did the same.

"Alola," she said.

She noticed Hau's eyes linger on her for a moment longer than was necessary. When Hau looked away, his face lit up with an even bigger smile.

"Hey, Lillie!" he said, waving. "Good to see ya again!"

Lillie did not wave back, but she nodded and smiled.

"Good to see you, too," she said.

"These two here are seasoned trainers," Hala said, nodding to Ash and Serena. "You might learn a thing or two from them on your challenge, my boy!"

"Awesome!" said Hau. "But Tutu, do we get to start now? I can't wait to meet my first Pokémon!"

Hau jumped in place while he spoke. Serena could already tell that patience was not one of his virtues.

"Yes, indeed we do!" said Hala. "We can't keep Tapu Koko waiting any longer, can we?"

"Tapu Koko?" said Ash.

"Yes, Tapu Koko," said Hala. "The guardian of Melemele Island! You've heard of it, I see."

Ash pointed to the trailhead.

"We met Tapu Koko while we were on that trail earlier," he said.

Hala, Hau, and even Professor Kukui's jolly demeanors disappeared in an instant.

"Are you serious, boy?" said Hala. "You only just arrived in Alola, did you not?"

"Yeah, me and Serena got here yesterday," said Ash.

"Are you certain of what you saw?" said Hala.

"Yeah, we all saw it," said Ash. "I had no idea what it was, and neither did Serena, but Lillie told us it was Tapu Koko."

Hala looked at Lillie.

"Is this true?" he asked.

Lillie looked nervous. She nodded, clutching the strap of her bag.

"Yes," she said. "There was no mistaking it. It even gave something to Ash."

"No way!" said Hau.

"Did it really?" said Hala.

"Yeah," said Ash. "Here!"

Ash reached into his pocket, and he pulled out the sparkling stone. He held it in his palm.

Hala, Hau, and Professor Kukui all leaned in to take a closer look at it.

"Wow!" said Hau.

Professor Kukui exchanged a grin with Hala.

"I think we know what this means!" said Kukui. "This festival is gonna be one to remember!"

Hala clapped a hand to his stomach and belted out a laugh.

"Dahaha! You couldn't be more right! What a blessing we have been granted tonight! Ash, my boy! It couldn't be more clear!"

It was not clear to Serena, and she could see that it was not to Ash, either.

"What?" said Ash.

"Tapu Koko has chosen you!" said Hala. "A trainer from a distant land, graced by the favor of the Tapu on this very night!"

Ash blinked.

"Chosen for what?" he said.

Serena had never expected the chosen one thing to be so literal.

"Chosen to be Hau's opponent in his battle offering to Tapu Koko!" said Hala.

Of course Ash was going to be chosen for a battle. Serena wondered how she did not connect the dots sooner.

"Come, my boy!" Hala said, taking Ash by the arm. "We must not keep the tapu waiting when it has made its will so clear!"

Hala pulled Ash through the crowd. Greninja followed him.

"Haha! This is awesome!" said Hau. He went bounding after them.

Pikachu stood next to Serena. He looked up at her, and she shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. "I guess I should have expected it."

Pikachu scurried up her leg and onto her shoulder. Rockruff ran ahead, turned around to face them again, barked, then disappeared into the crowd.

Professor Kukui stepped forward. He beckoned for everyone to follow.

"We won't wanna miss this," he said. "Let's go!"

Serena looked at Lillie. Their eyes met. Cutiefly took off and started buzzing around again. Lillie nodded, and she followed Professor Kukui into the crowd. Serena and her Pokémon were right behind her.

Serena was surprised to see that Professor Kukui possessed the gravitas to push his way to the front of the crowd. As soon as people saw who was trying to pass them, they moved out of the way without hesitation. Soon, she found herself with Professor Kukui, Lillie, and all their Pokémon right in front of the stage.

On top of the stage, Hala stood with Ash on one side and Hau on the other. Greninja was nowhere to be found. But then, Lillie yelped, and Serena saw Greninja appear out of nowhere beside them. Though Lillie appeared startled, Serena was more confused than concerned. If this was a battle, didn't Ash need at least one of his Pokémon?

Hala spoke, and his booming voice silenced the crowd.

"People of Melemele Island! We give our thanks to those watching over us, for today is a blessed day! Today, we commemorate the beginning of the trial of the grandson of the kahuna, Hau!"

There was a round of cheers and applause.

"And for his opponent tonight, the tapu has gifted us a trainer which it selected itself! Ash, who has met with Tapu Koko!"

There were more cheers and applause, mixed with sounds of surprise.

"Now, we shall not keep the tapu waiting! Bring forth the chosen Pokémon, and Hau shall choose his partner with whom he will share his journey!"

At that moment, Professor Kukui pulled three Poké Balls out of the pockets of his lab coat and placed them on the stage. He pressed the switch on each of them. A hush came over the crowd, and three small Pokémon materialized on the stage - one green, one red, and one blue.

"The grass type, Rowlet! The fire type, Litten! And the water type, Popplio!"

There were more cheers.

"Now, Hau! Which one will you choose as your partner?"

Hau stepped forward and crouched, with his hands on his knees. He looked each of the Pokémon over once, then stood up again.

"I know which one I want!" he said. "I choose Popplio!"

Popplio clapped its fins together and barked. The other two Pokémon continued to stand there.

"Very good!" said Hala. "Now, we must see if Popplio also chooses you!"

Serena's eyebrows raised. She saw that Ash looked just as surprised up on the stage.

When she chose Braixen at Professor Sycamore's lab, back when she was a Fennekin, this was not part of the process. The thought made her rather uncomfortable. Would Fennekin have chosen her?

She looked at Pikachu on her shoulder. She knew the stories. Pikachu would not have chosen Ash. She felt Braixen's warmth beside her. She did not dare look at the expression on Braixen's face. Some questions were better left unanswered.

A moment later, Rowlet turned its head completely around backward. Serena jumped in surprise. Could it read her mind? It was looking at her.

Or was it?

When Serena heard Pikachu speak, she knew she was not the target of Rowlet's gaze. Pikachu pointed at Ash, and Rowlet turned its head all the way back around again.

Popplio hopped its way over to the opposite side of the stage from Hau.

Litten licked itself absentmindedly.

"Now, Popplio!" said Hala. "Do you choose Hau as your partner?"

Serena could have predicted what happened next.

Rowlet took flight. Surprise echoed throughout the crowd as it landed right at Ash's feet.

Popplio barked at Rowlet with what Serena assumed was disapproval. Rowlet turned its head fully around again and winked.

"Well, what do we have here?" said Hala.

"It looks like Rowlet wants to join in on the fun!" said Hau.

"Rowlet?" said Ash.

Rowlet turned its head back around and looked up at Ash. It ruffled its feathers and let out a cheery call.

"Do you wanna battle with me?" said Ash.

"Why don't we let Rowlet tell us?" said Hala. "Both Popplio and Rowlet can choose their partners together!"

Without being told, Rowlet fluttered over to the opposite side of the stage, standing next to Popplio.

"Now, Popplio, do you choose Hau as your partner? Rowlet, do you choose Ash as your partner?"

Rowlet took flight and landed on Ash's shoulder, where Pikachu normally stood. On her own shoulder, Serena felt Pikachu tense up.

Popplio watched and continued to sit there while the crowd cheered. Hau had both hands behind his neck, laughing.

Ash looked like he felt very awkward.

When the cheers quieted, Popplio took off hopping, and hopped up into Hau's arms. There were even more cheers.

Litten continued to lick itself, not a care in the world.

Professor Kukui held up a Poké Ball.

"Let's get you back in here before the battle starts," he said to Litten.

Litten disappeared into the ball, and Professor Kukui placed it back in his lab coat pocket.

Lillie shifted her weight from one leg to the other.

"I wish they didn't have to battle…" she said.

Her bag rustled.

"No, you can't come out right now," she said. "You could get hurt!

On the stage, Ash and Hau moved to stand on opposite sides.

Serena was pleased to see that Ash was closer to their side. She waved at him.

Ash saw her and waved back. He pointed at Rowlet on his shoulder, then shrugged.

Rowlet appeared to be asleep.

"Hau! Ash! Are you and your partners ready?" said Hala.

Hau placed Popplio down on the stage. Popplio clapped its fins a few times.

Ash looked at Rowlet on his shoulder.

"Are you ready, Rowlet?" he said.

A moment later, Rowlet opened its eyes and fluttered down onto the stage. Ash looked at Serena and shrugged again. Serena giggled.

Hala stood in the center of the stage.

"For all life on our islands, and for those who undertake the island challenge with joy in their hearts, we pray for your protection, for them and all Melemele. May this Pokémon battle be an offering to our island's guardian deity, Tapu Koko!"

The crowd cheered. Hala stepped back. Lillie cringed.

"Begin!"

"Popplio, use Pound!" said Hau.

Popplio leaped into the air. It cleared the distance across the stage and came in with a fin raised, ready to strike.

"Rowlet, dodge!"

Rowlet took a few steps to the side. When Popplio realized what was happening, it panicked in midair and came crashing to the floor where Rowlet once stood. Rowlet stood a few inches away, facing forward, but with its head turned toward Popplio, watching.

"You can get 'em from there!" said Hau. "Try Pound again!"

Popplio shook it off, then reared up, ready to strike again.

"Dodge!" said Ash.

This time, Rowlet took a few steps forward. Popplio flopped onto the floor, into the empty space where Rowlet was supposed to be. It kept its head turned toward Popplio the whole time.

Popplio barked at Rowlet. Rowlet looked very pleased with itself.

"Don't let 'em get to ya, Popplio! Use Bubble!"

Ash hesitated.

"Dodge?" he said.

This time, Rowlet did not move. Popplio blew a large bubble with its nose and sent it hurtling toward Rowlet.

Rowlet popped the bubble with its beak.

Hau laughed and held his hands behind his head.

"Oh man, this is gonna be tough!" he said. "Give 'em another Pound, Popplio!"

Ash didn't issue a command. He asked a question.

"Do you know Peck?"

Rowlet did not respond.

"Uh- then dodge!"

Popplio lunged toward Rowlet, ready to strike. This time, Rowlet jumped backward out of the way.

"Hey, we got Rowlet off the ground, at least!" said Hau. "Keep it on its toes, Popplio! Pound again!"

Ash held a hand on the back of his neck. From the awkward angle of his jaw and the way he half smiled and half grit his teeth, she could tell he was grasping at straws. She began to understand why.

Ash didn't know Rowlet's moves.

"Do you know Tackle?" asked Ash.

Rowlet trilled a response that sounded positive.

"Then use Tackle!" said Ash.

Rowlet charged into Popplio's strike. The two attacks collided, and the Pokémon bounced off each other. The damage was only slight.

From the corner of her eye, Serena saw Lillie wince.

"Do you know a grass type attack?" Ash asked Rowlet.

Rowlet tilted its head at Ash.

"Haha! I sure hope that means no!" said Hau. "Pound, Popplio!"

Ash shrugged.

"Then, Tackle again, I guess?" he said.

Once again, Rowlet and Popplio collided. Lillie looked away.

"Is something wrong?" said Serena.

"I can't watch."

"Why not?"

"I can't stand seeing Pokémon get hurt," she said.

Rowlet and Popplio exchanged another pair of blows.

"It looks like Rowlet has a big advantage over Popplio," said Serena. "This battle wouldn't have to go on if Ash knew what kind of moves Rowlet could use. He would have won already if he knew."

Lillie looked at Serena. She seemed confused.

"He doesn't know?" said Lillie. "I thought he was an experienced trainer."

"He is, but I don't think he's ever seen a Rowlet before today," said Serena. "I haven't, anyway."

With surprise on her face, Lillie shifted her eyes from Serena to Ash.

"Do you know Vine Whip, Rowlet?"

The answer was no. Rowlet and Popplio exchanged blows again.

"What about Razor Leaf?"

No. Another exchange.

"Leaf Blade?"

No again. More blows.

And then, Lillie shouted above the crowd.

"Ash! Have Rowlet use Leafage!"

Ash, as well as much of the crowd, all looked at Lillie. Lillie's face turned red, and she hid it behind her hat.

For a moment, Ash looked confused. As Popplio came charging in yet again, he shook it off. He pumped his fist.

"Rowlet, use Leafage!"

Rowlet fluttered into the air, and a cloud of leaves poured out from beneath its wings. The leaves swarmed around Popplio, striking from all angles.

In a matter of seconds, the battle was over.

The crowd cheered, and Hala declared Ash the victor.

Ash stood there, scratching his head. Serena could not hear him, but she saw him mouth a confused-looking "Leafage?" before Hala took hold of him by the wrist and raised his hand into the air.

Hau scooped Popplio up in his arms. He was still smiling. It looked like he was laughing, despite his loss.

With Hala holding his hand high in the air, Ash looked at Serena. Their eyes met, and they lingered on each other for a while. He won. Of course he won. It was ridiculous, just like all of his battles.

Ash shrugged. He smiled at her. As if it were contagious, Serena smiled, too. She couldn't help it. The big goofball.

Next to her, though, Lillie was not smiling. She covered her face with both hands, shaking her head.

"I can't believe I did that…" she said.

"What's the matter?" said Serena. "You helped Ash win!"

Lillie gave Serena a doleful look. She appeared as though she were about to say something when Ash walked over to the edge of the stage. He spoke to her.

"Thanks!" he said. "I really owe ya for that one! I've never heard of that move!"

The uncertainty on Lillie's face melted away, bit by bit. A few seconds later, it was replaced by a bashful smile. Her face remained red. Serena doubted it was purely from embarrassment.

She was certain Lillie was blushing.