Who I Am - Lightning99

Chapter 55:

Camping

It was Hau's turn to challenge Mallow's trial the next morning – or rather, Ash realised, later that morning. Everyone except Brock, Dawn, and Lana, who were otherwise busy, gathered at Lush Jungle in support, which they provided through loud, passionate cheering as usual.

Ash stood amongst them, watching and supporting, but he couldn't summon that same enthusiasm, not while there was so much else to ponder. The Bond Phenomenon, Lillie, Lycanroc, Gladion; and just because his mind decided to attain a Rotom's level of mischief, he was suddenly cautious of The Aether Foundation and hyper-aware that some mystery organisation was hunting him. He couldn't seem to push aside a single thought no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he should be giving Hau the same support he had received.

Thankfully, he was attentive enough of the trial to congratulate Hau after the Totem battle, which had been a hard-fought victory.

The group celebrated Hau's victory in a nearby café, as had become their routine. The congratulatory atmosphere and their meal distracted him for a while. But afterwards, when everybody started their own conversations, Ash drifted to the edge of their bubble again, only responding to the conversation when addressed directly.

But this time, he was distracted for a different reason: he had seen Mallow hide a particularly long yawn behind her hand and a twist of her head. It was such a simple movement, yet it made him remember that everybody had sacrificed sleep for him. It hadn't happened, but what if Hau hadn't performed well in his trial because of it? Because of him? He wanted to make it up to them, and that allowed the rest of his thoughts to Shadow Force to the back of his mind. It appeared a much easier issue to solve because an obscure, random idea hit him as soon as they left the restaurant.

"Hey, guys," Ash said, and everyone looked back at him. "This is random, but would you like to go camping in the woods tonight?"

"That is random," Kiawe said, looking interested. "What brought that idea on?"

"I don't – I was thinking about it, and I remembered how fun it is. And besides, Hau and I have nearly finished all of our trials, you've finished your Trial captain posts, Lillie's improving; it's a way to congratulate ourselves," Ash said. He scratched his cheek. "And, I guess, as a thank you to everyone for being here and – yeah. We can do lots of things, too. We can battle, you can cook Mallow, and we can all chat around a campfire. That sort of thing."

And that was the main reason for his strange request: it had something for everyone. He didn't say it, and although it hadn't been on her list, it was a new experience for Lillie, too.

It seemed that his pitch was successful, for the smiles that spread across the group could have been enough to evolve a Cleffa into a Clefairy. They spent a few minutes deciding what they would need, and then they split off to gather the necessary equipment and food.

"I'm not joking," Brock said, chuckling to himself. "Ash and I truly have been on such crazy adventures."

Brock sipped from his cup and placed it back on the table, looking, once again, at Olivia sat opposite him, whose eyes were wide and attentive.

"To think you were connected to a legendary Pokémon, and practically saved the Sinnoh region," Olivia said, placing her cup back down.

"When somebody else says it, it does sound bizarre."

"Does that mean I'm having lunch with a regional hero?" Olivia asked, causing Brock to chuckle. He felt his heart somehow succumb to a Captivate, and he did not miss Olivia's unsure smile, nor the way she sipped from her cup again, glancing to and from him. It just made him smile that little bit more.

"I'm not so sure about that," Brock said. "That's more Ash's title."

"I wasn't there, but I wouldn't underestimate your own contributions," Olivia said.

"Perhaps you're right."

Brock sipped from his drink again. The table fell silent, but it wasn't awkward. It was more of a reprieve. He enjoyed it by glancing out of the window at the bright Alolan sunlight.

"How about you?" he asked, after pondering how to continue the conversation without scaring her away.

"Hmm?" Olivia mumbled, placing her cup back down again.

"Have you engaged in any region-saving missions as a Kahuna?"

Olivia chuckled, shaking her head.

"Not nearly on the scale that you have, no. Being a Kahuna is not quite as… adventurous or heroic as the average Alolan citizen seems to think."

Brock sat forward, resting his arms on the table. "How do you mean?"

Olivia crossed her thigh over her other leg, an action Brock did not miss in his peripheral vision. He had a certain amount of respect for how defined her muscles were. That was definitely all it was.

"Our main jobs as Kahunas are to oversee the Island Challenge, inter-island relations, and giving thanks and respect to the legendary Pokémon, the Tapu. We solve issues throughout our respective islands, of course, but you have been in Alola for a while now. You must have seen how peaceful it is here. The police handle most things."

"Yes, Alola is definitely the most peaceful region I have visited," Brock said, although he wondered if that was just on the surface. His and Ash's investigations would uncover that particular truth.

"Exactly. Because of that, I haven't had to engage in anything too heroic. I have tamed a few rampaging Pokémon, mind you," Olivia said.

"I'd say that is heroic. You never know what sort of damage Pokémon can cause," Brock said.

"Thank you. I imagine you have seen some damage? Being a Pokémon doctor, I mean."

"I have. The injuries some wild Pokémon sustain are quite surprising. Though, the relief on their faces when we help them is everything to me. Do you feel the same?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, sorry, I should be more specific," Brock said.

"No, not at all. It's my fault, I should have–" Brock cut her of then, for that would have been the third nervous rant she would have entered into since they started chatting. To some it might have been frustrating. To him, it was endearing.

"What I meant was," Brock continued, smiling, "is it fulfilling work? Do you enjoy it?"

"Oh, definitely. People rely on me, and I spend a lot of my time helping them. The relationships I build, the joy on people's faces when I help them. Yes, it is very fulfilling."

"I understand that feeling," Brock said.

"There is nothing quite like it, is there?"

"There isn't."

Once again, they entered into a contented, comfortable silence, sipping from their drinks.

"Is there anything about the job that you find difficult?" Brock asked when he felt the time was right.

Olivia hummed to herself, sitting back in her seat. "Not that I can think of. Although... No, I won't burden you with that."

"Hmm?" Brock asked. "I don't mind if you need somebody to talk to. Perhaps I could help?"

Olivia watched him for a moment.

"Of course, I'm not pressuring you into telling me."

"You don't mind?"

"Not at all."

"Then, thank you in advance," Olivia said, sitting forwards again. "Recently we Kahunas are having a hard time contacting and maintaining relations with the artificial island, Aether Paradise."

Though he tried to maintain a stoic, thoughtful expression, Brock felt his face twist and a great deal of concern fill his chest. His heart started beating a bit more noticeably.

"How do you mean?" Brock asked.

"It's very strange. Lusamine, the Aether Foundation's president, has always maintained good relations with us Kahunas. We like to know what is going on over there, after all. But recently, she has stopped contacting us, and whenever we call, it goes straight to Wicke, the Assistant Branch Chief. Wicke insists that all is ok, that Lusamine is merely busy, but I am not so sure. It is such a big change."

Brock sat back, folding his arms. There was one thing he immediately realised: this was a pivotal moment. His and Ash's investigations so far suggested that something was amiss within the Aether Foundation, but if a Kahuna was seeing the same thing, that increased the possibility that they were right. And Olivia was somebody in a high-ranking position in the region. Should he ask her to aid with their investigations? What should he tell her? What should he not?

"I see," Brock said, picking each word carefully.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be bringing my problems into–"

"No, that's not it," Brock said. "Actually, I started working at Aether Paradise not too long ago."

Olivia jumped forwards, bumping the table. "You did?"

"Yes," Brock said. "If you wanted me to, I could act as your go-between within the company."

"My go-between…" Olivia mumbled.

"Exactly. Somebody that can relay information to you should you need it. Of course, I won't spy on them. But I can try and talk to people and let you know what I find out."

"You'd do that?"

"For you, anything," Brock said.

When Olivia sat backwards, looking away rather abashedly, Brock felt more than proud of himself. He had managed that situation as best as he could. Next, he would consult Ash, and if they agreed that having Olivia on board would be beneficial, he'd explain the rest. For now, being in contact with her was enough. For more than one reason.

"Thank you, Brock. That is a big relief," Olivia said. "Is there anything I can do to repay you?"

"No, no, that's not necessary," Brock said.

"Are you sure? There isn't anything?"

Brock frowned, taking a moment to think.

"I suppose there might be."

"Yes?"

"You said before that you are good at reading Pokémon," Brock said. Olivia nodded. "Does that translate to people at all?"

"I'm not sure. People have told me I can read others well, but I don't know how much I trust that. Humans are generally a little more intelligent than most Pokémon – not that we should underestimate their intelligence, mind you – but we all feel emotions in the same way. So perhaps I can read people just as well. Why do you ask?" Olivia asked.

"I'm a little bit worried about somebody. I noticed something recently that… Well, I was wondering if I could pose a question to you, see if you can determine the cause."

"That sounds a bit out of my capabilities, but I will see what I can do. What is the question?"

"Thank you. I apologise if this is a little mood-dampening, but what would you say it means when somebody throws themselves into danger to save someone else, but their eyes look almost desperate?"

"That is a deep question," Olivia said, her eyes turning sympathetic.

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologise. If I were to answer based on my knowledge of Pokémon, it might be a protective instinct. They want to save that Pokémon, that person, so much that they grow desperate."

"Yes, that was my thought, too," Brock said. "What if the situation isn't too dangerous, but they throw themselves into the danger anyway?"

"Hmm… In that case, being that desperate might be a sign of something deeper."

"Something deeper?"

"Yes. I have seen it most often when a Pokémon has been abandoned and taken in afterwards. Whenever the trainer that has taken them in is in danger, they will grow very protective. They don't want to return to how things used to be, so they will get angry and take… Revenge isn't the right word, but they will get back at the source of the danger and even risk their safety to protect their new trainer, their new family."

Brock sat back in his chair. And he thought. He thought for several minutes because there was something significant in what Olivia had just said.

"Did that help?"

"Oh! Yes, yes, it did. That is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. Thank you," Brock said.

"Of course, don't take my word as fact. But if I think of anything more, I will contact you again."

"Please don't agonise over it. I might just be worrying a bit too much," Brock said. "Again, sorry for bringing the conversation down a little bit."

Olivia smiled. "You care for your friends a lot, don't you?"

"I do," Brock said.

A ping resonated from Brock's pocket, and he took out his new Poké-Gear – something he had purchased should the need to contact anyone urgently arise. It was a message from Ash via a Poké-Center phone, telling him to meet them in a little while if he was up for camping. Brock chuckled. Where had that idea come from?

"Who is that?" Olivia asked.

"It's Ash," Brock said, putting his Poké-Gear away.

"Ah, Ash. You are good friends, aren't you? Despite the age difference."

"We are. For some reason, he and the others have decided to go camping today. That was an invite for me. Teens always seem to have the most spontaneous ideas."

Olivia chuckled.

"What is it like, spending a lot of time with people younger than you?"

"It is amazing. They are more mature than you would think," Brock said. He smiled. "Though, talking with someone like you, somebody closer to my age, is just a little bit more fun."

Olivia blushed, Brock felt himself do the same, and they looked away from each other.

"And that," Ash said, stepping back to admire their work with hands on his hips, "is how you set up a camp."

The area that stood before him was not unlike the clearing he had woken up in his first morning in Alola. It was a slightly open glade with the forest on one side and a small lake on the other. They had set up two tents they had rented side-by-side facing the lake with enough sleeping bags for everyone currently strewn about the grass. The food Mallow bought was placed on a fold-up table, and Kiawe was adding the last few sticks to a campfire surrounded by several logs they had rolled into place as makeshift seats.

"Or how Brock once taught me to set up a camp."

Brock laughed, slapping a hand onto his shoulder and stepping up to his side.

"You've improved since we last did this," he said.

"I didn't just battle back then. I did listen. Sometimes," Ash said, and Brock laughed again.

"Alright," Mallow said as she approached the food table. "It's still the early afternoon, but let's start prepping the food for later, shall we?"

Brock rolled his sleeves up and headed over. Clemont joined them, and Ash turned to everyone else.

And they just stood there.

"What now?" Kiawe asked, stepping towards Ash.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked. "There's not some big mystery behind it. Just do what you would normally do. Read a book, Lillie. Fish, Lana. Do some training, have a battle, anything."

Kiawe smirked, folding his arms. "Is that a challenge?" he asked.

It hadn't been, but that didn't matter because, within the next two minutes, Stufful was bounding around Turtonator, whacking him repeatedly with his flailing, plush-like limbs. And that was only their first spar. Many came after it, but none ended in a defeat for either party. They both treated it as training, so while their rivalry added a heatedness to the battles, they didn't go far enough to leave any Pokémon unconscious.

When they finished sparring, Ash sat back and swigged a drink. The day's Autumn warmth had been increased on them tenfold by Kiawe's fire types, which gave the cool water an almost cleansing sensation on his lips.

He waited until he had cooled down enough, then looked at and assessed his Pokémon. He was more than happy with their progress lately, even if he hadn't engaged in any full-on training sessions over the last week. But each of them had wandered off at certain intervals, and the fact that Stufful now had complete mastery of Brick Break and Torracat of Taunt and that Bagon was looking sturdier by the day told him that they hadn't spent all that time resting.

Kiawe sat beside him after doing something similar with his own Pokémon, and they chatted awhile. They shared pointers and suggestions and watched Dawn practise a new performance that incorporated new, Alolan styles. She hadn't nailed it yet, but she was improving. She asked for their opinions now and then. Ash tried his best to give her pointers based on his limited knowledge of the profession.

A short while later, Lana challenged Ash to a training battle. He immediately agreed, and a mixture of the sun and the intensity made him heat up again. However, when Lana started using some Water-Type moves, the air seemed to retain some of the water, cooling the air itself to a more refreshing state.

Like his battles with Kiawe, neither he nor Lana fought to the KO - although Lycanroc and Clauncher tried when they battled. Even so, it made Ash realise that, since he wasn't using Pikachu, he was at a clear disadvantage to Water-Types. Torracat and Lycanroc, despite the latter knowing Thunder Fang, were weak to Water, and though Bagon was resistant, neither he nor Stufful could counter it. He needed to add another type to his team, but he couldn't immediately decide what to choose.

After he finished sparring with Lana, Ash took a seat beside Lillie under the shade of a nearby tree. She had been alternating between reading and watching the battles and had returned to the latter. It was quiet beside her, providing Ash with the perfect atmosphere to think about his type predicament.

Water-Types were weak to Electric and Grass, a fact known by most trainers. But his situation was a little more complicated than that.

He thoroughly considered his current team – once again excluding Pikachu for his experience advantage – and decided that a Grass-Type was the most logical choice. If he were to choose Electric, that would only worsen his team's other overwhelming weakness thus far: Ground-Types. He wanted to avoid that, so Grass was the way to go. Of course, that meant whatever he caught would have several weaknesses: Bug, Flying, Fire, Ice, and Poison. But Torracat and Lycanroc were already perfect counters for four of those, so his coverage was already solid. The only issue would be Poison Types.

"Rotom," Ash called out. Rotom dashed over to him from where he had been watching Kiawe and Lana's ensuing battle. "I'm looking to counter a few weaknesses in my team. Are there any Grass and Ghost-Type Pokémon in Alola? That would eliminate a potential Poison weakness, and having a Ghost Type will counter Stufful's Fighting weakness. Or if not, Grass-Poison?"

"Searching-bzzt," Rotom said, his screen displaying a loading icon. As he continued, images flashed across the screen. "Grass-Ghost Type Alolan Pokémon include Decidueye, the Arrow Quill Pokémon and the final evolved form of Rowlet and Dartrix, and Dhelmise, the Sea Creeper Pokémon. Grass-Poison Type Alolan Pokémon–"

"Sorry to cut you off, but did you say the evolved form of Rowlet and Dartrix? Decidueye?"

"Yes-bzzt."

"I see… And where can you find these Grass-Ghost Types?"

"Decidueye is more than rare to find in the wild. One has not been seen in several years. However, rumours have spread that both Rowlet and Datrtix sometimes appear around the forests of Akala Island. They are nocturnal, so they have been seen around midnight-bzzt. Dhelmise, on the other hand, is moderately rare to find on Poni Island, the fourth of the Alolan Islands. It lives around the shore near Seafolk Village-bzzt," Rotom explained.

"So, the quickest bet would be Decidueye. That means I'll have to go searching while still on Akala," Ash said. "Looks like I know what I'm doing this evening."

"I didn't realise so much went into deciding what you want your team to be," Lillie said, causing Ash to jolt. When he looked over, Lillie's book was closed, her bookmark sticking out of the top, and she was looking at him. He wondered how long she had been.

"This is the first time I've seriously considered it, to be honest. I had three Flying-Types and two Dragon-Types in Kalos. While they were strong, it wasn't a very varied team. I don't know. I just realised I wanted to think about that sort of thing," Ash said.

"I see," Lillie said, nodding. "If it helps, I heard Mallow talking about seeing a Rowlet around Lush Jungle."

"For real?" Ash asked, scrambling to his feet. Lillie nodded again. "Thank you!"

Ash dashed to the food table and badgered Mallow about the issue, oblivious that he was interrupting their cooking. Mallow confirmed that she had seen a Rowlet in Lush Jungle, creating in Ash an immediate impulse to rush over there himself. But it was only about six o'clock at that point, the sun cooling a little bit as the evening drew nearer, and Brock told him food was almost ready, so he refrained. He even tried helping them cook, but his attempts nearly led to disastrous consequences. Luckily, Mallow had saved the pot from collapsing into the cooking fire just in time, and twenty minutes later, they were sat around the campfire, chowing down.

"This is delicious," Dawn said.

"It is," Kiawe agreed. "You have outdone yourselves today."

"Thank you," Clemont said. "I didn't do much, to be honest."

"That's not true. Because we followed orders, it didn't feel like we did anything," Brock said. "Mallow, you really are a pro. I can't believe how efficiently your organised everything."

"Oh, thank you," Mallow said, chuckling. "I'm nothing special, but I have been working at it for a long time. I'm glad you all like it."

Ash saw Mallow's grin, and he grinned too. He looked then at Kiawe and Lana, then Clemont and Brock and Kiawe, Lillie and Dawn, and all of them looked just as happy as Mallow did.

A touch of warmth blossomed in Ash's chest. That sight had been the exact reason he had suggested this camping trip.

The only one that looked out of place was Hau, who wasn't making jokes or laughing. But Ash had a solution to that, and an hour later, after they had finished eating and chatting, Ash approached Hau.

"Hey, Hau," he said, waving. "I want to catch a Rowlet for my team, so I was thinking about searching around Lush Jungle. You want to join me?"

And all of a sudden, Hau's expression brightened up. He agreed, and after sending word to everyone else, they set off into the forest.

It took a little while to reach Lush Jungle itself, but it still wasn't dark when they arrived. They passed the time by fighting wild Pokémon, chatting, and training their teams. By the time the darkness fell, Ash couldn't wait any longer. He sprinted into the depths of Lush Jungle and, using Rotom as his guide, searched for Rowlet in all the recommended spots.

Naturally, finding one Pokémon in such an expansive, tangled jungle wasn't an easy task. He was at it for hours, but neither he nor Hau grew bored of fighting wild Pokémon. He stayed motivated even as it got so late that he was sure they had passed midnight, even though he still had no luck finding Rowlet. It was as if they had a five per cent chance to spawn or something.

But he didn't stop, and, eventually, he found something that Rotom analysed as a Rowlet family footprint. He scoured that specific area and found what he was looking for. Except, he was even luckier, for it wasn't a Rowlet that he found but a Dartrix.

Ash saw it and flinched back behind a bush, stopping Hau with his arm. He looked at Hau and raised a finger to his grinning lips. Hau nodded, indicating that he understood, and Ash peeked around the bush. The Dartrix stood perched upon a long branch beside some Pikipek, Trumbeak, and one stern-looking Toucannon.

Taking a deep breath, Ash crept around the side of the bush, his back pressed into the leaves. He hoped to catch Dartrix off guard, to get a pre-emptive strike in their battle, but despite being closed, Dartrix's eyes snapped onto him, his neck twisting so abnormally it looked a little mangled. Ash stopped and watched as, as if telepathically alerted, the surrounding Pikipek line looked at him.

Ash flicked his gaze between each sharp blue eye and Dartrix's closed, sleepy ones. From their stances, he could assume they weren't preparing to attack. They were merely observing him, waiting. And so, Ash moved. He reached into his pocket for Torracat's Pokéball, his eyes never leaving the birds. He readied himself to throw the Pokéball. And the birds acted immediately.

The Pikipek line scattered in a spiral among the trees, a flurry of leaves swirling as they did, and Dartrix shot forwards, a green glow engulfing the tips of its quills. Ash dived to the side, dodging a quick Razor Leaf, and tossed Torracat's Pokéball. The cat Pokémon popped out on all fours with his teeth borne.

"Torracat, jump and use Fire Fang!" Ash said.

Torracat crouched and pounced on command, paws all outstretched, teeth aflame. But as he neared Dartrix, who looked perfectly comfortable in the air, a slash of air crashed into Torracat's side, knocking him away. Ash looked to the source: one of the Trumbeak was staring at him, eyes as sharp as always, hovering in the air with steady flaps of its wings.

Ash reached for Lycanroc's Pokéball, but he hesitated.

"Don't worry, Ash," Hau said, reaching into his own pocket. "I've got the others. Go Raichu!"

Hau threw out his Raichu, and Ash was astonished for the second time. He had seen Hau's Alolan Raichu during Mallow's trial, but all he had known before was the Kanto variant, so to see a darker-skinned, blue-eyes, and wispy eared version riding its tail like a surfboard was surprising. But now was not the time to be surprised, so as Hau commanded Raichu to use Thundershock, Ash called for Torracat to use Ember.

Now that the others were distracted, the Dartrix had no other option but to dodge. It dived from its perch, its beak glowing white and stretching as it spun into a corkscrew towards Torracat.

"Use Flame Charge!" Ash called.

Torracat cried loudly, the golden ball on his chest erupting with fire. The fire spread, engulfing his whole body. Through the flames, Ash saw him couch and push off the ground towards Dartix's attack. When they collided, Torracat overpowered Dartrix, knocking him aside as easily as a Drifloon. Dartrix clattered into and skidded along the grass, and Torracat's momentum led him to the treetops, where he landed on a branch, the fire around him dispersed. He tiptoed along the branch, watching Dartrix rise to its talons.

The Dartrix's quills glowed green, and it fired another Razor Leaf up at Torracat, who, even before Ash could command it, countered it with Ember, burning every leaf to cinders. Several thin lines of electricity backdropped the red and green flurry; Hau was doing well against the Pikipek line, it seemed.

However, Torracat was so busy blocking the leaves that he didn't see Dartrix dashing in with another glowing beak afterwards. Dartrix struck him in the chest, knocking him from the branch.

Torracat spun as he fell. But before he could drop too low, he straightened up and dug his paws into the tree. His nails cut lines into the bark, and he gradually slowed to a stop. He quickly started scaling the tree, dodging Dartrix's attempts at knocking him away with Razor Leaf.

Ash called out to Torracat to use Fury Swipes when he was back atop the branch. The close range forced Dartrix to counter with an unrelenting barrage of its beak and wings. They exchanged blow for blow, swiping and ducking and crying until Torracat struck Dartrix's beak directly, knocking him from the branch.

Ash reached towards his pocket but stopped himself. Not yet.

As it fell, Dartrix flapped its wings three times: once to stop itself from falling, twice to balance itself, and a third time to propel itself towards Torracat, who was once again prowling along the branch. And that made Ash smirk.

"Torracat, catch it with Fire Fang and throw it back!" Ash shouted.

Dartrix flew towards Torracat, beak aglow again. However, Torracat agilely slid to the right and then clamped his flaming jaw onto Dartrix's side. Before Dartrix could break free, Torracat leapt from the branch, spun in the air, and threw it at the ground. Dartrix hit it hard, kicking up some dust, and a few seconds later, Torracat landed was almost supernatural grace.

Ash withdrew a Pokéball from his pocket and threw it toward the downed Dartrix. It popped open, pulling Dartrix in through a bright red light. When it hit the ground, Ash watched. It shook once. Twice. Torracat crouched down, eyes sharp, but it shook a third time and snapped closed. Ash waited a moment. When nothing happened, he sighed.

As Ash picked up Dartrix's Pokéball, he saw Hau approach him from his right side, his Raichu poised on its tail beside him. Oddly enough, the Pikipek line was also there, standing on the ground by Ash's feet. They looked expectant, impressed. And Ash realised what he needed to do. He let Dartrix out of its Pokéball.

As soon as Dartrix appeared, it waddled toward the other birds, and they started exchanging cries.

"Nice work, Ash," Hau said.

Ash smiled. "Thanks. You, too. Three on one is pretty good."

"Yeah. Still not good enough, though…"

Ash frowned.

"What are they doing?" Hau asked.

"If I had to guess, saying goodbye."

And, it turned out, that was exactly what they were doing. When their cries ended, the Pikipek line flew up into the treetops. They watched Dartrix waddle back towards Ash, nod its head, and use its wing to pat its chest. Taking that as a sign that he accepted him as his trainer, Ash knelt to pat Dartrix on the head. He returned him, then, and as he and Hau started leaving, he looked back at the Pikipek line.

For some reason, he felt like they were Baton Passing Dartrix to him. They were saying, 'it's your turn now.' And so, in his head, Ash accepted their wish. He accepted the job of taking care of Dartrix.

Ash and Hau stepped back through the dark foliage into their campsite, happening upon the rest of their friends sitting on the circle of logs, a simmering, crackling campfire illuminating them in a faint golden light. The lake's edge behind them reflected the glow, but further out the water was navy and sparkled like liquid glass. Lillie was reading a book, Kiawe watched the flames with some trance-like attention, and the others were chatting in whispers, a nearby Hoothoot hooting in the distance. Ash smiled at the scene and joined them, sitting in the free seat beside Mallow.

"Ash, Hau! How did it go?" Mallow asked, and everyone looked up at the returned duo.

Ash merely reached into his bag, showed them Dartrix's Pokéball, and returned it.

"Congratulations," Kiawe said.

"It looks like your team is starting to take shape," Brock said.

"Yeah," Ash said. "I'm moving on to the next island soon, so it will be good to have more variety."

"That's right. Most of you have finished what you need to do on Akala, haven't you?" Dawn said.

"Seems like it," Mallow said. "The only ones still working here are you, Dawn, Lana, and Hau. Then, we can move on to Ula'Ula Island."

"Actually," Lana said, "we're ready to go whenever you all are."

"Really?" Ash asked.

"Yep. Our instructors are putting on a show on Poni Island in a few days, so they'll be heading away for a little while. While we're on break, we can check out Ula'Ula Island. They said they could pick us up on their way back through," Dawn said.

"Also, even if they didn't have a show, I still wanted to go to Ula'Ula Island, even if only for a day. I want to see Sophocles. It has been a while," Lana said.

"I see," Ash said. "I meant to ask, Dawn. Are you going to take part in any of their shows?"

"I tried asking them if I could this time, but they declined. I'm still learning the basics, so it makes sense. But when I nail it, yes, I think I will be," Dawn said. She looked out across the lake. "But… that means I may not be with everyone when you explore Ula'Ula and Poni Island. At least for a little while."

"We won't be," Lana said. "I'm also thinking of staying with them for a while. They have taught me a lot about using Water-Type Pokémon lately, and I want to keep learning from them."

"That means…" Mallow said.

"We'll be separated for a while," Lana said. They exchanged glances, neither looking happy, but neither looking sad.

"So long as that is what you want to do, I will support you," Mallow said.

"Thank you, Mallow," Lana said.

"Likewise, Dawn," Brock said. Dawn nodded, and Brock continued. "Actually, I was thinking of staying here on Akala Island myself."

"You were?!" Ash asked, his voice a perfect Mirror Move of his surprise.

"Yes. There are various factors to consider, but I will give you the main two. First, there is my job at Aether Paradise." Brock looked at Ash directly as he said that, and Ash knew only he and Clemont truly understood what Brock meant. "And second, I… I want to see Olivia more."

And that second point Ash had seen coming. He knew Brock well, after all. It made him chuckle aloud, though the fact that he was so committed to one lady now showed he wasn't the same person he used to be.

"Aww, that's adorable!" Mallow said.

"Heh, you're head-over-heels, eh Brock?" Hau asked.

"Well…" Brock said, scratching his cheek. He shook his head. "My only deterrent to staying with the group is you, Ash."

"Me?"

"Yes. With your Bond Phenomenon getting stronger–"

"Please don't let me be your reason," Ash said, cutting him off. "I'll be ok. I have everyone else with me."

Brock observed him for a few moments. Then he nodded. "Alright."

"I guess that settles it, then," Mallow said. "We're splitting up when we go to Ula'Ula Island."

"Yeah…" Hau said. He leaned forwards, resting his elbows on his knees.

"What's up, Hau?" Clemont asked.

"I was just thinking. Don't wait up for me to battle Olivia," Hau said.

"What? Why?" Kiawe asked.

"It's just… I think I need to travel on my own for a little while. I need to focus and truly commit myself to my training."

"It's what Gladion said, isn't it?" Ash asked. "You said beating three on one wasn't enough earlier."

"It's not just that. I need to grow. And… I think I need some independence to do that," Hau said.

"Hey," Kiawe said, "whatever you need to do, we will support you."

"That's right," Ash said. "Do whatever you need to do."

Hau looked around the circle and smiled. "Thanks, everyone."

And with that, they made their plans to leave Akala Island. They decided to go on Sunday, the end of the week. That left them a few more days to pack and say goodbye to anybody they needed to – Lillie proposed that idea, for she wanted to say goodbye to Burnet with enough notice.

Ash didn't especially know how he felt about the new arrangements, and he thought about it long after they put out the campfire and most of the group had retired to their tents. Brock, Dawn, Lana, and Hau were leaving. He wondered how strange exploring would feel without them, especially Brock. Then again, he wasn't unfamiliar with parting with his friends, and the islands weren't very far apart. Unlike other regions, they could meet up whenever they wanted to. In the end, he concluded just that they weren't that far away. If he wanted to see them, he could.

With that decided, Ash wandered to the edge of the lake. He looked up at the night sky, and suddenly, that night in the Poké-Centre on Melemele Island, the one where he had seen Serena's Poké-Vision, came to mind.

That evening, he had wished he was out here, camping in the forests, enjoying the fresh evening air and tranquillity. And here, right now, he had what he had wanted. The Alolan night was still warm, yet there was a chill to the pleasant breeze blowing through the area. It was dark but shimmering with moonlight; there was no city noise in the background, just the distant Pokémon muffled by the trees. Ash felt his eyes watering. He didn't cry, but he could have, and he let those would-be tears rest on his eyelids for a while. It was–

"Wow. It's so beautiful," Lillie's voice said from behind him.

Ash glanced around, for she had voiced his exact thoughts. She stood a few steps behind him in her nightclothes, her arms wrapped around her Pokémon egg. The egg and her dress and hair shimmered like starlight.

"It is," Ash said. "It reminds me of my other adventures."

Lillie stepped up beside him. "Have you seen a lot of skies like this?"

"Yeah. It's still just as beautiful every time."

"This… It is actually my first time seeing such a pure, unobstructed sky."

"Really?" Ash asked.

"Yes. There are a lot of lights on Aether Paradise, so while starry, it was not as beautiful as this. Light pollution causes that. And I have seen a lot of lovely skies on Melemele Island, but Hau'oli City's lights dim it a little bit. This… Akala Island is larger, so Heahea City is further away. The lights do not block out the view as much. It's perfect."

"Almost perfect," Ash said because there was one place that had an even better sky, in his opinion. A sky that no other location could match, even if it were more visually pleasing.

"Almost?"

"Yep. The best sky I have ever seen is in Pallet Town back in Kanto. Sure, I've seen starrier skies, more spectacular ones, but Pallet Town… That sky… Whenever I see it, I know I'm home. It just feels like home. At least, it did," Ash said. Then he shook his head. "No, it is. Nothing can taint it."

Ash saw Lillie smile at him in the corner of his eyes. When he looked at her, she flicked her gaze to the sky, so he did the same.

"I'd love to see it one day," Lillie said.

"I'd love to show it to you someday," Ash said.

They shared another glance, holding it for longer this time, and returned to looking at the sky.

"I guess it's time to say goodbye to Akala Island," Lillie said.

"I don't know. We still have something to do first, don't we?" Ash asked.

"Yes," Lillie said, and Ash could tell that she was smiling through her voice.

Neither of them said much more after that. They merely looked out across the starlit lake a while longer.

I FINALLY HAVE FREE TIME! T_T

ehem.

Thanks for waiting. I've finally posted this chapter! This honestly would been out a little while ago, but I did a deep dive and decided to write two more chapters before posting this. When I first started writing, I was like five chapters ahead or something, but responsibilities catch up to you and suddenly we're nearly three years in and my upload schedule is so far off a cliff that it probably hit the bottom.

But now I'm ahead again! Finally! I'm ahead and still going!

It's probably a good job I took a while to edit this chapter, to be honest. I wrote so much in one week that it just needed some time to sit before being looked at. I say all this, and I bet there's still some little mistakes in there. There always are.

Anyway! Thanks for sticking with me, and if you're new, welcome! My uploading schedule is very rocky and I'm very stingy with answering questions that are related to the plot as I like to keep the suspense/thinking, but I still love to hear what you think. Sooo...

I hope you enjoyed, and see ya soon!