Caleb and I walked into the library. Lana looked at us annoyed. She asked why we didn't follow her and we just shrugged. She ordered us to follow her up the stairs to the 2nd floor of the library.
We walked to the back left corner of the floor in a rather empty part of the library. There was one older man reading a book on the floor. He had long grayish hair going down to his shoulders.
Lana approached the man and introduced him to us. His name was Samson Oak. As in the cousin to Professor Oak in Kanto. Apparently Samson researches the regional variants here on Alola.
"Lana tell me that you two are taking on Team Skull. Is this true?"
I looked at Caleb who didn't look back. He looked at Samson and nodded confidently.
"Well since Nanu wrongly mentioned him I guess it would be wise for you to know what happened 4 years ago," Samson said.
"What do you mean?" Caleb asked.
I watched Lana stand beside Samson as if she already knew the story. She was focused on our reaction. Of course she already gave the impression that she knew back in the Garden.
"There was this young boy, who was about your age, maybe younger, who went up against Team Skull. He didn't seek out Team Skull at first. He just decided to help those who were impacted by them. Then he got sucked into going against and after them."
He proceeded to mention how this boy defeated Team Skull wherever they were, even dismissing them from Po Town.
"His name was Sol," Lana said. "He is Alola's first real Champion." Lana emphasized the last half of the sentence causing Caleb to shake his head and interrupt.
"Wait, I thought the first champion was Hau."
I glare at Caleb, then at Lana, and finally back at Caleb. "Woah woah. Who are these people? Who's Hau?"
Caleb sighed. "Hau is Hala's grandson. He is the first champion of Alola."
"But I thought this new Pokemon Tournament was to establish that."
Lana interrupted this time. "Yes, because the previous way of establishing the Champion had to disappear."
"Wait, why? I'm confused," I say scratching my the back of my neck.
"4 years ago Kukui created the Elite Four of Alola. Trainers who completed their trial would battle all 4 great trainers including a couple of the Kahunas. The Boy, Sol, was the first to do so. Then he relinquished his reign 1 day later. Hau was next up and won. Long story short, an agreement among the Kahunas and those in the know agreed we needed to erase Sol's existence from our history."
"He lived in Melemele Island," Caleb said.
This was a lot of information and it was all very confusing. I don't understand why they would have to go to such extreme lengths.
"Okay, so where is Sol and Hau now?" I ask.
Lana and Samson look at each other as if they were telepathically exchanging messages.
"Hau is traveling the world. Sol, we don't know. His mom went back to Kanto."
I look at Caleb and asked if he knew them. He told me that he knew Hau but not Sol or his mother even though they supposedly lived nearby.
"The decision to remove Sol from our history was his decision. We also don't talk about what happened 4 years ago as a result. It's easy because the people of Alola are ignorant to what happened for the most part. All they know is that Team Skull was defeated. They don't know anything about Sol and him being the first Champion."
How do the people not know about Sol being the first champion? Was there no fanfare for the event? I'm so confused about that but I don't ask.
"So what did happen 4 years ago? Clearly you aren't just talking about Team Skull?" I ask Lana and Samson.
They both look at each other and say nothing for a few moments.
"It's nothing to worry about now, young man," Samson says.
I roll my eyes at the condescending tone. I look at Lana waiting for her to tell me but she doesn't.
"What is with you people and your stupid secrets? You all are so annoying," I shoot back.
"It's not simple, Cameron. We made an agreement," Samson said. "I'm sorry but it's crucial that what happened remains secret."
I shook my head. I had an idea of how to get them to talk.
"What is an Ultra Beast?" I ask defiantly. Lana's eyes shoot open and her body becomes rigid. Samson also looks a little surprised but hides it better than Lana.
"What is Nihilego? I ask in a more stern voice.
"Where did you hear of those words?" Lana yells.
"Answer me."
Lana takes a step back and sighs. But she doesn't budge. Samson however clears his throat and begins to answer before Lana reprimands him. He puts his hand up.
"They are the same thing. Nihilego is an Ultra Beast. 4 years ago Nihilego threatened our lands because of the ambition of Team Skull and The Aether Foundation."
Caleb gasped. "The Aether Foundation?"
"Yes. Lusamine was the founder and President. She became corrupted with power," Samson explained. I asked him about Gladion and he said, "He's a fine chap. He's doing great things even if he is 18."
I felt a wave of relief. I began to connect the dots between the relationship of Gladion and Guzma. There was just one thing that bothered me; "why is Guzma doing this again and why aren't people doing more to stop him?"
"He's bitter, Cameron. Not only that but he has people close to him who are difficult, for a lack of a better term."
"Who?" I ask.
"We don't know."
I couldn't tell if he was lying, but I assumed he was. Either way, I had no card to play rather than whining and I am getting tired of that. In the end I concede my argumentative stance.
Samson hands Caleb and I a few pokeballs and treats for our Pokemon. Then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a Pokeball. He tells us to follow him outside so we follow him. Off to the side of the library grounds Samson releases the Pokemon in the Pokeball. My Pokedex says the Pokemon was a Toxapex.
Samson goes onto say that this Pokemon recently belonged to another trainer who abused it. So he's been holding onto Toxapex in order to hand it to a trusted trainer.
Skitty approaches Toxapex and sniffs it. Toxapex spins it's body and shows itself under the spiked legs scaring Skitty. Skitty growls at Toxapex for a moment but then proceeds to walk around it.
"I want you to have this Pokemon. It's needs a trainer who will care about it than themselves. Professor Kukui told me you would be perfect."
Samson handed me the Pokeball and told me to recall Toxapex. He warned me that it may not be friendly towards me at first but that I should be fine.
Toxapex returned to it's ball without a problem and now I had my 6th Pokemon. To be honest I wasn't sure what I wanted my 6th Pokemon to be but I'm glad to have a water type in my team.
"Sick!" Caleb said as he looked at his Pokedex. "Listen to this; 'Toxapex crawls along the ocean floor with it's 12 legs. It leaves a trail of Corsola pieces scattered in its wake.'"
That's the description of Toxapex in the Pokedex and it's terrifying. Who knew Pokemon were so dangerous and deadly? Remind me to keep my Corsola away from this beast.
...
Lana, Caleb and I spend the rest of the day walking through Route 11, 12 and 13. It's been one of the most grueling stretches of the adventure because of going up and down hills and the rocky terrain.
Also, the heat was becoming unbearable and there was a severe lack of food and drinks on these routes. I also recognized there were less trainers than on the other two islands. It just seems like this Island is barren.
However, that changes when we get to Tapu Village. It's a bit more livelier but nothing like what you would get on Akala or Melemele. It is also extremely late. The sun set a couple hours ago and we are all tired. We quickly get situated into a newly built hotel and relax for the rest of night.
As I laid down in my bed I was going through a lot of what happened today. It was a very long day and a lot happened.
I was reminded of what Caleb told me when I looked over to the other bed and saw him. He came out to me as being gay.
Gay. Is this the word that I am searching for? Is that why when I look Caleb sometimes it makes my heart skip a beat? Is that why my skin warms exponentially when his skin touches mine? Am I gay?
Seems like it.