Calem's Alola Adventure

Chapter 12

By: Gandire

Calem, satisfied with everything he's seen on Mount Lanakila, calls out Ponyta. While preparing Ponyta with his stirrup, he wonders, Does Lana's name and the Lana from Lanakila derive from the same source?

He then mounts Ponyta and, from his back, hops off the mountain's ledge. Rocks, frozen dirt, and ice scrape against Ponyta's hooves as they slide down the mountain. Small rocks and bits of ice spray upward and cut his face. When the ground gets too ruff, or unsteady, they hop to the side and resume the slide from a different place.

Calem keeps a sharp eye during their descent in order to properly guide Ponyta towards the Aether House. Upon getting close enough to spot it, Ponyta leaps. He covers the distance and drop with a single bound.

Calem pats Ponyta's neck and gives him water from his bottle before entering the building. Inside, an Oranguru runs the front desk. On the sofas to the side, Hau flirts with Acerola. She smiling, but it's strained and cracking. Calem's attention, however, is captured by the gumshoos playing with a pair of children. The look he gives the pokemon is a mixture of disgust and confusion.

Acerola uses Calem's arrival as an excuse to escape from Hau, "Do you have some bad history with gumshoos, Calem?"

"Gumshoos resemble the current prime minster of Unova. That guy… well, Unova was a good region, it had some of everything. But that guy, he just riled up the people with anti-refugee rhetoric and after three months, we were forced to move again. Gumshoos looks a lot like him..."

Acerola struggles to keep herself giggling at his discomfort. "Then, how about starting the next trial? Mahina finished earlier and the totem will love the company. Come on, I'll show you the way."

Hau says, "Wait, you're the captain?"

"Of course!" She then spins and place a hand on her hip, "Guess you weren't expecting that. Anyway, I'll be back soon." The moment she and Calem step outside, they come across a Team Skull thug harassing Lillie and Serena. Serena is reaching for a pokeball as the thug tugs on Lillie's bag.

Calem jumps off the Aether House porch with a kick towards the Team Skull thug's face. While the thug struggles back up onto his feet, Calem lifts him by the collar and to decks him. Cold hatred laces his voice as he says, "Get lost."

Lillie gasps, "Calem!"

Serena looks annoyed, "I had that, Mizzy," but still says, "Je vous remercie."

Acerola's eyes pop open as she says, "What a surprise, Calem. I didn't peg you as someone who'd burst with emotion like that."

Calem returns to his passive tone, but its curt. "Depends on whom I'm dealing with."

Lillie says, "Thank you, Calem. I was walking around with Serena, trying to see what it feels like to be a true trainer, but then Nebby tried to get out of the bag." She turns to her bag, "Didn't you! Go on, you little trouble maker… You'd better thank Calem, too!"

"Pew!"

Acerola gives the bag a curious look but decides not to inquire about it. She instead says, "Lillie, why don't you rest at the Aether House for a while?"

Lillie nods, "Oh, Acerola… Thank you! I think I might take you up on that."

Acerola skips ahead and turns around. She hops in place with excitement at having a second and potentially third visitor to her trial come on the same day. "Come on, Calem! We can reach my trial site from Tapu Village. Just follow me!"

Calem and Serena look to each other and nod. They press both their cheeks together and exchange quick kisses. The messages, "Good luck," and "Be careful," transmit clear to each other.

Calem says, "A bientot," to a blushing Lillie and hurries after Acerola. She waits for him not too far ahead. Her mouth hangs open from seeing him and Serena kiss.

Acerola's tone is more of an accusation than a question. "Didn't you two say you're just friends?"

"That's how we greeted and said goodbye in Kalos."

Her voice softens from embarrassment and hesitation as she says, "Do… do you do the same for everyone… here?"

"If they wanted to? I don't think anyone would feel comfortable about it though." As Acerola sighs out, Calem says, "What? You thought I'd forcefully give you a kiss or something? I'm not Hau."

Acerola giggles, "Saying that might be a bit much, don't cha' think? Anyway, after you left to challenge Sophocles yesterday, Lana took me aside to say you're nothing like how Ilima, Mallow, and Hapu described. Talking to you now and seeing how you punched that guy earlier, she was right. Those three were completely wrong. Also," Her eyes take a mischievous glint, "You know, I don't think Lana would complain if you gave her a kiss hello or goodbye."

Calem flicks Acerola's forehead. "Stop messing around. I am not going to lead anyone on like that."

She rubs her forehead, "I knew you'd decline, but wasn't that a bit too violent?"

Calem cups his chin as he frowns in confusion. He mutters more to himself than Acerola, "Yeah, that was strange. I'm usually more composed than that."

Acerola's eyes sparkle as she reads into Calem's words. She waits with eager anticipation to what he'll say next, but face palms when he says, "Well, I might not like fighting, but won't hesitate when necessary."

"Attacking my forehead was necessary? You really can't judge books by their covers. You don't show much expression and your eyes are really gentle, but there's a ferocious beast sleeping underneath all that."

They come to a stop outside an abandoned and rundown supermarket. "And he-re we are! This spot is sacred to Tapu Bula, yet people tried to build on it anyway. Once the building was complete, he struck it down. Did you know that now it's full with lots of Ghost pokemon? Guess I should explain the rules of my trial next, huh? You've got to find the totem pokemon of the site and snap a shot of it with a poke finder! You do have one, right?"

Her grin widens at Calem's nod. "The totem is a bit of a trickster, and likes to play hide-and-seek, and mess around. If you take pictures of the other ghost pokemon inside, it'll definitely come out to get in on the fun and have its photo taken, too! Don't worry, anything weird you see in there is probably a ghost pokemon causing mischief. Make sure to get a photo before it's gone!" She then giggles and adds, "Rotom in your pokedex finder is a ghost type, too. Your trial will begin once you enter the building, got it?"

"I'll see you in a bit."

As Calem enters, Rotom says, "Okay, this place iszzz creeping me out a bit. You sure we need to go in here?"

"There's nothing to be afraid of."

"That'szzz what you szzay."

The light that enters through the cracked windows is enough to illuminate the front of the store. Some areas in the back are harder to see, but enough sun light seems to reach through for navigation. Calem picks up one of the remaining books from a shopping rack and coughs. Heavy layers of dust cover everything. He doesn't want to test his luck on something breaking underneath his weight and settles for walking around the fallen shopping carts, misaligned shelves, and scattered boxes.

A conveyer belt he walks past begins turning. He looks behind the counter and finds there is no power. He takes out Rotom, despite his fearful complaints, and looks for the ghost pokemon. Gastly floats above his head. Gastly, startled by the picture, attacks. An "ice ball" from Sandslash ends the battle.

Something yellow scurries past Calem's peripheral. Calem looks around, but doesn't see any other clues. Rotom says, "You saw something, didn't you? No! Don't follow it! Haven't you seen those szzzcary movieszzzz? Investigating mysteries never ends well for the protagonist!"

A shopping cart begins rattling as he presses deeper into the abandoned market. He again ignores Rotom's complaints and prepares the camera. After some searching, he finds a Haunter underneath the cart. She too attacks after the camera's surprising flash and is defeated with a "Dragon pulse" from Noibat.

Something yellow again scurries past Calem's side. It had a lightning bolt shaped tail? He walks after it with Rotom saying, "Why? Why won't you heed my adviczzze?"

The store gets darker as Calem reaches the back. To keep from crashing into anything, he walks with his hands held out before himself. The idea works against walls, but smaller things and shelves that have gaps between them are a different matter.

He rubs his stomach when a pair of dolls float upward and circle around him. Rotom screams as Calem drags him out of his pocket. Gengar takes a strong man pose for the picture and after flexing his muscles, leaves.

Pikachu waits for Calem to turn around. The electric pokemon scurries away before he can get a good look. He disappears by ducking underneath a crack in a door.

Rotom cries tears as Calem goes to push the door open. "No, no, no, I want a new trainer! Thiszzz one iszzz going to get uszzz killed!"

Calem lets go of the door. "Rotom, you're already a ghost. What are you so afraid of?"

Rotom stops crying and frowns as he thinks about Calem's words. "That'szzz right, I can't die. But szzzcary thingszzz are szzztill szzzcary!"

Calem ignores Rotom's pleas of "Szzztop!" and "Don't go!" and enters the room. A blinking light bulb shows various pictures and posters of a pikachu. Some depict the electric pokemon playing with a little girl. "Pikachu's owner?"

Calem feels a strong set of eye looking him over. From behind chirps a "Kyu~" sound. What he finds isn't Pikachu, but a large homemade Pikachu doll? No, it's a costume, there are eye holes on the stomach. "Mimikyu~" the ghost pokemon says as it waits for its picture to be taken. Her voice sounds like it says, "See me?" She's… lonely.

"Want to come with us?" Calem says while snapping the picture. The Mimikyu stares at Calem for a few moments and then scurries away into the store.

Calem shrugs and leaves.

"He-y! You're not supposed to catch pokemon during your trial!"

Calem looks behind him and finds a Mimikyu tailing him like a second shadow. This one is smaller than the one inside. "I didn't." He bends down and holds out his hand to the ghost pokemon. "Want to come with us?"

Mimikyu's Pikachu head lobs back and forth as she says, "Mimikyu, mimi!" She then runs forward and nuzzles against Calem's hand.

Acerola sighs and shakes her head. "Technically, I guess you didn't catch her during your trial... And having a ghost pokemon on your team isn't a bad idea." She gives Calem a dusk ball and then smiles, "So, how was it?" She gives him a sly grin, "I could hear your screams all the way from here? You didn't run into any trouble, did you?"

Calem pulls out his Rotom-dex to show her Mimikyu's picture. "Not me, him."

"Rotom's a ghost pokemon…"

Rotom says, "Szzzcary thingzzz are szzzcary!"

Calem turns to Mimikyu, "She lead me all the way to that room with the Pikachu in the back."

Acerola laughs and says, "Room in the back? Quit trying to scare me! There are no rooms in the back. I'm friends with Lana, how gullible do you thin-" A shiver cuts her sentence short. Her eyes pop open as she shakes her head, "Let's… let's get going."

Calem watches her walk off. She didn't give me the Z-crystal…

They find Team Skull threatening Hau outside the Aether House upon returning. He tries to act tough against Plumeria, but his legs are shaking. Did he lose against her?

Plumeria notices Calem and says, "And now you're back. It takes these dumb grunts way too long to deal with you kids… Fine, guess it's my turn. I warned you before, next time you get in my way, I'm not holding back! Salazzla!"

"Hold it!" Serena runs up the path Calem and Acerola just walked and places herself before them. "Mizzy, you and your pokemon just returned from a trial. Allow me to handle this." Alteria glows with a white light upon appearing from a pokeball. Serena holds her mega-necklace with a pair of fingers while saying, "Mega-Alteria, moon-blast!"

Salazzala avoids the attack by darting to side. The pokemon reacted just how Serena wanted, "Dragon breath!"

Plumeria clicks her tongue and calls back her pokemon. The two Team Skull thugs with her shake their heads and step back at Serena's glare. They force themselves to step forward while saying, "Do-don't look down on us!"

Acerola says, "Was that… mega-evolution? I heard about it, but never thought I'd get the chance to see it." She looks to Calem, "Is this the so called legacy of Kalos?"

Calem paws at the necklace hidden underneath his shirt, "Yeah, out of the five trainers Professor Sycamore entrusted, Serena is the one who unraveled the mysteries enveloping mega-evolution. We battled against each other for that right in front of the mega-evolution guru and his successor, but in the end, Serena came out on top."

Hau says, "Well, that's just amazing. It's almost like Z-power!"

Calem says, "Mega-evolution is the answer when pokemon and humans unite with the same wish. Z-power is the answer when pokemon and humans unite in the heat of battle."

Acerola eyes at how Calem unconsciously fiddles with the necklace hidden underneath his shirt. "Can you use it too?"

"No…"

Plumeria growls upon seeing the two Team Skull thugs lose. She juts her chin at Calem and looks down on him, "Pathetic, you're still hiding behind girls! Well, whatever, if you want us to return the pokemon, then come to Po Town, alone! The boss is dying to meet you."

Acerola says, "Pokemon…?" as Plumeria and the two thugs leave. She gasps and runs into the Aether House. "Hey! Are you guys ok?"

Calem and Serena follow her inside and find Lillie trying to consul the two crying children. The young girl says, "M-my Gumshoos…"

Acerola's concern changes to fury. "We can't forgive this! Darn it, those numbskull actually did something clever for once!"

Serena says, "I am sorry. I never thought anything like this would happen and carelessly left to explore the surrounding area."

Acerola says, "No, no one could have seen this coming."

Hau enters the building. He clenches his fist and punch his own hand while muttering in a low voice, "This is… my fault…?" He then swallows and says "If we want to get the pokemon back… then Calem has to go to Po Town…" Fear creeps into his tone, "All alone? With no backup?"

Calem's voice is cold and hard. Everyone but Serena flinches upon hearing him say, "Where is it? Where is Po Town?"

Acerola says, "You're really going to go? By yourself?"

Hau says, "You can't! Who knows what'll happen. I'm stronger than you and still lost against them! Going by yourself just… just isn't fair!"

The young girl tugs on Calem's pants. She looks up at him with tears running down her face, "Mister… pl-please get my Gumshoos back…"

Calem rubs her head and gives Hau a look fierce enough to make him step back. Calem takes out his Rotom-dex. "Do you know how to get there?"

Rotom says, "Of course! But, my circuitzzz can't take this kind of stress!"

Acerola takes hold of Calem's arm as he reaches for the door, "Wait, listen, Team Skull has taken over Po Town… It's basically their private playground now."

Calem's, "That just makes it easier," makes her flinch into releasing him. "I'll just burn the place down."

Serena says, "Mizzy, no! You cannot do that! Find Gumshoos, beat up Team Skull, and come back. In the meantime, I will go to go look for Mahina. Team Skull might be trying to take her hostage too."

Calem hops onto Ponyta and gallops towards Po Town.

…..

Hau bends over and hits his leg. Guilt at what's happening laces his words, "I can't believe he's actually going on his own. They're gonna kill him."

Serena says, "Calm down, Hau. This is not the first time this has happened."

Acerola frowns as she hugs the crying children, "It isn't? Just what kind of adventures have the two of you faced?"

A confident smile flashes across Serena's face. "Back in Kalos, Team Flare once took over a pokeball factory. My pokemon and I charged in and fought off every grunt we came across. We fought all the way to the president's office where we found the two goons orchestrating the operation. We were exhausted, but there was no way we could back down. Honestly, I was doubtful to whether we would win or not. That exact moment was when Mizzy burst through the door. Turns out, the only reason I got that far is because he kept half of Team Flare busy. Then, together, we rescued the factory president and drove those goons off. If not for him, there is no telling what could have happened."

Hau clicks his tongue, "But… he's so weak. It must'a just been numbers. There's no way Team Flare could'a been that strong. You don't really believe he'll be fine, do you?"

Serena's hair flutters over her shoulders and she turns for the door. She opens it while saying, "Of course I do. The Mizzy I know can do anything."

Acerola finds herself also believing in Calem upon hearing Serena's conviction. She then blushes upon realizing the amount of trust Serena places in him and what that could mean. Lana might have a tougher battle ahead of herself than they've been lead to believe.

…..

Ponyta crosses the bay on route 15 by hopping from the many rocks jutting from the water, bursts through the flower fields of Ula'ula meadow, and stops outside a large wall. Rotom announces their arrival with, "Po Town…"

Two Team Skull thugs stand guard in front of a door. "Open them," Calem says as he walks up to them. The two thugs try to talk back, but Mawile bursts from her premier ball and slams her second mouth on the ground. "Maw!"

The two thugs look at each other and run inside screaming. The door clicks as they lock it behind them.

Calem looks to his pokemon, "Mawile."

"Maw!" She lifts her second mouth and walks up to the door.

A disheveled police officer calls out to them. "Hold on there, boy. I see that you're determined to get inside, but no need to break the door down. I can get them to let you in, but you better be ready for this."

"Just open the door."

"Fine, fine, don't say I didn't warn you. If you don't make it, I'll be sure your remains at least get back home."

Calem steps into the city without answering. Barricades line the streets and Team Skull thugs stand watch everywhere. The thugs standing behind the barricade point and laugh at him. "I have no idea what you're doing here, but turn back now. There's no way we're letting you through. Even if you find some way pas-"

Calem calls out Sandslash and points at the barricade, "Rollout!"

The thugs behind the barricade jump away as Sandslash burst through the wall. "Why you!" All the nearby thugs gather and call out their pokemon.

Calem calls out "Niobat" and "Mimikyu." He looks at the oncoming pokemon and says to the three, "Don't spare anyone." He defeats them and repeats the process two more times at each barrier. By the time he reaches the mansion at the end of the road, a small army of Team Skull thugs has gathered. News must have spread.

Calem calls out Ponyta to help his three pokemon and battles his way through. Two thugs sneak past the battling pokemon to attack Calem himself. This is just like back in Kalos during the food shortages. Those able to scrape something together became… Tierno… He disregards that one of the two attackers is a girl and cracks her across the jaw. He then grabs her and throws her into the other attacking thug.

Upon defeating the gathered Team Skull thugs, those still able to move open the mansion doors for him. "Bo-boss Guzma is right upstairs, yo. He-he's right this way. Do-don't worry, we'll show you the way."

Rotom says, "Wow, you've really shown thezzze guyszzz a thing or two! Guesszzz I waszzz worried for nothing!"

Calem calls back his four pokemon and continues forward. A thug standing in front of a door looks at Calem. He ignores his fellow thug's head shaking and warnings to say, "Password. You ain't going through without it."

Mawile steps forward and slams the door with her second mouth, tearing it off its hinges where it hits the ground with a deep thud. Calem glares at the thug who shivers while backing away. He slips and falls before saying, "M-my bad, ju-just go on through."

A/N: Chapter twelve, down and wow, Calem is ticked! I'm actually quite pleased with this chapter. I thought it was going to be a bit monotonous, but it was an emotional joyride ranging from content, to confused, to surprised, and finally anger. I have to say, the hidden star this time was definitely Rotom. I don't know about all of you, but when I hear him speak, I always imagine a robotic, high pitched, little boy's voice. It sounds cute in my head.

Anyway, no for Guzma. I can't wait to see them square off again. Speaking of which, everyone that guessed last week, please try again. Why does Guzma tick off Calem so much? This chapter has a major clue in it.

Thanks for reading! If any of the characters stuck out to you, let me know!

Gandire