A/N: I would love to say that I could update this on a weekly schedule, but I'm currently at an uncertain period where my weeks could be busy or just completely empty so I'm not going to make that promise, unfortunately. I also wrote more than I intended again, lol. I expected to write around 4k words for each chapter in this story, but this ended up being 7k words with the last chapter being 8.3k. I'm outdoing my expectations, but I'm also wondering if I need to work on conciseness on the other hand.

As always, constructive feedback is welcome.

June 2nd

I opened my eyes when I felt a chill travel down my body. I shivered before sneezing and snuggling deeper into my blankets.

Isn't it supposed to be summertime here? Why was it so cold?

I opened my eyes to see a blue fox standing beside the couch. Her breath created puffs of mist that traveled towards me, making me shiver again. Her deep blue eyes stared at me with boredom. I blinked when I saw the beautiful creature had nine flowy mist-like tails.

"Nine," the fox said simply. It looked at a corner. There was a pile of clothes on a cardboard box. Kukui must've picked them out since I was still in my ratty uniform. I was also in desperate need of a shower.

I climbed out of my blanket, noticing that Rockruff wasn't there. Stretching my limbs for a moment, I checked my bandages. There were a few minor red stains on a few patches on my left arm, but my midsection was almost healed completely.

I experimentally put some weight on my injured ankle, only to find a slight twinge of pain. Nothing unbearable, fortunately. I gingerly stood on my feet, taking a few steps.

The clothes Kukui picked out for me were a white polo shirt with jeans. The shirt and jeans were a bit baggy, but he included a belt in the pile so there wouldn't be any wardrobe malfunctions. I didn't need to screw up any more first impressions than I already had.

I quickly found the bathroom and did a quick wash. Changing my clothes quickly, I awkwardly climbed up the steps while the fox followed me with those lifeless eyes.

I found even more cardboard boxes on the upper floor. Some boxes were opened with foam spilling out. Some expensive-looking technological equipment was strewn about the floor. Multicolored wires were tangled everywhere.

I walked slowly, making sure my injured ankle wasn't caught up in the mess. There was a musty smell permeating through the air. It wasn't bad, though. It felt comfy. Homely.

"OOOOHHH YEAAAHHHH ROCKRUFF!" I stopped walking. That was Kukui's voice. "GIVE IT EVERYTHING YOU GOT! MY BODY IS READY!"

What.

The blue fox sighed before pushing the front door open. I quickly followed after it, wondering what the hell was going on.

Only to duck to the left immediately when Kukui flew past me, slamming on the porch and kicking up a small dust cloud.

"Nice job, Rockruff!" Kukui said, giving a thumbs up without getting up. Rockruff yipped happily, jumping in place. She was covered in dirt but looked okay. "Your tackle's getting more powerful by the day!"

"What the hell was that!?" I barked. I slowly got up and winced. "You nearly killed me!"

"Sorry about that, John," Kukui said sheepishly. The blue fox walked up to Kukui, tails flowing with anticipation. He smiled and knelt, rubbing the fox's chin. The fox purred in delight. "I see that Ninetales woke you up. Good job, girl!"

"What were you doing with Rockruff that made you fly like that?" I asked. Rockruff bounded up to me. I gave her my own scritches, which made her leg start thumping.

"I just wanted to test Rockruff's tackle out. It looks like she's back to her old strength. She's all healed up now."

I raised an eyebrow and looked at his chest. There were a few scars and cuts on them, as well as a small bruise that was growing. "You wanted to test Rockruff with your own body?"

Kukui grinned. "The best way to test pokemon moves is to feel them yourself! I'll have you know, there are slight variations and ways a pokemon can execute their moves!"

I rolled my eyes before thinking back to Kukui's earlier concerning statement. "Wait, you said that Rockruff was injured before? Was it from those same people we talked about yesterday?"

Kukui nodded. He looked down at Rockruff sadly. "It was around two weeks ago when I just moved here. I found some shady people kicking her around. I tried to catch them, but they got away quickly. I took in Rockruff after that and nursed her back to health."

Rage filled my body. Putting pokemon through battles for sport was one thing, but it was another just to beat one up helplessly. Especially a dog as sweet as Rockruff. "Please tell me you caught those bastards."

"Unfortunately, they got away," Kukui said. His face contorted into an ugly snarl, making me step back in surprise. His eyes gained a fierce glint. "They managed to hide their identities well. The only thing I could see was that they were wearing bandanas over their mouths and black tank tops with giant skulls. I won't let them get away if I see them again."

"I'm sure you won't, Kukui. You were always stubborn, even when I trained you."

Kukui and I turned to see a tall, elderly man wearing a blue shirt under a yellow jacket. He was walking with a small child with green hair. I raised my eyebrow at the colored hair but said nothing.

Rockruff suddenly growled and ran behind my legs. She kept baring her teeth, only calming down when I petted her head. That was a concerning reaction. Did this man do something to her?

"Hala! Alola to you!" Kukui walked up to the older man. They performed a hearty handshake. "What brings you here to my humble home? You just visited last week!"

"Can't an old man see his protege? It's been years and you only recently returned." Hala chuckled when Kukui put his hands on his hips and gave him a skeptical expression. "Alright, little Hau wanted to see your pokemon again. I tried to hold it off since you were still setting up, but he was insistent." The kid pouted at that but then walked up to Ninetales. The fox dutifully obliged Hau, letting him pet her fur and tails. "And I see that you're not alone. A friend of yours?"

"Not just that," Kukui said, pulling me forward. Being face to face with Hala, I realized this man wasn't fat. Those were muscles hiding under his clothes. A few scars dotted along his arms and legs. "This is my new lab assistant!"

Hala's eyes widened. "Your new lab assistant? He must be quite extraordinary indeed. It is nice to meet you. My name is Hala, the kahuna of Melemele island." He held his hand out.

I grabbed it and nearly winced at the vice-like grip that my hand went through. I don't think Hala realized he was hurting me, so I tried to keep my expression neutral. "I-I'm John Doe. It's nice to meet you."

"A kahuna is the leader of one of Alola's islands," Kukui suddenly explained. He must've seen my inquisitive expression. "There should be four Kahuna's for each of Alola's islands but…"

"Poni island hasn't had one in years," Hala grunted. The two looked grim at that fact. "But enough about serious matters. Why don't you meet my grandson? Come over here, Hau!"

The little boy waddled over to us, Ninetales in tow. "I'm Hau!" he chirped. "And I'm going to become the greatest trainer ever! Just you wait!"

"I'm sure you will if you study properly," Hala said indulgently. "I expect to see you get good marks in the trainer school, young man. Or you could wave your dream goodbye!"

My stomach suddenly growled very loudly. I blushed when Hala and Kukui chuckled.

"Let's head inside. I haven't yet eaten either," Kukui said with a small smile.

Soon, we were all situated inside near the kitchen. Hala, Hau, and I sat near the dining table while Kukui pulled ingredients out.

"Just wait. Incineroar makes the best eggs. Hands down." Kukui pulled out a pokeball. A bright flash later, a familiar-looking red creature stood next to Kukui. Now that my vision wasn't blurred with tears, I could see that its face resembled a cat. It also looked like it was wearing a WWE belt. Except it was on fire.

A lot of fire types are just going to be on fire, aren't they?

"This is Incineroar," Kukui said when I looked at it curiously. Hau had sparkles in his eyes and immediately went up to the catman. "He was the one that, well, helped you out yesterday. I just realized that you two haven't properly met."

I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Hala looked interested. Hiding what happened yesterday from the island's leader was good for me. Kukui definitely had a sneaky side to him.

"Thanks for helping me," I said honestly. The catman grunted and turned to the eggs sizzling on the pan, acknowledging me no further. Once more, I was struck by how intelligent pokemon were compared to animals. How intelligent, I didn't know, but I had a feeling that I would be surprised more in the coming days.

"How did you two meet?" Hala asked, making me turn to him. He regarded me with a critical eye. It took a bit more effort on my part to not gulp involuntarily. "You complained that you couldn't find anyone, Kukui. You're telling me that John happened to fit your criteria on short notice?"

"John may not be the smartest or most knowledgeable on pokemon, but I trust him," Kukui said. I was surprised by the firm conviction in Kukui's tone. Was that part of the act to fool Hala or was he being genuine? "Just take one good look at Rockruff. That's enough for me."

Hala looked down at Rockruff eating right next to my feet. "Come to think about it, I see that Rockruff has been calmer this morning. That has been your doing, John?"

"I don't know anything about Rockruff being unruly," I said, idly rubbing Rockruff's fur. She let out a pleased hum and nuzzled my hand back. "She's been nothing but a sweetheart to me ever since we met. She's also good with Kukui, so I don't see what's the big deal."

"I would disagree. She tried to bite my face off on our first meeting!" Rockruff growled at that, making Hala laugh. "It looks like she'll still do it if I try anything." Hala suddenly gave me a warm smile, surprising me. "If you were able to bond with a hellion like her, then you have no complaints from me. I approve."

"Not like I needed your approval anyway. John's here to stay," Kukui snarked.

"Watch it, boy. It hasn't been that long ago since you used to call me Sensei."

"Not that long ago? It's been years! I think you're starting to go senile, old man."

The two glared at each other before suddenly laughing. Hau and I looked at each other, bewildered.

"Ha! I wouldn't even imagine that you'd start mouthing me off like that! You really have changed. If I didn't know better, I would say you're acting more like…" Hala trailed off, his happy smile suddenly dropping. Kukui's eyes were wide. His hands were clenching the utensils tightly. "Forget I said anything, Kukui."

There was an uncomfortable silence. It seemed that the two had some sort of heavy history together. A history that I wasn't going to pry into. Kukui had respected my privacy. I would return the gesture.

"You must come to our festival at the end of the month," Hala said, cutting through the oppressive atmosphere. "We don't get many people that want to move to Alola. The people of Iki town will be excited to see a new face."

"We'd be honored to join," Kukui said before I could get a word in. He gave me a look that made me slightly shiver. I guess this was one of those things I couldn't say no to without looking weird. "I'll make sure to get my work done before then."

Incineroar doled out our plates. There was an impressive assortment of eggs and hashbrowns. It didn't taste as good as the ones from the cafe yesterday, but I didn't have anything to eat since then, so I wasn't going to complain.

The conversation became more small talk, mainly between Kukui and Hala. I noticed Hau looking slightly bored out of the corner of my eyes and decided to engage him.

"So, you go to a school for trainers," I asked. Hau looked surprised but then gave me a bright smile. "What's your favorite class?"

"It's gotta be pokemon studies. Math and English are so boring! But if I want to be a good trainer, then I gotta do well in that class, right?"

"What do you do in that class?" Pokemon studies sounded interesting. Just how would they go about teaching information about these magical creatures to kids?

"The teacher brings a new pokemon to class for us to study for a while. Sometimes, if we behave well enough, he even lets us battle with it against other pokemon!" Hau said with a child-like shine in his eyes.

"Does that mean you don't have a pokemon of your own?"

"No." Hau deflated in his seat. "It just isn't fair! Some other kids in class already have pokemon that can battle! I'll be left behind if I don't get one soon!"

"You're still too young, Hau," Hala interjected. "Nine-years old is still far too early for anyone to be training a pokemon. I question the wisdom of the parents who allow their children to care for a pokemon this early. Wait until you're eleven to ask."

Hau pouted at that, but my mind was on other matters. Do they seriously give super-powered animals to nine-year-olds? Was there any government regulation for giving out pokemon at all?

"A good trainer excels in all of his classes," Hala continued to lecture. "You may not like the other subjects, but they will be important when you become a trainer and take on the island challenge." Hala stared down at Hau with a severe expression. "Do you understand?"

Hau blew a raspberry at Hala, making us all laugh.

"Sounds like an exciting class. You must have a lot of fun with your friends over there," I said.

For just a second, I saw Hau's smile slip and his eyes turn dark. Just as quickly, the smile returned.

"Yup! It's like a new adventure every day!" he cheered. I stared for a moment before putting it out of my mind. It wasn't my business anyway.

Hala stood up. "Well, I think we're starting to overstay our welcome. Hau still has to get ready for class today and I have my own duties to attend to. It's nice to see you again, Kukui. It's also a pleasure to meet you, John."

He held his hand out to me again. I winced when I was subjected to another hand-crushing session.

"Do well by Kukui. He's giving you a great opportunity here," Hala grilled. There was a strange glint in his eyes that made me shiver. "He's like a son to me, you know."

"I'll try." I said, trying not to wince.

"Do not try. Just do."

Hala and Hau departed from the lab/beach house after that. Kukui sighed before leaning back in his chair. "Jeez, Hala's still as intense as ever. I don't think he suspects anything, so there's no need to worry."

"Are you sure about that? Shouldn't he be more cautious about someone who came out of nowhere?" I asked, nervous. Hala had looked very intimidating at the end. I couldn't tell what he was thinking at the time.

"Usually, you would be right. After seeing Rockruff, however, I think he's not worried at all. He did approve of you. He hasn't done that for the other prospective assistants that were suggested."

"Again with Rockruff liking me? You said that yesterday. You can't possibly say that's Hala's reason, too."

It was just too unbelievable to me. Hala's supposed to be the kahuna. Surely he isn't compromising the whole security of the island just because I was a dog person?

"Me vouching for you helped a lot, don't get me wrong. But your bond with Rockruff is probably a large part of why you are in Hala's good graces." Kukui gave me an amused look when I still looked confused. "I don't think you get it yet, John. Pokemon is everything to us. Those with a strong bond with pokemon will catch our attention. More so when those pokemon are powerful as well. That is why many of our leaders in the world are also prolific battlers. You can't really have any influence if you don't have experienced pokemon."

"But having strong pokemon can't just be it," I argued. Something didn't seem right here with the way he said that. "Isn't there some bureaucratic process involved in getting that position? Or a background check?"

Kukui sighed. "That usually doesn't matter if your pokemon are strong enough. Or if you are extremely knowledgeable about them, like some professors I know. Most just strong-arm themselves into the position."

A sick feeling started to rise in my stomach. Was Kukui saying that might makes right here? Only those with the strongest pokemon get to make the decisions, regardless of their morality?

This would warrant more research. I can't just make assumptions like that until I get irrefutable proof.

Kukui continued, oblivious to my rising dread. "While Rockruff isn't at that level of strength to be turning heads, she is very volatile. Far more than a newly caught wild pokemon. Your bond with a pokemon like Rockruff should've taken months, maybe even years, to establish. Yet you two were a pair right from the get-go. You succeeded where many others have failed continuously, me and Hala included. There was no way that Hala was going to ignore that. No one bad could possibly forge a bond that strong."

Extremely flawed reasoning, in my opinion. I'm pretty sure Rockruff and I were outliers to that logic. What would happen if I were a villain who loved pokemon and treated them with the respect they deserve? It wasn't that implausible.

I swallowed and tried to calm myself down. I needed to think on the bright side. The kahuna wasn't suspicious of me because I met some dubious criteria that was common sense in this world. I realized I would have to relearn that common sense if I didn't want to give myself away.

Kukui also wasn't kidding when he said he was well-known. He knew the leader of the entire island. It also looked like he learned under him at one point. Plus, judging from the scars the catman sported and the boundless confidence that Ninetales exuded, Kukui undoubtedly had more powerful pokemon with him.

Just who exactly did I become the assistant to?

"If that explanation helped a little, then we got a lot of work to do!" Kukui said, suddenly pumping his arms. "We need to get your identification papers all set! Then we can get your injuries checked at the pokemon center while we submit those. We also need to register you as my assistant. We wouldn't want you to be denied important documents because you didn't have the proper permissions after all."

I nodded at that, grateful for the distraction. The better part of the morning and afternoon was spent reviewing various questions I would need to be a registered citizen in Alola. I answered questions like my medical information truthfully. I still registered my name as John Doe, however. Having that pseudonym might be helpful if I needed to change my identity for whatever reason while I was in this world.

I also helped Kukui organize his lab. I wasn't assigned anything too strenuous on account of my injured ankle, but I was able to unpack a few boxes. It seemed Kukui was too lazy to do anything until I showed up to pick up the slack. I knew that we would have a full day of unpacking tomorrow, too.

Soon, we were ready to go to the pokemon center with all my documents ready.

Walking the same road during the daytime made me think of how much of an idiot I was last night.

Route one was pure wildland. How I didn't realize that I was exiting the city was beyond me. An argument could be made that it was too dark to see anything, but that wouldn't fly with me. Not when I almost died already.

"Wild pokemon usually live in tall grass like this one," Kukui explained, pointing out a patch of tall shrubbery near the dirt road. "Most people wouldn't go near something like this without a trained pokemon on hand. Luckily for us, nothing too dangerous lives here."

I kept pace close to Kukui, eyeing every tall blade of grass suspiciously. We followed the dirt road until the sun started to go down and the brilliant orange color of the evening began to shine in the sky.

As we kept walking, I started to recognize my surroundings. I shivered as the phantom pains of the rats and their damage ran through my arms and legs. A nearby breeze rustled some bushes, making me flinch and Rockruff growl. I nearly jumped when I felt Kukui's hand on my shoulder.

"Everything is going to be alright. I won't let you get hurt," Kukui said soothingly.

I unknowingly started clenching my fist. Was I seriously this pathetic that I was getting startled by grass? I would never survive in this world long if I didn't get my shit together.

The three of us froze when we started hearing a very familiar growl. The hairs on the back of my arms started to rise as the memories of the attack started flooding in.

"Get back!" Kukui barked. Familiar black rats started to creep from the bushes. "Looks like they're here for a rematch…"

"I thought you took care of them yesterday!" I shouted, scrambling behind him.

"I only scared them off. I'm not in the business of beating up random wild pokemon!"

The rats started to creep forward. They paused when Kukui threw an expertly placed pokeball right before them. In a brilliant flash, Incineroar roared, making them take a few steps back. They still stayed, snarling with their sharp buck teeth.

"This makes no sense," Kukui muttered to himself. "The Rattata around here shouldn't be this aggressive. They weren't like this when I first moved here…"

"Um, hello?" I asked, panic starting to rise within me. A few rats seemed to recognize me from yesterday, judging by the glares directed at my bandages. "Aren't you going to take care of the immediate problem here? Like them trying to eat us!?"

One brave rat jumped forward, teeth primed for a bite. Incineroar batted away the small creature without a care. I flinched when the rat landed with a nasty crunch. It rolled back to its brethren, unmoving.

The other rats didn't take that as a warning. They moved forward all as one. Incineroar flexed its arms and spun around, generating flames in a circle. The rats were blown back, badly burned, but still primed to fight.

Rockruff yipped right next to me. I could've sworn there were stars in her eyes. I didn't realize Rockruff had a bloodthirsty side to her.

Suddenly, the fighting paused. A deeper growl came from the bushes. An enormous rat entered the fray with another entourage. Its size and teeth were magnitudes larger than its smaller counterparts.

"A Raticate…" Kukui stated with fascination. He snapped his fingers. "One that is larger than normal. So that's why the Rattata have been so aggressive lately. I bet that once one of them evolved, they started to assert dominance on the local population."

"Can you beat it or not?" I asked with some annoyance. This Raticate, that Kukui called it, was a quarter of the size of Incineroar. I still didn't know the relative power level of each pokemon, so I didn't know if Incineroar could win this matchup.

"No problem. We can't let the local ecosystem get messed up by this anomaly. Incineroar, scatter them!" Kukui called. He suddenly gave me a mischievous smile and pointed two fingers at the Raticate. Incineroar also had the same cheshire grin. I had a feeling that I wouldn't like where this was going. "Separate all of the Rattata from their leader!"

Incineroar obeyed, running into the fray. The rats tried to separate, but Incineroar grabbed two of them and slammed them into the ground. The others that tried to attack got burnt from the sudden stream of fire that exited out of Incineroar's mouth.

The Raticate screeched and tried to ram into Incineroar, only for the catman to give the fat rat a swift kick away from it.

Straight towards me.

"What the fuck!?" I screamed, jumping backward when the Raticate landed a short distance from me. It rolled a bit, groaning. "What are you doing, Kukui?!"

Rockruff jumped in front of me automatically. She spread her legs out, teeth bared in a ferocious snarl. "Alright, it's up to you, John! Weaken that Raticate for me!" Kukui called out.

Oh, so this was his angle. "Are you seriously trying to teach me how to battle now?! Can't we do this in a safer environment!?"

"No better time than the present! Trial by fire and all that!"

I internally panicked when I saw the Raticate start to get up and shake its head. "I don't even know what Rockruff can do!"

"She'll respond to Tackle, Leer, and Sand Attack! You'll figure it out as you go! I believe in you!"

"Bastard…" I muttered. I forcibly calmed myself down. I could partially understand why he did this, but I wish he weren't so spontaneous. "Rockruff, tackle it while it's down!" I commanded, pointing a finger at the bruised rat.

While I still didn't believe in pokemon battles, I firmly believed in self-defense. And I think the latter case was applied fairly here.

The dog obeyed my command, running with a surprising amount of speed. She rammed into the Raticate, making it fall over and skid towards the grass. Rockruff yipped in triumph.

The Raticate didn't respond to being attacked twice in a row well. It immediately got up and started scampering forward. Rockruff's eyes widened before she got bodied right back.

I frowned and started to sweat when I saw Rockruff land near my feet. That attack was clearly telegraphed and Rockruff had the speed to match her opponent. Why didn't she avoid that?

"You have to tell Rockruff to dodge, John!" Kukui called out. I could hear the sounds of flames, but I kept my eyes on my battle.

"Why do I have to say it? Couldn't she do that on her own!?"

"Rockruff could've, but right now, she's letting you call the shots! Rockruff will take that hit if that's what she thinks you want!"

Was that what Rockruff was doing? Why did she trust me so much? I hadn't even done anything for her.

I grit my teeth when Rockruff got up. Thankfully, it didn't look like she took too much damage. If that was how it would be, then I couldn't afford to let her down. "Are you alright, girl?"

Rockruff gave me a side-eyed nod before going back into her battle stance. The Raticate pawed the ground before catapulting forward, body glowing with a dull light.

"Sand Attack!" I barked. I think I had a small understanding of how each attack worked based on their names and prayed that I was right.

Rockruff dug her paws into the ground before flinging upwards. Piles of dirt and grass were tossed up in the air. The Raticate stopped just shy of the incoming debris. "Now use Leer!"

Rockruff's eyes glowed red as her face suddenly became more ominous. The Raticate started shivering when it locked eyes with Rockruff. I even took a step back. That was the first genuine supernatural ability that I had seen from Rockruff.

The Raticate tried to take a step forward, only for Rockruff to bark in warning and challenge with a step of her own. The Raticate shook even more when Rockruff's eyes turned a deeper red.

"Use Sand Attack again!" Rockruff capitalized on the Raticate's fear and flung more dirt. This time, the attack found purchase. Raticate squealed when the soil dug itself in its eyes. It tried to wipe its face, but its stubby claws couldn't reach properly.

"TACKLE IT!" I screamed.

Rockruff started glowing white before she rammed her head against the Raticate's stomach as hard as she could. The rat skidded away from the devastating blow. It got up and looked back at us with murderous eyes, its buck teeth chipped.

Before we could do anything else, a red ball hit Raticate's face. The pokeball immediately sucked in the pokemon and dropped to the floor. It wiggled furiously before the button in the middle glowed once and ceased to move.

"And that…" Kukui stepped forward and picked up the pokeball. "Is how you catch a pokemon."

I felt like collapsing. I realized now that I was covered in sweat. My knees were shaking slightly and I was breathing heavily. It felt like I was the one taking the hits instead of Rockruff.

Kukui stepped forward and clapped my shoulder with a proud smile. "Nice job, John! You too, Rockruff! You got them with a nice critical hit at the end, too!"

"You couldn't have given me this lesson any other time?" I groaned. Rockruff bounded up to me with a joyful bark, her eyes back to their comforting sky-blue color. She was also panting slightly. "Preferably when I'm 20 feet away or something?"

"Where would be the fun in that?" Kukui laughed. He idly threw the pokeball in his hand up and down. I eyed it nervously. "Besides, I had everything under control. Ninetales wouldn't have let anything happen to you. She would've decimated that Raticate in just one attack."

Ninetales came up behind me, her expression neutral as always. I didn't even realize that Kukui had sent her out.

"You were so focused that I doubt you even realized I finished my battle early," Kukui said, recalling both Ninetales and Incineroar. "It's also clear that you have an instinctual grasp on some strategy. I think you'd make a good battler one day!"

It was apparent that Kukui meant that as a compliment, but I couldn't take it as one. That was like being told that I would be good at animal abuse or similar.

"Lets…just go to the pokemon center now," I said, lumbering forward. "I've had enough adventure for a while."

"I'm hurt, John! Every day is an adventure with me!" Kukui didn't stop laughing as he passed by me, nudging my shoulder good-naturedly.

Well, wasn't that just peachy…

The walk to the pokemon center was uneventful, thankfully. We had already been close to the city when the battle took place, so it didn't take long before we were at the familiar lobby. It should've been a quick inside-out job, checking my injuries and filing my documents.

Instead, the moment we entered the pokemon center, Joy had noticed us right away. I couldn't even say hello before being dragged by the arm again. Deja Vu much?

"Ow! Watch the ankle!" Joy responded by yanking my arm harder, making me yelp. "Agh! What are you doing?!"

"Making sure you're actually injured this time," Joy replied with a determined look. I was deposited in the same patient room. Blissey was there in a flash, holding up the same instruments as yesterday. "You were gone for a single day. What happened to you?"

"That's kind of my fault," Kukui said nervously at the doorway. Joy glowered at him, making him flinch. "Let me recap real quick…"

Kukui told her an abridged version of yesterday night's events. Blissey quickly checked my bandages and ankle. I was more receptive this time, but I could tell the pokemon was still miffed from me calling her a monster yesterday.

"Sounds like quite the adventure. At least you had the foresight to give him a sitrus berry. Remember not to give him any more doses. We don't need to see any side effects," Joy said. Her eyes started sparkling at me. "But at least something good came from all this. You became Kukui's assistant! That's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"So they tell me," I replied, weary.

"Speaking of that, I'm gonna need your help getting John registered as an Alolan citizen and as my lab assistant once you're finished," Kukui said, brandishing my papers.

"No problem. John's perfectly fine. He just needs to let his ankle heal for a week before he's good to go. Sitrus is a no-go, but he should be safe enough for an oran berry booster." Joy said. Blissey had just finished strapping a medical boot on my ankle. I hopped down and only felt a dull throb.

"Thanks for that," I told Joy and Blissey. The pink pokemon looked surprised but then smiled at me. I guess I earned its forgiveness. "Err… will I have to pay for this visit?"

Joy just laughed. "No, silly! Medical visits are free regardless of the reason!"

So there's free health insurance here. Alright, I'll give you a point for that, pokemon world.

Later, I found myself lounging on a bench outside the pokemon center. I was idly throwing a stick and letting Rockruff fetch it while meditating on the events that transpired.

It was interesting to me that the pokemon center also doubled as an international bureau office. Manning a pokemon center also meant that you had to undergo government service training as Joy demonstrated while she worked on my documents.

I stood up when the doors to the pokemon center slid open, Kukui walking out.

"Congratulations, John! You are now officially my lab assistant!" Kukui said with a wide smile.

I took the papers from his hand. "Shouldn't that have taken longer? Like, a few days at least?"

"I was already looking for an assistant for a while, so they had most of the papers ready," Kukui said with a small shrug. "All I had to do was fill out your information. The actual identification cards will take a bit, so you should carry those papers on hand. You'll also have to do a bit more to become a citizen, too."

I nodded while I scanned the papers in my hand for any discrepancies.

Name: John Doe

Age: 24

Designation: Lab Trainer

Pokemon Limit: 6

We congratulate you on your new position, John Doe. May you unravel the many mysteries about pokemon in the future to come.

There was a bunch of other legal jargon that I read through. I frowned when I narrowed my eyes at the specific wording in the document.

"...I think you made a mistake," I said after a while. "You have me registered here as a type of pokemon trainer."

"That wasn't a mistake," Kukui said.

"How? I don't even have a pokemon," I argued, confused.

"You do," Kukui answered with a slight chuckle.

I just stared at him before I heard a series of barks by my side. Rockruff returned with the stick in her mouth, her tail wagging expectantly.

Realization lit up within me like a Christmas tree. "Wait, you don't mean Rockruff!? I thought she was yours?"

"Nope," Kukui answered with an amused expression. This guy was getting way too much of a kick from messing with me. "She's not bound to a pokeball if that's what you're asking. She's still wild. I'd even dare say you stole her from me ever since she met you."

Kukui rifled through his coat and handed me a shrunken pokeball. I automatically took it from him, looking at the ball in wonder.

"Go on." Kukui gave me a small push forward towards Rockruff. "You should do the honors."

Rockruff dropped the stick when she saw what was in my hand. Her tail started to flail rapidly while her tongue stuck out of her mouth in open joy.

I shifted my feet uncomfortably. "Being stuck in a pokeball won't make Rockruff uncomfortable, right?"

I couldn't give less than two shits about the Raticate that was stuck in one. But this was Rockruff that we were talking about.

My soon-to-be pokemon.

…Just thinking about it made me feel like I was in a fever dream.

"Nah. Even the most basic ones are designed so that the pokemon inside won't feel anything bad. There are some pokemon that don't like being in one, but that's probably because they just like being outside more." Kukui pushed me forward again. "Now, don't stall! Rockruff's waiting for you!"

I kneeled and looked Rockruff in her eyes. Her tail stopped wagging. She tilted her head cutely in slight confusion.

"I don't feel like I deserve this," I admitted. Rockruff barked in outrage, making me raise my hands placatingly. "I know, I know, you don't feel that way. But the fact of the matter is that I've done nothing for you. You were the one that's been saving me all this time. I don't know what I did to make you like me this much." I took a deep breath. "But if this is what you want, then who am I to stop you? I can only say that I will make it up to you if you become mine."

I held the pokeball out to her. I honestly didn't know if she understood what I said, but Rockruff looked at me with a determined glint in her intelligent eyes and nosed the button on the pokeball.

Immediately, the ball sucked her in. The middle button glowed once. The ball didn't even shake.

I just sat there dumbly until Kukui tapped my shoulder. "You should probably let her out, John."

The pokeball wiggled in my hand in agreement, startling me. Was Rockruff aware of her surroundings while she was in that thing?

I dropped the ball. Rockruff was out in a flash.

"The ball didn't hurt you, right?" I asked her. Rockruff only stared for a small moment before she tackled me, sending me sprawling on the pavement. She gave me affectionate licks all over my face. "Oh, jeez! I guess I didn't need to worry at all!"

"I told you," Kukui said with a smirk.

I eventually got her off my face and stood up with a wince, my ankle flaring up. I squashed down the feeling. It was worth it to see Rockruff so happy.

"Say… Rockruff is the name of her species, right?" I asked. At Kukui's nod, I looked at the dog in my arms. "Then I guess I can start making it up to you now, girl. Let's give you a good name."

"Oh, so you're the type that likes to nickname their pokemon?" Kukui asked.

I gave him a strange look. "Is that not common?"

"Few people do it, but most just call them by their species name. It's easier to keep track of that way."

Seriously? That's like naming your dog 'dog'. I had a feeling the common sense in this world would continue to baffle me in the coming days.

"Yeah, I'm not doing that." I scratched my chin as I went deep in thought. "Hmmm…"

Silva was the Latin word for forest, where I found my first beloved dog shivering in the night back in my world. It would be fitting if I used a similar naming method here.

"Eve," I said finally, holding my dog up Lion King style. The orange rays from up above illuminated her fluffy form. "Because you became mine underneath this evening sky. Your name is now Eve."

Eve barked at me happily. She liked her new name. That was good, at least.

"Gotta admit, it does add a bit of flair," Kukui said. He then gave me a soft smile. "Congratulations on your first pokemon, John."

For the first time since I came into this world, I gave him a genuine smile. "Thanks, Kukui."

I looked back at Eve, who I was still holding up. There was still a lot of nervousness within me making this decision. I knew there would be a lot of growing pains, just like with Silva. Doubly so since Eve was a magical creature from another world.

But if there was one ideal I was willing to bet my life on in any world:

You just can't break the bond between man and dog.

Not now, not ever.

Edited 11/6/2023

John Doe(?)

Age: 24(?)

Current Pokemon:

Rockruff (Eve)

Gender: Female

Moves: Tackle, Leer, Sand Attack

A/N: John gets his first pokemon, but I'm sure it was clear to everyone that he would get Rockruff. To clear up any confusion, this story does take place around two years before the main sun and moon storyline. I might just update the summary so that people can come in expecting that, now that I've revealed it here.