Path of the Chosen 7: Alola Interlopers

Polaris-Ponyta, Shira-Reshiram, Mia-Cubone, Marin-Primarina, Zetty-Rotom Dex

Chapter 1: Tropical Fire

"Aah, Alola!" I stepped out of the airport, stretching and inhaling the warm, tropical air. The bewitching scent of plumerias hung like a nostalgic curtain. "I haven't been here in years!"

"Go ahead and rub it in," Ben said in mock indignation. "Just because you've been on the ultimate island vacation and we haven't."

"We're here now!" Hari exclaimed, gazing at the bright birds fluttering through the trees.

"Ben," I said, rolling my eyes, "If you're going to pull that on me, I'm going to start harassing you about all the awesome family vacations you've gone on. But Alola was great. Swimming with a school of Mantine. Or when we swam out into a bay, and all of a sudden a pod of Dragonair was all around us for about ten seconds, and then they vanished into the ocean. But I also got nipped in the foot by a Bruxish. And my Dad keeps hurting himself here! Once he was taking a video and tripped over a rock, smashing his shoulder. And on the other trip, he smashed his fingers in a garage door. He had to go to the hospital and get them splinted."

"Your dad always get hurt," Hari said.

"He does! I'm afraid to let him go anywhere."

Ben snorted. "You get into so much more trouble than your dad does. I'm almost afraid to go on vacation with you."

I turned on him, glaring, because I knew he was right. "Well, let's not call it a vacation then! We'll call it a business trip. A delivery to Professor Kukui." I pretended to sound disgusted. "Hah! As if I'd want to go on vacation with you guys. I spend months of the year traveling with you!"

"If you hang around long enough," Ben continued, ignoring my fake rant, "you can do a league challenge here. I hear they're setting one up on Alola."

"They've always had a sort of island challenge." I lead the way toward the bus station. "But I think it's just for kids. Ben, we're nineteen. Some people say kids are 18 and younger. Some say 21 and younger. Hari, you're thirteen so you could do it."

Gro, Hari's Grovyle, stuck his tongue out at me. Hari patted his head. "You're the only trainer in the team. Isn't it mostly for locals though?"

Gro was Hari's only Pokémon. The two of them were good at healing, but had no interest in battling. Ben had started out as a trainer, but veered away from it. He still had Pokémon, but his interest was mainly in computers and programming. He always brought his laptop on our travels, so he could work.

Ben, Hari, Gro and I all piled onto the bus and watched Alola passing by the window. We stopped in Hau-oli City and the passengers spilled out. Vacationers peeled off toward the hotels and shopping malls. Meanwhile Ben and I each took out a Pokéball. I sent out Polaris, my Ponyta. Ben sent out Tauros. Tauros, being bigger, carried both Ben and Hari. We rode out of the city, heading to Professor Kukui's lab. We admired the heliconia and hibiscus flowers, and saw Yungoos scampering through the bushes. It was nice to be back in Alola, even if I'd never been to Hau-oli before. The trail curved down to the beach, and the lab came into view.

We froze, jaws dropping open. The lab looked like a crime scene. The sign was split in two, the porch railing had been shattered, and patches covered holes in the walls and roof. Shouts, crashes, and Pokémon cries were audible from inside the building. I slipped off of Polaris's back, in case someone attacked and we needed to fight. But then I registered the patched walls. If they had been repaired, then this wasn't new damage. And the battle sounds weren't aggressive, but excited.

"Wellllll," I said, looking at Ben and Hari. "He does study Pokémon attacks."

Hari examined scorches and claw marks on the walls. "His studies look like they beat up his house."

Ben and Hari followed me onto the porch. I knocked. The battle noises inside faded away, and footsteps approached. A grinning Professor Kukui opened the door.

"Alola! I'm glad you could make it. Come on in."

We followed him into the lab, and sure enough the inside was filled with additional battle damage. I knew Professor Kukui was an expert on Pokémon moves - that's why we were. Though he looked like he needed a sturdier place to study. As we moved into the room, a Murkrow flew toward us, carrying something in her claws. She dipped down over my head, dropping a flowered lei onto my shoulders. She did the same for Ben and Hari. I lifted the blossom necklace, dazzled by the combination of bright orchids and the heavenly scent of tuberose.

"Wow," Hari said, sniffing the flowers. "Wow," he repeated, his eyes glazing over at the lovely smell.

Ben grinned at his reaction. Although mine was pretty much the same. Movement caught my eye. There other Pokémon around the lab: Rockruff, Stufful, and Snubbull. And there was even an aquarium against the back of the room. I remembered my manners and quickly said, "Thank you! My name's Cara. It's nice to meet you, Professor."

"I'm Ben. I'll be helping with the Rotom dex."

"I'm Hari! I do the Pokémon translations."

"Cara, Ben, Hari, welcome to Alola! I've heard a lot about you from Professor Oak. And from your reputation in general. I'm grateful you've agreed to help me out. You can call me Kukui. Can I get you something to drink before we get started? Juice?" He herded us to the table and brought out glasses of coconut juice. "So, Cara, you brought a Rotom with you?"

"Yes, I brought him."

"Great! We've almost finished developing the new Rotom skin. This will revolutionize the Pokédex!"

"What a great way to use a Rotom" Ben said, looking around as though hoping to see where the project was stored. "Combining a Pokémon with technology! It could open up so many possibilities!"

"It's not the first technology Pokémon," Hari pointed out.

"Porygon?" I suggested.

"Well, yeah," Ben said, waving a hand. He had a Porygon of his own. "But this is more like building an extension of the Pokémon. Instead of a Pokémon travelling through cyberspace."

I was just as excited about the Rotom dex. I'd rather have a Pokémon help me with data than some computer.

"We get to help build a new Pokémon form," Hari said. "One that can speak English!" He may not care about technology, but he had his own reasons to be excited about the project.

"But Hari, you can talk to Pokémon, right?" Kukui asked, looking fascinated.

Hari nodded. "Yeah. I grew up with Pokémon. They taught me their language. When we were in Kalos last year, I started helping Pokémon translate some messages to their trainers. It helps fix a lot of problems. So if you want any translations, let me know."

Actually I could talk to Pokémon too, though I almost never told anyone. I had psychic powers that let speak to them through telepathy. Though I couldn't really do anything else with those psychic powers.

"You three have a remarkable skillset," Kukui said. "Ben with your programming, Hari who can speak to Pokémon, and Cara. A champion from Kanto! And you've been making the rounds on news channels recently too."

"Oof, yeah," I murmured, probably looking a bit dazed. I still wasn't used to having strangers know about me. It was weird enough when Unova broadcasted the battle where I fought with Reshiram to save the Pokémon League. And now that Reshiram and I had also made an appearance on the Kalos news, even more people had heard of me.

"I'm grateful that you were able to bring Reshiram. I've rarely gotten the chance to study moves of legendary Pokémon." Professor Kukui glanced out the window, as though expecting to see the legendary dragon peeking inside.

"She's in her Pokéball," I said. "At first I was kinda nervous asking her to come. I didn't know how she'd feel being a research subject. But she does represent truth after all, so she was really interested."

"My kind of Pokémon! Well, shall we?" Professor Kukui asked, standing.

We followed him outside. Even if Kukui battled Pokémon indoors, it was a different story with a legendary fire dragon. On the beach, I sent out Reshiram. Kukui breathed out an amazed sigh at the sight of her. Shira glanced around, taking in the beautiful beach. Then she turned to Kukui.

"This is Shira. And Shira, this is Professor Kukui."

Shira lowered her head to get a better look at Kukui. "Hello. You study Pokémon powers, right?"

Kukui broke into a grin, thrilled to find a Pokémon that could speak to humans. "That's right! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help. If I can do anything for you, let me know, yeah? I saw you battling on the news. You have some fire attacks I've never seen before."

"Yes, that would be Fusion Flare and Blue Flare. They're my special moves. As far as I know, only Victini and Mew can recreate those attacks. Would you like to see them?"

She flew out over the ocean and turned away from us. Her fire lit up the sea until it glowed like the dawn.

…

"That was one of the most intense displays I've ever seen!" Kukui exclaimed after he'd finished working with Shira. I'll bet the Tapus would love to try battling you, Shira."

She tilted her head. "Tapus?"

"They're like the guardian Pokémon of Alola," I explained.

"One of them lives not far from here," Kukui said. "Actually, there's a festival this evening, in honor of the Tapus. It will be starting soon. If you want to come, you'll be my guests. People will be battling to entertain Tapu Koko - the guardian of Melemele Island. Shira might be more than the people of Iki Town can handle, but Cara you're welcome to battle with some of your other Pokémon."

"Yeah, I have a few with me." I always had Polaris - the first Pokémon I'd caught. And then the Rotom I'd brought for the Rotom dex. But I also had Mia the Cubone, and Marin the Primarina.

"Great! There will be some great battles tonight. In the meantime, I'd love to ask Shira what it feels like to breathe fire!"