Alola readers! Apologies for making you wait so long for the next chapter! I've had some much needed R&R and settled into hopefully a steady work schedule while finding more motivation and drive to keep on writing. We're almost there.
The R&R was actually to real-life Alola! It was only my third time to Hawaii...my second to Maui (Akala Island) and what a trip it was. Not only was it some relaxing, ziplining, lazy days at the beach, eating some amazing food which included the signature malasadas (anyone who goes to Maui specifically needs to give Sugar Beach Bakery coconut cream malasadas a try...as is Ululani Shave Ice. Respectively, they're the best on the island IMO) but a much needed break from the stress and everything else that happened at work.
And it also gave me a sunburn. Put on the sunscreen if you go outside for prolonged periods over there, it's no joke and I don't burn easily.
But it gave me quite the refresher on Hawaiian culture, so hopefully I'll be putting what I've learned and seen whilst on vacation there back into this fic for a little extra authentic flair!
Let's get started.
I'm ready.
It feels so weird. The last time I left Aether Paradise, I was running for my life and Nebby's. I had no plan. It was by some sheer luck that Nebby used its own power right when I thought escape was impossible.
Now I have my brother and Elio with me. We're actually leaving on our own terms. With a plan. I can't believe it and I'm amazed, not just at them…but myself too. It's crazy.
We're heading for Poni Island, which is in fact the last island Elio needs to go to finish his island challenges. I know that he's still not fully agreeing to me wanting to rescue Mother, but the fact that he's still sticking by my side is something I'll treasure for a long long time. I feel truly blessed that someone like him was literally dropped into my life. I'd never be where I am today with a pokemon by my side, friends that I can count on…and a plan.
Lillie Renee Hyacinth. She stared at the name of the printed Trainer license card in her hand, turning it over to see the poke ball seal watermark underneath to signify its authenticity.
After she had but a moment to breathe and relax, she had made a video call back to Professor Kukui and Burnet at their house on Melemele Island. Unbeknownst to her at the time, the summoning of the Ultra Beasts had forced the kahunas to evacuate the cities and issue a shelter in place as they and the local police attempted to either stop the rampaging beasts or prevent them from sowing further destruction. She only had gotten the news of what happened during the call.
Thankfully aside from a few injuries, there had been no casualties as the kahunas and their companions of strong trainers had gained the upper hand, causing the mysterious pokemon to flee into the wolds. Though they had been driven out, the threat of them reappearing unexpectedly was very high. The authorities issued out anyone encountering the beasts should avoid confrontation at all costs and report any sighting.
Kahuna Nanu had gotten in touch with his people in the International Police and was assured that agents were en route to see the best way the crisis could be addressed.
Both her "adoptive" parents were than relieved to hear that she was safe and that Elio was with her. For his own sake, she had decided not to tell them of the scarification Lusamine had inflicted on his shoulder. Though she still felt that guilt of being responsible for his suffering, she knew that they would immediately inform his mother…and he'd deduce who told them pretty quickly.
And I'd feel like I ruined everything again. Why does this have to be so hard and complicated?
The other part of the call was for her license. Though she wasn't sure if she wanted to take on the island challenge just yet, she would have to register herself in the database with Kalua in her possession. Since he didn't have one either, Gladion had similarly submitted an application which Kukui both expedited. The process of a couple days in the application instead took a matter of hours and they had their license cards in hand just before Elio had awakened.
I am a trainer now. She felt a sense of pride and accomplishment swelling in her chest. Is this what Elio felt those months ago?
Her thoughts were broken by laughter from Elio up by the Skull boat's pilothouse where he had stood next to Gladion. Silvally stood close to the bow, facing directly ahead and standing up as proudly as can be. The older blond boy scowled, but it seemed to be ignored.
"I hate it." Her brother rolled his eyes as Elio continued his cackling fit. "And I hate that you're enjoying it."
"It's not that it is your last name, it's the fact you resent it so much!" Elio said, his laughing beginning to subside. He was starting to really enjoy finding out all the dirt on Gladion's life. "I can't believe your middle name is Rafe."
"Me neither." Gladion groused back. "My mother thinks our middle names sound cute and for some reason, both of ours have to start with an R, but I hate it."
Elio shook his head. "It's a nice name! And your first name is what most people go by anyway. Who else is gonna care other than your parents when they're pissed?"
Gladion glowered at him. "You apparently. So keep this up and I'll start thinking about accidentally knocking you overboard."
That earned a scoff out of him. He wouldn't have the stones.
"Remind me the last time we threw hands, who manhandled who again?" To his credit though, Elio did respect that Gladion somewhat knew how to fight from being on the Alolan streets for a time. He was no trained fighter himself, but those classes at self-defense his mother had taken him to as a kid were skills he was glad to have, even if it was something he'd never need to use.
Gladion looked to be actually contemplating his threat when Elio shook his head and set a hand on his shoulder.
"Relax brah. I'm not gonna go spouting it off like someone crazy. If that's something you're embarrassed by, then I'm not gonna embarrass you any further." His expression darkened, but he kept a playful tone. "Now if you're ever ready to throw hands again, then yeah I might be bringing that up."
Gladion scrutinized him from the feet up, the scowl refusing to vanish. "Are you and Hau always like this?"
"What, the nagging? Oh yeah, a hundred and ten percent." Gladion's eyes went wide in disbelief, clearly not expecting that answer. "We joke and do stupid stuff all the time. It's what teenagers do…it's what teenage boys do."
"Doesn't sound very friendly to me."
"Well it's kept on the light side. We joke, we mess around, we've done stuff to embarrass each other. But at the end of the day, we're the best of friends. I have his back and he has mine. Just like how we had yours when we were in the Paradise."
"But we're not fri-"
It took Elio all the strength he could muster not to show off a display of rolling his eyes. "Y'know, if you put as much effort into actually making friends with us as you did declaring the opposite; we'd practically be the best of pals." Behind the both of them, Lillie couldn't help the slight smirk across her face. In another life, I think these two would have gotten along very well.
She realized that was just another part of his character. Gladion often kept to himself, reserved and stoic to an extent. Elio was a match for him. But for some reason, Elio had a way with words when he talked to people that always got a reaction. And not just Gladion. Her mother, Hau…herself.
It was like he always knew what to say and when to say it.
Savoir faire is the term. I remember seeing that in a book.
In a way, she enjoyed the fact that Gladion was somehow absorbed into the playful banter that she normally saw Elio and Hau engage in. Both her and her brother were raised somewhat isolated from other kids. While the Foundation had living quarters for the permanent staff that worked there along with their families, she and Gladion rarely ever got to socialize with the others her age. Their mother had insisted on them being homeschooled.
Lillie shook her head as she heard another round of laughter erupt from the pilothouse, once again Elio's. There was nothing she could do to change the past, or think about how different life could have been.
Spoiled rich girl who buries her nose in books.
What mattered was that she was going in with a plan, even if the legendary pokemon were just the stuff of legend.
Hau believes they're real. And I trust him.
More laughter from the pilothouse and suddenly she heard another chuckle that was different from Elio's voice.
Did he actually manage to make Gladion laugh?
She hadn't heard it from him in a long time. Almost forgot what it had sounded like, recounting the last when they constantly played around as children.
There was no need for words on how the difference Elio being in her life was making for her entire family. Once again with him around; hope had refused to go away.
The rest of the journey was made in silence as Gladion steered the boat to the northwest, passing Melemele Island in the distance. Elio had cast a wistful look at where his home was located, but remained silent while barely able to make out the top of Hau'oli's tallest skyscrapers. As much as he did want to run home after a crisis like this; he had to see this through. Lillie had told him that he was just as much of a part of the journey as her.
I'm not gonna run. Not like this.
It felt surreal listening to the rhythmic lull of the waves lapping against the boat and the light breeze whipping at their clothes. Elio kept a hand firmly on the bill of his 'Canes hat to prevent it from being snatched by the wind. As some slightly choppier waves began to roll in after they went to open water, Gladion angled the boat and increased the throttle to reduce the bobbing and rapid pitches. Lillie didn't get seasick, but she definitely was starting to feel uneasy until her brother had changed course.
The rougher waters only lasted for about ten minutes and Melemele disappeared over the horizon when Poni Island came into view.
Unlike the previous three islands that had staggeringly high up mountains that went above the clouds, Poni Island's highest point seemed to be at a dark brown plateau thousands of feet up inland and stretched nearly the entire span save for small shorelines. In size, it appeared slightly smaller than the other major islands in Alola's chain with the exception of Ula'ula, which had more than twice the landmass of the other three islands combined.
Poni was theorized to be one of the oldest islands, defined by its incredibly rough terrain that made car travel less of an option. Vegetation was less abundant on this island due to the limited rainfall that occurred only on the outskirts. Despite the lack of the rain, much of Poni's lower elevated flat areas were farmland thanks to incredibly rich fertile soil. Instead of the integral rice in Alolan cuisine that required far more water than what fell from the sky, the farmers instead focused on hardier crops such as potatoes and coffee along with a number of tropical fruits.
With the terrain harsher than the other islands, Elio wondered if Lillie was up to handle it. The challenge of having to cross the gorges and the Vast Poni Canyon wasn't for the faint of heart.
But through that, he knew that she was a far different person. That shy meek and softspoken blonde he had known for months was instead replaced by a girl that had an incredible heart and a steely resolve. Though he commended her drive, it would ultimately be put to the test on the most rugged island of all, both in terrain and having to confront her own mother.
We can do it. Together.
Poni Island's lone settlement was on the southern coast, a town called Seafolk Village that overlooked Akka Bay. Elio could see the white and light brown buildings dotting the landscape as Gladion steered into the bay. Unlike the ports on the other islands, Seafolk did not have a facility large enough to handle the gigantic freighters that visited Heahea, Hau'oli and Malie. Any bulk shipping that constituted a portion of the economy had to be flown out of the commercial airfield situated a couple of miles north, which was enough to handle jumbo jets fitted to carry cargo. There was nothing larger than a ferry that was in the small terminal at the edge of the nexus of wharfs. Masts of various sizes reached into the sky, swaying lazily in the wind. Sailboats, speedboats, catamarans and small trawlers that Elio recognized as sampans were all moored. Further in the bay was a large platform that connected all the others surrounded by colorful looking boats, some of which resembled large pokemon such as wailord and steelix. Though quiet now, he imagined that these boats served as homes and business centers in this being a trade hub where seafarers often stopped to rest, refuel and barter their wares and treasures. Supposedly the markets had items that couldn't be found anywhere else in the region.
Closer to the shoreline were more residential homes and shops, including a marketplace. Sun spotted the pokemon center close to the middle of the boardwalk next to the beach.
With the sunset casting a dull orange and purple hue into the sky, lights across the town blazed to life. Elio found sleep starting to tug at the ends of his eyes even though he had woken up from his sedated rest just hours ago.
Gladion found an empty spot close to the central hub and spoke something into the radio that Elio couldn't discern. Within moments, two men were waiting on the pier wearing uniforms with a logo of what he assumed to be the port authority.
The boys tossed over ropes as they edged closer, which were swiftly lashed to rusted bollards. A trio of thick rubber buoys prevented the floating docks from crashing into the boat's hull. One of the men narrowed his eyes at Gladion.
"You Skull?" So the nonsense of the team had reached even this quiet island. Or maybe it was because of the less than inconspicuous graffiti that had been spray painted on the boat's starboard side.
The boy was about to retort something and Elio saw him balling his hands into fists in indignation of being accused of it. So he decided to speak on their behalf.
"No. We're not Skull." Both Hyacinth siblings nodded in agreement, Gladion simmering down a moment later. "Even if we were, we're not here to cause trouble."
Both men's expressions softened. "Ah alright then. Alola. You'll have to pardon our cold welcome. Team Skull had been causing a bit of a ruckus these past couple months."
"I'm dropping my sister and her friend here off." Gladion finally said. "Then I'll be off if you can give me some fuel."
"We can arrange for that." The other man said and pointed to a couple of large white rusted tank structures at the end of the harbor. "The self service fuel farm is over there. Just be careful going back, especially this close to it being dark."
"Mahalo." Elio told them. Gladion mumbled something similar as the two authority members nodded and headed back down where they had come from.
"So this is Poni Island." He glanced up at the mountains as the three of them exited the boat, which were beginning to fade now that the dusk sky was in the process of overtaking the day. "Nearly nobody lives on it, but there's a lot of nature to explore."
"I hardly remember much about here." Lillie looked around. "We were here on a trip so long ago. I couldn't have been older than three maybe."
"Me neither." The sudden natural pace in conversation between the siblings was both abrupt and strangely familiar. Gladion felt a surprise calmness within. Both of them glanced at Elio, who could only shrug. I've never stepped foot onto this island until sixty seconds ago.
"Go." He told them. "Find the kahuna of the island. Whoever it is, they also protect the shrine where the ancient people of Alola paid tribute to the legendary pokemon. That's the best place to start."
Sounds good to me.
"Glady, thank you." Lillie told him softly. Her use of the nickname she always called him when they were children caused him to stiffen. "When you took Null away and left all those years ago…it was horrible with Mother! I wanted to be mad that I had to go through all that by myself…if I hadn't had Miss Wicke with me."
Gladion turned around and Elio saw that the mix of raw emotions played across his face for just a couple moments before he was ice again. Clearly there was some damage that still needed to be repaired.
He walked over, gently taking a shaking Lillie in his arms.
"I'm sorry Lil'," he had used her own nickname as he held her. "I…I wanted to take you with me. I really did. And if there was any other way I could have worked things out, I would have. But I didn't know anyone or anything except just getting as far away from Aether Paradise as I possibly could with Null. The people like I found in Team Skull, Guzma…having you around people like them was something I never even considered."
He didn't see it, but Elio nodded in agreement as he remembered Lillie getting cornered by that burly and violent grunt. It still sent a shudder down his spine in the warm Alolan evening of what could have happened to her if he wasn't there.
"I wasn't there for you…when you needed me like an older brother should've been. All I could think of then was finding a way to save Null and get stronger. That was the battle I was fighting. And I never would have made it here today and right now if it weren't for Elio or Hau."
He let out a heavy sigh. "Now I have another battle to fight. To clean up the mess Mother made at the Foundation. Steer it back to its original purpose. You have your own battle too…and I can't be there for you again. But you have that willpower to go through. I don't."
"Glady,"
"I know you can do it. Both of you can. No more running. No more hiding. No more of this Team Skull bullshit. I'm done with them."
They separated and Gladion began to walk down to his boat, untying the ropes as he fired up the engine again. He stopped as if forgetting something and looked directly at Elio in the eye.
"Elio," that was the first time he remembered addressing him by his actual name. The two boys locked eyes, but instead of it being confrontational, he saw a level of trust behind them. Maybe even friendship if they hadn't started off on the bitterest of terms.
Is this guy's edgy personality starting to melt?
"Take care of my sister."
"With my life." The reply came out before it even registered in his head. Even if it had, Elio's vow was sincere.
Gladion knew it because he gave a nod of approval before he gunned the engine to back the dark boat out of the harbor and spun it around to head to the fuel depot. He gave a casual wave with his hand as he faded into the distance.
Elio looked over at Lillie, who was still looking in the direction Gladion had gone. Like he had done two years ago, he was leaving her behind again. This time under different circumstances. And it's just the two of us. A blush was forming on his cheeks at the thought of them together. They were actually alone this time.
"Are you gonna be okay?" He asked her.
Lillie nodded, her expression still unchanged. "It felt like this two years ago when he ran from the Paradise with Null on a boat. I could only watch him go."
He was about to ask if she wanted him on the journey after all, but remember that both boys had faith that she had the strength and drive to fight her own battle to save her mother from Ultra Space.
"I'll be okay. You don't have to worry. I know what I have to do now…and I know this might sound a little strange but I'm a little bit excited." Her face lit up and that damned blush on his face threatened to resurface. Thank goodness Gladion isn't here to see it otherwise he'd lose his mind. "Is this how you felt when you first set off on your adventure?"
"Maybe, but at the same time I didn't need to gallantly charge into Ultra Space to rescue my crazy mother."
Elio was worried at first that he might've hurt her with the dismissive response, but his concern was squashed when she burst into a fit of laughter and he joined her a second later.
It felt so rejuvenating and amazing seeing her happy.
"You're funny."
"I know." Though the remark was meant to be lighthearted, the thought of having to go into the unknown still worried him. And there was no guarantee Lusamine would come willingly.
"Come on, it's getting dark. Let's find a spot to stay for the night and some food."
As they walked along to the boardwalk side by side, Lillie's eyes went down to Elio's side to his hands, idly in front.
Though she had held them many times when they had high fived or seen them fist bump with Hau, she felt something else. She slowly reached out, her fingers brushing the palm of his left. Almost immediately he stiffened and glanced at her. They were holding hands.
"Is this okay?" She almost stammered out loud, suddenly alarmed that it had gotten a reaction.
He answered just a moment later, but it felt like an eternity when his smile soothed her worries from her brazen action.
"Of course."
The receptionist frowned at them as she viewed the computer screen at her desk.
"Unfortunately there aren't any more rooms with double beds available for the next couple of days. I have a room with a single that would probably be big enough for both of you, but that's it."
Elio and Lillie shared a look, still continuing to hold hands. "And there's nothing else? What about the other hotels or inns on the boardwalk?"
She shook her head. "Unfortunately I don't have access to their records, so you'd have to go and see for yourself. Though if there's nothing available and someone else comes in to reserve the open room that I have, you could be out of luck."
Though Elio was perfectly fine with putting up a small canopy and fly, he would've rather stayed in a room that had a working bathroom and a bed to sleep on.
No sense in sleeping like a bum if you can help it.
"We'll take the single." Lillie said softly, looking at him for support. He only nodded in agreement.
The receptionist confirmed and typed a few things into the computer before sending something to his phone.
"Your phone will serve as the access key, like the other pokemon center lodging areas. How long are you expected to stay here?"
"Three nights maybe?" That was just a guesstimate, he had no clue how long it would take to find the moon flute and cross the entirety of the Vast Poni Canyon.
"That's acceptable." Trainers were given a five day limit stay at a pokemon center due to how frequent they arrived and left. "If nobody has reserved your room after you, I can extend if necessary to the five."
They thanked the receptionist and Elio put in a request to see the status of both Rufflet and Arclight in the other center back on Ula'ula before they walked together to the lodging area. The room was found quickly and he opened the app on his phone to the key that buzzed and clicked the lock open when he held it by the sensor.
"You'll get one too once you download and officially register on the trainer database." He told her as he turned the handle and pushed the door open.
Lillie smiled at the modest, no-frills quarter. There was a slight breeze of cooler dry air that felt welcoming after spending almost all day in the humid Alolan sun. A large bed was in the middle, opposite of a wooden table and chair that had a few papers and pamphlets showing a mix of attractions and maps of the surrounding wild areas. This was the only pokemon center on the island and the much simpler lifestyle suggested that people here who lived in the backcountry had a lot more limited access to electricity.
"I'm hungry," Elio groused as he shucked his backpack onto the table. "You?"
Lillie nodded, she had been so focused on getting to the island and thinking about her own mother that she never noticed her stomach growling nonstop. Food sounded amazing right now.
"How about we take a quick break and then go and see what we can find before they all close down?"
She agreed and they took turns with a quick pit stop in the room's bathroom before gathering up their things. As he led her out the door, her heart jumped when she just realized one thing that would probably become very awkward later, even though it was already spoken.
There was only one bed.
They settled on a small Unovan pizza and deli parlor that had a decent amount of patrons still inside for a late night meal. Lillie would've preferred to have something familiar, but she was eager to try a type of food that was not native to the islands. The only major presence of the distant region in Alola was a major base for the mighty Unovan Navy.
Lillie's own thoughts went back to her mother, then Sun and then back to her mother again. A hint of worry crept up as she wondered about what Lusamine was doing.
Probably just having the time of her life. I might as well be dead to her.
Was her conviction to go to Ultra Space to save her the right thing to do? If she could even call it that? As far as she knew, there was no other way now that Nebby remained in a comatose state. The fact the little troublemaker hadn't made a sound or a single movement since they freed it from the cage was both a relief of not having to worry about it running off and eerie with the absence of such concern.
She had come so far already, thanks to her brother, Hau, Professor Kukui, Burnet, Wicke and Elio. In a way, she felt a sense of relief that the journey to send Nebby back home was nearly over. Once they rescued her from the depths of Ultra Space and brought her home, she'd be able to do the same for Nebby.
It feels relaxing…like how we're supposed to enjoy Alola. No worries, on island time and leave all the stress behind. There's nobody chasing us anymore. I'm not hiding or on the run.
Lillie finally had the chance to not frantically scan her surroundings for anyone that might be picking up on her trail. Team Skull was still out there, but she didn't know if they were still acting on the orders of her mother or Guzma, both of which had gone through the portal. The Aether Foundation was being righted back to its original goal of pokemon conservation under Gladion and Wicke's leadership. She wondered how her brother was going to fare with that mountain of work. Also, a young and courageous vulpix was at her side, in a poke ball that she carried in the bag slung across her shoulders.
She could finally take in the islands of paradise, the slightly salty tang of the sea and the seductive lull of the ocean waves that lapped against the boardwalk. The sun may have started to go down, but people were still walking about, some also eating at the other restaurants, many walking to and from various spots at Seafolk. Groups congregated around spots of the balcony railing, having staked out the best spot in the marketplace to watch the iconic sunset.
Soft notes tickled her ear as she heard a little girl somewhere off singing, strumming on an instrument she had deduced to be an ukelele.
"I don't wear shoes upon my feet."
"To be at ease is such a treat."
"I smile at everyone I meet!"
"That's the Alolan in me!"
Lillie stopped, she had known the tune was familiar after hearing it being played a couple of times at the Hano Grand Resort. Slowly, her tension and apprehensiveness began to wear away slowly, even more as her heartbeat began to quicken as she saw Elio making his way back to her table, two gigantic slices of pizza and two cans of aguave juice in hand.
She could barely contain her growling stomach as the aroma of perfectly melted cheese and a crispy thin crust hit her nose. Her slice was sparsely topped with pepperoni slices and green bell peppers while he opted for crumbled sausage and sauteed mushrooms.
"I can't believe how big these pizza slices are," Lillie watched him as he could barely keep it upright in one hand and he folded it down the middle. She tried to emulate his action, finding the slice a lot more manageable to eat while at the same time controlling where excess oil and grease went away from their hands.
Elio popped the tabs on their juice cans and stuck a straw in each, sliding one close to her.
Oh my goodness, this is amazing!
"You sure like it." The boy across from her smiled slightly seeing her reaction. "This is the first time in a while I've actually had Unovan style pizza. There was a small parlor back in Cerulean City that served incredible pies, but it closed down right before we moved out. I'll have to go back and see what else is on Melemele once we're done."
Done. Right. Though there was still plenty to do and see, Lillie had a sinking feeling that the journey of her and Elio together…their time together was coming to an end. He'd finish his island challenge and go onto the next phase of his life, whether that was college or maybe going back to basketball like he had talked about before. Was it even something he was considering doing? She wanted to ask him, but this didn't seem like an appropriate opportunity.
And she'd be just in the same spot, except now as a trainer. But was she really ready to take the island challenge? Though it was months away, her eighteenth birthday was fast approaching, meaning she was going to be ineligible to take the trials. As much as she wanted to share the enjoyable experience of bonding with her pokemon and fighting gigantic totems and formidable kahunas, she had a feeling it would feel rushed with more priority in meeting the deadline than the actual experience and lessons they each taught.
She shook her head, trying not to think about the rapidly fleeting time they would be having together. Perhaps a shift in the conversation would help take her mind off it.
"This pizza is delicious."
"Oh yeah. Doesn't help I was starving and probably enough to eat my weight in food."
Lillie giggled at his ravenous appetite. "You're just too hungry."
"And angry. Being angry when you're hungry is a real thing and you can't change my mind."
That got the teens to laugh again and they both found themselves staring into each other's eyes as they enjoyed the easy company. The conversation was lively as it drifted to food and Elio was surprised to find that she had previously been quite a picky eater when she was younger, not liking vegetables or meats, or even seasoning her food.
"The chef that mother hired to cook for us always made things that tasted the same and left us hungry." She wiped her hands on a napkin before attacking her slice again. "Kind of hard to enjoy food that isn't hearty but it tastes good when you're still trying to grow up." Another giggle escaped her lips as she drinked more of the aguave juice. "You should've seen Mother and her reaction when Gladion didn't like onions when he was younger."
"Gladion didn't like onions?" Elio made no attempt to hide the fact he was enjoying finding out yet even more dirt on her overprotective brother.
"Oh no," her face broke out into a devious smile after seeing his own expression. "He would flat out refuse to eat anything that had as much as a sliver of onion in it. It drove Mother crazy sometimes, but eventually she had to have the chef make things without onions, which was maybe ninety percent of the dishes."
"So did he start liking them?"
"Yup. Eventually Mother found out that he sort of liked the flavor of Akala onions after those sweet potato chips."
"Because they're sweet."
"And little by little, he got used to it. Now he doesn't mind them at all."
"That's funny," Elio said. "I never was a picky eater when I was younger. It's just the whole part of me never learning to cook. After the last time, my mom refuses to let me do anything on the stove."
Lillie found it funny, but so relatable. Elio was such a great person, probably the best pokemon battler she knew and someone she could actually feel relaxed around…where she could just be Lillie. A boy like him incapable of cooking.
"Maybe when the island challenge is done, that's something I'm going to try and work on. Bit by bit."
She winked at him. "Maybe you can ask Mallow to teach you."
That got him to raise an eyebrow. "You kidding? You should've seen Lana and Kiawe's faces after they tried that forbidden Mallow Special…or whatever the hell it was that I had to do on that trial. They about burned their mouths off."
"That bad?"
"Yeah. That bad. But at the end of the day, if I can do something as simple as scrambling eggs or a steak, I'll consider that a win and a start. Can't be that hard to mess steak up."
"Or pizza." Lillie finally finished the crust and wiped her hands on her napkin. Elio had long finished his, leaning forward intently while sipping on his juice. "Which, if we are here longer, we are coming back."
"Oh easily."
More people were walking past them, none of which caught their eye until one was moving in their direction.
Elio's alarms and protective instincts immediately kicked in. Team Skull and the Aether Foundation wasn't hunting them anymore, but that didn't mean potential threats were still out there. He had additionally sat so that his back was to the railing so that he could observe anyone approaching.
The man was middle aged, long dark hair and hints of weathered wrinkles on his features. Though he had a relaxed and easygoing expression, Elio noticed that they had caught his attention and he had changed his walk to instead head right for them.
"Nice to see some new faces around here!" The man boomed in a hearty voice. He had nearly shout and Lillie had flinched in fright. Elio had quickly moved a hand over hers, a move that normally had him still getting adjusted, but the gesture did its purpose to help calm her down.
"Sorry if I interrupted you two." He stopped to stand a few paces away from their table. "Looks like you got some good taste in a late night bite. Fiona makes a mean pie huh?"
Okay so he's probably not here to confront us. Elio thought to himself. Someone trying to either kidnap him, Lillie or Nebby would probably want to do so without drawing a lot of attention in public. He forced himself to relax a little, so far the man wasn't a threat. Behind him, he saw a small white pelipper loyally following up above.
"I-I'm sorry." Lillie looked embarrassed, either from the outburst or the fact she was aware she and Elio were touching hands again. "Who are you?"
"Me?" The man gestured to himself. "The name's Marvin, but everyone 'round here calls me Marv! The big billed fella here is Deuce! Well, I'm the chief of the Seafolk! It's my job to keep everybody together around here!"
Chief? Elio thought to himself. Could this guy be the kahuna?
"The Seafolk?" Lillie asked him. It was evident since the town was called Seafolk Village, but it even piqued his curiosity since Marv made it sound like they were an actual ethnic group of people.
"That's right! All these boats you see 'round here. Lot of us spent years here navigating the stars and searching out new wonders! When we find them, a lot of us bring it back here to trade. The ocean on this side of the world is a big place and Alola is smack dab right in the middle of it."
"Makes sense." Elio said. "Kanto is an eight hour flight west and it's supposedly just as long in the other direction."
Marv's eyes lit up at his words. "That's right. You're Kantoan, I can tell by your accent. Word does get around a lot, especially since we don't get as many visitors as the other islands."
"It's an amazing island though. I wish more tourists knew about it."
That got a smile out of Marv and both teens felt a little more relaxed now that the conversation turned casual and it was pretty clear he wasn't a threat. "Eh, we like to keep things quiet. It's a small community here on Poni Island and a lot of us Seafolk like to keep it that way. Not to say we dislike visitors."
"But you don't want entire boats and planes of noisy tourists to show up on a whim." Elio finished for him, earning a nod from the chief. "I'd hate for that too if I was living in a spot for some peace and quiet."
"Sure thing." Marv said and took a step back. "Well, I think I've taken up enough of your time. Just wanted to welcome you to this little corner of Alola and if you do need anything to make your stay here more enjoyable, feel free to reach out. I always love checking on my people and the few visitors that we do get to make sure everything's all good." He jerked a thumb to the inside of the Unovan pizza parlor. "Plus Fiona would hunt me down all the way to Brooklet Hill if I don't stop for a bite every now and then."
"Actually there is something we wanted to ask." Lillie spoke up before he was going to backtrack. "Could you maybe tell us about the Altar of the Moone?"
"Hmm, I see." Marv stroked his short beard in thought. "As for the Altar, it's on the far side of the Vast Poni Canyon which you can access through Kaukau Pass. I will warn you both that the wild pokemon here are subject to a lot more harsher conditions than the other islands and can be quite difficult to repel for inexperienced trainers. There's an old island trial site too that sits at the foot of the Altar and rumor has it that the descendants of the totem pokemon that was there still guard the entrance."
"I think we can take them if need be." Elio said. Though the warning bristled him, he didn't want to brag or puff his chest out in his own hubris. Better off that he heeded the warning and prepared accordingly.
"Yet I've had people go in completely unprepared, even experienced trainers. Bewear especially that live in the Weliweli Gauntlet. I'd go as far as to consider it Alola's most dangerous pokemon. Then we had some other crazy pokemon supposedly spotted out in the wilds. No news on that front. Not that I'm trying to discourage you, but it's a whole go at your own risk and a lot of people don't really know what they're signing up for."
Duly noted. Elio knew that his pokemon were already so powerful, but constant attacks from aggressive wild pokemon could wear even champion class trainers down especially with little to no access to rest areas or a pokemon center. He decided it was probably best not to say any part that they were involved in the Ultra Beast crisis, though it did alarm him a bit hearing that they were present.
"It's not just the pokemon either." Marv continued. "The terrain is extremely harsh and it can get up to a hundred and eight degrees with extremely dry conditions. Not to mention that if you walk at the same pace you likely did for the other islands, the trek to the Altar is an entire day affair. If you leave here by nine in the morning, you'd barely make it by nightfall."
And night is when a lot of other pokemon start becoming more active. Besides, I don't think either of us are in any condition with gear preparedness to go on a trek that long.
"But I suppose you can ask the keiki Hapu. She and her Tutu live down the east coast on a decent chunk of farmland."
"Oh Hapu lives here on Poni Island?" Lillie turned to Elio. "It'd be great to see her and Miles again."
"Yeah Miles is pretty easy to spot, given how big she is. It's a start." They looked back at Marv. "Thanks for your help chief. We'll definitely seek you out if we need help or are planning to take the hike."
"You're most welcome keiki." Marv gave a farewell wave of his hand. "Come and see me anytime."
"You've looked like we left something back at the restaurant." Lillie said after they parted ways from Marv and were heading back to the Pokemon Center in silence. It was starting to get a bit late and people had begun to pack up their stands and lock their wares for the evening. The lit torches and sound of the waves gave the town a quaint and romantic vibe.
Though they had started openly holding hands just hours ago, Elio couldn't help but feel how natural it felt; almost as if they had been doing it for the entire months they've known one another. A few gingerly squeezes was enough of what he needed to communicate and assure her that everything was going to be okay.
What does that make us? Friends? In love? The thought of that made him question it even more. What if Lillie didn't feel the same way?
No way that's possible. She was the one who asked me if hand holding was okay. Friends don't hold hands and walk down the street like this.
"Hellooooooo?" Lillie waved her hands in front of his face. "Earth to Elio."
"Y-yeah?" Caught again by her, daydreaming about her. "Sorry."
"What are you apologizing for? I just said, you look like you were forgetting something and I asked if you left your wallet back at the pizzeria."
Elio used his free hand and patted his pocket, double checking that his wallet was still there. "Oh uh…yeah. I just realized that the entire time we talked to chief Marv, we never asked if he was the kahuna of Poni Island."
"I'm sure we'll see him again and you'll probably get your battle. Are there any trials that you have to clear before?"
"There's only one right now and it's held at Kia'i Point. The trial captain's name is Mina and she's a fairy type specialist." Already his mind was wondering what kind of trial he'd be doing. He'd also probably need to do some rearranging of his team or think of some strategy since he didn't have a pokemon that was completely resistant to fairy moves. Quria was partially, but her half-dark typing meant that she wouldn't be able to take fairy hits any better than Strongside.
I'll have plenty of time to think of strategy later.
"Kia'i Point is a few miles away from the Ruins of Hope." Elio said, pulling out Rotom Dex to open the map and show her. "We could also make a stop there too and see if there's any other connection to Nebby, maybe find some answers as to why it's turned into a vegetable."
Lillie had to agree, but she noticed one thing about it too.
"Says here that the Ruins are inaccessible for the most part of the day except for the early afternoon. The tide comes in at the evening and completely submerges the entrance in seawater until the next morning when it goes back out."
That gives us only a couple hours. Obviously right now it's far too late.
"Then we go at the time it does. I'm guessing we'll be passing by Hapu's home on the way."
They passed by a few more stands, some selling customized shirts, shells and other jewelry. Lillie paid scant attention to them, but one did catch Elio's eye.
The display case had strikingly similar patterns of the Tapu Koko pendant that hung around Elio's neck. Absentmindedly, his fingers brushed its smooth jade surface. The owner, a middle aged woman noticed him browsing her wares and came over, her eyes lightning up in recognition.
"Ah, what a nice coincidence to see it again." It took him a moment to realize that she was referring to his own pendant. "I remember that one when I had carved it out of the jadestone block. Somehow I knew it was going to be very very special."
"The pendant?" Lillie was drawn just like him to the display cases. Among the other things of pale green rings, earrings and bracelets, she could see that there were more pendants of the guardian deities of all the other islands. The pink ovoid shape of Tapu Lele, the large and bulky frame of Tapu Bulu and the other Tapu, a streamlined shell of fins that opened like a clamshell.
Tapu Fini. Elio remembered the deity from the book he and Lillie had read in Malie City. The protecting goddess of Poni Island and the courier that ferries the souls of the departed along that current that spans between this world and that of the afterlife.
"My mother got this for me." Elio told the shopkeeper. "I had a run in where Tapu Koko actually appeared. So it's important to me. I've been meaning to take good care of it."
The woman smiled back and gave them a farewell wave. "Well…maybe it's also taking care of you too."
They had made it back to the Pokemon center right after nightfall. Elio let Lillie use the shower first and spent the time waiting to look up the available maps and buff out the worn surfaces of the poke balls.
Both Rufflet and Arclight had been transferred from the center in Tapu Village to Seafolk where he hummed over the decision to keep six pokemon out of the eight that he had altogether. While Kamua and Quria were certainly powerful, they were also much newer and he was starting to long for his old partners that he had been with since nearly the beginning of his journey. From what the staff had told him; Arclight had appeared to be getting over her morbid fear of birds and had seemed to bond a bit with Rufflet as the broken wing was to the point where he could resume battling. Only sign of the injury was a scar that ran along the top from the surgery.
Decision made; Quria and Kamua would remain in his trainer's PC storage until he returned home to help them get adjusted to living with him while Rufflet and Arclight were rotated to fill the gaps on his team. Not only that, but keeping them on standby meant that any other injury of his pokemon wouldn't leave him with minus one, being able to call them up from storage onto his active roster. He chuckled to himself naming the PC storage area "Bench"
Like basketball all over again.
Next were the maps. Poni Island was the smallest of the four main islands, yet the terrain and lack of roads meant that hiking through was going to be incredibly arduous. Since rainfall was rare in the wilds, Kia'i Point and the Vast Poni Canyon, the dry climate meant that the ground was crumbly, disintegrating with as little as twenty pounds of weight pressing down. Vegetation was almost nonexistent, only the hardiest of species able to grow which provided sustenance for the pokemon that lived there. The unevenness of the slopes when the trails wound up, down and side to side hampered the normal pace and progress he'd be making on the other islands.
He wasn't concerned for himself, while not having hiked much until he started his own journey; Lillie didn't venture too far out where she'd have to face problems like this. Neither of them were prepared. Luckily, Seafolk had stores and trading posts where they could get the gear they'd need to make the trek. The journey was going to be uncomfortable and he wanted to make sure that this was something Lillie was fully committed to doing. There was no such thing as a quick walk out if she decided to turn back.
The distance to the Ruins of Life wasn't as far as he expected, but if they left by eight tomorrow morning and continued over nonstop; they would have roughly an hour to look around before the tide would start to come back in. Hopefully that was enough.
Kia'i Point was situated quite close to the Ruins, a jutting outcropping cliff that rose in elevation a couple hundred feet over the sea as if it were the bow of a great ship, named such as during the age of the ka haku, it had served as a vantage lookout to invasion fleets and advances approaching from the east. During the hours of when a trial was active, the captain would be closing it off to the public until its conclusion. Any attempt to find out more about the trial came up empty other than the captain's name and her fairy type specialty, though he had to field a guess that it was to keep potential challengers on their toes.
The door to the bathroom opening interrupted any more pondering on the trial and Lillie stepped out, dressed elegantly in her white and silver nightgown. She had wrung a towel over her damp hair after letting it out of the ponytail. Elio could smell a pleasant scent of vanilla soap she had used to scrub herself as she approached.
"The shower's yours now if you want." Truth be told, he couldn't wait to hop in and just sit to wash away his stress after everything that happened the last couple days.
"I'll be right out." Elio made sure to conserve water, but he enjoyed every second of the shower, turning the temperature up enough that steam was regularly sucked out by the top vent and the temperature was a few degrees of scalding. After vigorously scrubbing his skin and lathering his hair with shampoo, he leaned against the wall with his head bowed against the spray. A look in the mirror at the scarring on his arm showed that the cuts had sealed, yet it still had stung enough to cause him to hiss in pain when a blend of water and soap washed over. The scabs had hardened, but the area around them was still inflamed and painful to touch almost as if he had been sunburned directly.
When he was finished, he pulled on his sleeping shorts and wrapped a towel around his waist. Stepping into the cool air in the room, he was met with a quickly embarrassed stare from Lillie, when he realized he still wasn't wearing a shirt. Her mouth dropped open slightly and her eyes drifted to his broad shoulders and his modestly impressive physique. She swore up and down that he had changed physically for the better after when she had first seen him a little more on the skinny side.
Then she looked at the scarring, the angry red inflamed tissue around the crimson scabs and it took every ounce of her effort not to break down, though it did cause her mouth agape and she quickly covered it with a hand. It was a reminder of her failure, her guilt and her conscience that had gotten him hurt with a marking that could possibly last for the rest of his arm. She felt disgusted at it too, like the scarification was some mocking reminder that during the whole crisis; Lusamine owned him and he was at the mercy of the most vile ruthlessness she had ever displayed. Not just as a mother or a businesswoman, but a human being. She couldn't bear to look at it, yet it kept drawing her as if a stark reminder that it had been her actions and fault that he was tortured and hospitalized.
"Don't tell her…anything!" He had strained through the pain with that impressive resolve whittling away at the millisecond. Denying Lusamine the sadistic satisfaction of his anguish.
No!
"I'll uh, put a shirt on." Elio dug into his backpack and pulled on an older firefighter's casual shirt that he occasionally wore. Normally he slept shirtless, but since he was staying with Lillie.
I guess we gotta talk about the donphan in the room.
The single bed.
"You can have the bed." He told her and glanced at the chair as if he had read her mind. "It's not super comfortable, but I've slept in worse, like on the long flight when I first moved to Alola."
Lillie looked at the chair, hardly able to imagine having to sleep in such a position for so long. Even worse was the fact that it had long wooden arms, the same kind where Elio's wrists had been zip tied as her mother carved the Aether signet into his shoulder.
So he'd be in that exact same position, only this time sleeping.
The bed was big enough for the both of them.
"Elio, you don't have to." She had started.
"No, but I'm going to." He didn't have to say that it wouldn't feel right. Sharing a bed. With Lillie.
Sure, they had stayed in adjacent beds, hugged closely and Elio had to admit that holding the blonde in his arms was arguably one of the most satisfying things he had ever done. But when two people shared a bed…that meant.
"No." Lillie's voice was a lot more firm now and he had temporarily forgotten that this was also part of coming out from that shell of hers. "You're going to sleep in the bed."
"And you'll sleep on the chair?"
She didn't want to, but it felt like he was meaning it was one or the other.
"I'll sleep in the bed…too. We can…together." Her voice was uneasy which meant that she was just as nervous and knew the context behind it too.
Elio's heart skipped a beat. Lillie was suggesting they sleep together in the same bed.
Stop. You know what she means. That didn't mean it was right.
"I'll just take the chair." And his voice was the type that meant it was non-negotiable. He wanted no part of making things even more complicated.
"Elio, please…don't."
"Dammit Lillie, you know damn well why I can't just willingly jump into bed." We're both minors too. Not to mention our parents would flip if they found out. The whole thing of boys and girls your age. It's one thing when you're small kids...but we're not small kids. We're in the midst of puberty. "I won't risk it."
"That's not…not why." She had taken a deep breath and shook her head. "That chair…is just like the one you had been strapped to when Mother-"
Immediately his earlier concerns vanished and he cursed the oversight. He had never seen that correlation until just now.
Oh hell. I'm a moron.
"I can't…I can't bear to see you sitting like that right now, even if it's just you sleeping. It was my fault that it all happened to you. Please…just sleep in the bed."
Hearing it from her made him feel even worse for bringing it up as an argument. He put his hands up.
"Okay…okay."
"I don't want to be alone either." Lillie's face fell. "Ever since…I couldn't sleep well. Like it was a nightmare I could never wake up from. Please…I don't want to be alone."
Elio bit his lip and slowly crossed over, his arms embracing Lillie. She choked back a sob and immediately clung to him as if her life was depending on it.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for saying that…I never knew that it brought back those bad memories." He whispered into her ear, feeling her shaking slightly and breathed slowly to help keep her calm. That warm familiar feeling blossomed in his chest in contentment of holding her in his arms. It felt…right.
I guess it's okay. Lillie trusts me…and I'm not going to break that trust no matter what.
"You won't be alone Lillie. I'm here. Once it's all over, there's nothing except blue skies and sunshine."
Reaching out, he flicked off the light and gently guided her to the bed, easing her slender frame down. She giggled slightly and Elio couldn't help but smile back, all signs of the tension just seconds before gone.
"Blue skies and sunshine. You're such a romantic."
"I guess so." The smirk never left and he hoped she couldn't see it. She remembered when he had said that on Ula'ula Island.
Both teens pulled the blankets over them and Elio rolled on his back. His nerves were starting to wane.
Okay, this actually isn't so bad. He still felt a little apprehensive and let out a long breath he had been holding, hoping that going to sleep would help to erase that. It wasn't like he was in love with Lillie Renee Hyacinth.
Right?
Unlike the boy next to her, Lillie's own nerves calmed immediately and she sighed in her own contentment. Elio's presence felt like a guardian angel, yet at the same time she took a moment to stare at the snoozing boy next to her. His eyes closed and his breathing entered a predictable rhythm, making barely a sound as he exhaled. All the restlessness was beginning to also fade away.
Damn his protectiveness. His self appointed duty to protect me…it's mine to protect you too.
She put her head back down to sleep, this time settling in the crook of Elio's neck and her arm draped around his chest. That same familiar sensation of being in his arms feeling safe and comfortable quickly returned.
It wasn't like she was in love with Elio Kai Northstar.
Right?
So I'll close it there, setting some much awaited shippy goodness in motion. Coming up, we've got one "last" trial, which I'll be working in from the Ultra versions of the game and perhaps we'll get some more answers as Elio and Lillie set out for Kia'i Point and the Ruins of Hope! Stay tuned because there's a lot of exciting things happening in these next few chapters! I can't wait to share.
Translations:
Kia'i - Defender
Keiki - Child/Children
Ka Haku - Warlord/War Chief
While not a translation; Sampans as depicted in the Akka Bay are small usually wooden hulled boats commonly seen in southeast Asia namely Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Bangladesh. Traditionally, they are used as a mix of fishing boats, open air markets where vendors drift together to sell wares and transportation in rivers or other wetlands. The sampans in Akka Bay are likely to stick close to shore as unlike other boats, they generally do not have the means by propulsion or conditions to tolerate heavier seas. The brief mention of the sampans here was to sort of add how Hawaii/Alola is very much a melting pot of many different coastal Asian cultures, much like how it is today.
As always, mahalo for reading and reviewing. You give my writing purpose.
Brav