Everyone froze.
Surge had his jaw clenched, Liz's eyes were as wide as saucers, and Hemlock was so shocked all his clones disappeared.
"What?" Ash ignored the Gym Leader, instead turning and frowning at Hemlock. The Impidimp looked so confused.
"Hemlock, get over here." The Wily Pokémon looked back at his 'prey' before sauntering over to his trainer. Ash stared at the Pokémon before he closed his eyes and sighed. He looked up and turned to Surge.
"I'm not going to battle you until my Pokémon are completely under control. I'm sorry for any mental damage he did to Blitzle. I should have curbed his crueler tendencies but kept putting it off. For that I apologize."
Surge crossed his arms and watched as his challenger walked out the door. He turned to Liz with an oddly serious look on his face. She shrugged.
Hemlock scowled and chased after his trainer. The Impidimp trailed Ash for a long while, out the doors, through the city, and getting more and more agitated as time wore on. Having Eevee staring at him only bolstered his annoyance. He finally stopped and shouted at his trainer. His trainer stopped and paused for a moment before turning around.
The disappointment in his eyes was staggering. The Impidimp froze, suddenly uncertain.
"Hemlock, why are you being so cruel?" The Pokémon stumbled back in shock. "You absorb frustration, not fear. That Blitzle was terrified. I was fine with harmless pranks, but that Blitzle is probably emotionally scarred after that performance. Why'd you do it?"
Hemlock's eyes filled with something bitter and he turned away.
Ash stared. Silently, he raised the painted Pokéball and returned the Impidimp. He gazed at the sphere in his hand, thoughts swirling, wondering how it all went so wrong.
As Vermillion got smaller and smaller, Ash didn't feel any of the excitement he thought he would. The talk with the rest of his team was hard. Styx and Bane had been released battle-ready, only to lose their battle stance when it was clear they were not on a field, but on the end of a dock.
He'd had to explain why Hemlock wasn't with them, and why the gym battle didn't happen. Bane had looked sullen and dispassioned, while Styx was just pissed. Not at her Heart-Soul, but at the immature one.
Yet now here Ash was, finally leaving for Alola, and all he could think about was how Hemlock had turned his back on him.
He had 10 days before he landed on Ula'ula Island to figure out how to get through to the Impidimp. On the bright side, Professor Oak had really gone all out with his ticket. Ash had access to training rooms, fields, buffets, pools, and a beautiful suite.
But instead of enjoying any of those amenities, here he was, hanging at the stern and watching Kanto fade.
Eevee brushed his tail against Ash's cheek from his perch and he couldn't help but smile. Eevee had shown maturity far beyond his single week of age during this odd time. Offering silent support while his trainer brooded. Withholding judgment for all of Ash's mistakes. Humming little trills and tunes in an attempt to soothe.
He had finally been caught in a Pokéball, but Ash had gotten used to his constant presence, so kept him out. Eevee was still deciding on a name due to his constantly changing preferences. First he liked Crux, then he wanted Leo, then Cygnus, and now he was currently partial to Ares. He'll change his mind in another day or two.
The fond smile slid off his face. He knew he shouldn't be surprised. He hadn't had any issues with his Pokémon throughout his month as a trainer, which was a month longer than he expected.
Most of his issues on his journey had been with himself; quick to lash out. Like always. He didn't want to be so quick to hurt others. He didn't want to set that kind of example for Eevee. For any of his Pokémon, to be honest.
If he didn't fix Hemlock's attitude now, he would be incorrigible as a Morgrem. Quick to hurt. And he'd be a Morgrem soon, with all the tufts of hair he was growing.
A harsh gust of breath passed through his teeth and he pinched his nose. Well, nothing would be solved if he just stood around. Making up his mind, Ash headed for one of the training rooms a few floors down.
He found the kiosk and reserved the room for an hour, only for two Pokémon, seeing as Styx and Bane were enjoying his suite. He found training room A-3 and slid inside. A standard issue battlefield took up a majority of the space, with some equipment surrounding the perimeter.
"Hey Eves, I'm going to return you so I can talk to Hemlock alone, alright?" He heard a soft noise of assent, allowing him to tap the Pokéball gently to his head. The comforting weight disappeared and soon it was just Ash.
Sighing, Ash pressed the release on the painted Pokéball and waited. The second Hemlock caught sight of him, he scowled something fierce and turned away.
"Hemlock, I don't understand why you're angry. You were being cruel and so I stopped you. What do you expect me to do, let you seriously damage other people and Pokémon?" The Impidimp spun around and cried out, stomping his foot and waving his arms.
"I'm not trying to change you! I'm trying to make sure you don't get into trouble and don't hurt anyone! Are you saying you should be allowed to injure uncontrollably? Physically, mentally, and emotionally?" He saw hesitation in the Wily Pokémon's frame and he thought he'd gotten through to him.
He was wrong.
Suddenly, Ash was on his back, startled from the Fake Out, and Hemlock was gone.
"Hemlock! Hemlock come back!" Ash felt fear seize his body, breath coming in shallow gasps.
If Hemlock hurt anyone…
Scrambling to his feet, Ash dashed out of the training room and down the hall. He ignored shouts and curses, only hearing the sound of his footfalls and his voice shouting for his Pokémon. He raced around corners, burst through doorways, skidded past crewmen. His shoulder was throbbing with the amount of times he'd collided with walls.
It couldn't have been more than 10 minutes later when he heard it. A shout, a crash, a vehement curse, and a squeak of fear.
He rounded one last corner and he came upon a sight that would be burned into his retinas for a long time.
A hulking sailor held Hemlock upside-down by his ankle, shaking him roughly. "You little creep, think you can scare me? I'll be sent to the Nether before I'll let you finish the job!" The sailor's eyes were bloodshot and his pupils blown wide with what looked like panic. Dog tags dangled from his neck and the ring on the hand holding Hemlock caught light.
The man made a move to throw the terrified Dark and Fairy type to the ground when Ash burst forward.
"Stop, whatever he did, I'm sorry! Let Hemlock go!" When the sailor whipped his head around to stare at the new arrival, Ash gaped in horror. An ugly twisted network of scars laced their way up the man's neck and face, red and angry and shiny even though the scar tissue looked long healed.
Houndoom scars.
Forever painful due to the toxins, the scars might be 'healed', but they will always be more than a visual reminder. Not uncommon among veterans of the Rocket Wars. No perfect cure has been discovered yet. The pain could be managed, but never erased.
Oh no.
"This thing belong to you?" Hemlock looked so terrified and couldn't fight back because the man was shaking him so hard. His femur looked like it was about to dislocate. Ash scowled and stood tall.
"Yes, he's mine. I'll pay for any damage he caused, just let him go." His words made the sailor's face go purple with fury.
"You'll pay? You'll pay? You're damn right you'll pay you little terrorist!" With that, Hemlock was flung from his grip, landing harshly against the metal floor. The sailor barrelled towards Ash with more rage than any Dragon type he'd ever tried to tame.
Unable to scramble away, Ash's alarm narrowed his focus. The ring adorning the fist headed towards him was easily recognizable. The bulky silver ring had an inlaid gemstone that caught light and sent a pallet of colors dancing on the finger. You only get a ring like that serving with the Kanto Navy.
Fear does odd things. He's heard about fight or flight, but there was that hidden third one; freeze. All Ash could do was watch as that shimmering ring descended and curved to collide with his cheek. He felt skin break and blood vessels rupture with a strange detachment and he fell to the ground in slow motion.
Time sped back up and agony crashed into him as he struck the unforgiving floor. A cry of pain escaped his lips and his lungs struggled to suck in air as his face pulsed with a searing ache.
A flash of light caused him to flinch, thinking that ring was about to descend again, but it never came. A shout of surprise and a thump sounded through the hallway. More shouts, this time sounding farther away, followed. He suddenly felt hands grabbing his arms and pulling him up.
He opened his eyes - not remembering when he closed them - and took in the view. The veteran was pinned by his uniform's collar to the wall by a black pitchfork made of… hair? Ash's eyes traced the hair to its owner.
Hemlock stood in front of Ash, two feet taller and deep fuschia. His spear-like hair was embedded deep into the wall, keeping the Sailor from getting any closer to Ash.
Crewmen were trying to calm the Morgrem down, some were trying to dislodge the hair, some were asking their coworker what in the Nether happened. Sometime during the madness, someone had secured a first aid kit, and Ash gave a startled gasp of pain when he felt the sting of antiseptic against his cheek.
The attacker was dropped unceremoniously when Hemlock brandished his hair in preparation to skewer the next person hurting his trainer. The woman cleaning his cheek threw her hands up and backed away.
Ash paused, then fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around his Pokémon in one of his rare displays of affection.
The newly evolved Hemlock clutched the back of his vest and buried a perpetually upturned nose into Ash's neck.
"It's alright, I'm okay, thank you for protecting me." His cheek was throbbing, and he could feel a trickle of blood drip down to his chin, but he didn't let go of his partner. Ash turned to face the medic and allowed her to swab the injury while he held Hemlock.
Shifting into a seated position, Ash pulled the Morgrem into his lap and watched the crew bustle around without really registering it. The medic pulled away after bandaging the wound and said something about 'bone bruise' and 'scarring' but he wasn't paying attention.
Another sailor, this one in a crisp uniform that denoted his status arrived and spoke to the still angry veteran. Ash was absently running his fingers through Hemlock's new bangs when the man crouched down in front of him.
"Hello son, my name is Admiral Hakoda. Can you tell me what happened here?" Ash tightened his grip on Hemlock and looked up into blue eyes. If Hakoda seemed unnerved by the red irises, he didn't show it.
"Hemlock ran away from me due to a disagreement. Something happened between him and that man, and he got angry, which I understand, he must have some bad memories of Dark types with scars like those. He was holding Hemlock by the foot and shaking him around… he was about to throw him when I got here. I told him I'd pay for any damages if he would just let Hemlock go. But… I guess he figured I was Team Rocket or something because he switched his focus to me."
Hakoda nodded slowly. "What disagreement?" It took Ash a moment to understand what he was asking.
"Oh, Hemlock had been playing increasingly cruel pranks compared to his old harmless ones, which isn't abnormal for Impidimp. I was trying to get him to tone it back down, but he got angry." The Morgrem curled further into Ash's chest, so the trainer just hugged harder.
"Alright, son, I'm going to need you to come with me until we get this all sorted out. Who can I call for you?" Ash frowned as his senses slowly came back to him.
Sighing, he said, "Professor Samuel Oak." Hakoda blinked and nodded slowly, helping Ash to his feet, even while he kept a grip on his traumatized Pokémon. As he walked away, Ash spared a glance behind, watching the panicking sailor get to his feet with the help of his peers.
Ash managed to memorize the turns and doors they took to get to what must have been the Admiral's office. Hakoda marched over to a videophone, played with the touchscreen, and waited. The blank screen turned white when the connection was set.
"Professor Oak speaking, how may I- Ash?! Dear boy, what happened?" Even though Ash was behind the Admiral, his ruined cheek was bruising quickly enough to have a stark contrast to both the white bandage and his tan skin. Ash just hugged Hemlock closer, who had adjusted his arms and legs to wrap around Ash like a Komala.
Hakoda decided he would speak instead. "Good afternoon Professor, I'm Admiral Hakoda of the SS Moana. There was an incident onboard of which we thought you should be aware." The Professor nodded seriously in a gesture to continue. "A little while ago, there was an altercation between one of our crewmen, this Morgrem, and Mr. Ketchum. In simplest terms, the Morgrem played a harmful prank on the crewman. Needless to say, he was a veteran of the Rocket Wars and didn't take kindly to it. Ash arrived before more damage could be done, but this caused the crewman's ire to be turned on Ash. I believe Morgrem evolved after Ash was injured to protect him."
Professor Oak's gaze slid to Ash, his eyes searching. All Ash could do was stare back with guilt in his eyes.
"I see. What do you need from me?"
Hakoda leaned back and crossed his arms. "I need your impression on Ash's ability to control his Pokémon." Ash's eyes widened and he looked at the Admiral.
Oak looked at Ash once more before squaring his shoulders and looking at the Admiral. "I believe this was a one-time occurrence. It was an important learning opportunity, though it is regrettable a bystander was affected. But I'm confident something like this will not happen again. This was his first mishap with his Pokémon, and he's been training his three Dark types for a month. It's safe to say he'll be much more proactive from here on out."
Ash winced and ducked his head. He could hear the criticism hidden within the words. Not caring much for his shattered reputation at the moment, Ash anxiously shifted his feet and avoided Oak's stare.
Hakoda nodded. "I'll take your word for it. We'll let it slide this once, but if there is ever another incident, it'll go on his trainer account." Hakoda's eyes slid to Ash as he said this, making sure the teen understood. Ash gave a small nod.
"Of course. Thank you for your call. Is there anything else you need from me?" Hakoda shook his head. "Alright. Ash, I'm glad you're alright, but you need to be better." Ash almost drew blood with how hard he was biting his cheek.
He knew this could have ended very differently, and very badly.
If Hakoda had been any less reasonable, he could have called for a suspension to Ash's trainer license, or worse.
He could have made a case for Hemlock's removal and rehabilitation.
Oak pursed his lips before dipping his chin in goodbye. The screen went black and Ash released the breath he was holding. His arms were getting tired from holding the 60 pound Morgrem.
"I think the Professor covered it, but you need to curb dangerous tendencies, Mr. Ketchum."
"I understand, sir."
Hakoda held his eyes for a moment before his lips quirked. "I suppose you do. Hopefully the rest of your trip is less eventful." Taking that as his cue to leave, Ash thanked the Admiral and pretty much ran from the room.
Hemlock still had his head buried in Ash's shoulder, and he knew his partner was dreading the upcoming conversation as much as he was. Instead of going back to his suite, Ash headed to the stern of the ship, knowing people preferred the bow.
The two were silent as Ash navigated the twisting hallways. Ocean mist prickled his face once he stepped through the doorway to see the enormous wake of the ship. Looking to the side, Ash caught sight of a few lounge chairs and sat down. He didn't try to move the evolved Pokémon, just adjusted him so his weight rested in Ash's lap, rather than his arms.
"Hemlock, I'm not going to lecture you, or yell at you. You're my partner and you'll always be my partner." He felt the Morgrem minutely relax and release a slow breath. "That being said, I want to understand what changed. Why did your pranks change?"
There was a long pause before Hemlock shifted back, but kept his head down. He hesitantly lifted a finger and tapped the only other inhabited Pokéball on his belt. Ash's eyebrows furrowed.
"Eevee?" Hemlock shifted awkwardly and nodded. Thinking deeply, Ash tried to remember when Hemlock's pranks changed.
"I don't understand, Eevee was still an egg when things changed?" Hemlock crossed his arms, huffed, then pointed to Ash, then back to the Pokéball. Dawning realization struck Ash.
"You felt neglected." The Devious Pokémon curled in on himself, and that was answer enough. Ash didn't even realize. He had stopped joining in on workouts to look after the egg, and then after Eevee hatched, much of his time and attention was on the kit.
Ash sighed, feeling a heaviness sink into his chest as he tightened his grip on the Morgrem. "Hemlock, I'm sorry, it was never my intention to make you feel forgotten. Eevee needed attention, being a newborn, but I should have been better at juggling everything." Hemlock unfurled from the ball he had maneuvered into and looked up.
Ash didn't want to be like his mother.
"You're stuck with me, I'm never going to forget about you, and I'm sorry I made you feel unwanted. You, Styx, Bane, and Eevee are family, and while I can't always promise a new teammate won't initially keep my attention, or you won't have to spend time at the ranch, I need you to know you are just as important to me as any other partner, okay?"
Being vulnerable and talking about their feelings wasn't comfortable for either of them, but this was necessary and would go a long way in building trust. It… it helped to say the things Ash wished his mother said to him.
That there was someone in his corner. That they wouldn't forget about him. That he wouldn't be cast aside.
Hemlock's eyes were now shining with unshed tears, and he released a choked hum and a nod. Ash knew it was only because they were alone that he was able to witness this kind of emotion from the Morgrem. Pulling him in close, Ash re-wrapped his arms and carded his fingers through the strong wiry strands of hair.
They stayed like that for a long while, each soaking up comfort from the other. If a few passengers passed by and gave varying looks of awe and confusion, Ash didn't let it bother him.
Wow. Talk about a wild first day of travel.
When Hemlock unwound his arms from Ash's neck and sat back, it seemed any tension he'd been holding onto had drained away. The two shared a smile, until the Devious Pokémon quickly reached up and pulled the bill of Ash's hat down to cover his eyes.
"Hey!" Ash yelped and flailed dramatically, playing it up just to hear Hemlock's deeper chuckles. Fixing his hat and rolling his eyes, Ash made to stand up. "Alright you heathen, let's head back to the buffet and get some lunch for everyone. Least you could do is help me carry bowls after everything."
Still chuckling, the Morgrem nodded and hopped down from the chair, gesturing with a bow for Ash to lead the way. The trainer lightly shoved his Pokémon, stirring up a new batch of giggles.
Time was weird on a ship. It would feel like the hours dragged on, until it was ten days later and one wasn't sure how that happened.
Truthfully, Ash was ecstatic to get off the ship. Training could only stave off so much boredom. He'd managed to find a few people to battle, but nothing wildly exciting. It did give Hemlock a chance to try out his new strength. His liberal use of Fake Tears and False Surrender made frustration pour from his opponents. He ate it up with glee.
Bane, Styx, and Eevee had been surprised by his evolution and subsequent 180. They were obviously confused, but didn't pry, seeing as Hemlock was back to being his goofy, not-cruel self. Styx still gave him a hard time, but that wasn't anything new.
The Zweilous was still agitated from her loss, and when her default state was already 'highly agitated', it made for some rather violent training sessions.
If there was one thing the manic training accomplished, it was mastering attacks and current movesets. Styx had frozen Hemlock with delightful vindictiveness with Ice Fang, and then froze him again when he used Draining Kiss on her.
Ash had haltingly allowed Eevee to be target practice for Bane's Shadow Ball, seeing as it wouldn't harm him. He was certainly a difficult target, so it killed two Pidgeys with one stone, helping Bane's power and accuracy. An unexpected consequence to the little game was Eevee managing a weak wisp of Ghost energy on his own.
For such a young Pokémon to tap into its antithetical energy was rather impressive.
Eevee only had to wait a few more days before he'd be able to truly start his own training. He could barely sit still as it was.
Bill's instructions were always at the back of his mind, a doomsday timer weighing on him. He only had another week, maybe a week and a half, to get a primary Fairy type before the window closed. According to Bill, Eevee needed to absorb Fairy essence, and Hemlock only had secondary Fairy characteristics.
He often found himself wondering if he should have just caught one of those Cleffa, Clefairy, or Clefable that woke him up in Mt. Moon.
At least he had the other half of the initial instructions covered. Styx was obsessed with Eevee, and almost went berserk on Bane the first time he fired a Shadow Ball at the kit. The right head could often be found bathing the Eevee with her barbed tongue while the left glared at Hemlock or Bane when they approached.
It was endearing and unnatural in a way similar to a Tyranitar cooing at an Igglybuff.
She even rumbled with Familial Thrum which was just wild. Bill, however, was ecstatic.
Meanwhile, since his three Dark types succeeded in mastering their new moves, Ash finally used his Protect TM on all of them, minus Eevee. It was grueling work, mustering the energy for a barrier, but they were managing.
Eventually, they'd be able to manipulate the dome enough to protect a smaller area that requires less energy, and can be used more regularly. But it would take time.
But all that was about to be put on hold for the time being. Ash had all his Pokémon safely within their Pokéballs as he walked down the gangplank to finally step foot on Ula'ula Island.
It was so different.
The heat hit him first, followed by the astounding view. Palm trees and humidity and water as far as the eye could see. He gaped when he caught sight of some palm trees swaying and realized they were Alolan Exeggutor. Mew, they were larger than he expected. He was tempted to try and capture one, but shook his head.
The ground felt too steady beneath his feet after over a week of adjusting to the sway of the ocean. He pulled at his collar as he walked away from the ship, suddenly overheating. Maybe he should buy better summer clothes for this climate.
Malie City was quieter than any city he had been to before. The people looked calm and content, Pokémon trotting alongside or flying overhead. Dark streets gave the city a somber air, with neutral-colored buildings and storefronts. Some cobblestone walkways led farther into the city.
Ash made his way through the throngs of people disembarking the SS Moana, many heading right into the ferry terminal to get to other islands. He walked up the steps from the dock and saw a ragtag group of people seated under an umbrella that must have been waiting for someone. A single adult and five rather… colorful preteens.
He was just about to pass by when a call of "Ash Ketchum!" made him freeze. Turning, that same ragtag group was staring at him. The lone adult, a man in only shorts and an open lab coat jogged up to him with a large grin on his face. Recognition dawned on Ash's face.
"Professor Kukui, it's a pleasure to meet you." Ash held out his hand and it seemed like the Professor's grin widened when he grabbed Ash's hand and shook it vigorously.
"Alola! Pleasures all mine! Oak doesn't shut up about you. He wanted to make sure you weren't just let loose on Alola." Ash smirked when the Professor let out a genuine laugh. An awkward cough came from behind the professor, and Ash leaned around to look at the uneasy group still seated at the picnic table. Most of their eyes kept darting between Kukui, Ash, and Ash's bruised and battered face.
The Professor made an 'o' with his mouth and gained a Mareepish expression. "Ah, sorry about that, class. Ash, these are my students; Mallow, Lana, Kiawe, Sophocles, and Lillie. We made a field trip out of today so we could come meet you."
Each preteen had a Pokémon beside them, all obviously young. Mallow had a Bounsweet, Lana a Popplio, Kiawe a Charmander (surprisingly), Sophocles a Togedemaru, and Lillie with an Alolan Vulpix.
The shy blonde girl tried to hide behind her Vulpix as Ash stared at the Ice type with sharp intensity.
Okay, maybe Ash was being a little bit of a purposeful asshole when he shifted his gaze to the students, staring them down just to see them squirm. When he had finally gotten the green haired girl to look away, he gave a short, "Hello." and left it at that.
Kukui laughed nervously, but shook it off and clapped his hands. "You're set to lodge with my fiance and me once you get to Melemele Island. Don't worry, we have plenty of room."
Ash blinked in surprise. "Oh, well thank you, I appreciate it." Who said he didn't have manners?
Kukui waved him off. "No worries! I'm looking forward to picking your brain. Also, feel free to let your Pokémon out, Alola was fortunate not to have a Team Rocket presence, so the taboo isn't bad here like it is in the five regions."
Ash tried not to scowl at the reminder. Kanto wasn't the only region struck by Team Rocket. Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova all had a presence, but Kanto was definitely hit the hardest. One of the reasons Alola, Kalos, and Galar were three of the four regions he planned to visit.
"Well, I'm not sure how much they're going to like the humidity. Styx will definitely get cranky."
Kukui chuckled lowly. "Oh yes, I've heard all about her. Sounds like a handful. "
Ash shrugged. "She is who she is and I wouldn't change her." The Professor turned and he had a small smile on his face.
"That's what I like to hear."
The class looked extremely interested at this point, and the tallest kid, a dark-skinned boy with red highlights in his hair, Kiawe, stepped forward.
"What Pokémon do you have?"
Ash turned to Kukui and the professor gave him an encouraging grin. "It would be helpful if you would give a little summary about each one, just to make this into a learning opportunity."
Taking one last scan of the class, he noticed most were bouncing in anticipation. Two, the short boy and the blonde girl, looked a bit more wary.
Shrugging, he first released Eevee so he could climb up into his arms. The class practically melted at the sight. "This is Eevee, he's still deciding on a nickname. He hatched about two and a half weeks ago. As you probably know, Eevee are critically endangered throughout the world due to poaching. Their unstable genetic makeup causes them to evolve to better fit their environment. I was given an egg from a researcher and am raising this guy under very strict instruction." Ash kept his voice strong and even, making eye contact with each student like he was taught.
Professor Oak, in a ploy to get Ash more socializing and leadership opportunities, made him teach a class one summer full of eight and nine year olds. It was horrible.
The blue haired girl, Lana, raised her hand. "What was it like raising a baby Pokémon?"
Ash gave her a nod, silently applauding the good question. "Nerve-wracking. You can't catch them in a Pokéball until they're about a week old so their bodies can develop. Consequently, this could result in someone stealing the Pokémon if they get the chance. Baby Pokémon wouldn't have the strength or understanding to fight off any Pokéballs stronger than a standard one. My starter became very protective of Eevee so I had some help." The class shared concerned looks, understanding the severity of that risk.
Shifting Eevee to his other arm, he released Bane. "Wow! You have two Eevee?" Mallow's hands had come together in front of her chest and she had hearts in her eyes.
Chuckling, Ash replied, "Oh, Bane's not an Eevee." Turning, Ash smiled at the older fox. "Hey Bane, you're safe here, feel free to drop the illusion." Pausing for a moment to cautiously observe the strangers, the Zorua shimmered and dropped his mirage. Ash felt a certain kind of satisfaction when Kukui's eyes widened.
"A Zorua…" He whispered almost reverently. "Honestly, I'm not sure if it would be more believable if you just had two Eevee. We have a very small population on Akala Island, but they're heavily monitored. Zorua, though, well, they're impossible to find." The unspoken question was pretty evident with the inflection.
The preteens were all shuffling like they wanted to get closer, but luckily (for them) they didn't. Bane eyed them distrustfully and backed up until he was practically sitting on Ash's feet.
"Interesting story. I was in Viridian Forest and overheard some poachers searching for a Pokémon that got loose. Once they were gone, we made to get out of there, but I… uh, a Pokéball fell from my belt and rolled under some plants. I heard the successful catch indicator. When I released the Pokémon, it was an unconscious Caterpie covered in injuries. Was a bit surprised when I scanned it with my Pokédex."
Bane released a bit of his tension and preened from the awed gazes. Sophocles spoke up. "Did you ever run into those poachers?"
Ash shook his head. "Luckily, no. But we've been really careful to always have an illusion up when we're in public. The few trainers who have disrupted the illusion during battle didn't really recognize him."
Nodding, the Professor crossed his arms. "That's very smart of you. Don't want to draw dangerous attention before you're strong enough to protect yourself." His eyes strayed to Ash's still-healing cheek and he fought back a grimace.
Before things could get weird, he released Hemlock. The class took a hurried step back when the Morgrem chuckled lowly. Rolling his eyes, Ash said, "Cut it out, Hemlock, we're giving a little lesson." He harrumphed and crossed his arms, pouting lightly. Mallow gave a light giggle, Bane's was a snicker.
"This is Hemlock, a Morgrem from the Galar region. I was given him by Professor Oak when I started my journey. He evolved on the boat ride over here." Hemlock stiffened and his eyes drifted to the gash on his trainer's cheek that would eventually scar. Ash gave him a calming smile, but then put his most serious expression on his face when he turned to the class.
"Certain types of Pokémon have certain personality traits. It's important to curb dangerous tendencies, but you can't change core traits without serious consequences." Ash put a hand on Hemlock. "I didn't curb his crueler tendencies when I should have, and when I finally got around to it, it resulted in distrust and bitterness. I'm telling you this as a lesson. You need to be proactive about training your Pokémon. I might not have gotten this," Ash tapped next to his cheek, "otherwise."
Lillie's voice was faint and trembling. "He did that to you?"
Ash frowned harshly. "No, he didn't. But my lack of action led to it. He actually evolved to save me." The preteens lost some of their stiffness, as did Hemlock from the accusation.
Kukui took this time to step in. "Training Pokémon isn't just about exercising and moveset, it's also building trust and taking responsibility for your Pokémons' actions." The class nodded subtly. The professor made sure to smile to break the tension and turned to Ash. "Now, may we meet your starter?"
"Wait, I thought Hemlock was your starter? You got him from Samuel Oak, right?"
Ash shook his head. "I met my starter two years ago. Meet Styx." When the enormous Zweilous landed on the black asphalt, multiple things happened. Kiawe choked, Mallow squealed, Lana froze, Sophocles swayed, and Lillie jumped and fell backwards out of her seat.
Styx's left head snorted.
Ash crossed his arms and waited as everyone got themselves under control. Kukui was doing his best to hold in his laughter, even as he sent a concerned look to Lillie.
"As I was saying, this is my starter, Styx, a Zweilous. The Deino line are the only Dark and Dragon types in the world." Kukui twitched out of the corner of his eye. "Zewilous evolve into Hydreigon, but until 20 years ago, the scientific community didn't know Zweilous had an evolution."
Kiawe furrowed his eyebrows. "How?"
"Because one head usually ate the other before they could evolve."
Ash nodded at the silence and disgusted looks before he continued. "The two heads are constantly in a state of hunger and aggression, so it's imperative that both heads are fed equal amounts to be satiated. Styx is actually nearing evolution, which will make me the only trainer in the world to train a Hydreigon. The only other three in existence that we know of were either wild or evolved in captivity under intense study. I had weekly check-ins with Professor Oak when I first started training her, and he had to report to the League. The Deino line are heavily monitored whenever one finds itself under trainer ownership and unless given clearance, one must hold an everstone at all times."
It was always humbling to know that the world's knowledge on Pokémon was constantly expanding, evolving, and shifting. What is true today might be disproven tomorrow. It gave him hope.
That nice feeling was squashed when Mallow trotted up with her hand outstretched. "Can I pet h-"
"DON'T… you dare." The girl stumbled back, hand tucked to her chest and her eyes wide. Ash was sure he was a site; red eyes and snarling fiercely beside an equally snarling Dragon. Eevee perched on his shoulder was apparently glaring as well. Styx had been ready to lunge at the audacious girl. Hemlock and Bane stood off to the side, muscles tense.
The class and professor were silent, Kukui's arms crossed and a stern look on his face directed at Mallow. Ash's voice was low and cold.
"You don't ever bounce up to a Pokémon, wild or otherwise, without permission. You don't know if that Pokémon is timid, traumatized, aggressive, or just doesn't like being touched. Pokémon are individuals and have a right to their own bodily autonomy and do not owe you anything. If you had come any closer, you would not have a hand right now."
Mallow was ashen and had put as much distance between herself and Styx as possible.
"If someone came at you and touched you without your permission, that would be assault and you'd be allowed to protect yourself. The same applies to Pokémon, except that particular law was only passed within the last couple years."
Ash's good mood had sufficiently evaporated at this point. He turned to Kukui. "Is there somewhere I can meet you?" The Professor had an understanding expression on his face. He knew if Mallow had gotten hurt, even with the new law, Dark type's reputation would do him no favors in court.
"Yes, meet us at the Malie Library in an hour and a half. Samson Oak is going to lead a lesson on Alolan Forms, Island Deities, Kahunas, and the Island Challenge. We were just about to get lunch."
Ash nodded and pivoted on his heel, heading down the street with his team in tow, blocking out what Kukui was saying to his class. From his hard voice, it must have been quite the lecture.
They walked through the city for a few minutes, giving himself time to calm down. Styx had already brushed the interaction aside, not really seeing the bigger picture.
Eventually the heat and sweat got to him, and he veered into a store. Bane trotted in with him with the rest staying put outside. Styx actually didn't seem to be minding the heat. He quickly bought a pair of gray cargo shorts and a violet tank top. He stuffed his other clothes into his bag and placed his new sunglasses on the bridge of his nose. He had an extra tank top in case his new one got too gross.
He was greeted by twin scoffs from the Dragon's heads when she caught sight of him. "It's hot, alright? Shove off." He gave a short whistle when he noticed two of his Pokémon were missing, and soon Hemlock and Eevee were ducking out of a store sheepishly. He chose not to say anything about that.
It was mid afternoon at this point, and it was then he realized Styx and Bane haven't been able to hunt in over a week. Looking around, he saw the entrance to Route 11 was a few blocks away.
"We're heading out of the city so Styx and Bane can hunt." The two predators' tails wagged. When he finally entered the wilds of Alola, it was a huge change from Kanto. There was green everywhere. Deep emerald leaves and light mint ferns, chartreuse reeds and olive palms. As soon as they crossed the line from asphalt to dirt path, Styx and Bane were gone.
He'd supplemented their diets with as much raw bone-in Tauros steak as he could afford on the ship, but nothing could beat hunting.
Certain Pokémon were monitored whenever they moved to a new area. Snorlax, of course, had to be moved if there were two in a certain area. Zweilous, though few and far between, was another. They would turn an entire stretch of wilderness barren if allowed.
There was an entire division of the League that translocated Pokémon to ensure they didn't completely obliterate a biome.
That's all to say, if Ash spent any significant amount of time in one place, the ULA might show up and try to relocate Styx.
She ate a lot.
This route was luckily pretty empty of people, only a few hikers or athletes heading for the mountains. The less people take notice, the better.
But as he walked, he became aware of an odd… sensation. A mixture of being watched and something dragging along his skin. Stretching his fingers out, and then extending the rest of his hand as he walked, it felt as if his skin was trailing along a gossamer curtain.
Ash frowned, flexing his fingers, feeling wispy silk slip through his fingers like water. In extreme contrast to the cool, malleable texture was the dulled scent of ozone prickling at his nose.
Swallowing, he noticed the buzzing beneath his skin.
Was this just the humidity of Alola?
His analysis of the weird feeling was broken when he saw the sparkle of a pond just through the trees. He jerkily gestured to his two remaining Pokémon and let out a long-suffering sigh when Eevee immediately splashed into the pond and submerged most of his body in the clear water.
He had just bathed the Normal type.
Hemlock sniffed up a bit of his frustration.
The pond's surface stopped rippling, and Ash hummed at the flicker of gold in the reflection. He was getting more and more used to the metallic flash.
He let muscle memory take over as he measured out his Pokémon's meals and berries. He was looking forward to the hour he had to relax.
But once again, that hope was dashed.
As his two present teammates finished up their late lunch, the gossamer veil that draped around him rippled. It warped, fluctuating in his ears like rhythmic atmospheric force.
Ash snapped up, the scent of ozone practically plugging his nose.
An odd sensation of wavering pressure pressed against his skin. His ears started rumbling with a deep whooshing sound that took over most of his senses. Something drew his eyes upward.
A purple and black void darkened the sky above him and Ash was paralyzed.
The air felt like a vacuum pulling straight from his lungs.
The colors grew white spidery veins as the center pulsed and shifted. A white figure came hurtling out of the… hole? Void?
Stumbling back, he tried to heard Eevee and Hemlock behind him but the Morgrem hopped in front, hair poised in a lance.
And the moment the figure had passed through, everything settled. The lights and pressure died down and a single creature was left floating above the pond.
It resembled a Jellicent. Its bell was semi-translucent and encircled with several white, star-shaped markings. The rim flared out reminiscent of a sun hat. Tentacles looked gelatinous and glass-like. Oddly enough, some of its tentacles mesh together forming the appearance of a cape or long hair, while four shorter tentacles resemble shorter bangs and arms.
It was the weirdest creature Ash had ever seen, but even then, there was a familiarity rising within him. A nudge that he knew this thing.
Ash wasn't sure how long it just floated there. He couldn't tell if it was staring, or what senses it used to interact with its environment. Its tentacles were twitching and waving around erratically in circular motions. There should have been more alarm within him, but he felt none.
Though he did tense when it floated closer. Hemlock hissed and bared his fangs and claws. Ash didn't know what this thing was or where it came from. It looked like nothing he'd seen in any of the dozens of Pokémon encyclopedias he's devoured over the years, theorized or not.
Slowly, almost curiously, it closed the distance. Ash scooped up Eevee and grabbed Hemlock's arm to pull them all back. The jellyfish thing paused and tilted its… head(?) like a child would. Ash furrowed his eyebrows when he saw the creature become a shade darker. When it had first arrived, it was stark white. Now though, it was slate gray and getting darker by the second. Like it was sick.
The creature raised one of its delicate tentacles and extended it towards Ash. He eyed it warily but didn't step back.
For a long moment, they existed in a stasis. The creature raised another tentacle like it was reaching for a hug, very faint lights beneath its glass-like skin pulsing slowly.
It eased closer.
A few feet from connecting a blue sphere fly through the air.
Blinking and stepping back, Ash watched a blue and yellow ball connect with the creature and suck it inside like a regular Pokéball. As it shut, a glow surrounded it until the capture was completed.
It dropped to the ground a mere foot from where Ash stood.
Ash breathed, only now realizing he had stopped. When had he stopped?
…Why didn't it feel like he had stopped?
The small clearing was suddenly overrun with people in white. Hemlock growled and stepped closer to Ash. The uniformed group was setting up portable computers and small satellite dishes all around. Someone ushered Ash back as a team rushed forward and sucked the ball into a housing unit.
What in the world is happening?
"Excuse me, we'll need a recount of what went on here." The voice would have startled him had it not been for Eevee's ears twitching a moment before. Turning, Ash was faced with one of the creepiest looking men he's encountered.
Towering and thin, with some pretty bad spinal kyphosis going on, the man looked like a mad scientist. His high-collared lab coat was buttoned all the way up, and the matching green gloves and bug-eyed goggles made him look like a Vibrava.
His grin stretched his thin skin over too-pointy cheekbones. "Yes, I need to know what happened here."
Ash frowned. "Who are you and who do you work for?" Ash's stance screamed stubborn, and he thought he saw a flash of annoyance behind those green lenses.
"I'm Faba. I work for Aether."
Ash scoffed. "That tells me absolutely nothing. Why are you the leading authority on these creatures?" Professor Oak and all his research were practically tied in knots with all the rules and regulations surrounding ethical Pokémon study.
Alola was part of the ULA, they were bound by the same laws.
An unknown organism captured by an unknown organization? His Spinarak senses were tingling.
Faba's jaw muscles popped with how hard he gritted his teeth, but he kept smiling. "We capture these creatures and… send them back home. We got here just in time, this one was about to go on a rampage."
"What are they? Where's their home? And how could you tell? It didn't look aggressive."
"Ehem, they're from another dimension, if you must know. And I'd think I'm a little more well-versed in these creatures than you are."
"Right, of course, I totally belie-"
"SIR! They're back!" That was all the warning they got before another group of people charged in.
Hemlock tugged on Ash's arm until he was within the trees and they watched the ensuing mayhem that looked like a particularly disorganized chessboard.
Ash had the errant thought that he's only been in Alola for like, an hour or two.
Aether members faced off against what looked like teenagers in all black. White caps mimicking skull eye sockets covered an assortment of dyed hair styles, black bandanas hiding the lower half of faces.
Bewildered, he blinked at the odd clash of pristine white uniforms and punk black attire.
Golbat, Salandit, Drowzee, and Alolan Grimer fought for the black-garbed group of teens. And they had to be teens due to their shorter stature and lanky builds. Even in the midst of this weird battle, Ash eyed the Grimer since he had never seen one in person.
The black-clothed group, Ash noticed, were surprisingly organized. The initial wave caused so much havoc, Aether didn't notice a few swoop in and snatch the containment unit before disappearing.
Golbat were releasing Supersonic, Salandit Sweet Scent, and Drowzee Hypnosis in order to confuse the uniformed people, decreasing their reaction times. Alolan Grimer's very presence had Aether scrambling for something to cover their noses and mouths.
The people in white, Aether employees, released Herdier, Trumbeak, Pelipper, and Magneton against their opponents. The Flying types tried to clear the air with Defog and Gust while Herdier protected the trainers. Magneton went after Golbat with three-minded focus.
Uncertainty roiled in Ash's gut when he saw Aether gain the upper hand on the teenaged group and restrain a majority of them. Out of the original group of maybe a dozen, half of the black-clothed group had been captured.
Faba's face was red as he barked out orders. "FIND THEM! That's her favorite! Find it or it's your head!" Aether members collapsed all their equipment while others harshly pulled the teens to their feet and marched them away.
Soon, only Faba was left and Ash could see the stress lines in his face and the way his shoulders shook. The man caught sight of Ash and stood tall, walking over. He held up a small recording device.
"Now, I need to know what happened."
Ash had definitely stumbled into some serious shit. His brain was trying to keep up with the multitude of events that happened within the last few minutes.
Was this a glimpse into the rest of his journey?
Dear Mew, he hoped not. It felt like his mind was working too slowly to wrap around everything that just happened.
He had whiplash.
Faba looked incensed, but also exhausted in the sense that this was not a new development.
Pursing hip lips and weighing his options, Ash relented. "What looked like a glowing hole opened up right above me. It shot out that creature and floated a few feet above the pond for some time. Its tentacles were waving around. It floated closer to me, but I stumbled back. It paused and tilted its, uh, bell? Then it reached out a tentacle to me, and you guys showed up."
Faba nodded and pocketed the device. He then turned green-tinted eyes to Ash. "You should be careful. Team Skull wants to capture these beasts and use them for their own gain. They've been a nuisance. I'd suggest caution around them. As you can see, they're very violent."
Ash couldn't exactly argue that point, but something about this whole situation didn't add up. He had too many questions about what he just witnessed, but he had a feeling Faba wasn't one to appreciate suspicion.
"I understand, sir, thank you for the advice." Ash swallowed back a bit of bile at his sugar coated words, but felt validated when Faba's eyes cleared and his smile turned a bit less dubious.
"Of course, young man. Aether appreciates your help. And, naturally, please keep this little encounter to yourself, we wouldn't want public panic, right?"
Warning bells were almost deafening, but Ash serenely smiled and opened his mouth to agree.
A sudden explosion sounded in the direction Aether went, the hazy smoky of Smokescreen trickling into the clearing.
Faba's face darkened and he stalked away without so much as a wave goodbye. Should Ash be offended?
Hemlock gripped his pant leg and sniffed as fast as he could, sucking up the frustration that no doubt cloaked the area. Eevee peaked out from his arms, trilling to himself in a hesitant hymn.
A few moments later, Styx and Bane stumbled out of the undergrowth, both with blood-matted fur, tilting their heads and Ash could practically hear the 'So what did we miss?'.
Ultra Beasts have made their introduction.
Ash will have a scar from the boat. A permanent reminder of the consequences of his inaction.
Next up, learning more about Alola and exploring.