A/N: This one was a challenge! Each Poké Girl has her own special place in the hearts of fans, but in the end, I had to pick just one.
And so, I decided on Unova's very own hot-blooded girl, Hilda!
But don't worry—she won't be the only star of this chapter!
Enjoy!
Chapter 12: Hilda is a Nudist!?
After the opening ceremonies, all of the gym leaders and trial captains, both nude and fully-clothed, were escorted to the hotel or resort of their choice.
The Nimbasa City Gym Leader Elesa and Hilda (her plus-one) were escorted to their room at the Sabla Resort by Kanto Elite Four member Lorelei. The front deck was crammed with several trunks of Elesa's wardrobe.
As Sabla Resort was the luxury beach resort of Nuda Island, it reminded Hilda a lot of Undella Town. However, even she had to admit that Undella Town paled in comparison to the Sabla Resort, with the latter having bright white sandy beaches and crystal-clear ocean waves.
While some gym leaders opted for the floating bungalows, Elesa and Hilda chose a charming wooden bungalow on the sandy shore, hidden by thick palm trees.
"This place is amazing!" Hilda beamed, running inside.
The compact room was cozy, with polished wooden floors and soft lighting. Two beds, a small sitting area, and an open-air bathroom surrounded by many tropical plants.
Elesa, however, wasn't sharing the enthusiasm. She stared at the trunks of clothes she'd brought, annoyed that she brought it all for nothing.
"I take it you two like the room?" asked Lorelei.
"It's incredible!" said Hilda. "It's even better than the beach huts in Undella Town!"
"Funny you mention that," laughed Lorelei. "Cynthia said that Undella Town was her inspiration for the Sabla Resort."
Lorelei then finally noticed Elesa in the corner with her arms crossed. "And what do you think, Elesa?"
"It's fine," Elesa said bluntly. "If only there weren't so many nude people everywhere."
Lorelei snickered. "I'm guessing you're not too keen on the all-nude lifestyle?"
"I mean," interjected Hilda, "it was just…surprising, to see everyone just suddenly take all of their clothes off and be so…so…"
"Free?" finished Lorelei. "Maybe you two should give it a chance."
"No thank you," replied Elesa.
Lorelei shrugged her shoulders. "Just saying, don't knock it until you try it."
Lorelei then turned to face the door. "Anyway, you two enjoy yourself! I'm gonna hit the beach and get a nice all-over tan!"
With that, she strolled out the door, leaving Elesa to exhale sharply. "I thought she would never leave," she murmured. "Honestly, what has gotten into everyone? How can they just frolic around naked and with no shame? Especially those who are a little more…unsightly than the rest of us."
"Hey, come on, Elesa," replied Hilda. "I'll admit, I'm shocked too. But I mean, is it really that bad? It seems everyone is pretty happy. And it's not like there's any guys on the island."
Elesa glared at her. "You're not seriously turning a blind eye to this nudist island insanity, are you?"
Elesa just rolled her eyes, not bothering to wait for a response. "Honestly, this island seems to be brainwashing even the most sensible of people."
Elesa then grabbed her bag and stormed out the door to meet with Nessa. Hilda was left all alone in the bungalow.
After a brief moment to compose herself, Hilda sat her bag down on the floor before plopping herself onto her bed. She let out a sigh as she practically melted into the soft fluffy bed sheets.
If it weren't for the scene of the gym leaders nearly ripping their clothes off lingering in her head, she would drift off into a midday slumber.
"It's weird, sure," she whispered to herself, "but Elesa is freaking out over nothing. Everyone's happy. Maybe…that's why…I…kinda wanna try it out?"
As shocking as it was to see everyone without their clothes on, Hilda felt somewhat envious about how everyone felt completely comfortable with their bodies. She figured it probably felt good to feel the sun and breeze against her skin, not having to worry about clothes for once.
She got up and looked at herself in the mirror. Contrary to how some of the other female gym leaders who didn't get nude right away felt, Hilda wasn't self-conscious about her body.
Of course, she was nowhere near as gorgeous as Elesa or Skyla. But Hilda knew she was pretty. With long flowing hair, a slender figure, long legs, and a youthful face, there was a reason she usually stuck to wearing tank tops and tight shorts.
But still, she felt something holding her back from becoming a full-blown nudist like everyone else. Was it self-consciousness? Or a fear of going against the norms she grew up with?
Or maybe because she spent so much time looking for a cute swimsuit and it was all for nothing?
Hilda looked outside and found herself mesmerized by the palm trees and bushes swaying in the breeze.
"Maybe a bike ride will help clear my mind," she said to herself.
Determined to enjoy her stay on Nuda Island, Hilda grabbed her bag and made her way out the door.
Hilda rented a bike from a nearby booth and set off down the raised wooden pathway leaving from the Sabla Resort to the rest of Nuda Island.
The wind ruffled her wavy hair as she pedaled along the sandy beaches.
"Fresh air and sunshine," she murmured as she took a whiff of the ocean breeze, "what more could a girl want?"
Suddenly, as Hilda rode past the main part of Nuda Beach, she caught a glimpse of some of the gym leaders enjoying themselves. She could see Melony and Lenora lying on the beach, casually laughing and chatting with each other, all while basking in the sun without any clothes on.
Hilda's face turned red, surprised to see the Nacrene City Gym Leader in the buff with another voluptuous gym leader like her.
"Really?! Lenora is a nudist now too?!" Hilda asked, stunned.
Melony and Lenora were both a bit on the chubbier side, the kind of people you wouldn't expect to flaunt their bodies so happily. And yet, Hilda was envious to see the two so comfortable in their own skin.
Hilda was about to continue on her way, but she then saw Misty and Lorelei skinny-dipping in the ocean as well as Lana and May diving off a tall cliff.
Hilda then looked up to the sky and saw Winona and Skyla flying through the air wearing special wingsuits. Even at a faraway distance, Hilda could see that the wingsuits were all that the two were wearing. She could make out Skyla's bare chest and Winona's exposed hips.
"No way! Skyla too?!" exclaimed Hilda.
It seemed that every one of the Unova gym leaders was falling victim to the nudist lifestyle. First Lenora, and now Skyla. She wouldn't be surprised if Roxie was also out and about, rocking out naked and proud.
Hilda took another look at the beach. Everyone looked to be so free and having a lot of fun, even if they had no clothes on. Or maybe it was because they had no clothes on.
"Everyone makes it look so easy," Hilda said to herself.
Hilda stopped her bike and looked down at herself. She lightly pulled on the helm of her shorts, debating if she wanted to join in the nude fun with everyone.
"Hmmm…maybe I'll find somewhere a little more secluded," she whispered.
She then continued on her way down the wooden path to find a more discrete part of the island.
Hilda kept on riding her bike around Nuda Island, passing by the seaside town of Haveno before veering off the path down narrow dirt roads into Nuda Forest.
The trail was rough and uneven. Hilda had to stand on the pedals as she navigated over bumps and exposed roots. It proved to be a challenging ride and the trail gave her quite a workout.
Eventually, Hilda saw through a break in the trees. There was a small hidden lake nestled deep amongst the tall pine trees and dense bushes. She hit the brakes, the wheels skidding slightly as she came to a stop. Hilda took a good look around, admiring the glass surface of the lake which reflected the blue sky and sunshine above.
"Now this is what I'm talking about!" Hilda said, excitedly.
She was relieved to see that there was no one around.
Or so she thought.
As Hilda got closer to the shore, she could see a blonde-haired girl standing on the edge of the lake. But strangely, unlike most of the other people on the island, she looked to be fully dressed in a bright white two-piece bathing suit.
Hilda blinked in surprise. After seeing so many people embracing the nudist lifestyle on the island, it was almost refreshing to find someone who was actually wearing something.
"Huh, I guess not everyone was quick to get nude," said Hilda.
Hilda, curious about this blonde-haired girl, walked over to her.
The blonde-haired girl was too busy muttering to herself to notice Hilda walking up to her. Red in the face, she looked down at herself, hands gripping her swimsuit bottoms tightly.
"Come on, Lillie. You can do this! Your friends can, so you can too! It's…it's no big deal. Besides, you're the only one here."
"Hi," Hilda said casually.
The girl jumped with a startled squeak, spinning around so fast she nearly lost her balance. She clutched her arms around her chest instinctively, her wide green eyes locking onto Hilda like a deer caught in headlights.
"Oh..h-hello!" stammered the blonde girl.
Hilda held up her hands nervously. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you! I'm Hilda from the Unova region."
"I'm…Lillie," the blonde girl said, meekly. "I came here with my friends from the Alola region."
"I guess you also needed a break from seeing so many naked people around the island."
"Uh, y-yeah. You could say that."
Hilda then took off her sandals and dipped them in the water. "The water feels nice," she sighed. "And it's so quiet here. Lucky for us no one else found this spot."
Lillie covered her eyes as Hilda peeled off her tank top and shorts. Hilda then threw them onto the rocky shore.
Hilda let out a small laugh at Lillie reacting so dramatically. "Relax, I've got a swimsuit on."
Lillie lowered her hands from her eyes. Sure enough, underneath her clothes, Hilda wore a simple white bikini. It was a bit more revealing than Lillie's skirted swimsuit, but still nothing out of the ordinary.
Hilda ran into the water until it was up to her waist. Hilda sighed as the cool, refreshing water lapped around her legs and hips. "This is perfect."
Hilda stretched her arms above her head, letting the water cool her skin before glancing back at Lillie, who was still standing stiffly on the shore, hands clasped in front of her.
"Aren't you gonna come in?" Hilda asked.
Lillie stood on the shore, switching between looking down at herself and at Hilda. She then took a deep breath. "Yes! Yes, I will!" she said with confidence.
Lillie then charged into the water. Hilda watched as Lillie waded in up to her waist, her hands clenched into nervous fists at her sides. Something about her energy felt… off. It was like she was trying too hard to act normal.
"Hey, are you okay?" Hilda asked. "You seem kinda tense."
Lillie stiffened. Then she turned to face Hilda. "Oh! N-no, I'm fine! Perfectly fine!"
Lillie tried giving Hilda a small laugh, though it sounded forced and unnatural. "Don't tell me, you're also freaking out over seeing everyone getting naked in the town square. Don't worry, my friend Elesa was shocked too."
"Uh, well…" Lillie said.
"It definitely freaked me out to see Lenora and Skyla getting into it," continued Hilda. "I needed to find a quiet place like this to relax and clear my head."
Lillie watched Hilda paddling in circles around her, staring up at the bright sky as if she didn't have a care in the world.
Lillie's fingers tightened around the waistband of her swimsuit bottoms. "They… they make it look easy, don't they?" she murmured, her voice barely above the sound of the water lapping against them. "The others, I mean."
"Huh?" Hilda rolled over, propping herself up in the water.
"Cynthia and the others just undressed without a second thought. Then suddenly, everyone else did too. I thought it was only Mallow and Lana who were secretly nudists, but it turns out most everybody is too."
Lillie exhaled shakily. "So, is it weird that I can't bring myself to join in with them?"
Hilda just stared at Lillie, somewhat dumbfounded by what she was saying. "Wait, you mean you want to be a nudist too?" she asked.
Lillie's face turned bright red, and she quickly looked away. "I—I don't know if I'd say it like that," she stammered. "But…I do think it's amazing how they can be so brave and comfortable in their own skins. And…I wanna be that way too."
Hilda studied her for a moment. She may have only just met Lillie, but Hilda pegged her as the socially awkward girl who would be overwhelmed by the nude atmosphere of the island. But wanting to be a nudist? That was a whole different story.
But she watched as Lillie nervously rubbed her arm, her face bright red and nervous beyond belief. It was then Hilda knew where Lillie was coming from.
"So for you, it's not just about being naked or fitting in with your friends," she said, "but you think it'll make you stronger. As a person, I mean. You don't want to be such a worrywart so much."
"Um, y-yes, I suppose," stuttered Lilie.
Hilda let out a small laugh. "I guess you and I have that in common," Hilda admitted, running a hand through the water. "Maybe that's why I'm hesitant to join in with everyone."
Lillie turned back to her, eyes wide. "You want to join in with everyone else too?"
"I mean…it's…it's complicated," confessed Hilda. "Part of me thinks it's crazy, but another part of me…is curious about it. Really curious."
Hilda smirked. "I mean, if so many of the other gym leaders went for it and are now enjoying themselves on the island, maybe…there's something to it?"
She sighed, glancing down at the water lapping at her waist. "But every time I think about just taking it all off, I hesitate. And I don't know why."
Lillie nodded slowly. "That's exactly how I feel. Mallow and Lana are used to being nudists ever since we were little kids. They keep telling me it's no big deal, and that I'll feel better once I try it. But… it's not that simple." She hugged herself, gripping the straps of her swimsuit.
There was a long silence between the two. The water rippled softly as the two were lost in their thoughts, struggling with emotions neither of them had expected to share.
Hilda then shook her head. Without warning, she scooped up a handful of water and splashed it straight at Lillie.
Lillie let out a startled gasp, wiping water from her face. "H-Hey! What was that for?!"
"What are we doing standing here feeling sorry for ourselves?" Hilda said, confidently. "Nude or not, aren't we here to have fun on this amazing private island?!"
Lillie blinked in surprise. To see Hilda go from quietly sulking to happily splashing water was somewhat jarring for her to see, but she then let out a soft giggle. "I… I guess you're right."
"Damn right, I am!" Hilda smirked, splashing her again.
Lillie gasped dramatically, wiping water from her face. "Oh, now you've done it!" She scooped up water and flung it right back at Hilda, giggling as the splash hit her square in the chest.
"Oh, you're asking for it now!" Hilda laughed, dodging back and retaliating with an even bigger splash.
Soon, the two were engaged in a full-blown water fight, their earlier nerves forgotten. Laughter filled the air as they ran through the shallows, sending waves and splashes flying with every playful attack.
Then, a competitive spark lit up Hilda's eyes. "Hey, how about a race to the other side of the lake?" challenged Hilda.
"You're on!" Lillie said, pumping her fist.
The two positioned themselves side by side, the water rippling gently around them. Hilda raised a hand. "Alright—three… two… one—go!"
Both girls launched forward, kicking hard and propelling themselves across the water.
After an hour or so of playing around in the water, Hilda and Lillie finally retreated to the shore, flopping onto the warm sand. Their chests rose and fell as they both tried to catch their breath. Their last race having drained the last of their energy.
Lillie sprawled out on her back, her damp skin cooling in the evening breeze. "I don't think I've ever swam that fast in my life…" she murmured, stretching out her sore arms.
Hilda, lying beside her with a satisfied grin, let out a chuckle. "Tell me about it. My arms and legs feel like jelly." She lazily lifted an arm before letting it drop back onto the ground. "But I'll be honest, I didn't expect you to be able to keep up with me like that. You've got some serious endurance."
Lillie turned her head, offering a tired but happy smile. "I guess all those times racing with Mallow and Lana really paid off here."
Hilda and Lillie just laughed. For a while, they simply lay there, catching their breath. The earlier tension and uncertainty were nowhere to be found—just two friends, exhausted but happy, having spent the afternoon completely in the moment.
Hilda, having recovered a bit of her strength, propped herself up on her elbows. She glanced at Lillie with a smirk. "Y'know…do we have to be nudists to be on the island?"
"Huh?" Lillie asked, confused about Hilda's sudden remark.
"Before, we were talking like it's all or nothing, but look at us! Just now, we had a blast goofing off and racing each other in the water. And we were still in our swimsuits."
It took a moment for Lillie to register what Hilda was getting at. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she said.
"And besides, even if we want to join in with everyone else, we're here for a week. We still got time. It's not like we're going to be booted off the island if we're not nudists, right?"
Lillie was quiet for a moment, letting Hilda's words sink in. She sat up, smiling and hugging her knees to her chest.
Even so, she glanced down at her swimsuit, her fingers gently twiddling the folds of her skirt. "Even so, I do want to be more confident with my own body," she said, "like my friends are with themselves."
"Like I said, we got a week," reassured Hilda. "I bet you and I will both be nudists by like day three or four."
Lillie nodded, feeling a little more at ease. "That seems a little optimistic," she said. "Maybe day six at the earliest."
"Or maybe not at all," Hilda said. "It's our choice, right?"
The two of them sat quietly for a while, just enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. The gentle lapping of the lake, the rustling of the trees, and the warm evening breeze made everything feel so serene.
Hilda leaned back on her hands, staring up at the sky as the sun began its slow descent. "Y'know, this place is really nice. I can see why everyone's so relaxed here."
Suddenly, a loud gurgling noise broke the silence.
Lillie's face turned bright red as she clutched her stomach. Hilda laughed. "Was that you?" she teased.
Lillie pouted, her cheeks burning. "M-Maybe…"
"We have been out here for a while," Hilda said, "let's go back and get us some grub!"
Lillie then perked up. "Actually, I just remembered. Mallow is cooking stew tonight for us. She always makes the best food."
Lillie then turned to Hilda. "I'm sure she won't mind if you came along with me and joined us."
Hilda's eyes lit up. "Say no more! I'm in!"
Lillie smiled. "If we go back now, it should be ready by the time we get there!"
"Then what are we waiting for?"
Hilda got up and ran over to her bike, bringing it closer to Lillie so she could hop on the back. And together, they set off toward the Nuda Forest Campgrounds, the promise of a warm meal and good company awaiting them.
Nearby, Viola hid behind the bushes, camera in hand. She pouted as the two rode away on Hilda's bike. She was hoping for something a little more…daring. All the other gym leaders had embraced the island's lifestyle so quickly, but these two have not.
"Honestly," she muttered, crossing her arms, "at this rate, they'll still be in their swimsuits by the time we leave."
She let out a sigh, shaking her head. "Such a shame. The lighting was perfect for a natural, artistic shot."
Hilda zoomed down the dirt path, Lillie hanging on tightly as they traveled over the deep dips and rough rocks. "This path is a little rough for a bike, isn't it?" Lillie asked, worriedly.
"Don't worry," said Hilda, "Just hold on tight!"
Lillie held on for dear life as she and Hilda were bounced around on the bike. "I think we're almost in the clear," Hilda said as she saw a smoother trail ahead of her.
But just as they were about to clear the last rocky patch, Hilda heard a strange noise.
RRRRIIIIPPPP!
"Eeeeeeepppp!" screamed Lillie.
Hilda then slammed on her brakes and stopped in her tracks. She quickly got off and turned to face Lillie.
"Lillie, what's wrong?!" she asked worriedly.
Hilda gulped when she saw Lillie looking back at her, completely mortified.
Hilda's eyes widened as she looked down and saw that Lillie was now stark naked from the waist down. She saw that Lillie's bottoms had gotten caught in the bike chain and had been torn clean off!
"Ooh," was all Hilda could mutter. "Sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen."
Hilda shrugged her shoulders and laughed nervously. "But at least you're halfway a nudist now? Hehe…"
Lillie could only let out a meek whimper as she tried desperately to cover her womanhood with her hands.
TO BE CONTINUED
A/N: I hope you all liked this chapter. I was going to have it end with the two just riding off and Viola pouting.
But I knew you guys wouldn't like it if someone didn't get nude by the end of the chapter, so I went with the funny twist ending instead.
As I mentioned in the last chapter, now that I've introduced a gym leader from each generation up until Gen 8 (plus some other characters), we'll be starting over with a gym leader from Kanto and loop back around.
But before all that, maybe we'll check in on the champions who started this retreat to begin with.
We'll see (wink wink).