Pokemon Island Sun (on hiatus)

[EmeraldSky]

Letter 8: A Show of Strength

Dear Serena,

This is so surreal...not only did I beat Hala, without the Pikapaz, but I also got two Z Crystals out of the bargain--Tapu Koko let me have the Pikapaz back, and Hala gave me the Fighting Z Crystal, the Fuerte Amber.

Popoki, Tintri, and Alegria were raring to go when we got up today, so on the way to the massive battle platform in the center of Iki Town (which Mahina told me was called the Arena of Champions), Sparks gave me the rundown on the three Pokemon Hala tended to use when battling trial goers.

Mankey and Makuhita I had seen before, but Crabrawler seemed interesting, so Sparks gave me his info first:

"While guarding its weak points with its pincers, it looks for an opening and unleashes punches. When it loses, it foams at the mouth and faints.

Tarina found this disgusting, but Brock quickly assured her that that did not mean Crabrawler was prone to rabies (much to her relief)

Hekili still gave me info on Mankey and Makuhita just because:

"Its raging tires it out and causes it to fall asleep, but the anger resonating in its dreams causes it to wake up—which infuriates it all over again."

"Their daily routine consists of training together first thing in the morning, eating and napping in the afternoon, and then more training afterward."

Sparks also had this to say about Makuhita:

"It was originally brought in from another region, but now Makuhita from Alola are famous all over the world."

Both Rotoms were floored when I told them I had been to Houen, where Makuhita and its evolution Hariyama came from--Brock assured them that we'd tell them about it later, after my match with Hala.

The match itself wasn't too terribly hard--Popoki made short work of Hala's Mankey, and his Makuhita was no problem for Alegria. But when Tintri faced off against Papai, Hala's Crabrawler, then it started to get difficult.

Although Tintri was fast, Papai was even faster, blocking Tintri with his claws before he could even attack. Minutes before Tintri could attempt his famous Thunderbolt, Crabrawler whacked him with a Crabhammer, almost sending him out of the arena (which would've counted as a defeat)

Just as Tintri came crawling back to me, battered and beaten, part of me wished I really had the Pikapaz to turn the tide. But I've been up against the wall like this before, and probably will be a few times for as long as I am a Trainer, but no matter how many times I've been against the wall, we've come through every time.

This time, it was the Normalia Crystal that came through for me--I found it in my shirt pocket, and invoked it--and Tintri went charging at Papai so quickly, he was nothing more than a silvery blur. The impact from the attack was so hard, it could be felt at least a few feet away.

Brock wondered just what in the world Tintri had done to turn the tide--Misty figured his Volt Tackle had evolved, but Hala said they were both wrong--Tintri had used the Normal Z move Breakneck Blitz to finally win the match and our first Z Crystal of the day--the Fighting Z Crystal, the Fuerte Amber.

Moments after I gave Hikina the Fuerte Amber for safekeeping, Tapu Koko appeared to me, and said he was very pleased with our battle--and I had more than earned the Pikapaz back. He got a mahalo nui--a big thank you--for that.

Hala told us that some Z crystals had more than one Z Move inside of them--and the Pikapaz was one of these. In addition to Gigavolt Havoc (which it shares with the Electric Z Crystal, the Astrapi Topaz), the Pikapaz also has two other special moves of its own--10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt and Catastropika (which boosts Volt Tackle to a crazy high power level) We also learned that there are a whole lot more Z Moves out there to discover, but so far, only 26 had been ID'ed. I told Hala I would let him know if we discovered a new one on our travels.

We hiked back to Hau'oli City to catch the ferry to the next island, Akala Island--it'll probably be late when we get there, but I'll have time to at least practice my ukulele before bedtime (Tintri doesn't mind me plunking out what vaguely sounds like "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"--although he prefers to hear me practice the flutes and whistles more.)

Lillie and Hau were interested in hearing about our adventures in Houen, so Brock and I told them all about it. Even Sparks and Hekili came out of our Pokedexes to listen as we reminisced on the ups and downs, and laughed over favorite memories.

We still have a ways to go before we reach Akala, but I did do some reading on what to expect on the three trial captains there. Misty's already excited to meet Lana, Tarina's already excited to see Kiawe do a traditional Alolan fire dance, and Brock's eager to talk recipes with Mallow (who knows? He might learn some Alolan recipes from her)

At the moment, Misty's watching the sea go by, Tarina's napping on Brock's lap (have I mentioned that the Pikachu family looks cute when they sleep?) Brock's reading over the chapter on Akala Island in the guidebook, Hau's gorging on malasadas from the snack cart (again), and Lillie's having a nice conversation with Tintri--he's already eager to take on Lana.

Popoki wants to lie in my lap and watch the sea, so I'll wind this up and give him some space to relax--next time, I'll have pictures and stories of a new island!

Until then,
Ash

[EmeraldSky]

Letter 9: Down on the Ranch

Dear Serena,

We arrived in Heahea Harbor not long after you logged off yesterday--I hope Bonnie liked her birthday concert.

Some notable locations in the city include the Dimensional Research Lab (which sounds fascinating), and the historic Tidesong Hotel.

The kahuna of the island (a beautiful lady named Olivia) and Mallow, the Grass type captain, met us at the ferry terminal when we arrived. Not surprisingly, Brock was already talking recipes with her (and surprisingly did not go gaga over her--maybe because Olivia was watching him like a Braviary?)

It turns out Mallow and her family live on a ranch not far from Paniola Town, which in turn was just up the road from Heahea City. She's good friends with the other trial captains here, Lana and Kiawe. After teaching Brock how to make a Nanab and coconut cake, she spotted my ukulele in my bag and asked me to play something. So I played "The Silk Napkin" and a few other trad tunes that I felt sounded good on a ukulele. (although Misty found it amusing that "Ninetales' Blessing" and "Saddle the Ponyta" worked on a ukulele)

Native Alolan's still a bit of a tongue twister for me, so I was a little thankful I can't quite sing and play ukulele at the same time yet (I can at least play the accompaniment to someone while they sing, as you and Bonnie saw)

After we bid Olivia and Mallow goodbye, Misty wanted to go see the hotel, but before we could get in the next tour group, who should we run into but Sina and Dexio!

Sina wanted to know how you were, and I explained that you were getting settled back in Kanto before leaving for Houen--she and Dexio say hi!

Dexio asked if we had seen any glittering green blobs anywhere, and when we said no, he explained that they were Zygarde cells and there were known to be larger red ones called Zygarde cores--and if we collected 100 of them, something cool would happen. So now we have a Zygarde Cube (a gift from Clemont) to collect them in.

After saying good bye to Sina and Dexio and taking our tour of the hotel (which I took a ton of pictures of), we made our way up the hill to Paniola Town and the ranch.

Hau met us in Paniola Town, and asked to battle Brock. Brock agreed, and won handily. But not only did Kia'i evolve, so did Mele and Popoki!

Sparks at least gave me info on what Popoki had turned into:

"Torracat, the fire cat Pokemon. At its throat, it bears a bell of fire. The bell rings brightly whenever this Pokémon spits fire."

Hekili pitched in by telling me about what Kia'i and Mele had become:

"Dartrix, the blade quill Pokemon. It throws sharp feathers called blade quills at enemies or prey--and it barely, if ever, misses!"

"Brionne, the pop star Pokemon. It cares deeply for its companions. When its trainer is feeling down, it performs a cheery dance to try and help."

Misty found this endearing, and gave Mele a big hug--never mind she wasn't the one battling!

After we wished Hau good luck on his own trials, we arrived at the ranch. Mallow welcomed us to the ranch, where we met her family and her resident Tsareena, Nene. (short for Kukaenene, a kind of black berry native to Alola--Mallow told us that while people can eat them, they don't really have a taste--the wild Pokemon like them more)

Hekili was happy to tell me about Tsareena:

"It is known for the beauty of its well-shaped legs, so it sometimes appears as a mascot in advertisements for beauty salons."

Mallow's mom warned us that while Nene was generally good natured, she would not hesitate to kick you if angered, bothered, or annoyed.

About then, some Team Skull grunts looking to stir up some trouble barged onto the ranch grounds--Brock was about to fire an arrow, but Nene gave them a kicking they wouldn't forget. Her battling was almost like a dance--so I made a mental note to acquire a Bounsweet (what Tsareena starts as) of my own.

Mallow's dad was relieved Nene had scared off the Team Skull grunts, and suggested we hold a luau in her honor. Mallow thought that a great idea, and so the kitchen went in a flurry of activity. On top of that, Lana and Kiawe arrived to join the party and pitch in.

Tarina wanted to see Kiawe's traditional fire dance, but he assured her that if we came to the trial site on Wela Volcano, he'd be happy to demonstrate some Alolan dances--in his words, "This is not a good place for fire to burn, iki kaikuahine.--we'd burn down the whole ranch if I danced here." (Brock had to explain that "iki kaikuahine" meant "little sister")

Lana wondered what we could do after our huge meal, and Brock suggested a sing-along--we teach our new Alolan friends some songs and stories from our travels, and they teach us some Alolan songs and stories.

Mallow thought this was a great idea, and asked me to play "The Silk Napkin" on my ukulele again for Lana and Kiawe. I agreed, and threw in a few tunes on both Pokeflute and whistle as well--of course, Misty and Brock eagerly joined in with their own instruments, and before long, a grand session was underway.

By the time we finally started feeling tired, it was late into the night. Mallow let us sleep in today from playing all night last night, but after we take today to rest, we'll be off to Brooklet Hill, where we can take on Lana's trial and earning the water Z Crystal, the Aquas Sapphire.

Until then,
Ash

[EmeraldSky]

Reply 1: From One to Another

Dear Ash,

Hello from back home in Kanto! Getting something from you is already a big event, whether it came from the mailbox or the waves of cyberspace.

Don't worry, I still talk to Clemont and Bonnie every day--this was how I got Bonnie with me for her birthday concert last week. (she says thank you for playing for her, by the way) Even though the song you're learning came out in fits and starts, I'm sure you'll have it up to speed in no time, considering how well you love to practice.

As for me, I got my Contest Pass in the mail at about the same time your last letter came, so Krystal, Espoir, and Bijou are one step closer to Contest stardom in Houen! (they say hi, as well)

When I told them where you were, the first thing Bijou did was try to hula dance (but thanks to a Sylveon's feelers, it looked more like a ribbon dance--she says to ask you if there is such a thing as ribbon dances in Alola)

It's great you're meeting so many new people on your Alolan adventure--Lillie is a real sweetheart, and Hau reminds me of you--eager for anything, brave, and a fondess for sweet things (malasadas sound so good--maybe you can track down a recipe so I can attempt to make them myself?)

Speaking of sweet treats, I should have a box of creme puffs and some chocolate chip cookies from Delia on their way to you, in case you get homesick. You're welcome to share them with your Alolan friends.

The Island Challenge sounds interesting--I can't wait to hear what the other trials are like. Did you go back and see Ilima before you left for Akala Island? Or did Misty get to see Hala making Z-Rings? Prof. Sycamore is intrigued by Z Moves--maybe while you're doing the favor for Sina and Dexio, you can tell him about it?

Having a Pokemon in your Pokedex must be a handful--but considering how rare they are even within Alola, I'm sure every Rotom has their own personality.

I think Popoki already has some aspects of you--your never say die attitude and tenacity, as well as the tendency to act before you think (but you're getting better about acting before thinking--believe it or not, you weren't kidding when you said that actually has helped you on your adventures)

As far as news from home, this part of Kanto's undergoing a cold snap--having Krystal here is better than any heater. It reminded me of our adventure and camping every night--I hope you remember to give your own guitar some love when you get home, as fun as a ukulele is to play. (Don't worry, Delia's giving it a wipedown every week, so it will look its best when you decide to play it again.)

Bonnie wants to know if Brock's come up with any more folktale ballads since you left--she really liked "The Ballad of Brian and Epona" and "The Search for Moltres" (for some reason, the long stories lend themselves well to songs--so if you wondered why she was singing the chorus of "The Ballad of Brian and Epona" during your concert for her, the chorus is just that catchy!)

We'll go no more a roving, a roving in the night
We'll go no more a roving, let the moon shine so bright
We'll go no more a roving...sorry, it's stuck in my head too! I have to commend Brock for thinking up a tune, writing the music and lyrics, practicing it all, and playing something that long! I don't know if I have the skill to do that!

In other news from home, they finally finished that sandwich shop they were building before you left. I decided to check it out and write you a report. In addition to sandwiches, they have soups, baked potatoes with just about every topping imaginable, and an array of handmade baked goods. (When you get a chance to go there, I highly recommend the baked potato soup) The decor reminded me of all the little bistros in Kalos--remember those?)

Krystal says she misses you--she says that practicing dancing's not the same without your whistle, but I'm sure we can come up with some new appeals for our travels in Houen.

Since you've been there, any places that are must sees and must dos outside of the Gyms and the Contest Halls? I want to get the same experience your friend May did when she traveled with you. (she says she's thinking of you, by the way--just passing the word along!)

May tells me that the format for the Contests in Kalos were borrowed from Shinou's rules--I'd actually like to meet Dawn as well, and hear about your adventures in Shinou too--the Houen Contests sound a little stripped down compared to the three events in Kalos contests. It's okay, though--I'll still give my all, and should I be lucky enough to win the Grand Festival this time, I will dedicate that to your near victory in the Kalos League--I don't think anyone in Kalos will forget all the things you did there.

Well, as I write this, Krystal is sprawled on the beanbag chair in my room watching it snow, Espoir is meditating in the corner by the bed, and Bijou is trying to tickle my feet with her feelers--her way of signaling something's going or getting your attention. I think she's trying to tell me mom's calling for dinner, so I'll wrap this up here. If you want to video chat, I should be free tomorrow--thankfully the way to the post office is within walking distance, so I'll have this mailed tomorrow too.

I look forward to your next letter and our next chat!

Love,
Serena

[EmeraldSky]

Letter 10: Questions, Answers, and Arrivals

Dear Serena,

Thanks for your letter! It's always nice hearing what's going on at home (and I am quite looking forward to trying that new sandwich shop when I get back!)

To answer all your questions (as best as I can):

--We did go back and see Ilima before we left for Akala Island--he congratulated us on earning the Normalia Crystal, and gave me an Everstone (which Popoki happily wanted to hold, so Ilima showed me how Everstones are traditionally given to a Pokemon in Alola--a quick prayer wishing the Pokemon happiness as it is ground into powder (it still retains its evolution suppressing powers even when ground up or consumed) and rubbed into the Pokemon's fur.) So now Popoki will remain a Torracat--which is probably a good thing--I've seen pictures of Incineroars (Litten's final evolution) and it gives me the willies! But Popoki assures me he's happy just the way he is.

--Misty did get her wish to see Hala's Z-Ring workshop. Hala usually makes them out of metal, but he has made a few from native Alolan wood. They're not completely wood, either--they're actually reinforced with metal, so they don't bend or break.

Once he has the basic ring shape cut, Hala decorates the ring with all kinds of cool designs before setting the stone in it--every stone has a meaning, as I've told you before.

To answer Bijou's question: Yes, ribbon dancing is performed in Alola, but it also has elements of hula in it. If I ever get to watch such a performance, you'll be the first to know! (If I get permission, I may even take a video.)

Brock has been enjoying himself collecting Alolan folktales to perform, but so far, he hasn't really found any that are worthy enough to set to music yet (but we've only covered two out of four islands so far, so there may be stories on the other islands that are ballad worthy he hasn't found yet.)

I'm actually in the process of going through my Houen photo album in an attempt to find some places for you to visit while you are in Houen--if you can, drop by Petalburg City and say hi to May and her family for me.

In addition to the Gyms and Contest Halls, I would recommend exploring Granite Cave near Dewford Town (keep an eye out for the large gem mine and the cave paintings!) and the Trick House if you're into brainteasers--the experience is different every time!

Of course, no trip to Houen should be complete without trips to Worlds of Fantasy, the Mossdeep Space Center, and the Jeweled Memorial (The memorial marks where we managed to seal Groudon and Kyogre and defeat Houen's twin evil teams--Team Magma and Team Aqua. May will be happy to tell you the tale if you ask.)

If you visit the memorial, you'll notice that the Omega Ruby (where Groudon is sealed) and the Alpha Sapphire (where Kyogre is sealed) are under heavy guard--this is so Groudon and Kyogre can never be released again.

I'll have some more recommendations on our next video chat.

As for the three of us--we're making steady progress towards Brooklet Hill--it's been raining a lot lately, but Mahina tells us that the hill is one of the wettest spots in Alola, making it a prime spot to look for Water Pokemon (you can bet that Misty's going to try and catch some when we get there)

We met up with Lillie on the way to the hill, where we found out the egg I gave her had hatched into an Alolan Vulpix! Unlike the Vulpixes at home, Alolan Vulpixes are all white--and Ice types.

Lillie named hers Keokeo (Native Alolan for "white"), with Brock's approval. Seeing Lillie cuddling Keokeo gave Brock more resolve than ever to find an Alolan Vulpix of his own, so Hinata will have a playmate. He tells me he plans to name it Yuki should he get one. According to Sparks, one can find wild Alolan Vulpixes near Tapu Village, which sits at the foot of Mt. Lanakila, the highest peak in Alola. They're also plentiful on the mountain proper, if you're up for braving the cold.

Popoki and Keokeo hit it off right away--they spent a good twenty minutes just romping around the Pokemon Center. I don't think Popoki even noticed I was practicing on my ukulele (although since he evolved, he's been a little more tolerant of my plunking around trying to memorize chords). It's a lot of fun trying to figure out some trad tunes I already know how to play on Pokeflute and whistle on ukulele, but Hikina and Mahina have been working to find me more Alolan songs to try (I've already exhausted the initial songbook they made for me)

So today was one of the rare sunny days around this area, so we happened to stumble upon an artisan's market. Lillie tells me that one of the bigger markets to find handmade items and trinkets is in Konikoni City, on the west side of Akala. We didn't walk away from this market completely emptyhanded, though--Misty bought a handpainted Primarina carving, and Brock got a peridot necklace for Tarina (they are said to protect against nightmares and bad luck)

But i do know what attracts Popoki--if my ukulele keeps him away, just play any flute and he'll come listen--be this one of my whistles from home or the little wooden flute I got at the market--Misty is convinced it is a piccolo, but Brock says it is actually a little bit bigger than that (which would explain why it sounds like a combination of a whistle and an ancient bansi) I'll have to play it for you on our next video chat.

Right now, Lillie is helping Brock with dinner, and Tarina, Keokeo, and Popoki are sprawled on the floor playing "Go Magikarp" with Misty's playing cards. I've been doing some research on Lana's trial--and we'll have to work as a team to pass it!

Until next time,
Ash

[EmeraldSky]

Letter 11: Two Snowy Hearts

Dear Serena,

Remember when I told you Brock wanted an Alolan Vulpix of his own?

Thanks to running into Samson on the way to Brooklet Hill, he got one!

It turned out he had a second Alolan Vulpix egg that had hatched, so Brock got the second one--not surprisingly, he named her Yuki, as he had promised.

Tarina and Kia'i immediately hit it off with Yuki--just like Keokeo, Popoki seemed to like Yuki too. But the biggest "aw" moment was with Hinata--the two of them were nuzzling noses immediately. (Vulpixes rub noses with each other as a sign of acceptance and friendship, but they will also rub noses on a human's cheek to indicate the same thing)

Not surprisingly, Yuki immediately rubbed Brock's cheek, but Lillie wondered why Keokeo didn't do the same thing with her. This puzzled all of us, so Brock put his knowhow of Pokemon to good use, and attempted a controlled introduction.

Misty suggested making a spot for Keokeo to be alone, and then attempt a controlled introduction. This seemed to help, as Keokeo immediately took to the soft blankets and toys Brock left for her. But when it came time to introduce Keokeo to Lillie, Keokeo didn't want a thing to do with Lillie--she was interested in her toys. We figured that she would be ready eventually, and decided to try again later.

The next day, she was venturing out from the safe space, but kept fleeing back there when Lillie tried to interact with her. Brock reminded her that to a small Pokemon like Keokeo, humans are effectively giants. So if you want a good interaction, get down onto her level.

Not surprisingly, when he bent down and urged Keokeo to come to him, she came! After petting her a little, I talked Lillie into trying that. But when she got down on Keokeo's level, she fled!

Misty wondered if the problem was not Keokeo, but Lillie. The rest of us agreed--we had noticed that Lillie was unusually fearful around Keokeo. I suggested that since Vulpixes and other Pokemon can sense fear, Keokeo was also sensing Lillie's fear?

Our focus shifted from introducing Keokeo to Lillie to Lillie gaining confidence to interact with Keokeo (and theoretically Nebby, but he didn't come out to look at Keokeo) I talked with Lillie a little last night, and asked why Lillie was so afraid of something as cute as a Vulpix (I didn't phrase it exactly that way, but that was the basic gist of my question.)

Lillie explained that she was afraid of getting scratched, bitten or frozen. I just assured her that you can avoid many Pokemon related injuries if you learn to read their body language.

The next day, Misty suggested Lillie play with Keokeo in an attempt to establish a bond. So one piece of ribbon later, we started seeing progress--Keokeo actually played with Lillie for a good thirty minutes!

Brock took the time to explain to Lillie what the different Vulpix tail positions mean:

--erect usually means contented and happy
--drooped down between the legs usually means sad or fearful
--wagging vertically like a fan means they are ecstatic about something
--wagging horizontally is an intimidation display, so that's the one to watch--doing it lightly means they want to play, but big swishes are a warning to attackers to back off.

There was a beach not far from the house we were staying in, so we took Lillie and Keokeo down there for more bonding time, and allow Mele a chance to be out.

Alolans are big on hospitality, so rather than camping in the wilderness, there are hundreds of these little roadside guest houses (according to Mahina, they are called hale, which not surprisingly is Native Alolan for "house"), so you don't have to spend the night in the elements. It's still a good idea to pack camp gear if you're in a more remote location and you can't hike down to find a hale. As a general rule, hale are usually on well traveled roads near towns and on the roads to towns and locations where people gather--so it makes sense there be some on the way to Brooklet Hill.

Hikina tells me there's a proper Pokemon Center by the hill itself, but most hale are pretty nice.

So while we were relaxing on the beach near our hale, some Team Skull goons decided to try and stir up some trouble. Lillie called for help, and what happened next was truly amazing--Keokeo rescued her moments before Tintri and I could help, and she even froze a few of Brock's arrows to intimidate them even more! (Icy arrows, no matter what the surrounding temperature is, tend to sparkle in the sun)

Not surprisingly, the Skull goons ran for their lives at seeing the sparkling arrow aimed right at them. We then gasped as for the first time after several days of coaxing her, Keokeo rubbed Lillie's cheek. She was beyond happy that Keokeo had finally accepted her--she was actually a little depressed figuring out why Keokeo had not wanted to bond with her.

I just assured her that if you show your Pokemon you are confident. they'll trust you and look up to you. Granted Lillie still has a lot to learn, even this basic lesson, but finally getting Keokeo to accept her was the highlight of the day.

The rest of our beach excursion was uneventful--I did a little surfing with Tintri, Misty trained Mele a little bit, Brock helped Tarina build a sandcastle, and Hikina and Mahina played Frisbee for a while before Tarina spotted a volleyball net in the sand.

So after a round of volleyball (Lillie proved to be a fast learner and helped the girls beat us boys), we returned to the hale for the night.

As I write this, Lilie's helping Brock with dinner while the Vulpixes play with Popoki--they look so cute chasing him!

Hikina says we should be getting close to Brooklet Hill, but we'll see what else we find on the road tomorrow!

Until then,
Ash

[EmeraldSky]

Letter 12: My New Best Friend

Dear Serena,

What a day! After a harrowing encounter with some Lycanrocs (what Rockruff evolves into), we have custody of Rocky, the professor's Rockruff. He seemed to take a liking to Brock the best, even though he is very loving and affectionate to all of us.

"How did we encounter Lycanrocs to begin with?" you ask?

We met Prof. Kukui in one of the Pokemon Centers on the way to Brooklet Hill (not the one we need to get to, but one of the other ones on the way there), in a panic--his Rockruff Rocky had been mysteriously leaving during the night and returning all scratched up, as if he had tried to pick a fight with a bigger Pokemon. Misty wasn't sure if this was the case, so with the professor's help, we rigged a tracker with video capability in Rocky's fur, with the intention of reviewing the video in the morning.

When we did review the video, we saw Rocky was going to a place known as Clawed Hill--a sacred place for Rockruffs, where they battle the two Lycanroc chiefs that live there to prove themselves (and potentially evolve, if they are old enough to do so.

Misty asked the professor about the hill, and Kukui told us a local folktale that explained why Rockruffs (both wild and tame) prove themselves at the hill; which Brock dutifully copied down.

According to Brock's notes:

Long ago in Alola, there was a man who owned a Rockruff he had raised from a puppy, naming it Wiwo, after its courageous personality. ("Wiwo" is one of the Native Alolan words for "courage" if you're curious)

One night, the man came to the house and panicked when he saw that Wiwo had somehow disappeared. He looked all over the place, but a few hours later, Wiwo returned, lagging as if wounded. Genji wondered how Wiwo could have gotten tired, but still gave him fresh food and water.

The next night, Wiwo disappeared again, only to return a few hours later, exhausted. After this wore on for several nights, Genji wondered where Wiwo was going, and why. So that night, he followed Wiwo from a distance.

It turned out that Wiwo was going to the top of a hill, where every year in the spring, young Rockruffs would prove themselves to the two Lycanrocs who watched over the mountain. Those that triumphed would be initiated into the pack, and evolve if they were old enough to do so. So the man would lead Wiwo and some of the other Rockruffs into town to trade, and they would come back loaded with many rare and beautiful items and supplies. But their route went over the mountains, which was often treacherous. In addition to the wind, rain, and snow, there were also rogue Lycanrocs, Ursarings, and bandits to worry about.

One day, as they neared the peak of a particular mountain, Wiwo stopped, and warily eyed a large bush by the road, as if ready to attack at any moment. When an Ursaring emerged from the brush, the man realized Wiwo was doing more than protecting the pack--it was a matter of pride, and Wiwo wanted to prove he was the strongest.

Wiwo and the Ursaring fought for hours until both sides were exhausted, and then went their separate ways.

The next night, Genji wondered how he could help Wiwo triumph over the Ursaring. He considered hiring a hunter, but knew that would hurt Wiwo's pride. Inspired, he took some butter left over from dinner, and rubbed them on Wiwo's fur, until the butter hardened like armor.

The man went with Wiwo to the mountain again, and watched as the Rockruff and the Ursaring clashed beneath the moonlight. But this time, the Ursaring's claws slid right off the little Rockruff, allowing Wiwo to Headbutt him. The battle raged even fiercer than before until finally, exhausted and mortally wounded, both Wiwo and the Ursaring perished at the same time.

Heartbroken, the man buried them both on the mountainside, and Rockruffs from miles around came to mourn him. Ever since then, the two Lycanrocs have claimed the hill for themselves, and the hill came to be known as Claw Hill, in memory of the brave Rockruff that gave his life for the pack.

Mahina told us that the two Lycanrocs that watch over the hill are named Alaula (Native Alolan for "dawn") and Ahiahi (literally means "twilight", but can also be translated "dusk" or "evening") Hikina added that depending on when the Rockruff evolves, it will look completely different. If it evolves during the day, it becomes a Dawn Lycanroc, which is basically a Rockruff with more Mightyena-like features--it keeps its pale brown fur, with more white and a little black around its ears and neck. If it evolves at night, it turns into the Midnight Lycanroc, which looks almost demonic, with ruby red eyes, almost blood-colored fur, and a white mane!

Sparks cautioned us about the Midnight Lycanroc:

"The more intimidating the opponent it faces, the more this Pokémon’s blood boils. It will attack with no regard for its own safety."

This naturally frightened Rocky, but Hekili assured us:

"When properly raised from a young age, it will become a trustworthy partner that will absolutely never betray its Trainer."

Hikina asked Rocky what form he wanted to be, and he told us he wanted to be a Dawn Lycanroc. It was about then that Prof. Kukui realized that proving himself to Alaula and Ahiahi was what Rocky really wanted to do, and so turned Rocky over to Brock's care--so now Brock has five Pokemon now: Tarina, Hinata, Kia'i, Yuki, and now Rocky.

Brock's first order of business was helping Rocky build his strength and agility--particularly if he was going to face the two Lycanroc chiefs of the hill. So we spent all day yesterday training--Tarina and Tintri helped by making a lightning maze for Rocky to navigate. He only got shocked twice, which being a Rock type, only caused him a little discomfort. The rule was that if he got shocked, he had to start over.

After making it through Tarina's maze without getting shocked, I had Tintri make a longer and more difficult one. A Pikachu's electricity is more powerful, so while it didn't faze Rocky, it still caused him discomfort--thankfully, he only got shocked once before he made it through.

Next, Misty measured his speed by seeing if he could catch an arrow in flight. So she had Brock fire a shot, and Rocky had to run and catch the arrow while it was in the air. It took him a few tries to get this, but once he got the hang of catching arrows, Kirisame challenged him to try catching a Water Shuriken or two. While a shuriken has more surface area than an arrow, they also move faster, so this was harder for Rocky. Yuki helped by freezing them into ice shuriken, which slowed them down enough for Rocky to catch. Misty noticed that the ice shuriken gave Rocky motivation to keep trying until he got one (He did eventually catch one).

After one more training exercise (dodging Kia'i's blade quills) we all made the journey to Claw Hill, where Alaula and Ahiahi were waiting for us.

Alaula welcomed Rocky, and told him that if he wanted to join the pack, all he had to do was defeat him and Ahiahi in battle. Ahiahi added that even if he lost, he would always be an honorary part of the pack, even if he traveled with humans.

We watched, and Rocky easily took down Alaula--dodging Kia'i's blade quills really helped him dodge Alaula's Accelrock (a really fast Rock type move--Brock was stunned at how quickly Alaula moved.)

Ahiahi proved a bigger challenge--although Rocky gave his all, he was no match for the Midnight Lycanroc and his Rock and Dark attacks.

While Mahina tended to Rocky. Alaula congratulated him for his efforts, and Ahiahi told him he would be a great chief himself one day. Rocky just replied that while being chief would be fun, he wanted to stay with Brock, and learn all he could. The two Lycanrocs thought this a grand idea, and with their blessings (a simple group howl at the moon), we continued on our way.

I don't think Prof. Kukui will have to worry about Rocky--he's in good hands with Brock.

Until next time,

Ash

[EmeraldSky]

Letter 13: Getting an Adventure Started

Dear Serena,

Apparently, while we were playing on the beach yesterday, Popoki, Tintri, Kia'i, and Mele got into a little adventure of their own.

See, we stumbled upon the beachside town of Kolio Town on our way to Brooklet Hill, and Misty wanted to take a break from traveling, so we decided to hit the beach instead of another day of walking.

Now, even though she is a Brionne now, Mele is still capable of blowing bubbles, but these bubbles are even bigger than the ones she made as a Popplio. She was practicing this while we were busy exploring the beach, but somehow she made one large enough to trap Kia'i--a Dartrix--inside!

Panicked, Popoki, Mele, and Tintri followed the bubble with Kia'i inside into the town, where it popped in the middle of a park. Luckily, Kia'i was all right--he had landed in a flower garden, so those cushioned his fall.

Mele was very apologetic, but Kia'i was none the worse for wear. He figured that since they were in town, they may as well explore it. Tintri thought this was a grand idea, and allowed Kia'i to lead the way, since he likely knew the area well.

After spending a good hour exploring the park, they emerged on the streets of the town. Tintri was a little worried that we would discover them missing and panic, but Popoki assured him that the beach was visible from the town, so when they were ready to go back, they could. This calmed Tintri a little, and so the four of them went exploring.

Luckily, Tintri still had plenty of money in the little bag Mom made for him before we left, so if they wanted to sample some of the many treats and street food on offer, they could. But they did get a lot of free food for being Pokemon--according to Tintri, they got lots of shaved ice, a malasada or two (including a huge chocolate cream one that even Hau would have trouble finishing) and Pokemon sized portions of every combination of Alolan plate lunch you can imagine.

It wasn't just food they sampled--they sampled a lot of Alola's arts and traditions too. They watched a hula dancing show on the square, and wandered through the craftsman's market (Tintri didn't see anything he felt I would like, but Kia'i liked seeing bows made from native wood--Brock would certainly make an impression on his audiences by using a stage bow made of something like koa wood!

The craftsman making the bows regaled the Pokemon with stories of Akala's guardian, Tapu Lele. She is both destructive and creative with her shimmering scales--according to Alolan lore, she is seen as the giver and taker of life. By themselves, the scales can heal anyone or anything they touch. But touch too many of them at one time, and they will harm you.

Mele shuddered at this, but Tintri copied down a few of the stories for Brock's research.

As they rounded a corner into an alleyway, they did not expect to find Team Skull waiting for them! Kia'i pinned a few grunts to a wall with some blade quills, and Mele heaved a Bubblebeam to buy the group time to escape, but it was not long before the Skull goons were hot on their trail.

I happened to hear Tintri calling for help as they neared the beach, so after alerting everyone that our starters and Tintri were in danger, we hurried towards the path into town, where we met our starters.

Mahina was relieved the Pokemon were okay, but the next question was what to do with the Skull goons. Luckily, Brock managed to frighten them off with merely nocking his bow to shoot (I still wonder why they freak out at just seeing an arrow aimed at them, never mind that the arrow Brock is aiming is dulled, and so would not harm them even if he were to shoot. Misty just blew it off with "Well, I would run too if I had something sharp and pointy aimed at me!", but Hikina had a much cooler sounding explanation--Decidueye, Dartrix's evolution, is said to protect people in danger by firing its shining wing feathers at foes in a manner similar to arrows. So maybe the Skull grunts think Brock is a huge Decidueye?

Misty was relieved that Mele was all right, and asked her how they had run into the Skull grunts to start with. Mele confessed everything, and pleaded with Misty to not punish her for practicing her bubble making abilities. Misty assured Mele she would not punish her for a natural talent, but to be aware of anything (or anyone) that could be in the area before doing any bubble making. Brock added that if the Pokemon wanted to go anywhere on their own, to tell someone where they were going, and what time they expected to return. I did commend them for traveling in a group--who knows what would have happened if any of them were by themselves.

Relieved that her master wasn't going to punish her for an innocent mistake, Mele then demonstrated Bubblebeam for Misty, much to her awe, and happiness that she had learned a new move. Even Popoki was impressed, and eagerly shot fire balls into the sky for Mele to extinguish.

By the time both of them showed any sign of being tired, the sun was going down. We decided to stay in a beachside hale for the night, then see the city for ourselves in the morning.

So for now, Kia'i is watching the sun set from the window, Popoki is playing with Tarina, Rocky, and the Vulpixes, and Mele is doing some bubble making under Misty's supervision. Tintri is perched on the dresser overlooking the hammock I'm lying on to write this, waiting for me to finish this.

I can't say I blame him for being tired--he had an exciting day today. Hopefully tomorrow we can see what the Pokemon discovered in the city.

Until then,
Ash

[EmeraldSky]

Letter 14: Sparks' and Hekili's Rescue Rotoms

Dear Serena,

Remember the cartoon "Pichu Bros. Rescue" we used to love as kids? Turns out it's alive and well in reruns, and it has quite the following in Alola. It's not just kids that watch it either--every episode is a family affair, with everyone crowded around the TV to watch.

It turned out my knowledge of that show helped us track down the Pikapaz, again. (to be fair, Z Crystals are powerful, so it makes sense that people and Pokemon go to great lengths to find one, buy one, or otherwise get one)

It started when we finished watching today's episode (the one about the flying carpets), and Hekili noticed that the Pikapaz was gone. After turning the living room of the hale upside down looking for it (including looking in the couch cushions), I next asked Misty and Brock if they'd seen it. (Misty had been outside helping Prof. Kukui with something, and Brock had been making lunch, which didn't put them anywhere near the living room when it disappeared.)

Hikina and Mahina were also cleared, because they had been with me watching "Pichu Bros. Rescue" at the time of the crime. Hikina put forth the theory that Tapu Koko was testing me again, but Mahina wasn't so sure.

The day's episode of "Pichu Bros. Rescue" sent Sparks' imagination into overdrive--what if those flying carpets we saw in the episode were real? Prof. Kukui assured him that "magic carpets only exist in fairy tales, yeah!"

But Sparks wasn't going to give up--he and Hekili proclaimed themselves the Rescue Rotoms, and vowed to get my Pikapaz back. as their cry of "Rescue Rotoms, away!" echoed across the island, Misty just sighed "They really need to cut back on TV..."

Our first break in the case was an underground tunnel in the yard. Sparks believed this to be the work of King Meowth and his goons, but Brock assured him it looked closer to a Diglett hole to us.

Hekili realized Brock was onto something, and happily told us about the Alolan Diglett:

"Its golden hairs function as sensors. It pokes them out of its burrow to monitor its surroundings."

The question was, where were the Digletts, and why did they want the Pikapaz? It was very clearly the wrong Z Crystal for them, so they obviously couldn't tap into its power.

As we were debating what to do next, an Alolan Diglett popped up from the hole! Misty demanded to know where the Pikapaz was, but the Alolan Diglett assured us that it didn't have it. Misty's response to that? "Well, if you don't have it, who does?"

Brock calmed Misty down, and explained to the Alolan Diglett the Pikapaz was very special to me--so that was why we were all looking for it.

Sparks, ever the dreamer, speculated that maybe an Alolan Meowth wanted it, and tasked the Alolan Digletts to give it to him. Our Alolan Diglett replied that he had received it from another Alolan Diglett, and passed it on to another, but he was not the original recipient.

Misty was not looking forward to climbing in a Diglett tunnel, but given our options for finding the Pikapaz were limited, we pretty much had no choice but to climb into the tunnel. Since Diglett tunnels are so large and vast, humans can easily walk in them, rather than crawling through them. Brock took along his bow and some arrows, just in case we had to fight something.

Poor Misty--she had to put up with Sparks rambling on about past "Pichu Bros. Rescue" episodes. First he talked about the episode about a Croconaw sabotaging a human opera, then the episode where Zap and Bolt disguised themselves as idols and sang "The King Meowth Stomp" (which Brock and I both knew all the words to--so we proceeded to annoy Misty by singing the song.)

Hekili wondered if some mad scientist was taking Z Crystals to power an enlarging ray, but Tintri reminded her that the show was just fantasy.

It turned out that an Alolan Dugtrio wanted any and every Electric-type Z crystal he could find, in a (futile, in my opinion) attempt to become the world's first Electric and Ground type Pokemon. Misty blew off the Dugtrio's ambitions as fantasy at first, but then noticed that the Alolan Dugtrio was wearing a necklace with an opal that had the Team Skull emblem on it!

Hekili told Brock to try and shatter the stone, in hopes it would break the spell. Just like that, the arrow pierced the opal, and shattered it, bringing the Alolan Dugtrio and its Alolan Diglett companions back to their senses.

When Misty explained to the Alolan Dugtrio what was going on, he laughed and blew off what he had believed to be real moments earlier as "a plot right out of 'Pichu Bros. Rescue'". He then proceeded to tell his Alolan Digletts to start returning the Z Crystals they had collected to their rightful owners. The Pikapaz was one of the first ones they returned.

Back at the hale, we told our Pokemon and Prof. Kukui what had happened. Mele thought it would make a good story, and Prof. Kukui told Misty "I'd totally read that fanfic, yeah!"

So after commandeering Prof. Kukui's PC, Misty set to work writing our adventure as a "Pichu Bros. Rescue" fanfic, and posted it to WriteWorld. (If you want to read it, it's called 'Digging Up the Dirt'--and is currently ranked as one of the top ten hot new fics in the "Pichu Bros. Rescue" section.)

Sparks was so pleased he had seemingly saved the world--he's still on his Rescue Rotoms kick, never mind our adventure took place three days ago.

Knowing Sparks, he'll probably have a new obsession here in the next day or so.

Until next time,
Ash

[EmeraldSky]

Letter 15: A Sweet Beginning

Dear Serena,

Remember when I said I wanted a Tsareena of my own?

Well, we finally made it to Brooklet Hill's Pokemon Center (the hill itself should actually take a few more days to get to), and a passerby was so touched by a good deed we did for Mallow today, he gave me a Steenee! (Bounsweet's second stage--it becomes Tsareena from this form) As I promised, I named her Kala.

In order to understand what we did for Mallow today, I first have to tell you about the forms of Oricorio and how they evolve.

Oricorio is a bit of a unique Pokemon in that it doesn't evolve per se, but it changes form when it drinks a certain type of nectar. While every island has the flowers that produce all four colors, it's easier to find a certain color on a particular island.

For example, on Akala Island it's easier to find Pink Nectar, which turns Oricorio into the Pa'u type (Sparks did show me a picture--it looks very much like a traditional hula dancer!) He added that because of its knowledge of hula, this increases its psychic energy, which it then fires at its enemies. (his words) This fascinated Misty, and she even told Mahina "Who knew hula dancing could be both beautiful and powerful?"

Tarina, on the other hand, wanted to see if hula would increase her electrical powers, but I only made it through the introduction of Prof. Kukui's work song before she fell asleep--I guess she was either tired from traveling a long way, or my meager ukulele skills can put Pokemon to sleep.

Mallow met us in the Pokemon Center not long after we arrived and got our teams taken care of. She told us that she had a problem on her hands, and wondered if we could help. Not surprisingly, Brock decided to play the hero and asked what was bothering her. Mallow explained that she was in the process of trying out a new recipe (sizzling rice soup), but her first attempt put emphasis on the "sizzling" part--it had us all running for the closest bottle of milk or piece of bread we could find! She went on to tell us she wanted to try again, but she specifically wanted a cup of Yellow Nectar in an attempt to dull the spice and sweeten the dish a little. We promised we would give our best effort to help her out, and set out to look for a yellow meadow.

This proved to be easier said than done, and we considered flying back to Melemele to get some from the massive yellow meadow there. But as we were coming back to the Pokemon Center, Popoki discovered a route leading to a small one overlooking the beach.

It didn't take us long to find the meadow, and before long, we were happily crushing petals to fill a jar Brock had brought along to carry the nectar (Mallow had marked on the jar how much she needed before we left, but we agreed to bring back a little extra, just in case)

As we were working, we ran into Lana, the Trial Captain of Brooklet Hill. After exchanging hellos and explaining what we were doing, Lana told us that the reason it rains a lot on Brooklet Hill is because of the Totem--and a lot of rain traditionally meant it was angry. To appease it, massive sacrifices of Magikarp and Goldeen were made.

Misty naturally wanted to know what exotic Water Pokemon one could find on the hill, and Lana told us you could find Dewpiders, as well as the elusive Feebas, Finneon, Poliwags, Psyducks, Alomomolas, and lots of Wishiwashis. I had to remind her to focus--we could go look for Water Pokemon after we did this favor for Mallow and got to the hill itself. I did let Lana know we wanted to attempt the trial when we got to the hill, so I have that to look forward to at least.

We said our goodbyes and got back to work, but the sweet smell of nectar attracted some Team Skull grunts looking to stir up some trouble. Luckily Rocky alerted us to them before we saw them. But it wasn't our Pokemon that frightened them off. Brock didn't even have to shoot an arrow, either--in our efforts to protect our haul of nectar, the Skull grunts disturbed a Beedrill hive--THAT scared them away!

Once sure everyone was okay, we headed back to deliver our haul of nectar. Mallow was already cooking up her second attempt at the soup when we arrived, but the look on her face when she saw how much we'd gathered was priceless.

Luckily, her second attempt at the soup was much less spicy--the nectar added enough sweet to counter the spice. But the recipe made a lot, so we decided to share some of it with the other patrons present.

Another trainer on his way to the hill asked if we wanted to take care of his Steenee as thanks for the soup. His family was moving to the city, and they wouldn't have enough space for the Steenee to run and get the sunshine it needed. I agreed to take care of her, and named her Kala.

So now, my active team looks like this:

--Tintri
--Popoki
--Alegria
--Kala

Kirisame is with me too, but he is on standby at Kukui's Lab if I ever need him. (fingers crossed I wouldn't have to need him--he deserves this vacation as much as I do)

It's fairly quiet in the Pokemon Center right now, but we'll be on our way to the hill in the morning--I can't wait to prove myself for an Aquas Sapphire!

Until then,
Ash

[EmeraldSky]

Letter 16: The Second Guardian

Dear Serena,

One of the reasons for a vacation is to get away from it all. As enjoyable as its been exploring Alola alongside some of my best friends and meeting new friends, today Tintri and I went on an adventure by ourselves--and had another encounter with an Alolan guardian!

The guardian I met? Tapu Lele, the elusive tapu of Akala Island.

It all started as i was perusing all the tourist's brochures in the Pokemon Center this morning--one of them talked about a place called Treasure Island, which you could reach from Brooklet Hill via series of bridges.

Tintri was all excited about gold, jewels, and pirates, so after telling everyone where we were going and when we'd be back, we headed out.

The way there was uneventful, but as soon as we set foot on the island, did we see something pink that resembled a lady, dancing and spreading these shining scales around. I did remember to pack the little wood flute before I left (to serenade any Oricorios I found), so I played a little bit for the odd being.

It was only after I finished performing, did she reveal herself as Tapu Lele!

She wanted to know what I was doing there with Tintri, and I explained I had come on my own free will, to look for treasure. She just smiled and told me that I already had far better treasure than gold and jewels--I had my friendship with you, Misty, Brock, my other companions, my family--but most importantly, I had Tintri.

In her words, my friendship with Tintri was "forged in a trial of fire, and has traveled from the heights of heaven, to the depths of the abyss. Take care of your companions on your journeys, hele, and they will take care of you."

Mahina was stunned when I told everyone about my encounter some time later. Sparks was quick to tell me that Tapu Lele was not always that nice:

"She is guilelessly cruel. The fragrant aroma of flowers is the source of her energy.

Hikina assured us that judging how Tapu Lele was nice to us, we probably earned her favor.

This spurred Mahina to tell me a story about Tapu Lele blessing the good and punishing evil. She had recorded this story for Brock earlier, so when I mentioned I wanted to include the story in this letter, Brock let me transcribe it from the recording. So what you are about to read is Mahina's words and Brock's in character voices in my writing.

Tapu Lele's Poi (as performed by Mahina Kale, and recorded with her permission by Brock Harrison)

Long ago, Tapu Lele, in the form of an old woman, walked down a mountain toward a village to wander among the people. She came to a large home thatched with ti-leaves, a sign of the family's high rank. The windows of the house opened out onto a lovely garden of taro, Coco palms and Nanab Berries. The setting was beautiful, and so Tapu Lele peered inside. She saw a family of well-dressed people sitting around a table, clearly enjoying a feast.

"Alola," she called, and the man of the house turned, startled to see a stranger at his door.

"Alola," he said, but he did not sound happy. "Can I help you?"

Tapu Lele nodded. "I have walked a long way," she said, exhaustion in her voice. "I am very hungry. Perhaps you would be kind enough to offer me a pot of poi. I see you grow a great deal of taro in your beautiful garden."

Now, the women at the table had spent many hours pounding the potato-like taro root and cooking their delicious poi; the men had worked hard at their harvest. And all they could think was that if they gave some away, that would be less for them later.

"I'm afraid we have too little left to share," the man said. "This will have to last us for a long, long time."

"Then perhaps a piece of fish?"

"Ah, it's all gone, I fear."

"A few berries for an old woman? To quench my thirst."

"Oh, our berries are green. You probably cannot see they are green because your eyes are so old."

However, Tapu Lele's eyes are anything but old, and now they gleamed with fire, but she caught herself from dousing the house with her scales. Instead she simply bowed and backed away.

Tapu Lele continued down the road until she came to a neighbor's house, this one a small hut on a narrow patch of land. She stopped at the gate and watched as a family talked and laughed together in their little garden. They were enjoying the sight of the setting sun beyond the slopes in the distance, the slopes that many said led to heaven, where the four Tapu dwelled.

"Alola--I see you have finished your supper, which is a shame since I hoped to have a little poi. I'm very hungry."

The poor farmer smiled at Tapu Lele, and everyone in the family smiled as well, each one radiating warmth, as if they had been blessed by the guardians.

"Come in, You are more than welcome. Please, make yourself comfortable."

Before he had finished speaking, his wife had prepared a pot of poi for the old woman and led her to a mat on the floor. Tapu Lele ate heartily, dipping her fingers again and again into the delicious poi. When she had eaten her fill, she looked up and asked, "Have you any more?"

Without hesitation, the woman filled the pot with another helping of poi, and once again Tapu Lele ate it all. Then she looked up. "Any more?"

Again the woman did not hesitate to fill the pot as full as she could. "I'm so sorry," she apologized, "this is the last of our poi. As you can see, we have a small garden and little taro."

When Tapu Lele finished eating the third pot, she rose from her place on the mat. She moved more slowly now, for she was full, but her face glowed with the light of pleasure as she revealed her true form.

"From this day forth, whatever you plant in your garden at night will be full grown by morning, and you will have as many crops in your garden in one day as your neighbor will grow in 10 years."

Then she walked outside, and when the family turned to wave goodbye to her, she had vanished.

The next morning the poor man awoke and walked into his garden. He stared in wonder, for everywhere he looked, ripe Nanab Berries hung on new, sturdy plants, and full-grown taro stood ready to be harvested. His sugarcane plants reached so high he could barely see the tops.

Then the poor farmer looked across the road toward the beautiful garden of his rich and powerful neighbor, and saw that the rich man's garden was bare.

And so he understood that he had been blessed by Tapu Lele, because of his hospitality to a guardian of Alola.

I don't think I'll forget meeting Tapu Lele--maybe she's granted me favor for my next trials?

Until next time,
Ash