Chapter Text
Looking out the window, the clear and sunny skies of Alola came into sight as the ferry approached Melemele Island. You’re feeling pretty excited, it’s your first time in Alola and to get a chance to come here was like a dream come true! You heard all the amazing stories and myths of this place, and although you were pretty skeptical of it all, just being able to come here on such a whim was already a miracle.
Your mother had been given tickets to Alola by a friend who researched Pokemon there for a while, and without her having much use for them, she decided to gift them to you instead.
As the ferry starts to dock at the terminal, your phone buzzes to life, receiving texts and notifications as the signal connects to your phone. You smile to yourself as you read the text from your mom.
Hope you landed safely, enjoy the tropical sun for me while you’re there!
You quickly sent a reply and got prepared to leave the plane, dragging your luggage alongside you. As you step out, you immediately feel the hot sun on your skin. The smell of the ocean breeze fills your senses as you stretch out your arms. Hearing the waves crash against the dock reminds you of Unova’s own Undella Bay, making you slightly homesick, but you push forward. You are not going to give up this chance.
I’m finally here. You smile as a new sense of freedom and adventure washes over you. Shadows of some Wingull pass over you as they fly alongside some other bird Pokemon, which you assume to be native Alolan Pokemon.
Collecting yourself, you walk out of the Marina and into the shopping district. The city is bustling with tourists and locals, adding to your excitement. You see many buildings, from apparel shops to restaurants, and even a mall! Though it didn’t compare to the one at home. You steadily approach the tourist bureau and make a mental note to check out the stores later. Entering the bureau, you are greeted by two enthusiastic ladies at the counter.
"Alola! Welcome to Hau'oli City's tourist bureau!" You greet them back and request some directions to Hau'oli Outskirts. You were lucky enough to get tickets to Alola, but your mom helped you purchase a house here as well. Bless Arceus.
“Are you a Pokemon trainer? Usually, trainers here in Alola have a Rotom Dex with them! The Rotom serves as a Pokedex with lots of different features, such as the map feature built in! We’re trying something new here in Alola, so they’re hard to come by unless, of course, you’re given one by the Professor.” You snap out of your thoughts as she brings up Pokemon trainers and, uhh, the Rotom… dex? Of course, you’ve heard of Rotom being used in everyday electronic appliances, but this was the first you’ve heard of a Rotom Dex. It sounds… intriguing.
She notices your curiosity peaking and gives you a knowing smile, “If you visit the professor here, you might get more information about it. I also heard he’s looking for a new research assistant to help with his work. Maybe you’d be interested? Who knows, maybe he’ll give you your own Rotom Dex.” She gives you a small wink.
You return her smile with one riddled with anxiety. You weren’t sure about this. Of course, you were familiar with Pokemon and had your fair share of experience with them, but they weren’t very… positive, to say the least. And to be a whole research assistant for a Pokemon professor? That's on another level. “Thanks. I-I’ll think about it.”
“Of course! The lab should be around the general area of your residence if you ever get a chance to check it out! The lab is to the east of Ten Carat Hill, pretty hard to miss!” With a wave, you thanked the ladies and exited the building, following the directions she gave you.
Your thoughts were quickly distracted by what you’d do here during your stay. Perhaps helping the professor wouldn’t be too bad? And it would help you get used to being with Pokemon again. Your face falls as you’re reminded of what happened with him back in Unova. He shouldn’t be able to contact you anymore, he’s blocked on everything, and you even moved here… indefinitely. Right.
You aren’t sure how long you were planning on staying here. It was just a trip that you had taken up on a whim at the first chance you got. Sighing, you shook away your thoughts and took in your surroundings. It was still light outside, perhaps you should check out the stores from earlier.
You decide to check out the Malasada shop. You’ve heard many good things about Alola’s famous malasadas and always wanted to try one. Entering the shop, you are immediately greeted with the smell of sweet baked goods. Looking at the menu, you debate between a few flavors; strawberry jam, melon, taro? They all sound so delicious!
Right as you settle on a regular malasada, a peppy, excited voice cuts through your thoughts. “You should try the chocolate flavor!”
You turn and come face to face with a young boy with dark green hair tied into a ponytail. You feel yourself smiling, mirroring his own, "Sorry, were you talking to me?"
“Oh yeah! I’m Hau!” He gives you a toothy smile. “Are you new around here? What kind of Pokemon do you have?”
You usually don’t trust strangers, but hey, it's just a kid, albeit a nosy one. It’s just a chocolate malasada, nothing to lose. Plus, it's probably to your advantage to befriend a few locals. You give him a small nod of acknowledgment and place your order, a couple of chocolate ones and a few regular malasadas.
After receiving your order, you decide to talk to Hau and answer some of his questions. “Yeah, I’m new here to the Alola region. I’m here because…” It’s probably best to lie to him. Kids don’t need to know about those sorta things. “I wanted to explore a new place with new Pokemon.” Not a complete lie.
Hau seemed to believe your reasoning, nodding as he bit into a large malasada. “I… hmph… sorry, this malasada is just sooo good! Nothing beats Hau’oli City’s malasadas!”
You chuckle and pass him a napkin, relief washing over you that the little fella finally slowed down to eat. “No worries, take your time, kiddo.” You bit into your own chocolate malasada. Oh goodness, Hau is right. “These are incredible!”
“What do you think about Alola’s Pokemon so far? The ones here on Melemele don’t even come close to all the cool Pokemon all of Alola has to offer!” You nod in agreement, recalling some pretty interesting Pokemon that passed by the ferry you were on. Some you recognized, but there were a few that were new to you.
“Oh! Do you know of a bird Pokemon with a large, colorful beak?” You ask curiously. The Pokemon stood out to you quite a bit with its large size and bright beak. You’ve never seen it before.
“Yeah! I think what you’re describing could be a Toucannon! Or perhaps a Trumbeak… Nah! It definitely has to be Toucannon!” Hau continues ranting about Trumbeak and how he almost burnt himself whilst near one as a kid. “Just be careful around them! Their beaks can get to over two hundred degrees!” He states, shuddering.
The two of you continue chatting about Pokemon and various desserts you like. You tell him about Unova’s famous Casteliacone, and Hau practically drools excitedly–poor kid. I should bring him one when I get a chance.
Hau’s stories are captivating, his energy reminding you of some old friends back home, but before you know it, the sun starts setting. Hau suddenly jumps and races off, but not without waving goodbye and shouting something along the lines of having to get home before dark. “See ya! Be careful on your way home!” Before you could even reply, he disappeared like an Eevee’s Run Away ability.
You didn’t notice it before, but the Malasada shop was almost completely devoid of all life, minus a few workers cleaning down the counter. You spent all day in the Malasada shop talking to a random kid. Great . Sighing, you get up and wave Alola to the shop workers.
Stepping out, you try to hurry home before it gets completely dark, following the directions the bureau ladies gave you. One thing about being in a foreign place and the shifting daylight is that things tend to look very different depending on the lighting. The wind howls past the palm trees, making the overhanging trees sway like Spinarak legs.
“If Spinarak are here in Alola…” You shudder. “I don’t even want to think about it.” Not that you hate all bug-type Pokemon; some are… tolerable. Continuing on your walk, you’re thankful the way to your house is pretty close by, or so you thought. “Wait, was I supposed to turn left here or…” You rotated the map a few times before crumpling it up into a ball. Stupid drawn-out map, I can just use my phone. As you pull out your phone, you hear a rustling noise in the nearby grass. Just ignore it. It's probably some wild Pidove. Pulling up the maps app, the screen flashed a dull gray. Fuck, no signal here.
Before you could uncrumple the map, you feel your phone suddenly vibrate. A text? You pull out your device and check it. Perhaps there was a signal now! The screen on your phone displays a solid, bright orange with two white ovals. What the?
“Zzzt! Greetingzzz, human!” A robotic voice speaks to you from your phone. “You seem to be lost!” The ovals on your phone “open” up, allowing two smaller blue, oval eye-like shapes to glow inside the white ones. A small grin plastered in the middle.
Is this a prank? Or did you accidentally butt-dial someone? No. The corners of your mouth downturn as you realize the all-too-familiar chill of a ghost-type Pokemon’s handiwork at play. And there is only one Pokemon you were familiar with the ability to possess objects... “Rotom.” Your voice comes out just as cold as the chills the Pokemon gave you.
Your phone–or well, Rotom makes a quick blipping noise as you call its name. “What do you want, Rotom?” You sigh, running a stressed hand through your already tangled hair. You don’t have time to be pranked by some mischievous, bored ghost-type Pokemon.
The Pokemon, immediately sensing your tense voice, chuckles a bit, its snicker sounding like rough TV static. You glare at your now-possessed phone, suspicious of the Rotom’s movements inside. “Kekhehe! You didn’t even try to deny it! Juzzzt admit it, you’re lost!” Its voice crackles as it floats circles around you.
You ignore its taunts and shoot back a question of your own, “Aren’t you supposed to be helping some trainer, all snug as a Swadloon in your shiny, new Pokedex?” The grip on your phone loosens as you start motioning with your hands in irritation. Rolling your eyes, your question is laced with nothing but sarcasm. Rotom shakes out of your grasp and you can’t help but let out a soft gasp as you see your mobile device floating in front of you. I’m never gonna get used to that, am I?
You weren’t sure, but you swear you saw its screen dim a bit as its movements paused. But before you can comment on it, it shoots a remark, “You sure arguing with a Pokemon right now is a good idea? Zzzt!” Rotom begins to spin around, rotating your device as it dances around. You groan internally, realizing that it’s correct. You’re currently stranded in the middle of a foreign road, the moonlight barely lighting up the streets, just enough for you to see the path ahead of you.
“Well? Can you pull up a GPS or something? It’s getting chilly out here, and I didn’t exactly pack for the cold.” Your patience is wearing thin and you’re tired from the long trip. Plus, the faster you comply with the Rotom’s requests, the faster you can get to your new home, and it leaves you and your phone alone.
“Juzzzt a second! How about a deal? You help me, and in return…” Your phone twirls as the Rotom inside it spins cheekily. “I’ll help you! What d’ya think? You should feel honored to have an amazing and talented Rotom, such as myself, help the likes of you, silly human!”
You hold your hands up, grimacing as you push the Rotom away from your face. You know better than to accept its little deal, but in this situation, you don’t have much of a choice. “What do you need help with, Rotom?” You sigh, knowing better than to accept a deal before knowing the terms. However, you have never really made a deal with a Pokemon before, never mind a talking one.
“Zzzt! Bring me to the Pokemon Professor’s house and you will be rewarded handsomely!” The face on the screen of your phone grins confidently at its statement. Before you can even say a word, it quickly continues, “Y’see! The clumzzzy professor made a mistake, and instead of being delivered to his lab, I ended up in the middle of the forest! The nerve! Letting a poor, defenseless Rotom out here by itzzzelf!” Its whiny voice pierces through your eardrums, and its robotic tone doesn’t help with that whatsoever.
“Alright, alright! I’ll accompany you to the Pokemon Professor’s house. But can we please do this tomorrow? It’s what? Twelve am? I-“
“Ezzzactly twelve fifty-one am! Actually! Make that twelve fifty-two.” Rotom quips with a devious grin, interrupting your line of thought. Oh, I’ll wipe that smirk off your face if it’s the last thing I’ll do.
“As I was saying– ” You pause to glare at the floating device, only to receive a mischievous smile in return. “I doubt his or anyone’s doors are open at this hour.“ You continue, ignoring Rotom’s little time check. You look away, tired of the ghost-type Pokemon’s antics. You glance up at the night, truly taking in Alola’s star-filled sky for the first time and even catching a glimpse of a shooting star. Looking down, a small beach spans below the cliff of a mountain. You notice some clusters of pink Pokemon, maybe some Corsola or Slowpoke? You can’t tell from this distance. But the waves cast the reflection of millions of stars back at you, and you can’t help but smile. This place truly is beautiful at night.
A soft, electronic hum interrupts your thoughts. Right, you had places to be and a Pokemon to fulfill a request for. ”Rotom.” Its screen blips to life as you call its name, its signature smirk plastered on its face. You feel like you’re about to regret your next words, “How’s this: You help me find my way home, and in the morning, I’ll swing by and drop you off at the Professor’s place.”
“Bzzt! You’ve got a deal, partner!” You wince, seeing your phone screen flickering as the Rotom buzzes in excitement—or malice—you can’t tell anymore. I’ve got to get that phone checked out later.
“I’m not your partner. Now pull up the GPS already.” You’re quick to shoot down its nickname for you, not missing its dimming screen as you wave it off. After a few seconds, you hear a ping from your phone and quickly grab it, to Rotom’s dismay.
“Hey! Careful with the merchandizzze, human!” You roll your eyes at it, ignoring its statement. Unbelievable. At this rate, your eyes will roll to the back of your head before you even get home. You’re thankful that not many Pokemon can talk, especially if they’re this annoying. You don’t think you’d be able to handle a whole team of them all at once in your ears. Good thing I’m not a Pokemon trainer.
You follow the streets as Rotom’s GPS leads you home. Or so you hope. The scarcity of street lamps sends chills down your spine. Your only light source is the moon, and you don’t think it's very reliable, especially as the wind picks up. The road begins to darken as clouds cover up the moonlight.
“R-Rotom?” You were sure as hell not to depend too much on Rotom, with it being a ghost-type and all. Playing tricks and pranks is part of its nature. However, it sure as hell beats being alone right now. You suddenly notice that there isn’t any glowing coming from the floating phone in front of you. Maybe it's just on power-saving mode… As if! You walk closer to it, and your phone suddenly drops, clattering on the ground. Shit. You go to pick it up, inspecting it for any damage, luckily, there were little to no cracks. Tapping on its screen, the only sign of life–or lack thereof–is the red, low battery symbol quickly flashing before your phone turns off.
“That little-” You clenched your fists, furious that Rotom tricked you. But more annoyed at yourself for trusting it. You knew better. Now you’re left with a dead phone, its battery sucked dry from Rotom, and lost in the middle of nowhere in the dead of night. Feeling agitated, you shove your phone in your pocket and tread on aimlessly.
With no particular place in mind, you drag your tired feet forward, luggage in tow. Before you know it, you end up on the beach. The Pokemon you saw earlier were nowhere to be seen, just the sound of crashing waves and your heavy breaths. You didn’t expect your first day in Alola to be all sunshine and rainbows but it definitely could’ve ended better. You crash on a nearby bench, your eyelids start to droop as fatigue takes over your body.
You weren’t sure how long you were out for, but something wet on your face jolts you awake, and a shocked gasp escapes your lips. “Agh!” You immediately groan in discomfort as the sunlight burns your eyes.
“Alola! Whoa! You okay there?” You look up to see a dog-like Pokemon up in your face, it must’ve licked you awake. As your eyesight focuses, you notice a man wearing a white lab coat, and gray baggy pants, sported with green framed sunglasses and a white cap. With one glance, you can immediately tell that this is the so-called Professor that everyone has been talking about. As you’re about to comment on his attire, you hold your tongue. Alola is crazy hot! I don’t blame him for dressing lightly.
He holds out his hand, and you smile graciously—or at least you hope it comes off that way, because damn, you were tired—grabbing it as he pulls you up, his Pokemon helping nudge you up as well. “T-thanks,” you manage to mutter out, holding your throbbing head in the process. Agh, stood up too fast…
The man tips his hat, saluting you, “No problem! I don’t recognize your face, what’re you doing all the way out here?” Before you can reply, he notices your tired disposition and dirty suitcase, and he gives you a sympathetic smile. “Say, how about coming to my lab for a cup of coffee? You look like you might need it.”
“Yes, please!” You groan out, and immediately catching yourself, you clear your throat. “Sorry,” You squeak out, giving him an appreciative smile instead, “I’d love that.”
The man chuckles at the change in your demeanor. “Sure thing! Follow me.” You gather your belongings and follow behind him. His Pokemon running ahead of him, leading you both to his lab. “My lab isn’t far from here, you’re lucky Rockruff found you while I was on my morning jog, or else some Crabrawler might’ve dragged you away.” He jokes, giving you a big grin. “Ah! By the way, feel free to call me Kukui.”