Chapter 24: Nebby Likes You, You Know
The Alola region has no Pokémon Gyms. In their place stands one of the region's oldest traditions: the Island Challenge.
The Island Challenge involves the challenger journeying across all four islands, overcoming various trials led by the Trial Captains, and finally facing the Island Kahuna in a Grand Trial.
Pass it, and you've completed that island's challenge.
Of course, the Island Kahunas naturally hold back against challengers — that goes without saying.
Iki Town. Known as "the place that gives thanks to Pokémon."
It was home to people who knew Tapu Koko intimately, a small town carrying centuries of tradition.
And it was also where Hala, the Island Kahuna of Melemele, conducted his Grand Trials.
Today, Iki Town was unusually lively. Because for the first time in a long while, a challenger had finally arrived to face Hala's Grand Trial!
The crowds had already packed in tight around the town's central festival platform. Townspeople had flocked to the spot in droves, eager to witness whether this Grand Trial would end in success.
The festival platform — normally used for the Tapu Koko festivals — was where the Grand Trials were held as well.
White-bearded and white-haired, draped in his yellow robes, the powerfully built Hala stood atop the stage, watching the young woman who was slowly walking up to face him.
"Mitsuki. Are you ready?"
"Of course I am! Bring it on, old man! I'm gonna win!"
Adjusting her precious flowered straw hat, the bright-eyed, white-toothed girl flashed an enormous grin — her expression both thrilled and razor-sharp.
"Heh heh heh… now that's a fine look."
Sensing the girl's roaring fighting spirit, Hala couldn't help chuckling under his breath.
As Melemele Island's Kahuna — and now the oldest Kahuna in all of Alola — he was genuinely glad to see a young trainer as pure and talented as Mitsuki coming up through the ranks. This kid was leagues better than his own grandson.
"Then allow me, Island Kahuna Hala, to personally guide you through this trial! Challenger!"
Hala's bearing shifted abruptly. He raised his right hand, leveling it directly at Mitsuki, the gravity and weight of his presence commanding the entire crowd's attention.
Talented junior or not, she'd still have to defeat him in this Grand Trial if she wanted to continue forward!
Melemele Island. Island Kahuna. Hala — challenge accepted!
Mitsuki's first Grand Trial was officially underway. Hala was, of course, holding back — after all, the man was a veteran trainer of Elite Four caliber.
In the Sun and Moon games, he was even an official member of the Alola Elite Four. That alone said plenty.
But this was a Grand Trial. Hala wasn't going to come at a fresh-faced rookie trainer with everything he had.
Even so — defeating Hala was no easy task.
But Mitsuki was no ordinary trainer!
The crowd of onlookers watched the fierce battle unfolding on the festival platform with rapt excitement. When Mitsuki's Dragonair took down Hala's Makuhita, an electrified cheer surged through the audience.
"Mitsuki really is… a monster of pure talent~!"
Standing in the crowd, arms folded across his chest, Professor Kukui couldn't help voicing the thought aloud — though "monster" in his mouth was nothing but a compliment.
Whatever angle you looked at it from, this girl who'd moved over from Kanto was simply too astonishing.
Combat experience that grew at breakneck pace. A talent for raising Pokémon that was off the charts. Battle instincts that bordered on monstrous — it left Kukui feeling embarrassed by comparison.
He'd always considered himself a prodigy trainer in his own day. But putting himself next to the present-day Mitsuki, he had to admit — back then, he'd actually been pretty mediocre.
Look at this girl. How long had it even been? And she'd already grown to this level?
"Yes, she really is amazing." Beside him, Lillie's fair, delicate face wore a soft, beaming smile.
"With juniors like her, Alola is finally on the rise!"
Kukui's heart was filled with both gratitude and longing. Sure, Mitsuki was originally from Kanto — but so what? She'd moved to Alola now. That made her an Alolan!
And once Mitsuki had fully grown into her potential, a "monster" like her would absolutely make the entire world turn its head to look. Kukui was certain of it.
They said that the unbeaten Galar Champion Leon had emerged at the peak of his powers from day one, defeating every opponent on his way to becoming Galar's Champion.
But now Alola had its own ace — General Mitsuki — and she would not be one bit inferior to Leon!
"Hm? Nebby! Don't run off, Nebby!"
Lillie had been watching the battle on the stage with rapt attention when she suddenly noticed her bag squirming. The mischievous little Nebby had wriggled its way out of her pack again.
Looking around in every direction, Nebby seemed to lock onto something. It went floating off in that direction with wobbly determination.
Lillie panicked and immediately took off after it.
Because of the Grand Trial, the area was just packed with people, and Lillie was terrified of losing Nebby in the crowd.
"Excuse me, sorry, coming through — Nebby! Nebby, where are you?"
By the time Lillie had squeezed her way out of the crowd, she'd successfully managed to lose track of Nebby entirely.
Lillie sighed in weary resignation. Then again, she was used to this by now. She started searching the surrounding area.
Going by Nebby's habits, it usually wouldn't drift too far. Usually, anyway.
Lillie scanned her surroundings — but when her eyes landed on the area beneath a tree not far off, she froze.
The afternoon sunlight filtered down through the gaps in the leaves, scattering across the figure of the boy beneath the tree like rippling light on a still lake. His gaze was lowered to whatever stood in front of him, leaving the girl with a view of his profile — soft and luminous in the warmth of the late-afternoon glow, his dark eyes steeped in the golden light, smiling and breathtaking.
He'd raised one hand. A pink piece of candy was held between his fingers, which he was offering down to the small creature in front of him. In the interplay of light and shadow, the entire scene looked like an oil painting come to life.
The girl stared blankly at the boy and at Nebby. Even though her surroundings were as noisy as ever, in that moment she felt as if she couldn't hear a single sound.
The whole tableau was simply too harmonious, too beautiful. So beautiful it left her in something of a daze.
"Quite the coincidence — meeting again."
Mammon noticed the white-dressed girl standing not far off and straightened up, smiling as he greeted her.
"Mo~ mo~"
Sensing that the boy's attention had been pulled away, a faintly displeased Nebby floated up in front of him, demanding affection.
"Okay, okay. Pet pet pet."
Mammon's smile deepened. He pinched Nebby's little cheeks lightly and produced another piece of candy, popping it into Nebby's mouth.
"My, what a cute young lady. Don't recognize me?"
Seeing Lillie's dazed expression, Mammon couldn't help raising an eyebrow.
"Ah… s-sorry, sir. I just spaced out for a moment."
Lillie finally snapped back to herself at his words, her cheeks coloring as she lowered her head, embarrassed. She'd been so terribly rude.
And the "cute" thing he'd just said…
"Don't worry about it. I didn't expect such a coincidence either. I just came to watch the Island Kahuna's Grand Trial — and here I am running into you again, miss." Mammon said with a smile.
"This little one is as full of energy as last time."
Mammon's gaze drifted back to Nebby, the smile at the corner of his lips deepening.
"Yes. Nebby has so much energy. But… it really does seem to like you a lot, sir."
Lillie was recovering some of her composure. Watching the clingy Nebby, her pretty face wore a slightly odd expression.
Come to think of it — this good-looking boy had mentioned last time that his ability tended to make Pokémon take a liking to him.