A mere six weeks after Azophi had decided to become a trainer and accompany Makani on his Island Challenge, they found themselves trudging up the hill towards Iki Town’s center at the literal ass crack of dawn. Why did this whole starter ceremony have to be so early?

Of course Azophi’s two companions didn’t seem to mind. Makani was practically bouncing with excitement and Hau, who normally shared Azophi’s distaste for the first hours of the day, was grinning from ear to ear.

So Azophi covered another yawn and kept their gripes to themself. This would be worth it later. They were going to be given a starter pokemon. Without Hala’s connections and generosity, their options were to somehow befriend a wild. And that sure as shit wasn’t happening. With a starter, they could catch wilds and earn their respect through battle. They had a chance. Without one, this whole trainer plan was dead in the water. They’d be stuck living with their mother for another year. And Makani... he’d probably make other friends, make a new life, and they’d be farther apart than they were with a literal ocean between them.

So what was one early morning really? If nothing else, the hike finally gave them a few quiet moments to reflect on everything that had happened.

Between unpacking, registering at HO-U, trainer school, and hanging out with the Kahilis, the past month had been a blur of furious activity. And Azophi barely had a moment to themselves to think. Not that they couldn't handle it—they'd had wall-to-wall extracurriculars all their life—but they'd expected Alola to be a bit more relaxed somehow. Why they ever thought their life would get any easier was a mystery, but whatever.

In fact, Alola had been surprising them since they arrived. The most jarring had been walking into trainer class the first day and finding out their teacher was a Reuniclus. It did make its own kind of sense. Who better to teach perspective trainers than a pokemon? They had completed the Island Challenge with some trainer who had gone on to become a Z-Captain, so they certainly had the experience. And they were a psychic-type, so communication wasn’t a problem. Plus they were kind enough to help Azophi catch up and used gender neutral pronouns, because apparently that was a thing here.

All-in-all it was kind of ideal. There was just nothing like it in Johto—or Kanto and Unova for that matter. Pokemon had jobs sure, but they always had a human partner. And they were employed for their senses and abilities. They didn’t just work at any old job a human could. Azophi wasn’t so sure they were allowed to. But here no one batted an eye. Pika had talked about Nīnau-sensei like any of his other colleagues—which Azophi was still a little salty about because it made them look like a damn moron when they had introduced themselves and Azophi’s jaw hit the floor. But Pika was a nice enough guy and very helpful, so they let it slide.

Compared to a pokemon teaching the class, students taking it with their pokemon wasn’t that big a deal. And Azophi knew going in that they’d be the oldest by far, so that was—not fine exactly, but at least they were prepared. Going toe-to-toe with thirteen-year-olds was frowned upon, of course, but Azophi could always beat the hell out of the little shits in practice battles, which was satisfying.

The infamous professor was also even more eccentric than Azophi had anticipated, even with all of Makani’s stories about him. For one, he never wore a shirt. He wore his lab coat plenty—treated it like a robe—but it was almost invariably open, and there was nothing but tan skin stretched over chiseled muscle beneath it. He had slightly amended his first impression by taking a jab at Tamamushi City after Azophi had made an off-color joke about it, but he was still a fucking wild man with a rather interesting approach to scientific experimentation.

As much as Azophi was loathe to admit it, the Rotomdex had in fact turned out to be “really cool” or at least very useful. Dax was a smug smart-aleck, and their voice software was kinda unsettling, as all artificial voices were. But they were also a talking, pokemon encyclopedia and willing to help Azophi review and quiz them endlessly in preparation for their trainer license test. They had even loaded up LycorvAlpha to generate some practice problems for Azophi’s math placement exam. They also fancied themselves a photographer, and some of their shots came out nice enough for Azophi’s Instaditto. Which helped Azophi think of them as a fully sapient and formally employed technician rather than a glorified piece of lab equipment.

The big remaining mystery was Lillie, who allegedly worked in Prof. Kukui’s lab and slept in his loft. But even after Azophi had finally passed their trainer test and made it into their college courses, they had yet to actually meet her. The Kahilis talked about her a lot—although all Azophi really knew was that she was nice, played tennis with one of Hau’s college pals, and was the only reason the lab was functional. As much as Hau and Makani jawed about her, there did seem to be an odd lack of detail on some level that Azophi couldn’t quite place. And despite some effort to put themselves and this Lillie character in the same place at the same time, they seemed to have opposite schedules. When Azophi was in class or running around with the Kahilis, she was working at the lab. And when Azophi had time to go to the lab, she was out at tennis practice or running some errand for Kukui. Azophi was honestly beginning to doubt of her existence.

As they passed under the carved wooden gate into the town square, Hala and his giant Hariyama came into view, waiting for them atop the battle royale platform. They were close and facing one another, clearly engaged in quiet conversation, but they stopped as soon as they saw the trio and squared their shoulders. Hala wore a traditional robe, and the tattoos covering every inch of his skin were extra stark in the slanting light. He looked like a god’s Mouthpiece—almost as intimidating as the Champion of their home region. And that was saying something because the woman always carried a sword on her hip and could set it and herself on fire at will.

Hau and Makani greeted their grandfather enthusiastically, but he remained as stoic as ever—head held high and chin jutted. The angle of the light cast deep shadows over his eyes and made his face look even more like the god’s mask Makani had said the tattoos were based on. Azophi bowed.

Hala dipped his head back, peering down at them wit his silver hair wreathed in the dawn’s fiery rays. Azophi felt bare. But just as their anxiety began to spike in earnest, Hala’s Haryama let out a huff and the Kahuna spoke.

“Here on the islands, it is tradition that trainer and pokemon select each other. So each of you will approach the pokemon of your choice and ask to be their partner. The pokemon can then either accept or decline.” Okay, why did no one tell Azophi about that part?? All that work, trainer card in their pocket, and they still had a chance to fail. Perfect. “Hau will choose first since he has waited the longest, then Makani and then Azophi.“

Hala pulled back his robe to reveal the pokeballs on his big, cloth belt and sent out three pokemon. One was a fat seal-looking thing with a frill around its neck that cocked its head at Azophi. The second was like a Hoothoot with a leaf bowtie that became visibly excited the moment it spotted Makani and hopped towards him with a chirp. Makani smiled and waved back. Azophi had sort of forgotten the Kahilis had met the prospective starter pokemon a while before Azophi had arrived.

The third pokemon was not one of the weird gray Meowth they had here, but a pitch black cat with flaming red markings and piercing yellow eyes. After surveying them for a moment, it lifted a paw and delicately cleaned its claws. Azophi’s eyes went wide as saucers and they had to stifle a scream. Azophi would have bet anything it was a fire-type, maybe even a secondary dark-type. It was so fucking perfect!

Then Hau loomed into their peripheral vision as he stepped forward, gaze fixed on Azophi’s would be partner and their heart skipped a beat.

He held his hand out to the cat. “What do you say, buddy? Want to be my partner?”

“But—but!” Azophi squeaked.

Makani shushed them and they bit their tongue. This couldn’t be happening! Maybe, just maybe, the cat wouldn’t—

It pushed its head into Hau’s palm and purred. FUCK. Hau stroked its back, and it scurried lightly up his arm and wrapped itself around his shoulders.

Hau laughed. “Can I call you Malasada?” He turned to face the other two, smiling broadly, and the cat licked his cheek.

Azophi made a strangled sound as their soul departed their mortal coil. They had really been trying to get along with him for Makani’s sake—and in all honesty it had been going really well—but this shit was unforgivable.

Makani stepped forward and held out his arm as a perch for the owl. “Would you be my partner?”

The owl ignored his arm and went right for his shoulder. He laughed and spluttered as the owl nuzzled him vigorously, cooing loudly. “I’d like to call you Wini, if that’s alright?” The owl nibbled his ear, clearly delighted, and Makani returned to stand next to Hau.

Azophi looked at them, arms crossed over their chest, and Hau had the audacity to give them the thumbs up and flash one of his too broad grins. There was nothing they could do and honestly they should expect this kind of shit by now.

They set their jaw and stepped up to the platform’s edge. The seal bounced forward to meet them and its pathetic little nubbin of a tail wagged like a Growlithe’s.

Azophi sighed. “Will you take me?” They couldn’t even look it in its big, watery eyes. Which turned out to be a mistake because after an agonizing pause in which the rest of Azophi’s nightmare had come true, it let out a loud arf! and launched itself at them. They managed to catch the fat little thing, but not without screaming in alarm. It barked in their face as they held it up by its flippers and they turned back to the Kahilis for help. “Is that a yes?”

Makani nodded vigorously and Hau had his hands clutched together, a single tear leaking out of his eye. What a damn sap.

Azophi tried to heft their new pokemon into a somewhat more tenable position and fell back in line with the other two. When they looked up, Hala and his Hariyama were sharing a somber look, but it passed quickly.

“As I, the Kahuna of Melemele, have witnessed: these three trainers and pokemon have chosen one another as partners and will henceforth embark on the Island Challenge. To each pair, I impart an Island Challenge amulet.” He handed each of them a tasseled wooden charm along with their pokemon’s ball. “May the Tapus smile upon you as you honor this sacred tradition of their islands and grant you luck along your path. You may return and challenge me once you have completed the Verdant Cavern Trial.”

Hau and Makani bowed their heads along with their pokemon. “Mahalo, Kahuna Hala.”

Azophi dipped their head. “Arigato gozaimasu.”