The girl was confused about the professor’s words and looked at the two grown-ups with strange eyes. Her reaction made them both nervous, and Officer Jenny cleared her throat.

“You see, we have been talking and we have some good news and bad news. I guess I should begin with the bad news”, said Officer Jenny with serious voice, and then, she showed a paper with finger marks. “While you were sleeping, I took your fingerprints and ran them through our database to find out who you are. It took a while, and the team tried several times, but… sadly, you don’t appear in the system. There’s no information about your identity.”

Selene was shocked at the explanation. Wasn’t there really anything about her?

“But… how? How is that possible? What does it mean?”, asked Selene as she got more nervous.

“Relax, please. It just means that you are not registered in this region. There’s the possibility that you came from another region and, somehow, you ended up on that beach before registering your entrance. We asked some ships about possible missing people, but there weren’t any reports. Nobody has contacted the police asking about you either. Still, I will keep researching and asking everywhere, and I will send your fingerprints to other regions. We’ll find out, don’t worry, but it will take a while for that to happen”, explained Officer Jenny.

Still nervous, the girl looked at the agent, who showed a confident smile that calmed her down. Selene could feel she was worried about her.

“If those are the bad news… what are the good ones?”, asked Selene.

“I’m glad you ask!”, exclaimed Professor Kukui. “You see, after discussing it, we decided that you will be coming to my house for the time being. That is, until we find your family and you go back with them.”

“Wait, what?”, asked Selene in shock, but that shock turned into worry. “No, I… I can’t accept that! I don’t want to be a nuisance for you!”

“Well, not that you have better alternatives, right?”, joked Professor Kukui. “Don’t worry, I live alone, and I have a place you can use as a room… as soon as I buy a futon for ya. Really, I don’t mind taking care of ya and it will be easier for Officer Jenny to find you if she has new information.”

As much as she tried, Selene couldn’t find any other excuse to reject the offer. In her situation, she didn’t have many options. She felt bad for abusing his hospitality, and still, she trusted the two people in front of her. The girl nodded shyly, and Professor Kukui and Officer Jenny smiled.

“Don’t worry, you will be in good hands. Professor Kukui is highly regarded in the region”, said Officer Jenny. “Now that’s settled, the doctor will do the physical examination later today, and if everything’s fine, you can leave tomorrow morning. If you excuse me, I will go back to my work. I’ll keep you both updated.”

Saying that, Officer Jenny left the room followed by Gumshoos, leaving Professor Kukui and Selene alone. The girl didn’t stop thinking about the agent’s words, especially those regarding the man she was going to live with.

“I… I didn’t know you were such an important person. I’m sorry if I was rude before”, apologized Selene.

“Oh, no, please! Don’t treat me so highly. I’m not that important, but I guess I’ve done a thing or two as a Pokémon Professor, that’s what she meant” said Professor Kukui humbly.

“Pokémon… Professor?”, asked Selene confused. “So you work with monsters like… Gumshoos? I just don’t get it at all…”

“Don’t worry. Now that you’re living with me, I’ll help you with everything regarding Pokémon”, said Professor Kukui with a happy tone. Suddenly, his face lighted up. “I know! It’s been a while since I’ve done this, but why don’t I give you the introduction I offer to new trainers?”

Althought the girl didn’t understand what Kukui meant with ‘trainers’, Selene thought it could be a good idea, so she nodded in silence. Then, the professor sat down in the chair and cleared his throat.

“Hang on. Gimme just a sec…”, muttered Professor Kukui nervously. Then, he smiled at Selene. “So you’re finally in Alola! Alola is a region made up of several islands. That could be the reason why is chock full of nothin’ but rare Pokémon, yeah! There’s no shortage of cool Pokémon out here in Alola, either! Such mysterious creatures! You find ‘em all over. In the grass, in the caves, in the sky and sea… Here in Alola we love our Pokémon, and we depend on them heaps, too. Some of us even battle with ‘em, if we call ourselves Pokémon Trainers! And about me, I spent lots of time studying them and how they use their powers in battle. It can be a blast!”

Professor Kukui’s speech sounded so enthusiastic, but for Selene, it didn’t clear a lot of doubts she had. She seemed to understand some things though.

“So… you are saying that Pokémon, that is, monsters like Gumshoos, are just everywhere in Alola, which is where I am right now”, said Selene as she ordered her thoughts. “And you… you are some kind of… researcher of Pokémon?”

“To put it simply, yes. I’m just one of so many out there, and my passion is learning more about the attacks Pokémon use during fights”, explained Kukui excitedly. “You see, humans and Pokémon have been livin’ together since… forever! We coexist in this world, and some become our friends, like Gumshoos and Officer Jenny. I know right now it can be hard to imagine, but you’ll see it when we leave tomorrow, promise!”

Selene wasn’t sure if that was going to happen that way, but Professor Kukui’s excitement was contagious. At least, she was more curious about those strange creatures than a few minutes before.

The afternoon passed by quickly. The doctor and a nurse came back to the room to perform the physical examination. They checked that Selene didn’t feel weak and could move around easily, her vision and other things. After checking she didn’t have any physical or mental problems aside from her amnesia, the doctor confirmed she could leave the following morning. All that was left was having a quick dinner and sleeping. Even though she tried to convince him to go back home, Professor Kukui insisted on spending the night in the hospital, just in case there was a problem or she needed anything. The girl felt both ashamed and grateful for the attention Kukui was giving her and both went to sleep quite early. It had been a long day, full of emotions and stress, and Selene felt extremely tired even if she hadn’t move a lot. Her eyes felt heavy, and she just let them close without opposition.

Thus, the next morning arrived quickly. Selene felt much better after resting, but Professor Kukui had to stretch a bit after sleeping in the chair the whole night. After eating the breakfast a nurse brought to them, they were told to leave whenever they wanted. Then, the professor approached a cupboard and took some clothing which he handed to Selene.

“This is what you wore when I found ya”, said Professor Kukui, revealing a beige t-shirt, green shorts, black and red sneakers and a red hat with a flower on the top. “While you were unconscious, I took them to a laundry, they were soaked! I’ll wait outside while you change, got it?”

The professor left the room, leaving Selene alone, contemplating her clothing. Holding it in her hands, she could feel it actually belonged to her. The girl stood up and slowly changed her clothing, putting the hospital gown aside and putting on that outfit. Since there wasn’t any mirror in that room, Selene looked at the turned-off TV. Even if it was small, it was enough to check her own reflection, and after looking at herself, she felt even more comfortable than before. She knew she liked that clothing, being so colorful and fresh. Although she didn’t have any memories, Selene felt more like herself.

Selene left the room and met Professor Kukui in the corridor. It wasn’t just something that the girl felt inside: the professor perceived Selene was much livelier than before. After thanking the doctor and the nurses for their assistance, the duo walked to the entrance of the hospital. A bright light went through the glass doors, and she could even feel how sunlight warmed her arms. As the doors slided, that light dazzled Selene for a few seconds, as her eyes got used to it. When she could see with clarity, her face lighted up with emotion. Noticing her reaction, Professor Kukui smiled and said:

“Welcome to Alola! Welcome to the Pokémon World!”

A huge city spread before Selene’s eyes. The streets were full of stores and restaurants, but at the same time, nature found its way between the human architectures as trees and grass bloomed everywhere, decorated with colorful flowers and fruits. However, what made the scenery shine above anything else was the sea that extended at the distance, a wide beach with golden sand and crystal clear water that went far into the horizon. And on top of everything, a bright sun shining upon that land, engulfing every corner and person with a warm feeling. The young girl couldn’t even say a single word, her mouth wide open and her mind amazed at the scene. Professor Kukui smiled at her.

“Nice views, right? However, if this already amazes you, I’m gonna Shock Wave you. Follow me, it’s nearby!”, said Professor Kukui cheerfully.

The two of them began walking, Selene still looking back, trying to catch those beautiful views again, but it was no longer possible as they walked into the streets. It was still early and there were just a couple tourists here and there, but Selene could see how excited Professor Kukui was about whatever he wanted to show the girl. Among the quite streets, a far noise appeared, the girl understanding it was some kind of crowd. The more they walked, the louder that noise became, voices and steps mixed together.

“Right around that corner. Get ready, it’s usually crowded at first hour in the morning!”, exclaimed Professor Kukui.

As they turned around the corner, the two of them arrived into a long street, but instead of houses, a lot of stands were lined up at both sides, displaying a huge array of products, specially fruits. As Kukui said, there were already a lot of people there, buying the freshest groceries or something for breakfast. However, that was not what shocked Selene, as her eyes opened widely. Her lips trembling, she could just mutter a few words.

“What… what are… those…”

Among the people stood dozens of strange creatures that Selene had never seen before, in all shapes and colors. Little black cats sleeping on the roofs of the tents, a big green frog in the middle of the street, beautiful yellow insects with big eyes flying around, a carriage pulled by a bull with several tails, a lizard with wings quite taller than the humans around it… they were just a few of the different monsters that crowded the street. Selene felt amazed and moved at that scene, but the monsters themselves were not the only source of those emotions: what surprised her most was how humans treated them naturally, in the same way Officer Jenny interacted with Gumshoos. Humans and monsters helped each other and interacted as equals, with some humans even consulting their next purchases to the monsters or sharing a playful time together. Even though she still didn’t know what Pokémon were, the girl felt something in her heart, a warm sensation. Selene knew interacting with those creatures was possible, real… and fantastic.

“So… what do you think now?”

Selene looked at the professor, who asked her that question with a smile on his face. The girl couldn’t hide her joy and surprise, and with the purest innocence of a child, she exclaimed:

“This is… awesome!”