That scream was so loud that the professor heard it from the basement, rushing to the main floor with worried face.

“Selene, what’s wrong? I heard you yelling!”, asked the professor concerned.

Without thinking too much about Kukui, Selene grabbed her bag and rushed towards the entrance while saying:

“ProfessorIgottagotothecityIllbebackquicklypleasecanyoutakecareofJangmoothankyoubye”.

In an instant, Kukui was left alone at home, dumbfounded at how rushed everything happened. Knowing Selene, the professor knew she must had a good reason for leaving in such a hurry and, just like he was asked, he remained for a while in the living room while checking Jangmo-o occasionally. He wondered if he should call the girl and ask her what was going on, but his natural curiosity inclined him to wait to see the surprise by himself.

It took around an hour for Selene to come back holding a plastic bag in her hand. The girl greeted the professor and climbed to her room, with the professor observing over the edge of the attic. Selene kneeled in front of the carrier and took out a vanity case from the bag, and from this one, she took what seemed to be an exaggeratedly big nail clipper. Then, she crouched and looked at Jangmo-o, which was still crouched.

“Hey, come out! I can help you! I have this!”.

Selene tried showing the nail clipper to Jangmo-o, but of course, the Pokémon didn’t understand what she was looking at. Realizing her mistake, the girl realized she needed a good demonstration.

“Okay, look at this!”.

The girl opened her left hand and put in on the opening of the carrier, making sure the Pokémon could see it clearly. Then, she used the nail clipper and began cutting her own nails. She usually cared of them and left them a bit longer, thanks to her friend’s advice, but she knew that was the best way to communicate with Jangmo-o. After a few seconds, she cut one of her nails, the remainder falling on the floor. Selene observed the Pokémon and she noticed it: Jangmo-o had raised her head and her eyes shone with curiosity. The girl kept cutting her own nails, Jangmo-o’s interest growing with each cut nail. After a while, Selene finished her “improvised manicure” and showed it to Jangmo-o. It was the first time that the girl saw the Pokémon being that excited since she got in her house.

“If you come out, I can do this to you! Come on!”, exclaimed Selene excitedly.

It was obvious for the girl that Jangmo-o had an internal conflict. She was still scared after her incident and being in such an unknown place, but she also seemed to want that. Selene tried to look happy, tapping the floor slightly to invite the Pokémon to come out. With some reluctance, Jangmo-o walked slowly outside. Observing the scene, the professor was surprised at what Selene achieved, while the girl, unaware of Kukui’s observations, sighed in relieved and smiled.

“Don’t worry. You’ll look great, I promise”, said Selene happily.

Slowly and with care, checking the book occasionally just in case, Selene began cutting Jangmo-o’s claws one by one. The Pokémon was nervous at first, but after the girl finished with the first paw and she observed it, the dragon turned immensely happy. It took a while, but once Selene finished the manicure, the Pokémon was so happy that she began jumping around. However, it was not over yet. Selene removed the collar and used the same clipper to cut the big scale on her head, which was not that different from cutting her claws. After she was over, Jangmo-o run to the water bowl and checked her own reflection. After all those changes, the dragon was delighted and run from one place to the other.

“What the…”

The professor, who watched the whole scene from the stairs, finally climbed to the attic and approached Selene. He was obviously in shock. He couldn’t understand what happened and how Jangmo-o’s mood changed so quickly.

“What’s going on? How did you do that?”, asked Kukui in confusion.

For the girl, it was funny seeing the professor so confused. Selene giggled a bit, satisfied and slightly proud at her own discovery.

“Do you remember her claws and scales were chipped back at the island? It was her! She was doing that on herself! The book says female Jangmo-o have slightly smaller claws and scales. Seems to be a recent discovery. She did all that to make her claws and scale smaller and look more like a girl. But after the recovery, they all grew back again and she was uncomfortable like that. Also, with the collar, she couldn’t do anything. That’s why she was so sad. So I just went to the city and bought this nail clipper for Pokémon. I feel so dumb for not noticing this before”, explained Selene.

With a proper explanation, it made sense for the professor. Jangmo-o was a trans Pokémon. It wasn’t just how she interacted with other Pokémon in her pack or how she expressed herself: the Pokémon would probably have some problems with her body not fitting her gender and she tried to change those things that bothered her. Kukui was surprised, not only at seeing the Pokémon being so lively in a sudden, but also at seeing how Selene had noticed all those things and came up with a solution. Just like in his class, he felt proud for the progress of his student and refugee.

On her part, Selene felt glad at seeing the Pokémon so happy at that moment. She wanted to see Jangmo-o just like she was during her time at the pack, playing with her friends, and she had finally done it. Those memories helped the girl come up with another idea.

“Hey, do you wanna play?”, asked Selene to Jangmo-o. “Let’s go outside”.

Although Selene intended to help Jangmo-o get down the attic, there was no need as the now cheerful Pokémon jumped nimbly to the living room. Seeing there was no need to worry, the girl ran outside, followed by the Pokémon.

The hottest hours were already gone, making the outside a bit warm, although the gentle sea breeze was still welcome. Selene noticed Jangmo-o’s reactions, since it was the first time she was at a beach. After living her whole life in a mountain area, the Pokémon found the sand ticklish and comforting, making her jump around in excitement. Before the girl could say anything, the dragon ran off towards something that stuck out of the sand. Selene didn’t know what it was at first, but a few seconds later, she could see Jangmo-o carrying a small stick with her mouth and leaving it close to her. The girl thought that it was meant to be thrown, but before she could pick it up, Jangmo-o ran off again, bringing another branch a few seconds later.

With a mix of confusion and curiosity, Selene decided to remain still and observe Jangmo-o, the dragon bringing small branches and rocks and putting them together, almost like in a round shape. It took her a while, but she remembered how the Pokémon played with her pack building nests. She was doing that again, only with the materials she had around. However, the latest one seemed quite heavy and long and the Pokémon had a bit of trouble moving it, dragging it on the sand. Now that she understood Jangmo-o’s “game”, she giggled and ran towards the Pokémon, grabbing the other end of the branch. For a moment, the dragon dropped her end and looked at the human with curiosity.

“Let’s do it together! We girls gotta help each other, right?”, exclaimed Selene with a big smile.

If Selene had learned something after her all that time in Alola, it was that Pokémon can understand you in one way or another. Maybe it wasn’t the girl’s words, but her intentions and kindness that got through Jangmo-o’s heart, making her jump around in happiness, her eyes shining brightfully. As a team, the duo carried the big branch together, as well as other materials from the beach and the surrounding tree areas. The few hours before sunset went by quickly, working together building that nest. Selene was kindly scolded a few times by the Pokémon about how to place the branches and leaves together, but she understood the dragon’s good intentions. After all that work, the nest was finished: a different version of what a Jangmo-o’s nest usually is, but it wasn’t a bad job. Tired and dirty, human and Pokémon contemplated their creation with satisfaction.

“That’s what I call a nest!”.

Professor Kukui exclaimed that with happiness as he approached Selene and Jangmo-o. The professor observed the nest with attention. It sure was a funny sight for him, since beach Pokémon don’t usually build those kinds of structures on the beach.

“Yep, I’d say you two did a great job! And you sure had a lot of fun!”, exclaimed Kukui.

“Yeah! It was really fun, right, Jagi?”, asked the girl to the Pokémon, who replied with a happy bark.

“‘Jagi’?”, asked the professor confused.

“Yeah, I mean, it sounds cute! Do you like it?”, asked Selene again to Jangmo-o, who gave her approval again with another cheerful bark.

The professor contemplated the interactions between human and Pokémon. He was somehow mesmerized at how quickly those two had formed such a strong bond. He had already seen before how that happens: a human and a Pokémon bonding at the moment they meant. It didn’t matter how many times Kukui saw that happen, it always filled his heart with joy. And it was that joy that made him ask:

“You know, Selene… why don’t you become Jagi’s trainer?”.

At first, Selene just said “What?”, without actually thinking about what she had just been proposed. As a few seconds passed, her smile turned in a shock face. She, a Pokémon trainer? Was the professor serious at that moment? She didn’t think about that idea when she took Jagi. Her purest intention was just helping that Pokémon in need. She then looked at Jagi’s eyes. The truth was she had fun that day. Even when she played with Rockruff before, she knew they were just having fun. But with Jagi… she felt something different. She enjoyed doing the dragon’s manicure and building the nest together. She wanted to keep doing all those things and even more along that Pokémon. But was that the right thing?

“I don’t know, Professor…”, answered Selene with a dubious voice. “I never had a partner Pokémon before. I’m not sure if I’m fit to be a trainer…”

“Are ya kidding?”, asked Kukui with a joking tone. “With everything you did these days, what you did today… You are the best partner Jagi can have, no doubt about it”.

Still, Kukui’s words were not enough to dissipate Selene’s internal doubts. Knowing that, Kukui approached the girl and put his hands on her shoulders.

“Listen well, young lady. Being a trainer doesn’t mean you gotta fight or be the strongest out there. Each person in Alola, no, in the whole world, they find their own trainer path. Some trainers aim to be the strongest along with their Pokémon, others work together to achieve a goal… and others just enjoy their time together as friends, as a family. If you want to be Jagi’s friend, you can just do that”, explained Kukui with a gentle tone.

Being friends… Selene had already seen humans and Pokémon being friends. Her friends at the school had their own Pokémon, they talked together, laughed together, worked together… and cared about each other. She wanted something like that, and deep inside, she hoped to do all those things with Jagi. But what about the Pokémon? Wouldn’t she be better with another trainer? Just as she thought that, she felt something touching her leg: it was Jangmo-o, who had approached her and caressed her head against the girl’s leg, purring gently. Selene was moved with that gesture.

“See? Jagi thinks the same! Now… what is your answer?”.

After those words, Kukui took out a Poké Ball from his coat and handed it over to Selene. Her heart sped up as she stared at the round item in her hands. She was nervous, intensely nervous. However, the memories of her life in Alola during those last weeks, everything she lived along with her new friends, Lillie’s kind words… All that gave her the confidence she needed to crouch in front of the Pokémon, show her the Poké Ball and say:

“Jagi… I had a lot of fun today and… I’d like to play more with you. Would… would you like to be my friend?”.

Her heartbeats were intense, almost feeling like her heart would come out of her chest at any second. The Pokémon remained silent for a while, looking first at Selene and then at the Poké Ball in her hands. How a wild Pokémon could know how it worked, that was something the girl couldn’t answer at all. But she and the professor could swear that Jagi pushed the button of the Poké Ball with her forehead, the ball opening and covering the dragon with a red light before it disappeared inside the ball. The girl didn’t know what to do, her only option being staring at the ball in her hands shaking gently from side to side with a wobbly sound. And after a few seconds, a click. It was the first time she heard that click, and still, she knew what that meant, her heart filled with joy and happiness. She looked at the professor, who nodded while smiling.

Then, Selene stood up and threw the Poké Ball up in the ear. It opened, shooting a blue beam of light that landed on the sand, revealing Jagi again. Once their eyes met, Jagi jumped on her new trainer’s chest and pushed her on the sand. Her hair was messy and the sand was itchy, but she didn’t care. Nothing mattered at that moment but the joy Selene and Jagi felt for becoming friends.

The following day at the school began with a big surprise. When everybody wondered why Selene was so happy, she revealed her Poké Ball and, without saying anything else, let Jagi out. All the children were surprised not just at the Pokémon’s happiness, but also at Selene becoming a Pokémon trainer. While the girl explained everything to their friends, Jagi met the other Pokémon in the class, who quickly accepted her and began playing with her. There was nothing else but joy and happiness in that classroom, celebrating both achievements.

“It’s still a bit hard to understand, but Jagi looks so much happier now. Pokémon sure are mysterious creatures!”, exclaimed Mallow in awe.

Selene looked at Jagi from the distance, having fun with her new friends and, with a bright smile, she said:

“Maybe… but you know? I don’t think there’s any mystery… She’s just being herself”.