Alex and the group disembarked from Mantine and immediately booked a holiday home for the night at a premium price. The festival hadn’t quite started yet, so they had time to secure their accommodations. Of course, they could have used the portable home, but it was always nice to stay somewhere different when possible. It helped them fully immerse themselves in the spirit of the place.

The house they rented was a three-story log house that could easily accommodate their group of nearly two dozen people. It didn’t seem designed with privacy in mind since all the beds had been crammed into one large room, but at least it would be a unique experience.

Once they finished settling in, they headed out and walked through the festival grounds, taking in the atmosphere. There were thousands of people milling about the open area with food stalls lining the sides and braziers illuminating the pathways in the evening light. The mood was lively with traditional Alolan music playing while women in grass skirts and coconut tops danced enticingly. Fire breathers and gymnasts also performed to the rhythm of the music, adding even more energy to the festivities.

At the center of the gathering were several smaller battlegrounds intended for Adept ranked battles. Hala was already there, standing proudly as the kahuna of the island while young men and women gathered around him with Poké Balls in hand. It seemed the festivities were finally about to begin.

“Welcome everyone to another Iki Town Festival, where we pay our respects to the guardian deity of Melemele Island, Tapu Koko. I am proud to say we have grown in numbers again thanks to their protection. May this celebration honor the bonds between our people, our Pokémon, the land that feeds us, and the guardian who shelters us all.”

Cheers erupted from the crowd as the youths took their places around the battlegrounds.

“For all life on our islands and for those who undertake the island challenge with joy in their hearts, we pray for their protection and for all of Melemele. May this Pokémon battle be an offering to our guardian deity, Tapu Koko.”

The cheers gradually quieted as the crowd paid their respects and waited for the battle to begin.

“Before you stands Keoni, son of Makani. Before him stands Nalani, daughter of Kaleo.”

Keoni was a boy about 16 years old wearing casual trainer clothes, a simple thin shirt, shorts, and running shoes. To any tourist, he looked underdressed for the occasion, but this was Alola, with its oppressive sun, salty sea winds, and muggy humidity. As far as the locals were concerned, he could take his shirt off and no one would complain.

Nalani was a girl of the same age wearing a tank top, short shorts, running shoes, and a hat. By local standards, the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bikini already counted as appropriately dressed.

“Keoni! Nalani! Bring forth the power of your Pokémon,” Hala announced as the battle began.

Keoni released an Incineroar while Nalani released a Primarina. It was obvious they had been chosen because they were likely among the strongest of their class without crossing into the Expert rank. This was a festival after all, not an official battle event.

Incineroar started off strong with a Fake Out to move in close before throwing out a Thunder Punch dealing significant damage. Primarina took her time and countered with a point blank Surf, washing him away. Their battle was predictably quite low level given their strength and age so Alex started tuning out. That was until he witnessed the power of the Z-Ring.

Primarina and Incineroar were evenly matched for most of the battle, both landing solid hits by exploiting each other’s weaknesses. Incineroar repeatedly closed the distance and struck with Thunder Punch, while Primarina countered with Surf or Sparkling Aria. However, Incineroar’s superior speed meant he would ultimately land the decisive blow first, making the outcome increasingly obvious as the fight progressed.

That was when the armband around Nalani shined before shooting toward Primarina. In a sudden surge of power, Primarina’s final attack shifted from a regular Sparkling Aria that wouldn’t have sealed the win into a far more powerful Z-Move called Oceanic Operetta.

Spotlights shone on her as she sang, water gathering above her into a teardrop-shaped mass. Without a doubt, this was a Z-Move, elevating a normal attack into a devastating surge of power, and Alex and the group were witnessing it live for the first time.

Incineroar tried to land the finishing Thunder Punch, but he was too late as a massive pool of water crashed down on him, dealing heavy damage and knocking him out.

“Winner! Nalani and Primarina!” Hala announced.

No cheers erupted at the announcement. Instead, both trainers recalled their Pokémon and waited with the crowd in bated breath.

“Ko-ko-kooo~” came a melodious cry from the forest north of the town.

The crowd erupted in cheers at the acceptance of their offering. Alex, meanwhile, could feel the power behind it as wisps of energy accompanied the cry. Unmistakably, Tapu Koko was at Master rank or perhaps above, the raw power alone making the hairs on his body stand on end.

“Ho! You have heard it yourself! Tapu Koko’s song of approval!” Hala said with excitement. “We have another successful Iki Town Festival.”

The crowd cheered even louder as music began to play, dancers moved beside them, and more Adept ranked amateur battles unfolded, further enlivening the atmosphere. The crowd dispersed and spread out as people moved toward the venues that interested them. Some danced to the music, others watched the ongoing battles, and most drifted between stalls for food and merchandise. It was a lively festival that Alex and the group enjoyed well into the evening.

Early the next morning, after a traditional Alolan breakfast of sticky rice, eggs, and an assortment of salty meats such as sausage, tapa, corned beef, and the like, the group began loading onto Mantine before heading east toward the coast, then north along it, taking in the scenery as they went.

“That Z-Move last night was really cool!” Alvera said. “Do you girls have Z-Rings as well?”

“Ugh, I wish!” Malia said. “We’re not nearly rich enough to buy them.”

“Yeah,” Nohea agreed. “They were quite common a long time ago, but they’ve since become far more rare. Now, only Champions can afford them, while only certain families keep a stockpile.”

“Can’t your dad buy them?” Malia asked.

“He can, but he doesn’t really believe in them,” Alvera said, rolling her eyes. “He’s never been fond of anything he considers gimmicky. He says those are only for people who participate in official battles, where everything is bound by rules and maximization is key. Bounty hunters, on the other hand, use everything available to secure a win, so instead of relying on gimmicks, he prefers simply adding more Pokémon instead.”

“If a bounty hunter has to make use of everything they have, then why wouldn’t he use those ‘gimmicks’?” Nohea asked.

“Apparently they drain too much energy from the trainer or Pokémon. He tried giving Mega Evolution a try, but lost interest fast when it left him completely drained after a single use. He said the energy cost wasn’t worth it, better spent personally fighting instead.”

“Right! He loves fighting Pokémon with his guns and fists,” Malia said. “I remember hearing about that.”

“Do you think he’ll give us one if we ask?” Nohea asked with a teasing smile.

“Probably not unless we can afford it ourselves,” Alvera replied.

“Bummer,” Malia said.

Their flight continued over Route 3 until they reached Melemele Meadow by evening, the fields opening into wide stretches of swaying grass and blooming flowers under a fading orange sky. The next day, they spent the morning having a picnic in the sprawling meadow, where the weaker Grass type Pokémon remained calm and unbothered by their presence.

Small groups of Cottonee drifted through the air like floating seeds, occasionally dropping into the grass only to be lifted again by passing breezes, while Petilil gathered in shaded patches, their leaves turning toward the sunlight. Cutiefly hovered around scattered blossoms in soft swarms, sometimes followed by a few Ribombee. Deeper in the meadow, a Lilligant passed through the taller flowers tending the field.

They lingered until early afternoon, then continued on their way, flying over Route 2 until they reached the Berry Fields. There, they strode through neatly arranged rows of fruiting shrubs heavy with Figy, Wiki, Mago, Aguav, Iapapa, Lansat, Micle, and Starf berries, the air thick with a sweet, ripening scent.

Occasional wild Crabrawler startled at their approach, scuttling out from beneath the bushes and snapping its claws defensively before quickly retreating back into the foliage or being chased off by the commotion. Workers moved along the paths, tending the crops while the group sampled berries straight from the source, savoring the fresh harvest before eventually purchasing crates of them in bulk and flying off.

They flew over the eerie Hau’oli Cemetery that housed and even cultivated Ghost type Pokémon, its weathered headstones and iron fences half-swallowed by creeping mist and tangled roots. Wisps of movement drifted between the graves as subtle, watchful presences lingered among the shadows, watching them pass overhead.

Finally, they reached Hau’oli City, the most densely populated city in the entire Alola region and their final destination on Melemele Island, where excitement and trouble often shared the same streets.