Alolan Trial 7: The Beach, Bitches

Mao stepped out of the Trainer School, a wide grin on his face. "AWRIGHT!!  EARLY INDEPENDENCE!!" As soon as he stepped onto the campus, she saw Lillie waiting for him, smiling and waving his arm at her, which caused Mao to wave back as he approached her. "And for the record, I nailed through all of that."

"I can't believe you did it!" Lillie exclaimed. "I-I mean, not that you couldn't, I mean-"

"Lillie, relax." Mao said. "I know my Pokemon game.  Got skillz.  And a walkthrough.  And I THINK a bond already."

Lillie nodded. "Looks like they're all in sync, right?"

"Yep." Mao nodded. "...Though Boltshazar is hard to read.  That's my Magnemite."

"...Wait what?" Lillie asked, slightly confused.

"They just seem... spaced out.  Emotionless almost." Mao answered. "Granted, they aren't breaking out of Pokeballs or anything.  Like THAT would ever happen!"

"You'd be surprised!" Hiromi called out, slightly miffed.

"...Shoot, I have just been STANDING here, haven't I?" Mao asked, walking on ahead.

Lillie walked up ahead. "Hau'oli City lies straight ahead.  I actually can't wait to see where your adventure takes you, since I feel that you have something to you that-"

"WAIT!!!" Mao grabbed Lillie by the shoulder, having her look up and see a Tauros. "...How did I not notice a giant Tauros that was gonna be in the way to the city?"

"...How didn't you just rush straight OVER to the city, is the better question..." Lillie said, sweatdropping.

Mao looked up at the Tauros, who seemed... docile. "...Hey, he doesn't really look like the kinda bull Pokemon who would just get straight to fucking my shit up right now.  He looks... calm."

The Tauros was eating hay from Hala's hand, who just so happened to be standing right there.  Hau was right next to Hala.

Mao greeted Hala. "Hey old man, I just went through Trainer School, graduated, the whole thing."

Hala turned around. "Well if it isn't Mao!  You look like you've got some learning done."

"Learning is never done," Mao said as he walked over to the Tauros, petting him on the snout. "...Hey, this guy ain't so bad."

"Woah, a bit on the eager side, eh?" Hala chuckled. "I was just about to ask if you wanted to pet him."

"I dunno why." Mao said, turning to Hala. "But somehow... I'm just pretty good around Pokemon.  I just felt like giving him a nice pat on the head, is all."

Hala smiled. "You're going to go far, kid."

The Taurus snorted contently, closing his eyes.

"You're gonna meet all sorts of new Pokemon that are going to enrich your life." Hala said. "Just go out, and see what lies in store!"

With the Tauros being led away, Mao faced Hau, and then Lillie. "...So yeah.  Let's go to town with this, walk on the beach, do shopping, the usual-"

Lillie nodded. "Agreed, now let us all stick toge-"

"Later guys!" Hau said, immediately dashing off. "Malasadas, here I come!" Despite that, he ran first to the beach. "But first beach time!" It was seen that he got into the water, splashing around.

Lillie sweatdropped. "...Weren't we supposed to stick together?"

"He's got a free spirit." Mao said. "Let the young man eat his malasadas.  I for one want to stand on the beach water right here."

"Oh!" Lillie said. "Alright, you may go ahead and do that.  I'm taking Nebby with me as I go shopping." She walked on ahead.

Mao got to the beach shore, and kicked off his sandals, before standing at the shore, feeling the waves wash back and forth around his feet. "...This is freedom."

Wingulls soared over him, swimmers out there were doing their aerobics, a few ladies were getting a tan, what appeared to be pearls were loosely buried under the sand shining through, and all was right with the world.

Mao placed his hand on the Pokeball with Pain in it. "...Come on out, Pain."

Pain was released from the Pokeball, landing on Mao's right shoulder. "Meow..."

"...How about all a ya?" Mao said, releasing the other two Pokemon from his Pokeballs. "Come on out, guys."

Rick the Pikipek landed on Mao's hear, chirping happily. "Piki~!"

Boltshazar stared out in the ocean. "...Magnemite..."

"Boltshazar," Mao said. "that out there... that is what freedom feels like."

"...Mag... nemite..." Boltshazar trailed off. "Mag..."

Mao soon grinned. "It's something else, ain't it?"

Boltshazar continued staring out at sea. "Mite..."

Mao returned all of his Pokemon to their Poke Balls, before putting his sandals back on, and spraying the sandals off. "I hate how grainy sand can be, but it's still worth it."

He soon was walking along the road, when someone stopped him:
"Excuse me."

Mao turned to see a young woman approach him.

"Sorry, I don't mean to bother you," she began, "but you came to Alola from another region, right?"

"Hoenn." Mao answered. "Still sunny, and tropical... but loads of trumpets ablazin'."

"I thought so." The woman said. "Since you're new here, how about I show you how to greet someone in Alola, okay?" She waved her hands down in an arc. "Alola!  Like that, see?  Now you try."

Mao waved his hands in said arc. "Alola." He paused. "...Alola... Aloha... nice!"

"There you go!" The young woman praised. "The more you say 'alola' to people, the more friends you'll make!  Just give it a try and see!"

"Maybe." Mao said, turning around. "Later, stranger!" He resumed walking ahead.

Hau saw him and put back his crocs on, catching up to Mao. "Yo Mao!  You wanna see something cool?"

"Surprise me." Mao answered.

"Oh, you are in for a treat!" Hau said as he went in a building called "Hau'oli City Tourist Bureau", with Mao soon following afterwards while Lillie remained outside.

Mao made sure to open his Rotom Dex up and look at the walkthrough. "...The hell is a Poke Finder?"

"Oh you must be one of the Rotom Dex users!" The receptionist said.

"Wow, one step ahead eh?" Hau chuckled. "Yeah, we heard you guys had that kind of feature for Rotom Dexes."

"Well being quite honest, very few people get a Rotom Dex, so we almost didn't give these things away anymore." The receptionist explained. "So would you like me to install one?"

"Shoot, go to town with it." Mao answered, handing the Rotom Dex over. "Apparently it's a camera thing that lets me take pictures of wild Pokemon?  I can respect that."

"Aaand, done!" The receptionist said, handing the Rotom Dex back to Mao.

"...This is going to be fun, I can immediately tell...!" Rotom said excitedly.

"I'm still watching YouTube videos on you." Mao said. "And reading webcomics.  Now there's camera options as well." He faced the receptionist. "Thanks."

"Come again!" The receptionist said.

"We sure will!" Hau replied as he and Mao headed out. "Man that was fun!"

"...Somehow, I'm missing something." Mao said. "Don't get me wrong: this place is awesome.  Glad I'm over here.  But why do I feel like there's one detail I'm not getting?"

Hau shrugged. "I dunno.  Probably won't take too long to find it, though." He then beamed. "Still, great to hear you're on board with this place!"

Mao looked around. "Where the hell is Lillie, though?"

"...I don't know..." Hau tilted his head.

Mao sighed. "...Shit.  Nebby probably ran off again."

"Who?" Hau asked.

Mao paused. "...I swear, I'm spouting nonsense because ibuprofen!  Pay me no mind!" He then looked around. "...But if I were a betting man... she's probably at a store."

The two dudes turned around, and when they walked to the store and looked through the window, Lillie was indeed looking at a selection of clothing.

"Whelp, here goes nothing." Mao said, before he and Hau went inside. "Decided to go shopping, eh?"

"Oh!" Lillie jumped upon hearing his voice. "Oh...sorry, Mao. I-I meant to stay, but I saw this boutique and I just couldn't help myself."

Mao took a good look at the clothes himself. "Lillie, you're fine.  Fashion sense gets everyone."  He picked out a baby blue top. "This WILL NOT mesh with me.  But YOU... I could see it working."

"Oh...n-no thank you, Mao," Lillie answered. "I don't really pick out clothes on my own...I usually wear what my Mother would tell me to wear."

"Your mom?" Hau asked.

"Uh...that is weird." Mao said. "I usually pick the clothes here.  Bill just picks other things."

"...Yes," Lillie muttered. "A normal child would pick out her own clothes, wouldn't she?"

'Again, that weird melancholy.' Mao said. </i>'Why do I keep getting those vibes?'</i>

"...So when you two are done here," Hau said, "I'm gonna take my two friends Pichu and Rowlett to my favorite place in this whole city!"

"Malasada Shop." Mao said. "I heard you shouting that at the top of your lungs before you made that left field turn."

"...Dang you're good!" Hau grinned.

Mao's stomach rumbled. "Well fuck it, I'm down for chow."

Lillies stomach growled as well. "....Hrmm..." A blush soon formed.

"Happens to the best of us!" Hau reassured. "Come on! You two are comin' down to get some good ol' malasada, and heck! I'll even pay for you guys, and even your Pokemon can come and eat!"

"And like that, you hooked me." Mao said. "I can assure you that I WAS not going to pay for that."

"Wow, that was easy!" Hau said. "How about you, Lillie?"

Lillie paused for a bit, but then nodded. "You know what?  Why now?"

It was a little ways away before they entered the Malasada Shop.

"Welcome to the Malasada Shop!" greeted the waitress as the three entered, before looking at Hau. "Oh, Hau!  Our number one customer!"

"Heyo, Nola!" Hau said. "I'd like to order some Sweet Malasada for me and pals, and my pal Mao's partners too, if ya don't mind!"

"Not at all!" The attendant (who was called Nola) shook her head. "How many Pokemon?"

"5." Mao answered. "Hau has 2, I have 3."

Nola jotted that down. "Gotcha.  Please take your seat."

Mao sat down at the table first, releasing out Pain, Rick, and Boltshazar. "I since got an Electric-type of my own."

"Nice!" Hau said, releasing his own Pichu and Rowlett. "I also take it you like playing the long game!"

"I am opportunistic." Mao admitted. "That's not to say I don't love my Pokemon!  I would do ANYTHING for them."

As if proof of this, Pain snuggled up next to Mao. "Meow~!"

"That's adorable...!" Lillie said.

Boltshazar floated still. "Magnemite."

"...Yeah, I'm still working on them." Mao said. "I intend to have at least one male Pokemon, one female Pokemon, and one genderless Pokemon.  The genderless Pokemon because FUCK Attract."

"I LIKE this side of you!" Hau smiled. "You got a lot of passion about Pokemon battling, eh?"

"But of course." Mao leaned forward. "And, I know: 'Why put so much effort in strategizing and move planning?  Ain't it also important to trust in your teammates?'  And to that I answer: I have COMPLETE faith in my team.  They're gonna be the very best team, like no team ever was.  That, is a FACT.  I'm just saying that fun can be found in thinking about the MOVESET that said team might pick up on."'

"Well if you say so..." Lillie said.

Cue Nola bringing back the Malasadas. "Here you all go."

"Alright, party time." Mao said, before digging in with his team. "Mmm!  SO good...!"

"Ya know," Nola said, "eating this stuff with your party members WILL make them friendlier with you."

"...Oh I am DOWN with that." Mao said pausing. "Chow time!:

Eventually, after the hearty stuffing meal, Mao got out of the table, rubbing his swollen stomach. "Urgh... that's... a lot... urp..."

Hau got out more easily. "You'll get used to it!  Ya burn it fast!"

Lillie left with Nebby, as per usual.

"Woo." Mao said. "...I'mma ditch this joint.  Good eats."

"Later!" Hau said, leaving.

Mao got to the exit. "Later, ya store." He left that joint.

Nola wrote that down on the notes. "Note to self: Either I'm extremely fucking high now, or I saw Hau summon out a Rowlett when he summoned a Litten earlier."

Nola's co-worker Nina spoke up: "Don't question it.  Who knows WHERE he got that grass own from.  Or... I dunno, I'm just baking Big Malasadas for days."

"...Yeah, why couldn't I think of Big Malasadas?" Nola asked. "You're all smug with your raises."

Outside, Mao saw two dudes blue hair and black-and-white clothing, and black and white bandannas looking all skullish.  Complete with bandannas. They were running towards... something.

"Hey jackholes!" Mao called out.

"WHAT?!?" The two thugs asked, turning around.

"...I dunno WHO you are, but you look like the kind of thugs who have Pokemon escape them all the freaking time." Mao answered. "Like you assure yourselves otherwise to try to perpetuate this image that you should be taken seriously.  Like THAT'LL ever happen."

"Well screw you too, dawg!" The dude on the left said. "We tryin' to catch a ROCKRUFF up in here! Don't mess with our mojo!"

"Right." Mao rolled his eyes. "Until scrubs like you two actually FIGHT me, I ain't convinced.  So have fun potentially being mauled by a dog Pokemon."  With that, he turned around and faced the dock. "So.  What's that over there?"

To Be Continued...