Chapter Text
945. Alola to a New Adventure!
Several months after returning from Kalos, Ash joins his mother on a vacation to the archipelagic region of Alola that Mimey won in a lucky draw. Wanting to put the past behind them, he and Pikachu enjoy their time in the sun, discovering many new and familiar species of local Pokémon that are unique to the islands, but are eventually reminded by Delia that, in addition to their relaxation, they also have to deliver a Pokémon Egg to Professor Oak’s cousin, Samson. Learning that he is the principal of the local Pokémon School, an interested Ash decides to head there after they have explored the vast jungles of Melemele Island, and after he predictably gets lost, he chances upon a sprawling university campus, where he befriends a young second-year student named Mallow Kameāloha and an older third-year student named Kaito “Kai” Nakamura.
Learning that this is Pokémon School, the amazed Ash is brought around by the students, who show him how the main educational institute of Alola functions before they get him to Samson, who, as it turns out, has already received the Egg from Delia. Having heard much about Ash from his cousin, the eccentric principal introduces him to his coworkers, Professors Abraham “Abe” Kukui and Brian Stanford, who bring him into a classroom before they are interrupted by a commotion at the front gates. To their dismay (and annoyance), the professors and students discover that the cause of the disruption is a gang of ruffians called Team Skull, who are harassing three other students: second-year Kiawe Kalama and third-years Annabelle “Annie” Crowe and Julia “Jules” Craven. Intervening out of a desire to stop the argument, Ash and Pikachu provoke the gang members, but effortlessly hold their ground against three Salandit, allowing an impressed Kiawe to perform his signature Z-Move, Inferno Overdrive, and pulverise the remaining Pokémon, forcing the grunts to flee.
With the annoyance neutralised, Annie introduces herself and her friends to Ash and tells him about the concept of Z-Moves, which can be learned on each of the four main islands of Alola after undergoing certain trials. However, before she can continue, Ash suddenly glimpses a strange Pokémon flying by and describes it to the others, who identify it as Tapu Koko, a Legendary Pokémon and the Guardian of Melemele Island. Surprised and intrigued by his sudden reappearance, Kaito treats the Ketchums to an expensive dinner, both as a gesture of thanks for helping his friends and to learn more about Ash.
Later that night, at the expensive restaurant, Ash expresses a desire to stay in Alola for a bit, but as he reflects on what he has learned, he hears a cry and heads out into a nearby viewing point. There, he finds a waiting Tapu Koko, who levitates a bracelet-like object into his hands and silently nods before flying off. At the same time, Kaito finds out from Delia that Ash was the recent runner-up in the Kalos League and smirks as he sees Tapu Koko flying away, realising what has just happened as he learns more about this foreigner by contacting someone on his phone.
The following day, Ash speaks to his mother over a video call in Professor Kukui’s house, having decided to attend the Pokémon School as a transfer student for the next year. Having already returned to Kanto with Mimey, Delia wishes her son good luck as he recounts the previous night of transferring his one suitcase to his new room after Kukui agreed to let him stay under his roof. However, upon realising that classes are starting soon, Ash says goodbye and ends the call before leaving with Pikachu and running up the road leading to the Pokémon School, beginning his adventures in Alola.
946. The Guardian’s Challenge!
Upon arriving on the campus, Ash reunites with Kukui and is brought to the second-year classroom, where he is introduced to his fellow students: Mallow, Kiawe, Lana Kaimana, Sophocles Nikolaidis and Lillie Smythe, the last of whom is irrationally scared of Pokémon. Noticing the device on Ash’s arm, Sophocles identifies it as a Z-Ring, complete with an Electrium Z, causing Lana to ponder why Tapu Koko would entrust a newcomer with such an important part of Alolan culture. Sharing her opinion, Kiawe lectures Ash on the importance of his new role as a Z-Move user, but Ash, already having an inkling about what he is about to go through, shrugs him off, even when Kiawe reveals that he only got his Z-Crystal by clearing Akala Island’s grand trial. Fortunately, before an argument can start, a dark-haired girl wearing opaque goggles defuses the situation by telling Kiawe that they should give him a chance to prove himself, pointing out that they did so for her when she first joined their class. Agreeing with her, Mallow guides Ash to his seat as a class on the regional Alolan forms of Kantonian Pokémon begins, and reveals that the girl who spoke up in his defence was Kaito’s younger sister, Kiri.
Across the hallway, Brian informs the third-year students that their final grade for the year will be entirely based on a personal thesis that reflects their experiences throughout the year and its applicability to either a prospective career or their respective lives, which garners a mixed reception due to uncertainty over the assignment’s feasibility. However, class president Leilani Mahelona, with support from Kaito, Annie and her younger twin brother, Akoni, persuades them to see it as a chance for one last gathering before graduation and points out the opportunities that this approach grants them. Accepting the assignment, the remaining students – Julia, William “Will” Holden, Robert “Robby” Warren, Leigh Wan, Oren Bishara, Eleanor “Ellie” Kim, Beatriz Espinoza and Montague “Monty” Dunstan – affirm a promise to make the year memorable as Brian watches them.
That evening, Professor Kukui treats Ash and Pikachu to dinner as a way to officially welcome them into his home, and introduces the former to a Rockruff that has been living with him. As he observes his newest student’s ease in befriending a Pokémon he barely knows, he receives a call from Mallow and the rest of the class, who are planning a surprise party with help from the third years, and agrees to help keep him occupied until then. Fortunately, with help from Rockruff, Kukui manages to keep Ash from finding out about the party until the next morning, whereupon the event commences from the moment Ash steps into the schoolyard. From there, he is introduced to the rest of the third-year students and Oren’s adopted younger sister, Kalea (who was passing by to visit her brother and was roped into the fun by Mallow), before he is challenged to various competitions by his classmates.
Over the course of the day, Ash participates in a balloon-popping contest against Sophocles and his Togedemaru, a land-and-water race against Lana and her Popplio, and a Tauros race against Kiawe, but ends up losing all of them thanks to his inexperience (though, as the Nakamura siblings notice, this does nothing to dampen his spirit). Nevertheless, Ash admits that he had fun… but as Professor Kukui challenges him to a battle, they are interrupted by Tapu Koko, who guides him and everyone else to a clearing in the forest before challenging him—and Kaito—to a 2v1.
Though surprised by this, Kaito steps up to face the Legendary Pokémon alongside Ash and brings out a Passimian as Lillie recalls that Tapu Koko has a history of doing things out of curiosity. Having witnessed Ash’s fighting style two days ago, he informs the Teamwork Pokémon, which quickly adapts and works together with Pikachu to take down their opponent, skilfully dodging numerous powerful moves with ease. With his moves not connecting, Tapu Koko prompts Ash to use his Electrium Z… and to everyone’s shock, he does so successfully, pulling off a Gigavolt Havoc with Pikachu. However, as the Legendary Pokémon holds back the vast electrical surge, Kaito reveals to the shocked second-years that he has a Z-Ring too, and by using his own Fightinium Z, he has Passimian perform All-Out Pummelling, breaking Tapu Koko’s defences and allowing the Gigavolt Havoc to power through.
Unfortunately for Ash and Kaito, this doesn’t defeat the Legendary Pokémon, but he nevertheless acknowledges their strength, spirit and cooperation with a nod before leaving. As he does so, Ash’s Z-Crystal shatters, leading Kiawe to explain to his confused classmate that he needs to undertake the island trials to prove his worthiness of using Z-Moves, and Ash decides that this will be his next goal as they return to the school. Hearing this, Kukui and Brian muse that the year is going to be very interesting with Ash around, while Kaito reveals to his friends that he received his Z-Ring and Crystal at the end of the previous school year from Tapu Koko, who had also told him not to tell anyone about it until today.
Later that night, Annie and Julia join Kaito at his house as he integrates his Z-Ring into a pair of vambraces equipped with spring-loaded metal cables. While doing so, he notices the Fightinium Z glowing and grins, as, at the same time, a shadowy figure deposits several Z-Crystals in various bedrooms and houses across Melemele.