Alola. Melemele Island. Day.
Currently searching for the shards was Lena Ketchum, joined by Team Rocket. At this moment, using Lena's keen ability to predict where a shard might be, they found themselves in the Sinnoh Region. Her group was in possession of the Fairy, Flying, Ground and Steel-Type shards and were now searching for the Fire-Type Shards.
"I have a hunch that we might find it here." Lena said, stepping foot in the Alola Region. "We've found the Fairy, Flying, Ground and Steel-Type ones there, so now let's shoot for Fire."
"You chose Alola just because it's hot?" Jessie asked.
"That's right!" Lena grinned. "And man, this place is hot! The Sun here is wonderful! It's so strong!" She held her arms out, taking in the heat of Alola, smiling all the way.
"You think this is hot?" Jessie spoke, knowing how hot Alola can be since she, James and Meowth spent months upon months and months and so on on the Islands during their Vacation. "It's not that bad. Try coming here during the summer."
"Okay!" Lena put her hands together. "Let's find those shards! Whether in the water or the sands of this place."
"Can we take a break first?" James slid over to Lena along with Jessie and Meowth as they both had grins on their faces while their eyes are closed. "No shame in enjoying the place while we're on a mission, right?"
"Huh?" Lena blinked. "Well, I guess so...We did it before and-"
"Great!" Jessie cut her off as she and James immediately pushed Lena forward, making her fall on her face. "Come on! Let's go shopping and have a good time!"
"Shopping?" Lena repeated as she had never been shopping once. The concept of it was very much new to this woman from centuries upon centuries ago. Even entering the modern day, it hasn't ever crossed her mind once.
"You're gonna love this one!" Meowth smiled. "An old folk like you ain't got a clue on this kinda stuff!"
"It does!" Jessie and James grinned. "Come on, Lena! Let's shop until our feet hurt!"
"But I have sandals." Lena replied with confusion in her voice. To their surprise, she was wearing sandals the entire time instead of boots or anything practical for moving across the entire world when looking for shards.
"That's not what I meant, you doofus."
"I'm not a doofus." Lena pouted. "I'm Lena. That's my name."
Jessie and James let out a sigh. "You're not used to slang, huh?"
"What's slang?" Lena tilted her head. Clearly, she still had a lot to learn, even if all of this would be forgotten once her mission comes to an end.
Hau'oli City. Hau'oli City Mall.
Hau'oli City.
A coastal city situated on Melemele Island and is known as Alola's Largest City. They arrived at Alola's massive shopping mall, a place known as the Hau'oli City Mall, where the people of Alola go to purchase their desired items. Any and all things someone needs or wants can be found here and more.
Lena was amazed by how the inside of the mall looks, seeing all the different shops lined up and the amount of people that were inside.
"Wow." Lena said in amazement. The absolute scale of this place took her back as she saw an array of options before her. All the things she's seen in the modern age had their needs and wants filled, but this was something else entirely. "This is the Hau'oli City Mall, correct? This place is so big and grand."
Her eyes met with a store where they sold a vast array of different Pokemon-themed clothing, the majority of them being themed after Alolan Forms of Pokemon. "What are these?! Camouflage clothes?! A way to blend in as a Pokemon?! That's a great idea!"
"Pfft. They're just clothes." Jessie said, folding her arms.
"Clothes?" Lena asked. "Oh. So they're not actually real Pokemon, right?"
"Not at all." James laughed. "Though I've had the occasional person mistake me for a Furfrou."
"A...what now?" Lena raised an eyebrow. "Fur...Furfrou?"
Alas, that Pokemon escaped her mind. She's only seen a certain number of Pokemon compared to her descendant who was constantly getting the full catalogue.
Oh! Maybe this can help us find the shards faster!" Lena slammed her fist into her palm. "Some Pokemon might have already found some of the shards, so if we buy some Pokemon-themed clothing, we can walk around town disguised as Pokemon and communicate with them!" Somehow, Lena found a way to involve this with her Shard Quest as she zipped over to the woman at the counter. "Excuse me. Do you think I could use these to blend in and talk with other Pokemon?"
"Oh dear." The woman giggled. "You must not be from around here, right?"
"That's right." Lena smiled.
"You have no idea." James and Jesse collectively though.
"The clothes in here are just for fashion. There aren't any powers that make you look like a Pokemon or make you understand them. You can't speak their language. The clothes are just for fashion. Sorry."
"Fashion?" Her eyes shifted to the clothes. "Like those Pokemon Contests? So the clothes aren't actually real, they're just made to look like the real thing. I see, I see." She nodded. "That's strange but clever! To think people would go out of their way to dress like Pokemon." She thought about this. "Hmm. Is this a popular trend? Or is this just a local thing?"
"Wha..." Lena was speechless. "Around the world, you say?"
"Mhm. Right now, we're doing a massive sale since Alola's going through its first filming process. Just yesterday, we had equipment and other things from PokeStar Studios come to our region and everyone's just excited. So we're doing a 70% discount on everything."
"Mhm. Right now, we're doing a massive sale since Alola's going through it's first filming process. Just yesterday, we had equipment and other things from PokeStar Studios come to our region and everyone's just excited. So we're doing a 70% discount on everything."
"Really?!" Appearing in front of the counter at high speeds were Jessie, James and Meowth. "PokeStar Studios is here?!"
"Yes. It's an exciting day for all of us in Alola. We're all excited to see our Region in a movie."
"What's a...movie?" Lena asked. Obviously, since she was from many, many centuries ago, the concept of movies and such were nothing but a foreign idea to her.
"Ah! What a great choice to come to Alola next!" Jessie swooned, holding onto the counter as her eyes sparkled. "The spotlight of the silver screen. The dazzling world of entertainment! And n Alola? It'll be so easy to gain fame! You said it showed up just yesterday, right?
"That's correct. They've been working hard at filming, though it seems like a lot of people want to star in the movie as well. Even if there already is a protagonist."
"That's perfect!" James smiled. "It's the first time that this movie will air, right? If we can become famous actors for this film, we'll be set for life!"
"Oh-ho! Great idea, James! We can't lose to a bunch of nobodies!" Jessie's eyes widened. "We'll be the Stars of Alola! Easily! We're already beautiful and talented."
"Well, it's good to hear you all so happy. Eveyrone is. After all, we have our region's champion to thank for bringing the equipment over.
"The Region's Champion?" Lena tilted her head. Jessie, James and Meowth collectively grimaced once the realized who was about to be brought up.
"Right." The Woman nodded. "Our Champion, A-"
"Let's get ourselves ready!" Jessie interrupted Lena once more, not wanting her to know that Ash was here. Team Rocket were already under a disguise as always and were doing their best to make sure Lena doesn't realize that they were enemies with her descendant. So, to make sure that they don't slip, they decided to act like the usual trio they are and not say anything to Lena that could possibly reveal their secrets.
On top of that, Ash and his friends were also searching for the remaining shards, so no matter what, Lena could not meet Ash at all. "If we're going to be Stars, we can't waste a single moment! Come on, let's find the perfect clothes to wear!"
"O...kay." The woman said, surprised by Jessie's quick interruption.
"You have to come with us too, Lena!" James said. "We need to make you look your best!"
"Me? Oh. Okay. As long as I don't have to wear a big dress again." Lena spoke. Soon, they were moving through the entire mall, seeing just how it was changing just for one movie. They were all moving rapidly across the place, more-so than usual as they wanted to make sure they had everything they needed before meeting PokeStar Studios and wondered if they could star in the movie.
This movie was basically just about Alola as a whole, so everything the region had to offer was going to be utilized to the absolute maximum. The people, the land, the buildings and even the Pokemon. This was a massive opportunity for anyone who was involved, not only for the people who lived in Alola but for everyone else around the world who was eager to watch.
Jessie and James were determined to get the best and most luxurious items they could find, seeing how incredibly cheap everything was now. All of this just to find a role in the film as the entire city and possibly beyond were captivated by the thought of having a part. Lena was still new to all of this, so she just followed along, letting Jessie and James pick the best things out for her.
"Oh, Lena! You'd look beautiful in this!" Jesse gushed, holding up a dress. "Come on, try it on!"
"You should wear something nice and formal. You can never go wrong with a suit, right?" James added.
"Uh. Well." Lena rubbed the back of her neck. "I suppose I could give it a shot. After all, if I'm going to blend in, I should look my best, right?"
"Absolutely!" Jessie and James smiled. They were all so determined to get the best role in this movie that they were willing to look their best, even going so far as to have Lena dressed up like a doll.
The Ancient Woman was a bit confused, but she went along with it. After all, she was curious about what the people of the modern day have in store. She was also wondering just how she'd be able to fit into the movie, thinking about her own goals that have been placed upon her.
"Hey, Lena." Jessie spoke, getting the woman's attention. "Since we're here, let's look for a good dress for you to wear. We can-"
"We can shoot it near the volcano!" This time, Jessie was cut off, but it wasn't from someone in her group. Her pupils would shrink once a familiar voice came through. It was the voice of Ash, who had entered this part of the mall along with his friends Twilight, Mallow, Rarity and Fluttershy, all of whom were looking for outfits themselves. Minus Ash, who would just wear what he always has.
Today, he brought his other friends along to help with this movie, bringing extra muscle to it all.
"The Twerp and Twerpettes!" Jessie and James collectively thought to themselves, immediately looking at Lena, hoping she didn't recognize Ash's voice and especially face. The two have never crossed paths even once but both were are of each other's existence through the news.
"That would be a great idea." Mallow smiled. "We can make the food right on the beach, too. Everyone can relax and enjoy the water."
Thinking fast, Jessie and James had to conceal Lena somehow. Without warning, Jessie grabbed the woman and held her up, placing her on the rack and hiding her behind all the clothes. James and Meowth hid underneath, joining Lena.
"Oh, Ash! Darling! Stay here for a moment while we pick something out." Rarity requested.
"Uh, sure. How long do I gotta wait for?" Ash asked, knowing how long the girls can take when picking out clothes. Twilight, Mallow and especially Rarity will not only take their time but also pick a vast array of options.
And boy was he right as they immediately started going wild. Since everything here was cheaper thanks to the movie, the girls didn't need to worry about cost as much, so they went absolutely ham. They were pulling out dresses left and right, looking through each and every single one.
Ash and Pikachu watched as clothes started flying through the air, forcing the two of them to catch everything that came their way. Some of them landed on their faces while Pikachu was absolutely drowned by the clothes.
"Oh, what about this?!" Mallow spoke, showing one to Twilight. "I could wear this when we try out Vast Poni Canyon!"
"Oh, yes!" Rarity swooned. "I think you'd look gorgeous in that!"
"I think this one would fit you perfectly, Rarity." Twilight held up a dress for the Fashionista.
"Oh, that's gorgeous!" Rarity said, taking the dress and examining it. "How lovely! And the fabric is very good as well! Not too scratchy."
"That's the beauty of Alolan Clothing, dear." Mallow grinned. "We have some of the best stuff when it comes to quality and fashion."
"I can see." Rarity nodded. As they were chatting away and piling up the clothes on poor Ash and Pikachu, Jessie and James would keep holding onto Lena, stealthily pushing her around to make sure she didn't move. Ash was too busy looking at all the clothes coming his way to even notice his ancestor, even though her face had been covered by some clothes James picked out.
"Pika?" Pikachu noticed this slightly odd sight but they didn't pay too much mind to it. The four of them then ended up in another side of this store, distancing themselves from Ash's group.
"To think the twerp would be here now of all tmes. And he's the one who brought all the equipment here?" Jessie grizzled her teeth.
"Twerp? What's a twerp? Is that a type of Pokemon?" Lena asked while removing the shirt from her face.
"Don't worry about that!" Jessie chuckled while patting her on the back. "All that matters is that we're here now and we have some wonderful outfits. Don't we?"
They would continue to shop here, but making sure to stay away from Ash and his group. But they would now have to keep a low profile, making sure the two never spot each other even once.
After shopping for the first few minutes, the three of them, plus Meowth, had their hands full of bags, carrying around a plethora of clothes. They were mostly dresses, suits and casual clothes that would be perfect for this hot Alolan climate. Not only that, but Lena was given a mask. Specifically of one of the Island Guardians. Tapu Koko.
"So...we're really going to disguise ourselves as Pokemon? I thought the clothes didn't have any powers?"
"No. It doesn't." James shook his head. "But there's a lot of different costumes out there. You can buy some that look like real Pokemon, so we found some for you."
"For me? Oh. Why?"
"Because we're going to blend in, and if we're blending in as Pokemon, that means you should too, right?" Meowth asked.
"Oh. So that's why." Lena nodded. "That's actually smart. By pretending to be a Pokemon, we can easily communicate with the real thing and ask them if they've seen the Shards. I'm glad you three tried my suggestion!"
"Sure, sure. Let's go with that." Meowth replied, not wanting Lena to think that they did this just to help her with her Quest. They were just trying to avoid Ash.
With their bags filled with an assortment of clothing and Lena now donning a Tapu Koko mask, the group made their way out of the Hau'oli City Mall, eager to continue their search for the Fire-type shards while maintaining a low profile to avoid any encounters with Ash and his friends.
As they wandered the streets of Hau'oli City, blending in seamlessly with the bustling crowds of tourists and locals alike, Lena couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement at the prospect of exploring this vibrant region. The warm sun beat down upon them, casting a golden glow over the city as they made their way towards the volcanic landscapes where they hoped to find clues to the whereabouts of the elusive shards.
As Lena and her companions navigated the bustling aisles of the Hau'oli City Mall, they found themselves in a constant game of cat and mouse with Ash and his friends, who seemed to appear in every corner they turned.
"Uh oh, they're coming this way again!" Meowth hissed, peering over a rack of clothes as Ash and his group approached.
"Quick, hide!" Jessie exclaimed, grabbing Lena and ducking behind a display of tropical-themed shirts. James and Meowth followed suit, squeezing themselves into the cramped space as Ash and his friends passed by, completely unaware of their presence.
"Phew, that was close." Jessie whispered, peeking out from behind the shirts as Ash and his friends disappeared from view.
"Too close for comfort." James agreed, wiping sweat from his brow.
"But we can't stay here forever." Jessie pointed out, glancing around nervously. "We need to finish our shopping and get out of here before they find us again."
Urgently, the group resumed their shopping, darting from aisle to aisle in an attempt to avoid detection. But no matter how hard they tried, it seemed that fate had other plans, as Ash and his friends continued to pop up wherever they went.
"Why does it feel like we keep running into each other?" Mallow asked as the group passed by a stand selling Alolan-themed souvenirs.
"I don't know." Ash replied, scratching his head before passing by once more. Lena and her group quickly ducked behind a display of brightly coloured beach towels, hoping that they had managed to escape detection.
Alas, this would not be the last they passed by each other.
Ducking into the dimly lit aisles of the electronics store, Jessie, James, and Meowth pretended to browse the latest gadgets while keeping a watchful eye on Ash and his friends, who perused the shelves nearby. Lena marveled at the array of sleek devices on display, completely unaware of the tense standoff taking place just a few feet away.
"Ohoo..." Her eyes were ablaze with wonder as she was fidgeting with one of the electronics.Is this some sort of magical item? A communication device? How does it work? Is it something you carry around?" She looked over to Jessie, who was busy spying on Ash and his group.
When they got near, Jessie would suddenly pull Lena down, forcing the woman to sit on the ground with her and James while Meowth hid on top. The electronics store was not clear for them at all. And neither would the next spot.
With Ash and his covering the same spots as them, the group sought refuge among the colourful displays of the toy store, blending in seamlessly with the crowds of excited children and their parents. Jessie and James deftly manoeuvred through the aisles, using oversized plushies and action figures as makeshift barricades to shield Lena from view.
Lena was currently sitting behind a huge Snorlax plush, amazed at the sight of the soft creature. She was petting it and enjoying its texture, not aware that Ash was also here. She moved her hands across the toy, feeling the soft fur and smiling to herself.
"Wow. I've seen Snorlax before, but this is even softer than the ones I've encountered." A stunned Lena commected before digging her face into its plushy body. "Soft~!"
"Ah! Let's try this one! Please?!" Bellowing was Sweetie Belle, who came here with her big sister Rarity as she was going straight for the biggest and most luxurious looking doll that she could find. It was a giant doll that resembled a human and a Pokemon mixed together, looking like a strange mixture of the two. "I bet I could have Meowstic mess around with this one!"
"Oh, Sweetie. Don't cause a ruckus." Rarity said, smiling at her little sister. "You don't have to yell for this, you know?"
"I'm sorry."
"I think Snorlax might be asleep for most of the shots. So...Let's just get this Snorlax just in case." Looking over at the Snorlax plush was Ash, who had been wandering the aisles with Mallow, Lana and Rarity.
"Not that one, dear. How about this one?" Rarity suggested, pointing towards a slightly smaller Snorlax plushie. Thinking on their feet, Meowth would slice the back of the plush open with his claws, revealing the cotton inside and quickly filling the space behind the Snorlax where Lena was hiding. He made sure to cut a hole just enough so that the woman could breathe.
"Oh? Uh. Well." Ash rubbed the back of his neck. "That's a good point. That one would be perfect for the shot!"
"It is?" Mallow asked, raising an eyebrow. "Huh. Didn't think that would be a perfect fit.
"Alright. I'll take this one, then." Ash walked up to the Snorlax plush. While he was doing so, Lena was still inside, unable to see what was happening outside except from behind. Jessie, James and Meowth rapidly bit their fingers once Ash picked the Snorlax Plush. It didn't help that he was physically strong, able to easily carry it even with someone else inside.
Lena was this close to Ash. The closest she's ever been. But she couldn't see him and didn't hear his voice, only the sound of his breathing as she was being carried.
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy..." James was muttering over and over, trying not to panic. Lena was being taken away and eventually, she'll want to get out that plus. But the only way was for Ash to drop the plushie, and he would. But then she'd be face-to-face with him and his friends.
Jessie and James would both have heart attacks, worrying that this might be it. But all it would take was for Meowth come up with something. All they needed was to make the Snorlax Plushie null. With his claws out once more, he had James and Jessie pick him, throwing him at the plushie as fast as they could.
Meowth landed a direct hit, slashing the head of the plushie. With one good hit, the top of it came right off, thankfully missing Lena since her head wasn't targeted at all. Meowth would crash into the walls above the entrance, going over everyone and going unnoticed too.
"Woah!" Mallow exclaimed, seeing the Snorlax head split and fall off. "W-Why'd it just come off?!"
"Aw, man." Ash pouted. "It broke."
"Oh, it's okay. Rarity said, patting his back. "We have other options. Surely there's another large Snorlax Plush somewhere here. And if not, there are many, many other things we can use."
"I guess." Ash replied, still looking a bit sad about the fact that his chosen plushie ended up breaking. As Rarity tried to comfort him, James and Jessie would dash forward and snatch the body of the Snorlax. Lena would be hidden inside, but not for long.
"We'll fix it!" Jessie blurted out, playing the role of someone else that could repair this plush.
"Yes! We'll fix it. And you'll have your...Snorlax thing. It'll be good as new." James added.
"Really? That's great!" Ash smiled.
"Yes. Now, let's go, shall we? Before it gets even more crowded." Rarity asked, leading her friends away from the scene.
Jessie and James would sigh in relief as they watched the trio disappear into the crowd, grateful for their quick thinking. "That was too close." James said, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"No kidding." Jessie agreed, nodding her head. "If it wasn't for Meowth, we'd be goners."
"Way to go me..." Meowth groaned before dropping from the wall. Lena would leave the plus, having cotton all over her body. She didn't really mind. Now she knew for a fact that this wasn't a real Snorlax and was just a creation of one.
"So this is what a toy is." Lena commented, being all casual about it. "Fascinating. People today actually go out of their way to make stuffed replicas of Pokemon? Why?"
"Well, that's a good question," James said. "You can get it later. For now, let's get out of this place." They would cut their shopping experience here at last, already having a lot of items at their disposal.
The four would leave the store and head out of the mall, now fully dressed up and ready for their next search. "Wow. You were right. That was fun!" Lena had a wide grin. "I've never been shopping before. At least, not in the way people do it today. It's so different than what I remember."
"It's easily one of the best parts of today." Jessie nodded. "People love the shopping. I mean, they really love the shopping. There are so many stores and so many things that you can get. And if you're in a place like Alola, it's even better since the weather is always warm."
"I'm more excited to find the shards than ever!" Lena pumped her fist. "I have a feeling we can easily-" Just then, before she could finish, something caught her attention. A rather delicious scent wafted through the air, tickling her nose. "Hmm? Aaah...What's that?"
Gravitated towards the delicious scent, Lena found herself approaching a food truck that was celebrating Alola's first movie. But she wasn't the only one heading for it. The glorious scent met with someone else. Not too far from here, Ash picked up on it.
"Man, something good's being cooked up...I just know it." Ash's stomach growled as he was also making his there too with his eyes closed, showing absolute bliss.
The two Ketchums approached the same food truck that was singing a delicious tune to them. A tune they just couldn't deny it. Team Rocket and Twilight's group each had different reactions. For Twilight's group, it was natural of Ash to do this as they had smiles on their faces.
But for Team Rocket? They were panicking, unable to think of anything quick enough to pull Lena back in. It didn't help that the two of them were running straight for the Food Truck, having the same energy within them.
Lena and Ash would be standing side by side, looking at the menu, though unaware of the other's presence.
"Wow! This all looks so good!" Ash's mouth watered as he stared at the menu. "These aren't Malasadas though! What are these?!"
"Ooh! These look good, too." Lena pointed. Both of them had their faces pushed against each other while gawking at the options before them. The food here was definitely unlike anything that they have ever had, and the smell was so tantalizing that they could hardly contain themselves.
"Excuse me!" Both Lena and Ash would say. Their eyes would widen once they saw each other, their hearts almost stopping once their eyes met.
Instead of Malasadas, this truck offered something entirely new. Homemade cooking from this family was given out, making these items for everyone who wanted some. Lena still had her mask on, and Ash had no reason to wear one. So they didn't realize it was each other. That is until Lena removed her mask, wanting a better look at the Homemade cooking.
Even after taking it off, both were too focused the food in front of them. "Like it? To celebrate Alola's first ever movie, we're giving out our homemade cooking." A woman said, standing next to her husband and son. "How would you both like to also try your hand at an eating competition we're planning?
"Eating contest?" Ash asked.
"Back at our own home, we sometimes have them for fun. We want the movie to capture our lives too!" The son smiled.
"Sign me up! I wanna try everything here!" Ash was all for it.
"Mmm! Mhm!" Lena nodded her head vehemently. "Yes, yes! I'll take a bite of anything! Oh. How would I win though?"
"Simple. We'll have you guys eat the food here and the first one to finish it wins. Of course, we can't have you get sick from all the food, so you have a time limit."
"Time limit, huh?" Lena said, thinking. "Okay! I'll participate!"
"Great!"
"Wait." The son looked over at Lena, seeing her face for the first time. He immediately made the connection between Ash and Lena, seeing how they looked so similar. He knew who Ash was since he was Alola's Champion, but Lena was a surprise. "Wow...Champion Ash. I didn't know you had an older sister. You two look so much alike. Are you twins or something?"
"Uh..." Both of them were caught off guard by the question, looking at each other in surprise.
"Twins?" Ash rubbed the back of his head. At that moment, they finally locked eyes with one another. A spark occurred between the two, like a lightning bolt materializing into existence. Both gasped as the face they were each looking at was their own.
"W-what?" Lena blinked, taken aback by the sudden shock of seeing her descendant's face. "T-this can't be!" She thought to herself, struggling to process the reality of the situation.
"You...You're my super-great-great grandma! My ancestor!" Ash pointed at Lena.
"My extremely-great and distant grandson! My descendant!" Lena pointed back at Ash.
They had no words to describe what they were feeling right now. It was the first time the two had ever seen each other's face. Sure, Ash saw Lena's face in a family book thanks to some time shenanigans and Lena has seen photos of Ash here and there, but those were just pictures.
At last, the two of them have finally met.
As the journey continues.
Chapter 453 End.