Pokémon Ultra Luna.

by Lieral

Chapter 10- Team skull

The battle was finally over with an impressive result. After four straight battles Luna still managed to be the winner in all of them.

Two beans of red light cut the air and returned the fainted and the tired pokemon to their respective Pokeball... Which is definitely the worst part of being a trainer. Seeing the little Moon so weak and tired was way too much for me.

But as soon as I stopped looking at the Pokeball I noticed that the teacher, Luna, and Kukui himself are heading toward each other with decided steps, the only difference was on their respective expressions, Kukui held a confident grin while the teacher a proud smile. "That was amazing, maybe you'd like to take over as a teacher here for me!"

"I am sorry, but I already have a school to take care of," My heart sank on my chest. Not because she's joking or playing again, but because of her smile. Someone taught me that a smile is often used to keep hidden someone's hidden sadness, I know this very well, and this time it was just the saddest smile I had ever seen.

"Know your pokemon and know their moves, that's the basis of being a pokemon trainer," Kukui said confidently, and just now I noticed that there's a man with pink hair right next to him.

"Greetings, Captain Ilima here," That man has both gentle eyes and voice and seemed harmless. "I couldn't help but observe your battles. You looked so very delightful during the challenge that I had to come to talk with you,"

"This is Luna, and she just recently came to Alola," Kukui started to explain. "She's got a real sense for how to use moves, and I think she's going far as a trainer, yeah!" I smiled when I noticed that she is blushing and avoiding to look at anyone. She's obviously not used to receive compliments.

"I see, then welcome newcomer, I look forward to seeing the brilliance of your moves in my trial," Ilima noticed that Luna doesn't see to recognize the word trial' and decided to talk a little about it. "Actually, we captains are the ones who conduct the trials you will face on your way to challenging the island Kahuna. My Trial is held in Verdant Cavern, I will be waiting for you there." He waved goodbye and walked away.

"Well, I guess it's time that we dismiss you from school, Luna!" The teacher said and was followed by a torrent of people, all the students, that wanted to say their respective farewell, actually it's like they think she's never coming back...

And that's why I closed the distance between us with way more confident steps than normal. "You seemed to be in perfect sync with your Popplio, weren't you?" I asked and she turned to face me and something strange happened. The smile she was wearing when talking with everyone simply disappeared from her face for a second, then she looked at me for a second time and smiled again, but her eyes were a little angry. "Um... Since we come this far together, why don't I show you some more of the city?" I said nervously.

She avoided eye contact but nodded slowly. Was it something I said? Why she's so upset? Maybe I should give her a tour of the city so she may calm down a little.

We walked side by side toward Hou'li city quietly, with Luna giving me some quick glances. "You know... I was really impressed by seeing how you battled with your pokemon at the trainer's school... It feels like you're giving it your all for your pokemon's sake! I... I think that's why you were able to save Nebby that time, Luna,"

She looked at me surprised and blushed a little, which is really cute giving her unique skin color. "Thank you..." She said avoiding eye contact.

"Hey..." I stopped walking and she turned to face me. I don't want to receive a bad answer, but this can't go on. "I did something wrong?"

"What?" She asked back.

"Since after you defeated everyone back then, you're avoiding looking at me, and had been acting strange all the while. That's why I want to know... I did something wrong?" Nebby shook the bag but I ignored it and looked into her eyes.

"So you noticed, huh..."

"Well, kinda hard to not notice," I said. I'm not sure I want to listen to the answer, but I'm sure I can't stay without knowing. "I just want to be sure I haven't done anything wrong."

She scratched the back of her head and looked away. "_Tall..."

"Excuse me?" I didn't manage to listen at all.

She pointed a finger toward me and said out loud. "How come you are so taller than me?" I blinked once, and then twice more, and then... I laughed. I laughed so hard I wasn't sure when's the last time I laughed like that. My body curved and my stomach started to ache. "What is so funny, I am serious here!"

"It's just..." I tried to stop laughing but it was really hard. "You looked so mad... HAHAHAHA... And it's all because of that?" She looked away from me. "C'mon, I'm not that taller than you..." For the first time I stopped to look at this point, and now that I think about it, If I look straight then all I can see is the top of her head... I'm some good inches taller than her.

"Laughed enough?" She asked crossing her arms.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Luna!" I said fast as she started to walk away from me toward the city. "It wasn't on purpose!" I walked so fast that I soon closed the distance between us. "It's just... I was so worried I might have done something wrong that when you said the reason I felt so relieved it just..."

"Okay, I understand... Can you show me the city now, Please? And maybe a pokemon center too!"

---

Okay, I will admit: I definitely overreacted.

It is not a secret that I have a small height complex. Back home this is not a real problem since most of my time is spent with younger people (students) and my social life is limited to Celestia, Cadence and a few people which I already got used being around even if I am the smaller one.

But then, I came to this world... Kukui have the body of a fully grown up, so it is not really fair to compare myself to him, and I think Hau is just slightly taller than me and I am not even certain of that, but Lillie... We have the same 'age' when speaking of our bodies, and she is not a little taller than me. No, she is some good 5 cm taller than me easily!

This world is not fair, seriously...

"MALASADA!" Hau, which found us as soon as we got close to the city, yelled and started to run so fast I thought only a pokemon (or Pinkamena Diane Pie) should be able to.

"Remember me to never stay between that boy and a plate of malasada..." We are walking on Hou'li city, 'The biggest city in all Alola', and just spending some time before we get back to Kukui's lab.

"Sure, but only if you do the same for me," Lillie stopped in front of a showcase and gave each small piece of clothing a good look, something I admit that despite being also a woman I do not understand at all such desire for shopping a few girls have.

"Want to enter and see?" I asked Lillie that was already turning away.

"You sure? I still haven't shown you around yet,"

"Worry not, I will be waiting for you with Hau," Truth being said, I am really curious about this 'malasada' thing. Is it as tasty as Hau said or is just a local preference? Only one way to find out.

"Well, if you insist!" She almost did not finish her phrase and her golden hair already disappeared into the shop. In the end, despite everything, she is still a kid.

I walked across the streets searching for details about the local life. Kids still playing while their parents watch from distance, on the beach a woman takes a sunbath as a man by her side (probably her husband) slept with a magazine covering his face, a big mall was right next to a pokemon center where people were constantly entering and leaving the place, some in hurried pace while others calmly and speaking with a companion.

In the end, I may be from a totally different universe, however seeing similarities is far easier than seeing the differences.

After a few streets, I finally saw Hau leaving a shop with the rest of something that looked actually really good. After a single second the rest of what I presume is that 'malasada' disappeared into his mouth and with a really big grin he waved at me almost jumping in the same place.

"Hey, do you know that pokemon also loves malasada? It's a great way to gain their friendship!" When I got closer he put both hands behind his head without noticing that there is still some fragments of the malasada still on his face.

"That is really nice to know," I said and cleaned his face with Lillie's handkerchief that just now I noticed that was still on my pocket.

"Hum, Luna, what are you doing?" He asked confused.

"Cleaning your face,"

"Sure, but I could have done it by myself, don't you think?" He said and I was taken back by his question, but after a few seconds, I started to laugh.

"I am sorry, it is just an old habit. I always have to clean Celestia's face after we ate, despite the fact that she is the older one she is really childish in some aspects," I wiped away a tear of laughter and looked at the handkerchief, it was not wet anymore.

"So, who's Celestia?"

"Yo, yo, yo, check it," I looked above Hau's shoulder (Now I can see that we have exactly the same high... Point for me) and saw two people dressed in punk attire and wearing bandannas with a skull motif coming toward us.

"Whenever. Wherever we meet you, Team Skull don't even greet you!" The first one of them gave a few more steps than the second one and stood to observe both Hau and I. And then surprise... They made some strange movements and used their arms to make them looks like a Skull's eyes. "Why don't you throw a bone and hand us those Island Amulets to us now?"

"Excuse me?" I said giving a step forward, but with a serious expression Hau stopped me by putting one of his hands on my shoulder and walked toward them.

"Oh, so you're part of that Team Skull, huh?" He was showing an expression I never saw before, almost like Hala's when serious. "All you guys ever do is to steal people's pokemon and get in the way of their island challenge,"

"You know it!" One of the grunts said shaking his arms toward a lot of directions again. "We hate the island challenge and every kid fool enough to try it, yo!!"

"Well, If I have to bet, I would say you just were not strong enough to do it by yourself," I said standing side by side with Hau and crossed my arms.

"YO, Watch your tongue!"

"I bet you hit the jackpot!" Hau gave his characteristic laughter and assumed a hostile posture. "Hey, Luna, give me a hand here."

"With pleasure," All the four of us sent out our pokemon at the same time.

---

I'm not really a guy to hold grudge against someone, but everything has a limit.

My grandpa told me about those team skull guys, and despite this being the first time I'm actually seeing one of them I already have some good reasons to don't like them. First: just like Luna said they're trainers that weren't able to complete their challenge and decided to don't let anyone else complete theirs. Second and most important: A trainer and a pokemon are friends, and to steal someone's friend for a stupid reason like that is definitely unforgivable.

I stared the grunt in front of me just like my Pichu stared the Zubat in front of him.

"Well, what is the plan?" Luna murmured only loud enough for me to hear. This is the first time I'm battling alongside someone, and how funny it is to think that this one is my rival.

"Attack!"

"Simple and clean... I like it!" She gave one of her various psychotic grins. "Moon, Balloon, another whole lot of them!" with a nod her Popplio filled and trowed a lot of water balloons around all the four pokemon, but mainly against Ratata.

Well, I can't stay behind her shadow all the time. "Pichu, tackle!" He attacked in a straight line in high speed but Zubat managed to avoid, probably because of the small advantage of being able to fly, however, Pichu used one of the many balloons to redirect and with a second jump, he hit the target with his head.

With a cry of pain the blue pokemon flew against its will toward Moon. "Pound!" The blue pokemon used its head to hit Zubat again but failed to notice Ratata approaching silently.

"TACKLE!" Pichu got a good hit on the Ratata which exploded a lot of Balloons.

"Water gun," Moon shoot a lot of water on Zubat that it even hit Ratata after. "Please, do the honors," Luna said looking at me.

"Fine, DISCHARGE!" With a lot of force, Pichu's electrifying attack was more than enough to put both pokemon out of combat thanks to how wet they were.

"Wow, NO FAIR! I was playing a different game!" The first one yelled.

"Let's get out of this port! Nobody has to know this!" Both of them turned their back to us and started to run away toward our opposite direction, and of course, I couldn't hold back the urge to wave a small goodbye, y'know, just to be sure they will remember me.

"Those team Skull jerks really must have a lot of free time on their hand, yeah?" Luna nodded. "But keeping other people from doing their island challenge isn't gonna just make it like they managed to finish theirs, y'know?"

"Indeed..."

For some reason, Luna's voice sounded a little down, almost melancholic as she watches those two running away from us. I know I'm not smart like Lillie and Kukui, but even I can see when there's something wrong with a friend, and man, there's something wrong with that girl...

I put both my hands on the back of my head. "Hey, are you alright?"

"Yes, I will be," She looked at me. "I will go to my trial, please buy a malasada for me too,"

"Sure," answered as she walked away toward Verdant Cavern... Wait, How did she know I was going to buy another one for me anyway?