The Kahuna and the Cursed Seaweed

Hi there! So this is a Yuletide gift for eldestoyster. I mixed in a few prompts xe provided, but the one I was aiming for was about what makes a king. That I then twist it around to have it be about an (island) queen/kahuna instead! Before we begin, some aspects of Olivia, Dhelmise, and Tapu Lele I got inspired from the anime but this is still mainly Sun/Moon game based.

Thanks to bobandbill for the great betaing!

The Kahuna and the Cursed Seaweed

Over a year had passed since Olivia became kahuna of Akala Island, and she was still getting used to that role.

As usual, she would head from Konikoni City to the Ruins of Life. One of her duties was to clean the ruins and made sure there was no damage to it. In the spring the flowers from the bushes bloomed, so a trail of petals sometimes were left behind from a Pokemon that had picked up a flower recently. Olivia didn’t mind as that made the ruins smell like roses after a rainfall. Today she and Ruby, her Midnight Form Lycanroc, picked those up and put them in a basket.

“Oh my, this one looks strong and abundant,” Olivia said as she kneeled next to one of the bushes and picked up a large white flower. She held it close to her face and inhaled the sharp vanilla scent that shot through her nose. Grinning, she moved her head and whistled.

Ruby’s ears perked and he rushed to his trainer’s side. As he waited in deep pants, Olivia showed the flower to him.

“Go ahead, smell it,” she said. Ruby titled his head in confusion for a second, then took a long sniff of it. He flashed her a grin, canine teeth showing. Olivia giggled and patted his forehead. “It’s very good, isn’t it?”

At that moment, an explosion from outside erupted and shook the earth. Both Olivia and her Pokémon stumbled. When the shaking stopped they exchanged funny looks.”

“Could it be that Tapu Lele is in trouble?” she asked in a worried voice. “Come on, let’s hurry!”

Ruby barked in agreement, and the two rushed toward the ruins’ exit.

When they reached outside, Olivia froze and gasped at the scene before her. Tapu Lele was indeed here, battling against a Dhelmise. The anchor Pokémon kept using their seaweed or dark energy balls at Tapu Lele, but the deity either dodged or blocked the Dhelmise’s attacks with their own. Eventually though, the Dhelmise grunted and released a large chain that wrapped around Tapu Lele tight. Seeing Tapu Lele struggle to get out made Olivia bite her lips and tighten her fists.

“Hey, you!” she yelled and took a step forward, her heels digging into the soft ground. “That’s Tapu Lele you’re attacking!”

The Dhelmise turned around, the one eye on the wheel blinking. They yelled and let loose a string of seaweed straight at her. Olivia screamed and she shielded herself with her arms, only for Ruby to jump and slashed the seaweed away with his claws.

“Thank you, Ruby,” Olivia said in a low voice, her eyes wide. Her Lycanroc growled and glared back at the Dhelmise, still holding Tapu Lele hostage.

“Nori, stop!” someone yelled. Olivia looked over her shoulder to see a purple-haired girl in tattered clothing approaching them. She stopped to catch her breath.

Nori sprouted out another long chain at Ruby. Olivia ordered for him to grab it, which he did with his fangs. Electric currents surrounded his maw that then went straight through his opponent. Nori screamed in pain, causing them to wave the chain wildly like a flag. Ruby launched in the air and almost crashed onto the ground, but he managed to land on all fours and picked himself up quickly.

“Is that your Pokémon?” Olivia asked with a raised brow. The girl gazed up to her and nodded.

“Can I have a moment to calm my Dhelmise down?”

Before giving a response, Olivia glanced up to see Nori still trapping Tapu Lele. The island guardian kept struggling. She stared at Ruby, who nodded back at her.

“Yes, of course,” she said, facing back at her and smiling.

“Thank you!” The girl turned and stared up at her Pokémon. “Come back, Nori! The lady here already said that you’ve been attacking Tapu Lele, which is a big no no!”

The Dhelmise flinched and turned to see their trainer with her hands on her sides. With a defeated sigh, Nori released Tapu Lele and went towards their trainer. The girl frowned, her palm resting on the seaweed stuck on the anchor.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to hurt other Pokemon?” she said, and Nori pouted. “We’ll talk later. For now back in the pokéball.” She pulled Nori’s pokéball and returned them. “Is Tapu Lele all right?”

Olivia gazed up to see Tapu Lele floating around and giggling, a good sign. She grinned at the girl. “I believe so. They can naturally heal themselves, don’t worry.”

Despite her warm tone, the girl still frowned and hung her head down. “I’m sorry Nori and I caused so much trouble. I was visiting my parents and Tapu Lele appeared! Nori then popped out of their pokéball and started a fight with them.”

“Oh dear, that sounds troublesome.” Realizing they hadn’t introduced themselves yet, Olivia extended her hand to her. “I’m Olivia, Akala Island’s kahuna. And this is Ruby, my Lycanroc.” Next to her, Ruby held his chin high and barked.

“Acerola!” she cheerfully said, accepting the handshake. “I was hoping to find you as I’m taking the island challenge!”

Olivia’s eyes grew wide, having recognized that name. “Aren’t you the daughter of the former royal family? So when you said you were visiting your parents…”

“I was at Memorial Hill,” Acerola finished. She made a sheepish laugh and rubbed the back of her neck. “I like to come here and talk to them so they know that I’m fine.”

Olivia couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. She heard how one of the girls in the Aether House was the last living member of the royal family. Going to her parents’ graves must be Acerola’s way of connecting with them. She gave her a sad smile.

“You looked exhausted. Why don’t we head back to Konikoni City and have a meal together.”

Acerola beamed. “Sounds great!”

Olivia told her that she parked her truck not far from here, then yelled to Tapu Lele that she was leaving and would return soon. The Pokémon deity waved goodbye back and flew away to somewhere else. As she, Acerola, and Ruby were leaving, Olivia couldn’t help but feel Nori had acted strange there. She would find out more about that Pokémon once they get to Konikoni City.

Xxx

It was nearly sunset by the time everyone made it to Konikoni City. Many of the shops and vendors were still open, people either coming in and out of the buildings or talking to the merchants at the stands. Several people noticed Olivia passing by and said hello to her, and she would greet them back with wide smiles. Once they reached her jewelry shop, Olivia and the others stepped inside.

As usual, Ally and Mika watched over the shop while she was away for her kahuna duties. Ally was talking to a customer, who seemed to be purchasing one of the evolution stones, at the cash register, and Mika was organizing the necklaces and bracelets on the counter. Olivia scanned around to see Acerola already gazing at the evolution stones on display. Ruby also went to sniff some of the seashells on sale.

“Oh wow, this is your store? You got a variety of stuff here!”

Olivia chuckled, her hands on her hips. “Owned it long before I became the kahuna of this island. This is my pride and joy, along with my Pokémon.”

After Ally finished with the customer, she approached Olivia and grinned. “Welcome back, Olivia! Today’s trek to the Ruins of Life went fine?”

“There was one Pokémon that tried to pick a fight with Tapu Lele, otherwise it went great as usual.”

A concern look crossed Ally’s face. “Did Tapu Lele get hurt?”

“Not seriously, just a few bruises here and there. Luckily though Acerola went to get her Pokemon back before things got worse.” Olivia squeezed Acerola’s shoulder with one hand.

“Oh, you mean your little guest here?” Mika said as she joined in with Olivia and Ally. When she noticed Acerola, she flashed her a wide smile. “Hi there! I’m Mika and this is Ally. We work here and watch over the store whenever Olivia’s away.”

“Hello there!” Acerola said, grinning back. “You and Olivia did an amazing job with this shop!”

Both women giggled, then Ally said, “Why thank you. Mika and I make sure nothing goes wrong in the store and check up on supplies. Olivia is the one that does the heavy lifting here.”

“Now don’t sell yourself short, girls,” Olivia said. “Without you guys this shop wouldn’t be as successful as it is now. So how’s Stardust?”

“She’s doing great,” Ally said. “She ran around the store a couple times, but didn’t do any damage and the customers loved her.”

“That’s great to hear! I’m gonna take Acerola upstairs as we have a few things to discuss.”

“Sure, no problem!” Mika said. “Ally and I can take care of closing the store so we don’t disturb you two.”

“Thanks a bunch, you girls are life savers!” Olivia looked over her shoulder to see Ruby still sniffing the seashells. She let out a sharp whistle, which got his attention and he bolted to her side. Once Olivia and Acerola went upstairs, he followed them behind.

Olivia lived upstairs of her shop, so her whole space was as large as an apartment room. A refrigerator and stove settled on the left corner while her bed was on the right corner. Acerola went to check the few stuffed Stufful toys left on the floor.

“How cute! We have these at the Aether House, too!”

Olivia gave a small smile. “Indeed. I got them for a good bargain at Heahea City and couldn’t resist.”

“I can tell,” Acerola said with a giggle. One of the Stufful walked up to her and rubbed against her palm. “Heh, this one’s fur is really soft.”

Olivia’s eyes grew wide, but then she grinned. “Oh, that’s Stardust and she’s the real deal.”

“What, really?” Acerola gasped, and she was tackled by the real Stufful on the floor. Stardust licked Acerola’s cheek, causing her to laugh. Olivia picked Stardust up and wrapped her arms around her.

“Excited to see a new guest, huh?” she asked. The little bear squealed and Olivia poked her nose.

“Hey, you got some books here too!” Acerola said as she looked at the books in the shelve. Her finger slid onto the binding. “Several of them are on rocks and minerals! Oh, ‘What Kind of Pokémon Fits Your Personality?’ and ‘Island Beats: Love in Tropical Paradise.’ Woah, you have five volumes of those!”

Olivia’s face flushed. She put Stardust down and grabbed Acerola’s arm, taking her away from the bookshelf.

“Ally gave them to me as a gift, but I never gotten the chance to read them yet.” She released a nervous laugh, and that led Acerola to blink at her. “Why don’t you play with Ruby and Stardust for a bit while I make us dinner?”

Acerola beamed and said, “All right!”

After Olivia handed her Stardust, Acerola held her tight and moved towards Ruby. The two Pokemon sniffed each other for a bit before Stardust jumped onto Ruby’s shoulder. The Lycanroc grinned and scratched the back of Stardust’s head. Olivia smiled at that whole scene, and then she went to prepare for dinner.

xxx

Tonight Olivia cooked a simple dish that consisted of white rice, macaroni salad, and large pieces of chicken and beef. She and Acerola gathered at the table in the middle of the apartment while Ruby and Stardust ate their food from their bowls. Olivia admitted the beef was dry and the macaroni salad stale, but her guest didn’t complain and seemed to enjoy her meal which was what mattered in the end.

During dinner Olivia got to know Acerola better. Her mother passed away when she was three and her father followed a few years after. She ended up in the Aether House where some of the employees and an Oranguru named Headmaster watched over the orphans there. Acerola then mentioned how she was able to pass two of the Akala Island trials already and was preparing for the third one.

“I wish you luck on Hiomi’s trial,” Olivia said after she swallowed a piece of her food. “Her Totem Lurantis has some allies that can make the battle much harder.”

“Yeah, that’s what I heard! I’ve been training my Snorunt and Dhelmise very hard, so I hope they can handle them.”

“Speaking of Dhelmise, yours had a nasty run in with Tapu Lele.You mentioned that happened while at Memorial Hill.”

Acerola flinched, lowered her gaze, and had her fork circled around her plate. “Nori has a bad habit of getting into fights with bigger and stronger Pokémon. They told me how before I caught them, they would even go fight with Wailord!”

Olivia almost choke upon hearing that. She gulped a glass of water to ease her throat. “Wait, did you say your Pokemon talked to you?”

Acerola’s face went back to a more cheerful expression. “Oh, silly me I didn’t say this earlier. My ancestors and I are able to speak with ghost Pokémon.”

A soft smile settled on Olivia’s lips. She rested her elbow on the table, chin on her palm. “That’s convenient so you can fully understand your Pokémon’s feelings.”

Acerola’s face brightened. “I know, right? Some people consider it weird, but I think it gets me closer with my Pokémon.”

“Back to Nori. You’re from Ula’ula Island right? Did you talk to Kahuna Nanu about their behavior?”

“I did, but Uncle Nanu told me that he’s a dark type expert and Nori creeps him out.” Acerola pouted and folded her arms against her chest.

Olivia closed her eyes and hummed in amusement. “Not surprising he doesn’t want to do his kahuna duties. Tell you what, I’ll help you find a solution to your Dhelmise’s behavior. We go back to the Ruins of Life tomorrow.”

“Really? That’s great!” Acerola already jumped out of her seat and flung her arms around Olivia’s neck. She was taken aback by her reaction, but nonetheless Olivia grinned and leaned against her touch.

When she first became kahuna, Olivia vowed to look over the trial goers as if they were her children. Acerola was one of those trial goers, and she would make sure all of her Pokemon were in top form before she leaves the island.

xxx

The next morning Olivia asked Ally and Mika to watch over the shop again while she was away, which they were more than happy to. Stardust was left in their care while Ruby went along with her. Acerola was staying at the Pokemon Center, so she headed towards there.

Several shops and vendors were open, and the passerbyers that saw her waved hello. Olivia would greet them back and continue on her way until she reached the Pokemon Center. Acerola was already outside waiting for her.

“Alola, Olivia!” Acerola called out, jumping and waving her arm.

“An Alola back to you,” Olivia greeted with a grin. Ruby also barked a hello. “Are you ready to head out?”

Acerola nodded eagerly. “Ah huh!”

“Good, then let’s go!”

She, Acerola, and Ruby went to the jeep that was parked behind the jewelry shop. After they hopped in the vehicle, Olivia started the engine and took the wheel.

They drove pass Route 9, and shortly after entered the Akala Outskirts. Memorial Hill was uphill, and Olivia glanced at the people and graves. Several flowers were laid on the ground like a garden. She looked back at Acerola, who smiled at the sight; as if she at peace with her parents in spirit. A heavy feeling swelled in her heart.

“I’m curious, how did you end up with a Dhelmise?” Olivia asked instead. “I heard those are only found in Poni Island and deeper oceans.”

Acerola gazed back at her, beaming. “I went to Poni Island with Uncle Nanu some weeks ago to see him do the Grand Trials there. Nori attacked the boat we were on, and he used his Pokemon to save me. I then used my pokeball to capture them!”

“Oh wow, that sounds like an adventure! Was there a reason why Nori did that?”

“When we reached Seafolk Village, some people believed it was either we were in Wailmer territory or near some treasure it was protecting. Doesn’t matter though as Uncle Nanu and I were safe in the end!”


Olivia pursed her lips, her eyes still on the road. She recalled Acerola mentioning Nori went against Wailord before. Their behavior still bothered her, so she hoped she can figure a way to calm them soon.

It was another several minutes until they reached the Ruins of Life. After Olivia parked the jeep, she, Acerola, and Ruby walked near by the entrance. The scent of the flowers from yesterday still hung in the air.

“Why don’t you bring out Nori right now?” Olivia asked as she spun around, her hands on her sides. “I’ll try speaking with them first.”

Acerola’s face fell. “You can speak with Pokémon, too?”

Olivia shifted her gaze away from Acerola for a second, rubbing the back of her neck. “Sorta. I can talk with Pokémon on a different level than most people. That gives me the ability to sympathize with them better.” She looked down and scratched Ruby’s chin, which made him let out a happy “woof!” and wag his tail.

Acerola brightened up once more. She nodded, pulled out Nori’s pokéball, and released them.

Bright light flashed for a few seconds and Nori appeared. They glanced around in confusion and their compass eye blinked at Olivia and Acerola. Ruby glared and growled.

“It’s okay, Nori!” Acerola said, beaming. “Miss Olivia here just wants to talk with you for a bit.”

Nori regarded Acerola for a moment, and they spun slowly to face Olivia. Her stomach sunk at the way the Dhelmise stared at her, but Olivia took a deep breath and smiled.

“Alola, Nori! I’m Olivia, the kahuna of Akala Island. Yesterday you had a fight with Tapu Lele and Ruby, which made me and Acerola try to stop you. Like she said, I just want to talk!”

Already Nori disapproved with a piercing screech. One of the loose seaweeds stuck on the wheel struck Olivia like a knife and made her fall on the ground. Acerola yelled out her name in panic and rushed to her side while Ruby howled and hurled boulders at Nori. The Dhelmise easily smashed the rocks with their chains, and then turned around to face away Ruby and ignored him.

“Miss Olivia, are you all right?” Acerola asked as she helped her get up. Olivia grimaced, noticing a deep cut on her right arm.

“Nori got my arm good, but otherwise I should be fine.”

“I have some potions and bandages in my bag, it shouldn’t take long!”

Acerola pulled out a small pink bottle and sprayed it on Olivia’s wound. It stung for a second and that made Olivia grit her teeth, but already the cut faded and she quickly relaxed. She rolled the bandage tightly around her arm.

“There, that should do it!” Acerola said with a proud face.

“Thank you, Acerola,” she said, giving her a grateful smile. She looked over her shoulder to see Ruby yelling and shaking his paw in an attempt to grab Nori’s attention, but was unsuccessful. “Oi, Ruby! Doesn’t look like Nori’s paying attention to you anytime soon.”

Ruby jerked his head to Olivia’s direction and whimpered. He stole one last glance at Nori and moved back to his trainer’s side. Olivia pressed her lips and folded her arms against her chest.

With a furrowed brow, Acerola turned to Nori’s direction. “Now, Nori! That’s not very nice of you to attack Miss Olivia like that!”

This time, Nori spun around and blinked their eye at them. Acerola frowned.

“She wasn’t trying to hurt you. In fact, she can communicate with Pokemon better than most people!” Acerola flashed Nori a grin and had her arms behind her back. “Come on, give her a chance!”

Nori stood there, unresponsive. Olivia looked down at her injured arm and sighed. She made a few steps forward and gazed at the Dhelmise with a small smile.

“This is the first time in a while a Pokemon attacked me like that. Don’t worry, I won’t punish you.”

Before Olivia could get any closer, Nori released a large chain straight at her. Olivia yelled and backed away right in time for the chain to slam on the ground. Ruby barked and ready to pounce, but she raised her palm at him.

“It’s all right, Ruby! I got this.”

Ruby didn’t look convinced, but nonetheless he grunted and relaxed his posture. Acerola squeezed his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.

She continued forward. Once she was closer to Nori, she tiptoed and stretched out her arm to touch them. The seaweed around the anchor was cold, slimy, and wet. Olivia shuddered and her skin crawled, but her smile grew wider and she continued to caress them gently.

She hoped that would calm Nori down, but they made uneased noises and shifted wildly. That led Olivia to jump, wrap her arms, and press her body around them. Her arms and clothes got wet and sticky, but she didn’t care. Acerola gasped and Ruby growled, the both of them reacting unfavorably.

“Be careful!” Acerola yelled in fright.

As Nori continued to flail, Olivia gripped onto them tighter. Her shoes fell off from her feet, and pieces of seaweed got stuck onto her hair and cheeks. She narrowed her eyes and huffed in annoyance.

“Please Nori, calm down! I just want to help you, and even get to know you better!”

A few more seconds passed until Nori’s movements slowed down. They lowered themselves closer to the ground, and Olivia hopped off from them. Acerola and Ruby rushed to her side.

“Did Nori hurt you again?” Acerola asked.

“No, thank the tapu. I have seaweed all over me, though.” Olivia threw out the seaweed from her cheek and hair, and that made Acerola giggle.

Olivia turned to look at Nori, who stared back at her and grunted. Taking it as a sign they were fine now, she approached and caressed Nori again. The seaweed was still slimy and wet.

“See, there’s nothing to be afraid of. You’re in good hands.”

This time Nori didn’t attack, and instead they stood still and relaxed under her touch. Olivia grinned while Acerola and Ruby gasped in amazement.

“Better now?” Olivia asked. Nori hovered up and down that resembled a nod, so she stopped and took a few steps back. “Good! Now, I want you to first tell me why you attacked Tapu Lele yesterday.”

When Nori spoke, their voice was deep and hollow. Before Olivia could gather what they were saying, Acerola did it for her.

“Nori says it’s because they thought going against stronger opponents would help them get stronger themselves.”

“And did Tapu Lele accept Nori’s challenge?” Olivia asked, raising a brow. After Nori responded, Acerola translated for her.

“They did. Tapu Lele had the upper hand until Nori used their chains to trap them. We then asked Nori to stop.”

“Upper hand, huh? Not surprising since Tapu Lele is the guardian of Akala Island, after all.” Olivia hummed and raised her chin. “If they want to train, Ruby is a rugged opponent that should be more than good enough for you.”

Upon hearing that, Nori screeched and shook their body. Acerola giggled.

“Ruby is a small puppy compare to Tapu Lele, so they won’t bother.”

Already Ruby glared at Nori and growled, his sharp fangs showing. Olivia chuckled and patted the wolf Pokemon’s back.

“Now now Ruby, don’t take Nori’s words too seriously. You’re still my loveable tough boy.”

Ruby gazed up at Olivia and barked happily.

“So, what happens now?” Acerola asked, tilting her head.

Olivia’s smile disappeared, and she snapped her head back to Nori. Nori stared at her, as if waiting for her next move. She released a deep breath and approached them once more. Closing her eyes, Olivia let her palm rest on Nori’s seaweed and focused on their energy.

“I’m feeling a lot of negative energy inside you. The seaweed, to be exact!”

“I’ve heard of how the seaweed here are able to come alive and form Dhelmise,” Acerola said.

Olivia slowly opened her eyes, and her gaze met Nori’s. Their compass eye still looked unsettling, but she was unfazed by it now.

“Acerola told me you attacked her the first time you met, but you ended up staying with her. Why is that?”

Olivia let Nori speak, and once they were done her eyes grew wide. She was able to understand their reply.

“You stayed with her because she’s willing to help you get stronger.” She looked over her shoulder to see Acerola frowning.

“Nori told me that before and I was surprised. I’m more than happy to be their partner, but sometimes I’m afraid they’ll get seriously hurt.”

Nori heard what Acerola had said since they answered immediately. They basically said going against a much stronger Pokemon excited them. After they finished, Olivia nodded.

“I understand, you love the thrill of tougher opponents. I do too whenever I get to battle as a kahuna. That’s not a bad thing, but you’re making Acerola worry if you keep this up.”

Nori responded with a small groan, which Olivia could tell they felt bad. She grinned and touch Nori’s anchor. Acerola and Ruby continued to watch closely

“I know you didn’t mean to hurt her that way. You should try to resist that battling urge, or ask Acerola before challenging another Pokemon. You think you can do that for her?”

Nori stood still for a moment, as if considering her suggestion. Eventually they hummed and nodded, or rather appeared to nod by floating up and down. Olivia’s grin widened and she embraced Nori.

“Will that work?” Acerola asked, sounding hopeful.

“Why don’t we find out?” Olivia inhaled and looked up at the sky. “Tapu Lele, are you here?”

Some seconds passed until a rush of wind blew over and Tapu Lele screamed. At that moment, the guardian deity popped up in front of everyone. When they noticed Nori, Tapu Lele giggled and waved at them.

Nori grunted and their only eye kept blinking. They stole a glance at Olivia and Acerola, and then Nori approached Tapu Lele closer. Acerola gasped and she was about to move, but Olivia squeezed her shoulder and pointed up for her to watch.

Instead of attacking, Nori spoke with Tapu Lele. After the short exchange, Tapu Lele glared, turned away, and folded their arms. Acerola frowned.

“Nori is apologizing to Tapu Lele fo what happened yesterday, but Tapu Lele is not convinced they’re being sincere.”

Nori grunted in confusion. Nori tried talking to Tapu Lele again, but the guardian deity spun around and responded back in a sharp tone. Acerola let Olivia know what they were saying once more.

“Nori asks them why they accepted their challenge in the first place, and Tapu Lele says it’s because they caught their interest. Tapu Lele thought Nori got too aggressive, and it was rude using their chain to trap them like that.”

That made Nori stare in shock and screamed. They started forming a green ball of energy, only for Olivia to step forward before Acerola could. Ruby growled and also was about to act, but he backed away last second.

“Nori, don’t! You don’t want to make Tapu Lele even more angry!”

Nori flinched and looked hard at Olivia and Acerola. After a moment, they made the Energy Ball disappear and groaned in disappointment. Both ladies sighed in relief. Olivia gazed up to see Tapu Lele’s back still facing Nori.

“Hey, Tapu Lele? Can I have a word with you?”

Tapu Lele turned around and looked down at Olivia with a curious expression. Olivia’s stomach jumped, but she inhaled and began speaking.

“I understand your hesitation towards Nori after what happened yesterday. However, I think they were genuine with their apology. I know you like to battle with other Pokemon for fun, too!”

Tapu Lele gasped in surprise and regarded Olivia’s words for a moment. They turned around to face Nori and started speaking with them. Nori also responded, and after a short exchange, Tapu Lele grinned and nodded. Olivia smiled and looked down at both Ruby and Acerola.

“Tapu Lele requested that Nori asks properly for a challenge next time. Nori agrees with that offer, and now Tapu Lele forgives them for the time being.”

“That’s great news!” Acerola said cheerfully as she looked back at Ruby. He barked in agreement.

Tapu Lele giggled again and kissed Nori where their steering wheel was. That made Nori a little drowsy and fall asleep.

“Huh, what happened?” Acerola asked, tilting her head.

Olivia raised a brow and was about to ask the same thing until Tapu Lele sprinkled some glitter onto her. The bandage on her arm somehow unwrapped itself, and she noticed the scar left there fully disappeared. Acerola and Ruby gave out stunned looks.

“Your arm has fully healed!” Acerola said in shock.

“Tapu Lele drained Nori’s energy so that they can do just that.” Olivia rubbed her arm and chuckled. She looked back up at them. “Thank you, Tapu Lele!”

Tapu Lele smiled. They waved goodbye at everyone and floated off.

Acerola gazed at Nori, still asleep, and beamed. “I’m proud of you today, Nori!” She returned Nori and put their pokéball back in her bag. “You got through Nori better than I ever could! No wonder Tapu Lele chose you as the kahuna of this island, or island queen in the old language!”

Olivia’s face fell, taken aback by that response. “I shouldn’t be taking all the credit. You and Nori have great potential in forming a close bond.”

“You really think so?” Acerola asked, and Olivia nodded. “I hope you’re right!”

Olivia offered her a small smile. Her nose began to wrinkle, and she cringed at the smell from touching Nori earlier.

“We should head back to Konikoni City, I need to change clothes. After that, why don’t we head to my favorite restaurant there? My treat!”

Acerola giggled. “That’s all right! And lunch sounds wonderful!”

Olivia clapped her hands once. “Great! I hope you have a big appetite!”

Acerola jumped and pumped her fist in the air. Ruby also responded with a delightful bark. Shortly after, all three headed to the truck.

Acerola and Ruby already hopped inside. Olivia was about to climb inside also, but stopped when she heard Tapu Lele’s giggle from afar. Maybe Acerola was onto something there. Grinning, she climbed onto the jeep and started the engine.