Alex and the girls regrouped aboard the yacht and set sail east toward Six Island by evening. Along with them were their new friends from Alola, who would serve as tour guides for the remainder of the trip. The other two groups bid farewell, deciding to stay behind and continue battling in the Trainer Tower.
To better accommodate their new friends, the girls gave up one of the VIP cabins for the happy couple, while Alvera shared her room with the twins. More accurately, the twins left their stuff with their parents and would bathe in their cabin but preferred to have a sleepover with Alvera for the remainder of their stay.
They sailed through the night with Rotom at the helm, leaving them free to rest comfortably in their cabins. Traveling after dark allowed them to make the most of their time ashore, spending each day exploring a new island and using the nights to sail between the scattered isles of the Sevii archipelago.
The following morning, they reached Six Island, where Alex escorted the girls through the main town for some shopping to start the day. As he had expected, the place was built like a tourist trap, with stalls lining the streets selling knickknacks, refrigerator magnets, keychains, and other decorative items most likely mass-produced in Kanto.
Later in the afternoon, they toured the island and visited the most popular spots. In particular, they lined up with the rest of the tourists in Ruin Valley and marveled at the ancient markings inside the Dotted Hole before sailing on to Outcast Island at Alex's explicit request.
There, he wanted to explore the Altering Cave to see if anything was hidden within it. Much to his disappointment, it turned out to be nothing more than a large cavern where docile Zubat were bred. Alex concluded that no code had been entered, preventing him from receiving any gifts.
That evening, they set sail toward Five Island, where Rhea and Alvera were the most excited. After all, there was supposed to be a super-secret hidden base that Alex had promised to show them.
As usual, they spent the morning shopping and then visited the different tourist spots, including Resort Gorgeous, an admittedly gorgeous private residence filled with flowers and a luxurious mansion that could be viewed by the public but not entered; Lost Cave, which had lost much of its mystery due to the guide ropes installed to ensure no one would get lost again, paid for by Lady Selphy, the owner of Resort Gorgeous; Memorial Pillar, a gravestone dedicated to an Onix named Tectonix; and finally Five Isles Meadow, where the Team Rocket Warehouse was supposed to be located.
"This is it?" Rhea exclaimed in disappointment as they stared at a repurposed warehouse in the middle of the forest, now serving as a resource depot for the tamed Pokémon on the island.
"Yup," Alex said. "Sorry, girls. This used to be a hideout a few decades ago during Team Rocket's time, but it's been repurposed by the locals since then."
"Are you sure there aren't any secret underground facilities hidden inside?"
"If there were, I'm pretty sure they'd be full of Pokémon feed," Alex replied.
Rhea deflated, with Alvera mimicking her disappointment right beside her. Both had been promised a secret base and were, unfortunately, denied that pleasure. Fortunately, there were plenty of docile Pokémon for the young girls to play with, allowing them to end their Five Island tour on a high note before sailing overnight to Four Island.
The next morning, they arrived at one of the Sevii Islands' most popular tourist attractions, Four Island, home of the current Kanto Champion, Lorelei.
Four Island was a bustling hub of activity, its streets lined with shops, cafés, and stalls catering to the steady stream of tourists. The town's centerpiece was the Ice type Gym, a massive standard League facility where trainers came to test their skills against the chill of Ice type Pokémon trained using the same techniques as Lorelei's own team.
Nearby, the Breeder Farm offered visitors a chance to see Pokémon raised with care, watch hatchings, and even learn a few breeding techniques from the resident staff. For those seeking adventure, guided tours led into Icefall Cave, a sparkling network of frozen tunnels filled with wild Pokémon and glittering ice formations, providing both a challenge and a spectacle for explorers of all ages.
Needless to say, Alvera had the time of her life on the luxury package tour, which included petting adorable baby Pokémon, exploring Icefall Cave, and receiving training tips for battling Ice type Pokémon from the gym. The tour was equally enjoyable for Malia and Nohea, the twins, who had been unable to afford the full package during their previous visit.
Alex, however, remained on high alert, his senses detecting a constant, disciplined presence shadowing him and the girls as they toured the island, subtle and professional in a way that reminded him of intelligence work. The observers operated in pairs, swapping every four hours to maintain an unbroken watch over him and his family from all angles.
It didn't bother him; in fact, he found it understandable and even a little impressive. Being on the Champion's home island, it made sense that the authorities would maintain a constant watch to protect against any potential threats, even someone with his impeccable League record. At the same time, the presence of observers was subtle enough to let tourists, and even potential troublemakers, enjoy themselves, projecting the friendly, reassuring image every leader had to maintain to placate the public.
By the end of the day, however, he still felt exhausted from his senses being constantly tested. Overall, it had been the least relaxing part of their vacation so far.
As they made their way back to the yacht to finally get some rest after their fun-filled day, they were intercepted by a pair of professional-looking trainers dressed in black suits, sunglasses, and equipped with earpieces.
"Mr. Wattson?" the lead man asked.
"That's me," Alex replied.
"We'd like you to come with us."
"Not without a reason," Alex said, his voice firm.
"Ms. Blackthorn would like to see you."
"Is her first name Claire? Because if it is, we're going to have a problem, gentlemen."
"No."
"Alright," Alex said, easily accepting.
He turned to the girls and told them to go ahead to the yacht, assuring them not to worry, before following the agents to a walled-off section east of the island. Its design was reminiscent of the Seaside Manor he had visited during his travels in Johto, with walls that concealed the tremendous aura of extremely powerful Pokémon.
They entered through a small side entrance designed as a sally port. Once inside the chamber, the door behind them closed before the one in front opened, bathing them in the overwhelming freezing aura of hundreds of Champion ranked Ice type Pokémon.
They made their way past the winter wonderland that was Lorelei's front yard, a sparkling expanse of frosted trees, icy sculptures, and carefully tended gardens that glistened in the sunlight. Champion ranked Pokémon patrolled the grounds, their eyes tracking Alex's every movement with caution. Beyond the yard loomed the mansion itself, a grand structure of ice-white stone and crystal windows that reflected the surrounding landscape.
Once they entered, the cold didn't lessen, giving the place the atmosphere of a frozen medieval palace. They made their way through the icy halls, past luxurious crystal decorations, before reaching a waiting room that was surprisingly comfortable.
Alex took a seat on the couch and waited less than a minute before the door at the far end of the room opened, revealing a beautiful woman with her red hair tied up, glasses perched on her nose, and wearing orange Dragonite pajamas.
"Hey, Alex," she said, a hint of awkwardness in her voice.
"Clarissa, it's good to see you again," Alex replied with a smile.
He only knew one other female Blackthorn and since it wasn't Claire, it was most likely Clarissa which was why he was open to the invitation. It had been years since they last met face to face, not since he had helped her with a Team Dominion problem in Viridian City. And now, here she was, all grown up, wearing pajamas covered in Dragonite prints from head to toe.
"Sorry for calling you over like this," she said meekly. "I didn't want to interrupt your family vacation, but I couldn't leave the mansion without making a fuss. Everyone recognizes me now, even when I try to hide behind a hat, glasses, and a mask."
"I can only imagine," Alex said. "So, how's the training going? Are you gunning for Champion yet?"
"Arceus, no. It's too soon to challenge the Elite Four and my parents. Maybe once I reach Master rank in a few decades, I'll consider it. Besides, it isn't really up to me to dethrone them right now. I'd have to wait until they decide to retire before making any attempt."
"I thought attempting it would look good on your profile."
"It doesn't work like that. The public would be excited for a new Champion, only for her to fail and disappoint them, or, Arceus forbid, actually win and replace the current Champion. I'm not ready for that kind of life yet."
Their conversation stalled awkwardly before Alex sighed and finally asked the question that had been on his mind.
"So, is this meeting really just a chance to catch up after all these years, or is there another reason you needed to talk to me that couldn't be handled over the phone?"
"I…"
-----
Support me on Patreon
patreon/babywrath