"Please wait a moment, Mr. Hala!"
Hala turned his head, seeing a young man much taller than him walking towards him.
Accompanying the young man was a Pokémon Hala had never seen before.
Hala paused: "And you are?"
"I'm Naoki." Naoki said, "I'd like to ask for your help in starting my Island Pilgrimage."
Five minutes later, inside Hala's residence,
the King of the Island, Hala, held a cup of tea and squinted as he examined the young man before him.
"You mean you want to participate in our Alola Region's Island Pilgrimage?"
"That's right, this is my Proof of the Pilgrimage to the Islands." Naoki placed the proof he had previously obtained at the Royal Dome on the wooden tea table before him.
Hala reached out to take the certificate, carefully inspecting it and finding that it was indeed an authentic Proof of the Pilgrimage to the Islands.
Typically, this certificate is specifically issued to outsiders, as the Alola Region offers many ways to obtain such proof.
For example, upon receiving recognition from a King or Queen of the Island, one would be gifted the Proof of the Pilgrimage to the Islands, allowing them to start their pilgrimage.
Alternatively, it's given as a reward for those who have made significant contributions to the Alola Region.
As for local Trainers... they are qualified to participate in the Island Pilgrimage from birth.
"I see! Looks like we have another talented young person here!" Hala laughed heartily.
He continued: "Let me formally introduce myself; I am Hala, the King of Melemele Island. Since you've chosen to start your challenge from Melemele Island, I will present you with the content of your trial!"
"However, it's quite late today, so let's do it this way! You can come here at eight o'clock tomorrow morning, and I will announce the content of the Melemele Island trial to you."
"Alright." Naoki nodded politely and thanked Hala before leaving.
He did not return to Paldea that night but instead rested overnight at a ranch on Akala Island.
The next morning, as the sun rose high above the horizon, Naoki arrived punctually in Iki Town.
Hala was already waiting there in advance.
Rested overnight, Hala was full of energy, smiling as he spoke to Naoki:
"You came just in time; something has occurred on Melemele Island. The location is in the forest near Haoao City, where there's a Forest Pokemon Cafe."
"Based on feedback from nearby Pokémon and residents, that cafe has recently faced some issues and has temporarily suspended business, causing considerable inconvenience to everyone. I hope you can investigate and help solve the problem."
"This is the trial content I've arranged for you!"
Forest Pokemon Cafe...
Isn't that the location from the anime?
Although it's a cafe, the owner is a Pokémon named Oranguru.
That Oranguru is very smart, serving drinks to customers who come to the store, listening to their complaints, and helping them solve their problems.
Speaking of which, the Pokemon Tavern on the ranch and the World Tree was actually inspired by the Forest Pokemon Cafe!
It's stopped operating? Has something happened to Oranguru?
After briefly pondering, Naoki nodded: "Alright, I'll go take a look."
Hala squinted his eyes and smiled: "Then I'll leave it to you."
The distance between Haoao City and Iki Town isn't very far.
Naoki rode Koraidon, and with the navigation of his Rotom Phone, it took less than five minutes to reach the forest.
Naoki initially thought that finding the Forest Cafe would require considerable effort, but he was surprised to discover that the Forest Pokemon Cafe had a dedicated landmark on the map app!
Simply pressing 'go there,' the Rotom Phone would automatically help navigate.
Naoki was very surprised, clicking on the landmark to see a line of text introducing it on the screen.
[Forest Pokemon Cafe: A cafe run by Pokémon, featuring delicious Pinap Berry juice, an excellent venue for relieving worries! Note: Most staff and many patrons there are Pokémon!]
Naoki: "..."
Is this the power of the internet?
Could Naoki Ranch have a special landmark too?
Naoki quickly switched to the Paldea Region, selecting the Porto Marinada Town area, and sure enough, he saw the ranch's landmark on the map.
[Naoki Ranch: A ranch that raises many Pokémon, famous for its rock salt and two types of fresh milk, and offering many unique Pokémon trials; however, the Rancher's strength is formidable, so challengers should prepare for potential failure!]
...As expected.
Naoki glanced at Porto Marinada Town, discovering that it was described as such.
[Porto Marinada Town: The origin of abundance culture, initially just an ordinary town, but gradually flourishing with the arrival of Calyrex. The Abundant Shrine on the hillside is highly recommended for visiting!]
...The village chief of Freezington Village would cry upon seeing this.
After a moment of silence, Naoki directed Koraidon to continue following the navigation.
Through the jungle, moving deeper ahead, and after leaping down a steep slope, a uniquely styled treehouse appeared in the dense forest ahead.
The house was built on a sturdy tree; ladders made of wood connected the house to the ground.
Located at the forest's deepest point, surrounded by tall and profound trees, vines hung from the branches, making it resemble a Secret Realm.