A New Dream

Cliff Hanging: Dawn's POV

Only an hour or so later the ship made it to the landing dock and I eagerly awaited the long stairs to be positioned so that I could leave the ship and begin my journey. A familiar purple color registered in my peripheral vision but I frowned and turned away from the direction I had seen it, not at all in the mood to argue with a narrow-minded prideful jerk.

I was practically skipping as I left the boat and took in all of the vibrant colors around me. Not only the tropical palm trees and flowering trees but also the people! Everyone's clothes were bright, many with the classic Alolan flower design, and as I breathed in deeply I could smell salt mixed in with the intoxicating smell of berries and fruit.

Thanks for the suggestion, Serena, I thought silently as I made my way towards Hau'oli city. The first thing to do on any journey was to buy new travel clothes and stock up on travel provisions, so I walked along the streets while gazing out over the beach and all of the people simply enjoying their day. Surprisingly I found the clothes store before the PokeCenter, so I walked in and was once again captured by all of the vibrant colors that adorned the many mannequins throughout the store.

It only took me a few minutes of browsing to find something I liked. Leaving Piplup to talk to a funny-looking blob of a pokemon who was wandering around the store I ducked into an open changing room and tried on my selections. Looking into the floor length mirror I smiled at my choice. I was wearing a white halter top shirt with a faux V-Neck, a black swatch of fabric covering the deep V up to my collar bone, with a pair of dark jean shorts that were a handspan above my knee. I situated the small white headband with three offset stars on my head and brushed my bangs to the side slightly. To complete my new look I fastened a chunky pink belt at an angle across my hips and slipped into the pink sandals I had found with an ankle strap to keep them securely on my feet.

Nodding in satisfaction at my new look I exited the dressing room and went up to the counter, paying for my clothes and calling for Piplup to come with me. Piplup waved to its new friend and waddled quickly after me as we rejoined the crowd of tourists and locals.

"Well, that is a rare pokemon if I've ever seen one, oh yeah!" A deep, happy voice said from behind me. 

I turned to see a dark-skinned man with black hair pulled into a man bun at the nape of his neck. To my surprise, he was wearing a professor's lab coat, but it was left open, exposing his bare chest and six-pack. I blinked, trying to get past my shock at the young professor's appearance as he knelt down and inspected my Piplup, who puffed out his chest and turned up his beak in a picture of pride.

"He's a Piplup," I said cautiously as the man bobbed this way and that as if trying to memorize all of the angles of Piplup's little body.

"I've heard of Piplup. They're the Sinnoh regions starter pokemon, right? Does that mean you're from Sinnoh, cousin?" the professor asked, looking up at me with a disarming grin which I couldn't help but return.

"Yes, I am," I replied with a smile, holding back my chuckle as Piplup strutted over to me with his head held high.

"Well, what brings you to our happy island? My name is Kukui, by the way. I'm a professor who studies pokemon moves," he said, reaching out a hand to me and I took it in my own smaller hand to shake.

"I'm Dawn, and I actually came because I heard about the Luau Showdowns from my friend Serena. I thought I would see what they were about," I explained with a smile and Kukui laughed robustly.

"Hoowee! That's what I like to hear! I want everyone in the world to see the beauty of Alola and our pokemon, so I was all for the Luau idea! If you go to the Pokemon Center up the road they can get you registered and give you a schedule of where all the showdowns will be held at what times," Kukui said with a happy grin and I beamed.