Return To Kumquat Island

After Hisoka reunited with Suzie, they all went to the place where they left the captured Team Aqua members and handed them to Hunter's Association staff. Then, they returned to Shamouti Island on a boat and went back to their hotel to rest.

The next morning, Melody went to pick them up and showed them around the shrine. They passed through the torii gate at the bottom of the cliff that led up to the shrine.

Rows of flowers lined up along the stairs as they climbed up. Right now, it was noon, the hottest time of the day, and the shrine was surrounded by blooming hibiscus flowers.

A group of about twenty yellow-winged Butterfree unique to Orange Islands climate was seen flying back and forth around the shrine.

"What are they doing?"

Hisoka asked Melody in a curious tone.

Melody teased one of the Butterfree and said.

"These flowers are grown by Elder Tobias for these Butterfree. So once in a while, they would collect some honey and give them to us as their thanks."

"I see."

He nodded as he neared one of the Butterfree. It didn't seem to be afraid of him at all.

'Probably because it knows that this shrine is a sacred place.'

He mused.

"Can we try some?"

Daisy suddenly cut in with an eager expression.

"Sure. We have lots of them. Usually, we give them to the townspeople. They are very good for the human body."

Replied Melody as she led them into the shrine.

Pushing open the gate of the shrine, they were met with stone structures around an altar in which three glass balls were placed. In the center was a small ornate box and a silver-colored feather lay inside.

"This feather was left by Lugia, the beast of the sea."

Melody explained after she saw the questioning look in their eyes.

"The beast of the sea, Lugia, is worshipped by the whole residents of Shamouti Island. It is said that when the legendary birds release their might upon the world, Lugia is the only Pokémon that can quell their ceaseless fighting. Lugia possesses the ability to control the weather. It can calm and give rise to storms."

"Come on. Elder Tobias should be in the backyard now. I'll take you there."

After hanging around the altar for a while, Melody led them into the shrine.

Shamouti Shrine was built on a cliff right next to the bay. It was more than fifty meters above the ground. The sound of waves crashing against the cliff could be heard below.

As soon as they walked into the backyard, they were stunned by what they saw.

Right in front of them were the three legendary birds, Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno. It looked like they were receiving treatment from a Nurse Joy. There was also an older man along with a Slowking.

"Melody!"

The Slowking turned around after noticing them.

"It speaks!"

Except for Hisoka and Melody, everyone else exclaimed in surprise. They had never seen a talking Pokemon in their life. They knew that Pokemon could understand human language, but that didn't mean they could speak in human language.

"Morning, Slowking."

Said Melody affectionately. She then turned to them and said.

"Everyone, this is Slowking. And yes, he can speak human language. He takes care of the shrine with Elder Tobias."

After the surprise wore off, they stood at the back, quietly watching Nurse Joy bandaging Moltres wounds. While waiting for her to finish their treatment, Melody told them that Moltres and Zapdos managed to escape from Team Aqua's captivity during the airship crash. Articuno later found them severely injured and brought them here for treatment.

"Get some rest."

Elder Tobias gently patted Moltres's wings while whispering in its ear. He then turned to Articuno with a smile.

"Articuno, please take care of them. They are still injured. It will take some time before they are fully healed."

Chirp!

Articuno chirped twice and nodded its head in reply. After saying thanks to Elder Tobias and Nurse Joy, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres took off. He watched them leave Shamouti Island and return to their home.

"Huh? Melody, who are they?"

When he finally turned around, he saw Melody standing at the back, along with a couple of people.

"These are my friends. Oh, by the way, I think you might know these three. They are Hisoka, Will, and Doran."

Melody introduced them to Elder Tobias.

"So you're the ones who caught that despicable guy, eh?"

Elder Tobias looked at Hisoka's group.

"Yes, Elder Tobias."

They answered in a respectful tone.

Elder Tobias nodded in an approving manner. He then told them to wait and went inside a small hut just next to them. A few minutes later, he came out, carrying three boxes in his hands.

"I know these might not be much, but thank you for saving the three legendary birds. I hope they might be useful to you."

He handed the boxes to them.

"Thank you, Elder Tobias."

They accepted with a humble attitude.

When Hisoka lifted the lid, he saw three items lying inside the box. They were Charcoal, Never-Melt Ice, and Magnet. He was very happy with the gift. They were all items that could enhance the power of a Pokemon.

***

Kumquat Island, Kumquat City.

Later in the noon, they all boarded the boat that Hisoka borrowed from Professor Ivy and left for Kumquat Island.

"Am I the only one who thinks we are being stared at?"

Doran whispered while his eyes peeked at the police officers, who were staring at them across the street. They were now on their way to the Hunter's Association headquarters.

Will took a newspaper out of nowhere and handed it to him.

"Look at this."

It was the Orange Daily newspaper. On the front page was a picture of them shaking hands with the mayor of Shamouti Island. The news was saying how they managed to foil Team's Aqua attacks on Shamouti Island.

"Well, Team Aqua must be hating our guts right now."

Hisoka joked.

Soon, they reached the Hunter Association building and entered it. As they walked in, they saw Paul, the proctor of the exam, manning the front desk.

"There you are. I received the good news. Congratulations on passing the exam. Now you just need to complete an S-level mission alone before you become a certified gold-rank hunter."

Paul stood up after they came to him.

"Can we accept the mission now? It's been a long time since I left home. I want to get this over with."

Doran said bluntly.

Paul didn't seem to mind the interruption as he kept the smile on his face.

"Please be patient. We are still waiting for the other hunters to return. The S-level mission will be released in a few days. I will inform you at that time. There is no time limit for this mission. As long as you complete it, you will be able to become a gold-rank hunter. During this time, we will bear all your expenses. You should take some rest and prepare yourself for the upcoming mission. It is quite tough.