Own Tempo

Yuga stayed overnight at the Pokémon School at the invitation of the twin sisters. The next day, he just happened to run into Lana and Kiawe on their way to class, so he took out the four-colored nectar he had obtained the previous day to share with them.

Unfortunately, just as he brought out the nectar, Lana and Kiawe's classmates, Mallow, Lillie, and Sophocle, arrived, do he need to turn the sharing from two people into five.

Even someone as privileged as Lillie, the heiress of the Aether Foundation, didn't get to eat four-colored nectar very often, so everyone found it quite novel.

In fact, the nutritional value of four-colored nectar was similar to that of Honey, and their taste was also comparable. The main differences lay in their medicinal properties, but in practical terms, their value was essentially the same.

If someone were to ask why four-colored nectar was considered precious, it might just be due to its rarity.

Although the production of Honey was not high, Honey could still be farmed artificially. No matter how rare a Vespiquen was, it was still possible to obtain one with the right connections.

However, the four-colored flowers not only grew exclusively in Alola but were also difficult to cultivate artificially. The challenges in harvesting them were significant, making them much rarer in the market compared to Honey.

Mallow's family owned a restaurant, and seeing everyone treat the precious four-colored nectar as a snack made her feel it was a waste. So, she proposed that they give the nectar to her; she would turn it into dishes and invite everyone to eat at her family's Aina's Kitchen.

Naturally, everyone agreed without a second thought.

Yuga felt a bit hesitant upon hearing this. He hadn't returned to the hotel last night and wondered if Luna had been worried.

"I should call my niece to let her know; otherwise, she will worry," Yuga said after some consideration.

However, Yuga was overthinking it. Luna had been having too much fun yesterday and didn't even notice he hadn't returned to the hotel. When he called back, she was still fast asleep.

Yuga hung up the phone with a dark expression.

In any case, this girl wouldn't be crazy for long. Once the vacation was over, she would leave Alola and return to the training base to continue her grueling training life.

Visiting Aina's Kitchen was a lunchtime event, and Mallow and the others had classes to attend in the morning, so Yuga found a quiet spot to start practicing the flute.

Since returning from the Ultra Space, Yuga had been searching for instructional videos online to begin learning how to play the flute. He planned to playing Moon Flute for Cosmoem every day.

The sound of the Moon Flute had a significant positive effect on Cosmoem, so Yuga wouldn't let such a valuable treasure go to waste.

Although the unpleasant sound of the flute and a melodious sound had similar effects, Yuga felt it would be better to learn it properly. After all, he didn't want to be surrounded by noise every day, as it would definitely affect his mood.

What fascinated Yuga the most was that aside from himself, no one else could play the Moon Flute. He had previously asked Luna, Ayashi, and Arata Sena to give it a try; despite having learned to play the flute for a while in her childhood, Luna couldn't produce any sound either.

The Moon Flute had a deep connection with Lunala, and Yuga speculated that he could play it because he was Cosmoem's trainer and had gained its recognition.

He wondered if the flute could recognize people.

The piece Yuga chose to practice was a very simple and basic melody, but he realized he didn't have much musical talent, as he kept stumbling over the notes.

However, Cosmoem was very supportive. No matter how off-key he played, Cosmoem listened with a cheerful expression, its eyes squinted with delight, looking incredibly cute.

Yuga practiced playing the flute on a patch of grass outside the Pokémon School, blowing his notes while Cosmoem floated nearby, swaying gently as it listened.

Just then, Yuga suddenly felt a flash of golden electricity in the air, followed by a Pokémon with a Mohawk hairstyle descending from the sky.

"Tapu Koko!"

Yuga's flute playing abruptly came to a halt.

As Yuga was still pondering why Tapu Koko had suddenly appeared, the Tapu Koko across from him had already launched an attack.

Buzz!

Tapu Koko, glowing with electric light, used Wild Charge and barreled toward Yuga. Luckily, Cosmoem reacted quickly, using Teleport to whisk Yuga out of harm's way.

Seeing that Tapu Koko seemed unfriendly, Yuga quickly released his Dragonite to counter it.

Tapu Koko was the guardian deity of Melemele Island and was highly respected in Alola. Yuga had never seen it before and certainly had never had any conflict with it, so when it attacked him, he could only think of one reason.

Cosmoem!

According to known legends, the four guardian deities of Alola had a deep connection with the Sun and Moon deities.

As soon as Dragonite appeared, it flapped its wings and swung its Ice Punch, imbued with freezing energy, at Tapu Koko. Tapu Koko simply folded its arms, retreating into its shell, easily absorbing Dragonite's punch.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Dragonite's punches rained down like a storm on Tapu Koko's shell. Suddenly, Tapu Koko shone with a pink glow, launching Dragonite away just as it prepared to swing its fists again.

The Dragon-type Dragonite was struck hard by Tapu Koko's unexpected Dazzling Gleam, crashing heavily to the ground.

Tapu Koko suddenly soared into the air, and a golden light beam shot down toward the ground, instantaneously unfolding an electric field.

Crackle...

Tapu Koko dove down using Wild Charge. The speed of the charge was so swift that Yuga felt like the air itself was about to ignite.

Dragonite realized it couldn't dodge, and a torrent of golden electricity surged from its body. In an instant, a large dark cloud gathered in the sky, dimming the daylight.

Boom!

A thunderclap resonated, and a massive golden dragon descended from the heavens, crashing down onto Tapu Koko.

Patter, patter...

Following the thunder, heavy rain began to pour from the sky, completely shrouding the nearby Pokémon School in rain clouds.

Professor Kukui, who was teaching a class, looked out at the sudden downpour and muttered in confusion, "That's strange; the weather forecast said it was going to be a nice day!"

Just then, the class ended, and he advised the children, "That's it for today's lesson. But since it's suddenly started to rain heavily outside, please be careful on your way home."

"We understand!" the children replied in unison.

Tapu Koko was immediately interrupted from its Wild Charge by Dragonite's lightning strike, nearly suffering internal injuries from the impact.

Generally, if a Pokémon took a hit like that from a thunderbolt, it would either die or be significantly injured, but Tapu Koko, being a legendary Pokémon and an Electric-type, only suffered minor charring and was not seriously harmed.

After taking such a blow from Dragonite, Tapu Koko finally ceased its assault, quietly hovering in the air, staring at Yuga without blinking.

Seeing that Tapu Koko had stopped moving, Yuga refrained from letting Dragonite make any rash moves. Instead, he maintained a "passionate" eye contact with Tapu Koko.

Time passed without Yuga realizing it, and soon his eyes began to ache. Tapu Koko finally averted its gaze, and in a flash, it vanished from his sight.

Yuga was left bewildered by the neurotic legendary Pokémon. After discontentedly recalling Cosmoem and Dragonite, he returned to the Pokémon School.

In the anime, Ash would have gotten a Z-Ring after battling it, but here he was, merely startled and without any rewards.

As soon as Yuga entered the campus, he saw Lana and the others walking toward him.

"Big brother, where have you been? We've been looking for you!"

Yuga replied, "I was training my Pokémon outside, but I didn't expect it to rain. I'll go change my clothes and come back."

At that moment, his clothes were quite damp.

"Okay, then hurry back! We'll wait for you here."

Yuga nodded and returned to where he had stayed last night, changing out of his wet clothes. He also took the opportunity to inform the twins and Principal Oak that he was leaving.

Initially, the twins wanted to invite Yuga to visit Melemele Meadow again, but upon hearing that he was leaving, they didn't press the matter.

After bidding farewell to the three of them, Yuga set off with a few children to the Aina's Kitchen.

The Aina's Kitchen was located in Hau'oli City, which was bustling and filled with tourists. The restaurant offered delicious and affordable meals, making it a popular dining spot.

In the past, Mallow would always help her busy father as soon as she returned, but recently her older brother, who had been studying culinary arts abroad, came back. So when her father saw that his daughter had brought friends along, he allowed her to focus on attending to the guests.

Having learned cooking from her father since childhood, Mallow's dishes were exceptionally delicious. She transformed the precious four-color nectar into a variety of foods, including beverages and desserts. The array of enticing dishes allowed everyone to enjoy a hearty feast.

After finishing their meals, Yuga was surprised to see a familiar face in the restaurant's lobby.

"Ilima, you're back in Alola?"

Ilima had previously studied in the Kalos region and then spent some time as an exchange student in Hoenn.

"Gym Leader Shimizu? You're also in Alola!" Ilima was equally astonished to see Yuga.

"Big brother, do you know senior Ilima?" Mallow and her friends were surprised as well. Ilima was a senior at their Pokémon School; although he had graduated some time ago, he was still a notable figure at the school, and many people often talked about him.

"I challenged Gym Leader Shimizu at his Gym before, so I've known him for a while," Ilima explained with a smile.

"You probably didn't know, but big brother is the Gym Leader in Hoenn; he's a very powerful trainer," Kiawe proudly added, now aware of Yuga's identity.

"Is that so? That's why senior Ilima calls you Gym Leader Shimizu."

"Um… what is a Gym Leader?" Lillie asked weakly at that moment.

The room suddenly fell silent. Everyone exchanged glances, unsure of what to say. Alola had no Gyms, so they were unfamiliar with their purpose.

"A Gym Leader is one of the city's managers. Besides being responsible for the city's safety and stability, they also... in a sense, a Gym Leader is somewhat similar to our Island Kahuna," Ilima patiently explained the functions of a Gym Leader to the children.

After hearing Ilima's explanation, the children finally understood.

"So that's why big brother is so impressive!"

Yuga chatted with Ilima for a little longer at the Aina's Kitchen before leaving. The children still had classes to attend in the afternoon, so they didn't accompany him.

Since he had been called away to Melemele Meadow by the twins yesterday and hadn't explored Hau'oli City properly, Yuga decided to continue his exploration of the city in the afternoon.

Hau'oli City boasted many famous local specialties, including various antique boutiques, clothing stores, and more. Yuga took the opportunity to finish buying gifts for his aunt and the others.

With so many items he purchased, his spatial backpack couldn't hold everything. Yuga didn't want to pull out his system backpack in front of everyone, so he ended up carrying some of the items in his hands.

Just as he was looking for a place to rest, he suddenly heard a commotion nearby.

"Catch them! Don't let them get away!"

Immediately afterward, Yuga saw two small gray figures darting past him, almost knocking over the items he was holding. A few people chased after them.

The two gray figures couldn't run far before being caught by a Houndoom, which swiftly pinned them down with its paws. Yuga then realized the gray figures were actually an Alolan Meowth and a Rockruff.

"Look at you, still trying to run! How dare you steal my things!"

The group of people who caught up to Meowth and Rockruff began to kick and punch them, leaving the already distressed little creatures in an even worse state.

A bystander, who was about to intervene, was intimidated into silence when the aggressive group glared at them fiercely.

Listening to the conversation, Yuga learned that the two little ones had indeed stolen from these people. To his surprise, he recognized them as the same four people who had been beaten by the twins at Melemele Meadow the day before.

"Alright, alright, that's enough! Don't go too far!" Yuga finally spoke up, unable to watch the scene any longer.

"What's it to you…" the leader of the Houndoom trainer was about to retort when he saw Yuga's face. He immediately swallowed the rest of his words and awkwardly said, "Fine, fine! I won't hold this against you this time. But if I see you two again, don't blame me for being rude!" He even kicked Meowth as he left.

Clearly, this person recognized Yuga and was wary of his strength, which is why he chose to back down.

Yuga released his Breloom, placing the items he was holding into its arms, and then walked over to pick up the two little creatures.

Even in a bustling metropolis like Hau'oli City, there were still stray Pokémon like these two. The little ones had been beaten so badly that they couldn't even get up. When Yuga picked them up, they seemed to want to struggle but didn't have the strength.

While using his special ability to heal them, Yuga carried them toward the Pokémon Center. By the time they were halfway there, the two little ones had already fainted.

After Nurse Joy examined them, she reported that Meowth and Rockruff's injuries weren't serious, but they were suffering from malnutrition.

As Yuga contemplated how to care for the two little ones, he noticed something unusual about Rockruff, it had Own Tempo Ability.

Typically, Rockruff has three possible abilities: Keen Eye, Vital Spirit, and Steadfast. Depending on whether they evolved during the night or day, these abilities could lead to different forms of Lycanroc (Midday Form and Midnight Form).

However, there was a unique case: if Rockruff had the Own Tempo ability, it could potentially evolve into the rare Dusk Form if it was evolved during Dusk time.

It was easy to imagine how rare a Rockruff with Own Tempo ability would be; it wouldn't be encountered so easily! It's not like they were wild grass by the roadside!

Could it be that this was the very Rockruff that Ash would eventually get? Yuga couldn't help but think to himself.