"This is the Pokémon School."
Professor Kukui led the way as Lillie gestured toward the building with a smile.
Bang! Bang!
Confetti rained down from above. Steven and Cynthia stopped in their tracks, completely caught off guard.
"Alola! Welcome, Steven and Cynthia!"
A group of children burst out from the doorway, waving and cheering.
Professor Kukui laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that. These are my students — they've been looking forward to your visit all day."
"It's fine," Steven said with an easy smile. "They're quite spirited."
"I think they're adorable," Cynthia added warmly.
Nearby, the green-haired girl who had been holding the confetti cannon leaned toward a quieter girl with dark blue hair, whispering, "Lana — did you see? When the confetti went off, Cynthia grabbed Steven's hand."
"I noticed," Lana said softly.
"She's still holding it."
Professor Kukui turned to Lillie. "Could you bring everyone back to the classroom? I'll take Steven and Cynthia to meet Principal Oak."
"Of course, Professor Kukui." Lillie nodded.
"We'll see you all in a bit," Steven said, giving the children a small wave. Cynthia smiled and waved as well before the two followed Professor Kukui inside.
The moment they disappeared through the door, the students swarmed around Lillie.
"Did you hear that?!" The green-haired girl — Mallow — grabbed Lillie's arm. "Steven said 'see you all in a bit'! He's going to come back!"
"I'm finally going to see Steven's Pokémon in person!" Kiawe, the dark-skinned boy with his arms crossed, looked like he might combust on the spot.
"What are they like? What are they actually like?" Sophocles, small and round-faced, pressed in eagerly.
"They were both very kind," Lillie said.
Kiawe raised an eyebrow at Sophocles. "Shouldn't you be more interested in the technical side of things? Aren't you always going on about gadgets and circuits?"
"Steven is the vice president of Devon Corporation!" Sophocles said, a little indignant. "You can look it up — they develop Pokémon items and trainer equipment. It's basically the biggest name in applied Pokémon technology!"
"Wait — really?" Mallow covered her mouth. "I had no idea."
"Clearly," Sophocles said, just a touch smug.
"But more importantly," Lana said, in her usual quiet way, "shouldn't we be talking about the fact that Cynthia and Steven were holding hands?"
The group went still for a moment.
"Right! They were holding hands!"
Four pairs of eyes turned to Lillie at once.
Lillie felt warmth rise to her cheeks. "I really don't know anything about that…"
"Then we'll just have to ask them ourselves!"
"Mallow, that would be rude!"
Knock knock —
"Come in!"
Professor Kukui pushed the door open and led Steven and Cynthia into the principal's office.
"Alola, Principal."
Steven and Cynthia each offered a greeting as well.
Principal Oak looked up from his desk with a broad smile. "Alola! Wonderful — thank you for the trouble, Kukui." Then he turned to the two Champions. "Steven, Cynthia, welcome to Alola! I hope you'll give this school your best — Trapinch!"
As he said it, he contorted his face into an unmistakable impression of a Trapinch and snapped his hands together like the Pokémon's wide jaws.
Steven and Cynthia both blinked, then looked over at Professor Kukui.
"The Principal has a habit of working Pokémon names into everything he says," Kukui explained, rubbing his forehead. "Please bear with it."
"I see," Steven said.
It reminded him, oddly, of how Professor Oak of Kanto had a fondness for composing Pokémon-themed haiku. Perhaps it ran in the family.
"Now then," Principal Oak went on cheerfully, "I heard the two of you were coming, and I have something I'd like to ask your — Garchomp!"
He spread his arms wide, striking a pose that was unmistakably meant to evoke the Dragon-type's silhouette.
"…Ask our Garchomp?" Steven said, genuinely unsure whether that was a pun or a real question.
"He means he has something to ask you," Kukui clarified.
"Ah." Steven smiled. "Of course."
For a moment he had actually considered whether Principal Oak was requesting a battle with Cynthia's Garchomp specifically. Given Cynthia's team, that wasn't entirely impossible.
"Steven," Cynthia murmured close to his ear, "this principal is a little unusual."
Steven gave her hand a light, reassuring squeeze. "He's different, but if you listen past the puns, it's actually quite charming."
"If you say so."
"Please, go ahead, Principal," Steven said, turning back with a polite smile.
Principal Oak laced his fingers together. "My students are passionate about Pokémon battles, and they look up to you both a great deal. So I'd like to ask if you'd be willing to hold an exhibition match for them — Ex-egg-utor!"
He tapped his head twice with both hands.
Steven pressed his lips together to keep from laughing and looked at Cynthia.
"What do you think?"
"I'm fine with it," Cynthia said. Her eyes had taken on a certain focused gleam, and the grip on his hand had tightened very slightly.
She wanted to battle. That much was clear.
"We'd be happy to," Steven said. "Though I'd suggest finding a proper location outside the campus — something with more room."
"Absolutely no problem! Thank you so very much — Tyranitar!"
Principal Oak threw both arms up, his stance shifting into something that was presumably meant to resemble a Tyranitar's silhouette.
Steven gave a small smile and decided not to overthink it.
"Then, before we figure out the details of the match, let me introduce you both to my class," Professor Kukui said, gesturing toward the corridor.
Steven and Cynthia followed Professor Kukui to his classroom. He pushed open the door and called out cheerfully, "Alola~"
"Alola, Professor Kukui!"
Steven and Cynthia stepped in after him. "Alola, everyone."
The classroom immediately filled with excited noise — not quite chaos, but close. Professor Kukui raised his hands until the chatter settled.
"Let me do some introductions. This is Lillie." He gestured to the blonde girl in the front row. "She's thoughtful and dependable — and she also serves as my assistant."
Lillie stood up and bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."
"This is Mallow." He nodded toward the green-haired girl. "Enthusiastic, creative, and a little quick to leap to conclusions. She's also an impressive cook."
Mallow stood, scratching the back of her head with a shy grin. "Hehe — food's kind of my thing."
"This is Lana. She's calm, observant, and has a deep love for Water-type Pokémon — especially the ones you'll find in the ocean around Alola."
Lana smiled quietly. "Hello, Steven. Hello, Cynthia."
"And this is Kiawe. He's devoted to Fire-type Pokémon and helps manage his family's ranch after school."
Kiawe stood straight, his eyes burning with enthusiasm. "Steven — I want to see your Pokémon in battle."
"We'll see what we can do," Steven replied calmly.
"Last is Sophocles. He's sharp-minded and has a talent for building machines and equipment. Electric-type Pokémon are his specialty."
Sophocles adjusted his seat. "Steven — has Devon Corporation released any new items recently?"
Lillie immediately turned toward him. "Sophocles, that's company confidential! You can't just ask that!"
Professor Kukui let out a quiet laugh. "And I'm Professor Kukui — I specialize in researching Pokémon moves. Now — would you two like to introduce yourselves?"
Steven noticed that Cynthia's palm had gone slightly damp. He didn't comment on it.
He lifted his sunglasses from his nose and rested them on his forehead, then said with a calm smile:
"Hello, everyone. My name is Steven Stone. I enjoy exploring new places alongside my Pokémon, and I have a particular fondness for rare and beautiful stones."
Cynthia straightened. "I'm Cynthia. I'm interested in Pokémon mythology and the legends passed down through different regions." She glanced briefly at Steven. "And archaeology."
"Does anyone have a question for our guests?" Professor Kukui asked.
Mallow's hand shot straight up.
"Cynthia! What's your relationship with Steven?!"
A ripple of laughter ran through the class.
Cynthia felt the heat rise to her face before she could stop it. She had not been prepared for that. She opened her mouth, but the words didn't come.
Then the figure beside her stepped forward, unhurried.
Steven raised his left hand slightly, as if presenting something straightforward.
"No special relationship," he said.
Cynthia went still.
What exactly did that mean?
Steven continued, his voice as even and composed as before:
"Just the ordinary kind. A romantic one."