1. Ash's Story (Part 9: Alola)

Chapter 58: Skull Raid

Team Skull filled Route 17 like they had mistaken noise for a wall. Grunts stepped from alleys, fences, and broken corners, throwing their hands around and acting as if their poses could delay us longer than their Pokémon. We kept moving anyway, because every battle was one more step toward the stolen Yungoos.

By the time Po Town's gate rose ahead of us, the sky seemed lower. The town beyond the wall looked sealed away from the rest of Alola, as if someone had taken a normal place and taught it to expect only rain, shouting, and neglect. Two Team Skull Grunts stood guard before the entrance.

One leaned forward with a grin. "Yo, what's up? You wanna join Team Skull?"

"Absolutely not," I answered firmly.

The second Grunt noticed our Z-Rings and froze. "Hold up. Are those Z-Rings?"

"For real?" the first asked. "You're actually on the island challenge?"

Lillie's hand tightened near Snowy's Poké Ball. "We are not here to laugh at anyone."

"Came to laugh at us losers who gave up on the island challenge, huh?" the second Grunt snapped.

"Wait, we never—" Trenor began.

"You showed up so suddenly and got the nerve to laugh at me?" the first Grunt shouted, already throwing his Poké Ball.

Scraggy and Pawniard hit the ground with aggressive stances. I sent out Mimikyu, and Lillie called Passimian beside it. The pairing startled the Grunts for half a second. Mimikyu stood small and silent beneath its disguise, while Passimian rolled a berry in one hand like it was already judging the battlefield.

Mimikyu's rag twitched toward the gate, its hidden gaze fixed beyond the Grunts, "The stolen one is behind loud cloth and locked doors."

Passimian lifted his berry with steady focus, "Then the first wall falls here."

Scraggy rushed first, but Mimikyu slipped aside and struck from an angle the Grunts did not see coming. Pawniard tried to pressure Passimian, only for Passimian to catch the rhythm of the attack and return it with clean physical force. The battle ended quickly, leaving both Grunts staring at their defeated Pokémon.

"You're on a whole other level than me," the first muttered. "I've just got to laugh at myself."

"No fair," the second said, recalling Pawniard. "I hate strong kids like you. I'm not letting you in."

They slammed the gate shut from inside.

Lillie stared at the locked entrance. "Now what should we do?"

"You there," a tired voice called.

Nanu stood behind us, hands in his pockets and expression flat enough to make the whole town seem energetic by comparison. I had not expected to see him here, even though Po Town suddenly made more sense with his presence hanging near it like an old warning.

"Officer Nanu?" I asked. "I did not expect to see you here."

"Ah, Aurora's son," Nanu said. "Seems to me you're trying to get into Po Town. You sure you've thought this through? Better be ready if you're thinking of coming in here. Ready to live as Team Skull, or ready to take on Team Skull."

"We have our reasons," I said. "We need to enter Po Town."

"I guess everyone has their own reasons," Nanu muttered. "I've got mine too. I'll have them let you in. If you don't make it, I'll be sure your remains at least get back home."

Selene's eyes widened. "That is not reassuring."

"It wasn't meant to be," Nanu said.

He called toward the gate, and the Grunts reluctantly opened it. After he walked away, Selene looked at me with confusion still on her face.