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

Chapter 75: The Eastern Path of Poni

The next morning, Poni Island seemed to wait for us with a different kind of silence. Mina's trial still rested unfinished in our bags as Pink and Orange Petals, but Lillie and I agreed not to chase the other captains before our friends finished their own research.

Trenor joined us for the eastern routes because his project followed old terrain paths, erosion marks, and guardian legends connected to Poni's wilder side. He brought Stoutland and Mudsdale, which made Professor Kukui look relieved before we even left Seafolk Village.

Nate and Rosa had gone ahead toward the Battle Tree for their own project. Selene stayed behind with Rotom to interview Seafolk families. That left Lillie, Trenor, and me walking east from the village, with Pikachu riding my shoulder and Snowy stepping beside Lillie like the mountain still followed her.

The path into Poni village, with Pikachu riding my shoulder and Snowy stepping beside Lillie like the mountain still followed her.

The path into Poni Grove closed around us with green shade. Leaves filtered the sunlight into moving pieces, and the air smelled of damp wood and ocean wind. It was quieter than the village, but not empty. Pokémon moved through the canopy, and every rustle felt like the island choosing whether to show itself.

Pikachu leaned forward, ears flicking toward the trees. His meaning reached me with a curious pulse. "This place watches travelers before it welcomes them."

Lillie looked up at the branches. "Then we should walk like guests, not owners."

Trenor smiled a little. "That may be the most Poni Island answer possible."

We moved carefully through the grove, letting Stoutland sniff out safer ground where roots twisted under fallen leaves. Mudsdale tested softer patches before we crossed them. Poni did not punish careless steps immediately, but it remembered them, and the land felt old enough to wait until someone forgot humility.

That thought stayed with me because our journey had become crowded with powerful gifts. Z-Crystals, Legendary partners, Ultra connections, and rare Pokémon could make a Trainer forget that routes still mattered. Poni Grove corrected that. One bad step could twist an ankle, frighten a nest, or break a root system older than our island challenge.

The grove path curved around several natural arches where vines hung like curtains. Trenor marked old hoofprints near the roots, then realized they belonged to Mudsdale from earlier Seafolk patrols rather than wild Pokémon. He looked disappointed for half a second, which made Lillie hide a smile behind one hand.

We found a shallow stream cutting across the route, and Snowy froze a thin bridge only after checking that no small Pokémon were hiding under the bank. That tiny pause mattered. Alola had taught all of us that helping too quickly could still become harm if we did not notice what was already living there.

When the trees finally opened, Poni Plains spread before us. The field stretched wide under the sky, full of wild Pokémon moving between rocks, grass, and distant ridges. After the grove's shade, the open space felt almost overwhelming.

Lillie took a slow breath. "It feels different from the other islands. Harsher, but honest."

"Poni does not hide how strong it is," Trenor said, studying the ground. "That makes it easier to respect."

We crossed the plains with the wind pushing at our backs. Sometimes wild Pokémon watched us from a distance. Sometimes they ignored us completely. That felt right. We were not here to make every creature part of our journey. Some Pokémon belonged exactly where we found them.

A wild herd moved far across the grass, and Mudsdale stopped without being told. Trenor watched the herd's direction, then adjusted our route so we would not cut through their path. He did it naturally, not as a performance. That was why I believed Golett later when it judged him by the way he treated the ground.