The Definition of Being Human (A Pokémon Fanfiction)

Chapter 6 | The Beginning of the Alolan Trek

"I'll have you know I've never lost a match in my life!" Hau remarked proudly while giving Izzy a sly grin. "My win streak is proof of that! Six matches, all in my favor!"

"You hush!" Izzy teased as she put her hands to hips. "I'm quite competitive back home, and I'm learning all your weaknesses! The losses were just minor set backs!"

Hau frowned seriously and said flatly, "Alright, enough chit chat, make a move already."

"B7."

Izzy smirked at the dumbfounded expression on Hau's face, but changed to a look of suspicion as he answered, "You got a hit."

She giggled as Hau muttered to himself while taking one of his red pegs and stuck in the ship she could not see. It had been several days since Izzy had first met Hau and Lillie. Hau had kept his promise and visited her the day after encountering him, but then he kept coming back every day to play with her. She wasn't sure if Hau was visiting out of the goodness of his own heart or if the professors kept asking him to, but she appreciated the company all the same.

Lillie also came by, often assisting the professors or teaching Izzy about Alolan culture and Pokémon. However she was inside the lab with the two professors while Izzy and Hau played behind the building so Omoiyari and Nebby could come out of hiding (not to mention that the damage Omoiyari caused when first arriving was still being repaired as well, and it was best for him not to be seen by employees for a good long time). The adults insisted that she and Hau stay outside while they discussed something she didn't quite understand.

"Alright, I call C5!" Hau declared after putting in his peg into his hit ship from behind the board blocking her view.

Izzy shook her head and chimed, "Nope, missed! I call A7!"

Hau crossed his arms and asked accusingly, "You're cheating, aren't you? You've never hit anything for the past six games."

"Me? Cheat? Never!" Izzy replied, holding her head high as if the accusation was offensive.

"Its Omoiyari, isn't it? He's using his UB mind games to see all my battle ship locations!"

Omoiyari, who was sitting a ways away in Lurantis form while watching over Nebby, snorted and retorted, "I would never stoop so low to cheat at an insignificant board game for Izzy. She can do that herself."

"I don't need Omoiyari to cheat for me!" Izzy agreed huffily. "Now let's play the game! Let's win this war!"

As Hau bent over to push in another red peg, Izzy could see her real accomplice over his shoulder. Iris was perched on a low hanging tree branch high enough off the ground for her to get a clear view of Hau's battle ship placements. Hau had yet to suspect her since she was doing such a good job at pretending to be asleep or in a deep daydream.

"When do you think the professors and Lillie will be back?" Izzy asked Hau in order to move away from his suspicions.

"They'll be out soon, no worries!" Hau assured confidently. "They weren't supposed to be in that long, so they'll be back any minute now. How about A6?"

"You missed. C3!" Izzy threw out as she looked up to see Iris writing the coordinates in the air.

"Are you kidding me?!" Hau blurted furiously as he grabbed both a white and red peg. "You hit! Seriously, it's Omoiyari isn't it?"

"I'm just naturally good at this game," she said without thinking before continuing, "Hau, when were you going to leave Heahea City?"

Hau looked up at this question. He looked uncertain and a little nervous as he answered, "Well...I thought about leaving tomorrow, to be honest. Akala Island has the most trials of an my island, so I need to get a move on."