Love in the Time of Tenacity

Chapter 5: A Pool

We finally touch down on Poni this chapter. I hope you all enjoy it very much. Time for Chapter 5!

Chapter 5

A Pool

"Can't believe we've been on the island pretty much the whole entire time and we never even saw this!" Hau exclaimed brightly. He practically leapt from the ship, on to the coast, with the utmost of enthusiasm. Pipi followed after him, floating around on her tail for fun. Clemont sighed, watching the two of them in their moment of amusement. They were soon joined by Rotom.

"Oh, my! Rotom is very intrigued by this location!" the Pokédex said. Despite the dearth of Pokémon around, it began snapping all sorts of pictures before zipping over to the edge of a pool. "Oh, this Feebas is most interesting!"

"Don't split up, guys. We need to be ready for the others when they get here," Clemont sighed liberally. He shook his head, Charjabug and Bunnelby traveling with him on his shoulders. Naturally, the two hyperactive companions of his pretty much ignored him and moved to examine the coast before them. It was clearly unfamiliar, even to Hau, who had managed to complete his trials thanks to Hapu and the captain on Poni Island visiting a few weeks back at the Battle Tree (or so Clemont had heard; he was away on a research trip with Gary). "What do I do with them? Sometimes Hau is like an older, male version of Bonnie..."

"Bunbun," Bunnelby assured him, patting his cheek kindly. Charjabug would have responded, too, but he seemed just as interested in Clemont's bag again. That afforded the inventor a small chuckle as he stepped down from the boat and on to the Poni Breaker Coast.

Watching Hau and Rotom excitedly examine the area, Clemont chose to do so as well, taking in all of its sights. It was unlike any area of Poni he had seen previously, and seemed closer in nature and structure to the Tapu Village on Ula'ula, if he was honest. Most of Poni Island seemed to be completely wild and untamed in its nature, teeming with Pokémon and plant life, undisturbed by the ravages of civilization. While that could be said for all of Alola, Clemont felt it fit in particular here, considering the only effect of modernization seemed to be the Battle Tree on the other side of the island, and possibly the Seafolk Village that Serena had mentioned to them. However, here on the Poni Breaker Coast, nature had more than taken its course.

A loud sound suddenly erupted and Clemont flinched, turning to see a great geyser of water erupting from some distance away. It had been completely unexpected, and Clemont finally had a good look at just what had happened to the coast over time. Nature had taken the coast in its own way. Not with vines and grass and trees, but with erosion. Geysers spouted forth, wearing away at the rock and sands, reducing it to barren land where few people or Water type Pokémon roamed. It was beautiful, in a haunting way. Clemont reached up to remove his hat, running his hands through his hair as he walked towards Hau, who had stopped running around crazily. The inventor was grateful for that.

"You think that's the place?" the energetic boy asked, his hands behind his head as he looked forward, towards a specific location. Clemont drew even with him and looked forward to what he was staring at. Like a ripple of water passing down his neck, dripping with a cold ferocity, Clemont saw the colored gateway that he had only seen twice before: the entrance to one of the Tapu's shrines. The inventor breathed in.

"The Ruins of Hope..." he said when he was ready to exhale. Hau dropped the smile, looking almost serious for a moment, contemplative in a sense. "Lillie said to meet here."

"I wonder why," Hau muttered. Pipi floated away from him, clearly bored by just staring at the entrance without doing anything. The two boys continued to stare, and, after a moment, Hau made to move forward to it, only for Clemont to grab him. He shook his head, making Hau shrug and look away without approaching.