Pokemon: I Transmigrated Twice

Located in the northwest of the Alola region is Melemele Island.

The private jet carrying Stephen and his companions successfully landed at Hau'oli City's Hau'oli Airport.

"It's really beautiful…"

Walking out of the airport lobby, they could see the azure ocean and pale white beaches stretching into the distance.

Even Karen, who had been tense ever since joining the group, couldn't help but be mesmerized.

It was beautiful.

No wonder it's called a world-famous vacation paradise.

"Though Alola is one of the smaller regions, its pleasant climate makes it ideal for almost any Pokémon to thrive. That's why you can even find rare Pokémon from other regions here," Stephen explained.

"Karen, see if you can find a Zorua here. If not, we'll go to Unova some other time."

"Okay."

Karen nodded and then softly muttered a barely audible "Thank you."

But Stephen probably didn't even hear what she said.

"So, what should we do next? Since we're finally in Alola, how about we buy a few Hawaiian shirts and some beach shorts first?"

Will eagerly rubbed his hands together.

Not wanting to spoil his companion's excitement, Stephen nodded, and the three of them headed into the city.

Before leaving, Stephen bent down and patted Umbreon's head. "Don't worry, Umbreon."

"Bree~"

Umbreon responded obediently. She knew very well that Stephen had traveled halfway across the Pokémon world just for her.

…

Soon, at a clothing store in Hau'oli City:

Stephen and Will changed into Hawaiian shirts and beach shorts full of Alolan flair—classic tourist attire that bore some resemblance to the outfit James would one day wear under his alias Jamesio during the Manalo Conference.

Karen's new outfit, on the other hand, wasn't as flashy. She simply swapped her white dress for a yellow camisole paired with white cropped pants.

It had to be said that the yellow camisole, combined with the majestic presence of her Houndoom by her side, gave Karen a hint of the rebellious, edgy aura she would someday embody as the Dark-type Elite Four member.

"Oho~"

Will stroked his chin and gave Karen a look-over.

"What are you staring at?"

Karen snapped, feeling instinctively that Will couldn't be up to any good.

"Nothing, nothing," Will said hastily. "I just suddenly realized… Karen, you're a girl, huh?"

Karen's face darkened, and she promptly kneed Will in the leg.

"Karen, try this on."

At that moment, Stephen approached with another outfit in hand.

When Karen looked closely, she realized it was a black camisole dress.

With Will clutching his knee and groaning dramatically in the background, Karen stared at Stephen for a few seconds before taking the dress and heading into the dressing room.

"She's a violent tomboy. Clothes with a feminine vibe like that won't suit her at all," Will muttered as he limped over.

"Well, that's what you get for running your mouth," Stephen replied calmly.

The outfit Karen had chosen earlier actually closely resembled the style she'd worn when she became one of the Indigo League's Elite Four.

But still…

Stephen felt it was missing something.

Finally, Karen walked out of the dressing room.

In an instant, even Will, who had been mocking her just moments ago, was stunned into silence.

Though Karen was only 12—the same age as Stephen—her already delicate features, combined with her increasingly rebellious aura and the figure-hugging black camisole dress, brought out the bad girl charm in full force.

Especially with her Houndoom and Murkrow, both dressed in black, standing beside her.

They were the perfect finishing touches.

If there was one flaw, it would be that Karen's young face still looked too childlike to fully embody the mature allure of someone like Makima.

"Don't… don't stare at me for so long…"

After being stared at by Stephen for what felt like an eternity, Karen grew uneasy and turned her head to the side.

Will was dumbfounded.

Was… was she blushing?

Oh my god, even bad girls could get embarrassed!?

"This looks great. You should stick with this style from now on," Stephen complimented her.

He then recalled Makima's wardrobe and briefly considered using it as a template for Karen's future outfits.

The trio enjoyed a rare moment of calm and ordinary life together.

After savoring some Malasadas, a local Alolan delicacy, with their partner Pokémon, the evening began to fall.

Sitting in the Malasada shop, Stephen gazed at the picturesque sunset over Hau'oli Beach through the window and took a sip of his berry juice.

"It's getting late. Let's find a place to stay, and we'll handle the important stuff tomorrow."

"Which hotel are we staying at?" Will asked, his mouth still covered in sugar from the Malasadas.

"No, no hotels. While we're in Alola, we'll camp outdoors. One of the main goals of this trip is to help Karen find a wild Zorua."

Considering how rare the Zoroark species was—comparable to the Lucario—Stephen knew the chances of finding one during their brief stay in Alola were slim.

Although the region's favorable environment often attracted Pokémon from other areas, this wasn't Unova.

Even in Unova, finding one wasn't exactly easy.

Not everyone was Ash Ketchum, with legendary Pokémon throwing themselves at him like they were free giveaways.

But still, the odds were better in the wild than in the city.

…

Two hours later, in a forest on the outskirts of Hau'oli City:

"Wow! This place is amazing! It's like a natural, perfect campsite!"

Will was thrilled to see the small cave covered in vegetation, with a towering tree providing shade above.

"Well done, Maria," Stephen said as he crouched down and patted Maria on the head.

It was she who had discovered the spot.

Rose and Sina, feeling left out, nudged Stephen's arm for attention.

"Alright, alright, you're all amazing," Stephen said, petting each of them in turn.

The group then began setting up their secret base in Alola.

Stephen organized the scientific tools, Will handled the living supplies, and Karen took care of the Pokémon area.

The first to finish was Will, who flopped onto a blanket on the ground and sighed dramatically, "Phew~ I'm exhausted… huh?"

Rolling around, Will suddenly noticed Stephen examining a Pokémon egg with a medical device.

It was the egg of an Altaria they had rescued months ago in the Forest of Illusion, taken from its dying mother.

"That egg…"

Karen, who was brushing the fur of her Houndoom, Murkrow, and Stephen's Pokémon, was momentarily stunned. She had joined the group slightly later than Will and didn't know the egg's backstory.

"Shh…"

For once, Will didn't crack a joke. He raised a finger to his lips, signaling Karen to stay quiet.

Judging by Stephen's expression, the egg's condition wasn't looking good.

Which wasn't surprising. Its mother had been in terrible shape, and Stephen had only managed to save the egg through an emergency procedure.

"If possible, I hope it can live and see the world its mother never got to…"

For once, the usually mischievous Will wore a somber expression.