Early in the morning, before the sun had fully risen, Alex, Marlo, and their families rode atop Alex’s Mantine as they headed north through Route 7. Their pace was slow, allowing them to take in the scenery as they flew above the route, with sweeping views of the ocean stretching to the east and the rugged slopes of Wela Volcano Park rising to the west.
The road leaving Royal Avenue gradually lost the noise and spectacle of the city behind them as the wide stone highway curved along Akala Island’s eastern coastline. Bright banners and crowded storefronts gave way to open sea air thick with salt and humidity, the rhythmic crashing of waves echoing against jagged black volcanic rock.
Route 7 stretched ahead, its dark sands and weathered cliffs contrasting sharply against the brilliant turquoise water. Trainers and swimmers lingered along the shoreline while clusters of wild Pokémon moved through the shallows beneath the glittering surface.
Schools of Finneon drifted through the clear water alongside Tentacool, Wishiwashi, Magikarp, and Staryu, while their larger evolved forms occasionally surfaced farther from shore. Along the rocky coastline, the occasional Alolan Diglett poked its head from the volcanic soil, its three metallic hairs glinting beneath the morning light. Farther inland, steam occasionally rose from cracks in the earth, subtle reminders that the volcano looming ahead was still very much alive.
As they continued toward Wela Volcano Park, the tropical coastline slowly surrendered to harsher volcanic terrain. Grass became sparse, replaced by scorched stone and fields of reddish gravel. Heat shimmered faintly above the ground, distorting the air in waves while the scent of sulfur drifted from vents scattered across the mountainside.
Massive slabs of black and crimson rock towered overhead, carved by centuries of eruptions into sharp ridges and narrow paths. The climb wound between ancient lava flows and smoking fissures. Even the wild Pokémon here felt different, tougher and better adapted to the oppressive heat radiating from the mountain.
Fletchling circled high above the cliffs while Salandit darted between cracks in the volcanic stone, disappearing into the rising steam whenever travelers passed too close. Groups of Cubone wandered the rocky slopes carrying worn bones in their hands, occasionally watched over by larger Kangaskhan resting near the safer paths. Near the hotter vents, Magby and Magmar could be seen lingering around pools of heated stone, seemingly unaffected by the intense temperatures surrounding them.
“This is where we completed Kiawe’s Trial,” Malia said. “We had to tell the differences between the Marowak dances before fighting the Totem Alolan Marowak. It was really tough, but fortunately we had Water type Pokémon, so it wasn’t too troublesome.”
“Yeah,” Nohea added. “The hardest part was actually dealing with its allies during the fight. It kept calling for help, and the Totem Pokémon itself was tough to take down since it would evade our attacks by digging underground. We had to adjust our strategy mid-battle and start countering whenever it popped up.”
“We were switching between fending off the allies it called in and hitting back with Water type moves whenever it surfaced,” Malia said. “Eventually, we managed to win the challenge and move on.”
“That’s interesting,” Alvera commented. “I’ve never actually fought in Gyms before, so I don’t know much. Based on what I’ve read, though, depending on the Gym, there are usually puzzles to solve, and you have to battle your way through Gym Trainers before you can challenge the Gym Leader.”
“That’s pretty much it,” Clarissa chimed in as the only actual trainer in the group apart from Alex, who had four badges. “It depends on the Gym, but you either have to clear puzzles or battle Gym Trainers before finally facing the Gym Leader, who uses Pokémon of a similar strength level.”
Clarissa shared her experience with the girls while the children listened attentively, eager to learn more about what it meant to be a Pokémon Trainer as their scenic journey continued throughout the day. As the hours passed, the landscape gradually changed around them, marking their steady approach toward the next major transition in Akala Island’s terrain.
By evening, the environment beyond the volcano shifted as the road descended toward Dividing Peak Tunnel. The intense heat of Wela Volcano Park gradually faded behind them, replaced by cooler winds spilling down from the cliffs. Sparse vegetation returned first in scattered patches, before thicker greenery began reclaiming the landscape around the route.
Ahead, the massive entrance to Dividing Peak Tunnel cut directly through the mountain like a dark scar in the stone, its shadowed interior standing in stark contrast to the fading glow of the volcanic slopes behind it. The distant sound of echoing winds carried faintly from within, while the last light of the setting sun painted the surrounding cliffs in deep orange and gold.
Rather than enter the tunnel, Alex landed Mantine and headed for the inn just beside it, a small rest stop catering to traveling Trainers. It turned out they didn’t have enough available rooms, so they chose a nearby spot and simply set up his portable home for the night. Marlo’s family joined them as well, given the situation.
The next morning, rather than fly through Dividing Peak Tunnel, they flew over it and the mountain range it cut through. From above, Akala Island opened into a far wider view, with the volcanic southwest rising in rugged reds and blacks, the ocean stretching to the northeast in calm blue expanse, and a dense green jungle spreading across the northwest like a warm carpet. The higher altitude came with powerful winds, buffeting them as they crossed the ridge, but Mantine stabilized their flight, its Tailwind wrapping around them in steady currents that helped them cut cleanly through the violent gusts.
They crested the peak of the mountain before descending toward the far side, where the landscape softened once more. Below them, the wide concrete road of Route 8 appeared, running neatly between two contrasting worlds. To the north, the sea spread out calm and open, its surface catching the morning light in soft bands of silver and blue. To the south, Lush Jungle pressed in heavily, a thick canopy of deep green stretching across the land without visible end. The trees formed a dense wall of foliage, broken only by occasional gaps where darker undergrowth and winding paths could be glimpsed below.
As they continued forward, Route 8 felt like a narrow passage between sea and forest. The air carried a mix of salt wind from the coast and warm humidity rising from the jungle, marking the gradual transition along Akala’s northern shoreline. Pokémon could be seen shifting along the boundary between both environments, moving between the open grassy edges near the road and the thicker growth closer to the jungle, following the rhythm of land and sea as the route stretched onward.
Trumbeak perched along scattered trees at the route’s edge, calling out sharply as Yungoos and Alolan Rattata darted through the grass below, weaving between patches of brush and open ground. Bound Sweet drifted between flowering shrubs, while Fomantis lay still among the foliage, swaying slightly as it mimicked the surrounding leaves. Bonsly could be seen near the rocky patches along the path, mimicking rainfall as it tried to blend in. Farther ahead, Passimian moved in small coordinated groups through the treeline, while Oranguru remained quieter and more withdrawn, watching the passing travelers from deeper within the shaded jungle edge.
“We’re not going into Lush Jungle?” Malia asked as their path continued along Route 8.
“I don’t think we’ll be able to fit inside with this gigantic Mantine,” Marlo said. “The trees are too thick, and walking through it would take too long.”
“That's where we completed Mallow’s Trial,” Nohea said to Alvera. “We had to forage for ingredients and cook with them before facing the Totem Lurantis. It was tougher than it sounds, especially since it kept calling for allies during the battle. We used Surf to deal with them while focusing damage on the Totem itself. We still managed to win in the end, but it was a close fight because of the type disadvantage.”
“So… our next destination is the Fossil Restoration Center?” Malia asked.
“Yup,” Marlo said. “I’ve prepared a special surprise for our friends there. It’ll be worth skipping Lush Jungle for.”
“The Fossil Restoration Center?” Alvera asked.
“It’s a place where fossils can be restored into brand new Pokémon,” Marlo explained. “They have a habitat where the revived Pokémon are cared for, and in some cases, they can even be adopted depending on the bond they form with trainers.”
“Sounds like fun,” Alvera said cheerfully.
She loved rare Pokémon, as they were an excellent subject for her photography. She had already taken plenty of pictures over the past two days of travel, but scenic shots alone were starting to feel repetitive compared to what was already available online. Rare Pokémon up close, however, were a different matter entirely. Perhaps she would finally get the chance to take some truly interesting shots.
By evening, the group arrived near the Fossil Restoration Center, where a small village of houses had formed around the facility to accommodate tourists. It was easy to see how popular the place had become, with the surrounding landscape steadily built up to support the constant flow of visitors drawn to revived Pokémon and rare discoveries.
Alex landed Mantine and, as before, released the portable house for them to stay in. There were plenty of accommodations nearby, but none of them matched the standard he preferred for the group.
Tomorrow, they would see what Marlo had in store for them.
