Pokemon: Bounty Hunter Alex

Hau'oli City was the beating heart of Alola, sprawling across the coastline as the largest and busiest city in the entire region. Towering hotels, gleaming apartment complexes, and colorful tropical architecture stretched side by side beneath the warm island sun, while crowded streets buzzed with tourists, Trainers, and locals from every island.

Despite its size, the city retained Alola’s relaxed atmosphere, blending modern urban life with the laid-back charm of a seaside paradise. Music drifted through open-air plazas, food stalls filled the air with the scent of grilled seafood and malasadas, and the constant sound of crashing waves echoed from beyond the skyline.

The city’s beachfront was one of its greatest attractions, drawing visitors from across the island to its long stretches of golden sand and crystal-clear water. Palm trees swayed along the shore while people swam, battled Pokémon, or relaxed beneath brightly colored umbrellas.

Just beyond the coast, the marina stood packed with luxury yachts, fishing boats, ferries, and private vessels arriving from neighboring islands and other regions. The docks remained lively from sunrise until late into the night, illuminated by shimmering lights reflected across the ocean as sailors, tourists, and merchants moved endlessly between the piers and waterfront restaurants.

Further inland, Hau'oli’s enormous shopping district showcased the city’s modern prosperity. Massive department stores, boutique clothing shops, technology outlets, and bustling outdoor markets lined the streets in dense rows, creating a maze of commerce that never seemed to sleep.

Neon signs glowed overhead after dark, casting vibrant reflections across crowded sidewalks while performers entertained passing crowds in the plazas. The district carried an energy unlike anywhere else in Alola, combining the excitement of a world-class metropolis with the warmth and hospitality that defined the islands themselves.

Unfortunately, where there were people, there was money to be made, and where there was money, criminals inevitably followed. As much as Hau'oli City tried to keep its streets clean, the authorities simply couldn’t keep up with the sheer volume of people flowing through the city. This left the door open for numerous Underworld organizations to establish themselves, such as Team Umbraline, a powerful worldwide information brokerage network, Team Skyline, which specialized in smuggling operations across multiple regions, Team Vortex, which specialized in commerce and acquisitions, and of course Team Bones, the local street thugs who controlled much of the city’s lower districts through their gang mentality.

Of course, this place wasn’t welcoming to everyone. When Team Dominion attempted to establish a foothold in the region, they were swiftly driven out by the locals. Unlike many other regions, Pokémon in Alola were still openly revered and worshiped to this day, with deep spiritual traditions centered around the guardian deities known as the Tapus. Anyone who openly promoted hatred toward Pokémon was treated as a pariah, condemned by both the public and the island communities for disrespecting the very beings who protect and watch over them.

Alex was being honest when he considered this outing a vacation, which meant he had no intention of actively looking for trouble. Unfortunately, trouble had a habit of finding them anyway, especially with his daughter Alvera and her two friends, Malia and Nohea, who were young, attractive, and far too outgoing for their own good. It didn’t take much imagination for him to foresee a steady stream of complications coming his way without him lifting a finger.

“I should take them on more trips in the future,” he muttered, watching as a group of young men attempted, rather unsuccessfully, to hit on them.

They planned to stay in a luxury hotel in the city for another week to give the girls enough time to finish their shopping, since this was the last location in the Alola region that still catered heavily to tourists. After this, options would be far more limited.

Poni Island was primarily a sightseeing destination, favored by powerful Trainers seeking rare encounters and natural landmarks rather than commercial attractions. Meanwhile, Ula'ula Island functioned more as a Trainer’s stronghold, where challenging wild Pokémon and serious battles near the Pokémon League took precedence over leisure or tourism. As a result, both locations offered far fewer tourist-friendly amenities compared to the city they were currently enjoying.

The only remaining destination after that was Aether Paradise, and it was off-limits unless they had clearance or a valid reason tied to Ultra Beast acquisition. Ultra Beasts were something Alex had only a mild interest in pursuing due to their strong individuality and resistance to hierarchical control. Personally, he preferred the idea of obtaining another set of Paradox Pokémon instead, drawn more to their raw ferocity, overwhelming power, and their tendency to settle into clear hierarchies once dominance was established.

“Where should we have lunch?” Vera asked.

It was already 1 PM, which meant they were starting to feel hungry. At the same time, they were deep in the shopping district, so it made the most sense to find somewhere nearby, eat quickly, and get right back to shopping without much delay.

“How about over there?” Leilani suggested, pointing toward a local noodle shop that wasn’t too crowded.

Since no one voiced any complaints and they were all content just to have something to fuel their shopping energy, they made their way over and took a few tables before ordering. Everyone chose their preferred meats for their noodle soups, ranging from Tauros, Lechonk, Farfetch’d, and Magikarp. Alex meanwhile ordered Taurus with his noodles as well as a little something extra.

“Also, everything you have on Team Bones,” Alex added after ordering, drawing the attention of those nearby.

“Very good, sir,” the waiter said before retreating.

“Alex, we’re on vacation,” Vera scolded.

“Just making sure I have all the information in my back pocket in case anything happens,” Alex replied with a placating smile, gently rubbing Vera’s shoulders in an attempt to reassure her.

“Wait, this is an Umbraline location?” Alvera asked.

“Umbraline?” Malia and Nohea echoed in unison.

“Yes,” Alex replied. “They like running businesses you’d find anywhere with customer service and are generally less crowded.”

“So if I need information,” Alvera said.

“You can just ask. They’re smart enough to know who to pass the bill to.”

“And it’ll be just any noodle shop in the world?”

“No,” Alex said with a nostalgic smile. “I once picked a random noodle stall in Mauville City, and they had no idea what I was talking about. I was fortunate Umbraline were keeping tabs on me, so I was able to use their services anyway.”

“Alvera, what’s Umbraline?” Malia asked.

“It’s an information broker considered a neutral organization in the Underworld,” Alvera explained. “They collect information on everyone and sell it to everyone else. As long as they’re getting paid, you can find out about anything you want.”

“Wait, an Underworld organization?” Nohea exclaimed. “Shouldn’t you, I don’t know, try to bring them down as bounty hunters?”

“One of the things they teach you in school is to know which organizations to pick a fight with and which ones to leave alone,” Alvera replied. “Even if they’re technically breaking the law, it isn’t always worth dying over. Team Umbraline, Team Skyline, and Team Vortex are all neutral Underworld organizations that operate on both sides, which is why even the League uses their services from time to time.”

“Anyway,” Alvera said, turning back to Alex. “Why are you interested in Team Bones?”

“That guy who tried to smack your ass and ended up with a broken wrist is part of a local gang under Team Bones,” Alex replied. “So I figured I’d pay their leader a visit and clean things up after you.”

“What?” all three girls exclaimed, with Alvera immediately regretting her earlier decision to pick violence.

“Don’t worry about it,” Alex said with an easy smile. “Remember what I always tell you. Don’t be afraid of trouble, and don’t mess with the League. As long as you follow those rules, I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Thanks, dad,” she said with an appreciative smile.

“My pleasure, sweetie,” Alex replied.

After lunch, the group returned to touring the shopping district, quickly resuming their habit of spending an inordinate amount of money on anything that caught their interest. They bought clothes, souvenirs, jewelry, accessories, fridge magnets, and even entire wardrobes.

Predictably, there were many men who attempted to hit on them, given the sheer number of beautiful women in the group. Alex didn’t need to intervene, as each girl handled them in their own way, either through gentle refusals or outright physical violence. They were Elite ranked trainers at minimum, not fragile dolls in need of his constant protection.

Even Alvera handled herself when the situation escalated. After one young man returned with reinforcements to “teach her a lesson,” she calmly took down more than a dozen Expert ranked thugs who clearly thought their numbers or their backing gave them authority over the streets. That didn’t mean Alex was simply watching and doing nothing, however.

He was quietly compiling a list of profiles, having Rotom collate them into a growing database of troublemakers and their backers, while mentally sorting who he would need to visit later that night and the level of damage each one warranted. It was shaping up to be a rather large list, one that would no doubt keep Alex entertained all night long.