Alola Region, Kukui's laboratory.
Professor Kukui's laboratory was full of tropical charm.
Inside, Alolan decorations and ecological records of all kinds of Pokémon could be seen everywhere.
Here, Li Wei also saw many Pokémon native to Alola that he rarely encountered.
An Alolan Exeggutor with a neck even longer than a giraffe's.
"Beep beep, Alolan Exeggutor registered, Rotom!"
A Psychic-type Alolan Raichu that could fly.
"Beep beep, Alolan Raichu registered, Rotom!"
An Alolan Marowak holding a bone wreathed in blue flames.
Pokédex Rotom, constantly registering new entries, was even busier than Li Wei.
Cynthia, meanwhile, was more interested in Professor Kukui's Incineroar.
She kept feeling that she had seen this Incineroar somewhere before.
Perhaps she had, but she had forgotten where.
Cynthia made no attempt to hide that feeling.
"Professor, you've raised your Incineroar very well, but why do I feel like I've seen this Pokémon somewhere before?"
Under Cynthia's gaze, Incineroar felt as though Garchomp were staring instead, and cold sweat involuntarily beaded on Incineroar's forehead.
At the same time, Incineroar remembered last year's Dragon Rush...
If there was one move Cynthia's Garchomp had truly mastered,
it had to be Dragon Rush.
In the hands of Cynthia's Garchomp, that move had become an art form.
"Hahaha-"
Professor Kukui could only respond with an awkward laugh.
He could hardly admit that Cynthia really had battled Incineroar before...
During last year's Master League, Cynthia had fought Professor Kukui while he was disguised as the Masked Royal.
Lucario's Poké Ball rocked at Cynthia's waist.
Lucario was saying that her instincts were right.
As for Li Wei and Lucario, they simply shared an unspoken understanding.
Li Wei had the advantage of prior knowledge, and Professor Kukui's disguise... frankly, it wasn't much of one.
For Lucario, appearances could be disguised, but Aura could not.