Wela Volcano Park.
The atmosphere at the Wela Volcano festival reached a fever pitch.
As everyone danced the Akala Blessing Dance around the bonfire, shimmering powder drifted down from the sky.
Professor Kukui looked up in surprise.
"It's Tapu Lele!"
There, framed by the bright moonlight and glittering stars, was Akala Island's guardian deity-Tapu Lele.
It circled and danced merrily through the night sky.
Every beat of its brilliantly colored wings scattered more scales imbued with mysterious power.
As the scales touched their skin, a warm, soothing sensation spread through them, as though they were soaking in a hot spring.
The exhaustion from the race to the summit and the minor injuries accumulated during training were quietly soothed away in that moment.
Ash felt a faint itch in the small scrape a rock had left on his leg. It was healing before his eyes.
Pikachu's exhaustion from climbing to the summit vanished as well.
Even some of the old scars on Kiawe's newly caught Marowak seemed to fade a little in the glow of the scales.
"It's Tapu Lele!"
Olivia gazed up at the guardian deity, her eyes filled with reverence. "It's offering its blessing to the festival in its own way, healing all the living things on this land."
"A moment worth recording, Rotom!"
Pokédex Rotom flew into the sky and captured the scene.
Tapu Lele let out an ethereal, melodious cry, as though responding to Olivia's words.
It traced one final graceful arc through the air, scattering glittering scales, then quietly disappeared into the night.
Tapu Lele had left as quickly as it had arrived.
It was as though it had never appeared at all.
The shower of scales gradually subsided, but its warmth and healing power remained within everyone.
"Thank you, Tapu Lele!"
The bonfire still burned.