My breath hangs heavily on my lips by the time I reach the entrance to the ruins. Ying is safe in her ball. I still have some cookies Amethio gave me and after my brief rest, I’m ready to tackle the next hurdle. At least my heart is no longer pounding with fear and, thanks to Amethio, I feel a certain security that had previously passed me by. He’s probably the only reason this journey is halfway working.
“Are you coming in?”
Goose bumps rise on my body. The soft girl’s voice in my head settles gently on my skin.
“Or are you going to stay there?”
“Who are you?” My eyes wander uneasily over the green surroundings before I take another step towards the entrance. “Are you coming out?”
“It’s pretty hot,” is the reply. “Come on in. You have questions, don’t you?”
The invitation I receive is tantalising and the creature in this place is right: there are endless questions burning on my tongue. So I answer the call. My feet push forward, the archway passes over me and before I know it, I’m standing on stone slabs leading straight to another entrance. Only when I have also walked through the second passage, do I end up in a room made of stone. Well maintained, clean, a greenish mat on the floor. Two staircases lead to a platform. A pillar offers the opportunity to store something valuable. There is something homely about it and yet there is a tightness in my chest.
“Where are you?”
“I’m here.”
Something touches me on the shoulder and as I whirl around, it’s big blue eyes sparkling at me in a friendly way. The Pokémon opposite me is a large creature – no bigger than me, but certainly the size of a toddler – pink with black skin. Its lower half looks like it’s sitting in a pink jug and its long pink curls give it a girlish appearance.
“I am Tapu Lele.” It tilts its head. “I noticed you the moment you arrived. Your battle against that other girl ... you’re not very good at fighting, are you?” A giggle echoes through my head. “You’re a bit like me, only weak.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re like.”
“You haven’t been in this place long.” It floats around me in slow moves. “They say I’m pretty friendly. But they also say I have trouble holding back in my playful fights. Sometimes I hurt others without meaning to.”
“And what is comparable to me?”
“You’re pretty friendly,” Tapu Lele replies, “but you’re bad at judging fights and don’t know when to hold back. You want to be strong, but you overestimate yourself just as often as I underestimate myself.”
All I can do is make a trivial sound between laughter and sadness. Tapu Lele is attentive, I have to admit. That also means it can probably find a lot of information and share some of it – if I’m lucky.
“Can you tell me about the black dragon Pokémon that was above Akala?”
Tapu Lele shakes its head back and forth for a moment. “You mean the black Rayquaza?”
I nod. The gentle buzzing in my head conveys uncertainty. Lele seems to be assessing whether it really wants to share what it has seen with me. Then it snorts.
“I saw it, yes ... when it arrived here, just before it rested in the Lush Jungle.” Tapu Lele’s eyelids lower. “It is a creature consumed by hate. Its rage ... oh, its rage is devastating. I cried when I saw it, and the thought of its voice ... almost brings tears to my eyes again.” It places its round, black hands on its bowl. “It seems to crave destruction more with each passing day.”
“Why?”
The first moment I saw Rayquaza, it didn’t seem like an angry Pokémon. Not much time has passed since then, and yet the change was already noticeable the last time we met. Its desire to kill Amethio echoes in my head.
“Rayquaza is looking for someone, but I can’t tell you who it is,” replies Lele. “I watched it try to fly through a dimensional rift one night. They’re not strong enough to build up into proper Ultra Wormholes and yet it wants to take the risk of travelling through one of these unstable gates.”
“Is it possible ... that it’s coming from another dimension?” My heart thunders against my ribs all at once. The answer seems close enough to touch.
But when Tapu Lele shakes its head, my shoulders slump, and all the tension disappears from my body. “I don’t know.”
“Do you know anything about the Ultra Wormholes?”
“I have no memories of them.” This time, the Pokémon lowers its head. “It was long ago and everything that happened then is a blur.”
The step ahead I was hoping to take no longer exists. I’m treading water. The heaviness on my shoulders is probably what Amethio feels whenever Rayquaza slips through his fingers.
“But I can tell you it’s got a lot worse lately,” the Pokémon adds. “All I know is that the Aether Foundation is making the cracks worse. It has been for a few months now.”
“The Aether Foundation?”
Lele’s gaze lifts before it nods eagerly. “They stole a Pokémon that didn’t belong to them and refused to join them, and the rifts have been gaining frequency ever since.”
My hopes take a leap. This is information I hardly thought I’d ever get my hands on. The Aether Foundation is a clue that could bring many more answers – a company dedicated to save and help Pokémon in the Aether Paradise. A spectacle you can see repeatedly on the Alola news.
“That helps me a lot. Thank you, Tapu Lele.” The tingling on my skin just wants to get back to Amethio and Lillie. If the Aether Foundation knows more about these rifts, then maybe they have a solution for Lillie and Nebby.
“Would you like to know more?”
“Can you tell me more?” My eyebrows rise.
“Not much,” Lele replies, “but a few members have been hanging around the Hano Grand Resort a lot lately.” There’s a gleam in its eyes. “It’s very nice there!”
I don’t know what to say. It’s probably the first time since I’ve been on this trip that someone has almost thrown the answers at my feet. I don’t have to fight for it; I don’t have to struggle and I don’t feel like I’m wasting my life; I have gained something of value.
It could hardly be better.
When Tapu Lele tilts its head back and pretends to listen, I hold my breath for a moment. It takes a while for it to tell me its thoughts.
“Go now. Share your knowledge. But be careful,” it moves a little closer, “not everyone is as good-hearted as you.”
It’s hard to say what Lele is implying, but in those seconds I take in everything it says with joy. I thank it one last time before turning away and running off.
The way back passes me by in a flash. Getting down the mountain is easy. The sun is now setting. Deep orange kisses the sky and the warmth settling on my senses pushes the chaos of the day into the background. So the route through the cemetery is no longer frightening. I don’t even look for the man I left behind earlier. None of that matters as I leap over a low hedge and feel my throat drying out. Freedom fills my body and disappears as soon as my footsteps hit the cobblestones of Konikoni City.
The wheezing coming from my lips gets heavier with every step. It only takes a few breaths to reach Maho’s family restaurant. Still, I hesitate when I reach the entrance. I straighten my hair in a flash, wipe the sweat from my forehead, and collect myself. Only then do I enter.
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Nothing seems to have changed in my absence and a glance across the tables brings Amethio into view. He is still sitting in the same place, typing away on his Rotom Phone. His features look tense.
I bridge the distance in long strides and settle down opposite him. This time, he doesn’t flinch. Instead, he raises his eyes and looks at me as if he’s simply expecting a justification for why I’m already back here – when I’ve been gone for at least two hours.
“I was at the Ruins of Life,” I begin. “And I had a chat with Tapu Lele.”
“The guardian deity of this island?” His brows lift and the Rotom in his hands lands on the table. His attention is assured.
I take a quick breath. “Tapu Lele didn’t know much about Rayquaza ... just that it’s looking for someone and trying to get through a dimensional rift. The Aether Foundation is worsening these rifts and ... it’s possible they might know something about all this.”
With each passing second, his gaze pierces me more intensely, causing me to repeat the entire conversation in stammering half-sentences. Only when every word has reached him does his stare ease.
Our next destination has been decided. He doesn’t have to say it, but we both know it. The Aether Foundation is the only place where we will get anywhere.
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》 W H I S P E R S 《
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The wind tugs mercilessly at my hair. The beating of Corviknight’s wings rustles. Sometimes the heat of the island elicits a huff from it, and whenever I think of the clothes under my actual outfit, a smile creeps onto my bitten lips. With my hands wrapped around Amethio’s waist, I look at Akala. There are ten thousand things I could say, but the shining sea on this day allows no words. It simply sweeps away the sluggish start to the day.
After a rest in the flying ship at Konikoni, we are now on our way to the Hano Grand Resort. According to the information on the internet, Sunday is one of the busiest days on the beach. Still, I hope we can find a spot among the crowds to enjoy the water – even if our goal is different. I want at least a chance to try out the bathing suit Lillie gave me – stolen from her mum and yet unable to wear it herself. It’s beautiful. Daring. Grown up.
The fresh air shoos the thought to the back corner, to all the other unimportant, heavy considerations. What remains is the anticipation for the resort – the hope of cold water and some relaxation.
When we land, Corviknight disappears into its ball on the spot. All that remains is the gigantic hotel in front of us, cream-coloured tiles surrounded by neatly trimmed hedges full of white flowers. Dancers stretch under the sun, doormen stand on either side of the double-door entrance, and I have to shield my eyes to make out the windows on the upper floors.
“Wow...” is all that slips past my lips. Amethio, however, remains unmoved, as usual. He barely gives me the chance to take it all in. Instead, he continues on his way, aiming for the entrance and paying no attention to the surrounding people.
So we step inside, lined with dark wood and warm carpeting. People gather in cosy seats. Opposite the double doors, a woman stands behind a counter, a thin smile on her lips. She greets Amethio with a shallow Alola and while he makes his request, I look around. The people in this place must have paid a fortune to afford a holiday like this.
“We’ll have to wait and see.”
Amethio’s sudden words snap me out of my observations. Eyes widening, I shake my head. “Because?”
“Members of the Aether Foundation haven’t been announced until later. We’re too early.”
For a moment, I wonder why we don’t just fly to them, but they certainly don’t allow intruders without notice. Which means my wish is about to come true.
“Then we should settle down on the beach. Sitting around here would only make us tense ... I think...” A wry smile comes over me. Sometimes it’s hard to find the right words unobtrusively.
But he doesn’t argue, doesn’t ask or even say a word about my destination. Instead, he closes his eyes for a moment. “For a while.”
I take the lead and although I should probably be worrying about something else, all I can think about is that today will be pleasant – far away from anything that threatens to darken my mind. One under the star of joy, where I’m not worried about anything other than unwinding. Yesterday, the path to here – I can’t say there have been many moments when I’ve been so eager for positive entertainment.
My lips press into lines. Is it the gaps in my memory, the knowledge I have no clear recollections, that drive me to catch up on things I wouldn’t otherwise have had the chance to?
Once again, I shake the thoughts from me as I cross the threshold to the outside and take the left-hand path. The sound of the sea is audible. Every step makes my heart beat faster and as soon as the sand crunches under my soles, freedom seems within reach. In those seconds, I no longer have to swallow to shake off the memories of yesterday. For a breath, it doesn’t matter what negative aspects hit me. Today is what counts.
It’s easier to live in the present and forget what happened.
“Have you brought your swimwear?” More detached than before, I turn to Amethio, who takes a quick look over the sunbeds and finally decides on a pretty table with chairs and a white and blue striped parasol. He doesn’t even answer as he sits down and takes a deep breath, as if he wants to savour the peace for a minute. That’s probably all I’ll get from him. It’s unlikely that he has any swimwear with him, anyway.
So I make myself comfortable with him for a moment to take off my clothes. I’m wearing Lillie’s swim suit – or rather her mum’s – underneath. The tight-fitting black clinging to me makes me hardly wait to get wet and while Amethio looks at me as if I’ve taken leave of my senses, I stretch my arms and enjoy the weather.
Then I sprint off towards the water.
It takes barely more than the blink of an eye for cold wetness to nestle against my skin. My mind is a blank slate. The tension that has secretly crept into my body disappears. Suddenly everything seems so easy.
It’s been like this since this morning. After yesterday’s defeat and the exciting information that spurred me on, a knot seems to have burst. Everything inside me is shifting the thoughts threatening to plague me. Positivity is all I need. It’s all I can cling to. The only thing that gives me strength besides strange nightmares, perceptions, and ideas that won’t let me go. The gaps in my memory don’t matter. The fact I ran away from home is irrelevant. In these seconds, I am free. Weak, but free.
Whistling cheerfully, I stroll along the low water’s edge – at least until I spot a small, black something. On closer inspection, it turns out to be a Pokémon with pink horns and a white fluffy tail, just big enough to fit in both my hands. I gently poke it with one finger. Its body wobbles.
“Excuse me?” Out of nowhere, a stranger approaches me. His trousers rolled up to his knees and a cap on his head, he smiles at me. “You seem to have found a Pyukumuku.”
Once again, I look at the Pokémon – Pyukumuku. Then I straighten up. “Are they something special?”
“No, no.” He waves me off with a laugh. “They just keep getting washed up on the sands and we beach workers spend most of our time throwing them back into the water. Unfortunately, it’s a never-ending task.” He sighs heavily. “As a result, we’re looking for temporary staff now and then. Interested?”
The thought of throwing this little Pokémon back into the sea because it would otherwise probably dry out and die under the Alolan heat doesn’t inspire disapproval. All I can do is nod eagerly.
“Great! Just ... run along the beach a bit and throw what you can into the sea. There should be about five Pyukumukus lying around here somewhere. Unless the last wave has delivered supplies. I’ll watch out for newly washed up ones. When you’ve thrown back those five, let me know.”
I give him another nod and watch as he disappears to a high seat, from where you can probably see into endless distance. The next moment, I grab the little Pyukumuku and take a swing. With momentum I throw the creature back into the sea, watch it splash into the water and can’t help but be secretly happy about the good deed.
Further along the sands, I keep my eyes wide open for more creatures. Small bodies with pink horns living in their very own way and which I can hardly imagine anyone using for a Pokémon battle. However, people barely care about little things like that. My father often told me about anglers who catch Magikarp to train them. Fish that end up on the plate elsewhere when they’re no good.
It’s almost a little cruel.
A humorous snort escapes me. It is cruel.
And it’s another thought that I push to the back of my mind as I search for Pyukumukus, find them, and throw them back into their world. Finding five and returning them to the safety of the sea is a good feeling. The light breezes caress my hair, the splashes of wetness tickle my skin, and the lightness warms my heart. I should go back and let my Pokémon out so they can experience the same thing and yet – in this moment, it’s fine the way it is.
When I report back to the man from before after what feels like four minutes – an hour has probably already passed – he greets me with a broad smile and the thankful statement that no more Pyukumukus have been washed up. And he has nothing more to tell me than that I have earned my reward.
Twenty thousand Pokémon Dollars.
That’s more than I’ve ever held in my hands – I think.
With hasty thanks, I retreat to Amethio. He has his legs stretched out, hanging on his Rotom Phone, lost in a world I don’t want to deal with in these seconds. He’s too attached to his work, and I can’t help but wave until he looks up at me.
“Are you going into the water with me?”
He raises his eyebrows, opens his mouth, closes it again without a sound. Then he shakes his head. “We’re not here to be distracted.”
“Just a little water. Letting go a bit can do some good.”
“I’m staying here.”
He’s too stuck. Sure, the search for Rayquaza is important, but right now we’re waiting for someone who won’t come any faster just because we’re frozen in one place. So I grab him by the arm, pull him to his feet and rise above his reluctance. He has no choice but to follow me to the water, where I let him go and take a few leaps forward.
“We can also wait by enjoying this!”
His eyes are glued to me. Then a sigh escapes him. He is so stiff I splash some water on him. The drops settle darkly on his shirt and make him flinch. Irritation clings to his features and simultaneously his shoulders slump as if I’ve told him an exceptionally bad joke. Still, I think I can see the corners of his mouth twitch. Silent, secret amusement that doesn’t overwhelm him and still makes him pull out a Poké Ball.
I should probably take cover. And yet I can’t deny I love his presence in those seconds. It dispels the loneliness, the restlessness inside and also the voices in the back of my head that are still trying to blame me.