In the last forty minutes, the sky has turned an ugly grey, gloomy and windy, as if something is about to happen nobody expects. Maybe it’s because bad weather is a rarity on Alola. Rain and thunderstorms can be counted on both hands every year – and even then, the colourful hustle and bustle of the people here is unstoppable. The news seems to be proud of that.
The ground crunches under the soles of my black ankle boots as I leave the yacht and look around the small island. You can cross Exeggutor Island once in half an hour. There is nothing here except a few tall palm trees and bushes colouring the otherwise barren ground green.
If I squint, I can make out an altar on a hill. But I can’t tell from down here whether the flute is there, too. Lillie, her hands clasped tightly around the pink straps of her backpack, dares to take a few steps forward. She breathes in the air of our surroundings deeply, as if tasting freedom for the first time, and for a moment I can empathise with her. The feeling of being freer with every further step is incredible – but it never lasts long. Unfortunately.
As soon as Amethio appears behind us, we set off. None of us are in a hurry, so we walk at a leisurely pace towards the rocky elevation. The small cave forming underneath leads just a few steps inside. There is nothing to discover here, at least if you ignore the trembling palm trunks.
I have to blink several times before I realise I’m not just imagining the barely perceptible movements. It’s only when the sturdy lower section of a tree rises and two chunky feet with claws appear I pause.
“Domino?” Lillie’s gentle voice barely reaches me.
My gaze wanders along the brown body, up to yellow coconuts, causing me to gulp. They are so high up that it’s easy to miss the round googly eyes; and it’s only when one of these coconuts opens its mouth that a choked snort escapes me. Only then do I point to the Pokémon I have finally spotted.
It takes a mere breath before my companions understand my hint and look up as well. In the next breath, Amethio orders us to take two steps back while he grabs his Poké Ball – just the moment the Pokémon makes a sound similar to badly tuned guitar strings.
Lillie and I immediately move closer together to follow Amethio’s will and keep our distance. Simultaneously, I can’t help but dig my Rotom out of my pocket and scan the creature that turns out to be Ceruledge’s opponent.
“Exeggutor. Alola variant. Grass/Dragon-type Pokémon. The inhabitants of Alola claim this variant is the original form of the Pokémon. However, so far, it has only been discovered that the climate of this region provides the best conditions for growth. Exeggutor attacks opponents by swinging its long neck like a whip. But it quickly becomes dizzy.”
Just as Rotom finishes, the Exeggutor lashes out with its long neck before attacking Ceruledge agonisingly slow. It is so sluggish it poses no challenge to its opponent’s quick movements.
“I’m still sad ... to see Pokémon suffer in battle,” Lillie suddenly starts beside me and I can’t help but look at her. “I felt that what trainers do is terrible. Maybe because I thought they’d all become like my mum, eventually. But ... since I’ve been travelling with you, I’ve been able to get to know so many things.” Her eyes shift to me so they scrutinise me in a green glow. “The way you and your Pokémon have always tried to get closer to freedom ... seeing how Mirra has done everything she can to help us ... and how you care about your team. I saw it with Conia, too. She has a Golduck, and it loves her with all its heart. You can see it if you watch them for a bit.”
She takes a breath, collects her thoughts, and catches herself before continuing. “I’ve realised being a trainer goes along with some Pokémons’ desires. Some crave fame and recognition, others want to travel with their favourite human, and many are looking for a friend. I think I’ve realised in our short time together that trainers and their Pokémon can be a wonderful thing.”
Without further ado, she glances back at Amethio, whose Ceruledge is just disappearing into the ball as the Exeggutor crashes to the ground. It was a quick fight, probably not even enough to warm up. Still, it gave Lillie time to share some of her thoughts with me. I should feel honoured, but her newly achieved views bounce off me. Perhaps because I find no beauty in being a trainer in these breaths. Mimikyu is in a terrible state, Lusamine’s Pokémon have been crushed in their icy prisons, and Nebby has been through torments I can barely imagine. Still, I smirk as Lillie smiles at me and says “Thank you for that”.
She is thanking me for something that deserves no thanks.
I don’t want to rob her of her rosy illusion of a wonderful Trainer-Pokémon world. Surely there are people out there who have it much easier than I do at the moment. Trainers who don’t have to worry about their injured Pokémon because nothing ever happens that can’t be fixed with two potions. Part of me hopes Lillie is one of them; that she never has to experience this confinement, this guilt and this loathing of oneself. She has gratefully accepted my remaining four Great Balls. There is no doubt she will catch Pokémon herself one day.
As soon as Amethio gives us the signal to move on, the conversation seems long lost in the past, and my thoughts drift back to the altar and the flute that we need to retrieve. However, we barely walk two steps before rain falls. Before it starts to pour down like a torrent, we take shelter in the small cave.
“They had announced bad weather...” Lillie’s gaze is fixed somewhere on the horizon and although I would like to do the same, my attention wanders to Amethio.
Standing next to him brings the tension between us to the fore. Our argument is still making waves – at least inside me. Unseen, I wipe my sweaty hands on my beige shorts before tugging at the hem of the purple top, whose white floral pattern radiates no peace. Even when I briefly loosen the collar from my neck, no relief overcomes me. There are just too many things I’d like to say to Amethio; that I was too harsh and that he has every right to want to lock me in a box. I don’t want to keep travelling with this tension.
“Domino?”
My lips press together as I look down at the floor. After everything I’ve said in the heat of the moment – no matter how right it may have felt – I feel like one of those pathetic trainers who realise too late that an adventure needs more bite than a mere desire to see the world. If you want to get to know other regions, you go on holiday. However, if you want to explore the world in all its splendour, be it in its strength or its secrets, you become a trainer.
I still have a lot to learn. Giving up isn’t an option. But if I no longer want to be a burden to people like Amethio, I have to learn to make smarter decisions. The Z-Move has to play into my hands. I have to be in control and not let it go for a second. For the sake of my Pokémon, the Explorers, and myself.
“Domino!”
My whole body flinches as I recognise Lillie’s voice and realise she’s talking to me. In a flash, my attention is focussed in her direction and her brows furrow slightly in concern.
“Is everything all right?”
“I was just thinking,” I reply, wiping my hands on my shorts once more. “What is it?”
“I was just wondering... Do you know what you want to do when Alola is behind you one day?” Without further ado, she looks back at the sky. “Something besides the exams to become a professor?”
I follow her gaze. The grey sky is slowly clearing. The rain won’t last much longer. “I want to become a better trainer, solve mysteries... I’m not sure. Thinking about my future ... was never really on my mind. It’s something I still kind of ... have to deal with.”
“You’ve never thought about your future?”
“I never had the chance. The memories are hazy, but before I knew it, it was easier to live from one day to the next and let things roll by.”
“A life without goals...” The thoughtful tone in Lillie’s voice makes me listen to the silence for a moment before she sighs softly. “I think I know what you mean. When I was still with my mum, I never thought about it either.”
The difference, however, is that she is three years younger than me. As the older of the two of us, I should probably set a good example, but I’m already happy everything is slowly falling into place. My wish for an adventure has come true. There is a goal for my future. I don’t have to commit to anything or decide straight away. Yet there is a faint hint of admiration for Lillie in me. It’s no less stressful and complicated for her. But it looks very easy when she selects a path. Just like in those seconds when she is clutching the straps of her backpack tightly and gazing at the dark clouds.
“It’s different now,” the blonde starts. “Domino ... once we’ve rescued my mum, I want to become a trainer alongside my desire to help the Pokémon. More specifically, I want to be a medic who can go on an adventure to discover new methods of healing Pokémon.” She straightens her shoulders. “And until that time comes, I want to learn to be braver. My journey ... my path ... it all starts here and now.”
“I’m sure you’ll be great...” My hands fold in front of my lap. “And I hope your dream comes true.”
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Her eager nod leaves no doubt in her mind. In the next breath, she turns in my direction, but looks past me. “We can’t have just the two of us committing!”
Brows raised, I turn slowly to Amethio, who looks at Lillie as if none of this concerns him.
“What’s your goal? Apart from finding Rayquaza?”
He opens his mouth in a flash, but doesn’t make a sound. Only when he puts a hand to his chin and seems to ponder the question does a satisfied smile curl across Lillie’s features.
“There is someone I want to beat in a fight,” Amethio finally replies. It’s not the biggest goal he could name, and yet it sounds like a hurdle he’s failed at more than once. This person must be an ace at fighting.
It is also a confession that fuels Amethio’s restlessness. Almost unseen, he shifts his weight from one leg to the other, his arms crossed in front of his chest. In these seconds, he proves stubborn humanity, and I need a moment to take my eyes off him.
The rain keeps us trapped in one spot for half an eternity and only when the drops subside to a drizzle do we dare to climb up to the Moon Flute podium again. The humid air is heavy to breathe and my gasps weigh more than a Graveler. The flute, carefully secured on a holder, shines like the depths of the sea beneath the rain-filled clouds. Its dark blue colour and the crescent moon adorning it lend it a sombre grace.
It is Lillie who picks it up and looks at it for a moment, so I move closer. I run my fingertips over the emblem of the moon – overwhelmed by the sounds, among which Nebby’s voice comes through to me.
“Not right...” it breathes softly. “Power. Used wrong. Wrong thought. Wrong.”
My legs give way. Lillie can’t grab me fast enough. Only Amethio saves me from hitting my knees. But instead of asking what happened, he stays silent. The quiet between us remains.
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》 WHISPERS 《
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My hands tremble. The goosebumps on my arms are shivering and the door handle between my fingers seems colder than ice. A glance out of the window to reassure myself brings the bad weather to the fore. We’ve just made it back to the Pokémon Center before the rain once again poured down over the island.
I turn my attention to the door once more before I bring myself to push down the handle and enter. I’m immediately hit by the clinical odour of a hospital – except there are Pokémon here that can’t simply be nursed back to health with a few potions.
All too slowly, I push my way inside to the only occupied bed, which is reminiscent of a crèche. The pink sheets add some colour to the otherwise clinical room and as I look over the wooden wall, I recognise Mimikyu. Hanging from her body is a shapeless, pink piece of fabric resembling a small sheet with holes cut out for her eyes. Two black claws peek out from underneath and the tightness in my chest chokes my throat. Nurse Joy has explained to me why Mirra looks like this, but it only makes her look more sickly.
Carefully, I place my hands on the top edge of the wood. “Hey...”
Of course, Mimikyu doesn’t answer. I know that, but hope refuses to fade.
“They said you’ll be better soon. You’re out of danger... Great, right? We ... can still go travelling. You just need to ... wake up...”
According to the report, this is the nasty part of Mimikyu’s condition. No one knows when or if she will ever wake up again. Not only has the Z-Move severely drained her, but the attack is still leeching her life energy. Pulling her from the threshold between life and death has consumed vast amounts of potions and revives. All we can do now is wait and hope. Physically, she is as good as new. Only her mind and psyche are lingering.
“I ... can stay with you for today,” I continue quietly. “The others will stay with Lillie until then. The nurse thinks that if too many come to you ... it could stress you out subliminally.” Saliva hangs dry in my throat. “Tomorrow we’re going to climb the Vast Poni Canyon to try our luck with a legendary Pokémon. I wish you could come with us.”
But the chances are far too slim. Even if she wakes up, she won’t be able to go with us.
“Zir and Conia are still busy with a delivery of Poké Balls. It’ll be longer before they’re back here, given the lousy weather.” I shake my head. “It’s pouring buckets outside. We can’t climb the Canyon like this. It would only hurt more people.”
My shoulder is stiff and numb. The nurses at the Pokémon Center have done their best, but they don’t specialise in people. Instead, I had to wait for a doctor to come all the way from the bottom of the Canyon to treat me. All in all, the shoulder is cracked and the build-up of blood eventually cancelled out most of the pain, but the circumstances could have ended unpleasantly. The nurses acted well and correctly with their first aid and overall, I can expect my shoulder to be as good as new in about six weeks. Until then, I’ll be living on lozenges – painkillers made from Ula’Ula honey.
Before I continue talking to Mimikyu, I find a chair. As I sit down next to the cot, I reach inside to hold her claws.
“I don’t want to be happy about you saving us this way ... but ... thank you. Thank you for being there to help us out of trouble, even if it was a drastic measure. No one can say what would have happened otherwise.” Slowly, I run my thumb over her form, fluffy but soft as jelly against me. “When you wake up ... you’ll need a new costume. I’ll make you one, depending on what you want.”
I can’t sew. My father used to do these things. But I’m sure with practice I can make something suitable for Mimikyu. The chances of her wanting to explore the world without a costume are slim.
“I’ll try ... to make you happy.” I rest my forehead lightly on the edge of the wood. “You haven’t had much luck with trainers so far, but you deserve better. I know what I said ... I still have a lot of things to learn myself and get my life on track ... but I’m confident I can do it.”
My eyes close. The idea of becoming good enough with my team to have nothing to fear is attractive. Together we could achieve great things if I improve a few of my traits. I’m willing to fight any weaknesses if it means my Pokémon will be better off. In my dreams, that’s possible. But I know that reality won’t make it easy for me.
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》 WHISPERS 《
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Sweat clings to my body, and every breath weighs heavily in my chest. My hands clutched tightly around the straps of my backpack, which Conia brought from the airship, I drag myself along behind the others.
Meanwhile, Amethio’s assistants aren’t just looking after the airship, they’re also monitoring strange activities – Ultra Wormholes, for example. So there are only four of us walking through the first cave of the Canyon, which we finally reach after two hours of travelling.
Every step echoes back to us and the next ascent greets us just beyond a small exit that leads us deeper into the heart of the mountain. The scorching heat forces me to walk in the shade and although Amethio has also chosen more suitable clothing for hiking, the sweat stains on him suggest excessive exertion.
However, we all wordlessly agree that we should drink while walking and not waste the time we can use. Only when we leave a second cave behind us, which leads us straight to another ascent, Lillie stops. With her hands resting on her knees, she fans some air into her face the next moment.
“We’re ... probably ... more than halfway ... up,” she gasps, before sitting down on a stone. “We should ... take a break.”
“Yes, please.” Without further ado, I drop beside her, so Amethio and Gladion have no choice but to join us.
Together in the shade, we all find a few moments to breathe in the thin air. I dig out the honey drops from the side pocket of my backpack to soothe my pain, and somewhere in between I hear rustling at my side. Lillie is unpacking her sandwiches. Amethio, meanwhile, empties a water bottle. He’s wearing the same outfit he chose when we visited the jungle – the only difference being that this time it’s a grey top with a purple arrow on it. It emphasises his slim sporty look, for which a little extra baggage makes no difference. His dark brown bag contains more than mine and Lillie’s put together. Not only does he carry lunch for me, he has also thought of snacks in case I need a little energy boost in between.
Following Joy’s instructions, it quickly became clear I wasn’t allowed to lift or carry heavy things around. So it was a matter of course for Amethio to pack my things, although Lillie agreed to help. The only thing he left for my bag was a small water bottle, my painkillers, and my team.
“It’s kind of a shame the altar is so rarely visited,” Lillie begins in the middle of two bites into her bread. “Otherwise a lot more people would come here and ... appreciate all this.”
“They probably didn’t build it for that,” I reply as I accept the baked roll Amethio hands me.
“Still, somehow ... a shame.”
We sink into silence again, completely focussed on our food. On the side, I take a look at Rotom. It’s now three o’clock. It will probably be another two hours before we reach the Altar of the Tides and part of me isn’t sure I’ll survive that. Sure, it was my absurdly stupid idea to go along, but the exhaustion is gnawing at me.
“We should watch our stuff.” When Amethio speaks up, my eyes are glued to his lips.
The tension between us no longer exists, but every action with him feels strangely uncomfortable. A bit like we’re trying to hide a secret drinking contest that has sent us both into a two-week coma in our underwear in the middle of the city.
I avert my eyes in a flash. Staring at him for too long could only lead to another awkward conversation. So I try to see what he’s spotted and get fixed on a small group of Murkrows.
“They’re probably hungry,” Lillie begins, but catches lightning-fast glances from us. “What?”
“Murkrows are ... voracious. They would chase us if they realised we had something to eat and willingly shared it with them. If we stop before our supplies run out, they’ll attack us.” I grimace. “They also love to steal jewellery and anything that glitters.”
“Does the Pokédex state that?” Her sandwich almost falls out of her hands.
“Not everything.” I shake my head. “You get that information from fans of Flying-type Pokémon. I came across it by chance.”
She nods slowly. The thought of feeding these little monsters immediately disappears from her face. What remains is stiff chewing, so a thin smile appears on my lips. She returns it, but we spend the rest of our break in silence. Neither of us knows what will happen when we reach the altar and play the flutes. If the summoning doesn’t work, we’ll need another plan to save Lillie’s mum. Our last hope here is Cosmog. However, we have no real alternative.
It’s four o’clock when we finish our break and tackle the Canyon again, whose path leads through another cave where the semi-darkness dispels some of the heat. Only after this passage do we finally seem to be closer to our goal. We can’t see the altar, but according to Gladion’s map, a tall tree with strong roots leading down to a clearing gives us hope of reaching the end.
My gaze briefly wanders in his direction. He is just as silent as Amethio – even worse. He can’t get a single word out and the tension between him and Lillie is at least as uncomfortable as between my partner and me. It’s hard to believe, but this group here could hardly be more dysfunctional.
Down the vines, into the next cave, is just as unspectacular as the way up here. Only a small shrine made of misshapen stones catches my attention.
“Is there something special to honour here?”
Lillie follows my gaze. “Not really.”
Without further ado, we step closer so we can spot the well-placed, misshapen crystal, whose sea-blue tone and slight lustre are strongly reminiscent of a Z-Crystal. And when my ring reacts with delay, no further questions arise. Instead, I pick it up.
“I’ll see what it’s for later. Maybe it’ll fit my team.”
No one objects, no one wants to say anything. My words almost feel stupid. All I can do is put the crystal away and sigh. It would be better to lighten the circumstances here and now before we throw ourselves into a task that is bigger than us. But I can barely get a sound past my lips before a stone hits next to me – bigger than Zoroark.
A breath later, three Pokémon surround us, heads bowed and teeth bared.