As he entered Anvin’s store, Alec patted his belt, where Auster’s Pokeball was affixed. It needed to be securely clipped on, lest it fall off and potentially open. What Alec was doing required utmost secrecy.
“Morning, Alec. What can I-”
“I need the most delicious berries you have, and I need them as quickly as possible,” Alec demanded.
Anvin raised an eyebrow at Alec’s enthusiasm. “And can I ask what the occasion is?”
“Auster, my Rowlet, evolved.” Alec grinned. “We’re gonna have a celebration.”
Anvin laughed heartily, throwing his head back. He slammed his fist down on his countertop and wiped a tear of laughter from his eye. “A celebration? Ah, you kids these days. What I wouldn’t give to be your age.”
He took a moment to compose himself, then headed toward a burlap sack on the floor in the corner of the shop. “Here, if you want the most delicious, these’ll work perfectly. They’re lum berries; Not the best-tasting berries out there, but Sinnoh, they’re close.”
Alec nodded. “I’ll take ‘em. How much?”
Anvin returned to his countertop for their usual negotiation. After their fierce verbal battle and subsequent decision, Anvin grabbed a bunch of healthy-looking ones from the bag and handed them to Alec. “Be careful while eating them. They have a large pit in the middle that you have to eat around.”
Alec nodded in acknowledgment, grabbing them and gingerly placing them in his satchel.
“I wouldn’t normally say this, but if you’re really looking for some rare berries, I’d talk to the Gingko guild merchants. They’re not good for much,” Anvin said, shaking his head. “But their network is unmatched.”
“Really?” Alec hesitated. “Alright, I’ll give them a shot. Thank you so much.”
“Anytime, kid. Anytime,” Anvin chuckled, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye. Alec waved as he left, again double-checking that Auster’s Pokeball was still shut on his belt. Hopefully, he wouldn’t smell the scent of the lum berries and get suspicious. As soon as he left Anvin’s shop, he evaluated the items left on his to-do list.
Conveniently, both of his immediate tasks were at the same spot, with the Gingko trading outpost being stationed right outside city hall, where Cyllene would be too.
The dirt roads of Jubilife crunched beneath his worn shoes as he headed directly toward the Gingko Guild’s bright tent. Even as he approached from a distance, Ginter still noticed him and waved.
Alec rolled his eyes, knowing he was too far away for the gesture to be visible. Seriously, could they try to be even more blatant with their opportunistic friendliness? He even saw Ginter get up from his chair and grab a few items from within their covered wagon, likely to advertise to Alec.
“Good morning!” he enthusiastically grinned once Alec was close enough. “What can I do for you?”
“Morning,” Alec replied, far less enthusiastically. “I’m looking for some fancy berries to buy and I was told you could help me.”
“Hmm,” he trailed off. “And what type of flavor might you be looking for?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” Alec admitted. “They’re for my Dartrix.”
Ginter nodded knowingly. “Well, what’s its favorite flavor? Does it have preferences?”
Alec thought back over his time with Auster. He’d always taken any food that Alec had given him and eaten it with gusto. He couldn’t recall any particular berries he seemed to enjoy more than the others.
Though, now that he thought about it…
“He mostly likes bitter things,” Alec finally said. “He loved the doppel bonnets I fed him the other day, and he tried to drink a bottle of Aux Evasion raw.”
Ginter laughed in a tone that felt more disingenuous than mirthful. His attempts at flattery only make him look silly, Alec thought.
“Bitter, eh?” he mused. “Sounds good, and I know of just the thing.” He turned to the Gingko guild member, a short woman with a wrinkly complexion and age-bleached white hair, wearing the same blue-and-yellow clothes as him. “Tuli, be a dear and check if we still have those aguav berries, please.”
The woman, now known as Tuli, smiled warmly and turned back to walk behind the wagon. “You’ll be wanting aguav berries,” Ginter said, drawing Alec’s attention back. "People and Pokemon from around the world all swear by them being one of the best berries for those who like bitter flavors.”
Tuli reemerged from the back of their wagon with a warm smile. “You’re in luck, dear,” she said cheerily, carrying a wicker basket. “We’ve got just a few left. Take your pick.”
“Sweet, thanks!” Alec said. He gingerly took the basket from her.
Tuli just kept smiling warmly. “You’re welcome, dearie,” she said. He reached into the basket and selected the largest one. It was a little smaller than an oran berry but still the right size to fit cleanly in his palm. It had a bright green color with a few yellow stripes down the side, and a curved stem sprouting from the top. As he looked, he faintly noticed Ginter and Tuli embracing each other in a side-hug. They must be a couple, Alec realized. “How much for this one?” he asked.
“Aguav berries aren’t from around these parts,” Ginter explained. “They have to be imported from other regions, so we charge $20 for each one.”
Alec hesitantly reached into his satchel and pulled out sufficient money. Ginter and Tuli thanked him as he handed it over. I’ll have the celebration tonight, he thought. I’ll see if I can invite Rei and Akari to come by too.
Now that everything relating to the celebration was checked off of his to-do list, the only thing he still needed to do that day was see Cyllene and get his second star. The lum and aguav berries added a pleasant weight to his satchel that bounced rhythmically against his leg as he walked. The early morning sun was obscured by the clouds in the sky.
After giving his thanks and waving goodbye to Ginter and Tuli of the Gingko Guild, Alec headed next door to the city hall. The massive building, decorated with its trademark Magikarp sculptures, awaited him. Another chilly breeze blew past, causing goosebumps to break up along his skin. He shuddered, stuffing his hands into his hoodie pocket.
By now, Auster and Tricky knew the drill. They knew that Pokemon weren’t allowed to be out of their Pokeballs inside the building. They didn’t want to get Alec in trouble, so they both promised him to not come out from their balls while he was inside in the future. Alec didn’t need to stop and let them out; he simply strode onward into the building.
He briefly struggled to pull open the massive main door, feeling the pressure difference between the two areas. He felt a massive draft of hot air flow past him, eager to escape back into the atmosphere.
Alec hurried to close the door, knowing that the people inside wouldn’t appreciate him letting their warm air out, especially with how cold it was outside.
The immediate inside of the building was completely empty. Down the long hallways to the right and left, all the doors were shut. The building itself was faintly noisy, with muffled voices coming from behind each of the doors. If Alec strained his ears, he could barely make out which voices were coming from where, but discerning what they were saying was beyond him.
Still, he wasn’t here to get distracted or eavesdrop on someone’s conversation. He walked across the great hall to Cyllene’s office, his footsteps sounding like gunshots even on the muffled carpeted floor. After knocking, Cyllene promptly permitted him to enter.
“Good morning,” she said, in her usual monotone. Honestly, it made Alec feel self-conscious, as if he was somehow wasting her time despite only needing half a minute.
“I, uh, wanted to ask about my second star. Professor Laventon said made enough progress to earn it.” Alec began nervously but quickly found his footing and began to speak with more confidence.
“I see,” Cyllene said, rising from her desk like last time. “You’ll be pleased to know that the second star grants clearance to survey the mirelands. Simply let the guard know you wish to travel there and they will arrange for you to be escorted there.”
“Where is it?” Alec interjected, halting her explanation.
Cyllene blinked, obviously not used to being interrupted. Nonplussed, she grabbed one of the massive rolled-up sheets of paper from her desk and unfurled it, revealing an extensive map of Hisui. Different districts of the land were differentiated by thick black lines.
“We are here,” she said, pointing toward the area marked with a ‘J’, clearly standing for ‘Jubilife’. She then pointed to an area across the map, covered with so many rivers and bodies of water that Alec thought whoever drew the map must’ve spilled their jar of blue paint over it. “And here are the mirelands. They are rather amphibious, so I would look into purchasing a sturdier pair of shoes before venturing there. Expect plenty of Ground, Rock, Water, and Poison types. There are also plenty of airborne Pokemon there, which reminds me.” She opened one of the many drawers of her desk and pulled out a slip of paper, which reminded Alec of the slips that held the instructions for crafting Pokeballs.
“This is a recipe for a Feather Balls, a ball specifically engineered to bring down airborne Pokemon. Like with Heavy Balls, Anvin will sell them to you as well.”
“Thanks,” Alec nodded. Cyllene then affixed another star, identical to his first one, over his heart on his hoodie. Alec patted them in satisfaction. Cyllene immediately sat back down at her desk and returned to whatever work she was doing before. Alec stood there awkwardly for a moment longer before quickly leaving, getting the implicit message that his allotment of her time was spent.
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Alec walked away from the city hall at an all-time high. He walked with a spring in his step, happily making his way down Jubilife’s main street toward the village gate.
He honestly couldn’t believe it. So much of his life was going in the perfect direction.
In some documentaries and interviews he’d watched back home, he faintly remembered Trainers recalling how proud they felt when their Pokemon evolved or achieved a major threshold. Most took place right after a gym battle or something similar, almost immediately after the evolution. Between heavy breaths, they all swore that they’d never felt happier or more proud.
Though, he’d always been a bit skeptical of what they said, no matter how many Trainers repeated the same testimony. He’d always chalked it up to the adrenaline because almost all of the interviews were after an intense battle. It made sense to be happy and excited, sure. But proud? It didn’t make any sense, but now that he’d experienced it himself, he totally agreed. He felt like an ecstatic father watching his child ride a bike for the first time.
Auster had been so cool, cloaked in white like that. He looked so much cooler and stronger as a Dartrix, the difference between him now and previously was incomparable. Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine.
And Tricky’s probably not far off evolution too, he thought happily, imagining himself with a team of all-powerful, fully evolved Pokemon. They’d stand atop the world, with no one to challenge them, and protect every single person in all of Hisui. And he’d show Arceus that he’d completed his mission, and he’d get to see his mom again-
Legendaries Above, the thought of seeing her and hugging her tight, and how long he’d hold her to make up for their time apart-
Wait, no. He was supposed to be happy!
Alec grimaced slightly, feeling a nasty taste in his mouth. He spit on the dirt road beneath him, hoping to rid himself of the bad taste along with the bad thoughts.
He walked without any more thoughts for a while longer, too nervous to spoil his happy mood. Unfortunately, the damage was already done. He shook his head vehemently from side to side, trying to clear his mind, sending his hair into a messy state of disarray.
As he combed it out of his eyes with his hands, he noticed Anthe’s storefront out of the corner of his eye. Joyce had mentioned that she gave haircuts there, Alec thought. And I need a cut pretty badly.
He checked his necklace watch, more out of habit than necessity. 1:16. If he was going to have Auster’s celebration at the campfire tonight, he still had plenty of daylight to kill until then. Plus, Cyllene had said he should get a pair of shoes better suited for the mirelands, and Anthe sold shoes as well.
He shrugged and turned on his detour, his mind made up. Anthe wasn’t immediately visible at the storefront, meaning she must be inside. Alec entered the shop, which was mobbed by mannequins and racks of hangers, each one holding various outfits.
He immediately noticed her in the back, sitting in a chair. She held a ripped piece of clothing in one hand and a small needle in the other. She held the tool close to her face, squinting through her massive spectacles as she sewed it shut.
She didn’t seem to notice Alec at all, being too engrossed in her work. Alec tried waving to get her attention, to no avail. He didn’t want to startle her, so he slowly and quietly knocked on the wooden wall. “Excuse me,” he stammered, his voice a low whisper. “Anthe?”
Anthe’s fingers faltered and she slowly looked up from her project. She blinked a few times, then her face brightened into a wide smile. “Ah, Alec. Good morning to you,” she greeted warmly. “And is that a second star I see? Congratulations.”
Alec nodded. “Thanks! Anyways, I heard you can do haircuts. I was wondering if you’d give me one? It’s getting pretty long.”
“Of course, dearie,” Anthe said, slowly standing up from her chair and setting her work on a nearby table. “If you don’t mind, can you fill that pitcher with water for me? I’ll grab my scissors.”
Alec nodded and grabbed the pitcher. He jogged outside to a nearby well and filled it up. When he returned, Anthe was holding a large sheet burlap of burlap fabric. “Sit down and wrap this around yourself,” she said. “It’ll catch the loose hairs.”
Alec hummed and set the bucket down near the base of the same chair Anthe was previously in. He complied, grabbing the sheet and flipping it over his back like a cape.
“Now then, what would you like?” Anthe asked.
Alec liked his current hairstyle. It was rather long and parted down the middle, with his bangs forming two tufts that hung over the corners of his forehead. For a traditionally male haircut, it was on the longer side, barely reaching beyond his ears in the back.
He hummed, looking toward the ceiling in thought. “Keep it mostly the same, but shorter,” he said. But if he was being honest, he kind of liked how his hair was longer. Of course, the reason he’d come was because it was getting in his eyes, so his bangs were getting trimmed. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, he made up his mind. “But keep it longer in the back. I wanna grow it out.”
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Alec turned his head back and forth, admiring his new haircut in a mirror. He examined it from every angle, then shook his head violently back and forth. A few stray hairs fluttered down, but his hair settled back into its regular style.
“I love it,” he said happily, turning back to Anthe with a wide grin. “Thanks!”
Anthe just smiled, brushing the array of fallen hairs into a mound with a broom. “Let me help with that,” Alec quickly said, bending down to pick up a nearby dustpan to help her clean up her store. “One last thing, but I need another pair of shoes. One better suited for the mirelands. What do you have?”
“Well, if you’re headed for the mirelands, I’d suggest something wooden.” She grabbed a pair from a shelf and passed them to him to try on.
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About half an hour later, Alec exited the store, with his wallet lighter and satchel heavier, burdened with his new shoes. They fit perfectly, and Anthe had been delighted. In his wake, he’d left several pairs of too-large or too-small shoes he’d tried on. Anthe swore it wasn’t an inconvenience and that she was happy to help him find one that fit perfectly.
That was another thing that Alec hadn’t necessarily expected to be missing at this time, though it made perfect sense. Standardized shoe sizes back home made the shopping process far more convenient and frankly, he took them for granted. But here, where they didn’t have factories to churn out identical copies of the same design, each pair naturally had slight differences and imperfections.
Alec had initially been confused, but Anthe explained it to him. She said that each shoe had its own character and personality, allowing it to accommodate the exact person they were made for. Honestly, it seemed a little too abstract, esoteric, and philosophical for him to truly appreciate. For something as mundane as shoes …
Either way, he’d eventually found a pair that fit perfectly, snugly protecting his feet from the elements in a way nearly indistinguishable from his running shoes. He’d quickly found that they were a little uncomfortable to walk in, so he decided to wear them only when necessary. He figured he’d deal with the discomfort when it meant not getting his only pair of socks muddy and wet. No thank you, that sounds disgusting, he thought.
He checked his watch. 2:42. He’d been at Anthe’s for a little over an hour. The only thing left on his itinerary for the day was to find Rei and Akari and let them know about his plans to throw Auster a celebration that evening.
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And as soon as he thought of Rei, he immediately remembered his mental promise to himself to apologize to him. The last time he’d seen Rei was back at Joyce’s office last night, after he’d escaped from the distortion. By now, the regret had long enough to emulsify and settle in his psyche, only serving to urge him to go through with it.
Either way, he didn’t want to exclude Rei from his celebration over something as petty as that. He passed the village gate, waving to the guard. It was Dorian, the same guard he’d helped earlier by catching another Buizel to help him with his duties.
Alec briefly stopped to check in on how he was doing. He waved his hand wide above his head, catching Dorian’s attention from atop the watchtower.
“Hey Dorian!” he greeted once his presence was noticed. The guard then turned to climb down the ladder to speak with Alec face-to-face. “How’s that Buizel working out?” Alec asked once Dorian reached the bottom.
“She’s great,” Dorian praised. “Both Buizels are training hard. You really did me a massive favor; my job’s never been more efficient.”
“Glad to hear it. Anyway, I just got clearance to go to the mirelands and Cyllene said that I’d have to talk to you to get escorted there. How does that process work?”
“First things first, you’d need to give us a little bit of heads-up beforehand, thirty minutes is plenty. We have a cart drawn by Pokemon called Mudsdale that’ll take you wherever you need to go. The ride from here to the mirelands is about forty-five minutes, so bring something to do to keep yourself occupied.”
Alec nodded. “Sounds good, thanks. See you!”
“Have a good one, and stay safe!” Dorian called after Alec as he was leaving.
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As he walked away from the village, Alec shivered with anticipation. His warm hoodie protected him from the growing wind chill, but simply thinking about his surprise this evening made him involuntarily grin and put a bounce into his steps.
Of course, he wanted to include Rei and Akari in his celebration, too. He felt that they were close enough to call each other friends by now, and they were his only two peers in Hisui. All the other children he’d seen were either far too young to relate to him or simply uninterested in the Corps and its members.
But thinking about Rei brought a pang of regret into his stomach, reminding him about how he’d acted the other night and his need to apologize. To make things right. He knew that, in the grand scheme of things, it was a rather minor thing to be worried about, but he still felt a foreboding sense of wrongness.
Like a scratched CD, his brain kept replaying the same thoughts ad infinitum. Although the issue was minor, he still felt worried that he could lose one of his only friends. Just the thought of it left a bitter taste in his mouth, exponentiating the regret he felt for acting the way he had. By now, he was far away from the village. He released Auster from his Pokeball, allowing him to settle on his arm.
“Hey bud,” Alec said. Auster chirped a greeting in response, probably saying “Good morning!” or something like that.
“I need your help with something. Can you fly around and see if you can find Rei or Akari for me? You remember what they look like, right? Rei’s got the red cap and scarf; Akari’s got the white cloth.”
Auster tilted his head curiously. He shuffled his talons awkwardly on Alec’s arm, sensing the flurry of emotions in Alec’s gut. First and foremost was nervousness, as he didn’t want Auster to discover his secret, but his guilt was buried in there, too. He chirped inquisitively, wondering why Alec was so worried. Alec had recalled Auster before he’d gotten angry at Rei, so he’d have no idea about any of their issue.
Alec tried his hardest to summon the coldest poker face he could. “I’ve, uh, gotta ask them both about something. Something important. Human stuff.”
Auster just tilted his head in the other direction. Alec chuckled and made a show of rolling his eyes. “I can’t get anything past you, huh? It’s a secret, but I’ll tell you soon.”
Auster nodded happily, satisfied with Alec’s answer, and spread his great wings, taking to the skies. Alec marveled at his increased capabilities, easily flying faster, farther, and higher. It would make sense that even his eyesight would have improved after his evolution, meaning he could search from a higher point, reaping the benefits of a wider field of view.
Not too long later, Auster fluttered back down to Alec and pointed in a direction. Without a sound, Alec started out. He didn’t have to walk for long until he found Rei, who was training with his Eevee and Oshawott.
Eevee seemed to be running some kind of improvised agility-centric obstacle course, dodging and weaving around a line of rocks laid out on the dirt. Oshawott was wielding its shell, using it to deflect pebbles that Rei threw at it. Alec watched, intrigued, for a few seconds. Soon, he waved to grab Rei’s attention.
“Hey Alec, what’s up?” he greeted. “Take a moment to rest, both of you. You’ve earned it.” He tossed the remainder of his pebbles back to the ground. Eevee barked happily, padding over to Oshawott and talking with it.
“How’s training going?” Alec changed his standing posture at least four times, unable to get comfortable. Auster perched on his outstretched arm, and he idly stroked his head, causing him to warble. After a moment, Alec recalled him and replaced the ball onto his belt.
“Great,” he beamed. “It won’t be long until Oshawott’s caught up to your Dartrix.”
“We’ll see,” he mused. “But hey, there’s something that I wanted to talk to you about. Got a minute?”
“Sure, go ahead,” Rei hesitated. Now Alec had his full attention. Alec forced himself to bring his eyes up to Rei.
Here goes. “I need to apologize to you.” Rei stiffened, expression hardening. “The other night, after the distortion, I snapped at you. You didn’t deserve that. I was exhausted and angry because I thought you were acting overly concerned with me, but I realize that was irrational. I’m sorry.”
Rei’s face hesitantly broke into a mild smile. “I forgive you. Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I understand just being done with people for the day. Though you’re not entirely in the wrong. All I could think of was how much I’d hurt if I lost you.”
“Still, that doesn’t excuse me. But I’m glad you’re okay. I’ve been worrying about it for a while now, ‘cause I was terrified of, uh, losing one of my only friends here. Anyways, I wanna ask you about something else. This one’s not important, though.”
“What’s up?” Rei asked, crossing his arms and shifting his weight to one side. The little tension their previous conversation caused quickly evaporated. Alec grinned widely. “So you know how Auster evolved? We’re gonna have a celebration tonight, and I wanted you and Akari to come.”
Rei laughed. “Really? That’s awesome,” he said incredulously. “Yeah, we’d love to join. I just wish I’d thought of the idea of evolution parties myself. I’ll totally copy the idea for my team.”
“Nice. Though, do you know where she is?”
“No idea,” he shrugged. “But I’m pretty sure she’s over by the Horseshoe Plains.”
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A few hours later, Alec led the twins to his campsite. Just like theirs, he used fallen trees as makeshift benches, and he’d built a small firepit nearby for warmth.
Tricky walked beside him, trying desperately to hide the wide grin on his face. Even though Alec had asked him to keep it a secret, he couldn’t stop himself from shaking in anticipation. He couldn’t help it! Just thinking about the fun they’d have sent waves of sparks through his body.
Alec glanced down at the little Shinx, internally sighing at the entirely audible crackling he was making, threatening to spoil their surprise. He internally made a mental note to never trust Tricky with a fun secret like this one again.
“Does he know?” Akari had asked earlier, narrowly dodging the secret. Auster was out from his Pokeball, alternating between resting on Alec’s outstretched arm and circling above them.
“No. Don’t say anything,” Alec quickly warned. Akari paused for a moment, before understanding dawned on her and she nodded in agreement, making an ‘O’ with her mouth. She silently conveyed her understanding to Alec, meaning Auster was still none the wiser. They quickly broke eye contact to not raise any more suspicion.
The setting sun bathed the forest in a harsh burnt orange light, hanging just above the horizon, set to disappear fully within the hour. There was a light wind, tousling leaves and twigs but not strong enough to bring any chill with it. Still, the quickly approaching winter brought with it colder temperatures.
Once they reached the campsite, Alec asked Tricky to help start a fire. Rei and Akari made themselves comfortable on the nearby tree trunks, taking their satchels off their shoulders and resting them beside them on the log.
Despite their weeks of training, Tricky still struggled with starting fires with his electricity. He was certainly capable of it, but it took him a minute or two to build up enough heat to do it properly. Alec had neglected to buy a fire-starting tool because he knew that Tricky would have him covered, though tonight he was especially struggling.
Alec looked up from Tricky and the firepit to see Rei and Akari both releasing their teams. He watched curiously, still not knowing what species Akari’s second Pokemon was.
Rei’s team emerged first, which he already knew. His Eevee and Oshawott emerged and quickly began playing, using weak versions of moves on each other to play-fight. Auster quickly flew over and joined in, adding a light barrage of leaves into the fray. The two grounded Pokemon and the airborne one moved around in circles, crying out and laughing.
“Careful,” Rei corrected. “Don’t get the firepit wet, Oshawott, unless you want to spend the entire night shivering.”
The little otter immediately froze in place, stopping its play. Rei’s warning-slash-threat clearly got through to it, because it ran off a distance away from the firepit to continue the game. Shinx, from his position beside the firepit, gazed longingly toward them, nearly missing the charred logs he was trying to light. As Akari released her team as well, she said, “My Pokemon can help with the fire. Don’t worry about it.”
From her balls, her Pikachu emerged, alongside another one that Alec didn’t recognize. It was small, only about a foot from head to foot, with blue-gray fur and a beige underbelly. It had a long snout and narrow eyes. Alec could barely see its irises through its narrow eyes.
Alec tilted his head. “What species is that?” Tricky, sensing his moment of opportunity, barked happily and ran full-sprint at the group of playing Pokemon. He charged straight into Eevee, sending them both tumbling and leaving them as a laughing pile.
“Cyndaquil!” Akari said happily. “Isn’t she adorable? I nicknamed her Sunshine.” The small Pokemon looked around and sniffed the air, curiously looking back at his trainer.
Alec laughed, seeing the small Pokemon look around. “A nickname? Cool. What’d you name your Pikachu?”
“I named him Marigold! I thought your names for your Pokemon were super cute and mine got jealous.”
Alec laughed, then knelt down before Sunshine and introduced himself. “Hey there, I’m Alec, Akari’s friend. Nice to meetcha.”
Over where their Pokemon were playing, a sudden yelp rang out. Rei quickly jogged over to break up the quarrel. It turned out to be a simple issue of someone taking their game too far, and their game quickly resumed once everyone was confirmed to be alright. Out of the corner of his eye, Alec saw Auster looking worried and surprised, so he assumed it was simply him not knowing his new strength.
Alec glanced up at Akari, silently asking, “May I?” toward Sunshine. She nodded happily, so he carefully extended a hand toward her, making sure to telegraph his movements. She stared straight at him, curiously inspecting Alec’s approaching hand. Once his fingers got close enough, Sunshine leaned forward and brushed the tip of her snout against his hand. She sniffed softly several times, getting a read on Alec’s scent.
Alec stifled a giggle as he felt Sunshine’s wet nose brushing against him. He looked up at Akari, who was covering her mouth with her hand and laughing. After a moment, Sunshine pulled back and looked up at Alec. Though nothing really changed, he got a distinct impression of acceptance and happiness from her eyes.
Alec grinned and began to pet Sunshine, scratching her head and neck. She softly squeaked a few times, leaning into his touch. “Yeah, she’s adorable,” he said as he stroked her soft fur. “How’s she gonna help with the fire, though?”
Just as Alec said that, Sunshine inhaled and sneezed sharply, squeezing her eyes shut and lurching her head back. A small jet of flame, orange and inviting, shot from her back, scaring Alec and prompting him to yank his hand back.
Large purple blotches danced in his eyes. “Never mind,” he grumbled. Rei snorted and Akari burst out into full-blown laughter. Sunshine waddled over to the firepit, where she squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her paws in concentration.
“Cynnn!” she cried, shooting another jet of flame that caught on the logs and quickly engulfed the entire firepit. With squeaks of joy, she ran out of the firepit, completely unharmed, into Akari’s open arms.
“Good job Sunshine,” she cooed, stroking her along her back. A faint plume of smoke wisped and curled upward from the red-patterned patches of fur on her back.
“What part of Hisui is Cyndaquil native to?” Alec asked. “This is the first time I’ve seen one and I don’t think Laventon has said anything about it.”
“They’re not found in Hisui at all. He’s from Johto,” Akari explained. “Laventon told me he’s got a friend-slash-pen-pal from another region. He sent over Sunshine and Rei’s Oshawott.”
Alec nodded knowingly. “That explains a lot. I’ve been keeping an eye out for Oshawotts in the fieldlands and I haven’t found a thing.” He shrugged off his satchel, resting it on the ground against a log. “Anyways, I think it’s time. Auster, c’mere!”
Slowly, the scuffle of playing Pokemon died down and Auster fluttered over to Alec. He perched on his arm and cocked his head. “So, I wanted to do something special for you to celebrate your evolution. You evolved to protect me, and I couldn’t be happier that we’re partners.”
Alec bent down and opened his satchel with Auster perched on his left arm. As he pulled out the sack of lum berries, he explained. “I bought some nice berries from Anvin to celebrate with. I thought we could turn it into a tradition of sorts, where we celebrate everyone reaching a new milestone. Just be careful, there’s a pit inside that you have to eat around.” He held out one for Auster to take. Its unique scent wafted all around them, quickly drawing the attention of their playing Pokemon.
Auster’s beak nearly hit the floor in surprise as he swooped in to snatch the berry. He held it in his talons, taking small bites with his beak, a look of pure bliss on his face. Luckily, there was enough for everyone to have just one. Once they were all passed out, Alec took a massive bite, savoring the delicious flavor. A thin stream of juice dribbled down his chin and nearly landed on his leg, staining his pants. He spread his legs out to avoid any accidents from then on.
The berry had soft flesh inside it that had a smooth texture. It was very tasty, and definitely worth the money he spent on the sack. A quick glance around the campfire revealed that everyone else was also enjoying theirs. Already, Tricky had almost finished his, and was licking the pit in an attempt to get as much flavor off it as possible. He had a stain around his mouth from the juice. Auster finished his shortly after, discarding the pit onto the dirt.
Since his berry was large enough to fit neatly in his palm, Alec was full after finishing it. He hadn’t done much today besides walk around and run errands, which was nothing compared to his usual days of nonstop exercise.
“I’m glad you’re happy,” Alec smiled, content. Auster shot him a quick look of sheer joy and affection. All around them, everyone happily ate their berries, enjoying the celebration.
“I haven’t had a lum berry in years," Akari said between bites. “Thanks, Alec.” Rei quickly assented, too.
“Thank Auster, not me. He’s the one who evolved, and he helped me earn the funds I used to buy them.” Across the campfire, Auster dipped his head down in what Alec assumed to be a mimicry of a bow.
“But I’ve got one last surprise, for just you, Auster,” Alec said, reaching into his satchel again. There was one extra lum berry, and Alec decided to save it for later when it might be needed again. Beneath it, wrapped in a shred of cloth for protection, was the aguav berry he’d bought from the Gingko guild.
“The lum berries were for everyone, but I thought you deserved something especially for you.” Auster tilted his head and all eyes watched Alec curiously. Not even Tricky knew what he was about to reveal. “I noticed you really like bitter flavors, right?”
Auster nodded enthusiastically, waddling closer to Alec. “I got you this berry, too. It’s called an aguav berry, and according to Ginter, they’re great for people who like bitterness.”
Alec held it out, offering it to him, a wide grin painted across his face. “You’re the best partner I could’ve asked for, and I can’t wait to grow stronger with you by my side.”
Auster froze, hesitating as if to say, "Do you really mean that?" He stared right at Alec’s soul for a moment, the two savoring the moment and handshaking their unspoken vow: To be partners, through thick and thin, forever. His eyes seemed to sparkle as he stared at Alec, beak hanging agape.
Alec handed him the berry and he took a massive bite. His features squeezed together as the bitter flavor coursed through his mouth. After a moment, his eyes flew open in amazement and he quickly took another bite.
Alec watched, smiling warmly, as Auster ferociously devoured his berry, chirping ecstatically all the while. And as the fire brought warmth to his fingertips and soul, he knew that the future would be bright.
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“Rei,” Alec asked. “Why haven’t you given nicknames to your Pokemon?”
“Hm? Why do you ask?”
“Well, I nicknamed mine as soon as I got them, and Akari’s got Sunshine. Why haven’t you done it?”
“I dunno,” he shrugged. “Guess I just never thought about it.” He looked down, where his Eevee and Oshawott were curled up by his feet, relaxing softly. “What do you guys say? Want nicknames?”
Eevee and Oshawott barely waited a moment before perking up, looking expectantly at Rei. Eevee’s tail wagged quickly betraying its excitement. Oshawott waved its shell side to side in the air, like a student trying to attract their teacher’s attention. “Osha! Osha!” it chanted, as if it were saying, "Me first!”
Rei stifled a laugh at their enthusiasm as he tried to focus. “Alright, alright, calm down. You’ll both get one. Eevee, I caught you first, so I’ll do you. Oshawott, standby.”
The little otter looked slightly dejected as it lowered its shell but its disappointment was quickly drowned out by happiness and anticipation once it saw how happy Eevee was. “I, uh, honestly can’t think of anything good in terms of nicknames. Alec, you got any suggestions?”
Eevee cocked its head and murmured, “Vee…”
“Well, you should probably pick something that’ll still work after she evolves, so nothing like ‘Copper’ after her fur color.”
“Good point,” Rei nodded. At the mention of the word “evolves,” Eevee gains a confused look. “We basically haven’t discussed what she wants to evolve into. I just know she isn’t interested in Flareon, Vaporeon, or Jolteon.”
So that just leaves Umbreon, Espeon, Leafeon, Glaceon, and Sylveon, Alec thought. Well, they didn’t have to make the decision now. In fact, there was no time limit at all, as Eevees wouldn’t evolve until exposed to the proper stimulus.
Rei leaned back and stared up into the night sky. The silence he created by not talking seemed to quiet the whole forest. Above him, the stars, unaffected by the light pollution of a city, twinkled above, constant and unburdened. The moon was a thin strip in the sky, its light dwarfed by the constellations. “How about Stella?” he suggested.
Eevee’s eyes lit up like, well, stars, and she happily spun in circles a few times.
“Wouldn’t ‘Stella’ lean more toward Umbreon?” asked Alec, “‘Stella’ literally means ‘star.’”
“I don’t see it that way,” shrugged Rei. He looked back up toward the sky. “Umbreon does have a nighttime aesthetic, but I think it’s closer to the moon than the stars. A name doesn’t have to be deep, it just needs to be personal.”
“I think it’s a great name,” said Alec, and Eevee - Stella now - clearly agreed too. She ran circles around the campfire, cheering happily and giggling all the while. Rei and Alec watched her celebrate with warm smiles.
They were interrupted when Oshawott shouted, “Osha!” impatiently, grabbing their attention. Eevee slowly came to a stop and leaped into Rei’s lap, snuggling in close and accepting the pets he gave her.
Oshawott closed its eyes in anticipation and tried to look as cool as possible, silently hoping that Rei would give it a cool-sounding name. It grabbed its shell and dramatically swung it around, holding the pose at the end of each swing and making swoosh noises with its mouth.
“Oh, so you want a cool name, Oshawott?” Rei hummed, catching onto the obvious hints. It frantically nodded for a moment, wonder in its eyes. Not wanting to betray its act, it quickly caught itself and froze in place, trying to play it cool. “Wott…”
“Alright, let’s see…” Rei trailed off. “You kinda remind me of a samurai with how you swing that shell of yours around. Maybe your name could be inspired by that? There’s always ‘Katana’ or ‘Kunai,’ but those both sound kind of silly to me.”
Rei thought in silence before snapping his fingers. “I got it!” he exclaimed. “Oshawott, your name will be Ronin.”
Ronin? Alec thought. What does that mean?
Luckily, Oshawott shared Alec’s confusion, so Rei rushed in to explain. “I remember this from an old folktale I heard a while ago, from some sailors I helped a while back. It’s what you call a samurai who doesn't have a master. The word literally means ‘unrestrained,’ and I think it sounds really cool.”
Oshawott - now Ronin - gasped and threw his composure to the wind, cheering and dancing around the campfire.
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With a whoosh, Alec unfurled his bedroll and laid it gingerly on the floor. The wind had died down, leaving just the faint crackle of fire as background white noise. Beside him, Rei and Akari snored softly in their bedrolls, Pokemon nestled snugly in their arms. Sunshine and Marigold clung to Akari, while Stella and Ronin snuggled up to Rei.
Sleepy and content, Auster fluttered over to Alec, leaning up against the log and nestling into the underside of Alec’s arm. Tricky let out a massive yawn and bent down to stretch, then curled up next to Alec’s feet.
Alec closed his eyes and leaned his head back, in a state of pure bliss. All was right in the world. Cradled in his arms and sleeping beside him were the closest friends he’d ever had, both man and ‘mon alike. He was making great strides toward accomplishing his mission.
“Arceus,” he murmured aloud, barely audible enough to hear. “Thanks for this opportunity.”
Off to the side, Alec heard a faint rustle in the brush. He slowly opened his eyes and looked over, seeing only a normal, unassuming bush. He squinted and looked closer, and barely, just barely, saw two faint glimmers reflecting the light of the campfire. The bandit, he thought. Since they were reflecting the iridescent campfire, Alec couldn’t discern their eye color. Alec’s breath stilled and he tried to move as slowly as possible. The eyes did not move, only observed his actions. With utmost care, he shifted to an upright position, not waking Tricky or Auster.
“Hey there,” he whispered. “You’re the one I’ve been feeding, right?”
No response.
“Here, I have something for tonight, too.” Telegraphing his movements as clearly as possible, Alec reached over to his satchel, where the extra lum berry waited. He'd intended to save it for later. Just like all the other nights, the bandit just wanted some food from him, nothing else. Even on the days when his satchel was broken into, they only took food. He grabbed the lum berry, then gently tossed it underhanded toward the bush. It rolled to a rest just short of the edge of the foliage.
“If you’re ever going to show yourself, tonight would be a good time,” he encouraged. “Everyone else is asleep, and I’d like to finally meet you face-to-face.” Again, no response, though the bandit’s eyes shifted a bit. The glint seemed to shrink as their eyes carefully inspected the berry. To his disappointment, he barely saw any movement from inside the bush. “You can trust me. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Alec swore he heard a faint chuff sound come from the bush, though it could’ve been the wind. Thankfully, the warm fire protected him from most of the chill. “If you want, you can come warm up by the fire, over here. Even for a Pokemon, it must be really cold out there.”
This time, there was no denying it; he definitely heard a sound come from the bush. Though, he still saw no movement. “Alright then, suit yourself,” he calmly shrugged. “You’re a Ghost-type, right? That’s why you’re nocturnal and reluctant to show yourself.”
Just as he expected, no response.
“Maybe later, then,” he smiled, turning back to the fire and shifting himself back to his supine position on the ground. But just as the bush was about to leave his field of vision, he noticed some movement. A frail light gray paw reached out and raked the berry into the foliage of the bush, vanishing just as quickly as it appeared. As it disappeared, the bandit’s glinting eyes vanished from the bush, too.
“Good night,” he whisper-shouted toward nobody.