Sam lied in bed, staring at the ceiling. Ever since he crawled into his bed that night, he had not slept a wink. Even with the room and everything outside of it dimly lit and quiet, Sam continued to lie awake, thinking about his life; everything that had happened up to that point and everything that would come after the sunrise that morning. After finally concluding that he would never sleep with the thoughts churning in his mind, Sam swung himself to sit up, breathing deeply in and out in a last-ditch effort to lull himself into slumber.
After the first two minutes of silent meditation, unease continued to fester, trying his patience to the point that Sam resolved to swing his legs off the side of the bed and he fully got out of it. Heading to his door, he turned on the lightswitch, the glow of the ceiling lamp piercing his vision uncomfortably. Sam dug his face into his palms and let out a couple of exhausted sobs, wanting to give his body the rest it begged for but his mind refused to give.
A few more deep breaths later, Sam looked to the top of his dresser where the clip holding his six Poké Balls were kept. With his sister, parents, and all other friends still likely sleeping soundly wherever they slept, he was entirely aware that his Pokémon were the only ones at this moment who could and would hear him out. It was not even a conversation that he felt comfortable having on such short notice, but with his head beginning to hurt from fatigue, Sam stormed over to his dresser and snatched his clip off the dresser.
Sam walked out onto the roof of the apartment from the door at the top of the stairwell. Swinging around, he walked to the ledge facing the ocean. Putting one foot up onto it, Sam was as close to the edge as he felt comfortable being. Scanning off to the east, he looked over to the large pile of rubble that used to be Ten Karat Hill, knowing that just a little further down, Hau and Iki Town were right there too.
Closing his eyes, he could imagine himself soaring just over the ocean until he reached Konikoni City where Olivia and Carly lived. Just over the Diglett’s Tunnel came Heahea City, the site of Professor Burnet’s lab. After passing over Royal Ave where he and Alice first met Kaj and moving past Wela Volcano, he was met with another stretch of ocean that took him back to Ula’ula Island.
Flying over Po Town, along with Plumeria and Team Skull, he began to climb over Mount Lanakila where Acerola, Dexio, Molayne, and Kahili were and his sister would soon be. Rather than stop there, his mind continued to wander eastward, quickly descending the summit like he first did on his Drampa until he reached Malie City. Sam began to grin as he knew this wasn’t his destination.
Once again reaching the sea, Sam’s mind flew over the expanse of blue, finding no new land in the distance as Alola quickly disappeared behind him. He began to fly faster and faster until the surface of the sea and the color of the sky bled into two solid colors above and below. Land refused to appear even as it felt like he was about to encircle the globe until–
Sam’s eyes shot open and breathed in hard, the air nearly stolen from his lungs. For the first time in several hours, Sam felt at peace with his feelings, and this realization filled him with immense pleasure. With his Poké Ball clip attached to the waistband of his sweatpants, he turned back to the area of the roof, pulling all six balls off with both hands with three held between his fingers.
Lobbing them out, all six Poké Balls opened up at once letting Aegislash, Lurantis, Salazzle, Archeops, Drampa, and Absol out onto the floor. While initially confused at their surroundings at that time of day, they turned their attentions to their trainer upon seeing him standing there, his body silhouetted against the light of the moon.
“Okay,” Sam spoke, “here’s what’s up.”
Benji pulled a baking pan of roasted sliced potatoes from the oven, placing it on the right side of the stove beside a large skillet holding several strips of thick bacon and a couple of fried sunny-side-up eggs, along with a smaller skillet above it frying up seasoned toast soldiers in butter. Susan took a sip of her coffee as she stared at the cover page of the morning’s newspaper, which, save for the paper’s name was solely comprised of a picture featuring Alice hugging Noivern following their victory over Sam.
Susan then folded up the paper and handed it to Alice, who sat opposite her at the kitchen table. “Be sure to keep that. That’s history you’re a part of now.”
Alice kept holding the paper out to Susan, looking a bit confused. “Aren’t you going to want it?”
“Please, I can find a newsstand and buy another.”
Benji flipped the bacon over, which now took on a delectable golden-brown color. “Susan, Alice, would one of you please go wake up Sam and tell him breakfast’s–”
“No need,” Sam’s voice called from down the hall.
Sam stumbled into the kitchen with his hands in his pockets, still tired from the sleep he couldn’t get. Sitting down at the far end of the table, Sam scooted himself in, much to the surprise of his mother.
“Sam,” she gently scolded, “you know that’s where your father sits.”
“He’s the second best trainer in all of Alola, dear.” Benji swung around from the stove and placed some of the strips of fried bread onto Alice and Susan’s plates. “He can sit wherever he damn well pleases.” He then walked over to his son to put some on what was meant to be his plate. “Don’t worry, Sam, I’ll sit in your usual spot.”
Sam nodded appreciatively as his father returned to the stove to handle the bacon and eggs. Sam took the opportunity to reach for both a coffee cup and the press at the center of the table before pouring himself enough steaming black liquid to leave the press only a quarter full.
Benji placed an egg on Alice and Susan’s toast, followed by two bacon strips. “So other than packing, what’s everyone else got going today?”
“I don’t know,” Alice said, “I may call up Kaj and ask if she wants to hang out at the Hau’oli Mall tonight; get some new clothes to bring with to the League.”
“Very nice.” Benji gave Sam his egg and bacon as he stirred sugar into his coffee. “What about you, Sam? Are you going to help your sister at all, or…?”
Sam took a single sip of his coffee, ready to break the news to his family. “As a matter of fact… I’m packing myself…”
Sam looked up, his mom, dad, and sister, who all turned to him, only looking mildly surprised.
“Really?” Benji returned to the stove to grab the pan of potatoes. “Where you thinking of going? What are you planning?”
Sam winced, knowing the next response would bring the reaction he was expecting. “Away… from Alola, I mean.”
Just then, Benji turned to face his full body to Sam, Alice and Susan shooting their own shocked glares to him.
“Sam…” Susan gasped. “You’re not seriously–”
“Yes mom, I am.” He then looked to Alice, who he was surprised to see looked even more astonished than their parents. “And I’m sorry, Alice, I don’t mean to steal your thunder; that’s not my intent… It’s just… I had trouble sleeping last night. Now that my adventure on Alola’s over, I just kept thinking… ‘What now?’ I thought that maybe I could explore Alola just a bit more, stay close to you guys, but… I don’t know…”
Alice reached over to Sam and put her hand on his arm, the two looking at each other. “You’re pretty much done with Alola, aren’t you?”
Sam spread a grimace across his face, the words a bit exaggerated, but the meaning behind them extremely truthful. “I’m sorry, guys. I didn’t want to spring this on you so quickly after just having ended my first Pokémon journey, but… everything I’ve gone through with Alice… and Starlight and Fluttershy… I actually really want that again, but… somewhere else.”
Benji put the potatoes back onto the stove, turning back to face his son. “So… where do you plan on going next?”
Sam shrugged. “I thought about it a little as I was finally able to doze off, but… I thought of maybe… going back home? Like, home-home.”
“So, Kalos?” Whether he just needed to hear it said back to him, Sam smiled and nodded to his dad, his heart and mind beginning to feel more made up.
“You know…” Susan spoke, almost sadly. “You know that you’ll be going this alone this time, won’t you? Alice won’t be around anymore to–”
“Mom.” Alice brushed her fingers against Susan’s arm, getting her to stop. “I’m pretty sure Sam’s well aware of this. But yeah, Sam, you may be a much stronger trainer leaving Alola than you were coming to it, but… going on your own Pokémon adventure is quite a huge step for anyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re 11, 14, or 17, it’s going to be a lot different without me or anyone to help you out.”
Sam let out a nervous laugh that he tried to force out as more confident. “You know, I was already really nervous taking my first step onto Alola with you by my side, but...” Sam picked up his arms. “…look at me now. I figure at this point, if I can come within inches of beating the champion of the Alola region…” Sam let out a much more natural smirk. “…what chance does Kalos stand against me?”
Alice smiled comfortably, the new confidence her brother exuded giving her peace of mind. Susan chuckled and looked down at the table, trying to mask her oncoming tears. Benji, glad to see his son so mentally prepared for his next rite of passage, picked the pan of potatoes up from the stove and began to serve them to Alice and Susan.
“Alright everyone,” he said, swinging around to give Sam the last bit of food, “let’s eat. Then, we pack.”
Benji and Susan stood at the counter of the ferry station, Sam and Alice standing behind them as the woman behind the counter continued with their parents’ transaction.
“So, that’s the 9:00 ferry to Cyllage City in the Kalos region,” the woman read back, “and then the 9:30 ferry to Malie City on Ula’ula Island, both for tomorrow morning. That sound right?”
Susan nodded, already sliding a credit card across to her. “That’s exactly right.”
Smiling to Susan, the woman took the card and slid it into the slot at the foot of the reader. Sam and Alice looked to each other before she planted her hand on his shoulder and shaking it, hardly able to believe herself what her brother was set out to do.
As Alice folded the last couple pairs of her underwear and placed them in a small suitcase with her socks and shorts, Sam lugged an even larger case out from her room and walked it out into the living room.
“Couple extra pairs of pants?” Alice asked, sitting on the foot of Sam’s bed.
Sam ran his hand down his backpack where he figured they’d be based on how he packed his other things. “Yep.”
“Underwear?”
“Probably too much of it, but yeah, definitely.”
“Deodorant, toothbrush and paste?”
Sam patted the front of his bag, feeling them bulging out of the front pocket where he kept them.
Alice threw her hands up, her services no longer required. “Sounds like you’re set then. Now come on, I still have a few more things.”
As Alice swung herself off Sam’s bed, Sam waited for her to leave his room before he followed her out to her room.
The Briers stood in the middle of the living room, facing the front door of the apartment where three suitcases of varying sizes were sitting along with Sam’s backpack. Seeing the sight in front of her, Susan took in a sharp inhale before looking away with the side of her fist against her mouth.
“Honey?” Benji tenderly put her arm on her back. “I thought this is what you wanted for our kids.”
Susan both shook and nodded her head as she dried her eyes with her fingers. “I know, but… I’ve kind of gotten comfortable with all of you around.”
The four of them laughed as they closed in, throwing themselves into a big group hug, savoring their last moments together before they’d be parted once more.
Sam sat along the wall overlooking Hau’oli Beach, the orange glow of the sun and sky reflecting across the sea and the waves that rolled onto the shore. Though the beach was still heavily populated with the warm sun still out, Sam was still happy to experience this last Alolan afternoon by himself.
“Sam!” Hearing a voice yank him out of his tranquility, Sam looked over to his right to see both Hau and Sun approaching him. “Hey man, you don’t mind if we pop a squat right here, do you?”
“Guys!” Despite his lack of confirmation, Hau sat beside Sam’s right while Sun sat down to his left. “What are you doing here? How’d you even know I’d be here?”
“Your sister gave me a ring about you going back to your old stomping grounds in Kalos?” Hau then lightly jabbed Sam in the shoulder. “Good for you, dude!”
“Yes, Sam,” Sun added, “that is really nice news to hear.”
“Thanks everyone,” Sam responded, glancing between both of them.
“So, how do you feel about it all?”
“A little better than last night. But after a nice heart-to-heart with my Pokémon and my family, I feel ready now.”
“That’s awesome!” Hau exclaimed. “I think– No, I’m one-hundred percent certain that you’re going to crush Kalos!”
“You really think so?”
“Sam,” Sun breathed out, “you really shouldn’t have to ask yourself that. After the battle you gave to your sister, you are ready.”
“Hah… okay.”
“In all honesty, you should consider yourself so lucky. The whole reason I stepped down as champion in the first place was because I missed the journey that brought me to that point in the first place. The fact that you’re ready and willing to go off on another adventure just a day after your championship battle… Yeah, there’s no doubt in either of our minds; you are ready for this, Sam.”
Sam nodded. “Yeah, and I have Alice, Starlight, and Fluttershy… and I suppose both of you to thank too. Starting tomorrow morning, I’m not letting anything you’ve all taught me to go to waste. And as much as I’m looking forward to leaving Alola…” He then looked off to the sunset once again. “I have to admit, I’m really going to miss this a lot.”
Sun and Hau looked off to the horizon too, also captivated by Alola’s natural beauty.
“I’m sure the sunsets in Kalos will be just as gorgeous,” Sun assured him. “You may even remember how much you missed them upon your return.”
“Maybe… but still.”
Hau put his hand on Sam’s shoulder, the two looking at each other. “We’re really going to miss you, Sam; all of us on Alola. Just know that we’re all still behind you even if there’s a really big ocean separating us. You’re going to be just fine.”
Sam moved his arm toward Hau as the two of them leaned in to give each other a hug. With Hau’s firm grip on Sam’s back, Sam clutched the Kahuna just as tightly, savoring and cherishing the friendship he was all too fortunate to have made.
Sam led his family into the ferry station, a single strap of his backpack over his right shoulder. Alice, and then Benji and Susan entered right after, each one wheeling in one of Alice’s suitcases. With all of them present, Sam looked up at the clock at the top of the wall, seeing that it was 8:45. Though his backpack weighed heavily on him, Sam took in a deep breath, trying erase the thought that he may have forgotten something.
Sam then turned to his family, all standing there with mixed feelings of immense happiness and crushing sadness. “Well, guys! I’m–”
“C’mon, son,” Benji interrupted, “you can sit with us for ten minutes before you need to board.”
“I mean,” Alice huffed, “he’s going to have to board eventually. He may as well get going before it gets too hard for any of us.”
“Okay…” Susan’s face appeared to melt as she mustered every ounce of strength to keep from becoming a blubbering mess. “Come here.”
Sam dropped his bag on the floor and walked over to his mom, the two of them throwing their arms around each other and holding each other tight.
“Oh god, I’m so proud of you,” Susan wheezed.
“I know…” Sam breathed in hard, also finding his emotions hard to contain.
He then turned to Benji, who gripped onto his hand for a familial handshake. “When you get back to Lumiose, go and check out how the old restaurant is doing.”
“Like you needed to ask.” Sam threw himself toward Benji and the two hugged each other tight, rocking from side to side as they tried to relish these final moments with each other.
Breaking away from his dad, he then stepped in front of Alice. With another deep breath, he struggled to find the best last words he could say to his sister and invaluable partner.
“Well,” he huffed. “This is goodbye.”
“Hold on,” Alice spoke up, looking a bit confused, “you’re still going to visit once in a while, right?”
“Sure, I mean, when the rest of the world gets boring enough.”
Alice hissed out a laugh. “Well, don’t go and be breaking your own legs out there.”
“And you hang tight to that heavy-ass crown of yours!”
With smiles, Sam and Alice swung their arms onto each other and embraced as hard as they could. With this final farewell, Susan turned to Benji and let out a couple of sobs into his chest. Sam let out a grunt as he pulled himself away from Alice, picking his bag back up.
“Okay, guys,” he called, walking back to the door to the docks. “I’ll be off now–”
The front door banged open, the Briers, along with anyone else inside the station turning that way to find Sun barging in. “Hold on!”
“Sun?” Alice questioned. “What are you–” Just then, Twilight and Spike began to enter the station, followed by Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Comfey, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Starlight and Lady, making both Sam and Alice gasp in pleasant surprise. “You guys! What is this?”
“Sun told us Sam was leaving already,” Starlight answered, “and we all just wanted to give you guys something before you left.”
“What is it?” Sun answered by approaching Sam and Alice.
Reaching into his jacket pocket, he provided both Sam and Alice with two plastic cards which shone with every color of the rainbow as they angled it to and away from the light. The tops were labeled “PASSPORT” and below a blank box, the names “Brier, Alice” and “Brier, Sam” were printed, along with the EarthQuestria logo below that.
“Passport?” Sam shot his gaze up to Sun, who handed two similar, properly-labeled cards to Benji and Susan, and then to the ponies, who nodded to confirm what he had already figured out. “You don’t mean–”
“We sure do!” Pinkie Pie chirped with a bounce.
“Because of all the help you’ve given my friends and I,” Twilight said, “we wanted to thank you two and your parents by giving you these EarthQuestria passports, which will allow you to travel to and from Equestria any time you please.”
Sam was overwhelmed with emotion, the card in his trembling hand beginning to slip out. “I… I don’t…”
The card finally fell, Starlight catching it in her magic and lifting it up back to Sam’s hand before pushing his fingers closed for him. “We also gave passports to the Trial Captains and the Kahunas too, along with the trainers at the Pokémon League.”
“Kaj too!” Pinkie Pie squealed, bouncing even higher.
“We also plan to give some to some trainers in the other regions as well as select Equestrians to serve as diplomats to our world,” Sun explained, “but I do believe that it’s only fair that you get to be among the first to possess one.”
“Oh my god…” Sam ran his hand through his hair, still in disbelief. “Thank you so much.”
“Hold on,” Benji shouted, “when are the EarthQuestria centers even going be open for Sam and Alice to use them?”
“We’re quite glad you asked, darling,” Rarity answered, “because each EarthQuestria center is actually having its grand opening tonight!”
“Tonight?!?” The Briers all shouted at once.
“Mmhm,” Applejack replied. “I reckon Alice may be free, but on account of Sam bein’ smack dab in the middle of the ocean, it seems like you’re gonna' miss out on all the fun.”
“I’m sure Sam will have plenty of fun wherever he decides to go,” Fluttershy passively argued.
“In any case,” Spike said, “once the centers are open, you can come visit us wherever… whenever you want!”
“So be sure to visit often, okay?” Rainbow Dash playfully threatened.
Sam drew an even calmer breath. “Of course, Rainbow Dash. Why would I want to stay away from such incredible friends?”
As Twilight and the others began to approach him, Sam got down on one knee, allowing each pony and dragon to surround him and smother him with warm, fuzzy affection. Alice stood close to Sun and her parents, letting Sam have his moments with the Equestrians before he had to leave.
Sam stood on the port-stern side of the ferry as he watched the walkway connecting it to the dock get pulled in, the last thing that would need to be done before the boat could pull away. With a roar of motors beneath him and the intensifying vibrations underneath him, Sam looked over the railing, watching as the ferry shifted away from the dock to prepare itself to sail off toward the ocean. Finally, the boat began to move forwards, Sam looking back at the station where Alice was likely spending a little bit of time left with her parents before she boarded her ferry. With nothing else to see, Sam huffed out a sigh and began to make his way toward his cabin.
“Sam!” Hearing Alice’s voice shout out from behind, Sam froze for a moment before returning to the stern.
Leaning over the railing, he watched as Alice and the eight Equestrians ran along the pier, chasing after his ferry as it pulled away faster and faster. Sam couldn’t help but chuckle over this most heartfelt sendoff. Alice, Spike, and the ponies weaved their way past the people leaving and heading for their respective ferries and continuing toward the very end, even as the back of Sam’s boat passed the end of the pier.
Charging her magic, Twilight conjured an aura in the shape of a metal-railing fence that Alice allowed herself to crash into and the other Equestrians could hop their front hooves upon. With Sam heading further and further out, Alice and the Equestrians flailed their arms about in waving and loudly bidding Sam farewell toward his new journey. Sam kept his eyes on Alice as she put both hands over her heart and gently swung them out and back to her sides, mouthing off, “Alola.”
Sam’s smile grew warm as he moved his hands in the same way to his sister and friends. “Alola…”
After another minute, Sam, Alice, and the Equestrians only appeared as specks to each other, Sam now able to see the whole of Hau’oli City as it slowly grew even smaller. With one final wave in the direction toward the station where his parents certainly still were, Sam finally felt comfortable turning back and heading toward the door that would send him down to his cabin.
On the deck, Sam played with Aegislash, Absol, and Archeops, the four of them chasing each other and avoiding their attempts to tackle one another to the ground. As Sam leapt out of Aegslash’s way, Archeops swooped down under Absol between its legs, running out at Sam and hugging his legs tight to trip him up. Sam nearly fell flat on his back, only for Aegislash to catch him on its shield and set him down slowly. Sam laughed as his three Pokémon surrounded and cuddled up close to him.
A young boy hopped about and pointed at Sam and his Pokémon to his parents. Sam, finding an equal sense of joy in his enthusiasm, beckoned the boy closer with an inward wave of his arm. The boy sprinted out at Absol, running both its tiny hands along its white fur. With Absol purring in contentment, the boy found himself emotionally glued to Sam’s Pokémon, giggling even louder. The boys parents then approached Sam as he got back up, shaking their hands as he introduced himself to them.
Sam sat at a booth across from a couple roughly ten years older than him. As he cut into a gravy-covered porkchop with buttered mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables, he engaged in lively conversation with them about his exploits and his Pokémon, along with hearing about their own stories too. Though Sam and his company had only taken a couple bites of their food, they were already certain that their chat would continue long after their plates were cleaned.
Sam slept soundly in his cot late that night. Though he was by himself and farther away from his family than he had ever been, his slumber could not have been more peaceful. By daybreak, everything he left behind would matter just a little bit less.
The sky was just beginning to show its colors early the next morning, the sun set to rise above the horizon at any moment. Sam barged out the cabin chamber door, bathed and fully-dressed as he sprinted up to the bow, stopping himself with his foot on the corner of the top of the ledge below the railing. It was still dark, and he still had time. Detaching all six of his Poké Balls from his belt, holding onto three in each hand, he shot them all up into the air, each one bursting open at once.
Archeops and Drampa both spread out to fly alongside the ferry while Absol and Lurantis landed upon the deck behind Sam. As Archeops floated down to stay close by its trainer’s side, Salazzle landed upon Sam’s shoulders, draping itself around his neck to get a good view of what he wanted it and the rest of his Pokémon to see.
Within a few seconds, the top of the sun breached the edge of the ocean far off down and just to the right, the sky now beginning to burst with color. Sam reached forward and grabbed the railing as his Pokémon all marveled at the familiar, yet distinctive sunrise. Just as expected, the brightening of the sky illuminated the western edge of Kalos that was now visible from several miles out.
Slowly scanning his sights, Sam finally spotted the cozy seaside town of Cyllage City nestled alongside the steep cliffs where he and his Pokémon would soon step foot. Sam turned to his left, watching Drampa marvel at the brand new city it was being taken to. He then looked down to Lurantis, whose large, wondering eyes glistened in the still-rising sun. With Salazzle’s head beside his, it quietly screeched in preemptive enjoyment of their time together.
Looking to the right, Archeops fought the intense urge to fly on ahead and reach the city before Sam or its other companions. Absol hopped its front paws onto the railing to get a better, more unobstructed view of their destination. And directly to Sam’s right was his Aegislash, the trusty Pokémon he took from Kalos as a Honedge and would be returning home with in its newer, stronger form. Sam looked forward once again, just as ready and excited as his Pokémon to tackle this familiar, yet new region.
To make new, unforgettable friends.
To embark on another, extraordinary adventure.