Pokémon Eclipse

by moviemaster8510

Chapter 14 – Quarter of the Way

Sam gently flicked a small scoop of potato salad beside his grilled fish skewer and cold roasted squash and mushroom. Sitting back down beside Fluttershy and Starlight, he looked to both of their plates, smiling to see that their plates were filled with food, though without any fish.

“You have enough there, Starlight?” he asked. “Fluttershy?”

“Oh, yes!” Fluttershy then turned to Sam’s father. “Thank you very much for making us lunch, Benji. It smells lovely.”

“My pleasure,” he replied. “I always bring enough for seconds. Plus, we have several hungry Pokémon to feed as well.”

Fluttershy peered past Benji and Susan, watching Honedge, Noibat, Pikachu, Rockruff, and Susan’s Meowstic sitting around and picking from a large pile of roasted squash and mushroom salad with several filets of grilled fish beside it, bowls of water before each of them.

Sitting next to Susan’s Meowstic was a white bird-like Pokémon with a red chest and wing bar with green feathers coming down like a short cape. Its curved green head resembled a luchador’s wrestling mask.

“What’s that one?” Starlight asked. “The masked bird?”

“Oh him?” Benji replied excitedly. “That’s my Hawlucha. He’s an invaluable help in the kitchen. He’s half the reason for our little meal here.”

“I certainly wouldn’t call this little.” Starlight was still amazed by the lack of space on her wide paper plate. “I still can’t thank you two enough for feeding us.”

“You don’t need to thank us for anything.” Susan said. “Any friends of our children are friends of ours.”

“So, do you two run a restaurant or something?”

Benji looked rather impressed as he wiped his mouth and gulped down his bite. “Very good. What gave it away?”

“It’s just…” Starlight took a bite of potato salad, her eyes very quickly rolling into the back of her head before she chewed and swallowed. “…I highly doubt someone who cooks this well wouldn’t want to keep his gifts a secret like that.”

“That’s really kind of you, but I’d like to think it’s possible to do both.”

“What do you mean?”

“Take my son for example.” Starlight glanced up to Sam, whose sheepish smile told Starlight everything. “Before he decided to go off as a trainer, he was gearing up to join me at the restaurant.”

“But what made you move here?” asked Fluttershy. “Sam and Alice said you came from some place called Kalos. Why did you want to come to Alola?”

“We thought it’d be a nice change of pace,” Susan responded. “Plus, it’s paradise here.”

“Mostly,” Benji interrupted, “we thought we’d share some more… inland cuisine to these people. I mean, everywhere you go on Hau’oli alone, it’s sushi bar after ramen stand after hibachi place. I thought we’d, you know, shake things up around here.”

“That sounds really cool, and I wish you the best.” Starlight lifted her plastic solo cup up with her magic just before the grill’s coals.

“Yes, thank you– Oh!” Susan grabbed her water bottle and held it up too. “And let’s also celebrate our children’s completion of their trials.”

Alice and Sam lifted their cups as well. “And to the safe rescue and return of Starlight, Fluttershy and all their friends,” Alice added, Fluttershy picking up her cup by the rim with her teeth.

“Here, here!” Benji took his beer bottle and moved it towards his wife’s bottle.

As Benji and Susan tapped the tops of their bottles together, Sam, Alice, Fluttershy, and Starlight, moved their glasses about, clinking them together while exclaiming light cheers. Sam’s smile shrunk as he glanced behind him, seeing nothing but calm greens and hills all around. He tilted his head up and quickly ran his head around the top edge of the crater and around.

“Sam?” Starlight questioned. “What are you looking at?”

Sam looked back down, seeing his sister, parents, and Fluttershy laughing as they continued enjoying their time together.

Sam sighed in slight embarrassment. “It’s… nothing.”

Now facing his family, Sam sported a smile matching the others around him. It seemed for the time being he and those around him were safe for now.

Fluttershy and Starlight sat snugly between Sam and Alice inside Benji and Susan’s car. Quite often, both ponies would crawl across their laps to take in the sights of Hau’oli City and the beachfront, the sunset painting the sky and sea a bright orange.

“Wow,” Fluttershy said. “This place is amazing. It’s hard to imagine someplace like this existing so close to Iki Town.”

“Best of both worlds,” Sam reasoned.

Starlight looked at the many families and friends playing in the sand with their Pokémon. She kept her mind focused on a little girl with curly red hair being picked up by her dad as he swung her around by the arms. She was too far away to hear, but could tell the girl was laughing.

“Hey girls,” Pinkie Pie’s voice suddenly rang in her head, “you’ve done a real swell job out there. Go to the beach and chill for a week or two!”

Two tears came from Starlight’s eyes, one of which dripped on Sam’s arm. Sam looked up, seeing a sad frown she clearly struggled to fight back.

Starlight wiped her eyes, as if knowing she was seen. “I’m sorry. Was just reminded of something.”

“What’s that?” Alice asked.

“It’s just… on the night we got sent here, one of my friends, Pinkie Pie, made a comment about wanting to go to the beach. All I want is to know they’re alright, and safe, and–”

“I have to imagine they are.” Sam softly laid his hands on Starlight’s back. “If the people here are as accommodating and protective as Hau has been for us, I’d say they’re in the best possible hands they could be in.”

Starlight sniffed and wiped her nose on the back of her hoof. “Thanks for saying that, but we don’t know if Gladion found any of them, or if Pr–”

“Hey, mom!” Sam’s voice was loud and sudden enough to frighten Starlight out of speaking. “Our place is coming up, right?”

“Uh, yeah.” Benji glanced to the right, eying their building coming up ahead. “Don’t need the whole city to hear it.”

“Sam!” Alice hissed. “What was that about?”

Sam, his voice so silent that he appeared to be mouthing out words, said, “Ixnay on the Ismpray.”

Alice, understanding his reasoning, sat back quietly in her seat.

“Uh, nothing,” Sam quickly responded to Alice’s original question. “I just want to be sure I have enough time to pack before the ferry leaves.”

“We have a couple of hours,” Susan said. “You’ll have plenty of time.”

“Alright then.”

As Sam sat back in his seat, Starlight looked up to him. “Thanks,” she whispered. “I was getting a little carried away there.”

“I understand,” he replied just as softly. “Let me just say this. If the other Kahunas are just as strong as Hau is, and if a couple of kids like Alice and I can take down Team… You Know Who, do you really think you need to worry?”

Starlight took a second to ponder Sam’s words. As her sad frown began to melt away into a relaxed smile, the car suddenly took a sharp turn right.

“We’re here,” Benji said. “You ponies can get a little rest in the bedrooms while Sam and Alice pack, okay?”

“Mmhm,” Fluttershy agreed.

“Sure,” Starlight said.

The darkness of the alleyway leading to the parking garage made the ponies tense up on Sam and Alice’s legs. Sam relaxed his own legs, ignoring every impulse to stiffen up too, gently moving his hand from the base of Starlight’s neck to the small of her back. As the car turned into the parking garage, the inside becoming darker, Sam looked over to his sister to see Fluttershy huddled up as close to her as the seat cushions could allow.

Fluttershy collapsed on Alice’s bed, the strength of her landing tossing the corners of her Haxorus comforter up, which wrapped over the exhausted pegasus’s back. Alice was preoccupied as she flipped through her stack of t-shirts in her drawer, looking for the right color among them.

“Those Team Prism meanies won’t attack us here, will they?” Fluttershy asked, poking her head through the covers.

“Not if they want to be seen and cause a panic, I presume,” she replied.

“What?!”

“Relax.” Alice managed to find a dark purple shirt and pulled it out from the middle of the stack quickly enough to not ruin the shirts above. “They wouldn’t go and attack us again in the middle of the city. We’re safe… for now.” The last bit she whispered under her breath as she bent down to the lowest drawer, looking through her shorts.

“Where do you think our friends on Akala will be? Before we do anything, we should try and look for them.”

“Of course, Fluttershy, of course.” Alice then pulled out a pair of short dark-grey shorts with a matching purple stripe down the center. “Though, and I don’t want to sound like a bitch for this, but, if we need to do a trial first, we will have to do one.”

“But, why? Don’t you–”

“Of course I do, but if they’re being hidden at any of the trial sites, we’ll have no choice but to take the trial on to find them. Not to mention, finding and helping your other friends is going to be difficult if we don’t train our Pokémon along the way.”

Alice then went to her closet doors and threw them open, looking through the vests that hung inside. “Chances are, the Team Prism guys are really mad at my brother and I for thwarting them back at Ten Karat Hill, and they’re going to come back stronger and tougher than before. A wild Pokémon happened to save our asses today, and I highly doubt we’ll be so lucky when we do face them again.”

“Oh!” Fluttershy zipped beneath the covers

Alice turned around with a black vest with gold-colored lining in her hand, seeing only a trembling lump in the covers where Fluttershy had been. Sighing, Alice sat on the edge of her bed, and gently laid her hand on the lump, the shaking easing down with her touch.

“And that’s why we need to take this one step at a time.” Alice began slowly peeling the covers back, revealing Fluttershy to her. “If it’s any consolation, I have to believe that if the other Kahunas didn’t find them yet, the island guardians did, and either way, it means they’re safe and sound.”

“But…” Fluttershy wiped her wet eyes. “What if someone from Team Prism beat them and took them?”

Alice felt another smile coming on. “Come on, do you really think either of them would lose to a few jerks in goofy black hoodies?”

“I guess not…”

“Hell, you can even land a better hit on them than they did.”

“Huh? What do you–”

“When that one chick tried stomping Rockruff, you smashed her in the stomach so hard. I almost laughed out loud.”

“It’s not funny! She would have seriously hurt him!”

“And you saved him. To be honest, I didn’t know you even had it in you.”

“I get that sometimes…”

The vulnerability in Fluttershy’s voice and turn away of the head were palpable. Alice scooted herself closer to her and leaned into her neck, wrapping her arm around it and resting her cheek into the side of her head below her ears.

“You’re far stronger than you give yourself credit for,” Alice said. “We’re going to get them back.”

“Thanks, Alice.”

Fluttershy pushed against Alice’s embrace, giving back the affection she was receiving.

Starlight sat on the edge of Sam’s bed, her back legs hanging off the side, watching Sam as he wrapped two pairs of black underwear around several pairs of socks. She made an inaudible gulp as he came back and stuffed them inside the backpack he set beside her.

“Sam,” she finally spoke up, making him turn his head to her. “Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.” Sam backed away to give each other space to look each other in the eye.

“Back at Ten Karat Hill, after you let Alice catch Rockruff, you said that you wouldn’t want Alice to help you catch a Pokémon again… or, something along that line.”

“So, you’re asking me if I even caught my Honedge?”

“Did you?”

There was a bout of silence that Starlight seemed to take as a confirmation, as told by the deflation in her stance and the disappointed rolling of her eyes.

“I did,” Sam said, “but she still helped.”

“What do you mean?”

Sam sat down on the bed beside her. “When Alice and I were still living in Kalos, yes, like my dad said, I wanted to be a cook and a chef at his restaurant more than I wanted to be a trainer. I was never an adventurous kid growing up, and my sister was my polar opposite.

“She had actually gotten her Noibat about two years before she was old enough to leave home as a trainer, and, I’ll admit it, I was jealous. Like, seven deadly sins envious.”

Starlight’s grimace grew out, understanding the expression from his tone despite not knowing what it meant.

“One night,” Sam continued, “when we were taking a trip to Camphrier Town, I just… ran into the tall grass. Honedge was the first Pokémon I came across. All I had was a single Poké Ball…

_____________________________________________________

12-year old Sam lobbed the Poké Ball out, striking the Honedge in the center of blade. The Honedge became a red energy that was sucked inside the ball upon opening. Closing back up, it hit the ground, the center button glowing as it wiggled about on the ground. After three shakes, the ball split open, freeing Honedge inside. Sam looked both devastated and afraid as the Honedge slowly approached him.

“Ahehehe,” Sam nervously chuckled. “No hard feelings?”

“SAM!”

Sam turned around to see his 9-year old sister running out with her own Poké Ball in her hand. With an underhanded toss, Alice passed the ball to her brother.

Sam was flustered. “What are you–”

“Battle it already!”

Sam saw that Honedge was now just a few feet from him, and without thinking, Sam tossed the ball down close to him. Noibat shot out from the ball, leaving the Honedge to retreat a few paces so it could read its opponent.

_____________________________________________________

“I may have caught him,” Sam said, “but it’s all because of her that I did.”

_____________________________________________________

Noibat delivered another Aerial Ace onto the Honedge, sending it falling to the ground, the grip on its scabbard lost.

“Nice one, Sam!” Alice cheered. “Here, try again!”

Alice threw out another Poké Ball, Sam noting its lighter weight upon catching it.

“Where’d you get this?” Sam asked.

“I found some on the ground at camp once. Just do it!”

Sam, seeing that Honedge was about to get up, kept his eyes locked on to his target. With a hard throw, Sam felt a rush of sudden excitement as he felt the ball leave his fingertips.

_____________________________________________________

Sam clicked his tongue against his mouth, the memory making him smile fondly.

“So… you did catch him on your own.” Starlight said.

“Huh?” Sam seemed confused by her response. “Do you really think that counts?”

“Sure I do! The Pokémon you used to battle him and the Poké Ball you used to catch him may not have been your own, but you were the one who called the shots. You were the one who eventually threw the ball out and caught him.”

After a pause, Starlight smiled softly. “Now I understand why you let Alice have the Rockruff. Even now that I get it, I still have to say, what you did for your sister was very sporting of you.”

“Whether you think that or not,” he responded, “it was the right thing to do. Yeah, I’ll have to leave here with as many Pokémon as I came with, but now I have a whole island of new Pokémon to encounter when we get there.”

“I look forward to it. Now hurry up and get packed. Akala awaits us.”

Sam nodded and pulled open his drawer of shirts as Starlight slid off the bed and trotted to his window, looking out as far east as the edge would allow her. Though she couldn’t see them, yet alone know which of her friends she’d find, her stare to the horizon gave them as much assurance as she could muster.

Sam, Alice, their parents, and the ponies stepped out of the elevator in the lobby, the former two’s bags filled with clean clothes and other supplies. They only took a few steps forward before stopping, the sight of the two people in front of them surprising them greatly.

“Hey there, guys!” Hau said with a wave, Ilima standing beside him. “I know you gotta’ get going, so we’ll make this quick.”

“We just wanted to give you two these before you left.” Ilima held out Ride Pagers to Sam and Alice, the two of them slowly approaching as they studied the devices from a distance.

“What are they?” asked Alice.

“They are called Ride Pagers. I developed them with a little help from a friend. Where trainers on Kalos and abroad use HMs outside of battle to help themselves on their journey, these will alleviate that problem.” Finally, both Sam and Alice took the devices and began playing through the menu screen.

“I’ve had two Pokémon registered to those devices:” Ilima continued, “Tauros and a Lapras. Tauros will allow you to charge at high speeds and also break apart boulders you may see in your path, while Lapras will allow you to paddle across bodies of water.”

“I see,” Sam said, “like a super-speed Rock Smash and a Surf.”

“I’m glad you understand the idea. You can register other Pokémon along the way on the other islands to help you with other objectives.”

“Thanks a lot, Ilima,” Alice responded. “But Hau, you didn’t need to come all the way down here just for him to tell me that.”

“I know,” Hau said, his hands behind his upper back. “I just wanted to bid you both 'alola' before you left.”

“Right.”

Both Sam and Alice approached the two, where Sam was the first one Hau turned to acknowledge. Sam reached for a handshake, Hau slapping his hand into Sam’s, with Sam catching it and squeezing hard enough to withstand Hau’s grip.

“Alola, Sam,” he said. “I hope you make it all the way.”

“Me too, man,” Sam agreed. “Me too.”

Hau let go and turned to Alice, and without warning, Alice jumped onto Hau’s chest and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Thank you so much, Hau,” Alice said.

“It’s my greatest pleasure,” Hau grunted. “You two take care and make it all the way, okay?”

“I won’t disappoint you.”

Alice slid off of Hau’s body as he gently walked up to Starlight and Fluttershy, kneeling down to meet them at eye level. Both Starlight and Fluttershy’s eyes welled with tears as Hau held his arms wide open, finally leaping into them as they both hugged him on the neck and chest.

“We can’t thank you enough for helping us,” Starlight said. “Just… thank you.”

“Goodbye, Hau,” Fluttershy said. “We won’t forget you.”

“And I know I’ll never forget the two of you,” Hau choked, his own eyes becoming misty.

He slowly stood to his feet, the ponies’ arms unraveling off of him, but he managed to grab hold of one of each pony’s hooves and hold on to them for a few moments before letting go, returning them on all fours.

“Alright,” Hau said, stepping back beside Ilima. “Get going now. Your ferry awaits you.”

Sam, Alice, Fluttershy, and Starlight led the way to the lobby exit, Sam and Alice waving to them before stepping outside the doors.

Benji and Susan were next, turning to the Kahuna and captain. “Thank you again for everything.” Benji said. “If you have time, please come visit my restaurant, and I’ll make you a dinner on the house.”

“If you insist,” Hau laughed, slapping his hands onto his stomach. “Nothing spells friendship faster than a free meal!”

Benji smiled and nodded, understanding the good intent behind his response as he followed his children and the ponies out.

“You’re also welcome at our home any time,” Susan said. “Just say the word, and our door is open to you.”

“My gosh!” Hau put his arms behind his back again, his cheeks blushing. “You’re treating me like I’m the champion again!”

“Regardless, you’ve earned it. Thank you again for seeing to my children, Hau.”

As Susan jogged outside to follow the rest of them, Hau and Ilima both walked outside to see them off. Sam glanced back and saw them standing there, feeling a twisting sensation in his gut.

“Guys, hold up.” He stopped and let his parents, sister, and the ponies pass him as he slowly backed away. “I just have one last thing.”

“Hurry up.” Alice said flatly.

Sam ran quickly to Hau and Ilima, slowing to a stop.

“Sam?” Hau asked, suddenly slightly concerned. “What’s up?”

“There’s something I wanted to tell you…” Sam panted. “Both, actually.”

“What is it?” Ilima asked.

“Beware of any guys you see that are wearing all black, namely anyone with a hoodie with a really long hood.”

“Why?” Hau wondered. “What’s wrong?”

“They’re called Team Prism. They use Psychic-type Pokémon and use moves that are strong against Pokémon who are strong against Psychic-types.”

“Team Prism? You mean, like Team Skull?”

“I’m not sure. But there are two really important things you two need to know. Apparently, Psychic-moves are strong against Starlight’s magic and can make her lose her powers for a little bit, and they know about this… about them.”

Hau gasped.

“What?” Ilima exclaimed. “How do they know about the ponies?”

“I don’t have much time. Lastly, they have man-made Z-Rings that allow them to use Z-Moves.” This last bit stunned Ilima and Hau to their core as they looked at each other with eyes open and mouths agape. “I’ve only seen them use a Psychic-type move with them, but after they use them, their–”

“Sam!” Benji called from behind. “Let’s go!”

Hau turned to face Sam, a grateful, but worried expression on his face. “Thank you, Sam. We’ll be on the lookout.”

“Yes,” Ilima breathily agreed, “thank you very much for the warning. We’ll be sure to let others know too.”

Sam began backing away from Hau and Ilima, and with his arms and hands, he waved them in a partial outward ring, mouthing the word, “Sorry” as he did. Once Hau nodded in understanding, Sam ran back to join his friends and family.

“Sam,” Alice asked. “What was that about?”

Sam merely glanced to his sister and nodded. From the silence from their parents to thinking about Hau and his Pokémon, Alice understood and kept her face straight.

“Well?” Susan asked. “What was that about?”

“Nothing,” Sam replied with a chuckle, “just a silly question about our Ride Pagers.”

Hau and Ilima stood still as they watched Sam, Alice, and the ponies disappear into the busy night crowds, contemplating everything they just learned.

“Be safe,” Hau muttered. “Please be safe.”

Sun stood along the balcony of the Aether Paradise, the soft glow of the light from the coastline towns and cities calming him. It had been a busy week, far busier than most, and it probably would continue being busy until the ponies were found and the mystery surrounding Solgaleo and Lunala was solved.

As sleepy as he was, Sun did not want to retire for night just yet. He just wanted a few minutes between himself and Alola, the lights along the southern edge of the islands calling him back to a simpler time.

“Sir! Sir!”

Sun shot up and turned to face the female Aether employee as she ran to him with a holographic tablet in hand.

“What is it?” he asked her.

She took a few moments to catch her breath. “Sir, we’ve just confirmed that two of the creatures that came from the portal are now being kept at the House base on Ula’ula Island!”

“What? Let me see!”

Sun took the tablet from her hand, scrolling through the report she was given until he reached the pictures. He stopped at the third one, which showed a somewhat fuzzy image of a purple alicorn and a small purple and green dragon.

Sun couldn’t help himself. Seeing two of the Equestrian’s in their fullest clarity yet, he chuckled with excitement, a single world leaving his lips.

“Amazing.”

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

I don't remember any of the human characters in the picture from Pokemon. Who are they? Are they from the anime?

[moviemaster8510]

8145039 No, they're OC's.

[Cyber Phazon GotDM]

ok, so this is what I got so far and I will be putting it under the spoiler tab if that's ok. so rainbow dash and pinkie pie are on Poni Island, Twilight and Spike are on Ula' ula Island, Starlight and Fluttershy were on Melemele island, that's leaves Akala island and Rarity and Applejack at that island location if I presume, unless prism caught them. if I recall, Akala island is the one with the ranch, volcano, and the Battle Royal Dome right? also I hope Sun doesn't act like Lusamine. that would be very... I don't even know how to describe of what I'm feeling, and its somewhat negative. though I do have my hopes up that it doesn't happen.