Pokémon Eclipse

by moviemaster8510

Chapter 24 – Thunderstorm

Sam took his shirt off, the dirt that clung to it mixed with the rain that he couldn’t avoid on his way to the motel now turned to mud. With a grunt, he threw the shirt to the ground, where it made an audible splat. Starlight picked up the shirt in her magic, sticking her tongue out in disgust upon seeing the slimy puddle it left.

Alice looked cross with him. “Really?”

“Yeah, really!” Sam stared at his sister as he held his muddy jacket up, Starlight’s magic quick to pull it from his hand and clumped it with his shirt.

“Listen, I understand you’re mad about losing that trial…”

“You don’t know–”

“…but don’t take it out on the motel, or any of us for that matter.”

“That’s not it. You know how hard it was to watch you carry more than half that trial? After losing both my Pokémon in just a couple of hits?”

Starlight walked to a stacked washer and dryer inside a corner of the room and threw Sam’s shirt and jacket in the bottom machine. “It’s clear that trial was meant to trip up almost any type of Pokémon. With the exception of your Pikachu, every move those Pokémon had, every strategy was designed to work against you. You put up a good fight, and don’t take this the wrong way, but you didn’t stand a chance out there.”

“But you were really close!” Fluttershy awkwardly squeaked out before a thunder crash outside frightened Fluttershy under the covers of the bed furthest from the window.

“I think we can all agree that Alice was really close.” Sam pointed to his sister with his outstretched hand. “My own Honedge was destroyed by one of those Solar Blades and a single Weather Ball, and my Fomantis just barely survived one of that Lurantis’s X-Scissors. Believe me… I was the one who didn’t stand a chance.”

Sam slumped to a seat on the ground, Starlight quick to slide a complimentary towel beneath his butt before he could.

“So we’ll strategize for tomorrow’s redo,” Alice said. “My Pikachu was faster than Castform, so if I can land an All-Out Pummeling on it before it can use Sunny Day, we should be in much better shape.”

“And if it survives,” Sam growled, making Alice pace furiously, “it’ll just use Sunny Day again, and the other three will probably gang up on it and make sure we only have Pokémon that they can easily defeat.”

“Why do you have to shoot down every suggestion I make?! We won’t win again if you keep up that negative, defeatist attitude!”

“I’m not being negative, I’m being smart here!”

“Sometimes being positive is the smartest thing to do!” Starlight exclaimed, marching up to him. “I remember what you and Alice talked about at Hau’s house about not giving up, and I also remember her telling you not to take your frustrations out on us, and it already sounds like you forgot both of those things in the span of a few minutes. Seriously, Sam, you need cut your crap! Fluttershy and I need your help, now more than ever, and we can’t do this without both of you…”

Starlight sunk to her shins, tears pouring out her face as she sobbed out her own frustrations. Fluttershy peeked her head from the covers and slunk over to her friend, sitting beside her and rubbing her back affectionately. Lady walked out from under one of the two beds and curled herself against her stomach. Sam ran his fingers through his hair, unable to look at the ponies, nor at his sister who stared at him, awaiting his appropriate response.

Taking a deep breath, he knelt down to his backpack, took out and put on his clean grey shirt that he was smearing more mud on, and dumped his remaining spare clothes and several Super Potions, Revives, and Full Heals on the floor, leaving the main pocket open as he closed it back up and slung the bag over his right shoulder.

He began walking to the door, taking Alice by surprise. “Sam? Where do you think you’re going?”

He stopped with his hand on the handle. “I need something to eat, and I can’t be here right now.”

“We have food! Come back here now!”

“Also, I think a splash of cold water will also do me some good. Please excuse me.”

Sam threw the door open and slipped out the door before he could even hear Alice’s first words of her continued protests. With the roof failing to block the rain blowing into the walls, Sam quickly walked off the motel porch and to the lights of the Pokémon Center down the road, breathing in and out as calmly as he could.

Rarity sat at Olivia’s workdesk, a pair of glasses with multiple magnification lenses placed in front of each other, gently smoothing out the circular slot in the center of an obsidian Mega Ring that was a touch wider than his old white one with a rough-edged swab. Blowing the black dust left inside the hole, she levitated both the Mega Ring and the colorful marble from the desk, slipping the glasses off her face. With a lick of her lips, she gently set the marble inside the slot, where it fit easily inside.

Rotating the marble so that the flame icon was facing up in the proper direction, lightning struck outside, but she refused to falter. Then with a powerful charge of her magic, she focused her energy on the ring of space around the marble, and with several strained grunts, the gap began to slowly close so that the ring clamped tightly around the marble. Upon hearing the first sounds of the stress of the marble inside due to the squeeze, she ceased her magic, setting the completed Mega Ring on the desk before panting heavily.

Olivia, having stood against the wall behind Rarity, walked up behind her and took the Mega Ring, rubbing the top of the marble with her fingers with firm pressure, smiling and sighing as it refused to move inside.

“Very good job on this.” Olivia swung the Mega Ring off of her fingers. “Dexio will be very pleased I’m sure!”

“And you’re going to battle him?” Applejack asked as she stood by the oven with a pair of oven mitts over her front hooves.

“Well, I have to give him back his Mega Stone in one way or another, and he asked to, and I don’t see why not.”

“You don’t mind if we come with, do you?”

“Now why would you want to do that?”

“It’s just that you spent our first couple days talking up a storm about Pokémon battles, and I’d like to check one out.”

“Perhaps Olivia is right,” Rarity said. “They do sound rather uncouth, and there’s no real reason for us to be outside if we don’t have to.”

“Aw, don’t be like that Rarity. She’s been kind enough to put a roof over our heads and keep us safe; I’d really like to see how strong her Pokémon are.”

“Not to mention…” Olivia cracked a sly smirk. “Wouldn’t you want to see the Mega Ring you worked so hard on in action?”

Rarity stared at the obsidian band that Olivia alluringly twirled on her finger. She bit her lip as the answer she wanted to give became harder to resist.

Suddenly, a timer bell above the oven dinged, triggering her response out. “Alright, I’ll go! Just don’t be too hard on… I’m sorry, who is this person again?”

“His name is Dexio.” Olivia put the Mega Ring back on the desk. “He’s a friend of mine, so you shouldn’t have to worry about him knowing who you are.”

Suddenly, the gentle scent of baked apples and spices wafted toward Olivia from the kitchen, and with a pleasured breath in through her nose, she let out a soft hum as she spotted Applejack pulling a second apple pie from the oven, leaving it to cool next to the first on the stove.

“That sure smells good,” Olivia walked to the dining room, followed by Rarity once she also smelled what Applejack had cooked. “Let’s dig in!”

“Wait a minute!” Applejack exclaimed, standing with her front hooves placed defensively on the front of the oven. “These need at least an hour to cool!”

Olivia smirked again. She then walked over the fridge and opened up the freezer door, pulling out a couple of half-gallon sized cartons of vanilla ice cream. “Now this is how you cool your pie down.”

Assuming Olivia knew what she was talking about, Applejack parted away to let Olivia stand before one of the pies and pull a medium-sized chef’s knife from her block on the counter. As as she worked the knife through, her muscles seemed to relax as she heard the knife cut through the crust on the bottom.

“I can’t say I’ve ever heard such a perfectly-cooked pie before,” she sighed to Applejack.

Applejack smiled in appreciation as Olivia began cutting individual slices. Using the broad side of the knife to scoop a slice out, she was suddenly greeted by three floating plates before her, the shock nearly making her drop the slice she held.

Realizing what was happening, she let out a small breath before putting the slice on one of the plates and scooping on a dollop of ice cream with a large dinner spoon beside it, which floated to the table behind her. “Thank you, Rarity. You wouldn’t mind getting six more plates, would you?”

“Six?” The amount came as a shock to her. “Who else are we–”

“I made two pies so that we could share with Olivia’s Pokémon.”

“Oh… my apologies. I must have missed that tidbit while I was working on that Mega Ring.”

Olivia finished placing the other two slices and scoops of ice cream on the last two plates. “That’s alright. Applejack, Rarity, you wouldn’t mind plating the next six slices while I bring my Pokémon out, do you?”

“You go right ahead, darling!”

Olivia stepped into the living area, detaching all but one of her Ultra Balls with each hand. She tossed two in her left first, sending out her Probopass and Carbink. In the other corner, she tossed the other two and let both Pokémon within them out.

The first appeared to be a large boulder with a lizard-like head appearing out from the front with short arms, two beefy legs, and two large stones atop its body with yellow gems appearing on the insides. Black rock formed on and below its face to give it the appearance of having bushy eyebrows, a moustache, and a large beard.

The second Pokémon was a lanky red-and-white wolf with large front paws, a short white tail, and a large spiky tuft of white fur with a black tip that grew up its back and over its head to a point. Its red glowing eyes and sinister smile gave it a rather threatening appearance, but upon smelling the freshly cut slices of pie that had taken over Olivia’s flat, it’s eyes drooped lazily and its smile relaxed as it walked to the table where Rarity began setting the plates.

Olivia was quick to notice her wolf Pokémon looming over one of the slices ala mode. “Lycanroc! You can wait until everyone is served!”

The Lycanroc sulked away from the table, letting out a couple of pathetic whines as it stood back and watched. It wasn’t much longer until Applejack finished putting the last slice of pie and scoop of ice cream on the last plate, which Rarity floated away from her and set on the table.

Olivia smiled to see that their amazing-looking dessert was finally ready. “Alright, everyone! Now we can dig in!”

The Lycanroc bolted to a spot at the table as Olivia sat in a chair beside it, Applejack and Rarity taking their seats across from her. One by one, the other Pokémon found a space for them to stand or float at the table, Rarity rearranging the plates and silverware so they could be in front of them all. It was then that she noticed something.

“Wait a second, there are still two plates! Who else is supposed to–”

A loud sigh came from under the table, and Olivia bent over and picked up the Stufful, setting it on her lap.

“Oh, I see, but what about the other one?”

Olivia turned to Rarity. “My Relicanth is a Water-type Pokémon. I’ll take him to the bathtub and feed him after. In the meantime, let’s eat before this ice cream melts any more!”

Applejack and Rarity began spooning their ice cream first, and it was indeed very soft already. By the time they had each gotten a bite of pie with it, they looked over to Olivia’s Lycanroc, who had already dumped the food into its mouth and was licking the plate clean.

Looking to Olivia beside it, she had begun taking her first bite, and her eyes closed and her body appeared to melt like the ice cream in her mouth. Rarity turned to Applejack and presented the bottom of her hoof to her. Applejack put her free hoof up and clapped it against Rarity’s, followed by them each taking a bite.

Thunder clapped outside, jolting Gladion awake from a bed as he sat up, panting heavily. A throbbing pain suddenly pulsed against the sides of his head and he gripped the hair on his temples, only to feel his head wrapped with tape.

“He’s okay, thank goodness!”

Glancing around the bedroom and making out the sound of Rainbow Dash’s voice, he just barely made out her, Pinkie Pie, and Hau sitting around his bed before his Silvally laid its top half on Gladion’s legs and waist, licking him affectionately.

“Silvally!” he gasped. “You’re okay!”

“Yeah, you, Silvally, and Weavile took a really nasty hit there,” Hau explained. “I fed them both a Max Revive shortly after the ponies and I beat Team Prism back. Your Weavile is taking an ice bath in the bathroom, and Silvally didn’t want to leave your side until you woke up.”

“Alright then.” Gladion gently pulled Silvally’s arms up, signaling it to get off of him. “I’ll get my Weavile, and we’ll be on our way.”

Rainbow Dash hopped over to Gladion quickly and pushed her weight on his shoulders, laying him back on the bed. “What are you, crazy? We can’t go now!”

“Of course we can! Your friends are–”

“Ssshhhhhhhhh…” Pinkie Pie silenced Gladion with her arms firmly held around his mouth. “Listen.”

Hearing the faint pitter-patter of the rain against the walls and windows outside, Gladion relaxed, his eyes half-closed in sheer annoyance.

“You’ve been out for a while, buddy,” Hau said. “Some nasty storms rolled in while you were asleep. Not to mention, your head is still a bit banged up from our battle back then. Even if the skies were clear, I wouldn’t want you out of here until tomorrow morning at the earliest.”

“Tomorrow…” Gladion closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, though Hau and Rainbow Dash seemed a bit bemused by the lack of rage within them. On the fourth breath, he began sounding sad, and on the fifth, two tears rolled down his head around his cheeks.

“Gladion?” Pinkie Pie asked. “You’re still not hurt are you? Do you need me to fluff your pillows up?”

“No, Pinkie Pie…” Gladion put his hand on her chest gently before setting it back to his sides. “There’s something I should have told you before we left Poni Island.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened. “Is this about what you–”

“Yes.” Gladion tried to sit up, only for Hau and Rainbow Dash to both gently pick him up while Pinkie Pie flipped and gave the top pillow a quick fluff before they slid him back and set him down.

Gladion then wiped his face dry. “When I met your two friends, Starlight and Fluttershy…” Gladion breathed heavily again, Rainbow Dash tensing up with whatever news she was soon to hear about them. “The two trainers they were with… I attacked them, and I intended to take the two ponies they were with by force.”

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie each took a step back, initially horrified.

“It’s no excuse, but I had feared that the islands would have been under attack like they had been ten years ago, and I let that fear get the better of me. I don’t want you to think of me as a bad person, but I realize now that I can’t run away from what I did. I’m so sorry. If you want to go to Akala Island without me tomorrow morning, I won’t blame you. I deserve nothing less.”

Gladion hung his head low, his secret finally off his soldiers, but the weight of dreaded anticipation for the ponies’ responses now bogging down his spirit. Hau could now only look to Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, both of whom had difficulty looking at Gladion. They looked each other in the eyes, wondering who would break their silence and say what to do next. Rainbow Dash glanced over to Gladion, his Silvally gently nudging its head into his, though Gladion could only lay his hand on his neck.

Rainbow Dash then turned to face Gladion, keeping her distance. “It’s okay. I forgive you, Gladion.”

She could see his eyes and mouth widen, clearly finding those words unexpected. Hau kept his eye on Rainbow Dash, wanting to hear her out.

“Yeah,” she said, “what you did was really terrible, but you know what? If you’re willing to leap off of a cliff to save your own Pokémon, or nearly get yourself killed protecting us, you can’t be all that bad.”

Pinkie Pie smiled to hear her friend say that, also turning to face him. “Not to mention, we certainly can’t go to the next island without you! Who’s going to help us take out more of those Team Prism meanies?”

“I…” Gladion was nearly at a loss for words. “I can’t… I don’t deserve–”

“Forget about what you deserve.” Hau stood up and looked down at Gladion. “These ponies need you as much as you need them. They’re willing to travel with you despite what you told them.”

“For what its worth,” Rainbow Dash clarified, “I know you were only trying to protect our friends.”

“Even if they now think you’re some crazy angry guy who tried to kidnap them and take them Celestia knows where!” Pinkie Pie chirped without a hint of irony.

“That’s probably not the case anymore.” Hau now sat on the left front corner of the bed, facing the ponies. “I told them all about him, and I can only assume that their… poor first impression of him has been changed a bit.”

“Even if it hasn’t,” Rainbow Dash added, “we’ll vouch for you. They’ll have to believe us.”

“We don’t have to do this alone,” Pinkie Pie finished. “I mean, what are friends for?”

Gladion looked to both Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, studying their warm and forgiving expressions, forcing him into smiling. “Thank you. You have no idea what this–”

Upon shifting himself, a loud growling came from Gladion’s stomach, the volume awkward enough to cut his words off.

“Oh, right!” Hau stood himself back up, walking briskly to the bedroom door. “You haven’t eaten much, have you?”

Gladion couldn’t help but chuckle, finding the situation a bit humorous. “Yeah, all I had was one of those sandwich halves from lunch.”

“Then give me a quick second. I have some soup simmering on the stove right now.”

Once Hau left, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie approached Gladion, the latter taking the spot that Hau did just moments ago.

“So it’s off to Akala Island first thing in the morning?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Yeah,” Gladion sighed. “First thing…”

Just then, a vibrating was heard beside them, and Gladion turned to the nightstand to his left to see his Pokédex vibrating and the screen lit up. Reaching over and picking it up, he saw Sun’s picture and name in the caller ID. Hitting the green “Answer” icon, he saw Sun and the surroundings of his desk appear over the entire screen, Sun giving a relieved expression.

“Glad you’re up,” Sun said.

Gladion’s expression didn’t seem to change. “What is it?”

Twilight and Spike stepped inside a small bedroom with a white king-sized canopy bed in the back, the electric chandelier above the center providing ample light inside on its own.

A male Aether employee walked up behind them. “It is quite stormy outside, and while we are deep inside of a mountain, you can still hear the thunder. Is there any kind of ambience you’d like me to provide you?”

“That sounds lovely, actually, thank you,” Twilight said. “Do you have anything like a rural town?”

“Or one that’s near a forest?” Spike added.

The employee nodded, pressing a button on his left cuff and putting his mouth to it. “Fortree City ambience to Bedroom L5.”

The pure white surfaces of the room suddenly faded away to reveal a homey den with tan walls, dark-colored wood floors, and a rounded ceiling. On the walls behind the bed to the right and the wall to its right were two windows. Curious, Spike and Twilight went to the rightmost one, astounded that with the ground far below them, they were virtually inside of a house supported on the branches of a tree. Similar buildings on the trunks and branches of other trees surrounded them, and there was a calming chorus of birdsong all about them. The soft purple glow of dusk’s beginning in the cloudless sky outside provided an even more tranquil and hypnotizing effect.

“This is awesome!” Spike gasped. “How come we weren’t told about this when we got here?”

The employee could only shrug coyly. “You never asked.”

“Fair enough,” Twilight said, stepping toward the bed. “Come on, Spike, we have a busy day ahead of us.”

Just as Twilight put her front hooves on the bed, a holographic grey screen appeared on the wall facing the bed. Twilight and Spike turned to it to see that there was apparently an incoming call from Sun, and instantly, their faces brightened with immense excitement.

“It’s Sun!” Spike loudly told the employee. “You have to let us talk to him.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “It’s getting pretty late, and–”

“Please!” Twilight approached him. “He said he might be able to let us talk to a couple of our friends. Just let us have a few moments!”

Without much consideration, the employee pressed another button in his cuff, remotely answering the call, putting Sun’s face and his surroundings on the whole screen.

“Oh, yes, hello!” The sound of Sun’s voice had Twilight gallop back to face the screen alongside Spike. “I’m sorry if I caught you while you were trying to sleep. I’ll transfer you right over.”

The image of Sun collapsed on the screen, and when it spread back out, Gladion’s face appeared, the space between him and his camera not allowing Twilight or Spike to see much of his surroundings.

“You must be Sun’s friend?” Twilight asked.

“Yes,” he answered. “My name is Gladion, and I’m–”

“I heard Twilight!” Pinkie Pie’s voice was distant and instantly recognizable to both Twilight and Spike, but before they could react, Pinkie Pie’s face shot up from the bottom of the screen and pushed Gladion away, the camera unable to fit most of her face on screen. “Oh my gosh, Twilight!! It’s really you!”

“Pinkie!” Spike shouted running to the screen. “You’re okay!”

“And I’m not alone, look!”

With the camera’s vision spinning and bouncing about with Pinkie unable to properly hold it in her hooves, she managed to turn it around so that she could capture both Rainbow Dash and Hau on the other side of the bedroom. Rainbow Dash could see her two other friends on the screen, and she galloped up to get a closer look.

“Twilight!” she screamed, tears beginning to stream down. “You’re okay! Please tell me you’re okay!”

Twilight herself had to wipe her cascade of tears pouring from her eyes, though managed to show a smile. “Spike and I are perfectly alright. How about you? Are you two alright?”

“Are we ever!” Pinkie’s voice called out. “Gladion, catch!”

The camera tilted up to face the ceiling before it was lifted up and spun about, landing still and tilting back down to briefly reveal Gladion before he more smoothly rotated his Pokédex to show both Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash.

“Gladion’s been a super-duper helper to us!” Pinkie Pie continued. “We got attacked by this group of meanies called Team Prism, and we all held them off, and–”

“Pinkie, hold on!” Twilight’s voice stopped her. “Did you say you were attacked by Team Prism?”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash answered, “but they were no match for all of us. Why, have you seen them too?”

“I’ve heard of them, but no, I haven’t come across any of them.”

“It’s not a big deal, really! They were easy-peasy!”

“It’s certainly a big deal considering Sun told me you weren’t attacked by them!”

Rainbow Dash looked a bit bemused. “…What?”

“Please give me a minute.” Gladion’s voice was accompanied by a quick spin of his Pokédex that allowed Twilight and Spike to see him. “Sorry, I haven’t met you two yet. Twilight and Spike, was it?”

“Yes. And what is this about Sun lying to me about my friends’ safety?!”

“You’ll have to forgive him. He was only trying to keep you from worrying.”

“Well, we’re worrying!” Spike shouted. “I mean look at you! You’re all bandaged up.”

“I’ve handled worse, honestly.”

“Don’t change the subject!” Twilight put her hooves on the walls, putting her face close to the screen. “I don’t want you telling me my friends aren’t in danger when they so clearly are!”

“Hey, Gladion, you mind letting me talk?” Hau’s voice was heard offscreen as Gladion huffed and turned the screen to face him.

“Who’s that?” Spike asked.

Finally, Hau approached the Pokédex to appear onscreen in a tasteful medium shot. “Hi there, my name’s Hau!”

“Are my friends in danger?” Twilight expectantly asked.

Hau could tell that pleasantries were over for the time being, and the question asked to him was a difficult one to answer palatably. “I don’t usually like to be a Debbie Downer, but–”

“Please just answer the question.”

“In all honesty, you and your friends have been in danger since they arrived on Alola.” Twilight’s ears fearfully dropped as she continued listening to him. “However, it seems that you all have found yourselves in good company. Your friends Starlight and Fluttershy are with two young, talented trainers and should be on Akala Island looking for them as we speak.”

“Wait, how do you know Starlight and Fluttershy?”

“Because they also stayed at my place. Small world, I know!” Twilight’s ears slowly raised back up as Hau kept talking. “Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are hitching with Gladion, obviously. And while they’ve already been attacked by Team Prism, yes, they both managed to hold their own very well. And from what Gladion’s told me, you’re safe and snug as a bug in a rug at the Aether House.”

“What about Applejack?” Spike asked. “And Rarity!! Do you know where they are?”

“Exactly? Not a clue. By process of elimination, all I can tell you is that they’re on Akala Island and Starlight and Fluttershy are looking for them, if they haven’t found them already.”

Twilight’s ears finally returned upright, but she still looked unsure. “And you’re certain Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are alright?”

“Twilight, come on! What do you take us for, a pair of fillies?” Rainbow Dash fluttered behind Hau with enough space to see both of them. “We’re both okay here. And tomorrow when the storm clears, Gladion, Pinkie Pie and I are headed right over to this Akala Island to find Starlight and Fluttershy and these two trainers they’ve met and lend them some helping hooves… and hands.”

The camera began shifting again as Gladion set his Pokédex down on the pillow, angling it up to the corner of the bedroom. “If you want to keep talking,” he said, “feel free. I just need to walk around a bit.”

“Are you sure?” Hau’s voice asked. “You think that’s a good idea with your bandages?”

“By tomorrow morning, I won’t have much choice. I’d like to take care of my dishes anyway.”

“Alright. We’ll be right back guys.”

“Okay, thanks a million, Hau!” Pinkie Pie bounced to the bed as she tilted the Pokédex camera to face her and Rainbow Dash, who joined her on the bed.

Behind them, Gladion, Hau, and Silvally left the bedroom. The Aether employee stood outside the doorway, watching Twilight and Spike’s mini-reunion continue. He slowly slipped outside and let the door close behind him. He figured they’d be a while.

A small white boat ferried itself along the choppy seas, rainwater and rough waves pelting the front of it. Sitting inside of it, safe and dry, Lillie held on to both the cushion of her seat and a rail just above her head, gripping on as hard as she could to keep from falling off and onto the ground. She had a look of almost perpetual regret with each rise and fall, knowing it was far too dangerous and she was too far out to turn back.

Suddenly, she felt a hard bang on the sides of the boat, looking unsure what she had felt before the boat experienced a sudden acceleration before she felt it slide to a sudden stop beneath her. Shortly after, she heard a couple of loud clangs above. Getting off her seat, she stumbled up the stairs to the small doors keeping her cabin dry.

Opening them up, she saw a Pokémon resembling a small blue disk with two metallic arms floating above her, a small dome of translucent magenta light shielding her from the rain. Stepping further up to the deck of the boat, the Pokémon above her rising higher to make room, she looked out to find herself and her boat washed up on the beach of a small island with a small mountain in its center. Two Laprases were beside the boat on both sides.

“Lillie!”

She heard a booming voice up the island. Turning toward it, she saw a small cabin just ahead with the silhouette of a portly man wearing a straw hat waving to her from the open doorway. Climbing off the boat and down the shells and flippers of the Lapras to the left, she ran to the cabin with the blue-disk Pokémon following above as her umbrella. Once she got close, the man in the doorway stepped aside to make room. Just as she stepped onto the porch and ran inside, allowing the man to close the door, the Pokémon flew away.

Lillie turned to face the man, who in the light, was wearing a white shirt, an orange scarf, and worn and tattered orange shorts. His hair was blonde and his eyes were green, exactly like Lillie’s.

Safe and warm inside, Lillie could finally muster a smile. “Father.”

“Lillie, my girl!”

She ran into Mohn’s bosom, receiving a tight hug from him. “It’s so good to see you!”

“Must be,” he chortled. “What could possibly have you sailing all the way out here in such terrible weather?”

“Well,” she said, pushing herself gently away, “I don’t think I have to tell you what’s happening over on the islands.”

“Word travels fast, even ‘round these parts. So what about it? Aether biting off more than it can chew again?”

The wording was harsh, but Lillie’s softening expression revealed she knew he was right. “Yes… but we’re taking care of it! We found six of the eight creatures that appeared from the wormholes, four of whom are in our possession… so to speak.”

“Well, it sounds like you’re on top of it. Sorry, would you like something to drink? Some juice, water?”

“Water would be… Pinap juice, please.”

“Ha, that’s more like it!” Mohn seemed happy to hear her actually request for juice as he waddled over to a small fridge beneath a counter on the left side of the cabin.

Lillie continued standing still as Mohn pulled a small glass bottle of bright yellow juice, twisted the top off and walked to her with it.

He handed her the bottle, which she slowly took. “I’m sorry, I wanted to ask. How is Lusy?”

Lillie took a swig of the juice, the sweet, crisp taste of it still unable to lift her spirits. “She’s been doing well, actually. I do wish you’d come to visit sometime and see for yourself.”

“For the last time, Lillie, I haven’t looked back on that life in over thirteen years, and I don’t intend on doing so now.”

Grimacing, Lillie tilted the bottle up against her lips, and in a couple of chugs, not a drop of the juice was left inside of it. Mohn frowned forlornly, approaching her.

“Maybe we can talk about this on the couch.”

With his hands on her shoulder, he walked her to the couch in front of a roaring fireplace, two small chicks with red heads and ice-blue bodies occasionally spitting embers onto the fire to keep it alight. Mohn and Lillie sat upon the plush cushions of the couch at the same time, the warm glow of the fire seemingly melting Lillie’s defenses.

“So, what’s going on up there that has you so upset?” he asked. “I may not be involved in the Aether Foundation’s affairs anymore, but that doesn’t mean I won’t listen to you about them.”

It seemed that those were the right words Lillie wanted to hear. “I’ve been assigned to talk to two of these creatures that we’re currently keeping at our House base.”

“Talk? Are these creatures capable of understanding human speech? Sounds rather exciting, actually.”

“…I’m sorry, I need to start over.”

“Okay, take your time.”

“These creatures call themselves ponies, and yes I do mean they told us, or at least, the people who met them told them what they are. According to Gladion, they can understand us, speak the same language, and are as sapient as you or I. And… they’re scared. I know this. They have to be. We pulled them from their world to ours, and I have to be the one to face them and tell them why.”

“Have you tried telling your mother about this?”

“I wanted to, but she and Wicke have been busy trying to find out what’s wrong with Solgaleo and Lunala to make them freak out the way they did, Sun has been trying all afternoon to contact Gladion, who got attacked by these guys on Melemele who are trying to hunt the ponies down…”

Mohn could tell Lillie was reaching a point of hysterical incomprehensibility. “Okay, deep breaths, babe. Deep breaths.”

Lillie’s breathing was quick, getting progressively more relaxed with each new breath she took, sniffing hard every so often. “I’m sorry, father. I try to be stronger than I was as a child, but everything is happening all at once again, and I just don’t want it crashing down on me.”

Mohn couldn’t help but let out a snicker. “And how could that possibly happen?”

“Please, dad, I’m being serious here! I’m partly responsible for these ponies getting separated from their friends, and I don’t want them to hate me for it!”

As Lillie began to slump over, Mohn caught her by the upper arms and turned her to him. “Listen to me, Lillie. Things may seem impossible right now, but the only impossible thing for you right now is getting anyone to hate you.”

Lillie huffed out slowly, unable to hold back the slightest of smiles. “Thanks for that, dad.”

Mohn’s smile quickly faded, and he let his daughter go. “You should know that I’m not nearly as strong as you’d like me to think I am.”

“Dad?”

“I’ve spent nearly thirteen years on this island. While your mother was going crazy and you and Gladion were hurting on that floating lab, I could have come back and helped put a stop to it, but I stayed. I stayed through it all. And even after everything got fixed, I still stayed. I’m sorry, Lillie. I know you came to me for advice and help, but I screwed up bad.”

“I wouldn’t say so.” Lillie looked ahead to the brighter flames on the fire while Mohn looked at her. “You may not have been there, but I think your absence was just what I needed to become who I am. I had to be the one to rescue Nebby from my mother, which allowed me to meet Sun and Hau, who helped me realize my potential and give me a life I could have never imagined.”

Mohn couldn’t not look away, ashamed by what her daughter was saying, but a more noticeable smile began to creep onto her face. “I understand why you ran, father, and I forgive you for everything. I don’t want you to feel ashamed for the life that you chose. We both make Pokémon and people happy in our own various ways, and that’s enough for me.”

Feeling an epiphany rise within her, she stood from the couch. “And that’s exactly what I’m going to do!”

She stepped toward the door, Mohn also standing from the couch to face her. “Lillie, where are you going?”

“Getting ready for tomorrow. Come what may, I’m going to do this!”

“Before you do, you wouldn’t mind… grabbing me a juice from the fridge, would you?”

Lillie whipped her body around to walk to the counter, bend down and look at the small assortment inside. “Any flavor in particular?”

“Razz, if you’d be so kind.”

Grabbing a bottle with a purplish-red liquid in it, she pulled it out and prepared to stand. However, she decided to reach in and grab another bottle of Pinap Juice, standing up and kicking the door closed with her feet. She walked around the couch to see Mohn looking back at the fireplace. Sitting back in her spot, she handed Mohn his bottle and then twisted the cap off her own. He couldn’t help but stare gobsmacked as she scooted closer to him.

“Perhaps just one more before I set sail?” she asked.

Mohn warmly smiled and popped his cap off and rested his arm over Lillie’s shoulders, happy to savor some time with his family. She rested into him, taking a small swig of her juice.

Sam rolled up a paper bag containing a large foil-covered sandwich wrap, a bag of potato chips and a stack of five paper-wrapped jumbo-sized cookies tightly as he could without smashing any of his food. With his bag on one of the café tables, he gently slid the bag into it and zipped it up.

“Got everything?” The café barista asked.

“Yeah.” Sam gently swung his bag onto his back. “Thanks again for the free cookies.”

“Don’t worry about it. Nothing can cheer rainy day blues away than our fresh baked cookies.”

“Thanks again!”

“Stay dry!”

Sam walked out from the Pokémon center and broke into a brisk jog, trying to keep his upper body level so as not to bounce the contents of his bag around. The motel was up in sight, and so was Alice and the ponies. He knew he left on bad terms, and dreaded the possible confrontation he’d face when he got back, but his only hope was that the still warm cookies in his bag would prove to be somewhat of a consolation. With some good food in his stomach too, he’d be much more calm to try and talk things out with them.

As he got closer, his dread faded away more and more. The only thing he could focus on were the lights along the motel walls. He was so focused in fact, that he didn’t notice as a moderately large lizard began scurrying across the road to the other side from the tall grass. Just as it went onto the sidewalk, Sam’s foot came down on its tail.

The lizard let out a loud screech, Sam instinctively turning his head down to see it. There now stopped and staring daggers at him was a grey lizard with a black head with two spines coming out of its neck like the knot of a tied bandana, and a red line down its tail that branched off at its lower back. Unfocused, his foot hit the corner of the curb, sending him back and falling to the ground.

Sam was quick to turn so that he landed on his side, keeping his backpack safe. He tried to quickly get up, only to hear another shriek from the lizard before he felt its bite squeeze down on the back sides of the sole of its shoe. Sam quickly kicked it off, sending it just a bit further down the road. Getting up, he began reaching inside the first pocket of his bag for the first thing he could use to throw at it. Looking back down to where he kicked the lizard, it was already scurrying toward him at an incredibly fast speed. Yelling loudly as he finally grabbed something, he threw the object at it, hitting it square in the back. Sam gasped as the object opened itself up and sucked the lizard inside as a red energy.

Sam breathed heavily as he watched the Poké Ball he threw jiggle on the floor, unsure at that point if he should run or stay. With each jiggle, Sam took a small step back, ready to flee to his door if he had to. By the sixth wiggle of the ball, the ball clicked closed with a small burst of starry sparks.

Now, Sam could only chuckle over the odd, frightening circumstances of his next Pokémon catch. He had no idea what it would be like once he let it back out, but at once, a lightning bolt crashed just south of him, and with the resulting bang of the thunder, he quickly scooped up the ball inside and ran back to the motel room.

Upon opening the door and sliding his backpack to the floor, Starlight and Fluttershy were still lying on the floor. They saw Sam heavily panting, looking more soaked on the left side of his body than normal and his Poké Ball in his free hand.

“Sam!” Fluttershy gasped. “What happened to you?”

“And what’s with the Poké Ball?” Starlight asked.

Before Sam could answer, Alice came out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a large t-shirt that went down near her knees, concealing her underwear beneath. “Okay, are you ready to talk like a man now?” She didn’t seem to get a response as he subtly jiggled the Poké Ball in his hand, making her furrow her brow even more. “What’s going on in your hand? What’s with the Poké Ball? Are you saying you’ve been going out and catching Pokémon out in this storm?”

“Not exactly,” Sam panted. “Could you please join me at my side?”

“What?”

“Please, everyone! Just do it.”

Alice rolled her eyes as she stood next to him, Starlight and Fluttershy confusedly following him.

“You may want to call Lady too,” Sam said.

Starlight scanned the room. “Lady!”

The Eevee crawled out from under the bed and took refuge between Starlight’s forelegs.

Sam held his ball back, ready to throw it. “Okay, Starlight, I’m going to need you to stop whatever comes out of this ball if it charges at us, okay?”

“What in the hell did you catch?” Alice hissed.

“Don’t worry, nothing big.” Sam tossed the ball out.

“SAM!”

The ball opened up, and the lizard dropped down from it, quickly spinning as it observed its suddenly alien surroundings. Upon its purple eyes meeting Sam, it let out a loud hiss and slithered at them, Alice and Fluttershy screaming in fright. Starlight was prepared, quickly charging her horn to encase the lizard in her aura and holding it back to stop its advances. As she lifted it up for everyone to see clearer, the lizard flailed itself about in a futile attempt to break free.

“Sam,” muttered Fluttershy. “What is that you just caught?”

“Dunno,” he responded.

Alice walked around the suspended lizard and picked up her Pokédex from the nightstand between the beds, unplugging its adapter from it. The Pokémon settled down as it resigned itself to its fate, allowing Alice to get a read on it.

“Salandit,” the Pokédex said, “the Toxic Lizard Pokémon. It burns its bodily fluids to create a poisonous gas. When its enemies become disoriented from inhaling the gas, it attacks them.”

“And you let this thing loose in the room?” Alice spat.

“I had no idea!” Sam shouted back. “I stepped on its tail by accident on my way back, it attacked me, and I threw a Poké Ball at it to keep it away.”

“Okay… I mean, good job and all, but I don’t think that thing is going to want to join your party any time soon. I mean look at it.”

Sam did look into the Salandit’s eyes, and it let out two spiteful hisses at it, taking Sam aback. Pursing his lips, he knew he had to do something. He cautiously stepped forward toward it.

“Starlight, when I tell you to, I want you to set this thing back down on the ground and let it go.”

“What?” Starlight stomped her hoof. “Sam, that’s crazy–”

“I know, I know. But I need to tame this thing and fast. Just please do it. I know what I’m doing.” Now face to face with the Salandit, Sam kept unwavering eye contact with it. “Okay, Starlight. Go ahead.”

Starlight began floating the Salandit down, Sam going down to a kneel and doing his best to stay eye level with it until he was at a kneel and the Salandit’s feet touched the ground. Alice stared on at the scene with dreaded anticipation.

Sam nodded once more, and Starlight relinquished her magic. Knowing it was free Salandit jumped at Sam, its mouth wide open. Sam blocked it with the side of its left hand, the Salandit clamping down hard. Sam tensed his hand as hard as he could as he could feel and even hear the piercing of the Salandit’s teeth through his skin.

Fluttershy gasped as she saw a trickle of blood come down and land on the floor. Starlight, Lady, and Alice stayed silent as Sam continued staring the vicious Salandit in its eyes, refusing to show any sign of pain or even discomfort. Even as blood dripped steadily onto the floor, Sam refused to yield.

After a minute for what felt like an eternity, the Salandit quickly let go and screeched, scurrying under the bed. Alice and Fluttershy looked down at Sam’s hand, which was coated with thick red liquid from his wrist to the tips of his fingers. Fluttershy swooned and fainted on the spot.

Starlight spotted the Salandit hiding, noticing it shaking. “Great. It’s scared of you now!”

“Of course,” Alice said. “Sam asserted his dominance over it. It’s natural that it would be afraid.” She then looked down at Sam’s wound which she began to notice was slightly glowing purple. “Sam, you’re poisoned! Hurry, put some Antidote or a Full Heal on that or–”

“Just give me a Super Potion.”

“That’s not going to stop the poi–”

“Just please.”

Alice went to her bag as told. From it, she grabbed a red spray bottle with an orange nozzle and handed it to Sam, who hung it by the trigger off his left index finger. Reaching over to his bag with his right hand, he unzipped the main pocket, reached inside, unrolled the paper bag, and pulled out a single cookie from it. Calmly scuttling over to the Salandit, who he could see was shying further into the bed, he stopped a couple of feet from it, setting the cookie down.

“It’s okay,” he cooed in a higher voice. “I won’t hurt you. Here, have this cookie.”

He pushed it back a bit more, keeping his eyes at the foot of the bed. Eventually, the Salandit poked its head out, creeping forward step by step with an occasional trepid glance up. Once its face reached the cookie, it took a testing lick. Liking the taste, the Salandit began eating the cookie as Sam reached down and pet it down from behind its spines to its lower back.

“There you go,” he whispered. “That’s a good Salandit.”

The Salandit appeared not to be fearful of its touch, and after a couple more gentle strokes, Sam grabbed the Super Potion from his other hand and aimed the nozzle it down at the tail. With two quick sprays, the Salandit shot up, shocked by the suddenly cold sensation. Glancing back at its tail, it gave it a couple of wags, elated that it no longer felt the pain Sam had inflicted upon it. Turning back to him, Salandit ignored the cookie and crawled into Sam’s lap, squirming, rolling about, and squeaking happily as Sam tried petting it.

“Whoa!” Sam laughed. “Easy, girl!”

Fluttershy came to while Starlight’s mouth hung open and Alice smirked, going back over to her bag and pulling out a small hand towel, a yellow spray bottle with a flat, grey nozzle and another Super Potion. She went to his left side and held his free left hand out, wiping as much of the blood from his hand and then spraying the bite marks with the yellow bottle first. With each squirt of liquid, the purple pulsing in his hand died down until it was fully healed. She then began spraying his hand with the Super Potion, the bleeding becoming less profuse as the holes quickly clotted over.

Sam turned from Salandit for a moment to give his sister a thankful nod before receiving a loud, jealous screech from it. He held up his left arm and allowed Salandit to climb up onto it and let Sam cradle it. Turning back around, he motioned the ponies and Lady forward to let them have a look. With the three of them looking over it, Fluttershy smiled wide at the instantly cute sight.

“Aww,” she cooed, “you’re an adorable little lizard when you aren’t trying to bite my friend’s hand off!”

Sam held up Salandit to her, allowing her to rub its belly, causing it to purr.

Alice looked back to her Pokédex, glancing over the Salandit’s entry, opening her eyes wide. “Sam, you’re not going to believe this! Not only is this thing a Poison-type, it’s also a Fire-type!”

Sam looked back to her again, Salandit too busy being given affection by Fluttershy to notice. “No kidding?”

“You literally couldn’t have caught a better Pokémon for our redo tomorrow.”

Sam nodded before looking back at Starlight, who continued observing idly with Lady. “Come over and take a look!”

Starlight looked a bit surprised, feeling more put on the spot as Fluttershy stepped away to give her room. “Really? I mean, that’s okay. I–”

“It’s okay! I’m sure she’d love to meet you too!”

Starlight reluctantly stepped forward, and upon seeing her, Salandit shot out of Sam’s arm and onto his shoulders, arching its back defensively.

“It’s okay, girl!” Sam said to it. “She’s a good friend of mine.”

Sam gave her another nod, prompting her to walk forward. Reaching for its head, she began to rub the back corner of its head, and it began to tilt, appreciating the massage it received. Sam then laid his hand on her shoulder, and she looked at him with slight confusion.

“We’ll get through this.” He stroked the base of her neck with his thumb. “I promise we will.”

Starlight grinned appreciatively, and resumed petting Salandit. Tomorrow was already looking to be a bright and better day.

Comments

[ShadowStar0]

Yay, Salandit! And it's female! ...It is female, right? Salazzle is one of my favorite Gen 7 Pokemon!

[Greed and Giving]

Sam couldn't have gotten a better Pokemon, and I had no idea Potions of all types worked on humans. Great chapter as always.

[moviemaster8510]

8348789 Let's just say Sam figured this out when the Salandit rolled onto its back on his lap.

[ArDee]

8349086
lizards have cloacas though

[DualKitsune]

What a way to catch a Pokemon.

[DDDDDDDDD23]

Rainbow dash and pinkie are the safest pair since they do not have a unicorn( twilight is still pretty much a unicorn since she many uses unicorn magic for everything) that can become a liability when hit by a psychic move.

[Night_Moon60606]

8420812
did u forget how Misty caught her Psyduck?