#...pokemon

After defeating Kahuna Olivia’s grand trial, Colress, who I haven’t seen since my original journey through Unova, ushered us over to a private, chartered ferry, this big, sleek white thing. It stands in pretty sharp contrast to the dirty, lopsided boat Kukui brought us to Akala on. Once on board they gave us coconut water and sat us down to watch some informational videos on the corporation. Conservation efforts, it’s people’s jobs to intervene and protect Pokemon, the world depends on us, et cetera...

We arrived to the Aether Foundation headquarters not a minute too soon--we had just gotten roped into conversation by a bright-eyed and I’m sure well-meaning new Aether recruit, babbling on about Slowpoke tails and Team Skull. Hivy and I thanked them for their time and headed out to the ground floor of the building, which was remarkably...sterile. All bright white linoleum and overhead lights. Not a speck of dirt to be seen, not even so much as a scuff on the floor. We were greeted by some old egomaniac named Faba, a man entirely insecure about his standing in the world, practically spitting as he insisted that this mom-looking woman, Wicke, call him by his “full and official title.” Hmm. 

Thankfully Wicke led us away, giving us a tour of the other equally sterile floors before taking us to the top floor, the conservation area. It was startling to see so much color all at once. Trees, ponds, plains, deserts...the habitats seem painstakingly replicated, not at all synthetic...but then you take a step back and still see the white fences, white floors, glaring overhead lights...I’m still not sold on the place. 

Wicke introduced us to Lusamine, this totally glamorous blonde woman and President of the Aether Foundation. She talked about how she valued “true” conservation efforts, and would not allow any Pokemon in her sanctuary to be caught or rehomed, and how she stood in direct opposition to Safari Zones in other regions. The more she talked the more tiresome I found her to be. Zealous and preachy, and with none too small a martyr streak. Didn’t we have enough of those back home? I don’t want to have to deal with fanatics here, too, on our island vacation.

That’s when the sky darkened and there was a terrible rumbling that felt like it could tear a hole in your eardrum. A hole began to...tear itself out of thin air. My heart was racing, and I looked over to Hivy and Lucamine, neither of whom seemed frightened in the least. I would have thought that I was hallucinating (I did take a...refreshment break in the restroom back on the ferry), but Lucha and Liliana were hissing and yowling, and Hivy’s little pom-pom bird was shrilling and flapping around. Then, a creature manifested, warping the dimensions around it. Hivy set her Brionne forward, and I sent in Lucha after. 

This...thing. We don’t know its type, its name, nothing, and Lusamine seems none the wiser, either. Hivy and I eventually knocked it out after we realized we wouldn’t be able to catch it, thanks to the no-catch mechanism the building had in place. Once it was defeated it just...disappeared, and that horrible wormhole with it. Lusamine said the thing was called an “Ultra Beast,” and that there would be more where that came from. Supposedly it comes from an alternate dimension. Wonderful. Of course she’s enlisting Hivy and I to help track them down. I couldn’t be out of there fast enough.

We landed on Akala Island late in the evening, stepping foot out onto Heahea City. We headed over to the Tide Song Hotel, which normally has a wait list of at least two years, but my mother was able to pull some strings and get us a room. I should expect such, since she is a Kanto dignitary! The only downside was that there was only one king-sized bed. I offered for Hivy to share it with me, but she graciously offered to go for a walk along the beach. 

The next morning, after enjoying one of the most sumptuous breakfasts I’ve ever had at a hotel (coconut tea, plenty of seafood, fruit, and a delicious raspberry pastry), Hivy and I struck out in the direction of our first island challenge. We wandered down Route 6, where we ran into another one of those Team Skull buffoons. Something about them reminds me of Reilly. It’s probably their generally unwashed appearance and poor vocabulary. In any case, Lucha dispatched them rather quickly, and Hivy and I could continue on to Paniola Ranch, a town desperately clinging to this wild west...theme? I guess it’s their way of life. Lots of ranches. But they all dress (and talk...) the part, and I’m wondering how necessary that really is. In any case, we at least got to see the “Pokemon Ranch,” which is I suppose their version of a daycare. I plan on revisiting later on to breed Alolan Vulpix.

After wading through the muck we arrived at Brooklet Hill, home of our first challenge, headed by Lana. Hivy and I were tasked with scaring away some fish that were causing a disturbance in the lagoons. It was easy enough to scare them away, but when we reached the lowest lake, the sky suddenly darkened with clouds. Thunder started rumbling, our Pokemon became nervous...and a monstrous fish emerged from the water. On closer inspection it was hundreds and hundreds of small fish, which wasn’t any more reassuring. This school of Wishiwashi proved difficult to take down, but eventually Hivy and I, through our combined efforts, prevailed. She made sure to nab a Wishiwashi of her own before we were whisked off toward our next island challenge.

We were instructed to meet up with the dancer Kiawe, the second trial captain of Akala Island. First we had to navigate our way through a huge national park, Wela Volcano Park. Hivy caught a Cubone, and something about her somehow makes me think of that gold necklace that she gave to Julian on his second birthday...I try not to spend too much time thinking about her. I picked up a Serious and thoroughly cunning Salandit lady. Her name is Veezara, named for a diligent friend who has since passed away. 

This challenge was easier than the one before, and thanks to having a Brionne and Rockruff we took down the totem Salazzle without much difficulty (much to Kiawe’s surprise). From there it was on to the Lush Jungle, where our final trial captain, Mallow, awaited us. We gathered the ingredients required for her “special soup,” which summoned a massive Lurantis right toward us! I usually don’t like bugs, but this creature was so elegant, so powerful...that I knew I needed one for myself. It was a tough battle, but eventually Hivy and I overcame it and were told to head down to meet the Kahuna.

Aela must have sensed that we were going to face a tough challenger, because she evolved into a Lycanroc right before we got to the Kahuna’s cave. She’s a lovely wine-maroon, with gleaming red eyes and oversized claws (much like the Aela that she is named for). The island Kahuna, Olivia, is a Rock-type specialist. Our two Lycanroc went head-to-head, but in the end Aela’s powerful Counter proved too much, and Olivia was defeated.

In any case, we met with up with the amazing Professor Kukui, and to my amazement he is married. I couldn’t believe it...or, well, I suppose I could. He seems like a wonderful person, and his wife seems...nice...they passed Lillie off to us, and Kukui told us to meet him in Malie City on Ula’ula Island. Hivy and I will be checking in to the Tide Song Hotel again for a night or two before heading off to some place called the Aether Paradise. I’m not exactly thrilled but they sound like they have some interesting projects in development, so I suppose it’s worth taking a look at. 

Effie's so in love with this Sylveon of hers. It's all she can talk about. She is pretty cute, and she's very smart. Makes me miss Eve! I'm sure she's pouting in a corner at Akanasu's place, sweet girl.

After learning about Mega-Evolution, I wanted to try it out: I Mega-Evolved Foley, who is now a fully-grown Venusaur, and it is an interesting experience, to say the least. It gives him notably higher Special Attack, which means that his Venoshock made quick work of the Grass-type gym in Courmaline City. Ugh! What is it with Kalos and all these really complicated, physically laborious gyms? I just don't understand! In this one, I was swinging on fucking vines and hoping that I didn't fall onto the moss-covered nets below. And the leader is this...this...old mountain man with an incredibly thick accent! I was happy to be out of there once Effie and I got our Grass Badges (and Grass Badge? Really? Nothing more original than that??).

We left Courmaline and headed south to the desert; I think they call them the Badlands. Someone had told us that the northern entrance to Lumiose was shut down because of an issue with the power plant, and since the fifth gym is in Lumiose, we decided to investigate. The desert is horribly windy, and we were getting whipped with sand and rocks, and these awful little Trapinch kept biting at our ankles. I really regret wearing a dress that night...

It was in this desert that we encountered one of those preposterous Team Flare members; of course Effie and I wiped him out immediately and took his card key from him. It's not really very surprising that they'd tried to take over the power plant (for one reason or another; they didn't enlighten us as to why), and it didn't take long for Effie and I to clean house. The employees fawned over us and gave gifts for saving them; Furfrou man from Parfum Palace, take note.

I caught a Skrelp, Natalie: she got snagged on my fishing line and I thought she was a rotten piece of seaweed. I almost cast her aside, but something tells me to keep her around. She's Sassy and has these piercing eyes, and knows how to take a hit. And Fitz is doing wonderfully, my beautiful blue boy. I love him! He pulls quite a bit of weight on our team now that he's evolved into Meowstic. And Koichi, oh! She's so nimble, lithe. We all seem to be falling into a more stable dynamic.

Effie's team is great, too: she adores Opal, who is now an Aurorus, and her noble Chesnaught, Churro. And really, although I rolled my eyes at Sylveon before, Vanna really is quite cute. Traveling with a Fairy type is proving to be quite useful for all the Dark and Poison types that we encounter. And Dragons...!

Anyway, with the power restored to the plant, we headed south to Lumiose, where we watched their Eiffel Tower get lit up. It was really awe-inspiring, actually, to see such a huge, magnificent structure come shining to life. And oh, the people in Lumiose! I love overhearing their conversations; they always sound so sophisticated and eloquent. It's much different than where I'm from in Unova. Tch! People sound like they have a high school education and blue collar mannerisms.

I was surprised to learn that amongst all this suave refinery that this...this...dweeby little blonde boy was the gym leader for Lumiose City. For Lumiose City. Of all the places! Bespectacled, disheveled, short...oh! Oh, it really caught me off guard. I was expecting someone more...affiné, as they say. Or maybe I just have this professor on the brain...mm!

Clemont--the boy--is perhaps fittingly an Electric gym leader. The gym is run like a game show: each floor asks a different question, and you have to choose which door has the correct answer. Mind-numbing questions! Really, I expected much more from the Lumiose leader. He used an Emolga. Hmph! This was not a difficult match.

Effie and I have decided that we'll spend a few days shopping around the city, staying at this beautiful hotel, and then we'll pick up our travels again. I heard the next gym leader uses Fairy types...we'll see how that goes.