With the Trainer School completed, my next challenge was the First Trial Captains’ Challenge.
That evening Hau, Joel, Lillie, and myself stayed over at Professor Kukuis’ Lab. He and his wife, Professor Burnet, a researcher of the relationship between Pokémon and Other Dimmensions! She and Professor Kukui fed us dinner and prepared an area for us to sleep.
We all spent the rest of the evening laughing and playing with our Pokémon.
Alolan Grimer was already warming up to Litten and Munchlax. Meanwhile Hau and his Pokémon Popplio, Pichu, and Eevee were in the kitchen making everyone his favorite dessert, Malasadas. Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet were feeding Rockruff, Rowlet, and Professor Burnet’s Pikipek. Even Lillie, the shyest member of our group, was coming out of her shell and sitting in the middle of all of the eating Pokémon.
As I looked around and was realizing just how lucky and amazing it was that my journey had begun and I had so many wonderful friends and Pokémon, I noticed Joel, my little brother, sitting alone in a corner.
I walked over and sat next to him, asking what was wrong; it was clear he was either sad or feeling left out. He told me he was upset that he didn’t have his own Pokémon. I chuckled and told him he wasn’t old enough to become a trainer yet, and that made him even more upset. I reminded him that Lillie didn’t have a Pokémon yet either, but it didn’t matter; she was still afraid of them and didn’t want one yet, but he did. He got up and climbed the ladder where his bed was for the night.
Everyone saw what had happened and felt terrible. Litten felt especially sad for Joel and jumped up on his bunk next to him and curled by his side for the night.
Professor Kukui suggested that I try to catch him his own Pokémon sometime just as a companion and NOT for taking in the island challenge and Professor Burnet called our parents making sure it was ok.
That night I could hardly sleep! On the one hand I was excited and nervous about the First Captain’s Island Challenge, but on the other hand, I felt so bad for Joel!
We’ve always grown up around Pokémon. Our Dad worked at the Electrical Plant on Ula’ ula Island on Blush Mountain. Every week he would take the ferry and work for two days at a time, and he had encountered and captured many Pokémon at his job. He had a Boltund that traveled with him, and Joel loved playing with him! Our Mom runs a general hoods shop on in Iki Town and her Primeape helps stock the shelves, so Joel has grown up with him, too. Even Munchlax was always “my” Pokémon! Joel’s never had one of his own.
That night, while everyone was sleeping, Grimer woke me in a panic. I slowly and hazily began to wake up and suddenly I realized what was wrong:
JOEL WAS GONE! He and Litten were nowhere to be found. I quickly woke up Munchlax and everyone else and we all began to search for him.
We looked everywhere would think of for Joel and Litten, but no luck. I began to get really worried! He’s never been on his own for this long. We finally began to get desperate. Professor Burnet and Lillie went to go tell Mom and Dad the situation, and Hau, Professor Kukui, and myself went to the Beach. We didn’t know why he would be there, but we had to try something!
Finally, we found him with a girl with blue hair! Her name was Lana, and actually turned out to be the Water Trial Captain over at Akala Island! She was here on Mele Mele Island visiting with Kahuna Hala and decided to go for a midnight stroll on the Beach. She was fishing when she noticed Joel alone and decided to come check on him. He told her how sad he was about not having a Pokémon, and Lana told Joel that he shouldn’t wander off alone with no Pokémon! She felt bad for him, so agreed to try fishing for a Pokémon for him.
I told Joel that he shouldn’t have run off, and that he had scared all of us so badly! But I was also sorry he had felt left out. I told Lana that if she was still willing to fish for a Pokémon, that I would attempt to catch it for Joel. She agreed! She’d left all of her other fishing rods back on the Akala Island and so she would fish for the Pokémon herself. She sent her rod in the water, after a few moments (Joel waiting impatiently), but the bobber finally sank in the water, and she reeled in her rod! Out of the water emerged an orange, flailing Pokémon! It was a Magikarp! Joel was SO EXCITED!!
I readied a Pokéball and was prepared to battle Magikarp, but Lana told me that Magikarp’s don’t typically resist captures, so to throw a ball!
I threw the Pokéball and it after 3 jiggles, Magikarp was caught! Joel ran over and picked up the Pokéball and then ran into my arms, thanking me and crying!
Just then, Professor Burnet, Lillie, and our Mom and Dad ran up just then with their Primeape and Boltund, with Professor’s Burnet’s Pikipek flying overhead. My parents sternly told Joel that he simply can not run off like that, and that if he couldn’t do as he was told and be safe that he couldn’t continue traveling with Me. Joel began crying and apologizing and my parents forgave him. Joel then asked if he could keep his Magikarp with tears in his eyes. My parents looked at each other, and my Dad knelt down and put his hand on Joel’s shoulder. He told Joel that having a Pokémon is a LOT of responsibility, and that Magikarp wasn’t a toy. He told Joel that if he didn’t take care of Magikarp, that he would suffer, and that Magikarp doesn’t deserve that. Joel began to cry again, and PROMISED my Dad that he would do everything in his power to take care of Magikarp. My Dad stood up, put his arm around my Mom, and they both looked at each other one last time and sighed in agreement. They told Joel that if they PROMISED to never run off again and take care of Magikarp AND call my parents every day with a check in that he could keep Magikarp.
Joel promised and hugged them and thanked them both. He then thanked Lana and thanked me again. He also thanked Litten for staying by his side and making sure he was protected. My parents also told Joel to apologize to everyone else too. After all, Lillie, Hau, and both Professor’s Kukui and Burnet were all worried as well!
We all went back to the Lab, and Joel happily and proudly let his Magikarp out of its Pokéball in a small pool the Professor’s pulled out of storage. Mom and Dad apologized and thanked everyone everything, and then returned to their home. Lana told Joel that he had made a new friend today and that one day when he was older they would have a battle, and then left headed back to Kahuna Kala’s hut.
The rest of us finally all said goodnight and went back to bed, leaving Joel and his new friend Magikarp to spend some time together.
It was a long night, but seeing Joel happy made it all worth it.
(Picture by LilRobinDraws on DeviantArt)
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