Igniting in the Isle of Amor
A QUICK NOTE ON POKEMON CAPITALIZATION
I want to say that I don't want to be a part of the small war that's happening in the community. I've decided to capitalize the way that I want to. I own countless official Pokémon storybooks that I read to kids, and they capitalize Pokémon names and certain establishments, i.e. Pokémon Centers. I don't care if you do or don't. I don't care if it's wrong or right. Don't waste your time reviewing that aspect of my story. However, feel free to review my comma usage, any improper punctuation, and areas that could make do with more description, as I want to become a better writer and am always open to constructive criticism. Debating over something as arbitrary as whether or not to capitalize Jigglypuff isn't gonna do that. Thank you!
Isle of Armor
Chapter 1 - "Technically, It's A Flying Taxi."
A boy, almost aged fourteen years, sat on one of the many wooden benches in Wedgehurst Station. The Galar region was a much colder place than he was used to, and the lack of a heating system inside of the station made it feel as though he was in a tundra. He had bundled himself in his pink sweatshirt and white baggy jeans. The clothes were comfy, and the sounds of the trains coming to and fro were calming to the boy. He hadn't slept since he boarded the plane from Kanto, and he was afraid that he might fall asleep in the station where someone could pickpocket him.
He hoped that his friend would arrive soon.
On his lap laid a small white Pokémon with six poofy tails. She was perfectly comfortable with the weather and didn't seem to notice her trainer's condition.
He pulled out the letter that he had received from his friend a couple of weeks ago and read over it.
"Wedgehurst," he said quietly before looking up at the station sign. He squinted his eyes and tried to focus. He had no problem speaking English, but he wasn't great at reading it. Along with the jetlag and being in a completely unfamiliar place, he wanted to make sure that he was in the right place. "Wedgehurst Station."
He lowered his black hat with the silver BayStaryu logo embroidered on the front over his eyes and sat back slightly, bringing his legs up along with his Pokémon. He hugged the Ice-type and sighed. "Maybe a small nap couldn't hurt."
"Vul," the Pokémon responded quietly.
"Cyan!" a voice called, making the boy look up. He wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not, but he could swear that his friend was standing only a few feet in front of him. She had lightly tanned skin and lengthy black hair. She wore a black leather jacket over a green shirt. Her pants were skinny, black, and held up by a white belt.
It had been awhile since they had met. The last time that the two adventured together was in a place that was admittedly colder than Galar, but it brought warmth to Cyan's heart just thinking about it.
"Lilo," he muttered, hoping that she was real.
The girl patted Cyan playfully on the head, and he slowly stood up. She was physically two years older than him and slightly taller. The two hugged, which almost caused Cyan to fall asleep once more.
"I'm glad you could make it! How was the flight?" she asked.
Cyan pulled away from the hug and readjusted his backpack. "It was alright. I still can't sleep on planes. I'm hoping to get some sleep on the train though. We are taking a train, right?"
"For a bit!" Lilo answered. "And then we'll take a taxi to the Isle of Armor. When we get there, you're free to sleep as much as you need to. When I came here from Alola, I also had really bad jet lag."
"I want to hear all about your stories," Cyan said before yawning. He caught himself and tried to stop, but he just ended up making a weird face. Lilo laughed. "I'm sorry."
"It's cool. I'll tell you everything when you're settled in. I'll get us some tickets. Let's go! Our first stop is Hammerlocke Station!"
The trains in Galar weren't too dissimilar to what Cyan was familiar with in Kanto, but since they were traveling a long distance, they were given their own private cabin area. Every thirty minutes a woman would come and check on them to ask if they needed any food. Lilo routinely said no and recommended Cyan against anything that they had to offer.
Cyan was unable to sleep on the train either. Normally, he wouldn't have had any problems sleeping on the train, but he was now beginning to get excited about whatever new journey he'd be on in a few hours. His mind was wide awake even if his body was sluggish.
"So, how has your adventure in Galar been so far?" Cyan asked once he decided that he couldn't sleep.
Lilo had been silently playing with a small simian Pokémon. It had a small stick in its hand and it would repeatedly beat it against Lilo's palm in a playful manner. Cyan wasn't sure, but it looked like it could have been a relatively young Pokémon.
"Well, I came here with only Decidueye and Tyranitar, and because of my status, I was able to get endorsed and accepted into the gym challenge."
"You have to get endorsed?" Cyan wondered.
"Yeah, but it was easy for me since I'm a former Elite Four member," she said. Lilo was only twelve whenever she became an Elite Four member in Alola. She was one of the youngest trainers to ever do it, and she held the title for roughly three years before dropping it to adventure outside of Alola. "I took on the eight gyms and won with no problem. Next up is a tournament called the Champion Cup. I'm currently training for it. I heard that you were doing some special training yourself, so I figured I'd invite you to Galar. The training on the Isle of Armor is intense."
Lilo was right. Cyan had been training in the Orange Islands so he could challenge the Alola League's Champion, Kaarina. He had a complicated past with the Alola League, and by challenging and defeating Kaarina, he'd be able to make everything right. His prior adventures in the Orange Islands was a way for him to slowly get back to good health, but now that he was in Galar, it was time for serious training that would take him to the next level.
"Who's your buddy?" Cyan asked while motioning to the small green Pokémon.
"Grookey!" Lilo exclaimed. "Ain't he adorable? Grookey is one of the starter Pokémon in the region, so he's relatively rare, but I got lucky and hatched him from an egg a couple of weeks ago."
Cyan lightly played with the leaves on Grookey's head. "Hello!"
The trip to Hammerlocke only took a couple of hours. The trains in Galar were similar in appearance to the ones in Kanto, but they were noticeably slower.
It was somehow cooler in Hammerlocke Station than it was in Wedgehurst's. Cyan shivered and held Vulpix closely while he followed Lilo. Hammerlocke was more industrial than Wedgehurst was, and the entirety of the station was made from iron. The two went outside momentarily, and Cyan caught a quick glimpse of what appeared to be a stadium towards the middle of the city.
But just as quickly as they had left the station, they found themselves in another.
"You said we're taking a taxi?" Cyan wondered. He didn't see any cars but rather what appeared to be carriages. On the top of one of the carriages was a large statuesque creature. It was avian in appearance and black with only its deep red eyes indicating that it was alive.
"Technically, it's a flying taxi," she said. She handed over two tickets to the portly man with light stubble on his cheeks and neck. He took a moment to stop smoking his cigarette and run the tickets through his system.
Cyan slowly approached the carriage, and the creature on top looked down, frightening him.
"Corviknight," Lilo said. "They're a bit scary, but don't be afraid. It'll be helping us out in a bit."
"Our cabbie will take you to the Isle of Armor," the man said, his voice deep and gravely. "Hands and feet in the cab at all times. No jumping or sudden movements. Wear your seatbelt. We are not legally required to be held liable if you are injured during the ride."
Cyan and Lilo were ushered into the carriage. Cyan made sure to double check that his seat belts were working. He wasn't one hundred percent sure what he was getting into, but the name 'Flying Taxi' and the giant Corviknight gave him enough hints that he'd be uncomfortable in a matter of minutes.
While another man in a green aviator suit took his position at the front of the cab, the pudgy man with the stubble pulled a lever, opening up the ceiling of the small station. The sun shone down on Corviknight, and the light reflected off of his metallic feathers. He cawed, and after getting the signal from the cabbie, he gripped tightly onto the top of the cab.
"Hold on," Lilo said.
There was a quick tug, and Corviknight's talons clanged against the metal bars of the cab. He flapped his massive wings and lifted the cab into the air. Cyan, suddenly startled by the movement, grabbed Lilo's hand and held it tightly. He closed his eyes and kept them closed while the movements of the cab were janky and erratic. Eventually, the ride became smooth, and Cyan finally gained the confidence to open his eyes.
He was blown away by the view. The Corviknight had carried them into the clouds, and he could now see Galar clearly. In the distance was the stadium that he saw before, and while he couldn't see it perfectly, it appeared like there was some kind of Pokémon battle taking place.
But they were going in the opposite direction, and Corviknight started to fly over the ocean.
"Wait, we're still in Galar, right? Where's it taking us?" Cyan asked while trying to keep his hat on his head.
Lilo pointed outwards, and as they flew through the clouds, it became clear what she was pointing at. There was a small island that appeared to be untouched by humans. There were no giant stadiums or industrial stations. Cyan saw no cars or trains, but only nature. The closer that they got, the more he could see. The island was full of beaches, a forest, a small desert area, and even a wetlands with dozens of Pokémon.
The cab slowly started to descend, passing over a giant Pokémon that swam through the ocean. Cyan recognized it as a Wailord, and he smiled, remembering his adventures through the Orange Islands.
"It's an incredible place," Lilo said.
Eventually, the cab came to a stop, and Corviknight landed it safely. The cabbie made sure that Cyan and Lilo were able to disembark with no issue. He then fed the Corviknight and then was back in the sky. They disappeared into the clouds, leaving Lilo and Cyan at the Isle of Armor's station.
"The Master Dojo is only a ten minute walk away from here. If you can make it, then you have a bed waiting for you," Lilo said with a smile on her face.
Cyan raised his arms into the air and let out a howl. "I don't need sleep! I'm awake! I'm pumped! I'm inspired! Let's train!" Vulpix jumped up and down at his side while cheering.
Lilo laughed. "That's nice, Mr. Kokura, but we should still get to the dojo. The master's wife is an excellent cook, and I'm sure you could go for a good meal."
Cyan's stomach gurgled. "Yeah. You're right."
The two left the station, immediately stepping foot on the beach where wild Pokémon roamed. Small and plump pink Pokémon took their time walking along the edge of the water. Cyan could see the Wailord in the distance, and a smile came over his face.
"I gotta catch something to commemorate my arrival in Galar!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Then we can go eat!"
Lilo checked her Pokédex and the time before nodding. "Alright. Just be quick. Why don't you go for a Slowpoke?"
"Slowpoke?" Cyan wondered. He squinted his eyes and glanced over the pink Pokémon that leisurely moved around the beach. "But I could find those in Kanto."
"Not those ones," Lilo said. "Those are Galarian Slowpoke. They're a bit different from the ones that you'll find in the East."
Cyan moved farther onto the beach and came within a few feet of one of the Slowpoke. Lilo was right. This Slowpoke's head was golden in color and the tip of the tail, which was usually white, was also gold.
"Awesome!" Cyan exclaimed. "I'm going to catch you, Slowpoke!"
"Slow?"
"That's right!" Cyan yelled. "Go, Vulpix!"
"Vulpix!" his Pokémon cried out before running onto the beach. She lowered her head and glared at the Slowpoke, who seemed to not have yet realized what was happening.
"Vulpix, use Blizzard!" Cyan ordered.
Vulpix took in a deep breath before unleashing a heavy wind from her mouth. The wind washed over the heavy Slowpoke, making it slide back on the sand. It still appeared as though it didn't know it was in a battle, but Cyan knew better to think that it shook off Vulpix's strongest attack.
But, Cyan was patient enough to let Slowpoke react. The Pokémon looked up at Vulpix and slowly a pained look came over its face. Once it realized what had happened, it's dopey expression turned into a glare. It focused, and a purple veil of energy formed over its crown. It then charged forward, blowing sand up into the air.
"Zen Headbutt!" Lilo warned.
"Block it with Dark Pulse!" Cyan instructed.
Vulpix jumped into the air before flinging a ball made of black aura at the ground. It exploded and then sent a pulse of energy across the beach. The pulse washed over Slowpoke, putting its attack to a stop. The Pokémon paused momentarily before looking up to Cyan and then slumping its body to the ground, defeated.
"Sweet!" Cyan exclaimed. He drew out a Poké Ball, adjusted his hat, and then wound up his pitch. Then threw the ball, adding in a small curve at the very end, and it connected with Slowpoke, absorbing the entirety of the Pokémon. The ball fell into the sand and started to stir, rocking back and forth repeatedly for a few seconds. Then, it let out its signature ding.
"Yatta!" Cyan yelled out while jumping up and clapping his feet together. "I did it! I caught a Slowpoke!"
Lilo sighed. "Sometimes I forget that you're still technically a kid. Let's get to the dojo. Everyone is waiting for us."
Cyan picked up the Poké Ball, letting the sunlight shine off of its metallic surface. He looked towards the ocean, observed the beach, and then back to Lilo. With a wide smile on his face, he exclaimed, "Let's go!"
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
So, I originally intended to write this story way ahead of time, but so far, this is all that I've been able to write. I'm not sure when the next chapter will come, but I hope to get it released sooner than later! Altogether, this will be 15 Chapters, and when it's over, Cyan will finally make his way back to Alola.
This is a continuation of my OC's adventure. I'm working to write this in a way that will be accessible to newer readers while also being pleasant and rewarding for returning readers. It won't be necessary for you to have read all of Cyan's stories (Awakening Alola, A Nightmare Prism, Rescue on Mount Silver, and Overcoming the Orange Islands) to understand this one. But if you have read those, then this story will be more rewarding, I guess. I recommend reading them, but they're not required.