Track 27 - Somewhere Over the Rainbow
After Leinani's victory against Tanium, she decided to spend a little bit more time on Melemele Island to get in some easy training. She had no issue with taking it easy after her victory. She didn't want to throw her Pokémon into yet another intense battle without some relaxation and then proper training.
This brought the two to a beach nearby Route 1. Kaiko buried himself in the sand alongside Togedemaru while Leinani played with her Pokémon. Sandshrew still disliked the water, so he made sure to keep a good distance away from it while Charjabug, Sandygast, and Wishiwashi all swam around. Sandygast would occasionally try to sneak her way back onto the shore to scare everyone, but it was obvious that the moving black sand was her. Rowlet rested on Leinani's head, and she was somehow able to keep balance although Leinani swam around.
Leinani looked at Kaiko, finding a black spot near him. She assumed that it was Sandygast, preparing to try another scare. Seeing as how relaxed Kaiko was, he wasn't ready for it. However, Sandygast never came from the black spot. Instead, it remained still, which confused Leinani. She watched on before Sandygast emerged from the sand on the other side of the beach, managing to startle Sandshrew.
"Kai," Leinani said. "There's something to your right."
Kaiko turned his head, and then the black spot suddenly disappeared. He jolted up and rubbed the back of his head. "It was nothing! It was just my sock!"
"Well, which was it?" Leinani wondered, slowly coming out of the water. "I saw it move around. What are you hiding?"
"N-nothing, Leilei! What are you hiding?"
Leinani paused. "Alright, you're being weird. Seriously, what's up?" She stood over him and tried to get a look at whatever it was that made the black spot before.
"I promise! It was nothing!"
Leinani put her hands on her hips, sighed, and then lunged forward. She pulled Kaiko from the ground and held him into the air. "I don't like secrets, Kai! You know that much! I'll pound you if you don't tell me what it was!"
"I said it was just my sock!"
"You don't wear socks!"
Then, the ground slightly shifted, and the black spot emerged at Leinani's feet. Marshadow materialized, grabbed Leinani by her right ankle, and without any more warning, flipped her, forcing her to drop Kaiko. She hit the sand hard, and her Pokémon all leaped into action, racing towards the Dark-type Pokémon.
"What was that?!" Leinani said while coughing up sand.
Marshadow didn't sink back into its shadow, instead opting to take a position in front of Kaiko, hoping to defend him from Leinani and her Pokémon.
"Stop! Stop!" Kaiko screeched."This is Marshadow! It's my friend! It's a mythical Pokémon! Some people were chasing it awhile back, and I've been protecting it since then!"
Leinani raised her eyebrow. "And you didn't tell me that you just so happened to befriend a mythical Pokémon?! What's wrong with you?!"
"Marshadow told me not to tell you."
"It can talk?!"
"It can't talk," Kaiko said. "But, I can read its emotions. It's hard to explain. It can read my emotions too. We're friends. I just wanted to protect it."
"What are you protecting a mythical Pokémon from?" Leinani asked, now getting in closer to observe Marshadow.
"I mean, I don't know if it needs protection. But, it definitely needs a friend!" Kaiko exclaimed. "To be honest, I suspect that the Aether Foundation is after it. When we first met, there were some people posing as Team Skull members, but I don't know if I buy it. Plus, when we went to the Aether Paradise, there was some sketchy stuff and Marshadow was really nervous. I'm afraid of what will happen if they get a hold of Marshadow."
Leinani got even closer. "Ya know, it's kind of cute. Kaiko, I'm proud of you. You made a friend."
"You're not mad at m-"
Leinani then flipped Kaiko and twisted his wrist before putting her knee into his neck. "But if you ever lie to me again, I'll rip your arms off and beat you with them!"
Kaiko had been thrown around hundreds of times, and this time was no different. Had he wanted to escape and then throw Leinani, he knew that he could. However, that would inevitably just lead to a bigger fight, and he wanted to avoid that.
"What about when you lied to me?" he asked.
Leinani loosened her grip and then stood up. "What do you mean?"
Kaiko stood up and brushed the sand off of his body. "Your first battle. You lied to me about your first battle. You had it without telling me."
Leinani was unsure of what Kaiko was talking about, but after a few seconds, she remembered. Kaiko was so eager to watch her first battle, but then she ended up battling against Enoka in secret at the Lake of the Sunne and Moone. How Kaiko knew about it, she had no idea.
"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."
"Yes, you do! When I was in the meadows, you had a battle! I don't know with who, but you had one! Your Pokémon were in rough condition. At least, that's what I heard from Nurse Joy."
That snitch, Leinani thought. She sighed. "I'm sorry for lying to you. I didn't think it was that big of a deal. But this! This is a big deal, Kai! We could be putting ourselves in danger."
"I guess I didn't think of it like that."
"Clearly!"
"But, I still want to help it! It wants to get home, and I think we can guide it there!"
"Where is its home?"
"I… Don't… Know."
Leinani paused and pinched the brim of her nose. "You're so annoying. Fine, we'll help out your friend. Marshimmer?"
"Shadow."
"Shadowshimmer. Got it."
Kaiko groaned and then watched as Marshadow sunk back into its shadow once again. The Pokémon warned him that there was someone new on the beach, and Kaiko frantically looked around. He found a teenage girl standing on the rocks, looking at the two and laughing.
"What's so funny?" Leinani asked. The girl appeared to be quite a few years older than Leinani, but she wasn't afraid. In fact, her blood was pumping for more action.
"I just enjoy a little sibling quarrel," the girl said. She wore short shorts and a blue tank top. On her head was a baseball cap with a logo that neither Leinani nor Kaiko recognized. She got off of the rocks and walked closer to them, observing their Pokémon. "Your Pokémon look pretty strong and healthy. You've done a good job raising them."
"What's it to you? They're not for sale," Leinani snapped, always assuming that anyone who complimented her wanted something.
"It's nothing to me. I just enjoy seeing strong Pokémon," she answered. "My name is Aoi, by the way. It's nice to meet you."
Leinani squinted her eyes to truly examine the girl. It then came to her who she was talking to, and momentarily, she was filled with rage. "You're Aoi? You're the girl who replaced Lilo as an Elite Four member!"
Aoi laughed and then slightly bowed. "I guess you can say that."
"I mean no disrespect," Leinani started, "But I absolutely can't stand that. Lilo was one of my favorite trainers."
Aoi sighed. "Well, everyone has fans."
"But not only that, but you're not even from Alola. You're from Kanto. What right do you have to hold an Elite Four position in Alola?" Leinani snapped.
Kaiko was uneasy. He didn't care who were the Elite Four members, just so long as they did a good job. "Leilei, maybe-"
"I get what you're saying. But in fact, my grandma is from Alola. I know that doesn't make me from Alola, but it's in my blood. And I'm going to do my best to make sure that the Elite Four is to be respected," Aoi said. "I was entrusted with the position for a reason."
"I challenge you to a battle!" Leinani exclaimed. "And when I beat you, I'll take your place."
"You shouldn't do that," Kaiko said. "Leinani, you know that she's incredibly strong."
Leinani glared. "I don't care! Battle me!"
Did she learn nothing about manners from Tanium? Kaiko wondered.
Aoi's unease transformed into a smile. She nodded and then drew out a Poké Ball. "Alright. Any of your Pokémon against my partner. How about it?"
Leinani looked at her team, eyeing Wishiwashi, who could battle because of the beach setting. "I choose Mixtape." She pointed at her Pokémon.
"Perfect for me. Lazuli, go!" Aoi said while throwing her Poké Ball into the ocean. It exploded open, and large Lapras emerged. "I'm actually hoping to be a Water-type Elite Four member. The team that I'm developing needs the water to battle, so this will be good practice."
She nicknames her Pokémon? What a nerd! Leinani thought. "Mixtape, transform!"
Wishiwashi started to panic, and energy surrounded him, transforming him into his larger form. He was now a little bit bigger than Lapras, but Aoi's Pokémon wasn't afraid.
Water versus water; I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do, but we'll make do with what we have! Leinani thought. "Use Aqua Tail!"
Wishiwashi quickly made his way down to attack Lapras. He swung his body around, generating a wave of aquatic energy.
"Lower your head!" Aoi ordered.
Wishiwashi crashed into Lapras, but no matter how strong his attack was, it did nothing to the more experienced Pokémon.
"Blizzard!"
With Wishiwashi as close as he was, there was zero chance that Lapras would miss. She howled, unleashing a blisteringly cold waft of air from her mouth. It blasted into Wishiwashi and launched him from the water and onto the shore of the beach. He transformed back into his smaller form, and instead of flopping around helplessly, he instead laid limp.
Leinani withdrew her Pokémon and then tucked away her Dive Ball. She glared at Aoi, who was lost in thought. "I know I can beat you!"
That knocked Aoi from her train of thoughts, and she nodded. "Go ahead and choose your next Pokémon in that case."
Leinani clenched her fists. "Fine! DJ, go! Use Razor Leaf!"
DJ flew from Leinani's head and then started to twist her body around, generating leaves of green energy.
"Waterfall!" Aoi commanded.
In a feat that Leinani didn't imagine was possible, Lapras took into the air, riding a wave of water. She rammed her body into the leaves from Rowlet's attack, destroying them completely. And then she followed by slamming Rowlet. Once again, all it took was one attack, and then Leinani's Pokémon fainted. Leinani caught Rowlet from the air and held her close.
"Would you like to continue?" Aoi asked, genuinely eager to continue the battle.
"No thank you," Leinani said. "You've proven your point. I hate it, but here we are anyway."
Aoi nodded and then withdrew her Lapras. "I look forward to our eventual rematch. I think that with some extra training and a lot of devotion, you could very well challenge the Elite Four someday."
Leinani didn't know how to respond.
Aoi approached her while reaching into the back pocket of her shorts. She drew out a blue crystal and smiled. "Since I'm using a team that works in water, I've been given a couple of Waterium Z. You have your Wishiwashi, so I think that one of these will be helpful."
Leinani was in shock. Up until that point, she hadn't realized it, but Aoi had remained calm through the entire process. Even though Leinani had been rude to her, Aoi never seemed to let it bother her. And as much as she didn't want to admit it, she respected Aoi for using a Pokémon that was forced to stay in the water.
Aoi handed out the crystal, and Leinani hesitantly took it.
"You're gonna be a great trainer one day," Aoi said. "I can see that fire in your eyes. Don't ever let that fire die." Aoi looked past the two and up a hill where a figure was waving her over. "Looks like dinner is ready. It was great to meet you. Do your best! I'll be watching."
Leinani didn't look back while Kaiko watched Aoi run off. Leinani simply stared at the crystal in her hand. She was unsure of what to make of everything that just happened, but she knew that she wouldn't take Aoi's words lightly. She'd use the Z-Crystal, and she'd win the Manalo Conference.
She looked at Kaiko and then at his shadow. There was a lot for them to do, and now with the new addition to their band, things were sure to get a bit crazier. She walked to her small portable stereo and turned up the volume, letting a soft tune with a ukulele resonate over the beach. She smiled at Kaiko, tucked away the crystal, and then looked out into the ocean.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Sorry for the delay in chapters. I'm gonna try to get back into writing this week. I'm hoping to spend half of my writing time working on my actual book and the other half working on fanfiction. Until I feel like getting into full-blown writing, I won't be posting up as regularly as I was before.
Also, I'm not sure if my writing is as good as it was before, but I just need to get back into the rhythm of things.
REVIEWS:
CrescentApple - "For a moment I thought Charjabug was going to evolve in the soil. That little distraction to grab Bisharp's leg was dead clever. I thought that was the end for Leilani. I couldn't figure Tanium out. It's like they were purposely messing with Leilani more to see how she would react during battle. This definitely felt more psychological haha" - Pretty much every battle that Leinani has had to do has been psychological. It's not just a test of skills.
SceptileBlade - "The battle itself was fun to read. They actually managed to interrupt the Z-Move, like it was focus punch or something." - I definitely feel like it's possible if it's in a real-world setting.
wisdom-jewel - "Tanium seems to know about the bond between the trainer and their Pokemon. Leinaini still has some ways to go with bonding. I'm guessing Tanium knows about it." - I think Tanium is definitely pretty tuned into the feelings of Pokemon and their trainers, so you're not wrong there.
