FEARFUL OF THE NIGHT

By: Cy Mendoza

CHAPTER 3

CEREMONY

Chip's head ached as they reached the end of the trail. Up ahead, he could see the professor leaning against the ceremonial stage, laughing as he spoke to a large, dark-skinned man wearing a yellow coat not unlike the professor's. As they drew nearer, the professor spotted them and his jovial expression turned into one of shock. He and the man beside him ran over, their boots pounding against the ground.

"What happened?" the professor asked.

"We were over by the ruins," Lillie said, her voice quivering. "But the bridge broke, and…"

"The bridge to the ruins!" said the man beside the professor. He tightened his fists, then exhaled and slowly released them. There was a twinge of guilt in his eyes. "I kept meaning to put up caution tape to keep trainers off the bridge. It's so old and we've needed to replace it for years... I should have done that sooner… child, I'm so, so sorry."

"I'm okay," Chip said. His mouth felt dry. "Just a little scratched up."

"Here, let's get you back to my lab. I'll get you all bandaged up and you can rest, all right? We'll have your ceremony tomorrow," Kukui said.

"No!" Chip tensed, halting. "I want… I want to still meet my partner today. Please… you're the kahuna, aren't you?" Chip said, his voice shaking slightly.

The kahuna let out a quiet sigh. "Yes, I'm Kahuna Hala. Let's have you come into my house for a moment, and we'll clean you up. Then, we'll continue with your ceremony. No sense meeting your partner when you're covered in blood, right?"

"Yes, sir!" Chip said, his eyes shining with excitement and tears.

It took a little effort, but Chip made his way inside the kahuna's home and planted himself on a chair. He panted, looking around with tired eyes as Hala spoke in hushed whispers to the professor. Part of Chip wondered what they were talking about, but he was feeling so tired he couldn't bring himself to care. By his side, Lillie and Rotom waited, both of them looking at him with worry.

Chip slid off his bloodied shirt. Kukui and Hala worked in tandem to disinfect and bandage the wounds—mostly on his hands and arms, but there were a few on his chest too. "It's not as bad as it looked from the outside," Kukui said, flashing Chip an uncertain smile.

"Here," Hala said, holding a folded up t-shirt out to Chip. It was a golden color with stripes of white on the bottom of the shirt and the edge of the sleeves. "This is my grandson's, and he's about your size."

The shirt fit perfectly. The fabric was soft, comfortable, even if a bit worn. Chip stood up carefully, feeling the bandages straining. They circled his chest, but they couldn't be seen from the outside now that he was wearing the new shirt. Chip looked down at himself then painfully formed his hand into a thumbs up. "Thank you."

"Ouch, look at those hands," Hala said. Chip looked at his bandaged hands in dismay. "Hm. Actually, I think I may have a pair of gloves, if you'd rather those be hidden. Hold on a moment." He pulled out a pair of thin black gloves that had a slight sheen to them. Chip slowly slipped them on, feeling pain rush through his hands with every moment. "They're made of rubber, but it shouldn't be too noticeable."

"I think you look good, cousin," Kukui said.

"Thanks," Chip said. He looked at Rotom gratefully as it offered him a glass of water, and he took it, ignoring the pain in his hands as he gripped the cup and downed a couple greedy gulps from it. Now that his throat didn't feel so dry, and the pain was subsiding thanks to the ointment placed on his wounds, Chip didn't feel quite as bad as he had before. And he was certainly still looking forward to receiving his first pokemon.

"Are you sure you still want to go through with the ceremony?" Hala asked. "A little rest would do you well."

"I'm sure," Chip said, handing the empty cup back to Rotom. It quickly deposited the cup into the sink. "I need this, sir."

The kahuna gazed back at him in understanding. "Very well."

The crowd gathered slowly around the stage as the kahuna made his way onto it. Some of them spoke in hushed whispers, looking at Chip. Despite the ache in his body, a smile had made its way across his face as the kahuna stood upon the stage. The kahuna waited until everyone had fallen silent before he began to speak.

"In the presence of Tapu Koko... Chip, I give you this island challenge pendant. It shows all around you that you intend to complete the challenge and claim the Z-Crystals in the wake of your victories."

Z-Crystals? Chip didn't know what those were. They sounded powerful, though, and the island challenge sounded difficult—of course, otherwise it wouldn't be called a challenge. The kahuna crossed the stage and held out a triangle-shaped pendant to him. Chip took it cautiously, worried that if he dropped it he would be committing some sort of sacrilegious offense. Just in case, he kept the pendant tightly clutched in his hands, no matter the pain from his fingers.

"Chip," the kahuna said, snapping Chip's attention back to the ceremony. "I offer you three pokemon. With Tapu Koko's blessing, may one of them choose you as its partner. A pokemon and its trainer must choose each other if they wish to forge the strongest of bonds, as there is no partnership without mutual respect and consent."

The kahuna tossed three PokeBalls onto the stage. They popped open, and data surged from within, forming three small Pokemon that looked around curiously, blinking in the dark. There was a little green owl that fluffed its feathers as it looked at him. A black and red cat watched him, caution in its gaze. Finally, a blue seal squeaked in delight, bouncing on its tail to wave its flippers at him. Chip's gaze was drawn immediately to the friendliness of the seal, and he reached forward to place his hands on its flippers.

"Seems like Popplio has taken a liking to you, hm?" Kukui said with a laugh. Beside him, Rockruff bounced and let out a soft bark, and Rotom nodded in approval. Chip glanced back at them and smiled, then he looked at Popplio again, drawn in by the depths of its dark eyes. He felt warmth flooding through him, like dipping into a steaming bath.

A pokemon and its trainer must choose each other, Chip told himself, smiling at Popplio. It let out a little whirring noise, then dropped back down onto its flippers and stared up at him expectedly. The two locked gazes again for a moment before Popplio squeaked and clapped, then hopped up into the boy's arms. Chip caught it with a gasp, barely noticing the pain in his hands, and the audience roared in applause, much to the boy's surprise.

"I'd say Popplio has made its choice," Hala said, one hand on his hip as he watched the pokemon's reaction. This was just as he'd hoped. The bond between a trainer and their first pokemon was unlike any other, and it seemed that if Chip wanted Popplio, their bond would be unbreakable. "How about you, Chip?"

Friendship and affection oozed from Popplio, and he couldn't fathom putting the seal down and rejecting it for another. Especially since the other two were looking at him with relative disinterest. Why would he want a pokemon offering any less love and acceptance than Popplio? "I love it! Of course I'll take it. Popplio, you said?"

He held the seal out in his arms, looking at it. Popplio chirred and rubbed its ball nose against his chest. "We'll be best friends, Popplio. Forever. I promise."

"Popplio has chosen Chip, and Chip has chosen Popplio!" Hala announced to another thunderous round of applause. He pulled the PokeBalls out for the other two Pokemon, then called them back. He strode over toward Chip and held out the remaining ball, which the blond took after shifting Popplio's weight a bit into one arm. "This popplio is yours now, Chip. May you have many years of friendship ahead of you, and blessings from Tapu Koko."

Chip felt like the world was blurring around him. The only thing he could focus on was Popplio—the sound of its soft breathing, the scent of the ocean on its slick skin. Everything else was hushed around him, the roar of applause like a whisper beyond his senses, too far to hear. It felt like the world was spinning but he was somehow standing through it, clutching his partner and imagining the future they'd explore together.

Rotom glanced at the professor, and now that it seemingly was permitted to approach its user, it darted up toward Chip. It circled around him with delight, taking pictures of Popplio, Chip, and the two together. Popplio blinked at the excited ghost curiously, then curled in Chip's arms a little, wary. "This izzz so great, Chip! I think you are going to do fantastically on the island challenge, zzt!"

"Honestly?" Chip said, unable to hide a smile. The pain had disappeared for the moment as his brain was riding the high of the ceremony, as well as bonding with his new partner.

"Cross my circuitzzz," Rotom said, trying to make a thumbs up with its arm. Chip looked at the attempt and laughed, then offered his own thumbs up, much to Rotom's delight. He gave Rotom a gentle pat on the arm and followed the professor, who was watching him from the edge of the pathway south. Lillie stood behind him, gripping her bag. But unlike the way she usually looked, Lillie actually seemed content, happy even. A smile was on her face as she regarded Chip and Popplio.

"I'm so happy for you, Chip," Lillie said. The delight in her green eyes was genuine. "You've chosen such a wonderful partner—ah, you've both chosen such a wonderful partner!" She smiled at Popplio, which barked back at her and clapped its fins.

"Come on, now," the professor said, waving both of them toward the pathway. "I really want Chip to take a rest now that he's gotten his partner. You can use my bed for the time being—I don't mind sleeping on the cot in the basement for a night. Lord knows I should be closer to my work anyway."

Chip looked at him in alarm. "I couldn't do that. It's your bed."

"And you need a stable, comfortable place to rest. If it bothers you, just know you're not inconveniencing me one bit. Now, come on."

Chip didn't know what he'd done to deserve all this kindness, but it rattled him to the core. The people he'd found himself with were such selfless individuals, caring for anyone who came across their path. He truly was blessed by Tapu Koko. He had a kind and caring mentor in Kukui, a sweet friend in Lillie, a reliable companion in Rotom, and a beloved partner in Popplio. What more could he ask for?

"I'm glad to see you're not mad at me anymore," Chip said, walking alongside Lillie.

She looked at him with alarm. "I was never angry at you. I just… I have to be careful with who sees Nebby. I… I mean Cosmog."

"Cosmog? Is that the name of it?" Chip asked.

"Let me check! Let me check!" Rotom called out in excitement, buzzing in front of the two. It looked at Lillie, who puffed out her cheeks and slowly undid the zipper to the bag. White eyes peeked out, as well as a little mouth formed into an 'o' of surprise. Rotom delightedly scanned the pokemon, then a picture of it showed up on its screen. "Cosmog: the nebula pokemon. Its body is made up of gasses, making it frail. Its origin izzz unknown, though many speculate it might have come from outer space, or some other dimension. … Zrrr… Some other dimension… what'zzz that mean?"

"I think it means you've been watching too many sci-fi movies," Chip said, poking the center of Rotom's screen where the picture of Cosmog appeared. The ghost giggled and twirled in a circle. "Cosmog's a cool pokemon. If it's frail I can understand why you'd want to protect it. I'd do anything to keep Popplio safe."

Lillie smiled at his words. "I'm usually not that fond of pokemon trainers, but I can tell you love your popplio already."

"Why don't you like trainers?" Chip asked.

"They make their pokemon fight. I don't like seeing pokemon get hurt," she said, her gaze hardening as she looked down at her feet.

"Most pokemon like to fight, zzt," Rotom said. Popplio nodded in agreement. "Pokemon usually want to get stronger. Fighting and practicing their skillzzz is how they do that."

"Do you like to fight?" Chip asked.

Rotom frowned, as if perplexed by the question. "No… I wazzzn't born to fight."

Chip wasn't sure if that meant Rotom was more focused on its task of doling out PokeDex information, or it wasn't fond of fighting in general. Rotom had never showed any interest in battle, so he figured pokemon just had different priorities. "I imagine the professor would be very disappointed if you fought in that PokeDex, anyway…"

Rotom waved one arm. "That izzz a good point."

"I would be! Because you'll break the PokeDex, and it's one of a kind. Oak bred a very docile rotom for a reason," Kukui called from a couple yards ahead of them. He had his hands on his hips, a slight smile on his face as he waited for the others to catch up.

When they arrived at the lab, the professor showed Chip a door beneath the loft. "My room is right under the loft, through this doorway. Make yourself at home, okay? I feel an all-nighter coming anyway—there's some research I wanted to finish up before I went to sleep today, but that plan's been kinda blown out of the water by your arrival. Not to mean I'm not happy you're here, of course."

"Thanks professor," Chip said, hesitating at the entrance to the room. "Guess I'll see you both tomorrow?"

"Sleep well," Lillie said with a little wave. She offered him a small smile, then moved around the outside of the room until she reached the loft ladder. A moment later, she disappeared up it.

"Get some rest, cousin," Kukui said. "When you wake up tomorrow, I'll give you an adventure pack, okay? Then you can start training your popplio to take on the first island challenge trial."

"Sounds great! Thank you!" Chip grinned, wondering what an adventure pack was. He slipped into the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Much to his surprise, the professor's room wasn't a nest of chaos. It looked like Lillie regularly cleaned in there, as the sheets were carefully folded, and the bed had been made recently. All the professor's clothes were neatly lined up in the closet, and the hamper was empty. Maybe she had done laundry recently. The wallpaper was a pale yellow color, and the professor had different rocks sitting on shelves, as well as a myriad of books scattered around in neatly stacked piles. As he looked closer, they even appeared to be alphabetized.

Popplio hopped onto the bed and clapped its fins with a giggle. It then nosed its way under the rock-themed comforter, then peeked out at Chip, blinking. Chip laughed, unrolling a brown blanket from the foot of the bed and tossing it over the seal. Rotom floated over, picking up one end of the blanket to look under it, then yelped in surprise when a spurt of water hit it in the face. "Don't! Don't! Zzt! I'm not waterproof!"

"Calm down, you're fine," Chip said, plopping onto the bed. He reached to pull Rotom over toward him, setting the ghost in his lap. He gently wiped the water off with one end of the blanket until the whole PokeDex surface was dry again. "See?"

"Zrrr," Rotom murmured. "I'm still not waterproof."

Popplio snickered, peeking its head out from under the blanket again. Rotom saw the way the seal was looking at it and squeaked, floating out of Chip's lap until it was a reasonable distance away from Popplio. This was much to the seal's pleasure, as it was thrilled an electric pokemon was wary of it instead of the other way around.

Chip glanced up as he heard the sound of Lillie's footsteps on the ceiling, then climbed into the bed beside Popplio. Now that he was laying down, crushing exhaustion from the evening hit him all at once. It was difficult keeping his eyes open, but he snuggled into the blankets until he found the perfect position to rest in. Rotom landed on the nightstand, looking at Chip and Popplio for a long couple of moments before its arms disappeared and it leaned against the nightstand lamp. Its eyes closed quickly after.

"Goodnight, Chip," Rotom murmured.

"G'night, Rotom," Chip said, then snuggled closer to Popplio. "And night, Popplio."

The seal let out a quiet coo, curling in the boy's arms. As Chip leaned over to turn the light off, the entire room was drenched in darkness. Rotom opened its eyes slightly and looked at the boy and his partner curled together and watched them slowly drift off to sleep—practically at the same time, as if their minds were melded already through their bond. The ghost felt a twinge of loneliness, but quickly pushed it away. Rotom wasn't meant for that life, and it knew it. There was no point in feeling jealous over something it was never meant to have.

A/N: What are you looking forward to seeing most from Sun and Moon's plotline? Comment below and let me know!