"Ridiculous," you tell your little sister as you continue washing dishes at the kitchen sink. She's returned home all excited and even a little frightened to tell you this tale. It's one you've heard before, having grown up here, but you suppose it's her turn to learn of it. "Of course Po Town isn't cursed. It's just... abandoned. It never stops raining there so people eventually left the town."

Alana looks at you with all the indignation a thirteen-year-old can muster. "It's no more ridiculous than all the books you read!"

"The difference is, I know those are books."

She crosses her arms in a way that suddenly reminds you of your mother. Whereas you had been told you had inherited the beauty of your grandmother on your father's side, your sister grew to look more and more like your mom every day. Certain expressions would bring it out more, like the one she has now. Alana continues, "You used to be so much more fun. Don't tell me you're finally becoming an actual boring adult."

"Me? Never."

"I dunno. The only thing you dream about any more is that library in Malie."

"Is that so bad? Better than believing some story I heard at school. 'If you act as beasts then beasts you will be?' It's not even a good poem. Which one of your friends made that one up, huh?"

"It was Teresa's grandma, actually. You used to love stories like this. Sometimes it's like - it's like there's no magic left in you."

"Ah yes, well, apparently it was replaced by bitter adulthood," you say splashing her a bit with water from the sink.

Alana wipes at the water, rolling her eyes, and leaves you to finishing the dishes.

But the "magic" as Alana had called it, does feel like it's left you in many ways. You're pretty sure it left with your parents on the night they both passed away. Suddenly you were no longer just "sister," but "parent" too. You were already technically an adult when this happened, but you were surprised to find just how much more growing you had left to do when you suddenly found your sister in your sole care.

The "magic" Alana speaks of, is many things. It's hope, it's child-like wonder, it's the ability to dream a little outside the realm of possibility and have the faith that those dreams just might come true. And as the years go on, and your struggles continue, the magic continues to fade. You cling to bits of it, fearful of how dreary life would be without it, but you often find it slipping through your fingers. Except, that is, when you're reading a good book. It's why you love to read and write as much as you do. It's why you had hopes of one day being a librarian at Malie library; perhaps writing your own books on the side. There's only one place where the magic is still good and strong, and it's between the covers of the numerous books you're always reading.

But your sister is different. She's growing older, but she's yet to lose her wonder, even with all she's been through. She's stubborn, headstrong, and even troublesome at times. Raising her was not always a task you were prepared for. She could be unpredictable and, you worry, a little too gullible, like truly believing Po Town houses a gang that turn into beasts as night. You shake your head a bit. Someday she'd learn to distinguish between reality and fairytale. Maybe someday she'd limit her escapism to books too.

You also can't help but feel sympathy for your younger sibling. She doesn't get to grow up with a set of parents like her friends and classmates. It's hard not to feel like outsiders when living in a village full of families, while yours only contains two people. Tapu village is small and boring. You know the two of you stick out. You know there's gossip, both good and bad about you and what you've done right and done wrong in raising Alana. Everyone has an opinion and too much time on their hands.

Time was not something you had a lot of. You were currently holding down two jobs trying to support the both of you and give your sister some semblance of the kind of life you had growing up. Neither job paid all that well and you did not enjoy either. As they took up more and more of your time and energy, the dream of one day moving to Malie and becoming a librarian becomes more and more distant.

You did your best to put on a happy face for Alana, but the two of you were not leading anything remotely resembling a charmed life. No wonder the magic was fading.

As you dry your hands after finishing the dishes, there's a knock at the door. You know who it is before you even answer. Speaking of magic fading...

He's your boyfriend. Well, sorta. Maybe. Mostly. Close enough anyway. He's ok. Garret is everything you should want. Or, so you've been told. He's handsome enough, and he's the current champion of the island challenge. He's tall, broad, and imposing, with impeccably kept dark hair and the sharpest jawline you've ever seen. True, you know other girls in the village are jealous that he's decided to spend his time on you, but you can't help but find him a little, well, boring. And a little full of himself. But like so much of your life, you were trying to learn to settle. What chance did you have of leaving the village and finding someone else anyway. Garret was good enough. Great even... if you could get past the bragging, boasting, and general disregard for anyone who isn't himself.

You open the door and he's immediately inside already going on about the challengers he faced that day while defending his title and how they didn't stand a chance against the likes of him. "And that's it!" he says. "Just one good ZAP! Just one thunderbolt and that Primarina goes down! Ha, you should have seen the kid cry. Just puddles and puddles of tears. Must have really worked hard to get to me but - hey are you listening? This is the best part! The kid was bawling!"

You nod absentmindedly.

Garret continues. "And then there was this girl - and get this - she couldn't even take out one of my Pokemon! I knocked out all six of hers just with my Incineroar! Ha, guess no one's ever been champion like Garret, huh?"

"Guess not. So today I -"

"Wait, wait, babe," he interrupts you. "You gotta hear this next one!"

He continues, ignoring your small sigh of frustration. Garret was never interested in hearing about your day, why would today be any different?

There's another knock at the door, and Alana comes flying into the room, rushing past you to answer it. Two of her friends from school are there; a boy and a girl you recognize as Teresa and Adam. "Are you ready to go?" Teresa asks her.

Garret is still going on about beating down challengers, not noticing that you are no longer paying attention and are instead focused on your younger sister's conversation. "Go where?" you ask the three teenagers.

All three look a bit sheepish for a moment, then Alana defiantly meets your gaze. "We're going to Po Town," she says.

"Alana, no you are not."

"Why not? Even you said the stories aren't true!"

"It's getting late, it's a school night, and there's probably other dangers in an abandoned town besides fairytale beasts."

"We won't be gone long! Please, please just let me go."

"No, Alana!"

"But-"

"You're not going to change my mind on this."

Alana falls silent. "Just go," she mutters to her friends. The two reluctantly retreat. When they're gone, Alana takes the door and slams it as hard as she can.

"Alana!," you yell, surprised.

She storms past you, a whirlwind of teenage fury and frustration.

"Alana, wait!"

She turns, her face twisted in anger. "Just leave me alone! I don't even know you anymore! You're nothing like you used to be! You're an awful sister, and an even worse mother!"

You're put into stunned silence at her words as she continues on her way up the stairs and to her room, slamming that door as well.

"Hmm," says Garret behind you then. "Yikes."

You put an anxious hand to the side of your face. You were still fairly young yourself; how could you be expected to raise a teenager? You thought about what you would want in this situation at Alana's age. You decide to give her some space.

You're sitting with Garret having coffee now. You're not a fan of coffee. You don't hate it either, you just kind of put up with the taste. It's a lot like Garret in that way. Coffee is his favorite, but yours? You're partial to Tapu Cocoa, which Garret wouldn't touch, so coffee it is. He's telling the story of how he became champion for the millionth time because, "you love it so much, babe." You did not love it, and by this point you could almost recite the story word for word. It's a dull night, but you suppose it beats being alone.

As Garret continues, your mind wanders to Alana. You haven't heard a peep from her upstairs. Was she not getting hungry? Was she not any less angry? It's been hours now. Should you check on her? You offer Garret shortbread cookies to go with his coffee and make your way to Alana's room while he's distracted.

You knock on the door. There's no answer. "Alana?" you call.

But she says nothing.

"Alana, please. Come get something to eat."

Again there is no answer.

"You can't stay in there forever. Will you please talk to me?"

Silence.

"Alana, I'm coming in!"

But when you open the door, there's no one there. Instead you see an open window and the night breeze gently rustling the curtains. You run to the window and look out. There's finger prints and shoe prints in the dust and dirt on the rain gutter going down the side of the house. You suddenly regret showing her how to climb down the gutter all those years ago when you were younger and you both shared this room.

From the open window you suddenly hear yelling and crying outside. It's loud, panicked, and desperate. Neighbors are coming out of their houses to see what the commotion is. One of the voices you recognize as Alana's. Cursing, you leave the window, and run back down the stairs to the front door.

When you open it, there are Alana, Teresa, and Adam. All three are soaking wet, muddy, ragged, and crying.

"Alana!" you yell as she rushes into your arms.

"I'm sorry!" she wails. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! They took him! They took him and we have to get him back!"

Neighbors have gathered around the scene, murmuring. You try to ignore them and focus on your distressed sister. "Who took who?"

"Team skull!" she shouts, earning a couple gasps from the gathered. "The beasts! They took my Yungoos. It's real!"

"You went to Po Town?"

"I know you said not to go but I did and you have to get him back!" She's in hysterics.

"It's true!" Adam yells. Looking up, you see the other two teens are with their parents now. They had also emerged to see what the drama was, and look a little mortified that their children were apart of it as well.

"I - I don't know what you saw, but I'm sure it wasn't beasts," you say, though doubt has started to creep into your mind now.

"Please!" Alana says. "We have to get Yungoos back!"

Her Yungoos had been her companion since she was very young. If he has been taken, you know there won't be peace until Alana has him back. "Alright, alright. I'll go find your Yungoos," you tell her, hoping that will calm her wailing. Part of you wants to go just to set your mind at ease that there really are no beasts lurking in Po Town.

But what if there are? You look to your neighbors. "Anyone want to go with me?"

There's more murmurs and the shaking of heads. "We don't go to Po Town," says Teresa's mother. Clearly the parents of the other two had been unaware of the teen's travels as well.

You turn to Garret, who'd come to stand behind you. He shrugs. "Like she said, we don't go to Po Town," he repeats.

It was a phrase you'd heard occasionally growing up, but you certainly didn't put much stock in it after becoming an adult. How could anyone? Their resoluteness puts more doubt in your mind. Could it really be that dangerous? No. No it couldn't, it was just an abandoned town. The three kids probably saw some wild Pokemon, got spooked, and ran away. Fine then. You'd go alone; prove to yourself and everyone that there was nothing in Po Town. And better to go now, before anything happens to your sister's Yungoos.

You reach into your pocket for a Pokeball and call out your Mudsdale. You climb on saying, "I won't be gone long. Garret, watch Alana."

"Well, you are in for a treat!" he tells Alana. "Come inside and I'll tell you how I made several challengers cry today."

Alana gives you a pleading look as she's lead inside by Garret.

You give her a gentle smile, then you're off in the direction of the abandoned town, eager to get your sister's pokemon and show everyone just how harmless Po Town is.