Heahea City was different than Hau'oli City. It was less focused on grandeur but more focused on subtleties. Every building had some kind of plant life in front or off to the side of it. The buildings also looked more fitting for a tropical city.
Off to the North I saw this large white building. Kukui told me it was Tide Song Hotel. He got us a room for the night.
As we got off the boat a woman by the name of Olivia met us. She introduced herself to us as the Kahuna of Akala Island. She told us that Kukui had mentioned us to her a couple days ago and she was desperate to meet the kid who "Gained the respect of Tapu Koko."
I thought it was absurd that she would want to meet me.
"It's very rare for a Guardian to acknowledge someone. Especially a child. The last child to be acknowledged by a Guardian was special."
"Olivia," Kukui warned. I looked over to him confused but he just smiled. Caleb looked confused too.
"Ah Kukui, worry not. Our legends will speak of him more than I ever could." She chuckles as she brushes her short black hair away from her eye. "Anyways, I hope I can look forward to facing your two. You'll want to go Lana's in Brooklet Hill. Just look for the short girl with blue hair."
She winked at Kukui, who was still on the boat, and left.
"Alright guys. You two go enjoy the city. Meet some people and catch some Pokemon. Brooklet Hill is to the North."
And just like that Caleb and I were left on our own. It was exciting and a bit nerve-wracking, but I was ready for it.
"Oi, give me that Pokemon now!" someone screams.
"Yo, I'ma break yo face if you don't get out of my space," I hear another yell.
Caleb and I quickly rush over to where we hear the commotion. It's right by the Pokemon Center. There is a Pokemon I've never seen before.
"Mudbray," my Pokedex says.
Team Skull Grunts are standing in front of this man and his Mudbray.
"Go Rowlet!" I yell.
Caleb looks at me and sends out his Meowth.
"Get out of here you thugs!," I bark at the two grunts. One of them turns his head, looks at me, and snickers.
"Yo, you see this punk. I think he wants to battle."
The other Grunt turns around and grabs his Pokeball.
"Oi, nothing but a bunch of wee little shits competin' in some stupid challenge. We got dis."
Can he shut up?
He sends out a Drowzee while the other sends out a Pikipek. The reminder of what Team Skull did back in Iki Town screams in the back of my head. I can feel the blood in my veins immediately warm. My nostrils are flaring.
"Yo, we gonna rock'em in the..."
Rowlet headbutts the Pikipek unexpectedly sending the Pikipek into the face of the Skull grunt. With my demand, he then uses razor leaf on Drowzee. The attack takes the annoying grunts by surprise.
Caleb doesn't let them off the hook and tells his Meowth to use Bite on Drowzee. Drowzee is left discombobulated from the two attacks.
One of the grunts finally fights back. "Pikipek use Aerial Ace."
The attack hits Rowlet, but Rowlet is only enraged.
"This is for Rockruff. Rowlet, Headbutt!"
The Headbutt knocks Drowzee out after it crashes into the sign nearby. One of the grunts looks at the other and shakes his head. He returns his Drowzee to its ball and runs. The other calls back it's Pikipek and runs off too.
I wanted to follow them so badly, but I didn't.
The man thanked us and told us to come to the Malasada Restaurant later. He works there and will give us malasada on the house.
I don't know what I said to him. I don't know what other people were saying to us. I was blinded by my anger. Seeing those grunts triggered me. They ran. Again. They are cowards.
I just kept staring off in the distance until Caleb placed a hand on my shoulder. He looked at me with a concerned look.
"They'll pay eventually, Cam." His thumb slowly went over the backside of my shoulder before he removed his hand. I took a deep breath as Skitty looked up at me. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
We continued to walk through the city and wondered what we should do. We were both pretty tired but that's just cause we got up early. We could go to the hotel, check in, and take a nap. Or we could continue to Route 4.
Our decision was made for us when Lana appeared with her golden blonde hair. She said she had to make a quick run back here after completing a trial on Ula'Ula island. Apparently she has family here.
She was on her way back to Ula'Ula island when she ran into us.
"You guys need to go to Route 4. Go pad up your Pokedex over there." Then she looked at Caleb and said, "You could use a 3rd Pokemon."
I look at him and then down at his waist and only see 2 Pokeballs. It was safe to assume he had Popplio and Meowth since he just used Meowth.
"What happened to Cutiefly?"
"I left it with my mom. She adored the Pokemon." His faced dulled. "I guess it was her Rockruff."
The words were left our there in the middle of us causing the mood to sullen. Lana seemed uncomfortable.
"Listen you two. Get a room and hold each other, okay?"
My cheeks warmed.
"Don't be so rude, okay? Not our fault we have a soul."
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Oh just go to Route 4, you baby. I'll smell ya later." She winked at me and left.
"I don't like her," I say to Caleb. He just shrugs.
Route 4 had a lot of new Pokemon. There were Eevee, Jigglypuff, Yungoos, Grubbin, Lillipup, and Mudbray. I got myself a Mudbray and Caleb got himself a Grubbin.
He was more excited for his Grubbin than I was for Mudbray and I was pretty excited. It's always great to have a new Pokemon. As we reached the end of Route 4 a woman wearing a large straw hat walked by us with 6 Miltanks.
The lady saw us with our Pokemon and approached us.
"Howdy, youngins. How's your day goin?"
"Good. We just came from Melemele Island," Caleb responded.
"Oh, you boys out on your Island Challenge, aye? I'm Sandy. Welcome to Akala Island."
She had such a bright smile and personality that I couldn't help but be overcome with positivity.
"Why don't you two come to the ranch with me and my Miltanks?"
Caleb looked at me and nodded. We then proceeded to look at Sandy and nod simultaneously.
Paniola Ranch it was called. There were Tauros and Miltank's everywhere. It was a large ranch divided up into several sections. There were a few farm houses in the area, the largest being the one in front of us where Sandy is walking towards.
She welcomes us into her home, a home she shares with her parents. She tells us to let our Pokemon out of their Pokeballs so we do just that. Then she places a plate of biscuits and a jug of milk in front of us.
"This is our finest Moomoo Milk. Please enjoy."
She hands a biscuit to Skitty, who doesn't feel like he should get up and approach me for one. She rubs his head gently as he eats the biscuit.
"You coulda gotten up on the table for a biscuit you lazy bum," I say to Skitty.
Skitty yawns and lays back down as Caleb and Sandy laugh.
After a few laughs and stories told, Sandy's dad comes in urgently and asks for Sandy to come help. We aren't sure what to do when they both leave because we weren't exactly invited but we decided to go out and follow anyways.
When we get outside we hear a mysterious noise come from behind the house towards the open field. As we approach the field the noise gets louder and louder. We're unsure what is the source of the noise until we see Sandy and her dad with a Miltank. Sandy is currently rubbing the back of a Miltank.
The sound that we were hearing was coming from Miltank.
"Oh this poor girl. She hasn't been the same in recent days."
"What happened?" Caleb asked as he approached Miltank. I stayed back, afraid.
"Darn Team Skull thugs came'n here and caused a straight ruckus. Milly here was traumatized and hasn't been able to produce milk."
Of course it is those wretched Skull shits. Damn them.
Caleb looked behind me and immediately noticed how angry I was. "They caused trouble back at home too." Caleb looked down and took a deep breath. "Um, they caused a fire in a home which led to a Rockruff dying."
A gasp exited Sandy.
"Golly, nothing more devastating than a poor lil Pokemon dying so viciously. I hope he received a good send off from you folks."
"He did," Caleb said.
Sandy's father, who has been awfully quiet finally spoke up. "They aught to get a proper kick in the ass I say." His voice was rough, unlike his daughter. He huffed and walked away leaving us.
"It's okay, Milly. Just relax."
Sandy explained how if a Miltank doesn't produce milk it could cause pressure in the stomach. Hence the pain Miltank is exuding.
Caleb got closer to Miltank and and rubbed it's head. Milly groaned in displeasure until Caleb rubbed it again. He seemed relaxed as he rubbed Milly between her eyes.
Milly began to relax, allowing Caleb to pet her.
As Milly relax she began to produce milk. Sandy rushed to get buckets, almost left flabbergasted in shock that Caleb was able to help.
Caleb smiled when Sandy and I looked at him.
"She was crazed because strangers came into her home and terrorized her. Having people she knew pet her or whatever wasn't good enough when she thinks a stranger will just come in at any time and hurt her. She needed to see a stranger that was nice. Trust."
Sandy looked at him dumbfounded and then cackled.
"Well look at ye. I knew you was a good fella when I met you back on Route 4."
Sandy, with the help of Caleb and I, took the milk into the home. She was going to store it in jugs and whatnot. Meanwhile, with the sun setting we decided that it would be wise to head on back to Heahea City.
"Please come on back here whenever you like. And good luck on yer challenge, the both of ya."
She sent us out with a few bottles of Moomoo Milk and a dozen biscuits each.
We arrived back at Heahea City and headed straight for Tide Song Hotel. I was beyond exhausted. From waking up early to the run in with Team Skull and catching Pokemon, I just needed some sleep.
In the hotel room there was a large bed in the middle of the room along the left wall. It was the largest bed I've ever seen. Definitely big enough for both Caleb and I. There was also this large white dresser opposite of the bed. On top of it was a large TV. There was also some chocolate on a plate and a coffee machine.
Caleb took a shower first and then I jumped in. I normally take a long shower but I really just wanted to sleep so I took a short shower. I put on some shorts and left the steamy bathroom. Caleb was sitting on the far side of the bed applying lotion to his arms.
When he bent down to apply some on his ankles I noticed the scar on his back. It seemed larger this time. I guess it's because I'm glancing at it longer, I don't know.
When he got up I immediately diverted my attention away from him.
"Tomorrow, I'm going to complete Lana's trial," he declared as he placed his bottle of lotion on the table. He turned around and looked at me with a determined look.
"What about me? Why can't I face her first?"
He shrugged. "You get the next one first, how about that?"
"Deal."
Caleb and I jumped into bed and quickly went to sleep. This was my first night away from home going on my own adventure for the first time. I know I sound ridiculous or whatever but it really is special for me. I'm not like my dad or my brother. I'm different and I know it. I've been treated as if I'm different where Aaron wasn't. Aaron was treated like the golden child. A true son to Edgar Aaron Alistar.
For once, I felt just like them even though I knew I wasn't. This is my time. This is my time to show that I can blaze my own trail. I don't need my father or my brother's footsteps to follow. I just need my Pokemon, my belief, and, well, I guess Caleb to do it.