A/N: Sorry for missing yesterday. Was sick(still am) and was too preoccupied because of what was going on yesterday here in America. I didn't realize I forgot to post a chapter until 9PM so I decided to hold it off for today. Chapter 24 will come on Monday rather than Tuesday.
The tunnel was littered with Zubat and Diglett. I wasn't really interested in the Zubat because they are just so annoying. Always bothering me when I try to go through a cave.
However, I got a nice Alolan Variant Diglett out of the tunnel.
Caleb and I have done that thing where we have a very tenuous heart-to-heart conversation but then like flick the switch and back to normal like it never happened.
Three-quarters the way through the tunnel, Skitty growled at me. Caleb and I looked at him as he continued to growl. Then he laid on his stomach and just stayed there. He was tired from walking.
Admittedly, he has been walking a lot even though Caleb has babied him a bit, but he hasn't lost a single pound. I'm pretty sure he's gained weight on this adventure. Caleb, being the wonderful person he is, went over and picked Skitty up. While next to me, Skitty growled. I bent down and looked at him in the eyes and said, "Next time you do that I will put you in your Pokeball."
His eyes lowered as he brushed up against Caleb's abdomen.
"Oh be nice, Cam. Skitty is a wonderful Pokemon."
"Says you. He doesn't hog your blanket!"
We both chuckled as Skitty closed his eyes.
When we exited the tunnel I was quickly shoved to the ground.
"Hey, what the hell!?" Caleb yells as Castor stands above me in his Team Skull attire.
I quickly get up and stand in front of Castor trying to be strong and brave. I look over to Caleb who is still holding a very awake Skitty.
"The boss wants me to send a message. So we are going to battle right now, Splits!"
"Fine!" I yell as I dust the dirt off my arm. "Go Rowlet!"
Castor snorts. "Go Lycanroc."
A Lycanroc? I take out my pokedex and get a reading on the new Pokemon. Lycanroc is the evolved form of Rockruff. However, there are two different versions of Lycanroc: Midday and Midnight forms. Castor's Rockruff is the midnight form.
Even though his Pokemon was a more evolved form than my little Rowlet, I had the type advantage. Lycanroc was a rock type and Rowlet is a grass type.
But he knew that too.
"Before we battle. We must set a couple terms here," Castor says with a dubious smirk on his face.
"What do you mean?"
"If I win, you will no longer take part in the Island Challenge."
"That is ludicrous!" Caleb barks.
"Oh shut up you gingerbread," Iwika yells out at Caleb. Caleb scowls at Iwika before I place my hand up at him to calm down.
"Fine," I say calmly.
"Cameron! You can't agree to this."
A small crowd was beginning to grow from people exiting the cave and passerby's on the Route. I took a deep breath and swallowed hard.
"It's fine, Caleb." I look over to Castor who is still smirking like the gigantic prick he is and say, "If I win, you will stop calling me Splits."
"HA! Fine."
I nod towards him and get down on my knee and look at Rowlet. Rowlet turns his head 180 degrees and looks at me with a lost look on his face. I really wish he wouldn't do that. Creeps me out.
"You got this, okay. I don't know why you didn't hop away when I picked you but I'm glad you didn't."
He spins his head around 360 degrees in which I've learned to mean he is happy. I don't know how Pokemon understand what we say but I'm glad they do.
"Lycanroc, Quick Attack." The devilish Lycanroc gets down on all fours and charges Rowlet with lightning fast speed. Rowlet cannot do anything but withstand the hit.
When Rowlet recovers I go to yell an attack, however Rowlet is already using Razor Leaf on Lycanroc.
Castor scoffs. "Dodge it and use quick attack again."
Rowlet's razor leaf, which would've been super effective against the rock-type Pokemon missed. Instead Rowlet was hit yet again.
"Now use Bite!" Castor orders.
Lycanroc lands another attack on my Rowlet. After he tosses Rowlet to the ground, Rowlet struggles to his feet.
"It's over, Splits!"
I look over to Caleb who has a concerned look on his face but he doesn't seem worried. I'm worried.
"Rowlet, Tackle!" Rowlet charges Lycanroc. However, Lycanroc charges towards Rowlet at a very high speed. The collision doesn't end well for Rowlet.
Unlike my Rowlet, Lycanroc seems undamaged by the collision. What is happening? I feel so lost in this battle right now as my chest rises and lowers at a faster pace than normal.
I put my hand up to my chest to quell my heavy breathing and then I feel something. I feel the necklace Caleb got me for my birthday. I pull it out and squeeze it tightly.
"Solar beam!"
Rowlet lights up as it prepares a Solar Beam attack. This is the one attack that can turn this entire battle around.
"Roar!"
Lycanroc lets out an obnoxious roar that causes me to cover my ears. The roar also causes Rowlet to become disheveled and it loses it's Solar Beam.
"No!" I scream.
"Rock throw!" Castor yells out. Lycanroc quickly grabs a small boulder near the entrance to the tunnel and tosses it at Rowlet.
"Dodge!"
Rowlet doesn't get out of the way in time and is hit hard by the boulder. It whimpers as it struggles to its feet. I can see the defeat now. My island challenge is over. I have failed and let myself down. I've let my family name down. I've let my dad down.
"Quick attack!" Castor yells feverishly.
Boom. Another hit.
Rowlet gets up again.
"No," I mutter. "Stay down Rowlet."
I grab his Pokeball and just as I'm about to call him back and forfeit Rowlet begins to glow. Caleb smirks as he watches.
Rowlet is evolving.
"Lycanroc, quick attack now!"
Lycanroc charges at Rowlet as it evolves. However, before it can hit the evolved form of Rowlet, Dartrix hops into the air and kicks Lycanroc in the head.
Dartrix covers it's face with it's wing and seems to chuckle. Lycanroc growls in anger and charges again. Dartrix stops chuckling and watches Lycanroc. Before Lycanroc can connect Dartric steps to the side and trips Lycanroc causing it to tumble into the cave wall ahead.
Dartrix hops away and lets loose a razor leaf attack which hits Lycanroc directly.
As Lycanroc gets up, clearly rattled, Dartrix quickly races towards Lycanroc and stands in front of the Pokemon. It chuckles again before using Leaf Blade.
Lycanroc doesn't get up from that one.
"Dammit!" Castor yells. "Useless Pokemon!" He calls back his Lycanroc and mutters again.
"Maybe it's you who is useless," Caleb says. He is still holding Skitty who is fast asleep so he kinda looks ridiculous trying to call out Castor. "That Pokemon is not useless. It is how you used him. You played with Rowlet to make it suffer. That cost you."
"I get your Cammyboy's little boyfriend, but nobody asked you."
Cammyboy? Really. That's the best name he can come up with now? That's the insult? Alola needs a better class of insults here.
Iwika steps in front of Castor and points at me. "Now it's my turn. Go Salazzle!"
Wait, what? Another Pokemon battle? Dammit, can't these people let me live!? Ugh. I recall Dartrix and grab my Pokeball holding Mudbray. However, before I can call him out a girl yells out, "Go Dragonite!"
"I think I have had quite enough of this bullying," the girl says.
I turn around and see Mary. She looks as stunning as ever.
She looks at me, smiles, and winks. Then she looks back at Iwika and the smile is erased.
"You're a trainer?" I asked dumbfounded as her Dragonite stands tall in front of me.
"No, Cameron. I'm a researcher. However, it doesn't hurt to have your own Pokemon. Never know what cretins you'll have to get by in order to do research."
Her smile twinkles as she looks at me.
"Shut up, the both of you dorks."
"Dragonite, Hyper Beam."
In one quick blast Salazzle is reduced to a sizzle.
Iwika and Castor are dumbfounded by the turn of events against their favor. Castor decides to leave but doesn't go quietly. He threatens to get revenge on me and calls me by that new name, Cammyboy.
I should've came up with a better term for his loss. Dammit.
Mary and Caleb both walk towards me. They share awkward glances with each other and then at me.
"Oh, right. Caleb, this is Mary and Mary this is Caleb."
Mary looks at Caleb and her eyes widen, "Oh!" she says a bit too loudly. "Um, Hi, I met Cameron here a little more than a week ago, I think, at the Resort near Heahea City."
Caleb looks at me with a raised brow and then back at Mary. His tightened face loosens up to a smile when he introduces himself.
"I'm actually here from the Kanto Region. Wanted to study the Alolan forms and the Diglett Tunnel."
Caleb's face brightens. "Oh right, there is a Diglett Tunnel in Kanto, right?"
"Mhm. Although, the one here is so much larger and there are natural bodies of water. It's so strange but magnificent all the same."
I began to feel like a 3rd wheel which made me feel a bit jealous and left out.
"Yeah, but there aren't any Dugtrio, unlike the ones in Kanto. I believe the Diglett here are actually better diggers, right?" Caleb queried.
"Yup. More stamina and strength. It's amazing."
Do they even know I'm here?"
"Okay you nerds. Can we go to the next city please so I can eat and get my Pokemon treated?"
Caleb looks at me puzzled.
"Oh, Cameron," Caleb says in a near whisper.
"Yeah, I'm here," I teased.
Caleb's face turned red. Meanwhile, Mary chuckled and placed her arm over my shoulder.
"I think food is a fantastic idea. You two go to the Pokemon Center and I will go to the Malasada Restaurant. Sour or spicy?"
"Sour for the both of us and spicy for that little shit in Caleb's arms," I say with a snicker. Skitty looks at me and growls. "Oh sorry, I mean fat shit."
Mary and Caleb laugh as Skitty scowls at me. Mary removes her arm and rubs Skitty's head a little bit.
...
Konikoni City is different than Hau'oli City and Heahea city. Actually, it sorta reminds me of Slateport City back in Hoenn with all of these shops. There are shops everywhere including just a few people with tables set up with goods. Man, if I had the cash I would be shopping a lot.
I actually have a problem with shopping.
Anyways, Caleb and I head off into the Pokemon Center. I hand off my Dartrix and wait by the cafe with Caleb. We didn't really talk much. We just sat there waiting for Mary. In fact he was kind of being awkward, which is weird because usually I'm the one who is being awkward.
So yeah, this is awkward.
Mary eventually comes back with some delicious Malasada. I was so hungry that I was not in the mood to talk. It was a lot of groans and shrugs from me while they spoke. Well, Caleb was not as enthusiastic as he was before outside of the tunnel. I have no clue what's going on with him right now.
Mary couldn't wait around with us for long. She had to go back to doing research but promised to meet up with us sometime soon.
After she left us the awkward silence gripped Caleb and I. However, it didn't stick around for long.
"I don't typically get to be nerdy with people. Mostly because I don't allow myself to be," Caleb said apologetically.
"You don't need to apologize to me for being a nerd with Mary," I said confused. I watched as his face and body contorted. He looked so uncomfortable as if something was nagging at him.
"Right, um, yeah. I just, ugh. I don't know. I know I shouldn't apologize to you for being myself. But, er, gees I'm a dope. I can't even get out a coherent sentence."
"Welcome to my world," I say as I take a sip of the Roserade Tea.
Caleb chuckles nervously in his seat.
"Caleb, don't worry. I was just joking with you back there. Mary is a nice girl, anyways."
I took another sip of my tea as I watched Caleb squirm. So unsettled. His face was red as he drank his Tapu Cocoa. He didn't say anything else about Mary. Instead he changed the subject and mentioned the Ruins of Life. It is where Tapu Lele is supposed to be.
I'm reminded of how strange Tapu Lele was last week. Standing over the volcano for as long as it did, so still. I can't even imagine what goes on in the mind of a Guardian Deity.
Do they ever get tired of being a guardian?
After about another 15 minutes of waiting the nurse comes back with my Dartrix and says he is A-okay. Caleb desperately wants to get out and go shopping. Meanwhile, I get a phone call from my mom as we are about to enter a store. I tell Caleb to go on in and I'll be there soon.
"Whats up ma?"
"How's your challenge going, honey?"
She hasn't called me honey in over a year. Either she is really in a good mood or something bad has happened. There is no way the former is true.
I played along.
"It's going well. Going to face the Kahuna of Akala Island tomorrow, I hope."
"That's wonderful. Professor Kukui was just here not that long ago. He said that you are catching some nice Pokemon for him."
Wait. For him? For Professor Kukui? Gees. I thought I was sending my Pokemon to him so he can take care of them and do...crud. Research. He's doing research on or with them. Good lord he is a nut.
"Oh, uh, yeah."
"Listen, I would like it if you came home after you finish up in Akala Island. Everything's fine it's just I didn't have a chance to give you a birthday gift."
She sounded so sincere. I wanted to say no, wanting to focus on my challenge, but I didn't. This was one of those times where I needed to suck it up and give my mom what she wanted.
Realizing how alone she must feel I asked about Aaron.
"You know your brother. He's always out doing whatever it is that he does."
Of course. So self-absorbed.
"Cameron?"
"Yeah, ma?"
"He asked about you on your birthday. Wanted to know how you were doing?"
Then why didn't he call me himself?
I wanted to say that. I didn't. I couldn't.
"Oh," was all I said.
A decent conversation between my mom and I was soiled by the mention of my brother. I just wanted to hang up so I told her I'll see her in a few days. I hung up after she said good bye.
I needed to clear my head a bit so instead of walking into the store where Caleb was, I walked towards Route 9 with Skitty. I saw a sign that pointed down a short hill. I followed it. That must be in the direction of where the Ruins of Life is.
When I made it down the empty hill I saw a graveyard. It was like the one on Melemele Island.
I looked down at Skitty who seemed bored.
"You want to go see the Guardian of Akala?"
He looked up at me with a blank face. That would be a no.
Past the graveyard was Akala Outskirts. Their was a man in black sitting up against a wall with his head down. I think he was sleeping.
Weird.
I heard a muffled whimper up ahead and saw a girl in black on the floor. She was on her knees with her head down on the ground. Her pink hair flowed down one side of her head under her beanie. When I got closer it was apparent to me that she was crying.
I walked up to her and got on one knee and said, "Are you okay?"
She sniffled and rubbed her eyes. Then she looked at me with a grin on her face. It was Iwika.
"Now I am!"
I felt something hit me across the head. The impact caused me to lose my balance and fall to the ground. My vision was also blurred. I heard growling and than a chorus of laughter.
In the haze of my impaired vision I watched them toss Skitty into a box and shut it. A few more people came out of nowhere dressed in Team Skull attire.
"No-oo," I tried to yell. I don't even know if anything came out of my mouth except for air.
Castor knelt near me and looked down at me.
"The boss is going to love your Skitty, Splits."
A rancor of laughs filled the air and causing my head to rattle like a children's toy. I tried to get up but them my body went soft and my eyesight turned off.
It was like I fell asleep.