Ruki sat up on the bed shortly after waking up and let the blanket slip off his body. Skye wasn't next to him, but he noticed the restroom door was closed, so she was probably in there. Gleamy white strips of sunlight entered the room, and Ruki left the bed to look out from where it sourced.
He hopped up and placed his front paws on the windowsill, his tails flicking while watching the undulation of the endless rich blue waves under a cloudless, pure blue sky and spotting several finizen leap and splash above the water. Ruki glanced at the door a few times and wished Skye was here to watch with him. He also noticed a lapras far in the distance come above water for air and had to squint to make it out.
It wasn't anything to marvel at since he had seen all this and more multiple times in Hau'oli, but it gave him something to do in the meantime and entertained him.
The most intriguing sights he saw were a formation of many grouped large black rocks that the sea thrashed against and an extensive land mass behind a gentle mist that he could barely make out because it was so far, which could be another region.
The waters reminded Ruki of how much he loved swimming. Growing up, he and Skye spent too many days at the beach in Hau'oli, whether it was just them two or with friends, and Ruki was always the fastest swimmer out of his group, which were just Skye's friends' pokémon. It was what he prided himself on back then, even though she never let him go out too far in fear of rip currents, which caused the deaths of many people and pokémon per year. Tourists especially since they didn't know the waters.
However, a female jolteon in said group, Iva, was just as competitive and eventually learned to keep up with him. He recalled being shy around her often, and as they matured, they had gotten close, though it never went further than them just straying from the group to walk and chat about current life and their pasts.
It was a shame that Skye and her old friends didn't talk anymore, and Iva and her trainer moved years ago. He wondered how she was doing nowadays and where she lived. Ruki would like to see her again, but life had progressed. It wouldn't be the same.
He looked back upon hearing the door open and saw Skye step out of the restroom.
"Morning," she said and went to zip up her backpack. Skye wanted to put her watch inside before doing so, as she would hate to lose it in Sinnoh, but she treasured and loved wearing it, and keeping track of time would be useful. It would be easy to lose it when so much fun awaited them. Her mother bought it for her at an upscale watch store at Hau'oli's mall a week before Skye caught him. She tightened the strap and tugged on the band to ensure it wasn't loose on her wrist.
Skye wore a cute getup. Ruki studied her outfit: white high socks, matching shorts and a shirt underneath an open and thin pink jacket, and white arm sleeves. The vibrant colors stood out, and how she utilized them in layers captivated him.
"What do you think? I went for the adventurous trainer look today. Only thing I'm missing are gloves, but I'm not going all out." Skye wasn't an official trainer by any means, but how they dressed was showy and always caught her eye, so she tried to mimic that aspect on occasion.
Ruki got down and went to her, nuzzling his cheek against her legs. He approved. Skye always had a cute sense of style to him, from her hair to every piece of clothing she purchased.
She giggled, "thank you; I'm excited. We'll be there in twenty." She sat on the bed and patted her lap.
Ruki hopped up, his front paws atop her thighs while staring at her. He was too. He could only imagine the differences they'd see and would have to contain himself not to walk after anything. That should be easy enough. Ruki needed to begin practicing restraint anyway, which may be difficult when so much new would be surrounding him, but he had faith in himself.
"Such an obedient boy." She traced her thumb along his cheek. Skye enjoyed Ruki as much as she would human companionship, except he loved her unconditionally, so she couldn't screw their relationship that easily and would never do anything to. "You wanna go up to the deck? I'm sure we can see Sinnoh."
"Nine nine!" Ruki took a few steps back from off her lap to let her get up, his expression bright. That was a perfect idea. Then he wouldn't have to keep imagining as much. It was starting to wear his head.
"I just hope I'm not forgetting anything." Skye had packed while Ruki was asleep but still checked the restroom and areas around the bed since she tended to be forgetful. She heard the ship's horn blaring above the deck, likely telling passengers it was time to start clearing out, which they were one step ahead of.
After she finished skimming the room, they were out for good. Ruki followed her up the stairs and nearly tripped over a couple of steps again. He was still getting used to his evolution, so he had to remember to keep his energy at bay and take it easy, as Skye had told him yesterday.
She glanced at the view over the deck's rear while resting her arm against her bag that dangled off her shoulder. Endless ocean for thousands of miles, and she expected nothing more. What she wanted to see was at the front. "This way," she told Ruki while pacing along the side of the deck. Nearly every passenger and their pokémon stood at the front, some buying last-minute snacks and smoothies, but there was enough space for Skye and Ruki to take a spot at the railing.
"Wow..." She leaned over and saw him hop up beside her. Miles ahead was Sunyshore City, where they would dock. Cool breezes rushed by and made her shiver, making her want to take her jacket out of her bag, but the air should get warmer once they headed deeper into Sinnoh.
This docking area looked considerably different from The Marina. Small boats were moored at the port ahead under the tall white and red-striped Vista Lighthouse, and there was a section off to the westmost side where massive ships were unloading cargo boxes via crane while employees watched from the ground and on board.
Even the city seemed more modern and authentic in a sense. Many tall structures and businesses stretched for miles and miles upon the pavement and roads made of what looked like solar panels. A group of workers, including machamp, had a section of the street blocked with signs and were replacing several of them, holding drills almost as big as them and hammering into pre-made lines. The rough noise it made resounded throughout the air.
Ruki hadn't seen anything like it, and he assumed those panels powered the city using sunlight since there were so many.
Shortly, the ferry stopped by the canal, and everyone was gathered on the front deck to be let off.
While Skye waited, she took out Sinnoh's map to study the route they had to take, tracing her finger along the path. "So east down Sunyshore and the route." While staring at the map, Skye didn't notice people begin to walk off the ship.
Ruki glanced behind them and saw groups waiting to leave the ship. He had to nudge her leg to draw her attention to it.
"Oh, oops." She folded and tucked the map into her jacket's pocket, looking back at the people. "Sorry." She gave a nervous grimace, following Ruki.
After they were off, they had to wait in line so Skye could get her passport validated and stamped, stating that she had ninety days to stay in the region as a visitor before having to leave. They then crossed the bridge and walked away from the docks where fewer people were. After deboarding, she had read plastered notices on multiple walls that the port would be shut down for a week starting tomorrow for repairs, so they'd likely have to walk to Canalave's port to get home. Fun.
"We'll start really exploring tomorrow, but we have to check in soon, so it's pretty much a beeline to Route 213." Skye was tired anyway, so she wanted to limit the distance they had to walk as much as possible.
Ruki understood, and they would still get a sample of Sinnoh along the way. He eyed every shop, pokémon, and vehicle model he'd never seen as they made their way toward central. He also took in various aromas from restaurants while they ventured down the sidewalk. Ruki double-looked at a Mr. Mime wiping a table at an outdoor dining area, almost making him bump into someone's legs since his eyes were glued to it.
There was so much to smell and see, and it overwhelmed his senses to the max. He was used to hundreds of people being in one place, but this city felt more packed than Hau'oli was at any given time and significantly less laid-back. Everything looked and felt like it was moving twice as fast.
Parked vehicles lined the sunny sidewalk, leaving zero spaces available. Multiple buses picked up and dropped off passengers, and he'd never seen so many taxis driving around, black, yellow, or white in color, some of them a checkered or split combination. How did they even get fares when they were all so close to each other? To add to his last example, this place made the Shopping District on a Saturday afternoon look close to vacant, and he swore he could feel a decline in air quality. It was kind of stuffy.
"I guess we could stray off for a bit," Skye said after taking in everything around them. Between the number of exclusive restaurants, the signs that displayed their delicious menus outside the door, and the food she smelled, it was challenging to stick to her previous words. They still needed breakfast, and it would be nice to sit and eat in a new region. Skye looked up and saw flocks of starly flying or perched atop building ledges while grinning.
"Looks like they take care of the āina here." As did the people of Alola. The land in Hau'oli was close to spotless and looked after.
Around them was a lot of activity, from a car skidding to an abrupt stop and nearly causing an accident after a glameow decided to dart across the street at the worst possible time to a flock of noisy starly gathering around an old, disheveled man sitting at a bench as he tossed seeds on the ground. They flew away briefly when other people walked by.
An ominous younger male wearing all black was leaning against a wall on a call while his gengar stood beside him and followed passersby with its intimidating smile and gaze, making some people cross the street.
A woman's psyduck had to tug on her arm to stop her from waltzing into a busy crosswalk since she was glued to her phone. The woman glanced around sheepishly to scope out if anyone had witnessed it.
Three luxio sat in an alley, waiting by the open back door of a restaurant until what looked like an older chef with a receding hairline stepped out and threw them slabs of meat that he wasn't going to use. The luxio snatched the pieces up quickly after they hit the ground but ensured each other ate enough. However, the pack's alpha, bigger than the other two, stood the closest and got to consume more.
Two skittish eevee followed an alert vaporeon down the sidewalk, shooting their eyes at every loud noise they heard. The vaporeon held its tail above the pavement and wore a serious and protective gaze, glancing back to ensure they stayed close. They soon turned down a residential street, and Skye wondered where their destination was.
It all amazed her, up to the helicopters whirring in the sky that were a rare sight in Alola. News copters occupied the sky during holiday parades or events, but ranger ones were almost non-existent. She could count on one hand the amount she'd seen in her life.
But she felt alone here. Lost, almost. In case there was an emergency, she at least knew there was an Alolan embassy and military base in Hearthome.
Skye had done plenty of research on Sinnoh while at home on her laptop about its routes and cities and somewhat knew some areas and places to stay away from, including tourist traps, but being here in person felt so different. She hoped to fall into the groove enough to navigate safely and properly. Some help would be appreciated, but Skye had to learn to carry herself. She wanted to.
They ate at a pleasant diner and received great service from their charming waiter out of Fiore with a Fiorean (Japanese) accent Skye had rarely heard in person, but she had a few times because everyone traveled to Alola.
Skye vaguely recalled while researching Sinnoh that Fiore was close enough to it that both were popular choices to travel to. One could even spot Fiore from the ocean if they went far out enough.
Many citizens from Sinnoh and Fiore traveled back and forth on cheap rides for work and to visit family and friends, by default integrating with each other over time.
Skye and Ruki had also spent two extra hours walking and stopping periodically to check out a few intriguing clothing and souvenir stores, now approaching Lake Valor from Route 222. It was fenced off with pokémon rangers standing guard and walking the perimeter inside to protect azelf from people with bad intentions.
They'd strayed off-path multiple times, forcing Skye to ask random people on the streets or store employees for directions because she didn't have her phone, which was a nuisance.
She loved the way they seasoned food here so far. The cherubi and goldeen honey-drizzled salad she ate tasted richer than any she had back home, and the dressing was sharp and tangy. She couldn't wait to try more cultural dishes here and would try to keep them healthy. Skye didn't like one thing she spotted on the menu, though, and that was tirtouga. The species was from Unova, where it had been initially revived from extinction sixty years ago and, with additional aid, repopulated enough to rejoin and occupy the oceans.
They used to be off-limits even to capture, but as the species exploded in abundance over time and the novelty wore off, so did its protection by law. Nowadays, even Unova happened to eat them for their rich taste and tender texture, but Alola was morally against eating such a beautiful once-fossilized pokémon that blessed its beaches with eggs and offspring year round. The natives always encouraged them to stay within the region's limits.
At least Skye never had to worry about seeing vulpix or ninetales on a menu. They were still considered sacred worldwide and were a crime to kill. The worst bit of information she knew were regions like Ransei, who ate eevee and its tree, and Pasio, who ate pichu and its tree. She knew there was more too, but ignorance was bliss when it came to that subject.
However, Skye did enjoy something else on the menu that wasn't so healthy. They were decadent brownie bites with vanilla ice cream and pecha drizzle, and they loved every bite, although she had to ensure Ruki didn't have too many and have to deal with an upset stomach later. She gained weight easily and had been packing on more than she could keep up with lately, mainly on her stomach, sides, and thighs, which she was beginning to feel self-conscious about. She needed to get a hold of it before it got out of hand.
The grassy environment and trees saturating the route felt refreshing to Skye. She took a sip of water from the bottle she bought from a market in Sunyshore while watching the sun-soaked tall grass sway against occasional chilly breezes, spotting a couple of budew peeking nervously from them.
Ruki seemed drawn to it himself. He sniffed the air and gave their surroundings his full attention. Skye just hoped he didn't disappear into the green. "Nearly there, baby. I know your paws are tired. I feel like crashing right this instant." She didn't know why it was still cold either, but it annoyed her. They were far from Sunyshore's port. "Want more water?"
Ruki shook his head and watched her lift the top off her bag's side pouch, slipping the bottle into it. He couldn't think about drinking unless he became parched. His paws were beat, but he was enjoying this region enough that it wasn't on his mind unless he gave it thought.
Sunyshore alone was a city he knew he wanted to spend days in, just trying restaurants and exploring. He'd gotten many glances and eyes from pokémon and people along the journey so far and had to remind himself that he was in a foreign region. Ruki felt odd being the center of attention. It was new, but it only further raised his confidence.
They entered Route 213 some minutes later, their final destination.
"Oh, it's a beach." Well, that explained the inescapable climate. Hopefully, it'd be warmer tomorrow. Skye sucked at dealing with cool weather. "We have a taste of home where we stay. How awesome is that?" Skye stopped and took out her map since she had forgotten which way the hotel was from here.
It gave Ruki time to paw at the silky sand that soothed their pads and look beyond at the glistening waves, taking in the air that had cleared up from Sunyshore. They had plenty of sand and waves back home, but beaches never got old to him, and seeing a new one was nice. He had little urge to touch sand, though. Ruki wanted to discover more new things.
"So, north," she mumbled, turning and looking up from the map at a small gray building she hadn't seen until now. Her eyes lit up. "That has to be it." She went up the short flight of steps and entered, with Ruki following behind.
It was the lobby where one checked in and looked just as classy, if not more than the cruise ship. Skye passed a couch and went up to the wooden reception desk with brochures in a holder and a candy bowl for guests, where an older woman wearing a formal navy-blue uniform stood poised. The carpeting matched her outfit.
"Hello. Do you have a reservation here?" she asked politely in a Sinnohan (American rhotic) accent with a formal grin.
"Yes. It's under Skye." She'd let her parents reserve it for her over their home phone and put it under her name. Skye left her cell phone at home during this trip for multiple reasons, including this being a vacation she didn't want to spend half of staring at her screen, and she couldn't be bothered with her parents on her case daily.
This was Skye trying independence, so she wanted real freedom without them trying to hold her hand as usual. Her parents made a big deal about her leaving without any way to communicate, but Skye was able to get her way, and honestly, this trip was likely the only time she ever would. The only downside was her not being able to document it.
She watched as the woman looked down at what seemed to be a long list on paper and hoped nothing went wrong. Skye felt a pinch of stress brew already. She would have to run to a random pricey hotel in Sunyshore in that case, which would eat into their spending funds.
"Ah, I see it here."
Following that, Skye had to pay 100,000 pokédollars for a week's stay and received her suite key from the lady. She was relieved everything was working in her favor so far. She could totally get used to handling herself.
Skye was fortunate not to have gotten change back and would try her hardest to deal in exact change due to the exchange rate between Alola and Sinnoh's currency. Alola's was valued higher, so she'd lose money if she got change back. Skye did want a few bills and some coins to take back, though.
Sinnoh's currency appeared dull in comparison to Alola's. Sinnoh dealt in different colors, too, from gray to bright red. On the face of every bill were famed monuments around the region, such as the Super Contest Hall in Hearthome City and Flower Paradise, where Shaymin resided and was guarded like the lakes.
The coins ranged from bronze to gold and differed in size, as did every region's, and had numbers in a large fancy font on the center with the word: 'POKÉ' underneath. Skye wanted some of the currency as a souvenir and would eventually get change back.
"You are in the very first suite outside to the right. Enjoy your stay," the woman said.
"Thank you." Skye walked past the desk and outside with Ruki. There were many unique white suites with spherical blue roofs resembling small homes in the large courtyard, including hers to the far right. "I like it." This location was on her class level. Staying at some three-star hotel would devalue the trip, meaning she may be too spoiled.
Ruki could agree. It was a clean and comfortable setting. He'd probably be okay staying at most places, but he knew he had it good as a pokémon. Not many could say they got as many malasadas as they could imagine.
The pavement was made of stone with designated lines in its design, and lamp posts were by every suite, lighting planted bushes and walkways. There was also a flight of stone steps at the courtyard's center, and she made a mental note to see what they led to another time.
People and some pokémon straying from their owners and wandering the grounds lightly populated the courtyard, who Skye passed with her head down.
As she approached the suite, she noticed a young male around her age looking at her by another suite to the far left. Skye couldn't be bothered as she was drained, or else she'd greet her temporary neighbor. She unlocked the door as soon as she got to it and shut it behind Ruki, flipping on the light.
The room was spacious. It had a window concealed by a white satin curtain, a small dresser underneath, and a faded white and gray vase on top holding a bundle of vibrant, colorful flowers. It had a queen-sized bed tucked against the wall with a large and wide painting of Eterna City's skyline during the night full of bright and pretty lights above it, a tall lamp beside the mattress, and a restroom. Mounted on the wall across from the bed was a TV that Skye wouldn't touch.
She saw a vented white box built into the wall below the window and walked over, finding out that it was a heater upon closer inspection. It must be cold all the time here, so she was grateful this place accommodated people from other climates.
She also saw a small sign on the door by a tall black trash bin in bold red letters that prohibited smoking and stated to leave used bedding in a spot that room service could see upon entry.
Skye did what she wanted to all day and kicked off her boots, set her bag by the bottom of the bed and took the water bottle out, then lay atop the cream blanket on her stomach and set the half-empty bottle on the other side. Her body ached from walking under the harsh sun, and she hoped not to have gotten sunburn from it. She sighed and stretched her legs as the pressure finally left them.
Ruki hopped up and lay beside her. He gave Skye her space but wanted to be close to her at least. He was done for the day too. His paws throbbed, and he was still full from the krabby pokéwrap from the restaurant that was buttery and full of flavor. Ruki couldn't even think about the outdoors. Today had to be a top-five experience in his life, the first being the day Skye caught him, of course, which was terrifying on said day but the best thing that had ever happened to him looking back.
She slid her hand out from beside her and held his paw while looking at him. "We'll do more tomorrow."