It has been too long. If you have kept reading, thank you! I wish I could promise more chapters on a regular basis.

Edit1: fixed some missing names and grammar.

Day 40

A dratini. A beautiful, iridescent dratini.

The egg had hatched, and the three-foot dragon lay on Daniel's shoulders like a warm boa. Her head stayed level as Daniel and Wilson walked along to perform their chores. He thought the dratini was a girl, knew it even. Some strong gut feeling informed him so. Such gut feelings would strike him occasionally, but those were all about survival. Where the fish would be today, which parts of the forest still bear forage, and the distinct feeling of another pokemon's presence nearby. Nothing as concrete as the gender of a pokemon. This dratini had no signs of sexual dimorphism, but she was a newborn so maybe those would come as she grew up. Either way, Daniel was starting to think these "gut feelings" were more than survival instincts.

It's like the world is speaking to me. Ok, that sounds crazy. Nevermind.

Daniel looked at his side to Wilson. The pineapple oddish was watchfully scanning all four directions as the group walked along. Without a neck, he had to twirl on his feet, shuffle to one side and well... dance along to keep up.

"Nice moves there, Wilson!"

Wilson nods.

"You're quite dutiful. I recall you not wanting me to pick up that egg."

Wilson continues his watchful waltz.

"Well, I'm glad you've warmed up to the idea. And you, little miss dragon."

The dratini turned face Daniel.

"You need a name! Something befitting a majestic creature of the sea and sky."

The dratini stared at Daniel with her big, black eyes. A hint of curiosity in them.

"Your scales are marvelously shiny. I was thinking of calling you Iridescence, but its too pretentious. Sapphire is out too. Still too pretentious."

Daniel Paused and the dratini's attention began drifting.

"Oh, I've got it!"

The dratini flinched at the exclamation.

"Sorry, sorry." Daniel rubbed her neck tenderly.

"Lazuli, like lapis lazuli. I was gonna call you lapis, but I think that just means rock. Say hello to Lazuli, Wilson!"

Wilson looked to the newly dubbed Lazuli whose attention was still on Daniel.

"Say hello to Wilson." Daniel patted Lazuli then pointed to Daniel.

The two pokemon met gazes. Wilson gave a friendly nod then resumed his self-appointed sentry duty. Lazuli stared at Wilson as he waltzed all the way to the fishing spot.

Day 44

Just as Daniel was getting used to his daily chores, the workload increased. Wilson rarely ate more than a berry's worth of food, But Lazuli ate as much as Daniel. This was extra concerning because Lazuli had much more growing to do. Daniel's reserves of coconuts and smoked fish had been dwindling until Daniel decided to commit even more time to fish and forage. Lazuli seemed so small and could barely slither a few feet on her own. There was no way that she could fend for herself. How lucky she was that a kind, wild pokemon trainer found her. Still, Daniel couldn't muster any anger or resentment as he watched little Lazuli crawl along near a dotting Wilson after a long day out.

A family worth laboring for.

On the seas of the Sevii Islands

Azalea sat in the cabin of Mister Ryoshi's fishing boat. Winter break had just ended and she made the mistake of going back home for the holidays. Everyone else went home for the break so she was forced to do the same. She hated boat rides and disliked the ocean. But those weren't the mistakes she regretted most. That honor goes to forgetting her laptop in her dorm. Because she couldn't pretend to be busy, Grandpa had made her practice katas and spar with him. The motions had been drilled into her since she could walk and she could do them while asleep at this point. Why did she have to practice them while on vacation?

"Your motions are all physical, you need to listen deeper!"

Grandpa had said that every time Azalea finished the katas. He had been saying it for years now.

Listen deeper. What the hell does that even mean?

Grandpa had explained many times that Ora-Ryu had two distinct halves, the physical and the spiritual. Azalea was all heat and no light. He never said more than "you have one half. Just do the other!". Why did Grandpa have to be so damn hard to understand? At least Grandma's cooking made the trip worth it. Nothing beats her karaage. It's leagues better than the cafeteria and McMimes.

"Land ho!" shouted Mister Ryoshi.

Azalea looked out the front door of the cabin, past the prow of the ship, and spotted the skyline of One Island.

"How much longer?" yelled Azalea over the engine and wind.

"About 20 miniutes, lassie!"

20 more minutes. 20 more minutes until I'm back to land. And wifi.

Soon enough, Azalea stepped off the gangplank and onto the dock with her bag on her shoulder.

"Thank you Mister Ryoshi."

"Aye, lassie." The old man tipped his captain's cap and nodded his head.

I swear he's been wearing that same hat and white tank top for a hundred years. He's wearing them in every picture in Grandpa's house. Even the wedding pics!

Azalea waved goodbye to the old fisherman and then headed to her dorm. The walk through the city was pleasant. Firm ground always was after a boat ride. The streets were full of tourists in tacky outfits and locals with sun-kissed skin. The usual landmarks were busy. Families with ice cream were scattered around the park. Main Street bustled with foot traffic and the smell of island cuisine. Even the shrine was covered with camera carrying tourists. Although it was mid-afternoon, the weather was pleasant this time of year. Cooler temperatures and less rain.

All heat and no light. I can feel it, but I can't see it. Ugh, it still makes no sense.

She would never admit it to her Grandpa, but she did try to make sense of his words when she was away from home. She would practice the katas in the yard outside the dorm, toning down the flashy ones of course, all to show Grandpa one day that she had what he was looking for. Her dedication earned her the nickname "Karate Queen" from the boys and "violent bitch" from the girls. Perhaps the latter was because Azalea threw her shoe at Nicole's head, but she could have thrown something worse. Soon she arrived at Sevii Island Academy and made her way to the female dorms. The dorm mother sat in her usual spot behind the lobby desk. The old lady sat straight-backed with her grey hair cut short and 40 years out of style. She looked up from her crossword puzzle as Azalea opened the door.

"Welcome back, Azalea."

"Thank you Missus Kitegawa "

"Oh, always so polite. Did you hear that the expulsion went through? Nicole won't be returning for this semester. Such a shame, you two were such good friends."

Azalea tensed up "Nicole's a stuck-up bitch who sleeps around..." Azalea stopped herself

"Yes. Such a shame we lost such a sweet girl." The dorm mother smiled.

Azalea blushed "I'm sorry. I know you're just teasing me. I just..."

"Don't worry sweetie. I understand. It took a lot to get Principal Tendou to see reason when her parents were sponsoring every event. Children these days need a good reminder that they can't do whatever they want." The dorm mother rubbed the cane leaning against her chair.

Azalea remembered the times complained about the removal of spanking as a way to "educate" kids.

"you're not supposed to hit other people."

"Is that so Miss Kumite?" The dorm mother's raised brow could have lifted a tauros.

Azalea shrugged "I just need to say it out loud to remind everyone in the room".

"Oho, you really are a sweet girl" The dorm mother smiled warmly.

"Thanks." Azalea blushed and went to her room.

Azalea sat at her room's desk and turned on her laptop which was thankfully still plugged in. Nicole was finally gone, so she got a room all to herself for the rest of the year.

Thank god for that.

Nicole was her roommate for the previous three years. A Unovan girl whose parents decided to retire in the Sevii Islands. At first, she was bearable, mostly keeping to herself and her own friends, which she made much faster than Azalea. It all went downhill after she refused an invite to party from Nicole. Azalea didn't want to get drunk with a bunch of tourist boys, especially not with Nicole. But Nicole took it personally and made it her duty to bully Azalea. Azalea wasn't even the one to tell the teachers. That dumb bitch posted everything on snapchatot. It still took until now to get her expelled.

Maybe now things will get better. With Nicole expelled, I'm third in class rankings. I'll earn a battle-ready pokemon and a league sponsorship when I graduate!. I can finally leave these damn islands!