Chapter 6
A new day arrives and we decide to leave our house for school. Nebby is still with my parents. That's when we stop and notice a Litten staring at us. Trenor says, "A Litten... we did see him quite often."
The Litten approaches me affectionately, much to our confusion. "I wonder if he's hungry?" Lillie asks.
"Well, I have a croquette sandwich for lunch..." I say as I attempt to share some with it. However, just before I can do anything, the Litten grabs the whole thing and dashes away.
"Hey! That's mine!" I yell, but the Litten just uses Scratch on me before darting away. Lillie asks, "Ash, are you alright?"
"It's a good thing I have other things for lunch..." I mutter with a sigh.
At school, we discuss the Litten. Despite the girls showing affection towards it, Sophocles mentions that Litten isn't fond of interacting with people. Mallow adds that Litten usually hangs around the restaurant, and Kiawe has spotted it at the market stealing berries.
Nate asks, "So what's your plan with Litten, Ash?"
"I think I'm going to capture that Litten," I say, surprising everyone.
After class, we head to the marketplace to grab some food, and there we spot Litten. "Come back here, Litten!" We chase after it until we encounter an old lady offering food to the Litten. "There it is!"
"No need to be so angry," the lady says, offering more fruits. "The blessings of nature should be shared. Take your time eating."
When Litten leaves, Trenor asks, "Does that Litten come here often?"
"It does! This is part of its daily routine," the lady replies. "It feels like it's just checking up on me. So whenever it arrives, I give it some fruit. Young boy, did that little one happen to take your food?"
"It did," I mutter.
"I'm not sure where it lives... but it's not a bad Pokémon," the lady adds.
After a few days, we encounter the same Litten again, but this time it's being ambushed by an Alolan Persian. "Is that an Alolan Persian?" I ask.
Rosa comments, "It's a Dark Type, and known for its cruel and cunning personality..."
"Then that Litten..." Selene starts to say.
We rush towards the Persian and yell, "Hey, it's just a fruit, do you really have to go that far?" The Persian attempts to use Power Gem on us, but Togekiss counters with Moonblast, hitting the Pokémon and causing it to run away.
We turn to the injured Litten, and I attempt to carry the fruit for it, but Litten bites my hand instead. Despite our efforts to calm it down, Litten eventually passes out.
"Litten, in your condition, you're not getting anywhere. Togekiss, take the berry, and let's bring Litten to the Pokémon Center," Lillie directs.
Litten continues to struggle, scratching both me and Lillie, but we manage to get it to the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy provides a Heliolisk collar to prevent it from licking its wounds.
"Both of you are scratched up... you both need treatment," Selene remarks.
As we go to get treated, we realize that Litten wants to leave again. The six of us chase after Litten, but the collar prevents it from passing through the fence.
"Can you stop right now? Listen. You can't be moving around!" I exclaim while grabbing Litten. "If you're not going to listen..."
We then take Litten back to the manor. My mom scolds me for the scratches, but her way of comforting and scratching Litten makes it relax.
After Selene, Nate, and Rosa leave, we notice how frustrated Litten is with the collar. We decide to assist by removing it. I address Litten, saying, "Litten, you want to reach Stoutland as soon as possible, right?"
Litten freezes, and Trenor inquires, "Stoutland?"
"I tapped into my aura a bit to understand everything. Litten lives with a Stoutland... which is quite old," I explain. "Litten, you're remarkable for managing all this on your own, but you need to trust us more. People like the old lady in the market are here for you. Your sparks are pretty strong."
As we're about to retire for the night, we notice Litten awakening, still determined to leave for Stoutland. I quickly call Lillie as we chase after Litten, eventually finding the Stoutland it resides with. They inhabit an old house, and Litten presents the berry to Stoutland.
"Who are you..." The Stoutland notices us and asks.
"We mean no harm," I reassure. "Litten has been injured, and we just want to ensure that he's alright."
Lillie adds, "Litten, initially, we thought about capturing you... but seeing this... I believe we should abandon that idea."
"We're heading back. My Mom will be worried, but I'll bring some food next time we visit. Is it alright if we come here again?" I inquire.
"Wait..." Suddenly, we sense something approaching, and we turn to see the same Alolan Persian from before. "Everyone, get outside!"
We attempt to evade the Persian's attack. Lillie remarks, "That guy is persistent... Is he here for revenge?"
Litten declares, "I'll protect you!" and lunges forward. "Absol, use Focus Blast!" I command, while Litten launches Ember. However, Persian manages to dodge both attacks and aims a Scratch at Stoutland. I step in to shield Stoutland and end up getting scratched in the process.
"Ash..." Lillie gasps.
"It's just a scratch," I reassure her.
Persian attempts to strike Litten, who swiftly dodges and counterattacks with Ember. Unfortunately, Persian easily dismantles the attack with its claws. Stoutland barks at Litten, urging it to unleash a more potent Ember, reminiscent of its previous training sessions.
Litten concentrates, gathering fire energy on its back, intensifying the Ember to a substantial size. With a powerful burst, Litten releases the enlarged Ember, causing Persian's tail to catch fire, prompting it to flee in a hurry.
"Great job!" I exclaim, "You scared it off!"
However, I start feeling the pain, and Litten asks, "Are you really okay?"
I manage a wry laugh before Litten hurries back to Stoutland. Lillie reassures them, saying, "We'll visit you again tomorrow and bring more food."
As we head there the following day, the house appears abandoned and empty—neither Stoutland nor Litten are present. Trenor comments, "So, that's where they used to live?"
"But it seems like that's not the case anymore..." Lillie frowns.
Returning to the marketplace, we encounter the old lady from the fruit vendor. She remarks, "I see... So that's what you were doing."
"I wonder if it's because of us..." I frown, feeling a sense of responsibility.
"Pokemon will be Pokemon. People will be people. We coexist in this world. It's not your fault," she assures us. Placing a piece of fruit on the ground, she comments, "I'm sure that little one is doing just fine out there under the same Alolan sky."
Much to our delight, Litten emerges from behind her to retrieve it. We gasp, "Litten!"
"Litten, does that mean you found a new place to live?" the old lady asks.
"Of course," Litten responds. Then, after a brief stare at us, it leaves with the fruit.
After returning to school, we are summoned to the Principal's Office, where Professor Kukui announces, "Today, we have a special lesson from Principal Oak."
"A special lesson?" We express our confusion.
Upon entering the office, we spot two eggs resting on the desk. Samson Oak explains, "The red one here was brought from Kanto by Ash and Lillie, while the white one was recently discovered on Mount Lanakila."
"What kind of eggs are they? Have you examined them yet?" Sophocles inquires.
"That's something you'll have to wait to find out. How about this—I'll raise one egg, and you all can raise the other," proposes Samson Oak.
"We get to raise the other egg?" Mallow asks, seeking clarification.
"This is an important lesson. Learning how to care for a Pokémon from an egg is invaluable," Professor Kukui emphasizes.
"So, everyone should take care of it?" Rosa asks.
"Indeed. Your task is to monitor the egg daily, noting any changes. Sounds simple, right?" Professor Kukui confirms.
"Absolutely right! And don't forget to show it affection as well!" Samson Oak adds.
"First, please choose which egg you would like," prompts Professor Oak.
I turn to Lillie, asking, "What do you think?"
"Well... personally, I would choose the white one. It has those cute, flower-like patterns," Lillie says.
"Indeed, those patterns are adorable!" Selene remarks.
"Is that your reason?" queries Sophocles.
"What's wrong with that?" Nate defends.
We decide on the white egg. Once back in the classroom, we all get a chance to touch the egg. When Lillie and I make contact, the egg begins to move slightly.
"It moved when Ash and Lillie touched it..." observes Rosa.
"It seems to like Ash and Lillie," Mallow comments.
"So what's the plan for tonight?" Lana inquires.
"Yeah, leaving it here in the classroom isn't an option, right?" Trenor points out.
"Someone needs to take it home..." Kiawe suggests.
In the end, Lillie and I are the ones taking the egg with us. Upon returning home, we excitedly show our parents the egg. However, during a training session with Hobbes and my Mom, Trenor and I spot a Salandit sneaking into the mansion, attempting to take the egg for food. Thankfully, Lillie manages to shield the egg from harm as we chase the Salandit away, using Rowlet's Tackle and Hobbes' Oricorio's Teeter Dance.
"Lillie, is the egg alright?" I inquire anxiously.
"Don't worry, it didn't get to the egg," Lillie reassures me. During the upcoming weekend, our mom tasks us with promoting the Contests in Iki Town. It's a unique event where, to my surprise, I'm assigned as a judge alongside my mom and Nurse Joy. We manage to drum up interest and get eight participants to attend, including Selene.
"This being the inaugural Contest in Alola, we're introducing a special rule," announces my mom. "There won't be a Grand Festival this year. Instead, the first contestant to secure five ribbons will be awarded the prestigious Ribbon Cup."
The revelation of this new rule catches me off guard, sparking a sense of excitement and anticipation among the participants. The prospect of vying for the coveted Ribbon Cup adds an extra layer of significance to the contest.
In the appeal round, Selene confidently steps forward, ready to showcase her skills with Popplio. With an air of grace, she directs her Pokémon in a beautifully choreographed routine.
"Popplio, let's mesmerize them with your Aqua Jet!" Selene commands.
Popplio responds by executing a stunning display, creating intricate water formations that dance and shimmer under the sunlight. The audience is captivated by the elegant performance, applauding as the aquatic spectacle unfolds.
Selene and Popplio conclude their routine with a graceful bow, leaving a lasting impression on us and the spectators, setting the bar high for the rest of the competition. And she is the first one of the only two trainers that's going to be in the battle rounds.
Then in the battle rounds, her Popplio is battling an opponent's Dewgong. The stage is set for an intense clash between these skilled Water-type Pokémon.
"Popplio, let's start with a dazzling Bubble Beam!" Selene commands, setting the strategy in motion.
Popplio responds swiftly, releasing a flurry of sparkling bubbles that soar across the arena toward Dewgong. However, Dewgong adeptly dodges the attack, showcasing its agility.
The opposing Dewgong retaliates with a powerful Ice Beam, aiming it directly at Popplio. Quick on its feet, Popplio dodges most of the attack but gets slightly grazed, displaying resilience in the face of the icy assault.
"Popplio, show them your Aqua Jet and follow up with a Disarming Voice!" Selene instructs, adjusting the battle strategy.
Responding to Selene's command, Popplio surges forward with incredible speed, propelled by a jet of water, aiming to catch Dewgong off guard. Following up swiftly, Popplio emits a harmonious Disarming Voice, creating sonorous waves that reverberate through the arena.
When time is up, Selene has the higher score and she earns her first ribbon, much to her delight. We all congratulate her on her first win, and then we all head back home to relax.
Here is a new chapter, and we finally get an egg of someone that we're excited to see. I hope you like it and we're going back to the games in the next chapter.
Ash and Lillie's Pokemon:
Charizard, Butterfree x2 (One Pink), Rattata (Alolan), Pikachu, Raichu (Alolan), Lapras, Meganium, Typhlosion (Hisuian), Steelix (Crystal), Mantine, Sceptile, Gardevoir (Shiny), Milotic, Absol, Infernape, Lucario, Togekiss, Gallade, Samurott, Audino, Zoroark, Hydreigon, Meowstic x2, Aegislash, Hawlucha, Rowlet, Popplio, Pikipek, Yungoos, Grubbin, Magearna (Shiny), Kleavor