Wayfarer Island! It's a beautiful place that serves as a rest stop for all kinds of pokemon during their migration. So, we headed off to the mountains for some serious pokemon-watching! Our timing was perfect, and we got to watch a group of Metapod evolve into Butterfree and take wing! But after the Butterfree headed off on their migration, a lone Caterpie emerged from the woods. It seemed that the Caterpie wasn't ready to evolve yet, and now it was all alone. It broke my heart, but I was also very grateful for it. Because it allowed Ash to snap out of his gloom and help the Caterpie evolve. It was hilarious to watch him try and the succeed in training a Caterpie that wasn't interested in doing much other than sleeping. Ash truly has a magical touch with any kind of pokemon.
However, when the Caterpie had evolved into a Butterfree and left with the others, Ash went back to his sulking. Something big had happened. It was much more than just not being there for the attack on New Tork City... much more than that. But no matter how much we asked him, Ash never answered.
Even when we got to Capacia Island, things did not change. There I was distracted by a meadow full of beautiful flowers, so I wasn't there for when Gary, Ash and Cilan spotted a Dunsparce. I was stunned that they even were able to spot a pokemon known for being very cautious and hard to find. Then again, this is Ash we are talking about. He has as much luck as he has Chosen One Luck. What suprised me was that Ash decided to catch them! Even after Ash had sworn not to catch anymore pokemon, until he gets to Kalos. However, after Her Majesty told us about how he had always had a strong fascination with the pokemon, it made sense. They are extremely hard to find after all. Well, Pikachu told us, and Her Majesty translated it via psychic powers.
Still, catching a new pokemon, a difficult pokemon to catch, one who he had wanted to catch for a while, did nothing for Ash. He was happy for sure and went to train her first thing in the morning. However, his mind was still on another place.
What has him feeling so confused and lost? I wondered with sadness. It makes me feel so sad not being able to help him, even after all the aid he had given me during our year together. If only he would open up to us! I can't believe I am mad about Ash not being honest about his feelings! It's Ash!
Things got worse when we went to Mountain Shrine in the rocky baren part of Capacia Island. Where we found a Jirachi, a Jirachi! Even after meeting Zekrom and the Swords of Justice, legendaries are exciting to me! Not that Ash or his pokemon even batted an eye to them. What is wrong with these boys?! We spent seven beautiful days with him, showing him around the island and getting him to learn about the wonders of how much society has advanced. Then the worse came, Jirachi returned to his 1000 years sleep. We prayed and wished that he would not have to go back to sleep. But nothing worked. He still had to go to sleep.
"Legendaries are as cruel as they are wonderous," Ash muttered with so much venom in his voice that it startled me. I had never heard him use that tone, not even after missions hunting down Team Plasma. It surprised him too, I could tell. Because he had a satrtled look on his face, one look at Pikachu and I could tell he was surprised too. But the one that was the most shocked was Her Majesty, her gem shined with psychic power and then she growled in rage. I don't know what she had told Pikachu and Ash, but their faced paled so much that I was worried about their health.
They did not tell me anything. What else is new? But I could tell that whatever had them confused before, now it had them furious.
What the hell happened in New Tork City?!
The Harvest Island, famous for its delicious barried and the Grand Harvest Festival that celebrates them, was a good distraction. Especially after meeting Alexa, a pokemon journalist from Kalos, and her Helioptile and Gogoat! She was so cool! Telling us stories about all her trips around the world for her job, writing about and photographing pokemon in their natural habitat. Her Helioptile helps her by recharging her equipment, and Gogoat carries that equipment in its saddlebags—and remembers where it's stored, something Alexa wasn't very good at. They were a hilarious trio and reminded me a little bit about Ash, sans his love for battling.
Ash has four big loves in his life: pokemon, battling, food, and traveling. Five if we add Gary to the list.
Alexa's stories were wonderful to listen to, because they were normal. Incredible adventures, but normal ones. Nothing as world shattering as anything Ash had shared with us. It was nice to see that normal people could travel around the world and stay... well, normal.
When I started recalling all the crazies Ash has been to, it was when I started to remember that I should he worried about him and what had happened in New Tork City. It was then that Alexa mentioned the reason why she had come to the island. It was to cover the Pokemon Sumo Competition at the festival!
On the way, she filled us in on the legend surrounding the competition: long ago, the island was in danger of going barren because people and Pokémon had stripped it of nearly all its berries. The island's two strongest pokemon fought each other to a standstill over the last remaining berry, and things looked grim...but a small boy picked the berry and split it in two, offering half to each pokemon and telling them to share. The island recovered, and today, the Pokémon Sumo competition honors that fierce battle.
It was such a wonderful story!
If only I had been able to enjoy it to the end... a really rude and nasty boy shoved me at the pie stand! His name was Rodney and he had entered the competition with his enormous Golurk. So, of course, I entered... with Dragonite. Let's see how he faces against my dragon! It was already a given that I would win! After all the training we did with Ash and Charizard, did anyone expect anything else? But as I much more mature that that little boy, I offered to split the berry I had won with him, as an echo to the old legend. Ha! Take that Rodney!
As we were getting ready to set out for the ship again, we learned that Alexa was heading to Kanto too. She had to work on her next article. So she'll be joining us on our travels!
I had turned to Ash, beaming in happiness, I had truly enjoyed my time with Alexa, when the smile slipped from my face. That look of frustration and sadness Ash was wearing, when he thought no one was watching him, was back... or to be more technical, it had never left. I was just too distracted to have noticed. I was furious with myself. How could have forgotten my friend's pain like that! So, I decided to give Ash the remaining of my attention. Not even Alexa's story about a mysterious treasure map linked to Frond Island, could take my attention away from Ash. We did end up finding the treasure, of course we did, we were with Ash! But we decided to leave it there, as it was a treasure chest filled with evolution stones. There was no way we could take such a treasure from the wild pokemon living in the area.
Still, Ash was sad, even though he tried to hide it.
But I was onto him!
It was only on Cave Island that things started to change. There we met Clair, the Gym Leader of the Dragon-type Blackthorn Gym in the Johto region! I was so excited to meet her, she was Champion Lance and Elite Four Drake's cousin! I was so happy! What made me even more happy was when Ash started a conversation with her. Ash had not started a conversation with no one for weeks! Yes, he answered anayone who spoke to him with a smile, but he had not began one conversation in a long time. I was so happy!
Until, I figured out that they had been talking business and both of them were wearing very serious expressions on their faces.
Really?! He is finally talking again and it is about business! I huffed internally- Ash could be quite exasperating!
"What are you doing here?" I asked one of my idols, trying to steer the conversation away from business- Ash needs to learn to relax!
Clair turned to me surprised, before smiling and answering: "I was going to the cave in search of a rare Druddigon with different coloring. But first, I have to find my Dragonite," she smiled with fond exasperation. "She had wandered off somewhere."
"We will help you find her," Cilan assured her.
"Thank you," Clair smiled in return, and we all followed her towards the meadows. "By the way," Clair turned to me. "I heard from Lance about his offer to you, have you thought about it?"
"About visiting the Wataru Clan in Blackthron?" I was surprised by her change of topic.
"Yes, you see I am in need of a gym trainee, and you fit the bill," Clair's response, froze me on my place. "You are a Dragon Specialist, who has been trained by Ace Captain Ash Ketchum and Gym Leader Drayden. What more could I ask for?"
"I think that it is an excellent idea," Gary commented, pulling me forward, so we could continue on our way. "As good as Ashy is, he is a generalist and does not understand dragons in a way only a Dragon Master can. Also, the Wataru Clan has a lot of research and techniques about dragon taming, that are a secret to the rest of the world. Take the chance, I did the same when I was offered an opportunity as a researcher in Sinnoh and Kalos. Ashy did the same when the Orange Islands and Battle Frotnier came knocking on his door."
"I..." I was speechless, it was great opportunity.
But... I tunred to Ash with worry in my eyes.
Ash, like always, smiled gently at me. "I will be ok, I have Gary, Cilan, and my pokemon. What's bothering me... I will deal with it. But not alone, I promise you. Take this chance, it does not come around twice."
I was still worried, but I could see that Ash was telling me truth. So, I turned to Clair in detemrination. "Ok! I accept the offer! I will become your gym trainee!"
"Good," Clair's smiled turned vicicous, like a dragon. "Be prepared, we are leaving tomorrow and I will not hold back."
"Good!" I replied, with my own draconic smile. "Because I won't hold back too!"
