2026

  The next morning, Luvia woke up before the sun had risen, and the first thing she’d done was shoot the sharpest look at her nightstand, where the white-on-white pokéball sat with Mudkip in it.

  I’m going out.

  There was no way she’d be able to fall back asleep. There was just no way.

  Today was going to be good. In less than a minute, she had already planned her morning out.

  She’d jump out of bed, take Mudkip with her, fill her small backpack with a few snacks, and head straight to the beach.

  They’d be leaving for Slateport City soon after breakfast, which was usually anywhere around 9am.

  That left her with roughly three hours before she’d need to be back.

  She shifted and stared through the windows. The sky looked clear, glowing with that mild light of dawn.

  Mudkip was a Water-type. It had been sort of obvious at a glance, with the damp skin and all, but she had also learned a few things during the previous day’s evening walk with her father.

  For a Mudkip to remain healthy, it needed frequent hydration. It was an amphibian pokémon, able to live both in land and water, which is why, in the wild, they were usually found in places with the perfect mix of both.

  Swamps.

  Clearcloud Island had no swamps, but it had no shortage of water. Streams, ponds, lagoons, and of course, the ocean all around it.

  As the girl got dressed in a pair of joggers and a fleece, she thought about the only friends she had left on the island. Carol and Nelly. They all went to Clearmont High, one of the island’s only high schools. All of them were the same age too, and each already graduated past the minimum educational requirement to work most blue-collar jobs.

  Many young islanders left for the mainland at some point or another, where the pay was better and work opportunities in plenty. Luvia had always thought she’d end up in some berry ranch somewhere, ideally managing or supervising, or, if she was feeling ambitious, work her way up to head chef in a fancy mainland restaurant or café, with the dream of running her own in some far-off future.

  Because pokéball culture was so loose on the island, not many residents grew up even considering they could become trainers.

  Every kid dreamed of it at some point or another, but when you got old enough to understand that it wasn’t all as simple as catching a pokémon and leaving home, those dreams started to fade. For some faster than others.

  Pokémon Basics I & II were taught in all public schools region-wide. Everyone had at least the most elementary pokémon know-how. Everyone who went to school knew there were eighteen different pokémon types, each with its own set of characteristics, preferences, and health considerations.

  But you needed more than that if you were going to receive a trainer license.

  When Dad and Neela leave for the mainland, I’m going to study.

  She made up her mind that morning. She put on her parka, grabbed her pokéball, and left the house without waking anyone up.

  When she got to the beachside, she was glad to see that the tide had not receded yet. The waves lapped and frothed against the sandy shore, the air full of that briny, familiar smell she was so used to. This early in the morning, only a handful of Wingull had begun their day. Some of them recognized Luvia and swooped in for a friendly squawk.

  She knew that they were mainly interested to know what she had in her backpack.

  “Whether I feed you today will depend on how you treat Mudkip!” she warned them. “Be nice!”

  She pulled out Mudkip’s ball from her parka and let the pokémon out right there by the shore, watching how the Wingull would react with bated breath.

  She knows Water Gun and Tackle, Luvia recalled. Oh, and did he say Growl too? …

  Though the island locals weren’t traditionally much for the mainland cultures of elaborate battles, and potions, and all those “modernities”, they weren’t living in the Stone Age, and were well aware of what went on around the region (for the most part.)

  Television was a household appliance, after all – had been for decades – and that meant that Luvia’s and Neela’s, and even Nana’s generations were as savvy about national affairs as their mainland neighbors. But traditions stuck and culture stayed strong, and most islanders held fast to customs that mainlanders would say belonged to an “offshore simpleton.”

  Luvia already felt slightly awkward carrying a pokéball around, but it was only the kind of awkwardness you’d feel when you wore a pretty dress for the first time and all eyes fell on you. In private, having her own pokéball made her feel immensely … whole?

  She thought that if this is how trainers normally felt, then it was no wonder they were so daring.

  “Maahd!” Mudkip greeted into the morning with its tiny voice.

  The Wingull chirped and squawked loudly when they saw the small stranger on their shore. One of them even swooped down to perch on Luvia, much to her total and flinching surprise. When the Wingull spread its wings to balance itself on her small, unstable shoulder, Luvia remained still, half-expecting a nasty peck on the head. When it didn’t come, she cautiously straightened herself and saw that the Wingull was cocking its head down at Mudkip.

  The little one’s tail was vibrating in, what Luvia hoped, were happy bouts.

  “Meehd!” it squeaked, and the daring Wingull hopped down beside it.

  “No fighting!” Luvia warned, curious as she was nervous.

  The other Wingull began to swoop down too, one after the other, landing on the sand further away, then slowly hobbling closer.

  The Wingull by her feet was making noises within its beak that Luvia only heard them make when they were in their flocks, feeding.

  Mudkip hopped closer, tail fin still vibrating in short bouts.

  When the little one leaned in for a sniff, the Wingull spread its wings and turned on one side. It was a warning of its own.

  “Easy, easy,” Luvia said softly, stealing a glance at the other approaching Wingull and holding Mudkip’s pokéball incase she needed a quick recall.

  “Meehd!” said Mudkip right as it dropped on its front paws like a playful pup.

  She’s being friendly, Luvia thought with relief.

  The Wingull turned and gave a big hop with a beat of its wings, landing right at the shore’s edge, where the ocean water lapped up and washed over its feet.

  Mudkip hopped right after it. One of the other Wingull joined them, while the other two hobbled as close as they dared to Luvia, cocking their heads up in the direction of the little backpack she had around one shoulder.

  The girl remained quiet as her Mudkip sniffed the lapping ocean tide and slowly entered into the water.

  When a bigger wave broke and the tide rushed in, Luvia called out with concern.

  “Be careful, the tide’s still strong!”

  The Wingull easily hopped over it with a single flap, but the rush of briny water buffeted against Mudkip squarely. Luvia was already moving toward it, letting the pokéball drop into her pocket and reaching out to grab the little one.

  … There was no need.

  Mudkip hadn’t moved an inch from where it stood. As if its four little paws had roots under them.

  “Wow…” Luvia was impressed. Her shoulders dropped and she smiled in relief.

  Hadn't her father said something along the lines of, “Very strong for her size – better be careful,” the previous day?

  She could see that now. As the little one's tail fin vibrated, Luvia thought…

  “Want to go for a swim?”

  She threw off her crocs as far as she could back onto dryer sand and winced as the cold ocean water washed past her ankles. All four Wingull joined them in the water then, floating some distance away as they paddled with their webbed feet.

  Luvia stepped further in, watching as the water rose to Mudkip’s neck, and the little one began to kick itself afloat. Paws cycled gently, showing Luvia how foolish she had been to think that a Water-type pokémon might need her help in the water.

  For some reason though, Mudkip did not seem to want its head below the surface.

  “Maaih!” it said, and one of the Wingull responded, paddling right next to the little one.

  Luvia’s heart was warmed to say the least. Aww, they’re taking care of her...

  In that instant, she was reminded of that dream. The one she’d woken up all weird from afterwards last Munday morning. The ocean’s pokémon as one big family.

  …

  Water-types… She had never felt this before. Never even considered it…

  But now, she felt like she quite fancied Water-types. They just seemed so… open.

  They got back home before breakfast.

  Luvia stayed with her pokémon on the porch of their home, watching over it to make sure Ziggy and Bincy didn’t bully her too much.

  It went much better than it had the previous day. Bincy lost interest pretty quickly, and Ziggy, without his mother’s backup, became much less daring, much more tame.

  Mudkip struck Luvia as very attentive. Cunning almost. The little Mudkip looked at things with her plain and open beady eyes, never in fear or worry, but in a perceptive observance. Like she was trying to figure you out all by herself.

  Ziggy kept feigning aloofness. When Mudkip approached him, he’d haughtily trot off somewhere, and when he saw that Mudkip turned her attention elsewhere, he’d double around and sit nearby, watching the little one with curiosity.

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  “Come here, Ziggy,” Luvia said, sat on a pillowed chair, holding her hand out toward him.

  The Zigzagoon gave a tiny wag of its bushy tail, but made no effort to do so.

  The whole thing still baffled Luvia, but it no longer stung her. She had Mudkip now.

  “Suit yourself then…”

  Fresh and steaming seaweed soup along with leftover spiced bread was the morning’s meal, and Luvia savored every moment they spent together around the table.

  She had other grandparents from her father’s side, but they lived abroad, in a northern region called Galar. A much colder, much less sunny place. Her other grandmother was Galarian, but Luvia had never been there, nor had her father in all the time she’d been alive.

  Her paternal grandparents had come to see Neela when she was a year old, and again when she was ten and Luvia had turned two. As such, the youngest Juneworth remembered nothing about them, but her elder sister mentioned how their grandfather was tall and wide, with coal-black eyes, and how the grandmother had been a woman with thin lips, short and spiky silver hair, and the same blue eyes that Dad and the two Juneworth sisters shared. Oh, and wrinkles. Lots of them.

  Luvia’s mother and Nana were undiluted Hoennians. Smoky dark hair, a deep olive tan, and hazel eyes for Mom, whilst Nana’s were cloudy gray, lightened with age.

  Luvia’s maternal grandfather – Nana’s husband – had died before Luvia was born and when Neela was still a toddler.

  There were photos of him in the family album holding a baby Neela. He had been a chunky, jolly-looking man, full bellied and flashing a toothy smile in almost every picture.

  “You’ve finished packing, Luvy?” her father asked as they began clearing the breakfast table.

  “We’re just staying one night, right?” Luvia replied. “I don’t need much.”

  A single change of clothes was all she’d put in her backpack. She was always the type of girl to leave her bag in school overnight, not wanting to lug around even a single kilo of weight if she could help it. Travelling light was her motto.

  Neela was almost the opposite. Make up, at least three pairs of shoes, a full dress, two sweaters with matching pants, and her favorite patterned skirt, made and sown in Clearcloud Island itself.

  The good thing about that was that if it turned out she had under-packed, she’d just use some of Neela’s stuff!

  There were only two cruisers which laid over at the island during transit to Slateport City.

  One before midday, and the other before sunset. The entire Juneworth household got to the port an hour before the morning cruise ship was scheduled to arrive.

  Neela spent the time snapping pictures of the family and of Luvia with her Mudkip.

  “You should dye your hair,” she told Luvia out of the blue.

  …

  “Why?” Luvia responded, putting Mudkip down.

  Neela hummed, letting the camera hang from her neck as she framed her younger sister from afar with her fingers.

  “Your eyes already match with Mudkip’s blue, but you can barely see them in photos. If you dyed your hair… I dunno… blue or cyan… ooh! – or maybe blonde! Yeahhh! That would work!”

  Luvia scoffed. “I’m sure Mudkip doesn’t care what color my hair is.”

  “I didn’t mean for her sake, silly,” Neela teased. “More for yours, you know. It’ll lighten you up, maybe give you a little confidence. This sun-kissed, mud brown is getting old.”

  Luvia turned to her with the most deadpan expression. “You know your hair is exactly the same, right?”

  Neela whipped her head, flourishing her shoulder-length locks. “Yeah, and that’s why I’ll dye mine rose pink the moment I get my Skitty.”

  Luvia’s eyes widened. “You’re getting a Skitty? When???”

  Her sister laughed, clasping her hands together and gazing wishfully at the sky. “I have plans…”

  Honestly, Luvia was happy for her, but she couldn’t resist the urge to tease her back.

  “Why don’t you just bleach some streaks on yours? That way, you’ll match perfectly with Ziggy and Bincy.”

  Neela’s mouth fell, and she stole a quick glance at Bincy, who was lying down under the shade of the bench where their father sat.

  “What if we got Dad and Mom to do it?” Neela thought out loud.

  Luvia gazed at her parents for a second, picturing it, then burst out laughing.

  Aboard the S.S Clementine, the ocean sped along swiftly under them.

  It was one of the smaller cruise ships, only carrying a hundred or so passengers. Taking a small engine powered sail boat up to the cruise ship had been Luvia’s favorite part. Those things bounced right over waves!

  She’d ridden with Nana and her mother, keeping Mudkip in its ball for fear that she’d hop off into the water and some wild Tentacruel or something would drag her down.

  Neela and their father rode along with Bincy on another boat beside them, and the sisters kept screaming at each other as they swept through the ocean surface towards the S.S Clementine, waiting for them a mile out at sea.

  Ziggy had to be kept in his dusty, old pokéball too. He’d never been on a boat.

  On the cruise ship itself, you could hardly feel that you were on the ocean. It cut through waves like nothing, keeping itself level all times. The drop to the ocean surface from the ship’s main deck was around 20 feet, and Luvia thought that at the speed it was moving, if someone were to drop, they’d get left behind in a second.

  There was plenty of space on the deck, though, and only a few other passengers. The Juneworths picked a couple of benches and sat, taking in the sights and pleasant ocean breeze as Luvia glanced around the deck’s edge, warded off by 5ft tall railed fence. There were gaps between each rail. Gaps big enough for a Mudkip to hop through.

  But still… I’ll let her out.

  If Mudkip looked like it’d jump off, she could always just recall back into the ball.

  “We’re going for a look around,” Neela told the oldies. With Mudkip out of its ball, the girls felt like having a look-around.

  “Here, Neela,” Dad said, holding out a few paper notes. “Bring us some drinks when you come back.”

  Neela happily took the money and the young Juneworths began to make their way to the back of the ship. Mudkip cantered along behind Luvia, bouncing along on its little paws.

  “What do you think it’ll be like?” Luvia said.

  “The city?”

  Luvia shook her head. “No, I mean the showcase. Tonight’s show.”

  Neela hummed. “Fantastic, that’s what.” Then she shot Luvia a look as they walked, and then another at Mudkip.

  “Why don’t you do something like that, Luvy?”

  “Huh?” Luvia made a face. She looked over her shoulder, down at Mudkip pacing along behind her and smiled. “Are you serious?”

  “Why not?” Neela said with a shrug. “Who’s to say that a silly island girl can’t make it?”

  Luvia was about to shove at her sister, but then she saw that Neela didn’t even have her teasing face on. Maybe, by “silly island girl” she had also meant herself… or any other islander for that matter.

  Luvia settled for an investigative frown. “Don’t you need, like… I dunno… lots of money for that?”

  Neela gave her head a quick shake. “No, I think they pay for memberships to take part, and if they like someone in particular, they vote them through to the next event. Hmmm… wasn’t it?”

  She didn’t seem too sure about that last part, but it got Luvia thinking.

  “If anything, I think I’d just like travelling…”

  Neela scoffed. “Yeah, but how will you make money to feed yourself? Where will you sleep? You think I’ll be sending you pocket money every week? – because no!”

  Luvia let out an exasperated sigh.

  “Meehd!” Mudkip surprised them, making both of them jump.

  “She agrees with me, Luvy.”

  “No, she was saying that – yes! Yes, you should send us some money every week…”

  Neela blew a razzberry that broke into a fit of giggles. Luvia giggled too.

  …

  The sisters entered the large lounging cabin, where most of the passengers sat. It was busy with the noise of chatter, and many pokémon were out of their balls. A Whismur fidgeting with its food nervously under a table, several Taillow, which Luvia realized must have been wild, stowing away on the ship for whatever leftovers they could find.

  A Breloom that stood almost as tall as Luvia, waiting patiently by its human’s side. It was a rare sight for the sisters, and Neela asked if she could snap a picture. The owner was a middle-aged man in a suit, busy talking on his phone – a mainlander most surely. He gave Neela the go ahead with a lazy gesture of his hand.

  There were even two Zigzagoon skittering around with insatiable curiosity.

  “You should have brought Ziggy,” Luvia remarked, but Neela hummed her disapproval in response.

  “He’d just be a headache – we’re here to see things, not babysit. If Ziggy behaved as well as cute little Mudkip, I wouldn’t mind.”

  There were a couple of bars and a few small shops and cafes. Neela went ahead to buy some drinks while Luvia waited outside, more interested in watching the busy lounge.

  That’s when she noticed some eyes on her. It was a boy, sitting on a chair outside one of the cafes to her left. A green, blob-like pokémon rested under his chair.

  Gulpin, Luvia thought, recognizing it. Like the Breloom, she’d only ever seen them on the TV, but they were well known in the region. Poison-types geared perfectly towards rubbish disposal. They had no skeletons, and could stretch like balloons, digesting virtually anything organic within their toxic stomachs.

  She looked away from the pair immediately.

  …

  From the corner of her eye, she saw the boy move.

  He stood from his chair, still looking her way, and began approaching her!

  Gulpin stayed put under the chair… sleeping?

  Luvia leaned to the side and glanced back into the shop, looking for her sister, but Neela must have been behind some shelf, probably taking her time to look at everything.

  What’s he want…

  Luvia managed another look at the boy, who had almost reached her now.

  He was young – maybe even younger than her. Within an inch of the same height, wearing khaki cargo pants and a black, sleeveless puffer jacket. His hair was short, almost down to a buzz, and his smile was only just slightly creepy.

  When he reached them, the first thing he did was lift his chin as he looked down at Mudkip.

  Luvia glared at him then.

  “Nice pokémon,” he said. “A Mudkip, right?” His eyes trailed slowly from the little one to Luvia.

  Something in Luvia felt slightly relieved at hearing that. Maybe because Mudkip was an interesting topic of discussion for her.

  “Yes,” the young Juneworth replied flatly. She didn’t much like the hint of amusement in his eyes.

  “Where’d you find one? It’s not every day you see a Mudkip.”

  “She was a gift…” Luvia hesitated, “from my father.”

  The boy broke into a grin. “Nice… Wanna see how it squares up?”

  Luvia blinked at him, frowned, and blinked again.

  “What do you mean?”

  The boy gestured at his Gulpin, sleeping under the chair. “A quick battle – how about it?”

  Luvia almost choked. She felt the blood flowing to her face, but she caught herself. She breathed. Then she looked at the boy right in the eye and said, “No thanks.”

  Said boy was disappointed. “Aww, what gives? Just a little spar… They have a few battle courts on the floor below – it’ll be fun.”

  Neela came out of the shop then, carrying a polythene bag full of drinks. She took one look at the boy and made eye contact with Luvia.

  “Hi, hi,” she said cheerily to the boy. “You need something?”

  The boy looked up at Neela and Luvia relished at how his confidence seemed to drop a peg. He blinked and opened his mouth to speak, let out a little ‘ah’, then smiled, shrugging.

  “I was just asking her if she wanted Mudkip to have a little spar…”

  Neela looked at Luvia in the eye, and for a second, Luvia thought her elder sister might push her to give it a try.

  “Where's your pokémon?” Neela asked, and the boy pointed to Gulpin.

  Luvia fought the urge to laugh when she saw her sister’s lip curl up slightly. She couldn’t hold back the smile though.

  “I’m sorry, but there’s no way Mudkip’s first battle is going to be against that thing – isn’t it poisonous?”

  Luvia wanted to kiss her.

  The boy’s smile faded, his brow crinkled. “It’s a spar. They won’t need a poké-center afterwards if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  Neela flicked her hair, and raised her free hand at him. “No thanks.” Then she started walking, and Luvia and Mudkip followed right after her.

  Luvia looked back at him once as he walked back to his chair, shaking his head.

  “What a creep!” she whispered at Neela as they made their way out of the lounge.

  “Disgusting,” Neela muttered.

  “Maahd!” Mudkip added.

  After taking the drinks back to Nana and their parents, they hung around with them, had an early lunch, then roamed around the ship some more, making a point to check out the battle courts the boy had mentioned to Luvia.

  There was no one down there.

  The courts themselves were tennis-court-sized and lit with white flood lights. The floor was made of very tough, black rubber, and despite being below deck, the air in the rooms didn’t feel stuffy. It was well ventilated and you could still faintly smell the ocean.

  “Mudkip, Water Gun!” Neela cried out, pointing across dramatically at the other end of the court.

  “Maahd!”

  Mudkip did no such thing.

  Luvia laughed. “She just said you’re mad!”

  Their voices rang inside the room.

  “Mudkip,” Neela whined. “Water Gun!”

  Nope.

  She sighed and let her shoulders drop. “You try it, Luvy.”

  Luvia had a conflicted smile on her face, suddenly put on the spot. But she was alone with her sister, so who cared?

  “?Muuudkeeep?…” Luvia sang, being theatrical about it. “Water!” she bounced on her hips, stuck out her butt, and pointed across the other end of the court as Neela had done, in the silliest dancer’s pose she could manage.

  Mudkip’s tail fin vibrated once, twice, and the little one made a noise that neither of them had heard it make before.

  “Ghhh!!!”

  A stream of transparent liquid shot out of Mudkip’s mouth like water from a power-hose.

  “Ay!” Neela yelled in surprise.

  Luvia flinched out of her exquisite pose, eyes wide at the long, long stream that shot out from Mudkip’s mouth all the way towards the other end of the court. It didn’t quite make it past the court line, but it came close.

  “Luvy!” Neela cheered. “You silly – you did it!”

  “I didn’t do anything!”

  Neela ignored her, rushing up to Mudkip to pick her up and smother her in a tight hug.

  “You look even cuter now!” Neela squealed at the little one.

  “Meehd! Meeeehd!”

  Luvia went over to wrench Mudkip from her grip before she suffocated it.

  “Guh.” Neela was gushing, putting both hands on her cheeks. “If you don’t make something of her, I will!”

  Luvia turned away, holding Mudkip against her stomach. “What are you even talking about…”

  “I’m serious, Luvy! You can’t have a pokémon this cute and do nothing about it! She even listened to you, and it’s barely been a day!”

  …

  Luvia felt herself swelling with pride, but more importantly, with satisfaction. Mudkip almost felt like part of her, and she wondered how she’d even lived all these years without it.

  “You didn’t even say the full thing,” Neela continued. “Water – you said, right? And she knew exactly what you meant… Guh…”

  A brief silence hung in the air between them.

  “Don’t waste her, Luvy. You’ll piss me off.”

  Luvia clicked her tongue, slightly annoyed. “What do you want me to do, Neela? I don’t get what you mean.”

  She knew her elder sister was being candid, but she had no idea what exactly she was expecting of her. She made no mention of her intention to study for the trainer exam after Neela and Dad went to live in the mainland for work. She’d felt sure in the morning, but some ideas were better kept secret.

  Neela whined in irritation. “Just something, Luvy. Something.”

  Luvia lost her patience, pointing straight at her sister.

  “?Muuuudkeeeep?…” Her voice rang tunefully.

  Neela’s eyes widened, and she covered her head with her arms. “Nooo!”

  Luvia decided to spare her.

  Some time later…

  *This is a passenger announcement; We’ll be arriving at Eastern Bay, Slateport City shortly. Please ensure you have all your belongings with you before you leave. It has been a pleasure to have you on board. *