FicWad

I reach my hands forward, grabbing hold of the seat ahead of me, using it first to stretch, then to help me rise stiffly to my cramped feet. The plane ride was long, and I was rather tired as Tinsel, my Sylveon, wrapped her soft ribbon around my wrist to guide me. My head is pounding from the long flight, dizzying me when I first stand as I move away from the small seats.

I sling my backpack that held the items my family needed while en route over my shoulder, carefully ensuring there was nothing and no one near me before doing so. I then locate the overhead bags with the help of a flight attendant and pull them down, holding onto one for myself and setting the other down behind me for my wife to grab.

She stumbles noisily beside me, having restlessly dozed off during the flight, and was now clumsily gathering up her items. Hop, her Delcatty, impatiently chirps as she pushes her from behind to get out of the seats and into the aisle. There's a gentle clutch of my wife's hand as she catches it on my shoulder, grabbing it to steady herself.

Hop must be eager to get off the plane too; she is usually very sweet with Sashi, I think to myself.

We had been traveling for 37 hours now. We started in Johto, where our previous home was, and we had just arrived in Alola, on Melemele Island. This last leg of our journey was a 12-hour non-stop flight across the ocean. We were all exhausted and ready to settle into the new home waiting for us after a, hopefully short, cab ride.

"Sashi," I called back to my wife when I suddenly felt her hand leave my shoulder, "Are you alright back there?"

"Yeah, Kabir," she mumbles back, her voice still bleary with sleep, "Just a bit tired, still."

I turn around to face the sound of her voice and hold out a ribbon of Tinsel's, which she gratefully accepts. We squeeze our way off the airplane, our overhead bags dragging noisily behind us on their wheels.

The aircraft that brought us here was a moderately sized flight. Not too big, but definitely not small. We picked this day for flying, as the plane was not packed, which means we could keep Hop out of her PokèBall, much to her happiness. That little Delcatty hates being in her ball.

A flight attendant helps us off the plane while Tinsel guides my wife and me, her ribbons wrapped around our wrists. The young attendant leads us swiftly through the airport and onto the tarmac, where she gives Sashi instructions on where to go from there to reach the cab port.

I feel warm sunlight on my face as we make our way across the grounds. It feels so good after the stuffy cabin. The air is clean, and the smell of salty water washes through my nose. The sound of crashing waves on the shoreline can be heard even over the noises of the bustling airport. A different attendant call our names, and my bedraggled little crew makes our way towards the new voice.

"Hello! Welcome to Alola! My name is Martin, and I will be your guide through the airport today!" the kind young man explains with a joyful tone. "Your luggage will be unloaded in just a few minutes, but until then, may I interest you in a drink at one of our shops? Another attendant will bring your luggage over to you, so there's no need for us to stand about for your items."

Martin reaches his hand out and catches mine, giving it a firm shake with a large, work-hardened hand. I hear him grasp hands with my wife behind me as well, and she tells him the names of the Pokémon before him. He greets them kindly in turn.

Sashi then addresses both of us in her soft voice, saying, "I think a drink stop would be lovely."

The young man leads us over to a stand, and both Sashi and I order a Pinap Juice for ourselves and two MooMoo Milks for the Pokémon. We offer to buy Martin a cup too since he was so graciously acting as our guide, but he turns the offer down, telling us he can usually get a free drink or even meal at one of the many shops located in and around the airport.

"Kabir," Sashi addresses me with a small laugh, "I might have to consider changing careers if they get free food all the time," She proclaims jokingly.

I can hear my wife moving around now, her feet making small scraping noises as she shuffles sleepily back and forth, looking at and describing the sites around her, trying to get some extra movement in before the ride in the cab.

"What is that small black bird?" She exclaims, suddenly excited, as I hear the fluttering of tiny wings swiftly approaching our group.

"Why, that would be a Pikipek," Martin responds.

I pull a treat from my left-side pocket and hold it out on my palm, clicking my tongue at the small feathered creature flapping overhead. It lands on my hand and happily takes the offering, sounding off with a chirp of pleasure and gratitude.

"It's so small!" I remark, "And warm, just like the Fletchlings we saw while in Kalos." I add, feeling heat radiate off the tiny bird in front of me. I scratch its head, ruffling the feathers while continuing to murmur to it.

We sit for a time, chatting, drinking our juice, and feeding treats to the sweet bird until it eats its fill. It remains on my hand, cooing happily while my wife and I doll out affection until we stop when a third attendant arrives and announces that they have all our luggage.

My new Pikipek friend suddenly pushes down on my hand, and then I feel a rush of wings as the small creature takes flight into the calm air of Alola, its weight on the appendage vanishing with its presence.

We grab our luggage and make our way to the street, quietly talking amongst ourselves as Martin hails us a cab. I hear the cabby jump out of his seat with a thump on the hard concrete, noisily ambling over to my wife and me, then offering to stow our items for us in a loud, deep voice.

The Tauros pulling the cab grunts and stomps grumpily, and I carefully walk over, led by Tinsel, towards it, pulling another treat from my pocket to give to these new Pokèmon.

"Oh, sir," the cabby says suddenly, moving swiftly back over to me with quick footsteps, "No treats for that one! He's a bit grumpy and doesn't much like strangers". I feel his hand close around my wrist and gently lead me away. "It's a good thing you hadn't gotten any closer! My apologies for not informing you sooner, sir, but I do have a sign up stating to keep back." He exclaims with slight embarrassment.

He then leads me over to the side of his cab, still gripping my wrist. I run my free hand along the walls of his vehicle. I feel the surface change from the sun-warmed wood to a cool soft metal with the familiar bumpy surface of Braille reading "Do not interact with Tauros."

"I've got another one over here, though, who rather enjoys a good pat on the nose." Martin continues after I reach the end of the passage.

We move off again, but this time towards a different Tauros, making an apparent wide path around the first, who was stomping and snorting angrily. He sets me in front of the second, more silent bull, patting my shoulder as he walks away.

I reach my hand out and receive a solid, eager push. This one is certainly friendly. I feel it nuzzle my palm to get at the treat. Then, obliging, I hold out the pellet and feel the soft mouth as it gently raises its lips to pull the food off my fingers. Sashi walks up beside me, and I hear her hand run along the bull's horns, commenting on the sheen and good length.

"What a lovely and healthy Pokémon you are," She coos at it. "So sweet and calm." We enjoy dolling out attention to the large bovine.

"We're loaded and ready to go!" The cabby calls out after a short pause.

I notice Tinsel rise at my feet, wrapping a ribbon around my wrist once more. She leads me over to the open door of the cab. Jumping onto the first step, I feel her ribbon pull me close. I raise my leg to the area where I hear her gentle chirping and pull myself up after my foot, her ribbon tugging as she guides me further up and then inside.

My wife scoots in beside me, still moving sluggishly and I hear Hop jump in next to her. Sashi informs the cabby of our new address. He calls out to the Tauros to get them started, clicking his tongue and gently snapping the reins. The wheels beneath us roll forward, and I feel the soft rush of wind as the cab starts moving.

Finally, we begin the last leg of the long journey to our new home.