Categories > Games > Pokemon > The Spirit of Alola - Book One - A Malignant Mind
I was growing rather tired from my journey. The skin on the fingers of my right hand and the soles of my feet were being shredded by the constant scrapings of the rocky wall and coarse ground. The flow of blood on my palm had eased to a light trickle by now, but I could feel tiny pricks of warmth along my other appendages as new cuts opened up on my supporting hand and shuffling feet. Unfortunately, I only had the clothes on my back and the sand of the beach, so there was no way to tend to my wounds currently.
The waves beside me crash harder and louder as I drag myself slowly forward. I'd considered using the ocean water to wash out some of my wounds, but the thought of the current sting becoming worse due to the salt content in the sea was not appealing. I also had no way of knowing the quality of the water here. It could be clean, which would do good for my wounds.
On that note though, the lake behind my house was "sludge-filled and disgusting," as my wife described it. That water could be flowing somehow into this part of the ocean. If I were to get that bacteria-filled mess into my wounds, it could cause serious infections. So, without much to do, I simply continued walking.
The mysterious little Pokèmon in my left hand had eaten its fill and fallen asleep, wholly unconcerned by the oncoming storm or the water soaking into its body. At first, I had attempted to shield it from the salty spray, but it seemed to enjoy the water, so I had stopped trying.
The wind was blowing consistently now, not quite loud enough to drown out all the noise from my sensitive ears, but enough to keep me calling to Hop, so I knew we weren't leaving her behind. Random, powerful gusts would entirely drown out my ears at times though, and I would be forced to stand still, bracing against the rocks out of both desires to not be bashed into any sharp edges and my need to hear my surroundings.
The mist from the windswept ocean was now soaked into my left half. I could feel the cold wetness as it continued spraying, and the water began to creep along the rest of my clothing as well, soaking further into my skin and chilling me to the bone.
One encouraging note about my travels was that the wall was steadily growing shorter. My fingertips brushed along the top, sitting at waist height now. It was a double-edge, though, as that also meant it would be more difficult for me to keep on a straight path when it finally vanished.
And it did.
There came a point where my fingers could no longer reach the wall, and my feet were shuffling only along the rock-filled sandy floor of the outer beach. I could feel the push of the ocean as it wormed its way farther up the coast, hiding any soft sandy sections and pushing me further inland. I worried that I would find myself walking into the sea as it crept closer to me, but I also knew I must be drawing near my neighbors home by now.
I stand still for a while, trying to decide on my following action carefully. I could continue along the edge of the sea, calling out until someone hears me. But, again, the fear of slipping into the ocean is a large worry for me. I also could walk further inland, away from the only stretch of land I know in this new environment, and hope I stumble upon a helpful person and not an angry wild Pokémon or another sudden drop. Sand is far more predictable underfoot than hard-packed earth.
As if in response to my thoughts, the call of a stranger's voice catches my attention.
"Not a very pleasant day for a seaside stroll, is it?" A young man's voice calls out with practiced ease over the roaring tides.
I respond, my knees nearly failing me in joy to hear another human, "It's really quite bad over here." The relief in my voice shows as laughter. I hear the stranger's voice respond in a chuckle as well, not as concerned about the incoming storm as me and seeming completely unaware of my worrying situation. The wind grows stronger, distorting the sounds before me, making it hard for me to locate where they are coming from.
"Who are you yelling at?" I hear the voice of a young woman now, she might be a bit farther away, but I can’t tell.
"Actually, guys," I call to them over the din of the sea, interrupting his response, "I seem to be lost. Could you help me out?" I've already started shuffling my feet over to where the voices are, shooting for a point in between where I heard them and hoping they would meet me in the middle. The gales push against my back now, propelling me forward in a difficult to control, stumbling gait.
"Of course we can," The female responds, her voice moving towards me as well. "Where are you headed?"
I yell back my address and am met with a sudden hush.
"You mean the house right over there?" The man says quizzically after a long pause, his voice and two sets of footsteps approaching quickly now. "Can you see it up there, on top of the-" I hear his voice stumble, and he cuts off his sentence abruptly.
"Oh, Arceus," the woman's voice says in shock beside the man's, "You're blind, aren’t you."
"Yes," I responded good-naturedly, "therein lies my problem." I throw my free arm up slightly in mock despair. "I moved in just today and haven't figured out the area yet."
"It’s alright, cousin, we’ll get you there," the male stops for a moment, presumably checking the location of my home. "Your house is about a kilometer to the southwest. I can see it from here, sitting on top of the hill. We can guide you up there if you want,"
"Oh my, but you're hurt as well," The woman's voice frets, standing in front of me.
“Would it be okay if I take a look at those injuries? My dad’s a doctor and I’ve picked up a few tricks from him.” The man’s voice questions.
I respond genuinely, grateful for the assistance. “Please, be my guest.”
Now on my right, the man picks my arm up and brings my hand near to his face, examining my ragged palm and scratch-covered fingers. His breath is warm on my cold, wet skin as he pulls the appendage close to better view the damage. I can't help but wince as the burning in my palm and shoulder worsens from the sudden movement.
He must have noticed my reaction as he pauses once more, then says, "How about we head back to our house so we can treat your injuries first."
I hold my right arm up as he lets it go and try to squeeze my injured hand but pause as I feel pain of my damaged palm. “Thank you. I would appreciate that. Plus, it would be nice to sit down somewhere warm and dry for a moment," I responded in relief, indicating my wet clothes."I'm Professor Ashoka, Kabir, by the way, and the Delcatty's name is Hop," I say, bowing awkwardly at my kind rescuers.
"I'm Professor Kukui, and this is my wife, Professor Burnet. We live in the house by the beach. We are actually your closest neighbors." The man answers.
"Ah! Well, isn't that funny! Another Professor moved right next door." Burnet says with a giggle, I can hear her giving her husband a few smacks on the arm in her excitement. “It’s really a perfect house for it too. Nice and big with plenty of outside space.”
"You'll have a real shock then, to find out that my wife is also a Professor!" I say swiftly with a grin and my own snort of amusement.
"I have a feeling we will get along quite well as neighbors," Burnet answers back, laughing with me some more, Kukui joining in with his deeper voice.
"So, where did you find that Pyukumuku?" Kukui asks once we've all quieted enough to return to a conversation.
"Oh, is that what this little guy is called? I found it along the coastline." I respond, referring to the sleeping Pokémon in my left arm.
"Let me guess. When you found it, it begged you for food?" The young man presumes.
"It did! It wouldn't let me go until I picked it up and gave it more. Is it your's?" I query.
"No, it’s wild. It just really likes food. This little guy follows everyone around and pesters people until it eats its fill. No matter, though. It would be a shame to wake the sleeping Beautifly now. We'll bring it to the lab and carry it back home once the storm dies down. Let's head up to the house now though, before the rain starts." Kukui answers.
I stumble forward from a sudden angry gust of wind as I follow the sound of his voice. Before I can hit the ground, I feel a firm, confident grasp on my arm from the man and a smaller hand from the woman that comes in from my left to push against my stomach, my new, kind neighbors stopping my fall. They begin to lead me carefully away from the sea.
"Hop, come on," I call over my shoulder, only to feel her cold, wet fur rub against my leg. "Oh, have you been here the whole time?" I ask, bewildered.
"No, it just came over.” Burnet responds. “But, it didn't stay for long." My neighbor chuckles as I feel Hop's shivering body suddenly drop away. I hear her hiss in defiance as the voice of a Pokémon I've never heard before barks excitedly at the energetic cat.
"Come on, Lycanroc, leave the poor thing alone!" She scolds kindheartedly. Then to me, she adds, "The house is just right up this small hill."
"There are six stairs off the beach. Then we'll be back on flat ground for a bit. After that, another four steps for the porch, and then the threshold is a bit higher too." Kukui instructs quietly as he and his wife lead me to their home.
The waves beside me crash harder and louder as I drag myself slowly forward. I'd considered using the ocean water to wash out some of my wounds, but the thought of the current sting becoming worse due to the salt content in the sea was not appealing. I also had no way of knowing the quality of the water here. It could be clean, which would do good for my wounds.
On that note though, the lake behind my house was "sludge-filled and disgusting," as my wife described it. That water could be flowing somehow into this part of the ocean. If I were to get that bacteria-filled mess into my wounds, it could cause serious infections. So, without much to do, I simply continued walking.
The mysterious little Pokèmon in my left hand had eaten its fill and fallen asleep, wholly unconcerned by the oncoming storm or the water soaking into its body. At first, I had attempted to shield it from the salty spray, but it seemed to enjoy the water, so I had stopped trying.
The wind was blowing consistently now, not quite loud enough to drown out all the noise from my sensitive ears, but enough to keep me calling to Hop, so I knew we weren't leaving her behind. Random, powerful gusts would entirely drown out my ears at times though, and I would be forced to stand still, bracing against the rocks out of both desires to not be bashed into any sharp edges and my need to hear my surroundings.
The mist from the windswept ocean was now soaked into my left half. I could feel the cold wetness as it continued spraying, and the water began to creep along the rest of my clothing as well, soaking further into my skin and chilling me to the bone.
One encouraging note about my travels was that the wall was steadily growing shorter. My fingertips brushed along the top, sitting at waist height now. It was a double-edge, though, as that also meant it would be more difficult for me to keep on a straight path when it finally vanished.
And it did.
There came a point where my fingers could no longer reach the wall, and my feet were shuffling only along the rock-filled sandy floor of the outer beach. I could feel the push of the ocean as it wormed its way farther up the coast, hiding any soft sandy sections and pushing me further inland. I worried that I would find myself walking into the sea as it crept closer to me, but I also knew I must be drawing near my neighbors home by now.
I stand still for a while, trying to decide on my following action carefully. I could continue along the edge of the sea, calling out until someone hears me. But, again, the fear of slipping into the ocean is a large worry for me. I also could walk further inland, away from the only stretch of land I know in this new environment, and hope I stumble upon a helpful person and not an angry wild Pokémon or another sudden drop. Sand is far more predictable underfoot than hard-packed earth.
As if in response to my thoughts, the call of a stranger's voice catches my attention.
"Not a very pleasant day for a seaside stroll, is it?" A young man's voice calls out with practiced ease over the roaring tides.
I respond, my knees nearly failing me in joy to hear another human, "It's really quite bad over here." The relief in my voice shows as laughter. I hear the stranger's voice respond in a chuckle as well, not as concerned about the incoming storm as me and seeming completely unaware of my worrying situation. The wind grows stronger, distorting the sounds before me, making it hard for me to locate where they are coming from.
"Who are you yelling at?" I hear the voice of a young woman now, she might be a bit farther away, but I can’t tell.
"Actually, guys," I call to them over the din of the sea, interrupting his response, "I seem to be lost. Could you help me out?" I've already started shuffling my feet over to where the voices are, shooting for a point in between where I heard them and hoping they would meet me in the middle. The gales push against my back now, propelling me forward in a difficult to control, stumbling gait.
"Of course we can," The female responds, her voice moving towards me as well. "Where are you headed?"
I yell back my address and am met with a sudden hush.
"You mean the house right over there?" The man says quizzically after a long pause, his voice and two sets of footsteps approaching quickly now. "Can you see it up there, on top of the-" I hear his voice stumble, and he cuts off his sentence abruptly.
"Oh, Arceus," the woman's voice says in shock beside the man's, "You're blind, aren’t you."
"Yes," I responded good-naturedly, "therein lies my problem." I throw my free arm up slightly in mock despair. "I moved in just today and haven't figured out the area yet."
"It’s alright, cousin, we’ll get you there," the male stops for a moment, presumably checking the location of my home. "Your house is about a kilometer to the southwest. I can see it from here, sitting on top of the hill. We can guide you up there if you want,"
"Oh my, but you're hurt as well," The woman's voice frets, standing in front of me.
“Would it be okay if I take a look at those injuries? My dad’s a doctor and I’ve picked up a few tricks from him.” The man’s voice questions.
I respond genuinely, grateful for the assistance. “Please, be my guest.”
Now on my right, the man picks my arm up and brings my hand near to his face, examining my ragged palm and scratch-covered fingers. His breath is warm on my cold, wet skin as he pulls the appendage close to better view the damage. I can't help but wince as the burning in my palm and shoulder worsens from the sudden movement.
He must have noticed my reaction as he pauses once more, then says, "How about we head back to our house so we can treat your injuries first."
I hold my right arm up as he lets it go and try to squeeze my injured hand but pause as I feel pain of my damaged palm. “Thank you. I would appreciate that. Plus, it would be nice to sit down somewhere warm and dry for a moment," I responded in relief, indicating my wet clothes."I'm Professor Ashoka, Kabir, by the way, and the Delcatty's name is Hop," I say, bowing awkwardly at my kind rescuers.
"I'm Professor Kukui, and this is my wife, Professor Burnet. We live in the house by the beach. We are actually your closest neighbors." The man answers.
"Ah! Well, isn't that funny! Another Professor moved right next door." Burnet says with a giggle, I can hear her giving her husband a few smacks on the arm in her excitement. “It’s really a perfect house for it too. Nice and big with plenty of outside space.”
"You'll have a real shock then, to find out that my wife is also a Professor!" I say swiftly with a grin and my own snort of amusement.
"I have a feeling we will get along quite well as neighbors," Burnet answers back, laughing with me some more, Kukui joining in with his deeper voice.
"So, where did you find that Pyukumuku?" Kukui asks once we've all quieted enough to return to a conversation.
"Oh, is that what this little guy is called? I found it along the coastline." I respond, referring to the sleeping Pokémon in my left arm.
"Let me guess. When you found it, it begged you for food?" The young man presumes.
"It did! It wouldn't let me go until I picked it up and gave it more. Is it your's?" I query.
"No, it’s wild. It just really likes food. This little guy follows everyone around and pesters people until it eats its fill. No matter, though. It would be a shame to wake the sleeping Beautifly now. We'll bring it to the lab and carry it back home once the storm dies down. Let's head up to the house now though, before the rain starts." Kukui answers.
I stumble forward from a sudden angry gust of wind as I follow the sound of his voice. Before I can hit the ground, I feel a firm, confident grasp on my arm from the man and a smaller hand from the woman that comes in from my left to push against my stomach, my new, kind neighbors stopping my fall. They begin to lead me carefully away from the sea.
"Hop, come on," I call over my shoulder, only to feel her cold, wet fur rub against my leg. "Oh, have you been here the whole time?" I ask, bewildered.
"No, it just came over.” Burnet responds. “But, it didn't stay for long." My neighbor chuckles as I feel Hop's shivering body suddenly drop away. I hear her hiss in defiance as the voice of a Pokémon I've never heard before barks excitedly at the energetic cat.
"Come on, Lycanroc, leave the poor thing alone!" She scolds kindheartedly. Then to me, she adds, "The house is just right up this small hill."
"There are six stairs off the beach. Then we'll be back on flat ground for a bit. After that, another four steps for the porch, and then the threshold is a bit higher too." Kukui instructs quietly as he and his wife lead me to their home.
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