Pokemon Island Sun (on hiatus)

[EmeraldSky]

Letter 5: Letting the Fur Fly

Dear Serena,

Well, so much for more shopping and beach time--Popoki got into a tussle with Team Skull and got in way over his head, so it took me a couple of days to nurse him back to health.

"How'd he get all banged up to begin with?" you ask?

It all started as we were going back to the shopping district yesterday morning. A Persian hissed at him, which he interpreted as a challenge. And Persians from Alola aren't the sleek cream yellow cats you see at home in Kanto--they are more muscular and bulky, with rounded heads and purplish fur with a blue jewel on their foreheads instead of a red one.

So you can imagine a tiny little Litten doesn't stand a chance against the Alolan Persian--it was a miracle Popoki wasn't killed!

We learned while at the Pokemon Center the Alolan Persian in question belonged to one of those Team Skull hoodlums--and there were rumors going around that they were up to no good at the marina.

Misty wanted to tear that Alolan Persian limb from limb for hurting Popoki, but Brock told her that if Popoki wanted to defend his honor, that was his prerogative. Misty was still stewing that Popoki had gotten in over his head and taken on a Pokemon much too strong for him.

As we were waiting for Popoki to come out of the exam area, we met the Trial captain for Melemele Island, Ilima. Like most native Alolans, he is very friendly and laid back, but Ilima has a strong sense of justice--so he was none too pleased that Popoki had challenged a Team Skull Pokemon and nearly been killed.

Thankfully, Popoki seemed well rested when he came out of the exam area some time later. Nurse Joy told us to let him rest at home for a few days before he attempted to battle again--and especially keep him away from that Alolan Persian.

Ilima let us stay at his house, and pitched in with caring for Popoki. I mentioned we were on the Island Challenge, and he replied he knew from our Challenge pendants, and that we were more than welcome to take his trial. I told him we would as soon as Popoki was ready to battle again.

To say Popoki was treated like an Alolan chief of old was an understatement--Ilima gave Brock some locally caught Magikarp to feed him, we all pitched in with our musical abilities (I asked Brock and Misty to play "Minor Swing" in your honor to give Hikina, Mahina, and Ilima a taste of Kalos, and they were more than happy to oblige. Even Popoki couldn't resist trying to dance, never mind that it hurt even for him to move!)

Mahina loved the song, and immediately went to work trying to pick it out on her ukulele. When that proved too difficult, she switched gears to, surprisingly enough, "The Hearthome Pilgrim"! When I asked how she knew the song, she explained she had heard it in the movie "The Voyage of the SS Anne", and thought it sounded nice. I decided to join in on my Pokeflute for another rendition, and we pretty much serenaded Popoki all day teaching each other tunes. (I can say that now I know a few Alolan songs and traditional tunes on the Pokeflute--I'll have to play a few of them for you on my next video dispatch.)

Popoki was back to his old self again today, so the first thing he wanted to do? Go to the marina and take down that Persian.

Both Ilima and Misty tried to talk him out of it, but Popoki was dead set on defending his honor. He told us that the Alolan Persian had called him a wimp, and he wanted to prove he was as strong as it was. So despite Misty's misgivings, we all went to the marina in hopes of finding the Alolan Persian. Ilima went with us as well, in case something went wrong.

It didn't take long for two grunts--one of them being the owner of the Alolan Persian--to arrive. And boy, did Popoki fight! It was like his recovery period had made him stronger. The Alolan Persian may have been strong, but Popoki had an advantage his opponent did not--speed!

Try as the Alolan Persian might to wound him again, Popoki seemed to know when his opponent was going to attack, and dodged every time before attacking himself.

After a very long and drawn out battle, the Alolan Persian finally yielded, admitting that Popoki was the stronger of the two, even though he was owned.

Seeing his pet defeated, the two Skull grunts fled the marina in terror. Even after that fierce battle, Popoki was none the worse for wear--a far cry from yesterday!

Ilima was impressed that we didn't even need his help after all. When I told him that I still wanted us to take the trial, he instructed us to meet him at the trial site--a place called the Verdant Cavern.

With all the excitement today, we never did get around to our shopping and beach time. Oh well--there will probably be more opportunities for us to shop as we travel.

For now, I'm gonna get some rest--I still have my first trial to get ready for, and I'm sure Popoki will be ready for whatever Ilima has up his sleeve!

Until then,
Ash