Lapras glided across the sparkling water with effortless grace.
Its massive shell barely disturbed the surface, leaving only the faintest trail of ripples behind us.
"Laaapraaas~"
It's soft, melodic call floated over the open sea like a gentle song.
For a long moment Gardevoir and I simply sat together, wrapped in the quiet beauty of it all. Endless blue stretched out to the horizon while sunlight danced across the waves like a thousand tiny diamonds. The warm Alolan breeze carried the clean, salty scent of the ocean and brushed cool mist across my skin with every gentle sway.
Gardevoir leaned back against my chest, her sheer white cover-up fluttering softly in the wind.
I kept one arm looped around her waist, feeling the steady warmth of her body and the faint psychic hum that always seemed to wrap around us both.
Time felt slower out here, softer somehow…
Then a sudden spark of curiosity lit up inside me.
I leaned forward a little, eyes bright.
"Lapras… can you dive deeper?"
Lapras turned its long neck toward us with calm curiosity. Its eyes met mine for a quiet second.
"Lapra~"
It gave a slow, gentle nod.
The next moment, Lapras tilted forward and slipped beneath the surface.
Cold blue water rushed over us in a sudden.
I instinctively held my breath as the world above vanished and transparent waves closed over our heads.
Sunlight pierced the ocean in shimmering golden beams, painting everything in a soft, dreamlike glow.
Pokémon were everywhere…
What had looked like empty blue from the surface was now a vibrant, living world.
A cluster of Corsola clung to nearby rocks, their delicate pink coral branches swaying gently with the current like underwater flowers.
Schools of Finneon drifted past us in glowing ribbons of light, their fins fluttering like silk scarves.
As Lapras carried us deeper beneath the surface, more of the underwater world slowly revealed itself around us.
Near a cluster of rocks, I spotted a strange black creature perched atop a stone.
A Pyukumuku.
Its round, squishy body wobbled slightly. Curious, I reached out. The moment my fingers neared it, two stubby little arms popped out and waved at me.
I blinked, then grinned and waved back.
The Pyukumuku wiggled happily in response.
Beside me, Gardevoir's shoulders shook with silent laughter.
She covered her mouth with one hand, bubbles spilling between her fingers as she tried not to giggle underwater.
Her eyes crinkled with pure delight at my childish excitement.
Lapras continued onward.
Near a natural coral arch, a brilliantly colored Bruxish swam past with proud, flashy confidence, its scales catching the light like living jewels.
Higher up, two Mantine glided gracefully, their wide wings casting enormous, peaceful shadows across the reef.
Every direction offered something new, something I had only read about in books on the plane. My researcher heart raced with pure joy…
I reached out instinctively toward a curious Luvdisc that had slowed near us. The tiny fish darted away in a sparkling flash, rejoining its school.
Another Corsola peeked shyly from behind the rocks before vanishing again.
I wanted to stay forever.
But my lungs were already burning.
I tapped Lapras urgently and pointed upward.
It nodded and with one powerful surge, Lapras shot toward the surface.
We burst into the bright air with a splash. I gasped in a huge breath, seawater streaming from my hair and face.
"Hah…!"
My chest heaved. I looked back down at the glittering ocean, still trying to process the magic I had just witnessed. A huge, uncontrollable grin spread across my face.
"That… was amazing."
Gardevoir surfaced right beside me, her sheer cover-up clinging to her body. She laughed softly, pressing her forehead against my shoulder as warm sunlight wrapped around us both again.
I pulled Gardevoir a little closer, my heart still pounding from excitement, wonder, and something softer I could not quite put into words.
Alola really was something else…
As Lapras carried us farther across the ocean, we continued discovering more and more Pokémon beneath the waves and along the shore.
At one point we glided past a small ledge where a young girl with short blue hair and a bright yellow headband sat fishing.
A playful Popplio bounced happily beside her, clapping its flippers every time she caught something.
But instead of keeping her catches, the girl simply admired each Pokémon for a moment before gently releasing it back into the ocean with a warm smile.
The peaceful scene stayed in my mind long after we passed by…
The entire region felt different from Kanto.
Warmer.
Closer to nature.
And somehow… calmer.
By the time the ride finally ended, I realized something.
Alola was already starting to feel special.
And honestly…
The day had turned out far more enjoyable than I had expected…
…
Back on the beach…
The others had clearly been enjoying themselves too.
Meowscarada lounged lazily beneath the shade of the umbrella like a queen on vacation.
At some point she had gotten herself snacks and a tropical drink, casually sipping through a straw while sunbathing without a single care in the world.
"Nyaa~"
Meanwhile, Lopunny had somehow gathered a small crowd of children around her.
"Lopuuun~!"
She happily worked together with them to build an enormous sandcastle stretching across part of the beach. Towers, walls, little bridges… the thing had become absurdly detailed.
At one point, she even stumbled across a strange sandcastle-shaped Pokémon hiding near the shore.
A Sandygast.
The children screamed in surprise.
Lopunny looked fascinated instead.
Overall, both of them looked completely relaxed and fully immersed in enjoying Alola in their own ways.
…
Unfortunately, not everyone in Alola was having such a peaceful time.
"Vee! Vee! Vee!"
Eevee sprinted wildly through the forest, tiny paws kicking up dirt and fallen leaves as panic filled her eyes.
Behind her, a massive Bewear charged through the trees with terrifying speed.
"Bewaaaaar!"
Branches snapped loudly as the huge Pokémon barreled forward with both arms spread wide, stubbornly trying to catch her no matter what.
"Veeeee…"
Eevee nearly tripped over a tree root before quickly ducking beneath a fallen log, desperately weaving between rocks, bushes, and thick roots in hopes of escaping.
Her fluffy tail had puffed up completely in fear.
The worst part?
She had absolutely no idea why this was happening.
She had merely passed by the Bewear a few minutes ago.
Then suddenly…
It started chasing her.
ʕಠ_ಠʔ
WHERE ARE THE POWER STONES?