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 Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2024 7:58 pm
The sisters listened intently. The word “paradise” was especially on their minds. Sure, no world could be perfect, but particularly for Kasumi, whose most recent address might as well have been living hell on her body, this one felt right. Even the thought of Pokémon as neglected pets, one implied by the reason for Pikachu Valley's existence, was not going to register with her quite yet.
“Well, you see, I have to…” Monique trailed off, looking at Hālena and her new Pikachu friends. There was no way she could let them go quite yet. The Pichu was playing with her more evolved brethren, a cacophony of Pikachu and Pichu calls serving as both assault and symphony on the sisters’ ears. The caretaker, no doubt a little more used to the noise, was not nearly as fazed.
The sheriff started thinking about Hālena. She was actually a good metaphor for the Kaʻanaʻana family. Plucked out of a world in another time (Hisui), raised in a different era, meant for something more. It looked like her whole life she was ready to frolic with an entire pack of Pikachu. It looked—
“Oh!” Kaimana called out, pointing at the cluster. The playful Pikachu had come to a stop, gazing on at Hālena, who was cloaked in a radiant light.
“What’s…?” Kasumi trailed off. The Pikachu continued to stare intently at the illumination, while the women had to avert their human (or Zoroark) eyes for a moment. When they could look back, the lone Pichu in the pack had become a Pikachu. To confirm Monique’s suspicions, one of them immediately bounded out of the group and jumped by Monique’s side, just a little electricity coming out of its cheeks in excitement. “Pi-ka-CHUUUU!”
“…Pokémon evolution?” Kasumi mumbled. She did not want to seem like she knew nothing, but then again, she did not. She was awestruck once again at the surprises this universe apparently had in store for her—luckily, surprises not laced with poison.
Monique looked down at Hālena and smiled. Today is a good day. She looked around at her company and surroundings before casting her gaze to the Pikachu. A reeeeeal good day.
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Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2024 4:43 pm
"Oh wow! Your Pichu evolved!" The man declared, smiling happily for Monique. "I'm not surprised actually. We have a good few Pichu come here and let me tell you they don't stay in their Pichu form for long! I guess they find this place to be such a true paradise that the overwhelming happiness they are filled with compels them to evolve." He said, looking towards Monique's new Pikachu. "That Pikachu must really love you as well. Of course I've seen many Pikachu in my time but that one...that one has a strong bond with its trainer, I got an eye for these things." He said winking at Monique.
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Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2024 8:40 pm
Monique took the comments in stride. Was he saying it because he meant it or was he just trying to brush them off?
"Thank you, then!" She looked at Hālena, her attention diverted by a sudden tug on her lower leg fur. He was right: she was bouncing and almost clinging to her Trainer. "Shall we get going?" The sisters nodded and started walking along the route again, a gentle hike that had Kasumi and Kaimana's heads on a swivel. There was plenty for them to see in addition to the wild Pokémon as two Trainers were battling, a Yungoos going at it with a Wingull.
The sisters followed the path, a descending grade that made a sharp left turn down and under an arch, into Paniola. The town was simple, clapboard and wood-sided houses laid out against a dirt road, all with large front and sleeping porches. The whole area seemed to cling to the agrarian history of upcountry Akala—though one building standing out from the others by being painted a bright hue of red. The people looked friendly, and was that a Miltank someone was walking with?
Monique suddenly realized she had no idea where in the world Auntie Wilokia lived. With no idea quite where to go, she led the sisters toward the red building, which turned out to be the Pokémon Center. As humble as a dimly lit, jam-packed rural Pokémon Center and Mart that doubled as a farmstand selling assorted jams and jellies and Moomoo Milk plus a small café was, if you'd spent your life in a world without normal Pokémon Centers or normalcy, it was a beacon. Something you'd only read about. Kasumi in particular seemed to just stare at the Pokémon Center counter, complete with Nurse Joy. A real Nurse Joy, not Butcher Grymme with her black-lip makeup and pale complexion. Kaimana, meanwhile, was marveling at the selection in the little Poké Mart.
"Excuse me?" Monique asked the barista at the coffee counter. "We're looking for Auntie Wilokia's house?"
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Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2024 2:47 pm
"Hm? Oh! Hello! Welcome to the Pokemon Center! How- oh, Auntie Wilokia?" The Nurse Joy responded, immediately going into her usual spiel but cut it short the moment Monique mentioned everyone's favorite auntie. "Akala Island's Favorite Daughter lives just on the northwest edge of town, just beyond Paniola Ranch. You can't miss her home, it's one of the last buildings you'll see in that direction and it's adorned in...well...flashy decor we'll say. Auntie Wilokia likes her trinkets." Nurse Joy said with a joyful laugh.
"Are you friends of Auntie Wilokia? Haven't seen any of you around here before. Oh! And just because it's my job; need any healing done while you're here?" She asked the group.
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Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2024 9:33 pm
The gesture of kindness caught the attention of everyone. Monique suddenly realized she wasn't sure if her Pokémon had even been healed from the adventure they were on. Seeking mostly to make an example to her more bewildered-at-the-moment sisters, the sheriff handed over her Poké Balls to Nurse Joy, who placed them in the healing machine.
"I met her on Melemele, and she asked to see me," Monique piped up. "I'm bringing my sisters along on this errand." She used the moment the nurse was busy at the healing station to look back at her sisters reassuringly. Momo wondered what the Pokémon Centers were like where she'd been... The thought weirded her out, but the nurse called out just in time.
"Thank you," Monique said as she put the Poké Balls back in her bag. "Let's get going," she urged her sisters. "If there's something you need, we can come back here." Kasumi and Kaimana, saying little, followed her out the building and into the full-strength sun, the two of them squinting just like Monique had in the sun on the slopes of Silver.
The walk out of town and up the gentle grade into the farmland north of Paniola was leisurely, but as soon as the first Miltank of Paniola Ranch came into view, Kasumi seemed excited. "Ooh!" It was the most energy she'd shown since leaving. It wasn't the most surprising... Even though Miltank wasn't a Grass-type, it fit with her love of nature. Monique's Pokédex pinged to explain the new Pokémon to her, like Herdier. Kaimana was silent. Guess she's craving the sea, she thought.
The homes on this road had grown further and further apart as they hiked away from town. As Monique looked back, Kasumi was tiring, and the pack moved slower. Luckily, up ahead was a house whose gaudy pink color and many, many objects on the front lawn seemed to match with the nurse's mention from earlier...
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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 3:22 pm
As the trio approached the house they would be watched by a very lazy looking old Alolan Persian, the cat blending in with a bunch of stone statues of various designs. The cat would let out a loud yawn as they went by, alert to their presence but not motivated enough to actually get up. When they made it to the door they would come across a second elderly four legged Pokemon, a Midday Form Lycanroc. The old wolf would struggle to get onto its feet for a second before walking up to Monique and sisters slowly, its tag wagging weakly but happy to see them all the same.
Before they could knock on the rainbow painted door it would open and on the other side was the lady of the house herself, Auntie Wilokia. "Oh! My dear! Welcome!" She said happy as she noticed Monique, a bowl of Pokechow in her hand, no doubt stepping out of her house to feed this Pokemon and not to greet her guests she was unaware. "I see you met old man Poni. Did you see Ms. Po too? I think she is out there somewhere." Wilokia said with a laugh before setting the bowl down in front of the Lycanroc, the hound backing off the guests and turning to its food. "And who all do we have here?" She asked Monique, looking towards her sisters.
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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 8:58 pm
Monique felt Kasumi hold on just that extra bit tighter as she walked alongside her sister. Turning, she saw it, a majestic periwinkle cat resting amid some stone trinkets that nearly blended in with it seamlessly. "Myaaaao," it yawned, the blue gem on its head glimmering in the bright daytime sun.
Persian, Alolan. Normal/Dark. The Classy Cat Pokémon. Its round face is a symbol of wealth. Persian that have bigger, plumper faces are considered more beautiful. Monique looked back at this Persian. It clearly once had a round face, degraded a bit by old age. Yet even here it was still classy, with the sort of too-cool-for-school attitude that this royal cat Pokémon was known for in Alola. Of course, few existed in their time, but they were famous enough that she'd heard of them. By the door lay a Lycanroc, much more visibly affected by old age, its rocky bones rather scrawny for the kind. Unlike the Persian, it got up, taking a few seconds to do so, sniffing around at the excitement of guests.
Suddenly, the sisters heard a creak from the door and were greeted by none other than Auntie Wilokia herself. Eventually, she noticed that Monique had company. "And who all do we have here?" she asked after ensuring the old Lycanroc was well-fed.
"Well, these are my sisters, Kasumi and Kaimana. I went to the ends of the earth...and beyond...and beyond to get them here."
Kasumi shyly nodded, while Kaimana piped up with a bit more self-assurance. "It's nice to meet you, Auntie Wilokia." She looked up. "And it's nice to feel the sun."
"I'm Kasumi," the sister mustered.
"They have been through so much... You have no idea, Auntie," Monique offered as a partial explanation for their mix of ennui and exhaustion. So have I, the sheriff added to herself.
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Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 8:29 am
"Well pleased to make your acquaintance ladies!" Wilokia said with a beaming smile, her smile fading just slightly at Monique's comment about her sisters and all they went through. Thinking on it for a second she stood to the side and gestured towards her open door. "Well then come on in, na wahine maikai! Let's all sit down and share some treats! I bought a bunch of fresh made malassada just this morning." She said, beckoning for them to enter.
As they entered they would find the inside of Auntie Wilokia's house far more cluttered than the outside. The entry way had all sorts of shoes ranging from sandals to boots strewn about, Wilokia requesting them take their shoes off before going further, the girls no doubt making sure they don't lose theirs in the plethora of footwear
The next room they'd find themselves in was the living room, a sizable space that too was filled to the brim with stuff including three couches, four armchairs, two tables and six bookshelves. Why did she need so much furniture? There were also all sorts of little trinkets on all available surface, items collected from across the world with a lot of them appearing to be bug themed such as the preserved husk of a Metapod after it evolved and the shed horn of a Heracross.
Moving some coats off one of the couches Auntie Wilokia would slap its surface. "Please! Sit! Well, sit wherever you like! Excuse the mess though." She said with a hearty laugh, another laugh ringing out after her, drawing the attention of the girls to a Oricorio resting on a perch across the room. Like the dog and cat outside it appeared very old, in its Pa'u Style form, the pink feathers almost white from age. "Oh hush Lele! You old clown." Auntie Wilokia laughed. "Sit down and I'll go get the malassada. Feel free to gawk at all my little treasures, Arceus knows I have enough to open a museum!" She said, laughing again as she walked off to the kitchen which in turn made Lele laugh.
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Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 4:25 pm
As the three women settled in, Monique a little more easily than the others, they found themselves gawking indeed. There were little bonsai trees, which caught Kasumi's attention; seashells, which Kaimana peered at with curiosity, noticing that much of Auntie Wilokia's hoard came from well beyond Alola's shores; and loads of Bug-type paraphernalia. The Metapod husk, fragile, was fascinating to Monique, a relic of a Pokémon after it had evolved. The rescued sisters were especially quiet, never having quite been in a space like this, either as well-kept or as "normal" to them.
The squawking of Lele pulled Monique's attention away from reading the spines on the bookcase (with titles like Bugs of Alola 3rd Edition, The World According to Vivillon, and Split Personality: What Determines How Wurmple Evolve?) to looking at the old Oricorio. She immediately recognized it and couldn't help but think about her old bird, the one she'd had to leave behind in the Dome. The Sensu Style Oricorio. Of course, by her time, there was no nectar to change its form regularly, so it had only ever been in the style native to her own island and the species had essentially been split in four, but she had seen the other kinds occasionally. She began to cry a little bit, something Wilokia might notice when she came back with the platter of malasadas.
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 7:26 pm
Wilokia would return with a tray of malassada, a clay tea pot, and clay cups. She would navigate to the table nearest the girls and sat the tray down, however in that same moment she caught a glimpse of Monique and saw the tear running down her face and immediately became concerned. "My dear, are you crying?" She asked, standing up straight and proceeding to walk up to Monique to get a closer look at her. Auntie Wilokia would confirm that she was indeed crying and looked towards the last thing Monique was looking at, Lele. Looking back to Monique she took a guess.
"Does old Lele remind you of someone?" She asked the girl, her guesses like a sniper at this point in her life, just one of the many skills someone as old and sociable as Auntie Wilokia was. "Come, sit down, have a malassada and some tea and tell me the story that comes with that ear." She said, moving to the couch herself, sitting down and then patting the seat next to her. Once Monique was seated she would hand her one of the cups and then begin to pour tea in it. "I made the pottery myself. Learned from a nice fella in Fallarbor Town, a cute little place in Hoenn. Ever been there?" She asked as she poured tea for the other two girls and handed them cups as well, pointing to the bowl of sugar on the tray if they wanted some.
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Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2025 8:35 pm
SubonicXP Wilokia would return with a tray of malassada, a clay tea pot, and clay cups. She would navigate to the table nearest the girls and sat the tray down, however in that same moment she caught a glimpse of Monique and saw the tear running down her face and immediately became concerned. "My dear, are you crying?" She asked, standing up straight and proceeding to walk up to Monique to get a closer look at her. Auntie Wilokia would confirm that she was indeed crying and looked towards the last thing Monique was looking at, Lele. Looking back to Monique she took a guess. "Does old Lele remind you of someone?" She asked the girl, her guesses like a sniper at this point in her life, just one of the many skills someone as old and sociable as Auntie Wilokia was. "Come, sit down, have a malassada and some tea and tell me the story that comes with that ear." She said, moving to the couch herself, sitting down and then patting the seat next to her. Once Monique was seated she would hand her one of the cups and then begin to pour tea in it. "I made the pottery myself. Learned from a nice fella in Fallarbor Town, a cute little place in Hoenn. Ever been there?" She asked as she poured tea for the other two girls and handed them cups as well, pointing to the bowl of sugar on the tray if they wanted some. "...I had an Oricorio myself, Sensu Style," Monique began once she sat, her voice wavering as she sought to compose herself enough to reply to Auntie Wilokia. "I... I had to leave her behind," the sheriff began to explain, taking a sip of the tea and letting out a long sigh. It was warm, almost too warm, and it wasn't very sweet. Guess that's what the malasada is for, she thought to herself. With an intellect like that, Auntie Wilokia is going to get the whole story anyway. So why hold back?The Zoroark let out a soft huff. "So... The thing about us sisters is we aren't related by blood. But we are related by things that don't yet exist and tapu forbid should they ever. You see, we come from another reality, another future. Where humanity and Pokémon are down to a flicker of hope. "Imagine if Ae—Poni was the last habitable place in the world because a dome protected it from the unbreathable air, and even then where some live in luxury and some...don't." Kaimana and Kasumi nodded. "When the Dome was breached... It caused a crisis we tried in vain to stop, but we couldn't breathe the Smog. My Marowak came with me as we were scattered into other worlds. ...My Oricorio didn't." She looked at her sisters. "They were thrown even further afield... With no companion Pokémon." Monique, who had shared with very few people beyond Snagem the true nature of her arrival, gently clung to Auntie Wilokia. She had yet to use any term including the word Ultra, but if Wilokia knew, she might understand. "You don't know what I did to rescue them, to give them the chance I've had." She cried again, thinking of all that Snagem had been able to do for her and the conditions she'd found Kasumi in back in the "Ammoniaverse".
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Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2025 5:21 pm
Auntie Wilokia listened to Monique, focusing greatly on every word she uttered. It was a very fantastical story however it wasn't unbelievable. The elderly woman had been through a lot in her time, experienced many things, and everything she had been through somewhat primed her to believe or consider possible the most outlandish things. Besides, she did have at least some experience with one part of Monique's story.
"You have all been through an awful lot, dears. I'm glad to see you are all safe and sound as well as together again." She said with a smile, giving Monique a little squeeze of a hug. "You know, I have some experience with Ultra Space myself." The old woman revealed with a slight grin. Monique may have never said the word Ultra but she didn't need to, the Bug specialist already knew what she was talking about, or rather had an idea.
"When I was much younger, as a youngin' like all of you, maybe a bit younger, a strange beast from another world appeared above my island and immediately attacked Pokemon and people alike. It was blindingly fast, more nimble than any Bug Pokemon I've seen. As a brave young lady myself I jumped into battle to defend my home and people but it was too strong for me, too fast. I ended up chasing it all the way to Melemele Island where I discovered another beast appeared, one with incredible muscle mass." She explained.
"My good friend, the now kahuna of Melemele, was already in the process of battling it. However things took a turn as the two invaders from another reality began to fight each other. That was our opportunity as we joined together and forced the creatures back into the holes in the sky from which they came. It was a terrible fight, many people injured, some of my own Pokemon lost, but we managed to save our world. It was only years later we learned what they were and such thanks to the research of the brilliant Professor Burnet." She said, letting out a sigh.
"I feels good to finally tell someone else that story and have them understand what I'm talking about. You know how hard of a secret that is to keep?" She laughed.
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Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2025 5:27 pm
Hearing the word Ultra come out of Auntie Wilokia's mouth caused Monique's jaw to drop, her mouth agape as she suddenly found herself clinging to every word. It was the first time she'd heard it from a non-Snagem or a non-researcher. In a flash, Monique found herself much more at ease with the old lady.
The scenario she outlined was instantly familiar. "An Ultra Beast... Though not one I'm familiar with," Monique said after Wilokia sighed. "I... I..."
Kasumi and Kaimana relaxed as well, and for the first time, one of them piped up while Monique was trying to put together her next thought. "Ultra Space, huh?" Kaimana asked, the words lingering awkwardly on her tongue. "That's what's between...everything?" She remembered still the rescue ride, though much like Monique prior to her Stakataka encounter, how she got sucked into her first Ultra Wormhole was jammed up in her brain, a Clamperl sealed shut.
"Where I went..." Kasumi winced, her face breaking its stoic complexion. "They drank poison! And they almost killed me!" It was clear from the way it came out that her time in the Ammoniaverse was traumatic, unlike Kaimana's waterworld resettlement. Every word she spoke about it made her react like she had stepped on a shard of glass, new emotional pain as she tried to process what had actually happened.
"...So, I've been face-to-face with two of these Ultra Beasts. Though I don't think either of them were like you describe. I've been told that, as a Faller, I radiate the same energy as Ultra Wormholes." A thought occurred in Monique's head. "And I suppose I must explain where we come from..." That got her to talking for several minutes about the Dome, Flower City, New Po, the wastelands, the crèche...even her job at Sub Rosa. "It's still weird to look up and see the sky, bright, blue, blinding... undomed. Like a dream. I'm lucky to have Kalama..."
As Wilokia replied, a thought formed in Monique's mind...
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Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2025 9:21 am
"That is some story, hun." Auntie Wilokia responded to Monique and her sisters and their tales about where in Ultra Space the three of them all came from and went to. It was certainly a wild story, one most people would not even humor for a second, but Auntie Wilokia was different, with her experience and knowledge she knew Monique was telling the truth and because of that she sympathized with the woman and her sister. "You all came a very long way, have defied all the odds in the name of survival. I am really proud of you girls. Auntie, is proud of you all!" She said with a smile.
"Well! Let's talk about more pleasant topics, shall we?" She said, slapping her knees for emphasis. "I don't mind visitors, not in the least, but is there anything ole Auntie Wilokia can do for you girls? If you need a place to stay for awhile you're very welcome to make my mess home!" The woman said with a hearty laugh. "Besides that though what are you girls doing here in Alola? Just visiting after all? Checking out what your homeland was like before the bad times? Or do ya got somewhere else to be? Another destination in mind." Auntie Wilokia asked of them.
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Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2025 1:45 pm
"Well..." Monique sighed and looked around. "There are two things now, I guess." She turned her gaze to her sisters before looking back at Auntie Wilokia. "I don't exactly have space for Kasumi and Kaimana, of course. From my own experience... They will have to adjust. This society is bigger, wildly bigger. There is more of everything, and sometimes... It can be overwhelming." She thought of Kasumi in particular. She was always the least resilient of the three of them: the shy one, the fragile one. "It still trips me to see the calendar in the 2020s and not the 2070s, you know? But there are all the little things." I looked back at Auntie. "Like... I never knew my dad. Building the Dome and other things were punishing, so there are generations of men that died doing it, and especially around my age and people older, there were way more women. And that's been an adjustment."
I took a breath. "But what I came here for was to see Alola. Every island. All of it. All its light. All of what was stolen from my generation... No, our generation, she corrected herself, thinking of her sisters. And hopefully you can help Kasumi and Kaimana get their bearings here. Snagem gave me that chance, but maybe you can help them."
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