Pokémon: Shining Sun

Lillie: Chapter 5

"Incinerate!" I called, tightening my grip on Vulpix's Pokéball. Vulpix grunted in acknowledgment, her mouth opening wide, exposing her tiny teeth as a blaze ignited up her throat. She stood firmly, her six tails spiked up and paws digging into the dirt. With a yip of resolve, a ball of fire erupted from her mouth, a few sparks flying off and charring the grass black, and enveloped the Venonat, which quickly staggered off in defeat.

I crouched down as Vulpix ran up to me and jumped into my arms, excitedly accepting the pets she received. I giggled as she nuzzled my neck, squealing in happiness. I looked down at her with a smile plastered on my face, bringing one hand up to scratch behind her ear, which she leaned into with a content hum.

It had been about a month since I had beaten Misty, and though I had not trained with my Pokémon much, it had not been without its struggles. Getting used to a new region was difficult, and I often attracted stares due to my golden hair, a trait not often seen in Kanto outside of Lieutenant Surge, whom Sun had told me was a foreigner himself. I had visited my mother a few times, though she was still catatonic, and Hau had already delivered on the very long letter he had promised, along with a couple smaller ones from Gladion, but Sun had yet to send anything. Part of me wondered if he was just struggling with words, as he tended to do. A lot. I chuckled at the remembrance of the first time we had spoken, after he had saved Nebby without a word to me. He had chosen his words so carefully, likely wanting to make a good impression, though even then I could recognize that he was not very good with new people, a trait he would eventually grow out of through the island challenge. I had always found it weird considering how decisive he was during battles.

The combination of petting Vulpix and thinking about Sun led to me remembering a conversation Sun and I had just a couple months ago...

I shivered, the cold biting through my coat and chilling my skin. I hugged myself in a desperate plea for warmth as I walked alongside Sun, who had his hands hidden in the pockets of his navy blue jacket. Despite the freezing temperatures, he seemed perfectly content, a small smile on his face as we walked along.

"How are you not cold?" I asked, forcing my teeth not to chatter.

Sun glanced over, chuckling in amusement at my expression before answering, "I am, I'm just used to being cold. I grew up in Kanto, remember?" the cloud his breath created dissipated, the breeze taking it away. He took one gloved hand out of his pocket, running it along the cracked wall of a ruined building. Pieces of frost flaked off, disappearing into the air or thin layer of snow beneath our boots.

I followed Sun as he turned and walked towards some tall grass, although reluctantly. I jumped slightly when a Vulpix ran out of the grass, its nose twitching as it looked around. When it spotted un, it tilted its head curiously, studying us for a second before running up and jumping on Sun's leg. Sun snickered, reaching down and patting the Vulpix's small head. "Well aren't you friendly?" he said.

"Aren't the Vulpixes in Kanto different from the ones here in Alola?" I asked, watching Sun pet the creature's chalk white fur. A few snowflakes balanced on the ends of the fox's hairs, one landing on its nose as it was scratched.

Sun nodded. "They're fire types, not ice types. Their fur is brown, and doesn't grow as puffy as Alolan ones. Also they...." Sun trailed off, his eyes unfocused as he contemplated something. "I wonder if..."

"What is it?" I asked as he stood back up, reaching into his bag. He didn't respond, only pulling something out of his bag. It looked like a chunk of ice, a nice translucent blue, and  fit perfectly in his hand. He knelt down, offering the stone to the Vulpix, who looked between him and the stone before pawing at it. The stone shattered, and the Vulpix started to glow white. Sun stepped back with a grin on his face as the shape of the Vulpix began to change, growing larger, three of its tails splitting. The light faded, and a Ninetales looked back at us, yipping happily.