Destiny [Pokémon]

❥ chapter XXXIII

The traversal of the stretch of water ended up taking a little longer than thirty minutes due to the increased weight the Transport Pokémon had to carry. At least you weren't held up by hostile wild Pokémon lurking beneath the water's surface because the Lapras was moving too slow to provoke them.

Neither of you minded that you spent more than half an hour on the dual-type Pokémon's back—you didn't even notice. You were far too absorbed in the conversation you were having with Kai and Selene, making fast friends with them. They told you lots of exciting anecdotes and funny stories about their own Pokémon journey back in Alola and were pleased to hear that you had just begun your own journey.

You also found out that Selene was a pharmacist and proficient with making several types of medicine, just like you. While you specialized in plants and herbs of all kinds, she was very knowledgeable about various poisons, but you still exchanged a couple of very simple healing techniques you could easily apply.

Time just seemed to fly by as the three of you chatted and laughed and bonded. Before you knew it, you had arrived in Caelum City. A broad sweep of beach stretched along the curved shoreline to the left of the seaport, starting at the outskirts of the city and disappearing beyond the horizon. It would follow the semicircle that projected into the land like a ginormous bay, past three seaside towns and villages, and eventually end in Spica City at the other tip of the "bay."

On this beach, right where it merged into the city, the Lapras dropped Kai, Selene, and you off. Kai held the Egg case for you while you struggled to get off the Pokémon's back, and he gave it back to you once you stood in front of him. Right after the three of you had thanked the dual-type Pokémon for ferrying you and bidden him goodbye, the Lapras asked you to stay behind because he wanted to talk to you.

"Guys," you piped up, causing the two Trainers—who had already started walking and were a few steps ahead of you—to stop and turn around to you, "I think I dropped something."

"We will help you look," Selene immediately offered. She made a move to walk over to you but stopped short when you waved your hand.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it, but that's not necessary. I'll be fine on my own," you declined, smiling at both of them. "Hau is waiting for you, isn't he? Just go on ahead without me. I'll catch up with you in a couple of minutes."

"Alright. We'll be waiting for you at Opes Market then," she said. You had agreed on exploring the city, which was the commercial center of Virno and famous for its huge trading port, together since neither of you had ever been here before. Their mutual best friend whom they had told you about during the crossing, Hau, would accompany you. "See you."

"See you later, [Name]! And you better not keep us waiting for too long! Time is money, after all!" Kai waved to you before he took off running towards the city center, leaving Selene in the dust—quite literally.

You laughed quietly to yourself when you saw the girl's vexed expression as she bent down to wipe the sand her friend had kicked up off her jeans. She reminded you a bit of May. "See you!" Waving back, you watched the teenagers ascend a short flight of stairs leading up to a street that bordered the beach until they were out of sight. Then, you turned back to the Lapras and beckoned him to follow you to a more deserted part of the beach.

On your way there, you felt something stir in one of your jacket's pockets all of a sudden, shaking and wobbling and quivering. Hurriedly unzipping that pocket, you took out the five Poké Balls. They were frantically swaying to and fro on your open palm, as if the Pokémon inside were trying to get out—which probably was the case. You granted them this wish, of course.