[ON INDEFINITE HIATUS] Alolan Adventures: An Original Pokémon Story

36. Fishing

Axol's POV

     "Bye, everyone," Axol waved, hopping on top of Dragonite and flying away. His classmates waved a goodbye at him, as he soared over Mele'mele Island to his house at around 1,569 miles an hour, his backpack nearly falling off of his shoulders from the speed.

     After a matter of moments, Dragonite landed and undid its own harness, stuffing it into the little area underneath one of their deck chairs. Axol flung open the door, ready to unwind after a day of school, Dragonite close behind.

     "I'M HOO-OOOME!" he yelled, shutting the door behind him. Snow, who was doing yet another crossword with Cynthia, covered her ears.

      "You don't have to be so loud," she laughed, walking to the refrigerator and tossing both Dragonite and Axol an icy cool juice box. "I know it's hot outside. Drink up." Axol grinned and ripped off the straw, poking a hole in the top and then ravenously drinking from the box, completely disregarding the straw. Dragonite was a bit more delicate: carefully pushing the straw into the box and sipping. Snow laughed again and closed the refrigerator door, hopping back onto the couch for her and Cynthia's daily puzzle.

     "Get over here and help us," she said. "We're stumped on these last few clues." Axol hopped onto the couch as well, bringing out his Mudkip and letting it perch on his shoulder.

     "Okay," Cynthia said. "This one- Across, 8. The hint is if you saw this in the ocean, you'd probably meet your Demise. Why is demise capitalized like that?" she mused. Axol pulled out his own Pokédex, a Hoenn-style one that almost looked like a GameBoy Advance, searching for "Demise." The Pokémon that popped up was called Dhelmise, a Ghost- and Grass-type, and looked something like a ship's anchor.

     "Try Dhelmise," Axol said. "It's not a Water-type, but it looks like it could live underwater." Cynthia filled in the boxes, and it fit perfectly.

     "Awesome!" Snow said. "Now onto the last one. The hint is from feeble waters, a beauty emerges. Easy. It's Feebas, which evolves into Milotic." Snow wrote Feebas into the squares. The puzzle was complete.

     "This is why I love crossword puzzles," Cynthia said with a smile. "Once you finish them, you feel so accomplished!" Snow nodded in agreement.

     "Definitely," she said. She looked outside, to the bright blue sky and cerulean sea. "I bet there's some Feebas out there, and maybe even some Dhelmise. Actually, does anyone want see?" Both Cynthia and Axol looked at her in confusion. "I hear that fishing in the ocean is a big thing here in Alola." Recognition flitted across Axol's face.

     "Yeah, there's a girl in my class who's obsessed with that stuff. Her name's Lana. She's that blue-haired girl we saw at the beach that one time." Axol said. Snow nodded.

     "Let's go fishing then!" Snow said. "I saw a general store around here somewhere. I bet they sell fishing rods there." Axol and Cynthia both nodded. 

     "And while we're at it, we should invite Gladion!" Axol said. Snow groaned good-naturedly and nodded.

     "Go ahead." she said. "Let's go!"

     Soon after, all four Trainers had arrived at a nearby dock, all outfitted with fishing rods. Snow had a Glaceon head bobber, Cynthia a Garchomp one, Axol a Dragonite, and Gladion a Silvally. Her fishing rod was a silver color, while Axol's was a neon orange, Gladion's was black, and Cynthia's was gold. Snow grinned and cast her line, the bobber floating over the water. Axol, Gladion, and Cynthia all followed suit.

     "I got something!" Axol yelled, the orange Dragonite head dipping below the water. Reeling it in, he sighed. "Magikarp. Dang it. I wanted something bigger." He turned to see Gladion, who was struggling to reel his line in.

     "A little help here?" he asked, his voice strained as he cranked his arm in circles. Axol rushed to help his sister's boyfriend, holding onto his waist as he finally managed to reel it in. Excited, Axol leaned forward to see what Pokémon it was, and was disappointed, to say the least. The grand, powerful Water-type Pokémon that had required so much strength was...Wishiwashi.

     Snow threw her head back in laughter as she saw Gladion, visibly disappointed with his catch. As she laughed more, her entire body jerked forwards. 

     "I got something!" she yelled excitedly. "Here, leave me alone." She cranked the pulley on the fishing rod, reeling in the Pokémon that she had caught. It was a Feebas. "Wow. Not bad." Axol grinned and held up a Poké Ball.

     "I caught my Magikarp." he said proudly. "And someday, it'll evolve into a Gyarados!" Snow rolled her eyes with a smile, until Cynthia screamed. 

     Gladion, Snow, and Axol all rushed to the Champion, who was struggling to reel in a Pokémon. All three of them held onto her, making sure she didn't fall off of the dock. 

     "I have a feeling this one's going to be big!" Snow said over the sound of the water splashing everywhere. Axol yelled as he tugged backwards, and the Pokémon sprung from the water.

      "Sharpedo!" Cynthia said triumphantly. "I win! I caught the biggest one!" All four Trainers laughed together as she released the Sharpedo and put down her fishing pole, the water splashing upwards as the Sharpedo swam away into the deep Alolan seas.