đ Evan's Journal
Month 1, Day 28
Location: Near Professor Kukui's Home, Melemele Island
Time: 8:00 AM
Today's training was all about reaction time and base strength.
Thorn focused on agility drills, darting between moving dummies with sharp, calculated stepsâhis movements growing faster and smoother with each pass. Trixie soared through the morning sky, performing tight aerial loops and sudden bursts of speed, pushing her flight control and special attack to new limits. Meanwhile, Grubbin tugged fiercely against vine cords I'd rigged for him, working up a sweat with every pull. It was a solid strength drillâmeant to toughen him up and boost his attack power.
After training, I washed up and gave each of my PokĂ©mon a massage, just like Aunt Rachel taught meâusing bugforce. It's a special method she passed down from her days working with Beedrill and Butterfree. For Grubbin, I kept it basic but still effective. The massage helped with muscle recovery and even seemed to lift their spirits. I could tell Thorn was more alert afterward, and Trixie looked so relaxed she almost napped mid-air.
Next up was breakfast prepâfor me and the team. Since PokĂ©mon have replaced most animals in this world, I've chosen to be vegetarian. The thought of eating anything even remotely sentient just doesn't sit right with me. So I stick to what feels right: plant-based meals with the occasional berry mix for the 'mons.
By 9:00 AM, we were packed and ready. I returned my PokĂ©mon to their balls, slung my bag over my shoulder, and joined Mr. Bramble and Professor Kukui as we set off toward Route 3. From this point on, we won't be returning to the professor's home. We'll be staying at hotels and PokĂ©mon Centers instead. So I brought extra clothes, and all the ingredients I'd need for PokĂ©mon meals. It's strange, but excitingâlike I'm finally stepping into the life I always imagined.
(Evan's POV)
The trail curved along a grassy cliffside, sunlight filtering through the trees as we arrived at Route 3. Almost immediately, I spotted a group of Cutiefly flitting through the wildflowers. Their tiny wings blurred with speed as they danced between blossoms, moving through the tall grass like fish gliding through water.
Then I heard itâa musical cry that seemed to hang in the air. I turned and saw two Oricorio, both in their fiery red Baile style. The male was performing a dramatic pose, fluttering his wings and puffing his chest to impress the female. It was honestly charming in a goofy kind of way.
A sudden thud made me glance to my right. A Rufflet had landed hard on a fallen log. It fluffed up its white head feathers and pecked at the bark with gritty determination. Then, without warning, it let out a shrill cry and launched itself back into the sky. Its presence felt like a challengeâyoung, raw energy looking for a fight.
A shadow passed overhead.
I looked up to find a Vullaby circling. Her wingbeats were heavier than the othersâless graceful, more calculated. She didn't dance or swoop. She watched. When she landed on a nearby rock with a thud, she locked eyes with meâdaring me to try something. Her aura felt intense... protective. A guardian, maybe? Or just a loner.
I didn't want to disturb them. Instead, I sat quietly and started taking picturesâcapturing moments with my PokĂ©dex and uploading them to PokĂ©pedia, the region's version of Instagram. Funny, I never cared about photography in my old life. But now? These little moments feel important. Like memories I don't want to lose.
While I was documenting everything, Mr. Bramble was busy collecting field data for Kukui. I technically wasn't assigned a jobâbut helping them by photographing wild PokĂ©mon is part of our routine. They've already logged Thorn and Trixie as Alolan variants. It's weird seeing your PokĂ©mon pop up in scientific reports.
By the time afternoon rolled around, it was time for a break. While the others stayed behind to rest and log their findings, I knew exactly where I needed to go next.
Next Stop: Verdant Cavern
My first island trial awaitsâand with it, my very first Z-Crystal.