Pokémon Homecoming | A Galar Fanfiction

Chapter 49: Tourists

Olivia drove to Heahea City's northern outskirts to drop off Raine and Hop first. The square house, with a blue paint job interrupted when Kai got distracted, sat halfway up a cracked road looking across the ocean to Brooklet Hill. It was a typical picture of Alolan suburbia. Raine didn't follow Abbey there right away, but she was happy with her job as a diving instructor and conservationist at Heahea Beach now. She always offered her daughter the spare room. Abbey was tempted, since her apartment was cramped, but both sides of her family were known for training Water-type Pokémon. The house was full of them. Cinderace hated it. Everything, from the floors to the bedsheets, was perpetually damp. She was quite happy staying dry. Leon laughed, because he too remembered Charmander's face after an hour in their damp house back in Ballonlea. Hop waved from the doorstep.

'You will ring if you're not alright,' Leon said, 'Won't you?'

'Ring? You?'

'Yes, Leon,' Raine said with a knowing smile, 'We'll ring Abbey. Now get some rest – you need it yourself.'

Acerola hugged Raine before climbing into Hop's vacated seat. She beamed at Leon.

'Snap!'

He looked puzzled. She tugged at a strand of her periwinkle hair.

'We're hair twins!'

'Oh! Yes, we are!'

'You two get naturally cool hair,' Abbey said, 'I have to dye to look like a roll of hazard tape.'

'Um, Abbey...'

The engine rumbled. Beeping warned Olivia she was about to reverse into a wild Mudbray. Acerola's smile wavered.

'I've been bothering Auntie Raine a lot lately... so I thought I'd come with you.'

An orphaned descendant of Alolan royalty, Acerola's home was at Aether House on Ula'ula Island. After Abbey met Olivia at her shop, she introduced her to Acerola. They were best friends ever since. Not many people could tolerate her Ghost-type Pokémon, but Abbey didn't care. Once Raine moved, she unofficially became an adopted sister and, when she wasn't needed at the Pokémon League, often stayed with one of them. Abbey usually welcomed the company. She didn't want the friend who first made Alola feel like home to be lonely... but their closeness always annoyed Alfie and she worried it might scare Leon off.

But how can I even consider sending Acerola away? She matters more than any bloke.

She glanced up at Leon. Acerola fidgeted with her patchwork dress.

'I hope you don't mind if Acerola stays with us.'

He blinked bewilderedly. 'Why would I mind? It's your flat. I hope she doesn't mind me barging in. She's royalty, after all!'

Abbey was as relieved and pleasantly surprised as Acerola. She saw Olivia smile in the rearview mirror. The truck braked to a smooth stop at a concrete apartment block that wouldn't have looked out of place in suburban Wyndon. There was a pleasant breeze now. They waved goodbye to Olivia. Her taillights disappeared into the night. Their footsteps echoed in the empty stairwell as they climbed to the third floor. Abbey rummaged in her backpack for her keys. Weak light crept around her purse.

'Is that...?'

She pulled out the keys. The light came from a beaten Charmander keyring's tail. It was so long since she received it, she barely remembered where it came from... or maybe she blacked it out on purpose, because now she clearly recalled arriving in Hammerlocke and buying a light-up Scorbunny keyring from a souvenir stall. She remembered her friend's smile when she suggested a trade for the Charmander keyring she held now, to remind them if they felt lost or alone that their rival was waiting to battle once they found their way.