đ Evan's JournalÂ
Month 1, Day 28Â
Location: Hau'oli CityÂ
Time: 5:00 PMÂ
What a day! After finally getting my first Z-Crystal from the trial at Verdant Cavern, I made my way back down Route 3. My legs were feeling the burn from all the trekking, but my heart was soaring with excitement. The weight of the Normalium Z was a comforting reminder of my victoryâit felt like so much more than just a badge; it was proof that I really could do this!
I ran into Professor Kukui and Mr. Bramble near the outskirts of Route 2, just outside a cosy little rest stop. They were busy looking over some wild Pokémon interaction data from the day. When Kukui spotted the shine on my wrist, his expression just froze.
He blinked once, then twice. "Whoooa, now that's what I'm talking about!" he exclaimed with a big grin, giving me a friendly slap on the back that nearly knocked my backpack off! "Look at you, Evan! First trial, first Z-Crystalâyou crushed it!"
Mr. Bramble smiled, adjusting his glasses. "I had my doubts about how fast you would progress," he said, his tone calm but impressed. "But I must say, you're moving along quicker than I expected!"
After some enthusiastic chatter and Kukui scribbling notes about my battle with the Totem Pokémon, we decided to head back and spend the night in Hau'oli City. Kukui called ahead to book us a couple of rooms in the Pokémon Centre's trainer wing.
When we arrived, the city was just transforming into the evening. The golden sunlight filtered through the palm trees, creating lovely long shadows on the beachside streets. The sound of waves crashing gently against the shore mixed beautifully with the lively hustle of city life. Tourists were still out and about, browsing the stalls, munching on malasadas, and snapping cute photos of Wingull flying by.
The PokĂ©mon Centre here is a pretty impressive place! There's a cosy lounge upstairs for trainers to relax in, and a rooftop patio with a gorgeous view of the ocean. But first things firstâI needed to take care of my team.
Inside the PokĂ©mon Centre, I picked up some fresh PokĂ©mon food from the cafĂ© near the counterâsweet cubes for Trixie, protein-packed pellets for Thorn, and a delicious fruit-and-nut mix for Grubbin. Once I found a comfy corner in the trainer's rest area, I let my team out one by one.
They looked tired but so happy! Trixie fluttered around excitedly, her wings still sparkling a little in the soft light. She nuzzled my cheek as I offered her those sweet cubes. Thorn buzzed in and landed next to me, looking cool but a bit sluggishâprobably still feeling the effects of our totem battle. And Grubbin? He was all eyes and enthusiasm as he scuttled over to his meal, ready to munch away.
After they finished their meals, I treated each of them to a nice massage with some berry oil I picked up in Iki Town. It's supposed to soothe sore muscles and boost friendliness. Thorn was a bit tense at firstâhe's not used to such gentle attentionâbut he eventually relaxed and leaned into my fingers as I worked on his shoulders. Trixie melted into my lap, and Grubbin kept chirping and wriggling, clearly loving all the extra affection.
Those few minutes were so peacefulâno training, no battlingâjust spending quality time together. I think we deserved that special moment.
After that, I returned them to their Poké Balls for some well-deserved rest, cleaned up a bit, and headed up to the rooftop patio. And here I am now, watching the sun dip below the ocean, my Z-Ring glowing softly in the fading light.
Tomorrow is a fresh new route, and eventually another trial awaits. But for tonight? It's all about relaxation.
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Total Z-Crystals: 1
Total Pokémon: 3