Rays peaked through Franklin’s curtains creating a glow off the Premier Ball. Franklin’s dad left his backpack slightly open next to his new sleeping friend. Curled up tight in a ball, Vulpix rested on her sleeping pillow breathing slowly. The light touched the tip of Vulpix’s nose as Franklin scratched behind her ear. Vulpix slowly wrestled awake and stared at Franklin without a blink. Franklin picked up his backpack and recalled Vulpix into the Premier Ball. The lone picture frame of Franklin’s parents remained on the table, the three of them stood at the pier of Sunburst Island. The last day Franklin would see his mom before she went on her adventure.

Franklin’s dad stood just outside the front door leaving a stretch of sunlight imprinting on the wooden floor. A hand full of feed for Dad’s friend, the only Pokemon he’s not afraid of.

“Ready, son?”

Franklin stood backpack and Premier ball at hand, ready for the beginning of an adventure.

Valencia Island was fresh in March. The wind salt breeze didn’t carry a lot of bird Pokemon so dad never freaked out for Caterpie. The Jones next door weren’t home, yet, their Dodou sat under a tree behind a wooden fence. Dad thinks if the Dodou ever got free it would eat his Caterpie. He made the Jones’s build the fence just in case. They went to Tangelo Island often for supplies since the general store on Valencia is still closed.

“I wish your mom was here to walk you through this.” Dad stared empty, searching for answers that he didn’t have.

“I have to do this dad. I’ll find her.” The stare resumed and he quietly turned around heading towards the pier.

The pier was close to our home. Seagulls swarmed around fighting crabs not wanting to be the next meal. The ferry slowed into the aged pier to a halt. The Jones’s exited the ferry and sluggishly walked towards us.

“Hey, Martin.”

“Felix, Julia, shopping?”

“Yeah and Tina needed a new bow for Dodou.”

Tina couldn’t help but stare at the Premier ball clutched. Tina and Franklin were about the same age but Tina’s parents liked Pokemon. Tina spent a lot of her time with Dodou.

“Are you leaving, Franklin?” Tina asked.

“Yes, I need to find my mom.”

Tina stared down and walked with her parents off the pier. The captain stood where the Jones’s did. The captain was a tall man with a hairy chest and his hat was falling off.

“Ye reedy to set off Martin. Sire ss inna good mood. The ocean calls to meh.”

His buddy Pokemon stood behind him, a blue slippery creature with a wide flat tail and a dull face.

“Yes captain we are ready to set off to Tangelo Island.”

The wind brushed against the sand over the crabs and against the captains boat and into the ocean blue. The captain and his Pokemon returned to S.S. Sire and the ferry was ready to depart.