Adventure Log of Dr Tom - #778

As I dismounted the boat and took my first steps onto the sandy beach, I was struck by wonderment as I beheld the wealth of new species of flora and fauna that lay out ahead of me. The cries of familiar Pokémon danced through the gently blowing breeze and I felt at home once more as I pushed forward into this new frontier of discovery. 

My guide is a young but eminently talented Pokèmon trainer named Acerola. Guarded and undoubtedly enigmatic as she is, she has been nothing but pleasant and spent most of the journey regaling me with tales of her exploits as a member of the Alolan Elite Four. We have been tasked by Professor Kukui with exploring this recently discovered island which lies just off the southern coast of Alola’s Melemele Island.

I was informed by Kukui that the island had, until some weeks previous, been shrouded by an unnavigable fog that lifted only when the guardian deity Tapu Koko had been captured and tamed by the current champion of the Alolan Pokèmon League. The fog withdrew shortly after and Kukui hurriedly contacted the most notable Pokèmon professors from around the world and informed them of this fascinating discovery. 

It was Professor Magnolia of the Galar region that put Kukui in contact with me. Although I am a young researcher, my recent exploratory work in the Lental region as well as my newly published paper on the founding of Hisui has somewhat catapulted me into academic relevancy. I was thrilled when Kukui contacted me and asked me to help map out the newly discovered island! 

Acerola trotted blithely ahead across the beach and I followed, keenly aware that should the island’s native Pokémon attack us out of fear, she would be all that stood between me and their attacks. However, I was reassured by the remembrance that despite her age and stature, Acerola had become known across the world as one of the fiercest and most powerful trainers, displaying an uncanny affinity to ghost type Pokémon, in particular, with her partner Mimikyu. 

Similarly to its trainer, Mimikyu is a tiny Pokémon that is seemingly completely harmless at first glance. It is a creature prone to an intense loneliness that prompts it to disguise itself as a disfigured emulation of Pikachu. Unfortunately, its appearance often scares away any would-be friends and Mimikyu is typically unpopular among Pokèmon trainers who often misunderstand it, many of whom considering it too weak and cowardly to raise. However, Acerola sees in her Mimikyu something that I wish more could - that is the simple desire to be loved and cared for. 

The bond shared between Acerola and Mimikyu has become famous across the Alola region and I sincerely hope that more people around the world come to learn of Mimikyu’s true nature. As we make our way into the trees at the end of the beach, I wonder if Mimikyu’s power will become necessary the deeper we move into the island.