Chapter Text
Etho was sitting under a tree, enjoying the shade from the Alolan sun that mercilessly beat down onto him without it. He had a stick in hand, idly drawing shapes into the dirt. He didn't care much for going outside, especially in this weather, but his little sister Gem was quite the opposite. So, he often ended up outside supervising her.
Their parents were off doing stuff with this town’s gym leader. Probably badge collecting or training or whatever. Etho recalled once that a professional trainer in Kalos thought it was irresponsible to leave an eleven year old in charge of a six year old because, quote, “All Etho could do was answer the phone a little bit better than Gem could.” His parents brushed that trainer’s opinions off, not once considering changing their ways.
A sharp cry of his name made him look up from the dirt. “ETHOOO!” Gem screamed, staring down at her older brother with tears in her eyes. She had climbed halfway up the tree Etho was sitting under, and evidently hadn't realized how high up she had been. “ETHO, HELP!”
There was a little bit of panic settling into Etho’s chest, but truthfully, he wasn't that worried. Gem would be fine. Probably. “Just climb down the same way you went up!”
Gem shook her head, red curls bouncing from where they were they were tied back in a hair tie. “I can't!”
Etho didn't want to try unpacking that kind of logic. She was scared, and as her older brother, it was his duty to help her. Finding the lowest hanging branch, Etho jumped up and hoisted himself onto it.
“Don't worry,” he said, looking up at her. “I'm coming up.”
Carefully, Etho climbed up from branch to branch. He wasn't much of a Simisage, despite living in a city built into the branches of trees, but he was still competent in the way of climbing. The branches closest to Gem wouldn't hold his weight, so he settled for one that was two or three below hers.
“This is as far as I can go,” he said, holding onto the branch above his head for dear life. “Can you step onto the branch below you? This one.”
He pointed to the branch he wanted her to step on, and she hesitantly nodded. Etho could almost see the shake in her hands as she moved from one to the next.
Slowly but surely, Etho guided Gem down to the lowest branches of the tree. He gripped the thick, sturdy branch beneath him, then dropped down to hang before he let go. “Can you do what I just did? I'll catch you.”
Gem nodded. Her anxiety had eased, the gloss over her eyes disappearing. As she hung down just like Etho had, he grabbed her waist, and gently set her down on the dirt. Immediately, she lurched forward, squeezing him tight.
“Thank you, Etho!”
She didn't let go until Etho pries her off. Her lips pulled into a smile too big for her small head, and Etho couldn't help the grin spreading on his own face. “Of course.”
Gem giggled, putting her hands on her hips. “If you had a sidekick, I could call you my hero.”
Etho laughed at her comment. “True. If only I had a partner Pokémon…”
Yeah. If only he had his own Pokémon. A thought occurred to him, and he grabbed Gem’s hand so he could guide her back to the hotel.
“Where are we going?” she asked, tilting her head with big doe eyes.
“Back to the hotel.” They turned a corner, and the big, luxurious building came into view. “And then we're going into that forest over there.”
“What? Why?”
Etho fished the keycard out of his left pocket to let themselves into the building. “I’m going to catch a Pokémon!”
Gem smiled again, eagerly following her big brother with a bounce in her step. “Okay!”
When they got back to the hotel room, Etho dug around inside his dad’s bag for extra Pokeballs. He usually kept plenty of empty ones, and sometimes he wouldn't take all of his occupied Pokeballs with him. They lucked out; there was one Pokémon left behind.
The forest was thick and green, filled with lush plant life, but it was still nothing compared to the sprawling trees of New Hermiton. Finding Pokémon was harder than Etho thought it was going to be. His dad made it look so easy!
Etho only had the pleasure of going looking for Pokémon with his dad twice. He caught a Wurmple once, so obviously this should be a piece of cake… so why wasn't it?!
A flash of white among the bushes caught his attention. He pulled Gem down to hide in the undergrowth, not wanting to alert the Pokémon on the other side of this patch of oran berries.
Upon closer inspection, Etho identified it as an Alolan Vulpix. On the boat to Alola, Etho had consulted a magazine with information about Pokémon native to the region, and he remembered reading that Vulpixes were often accompanied by a Ninetales parent. This made him hesitant, but there really seemed to be no other Pokémon in the area.
“It's so cute!” Gem squealed, but she quickly stopped as Etho shushed her.
Well, if it was alone…
Etho chucked his Pokeball at the unsuspecting Vulpix, making it jump as a Shedinja popped out. It occurred to Etho that he probably should’ve checked what Pokémon he was charging into battle with beforehand, but it wasn't like he had much of a choice.
At least he had battled with Shedinja before against his dad. And, Shedinja was immune to ice. All’s well that ends well.
The Alolan Vulpix growled, using Ice Shard and hurling several chunks of ice in Shedinja’s direction. The chunks just bounced off of him rather sadly, and Etho couldn't help laughing quietly.
“Shedinja, use Shadow Sneak!” he whispered, pointing at the wild Vulpix.
A shadow of Shedinja flickered behind the Vulpix, swiping at it and making it yelp before fading away as fast as it appeared. Etho called for the move again, the action being repeated a second time.
Vulpix threw a rush of powdered snow, which predictably did nothing but shower Shedinja in sparkling white snowflakes. Finally, Etho tossed his Pokeball, watching as his hopefully-soon-to-be partner was brought into the ball. It shook once, then twice, and then clicked with finality as it settled in the grass.
Gem jumped for joy, but was quickly quieted as Etho tugged on her sleeve. He didn't want to disturb any other wild Pokémon that may be in the area. He grabbed the Pokeball, and they headed quickly back to the hotel.
“Is it a boy or a girl?!” Gem asked excitedly, rocking back and forth on her knees.
Etho gently turned the Vulpix around in his lap, lifting up its tail. “A boy. Definitely a boy.”
That made his sister whine with disappointment, flipping dramatically onto her back. The Vulpix was strangely placid, sitting calmly in his lap. Big, blue, innocent eyes stared up at him once he settled back down in his new trainer's lap.
A ball of red suddenly flung towards him as Gem came to sit beside him. “What are you gonna name him?”
“Umm…” Etho hadn’t thought about it. Trainers didn't usually name their Pokémon. “What about Sidekit? Baby Vulpixes are called kits, and he's my sidekick.”
“Only you would know that.” Gem stuck her tongue out. “Nerd.”
Etho wrapped his arms around Sidekit, pulling him into a hug. The cold air radiating from his white fur made him shiver, but it was something he could get used to. Sidekit chirped happily.
Etho smiled. “We’re gonna be best friends forever, Sidekit.”