"Let's go, Ekans."
Ekans hadn't evolved yet, but it was still useful. If any wild Pokémon appeared in the hills, it could at least protect him.
Its strength was nothing remarkable, but taking care of things like Rattata and Spearow was well within its range.
It didn't take Alister and Ekans long to reach the peak of the island, which was covered in sparse vegetation.
Alister grabbed a handful of soil and squeezed it.
No fresh water. The ground was dry and loose, with barely any moisture left.
He frowned. Judging by the condition of the plants, they survived only on rainfall. During heavy rains, some water might collect in low-lying areas, but that would be all.
That explained the sparse greenery.
With Ekans's help, Alister climbed the tallest tree on the island.
It wasn't exactly towering—just over four meters high including the crown.
From the treetop, Alister scanned the horizon.
Flat sea stretched in every direction. No islands in sight.
"This isn't good," he muttered.
Sliding down the trunk, he and Ekans returned to the beach.
His stomach growled.
He'd swum to shore, collected driftwood, and hiked up a mountain. Hunger had caught up to him.
He opened a can of beans.
Using the metal spoon salvaged by Kingler, he scooped them in one bite at a time.
No flavor, but enough to restore energy.
"Burp…"
It wasn't that he was full—just ate too quickly.
He tapped his chest and held his breath, trying to suppress the hiccups.
About a third of the can remained. Without hesitation, he grabbed Ekans's head and tilted the can over it.
"Eat. Your tongue was practically dripping on me."
Ekans hissed softly, flicking its tongue as if savoring the taste.
After finishing the beans, Alister began considering what came next.
No fresh water. No visible wild Pokémon. The island was too barren to stay on for long.
"I need to find a way off this rock."
He glanced at the driftwood, the life jackets, and the cargo net Kingler had recovered.
"A raft's doable. Plus, I've got a Water-type that can tow it."
But then another problem surfaced.
"No maps. No supplies. Getting lost out there is a death sentence."
Frowning, he released Kingler.
Fresh water was priority number one.
"Kingler, use Water Gun on me. Minimum power."
"Pulu pulu?" Kingler looked confused but obeyed, releasing a thin stream of water from its mouth.
"Ah! Pfft! Pah!" Alister sputtered, wiping his face.
"Saltwater? Really?" He grabbed Kingler's claw in frustration.
"I caught you in a freshwater lake! Aren't you a freshwater crab?"
"Pulu pulu?" Kingler just bubbled in confusion.
Alister squinted. "Did staying on the beach too long make you a saltwater crab?"
In the Pokémon world, Water-types weren't usually picky. They adapted to whatever source was around them.
But prolonged exposure to saltwater did affect the nature of their moves.
Kingler didn't know Rain Dance or anything helpful. So fresh water via Water Gun was a bust.
Alister tilted his head upward. A few Wingull still circled in the sky.
He had an idea.
He crushed some Water-type energy cubes and mixed them with another can of beans. After kneading the mixture in his hands, he formed a rough rice ball.
Time to catch a Wingull for aerial scouting.
But they were still flying too high. Kingler wouldn't be able to hit them from the ground.
They needed bait.
"Hey! Look over here!" Alister waved his arms.
Kingler joined in, clacking its massive claws in the air.
Wild Pokémon were naturally curious.
Sure enough, a few Wingull noticed them. They kept a safe distance but hovered low, watching.
Alister exaggerated his movements as he fed the rice ball to Kingler.
Kingler played along, waving its claws and bouncing in place as if it had eaten something incredible.
"Guji~ Guji~" it gurgled, eyes narrowing in delight.
The flavor was actually decent. The mix worked.
Alister held up more rice balls, waving them at the watching Wingull.
"Hey! Want some of this? It's good!"
It was a simple lure, but one that worked well on wild Pokémon in remote areas.f
The Wingull drifted closer. One particularly greedy one hovered just ten meters above.
"Catch!"
Alister tossed a rice ball into the air. The Wingull swooped down, snatched it midair, and gulped it in one bite.
"Gah~"
It chirped, clearly pleased.
As a Water- and Flying-type, it had a palate similar to Kingler's.
Seeing its interest, Alister threw two more rice balls. The Wingull caught both.
Time to make a move.
"Wingull! Come on down. I've got more."
He held out another rice ball as bait.
"Gah gah~"
You seem like a decent guy.
The Wingull folded its wings and landed nearby, mouth wide open, expecting a treat.
"Now! Crabhammer!"
Alister gave the command without hesitation.
Kingler lunged. Its claw lit up with a white glow and came crashing down.
It smacked the bird right on the head.
The Wingull, smaller than one of Kingler's claws, crumpled instantly.
Alister pulled out a Dive Ball.
"We battle now, Wingull. If you lose, you're mine!"
With no reply, he threw the ball.
A flash of red light. The Poké Ball hit the sand and stilled without even a shake.
"I caught a Wingull!" Alister grinned.
The other Wingull hovering nearby were stunned. After a few seconds, they scattered.
…
"Wingull, take this back to the island. Kingler's going for another dive."
It had been a full day since Alister caught the Wingull. The capture hadn't been noble, but food bribery and the influence of a trainer bond did the trick. The Pokémon had accepted him.
They were still salvaging supplies from the plane wreckage.
Only Kingler could dive. Alister had built a simple raft and floated it over the crash site.
Kingler dived for goods. Alister sorted items on the raft. Wingull flew them back to shore.
It was an efficient little system.
In just half a day, they had recovered almost everything useful from the plane.
Alister and Wingull had even started to form a rhythm.
"Hey, Wingull. You ever flown to other islands?"
The bird paused, then bobbed its beak up and down.
"Gah!"
"I mean big islands—with people and other Pokémon."
"Ha!" Same answer.
Alister brightened. "Which way?"
Wingull flew up, circled above, then landed and pointed one wing over the sea.
Alister followed its gaze.
That direction formed a right angle with the original plane route.
So it wasn't toward Kanto. And not back to Alola either.
"How far is it? If you fly at sunrise, can you reach it before nightfall?"
That made it easier for a Pokémon to understand.
"Gah gah~"
Wingull gave an excited response.
Alister, however, only shook his head.