Lee took one last look at the pictures he took for the Yule Festival showcase before he put them in the folders. He took a swig of water as the buzz from the cocktail he drank an hour ago.
Pikachu stood on his desk and gave an excited cry as Lee shut off his monitor. “Well, Pikachu, let the staycation begin,” he said as he placed the camera in the bag. He glanced outside at the snow blanketing the streets and sidewalks. Normally Pokemon and their trainers would fill the streets, but the wind chill and temperatures made it too cold. He and Pikachu planned to fly to Celadon City for Christmas, but the flights out of the area was canceled.
Lee scratched Pikachu’s ears. He and his Pokemon were supposed to fly to his mother’s house in Celadon City. He planned to leave earlier, but Lumiose Press closed its doors and the editor Alexa made drinks for her employees.
“We’ll go shortly Pikachu,” Lee said as he threw on his jacket before waving goodbye to a couple of the graphic designers.
Alexa walked by his desk. “Any plans for the holidays?” she asked.
“Pikachu and I are going to stay here,” Lee said. “We’ll probably have dinner, open presents and watch a movie.”
“If the weather is better tomorrow, I’ll be visiting my sister in Santalune City,” she said. “I’m heading over to the Pokemon Center to help distribute toys and supplies to trainers. You should come.”
Lee shrugged. “That sounds great, but I was going to get a jump start on some work at home -” he stopped as Pikachu slugged his arm and cheered at Alexa.
“Pikachu seems to like the idea. I will see you there,” Alexa said before she walked away. “It starts in two hours.”
“So I take it you’ll be there sober,” Lee said, drawing a glare and smirk from his editor.
* * *
Lee and Pikachu headed to the Pokemon Center where Alexa was already greeting trainers. He noticed a small blond-haired girl, who he knew as Bonnie, the sister of the Lumiose Gym Leader, was directing the other volunteers. She walked over to Lee and shook his hand. “Thank you for coming. Because of canceled flights, we’ve had more trainers come this years. He glanced back, seeing people lined outside of the door.
“What would you like Pikachu and I to do?” Lee asked.
Bonnie pointed to the table with blankets and jackets for trainers, as well as treats for Pokemon. “Make sure everyone gets enough treats, we have plenty,” she said.
Lee and Pikachu got to work, handing out supplies and greeting trainers and their Pokemon. Pikachu gave him a look, suggesting “this is better than working.” Lee nodded, feeling good about giving back to other trainers. He glanced over to where Alexa and Bonnie were handing out clothes and toys to some people who stayed at the homeless shelters. Not everyone who came to the Pokemon Center that day was homeless, some just needed a little bit of help. It reminded Lee of his days as a young trainer.
Lee and Pikachu noticed what looked like a shabby-looking Pokemon doll walking around and greeting trainers. It did not appear to have a partner of its own as it moved through the Pokemon Center. After Lee gave a couple of blankets, he saw the Pokemon was gone.
After the drive was over and the gifts were handed out, Lee and Pikachu went to the Lumiose Gym at the invitation of Bonnie. They sipped on some hot chocolate when they noticed the Pokemon walking around. Its gaze met Lee’s and Pikachu’s before it went to a corner.
Lee noticed Bonnie walk by him. “Is that a Pokemon?”
Bonnie watched it for a moment. “It’s a Mimikyu. A friend told me they are from the Alola region.”
Lee cocked an eyebrow. He and his family had been to Alola once or twice but never came across a Mimikyu. “Does it have a trainer?”
Bonnie shook her head. “I’m not sure. I’ve seen it at the Pokemon Center a couple of times, but never with a trainer.”
Lee took another sip of his hot chocolate, watching the Mimikyu greet Pokemon before it wandered out of the gym. He glanced at Pikachu, then asked Bonnie,” Is there anything else you need from us?”
“No, but thank you for your help,” Bonnie said.
“My pleasure,” Lee said before he and Pikachu followed Mimikyu.
* * *
Lee and Pikachu walked outside for an hour, finding no sign of Mimikyu. He was about to back when Pikachu pointed to a cave.
As they stepped into the mouth, they saw several faded chalk drawings on the wall. They jumped at the sound of a twig breaking. Pikachu confronted the noise and the Mimikyu emerged from the shadows.
Lee smiled at the Pokemon before he noticed a makeshift bed made from scraps of cloth and wrappers from candy neatly arranged. He and Pikachu extended their hands. “Hello, my name is Lee and this is Pikachu,” Lee said. “Pikachu and I are spending Christmas by ourselves. You’re more than welcome to come with us.”
Mimikyu stared for a moment, nodded and followed them out of the cave.
* * *
Lee lit another candle as he, Pikachu and Mimikyu were settling in for the night. After they got home, they listened to a group of brave trainers who braved the snow and cold to sing Christmas carols.
Mimikyu stared at the pictures, awards and badges that Lee had decorated on his walls before Pikachu offered it a cup of hot chocolate made from a recipe friendly for Pokemon.
Lee motioned for Mimikyu. “Bonnie told me she saw you go to the Pokemon Center during Christmas. Do you not have a home? I mean besides the cave?”
Mimikyu closed its eyes, almost in shame. “Don’t worry, you can stay here with us. If that’s what you would like.” The Pokemon’s eyes lit up as Lee placed a Pokeball next to it.
Mimikyu took one look at it and then tapped it, allowing itself to be caught. Lee smiled and opened the Pokeball, and Mimikyu appeared with his eyes lit up.
“Welcome to the family,” Lee said as Pikachu gave Mimikyu a hug. It wasn’t just going to be him and Pikachu after all.
Pikachu stood on his desk and gave an excited cry as Lee shut off his monitor. “Well, Pikachu, let the staycation begin,” he said as he placed the camera in the bag. He glanced outside at the snow blanketing the streets and sidewalks. Normally Pokemon and their trainers would fill the streets, but the wind chill and temperatures made it too cold. He and Pikachu planned to fly to Celadon City for Christmas, but the flights out of the area was canceled.
Lee scratched Pikachu’s ears. He and his Pokemon were supposed to fly to his mother’s house in Celadon City. He planned to leave earlier, but Lumiose Press closed its doors and the editor Alexa made drinks for her employees.
“We’ll go shortly Pikachu,” Lee said as he threw on his jacket before waving goodbye to a couple of the graphic designers.
Alexa walked by his desk. “Any plans for the holidays?” she asked.
“Pikachu and I are going to stay here,” Lee said. “We’ll probably have dinner, open presents and watch a movie.”
“If the weather is better tomorrow, I’ll be visiting my sister in Santalune City,” she said. “I’m heading over to the Pokemon Center to help distribute toys and supplies to trainers. You should come.”
Lee shrugged. “That sounds great, but I was going to get a jump start on some work at home -” he stopped as Pikachu slugged his arm and cheered at Alexa.
“Pikachu seems to like the idea. I will see you there,” Alexa said before she walked away. “It starts in two hours.”
“So I take it you’ll be there sober,” Lee said, drawing a glare and smirk from his editor.
* * *
Lee and Pikachu headed to the Pokemon Center where Alexa was already greeting trainers. He noticed a small blond-haired girl, who he knew as Bonnie, the sister of the Lumiose Gym Leader, was directing the other volunteers. She walked over to Lee and shook his hand. “Thank you for coming. Because of canceled flights, we’ve had more trainers come this years. He glanced back, seeing people lined outside of the door.
“What would you like Pikachu and I to do?” Lee asked.
Bonnie pointed to the table with blankets and jackets for trainers, as well as treats for Pokemon. “Make sure everyone gets enough treats, we have plenty,” she said.
Lee and Pikachu got to work, handing out supplies and greeting trainers and their Pokemon. Pikachu gave him a look, suggesting “this is better than working.” Lee nodded, feeling good about giving back to other trainers. He glanced over to where Alexa and Bonnie were handing out clothes and toys to some people who stayed at the homeless shelters. Not everyone who came to the Pokemon Center that day was homeless, some just needed a little bit of help. It reminded Lee of his days as a young trainer.
Lee and Pikachu noticed what looked like a shabby-looking Pokemon doll walking around and greeting trainers. It did not appear to have a partner of its own as it moved through the Pokemon Center. After Lee gave a couple of blankets, he saw the Pokemon was gone.
After the drive was over and the gifts were handed out, Lee and Pikachu went to the Lumiose Gym at the invitation of Bonnie. They sipped on some hot chocolate when they noticed the Pokemon walking around. Its gaze met Lee’s and Pikachu’s before it went to a corner.
Lee noticed Bonnie walk by him. “Is that a Pokemon?”
Bonnie watched it for a moment. “It’s a Mimikyu. A friend told me they are from the Alola region.”
Lee cocked an eyebrow. He and his family had been to Alola once or twice but never came across a Mimikyu. “Does it have a trainer?”
Bonnie shook her head. “I’m not sure. I’ve seen it at the Pokemon Center a couple of times, but never with a trainer.”
Lee took another sip of his hot chocolate, watching the Mimikyu greet Pokemon before it wandered out of the gym. He glanced at Pikachu, then asked Bonnie,” Is there anything else you need from us?”
“No, but thank you for your help,” Bonnie said.
“My pleasure,” Lee said before he and Pikachu followed Mimikyu.
* * *
Lee and Pikachu walked outside for an hour, finding no sign of Mimikyu. He was about to back when Pikachu pointed to a cave.
As they stepped into the mouth, they saw several faded chalk drawings on the wall. They jumped at the sound of a twig breaking. Pikachu confronted the noise and the Mimikyu emerged from the shadows.
Lee smiled at the Pokemon before he noticed a makeshift bed made from scraps of cloth and wrappers from candy neatly arranged. He and Pikachu extended their hands. “Hello, my name is Lee and this is Pikachu,” Lee said. “Pikachu and I are spending Christmas by ourselves. You’re more than welcome to come with us.”
Mimikyu stared for a moment, nodded and followed them out of the cave.
* * *
Lee lit another candle as he, Pikachu and Mimikyu were settling in for the night. After they got home, they listened to a group of brave trainers who braved the snow and cold to sing Christmas carols.
Mimikyu stared at the pictures, awards and badges that Lee had decorated on his walls before Pikachu offered it a cup of hot chocolate made from a recipe friendly for Pokemon.
Lee motioned for Mimikyu. “Bonnie told me she saw you go to the Pokemon Center during Christmas. Do you not have a home? I mean besides the cave?”
Mimikyu closed its eyes, almost in shame. “Don’t worry, you can stay here with us. If that’s what you would like.” The Pokemon’s eyes lit up as Lee placed a Pokeball next to it.
Mimikyu took one look at it and then tapped it, allowing itself to be caught. Lee smiled and opened the Pokeball, and Mimikyu appeared with his eyes lit up.
“Welcome to the family,” Lee said as Pikachu gave Mimikyu a hug. It wasn’t just going to be him and Pikachu after all.