Music in media: Mou Sukoshi Dake by Yoasobi

Beach episodes are a staple when it comes to anime, manga and dorama. What's unusual is setting it just past mid autumn instead of waiting for summer. Then again, the Ivory Tower excels in watering down all forms of knowledge and applying the resultant suspension. As seen from how they rose to be, the people working there, including Okaasan, have no qualms about accuracy. The most necessary factor is material, which is a lack, and the least disturbing fact is that my mother has summoned a to-do list for us. All else matters not.

We must be up at four o' clock in the morning and meet at the port in Asagi City at five. I must take Rae with me because it's been so long since she's gone to the beach. Matsuba, Hayato and Kaspar must be punctual, and must bring along all their Pokémon. We depart at six on a cruise liner to the secluded city of Tanba. When we arrive, the sun must rise (or be flogged awake should it not comply with the itinerary) and we must comment about how beautiful the sun is, how amazing the sky is, how fluffy the clouds are, how lovable a city Tanba is, how regretful it is that old man Shijima didn't sign the contract to join the harem, how the Whirl Islands cure vertigo and dizziness and hangovers, how great it is to go to the Tanba Beach and spend the day with a found family, how to be seasick, how not to be seasick, how to sniff the tangy sea salt smell, how sniffing scrupulously is a sin...

We must reach the beach at seven and have a breakfast picnic. We must laugh and enjoy ourselves for the rest of the day. We must ensure that the Ivory Tower do minimal editing, that is to say, we must be natural and funny, as if they would get any of our inside jokes.

So here we are, strolling along the golden coast of the most famous beach in Johto, Tanba Beach. This early in the morning, most people would be checking in on their routines. Hardly anyone bothers with us. If only they know we're "filming" for the next episode of Show Me Your Smile, then they would attempt at being more welcoming and enthusiastic about our no-nonsense appearance. Not that we hate on privacy, but it might be possible that due to their seclusion from mainland Johto, the residents of Tanba City pay no mind to anything beyond what their eyes and ears tell them, meaning they'd know nothing of the drama. To make matters worse, I must shield Rae's eyes from Shijima's naked bod when we pass by his usual training spot. A few minutes later, I must give her ear plugs so she can master the art of reading lips and learning expletives in a novel way as Shijima greets his fellow Gym Leaders each with a Seismic Toss. Ah, the power of hatred arising from type advantages and disadvantages!

Anyways, we dismiss the presence of this domineering figure and lay our picnic mats on the soft sands. Okaasan has ordered Aomine Catering to settle the food for the picnic, demanding that sandwiches and black forest cakes are a must, all other food secondary. You can imagine how much makeup I must put on to cover my Pangoro eyes because someone will be too lazy to edit them. It's one thing to bake when I should be asleep, another to be interrupted by Meta's entrance to the kitchen for the sake of his early morning coffee. I just don't get paid enough for this.

Tanba Beach at dawn remains one of the most breathtaking sights of the region. Bathed in sunshine, we take the food out of the wicker baskets, watching the shadows fall gently and stretch across our crossed legs as if they're reaching for the lapping, sunkissed waves home to a myriad of marine Pokémon diving in and out of the waters every now and then to get that little suntan. Hayato and Matsuba help me with the arrangements while Meta, Rae and Kaspar dip their feet into the waters, which later turns into Rae refereeing for a drowning match. As I place a plate of bacon-wrapped meat onto the mat, a yelp pierces the peace, revealing a Seaking stuck in Kaspar's chest, followed by a series of giggles as Rae pulls the transformed Meta out. Can't tell who's cheating here.

"You don't look happy." Matsuba elbows me as he removes chilled drinks from a styrofoam box. "Just take this as a trip to the beach. It's been so long since we've gone out here, and Rae looks like she's having fun."

I close the lid of a basket. "Sorry. I still feel bad dragging Kaspar into this weird situation of ours. It's fine if he's simply a friend, but as Rae's tutor?" I gawk as Meta takes the form of a Cloyster and Kaspar tries to yank his shirt out of the clamped shell. "It's still feels wrong, you get me? Besides, Kaspar seems more compatible with Meta thanks to their banter. I don't understand Okaasan's intentions."

Hayato shoves a yuzu popsicle into my mouth and I pull the stick out, feeling the rapid chill invading my teeth and gum. Any moment now, a brain freeze will come.

"You know how Kaspar's like. He's practically chill with anything. What I don't understand is how the Ivory Tower gets footage of us when no one's around."

"Why should we care? As long as whoever it is doesn't hurt us, that's good enough," I mumble before calling to the trio to munch on my hard work.

The six of us take our seats on the mats and appreciate the delicious feast in silence. The Ivory Tower will find a way round this and insert some cringey dialogue. Perhaps the worst decision here is having Meta and Rae around, which may be a hassle when it comes to editing their much-needed content. I can totally see the editors crop the two of them out of the picture to accentuate their harem tale, moving a copyrighted reality onto the screen.

I wish my life has a copyright symbol to it so no one will dare to live it for me. Why are we all, living or inanimate, even more insignificant than a speck of dust? Any form of free will is fundamentally an interaction between two or more forces. What is wrong with me? Why am I suddenly delving into such a dingy territory? Why are we always in pursuit of fleeting happiness? And when it's gone, how long more do we have to wait to replenish it?

My eyelids droop. The sandwich in my hand falls off. I don't think I can go on anymore. I call upon the power of dreams, slowly drift into a private reality that lies behind shut eyes. My head doesn't crash and burn onto the hot sands. The blow is cushioned. In my lethargy I recognise the pair of eyes dangling like will o wisps in the summer daze, the gentleness and elusiveness of waiting to be spirited away.

Why does it have to be Matsuba? I expected Hayato. Maybe even Kaspar. Okaasan will definitely breathe down my neck when we return, accuse me of showing favouritism and not comprehending the simple concept of the harem. Then again, it can never be Kaspar. Where there's Meta, he will be there. My presence is the least of his concerns. Indeed, it can't be Hayato. He's Rae's favourite. She will look out for him more than she does for me. That leaves Matsuba as the only option.

Who would've thought that a beach episode would start off with a reenactment of a gender-bending Sleeping Beauty? It's not so far-fetched an idea when Matsuba caresses me and his breath increases in breadth over my face to taste a whiff of my sweat. In dramas, this is the perfect time to declare that I'm feverish. Then Matsuba and I would kiss kiss, hug hug, smile smile, do anything lovey-dovey twice because we're supposed to be a couple. But this is life.

He merely presses a palm on my forehead. "Just rest, Kyo. You did great."

I would've forgiven him had he not been a Ghost-type specialist. His words give off an ominous vibe, as if he's sending me off to the afterlife. The obvious reaction's to rebel. After flicking his forehead with a finger, I push myself off his lap with a forced smile so our gazes align.

Rae scurries over with a request to build sand castles with her. I agree, winking at Matsuba. The issue with a harem tale is that I must be very considerate with the duration spent with my friends or they won't have enough screen time, which will be detrimental because the shredders in the Ivory Tower will be overworked and underpaid once again.

After two hours, the six of us congregate around a sand castle that bears resemblance with the Shabboneau Castle in Kalos. An indescribable grandeur filters through the windows, commanding shadows to shrink in respect, stealing breaths like the Litwick living inside. If we had drawn a smiley face, it would've turned into a Palossand and consumed our souls for eternity. Meta really has a way with the finer things in life, though all art is quite useless when made solely for admiration of its beauty.

"According to the itinerary, we have to stay for the sunset and have barbecue for dinner. From now till then, we must bury each other in sand, eat shaved ice, go for a swim with a swim ring, and... take a thousand group photos?"

"Kaspar," Matsuba says. "We don't have to do what they say."

"I like me a good rebel!" Kaspar smirks. "Look at me and my tattoo! It's banned, but who cares?"

Right, the crimson tattoo of a Mega Houndoom whose horns join into an arc located on the back of his hand. Who cares?

"Too typical." Hayato scratches his chin. "Anyone wanna go Aero-surfing?"

This is a special water sport made popular in Johto by our resident Flying-type expert, the one who introduced Aero-surfing to the world about four years ago. All that's required are a Pokémon that can Fly, a surfboard and a spool. Think kitesurfing but substitute the kite with a Pokémon. And today's lucky Pokémon is...

Hayato whistles in the direction of the Whirl Islands and a silver-white Pokémon surfs toward us. Somewhere nearby, Shijima's astonished scream can be heard. People and Pokémon in the city flock toward the shore to have a better look of the extraordinary being perched on a spool.

"Everyone, meet my friend, Lugia!" Hayato pets the Diving Pokémon who responds in gratitude. Apparently, this is a form of product placement where Lugia proves they're still alive and diving despite being spoken about as a myth. Hayato's more than an expert—he's a legend. A pity he's not more involved in variety shows.

Rae raises her hand. "Is it really alright to make Lugia do this?"

Lugia squeals. Yes, squeals. Hayato translates it as "gurl, you got no idea how long I've waited for Kōsuke-san to invite me for this! I can do more than diving, yanno?" Then it's Rae's turn to squeal. Oh, Meta joins in and they form a temporary acapella. Music to my ears.

Shijima's bellows, on the other hand, are the worst. Maybe it's because he's all brawn so he seeks to fight everything viable, also fighting to forget the crucial fact that anything Lugia does will be four times the effectiveness against him. So when he snatches the surfboard and spool from Hayato's grasp and orders the Legendary Pokémon to use HM02, with the help of a bong of an excellent disc to the head, it's no surprise that he's immediately flung into the depths of a whirlpool a distance from Tanba City. Judging from how far he goes, he must have mastered the Hidden Move too.

Inquisitiveness gets the better of Meta, compelling him to be next in line. Cameras and phones steel themselves for the scene to come, though I wonder if the crowd only surfaced for the sake of a "Hi Mom! It's me! I'm on TV!" or even extras hired by the Ivory Tower in advance. One of them might just be Okaasan or one of the guards in a wig. We can never be too sure.

Meta elongates his body, straps his feet to the board and wraps his limbs around the handle while Lugia grabs the other end with their talons. After conversing in Pokéspeech, the Aero-surfing begins. He balances well, snagging wave after wave with the breeze smacking his face. Lugia makes use of their signature move Aeroblast to generate stronger winds, looking behind their shoulder every once in a while to check on the Ditto. Their interaction lasts for half an hour, a back and forth between Meta's monotonous murmurs and Lugia's light squalls. When the session ends, Lugia decelerates and pulls over at the shore. Meta thanks them with an unimpressed look, igniting a mass fawning moment among the crowd.

"Even Lugia's not charming enough," Kaspar whispers and heads onto the surfboard. He falls flat on his face just before he slips his feet into the straps, a move out of rage on Lugia's part. Don't blame the 'mon, they just wants to be someone's Prince Charming. Though, their actions have once more proven the theory that they deserve to be Psychic-type because they are the best at psyching others.

The rest of us don't get the same amount of attention, as if the crowd thinks it's good enough to watch us when whatever episode this is airs, unable to bring themselves to appreciate our unorthodox filming 'live'. Matsuba's suggestion that they are jealous because we are special also makes perfect sense. If only they too were special, they would have led better lives.

Indeed, that's not how things work. Who cares? At the end of the day, when we die, we return to the basest form of nature, intermingle in the threshold between life and death, neither here nor there, all physicality torn to shreds while our spirits linger in the hearts of hearts, in the thoughts of thoughts, in the breaths of breaths. We live as specks of dust, and die as specks of dust. When the light comes we dance till it's gone and we're invisible to everyone, save for those who bother with our presence.

When I give the Aero-surfing Lugia ver. a go, the waves crashing against my skin remind me I'm still alive, that as long as I have some semblance of agency, I can be a leader too. The waves aren't passive, aren't reactive to Lugia's Aeroblast. They move because they want to be tugged along, to follow the idolatrous air as they weave through the sands and shins. It's beautiful, the feeling of guidance from a higher being in the form of an exercise. We don't leave the boundary of Tanba Beach, but it feels like Lugia's taking me on a journey beyond the seas of Johto. My body surfs while my soul dives. This is the meditative, once-in-a-lifetime experience that comes with close contact with a Legendary Pokémon, their status bestowed upon them not because of their being created by Arceus for specific reasons, but because of their ability to lead without discrimination, to maintain relationships founded in mutual respect.

Lugia takes great care of Rae when she tries the sport for the first time. They speed up when it comes to Hayato, making him ride a rollercoaster of thrill. Matsuba is pleased with the spiritual communication with them as he lifts himself off the land and make flips worthy of praise. Kaspar's second try reveals their quickness to forgive, for the sake of themselves.

We have lunch with Lugia who shares food with our Pokémon. They take a great liking to Noko-Noko, and the Dunsparce reciprocates by hovering for a split second with the ease of tiny wings. Heartfelt conversation flows across the beach between people and people, Pokémon and Pokémon, and people and Pokémon, till sundown as we snake through topics like childhood, our Pokémon's life before their debutante in the Poké Balls, and how we met our first Pokémon, inspired by my encounter with Meta.

Kaspar's story brings Lugia to tears. He met Belphor, who was a Houndour then, when she wore a scarf and a hood to disguise as a small human, but was caught shoplifting in the Poké Mart for a few Max Potions thanks to Kaspar. Belphor took him to the injured Kangashan and after much pains we finally get to the end of the tale where Belphor grew less doubtful of humans after Kaspar took the Kangashan to the Pokémon Centre and conveyed the urgent details to the Chansey in charge.

"And that's how I met my Belphor."

Kaspar's last words better not be edited in some weird way. It's become a pattern whereby the Ivory Tower evil edits Kaspar in order to draw out the better sides of either Gym Leader. This is why I feel especially bad for him.

We say our goodbyes to the Diving Pokémon after sharing s'mores, one of the best snacks to end a barbecue. Also fifth in Lugia's Top 10 Human Food, the champion being agegyoza, succeeded by okonomiyaki and curry rice. No bias to the flavours of home, obviously.

The serene night watches over us when we take the ship back to Asagi City and walk home, dispersing in front of Enju Pokémon Centre. I unpack and retrieve the silver feather from the basket, placing it underneath my pillow. Lugia's gift extends beyond the witty punishment dealt to Shijima who ought to be back in his dojo by now. They've reignited Matsuba's hopes of meeting Ho-Oh, spread Hayato's Aero-surfing further around the globe, made Kaspar appreciate the consequences of the slightest actions, inspired Rae to pull off an aplomb in next week's graduation battle and set up a precious bond with Meta, who slowly develops an understanding of himself.

Even though today is a simple day, as with any other day, I enjoy the company. But we're getting nowhere nearer to understand Meta's happiness criteria. His "I love you peeps. I'm so happy today!" is unconvincingly an overstatement. That's alright, though. What matters is that we have each other's backs as always, and Meta is getting a grip on the world around him, just like how everyone's becoming more receptive of him and his antics.

I guess it's true. The best things in life are unplanned.