Everyone was fidgeting in their chair, playing on their Gameboys as the Boeing 454 hit turbulence. Randy, Shawn, and Jackson, who were all sitting in the same row, hooked their Gameboys up to each other.
Shawn burst out suddenly, “bow-wow baby, that’s how the Charizard does.”
“Damn!” Randy cried. “That wasn’t fair.”
“Shoulda had a Charizard dumbass,” Shawn blurted out.
Sitting behind them was the one older woman on the flight. Shawn’s mom. “Don’t cuss.” She reached over the top of the seat and bopped the top of his head.
“Sorry,” he uttered sheepishly, rubbing his scalp.
“Nope, nothing can ruin this week,” Jackson announced as Shawn groaned. “Not even a chaperone.”
“Nope, I mean, just think there’s going to be 5-star accommodations,” Jackson explained. “Along with 24/7 Pokémon-themed dining.”
“Real Pokémon!” Randy shouted.
Shawn worried. “No one knows if they’re going to be real, though.”
“Of course, they’re going to be real. It was in the brochure.” Jackson chimed.
“They better be real!” Shawn’s mom cried out from behind them. “I paid enough money for some real Pokémon.”
“Okay, so do you want a rematch?”
They plugged, their headphones in their ears, and their expressions hardened. The Pokémon convention bubbling at the back of their mind, and their small group was not alone. The Pokémon convention had drawn the attention of fans from all over the world.
Thousands of Pokémon groupies were flying in from across the world to experience the biggest Pokémon convention of all time.
The energy on the plane was electric. Everyone around was smiling ear to ear, and that continued for the entire 10-hour flight. When it was finally announced that the plane was landing, everyone on board began to cheer.
Jackson tried to get a peek out their window but couldn’t see much through the thick glass. It did look colorful out there and the beaches. Omg! Pokémon on the beach. Despite everyone’s excitement, they waited patiently as, one by one, those in the front collected their bags and stepped off the plane.
“You guys, we have to check out the convention room first. I want to sign up for the $10,000 contest first thing.”
“Okay, but then we should drop our stuff off and head to the beach.”
“Yes, that’s a great idea, son.” Shawn’s mother exclaimed from behind.
The airplane staff greeted them as they got off the plane. They could hear a loud crowd from around the corner.
“Oh my god,” Shawn’s mother cried out as they walked onto the turf of an island crowded with Pokémon fans.
Immediately they felt trapped. With a group piling up behind them, they became squished into a sea of people. “We need to get out of here.” Shawn’s mom took control and grabbed his hand, “Everyone hold hands.”
“Mom, That’s Gay.” Shawn groaned.
“Just do it!” She snapped back. “We’re going this way.” With her head above everyone else’s, she could see past the crowd of people. One step after the other, she led them through the crowd and out into somewhere they could breathe.
Then the plane started up and began rolling down the runway, speeding up until the deafening engine ignited and pushed the aircraft into the sky. Landing seconds later was another plane, with Pokémon fans stepping off the plane.
Then they heard a loud voice-over speakerphone. A high-pitched and stressed-out tone cried out. “We can only check in one at a time. Get in a single file line.”
“What the hell are they talking about?” Shawn’s mom asked.
Jackson shrugged, “I don’t see any Pokémon around here.”
“Let’s just get in line.”
“I have a better idea.” Shawn’s mom announced to them.
Together they walked around the large crowd and past some security officers who were asleep in their chairs. Shawn, Jackson, and Randy got super excited because they felt like they were breaking the rules. “Man, Shawn’s mom is actually pretty cool.” Jackson acknowledged.
Once they were in the convention, it was mostly empty, with a few people trickling in.
“This is interesting,” Jackson smirked as he looked around. The convention had a huge banner that said Welcome Pokémon Fans over the stage, but the stage was empty.
White tents, plotted on the other side of the stage, looked much different from the promised five-star accommodations.
Then there was a large building, which they assumed was the Pokémon restaurant. When they walked inside, it was just a school cafeteria, with cheap Party City table clothes thrown over them.
“Well, is anyone hungry for cardboard pizza?”
“OHHH, HELL NO!” Shawn’s mom cried out, “I AM GOING TO NEED A FULL REFUND ON THIS SHIT.”
“Mom!?” Shawn screamed.
“NO, this is completely unacceptable. I did not pay $20,000 for a ticket to eat food in a high school cafeteria.”
Then they stormed right towards the front entrance, where three people were checking a guest into the event at a fold-up table and handing out little goodie bags.
“Are you in charge?” She howled from behind, startling a skinny boy in a black shirt. He set down the slip of paper in his hand and looked behind. “Excuse me?”
“Are you in charge?”
He responded. “You are being very rude right now.”
“I don’t care. I want you to give me a refund.”
“I’m a little busy.”
“Well, I don’t care. I’m not going to let you get away with stealing from me. And I can stand here all night making your life a living hell if I want to.”
“Not if I call the security,” the boy threatened, holding up his walky-talky and dramatically clicking the button that turned it on. The speaker crackled. “Tosh, I have a crazy woman here annoying me.” All they could hear was snoring on the other end.
“For god’s sake, why would you have a Pokémon convention on a remote island like this if you couldn’t even handle it.”
“LADY, Fine, I’ll give you whatever you need. What’s your name?”
“Sandy Sheridon.”
The boy looked over his slip of paper, “okay, I see you here, so what you want a refund, and you’ll just hop on the next flight off the island?”
“That’s correct,” Sandy stated, feeling confident that she was about to get her way. “Well, I can offer you an extra gift bag instead.”
“NO”
“Here are your passes.” The boy pushed the black lanyards into her hand.
“Leave me alone.”
The boys grabbed her and started walking away. “This isn’t over yet!” she shouted.
“Mom just let it go. The rest of the weekend is going to be great.”
That is when the rain hit. Unfortunately, the company that planned the event didn’t check the weather, and a torrential storm canceled all the scheduled activities.
They stayed in their tent the entire weekend, and when they were set to go, Sandy was the first one on the plane. Never again, she vowed to herself. Never again will I trust Instagram Influencers to plan my vacations for me.