Thank you for reading. Hopefully you enjoy. If you REALLY like it, I have a P-a-t-r-e-o-n, under the same name, where you can read 5 chapters ahead.
Finishing off the battle with Walter and then saying goodbye as we depart Cerulean.
------------------------------------------------------------
The previous two times one of my Pokémon had been standing across from Azumarill, ready to throw down, there had been a slight pause before things kicked off. A moment for both Trainers and Pokémon to take it in and think up a preliminary strategy, and for the Referee to signal the official start of the battle.
That was not the case in the third round.
Lily was still looking unsure about the whole thing and seemed more likely to call it off than start it, when Walter decided to jump the gun.
"Azumarill, get in the water! Aqua Ring!"
My eyes widened alongside the sisters. All three of them were on their feet and yelling within seconds.
"HEY, WE DIDN'T SAY START!"
"UNCLE, YOU CAN'T-"
"WHAT THE FUCK-"
I tuned them out, knowing that I had to act quickly as the blue rabbit Pokémon jumped backwards. If Azumarill had the chance to heal up, he'd sweep the rest of my team without issue.
"Herc, Quick Attack! Don't let it dive!"
A white Aura surrounded the Electric-Type as he launched off, legs blurring at the edges with how fast they were moving. He seemed to fly across the stone platform, kicking up a spray of water and foam in his wake. I'd been worried about sending him out, almost picking Sol, even though that would've been a risky decision. While Herc's bones and muscles had healed, there were still several large patches of fur that were proving stubborn and refusing to grow back correctly. The most noticeable was an elongated stripe on his left cheek and a large, almost star-shaped splotch on his left pectoral, where the hair was not just coming back slowly; it was coming back an extremely pale blonde, nearly pure white. The Waterflower healers had informed me that the Muk's poison had damaged the hair follicles' ability to produce melanin. It would return to its original length within a few weeks, but the discoloration was permanent without specialized treatment.
So yeah, I was hesitant.
But Azumarill was also significantly weakened from the previous battles, and that was evident even as he tried to escape. He was forced to bounce multiple times, too exhausted to make it in one leap, allowing Hercules to catch up swiftly.
"Thunder Fist!" The Elekid pulled back a hand as he closed in on his opponent, sparks starting to leap from his fist. He still couldn't maintain the physical buff from Quick Attack while executing another move, but the residual effect was enough to keep him in front of Azumarill.
Or so I thought.
"Now, Azumarill! Give them a taste of their own medicine with a Mega Punch!"
I gaped as my trick was used against me, Azumarill sliding to a halt and redirecting his momentum much faster than I thought he was still capable of. Hercules reacted better than I, trying to stop himself, but there was only so much he could do before he found himself lifted from the ground by the fist buried beneath his ribs.
For a brief moment, I thought I could see the imprint of Azumarill's fist emerge on Herc's back as he was lifted off the ground, the force of the attack combined with his own momentum threatening to send him flying – if he hadn't been a fucking champ and grabbed onto the arm himself. Even then, they went sliding several feet.
Grinning maniacally, I resigned myself to another endurance battle and issued what might be my last command of the match.
"Thunder Shock! Don't let go!"
"Shake the bugger off, Azumarill, get in the fucking water! Aqua Jet!"
Leaping backwards, Azumarill let out a shrill scream mid-air as Herc whirred aggressively and lit up with yellow electricity, a coating almost like that of Quick Attack covering his form and branching to his opponent, electrocuting the Water-Type. With gritted teeth, Azumarill latched out with another blow, with no moves to augment it, as the Thunder Shock kept him from focusing. The various injuries compounded, giving Hercules just enough time to let the punch slip under his armpit, brushing his short fur on the way past. Clamping down, my Elekid caught Azumarill's second arm as well, pinning it tightly against his body.
Then they hit the surface of the pool with a large splash! and a cascade of water. The turbulence might've made it difficult to make out where they were, but Herc's Thunder Shock lit up their surroundings like a star, tiny arcs of lightning jumping across the waves. While Hercules wasn't strong enough to seriously affect that volume of liquid – not with his weak electric reserves – it definitely didn't help Azumarill.
The yellow, fuzzy orb began moving, swinging erratically from side to side as the part Fairy-type attempted to shake the Electric-type off. The more it jostled, the faster it picked up speed, soon zooming around in laps at a decent pace. Azumarill even leapt into the air like a dolphin, before crashing back down into the water halfway across the pool.
I wasn't sure what had happened in the depths. Still, I'd never forget the sight of Hercules somehow managing to maneuver onto Azumarill's back, clinging to the amphibious rodent's neck as if his life depended on it. His eyes were squeezed shut tightly, and he let out a constant droning whir as his electricity concentrated around the dual prongs on his head.
As Azumarill skimmed the surface, trying to use the force of the water to throw Hercules off, Walter took the opportunity to give some commands without the liquid interfering with the sound. I didn't believe for a second that the old man didn't have some kind of trick – like Brock's stomping – that would allow him to make his commands heard if he wanted.
"Aqua Jet, ya stubborn fuck! The lad's gonna whip us at this rate!"
There was really nothing I could do in response. As long as they were in the pool, clinging to his opponent was Herc's only option that didn't involve trying to out-swim a Water-Type. So as the water began swirling around Azumarill in a slow, choppy, and erratic manner, all I could do was pray.
The underwater duo sped up significantly, though not to the same extent as Azumarill had against Siren. Being able to use any move, especially a fairly complex one like Aqua Jet, under the circumstances – with his injuries and an Electric-type on his back trying to fry him – was impressive. Azumarill must have had a lot of training with the move or possessed a truly notable natural talent for it.
Probably both.
The corkscrewing liquid tore and pulled at Hercules, yet my little physical beast held strong. Azumarill's movements weren't predictable; they seemed to be spontaneous, filled with twists and turns. However, there was an overall cyclical motion that began to affect the pool. At first, slowly, and then increasingly, all the water started spinning around and around. With the growing speed of the phenomenon, the center of the spiral began to sink as an artificial whirlpool formed rapidly, all without any Pokémon using a move. Finding the current, Azumarill surfed along it, allowing it to assist in speeding up even more.
But it still wasn't enough to dislodge Hercules, and soon, not even the accidental whirlpool could stop Azumarill from slowing down. The illumination of the Thunder Shock was dimming as well, but I had faith.
"Slam it into the walls, Azumarill!" Walter shouted, rolling his eyes when nothing happened. Closing his eyes, he concentrated while I watched him like a Pidgeot, eager to see how he would execute his plan.
There!
It was faint, barely noticeable, but for just a moment, the water pooling on the tiles beneath our feet from the crashing waves seemed to vibrate. The tremors traveled through the crevices and droplets before crawling into the pool itself.
Sure enough, a second later, Azumarill changed course, moving toward the center of the whirlpool. His circles became tighter and tighter as he picked up speed. Then, when the two Pokémon looked like a nearly solid circle of yellow lightning, they suddenly shot to the side like a torpedo.
THUD!
The spray of water that shot up as they impacted the wall was much smaller than it had been when Siren tricked Azumarill into crashing, but it didn't need to be overly powerful. It was impossible to tell which bubbles were which, but I knew that some of the bubbles welling up to the surface and popping came from Hercules' lungs.
The shining glow of the Thunder Shock flickered and failed for a moment before weakly reigniting.
It wasn't about inflicting damage; Azumarill would tire himself out before that happened. It was about drowning Hercules, knocking the breath out of him again and again until he had no choice but to let go.
Once more, there was nothing I could do as Azumarill dragged Hercules along for the ride and made for the other side. Rather than using the waning whirlpool – now that there was no current to fuel it – Azumarill took a wide swing and used the very edge for a slight boost as the yellow glow flickered once again.
Both of them were on their last legs.
Thud!
The surface barely wavered at the latest smack against the wall, the tiles hardly cracking under the force. And yet, it was enough that the Thunder Shock became so tiny and pathetic, I wasn't sure it wasn't just Herc's fur color playing tricks on my eyes.
Agonizingly slowly, at a pace that would be mocked by glaciers, the barely noticeable submerged forms began drifting towards the closest wall. It was a useless attempt. At that speed, I doubted either of them would notice, even Azumaril with his injuries.
It also didn't matter. Before they'd even made it halfway, they slowed even more and came to a stop in the middle of the pool. Both Walter and I waited with bated breath as our Pokémon's buoyancy brought them upwards.
There was no doubt that one of them was unconscious.
It was just a matter of who.
Hercules the Elekid broke through the surface with a massive gasp of air, heaving for breath so desperately he forgot to stay afloat for a second and dipped back under, turning to lie on his back as he struggled to calm himself.
Nearby, a blue colored back, with white bubble-esque markings and a lightning bolt-shaped tail hanging limply, bobbed aimlessly along the last remnants of the waves and turbulence.
I cheered. Walter groaned.
"WHOOOOOOOOOO! FUCK YEAH, HERC, THAT'S THE STUFF! SUCK IT, WALTER, YOU OLD FART! HAHA, WHO NEEDS THE HANDICAP NOW, BITCH!" Compared to the hand gestures and hip thrusting I was directing towards Walter, the slight turning of his head and the thumbs-up from Hercules were really adorable. Using the momentum, he flipped over into his stomach and started slowly paddling his way towards me.
I hadn't been surprised when I learnt that Herc was a good swimmer. The gym-bro likely picked up on it being good exercise. It also didn't stop me from quickly returning him to his Pokéball and then releasing him by my side, safe on dry-ish land.
I could hear the whiny edge to his whirring, yet with the way he stumbled and forced me to catch him, it was definitely the right choice. Lifting him into the air and spinning around might not have been.
"Alright, alright, enough gloating, ya lil' shit! We still have one last match!"
Placing Herc back on his feet, he immediately sat down, looking quite green. Meanwhile, I responded to Walter's good-natured grumbling in a very mature manner.
"Oh yeah!? You sure you're up for another one, old man!? Don't want to embarrass you in front of your family completely; I doubt they have much respect for you left after that round. Besides, it seems you have trouble keeping it up!" The knowledge that he'd held back quite a bit, plus the fact that Azumarill wasn't actually Walter's Pokémon, didn't stop me from flipping him off while doing another little jig.
I really hadn't expected to do so well, not after Siren got taken down like she did. It felt good to get one over on Walter, and I didn't feel the need to hide it.
"Hoh, big talk for a small child! But if that's how ya wanna do it, that's fine by me! Ya've got the strength advantage this time, so I'll actually be trying! Don't start crying if that big mouth got ya into more than ya can chew!"
Narrowing his eyes, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a PokéBall. I would've guessed it was a new one; the polished surface shone brightly in the sunbeams coming through the skylight. However, there were a couple of places where the paint was missing, and the metal had turned a light purple.
I raised an eyebrow, recognizing the damage as similar to what happened to my sword, though the color was lighter. More Muk than Haunter, perhaps. I was nearly sure that the ball had been in the cabin, though.
So, almost definitely an Eevee, I mused while Herc struggled to his feet, the mad lad putting his hands up despite his bright red eyes threatening to close. He hadn't actually taken that much damage, other than from the Mega Punch – which was essentially a whole battle with a lesser Pokémon by itself. But between holding the Thunder Shock for so long and at such intensity, not to mention the whole drowning thing, he was clearly exhausted.
So, in contrast to Betty, I felt no hesitation in placing my hand on his shoulder and shaking my head when he looked back at me pleadingly. Unlike the Bagon, Herc's ego would recover; plus, it was vital for him to understand that in general, before it got him into actual trouble.
"Nope, sorry bro, but you're done for the day. Don't give me that," I interrupted his whirring, "I know you COULD, but that doesn't mean you SHOULD. You've done a great job, but if you do any more, you're just risking injuries. It's okay to take a break and leave the rest to the others." It wasn't the first time we'd talked about him overworking himself, and I doubted it would be the last, even though he slumped defeatedly and buzzed in agreement. Leaving him out, he stood behind me and started swinging his arms around in lazy circles to rebuild some of his spent bio-electricity.
Grabbing and popping the Pokéball of my last healthy Pokémon, Sol stretched as he appeared on the second, unharmed platform, arching his back with a huge yawn. Straightening up, his nose wrinkled at the water surrounding him, and he exhaled a burst of flame. Droplets evaporated around his feet, steam curling around his striped form as the heat radiated from him.
"Send it out then, so I can put you down for your midday nap." Smirking confidently at my words, Walter reared back and prepared to throw the ball-
"""ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOT!"""
-only to fumble and nearly drop it when a triple scream reverberated off the walls. For a moment, Walter looked like he was juggling as he tried to catch it, flipping it around before securing it with both hands. I flinched at the loud noise, glancing at the sisters to find myself being glared at.
"If you two think you're going to be doing any more battling, you're out of your minds!" Lily was nearly yelling despite her normally even demeanor, her face almost as red as her hair.
"Yeah, you lunatics! What part of 'don't overdo it' did you not understand?" It wasn't as surprising to see Violet acting out.
"Listen here, lass'-" Walter attempted to adopt a sterner tone, similar to how he had overruled Daisy earlier, but it was much less effective this time. Instead, he found himself scrambling backward to avoid Daisy's finger jabbing at his face.
"You shut up! What in Distortion do you think you're doing!?"
"We're just having a bit of fun-"
"NO! This is not a little fun! This is taking a damn near eight Badge-level Pokémon and beating up a 13-year-old-"
"Basically 14," I mumbled, quickly averting my gaze from the three murderous pairs of eyes and pulling at my collar uncomfortably.
"-a 13-year-old, sending his Pokémon to the healers, AGAIN, after YOU dragged him into a fight with a bunch of criminals! You're a responsible adult, the Lugia-damned Admiral of Cerulean, and THIS is how you're acting?"
To my astonishment, Walter actually seemed chagrined; he tugged at his beard, mumbling and staring at the ground.
"It ain't that bad-"
"No thanks to your efforts!" Stepping closer, she forced her grand-uncle to meet her eyes. "You will NEVER disregard our words in our Gym again, Admiral or not, do you understand?"
Walter's mustache moved, indicating that he was talking, though I couldn't hear him. I was pretty sure Daisy could, but it didn't stop her from asking again.
"I don't care about your fucking platitudes! Do!" She started poking him in the chest with each syllable, slowly forcing him in a circle toward me. "You! Under! Stand!"
"YES! Yes, yes, I bloody understand, fuck me." The older man capitulated, rubbing the spot she'd just poked. "I… no, ya're right. I pushed it, and ya're the Head; I know that." He sighed, the tall sailor sinking in on himself in the face of his grand-niece's displeasure, though the corner of his lip curled up. "Still, didn't mean ya had to use the 'Discipline Finger.' Ya channeled your Ma a little too much for a moment there."
"Shut up," Daisy huffed, yet the joke seemed to have calmed her a bit.
Until I opened my fat fucking mouth.
"Wasn't that big of a deal," I mumbled, risking my life for a moment of sass based on the way Daisy looked at me. But to my surprise, Walter intervened before I could get in trouble.
"Nah, they're right, lad. I'm usually better than that." Walter rubbed his forehead tiredly; whatever battle lust had overtaken him had vanished. "Guess the cabin battle got me reminiscing about the old days, and with ya being an aggressive little shit… yeah, it got out of hand. I should've insisted ya recalled yar Bagon much earlier and pulled out myself before Azumarill literally passed out. Training and teaching youngsters is fine, but there are limits. I know that." He sighed deeply, looking off into the distance as if seeing something I couldn't. "Guess I've been going stir crazy, bottling things up. I'm better than that." To my immense surprise, Walter Waterflower bowed his head to me in apology. "I'm sorry, lad. I was acting like… well, not myself." I wasn't sure how to interpret his glance at the sisters, still glaring at us with crossed arms, but I set that aside.
"Oh. Uh, shit, you're making me feel bad." I stuffed my hands in my pockets and looked away. "I mean, I was as into it as you, and it's my team that just came out of the medbay." I scratched the back of my head. "I guess there might be a slight point to that. It's rare for Betty to get the chance to fight in official battles, and Azumarill was really strong… yeah. Got carried away. Sorry." I directed that at the sisters.
"We'll call it an even fuck up, then." Walter nodded, crossing the last of the distance between us and holding out his hand. Accepting the handshake, I could feel that his hands were little more than calluses and scars as we shook. "Good fight, lad. Ya got the makings of a monstrous team, and ya trust them, which is good. But ya their Trainer. Yar skilled enough to help them train and come up with strategies, yet there were several opportunities ya could have exploited that yar 'mon didn't spot. Ya can't command every move at the higher levels, sure, however, ya can be the eye from above, thinking and seeing things they don't have the time for."
I nodded, accepting the criticism. I'd had similar thoughts myself. Despite being in the Pokémon world for years, I still wasn't accustomed to the actual Trainer part.
"To be fair, Uncle, he's only been doing this for a month." I was grateful for Lily's help, as it hopefully meant I wouldn't be leaving things on a sour note with the Gym Leaders.
"Yep," the blonde man nodded, "and don't feel too bad, lad. At the rate ya're growing, ya'll be going places. Neither Surge nor yar fourth should give you any trouble. Here." He held out his hand, and the light blue Cascade Gym Badge twinkled in his weathered palm, reflecting light onto his tan and scarred skin. "Ya definitely earned it now."
As I took the Badge, I rolled it around between my fingers, feeling its weight and letting Herc play with it when he showed interest. I pulled out the slender metal Badge case I had stuffed into my pocket in anticipation of this exact moment and popped the symbol of Cerulean next to the Pewter one, admiring them both.
Two down, six to go. Hopefully, Walter was right and the next ones would be easier than the water-type challenge.
"Good. If you've finished zipping back up, we can get out of here and let the poor Rock-Types clean up your mess," Violet began shooing all five of us towards the exit.
"Right." I blinked, slightly put off by the haste. "I guess I'll be going then? Walter, how-" That was as far as I got before a hand clamped down on each of my shoulders.
"Yeah, no-"
"-you're not going anywhere-"
"-in those clothes."
Suddenly, I found myself surrounded by three of the four Waterflower sisters. I frowned and looked down at myself. It wasn't even the Muk-damaged outfit, but the secondary shirt and pants that Delia had gotten for me. Sure, there was a bit of wear and tear from being on the road, but they were far from ruined.
However, even I would admit that a new pair of shoes wouldn't hurt. Being designed for long-distance hiking didn't mean they were resistant to acidic poison.
"What's wrong with my clothes?"
"I don't even know where to begin-"
"-nor do we have the literal hours it would take. Let's go." Their hands shifted from my shoulders to under my arms, and I was lifted clear off the ground.
"Uh, but I think Walter wanted to leave-" I tried desperately to save myself, only to be betrayed in the worst possible way.
"Nah, we'll leave in the morning. Give me yar Pokémon; I'll make sure they get looked over." I had no say in the matter as Lily, the one not carrying me, took the balls from my belt and tossed them to her grand-uncle without missing a beat. Walter waved indifferently as I glared at him helplessly.
This was worse than trying to kill me.
—------------------------------------------------
"The color's good-"
"-but the cut isn't. We'll need it fitted at the waist-"
"-and a different shirt, but I'll find that."
The older, grey-haired man bowed elegantly in his suit, his handlebar mustache twitching as a pair of assistants ripped the jacket off me. "Certainly, my ladies. It will be but a moment." As he disappeared into the back with the coat, I was left in the tender mercies of Lily and Violet while Daisy retrieved the twentieth shirt I had tried on since this ordeal began.
"Didn't you have a show today-" I tried for the umpteenth time to end the shopping spree, but to no avail.
"Shut up, we're almost done." Lily cuffed me lightly on the head while adjusting my collar, then forced me to take off the black t-shirt as well.
"Yeah, you should be grateful we're even doing this for you. Do you know how much people would pay for a makeover by us?" At least Violet let me keep my pants on while fussing with the hem.
I never thought it could be so unappealing to have three gorgeous women looking at me while I was shirtless. Still, something about the clinical way they scrutinized me was incredibly uncomfortable.
"Yeah, outside of battling, we're a big deal, you know?"
"No, actually, I wouldn't know," I replied. "The battling part is what interests me, and as you said, you girls aren't that good at it."
"We're still better than you!" I grimaced as the laces on the new red high-top sneakers on my feet were tightened extra hard, but I didn't let it deter me.
"Yeah, for like the next month, until I leave you behind to splash around in your kiddie shows!"
"Like you'd know anything about our shows. You'd be the first contestant to get a negative score!" Daisy chimed in as she returned, throwing a new short-sleeve shirt at me. I caught it and gave the oldest of the sisters a deadpan look.
"Seriously?" I questioned, holding up the cerulean-colored t-shirt.
"What? It's a good color." Not even a child would have bought her innocent expression. "Besides, Misty would like it."
"So, you're trying to set me up with your sister now?" I really wasn't sure where we stood on that topic. Not that I needed their help, and their disagreement might even earn me bonus points with Misty, but still.
"Our opinion doesn't really matter, does it? She's already agreed to a date, and we'll make damn sure you at least look good for it. We can't do anything about your personality, unfortunately, so we'll have to try and distract her." Rubbing something between her palms, Daisy roughly ran her fingers through my hair, yanking and pulling as she tried to style it.
"Fuck you too." My insults had seen better days, but my heart just wasn't in it anymore.
"You wish." I looked incredulously as the overly fancy owner of the ridiculously high-end clothing store they'd dragged me to returned with the jacket. He had only been gone for two minutes; how the hell had he tailored it that fast?
"Hmmmm." All three of them took a step back to take in my new outfit – a cerulean shirt under a very light, near-white grey jacket, which was thankfully relatively thin as the temperature was rising with the approach of summer. It would never be tropical in Kanto, but I still didn't relish the thought of running around in winter apparel. The pants were a soft black with a hint of grey to match the laces of the shoes. Quirking their heads side-to-side, they finally came to a judgment.
"Eh."
"EH!? The fuck do you mean 'eh'!? You chose it!" I'd tried to protest multiple times and pick my own shit like a grown-up, but they wouldn't let me. And after three hours, all they could say was fucking 'eh'?!
"And it would've looked great on a different model-"
"-can't change your ugly ass face or the hobo-delinquent aura you give off-
"-still, guess it's the best we're gonna get. Thank you, Giorgio, put it on our tab." The mustached silver-haired man bowed again.
"Can't we at least change the jacket? I know you girls don't get outside often, you fucking losers, but near-white is not the greatest hiking color." I was only whining a little bit. In truth, other than that very fair point, I didn't mind the clothing. Contrary to what I'd feared when I first saw the beautiful Ariados silk dresses and intricate suits, the stuff wasn't as thin and fragile as I'd imagined. Instead, it was actually quite thick and sturdy, with even more pockets than my old clothes, just better hidden. Apparently, Giorgio's family had been making clothes for the Waterflowers for a long-ass time and had come up with their own mix of high-society fancyness and actual Trainer wear.
"1. Giorgio's things are hydrophobic and stain-resistant. 2. That's kinda the point. Now you have to wash them regularly, rather than just trying to hide the filth." I rolled my eyes at Violet's words, yet didn't bother firing back. I needed to get better at picking my fights, and there was no way I'd win that one.
"Besides," Lily began, "I've got a surprise for you as a reward for keeping the complaining to a minimum and being somewhat decent over the last couple of hours. Close your eyes." I hesitated, feeling reluctant to accept any more gifts since I wasn't allowed to pay for my own clothes. Truthfully, the shopping experience hadn't been that terrible. I'd even picked up a miniature shoulder-mounted hidden camera, so I wouldn't have to fumble around for my PokéDex every time I saw something interesting. Plus a rechargeable battery designed for Electric-Types, so I could have Herc fill it up. It might even help with his capacity. I'd spent nearly all the price money from beating Walter, but I think it was worth it.
Still, free stuff was free stuff.
"Okay, open them."
My breath caught in my throat as I stared at the pendant dangling from the Tauros leather cord. The charm had a side profile of a small red fox, with a tiny sapphire for an eye. Thin gold lines separated the various parts of the figure and colored the tips of the six fluffy tails that wrapped around the Vulpix.
"Lily… I…" I struggled to find the words as I beheld the Vulpix necklace. I'd seen it in one of the stores the sisters had visited, but I'd left it behind.
"I saw you eyeing it earlier." Blinking rapidly, I reached up to take it, only for Lily to keep hold of the cord. "I get it. I really do. Just… be careful not to let it consume you." Meeting her gaze, I nodded before she let go of the necklace, allowing me to loop it around my neck with slightly trembling fingers.
"Thank you."
"Sure, kid."
Violet glanced at her watch. "We do have to go, though. We'll need to check out the Gym before the show." I was surprised when both Lily and Daisy pulled me in for a quick hug. Not Violet; she was generally a little more standoffish. "We probably won't see you again before you leave. Take care, Peri. You're not completely intolerable for a pint-sized battle-freak."
"Sorry, I couldn't hear you over the stripper music that follows you around. Nice effect, though." I smiled, feeling a bit sad. It was wild to think about how antagonistic I'd been at first, compared to being reasonably fond of them after almost two weeks. "I'll see you. I'll send you a wedding invitation, if nothing else."
"We'll see about that."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Ya ready?"
"Yep." I nodded, clad in my new clothes and with my backpack slung over my shoulders. It was getting quite late in the day, and I'd been ready to go since before sunrise, as was my custom. True to their words, I hadn't seen the sisters since our farewells the day before. Walter, on the other hand, turned out to be a late riser, and it was well past noon by the time he came to collect me from the backyard for some 'breakfast.'
I would admit that, as tired as I was of Cerulean, I would miss the food. Going back to rations would be rough.
It took a bit for the old timer to get ready while I gathered my things, and then he had to do something that he didn't elaborate on. By the time we were both ready, the sun was beginning to dip below the skyline.
"Then grab on." I placed my hand on the Slowking, who blinked at me blankly before we were enveloped in the psychedelic kaleidoscope that accompanied all but the best teleporters I had encountered. I could feel the faux, Ditto-cloned Pelipper egg threatening to come back up by the time our trip ended. Stumbling a little upon arrival, I shook it off and took in our new surroundings.
Below us stretched a long strip of sand, with waves lapping at the shore. Beyond that, the ocean covered the horizon, the sunset painting the water in vivid oranges and pinks, clouds glowing like fluorescent balloons. A slight shiver ran down my spine at the sight. Ignoring it, I looked at the dirt path beneath us, which led up to a tall outcropping and ended at the foot of a large building.
All kinds of bells started ringing when I saw the large structure, with a red domed roof and a massive tower sticking out of the back.
Unless I was very much mistaken, that was a lighthouse.
And not just any lighthouse, but the one from the anime.
I had a good feeling I knew who owned half of the Eevee breeding operation. After all, it was the same guy who gave the player the fox Pokémon in the games.
"Come on, let's get this over with." Walter sighed, sounding even more unenthusiastic than usual. As we walked up the path, I idly kicked a rock off the edge and watched it tumble down while Walter rang the doorbell. Loud, jarring notes of bells echoed through the thick, old wooden door, but beyond that…
Nothing. Nobody answered. I racked my brain for a clue. I was sure this was where Ash and the others showed up, and the owner was definitely home then. It had to be, with all the intricate carvings of Pokémon covering the massive doors from top to bottom.
Maybe we were late, and it was all over?
The door remained closed after the bell rang for the second and third time, even when Walter started hammering on it with his fist. Watching the Master's face grow increasingly red, I decided to intervene before he blew the building up.
Reaching for the handle and twisting it, my suspicion was confirmed when the door revealed itself to be unlocked and swung open.
SQUUUEEEEEE!
Peering into the dark interior, I turned to look at Walter, only to see him stride undeterred into the unknown.
"Oi, where the fuck are ya!? Hello!? Ya better not have stood me up, ya fucking dork!"
Following him inside, I gasped as the 'lighthouse' turned out to be a palace that would've made the Romans jealous. Enormous arches and pillars dominated the large room, and more carvings and art filled the space, many of which were less Pokémon-themed. The ballroom-sized chamber stretched far into the back, where an open semi-circle acted like an entrance, one that Walter swiftly stomped towards and through.
Staying close behind him, I truly began to believe that nobody was home as I gazed up at the ceiling cloaked in darkness. More pillars and symbols I couldn't decipher lined the giant, open chamber, while rough engravings of bird Pokémon and what I assumed was an Arcanine adorned another doorway. Finally, I'd had enough and pulled out my flashlight to see where I was going, while Walter continued to shout through the entrance.
As I moved to follow, something shifted to my right. I turned just in time to see a large shape rush out from the darkness and lunge at me. I stumbled backwards, dropping my flashlight, which landed with a clack! on the stone floor, spinning around to briefly illuminate my attacker.
My assailant was mostly flat, covered by a large shell, the color of which I couldn't distinguish in the dim light. However, the eyes were unmistakable – large and luminescent crimson. Four proportionally short, yellow legs waved in the air furiously as a muffled sound emitted from the enormous Kabuto, which was almost on top of me while I struggled to calm my racing heart. Suddenly, a jet of water struck the creature in the side, sending it spinning across the opulent room with a wail.
Turning to glance at my 'savior,' I raised my hand as Walter's Azumarill stomped toward the 'enemy.'
"Wait! WAIT! It's not a Pokémon; it's a costume!" Both the Water-Type and his Trainer paused and looked at me in confusion. Realizing that demonstrating was easier than trying to explain how I could tell in the dark, I hurried over to where the Kabuto had collided with one of the pillars.
After a bit of searching, I finally found the button. Stepping back, I was startled when a hidden seam suddenly appeared and glowed brightly with white light. Then, the whole front of the Kabuto fell off, and a human rolled out, groaning and whimpering.
Walter and Azumarill approached, looking at the man with unimpressed expressions.
"Masaki, what the fuck!?"
----------------------------------------------------
AN: Ten chapters in Cerulean, god damn it. We're out though, and arrive at a weird lighthouse, with a weird guy inside an even weirder suit.
Thank you for reading. Hopefully you enjoyed. If you REALLY liked it, I have a P-a-t-r-e-o-n, under the same name, where you can read 5 chapters ahead.