AN: Hey! Alex here! So this will be the first part of an ongoing series, "Tides of Change". It's pretty short, but it's only the beginning! It ties in with Adam's series, Rising Phoenix, in that eventually the two main characters will meet and everything. We'll have chapters with them together, but from both points of view! Thanks for reading! Feedback welcome!
"Tyler, you really ought to change. That sweater doesn't suit you a bit."
"I don't have any other sweaters with me. I had them stowed away."
"Then take it off. It's ugly."
"Your personality is ugly, Robin."
"If you're going to behave like a stupid little brat, I'll have you removed from this ship. Before we reach shore."
I turned, the conversation finally catching my attention.
"Robin, how would you even get away with that?" I asked. "Someone would notice we were missing a passenger." Tyler looked relieved, realizing I was right. He moved to sit on one of the beds, across from me. There were four, two bunks, each one one side of the room.
"Not really, seeing as Tyler never had a ticket in the first place."
Tyler looked green. Then again, he'd been green for most of the trip.
"Don't they check people as they leave the boat? To make sure the count is right? How's he going to get through that?"
"We push him off the boat before we start unloading, obviously." Robin sighed. She took a seat on the chair near the porthole, looking out. She'd been sort of distant for most of the trip. Tyler shot me a look.
"You won't really do that, right?" he asked.
"No. We'll figure something out. Maybe one of us could jump onto the dock and make a run for it. It wouldn't be that hard."
"The boat is tall, though…"
"We have rope, idiot," Robin cut in. "If you're going to be that selfish about the whole thing."
Tyler's face fell, and he stood, adjusting his glasses. The black, rectangular frames seemed to make the light green of his eyes stand out more.
"I'm going to the bathroom. We should be there soon. They said an hour, a while ago," Tyler announced.
"We'll be there in about fifteen minutes. You can probably see the shore from the deck." Robin waved her hand towards us, eyes focused on something far off, out the small window. "Go look. Have fun."
I stood, excited and nervous.
"Okay. I'll go up top, then," I announced, already heading for the door.
Tyler headed out and down the hallway.
"Oh. Violet?" Robin asked. I turned back, her light brown eyes locked on mine.
"Remember why you're here."
My own eyes narrowed.
"I will."
"Good. Be sure that you don't forget. You could make it far, if you stick with us. But where were you, before us? Who were you?"
"I wasn't really anybody."
"And what did you have, Violet?"
"Nothing."
"Perfect. Just remember. You are more with us than without. We've got big plans, and we'll need every one of you little grunts. Understood?"
"Yes, Robin."
"Good. Go up on deck, then."
I practically flew up the few flights of stairs, standing shocked at the doorway that lead to the deck, for a moment. I could see the land, from here. I hurried to the rail, leaning forwards over it, eyes locked on the growing dot on the horizon.
This would be my first time to Johto.
Not that I was sight-seeing, of course.
I was a Rocket.
I had a job to do.
AN: If you enjoyed this story and want to read more, check out the other half of the series, Phoenix Rising! You can find it at s/11773055/1/Phoenix-Rising