The afternoon sun turned the normally crystal-clear ocean into a reflective mirror as we flew over. I glanced down for the millionth time to admire our speeding image. My red hair whipped along my swellow's split, ruby-tipped tail in a long braid. The brilliant white of his abdomen and scarlet of his breast and legs shown extra vivid in the shiny water. It resembled what I imagined his mega evolution would looked like, if the swallow pokémon were capable of the phenomenon.
His lithe wings glowed white as he utilized the trained move to fly with a rider. At barely two feet wide it wasn't exactly a comfortable ride, he wasn't big enough for me to straddle. I had to cling to his patagium and let my torso rest on his short back while my legs dangled alongside his long, scissor-tail.
We'd been patrolling Route 131 for the past four days since it was frequented daily by the inhabitants of Pacifidlog Town. I still hadn't met a water pokémon I wanted so I relied heavily on flying and my linoone to tow me in a pinch. Thankfully the locals were more water savvy than most in Hoenn and the trainers who made it out were usually adept. It was the endless trickle of tourist I had to look out for. Needless to say, I was getting desperate for a suitable pokémon that I could teach to surf. Not to mention how unprepared I was to actually help anyone who might be in need out in the open ocean.
I swung my thin arm across Swellow's neck once my hands started to cramp. The cobalt-blue crest of feathers on his head raised in attention since I'd been practicing falling a lot. He dipped anticipating my foolishness and almost bucked me off.
"Cool it!" I yelled over the wind after landing heavily on his bony back.
The new position perched me higher but allowed the rapid fluttering of his wings to mercilessly slam into my ribs and chest. It wasn't bearable long term but my PokéNav indicated we were almost to my rental boat. I glanced at the water and noticed how low we'd dropped.
"Fly higher!"
He smoothed out the crest of feathers for less resistance and labored for altitude. Flying low over the water like in the movies was pretty and all, but I had a recurring vision of a sharpedo jumping out of the water, jaws open displaying serrated daggers, to rip us out of the air. It wasn't an impossible scenario since the stories the sailors at the pokécenter told portrayed the fish as cunning killing machines. I wasn't going to chance it.
My angular arm across Swellow's windpipe wasn't helping anything and I couldn't imagine it wasn't annoying as he was pointed almost vertically to scoop air. I let go and tried grabbing his shoulders again, but the soreness cramped my hands and I was only able to grab one wing. The little body weight I had wrenched us to the side and sent Swellow tumbling. I let go and kept my eyes on him as I plummeted towards the water. I watched him come out of the disorienting spin and tuck his wings in close to swoop. His incredible speed allowed him to arc in a one-eighty and reach me just as my foot dunked into the water.
Swellow snapped open his iridescent blue wings after dipping under me and flared his agile tail back and forth quickly, correcting his flight in preparation for my weight. The impact bobbed us onto the surface of the water before he lifted us out with impossibly fast wingbeats. His black talons extended as if trying to push off from the water.
"Sloppy!" I chided automatically, knowing what he was capable of.
He looked over his shoulder and pinned me with one coal-black iris, the accompanying trilling was piercing.
"Sorry!"
He was getting cranky and was definitely hungry - this wasn't the time to mess around. Swellow changed his flight once his crescent-shaped wings reached an updraft and we were able to glide for seconds before each wingbeat, which made a difference to my abused ribs and burning arms.
Pelipper constantly rose out of the water to harass us, but we'd mastered our battle technique in the past couple of days and simply out flew them. It was comical to see the expression on the elephantine seabirds when we used Tailwind to boost our already monstrous speed. The move helped us dart around them and flit out of reach before their Supersonic attacks could reach us. We hadn't had any encounters with the flocks of mantine and mantyke or their remoraid who glided on and above the ocean surface. In fact, apart from peaceful wailmer pods and pesky tentacool swarms they were the only pokémon we'd seen on this route.
The shallow, twelve-foot boat finally came into view on the dreary water vista. It was way out to the left...or west. I wasn't exactly proficient with direction, but didn't have to be because of technology.
Swellow saw it too and started cheeping like he used to before evolution and redirected our vague course. The behavior let me know how exerted he was, although his species was known to fly almost two hundred miles a day in search of acceptable weather and food. It seemed the mental pressures of being saddled with me and not having the option to land or snacks to placate his insatiable metabolism were overwhelming strains.
There were large shadows around the small watercraft and gleaming white feathers floating on the water. Linoone was pacing from one end of the boat to the other in a full sprint. She was a blur, just a streaking brown arrow doubling in on itself.
"Linoone, what the heck?!"
My bags had been ripped into and exploited. Food wrappers, pieces of gear and chunks of seabird laid strewn about. Jagged fins broke the surface of the water then and slowly grew into bright yellow flags. Carvanha. Why they hadn't torn the boat apart was a wonder. My fearless linoone stopped to dry heave a few times then hacked up stuff into her mouth, bulging her cheeks in effort to hold it all. She aimed quickly with sky-blue eyes and spat goop at the savage pokémon.
"No Linoone!" I complained.
What was this crazy weasel doing? She finally acknowledged me with a pointed looked, like what else was she supposed to do, let them eat her?
"Shoot! Take me down," I urged my tri-colored bird.
The carvanha bellowed underwater which rocked the suddenly tiny-looking boat. It hopped out of the ocean enough to show its wicked maw in a Scary Face attack, then propelled itself forward in an Aqua Jet. As it rammed the boat, Linoone spat another Seed Bomb causing the fish to turn away sharply. The other carvanha charge the spinning watercraft with jaws misted in ice.
"Oh shoot, that's Ice Fang! Use Pur-."
I snapped my mouth shut. I'd almost ordered a Pursuit attack from Swellow with me on his back!
"Drop me off on the boat and use Pursuit on that carvanha!" I instructed him.
Linoone lunged for the fish and jumped on its head as it sank destructive fangs into the boat. She batted its golden fins with pink-tipped claws in the beginning of a Play Rough attack. My blood ran cold as we fluttered over the boat. The carvanah's impossibly jagged fangs were intimidating.
"Ugh…." I breathed.
I guess it was time to fall for real. Linoone's super effective attack riled the fish, causing it to rip away and dive underwater to wrestle. The first carvanha followed after them. This was my chance!
"AH!" I couldn't help the shriek of terror as I dropped off my bird.
"Use Pursuit!" I commanded in panic once I landed in my soiled boat.
Linoone was clever but two carvanha underwater was asking a lot. Without hesitation Swellow flapped hard for more altitude, then tucked his wings in close to spiral for the water and into the depths.
I tried to stand to keep an eye on either side of the boat, but the wingull blood and chunks were slippery. Also my linoone had apparently thrown up everywhere and defecated. I guess we'd been gone too long. I ended up kneeling on my torn backpack, opposite of where the holes from the carvanah's bite were so I wouldn't take on water. I was pokémonless and miles from the only settlement at the bottom of the region. Doubts tormented me as I waited for what seemed like minutes. I stared at the pokéballs, and watched the color change on the blinking red button. I gasped when the lights faded into grey, but before I could panic a large shape emerged from the depths. I couldn't make out what it was until it surfaced with my fainted swellow and linoone.
"Oh Legendaries, thank you!"
I dragged my drowned pokémon into the boat. The rescuer was a wide, pink pokémon. The alomomola was huge, at least a quarter of the boat. It floated on its side, resembling a raft with its enormous, turgid fins. I stared at my pokémon aghast, they were water logged and their chests weren't moving.
"Revives!" I exclaimed as the thought hit me.
Glancing around the boat quickly revealed the chewed-up vials.
"Ugggh, Linoone."
Pokémon didn't know how to use human-made items, but that hadn't stopped my crazy stoat from trying. The caps had been pierced, spilling the revitalizing liquid everywhere. A burble drew my attention back to the fish who eyed me with a liquid-caramel iris. Other than the dark eyelid, it was the only contrast to its soft-pink appearance.
"I really need to get back…." I trailed off, reaching into the side pocket of my shredded pack where my unused pokéballs were.
I might as well catch this alomomola until I find a water pokémon I really want. It didn't wait for me to find an empty ball. A soft glow suddenly emanated from the sheeny coating on its scales and with a telling look directed a Healing Pulse to Swellow and Linoone. The soft light enveloped my pokémon while keeping a string-like connection with the alomomola. The connection swelled and pulsed with energy and suddenly Linoone twitched and Swellow's chest heaved a breath.
"Yes! Thank you!"
My eyes widen as both my pokémon suddenly choked up seawater. Linoone's small body writhed with the effort and she flipped onto her little paws, abruptly alert. Swellow croaked and struggled onto his feet. He peeled his drenched wings off the boat and held them open for support.
"Awesome…." I breathed and swiveled at the waist to throw the capture ball but the fish was gone.
My Pokémon hadn't received any wounds from the battle or the alomomola had healed them before surfacing. It was good luck because the oars were gone. This was why I had begged for a motor boat. I gnashed my teeth in frustration as I remembered why they were forbidden in southwestern Hoenn. Pacifidlogers revered whales and wouldn't tolerate anything with blades that could cause injury to the wailmer and wailord. I prayed for patience as I untangle the rope harness I'd put together earlier in the week and searched the soiled boat for the longer, now chewed-up pieces I'd been using to attach Linoone to the boat's prow.
It was sundown by the time I spotted the jutting cliffs that sheltered Pacifidlog Town.
Linoone had been petering out every so often and all I could do was dribble the last drops of potions I had left. I was exhausted from the long day and hungry because Linoone ate all my food. Feeling desperate to reach the floating settlement I was upending all the medicines I had left. That included the battle items that were covered in throw up and feces. Linoone agilely twisted in the water to snap at me when globs of gunk splattered on her head along with the useless x accuracy.
"Hey!" I warned her in my sternest tone with my most severe expression.
I was ankle-deep in a cocktail of her excretions, and taking on water thanks to her scuffle with the carvanha. I had to constantly dredge out reeking water to stay afloat which ended up all over me. This was not the time to fight, because the temptation to recall her into the pokéball and sling it into the depths was too tempting.
I indulged in one of the dark fantasies tumbling through my mind as the pail brimmed over again, spilling the mucky water higher onto my arms. I could toss the stupid mink, abandon the sinking boat and fly away on my swellow. The strong urge to follow through and relieve myself of responsibility was overwhelming. I paused, shutting my eyes against the last of the sun's rays.
We've all had a long day. I struggled to reminded myself through the pounding headache, as we finally drifted into the channel between the broken cliffs. No need to get crazy. I'm just tired. Linoone did the best she could, and Swellow dove underwater for me. I chanted these safer thoughts a couple of times before opening my eyes to resume the disgusting chore. The cliffs framed the brilliance of the setting sun perfectly and sparked anxiety to cover the few remaining miles to town. I impulsively grabbed Swellow's pokeball.
"Get to town."
I hoped my tone was encouraging as I pressed the button to summon my flying mount. My swellow gracefully materialized, already gliding on curved wings. It seemed he would fly off, but in a blink of an eye he dipped one wing to turn about. The swift maneuvering was his breeds' signature move and instantly had him flying right at me. He angled himself for a smooth descend and came in skimming the water. He seemed to leap onto the boat's low edge and expertly grabbed the rolled metal side with his black claws. If it wasn't for his labored breathing one could think him fully recovered.
"We made it, let's get the heck out of here!"
The relief of seeing him and knowing I was about to fly away from this crap-shoot lifted the stress of my chest. He fluttered his dark blue wings to lift off the boat and quickly turned around for me. I leaned over, gingerly shifting my weight over the contaminated water and slung an arm around his neck. Linoone scrambled onto the boat as we took off in a flurry of lightning-fast wingbeats. She was dark and sleek from the water and shook herself while simultaneously moving. I heard the growl she directed at us before she twisted around to chew her rope harness.
"No! You keep that on! Get to town!" I commanded, as Swellow swiftly circled the boat.
Linoone chittered angrily and pink energy glowed from her mouth as she bit off the ropes tying her to the boat. Her eyes flared completely white as she attempted a Mimic on Swellow's trained Fly move.
"Linoone!" I scolded.
She could only pull off that move a third of the time anyway. I relied heavily on her Play Rough, Seed Bomb, Stomping Tantrum and Surf. A debt I still hadn't finished paying the Move Tutor for. She pivoted around the revolting boat, following our movements like a compass needle and jumped when we once again faced the Pacifidlog Town entrance. Her slim body flattened out like a pancake, trying to catch wind as a sail would. But the white glow in her eyes flickered and she plopped into the water.
"Oh Legendaries!" I growled from Swellow's back.
I don't know why I'd held my breath, as if she would actually learn to Mimic flying. I directed my mount back to where Linoone had fallen and quickly spotted her swimming along. The trained move Surf, the same move she used to tow the boat, now let her cut through the water as opposed to swimming naturally which was much slower. It was difficult to fish her pokéball out of my wet pocket but I managed and dismiss her into it.
Flocks of boisterous wingull and pelipper guarded nests on the crags surrounding the town.
Their fanfare acted as a reliable alarm for the locals. The smaller wingull scattered as we flew over but several pelipper took wing and squawked, challenging us to a battle. I hitched my legs up to grip Swellow's small body with my knees and thighs, securing my tight grip for the upcoming twirling. Sure enough my nimble bird spiraled away from the attackers, spinning me in gut wrenching circles. I gritted my teeth and clung for all I was worth. Within seconds we were zooming by everyone with Tailwind and clearing the jagged cliffs to reveal the floating settlement.
Pacifidlog Town was a strikingly unique place, whether you saw it during the day or night. I looked down at a sparkling underwater city beneath the wooden human dwellings. Hunting chinchou lit the vast clusters of ever-branching corsola formations like street lights. The coral pokémon glittered beautifully in seven colors with the emitted light. Their congregation created a thriving habitat for booming luvdisc and playful horsea.
Any dead corsola left holes where territorial seadra pairs spawned and provided dark areas for creeping staryu. Predatory clamperl perched in the natural pockets, patiently waiting to ambush luminous finneon and dull magikarp that filtered through the living columns. The expansionist, and aggressively invasive corphish had made it to this part of the world too. They thrived with the abundance of food and competition. Tentacool pods hung out in the open areas around the reef, hoping to snare a fish with their dangling tentacles. And trained wailord and wailmer gathered along the rocky walls that sheltered the town, resembling massive fountains as their regular spouting sprayed water dozens of feet in the air.
Humans were only another layer to the flourishing ecosystem. The townsfolk were measured in their constructions and husbandry. The wooden buildings were in the form of row houses with steps for entrances that reached into the water. Every square foot of the anchored platforms were accounted for and well used. Even the league mandated pokécenter conformed to the minimalistic style with hammocks offered as beds instead of traditional cots.
There were people about still, winding down and enjoying the evening as only Pacifidlogers would, by having a swim or floating on their pokémon. They waved in greeting but I was too tired to respond. Getting Swellow and Linoone healed up and some food in my belly were my only concerns.
It wasn't until I was tucked in my hammock at the pokécenter's dormitory that I realized I'd left Linoone tied to a sinking boat.
If she had obeyed me and kept towing she would have drowned. I bit down on my lip as a terrible pain squeezed my throat and tears wrenched from my tired eyes. I'm putting us all in danger. Pathetic, silent sobs wracked by thin frame. I'll do better, I assured myself after the bout. I'm missing a water pokemon, that's the problem. I need to find one - a strong one. I'll asks around tomorrow, it shouldn't be hard to find a powerful one. This is the best place to find a water pokemon in all of Hoenn. The pep talk had me feeling better and allowed me to drift into an exhausted sleep.
Nightmares tormented me from the moment I passed out. I ended up tipping out of the suspended bed and tumbling to the floor. Thankfully the commotion didn't wake the nearby tourist. I held back a groan as I struggled to all fours. A neon-green natu hopped away as I met its stare. The tiny bird pokemon cowered into a round, blue mouse that lounged on the floor. I retreated to the door when the marill shook itself awake at the probing and followed the bright chick's concerned look to me. I swear the squishy, fat rodent scowled as it measured me up. It spit something into its mouth and pursed its lips at me, aiming.
I was out the door in a blink, no way was I getting spit on by a rodent.
It was only midnight. I'd only managed to sleep the evening and my sore muscles promised to remind me as I walked to the end of the platform. I knew it was midnight because the staryu were rippling on the surface, blinking red from their cores. Since I was the only one up, I layed on my belly to watch the them, but had to wrinkle my nose at the fishy smell of the wood. Most of the starfish shimmered in a sheeny coating. All together they lit the entire inlet in a soft red light. I studied the starfish and slowly noticed the dark spaces in the glittery carpet. I squinted at a nearby hole but saw a red core beating in the darkness. There was a staryu there, but its sand colored limbs didn't glow. I could only pick out a dull shine from the pulsing, copper veins around its ruby core.
I was staring so intently, wondering what was wrong with the dim ones, that I didn't notice a human head had emerged from the water. An odd coreless star drew my eye. It was the size of a staryu but all gold. I flinched when I finally spied the old man next to it, watching me.
"You scared me!"
His eyes crinkled at the edges as he laughed quietly.
"You're taking your ranger business seriously, I see."
I frowned at the words and scrutinized his face incase he was being ironic. My guilty conscious didn't allow me to take his words at face value.
"What are you doing in the middle of the night?" I grumbled, deciding he was up to something.
"Some pokemon prefer the night," he said with a pointed look around.
Staryu gentle bobbed around him. I settled back to a comfortable position.
"So you're up in the middle of the night because your staryu likes the dark."
"Oh, no. I'm an insomniac," he responded, but I couldn't tell if he was joking.
I sighed inwardly. People like him always made me look bad. I cared about pokemon, and I liked them. But some people dedicated their entire lives to them, and I just didn't get it. The old man sat quietly, probably lost in thought. The silence started to feel a little awkward, but I didn't know how to break it. Minutes passed and the staryu stopped flashing their cores and sank. I watched them sink until they were out of sight.
"Can I ask you something?"
"You just did, but feel free to ask again."
He winked to soften the words, but I got the feeling I was disturbing him. I'm sure he was use to having the town to himself at night. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. These small town folk are so odd. This guy thinks he's teasing me when really he's just annoying. It took me a second to even remember what I was going to ask.
"Why don't some staryu glow?"
"Well, why don't some people glow?" he countered.
I sighed audibly now, giving up. This is why I avoid old people.
"Different abilities," he explained, as he registered I wasn't amused.
I grunted in response and leaned forward to study the water. There were enough chinchou swimming around to see far down the coral structures. Corsola were only two feet tall. There had to be millions here to make up the branching formations. It was sad to see the dead ones forever weaved into the branches. I caught several corsola blinking as corphish crawled carelessly over their faces. A streak of pink distracted me from watching a gleaming clamperl snap at tentacool tentacle dangling too close to its open halves.
The water was crystal clear and just barely rippling but I still leaned forward trying to get a better view of the rare pokemon I'd just glimpsed. The south sea snake was exquisitely graceful, and froze me into revered stillness. I'd only seen them in books before. I followed it hungrily with my eyes, yearning to catch it. The gorebyss undulated elegantly through the corsola trunks. I was afraid to lose sight of it as it moseyed around, poking its thin mouth into crevices for moss. Finally it found a sleeping finneon in the fork of a branch and stabbed its tubular mouth into it. My face puckered as I watched it siphon body fluids from the struggling fish. Nature is a bitch, I reminded myself, willing to ignore the viciousness from such a beautiful creature. It flushed bright pink and I continued to watch, transfixed, until it slithered too far down to see.
A sudden loud snap jerked me to attention.
I speared my eyes at the old man, annoyed and wishing I was alone. That's when I finally saw his pokemon, it was clinging to the underside of the platform. The crawdaunt looked like a nightmare all sprawled out. Its expansive, maroon carapace resembled plate-armor with shiny scars covering its body. I shuddered when I spied the staryu crushed in its crimson claw. It was tearing pieces off to filter through its electric-blue gills. I couldn't believe I'd been laying less than forty feet away from the rogue pokemon.
"Uh...hey," I began, but had to clear my dry throat. "You know where to find powerful water types."
"Everyone does," he stated. "Route 134 is home to many strong pokemon, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you already have a strong pokemon."
One more glance at the darkly shining crawdaunt had me making up my mind. It was strikingly beautiful as well as imposing. The old man saw me ogling and chuckled.
"You wouldn't want one of these, Ranger, they're fiercely solitary and volatile on their best day. Not the combination you'd want on a team."
"Well, I'm looking for the best for my team," I hinted.
"The best, ey? That's the kingdra, of course. Nothing more noble in all the seas, except Kyogre itself. But you'll want to start with a horsea," he warned. "Even these resident seadra are hard to tame."
I brushed off his warning. I'd catch a kingdra and drop it off at the Move Tutor or the Daycare as soon as I could. I don't have the time or patience to raise a horsea or seadra for that matter. I found myself nodding as intense relief washed over me.
That's when the crawdaunt decided it was done eating.
It threw the shredded remains over its sloping back. The food drifted down into the waiting pinschers of corphish. I watched the old man swim over to his pokemon underwater. He expertly twisted to mount it upside down. Then without any apparent cue, the crawdaunt crawled over the edge, dragging itself and the old man onto the platform. I quickly stood up, not sure how the famously aggressive pokemon would act around me, trained or not. Water streamed off them as the craydad crawled across the wooden boards, clacking with every heavy step. The large, golden star on its head, glistened like a king's crown. The huge, twin claws it wielded were spiked and intimidating.
"Best try and get some sleep or you'll end up like me," the old man said as he was carried by.
I swiveled to watch them crawl back into the water and swim over a bulbous swarm of tentacool to a different pavilon. That's when I noticed the three-pointed spear the crawdaunt picked up and passed behind his back. The man grasped the heavy weapon then, seemingly as one creature, they crawled into the sea. With a half-baked plan I felt relaxed enough to sleep. I'd heard of the dangerous currents on Route 134 but had assumed no one that went there would need my help. It was the perfect place for a powerful water type to live.
Flying over Route 134 was terrifying.
Not only for me, my swellow also seemed to have reservations and was flying high over the violent turmoil. He seemed sore from yesterday's ordeals and was reluctantly responding to my orders. I was trying not to let it bother me as I scanned the turbulent, frothy waters for whirlpools. I was told kingdra's powerful swimming created swirling currents one could spot on the surface, but it was hard to distinguish them in these rough waters.
Towers of rock spilt up the route into narrow canyons. The sharp spines were slick and slimy, but I regularly spied the opalescent sparkle of starmie clinging to them and familiar golden stars dotted the shadows they casted. The experienced locals rode seaking into the channels. It was breathtaking watching the magnificent fish maneuver through the churning waters. Their flowy fins and tails blended into the spume, making their movements appear effortless. Two riders on sharpedo zoomed beneath me. They wore sleek, black wetsuits and expertly stayed mounted as the brutal pokemon jumped over low areas of rock into different canyons. I couldn't help following them as they raced and tumbled in the violent rapids.
As we trailed them for a few miles we saw pelipper flying towards town with bills full of mail. We also heard the fine clinking of flygon and melodic humming of altaria as professional, elite trainers traveled between the Battle Resort and Slateport City. They flew much higher than us for better speed, since they had days worth of miles to cover. Spindrift from a distant vortex drew my attention and I directed Swellow over to investigate. A kingdra was clearly visible at the center of the whirlpool. It was resplendent in aqua-blue scales. My heart sank as I noticed its dark-clothed rider. The human wore a diver's mask and was activating a capture ball. I urged my swellow lower to catch the trainer's attention, but felt my bird's wings lock up. I frowned as I realized something was wrong.
"Swellow?"
My heart rammed against my ribs as I realized he was seizing. Swellow was frozen in flight, but strangely immune to the strong winds blasting over the rapids. I looked wildly at the kingdra's rider for answers. I knew what my bird's flight should feel like in these winds from riding him extensively over ocean. They must be attacking us. Cold, red eyes suddenly bore into mine as a strange, camouflaged pokemon peered up through the white capped water. That's when I realized it was dragging us through the air. I tried to move but couldn't so much as twitch.
"Hang on!"
The wind blew the words right to my ears as well as the heavy thuds reverberating near me. The bright yellow of a pelipper blinded me as it picked me off my mount. I gasped when the connection with the glassy eyes severed. I was inside the stretchy, flabby bill of a pelipper. Bright sunlight pierced through as it cracked opened its beak for me. I grabbed the bony edges and peeked out. The whirlpool was circulating faster than ever, but the eerie pokemon effortlessly floated inside the force. My swellow on the other hand spun underwater, like a dirty rag in a washing machine.
"Maelstrom, blow them away!"
The familiar voice commanded, I craned my neck to see who was riding the pelipper. All my flying over the ocean on Swellow and keeping a rail-thin frame was paying off because I managed to get a glimpse of a tattooed ankle. I knew exactly who my rescuer was and hated that it was her. The curvy, perfect looking girl from town who wore a different bikini everyday. Swimsuits I couldn't dream of pulling off with my stick-figure body.
"Get lower, my swellow is drowning!" I shouted over the wind, furious that she hadn't noticed.
We angled down and followed the unnatural pull of the underwater tornado. I looked for the dark shape of my bird but got distracted watching the kingdra shoot devastating water-bullets into a seething, giant pokemon. Its white tipped apengages matched the foam created by the angry water and masked its true size.
"What is that!?"
"A jellicent and a frillish!" the pelipper's rider answered.
A what? I don't know these pokemon. Their veil-like bodies were being torn apart by the missiles and snagged by debris circulating in the water. The water dragon, when I could see it, was tiring. I couldn't be sure but the creepy pokemon must be sapping energy from it too. Suddenly the smaller, ghostly pokemon snapped its inflamed eyes at us. We screamed as our bodies were forced stiff. The pelipper clucked sharply, bouncing me off its tongue as it struggled. That's when the bigger, swollen pokemon snapped awake and lunged for the dragon. The kingdra unfurled its coiled tail and shot into the air as if from a spring.
"TWISTER! LET'S GO!" the deeper, man's voice boomed.
In seconds water rushed up to swirl madly and a ferocious wind jerked us to the side. We started cycling with the twister as it formed. Seconds later water slammed into us and ripped me out of the bird's beak. Freezing water stabbed into me as I was dragged down the tornado and into the ocean. I was brittlely frozen, as if I'd drank liquid nitrogen. I couldn't feel the coldness of the ocean but the overcoming darkness gave me a measurement of how fast I was being dragged. Fuming, blood-red eyes loomed in front of my face, and I realized the frillish was holding me, taking me into the depths. Through the thin, red haze of its eyes I saw an illumination, and then a familiar shape writhing as it took solid form.
The last thing I saw was Linoone's otter-like body swimming after me.
A/N: Took out first chapter because as my fellow writers pointed out it was smutty. It was purposely smutty, the whole thing was a writing exercise but I realize now, suddenly, that it's not what I want to write, or read, or have under my profile. Thanks to JoshTheWriter for his consistent beta work and great suggestions for this chapter. This is decidedly complete for now.