A couple of months ago, Maxie accidentally ended up at the Sharpedo show in Lilycove City. You might be wondering how one accidentally pays for a ticket and then actually goes through the trouble of finding the right seat. Well, to make a long story short, Maxie was caught in a sudden rush of people and wasn't able to get out until he stood in front of the ticket booth. And so, he ended up buying a ticket for a show he had no interest in whatsoever. Because how stupid wouldn't he have looked if he had walked away at that point.
That was how Maxie, who was very tired of everything involving water, found himself in a front row seat in the newly built outdoor arena. There was no pool, instead they had made use of a small bay and built the arena in the ocean, with seats for the audience along the coastline. To perfect the typically round arena shape, there was also a string of connected floating docks with rows of seats on them. And beneath the ocean surface Maxie could vaguely make out shadows moving around. The chances of being attacked by those creatures must be really high. He sighed deeply. What a brilliant day this turned out to be.
Suddenly the surface of the water was broken explosively and Maxie's sigh caught in his throat from the shock. The trainer had made the Sharpedos throw him out of the water like some sort of a human cannonball. He flew through the air and the audience started applauding as he landed on a small floating dock near where Maxie was sitting. Maxie would have rolled his eyes at the overly dramatic entrance, had he not been gaping at the man standing there in front of him. Dark skin, black hair and beard, and a body rippling with muscles, clearly visible in spite of the distance and the (tight) wetsuit. Hands down, this was the single most attractive man Maxie had ever seen.
Maxie stared transfixed as the man turned and greeted all of the audience, waving and with a huge grin on his (ridiculously attractive) face. Right across the bridge of his nose and stretching towards his cheeks and eyebrows was a dark X-shape, probably there to connect him to the Sharpedos. Maxie found himself wondering if it might even be a tatto, since it hadn't washed off during his time underwater.
He jumped as the trainer blew a whistle and three Sharpedos immediately surfaced and started circling the arena, gradually speeding up until they were zooming forward in that way that Sharpedos are known for. Then the trainer blew his whistle and lifted one of his arms, and the show began for real.
There was an awed silence as the three Pokémon zoomed around in different patterns and performed rolls and jumps at an almost reckless speed. Everyone's eyes were darting around trying to follow the paths of all Sharpedos simultaneously.
Except for Maxie's. His eyes were fixed on the trainer, who was smiling and laughing and seemed to be having the time of his life. He had a sort of contagious energy and his movements were precise but still gave off an edgy feel, and Maxie was completely mesmerised.
Too soon, the show was nearing its end. The Sharpedos resumed the circling from the beginning of the show. When they had reached their top speed - going so fast they each actually created a backwash - the trainer blew his whistle and the Pokémon flung themselvs out of the water, creating a cascade of water that, well, cascaded down onto the people in the front row. Of course.
Maxie found himself violently awoken from his inconspicuous observing - okay, blatant staring - by a wall of cold sea water crashing down on him. He didn't even have the time to properly react before the water had stopped falling. With his hair and clothes soaking wet and his glasses literally flushed askew he sat perfectly still as if in shock, while around him echoed the delighted screams of children and the fussing of parents.
Then the applause started, and Maxie almost forgot to act like a drenched cat when the trainer waved his thanks at the audience, beaming like the sun itself. The Sharpedos were circling the arena on their backs, flapping their fins to imitate waving. The children laughed and waved back at them, and Maxie was brought out of his shock enough to at least clap his hands together a couple of times. Mostly because the trainer was bowing at the half of the audience opposite Maxie. Because wow, did he have a glorious behind hidden in that wetsuit.
The trainer turned and bowed towards Maxie's half of the audience, and Maxie's breath almost hitched in his throat again. He could have sworn that he had winked at him. The members stood up to leave as the trainer disappeared into a small building, probably a changing room.
Maxie sighed and stood too, mentally preparing himself for the wet walk of shame that would be imminent for him to get home. He wasn't in any way prepared for the voice that suddenly called out.
"Hey, wait a sec!"
Maxie jumped at the shout and, trying to keep what little dignity he still had left intact, he turned slowly towards the source of the sound. He froze. The trainer from the show was making his way over to him, still dressed in his wetsuit, with something bundled up in one of his hands. Maxie stayed absolutley still as this human manifestation of a greek god stopped in front of him and started speaking.
"Um, hi. I just thought I'd...", he trailed off and cleared his throat. "To be honest ya looked a bit spooked so I thought I'd check on ya and bring ya a towel. So, here". He held out the bundle and Maxie took it on reflex, too busy staring at the (taller) man in front of him to actually pay attention to what was happening. Wait, what if he looked stupid? Oh, Arceus he probably did. He snapped himself back to reality and wrapped himself in the towel before the silence between them got too awkward.
"Thanks", he mumbled from his cocoon of sudden warmth, and caught sight of the other's facial expression soften and turn into a gentle, almost pristine, smile. Then the Sharpedo trainer seemed to remember something.
"I'm Archie", he blurted out so quickly that at first Maxie wasn't sure if he had heard him correctly.
He gave a small smile. "I'm Maxie".
Archie beamed at him and Maxie felt like a new sun had just risen in front of him, warming his soul and his very cold toes.
And this story is the reason why, presently, Maxie is once again sitting in the first row, watching Tiger, Biscuit, Belle, and the newbie Fishsticks zooming around the arena at full speed. Though, as usual, it would be more accurate to say that he was watching the trainer of these Pokémon.
Archie looks away from his Sharpedos for a moment to blow Maxie a kiss, and Maxie smiles back at him. Pulling his feet, wearing wellingtons, onto his seat he watches closely as Archie blows his whistle. With perfect timing, Maxie opens an umbrella and hides his whole body behind his waterproof shield as the signature cascade reaches the audience, remaining pleasantly dry as the delighted shrieking starts up around him.
Satisfied with yet another successful escape he closes his trusty umbrella... and is hit with a flood that almost knocks his glasses off completely. Dripping from head to toe he glares at Archie, who is doubled over laughing down on his platform. Groaning inwardly, Maxie pulls out a large towel from his bag, wraps himself up and begins plotting his revenge.