Where the Lighthouses Meet

Urgh, when I originally uploaded this, I accidentally published a page with only three words on it. I was especially emberassed, but now the issue is fixed. Moving on...

I wrote this because I thought it would be a cute kind of story, and I think I was right. Alexandrianshipping is very realistic and possible if you look at game hints. I mean, why would a Steel type gym leader have an Ampharos? And why would she appear in Volkner's supposed home city?

Well, to see my opinion, read on!

"Aipom, let's try it again, okay?" Volkner, with a Pikachu in tow, trudged his way over to the eleven year old girl who was busy trying to work with a certain purple Normal-type. His new sneakers crunched over the gritty sand of Olivine City's beach, which alerted the keen ears of Aipom to his presence. This also caused his trainer, a girl with back-length brown hair and twinkling eyes, to look up. Her lips curved into a smile when she saw Volkner, and she paused in the training with her hands on her hips. "Hey. I'm trying to teach Aipom how to use Metal Claw."

Volkner rolled his electric blue eyes at his childhood friend, and stuffed his hands deep into the pockets of his bright blue jacket with its golden buttons. "Jazz, you know that his species is unable to learn that, right?" He raised a blond eyebrow at her which earned him a look of disappointment on Jasmine's part.

"I know, I know…It's just, my dad refuses to give me a Steel-type, and they're just so cool!" She heaved a giant sigh of weariness and gently knelt down beside her playful acting Aipom. She was usually the shy, quiet one with others around them, but with Volkner she was always able to be herself. While everyone expected her to be into such Pokémon as Jigglypuff and Miltank, Volkner knew her for who she truly was. With her eyes wide with pleading, Jasmine looked up at the still standing Volkner. "Do you really still want that Magnemite of yours, Vol?"

Kneeling beside her with his Pikachu perched on his shoulder, Volkner nodded his head. "Of course! Sorry, Jazz, but I need more than two Pokémon to become an Electric-type specialist. But, I'll tell you what," he stood up to his standing height and pulled Jasmine to her feet as well. "When I'm out there traveling, I'll be sure to pick out something decent for you. I promise."

With her hands placed on her hips, Jasmine gave her friend a look, but decided that his words were sincere. "Okay, I can accept that. After straightening the ballet flats she wore so that they weren't threatening to fall off, Jasmine made a dash for the Vista Lighthouse where several ice cream trucks were situated. "Last one there has to pay!"

…

Volkner sat under the shade of a giant umbrella, leaning against the glass table he and Jasmine were currently seated at. The two children were busy enjoying a cold delightful treat of ice cream, paid by the race losing Volkner. He didn't mind so much, since he had purposefully lost in order to raise Jasmine's spirits some.

Two girls from their fifth grade class passed their table, their eyes set on Volkner until Jasmine met their eyes with a glare. Volkner raised his eyebrows as the girls hurried in busying their sight elsewhere, and looked at Jasmine for the answer.

"What?" She shrugged her shoulders at him. She pat Aipom behind the ears and shared the remains of her strawberry mocha cone with him. "It's impolite to stare, you know." His eyes stayed on her, awaiting much more of a response. "Plus, they're only looking at you because of your looks, Vol. You know that, right?"

The look in her normally kind eyes alarmed him, since emotions like defense and protectiveness seemed to emanate from them. However, he managed to nod his head in agreement. "I guess you've got a point." Volkner was considered to be a rebel in school, due to his quiet nature and love for alternative rock music. He used to be shunned by peers when he was younger, but as he matured girls began to fully discover his good looks. From the slightly spiky dark-blond hair to the calm demeanor, most girls their age did in fact have a crush on Volkner, but Jasmine wasn't about to have any of it.

All was quiet as everyone in Olivine soaked up the intense heat that the season of spring was producing for the beach citizens. There did appear to be commotion down at the dock since a ship was coming in; that was expected from Johto's top dock city. This kept both Jasmine and Volkner entertained, especially when some particularly striking characters jogged off the boat.

The first passenger appeared to be a boy their own age, who was visible from the distance because of his large afro, which was a shade of crimson. He was nearing their current destination, followed closely by a Chimchar and a man with a similar hair color, but a different style. They passed right by Volkner and Jasmine, only to be greeted by Volkner's father, Levin, a tall blond with lean muscles.

"Kenneth!" Levin clapped a hand on the afro boy's father's shoulder in a friendly way and gave him a genuine grin. "It's great to see you. It's been at least a decade."

Afro boy's father, Kenneth, grinned in return, running a hand through his fiery hair which reeked of hair products. "Eight years to be exact, Lev." He patted afro boy's shoulder, and introduced him. "This is my son, Flint. I didn't bring him during my last visit, but I thought it would make sense for him to meet Volkner. After all, they'll be neighbors, eh?"

Neighbors? Jasmine and Volkner both exchanged a look, mouthing the word to each other. Jasmine had a questioning look on her face, which Volkner returned with a shrug. Neither could figure out what the fathers had just said, but they were able to decide what a hot shot the afro kid, Flint, was. The afro boy was already sending twinkling smiles in the directions of other girls, like a regular ladies man.

Still, making fun of Flint wasn't burying any questions. Volkner was just about to stand up and let his father know he was here when Kenneth's eyes looked in his direction.

"He looks just like you, Lev, but he has his mother's eyes, eh? Hey, Volkner! Come on over!" Both Levin and Flint turned their heads in Volkner's direction, and their eyes settled on him which only furthered him in being called over.

Volkner glanced at Jasmine who patted his hand quickly in a sort of comforting gesture. Pikachu leaped onto his shoulder, and the Electric-type specialist in the making marched over to the odd trio of people. The fathers began to prattle on and lead them to Volkner's house while Pikachu hopped off of Volkner in order to sniff Chimchar. Flint grinned at Volkner, and was returned with a hesitant half smile. Meanwhile, a girl and her Aipom watched him with concern and curiosity.

…

The waves crashed against the damp sand in a sort of rhythmic motion as cold winds settled onto the night fallen dock city. Jasmine ignored the cold the best she could, with Aipom and herself wrapped in a thick quilt. Plus there was the thought of powerful Steel-types who never felt the pain of the elements, except for fire…

Flint seemed to represent fire, though that sounded pretty ridiculous in Jasmine's mind. Her thoughts were interrupted as someone sat down beside her on the beach's gritty sand surface. She knew instantly that it was Volkner, but he was quieter than usual. Mareep was as well, even when Aipom peeked out of the warmth of the quilt.

"You okay?" Jasmine asked, reaching out of the quilt to rest her hand on Volkner's shoulder. She ignored the sting of breeze that attacked her bare arm, and awaited an answer from her quiet friend. "What happened, Vol?" He simply shrugged his shoulders, his face turned away from her. "Come on, tell me!"

Finally, Volkner turned to face her, and Jasmine saw just how expressionless his face was, as if he were fighting to keep back sudden emotions. With his voice trembling (whether from the cold or untold news was hard to tell) he spoke. "My dad's friend, Kenneth, is from Sunyshore City in the Sinnoh region, and apparently, the gym leader there is retiring. Anyway, my dad was just given an offer for the position…"

Jasmine already knew that Volkner's father was desperate for an Electric-type oriented gym, but she didn't get the issue. That was until she really though it over. "You're not going to move, are you?"

Volkner bit his lip, with unnatural calm flickering away from his eyes, replaced by sadness and recognition. "Yes, I am. We're supposed to leave tomorrow morning, and I can't believe he's just now telling me this." He grabbed a handful of sand, and let it drip like water out of his fist. Mareep snuggled close to him in an effort to comfort his trainer, but it was no use.

"Look on the bright side." Jasmine whispered in an effort to make light of things. "You'll be able to run a gym when you're older, Vol. That's good, right?" She put an arm around his shoulder, but the blank look on his face stayed the same. Jasmine kept her cool, imagining herself as a strong Steel-type, who was an anchor for him in some way. She stood up, shrugging off the quilt so that Aipom would have some kind of warmth. "Volkner, it'll be okay."

He wasn't reassured, though he did stand up with Mareep in his arms. "How do you know?"

"I just…do."

…

Early the next morning, Flint and Kenneth were the first to board the ship, after the Machoke who were busy carrying the furniture and such in. Kenneth went in next, saying farewell to his friends in town s he went, and beckoning his only child to follow as soon as his good byes were through.

Jasmine and Volkner's eyes met, soft hazel clashing with electric blue. Aipom clung to Jasmine's shoulder, the same way that Mareep clung to Volkner's. Jasmine felt herself thinking about their two Pokémon. Mareep's evolutions could learn Iron Tail whereas Aipom's could learn Shock Wave. Steel and Electric.

It was funny how things worked, and Jasmine found herself smiling when Volkner said, "I wish I had something to give you…"

Jasmine pulled Aipom's Pokeball from the pocket, and turn to share an understanding smile with her starter. "Do you want to?" Aipom responded by nodding her head, and grinning back. With reassurance, Jasmine returned Aipom to her Pokeball and reached out to Volkner with it. "If we trade, we'll both have something that belongs to the other. And, that will ensure that we meet again, Vol."

Volkner thought similarly to Jasmine, and was able to fully understand where she was going with it. "I get what you're saying." He did the same as Jasmine, asking for his Mareep's agreement before returning him to his Pokeball and placing it in Jasmine's hand. "Take care of Amphy for me. Be sure to evolve him, it's his dream."

With one last smile shared between the two, Volkner boarded the ship with Aipom tucked safely in her Pokeball, leaving both Jasmine and Amphy waving until the ship had finally disappeared into the clear, gray horizon.

…

Nearly ten years later, Volkner secured his role as Sunyshore Gym for six years before he grew bored from battling many wimps and hopeless trainers. Both Jasmine and Amphy traveled in order to reassure Volkner, and the Johto Steel-type gym leader managed to convince him enough. If one last trainer didn't manage to win, then he could give up his original dream career.

That trainer came and went, and Jasmine soon departed for home. But, neither Volkner and Jasmine worried, as the two were still in possession of something that belonged to the other, so they would never be separated.

Reviews for this are appreciated, since this was my first Pokémon one shot. Au revoir, readers!