"Ahh, isn't this the life?!" I asked my Pokémon as I flopped onto the sand. It was a balmy summer evening and I was on a deserted beach with my Lapras. She sniffed lightly before placing her head on my chest.
"Lapras, you're squashing me!" I protested causing her to open one of her recently closed eyes. She murmured and lifted her neck up. She then grabbed the back of the collar on my shirt and pulled me up to the soft portion of her body before her hard shell begins, and started to sing. She wrapped her neck around me once more as I fell into a deep relaxing sleep.
The first thing I heard the next morning was the sea caressing the sand. Then my paradise was shattered. I could hear the distinctive sound of a Pokémon trainer calling commands. I started to open my eyes. With my groggy sight I could not see the source of the commands. I shifted against my Lapras' body, pulling up the blue jumper that was laid across me. Wait! A blue jumper?
I sat up rapidly, heart racing. I don't own a blue jumper. How did it get there?
"Hey!" A voice shouted, the same voice that was training the Pokémon. A young boy came running towards me.
"You had me worried there. I thought you were injured at first. Then I realized that you were just asleep." He knelt down and put his hands on Lapras' shell. He started to gently stroke her shell. Lapras squeaked with delight. She loves her shell being stroked.
"Just like my Lapras!" The boy chuckled. "Mine loves her shell being stroked too."
"You have a Lapras? I thought they were quite rare in Unova! I have heard of them being found around the Village Bridge area but I caught mine in the Johto region." I was beginning to ramble.
"Well, technically I had a Lapras. She was lost and I cared for her for a while and released her when she found her pack again. She was very useful for travelling around the Orange Islands though." He sighed.
"I'm glad she went back to her family though." He finished.
"My Lapras was lost too. I found her in the middle of a cave of all places." I chimed in.
"In a cave?" He quizzed, interested. The story of my Lapras always piques peoples' interests.
"Yes, she was disorientated and scared. I couldn't just leave her there." I shuffled around the sand at my feet.
"Well, I think you've raised her well." He brushed against her neck and she squeaked again.
"But I can't help but be a little interested in what you were doing in the Johto region. Quite a lot of the trainers that I meet have never even left their region of birth!" He turned and sat next to me, resting up against Lapras' shell.
"I travel around the regions collecting and battling with different Pokémon, mostly for research purposes, but I must admit that I do find enjoyment in battling. I even entered a few contests once. I grew up watching them on the TV and was mesmerized." Why am I gushing out so much information to this stranger?
"You watched contests on the TV? You must be from Hoenn then, they were the pioneers of Pokémon contests." I was taken aback, not many people know much of the Hoenn region.
"Yes, I'm from Sootopolis City." If he knew anything about Hoenn, he'd know about this strange place.
"I guess you had Wallace to look up to as a great Pokémon coordinator then." Ah, so he did know a little about Sootopolis City.
"I've also done quite a lot of travelling myself. I'm from Pallet Town in the Kanto region. It's only a small town, and not as exciting as Sootopolis City, but it's home."
"So why do you travel then?" I asked without thinking. I hope it didn't sound too rude.
"It's my dream to be a Pokémon Master!" He shouted stretching his arms out. His left hand briefly touched my shoulder. I turned my head, hoping that he didn't see me blushing.
"So you're going to take on the Unova League? Have you battled any gyms yet?" I can't stop asking questions.
"I already have eight badges!" He opened up a badge box to reveal eight shiny Unova League badges.
"I've also entered the League but I didn't quite make it to the top. I always fall a little short, but it doesn't matter, I'll still plough on." He shuffled his feet around in the sand.
"Now I'm just taking time out to relax. Undella seems to be the best place in Unova to unwind." He seemed to read my mind. I was going to ask him what he was doing now.
"Looks like battling is taking a back burner for the both of us then." I yawned, flopping my head back against Lapras' neck.
"This has to be the first time I've taken time out to relax since beginning my Pokémon journey when I was 10." I continued. This is true, I haven't taken a break in 10 years. I'm 20 now.
"It's important to relax every now and again. However, napping on a deserted beach is a little reckless." He scalded.
"You have heard of the Lacunosa Legend haven't you? Or should I say, horror story…"
"No, and I don't believe in silly little stories anyway!" I said, arms crossed and feeling a little annoyed.
"The people of Lacunosa believe that there is a great Pokémon that lives in the giant chasm that eats people at night by carrying them off on an icy wind. This Pokémon is called Kyurem and I've seen it. In fact…it… ate one of my friends." This revelation shocked me, and turned my skin icy cold. He can't be telling the truth.
He read my expression and continued talking. "I normally travel around with a group of people, but one of them was taken by Kyurem. The other returned home after this happened, he said that he couldn't trust me." He looked down and gripped his fists.
"How do they know that your friend was eaten? Surely there is a possibility that they might still be alive?" I can't believe this story, it cannot be true...
"They found her bones!" He wailed, echoing across the beach. His voice was husky.
"Can you see why I was worried about you now!" He shouted at me.
"But we're in Undella Town, Lacunosa is miles away from here." I object.
"I don't care, I don't want to take any chances." He was serious.
"Do you have anywhere to stay tonight? Where you will be safe…" He suddenly asked, straining his voice.
"N-n-n-no I don't" I stammer.
"Right then, you are coming to stay with me tonight. I have a place in Undella Town."
He stood up and brushed the sand off of his beige trousers.
"Number 12 Jellicent Beach, that's my address." He turned.
"Come on Pikachu!" He shouted and the bushes framing the beach rustled. A bright yellow Pikachu jumped out with a berry in its teeth.
"Any luck finding Axew?" The boy asked blankly. The Pikachu dropped its berry and shook his head. The boy buried his head in his hands and began to walk off the beach.
"Hey, I didn't catch your name!" I shouted to the figure walking away.
"It's Ash. And you?"
"Téa."
"Well then Téa, I'll see you later." He said with a slight grin.
I curled up into a little ball besides Lapras. What had just happened? I retreated under the mysterious blue jumper.
Ah! It must be his, Ash's. I took a deep breath in, drinking in the scent of the jumper. It was a tantalizing spicy but sweet scent that sent my heart wild.