A/N: One quick note, from here on out, you'll see the occasional month marker below the chapter title. This is a little different from my other stories, but helps keep a better track of the quickly shifting time in this short story. So be on the lookout for those.
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Episode 1: A Sinking Feeling!
Month One - August
"The ship will moor in Snowpoint City in approximately 15 minutes." The intercom blared, stirring me from my sleep. I rose, checking my frizzed hair in the mirror. It had been one week on this ferry. I actually could have got off two days before when the boat stopped at Twinleaf Town. Now it was making a loop around the region, stopping at every major city with a port. I'd decided to stop at Snowpoint City for some reason. It was not the closest I could get to my home, but it was good enough. I was severely underdressed for the freezing cold city, but something about that made it more inviting to me now.
I'd went to pokemon school in Snowpoint City for most of my life before I dropped out. I certainly didn't want to go back for that. It was the frozen lake that I wanted to visit. It used to calm me to go up there as a child.
"Arriving at Snowpoint City." The intercom blared once more. I could feel the ship slowly pulling to a stop.
"Well, let's go Riolu." I pat my shoulder, inviting him to hop on.
"Luuuuuu!" Riolu yawned from the top bunk, stretching his arms out. He leaped to my shoulder happily.
I grabbed my bag and we left the small room, headed for the deck. They already had two ramps out, and people were piling in and out. I knew there was no going back after I left this ship. I could still see his face in my mind clearly. He looked sad when I left, and my heart ached once more.
"Lu?" Riolu stared at me as I stopped on the ramp, making people almost knock me over trying to get through. They moaned and groaned at my sudden stop, and a few shoved their way around me.
"Sorry." I said, snapping back to reality and I started moving forward, eventually to the solid and snowy ground of Snowpoint City. "I think you'll really like the Sinnoh region Riolu." I said, trying to get my mind elsewhere. "It's colder, and there's lots of storms, and…" I realized then that nothing I said so far was positive. "Well yeah." I turned to look up at the huge mountain in the distance, that could be seen from anywhere in Sinnoh, Mt. Coronet. Its summit peaked through the clouds, and was invisible at present from some swirling black clouds that surrounded it. "I remember a time when it wasn't like that."
"Lu lu?" Riolu glanced up to the mountain as well.
I couldn't help but have a serious tone. "Looks like it's only gotten worse since I left. I was hoping that storm would have cleared up."
I shivered at the northern air. This flimsy jacket I wore in Kanto would never do. I needed to head to the pokemon center first, so we trekked up the snowy road to the northern part of town, where I knew it rested. It was a small center. When I walked in, an old woman sat behind the front desk, with hair so white, you could barely see the pink tones that remained in it. She looked up and rose unsteadily to greet me. "Can I help you with anything young lady?"
This old woman didn't seem to have much longer to live. I felt bad for her, and it reminded me of John and Mary, who were taking care of the day-care center pretty much by themselves. I would need to get back to them as soon as possible. "No thank you Nurse Joy." I said quietly. "I just need to use the pc."
She coughed. "It's right over there dear." She lifted a crooked finger to point in the corner of the room.
"Thank you." I took a seat at the pc and pulled up item storage. Packed away was my pink pokeball hoodie I'd arrived in Kanto in. I was actually anxious to change into it, not only for the weather, but also because I had bought the jacket I was wearing now because it looked like Kyle's green one. It reminded me too much of him.
I took the hoodie and headed for a bathroom stall. I shoved open the door quickly, almost hitting the young girl that was inside. "Oh!" She jumped back in surprise.
"Oh I'm sorry!" I looked at the girl who was probably the same age as me. She had long brown hair arranged in two thick braids that hung at either side of her face, and deep blue eyes. She was wearing a blue dress, and had a mop and spray bottle in her hands.
"Sorry." She walked around me, struggling with her things. "I was cleaning, but it's all done now." She looked away shyly as she left the room.
"Lu?" Riolu tilted his head at her.
"Yeah that was a little strange." I shrugged, walking into an open stall and locking the door behind me. I hung my jacket and purse on the hook as I slipped my hoodie on over my shirt. Riolu sidestepped around so he never had to leave my shoulder. I felt much warmer already.
I walked back to the pc and sent the jacket home. I also changed out Butterfree's pokeball for Aerodactyl. I still hadn't got to train her yet, but I knew I didn't want to get back on that boat, or hoof it to Solaceon Town. Flying was the best option.
I heard Nurse Joy cough and hack some more as I walked out of the pokecenter. I headed up the road that led to Lake Acuity. It was kind of a hard walk, being uphill and in snow, so I decided to let out Rapidash and ride him up. It was perfect. The flames on him kept me immensely warm.
"Thank Rapidash." I pet his fiery blue mane as we strode along.
"Brrrr…" He whinnied quietly.
Riolu found a comfortable spot, resting in the hood of my sweatshirt. "Lu!"
"Found you a warm spot?" I asked.
"Lu!" Riolu pulled the hood up on him like a blanket.
I laughed, for the first time since I'd left Kanto. "You're cute Riolu."
"Lu lu!" He chimed.
This road was full of memories. I passed by the driveway to the pokemon school, and followed the creek on up to the lake. Any time someone was giving me a hard time, I'd come up here. Back then, the storms weren't as prevalent, and it wasn't as cold in Sinnoh as compared to now. In the summers, I held childhood memories where the creek would be flowing and I could see feebas or magicarp run down it. And now, even though it was late summer, the creek was frozen much like the lake in front of me. There used to be all sorts of wild pokemon that would come drink from some unfrozen puddles in the lake, but there was nothing here today. I didn't even bother getting off Rapidash to look around me. It was a frozen wasteland and a small cavern in the center. It did nothing to make me feel better. If anything, it made me feel worse.
"Let's go." I gently touched my right foot against Rapidash, making him turn around. We headed down the hill without another word.
x-x-x
It was almost dark once we'd reached the southern part of town again, and I recalled Rapidash. The ship had left like I thought it might, so I would have to fly out of here. I stood there for a moment, lost in thought as I watched the snow hit the ocean waves.
"Hey there little lady." A man's voice said from behind me. "You lost?"
"In some ways." I sighed, already knowing the kind of guy this was. This part of town attracted the worst kind of scum.
"Well hey," His words were slurred, and I couldn't tell if it was from his heavy country accent or if he might be drunk. "You could always come back to my place."
I was getting taller I know, but I thought it was obvious I was no older than 14. Than again, maybe he knew that. I turned around to face the man. He looked like a cowboy wannabe, sporting a getup similar to what someone from my hometown would wear. He was probably around twenty something, if I had to guess. "It would be in your best interest to leave me alone." I said, reaching in my purse for a pokeball.
"Oh so you're a trainer too?" He tossed out a pokeball from his belt, unveiling a croconaw. "The name's Travis. I'm from Olivine City in Johto. You up for a battle? If I win, I get to take you on a date." He smirked.
"Luuu…" Riolu popped out of my hood and growled at him.
"I wouldn't go anywhere with you!" I spat. I tried to think of what pokemon would be best. Probably Pikachu, but I didn't really want to battle this guy. I wanted to just scare him away. I tossed out Aerodactyl's pokeball without a second thought.
"Dactyl!" Aerodactyl cried, spreading out her wings from the ground, making her appear monstrous. She had to be at least 20 feet tall.
"Oh boy…" Travis cringed and stepped back a bit, and I thought for a second he was going to take off running, but he held firm. "That's a mighty big pokemon you got there."
"Yeah it is." I mocked. "You and your puny croconaw should just get on out of here." I intentionally imitated his overly country accent. Though, it wasn't all an act. Living in Solaceon Town gave me a slight accent naturally.
"Nah. We don't give up. Right Croconaw?" Travis had a wide grin as he turned to his pokemon.
"Naw." The pint-sized alligator imitated his trainer almost to a tee.
"See?" He grinned.
"Aerodactyl!" I cried. "Use whatever moves you know to beat this guy."
Aerodactyl just turned to me with a confused look on her face. "Tyl?"
"C'mon. Just anything." I repeated.
She almost seemed to shrug at me, and remained still.
"Are you telling me you don't know any attacks at all?"
"Dactyl." She nodded.
My heart sunk. I was going to have to start from square one with this pokemon.
Travis laughed. "Are you kidding me? Here I thought you were going to be a challenge."
"I am." I said, recalling Aerodactyl. "Just try this one out." I tossed out Pikachu's pokeball instead.
"That's more like it." Travis laughed. "A cute little ol' pokemon for a cute girl."
I noticed now that our battle had drawn in a small crowd that was whispering around us. But what was really troubling me, was Pikachu's lack of interest in the battle. She seemed distracted, and depressed. I knew why of course. She missed her son.
"Pi cha." She sighed.
"Croconaw!" Travis hooted. "Knock it over with a water gun!"
"Naw naw!" Croconaw cackled as a squirt of water pulsed out of its mouth.
"Dodge!" I commanded.
"Pi." Pikachu turned away as the water hit her dead on.
"Bite!" Now Croconaw lunged for Pikachu, and instead of dodging, she weakly threw her tail out for the croconaw to latch onto. The thing wouldn't let go, and Pikachu didn't put up a struggle. She looked as if she might cry right there on the battlefield.
"Pi…Pi…" She sniffled.
"Jeez." I held a hand over my face, running it through my blonde hair in frustration. I smudged my glasses in the process. "I'm not going to lose to this lame hick."
"That hurt." He held a hand over his heart in a sarcastic way.
"You have no idea about hurt." I grumbled, holding up Pikachu's pokeball. She turned to me with a look of disappointment. "It's okay Pikachu. Return." She sulked back into the light that sealed her inside.
"Lu!" Riolu began to climb out of my hood, but I shoved him back.
"Thanks for the offer Riolu, but you're still too little."
"Lu." He groaned, huddling back into my hood.
I couldn't decide what to do now. I'd already lost two pokemon to his one. I felt as if I'd really lost my touch with battling already.
"She's gonna lose!" A little boy from the crowd yelled.
"Shh." His mother hushed him but secretly nodded.
"I don't even want to do this." I said under my breath. "I just want to go home." I pulled out a pokeball I was fairly confident in. "Go Duchess."
"Purrr…" My persian stretched her slender legs as she hopped out.
"Make quick work of this one too Croconaw!" Travis cried.
"Duchess, attract." I could tell from my tone now, that I was only half-heartedly fighting this battle now. I just hoped it wouldn't affect Duchess.
"Mrrow!" Duchess meowed, giving a quick wink that sent chills up Croconaw's spine. He was frozen with love.
"Now how about you use that move on me?" Travis laughed.
"Enough. Just cut out the crap okay?" I said, fed up with his flirtation. "Duchess! Finish this up with Slash." I could tell my pokemon was at a much higher level then his, so I knew he was going down.
"Pur!" Duchess extended her claws and slashed against the still love struck croconaw.
"Naw…" The alligator fell backward with claw marks and a thud. Travis recalled him, and pulled down on the front of his cowboy hat. He turned on his boots toward the crowd.
"Well, I could go on and beat you, but I don't think I'm making any progress here with you. But at least everybody got a good show right?"
"Yeah!" The crowd cheered.
"Thank you, thank you." He bowed, making the crowd cheer more for him.
"Umm. Hello people?" I grumbled. "Do you all realize I won? He gave up."
"No way! He's awesome!" The little boy stepped forward.
"Thanks little man." Travis flashed a million dollar smile that made some of the young girls in the crowd swoon as he placed his hat on the boy's head, revealing his short black hair. "You take care of that for me okay?"
"Really mister?" The boy held tight to his new cowboy hat.
"Yep. And if you wear that, maybe you can be like me someday."
I took this as sort of an insult, but the rest of the crowd nodded in agreement. "You have an ego like someone else I know." I was reminded of my co-worker Stephen, who was a lot like this guy, only less of a lady-killer.
"Really?" Travis turned to me now as the crowd started to disperse. "And might that be the reason you're not falling for me right now?" He grinned. "You have a boyfriend, right?"
My mind drifted back to Kyle. "Yes." I lied. "He has my heart, and him alone." That part wasn't a lie.
"What a shame." He looked around as the last of the crowd, the boy and his mother left. "And to think he broke your heart."
My eyes widened at his comment. I really didn't like this guy. His brown eyes were staring too deeply at me. Either I was easy to read, or he had a way of seeing how straight through me. I shook off my shock and gave him a stern look. I couldn't afford to look distraught now. It meant vulnerability, and I had to prove to this guy, and myself that I didn't need any man.
"Well, I've gotta go now. I've got some estranged family to visit here in Sinnoh, and they'll be expecting me. Like I said though, if you need a place to stay, they'd welcome you. They're real sweet folks."
"I have a home here you know." I groaned. "I was just on my way."
"Well then don't let me stop ya." He tossed out a pokeball and hopped on the back of a fearow. "If you're ever in Solaceon Town though, give me a holler!" He waved as he took off on the bird, headed east.
"Lu?" Riolu peeped out from the back of my head and watched him fly away.
"Solaceon Town?" My jaw dropped. "That weirdo's headed for Solaceon Town too?" I felt like slamming my head against the nearby lamp post as it lit up beside me. Nothing seemed to be working out for me like I'd hoped. I expelled a deep sigh, releasing Aerodactyl once more.
"Dac?" It crowed.
"So let me get this straight." I put my hands on my hips. "You don't know any attacks. Would you like me to teach you some?"
"Dactyl." Aerodactyl shook her head no.
"So you don't even want to battle at all?"
"Tyl." She growled in disinterest.
"Lu." Even Riolu seemed stunned with her lack of enthusiasm.
"Should have known getting a free pokemon restored from some dusty old amber was too good to be true." I grit though my teeth. "Alright. Can you at least fly?"
"Dac Dactyl." She grinned a toothy grin as she flapped her wings a bit.
"Well, let me climb aboard okay?" I almost slipped climbing up the scaly creature's back, but I eventually found a comfortable place to sit in between her shoulder blades. She rose into the air, and I pulled Riolu out of my hood to hold onto him. "Fly away from the sunset please. That's the way to Solaceon Town."
"Dactyl!" She crowed, flying steadily east.
