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"Wow, that was insane," Candace grumbled. "All those Pokemon, and I didn't think to bring any empty pokeballs to catch them with. On top of that, I get my butt handed to me not once, not twice, but three times!"
To say that she was in a bad mood would be an understatement.
Candace and Mina had made it to Lilycove City, though the trip had been not been a smooth one. Not only had the girls run into numerous wild Pokemon on their way from Mauville to Slateport, but they had encountered a few other trainers as well. Candace had been challenged to – and lost – three battles. Due to this, quite a few stops at the Slateport Pokemon Center had been made, resulting in the two girls almost missing the SS Tidal.
"Tell me about it! I mean, I thought that three pokeballs wouldn't fail me – and what happens?" Mina complained as they walked the crowded streets of the large city, "A stupid Pichu crawls in my bag and takes them all! I didn't even know those things were mischievous! They set me back quite a few Poke."
Mina suddenly stopped and eyeballed something in the display window, shaking her head seconds later and continued to walk.
"And those trainers – you would've thought they would take it easy on beginners! But oh no, those ruthless sons of Poochyenas. Although, it was kind of our fault – who wouldn't challenge girls who were edging their way around the grass and avoiding other trainers?"
"That's a good point, I suppose," Candace sighed, mentally cursing their rotten luck. "Well, my dear, shall we go stock up on essentials? Obviously, we'll need pokeballs. I don't know what else we might have to have, but I'm sure someone at the department store can tell us!"
"Mm hmm hmm, brilliant idea, Candace," came the deep voiced reply that Mina tried her hardest to imitate of a detective she saw on the television.
The afternoon sun sat heavily in the sky and the red head continued to walk along with Candace, her head swishing to the right then the left trying to look for something that seemed familiar.
"Um, Candace, where is the department store?"
Candace laughed, taking her friend by the hand and pulling her toward a large, five-story building in the middle of the city. Once inside, the blonde walked over to the printed directory on the wall, her brown eyes scanning it carefully.
"Okay, it looks like the second floor has the basic needs for trainers. The third floor is for battle aids, the fourth has specialty items, and the fifth has Secret Base furnishings, whatever that means. Shall we just take this one floor at a time?" she asked, turning back to Mina.
Mina gave the girl a one-handed thumbs up and walked to the elevator, eagerly pressing the up button.
"I know we're only going one story at a time, but we have walked a lot today. I think we deserve an elevator ride." Mina strode into the box once it dinged open, hoping that Candace wouldn't point out that they had just spent time on a boat just relaxing and not walking. She pushed the '2' button and waited. "Um, Candace?" The red head peeked her short bob out of the elevator and looked to her friend. "You coming?"
"Sorry, sorry," Candace apologized, hurrying into the elevator. "I was spacing. But, yeah, we deserve an elevator ride. Getting beaten is hard work," she grumbled, obviously still miffed over her losses. The elevator gave a high-pitched ding, signaling it had reached the second floor, and the doors opened. Candace exited first, heading right over to the counter.
"Hi," she greeted the lady behind it, who turned to face Candace when she spoke. "My friend and I are beginning our Pokemon journey, and I was wondering if you could give us a general idea of what we will need…?"
The saleswoman looked over the two girls, a skeptical expression on her face, but she quickly recovered and nodded.
"Well, of course you'll want some pokeballs. You should also probably take some potions, just in case your Pokemon get hurt and you aren't close to a Pokemon Center. There are also items that heal specific conditions such as paralysis, poison, burns, and so on… You may want some of those, depending on where you're going to go," she explained.
From the elevator doors, Mina narrowed her eyes as the saleswoman's skeptical gaze wandered over the two. With confidence the girl strode to the shelves and started looking through all the assorted bottles and -
"Darn-it!" Her voice penetrated what the woman behind the counter was telling Candace and in a defeated walk she made her way to the counter. "Look, lady, we may just be starting out and don't know much about what we're doing, but don't patronize us. With that behind us though," Mina brought her face close to the lady's, "what do you say we need? Pokeballs, of course, and potions? Yes, I do believe potions would be good. How about bread – do you have bread? I haven't eaten since this morning and I think that stupid Pichu stole more than my three pokeballs…"
Her hand drifted to her chin as she started to zone out and talk about bread. Accidently brushing up against the counter one of the spheres slipped off of her belt and hit the ground, her Rattata instantly appeared and walked deliriously into the legs of Candace. Meanwhile, Mina absentmindedly extended her right leg and tripped over the empty pokeball, grabbing a hold on Candace's backpack shoulder as she fell.
Candace crashed down to the ground with her best friend, which, in turn, caused Mina's Rattata to be flung into the air along with Candace's feet. Face flushing, the blonde groaned, wanting nothing more than for the floor to open up and swallow her. From upside down Mina watched Candace fall in slow motion, and had to giggle when she saw her poor Rattata fly into the air as her friend joined her on the floor mere milliseconds later.
The saleswoman, however, was rather amused. She bit her lip to keep from bursting into laughter, and when she had finally composed herself, she spoke once more.
"Sorry, ma'am, we don't have bread. This is a department store, not a grocery store. I'll be happy to set you up with what you need for your journey, though." With this said, the lady walked over to a shelf and collected six potions and ten pokeballs – three potions and five pokeballs for each girl. She then returned to her post, putting the items on the counter. "This should tide you over. That'll be 1900 Poke from each of you."
Mina carefully listened to the saleslady as she excused herself from the counter and gathered the needed things. When she spoke of the due amount, the energetic seventeen year old bounded up from the ground and pulled around her small, circular knapsack to her side and rummaged around for a wad of payment, pushing it on the counter to cover her half and extended her hand down to help Candace up.
"Sorry Candace!"
Candace took Mina's hand, pulling herself to her feet. Once she became vertical again, she paid for her supplies as well, reaching down to pat Rattata on the head after putting the potions and pokeballs in her backpack.
"Sorry about that, buddy," she said, then looked to Mina. "It's fine. Shall we head to the third floor?"
"Sounds good to me." She shoved all of her items in her open bag and zipped it shut. "Hup hup, back in the ball Ratty." The pokeball retrieved from the ground sucked the confused Pokemon back into it and Mina made sure to secure the sphere firmly on her belt before taking a step away from where she stood. "Thanks for the direction!"
Mina saluted the saleswoman and walked towards the open elevator where a group of people flooded out, a majority of them wielding pokeballs and determined looks upon their smug mugs. Mina leapt back and landed in a defensive position behind Candace.
"Candace…" she whispered to the girl in front of her, "Candace, they are trainers! Trainers! Slowly inch to the elevator and maybe we won't be noticed! I don't want our butts handed to us again!"
The group dispersed throughout the small second level and soon the two girls were surrounded by happy looking small children and serious-faced adults, all looking at potions and comparing pokeballs.
"...shit." Mina, still in her defensive position with one arm over her head, the other across her chest, and her weight supported on her left leg while the right was bent and off of the ground, said in a panicked voice. "Candace, I think our losses might have made me paranoid." Candace snorted.
"I think that might be an understatement," she said, grabbing Mina's arm and dragging her into the elevator. Candace pressed the '3' button, and tapped her foot impatiently as generic elevator music began to play. When the doors opened after the tell-tale ding, Candace was, once again, the first one out of the elevator. After looking around at some of the items on the shelves, she paused.
"Hey, Mina," she said, turning to face the seventeen year old, "I don't think we need anything from this floor. These items are things like protein, iron, yada yada, and those are really expensive. The others are things like X Attack, X Speed… I remember my brother talking about those. Chances are, we won't have much use for them as beginners."
Mina froze mid step out of the elevator and looked to Candace at the shelves.
"Oh, ok, that works for me! I don't need to spend more money or break my back by carrying more than I need to. Well, not at this point anyway." Her hand reached behind her head and rubbed a knot that had started to form from her intimate meeting with the floor minutes ago. "Hey, does your head hurt? Anyway, so to the fourth floor for 'Secret Base' items, or shall we continue our quest?" Mina's attention turned to the list on the wall where the floors were categorized.
"I think you're reading it sideways or something. The fourth floor has specialty items," Candace pointed out with a giggle. "Which, we may need some of. Who knows. To the fourth floor!" The blonde retreated back into the elevator, pressing the '4' button. After a short ride, the doors opened, and Candace's attention was immediately drawn to a rack across the back wall of the store.
"Ooh, ooh, Mina! Fishing rods! I want to go fishing!"
Candace immediately ran to the selection of fishing rods, tentatively picking up what was labeled as a Super Rod.
Mina had shrugged her shoulders when they appeared on the fourth floor, acknowledging her mistake at reading lists. "Candace, From now on you're reading all the maps and signs. Knowing me, we would be lost if it was my duty." Her attention, however, was brought to the back of the floor as Candace mentioned fishing rods and cautiously followed the path her friend zoomed off in.
"Fishing? Whatever floats your surfing Pokemon, Candace. Does that really say 'Super Rod'?" Her eyesight caught the small print on the handle of the rod her companion was treating with awe. "Seriously? Super Rod? Do you catch more fish with it or something? Oh! Or maybe better water Pokemon! You should so buy it!"
Mina jumped up and down enthusiastically, first making sure her backpack wouldn't knock anything over before starting her joyous display.
"I'm totally going to!" Candace grinned, running to the counter and dodging other customers as she did so. As soon as she had paid for the Super Rod, she ran back to Mina, pulling her back into the elevator.
"Forget shopping, let's go fish!" Candace frantically pushed the '1' button, mentally willing the elevator to go faster. Mina let loose a small cry of surprise when suddenly grabbed and thrown into the elevator by Candace, just then comprehending what the blonde had said.
"Wait, what! You want to fish instead of shop – what's wrong with you!?" Grabbing her by the shoulders, Mina proceeded to vigorously shake Candace, asking her what was wrong with her as any parent would an extremely slow child. The other passengers in the elevator looked on the scene disdainfully, each wondering silently how these young women could act so childishly in public.
After half a minute of extreme shaking on Mina's part and no change in Candace's mental attitude, the red head heaved a large sigh and walked sadly out of the elevator that had just landed on the ground level.
"Goodbye shopping… I will come back and see your secret base floor," Mina yelled to the ceiling, a fist of single-mindedness thrown into the air for emphasis. Candace proceeded to drag Mina out of the department store and toward the beach.
"We don't even have a secret base!" she pointed out, never slowing down until her sneaker-clad feet hit the sand. She released Mina, sat down near the water's edge, and eagerly cast out her line. After a moment, Candace sighed.
"I forgot, fishing requires patience…"
Mina flopped down on the sand, causing a small poof and grains to be scattered about the area. The trip into the department store had taken no longer than thirty minutes, and the drag to the beach area less than five. She made a 'bleh' sound and rolled over so she was laying on her stomach, the sand going everywhere and propped her head on her hands, her elbows sinking into the land.
"Sure does, Candace. But know what doesn't require patience? Shopping. Not just any kind of shopping, but secret base shopping." Mina closed one eye in attempt to thwart off the strong rays that reflected off of the water only to open it quickly. "Hey, hey! Something's moving in the water close to your line! Look!"
Sure enough, Candace felt a tug on her line. The blonde quickly stood up, hopping up and down giddily as she reeled it in, but her face fell as soon as an orange fish flopped onto the shore.
"A Magikarp," she groaned, carefully unhooking the Pokemon from the line and throwing it back into the water. Sighing, Candace sat back down beside Mina, casting her line out once again.
"What is a secret base, anyway? I mean, obviously a base that is secret. But how do you acquire these secret bases, and what do you use them for?" she pondered aloud, resting her chin on one palm and using the other hand to hold the Super Rod.
Mina had groaned along with her pal as the orange Pokemon emerged from the water, all excitement flushed at the flopping sight. She let her head hit the warm sand when Candace began to talk about the secret bases.
"Maybe it's like where all the good trainers keep their special Pokemon, hoarding them until they are needed. Like those ones who can beat the Elite Four in one hit and such. Which makes me wonder, can everyone get one, or are they just for the super powerful? And if they're for the super powerful, then why would you put the shop for it in a department store!? It's unfair to tease those who cannot have! Ouch."
Mina ended her tirade with reaching to her belt and unclipping the first ball that was causing her discomfort. Her eyes lit up and turned to Candace.
"You haven't seen this little guy, have you?" The simple question was emphasized with the small pokeball becoming the full size one and held out so it could be seen.
Candace, who had been giggling at Mina's own rant about secret bases, paused. She tilted her head.
"Unless it's your Rattata, no," she said, reeling in her line once more as she felt another tug. When she ended up with another Magikarp, Candace scowled, throwing it back. "Stupid fish. I do not want you."
"Ahaha, with our luck you'll only be able to catch those stupid things. But no! It is not my Rattata, but rather," Mina sat up quickly and released the Pokemon trapped inside the ball, "a Spheal! Isn't it so cute!!"
A small, rotund blob of blue blubber with fang-like tusks stared at the two. Mina's body twisted with happiness at seeing her Pokemon again, digging herself deeper into the sand. Candace's jaw fell open, and the blonde nearly dropped her fishing rod in surprise.
"OH-MY-GOD-MINA-IT-IS-PRECIOUS!" Candace squealed, rocking back and forth giddily. She reached over to pet Spheal, hardly able to contain her delight. "How did you get him? I am officially jealous! Wait, it is a 'him', right?" she questioned.
"Sure is! My dad brought him back as a present from one of his trading trips – Kevin was so jealous. But anyway, ahh, he is cute!" Mina's hands clapped together and the Spheal barked in delight at the attention he was receiving. "I can't wait to see what cute form he evolves into! Oh, Candace, your line is moving again!"
As Mina said this, Candace was already reeling her line in. To her dismay, another Magikarp flopped up onto the beach. This time, Candace glared at the offending Pokemon for a moment.
"Damn you, you stupid fish!" she yelled angrily, but the Magikarp simply kept flailing around on the sand, unperturbed. "Why must you mock me?!"
Mina ducked her head and looked around at the people in populated area who were looking in their direction due to Candace's screaming.
"Hey! You two girls!"
The Magikarp was the only thing flailing when the deep, angry sounding voice made itself known just behind them. Mina turned her head to see the large man who cast a shadow around the two girls, and her eye started to twitch for the 100th time that day.
"...shit." Mina's voice was smaller than it had been all day when she peered up at the portly fisherman, equipped with a heavy-duty fishing pole and bulging vest pockets filled with unknown fishing equipment.
"What the hell are you doing to that poor Pokemon?"
Candace, however, did not turn around before continuing in her tirade.
"I am venting my frustration about my inability to catch anything other than worthless Magikarp! It's rather irritating to catch three of these stu-" the blonde paused after wheeling around to face the owner of the voice, eyes widening at the sight of the fisherman. "Ah, that's not what I meant…" She chuckled nervously.
"Worthless? Stupid? Are you a dimwit and blemish on society to treat such a marvelous Pokemon in that way?" His hands snapped to his pocket and pulled out two pokeballs. "Want to see the might of Magikarp in action?"
He dropped both of the balls and with a flourish of light two splashing Magikarp appeared on the sand, just flapping sand in the air. Mina looked over at Candace with a 'what-the-fuck' look written across her face. Her Spheal wobbled forward and with a small motion, raised his fin and poked one of the spazzing things. The fisherman's face turned red in anger and screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Was that a challenge little girl?!"
"What?!" Mina sprung from the ground only to fall into the hole in the sand made by her body and knock Candace's fishing rod onto the other Magikarp. "No, no no no sir, we don't want to fight you!"
"That was a double attack on my Pokemon! This calls for a battle!"
Candace had to bite down on her lip to keep from laughing.
"Of course we'll battle! Come on, Mina, we can take those things!" she insisted, pulling a pokeball off her belt and enlarging it. "Go, Mareep!"
In a flash of light, a small, yellow sheep with a dark blue head appeared, observing its surroundings carefully.
"Reeeep?"
"Candace, are you cra – OH MY GOSH. Hold up guy, look at this! This thing is like utter adorableness! Ahh!" Mina sunk to her knees and wrapped her arms around the newly appeared Pokemon, leaving the fisherman in shock.
"Are you a real Pokemon trainer? Real Pokemon trainers do not act like that, you dolt! Get up and fight! Magikarp, attack that Spheal!"
The fish flopped its tail and hit the ball of flubber, instantly snapping Mina out of her phase. Her green eyes narrowed as she released the fluffy Pokemon and threw out her other pokeball, releasing her Rattata.
"No one. Touches. My. Spheal. Go, Rattata!"
The fisherman's previous face full of shock turned to one of extreme surprise, then fear as he watched the dark determined look on the red head's face. He looked to the blonde, who had the same determination on her face. He addressed Candace.
"Is there something wrong with her head?"
"That's debatable," Candace snorted, grinning at her best friend. "So, what do you say? A two on two battle – my Mareep and Candace's Rattata against both of your Magikarp?"
Hearing that she was about to be in a battle, Mareep's expression became determined, her wool crackling faintly with electricity.
"You're on!"
"Okay, then! Mareep, use Tackle on the Magikarp on the right!" Candace commanded.
"Reep!"
The little sheep Pokemon charged the Magikarp, effectively knocking it into the air. Candace couldn't help but squeal, clapping her hands together excitedly.
"Ah," the fisherman's exclamation dripped from his mouth as his Magikarp hit the ground feet away after being tackled. Mina, who had brushed off the comment about her mental health, pointed at the Magikarp on the left.
"Rattata! Um… bite the one that's left!"
Nothing happened as her hand remained outstretched with her finger pointing at the target. Rattata stared up at her with a confused expression. The fisherman laughed at the novice.
"Ra?"
"You know, you have teeth, can't you bite it or something? Gnaw on its flipper?" Rattata shook his head, a sad look on his face. "That's ok – just tackle it then!"
"Tatta!" The small rat Pokemon ran at the fish, successfully hitting it. Mina looked to Candace.
"We're actually battling! This is so much fun -"
"This is not a game," the fisherman interrupted, "this is a real match, get your head out of the clouds. Now, Magikarp, show us your true power! Splash that Mareep!"
The fish that had been most recently hit floundered up to the sheep Pokemon and bounced up and down in front of her. Candace blinked, trying her hardest to contain giggles.
"Mareep… Tackle Magikarp again. But be careful, you don't want to get hit with that thing's 'true power'!" Candace said to Mareep sarcastically, and the electric Pokemon did as her trainer ordered, knocking it back toward Rattata.
The fisherman stared in horror as first the young girl mocked him then as one of his water Pokemon ceased its flopping.
"Alright Candace! One down, one to go! Rattata, tackle the one that's left!" Rattata shot off towards the flapping Magikarp and rammed it. Instantly the angler fell to his knees and let loose a melodramatic 'no', sufficiently attaining the attention of the very few people who weren't watching the battle.
Mina leaned towards Candace and brought her hand to her mouth to whisper politely.
"Was this a fake battle? That guy acted so tough and pissed off – and now look at him." Her eyes never left the wailing man feet away from them who was crawling towards his knocked out Pokemon. Candace stared at the scene, eyes wide, scooting away from the tall man.
"You know, Mina, I'm not really sure. Either way, this is really sad. Especially with all these people watching," she whispered. Apparently, the blonde was feeling a bit of pity for the fisherman. Candace recalled Mareep, who had padded over to her as soon as the battle was over. Clipping the pokeball back to her belt, she peered down at the fisherman.
"Um, sir? Are… Are you okay?"
"No, I'm not okay! I was just defeated by two immature twits when I started the battle! Would you be okay? NO! I wouldn't think so!" Without another word the man recalled his collapsed Pokemon and trudged off towards the Pokemon Center, not bothering to lift himself off of his knees. "My poor Magikarp! I promise we'll get our revenge someday! I promise you!"
After seconds of no one moving the watching crowd shrugged their shoulders and dispersed, leaving the two stunned girls by themselves.
"Well then. I'll take that as a win, no matter how pathetic the result was. Good job Rattata," Mina recalled her battle Pokemon, "and Spheal, back in you go, also. I think you've been traumatized enough for your poor young self." Heaving a sigh, the girl turned around to face the water and her mouth dropped open in shock. "Candace – your line! It's moving!"
The rod, forgotten on its side, twitched violently and started to edge towards the sea. Candace turned just in time to see this, and rolled her eyes.
"It's probably just a big Magikarp," she whined, starting to walk toward it. Just as she did, it was pulled violently toward the sea. Candace yelped, scrambling after the fishing pole. She amended, "That's too strong to be a Magikarp!"
The blonde dove to catch the Super Rod just before it was pulled into the waves. Once she had a hold on the rod, she stood up and began reeling in her catch with slight difficulty. She dug her heels into the sand when the tugging got stronger.
"Shit! Mina, come help me!"
Mina couldn't help but laugh when her companion took a dive for the escaping rod and ran to help her when she called for assistance. She stood next to Candace, wrapped her hands around the pole and pulled while the blonde reeled.
"Candace – what the hell did you catch?!"
Mina struggled to walk backward, thinking that the movement in the opposite direction would help them win the epic battle taking place between girls-and-unknown-sea-creature. Candace pulled her feet from their burrows in the sand and did the same, reeling the line in as well as she could.
"Whatever I caught, it's freaking huge!" she said and, with a final jerk, brought the line out of the water. The Pokemon attached was launched onto the shore, and Candace's eyes widened.
"That is definitely not a Magikarp."
Our apologies for any mistakes!
Love Kat & Nat!
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