Serena groaned in irritation, pressing one of the couch pillows hard against her ears. She tried to block out the sound of the singing Flying Type's outside, their morning herald of the sun beginning early. Clemont rubbed his eyes blearily, clumsily feeling around the carpet for his spectacles. An easy morning light filtered in through the pristine windows. Clemont glanced at Ash and Pikachu, both of whom were snoring loudly. Serena's red blood shot eyes glared at him from the other couch. "Between the two of them, I can't sleep at all," Serena hissed from across the space. Clemont rose and cracked his back, asking if Serena was getting up. "No way, I need a few more hours…or days," she yawned, burying her head into another pillow.
Clemont padded to the window and saw several Pidgeys were chirping in a nearby tree gleefully. "Hey guys, come on," Clemont called out as he opened the glass pane. "We've been on the road for a long while with nothing but sleeping bags to sleep in. Could you give us a break?" They birds seemed to converse amongst themselves before chirping in response and flying off silently.
Clemont shut the window quietly as Serena smiled gratefully at him. Clemont yawned and stretched, padding down the hall he'd seen Bonnie head down the night before. A bedroom with a huge four poster bed with green sheets was visible through a wide open door. Clemont blinked in surprise. Where was Octavia? She wasn't in her bed. Any thought of returning to sleep flitted from his mind as he pushed the door open a bit more, making the hinge creak.
A Banette popped from the tussled blankets, its pink eyes blinking drowsily. "I'm sorry I woke you," Clemont whispered sincerely. "Where'd she go?" The Banette's eyes blinked in confusion twice more before it grumpily gestured to the pastures outside the bedroom window. "Thank you very much, sleep well," Clemont said, nearly closing the door all the way. He snuck down the hall and peaked into the only other bedroom, and content to see his sister sleeping easily in a small yellow bed, made his way outside.
The pinch of the early morning air made him suck in a harsh breath as he loped away from the house, searching for their host. The barn's massive frame immediately caught his attention, and although the sun's first rays were nearly blinding him, he could see the enormous door were wide open, and a trickle of Pokemon were still wandering in.
Clemont jogged the short distance and peeked inside around the building's door frame. Octavia sat with a teary eyed Teddiursa nestled in her crossed legs. "Now hold on, or you're going to make it worse!" She sighed, trying to get a sturdy grip on the Pokemon's left foot.
"Urs…" the small bear whimpered, looking desperately up at its trainer. Seizing the paw, Octavia offered a reassuring smile before her brow furrowed in concentration. Her fingers pinched a short thorn and tugged on it roughly, pulling it free from the Teddiursa's pad.
"Okay, okay," Octavia cooed over the small wails. She dug quickly into her backpack and yanked a potion from a side pouch. The Teddiursa sighed with relief as Octavia sprayed the wound, the small trickle of blood instantly stalling and scabbing over. With a nuzzle of appreciation, the Teddiursa toddled over to join the other Pokemon in their morning meal. As it scooped kibble from one of the many troughs, Octavia rose from her spot on the hay floor, brushing off her rear. "Good morning, how'd you sleep?" Octavia asked, turning and looking Clemont dead in the eye.
Clemont stiffened and shuffled fully into view, feeling sheepish. "Well, thanks," he muttered, taking off his glasses and wiping the lenses on his blue jumpsuit. "Sorry, I just…was wondering where'd you gone."
"Life on a ranch is always an early start," Octavia offered, a small, friendly smile cracking the emotionless mask of her face. She turned and started off, with Clemont scrambling to follow through the crush of Pokemon bodies. "Since it seems you're an early riser as well, you can help me," Octavia called back. "There's a lot to do before midday!" Clemont sighed inwardly; he'd been curious about what Octavia had been doing, but he didn't necessarily want to partake. Deciding it would be rude to deny his assistance, he followed her lead. A Flaffy in need of a bath complicated things with its electrical wool, regularly shocking the pair as they worked carefully and quickly. Next, Clemont helped muck the massive barn, raking in piles of scat and pellets before bagging it up. A Salamence grabbed the bags and flew off into the distance with them. "There's a pit we've dug out that way," Octavia nodded. "A Fire type will burn up the garbage for us."
"You've got a…pretty…self suff….sufficient….system here," Clemont huffed. He couldn't remember doing such labor intensive work before. Octavia smirked at his broken sentence and turned away, making Clemont feel embarrassed. As she led the way down to the lake, Clemont tried his best to catch his breath as quickly as possible, wanting to appear more physically fit than he was. Octavia fed the Water type and spent time talking to them, stroking a fin here and there.
Clemont jumped as a huge shadow fell over him. "Ever swim with a Gyrados before?" Octavia grinned, glancing up at the towering serpent as it held its gaping jaw over Clemont. He shook with fear, the early morning light glinting off the massive fangs. "She likes you," Octavia remarked. "She wants you to play with her."
"No way," Clemont spat, backing up several feet until he was out from under the Gyrados' direct shadow. "No way am I getting in the water!" He huffed several steadying breaths, fogging his glasses. Receiving no responset, Clemont turned to look at Octavia and gauge her reaction. Her gaze was no longer warm. Her green eyes riveted him to the earth, drawing shaky tremors from his body. If looks could kill, he was certain he'd be in the ground.
"I'm sorry," Octavia finally said, turning to the Gyrados, who had slid back from the water's edge. "He doesn't want to play." Octavia shot another glare at Clemont before turning and beginning her climb back up the hill. The Gyrados slipped down sadly beneath the surface. Clemont watched Octavia begin he ascent and felt guilt wash over him. She loved her Pokemon, and he had insulted both her, and them.
Clemont dove into the water, forgetting to throw his glasses on the bank. Maybe it was disappointing the Gyrados, or maybe it was Octavia's angry glare, or perhaps even disappointing himself. Most likely, it was a mix of the three, but Clemont suddenly felt the need to right the slight he had dealt. The water was dark, deep, and cold, the sun still not high enough to both warm and lighten its depths. Holding his breath, he searched the gloomy waters.
The Gyrados charged him from below. Clemont nearly swallowed the lake in fear and surprise at her speed. She stopped short before him, her gaping mouth large enough to swallow him whole. She circled him with glee, the current of her speed spinning him slightly. Clemont swam quickly to the surface, gasping for air.
Coughing, he broke the surface, gasping for air from both the need of oxygen as well as fear. Behind him a screech sounded as the Pokemon blasted from the water behind him. Clemont spun around, blinking at the blue column before him. Slowly the Gyrados leaned down from her towering height.
The lines sharpened as Clemont wiped the water droplets from his glasses. The Gyrados' face was so close he could see the water glistening on her fangs. His muscles tensed nervously, seeing the ginormous teeth so close. Surely, they were half the length of his arm.
The Gyrados slowly dipped her gaping mouth into the lake, filling her lower jaw with water. She flicked it forward, emptying it onto Clemont's face. He flinched back, then blinked in confusion. The Gyrados slowly refilled her mouth and splashed Clemont again. A grumble crawled from her long throat. Clemont's eyes narrowed; laughter?
As the Gyrados tossed more water onto Clemont's face, Clemont splashed back experimentally. The Gyrados roared in joy, and began splashing the nervous human with more vigor. Clemont breathed a nervous laugh, pushing more water back at the serpent.
As the romping grew more vigorous, a pod of Remoraids zipped away anxiously. The waves grew in height, and the waters frothed as the odd pair splashed and pushed one another. The Gyrados circled Clemont slowly, causing a small whirlpool to spin him around. "Knock it off!" Clemont called, splashing the Pokemon with as much force as he could.
A tinkling laugh drew Clemont's gaze. On the edge of the lake sat Octavia, a Buizel in her lap, her toes dipped into the lake's shallows. Her shoes and long, torn black socks were tossed to the side carelessly. She was smiling at him, and Clemont experienced the oddest sensation.
Once, when he was younger, his father had taken him and Bonnie to the shore and let them play on the beach. Clemont had stood waist deep in the ocean and had felt a simultaneous push and pull of the ocean's undertow. With her emerald eyes and the swirling currents, this felt a lot like that memory. Wanting to run from her piercing gaze while simultaneously wanting to draw her eyes ever closer. Wanting to both flee and eliminate the distance in between.
Exhausted, Clemont began swimming back to the shore. With a final growl of farewell, the Gyrados slipped beneath the surface. "Well, that was equally unexpected and comical," Octavia mused, stroking the Buizel's slick orange fur.
"That was equally terrifying and horrifying," Clemont gasped, flopping onto his back beside her.
"Oh, please," Octavia quipped. She plucked his glasses from his nose, causing him to jump in surprise. "Admit you had fun." She leaned over and placed the lenses back on his face. As the world sharpened instantly, Clemont found himself lost. Her golden hair curtained around his head, her green eyes glistening down at him as she gazed down. He blinked up at her, desperately hoping for a hard reset of his brain, a mental reboot.
"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Clemont choked out after clearing his throat. Octavia rolled her eyes as she pursed her lips before standing, gently placing the Buizel back into the lake.
"Come on, get up, we better get you cleaned up. We've still got a long day ahead of us." She offered her hand as she stood above him, and Clemont grabbed it, hauling himself up with her help. She raised her eyebrows, then glanced down at her hand, which he still held, despite already standing. He dropped it quickly, wiping his hand nervously on his soaked jumpsuit.
As Octavia began leading the way to the cabin they had slept in, she chuckled quietly at the squelching noise Clemont's shoes made with each step. Blushing deeply, Clemont stared at the ground beneath his feet, trying to ignore the way her judgement and smile made his stomach flip. With each squeaky step, the lake fell further into the background. Clemont checked his watch, and saw that he and Octavia had been out for three hours, and it was almost eleven.
As the pair strolled through the front door, the others were just waking up. "Go on, take a shower," Octavia nodded, pointing to the bathroom door near Bonnie's bedroom. "I'll start breakfast with the others."
"What're you all wet for?" Bonnie yawned with tousled hair as she stumbled down the hallway. Clemont snuck by her, trying to sneak into the bathroom before the others began asking questions.
"Clemont went swimming with my Gyrados this morning," Octavia grinned, her authoritative gaze following him down the highway.
"No way!" Bonnie gasped, her bleary eyes instantly widening. "Clemont, that's so cool, that's so impressive!"
"Yes, it is," Octavia agreed, crossing her arms as she watched him. The last thing Clemont saw before he closed the bathroom door was her paralyzing gaze appraising him. As the latch clicked shut and he was free from her sight, Clemont realized his heart hadn't stopped racing since he'd first seen her in the barn hours earlier.