Hey everyone, remember me? I'm back!
Thanks to my beta, M.H.T. of R for fixing up my mistakes.
Ch 8: Delivery Girl
A new day and a new badge! It's awesome! It's so small and smooth, I love it; even if the corners are sharp and I cut myself.
I feel like I can take on the world! And I will as soon as I deliver this briefcase. Can't believe I forgot to do that yesterday. Sorry owner, but with the excitement of my victory it's understandable that I would forget, right? Brendan left already so I don't know if there is a name or address on it. I have no choice but to leave it up to the police. At least I got it back from the thug.
It's time to find the police station. In Kanto and Johto the station is always next to the Pokémon Center but Hoenn seems to be different. This is a city with a gym so maybe it's next to it, hopefully.
Where is that blasted police station? Asking for directions is a waste of time because everyone I inquired of seemed to just point in the direction without verbalizing anything. Torch and Grace are too distracted by the city to pay attention. Police station, appear!
"Thief!" Where? "Stay where you are, thief!" The voice is getting closer; the thief must be nearby. "Caught you!" Me?
"Sir, is this your brief case?" the guy holding my arm ask, must be a police officer. Just my luck.
"Yes officer," answers a man. His voice sounds very familiar. Where did I hear it before?
"I didn't steal it!" I blurt out.
"Save it for when you get to the station," the officer snaps back. I sure got myself into a predicament.
"Wait, I know her," the man says as he steps closer. "You're that trainer that helped me in Petalburg Woods."
Great, it's the shroomish guy. The briefcase does belong to him. I was hoping to never see him again. Wait! Maybe he'll listen to my story. "Did Team Aqua steal your briefcase?"
"Yes! Did you get it back?"
"Yes! I didn't steal it honest! Ask Mr. Briney, I saved his wingull."
"It's alright officers. There's no way such a good person could steal anything." Finally the shroomish guy is useful.
The officer hesitates before finally releasing my arm. He says something quickly to the guy before leaving. Glad that's over with. He was holding my arm pretty tight, I bet there's a hand print on it. It's time to go back to the Pokémon Center for lunch and then I'll be on my way.
"Miss wait!" the guy yells as he grips my arm. Damn. He better not have another Team Aqua problem for me to deal with. I'm really sick of them now. "I would like to thank you. Please come with me."
Do I have too? Fighting back a sigh I follow him. Maybe his thank you will be food. I'm hungry and I know if Torch doesn't get food soon he will be throwing a fit. He's such a brat.
My reward is not food, it's waiting! He takes me to some building (it's gotta be his work place) and then he shoves me into a small room. How long have I been here? People have come and gone. Hungry…Had to return Torch because he started to throw a tantrum. At least Grace is a good girl. If that guy doesn't come soon I'm going to leave and never come back.
The door opens and the steps are heavy; darn it's not the receptionist lady telling me that I can leave. "Sapphire, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting." Yay, it's the shroomish guy. Can I leave now? "The president will see you now." Wait, what?
I don't get a chance to say anything as I'm shoved out of the room and into an elevator. I can't even get a word of complaint in because he keeps going on and on about the Devon Corporation and the president, as if I care. Meeting the president of a company might be an honor to some but to me it's a waste of time. I just want to set out for the next town with a gym.
A loud ding and a swoosh noise and I'm rushed out of the elevator. Immediately our pace slows way down to a crawl, we must be in the presence of the president. I'm placed in a meticulously place (probably in front of a desk), and I'm never offered a seat.
"I've brought her, sir," the shroomish guy says.
"Thank you. You may leave now," the president orders. It's silent as we wait for the guy to leave. Okay, this is an uncomfortable situation.
"Sapphire." The sharp change in his tone has me standing on the tips of my toes. "Do you have any idea of the situation you got yourself into?"
"Excuse me?" I voice my confusion.
"You've picked a fight with Team Aqua. They won't show you mercy just because you are young and a woman."
"With all due respect sir, they picked a fight with me." Silence, I bet he's giving me a glare. Need to fix this. "I couldn't let them get away with what they are doing. As the future champion I need to protect my region."
Silence and then obnoxious laughter is my response. Is he laughing at me? I don't care who he is, I won't stand for it. "I'm sorry," he says between laughs. "I don't mean to laugh. It's just…I didn't expect a reply like that."
He's still laughing. I can't tell if he's still surprised or if he doesn't think I can actually do it. I don't like him. Finally the gasping starts and follows by wheezing. He apologizes again as he takes something out of a drawer.
"I have an offer for you." I say nothing so he continues. "The goods you got back; I would like for you to deliver them to captain Stern in Slateport City."
Is he serious? He just asked me if I knew what I got myself into and now he wants me to get involved even more? Maybe he thinks Team Aqua won't suspect me of having it. Or maybe he wants Team Aqua to come after me instead of his workers. Either way I still don't like him.
"I don't except you to do it for free." You better not. He places something on the table and slides it towards me. With the help of Grace I'm able to pick it up.
It's heavy, mechanical, and flips open. What is it? "It's a Pokémon Navigator or Pokenav for short." Oh, still have no idea what it is. "It's our latest invention. With it you can make calls, view where you are on a Hoenn map, listen to radio, and other things."
"So, it's like a Pokegear?"
"Er yes, but better." Yeah, 'better'.
This device does me no good so this deal is pointless but a champion helps those in need. Besides this might draw Team Aqua's attention onto me and thus they wouldn't hurt innocent Devon workers. I'll help, even if I don't like the president.
"Alright." Hm, this isn't a suitcase but some other kind of bag. That makes sense. A teenage girl traveling around with a suitcase is suspicious.
"Excellent." Is that it? Well, there's nothing left for me to do here, time to leave.
"Wait." Now what? "I have another request." Of course you do. Again he takes something out of a drawer. "Can you deliver this letter to my son, Steven Stone?"
"Can't you just call him?" Better not tell me there's top secret information on this letter that can't be said over the phone because that's stupid. "I can never reach him." Okay, I'll forgive him for that. He sure seems bitter about that fact, though.
"I'll do it," I say as I extend my hand for it. "Where does he live?"
"In Mossdeep City." Okay, and where would that be? "But he's rarely home. And before you ask I don't know where he usually is." Great just great. "But he does like to search for rare stones so he's probably in a cave somewhere."
Really? You expect me to find a single person (who I have no idea what he looks like nor do I have the means to be able to identify him) in some random cave in all of Hoenn (even if he's in Hoenn)? What did I get myself into? Note to self, learn what is required before agreeing.
Gently (for show), I place the letter in my bag. Fighting back the urge to sigh I tell him, "I'll give it a shot but make no promises." He doesn't say anything (not even a thank you) so I guess he nodded. I'm leaving before he has something else for me to do.
I was able to make it out with only two jobs. That shroomish guy tried to talk to me but I fled before he could get more than a few words out of his mouth. Thanks to them I lost several hours of my life (in which I was never fed) and I was going to leave today too. Now I have to wait until tomorrow, so much for leaving early.
It is morning and I'm leaving, I will not let anything distract me. A nurse was kind enough to tell me that the next closest gym (besides dad's) is in Dewford, but I'll need a boat. If I remember correctly Mr. Briney has one, maybe he'll give me a ride. If not I'll be off to Oldale Town to catch a ship to Mauville City where I'll take on that gym. Then I will leave Dewford's gym until I have a Pokémon that will be able to ferry me there (I was told that it's not too far from Petalburg).
It took me all day to get through Petalburg Woods. I guess it's a good thing that the president made me postpone my plans (though I'm still not pleased with him). Torch still doesn't like the woods. My Pokedex tells me that torchic don't like dark places because they can't see (lucky them) but are the woods that dark? Doesn't feel like it. Even though he doesn't like the woods he still stayed out of his ball. I don't know if he's just trying to be brave or if he's making sure I'm safe (either way I love him).
Out of the woods and into the fryer. I'm really close to Petalburg, must be on alert. Mr. Briney said he has a cottage on the outskirts of the city but where? He has a boat so next to the water seems like the obvious choice. I sure hope it's there because if it isn't I'll be at a loss.
"What do we have here Peeko?" It's the loud booming voice of the jolly Mr. Briney. His wingull caws happily and lands on my shoulder. "If it isn't our little hero. What brings you to our neck of the woods?"
"I have a favor to ask."
Next chapter will have STEVEN! Finally!
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