Author's Note: Though I'm sure you guys are much smarter than I, and can probably easily figure it out...if I ever use italics on a statement, it is indicating that said statement is a mere thought...or in Ranie's case telepathy. Just wanted to let you all know :P
Ch 10: The Long Road Home Pt. 1
"So, I'm pretty sure that you guys may know a tad about how this actually works, correct?" Hayden asked.
"Actually, not entirely..." Angie responded.
"No prob that's cool! Basically we're going to open one of our empty pokeballs, then you guys will kind of get...sucked inside I guess? If that makes any sense to the two of you." Said Frank.
"Wait we have to go in there? That tiny ball?"Angie asked.
"Well, I mean...yeah. Pretty much...sorry girls." Said Frank.
Angie had begun to panic a bit. "I...I don't know if I can deal with that, I don't like small spaces at all!"
"Well that's the only way that we can officially become your trainers. We can't just take you home without capturing you, it's actually kind of illegal." Said Hayden.
"Illegal?" Angie questioned. "What's that?"
Frank thought to himself a bit. "Hmm..basically it just means that if we were to do that...we could get in trouble. BIG trouble."
"Ohh...I see." Angie seemed a bit down, seeing that there was really no other choice.
"I promise girls, as soon as we catch you and it becomes official...we will let you right out. It'd be nice to have you two out with us along the way anyway!" Hayden smiled.
Angie paced back and forth. "I...I just...I don't know...I mean..."
Ranie seemed to be thinking about it a bit as well. "I trust them."
"Jeez, I still have to get used to you doing that to me!" Hayden chuckled, causing Ranie to blush a bit.
"Alright. If she can trust you, then so can I! Go ahead guys. Please make it quick okay!" Said Angie.
"We promise!" The two said in unison.
They both reached for their belt, each taking one of their vacant poke' balls, opening them shortly after, engulfing the two pokemon in a red aura before they had completely vanished into the ball. Of course after the three usual shakes, everything was all said and done, and of course as promised...the two had let them out immediately after.
"Alright you two come on out." Hayden opened his poke' ball as Frank did the same. After the two had finally emerged from the bright red light, they had begun kissing the ground like they couldnt be happier to see it.
"Oh come on guys don't overreact!" Hayden chuckled.
"Jeez you two, it can't be that bad in there can it?" Frank laughed.
"Are you kidding? It's so cramped in there!" Angie shouted.
"Pfft. Drake and Finn handle it pretty well it seems!" Hayden joked.
Ranie just gave Hayden the eye.
"Aww come on! I'm only kidding with you!" Hayden laughed.
"Anyways, I think we need to head out bro. We've wasted more than enough time dealing with Dario and Gary, we still need to get to Rustboro." Said Frank.
"Yeah man, let's head out. You girls ready?"
"Ready!" Angie exclaimed.
Ranie just gave a small nod.
Frank smiled. "Let's get to it then!"
[Few Hours Later]
"I'm sorry gentleman, but the S.S. Aqua won't be heading out again for another three days! I do apologize for the inconvenience." The ship captain stated.
"Wait...sir our tickets are right here, can we not board?" Hayden asked.
"Well you see, the main rotors are out right now and it's going to take some time to repair it before the boat will be up and running again...around three days to be exact, then it should be good as new!" The captain gave a thumbs up.
"Son of a bitch." Hayden thought. "Alright, well I guess you'll be seeing us in three days then!"
"Looking forward to the two of you gentleman coming aboard!" He gave a salute.
"Thank you sir, we'll be here." Hayden smiled as they walked off.
Frank gave a blank stare. "Well, fuck."
The four began to head back towards Littleroot to get some food and have a chat with the professor. It had begun to get a bit dark along the way though, thus forcing them to have to set camp for the night, not too big a problem for the two trainers as they had gotten quite used to the outdoor living in the past few years they had traveled. Eventually they had come across a small spot with an opening in the trees which let just the right amount of moonlight through, creating quite a beautiful scene. They had both let all of their pokemon out to join them as well.
"Ah man...this is the life." Hayden began to lie back and relax a bit.
"Yup, you said it dude." Frank had done the same. "You down for some old fashioned ramen?"
"Pff. You kidding? When am I not?" Hayden chuckled.
Frank began opening the packs of what was slowly becoming their favorite travel food, before realizing that they hadn't gone to grab any water. "Aw shit, I'm so stupid!"
"Let me guess...we have no water, huh?" Hayden asked.
Frank nodded. "Yep." He then turned towards the pokemon. "Hey Finn, you mind taking these bottles and going get us some fresh water while Hayden and I set up the camp?"
"Sure thing." Finn replied, startling Frank a bit yet again.
"Jesus. I gotta stop forgetting that you guys can actually talk now!" Frank chuckled. "It's a shame that Squirt and Scorch can't though...it'd be pretty cool to be able to communicate with all of you that easily!" Frank looked towards his Croconaw and rubbed his chin.
"Nawwwwww" He sighed in content.
"Ahh it's all good, these guys are just as awesome regardless! Right Scorch?" Hayden patted his Quilava on the head.
"Laaaaa" He gave the same gesture as Squirt had.
"Haha that's what I like to hear!" Hayden turned his attention towards Drake. "Give Frank and I a hand with the camp eh buddy?" Hayden pointed to their unrolled tents.
"But...how can I...?" Drake asked.
"Ahh right, you don't exactly have thumbs...hmm. Alright here, just hold these metal bars up high so we can slide the tent onto it. It'll make it a lot easier on us instead of us having to hold the bars up ourselves while sliding the tent on as well." Hayden then turned his attention to the girls. "Why don't you two girls go with Finn and give him a hand with the water?"
"Okay!" Angie exclaimed.
Ranie of course just smiled and nodded as she always did.
After a minute or so of walking, the three pokemon finally arrived at the small stream close to their camp. Finn had been taking notice of the girls whispering to each other quite a bit along the way as well.
"What do you two keep whispering about? Can I get in on this?" He asked.
Ranie just smiled and shook her head.
"Ranie thinks Ha..." Angie then quickly had her mouth psychicly shut by Ranie, who gave her a long, hard stare.
"Huh?" Finn looked quite confused, but decided to shrug it off after laughing a bit. "Heh, you two are something you know that?"
Ranie just smiled and nodded.
"Anyways, here." Finn handed them both a small bottle of water while he carried the two filled gallon jugs. "Let's get back before they get worried."
"Right." Angie replied after finally being let go from Ranie's psychic grasp.
After a bit of walking, the three had finally made it back to a fully set up camp. After laying the water down next to the tents, Frank began cooking the ramen.
"I can't wait to eat this man, I swear I'm starting to fall in love with this stuff." Said Hayden.
"Oh yeah!" Frank then reached in his backpack, pulling out a small bottle of what looked like seasoning of some sort. "Can't forget to add this in!"
"Oh my...is that lemon pepper?" Hayden asked.
"You already know it. I went ahead and picked up a bottle from the poke'mart when we were back in Rustboro." Frank smiled.
"Bro, you're the best." Hayden laughed.
Frank looked to all of the pokemon. "Oh, and don't worry...we definitely have something for you guys as well!"
"Haha yes we do!" Hayden began digging in their backpacks, finally pulling out several handfuls of assorted berries. Pecha, Chesto, Cheri...you name it.
"Woah! Where did you?..." Angie questioned.
"When you guys were aleep on our shoulders during the walk here, Frank and I had come across a few different berry bushes along the way...and seeing as you guys usually eat this kind of stuff all the time, we grabbed a shit load of them!" Hayden chuckled.
"Enjoy it guys, yall deserve it for being so awesome!" Frank gave a thumbs up.
"Woah...thanks!" Drake exclaimed.
"Yeah these are great!" Finn had already had a mouthful of berries.
"Ahhh no problem guys. It's the least we can do for all that you do for us." Frank smiled.
"Hopefully you guys will continue to stick with us as long as we live. You guys are all true friends for life!" Hayden gave a thumbs up.
They all nodded and smiled.
"Awesome!" Frank exclaimed.
After an hour or so of eating and chatting a bit, the two trainers had finally decided that it was time to hit the sack. After calling back their pokemon one by one, they had finally gotten down to Ranie and Angie, who looked a bit uneasy knowing that it was their turn to go back in their pokeballs.
Frank and Hayden looked towards each other, then smiled.
"You two do know that we're going to let you stay out right?" Frank raised an eyebrow.
"Y-You're serious?" Angie perked up a bit.
"Didn't we make you girls a promise? We said as soon as we captured you, that you two could stay out of your pokeballs if you two didn't want to go back inside...Frank and I never go back on a promise...and that's a promise itself!" Hayden smiled.
"Thanks guys, that really means a lot!" Angie smiled.
"Yes thank you!" Ranie exclaimed, hugging Hayden's legs.
"No problem girls!" Hayden chuckled.
"But...where exactly are we supposed to sleep?" Angie asked.
"Hmmm...I didn't think of that one." Hayden scratched his chin a bit.
Frank snapped his fingers. "Got it! Just let them share the spare sleeping bag we have, it's way more than big enough and it's like...crazy insulated, so they'll definitely be warm."
"Yeah, good idea!" Said Hayden.
Ranie looked at the ground for a bit, before looking up to her sister. "How about you share Frank's sleeping bag with him, and Hayden can share his with me? I'm sure that will be much warmer." She looked up to Hayden "If you don't mind that is."
Hayden looked to Frank and shrugged. "It's pretty damn cold tonight, so...I mean...I guess its okay. Sure."
Ranie jumped for joy and clapped a bit in excitement, hugging Hayden's legs as she always did.
Angie looked towards Ranie and smirked...hard. "Heh. Someone's really becoming fond of Hayden aren't they?" She mumbled.
Ranie gave a very agitated glare towards her. "It's just cold, nothing more. Get your head out of the gutter sis."
"Pff. Suuuuuure." Angie winked.
"*Yawn* Ohhhh man. Well, I'm about ready to pass out." Said Frank.
"You said it man. Shall we hit the tent then?" Hayden asked.
"Definitely." Frank replied.
After a few minutes of setting up their sleeping bags and getting comfortable and situated, they had finally laid down and were ready for bed. Angie had already fallen asleep on Frank's chest after getting comfortable fairly quickly, him falling asleep right after. Hayden began to dose off as well, not realizing that Ranie had still been awake, looking over him a bit, studying him the best that she could.
"I don't understand it. He and Frank are BOTH very kind and sweet people...so why do I feel so different towards Hayden? I...I've never really felt this feeling before. I see them both as my friends, but...it's just different with Hayden. He's always so calm and...happy. I really wish I could just figure this out!" She said to herself, not realizing that Hayden was beginning to wake back up.
"Hey...what are you still doing up? Is everything okay Ranie?" Hayden asked.
She just stood there, a bit startled that he'd woken up. "Yes...I'm okay I uh...I just had a bad dream, that's all." She lied.
"Oh I see, well at least it's over now." He hugged her slightly, causing her to turn in embarrassment and blush a fierce shade of red. "Just remember if you ever need to talk, I'm here okay?"
She nodded and smiled. "Thanks Hayden."
He smiled back before turning back around, quickly falling back to sleep.
Ranie lay next to Hayden, facing the opposite direction, attempting to get some sleep as well. After a few minutes, she then faced towards the top of the tent, looking through the mesh and into the beautiful starry night sky.
"*Sigh* Gonna be a long night." She thought.
Alright everyone, sooooo I got a new job! Sadly I don't get as much time as I had before to write when I was unemployed, because...well I work now! Also I know my chapters are usually much longer than this one, but I just felt that I would break this Chapter into two parts because it's been a little while and honestly...I didn't feel like keeping you all waiting any longer for me to upload! So I uploaded as soon as I could. :p
P.S. I already started on part 2 a little, so it should be up fairly soon!
And as always please R&R It helps me so much to hear what you all think of my story along the way! Stay awesome guys :)