Chapter 9 – Fishing Daze
Cadence followed Franklin out of the door, with their blond companion not far behind.
"I learned so much in there," Franklin said, smiling for the first time in a while, "I mean, I lost the battle to those kids, but, I learned all about the gyms and things about the Elite Four, and the Champion. I'm going to be so prepared."
"So you're going to challenge all eight with that Turtwig of yours?" asked a nasal voice behind them. Turning, they saw Gareth leaving the school.
"What's it to you?" Franklin asked, baring his teeth as if he was a rabid Mightyena.
"Well, right now," the boy said, smugly, "you'd probably fare well against Roark, if you trained your Turtwig up a bit. But in the time it takes to get to Oreburgh City, I'm not sure you'll be ready at all."
"Excuse me," Cadence butted in, "You don't know what other Pokémon Franklin has, and you don't know what other Pokémon he'll catch by the time he gets there."
"I know where you can get another Pokémon before you head out that way," the boy smiled, "The only condition is that you help me catch a Pokémon there."
"Are you even old enough?" Joshua asked, looking at the smaller boy.
"I'm thirteen in three months," he admitted, "But my mom said if I can catch a Pokémon, she'll give me my starter early. And I really want that Budew."
"Alright then," Franklin said, rolling his eyes, "Where is this magical place?"
"You're making us go fishing?" Cadence grimaced, as they waited in the roadhouse, picking out fishing rods.
"I don't like it either," whined Joshua, slouching as low as he could get without falling over, "There was a sign back in Jubilife about a fashion show in the TV Station. Couldn't we go there instead?"
"It might have annoyed me before- thank you," he stopped to thank the Gate Guard as he took a fishing rod, "But Gareth is right. I do need another Pokémon if I'm going to beat Roark, let alone the other Gym Leaders. And now is the right time to do it. Gareth already told me that Roark uses three Pokémon. How many water-types are there going to be on the way to Oreburgh?"
"You're right, I guess," sighed Cadence, taking her fishing rod between finger and thumb, thanking the guard, "Fishing just sounds so boring."
"Fishing to catch a Pokémon could be fun," suggested Gareth, holding the door open for them. Franklin walked through smiling, while both Cadence and Joshua gave filthy looks as they walked by.
"There's no need to be like that, you know," Franklin said to them, disapproving of their attitude. "Gareth knows a lot more than both of you about this stuff. He's just not old enough to travel alone yet. This fishing can be fun if you let it be."
Cadence flicked her black hair behind her head, sitting herself on a stool on the wooden jetty, not too far from a man in a sailor uniform. He seemed to be attracting a lot of attention.
Near his broad shoulder, a bird with white down was in flight. Its short orange beak was bent down and black at the front. Its animated eyes seemed to be darting around, spotting anything, and the blue stripes on its wings were a complete match to the sailor's hat.
The bench was uncomfortable, and she could see that Joshua was empathising with her. Franklin, however, had joined Gareth in meditating by the jetty's edge.
"Hey, Joshua," Cadence muttered to her friend, seeing him looking over to the crowd forming at the muscular sailor. "What do you think of him?" She nodded her head in the direction of the man.
"W-what do I think of who?" her friend stammered, blushing as he swiftly turned away.
"The sailor guy over there," she said, "Don't you think he's getting a bit of a fan base, all the while sitting there doing nothing?"
"Fishing is an interesting sport for some," Gareth stated, eyes still closed, "They're most likely taking part in his anticipation. I'm sure if the two of you calmed yourselves down, you'd begin enjoying the relaxation, since neither of you are prominent battlers."
"You know what," Cadence said, jumping to her feet, "I'm not sitting here listening to this. I'm going back to the TV Station, and I'm going to check out the fashion show."
"We're going to go there?" asked Joshua, springing into the air, his satchel already swung around his shoulder, "Let's go, let's go!"
"You're really more interested in fashion than catching more Pokémon?" asked Franklin, speaking more to Joshua than to Cadence.
"Of course I am," the blond retaliated, "Can't you tell when you look at me?"
"Come on. Josh, let's get out of here," Cadence said, making her way back to the roadhouse. As the two walked past the sailor, a woman in a bikini began to laugh.
"If you're heading over to the fashion show, I'd take off that hideous hat!" she jeered, tapping her friends on the arms. "Look at it!"
They all began to laugh, until Joshua shoved his friend aside.
"She had an accident!" he bellowed, "That hat, as hideous as it may be, is hiding the horrible scarring and bandages!"
A few stopped laughing, but the woman grabbed one of her friend's arms and pulled her closer.
"If we beat you in a battle," she began, talking to the children, "then you show us those scars. If you win," she paused for a giggle, "then you can push us into the water."
"I'll take you on!" boomed Joshua, grabbing his only Pokéball. "Come on, Cadence!" Cadence nodded, grabbing Shinx' Pokéball.
"Zach, dear, let us borrow a couple of Pokémon," the woman asked the sailor sitting down.
"Here," he said, passing two to her without even looking around. He went back to concentrating on his fishing.
"Come on out!" the two bikini-clad trainers called, throwing two Pokéballs into the air.
From the first Pokéball, a turquoise Pokémon the same height as Angela's Monferno, emerged. It was completely plain, covered in a leathery skin, decorated with three hair-like tan Mohawks sprouting from its head.
The second brought forth a bodiless pink and white Pokémon. There were spikes on its ever-moving back, and six raised bumps on its head, tipped in darker pink. A yellow stripe followed through its lips and around the body.
"Come on out, Dapper!" shouted Joshua, raising laughs from the girls in the crowd.
"Show them who's boss, Shinx!" called Cadence, throwing her Pokéball into the field. Dapper materialised from the sparkles of light, posing as she stared at her surroundings suspiciously.
Shinx appeared, already growling at both opponents. The two Pokémon flinched at the sound of Shinx, and took a step back.
"Nice Intimidate," the woman smirked, flinging her arm forward, "But that won't save you from Machop's Karate Chop!" The blue human-like fighting-type sped towards Shinx, thrusting its open fist forwards.
"Quick, Dapper," Joshua directed, "Spin into a Pound to knock it out of the way!" The water-type acted upon the orders, and jumped into the air in Machop's direction. Performing a mid-air pirouette, she slammed her flightless wing into the muscle Pokémon's face.
"Thanks a lot, Joshua," Cadence smiled, turning away from the battle for a second to smile at the boy, "Now, Shinx, use Tackle on the pink one!"
"It's a Shellos, you amateur!" the water-type's trainer snapped, her brown hair blowing in the strong breeze, "Now, pink one, go and attack with Mud-slap!" As Cadence's electric-type loped to the trainer's end of the jetty, Shellos' mouth churned out some sodden mud, hurling it into Shinx' face.
"Shinx, are you okay?" asked Cadence, fretting over her blue furred Pokémon.
"Shi, Iiiinx!" he growled, rubbing at his eyes with his forelegs.
"Shinx' accuracy has fell considerably," Gareth called, running over with Franklin in tow, "That Mud-slap is going to stop him from battling properly!" His olive green cap was almost blowing off in the strong breeze; he held it down as he continued to add, "Try using his Leer until he can see better!"
"How can you tell he's a he?" asked a confused Cadence, rubbing her goose pimpled arms.
"Two reasons," he smiled, perfect teeth showing, "First off, the tufts of hair on his cheeks and forehead are longer than a female's. Also, the main difference is the navy fur on his hind legs. Female's hind legs have the same royal blue fur as their forelegs."
"Enough with the Pokémon Biology lesson!" shouted the obnoxious Shellos trainer, "Shellos, attack them with a Water Pulse! Sharon, quickly attack them!"
"Sure thing, Brenda," smiled Sharon, the brunette who had been yanked into battle by her blonde friend, "Machop, use Low Kick on Shinx!"
"Cadence, do something!" shouted Franklin, attempting to run forward, only holding back as Gareth obstructed him with a short arm.
"Stop! All of you!" came a voice from a standing sailor. Cadence now saw one of the attractions to him. He was a conventionally gorgeous man. As she and Joshua gawped at the man, he flicked his fishing rod, pulling the line back in.
Everyone was watching him now, as he nudged the Pokémon off his shoulder, urging it to battle. The line seemed to be pulling something in, and as the hook finally came in, a white and persimmon water-type was hauled onto the jetty, flopping it's flowing fins everywhere it could.
"Wingull, attack it with Wing Attack!" the sailor called, thrusting his index finger forward. The blue stripes on the flying-type's wings began glowing periwinkle, as it launched itself towards the helpless sea based Pokémon.
"Gol, Goldeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!" it shouted as it was thrown back into a fencepost.
"Now, Net Ball, go!" Zachariah called, throwing a Pokéball with an aqua top half. The ball sucked in the red essence and closed shut. Once grounded, it began to rock vigorously back and forth, coming too close to the edge of the jetty twice.
Everyone was on edge as the most common form of empathy between trainers from everywhere in the region took place. All conversations stopped, all eyes, Pokémon and human alike, were on the Net Ball. The top half was covered in black stripes, crossing each other to look exactly like a net. It stopped rocking, the button's luminous red glow ceasing. Goldeen was caught.
A cheer went through the sailor's crowd of friends, as the trainer recognition system of the Pokéball forced it to drift back to his outstretched hand.
"Well done!" shouted Gareth, jumping for a few minutes before running back to his fishing rod. Franklin followed shortly after, shaking his head at his two friends.
"Now, let's see the end of this battle," Zachariah smiled, turning his face towards Cadence and Joshua, both of whom blushed.
"I'm not battling anymore," Cadence whimpered, dragging Shinx back into his Pokéball. She quickly grabbed her white hat and pulled it off quickly.
There was a gasp from the crowd as the bandages were revealed. They didn't wait for her to take the bandages off.
"Put your hat back on, girl," came a stern voice from Zachariah, "You don't need to prove anything here. I sincerely hope you heal up nicely, and Joshua," he looked at the young teen, "I hope you and Dapper enjoy the Fashion Show."
"But, Zach," Brenda began to argue.
"No 'buts'," he said, glaring at her, "Leave me in peace to fish. All of you!" The crowd whined before moving on. Brenda and Sharon returned his Pokémon to him before leaving.
"Come on, Cadence," Joshua smiled, turning his friend around. "Franklin can stay here and fish, and we can go and look at clothes!"
"Okay," she grinned back, giggling at his excitement. She waved to Franklin and Gareth, and smiled at the ignorant Zachariah, who smiled at his new Pokémon, thinking everyone had gone.
The two friends walked out of the roadhouse, giving their fishing rods back and thanking the guard.
"Do you think I should have told them the Fashion Show was only for Pokémon?" Gareth asked his new friend. The two started to snicker before once more meditating with their fishing.